ALL CREDIT TO u/IAmTheOoga. Check out the other 2 versions (CR 15 & CR 22) on u/IAmTheOoga's reddit page or in my homebrew creations.
Timeline Flux. At the start of each of this creature’s turns, a random effect occurs rolled on a d10 from the following table. Whenever it suffers a critical hit, the next roll on the table is made with disadvantage.
| Roll | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Inligulae takes 2d8+2 damage as wounds appear on its body, the party heals 1d6+3 HP each |
| 2 | All creatures are moved 10 ft in a random direction and are in a different position, with their memories jumbled |
| 3 | Initiative order is shuffled, with the Inligulae rerolling with advantage |
| 4 | A copy of a random other creature is teleported adjacent to the Inligulae, with the original disappearing at the end of the next turn. The copy and the original share their HP. |
| 5 | The Inligulae heals 1d6+6 HP as wounds disappear from it |
| 6 | All spellcasters lose 1 random spell slot, with traces of spells being cast appearing around them, and the Inligulae takes 3 force damage for each spell slot level lost in this way |
| 7 | All creatures immediately use one Hit Die, 1d10 for the Inligulae, and feel a bit rested |
| 8 | The Inligulae has +1 AC until the end of its next turn, appearing to flicker in and out of existence |
| 9 | The Inligulae may take a single additional action immediately |
| 10 | All other creatures take 1d12 slashing damage as they gain memories of being attacked, with wounds to prove it |
Acausal. The Inligulae is immune to time-related spells and effects.
Die Another Day. Upon being reduced to 0 HP, the Inligulae may continue fighting for 1d4-1 more rounds of combat, each time with a random percentage of its max HP. Reducing it to 0 HP again will end this effect. If the Inligulae manages to heal 30 or more HP during these rounds, it will have its HP reset to 30 after this effect ends. The Inligulae cannot use this feature again until the next dawn.
Persistence. Whenever another creature’s turn starts or they begin movement after stopping, their location at that moment is marked down. Instead of attacking enemies directly, some abilities allow the Inligulae to attack them through these marks. Attacked marks disappear after taking damage.
Inverted Timeflow. At the start of its turn after Timeline Flux, the Inligulae heals back 1d4+2 HP. It can choose not to activate this effect in order to halve the duration of any effects or conditions currently applied to it. In addition, the Inligulae can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
Multiattack. The Inligulae makes 3 Past-Ripper attacks, or 2 Past-Ripper attacks and one Future-Breaker attack. If another ability is used, one Past-Ripper attack may be made as a bonus action.
Past-Ripper. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., single space target. Each creature in the target space takes 2d6+4 slashing damage, plus an extra 1d6 added on for every instance of the same creature’s marks within the targeted space. The Inligulae can opt to target marks with this action.
Future-Breaker. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., two adjacent spaces target. The next enemy to enter the targeted spaces immediately receives the attack, taking 3d8+4 bludgeoning damage. This action cannot target marks.
Tesseract (Recharge 5-6). All creatures within a 25 ft. cube centered 15 ft. in front of the Inligulae must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw. On failure, a creature takes 4d8 force damage, or half as much on a successful one. If the cube is centered on a creature, that creature also must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take an additional 2d8 force damage and be moved 1d6 turns forwards in time, at which point they will reappear and may take their turn unless a new round has begun, resetting them back to initiative. For every turn the creature is displaced, its current HP is modified by 1d12-7 added on (producing postitive (healing) or negative (damage) modifiers). This action cannot target marks.
Temporal Deflection. When the Inligulae is targeted for an attack and there is a mark between it and the source of the attack, it can make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw in order to make the attack remotely target the owner of the mark instead of it. On a failure, the Inligulae heals 3 HP back after taking damage.
Description
“If you’re foolish enough to try and repeat what I did so long ago, then a warning for you; Should you in your efforts kill a part of reality, then beware the worms that feast on its corpse.”
- Thelembraun the Hourkeeper
Time is the most unyielding force there is, moving forwards ceaselessly regardless of what happens in the realm of mortals or even of gods. It can grind a mountain to dust and erase all mention of even the mightiest empires. Once passed, a moment in time is nigh unreachable, even a second in the past being further away than the very ends of the earth. It is no surprise that many attempt to gain power over such a mighty force of nature, using the most potent magics imaginable or constructing devices the size of entire cities to get even the slightest grasp over the flow of time. Of course, there is a reason why such things are highly restricted, and why stories of success are far and few between. For if one is careless and manages to fracture the walls of history and the future, they will be forced to face what comes crawling in from outside.
“It wasn’t just that its faces kept melting and warping that got to me, it’s that I’m pretty sure at one point I saw my own face in the mess...”
- Drauman Hellthumb
What can be seen of the Inligulae is likely only parts of its form, the parts that our universe can even accommodate. Despite that, these parts still very much seem as if they should not be allowed to exist. A huge worm-like body studded with sets of three claw-limbs stretching out behind it forever, a face constantly fluctuating and reshaping itself into an incoherent horror around one massive central mouth, and a great wheel around the neck clutched by thirteen arms as spokes. The creature’s grey skin, mottled with magenta and teal, melts into undulating cilia, allowing it to build up frightening speed as it moves throughout space.
“No, no! You don’t understand! It doesn’t… ‘happen’ like we do. It won’t care if you kill it, it’ll just deal with dying later. Hell, it probably tucks the moment away for when it wants a nap.”
- Elsza DuMeranna, Sage Knight of Tonbaria
It is unknown whether there is only one Inligulae or a countless number of them, although only one instance ever appears at a time. The confusion as to numbers is largely due to the monster’s utterly terrifying unique trait. The Inligulae is acausal, existing outside of the normal flow of time, outside of the chain of cause and effect that binds the entire universe as we know it. Perhaps it is this same trait that causes it to expose itself whenever reality is rewritten. An encounter with the monster does not follow any order, the Inligulae diving back and forth throughout the event, moving through time in whichever way it pleases. This makes it a confusing mess of a task to confront one, as its attacks are not only directed towards the present body, but one’s past and future selves as well. This does sometimes seem to hinder the creature as well, as it can be struck by attacks that never occurred, but it’s practically up to chance if any blade or spell will actually affect the grotesque thing. Still, a good thrashing may cause it to lose interest, allowing its prey to continue on with whatever temporal endeavors they are pursuing.
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