Spirit of the Depths

Huge aberration, lawful evil

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 6 (-2) 27 (+8) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 25 (+7)

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 176 (12d12 + 98)
Speed 10 ft., swim 20 ft.
Saving Throws Constitution +12, Wisdom +4, Charisma +11
Skills Deception +15, Persuasion +15
Damage Resistances cold, psychic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Special Traits

  • Amorphous. The spirit of the depths can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
  • Corruption. The spirit of the depths primarily feeds on the energy released by magical items as it corrupts them and makes them cursed versions of their original forms. The spirit of the lake will give out these cursed items as a ‘reward’ to those it has charmed.

Actions

  • Deceive. The spirit of the depths can use its action to summon a programmed illusion (spell save DC 19) without the need of components. It usually uses this project a spirit form on top of the water’s surface in order to communicate with visitors to the lake.
  • Demand. The spirit of the depths can use its action to cast geas (spell save DC 19) as a 7th level spell without any components. If it targets a creature currently affected by its Deceive feature, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw.
  • Consume. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 120 ft., one Medium or smaller target. Hit: the target is grappled by pseudopod extended by the spirit of the depths (escape DC 15) and dragged into the water. At the start of each turn the creature is dragged 30 feet closer to the spirit of the depths. Once it reaches the spirit, it is automatically engulfed. The engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained, and takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the spirit’s turns. A grappled or engulfed creature that is affected by the spirit’s Deceive feature has disadvantage on its escape attempts, as the illusion makes the process seem much more pleasant.

Tactics

Spirits of the depths use their Deceive and Demand abilities to gather more power, but they are always careful and more ready to try and escape than fight against any determined opposition. If they realize that a group has seen through their illusions, they might recruit other weak-willed followers to defend them against their enemies.

The true form of the spirit of the depths is an abomination that lies at the bottom of deep forest or mountain lakes. Its natural form is a slimy and amorphous dark green blob. However it is possessed of powerful and corruptive illusionary magic and it uses it to lure others into providing it more power.

The Bounty of the Water. At night, when it detects the presence of visitors, it projects a form that it believes will be most attractive to the petitioner(s). Using this form, it offers some arrangement: either a trade of a magical weapon for a more powerful one, or request for the creature to spread news about the lake and its guardian, or, if the visitor has little to offer, it simply compels the creature to come into the lake, where it can be grappled, slain and consumed.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Creature Collection 5e Copyright 2020 Onyx Path Publishing, Inc.