Nighterror

### Languages

Can speak, read and write Kenoman, and gains the language proficiencies of those it absorbed

> *I open the door to my house with some reluctance, taking off my soaked cloak and shoes. Gathering myself with some feelings of guilt, I prepare to be welcomed by wife. She turns away from the stove with anticipation, placing her right foot that same wine-stained floor board she has stepped on every day for the past few months. I cringe, wondering why I'm unable to stop thinking about such a minor detail. Her movements come with some difficulty, her fall a couple of days ago must still cause her some pain, but she tries to hide it. I'm guided to the table, and as I sit, I can't stop myself from tensing up. I know I love her. I do, surely. I've just been feeling a bit under the weather.*
> *When she nears the stove again and picks up the pot, my hairs are raised to their ends. Somewhere, something was nicked, and a primeval sense of realization arises within me. Maybe it was the woman's hands, the stress that I had refused to acknowledge so far finally bringing me to this sudden recognition, or the lack of love I felt on her eyes, or, perhaps, the sudden realization that despite talking to this person every day, it had been months since I had called her by her name - but I knew why I had feared her now. Despite my best attempts, I was certain that person had noticed that I was now aware, that I could no longer mistake her for my wife. I was certain, because her eyes died, and she smiled mockingly, continuing her charade.*
>
>

> *It spoke with her voice, and when I hesitated to respond, it roared. The thing demanded that I eat its cooking, that I lay with it, that it could love me just as my wife had, that it could do anything she was able to do, that it was exactly like her, that it had her memories, it was no different from her. It was indignant, furious that I even dared to think of it as if it was anything other than my wife. All it said may have been true, but no matter how perfectly similar it was, even if it was the same, it was still not my Dalia.*
>
>

> I couldn't stomach the though of complying, but I knew I could not kill it, I probably couldn't even wound it. The monster, no matter what I said or did, no one would believe it existed, that it was not Dalia. They couldn't know. The realization broke me, I threw myself trough the door and ran, crying and flailing down the street, toward the sea. Either it will silence me, or leave me as I run to my death - I cannot bring myself to care. Nothing matters, everything - I just want everything to stop.
>
>

## **Description**

A Nighterror is a large mass of writhing, octopus-like tentacles without a discernible body. The earliest records mentioning Nighterrors mount back to the mid Hero Era, where it was already feared for seamlessly infiltrating societies and slowly replacing its members with that of its own species. Its origins are unknown and its ability to absorb the memories of its victims in no way help to reduce the number of possibilities. Fortunately, they seem to be pretty rare. It can only be hoped that is indeed the case.

They are clearly intelligent and extremely careful, bordering on cowardice. A Nighterror will tend to first observe their target over a few days, until it has a good grasp on its routine, before planning its ambush. When the target reaches a point of their routine where they reliably remain alone for some time – usually as they go back home for the night - the Nighterror leads it into the ambush it has prepared. It restrains them, undresses them, and quickly devours them while avoiding damaging articles of clothing and tools they might’ve been carrying. When its done, the Nighterror will morph into the appearance of their victim, dress themselves with their clothes, and carry on with the target’s routine. They will spend at least one month acquainting themselves with the target’s daily life and relationships, going along with them flawlessly, before moving on with their incomprehensible goals.

Avoid being alone in urban environments known to house a Nighterror. They seem to be afraid of fire, though its hard to tell while they are "acting”, and are completely immune to mundane poisons.

## **Special Traits**

* **Assimilate.** The Nighterror can consume a living creature to gain its memories, learning all the knowledge and languages that the creature knew in life.

* '***Morph'***. The Nighterror can use an action to change into the shape of another Small, Medium or Large creature it has seen at least once – or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size and Guard, are the same in each form. The Nighterror also morphs its skin into copies of the equipment it has seen the target wearing or using. Equipment that is replicated in this way cannot stray further than 4 meters from the Nighterror, or it will begin to break down. Replicated equipment fuses back with the Nighterror if it returns to its normal form. These copies do not possess the magical properties of their counterpart (if any), but retain its normal ones.

* **Tentacle Abomination.** The Nighterror has advantages on Grappling checks.

## **Actions**

* **Multiattack (2 actions).** The Nighterror performs two Slam or Copy attacks.
	+ **Slam.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 2 m., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 +3) bludgeoning damage.
	+ **Copy (While Morphed).** The Nighterror copies an action known by one of the creatures it has absorbed and is currently morphed into. The Nighterror uses its own statistics for the attack.
* **Hide.** The Nighterror dives into shadow, grate, or behind total cover, dissolving itself into liquid and disappearing from sight. The Nighterror then gains a +6 bonus to its Stealth checks whilst it remains hidden.

### **Villain Actions**

* **Rush (When a creature is knocked down within its line of sight).** The Nighterror moves up to its movement towards the creature that has been knocked down without provoking opportunity attacks.

* **Dissolution (When targeted by a targeted spell or ranged attack).** The Nighterror reforms itself into a liquid-like substance, allowing it to open holes in itself to more easily dodge projectile attacks. The Nighterror gains a +2 bonus to its Guard and Saving Throws for that attack.

* **Sublimation (While Grappling a Target).** The Nighterror forcefully attempts to assimilate its target. The target must make a 16DC Physique saving throw. On a fail, they get closer to being assimilated. After three consecutive fails, the target is Assimilated. On a success, the target takes 10 (1d12+3) force damage, and may attempt to break out of the Grapple as a free action.

## **Spellcasting**

The Nighterror’s Spellcasting Ability is Charima: ***+6 spellcasting bonus*** **| *14 Save DC***

It can cast the following spells:

* **Shapeshift (1 action).** The Nighterror morphs one of its tentacles into a body-part belonging to or item used by a creature it has *Assimilated*. The shape-shifted tentacle gains the properties of the body-part or object until the Nighterror dispels the effect or loses Concentration.

* ***Softbone*** **(2 actions) [3 slots]**. The Nighterror fires bright rays of light at a target within 10 meters of it. The target must make a Physique saving throw. On a failed save, the target falls prone and is unable to get up as most of its body is half-turned into that of a jellyfish or octopus. This condition last for 1 minute, or until a magic-dispelling effect is used on the affected creature.

## **Valuables**

* **1d8 Slushy Tentacles (DC 15) –** *Morphomantic magical material*
	+ The Nighterror’s tentacles carry a great affinity with shape-changing magic, even after its death. They maintain themselves in a very sticky semi-solid form, which strangely keeps them in pristine condition for a long time.
	+ **Market Value =** 100 gold.

* **Nighterror Core**
	+ The core of a Nighterror is a rough, head-sized crystal left at the source of its tentacles after its death. With the right lighting one can see faint golden lines spreading trough its inner structure. Strangely beautiful, it can be used to make good jewelry and high-end decor, or used to increase the enchanting value of a material.
	+ **Market Value =** 350 gold.