The undead were once living creatures, returned to a horrific second life. Undead can be created through necromantic spells, profane curses, or even sometimes through divine decree. Such creatures are rarely bothered by the needs of their former life, instead craving something unique to their new form.
The Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault has twenty-three undead in its arsenal to pair with the multitude of monsters ready for conversion from the Creature Codex and Tomes of Beasts 1, 2, and 3. All these monsters are more narratively interesting and tactically dynamic than their counterparts in similar games.
The Need to Feed
While the lore for many undead speak to a certain craving, there are few mechanical implications for their hunger. By adding game mechanics to these undead, the Tales of the Valiant framework offers more nuanced foes to challenge the players—but all the more so, to tell more interesting tales for their valiant heroes.
Exsanguinated Mist
Vampires, man. You know how they are with sunlight.
When a vampire is slain by sunlight while feeding upon a victim, the vampire explodes into fine, crimson mist. Somehow, the remaining blood forms a connection to the creature that supped upon it, thereby becoming a monster known as a crimson mist (see Creature Codex).
The desire to indulge itself on hemoglobin survives into the mist’s new form, and it must feed to sustain itself. While it has lost most of the cunning and guile of its former form, the crimson mist can acquire new thoughts, feelings, and even the ability to speak from the victims it sups upon.
However, failure to feed on the part of the crimson means that it shrinks in form. This leads to desperation and the loss of its vampiric weaknesses, making the deprived mist all the more dangerous.
This version of the crimson mist is from the Creature Codex with the addition of a new trait: Blood Drinker.
Crimson Mist CR 6
Medium Undead
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 68
Speed 0 ft., 60 ft. (hover)
Perception 11 Stealth 15
Resistant Undead Resilience
Immune Undead Resilience
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands the languages it knew as a vampire but can’t speak
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| −4 | +5 | +4 | −3 | +1 | −1 |
Blood Drinker. The crimson mist must continue to consume the blood of the living in order to survive. After killing a creature with its Engulf action, the crimson mist becomes an engorged mist for 1 week. After a week, if it has not killed a creature using its Engulf action, it returns to being a crimson mist. After 1 month without another kill with its Engorge, it becomes a deprived mist.
Pseudocorporeal. The crimson mist is weightless and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing.
Sanguine Feast. When the crimson mist deals necrotic damage to a living creature that has blood in its body, the creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by the same amount and the mist regains HP equal to half the necrotic damage dealt. The reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Undead Resilience. The crimson mist is resistant to acid, lightning, and thunder damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. The crimson mist is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage, as well as the charmed, exhausted, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained conditions.
Vampire Weaknesses. The crimson mist has the following flaws:
- Forbiddance. The crimson mist can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
- Harmed by Running Water. The crimson mist takes 20 force damage if it ends its turn above or within running water.
- Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The crimson mist takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
ACTIONS
Engulf. The mist moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can enter a Medium or smaller creature’s space. When the mist enters a creature’s space, the creature must make a DC 15 DEX save. On a success, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the mist. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed save. On a failure, the mist enters the creature’s space, and the creature takes 14 (4d6) necrotic damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained, and takes 14 (4d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the mist’s turns. When the mist moves, the engulfed creature doesn’t move with it, and is freed. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 14 Strength check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the mist. A creature within 5 feet of the mist can take an action to pull a creature out of the mist. Doing so requires a DC 14 STR check, and the creature making the attempt takes 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. The mist can only engulf one Medium or smaller creature at a time.
The deprived mist is smaller and has fewer hit points that a normal crimson mist. It loses some of its vampiric limitations it has in crimson mist form. The damage and DCs that it deals with its Engulf action are also reduced compared to other states.
Deprived Mist CR 4
Small Undead
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 50
Speed 0 ft., 60 ft. (hover)
Perception 11 Stealth 14
Resistant Undead Resilience
Immune Undead Resilience
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands all languages it knew as a vampire, but can’t speak
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| −4 | +4 | +4 | −3 | +1 | −1 |
Blood Drinker. The deprived mist seeks to feed. If it kills a living creature using its Engulf ability, it becomes an engorged mist.
Pseudocorporeal. The deprived mist is weightless and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing.
Sanguine Feast. Whenever the deprived mist deals necrotic damage to a living creature with blood in its body, the creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by the same amount and the mist regains HP equal to necrotic damage dealt. The reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The deprived mist takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Undead Resilience. The crimson mist is resistant to acid, lightning, and thunder damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. The crimson mist is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage, as well as the charmed, exhausted, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained conditions.
ACTIONS
Engulf. The mist moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can enter a Medium or smaller creature’s space. When the mist enters a creature’s space, the creature must make a DC 14 DEX save. On a success, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the mist. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed save. On a failure, the mist enters the creature’s space, and the creature takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained, and takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the mist’s turns. When the mist moves, the engulfed creature doesn’t move with it, and is freed. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 13 STR check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the mist. A creature within 5 feet of the mist can take an action to pull a creature out of the mist. Doing so requires a DC 13 Strength check, and the creature making the attempt takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The mist can only engulf one Medium or smaller creature at a time.
In its sated form, the mist grows significantly more powerful. Among other things, its hit points increase, it becomes more intelligent and aware, and it gains the ability to attack beyond its Engulf action.
Engorged Mist CR 8
Large Undead
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 102
Speed 0 ft., 60 ft. (hover)
Perception 11 Stealth 17
Resistant Undead Resilience
Immune Undead Resilience
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages understands all languages it knew as a vampire, but can only speak three languages spoken by its last three victims
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| −4 | +6 | +4 | +3 | +2 | +4 |
Blood Drinker. The engorged mist must feed on living creatures to maintain its current form. If it has not killed a living creature using its Engulf ability in at least 1 week, the engorged mist becomes a crimson mist.
Lifelike Impersonation. The engorged mist can emulate the voice of any of its last three victims.
Pseudocorporeal. The engorged mist is weightless and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing.
Sanguine Feast. Whenever the engorged mist deals necrotic damage to a living creature with blood in its body, the creature’s hp maximum is reduced by the same amount and the mist regains hp equal to half the necrotic damage dealt. The reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hp maximum to 0.
Undead Resilience. The engorged mist is resistant to acid, lightning, and thunder damage, as well as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. The engorged mist is immune to cold, necrotic, and poison damage, as well as the charmed, exhausted, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained conditions.
Vampire Weaknesses. The crimson mist has the following flaws:
- Forbiddance. The crimson mist can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
- Harmed by Running Water. The crimson mist takes 20 force damage if it ends its turn above or within running water.
- Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The crimson mist takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The engorged mist makes two Blood Strike attacks.
Blood Strike. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target creature must make a DC 13 WIS save or all its speeds are reduced by 30 ft. until the end of its next turn.
Engulf. The mist moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can enter a Medium or smaller creature’s space. When the mist enters a creature’s space, the creature must make a DC 17 DEX save. On a success, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the mist. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed save. On a failure, the mist enters the creature’s space, and the creature takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained, and takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the mist’s turns. When the mist moves, the engulfed creature doesn’t move with it, and is freed. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 16 STR check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the mist. A creature within 5 feet of the mist can take an action to pull a creature out of the mist. Doing so requires a DC 17 Strength check, and the creature making the attempt takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. The mist can only engulf one Medium or smaller creature at a time.