Perytons

Peryton Lore
Arcana DC 15: For reasons still not well
understood, the shadow of a peryton bears no
resemblance to it, instead mimicking the form
of the last humanoid person the peryton
crossed.
While some have speculated that their
humanoid shadows imply they must themselves
be former demi-humans, cursed and warped into
these chimeric forms, the current consensus seems
to be that this is a hunting and intimidation tactic,
used to frighten and flush prey from cover.
History DC 15: The orcish historian Urlgir the Younger
records in his seminal work The Elven Wars an alliance
that the war king Obould Many-Arrows (later called
Obould-Who-Is-Gruumsh) struck with a peryton clan of the
eastern mountains.
History DC 20: Though it may be mere fanciful
embellishment, many a foolhardy adventurer dreaming of
flight has taken this account as proof positive that perytons
can understand speech and negotiate, perhaps even with the
possibility of befriending and riding one. Such dreams must
eventually meet the cruel reality of the peryton's
uncompromisingly brutal nature, however.
Nature DC 15: Both male and female perytons grow
delicate, velveted antlers, which achieve a hardness akin to
steel when their velvet sloughs off after they consume a
human or elven heart, indicating reproductive maturity.
These antlers are shed after mating, adding an additional tine
each time they regrow.
Nature DC 20: A legendary creature of the feywild, the Nog Peryton Heart-Plucker Tactics
Hind is said to be a distant relative of the peryton, a thief of
hearts and shadows that relentlessly pursues outsiders to Peryton heart-pluckers are even more aggressive than their
that realm. unblooded kin, diving and ascending to a height of 30 feet
Religion DC 10: It is commonly held among sailors that each turn to activate their brutal dive. Before attacking a
carrying a peryton feather wards one against shipwrecks. creature, they always attempt to fly over it to use their
Religion DC 15: Though it may not be known to those who Shadow Mark on it, ideally long before combat is joined.
practice it, this superstition has its roots in the cult of the They use their Ironbeam Antlers if their target is mostly
demon lord Pazuzu, whose gifted tokens of peryton feathers uninjured and they are supported by allies or have a way to
have the power to transplant one creature's ill fate onto gain advantage, otherwise preferring to use their multiattack
another. for the chance to drag prey into the sky.
Peryton Unblooded Tactics Peryton Nog Hind Tactics
Unblooded perytons swoop low over the ground, cresting Nog Hinds use their Ironbeam Antler Rush whenever
over hills in the hope of surprising potential prey and making available, sequencing it first in their multiattack to gain
it bolt out into the open. They typically attack only humans advantage on their other attacks if the target fails its save.
and elves, preferring to target spellcasters and ranged They then use their Wingbeat Gust to clear away any
attackers, as they are very concerned with protecting their creatures that might make an attack of opportunity as they
still-developing antlers. rise back to diving height.
They use their Brutal Dive on the first turn of combat and If one or more creatures is Frightened of them, they
afterwards simply rise just out of reach each turn after instead close to melee with it and use their Shrill Scream,
attacking. If outnumbered and unable to reduce a creature to forcing the creature to provoke an attack of opportunity from
0 hit points in the first two turns of combat, they will typically them.
flee, periodically doing flyovers until the creatures leave their
hunting range and attacking again if they spot an injured or
otherwise vulnerable party member.
Peryton Unblooded Peryton Heart-Plucker
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +5 Skills Perception +5

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and
Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses Passive Perception 15 Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages understands Common and Elvish but Languages understands Common and Elvish but
can't speak can't speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Brutal Dive. If the peryton is flying and dives at least Brutal Dive. If the peryton is flying and dives at least
30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it
with a melee attack, the attack scores a critical on with a melee attack, the attack scores a critical on
an 18-20. an 18-20.

