Publication:Dread Codex/Monsters/Orphan of the Night

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This creature appears as a child-size shadow with no discernible features. You are suddenly struck by waves of fear that roll off the shadowed humanoid. It moves without a sound and raises an open hand in your direction.

Many children are pranksters that, as they mature, repress those childish impulses to the point that they vanish from the adult mind. Those repressed thoughts do actually disappear and reform on the Plane of Shadow as orphans of the night. These undead creatures manifest only within the gloom of night. At daybreak, they disappear into the mist and are not apparent at all under the rays of the sun. An orphan of the night can only speak Common.

Combat

Orphans of the night do not seek out combat but instead choose to "play" with those they encounter using its snatch ability. If threatened or made angry, they disappear into thin air, possibly taking a souvenir of its encounter back to the Plane of Shadow (see below).

Snatch (Sp): An orphan of the night can use a limited form of telekinesis to attempt to disarm an opponent. This attempt is resolved as normal, except that it does not provoke an attack of opportunity and the orphan is not penalized for its size. The orphan uses its Charisma modifier in place of its Strength modifier and further gains a +4 racial bonus to the opposed attack roll. A failed attempt doesn't allow a reactive disarm attempt by the target. No save is allowed against these attempts, but spell resistance applies normally (the orphan is considered a 9th-level sorcerer to overcome spell resistance).

Frightful Presence (Ex): Just being from the Plane of Shadow has endowed these eternal tricksters with the diminished ability to unsettle foes by their mere presence. The ability takes effect automatically whenever an orphan comes within 30 feet of a living creature. Those creatures with 5 or fewer Hit Dice are affected and must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 13) or become shaken for 2d4 rounds. Success means that the creature is unaffected by that orphan of the night's frightful presence for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Vanishing (Su): When angered or threatened, an orphan of the night disappears into thin air, leaving behind no trace of its existence. One nearby living creature also suddenly vanishes (determine randomly), drawn with the orphan through an invisible gate to the Plane of Shadow unless it succeeds a Reflex save (DC 13). This effect emanates as a beam of dark purple light. A typical use of this power deprives a traveler of his horse or pack animal, but other times the unlucky traveler himself is the target of this malicious ability. Vanishing can be used once a round. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Treasure

None — Even if something useful or interesting is snatched from an opponent, the orphan's incorporeality and very nature are incompatible with taking treasure.

In Your Campaign

Unfortunately, for every person who leaves their childish ways behind, there two more who do not. Some of these individuals actually move in the opposite direction, leaving behind caring and innocence. These cast off emotions could theoretically coalesce into "orphans of the light"; undead of good alignment who appear as children who are encompassed by a soft golden radiance. Replace the orphan of the night's snatch ability with one of the following: bear's endurance, bull's strength, cat's grace, eagle's splendor, fox's cunning, and owl's wisdom. The orphan of the light can use whichever of these spells is most appropriate and can do so once per round (but only one of each particular spell in a 24 hour period). You should also replace the frightful presence quality with one that provides the effects of a bless spell to those within 30 feet. Finally, instead of hailing from the Plane of Shadow, an orphan of the light exists on the Ethereal Plane and does not suck others into that locale when using the vanishing ability.

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