Incredible Creatures

101 Hagloth by Jeffrey Ludwig Hagloth are voracious predators native to the swamps and fens of the Lower Planes. Though seldom found on other planes, hagloth can have an extreme impact on the ecology of any region they inhabit due to their remarkable lifecycle, in which they progress from amphibious to airborne and finally to terrestrial predation. Bestial and highly aggressive, mature hagloth are dangerous enough that even most fiends of their home plane give them a wide berth. Although a trained hagloth might make a formidable mount or guardian, few attempts have been made to tame these vile creatures. Metamorphic Lifecycle. Hagloth lay their eggs in rafts of scum on the surface of stagnant water. When the eggs hatch, the hagloth emerge as translucent, eel-like larvae and immediately begin cannibalizing each other. Although only a few inches long at birth, hagloth larvae can quickly grow to over five feet in length, squirming their way across open ground to reach new pools of water in which to hunt. Once a larva is large enough, it finds a skull to anchor itself to— often that of a drake or other large reptile, though demonskull hagloth are not unknown—and grows skin and sinew to encase its new home. Lastly, it grows a membranous pair of wings, at which point the hagloth enters its nymph phase. In this form, the hagloth takes to the sky as a disembodied head, hunting for prey substantial enough to fuel its final transformation. As the hagloth continues to mature, it grows a tail that trails it in flight and a pair of legs it can use to perch. The hagloth’s legs and tail then develop to the point where it can no longer hold itself aloft, and the now fully-mature hagloth roams the swamp as an apex predator. Corrosive Regeneration. Hagloth larvae slime excels at breaking down the flesh of its prey and using these nutrients to power the hagloth’s evolution. Even in its mature form, the hagloth retains potent powers of regeneration, made all the more problematic by its natural resistance to acid. The only known countermeasure is extreme cold, which can temporarily arrest the hagloth’s metabolism. Infernal Delicacy. Pickled hagloth larvae are prized in infernal courts, where they are considered a delicacy by those able to tolerate their acidic brine. Reputable sourcing is a must, as there has been at least one case of assassination where a rival was gifted a barrel of insufficiently pickled hagloth which continued their lifecycle after being ingested by their host. Hagloth Huge monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 218 (19d12 + 95) Speed 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 4 (–3) 12 (+1) 6 (–2) Skills Perception +6 Damage Resistances acid Senses passive Perception 16 Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Death Flight. When the hagloth is reduced to 0 hit points, its winged head detaches from its body and takes flight, continuing to act on the hagloth’s initiative count. The head uses the hagloth’s statistics and abilities with the following changes: it is a Medium creature with a speed of 0 ft. and a fly speed of 60 ft.; it has an AC of 16, 40 hit points, and a Dex of 16 (+3); the only action the head can use is its bite. The head dies once it has been reduced to 0 hit points or after 1 minute. Regeneration. The hagloth regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the hagloth takes cold damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the hagloth’s next turn. The hagloth dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Rend. If the hagloth starts its turn with a creature grappled, the hagloth can make a claw attack against the grappled creature as a bonus action. Actions Multiattack. The hagloth makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail. It can’t make both attacks against the same target. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) acid damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, takes 10 (3d6) acid damage each turn, and the hagloth can’t bite another target. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

102 Hagloth Larva Small monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 10 Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12) Speed 10 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 1 (–5) 7 (–2) 6 (–2) Damage Resistances acid Senses passive Perception 8 Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Regeneration. The hagloth larva regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the hagloth larva takes cold damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the larva’s next turn. The larva dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, takes 3 (1d6) acid damage each turn, and the hagloth larva can’t bite another target. Hagloth Nymph Medium monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 72 (8d8 + 36) Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 6 (–2) Skills Perception +3 Damage Resistances acid Senses passive Perception 13 Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Flyby. The hagloth nymph doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach. Regeneration. The hagloth nymph regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the hagloth nymph takes cold damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the nymph’s next turn. The hagloth nymph dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, takes 7 (2d6) acid damage each turn, and the hagloth nymph can’t bite another target.

103 Shaurikan Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 16 Hit Points 283 (27d10 + 135) Speed 40 ft., fly 10 ft., swim 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 5 (–3) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) Saving Throws Wis +7, Cha +5 Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages understands Abyssal but cannot speak Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Amphibious. The shaurikan can breathe air and water. Pounce. If the shaurikan moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and grappled (escape DC 20). If the target is prone, the shaurikan can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Roar of Bile (Heroic Trait; Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If a critical hit is scored against the shaurikan, or an attack reduces its current hit points to half or less than its maximum hit points, it immediately roars in anger, spewing poisonous bile at those around it. Each creature within a 20-foot cone must make a DC 19 Constitution saving Shaurikan by Joe Raso The shaurikan originally hail from fetid swamps in the lower planes. It’s believed an unnamed demon lord bred these creatures as guardian beasts for its lair. Over the centuries numerous specimens escaped, and they can now be found in almost any land afflicted by a fiendish taint. Particularly powerful evil creatures use shaurikan to protect important locations. Typical specimens stand over ten feet tall and weigh thousands of pounds. They have tough, leathery skin and massive legs ending in wickedly taloned feet. Shurikan possess a large fanned tail that rapidly propels these imposing creatures through water. Comically tiny wings throw or take 9 (2d8) poison damage, 9 (2d8) acid damage, and become frightened until the end of their next turn. A successful save results in half as much damage, and the creature is not frightened. Actions Multiattack. The shaurikan makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws, or one tail sweep attack and one bite attack. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 28 (5d8 + 6) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) poison damage and become poisoned until the end of its next turn. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) slashing damage. Tail Sweep. Each creature within 10 feet of the shaurikan must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage and fall prone. Heroic Actions If the shaurikan’s heroic trait is active, it can use Bile Spray as a bonus action each turn for 1 minute after using Roar of Bile. Bile Spray. Each creature within a 20-foot cone must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) poison damage, or half as much damage on a success. sprout from its upper body, however they do provide the creature with limited flight abilities. Feral Anger. These fiends are notoriously ferocious and hard to control. Though they possess limited intelligence, many unprepared summoners have been surprised by the shaurikan’s strong will and voracious appetite. They relentlessly pursue their prey with bestial fury. Deadly Saliva. Shaurikan bites are dangerous due to its sword-sized teeth and poisonous saliva. When gravely injured, these fiends emit a thunderous roar, covering nearby victims with poisonous spittle. Assassins covet vials of shaurikan saliva because of its lasting potency. Striding Assault. In combat, shaurikan recklessly charge, leaping at their targets and attempting to pin them to the ground. The unfortunate victims are then held fast and raked by the shaurikan’s sharp talons.

104 Artist: Comettant Writers: Tyson VanOverhill, Nathan Doyle, Elise Cretel, Micah Watt

105 Forgefolk Tiny fey, chaotic neutral Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 33 (6d4 + 18) Speed 25 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (–2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) Damage Immunities fire Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Sylvan Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Flaming Leap. As a bonus action, at the start of the forgefolk’s turn, it can leap up to 20 feet in a straight line. If it does so, creatures within 5 feet of its starting position must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) fire damage. Actions Forge Rod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 3 (2d4 – 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is wearing or wielding a manufactured metal object, such as a metal weapon or a suit of heavy or medium metal armor, it glows red hot. The creature suffers 4 (1d8) fire damage. The forgefolk can use a bonus action on each of its subsequent turns to cause this damage again. If the target is holding or wearing the object and takes damage from it, the creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or drop the object if it can. If it doesn’t drop the object, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of its next turn. Forgefolk by Tyson VanOverhill Long have there been stories of fey spirits coming in the night and assisting in the work of craftsmen. Cobblers finding complete shoes on their workbenches, weavers discovering skeins of finely spun wool, and blacksmiths with forges still warm in the morning. Forgefolk are attracted to the fires of a blacksmith and often take up residence in the flues of their forges. If they can be befriended, forgefolk ensure the forge is always hot and burning at a consistent temperature—perfect for whatever metals the blacksmith wishes to work. Being fey, however, forgefolk are a fickle bunch. After residing in one place for several months or more, they gain a sense of ownership of the forge and workshop, and the blacksmith becomes a mere servant to their whims. If they feel slighted, they can ruin any metals worked in the forge. They can be difficult—to say the least—to drive away from their “domain.” Touch of the Forge. With a touch of their rod, they can immediately raise the temperature of any metal. This ability not only comes in handy for working metal, they also use it to great effectiveness in combat. Flight of Flame. Their lack of wings doesn’t hinder the movement of these tiny fey. They can sprint and leap long distances while sparks and flame trail behind them. Born of Iron and Coal. Unlike most fey, forgefolk don’t suffer a distaste for iron. In fact, their skin is fused with the metal, making it unusually tough. They revel in fire and heat, leading many to mistake them for fiends. A Forgefolk’s Lair Forgefolk take up residence in forges, hence the name. Blacksmith workshops are their prefered lair, where they can observe the goings on from their fiery home. In the fey realms they use the workshop to forge items for the fey. But in mortal realms they lay claim to blacksmith workshops, making them their home, and set themselves up as arbiters of what is produced. Lair Actions When fighting within the forgefolk’s blacksmith workshop, it can use its mastery of the place to its advantage. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the forgefolk takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • Tools and debris are flung about and one creature must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. • The forge bursts to life and each creature in a 10-foot cone must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, half as much damage on a successful one.

106 Lava Lord Large elemental, neutral Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 163 (16d10 + 64) Speed 40 ft., swim in lava 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 7 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, poisoned, unconscious Senses passive Perception 11 Languages Ignan Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Heated Body. Any creature that touches the lava lord, or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it, takes 11 (2d10) fire damage. Illumination. The lava lord sheds bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light in an additional 15 feet. Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the laval lord moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage. Actions Multiattack. The lava lord makes two fist attacks. Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 11 (2d10) fire damage. Hurl Magma. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 50/100 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning plus 14 (4d6) fire damage. Lava Lord by Nathan Doyle Deep in the magma pools of the Elemental Plane of Fire, and even sometimes in the depths of volcanoes on the Material Plane, there is a type of elemental that is a noble among its kind. The very core of these creatures is magma, which is essential to both the creation and destruction of worlds. Legend has it that the first azer was created by a lava lord, and the similarities would grant some credence to this. The lava lord is animated by elemental energy held within a carapace of stone impervious to its molten core. Forgotten Gods. There are legends that some of the first peoples of the Material Plane worshiped lava lords as gods of fire and mountains. The practices faded over time, perhaps because of the growing prominence of other gods. Intense Heat. The body of a lava lord exudes heat like the hottest forge. Even being near one is uncomfortable and nearly anything that touches it bursts into flames. Masters of Magma. Each lava lord carries with it a staff that appears to be topped with molten rock. When threatened or angered, the lava lord hurls magma from this everflowing font.

