.... 250 Arasta appears as a gigantic spiderlike creature, her few humanoid features made monstrous by cruel magic and ages of hatred. Webs fill her lair deep in the Nessian Wood, sticky strands made not of silk but of her own endless hair. In her darkened realm, Arasta broods on her hatred of the gods and their servants. She doesn't do so alone, though, as innumerable arachnids fawn over her, serving as her eyes throughout the wilderness, disposing of victims trapped within her hair, and sacrificing themselves in her defense if they must. See "Myths of Nylea" in chapter 2 for more details on the tragedy of Arasta. ARASTA's LAIR Arasta lives in an enormous, gnarled olive tree called Enorasi, which was planted millennia ago by Klothys. It is said that those who eat of its fruit can see glimpses of the future. Eating the fruit brings with it a risk, though, for those who Klothys finds unworthy might be driven mad. There, within Enorasi's hollow trunk, Arasta awaits the next would-be prophet to make her meal. Her webs stretch beyond the branches of the tree and carpet the forest floor of her realm. Path to the Underworld. Tales are told of forlorn souls who, because of grief or madness over the loss of a loved one, have sought out Arasta's lair, as it is rumored that some of the strands of her web are anchored near the edge of the Underworld and can enable a traveler to reach that realm's ashen shores. But those who enter her domain unbidden almost never go unnoticed, for Arasta can sense the slightest vibration along her web hair, and her children act as spies on her behalf. C HAPTER 6 I FRIENDS AND FOES Lair Actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Arasta can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. She can't use the same effect two rounds in a row. • Arasta learns about any creature touching her webs. Each creature restrained by a web or Arasta's Web of Hair must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, Arasta gains knowledge of a creature's name, race, where they consider home, and what brought them to her web. • Arasta casts the giant insect spell (spiders only). It lasts until she uses this lair action again or until she dies. Regional Effects. The region containing Arasta's lair is warped by her presence, which creates one or more of the following effects: • Spiders and insects within 1 mile of Arasta's lair serve as her eyes and ears. Birds and other flying creatures are absent from the skies and occasionally found trapped in webs. Within 1 mile of Arasta's lair, webs fill all 10-foot cubes of open space, so long as the webs can be anchored between two solid masses (such as walls or trees). The webs are flammable. Any webs exposed to fire burn away in 1 round. Any destroyed webs are magically repaired at the next dawn. If Arasta dies, the spiders and insects lose their supernatural link to her. The webs remain, but they dissolve within ldlO days.
HYTHONIA THE C RUEL Theros's reclusive medusas often delight in collecting and expanding their galleries of petrified victims. Unlike other medusas, Hythonia isn't merely a collector; she's an artist. When Hythonia came to the island of Skathos, the inhabitants worshiped her as an avatar of the god Pharika. The cultists eagerly offered themselves up to the medusa's petrifying gaze in hopes of gaining Pharika's favor. Seeing herself surrounded by willing devotees, Hythonia formulated a cruel plan. After encouraging them to engage in wild rituals, Hythonia began turning her followers to stone, weaving their forms to create a grisly throne made of their petrified bodies. While the medusa's victims have dwindled, tales of the medusa queen and the divine secrets she hoards have not. Hythonia eagerly trades the mysteries she knows but demands a constant price: a beautiful individual to become part of her throne. HYTHONIA'S LAIR Hythonia makes her lair on Skathos, an island where a secret sect of worshipers dedicated to Pharika previously hoarded secrets and engaged in dark rituals. Island of Potent Magic. Although Skathos's location remains a mystery, stories tell of the island's magical plants and Hythonia's various treasures. Hythonia encourages such rumors by letting lone survivors escape her realm, letting the ravings of survivors tempt more playthings into her clutches. Lair Actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Hythonia can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. She can't use the same effect two rounds in a row: • • Hythonia briefly animates creatures that have been petrified by her gaze. Each statue attacks one creature within 5 feet of it, with a+ 11 bonus to hit and dealing 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on a hit. If a Medium or smaller creature takes this damage, it is also grappled (escape DC 15). Hythonia causes spectral snakes to erupt from a point she can see within 150 feet of her. Each creature within 20 feet of that point must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) piercing damage and become poisoned until the end of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, the creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws, and it behaves as if under the effect of the confusion spell. Regional Effects. The region containing Hythonia's lair is warped by her presence, which creates one or more of the following effects: • A large population of snakes dwells in the region. • Trees within 1 mile of the lair are petrified wood. Plants that stay within 500 feet of the lair for 1 day turn to stone. • Small bodies of water within 1 mile of the lair become poisonous. A creature that drinks the water must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each hour.
