Medusa Queen

Medusa Queen

Medium humanoid
Challenge

STR
1
DEX
4
CON
3
INT
2
WIS
2
CHA
5

172
23d8+69
19
Soak
1
Fort
+3
Ref
+5
Will
+6
Defense note natural armor
Damage immunities poison
Condition immunities poisoned

Speed 5 m.
Skills Deception +8 (19), Insight +5 (16), Occult (cha) +8 (19), Perception +5 (16), Stealth +7 (18)
Senses darkvision 10 m.
Languages Common

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the medusa queen fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The medusa queen has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Petrifying Gaze. If a creature starts its turn within 5 meters of the medusa queen and the two of them can see each other, the medusa queen can force the creature to make a Difficulty 15 Fortitude saving throw if the medusa queen isn’t incapacitated. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save magically begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the restoration spell augmented to greater restoration or other magic.

A creature that isn’t unaware of the medusa queen can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can’t see the medusa queen until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at the medusa queen in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.

If the medusa queen sees its reflection within 5 meters of it in bright light, it is affected by its own gaze.

Spellcasting. The medusa queen uses Occult (cha) to cast spells (spell save Difficulty 17, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It has 23 mana, a mana limit of 4, regains all expended mana when it finishes a long rest, and regains half its total mana when it finishes a short rest. It knows the following spells:

Cantrips (at will, 15th-level spellcaster): charm, empathy, lullaby

1 mana: beguile, charm creature, charming presence, compelled duel, friends, hypnotize, instinctive charm, sleep

2 mana: calm emotions, catnap, compulsion, douse the flames of war, enthrall, irresistible dance, suggestion

3 mana: create thrall, glibness, symbol of sleep

4 mana: sympathy

Actions (3)

Snake Hair (1/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 28 (8d6) poison damage.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 1 m. or range 3/10 m. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.

Longbow (2/turn). Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 20/200 m. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.

Animate Serpents (Recharge 6). The medusa plucks two of its snake hairs and throws them in an unoccupied space that she can see within 5 meters. The snakes magically grow into giant poisonous snakes which have 44 health.

Legendary actions (3)

Only one legendary option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The medusa queen regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Attack. The medusa makes one attack with its shortsword or longbow.

Flurry of Bites (Costs 3 actions). The medusa makes an attack with its snake hair against each creature of its choice within range.

Move. The medusa moves up to half its speed.

Regional effects

The region containing the medusa queen’s lair is warped by the medusa queen’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

  • Reflective surfaces in the lair turn murky and no longer give a clear reflection.

  • Petrified creatures that remain in the lair for 24 hours or more become stone cursed. A stone cursed creature obeys the medusa’s commands and protects it at all costs.

  • Humanoids that enter the lair must succeed on a Difficulty 17 Will saving throw or feel self-conscious about their appearance, believing themselves ugly. This effect persists for 1d4 hours after leaving the lair.

  • There is a noticeable increase in the population of snakes in the region.

If the medusa dies, stone cursed creatures are no longer cursed.

Desertsrd

Spells

As an action, you charm a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.

On a failure, it is charmed by you until the end of your next turn.

The spell ends if you or your allies attack, damage, or attempt to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way.

When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

As an action, you can detect the surface emotions of a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters of you.

You learn the surface emotions of the creature. You can sense basic needs, drives, and emotions. Thirst, hunger, fear, fatigue, pain, rage, hatred, uncertainty, curiosity, friendliness, and many other kinds of sensations and moods can all be perceived.

As an action, you sing a lullaby to a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw. If the creature is a construct or an undead, can’t hear you, or is immune to being charmed, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it becomes tired and delirious as its speed is reduced by 2 meters, it can’t take reactions, and it has disadvantage on skill checks until the end of its next turn.

This spell ends for a creature if it takes damage or someone uses an action to shake or slap it awake. Additionally, the creature can repeat the saving throw if it hears an extraordinarily loud noise such as the thunderwave spell, ending the effect on itself on a success.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, you beguile a creature within 10 meters who can hear you to ignore an ally. The creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if the ally is fighting it.

On a failure, it is charmed by one of your allies within 5 meters of it for the duration.

The spell ends if the chosen ally attacks, damages, or attempts to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way.

1 hour/mana

As an action, you charm a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters. The creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.

On a failure, it is charmed by you and friendly to you for the duration.