107 Elemental of Thea Large elemental, neutral Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 170 (20d10 + 60) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 13 Languages Ignan Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Retributive Fire (Heroic Trait). Whenever the elemental of Thea takes cold damage, it immediately sends a gout of magma 15 feet in the direction the damage came from. Any creatures in this line must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) fire damage, half as much on a success. Innate Spellcasting. The elemental of Thea’s spell casting ability is Intelligence with a spell DC of 17. The elemental of Thea can cast the following spells without the need of material components: At will: create flame, firebolt 3/day each: flaming sphere, levitate, scorching ray, thunderwave 1/day each: conjure elemental, teleport, wall of stone Actions Multiattack. The elemental makes three fiery fist attacks. Fiery Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) fire damage. Lava Rift. A 120 foot line of magma erupts from the earth. Creatures in this line must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 60 (11d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Magma Sphere. A sphere of bubbling magma appears and can be hurled up to 200 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 58 (9d12) fire damage and is paralyzed by hardened magma. On a success, the target takes half damage and is not paralyzed. Elemental of Thea by Elise Cretel The earth violently quakes as volcanic ash rains across the smoky terrain. A large crevice rips across the earth and a stone hand grasps at the edge from below. An elemental being of basalt rises from the earth. Veins of glowing magma spider across its body and its ruby heart glows and pulses with arcane power. The elementals rise from the earth to answer a call unheard by other creatures, leaving destruction in their wake. An elemental of Thea pauses before a steep cliff which blocks its path. Magic crackles and glows with swirling beads of light as the elemental slowly raises its staff. The staff drives into the ground with great force causing a rift of magma to erupt through the earth. Rocks and debris rain down as the elemental tunnels through the charred fissure it blasts through the mountain side. The ground hardens to glassy black as the elemental strides into the passage. Rebuilding Destroyers. The elementals of Thea are magma elementals formed in the fiery center of the universe. They are spellcasters and knowledgeable of the ancient arcane traditions of earth and fire. Their goal is to destroy old terrain in order to rebuild new landscapes. Life springs stronger after the elemental fires have burned.

108 Armageddon Herald Gargantuan celestial, lawful neutral Armor Class 25 (natural armor) Hit Points 840 (40d20 + 400) Speed 60 ft., fly 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 30 (+10) 20 (+5) 30 (+10) 14 (+2) 22 (+6) 18 (+4) Saving Throws Str +19, Con+19, Wis +15, Cha +13 Skills Arcana +11, Insight +15, Perception +20 Damage Resistances cold, lightning Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons. Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious Senses truesight 300 ft., passive Perception 30 Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 30 (155,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +9 Alert. The armageddon herald cannot be surprised. Annihilation Aura. The armageddon herald has a destructive aura to a range of 40 feet. At the start of each of its turns all objects and creatures in the aura take 11 (2d10) force damage and 11 (2d10) fire damage. The herald can suppress this aura at will. Celestial Nature. The armageddon herald doesn’t require air, food, drink or sleep. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the armageddon herald fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The armageddon herald has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects. Ravening Fire. The armageddon herald’s fire is so hot it ignores damage resistance, but not immunity, to fire. Siege Monster. The armageddon herald deals double damage to objects and structures. Armageddon Herald by Micah Watt An armageddon herald is the harbinger of doom and destruction. This gargantuan celestial is dispatched to worlds that have been judged irredeemable by one or more gods—often by the consensus of a whole pantheon. Fifty feet tall and arrayed for war, the herald is wrought from adamantium and hellfire so hot the metal exists in a semisolid state. Signs and Portents. Before an armageddon herald arrives, there are often signs and portents that signal the gods’ displeasure and imminence of the world’s destruction. Widespread waves of children born soulless, a sky full of burning clouds, and water turning to ashes are said to be the successive signs that mark its arrival. The herald then appears at a location chosen by the gods, and begins its work. The Final Challenge. Armageddon heralds are considered by many faiths to be the final challenge of a corrupt world. Should heroes arise that can defeat the herald, it is said the gods may reconsider their judgment and allow the champions a chance to shepherd the world back onto the expected course, becoming its custodians to redemption.

109 Actions Multiattack. The armageddon herald makes four attacks selected in any combination from its annihilation beams or claws on its turn. It may replace a single claw attack with a staff strike if it chooses. Annihilation Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target, Hit: 27 (4d10 + 6) force damage and 11 (2d10) fire damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target, Hit: 26 (3d10 + 10) slashing damage. A creature struck must make a successful DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Staff Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target, Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and 11 (2d10) fire damage. A creature struck must make a successful DC 22 Strength saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn. Doomclarion (Recharge 6). The armageddon herald pronounces the existential fate of the world to all creatures within 300 feet via its telepathy ability. All who hear this pronouncement must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the herald. Affected creatures may make a new saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end the effect. Creatures that save are immune to the ability for 1 minute. Ravening Flame Wave (Recharge 6). The armageddon herald can create a wall of flame 40 feet high and 300 feet long, along any orientation, within 30 feet of itself. The wave then moves away from the herald at a speed of 40 feet at the end of each of its turns for 1 minute. Anything touched by the wave must make a successful DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 33 (6d10) fire damage. A successful saving throw takes half damage. Stunning Stomp (Recharge 6). The armageddon herald can stomp on the ground, sending out a shockwave in a 40-foot radius centered on itself. All creatures must make a successful DC 22 Constitution saving throw or take 16 (3d10) thunder damage and are stunned until the end of their next turn. On a successful save the creature takes half damage and is knocked prone instead. Reactions Repentance. When damaged by a creature, the armageddon herald may use its reaction to turn its chilling gaze on the perpetrator if it is within 300 feet. The creature is transfixed by the gaze, and must make a DC 22 Charisma save or take 33 (6d10) psychic damage and have disadvantage to all attack rolls until the end of its next turn. Legendary Actions The armageddon herald 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. The armageddon herald regains its legendary actions at the start of its turn. Attack. The armageddon herald may make an Annihilation Beam or claw attack. Regenerate. The armageddon herald regains 20 hit points. Doom (Costs 2 Actions). The armageddon herald may use any one of Doomclarion, Ravening Flame Wave, or Stunning Stomp if they are available.

110 Artist: Florian Jonak Cartographer: William C. Cronk Writers: Alan Tucker, Ginny Loveday, Jeff C. Stevens, Nathan Doyle

111 Doliglop Tiny ooze, unaligned Armor Class 11 Hit Points 7 (2d4 + 2) Speed 15 ft., swim 15 ft., climb 10 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (–2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Resistances acid, cold Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 Languages — Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 All You Need Is Love. Doliglops have no need to eat or sleep. They are sustained through their bond with a child. Any humanoid child who spends 24 hours in the presence of a doliglop becomes psychically linked to the creature. If the link is broken, either by distance (greater than 60 feet) or the doliglop is destroyed, the child takes 2 (1d4) psychic damage. Amorphous. The doliglop can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Spider Climb. The doliglop can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Actions Thwap. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage. Animate Toys (1/Day). The doliglop magically causes up to 10 tiny objects within 60 feet to animate. The objects each have 5 hit points, an AC of 12, have +4 to hit, and deal 1 point of bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. The objects act on the doliglop’s initiative and do everything they can to protect the doliglop and any children in the vicinity. Doliglop by Alan Tucker The first documented sighting of a doliglop occurred in a gnomish toymaker’s shop many years ago. The revered crafter of children’s playthings was thought to have passed away in her sleep one night, until closer examination discovered tiny imprints on her neck which resembled fingers from a small pair of hands. Shocked, investigators scoured the shop and canvassed the town for anyone who might have wished ill upon the beloved toymaker. Days later, a doliglop was found inside a stuffed owlbear toy and arcanists spent the next several months studying the creature until one of them also met an untimely end and the thing was destroyed. Doliglops are a rare form of ooze thought to be distant cousins to ochre jellies. These tiny blobs, however, seem to possess a higher form of the animal cunning that their much larger counterparts have. Doliglops are drawn to children—even fiercely protective of them—and seep inside a doll or other favored toy to be closer to their chosen companion. Any adult who threatens, or even speaks harshly to, a doliglop’s young friend may be subject to the creature’s wrath. Parents have been found quietly murdered in their homes while their children remained blissfully unaware. Youthful Affinity. Scholars are baffled as to how the doliglop gains sustenance, but most agree it probably has something to do with the creature’s relationship with a child. Evidence suggests the two become psychically linked as many children are painfully traumatized when a doliglop is separated from them. Nocturnal Stalkers. Doliglops are subtle in their dealings with adults and prefer to operate from hiding. If they mean to do harm, a doliglop most often attacks while the victim is asleep. Toy Story. Powerful doliglops can cause small objects— usually other toys—to animate when they believe their child is threatened. Their means of doing so is still unclear.

112 A Doliglop’s Lair The doliglop itself doesn’t possess a lair in the common sense, but rather its young companion does with aid from the doliglop. Most often, it isn’t long before foul play by the doliglop is discovered and action taken to eradicate the menace from a home. Rare circumstances, however, create conditions where a doliglop and its machinations go unnoticed for weeks or even months. Described below is a manor house which belonged to an affluent couple, the Periwhites, who earned their money through unscrupulous dealings and kept their lives secluded and secretive. They had a daughter named Mya, but were much more invested in their business dealings and paid her little attention. As a result, Mya grew distant from her parents as she aged and came to resent them tremendously. For her ninth birthday several months ago, Mya received a doll containing a doliglop. Whether this was devious planning by a business rival, or an unfortunate accident is unclear. Regardless, this began a downward spiral for the family—except for Mya, who became something of a spiritual leader for a band of street urchins in the city. The Periwhite home is an excellent place for GMs to place information about the seedy underground of their city, or other adventure hooks for their party to discover as they explore the house. Mya and her band of urchins could also be a fruitful source of information about any number of things if the party can befriend them after dealing with the doliglop. Ground Floor and Grounds The grass, bushes, and trees are all overgrown from months of neglect. Neighbors in the city have begun to suspect something is amiss, but due to the reclusive nature of the Periwhites they have not investigated thoroughly. All doors are locked, but can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Inside, the rooms are slightly dusty and have seen little use since the passing of Mya’s parents. The kitchen is the one exception. 1. Library Mya’s crew feeds themselves by selling books from the library, so the shelves are half-empty and stray books rest on tables and chairs. 2. Kitchen The children use this area heavily, but do little to clean it up. Pots, pans, and dirty dishes are piled in the sinks and on tables and counters. Cellar Once used as a clandestine meeting place for the underhanded dealings of her parents, Mya and her gang of young friends now use the cellar as their main entrance and exit via two secret doors which lead to the city sewer system. It is guarded by a pack of 2d4 giant rats which Mya and her band have fed and trained over the course of several weeks. The larders have been completely picked over except for the wine collection. Some of the urchins tried it, and most was too bitter for their taste. Second Floor Like the main floor, these areas are largely unused and have collected dust. The majority of the traffic leads from the top of the stairs to the attic access. 3. Periwhites’s Room Mya’s parents still rest here. The children have stuffed rags under both doors to contain the smell and the windows are firmly shuttered. Anyone opening this room must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned and wretch for the next minute. A lockbox containing a healthy amount of gold is hidden in one of the dressers. 4. Mya’s Room Mya keeps her bedroom much as it has been. She still sleeps here on occasion, but usually spends her time in the attic these days. A stuffed owlbear, animated by the doliglop, remains here and is hostile to any adult creatures. Attic The attic is Mya’s true base of operations. She and the other children sleep, play, and plan here, feeling more secure in a space together within the large house. Mya’s ability, through the doliglop, to animate small objects has afforded her a position of authority and awe with the other children and they would follow her to the end of the world. Mya is clever and gained some business acumen from her parents, allowing the group to remain clandestine and self-sufficient. Mya keeps the doll which houses the doliglop with her at all times. It is worn and the stitching is frayed in places, but she refuses to let it out of her sight under any circumstance. If threatened, the doliglop’s first response is to animate as many objects as possible to allow Mya and her friends to flee.

