Zarath by

# Zarath
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The zaraths employs mind corrupting treats and measured tactics to gain access to a veritable horde of corrupted children from which it feeds its ravenous appetite for the innocence and raw emotions of children. Additionally  zaraths are able to eavesdrop through any children it has under its control gaining valuable information which it uses to trade for protection or plot its next move, ever increasing the amount of children it holds under its control.

***A Subtle Evil.*** It is unknown what causes a zarath to manifest, many have proposed children feeling unwanted and uncared for assist in their manifestation but there is no definitive evidence to support this claim. When zaraths first manifest on the material plane they often prey on the urchins of cities. Cleaning up the streets and seemingly doing the city a service until it sets its sights on children whose parents hold a higher station.

***Sacrifial Tactician.*** While zaraths show a perverse love for their corrupted children they often times are willing to cut deals with those searching for the release of a select child. Releasing the sought after child in return for gaining a number of harder to reach children they have had their eyes on. Though if trade does not work the zarath will not hesitate to sacrifice its children to defend itself. Relishing in the moral turmoil caused as the corrupted children defend the zarath to their death. Strangely upon defeat and banishment back to where ever zaraths come from they always release a blue liquid substance similar to their corrupting treats. When fed to children corrupted by that zarath the substance will return them back to normal. Their memory left with a gap from when the zarath took them until their release.

***Reclusive Operators.*** Zaraths always keep a secret room in its lair where it is able to relish in the innocent experiences and emotions of its children away from the view of others. These rooms are often well furnished and hold any trophies or mementos of past favourites or troublesome individuals it has dealt with.

>*Created by* **Red Xeno** *with help from* **Lobbo Doggo**, **Alvirafrost**, **MrKriller** *and* **JLUnit**.
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>*Artwork*
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>*[Night Terror](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JA39d) By Sarah Miller*
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>*[Jaś i Magda](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lkJzz) By Jan Marek*

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> ## Zarath
>*Medium fiend, neutral evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 60 (12d8 + 12)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|8 (-1)|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|19 (+4)|
>___
> - **Skills** Deception +8, Perception +4, Stealth +4 
> - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
> - **Damage Immunities** necrotic, poison
> - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, poisoned, restrained
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
> - **Languages** Abyssal, Common 
> - **Challenge** 4 (1,100 XP)
> ___
>
> ***Innate Spellcasting.***  The zarath's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components.
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>At will: *friends*
></br>2/day each: *charm person*, *crown of madness*, *disguise self*
></br>1/day each: *dominate person*, *suggestion*
>
>
>***Corrupter of the Young.*** Humanoids that have not undergone adolescence and partake in the zarath's corrupt offerings become corrupted by the zarath, following its order to the letter and without question. This effect lasts for 24 hours and can be made permanent by having an already corrupted humanoid continue to accept the corrupted offerings for one month.                                                                        
>    While corrupted the zarath shares a one way telepathic and emotional link with the corrupted humanoid so long as they are on the same plane and within 2 miles of the zarath. As an action  the zarath can remotely take control of the corrupted humanoid.
>    Creatures that are permanently corrupted by the zarath no longer physically grow into adolescence, but can still die of old age and have the 2 mile range limit on their telepathic and emotional link removed.
>
>***Corrupters Release.*** Any creature permanently corrupted by the zarath when the zarath dies becomes empty and catatonic as their soul is trapped within the zarath’s body. Additionally, when the zarath dies its body produces enough corrupted offerings to feed any permanently corrupted creatures that were under its control.                                                                             
>    These final offerings contain the souls of the permanently corrupted and can be fed to them to  return their soul and release them from their catatonic state. This liquid lasts for two weeks before becoming inert and the souls are lost.
>
>***One with the Shadows.***  Dim light within 10 feet of the zarath becomes darkness, and bright light becomes dim light. The zarath is also heavily obscured to others as darkness and shadows wrap around its body.     Additionally whenever a creature within *10ft* of the zarath hits it with an attack, it takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. While in sunlight or light provided by the *daylight*, *sunbeam* or *dawn* spell this trait does not function.
>
>***Shadow Form.*** The zarath can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
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> ### Actions
> 
> ***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, Reach *5ft*., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage and 2 (1d4) poison damage.
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> ***Corrupted Offerings (1/day)*** The zarath can create a nourishing liquid  for up to one plus the amount of corrupted children the zarath currently has under its control. This liquid provides enough nourishment to sustain a humanoid for one day.                       
>    Humanoids that have undergone adolescence who drink the liquid must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or fall under the zarath's control as though a dominate person spell. Humanoids that have not undergone adolescence automatically fail the save and become corrupted by the zarath. Corrupted Offerings last 24 hours before becoming sludge and losing their magical properties.
>
> ### Reactions
> ***Redirect Attack.*** When a creature the zarath can see targets it with an attack, the zarath chooses a corrupted humanoid within 5 feet of it. The two swap places, and the chosen corrupted humanoid becomes the target instead.
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# Corrupted Child
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The result of a child consuming the zaraths corrupted offers. These children gain unnatural speed, hardiness and an undying loyalty to the zarath while corrupted.

***Hidden Corruption.*** Corrupted childrens physical appearance does not change unless the zarath is directly experiencing the child, in which case their eyes gain a very faint red glow. The major telltale signs of a child being corrupted by a zarath is a daily want to wander unsupervised which only occurs for the first month. It's during these wanderings that the corrupted child goes to the zarath and receives its daily dose of corrupted offerings.

***Subtle Clues*** The keen of nose will be able to sense a child corrupted by a zarath by the slight odor of fermented and rotting fruit. One other means of easily identifying a child corrupted by a zarath is by presenting a rabbit or cat to the suspected child and watching for the animal to become either gripped with terror and attempt to escape or hostile to the child and struggling to attacking it.

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> ## Corrupted Child
>*Small fiend, lawful evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 8 (2d8)
> - **Speed** 20 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|8 (-1)|14 (+2)|10 (+0)|6 (-2)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Dex +3, Wis +3
> - **Condition Immunities** frightened.
> - **Senses** darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
> - **Languages** understands Abyssal but can't speak it
> - **Challenge** 1/8 (25)
> ___
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>***Corrupted Mind.*** The corrupted child has advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
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>***Corrupted Stamina.*** If a corrupted child is incapacitated while the babysitter is within 120 feet of it, the corrupted child reawakens at the start of its turn with half of its total hit points after 1d4 - 1 rounds (minimum 1).
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> 
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> ### Actions
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> ***Slam.*** *Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, Reach *5ft*., one target. *Hit:* 3 (1 + 2) bludgeoning damage
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