A pale face framed by glossy black hair hangs in the air, trailing viscera from the ragged stump of its neck like a grisly tail.

The hideous penanggalen is one of the most horrific vampiric monstrosities. By day, a penanggalen appears to be a normal humanoid, but at night or when provoked, the creature's head rips free from the rest of her body, coils of viscera and entrails dangling from her throat as she launches into the air, seeking blood to sate her unholy thirst.

Unlike most undead, the penanggalen is more akin to the lich in that she willfully abandons both her mortality and morality to become a hideous undead monster. While penanggalens are traditionally female spellcasters, any creature capable of performing the vile ritual of transformation can become one.

Similar to a lich, a creature works toward becoming a penanggalen. More than one such transformation ritual exists, but all require heinous acts that symbolize the casting aside of kindness, benevolence, and any semblance of feelings other than cruelty. Many of these rituals call for the repeated consumption of blood, bile, tears, and other fluids drawn from captured and tortured innocents.

A penanggalen keeps a vat of vinegar in her lair. When returning from a night of feeding, a penanggalen's organs are swollen with blood. In order to fit back into her body, the penanggalen must soak for 1 hour in this vat of vinegar. Once reduced, a penanggalen slides back into her body. If a penanggalen is slain away from her body, the body rapidly deteriorates into foul-smelling grit.

The penanggalen presented above was a witch in life. The witch class is presented in full in the Advanced Player's Guide.

Special Abilities

Hexes A penanggalen witch can use any of her hexes at will on any creature within 30 feet. Using a hex is a standard action (unless otherwise noted) that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Save DCs are Intelligence-based.

Cackle Hex (Su) As a move action, the penanggalen may cackle. Any creature within 30 feet that is under the effects of the penanggalen's evil eye or misfortune hex has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round.

Evil Eye Hex (Su) This hex causes the target creature to take a 2 penalty on one of the following (penanggalen's choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. This effect lasts for 6 rounds, or only 1 round if the target succeeds at a DC 15 Will save. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Misfortune Hex (Su) This hex causes a creature to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Whenever the target makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check during this time, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A DC 15 Will save negates this effect. A creature may only be targeted by this hex once per day.