• 252 HYTHONIA Large monstrosity, lawful evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 199 (2ldl0 + 84) • • • Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft. STR 21 (+S) DEX 17 (+3) CON 19 (+4) I NT 14 (+2) Saving Throws Str +11, Con +10, Cha +10 WIS 16 (+3) CHA 18 (+4) Skills Deception +10, Insight +9, Perception +9, Stealth +9 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 19 Languages Common Challenge 17 (1 8,000 XP) Innate Spellcasting. Hythonia's spellcasting abil ity is Charisma (spell save DC 1 8). She can innately cast animate objects once per day requ iring no material components. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Hythonia fails a saving th row, she can choose to succeed instead. Petrifying Gaze. When a creature that can see Hythonia's eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of her, Hythonia can force it to make a DC 18 Constitution savi ng th row if she isn't incapacitated and can see the creature. If the savi ng throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, on a failed save the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see Hythonia until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at Hythonia in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. If Hythonia sees herself reflected on a polished su rface within 30 feet of her and in an area of bright light, she is affected by her own gaze. Shed Skin (Mythic Trait; Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If Hythonia is reduced to 0 hit points, she doesn't die or fall unconscious. Instead, she sheds her skin, regains 1 99 hit points, and moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks. C HAPTER 6 I FRIENDS AND FOES Multiattack. Hythonia makes three attacks: one with her claws, one to constrict, and one with her snaky hair. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: + 11 to h it, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (ld8 + 5) slashing damage plus 4 (l d8) poison damage. Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: + 11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 16 (2dl0 + 5) bludgeon ing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 1 9). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns, and Hythonia can't constrict another target. Snaky Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: + 11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 31 (4dl2 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and Hythonia can pull the target up to 5 feet closer to her if it is a Large or smaller creature. LEGENDARY ACTIONS Hythonia can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. She can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Hythonia regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Move. Hythonia moves up to her speed without provoking opportun ity attacks. Snaky Hair. Hythonia makes one attack with her snaky hair. Petrified Earth (Costs 2 Actions). Hythonia causes stone spikes to erupt from the ground in a 30-foot radius centered on her. The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of her next turn. Any creature, other than Hythonia, takes 9 (2d8) piercing damage for every 5 feet it moves on those spikes. MYTHIC ACTIO NS If Hythonia's mythic trait is active, she can use the options below as legendary actions for 1 hour after using Shed Skin. Numbing Claws. Hythonia makes two attacks with her claws. If both attacks hit the same creature, it takes an extra 7 (2d6) poison damage and must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution savi ng throw or become paralyzed until the start of her next turn. Look at Me (Costs 3 Actions). Hythonia can fo rce a sighted creature she has grappled to see her eyes and be affected by her gaze.
HYTHONIA AS A MYTHIC ENCOUNTER Hythonia serves as a potent threat against even highleve.1 characters, but you can increase the challenge by using the Shed Skin trait. When this happens, Hythonia heals many of her wounds and slips away from danger, and then she can choose one of her mythic actions when she uses a legendary action. You might foreshadow Hythonia using her mythic trait by describing her skin cracking and turning pale as she suffers wounds. Read or paraphrase the following text when Hythonia finally uses her Shed Skin trait: The medusa's skin cracks, turns a lifeless gray, and shatters! The monster crumbles to dust-but what clatters to the ground isn't scale and bone, but hollow stone. The sound of rippl ing coils precedes the medusa rising up anew, the last of her shed skin d ropping away, revealing glistening, unscarred sca les. Fighting Hythonia as a mythic encounter is equivalent to taking on two challenge rating 17 creatures in one encounter. Award a party 36,000 XP for defeating Hythonia after she uses Shed Skin.
