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    Bouda

    Medium humanoid (shapechanger), neutral evil

    Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

    Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24)

    Speed 30 ft. (see Shapechanger)

    STR 17 (+3) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 16 (+3) · INT 12 (+1) · WIS 15 (+2) · CHA 14 (+2)

    Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +5, Cha +5

    Skills Deception +5, Perception +5, Stealth +6; Smith’S Tools +6

    Damage Vulnerabilities radiant

    Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks that aren’t silvered or made of consecrated iron

    Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

    Languages Common, Abyssal, one other language it knew in life

    Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

    Traits

    Shapechanger. The bouda can use its action (or bonus action, see Ash Shift) to polymorph into a Large spotted hyena (hereafter “hyena form”) or back into its human form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except as noted below. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is not transformed (the anchor amulet is considered part of the bouda and transforms with it). It reverts to its human form if it dies.

    • Hyena Form Adjustments. Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.; it gains Pack Tactics (advantage on attack rolls if at least one conscious ally is within 5 ft. of the target).

    Anchor Amulet. The bouda’s shapechanging magic is housed in an iron-and-bone charm it wears around its neck. If this amulet is removed or destroyed while the bouda is in hyena form, it can’t use Shapechanger and has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws until it finishes a long rest and crafts a replacement.

    Regenerative Flesh. The bouda regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and hasn’t taken radiant damage since the end of its last turn.

    Carrion Distraction. Whenever an unguarded corpse or other source of fresh carrion appears within 30 feet of the bouda, it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or use its reaction to move its speed toward the carrion.

    Silver Sensitivity. When the bouda takes damage from a silvered weapon or consecrated iron, it loses Regenerative Flesh until the end of its next turn.

    Actions

    Multiattack (Human or Hyena Form). The bouda makes two attacks: one Bite and one Claw in hyena form, or two Dagger attacks in human form. It can replace either attack with Evil Eye.

    Bite (Hyena Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of its next turn.

    Claw (Hyena Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

    Dagger (Human Form). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.

    Evil Eye. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (3d10) necrotic damage, and 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. On a successful DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, a target takes half damage and suffers no maximum-hit-point reduction.

    Stench Spray (Recharge 5–6; Hyena Form Only). The bouda expels a tar-like spray in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails is also poisoned for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the poisoned condition on itself on a success.

    Bonus Actions

    Ash Shift. If the bouda is holding ash taken from a fire, it can expend the ash to use Shapechanger as a bonus action instead of an action.

    Reactions

    Cowardly Dash. When the bouda takes damage, it can move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

    Lore

    A were-hyena who wears a magic amulet and digs up corpses or attacks the living.

    Bouda is a complex stratum of East African demonology that weaves together ideas about vampires and hyena-werewolves. In Amharic the word bouda simultaneously refers to shaman-like people who can cast the evil eye or lay a curse on others, and to a living vampire able to turn into a hyena. The term’s etymological web stretches through Tigrinya, Kanuri, Somali, Berber, and even Iranian dialects, where parallel words—“tebbib,” “bultungin,” “kori-ismarís,” and “kaftar”—all point to the notion of a person who can willingly assume a hyena’s shape, keep human memory intact, and use the transformation as a tool of violence.

    In human guise a bouda is almost indistinguishable from any village neighbor, yet certain vampiric markers remain: a nasal, droning voice (as though speaking through the nose), unnaturally thick hair, a telltale cadaverous or earthy odor that seems to cling to the person, and a restless gleam in the eyes. The creature’s animal form looks almost exactly like an ordinary spotted hyena, save for the amulet hanging around its neck; losing this item robs the bouda of the ability to turn human again and condemns it to wander forever in a beast’s body. To shift into a hyena the bouda draws power from the amulet but first ritually rubs ash over its body.

    From Vampire Bestiary 5E, p. 34 · Fern Flower Press