Banshrae

Banshrae were spiteful, musical, and dangerous fey.

Description
Banshraes appeared as frail humanoids with golden, insectile eyes on otherwise featureless faces. They typically stood about tall and weighed about.

Personality
Banshrae were bitter fey devoted to grief and fear; they were treacherous, jealous, and vindictive, polluting or destroying what they could not enjoy (such as food or water). They respected only other banshraes and the strong, though their masters still had to watch them closely in case of treachery. Even amongst evil fey, banshrae were notorious for abusing those weaker than them at whim. They also reveled in the turmoil of battle.

Abilities
Banshrae had certain abilities typical to fey, such as possessing low-light vision and a weakness to cold iron. While they could understand Common, Elven, and Sylvan, they could not speak, instead relying on telepathy that had a range of some.

Banshrae all possessed a singular weapon: a masterwork flute that also functioned as a masterwork blowgun; they could only possess one such weapon at a time, and it vanished if the banshrae lost possession of it. These instruments were the only ones that banshrae could play&emdash;with terrifying magic behind either songs or darts.

When they used their flutes as instruments, they could effect enemies within a radius to be effected by their music, in the form of either a fear-inducing dirge, a catchy but nonsensical sing-along, or a ditty that compelled those effected to move a considerable amount.

Used as blowguns, banshrae could spray a cone of darts once per day, or fire off a single special dart that sickened the one struck and damaged them as locusts proceeded to crawl out of that victim and form a swarm under the banshrae's command.

Banshrae also possessed certain fey magics that made them harder to hit with attacks. They could also, once each day, produce a bestow curse-like effect that induced anger at the cursed.

Combat
Banshrae were far more dangerous and martial than their frail appearance suggested; besides their potent blowgun-flute and magic, they would also attack with their bare hands. They always summoned their blowgun-flute first in battle, then used their speed and agility to dance around opponents. Banshrae would take stronger enemies down first so that they could toy with weaker enemies in relative safety. When spellcasters were amongst the enemy, they directed their locust swarm against the problematic casters.

Society
Banshrae typically lived in communities with other evil fey, serving the masters of such places as ministrels, spies, and soldiers. Both verdant princes and evil nymphs were known to enjoy their service, and rewarded a banshrae's loyalty with honor and treasure, or disloyalty with death.

Banshrae adored fine clothing and jewellry, and their love of music led to collect masterwork intruments made from or decorated with precious materials. They also enjoyed tormenting humanoids, and any nonfey creature that fell into their hands could expect only torment and death.

They were typically known to train as fighters or rogues. However, whatever they trained to do, they never used divine magic, for they despised deities and had no conscious connection to nature.

Banshrae were known to live in Karador.

Ecology
Banshrae "ate" by absorbing nutrients from the nearby soil and plants while they slept. They breathed through holes located on the sides of their head, hidden under their hair.

They typically dwelled in temperate forests, preferring to stay near mortal settlements so as to have a supply of people to torment.

History
Banshrae were originally far less malevolent and harmful fey who sang and danced alongside more benevolent fey, banshrae were cursed after an elder of their kind, whose name and crime are long forgotten, betrayed a capricious fey queen. She cursed all banshraes to lose their mouths. However, a mighty and terrible verdant prince made a compact with the banshraes and dark powers to give the cursed fey back a measure of their musical skill.

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * The Lady in Flames