Buy me a coffee“Nasnas: The Half-Formed Predator of Desert Legends”
Half-formed yet wholly monstrous, the Nasnas bounds across the wasteland on a single leg. Born from the strange and incomplete Shiqqs, it hunts the living with uncanny speed and savage cunning.
The Nasnas is a grotesque, half-formed humanoid from Arabian folklore, believed to descend from the mysterious Shiqqs. Possessing only a single arm, leg, and half a torso, these creatures move with startling agility. They haunt deserts, ruins, and forgotten frontiers where civilization thins and superstition thrives. Though pitiable in appearance, Nasnas are cunning opportunistic predators capable of ambush, mimicry, and sudden bursts of violence. Travelers who mistake one for a crippled wanderer often discover too late that its deformity conceals a terrifyingly efficient hunter.
Appearance
A Nasnas appears as a humanoid split cleanly down the middle, as if half of a person had been carved away while the remaining portion continued to live. It has one arm, one leg, half a torso, and a single glaring eye set in a lopsided skull. Its mouth stretches across the partial face in a crooked grin lined with jagged, predatory teeth.
The skin is usually ashen, sallow, or weathered by desert winds, clinging tightly to visible bone and sinew. Despite its missing half, the surviving limbs are wiry and powerful, built for sudden lunges and explosive leaps. The overall impression is deeply unsettling—a living fragment of humanity animated by feral vitality.
Behaviour
Nasnas are skittish yet opportunistic hunters. Alone, they observe potential prey cautiously, waiting for signs of weakness. In small groups, they become bolder, circling victims with erratic hopping movements before striking.
They possess a crude intelligence inherited from their Shiqq ancestors and can produce distorted imitations of human speech, including cries for help, laughter, or whispers in the dark. These sounds are used to lure the curious closer. Their mannerisms often appear mocking, restless, or manic, alternating between unnatural stillness and sudden bursts of motion.
Habitat
Nasnas are most often found in deserts, rocky wastelands, abandoned villages, and crumbling ruins, where uneven terrain offers ample concealment for ambush. They favor desolate regions with minimal competition from larger predators.
Legends record entire tribes of Nasnas inhabiting remote islands, hidden valleys, or cursed lands far beyond ordinary travelers’ reach—echoing the elusive habitats once attributed to Shiqqs.
Modus Operandi
Nasnas rely on ambush and sudden mobility. Concealed behind rocks, ruined walls, or dunes, a Nasnas propels itself forward with powerful single-limbed leaps, closing distance with alarming speed.
In combat, it slashes with clawed fingers or bites savagely, often targeting the throat or face. Packs coordinate instinctively, bounding around prey in unpredictable arcs that confuse and disorient victims before striking from multiple angles. These tactics reflect the cunning hunting style attributed to their Shiqq progenitors.
Motivation
Nasnas are driven primarily by hunger, territorial instinct, and a strange fascination with whole-bodied creatures. They may stalk travelers for hours out of curiosity before deciding whether to strike.
Some scholars claim Nasnas are cursed descendants of Shiqqs, instinctively hostile toward complete beings. Folklore whispers that every Nasnas feels an endless, restless urge to find its missing half, a desire that manifests as violent resentment toward the living. Whether myth or truth, Nasnas remain among the most disturbing predators of the wasteland—a creature not merely monstrous, but profoundly wrong.
Nasnas 5.5e
Shiqq 5.5e
Nasnas, Pathfinder
Shiqq, Pathfinder
Nasnas 3.5
Nasnas
Medium Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 7 (−2) | 12 (+1) | 8 (−1) |
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages understands Common but can’t speak except through mimicry
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Bounding Hopper.
The nasnas moves through powerful leaps. Its jump distance isn’t limited by its movement speed, and it doesn’t need a running start to make long or high jumps.
Unpredictable Motion.
Opportunity attacks against the nasnas are made with disadvantage due to its erratic hopping movement.
Broken Mimicry.
The nasnas can mimic simple sounds it has heard, such as a person shouting for help, a child crying, or strange laughter. A creature that hears the sound can determine it is an imitation with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Pack Hunter.
The nasnas has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the nasnas’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack.
