Gello

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 14 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed: 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws: Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances: Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)

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Traits

Incorporeal Movement. The Gello can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Haunting Presence. Any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Gello and can see it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of its next turn. Shadows seem to twist around her, amplifying the terror she radiates.

Vengeful Spirit. The Gello has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have harmed children or infants within the last 24 hours.

Spellcasting. The Gello is a 5th-level spellcaster. Charisma is her spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). She haunts her victims both in dreams and in flesh:

• Cantrips (at will): Thaumaturgy, Chill Touch, Minor Illusion
• 1st level (4 slots): Inflict Wounds, Sleep
• 2nd level (3 slots): Hold Person, Mirror Image
• 3rd level (2 slots): Fear, Vampiric Touch

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Actions

Spectral Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) necrotic damage. Shadows lash from her fingers as she rakes her victim.

Wail of Misfortune (Recharge 5–6). The Gello emits a chilling, sorrowful wail. Each creature of her choice within 30 feet and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (5d8) psychic damage and be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns.

Child’s Lament. The Gello targets a parent or child. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed with grief until the start of its next turn.

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Reactions

Frightful Retreat. When a creature the Gello can see hits her with an attack, she can move up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

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Legendary Actions

The Gello can take 2 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 Gello regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

• Move. She moves up to half her speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Haunting Glimpse. Targets one creature she can see within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of its next turn.
• Spectral Strike (Costs 2 Actions). She makes one Spectral Claw attack.

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Tactics

The Gello strikes from shadows, targeting the vulnerable, particularly mothers or those recently touched by child loss. She uses Haunting Presence to scatter foes, Wail of Misfortune to weaken groups, and Child’s Lament to disable key targets. She hovers unpredictably, leveraging Incorporeal Movement to avoid being cornered. After inflicting heavy harm, she often retreats to haunt victims over time, amplifying dread and despair.

Gello

CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Medium undead (incorporeal)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

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DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +5 deflection)
hp 68 (8d8+32)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +9
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal, unnatural aura (30 ft.)
Immune undead traits
Resist cold 10, electricity 10; DR 10/magic

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OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee incorporeal touch +9 (1d8+4 plus draining wail)

Special Attacks

• Draining Wail (Su)—Once every 1d4 rounds, the Gello emits a bone-chilling wail as a standard action. All living creatures within 30 ft. take 4d6 points of sonic damage and must succeed at a DC 17 Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Charisma damage.
• Child’s Lament (Su)—Targets a parent or child within 30 ft. The target must succeed at a DC 17 Will save or be paralyzed with grief for 1 round.
• Frightful Moan (Su)—Any creature within 30 ft. that sees or hears the Gello must succeed at a DC 17 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds.
• Create Spawn (Su)—Victims slain by the Gello’s touch or wail rise as free-willed wights within 1d4 nights unless consecrated.

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10)

• At will—chill touch (DC 14), detect thoughts (DC 16), ghost sound (DC 14)
• 3/day—hold person (DC 16), mirror image
• 1/day—fear (DC 17), vampiric touch

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STATISTICS

Str —, Dex 18, Con —, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 19
Base Atk +6; CMB +10 (+14 incorporeal); CMD 24
Feats Ability Focus (draining wail), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Fly +18, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (planes) +12, Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +17
Languages Common, Abyssal; telepathy 60 ft.

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Incorporeal Movement (Su): The Gello can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. Ends turn inside an object take 1d10 force damage.

Vengeful Spirit (Su): Gains advantage on attacks against creatures that harmed children within 24 hours.

Haunting Presence (Su): Creatures within 30 ft. that see the Gello must succeed at a DC 17 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds.

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ECOLOGY

Environment: Any temperate or urban
Organization: Solitary or sisterhood (2–6)
Treasure: Standard

Gelloi are the twisted spirits of women who died in childbirth or lost children. Consumed by grief and envy, they haunt nurseries, graveyards, and lonely crossroads, drawn to both laughter and sorrow. They are often tied to the locations of their deaths, but some wander, seeking to torment the living.

