Deep One Archimandrite

Family: Deep Ones

With enormous eyes, a wide mouth, and almost no chin, the deep ones are hideous, fishlike folk, often hunched and scaled when encountered in coastal villages.

Large humanoid, chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 153 (18d10 + 54)
Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	15 (+2)	17 (+3)	12 (+1)	17 (+3)	19 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +4, Perception +6
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances cold, thunder
Senses darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Void Speech
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Special Traits

• Amphibious: A deep one can breathe air or water with equal ease.
• Frenzied Rage: On its next turn after a deep one archimandrite takes 10 or more damage from a single attack, it has advantage on its attacks, it adds +4 to damage, and it can make one extra unholy trident attack.
• Innate Spellcasting: The deep one archimandrite’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: bless, revivify, sacred flame, shocking grasp, suggestion
  • 3/day each: charm person, lightning bolt, sanctuary, shatter
  • 1/day each: chain lightning, cone of cold, ice storm
• Legendary Resistance (1/Day): If the deep one archimandrite fails a saving throw, it can count it as a success instead.
• Lightless Depths: A deep one hybrid priest is immune to the pressure effects of the deep ocean.
• Voice of the Archimandrite: With a ringing shout, the deep one archimandrite summons all deep ones within a mile to come to his aid. This is not a spell but a command that ocean creatures and deep ones heed willingly.

Actions

• Multiattack: A deep one archimandrite makes one claw attack and 1 unholy trident attack.
• Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
• Unholy Trident: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) necrotic damage.

About

Elder Gods. In their fully grown form, the deep ones are an ocean-dwelling race that worships elder gods such as Father Dagon and Mother Hydra, and they dwell in deep water darkness. They’ve intermarried with coastal humans to create human-deep one hybrids.

Coastal Raiders. The deep ones keep to themselves in isolated coastal villages and settlements in the ocean for long periods, and then turn suddenly, at the command of their patron gods, into strong, relentless raiders, seizing territory, slaves, and wealth all along the coasts. Some deep ones have even founded small kingdoms lasting generations in backwater reaches or distant chilled seas.

Demand Sacrifices. They demand tolls from mariners frequently; those who do not leave tribute to them at certain islands or along certain straits find the fish escape their nets, or the storms shatter their hulls and drown their sailors. Over time, some seafaring nations have found it more profitable to ally themselves with the deep ones; this is the first step in their patient plans to dominate and rule.