Cuauhxicalli (Stone Eagle)

Medium construct, neutral evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 30 (4d10 + 8)
Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)	3 (-4)	15 (+2)	1 (-5)

Skills Perception +4
Damage Resistances fire
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Heart Devourer. If the stone eagle slays a creature which possesses a heart, it may use a bonus action to rend the creature’s heart from its chest and consume it. The stone eagle gains 10 temporary hit points and has advantage on attack rolls for the next round.
• Immutable Form. The stone eagle is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
• Magic Resistance. The stone eagle has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Magic Weapons. The stone eagle’s weapon attacks are magical.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The stone eagle makes two attacks: one with its beak and one with its talons.
• Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
• Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage Blinding Strike. If the stone eagle hits a creature with both its beak and its talons in the same round, as a bonus action it can attempt to blind that creature. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity save or be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded creature can attempt a new saving throw as a bonus action on its turn to end the blindness. If the target rolls a natural 1 on its initial saving throw (but not on subsequent saves to end the blindness), it is permanently blinded.

ABOUT

These stone carvings are typically carved from volcanic rock in the ferocious likeness of an eagle or jaguar, regarding those nearby with a menacing stare baring their fangs or beak open and ready to strike. Each is nearly an effigy of an animal of near life size prepared to pounce and may be rendered in plain carved stone or elaborately etched with geometric patterns and inlaid or banded with gold or silver, though some may be much larger.

Sacrificial Vessels. Carved into the back of each cuauhxicalli is a bowl where the high priests who created them would burn the hearts extracted from sacrificial victims as an offering to the gods, so that their gift would nourish and honor the creators of the world and all those within it. While cuauhxicalli are merely statues in most places, those touched with divinity and infused with magic can move and strike as their masters command them, and often they are no mere passive spectators in the rite of sacrifice. Many serve as tireless temple guardians that may far outlive their creators, ever ready to bring death to those profaning the sacred places where they linger.

Massive Monoliths. While most cuauhxicalli are similar in size to their animal equivalents, rare examples are built to a titanic size in the temples of the greatest priests or to celebrate a great conquest or victory. Mighty priests were said to infuse their living souls into these immense constructs, even seeing through their eyes and speaking through them with the voice of the gods themselves.