Gnyan

Large elemental, neutral good

Armor Class 14
Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)
Speed 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	19 (+4)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +4
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Aura of Hope. The gnyan is surrounded by an aura of uplifting courage. Each friendly creature within 30 feet of the gnyan has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
• Glorious Milk. A gnyan can spend 1 minute slowly drinking from a bowl of melted ice water. When it stops, the bowl is filled with a pale milk. A creature that drinks the milk regains 7 (2d6) hit points, and its exhaustion level is reduced by up to two levels. After a gnyan’s milk has restored a total of 20 hit points or reduced a total of four exhaustion levels in creatures, the gnyan can’t create milk in this way again until it finishes a long rest.
• Pounce. If the gnyan moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a Claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be forced prone. If the target is prone, the gnyan can make one Bite attack against it as a bonus action.
• Snow Camouflage. The gnyan has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
• Snow Strider. The gnyan can move across icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check, and difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra movement. In addition, it leaves no tracks or other traces of its passage when moving through snowy terrain.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The gnyan makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage.
• Avalanche’s Roar (Recharge 6). The gnyan looses a terrible blasting roar of ice and snow in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 21 (6d6) cold damage and is restrained until the end of its next turn as frost and snow coats its limbs. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t restrained.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Snow Step. The gnyan teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. The origin and destination spaces must contain snow.

ABOUT

Brilliant white with a translucent turquoise mane, this icy lion bursts from snow drifts, catching its prey unaware. It leaves no pawprints as it slinks over the snowbanks. The gnyan is an icy, lion-like elemental that roams mountain peaks and secluded valleys.

Snowy Benefactor. The gnyan detests those who would defile natural beauty and guards pilgrims to mountaintop shrines. The gnyan can create healing milk from snow, and it embodies fearless strength and the power of glaciers. Because bandits and would-be warlords often attempt to capture gnyans to force the elementals to create their healing milk, many gnyans warily follow and study travelers before approaching them.

Mountain Steward. Folk tales speak of gnyans rescuing those lost in blizzards or striking at loggers from seemingly mundane piles of snow. Some stories tell of gnyans who raised worthy young souls who later became renowned heroes. In these stories, the gnyan nourishes and tutors these otherwise abandoned children, teaching them how to care for the weak and strike down the immoral and cruel.