Millenia before the wards failed, the monks who oversaw the frozen lotus told tales of horrifying creatures that would appear like shadows on the surface of the ice. Most believed these to be no more than cautionary tales to scare new adepts from getting too close to the ice. The oldest monks, those who spent the most time staring into the misty surface of the ice-bound lotus, knew these were not mere rumors. 

They called them the H’dol Selanin, which loosely translated to “Shadows that eat heat” or “Shades that pull in life”, depending on who was asked. If a monk was foolish enough to wander beyond the wards when one of the H’dol Selanin were present, nothing more than a dried, frozen husk would be found leaning against the ice the next day.

Over the centuries, the appearance of the H’dol Selanin slowed and gradually stopped altogether, though the older elves never forgot what they had seen. And then the wards failed. It didn’t happen on the first night, or even the first week, but soon the shadows appeared on the surface of the ice once more. And then they began pulling themselves out.

The H’dol Selanin drift between our world and the ethereal plane as they stalk the streets of the Old City. In the rare instances when they are seen and the viewer survives, the H’dol Selanin appear as hunched, vaguely humanoid shadows whose limbs grow and contract without warning. Their eyes are motes of absolute darkness that burn with cold hate as they seek out sources of light and heat to snuff out. In battle, the H’dol Selanin hunt in packs of three to six, focusing their attacks on creatures wielding torches or other sources of light or those that deal fire or radiant damage. They are ambush hunters when their numbers are low but are not afraid to attack directly if they outnumber their potential victims.

H’dol Selanin

Medium aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 43 (5d8 + 18)

Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)                 

STR 10 (0) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 10 (0) WIS 10 (0) CHA 12 (+1)

Vulnerabilities Radiant, Fire

Damage Resistance Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Damage Immunities Necrotic, Cold 

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious

Skills Intimidation +3

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Deep Speech, Primordial

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Ethereal Shift. As a bonus action, the H’dol Selanin can shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.

Ethereal Sight. The H’dol Selanin can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane and vice versa.

ACTIONS

Freezing Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage and 7 (1d6 + 4) cold damage. Target must succeed on a DC 13 CON saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.Life Drain. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 13 CON saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to half the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.