Wispy Wayfarer

Small undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
Speed 0 ft., fly 25 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 15 (+2)

Skills Stealth +4
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • False Appearance. While the wayfarer remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal cloth or sheet.
  • Incorporeal Movement. The wayfarer can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
  • Rejuvenation. If destroyed, the wayfarer magically re-forms fully healed after 5 (2d4) days in its ship. The wayfarer can be permanently destroyed only if the ill-gotten treasure aboard its ship is removed, which allows the spirit to move on to the afterlife.
  • Sailcloth. Magical effects that push by force of air, such as the spell gust of wind, push the wayfarer twice as far as they normally would. When pushed in this way, the wayfarer is not impeded by walls or objects.
  • Ship Bound. If the wayfarer moves more than 15 feet from the ship on which it died, it is destroyed but can still rejuvenate.
  • Undead Nature. A sitebound spirit doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

ACTIONS

  • Wispy Tatters. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or be magically unable to speak or cast spells with a verbal component until the end of the wayfarer’s next turn.

ABOUT

When a greedy soul perishes amid the wreckage of a treasure-laden pirate ship, sometimes their desire to keep stolen booty overrides their spirit’s natural ascent to the afterlife. Such is the case for wispy wayfarers, whose essence is infused with the suffocating violence of the maelstrom that swallowed up its living body.

Wispy wayfarers generally guard a shipwreck alongside sturdier corporeal undead such as water-dwelling ghouls. They prefer not to announce their presence, perhaps hiding in plain sight as a ragged cloak strewn over a cobwebbed stair rail. Once battle is joined, they take advantage of their ability to pass through walls and floors to creep up on and silence any spellcasters, especially clerics and paladins. Because their own last words were lost in the raging wind and rain of a terrible storm, nothing disturbs a wispy wayfarer more than mortal prayers. From afar a wayfarer is hauntingly silent, though upon approaching the thing one can hear a soft howl, as of distant winds.

A wispy wayfarer resembles a humanoid skull missing its lower jaw and with coins over its eye sockets hovering above the animated tatters of an old canvas sailcloth draped over a disembodied ship mast.

A wispy wayfarer’s raging soul can be quieted only once all the treasure aboard its ship is removed-a challenge most adventuring parties wholeheartedly welcome. However, if even one copper piece remains aboard its ship, the wayfarer will continue to manifest, stubborn to the end.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Battlezoo Bestiary (5E) © 2022, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: William Fischer, Stephen Glicker, Paul Hughes, Patrick Renie, Sen.H.H.S., and Mark Seifter.

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