D&D 5E Epic Monsters: Leannán Sídhe

The muses of Irish folklore are beautiful and enchanting, offering inspiration to those who accept and return their affections—only to ultimately drag them down into madness and death. Prepare yourselves for the leannán sídhe!

D&D 5E – Epic Monsters: Leannán Sídhe | EN World | Dungeons & Dragons | Tabletop Roleplaying Games

This gorgeous lady of the Aos Sí takes on lovers that have inspired—and more importantly brief—lives, although historically there is at least one dude leannán sídhe. Give one of these fey some affection and intimacy to get some artistic juice in return, and then go insane and die! Quite a deal but not one made lightly because if a leannán sídhe makes this offer, beautiful as they might be, if it is refused they become enslaved to the person that spurned them. Should the offer be accepted however the leannán sídhe takes them, both in life and death, unless a replacement can be found.

Let’s take a few moments to dig into the Aos Sí (‘people of the barrows’, known more recently as ‘daoine sídhe’, or if you’re in Scotland then ‘daoine sìth’, or often simply ‘the sídhe’ although the latter gets confused between the mounds in which they dwell and the creatures themselves). They are fairies, elves, ancestors, and nature spirits that live either beneath fairy mounds, across the Atlantic Ocean, or in what Fifth Edition would call the Feywild (an invisible world astride the Material Plane). It’s thought that they’re the watered down derivations of the Tuatha Dé Danann (‘People of the Goddess Danu’), deified ancestors of Irish folklore, perhaps those that retreated to the Otherworld (again, ‘Feywild’) in the face of defeat by foreign invaders. It’s common to appease the Aos Sí with simple offerings (apples, baked goods, berries, milk), though it is a practice best done carefully so as not to offend lest they draw unwanted, aggressive, and unpleasant attention. Even speaking of them can be dangerous so they’re frequently referred to as the ‘Good Neighbors’, ‘Fair Folk’, or just ‘The Folk’. Most are fetching but not all, and when they aren’t attractive they are typically ugly unto the point of horror.

Aos Sí fiercely guard their homes (fairy mounds, rings of nature, hawthorn trees, groves of trees, or lakes) and anyone that impolitely settles there are retaliated against, convinced and intimidated into leaving. Invaders might be kidnapped or even have their offspring replaced with changelings. In Gaelic mythology the realm of the Aos Sí is closest to the Material Plane at sunrise and sunset, making it easier to find and interact with them, but certain yearly celebrations (Beltane, Midsummer, and Samhain) can also draw them out of hiding. All of these practices and beliefs are collectively known as Creideamh Sí or the ‘fairy faith’.

Leannán Sídhe
Medium fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 57 (10d8+12)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., fly 20 ft.

STR​	DEX​	CON​	INT​	WIS​	CHA​
13 (+1)​	16 (+3)​	12 (+1)​	13 (+1)​	14 (+2)​	25 (+7)​

Skills Insight +5, Persuasion +10, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances cold, fire, thunder
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages English, Gaelic, Sylvan
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The leannán sídhe’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. The leannán sídhe can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: druidcraft​

3/day each: invisibility, misty step​

1/day: pass without trace​

Inspired Infatuation. The leannán sídhe uses its bonus action and action to target a humanoid it can see within 30 feet that can both see it and hear it. The target makes a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or falls madly in love with the leannán sídhe and becomes charmed. Whenever the charmed target makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw that is not against the leannán sídhe, it gains a +1d8 bonus. While the target is charmed by the leannán sídhe, once per day the fey can give it any command short of an activity that would result in certain death. When the leannán sídhe does so, the charmed target may make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw to resist. At the end of every long rest the charmed target makes a Charisma saving throw against the leannán sídhe (DC 10 + 1 per previous successful save) or its Wisdom score is permanently reduced by 1. The charmed target dies if this reduces its Wisdom score to 0. A target remains charmed until it makes 5 successful consecutive saving throws, the leannán sídhe dies, or the fey chooses a new humanoid to charm with Inspired Infatuation.

Magical Devotion. A humanoid that successfully makes its initial saving throw against the leannán sídhe’s Inspired Infatuation trait 3 times in a row gains a measure of control over the fey (as the geas spell).

Magic Resistance. The leannán sídhe has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Speak with Beasts and Plants. The leannán sídhe can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The leannán sídhe attacks four times with its unarmed strike or twice with nature strike.

Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.

Nature Strike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) thunder damage.

This serene woman has pointed ears and flowing crimson hair and wears an elegant dress and a crown of twigs.

Source Bestiary 4 pg. 180

Orginally posted in Archives of Nethys

Leanan sidhe are regal fey who pride themselves as patrons of the arts. By establishing a magical link with a talented mortal performer or artist, the leanan sidhe enhances her target’s skill, but slowly feeds on his life energy.

Many tragic stories of talented artists who have a creative burst and then fall into obscurity or suddenly die can be attributed to the inf luence of these creatures.

A leanan sidhe prefers to avoid direct combat and relies on her minions and devotees to protect her all of whom hope to become her next special project, despite the cost of this arrangement.

Mythic Leanan Sidhe CR 9/MR 3

XP 6,400 CN Medium fey (mythic) Init +7M; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +19

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 19, flat-footed 21 (+5 deflection, +3 Dexterity, +1 dodge, +6 natural) hp 100 (11d6+62) Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +13 DR 10/cold iron and epic

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (good) Melee dagger +5 (1d4/19-20) or touch +5 (1d4 Charisma damage) Special Attacks life drain, mythic power (3/day, surge +1d6) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +12) At will- calm emotions (DC 18), crushing despair (DC 20), dimension door (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only) 3/day- animal trance (DC 18), quickened charm person (DC 17)

STATISTICS

Strength 10, Dexterity 17, Constitution 18, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 12, Charisma 21 Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 24 Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Improved InitiativeM, PersuasiveM, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (charm person), Spell Focus (enchantment) Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +25, Fly +7, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (nobility) +7, Perception +19, Sense Motive +19, Spellcraft +6 Languages Sylvan; tongues SQ change shape (any female humanoid), skill blessing, spell blessing, unearthly grace

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Life Drain (Ex) A leanan sidhe immediately knows if a creature uses her skill blessing or spell blessing. As a standard action at any range, she can expend one use of mythic power to drain 1 point of Constitution from that creature. The leanan sidhe heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to her full normal hit points) each time she uses this ability. Skill Blessing (Su) As a standard action, a leanan sidhe can create a special token that takes the form of a masterwork artisan’s tool for one Craft or Perform skill. The intended recipient of this tool gains a +4 bonus on skill checks made with the token. Like with a cursed item, the recipient prefers to use the token, refuses to get rid of it, and finds that it returns if stolen or discarded. The leanan sidhe can destroy the token as a standard action at any range. She can have a number of tokens in existence equal to her mythic rank. Spell Blessing (Su) A leanan sidhe may enhance the magic of a willing humanoid spellcaster by touching him for 1 full round. The blessing allows the target to recall a number of spell levels each day equal to twice the leanan sidhe’s mythic rank. This recalling works like a pearl of power, except it works for spellcasters of any class (spontaneous casters recover spent spell slots). The leanan sidhe can end this blessing as a standard action at any range. The number of blessed creatures she can have at the same time is equal to her mythic rank. Unearthly Grace (Su) A leanan sidhe adds her Charisma modifier as a racial bonus on all her saving throws and as a deflection bonus to her AC.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land Organization solitary or retinue (1 plus 3-7 guards and sycophants of 1st-3rd level) Treasure double (dagger, other treasure)