113 1 Ground Floor and Grounds Attic Second Floor Cellar 2 4 3 S S To Sewers

114 Scaeurgus Stitcher by Ginny Loveday During the last war, the wizarding conclave set out to create an advantage by bolstering the healing capabilities of their forces. After copious amounts of research, one enterprising young scholar landed upon the natural regenerative capabilities that most cephalopods possess and set out to find a way to merge that talent into other creatures. Counted among his many experiments, the scaeurgus stitcher was an unlikely candidate to survive and somehow managed to persevere. Though not exactly what he had envisioned, the young scholar realized that the stitcher, as he had taken to calling it, had the potential to change the war. It could empathically detect the pained thoughts of wounded soldiers and crawl through the battlefield to tend to them. However, patients of the stitcher often ended up with tentacles in place of their lost appendages, which many found to be an improvement. And so the most unlikely field medic was created, fondly welcomed by the soldiers, with the added benefit of frightening enemies with its grotesque form. Just One Stitch Should Do it. While stitchers are mostly known for their unorthodox field medic roles, they can also be fierce combatants if their patient is in danger. The stitcher can reach out its tentacles to stab at an enemy, or cast its needle and thread around a threat. Let’s Fix You Up Real Quick. The scaeurgus stitcher can sense the pain of its allies on the battlefield. It moves toward allies to heal them, making use of its innate magic where necessary.

115 Scaeurgus Stitcher Medium monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48) Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 21 (+5) 13 (+1) 6 (–2) Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +8, Wis +4 Damage Resistances slashing Damage Immunities psychic Condition Immunities frightened, grappled, restrained, paralyzed Senses blindsight 10 ft., tremorsense 30 ft. Languages understands Common but cannot speak Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Amphibious. The stitcher can breathe air and water. Bonded. The stitcher makes an empathic connection with up to 6 creatures who have treated it with kindness. The stitcher considers those creatures to be its allies and will protect them so long as they and it both live. Patchwork. The scaeurgus stitcher is an empath and can feel the pain of its allies up to 300 feet away. It moves rapidly to assist injured allies and close up wounds. The stitcher can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: 10/day: cure wounds (expends 1 additional use per spell level when cast above level 1) 1/day each: heal (6th level), regenerate (any missing limbs are replaced with tentacles instead) Actions Multiattack. The stitcher makes three attacks: once with its tentacle tack and twice with its stab, or three times with its stab. Stab. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Tentacle Tack. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: The creature is grappled and restrained (escape DC 15) by the thread wrapped around it. The creature must make a successful DC 15 Constitution save, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. If the creature remains grappled for 3 or more rounds, they become paralyzed, requiring greater restoration or similar magic to remove this effect. The stitcher can only grapple one creature at a time with this ability. Reactions Quick Stitch (1/Day). If any ally within 30 feet of the stitcher falls to 0 hit points, the stitcher can reach out with a tentacle and heal them for 1d4 hit points.

116 Globnotter by Jeff C. Stevens The globnotter is alien, pulled here by a cosmic storm that touched down on its home planet and transported the monstrosity. It was alone…until it was not. These creatures reproduce without mates. Instead, the body splits into two globnotters when it reaches a certain age, with both the new and original body becoming adolescent globnotters. This cycle continues until the globnotter is destroyed. Though they can thrive by consuming common prey, globnotters mature by ingesting sentient beings. The consumed creature’s sentience and bits of its body become a part of the globnotter, to such end that many globnotters have an extra mouth, an odd nose, enlarged organs, or extra appendages. Life Through Division. When the globnotter reaches adulthood, its body divides into two Medium-sized globnotters, each with half the hit dice of the original globnotter. Fierce Hunger. Being on this world has increased the globnotter’s need to feed. It is in a constant state of hunger, stated only when it consumes a sentient being, and then only for a short time. Many small villages, encampments, and traveling caravans have been found empty and destroyed, with maybe a few survivors lurking in the surroundings left to tell the story of what happened. Not of this World. The globnotter’s body is hardened and resistant to many forms of attack; though, due to the many sentient beings it consumes, its main body is vulnerable to psychic attacks. Incessant Moan. The sentience consumed by the globnotter continues to live within the monstrosity and is in a constant state of pain. These agonizing sentiences unknowingly cause the creature to moan in a choir-like voice which can be heard up to two miles away. Growth Through Consumption A globnotter gains one Hit Die for each sentient being it consumes. When it reaches 20 Hit Dice, it is considered a Large creature. When it reaches 30 Hit Dice, its body has grown to the size of a Huge creature. At 31 Hit Dice, division occurs. Globnotter Size table Globnotter Size Hit Dice Creatures Swallowed Medium 15d8 to 19d8 Can swallow 1 Small or smaller creature at a time. Large 20d10 to 29d10 Can swallow 1 Medium or 2 Small smaller creatures at a time. Huge 30d12 Can swallow 1 Large, 2 Medium, or 3 Small or smaller creatures at a time.

117 Globnotter Large aberration, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 230 (20d10 + 120) Speed 25 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 28 (+9) 7 (–2) 22 (+6) 1 (–5) 8 (–1) 4 (–3) Saving Throws Wis +4, Con +11 Damage Vulnerabilities psychic (main body only) Damage Resistances cold, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages — Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Grasping Tentacles. The globnotter can have up to six tentacles at a time. Each tentacle can be attacked (AC 15; 10 hit points; immune to psychic damage). Destroying a tentacle deals no damage to the globnotter, which can extrude a replacement tentacle on its next turn. A tentacle can also be broken if a creature takes an action and succeeds on a DC 18 Strength check against it. Magic Resistance. The globnotter has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects (excluding psychic attacks). Actions Multiattack. The globnotter makes four attacks with its tentacles, uses Reel, and makes one attack with its bite, or it uses its Consume Sentience ability on a sentient creature it has swallowed. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 9) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the globnotter. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the globnotter, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the globnotter’s turns. If the globnotter takes 25 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the globnotter must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the globnotter. If the globnotter dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the globnotter can’t use the same tentacle on another target. Reel. The globnotter pulls each creature grappled by it up to 20 feet straight toward it. Consume Sentience. One target swallowed by the globnotter must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving. On a failure, the target takes 66 (12d10) psychic damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the globnotter kills the target while ripping the target’s sentience from its body. A creature killed this way cannot be resurrected or raised from the dead. On a success, the target’s sentience remains, and it is immune to the globnotter’s consume sentience ability for 24 hours.

118 Eldritch God by Nathan Doyle Far beyond the boundaries of conceivable reality, far outside the expanse of the astral sea, there exists a place where the words time, space, and reality have no meaning and are as mutable as clay is to a potter. Here there exists a race of beings so old and so powerful that they could very well compete with the gods of our realm for dominance. Gods in their own right, these eldritch evils, according to the cults that worship them, are slowly making their way to our realm so that they can commit whatever horrid atrocities tickles the fancy of their inscrutable minds. Little is known for certain about the eldritch gods, and there are few coherent records. Only the mad ramblings of their insane followers and the diatribes of crazed despots written in blood. Their form is such that they are often called formless, being described as writhing, undulating masses of tentacles and other parts that maybe resemble heads or arms or the manifestation of your nightmares. Knowable Unknown. Cults exist of all manner of eldritch abominations that would make your skin crawl, sometimes quite literally. You can’t truly know one of these beings, but if you were to catch its attention it might decide to get to know you. Or worse, it might decide to talk to you. Masters of Magic. The timeless beings are usually thought to predate the existence of magic itself and adopted it almost naturally. As such, they and their cultists often wield great power, using spells that would normally only be known by the most powerful of archmagi. These dark gifts are gained without the study and caution that a true wizard would need to obtain such power. Masters of Madness. It is said these creatures induce madness in the minds of mortals. Those afflicted by this madness claim they finally see the truth of reality, and that only by removing the barrier known as sanity can they finally have true, pure, unadulterated knowledge. Variant: Masters of Madness If you are using madness in your game, consider adding the following legendary action to those that the eldritch god can take. Induce Madness (Recharge 5-6, Costs 3 Actions). The god induces madness in a creature within range of its telepathy. The target must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted with a long term madness. On a success they are afflicted with a short term madness instead. If they fail with a total of 10 or less, instead of a long term madness they are afflicted with indefinite madness. Variant: Soul Siphoning Some eldritch gods have the following trait. Soul Siphoning. When the god reduces a creature to 0 hit points with its tentacle attack, if that creature has an intelligence of 4 or higher it is killed outright and its soul is consumed. If the consumed soul is that of a spellcaster, the god regains a spent spell slot of a level of its choosing that the consumed soul had not spent before it was consumed. Additionally, the god can learn any spell that the creature knew and add it to the list of spells that the god can innately cast. If the newly learned spell is a cantrip, the damage die of all the god’s cantrips increases by one (or in the case of eldritch blast, it gains an additional blast).

