Am-Ren

To many mortals death only truly comes when even one’s name is forgotten. When tombs are forgotten, cities crumble and writing has faded. It is from this death that Am-Ren spring.
It is from this origin that Am-Ren have gained the power to steal and devour the names of their victims. They live in desolate places, filled with the lost names of the dead, tombs, necropoli and ruins are their most common dwellings.

These native outsiders appear as muscular yet starving humanoids with hide like cracked red stone. The flesh around it’s mouth and eyes is torn, showing bloody flesh around gnashing teeth and eyeless sockets.

An Am-Ren cannot devour the name of a being whose name it does not know, as such they will often shadow intruders to learn more of them, and if pressed in combat before then will try to trick their opponents into revealing their names.
A being whose name is stolen loses all sense of identity and is confused for six rounds. If the Am-Ren is then given the time it can devour the name permanently, leaving it’s victim a wretched wreck forever.

CR: 3
CE Medium Outsider (chaotic, evil, native)
Combat Role: Melee, Debuff

An Am-Ren is a capable melee fighter but it is their ability to steal and eat names that is most interesting. Make certain that the name theft ability is able to affect the PCs at least somewhat reliably.
Keep track of what character names it may have heard and try to goad them into revealing more of them if possible. The Am-Ren’s default feats are combat focused, so if the player’s Will saves are to high you can replace one of them with Ability Focus (Name Theft) to keep it threatening.


Many curses are targeted using the victim’s true name. Though dangerous, the name eating power of an Am-Ren can be used as a cure for some of these curses.

Am-Hen the Silent is a notorious assassin who does not kill his marks, but rather leaves them as nameless madmen. He is skilled in the manipulation of shadows and darkness, often tormenting his targets for weeks before finally devouring their names.

The wealthy trader’s city of Ljice sees itself as refined and civilized. The burgers of the Waterfall Republic disdain executions or banishment, instead the losers of the cutthroat politics have their very names taken and destroyed.

Monsters of Porphyra 2, 10