Bean-Nighe

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 93 (11d8 + 44)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Skills Arcana +3, Insight +5, Nature +3, Perception +5, Stealth +6
Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +6
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Proficiency Bonus +3
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Discern Lie. The bean-nighe discerns when a creature in earshot speaks a lie in a language the bean-nighe knows.
• Incorporeal Movement. The bean-nighe can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
• Inscrutable. The bean-nighe is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as any divination spell that it refuses. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain the bean-nighe’s intentions or sincerity have disadvantage.
• Keen Senses. The bean-nighe has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
• Magic Resistance. The bean-nighe has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Undead Nature. The bean-nighe doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
• Wishes. The bean-nighe can grant up to three wishes to creatures who can answer its three questions truthfully. A particular bean-nighe that has this power can grant one to three wishes to a creature that isn’t a bean-nighe, one wish per correctly answered question. Once a bean-nighe has granted its limit of wishes, it can’t grant wishes again for some amount of time (usually 1 year), and cosmic law dictates that the same bean-nighe can expend its limit of wishes on a specific creature only once in that creature’s existence. To be granted a wish, a creature within 60 feet of the bean-nighe states a desired effect to it. The bean-nighe can then cast the wish spell on the creature’s behalf to bring about the effect.

ACTIONS

• Death Shroud. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 3) necrotic damage and the target must succeed on a DC 14 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.
• Keening Wail (3/Day). The bean-nighe emits a mournful wail that lasts for 1 minute. Each creature within 30 feet of her when she starts her wail must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for the duration. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Washing Omen (1/Day). When the bean-nighe is seen washing the blood from linen and grave-clothes of those who are about to die, it serves as an omen of death and misfortune. Any creature that witnesses this activity must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become overcome with despair manifesting as unshakable dread. Until the despair ends, the creature has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I’m convinced that I’m going to die.” The creature can attempt to end its despair each time it finishes a long rest, doing so with a successful DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. A calm emotions spell also ends the despair, as does any spell or other magical effect that removes a curse.

ABOUT

The bean-nighe’s true form is that of a hideous, decrepit woman with long tangled hair, a hooked nose with one large nostril, and empty eye sockets. She is often dressed in green or dark, tattered garments. In some variations, she may have webbed feet and long breasts.

The bean-nighe (ban-NEE-YEH) is a spectral omen of death and misfortune. Her appearance foretells tragedy and sorrow, and those who see her often experience a deep sense of dread. Mortals who witness a bean-nighe are believed to be marked for an untimely death or severe misfortune.

Bean-nighes are often found near desolate streams and pools, where they are seen washing the clothes of those destined to die. They are associated with death and tragedy and are regarded as messengers from the Otherworld.

Bean-nighes do not actively hunt mortals but instead manifest as omens of death and misfortune. They are rarely approached or conversed with, as their presence is believed to herald doom. However, on occasion, if approached correctly, a bean-nighe may grant a wish to those seeking her favor, though this is a dangerous undertaking.

The bean-nighe is known to ask three specific questions to those who encounter her. The questions vary slightly in different accounts, but they generally revolve around predicting the future or revealing the fate of the person she is speaking to.

The three questions typically asked by the bean-nighe are:

• Am I washing the shirt of someone living, or am I washing the shirt of someone dead?
• Is the person whose shirt I’m washing a man or a woman?
• Is the person whose shirt I’m washing young or old?

The answers to these questions are believed to foretell the fate of the person she is inquiring about. If the shirt she is washing belongs to someone who is alive, the person is thought to have a chance of survival. If the shirt belongs to someone who has already died, it indicates that the person is destined to die soon.