Darkmantle

Darkmantle (CR 1)

Pure Evil - Small - Magical Beast

Lore:	Know (Arcana)
2		17
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

3

Perception:
13	+3
Passive	Active

Ambush:

6+

on a d20

• Ambush Notes: Darkmantles strongly prefer to attack from above.

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Darkvision 60 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 20 ft.
• Lesser Flight 30 ft.

Defense

AC

14

Man Def

15

Monster Health
31	15	2
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+0
Refl:	+5
Will:	+0

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Small
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+3

Man Off

+3

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Clawed Grasp +3 (1d4/19-20 x2)
  as slashing (physical, common)
  Envelop

Full Attack (Melee):

• 3x Clawed Grasp +3 (1d4/19-20 x2)
  as slashing (physical, common)
  Envelop

Standard Attack (Ranged):

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

12

STR

14

DEX

14

CON

3

INT

10

WIS

6

CHA

Skills:

• Perception: 3
• Stealth: 7 (When not moving, very difficult to distinguish from surroundings)
• All other skills: 0 (no ranks)

Languages: -

Feats:

Special Abilities

Envelop (Ex) Free Action 1/Rnd

When a Darkmantle makes a Clawed Grasp attack, and hits, it deals normal damage and can make a Maneuver Offense check (1d20 + 3) vs. the target's Maneuver Defense as a free action. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If successful, the monster wraps leathery folds of hide around the victims head, inflicting the Blind condition. While the Darkmantle maintains its Envelop, it is inside the target's space, is not considered to be squeezing, can attack the victim as normal, and cannot attack any other target. On their turn, the victim may make a Maneuver Offense roll against the Darkmantles Maneuver Defense of 15 to break the envelop and remove the Blind condition. This requires a standard action or part of a full attack action on their turn unless they have some way to make Maneuver Offense rolls in a different manner. If the Envelop is broken, the victim may place the Darkmantle in any unblocked, unoccupied space adjacent to their space. If there is no such space, the Darkmantle remains in their space, and they are both considered to be Squeezing.

Blot of Darkness (Su) Swift Action 1/Enc

Darkmantles can cause blots of darkness to appear. Out of combat they may use this ability at will, and will frequently cover themselves in darkness to make stealth rolls, hide, lure in the curious, etc. During combat, a Darkmantle can only use this ability once per encounter, as the stress and effort of the battle distracts them too much to use it at-will. As a swift action, the monster chooses a square within 10 feet of their space, to which they have line of sight and line of effect. That square, and all squares adjacent to that square (a 3x3x3 space), are plunged into magical darkness. This darkness does not need to be adjacent to a surface, but does not penetrate any surface. It will extend around corners and solid obstacles. This darkness can be dispelled by bright light after one round has passed, or by Dispel Magic. This darkness breaks line of sight unless Darkvision, Echolocation, Heartsight,etc, is able to overcome it. Darkmantles are clever enough to place Blot of Darkness over themselves or between them and ranged attackers. The GM adjudicates all unusual circumstances.

Darkmantle

Darkmantles are weird, magically potent beasts that are a menace nearly everywhere. If you can get a good look, they appear much like something almost aquatic, being roughly cone-shaped, with drapes of leathery hide between strong tentacles, and they move with eerie, unnatural motions, as if gravity holds little sway over them.

Darkmantles originated, almost certainly, far beneath the ground, down in the nigh-mythical realms of the Unterwelt. Indeed, those mighty adventurers who venture down, down, far down, below even the warrens of the Dwarves, report that vast caverns full of these terrible things still infest the World Below.

However, it is far more common, today, to find nests of these things in far less mystical places. At some point, somehow, Darkmantles escaped their deep underground domain, and surprisingly they thrive even in the domain of the sun. It seems that these things love the dark, and night time, and even shadows, are plenty to allow them to exist happily.

Darkmantles are ambush predators and opportunistic scavengers. They prefer fresh meat, but will eat carrion without hesitation and have even been seen to subsist on fruits, nuts, and even vegetation. Darkmantles prefer to attack from a height, and are reliably reported to be able to 'swim' through the air with surprising facility. Birds have nothing to fear from a Darkmantle, but they can readily get themselves aloft and move about in battle with quick, jerky flaps of their tentacled mantle.

Darkmantles prefer to lurk up high, and then plunge down upon victims, wrapping them in flaps of leathery hide and strong tentacles, with plenty of sharp claws. Perhaps most terrible, Darkmantles seem able to project a blot of inky darkness around themselves, meaning their attack is accompanied by the loss of vision, causing much terror. Darkmantles have also been reported to hide themselves in even thin shadows, using their magical blot of darkness to deepen even mild shade enough to hide within.

Darkmantles are a menace to citizens, livestock, and children. When a nest of these things are confirmed, it behooves all heroes to expunge them without hesitation.

Combat Tactics

Darkmantles have good stealth and are very good at setting up ambushes. While they are set up and lurking for victims, their Stealth skill rolls are extremely good, and they can be very hard to spot even for careful adventurers. Even worse, they will frequently cover themselves in magical darkness, in which case they cannot be seen at all unless the searchers have some sort of vision to pierce that darkness. Darkmantles are not terribly smart, but they are instinctively very good at placing the darkness where it blends in, such as the shadows of a cave ceiling, or above the rafters of a building.

Darkmantles will pounce out of ambush if they can, and each one will seek to Envelop a different foe with their first attack. If they are thrown off, they will typically blurt out magical darkness immediately, to cover themselves or break line of sight from ranged attackers, and attempt to re-envelop as many foes as they can. It is a simple tactic, but very deadly.

Once battle is joined, Darkmantles will press the attack to the death without hesitation.

Out of Combat

Darkmantles can be found almost anywhere. They thrive anyplace there is darkness, shadows, and height. Forests, swamps, caves, sewers, dungeons, abandoned buildings, there have even been many reports of Darkmantle nests in the attics and rafters of homes and churches and even busy mercantile operations! Darkmantles in heavily trafficked civilized areas will usually limit their attacks to vermin, strays, and pets, but they will also pick off beggars, homeless, drunkards, wandering children, the elderly, etc.

Once they are discovered, Darkmantles will cover themselves with darkness and migrate to a new home. Hunting out Darkmantle infestations can become a full-time job!

Many monsters will cultivate Darkmantles as living alarm systems and booby traps. Darkmantle nests and shrieker plantings are common combinations, and Darkmantles next to Lanternmoss infestations are particularly ruthless. Goblins, Orcs, Gnolls, and the like will often use such tactics to decorate their lairs, and 'civilized' foes such as goons and bandits are not above such tricks and tactics either.

Rewards

XP: 400

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 219 gp.

Weight: 10 lbs.     Volume: 0.4 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)