Old Salt (Undead Pirate)

Medium undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Wis +3
Skills Athletics +4, Acrobatics +6, Stealth +6, Survival +5
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages the languages it knew in life Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Experienced Sailor. The old salt has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to climb while on a sailing ship and on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to maintain its footing while on a sailing ship.
• Seaside Rejuvenation. If at least one of the old salt’s accusers is still alive or if the old salt’s name hasn’t been cleared, a destroyed old salt gains a new body in 13 days, regaining all its hp and becoming active again. The new body appears on the beach or dock nearest one of its living accusers.
• Undead Nature. The old salt doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The old salt makes two Desiccating Slam attacks.
• Desiccating Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hp maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hp maximum to 0.
• Wave of Seawater (Recharge 5–6). The old salt throws its hand forward, sending out a wave of seawater in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and begins choking as its lungs fill with seawater. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t choking. A creature that can breathe water doesn’t choke from failing this saving throw. A choking creature can make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, coughing up the seawater and ending the effect on itself on a success.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Cunning Action. The old salt can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

ABOUT

Clad in fraying clothes and a tricorn hat, this undead sailor skulks the docks, seeking vengeance against all who falsely accused it of capital crimes in its lifetime.

An old salt is a sailor who was wrongly convicted of a crime and condemned to walk the plank. Just before drowning, the old salt swore an oath of vengeance against those who wronged it.

Thirteen weeks later, the sailor washed ashore in a port where a false accuser resides.

Persistent Avenger. If an old salt is killed, it dissolves into a puddle of salt water that trickles back to the ocean and is reborn after 13 days. The only way to truly kill an old salt is upon the death of the old salt’s false accusers—or by clearing the old salt’s name publicly.

Saline Trail. Wherever the old salt goes, it leaves a trickle of seawater in its wake. Shrewd investigators know to follow the trail quickly before the evidence evaporates.