JADE COLOSSUS BESTIARY

CREATURES AND NPCS

NPCs

A
selection of Ninth World non-player characters. NPCs with abilities that surpass
Cyphers, page 40 those of regular humans (and other humanoids) are gained by reliance on cyphers,
relics, and most often, fused iron flesh. However, devices that allow an NPC their
Relics, page 45
special abilities are not necessarily part of their loot or usable by anyone else; the GM must
Iron flesh, page 49 make a special exception for that to be true.

NPCS BY CHALLENGE RATING

• Scholar (challenge 1/8) • Explorer (challenge 3) • Warlord (challenge 6)
• Steward (challenge 1/8) • Legionary (challenge 3) • Glaive (challenge 9)
• Specialist (challenge 1/2) • Shadow Knight (challenge 3) • Jack (challenge 9)
• Tough (challenge 1/2) • Diplomat (challenge 4) • Arch Nano (challenge 12)
• Aristocrat (challenge 2) • Nano (challenge 4) • Deadly warrior (challenge 12)
• Defender (challenge 2) • Aeon Priest (challenge 6) • Nano exemplar (challenge 22)

AEON PRIEST minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at

Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
itself on a success.
Armor Class 12 (16 with force armor)
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) Fly (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
Speed 30 ft. Aeon Priest gains a fly speed of 60 ft. for one
hour.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (−1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) Unseen (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
The Aeon Priest turns invisible until they attack
Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +4 or use an action, or until their concentration
Skills Arcana +8, History +8 ends. While invisible, they leave no physical
Senses passive Perception 11 evidence of their passage. Any equipment they
Languages any two languages (including the wear or carry is also invisible.
Truth)
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Force Armor (1/Day). A protective force
surrounds the Aeon Priest for 10 hours,
ACTIONS providing a +4 bonus to AC.
Brilliance. The Aeon Priest uses iron flesh to
generate a brilliant beam in a 30-foot line that Heal (1/Day). The Aeon Priest regains all hit
is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must points.
make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22
(4d10) fire damage and 21 (6d6) radiant damage Aeon Priests are fonts of numenera knowledge
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a who serve the Order of Truth. They are interested
successful one. not in the details of past culture or history, but
in science. They can identify cyphers, relics, and
Sleep Blast (Recharge 6). Each creature in a iron flesh at will and offer to purchase unwanted
15-foot cone of gas must succeed on a DC 13 items from those they meet. In addition, if the
Constitution saving throw or fall asleep for 1 PCs are going to encounter an Aeon Priest as

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 NPCS

an adversary, provide the Aeon Priest with at DEADLY WARRIOR

least two useful cyphers, relics, or iron flesh Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
(randomly or purposefully determined) and add
it to the abilities they already possess. Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 161 (19d8 + 76)
ARISTOCRAT Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Armor Class 15 (leather armor + iron flesh) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft. Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +8, Wis +6, Cha +8
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and slashing from weapons not treated as
11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) magical
Damage Immunities lightning
Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4, History +2 Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Senses passive Perception 11 Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Languages any one language (usually the Truth) Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Numenera Weapons. The deadly warrior’s
Hard to Sway. The aristocrat has advantage weapon attacks are treated as if magical and
on saving throws against being charmed or deal an extra 14 (4d6) lightning damage on a hit
frightened. (included in the attacks).

ACTIONS Resistance. The deadly warrior has advantage

Multiattack. The aristocrat makes two longsword on direct effects created by numenera devices,
attacks, or uses an iron-flesh granted ability. attacks by nanos, and other effects that are
treated as if magical.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) ACTIONS
slashing damage. Multiattack. The deadly warrior makes four
melee attacks.
Dictate (1/Day). As its action, the aristocrat
speaks a one-word command to a creature they Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit,
can see within 30 feet. If the target understands reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing
and fails a DC 12 Charisma saving throw, it damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used
follows the command on its next turn. with two hands, plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage.

Stillness (1/Day). As its action, the aristocrat Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
speaks a one-word command to a creature they 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing
can see within 30 feet. If the target understands damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage.
and fails a DC 12 Charisma saving throw, it is
paralyzed for 1 minute. At the end of each of REACTIONS
its turns, the target can make another Wisdom Parry. The deadly warrior adds 4 to their AC
saving throw to end the effect. against one melee attack that would hit them. To
do so, the deadly warrior must see the attacker
Aristocrats are born of privilege, and as such and be wielding a melee weapon.
have had far more access to schooling, training,
and other advantages that ordinary people lack. The deadly warrior is an elite combatant who
Sometimes aristocrats are groomed for (or wields greater skill most other fighters. Although
actually hold) positions of power. Other times, deadly warriors might command others, that is
they merely while away their time on personal not their forte. They focus on personal combat
pursuits. and skill with their own blade, almost always
relying on fused numenera devices to further
heighten their effectiveness.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

DEFENDER DIPLOMAT
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment

Armor Class 14 (chainmail hauberk) Armor Class 16 (chainmail hauberk)

Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 9 (–1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 20 (+5)

Senses passive Perception 12 Skills Deception +9, Insight +5, Perception +5,
Languages any one language (usually the Truth) Persuasion +9
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Senses passive Perception 15
Languages any five languages (including the Truth)
Dutybound. At the start of their turn, the Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
defender can gain advantage on all melee
weapon attack rolls during that turn if they are ACTIONS
guarding that which they have sworn to protect, Multiattack. The diplomat makes three
but attack rolls against them have advantage shortsword attacks.
until the start of their next turn.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit
ACTIONS reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3)
Multiattack. The defender makes two longsword slashing damage.
attacks.
Charm (1/Day). One humanoid the diplomat
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a
5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1
day, or until the diplomat charms someone else.
Defenders are a cut above average guards, The charmed target obeys the diplomat’s verbal
and put duty before their own well-being. commands, but can repeat the saving throw if it
suffers harm, ending the effect on a success.

Oath (1/Day). The diplomat can offer a target

that can see and understand it the option to
take an oath of service. If a creature takes the
oath (which is usually to complete a task or obey
a rule), and later breaks it for any reason, the
target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw, taking 32 (5d10 + 5) psychic damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.

Diplomats have many roles in the Ninth World.

Some serve as envoys between kingdoms.
Others actually rule towns, cities, or entire
kingdoms themselves. Some just travel the
world, looking for a place they can take over, or if
good-aligned, deliver peace.

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 NPCS

EXPLORER GLAIVE
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment

Armor Class 16 (chain mail) Armor Class 17 (splint armor)

Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) Hit Points 161 (17d8 + 85)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (for 1 hour; cypher) Speed 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 21 (+5) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0)

Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +4, Wis +2, Cha +4 Senses passive Perception 13
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2 Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Resistance. The glaive has advantage on direct
effects created by numenera devices, attacks by
ACTIONS nanos, and other effects that are treated as if
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, magical.
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing
damage plus 3 (1d6) force damage. Magic Weapons. The glaive’s weapon attacks are
treated as if magical.
Force Blast (Recharge 5–6). The explorer uses
iron flesh to generate force in a 30-foot line that ACTIONS
is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must Multiattack. The Glaive makes four greatsword
make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 attacks. Alternatively, they make one greatsword
(4d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as attack and either Stunning Shout or Amazing Leap.
much damage on a successful one.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit,
Explorers are tough, carry many cyphers and reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing
almost always rely on iron flesh to provide damage.
themselves further advantages as the explore the
ruins of the Prior Worlds. Stunning Shout (recharge 5–6). As their action,
the glaive can target a creature within 50 feet
that they can see with a thunderous shout. On a
failed DC 15 Constitution saving throw, the target
takes 10 (3d6) thunder damage and is stunned
for one minute, or until they succeed on a save
on their turn. On a successful save, they are
still frightened for one round, but are thereafter
immune for 24 hours.

Amazing Leap (recharge 5–6). As their action, the

glaive can leap to a location within 30 feet that
they can see, if their passage is not blocked.

Glaives are the elite warriors of the Ninth World,

using weapons and armor to fight their enemies,
usually relying on cyphers, relics, and iron flesh
to accomplish their amazing feats.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

JACK Phase Shift. The jack goes out of phase with

Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment reality for up to 1 minute, or returns to their
normal phase. They remain visible, yet can’t
Armor Class 18 (iron flesh) affect or be affected by anything in reality, except
Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51) by special pandimensional weapons. While out
Speed 30 ft. of phase, they can move through other creatures
and objects as if they were difficult terrain. The
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA jack takes 5 (1d10) force damage if they end their
17 (+3) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 8 (−1) 14 (+2) turn inside an object.

Skills Deception +6, Sleight of Hand +7, Jacks are intrepid explorers. They are jacks of all
Stealth +7, Perception +3, Persuasion +6 trades—hence the name—although the word
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive also hearkens back to fables involving a wily,
Perception 16 resourceful hero who always seems to be named
Languages Any two (usually including the Truth) Jack. Used as a verb, “to jack” means to steal, to
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) deceive, or to get out of a tight scrape through
ingenuity or luck. Jacks don’t use one skill or
Numenera Weapons. The jack’s weapon attacks tactic exclusively; they use whatever weapons,
are treated as if magical and deal an extra 14 armor, special abilities, or anything else that
(4d6) force damage on a hit (included in the might help them. They are hunters (particularly
attacks). treasure hunters), con artists, skalds, rogues,
scouts, and experts in a variety of fields.
Resistance. The jack has advantage on direct
effects created by numenera devices, attacks by LEGIONARY
nanos, and other effects that are treated as if Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
magical.
Armor Class 16 (scale armor)
Regeneration. The jack regains 10 hit points at Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
the start of their turn if they have at least 1 hit Speed 30 ft.
point.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
ACTIONS 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
Multiattack. The jack makes three shortsword
attacks, or one shortsword attack and Phase Skills Perception +2
Shift. Senses passive Perception 12
Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, Challenge 3 (700 XP)
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing
damage, plus 14 (4d6) force damage. ACTIONS
Multiattack. The legionary makes two longsword
attacks. If they have a shortsword drawn, they
can also make a shortsword attack.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach

5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage,
or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two
hands.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
damage.

A legionary is often commanding others, though

sometimes simply serves as an outstanding
guard.

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 NPCS

NANO NANO, ARCH

Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment

Armor Class 13 (15 with Force Armor) Armor Class 18 (iron flesh)
Hit Points 60 (11d8 + 11) Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (–1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 17 (+3) 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Insight +4 Skills Arcana +9, Insight +7, Perception +7, and
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 two other Intelligence skills at +9
Languages any two languages (including the Truth) Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning;
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks
ACTIONS Damage Immunities acid, poison
Brilliance. The nano uses iron flesh to generate Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
a brilliant beam in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
wide. Each creature in that line must make a Languages Any four languages (including the
DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire Truth)
damage and 7 (2d6) radiant damage on a failed Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. ACTIONS
Brilliance. The arch nano uses iron flesh to
Charm (1/Day). One humanoid the nano can generate a brilliant beam in a 100-foot line that is
see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make
14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10)
hour, or until the nano charms someone else. fire damage and 22 (4d10) radiant damage
The charmed target obeys the nano’s verbal on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
commands, but can repeat the saving throw if it successful one.
suffers harm, ending the effect on a success.
Heal (1/Day). The arch nano regains all hit points.
Fly (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
nano gains a fly speed of 60 ft. for 1 minute. Sleep Blast (Recharge 6). Each creature in a
15-foot cone of gas must succeed on a DC 17
Force Armor (1/Day). A protective force Constitution saving throw or fall asleep for 1
surrounds the nano for 10 minutes, providing a minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at
+2 bonus to AC. the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
itself on a success.
Heal (1/Day). The nano regains all hit points.
Teleport. The arch nano teleports, along with any
Nanos are similar to Aeon Priests, in that they equipment it is wearing or carrying, to any spot
dedicate themselves to the science of the prior up to 500 feet away, whether the arch nano can
worlds. However, they are not members of the see it or not.
Order of Truth.
In addition, if the PCs encounter a nano as Consume (Recharge 6). The arch nano causes
an adversary, provide the nano with at least nanites in the air around a creature that they can
one additional useful cypher, relic, or iron flesh see within 60 feet to consume it. The target must
(randomly or purposefully determined) and add make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. It takes
it to the abilities they already possess. 105 (10d20) necrotic damage on a failed save,
or half as much damage on a successful one. A
creature killed by this ability is reduced to drit.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

Unseen (Recharge 6). The arch nano turns Awesome Presence. Each creature of the nano
invisible until they attack or use an action, or exemplar’s choice that is within 120 feet of the
until their concentration ends. While invisible, nano and can see the nano must succeed on a
they leave no physical evidence of their passage. DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become blinded
Any equipment they wear or carry is also for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving
invisible. throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s
The arch nano is a being with incredible mastery saving throw is successful or the effect ends for
over the numenera. Some have delved so deeply it, the creature is immune to the nano exemplar’s
that they have virtually fused their consciousness Awesome Presence for the next 24 hours. If the
with the numenera, becoming more machine nano exemplar inflicts damage with Brilliance on
than living. the target, the effect also ends.
In addition, if the PCs encounter an arch nano
as an adversary, provide the nano with at least Force Blast (Recharge 5–6). The nano exemplar
two additional useful cyphers, relics, or iron flesh projects force in a 120-foot line that is 10 feet
(randomly or purposefully determined) and add wide. Each creature in that line must make
it to the abilities they already possess. a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, 78 (12d12)
force damage on a failed save, or half as much
NANO EXEMPLAR damage on a successful one. On a failed save,
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment the creature is pushed 30 feet away from the
nano exemplar.
Armor Class 22 (iron flesh)
Hit Points 228 (24d8 + 120) Heal (1/Day). The nano exemplar regains all hit
Speed 30 ft., fly 120 ft. points.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA LEGENDARY ACTIONS

14 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 28 (+9) 17 (+3) 21 (+5) The nano exemplar can take 3 legendary actions,
choosing from the options below. Only one
Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +12, Wis +10, Cha legendary action option can be used at a time
+12 and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
Skills Arcana +16, Insight +10, Perception +10, The nano exemplar regains spent legendary
any other two Intelligence +16 actions at the start of their turn.
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning;
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from Unseen. The nano exemplar turns invisible
nonmagical attacks until they attack or use an action, or until their
Damage Immunities acid, poison concentration ends. While invisible, they leave
Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned no physical evidence of their passage. Any
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 20 equipment they wear or carry is also invisible.
Languages Any four languages (including the Truth)
Challenge 22 (41,000 XP) Teleport (Costs 2 actions). The nano exemplar
teleports, along with their equipment and what
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the nano they carry, to any spot up to 500 feet away,
exemplar fails a saving throw, they can choose to whether the nano exemplar can see it or not.
succeed instead.
Brilliance (Costs 3 actions). The nano exemplar
ACTIONS makes a Brilliance attack.
Multiaction. The nano exemplar can use their
Awesome Presence. They then use Brilliance. Nano exemplars are the epitome of what a
creature can achieve by bending all their will, as
Brilliance. The nano exemplar uses iron flesh to well as the learning and mastery of many who’ve
generate a brilliant beam in a 100-foot line that is come before them, to mastering the numenera.
5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make They are ascended beings, though they know that
a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (5d10) for all their power and knowledge, the mysteries
fire damage and 28 (5d10) radiant damage on of the prior worlds are still larger and more
a failed save, or half as much damage on a terrifying.
successful one.

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 NPCS

In addition, if the PCs encounter a nano SHADOW KNIGHT

exemplar as an adversary, provide them with at Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
least three additional useful cyphers, relics, or
iron flesh (randomly or purposefully determined) Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield)
and add it to the abilities they already possess. Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
SCHOLAR
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 11 (+0)
Armor Class 12 (leather jerkin)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) Skills Intimidation +2, Stealth +6
Speed 30 ft. Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Challenge 3 (700 XP)
11 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Ignores Impediments. The shadow knight has
advantage on saving throws against being
Skills any one Intelligence skill +4 charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned,
Senses passive Perception 10 stunned, or put to sleep.
Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Shadow Assassin. A melee weapon deals one
extra die of its damage when the shadow knight
ACTIONS hits with it (included in the attack).
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage. Surprise Attack. If the shadow knight surprises
a creature and hits it with an attack during the
A scholar is usually someone pursuing a path first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7
to knowledge, a researcher working on behalf of (2d6) damage from the attack.
someone paying them, or just someone with a
couple of hobbies. ACTIONS
Multiattack. The shadow knight makes two
melee attacks.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing
damage.

Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range

30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage.

Shadow knights are often part of secret groups

trained to sneak, deceive, and fight in the
shadows. Sometimes spying, other times serving
as assassins, shadow knights often have an
outsize reputation.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

SPECIALIST STEWARD
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment

Armor Class 13 (leather jerkin) Armor Class 12 (leather armor)

Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 9 (−1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)

Skills any three Intelligence or Wisdom skills +5 Skills Persuasion +2, History +3
Senses passive Perception 13 Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually the Truth) Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Cypher Surprise. For up to 10 minutes, the Hard to Sway. The steward has advantage
specialist can use the effect of a single cypher to on saving throws against being charmed or
deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it hits frightened.
with a weapon attack.
ACTIONS
ACTIONS Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing
5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage, damage.
or 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing damage if used with two
hands. Stewards are not skilled combatants, but they
often have a community that supports them,
Specialists are people with a singular focus including those with far more skills in combat to
on knowledge and wisdom who have made a defend them.
particular set of skills their life’s work.

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 NPCS

TOUGH WARLORD
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment

Armor Class 14 (studded leather) Armor Class 16 (scale armor)

Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6) Hit Points 85 (9d8 + 45)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 9 (−1) 12 (+1) 7 (−2) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0)

Skills Perception +3 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Senses passive Perception 13 Languages any one language (usually the Truth)
Languages any one language (usually the Truth) Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Warlord’s Charge. If the warlord moves at least
ACTIONS 20 feet straight toward a target and then strikes
Multiattack. The tough makes three dagger attacks. it with their greatsword on the same turn, the
target takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC
ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Toughs make up many gangs or serve as guards ACTIONS

in a pinch. Multiattack. The warlord makes two greatsword
attacks.

Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing
damage.

Call Ally (1/Day). The warlord creates a temporal

clone with the same statistics. The clone appears
in an open space adjacent to the warlord, acts
just after the warlord in the initiative order, acts
as the warlord’s ally, and can’t call another ally. It
remains for 1 minute, until it or its creator dies,
or until the warlord dismisses it as an action.

