Hat-Fright
No one knows for sure where the hat-frights came from. Some believe they are the product of a mad biomancer, experimenting with smaller species of mimics in hopes of taking control of a royal court. Regardless of their origin, these parasites are able to latch onto a person's mind and take control of their body. While they are unable to properly replicate speech or normal social behaviors, they do seem able to direct their host's actions and movements quite true to the original, making them just as formidable a threat as facing one's friend in earnest. Beware finding lost companions sporting new headwear, the hat-fright controlling them would be happy to render you unconscious and use your body as a host for another one of their kind.
Hat-Fright
Tiny monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 10 (4d4)
- Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 8 (-1)
- Skills Stealth +4
- Damage Resistances psychic
- Condition Immunities prone
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages --
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Shapechanger. The hat-fright can use its action to polymorph into any style of hat or back into its true, amorphous form. The hat is appropriately sized for Small or Medium humanoids. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the hat-fright remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary hat.
Head Grappler. The hat-fright has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it. While grappling a creature, the hat-fright gains 3/4 cover against all weapon attacks.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) psychic damage. If the target is a living humanoid, they are grappled by it (escape DC 12) and must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the hat-fright. The charmed target is incapacitated while charmed in this way. This effect lasts as long as the target remains grappled by the hat-fright. The hat-fright can only grapple one creature at a time.
Whenever the charmed target takes damage, the target can repeat the saving throw. On a success, the effect ends.
Puppet. The charmed creature moves up to its speed under the hat-fright's control. It then uses one of its actions or makes an unarmed strike against a target or targets of the hat-fright's choosing.