Avoid Detection. The Croyel can cast Nondetection at will and Nystul's Magic Aura every day as well as others listed to help disguise itself while living on the possessed creature's back.
Magic Resistance. The Croyel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Multiattack. The Croyel makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks as a last result. Once its possession of a creature ends, It will use spells in an attempt to escape or possess another creature if escape isn't a viable option.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid,
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an Undead, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Spellcasting. The Croyel casts the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17): These spells are for helping the Croyel maintain his possession of its victim and keep the creature healthy and living.
At will: bane, enthrall, friends, nondetection, suggestion.
3/day each: cause fear, cure wounds, dominate beast, fast friends, freedom of movement, lesser restoration, nystul's magic aura, resilient sphere, tongues.
1/day each: confusion, greater restoration, mass suggestion.
Description
The Croyel are small hairless creatures who have the capacity to possess most small, medium, and large creatures. If a creature willingly allows the Croyel to take possession of it, there is no saving throw needed. When the Croyel attempts to take possession of a creature, it must make a DC 17 Arcana (Intelligence) or Persuasion (Charisma) saving throw. When a Croyel possesses a creature, the demon clamps onto the creature's back digging its clawed fingers into the shoulders, gouging its ribs with its toes, and sinking its razor sharp teeth into the side of the creature's neck drinking its life away and developing a telepathic bond with only the possessed creature.
The Coryel's malign yellow eyes constantly watch for awareness from the possessed creature's friends and family because its eldritch force is cruel and bitter, which may be detected. A Croyel is a parasite, contagion incarnate, as its bite drains a victim’s sense of self. Once the possession takes effect, removing the demon from the victim without fatal results can be extremely difficult. Killing the Croyel while its teeth and/or telepathic bond are still in control of the victim will kill the possessed creature as well. If the victim is killed, the Croyel will not be killed or even harmed. If the Croyel is discovered and threatened, the demon will use the threat of killing its victim if it senses any form of attack.
The demon prefers possessing incapacitated or willing creatures. Those who are desperate for immortality, make ill-advised deals with the Croyel. They bargain with the demons for the ability to come back to life if killed and, thus, live forever. The problem, of course, is hiding a Croyel on a creature's back, so the parasitic demon employs its spells to conceal its existence. The Croyel will allow voluntary victims to have some form of control of itself while it will take complete control of its unwilling victims and is able to precisely use all of that creature's abilities. Once a creature is possessed by the demon, the acquired being cannot voluntarily escape. Possession lasts until the Croyel ends its occupancy of the creature, or the demon is removed or killed.
This monster is based on the demon, The Croyel, from The Second and Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson.
(Other source. Stephen R. Donaldson and the Modern Epic Vision; Andre Castro's artwork).
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