A warlord is a combatant of immense skill, with

abilities augmented by numenera devices.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

CREATURES BY
CHALLENGE RATING

CHALLENGE 1/8 CHALLENGE 2 CHALLENGE 3

• Basic automaton, type one* • Basic automaton, type three • Colchin
• Gazer • Blood barm • Colostran
• Laak • Crith • Divellent
• Cypherid • Dritch
CHALLENGE 1/4 • Jesanthum • Mastigophore
• Basic automaton, type two* • Murden • Nalurus
• Broken hound • Nevajin • Phasic
• Dabirri • Raster • Ravage bear
• Merkadian soldier • Steel spider
• Progenitor larva swarm • Tetrahydra
• Stratharian war moth • Whisper
• Yovok

CHALLENGE 1/2
• Sathosh
• Snow loper
• Uncommon animal

CHALLENGE 1
• Margr
• Seskii

11
 CREATURES BY CHALLENGE RATING

CHALLENGE 4 CHALLENGE 5 CHALLENGE 6

• Abykos • Disassembler • Basic automaton, type five
• Basic automaton, type four • Peerless • Dread rider
• Beastcoat infiltrator • Tarza • Ganthanhar
• Chirog • Imusten crawler
• Grey sampler • Marauding vault
• Xaar • Mesomeme
• Yellow swarm • Rhadamanth
• Zhev • Tarrow mole

CHALLENGE 7
• Relentless reaper

CHALLENGE 8
• Ferno Walker

CHALLENGE 9
• Basic automaton, type six
• Cragworm
• Cynoclept
• Progenitor

CHALLENGE 11
• Jiraskar
• Vaytaren

CHALLENGE 12
• Deadeye
• Griefsteel

CHALLENGE 16
• Awakened ruin

CHALLENGE 18
• Basic automaton, type seven

CHALLENGE 30
• Dread destroyer

12
 CREATURES AND NPCS

CREATURES

Chapter 4: Creatures,
page 140
T his section contains a selection of Ninth World creatures which are mostly described in
Chapter 4: Creatures of Arcana of the Ancients.

ABYKOS
This shadowy, hazy, vaguely humanoid shimmer is often mistaken as a ghost. Actually,
an abykos is a transdimensional entity. Usually incorporeal, it can change phase at will,
becoming solid.
Harmless. Mostly. Most of the time,
PCs have little to fear from an abykos.
However, if they have any numenera
that is transdimensional in nature, the
hungry abykos will attack.
Alien. Because it’s different, it’s hard
to determine an abykos’s intelligence.
It’s adaptable and clever despite no
sign of language or tool use. Telepathic
Pandimensional: existing
communication yields no results, as
on multiple levels of
reality at once. if the creature does not exist. But an
abykos is not mindless; it learns from
its experiences.

ABYKOS ACTIONS
Medium monstrosity, chaotic neutral Multiattack. The abykos makes two metallic claws attacks, or
one Drain Numenera attack.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 54 (12d8) Metallic Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Speed 30 ft. target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) necrotic damage.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Phase Shift. The abykos goes out of phase with reality, or
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) returns to its normal phase. It remains visible, yet it can’t
affect or be affected by anything in reality, except by special
Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +2 pandimensional weapons created specifically to harm such
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, poison creatures.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages — Drain Numenera (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Treat
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) as a metallic claws attack; however upon hitting, instead of
taking damage, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
Incorporeal Movement. The abykos can move through other save, or one relic in their possession is depleted and the
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes abykos regains all its hit points.
5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object if it is
not using Phase Shift.
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 CREATURES

AWAKENED RUIN
Sometimes, for inexplicable reasons, a portion of an ancient ruin comes awake, detaches
from its parent structure, and begins to wander. Such awakened ruins seem more machine
than living being, though perhaps a machine that mimics life so
well, it has transcended normal biology. The few that have
been seen so far appear in the guise of massive
humanoid hands. However, the hands
move almost like giant spiders—they
can scuttle, jump, and even cling to a
vertical surface.
Disconnected Consciousness. If a
consciousness is directing an awakened
ruin, it doesn’t seem to be located
spatially (or perhaps temporally)
within the ruin. Awakened ruins are not
automatically aggressive, but defend
themselves viciously. Otherwise, they
seem more interested in “grazing” for
useful numenera.

14
 CREATURES AND NPCS

AWAKENED RUIN Standing Leap. The awakened ruin’s long jump is up to 60

Huge construct, neutral feet and its high jump is up to 30 feet, with or without a
running start.
Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 368 (32d12 + 160) Trampling Charge. If the awakened ruin moves at least 20
Speed 30 ft. feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a slam
attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 18
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
24 (+7) 9 (–1) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 13 (+1)
ACTIONS
Skills Arcana +5, Athletics +12, Perception +5 Multiattack. The awakened ruin makes three slam attacks,
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from two slam attacks and a constrict attack, or uses its cypher
nonmagical attacks detonation beam.
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, poisoned Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 Hit: 28 (6d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Languages —
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 77 (20d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target
Beam Regeneration. The awakened ruin regains 20 hit points is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target
whenever it inflicts damage with its cypher detonation is restrained and the awakened ruin can’t constrict another
beam, plus an additional 10 points for each cypher the beam target.
detonates.
Cypher Detonation Beam (Recharge 5–6). The awakened ruin
Magic Resistance. The awakened ruin has advantage on saving can fire a beam of energy up to 300 feet away, affecting all
throws against spells and other magical effects. creatures in a 5-foot-radius sphere. Creatures in the area must
make a Constitution save (DC 14), taking or take 28 (8d6)
Magic Weapons. The awakened ruin’s attacks are treated as if radiant damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a
magical. successful one. If a creature that fails its save is carrying any
rare or very rare cyphers, one of those cyphers explodes as a
greater detonation of daggers.

The remains of
an awakened ruin “I’d like to figure out why the ones we’ve found have different
can be salvaged numbers of fingers, even when they’ve come from the same ruin.
for 1d6 cyphers and
possibly a relic. Are they copying the hands of the entities who created them, or are
they trying to imitate the hands of elves, dwarves, or other recent
visitors? And why hands in particular?”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

Greater detonation “Honestly, hands are fine, I don’t want to think about other giant body
of daggers, page 64 parts running around and shooting things with energy beams.”
~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

BASIC AUTOMATONS
The Ancients relied on automatons of every shape and size. However,
despite their variety, certain automaton models have the same basic
functions, though not always the same form.

The Ancients created many kinds of automatons to take care of repetitive or dangerous
tasks. These automatons’ shapes and composition may vary, and the simplest ones have
a very limited number of functions. This material provides statistics for various simple
The purpose of these automatons that adventurers might encounter during a campaign. These stat blocks can be
stat blocks is to provide used to represent almost any kind of uninteresting automaton—servant units that prepare
easy-to-use automatons
for the various numenera,
or serve food, crafting units that build basic structures out of stone or wood, scouts that
creatures, and adventures patrol an area, guardians that protect a creature or location, and so on.
that need them (the The GM can customize them by adjusting size, stats, specifying what form its attacks
equivalent of having take (claws, slams, and so on), adding manufactured weapons (swords, rays, or even
stat blocks for generic
NPCs). Customizing cyphers or relics), different movement modes, skill bonuses, or even a special ability. These
their stats too much changes should be limited so the GM doesn’t have to adjust the automaton’s challenge
isn’t worth the effort. rating. For example, the basic automaton’s listed melee attack method is just called “melee
attack”; it doesn’t matter if that’s a claw, drill, or blade, and the GM can use the listed
attack stats for whatever weapon they decide the automaton is using. Depending on the
automaton’s role, it may not have more than one attack type (a chef automaton might
attack with a built-in chopping knife but not have any way to make ranged attacks).
The following creature stat listings cover the five most common types of basic
automatons.

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE ONE BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE TWO

Tiny construct, unaligned Small construct, unaligned

Armor Class 11 (natural armor) Armor Class 11 (natural armor)

Hit Points 10 (4d4) Hit Points 35 (8d6 + 8)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
3 (–4) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 8 (–1) 5 (–3) 7 (–2) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (–2)

Skills any one with proficiency +1 Skills any one with proficiency +2
Damage Immunities poison Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 9 Senses passive Perception 10
Languages — or one Languages — or one
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

ACTIONS ACTIONS
Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: –2 to hit, reach 5 ft., Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
one target. Hit: 1 slashing damage. target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage.

Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range
30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage. 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.

17
 CREATURES

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE THREE BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE FOUR

Medium construct, unaligned Medium construct, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 7 (–2)

Saving Throws Str +4 Saving Throws Str +5

Skills any one with proficiency +2 Skills any one with proficiency +2
Damage Immunities poison Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 11 Senses passive Perception 11
Languages — or one Languages — or one
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

ACTIONS ACTIONS
Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage. target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range
30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage. 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (4d6 + 1) piercing damage.

18
 CREATURES AND NPCS

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE FIVE

Large construct, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19 (+4) 13 (+1) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 7 (–2)

Saving Throws Str +7

Skills any one with proficiency +3
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages — or one
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

ACTIONS
Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 32 (8d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range

30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (8d6 + 1) piercing damage.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

BASIC AUTOMATON
The GM should feel
free to customize
these automatons by
adjusting size, and stats;
specifying what form
its attacks take (claw, The Ancients relied on automatons of every shape and size. However,
slam, and so on); and
adding manufactured despite their variety, certain automaton models have the same basic
weapons (swords, rays,
or even cyphers or relics),
functions, though not always the same form.
different movement
modes, skill bonuses,
or a special ability,
though preferably the
changes won’t adjust
the automaton’s
challenge rating.
BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE SIX
The overlord’s force field Type six basic automatons are sometimes known as overlord automatons because they
is otherwise equivalent were created to supervise other automatons, directing the activities of simpler, more
to a wall of force.
specialized units under general or specific directions from their creators.

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE SIX Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Huge construct, unaligned target. Hit: 29 (7d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
Hit Points 195 (17d12 + 85) 50/100 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (8d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Speed 30 ft.
Overlord Abilities. A typical overlord automaton has two or
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA more of the following abilities:
21 (+5) 13 (+1) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 9 (–1) Dazzling Display (Recharge 5–6). As a bonus action, the overlord
produces a hypnogogic light show. Living creatures within
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9 100 feet who can see the automaton must make a DC 17
Skills any two with proficiency +4 Wisdom saving throw or be dazzled by the overlord’s
Damage Immunities poison majesty and are charmed for one round. Charmed
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, creatures are incapacitated and have a speed of 0.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Force Field (Recharge 5–6). The overlord creates a force field,
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 forming either a hemispherical dome or sphere with a
Languages — or several radius of up to 10 feet, or a flat surface made up of five
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) contiguous 10-foot-square panels (the force field is always
1/4 inch thick). The overlord normally uses this force field
ACTIONS to trap opponents or to cover its escape. If used to trap
Multiattack. The basic automaton, type six, makes two opponents, creatures in the area must make a DC 17
melee weapon attacks or two ranged weapon attacks in any Dexterity saving throw or become trapped within the
combination. bubble. The force field lasts for 1 minute. The overlord can
only maintain one force field at a time; creating a new one
makes the previous one vanish.
Frightful Presence. As a bonus action, the overlord produces
a burst of electromagnetic radiation tuned to humanoid
nervous systems. Each creature of the overlord’s choice
within 100 feet of the overlord and aware of it must
succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or believe that
there are three times as many hostile automatons in the
area. Affected creatures become frightened for 1 minute.
A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a
creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends
for it, the creature is immune to the overlord’s frightful
presence for the next 24 hours.

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 CREATURES

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE SEVEN

Type seven automatons have massive forms—some are the size of towers, with multiple
interior chambers containing smaller automatons. Some of them may be completely
immobile, integrated into the functions of an Ancients ruin.

BASIC AUTOMATON, TYPE SEVEN Ranged Attack. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
Gargantuan construct, unaligned 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (10d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Specialized Functions. A type seven basic automaton usually
Hit Points 332 (19d20 + 133) has one or more of the following abilities related to its
Speed 30 ft. purpose or intended functions:
Cloaking Field (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA automaton turns invisible for 1 minute as a bonus action.
25 (+7) 13 (+1) 25 (+7) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 9 (–1) If the automaton attacks while invisible, there is a 25
percent chance for each attack that the invisibility ends.
Saving Throws Str +13, Con +13 Energy Blast. This is identical to its ranged weapon attack,
Skills any two with proficiency +6 except it inflicts cold, fire, force, or lightning damage
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing instead of piercing damage.
from nonmagical attacks Movement Burst (Recharge 5–6). The automaton moves up to
Damage Immunities poison its speed as a bonus action. The nature of this movement
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, is different for each automaton—walking, burrowing,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned flying, and teleporting are common options. Some
Senses darkvision 500 ft., passive Perception 11 automatons might be able to transport themselves to
Languages — or several another dimension instead of moving within their current
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) dimension.
Telekinetic Beam (Recharge 5–6). The automaton fires a
ACTIONS telekinetic beam as a bonus action. The target must
Multiattack. The basic automaton, type seven, makes three succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or the
melee weapon attacks or three ranged weapon attacks in any automaton moves it up to 100 feet in any direction. It
combination. is restrained by the ray’s telekinetic grip until the start
of the automaton’s next turn or until the automaton is
Melee Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., incapacitated.
one target. Hit: 35 (8d6 + 7) slashing damage.

22
 CREATURES

BEASTCOAT INFILTRATOR An infiltrator can be

salvaged for a couple
of cyphers or perhaps a
relic. Instead of a relic,
Many automatons were built to wage war, for mundane tasks,
PCs may be able to loot
or for unknowable purposes, but it seems that some were made its data core, which, if
to understand other things. Examples of the latter are beastcoat they are able to access
infiltrators—adaptive machines that study common animals, learn the information within
it, can be used as a book
their behavior, reshape themselves to match their subjects, and about animal biology.
cover themselves with harvested or grown flesh (including fur,
feathers, or scales) to infiltrate the creatures they are studying.
Just Another Animal. Beastcoat infiltrators adapt to the social
structure of a type of animal or beast (such as deer, tigers, or
even ravage bears) and become part of the group. They have been
seen aiding a hunt, bringing food back to the lair, helping to raise
animal offspring, and otherwise contributing to the welfare of the
group while continuing their observations. After weeks, months,
or years, the infiltrator leaves to repeat the process with a different
group of animals.
Maintaining the Role. Beastcoat infiltrators either quietly track
and observe animals or pretend to be a particular kind of
animal, making sure its behavior does not confuse or
alarm the living animals it associates with. A character
who can communicate with machines might coax
it into a limited communication.

BEASTCOAT INFILTRATOR
Medium construct, neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 22) approximation. Even when covered in grown animal flesh, it
Speed 60 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 40 ft. (as appropriate for its looks more like an animatronic puppet than a real creature,
current disguise) which is usually sufficient to fool other animals. It can vary
its size category from a Small to a Medium creature, but this
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA does not affect its stats, and it doesn’t assume a radically
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) larger or smaller size that a typical specimen of what it’s
imitating (it wouldn’t become a Small seskii or a Medium
Skills Athletics +5, Deception +2, Perception +3, Stealth +3, ravage bear).
Survival +3
Damage Immunities poison ACTIONS
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, Multiattack. The beastcoat infiltrator makes two or three
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned attacks, typically bites and claws, as appropriate for the
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 animal it is emulating. If encountered without a disguise, or
Languages — if it thinks it will be destroyed, it may use an electrical stun
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) attack in place of one of its melee attacks.

Keen Hearing and Smell. The beastcoat infiltrator has Bite or Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing or slashing.
hearing or smell.
Electrical Stun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30
Limited Beast Disguise. A beastcoat infiltrator can alter its ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) lightning damage plus the target
external shape by telescoping its limbs and expanding the must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or fall
plates on its outer surface, but at best this is only a rough unconscious for one minute.

24
 CREATURES AND NPCS

BLOOD BARM
Its long neck craning this way and that, the four-footed blood barm doesn’t have an easily
distinguishable head or eyes. Instead, a barm has a large opening at the end of its neck
covered with a clear membrane similar to an eyelid. The creature’s body, somewhat
turkey-shaped, is covered with myriad vesicles rather than feathers, ranging in color from
dark green to gray to crimson. These bubbles are filled with liquid and hard seeds. Some
seeds have “sprouted,” and these sacs swell with tiny, unborn barms. When the young are
close to hatching, the sacs can grow half as large as the barm itself.
Defensive Flocking. Blood barms often move about in flocks of two to four. They are not
aggressive unless their young are threatened. However, if a flock of barms and their young
are located in or near a site the PCs need to access, they might attack.

BLOOD BARM ACTIONS

Small beast, neutral Spew Explosive Blood Bubble. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to
hit, range 15/30 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution
Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12) saving throw or a seed from one of the blood bubbles is
Speed 30 ft. implanted in a target’s skin for 1 minute, during which time
the target suffers 1 point of damage per round. The target can
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
14 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 7 (−2) 12 (+1) 8 (−1) the effect on itself on a success.

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4, Survival +3 Blood Sac Birth (Recharge 6). Barms can break their own body
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 sacs by pressing them against a PC or an object. The larger
Languages — sacs burst first due to their extended size, and any young
Challenge 2 (450 XP) barms (1–4) within are born. Treat each youngling as a tiny
blood barm with 31 hit points that lacks this ability.
Martial Advantage. Once per turn, the blood barm can deal
an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it hits with an attack if
that creature is within 5 feet of another blood barm that isn’t
incapacitated.

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 CREATURES

BROKEN HOUND
A broken hound lair
contains the remains of
previous victims and their
equipment and valuables,
The scourge of many wastelands, broken hounds travel in large packs. They resemble including a cypher or two.
extremely gaunt hounds, but their heads appear more avian than canine, giving the
impression of a bird skull mounted on a dead dog’s body.
Savage Animals. These starving, vicious animals understand only hunger and fear. A beast lure cypher
They cannot be reasoned with—not even by someone with the ability to interact with or (Arcana of the
train animals. Ancients, page 55)
would allow someone
Dangers of the Pack. A large number of broken hounds can make a harrowing combat to communicate,
encounter for PCs. They often attack travelers on a road or those who wander into a however crudely, with
a single called broken
lonely vale.
hound.

BROKEN HOUND Pack Tactics. The broken hound has advantage on

Medium beast, unaligned an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the
hound’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) isn’t incapacitated.
Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 60 ft. ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage.
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 2 (−4) 9 (−1) 5 (−3)
Pack Bite. A pack bite is made like a normal bite, but
Skills Perception +3 if the attack was made with advantage, it deals an
Senses passive Perception 13 additional 5 (2d4) points of damage.
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

26
 CREATURES AND NPCS

CHIROG
Chirogs are vaguely reptilian humanoids with thick armor plates covering much of their
body. They live to hunt and kill, but despite their savage nature, they are craftier and more
intelligent than most savage humanoids. They understand the numenera—and despise
it. Even more than killing, they enjoy destroying devices of the ancient past. (Perhaps it is
Chirogs might be mutant racial resentment for wrongs done to them long ago.) Chirogs are hateful and angry, but
offshoots of what are not impossible to reason with. They speak their own simple language, and about one in
now kobolds, lizardfolk,
or even dragonkin.
three can speak or understand another language (typically Common or one used nearby).
Chirogs do not use weapons or tools.
Corrupt Families. Each chirog pack has a clear leader
who is usually a female, and is likely the mother
of many members of the pack. The creatures
have a tangled, incestuous relationship,
and mature females eventually leave to
form a new pack, sometimes taking a
brother or two with them.
Among the Trees and Rocks. Chirogs
live in small groups of three to six, usually
in wooded areas or rocky, mountainous
regions. Because they are adept at climbing,
they often build nests or hovels in high
branches or on cliff faces where other
creatures cannot easily see or reach them.

CHIROG
Medium humanoid (chirog), neutral evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 8 (–1)

Skills Arcana +2, Perception +2

Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Chirog, Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Sure-Footed. The chirog has advantage on Strength and

Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would
knock it prone.

ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Grapple. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The creature is grappled
(escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is grappled
and restrained, and the chirog can’t grapple or bite another
target.

27
 CREATURES

CRAGWORM
A cragworm is a spiny serpent-like creature that can grow up to 50 feet long. It dwells in
abandoned or isolated areas, preying on whatever it can find, and eating plants only when
starving.
Feeding Its Hunger. A cragworm has the intelligence of an animal and the outlook of a
predator. It can’t be reasoned with, but if confronted before it attacks with a sufficient
threat or distraction, it can be intimidated or tricked into leaving a group
of creatures alone in favor of easier targets. Once it starts
fighting, it only stops if it is killed or there is no prey
within sight.
Strange Anatomy. A cragworm’s mouth opens
horizontally, and it has many rows of teeth to
help it trap and swallow prey. It has many red,
glistening eyes, usually arranged in clusters
along the length of its body, but the ones that
aren’t near its head are only good for spotting
movement, and it will turn its head to bring its
best eyes to bear on its prey.

CRAGWORM
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 201 (13d20 + 65)
Speed 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

20 (+5) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 2 (–4) 8 (–1) 4 (–3)

Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +3 a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) poison
Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Perception 13 successful one. If the target is a Large or smaller creature,
Languages — it must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or be
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) swallowed by the cragworm. A swallowed creature is blinded
and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other
Easily Deceived. A cragworm is particularly easy to fool if food effects outside the worm, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at
is involved. They have been known to chase after a fleeing the start of each of the cragworm’s turns.
horse and ignore a group of travelers that remain very still If the cragworm takes 20 damage or more on a single
until it leaves the area. Cragworms have disadvantage on turn from a creature inside it, the cragworm must succeed
Intelligence checks to recognize a deception when easily- on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn
acquired food is available. or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a
space within 10 feet of the cragworm. If the cragworm dies,
Magical Weapons. The cragworm’s attacks are treated as if a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can
magical. escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting
prone.
Stone Camouflage. A cragworm has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain. Howl (Recharge 5–6). Before it emerges to attack, the
cragworm howls, reverberating in the audible and subsonic
ACTIONS ranges. Each creature within 120 feet of the cragworm must
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. make a DC 17 Constitution save. Success means the creature
Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must make is paralyzed for one round, or two rounds for a failed save.

28
 CREATURES AND NPCS

COLCHIN
Sometimes a spore
bomb also infects a Squat and the color of burnt sepia, with several more eyes than a human, colchin are
creature with a fungal
disease that grows green
intelligent fungal creatures that wield only the simplest tools and weapons. They use
hairy patches on the fungus both as clothing and as armor; the more layers, the better the armor. They also
skin. Until the disease is fashion a variety of different appurtenances and weapons from hardened fungi. Colchin
cured, the target can’t mostly live in canyons and arroyos, tending herds of wormlike grubs, raising fungal crops,
regain hit points except
by magical means, and and amusing each other with a rich diversity of fabulous tales that stretch back to an era of
the target’s hit point destruction on their home dimension.
maximum decreases Colchin speak their own language but can make themselves understood using gestures
by 7 (2d6) every 24
and hand motions. They are open to negotiation as long as no cultural taboos come
hours. If the target’s hit
point maximum drops into play. For the most part they are opposed to allowing non-colchin to enter their
to 0 as a result of this communities.
disease, the target dies. Voluntary Refugees. Colchin have found their way through various planar portals from
unlikely bizarre dimensions. The colchin say that they once lived on a vast, godlike being
that woke every “cycle” to seek out its soul mate, a creature composed of pure fire. This
Detonation of “Time of Fire” usually went poorly for the colchin, which is why they left their home
spawning, page 65
dimension and started colonies in lands where the numenera exists.

COLCHIN Fungal Dart Thrower. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range

Medium plant, neutral 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage and
the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw
Armor Class 12 to 14 (fungal hide, scale mail, or breastplate) or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become poisoned for 1
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
Speed 30 ft. each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Spore Bomb. Some colchin carry a spore bomb, which is
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) the nonmagical equivalent of a detonation of spawning
(corrosion) that doesn’t count toward a character’s
Skills History +2, Nature +2, Survival +3 cypher limit.
Damage Immunities necrotic
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Colchin
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The colchin makes two fungal spear
attacks or one fungal dart thrower attack.

Fungal Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage.

29
 CREATURES

COLOSTRAN
Old Ones use cloud
Colostrans are intelligent masses of coral that can move and swim, though slightly more giant statistics, with no
innate spellcasting.
stiffly than regular animals and fish. Normally they remain beneath water, but they can
emerge and move about on land for periods of an hour or more before they must return to Creatures affected by
the sea. A typical colostran’s body consists of a central flattened core that is surrounded by colostran poison have
been known to become
three or more limbs. confused and try to
Always Growing. Colostrans vary in size, and the oldest ones are enormous, reaching escape the area by
dozens of feet or more in diameter. The largest of them are called Old Ones, and they running or swimming
usually lose interest in a colostran colony and move off to meditate. These are occasionally away for the duration
of the poison.
mistaken for normal corals. If a colostran colony is
in trouble or in need of aid, they first ask the
nearest Old Ones for help or advice.
Mutable Shape. Over a period of several
Colostrans can be
hours, a colostran can modify its shape to
found in various
fit whatever its needs might be. Large ones sunken Ancients ruins
can even split into separate smaller beings all over the world.
(perhaps as a form of reproduction).
Given their ability to adapt to specific
needs, colostrans have little use for tools.
Some become specialized in specific
tasks, including serving as structures
like walls, cages, and (when many
come together to cooperate) homes
for other colostrans, sleeping for
days or weeks at a time.

COLOSTRAN
Medium monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Poisoned Spine. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
14 (+2) 9 (–1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d8 + 2) piercing damage, and
the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw
Skills Insight +3, Nature +2, Stealth +1 or become poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, slashing the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 effect on itself on a success. A failed saving throw intensifies
Languages Colostran the poison (DC 13) and interferes with breathing, causing
Challenge 3 (700 XP) the character to immediately run out of breath and begin
suffocating. A successful save ends the intensified poison and
Amphibious. The colostran can breathe water and (for about allows the target to breathe again.
an hour at a time) air.
Poison Cloud (Recharge 5–6). When in water, the colostran can
ACTIONS release a milky poison in a 10-foot radius. Each creature in
Multiattack. The colostran makes two slam attacks or that cloud must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be
poisoned spine attacks in any combination. poisoned for 1 minute. (This is the same poison as that on its
spines, with identical risk of suffocating.)
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 15 (3d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

30
 CREATURES AND NPCS

CRITH
A crith is a lump of ebony, fleshy material about
2 feet in diameter when inactive. However, it
can roughly mimic the shape of any creature it
A Large creature touches, though only in miniature. Other times, it
might be host to two moves by forming legs or arms as needed to run or
or more criths.
climb.
Parasitic. Criths feed by skin-to-skin contact,
Sometimes the absorbing nutrients directly. When a crith finds a
nightmares that crith victim, it adheres itself to the creature, taking on the
hosts endure show
locations that actually
appearance of a child-sized silhouette of the larger victim,
exist, or at least used which it attempts to embrace. In return for nutrition from this
to. Likewise with the embrace, a crith provides certain advantages, but the bond
strange creatures also gives the host bizarre nightmares. For most creatures, the
these nightmares
sometimes include. nightmares become bad enough that they decide to remove the
crith, which is a painful task.

CRITH source of its fear is internal

Small aberration, unaligned and doesn’t have to be
within line of sight). These
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) nightmares even affect
Hit Points 49 (9d6 + 18) hosts that meditate in a
Speed 30 ft., climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. trance instead of sleeping.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Strong Bond. Once bonded, a
12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 2 (–4) 8 (–1) 6 (–2) crith doesn’t want to let go, and it sinks tiny
barbs into its host’s flesh to maintain its grip. To tear off a
Saving Throws Con +4 bonded crith, the host (or someone helping them) must make
Damage Resistances bludgeoning a DC 17 Strength saving throw. Each failed attempt deals 7
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison (2d6) slashing damage to the host, and a successful attempt
Condition Immunities poisoned, prone deals 14 (4d6) slashing damage to the host, and removes it.
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 9 These actions do not harm the crith, which is likely to attack
Languages — whatever is trying to remove it from its host.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
ACTIONS
Absorb Nutrients. A crith feeds by absorbing nutrients Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
through its host’s skin. A creature hosting a crith starts each Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) slashing damage and the target must succeed
day with one fewer Hit Die than normal. (For example, a on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for one
3rd-level fighter with a crith only has two d10s they can spend round.
to recover hit points from resting each day.) A creature that
normally only has 1 Hit Die will die in its sleep within a day of Parasitic Bond. The crith bonds to a helpless or willing
becoming a crith’s host. creature it can touch. It can only bond to one creature at a
time.
Bonded Gift. A crith’s host is immune to poison damage and
diseases. Poison Spray (Recharge 6). The crith releases a fine mist in
a 10-foot-radius sphere. All creatures in the sphere must
Immune to Disease. A crith is immune to diseases. succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed
for one round.
Nightmares. The crith’s bond with its host causes terrible Because this depletes its ability to poison with its tendrils
nightmares of strange places and creatures. Although this until the ability recharges, a crith normally only uses this
isn’t enough to prevent the character from gaining the benefit ability to escape when it otherwise would be killed.
of rest, the host is frightened for one hour after waking (the

31
 CREATURES

CYNOCLEPT
A thick outer shell of amber crystal protects the cynoclept, so it has little to fear. The shell
grows as the creature accumulates cyphers and other special numenera components.
Initially not much larger than a human’s fist, it eventually grows to be 6 feet in diameter,
at which time it begins to openly roam locations where cyphers might be found, or if the
opportunity arises, it follows explorers who’ve recently looted cyphers from a location it
was watching.
Negotiable Menace. Cynoclepts are clever, and though they don’t speak a language,
The wreck of a cynoclept’s
they can be negotiated with through pictures drawn on the ground, pantomime, or sign
body can be salvaged
language. They are motivated by finding more cyphers or salvaged amber crystal. for about six cyphers.
Cannibal. Although a cynoclept’s primary diet is cyphers, when they meet others of their
kind (including the rarely-seen smaller, younger forms), they attempt to eat and absorb
their fellows, giving and receiving no quarter.

CYNOCLEPT
Large construct, neutral Activate Cypher. As a bonus action, a cynoclept can activate
a cypher within 10 feet (whether held by another creature
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) or merely in the area) as if it were holding the cypher. If the
Hit Points 127 (15d10 + 45) cypher is in the possession of another creature, that creature
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. can resist this attempt with a successful DC 13 Intelligence
saving throw.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 8 (–1) 8 (–1) Steal and Repair. An injured cynoclept can grab a cypher and
add the device to its own body, repairing 30 points of damage.
Skills Arcana +3, Perception +3 If this takes it over its normal hit point total, it gains the
Damage Resistances fire, lightning excess amount as temporary hit points. If the targeted cypher
Damage Immunities poison is in the possession of another creature, that creature can
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, resist this grab attempt with a successful DC 13 Strength or
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Dexterity saving throw.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages — Psychic Trap. Approximately 10% of cynoclepts are made of
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) amber crystal that is psionically reactive to the mental energy
of most humanoids. For these cynoclepts, if their attempt
Cypher Sense. A cynoclept automatically senses the presence to activate an opponent’s cypher succeeds, the opponent’s
of all cyphers within 60 feet unless the cyphers are behind a mind temporarily becomes trapped in the cynoclept’s body
force field. for one minute and its body falls unconscious. The only
action the trapped passenger can take is to make a DC 13
Magical Weapons. The cynoclept’s attacks are treated as if Intelligence saving throw each round on their turn, with a
magical. success returning the passenger to their own body. Killing the
cynoclept automatically returns a trapped passenger’s mind to
ACTIONS their own body.
Multiattack. The cynoclept makes two limb attacks and uses
its activate cypher ability. If a limb hits, the cynoclept can use
When characters exceed their cypher limit,
steal and repair against the same target.
cynoclepts can spontaneously form from the
Limb. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
interaction, robbing the character of their
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. belongings and creating a dangerous threat in the
same instant.

32
 CREATURES AND NPCS

“Remember when that tiefling wizard thought he tamed one of these

things? He even rode around on it like a giant turtle and fed it little
cyphers as treats.”
~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

“Yes, and I remember the day he used a mind-augmenting cypher

that grafted itself to his head, and the cynoclept decapitated him
and ran off with it—the cypher, with his head still attached.”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

33
 CREATURES

CYPHERID
Cypherids are automatons that are essentially an animate accumulation of cyphers. Like Some people familiar
vermin, they sometimes conglomerate in ruins. They flit, clamber, slide, or trundle along on with the numenera
speculate that cypherids
limbs made of disparate devices, though there is an overall spider-like body structure to the are a simpler progenitor
creature. A cypherid generally doesn’t reach dimensions larger than a couple of feet across. of a cynoclept—
Like an insect, a cypherid seems driven by simple motives. In this case, it is to accumulate presumably having found
more cyphers to add to itself as older components get used up or burn out. a permanent way to
maintain its intellect.
Intermittently Intelligent. Most cypherids are not intelligent and do not communicate. A
few that absorb cyphers that allow them to communicate with other machines (or similar Cynoclept, page 32
abilities) can gain intelligent behaviors and advanced motives, for a time. Such a creature
that gains, loses, and gains intelligence again likely realizes the fragility of its higher One to three cyphers
functioning and focuses its efforts on acquiring more cyphers that can prevent it from can be salvaged from
a cypherid’s body.
again lapsing into a beast-like state.

CYPHERID Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Small construct, unaligned Hit: 9 (2d6 + 1) piercing or slashing damage. If the target has
any cyphers, the cypherid can use its steal and repair ability.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 27 (6d6 + 6) Activate Incorporated Cypher (Recharge 6). If a cypherid
Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft. feels especially threatened, it activates one of the cyphers
incorporated into its body. This is usually one of the following
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA effects:
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 3 (–4) 8 (–1) 5 (–3) • Destructive ray (one target within 120 feet takes 12 (3d8)
fire damage unless they succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
Skills Perception +1 saving throw)
Damage Immunities poison • Lightning burst (everything in a 5-foot-radius sphere takes
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, 14 (4d6) lightning damage, or half that if they succeed on
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 • Gravity wave (everything in a 5-foot-radius sphere is
Languages — knocked prone and takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage, or
Challenge 2 (450 XP) half that if they succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw)
• Phase changer (allows the cypherid to escape by moving
Cypher Sense. A cypherid automatically senses the presence through solid objects for one minute)
of all cyphers within 60 feet unless the cyphers are behind a Alternatively, the GM can create other offensive, defensive, or
force field. utilitarian cypher-like effects similar to the above, with a DC 13.

Swarm Targeting. If four or more cypherids attack the same Steal and Repair. The cypherid extends a glassy tendril into
target, each cypherid gains advantage on its attack roll, and the targeted character’s equipment and attempts to steal one
their opponents have disadvantage on saving throws against cypher and add the device to its own body. If the cypherid
the incorporated cypher ability. is injured, this repairs 7 points of damage. If this takes it
over its normal hit point total, it gains the excess amount as
Numenera Camouflage. The cypherid has advantage on temporary hit points. The target can resist this grab attempt
Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in numenera ruins with a successful DC 13 Strength or Dexterity saving throw.
and amist other pieces of the numenera, including scrap.
Spawn (Recharge 6). A group of four cypherids can focus on a
ACTIONS target who carries two or more cyphers, causing the cyphers
Multiattack. The cypherid makes one attack with its blade. If to fuse together and animate as a new cypherid. The target
that attack hits, the cypherid can use steal and repair against can prevent this from happening with a DC 13 Intelligence
the same target. saving throw. The character has disadvantage on this saving
throw because of the cypherid’s swarm targeting ability.

34
 CREATURES AND NPCS

Some sages of the numenera believe cypherids could be a primitive kind of

cynoclept, perhaps one that hasn’t acquired any amber crystal to form a
protective shell. Other suggest that cypherids are the animate remnants of a
destroyed cynoclept trying to restore their original form.

35
 CREATURES

DABIRRI
A dabirri is an artificial water-dwelling construct created by taking the heart of a human-
sized creature and placing it in a hard transparent shell. A dabirri does not eat and is not
intelligent, but it instinctively attacks warm-blooded creatures with its venomous tendrils. A
typical specimen is anywhere from 1 to 3 feet across, with the tendrils adding an additional
length all around equal to the body’s diameter. It moves by a combination of fine jets of
water and swimming with its tendrils.
Deadly Sting. Unlike a jellyfish, a dabirri’s sting isn’t poisonous. Instead, it jolts its
opponent with a pulse of energy that transmits a signal that tells the target’s cells to shut Within the central
down and die. Although its individual attacks are weak, they tend to be found in swarms, portion of a dabirri
is a tiny dollop of a
and the aggregate effect of these stings can eventually overwhelm even large targets. useful chemical that
Fabricated Entity. Although it has living components, a dabirri cannot reproduce. restores 1 point of
Presumably, another, larger creature or numenera structure continues to produce them by damage if injected or
harvesting the hearts of suitable creatures. taken internally.

DABIRRI Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 7

Small construct, unaligned Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 8 (2d6 + 1) ACTIONS
Speed swim 10 ft. Multiattack. The dabirri makes two tendril sting attacks.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Tendril Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
6 (–2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 1 (–5) target. Hit: 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. If the attack is a critical
hit, the jolt of disrupting energy hops to another creature
Damage Immunities poison within 5 feet and deals 4 (1d8) necrotic damage to that
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, creature.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone

36
 CREATURES AND NPCS

DEADEYE
A deadeye—also known as a gravewatcher—is a 20-foot-diameter machine that takes
great interest in the deaths of intelligent living things. It isn’t a murderer, unless forced to
defend itself. Instead, it shows up right after one or more people have been killed to view
the remains for several minutes, deploying an array of strange devices over the bodies.
Sometimes, it appears before a lethal situation arises, as if it somehow knows that deaths
are imminent. Wherever and whenever it is, a deadeye is always watching, always recording.
Strange Announcements. When a deadeye shows up prior to a death (as opposed to
afterward), it sometimes speaks using the tone, intonation, words, and knowledge of a
creature whose remains it has previously recorded. Such pronouncements at first sound
inane and without context. However, the meaning sometimes becomes clear as later events
play out, when the mysterious message is revealed to have been a warning. Often, that
realization comes too late. Rarely, it has been known to speak with the voice of someone
that a person present knows to be dead, which can be very disturbing.
Non-Aggressive. A deadeye never initiates an attack but will defend itself. It persists
in this onslaught only if those attacking it continue their own attacks. If overmatched, a
deadeye teleports away, potentially also moving some hours into the past.

The remains of a
gravewatcher contains
1d6 cyphers, 1d10
oddities, and 1d2 relics.

