Hideous Maw
In the underdark the flicker of a flame could mean many things, a drow city, a rogue magma mephit or flameskull, or perhaps a hideous maw.
Hideous maw's are bestial creatures, the closest thing the underdark has to dogs or cats, though in practice, they're more like wolves or lions, working in packs to take down larger prey.
Unseeing Vision. Maw's are, as the name suggests, little more than a mouth, no ears or eyes to get around of find their prey. While they can sense creatures or objects, the range for this sense is limited, though they have another way of finding their prey. The maw can release a shriek causing those who hear it to become frightened. This is where it's true power lies. Somehow the maw is able to sense this fear, locking onto it, and allowing it to know the exact location of any creatures frightened by it.
Dogs of the Drow. Due to the maw's unique abilites, drow often use them similarly to how humans use hunting dogs. Domesticating them and taking them out to hunt creatures like rothé, or giant lizards for food or sport.
Variant: Midnight Maw
Maw's are adapted to hunting in the dark depths of the underdark, though some have learnt to take the dark with them. A midnight maw has a challenge rating of 5 (2,300 XP) and the following action:
Darkened Sphere. The maw can create a zone of magical darkness with a 120ft. Radius. This zone lasts until the maw is killed, or dispells it with an action.
Hideous Maw
Small aberration, unaligned
- Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 65 (10d6 + 30)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 5 (-3) 17 (+3) 7 (-2)
- Damage Resistances fire, thunder; bludgeoning from nonmagical attacks
- Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
- Senses blindsight 5 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
- Languages understands Elvish and Undercommon but can't speak
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Blindness. The maw has no eyes and relies on blindsight and fearsight to get around.
Fearsight. The maw can sense the presence and location of any creature within 150 feet of it that is frightened.
Illumination. The maw sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
Standing Leap. The maw's long jump is up to 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage
Shriek. The maw releases a piercing screech. Each creature within 100 feet. of the maw must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 7 (2d6) thunder damage, and becomes deafened and frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending both effects on a success.
Art Credit:
Ganondoodles (with slight edits by me)
