New Monster: Obloquy (Vampire Abomination) for Swords & Wizardry

The walls of the cabin, what remained of them, were painted in blood and gore. Strapped to a beam was the father, his arms and legs broken, his unseeing eyes staring at the decapitated heads of his family.

“What did this?” Nimble asked, his face hard.

“Vampire” Allianora answered quietly.

“No, we’ve gone against vampires before... this is... demonic.” Rathgar choked out.

Allianora closed the eyes of the farmer. “The transition to undeath does not always preserve the humanity of the victim. The dishonor of what they’ve become drives them insane, and they become something even worse. Demonic is a good way to describe it.” She turned to face her companions “We have to hunt it down. Today. Now. Tomorrow will be even worse. Then we have to find it’s sire.”

****

Feris smashed through the cabin’s floor from below, slamming against the bottom beams of the loft, before coming to rest on the floor next to the splintered hole he’d just come through.

Grunts and the crashing of weapons on flesh could be heard coming from below the floor. “Allianora, Now!” Rathgar yelled. A bright flash of light and a guttural scream followed, and a large shaggy form bounded through the hole Feris made. The monster crashed through the cabin’s door and out into the night.

“Follow him!” Allianora commanded “Don’t let it get away!”

Nimble scrambled up out of the hole and toward the door, not prepared for the beast to spin around and slam him back, straight into Rathgar who was only half out of the hole.

Obloquy (Vampire Abomination)

Armor Class: 2 (17)
Hit Dice: 7-9
Attacks: Slam or Bite (2d6+2 or 1d6+wisdom drain)
Special: See Below
Move: 12 (18 in wolf form)
HDE/XP: 9/1100, 10/1400, 11/1700

Obloquy are vampires who have lost any hint of humanity. They are feral monstrosities that possess an animal cunning and a rabid strength. As a type of vampire they can only be hit by magical weapons, and when brought to 0hp, they turn into a gaseous form and return to their last resting place.

They regenerate at a rate of 3hp/round, and can turn into a giant wolf at will. They can summon a swarm of bats or 1d6 dire wolves out from the night. Looking into an Obloquy's eyes necessitates a saving throw at -2, or the character is struck with terror and will either flee or be unable to act (50/50 chance). The bite of a Obloquy drains 2 points of wisdom. Anyone reduced to 0 wisdom will rise as an Obloquy the next night.

Obloquy can be killed by immersion in running water or holy water, exposing them to sunlight, or driving a wooden stake through their heart. Obloquy will recoil from holy symbols and mirrors, and have a strange compulsion to untie knots.

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