The nasnas makes two attacks: one with its Claw and one with its Bite.
Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage.
Bite.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Bounding Lunge (Recharge 5–6).
The nasnas leaps up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see without provoking opportunity attacks. It then makes one Claw attack with advantage.
If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Description
A nasnas resembles a humanoid split cleanly down the middle, as though half a body had been carved away while the remaining portion continued to live. It possesses a single arm, a single leg, half a torso, and one glaring eye set in a crooked skull. Despite its grotesque incompleteness, the creature moves with startling speed, bounding across the ground in powerful leaps.
Nasnas are cunning ambush predators that lurk among ruined settlements, desert ravines, and broken wastelands. They use eerie imitations of human voices to lure the curious closer before launching sudden attacks. Packs of nasnas often circle their prey with erratic hopping movements, confusing and isolating victims before tearing them apart.
Legends claim nasnas descend from the strange half-formed beings known as Shiqq, creatures whispered of in ancient tales such as One Thousand and One Nights. Whether cursed humanoids or malformed spirits, nasnas seem instinctively hostile toward creatures whose bodies are whole.
Nasnas
CR 3
XP 800
CE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 37 (5d10+10)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +3
Defensive Abilities erratic motion
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee claw +7 (1d6+2), bite +7 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks bounding strike
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 21
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Skills Acrobatics +16, Perception +7, Stealth +12, Survival +6
Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Stealth
Languages Common (understands only); communicates through mimicry
ECOLOGY
Environment warm deserts, rocky badlands, ruins, and wastelands
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8)
Treasure standard
Nasnas are opportunistic omnivores that feed on small animals, carrion, and unfortunate travelers who wander too close to their territory.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bounding Strike (Ex)
As part of a Spring Attack or as a full-round action, a nasnas can leap up to 30 feet and make a single claw attack at the end of the movement. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the target of the attack. If the attack hits, the target must succeed at a DC 14 Reflex save or fall prone from the force of the impact. The save DC is Dexterity-based.
Broken Mimicry (Ex)
A nasnas can imitate simple sounds it has heard, including a child crying, a traveler calling for help, or eerie laughter. A creature hearing such a sound can attempt a DC 15 Sense Motive check to recognize the imitation. Nasnas frequently use this ability to lure prey into ambush.
Erratic Motion (Ex)
A nasnas moves in unpredictable hopping motions that make it difficult to strike while it is in motion. It gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity provoked by movement.
One-Legged Hopper (Ex)
Despite possessing only a single leg, a nasnas is remarkably agile. It gains a +8 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump and is always treated as having a running start when attempting such checks.
DESCRIPTION
A nasnas appears as half of a humanoid body split vertically, as if a person had been cut cleanly in two and the remaining half somehow continued to live. The creature possesses a single arm, a single leg, half a torso, and one glaring eye set within a crooked skull. Its mouth stretches across the surviving half of its face in a jagged grin filled with uneven teeth.
Despite its grotesque incompleteness, a nasnas moves with alarming speed, bounding across the ground in powerful leaps. These creatures are cunning ambush predators that lurk among ruined settlements, desert ravines, and barren wastelands where travelers are few and help is distant. Using distorted imitations of human voices, a nasnas can lure the curious closer before launching a sudden attack.
Ancient folklore claims that nasnas descend from strange half-formed beings known as Shiqq, cursed creatures born incomplete. Whether this origin is truth or superstition, sages agree that nasnas possess a deep hostility toward creatures whose bodies are whole, attacking travelers with a mixture of hunger, resentment, and savage instinct.
Nasnas
This creature appears to be a human fighter, but half its body is missing. It has only one arm, one leg, and half a face and torso. Its skin has a greenish-gray cast, and its single eye glints with malevolence.
Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.
Nasnas are artificial beings created by evil spellcasters to serve as guardians. The twisted magic used in their creation renders them quite insane, although obedient, servants. Their birthing process is quite horrific, drawing the attention and ire of paladins and other champions of goodness.
Should their creator die, nasnas lose their reason for existence. The majority attempt suicide, throwing themselves off the nearest cliff or drowning themselves in the closest ocean, while the remainder wander aimlessly through the wilderness, hunting and scavenging for the remainder of their short, tragic lives.