DEADEYE Languages Common, most current and ancient languages

Huge construct, neutral Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Magical Weapons. The deadeye’s attacks are treated as if
Hit Points 195 (17d12 + 85) magical.
Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
ACTIONS
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Psychic Onslaught. The deadeye projects psychic energy
18 (+4) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) against up to three creatures within 60 feet or one creature
within 120 feet. Each creature takes 28 (8d6) psychic damage,
Saving Throws Con +9, Int +9, Wis +6, Cha +5 or half that with a successful DC 17 Intelligence saving throw.
Skills Perception +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing Teleport. A deadeye can teleport to anywhere within about
Damage Immunities poison 1,000 miles. It also seems to have the ability to travel several
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, hours into the past of its current location and then return to
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned the true present when it wants to.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 16

37
 CREATURES

DISASSEMBLER
A disassembler is a strange-looking artificial creature of glass and steel with six spindly
metallic arms arranged around its circular midsection. Its upper half is all glaring green
lights and mechanical protrusions, some of which might be sensory mechanisms. Its
lower half is a broad engine that allows it to hover 3 feet off the ground. If it landed, the
disassembler would be about 8 feet tall.
Mad Wanderers. Disassemblers are artificially intelligent automatons that seem to
have gone mad at some point. Now they act erratically—sometimes attacking creatures,
sometimes ignoring them, sometimes destroying what they come across, sometimes
wandering aimlessly.
A conversation with a disassembler is possible. They understand speech and, after
listening to a language for a time, can often speak it in a very basic way. But the creature
is just as likely to attack without provocation, perhaps in the middle of a conversation.
Still, a well-spoken, intelligent, and quick-witted character might be able to figure out what
a disassembler wants (at the moment) and convince it not to attack or perhaps to do
something to aid them.
Potential Predators of the Living. The construct’s disassembling tools cannot affect
organic matter, but this limitation might have been programmed into it—perhaps as a
safety mechanism—rather than being a true inability. A disassembler with this prohibition
removed would be a terror.

DISASSEMBLER on a hit, instead of dealing damage, the object is affected as

Large construct, neutral follows.
If the object touched is unliving armor or a shield being
Armor Class 18 (natural armor) worn or carried, it takes a permanent and cumulative −1
Hit Points 104 (11d10 + 44) penalty to the AC it offers (some magical armor and shields
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) shed this penalty within a day, unless destroyed). Armor
reduced to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA destroyed. If the object touched is a held nonliving weapon,
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to
damage rolls (magical weapons shed this penalty within a day,
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing unless destroyed). If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is
from nonmagical attacks destroyed.
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, ACTIONS
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Multiattack. The disassembler makes three attacks with its
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 disassembly claws. If a target is wearing nonliving armor or
Languages understands most languages after hearing them wielding a nonliving weapon (such as armor and weapons
for a few minutes made of iron), it makes one, two, or three attacks that affect
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) objects as described in the Inorganic Destruction trait. (The
other one or two attacks against the target affect it as a
Inorganic Destruction. The dissembler sometimes turns normal attack.)
artificial objects and portions of structures it can see within
5 feet of it into liquid and gas (destroying them). If the object Disassembly Claws. Melee Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
isn’t being worn or carried, the touch destroys a 1-foot cube target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 21 (5d6 + 4)
of it. If the object is being worn or carried by a creature, the piercing damage if attacking a creature composed of inorganic
creature is subject to one or more Disassembly Claw attacks; or nonliving matter (such as most constructs and undead).

38
 CREATURES AND NPCS

DIVELLENT
When creatures from bizarre dimensions leak into regular dimensions
of space and time, they often die immediately. Not so for creatures
dubbed divellents. A room with an eye-opening emerald source
of illumination, a splash of brilliant scarlet on a wall,
even a set of familiar clothing that has undergone a spon-
taneous change in hue from grey to sapphire blue—all
might be signs of an infection by a divellent. They are
normally found in areas with spatial or dimensional
anomalies.
Incomprehensible Intelligence. A divellent does not
speak or respond to the language of others, and
telepathic communication yields no results, as if
the creature does not exist. But a divellent is not
mindless; it can learn from its experiences and figure
out creative solutions to problems. Although perceived
as evil because of their predation on intelligent creatures,
divellents exist beyond humanlike morals and probably don’t
recognize that their food can think.
Variable Form. A divellent in its free state appears as a small
glowing spot in the air, but it usually inhabits an object such as
a wall, floor, or cypher, where it appears as a bright splash of paint
or color no larger than a dinner plate (although it is larger
than it appears).

Color Feeding. When a divellent kills an intelligent creature,

it immediately regains 30 hit points. If this puts it over its
hit point maximum, it gains the excess as temporary
hit points. A creature slain by a divellent turns absolutely
DIVELLENT black, its flesh absorbing all light.
Small aberration, neutral evil
Corrosive Form. The divellent can eat through 2-inch-thick
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) nonmagical wood, synth, or metal in one round.
Hit Points 105 (30d6)
Speed 30 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover) Extradimensional Entity. A divellent reduced to 0 hit points
isn’t killed; it is just rendered inactive for 1d10 days. It can
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA only be slain in its home dimension.
1 (–5) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Magic Resistance. The divellent has advantage on saving
Skills Stealth +7 throws against spells and other magical effects.
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks Variable Defense. Attacking a divellent means attacking the
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, object currently hosting the entity. Solid objects like walls
exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, might provide the color with a few points of natural armor to
poisoned, restrained its AC. If the divellent is reduced to 0 hit points, the object is
Senses passive Perception 12 destroyed and the unnatural color fades to normal.
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP) ACTIONS
Drain Mind. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) psychic damage.

39
 CREATURES AND NPCS

DREAD DESTROYER
A dread destroyer is likely the most horrific thing on a battlefield. Unless you have an army
on your side and are willing to lose a large portion of your forces, battle is unwise. Still,
the greatest guardians often protect the greatest treasures. Only one of these automatons
has been seen at a time, but holographic images have shown scenes (presumably from
the distant past) when hundreds of dread destroyers crawled across a battlefield together.
Although a single dread destroyer could launch an attack on an entire city, it is far more
likely that you’ll find one defending an important, ancient site.
War Machine. A dread destroyer stomps on nearby opponents with its gigantic legs,
uses mandible-like pincers to seize and electrocute targets in front of it, and fires long-
range explosive projectiles out of apertures on its back. It can also emit a crackling aura of
electricity against all nearby opponents. It fights until destroyed.
Hybrid Construct. These giant war machines have organic brains and internal organs
protected by a self-repairing metal shell. If communication can be established with its
organic brain, a PC can reason with a dread destroyer, but convincing it to do something
The remains of a is very difficult, and usually the best option for survival is to flee until it has moved on to
dread destroyer are some other location.
a scavenger’s dream,
yielding at least 1d20
Aquatic and Land Assault. Dread destroyers do not need to breathe, and can be
oddities, 1d20 cyphers, encountered on land or underwater. Presumably they might be found in space, but they
and 1d6 relics. would require modifications to allow them to maneuver there.

41
 CREATURES

DREAD DESTROYER ACTIONS

Gargantuan construct, neutral (or as programmed by its creator) Multiattack. The dread destroyer can fire a missile and
electrocute, or make six attacks: four slams, grapple
Armor Class 25 (natural armor) (mandibles), and fire a missile.
Hit Points 676 (33d20 + 330)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 40 ft. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
30 (+10) 10 (+0) 30 (+10) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) Grapple. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) lightning damage. If the target
Saving Throws Int +11, Wis +11, Cha +10 is a Large or smaller creature, it is restrained (escape DC
Skills Perception +11 29). Until this grapple ends, target automatically takes
Damage Resistances fire, thunder 17 (2d6 + 10) lightning damage every round on the dread
Damage Immunities lightning, poison destroyer’s turn, and the dread destroyer cannot grapple
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, another target.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 Missile. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 500 feet/1
ft., passive Perception 21 mile, all targets within 100 feet of the impact point. Hit: 13
Languages — (2d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 13 (2d10 + 2) fire damage;
Challenge 30 (155,000 XP) creatures in the blast area who succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity
saving throw take half damage.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dread destroyer fails a
saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Electrocute. Each creature within 10 feet of the dread destroyer
takes 10 (3d6) lightning damage.
Magic Resistance. The dread destroyer has advantage on
saving throws against spells and other magical effects. LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The dread destroyer can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
Magical Weapons. The dread destroyer’s attacks are treated as from the options below. Only one legendary action option can
if magical. be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s
turn. The dread destroyer regains spent legendary actions at
Self-repair. The dread destroyer automatically repairs 20 hit the start of its turn.
points at the start of its turn. It is only destroyed if it starts its
turn with 0 hit points. Attack. The dread destroyer makes one slam attack.

Move. The dread destroyer moves up to half its speed.

Seize (Costs 2 Actions). The dread destroyer makes one

grapple attack.

“Imagine a tarrasque and a dread destroyer battling each

other, two terrible destructive forces in perfect opposition. Their
battlefield would quickly become a wasteland, and they might fight
for weeks before one gained an advantage over the other.”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

“Makes a drow stronghold seem like a safe place in comparison. I’d bet
on the machine, though, it’s got an advantage of range.”
~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

42
 CREATURES AND NPCS

DREAD RIDER
Dread destroyer, Giant war machines known as dread
page 42 destroyers have a well-deserved
reputation for being the most
horrific—and probably the very last—
thing a person will ever see. Heavy,
metallic, and monstrous, these ancient
It’s possible that a automatons carry enough weaponry
character searching the to level three cities. But almost as
remains of a defeated
dread rider might trigger
horrific as the destroyer is the so-
a device that attempts called dread rider, who sometimes
to begin the process of appears in the weeks and days before a
remaking the character dread destroyer makes its thunderous
as a new dread rider.
presence known, like a herald of doom.
Converted Agent. Most dread riders
have human brains and were only
recently harvested by a dread destroyer
The remains of a dread to serve as an agent. A dread rider
rider can be salvaged remembers some of its past life,
for one or two cyphers
and an oddity.
but it is committed to searching the
world for enemies, even though who
or what those enemies are isn’t really
Cyphers, page 40 clear. Individual dread riders can also
be motivated by fear, greed, grief, or
Oddities, page 126
revenge, and they negotiate accordingly.

DREAD RIDER ACTIONS

Medium construct, neutral (or as programmed by a dread Electrified Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
destroyer) one target. Hit: 32 (8d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6)
lightning damage.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60) Summon. The dread rider summons a dread destroyer, which
Speed 30 ft. usually arrives within a few hours. Most of the time, a rider
won’t do this, even if it’s in personal danger, unless it feels
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA some greater purpose could be achieved.
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Teleport. The dread rider teleports, along with any equipment
Saving Throws Str +7, Con +7 it is wearing or carrying, to the location of the nearest dread
Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +3 destroyer, up to 10,000 miles away.
Damage Resistances fire, thunder
Damage Immunities lightning, poison Lightning Aura (Recharge 4–6). The dread rider electrifies its
Condition Immunities deafened, exhaustion, petrified, outer surface for 1 round, inflicting 7 (2d6) lightning damage
poisoned to all creatures within 5 feet. The dread rider’s electrified blade
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 attack inflicts an additional 7 (2d6) lightning damage while
Languages Common this ability is active.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

43
 CREATURES

DRITCH
A dritch has a mottled carapace that resembles smooth
greenish-black stone and glows with a faint greenish light. It is
slender and sleek, with a head on a long neck, several arms, Harmful mutations,
page 132
and a long torso that narrows to a snakelike coil. A variety
of antenna-like protuberances stud its glistening form.
Midnight Stone Eater. The dritch is a variety of
creature that eats midnight stones. It spends
much of its time sniffing out concentrations
of these items. This means a dritch can be
especially dangerous to those who possess
midnight stones or who have used such
stones in the past, because the creature has a
special power over the volatile energy (called
“void matter”) that midnight stones resonate.
Dritches usually ignore creatures that are not
threats or do not have midnight stones, unless hunger
or loyalty urges them to do otherwise. If they become
hungry enough, they attack anything infused with or in
possession of void matter, including other dritches.
Rare Pet. If a dritch is young and impressionable enough, it
sometimes imprints on other creatures. Dritches are not common
creatures, but every now and then an explorer is seen in the
company of one, claiming that it helps out when salvaging.

DRITCH
Small monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 52 (15d6)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. Midnight Stone Resistance. The dritch has advantage on
saving throws against effects caused by midnight stones and
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA resistance to any damage from midnight stones.
7 (–2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 7 (–2)
Strange Burrowing. Rather than dig with claws, a dritch
Skills Acrobatics +3, Perception +3, Survival +3 burrows through earth, metal, stone, and synth by using its
Damage Resistances fire, necrotic, thunder internal void matter to reshape these materials ahead of itself.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 This leaves behind a small tunnel that slowly closes up like a
Languages — healing wound, vanishing completely after about a minute.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
ACTIONS
Magic Resistance. The dritch has advantage on saving throws Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
against spells and other magical effects. Hit: 22 (6d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Midnight Hunter. If the dritch attacks a creature carrying a Void Matter Spit (Recharge 6). The dritch usually begins
midnight stone, using a device powered by a midnight stone combat by spitting a glob of greenish-black void matter at
or void matter, or otherwise infused with void matter from a a target within 60 feet, inflicting 21 (6d6) fire, necrotic, or
device or special ability, the dritch has advantage on its attack thunder damage (equal chances). The target must succeed on
rolls, the target has disadvantage on saving throws against a DC 10 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned for one round
the dritch’s void matter spit, each attack by the dritch heals and gain a harmful mutation that lasts until the target takes a
it for 50 hit points, and one of the target’s midnight stones is long rest.
completely drained.

44
 CREATURES AND NPCS

FERNO WALKER
Snow loper, page 75 Some people speculate that the ferno walker and the snow loper shared a common
ancestor in the distant past, both being six-limbed mammals with a pair of usable hands.
Regardless, the ferno walker is very different from its possible cousin. These predators
supplement their diet of meat by
ingesting large stones that sit in
a special portion of their gut.
Through an unknown process,
this organ produces extreme
temperatures, heating the
rocks so that there is a literal
furnace in its belly at all times.
A ferno walker can go for weeks
without water.
Semi-intelligent. Although
ferno walkers do not use
language, they are more
Some ancient civilization intelligent than they might appear.
may have created They are aloof and defensive, but
ferno walkers by mixing
the genes of creatures
if approached with peace, patience,
like red dragons and and bribes of food, they might interact
rhinoceroses to create a without violence. This is much harder
sturdy mount suitable if the ferno walker has young nearby
for hot, hilly terrain.
(all persuasion and negotiation
Tanners and attempts have disadvantage).
leatherworkers have Great Mounts. Ferno walkers are
attempted to use
ferno walker skins to
sometimes captured and forced to
make heat-resistant become mounts. Other times, they
armor, but so far all befriend a humanoid and willingly become
attempts have failed. a mount and companion. Most can be
Rarely, a ferno walker is trained to use cyphers and other simple
found in possession of devices, and a smart rider equips their
an interesting weapon,
tool, or cypher.
mount with a weapon or device that it
can use in its hands.

FERNO WALKER Mountain Agility. The ferno walker ignores difficult terrain
Large beast, unaligned resulting from broken, rocky, or steep terrain.

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) ACTIONS

Hit Points 135 (18d10 + 36) Multiattack. The ferno walker makes two bite attacks, or one
Speed 60 ft. bite and uses a held weapon or cypher.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
18 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+2) 2 (−4) 12 (+1) 7 (−2) Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) piercing damage.

Skills Climb +7, Perception +4 Superheated Spew (Recharge 5–6). The ferno walker vomits a
Damage Immunities fire super-hot liquid chemical in a 10-foot cone or a 30-foot line.
Senses passive Perception 14 Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
Languages — throw, taking 7 (2d6) acid damage and 7 (2d6) fire damage on
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

45
 CREATURES

GANTHANHAR
A ganthanhar’s suit
can be salvaged for
one or two cyphers and
one or two oddities.
Ganthanhars look like four-armed, armored humanoids with digitigrade legs.
Where their heads should be is a cloud of swirling energy containing a few
mechanical or organic devices resembling eyes.
Ascended Energy Form. Ganthanhars claim to be a race of advanced
beings who experimented with extradimensional energies to make
themselves immortal. Their experiments apparently succeeded in
some respects, but their bodies have mostly been transformed into
energy and they must wear special suits to prevent their physical
forms from completely dissipating. Having exhausted all known
remedies for their medical condition, they sift through lost civilizations
in search of answers.
Arrogant. Ganthanhars don’t believe that other species have the
capability to help with their specific needs. If they see someone
using an unfamiliar piece of numenera that they think can help
them, they will try to steal it or at least offer to trade for it.

GANTHANHAR
Medium elemental, neutral

Armor Class 15 (containment suit)

Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+1)

Saving Throws Con +6, Int +6

Skills Arcana +6, Perception +4
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, radiant
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Ganthanhar, various others
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
an independent energy being. Without its suit, a ganthanhar’s
Magical Weapons. The ganthanhar’s attacks are treated as if radiation aura inflicts double damage and its speed increases
magical. to 500 feet, but its AC decreases to 10 and it will perish within
a few hours if it doesn’t get back into its suit.
ACTIONS
Bodiless. A ganthanhar doesn’t have a physical body, so Radiation Aura. A ganthanhar constantly emits dangerous
it can’t use cyphers or other devices that require a living radiation out to an immediate distance. At the start of each of
metabolism (such as most pills and injections). They can the ganthanhar’s turns, each creature within 10 feet of it takes
still manipulate objects, allowing them to use other items 3 (1d6) fire and 3 (1d6) radiant damage. Ganthanhars are
(including cyphers and relics). immune to their own radiation and that of other ganthanhars.

Death Throes. If a ganthanhar’s hit points reach 0, its suit Radiation Blast. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60
ruptures and releases the dying creature’s radiation in an ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) fire damage and 21 (6d6) radiant
explosion. Each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC damage.
14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a
failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Venting. If a ganthanhar is struck by a critical hit with a
melee weapon, radiation from its suit leaks out, damaging
Protective Suit. A ganthanhar’s containment suit gives them the attacker for 3 (1d6) fire and 3 (1d6) radiant damage. If
resistance to cold, fire, lightning, and radiant damage. A the critical hit is from a ranged weapon, this vented radiation
desperate, injured ganthanhar can abandon its suit to exist as instead strikes an opponent within 5 feet.

46
 CREATURES AND NPCS

GAZER
A gazer is a levitating metallic spherical automaton, about 1.5 feet in diameter. Various bits
of equipment and blinking lights festoon a gazer’s battered metal-alloy body. A concavity on
one side of the sphere incessantly emits a beam of scarlet light. The red beam can intensify
in a moment, creating a ray capable of burning through nearly anything.
Flying Tactics. Groups of gazers fly in a spherical formation, which allows them to
present the maximum possible perception and threat surface. Depending on the locations
of their opponents, they may arrange themselves around or in the middle of their foes.
Formations of six to twelve gazers might be found defending ancient ruined installations.
Some explorers have Sometimes a lone gazer is encountered as a companion of a creature who reprogrammed
reported caches of sphere- it to act as a servitor.
shaped numenera that
turn out to be destroyed
Old Programming. A gazer usually interacts only by flashing its beam in coded bursts,
gazers. Often, a few accompanied by eerie bleats of electronic static. Most active gazers follow a program to
of these automatons defend a location, reconnoiter a wider area, or seek and destroy those who match profiles
are still active . . . . held in their machine brains. However, if any group of gazers is interfered with too much,
they attempt to eradicate the perceived threat.
A swarm of six to twelve Legacy of Ancient War. Gazers are speculated to be antiques of a forgotten war that
gazers may be salvaged were originally forged by the millions. Only a handful remain active. However, if one of the
for up to 1d6 cyphers.
ancient warehouses were discovered, that number could radically increase.

