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Heralds of the Yawning Void: Denizens of the Utter Black

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Heralds of the Yawning Void: Denizens of the Utter Black

Perhaps the worst aspect of this cult is their relationship with the creatures that lurk in the Void. These fanatics have no qualms about bringing forth such creatures to wreak havoc upon the world. The cultists actively coax such creatures out of the darkness to aid them in their plans. Presented here are two new creatures of the Void used by the cultists to further their dark plans.

Insatiable Brood

These ravenous beasts are always found in great, gnawing swarms. Each individual of a brood is a head, slightly larger than a human fist, with bulging black eyes and an enormous mouth lined with uneven, jagged teeth. Slimy tails trail away from the back of the head, and wasp-like wings protrude from where the ears would be on a humanoid head. The sound of gnashing teeth and a cacophony of shrieks, grunts, and squeals precedes the brood as it travels.

Devour Everything. True to its name, an insatiable brood will devour everything it can, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Where the mass of material the brood eats actually goes is a mystery. Sages speculate that the bodies of these creatures are merely gateways to the Void. Others say the Void-stuff of which they are comprised disintegrates their food utterly.

Killers of Life, Destroyers of Beauty. While an insatiable brood is content to devour everything in its path, they will target any living creatures first, prioritizing those attempting to flee. When bereft of living targets, an insatiable brood will usually devour things of natural or artificial beauty—art or other finely crafted objects—in preference to more mundane targets.

Summoned. A spellcaster can summon an insatiable brood by casting the conjure voidborn spell (see Deep Magic).

Void Travelers. The insatiable brood doesn’t require air, food, drink, sleep, or ambient pressure.

Insatiable Brood

Medium swarm of Tiny aberrations, neutral evil.
Armor Class
13
Hit Points
65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed
fly 50 ft.

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
10 (+0)17 (+3)14 (+2)3 (−4)12 (+1)7 (−2)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, cold, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities
charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages
understands Void Speech but cannot speak
Challenge
3 (700 XP)

Entropic Bite. The insatiable brood’s bite attack ignores resistance to piercing damage and is treated as a magic weapon. Its bite attack deals double damage against unattended objects.

Swarm. The insatiable brood can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the brood can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny member of its swarm. The brood can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage, or 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the insatiable brood has half its hit points or fewer.

Umbral Shambler

These creatures of the Void appear humanoid but can never be seen clearly, their bodies seeming to blur and shiver, the very shadows seem unwilling to leave their form and reveal what lies beneath. What can be seen is disturbing: limbs and digits in strange proportions, distorted and animalistic facial features, skin that appears scaly one moment, slimy and translucent the next, its body moving with strange spasms and tremors.

Corrupted. Exposure to the Void can leave creatures twisted both mentally and physically. Umbral shamblers are the result of humanoids that have been suddenly and wholly exposed to the Void, resulting in a complete transformation into twisted remnants of their former selves. More rarely, long term Void corruption can lead to this sort of transformation, especially in those humanoids that practice Void magic.

Humanoid Hunters. Umbral shamblers take great delight in stalking humanoids and will stalk and terrorize such prey above all others, delighting in the destruction of those they once resembled.

Summoned. A spellcaster can summon an umbral shambler by casting either the conjure minor voidborn or conjure voidborn spells (see Deep Magic).

Umbral Shambler

Medium aberration, neutral evil.
Armor Class
13
Hit Points
39 (6d8+12)
Speed
20 ft.

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
17 (+3)16 (+3)15 (+2)11 (+0)14 (+2)12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dexterity +5, Wisdom +4
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4, Survival +4
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Resistances necrotic, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Void Speech
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The umbral shambler’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

  • At will—blur

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the umbral shambler has disadvantage on attack rolls as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Tenebrous Agility. An umbral shambler’s speed is doubled in dim light or darkness, and it does not trigger reactions with its movement.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The umbral shambler makes two attacks with its claws.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 5 ft. reach, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage and 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.

Twisted Step. The umbral shambler can use its action to project itself beyond reality momentarily. This allows the shambler to move through up to 3 feet of solid material, such as earth, metal, wood, or stone, as part of its movement so long as it starts its move in dim light or darkness.

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