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STAR SPAWN
The Material Plane
represents only one small part ofthe multiverse. Beyond
the best-known planes of ex-istence lie realms that are lethal to mortal life.
Someare so hostile that
even a moment's contact with such aplace is enough to plunge a mortal mind into
madness.Yet beings do exist that are native to these
realms: be-ings that are eternally hungering, searchi
ng, warring,sometimes dreaming. These Elder Evils
are far olderthan
most of the mortal races and always horrific to hu-manoid minds.However much they might desire to enter and domi-nate the Material Plane, the
Elder Evils are unable orunwilling to leave their realms.
Some are imprisonedin their dimensions by external forces, some are inextri-cably bound to their home realities, and others simplycan't find any way out.Heralds of Doom.
The creatures known as starspawn are the heralds,
servants, foot soldiers, and lieu-tenants of the Elde r Evils, capable of taking
on formsthat can journey to the Material Plane. They
arrive mostoften in the wake of a comet-or perhaps
such a phe-nomenon
merely signals that star spawn are in the vicin-ity and
available for communication. When the signs areright
, warlocks and cultists hasten to gather together,read aloud their blasphemous texts
, and conduct themind-searing rituals that guide
the blazing star spawninto the world.STA R SPAWN GRUE
Fanged and lipless, the ever-grinning, madly staringgrue lopes about on spindly legs
and long arms. Bristlesand spines project from odd
patches of its pallid skin,and it's long fingers end in broken and dirty nails. Gruesare the weakest of the star s pawn. A host of writhing,scrambling grues typically accompanies more powerfulstar spawn. Their constant
chittering and shrieking pro-duces discordant
psychic energy that disrupts thoughtpatterns in other
creatures. Intelligent creatures experi-ence flashing colors, hallucinations, disorientation,
andwaves of hopelessness when they find themselves
near agroup of star spawn grues.STAR
SPAWN HULKThe hulk is the
largest of the known star spawn. Thoughogre-like in
stature, the hulk's glistening translucentskin reveals a muscled form devoid of an
ogre's fat. P aleand seemingly lidless eyes glare balefully
from a facedistorted
by too many teeth and too little nose.Hu
lks are seldom encountered without a commandingseer
nearby. A hulk appears to have little will of its own,other than to protect its master.C HAPTER 6 I BESTIARYSTAR SPAWN
GRUESmall aberration
, neutral evilArmor
Class 11Hit Points 17 (Sd6)Speed 30 ft.STR6 (-2)DEX13 (+l )CON10 (+O)Damage Immunities psychicINT9 (- 1)WIS11 (+O)Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception
10Languages Deep SpeechChalle nge 1/4 (50 XP)CHA6 (-2)Aura of Madness. Creatures
within 20 feet of the grue that ar-en' t aberrations have
disadvantage on saving throws, as well ason attack rolls against creatures other than a star spawn
grue.ACT
IONSConfounding Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to
hit, reach 5 ft.,one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage.
and the targetmust
succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or attack rollsagainst it have advantage until the start
of the grue's next turn.STAR SPAWN
HULKLarge aberration, chaotic evilArmor
Class 16 (natural armor)Hit Points 136 (13dl 0 + 65)
.•Speed 30 ft.STR20 (+5)DEX8 (-1)CON21 (+5)Saving Throws Dex +3, Wis +5Skills Perception +5INT7 (-2)WIS12 (+l)CHA9 (-1)Damage Re sistances bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing fromnonmagical attacksCondition Immunities charmed, frightenedSenses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15La nguages Deep SpeechChallenge 10 (5,900 XP)Psychic Mirror. If the hulk takes psychic
damage, each creaturewithin 10 feet of the hulk takes that damage instead; the hulktakes none of the damage. In addition, the hulk's thoughts andlocation can't be discerned
by magic.A CT IONSMultiattack. The hulk
makes two s lam attacks. If both attackshit the same target
, the target also takes 9 {2d8) psychic dam-age and must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution
saving throw orbe stunned
until the end of the target's next turn.Slam. Melee Weapon Attack
: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.Reaping Arms (Recharge 5- 6). The hulk makes a separate slamattack against each creature within 10 feet of it. Each creaturethat is hit must also succeed
on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throwor be knocked prone.