Petrifying Gaze. When a creature that can see Zalkoré's eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of Zalkoré, Zalkoré can force it to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw if the medusa isn't incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save 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 greater restoration spell or other magic.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see Zalkoré until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at Zalkoré in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
If Zalkoré sees herself reflected on a polished surface within 30 feet of it and in an area of bright light, Zalkoré is, due to its curse, affected by its own gaze.
Multiattack. Zalkoré makes either three melee attacks—one with its snake hair, one to constrict, and one with its shortsword—or two ranged attacks with its longbow.
Snake Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 11) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the medusa can’t constrict another target.
Zalkore' 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.
Snake Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.
Petrification Ray (Costs 2 actions).The targeted creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw if Zalkoré isn't incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save 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 greater restoration spell or other magic.
Description
Nangalore was built to honor Zalkoré, a vain Omuan queen. Its builder, Thiru-taya, was Zalkoré’s foremost general and consort. In their time, the garden was called Ka-Nanji, the Hanging Garden of Dreams. Ka-Nanji was a palatial retreat from the intrigues and pressures of Omu, and the beautiful, tiered garden was praised as a worthy tribute to the queen.
Unceasing flattery festered with poisonous vanity in Zalkoré’s mind until she bargained with an erinyes to retain her youth and beauty forever. The erinyes fulfilled the deal by transforming the queen into a medusa. When knowledge of her evil bargain spread through the realm, the army forced Zalkoré to abdicate and exiled her to Ka-Nanji, which became known ever after as Nangalore, the Garden of Lost Dreams.
Believing that Thiru-taya was among the generals who exiled her, Zalkoré defaced all the statues and portraits of him in Nangalore. She learned he had stayed true to her all his life, through decades of imprisonment and disgrace in Omu, only when his ashes were brought to the garden for interment, as was his dying wish. Zalkoré cultivates hallucinogenic plants in the garden, because only in their narcotic, lotus dreams can she conjure up the face of her dead love.
Lair and Lair Actions
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Zalkoré takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Zalkore' can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Zalkoré creates a cloud of poison gas to which it is immune, centered upon itself. The gas extends to a sphere of 20 feet. Any creature that starts it's turn in the sphere takes 1d4+2 poison damage. The effect lasts until the medusa removes it using a bonus action, or it fails a spell concentration saving throw.
-Zalkoré summons 3 giant poisonous snakes which it controls. They take their turns on the medusa's initiative.
-Zalkoré makes a constrict attack.
Comments