119 Eldritch God Gargantuan aberration, any evil Armor Class 23 (natural armor) Hit Points 610 (33d20 + 264) Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 6 (–2) 26 (+8) 28 (+9) 24 (+7) 30 (+10) Saving Throws Int +18, Wis +16, Cha +19 Skills Arcana +27, Deception +19, Insight +25, Intimidation +19, Perception +25, Persuasion +19 Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, petrified, prone, stunned Senses blindsight 240 ft. (blind beyond this radius), truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 26 Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 1 mile Challenge 30 (155,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +9 Aberrant Mind. Whenever the god fails a saving throw that would stun a creature, it loses one of its unspent legendary actions instead. If it has no unspent legendary actions, it loses its immunity to the stunned condition. Astral Familiarity. While on the Astral Plane, within the Far Realms, or anywhere else without gravity, the god has a fly speed of 40 ft. and can hover. Echolocation. The god can’t use its blindsight while deafened. Inscrutable. The god is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as any divination spell that it refuses. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain the god’s intentions or sincerity have disadvantage. Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If the god fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The god has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Realm-spanning Telepathy. If any creature in the multiverse invokes any name the god is known by, the god can initiate telepathic communication regardless of the distance across time, space, or any amount of intervening planes for the next 24 hours if it so wishes. Additionally, during this time, the god can cast detect thoughts as though it were the person it is in telepathic contact with. Siege Monster. The god deals double damage to objects and structures. Spellcasting. The god is a 20th-level spellcaster and its innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 27, +19 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: Cantrips (at will): acid splash, eldritch blast, fire bolt, poison spray (each deal 5 dice of damage) 1st level (4 slots): fog cloud, magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, shatter, suggestion 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, hypnotic pattern, lightning bolt 4th level (3 slots): banishment, confusion, polymorph 5th level (3 slots): animate objects, creation, insect plague 6th level (2 slots): chain lightning, disintegrate 7th level (2 slots): plane shift, reverse gravity 8th level (1 slot): earthquake, sunburst 9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm, time stop Actions Multiattack. The god casts a cantrip and makes three tentacle attacks. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 27 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Legendary Actions The god can take 5 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. The god regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Attack. The god casts a cantrip or attacks with a tentacle. Cast a Spell. The god casts a 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spell with a casting time of no longer than one action. Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The god casts a 4th-, 5th-, or 6th-level spell with a casting time of no longer than one action. Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions). The god casts a 7th-, 8th-, or 9th-level spell with a casting time of no longer than one action.

120 Artist: Fernando Salvaterra Writers: Micah Watt, Kirsty Kidd, Nathan Doyle, Chris Valentine

121 Skull Collector Large aberration, neutral Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20) Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 6 (–2) Skills Perception +2 Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages — Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Detect Bones. The skull collector can use an action to detect bones within 30 feet of it in all directions. This gives an exact image of the location and disposition of bones within the area, revealing concealed or hidden objects or creatures. Actions Multiattack. The skull collector attacks twice with its claws. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. Reactions Psychic Pulse. As a reaction to taking damage, the skull collector can generate a psychic pulse that causes bones in a 20-foot radius centred on the skull collector area to vibrate rapidly. Any creature that has bones must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage. Skull Collector by Micah Watt The skull collector is a strange aberration that tunnels through the earth collecting skulls of various creatures, which it incorporates into itself. It appears to be a large spherical quadruped, with smaller limbs for manipulation near its sensory organs. Discerning Accumulators. Skull collectors collect skulls only. They show no interest in other bones or organs of creatures, discarding almost anything else found on or attached to their object of desire. The one exception to this is that they accumulate hand tools that assist with digging, despite their fore claws being perfectly capable of undertaking their burrowing locomotion. This fixation with certain tools is not well understood. Nuisance Scavengers. For the most part skull collectors are not hostile in nature, and are content to scavenge their prized skulls from already deceased creatures. They often plague graveyards, plundering graves and causing sinkholes with their tunnelling. If attacked, they defend themselves rigorously and have no issue taking skulls from slain adversaries.

122 Syzel by Kirsty Kidd Deep beneath the surface, syzels work industrially, day and night, gathering material and honing their craft. Syzels have four powerful limbs to break through large rocks and propel themselves through the miles of serpentine tunnels they create in their search for the purest mineral veins. Once an acceptable vein is exposed, the syzel uses its four smaller arms for the delicate tasks of extracting the particular pieces they want and carving them into intricate, stylized masks of humanoid faces. Syzels constantly create and accumulate masks throughout their lives. They affix them on their backs such that older syzels begin to resemble long-limbed tortoises. Their skin is naturally thick, but the masks add a layer of protection that is difficult to penetrate without magic. While syzels tend to work and travel as solitary creatures, they gather in dozens when a particularly rich vein of ore is discovered. The syzels perform a display to any encroachers which demonstrates the number of masks they have. A larger number of masks earns a higher ranking in their social pecking order. These gatherings are a bane to miners for obvious reasons. Continuous Tunneling. Syzels are singled-minded and need little rest. They spend all their waking hours extracting minerals, carving masks, or looking for their next source of ore. A syzel is created when its parent finds a material it likes enough to carve into its own image. When the carving is complete, the newly born syzel splits off from its parent’s tunnel and continues alone. It is incredibly rare for syzels to appear above ground or create branches in their own tunnel, choosing instead to burrow in a single continuous tunnel from birth to death. Master Crafters. The outer limbs of a syzel are incredibly strong and tough, able to burrow through the hardest rock. They are careful, however, to keep their fragile inner limbs tucked beneath their bulk when not carving. These smaller limbs are slender and dextrous, perfect for creating the delicate details evident in their masks. Syzel masks are occasionally recovered in mines or by other underground expeditions. The grotesque caricatures prove a grim fascination to academics, collectors, and others. It’s said the masks look like whomever was closest in proximity to the syzel while they carved, even if the distance measured miles. If you see a syzel mask inspired by your own face, you become compelled to wear it. Some believe doing invites certain death, but others claim it grants immense power. Item Syzel Mask Wondrous item, rare Any creature that puts on a mask bearing its likeness must make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw. A creature that fails the save behaves as if affected by the confusion spell and is charmed. The charmed creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next three turns, ending the effect on a success. After three failures the creature’s soul is imprisoned in the mask and the confusion effect ends. A creature whose soul imprisoned behaves similarly to their normal self, but soon develops a compulsion to craft masks themselves and refuses to take the mask off. They no longer need to sleep and spend long rests making masks in any material. They do not gain levels of exhaustion, but can only recover up to half of their maximum hit points. While wearing the mask, the creature is under the nondetection spell, has immunity to any other charm effect, and their Strength score is increased by 2. Soul imprisonment lasts until the creature is freed by a remove curse spell or similar magic.

123 Syzel Large aberration, lawful evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 170 (20d10 + 60) Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 9 (–1) 10 (+0) Saving Throws Str +8 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 9 Languages Deep Speech Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Familiar Visage. When an adventuring party encounters a syzel, there is a 10% chance that it has a mask that mimics one of their faces. For each party member roll 1d10, on a 10 there is a mask made for them. When a creature whose visage is carved as a syzel mask can see the syzel, and starts its turn within 30 feet of the syzel, it must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is compelled to seek its mask and is considered charmed. The creature must spend its turns moving towards the syzel and can only take the Dash action or spend its action attempting to take its mask from the syzel’s back if it’s within 5 feet of it. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect on a success. Once a compelled creature is holding its mask, it must wear it (no action required). The syzel will not attack a compelled creature or a creature wearing its syzel mask. Tunneler. The syzel can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 7-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. Actions Multiattack. The syzel makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its kick. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

124 Dwarf Eater by Nathan Doyle Dwarves aren’t entirely sure of the true origin of these horrific creatures. One thing is certain, they are an anathema on the very foundation of dwarven civilization. Dwarf eaters, as they have come to be known, are malformed aberrations that crawl from the depths of the earth and prey on the living. Attracted by the sounds and vibrations cause by mining, even a single one of these monsters can cripple a mine’s productivity for a week or more. Despite the name by which they are known, they eat any living creature that fits in their mouth. Sense Deprived. Dwarf eaters do not have eyes, but as best as can be ascertained, the entirety of their skin is something akin to an ear and a nose. They can hear and smell, as well as detect vibrations in the ground itself. Neither the darkness of the mines or the bright flash of a sudden flame can disrupt a dwarf eater’s capacity to find you, though they are said to flee loud noises. Macabre Mandibles. As dwarf eaters consume the living, they have a tendency to grow appendages resembling arms from around their mouth. Some believe these are the actual arms of those they have consumed, as they often carry mining tools or other accoutrements of labor. Whatever they are, when the beast deigns to consume you, the arms grab at you and try to pull you inside. An encounter with a dwarf eater almost guarantees death, but some have survived. Those that do whisper that the space inside the creatures gullet is seemingly limitless, and dwarf eaters have been seen consuming as many as a dozen dwarves without even stopping to so much as chew. Pained Groans. From out of the mouth of these creatures come the sounds of pained and injured dwarves. People unfamiliar with dwarf eaters might mistake this for someone in distress. The simple truth is that deep within the mines you cannot always trust your own ears.

125 Dwarf Eater Large aberration, neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 162 (13d10 + 91) Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 15 (+2) 24 (+7) 8 (–1) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) Saving Throws Str +10, Wis +7 Damage Vulnerabilities thunder Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities blinded, frightened, petrified, poisoned Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages understands Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Arm Collector. The dwarf eater can grapple any number of creatures. Blind Senses. The dwarf eater can’t use its blindsight while deafened and unable to smell. Mimicry. The dwarf eater can mimic humanoid sounds it has heard. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check. Sensitive Hearing. Whenever the dwarf eater takes thunder damage it must succeed a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 5+ the damage taken or be deafened until the end of its next turn. Standing Leap. The dwarf eater’s long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start. Actions Multiattack. The dwarf eater makes three melee attacks: two with its claws and one with a pickaxe. The dwarf eater can attempt a grapple in place of any or all of these attacks. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one grappled target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the dwarf eater. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the dwarf eater, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the dwarf eater’s turns. If the dwarf eater takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the dwarf eater must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the dwarf eater. If the dwarf eater dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage. Pickaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.

