Tophet

Large construct, neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural)
Hit Points 189 (18d10 + 90)
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 5 (-3) 11 (+0) 8 (-1)

Damage Immunities fire; 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 10
Languages understands all languages but can’t speak
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Conductive. Anytime a tophet is affected by an effect that deals fire damage, creatures currently swallowed by the construct take fire damage equal to half of this amount.
  • Magic Resistance. The tophet collector has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Trampling Charge. If the tophet moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be forced prone. If the target is prone, the tophet can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The tophet makes two slam attacks.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 16 (3d10) fire damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the tophet. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the tophet. Once swallowed by a tophet, an opponent takes no damage, but is trapped inside the creature’s hollow interior. The construct’s maw locks down, preventing creatures from climbing back out. If the tophet takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the creature has broken through the tophet’s cage and falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the tophet. If the tophet dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. A target may also use Thieves’ Tools to escape (DC 20). It may only have one creature swallowed at a time but does not lose its bite attack while it has a swallowed creature, but it cannot swallow another creature.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 16 (3d10) fire damage.
  • Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

ABOUT

The tophet smashes free from the wall as a move action and attempts to swallow a PC (since its former prisoner has been reduced to little more than charred bone, the tophet is no longer considered to be occupied and is ready for a new victim). If a PC was unfortunate enough to be inside the tophet examining the skeleton when the Tophet begins its attack, the PC is automatically swallowed, with the tophet’s maw locking closed. If it succeeds in swallowing a victim, the tophet steps back into its wall recess which sits just above the ancient furnace that is still stocked with coal and has an open oil reservoir at the top. The tophet attempts to set the oil alight by grinding its metal arms against the masonry walls surrounding it as a bonus action, with a 20% cumulative chance of igniting it each round. If the tophet is successful, the furnace will blaze to life and the tophet will stand in its heat and fight off the other PCs while letting the victim inside it slowly cook.

A trapped victim takes increasing damage each round as the furnace grows hotter. On the first round, the victim takes 7 (2d6) fire damage, with damage increasing by 7 (2d6) each round thereafter, to a maximum of 28 (8d6) fire damage per round. This does not affect damage sustained from fire attacks as detailed under the tophet’s conductive special ability. The victim continues to take fire damage after the tophet is slain, until the furnace flames are extinguished, requiring one round of work and a DC 20 Thieves’ Tools or DC 15 Smith’s Tools check. Once the flames are extinguished, the tophet’s interior cools at the same rate that it heated.

After the PCs have dealt with the tophet, they discover that they are no longer alone in the library. You suddenly become aware that standing in the room’s doorway is a horrific-looking creature. While its frame is roughly humanoid, it is covered in odd growths, and its head is a distended, fleshy sack with a pulsating brain-like organ covered by a hooded growth of flesh. Its lower jaw is split into two fanged halves. Its limbs are elongated and its hands are thick and gnarled, each with two grotesquely-overgrown fingers. It has no visible eyes but seems aware of you, standing calmly and making no move to attack.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Legendary Planet Adventure Path (5E) © 2020, Legendary Games; Authors: Matt Goodall, Jim Groves, Steven T. Helt, Tim Hitchcock, Jason Nelson, Richard Pett, Tom Phillips, Mike Shel, Neil Spicer, Mike D. Welham

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