Forsaken

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural)
Hit Points 97 (15d8+30)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Skills Stealth +7, Performance +3
Saving Throws Con +5, Int +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Damage Resistances necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and Slashing from non-magical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Fearful Gaze. Once per round as a bonus action, the forsaken can lock eyes with one target that can see it within 30 feet. That target must make a Charisma save (DC 14), becoming frightened of the forsaken on a failed save. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns. If the target makes a save, they are then immune to this effect for 24 hours.
• Dark Calling. Once per day, if reduced to ½ its normal hit points, the forsaken can, as a bonus reaction, summon either 2d4 Giant Rats, 2d4 Giant Bats, or 1d4 Wolves. The creatures will try to protect the forsaken as best they can but are not guided by the creature.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. If the forsaken is not hugging a target, it can attack with two claw attacks and a bite attack. If the forsaken is hugging a target, it automatically does spine damage and may make a bite attack.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) slashing damage. If both claw attacks hit a target in a turn, the forsaken attempts to hug the target. The target must make a DC 17 escape check or be grappled and subject to spine damage.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) piercing damage. If the forsaken is hugging a target and hits with this attack, the forsaken heals itself for the same amount of damage it inflicts on its target.
• Spines. If the forsaken starts its turn with a victim it is hugging, the target automatically takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage as the creature’s spines pierce its flesh and drain its life force.

ABOUT

Tall and wiry, the forsaken resemble humans in their basic shape. Their bodies however are horribly malformed. Spikes grow from their sallow skin; some little more than nubs, others razor sharp and still others jagged and broken off. They bear the signs of their origins and chains and leather straps hang upon them, some attached, others not. They cloak themselves in ragged shrouds to hide their affliction. Their lips are sewn shut and their noses long rotted away. Their eyes are deep pools of black and fear.

Ravenous Hunters. The forsaken are driven by their constant hunger for flesh, animal, human or other. If they don’t eat enough flesh, they rot from the inside out until their decay becomes such that they linger on only as a misshapen spirit, wracked with agony. Forsaken always travel in groups of five, four males and one female. They haunt dungeons and abandoned ruins, but the madness of their pain and needs often drive them to the cities and villages where they feed upon the hapless souls who wander across their paths.

Sly ambush. Forsaken use the female for bait, laying her upon the road where she moans through her mangled lips, trying to draw victims to her. While the intended victims are distracted, the other forsaken spring upon them, attacking from all sides. Forsaken never stop fighting, as their hunger drives them to kill or be killed.