I’ve been meaning to do one of these for a while and finally remembered to so on a Saturday! For this Spotlight Saturday I’m doing “Make a post recommending someone else’s fic that you love.”
And this time, that fic is Cybernatural by @tigerlilynoh
My favorite fics are the ones that stick with me for a long time after I’ve read them and this one absolutely qualifies. The world building in this fic is next level fantastic. I was completely sucked in from start to finish and it hints at an even more expansive world that I’d also love to read more about. It’s Sam-centric but Sam is much older and has to take a serum and—actually, I’ll let the author tell you about it. Here’s their summary:
Sam would’ve expected the Apocalypse to have been the most difficult chapter in his life, but that ordeal had been a sprint compared to the marathon of his later years. For decades the hits kept coming one after the other: addiction, illness, and loss— all piled atop a world that had turned harsh. The year is 2078, and the world around him has changed, twisted by ecological disaster, extreme wealth disparity, and the struggle of non-humans trying to integrate into society.
During the last few painful decades of his life, Sam had turned inward as he focused on trying to protect and mentor his family’s next generation of hunters: Jack, Dean’s half-reaper daughter, and his demonic genderqueer child. But during his latest case, he discovers that his family has become caught up in something much bigger than expected. Their investigation leads them into some of the unsavory corners of the city’s supernatural underground, and pieces from Sam’s tragic and sordid past start coming out. He just wanted to protect his family, but it was just like a Winchester to have good intentions go so very wrong
Beyond the protective atmospheres of the little worlds of the Material Plane, past the stars daintily suspended in the skies, between the grains of particles that influence the movement of nebulas and galaxies, void dragons dwell intertwined within the folds of space itself, slowly amassing their colossal matter hoards and defying entropy.
Mind over Matter. A void dragon perceives space and the interactions of the planes the same way a human sees diverging paths in a road. With a mere thought, it can bend space around its environment, and thus move across great distances, through physically small spaces, or even to other realities. To these stellar beings, physicality is oftentimes merely a convenience or a presentation, and not any sort of limitation. This cavalier attitude extends even to their size, and an individual could shift between atomic and global scales multiple times in short periods to suit its mood.
Solitary Nature. Because a void dragon's greed knows no boundaries of space and distance, the extent of their neighborhoods tend to be limited only by the presence of other void dragons. The creatures are fiercely competitive and jealous of each other's galactic collections, sometimes gravitationally skimming off rogue planets and comets, but unless there's a drastic discrepancy in mass, they tend to be evenly matched and thus give each other the space needed to avoid collisions. Void dragons will seek each other out to birth new generations amongst stellar nurseries, but otherwise spend most of their lives alone. Observational evidence indicates that almost every large galaxy has no more than a single void dragon at its center, and the complex distortions to space caused by multiple void dragons in cohabitation might spell disaster for any civilizations within their gravity well.
A Void Dragon's Lair
A void dragon is not without the material interests of its more terrestrial kin. Like the chromatic and metallic dragons, void dragons too amass collections of wealth, but their ability to shift size and scale grants them a much broader perspective of value. The hoard of a void dragon might constitute some carbon atoms with particularly excitable electrons, or they might drift freely in space as grand nebulas of diamond and quartz deposits. Most often, though, a void dragon will simply pile up their valuables in orbit around a star, allowing gravity and accretion to eventually form rocky hoard planets that act as their lairs.
The most valuable treasures tend to be among a void dragon's oldest possessions, and thus they typically reside within the hoard planet's core. Though this provides ample natural protection, a void dragon wouldn't dare leave their favored gems and compounds unwatched. Massive tunnels are bored through the entire length of hoard planets, creating crisscrossing channels and byzantine mazes difficult for foolhardy treasure-seekers to navigate.