The spell ends if you or your allies attack, damage, or attempt to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way.

When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

Augment

You can target two additional creatures for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, you exert an aura of sympathetic power. Each creature other than you in a sphere twice as big as normal centered on you must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.

On a failure, it is charmed by you and friendly to you for the duration.

A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, make a weapon attack.

On a hit, if the creature is within 20 meters it must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, the creature is drawn to you, compelled by your demand. While compelled, it has disadvantage on attacks made against creatures other than you, and must make a Will saving throw each time it attempts to move into a space that is more than 5 meters away from you.

A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

The spell ends if you attack or damage any other creature, if you cast a spell that targets a hostile creature other than the target, if your allies attack, damage, or attempt to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way, or if you end your turn more than 5 meters away from the target.

Augment

You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

As a reaction, which you use when you make a Persuasion check, your words become more enticing. You make the roll with advantage. You can do so after the roll but before any effects of the roll occur.

If the roll already has advantage or disadvantage, you cannot apply another instance of advantage or disadvantage and you must use this before the roll to cancel out any advantage or disadvantage.

As an action, your soft words can magically enthrall a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters of you. If the target can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Will saving throw or be charmed until the end of its next turn. The charmed creature is immobilized, it cannot speak, and the creature is incapacitated and visibly dazed.

The effect ends for the creature if you move more than 5 meters away from it, if it can neither see nor hear you, or if it takes damage.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

  • You can expend 2 additional mana so the duration changes to 1 minute/mana, concentration and the creature is incapacitated for the duration. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

As a reaction, which you use when a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters of you attacks you, you can try to divert the attack, provided that another creature is within the attack’s range. The attacker must succeed on a Will saving throw or it must target the creature that is closest to it, not including you or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, the attacker chooses which one to target.

You must choose to use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect.

concentration, 1 hour/mana

As an action, you cause a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters to fall asleep. The creature must make a Will saving throw. If the creature is a construct or an undead, can’t hear you, or is immune to being charmed, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, you lull it into a magical slumber, causing it to fall unconscious for the duration.

This spell ends for a creature if it takes damage or someone uses an action to shake or slap it awake. Additionally, the creature can repeat the saving throw each minute or if it hears an extraordinarily loud noise such as the thunderwave spell, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Augment

You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, you attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of creatures at a point within 10 meters. Each creature in a sphere centered on that point must make a Will saving throw. If the creature is immune to being charmed, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it is indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward for the duration.

A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

The spell ends if you or your allies attack, damage, or attempt to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the GM rules otherwise.

1 minute

As two actions, you make a calming gesture, and up to three willing creatures that you can touch or see within 5 meters fall unconscious for the duration. This spell ends for a creature if it takes damage or someone uses an action to shake or slap it awake. If a target remains unconscious for the full duration, that target gains the benefit of a short rest.

A character can’t benefit from a short rest more than once every four hours, can’t benefit from more than two short rests before they take a long rest, and a character must have at least 1 health at the start of the rest to gain its benefits.

Augment

You can target two additional creatures for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, creatures of your choice within 5 meters that can hear you must make a Will saving throw. A target automatically succeeds on this saving throw if it can’t be charmed.

On a failure, a target is affected by this spell. Until the spell ends, you can use an action on each of your turns to designate a direction that is horizontal to you. Each affected target must use as much of its movement as possible to move in that direction on its next turn. It can take any actions before it moves. After moving in this way, it can make another saving throw to try to end the effect.

A target isn’t compelled to move into an obviously deadly hazard, such as a fire or a pit, but it will provoke opportunity attacks to move in the designated direction.

As two actions, you temporarily extinguish the violent impulses of a creature that you touch. The creature must make a Fortitude saving throw. If the creature is missing any of its health, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it is charmed by you for the duration or until you or your allies attack it, damage it, or force it to make a saving throw or if the target witnesses any of those things happening to its allies. While charmed, it can’t attack, cast spells that deal damage, or spells that force someone to make a saving throw.

1 minute/mana

As two actions, you weave a distracting string of words, enthralling creatures of your choice within 10 meters. Each creature must make a Will saving throw, which it does with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If the creature is immune to being charmed or it can’t hear you, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, the creature has disadvantage on Perception checks made to perceive any creature other than you until the spell ends or until the target can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or can no longer speak.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, a creature that is made of flesh that you can touch or see within 5 meters must make a Will saving throw. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this spell.

