Mejenkwad

Medium undead (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (spectral flesh)

Hit Points 45 (10d8)

Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR 8 (−1) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 10 (+0) · INT 13 (+1) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +5

Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth +5

Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages understands Common, Marshallese; telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. Mejenkwad can use an action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Worn equipment isn’t transformed.

Eerie Mimicry. Mejenkwad can perfectly imitate any voice it has heard. A creature that hears the voice can discern the imitation with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.

Spirit of Omen. The first time each day a creature sees Mejenkwad in its true form, that creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a successful save, the creature is immune to Spirit of Omen for 24 hours.

Incorporeal Movement. Mejenkwad can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Actions

Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Piercing Scream (Recharge 5–6). Mejenkwad emits a soul-rending shriek. Each creature within 30 feet that can hear it must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage and is frightened of Mejenkwad until the end of its next turn. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn’t frightened.

Bewitching Call. Mejenkwad magically speaks the name of one creature it can see within 60 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature is incapacitated and must use all its movement on each of its turns to move toward Mejenkwad by the safest route it can find. The creature can repeat the saving throw each time it takes damage and at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to Bewitching Call for 24 hours.

Bonus Actions

Fading Step. If Mejenkwad is in dim light or darkness, it can become invisible until the start of its next turn or until it attacks.

Reactions

Possess Husk (Recharge 6). When Mejenkwad reduces a humanoid to 0 hit points, it can attempt to possess the body. The corpse rises at the start of Mejenkwad’s next turn as a zombie under its control that acts immediately after Mejenkwad in the initiative order. The zombie lasts for 1 hour or until destroyed, after which the spirit emerges in its true form in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body.

Lore

Human-shaped beings with long tubular tongues capable of devouring people.

Mejenkwad (also Mejenkwaad) is regarded as one of the most dangerous monsters in the folklore of the Marshall Islands, a nation in Micronesia. Marshallese culture, grounded in centuries-old oral tradition, passed on knowledge of the world, navigation, and spiritual dangers exclusively through stories, songs, and myths long before Europeans arrived. Among these legends, Mejenkwad holds a special place.

Mejenkwad is classified not merely as a monster but as a malicious spirit or witch capable of flight. People say her appearance heralds death; if someone happens to spot her, it means another person has just died.

From Oceanian Bestiary 5E, p. 48 · Fern Flower Press