In some cases, a void dragon leaves the surface of its world entirely unattended while it lies under the mantle, and after thousands or millions of years, new life can take root. Societies could rise and fall dozens of times over without ever discovering what causes the occasional quakes as the planet's core churns and throws the surface into disarray. Their happy ignorance might be preferable to learning the awful truth when the void dragon eventually wakes and decides to expand its collection.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
Gravity becomes less reliable in a 60-foot radius around the dragon. Each creature other than the dragon in that area is suddenly pulled in a random direction as their personal gravity shifts. An affected creature can grab onto the nearest surface within reach to prevent falling by succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, otherwise they fall until they hit a solid object or surface. The effect ends on a creature when it moves more than 60 feet away from the dragon.
The dragon bends space around a creature it can see within 120 feet of it. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or it grows smaller or larger by one size category, similar to the effects of an enlarge/reduce spell. A creature can be affected by this lair action more than once (e.g. a Medium creature made Small can be made Tiny if targeted twice). Casting greater restoration will remove one instance of this effect per casting.
Regional Effects
The hoard planet containing a legendary void dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
Small quakes are common on random continents on the hoard planet's surface.
The hoard planet is orbited by a cloud of captured asteroids. Creatures and objects take 1d4 piercing damage from micrometeoroids for every hour spent in orbit.
The hoard planet is full of tunnels created by the void dragon's travels over time, which vary greatly in size and create complex mazes difficult to navigate. For each hour spent traveling the tunnels, creatures must succeed on a DC 15 Survival check or reach a dead end as the tunnel becomes too small to traverse, requiring backtracking to find other routes. Tiny creatures are not affected by this limitation and can continue through the microtunnels normally.
If the dragon dies, the quakes fade over the course of 1d10 days, and the other effects fade over the course of 1d100 years.
Void Nature. The wyrmling doesn't require air and can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Gravity Breath (Recharge 5-6). The wyrmling exhales an invisible aura of increased gravitational pull in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 18 (4d8) force damage, and its speed is halved until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and suffers no reduction to its speed. Until the start of the wyrmling's next turn, any object that isn't being worn or carried in the cone requires a successful Strength check (DC 12) to pick up or move.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). The dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights, thaumaturgy
3/day each: catapult
1/day each: immovable object, misty step
Void Nature. The dragon doesn't require air and can squeeze through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes up to three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) force damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage.
Gravity Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales an invisible aura of increased gravitational pull 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 36 (8d8) force damage, and its speed is halved until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and suffers no reduction to its speed. Until the start of the dragon's next turn, any object that isn't being worn or carried in the cone requires a successful Strength check (DC 15) to pick up or move.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18). The dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Weapons. The dragon’s weapon attacks are magical.
Void Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, can fly freely in a vacuum, and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes up to three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) force damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage plus 5 (2d4) cold damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened 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. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Gravity Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales an invisible aura of increased gravitational pull in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 54 (12d8) force damage, it is pulled up to 10 feet toward the dragon, and its speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage, its speed is halved until the end of its next turn, and it is not pulled. Until the start of the dragon's next turn, any object that isn't being worn or carried in the cone requires a successful Strength check (DC 18) to pick up or move.
Legendary Actions
The dragon 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 dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Wyrmhole (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon uses its innate spellcasting to cast misty step or thunder step.
Innate Spellcasting. The dragon's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22). The dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
1/day each: crown of stars, plane shift, reverse gravity, scatter
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The dragon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The dragon’s weapon attacks are magical.
Void Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, can fly freely in a vacuum, and can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes up to three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) force damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage plus 10 (4d4) cold damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened 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. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Gravity Breath (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales an invisible aura of increased gravitational pull in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 72 (16d8) force damage, it is pulled up to 30 feet toward the dragon, and its speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage, its speed is halved until the end of its next turn, and it is not pulled. Until the start of the dragon's next turn, any object that isn't being worn or carried in the cone requires a successful Strength check (DC 20) to pick up or move.
Legendary Actions
The dragon 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 dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.
Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 feet of the dragon must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Wyrmhole (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon uses its innate spellcasting to cast misty step or thunder step.
[id: monster stat block for the void dragon, depicting a dragon silhouette flying against the backdrop of space, seemingly blending into the constellations, or perhaps forming one]
"I saw them then ... that winged mass drew a shade on the sun. I tell you, it was night at three o'clock in the afternoon. My world snapped into a box. The air staled. A kind of sleet fell from that winged ceiling.
