Vow Eater
Fiend · Crown of Apostasy
T3d8Minor
A squat, hunched creature with an enormous mouth and a body covered in clay shards - each inscribed with words from a shattered vow. The Vow Eater consumes binding oaths, leaving victims who remember making the vow but can no longer feel why it mattered.
Tier 3 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 3 (+3 overflow) · AC 14 · ATK +6 · Save DC 15 · Dmg 3 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 18 | - | - |
| Mind | 8 | - | - |
| Sense | 18 | - | - |
| Heart | 16 | - | - |
| Cunning | 16 | - | - |
| Fate | 16 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Sacred Hunger
Senses a binding vow from 5 miles away and always closes on the most oath-bound creature present. It bites to feed, not to kill.
Maneuvers
Vow Consumption
When its bite hits, the victim makes a Heart save (DC 15) or one sworn oath is emptied of meaning: remembered, but weightless. A meaningful act in the vow's service restores it. The Vow Eater regains 1 Vigor per vow eaten.
Regurgitate Vow
It speaks a consumed vow back to its original oath-maker in a mocking tone. The oath-maker makes a Heart save (DC 15) or takes 3 damage and is weakened 1 round from the shame; on a success, takes 1 Vigor damage.
Tactics
GM tactics
The Vow Eater is drawn to the most oath-bound member of the party: paladins, clerics, knights, anyone who has sworn a sacred vow. It bites to consume vows, not to kill. When gorged, it speaks the stolen vows back to their makers in a mocking tone, and the shame does the wounding. Its eyes are sad; it does not seem malicious, only desperately hungry.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 3, then 3 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 3, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d8 and never lands below 3.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 6 kills it outright, and a single blow of 6 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Two attacks in a normal turn: Tier 3+ Minors get a second.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.