Dark Young
The Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath are horrifying, pitch-black monstrosities, which stand as tall as a tree (perhaps between twelve and twenty feet tall) on stumpy, hoofed legs. A mass of tentacles protrudes from their trunks where a head would normally be, and puckered maws cover their flanks. While they will eat voraciously, they do not need to in order to survive.
They usually dwell in woodlands wherever Shub-Niggurath's cult is active. The Dark Young are usually called upon to preside over cult ceremonies. One means for summoning them is found in the Book of Eibon and requires a blood offering. The ritual may only be performed in the deep of the woodlands at the darkest of the moon, and the victim must be sacrificed over a stone altar. Dark young act as proxies for Shub-Niggurath in the accepting of sacrifices and the worship of cultists, in the devouring of non-cultists, and in the spreading of their mother's faith across the world.
Art by Scott Purdy [https://www.deviantart.com/scottpurdy]
Dark Young
Huge aberration, lawful evil
- Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 253 (22d10 + 132)
- Speed 25 ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 22 (+6)
- Saving Throws STR +13, CON +11
- Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
- Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
- Condition Immunities Charmed, Prone, Stunned
- Senses True Blindsight 60 ft, passive Perception 11
- Languages Yggdrasil, but can understand all languages
- Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
- Abberant Nature. The Dark Young does not require food, water, or air to survive.
- Incomprehensible Mind. When any creature attempts to read the Dark Young's mind, the creature takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage and gains no information.
Actions
Multiattack. The Dark Young makes three attacks. It can use Devour in place of one of these attacks.
Tentacle Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft, one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the Dark Young can't use this tentacle against another target. The Dark Young has three tentacles with which to grapple creatures.
Devour The Dark Young swallows a creature it is grappling with one of its many mouths. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw to avoid this. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Dark Young, and it takes 28 (8d6) acid damage and 14 (4d6) psychic damage at the start of each of the Dark Young’s turns.
If the Dark Young takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Dark Young must succeed on a Constitution saving throw with DC equal to half the damage dealt at the end of that turn. On failure or after dying, the Dark Young will regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the Dark Young.Innate Hunger The Dark Young may cast Hunger of Shub-Niggurath at will with DC 19. (Hunger of Hadar, targeting itself, dealing no damage to itself).
Embrace Shub Niggurath (1/day) As an action, the Dark Young may test the sanity of any creatures who have seen the form of Shub Niggurath. All creatures within 60 ft. which have taken damage from Innate Hunger must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened, and takes 13d6 psychic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. Creatures may repeat this save at the end of their turn to end being frightened.
Legendary Actions (2 Actions)
Deadly Leap (2 Actions ) The Dark Young jumps 15 ft in any direction, without provoking opportunity attacks. This movement does not count against its speed.
Any creatures in the space where the Dark Young lands must make a DC 18 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target's choice) or be knocked prone and take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, the creature takes only half the damage, isn't knocked prone, and is pushed 5 ft. out of the Dark Young's space into an unoccupied space of the creature's choice. If no unoccupied space is within range, the creature instead falls prone in the Dark Young's space.Tentacle ( 1 Action ) The Dark Young makes a Tentacle attack.