Asanbonsam

Large monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48)

Speed 30 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR 20 (+5) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 10 (+0) · WIS 13 (+1) · CHA 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Con +6, Dex +5, Wis +4

Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +5, Perception +4, Stealth +8

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant, thunder

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t made with iron

Condition Immunities frightened

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages Twi (Akan), Common, Sylvan

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Traits

Forest Stalker. The asanbosam has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in forest terrain and can hang from branches by its hook-hands without using movement. While hanging, it can’t be detected by sight beyond 30 feet unless enemies have darkvision or a light source.

Regenerative Feeder. The asanbosam regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has dealt necrotic damage since the start of its previous turn. This trait doesn’t function if the asanbosam takes radiant or thunder damage during that time.

Light-Sickened. If the asanbosam starts its turn in an area of bright, flashing light (such as the daylight spell or a lightning bolt spell) it has disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of that turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The asanbosam makes two Hook attacks and one Bite attack.

Hook. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature.

Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the asanbosam can’t use that hook on another target.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one grappled creature.

Hit: 23 (2d10 + 5 plus 2d6) piercing and necrotic damage, and the asanbosam regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.

Hypnotic Gaze (Recharge 5–6). The asanbosam fixes its ember eyes on one creature it can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of the asanbosam’s next turn. A creature that succeeds is immune to this gaze for 24 hours.

Swallowing Darkness (Recharge 6). Magical darkness spreads from the asanbosam, filling a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on itself and moving with it. The darkness lasts for 1 minute or until dispersed by a light spell of 3rd level or higher.

Bonus Actions

Branch-Leap. The asanbosam moves up to 20 feet along a line of tree branches without provoking opportunity attacks. It must end this movement hanging or standing on a solid surface.

Reactions

Hanging Hook. While hanging at least 10 feet above the ground, the asanbosam can make one Hook attack against a creature that enters a space directly beneath it. If the attack hits, the asanbosam can immediately pull the target up to 10 feet and the target is grappled.

Lore

A forest monster with iron hooks for feet. It hangs from trees and drags passers-by up to drink their blood.

Asanbonsam is the devil of the deep forest, sometimes called the enforcer of the African earth-goddess Asase Yaa. In traditional Ghanaian culture, simply speaking its name is considered dangerous—doing so is said to invite chronic bad luck—so locals prefer roundabout titles for the creature.

In appearance Asanbonsam is a blend of human, bat, and gorilla. When it stands on the ground its height is roughly that of a person—about six feet (180 cm)—but the limbs are grotesquely lengthened. Its mouth bristles with elongated fangs that village elders call “iron teeth.” The monster supposedly keeps them hard by drinking the iron-rich blood of humans and animals and by grinding them on quartzite outcrops in the mountains. The most striking limb anomaly is the replacement of hands with curved, iron-like hooks. With these hooks Asanbonsam hangs from thick kapok branches and can stay motionless for hours, camouflaged among the vines. Hook hunting is its favorite tactic: perched overhead, it waits until prey passes beneath, then snatches the victim and hauls them into the tree to drain their blood.

From Vampire Bestiary 5E, p. 16 · Fern Flower Press