126 Purgatorial Overseer by Chris Valentine Three stories tall, with massive legs and stone ripping claws, the purgatorial overseer is an unspoken fixture of the underworld. An ever-moving mass of unified bodies and grotesque gray flesh, this colossal creature carves new pathways through the stone firmament. This horrific entity is the stuff of duergar legends and nightmares. When a gray dwarf is young, the elders warn that something unspeakable will come for them if they do not eagerly contribute to duergar society. Those who neglect their civic duty meet the overseer. They are absorbed into its collective and granted a false life of hard labor, forced to work until flesh falls from bone and bone frays from ligament. The overseer’s gargantuan mass slowly makes its way through earth, as dozens of enslaved limbs toil long past their death. When there is no more work that can be coerced from a body, the remaining flesh is used to fuel its mass and the stripped bones drop to the cavern floor. Creatures trapped by the overseer lead an agonizing existence for years or even decades. Long enough to extract the work that they owe. Meat Sack. This twisted mass of flesh undulates and ripples as it crawls across the terrain. Mucus drips and oozes from its trunk, leaving a disgusting trail. These trails sometimes lead travelers to its current location, though those when they find it often wish they hadn’t. Bag o’Bodies. Within this large sack of meat, duergar and sometimes other dwarves toil long after their expiration. As part of their suffering they are fused within the great behemoth and become one with its structure. If the mass is threatened, the creature can shed a piece and move on as if nothing had occurred. Tunneler. With its large digging claws and tormented assistants, the purgatorial overseer glides through solid rock creating new tunnels for all to use. This public service is the last act of the condemned that chose to live a fruitless or slothful life. Crippling Aura. Those unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of the overseer feel the full effect of its presence. The twisted mangled bodies within its body call out with the agonizing emotion of the damned. Those not stout of heart might try to save those unfortunate souls, and often get pulled in themselves. Be wary of dark passages within the depths of the earth, and be on the lookout for new hewn rock. Tread carefully when filth glazes the ground, as curiosity drives many to seek that which they regret.

127 Purgatorial Overseer Gargantuan aberration, neutral Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 247 (15d20 + 90) Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 24 (+7) 7 (–2) 22 (+6) 1 (–5) 8 (–1) 4 (–3) Saving Throws Con +12, Wis +5 Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages understands Dwarven but does not speak. telepathy 60 ft. Challenge 19 (22,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Absorb. A creature that touches the purgatorial overseer or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be absorbed into its body. The absorbed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe. At the start of each of its turns it takes 18 (4d8) necrotic damage and the overseer regains that many hit points. On each of its turns the absorbed creature can use its action to repeat the saving throw, freeing itself on a success and moving to an appropriate spot within 5 feet of the overseer. Agonizing Pleas. If the purgatorial overseer has at least one body within it, those inhabitants plead incessantly for their release. Each creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the overseer and can hear the pleas must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw, ignoring the pleas on a success. On a failure, the creature uses all its movement to move towards the overseer. If a creature is within 5 feet of the overseer, they can make a DC 20 Strength saving throw, freeing one body trapped inside the overseer on a success. Body Bag. The purgatorial overseer contains many humanoid bodies. It starts with a body count of 7 (2d4 + 2). Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the purgatorial overseer fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The purgatorial overseer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Regeneration. The purgatorial overseer regains 20 hit points at the start of each of its turns if it has at least 1 hit point. Tunneler. The purgatorial overseer can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 20-footdiameter tunnel in its wake. Actions Multiattack. The purgatorial overseer makes two claw attacks, or one claw attack and uses its Crush. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage. Crush. The purgatorial overseer targets a creature within 10 feet of it. That creature must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 62 (10d10 +7) bludgeoning damage. Reactions Discard Corpse. When the purgatorial overseer takes damage from a hit and it has at least one body within it, it may use its reaction to apply all damage from that attack to a corpse within its body, it then takes no damage and the corpse falls out reducing the amount of corpses within it by one.

128 Artist: Hefestus Cave Writers: Chris Valentine, Micah Watt, Tyson VanOverhill, Nathan Doyle

129 Hivemaster by Chris Valentine The hivemaster, sometimes known as a Lady of Amber, is a tiny insect-like fairy. This resilient fey creature resembles a sprite-wasp hybrid, having the body of a sprite but with the wasp’s protruding abdomen on the posterior. It also has the antenna, wings, markings, and size of the flying insect. Unlike either, both of its forearms end in sharp points that it uses to impale its victims and inject a deadly toxin. A hardened lacquer coats its body, making it more durable than something typical of its size. With the ability to turn invisible on a whim, it is an adept hider and expert infiltrator. Not only is the hivemaster a temperamental trespasser, it is most well known for its ability to assimilate a beehive, convert its inhabitants to drone constituents, and create a new fairy colony. While bee hive infestations may be common in the fey realms, they are a new menace to the worlds beyond. Noble Assassin. The hivemaster is the orchestrator of an efficient rogue operation. It uses a combination of abilities to sneak into a hive and locate the queen. Once found, she is quietly assassinated with the hivemaster’s toxic, needlelike arms. After that, the hive’s food supply is tainted, transforming the bees into its personal drones. The drones then instinctively collect very specific ingredients to make a new kind of fey honey known as amber bisque. Fey Honey. Hivemaster operations make amber bisque, a potent fey honey with magical restorative properties. The honey can be ingested to gain magical boons, restore injured creatures, hardened to protect the drones, and even consumed to make new hivemasters. Drone Generals. Hivemasters use special secretions to alter the hive’s food supply. This new concoction enchants the drones and addicts them to its ingestion. Transformed drones then set out to gather the proper components for amber bisque. Once the new honey is made, they coat themselves in the propolis, as it hardens it strengthens their bodies. Chosen drones will eat the unique stock known as royal jelly, entombing itself within it and awakening two weeks later as a hivemaster. Natural Art. Every so often the hivemaster fey steps out of its old amber coating, and recoats itself in fresh propolis. These hard abandoned shells are beautiful to withhold and sell for hefty amounts. Hivemaster Tiny fey, chaotic neutral Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 14 (4d4 + 4) Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (–4) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6 Damage Resistances fire Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Bee Speak. Hivemasters can understand bees but cannot communicate with them. Fey Step (Recharge 4–6). As a bonus action, the hivemaster can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Hive Mind. All amberized bees within 1 mile of a hivemaster are in constant communication. Rapid Hum. The hivemaster can cause its body to vibrate rapidly which imposes disadvantage on melee attacks from creatures using blindsight to see it. Actions Lancet. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. Invisibility. The hivemaster magically turns invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell).

130 Item Amber Bisque Wondrous item, rare This fey honey has a rich amber hue that resembles liquid gold. Derived from fey-reigned hives, this rich ambrosia has many beneficial properties. It comes in two different forms: Typical. About 90 percent of the yield. This sweet syrup can be consumed for its healing and enhancing effects. If a full vial is imbibed, roll a d4 and compare the result with the following table. d4 Effect 1 Vomit. You spend your action retching until the end of your next turn. 2 Enhance. For the next minute, you may add a d4 to damage rolls from your melee attacks. 3 Invigorate. Your speed increases by your base speed for 1 minute. 4 Healing. You regain 7 (2d4 + 2) hit points. Royal Jelly. The finest of stock, this dense honey can be ingested for restorative effects. It is also used to transform drones into hivemasters. Ingesting a more potent form may have increased benefits. If imbibed, roll a d10. On a 1–9, you are affected by lesser restoration. On a 10, you are affected by greater restoration. Swarm of Amberized Bees Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 36 (8d8) Speed 5 ft., fly 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 4 (–3) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 2 (–4) 8 (–1) 6 (–2) Damage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages — Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Addict. If a swarm of amberized bees goes 24 hours without consuming amber bisque they die. Hive Mind. All amberized bees within 1 mile of a hivemaster are in constant communication. Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Actions Reinforced Stingers. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage, or 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

131 Apiarum Drone by Micah Watt The Apiarum is a hive city filled with millions of insectoid creatures existing in harmonious equilibrium. As the city grows, its need for resources becomes greater, and its ruling council has begun dispatching apiarum drones to scout for more resource rich areas to develop as satellite colonies. Apiarum drones are created by a queen, and grow to maturity in a matter of hours, ready to serve almost immediately. They have six wings to carry them aloft, with lower limbs for ambulation and bladed upper limbs for defense and sample collection. Apiarum Drone Medium beast, lawful neutral Armor Class 15 Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45) Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Saving Throws Dex +7 Skills Nature +3, Perception +3, Survival +3 Damage Resistances thunder Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charm, poisoned, prone Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages telepathy 60 ft. Challenge 7 (2,900) Proficiency Bonus +3 Alien Mind. An apiarum drone’s thoughts are too alien for most creatures to comprehend or control. An apiarum drone is immune to charm and any magic or abilities designed to read or influence thoughts (such as detect thoughts or modify memory spells) Pheromone Scent. An apiarum drone both leaves a strong pheromone trail and can detect residual pheromones of other creatures. It has advantage on ability checks to track via pheromones, and creatures that have a strong sense of smell have advantage to track the passing of an apiarum drone. Solitary Scouts. Able to dimensionally shift and fly for incredibly long distances, apiarum drones are almost exclusively encountered as solitary scouts far from any contact with their colonies. They have limited survival needs, requiring almost no sleep and little nutrition, making them ideal for long range reconnaissance. Drones only congregate in numbers to claim and defend an area deemed resource rich enough to support a colony. Implacable Gatherers. Despite being intelligent and even sociable, apiarum drones are produced with a primal urge that overrides all other considerations: discover resources for the colony and report back with the information. As a deeply embedded psychological drive, apiarum drones cannot be reasoned with or dissuaded when doing so would countermand this drive. Ritual Planeshifting. An apiarum drone can use the plane shift spell as a ritual that takes 10 minutes to cast. This ability affects only the drone itself, and anything it is carrying. It cannot planeshift creatures or take any other creatures with it as it shifts. The ritual is an intricate series of movements and harmonic vibrations weaved into a complex aerial dance. Actions Multiattack. The apiarum drone makes three attacks, two with its armblades and on with its stinger Armblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) poison damage and gaining the poisoned condition for 1 minute. A successful saving throw halves the damage and negates the condition. Disorienting Drone (1/Day). An apiarum drone can vibrate its wings to disorient nearby creatures. The apiarum drone can maintain this effect as if it were a concentration spell for up to 1 minute. Creatures that start their turn or move within 30 feet of the apiarum drone must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure they have disadvantage to all attack rolls and ability checks until the start of their next turn.

