Baobham Sith

Medium fey (shapechanger), Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)

Speed 35 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 12 (+1) · DEX 18 (+4) · CON 14 (+2) · INT 13 (+1) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +4, Cha +6

Skills Deception +8, Perception +4, Performance +8, Stealth +6

Damage Vulnerabilities cold iron (see Iron Bane)

Damage Resistances necrotic, psychic

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. The baobhan sith can use its action to polymorph into a raven (Tiny, fly 50 ft.), a wolf (Medium, speed 40 ft.), or a Medium female humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Iron Bane. Weapons or objects made primarily of wrought iron or steel deal double damage to the baobhan sith, and any creature holding such an item has advantage on saving throws against the baobhan sith’s abilities.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The baobhan sith takes 10 radiant damage at the start of its turn if it is in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Alluring Glamour. The baobhan sith has advantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Performance) checks made to interact with humanoids.

Blood Scent. The baobhan sith has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell, and it can pinpoint the location of any creature that has taken slashing or piercing damage within the last minute within 60 feet of it.

Actions

Multiattack. The baobhan sith makes two Claw attacks. It can replace one Claw attack with Drain Life.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Drain Life. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is charmed by the baobhan sith, grappled by it, incapacitated, or willing. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) necrotic damage, and the baobhan sith regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. The target’s hit-point maximum is reduced by the same amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit-point maximum to 0.

Hypnotic Dance (Recharge 5–6). The baobhan sith begins a beguiling, whirling dance. Each creature of the baobhan sith’s choice within 30 feet that can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, a creature is incapacitated and must use all its movement on each of its turns to move toward the baobhan sith and dance with her. A charmed creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds on its save is immune to this baobhan sith’s Hypnotic Dance for 24 hours.

Bonus Actions

Mist Step (Recharge 4–6). The baobhan sith magically teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Lore

Green-clad fairy vampires whose dresses hide hooves. They dance with men until the victims collapse, then drain their blood.

The Baobham Sith is described in Celtic mythology (Scotland) as an intermediate creature, somewhere between a classical faerie and a reanimated vampire. The phrase breaks down into the Old Gaelic “baobh,” meaning witch or sorceress, and “sìth,” meaning a dweller of the “sídhe”―the mystical hills where, according to Celtic belief, supernatural beings such as faeries, spirits, and gods reside. Originally, in the pre-Christian context, such a spirit could be viewed as the patron of a high-status clan, but with the Christianization of Scotland the image was demonized, and in modern folklore studies it is classified as an aggressive demonic vampire, resistant to the usual defenses against the undead.

The Baobham Sith’s appearance is a study in contrast: in legend she shows up as a tall young woman with flawlessly pale skin, loose hair, and a long green dress—the traditional marker of belonging to the faerie realm. Yet one distinctive trait gives her away: beneath the hem hide deer or goat hooves instead of feet. Needing to conceal her legs dictates how she moves: in the presence of people she avoids running and prefers a smooth, dance-like glide. That point matters, because she often lures young men—especially Highland shepherds—into a secluded spot and invites them to dance. She usually adopts the form and features of the woman each man most desires. She will dance until the man is spent, and then she attacks and drinks his blood. Her real killing tools are not fangs but lengthening, razor-sharp nails with which the creature easily opens an artery or the victim’s ribcage.

From Vampire Bestiary 5E, p. 26 · Fern Flower Press