A long-limbed, pale humanoid with a skinless head and saucer-shaped eyes stumbles forward. A steady drizzle of blood descends from its crown, painting its face, shoulders, and back a deep crimson.
Under Bridge and Under Stairs. Though their lairs can be found anywhere, bloody bones most often occupy the spaces under stairways and bridges. There, they suckle at the trailing dark energies left behind by great betrayals or atrocities, often driving humanoids to commit such atrocities by imitating others they have seen and heard. They are sometimes found near a ghost’s haunt, where their appetite for pained memories can be sated.
Dark Influence. Creatures who live within a few miles of where a bloody bones rests are often filled with unexplainable dread, anger, and despair. Violent crimes and uncharacteristic sadness are both tell-tale signs that a bloody bones dwells nearby.
Bloody Bones
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evilArmor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 6 (-2) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) |
Skills Deception +4, Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages none, but can speak through the use of its Horrific Imitation trait
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Horrifying Aura. Any creature hostile to the bloody bones that starts its turn within 10 feet of the bloody bones must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn. If a creature’s saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the bloody bones’ Horrifying Aura for the next 24 hours.
Horrific Imitation. The bloody bones chooses one creature it can see. It moves, acts, and speaks in a macabre imitation of the creature. Its utterances are nonsense, and it can’t understand the languages of its chosen target. It maintains this imitation until it dies. A creature that hears and sees the bloody bones can tell it is performing an imitation with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Actions
Multiattack. The bloody bones makes two claw attacks. It can use its Dark Stare in place of one claw attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Dark Stare. The bloody bones stares balefully at one creature it can see within 60 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on all attacks until the end of its next turn.
Reactions
Its Crown Runs Red. When it is hit by an attack, the bloody bones regains 5 (1d10) hit points and has resistance to that damage type until the end of its next turn as life-giving blood pours from the top of its skull.