Page 196 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

UNTIL VE'
VE SEEN A KING'S
S HOU LDERS ANO HEAD TEAR OFF HIS
FLAP ALOFT A
BLOOD, ONLY TO MID FOU N TAINING
TURN AND LAP
GORE AS HIS BODY His OWN DYING
TOTTERS AND .
LIVED. AND IF FALLS, VE HAVEN'T
VE \VANT TO GO 0
Wl\tfT TO STOP \VA N LIVfNG, VE MIGHT
TCHING IN FAVOR OF FLEEING.
-ELM U~Sl'

VARGOUILLE
Shrieking, flapping, and hideous to behold- with a body
like a severed head and bat-like wings in place of ears-
vargouilles boil out of the Abyss to infest other planes VARGOUILLE
of existence, such as Carceri, where they are a menace. 'tiny fiend, chaotic evil
Each vargouille carries a disease that creates more of
its kind; a flock of vargouilles on the wing is a plague of Armor Class 12
chaos and evil waiting to happen. Hit Points 13 (3d4 + 6)
Abyssal Nuisances. Swarms of vargouilles flap Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft.
through the caverns and skies of the Abyss. They are
given little regard by powerful and intelligent demons STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
since vargouilles can do them no harm. Even the 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 4 (-3) 7 (-2) 2 (-4)
weakest demon, such as a manes or a dretch, fears
vargouilles only if they appear in great numbers. In the Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities poison
Lower Planes, vargouilles rarely get the chance to eat
Condition Immunities poisoned
live prey other than vermin. More often, they lap up the
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
ichor left behind when one fiend kills another. Languages understands Abyssal, Infernal, and any languages it
The World Awaits. Because of their instinctive hun- knew before becoming a vargouille but can't speak
ger for living prey, vargouilles are eager to escape the Challenge l (200 XP)
Lower Planes. On rare occasions, the summoning of a
demon to another plane can bring a vargouille along for
ACTIONS
the ride, attaching itself like a tick. The precautions a
mortal takes to contain and control a summoned demon Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage.
rarely account for a stowaway, and thus a vargouille en-
ters the world unbidden. Kiss. The vargouille kisses one incapacitated humanoid within
Ghastly Reproduction. Vargouilles that roam free on 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma sav-
the Material Plane are a dire threat to all creatures, es- ing throw or become cursed. The cursed target loses l point
pecially humanoids. Their awful shrieking can paralyze of Charisma after each hour, as its head takes on fiendish as-
other creatures with fear, and such victims are helpless pects. The curse doesn't advance while the target is in sunlight
to resist a vargouille's accursed kiss. · or the area of a daylight spell; don't count that time. When the
The kiss of a vargouille infects a humanoid with a cursed target's Charisma becomes 2, it dies, and its head tears
fiendish curse. If allowed to run its course, the curse from its body and becomes a new vargouille. Casting remove
brings about a gruesome transformation as an abyssal curse, greater restoration, or a similar spell on the target before
spirit invades the person's body. Over a period of hours, the transformation is complete can end the curse. Doing so
the victim's head takes on fiendish aspects such as undoes the changes made to the target by the curse.
fangs, tentacles, and horns. At the same time, the per- Stunning Shriek. The vargouille shrieks. Each humanoid and
son's ears grow larger, expanding and transforming into beast within 30 feet of the vargouille and able to hear it must
wing-like appendages. In the final moments, the victim's succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened un-
head tears away from the body in a fountain of blood, til the end of the vargouille's next turn. While frightened in this
becoming another vargouille, which often then eagerly way, a target is stunned. If a target's saving throw is successful
laps up its own life fluids. Sunlight or the brilliant illumi- or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the Stunning
nation of a daylight spell can delay this transformation, Shriek of all vargouilles for l hour.
and vargouilles instinctively shun bright light as a result.

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