Continuing my look back at some of my work from 2025, I had entirely forgotten that I never shared my 5th Edition conversion of the Nightlords from Elden Ring: Nightreign. Eight massive bosses, all of them multi-phase with mythic traits and legendary actions. Plus Heolstor, a three-phase boss with a built-in transformation, for a solid "ten" monsters total.
These all sit somewhere between CR 9-15, making them best for mid-level campaigns. But at some point I plan to go back and adapt their "Everdark" versions for some really high level challenges. When that'll actually happen depends on free time, and whether there's even any interest in CR 20+ versions.
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Airmark's Guide to Planar Vegetables: Pandemonian Tumbleweed
Plants native to the Windswept Depths of Pandemonium have much in common with those from the Elemental Plane of Air: minimal soil needs, extreme resistance to trauma, and radial symmetry so that no matter which way is up, the plant can survive. The pandemonian tumbleweed is a prime example, bearing some major similarities to the urchin bush discussed earlier.
Mindless and composed primarily of gnarled, thorny stalks with pale brown bark, pandemonian tumbleweeds take the majority of their nutrients from unknown sources. While the plants can and do feed on blood through hollow thorns when they make contact with animal life, the desolation of their home plane argues strongly against this being their primary form of nutrition. If it was, surely they would have gone extinct by now, as Pandemonium is notoriously the most lightly-inhabited Outer Plane in existence.
Capable of covering dozens if not hundreds of miles a day with their windblown propulsion mechanism, pandemonian tumbleweeds only truly stop moving when wedged into a space too small for them to pass through. It is then when they reproduce, dying and allowing the seeds they store in the hard nut at their center to germinate using the parent plant's remains as fertilizer. Although capable of self-locomotion to avoid just this situation, almost all of the pandemonian tumbleweed I observed undergo this cycle when naturally trapped by the action of the wind and tight tunnels.
These huge wanderers are not receptive to speak with plants, and demonstrate a lack of essential intelligence when spoken to. Unsurprisingly, they were difficult for me to follow in conversation, moving from subject to subject seemingly at random and employing extremely varied vocabulary. Much of the conversation described wind currents, however, so perhaps there is an understanding of their native environment's weather to be gained by speaking with them.
You know what a prepared party expects in the actic? Remorhaz, there's only like 5 creatures native only to the arctic. You know what NO party expects in the middle of the desert? Remorhaz, it literally says in the description that they generate so much heat they'd drop without the arctic chill. But I had the idea of making one purely for the idea of it scorching tunnels of glass around it.
Glass Remorhaz use that heat-expelling property that normal ones do, except they don't have an internal furnace and in fact are otherwise extremely well insulated. So thier insides are icy-cool, perfectly comfortable since they were already cold-proof, and great for piercing through the resistances of native creatures. Glass is great at retaining heat though, and they were already naturally heatproof, so thier outsides accumulate so much heat they gain a sort of heat-haze around them. Throw in Frosted glass isn't just a pun, it's transluscent but eliminates glare, and you have the perfect ambush predator.
I imagine one nesting in a desert temple, waiting until an adventurer stumbles into it then blasting the whole group. The sand in its territory would glitter with tiny glass shards from old tunnels collapsed from sandstorms, a sign locals watch for. perhaps the party finds these strange glass tunnels, and finds a den of babies. A wounded Remorhaz might retreat into its tunnels, funneling the players in for a blast. watch the fear in the wizards eyes when they launch a spell and you describe the tunnel beginning to collapse, giving them juuuuuust enough time to book it.
To learn more about Remorhaz proper, check out my video on the subject!
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[Most of the time, I make stuff when I'm inspired to have a reserve of content for later use. But this time I actually made something for a specific purpose, being the boss of a layer of a dungeon coming up for my players. He (she? idk yet) will also have some steelspines around that he made. Fingers crossed!]
[Oh and I presented the legendary stuff as a variant to make it fit on the page.]
Vampire Alchemist (CR 9)
Medium Undead (any humanoid subtype), neutral evil
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Initiative +4
HP 85 (10d8+40)
AC 16 (studded leather armor)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Str 16 (+3) Dex 18 (+4) Con 18 (+4) Int 20 (+5) Wis 17 (+3) Cha 18 (+4)
Saves Con +8, Int +9
Skills Arcana +9, Perception +7, Stealth +8
Tools Alchemist’s Supplies +13
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages The languages it knew in life
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
- - -
Legendary Resistance (2/day): If the vampire fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Regeneration: The vampire regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight. If the vampire takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of the vampire's next turn.
Spider Climb: The vampire can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity: The vampire takes 15 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Turn Resistance: The vampire has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
- - -
Innate Spellcasting (Spell DC 16, spell attack bonus +8): The vampire’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.
