Vulcreed, Demon

Family: Demons

Huge fiend, chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 273 (26d12+104)
Speed 60 Ft, Burrow 20 ft., climb 30ft

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	13 (+1)	18 (+4)	21 (+5)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)

Skills Arcana +11, Athletics +12, Insight +9, Intimidation +7, History +11
Saving Throws Strength +12, Constitution +10, Intelligence +11
Damage Immunities cold, lightning, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhausted, frightened, poisoned
Damage Resistances acid, fire, bludgeoning; piercing and slashing from non magical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft., blindsight 60 ft., telepathy 60 Ft, passive Perception 13
Languages Abyssal
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Innate Spellcasting. The Vulcre’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (Spell save DC 19). The Vulcre can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.
  • At Will: clairvoyance, legend lore
  • 3/day each: darkness, spike growth, wall of thorns
  • 1/day each: flesh to stone, insect plague (range 0), move earth, storm of vengeance
• Regeneration. The Vulcre recovers 10 hit points at the start of its turn as long as it is in darkness or dim light.
• Light Vulnerability. Any time the Vulcre is exposed to magical light or ends its turn in an area of magical light, it suffers 5 (1d10) damage.
• Magic Resistance. The Vulcre has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The Vulcre can make 4 claw attacks, and either a bite and dark dreaming action, or cast a spell.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, Reach 15 ft., one target. Hit 16 (3d6+6) slashing damage.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, Reach 15 ft., on target. Hit 22 (3d10+6) piercing plus 16 (3d10) necrotic.
• Dark Dreaming. The Vulcre targets one creature it can sense within 60 ft. The target must succeed on a Wisdom save (DC 19) against this magic or be blinded and incapacitated as their entire vision is consumed with the dark dream of the Vulcre. Each round thereafter, the target can save against the effect at the end of its turn. If the target saves, the effect ends. If the target fails its save, its intelligence is reduced by 3 (1d6). If the target’s intelligence is reduced to 0 by this effect, the intelligence loss is permanent and can only be cured by a wish. The Vulcre does not have to concentrate to maintain this effect, but the effect ends if the creature is killed. Temporary intelligence loss is restored at the rate of 1 point per long rest. A lesser restoration spell will restore one point of intelligence.

ABOUT

Gigantic creatures, the vulcreed are powerful denizens of the lower realms. They feed on darkness, their bulk swelling in the cool depths of the cold and empty. Their bodies are massive, bulbous, and longer than wide. They sprout legs from their flanks as normal creatures do hair, usually possessing 4-12 good legs, with a half-dozen half grown, dangling from their sides like so many limbs. Many-jointed, the spindly legs seem incapable of holding up the bulk of the creature. But it is from beneath their massive carriage that the creature’s true horror lies, for here, a long, thin neck unfolds, extending a dozen feet or more beyond the beast, ending at last in a long, barbed snout, where fangs of various sizes criss-cross each other in no discernable pattern. The vulcreed is covered in pus-filled sores, dropping off chunks of it body as it crawls along.

Solitary Tyrants. Their dens consist of massive, many-layered dungeons beneath the earth. Here they burrow through rock and earth in a never-ending quest for darkness; for light causes them distress and powerful light inflicts damage. It drives them to madness, so they escape it, feeding on the darkness, leaving behind them an inky residue that does not suffer light to enter.

Fearful Even in the Abyss. In the legions, all fear them, for their presence is unbearable to most other demons. They do not command armies, but whither they go other demons are likely to follow, for in their wake the vulcreed leave utter chaos.

Brutal and Clever. Despite their bulk, the vulcreed’s many legs allow them to move very quickly. They have powerful spell-like abilities but always prefer to battle close with their victims and deliver their range of physical attacks. They are extremely intelligent and are able to discern which opponent poses the greatest threat.