Bone Trader

Medium fey, neutral evil

Armor Class 12 (15 with bone armor)
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Con +2
Skills Perception +4, Animal Handling +4
Condition Immunities charmed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Sylvan, two other languages
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Bone Armor (1/Day). A bone trader in its lair can use a bonus action to summon a temporary suit of bone armor that lasts for ten minutes or until dismissed by the bone trader. While wearing its bone armor, a bone trader has advantage on Wisdom saving throws and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
• Speak with Beasts. The bone trader can communicate with beasts as if they shared a language.

ACTIONS

• Bone Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) bludgeoning damage.
• Skelesuck. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or have one of its bones sucked out, resulting in the piercing damage becoming a reduction in maximum hit points until magical healing is applied.
• Fey Charm. The bone trader targets one humanoid, goblinoid, fey, or beast it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed. The charmed creature regards the bone trader as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the bone trader’s control, it takes the bone trader’s requests or actions in the most favorable way . Each time the bone trader or its allies do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the bone trader dies, is on a different plane of existence from the target, or ends the effect as a bonus action. If a target’s saving throw is successful, the target is immune to the bone trader’s fey charm for the next 24 hours. The bone trader can have no more than one humanoid charmed at a time, along with up to three beasts.

ABOUT

Fey Barterers. Bone traders resemble well-dressed, shrunken pale elves. Their skulls appear a bit too small for their gaunt forms, like a toy with a mismatched head.

Hunger for Bones. Bone traders need a steady supply of bones to survive and for status. Most start as scavengers, acquiring the bones of small rodents or fish. As they grow in power, they seek more delicious sources of bone—and once they gain a taste for humanoid bones, they inevitably seek a ready source. Villages targeted by bone traders become desperate to make deals with these fey predators, sometimes agreeing to offer animal sacrifices, or even the occasional humanoid sacrifice, to keep the bone trader at bay. Like most fey, it honors the terms of such deals—and creates painful consequences for those who break them.

Intimidating Leader. Most bone traders create agents to hunt and gather more bones for their lairs. These gangs start with charmed animals but quickly grow to include easily intimidated humanoids like goblins, kobolds, or (their favorite minions) the faevlin. Bone trader lairs are twisted reflections of humanoid luxury, with sculptures, bas reliefs, and even flooring made entirely of bones.

Branded Minions. Bone traders “brand” their minions by sucking out a specific bone or set of bones, usually the same set for their entire gang. For example, a delicate bone trader might consume the bones of each minion’s left ear, their partial deafness a constant reminder of who is really in charge. A more brutal master might consume an armbone or part of a foot, being careful to not damage their minions’ ability to carry out the bone trader’s wishes.

• DC 10 Intelligence (History): A bone trader is most dangerous in its lair, where it can use its collection of bones to defend itself.
• DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): A bone trader can charm its opponents and is often defended by a small gang of intimidated or charmed creatures.
• DC 20 Intelligence (Nature): Like other fey, bone traders can be tantalized by a deal and may be willing to negotiate rather than fight, even if it seems to have the upper hand or is actively winning a battle