| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 9 | -1 | -1 |
| DEX | 18 | +4 | +11 |
| CON | 18 | +4 | +4 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| WIS | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| CHA | 19 | +4 | +13 |
Possess Identity. Once per long rest, target one creature within 5 ft (DC 16 Charisma save or be paralyzed. If the target saves, is immune until they complete a long rest). While paralyzed, the Thornes Masque absorbs the creature’s voice, face, and memories and the target falls unconscious. This functions as Alter Self. Thorned Masque is immune to Detect Thoughts and Zone of Truth while disguised.
Thorn Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8+3 piercing + 2d6 psychic damage. DC 13 Wisdom save or be frightened for 1 round.
Thorn Cloak (Recharge 4–6). 15 ft radius burst of jagged psychic thorns. DC 15 Dex save or take 4d8 piercing damage.
Mind Bloom (Recharge 6). Psychic hallucination in 30 ft. radius. DC 15 Int save or be stunned until end of next turn, and take 3d8 psychic damage.
Mask the Moment. The Masque shifts its shape briefly, stealing a second of focus.
- Effect: Choose a creature that can see the Thorned Masque. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on its next attack roll or ability check before the end of its next turn, as the Masque appears momentarily as a trusted ally, a beloved figure, or its own reflection.
Mirage Counter. Once per round when targeted by a spell or ranged attack, the Masque blurs into a flickering illusion.
- Trigger: The Masque is hit by a ranged attack or a single-target spell it can see.
- Effect: The Masque gains +2 to AC or advantage on the saving throw against that attack or spell. If the attack misses because of the increased AC, or the save succeeds, the attacker must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or become confused (as per the confusion spell) until the end of their next turn.
Description
The Thorned Masque appears as a hauntingly beautiful figure draped in a patchwork of blooming petals and twisting thorns. Its form shimmers subtly, never quite still—like a painted illusion that breathes. Glowing blossoms bloom from its limbs and shoulders, and its eyes are twin pools of shifting color, mirroring the ever-changing skies of the Feywild. Its wooden mask, gnarled and flower-veined, is carved with an unsettling smile that seems to warp and stretch with every word it speaks.
Its presence warps the air around it—saturating the senses with perfume-like pollen and trailing dreamlike motes of colored light. Wherever it treads, radiant flora sprout from the earth in its wake, and the shadows bloom with unnatural hues. The Thorned Masque’s voice is soft and melodic, each word carrying a subtle weight, eroding reality with both a sense of whimsy and dread.
Lair and Lair Actions
The Thorned Masque lies nestled inside a colossal, hollowed-out tree known as Wyrdroot. The exterior is fusion of beauty and menace—blossoms of bioluminescent flowers blooming across black bark, thorns spiraling like living tattoos, and roots that twist and curl with a mind of their own. The tree towers, its branches lost in the misty canopy, while time and direction feel unreliable in its immediate vicinity. It weaves elaborate illusions and traps, bending color and shape to lure prey into embracing their delusions. It is not merely a deceiver—it is a living masterpiece of the Feywild’s unhinged creativity, birthed from both beauty and cruelty.
On initiative count #2 (losing initiative ties), the Thorned Masque takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
- Shifting Illusions: Swaps perceptions between two players (DC 14 Con or become disoriented, gain disadvantage on attack or saving throws until the start of their next turn)
- Bloom and Bind: Once per round, the Masque can cause thorned vines to erupt from the walls, targeting a creature that moved the previous turn (DC 14 Dex save or restrained until the end of their next turn).