132 Wasp Prince by Tyson VanOverhill Within the wonders of the fey realm lie terrible dangers, and it is the wasp princes who stand against these threats and enforce their lord’s will on their subjects. Wasp princes are not born but shaped and raised to their status by the fey queens. They are fiercely loyal and will unhesitatingly sacrifice themselves in defense of their monarch when needed. They are also extremely territorial, often fighting to the death with other wasp princes, should more than one be under the service of the same queen. Creature of Violence. Life for a wasp prince is dedicated to violence. Art, music, love, and joy are set aside in the Wasp Prince Medium fey, lawful neutral Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 136 (17d8 + 68) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) Skills Acrobatics +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +7 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Sylvan Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Dedicated Defense. Once per day, the wasp prince can choose a single creature and dedicate themselves to their defense. When adjacent to that creature, the creature has a +3 bonus to AC for the next minute. Fearsome Presence. Any creature that starts its turn within 60 feet of the wasp prince must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened of the wasp prince for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the wasp prince’s Fearsome Presence for the next 24 hours. Final Sting. When the wasp prince reaches 0 hit points it can make a single melee weapon attack with its stinger transformation. They cannot hold nor touch anything, only using their arms to slash, and knowing their long life will be cut short if their blades fail them. Loyalty Unto Death. Only the most loyal of subjects are reborn as wasp princes, and they know that their end will be a violent one. To become one is the ultimate sacrifice for one’s queen. They place themselves in harm’s way to protect their charge, defending them to the death. Bloody Nobility. Having the power of life and death in the fey courts, wasp princes are granted high authority. They are raised to the pinnacle of fey nobility, just below their fey queens themselves. Wasp princes walk among the most elite fey as equals, knowing they may be called upon to kill at a command. against an adjacent target. On a hit, it deals 11 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage and 24 (8d6) poison damage. Magic Resistance. The wasp prince has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. The wasp prince makes two attacks with their rapier hands. Rapier Hand. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage. Reactions Parry. The wasp prince adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the wasp prince must see the attacker. Legendary Actions The wasp prince can take three 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. The wasp prince regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Detect. The wasp prince can make a Wisdom (Perception) check. Sweep. The wasp prince can make a rapier hand attack. If the attack hits, the target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. Interpose (Costs 2 Actions). The wasp prince can teleport into an empty space adjacent to the creature they have dedicated to defending.

133 Vespidian Queen Mother by Nathan Doyle The vespidian are a race of sylvan insectoid creatures native to the fey realms. Unlike ordinary bees that make and live in hives, the vespidian queen mother is herself a hive, and she keeps her brood with her at all times. Instead of hands, the queen mother has long blades for arms and uses them to defend herself and the other vespids living inside her body. Summon the Swarm. When provoked, the queen often releases her finest warriors, unleashing them upon Vespidian Queen Mother Medium fey, lawful neutral Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 190 (20d8 + 100) Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 22 (+6) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +10, Wis +9, Cha +10 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Sylvan, telepathy (bees and wasps only) 120 ft. Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Flyby. The queen mother doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when she flies out of an enemy’s reach. Magic Resistance. The queen mother has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. The queen mother makes two attacks with her blade arms, and one with her sting. Blade Arms. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage. Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage. The target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. those foolhardy enough to try and fight her. Although omnivorous, the queen mother is easily provoked and not above killing and eating creatures to sustain the hive. Insidious Venom. The stinger of the queen mother contains a powerful toxin that causes either excruciating pain or death when injected. Many who have survived the experience wish they hadn’t. Brilliant Tactician. The queen mother is known to impale foes and then fly them up to great heights only to unceremoniously drop them, causing severe injury and often death. Skewer. The queen mother makes two blade arm attacks against the same Medium-sized or smaller creature. If both attacks hit, they deal piercing damage instead of slashing and the target is grappled. The queen can then immediately take the Dash action without provoking opportunity attacks. Until the grapple is ended, the queen cannot make attacks with her blade arms. Wasp Swarm (Recharge 5-6). The queen mother opens ventricles on her body and releases some of her brood. 5 (2d4) swarms of wasps appear in space within 5 feet of the queen. They remain until the queen recalls them or they die. Reactions Parry. The queen adds 5 to her AC against one melee attack that would hit her. To do so, the queen must see the attacker. Legendary Actions The queen 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. The queen regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Evade. The queen can move up to her speed. Slash. The queen makes a blade arm attack. Tail Jab. The queen makes a sting attack against a creature she has grappled. Bees! (Costs 2 Actions). If it is charged and available, the queen uses her wasp swarm action.

134 Artist: Comettant Writers: Elise Cretel, Aaryan Balu, Luke Russell, Micah Watt

135

136 Corrupted Titan by Elise Cretel The corrupted titan’s tentacles snap and lash out as they attempt to snare their fast moving prey. Captured creatures struggle as the tentacles tighten their grip. The corrupted titan reels their target in to feast as they fly above the open landscape looking for another meal. Corrupted titans are huge creatures that drift in open areas above land and seas hunting for prey. Their appetite is ceaseless and they consume large amounts of flora and fauna during their waking hours. These behemoths come in a variety of shapes, but all have a multitude of tentacles to snatch up their hapless victims. Invasive Species. The corrupted titans originated from the Outer Planes and have become an invasive pest to many other planes. They gobble up many predators that maintain local food webs causing other creatures like rodents to over populate. Their enormous size and flying ability means they have few if any predators themselves. Sometimes corrupted titans can destroy whole populations of creatures in areas making them a threat to many ecosystems across the planes. Corrupted Titan Huge aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 85 (10d12 + 20) Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +5, Con +4 Skills Perception, +3, Survival +3 Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Amphibious. The corrupted titan can breathe air and water. Colossal Fear. Creatures that are within 30 feet of and can see the corrupted titan must make a successful DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened. Life Absorption. When the corrupted titan deals damage, it gains hit points equal to half the amount of damage dealt. Actions Multiattack. The corrupted titan makes three tentacle attacks. It can replace one tentacle attack with its Devour. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 100 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is Large size or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 14), has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and is restrained until the grapple ends. As a bonus action it can pull a grappled creature up to 50 feet towards itself. Devour. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: A grappled creature is devoured. It is no longer grappled, but now it is blinded and restrained. The target has full cover from attacks outside of the corrupted titan and takes 17 (5d6) acid damage at the start of each of their turns. The corrupted titan can swallow up to three creatures at a time. If the corrupted titan takes 15 damage or more from a devoured creature, the corrupted titan must make a successful DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all devoured creatures, which fall prone in a space within 20 feet of the corrupted titan. If the corrupted titan dies, a devoured creature is no longer restrained by it can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.

137 Deep Mind by Aaryan Balu Sea divers and ocean-dwelling creatures tell tales of strange aberrations that appear from the depths: swaying minds which float through the water with no apparent purpose. Spawned seemingly from nothing, the seeds of these creatures grow in power over centuries, using sheer willpower to collect pieces sloughed off from other monsters—such as tentacles, teeth, hands, and shells—shaping them to their will, and forming soft, gelatinous bodies. Though they look like jellyfish, the deep minds have formed an alien civilization in the depths, moving silently through the pitch-black water. Few sentient creatures have seen them and none know their motives or purpose. Aberrant Intelligence. Deep minds are highly intelligent, though they lack a centralized brain. The original spark of sentience spreads in a network throughout its piecemeal body, so that every piece of the deep mind holds memory and function. As a result, deep minds often communicate and transfer information by sharing pieces of their bodies with one another; so long as some part of a deep mind survives, its intelligence can re-form elsewhere. Psionic Control. Deep minds have innate control over objects and creatures using the sheer force of intelligence. Their spellcasting takes a strange form, requiring only the silent movement of their hands and tentacles. Their undersea lairs are often surrounded by mind-controlled beasts such as sharks and quippers. Agglomerate When enough pieces of a deep mind come together, they can take on a larger, more powerful form known as an agglomerate. An agglomerate usually leads a pod of deep minds, directing them to perform actions with a seemingly alien purpose. Astral Masters. Agglomerates have a limited ability to project themselves into the Astral Plane. There they are significantly more powerful, their intellects granting them instinctive manipulation of the plane of thought. Signs of Status. Agglomerates often collect accessories to mark themselves as being different among their kind. Some might absorb entire creatures to use as limbs, or they may collect exotic artifacts to control with their minds. It is said that the most ancient agglomerates can wield nearly a dozen strange and powerful accoutrements. Deep Mind Medium aberration, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12) Speed swim 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (–4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, poisoned Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Decentralized. When reduced to 0 hit points, the deep mind splits into 5 (2d4) fragments, each with an AC of 15, swim speed of 20 feet, and 1 hit point. The fragments can only take the Dash action. If any of these fragments melds with another deep mind, it gains all the memories of the original. Innate Spellcasting. The deep mind’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no verbal or material components: At will: detect thoughts, mage hand 3/day each: blindness/deafness, fear 1/day: dominate monster Telepathic Shroud. The deep mind is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as all divination spells. Actions Psychic Burst (Recharge 6). The deep mind emits psychic energy in a 10-foot radius around itself. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 14 (3d8) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (3d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends the deep mind can’t use its tentacles on another target.

138 Agglomerate Large aberration, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48) Speed swim 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (–4) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 22 (+6) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) Saving Throws Con +8, Int +11, Wis +8 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, poisoned Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Decentralized. When reduced to 0 hit points, the agglomerate splits into 7 (2d6) fragments, each with an AC of 15, swim speed of 20 feet, and 1 hit point. The fragments can only take the Dash action. If any of these fragments melds with another deep mind, it gains all the memories of the original. Innate Spellcasting. The agglomerate’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no verbal or material components: At will: comprehend languages, detect thoughts, mage hand 3/day each: hold monster, telekinesis 1/day each: astral projection, dominate monster, feeblemind Telepathic Shroud. The agglomerate is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as all divination spells. Actions Psychic Burst (Recharge 6). The agglomerate emits psychic energy in a 10-foot radius around itself. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (5d8) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends the agglomerate can’t use its tentacles on another target. Legendary Actions The agglomerate can take three 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. The agglomerate regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Detect. The agglomerate makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. Move. The agglomerate moves up to its movement speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The agglomerate casts a spell from its innate spellcasting list.

139 Protean Colony by Luke Russell In ale sodden taverns at the edges of the known world, one can sometimes hear tales of the mysterious creatures known as proteans. Few have seen these oddities in the flesh, and those that have often find themselves confused and disoriented by the sight. Some speak of schools of jellyfish, bound together in an armoured suit of coral, driftwood and bone. Others claim to have seen these beasts slowly and methodically tearing through the hull of a sunken ship, absorbing metal, wood, and even gold into its carapace. The truth of the matter is that a protean colony is a huge interlocked community of psionic jellyfish-like creatures. Dwelling deep enough that an entire colony might thrive for a century without seeing sunlight, the creatures are rarely seen at the surface. A protean colony utilizes its inherent psionic power to fashion weapons and armor from coral, debris, or even the bodies of other creatures. Governed by an unknowable alien intellect, how a protean colony determines what to absorb into its being is a mystery. Scholars claim that some colonies can be attracted to magical artifacts and can be found scavenging sunken wrecks or underwater temples. It has been observed that ancient protean colonies absorb not just a magic item itself, but also retain some of the magical effects. This unusual ability makes them unpredictable threats to adventurers that voyage through the deep. Treasure Hunters. Every protean colony appears differently, shaped by the organic and inorganic matter it has absorbed. With enough time, a protean colony is able to absorb nearly any physical object, be it magical or mundane. Once the item is fully absorbed it can not be retrieved, but true absorption can take months or even years. Protean colonies are said to have assimilated entire treasure hordes or sunken vessels. Gestalt Entity. A protean colony typically consists of three to five individuals, merged together and bound as a single hive mind. When the proteans breed and exceed this number, it is not uncommon for individuals to break off and form their own colony. This process means that while protean colonies are never identical in appearance, they are all roughly the same size.

