Howler Stalker
Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass p. 299 (Third Party)
- Size
- Medium
- Type
- humanoid (howler)
- Alignment
- chaotic neutral
- AC
- 15 (Studded Leather)
- Hit Points
- 22 (4d8+4)
- Speed
- walk 40 ft.
- Saving Throws
- Dex +4
- Skills
- Perception +5, Stealth +7, Survival +5
- Senses
- Darkvision 60 ft.
- Passive Perception
- 15
- Languages
- Howler
- Challenge
- 1
- Lineage
- Howler
Traits
Proficiency Bonus
+2
Tricky Maneuver
If the Howler hits a creature with its first Longbow attack on its turn while hidden, it can forgo its second attack to take the Hide action.
Paranoid
The Howler can't be surprised.
Sleep Deprived
The Howler has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or magically put to sleep.
Actions
Multiattack
The Howler makes three attacks: one with its Chomp and two with its Shortsword. Alternatively, it makes two attacks with its Longbow.
Chomp
Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Shortsword
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Longbow
Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Reactions
Discouraging Chuckle
When a creature misses the howler with an attack, the howler must release a gut curling bout of laughter, provided it has its reaction available. The next time the attacker makes an attack roll or ability check before the end of its next turn, it must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the total.
Other data
description
Although howlers are pack monsters, some howlers shy away from the clan, preferring to lurk in the scrublands or in the darkness where they can move unseen and more easily ambush prey. These howler stalkers are the ones that you don't hear barking a mile away and that you don't see coming. While the pack as a whole can take down large game once every several outings, the stalkers may not take down a massive beast, but they never return empty-handed. Snarlers and stalkers have a tenuous relationship within howler clans, and it's often a threat for snarlers to have more than a handful of stalkers in a pack as snarlers always like to know where their enemies are coming from.
Howlers: Howlers are monsters, and if there's one thing in all of Obojima that gives villagers the most grief and worry, it's howlers. They're responsible for more raids on farmhouses, stolen livestock, and pillaged wagons than any other creature on Obojima. Howlers are fairly large, hyena-like humanoids that live in endlessly squabbling packs led by the most crafty or the most combative among them. Most of the howler population live in burrows and dens throughout the Gale Fields, but there are small gangs that live in the wildernesses all across Obojima.
Howler Worldview: Howlers generally see the rest of the world as resources to be taken or a toy to be played with. They have little empathy, which is why they don't see an issue with taking something they want, even if that means robbing and stealing to get it. Their main desires are food, territory, and trophies to impress their pack and their leader, known as "snarlers" Howlers sleep when their snarler does, and even then it's only for a few hours a day, so they are almost always active in seeking whatever will get them more favor and status within the group. A howler clan can be a mix of scheming, toadying, raucous, and indifferent, with brief bursts of showboating from their snarler to establish dominance.
Rogue Howler: Not every howler belongs to a pack, and these "rogue" howlers are among the most aggressive and dangerous and are often the ones that cause concern among villages.
Public Enemy: Most Obojimans know of howlers and it is one of the reasons why villagers take at least some instruction from the sword schools or resident fighters so that they can defend their crops, livestock, and merchandise. Despite the warnings, there are always those who believe howlers are misunderstood and just need a hug, but more often than not, they come back from their missions of mercy missing teeth or not at all.