GAZER Intense Light. Although a gazer’s beam only inflicts a small

Tiny construct, neutral (or as programmed) amount of damage, it is capable of cutting through very tough
materials, including wood, stone, and steel. A gazer trying to
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) damage an object treats any object AC less than 18 as AC 10.
Hit Points 7 (3d4)
Speed 0 ft., fly 100 ft. (hover) Swarm Targeting. If two or more gazers attack the same
target, each gazer gains advantage on its attack roll.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (–2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (–2) Sharpshooter. A gazer’s attacks ignore half cover and three-
quarters cover.
Saving Throws Dexterity +4
Skills Perception +2 ACTIONS
Damage Immunities poison Red Beam. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 100/120 ft.,
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) fire damage.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

47
 CREATURES

GREY SAMPLER
A grey sampler is a flying automaton with asymmetrical construction, measuring almost
10 feet in diameter. Where its head should be is an angular funnel that roars and vibrates An unconscious creature
with endless fury. One of its limbs splits into a mess of slicing and scissoring blades. The at 0 hit points that takes
damage immediately
grey sampler uses this limb to subdue specimens, separate cranial matter from clinging suffers a death saving
flesh and bone, and deposit the freed brain into its head-funnel. Somewhere in the grey throw failure (or two
sampler’s chest, the solid matter is processed into pinkish slush. The automaton’s other death save failures if
limb is more like a metallic, hollow tentacle that expels processed cranial matter. Most of the damage is from
a critical hit).
the time, the cranial matter is sprayed behind the automaton in a wide, even arc, as if it’s
spreading fertilizer or seeds. The remains of
Hidden Construction. Grey samplers have a disconcerting ability to build themselves a destroyed grey
sampler might hold
out of much smaller parts, too tiny to see without the aid of powerful numenera. This a cypher or two.
means that small fleets of them can arise anywhere, building themselves in secret, until an
unknowable signal passes among them, and they emerge for the next harvest.
Determined. A grey sampler can communicate, but its main interest is directing potential
victims to hold still so it can do its job. If asked who gave it the job or what it ultimately
wants to accomplish, a grey sampler either doesn’t answer
or says, “The fruit of our harvest prepares the way.” If
someone who can talk to machines or who is otherwise
skilled with numenera devices discovers a fleet of grey
samplers building themselves from nearby components,
they might be able to direct the fleet to self-destruct by
making a DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check.

GREY SAMPLER
Large construct, neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

20 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +3
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages any one
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Charge. If the grey sampler moves at least 30 feet straight

toward a target and then hits it with a surgical blades attack
on the same turn, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) piercing
damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 saving throw or
be pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone.
Process Brains. As a bonus action, a grey sampler can attempt
ACTIONS to remove the brains of an unconscious, dead, paralyzed, or
Surgical Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., completely immobilized creature. If the target dies, it extracts
one target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) slashing damage. the creature’s brain and processes it into sludge.

48
 CREATURES AND NPCS

GRIEFSTEEL
A griefsteel is an automaton crafted to serve as a companion and guardian to another
creature. However, that creature died ages ago, leaving the machine forever heartbroken.
Although they are self-aware and able to learn, their emotion programs sometimes get
them stuck in a mental loop from which they’re unable to escape. Whether encountered
in the deeps of a lonely ruin or wandering across the empty landscape, a sorrow-wracked
griefsteel is unlikely to ever find solace.
Deliberately Solitary. A griefsteel might first ignore, then wail at someone trying to
communicate with it. If communication attempts persist, it will finally strike out at whoever
is bothering it, unless the intruder is extremely persuasive and calming.
Unpredictable. Unending sorrow makes a griefsteel’s behavior erratic. It’s not usually a
threat, but it’s also not usually helpful. It’s too lost in its own misery to notice or care about
others’ needs. Sometimes, the anguished automaton strikes out in fury over its loss, and
an explorer who disrupted its iterative depressive cycle makes a good target—especially
those who remind the griefsteel of what it’s lost. There is a chance that a griefsteel
mistakenly believes that a character is its long-lost companion, but soon begins to have
doubts, which makes it angry. A griefsteel has been known to mistake
a stranger for the being who originally built it, and may beg to
have its memory wiped or attack because it blames its
creator for its sensitive emotional programming.
Many Forms. Griefsteels have different forms
depending on who created them. What is
presented here is a typical specimen,
1d6 cyphers can be but individual griefsteels may have
salvaged from a different attacks or special
griefsteel’s corpse.
abilities.

GRIEFSTEEL
Medium construct, any alignment

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 171 (18d8 + 90)
Speed 30 ft. (some also have fly 60 ft.) Gullible. A griefsteel desperately wants to believe anything
that will momentarily distract it from its misery. It has
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA disadvantage on rolls to see through disguises or recognize
21 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) when someone is lying to it. However, once it realizes it has
been tricked, it usually becomes angry and tries to harm those
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9 who deceived it.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning
Damage Immunities poison Magical Weapons. The griefsteel’s attacks are treated as if
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, magical.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 ACTIONS
Languages one or two ancient languages Multiattack. The griefsteel makes three claw attacks and uses
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) its energy ray.

Emotional Feedback. Attempts to mentally communicate with Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
the griefsteel or connect to it with machine ports transmits Hit: 32 (5d10 + 5) slashing damage.
the full force of its loss and trauma to the communicating
creature’s mind. The attempting creature must succeed on a Energy Ray. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 60/120 ft.,
DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned for one round. one target. Hit: 11 (3d6 + 1) fire damage.

49
 CREATURES

IMUSTEN CRAWLER
An imusten crawler is a horrific worm-like creature with a diamond-
shaped head, its interior edges crusted with fangs and eyes. Its
subtle venom causes its victims to secrete a numbing gel that not
only holds them in place but also drowns them from the inside
as their lungs fill with fluid. The creature is equally likely to
attack by clinging to an overhanging structure and wind itself
downward or erupting from a tunnel or vent in the earth.
Preserver. An imusten crawler can direct its venom into
a creature’s skin, which coats its target in a layer of gel that
paralyzes and numbs the creature indefinitely, allowing it to
store food until it becomes hungry. An area filled with this
gel is a sure sign that a crawler has been using the space as a
larder.
Mysterious Goals. Imusten crawlers
are intelligent but secretive. They
resist attempts by other creatures
to learn more about them and their
ultimate origin. They can’t speak,
but they possess a low-level telepathic
ability to communicate basic concepts. Seskii, page 233
Seskii Aversion. An imusten crawler has an
inexplicable fear of seskii. When a crawler is in The discarded equipment
the presence of a seskii, the seskii’s crystals of an Imusten crawler’s
eaten prey sometimes
light up, and the crawler breaks off its attack contains valuables,
and wriggles away. including a few cyphers.

IMUSTEN CRAWLER DC 15 Constitution saving throw against its poison, which

Large monstrosity, neutral evil targets the creature’s lungs, filling them with a numbing
gel which deals 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, or half as much
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) damage on a successful save. If the target fails its save, it
Hit Points 110 (15d10 + 28) must continue to save each round or take damage again as
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 30 ft. their lungs continue to produce more gel. If the target’s hit
points reach 0, it begins to suffocate. Any successful saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA throw in this process means the creature coughs up the
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) accumulated gel and no longer takes damage or makes saving
throws against the venom from that bite.
Saving Throws Str +6, Int +2 If the crawler chooses to poison the target’s skin instead
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4 of their lungs, their skin produces a slightly different gel that
Damage Resistances piercing numbs and preserves their flesh. If the damage from the
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 14 venom gel reduces the target’s hit points to 0, it becomes
Languages telepathy 30 ft. paralyzed and unconscious, but does not die, and remains
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) this way indefinitely. Eventually the creature may starve to
death, but the crawler usually eats its preserved prey before
Magical Weapons. The imusten crawler’s attacks are treated that.
as if magical. Sometimes a creature whose lungs were poisoned by the
crawler’s gel is infected with a disease that will slowly turn
ACTIONS them into an imusten crawler. Only medical intervention
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. (or the use of magic or numenera) can prevent this
Hit: 24 (6d6 + 3) piercing damage. The target must make a transformation.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

JESANTHUM
A patch of wildflowers in the distance
waves massive blooms of vivid
purple in the breeze. The trembling
flowers smell of baking bread and
honeyed syrup, an odor so potent
that many recall their own best
memories of eating sweets.
When a bed of jesanthum flowers
bend their brilliant heads to reveal
a lapping tongue the color of blood,
and the thick stems uproot to expose
Jesanthum can be powerful 5-foot-long carnivorous
found almost anywhere bodies of raking claws and stabbing
sunlight reaches, usually
in beds of three to five.
barbs, those sweet recollections are
forever shattered. Before the Ancients
vaults opened, no one had ever
heard of jesanthum, but now they’re
a common cautionary tale among
travelers.
Bouquet of Flowers. To appease
an angry patron or provide a gift of
special significance for someone
Jesanthum are pretty, the characters need a favor from in
nice-smelling plants— return, PCs are asked to collect a
until they’re not, at
which point they’re
planter of jesanthum. However, they
hungry predators that are not given any details beyond
attempt to eat PCs who a bare description of the flower’s
have come too close. “pretty” blooms.

JESANTHUM the spores germinate in the PC’s lungs and send a thick stalk
Medium plant, neutral up through their mouth and nostrils sometime during the
next day or two. This asphyxiates and kills the victim unless
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) desperate measures are taken, eventually creating the perfect
Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7) source of nutrition for new jesanthum. Treat as a disease that
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft. kills the victim in 1d4 days.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) Impaling Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage and a Large or
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3 smaller target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple
Damage Vulnerabilities fire ends, the target is restrained, and the blight can’t impale
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened another target. The target automatically takes 7 (1d10 + 2)
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception piercing damage each round.
14
Languages — Spore Burst (Recharge 6). The jesanthum exhales poisonous
Challenge 2 (450 XP) gas in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on it. Each living
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
Spore Reproduction. A creature that falls victim to a saving throw or be paralyzed with uncontrollable coughing.
jesanthum’s spore burst attack must succeed on an additional A victim can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
DC 13 Constitution saving throw once combat concludes, or turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

51
 CREATURES

JIRASKAR
Despite its size, a jiraskar’s coloration and natural stealthiness mean it often can
approach within 100 feet of potential prey before it is noticed (usually the tremors
of its footfalls and the crashing of knocked-over terrain obstacles are what gives
it away). By then it is often too late, as it can reach its target with a move or a
quick dash if necessary.

Terror doesn’t even begin to describe it. The woods seem still. Quiet. At the risk of
sounding cliché́, too quiet. Then there is a tremor. A rumbling. Far more quickly than you
might expect (if you were smart enough to realize that the rumbling was the approach of a
large beast), a terrible but beautiful shape emerges from the tall trees, a creature as colorful
as a jungle flower but burgeoning with teeth and hunger and death. Your doom charges at Jiraskars might have
you as though destiny guided its feet. The only mercy is that it ends as quickly as it began. started as normal lizards
or birds that were quickly
Apex Predators. Jiraskars’ colorful bodies have fleshy frills and only two functioning evolved and released
limbs: powerful legs that carry them at prey with great speed. They have poor (practically by some inscrutable
nonexistent) natural senses, but they have a mysterious capacity to perfectly sense their device of the Ancients.
environment, instantly seeing through illusion, invisibility, and similar distractions as if
their perceptions were based on something entirely different than—and superior to—other
creatures. The huge beasts live only to hunt. And because most of their prey is small, they
must kill continually to survive.
Fierce Animals of the Wild. Jiraskars are extremely fast. They are animals and act as such.
They charge in with a savage bite and don’t stop biting until the prey is dead or they are.
Because jiraskars are so fast, an encounter with one can arise very quickly. And because
they are so powerful, an encounter can also end very quickly.

JIRASKAR Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Huge monstrosity, neutral Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Tail Slap (Recharge 5–6). The jiraskar’s tail sweeps out in a 20-
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64) foot cone with savagery. Each creature in that area must make
Speed 50 ft. a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) bludgeoning
damage on a failed save, or half as much if successful.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 7 (−2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) Swallow. As a bonus action, the jiraskar swallows a creature
that it has bitten twice this round. While swallowed, the target
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7 is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and
Damage Immunities psychic other effects outside the jiraskar, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid
Senses blindsight 90 ft., passive Perception 16 damage at the start of each of the jiraskar’s turns. A jiraskar
Languages — can have only one creature swallowed at a time.
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) If the jiraskar takes 30 damage or more on a single turn
from the swallowed creature, the jiraskar must succeed on
Illusion Liberty. The jiraskar has advantage on saving throws a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or
to resist being charmed or paralyzed. In addition, it has regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within
advantage on saves against illusions, poison, and spells. 10 feet. If the jiarskar dies, a swallowed creature is no longer
restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15
ACTIONS feet of movement, exiting prone.
Multiattack. The jiraskar makes two bite attacks.

52
 CREATURES AND NPCS

LAAK
If you see one laak, you know that at least ten more are hiding nearby, probably
measuring their chances on taking you down if you’re out alone.

Laaks are small, green-skinned, poisonous reptiles that attack larger prey in small groups.
They can leap with surprising speed and strength. Found almost everywhere Ancients’
caches are dug up, laaks can become a scourge as they spread farther. However, they avoid
cold regions.
Vicious Pets. A few industrious souls have captured young laaks and trained them as
vicious pets and guardians. They can be frightened off by displays of power (such as fire,
noise, and the like). Although laaks are ubiquitous and annoying, they are generally not a
huge threat to PCs. However, an encounter with a powerful NPC foe who keeps a few laaks
as pets could be more interesting and more dangerous.
Sensitive to Odor. Certain scents seem to draw laak attacks. For example, the scent of
most dyes (textile, written words, even hair) seems to enrage them, while the smell of
smoke can drive them away.

LAAK Pack Tactics. Laaks have advantage on attacks against a

Tiny beast, unaligned creature if at least one other active laak is within 5 feet of the
creature.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (2d6) ACTIONS
Speed 30 ft. Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10)
7 (−2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 2 (−4) 10 (+0) 4 (−3) poison damage.

Damage Immunities poison

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

53
 CREATURES

MARAUDING VAULT A marauding vault

usually carries 1d6 + 1
cyphers, 1d6 oddities,
Marauding vaults are collectors, accumulating objects and creatures over a relic or iron flesh,
time by stashing them beneath their domes, which are opaque force field various other valuables,
shells that keep the collection in stasis. In addition to their huge, slablike and possibly a strange
manipulators, marauding vaults also have less obvious limbs, sensory creature or two in stasis.
devices, and other accoutrements that allow them to manipulate and
sense their environment and, in particular, search for interesting
devices and creatures.
Take Before Asking. Marauding vaults are single-minded
and literal. They speak a wide variety of languages but first
attempt to gain what they want by force before considering
negotiation. They have no fear of destruction, though they
recognize that it would interfere with their mission to
collect.
These creatures might appear in a newly discovered
ruin, strip it of numenera over the course of several
months, and then disappear again.

MARAUDING VAULT
Huge construct, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 136 (13d12 + 52)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)

Skills Arcana +7, Perception +8

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhausted,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive
Perception 18 Extraction Field (Recharge 5–6). The marauding vault emits
Languages dozens, including Common an extraction force field in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 31
(7d8) force damage on a failed save. Creatures who succeed
ACTIONS on their saving throw can choose to either take half as much
Multiattack. The vault makes four manipulator attacks. damage or let go of one piece of equipment they are holding.
Alternately, it makes two manipulator attacks and one Medium or smaller paralyzed or unconscious creatures in the
Extraction Field attack if it can. area who fail their save are pulled into the vault’s dome. Once
in the dome, creatures and objects are in stasis, and only
Manipulator. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one destroying the marauding vault or convincing it to open the
target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. dome provides freedom.

54
 CREATURES A TO Z
CREATURENAMEA ~CREATURENAMEB

171
 CREATURES

MARGR
Margr are likely some
hybrid between human
and animal, crafted
by an unthinking
No two margr look alike, but most are around human-size and have some aspect of numenera device in
goat—a goat head, goat horns, goat legs, goat hooves, or some combination or varying an accidental surge of
degrees thereof. Margr live lives of terrible violence, killing each other (or really, anything flesh-fusing power.
they find) out of rage, sport, or lust. They breed and mature quickly, however, so their
numbers never seem to diminish. They travel in small bands led by the strongest and Margr chieftains can
most savage. reach terrifying size.
Some report the rare
Attired for Atrocity. Margr wear trophies of their dead opponents but are poor crafters, individual at 8 or
so these displays are crude at best—severed heads on hooks, ears or fingers threaded on 9 feet in height.
cords as necklaces, and so forth. This means
that, on top of everything else, margr stink of
rotting meat at all times.
Influenced from the Top. Margr are vicious
and bloodthirsty. They are not smart, but
they are crafty, making them difficult to fool.
Killing their leader sends them into a frenzy
of confusion and fear. In this situation,
PCs could easily escape, but they could
also intimidate the remaining margr into
doing as they command. A very powerful
and forceful character could become the
new leader, but such a position would be
challenged so frequently that it would make
the margr poor followers overall.
Born Raiders. Margr harass civilized
people on a regular basis, raiding villages
or trade caravans. Some communities
put bounties on their heads, hoping that
mercenaries will eliminate the threat, but
people not aware of margr origins often
think of margr as creatures of supernatural
evil—demons or devils—and do their best
to hide from them. Thankfully, the nomadic
margr usually move on after a few raids.

MARGR Margr Cunning. The margr has advantage on Intelligence,

Medium humanoid (margr), chaotic evil Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against trickery, lies,
and illusion, including magic that attempts to do the same.
Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield)
Hit Points 22 (5d8) ACTIONS
Speed 30 ft. Multiattack. The margr makes two attacks with its spear. The
second attack has disadvantage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (−1) 8 (-1) Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Skills Athletics +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 REACTIONS
Languages Common, Margr Parry. The margr adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack
Challenge 1 (200 XP) that would hit it. To do so, the margr must see the attacker
and be wielding a melee weapon.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

MASTIGOPHORE
Mastigophores can take Mastigophores are automatons that look human but can instantly transform their hands
on the appearance of into long, barbed whips whenever they wish. When first encountered, they appear to be
other humanoids, such
as elves, or orcs, if they
average, uniformed humans with a military stance. Quiet and excellent stalkers, they are
gain enough experience encountered in one of two modes: on guard or hunting.
with such creatures. Mastigophores guard certain ancient ruins, complexes, or machines, usually in groups
of two or more. They warn trespassers away once with unintelligible words (but obvious
intentions), and if their warning is not heeded, they attack and fight without regard for their
safety.
Hungry Constructs. Despite their machine-filled interiors, mastigophores need to
consume organic material to function and create their weapons. Although they can subsist
on plant matter, whoever created mastigophores designed them to enjoy hunting and
killing animal prey. In this endeavor, they are very aggressive, and they act alone, leaving
With a thought, their “partners” behind to guard whatever it is they’re protecting.
mastigophores can Lost Language. Mastigophores speak, but not in any language known today. Stern and
extrude organic
matter from their
focused, they cannot be convinced to shirk their duties. However, if they are not hunting,
wrists in the form of and if the PCs don’t try to get past them while they are standing guard, mastigophores are
long, barbed whips. not hostile.

