Spirit Lamp

The skeletal figure draped in fine robes lifts its lantern, illuminating the area in a sickly light.

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33)
Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 19 (+4)

Saving Throws Dexterity +7, Constitution +6
Skills Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, unconscious
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Special Traits

  • Jumpy. The spirit lamp can’t be surprised and can use a bonus action to take the Disengage action.
  • Lantern’s Light. As a bonus action, the spirit lamp can open or close its lantern. When open, the lantern sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. The spirit lamp can only see objects within the lantern’s light and is blind while the lantern is closed. The lantern’s light pierces magical and nonmagical darkness and can’t be dispelled by magical darkness. If a creature dies in the lantern’s light, its spirit is trapped in the lantern.
  • Lantern Spirits. Spirits of creatures that died within the lantern’s light haunt it. While the lantern is open, these spirits surround the spirit lamp, slowing and attacking all creatures within the lantern’s light. A creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the spirit lamp has its speed halved and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the spirit lamp dies and the lantern is open, the lantern’s spirits continue to harm creatures within 30 feet of it until the lantern is destroyed or closed.
  • Spirit Lantern. The spirit lamp’s lantern is immune to damage and can’t be the target of spells or effects as long as the spirit lamp lives. When the spirit lamp dies, the lantern floats gently to the ground and opens, if it was closed. The lantern has AC 17, 50 hp, and is immune to piercing, poison, and psychic damage. A creature that touches the lantern must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be cursed. A cursed creature is frightened of darkness, can’t see anything outside of the lantern’s light, and is unable to drop the lantern. The cursed creature will risk its own life to protect the lantern. A creature can repeat the saving throw each day at dawn, lifting the curse and ending the effects on itself on a success. If this occurs, the lantern disintegrates. After three failed saving throws, remove curse or similar magic is required to end the curse. If the creature remains cursed after 30 days, it is irreversibly changed by the curse, and it becomes the lantern’s new spirit lamp. Voluntarily opening the lantern counts as a failed saving throw. If the lantern is destroyed, all captured spirits are put to rest and the cursed bearer, if it has not yet changed into a spirit lamp, is freed of the curse.
  • Undead Nature. The spirit lamp doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The spirit lamp makes three attacks.
  • Spirit Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) necrotic damage.
  • Lantern Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) fire damage.

About

Spirit lamps are cursed creatures carrying lanterns that trap the souls of their victims and unleash those souls to ravage the living.

Descent Into Madness. A living creature that touches the lantern is cursed, unable to release it and unable to see except in the lantern’s light. Torn between fear of the darkness and the horrors it sees in the cursed light, the bearer is soon driven mad. Over time the bearer twists into the skeletal spirit lamp.

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.