A diminutive ball of sickly-looking flesh with an elven face clings to the underside of a rotting log, its body covered in barbed stingers.

Lurking Terrors. Nyctli dwell in moist, dark places, where their coloration and size enable them to easily hide. They delight in torturing other creatures, and nothing makes a nyctli giggle more than seeing its victim flounder about under the effects of its venom.

Hag-Born Horrors. The first nyctli were born from the boils of green hags, and the nyctli exhibit a strange affinity for them. Green hags sometimes use the nyctli as spies against nearby humanoid settlements.

Nyctli Swarm

Large swarm of Tiny fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 110 (20d10)
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	6 (–2)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Skills Perception +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny nyctli. The swarm can’t regain hp or gain temporary hp.

Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The nyctli swarm can innately cast fear, requiring no material components. Its innate spellcasting ability is Charisma.

Actions

Stingers. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 21 (6d6) piercing damage, or 10 (3d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hp or fewer. The target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 42 (12d6) necrotic damage and is blinded for 1 minute. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t blinded. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Douse Light. As the nyctli, except the swarm can’t dispel light created by a spell of 6th level or higher.