Hive Herald

This article complies with version 0.96 of Runarcana RPG

"It spoke to me as... as if it knew me. Like it wanted me to meet... something..." – Kai'Sa

The Hive Herald is a Voidborn with a particularly humanoid appearance, whose role is to pave the way for the Void to consume reality. To make this possible, this creature possesses the unique ability to spawn other Voidborns almost instantly.

In addition to his unique ability, the Hive Herald is also particularly intelligent, even capable of communicating with creatures of the Material Realm, though he uses this ability primarily to announce the imminent end he brings with him.

Lair

The Hive Herald appears accompanied by a Portal to the Void, an otherworldly structure that defies the rules of reality and serves as a gateway for the Void to take over the Material Realm.

At the center of the location where the Portal of the Void appears is a distorted structure that acts as a conduit for the power of the Void.

Regional Effects

A Void Portal corrupts the area where it appears, affecting a 1-mile radius with the following effects:

• The area is afflicted by the Touch of the Void curse as long as the portal exists.
• Creatures of the Voidborn type appear within this area.

The regional effects gradually fade over 1d10 days after the Portal to the Void is destroyed.

Lair Actions

The structure at the center of the portal functions as a power Obelisk to strengthen the Hive Herald. It has 60 hit points, AC 18, immunity to all simple physical damage, and vulnerability to Acid and Lunar damage.

During combat, the Obelisk can perform the following lair actions:

• Accelerated Growth. The Obelisk's energy casts the Enlarge version of the Enlarge/Reduce spell on a creature with the Vastinata type or subtype within a 30-foot radius of the Obelisk.
• Create Voidborn (Count 3). The Void Portal releases 2 (1d4) creatures of the voidborn type with a CR of 1.
• Disintegrating Ray. A line of energy from the void, 30 feet long and 5 feet wide, appears at a point chosen by the Hive Herald. Each creature in the area must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 16), taking 5 (2d4) Disruptive damage on a failure or half that damage on a success.

If the Obelisk is destroyed, the Hive Herald is unable to use these Lair Actions.

Void Portal Sheets

Herald

Hive Herald								Paragon T3		CR 12
Voidborn, Large
HP		AC		DR		Proficiency			Initiative
270 (48d10+6)		15		4		+4			+4
Attributes
STR:	14	DEX:	19	CON:	17	INT:	20	WIS:	15	CHA:	13
+2		+4		+3		+5		+2		+1
Additional
Senses:		Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 16
Speed		30 feet of walking
Skills:		Arcanism +9, Perception +6, Religion +9
Languages:		Icathian, Shuriman, Old Shuriman
Experience
Collective: 4.200						Individual: 1.575
Defenses
Saving Throws: Constitution +7, Intelligence +9 Damage Resistances: Simple physical damages and Disruptive damage Damage immunity: Poison damage Damage vulnerability: Acid damage and Lunar damage
Features
Adaptability. When the Hive Herald lands a critical hit, reduces a creature to 0 hit points, or takes a critical hit, it gains 1 adaptability token that can be spent on an Adaptation action. Adaptation: Observation. The Hive Herald can use 1 Adaptation token and an action at the start of its turn to enhance itself. The effects of Observation Adaptations remain as long as the Herald maintains concentration on them; they are replaced if a new adaptation is made. The Herald loses the adaptation if he takes damage, moves, or makes an attack. If he maintains the chosen adaptation until he takes a rest, the adaptation becomes permanent and no longer requires concentration. When using this type of adaptation, the Hive Herald chooses from the options below: Observation — Energy Emission. The Hive Herald emits Void energy during its melee and ranged attacks, adding 12 Disruptive damage to the attacks it performs, including weapon attacks. Observation — Multiple Eyes. The Hive Herald develops additional eyes, allowing it to see in all directions and making it immune to the Blind condition. Observation — Disintegration Nucleus. The Hive Herald gains the ability to fire beams of vastinata energy to attack. The Herald gains the Disintegration Beam attack, an Intelligence-based ranged attack with a range of 120/300 feet that deals 36 (3d12+17) Disruptive damage to a target. This attack has a cooldown of 4–6. Adaptation: Procreation of the Void. The Hive Herald may spend an entire turn channeling and consume a number of adaptability tokens of their choice to generate a Voidborn Embryo, transferring the number of tokens consumed to the Embryo. The Hive Herald must concentrate on creating the Embryo until the start of its next turn, losing its adaptability if it takes damage or moves. While concentrating on this process, the Hive Herald cannot make attacks. Multiple Objects Handling. The Hive Herald has 4 arms with functional hands, allowing it to wield up to 4 one-handed weapons or pieces of equipment simultaneously, in addition to applying its proficiency bonus to attack rolls made with those weapons.
Attacks
Multiple Attacks. The Hive Herald can use an action to make 2 attacks with Claws or 1 attack with a Tail Tentacle. Additionally, the Hive Herald can make an attack with a Tail Tentacle using a bonus action. Claws. Melee Natural Weapon Attack, +4 to hit, 5 ft. range, one target. On a hit, deals 22 (4d10) Lacerating damage + 14 (2d8+5) Disruptive damage. Tail Tentacle. Melee Natural Weapon Attack, +8 to hit, 10 ft. range, one target. On a hit, deals 22 (4d8+4) Crushing damage + 14 (2d8+5) Disruptive damage.
Epic Actions
The Hive Herald has 4 epic action charges and may spend one of these charges to take an action. Only one action may be used at a time at the end of another creature’s turn. At the start of the Hive Herald’s turn, the number of charges resets to 4. The Hive Herald can perform an action and restore its reaction (if spent). The Hive Herald can use all or the remainder of its movement. The Hive Herald can cast a Safeguard again to counter an effect targeting it. Cost. When the Hive Herald restores the shield in this way, it loses 12 health points.
Epic Resistance
Resilience Points: 90 Whenever the Hive Herald would fail a safeguard against any effect, it may spend 12 Resilience points to succeed. Additionally, the Hive Herald may use the effect below: Resolve: When the Hive Herald is required to make a saving throw to resist an effect, it may spend 3 Resilience points to gain advantage on the roll. Resist: When the Hive Herald rolls a saving throw again after failing one against a persistent effect, the Hive Herald may spend 6 Resilience points to gain advantage on the saving throw.
Runes
Runic Pulse: Lazulite Pulse (7 points) Runes: Offspring Elder, 4 uses (summons 1d6 Neonatologist Voidlings).

