Yara-Ma-Yha-Who

Small monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 49 (9d6 + 18)

Speed 20 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR 11 (+0) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 14 (+2) · INT 8 (−1) · WIS 12 (+1) · CHA 6 (−2)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +4

Skills Athletics +2, Perception +3, Stealth +7

Damage Vulnerabilities fire (see Sun-Shy)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Traits

Arboreal Ambusher. While in the branches of a tree, the yara-ma-yha-who has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If it drops at least 10 feet straight toward a target and hits it with a Sucker Pad attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Sun-Shy. In direct sunlight the yara-ma-yha-who has disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, and it can’t use its Regurgitative Swallow action. It is vulnerable to fire damage while in sunlight.

Sticky Pads. The yara-ma-yha-who’s Sucker Pad attacks count as natural weapons. When it hits a creature with a Sucker Pad attack, it can choose to attach to the target. While attached, the yara-ma-yha-who moves with the target whenever it moves, and the yara-ma-yha-who can’t attack a different creature. The attachment ends if the target or the yara-ma-yha-who is subjected to forced movement, or if either creature uses an action to detach (Athletics or Acrobatics check contest, DC 13).

Blood Drain. At the start of each of the yara-ma-yha-who’s turns, it deals 5 (1d4 + 3) necrotic damage to a creature it is attached to, and it regains hit points equal to the damage dealt.

Actions

Multiattack. The yara-ma-yha-who makes two Sucker Pad attacks, or one Sucker Pad attack and uses Regurgitative Swallow if it is able.

Sucker Pad. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the yara-ma-yha-who can attach to the target (see Sticky Pads).

Regurgitative Swallow (Recharge 5–6). The yara-ma-yha-who attempts to swallow one Medium or smaller creature it is attached to. The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target is swallowed and the attachment ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the yara-ma-yha-who, and takes 7 (2d6) acid damage at the start of each of the yara-ma-yha-who’s turns.

After the yara-ma-yha-who drinks at least 1 gallon of water (which requires one action) or after 3 rounds, whichever is sooner, it automatically regurgitates the swallowed creature into an unoccupied space within 5 feet. The creature is prone and its size category is considered one step smaller (to a minimum of Tiny) until it finishes a long rest, but it otherwise takes no further damage from the swallow. The yara-ma-yha-who can have only one creature swallowed at a time.

Reactions

Startle Jump. When a creature the yara-ma-yha-who can see ends its movement within 10 feet of the monster and the yara-ma-yha-who is in a tree, it can drop up to 20 feet without taking falling damage.

Lore

A small red man with suction cups on his fingers who lives in trees. He drains a victim’s blood, swallows the body, then spits it back out.

The Yara-Ma-Yha-Who is a mythical creature from Australia. Outwardly it looks like a small, roughly four-foot-tall (about 120 cm) red-skinned humanoid with an oversized head that can make up nearly half its body mass. Its face is toothless, yet the mouth can stretch like a snake’s jaws, wide enough to swallow an adult human whole. The fingers and toes end in large suction pads instead of claws; with them the creature can hang for hours in the crowns of fig trees and draw blood through the pads, causing its victims to suffer a sudden drop in blood pressure and to faint—without a single torn wound. Its stomach is extremely elastic: after gulping down its prey, the spirit is seized by an unquenchable thirst, drinks a great deal of water, partially digests the victim, and then vomits the person back up—alive, intact, but noticeably smaller.

The Yara-Ma-Yha-Who lives solely in the dense canopies of wild figs in coastal forests—trees revered as vessels of life-force that provide deep shade, a humid microclimate, and easy access to water. The creature shuns direct sunlight and often retreats to cool caves during the hottest part of the day.

From Vampire Bestiary 5E, p. 106 · Fern Flower Press