Beware the depths of the ancient forest, where the earth itself turns against you. The Rotthorn Devourer, a twisted fusion of corrupted nature and insatiable hunger, prowls the shadowy woods, devouring all life in its path. Born from dark magic and the decay of the Heartwood Tree, this monstrous abomination consumes not just flesh but the very essence of the living. Will you dare to face the nightmare that lurks beneath the twisted canopy, or will you, like countless others, become part of the rot?
Rotthorn Devourer
Gargantuan monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class: 18 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 370 (20d20 + 160)
Speed: 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 (+8) | 10 (+0) | 26 (+8) | 6 (−2) | 15 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws: Str +14, Con +14, Wis +8
Skills: Perception +14, Stealth +8
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 24
Languages: Understands Abyssal and Sylvan but can’t speak
Challenge: 20 (25,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +6
Traits
Aura of Decay.
Creatures that start their turn within 30 feet of the Rotthorn Devourer must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. Plants and plant-based creatures automatically fail this saving throw and take double damage.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day).
If the Rotthorn Devourer fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance.
The Rotthorn Devourer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons.
The Rotthorn Devourer’s weapon attacks are magical.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Rotthorn Devourer makes three attacks: one with its Maw of the Abyss and two with its Slam.
Maw of the Abyss.
Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 32 (5d8 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the Rotthorn Devourer. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Rotthorn Devourer, and takes 28 (8d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the Devourer’s turns. If the Rotthorn Devourer takes 40 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Devourer must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the swallowed creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the Devourer. If the Rotthorn Devourer dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Slam.
Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 23 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Necrotic Blast (Recharge 5-6).
The Rotthorn Devourer releases a wave of necrotic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by this attack disintegrate into ash.
Legendary Actions
The Rotthorn Devourer can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Rotthorn Devourer regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect.
The Rotthorn Devourer makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Slam Attack.
The Rotthorn Devourer makes one Slam attack.
Crushing Roots (Costs 2 Actions).
The Rotthorn Devourer causes roots to erupt from the ground in a 30-foot radius centered on it. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the roots. A creature can use its action to make a DC 21 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. The roots last until the start of the Rotthorn Devourer’s next turn.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Rotthorn Devourer can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
Noxious Vines: Vines infused with necrotic energy sprout in a 20-foot radius centered on a point within 120 feet of the Rotthorn Devourer. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Darkening Canopy: The area in a 60-foot radius around the Rotthorn Devourer becomes heavily obscured as shadowy foliage thickens overhead. This effect lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Spore Eruption: A burst of toxic spores fills a 30-foot radius centered on the Rotthorn Devourer. Creatures in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4d10) poison damage and be stunned until the end of their next turn.
Environment
The Rotthorn Devourer typically resides in corrupted forests or ancient groves tainted by dark magic. Its presence warps the land around it, creating areas of twisted vegetation and lifeless terrain.
This creature is designed to be a formidable challenge for high-level parties, combining powerful melee attacks, area-of-effect damage, and control effects. The Rotthorn Devourer’s combination of high damage, resistances, and abilities makes it a terrifying encounter in any campaign.
The Swamp District is the most rundown and dirtiest area of Blackstone. After the breaking of the Heart Stone, it has deteriorated significantly since the breaking of the Heart Stone. The district is characterized by its makeshift fisherman huts perched on poles and the pervasive stench from the city’s sewers. It’s a place where you don’t want to be after dark, that’s if you want to leave with your coin purse.
"We thought we could cleanse the land, purify the corrupted soil. But the Rotthorn Devourer is not something you heal—it's the embodiment of the forest’s darkest curse."
BACKSTORY
In the shadowy depths of an ancient forest, where the sun’s light struggles to pierce the dense canopy, a malevolent force stirs—a force older than time itself. This is the cursed domain of the Rotthorn Devourer, a monstrosity born from the corrupted essence of the earth, twisted by dark magic and fueled by an insatiable hunger for life.
Long ago, this forest was a place of peace, a sanctuary where the druids of old nurtured the balance between nature and the arcane. They guarded the sacred Heartwood Tree, a colossal being of pure life energy, the very heart of the forest’s vitality. But as the ages passed, whispers of a darker power began to seep into the land, carried on the winds of forbidden magic. The druids, in their arrogance, believed they could harness this power to protect the Heartwood, but instead, they unleashed a force far beyond their control.
The Heartwood Tree, once a symbol of life, began to wither and twist, its roots growing black with decay. From its corrupted bark emerged the Rotthorn Devourer, a gargantuan entity formed from the very soul of the tree, now tainted with the darkness the druids had sought to control. The Devourer is a nightmarish fusion of plant and beast, its massive form a tangled mass of rotting wood, thorns, and the remains of those who have fallen prey to its insidious hunger. Its maw, an abyss of splintered fangs, devours not just flesh but the very essence of life itself.
For centuries, the Rotthorn Devourer has haunted the depths of the forest, spreading its blight wherever it treads. The once-vibrant woods have become a place of death and despair, where nothing grows save for twisted, poisonous plants and the skeletal remains of trees. The air is thick with the stench of decay, and the ground pulses with a sickly, unnatural energy. Those who dare venture into this cursed forest never return, their bodies absorbed by the Devourer to fuel its unholy existence.
Legends say that the Rotthorn Devourer is more than just a mindless beast. It retains a twisted intelligence, a fragment of the Heartwood Tree’s ancient consciousness now corrupted beyond recognition. It hungers not only for the bodies of the living but for their souls, drawing them into its endless void where they are consumed by eternal torment. The Devourer is said to be indestructible, a force of nature that cannot be slain by mortal hands. Only by purifying the land and restoring the balance between nature and magic can the Rotthorn Devourer be weakened, its connection to the corrupted earth severed.
The few who have survived encounters with this monstrous entity speak of its terrifying power and the overwhelming sense of dread that accompanies its presence. Its arrival is heralded by the sudden wilting of plants, the darkening of the sky, and the sound of cracking wood as it emerges from the shadows. Adventurers, druids, and mages alike have attempted to confront the Rotthorn Devourer, but all have failed, their efforts ending in death or madness.
Some say the only way to stop the Rotthorn Devourer is to find the remnants of the Heartwood Tree’s pure essence, hidden deep within the forest. But this is no easy task, for the Devourer’s minions, twisted plant-creatures and corrupted beasts, guard these remnants fiercely. Only the bravest—or the most foolish—would dare to seek out this ancient power, knowing that to fail is to become one with the rot.
