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Rolang's Creeping Doom

Tag Archives: Classical

Rethinking Medusa 4 – Classical Medusa

August 19, 2010 6:26 am / 1 Comment / Chris

Using the same stat block as “Junkie Medusa,” here’s a more classically-minded monster.

Yesterday’s Medusa is one I’d use in Flame Princess campaign, this one, I’d use in something like the Majestic Wilderlands. Her form is less disturbing, her origin is tied to the gods of a campaign and her motives are understandable. In either case, she’s a potentially campaign-changing encounter. Just as before, she’s an encounter that’s best not attacked, at least not directly. Some monsters are not meant to be beaten.

I’m reposting the stat block again below the description. Here’s Uma.

Uma Thurman as Medusa in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Medusa, Classical

Medusa lives atop a high mountain peak in the ruins of a temple.  She is a handsome woman with five hundred snakes of various sizes writhing about her head and body. Any creature that looks at her face directly will turn to stone. Any creature looking at her through a mirror or other reflection must save or be charmed. Her snakes are poisonous and the longest have a reach of about sixteen feet. She cannot be surprised and she never sleeps. Her snakes give her an effective 20 strength when grabbing, pushing, lifting or pulling objects.

With her thousand unclosing snake eyes, she can see across the world and into both the past and the future. Once she has discovered a target, she can watch that target any time at will. She can track and observe 500 simultaneous targets (people or objects) as if observing through a crystal ball. Although she cannot hear her targets, she can read lips and knows many languages. She can remotely cast curses, manipulate small to medium objects and whisper into the minds of her targets.

She is obsessed with destroying gods, and has been since she was cursed with this form. Using her ability to see and manipulate objects and people across the world, she has toppled kingdoms, split churches and wiped out civilizations in order to deprive gods of the worshippers they want and need.

The communities on the surrounding mountain make her offerings of food in exchange for her protection. Some of the locals have even taken to worshipping her. She may be consulted as an oracle of profound accuracy, but will always attempt to frame her answers (and indeed any other “incidental” words or behaviors that might be observed) to meet her own ends.

The only creature able to avoid her scrutiny is her enemy and brother, theLernaean Hydra.

Medusa

No. Encountered: Unique

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: Unencumbered Human

AC: As chain plus shield

HD: 12  (60 HP)

Attacks:

Gaze (Range 30 feet)

Her number of snake bite attacks is range dependent

Melee, up to 500 bites

4 feet, up to 100 bites

8 feet, up to 30 bites

12 feet, 5 bites

16 Feet, 2 bites

Damage:

Gaze: Within 30 feet, save at -4 or turn to stone

Reflected Gaze: Save at -2 or be charmed.

Bite: 1d6 + poison (save or die)

Each successful strike from the snakes on her head have a cumulative 10 percent chance of grabbing and immobilizing the target.

Morale 12

Spells: Clairvoyance, telekinesis, curse spells as level 20 mage, worldwide range

If she is slain and her head is not removed, she will regenerate in one year. If her head is removed, 1d10 giant scorpions will grow from her blood in one round.

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, content, Greek, Medusa, monsters, poison

Rethinking Medusa 3 – Junkie Gorgon

August 18, 2010 2:16 am / 6 Comments / Chris

To continue this week’s posts about gorgons, I’m going to make one stat block and one set of abilities and make two versions of the OG, Medusa. I should make it clear that this Medusa is meant to be so dangerous that any party attempting to attack her directly is likely to be killed.

Medusa by Arnold Böcklin,1878

Today’s Medusa is meant for “weird” adventures.

First, the stats:

Medusa

No. Encountered: Unique

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: Unencumbered Human

AC: As chain plus shield

HD: 12  (60 HP)

Attacks:

Gaze (Range 30 feet)

Her number of snake bite attacks is range dependent

Melee, up to 500 bites

4 feet, up to 100 bites

8 feet, up to 30 bites

12 feet, 5 bites

16 Feet, 2 bites

Damage:

Gaze: Within 30 feet, save at -4 or turn to stone

Reflected Gaze: Save at -2 or be charmed.

Bite: 1d6 + poison (save or die)

Each successful strike from the snakes on her head have a cumulative 10 percent chance of grabbing and immobilizing the target.

Morale 12

Spells: Clairvoyance, telekinesis, curse spells as level 20 mage, worldwide range

If she is slain and her head is not removed, she will regenerate in one year. If her head is removed, 1d10 giant scorpions will grow from her blood in one round.

