Cloakers are fiendish horrors, related to trappers, that dwell in dark places far beneath the surface of the earth. They generally seek to kill those who enter their lairs, unless they can think up some other, more amusing way to punish interlopers.

When a cloaker is first seen, it is almost impossible to distinguish this monster from a common black cloak. The monster's back has two rows of black eye spots running down it that look much like buttons, and the two ivory-colored claws on its upper edge can easily be mistaken for bone clasps.

When it unfurls itself and moves to attack, however, its true nature becomes all too obvious. At this point, its white underside is clear and the monster's face is fully visible. This face, with the glow of its two piercing, red eyes and the needle-like fangs that line its mouth, is a truly horrible sight. At this point, the monster also uncurls the whip-like tail at its trailing edge and begins to swish it back and forth in anticipation.

Combat: When a cloaker strikes at its victim, it moves with blinding speed. Without warning, the cloaker flies at its target and engulfs its prey within its folds. Any creature that falls victim to this attack is all but helpless and can be bitten easily. Thus, an adventurer in chain mail suffers damage. Shields offer no protection from such attacks.

While it is devouring its chosen victim, the cloaker uses its two whip-like tail attacks to inflict damage on those who move in to help rescue the captive.

Any attacks made on the cloaker inflict half their damage to the cloaker and the other half to the trapped victim. Area effect spells, such as fireball, cause full damage to both the monster and its victim.

The cloaker can also emit a special subsonic moan of increasing intensities. Although this power is blocked by stone or other dense materials, it can be very effective in an open chamber. A cloaker may emit one of four types of moan.

The first intensity of moaning causes unease and numbs the minds of those within 80 feet of the cloaker. Any creature that is forced to listen to the moan six times is temporarily forced into a trance that renders it unable to attack or defend itself as long as the moaning continues. Opponents must successfully cover their ears to avoid this effect. Remember that to cover one's ears NOTHING can be held in your hands at the time and swords and other weapons must be picked back up before a blow can be struck.

The second intensity of moaning acts as a fear spell. All creatures within 30 feet of the cloaker must successfully cover their ears or flee in terror for two minutes. Or use some form of magic to combat the effect of the moan if they have the use of magic

The third intensity of moaning causes nausea and weakness and affects all those in a cone 30 feet long and 20 feet wide at its open end. Successful dodges are the same as previous. Otherwise the victim is overcome by nausea and weakness for 4 minutes. During this time, those who fail their dodges are unable to act in any manner.

The fourth and final intensity of moaning acts as a hold person spell. This power can be used on only one person at a time, has a range of 30 feet, and lasts for five minutes. Successful dodges are as before, either drop all weapons and cover the ears or use magic to combat the effect.

Each of the various effects of the cloaker's moan can be defeated by the use of a neutralize poison spell on a victim.

Cloakers also have the power to manipulate shadows. Known as shadow shifting, this power can be used in a number of ways, but in only one particular manner at any given time. The cloaker can employ its shadow shifting ability to obscure its opponents' vision. Or the creature can produce precise images from the shadows that can be used to trick its adversaries. One common means of employing these images is to create a duplicate of the cloaker to draw away enemy attacks. If this method of shadow shifting is employed, it can be treated as a mirror image spell that creates 2 images.

A light spell cast directly at a specific cloaker blinds it and prevents it from using its shadow shifting powers.

Habitat/Society: The thought processes of cloakers are utterly alien to most other life forms. As such, they can only be communicated with by mages who have devoted long hours to training their minds in the arcane discipline necessary to understand these creatures.

Ecology: It is believed that cloakers are asexual, although no definitive proof of this has ever been found.