Swanmay (and Black Swanmay)

Description

Swanmays, also known as swan maidens, are a rare and graceful type of fey shapeshifter. All swanmays are female, with an otherworldly beauty. In their humanoid form, they appear as slender women with long flowing platinum blonde hair, and draped in long flowing cloaks of white feathers. When they wrap themselves in their magical feather cloaks, they transform instantly into elegant swans. Without the cloak, a swanmay cannot transform and appears entirely human. The loss of her cloak renders a swanmay vulnerable, and she will do anything to retrieve it.

In their swan form, swanmays can attack with a bite, or use their enormous wings to buffet their foes, causing 1d6+1 damage, and knocking their target prone. In their humanoid form, they use a weapon, typically a dagger or shortbow. Like other fey, they are vulnerable to cold iron, taking extra +1 damage from weapons made of iron or steel.

Once every day a swanmay can invoke the wind to create a gust in a 20-foot wide line pushing any creatures in that area to make a saving throw or be knocked prone and pushed back 10 feet, once every hour, can use the wind to assist their flight, doubling their flying speed (to 180') for 1 minute, they can also calm the air in a 30-foot radiuas around them once a day, dispelling magical effects reliant on wind or weather for 1 full turn.

Once per day, a swanmay can sing a magical song that affects all creatures within 60 feet (except other fey). Creatures that hear the song must make a saving throw against magic or fall under the effect of a Charm Monster spell. Those who succeed in their saving throw are immune to any swanmays song for the next 24 hours.

Black swanmays are the cruel and capricious counterparts of the swanmay. These dark fey are cruel and seductive. Their cloaks are made from black feathers, and their long hair is black as night, and their eyes glow with a wild and unsettling malice.

Black swanmays have all the same abilities as regular swanmays but with a darker twist. Their magical songs are laced with malice and chaos, and unlike swanmays, those who succeed in the saving throw against their song become fearful of the black swanmay for 1 hour, suffering a -1 penalty to all attack rolls and saving throws against the black swanmay.

Rather than the swanmays defensive gust, once per day, a black swanmay can summon a powerful storm. Causing a vicious gale in a 30-foot radius, forcing all creatures within range to make a saving throw or be knocked prone and take 3d6 damage from the swirling winds and debris. Those who succeed in their saving throw take half damage but still suffer the effects of being knocked prone.

Black swanmays are especially vulnerable to cold iron, taking +2 damage from weapons made of iron or steel. However, they also have a unique resistance to charm effects, making them immune to any charm effects.

Finally, black swanmays usually coat the weapons they use in their humanoid form in a poison that paralyzes those who fail a saving throw against poison for 1 day.

Source note: This creature is converted from The Basic Fantasy Field Guide of Creatures Malevolent and Benign – Omnibus Edition, 1st Edition Release 4, © 2010–2025 Chris Gonnerman, R. Kevin Smoot, James Lemon, Matt Sluis, and Contributors. The Basic Fantasy Field Guide textual material is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; this page adapts that creature to White Box.

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