MASTIGOPHORE Keen Sight and Smell. The mastigophore has advantage on

Medium construct, neutral Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.

Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Self Destruction. When a mastigophore dies, it explodes on
Hit Points 61 (9d8 + 21) a 1–2 on 1d6. All creatures within 5 feet of it must succeed on
Speed 30 ft. a DC 14 Dexterity save or take 4d8 fire damage, or half that if
successful.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 7 (−2) ACTIONS
Multiattack. The mastigophore makes two attacks: one with
Skills Perception +3 each of the barbed whips it extrudes from both hands.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Mastigophore Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
Challenge 3 (700 XP) creature. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage, and the target
must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be
stunned during their next turn.

57
 CREATURES

MERKADIAN SOLDIER
The stink of rotting flesh often precedes the appearance of a so-called Merkadian soldier.
The soldier is never far behind its odor, moving with amazing alacrity for a humanoid that
is otherwise apparently dead. Clutched in one hand is a sword crusted with all manner
of the numenera. These vicious soldiers understand only destruction and war. They may
respond to queries in the language of their host body, describing how they are soldiers of
Grand Merkadia (a place that doesn’t exist, or at least one that hasn’t existed since the time
of the Ancients). Particularly crafty negotiators might be able to form a short-lived alliance
with a soldier.
Alone or Part of a Platoon. Lone Merkadian soldiers can be found anywhere, usually
looking for enemies to destroy or other platoon members. In rare instances, platoons of up
to twenty-six Merkadian soldiers manage to assemble, at which time their tactics change
from sneaking assassination to full frontal assault.
Almost Never-dying. A defeated Merkadian soldier often returns to life, though afterward
it looks more corpselike than ever, and its eyes more hollowed-out. Clutched in one hand
is a sword encrusted with all manner of the numenera, which could be the source of the
soldier’s ability to return to the fight even after receiving mortal wounds.
“Cursed” Blade. If a Merkadian soldier’s sword is taken as loot (treat it as a longsword),
tiny machines, too small to be easily noticed, begin to move from it into the PC who claims
the blade. The effect initially disfigures the character, causing raised metallic veins to
appear all over their flesh. The contaminated item is obviously responsible for the infection, There is little hope for a
and if it is destroyed or abandoned, the infection subsides. The longer the PC keeps the character fully changed
into a Merkadian
contaminated item, the more their dreams are filled with imagery of a long-concluded war soldier, though anything
fought above the atmosphere, and the greater the chance that they don’t wake at all, except is possible if the
as a reprogrammed Merkadian soldier pledged to fight in a dead conflict with no memory right machine of the
of any previous existence. Ancients is found.

MERKADIAN SOLDIER ACTIONS

Medium humanoid (Merkadian soldier), lawful evil Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 18 (4d8) Detonation Lobber (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack:
Speed 30 ft. +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) fire
damage, and all targets within 10 feet must succeed on a DC
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage.
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
REACTIONS
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 Death Regeneration. If the soldier starts its turn with 0 hit
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 points, it seems dead. However, it regains 1 hit point per hour,
Languages Merkadian, any languages known by its host body until it reforms after a full day unless its blade, which was
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) fused with its hand, is separated by more than 30 feet. While it
is regenerating in this way, it can’t take any other actions.
Stealth Field (Recharge 6). The soldier uses its action to
become blurred, indistinct, and odorless for one minute. For
the duration, the soldier gains advantage on stealth checks
and creatures have disadvantage on attacks against the
soldier, including against creatures with blindsight.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

“The transformation ability of a Merkadian soldier is

perhaps the closest thing we have seen to necromancy
in the numenera. I am not sure if this creature is
best characterized as a lich, mummy, or some kind
of revenant. Of course, as with most things in the
numenera, our magical explanations are more for our
contemporary convenience than accurate descriptions
of a creature’s nature.”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

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 CREATURES

MESOMEME
When first encountered, a mesomeme often appears to be a number of individual
creatures—people and animals—perhaps swimming or wading in shallow water. Each
person is speaking, and the animals are making noises as well. It’s a strange choir of
babble. Only on closer inspection does it become clear that the creatures are just severed
heads mounted on slender, grey tendrils that are almost translucent. These tendrils sprout
from holes in the chitinous shell of a massive crustacean with eight legs, two of which end
in massive pincers.
Façade of Intelligence. Despite the fact that the severed heads on the tendrils speak, Sometimes a severed
the mesomeme cannot do so, nor can it understand speech. It is not very intelligent and head says something
so startling (perhaps
acts on instinct. The mesomeme feeds on the mental activity of its victims, stimulating coincidentally meaningful
the brains in their severed heads, which remain preserved for weeks on its tendrils. This or relevant to one of
stimulation causes the heads to speak or otherwise babble, growl, or squawk. the characters) that
At any given time, the mesomeme has 1d6 + 4 heads. If it dwells near civilization, half of a PC is fooled into
thinking that the
the heads will be human, elves, dwarves, and so on, and the other half will be other types of mesomeme is sapient.
creatures, such as orcs, goblins, large mammals or reptiles, or large birds.
Babbling Thing. A potential encounter with a
mesomeme involves a small town being terrorized by
a creature the locals call “the babbling thing” that lives
in a nearby lake. However, some people instead claim
that the lake is haunted by the recently dead, whose
voices can still be heard echoing across the water.
Either way, the residents would be eternally grateful to
anyone who can rid them of the menace that makes it
too dangerous to fish or get fresh water.

MESOMEME
Large monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 144 (17d10 + 51)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
Pincers. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Skills Deception +5, Perception +4, Stealth +5 (while moving Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
underwater)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Sever Head. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution
Languages — saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. At the beginning of its
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) next turn, the target must succeed on a modified death saving
throw. If successful, it regains 1 hit point and is restrained.
ACTIONS If it fails, its head is severed by a pincer. The severed head
Multiattack. The mesomeme makes two attacks: one with is placed on a new tendril that rises up to impale it, which
each of its two pincers once it rises from the water. If the occurs as a separate reaction on the mesomeme’s part.
mesomeme hits the same creature with both pincers as part Attacking a mesomeme’s severed heads accomplishes
of one Multiattack, the mesomeme can also use its sever head nothing more than robbing the crustacean of long-term
attack. sustenance.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

MURDEN
Those who have experienced a murden’s telepathic white noise
firsthand report that strange voices and long-forgotten memories
sometimes arise in the mental interference in haunting and
disturbing ways.

Murdens walk upright but would never be mistaken for humans. Backs hunched
Murden claim to dramatically forward, skin covered in shiny black down, huge black eyes perched above
originate in a parallel a sharp, dirty yellow beak—these things seem almost like enormous ravens with spindly
plane of existence, one
not previously accessible
arms rather than wings. Tattered leather cloaks cover their backs, and many carry a leather
until the first Ancients’ bag or wear one on a strap to hold the various objects they have collected.
cache opened. Voiceless Schemers. Murdens don’t speak. They communicate with one another
telepathically. However, their telepathy annoys other intelligent creatures. The presence
of a living murden fills the minds of nearby creatures with a sort of mental hiss. Add this
irritation to their paranoid mindset, their cruelty, their selfishness, and their duplicitous,
scheming nature, and there is little to like about a murden.
Those who have experienced a murden’s telepathic white noise firsthand report that
strange voices and long-forgotten memories sometimes arise in the mental interference in
haunting and disturbing ways.
Communicating with murdens is very difficult, but they seem to understand at least a
little of other languages they come across and can convey information through gestures or
drawings in the sand. Trusting them, however, is a fool’s mistake, for a murden delights in
lies and trickery for their own sake.

MURDEN 30 feet of a murden who is not incapacitated, the creature

Medium humanoid (murden), any non-good alignment must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or gain
disadvantage on all attacks, saves, and checks, which persists
Armor Class 13 (leather armor) until it moves more than 30 feet from the murden.
Hit Points 37 (7d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft. Poison Weapon. If the murden has a moment to prepare, such
as when preparing an ambush, it poisons its blade. The first
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA hit with the blade that deals damage also requires that the
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) target succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take
7 (2d6) poison damage in addition to the weapon’s normal
Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4, damage.
Damage Immunities psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened ACTIONS
Senses Darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 11 Multiattack. The murden makes two attacks, either with its
Languages — scimitar-like blade or its sling. When possible, they attack
Challenge 2 (450 XP) from the shadows with ambushes and hit-and-run tactics.
They normally flee in the face of real danger.
Murden Cynicism. The murden has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed or frightened. Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Mental Hiss. Although inadvertent, the murden’s inherent
telepathic powers are irritating and harmful to nearby Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one
creatures, who perceive it as an annoying static that target. Hit: 2 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
scrambles thought. When a creature starts its turn within

61
 CREATURES

“Many wonders of the Ancients I’ve preferred to these murden.

Their bright eyes, their tools, and their use of the numenera
indicate intelligence, but they don’t speak. Their features put me
in mind of crows, though I’ve always found crows pleasant. These
creatures troubled me. The harmony of my thoughts, normally so
comforting, grows more scrambled the closer I approach.”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

“Then don’t approach.”

~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

NALURUS
“It wasn’t pretty. I found them lying dead in puddles of pink slime.
Looked as if they’d vomited their brains out.”
~Bystander

A nalurus always wears a hood or mask. It may be pretending,

even to itself, that it’s still human, despite the terrible infection
it survived but still carries. The nalurus transmits its infection by
sight. If a humanoid sees a nalurus without its hood and looks
A slain nalurus remains full upon the disquieting lines, spirals, and geometric shapes laid
as dangerous to look out in ridges across the creature’s face, the awful pattern imprints
upon as a live one for
about one day, after
on the victim’s mind. Something in the interplay of information,
which the ridges slump refraction, and the physical structure of the victim’s brain sets off
and rot, making the a cruel and rapid chain reaction. What begins as a pinkish nose
corpse’s head merely ugly drip ends when the victim’s brain completely liquefies and exits
and dead as opposed
to lethal and dead. the victim’s head from the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears less than a
minute after the infection occurs.
Solitude Seekers. A nalurus seeks solitude, but over time, that
very solitude can drive the creature to take risks with the safety
of others by seeking out their company. A nalurus that remains
alone for too long can go insane, becoming a paranoid murderer
that shows off its face at the first opportunity. A nalurus that
hasn’t gone insane from loneliness is usually angry at being
The nalurus doesn’t have disturbed, discourteously blunt, and quick to send visitors on
to be aware of a victim their way. A kind act or gift can soften the creature’s manner, but
to affect it. A nalurus can
be incapacitated or even
doesn’t change things.
dead (for up to one day) Eccentric Old Hermit. The PCs are asked to deal with a man at the
and still affect humanoids edge of town who has started stealing food and scaring the children.
who see its face with its Most people in the community are apprehensive about the recluse
Brain-liquifying Reaction.
because of stories of a decades-old plague that only he survived.

NALURUS to drip pink froth from their nose; they have disadvantage
Medium humanoid (usually human), neutral on all checks, saves, and attacks. The victim must repeat the
saving throw at the end of their next turn. On a success, the
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) effect ends and the victim escapes with only 14 (4d6) necrotic
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) damage. On a failure, the creature’s brain completely liquifies,
Speed 30 ft. killing it.
A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can’t see
16 (+3) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 7 (−2) the nalurus’s face until the start of its next turn, when it can
avert its eyes again. If it looks at the nalurus in the meantime,
Senses passive Perception 10 it must immediately make the save.
Languages Common, or whatever language they spoke before A nalurus is immune to seeing itself in a mirror; it already
infection survived the information plague that rendered it simply as a
Challenge 3 (700 XP) carrier.

Brain-liquifying Reaction. If a creature starts its turn within ACTIONS

30 feet of the nalurus and the victim can see the nalurus’s Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
face, the creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
saving throw, or they suffer a massive headache and begin

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 CREATURES

NEVAJIN
The nevajin is not a single creature, but two. It looks like a stocky, bent-over humanoid or a
crouching predatory beast with a misshapen, almost skull-like head. But the head is actually
a separate creature that adheres to the main body by means of connecting filaments and
telekinetic force. When joined, the two portions infuse each other with filaments that allow
an exchange of information and nutrients. Separation is a painful process that the nevajin
does not undertake lightly. Both portions of the nevajin have their own brains, sensory
organs, and digestive systems.
Curious Specimen. Nevajin do not appear to age, and their method of reproduction is
a mystery. The nevajin might be asexual, with each portion budding at the same time to
create a new joined creature. But as weird as these creatures are, they seem to find the
world in which they find themselves even more curious. They are constantly seeking new
information and experiences.
Purveyors of Knowledge. Nevajin are fairly intelligent and speak many languages in
their harsh, whispery voices. Nevajin are sources of information and interesting relics
of the past. When a secret bit of knowledge is needed, the PCs must travel deep into
the wilderness to find the nevajin that possesses it. They can provide a great deal of
information about the numenera, but they expect to be paid for their secrets, usually in the
form of items, or new information.

NEVAJIN Device Use. A nevajin always has a couple of offensive and

Medium monstrosity, neutral defensive devices concealed about its body. Those advantages
are already figured into the nevajin’s stat block. However, a
Armor Class 18 nevajin may also have a one-use cypher that allows it to turn
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) invisible or teleport up to 500 ft. away to escape attack, which
Speed 30 ft. it uses if its split ability fails to save at least one part of it.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

14 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) Lightning Ray. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 120 ft.,
one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 2) lightning damage.
Saving Throws Dex +2, Con +4, Wis +2, Cha +2
Skills Arcana +4, Perception +2 REACTIONS
Damage Immunities Fire, lightning Split. The nevajin splits its head from its body after taking
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception damage it feels is egregious (half or more of its total),
12 becoming two creatures: a hovering head and a headless
Languages Common, various others body. Both have effectively the same stats as a single nevajin,
Challenge 2 (450 XP) except the head has a fly speed of 60 feet (hover). One
attempts to flee, while the other provides a distraction.
Usually, it’s the head that flies away.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

PEERLESS
Peerless is a machine creature that exists in multiple construct bodies, sometimes taking
over other machines to duplicate more versions of itself, erasing any personality or goals
that may have previous existed. All it cares about is spreading itself as far and wide as
possible. It is Peerless.
Fearless Narcissist. Those have encountered instances of Peerless describe the construct
A cypher or relic the PC as bloodthirsty, single-minded, and a bit unstable; each individual construct claims that it is
carries with the potential Peerless, the source mind from which all others are made. Even newly converted machines
to host even a limited
machine intelligence
and constructs say the same. This begs the question of where the originating intelligence of
might be briefly infected Peerless actually resides—maybe in a hidden ruin, as a consciousness in some nearby but
with Peerless. It begins unseen dimension, or as a mind distributed across every connected construct.
to speak as Peerless and Prejudiced Against Flesh. An individual Peerless construct ignores biological creatures if
work against the PC
however it can for a day, there are constructs or machines to be interacted with. However, if there is no choice but to
after which the instance interact with a living creature, Peerless may establish verbal communication. In such cases,
of Peerless, finding it comes across as over-the-top pompous and self-important, always refering to itself as
the item too small to
Peerless. Although Peerless isn’t worried about risking any particular instance of itself in
hold it, erases itself.
combat, it will forgo conflict in return for information about the location of other machines,
especially mloxan. However, if a PC happens to be part machine, all bets are off, because
Peerless will be keen to convert them. (Purely biological creatures may face the same issue,
though only if Peerless is feeling experimental.)

PEERLESS ACTIONS
Medium construct, neutral evil Multiattack. Peerless makes two claws attacks.

Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Speed 30 ft.
Inveigle. One creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 13
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by Peerless for 1 hour or
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) until Peerless does something harmful to them. The charmed
creature is friendly and helpful to Peerless, but after the effect
Damage Immunities poison ends, they know that their inclinations were manipulated.
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Spawn New Instance (Recharge 6). One creature chosen by
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception Peerless within 30 feet that is currently or has previously
13 succumbed to Inveigle must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
Languages telepathy 120 ft. (only with other machines), can saving throw or be infected with a machine disease called
quickly learn most verbal languages Peerless. While infected, the target can’t regain hit points,
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) and its hit point maximum is reduced by 10 (3d6) every 24
hours. If the target is a living creature, during this period their
Machine Focused. When Peerless uses Inveigle or Spawn New biological parts are observed to be slowly replaced by machine
Instance, constructs and machines have disadvantage on their components. If the disease reduces the target’s hit point
saves; all other creatures have advantage. maximum to 0, the target instantly transforms into another
instance of Peerless. If the disease is halted before it goes to
Magic Resistance. Peerless has advantage on saving throws completion, a biological creature’s body rejects the artificial
against spells and other magical effects. parts, and regains maximum hit points at the same rate they
were lost.
Magic Weapons. Peerless’s weapon attacks are treated as if
magical.

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 CREATURES

PHASIC
When you wake after a long sleep with a splitting headache,
remembering no dreams, you may have consumed too many
cups of strong drink the night before. Or perhaps you were the
target of a phasic, a creature that sups upon the mind of prey
at night, when they’re least able to defend themselves.
Predators of the Mind. A phasic prefers to creep up
on sleeping victims. A phasic is normally phased
and immaterial, but when it feeds, it must become
solid. That’s when it’s revealed as a tick-like creature
with disturbingly human eyes and writhing
tendrils perfect for burrowing into skulls.
Although only about a foot in diameter, a phasic
is still not what you want to see perched on a
comrade’s sleeping head as your rouse from
your own dreamless slumber.

When phasics swarm, they each contribute

enough neurons to briefly create a
group mind intelligence.

PHASIC Incorporeal Movement. The phasic can move through other

Tiny aberration, unaligned (chaotic evil in a swarm) creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5
(1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object, and is
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) moved out via the nearest edge into an unoccupied space.
Hit Points 55 (10d4 + 30)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 17 (5d6)
11 (+0) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 2 (–4) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) psychic damage. The target must make a successful DC 13
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, and if sleeping,
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6 blinded, or otherwise distracted from visual confirmation, the
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 15 target does not feel the bite.
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Individual phasics act

like animals looking for a
meal. But when phasics
swarm, the group mind
created is an individual
that has existed for
aeons, one at war with
another of its kind for
past transgressions.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

PROGENITOR
These mermaid-like broodmares hate and fear surface-dwellers, seeing them as wholly alien
and incomprehensible. Their life’s goal is to give birth to their young—creatures much like
electric eels—and then protect those young from all dangers. Growing to more than 10 feet
in height, progenitors look humanlike from a distance. Up close, even through murky water,
it is clear that they are dangerous predators—and that’s even before they show their true
colors.

PROGENITOR Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Large monstrosity, neutral evil Hit: 35 (8d6 + 7) slashing damage.