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COMBAT

Before Combat: Uses mirror image and detect thoughts to assess threats and locate parents or infants.
During Combat: Opens with draining wail, then targets key figures with child’s lament. Uses frightful moan to scatter groups and incorporeal touch to weaken isolated targets. Leverages fly and incorporeal movement to strike from unexpected angles.
Morale: Typically retreats when reduced below 20 hp, stalking victims to attack later.

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TACTICS & VARIANTS

• Sisterhood Gelloi: Groups of 2–6 may coordinate attacks, using frightful moan in tandem to scatter foes and isolate parents or guardians.
• Regional Variants: Some Gelloi adapt to local folklore—coastal regions report them luring children to water, urban settings emphasize shadow stalking, while forest Gelloi exploit natural terrain.

Gello

Gello  is one of the many names for a female demon or revenant who threatens the reproductive cycle by causing infertility, spontaneous abortion, and infant mortality.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

This foul creature has the uper torso of a humanoid woman, albeit with pronounce fanglike incisors and clawed hands. Her lower body is serpentine, with a pair of scaled legs with webbed talons. Large, dragonlike wings sprout from her back.

Gelloudes are frightening creatures known for stealing and devouring young children. However, they are just as likely to attack and slay adults, although their preferred targets are children, expectant mothers, and maidens, in that order.

All gelloudes have 12 and 1/2 secret names. These names are: 1) Guloy, 2) Mora, 3) Budzoy, 4) Marmaroy, 5) Petasis, Pelagia, 7) Bordona, 8) Apletoy, 9) Khamodrakaina, 10) Anabardalaia, 11) Psychanaspastria, 12) Paidopniktria, and 12½) Strigla.

A gelloudes is 7 feet tall and weighs 250 to 300 pounds.

Gelloudes speak Abyssal and Common.

Gelloudes
Large magical beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice	5d10+10 (37 hp)
Initiative	+3
Speed	20 ft. (4 squares), Fly 50 ft. (average), Swim 30 ft.
Armor Class	17 (-1 size, +3 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple	+5/+13
Attack	Claw +9 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack	2 claws +9 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach	10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks	Energy drain, improved grab, maul, rake
Special Qualities	Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision, Spell Resistance 15, twelve-and-a-half names
Saves	Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities	Strength 19, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 16
Skills	Hide +9, Move Silently +13, Swim +12
Feats	Stealthy, Weapon Focus
Environment	An Evil Plane
Organization	Solitary, gang (2–6), or cult (2d6 plus 1d2 lamia nobles, 2d4 lamias, and 2d6 Harpies)
Challenge Rating	4
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Always chaotic evil
Advancement	6-13 HD (Large); 14-15 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	—

Combat

Gelloudes strike with their claws, attempting to grab a victim and pull it close enough to rake with its lower talons while biting and draining its life force.

Bite (Ex): A gelloudes can bite a grappled opponent. With a successful grapple check, the victim takes 1d4+2 points of damage and is subject to the gelloudes’ energy drain.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a gelloudes’ bite attack gain one negative level. The DC is 15 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the gelloudes gains 5 temporary hit points.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a gelloudes must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can bite and rake.

Maul (Ex): A gelloudes that hits an opponent with both claw attacks immediately hits with its bite attack.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +8 melee, damage 1d8+2.

Tomb-Tainted (Ex): Although magical beasts, gelloudes are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. They are treated as undead for purposes of spells and effects that treat undead differently (such as searing light or Holy Water). A gelloudes may be turned as if it were an undead creature.

Twelve-and-a-half Names (Su): Each gelloudes possesses twelve and 1/2 secret names. As a result, any divination magic that requires knowledge of the target’s name will fail, as will any spells or abilities that require knowledge of a creature’s truename.

Skills: A gelloudes has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #138 (1988).