solravehmods | Bestiary : Advanced Shadows

The Advanced Soldiers The "assault" on her castle deeply underway, the Queen has had to resort to more creative tactics to keep the heroes on their toes. The original shadows are still around, but crawling in the darker corners of the castle a new breed of enemy began appearing not long after the first few waves of arrivals within the castle walls. They are dangerous in their own ways, often more so than the shadows that were first introduced. They each hold their own unique, frightening skills that could spell doom for any hero caught unawares, and there's no telling which ones are going to spawn once the portals begin to form.

Danger Levels

•••••★★★★★ to ★★★★★★★★★★

Hallowed Assassin

Standing nearly seven feet tall, with lanky, "grey-alien" like bodies that float and spring at intimidating speeds, the Hallowed Assassins seem to lack proper appendages. They instead have limbs ending in points with one arm in particular having an attached blade. A strange blueish-white glow edges the "sword", and it is not a blade you want to be wounded by. Much like a poison, darkness from the blade will seep in to any wound regardless of how shallow or deep, sapping strength from the injured party. Standard cure spells and tonics can abate the "poison" of the wound, but if left untreated it will either eventually kill the injured or work out of their system within the next twelve hours, depending on their own strength and current health. Naturally bleeding wounds, infections or anything that would further weaken a person will only make the effects of this Shadow's attack worse. (Larger Image)

Danger Level

••★★★★★★★★

Nightmare Stalker

Large, muscular, canine-like with razorsharp fangs imbued with the same energy-sapping "poison" as the Hallowed Assassins, Nightmare Stalkers rely on brute strength to physically take down their opponent. Though they are quick on their feet they lack the intimidating speeds many of the other Shadows have, mostly sprinting for a short distance in order to close the gap between themselves and their target. Unlike canines, though, they make very little noise, making them very difficult to hear coming especially in darker areas. (Larger Image)

Danger Level

•••★★★★★★★

Heks

A shadow that would almost seem human if not for its elongated form, spindly, claw-like hands and hunched back. Were they to stand fully straight, they would be a towering eight to nine feet tall, but their constant bend at the shoulders makes them appear much shorter. Their eyes hold the same white-blue glow as other shadows, though their vision is possibly impaired, these eyes barely pin-pricks in the cloak of their shadowy forms. Were they living creatures they would appear to have absolutely no muscle mass - described as being "shadows stretched over bones" due to their near-skeletal thinness. Their danger comes not from physical attack but from a strange power they hold within their hands. Once a person is grabbed by a Heks, usually by the face, they put a "spell" upon the victim that causes them to feel heavy, exhausted, unable to move and - if held long enough - eventually lulled in to a deep, deep sleep. This makes it easier for other shadows to make off with them, and the effects linger long after the Heks has been destroyed. Despite all this, they are not all that physically strong.

Danger Level

••••★★★★★★

Dreadnaught

An absolutely giant brute of a shadow, more so than even the biggest of the normal shadows. Similar in body, posture and even movements to a gorilla, it's only goal is to absolutely decimate anyone that gets near it in order to keep you from your next destination. Chances are high it may simply just outright kill it's victims through sheer brunt force trauma, though, and the absolute size, fury and power of it make it incredibly to difficult to get away from once you're under it's constantly closed fists. The only saving grace is that it's size does, indeed, make it slower to move than other shadows. Long ranged attacks are advised.

Danger Level

★★★★★★★★★★

Ivenigle

The most human looking shadow outside of the horned boys, Inveigle appears poised and calm, rarely moving and never attacking. Instead, locking eyes with it will result in a trance-like state that compels you to follow, either to your untimely demise via falling off a high place or other such dangers, or in to a shadow-infested area where it will then vanish completely, leaving you to your ill-timed fate. As it is incapable of physically attacking it holds no danger level itself; the situation you find yourself in thanks to it's pull, however, will vary depending on where it leads you.

Danger Level

VARIES

Another bird-like shadow, though lacking the humanoid body features of the Fortress Ghouls. Fairly weak and easy to take out, but due to the strange trilling horn-like noise they make they are capable of getting a large group swarming if they're not handled quickly. They can and will attack, usually by swooping down at victims with the inent of getting them off their feet and possibly sending them down a steep drop.

Danger Level

•••••★★★★★