2 54 TROMOKRATIS Most krakens roam the seas, shattering hulls and scattering fleets, but the kraken Tromokratis notoriously vents its wrath on coastal settlements. Whether it acts at the command of the god Thassa or to sate its- own· hunger, Tromokratis numbers among the most feared threats in the sea, having no fixed lair and wandering where it will. In recent memory, the massive menace rose from the waves to topple the Pyrgnos, Meletis's great repository of scholarly knowledge. Since that day, the polis keeps a watch specifically for Tromokratis. ThOMOKRATIS Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), any alignment Armor Class 22 (natural armor) Hit Points 409 (21d20 + 189) Speed 30 ft., swim 80 ft. STR 30 (+10) DEX 11 (+0) CON 29 (+9) Saving Throws I nt + 14, Wis +8 I NT 22 (+6) WIS 11 (+O) Damage Resistances cold, l ightning, thunder CHA 10 (+O) Damage Immunities fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, restrained Senses blindsight 1 20 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages - Challenge 26 (90,000 XP) Amphibious. Tromokratis can breathe air and water. Hearts of the Kraken (Mythic Trait; Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When Tromokratis is reduced to 0 hit points, it doesn't die or fall unconscious. Instead, the damage creates cracks in its carapace, revealing its hearts. Tromokratis has four hearts: two on its chest, one on its back, and one at the base of its tail. A heart has an AC of 22 and 100 hit points. It is immune to bl udgeoni ng, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks, and it is immune to all conditions. If it is forced to make a saving throw, treat its abil ity scores as 10 (+O). If it finishes a short or long rest, the carapace heals, any destroyed hearts regenerate, and the hearts are covered again. Tromokratis dies when all the hearts are destroyed. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). lfTromokratis fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Weapons. Tromokratis's weapon attacks are magical. Siege Monster. Tromokratis deals double damage to objects and structures. Spell-Resistant Carapace. Tromokratis has advantage on saving throws against spells, and any creature that makes a spell attack agai nst Tromokratis has disadvantage on the attack roll. ACTIONS Multiattack. Tromokratis makes three attacks: one with its pincer, one with its tail, and one with its tentacle grasp. Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 8 to h it, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and if the target CHAPTER 6 I FRIENDS AND FOES Rough Waters. Tromokratis is a particularly cantankerous nadir kraken that has claimed all the sea as its territory. A tumultuous sea is often attributed to Tromokratis battling another kraken to assert its claim. Often, before a journey, sailors blow conch-shell horns in the belief that the sound will soothe nearby krakens. The Horn ofHumenades. Legend speaks of a magic horn that the hero Humenades used in ancient times to summon Tromokratis to lay waste to a cursed city lost to evil ways. The horn was so powerful that, after the city was destroyed, Humenades took it to Tizerus and buried it under a stone near the palace of Erebos. is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 26). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Tromokratis can't use this attack on anyone else. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: + 18 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a creature, it is knocked prone. Tentacle Grasp. Melee Weapon Attack: + 18 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (3d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 26). If the target doesn't escape by the end of its next turn, Tromokratis throws the target up to 60 feet in a straight li ne. The target lands prone and takes 21 (6d6) bludgeon ing damage. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (3d12 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature grappled by Tromokratis, that creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is bli nded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Tromokratis, and it takes 42 (1 2d6) acid damage at the start of each ofTromokratis's turns. lfTromokratis takes 50 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, Tromokratis mu st succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet ofTromokratis. lfTromokratis dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone. LEGENDARY ACTIONS Tromokratis can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Tromokratis regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move. Tromokratis moves up to half its speed. Tail. Tromokratis makes one tail attack. Bite (Costs 3 Actions). Tromokratis makes one bite attack. MYTHIC ACTIONS lfTromokratis's mythic trait is active, it can use the options below as l egendary actions for l hour after using Hearts of the Kraken. Rampage. Tromokratis makes two attacks: one with its tail and one with its tentacle grasp. Coral Growth (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 10 feet ofTromokratis must make a DC 25 Dexterity savi ng th row, taking 13 (3d8) slashing damage on a fai led save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Until the start of its next turn, Tromokratis and its hearts gain a +2 bonus to AC.