... they flew so fast I couldn't pick out one ... The sky was a feathered fabric weaving itself in and out, unraveling before my eyes. I felt dizzy. I could barely breathe.
Out on the street, people dropped to the ground, arms thrown over their heads. If they screamed, I wouldn't have known, because all I could hear was the sound of those beating wings. Horses reared up and yanked at their hitches. Dogs flattened their ears, put their heads down, and scooted under buggies and porches."
— Amy Timberlake, One Came Home
On its own, a passenger sprite hardly stands out amongst similar fey creatures, possessing a miniaturized humanoid form, small wings for flight, and a keen connection to the natural world it fiercely protects.
Its main differentiator is its propensity to flock with others of its kind in massive swarms. These clouds of sprites have been known to blacken the skies, blotting out the sun as they pass overhead for many hours. Such communities are often seen as dangerous infestations, for the seemingly miniscule appetite of a sprite is magnified a billionfold, wreaking devastation on crops and livestock herds.
The innate fey magic, too, is amplified by the cloud's throng, allowing the collective to manipulate the Weave to satisfy their needs. A sprite can sense a creature's motivations through touch, but the individual members of the flock can transfer this knowledge across the entire cloud through a limited shared telepathic connection, allowing information to propagate across the whole instantaneously. There are no secrets held from the hive mind if all would benefit from the knowledge.
Heart Sense. The sprite magically knows the alignment and current emotional state of any creatures occupying its space.
Pack Tactics. The sprite has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the sprite’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Spellcasting. The sprite's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only its pixie dust as a component:
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this manner, the target is also paralyzed. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the Constitution saving throw and ends the poisoned condition on a successful save.
Invisibility. The sprite magically turns invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the sprite wears or carries is invisible with it.
Reactions
Determination (1/Day). When the sprite is reduced to 0 hit points by an attack, it is instead reduced to 1 hit point and can fly up to half its movement speed away from the source of the attack. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Passenger Sprite Cloud (Challenge 16)
Attributes
Gargantuan Swarm of Tiny Fey, Typically Chaotic Neutral
Languages: telepathy with any creatures in the cloud's space
Challenge: 16 (15,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +5
Special Traits
Cacophany. When the cloud is flying, the beating of its wings can be heard up to 1 mile away. Creatures within 100 feet of the cloud are deafened to any other sounds. While deafened in this manner, a creature has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration.
Heart Sense. The cloud magically knows the alignment and current emotional state of any creatures occupying its space.
Spellcasting. The cloud’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to attack). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only pixie dust as a component:
1/day each: confusion, control winds, insect plague, phantasmal force, mass polymorph, wrath of nature
All spells 4th level or lower are cast at 5th level.
Magic Resistance. The cloud has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Swarm. The cloud can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the cloud can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny sprite. The cloud can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Actions
Omniattack. The cloud attacks all creatures in its space using its longswords.
Longswords. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the cloud’s space. Hit: 30 (10d4 + 5) slashing damage. The total damage is halved if the cloud has half of its hit points or fewer.
Rain of Arrows (Recharge 5-6). The cloud fires poison-tipped arrows down at the ground underneath it. Each creature under the cloud (no more than 200 feet beneath the cloud) must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw.
On a failed Dexterity save, a creature takes 26 (7d4 + 9) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this manner, the target is also paralyzed. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the Constitution saving throw and ends the poisoned condition on a successful save.
On a successful Dexterity save, the piercing damage is halved and the target has advantage on its first Constitution saving throw to resist the poison.
The cloud cannot use this action if it has half of its hit points or fewer, except as a legendary action.
Invisibility. The cloud magically turns invisible until it attacks or casts a spell, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the cloud wears or carries is invisible with it.
Legendary Actions
The cloud 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 cloud regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Longswords. The cloud attacks one creature using its longswords.
Invisibility (Costs 2 Actions). The cloud uses its invisibility.
Rain of Arrows (Costs 3 Actions). The cloud uses its rain of arrows.
