Hydra
Giant amphibious lizard with multiple regenerating snake heads. A huge beast.
Imagine a huge salamander, wet and bloated, except it has five eel-like long-necked toothy snake heads that hiss and bicker with each other. The hydra is an ambush predator that is always awake.
| HD: 6 | Armor: as leather |
| Hit it: easy | Dodge it: normal |
| Move: normal, swim normal |
A normal hydra has 5 heads. It counts as as many separate targets for single-target non-damaging spells. If the hydra takes 6 damage in one turn, one of its heads dies. The hydra dies when it has no head left.
It can hold its breath for 1 hour and hide underwater. When it has at least 3 heads, it is nearly impossible to surprise it. In fact, it never fully sleeps: one of its heads is always awake. Also, at the beginning of its turn, the hydra grows two new heads for each head that died since its last turn, unless it took fire or acid damage. It recovers 3 hit points per new head.
Attacks (1/round)
Swarm of Bites. The hydra makes as many melee attacks (1D6) as it has heads, capped at 4 per targets.
Lockjaw. The hydra makes a melee attack (1D6 + # of heads) and, on a hit, the target is grappled by two of its heads. Roll 1D4, the following member of the target is grappled by a mouth and can’t be used: 1, head; 2, right arm; 3, left arm; 4, one leg.
Choir of Hisses. The hydra extends all its head in a confusing swirl of jaws. Its size counts as one bigger, and D20 rolls against it have a penalty equal to its number of heads.
Random Encounter
- Monster: 1 hydra
- Lair: A shaded pond, littered with broken bones and hiding a half submerged den.
OR
Omen: Multiple hissing noises. - Spoor: A large carcass, torn in five pieces.
- Tracks: Heavyset huge salamander tracks.
- Trace: A huge snake jawbone.
- Trace: A 6’’ tooth.
Salvaging the body
Hydra meat tastes like fish. Its skin makes good leather, but not as strong as one would think. What’s more valuable is its blood, which has strong regenerative properties.
Hydra Blood. Can be drunk after being filtered and boiled. Will heal one wound overnight.
D6 Symbolism
In local cultures the arassas is a symbol of …
- Resilience
- Inevitability
- Birth
- The Underworld
- Water
- Sacred