Primeval Tentacled Horror CR: 13
Large to Huge monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class: 17 (natural armour)
Hit Points: 84 10d12+12
Speed:
20 ft
, swim: 40 ft
, climb: 15 ft
Saving Throws: Dex +4, Con +4
Skills: Sleight of Hand +3, Sneak +3, Persuasion +6, Deception +5, Nature +4, Religion +4
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning
Damage Immunities: Acid, cold
Condition Immunities: Grappled, prone, restrained
Senses: Darkvision: 120 ft, passive Perception 16
Languages: Deep Speech
Challenge Rating: 13
( 6300 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +4
by Colonel 101
Slimy & Rubbery. The Horror can force it's way through holes, cracks, crevaces etc no bigger than a foot wide.
Climb. The Horror can climb shear surfaces & roof spaces with it's Climb movement speed unimpeded.
Amphibious. The Horror can breathe both air & water for unlimited durations. It must, though, return to a water source every 12 to 24 hours roughly to maintain it's slime and general flexible self.
Actions
Multiattack. The Horror cam make 3 Tentacle attacks and can replace one of these with a Bite attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack +7 to hit, 5ft reach, one target. Hit 15 3d8+2 piercing damage.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack +7 to hit, 10ft reach, one target. Hit 11 2d8+2 bludgeoning damage. Each tentacle that hits & wounds successfully can do half damage and grapple an opponent of Large size or smaller. On a DC 17 Strength saving throw the victim can break free, otherwise is restrained and the Horror reduces it's multiattacks until it can only use it's bite. Those restrained can roll at the end of each of their turns to break free. Up to 3 creatures can be reswtrained this way, and either incapacitating or killing the Horror will uto,atically release the victim. Upon release, the victim spends a turn prone before getting back up.
Bonus Actions
Drown. The Horror can attempt to drown a restrained victim by submerging them. They take 5 1d10 poison damage from this, unless they make a successful DC 17 Constitution saving throw per turn like this on top of any other saves.
Dive. The Horror can dive into deep water giving it a bonus of +2 to it's AC for a turn but cannot attack in it's next turn. Any victims it has restrained suffers the effects of the Drown bonus action.
Dominate. Spell Attack +6, 15 ft range, one target visible within range. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, or be under the sway of the Horror. The victim attacks it's allies straight after the Horror attacks, and can make the save at the end of any of it's turns. A success means that the victim is unable to be dominated for 24 hours by the Dominate ability.
Reactions
Slimy Ink Cloud. The Horror releases a cloud, in water or air made of droplets of slimy ink-like material that clouds the water or gets in the eyes of a victim. That victim has disadvantage on any action, bonus action, or reaction until the end of it's next turn. Then it fades, and chances are the Horror will have fled by then.
Primeval Tentacled Horrors are horrendous creatures dating back to the early days of many planets. Primordial in nature they are beings made of a brain, rubbery & leathery skin, and masses of tentacles. No two are excatly identical but all are a scourge on their environments. Slimy in the extreme and a highly flexible & extremely toughened muscular system helps keep their shape & their bodies moist, while also allowing them to squeeze through holes, cracks & suchlike no larger than a foot gives them additional access to feeding grounds.
Strangely, despite being found in many wet natural regions, they seem to had an idea of what nations & empires are. The few scholars who are aware of them seem to to poi9nt that in many isolated regions that host one or more of these creatures, rare & incredibly strange artefacts & ruins lie buried or submerged. The Horrors can sometimes even be found congregating in a rare few of these spots with the largest of their kind holding sway over the smaller brethern.
Each seems to have at least a basic understanding of Deep Speech, and able to communicate in it. Their speech is a slow gurgly speech, interspersed with the odd click, and slightly high-pitched & raspy. They seem to be able to read & even thought to write in Deep Speech as well. A few pick up one or two other languages of nearby species that allows them to communicate wiht them if needed. Though they might be able to do this, they rarely do, as most species that encounter them have an inbuilt hated & revulsion of them
The Horrors outright hatred of others are apparant when encountered and see other creatures as prey and/or slaves to be dominated. Those that aren't devoured by them are forced by the use of mental stimuli to build rough & oddly shaped buildings of strange layouts in wet areas to accommodate groups of the Horrors. Two central chambers are built where the largest congregate and clear rubbery eggs of their young are placed. There they can build up mini-empires though are limited to wetter areas.
Their domination of others hint at a possible link to the Illithids, and the scholars who study or are aware of both, think that the ancestry lies in the same region of the Far Realms and are deeply entwined. Neither seem to care much for one another, but generally leave each other alone, the Illithids sticking to the Underdark, and the Horrors to their watery areas. SA point to note is that the Horrors sometimes invades the dreams of mortals (they themselves seem effectively immortal if undisturbed), and have a preference to be worshipped like gods if & where possible. If not they will mentally subjegate those that they need.
Suggested Environments
Seas, oceans, lakes, rivers, swamps and other waterways.
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