23 - The Mystery of Master Gurak
- Master Gurak's items were left outside of the Teleportation Circle in the furthest room of the cave system
- This circle, if inspected in depth, appears to be a permanent circle (casting teleportation every day for a year)
- Master Gurak was not a spell caster; he must have been working with someone
- If activated, the circle will take the party to another plane of existence
- The party will be teleported to The Aegis
- The Astral Warship is in a state of disrepair
- Only the A.S.I.S.T. (Automated Ship Intelligence and Security Terminal) remains active
- When activated, it will "Red Queen" itself into protecting the system from intruders
- Ace seems to have access to the ship's interior innately
- C.R.E.L. (Combined Religion, Exploration, and Life) unit is mentioned frequently in logs
- All of the ships traps seem to have been triggered already; which will change when the group reaches the final chamber
- The local population is plagued by near-constant attacks from strange, sporelike creatures from the north (once the site of the great battle of Trigseer).
- The town is currently being run like a military occupational camp, governed by military law and under strict curfews.
- The local garrison scouts have been reporting on strange, other-worldly sounds that have been coming from the location of The Cut
- The smell of burning flesh, wood, and the toxic smoke from The Cut are pungent in the air.
- Frequent "sandstorm-like" storms occur; those outside take 5d6 poison damage every "round" until they can get inside; face coverings will reduce the damage to 3d6 poison damage.
- The group could encounter Yamar while traveling
- Yamar is older, tired, and very much less enthusiastic
- Murdersuckle Tea - Smells amazing to everyone. Tastes great to those who have not murdered someone in cold blood. Tastes like rotten flesh to those who have. - Party Mayhem
Hadar Touched Roller
STR
16 +3
DEX
15 +2
CON
18 +4
INT
10 +0
WIS
10 +0
CHA
8 -1
- The scout is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
- The scout has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
- The scout's weapon attacks are magical.
Actions
Multiattack:
- The roller makes three slash attacks
- Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target
- Hit: 18 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage + 3 (1d6) fire damage
- Swarm: Additional 1d6 fire damage per additional creature
- As a bonus action, the scout may combine this attack with any successful attack roll.
- After a successful attack, the creature's hand begins to glow fiery red and smolder. The target of the attack must make a DC 15 CON saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 12 (4d6) fire damage in addition to any damage dealt by the attack. A successful save takes half damage.
- If the target of the attack is wearing non-magical metal armor, the effects of the spell Heat Metal are mimicked, and an additional 9 (3d6) fire damage is dealt each round for 1 minute or until either the metal armor is doffed, or the heat is dissipated or dispelled.
Legendary Actions
Once per round, at the end of any creature's turn, the roller may make one of the following, previously unused legendary actions. Any used legendary actions reset at the end of the roller's turn. The Burning Gaze:
- The roller's bright red glow seers through the protective shielding of a creature's mind.
- A creature must make a WIS 16 saving throw. On a failed save, the target of the attack takes 18 (6d6) psychic damage and gains the Frightened condition.
- A creature may make a WIS save at the end of each of its turns to break the condition.
- A 30 ft. diameter pit opens up on the ground at a point the roller can see. Firey arms and agonizing screams reach out to grab any creature within the area of its effect.
- Any creature within the area must make a STR 18 saving throw. On a failed save, the affected creature is pulled into the center of the pit, takes 12 (4d6) fire damage and 8 (2d8) psychic damage and the affected creature's HP is temporarily reduced by the amount of psychic damage taken; lost HP cannot be regained until a long rest is completed.
- Any creature in this area's movement is halved. And any creature ending its turn in this area must take an additional 6 (2d6) fire damage and 4 (1d8) psychic damage.
Homebrew
Spore Mound CR: 5
STR
18 +4
DEX
8 -1
CON
16 +3
INT
5 -3
WIS
10 +0
CHA
5 -3
Poison Absorption:
- Whenever the spore mound is subjected to poison damage, it takes no damage and regains a number of hit points equal to the poison damage dealt.
Actions
Multiattack:
- The spore mound makes two slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the spore mound uses its Engulf on it.
- Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target
- Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage
- The spore mound engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the mound's turns or take 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
- If the mound moves, the engulfed target moves with it.
- The mound can have only one creature engulfed at a time.
Reactions
Legendary Actions
Legendary Actions:
- The mound may use any of its legendary actions at the end of any turn.
- The mound will regain all of its spent abilities by rolling a 4-6 at the end of its turn.
- As a reaction, the spore mound can release a toxic cloud of fungal spores in a 20ft. radius centered on itself.
