Buy me a coffeeNemhain, Warden of the Forgotten Oath
“The Nemhain: a self-made undead guardian whose ghostly wail and bound spirits will hunt you to death—and beyond.”
“She died for love, rose for loyalty, and kills for neither.”
A Nemhain is a ghostly, floating figure, her form in constant flux between eerie beauty and withered decay. Her face flickers like a dying flame—one moment a serene and smiling guardian, the next a hollow-eyed corpse twisted with rage. She drifts in shadowy robes that writhe unnaturally, surrounded by spectral figures—bound spirits—that whisper, cry, and reach for the living. These spirits are often the disembodied souls of her loved ones, clinging to her like mournful echoes.
Behaviour
Nemhains are silent, watchful sentinels—calm until provoked, terrifying when unleashed. Unlike mindless undead, they retain cunning and emotion, often speaking with mournful clarity or eerie serenity. They avoid meaningless combat, preferring to strike when invaders come too close to what they protect. When roused to action, they are tacticians of terror, using hit-and-run tactics, terrain, and fear to isolate and destroy.
Habitat
A Nemhain is always found near the object, person, or place they were created to guard. This is typically an ancient crypt, arcane sanctum, battlefield monument, or sealed vault—often tied to a forgotten tragedy or broken oath. The area is saturated with residual magic and cold, haunted silence. The Nemhain’s presence warps the environment subtly: flickering lights, whispering winds, or fleeting glimpses of figures that vanish on second glance.
Modus Operandi
The Nemhain attacks only when necessary or when her sacred trust is threatened. She assaults intruders using a combination of incorporeal strikes, Constitution-draining touch, and her bound spirits—phantom allies that strike from afar or deliver deadly spell-like effects such as harm or slay living. She will retreat through walls, regroup, and return, her spirit relentless and impossible to trap by mundane means. Even if destroyed, she will rejuvenate at her ritual object within days unless it is destroyed.
Motivation
Unlike many undead, a Nemhain was not cursed or slain—but volunteered. She made the ultimate sacrifice through dark rituals to protect something she loved or believed in, even in death. This conviction persists in undeath, but it is twisted—loyalty warped into obsession, and guardianship into wrath. She no longer distinguishes friend from foe, only those who threaten her charge from those who do not. In rare cases, if confronted with her past or a descendant of the one she served, a Nemhain might hesitate—but mercy is never guaranteed.
Nemhain 5e
Nemhain, Pathfinder
Nemhain
Medium Undead (Incorporeal), Neutral Evil
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
“She was loyal unto death. Now, even death obeys her.” —Last words of Keeper Ardell
Armor Class 19 (Incorporeal Form)
Hit Points 225 (30d8 + 90)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 24 (+7) | — | 20 (+5) | 22 (+6) | 26 (+8) |
Saving Throws
Dex +12, Wis +11, Cha +13
Skills
Insight +11, Perception +11, Stealth +12, Arcana +10, Intimidation +13
Damage Resistances
acid, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities
cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities
charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses
darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages
Common, telepathy 120 ft.
Traits
Incorporeal Movement
The nemhain can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Rejuvenation Anchor
If the nemhain is destroyed, it reforms 1d4 days later at the site of the ritual object used in its creation, typically a monolith, statue, or tomb. The nemhain is permanently destroyed only if this object is also destroyed, either physically or via spells such as dispel evil and good or hallow.
Spellcasting
The nemhain’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit). It can innately cast the following spells:
- At will: mage hand, minor illusion, thaumaturgy
- 3/day each: harm, finger of death, telekinesis
- 1/day each: antilife shell, wall of force, true seeing
Soulflay Touch
Incorporeal Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 27 (6d8) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion and lose 1d4 points of Constitution (restored after a long rest or with greater restoration).
Bound Spirits (3/Day)
As a bonus action, the nemhain summons up to three bound spirits—ghostly echoes of those she loved in life. Each bound spirit can, on the nemhain’s turn:
- Spirit Flare. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 60 ft., one creature.
Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage. The target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d4 Constitution damage.
Alternatively, the nemhain can use a spirit to deliver one of its spell-like abilities (harm, finger of death, or telekinesis) without using an action, consuming that use.
