Buy me a coffeeMahaha: The Chilling Specter of Arctic Nightmares
“Uncover the Frozen Nightmare: Mahaha, the Grinning Specter of Inuit Legend, Whose Chilling Laughter Echoes Through Arctic Nightmares!”
The Mahaha emerges from the frigid shadows as a gaunt and skeletal figure, its elongated limbs and fingers resembling frost-covered branches. A deathly pallor blankets its emaciated form, and its grinning visage, eternally frozen in malevolent delight, reveals sharp, ice-crusted teeth. Cloaked in tattered, ethereal garments that seem to dance with the whispers of icy winds, the Mahaha embodies the eerie essence of the polar night.
Behavior: This Arctic phantom prowls the desolate landscapes with an otherworldly quietude, leaving only the haunting echoes of its distinctive laughter in its wake—the sound of cracking ice and the hushed rustle of the winter breeze. Nocturnal and cunning, the Mahaha revels in stealth, appearing unbidden to sow fear with its unnatural amusement, an unsettling contrast against the silent beauty of the snow-laden wilderness.
Habitat: The Mahaha finds solace in the desolation of icy realms, haunting the remote reaches of the Arctic tundra, frozen lakeshores, and snow-laden forests. Its ethereal form seems to meld seamlessly with the frosty landscape, an elusive phantom that vanishes into the vast whiteness, leaving only the chilling resonance of its laughter to mark its passage.
Modus Operandi: Under the cover of Arctic darkness, the Mahaha approaches its unsuspecting prey with an unhurried and deliberate gait, its footsteps muffled by the snow. Upon reaching its victim, a single touch from its frostbitten fingers induces an immediate and numbing cold, an icy grip that ensnares the senses. As the prey succumbs to paralysis, the Mahaha intensifies its eerie laughter, a macabre soundtrack to the encroaching frost.
Motivation: The motivations of the Mahaha are shrouded in enigma, rooted in the mystique of Inuit folklore. Some tales paint it as a malevolent entity reveling in the torment of the living, while others hint at a deeper, unresolved grievance, a vengeful spirit seeking restitution in the desolate realms of the Arctic night. The Mahaha’s laughter echoes through the ages, a spectral reminder of the fears and mysteries embedded in the hearts of those who dare to tread upon the icy landscapes it calls home.
Mahaha 5e
Mahaha Pathfinder
Mahaha: The Chilling Specter
Medium undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42)
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws DEX +8, WIS +5
Skills Stealth +8
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common and Inuit, but can’t speak
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Ethereal Sight. The Mahaha can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
Innate Spellcasting. The Mahaha’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: fog cloud, ray of frost
- 3/day each: ray of enfeeblement, gust of wind
Chilling Laughter. The Mahaha’s laughter echoes unnaturally, causing creatures within 30 feet to make a DC 15 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 a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the Mahaha’s Chilling Laughter for the next 24 hours.
ACTIONS
Icy Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or have its speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
Frostbite Burst (Recharge 5-6). The Mahaha releases an intense burst of frigid energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Ethereal Shift (1/Day). The Mahaha shifts into the Ethereal Plane, becoming invisible and incorporeal for up to 1 minute. While in this state, it gains a fly speed of 60 feet. The Mahaha can end this effect as a bonus action.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The Mahaha can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Mahaha regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Chilling Gaze. The Mahaha targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
Icy Whispers. The Mahaha utters haunting whispers, causing all creatures of its choice within 30 feet to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 14 (4d6) psychic damage and be deafened until the end of their next turn.
Spectral Maneuver. The Mahaha moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Mahaha
An emaciated man stands before you, his skin an icy blue. Long black hair whips in front of his face. His fingers end in long claws, which he wiggles in your direction as his face twists into a rictus of mirth.
Taken from the Creature Codex
Teamwork and cooperation are vital to survival in the arctic wastes and those that neglect to save others due to laziness or frivolity are punished by the gods. Mahahas are the undead remains of those that shirked their duties in the frozen lands and in so doing caused others to die. A mahaha embodies the spirit of malicious mirth. Their touch spreads laughter even as it drains life force, and the victims of a mahaha are found with a smile permanently etched into their faces.
Despite their sloth in life, they are quite diligent in death, filling the icy slopes they call home with all manner of cunning traps carved from ice and stone. A mahaha will always attempt to divide up groups of travelers via traps and spell-like abilities in order to drain life with their tickling touch.
Only if these means fail will it engage in traditional combat, but their claws and teeth are more than capable of killing in a mundane way. Although mahahas are cunning, they are quite foolish and are easily tricked, as well as being notoriously poor swimmers. More than one brave soul has been saved from a mahaha by asking for one last drink of water before his death, then pushing the mahaha into an icy river and letting the current carry it away.
Mahaha CR 9
XP 6,400
CE Medium undead (cold)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +15
Defense
AC 25, touch 16, flat-footed 19(+6 Dex, +9 natural)
hp 97 (13d8+36)
Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +7
Defensive Abilities undead traits; Immune cold
Vulnerable fire
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +15 (1d6+4), bite +15 (1d6+4 plus 1d6 cold) or touch +15 (tickle)
Special Abilities cackle
Spell-like Abilities CL 13th, concentration +16
At will—ice shape
3/day—fog cloud
1/day—ice storm, wall of ice (DC 16)
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 22, Con ̶ , Int 13, Wis8, Cha 17
Base Atk +9; CMB +13 (+15 trip); CMD 29 (31 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Lightning Reflexes,Lunge, Nimble Moves, Step Up, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +19 (+23 when jumping), Climb +17, Craft (traps) +14, Perception +15, Stealth +22, Swim +0; Racial Modifiers -4 Swim
Languages Common
SQ icewalking
Ecology
Environment cold mountains
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Cackle (Su) Once per day as a standard action, a mahaha can unleash a demented burst of violent laughter. All creatures within a 30 foot radius take 5d8 points of sonic damage and are stunned for 1 round. A successful DC 19 Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the stunning effect. The save DC is Charisma based
Ice Shape (Sp) This functions as the stone shape spell, except that it only effects ice and snow. This is the equivalent of a 4th level spell.
Icewalking (Ex) It can climb icy slopes and surfaces as if it was affected by a spider climb spell. It can also move on ice at its normal speed, and does not need to make Acrobatics checks to run or charge on icy surfaces.
Tickling Touch (Su) As a standard action, it can make a touch attack against a living creature. The creature touched must succeed a DC 19 Will save or be overcome with supernatural laughter. A creature so affected falls prone, can take no action and takes 2 negative levels each round.
A victim of the tickling touch can attempt a save each round as a full-round action. The mahaha must remain in contact with the victim each round to maintain the tickling touch, but can maintain the tickling touch as a swift action. A creature that successfully saves against a mahaha’s tickling touch is immune to the tickling touch of that mahaha for the next 24 hours.