Medusa, Weird

Medusa appears as a short, emaciated woman being strangled by a tangled mass hundreds of snakes. The snakes have the faces of infant humans with fangs and lidless black eyes, allowing Medusa to see across great distances and even time to observe whatever interests her.

It is, in fact, the snakes who are the Medusa. The body is merely a host on which the Medusa perches itself. Its brain serves as a central hub for the minds of the snakes, provided the host has been given a steady supply of poison toad slime, dried purple mushroom powder and other hallucinogens. Its body incubates dozens of snake eggs for safe keeping, laying them as needed to replace dead snakes (the host’s only food).

There is a 5 percent chance, cumulative per turn, the human host will manage to peak out from between the snakes and ask for decent, human-cooked food, news of the outside world or to be killed. Eye contact within 30 feet means being turned to stone.

If the human host dies (which happens after 6 HP of damage is taken), the Medusa must, as a group, make a morale check at -3 or separate into 500 snakes. If it passes, the snakes will attempt to entangle a party member, preferably female, and use it as the new host. This process takes three rounds, during which only 1/10 the normal number of attacks is possible.

Medusa is never surprised and will fight ferociously if provoked. If not provoked, she will ignore intruders. It has been known to swap prophecy for anything that causes hallucinations. She Medusa has no coherent mission or goals and spends most of her time tripping in a small chamber under a temple. It observes the outside world and interferes with curses and voices when it entertains the snakes or the host.

Any surviving snakes (even one) can make another Medusa.

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Posted in: content, monsters / Tagged: classical, content, Greek, Medusa, monsters, poison

Rethinking Medusa 2 – The Trojan Gorgon

August 17, 2010 5:51 am / Leave a Comment / Chris

The Trojan Medusa was called forth by the elder women of an ancient city when it was laid waste by a conquering army. The eldest crones called on their most ancient of goddesses, asking vengeance for the rape and enslavement of their daughters.

The gorgon appears as a young maiden. When touched or even approached by any man (or men), dozens of poisonous snakes burst from her body and attack. The snake’s bites paralyze, poison or slowly petrify their victims. Afterward, the snakes return and the gorgon appears as before.

In the centuries since she was created, the gorgon has been drawn to conflict and subsists on the souls of her prey, whether deserving or not.

Trojan Gorgon

No. Encountered: Unique

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: Unencumbered Human

AC: As leather

HD: 6  (40 HP)

Attacks: Bites 18 in front, 18 behind 8 foot range

Damage:

Bite 1d6 + special roll 1d6:

1-2 paralysis for 3 rounds (save at -2)

3-4 petrify (save or turned to stone)

5-6 poison (save or die, soul/spirit gone, no raise dead or resurrection possible)

Save: Fighter 6 / Immune to all poisons, death magic, paralysis, petrification. +3 save vs. clerical spells

Morale 12

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Posted in: content, Uncategorized / Tagged: classical, content, gorgon, Greek, Medusa, monsters, poison

Rethinking Medusa

August 16, 2010 5:54 pm / 2 Comments / Chris

“…the Gorgon was made out of the terror, not the terror out of the Gorgon.”

-The Odyssey, as translated by Jane Ellen Harrison

A gorgon on a wooden door. Thomas Regnaudin circa 1660

This is the first of a series of posts about gorgons. Medusa is the most famous of gorgons, and in fact the only one by most accounts. She has snakes for hair and the sight of her face (or arguably her gaze) turns men to stone. She some accounts add two immortal sisters under the same curse,  but they aren’t particularly significant in mythology and were probably added later to satisfy the Greek need to make triads out of mythological females.

As for Medusa herself, there are (at least) two versions of how she came to be. One is that she had sex with Poseidon in Athena’s temple. Athena took offense and punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes and cursing her looks. The other version holds that Poseidon raped Medusa in Athena’s temple and, since she couldn’t punish Poseidon (him being a god and all) she cursed Medusa instead.

In classical mythology her head serves the purpose of helping Perseus defeat Cetus (a sea serpent) and saving his mother being forcefully wed to an evil king (which would be interesting if you subscribe to Medusa’s rape origin). Perseus thanks Athena by giving her Medusa’s head, which she puts on her shield. Medusa is the source of a powerful magical artifact.

In ancient and renaissance European architecture, Gorgon’s faces were carved on gates and doors, to ward off evil. Medusa is a trap.

