Buy me a coffeeLurking Ray, Executioners hood, the Suffocating Shade
“The Executioners hood a living noose that drops from the ceiling to choke the life—and light—out of unsuspecting adventurers.”
The Executioners hood resembles a leathery, wrinkled sack of dark, mottled flesh, roughly the size of a satchel. Its upper surface is ridged with cartilage bands that mimic the folds of a cloth hood, while the underside is soft and lined with fibrous cilia that secrete digestive enzymes. Along its rim are flexible tendrils and muscular ridges that contract with immense pressure. Though eyeless, it is dotted with light-sensitive pores and tremor-sensing nodules, allowing it to detect motion and warmth.
Behavior
Executioner’s Hoods are solitary, patient, and entirely ambush-focused. They do not stalk or chase; instead, they remain utterly still for days—sometimes weeks—adhered to ceilings, beams, or cave outcroppings. When they sense vibrations or heat directly below them, they drop in total silence, seeking to engulf the prey’s head and begin constriction. They do not feed socially or reproduce in groups, though multiple may infest the same space if food is abundant.
Habitat
These creatures are native to the lightless depths of the Darklands and other subterranean ecosystems but have been found in ancient sewers, forgotten temples, and ruined libraries—anywhere damp, dark, and infrequently disturbed. Though they cannot tolerate bright light for long, they are sometimes smuggled into dungeons or lairs by intelligent underdark races as living traps.
Modus Operandi
The Executioners hood clings motionless to an overhead surface using adhesive secretions. When prey passes beneath, it drops suddenly to engulf the victim’s head and neck. Its muscular interior tightens like a noose, cutting off air and vision. It uses its tendrils to cling to armor gaps and skin, resisting removal with unnatural force. Once suffocation sets in, the hood begins secreting acids that digest flesh from the neck up. It will detach only after the host is dead or the attack is thwarted.
Motivation
Driven purely by instinct, the Executioners hood seeks only sustenance. It feeds rarely but greedily—its slow metabolism allows it to digest a single kill over days. Lacking true intelligence, it has no understanding of the outside world, yet its highly evolved hunting strategy suggests a long, brutal evolutionary history. It is particularly drawn to warm-blooded prey, favoring targets with exposed necks or light armor.
Executioners hood, 5e
Executioners hood, Pathfinder
Executioners hood
This bag-shaped creature is dark gray, with two darker splotches that look like eyeholes in a hood. Inside its opening, pale tentacles writhe and teeth coated in viscous slime gnash.
Executioners hood CR 2
XP 600
N Tiny aberration
Init +1; Senses blindsense 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+1 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
hp 11 (2d8+2)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
Defensive Abilities amorphous; Immune sleep effects
Weaknesses light sensitivity, susceptible to alcohol
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., climb 5 ft.
Melee slam +3 (1d4 plus grab)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (1d4), engulfing drop, strangle
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 9
Base Atk +1; CMB +0 (+4 grapple); CMD 10 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Climb +8, Perception +8, Stealth +13
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Engulfing Drop (Ex)
Though it is a Tiny monster, the hood can drop onto the head of a Medium or smaller creature and make a slam attack as a standard action. If the hood’s attack succeeds, it can immediately attempt a grapple check against the target, and if successful, the executioner’s hood can constrict.
Strangle (Ex)
A grappling executioner’s hood entirely covers its opponent’s head with an airtight grip. A creature that is grappled by the hood cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components and must hold its breath (see Suffocation), unless it doesn’t speak or breathe through its head. Any attacks against the hood deal half damage to the hood and the other half to the creature that it’s strangling.
Susceptible to Alcohol (Ex)
Strong alcohol harms the hood. Every quart poured on it deals 1 point of damage. Four quarts of alcohol incapacitates it and forces it to release a grappled target.
ECOLOGY
Environment any underground
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
These young rays are shaped roughly like hoods (hence their name), and drag themselves awkwardly about with their thin tentacles. Once an executioner’s hood finds a suitable hunting ground, usually a cavern or dungeon room, it hauls itself up to a high perch and hangs there, disguising itself as an irregular stone formation or a strange bit of masonry on a dungeon wall. When suitable prey walks beneath it, the young lurking ray drops, attempting to engulf the creature’s head and suffocate it, after which the ray can slowly dissolve the meat at its leisure.
Executioner’s hoods are hatched from eggs laid by trappers. They stay with the mother for a month, then leave to hunt for themselves.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 4 © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Ross Byers, Adam Daigle, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, James Jacobs, Matt James, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Tork Shaw, and Russ Taylor.
Executioner’s Hood
Tiny aberration, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d4 + 18)
Speed 5 ft., climb 20 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 2 (−4) | 14 (+2) | 5 (−3) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4
Skills Stealth +7, Perception +4
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant, poison (alcohol-based)
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, prone
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Ambusher.
On the first round of combat, the Executioners hood has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
Ceiling Crawler.
The Executioners hood can cling to horizontal surfaces, including ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. It leaves no visible residue.
Light Sensitivity.
While in bright light, the Executioners hood has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
Horrid Suffocation.
A creature grappled by the Executioner’s Hood cannot breathe, is blinded, and begins suffocating unless it does not require air (such as a construct or undead).
Actions
Engulfing Drop (Recharge 5–6).
The hood drops from an overhead surface to envelop its prey’s head.
The Executioners hood targets one Medium or smaller creature directly beneath it within 10 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or become grappled (escape DC 13), blinded, and restrained as the hood wraps tightly around its head. While grappled in this way, the target cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components. The hood cannot use this action while already grappling a creature.
Constricting Grip.
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one grappled creature.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures that are immune to being unconscious or that do not breathe are unaffected.
Digestive Enzymes.
Once a creature has been grappled for 1 full round, the Executioners hood secretes corrosive enzymes. The target takes 4 (1d8) acid damage at the start of each of its turns. This damage bypasses temporary hit points and reduces the target’s hit point maximum by the same amount. The reduction lasts until removed by lesser restoration or similar magic.
Tactics
The Executioners hood relies on stillness, darkness, and surprise. It hides motionless on ceilings or ledges, waiting for prey to pass beneath. It targets lightly armored creatures or spellcasters first, often ignoring those wearing heavy helms or face protection. Once attached, it refuses to let go and fights to the death unless exposed to bright light or heavy radiant damage.
If dislodged before it can fully attach, it attempts to retreat upward out of reach. In groups, multiple hoods may coordinate their drops to overwhelm a party, especially in confined or narrow spaces.
Treasure
Areas inhabited by Executioners hoods are often strewn with skeletal remains and discarded possessions. Searching the area may yield:
- 1d4 trinkets or tools
- 1d6 × 10 gp worth of mundane gear or coin
- 10% chance of a minor magic item among the remains