Happy Whatever this Weekend Holiday Is... New Creature

[serleran]

Hydra, Larvae

No. Encountered: 1 (1 -3; 5%)
Size: Large
HD: 5 to 12 (d8)
Move: 20 feet, 10 feet (swim)
AC: 16 to 23 [see below]
Attack: 5 to 12 Bites (1d6)
Special: Multiheaded, Nethersight, Vulnerability, Regeneration, Cacophony, Breath Weapon, Spell Resistance (8), Spells
Saves: M, P
Int: Very High
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Type: Fiend (Minor), Extraplanar
Treasure: -/-/2/2/4/4/6
XP Value:
5HD - 900+80
6HD - 1,500+80
7HD - 2,500+80
8HD - 3,500+80
9HD - 4,500+80
10HD - 6,500+80
11HD - 8,500+80
12HD - 10,500+80

When a sentient creature makes a bargain with the powers of Evil, a portion of its soul is stolen, traded, to be stored and used as fuel for darkness. In exchange, the bargainer gains access to foul sorcery, gains great wealth or knowledge, and becomes a tool. Once the creature dies, its corrupted spirit is transferred to the nether plane housing the force to whom the pact was reached, to be tortured endlessly. However, if the creature had pleased its “master” in life, through acts of tremendous destruction or violence, its spirit is infused with more power, planted and buried in the fabric of negative reality, and left, to absorb and grow. After countless years, these twisted beings elongate, and their body shrivels, extending to form a shape much like a worm, but retaining its facial features; sages of demonic lore call them larvae, and postulate they are the very seeds from which the legions of demons are spawned. The theory is true— larvae are altered, mutated, and magically crafted to shape and conform to the whims of their creators. It is from this that the dreaded and rare larvae hydra is born.

The larvae hydra is a mass of rotting flesh, its organs and skeletal structure revealed, with numerous necks extending from a central trunk, situated atop four massive dragon-like legs. In all other respects, the larvae hydra is identical to its normal kin, save for each neck ends in the full-fleshed face of some damned creature, and it surrounds itself with insistent screaming and echoes of torment. Each face is recognizable and is not altered or skewed. Despite the appearance, the creature is not undead, nor does it possess any associated stench.

Like all creatures of darkness, a larvae hydra cannot be harmed by nonmagical weapons. They are further immune to sleep, emotion (or mind-manipulating) magic, fire, and cold. Acid, electricity, and poison attacks deal half damage before a save.

Combat: Having a love for violence and power, a larvae hydra willingly engages in direct combat, hurling spells and attacking any who challenge it. They are not territorial, but they do relish confrontation, and are often used by their demonic masters as preliminary assault forces. Intelligence, however, is an advantage, and they will retreat when necessary and resort to guerrilla tactics, striking often, and striking hard. The larvae hydra gains special pleasure from the maiming and killing of spellcasters, and will seek these out before other targets.

Multiheaded: Larvae hydra have between 5 and 12 heads, one for each hit die the creature possesses. Each hit die of the creature also represents an improvement in armor class. A larvae hydra’s armor class starts at 16 (5 heads) and increases by one for each head, up to a maximum of 23 (12 heads). The heads can be attacked individually. Each head is considered to be a 1 hit dice (d6) creature, and can die independently from other heads, though the armor class for a head is 10 higher than its body. A larvae hydra cannot be killed until all of its heads have been killed, regardless of damage inflicted on its body.

Nethersight: Able to see in darkness, whether magical or mundane, a larvae hydra is unaffected by its effects.

Vulnerability: Holy water deals 2d4 points of damage to a larvae hydra, per vial, per strike. This damage cannot be regenerated.

Regeneration: Five rounds after suffering damage, a larvae hydra starts to rapidly heal its wounds, even re-growing severed heads. It heals at a rate of 5 hit points per round. Damage caused by holy water, or suffered from a blessed weapon cannot be regenerated. Like all creatures with regeneration, a larvae hydra cannot “farm.”

Cacophony: Madness and disturbing screams of punishment distill in the air around a larvae hydra. Any creature able to hear the sounds must make Wisdom save or be unable to cast spells with a verbal component; larvae hydra are immune to their own cacophony.

Breath Weapon: Three times per day, each head can breathe a wave of lethal energy, sapping the strength and will of creatures caught in its effect. This ability has a range of 90 feet. If a victim fails to save, it loses one level (or 1 HD), per head making the attack, having identical properties to the spell enervation.

Spell Resistance: To affect a larvae hydra with a spell or spell-like ability, the originator must roll an unmodified 8 or higher on 1d20.

Spells: A larvae hydra has a number of spell levels equal to four times its number of heads. It does not need to have lesser level spells available to have access to higher level spells, nor is it restricted to a specific spell list. Example: A 12-headed larvae hydra has 48 spell levels (12 x 4), each spell taken from any spell list the Castle Keeper wishes, and any level, until the total of 48 is reached. Note: If a larvae hydra loses a head, it also loses 4 spell levels.

[Go0gleplex]

That's gnarly....and the multiple breath weapon cones makes it down right MEAN.

[serleran]

Yes, the multiple level-draining breath attack is sickening, especially against a small village of mostly unskilled peasants... entire settlements die at the jaws of a single larvae hydra. I'd consider them a viable threat for almost any level adventurer though very high level parties might be less affected by the level draining (due to it allowing a save.) Glad you found them gnarly.

[Omote]

I saw that you posted this somewhere else on the night I was gaming. During a lull in the gaming activity I was looking at this, trying valiantly to incorporate this into the session I was running. The party needed a serious shock to the system and I almost gave it to them in the form of a 5HD hydra-larvae!

Disgusting one Serl. Nice.

~O