In older Greek art, Medusa is depicted as hideous, and it is her hideousness that turns men to stone. Medusa is a monster.

In later depictions, Medusa is beautiful. It was Athena’s curse that changed her hair and caused her still-beautiful face to turn men to stone. Medusa is a curse.

Medusa’s blood is said to have transformed into giant scorpions and Pegasus, while her unborn son, the demigod Chrysaor, was born through her neck stump. Chrysaor went on to become king of Iberia and father Geryon. Medusa is a mother and grandmother.

Here’s some ideas based on the above:

Gorgon Ward

In some parts, every door has a non-magical Gorgoneian ward–a carving, painting, mosaic or other depiction of Medusa. The magical version of such a ward will turn a creature into stone if it approaches a door with intent to enter, bypass, open or otherwise enter and is looking at the door. Anyone touching the door risks a poisonous bite from the ward’s snakes (save or die, attack with same HD as level of the ward’s creator). Approaching the door wearing a blindfold avoids the petrification problem but is guaranteed a poison bite. A mirror might save the day. These wards can be created by mages or by clerics of an appropriate pantheon (say, Greek).

Gorgon’s Pox

This is a sexually transmitted disease that suddenly turns men to stone about a week after infection.

Gorgon’s Curse

A woman (or man) under a gorgon’s curse leads a life of loneliness and frustration. The victim of this most serious of curses does not have snakes for hair, nor a garden of petrified guests. Her curse is more subtle:

First, she emits an aura that charms anyone with whom she has contact (no save).

Second, she emits an aura that cases paralyzing fear, dread or insanity (33% chance each) in anyone spending more than an hour within a quarter mile of her (save vs. magic). Even those who make their save will feel compelled to leave the area as soon as is convenient.

Third, she has a 20 percent chance of being charmed by any intelligent creature she meets in person.

Fourth, she does not age.

A Gorgon’s Head

The severed head of a gorgon can be used as a weapon. Any creature that looks at it from a distance of 30 feet or less must save at -4 or be turned to stone immediately, along with any clothing or belongings on his or her body. From past 30 feet, the effect is lesser and leads only to paralyzation for 2d6 turns. Past 60 feet, creatures must save or flee in fear.

More to come this week.

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Posted in: content / Tagged: classical, content, gorgon, Greek, Medusa, monsters

Hydrae: A Short Recap

July 14, 2010 7:09 pm / Leave a Comment / Chris

Every hydra has grown from the severed hydra head of a larger hydra. Severed hydra heads, no matter the size, are able to grow appendages and escape the attacker. After some time, they transform in the the body of a hydra.

Hydra Lineage

Lernaean Hydra: The Original. Immortal, nearly impossible to kill or survive an encounter. Has telepathic control over all hydrae. Many poison-related attacks and powers.

Greater Hydra: Very dangerous. Appropriate for characters level 10+. Greatly resent whomever severed it from the Lernaean Hydra. Often holds many Lesser Hydrae in its control.

Lesser Hydra: Appropriate for characters level 8-10. Cannot remember Lernaean Hydra, seeks to escape domination of its progenitor Greater Hydra.

Small Hydra: Suitable for characters levels 3 and under. About the size of a dog. Lives as a wild animal.

Micro Hydra: Small creature with a deadly bite. Captured and used by assassins. Easily crushed.

What I hope this offers you as a DM is the chance to use the monster at almost any level of play without taking away the awesomeness of the original Hydra of myth. Hydrae should be one of the truly frustrating and deadly monsters in any D&D campaign, and this series gives hydrae dominion over poison, a position they held in the myths of old.

Please let me know if you decide to give them a try. I have in most cases left the final HD of the monster in the hands of the DM, who will decide how tough the monster is by the number of heads it has. If there’s some tweaking needed, I’d love to know.

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, monsters, poison

Micro Hydra

July 14, 2010 6:57 pm / Leave a Comment / Chris

The Micro Hydra varies in size from that of a large coin to the palm of a hand. They bite with all their heads at once. They have grown from the severed head of a Small Hydra. Assassins have been known to hide them in clothing, plates of food, etc.  Since Hydra do not reproduce naturally, Micro Hydrae and their progenitors, the  Small Hydrae are very rare and fetch high prices from assassins and others who seek a deadly poison that will not be forgotten.

