Gloomweaver

From: Eclipsed Atelier

Lore: In the dark corners of the world of Saṃsāra, where reality and shadows intertwine, tales of The Gloomweaver echo through hushed whispers. This enigmatic figure is said to have existed for ages, rumored to have been born from the merging of a powerful shadow spirit and a long-lost mage who delved too deep into forbidden arts. The Gloomweaver’s origins remain obscured, with the atelier’s lore hinting at a past shrouded in both tragedy and curiosity.

The atelier’s inhabitants hold a mix of reverence and fear for The Gloomweaver, seeing it as an elemental force, a living manifestation of the shadows themselves. Throughout the centuries, it has served as the guardian of the Eclipsed Atelier, ensuring that its arcane secrets remain hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. The Gloomweaver’s deep connection with the shadows grants it unparalleled mastery over these dark energies, using them to cloak the atelier and unleash potent shadow spells against intruders.

Aside from its role as a formidable guardian, The Gloomweaver is also the keeper of the atelier’s vast library, which contains a wealth of knowledge on dark magics, forgotten rituals, and eldritch lore. It is said that the Gloomweaver’s spectral eyes can decipher the most cryptic of texts, and its memory spans centuries, making it the repository of countless secrets that the atelier holds.

The Gloomweaver – Tier One Stats:

• Appearance: The Gloomweaver stands at about 6 feet tall, its lanky frame shrouded in dark, tattered robes that seem to ripple like shadows themselves. Its face is concealed in perpetual darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes providing an eerie light.
• Age: The true age of The Gloomweaver is unknown, but it appears to be timeless, existing beyond the limitations of mortal life.
• Height: Approximately 6 feet (183 cm).
• Weight: Around 160 pounds (73 kg).
• Speed: The Gloomweaver moves with an uncanny swiftness and agility, making it difficult to pin down its exact speed.
• Size: Medium-sized, its spectral presence making it seem larger than its physical form.
• Requirements: The Gloomweaver’s allegiance lies with the Eclipsed Atelier, and it will not leave its domain unless compelled by powerful forces or unforeseen circumstances.
• Tags: Guardian, Shadow Manipulator, Keeper of Secrets, Ethereal, Enigmatic, Arcane, Spectral, Elusive, Dark, Ancient

Attacks:

• Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver envelops itself in darkness, gaining temporary invisibility and making it challenging for enemies to locate it.
• Shadow Bolt: It hurls bolts of shadow energy at intruders, causing confusion and disorientation upon impact.
• Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can vanish into nearby shadows and reappear elsewhere within a short distance, allowing it to move swiftly and unpredictably in the atelier.

Emotions: The Gloomweaver is stoic and mysterious, its emotions hidden behind its shadowy facade. However, it demonstrates fierce loyalty to the atelier and its secrets, showing a fierce protectiveness against intruders or threats to its domain.

Adventurers who dare to challenge The Gloomweaver must tread carefully, as its mastery overshadows, and powerful abilities make it a formidable foe. Unraveling the Gloomweaver’s secrets might also lead to unexpected alliances or unlock dark knowledge that could change the course of their journey within the Eclipsed Atelier.

Weaving of the Gloomweaver’s Veil

In the shadowed annals of Saṃsāra, where the whispers of the void still lingered in the dark, a tale was etched in a language so ancient that its origins were lost to the birth of light, a tongue of murmurs and shades that predated the first mages. This is the story of the Gloomweaver, a being of shadow and sorrow born within the Eclipsed Atelier, and of the mage whose forbidden curiosity wove a tapestry of eternal darkness.

The tale begins in an age when Saṃsāra was young, its lands awash with raw magic that flowed like rivers through the world. In a remote corner of this realm, the Eclipsed Atelier stood as a crumbling castle, its walls defying time with mechanisms of arcane design. Here, a mage named Eryndor the Seeker delved into the forbidden arts, his mind alight with a thirst for knowledge that bordered on madness. Eryndor was a scholar of unparalleled skill, his mastery of magic rivaled only by his ambition. He sought to unravel the mysteries of the shadow realm, a plane of darkness where the essence of night held secrets beyond mortal understanding.

Eryndor’s studies led him to ancient texts within the atelier’s vast library, scrolls inscribed with rituals that promised communion with the shadows themselves. He learned of a shadow spirit, a being of pure darkness that had existed since the world’s dawn, its essence a living void that hungered for form. Driven by curiosity, Eryndor devised a ritual to merge his soul with this spirit, believing that such a union would grant him mastery over the shadows and the knowledge they held. He prepared the ritual in the atelier’s deepest chamber, where the air was thick with the scent of old parchment and the hum of arcane energy.