[id: lore and stat blocks for passenger sprites and the passenger sprite cloud, depicting several fairies flitting about]
The peaks of the Ashen Scape loom large on the horizon, towering over the plains to the west and separating them from the seas. This mountain range was formed from now-dormant volcanoes as the continent drifted across shifting plates deep beneath the ocean. Though these mountains no longer rain down fiery death upon the lands, the soil was infused with vast deposits of a material known as murex, which gives the neighboring forest both its name and its purplish hue.
Anatomy of a Murexian Creature
Murex exists at all levels of the food chain in the Grove, permeating from the soil to the plants to the herbivores and carnivores, then back into the soil and carrion feeders. Though murex is highly toxic when creatures are exposed to it directly, the denizens of the forest adapt to the murex and incorporate it into their bodies. In addition to the bright purple stripes, spots, rings, and other markings, the murex can cause more extreme mutations. Creatures corrupted by murex will become venomous, injecting deadly poisons into any prey that hasn't itself adapted to endure the effect.
On occasion, these mutations extend to new physiological features such as back and tail frills or bioluminescence. The intensity of the physical mutations increases with higher levels of corruption.
A plant or animal newly introduced to the Murexian Grove, if not killed and eaten by the deadly poisonous predators there, will start to mutate after subsisting on a murexian diet for about one month. Most of the physical changes will last until the creature dies or is removed from the Grove for more than 1d4 days. Constructs and undead, as well as creatures that are already immune to poison, are immune to murexian corruption.
Murexian Corruption Levels
Murexian creatures have varying traits due to the severity of corruption caused by the murex in their systems. The following traits apply to all murexian creatures of given challenge rating thresholds; lower corruption traits also apply to creatures with more severe corruption, unless otherwise noted. In addition, creatures corrupted by murex gain the monstrosity type in addition to their current types.
Partial Corruption
Challenge 1 or lower
Murexian Immunity. The squirrel is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, including those caused by murexian poisons.
Poisonous Skin. If another creature comes into direct contact with a murexian creature's body, it must succeed on a DC 9 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the murexian creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Additionally, if a creature eats a murexian plant or animal, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour.
Severe Corruption
Challenge 2-5
Enhanced Poisonous Skin. The DC on the Poisonous Skin trait's saving throw is now increased to the recommended level for the creature's challenge rating (after murexian corruption modifications). For example, a creature with challenge 2 has a recommended save DC of 13, and a creature with challenge 8 increases the save DC to 16. See the Dungeon Master's Workshop chapter in the Dungeon Master's Guide for reference.
Additionally, a creature that fails this saving throw is paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
Murexian Poison. All attacks and traits of a murexian creature that deal poison damage or cause the poisoned condition treat poison immunity as poison resistance and ignores a target's normal poison resistance, unless the target has specific resistances or immunities to murexian poisons. Targets with poison immunity or murexian poison resistance have advantage on saves against murexian poisons, and targets with murexian poison immunity automatically succeed on such saves.
Toxic Injection. The sludge coursing through the veins and fangs of murexian creatures is highly toxic to those who come in contact with it. When a murexian creature hits a creature with an attack using a natural weapon (e.g. a Bite or Claws attack), the attack deals an additional 1d6 murexian poison damage.
Complete Corruption
Challenge 6 or higher
Toxic Infusion. The Toxic Injection trait deals an additional 3d6 murexian poison damage on a hit with attacks using a natural weapon.
Venom Surge. A creature that is already poisoned by murex and fails the Poisonous Skin saving throw instead suffers one level of exhaustion. A creature cannot have more than one level of exhaustion at a time caused by the Venom Surge trait from the same murexian creature.
Example Murexian Creatures
The following creatures are all based on existing creatures and modified with murexian traits based on their original challenge rating (the murexian squirrel is based on a rat with climbing speed and pack tactics added). This can serve as an example of how murex corruption affects a stat block. Note that the addition of poison immunity, contact poisons, and increased damage on attacks can affect the challenge rating; an effort has been made to recalculate challenge ratings accordingly, and some attributes have been adjusted to better match the new challenge rating.
