Nightprowler

Nightprowler

(Creature)

Type

Undead
(extraplanar, nightshade)

CR

10

Environment

Any (Void)

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Breaking the Bones of Hell, pg(s). 90-91

Nightprowlers are the weakest of the undead monsters known as nightshades.

Appearance

Nightprowlers appear as big cats composed of living shadow with glowing red eyes and especially wicked features. A nightprowler is 16 feet long from head to tail and weighs 8,000 pounds.

Ecology

Like all nightshades, nightprowlers originate from the borderlands between the Netherworld and the Void. They enjoy the taste of flesh and the sight of death, but over all they relish fear: if they are sure of a kill, they will prefer to cripple the target, shroud the battlefield in darkness and watch the enemy's futile escape attempts. If outmatched, a nightprowler will summon shadow allies to its aid. There is no reasoning with a nightprowler.

Nightprowlers have little sense of self-preservation, knowing that they will be reborn in the Void, though they will never undertake obviously suicidal missions. Against a formidable opponent, a nightprowler will bide its time to recruit undead allies, frequently betraying and destroying them once the opponent is defeated.

Society

Nightprowlers particularly like to follow stronger nightshades and serve them in reconnaissance, knowing that there is a share of the slaughter to be had.

Nightprowlers are disdainful of mortals and never serve them willingly. If enslaved, a nightprowler remains patient and opportunistic, striking at the first sign of weakness. However, nightprowlers are known to accept the servitude of psychopaths and sociopaths who see them as patrons of murder and mayhem. Nightprowlers accept the supplications of their minions for a time, but will inevitably turn on them out of either boredom or capriciousness.

A mortal who wishes to catch the attention of a nightprowler must carry out as sacrifice a series of gruesome murders, preferably those of innocents, clerics of good-aligned deities, friends or family members, and accompanied by torture. While pleasing a nightprowler is relatively easy initially, its demands quickly escalate and it soon tires of even the most wicked mortal master.

Nightprowlers are usually solitary hunters but are intelligent enough to collaborate. The leader of a pride must maintain sufficient destruction to keep the members from getting bored, or chaos will erupt in an instant.