The ritual was a spectacle of dark magic, the chamber illuminated by the flickering light of black candles as Eryndor chanted in a tongue forgotten by all but the shadows. He drew sigils of binding on the stone floor, their lines glowing with an eerie luminescence, and offered a piece of his own soul as a tether for the spirit. The shadow spirit answered his call, its form a writhing mass of darkness that poured into the chamber like ink. The merging was agonizing, Eryndor’s screams echoing through the atelier as his body and soul were consumed by the void. When the ritual was complete, the Gloomweaver was born—a lanky figure shrouded in tattered robes that rippled like shadows, its face concealed in perpetual darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes to mark its presence.

The Gloomweaver was a being of immense power, its connection to the shadow realm granting it mastery over darkness. It could weave shadows into a cloak of invisibility, hurl bolts of shadow energy that sowed confusion, and walk through the darkness to appear elsewhere in an instant. But the merging had come at a cost. Eryndor’s mind was shattered, his memories fragmented and scattered into the void, leaving the Gloomweaver with a stoic demeanor and a fierce loyalty to the atelier that had birthed it. The atelier’s inhabitants, the alchemists and scholars who worked within its walls, came to revere and fear the Gloomweaver, seeing it as an elemental force, a living manifestation of the shadows themselves.

The Gloomweaver took on the role of guardian, its spectral eyes watching over the atelier’s arcane secrets. It cloaked the castle in darkness, ensuring that its location remained hidden from the outside world, and unleashed its shadow spells against any who dared to intrude. It became the keeper of the atelier’s vast library, its memory spanning centuries as it deciphered the most cryptic texts, preserving the knowledge of dark magics, forgotten rituals, and eldritch lore. The alchemists sought its guidance, for the Gloomweaver could unlock secrets that had been lost to time, but they approached with caution, for its power was as unpredictable as the shadows it commanded.

Centuries passed, and the Gloomweaver’s legend grew, its name whispered in fear by those who knew of the Eclipsed Atelier. But the creature’s existence was not without sorrow. The fragment of Eryndor’s soul that lingered within it yearned for the light it had forsaken, a quiet longing that manifested in the Gloomweaver’s strange protectiveness. It would sometimes spare intruders who showed respect for the atelier’s knowledge, guiding them to the library’s secrets before vanishing into the shadows. Yet those who sought to plunder the atelier’s treasures faced its wrath, their minds shattered by shadow bolts and their bodies lost to the darkness.

The turning point came when a group of adventurers, driven by tales of the atelier’s forbidden knowledge, ventured into its misty halls. They were led by a young mage named Lirien, whose own curiosity mirrored Eryndor’s, though her heart was tempered by compassion. The Gloomweaver confronted them in the library, its glowing eyes piercing the darkness as it wove a cloak of shadows around itself. The adventurers fought to defend themselves, their spells and blades clashing against the Gloomweaver’s shadow bolts, but Lirien sensed the creature’s sorrow, a flicker of Eryndor’s lost humanity within its spectral form.

Instead of fighting, Lirien lowered her staff and spoke to the Gloomweaver, her voice steady as she offered to help it find peace. She used her magic to peer into its fragmented memories, piecing together the story of Eryndor’s fall and the Gloomweaver’s creation. The creature, moved by her empathy, allowed her to access the library, revealing a ritual that could sever its tie to the shadow realm and free Eryndor’s soul. The ritual was perilous, requiring Lirien to channel the light of her own magic into the Gloomweaver’s darkness, a balance that could destroy them both if it failed.

The ritual took place in the atelier’s heart, where the air thrummed with the power of time-defying mechanisms. Lirien stood before the Gloomweaver, her light clashing with its shadows as she chanted the ancient words. The Gloomweaver’s form wavered, its robes rippling like a storm as Eryndor’s soul was torn free, a faint whisper of gratitude echoing in the darkness before it faded into the ether. The Gloomweaver, now a being of pure shadow, collapsed into a pool of darkness, its purpose fulfilled. The atelier’s secrets were laid bare, but the adventurers left with a heavy heart, knowing the cost of the knowledge they had gained.