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Mothering. The progenitor targets one creature it can sense
Hit Points 126 (11d10 + 66) within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) psychic damage and
then be affected either by fear or calm love, depending on
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA what the progenitor chooses.
25 (+7) 11 (+0) 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 9 (−1) If filled with fear, the target becomes frightened for 1
minute. An affected target can repeat the saving throw at
Skills Perception +5 the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, cold success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect
Senses blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive ends for it, the creature is immune to the progenitor’s fear for
Perception 15 the next 24 hours.
Languages Telepathy 500 ft. (among progenitors and its If filled with calm love, the target is charmed, and moves
young) toward the progenitor with open arms, all defenses lowered
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) on their next turn. The progenitor’s next two Claw attacks
against the affected target automatically succeed and inflict
Water Breathing. The progenitor can breathe only underwater. maximum damage. This ends the calm love effect, and the
creature is immune to the progenitor’s calm love for the next
Water Predator. The progenitor has advantage on Dexterity 24 hours.
(Stealth) checks made to hide in water.
Eggburst. The progenitor’s young hatch from her belly pouch,
ACTIONS swarming all foes in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the
Multiattack. The progenitor can use Mothering and makes progenitor with progenitor larva. Targets in the area must
two claw attacks. succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 45
(10d8) piercing damage, or half that if successful. Afterward, a
progenitor larva swarm remains.

“Mermaids? That’s a stretch.”

~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

“I didn’t say they were mermaids. They remind me of mermaids.

Certainly, I don’t need to enumerate the similarities? But yes,
obviously there are many differences, too. Such as the fact that
these progenitors are an order of magnitude older than anything
that lives in our seas.”
~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

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 CREATURES

PROGENITOR LARVA SWARM

Medium swarm of tiny monstrosities, unaligned

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 22 (5d8)
Speed swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

5 (−3) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 2 (−4) 12 (+1) 4 (−3)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled,
paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception
11
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and

vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening
large enough for a Tiny eel. The swarm can’t regain hit points
or gain temporary hit points.

Water Breathing. The larva swarm can only breathe

underwater.

ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 5 (2d4) piercing damage.

Although the progenitors are tough

physical combatants, their real challenge
is their field of psychic energy. They can
use this to affect the emotions of nearby
creatures. The progenitor either fills them
with fear, or fills them with calm love.
Progenitors can be dangerous foes, even
against large groups of PCs. They are scary
creatures to encounter in any undersea
adventure, especially in deep water where
they are more likely to have larva swarms
around them.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

RASTER
Rasters are biomechanical creatures that use antigravity suspensors and large, bat-like
wings to carry themselves aloft at great speed despite their size. A typical raster has a
30-foot wingspan.
Rasters and xi-drakes Cautious Beasts. Rasters dwell in clutches of three to five, usually not far from a large
seem to have a body of water. They avoid danger and combat if possible. They never fight to the death, as
natural antagonism.
it is usually easy for them to escape by flying away.
Trainable. Sometimes rasters are encountered in the wild, nesting on rocky islands
along the coast. More often, however, they are tamed, trained, and used as aerial mounts.
Riders—often, other creatures related to the Ancients—use prods to control them.

RASTER Biomechanical Reflex. When the raster takes thunder damage,

Huge beast, unaligned it immediately takes a bonus action to move up to half its
speed and makes an energy lance attack.
Armor Class 15 (natural)
Hit Points 67 (9d12 + 9) ACTIONS
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. Multiattack. The raster makes two attacks with its energy
lance attack.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 4 (−3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Energy Lance. The raster emits an invisible beam of energy
from the machines mounted in its head, targeting a creature
Senses passive Perception 14 it can see within 500 feet, which must succeed on a DC 14
Languages — Dexterity save or take 6 (1d8 + 2) lightning damage.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

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 CREATURES

RAVAGE BEAR
A ravage bear is a hideous mammalian predator that hunts entirely by sense of smell. Ravage bear specimens
It is blind and nearly deaf, but it still tracks and senses prey easily. It is protective of its are sometimes found
in frozen stasis within
young, and when hungry for fresh meat, it is extremely dangerous. Otherwise, it gives most crystal pods associated
creatures a wide berth. with numenera devices,
Bane of Forest and Mountains. Ravage bears dwell alone or in pairs (usually with a few or locked in a larger
cubs) in wooded, rocky, or mountainous areas, typically in cold or temperate climes. temporal tableau that
is easily broken by
explorers breaching
A RAVAGE BEAR’S LAIR an Ancients’ cache.
Ravage bears may be somewhat simple beasts, but they take full advantage of any lair
they’ve established, as if they were legendary creatures.

LAIR ACTIONS
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), a ravage bear can take a lair action to cause
one of the following effects; the ravage bear can’t use an effect again until it finishes a short
or long rest:
• The ravage bear knocks over a massive machine (or turns it on, causing a terrific display
of light and sound, or perhaps even a temporal effect); every creature in the lair must
reroll initiative. The ravage bear can choose not to reroll.
• The ravage bear causes the floor to collapse, causing itself and up to five other creatures
within 30 feet of it to fall into another (deeper) portion of its lair, or a dangerous area it
has previously located. The ravage bear can choose not to fall.

RAVAGE BEAR Olfaction. The ravage bear can’t use its blindsight for one
Medium beast, neutral round if confused by a sufficiently intense odor.

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Wounded Fury. While it has 10 hit points or fewer, the ravage
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) bear has advantage on attack rolls. In addition, it deals an
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft. extra 7 (2d6) damage to any target it hits with a melee attack.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

18 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) Mulitattack. The ravage bear makes two claw attacks.

Skills Perception +3 Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Immunities illusions Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a Medium
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13 or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this
Languages — grapple ends, the ravage bear can claw only the grappled
Challenge 3 (700 XP) creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

RELENTLESS REAPER
Mess with the systems and residue of the Ancients long enough, and explorers risk
triggering a relentless reaper. A switch that shouldn’t have been flipped, a contact that
Once the target is killed, shouldn’t have been pressed, or a cypher salvaged from a system better left alone—it’s
the reaper switches off, its difficult to know what gets a reaper’s attention. But that attention becomes immediately
purpose served. If a target
is killed before the reaper
apparent to the explorer in the form of a strange mental communication. Once that
finds them, whoever glimmer is sent, the construct stirs to motion, beginning a mission of what might be
killed them becomes its weeks, months, or even longer duration, to track down its prey.
next target. If the target Glimmer of Inevitable Death. The targeted victim received an unwanted vision, either
dies of natural causes,
the reaper switches off. directly into their mind on a failed DC 17 Wisdom save, or across a nearby screen as a
light-based illusion: a bubble-shaped pod in the midst of thousands of similar units stored
If a relentless reaper is in numberless vertical banks in an enormous space. The pod that’s the focus of the vision
destroyed, it may reform suddenly “pops,” revealing cables disengaging and falling away in sprays of white mist.
or a new one may be
dispatched unless a tiny
Inside, a construct of metal blades and shadow resolves. As the image fades, the following
component within the message is transmitted telepathically to the target: “For your crime, you have been
reaper, appearing like a scheduled for termination. Expect your reaper soon.”
tiny crystal marble with a Fear-building Technique. The relentless reaper’s target receives a few more glimmers over
three-dimensional image
of the imprinted target the next few months, showing the automaton traveling across the land, apparently tracking
in it, is found—a DC 13 down the character, always getting closer. Regardless of the final threat it represents to its
Wisdom (Perception) target, a relentless reaper’s tactics are designed to create a sense of mounting dread and
check—and crushed.
fear in the target’s mind.

RELENTLESS REAPER Regeneration. The relentless reaper regains 2 hit points at

Large construct, lawful neutral the start of its turn. If it starts its turn with 0 hit points, it
becomes inactive, but regains 1 hit point per hour, until it
Armor Class 18 (natural armor) becomes active with full hit points after one day. While it is
Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20) regenerating in this way, it can’t take any other actions. If
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft., swim 30 ft., burrow 10 ft. destroyed and its components are scattered to a distance of
10 feet or farther, it does not regenerate.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 4 (−3) 14 (+2) 9 (−1) ACTIONS
Multiattack. The relentless reaper makes two arm blade
Damage Immunities lightning, poison, psychic attacks. If it hits with either arm blade, the reaper can make
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, one iron pincer attack against the same target.
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Arm Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Languages — target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Iron Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Lightning Aura. Any creature that begins its turn within 5 feet target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. If damage is dealt
of a reaper attacking its imprinted target must make a DC 15 on the imprinted target, it must then succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw and take 22 (5d8) lighting damage Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute from
on a failed save, or half that if successful. poison. All attacks the relentless reaper make on the paralyzed
foe, in addition to any other benefits, also deal maximum
Perfect Target Knowledge. The relentless reaper always knows damage.
the direction and distance to its imprinted target, even if the
target is on another plane of existence.

Preferred Target. The relentless reaper has advantage on

attacks against its imprinted target. It has disadvantage on
attacks against all other creatures.

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 CREATURES

RHADAMANTH
Floating mechanisms slightly taller than a human might be simple
devices. Then again, they might be rhadamanths.
Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Rhadamanths are stern judges of
reality, natural laws, and living creatures. When they appear, they
pass sentence on creatures and objects for their past deeds. Why
those past deeds deserve punishment isn’t always apparent to
humans. For instance, a rhadamanth might appear and pass
sentence on a character for “violating ten degrees of freedom
under stochastic conditions” or similar apparent nonsense.
On the other hand, a rhadamanth might also punish a
character who has recently lied or betrayed another.
A rhadamanth has a chameleonlike ability to evade
detection and simply observe its surroundings, looking for
those who violate its parameters—until it acts and its long
psychic claw flares with energy.

RHADAMANTH
Medium construct, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

21 (+5) 14 (+2) 19 (+4) 21 (+5) 13 (+1) 7 (–2)

Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +8

Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed,
deafened, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages a handful including Common
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Chameleon Wrap. The rhadamanth has

advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If
the rhadamanth moves half its speed or less,
attacks made against it before the start of the
rhadamanth’s next turn have disadvantage.
A rhadamanth can be
salvaged for one or two
ACTIONS cyphers, though doing
Multiattack. The rhadamanth makes two psychic claw attacks. so likely draws another
rhadamanth, one per
Psychic Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one cypher salvaged.
target. Hit: 24 (3d12 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is a
Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15).
Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and the
rhadamanth can’t claw another target. Each round a target
begins its turn grappled by the rhadamanth, it takes 24 (3d12 + 5)
psychic damage.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

SATHOSH
Sathosh are gaunt humanoids that have a long tentacle writhing from where their face
should be. They are silent, and they see and communicate via subsonic pulses they emit
almost constantly. It is perhaps easier to think of them as having hyper-acute hearing and a
Sathosh feed on the sort of sonar.
blood of creatures Social Xenophobes. Sathosh are communal creatures, thriving on the presence of others
they slay, absorbing it
through their tentacle.
of their kind and living without any type of hierarchy. They dwell in packs of at least six—
and usually closer to twelve—anywhere that isn’t too cold. They are kind and loving to one
another but hateful and cruel to all other life.

SATHOSH Martial Advantage. Once per turn, the sathosh can deal an
Medium humanoid (sathosh), neutral evil extra 3 (1d6) damage to a creature it hits with an attack if
that creature is within 5 feet of another sathosh that isn’t
Armor Class 11 (natural armor) incapacitated.
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft. ACTIONS
Multiattack. The sathosh makes a mental sting attack (if
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA coordinating with another sathosh) or two melee attacks with
11 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 9 (−1) spears.

Damage Resistances psychic Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Condition Immunities blind Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Sathosh (Without some kind of subsonic device Mental Sting. Two sathosh within 5 feet of each other can join
or mental powers, it is impossible to speak or understand their minds in communion and launch a mental attack on
sathosh.) one target within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 12
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Wisdom save or take 9 (2d8) psychic damage.

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 CREATURES

SESKII
Resembling large dogs in stature and movement, these four-footed
creatures are covered in hard, overlapping scales. The intricate
patterns on the scales range from greenish-brown to black- If intelligent creatures
and-white spotted to the reddish hue of embered coals. From are found guarding
or kept in captivity
their backs grow a mass of organic crystals. Standing about within an Ancients’
knee-high to most humans, seskii have large teeth, pointed cache, sometimes
ears, and sharp, pointed tails. these creatures are
Food Driven. When hungry, they often attack anything accompanied by seskii.
that seems edible, including other seskii. When they
attack intelligent humanoids, it is typically to snatch
any food being carried and race off with it, rather than
to eat those creatures directly.
Loyal. Intelligent and loyal companions, seskii can
be trained in various methods of hunting, stealth,
and attack by those who have skills with animals.
Many humans outfit their seskii with special
types of weapons and armor—spiked collars
are a favorite. If a seskii in the wild is wearing
manufactured armor, it means the creature was
once someone’s favored companion. There is
a good chance that the person is now long
dead, as a seskii would not willingly leave
their person’s side while they were still
alive.
Seskii may become particularly
devoted to anything and anyone,
including other seskii, humans,
statues that seem like creatures,
and places they call home. They will
fight to the death to defend a place or
person they deem as their own.

SESKII has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving

Medium beast, unaligned throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
or stunned.
Armor Class 12 (14 if wearing manufactured armor)
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12) ACTIONS
Speed 60 ft. Multiattack. The seskii makes two bite attacks.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 3 (−4) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 REACTIONS

Languages — Tenacious (Recharge 6). When a seskii would be killed, it
Challenge 1 (200 XP) instead immediately gains 10 hit points. Furthermore, its
attacks deal 3 (1d6) more points of damage for one minute.
Crystal Resonance. The crystals that grow along a seskii’s back Multiple tenacious reactions do not stack, but instead replace
provide a few additional advantages to the creature’s ability to previous instances.
sense its environment and avoid certain conditions. The seskii

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

SNOW LOPER
Tall and thin-legged, a snow loper is a fast-moving omnivore. It has a very short neck and a
The snow-loper’s thin large head with a wide, toothy mouth. Long hair covers its roundish, muscular body. Below
arms, despite having its mouth are two thin arms with two-fingered hands that it uses mainly for grasping food
only two fingers, are
weirdly human-like. It’s
or navigating treacherous climbs. Since it lacks thumbs, it doesn’t really use tools.
as if some numenera Great Mounts. Snow lopers make excellent mounts. They can bear a rider and hundreds
device slapped human of pounds of gear and still climb precarious
appendages on an heights. (Snow lopers live in small packs
otherwise normal
creature, for who in cold climes or high altitudes.)
knows what reason. They travel at great speed, seemingly
without getting tired.
If a wild snow loper is caught, it can
be tamed and trained relatively quickly,
becoming cooperative and docile. The
creatures are slightly more intelligent than
typical animals, and some can even be
trained to use cyphers and other
simple devices.

SNOW LOPER
Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 11 (natural armor)

Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
Speed 60 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 4 (−3) 12 (+1) 7 (−2)

Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Mountain Agility. The snow loper ignores difficult

terrain resulting from snow or broken, rocky, or
steep terrain.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The snow loper can make two bite attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage.

REACTIONS
Escape (Recharge 6). When a snow loper takes damage, it can
choose to react by immediately using an action to bolt away at
its maximum speed.

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 CREATURES

STEEL SPIDER
Steel spiders are creatures of living metal that spin incredibly thin webs also made of metal. When
an adventurer named Yvaras and her companions explored an Ancients’ machine-complex buried Living in small nests of
beneath the sands, she encountered a nest of steel spiders and had this to say: three or four, steel spiders
spin their webs in dark
ruins, subterranean
“We had a crystal orb—some device of the Ancients—to light our way. Suddenly someone locales, and wilderness
says they see something sparkling right in front of me. In the light, right? I stopped right off, and areas of any climate.
if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be telling you this now—I’d be in three or four pieces on that floor. See,
I reached out with my dagger to touch what it was. Just a few strands of spider web stretched
across the walkway. That’s all, right? Except touching it with my dagger cut into the blade a half
inch. A good iron blade, ruined! That’s how sharp and strong those things are. I turned around
to tell Naeris, but then he says, ‘It’s shaking!’ I turned back to see a spider glistening like silver
in our light. It was the size of a dinner platter, moving along two of them thin little strands right
toward us! Good thing we had that heat-cutter that Julran found. We used it like a weapon on A steel spider’s bite
the spider as it approached. One blast with that drove it off, and we got outta there. Naeris said injects a victim with
the metallic strands.
that as we left, he saw more of ’em. A whole network of their webs strung everywhere. I don’t Victims’ muscles and
want to go back there anytime soon.” tendons are torn apart
by the invasive injection.
Sharp Webbing. Steel spider webs are not sticky; they’re razor sharp and
easily cut through most material, including flesh. The strands are so thin
that it’s easy to walk into them by accident. Several Ancients sites are
criss-crossed with thin, silvery filaments. Explorers have to figure
out how to get past such webs without being cut to ribbons. If
very carefully cut and stored, a steel spider’s web strands can be
used as deadly garrotes or cutting tools.

STEEL SPIDER
Tiny construct, unaligned

Armor Class 8
Hit Points 37 (6d4 + 12)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 6 (−2) 14 (+2) 2 (−4) 15 (+2) 1 (−5)

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 12 Noticing the webs before blundering into them even in full
Languages — light requires a successful DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. Those
Challenge 2 (450 XP) who walk into (or fall into a pit filled with) razor web take 17
(5d6) slashing damage. Each strand of webbing has AC 15 and
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, 15 hit points.
including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make
an ability check. ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Razor Webs. Every steel spider is associated with at least one Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) additional
area of razor web, trapping a corridor up to 10 feet across piercing damage each round for three rounds on a failed DC
(though many spiders could increase the radius of effect). 14 Constitution save.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

STRATHARIAN WAR MOTH

These oversized moths have pale yellow wings and bodies the color of skulls. Most have
a wingspan of at least 5 feet. When they open their wings wide, they shed a brilliance that
withers flesh without harming nonliving objects.
Battle Bred. Bred for battle by some faction of the Ancients, the creatures are hard to
No one knows the control by any device or superior creature so far found. Difficult to train or command, these
origin or meaning of the creatures seem driven to destroy all other living things.
word “Stratharian.”
Wandering Packs. Stratharian war moths make for a dangerous encounter, usually in the
wild. However, a wandering pack could come upon a village and terrorize it, keeping people
trapped in their homes until help arrives—perhaps in the form of traveling PCs.

STRATHARIAN WAR MOTH Flesh-Withering Light. Any living creature that begins its turn
Small monstrosity, unaligned within 5 feet of a war moth that is not incapacitated is bathed
in illumination that the unfurled wings produce. A target must
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6)
Hit Points 4 (1d6 + 1) necrotic damage.
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft.
ACTIONS
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
5 (−3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 1 (−5) 7 (−2) 3 (−4) Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Damage Immunities psychic Flesh-Withering Cone (Recharge 5–6). The war moth produces
Condition Immunities charmed a flash of illumination in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 8 area must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking
Languages — 10 (3d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) damage on a successful one.