Bound spirits last for 1 minute and can move independently within 60 feet of the nemhain. They are immune to all damage and spells except:
- Protection from Evil and Good prevents them from attacking protected creatures.
- Dispel Evil and Good, Raise Dead, Resurrection suppress a bound spirit for 1 hour.
- True Resurrection suppresses a bound spirit for 24 hours.
While at least one bound spirit is active, the nemhain has advantage on saving throws against being turned or banished.
Legendary Actions
The nemhain can take 3 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 nemhain regains all spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Whisper of the Dead. One creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
- Phase Shift. The nemhain moves up to 20 feet through objects or walls without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Spirit Strike (Costs 2 Actions). One bound spirit makes a Spirit Flare attack against a creature within 60 feet.
Combat Tactics
The nemhain is a patient, observant guardian. It typically remains hidden or incorporeal until its sacred charge is threatened. In combat, it:
- Uses bound spirits to harass from range or deliver powerful spells.
- Targets vulnerable foes with finger of death via its spirits.
- Employs Soulflay Touch to weaken and debilitate front-line enemies.
- Retreats through terrain when bloodied, trusting in rejuvenation if destroyed.
Treasure
The ritual object anchoring the nemhain may contain rare relics, sealed scrolls of forgotten rites, or personal effects tied to its vow. Defeating the nemhain may also unveil a soulbound item or long-lost memory artifact linked to its former life.
Nemhain
This floating, ghostly figure’s visage constantly shifts between that of a comely, smiling human and a desiccated corpse. Around it swirl less substantial humanoid forms.
A nemhain is formed when a soul deliberately assumes undead status as a means of protecting a person, object, place, or ideal. Often, a devoted priest or ally volunteers for transformation into a nemhain in order to continue protecting her master even beyond her death. The blasphemous rituals used to create nemhains are believed to have been lost.
| Nemhain CR 15 |
| XP 51,200 NE Medium undead (incorporeal) Init +12; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7 |
| Defense |
| AC 26, touch 26, flat-footed 17 (+7 deflection, +8 Dexterity, +1 Dodge) hp 225 (18d8+144); regeneration 5 (electricity or good) Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +20 Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4, incorporeal; Immune cold, undead traits; Resist acid 10, fire 10 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed Fly 30 ft. (perfect) Melee incorporeal touch +21 (3d8 plus 1d6 Constitution drain) Special Attacks bound spirits Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +22) 3/day – harm (DC 23), slay living (DC 22), telekinesis 1/day – antilife shell (DC 23), wall of force |
| Statistics |
| Strength -, Dexterity 26, Constitution -, Intelligence 21, Wisdom 25, Charisma 25 Base Atk +13; CMB +21; CMD 39 Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lunge, Mobility, Toughness Skills Bluff +25, Diplomacy +25, Fly +37, Intimidate +28, Knowledge (arcana) +26, Knowledge (religion) +26, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +26, Stealth +29 Languages Common; telepathy 100 ft. SQ rejuvenation |
| Ecology |
| Environment any Organization solitary (+1d4 bound spirits) Treasure standard |
| Special Abilities |
| Bound Spirits (Su) A nemhain is surrounded by a whirling cloud of spirits bound to her ‘often, these are the spirits of close relatives or friends she had in life. As a swift action, she can direct these bound spirits to strike at any creature within 30 feet as a +21 ranged touch attack. These spirits may be used to cause damage as if she had touched the target with her incorporeal touch, or they can be used to deliver a harm or slay living effect – if used to deliver one of these spell-like abilities as a swift action, that use counts against the number of times per day she can use that spell-like ability. The nemhain can also send these spirits up to 1 mile away to act as scouts at a Fly speed of 60 feet (perfect) – she can observe and Listen through them, but as long as they do not share her space, she cannot use them to deliver ranged touch attacks. These spirits are impervious to almost all attacks and magic, save the following: protection from evil prevents bound spirits from harming persons so protected; dispel evil, raise dead, or resurrection causes the spirits to vanish and be useless to the nemhain for 1 hour; true resurrection makes them useless for 24 hours. Rejuvenation (Su) All nemhains are tied to a ritual object used in their creation. This object is typically a Large statue, pillar, or monolith. Until this object is destroyed, a destroyed nemhain automatically rejuvenates back to full health 1d4 days after it is destroyed. |