The sceadugenga, or shadow walker. The old English poem monster Grendel is such a crature and the strange thing is that monster is never described. There is no version of the creature that is 'right', but I felt that such an adversary had to have something a bit special, something truly dark and genuinely terrifying.
So this is very much the shadow walker view of the creature.
And look out if you kill Grendel. I hear his mum holds a grudge...
Sceadugenga
by Cab Davidson
| Stat | Sceadugenga* |
| AC: | 3 |
| HD: | 14*** |
| Movement (flying) | 90’ (30’) |
| Attacks: | 1 touch |
| Damage: | 2d6+special |
| Number Appearing: | 1 (1) |
| Save As: | F14 |
| Morale: | 10 |
| Treasure Type: | M |
| Intelligence: | 18 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic |
| XP Value | 4500 |
The fearsome sceadugenda is a relic of an age so long past that historians are unable to trace their origin. They are tall, standing some 12-15’ tall, shadow like humanoids with dim red eyes and claw like hands. They hate all living things, especially humans, humanoids and demi-humans, all of which they consider have taken the world from them, and hunt them tirelessly. They are vastly intelligent, incredibly patient, cruel, manipulative and utterly without remorse.
They are somehow akin to shadows, and any creature slain by a scaedugenga will rise again as a shadow the following night, a mindless and angry creature not under control of the slayer. Sceadugenga can only be struck by magical weapons of +2 or better, and are immune to first to third level spells, as well as all spells inflicting cold or electrical damage, and any spells requiring physical presence (teleports, dimension door, disintegrate, flesh to stone, etc.) as well as all mind affecting magic. A damaged sceadugenga regenerates 3hp per round. In addition to normal damage, any blow from a sceadugenga inflicts 1d3 points of strength damage (recovered at the rate of 1 strength point per turn). Any creature completely drained of strength immediately dies.
Sceadugenga are creatures of moonlight shadow. On moonlit nights they are able to step from any shadow to any other shadow within 10 miles, once per round. They can also, by concentration, see as if from any such shadow within a 10 mile range, and when attacking from such a location they have transported into they gain surprise on a 1-5 on 1d6. They frequently harass a foe, draining strength for a few rounds before transporting off to heal, knowing they can recover their wounds faster than their prey can recover strength.
Sceadugenga are not undead, they represent an older order of life, descendants of something created by the immortals in another era to counterbalance a great evil but subsequently cast aside and forgotten. As a result they cannot enter consecrated ground. But they do not fear holy symbols, and are actively angered by such if they are on display. Consequently it is common for sceadugenga to attack priests on sight.