The story of the Gloomweaver spread across Saṃsāra, a tale of shadow and redemption, of a creature born from forbidden curiosity and freed by compassion. The Eclipsed Atelier remained hidden, its library waiting for the next seekers to brave its halls, but the Gloomweaver’s presence lingered in the shadows, a reminder of the price of delving too deep into the unknown.

Moral of the Story: Curiosity may weave a tapestry of knowledge, but without compassion to balance its threads, it risks becoming a shroud of eternal darkness.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition): In Call of Cthulhu, the Gloomweaver is a spectral entity guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a forbidden site of eldritch knowledge. Its shadowy nature and connection to dark magic make it a terrifying foe for investigators, evoking the cosmic horror of the unknown.

Gloomweaver

• (Shadow of Forbidden Knowledge)
• STR 60
• CON 70
• SIZ 50
• DEX 80
• INT 90
• POW 80
• HP 12
• Damage Bonus 0
• Build 0
• Move 9
• Sanity Loss 1/1D6 (seeing its shadowy form and glowing eyes)
• Attacks
  • Fighting 60% (30/12), damage 1D4 (Shadow Bolt, causes confusion; target must succeed on a Hard POW roll or suffer a -20% penalty to all actions for 1D4 rounds)
  • Shadow Walk (Special): The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 10 yards as a free action once per round, vanishing into shadows and reappearing elsewhere.
• Armor: None (immune to mundane weapons; magical attacks deal half damage; fully immune while under Shadow Cloak).
• Skills: Occult 90%, Stealth 80%, Spot Hidden 70%
• Special Abilities
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for 1D4 rounds as a standard action, gaining +40% to Stealth. It cannot attack while cloaked but can use Shadow Walk. This ability recharges after 1D4 rounds.
  • Keeper of Secrets: Investigators who gain its trust (via a successful Extreme Persuade or Occult roll) can access its knowledge, granting a +30% bonus to an Occult roll to decipher a text or ritual, but at the cost of 1D4/1D8 Sanity for glimpsing its dark lore.
  • Ethereal Nature: Immune to physical damage from non-magical sources; cannot be grappled or restrained by mundane means.
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void of darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes providing an eerie light. It moves with uncanny swiftness, its form flickering as it weaves through the shadows of the atelier.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Call of Cthulhu’s horror tone as a spectral guardian of forbidden knowledge. Its Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk make it elusive, while Shadow Bolt adds a psychological threat. The Keeper of Secrets ability encourages investigators to interact with it, risking their sanity for valuable lore. Its stats make it a moderate threat, balanced by its lack of physical durability, fitting the system’s focus on investigation and survival.

Blades in the Dark: In Blades in the Dark, the Gloomweaver is a Tier III spectral entity haunting the Eclipsed Atelier, a forgotten arcane site in Doskvol. It’s a dangerous foe for a crew, with abilities that challenge their stealth and resolve.

Gloomweaver

• (Tier III)
• Threat Level: High (Scale 1, individual entity)
• Traits: Spectral, Shadowy, Guardian
• Quality: 3 (attacks and defenses)
• Magnitude: 3 (durability and area of effect)
• Clocks
  • Defeat the Gloomweaver: 6 segments
  • Gain Its Trust: 6 segments
• Actions
  • Shadow Bolt: Roll its Quality (3 dice). On a 6, the target takes Level 2 Harm (“Disoriented”) and 2 Stress from confusion. On a 4-5, Level 1 Harm (“Dazed”) and 1 Stress. On a 1-3, the target resists but takes 1 Stress.
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver becomes invisible for one action, gaining +2 effect on its next action (e.g., stealth or attack). This can be resisted with Attune (Risky, Standard effect).
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver teleports to another shadow within 30 feet, creating a 4-segment clock, “Elusive Foe.” Each teleport adds 1 segment; when full, the crew takes +1 Heat from its evasiveness.
• Special Abilities
  • Ethereal Guardian: Immune to physical harm from Tier I or lower sources. Tier II sources deal half segments to its defeat clock. Tier III or higher sources deal full segments.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If the crew gains its trust (via a 6-segment clock, filled through Attune, Consort, or Study actions), the Gloomweaver reveals a Tier III occult ritual (e.g., a shadow-based effect granting +1d to Prowl for one score).
• Description: A lanky, shadowy figure draped in tattered robes, the Gloomweaver’s form ripples like darkness itself. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the gloom. It guards the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty, weaving shadows to confound intruders.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Blades in the Dark’s dark, industrial tone as a spectral guardian of a mystical site. Its Tier III rating makes it a significant threat, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness, encouraging the crew to use Attune or clever tactics. Shadow Bolt adds a psychological threat, while Keeper of Secrets offers a reward for non-combat solutions, aligning with the system’s focus on heists and risk-reward decisions.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition): In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, the Gloomweaver is a CR 4 fey creature guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a dungeon of ancient magic. It’s a moderate challenge for a party of level 3-5 adventurers, with abilities that emphasize its shadowy nature.

