Large Plant, Lawful Evil
Armor Class 16 Natural Armor
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 45 ft. Can only burrow if Blightbark Shell is broken.
STR
18 (+4)
DEX
11 (+0)
CON
18 (+4)
INT
10 (+0)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
16 (+3)
Saving Throws DEX +3, WIS +4, CHA +6
Skills Perception +4
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Necrotic, Piercing
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60, Tremorsense 60, Passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Traits

Blightbark Drakearmor. The bark forming the outer shell of the Drakearmor is petrified and hardened, and the thorny wood increases the shell's defense. Once taken down to 75 hit points, the armor breaks off, reducing the Drakearmor's AC by 4, but granting it more mobility and attacks.

Twisted Body While a creature is engulfed by the Drakearmor, it takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns as they're constricted.

Innate Spellcasting. The Drakearmor's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The drakearmor can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: message, detect thoughts

3/day each: major image, sending, ray of sickness

1/day each: erupting earth

Actions

Multiattack. The Drakearmor makes two attacks one with its bite and one with its slam, or two swipes if its blightbark shell is broken.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage and if the target is medium or smaller they are engulfed. While engulfed the  target is restrained (escape DC 15). If the shell moves the engulfed target moves with it. The Drakearmor can only have up to two medium or smaller creatures engulfed at a time.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Swipe (if Blightbark Shell is broken). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target makes an Athletics or Acrobatics save (DC 15), and on a failure are knocked prone. A failure of 5 or more will knock the target back 15ft, inflicting another 1d8 bludgeoning damage should they be knocked into a wall.

Reactions

Blightbark Splinter. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 30ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Blightvine Sinew (if Blightbark Shell is broken). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage and if the target is medium or smaller they are engulfed. While engulfed the  target is restrained (escape DC 15). If the shell moves the engulfed target moves with it. The Drakearmor can only have up to two medium or smaller creatures engulfed at a time.

Legendary Actions

The Gulthian Drakearmor 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 Gulthian Drakearmor regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

 

Blightbark Armor (Costs 1 Action). The Drakearmor may make an additional Blightbark Splinter reaction.

Blightbranch Tail (Costs 1 Action). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target makes an Athletics or Acrobatics save (DC 15), and on a failure is knocked prone. A failure of 5 or more will knock the target back 15ft, inflicting another 1d8 bludgeoning damage should they be knocked into a wall.

Vine Hunter (Costs 2 Actions, Blightbark Shell must be broken). The Drakearmor may immediately make a movement up to its full Burrow speed without incurring opportunity attacks. Any targets in the path of the burrowing Drakearmor must make an Athletics or Acrobatics save (DC 15) or be knocked prone.

Description

Gulthias, in his first 'defeat' some decades after the Ash War, was impaled within the Sunless Citadel by a living-wood stake. The fey tool immobilized him, but rather than slaying him outright, it grew into a twisted, thorny tree, which proceeded to absorb the ashes of the elven vampire into itself, becoming his gaol. After laying low for centuries, the fey vampire has had much time to prepare for his incumbent return, gathering forces, testing the reach of his dormant, but still present, powers, and readying a terrifying surprise for those seeking to confront him in his 'cell'... a horrible construct of petrified wood, twisting thorns, thick and powerful vines and fey blood, all summoned and built to encase the tree as armor.

Lair and Lair Actions

Gulthias' Lair

While not the great, dark tower that was his home and fortress of old, Gulthias has made due with the grove of blight that has grown around the tree that binds him. Guarded by druids enthralled into his service, dryads corrupted by his fey vampire venom, and townsfolk twisted into Blight creatures by the gulthian apples grown from his boughs, he has had ample time to prepare for interlopers.

 

Regional Effects

The region surrounding Gulthias' lair is warped by the creature’s unnatural presence, creating any of the following effects:

  • There’s a noticeable increase in the populations of blights, rats, and wolves in the region.
  • Plants within 100 feet of the lair wither, and their stems and branches become twisted and thorny.
  • Shadows cast within 100 feet of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though alive.
  • A creeping fog clings to the ground within 100 feet of the vampire’s lair. The fog occasionally takes eerie forms, such as grasping claws and writhing serpents.

If Gulthias is destroyed or excised from the area, these effects end after 2d6 days.

Monster Tags: undeadelffey

Amethystine

Comments

Posts Quoted:
Reply
Clear All Quotes