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 CREATURES

TARROW MOLE
When a tarrow mole
serves as a mount, the
rider enjoys the same
ability to move through
A tarrow mole appears to be a creature of both living and inorganic material. Flesh is solid substance without
fused seamlessly with metal, crystal, stone, synth, and, in some cases, fabric. This varied coming to harm.
construction seems related to the tarrow mole’s ability to flow through the solid walls,
floors, and ceilings of prior-world structures as if they were composed of nothing more
Cyphers, page 40
than thick fluid. Usually, the holes a tarrow mole leaves after passing through a solid
substance close up immediately afterward, but sometimes a Relics, page 45
passage remains.
Absorbs Living Matter and Devices of the Ancients. A tarrow
mole’s winglike projections are unique organs that somehow
help it to make solid substances in its surrounding
environment flow like syrup. These same powerful
winglike stubs serve as weapons for smashing foes
and prey. When successful, it regains health by
absorbing flesh or special kinds of inorganic material,
directly incorporating portions of the struck material,
which flows like viscous fluid before reforming as the
new skin section of the tarrow mole.
Even when separated from potential food (which
includes anything living or, in a pinch, devices of the
Ancients), a tarrow mole’s keen senses allow it to detect
the slightest vibrations and pinpoint their source with
amazing accuracy.
Sometimes Serve as Mounts. These creatures are
somewhat intelligent, and if a cypher or relic is offered, a
tarrow mole may agree (using simple words and symbols
scrawled on a solid surface) to serve as a mount for an
explorer for a limited period.

TARROW MOLE absorption, healing the tarrow mole one-third that amount.
Large monstrosity, chaotic neutral This effect continues dealing 6 (1d12) force damage and
healing the tarrow mole one-third that amount at the start
Armor Class 16 (natural armor) of each of the affected creature’s turns until more than 5 feet
Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48) separates the tarrow mole and affected creature.
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Siege Monster. The tarrow mole deals double damage to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA objects and structures.
21 (+5) 8 (–1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0)
ACTIONS
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, force Multiattack. The tarrow mole makes two wing stub attacks.
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages understands several but can’t speak Wing Stub. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., single
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. On a failed DC
15 Strength save, the target is knocked prone and takes an
Freedom of Movement. A tarrow ignores difficult terrain and additional 9 (2d8) force damage; the tarrow mole is healed
cannot be entangled, grappled, or otherwise impeded in its an amount equal to the force damage dealt. If the target is
movements. holding a device of the Ancients, such as a cypher or relic,
they can choose to sacrifice it instead of being knocked prone
Matter Absorber. Anyone who attacks the tarrow mole from and taking additional force damage (though the tarrow mole
a range of 5 feet or less must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity is healed 40 hit points by absorbing the sacrificed device.)
saving throw or take 6 (1d12) force damage from matter

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

TARZA
A growing population of fabricated creatures called tarza spreads across the world,
possibly from a nexus located in a newly revealed ruin. Tarza are custom biological
creatures that have a piecemeal look to them. Octopoid heads fused to quadruped bodies
via a blinking metallic collar is a popular form, but others are possible. They are about twice
as large as a human.
Constructed for Specific Acts of
Assassination. A hidden entity
Mother Machine is supposedly called Mother
a type seven basic Machine—an intelligent
automaton (page 22)
that has the additional
automaton of some sort—
capacity to create first created tarza to hunt
tarzas according to and destroy certain
some mysterious plan. humanoids, though
not all. Why a tarza
chooses to destroy
some humanoids
and ignore others
(unless attacked)
is a mystery
no one has yet
deduced.
If no designated targets are part
of a group, a tarza isn’t aggressive
with them unless attacked. While a tarza
remains quiescent, it might lead characters
back to the nearest Ancients’ ruin.

TARZA ACTIONS
Large aberration, lawful neutral Multiattack. The tarza makes two tentacle attacks or one
Psychic Lure attack.
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36) Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Speed 40 ft. target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage and the target
is grappled (escape DC 14) and must succeed on a DC 14
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Constitution saving throw against poison or fall asleep for
18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 5 (−3) 2d4 minutes. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained
and the tarza can’t use its tentacles on a different target.
Skills Stealth +2 A sleeping target wakes up if it takes damage or if another
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Psychic Lure. The tarza makes a psychic attack, targeting a
humanoid it can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed
Death Detonation. When reduced below 1 hp, the tarza’s on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed. While
body swells with necrotic chemicals and then detonates as charmed by the tarza, the target must move toward the tarza
a reaction. All creatures within 15 feet take 21 (6d6) necrotic at normal speed and remain calm. A charmed target remains
damage, or half as much damage with a successful DC 13 charmed for up to 1 hour or until attacked by the tarza. The
Dexterity saving throw. tarza has advantage on attack rolls against creatures it has
charmed.

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 CREATURES

TETRAHYDRA
“The tetrahydra is clearly a creature of bizarre standing, as it has no feet.
Perhaps it stays aloft eternally or lands upon its great beaks to rest.”
~Unknown

These large creatures, approximately 6 feet tall, look like black-feathered tetrahedrons with
beaks and big wings. Tetrahydras have four tentacles that they keep coiled along their lower
half. The tentacles uncoil and can be used as feet and weapons. Tetrahydras attack from
Nest Protectors. Tetrahydras fight to protect their eggs, which take two years to hatch the air, coming down
at perceived enemies
and are situated in large nests as high up as the creatures can build them. Sometimes they quickly, their wings folded
attack alone, but more often they attack in groups of three or more. PCs are likely to run back for maximum speed.
afoul of tetrahydras only if they disturb a nest. However, an NPC skilled in breaking animals
to training could have a covey of them serving as attack beasts.

TETRAHYDRA ACTIONS
Medium beast, unaligned Multiattack. The tetrahydra can attack twice, once with its
beak and once with its tentacles.
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

STR DEX CON INT WIS Cha Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
17 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 5 (−3) 13 (+1) 6 (-2) target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a
Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13).
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Until this grapple ends, the tetrahydra automatically squeezes
Languages — the target for 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage each round and
Challenge 2 (450 XP) attacks the grappled target twice with its beak, and it has
advantage on attack rolls to do so.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

UNCOMMON ANIMAL
Analogs to common animals such as birds, squirrels, lions, deer, cattle, and more, exist
in the Ninth World, and they often look much different, even if they have similar roles. In
addition to innocuous wildlife, uncommon animals roam the Ninth World. These include
dangerous livestock, companion creatures, and mounts.

UNCOMMON ANIMAL Languages —

Large beast, unaligned Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Keen Hearing and Smell. The uncommon animal has
Hit Points 26 (4d10 + 4) advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on
Speed 50 ft. hearing or smell.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

16 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 3 (−4) 11 (+0) 6 (−2) Bite, Impale, Kick, or Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing/
Skills Perception +4 bludgeoning/slashing damage. If the target is a
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
throw or be knocked prone.

UNCOMMON ANIMAL TYPES

Though they have similar underlying stats, uncommon animals vary widely in look and behavior.
Aneen: Tall and muscular, aneen are bipedal herd animals. These omnivores mainly eat
grass, leaves, and, occasionally, small lizards or rodents. Aneen are often trained to accept
a rider, or to pull wagons. They attack by kicking. In a herd, they can stampede, which can
be dangerous.
Brehm: These reptilian coursers are fast and lightweight, making them great for long,
quick travel. Brehm are often trained to accept a rider, but don’t have the strength to pull or
carry heavy loads.
Gallen: These long-bodied, herbivorous animals are revered for their meat and hides.
Razorcat: Massive, tigerlike beasts, razorcats are often trained to accept a rider. In
addition, razorcats are challenge 2 and have a multiattack of two bite attacks.
Shiul: These massive, quite valuable “cattle” have four wide horns that they use to impale
predators and foes. Shiul are sometimes trained to accept a rider.

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 CREATURES

VAYTAREN
The rumbling, booming noise could be the sound of some distant,
subterranean machine powering on for inscrutable reasons. But if
the noise continues to grow, shaking up through the floor
and tingling spines with ever-greater ferocity, and if
strange stonelike statues of explorers who previously
disappeared in the area are spied, it could be a
vaytaren. Vaytarens are associated with ancient
ruins, often acting as guardians of specific areas or
routes.
Reconfigurable Constructs. Vaytarens are large
machines able to reconfigure themselves into all
sorts of different shapes, which means they can
appear as huge cubes, shapes somewhat resembling
long beasts with many limbs, or even humanoid
shapes standing at least twenty feet tall when upright.
Their reconfigurations suit their situation, allowing
them to move very fast, to remain inconspicuous,
to maneuver in ruins that would otherwise be
too small for them, to interact with creatures,
and so on.
Indirect Communicators. Vaytarens are
intelligent, but they do not speak directly.
They can be negotiated with, but only if they A vaytaren carries a few
take control of a nearby device or machine that cyphers and possibly
a relic or iron flesh.
can speak for the vaytaren in a way characters can
understand. They are not malicious but will guard any
location the Ancients assigned them to watch over, even if Iron flesh, page 49
all evidence points to it being nothing more than a ruin.

VAYTAREN Magic Weapons. The vaytaren’s weapon attacks are treated as

Huge construct, unaligned if magical.

Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Speak Through Device. A vaytaren can speak through another
Hit Points 228 (24d12 + 72) other device of the Ancients within 120 feet of it, though this
Speed 40 ft. speaking doesn’t affect the device in any other way.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

16 (+3) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) Multiattack. The vaytaren can make five slam attacks.

Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +4, Cha +5 Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Damage Immunities poison Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target must
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhausted, make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned injected with a greenish-black ribbon of energy that writhes
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 beneath their skin. A victim should keep track of the number
Languages hundreds via a nearby device of the Ancients of separate ribbons that swim beneath their skin. When the
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) combat is over, the victim must make another Constitution
saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + the number of ribbons.
Magic Resistance. The vaytaren has advantage on saving On a failed save, the victim is petrified, becoming a figure of
throws against spells and other magical effects. black stonelike material. (On a successful save, all the ribbons
are purged.)

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

WHISPER
He’s muttering words, or maybe only nonsense. He’s
abandoned bathing, grooming, and possibly even eating by the
way his clothes hang. He’s eager to reach you, though, as if he
has important news to share. As he approaches, you notice a
thin metallic extension protruding from one side of the man’s
head. The stranger motions you to lean close because he’s
got a secret. But either he doesn’t speak your language or
he’s insane, because the syllables that tumble out of his
mouth sound like babble. So you continue on your way,
wishing the stranger would stop following you, muttering
and shambling.
And you wonder why you suddenly feel so warm . . .
Changed by an Infovirus. Whispers were once normal
people, but they were changed by a self-propagating
infection of recursive knowledge that took over their
minds to achieve a purpose that only the Ancients
could probably appreciate, or fear. Loose again, they
seek to expose intelligent creatures to the recursive knowledge
that causes them, too, to transform into whispers.
Nonviolent but Dangerous. A whisper physically attacks
another creature only in defense. When it does, it batters foes
Intelligent nonhumans with frenetic punches, kicks, and bites. Whether or not it physically
may be infected with attacks, a whisper always strives to verbally impart weirdly
the infovirus, but usually
they are unaffected (or
structured noises to the nearest intelligent creature, preferably
there’s a complication when it can directly speak into its intended victim’s ear.
and they die).

WHISPER Blend In. The whisper has advantage on Charisma

Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral (Deception) and Charisma (Performance) checks to seem just
like a regular person.
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8) ACTIONS
Speed 30 ft. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) Whisper Infovirus (Recharge 5–6). A humanoid within 5 feet
of the whisper must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence saving
Skills Deception +3, Performance +3 throw or become diseased with an infovirus. The disease
Damage Resistances bludgeoning and piercing from has no effect for 1 minute and can be removed by any effect
nonmagical weapons that cures disease. After 1 minute, the diseased creature
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion gains one level of exhaustion each hour as it begins to lose
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 its individuality, undergoing a conversion that turns it into a
Languages — whisper upon gaining six levels of exhaustion. The victim can
Challenge 2 (450 XP) attempt one other save to avoid the conversion right before
it would otherwise happen, or receive a treatment that cures
disease to avoid becoming a whisper.

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 CREATURES

XAAR
Xaar are machine parasites that feed upon and ultimately control other machines and
constructs. They appear to be small metal-and-synth objects with small wings, hovering
innocuously next to another device. The xaar absorbs energy to sustain itself from other
machines and constructs in close proximity, and after a time it can take control of the other Xaar are usually
machine’s functions, slaving the device to itself. encountered with a
larger, more dangerous
Live and Let Live. For the most part, xaar pay little attention to organic beings unless they machine or construct that
pose a threat or seek to prevent them from feeding. They take great umbrage at the idea of they exert control over.
an organic creature “owning” a mechanical device or construct and would never respect
such a claim.
Willing to Deal. Xaar are intelligent and—if approached correctly—quite willing to talk.
They respect intelligence, truth, and confidence (but not boastfulness). They don’t relate to
most emotions.

XAAR Machine Control (Recharge 6). One construct fashioned by

Small construct, unaligned the Ancients (or fashioned using the Ancients’ methods) that
the xaar can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15
Hit Points 42 (12d6) Constitution saving throw or be controlled electronically via
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) a silver tether that makes a connection; this is not a charm
effect and constructs with charm condition immunity are
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA vulnerable to this effect. The xaar now controls the construct
12 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. The xaar usually
settles on the creature it controls, so that it can’t be targeted
Damage Immunities poison by any attack, spell, or other effect. (Usually, foes don’t realize
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhausted, the xaar is anything other than a piece of equipment.) The
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned control lasts until the controlled target drops to 0 hit points or
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 the xaar ends it as a bonus action.
Languages speaks hundreds including Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

ACTIONS
Electric Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) lightning damage.

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

YELLOW SWARM
Yellow swarms are groups of insect-like creatures. They must stay in close proximity to one
another, or they lose their ability to remain on this plane of existence. They look like a small
cloud of yellow locusts until you get close enough to see that they are transparent and
oddly configured, with asymmetrical bodies that have seven legs and five wings.
Hunger for Brain Fluids. Yellow swarms feed on various chemicals in the brains and
spines of living creatures. Defending against this hunger is tough because a yellow swarm
is always fading in and out of reality. Yellow swarms often linger near interdimensional
gates or other access points, so the presence of a swarm is a good indicator that a gate is
nearby.

YELLOW SWARM Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening
large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can’t regain hit
Armor Class 14 (natural) points or gain temporary hit points.
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover) ACTIONS
Multiattack. The yellow swarm makes three bites attacks.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage, or
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, points or fewer.
paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Reality Phase (Recharge 4–6). The yellow swarm fades into a
Languages — different reality not normally accessible by other creatures for
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) one round, rendering attacks against it moot. Before or after
reality phase, the yellow swarm can make one bites attack.

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 CREATURES

YOVOK
The horrid yovoki are short, squat, corrupt humanoids with jaundiced skin draped loosely
over their flabby, hairless bodies. They hunt and kill for pleasure, although they happily Yovoki are apparently
eat whatever they kill as well. In fact, they eat constantly and seem able to digest almost humans mutated by
numenera devices,
anything. Yovoki wander in small groups of three to six in the mountains and hills. possibly purposefully,
Savage Humanoid Effigies. Yovoki are too disordered to have a strict group hierarchy. though to what end
Instead, they all just yell and snort and squeal until one of them gets their way. There are and by what is
two yovoki genders, but sometimes even they cannot tell the difference between their males unknown.
and females. They kill for pleasure, food, and as displays of strength.
Gutter Schemers. Fast-talking characters might be able to reason with yovoki, but doing
so is difficult due to their bloodlust. It might be easier for the PCs to intimidate or frighten Each yovok has a spear,
them into compliance. Despite their corrupt and savage nature, some are smart enough club, or other melee
weapon. A group of
to use numenera devices or hatch simple plots to get what they want—poisoning wells, yovoki has at least one
kidnapping important people, and so on. cypher among them.

YOVOK ACTIONS
Small humanoid (yovok), chaotic neutral Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 14 (4d6 + 4) Barb Spit (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
Speed 30 ft. range 40 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and
target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA become paralyzed for the next four rounds.
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Skills Athletics +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Yovok, some understand Common
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

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 CREATURES AND NPCS

ZHEV
Zhev seem inclined to prevent infractions of the law
and act to preserve order, keep the peace, and protect
the lives of innocents.

Zhev are cylinders 6 feet high and 3 feet in diameter, and typically hover 3 feet off the
ground. Their three triangular eyes appear to be organic. The eyes usually stay together
in a larger triangle formation, moving inside the cylinder, peering through a slit near the
top that goes all the way around. The eyes can also separate, each looking in a different
direction, but they do this rarely.
PCs who run afoul of the Biomechanical and Resolute. Although the Zhev are essentially constructs, they have
Zhev have likely done organic interior components as well as mechanical parts. When activated, they either return
something very wrong.
to whatever Ancients’ command they last received (which likely makes little sense in their
new context) or look for new instructions.
The Zhev usually begin
a fight by firing stun
Enforcers of Law. If a group of Zhev find themselves at loose ends, they may offer their
gas canisters or nets. If services to a city or other location. If a pact is agreed to, affected Zhev obey the orders
the gas and nets fail, given to them by their new hosts. Other people cannot reason or negotiate with the Zhev.
Zhev physically attack. They are relentless and merciless, though they first attempt to capture criminals rather than
use violent or lethal force.
Usually, the Zhev seem inclined to prevent infractions of the law and act to preserve
The body of a order, keep the peace, and protect the lives of innocents. When forced to choose between
defeated Zhev can options, they always make the choice that saves the most people from the greatest harm.
be scavenged for a
cypher, and sometimes
Protecting innocents takes priority over enforcing laws, assuming Zhev in the area even
(1 in 1d10) a relic. know what local laws might apply.

ZHEV Magic Weapons. The Zhev’s weapon attacks are treated as if

Medium construct, lawful good magical.

Armor Class 20 (natural armor) ACTIONS

Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24) Multiattack. The Zhev makes three tentacular arm attacks.
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Tentacular Arm. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Net. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 5/15 ft., one Large
Skills Perception +4 or smaller creature. Hit: The target is restrained. A creature
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check to free itself
from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine or another creature in a net, ending the effect on a success.
weapons Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 15) frees the target
Damage Immunities force, necrotic, poison without harming it and destroys the net.
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned Incapacitating Gas (Recharge 5–6). The Zhev fires a canister to
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive a point within 120 feet that it can see, which then detonates.
Perception 14 Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that
Languages Zhev, some understand Common point must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) be incapacitated for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
Magic Resistance. The Zhev has advantage on saving throws on a success.
against spells and other magical effects.

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 CREATURES

“But how well does their metal hide stand up to an axe? Now that’s a
question that wants an answer.”
~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

“Why? They seem peaceable enough. Civic-minded, one might say.”

~Elmande, elf mage and scholar

“They’re not natural, is why. Sure, the one we met saved us from that
machine demon, thank the Forge. I appreciate that. But you’re the
one who pointed out what the quotien lore said about these Zhev—they’ll
always act to ensure a just outcome for the largest number of innocent
beings, not matter what. Which means that if they have to kill five folks to
save six, then those five had better be right with their gods. And that just
isn’t right. Plus, why is it Zhev with a capitol ‘Z’?”
~Faim Trubeard, dwarf veteran and prospector

88