Shadow Marsh Bestiary

This file contains all 5 creatures of Shadow Marsh: a region of secrets, echoes, and things that drift between what is real and what is remembered. These are Talestria's most mysterious creatures — and among the most heartbreaking to see corrupted.

Whisper Wraith

Spirit — Shadow Marsh

HP: 18 | Dodge: 13 | Mettle: 0 | Corrupted DP: 4 | Attack Bonus: +4

Attack

Shadow Touch (1d8 necrotic) — A cold, intangible reach that drains warmth from the soul.

Special Ability

Fog Fade — The Whisper Wraith steps into a shadow and becomes invisible until it attacks or speaks. (Passive in dim light or fog; enemies must succeed on DC 14 Perception to target it)

Weakness

Radiant — Bright light solidifies its form, eliminating Fog Fade.

Loot

Shadow Essence

Corrupted Form

When touched by The Unwritten: Black marks race through the Whisper Wraith's already-shadowy form. Where it was once a soft silhouette, dark scales materialize along its edges — solid, sharp, real in a way the wraith itself never fully was. Its whispers, once faint old stories, become screaming fragments of broken memories. Behavior: Fog Fade becomes permanent — the wraith is invisible at all times until it strikes, only flickering into view during an attack. It circles the party, whispering disorienting fragments until it moves in. Attack: Shadow Touch now deals an extra 1d4 psychic damage as the whispers overwhelm the target, and Fog Fade re-activates immediately after each attack (no cooldown). Defeating the corruption frees them.

Gloomcap

Plant — Shadow Marsh

HP: 10 | Dodge: 10 | Mettle: 0 | Corrupted DP: 2 | Attack Bonus: +2

Attack

Poison Spores (1d6 poison) — A wet sneeze of dark purple spores.

Special Ability

Spore Cloud — The Gloomcap releases a hovering cloud of spores around itself. (Any creature that starts its turn within 5 ft of the Gloomcap must succeed on DC 12 CON save or gain the Poisoned condition — disadvantage on attack rolls for 1 round; passive aura)

Weakness

Fire — Burns like paper.

Loot

Gloom Spore

Corrupted Form

When touched by The Unwritten: Black marks crawl up the Gloomcap's stalk. Dark scales grow densely across its cap, giving it a spiked, dangerous silhouette. The eerie hum it carries deepens into something almost mournful. Behavior: The Gloomcap moves with sudden, jerky urgency — unlike its usual slow drift. Its spores expand outward in waves rather than a gentle aura, and it begins actively following the most healthy-looking targets. Attack: Spore Cloud becomes Spore Wave — once per battle, it emits a 15 ft burst of thick spores (DC 13 CON save or Poisoned for 2 rounds), and its Poisoned condition now also imposes Disadvantage on saving throws in addition to attack rolls. Defeating the corruption frees them.

Marsh Siren

Spirit — Shadow Marsh

HP: 16 | Dodge: 12 | Mettle: 0 | Corrupted DP: 3 | Attack Bonus: +3

Attack

Song Lure (1d6 psychic) — A verse of enchanted song that resonates painfully in the mind.

Special Ability

Charming Aria — The Marsh Siren sings a mesmerizing melody at one target. (DC 13 WIS save or the target is Charmed — they move toward the Siren on their next turn and cannot attack it; once per battle)

Weakness

Silence — Any Silence effect immediately ends the Siren's song and all active charms.

Loot

Echo Pearl

Corrupted Form

When touched by The Unwritten: Black marks spread across the Marsh Siren's translucent form like dark ink spreading through water. Dark scales rim her silhouette, and her beautiful song gains a grinding, dissonant undertone. Behavior: The Marsh Siren stops targeting one creature at a time. Her corrupted song carries on the fog, and every player in range must contend with it. She stops singing to lure — now she sings to overwhelm. Attack: Charming Aria affects all creatures within 20 ft simultaneously (all must save individually), and Song Lure deals an additional 1d4 psychic damage as the music becomes oppressive. Defeating the corruption frees them.

Shadow Fox

Beast — Shadow Marsh

HP: 15 | Dodge: 13 | Mettle: 0 | Corrupted DP: 3 | Attack Bonus: +3

Attack

Pounce (1d8 slashing) — A sudden, explosive leap that pins a target to the ground.

Special Ability

Shadow Step — The Shadow Fox teleports up to 10 ft, stepping through a patch of shadow to reappear elsewhere. (Once per round as a Quick Action; cannot be used in bright light)

Weakness

Radiant — Radiant damage destroys the shadows it travels through, preventing Shadow Step for 1 round.

Loot

Silver Boots

Corrupted Form

When touched by The Unwritten: Black marks blend seamlessly into the Shadow Fox's dark fur — nearly undetectable. Dark scales emerge along its spine and tail, giving it a jagged ridgeline. Its eyes, once glinting with cunning, go flat. Behavior: The calculating predator becomes pure chaos — teleporting every single round, striking from all directions, making it impossible to track. It no longer seems to have a plan; it just attacks whatever it's nearest to after each step. Attack: Shadow Step has no cooldown — the fox teleports once before each attack and once after, becoming almost impossible to pin down without Radiant damage. Pounce now knocks targets prone on a hit (no save). Defeating the corruption frees them.

Eclipse Serpent

Dragon — Shadow Marsh

HP: 30 | Dodge: 16 | Mettle: 1 | Corrupted DP: 5 | Attack Bonus: +6

Attack

Bite (2d8 piercing) — Enormous, crushing jaws that can swallow a torch whole.

Special Ability

Veil of Darkness — The Eclipse Serpent exhales a cloud of magical darkness in a 20 ft radius. (All creatures in area are Blinded; darkvision cannot penetrate this darkness; lasts until end of the Serpent's next turn; once per rest)

Weakness

Radiant — Radiant damage cuts through its darkness and deals an extra 1d6 damage.

Loot

Moonstone Scale

Corrupted Form

When touched by The Unwritten: The Eclipse Serpent, already cloaked in shadow, is transformed into something far more terrifying. Black marks spiral down its scales like a second skin. Massive dark scales layer over its natural ones, making it look like a living shadow mountain. Its darkness veil expands dramatically. Behavior: The rare, elusive serpent becomes omnipresent — filling the entire combat area with its coils. Veil of Darkness is permanent rather than limited, and the serpent moves within it freely. It tracks players by their heartbeats. Attack: Veil of Darkness now covers a 40 ft radius and lasts 3 rounds. Bite gains a Venom effect — targets who fail a DC 14 CON save are Poisoned and take 1d6 poison damage at the start of each of their turns. Defeating the corruption frees them.

Tags

bestiary shadow-marsh region:shadow-marsh