Aswang, Wak wak

Small monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	7 (-2)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +5
Skills Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Aswang Scent. As the balbal aswang.
• Heart Devourer. If the wakwak slays a creature which possesses a heart, it may use a bonus action to rend the creature’s heart from its chest and consume it. The wakwak gains 10 temporary hit points and has advantage on attack rolls for the next round.
• Sensory Sensitivity. As the balbal aswang.
• Soundwarp. The sound of the wakwak’s movement is eerily distorted, being more obvious farther away but harder to detect when it is nearby. It has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when over 100 feet away from observers, but it has advantage on such checks within 30 feet. Abilities such as echolocation, keen hearing, tremorsense, and blindsense or blindsight (if based on hearing) grant no benefit in detecting the wakwak.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The wakwak makes one tongue attack, two claw attacks, and one wing slash attack.
• Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage plus a Medium or smaller target is restrained (escape DC 11). If the target remains restrained at the beginning of the wakwak’s turn, it takes an additional 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. As long as it has a target restrained, the wakwak cannot attack any other creature with its tongue.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.
• Wing Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage, and at the beginning of each turn thereafter the target loses 4 hit points and its maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount due to blood loss. This bleeding can be halted with magical healing or a successful DC 11 Wisdom (Medicine) check. The creature’s maximum hit points are restored to normal after a long rest.
• Change Shape. The wakwak magically polymorphs into a bat or giant bat or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed into the new form. In a new form, the wakwak retains its game statistics and ability to speak as well as its tongue attack, but its AC, movement modes, Strength, Dexterity, and other actions are replaced by those of the new form.

ACTIONS

• Evasion. When the wakwak succeeds on a Dexterity saving throw and as a result would take half damage from an effect, it instead takes no damage from that effect.

ABOUT

Aswangs are hideous shapechanging human-bat hybrids.

Their heads resemble crinkled and weathered humans, though with sharp features and even sharper fangs, and a long razorsharp, ribbon-like tongue that whips about constantly. They can subsist on carrion but prefer fresh blood to consume.

They live on the fringes of settled areas, sneaking in to find prey but shunning bright and noisy areas unless starving.

Reflections in the eyes of these lewd, foul creatures are always upside down.

Wakwaks are small but savage nocturnal hunters, hanging in bat form from trees by day. Their bony wing ridges open bleeding gashes in prey, and they often keep prey alive to ensure a supply of blood, but in their impatience they may slaughter victims and lap up the congealing lifeblood before it cools. They treasure still-beating hearts as a delicacy, snatched at the moment of death and providing unnatural sustenance to them. Wakwaks are clumsy on the ground, as their short legs and wing-arms are ill-suited for such movements, but they are agile flyers. The wakwak stands about three feet tall with a wingspan of 8 to 10 feet and weighs 40 pounds.

Wakwak females outnumber males by 10 to 1, and mating rites often involve brutal challenges that may leave the losers bruised and battered or even dead.

Young wakwaks are abandoned shortly after birth, but their shapeshifting powers develop very early and young wakwaks may shelter in bat form for years while they mature and grow strong enough to hunt for their preferred prey.