Whipskein Horror

Medium aberration, any

Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 97 (15d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)	11 (+0)	8 (-1)

Saving Throws Dex +4
Skills Perception +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages any two languages
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• False Appearance. While the whipskein horror hides its tendrils from sight, such as under clothing, it is indistinguishable from the ordinary humanoid it once was.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The whipskein horror makes four attacks.
• Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the whipskein horror can’t use that tendril against another target. The horror has four tendrils.
• Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of the whipskein horror’s next turn. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on the horror’s ranged attack rolls with its spit.
• Tendril Dance (Recharge 5–6). The whipskein horror extends and wriggles its tendrils, releasing any creatures it has grappled. Each creature within 30 feet of and able to see the horror must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the horror. While charmed in this way, a creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The effect ends for a creature if it takes damage, if another creature uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor, or the horror fails to take a bonus action on its turn to continue the effect. The horror can’t take that bonus action while using a tendril to grapple another creature.
• components for arcane necromancy or transmutation spells equal to half the horror’s challenge challenge rating. Each component is consumed when used to cast, but the spell is cast as if the caster used a spell slot one level higher, up to a maximum of a 5th-level slot.

ABOUT

• DC 10 Intelligence (History): Aberrant horrors are the results of failed arcane experiments that twist the body into unnatural forms.
• DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Each aberrant horror is different. Some grow extra limbs, others dissolve into oozelike creatures, and others swell to massive proportions. They contain eldritch energy that can fuel necromancy and transmutation.