Banshees of Space
A rescue ship enters the Unknown Regions following the last known coordinates of the previous survey crew.
Coming out of hyperspace, the first detail noticed is the system being impossibly dark from the lack of starlight.
As the pilot began looking with the searchlights, the operator tried the comms but could only pick up what sounded like incoherent whispers.
After a few hours, the crew found the previous survey ship floating in space. It appeared that they were in the middle of repairs.
Investigating the ship discovered a few things. The ship was boarded with no sign of entry. The crew was dead with blood coming out of their eyes and ears. Whatever killed them was strong enough to leave claw marks on the durasteel hull.
Finishing cleanup, the rescue team began making their way to the hyperspace jump coordinates when the pilot saw a 20 ft. tall humanoid skeleton just floating in space.
When the coordinator made eye contact through the window, the corpse's eyes glowed bright with rage as the creature let out a scream that could be heard within the crew's minds.
Starting with the hated force sensitives on board, the starweird phased into the ship and systematically killed the entire rescue team. After which, the starweird floated out to space looking for its next victims.
Starweird
Huge Abberation, Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 224 (21d12 + 68)
- Speed 30 ft., hover 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 23 (+6) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 25 (+7)
- Saving Throws Dex +12, Con +10, Wis +8
- Skills Insight +8, Deception +13, Perception +8, Stealth +12
- Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical or nonenhanced attacks.
- Condition Immunities paralyzed, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 120 ft. or 12,000ft. in space, passive Perception 18
- Languages Starweird
- Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
Traits
Deathly Choir. When a creature that is frightened starts its turn within 60 feet of the starweird or enters it for the first time, they hear the screams of all the victims of the starweird and make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is reduced to 0 hit points. Otherwise, a creature takes 33 (6d10) psychic damage on a failed save.
Space-Born. The starweird can survive in the vacuum of space. While in space, its hover speed is 500 ft. turn 50 ft.
Innate Spellcasting. The starweird’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At-will: Witch bolt, Blindness Deafness, Cause Fear
3/day each: Fear, Bestow Curse, See Invisibility, Lightning Bolt
1/day each: Mental Prison, Enervation, Soul Cage, Telekinesis
Legendary Resistances (3/day). If the starweird fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The starweird has advantage on saving throws against spells (Force abilities) and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The starweird makes two attacks with its claws.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 6) slashing damage.
Thrown Whispers. One creature that the starweird can see within 80 feet of it must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The starweird can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The starweird regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
As Miasma. The starweird transforms into black smoke like substance, along with whatever it is wearing or carrying, and moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks. While in this form, it can move through creatures and objects at half speed. It reverts to its true form at the end of this movement.
Claw. The starweird makes a claw attack against one creature within range.
Fearsome Gaze (Two Actions). The starweird's eyes glow as it looks in every direction. Each creature that can see the starweird must succeed a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the starweird's next turn.
Unless the target is incapacitated, it can avert its eyes to avoid the gaze and to automatically succeed on the save. If the target does so, it can't see starweird until the start of its next turn. If the target looks at it in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Inescapable Nightmare (Three Actions). The starweird teleports behind a creature frightened by it that it can see. It then makes a claw attack against them with advantage.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the starweird may take a lair action to trigger one of the following effects. The starweird can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.
Encore. Frightened creatures within 120 ft. make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or waste their action screaming.
Swallow Space. The starweird swallows the space within a 15 ft. radius around it creating a temporary vacuum. There is no gravity, creatures can't breathe, and there is no sound until the next lair action. Any creature that starts its turn within this space or enters it for the first time take 11 (3d6) cold damage.
Exude Miasma. Areas within 120 ft. of the starweird (1200 ft. in space) become heavily obscured in a black fog like substance.
Regional Effects
The region containing the starweird's lair is warped by its presence, creating one or more of the following effects:
Jamming. The area within 5 miles of the lair (within 500 miles if in space) disrupts communication and weaker electronics, as if being jammed. The only signal on the comms is incoherent whispers.
Erie Darkness. The area within 1 mile of the lair (within 100 miles if in space) seems to dim or block out the stars from the outside.
Anger. Force-sensitive creature within 1 mile of the lair (within 100 miles if in space) feel the emotions of anger directed at them coming from an unknown direction.
Art Credit:
Page 1: Minkyu Jung and Rachelle Rosenberg (Star Wars Doctor Aphra #33)
Page 2: *Top Minkyu Jung and Rachelle Rosenberg (Star Wars Doctor Aphra #34)
Page 2: *Bottom Right Radcat (Quora)
Page 3 and 4: *Background Carlos Gomez Quintana (Pinterest: Derelict Spaceship)
Page 3: *Bottom Sasha Reneau (Facebook)
Page 4: *All on Right Minkyu Jung and Rachelle Rosenberg (Star Wars Doctor Aphra #34)
Page 5: *Background Michael Raaflaub (Facebook)
Page 5: *Bottom Minkyu Jung and Rachelle Rosenberg (Star Wars Doctor Aphra #34)