140 Protean Colony Huge aberration, neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96) Speed 20 ft. swim 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) Saving Throws Con +11, Int +9, Wis +6 Skills Arcana +9, Perception +6 Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning and piercing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages Aquan, Deep Speech Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Hive Mind. The protean colony is a hive mind entity, and has advantage on Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws. Immutable Form. The protean colony is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Split (Heroic Trait). When a protean colony receives more than 100 points of damage it splits into two, each with half of the original colony’s remaining hit points. The new colonies are Medium size, their tentacle damage is reduced to 27 (5d8 + 5), and they do not possess the multiattack ability. Thirst for Magic. When there is a magic item within 60 feet of the protean colony, the protean colony has advantage on Perception checks. Water Breathing. The protean colony can breathe only underwater. Actions Multiattack. The protean colony makes two tentacle attacks. These can be replaced with the disarm attack if the colony has one or more creatures grappled. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (5d10 + 5) piercing damage and, if the target is Large size or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. Disarm. A creature that the protean colony is grappling must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw, or drop one item of the protean colony’s choice. Reactions Defensive Evolution (Recharge 4–6). As a reaction, the protean colony reshapes itself to defend against incoming damage. The colony can use its reaction to increase its AC by 10 against an attack that would hit it. To do so, the colony must see the attacker.

141 Wave Monarchs by Micah Watt The Wave Monarchs—Xerelliun and Celerium—are a mated pair of elder titans of the ocean, once worshipped by all aquatic and waterborn life. They were unmatched in power before the coming of the gods, ruling by virtue of might as much as cunning. However, as the first deities spun into existence and conquered the titan race, the monarchs fled into the depths, hiding in the crushing black to escape their inevitable dethronement. Dreams of the Deep. In their semi-conscious exile, the monarchs dreamed of many things, including the eventual downfall of the gods at the hands of their “children.” Whether prophesy or mere fantasy, the now-emerging monarchs clutch to these dreams, seeking a way to bring about their fulfilment. Inspired Experimentation. The monarchs have conceived over a dozen children together, monstrous creatures of power and menace, but nothing fit to rival the gods. They treat their “children” to be any creature they create, and have begun sending their offspring to abduct exceptional mortals for experimentation and mutation, to bring about their perfect god killing specimen. Spell Frigid Cloud 8th-level conjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: 150 feet Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute A torrid cloud of snow and ice appears in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point within range. The temperature within the cloud is freezing cold and is heavily obscured. It lasts for the duration or until the temperature in the area rises by at least 20 degrees. When the cloud appears, each creature in it must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 10d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. A creature must also make this saving throw when it enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The cloud moves 10 feet directly away from you in a direction you choose at the start of each of your turns. Celerium, Queen of Tides Xerelliun, King of Waves

142 Xerelliun, King of Waves Gargantuan aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 315 (18d20 + 126) Speed 25 ft., swim 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 24 (+7) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 19 (+4) Skills Athletics +12, Perception +10 Saving Throws Str +12, Con +13, Wis +10 Damage Resistances cold, fire Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons. Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone Senses darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 300 ft., passive Perception 20 Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 20 (25,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Amphibious. Xerelliun can breathe air and water. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Xerelliun fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Piscean Mastery. No aquatic beast will attack Xerelliun. Actions Multiattack. Xerelliun can make two trident attacks and a tentacle attack, or squeeze a grappled creature instead of making a tentacle attack. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target, Hit: 15 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. A creature struck by a tentacle must make a successful DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled. Escaping the grapple requires a successful Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against Xerelliun’s Strength (Athletics) of +12. Xerelliun can grapple up to 4 creatures of any size. Once four creatures are grappled he loses his tentacle attack until a creature is freed or he releases it. Trident. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target, Hit: 27 (4d10 + 6) piercing damage. A creature struck must make a successful DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 20 (3d10 + 3) poison damage and gain the poisoned condition for 1 minute. A successful saving throw halves the damage and negates the condition. A poisoned creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success. Subsequent trident strikes can extend the duration of the poisoned condition. Squeeze. Xerelliun can squeeze a creature he has grappled in one of his tentacles, dealing 15 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage automatically. Surge (Recharge 5-6). Xerelliun can jet forward through the water, increasing his swim speed to 120 feet, and strike with his trident in a single attack. If the attack hits, it is automatically a critical hit and the saving throw against the poison effect is made at disadvantage. Reactions Ink Cloud. When struck by a weapon attack, Xerelliun can use his reaction to release a cloud of ink around himself that lasts until the start of his next turn. This cloud obscures him from vision, imposing disadvantage on attack rolls that rely on sight. Heroic Actions Retributive Rush. If Xerelliun witnesses Celerium, Queen of Tides suffer a critical hit, Xerelliun can immediately move up to his movement speed toward the attacker and make a tentacle attack if he is within range. Legendary Actions Xerelliun 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. Xerelliun regains his legendary actions at the start of his turn. Reposition. Xerelliun may move up to his swim speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Squeeze. Xerelliun makes a single squeeze attack against a creature he has grappled. Trident Attack. Xerelliun makes a single trident attack.

143 Celerium, Queen of Tides Gargantuan aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 315 (18d20 + 126) Speed 25 ft., swim 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 24 (+7) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) Skills Athletics +10, Arcana +13, Perception +10 Saving Throws Con +13, Wis +11, Cha +11 Damage Resistances cold, fire Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons. Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralysed, petrified, poisoned, prone Senses darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 300 ft., passive Perception 20 Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 20 (25,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Amphibious. Celerium can breathe air and water. Innate Spellcasting. Celerium’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20). Celerium can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components: At will: command, comprehend languages, conjure animals (aquatic only), detect magic, water breathing 3/day each: conjure elemental (water only), hold monster, polymorph 1/day each: dominate monster, frigid cloud* Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Celerium fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. Piscean Mastery. No aquatic beast will attack Celerium. Actions Multiattack. Celerium can make two psychoactive claw attacks and two tentacle attacks, or squeeze a grappled creature instead of making a tentacle attack. Psychoactive Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target, Hit: 13 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage. A creature struck must make a successful DC 19 Constitution saving throw saving throw or suffer 20 (3d10 + 3) psychic damage and incur disadvantage on all Wisdom saving throws until the end of Celerium’s next turn. Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target, Hit: 13 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. A creature struck by a tentacle must make a successful DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled. Escaping the grapple requires a successful Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against Celerium’s Strength (Athletics) of +10. Celerium can grapple up to 4 creatures of any size. Once four creatures are grappled she loses her tentacle attack until a creature is freed or she releases it. Squeeze. Celerium can squeeze a creature she has grappled in one of her tentacles, dealing 13 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage automatically. Riptide (Recharge 5-6). Celerium can create a powerful current of water from her hands, 20 feet wide and deep, and 100 feet long. The riptide can either push away from her or pull towards her as she chooses. All creatures within the riptide must make a successful DC 19 Strength saving throw or be carried to the end of the riptide in the direction the water is moving. Reactions Hardwater. When struck by a weapon attack, Celerium can use her reaction to harden the water around her, reducing the damage by half. Heroic Actions Retributive Rush. If Celerium witnesses Xerelliun, King of Waves suffer a critical hit, Celerium can immediately move up to her movement speed toward the attacker and make a tentacle attack if she is within range. Legendary Actions Celerium 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. Celerium regains her legendary actions at the start of her turn. Claw Attack. Celerium makes a single claw attack. Reposition. Celerium may move up to her swim speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Squeeze. Celerium makes a single squeeze attack against a creature she has grappled.

144 Artist: Gavrosh Stevenson Cartographer: Christian Zeuch Writer: Kirsty Kidd, Aaryan Balu, Justyn Johnston, Michael Sharp

145 Braittak by Kirsty Kidd A warm glow and a cloud of dust appears on the horizon as the herd of braittaks moves as one across the plains. In the smith’s forge, a lone braittak snorts in concentration as the blacksmith turns a length of metal that is heating on the braittak’s back. Deep beneath the ground, a braittak lights the way for an adventuring party as they journey through the caverns. Adaptable and curious, braittaks are naturally social creatures and live in herds of ten to twenty. They prefer warmer climates, but can be found anywhere that doesn’t have much rainfall. Unusual among elementals, braittaks have been successfully domesticated by several humanoid cultures. Despite the dangers of being constantly aflame, braittaks can be useful in many different professions and situations, and have found employment with chefs, miners, and lamplights. They are quick to learn commands, with some trainers believing they are capable of understanding Common speech. Braittaks are deeply loyal and protective of their perceived herd, making them prized guards of cattle and people alike. Eternal Flame. Braittaks have a rock-like hide that dances with flame. The quality of the fire on a braittak is reflective of its condition, with a strong flame representing a braittak at the peak of health and the fire extinguishing on death. The heat of a healthy braittak’s flame is enough to ignite the very ground beneath its feet. A herd of braittak can be easily tracked by following the scorched path left by their passage. Variant: Braittak Familiar Some braittaks are willing to serve spellcasters or others as familiars, particularly if they have an affinity with fire as a tool (such as a smith or cook). These braittak have the following trait. Familiar. The braittak can serve another creature as a familiar, forming a magic, telepathic bond with that willing companion. While the two are bonded, the companion can sense what the braittak senses as long as they are within 1 mile of each other and the companion is holding a spark of fire. While the braittak is within 30 feet of its companion, the companion shares the braittak’s Wake of Fire trait. At any time and for any reason, the braittak can end its service as a familiar, severing the telepathic bond. Braittak Small elemental, neutral good Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 22 (4d6 + 8) Speed 25 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 9 (–1) 10 (+0) 7 (–2) Damage Vulnerabilities cold Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages understands Ignan and Terran but can’t speak Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Charge. If the braittak moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Flame Shroud. A creature that touches the braittak or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 1 fire damage. Illumination. The braittak sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. Wake of Fire. The braittak leaves a trail of fire when it moves over wooden floors, vegetation or other flammable material. When the braittak moves, the last 10 feet it traveled is considered on fire until the start of the braittak’s next turn or someone takes an action to douse it. Any creature that ends its turn in a space that is on fire takes 1 fire damage. Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the braittak moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage. Actions Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and 1 fire damage.

