Bake-Kujira 化鯨

Huge undead (yokai), chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 152 (16d12 + 48)

Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. (ethereal gliding in water)

STR 21 (+5) · DEX 10 (+0) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 8 (−1) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +6, Cha +8

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +4, Intimidation +8

Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16

Languages understands Yokai Speech, Aquan, Common, but does not speak

Challenge 8

Traits

Ethereal Undercurrent. Bake-Kujira exists partially in the Ethereal Plane. While submerged, it can move through creatures, objects, and obstacles in the water as if they were difficult terrain. If it ends its turn inside an object or solid barrier, it takes 5 (1d10) force damage and is shunted to the nearest unoccupied space of water.

Phantasmal Presence. Any harpoon, spear, or similar weapon that strikes Bake-Kujira passes harmlessly through it unless it is a magic weapon or blessed by a relevant deity or primal spirit (GM’s discretion). Nonmagical melee or ranged weapon attacks deal only half damage.

Spectral Birds. Whenever Bake-Kujira appears or surfaces, it is trailed by eerie, screeching phantasms of carrion birds. Ranged weapon attacks targeting Bake-Kujira have disadvantage if they rely on normal sight, as the swirling ghost birds obscure the whale’s skeletal form.

Actions

Multiattack. Bake-Kujira makes two attacks: one with Ghostly Bite and one with Tail Sweep, or it uses Whale Song if available.

Ghostly Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.

Hit: 23 (3d10 + 5) piercing damage, plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. If this attack hits a Medium or smaller creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 16) as Bake-Kujira’s jaws clamp down with intangible force. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained.

Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.

Hit: 18 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone in the water and pushed up to 10 feet away from Bake-Kujira.

Whale Song (Recharge 5-6). Bake-Kujira emits a haunting, subaquatic wail resonating with ancient hatred. Each creature within 30 feet that can hear the whale must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 27 (6d8) psychic damage and becomes frightened for 1 minute. On a success, it takes half damage and isn’t frightened. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Actions

If you wish to elevate Bake-Kujira’s threat, you may grant it 1 Legendary Action at the end of another creature’s turn, which it can use for:

Destructive Surge (Costs 1 Action). Bake-Kujira causes a violent current or swirling vortex within 20 feet. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet closer to Bake-Kujira and knocked prone in the water.

Curse of the Whale’s Vengeance. When a humanoid deals the final blow to Bake-Kujira or attempts to harvest remains from its spectral bones, it must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or become cursed. Over the next 1d4 days, ominous misfortunes befall the cursed individual: missed hunts, gear failures, nightmares, or illness. Only a remove curse (PHB, p. 271), greater restoration (PHB, p. 246), or similarly strong magic can end this effect.

Behavior & Lore

Bake-Kujira drifts along shores, half-submerged, illuminated by eerie glow. Unprepared whalers or curious sailors might see it as an ordinary whale—until it’s too late.

Legends say ignoring the ritual respect for a whale’s spirit awakens this wrathful ghost. Entire villages may be cursed with crop blights or sickness following its appearance.

Bake-Kujira neither eats nor hunts for sustenance; it focuses on vengeance or haunting. It attacks if provoked.

Lore

Ghostly whale appearing as a massive skeletal beast, bringing misfortune to sailors.

In ancient times, when whales were still abundant, their appearance was considered a boon for impoverished fishing villages. True, one sweep of a whale’s massive tail could overturn a boat and seal the hunters’ doom—but the risk was deemed worthwhile in exchange for the creature’s substantial bounty of meat, oil, and other invaluable resources. Yet such gifts do not come without consequence.

It was said that the souls of slaughtered whales lived on as Bake-Kujira—vengeful apparitions determined to avenge their stolen lives. The giant skeleton of a whale, it drifts along the very waters where it was killed, from time to time surfacing like a living whale to draw breath. In truth, though, its intent is far from innocent: by rising so visibly, it lures fishermen out to sea. One disturbing hallmark of this phantom beast is the flock of scavenger-like birds that swarm around it, echoing the way real vultures might circle over the dead carcass of a whale. Though Bake-Kujira’s vengeance may focus on the hunters who ended its life, anyone who crosses its path could fall victim to the ghost whale’s curse.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, p. 86 · Fern Flower Press