ᛒᛟᚲᚺᛞᚨᚾ
"Spirit, sprite.” Fae creatures from Pictland in the far north, the bòchdans have in recent decades moved south into the Four Kingdoms, apparently following certain Pictish families in their perambulations as well as following the general movement of northern fae toward the more populated kingdoms in the south. Like the other small goblin-like creatures of the fae, the bòchdans apparently live for the opportunity to harass and endanger mortals.
A bòchdan has a short body and outsized head in its ordinary form, but the bòchdans spend so much time wrapped in illusions of their own creations that many who are quite familiar with the bòchdans have never seen their true form. The bòchdans have appeared as men and women, as a black dog, as a headless body, and as an indistinct moving object, among other things.
Small fae, cruel and evil
Armor Class 16 (size, natural armor)
Hit Points 39 (7d6+14)
Speed 60 ft
Str 12 (+1) Dex 18 (+4) Con 14 (+2)
Int 16 (+3) Wis 16 (+3) Cha 16 (+3)
Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +5, Perception +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 15
Condition Immunities charmed
Damage Vulnerabilities iron weapons
Languages Old English, Fae, Pict
Reaction to an overwhelming desire to finally wrap one’s hands around the little bastard’s throat
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Fae Vulnerabilities. A bòchdan rolls with disadvantage for all actions taken while it hears church bells ringing or while touching silver.
Illusory Appearance. A bòchdan can cover itself and anything it is carrying with a magical illusion that makes it look like a Small or Medium creature of any features and aspects.
The bòchdans can only do this while it they are moving, and the changes wrought by is effect fail to hold up to physical inspection when the bòchdan is standing still. For example, a bòchdan could appear to be a black dog, but someone touching its head would feel the bòchdan’s head, not the dog’s. Otherwise, a creature must take an action to visually inspect the illusion and succeed on a DC 16 Investigation (INT) check to discern that the bòchdan is disguised.
Innate Spellcasting. A bòchdan’s innate spellcasting ability is CHA (spell save DC 13, spell attack bonus +5). They can innately cast the following spells:
- At-will: dancing lights, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, produce flame
- 3/day: charm person, silent image
- 1/day: major image
Iron Anathema. A bòchdan rolls with disadvantage on all actions taken while touching iron.
Bòchdans have disadvantage on saving throws involving iron and on any spell they cast against someone wearing iron armor or wearing an iron holy symbol.
When a bòchdan takes damage from an iron or steel weapon they gain the distracted condition (from the pain) until the end of their next turn.
ACTIONS
Stone Long Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+1) piercing damage.
MOTIVES
Bòchdans live for the thrill of harassing and endangering mortals; it is their supreme pleasure in life.
ALLIES
Bòchdans prefer to work by themselves—more pride in the triumph when they finally succeed in slaying a human they’ve been harassing—but are occasionally seen in the company of wisht hounds and other goblin-like fae.