Goreling

Bits and pieces of ground-up flesh and bone given unholy life shuffles forward, eager to feed.

Small undead, unaligned

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 11 (2d6 + 4)
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 1 (-5) 5 (-3) 1 (-5)

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 7
Languages
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Special Traits

  • Bloodthirsty. If 6 or more gorelings are within 30 feet of one another, they become frenzied and their attacks deal an extra 2 (1d4) necrotic damage.
  • Swarming. Up to five gorelings can occupy the same space.

Actions

  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic damage.

Reactions

  • Multiplying. When a goreling is hit but not reduced to 0 hp, it splits into two new gorelings. Each new goreling has 1 hp, doesn’t have this reaction, and is one size smaller than the original goreling. While fresh gore is preferable when raising gorelings, rotting flesh will suffice, too. These gooey black and green undead creatures smell absolutely awful. Such gorelings have a challenge rating of 1/2 (100 XP) and gain the following trait.
  • Putrid Stench. Rotten gorelings emit a terrible, sweet stench. Each creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the goreling must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the Putrid Stench of all gorelings for the next 24 hours.

    About

    Gorelings are a necromancer’s answer when there just isn’t enough flesh around to create a full zombie. During a fight, a chopped off appendage or two can be converted into a handy minion.

    Torturous Hunger. It is said that within each goreling is a fragment of the dead creature’s soul. It seeks out the flesh of living things, desperately trying to make itself whole again.

    Leftover Parts. Gorelings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, since they are made of whatever is lying around, including whole eyes, ears, fingers, and organs. The sight of one is unsettling, often even for a necromancer.

    Cannibal Tendencies. If no living flesh is available for a goreling to consume, it will cannibalize another goreling.

    Specimens become larger and larger as they absorb more and more flesh. Thankfully, most decay away to nothing before they get to be too big, but a massive goreling has been mistaken for a flesh golem more than once.

    Undead Nature. The goreling doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.

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