Gloom Haunt

A vaguely humanoid shape composed of darkness rises from the shadows.

Gloom Haunt (CR 5)

Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +7
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, See in Darkness ; Perception +13

Speed: Fly 50 feet (good)
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex)
Hit Points: 57 (6d8+30)
Saving Throws: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +7
Incorporeal, Channel Resistance +2, shadowy resolve
Immunity: undead traits

Offense

Melee: Incorporeal touch +7 (3d6+5 plus pain touch)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: shadow mastery

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
-	17 (+3)	-	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)

Base Attack Bonus: +4
CMB +7
CMD 25

Feats: Alertness, Fly-by Attack, Improved Initiative

Skills: Fly +16, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (any one) +8, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +12 (+16 in dim light, +8 in bright light)

• Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth in dim light (-4 in bright light)

Languages:

Special Qualities: creeping shadows

Special Abilities

Creeping Shadows (Su)

Once per day, a gloom haunt can emanate an inky darkness in a 30-foot-radius burst as a standard action. This functions as a deeper darkness spell (CL 6th).

Incorporeal Touch (Su)

By passing part of its incorporeal body through a foe's body as a standard action, the gloom haunt inflicts 7d6 damage. This damage is not negative energy-it manifests in the form of physical wounds and aches from supernatural aging. Creatures immune to magical aging are immune to this damage, but otherwise the damage bypasses all forms of damage reduction. A Fortitude save halves the damage inflicted.

Pain Touch (Su)

A gloom haunt adds its Charisma modifier on damage rolls with its incorporeal touch. Additionally, the touch of a gloom haunt sends a wave of intense pain through the opponent's body. A creature touched must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round and shaken for 1d4+2 rounds thereafter. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Shadow Mastery (Su)

A gloom haunt is a creature of darkness. In areas of total darkness (including that created by its creeping shadows ability), a gloom haunt gains a +2 racial bonus on attack rolls, saves, and checks. These bonuses are not included in the statistics block.

Shadowy Resolve (Su)

In areas of shadowy illumination or total darkness, a gloom haunts channel resistance increases to +4.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary or gang (gloom haunt plus 2-4 shadows)
Treasure: standard


Gloom haunts are believed to somehow be related to shadows though most learned scholars agree that people simply relate them to shadows because of their resemblance to said creatures. In actuality, gloom haunts are different creatures, unrelated to the aforementioned undead at all. While both prefer areas of gloom and darkness, and both seem to be formed of shadowstuff, that's where the similarities end.

Gloom haunts are vile evil creatures, who seem to have no ties to the living (i.e., scholars cannot find any reasonable explanation as to why they exist), though a few learned sages believe gloom haunts to be the spiritual remains of paladins who were sacrificed by evil clerics to their vile and dark gods. Gloom haunts are found haunting graves, dungeons, and catacombs. These creatures detest light (though they are not harmed by it) and move about at night when their natural coloration and abilities help them the most.

A gloom haunt appears as a humanoid-shaped somewhat translucent creature formed of darkness. Two small pinpoints of red light function as eyes. A gloom haunt does not speak or utter any sounds.

Gloom haunts use their ability to hide in shadows to wait for living creatures to come close. When such a creature does, glooms haunt leap to the attack.