Shed Velvet. If the peryton eats the heart of a Shadow Scent. The peryton knows the direction and
humanoid creature, the velvet covering its antlers distance to each creature on the same plane of
splits and begins to peel, and the peryton becomes existence that has been affected by its Shadow
a Peryton Heart-Plucker, retaining its current hit Mark.
points.
Actions
Actions Multiattack. The peryton makes two attacks; one
Multiattack. The peryton makes two attacks, one of with its Gory Bite and one with its Vicious Talons.
which may be with its Gory Bite.
Gory Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
Gory Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. A humanoid creature killed by this attack has its
A humanoid creature killed by this attack has its heart torn out and devoured.
heart torn out and devoured. Vicious Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
Talon Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing
5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. damage.
On a critical hit, the target is grappled (escape DC
Reactions 13).
Velveted Skittishness. As a reaction when the Ironbeam Antlers. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
peryton is hit with a melee attack, it flies up to 15 reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing
feet without provoking attacks of opportunity. damage and the target must succeed on a DC 13
Pluck Heart. As a reaction when the peryton scores Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away
a critical hit with its Gory Bite, it makes another and knocked prone.
Gory Bite attack against the same target.
Reactions
Shadow Mark. As a reaction when the peryton flies
directly over a humanoid creature it can see, it
changes its shadow to mimic that creature's
shadow.
A creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of a
peryton mimicking its shadow in this way must
succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be
Frightened until the beginning of its next turn.
Peryton Nog Hind Ironbeam Antler Rush (Recharge 4-6). The peryton
lunges up to 15 feet directly towards a creature within
Large fey/monstrosity, chaotic evil
20 feet with antlers lowered, forcing it to make a DC
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor) 15 Strength saving throw.
Hit Points 144 (14d10 + 70)
On a failed save, the creature takes 16 (3d10) piercing
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. damage, is pushed up to 15 feet away, and is knocked
prone. On a success, a creature takes half as much
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA damage.
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) Collect Heart. The peryton magically and nonlethally
scoops the heart from the chest of an unconscious
creature within 5 feet of it, regaining a use of its
Saving Throws DEX +5, CON +8
Hidden Hearts ability and leaving a ragged yet
Skills Perception +9, Stealth +5 bloodless void in the creature's chest.
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and
Slashing damage from Weapons that aren't Named A creature with its heart removed in this way cannot
Senses Passive Perception 19 gain class levels until its heart is returned or replaced,
Languages Common and Elvish but can't speak except and dies if its heart is destroyed. While a creature has
with its Thought Mimicry trait its heart replaced with that of another creature, it uses
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) that creature's class levels, rather than its own.

Brutal Dive. If the peryton is flying and dives at least 30 Bonus Actions
feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a Shrill Scream. The peryton lets out a mocking,
melee attack, the attack scores a critical on an 18-20. melodramatic scream, imitating an injured humanoid.
Thought Mimicry. The peryton can speak the current Each Frightened creature within 30 feet that can hear it
surface thoughts of any creature whose heart it carries, must use its reaction to move half its speed away from
using that creature's voice. It cannot otherwise read the peryton.
thoughts.
Wingbeat Gust. The peryton beats its wings mightily,
Shadow Scent. The peryton knows the direction and kicking up a powerful wind in a 15 foot cone. Each
distance to each creature on the same plane of creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength
existence that has been affected by its Shadow Mark. saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away.
Hidden Hearts (3/Day). Tucked beneath the peryton's
feathers are several still-beating hearts stolen from Reactions
living creatures. If the peryton fails a saving throw Shadow Mark. As a reaction when the peryton flies
against a spell or magical effect, it can choose to have directly over a humanoid creature it can see, it changes
a creature whose heart it carries affected in its stead. its shadow to mimic that creature's shadow.
Actions A creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of a
peryton mimicking its shadow in this way must
Multiattack. The peryton makes three attacks, one of
succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be
which may be with its Gory Bite, and uses its Ironbeam
Frightened until the beginning of its next turn.
Antler Rush, if available.
Thunderous Screech (1/Day). As a reaction to being
Shadowtaker Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reduced below 93 hit points, the peryton lets out a
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing thunderous screech. Each creature within 20 feet of it
damage. must must succeed on a DC 16 Constitiution saving
A humanoid creature reduced to 0 hit points by this throw or take 18 (4d8) thunder damage, or half as
damage is cursed. A creature cursed in this way casts much damage on a success.
no shadow or reflection. If a creature that fails this save misses with an attack
Vicious Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach on its following turn, it immediately falls prone.
5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage.
On a critical hit, the target is grappled (escape DC 15).