Ghoul, Darakhul High Priestess

Family: Ghouls

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 17 (half plate)
Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2)

Saving Throws Wisdom +8, Charisma +6
Skills Deception +6, Insight +8, Religion +5
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Darakhul
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Special Traits

Actions

  • Multiattack. The darakhul high priestess makes two claw attacks and one bite attack.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage and, if the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or contract darakhul fever.
  • Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a humanoid is paralyzed for more than 2 rounds, it contracts darakhul fever.

About

Though all darakhul acknowledge dark gods, the priestess holds a closer link than most-always first to the feast, dividing out the choice morsels, intoning the words of hideous praise for the feast.

An emissary of the Hunger God, the darakhul high priestess summons her ever-ravenous people to the feast. Leading rites of slaughter and gluttony or handing out punishments and oaths of deprivation, she exercises a great deal of control over her charges.

Bone Cracking. The marrow is considered a delicacy among the darakhul-difficult to reach, rich in flavor. The high priestess traditionally awards the first marrow bone to the altar or cracks it herself on a battlefield, shouting a note of praise (literally, “blessed marrow”) during this ritual.

Vestments and Knives. The unholy garments of a darakhul priestess vary wildly in style, from formal robes stitched with black thread and set with garnet and rubies, to the more practical sacrificial robes of tooled leather, which resemble a butcher’s apron. A priestess of the darakhul always carries a ritual flensing knife; it is never used in combat, only in the aftermath.

Hungry Dead Nature. The darakhul requires no air or sleep.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Empire of the Ghouls © 2020 Open Design LLC; Wolfgang Baur, Richard Green, Jeff Lee, Christopher Lockey, Kelly Pawlik, Mike Welham.

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