the gossamer

JORO-GUMO SHADOW DANCER (HYBRID)

Large monstrosity (yokai, joro-gumo), chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (black silk kimono embroidered with dark draconic figures) 

Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52)

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

Saving Throws DEX +6, CHA +4

Skills Perception +5, Stealth +9

Damage Resistances Necrotic

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion

Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan

Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The joro-gumo’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The  kumo shadow dancer can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: dancing lights
• 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire

Assassinate. During her first turn, the  joro-gumo has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the  joro-gumo scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.  If the target is bloodied after taking damage from this attack, the target drops to 0 hit points.

Shadow Jump. As a bonus action, the joro-gumo can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it teleports from and the space it teleports to must be in dim light or darkness. The  joro-gumo can use this ability between the weapon attacks of another action it takes.

Spider Climb. The   joro-gumo can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability  joro-gumo.

Web Walker. The joro-gumo ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Kumo Poison. When exposed to kumo poison a target must make a successful DC 15 Con saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute, while poisoned the creature is paralysed.

Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the joro-gumo knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.

Web Walker. The  joro-gumo ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The  kumo shadow dancer makes three attacks, either with its longsword or its longbow. It can replace one of those attacks with a bite attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage and exposed to kumo poison.

Kuru-Sai-Gama. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or suffer one additional effect of the shadow dancer’s choice:

• The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Medium or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the shadow dancer can’t grapple another target.
• The target is knocked prone.
• The target takes 22 (4d10) poison damage.
• The target is stunned until the end of its next turn (saving throw is Constitution).

Kunai. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 20/40 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage and exposed to kumo poison.

Spit Web. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit (range 30 ft./60 ft.; one creature). Hit: The target is restrained by webs (Escape DC 12). The web can also be destroyed by 5 points of slashing or fire damage against AC 10. This web has the additional effect of forcing spellcasters to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on spells.

Summon Shadow  (1/Day). The  joro-gumo magically summons a shadow. The summoned shadow appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an ally of its summoner. It remains for 10 minutes, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action. It appears as a shadowy spider.

Shapechange. A joro-gumo can use its action to polymorph into a spider that is Large or smaller, humanoid of CR 6 or lower, a hybrid form human-spider form, or from another form back into its own form. The  joro-gumo retains her Int, Wis, and Cha scores and her current hit points while polymorphed but always appears as an attractive female of the humanoid species she mimics; otherwise, she takes on all the attributes of the adopted form. She can cast spells if the adopted form can provide the spell’s verbal and somatic components, and she retains her kumo poison trait if the adopted form has a bite attack. A shapechanged joro-gumo reverts to its natural form when slain.

REACTIONS

Phase Spider Step (1/Day). As a reaction to being hit the kumo shadow dancer becomes invisible until the end of her next turn or until she attacks, then teleports up to 20 feet.

DESCRIPTION

Pronounced JOH-ro GOO-mo. A horrific fusion of a woman’s torso and with the lower body of a spider. Ensnares humans in her sticky threads, then devours them alive. In spite of her giant size, can freely climb walls and ceilings. Her arachnid legs are covered in a thick shell, making them highly resistant to damage.

The Joro-Gumo is yokai with the limbs of a spider and the torso and head of a female woman. Vicious, fast and deadly, this troublesome enemy will do short work of the ill-prepared, luring young men in with her sexual appeal to feed on them.

TACTICS

Before Combat The Gossamer cast false life and mage armour before combat, and poison their daggers with their own poison.

During Combat The Gossamer initially use their shadow call abilities to summon 1d3 shadowy giant spiders to attack enemies, hoping to draw their opponents’ attention while they try to outflank them. The Gossamer use their shadowdancer abilities and spells such as mirror image and vanish to confuse their enemies, always attempting to flank their enemies with each other or their shadow companions.

They reserve their shadow jump abilities to escape if they are cornered.

Morale The Gossamer fight to the death to protect their lover and master Akinosa.

TREASURE

Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of cure serious wounds;

Other Gear masterwork daggers (8), black porcelain mask, black silk kimono embroidered with dark draconic figures (worth 75 gp), necklace of Akinosa’s hair