Buy me a coffeePenanggalen, the Sanguine Terror
This cursed beauty detaches her head to hunt for blood—discover the terrifying legend of the Penanggalen!
The Penanggalen is a spectral beauty by day, appearing as an ordinary, graceful woman adorned in traditional attire. However, as night falls, a horrifying transformation occurs: her head detaches seamlessly from her body, floating independently. Dangling below her head are her internal organs—often described as a cluster of pulsating, semi-translucent viscera that sway with a life of their own. Her eyes glow with an otherworldly luminescence, and her face, though still retaining traces of beauty, is marred by the eerie disarray of her exposed anatomy, creating an unsettling contrast between allure and monstrosity.
Behaviour:
Cunning and predatory, the Penanggalen moves with a deceptive grace that belies her monstrous nature. By day, she blends into the fabric of society, often assumed to be a benign healer or midwife. At night, however, she adopts a silent and deliberate modus operandi—gliding through the darkness with a supernatural agility. Her movements are characterized by a quiet, almost hypnotic floatation that allows her to evade detection. The creature’s behavior is both methodical and instinctual: she is driven by an insatiable hunger that compels her to stalk her victims with an unnerving calm before unleashing her predatory assault.
Habitat:
Rooted in Southeast Asian folklore, the Penanggalen is most commonly associated with the humid, shadow-draped landscapes of rural villages and dense, tangled forests. Her preferred haunts are places steeped in ancient traditions and superstitions, where the barrier between the natural and supernatural is thought to be thinnest. Isolated, poorly lit pathways and abandoned homesteads offer the perfect setting for her nightly escapades. The environment, often laden with the heavy scent of damp earth and tropical decay, mirrors the creature’s own blend of natural beauty and grotesque horror.
Modus Operandi:
The Penanggalen’s method of operation is as distinctive as it is terrifying. As darkness envelops the land, she detaches her head and begins a spectral journey, her floating form capable of slipping through the smallest crevices—be it an unlocked window or a narrow gap in a traditional home. She is particularly drawn to the vulnerability of pregnant women and newborns, with legends claiming that her venomous bite can lead to fatal consequences or miscarriages.
The creature’s exposed internal organs emit a potent, repulsive odor that not only signals her presence but also serves to weaken her prey’s defenses. In many tales, the only chance to thwart her predation is to ensure that her hidden, corporeal body remains safely secured and out of reach, preventing her from reuniting and thus regaining full power.
Motivation:
At the core of the Penanggalen’s haunting existence lies a curse and a profound, unending hunger. Cursed by dark forces or ancient misdeeds, she is condemned to a life of nocturnal predation, driven by a need to sustain her spectral form through the life force of others.
Her motivation is dual in nature: it is both a manifestation of supernatural vengeance and an inherent, relentless thirst for survival. The act of preying on the vulnerable is not merely sustenance; it is a tragic, perpetual punishment that fuels her cursed existence, ensuring that she remains trapped between the realms of life and death. This unholy compulsion makes her an emblem of both beauty and terror—a reminder of the thin line between human fragility and the monstrous unknown.
Penanggalen 5e
Penanggalen, Pathfinder
Penanggalen
Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)
Speed 0 ft. (body), 40 ft. (flying, hovering)
Abilities
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 (+1) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 20 (+5) |
Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +7, Cha +9
Skills Stealth +8, Deception +9, Perception +7
Damage Resistances Necrotic, Psychic, Cold
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned, Grappled, Prone
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Abyssal
Innate Spellcasting (Charisma-based, DC 17)
The Penanggalen can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At Will: Charm Person, Thaumaturgy, Minor Illusion
- 3/Day Each: Invisibility, Hold Person, Misty Step
- 1/Day Each: Dominate Person, Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer
Horrific Visage (Recharge 5-6)
When the Penanggalen reveals its true form, every creature within 30 feet that can see it must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature becomes 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 succeeds, it is immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Penanggalen makes two Bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
- The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be Infected with Blood Rot (see below).
Blood Drain. (Recharge 5-6, Only against Grappled or Paralyzed Creatures)
The Penanggalen latches onto a helpless target, draining its life force.
- The target takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage, and the Penanggalen regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
- If the target is reduced to 0 hit points this way, the Penanggalen can immediately use Misty Step as a free action.
Legendary Actions (3/Turn)
The Penanggalen can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Gory Flight. The Penanggalen moves up to half its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Shadow Charm (Costs 2 Actions). The Penanggalen targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become Charmed for 1 minute. The creature regards the Penanggalen as a trusted friend but will not fight for it. The effect ends early if the Penanggalen harms the target.
- Nightmare Glare (Costs 3 Actions). The Penanggalen locks eyes with a creature within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become Paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
Lair Actions (Optional, if in its domain)
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Penanggalen can use one of the following lair actions:
- Choking Mists. A dense, crimson mist fills a 20-ft radius around the Penanggalen. Creatures inside have disadvantage on Perception checks and attack rolls. The mist lasts 1 minute or until the Penanggalen dismisses it.
