Arcane Anomaly, Tallow Toad

Family: Arcane Anomaly

Tiny construct, unaligned

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 17 (5d4 + 5)
Speed 25 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (–1)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)	2 (–4)	9 (–1)	5 (–3)

Damage Immunities poison
Damage Resistances cold
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Death Burst. When the tallow toad dies, it explodes in a shower of hot wax. Each creature within 5 feet of the toad must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) fire damage.
• Illumination. The tallow toad sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.
• Water Weakness. If the tallow toad is doused in water or ends its turn submerged in water, the toad takes 3 (1d6) acid damage. Maximize this damage if the water is soapy.

ACTIONS

• Fire Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) fire damage.
• Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) fire damage. The target takes half the original damage again at the end of its next turn. Any creature can use an action to remove the hot wax, preventing the extra damage.

ABOUT

Careless Magic. The Arcanist Inquisition contends that all magic is dangerous, not just that wielded by demons and nefarious sorcerers. Their blanket denunciation of all mages might be harsh, but their zealous belief in the perils of magic isn’t unfounded. Even a well-meaning mage can invite catastrophe with a slip of the tongue, a misaligned gesture, or momentary lapse in concentration.

Arcane anomalies, as some mages euphemistically call them, are one such product of careless magic. Ritual objects used in particularly powerful spells, when not disposed of properly, can gain a malevolent sentience.

Many an apprentice has learned the hard way that “Go wash up!” is not only a chore, but an essential safety practice. As one might imagine, water is a particular weakness of all arcane anomalies.

Tallow Toad. Candles for ritual purposes are often made of strange waxes mixed with rare oils and herbs. Once a ritual is complete, unless ground up or melted down, these candles can transform into toad-like lumps of wax that wield tongues of flame and have an unquenchable desire to burn.

Chalk Chatterling. Chalk pentagrams and runes must be scrubbed after use, for even faint traces can birth a chalk chatterling, a tiny whirlwind of colored chalk dust that incessantly squeals the sounds its original markings were meant to signify.

Inkfester. Woe to any wizard who fails to pay attention to the expiration of their magical inks. If left untreated, old ink coalesces into bizarre two-dimensional creatures that masquerade as graffiti and psychically hurt victims through disturbing glyphs and imagery. These creatures can detach from walls, transforming into clouds of liquid ink to dissolve and drown unwary victims.

• DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana): Arcane anomalies are constructs immune to poison and being charmed.
• DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): The tallow toad can spit hot wax that must be removed, or it continues to blister skin. Coming too close to a chalk chatterling can make spellcasting difficult. An inkfester can psychically assault the mind in one form or, in another, surround and consume victims. All these anomalies explode when destroyed.
• DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): Immersing any arcane anomaly in water hurts it. Wizards frequently scrub their laboratories clean to prevent these beings from emerging.