Monks of the Way of the Ten Shadows have learned how to earn the loyalty of spirits of shadow, thus gaining the ability to summon these spirits to aid them in battle.  This technique is typically passed down in families.  These spirits have assorted abilities, both defensive and offensive, with which they can aid the summoner.  Some can even be used for travel - the TIger Funeral can be used as a mount, in which case it provides protection to the rider, and the Nue can carry its summoner in flight.

The spirits are summoned by way of shadowgraphy.  The summoner makes a shadow puppet in the form of the spirit and the spirit appears from the shadow.

Shadow Spirits

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to summon shadow spirits.  As an action, you may expend Ki points to summon one of nine different shadow spirits or three variants, each of which has a different Ki point requirement.  Shadow spirits follow your commands and are friendly to the party.  They act on your initiative in combat.  You may summon a shadow spirit in any unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet.

Once a shadow spirit is summoned, it remains in existence until dispelled or until it drops to 0 hit points, at which point it is dispelled automatically.  Dispelling a spirit uses a reaction and can be done at any time.  No more than three shadow spirits can be in existence at a time.  (For the purposes of this limit, Divine Dogs and Winged Toad count as only one spirit.)  You may not summon multiple copies of the same spirit.  Shadow spirits understand whatever languages their summoner speaks.

Please add these creatures to your character by first adding them to your Homebrew Collection - search in Homebrew Monsters by Author (under "Advanced Filters") for "MycroftRH" and they will all appear - and then adding them under "Extras" at the right of your character sheet.

Different spirits require different levels to summon.  The following table shows the number of levels required as well as the number of Ki points required to summon each spirit:

Shadow Spirit Level Requirements

Shadow Spirit	Monk Level	Ki Points
Divine Dogs	3	2
Gama	4	3
Nue	5	3 OR 4
Rabbit Swarm	7	3
Great Serpent	8	3
Piercing Ox	9	3
Divine Dog Totality	10	3
Winged Gama	12	3
Round Deer	13	4
Max Elephant	14	5
Tiger Funeral	15	6
Merged Beast Agito	16	7

Shadow Storage

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to move physical mass in and out of shadows at will.  You are able to store items within your own shadow.  Items stored can not be larger than your own body.  It takes an action to place an item into or retrieve an item from your shadow.  Items placed into your shadow can not be seen, touched, or harmed by any other creature.  However, they do count against your Encumbrance; you can not place items into your shadow that exceed your ability to carry weight.

Shadow Step

At 6th level, you gain the ability to move through shadows.  As your action, you may enter any shadow that is at least as large as your body and teleport to another shadow that you can see within your range of movement.  This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Shadow Strike

At 11th level, you gain the ability to attack from the shadows.  After using your Shadow Step feature, as a bonus action, you may make an unarmed strike which deals an extra 6d6 magical bludgeoning damage in addition to your normal unarmed strike damage.

Shadow Scourge

At 17th level, you gain the ability to summon a special shadow spirit.  The Eight-Handled Scourge does not require Ki points to summon, but may only be summoned once per short rest, as an action.  It is not friendly to the party and does not follow your commands; it is under the DM’s control and will likely attack the nearest creature.  It receives its own initiative in combat.  You may summon the Eight-Handled Scourge in any unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet.  Once the Eight-Handled Scourge is summoned, it remains in existence until dispelled or until it drops to 0 hit points, at which point it is dispelled automatically.  Dispelling the Eight-Handled Scourge uses a reaction and can be done at any time. 

Please add this creature to your character sheet by first adding it to your Homebrew Collection (search through Homebrew Monsters by Author for creatures authored by "MycroftRH") and then adding it to your characters "Extras" (located at the right side of your character sheet).