Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 88 (16d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +7 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 17 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 15 (+2) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Dex +6
Skills Deception +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Abyssal, Elvish, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2900 XP)
Assume Form. The maurezhi can assume the appearance of any Medium humanoid it has eaten. It remains in this form for 1d6 days, during which time the form gradually decays until, when the effect ends, the form sloughs from the demon’s body.
Assume Form (suggested). The maurezhi can assume the appearance of any Medium humanoid it has eaten. The maurezhi can use any special ability related to the class of the victim he has devoured, until he devours a new one or reverts to its true form. A True Seeing spell reveals the true nature of the Maurezhi.
Magic Resistance. The maurezhi has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The maurezhi makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
- Multiattack (suggested). The maurezhi makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, its Charisma score is reduced by 1d4. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. The target dies if this reduces its Charisma to 0. It rises 24 hours later as a ghoul, unless it has been revived or its corpse has been destroyed.
- Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
- Raise Ghoul (Recharge 5-6). The maurezhi targets one dead ghoul or ghast it can see within 30 feet of it. The target is revided with all its hit points.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
A maurezhi is a fiendish creature that resembles a ghoul, but with more bestial features and a hunger for flesh and memories. These demons were created by Doresain, the King of Ghouls, who corrupted a society of elves long ago. Maurezhis can assume the form of any humanoid they have devoured, gaining their physical abilities and knowledge, but not their magical powers. They use this ability to infiltrate and deceive their prey, often leading packs of ghouls and ghasts in their raids.
A maurezhi hears a strong resemblance to a common ghoul. Its posture is hunched and feral, its skin gray and leathery, and its hands filthy talons. The maurezhi’s face slopes into a short, fang-filled muzzle, and its ears are catlike. Maurezhi leap and caper in sudden, unpredictable movements when excited or angered. They can communicate by means of telepathy, but the only sounds their rattling bone-boxes can make are gibbering howls, grunts, and shrieks.
COMBAT
Maurezhis are cunning and ruthless predators that prefer to ambush their victims with surprise and overwhelming numbers. They can leap great distances and pounce on their prey, tearing them apart with their claws and fangs. Their claws can paralyze any living creature they strike, while their bite can drain the personality of their target, potentially turning them into a ghoul if they die. Maurezhis are also resistant to many forms of damage and have a natural magic resistance. They can communicate telepathically with other maurezhis and ghouls, coordinating their attacks and sharing information.
Maurezhis seek opportunities to slay and devour mortals wherever they can find them. Most maurezhis are doomed to serve as marauders and skirmishers in the Blood War, but a few find ways to escape onto the Outlands or the Prime and begin a career of bloody murders and vile feasts. Between suitable victims, maurezhis are fond of haunting graveyards and barrows, sating their taste for the flesh of mortals.
Although maurezhis devour all kinds of carrion and corpses on a daily basis, this doesn’t increase their power. To consume a corpse, the maurezhi must personally kill the victim and devour him or her within one turn (10 minutes) of the murder. The grisly process requires no less than half an hour, and if the fiend is interrupted, it can’t completely consume its prey. A character who’s been thus consumed can’t be raised or resurrected, and can be returned to life only with a very carefully worded wish.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Maurezhis are usually found in the Abyss, where they serve Doresain and his ghoul lords. They often seek to enter the Material Plane through portals or summoning rituals, where they can feast on the flesh and memories of mortals. They are especially drawn to places where death and decay are abundant, such as graveyards, battlefields, or plague-ridden cities. They sometimes ally themselves with other evil creatures, such as necromancers, vampires, or cultists, who can provide them with fresh corpses or access to powerful secrets.
Maurezhis are solitary hunters by nature, but they can also form packs with other maurezhis or ghouls. They are loyal to Doresain and his will, but they also have their own ambitions and rivalries. They compete with each other for the most valuable prey, such as heroes, sages, or royalty. They also seek to increase their own power and influence by devouring more memories and gaining more forms. Some maurezhis even aspire to become ghoul lords themselves, or overthrow Doresain and claim his throne.
In the Abyss, a typical maurezhi has never had the chance to consume a human. However, a small percentage of maurezhis encountered in the Abyss will be full-grown creatures that have completed their expedition and returned to the Abyss at the peak of their power. These tanar’ri function as assassins and spies, roaming the Lower Planes to keep an eye on the baatezu war efforts.
ECOLOGY
Maurezhis are unnatural creatures that disrupt the balance of life and death. They consume the flesh and souls of their victims, preventing them from reaching their final destination in the afterlife. They also spread the curse of undeath among the living, creating more ghouls and ghasts in their wake. They have no regard for the natural order or the consequences of their actions, only for their own hunger and glory.
Maurezhis have few natural enemies, as most creatures fear or avoid them. However, they may encounter opposition from those who seek to protect the living or honor the dead, such as paladins, clerics, druids, or rangers. They may also face hostility from other fiends who covet their power or territory, such as demons, devils, or yugoloths. Maurezhis are not easily intimidated or deterred by these threats, however. They relish the challenge and the opportunity to prove their superiority over their foes.