Keen Smell. The squirrel has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pack Tactics. The squirrel has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the squirrel’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and isn’t incapacitated.
Poisonous Skin. If another creature comes into direct contact with the squirrel's body (including as part of the squirrel's Bite attack), it must succeed on a DC 9 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the squirrel can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Senses: blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 9
Languages: understands Common but can't speak
Challenge: ⅛ (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Special Traits
False Appearance. While the blight remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a dead shrub.
Poisonous Skin. If another creature comes into direct contact with the twig blight's body (including as part of the twig blight's Claws attack), it must succeed on a DC 9 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the squirrel can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Charge. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Murexian Poison. All murexian poison damage and poisoned conditions dealt by the boar treat poison immunity as poison resistance and ignore a target's normal poison resistance, unless the target has specific resistance or immunity to murexian poisons. Targets with poison immunity or murexian poison resistance have advantage on saves against murexian poisons, and targets with murexian poison immunity automatically succeed on such saves.
Enhanced Poisonous Skin. If another creature comes into direct contact with the boar's body (including as part of the boar's Tusk attack), it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute and paralyzed until the end of its next turn. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the boar can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the boar takes 10 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) murexian poison damage.
Languages: Infernal, telepathy 300 ft. (with other hellwasps only)
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Special Traits
Magic Weapons. The hellwasp’s weapon attacks are magical.
Murexian Poison. All murexian poison damage and poisoned conditions dealt by the hellwasp treat poison immunity as poison resistance and ignore a target's normal poison resistance, unless the target has specific resistance or immunity to murexian poisons. Targets with poison immunity or murexian poison resistance have advantage on saves against murexian poisons, and targets with murexian poison immunity automatically succeed on such saves.
Enhanced Poisonous Skin. If another creature comes into direct contact with the hellwasp's body (including as part of the hellwasp's Sting or Sword Talons attacks), it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute and paralyzed until the end of its next turn. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the hellwasp can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Actions
Multiattack. The hellwasp makes two attacks: one with its sting and one with its sword talons.
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage and 3 (1d6) murexian poison damage.
Sword Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) murexian poison damage.
Murexian Poison. All murexian poison damage and poisoned conditions dealt by the tyrannosaurus treat poison immunity as poison resistance and ignore a target's normal poison resistance, unless the target has specific resistance or immunity to murexian poisons. Targets with poison immunity or murexian poison resistance have advantage on saves against murexian poisons, and targets with murexian poison immunity automatically succeed on such saves.
Venom Surge. If another creature comes into direct contact with the tyrannosaur's body (including as part of the tyrannosaur's Bite or Tail attack), it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute and paralyzed until the end of its next turn. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the tyrannosaurus can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Additionally, a creature that is already poisoned by murex and fails this saving throw instead suffers one level of exhaustion. A creature cannot have more than one level of exhaustion at a time caused by the Venom Surge trait from the same murexian creature.
Actions
Multiattack. The tyrannosaurus 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: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) murexian poison damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tyrannosaurus can't bite another target.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) murexian poison damage.
Murexian Beholder
It is a strange scenario indeed for a beholder to allow itself to become corrupted by murex. This might occur if the beholder was driven out of its lair and was forced to flee, finding itself in the Murexian Grove and subsisting on the tainted flesh of the beasts found there to survive. Or it may have been a conscious decision, some play to take in these powerful toxins to use against its real or perceived foes. The ambitions of a beholder are sometimes difficult to predict, and a beholder prefers it this way.
However it came to be, the beholder will find not only its body infused with murex, but also its mind. The poison clouds thought and judgment, twisting the beholder's innate paranoia. The aberrant mind becomes more so, reducing the beholder's intelligence and making it fearful of anything it encounters, thinking that it has discovered an agent of its foes. Such a beholder will generally try to kill creatures on the spot rather than converse or negotiate terms. It still makes an effort to anticipate its enemies' next actions, but it becomes a generally less effective tactician.