Gloomweaver

• Medium Fey, Neutral
• Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
• Speed 40 ft.
• STR 12 (+1) | DEX 16 (+3) | CON 14 (+2) | INT 16 (+3) | WIS 14 (+2) | CHA 12 (+1)
• Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4
• Skills Arcana +5, Perception +4, Stealth +5
• Damage Resistances Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
• Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened
• Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
• Languages Common, Sylvan
• Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
• Proficiency Bonus +2
• Traits
  • Shadow Cloak: As a bonus action, the Gloomweaver becomes invisible until the start of its next turn. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
  • Shadow Walk: As a bonus action, the Gloomweaver can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see that is in dim light or darkness. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
• Actions
  • Shadow Bolt: Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 3) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
  • Keeper of Secrets: The Gloomweaver can share its knowledge with a creature it trusts (requires a DC 15 Persuasion or Arcana check). The creature gains advantage on their next Intelligence (Arcana) check to decipher a magical text or ritual within the next hour.
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void of darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes providing an eerie light. It moves with uncanny swiftness, weaving through shadows to protect the atelier’s secrets.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits D&D’s high-fantasy setting as a shadowy guardian with a fey-like nature. Its CR 4 rating makes it a suitable challenge for a low-to-mid-level party, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk making it elusive in combat. Shadow Bolt adds a fear effect, enhancing its threat, while Keeper of Secrets encourages roleplay, rewarding players for non-combat interaction. Its resistances and immunities reflect its spectral nature, balanced by its moderate hit points.

Knave (2nd Edition): In Knave 2nd Edition, the Gloomweaver is a level 4 fey creature guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a dungeon of ancient magic. Its mechanics are streamlined to fit Knave’s minimalist system, focusing on its shadowy abilities and role as a keeper of secrets.

Gloomweaver

• (Level 4)
• HD 4 (20 HP)
• Armor 15 (shadowy form)
• Move 40 ft. (swift and agile)
• Morale 8 (fiercely protective)
• Attacks 1 (Shadow Bolt, +4 to hit, 1d6+3 necrotic damage)
• Special
  • Shadow Bolt: On a hit, the target must make a DC 13 Wisdom save or be frightened for 1 minute (can repeat the save at the end of each turn).
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for 1 round as a free action, gaining +4 to its Armor against attacks. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 30 feet to a shadowy area as a move action, 3 times per day.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If befriended (DC 15 Charisma or Intelligence check), the Gloomweaver shares a magical secret (e.g., a ritual granting +2 to saves against magic for 1 hour). Learning the ritual requires a DC 15 Intelligence check.
  • Ethereal Nature: Immune to nonmagical weapons; takes half damage from magical weapons unless they deal radiant damage.
• Treasure
  • 1d4 shadowy tomes (worth 100 sp each)
  • A spectral eye (can be used as a magical focus, +1 to spellcasting rolls)
• Description: A lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows, the Gloomweaver stands 6 feet tall. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Knave’s old-school, minimalist style as an elusive fey guardian. Its level 4 stats make it a moderate threat, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its evasiveness, encouraging players to use light or area effects. Shadow Bolt adds a fear effect, while Keeper of Secrets rewards non-combat interaction, fitting Knave’s focus on exploration and problem-solving. Its treasure incentivizes engagement, balanced by its spectral resistances.

Fate Core System: In Fate Core, the Gloomweaver is a spectral guardian of the Eclipsed Atelier, a shadowy entity that balances its role as a protector with its potential as a source of forbidden knowledge. Fate’s narrative focus highlights its mysterious nature and the moral dilemmas it presents.

