Gorgon, High

Family: Gorgon

Medium aberration (titanspawn), lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (with mage armor)
Hit Points 123 (13d8 + 65)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)	19 (+4)

Skills Arcana +6, Deception +8, Perception +6 Damage Resistances cold, necrotic, psychic Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 16
Languages Gorgon, Titan Speech, plus any two other tongues
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Special Traits

• Magic Resistance. The high gorgon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Serpentine Ancestry. Magic can’t put the high gorgon to sleep.
• Spellcasting. The high gorgon is a 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, or +8 to hit with spell attacks). The gorgon knows the following sorcerer and warlock spells:
  • Cantrips (at will): acid splash, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation
  • 1st level (4/day): charm person, hexing eye, mage armor, magic missile
  • 2nd level (3/day): alter self, enthrall, rend the sovereign soul*
  • 3rd level (3/day): clairvoyance, fear, fly
  • 4th level (3/day): binding aura*, dominate beast
  • 5th level (2/day): dominate person
  • 6th level (1/day): mass suggestion

Actions

• Multiattack. The high gorgon makes two scimitar attacks and one Serpents attack.
• Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
• Serpents. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) poison damage.

About

One of the most twisted legacies the titans left behind are the gorgons. There are actually two varieties of gorgons in the Scarred Lands: the bestial low gorgon, and the humanoid high gorgon. Although they seem as different as humans are from lions, both varieties of gorgon are actually aberrations, and repulsively, they are also completely inter-fertile – the males of either species can fertilize females of either kind. In either case, they lay clutches of up half a dozen eggs, one in five of which typically hatches into a high gorgon, while the rest become low gorgons.

A high gorgon looks like a hairless human with faintly elfin features, yet there is something indeterminably cold about its behavior. Within the smooth flesh of its abdomen lies a twisting mass of proboscises or tentacles shaped like fanged serpents. The gorgon can reveal these appendages via a bizarre muscled orifice, a barely discernible vertical slash like a tightlipped mouth. When revealed, these serpentine appendages lash out through the wet crimson gap, their fangs dripping with venom.

High gorgons have their own unique tongue, derived from Titan Speech, which they keep secret from all others except their low gorgon brethren.

High gorgons don’t have a proper culture of their own, really; they imitate human society as best they can. Within human society, high gorgons often pose as members of obscure human cults, which seek to convince adherents to grant a little more indulgence to their sect’s unusual customs. They have no real allies among the other races, but they have been known to hire or cooperate with various goblins, werewolves, and even Unredeemed asaatthi.

High gorgons gather in small cabals to exchange information and magic, and they particularly prize any rumors that might lead to another piece of their god’s dissevered remains.