Micro Hydra

No. Encountered: 1

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: 30’ (10’)

[S&W Move 9]

AC: 4 [15]

HD: Attack as 1 HD, has 1-2 HP

Attacks: 1 bite

Damage:

Poison, Save or die if less than level 5 or 5 HD

Save: Fighter 2 / Immune to all poisons

Morale 4

Hoard Class: N/A

Challenge Level / XP: 1

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, hydra, monsters

Small Hydra

July 14, 2010 6:52 pm / Leave a Comment / Chris

The Small Hydra is born from the head of a Lesser Hydra that has been severed. When the head is separated, the neck of a hydra grows two more, but the more-or-less helpless severed head does more than fall to the ground. It attempts to escape by growing legs, fins, a snakelike body or whatever is needed to get away.

The Small Hydra grows from a severed Lesser Hydra head after 1-2 days. The body and head together is about the size of a small or medium dog. These hydrae are about as smart as a dog as well (but do not get the idea they can be trained outside of a charm spell).  They are hostile to all humanoids.

Small Hydra

No. Encountered: 1-3

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: 90’ (30’)

[S&W Move 9]

AC: 7 [12] (heads), 6 [13] (body)

HD: 10 HP/head, 30HP for body

Attacks: 1 bite/head  or 1 venom spit/head (as 4 HD Monster) 15 foot range

Damage:

Bite 1d6 + poison (1-4 hp, save for half damage)

Save: Fighter 3 / Immune to all poisons

Morale 8

Hoard Class: II

Challenge Level / XP: 1/2 per head plus 1 HD for Challenge Level Modifications

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, hydra, monsters

Lesser Hydra

July 9, 2010 5:14 am / Leave a Comment / Chris

Just as the great hydra grows from the severed head of the original Lernaean Hydra, the lesser hydra grows from the severed head  of a greater hydra. While the greater hydra feels constant pangs of separation from the original, a lesser hydra has no recollection of that great, perfect whole.

A lesser hydra is far less poisonous and far less dangerous than the greater. While it is also less intelligent, it is more independent. When the head of a greater hydra is severed, the head will spout small legs, fins or tentacles in order to make its escape while the attacker is occupied with the two new heads growing in its place.

This head will then seek shelter and begin its week-long transformation into a hydra body about 3 meters long. The body shape is determined by the means the head took to escape. It could have a tail, tentacles, legs, fins or perhaps even wings. In most cases, the head will seek the nearest safe spot. During this week of transformation, it is extremely vulnerable to attack and can be treated as a 1HP mass of meat. Once the transformation is complete, 1d6 necks and heads will sprout.

The lesser hydra is usually dominated by its progenitor. The greater hydra can send simple telepathic commands to the lesser, provided they are about a mile apart or less. The slave hydra can send back simple answers such as “alarm” or “food” or images. The lesser hydra is somewhat disloyal. If it has a reasonable chance of escaping this one mile radius without being caught, it will try. Should the greater hydra wish, it can kill the lesser with a thought within that mile radius.

Lesser hydra are often posted on guard duty or sent hunting for food, for a greater hydra is a very hungry animal. When alone, a lesser hydra will seek a home anywhere it can find one. They are very vicious and still exude the poison that is the hydra’s nature. Much like other hydra, any head that is severed is replaced by two more unless fire or acid is used to cauterize the stump of the neck. For a lesser hydra, this means using a full flask of oil or acid. The severed head will attempt to escape, growing any needed appendages to do so while the attackers are distracted. Within 3 days the head will now be the body of a dwarf hydra.

Lesser hydra can spit poison as a cobra and have a poisonous bite. Some (30%) can breathe a poisonous cloud (save or take 1d4 HP/round until cured) once per day. Their blood is an effective poison if ingested and can corrode or eat through non-magical armor, weapons and other materials in a period of hours. Its blood is a much sought-after ingredient in witches’ brews and blasphemous rituals.

Lesser Hydra

No. Encountered: 1-3

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: 90’ (30’)

[S&W Move 9]

AC: 5 [14] (heads), 6 [13] (body)

HD: 14 HP/head, 50HP for body

Attacks: 1 bite/head  or 1 venom spit/head (as 8 HD Monster) 30 foot range

Breath 1 times/day as chlorine gas breath weapon (30% have this attack)

Damage:

Bite 2d6 + poison (1-4 hp/round until cured)

Breath weapon as dragon—HP of all heads combined as damage, save for half

Poison spit cloud 1d4 hp damage + 1d4/round save vs. poison for 1-2 half damage

Save: Fighter 6 / Immune to all poisons

Morale 8

Hoard Class: X

Challenge Level / XP: 1 per head plus 2 or 3HD for Challenge Level Modifications

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, hydra, monsters, poison

Great Hydra

June 16, 2010 10:29 am / Leave a Comment / Chris

Previously I posted some thoughts on the hydra in old school D&D. I’m trying to get it closer to its mythological roots while still keeping it relevant and useable in D&D. The Lernaean Hydra, whose stats are in that previous post, is of course a bit much for all but the highest level and best-prepared characters.

