Yomhibdi

Medium aberration, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	17 (+3)

Condition Immunities blinded, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Deep Speech
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Water Vulnerability. When the yomhibdi starts its turn in water or is doused with water (either through a spell or some other effect, such as pouring a bucket of water over it or being caught in the rain), it takes 7 (2d6) damage.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The yomhibdi uses Flick Ink and then attacks with its tendril.
• Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
• Flick Ink. The yomhibdi flicks a glob of ink at a creature within 5 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded. A creature can use an action to wipe away the ink, ending the effect.
• Dredge Sorrow (Recharge 5-6). The yomhibdi plumbs the psyche of a creature within 30 feet of it and brings to the surface their feelings of self-doubt and unoriginality so that the yomhibdi can feast on these negative emotions. The creature must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it is stunned until the end of its next turn. In addition, it takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage, and the yomhidbi regains hit points equal to the amount of damage taken.

ABOUT

Yomhibdis are information-devouring abominations that resemble floating humanoids made of ink-scrawled words, phrases, and symbols. They manifest on the Ethereal Plane from the wasted ink and squandered emotional energies of artists, poets, and writers who give up on works before they’re finished. As soon as it manifests, a yomhibdi begins its never-ending search for the failed or self-sabotaging creatives on whom it feeds. Frustration, exhaustion, and despair are the yomhibdi’s favorite dishes; once it has sapped a victim of these necrotic emotions, the yomhibdi consumes the creator whole.

The words and sentences that compose a yomhibdi typically twist together into a roughly humanoid shape, since humanoids are the most common providers of the emotions that lead to a yomhibdi’s creation. They typically stand about 5 feet tall but weigh less than 20 pounds, though they can reconfigure their bodies to a certain extent, lengthening their inky claws to strike at distant foes.

Yomhibdis trapped on the Material Plane gravitate toward places of learning, art, and culture-anywhere that hacks and untalented creators might congregate.

It is not unusual for a group of yomhibdis (called a story) to make their lair in the hidden nook of an old library or in the tunnels beneath great opera houses and theaters. There, they blend into the shadows and lie in ambush, ready to strike at any agonizing poets or playwrights who wander by lost in thought. As echoes of forgotten thoughts and stories, these creatures commonly steal works of writing from their victims, and their lairs might contain valuable books or even magic scrolls.

Yomhibdi exists solely to feed on the negative emotions of creative mortals. If it is unable to find a source of sustenance-such as in wilderness or hyper-pragmatic societies that don’t foster creativity-a yomhibdi will gradually unspool and melt into a puddle of ink.