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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8728755" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Aaand back to more serious monsters from Creature Catalog III—the last of the Creature Catalogs for a couple hundred issues.The first monster from this collection is the bogeyman. Now, I personally prefer the bogeymen depicted in the article Noises in the Night, from the Ravenloft fan netzine Book of Sacrifices, but these guys are kind of cool, too. This monster is surprisingly complicated for something that’s only CR 1/2.[ATTACH=full]257470[/ATTACH]Artist: Marsha KauthBogeymanCreature Catalog III, Dragon Magazine #101Created by Gregg ChamberlainSpawned in dark places where sentient beings have been frightened to death by the supernatural and unknown, bogeymen are evil fey who survive by feeding off the fear they create in others. Shrouded in darkness, they are tall, shadowy figures with indistinct forms, glowing eyes, and long, dark claws… at least until the darkness is dispelled and their true forms are visible. In reality, they are short, pathetic creatures with misshapen heads, bulging fish-eyes, and dead-white skin, far too weak to do any physical harm to anyone.Fear-Makers. Bogeyman are capable of sifting through the mind of their victims, drawing upon their worst fears. They shape these fears into complex illusions in order to terrifying their victims nearly to death. These illusions exist entirely in the minds of their targets, often leading others to think that the victims are hallucinating in some way. While usually solitary, bogeyman sometimes gather in groups, working together to maximize the fear of their victims.Bogeymen can also produce smaller illusions and mimic voices, and they often use these abilities to scare people as well. Some even prefer to frighten people through these abilities instead, believing that it makes the meal taste better.Shadow-Shrouded. When they hunt, they swathe themselves in magical dark shadows. They can shape these shrouds to make them appear as another creature, such as a humanoid, gargoyle, or ghost, although their shadows remain indistinct and featureless. They often use their illusory magic to give their shadow form a few details. Some bogeymen have favored shapes, while others change their shadow’s appearance to fit their prey’s fears.Urban Predators. Bogeymen derive their sustenance from the fear they engender in others, and their favorite prey is children. As such, are nearly always found in urban environments. Not only are there plenty of people to scare, but also plenty of places to hide away. They will sometimes near paths that pass through old forests and prey on travelers as well.Bogeymen hunt alone but sometimes live in small groups, where they swap stories of their most interesting prey and share new ideas for scaring people. Although their powers give them the ability to easily kill most of the people they come across, few bogeymen actually try to kill. Many will only do so if they feel their reputation in their territory is starting to take a hit.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Bogeymen lurk under beds, in closets, in dark alleys, and in sewer drains.DC 15. Bogeymen have the ability to create terrifying phantasms. They feed on the fear they create in people’s minds.DC 20. Bogeymen are a type of fey sometimes created when a person dies of fright. Their true form is always masked by shadows, and they shun the light.Bogeyman EncountersTerrain: forest, settlementCR 0-1 BogeymanSigns1-2. Children tell tales of a monster who snatches up little kids who wander into the wrong place.3. The corpse of a traveler who, judging by the look on their face, has died of fright.4. A person who is suffering from a long-term mental stress effect. All they can talk about is the horrible things they saw.Behavior1-2. Lurking in a dark corner.3. Terrifying a creature.4. Studying a creature, reading its thoughts and studying it in order to find the best way to frighten it.Bogeyman Shroud Appearances1. A very tall, faceless humanoid wearing all black, with a big black hat, carrying a sack.2. A very large wolf. The bogeyman uses minor illusion to create the appearance of glowing yellow eyes and grinning jaws.3. A gaunt figure with backwards-facing feet.4. A squat, potbellied, pig-like humanoid with enormous tusks. The bogeyman uses minor illusion to add a hint of color to the “skin” and “clothes”.5. A hulking creature somewhere between a bugbear and troll in appearance. The bogeyman uses minor illusion to create the appearance of glowing red eyes.6. A very big spider.NamesAgar, Bisma, Egil, Enna, Jerual, Ove,BogeymanSmall fey (fiend)Challenge 1/2 (50 XP)AC 13HP 14 (4d6)Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.STR 5 (-3) DEX 16 (+3) CON 10 (+0)INT 9 (-1) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 17 (+3)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC 13Skills Deception +5, Insight +3 (reading emotions +1d4), Stealth +5Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10Languages Common, SylvanEvil. The bogeyman radiates an Evil aura.Dark Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the bogeyman’s darkvision.Fiendish Nature. A bogeyman can’t attack or use Darkest Fears on a creature protected by a bless, protection from evil or good, or similar effect.Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the bogeyman has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Perception checks that rely on sight.Mimicry. The bogeyman can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 15 Insight check.Shroud of Darkness. The bogeyman surrounds itself with an aura of magical darkness with a radius of up to 5 feet. While not incapacitated and this trait is active, attack rolls against the bogeyman have disadvantage. When a creature hits the bogeyman with an attack, this trait stops working until the end of the bogeyman’s next turn. A dispel magic or light created by a spell of 3rd-level or higher will also end the shroud, and the bogeyman can’t create a new shroud for 1 minute.Slither Through The Cracks. The bogeyman can move through a space as narrow as 6 inches wide without squeezing.Spellcasting (At Will). The bogeyman can cast minor illusion. Its spellcasting attribute for this trait is Charisma.ActionsClaws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 slashing damage.Darkest Fears (1/Day). The bogeyman targets a giant, humanoid, or monstrosity it can see within 30 feet. That creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened. While frightened, the affected creature sees terrifying phantasmal images, drawn from its own subconscious and modified by the bogeyman, in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on the target. The phantasm includes sound, temperature, and other stimuli but exists only in the creature’s mind.     The bogeyman must concentrate on this effect, as if concentrating on a spell. The effect also ends if the creature is no longer frightened, or if the creature starts its turn in a brightly-lit area. It may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. This saving throw is made at disadvantage if the target is alone, and at advantage if another creature is attempting to help the target to realize that what they’re seeing isn’t real. If the creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the bogeyman’s Darkest Fears for the next 24 hours.     At the start of each of the bogeyman’s turns, it can choose to have the phantasm harm the target and inflict its choice of 1 psychic damage or 8 (2d4+3) psychic damage to the target. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hp, the bogeyman may choose whether this kills the target or causes them to be stable but unconscious for 1 hour.     Each time the bogeyman inflicts psychic damage on a target, it regains hit points equal to that amount. Any hit points gained in excess of its normal hit point maximum become temporary hit points.     Should a frightened creature critically fail any of its saving throws against this effect, it takes one level of strife.Read Mind. The bogeyman can force a creature it can see within 30 feet of it to make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails, then the bogeyman can read the creature’s surface thoughts.Bonus ActionsShadow Sneak. If its Shroud of Darkness is in effect, the bogeyman takes the Hide action even if obscured only by dim light or darkness.ReactionsDouse. The bogeyman extinguishes a nonmagical torch, lamp, or candle, or a light created by a cantrip or 1st-level spell, that is within 60 feet of it.CombatBogeymen flee at the first sign of danger.</blockquote>

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