Charon Fiend

Large monstrosity, lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 56 (8d10+12)
Speed 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	6 (-2)	12 (+1)	8 (-1)

Skills Stealth +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Mating Pairs. Mating charon fiends are even more disagreeable than normal, for both beasts suffer from multiple snakebites, as well as the violence of the pairing. While mating, two charon fiends will temporarily share territory. During this time, they dig or occupy a den. The male leaves as soon as the female is with pup. A litter of 1-4 pups is common, but the female always eats all but the strongest of them. The remaining pup matures extraordinarily quickly and leaves its mother at about 1 year of age. Two fiends may spend several years paired up, as producing young is extremely difficult for them.
• Camouflage. The creature naturally blends into its environment, much like a chameleon. The charon fiend has advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• Keen Smell. The charon fiend’s superior sense of smell gives it advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The charon fiend makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. If it has a creature grappled with its bite, it instead automatically hits with its bite and makes an attack with its mane of snakes.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be grappled.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage.
• Snakes. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or suffer an additional 7 (2d6) poison damage and gains the poisoned condition. The charon fiend is a thin, bony creature with a broad head, shrouded in a wild, writhing mane of snakes. Their yellowed, largely hairless skin, stretches over tawny muscle except upon the beast’s long back, where bony plates protrude from its spine. These plates continue down the creature’s thin tail, ending just beyond the buttocks. Its legs appear ungainly but possess triple joints, braced by wide feet with huge claws, designed more for ripping and gouging than cutting. But of all the beast’s strange features, the mane is by far the most unworldly. This is because the mane consists of living snakes, not unlike a medusa’s. These creatures possess minds of their own and are forever biting the charon fiend in the face, neck, and forelegs. In turn, the beast tears at them, so that it is not uncommon to witness the fiend in a ferocious fight with itself.

ABOUT

The charon fiend was created to serve as pets and hunting companions. They are uncommon in most of the world, but on occasion, one or two appear in villages, towns, and such, wreaking havoc upon the world at large. Some use them as mounts, hunting dogs, and the like. If a mogrl should be near (within a few miles) and sounds its horn, any and all charon fiends come running, howling and barking in joyful glee, as is their want when in the vicinity of their true masters.

Constant Rage. The charon fiend is a fierce creature, driven mad by the constant bites it receives from the snakes about its face. Its foul disposition drives it to attack anything that it comes across, good or evil; lawful or chaotic; man, elf, orc, or beast. The wake of their passage is often easy to discern, and for this reason, when a charon fiend enters into a region it is immediately hunted down.

Dangerous Pets. At times, the very powerful capture them, using them as hunting dogs. Their intelligence makes them trainable but very dangerous, as they turn on their master if the opportunity presents itself.

Solitary Migrants. Charon fiends are migratory and never remain in any one place for long. With a slight ability to reason, they can realize when they have depleted a food source, their prey is too weak to defend itself, or if they are in real danger. They always travel alone, only coming together to mate. between riders and mount. The horse can develop these bonds over time with those who treat them well. Exceptional Beast of Burden. A light load for an olgdonberg is up to 350 pounds; a medium load, 351-700 pounds; a heavy load, 701-1,000 pounds. They can drag 5,000 pounds.