Gloomweaver

• Aspects
  • High Concept: Shadowy Guardian of the Eclipsed Atelier
  • Trouble: Bound to the Shadows of the Past
  • Other Aspects: Keeper of Forbidden Secrets, Elusive Spectral Entity, Stoic Yet Protective
• Skills
  • Great (+4): Stealth
  • Good (+3): Lore (Occult), Deceive
  • Fair (+2): Fight, Notice
  • Average (+1): Will, Provoke
• Stunts
  • Shadow Cloak: Once per scene, the Gloomweaver can create an advantage, “Shrouded in Darkness,” on itself, gaining +2 to Stealth for one exchange and becoming invisible to non-magical perception.
  • Shadow Bolt: When the Gloomweaver attacks with Fight, it can target a character in the same or an adjacent zone, dealing 2 stress on a success. The target must also overcome a Fair (+2) Will obstacle or take the situation aspect “Disoriented” with one free invoke.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can spend a fate point to move to any zone with dim light or darkness within the scene as a free action, ignoring obstacles.
  • Keeper of Secrets: The Gloomweaver can use Lore (Occult) to create an advantage related to dark magic or eldritch lore (e.g., “Deciphered Ritual”) with a +2 bonus, but only for characters it trusts (requires a Good (+3) Rapport or Lore roll to establish trust).
• Stress
  • Physical: [ ] [ ]
  • Mental: [ ] [ ] [ ] (Will +1)
• Consequences
  • Mild (2):
  • Moderate (4):
  • Severe (6):
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void of darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes providing an eerie light. It moves with uncanny swiftness, weaving through shadows to protect the atelier’s secrets.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Fate’s narrative-driven system as a mysterious NPC. Its aspects encourage roleplay—players can invoke “Bound to the Shadows of the Past” to exploit its limitations or “Stoic Yet Protective” to appeal to its loyalty. Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk make it elusive, while Shadow Bolt adds a psychological threat. Keeper of Secrets rewards non-combat interaction, aligning with Fate’s focus on story and character dynamics.

Numenera (Cypher System): In Numenera, the Gloomweaver is a level 4 spectral entity within the Eclipsed Atelier, a Ninth World ruin filled with ancient alchemical and shadow-based technology. It’s a guardian of forgotten knowledge, blending the system’s weird science with its shadowy nature.

Gloomweaver

• (Level 4)
• Motive: Protect the Eclipsed Atelier and its secrets
• Environment: Found within the Eclipsed Atelier, a time-defying ruin
• Health: 12
• Damage Inflicted: 4 (Shadow Bolt)
• Armor: 1 (shadowy form)
• Movement: Immediate (swift and agile)
• Modifications: Stealth and Speed defense as level 6; tasks related to occult knowledge as level 6.
• Combat
  • Shadow Bolt: The Gloomweaver inflicts 4 damage and the target must succeed on a level 4 Intellect task or be hindered (all tasks are one step more difficult) for 1 minute.
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver becomes invisible for 1 round, easing Stealth and Speed defense tasks by two steps. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to an immediate distance to a shadowy area as an action, 3 times per day.
• Interaction: The Gloomweaver is fiercely protective but can be reasoned with. A level 4 Intellect task (using persuasion or occult knowledge) can convince it to share a cypher (e.g., a shadow-based device that grants +2 to Stealth tasks for 1 hour) or reveal a piece of lore. Failure may provoke it to attack.
• Use: The Gloomweaver guards a key area of the Eclipsed Atelier, such as the library of dark magics. It can be a combat encounter or a source of valuable knowledge if approached with respect.
• Loot
  • 1-2 cyphers (e.g., shadow orbs that grant invisibility for 1 round, 1 use)
  • A fragment of its robes (can be used as an artifact, granting +1 to Stealth tasks, depletion 1 in 1d10).
• Description: A lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows, the Gloomweaver stands 6 feet tall. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Numenera’s sci-fi-fantasy blend, its shadowy nature tying into the Ninth World’s numenera. Its level 4 stats make it a moderate challenge, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness. The interaction mechanic encourages players to engage with it, reflecting Cypher’s focus on discovery and exploration.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition): In Pathfinder 2nd Edition, the Gloomweaver is a level 5 fey creature guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a dungeon of ancient magic. It’s a moderate challenge for a party of level 3-5 characters, with abilities that emphasize its shadowy nature.