To keep the hydra relevant, as opposed to unapproachable, I suggested that all hydra are a part of the original Lernaean beast and that they are also somewhat mentally linked together.

Here’s a hydra that should interest players in the level 10-15 range. The DM should adjust the number of heads as appropriate.

These stats are basically for Labyrinth Lord, but I include the ascending AC from S&W to be more inclusive. I am also not a fan of treasure class, so I just used what they use for dragons. I would expect there to be a lot of dead bodies with armor, shields, weapons and items scattered about if the hydra is well-known.

Great Hydra

No. Encoutnered: 1

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: Body 90’ (30’), Heads 120’ (40’) up to maximum length of neck

AC: 3 [16] (heads), 6 [13] (body)

HD: 20 HP/head, 120 for body

Attacks: 1 bite/head (as 12 HD Monster)

Breath 4 times/day as chlorine gas breath weapon

Poisonous gas cloud surrounds the beast at all times

Damage:

Bite 3-18 + poison (1-6 hp/round until cured)

Breath weapon as dragon—HP of all heads combined as damage, save for half

Poison gas cloud 1-4 hp damage/round save vs. poison for 1-2 half damage

Save: Fighter 10 / Immune to all poisons

Morale 12

Hoard Class: XV

A Great Hydra grows from a severed head of the Lernaean Hydra. It remembers all it knew when it was part of that great beast and especially remembers those responsible for it being cut off. Because it can never again be as great as it once was, these hydrae are extremely vengeful and will, resources permitting, seek out those who separated it from the original and exact vengeance for generations to come.

The heads of a Greater Hydra may be attacked separately. When they are severed or bashed off the neck, two heads of equal hit dice and hit points will grow back on that neck in two rounds (able to act on the third round following). This can be prevented by applying fire or acid to the stump of the neck.

The intelligence of these hydrae vary as they most sustain various amounts of damage when they are beheaded from the Lernaean Hydra. Some of these have bodies shaped for walking, others slither or even have fins for swimming. A greater Hydra’s blood is a powerful poison if ingested or introduced to the blood stream. Any such contact will cause 1-8 HP damage immediately. When distilled and placed on a weapon, it can cause an extra 2-24 HP damage.

An older Great Hydra will often have a number of Lesser Hydrae living nearby. These smaller versions are created when someone severs a head from a Great Hydra. The heads attempt to escape when severed and within a matter of weeks, have morphed into the body and 1-4 heads of Lesser Hydra. In some cases, the larger beast will lure challengers to it in order to lose a few heads, creating lesser hydrae to do its bidding.

A great hydra can telepathically communicate with intelligent creatures in its presence, regardless of language barriers. A Great Hydra needs a great deal of food.

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, hydra, monsters

Hydrae

June 14, 2010 6:42 pm / Leave a Comment / Chris
Lernaean Hydra

This is the first in a series of posts about monsters. I want to reinvent and retool some of them, while others I hope can be returned to their classical roots in literature and folklore. By making some changes, maybe we can make some old monsters interesting again, or at least surprising.

I’m going to start with several monsters from the Greek myths. Some of these, such as the hydra and Medusa, were nerfed and commoditized for D&D. First up is the hydra.

Lernaean Hydra

Gustave Moreau's Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra

The Hydra

In the original Greek tales of the labors of Heracles, the Hydra of Lerna was a giant, multi-headed serpent representing the hopeless battle. A strong poison ran through its veins, and if a challenger cut off one of its heads, two more grew back in its place. According to legend, it was the son of the monsters Typhon and Echidna, and among its siblings were Cerberus, the Chimera and the Sphinx. These were major league monsters, not your garden-variety beasts.  It took a demigod to defeat it and even then, Heracles needed help to do it.

