Nocnitsa

Sometimes called a night terror, the nocnitsa is among the most dreaded horrors of its homeland. Its true shape is an old woman made of flickering, half-seen shadow, bent as if by great age yet a full 6 feet tall. Its knotted hands end in cruel talons and its lower body dissolves into dark wisps. The face shows little but two white spots for eyes and a mouth of crooked fangs. It never communicates, whether by choice or not, though it lets out a hideous wheezing yowl when threatened. Its feeding is often blamed on nosferatu.

A nocnitsa would rather flee than fight unless cornered. It is cunning, picking out strong warriors and spellcasters first; with surprise it ambushes the most dangerous member of a group, strikes hard, and vanishes into the dark. Like a shadow it is 90% undetectable in anything but the brightest light.

Its 18/76 Strength (+2 to hit, +4 damage, already included) powers two claws at 1d6+4 and a bite at 1d4+4. Only +1 or better weapons hit it. It is not undead, but holy water burns it for 2d4, and priests who can turn undead turn it as a spectre. Sleep, suffocation, poison, disease and magic that targets life force do not affect it, though charm, hold and similar mind magic do. Bright light bothers it without harming it, and sunray does not inflict its worst effects. Though it looks insubstantial, it cannot pass through solid matter.

In its natural form it flies with great agility. At will it can become a tiny raven (AC 7, flying 36 at class B, walking 1, one attack for 1 point), but the change takes a round in which it can do nothing and foes gain +4 to hit it.

Meeting its white eyes calls for a save vs. spell or the victim falls into a powerful magical sleep. No Hit Dice limit applies, though it fails on undead or others immune to sleep, and lasts three turns. Feeding does not wake the sleeper, though other attacks do.

It feeds on anyone asleep from its gaze, unconscious or otherwise helpless, biting the neck and draining 1 Constitution per round, or 3 per round if it wishes, as a nosferatu does. Lost points return at 1 per two days. A victim reduced to 0 dies but does not become a nocnitsa. Usually it returns again and again over weeks while the victim slowly wastes from blood loss.

Precautions help. A blessing given before sleep protects that person from its feeding for the whole night, and it cannot cross a circle of iron filings, though it may break one by indirect means.

Its origins are almost unknown. At night it slips into homes through chimneys and similar openings, seeking the youngest blood in the house, preferably infants and small children. It flees when discovered but often returns to favorite feeding grounds even after being seen or threatened, and it also preys on travelers abroad at night.

Locals think it undead, but the wandering seers know better. Their name for it means roughly 'visiting grandmother', and they are said to be safe from it. Their wise matriarchs claim the nocnitsa is the region's paralyzing fear of the dark made flesh.

Like undead, it stands apart from nature, needing no sleep and no food but warm blood. It keeps no daytime lair that anyone has found; it simply disappears at dawn and returns at dusk.