Gloomweaver

• Medium Fey, Neutral
• Perception +12; darkvision
• Languages Common, Sylvan (understands but cannot speak)
• Skills Arcana +13, Deception +10, Stealth +12
• Str +1, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +4, Wis +3, Cha +2
• AC 22; Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +12
• HP 70; Immunities charmed, frightened; Resistances necrotic 5, nonmagical physical 5
• Ethereal Nature The Gloomweaver takes half damage from nonmagical weapons unless they deal radiant damage. It cannot be grappled or restrained by nonmagical means.
• Speed 35 feet
• Melee [one-action] Shadow Touch +12 (finesse), Damage 2d6+4 necrotic
• Ranged [one-action] Shadow Bolt +13 (range 60 feet), Damage 2d8+4 necrotic plus disorient
• Disorient The target must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or be frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure) for 1 minute. The target can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.
• Shadow Cloak [two-actions] (illusion, shadow) The Gloomweaver becomes invisible for 1 minute or until it makes an attack. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
• Shadow Walk [one-action] (teleportation, shadow) The Gloomweaver teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space in dim light or darkness. It can use this ability 3 times per day.
• Keeper of Secrets [two-actions] The Gloomweaver shares its knowledge with a creature it trusts (requires a DC 20 Diplomacy or Arcana check). The creature gains a +2 circumstance bonus to their next Arcana check to decipher a magical text or ritual within the next hour.
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void of darkness, with only two glowing, spectral eyes providing an eerie light. It moves with uncanny swiftness, weaving through shadows to protect the atelier’s secrets.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Pathfinder’s high-fantasy setting as a shadowy fey guardian. Its level 5 stats make it a moderate encounter, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk adding tactical depth to combat. Shadow Bolt’s disorient effect enhances its threat, while Keeper of Secrets rewards non-combat interaction, aligning with Pathfinder’s focus on skill use and roleplay. Its resistances and immunities reflect its spectral nature, balanced by its moderate hit points.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition): In Savage Worlds, the Gloomweaver is a Wild Card spectral entity guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a mystical workshop in a high-magic setting. It’s a challenging foe for a party of Novice to Seasoned characters, with mechanics that emphasize its shadowy abilities.

Gloomweaver

• (Wild Card)
• Attributes Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
• Skills Fighting d6, Notice d8, Occult d10, Stealth d10
• Pace 8; Parry 5; Toughness 6
• Edges Arcane Resistance, Quick
• Hindrances None
• Special Abilities
  • Spectral: Immune to poison, disease, and effects targeting living minds (e.g., Fear, Test); +2 to recover from Shaken; no additional damage from called shots.
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for 1 round as a free action, gaining +2 to Stealth rolls. It can use this ability 3 times per encounter.
  • Shadow Bolt: Shooting d8, 12/24/48, 2d6 damage. On a raise, the target must make a Spirit roll or be Shaken from disorientation.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 12” to a shadowy area as a free action, 3 times per encounter.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If befriended (Persuasion or Occult roll at -2), the Gloomweaver shares a ritual (e.g., grants +2 to Stealth rolls for 1 hour). Learning the ritual requires an Occult roll at -2 and 1 hour.
  • Ethereal Nature: Takes half damage from nonmagical weapons unless they deal radiant damage.
• Gear: None (its robes can be salvaged as a relic, granting +1 to Stealth rolls, 1 use per day).
• Description: A lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows, the Gloomweaver stands 6 feet tall. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Savage Worlds’ fast-paced, pulpy style as a spectral foe with versatile abilities. Its Wild Card status makes it a significant threat, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness, encouraging players to use light or area effects. Shadow Bolt adds a disorienting effect, while Keeper of Secrets offers a reward for non-combat interaction. Its spectral nature is balanced by its moderate Toughness, fitting the system’s focus on dynamic encounters.

Shadowrun (6th Edition): In Shadowrun, the Gloomweaver is a spectral entity guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a hidden astral site in the Sixth World. It blends ancient shadow magic with a haunting presence, serving as a challenge for a runner team seeking forbidden knowledge.

