Small fey, neutral evil
Tiny fey, neutral evil (suggested)

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 31 (7d6 + 7)
Hit Points (suggested) 24 (7d4 + 7)
Speed 30 ft. (suggested 40 ft.)

Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +4 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
7 (-2)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)	8 (-1)

Saving Throws (suggested) Dex +4
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6 (advantage while tracking), Survival +2
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Fear Aura. Any beast or humanoid that starts its turn within 10 feet of the meenlock must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of the creature’s next turn.

Fear Aura (suggested) . Any beast or humanoid that starts its turn within 10 feet of the meenlock must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1d4-1 rounds.

Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the meenlock has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Light Sensitivity (suggested). While in bright light, the meenlock has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. In addition, the meenlock must succeed a DC 8 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the frigthened condition until they escape the souce of light.

Mental Harassment (suggested). The meenlock targets one of the party member. Every hour the target must succeed a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the temporary loss of 1 point of Dexterity, Intelligence, Strength, and Wisdom (the loss cannot be more than half the initial score). While harassed, the target suffers disadvantage on all hit rolls and, if he is a spellcster, his targets gain advantage on all saving throws.

Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5-6). As a bonus action, the meenlock can teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it, provided that both the space it’s teleporting from and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The destination need not be within line of sight.

Shadow Teleport (suggested, Recharge 4-6). As a move action, the meenlock can teleport to an unoccupied space within 60 feet of it, provided that both the space it’s teleporting from and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The destination need not be within line of sight. Any attack against the meenlock while teleporting suffers disadvantage.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack (sugested). The meenlock makes two attacks with its claws.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 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.
• Claws (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1d10+1 rounds.

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Meenlock

Meenlocks are twisted and malevolent fey that feed on fear and seek to corrupt and destroy all that is good and beautiful in the world. They are the result of intense terror that warps the minds and bodies of their victims, transforming them into new meenlocks. They use their telepathic abilities to torment and stalk their prey, often for days or weeks, before finally capturing them and dragging them to their dark and hidden lairs.

Description

Meenlocks are small, hunched-over creatures that stand about 2 feet tall, with long claws that drag on the ground. Their bodies are covered with shaggy hair-like spines, and their skin is riddled with cysts and sores. Their heads are white and hairless, with flat noses and small toothy mouths. Their eyes are yellow, pupil-less, and insectoid, allowing them to see well in the dark, but making them sensitive to bright light. They communicate telepathically with each other, but can also make clicking and grunting noises to deceive or frighten their enemies .

Meenlocks are shadow-dwelling, bipedal creatures that shun light. They have a powerful telepathy ability that enables them to send messages to any creature within 300 feet. Their speech is limited to low guttural growls.

Combat

Meenlocks avoid direct combat whenever possible, preferring to use their cunning and devious tactics to isolate and terrorize their targets. They can sense the emotions of nearby creatures, and focus on those who are weak, innocent, or good. They send telepathic images and feelings of dread, paranoia, and impending doom to their victims, making them see shadows in the corners of their eyes, hear whispers in the night, or feel watched by unseen eyes. They also use their shadow teleport ability to move quickly and stealthily in dim light or darkness, appearing and disappearing from sight. Their fear aura can cause nearby creatures to freeze in terror, flee in panic, or break down in tears .

When they finally decide to attack, they use their claws to slash at their foes, injecting a paralyzing venom that renders them helpless. They then drag them to their lairs, where they subject them to more telepathic torture until they succumb to the transformation into new meenlocks .

Any human or group of humans who open a meenlock lair without killing the monsters or replacing the stone exactly as they found it will be tracked and attacked that night. The tracking meenlocks follow at a discrete distance and use their telepathy ability to send messages to one character in the group.

The messages convey the general impression to the victim that horrible monsters are in pursuit and they want to make him one of them. As the day wears on the victim becomes aware of stealthy movements all around him. Companions of the victim probably detect nothing.

This mental harassment continues throughout the day. In addition, a character being harassed by meenlocks is so distracted that he suffers penalties to his attacks and spells.

Meenlocks attack after their victim beds down for the night. They are amazingly quiet and are very likely to surprise even watchful guards. The meenlocks try to use their fear ability and paralysis to stun any guards, then drag away their chosen victim. Meenlocks kill guards and companions if needed. They do not attack their victim unless absolutely necessary, preferring to drag him off to their lair. Once inside, after a short hideous ceremony, the victim becomes a meenlock.

Habitat / Society

Meenlocks live in small groups called broods, usually consisting of four to eight members. They dwell in dark and hidden places, such as forests, swamps, underground tunnels, or urban ruins. They disguise the entrances to their lairs with large rocks or debris (treat as a secret door), and fill them with traps and dead ends. They are very secretive and territorial, and will work together to eliminate any threat or intruder that discovers their existence .

Meenlocks dig their homes in desolate, rocky forests, covering the entrance with a large, flat rock. This stone opens to a twisting, vertical passageway that winds downward for 100 feet or more to the meenlock lair. The ceiling, floor, and vertical passageway of the entire lair are covered by a dank, spongy moss unique to meenlock lairs.

Meenlocks use this moss to climb up and down the vertical passage. Anyone opening the lair senses powerful emanations of evil coming from below. In addition, anyone peering into the blackness is greeted by the smell of rotting corpses. Both of these sensations are telepathic warnings from the meenlocks below.

The meenlocks live in a dreary chamber at the bottom of the vertical passageway. Decorations consist of ratty sleeping furs, a number of wicked curved knives hanging on the walls, and a jumbled pile of bones.

Meenlocks have no purpose or goal other than to spread fear and corruption throughout the world. They have a twisted sense of beauty, and enjoy destroying or defiling anything that is pure, innocent, or good. They have no regard for life or death, and will often kill their victims after transforming them into new meenlocks. They have no allies or enemies among other creatures, except for those who share their love of terror or oppose their evil deeds .

Ecology

Meenlocks are not natural creatures, but rather the product of intense fear that warps reality. They can arise spontaneously from places where great horrors have occurred, such as battlefields, dungeons, or haunted houses. They can also be created by other meenlocks who capture and transform their victims through telepathic torture. The transformation is irreversible, and erases the memories and personality of the original creature .

Meenlocks are omnivorous, but prefer to feed on the flesh of their prey. They have no natural predators or competitors, as most creatures avoid or fear them. They have a low reproductive rate, as they rely on transforming other creatures into new meenlocks rather than mating. They have a lifespan of about 50 years .

Meenlocks delight in transforming humans and demihumans into monsters like themselves. Little is known about the procedure, but apparently it involves a reduction in the victim’s bulk followed by quick application of the meenlock moss.

A meenlock band contains a maximum of five individuals. If a sixth human is transformed, then the band splits. The three largest meenlocks (those with the most hit points) remain in the lair, while the three smaller meenlocks leave to construct their own lair.