Memento Devil (Siluvain)

Family: Devils

Medium fiend (devil, shapechanger), lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.

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

Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +6
Skills Deception +8, Insight +3
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the devil’s darkvision.
• Innate Spellcasting. The memento devil’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: dimension door (self only), invisibility (self only)
  • 3/day: charm person
• Magic Resistance. The devil has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The devil attacks twice with its claws.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
• Assume Identity. If the memento devil is holding a cherished possession (such as a wedding ring, locket, or weapon) that was buried with a Small or Medium humanoid corpse, the devil magically polymorphs into that creature. While in this form, the devil gains the memories of the item’s former owner, including languages, proficiencies, and nonmagical class features and traits that don’t require spending a resource. Its other statistics are unchanged. Any equipment the devil is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. If the cherished possession is destroyed or the devil loses it, the devil automatically reverts to its true form. The devil also reverts to its true form if it dies.
• Shatter Hope. The memento devil smashes the cherished possession it is carrying, permanently destroying the item and filling the hearts of all around it with painful anguish. Each creature of the devil’s choice within 60 feet that can see the devil makes a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures charmed by the devil or who knew the destroyed memento’s owner in life make this saving throw with disadvantage.

ABOUT

Memento devils sow discord on the Material Plane by assuming the identities of the dead. So long as it possesses a cherished item (such as a ring, knife, or other memento) buried with the corpse, a memento devil can transform itself into a perfect copy of any deceased mortal. While in this form, the memento devil can access the deceased’s memories and use this knowledge to torment the living.

A memento devil’s first mission on the Material Plane is to locate a dead person to impersonate. After transforming, the devil hides or otherwise disposes of the deceased’s remains, then explains to the deceased’s loved ones its miraculous return to the ranks of the living. Once it has overcome these obstacles, the memento devil connivingly sets the deceased’s loved ones against each other or spurs them into acts of depravity.

Different memento devils seem to seek out different kinds of mementos from the dead. Some prefer to torment widows or widowers and so search for heart-shaped lockets or other love charms, while other memento devils prefer the identities of warriors who bore medals of honor or signet rings.

In its true form, a memento devil appears as a lithe humanoid with matte black skin and smooth, genderless features.

Before they find a corpse to impersonate, memento devils avoid contact with the living, preferring to slink into the shadows rather than risk discovery. Once it has adopted a disguise, a memento devil becomes furious if unmasked, hurling itself at the creature who revealed it.

When a mass tragedy like a shipwreck or theatre fire claims the lives of sailors, performers, or other inhabitants whose identities were inextricably tied to the vessel or building in which they perished, the end result is often a malevolent spirit such as a wispy wayfarer. These ghostly beings cling to the Material Plane with a vengeance, assuming billowy shapes that reflect the trappings of their sacred place of work.