- Any creature caught in this cloud of spores must make a CON saving thrown (DC 16) or take 5d8 poison damage and will accrue the Blinded condition while it is in the cloud.
- Any creature who starts its turn in the cloud must make a CON save (DC 16) or take 4d8 poison damage.
- Creatures affected by this spore cloud may roll CON saves at the end of their turn to rid themselves of the effects.
- Spore clouds can be cast multiple times if the mound feels threatened.
- As a reaction, the spore mound can spawn 1d10 minions at point of its choosing, anywhere that it can see, so long as it is above 50 HP
- Minions that spawn have the swarm ability
- Minions have 1 HP, +5 to hit (slash), and deal 2 slashing damage and 5 poison damage per hit
- If more than 4 Minion swarm the same person, the creature being attacked must make a STR 15 save or be knocked prone
- As a reaction, the spore mound may "teleport" itself to any unoccupied location that it can see by using its underground fungal network of roots
- The "teleport" does not provoke an opportunity attack
- Any creature that is brought to 0 HP by the Spore Mound must make a CON 18 save or permanently gain the Poisoned condition. This condition can only be lifted by use of magical abilities.
- Any creature that is brought to 0 HP by the Spore Mound must make a STR 16 save or take the Paralyzed condition upon being healed. This condition can only be removed by the use of the Spell: Lesser Restoration (or something similar).
- A spore mound feeds on any organic material, tirelessly consuming plants as it moves and devouring animals that can't escape it. Only the spore mound's rarity and plodding speed prevent them from overwhelming entire ecosystems. Even so, their presence leeches the natural environments of plant and animal life, and an unsettling quiet pervades the lands haunted by these ever-hungry horrors.
- Composed of rotting fungus, decaying leaves, vines, roots, and other compost, mounds can blend into their environments without effort. Because they move slowly, they rarely attempt to pursue and catch creatures. Rather, they remain in place, sustaining themselves by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings as they wait for prey to come to them. When a creature passes near or alights upon a mound, the monster comes to life, seizing and absorbing the unwary prey.
- A spore mound results from a phenomenon in which powerful magic invigorates an otherwise ordinary mushroom spore. As the fungus is reborn into its second life, it chokes the life from plants and animals around it, mulching their corpses in a heap around its roots. Those roots eventually give up their reliance on the soil, directing the mound to seek out new sources of food.
- If a spore mound faces defeat before an overwhelming foe, the root stem can feign death, collapsing the remains of its mound. If not subsequently killed, the root stem beds down in the mound's remains to slowly regrow its full body, then once again sets out to consume all it can. In this way, spore mound infestations long thought destroyed can recur time and again.
Suggested Environments
Ancient battlefields, where the rot and decay of the original mycelium was spread.
Gelatinous Cube CR: 2
STR
14 +2
DEX
3 -4
CON
20 +5
INT
1 -5
WIS
6 -2
CHA
1 -5
Actions
Pseudopod: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature - Hit: 10 (3d6) acid damage Engulf: The cube moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can enter Large or smaller creatures' spaces. Whenever the cube enters a creature's space, the creature must make a DC 12 DEX saving throw.
- On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the cube. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw.
- On a failed save, the cube enters the creature's space, and the creature takes 10 (3d6) acid damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature can't breathe, is restrained, and takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the cube's turns. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 12 STR check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the cube.
Swarm of Spiders CR: 1/2
STR
3 -4
DEX
13 +1
CON
10 +0
INT
1 -5
WIS
7 -2
CHA
1 -5
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. Spider Climb. The swarm can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the swarm knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web. Web Walker. The swarm ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer
Thug CR: 1/2
STR
15 +2
DEX
11 +0
CON
14 +2
INT
10 +0
WIS
10 +0
CHA
11 +0
Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the thug's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (l dl 0) piercing damage.
Ursine Ice Warrior CR: 7
STR
16 +3
DEX
10 +0
CON
15 +2
INT
11 +0
WIS
15 +2
CHA
10 +0
Actions
Multiattack. The ursine warrior makes one Bite attack and two Claw Attacks, or it makes two melee weapon attacks (warhammer). Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10+3) piercing damage Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8+3) slashing damage Warhammer: Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 9 (1d12+3) bludgeoning damage Bonus Actions Roar (One Per Combat): The ursine warrior emits a roar in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 20 (4d10) thunder damage, drops everything in its holding, and is stunned for 1 minute. The stunned create can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't stunned. Second Wind (Recharge 2-3): Drawing on a limited well of stamina used to protect itself from harm, the ursine warrior may at the beginning of its turn, use a bonus action to regain Hit Points equal to 8 (1d10 + Con).
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