146 Frynoceros by Aaryan Balu When natural fissures leading to the Elemental Plane of Fire opened on the Material Plane, generations of mortal rhinoceroses began to absorb the elemental energy. Soon after, one such creature traveled into the realm of fire and survived the process, mating with elemental creatures to produce the first frynoceroses. All frynoceroses are descendents of the same lineage, and maintain an affinity for any mortal rhinoceros they may encounter. Most of these hulking beasts of flame and magma roam the Plane of Fire in search of prey to bully and consume. Fearsome Mounts. Frynoceros are often used as loyal mounts of efreeti when they go to war. Many factions have considered taming and breeding frynoceroses for themselves, but find it difficult to maintain the conditions for them to thrive. Those who manage to tame a frynoceros earn themselves a loyal mount who will do anything to protect their master. Elemental Death. When a frynoceros dies, its physical form cracks and releases a final burst of energy, consuming the area in a fiery explosion. Riders are often immune to the effects of fire, and they charge into battle with impunity, hoping to release a devastating fireball on their enemies. Built to Destroy. Few structures can stand in the way of a frynoceros’s charge, making them the perfect tools for sieges and wanton destruction. Efreeti often charge forward on their frynoceros to destroy structures before flying away to continue their attack, allowing the mounts to run wild and eventually explode. Frynoceros Huge elemental, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 105 (10d12 + 40) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 8 (–1) 18 (+4) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) Damage Vulnerabilities cold Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities fire Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages understands Ignan but can’t speak Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Burning Death. When the frynoceros dies, it explodes. Each creature within a 10-foot radius must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The explosion ignites flammable objects in that area that aren’t being worn or carried. Charge. If the frynoceros moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Heated Body. A creature that touches the frynoceros or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage. Siege Monster. The frynoceros deals double damage to objects and structures. Actions Multiattack. The frynoceros makes two attacks, one with its gore and one with its tail. It can’t make both attacks against the same target. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.

147 Pyroderm by Justyn Johnston Forged from the fiercest fires of their plane, the pyroderm began as small trinkets of craftsmanship and as tokens of status among the mighty efreet. Over time these figurines evolved in the heat of the plane’s magical fire, and took on magical properties themselves. The pyroderms grew in size and before long were too big to be kept indoors. It seemed the once-tiny trinkets had, like the flames that fed them, come alive as well. After being trained as efreeti pets, the pyroderms showed promising martial abilities. Soon these brutes were being trained for combat and became as cruel and ruthless as their fiery masters. Massive, hulking, and mobile, the pyroderms Pyroderm Huge construct, lawful evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 236 (21d12 +105) Speed 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +8, Con +10, Wis +7 Damage Resistances acid, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages — Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Aligned Mount. The pyroderm can be ridden as a mount but it will only allow a creature of lawful evil alignment to mount it. Double Dashing Charge. When running in a straight line, the pyroderm can cover twice the distance it normally would from taking the Dash action. Additionally, if the pyroderm hits a creature with a gore attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet and knocked prone. became a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield: battering enemies, smashing cover, and setting everything they touched ablaze. Primarily used as mounts by the efreet, it’s not uncommon to see them ridden recklessly all over the battlefield, unleashing chaos. Molten Hide. Pyroderms are blessed with a tough exterior shell. It forms as a hot, hard crust on the surface of its molten body. When a pyroderm is angered, it glows bright orange and blasts its surroundings with intense heat. Luckily, these effects last only a moment. All Ablaze. The immense heat exuded by pyroderms is enough to ignite nearby flammable objects. Tracking one of these creatures generally requires nothing more than following the still burning footprints or the singed objects of the surrounding environment. Fire Light. The pyroderm sheds bright light in a 30- foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. Additionally, any flammable objects within 10 feet of the pyroderm ignite. Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the pyroderm moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage. Actions Multiattack. The pyroderm makes three attacks: one with its gore attack and two with its hooves. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target, Hit: 30 (4d12 + 4) piercing damage and 13 (3d8) fire damage. Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target, Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage and 4 (1d8) fire damage. Reactions Flash Fire. When the pyroderm takes 50 points or more of damage from a single attack, it glows brightly and radiates intense heat. All creatures within 30 feet of the pyroderm must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

148 Elder Smeltling by Michael Sharp Historic forges across the land have produced many powerful magic items and artifacts. While the items eventually leave the forge, some of the magic-infused material is left behind. When this waste material is not repurposed or properly disposed of, it slowly fuses with the material surrounding it. Potent enough material can even bring a chunk of normal stone to life as a smeltling. Some blacksmiths have mastered the technique of creating a smeltling, placing them as guards over their forges while they are away. This can be dangerous though, as smeltlings are drawn to magical items and absorb any they come into contact with. When created by a blacksmith, they are molded into the shape of the smith’s desire, while another left alone to wander the wilderness might mimic the shape of the first animal it sees. Magical Appetite. A smeltling’s body is covered in everlasting magical flames, produced by the residual enchantments from the forge that created them. If a smeltling consumes a magic item, it grows in size and strength. Smeltlings have little interest in fighting unless a creature stands between it and a source of magic. Once a smeltling has acquired a magic item, it avoids further confrontation. A smeltling who has lived long enough to consume multiple sources of magic grows into an elder smeltling. Sentient Vessel. While absorbing a large volume of magical items, an elder smeltling is likely to come across some which are cursed or sentient. An elder smeltling who consumes such items becomes a conduit for the sentience trapped within, which cannot be easily destroyed and instead floats around in the elder smeltling’s body. These elder smeltlings are often infused with incredible abilities and may be controlled by the will of the item. Sentient Item Variant An elder smeltling that has absorbed a cursed or sentient item gains the Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma ability scores, skills, and proficiencies of the sentient item, as well as any languages, senses, and alignment of the item. The elder smeltling can also make use of any spellcasting talents or abilities granted by the item as an action. An Elder Smeltling’s Lair Mythical forges are a place of wonder, built in perfect balance to support the heating, hammering, cooling, and hardening required to craft magical weapons and armor. A fully functional forge is a place of beauty and harmony. An abandoned forge can be a place of chaos and dissonance, and this is where a wild smeltling is born and makes its home. Feasting on the magical materials and equipment throughout the forge, a smeltling wanders the halls breaking through anything that stands in its way of its next meal. Common rooms found in the elder smeltling’s lair are described below. 1. Warehouse This room is filled with the basic materials for forging weapons and armor. Though the materials themselves are not anything special, this warehouse of goods is a craftsman’s dream. A smith who works with enchanted items typically hires small creatures to manage the work of keeping the warehouse stocked. The warehouse is fashioned to suit the creatures hired. Without a smith in residence, these creatures eventually stop the warehouse’s upkeep and may claim the space as their own. d10 Warehouse Workers 1 Aberrations 2 Amphibious humanoids 3 Constructs 4 Elementals 5 Fey 6 Fiends 7 Goblinoids 8 Kobolds 9 Plant humanoids 10 Undead continued on page 150

149 Elder Smeltling Large construct, unaligned Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 262 (21d12 + 126) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 24 (+7) 15 (+2) 22 (+6) 6 (–2) 8 (–1) 8 (–1) Saving Throws Str +13, Con +12, Wis +5 Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from magical attacks Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft. Languages — Challenge 19 (22,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 Residual Burn. A creature that takes damage from the elder smeltling is set on fire, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature can use an action on its turn to douse the flames. Magical Melting. Magical materials that make contact with the elder smeltling’s body meld into it. If a magic item is left in the elder smeltling, it will be consumed and destroyed after 1 hour for a common item, 2 hours for an uncommon item, 4 hours for a rare item, 8 hours for a very rare item and 16 hours for a legendary item. If the item cannot be destroyed, then it floats inside the elder smeltling’s body. The body of a slain elder smeltling can be used by a blacksmith to construct a very rare or less item. Magic Resistance. The elder smeltling has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. The elder smeltling makes three attacks: two with its bihorn, and one with its tail. Bihorn. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target or two targets within 5 feet of each other. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 7) piercing damage and 9 (2d8) fire damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and 9 (2d8) fire damage. Any creatures within 10 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d8) fire damage. Trample. The elder smeltling moves up to its movement speed in a straight line. Any creature in the path must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (3d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Arcane Meld. The elder smeltling can attempt to grapple a magical item a creature is wearing or holding. The creature must make a DC 19 Strength saving throw, losing the item on a failure. The item remains partly protruding from the elder smeltling while it melds the item into itself. The item can be retrieved with a successful DC 19 Strength check as an action, or once the elder smeltling is incapacitated, the item can also be removed with a successful DC 19 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Reactions Aggressive Reposition. When the elder smeltling takes damage it can use its reaction to take the trample action. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. Heroic Actions Tag, You’re It. If the elder smeltling takes 20 or more points of damage from a ranged attack, it immediately takes the trample action in the direction where the ranged attack came from.

150 2. Furnace Furnaces used to craft magic items don’t use ordinary fire. The smith might have made a deal with a dragon, installed small portals accessing the Plane of Fire, or tapped into some other source of enchanted fire. A network of pipes runs through the walls to deliver heat to the kiln. A smeltling might break walls while trying to consume the magical flames or their source, causing random gouts of fire to shoot from the walls. d6 Heat Source 1 Dragon 2 Fire elementals 3 Magical wellspring 4 Portals 5 Spellcasters 6 Volcano 3. Tempering Pump This room is constructed to house a mystical creature or portal to another plane with liquid to magically cool newly forged items. Drains are installed in the floor to direct liquid into the forge. A smeltling might break into this room to drink from the magic waters, releasing whatever creature or magics had been trapped inside. d6 Water Source 1 Baby kraken 2 Druid 3 Portals 4 Storm giant 5 Water elementals 6 Water weird 4. Forge The forge is the heart of the smithy, with the anvil at its center. Tools hang from the walls, processing tables sit on the perimeter, and a water spout fills a large pool for cooling. Tunnels and passageways lead from here to the entire lair, and the elder smeltling almost certainly makes its home here. 5. Showroom Behind a heavy door is a collection of unsold items put on display. Elaborate racks and cases fill the showroom, each protected by deadly traps. With the overwhelming scent of magic radiating from this vault, the elder smeltling stops at nothing to feast on the items inside, setting off many traps and leaving the room mostly in ruin. Lucky adventurers might find an item or two the elder smeltling may have missed. 6. Trinket Room This room is filled with tools used for the dangerous process of melting down and reshaping minor magic items into raw materials for more potent products. It may have contained dozens of items ranging from common to rare, and it was likely the source of the smeltling’s first snacks. Once sated, it leaves behind a conglomerate of items fused together by the heat of its body. Magic items recovered from this area have a 30% chance of ill or no effect, a 40% chance of the intended effect, and a 30% chance the intended effect is enhanced. 7. Gemstone Vault No magical item is complete without elaborate adornments, which are kept in this well hidden and secured vault. A successful DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) or Dexterity check with Thieves’ tools are needed to enter. Shelves line the walls with gems valued between 250 and 1,000 gold pieces, while containers full of lesser quality gems run the length of the floor. Though it is a trove fit for a king, the elder smeltling has no interest in these nonmagical gems, but other intruders surely may.