Encumbrenumbra

Forest

Grassland

Mountain

Urban

Bite

Claw

Encumbrenumbras are demonic vessels possessed by many minor fiendish spirits at once, in amounts ranging from several dozen to a few hundred. Also called “abyss eaters,” these demons feast on other, lesser demons within the Abyss. Each time they feed, a fragment of their prey’s spirit remains inside them. The will of an encumbrenumbra is in constant battle with those of the spirits that possess it as a result of its feeding. 

Encumbrenumbras are usually brought to the Material Plane by abyssal cults who have summoned them there, either purposefully or inadvertently. Like all demons, encumbrenumbras exist to inflict pain, suffering, and chaos. Unlike other demons, however, encumbrenumbras are calculating and strategic in their murder, rather than carelessly destructive. They are also some of the only demons who make vague attempts at what other creatures would call “art.” On the Material Plane, they prefer to hunt and consume creative individuals, such as painters, writers, and sculptors. 

After an encumbrenumbra has killed, it always leaves a portion of the corpse behind that it does not eat. It uses these remains to construct grisly art pieces, such as entrails nailed to a wall in an abstract pattern, or using bone fragments to spell out abyssal curse words, or strategically arranging scraps of flesh so that they flap loudly in the breeze. It pulls out tufts of its hair and scratches off flakes of its skin in pained frustration as it is often overwhelmed by the voices in its head. 

The incessant, multi-voiced chattering of the encumbrenumbra can be quickly overwhelming. Iron plugs placed in the ears will prevent the wearer from hearing the demon’s cries, whether they be auditory or telepathic. 

The encumbrenumbra is wildly aggressive in combat, with little regard for strategy other than being in proximity to as many possible enemies at once, so that it can make full use of its Gibbering ability and its Demonic Spirits action. It uses its Claw attack on whichever target it thinks it can kill the fastest, though because of the many spirits that possess it, it is prone to strategic errors and attacking whichever enemy last provoked it. It uses its Bite on any enemy it has successfully grappled. 

Encumbrenumbras prefer to make their lairs in noisy environments to better drown out the competing voices that chatter in their heads. On the Material Plane, encumbrenumbras might lurk in caves hidden behind waterfalls, or in the cellar crawl space below a busy smithy. In the Abyss, they might lair in towers of bone and gore beside grand halls of torture, where the screams of the damned echo ceaselessly. Encumbrenumbras cover their lairs with abyssal runes and nonsensical poetry painted with their own blood. 

The brain of an encumbrenumbra is said to permanently increase one’s innate magical ability if it is prepared and consumed property. Its blood, when used as ink to write with, can draft messages that induce madness upon their reading. The following table provides specific mechanics for harvesting and reward. A PC can make a 

 Wisdom (Survival) check, or other check the GM deems appropriate, to obtain loot from the 

. On a successful check, the GM chooses one piece of loot, or has the PC roll a d4 to determine what they get. On a failed check, the PC gets a vial of 

 blood. A PC can choose to have another make their skill check if they so choose.

You have an 8 oz vial of blood. The first time a creature reads a message written in this blood it must succeed on a 

 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with long-term madness for 1d10 x 10 hours.

A creature can cook this brain by succeeding on a 

 Intelligence or Wisdom check using cooking utensils. On a successful check, a creature that consumes the brain gains a permanent +1 bonus to its spell save DC and spell attack rolls. Eating more than one brain provides no additional benefit. On a failed save or if a creature that consumes the brain raw, it gains a new character flaw from the Indefinite Madness table that lasts until cured.

You can smash this jar as an action to cast the 

 spell (spell save DC 10, or your spell save DC). When cast in this way, the spell deals necrotic damage no matter what your alignment is.

A creature succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity or Intelligence check using Leatherworker's tools, the tail transforms into a quiver. When you make a ranged weapon attack using ammunition from this quiver and roll a 15 or higher on the attack die, the ammunition returns to you unbroken after hitting the target(s).

Encumbrenumbra

Actions