- Blood Curse. A creature of the Penanggalen’s choice within 60 feet must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw or be cursed. While cursed, the creature’s healing is halved, and it has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws for 1 hour.
- Echoing Whispers. The sound of eerie, disembodied voices fills the lair. All creatures must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of their next turn.
Tactics & Combat Behavior
- Ambush Predator: The Penanggalen relies on stealth and deception to get close to its prey, often using Invisibility or disguising itself as a normal woman before revealing its monstrous form.
- Isolate & Drain: It prefers to charm or paralyze a single victim before engaging, then moves in for the kill with Blood Drain.
- Hit & Run: Being fragile in direct combat, the Penanggalen uses Gory Flight and Misty Step to reposition constantly, avoiding prolonged melee engagements.
- Lair Superiority: If in its lair, it will use Choking Mists and Blood Curse to weaken its enemies while striking from the shadows.
Curse: Blood Rot
A creature infected with Blood Rot from the Penanggalen’s Bite must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw at the end of each long rest. On a failed save, the creature gains one level of Exhaustion. The curse can only be removed with Greater Restoration or a Remove Curse spell cast at 6th level or higher.
CR 11 (7,200 XP)
The Penanggalen is a dangerous, highly mobile undead predator that relies on charm, fear, and necrotic damage to overwhelm enemies. It is best used as a terrifying boss monster or a recurring villain in a horror-themed campaign.
Penanggalen
A pale face framed by glossy black hair hangs in the air, trailing viscera from the ragged stump of its neck like a grisly tail.
[This content was created for the Pathfinder rules by Paizo Publishing LLC and is part of the Pathfinder RPG product line.]
The hideous penanggalen is one of the most horrific vampiric monstrosities. By day, a penanggalen appears to be a normal humanoid, but at night or when provoked, the creature’s head
rips free from the rest of her body, coils of viscera and entrails dangling from her throat as she launches into the air, seeking blood to sate her unholy thirst.
Unlike most undead, the penanggalen is more akin to the lich in that she willfully abandons both her mortality and morality to become a hideous undead monster. While penanggalens
are traditionally female spellcasters, any creature capable of performing the vile ritual of transformation can become one. Similar to a lich, a creature works toward becoming a penanggalen. More than one such transformation ritual
exists, but all require heinous acts that symbolize the casting aside of kindness, benevolence, and any semblance of feelings other than cruelty. Many of these rituals call for the repeated consumption of blood, bile, tears, and other fluids drawn from captured and tortured innocents.
| Penanggalen CR 5 |
| XP 1,600 Human penanggalen witch 5 NE Medium undead (augmented humanoid) Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dexterity, +1 dodge, +6 natural) hp 35 (5d6+15); fast healing 5 Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7 Defensive Abilities Channel Resistance +4; DR 5/silver and slashing; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, fire 10 Weaknesses light sensitivity, penanggalen weaknesses |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed fly 60 ft.(good) Melee bite +6 (1d6+4 plus disease), slam +6 (1d4+4 plus grab and wither) Special Attacks blood drain (1d4 Constitution), create spawn, disease (Filth fever, DC 15), hexes (cackle, evil eye, misfortune) Witch Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +8) 3rdstinking cloud (DC 16) 2ndglitterdust (DC 15), hold person (DC 16), see invisibility 1stcharm person (DC 15), command (DC 15), mage armor, obscuring mist 0 (at will)bleed (DC 13), dancing lights, detect magic, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 13) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 18, Dexterity 18, Constitution -, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 16, Charisma 16 Base Atk +2; CMB +6 (+10 grapple); CMD 21 Feats Dodge, Eschew Materials, Spell Focus (enchantment) Skills Bluff +11, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +16, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +17, Use Magic Device +11; Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff, +8 Fly, +8 Knowledge (arcana), +8 Perception, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth Languages Common, Draconic, Gnoll, Infernal SQ separate, witch’s familiar (centipede) |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Hexes A penanggalen witch can use one of her hexes at will on any creature within 30 feet. Using a hex is a standard action (unless otherwise noted) that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Save DCs are Intelligence-based. Cackle Hex (Su) As a move action, the penanggalen may cackle. Any creature within 30 feet that is under the effects of the penanggalen’s evil eye or misfortune hex has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round. Evil Eye Hex (Su) This hex causes the target creature to take a -2 penalty on one of the following (penanggalen’s choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. This effect lasts for 6 rounds, or only 1 round if the target succeeds at a DC 15 Will save. This is a mind-affecting effect. Misfortune Hex (Su) This hex causes a creature to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Whenever the target makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check during this time, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A DC 15 Will save negates this effect. A creature may only be targeted by this hex once per day. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any Organization solitary Treasure NPC gear |
A penanggalen keeps a vat of vinegar in her lair. When returning from a night of feeding, a penanggalen’s organs are swollen with blood. In order to fit back into her body, the penanggalen must soak for 1 hour in this vat of vinegar. Once reduced, a penanggalen slides back into her body. If a penanggalen is slain away from her body, the body rapidly deteriorates into foul-smelling grit.
The penanggalen presented above was a witch in life.
| Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3 Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams. |