A nasnas stands 6 feet tall and weighs around 150 pounds. A nasnas’ lifespan is around 30 years, but most find a way to kill themselves far earlier.
Nasnas understand Common, but since they are missing half their vocal cords, they cannot speak. Nasnas are only capable of uttering a strange, high-pitched, hooting noise. The nasnas’s current emotional state can be discerned from the volume and tone of the hooting.
| Nasnas | |
| Medium aberration | |
| Hit Dice | 2d8+4 (13 hp) |
| Initiative | +0 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares) |
| Armor Class | 14 (+1 natural, +3 studded leather), touch 10, flat-footed 14 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +2/+7 |
| Attack | Scimitar +7 melee (1d6+7/18-20) |
| Full Attack | Scimitar +7 melee (1d6+7/18-20)) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Monodextrous, terrifying scream |
| Special Qualities | Damage reduction 5/cold iron, Darkvision 60 ft. |
| Saves | Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +2 |
| Abilities | Strength 20, Dexterity 11, Constitution 15, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 10, Charisma 12 |
| Skills | Balance +4, Jump +17, Listen +7, Spot +6 |
| Feats | Endurance (B), Power Attack |
| Environment | Any land and underground |
| Organization | Solitary, squad (3-10), or tribe (11-30) |
| Challenge Rating | 2 |
| Treasure | Standard |
| Alignment | Usually lawful evil |
| Advancement | 3-6 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
COMBAT
Nasnas are aggressive fighters. They rush in close to their foes to use their terrifying scream power, then lay about them with their weapons. Showing no fear of death, they fight with fanatical dedication, only retreating from combat if ordered to by their master.
A nasnas is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, but not with shields. Due to their bizarre physionomy, armor created for nasnas costs twice the normal price.
Martial Training (Ex): Nasnas possess the base attack bonus of a fighter of their level, and qualify for feats as if they were fighters of a level equal to their Hit Dice.
Monodextrous (Ex): A nasnas may wield two-handed melee weapons in its single hand with no penalty. It applies one and one-half times its Strength bonus as normal for two-handed weapons. When wielding a one-handed melee weapon, a nasnas treats it as if wielded two-handed, allowing it to apply the additional half of its Strength bonus. A nasnas wielding a double weapon always treats the weapon as if it were wielded one-handed.
Terrifying Scream (Su): When a nasnas hoots and screams, all creatures except its creator and other nasnas within a 10-foot spread must succeed on a DC 12 Will save or become panicked for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same nasnas’s hoot for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Skills: Nasnas have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Listen, and Spot checks and a +12 racial bonus on Jump checks.
Greater Nasnas
A nasnas of 6 HD paralyzes its victims with fear when it uses its terrifying scream ability, rather than panicking them.
Creating Nasnas
Creating nasnas is a complicated and vile process. A spellcaster must first create a magical fruit, called a nasnas fruit. The fruit must then be cut in equal halves. The spellcaster must then convince a humanoid woman to eat one of the halves (methods range from conventional trickery to magical coercion). The nasnas will gestate for nine months, acting in all manner like a typical pregnancy. The woman will conceive and in nine months give birth to an infant nasnas. The nasnas quickly reach maturity six months thereafter.
One nasna can thus be created from each half of a nasnas fruit. However, a woman can only bear one nasna at a time. Greater nasnas can be created using more powerful spells in the creation (and at greater costs).
- Nasnas Fruit (2 HD nasnas): Faint necromancy; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, fear; Price 4,000 gp.
- Nasnas Fruit (4 HD nasnas): Moderate necromancy; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, fear; Price 8,000 gp.
- Nasnas Fruit (6 HD nasnas): Strong necromancy; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, fear; Price 12,000 gp.
Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix (1992).
Shiqq
Medium Monstrosity (Half-Formed), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 30 ft., hop 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 17 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +5
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6, Insight +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Primordial
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Bounding Hopper.
The Shiqq moves by hopping in powerful bounds. Its jump distance is not limited by movement speed, and it does not require a running start to make long or high jumps.
Uncanny Mimicry.
