Buy me a coffeeRed cap, The Bloodstained Keeper of Ruins
“Meet the bloodthirsty fey who stains their hat with your blood and makes escape impossibleāRed Caps are your worst nightmare!”
Red Caps are twisted, malevolent fey resembling wizened old men with emaciated frames and deceptively immense strength. They stand about 4 feet tall, their gaunt faces dominated by fiery, malevolent eyes beneath heavy white brows. Their long, scraggly beards are often clotted with grime and blood. They wear iron boots that clunk with every step, yet their speed defies expectation. Atop their heads is their infamous blood-stained cap, dyed a deep crimson with the lifeblood of their victims. They carry wooden scythes or long talons curved like sickles, and their entire appearance radiates an aura of unholy menace.
Behavior
Relentlessly cruel, Red Caps are driven by a sadistic desire to kill and dominate, targeting humans and good-aligned fey with equal hatred. They are territorial and fiercely protective of their homes, slaughtering any intruders without hesitation. Cannibalistic by nature, they not only kill but also feast on their victims. They often hunt in small, sinister bands at night, reveling in their bloodlust. Their cunning makes them patient predators, capable of ambush and relentless pursuit.
Habitat
Red Caps haunt places of sorrow and death, favoring crumbling castles, abandoned towers, and desolate battlefields drenched in bloodshed. These derelict structures serve as both lairs and traps for unsuspecting travelers. Their homes are often strewn with bones, bloodstains, and the remnants of their victims, creating an atmosphere of unrelenting dread.
Modus Operandi
Red Caps excel in ambush tactics, often lurking in high places like castle turrets or cliff ledges. From these vantage points, they hurl boulders with deadly accuracy at passersby below. Should a victim survive their initial assault, Red Caps leap down to engage in close combat, attacking savagely with their scythes, claws, and teeth. Their victimsā blood is used to maintain the crimson hue of their capsāa macabre ritual they believe grants them their strength. Red Caps are fast and relentless; their iron boots clunk ominously but never slow them, making escape nearly impossible.
Motivation
The Red Cap’s primary motivation is its insatiable bloodlust and need for domination. They revel in the act of killing, driven by a deep-seated hatred for humans, good-aligned fey, and any intruders in their domain. Their cap, soaked in blood, is both a source of power and a twisted symbol of their identity, compelling them to kill constantly to keep it stained. This blend of hunger, hatred, and ritualistic compulsion makes them one of the most dangerous and unyielding fey.
Red Caps are the living embodiment of cruelty and malice, a grim reminder of the darker side of the fey world. They are not just killersāthey are predators whose every action is steeped in violence and bloodshed.
Red cap 5e
Red cap 3.5
Red Cap
Small fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d6 + 24)
Speed 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 8 (-1) |
Saving Throws Strength +6, Constitution +6
Skills Athletics +6, Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical weapons not made of swords
Condition Immunities Frightened
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages Sylvan, Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Iron Boots. Red Caps’ heavy iron boots do not hinder their speed but cause them to automatically fail any Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on sound.
Out for Blood. The Red Cap thrives on violence. If the Red Cap reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it can immediately move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Fey Animosity. The Red Cap has advantage on attack rolls against creatures of good alignment, and disadvantage on saving throws against spells cast by clerics, druids, or paladins.
Weapons Immunity. The Red Cap is immune to damage from all nonmagical weapons, except swords.
Actions
Multiattack. The Red Cap makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its iron boots.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. - Iron Boots. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Hurl Boulder (Recharge 4-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target.
Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained by rubble until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
Menacing Glare (Recharge 5-6). The Red Cap fixes its fiery red eyes on one creature within 30 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Reactions
Blood-Soaked Hat. When the Red Cap is hit by a melee weapon attack and takes damage, it can use its reaction to spray fresh blood from its hat. Each creature within 10 feet of the Red Cap must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn.
Tactics
- Ambush and Terrain Advantage: Red Caps prefer to fight in ruined castles or other elevated areas where they can hurl boulders or leap onto foes. They begin combat by throwing rocks to weaken enemies before closing in for melee combat.
- Target the Weak: The Red Cap will prioritize squishier enemies like spellcasters or archers, using its multiattack to deal as much damage as possible.
- Reckless Persistence: If a creature is knocked prone, the Red Cap will relentlessly attack that target until it is either unconscious or dead.
- Leverage Frightened Condition: If it successfully frightens an opponent with its Menacing Glare, it will target that creature to exploit its disadvantage on attack rolls.
Legendary Actions (Optional for a High-Stakes Encounter)
The Red Cap can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creatureās turn. The Red Cap regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Hat Strike. The Red Cap swings its blood-soaked hat in a wide arc. Each creature within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) slashing damage.
