Umibōzu

Drowned priests, shaven head and typically appears to be praying. With a grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

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Umibo-zu (sea bonze) is a spirit in Japanese folklore. The Umibo-zu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who dares speak to it. This spirit’s name, which combines the character for “sea” with the character of “Buddhist monk,” is possibly related to the fact that the Umibo-zu is said to have a large, round head, resembling the shaven heads of Buddhist monks. Alternatively they are enormous Yokai (spectres) that appear to shipwreck victims and fishermen.

According to one story, if angered, they ask that the crews provide a barrel that it proceeds to fill with sea water to drown them. To avoid this disastrous fate, it is necessary to give him a bottomless barrel.

Drowned priests, thatibit the shaven head and typically appears to be praying. It is usually reported as having a grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs.

This man is garbed in a simple robe and sash. His skin and shaven head appear healthy, but his lips and eye sockets are pallid white.

Sea bonze are the remains of monks that died of drowning. These creatures now lurk in undersea lairs, charming seafarers to their deaths with beguiling breath. They are anthropophagus, feeding on their charmed victims with unceasing hunger.

Sea bonze are 5 to 6 feet tall and weigh 150 to 200 pounds.

Sea bonze speak any languages they spoke in life (usually Common).

Sea Bonze
Medium undead (Aquatic)
Hit Dice	6d12 (39 hp)
Initiative	+2
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares), Swim 30 ft.
Armor Class	18 (+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, +1 monk, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple	+4/+6
Attack	Unarmed strike +7 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack	Unarmed strike +7 melee (1d8+2) or flurry of blows +5/+5 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Beguiling breath, flurry of blows
Special Qualities	AC bonus, Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, Ki strike (magic), monklike, +4 turn resistance, undead traits, wholeness of body (20 points)
Saves	Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities	Strength 14, Dexterity 14, Constitution —, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 15, Charisma 15
Skills	Balance +4, Escape Artist +8, Hide +8, Jump +4, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Swim +10, Tumble +8, Rope Use+2 (+4 bindings)
Feats	Ability Focus (beguiling breath), Combat Reflexes, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike (B), Stunning Fist, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Environment	Any aquatic
Organization	Solitary, cloister (2–6), or abbey (4-12 plus one sea abbot)
Challenge Rating	6
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Always lawful evil
Advancement	By character class (usually as monk)
Level Adjustment	—

COMBAT

A sea bonze uses its beguiling breath to lure victims to its lair, then slaughters its prey with marial arts.

Beguiling Breath (Su): Three times a day, a sea bonze can breathe a 20-foot cone of hypnotic gas. All creatures within the area must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or become beguiled. This is a mind-affecting charm effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same sea bonze’s breath for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

A beguiled victim dives towards the sea bonze’s lair, taking the most direct route available. The creature gets a second saving throw if the path leads into a danger (through a shark feeding frenzy, a bed of venomous corals and the like), which means the victim gets a second saving throw if (when) they run out of air. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. (Thus, a fighter cannot run away or attack but takes no defensive penalties.) Once they reach the sea bonze’s lair, the victim stands there and offers no resistance to the monster’s attacks. The effect normally lasts 10 minutes, but ends immediately if the sea bonze dies or releases its victim.

Multiple applications of beguiling breath stack their durations rather than the most recent superceding the previous application. Thus, a victim who failed their saving throw against two beguiling breaths would be beguiled for 20 minutes.

Monklike (Ex): A sea bonze possesses the AC bonus, base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, flurry of blows, ki strike, and unarmed strike damage of a 6th-level monk. A sea bonze that later takes monk levels adds its inherent monklike abilities to those of a true monk. Thus, a 4th-level sea bonze monk possesses the AC bonus, base attack bonus, base saving throw bonuses, flurry of blows, ki strike, and unarmed strike damage of a 10th-level monk.

Skills: A sea bonze has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Sea Abbots

Sea abbots were more powerful monks in life, and often seek to recreate monastic orders of sea bonze in undeath. Most sea abbots are monks of at least 10th-level.

Sea Abbot
Medium undead (Aquatic)
Hit Dice	16d12 (104 hp)
Initiative	+3
Speed	60 ft. (12 squares), Swim 60 ft.
Armor Class	21 (+3 Dexterity, +3 Wisdom, +2 monk, +3 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple	+12/+14
Attack	Unarmed strike +15 melee (3d6+2)
Full Attack	Unarmed strike +15/+10/+5 melee (3d6+2) or flurry of blows +15/+15/+15/+10/+5 melee (3d6+2)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Beguiling breath (DC 22), greater flurry of blows
Special Qualities	AC bonus, Darkvision 60 ft., fast movement +30 ft., improved evasion, Ki strike (adamantine, lawful, magic), monklike, slow fall 50 ft., +4 turn resistance, undead traits
Saves	Fort +12, Ref +17, Will +16
Abilities	Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Constitution —, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 16, Charisma 15
Skills	Balance +10, Escape Artist +9, Hide +16, Jump +16, Listen +16, Move Silently +16, Spot +16, Swim +10, Tumble +16, Rope Use+3 (+5 bindings)
Feats	Ability Focus (beguiling breath), Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike), Improved Unarmed Strike (B), lightning reflexes, Stunning Fist, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Environment	Any aquatic
Organization	Abbey (1 plus 4-12 sea bonze)
Challenge Rating	16
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Always lawful evil
Advancement	By character class (usually as monk)
Level Adjustment	—

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #26 (1979).