Candlelight Aura. The Candle Fiend emits eerie, flickering light in a 30-foot radius. Enemies within the aura must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw at the start of their turn or be frightened until the start of their next turn.

Living Flame. Whenever the Candle Fiend takes fire damage, roll a d6. On a 4–6, it absorbs the flame and regains hit points equal to half the damage dealt.

Candle Fiend’s Shadow Waltz

(Additional Traits & Actions)

Traits

Haunting Waltz (Aura).
The Candle Fiend projects ghostly dancers in a 20-foot radius. Any enemy that begins its turn in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be forced to “dance” with the shadows, reducing its speed to 0 until the start of its next turn.

Eerie Partners.
While an enemy is restrained by the Haunting Waltz, the Candle Fiend has advantage on attack rolls against it.

Multiattack. The Candle Fiend makes two attacks: one Slam and one Flame Jet.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Flame Jet (Recharge 5–6). The Candle Fiend exhales a 15-foot cone of fire from its candle tops. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.

Shadow Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) necrotic damage, and the target’s shadow briefly comes to life, making them unable to take reactions until the start of their next turn.

Dance of the Damned (Recharge 5–6). The Candle Fiend commands its spectral dancers to surge. Each creature of the Candle Fiend’s choice within 20 feet must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is dragged into a ghostly waltz, taking 18 (4d8) psychic damage and becoming restrained until the end of its next turn.

Flavor: The shadows cast by the Candle Fiend are not illusions—they are remnants of lost souls who once danced in the mansion’s grand ballroom. Their spectral forms twirl and beckon adventurers into their grip, leading them in an eternal dance that drains vitality and freezes the body in place.

Ignite Wick. As a bonus action, the Candle Fiend can set a target ablaze if it hits with its Slam action. The target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns until it uses an action to extinguish the flames.