Murexian beholders will happily make their new surroundings into a lair, tending to create vast tunnels underground amidst the mexite deposits from ancient volcanic activity. Their slaves dig until they hit magma flows, so that the beholder might better protect its interests through ever more hazardous pathways.
Antimagic Cone. The beholder's central eye creates an area of antimagic, as in the antimagic field spell, in a 150-foot-cone. At the start of each of its turns, the beholder decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. The area works against the beholder's own eye rays.
Murexian Poison. All murexian poison damage and poisoned conditions dealt by the beholder treat poison immunity as poison resistance and ignore a target's normal poison resistance, unless the target has specific resistance or immunity to murexian poisons. Targets with poison immunity or murexian poison resistance have advantage on saves against murexian poisons, and targets with murexian poison immunity automatically succeed on such saves.
Venom Surge. If another creature comes into direct contact with the beholder's body (including as part of the beholder's Bite attack), it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned with murex for 1 minute and paralyzed until the end of its next turn. A poisoned creature no longer in direct contact with the beholder can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Additionally, a creature that is already poisoned by murex and fails this saving throw instead suffers one level of exhaustion. A creature cannot have more than one level of exhaustion at a time caused by the Venom Surge trait from the same murexian creature.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) murexian poison damage.
Eye Rays. The beholder shoots three of its magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it. See the beholder stat block in the Monster Manual for eye ray effects; the Enervation Ray is replaced with a Murexian Ray which behaves as follows:
Murexian Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 36 (8d8) murexian poison damage and is poisoned by murex as described in the Venom Surge trait. On a successful save, the ray damage is halved and the target is not poisoned by murex.
Legendary Actions
The beholder can take 3 legendary actions, using the Eye Ray option below. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The beholder regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Eye Ray. The beholder uses one random eye ray.
[id: lore for the Murexian Grove, mechanics for modifying a creature corrupted by murex, and several example murexian creatures. The murexian squirrel, murexian hellwasp, and murexian beholder are all depicted; each of them has various mutations, including fangs, purple stripes, and viscous purple liquid oozing from various orifices]
I’ve never done a bingo before, but I’m interested. Is the idea to write a single fic to satisfy as many squares as possible (I assume making a bingo) or do we write one fic per square to accomplish the bingo? Thank you :)
Yes. It’s one fic per square. You can’t combine, or use multiple squares in one fic. One square = one fic
l-e-i-n-t-h replied to your post “tagged by: @monkeysatemylastrolo (here is her post) who is writing the...”
Thanks for tagging me. I doubt I'll have the time, but thanks anyway :)
mixgoldenphoenix
replied to your post
“tagged by: @monkeysatemylastrolo (here is her post) who is writing the...”
I kinda ain't got the means to do this, but thanks for tagging me!
No problem, like I said, it’s entirely optional. :)
monkeysatemylastrolo
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“tagged by: @monkeysatemylastrolo (here is her post) who is writing the...”
Anaconda/Phantom of the Opera mashup?!? What on Earth?!? Also, going mountain climbing and doing Tai Chi? Dude, you are so cool. Could never do the mountain climbing. Too much exercise Too high up. Finally, why does your Santa-equivalent bring peanuts? I am intrigued. I shall have to look into this.
Sorry for the late reply, I kinda left tumblr behind for a bit. I found the mashup, though :P https://wingslovesfiction.tumblr.com/post/162940272583/junovoltage-consuelodoodles-bamilton
“Mountain climbing” is a bit of an exaggeration... the tallest point of Cserhát is only 654 m... and the tallest point of Hungary is 1014 m, so... Where we went was like a little walk in the woods. I’m not that cool ;)
(Seriously, I spend most of my free time reading fanfic.)
Tai chi is awesome, though, but it’s also difficult for me to see it as cool cause I’m the youngest there - it’s an “anybody can start learning regardless of age or physical condition” type thing, so we have several grandmas, too.
I have no idea why the Mikulás brings peanuts (roasted in the shell). It’s a cheap snack that children like, and the shells make you eat them slowly, and it’s kind of a family bonding activity sitting around a bowl peeling and eating them?
(note for myself: tigerlilynoh filled this out, here.)