Gloomweaver

• (Professional Rating 4)
• Attributes: Body 4 | Agility 6 | Reaction 6 | Strength 4 | Charisma 4 | Intuition 6 | Logic 6 | Willpower 6 | Edge 4 | Essence 0 | Magic 5 | Initiative 12 + 2d6
• Skills: Astral Combat 6, Perception 6, Sorcery 6, Stealth 8, Conjuring 5
• Qualities: Spirit (immune to toxins, diseases, and effects targeting living minds; no Essence; does not heal naturally), Arcane Resistance (+2 dice to resist spells), Astral Form (can only be harmed by astral or magical attacks unless materialized)
• Attacks
  • Shadow Bolt: 6S, Attack Rating 10, Near range (Sorcery + Magic vs. Intuition + Willpower; on a hit, target must succeed on a Willpower + Intuition test, threshold 2, or suffer -2 dice to all actions for 1D6 rounds due to disorientation).
  • Materialize: As a Complex Action, the Gloomweaver can materialize, gaining a physical form (Body 4, Defense Rating 8, Damage Resistance 8). While materialized, it can be harmed by physical attacks but loses its Astral Form immunity.
• Defenses
  • Defense Rating 10 (Intuition 6 + Armor 4, while materialized)
  • Damage Resistance 8 (Body 4 + Armor 4, while materialized)
• Powers
  • Shadow Cloak: As a Complex Action, the Gloomweaver becomes invisible for 1D4 combat turns, gaining +4 dice to Stealth tests. It cannot attack while cloaked but can use Shadow Walk.
  • Shadow Walk: As a Minor Action, the Gloomweaver can teleport up to 10 meters to a shadowy area, 3 times per encounter.
  • Keeper of Secrets: Runners who gain its trust (Charisma + Etiquette vs. Willpower + Intuition, threshold 3) can learn a Force 4 ritual (e.g., a shadow-based effect granting +2 dice to Stealth for 1 hour).
• Gear
  • Shadowy Robes (Armor 4, integrated into its form)
  • Spectral Tome (can be looted, worth 1,000¥, grants +2 dice to Astral tests for 1 hour).
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Shadowrun’s cyberpunk-fantasy blend as a spectral guardian in a hidden astral site. Its Professional Rating 4 makes it a tough opponent, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness, requiring astral perception or magical attacks to counter. Shadow Bolt adds a disorienting effect, while Keeper of Secrets offers a reward for non-combat interaction, encouraging runners to negotiate or use astral skills. Its stats are balanced for a mid-level team, with Edge allowing it to resist critical glitches.

Starfinder (1st Edition): In Starfinder, the Gloomweaver is a CR 5 fey creature guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a derelict space station or planetary ruin filled with ancient shadow magic. It’s a challenge for a party of level 4-6 characters, blending magic and an ethereal presence.

Gloomweaver

• CR 5
• Medium Fey (Incorporeal)
• XP 1,600
• Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +11
• Defense
  • HP 65
  • EAC 17; KAC 18
  • Fort +6; Ref +6; Will +8
  • Defensive Abilities Incorporeal (immune to nonmagical attacks; magical attacks deal half damage unless they deal force or positive energy); Resistances Necrotic 10
• Offense
  • Speed 40 ft., fly 20 ft. (perfect)
  • Melee Shadow Touch +10 (2d6+5 necrotic, incorporeal touch)
  • Ranged Shadow Bolt +12 (2d8+5 necrotic, range 60 ft., plus disorient)
  • Special Attacks Disorient (DC 15 Will save or shaken for 1d4 rounds)
  • Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th)
  • At Will—darkness
  • 3/day—invisibility (self only, as Shadow Cloak)
• Statistics: Str —; Dex +4; Con +2; Int +3; Wis +2; Cha +1
• Skills: Mysticism +13, Perception +11, Stealth +14
• Languages Common, Aklo
• Other Abilities: Shadow Walk, Keeper of Secrets
• Special Abilities
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for up to 1 minute, 3 times per day, as a standard action. It becomes visible if it attacks.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 30 feet to an area of dim light or darkness as a move action, 3 times per day.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If befriended (DC 20 Diplomacy or Mysticism check), the Gloomweaver shares a magical ritual (e.g., a spell that grants +2 to Stealth checks for 1 hour, CL 5).
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Starfinder’s sci-fi-fantasy setting as a fey entity in a forgotten ruin. Its CR 5 stats make it a moderate challenge, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk making it elusive in combat. Shadow Bolt’s disorient effect (shaken condition) adds a psychological threat, while Keeper of Secrets rewards non-combat interaction. Its incorporeal nature is balanced by its moderate hit points, fitting the system’s focus on tactical combat and exploration.

Traveller (2nd Edition, Mongoose Publishing): In Traveller, the Gloomweaver is a spectral entity guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, an ancient alien ruin on a frontier world. It blends advanced tech with mystical elements, serving as a challenge for a party of adventurers.