TROMOKRATIS AS A MYTHIC ENCOUNTER Tromokratis numbers among the most powerful creatures a group of adventurers might face. If you wish to make an encounter with the kraken truly legendary, Tromokratis might use its Hearts of the Kraken mythic trait. When this happens, it calls upon a reserve of strength just as it appears to be vanquished. After its hearts are exposed, Tromokratis can choose one of its mythic actions when it uses a legendary action. Read or paraphrase the following text when Tromokratis uses its Hearts of the Kraken trait: The titanic monster's carapace cracks, revea ling a pulsing, red-purple heart bu ried amid heaps of blubber and muscle. Fissures run across the beast's ancient shell, revealing three other mighty, ichor-slick organs. The sea terror thrashes, channeling pain i nto fury. Fighting Tromokratis as a mythic encounter is equivalent to taking on two CR 26 creatures in one encounter. Award a party 180,000 XP for defeating Tromokratis after it uses Hearts of the Kraken.
. - ·- INDEX Agonas, 1 06 Akroan War, The, 88 Akros, 86 Alseid, 234 Altrisos, 41, 92 Amatrophon, 94 Amphisbaena, 208 Androphage, 64 Anvilwroughts 1 2, 209 Aphemia, 226 Arasta, 69, 248 Archons, 8, 212 Mounts, 214 Ashlands, The, 99 Asphodel, 1 00 Athlete, 31 Athreos, 39, 181 Adventures, 116 Champions, 38 Basilisk, 71, 204 Bassara Tower, 93 Blessings, 114 Calendar, 85 Caryatid, 94 Catoblepas, 47, 69, 204 Centaur, 18 Lagonna band, 92 Pheres band, 88 Cerberus, 65, 214 Chimera, 216 Citadel of Destiny, 107 College of Eloquence, 28 Colossus of Akros, 218 Crypts of the Lost, 101 Cult of Horns, 1 03 Cyclops, 88, 204 Cypress Gates, 95 Dakra Isles, 8, 85, 102 Dawngreets, 1 03 Deathbellow Canyon, 99 Demons of Theros, 1 82, 219 Despair Lands, 1 00 Destiny, 6, 58 Divination, 1 1 1, 142 Doomwake giant, 224 Dragon, 35, 71, 99, 104, 205 Eidolons, 1 82, 222 Emissaries, 1 14, 1 56 Empty Eye, 104 Ephara, 40 Adventures, 1 20 Champions, 42 Erebos, 43 Adventures, 124 Champions, 44 Fate, 6 Flarnespeaker, 86, 104 I NDEX Fleecemane lion, 223 Glossion, 41, 92 Gods, 33 Adventures, 1 09 Assistance, 1 10 Divine weapons, 1 98 Gods as villains, 110 Intervention, 1 1 4 Serving multiple, 109 Gorgon, see medusa Harpies, 226 Heliod, 46 Adventures, 1 28 Champions, 48 Heroic archetypes, 7 Heroic drive, 11 Hetos, 101 Hippocamp, 227 History, 7 Hoplites, 228 Humans, 17 Hundred-handed one, 225 Hunter's Crossing, 95 Hydras, 230 Hyrax Tower, 93 Hythonia, 251 Ilysia, 107 Iraan Games, The, 49, 87 Iroas, 49 Adventures, 132 Champions, 50 Karametra, 52 Adventures, 1 36 Champions, 54 Katachthon Mountains, 