But having only one official hydra makes it unlikely that players will ever see one. So let’s say the hydra of Lerna spawns smaller a smaller hydra when it loses a head. If you ever saw John Carpenter’s The Thing, you remember the scene where the Thing is under attack while still mostly in human form. The head detaches itself, sprouts legs and walks away. Let’s say that the smaller hydrae come from severed heads of the original. These heads burrow, slither or otherwise try to escape rather than attack. These heads would be very vulnerable until they grow into the body of a smaller hydra. If that hydra could in turn also spawn smaller hydrae when their heads are severed, we have the option of creating smaller and smaller hydra.

Perhaps there’s some form of psychic link between the child hydrae and their parent. The new, smaller hydra will remember what the spawning head experienced, perhaps even seeking out an enemy for revenge. Hydra might retain a telepathic link with the hydra from which is spawned in combat, and can be commanded by its “parent” when within one mile. I’d also want to make the original hydra able to send out a telepathic message to all living hydrae of any size.

All hydrae should be poisonous. The smaller varieties might have only a poison bite, while the larger ones might have a breath weapon and a permanent cloud of poisonous gas around it. The big kahuna should have poisonous/acidic blood. One note on poison: I don’t usually go for the save-or-die poisons. I like to give lots of damage, even over an extended period of time, but I don’t do save-or-die. That’s just how I roll.

The heads of a Hydra can be cut or bashed off, but care must be taken to burn the stump within 2 rounds. On the third combat round, the two new heads will have finished growing. The new heads are stuck together on one stump for the next few days, until the neck splits and allows them to be separate.

Lernaean Hydra

No. Encoutnered: Unique

Alignment: Chaotic or Chaotic Neutral

Movement: Body 60’ (20’), Heads 150’ (50’) up to maximum length of neck (typically 1/3 are 100′ long, 1/3 are 80′, 1/3 are 40′)

AC: 0 [19] (heads), 6 [13] (body)

HD: 40 HP/Head, Infinite for body

Attacks: 1 bite/head (as 20 HD Monster)

Breath 8 times/day as chlorine gas breath weapon

Poisonous gas cloud surrounding beast

Poison blood

Damage:

Bite 2-20 + poison (1-8 hp/round)

Breath weapon as dragon—HP of all heads combined as damage, save for half

Poison gas cloud 1-8 hp damage/round save vs. poison for half damage

Poison blood spashes all characters within 10 feet of head when severed or near fresh stump until cauterized. 1-8 hp damage, save for half. Erodes magic armor, weapons, shields and items  -1 per 2 rounds unless blood wiped or washed off (items may save to avoid).

Save: Fighter 18

Morale 12

Hoard Class: DM Discretion

This is the original Hydra of Greek legend. It appears as a multi-headed snake, although in some accounts it has legs and the body of a reptile. It’s body is immortal and unkillable, as is one of its eldest head. Heracles himself could do no more to this last head than wedge it between some rocks after killing the other heads (and cauterizing the neck wounds).

The DM will need to decide how many heads it has and how intelligent it is. If it is weak from a recent defeat, then it will have little treasure and perhaps is not that smart. If it is strong and has faced many foolish mortals, then it will have more heads (Heracles fought nine), more intelligence and a larger number of dead bodies (and treasure) around it.

A severed head of the Lernean Hydra will immediately seek to escape into the sea, burrow into the earth or otherwise escape or hide. Within 2 weeks it will grow into a Greater Hydra. This Hydra will forever hate and seek revenge on whomever cleaved it and his or her heirs and loved ones.

The Lernaean Hydra will not tolerate the presence of another hydra on its island unless it needs to as part of a scheme or a desperate situation. It can, however, telepathically contact any other hydra within 100 leagues. It can send a short (up to 1 minute) one-way telepathic communication to all hydrae anywhere once per day. It almost never does this.

The longer a blade has been near the Lernaean Hydra, the more likely it is to have a permanently poisonous or acid dripping blade. The Lernaean Hydra’s poison is the poison from which all venoms have come. It is not negated by magic. Some assassins worship this hydra for its gift of poison to the world.

The Lernaean Hydra takes its name from the island of Lerna, where it supposedly lived. It eats entire schools of large fish, whales and other large sea beasts, but it does not need to eat often. No one is quite sure whether the separate heads are separate minds or part of one mind.


If this version of the Hydra seems unbeatable in ODD/Basic/LL/S&W terms, then I’ve done my job right. As with all things I post, please feel free to tinker, playtest and let me know what you think.

Greater Hydra to follow.

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Posted in: monsters / Tagged: classical, Greek, hydra, monsters, poison
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