On a failure, the creature begins a comic dance in place: shuffling, tapping its feet, and capering for the duration.

A dancing creature must use all its movement to dance without leaving its space and has disadvantage on attacks and Reflex saving throws. While the target is affected by this spell, other creatures have advantage on attacks made against it.

As two actions, a dancing creature can make a Will saving throw to regain control of itself.

On a success, the spell ends.

concentration, 3 hours/mana

As two actions, you suggest a course of activity (limited to a sentence or two) and magically influence a creature within 5 meters that can hear and understand you. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the course of action sound reasonable. Asking the creature to stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or do some other obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.

The creature must make a Reflex saving throw.

On a failure, it pursues the course of action you described to the best of its ability. The suggested course of action can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do.

You can also specify conditions that will trigger a special activity during the duration. For example, you might suggest that a group of soldiers give all their money to the first beggar they meet. If the condition isn’t met before the spell expires, the activity isn’t performed.

The spell ends if you or your allies attack, damage, or attempt to negatively effect the charmed creature in any way.

Augment

You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

6 hours/mana

As two actions, a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters and that can hear you must make a Will saving throw, and it does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.

On a failure, the creature is charmed by you for the duration. While charmed the target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under your control, it takes your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can.

The effect ends if you or your companions do anything harmful to it, you die, a remove curse spell is cast on it, the charmed condition is removed from it, you use this spell again, you choose to end the effect, or you are on a different plane of existence than the target.

1 hour/mana

As two actions, you gain the gift of glibness. When you make a skill check using Charisma to make a social skill, you can replace the number you roll with a 15. Additionally, no matter what you say, magic that would determine if you are telling the truth indicates that you are being truthful.

M (mercury, phosphorus, and powdered diamond and opal worth 1,000 sp, consumed)

As you spend 1 minute to cast this spell, you inscribe a harmful glyph either on a surface (such as a section of floor, a wall, or a table) or within an object that can be closed to conceal the glyph (such as a book, a scroll, or a treasure chest). If you choose a surface, the glyph can cover an area of the surface no larger than 2 meters in diameter. If you choose an object, that object must remain in its place; if the object is moved more than 2 meters from where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered.

The glyph is nearly invisible, requiring a Perception check against your spell save Difficulty to find it.

You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or stepping on the glyph, removing another object covering it, approaching within a certain distance of it, or manipulating the object that holds it. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most common triggers are opening the object, approaching within a certain distance of it, or seeing or reading the glyph.

You can further refine the trigger so the spell is activated only under certain circumstances or according to a creature’s physical characteristics (such as height or weight), or physical kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect hags or shapechangers). You can also specify creatures that don’t trigger the glyph, such as those who say a certain password.

Once triggered, the glyph glows, filling a sphere twice as big as normal with dim light for 10 minutes, after which time the spell ends. Each creature in the area when the glyph activates must make a Will saving throw.

A creature must also make this saving throw when it enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there.

Sleep. On a failure, a creature falls unconscious for 10 minutes. A creature awakens if it takes damage or if someone uses an action to shake or slap it awake.

10 days

As you spend 1 hour to cast this spell, you attract creatures of your choice. You target something within 10 meters, either a Huge or smaller object or creature or an area that is no larger than a 20-meter radius sphere. Then specify a kind of intelligent creature, such as red dragons, goblins, or vampires. You invest the target with an aura that attracts the specified creatures for the duration. The enchantment causes the specified creatures to feel an intense urge to approach the target while within 10 meters of it or able to see it. When such a creature can see the target or comes within 10 meters of it, the creature must succeed on a Will saving throw or use its movement on each of its turns to enter the area or move within reach of the target. When the creature has done so, it can’t willingly move away from the target. If the target damages or otherwise harms an affected creature, the affected creature can make a Will saving throw to end the effect, as described below.

Ending the Effect. If an affected creature ends its turn while not within 10 meters of the target or able to see it, the creature makes a Will saving throw.

On a success, the creature is no longer affected by the target and recognizes the feeling of attraction as magical. In addition, a creature affected by the spell is allowed another Will saving throw every 24 hours while the spell persists.

A creature that successfully saves against this effect is immune to it for 1 minute, after which time it can be affected again.