Multiattack: The vampire makes two weapon attacks, only one of which can be a bite.
Dagger +8 melee weapon attack, reach 5ft, or ranged weapon attack, range 20/60 ft., 6 (1d4+4) piercing damage. The target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) poison damage and become poisoned until the end of the vampire’s next turn. While poisoned in this way, the target is incapacitated.
Bite +8 melee weapon attack, one grappled, restrained, incapacitated, charmed, or willing target, reach 5 ft., 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Bomb: The vampire throws a bomb to a space within 30 ft. that they can see. The bomb explodes on contact with a hard surface. All bombs have a save DC of 17.
Concussion Bomb: All creatures within 10 ft. must make Constitution saves or take 21 (6d6) thunder damage, be pushed 10 ft. away from the center of the area of effect, and knocked prone. A creature that saves takes half damage and isn’t pushed or knocked prone.
Firebomb: All creatures within 10 ft. must make Dex saves or take 28 (8d6) fire damage. A creature takes half damage on a success.
Implosion Charge: All creatures within 15 ft. must make Str saves or take 21 (6d6) force damage, be pulled 15 ft. towards the center of the area of effect, and have their movement speed halved on their next turn. A creature that saves takes half damage and is not pulled or slowed.
Psionic Charge: All creatures within 10 ft. must make Int saves or take 24 (7d6) psychic damage. A creature that saves takes half damage. If this forces a creature to make a concentration check, it has disadvantage on that saving throw.
Shrapnel Bomb: All creatures within 10 ft. must make Dex saves or take 17 (5d6) piercing damage. Any creature that takes damage from this bomb begins bleeding. It must make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns or take 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. On a success, it stops bleeding.
The vampire can prepare up to 6 bombs as part of a long rest. The vampire’s bombs remain potent for up to 24 hours. If another creature attempts to use a bomb, it must make a DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist’s Supplies) check to do so.
Bonus Actions
Elixir: The vampire drinks an elixir it has prepared.
Empowerment: The vampire has advantage on all ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the start of its next turn.
Recovery: The vampire regains 14 (4d6) hit points and ends one effect affecting it that allows for recurring saving throws.
Vanishing: The vampire becomes invisible until the start of its next turn.
The vampire can prepare up to 3 elixirs as part of a long rest. The vampire’s elixirs remain potent for up to 24 hours. A living creature that drinks an elixir must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 round, in addition to the elixir’s normal effects.
- - -
Legendary Actions (2/round)
The vampire can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The vampire regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Dagger: The vampire makes a dagger attack.
Move: The vampire moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Bite (Costs 2 Actions): The vampire makes a Bite attack.
- - -
Tactics
Basically treat it as a spellcaster boss. It doesn’t have legendary actions but it probably wants allies more than those anyway. What kind of allies? Why, ones that are immune or resistant to the kinds of damage its bomb deals! Got fire elemental allies? Load up on firebombs!It can also target a lot of different saves (all but Charisma) so you can also load up on ones that target saves the allies are good at.
It's got more bombs than elixirs because Misty Step is a bonus action. Still more than it's likely going to have time to use!
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Aboleth Processors are the creations of Aboleth to allow them to capture and transform other beings into their slaves. Processors are created by injecting Aboleth cells into a common Jellyfish.
Despite sharing DNA with the Aboleth, they lack that creatures intelligence and malevolence, and yet are still compelled to hunt down any creature they come across. Once they subdue humanoid prey, they coat it with a special slime that begins the process of turning them into a slave of the Aboleth. When not hunting down humanoids to enslave, the Aboleth Processor behaves like a normal jellyfish, devouring fish and floating about lazily.
An Aboleth Processor resembles a giant Jellyfish, with the only indication of their monstrous nature being the three lobed eyes similar to their Aboleth progenitors.
Note: I missed doing an entry yesterday, so expect a second entry from me later tonight, just wrote this one up quickly though.
William Hexon (CR 11+ Bloodlines & Black Magic Encounter)
“You’re asking around about William Hexon? Let me give you a little bit of friendly advice about William Hexon: STOP.
“The best you’re gonna do, digging around like this, is get yourself & everyone you ever met put on a secret black-ops watch-list maintained by the Dark Heart of the Internet Herself*.
“Worst case scenario? He’ll catch wind of your ... ‘curiosity,’ and you’ll pique his interest in return. And there are very few people in this world -- or in the next -- you want to have ‘interested’ in you less than you do Mr. Hexon.
