AC 18 (natural armor)
HP 287 (25d12 + 125; bloodied 143)
Speed 40 ft., fly 100 ft.
Proficiency +6; Maneuver DC 20
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +11, Wis +9
Skills Insight +9, Intimidation +12, Perception +9 (+1d10)
Damage Resistances damage from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, confused, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 24
Languages Common, Draconic
Amphibious. The horror can breathe air and water.
Horrifying Cacophony. A non-aberration that starts its turn within 20 feet of the horror and can hear it makes a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw . On a failed save, the creature takes 14 (4d6) psychic damage and is confused until the start of its next turn. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn’t confused. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the horror’s Horrifying Cacophony for 24 hours.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When the horror fails a saving throw while it is within 60 feet of another aberration, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, an aberration of its choice dies.
Warper of Reality. Non-aberrations treat the ground within 20 feet of the horror as difficult terrain . The flying speed of any non-aberration creature within 20 feet of the horror is halved.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The horror attacks twice with its claws, once with its horrific maws, and once with its stinger.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Horrific Maws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., up to five targets. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) psychic damage.
Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 19 Constitution save . On a failed save, the target is implanted with a larval seed. The target is confused until the end of its next turn and then takes 27 (6d8) necrotic damage and two levels of strife as a newly formed gibbering mouther rips from its body.
Horrifying Breath (Recharge 5–6). The draconic horror exhales a blast of psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each non-aberration creature in the area must make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw . On a failed save, the target takes 63 (18d6) psychic damage and gains a level of strife. On a success, the target takes half damage and doesn’t gain strife.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The horror 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. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Absorb Ally. The horror consumes a Large or smaller aberration within 5 feet of it, regaining 27 (6d8) hit points.
Psionic Assault. The horror targets a creature within 120 feet with a blast of psionic energy. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Charisma save or be frightened until the end of its next turn. A creature that fails the save by 5 or more is also paralyzed while frightened in this way.
Whirlwind. The horror flaps its wings, creating a howling wind. Non-aberration creatures within 30 feet of the horror must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet directly away from the horror or pulled 10 feet closer (horror’s choice; same effect on all applicable creatures).
Combat
The draconic horror leads with its Horrifying Breath but otherwise prefers to stay in the midst of its enemies, making maximum use of its horrific maws attack and Horrifying Cacophony and Warper of Reality traits. It reserves its stinger for low-AC, high-damage characters such as rogues or spellcasters, hoping to turn some of their damage output against their allies.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or History check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Draconic horrors are created when a dragon’s egg is exposed to energies from the Far Realms.
DC 15 The minds of draconic horrors are too warped to be controlled or harmed by psychic energy.
When a dragon’s egg is exposed to the eldritch energies of the Far Realms, the creature that hatches is not quite a dragon. Its tail ends in a bulbous stinger, and dozens of extra eyes and mouths sprout along the length of its gangly and misshapen body. While the extra eyes grant the dragon heightened senses, the mouths murmur words of madness that stagger the mind, even as they bite and tear the flesh of creatures foolish enough to wander into their reach.
Non-Euclidean Spaces. Both corrupted and corrupting, a draconic horror warps space around itself, causing objects to elongate strangely and sprout superfluous eyes and mouths. While the spatial distortions disappear when the dragon leaves the area, an extra eye can blink from a surface for months afterward.
1 Tormenting its creator for the crime of creating it
2 Imprisoned in a space it is magically barred from leaving
3 Guarding prisoners in which it has implanted larvae
4 Speaking to an unseen and undetectable presence
Draconic horrors are constructed in laboratories or warped in places of eldritch magic.
CR 17–22 draconic horror with 1 or 2 gibbering mouthers
Treasure arcane equipment worth 15,000 gp, wand of the war mage +3 made from gilded dragon bone
Aberrations are unnatural beings that don’t belong to this plane of existence. Many aberrations are telepathic and use a mental power known as psionic power instead of magic. An aboleth is an aberration.