The Shiqq can perfectly reproduce simple sounds or speech it has heard, including whispers, laughter, or cries for help. A creature that hears the sound can make a DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check to recognize it as imitation.
Unpredictable Motion.
Opportunity attacks against the Shiqq are made with disadvantage due to its erratic hopping.
Feral Intelligence.
The Shiqq can use the Help action as a bonus action when working with allies and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to track prey using sight or sound.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Shiqq makes one Claw attack and one Bite attack.
Claw.
Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage.
Bite.
Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Bounding Strike (Recharge 5–6).
The Shiqq leaps up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see without provoking opportunity attacks. Immediately after landing, it makes one Claw attack with advantage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Cryptic Whisper (1/day).
The Shiqq utters a haunting phrase in a copied or original voice. Up to three creatures of the Shiqq’s choice within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the Shiqq’s next turn.
Behavior and Lore
A Shiqq appears as half a humanoid body split vertically, with a single arm, single leg, half a torso, and one eye staring from a skewed skull. Its mouth stretches across the surviving half of its face in a jagged grin.
Despite its grotesque incompleteness, the Shiqq is far more intelligent than its Nasnas descendants, often stalking prey silently, studying behaviors, and occasionally speaking in cryptic phrases. These creatures haunt deserts, ruins, and remote wildernesses, acting as observers, omens, or predators depending on their whims.
Ancient folklore describes Shiqq as cursed or incomplete creations, anomalies at the edges of divine design. Whether true or not, sages agree that Shiqq are deeply hostile toward whole-bodied creatures, making them formidable and unnerving opponents in any encounter.
Shiqq
CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+5 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 96 (11d10+44)
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +5
Defensive Abilities Unpredictable Motion, Uncanny Awareness
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.; hop 50 ft.
Melee claw +10 (1d8+4), bite +10 (1d6+4)
Special Attacks Bounding Strike, Cryptic Whisper
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 25
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +17 (+8 racial when jumping), Perception +10, Stealth +15 (+4 racial in ruins or rough terrain), Survival +9, Insight +10
Languages Common, Primordial; communicates through mimicry
Racial Traits
- Bounding Hopper: The Shiqq leaps great distances; always treated as having a running start.
- Distorted Mimicry: The Shiqq can perfectly reproduce any sound it has heard. A creature hearing the sound can attempt a DC 16 Sense Motive check to recognize it.
- One-Legged Hopper: The Shiqq gains a +8 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks to jump.
ECOLOGY
Environment warm deserts, badlands, ruins, and isolated wilderness
Organization solitary or small packs (2–4)
Treasure standard
Shiqq are cunning omnivorous predators, feeding on carrion, small animals, and travelers who wander too close to their territory. They stalk prey silently, using distorted or mimicked sounds to lure them closer before striking with powerful leaps.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bounding Strike (Ex)
As a full-round action or part of a Spring Attack, the Shiqq can leap up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space without provoking attacks of opportunity from the target of the attack. After landing, it makes one claw attack with advantage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength save or be knocked prone. The save DC is Strength-based.
Cryptic Whisper (Su) 1/day
The Shiqq utters a haunting phrase in a copied or original voice. Up to three creatures of the Shiqq’s choice within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or become frightened for 1 round. Creatures that succeed on the save are immune to that Shiqq’s Cryptic Whisper for 24 hours.
Unpredictable Motion (Ex)
Attacks of opportunity against the Shiqq are made with disadvantage due to its erratic hopping movements.
DESCRIPTION
A Shiqq appears as half a humanoid body split vertically, with a single arm, a single leg, half a torso, and one eye staring from a skewed skull. Its mouth stretches across the surviving half of its face in a jagged grin. Despite its grotesque incompleteness, the Shiqq is far more intelligent than its Nasnas descendants, often stalking prey silently, studying behaviors, and occasionally speaking in cryptic phrases.
These creatures haunt deserts, ruins, and remote wildernesses, acting as observers, omens, or predators depending on their whims. Ancient folklore describes Shiqq as cursed or incomplete creations, anomalies at the edges of divine design. Sages agree they are deeply hostile toward creatures whose bodies are whole, making encounters with them both unpredictable and deadly.