1 04 Keranos, 55 Adventures, 1 40 Champions, 56 Klothys, 58 Adventures, 144 Champions, 60 Kraken, 205 Nadir, 205 Krimnos, 92 Kruphix, 61 Adventures, 1 48 Champions, 62 Lagonna Grounds, 92 Lamia, 206 Lampad, 234 Languages, 9 Lathos, 1 07, 1 82 Leina Tower, 93 Lektoi, 86 Leonin, 20, 96, 232 Listes, 92 Medusa, 70, 71, 206 Phylaskia, 239 MYTHS Meletis, 89 Phylias, 1 06 Minotaur, 22, 65, 98 Piety, 36 Akroan War, The, 88 Miracles, 114 Polukranos, 230 Athreos, 39 Mire of Punishment, 1 07 Purphoros, 7 6 Dalakos and the Kraken, Mogis, 64 Adventures, 1 68 26 Adventures, 152 Champions, 78 Ephara, 41 Champions, 66 Quests, 1 09 Erebos, 45 Mount Hiastos, 105 Returned, 73, 1 00, 240 Fall of Agnomakhos, 91 Mount Kure, 97 Reverent Army, The, 90 First Kings of Meletis, Mount Velus, 1 04 Satyr, 24, 103, 242 15 Mount Vesios, 1 04 Sea lock, 205 Halma, Nylea's Mystic Sea, 1 05 Setessa, 93 Emissary, 1 56 Mystical islands, 1 77 Siren Sea, 102 Heliod, 47 Natumbria, 92 Sirens, 226 Iraan Games, The, 30 Nautical adventures, Sitrium, 92 Iroas, 51 176 Skala Vale, 103 Karametra, 53 Neolantin, 92 Skophos, 99 Kelephne the Victor, 133 Nerono, 107 Sphinx, 207 Keranos, 57 Nessian Wood, 95 Stadium of Dishonor, Klothys, 59 Nexuses of the Seasons, 1 06 Klothys and the Titans, 94 Stratian, 86 145 Naiad, 236 Stratian Front, The, 99 Kruphix, 63 Night hag, 206 Sun's Mirror, 97 Mogis, 65 Nylea, 67 Supernatural gifts, 12 Mogis and the Adventures, 1 56 Tartyx River, 106, 180 Minotaurs, 23 Champions, 68 Tethmos, 97 Nikaia the First Caryatid, Nylea's Favored, 103 Thassa, 79 95 Nymphs, 234 Adventures, 1 72 Nylea, 69 Nyx, 1 05, 114 Champions, 80 Pharika, 71 Nyxborn, 1 4, 63, 203 Thaumaturges, 90 Phenax, 75 Nyx-fleece ram, 233 Thesteia, 92 Purphoros, 77 Nykthos, 104 Titans, 34, 58, 1 45 Sinking of Olantin, The, Oath of Glory, 29 Titan's Stairs, 88 179 Odunos, 1 01 Tizerus, 1 07 Temple at the World's Olantin, 88, 92, 179 Tovian Fields, 105 Edge, The, 1 49 Omens, 111, 112 Triton, 26, 1 09, 244 Thassa, 81 One-Eyed Pass, 88 Tromokratis, 254 Tymaret the Murder Ophis Tower, 93 Twelve, The, 89 King, 101 Oracle, 15, 238 Typhon, 246 Xenagos the Satyr God, Ordeals, 114 Underwater adventures, 25 Oread, 237 1 79 Oraniad Mountains, 104 Underworld, The, 1 06 Oreskos, 96 Adventures, 1 80 Oxus, 92 Denizens, 182 Path of Phenax, 75, 1 82 Unicorn, 207 Phaela 92 Wall of water (spell), 27 Pharagax Bridge, 88 Winter's Heart, 104 Pharika, 70 Woe strider, 59, 24 7 Adventures, 160 Champions, 72 Phenax, 73 Adventures, 164 Champions, 7 4 Phoenix Stairs, 104 Pheres Lands, 88 Philosophy, 89 Phoberos, 98 Outposts, 88