Neonatologist

Neonatologist Voidling								Minion		CR 1
Voidborn, Small
HP		AC		DR		Proficiency			Initiative
5 (2d4)		16		1		+2			+2
Attributes
STR:	8	DEX:	14	CON:	10	INT:	5	WIS:	4	CHA:	6
-1		+2		0		-3		-3		-2
Additional
Senses:		Darkvision 60 feet. Passive Perception 11
Speed:		45 feet of levitation
Skills:		Acrobatics +4, Athletics +1, Stealth -1, Perception +1
Languages:		—
Experience
Collective: 12						Individual: 4
Defenses
Saving Throws: Dexterity +4, Intelligency -1 Damage resistances: Simple physical damages and Disruptive damage Damage immunities: Poison damage Damage vulnerability: Acid damage and Lunar damage
Characteristics
Adaptability'. When the Voidling lands a critical hit, reduces a creature to 0 hit points, or takes a critical hit, it gains 1 adaptability token that can be spent on an Adaptation action. Adaptation: Observation. The Voidling can use 1 Adaptation token and an action at the start of its turn to enhance itself. The effects of Observation Adaptations remain as long as the Voidling maintains concentration on them; they are replaced if a new adaptation is made. The Voidling loses the adaptation if he takes damage, moves, or makes an attack. If he maintains the chosen adaptation until he takes a rest, the adaptation becomes permanent and no longer requires concentration. When using this type of adaptation, the Voidling chooses from the options below: Observation — Energy Emission. The Voidling emits Void energy during its melee and ranged attacks, adding 1 Disruptive damage to the attacks it performs, including weapon attacks. Observation — Multiple Eyes. The Voidling develops additional eyes, allowing it to see in all directions and making it immune to the Blind condition. The Voidling gains the ability to fire beams of vastinata energy to attack. The Herald gains the Disintegration Beam attack, an Intelligence-based ranged attack with a range of 60/150 feet that deals 1 (2d4-3) Disruptive damage to a target. This attack has a cooldown of 6. Caretaker Tentacles. The Neonatologist Voidling can use its tentacles to wrap around a Voidborn Embryo; the Embryo becomes Gripped by the Neonatologist Voidling, and any attack targeting it is redirected to the Neonatologist Voidling instead. While carrying a Voidborn Embryo, the Neonatologist Voidling cannot attack with its Tentacles.
Attacks
Tentacle. Melee Natural Weapon Attack, +2 to hit, 5 ft. range, one target. On a hit, deals 0 (1d2-1) Bludgeoning damage.
Runes
Runic Pulse: Pearl Pulse (Up to 1 target creature gains 3 temporary hit points, +1 to saving throws, and +2 to damage)

Embryo

Voidborn Embryo								Minion		CR 1
Voidborn, Diminutive
HP		AC		DR		Proficiency			Initiative
11 (2d4+6)		12		1		+2			-2
Attributes
STR:	6	DEX:	6	CON:	17	INT:	4	WIS:	4	CHA:	4
-2		-2		+3		-3		-3		-3
Additional
Senses:		—
Speed		0 feet
Skills:		—
Languages:		—
Experience
Collective: 12						Individual: 4
Defenses
Damage resistances: Simple damage and Disruptive damage Damage immunity: Poison damage Damage vulnerability: Acid damage and Lunar damage
Characteristics
Adaptability. When it takes a critical hit, the Voidborn Embryo gains 1 adaptability token that can be spent on an Adaptation action. Adaptation: Incubation. The Voidborn Embryo consumes Adaptability tokens to slowly transform into a Voidborn based on the number of Adaptability tokens consumed, initiating a countdown equal to the number of tokens required, which is reduced by 1 at the start of each of the Embryo's turns; the count can be reduced further by consuming an additional number of Adaptability tokens equal to the number consumed to activate the ability. When activating Incubation, the Embryo must choose one of the following options: Incubation — Neonatologist Voidling. By consuming 1 adaptability token during a 1-round incubation, the Voidborn Embryo transforms into a Neonatologist Voidling. Incubation — Voidspawn. By consuming 2 adaptability tokens over a 2-round incubation period, the Voidborn Embryo transforms into a Voidspawn. Incubation — Voidsites. After consuming 2 adaptability tokens over a 2-round incubation period, the Voidling Embryo transforms into a Voidsite. Incubation — Voidling. After consuming 2 adaptability tokens over a 2-round incubation period, the Voidborn Embryo transforms into a Voidling. Incubation — Chilopod Voidling. After consuming 5 adaptability tokens over 5 incubation rounds, the Voidborn Embryo transforms into a Chilopod Voidling. When it becomes a different type of Voidborn, the Embryo retains its unused adaptability markers.
Attacks
The Voidborn Embryo is unable to attack.
Runes
Runic Pulse: Jade Pulse (1d4 Bludgeoning and Fire)