Morwenna, Queen of the Hive
Morwenna was an Ulitharid born with great mental strength and a channeller of the Old Ones, a voice for them to speak through the underdark. She made use of this to gain favour with the people, promising them a new era where Illithid would rule the world.
The Rise of the Queen
Morwenna rose and used her gifts to grant her an audience with the elder brain which, with the help of the Old Ones she had made a deal with, she managed to overwhelm.
Absorbing the mind of the Elder Brain within her own proved too much however, and although Morwenna tried to contain it and commune with the people, she could not. Turning again to the Old Ones for help, they entered her head, this time to stay.
Over time, she became corrupted, her mind not her own and she went mad. Commanding the Illithid colony as the Elder Brain once did, she started planning for the return of the Old Ones, preparing this world for its end.
The nearby areas of the Underdark began to leak with madness, and denizens fled. Morwenna is rising from the dark, and bringing ancient and powerful beings from before the time of the Gods with her.
War for the World
Morwenna lends herself to a campaign where the players have to build armies and gain allies to combat the growing armies of Illithid that plan to rule the world. Alternatively, there could be a race for a rare materials necessary for her ritual, or smaller hit and run missions against her outposts.
Morwenna's Lair
Her Lair is the colony of Illithid she commands that watch from the dark for the fall of man and the rise of the Old Ones.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Morwenna takes a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects:
- Vision Dust. Morwenna activates the hallucinogenic dust and gas that coats the entire area, forcing each creature that breathes to succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects of the confused spell on their next turn. However, they must roll twice, and Morwenna chooses which of the two effects takes place.
- Queen of the Hive. Morwenna commands up to 3 denizens of the Hive to make a melee attack against a creature within 5ft. of them. If the creature has 3 or more levels of Morwenna's Madness, they have advantage on those attacks.
- Heal Order. Morwenna sucks the life from one of the creatures in the colony. They take 4d8 necrotic damage, and Morwenna heals for twice as much.
Regional Effects
The region around The Hive is altered, creating the following magical effects:
- Creatures within a mile dream of being absorbed into the colony, of merging with a higher consciousness. It's strangely comforting.
- When Divination magic is used in, or targets and area within 10 miles of the Lair, the diviner also gains visions of Old Ones, and must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or gain a level of Morwenna's Madness.
- The tunnels and caverns appear to shift constanty within 1 mile of the Lair, making easy for wandering souls to get lost. Survival checks are made at disadvantage.
When Morwenna dies, all of these regional effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
- Created by u/LucianAstaroth, and the spells Extract Blood Elemental, Peel and Fold Person can be found here.
- This is Version 1.0 of Morwenna
- Art: Ulitharid by Jim Nelson
Morwenna, Queen of the Hive
Medium Abberation, Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 18
- Hit Points 255 (30d8 + 120)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 26 (+8) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Saves: Con +11, Int +15, Wis +9
- Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from nonmagical weapons, Force
- Damage Immunity Psychic
- Condition Immunities Charmed
- Skills Arcana +15, Deception +10, Insight +9, Perception +9, Persuasion +10
- Senses darvision 120ft., Truesight 30ft., Passive perception 19
- Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120ft.
- Challenge CR 22 (41000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). Morwenna's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 23). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: Detect Thoughts, Disguise Self, Mind Spike
3/Day each: Dimension Door, Greater Invisiblity, Hold Person (4th level)
2/Day each: Extract Blood Elemental, Mass Suggestion, Mental Prison, Peel, Telekinesis
1/Day each: Feeblemind, Fold Person, Glibness, Plane Shift, Psychic Scream, Teleport
Magic Resistance. Morwenna has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Elevated Mental State. Morwenna can concentrate on 2 spells simultaneously, and makes separate rolls for each spell to maintain concentration.
Morwenna's Madness. When a creature fails a save against Morwenna's spells, they gain a level of Morwenna's Madness (Detailed below).
Legendary Resistance 3/Day. If Morwenna fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 30 (4d10 + 8) Psychic damage. If the target is medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 23) and must succeed on a DC 23 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the grapple ends.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by Morwenna. Hit The target takes 66 (12d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, Morwenna kills the target instantly by extracting and devouring its brain.
Mind Obliteration (Recharge 6). Morwenna magically emits psychic energy in a 60 sphere centered on herself. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 23 Intelligence saving throw or take 44 (8d8 + 8) psychic damage and be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the save at the end of each of it's turns, ending the effect on a success.
Reactions
Defend Order. When a creature hits Morwenna, she can force an ally of hers within 5 feet to succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw else they sacrifice themselves and take the damage for her.
Legendary Actions 3/Round
Morwenna can take 3 legendary actions. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Morwenna regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
All must fall. Morwenna attempts to slam airborne creatures of her choice within 60ft. to the ground. Each target must make a Strength saving throw or be dropped 30ft., taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage if they hit the floor. Creatures held by Morwenna using Telekinesis automatically fail this saving throw.
Brain Seeker. Morwenna makes a Tentacles attack.
Spell. Morwenna casts a spell of 5th level or lower via her Innate Spellcasting feature or uses an action granted to her by a spell (such as telekinesis).
Dispelling Scream (2 Actions). Morwenna screeches, a howling wail that blasts through out to 60 feet. She can make an Intelligence check against any ongoing spells or magical effects to dispel them as if by Dispel Magic.
Morwenna's Madness:
Level Effect 1 When you roll a natural 1 on an attack roll, you must roll to hit yourself. 2 You suffer the effect of Bane as ethereal tentacles hinder your actions. 3 You are treated as Morwenna's ally for the purposes of her Defend Order ability. 4 You must use your bonus action on your turns to praise Morwenna. 5 You become vulnerable to psychic damage. 6 Your movement is determined by Morwenna. Removing Levels of Morwenna's Madness:
When a creature takes a long rest, they can make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw to reduce their levels of Morwenna's Madness by 1.
Greater Restoration or Heal remove 1 level of Morwenna's Madness.
All levels of Morwenna's Madness remain if you die and are resurrected. It is an affliction of the mind after all.