- Leap Attack. The Red Cap leaps up to 20 feet in a straight line and makes an Iron Boots attack on a creature in range. If the attack hits, the target takes an additional 5 (1d10) damage.
This stat block gives the Red Cap a distinct, terrifying identity in combat, with flavorful abilities and tactics that showcase its brutal, relentless nature while remaining true to its fey origins. Perfect for a mid-level party to fear!
Evil relatives of the brownie that dwell in crumbling castles , the ruins of towers, and battlefields that have seen tremendous amounts of blood and death. They guard their homes tenaciously against would-be intruders and murder travelers who stay in their homes, staining their hats with their victim’s blood, giving them the name “Red Caps”.
They kill persons by throwing boulders from their positions high atop towers or castle turrets or they tear the flesh from their victims with their long and curved talons.
Redcaps are very fast, even with their iron boots, so outrunning one is quite impossible. They hate humans and most other good-aligned fey as well. Hunting bands of these are not uncommon, especially at night.
Redcaps appear as wizened old men, emaciated and sometimes stooped yet possessing incredible strength, and often sporting heavy white beards with fiery eyes , iron boots, and wooden Scythes, which they can also use killing of their victims.
Red Caps are cannibals and will consume other Faeries as well as humans
Originally Posted by BOZ of the En World forums.
| Red cap | |
| Small fey | |
| Hit Dice | 5d6+15 (32 hp) |
| Initiative | +6 (Dexterity, Improved Initiative) |
| Speed | 40 ft |
| AC | 18 (+1 size, +2 Dexterity,+5 natural) |
| Attacks | 2 claws +7 melee, bite +2 melee; or quarterstaff +7 melee; or rock +5 ranged |
| Damage | Claw 1d6+4, bite 1d4+2; or quarterstaff +4; or rock 1d4+6 and special |
| Face/Reach | 5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft |
| Special Attacks | Rocks |
| Special Qualities | Weapons immunity, susceptible to turning (vulernability) |
| Saves | Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7 |
| Abilities | Strength 18, Dexterity 14, Constitution 17, Intelligence 16, Wisdom 17, Charisma 13 |
| Skills | Bluff +7, Escape Artist +8, Hide +11, Intimidate +9, Jump +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +9, Search +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +10 |
| Feats | Alertness, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack |
| Climate/Terrain | Temperate forest and underground |
| Organization | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 4 |
| Treasure | No coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Alignment | Always chaotic evil |
| Advancement | 6-10 HD (Small); 11-15 HD (Medium-Size) |
Red caps are mischevously murderous relatives of leprechauns, and the most physically powerful of fey.
Red caps do resemble leprechauns, though they are large and muscular and stand four feet tall. These fey are irredeemably evil, and live in abandoned castles and towers, from which they drop rocks onto unsuspecting passersby. They wear similar hats and clothing to leprechauns, and dye their hair and caps red with their victims’ blood, hence their name. Red caps speak Sylvan.
COMBAT
A red cap’s usual strategy for combat is to lie in wait from its hiding spot, then drop rocks on people when they pass by. If the victims survive the attack and spot the red cap, the wicked fey will jump down and engage them in melee, striking with its long claws and sharp teeth. They also carry a staff into battle, and very rarely this will be a magical staff.
Rocks (Ex): Red caps can drop one rock per round, using height and strength to maximum effectiveness. Each rock causes 1d4 damage for every 10 feet it falls.
Weapons Immunity (Su): Red caps are immune to damage from all weapons made by mortal hands (including magical ones), except for swords of any type.
Susceptible to Turning (Ex): Although red caps are not undead or outsiders, they have an innate terror of priests. Red caps can be turned or rebuked as if they were undead, by clerics and paladins, but the more serious effects of turning will not affect them.
FAR DARRIG
Far darrig are three foot tall cousins of leprechauns which travel in small groups (1-4). They dress in red, but unlike their evil cousins, the red caps, their clothes are not dyed with blood. These fey do possess a mildly dangerous sense of humor, however, and love to play practical jokes on beings of lawful alignment. In addition to the powers that lepechauns have, a far darrig has can cast one arcane cantrop per round as a spell-like ability. Far darrig can also use arcane spell scrolls, and if they can acess a spellbook, they can memorize one 1st-level spell from it per day.
GEANNCANAC
Geanncanac are closely related to the far darrig. The only significant difference between them is that the geanncanac are more malicious, and are chaotic evil in alignment. They play cruel and often deadly tricks on all who are unlucky enough to meet them.
The red cap, far darrig, and geanncanac first appeared in Dragon Magazine issue #158 (1990)