Sinister bat

Sinister bats are mysterious jet-black creatures which most closely resemble manta rays. They have no distinct heads and necks, and their powerfully-muscled wings do not show the prominent finger bones common to most bats. A natural ability of levitation allows them to hang motionless in midair. This unnerving appearance and behavior has earned them their dark name, but sinisters are not evil. Above ground, they prefer to hunt at night, when their infravision is most effective. They eat carrion if no other food is available, and regularly devour flowers and seed pods of all sorts.

Sinisters are both resistant to magic and adept in its use. In addition to their pinpoint, precision levitation, they are surrounded at all times by a naturally-generated energy field akin to a wall of force. This field affords no protection against spells or melee attacks, but missile attacks are stopped utterly.

In addition, all sinisters can cast hold monster once per day. They usually save this for escaping from creatures more powerful than themselves, but may use it when hunting, if ravenous.

Curiously, though they are always silent (communicating only with others of its kind via limited telepathy), sinisters love music -- both vocal and instrumental. Many a bard making music at a wilderness campfire has found him or herself surrounded by a silent circle of floating sinisters. Unless they are directly attacked, the sinisters will not molest the bard in any way, but may follow the source of the music, gathering night after night to form a rather daunting audience.

Sinisters are usually encountered in small groups and are thought to have a long life span. Their social habits and mating rituals are unknown.

Note: Sinister bats originally appeared in this form in the 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual for the AD&D game from TSR. Their use here is for the purposes of providing context for the campaign only.