Gloomweaver

• (Spectral Entity)
• Hull 4 (equivalent to 40 HP)
• Armor 2 (shadowy form)
• Speed 10 meters/round (swift and agile)
• Traits Spectral (immune to poison, disease, vacuum, and effects targeting living minds; takes half damage from non-energy weapons)
• Skills Melee Combat (Unarmed) 1, Stealth 3, Science (Occult) 3, Recon 2
• Attacks: Shadow Bolt: Ranged Combat (Energy) 2, 2d6 damage. On a hit with Effect 3+, the target must make a Difficult (10+) Intelligence check or suffer a -2 DM to all actions for 1D6 rounds due to disorientation.
• Special Abilities
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for 1 round as an action, gaining a +4 DM to Stealth checks. It can use this ability 3 times per encounter.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 10 meters to a shadowy area as a minor action, 3 times per encounter.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If befriended (Difficult (10+) Persuade or Science (Occult) check), the Gloomweaver shares a piece of alien lore (e.g., a ritual granting +2 DM to Stealth checks for 1 hour, TL 12).
  • Ethereal Nature: Immune to effects that age or alter its form. It gains a +2 DM to resist effects targeting its essence.
• Gear: Shadowy Essence (can be salvaged, worth Cr1,000, grants +2 DM to Stealth checks for 1 hour).
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits Traveller’s sci-fi setting as a spectral entity in an alien ruin. Its stats make it a moderate threat, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness, requiring energy weapons or sensors to counter. Shadow Bolt adds a disorienting effect, while Keeper of Secrets offers a reward for non-combat interaction, encouraging players to use skills like Persuade or Science. Its spectral nature is balanced by its moderate durability, fitting Traveller’s focus on exploration and problem-solving.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition): In Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the Gloomweaver is a spectral entity guarding the Eclipsed Atelier, a ruined magical workshop in the Old World. It’s a formidable foe for a party of 2nd-3rd tier characters, blending dark magic with a haunting presence in a grimdark setting.

Gloomweaver

• (Spectral Entity)
• M 6 | WS 40 | BS 45 | S 30 | T 35 | I 50 | Ag 50 | Dex 40 | Int 50 | WP 60 | Fel 30 | W 14
• Traits
  • Ethereal (immune to nonmagical weapons; can pass through solid objects; immune to Fear, Terror, poison, disease, and effects targeting living minds)
  • Dark Vision (sees perfectly in darkness)
  • Magical Resistance (gains +20 to resist spells and magical effects)
  • Unstable (if reduced to 0 Wounds, it dissipates but reforms after 1D10 days unless destroyed with a magical attack)
• Skills: Lore (Magic) 70, Perception 60, Stealth 70, Ranged (Magic) 55
• Talents: Aethyric Attunement (+10 to Channeling tests), Frightening (causes Fear)
• Attacks: Shadow Bolt: Ranged (Magic) 55, 6 damage (ignores Armor Points). On a hit, the target must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower test or suffer the Stunned condition for 1 round due to disorientation.
• Special Rules
  • Shadow Cloak: The Gloomweaver can become invisible for 1 round as an action, gaining +30 to Stealth tests. It can use this ability 3 times per encounter.
  • Shadow Walk: The Gloomweaver can teleport up to 12 yards to a shadowy area as a move action, 3 times per encounter.
  • Keeper of Secrets: If befriended (Challenging (+0) Charm or Lore (Magic) test), the Gloomweaver shares a dark ritual (e.g., grants +10 to Stealth tests for 1 hour). Learning the ritual requires a Challenging (+0) Lore (Magic) test and 1 hour.
• Trappings: Spectral Tome (can be looted, worth 15 gc, grants +10 to Lore (Magic) tests for 1 hour).
• Description: The Gloomweaver is a 6-foot-tall, lanky figure draped in tattered robes that ripple like shadows. Its face is a void, with glowing spectral eyes that pierce the darkness. It moves with eerie swiftness, guarding the atelier’s secrets with fierce loyalty.
• Gameplay Notes: The Gloomweaver fits WFRP’s grimdark fantasy as a spectral entity in a ruined workshop. Its stats make it a tough opponent, with Shadow Cloak and Shadow Walk emphasizing its elusiveness, requiring magical attacks to counter. Shadow Bolt adds a disorienting effect, while Keeper of Secrets encourages non-combat interaction, fitting the system’s focus on roleplay and investigation. Its Ethereal trait is balanced by its moderate Wounds, making it a fitting challenge for a mid-tier party in the Old World.