“Will Hexon isn’t famous, and that’s because he doesn’t want to be. He’s not running for office, he’s not the subject of any Vox think-pieces, he doesn’t have a Forbes profile talking about what a nice guy he really is, deep down, beneath all the hype & the superstardom.
“He’s not a philanthropist. He’s not a fundraiser. He’s not an entrepreneur or an investor. He’s not even a businessman, really. He’s a deep-rooted, olde-skool part of that upper, upper tier of the global elite, the .001% of the population who don’t really believe in ‘professional achievement’ because working is lower-class; the folks who still own slaves, who casually shop for nation-states with convenient local ordinances the way some of us shop for blue jeans, who waste the lives of little people like us competing in their weird, complicated status-games around who throws the best parties or who has the best horses or yachts or whatever.
“But here’s the catch: he’s not a person. He’s a monster, in the truest & most superstitious, folkloric sense of the word. And what makes William Hexon happy isn’t ‘having nice things’ or ‘making lots of money’ or even ‘accruing power by the most brutal means necessary’ ... although those are all things he’s very good at, they’re incidental to his actual goals.
“William Hexon likes ruining things. He buys-up land to clear cut it, to strip mine it, to dump toxic waste on it, pave it, franchise it out and then build cheap plastic ‘burbs on top of it even if it doesn’t make any money.
“The fact that what he does is insanely profitable is just a pleasant side-effect, for him. It also makes him one of the most dangerous weapons in the arsenal of the Archons. And if he decides that you’re beautiful, unspoiled, rare and pure ... well, there’s almost nothing that the Despoiler wouldn’t do to see you ruined, dripping from his hands.”
-- John Churchstreet
*see Haziliah, the Grand Archon of Spirits & Lightning (page 204)
He’s most likely sitting in a shadowy, smoke-filled penthouse or boardroom somewhere right now. Probably somewhere exotic, studded with white beaches and dark emerald golf courses stretched beneath crystal clear skies. The carpet is thick & luxurious; the air conditioning is roaring. He’s sipping whiskey that costs more than your monthly car payment; he’s wearing leather shoes tailored especially for him out of something endangered.
He’s thinking about the end of the world, and he can’t stop smiling.
The people around him are terrified. They hate him. They need him. They know that they’re signing away their souls, gripping the oily gold of his $10,000 pen in a sweat-slick hand. They sign anyway.
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original image from here; image also used here
William Hexon is a unique belker with elements of the Acid Creature, Advanced Creature, Dunesage and Young Creature Templates; he has superpowers based on Four Color to Fantasy by E.N Publishing.
Note that adding the Smoke Creature Template to Mr. Hexon increases his CR to 12 and makes him suitable as a Worldly Patron to supplicants.
William Hexon is not currently at war with the Archons, and that is only because their current goals align rather perfectly with his own; he’s more than happy to do them favors, when asked, and -- at the moment -- they’re perfectly happy to leave him alone to tend his foaming, poisonous “gardens”.
This is a marriage of convenience, and the exact moment when one side or the other decides that the alliance is more trouble than it’s worth ... on that day, a huge number of people are going to die.
In addition, Bill Hexon is in the midst of a long-term, ongoing campaign of utter annihilation against the Sionanns (see page 54); that beleaguered Lineage is also technically in a protracted stalemate with several pure-blooded fey and their own masters, the more-mysterious entities of the deeper Celestial Realm (see pg. 20). It should come as no surprise that Mr. Hexon wants them all dead, too. He would be happy to pay a bounty on one, if you can bring it to him alive.
If you know where to look, you can find William Hexon in Mexico City, in Lagos, in Las Vegas, in Dubai, in São Paulo, in the Virgin Islands, in Shanghai, or in any number of other resorts & five-star hotels scattered across the world.
Whether you want to find him or not ... well, that’s a scary question.
As one would expect, deep dragons are found deep, deep in the earth. It's not completely certain whether deep dragons are their own species, or some kind of mutated version of a true dragon. Regardless, they're just as powerful as true dragons. Surface dwellers may now give a sigh of relief as it's made known that deep dragons have no interest in leaving their dark world. They sometimes make pacts with drow, but that's mostly to keep an eye on them and make sure that whatever the drow do, it won't interfere with the deep dragon's well-being.
Deep dragons cannot be trusted. They’re especially tricky creatures, and similarly difficult to fool. Even a wyrmling is born with innate true seeing, making them immune to the effects of illusions and invisibility. Older deep dragons become more attuned to their cavernous and stony environment. They start out being able to easily burrow through stone and worm their way though small cracks. By the time end of their lifespan, deep dragons can command the stone to open, close and warp as they please.
Why fight some repugnant humanoid skulking in the tunnel you've left behind when you can simply command the tunnel to seal itself, crushing the intruder?
