# The Stillborn
### The Watching Dead
> *They just… stand there. Staring. Like they're waiting for something.*
There is a sickness that spreads through the minds of those who travel Faulmoor’s abandoned roads. It is not a fever, nor a plague of the flesh, but rather something more insidious—a feeling. That creeping, undeniable certainty that **you are being watched**.
In most cases, the feeling is dismissed as paranoia, a trick of the mind brought on by exhaustion and the ever-present mist. But in some cases, it is **not just paranoia**. It is **them**.
[](https://dnd.raresnacks.net/uploads/images/gallery/2025-02/rAi8LDYXg7RrOenQ-u5795667575-a-row-of-zombies-stands-motionless-in-the-mist-stif-c64c3744-3b7b-4ced-80b4-b781c7dad01b.png)
The **Stillborn** are perhaps the most unsettling of the Blighted, not because they strike quickly, nor because they hunger as others do, but because they do **nothing at all**. They **stand**, still as statues, in the midst of forgotten places—at crossroads, near the ruins of villages, or within abandoned waystations, their bodies **mummified by time and rot**, their sunken eyes black and glistening like oil.
They do not move. They do not breathe. They simply **wait**.
The Stillborn are a puzzle wrapped in silence and stillness. They do not attack at first—they simply watch. If you see one standing motionless in the distance, **do not turn your back for too long**, and **do not let them out of your sight**. They react poorly to fire, though unlike other Blighted, it does not destroy them—it simply forces them into action. If you must fight them, **force them to move first**. They rely on fear to control the battlefield, and a strong, direct approach may make them falter. However, they are best avoided entirely—many travelers have found themselves *surrounded* after ignoring the feeling of being watched for too long.
Survivors say that once a Stillborn has turned its gaze upon you, **it will not look away**. It does not matter if you turn your back, if you close your eyes—it will still be **there**. But do not make the mistake of thinking it is harmless. For the moment you **ignore it for too long**, or let it out of your sight, you will find it **closer**.
Many believe the Stillborn serve some unseen purpose, that they **herd travelers into places they should not go**, or that they are merely **biding their time**—waiting for the day the Blight fully takes what remains of Faulmoor.
If you find yourself being watched by one, there is only one thing to do. **Walk away. Slowly. And never look back.**
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#### **Stat Block**
*Medium Undead, unaligned*
| **Armor Class:** | 14 |
|---|
| **Hit Points:** | 35 (5d8 + 10) |
| **Speed:** | 30 ft. |
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
| 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) |
**Damage Immunities:** Poison
**Condition Immunities:** Poisoned, Exhaustion
**Senses:** Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
**Challenge:** 1/2 (100 XP)
##### **Traits**
- **Aura of Dread:**
Creatures that start their turn within 60 feet of **The Stillborn** and can see it clearly must succeed on a **DC 14 Wisdom saving throw** or have disadvantage on their next attack roll before the start of their next turn due to overwhelming dread and distraction. This effect does not stack.
##### **Actions**
- **Slam:**
Melee Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Damage: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.