Bean-Sidhe

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 14
Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)

Skills Arcana +4, Insight +6, Nature +4, Perception +6, Stealth +7
Saving Throws Dex +7, Cha +8
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren t cold iron
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 7 (2,900 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Comb Dependent. The bean-sidhe wears a comb of silver, which holds the creature’s spirit. The comb has an AC and hit points equal to that of the bean-sidhe, but the comb can’t be directly harmed while the bean-sidhe wears it. If the comb is destroyed, the bean-sidhe becomes poisoned and dies within 1 hour. A bean-sidhe is willing to do anything in its power to recover the comb if it is stolen, including serving the thief.
• Ethereal Sight. The bean-sidhe can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
• Incorporeal Movement. The bean-sidhe 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.
• Invisibility. The bean-sidhe can magically turn invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration is broken.
• Keen Hearing. The bean-sidhe has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
• Undead Nature. The bean-sidhe doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

ACTIONS

• Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) necrotic damage.
• Keening. The bean-sidhe targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
• Wailing Howl (1/Day). Once per day, the bean-sidhe can emit a mournful wail. Each creature within 30 feet of the bean-sidhe must make a DC 16 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 16 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-sidhe is a female spirit that heralds the death of a family member through her chilling cries and wails. Her appearance varies, but she is often depicted as a small, aged woman with long, unbound white or grey hair and dressed in black garments. Some accounts describe her with red eyes from continuous weeping.

The bean-sidhe (ban-SHEE), also known as the banshee, is most commonly associated with the mythologically significant tumuli or “mounds” that dot the countryside, known as s de (singular s d). She is often heard but not seen, making her cries a portent of doom for those of noble stock. She may also appear as a shrouded woman, lamenting with a veiled face or flying past in the moonlight, her mournful cries echoing through the night.

The bean-sidhe’s primary purpose is to herald the impending death of a family member, particularly among those of noble ancestry. Her eerie cries and wails can be heard at a great distance, warning the household of an impending loss, even if the person has died far away, and news of their death has not yet arrived. When several banshees appear at once, it signifies the death of someone great or holy.

Though the bean-sidhe is not inherently malevolent, she can be a force to be reckoned with if someone were to steal or find her comb. In such cases, she relentlessly chases the culprit to their home, bashing at the door or walls until her comb is returned. The wise know to return the comb at the end of an iron tong, lest they lose their hands.

Her keening, a sorrowful and mournful lament, is a central aspect of the mourning tradition, accompanied by professional keeners who wail and keen for the deceased. The banshee’s cry, with its lack of discernible words or melody, adds to the eeriness of her presence and is said to be mournful beyond all other sounds on earth.