Strong Grip. The Vanndyr cannot be removed from any surface it has attached itself to by any means other than the destruction of the attached surface. Any attempt to relocate the Vanndyr directly will result in an Attack of Opportunity by the Vanndyr. Surfaces in question do not include players.
Mossy Hide. Once the Vanndyr has lost at least 31 HP, the moss on its body falls off, revealing its slimy, acidic skin. When this happens, the Vanndyr:
- Loses 1 point of its AC
- Loses its resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks from non-magical weapons
- Is able to use Acid Cannon without using an entire Action to prepare
- Gains a vulnerability to both Fire and Radiant attacks
- Gains 1 additional Bonus Action
- Gains an additional 5 ft to Unwelcome Hitchhiker
- If targeted by any Attack that uses Acidic, Poison, or Necrotic damage, the Vanndyr takes no damage and instead regains HP equal to 1/2 of the applicable damage rolled.
- Gains bonus Necrotic damage to any attacks that have Acid damage
- Is able to use Aquatic Absorption to gain even more Acid damage to its attacks
Multiaction. The Vanndyr can make up to 2 Actions in addition to its Bonus Action (which increases to 2 Bonus Actions once Mossy Hide goes into effect)
Aquatic Absorption. The Vanndyr spend one Action absorbing salt water in preparation for its Acid Cannon. If Mossy Hide has been activated, this Action adds 1d4 of Acid damage to its Acid Cannon. This Action reduces the Vanndyr's movement by 10 feet until the Vanndyr uses Acid Cannon. Both the positive and negative effects of this Action stack upon themselves.
Muculent Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 10 ft., 1 or 2 targets. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) Bludgeoning damage. This attack can be used as an Action or Bonus Action
Unwelcome Hitchhiker. As a Bonus Action, the Vanndyr can detach from any object it may be attached to and reattach to any nonliving object or surface within 15 ft (20 ft after Mossy Hide is activated) that is Medium sized or larger. If this Bonus Action is used in water, the range of movement is doubled.
Ensnare. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 15 ft., 1 target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3)Acid damage (+ 1d6 Necrotic damage if Mossy Hide has already been activated.) The target of this attack is rendered immobile and must succeed two saving throws (both requiring at least a total of 15): Strength to escape and Constitution to survive. If the Strength check is failed, the creature remains immobile for another turn. If the Constitution check is failed, the creature takes 1d4 of Necrotic damage. Creature caught by this attack can also break free of the Vanndyr's grasp by another creature attacking the tendril wrapped around the victim.
Acid Cannon. Ranged Attack: +2 to hit, range 30/60 ft., 1 target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 2) Acid damage. Requires Aquatic Absorption to be used before this Attack can be executed unless Mossy Hide has already been triggered. If it has, then Aquatic Absorption gains 1d4 of Necrotic damage.
Cacophany of Screams. Should any creature attempt to use an Action/Attack involving Psychic damage, the Vanndyr responds immediately by unleashing a psionic scream to all creatures within 20 feet. All affected creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d8 of Psychic damage.
I've Seen Enough ****** to Know Where This is Going. Instead of using its Attack of Opportunity, the Vanndyr has the option to instead use a tendril to grapple the affected opponent. Affected individuals take 1d4 of Acid damage and are rendered immobile until they can either pass a Strength saving throw against a 13 or the tendril is attacked by another creature.
Description
Vanndyr are twisted amalgams of various creatures, whose bodies were fused, twisted, and reshaped into a large aquatic monster. No semblance of the humanoids that Vanndyr are composed of remain, their minds and souls having been somehow reshaped the same way as their bodies. The body of a Vanndyr is large and bloated from sea water, with many long, leafed tendrils extending from the bulbous torso. Their bodies are often a dull, lifeless gray with hints of dark orange, and are often covered with sickly patches of moss where their bodies poke out of the water. Vanndyr have smooth, round heads that are disproportionately small compared to the body, with two small, beady black eyes and a toothless mouth used only for the projectile application of venom. Vanndyr are covered with a thin layer of phlegm, which is weakly acidic in nature. The phlegm is formed through an unknown process that involves soaking up the salt water around it through its skin like a sponge. The acidity of the toxins increases greatly once prey has been successfully lured towards the Vanndyr (more on that later.) Once prey is within range, Vanndyr attack with their long tendrils or by creating a highly acidic wad of phlegm from its mouth. Once prey has been weakened to the point of being unable to defend itself, the Vanndyr dissolves the prey into a slurry and assimilates it into itself, adding to the creature's mass.
Vanndyr tend to land somewhere between 3 to 5 meters in diameter in stasis phase (9 ft - 16 ft) and normally have about 9 tendrils, but the largest recorded Vanndyr to date was a whopping 10 meters in diameter and was covered in enough moss to appear to be a small island. It is theorized that the Vanndyr in question fed on passing travelers that stopped to investigate what they believed was a small, quaint island in the middle of nowhere, only to be digested and converted into the Vanndyr biomass.
Vanndyr are quite dangerous foes to encounter, but they remain completely motionless until a creature is within range of attacking (Referred to as its stasis phase.) While they wait, Vanndyr curl up into large, bulb-shaped wads and attach themselves to any nearby durable surface, usually someplace the sun does not reach, like under docks or the sides of bluffs. Alternatively, a tendril is extended down into the water and attaches to a submerged object or surface, giving the Vanndyr the appearance of a rock or small island from above the surface.
Abnormally dense patches of moss tends to grow on the parts of the Vanndyr that poke out of the water, which can act as protection from sunlight and attacks, as well as camouflage to disguise itself from unsuspecting prey. Fortunately, the growth of this moss also covers up the Vanndyr's acidic coating, allowing attackers to make contact with it without falling victim to the deadly acid (until the moss falls off, anyway.)
Vanndyr in their stasis phase are capable of creating a link to the souls of any magic-capable individuals within a ~1.62 mile radius, causing them to gain an indescribable need to move in the direction of the Vanndyr affecting them. This effect can be resisted, but doing so becomes more and more difficult as the victims get closer and closer to the Vanndyr. Any affected victims of this effect are immediately released from their trance once the Vanndyr leaves its stasis phase, and cannot fall under it again unless the Vanndyr returns to its stasis phase and is not clearly visible.
Vanndyr can swim very quickly, but do so only when pursuing prey. Otherwise, they remain in their stasis phase, and either remain tethered to a nearby object, or allow the tides to carry them across the sea (though this is only capable if the Vanndyr in question has enough moss covering its body to protect it from sunlight.)
It is unknown where Vanndyr come from, but professionals agree that their presence in the world is definitely not a natural one, and that it is more likely that they were created by an individual or group of individuals instead.
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