Part 4 · Monsters & Creatures
Windfarer
“Spring blooms first on the cliffs of Ionia, where newly formed wings beat and caress the earth with the season’s gentle breezes.”
– Saga of the First Lands
On one of my many expeditions to Ionia, I heard a beautiful tale about strikingly beautiful blue-and-white feathered creatures whose appearance resembled a mix of an otter, a bird of prey, and a feline.
These creatures are strongly tied to the Saga of the First Lands, a series of legends and stories about ancestral creatures that protect Ionia from those who wish it harm.
The Windfarers’ Nest
North of Placidium, there’s a chain of white rock cliffs where, at their base, there’s an unusually dense fog.
This fog exists because the veil between the material and spiritual realms is thinner there, allowing these creatures to control magic in a way that confuses invaders who get too close to their nests.
Of course, there are hundreds of such mountains, but when you’re in the right place, you can hear the high-pitched laughter of a Windfarer Hatchling, a contagious and joyful laugh.
Using some tools, I was prepared to climb the cliff to its peak, following the sound of their laughter.
When I reached a reasonable height, the mist covering the ground vanished, and I could see a few dozen white beasts playing with each other, flying and vanishing in midair.
The young ones stayed in a separate area, protected by those I believe were their parents.
Protective… and Playful Creatures?
I kept climbing to get a better look at these creatures, but I think I got too close, and a piercing shriek burst in my ear.
When I realized what was happening, all the creatures had vanished, with the sole exception of their young, but something told me that approaching their nest would be a huge mistake. I felt claws grabbing me from behind and carrying me in full flight across the sky.
I was dropped from up there, but another pair of claws caught me, and this repeated… over and over. These creatures were playing with me, and I couldn’t even see them.
At a certain point, the creatures brought me down to the ground, as if they’d had enough fun. The beast that let me go reappeared before my eyes; that’s when I could see it was giving me a sign… not to come back.
Lair
A Windfarer Matriarch’s nest is always in an elevated location, favoring mountain peaks or high terrain in forests, where strong winds are common.
Regional Effects
When a Windfarer Matriarch settles her nest, her presence alters the region within a 1-mile radius of the nest with the following effects:
- The population of birds and small animals increases considerably in the region
- Plants in the region are always in bloom, regardless of the season
- Flames are unable to spread or destroy life
- A great cloud spreads like fog around the nest, making it difficult for unwary travelers to find it
The regional effects fade gradually over 1d10 days after the Windfarer Matriarch that inhabits the Nest is killed, destroyed, or driven away.
Lair Actions
A Windfarer Matriarch’s Nest can take certain lair actions in combat. The Nest doesn’t follow the Initiative rules for creatures; instead of rolling Initiative at the start of combat, the Nest’s Initiative is always 20, losing any Initiative ties.
During combat, the Nest can take the following lair actions:
- Call for Aid (recharge 6). The Windfarer Matriarch lets out a sound carried by the wind to call for help from her Hatchlings. Doing this brings a Windfarer Hatchling to her aid, appearing within 30 feet of her at the start of the next round, acting on the lair’s turn.
- Wind Slash. The wind wraps around the claws of the Windfarer Matriarch or one of her hatchlings. The next Claw attack made by the wind-wrapped creature has its reach increased by 30 feet.
- Speed of Wind. The Windfarer Matriarch manipulates the elemental energy of the air around her to generate an acceleration effect. The Windfarer Matriarch casts the Haste spell non-magically on herself or a creature within the Lair, with no cost and ignoring its components.
Rewards
A Windfarer Matriarch’s Nest may contain rare herbs and plants, as well as any rare component that can be found in environments like the Nest’s (mountains or forests).
In addition, certain body parts of a Windfarer Matriarch and her hatchlings can be obtained after their bodies are dissected.
Item Crafting
Materials obtained from the body of a Windfarer Hatchling or Matriarch carry part of their elemental bond with wind and can be used to craft items:
- The Claws of a Windfarer Hatchling or Matriarch can be used by a creature with the Weaponsmith Craft to create slashing weapons.
- Weapons made with these Claws gain +2 to attack and damage rolls.
- The Down of a Windfarer Hatchling or Matriarch can be used by a creature with the Fashionista Craft to weave fabrics or clothing.
- When this material is used to create fabric or clothing, the resulting garment grants advantage on Stealth checks. Upon rolling a natural 20 on the Craft check to create a garment made from a Windfarer Matriarch’s down, the creator can use a bonus action to gain the Matriarch’s Undetectable ability for up to 1 hour; this effect can be used once per day.
- When this material is used to create footwear, the resulting footwear grants +10 feet of speed to the creature that wears it.
Windfarer Sheets
Hatchling
Windfarer Hatchling
Spirit - Beast, Large
- Senses
- Keen Vision. Passive perception 16
- Speed
- 30 feet walking and 120 feet flying
- Skills
- Acrobatics +7, Stealth +7, Perception +6
- Languages
- Spiritual, Sylvan
Defenses
Saving Throws: Wisdom +6
Damage resistance. Simple Physical and Poison damage
Damage immunity. Cronal damage
Condition immunity. Grappled, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, and Restrained
Characteristics
Undetectable. The Windfarer Hatchling can't be targeted by divination magic, perceived by magical scrying sensors, or detected by abilities that detect spirits.
Invisibility (Recharge 4-6). Using a bonus action, the Windfarer Hatchling can turn Invisible for 1 hour or until it takes an Attack action.
Spiritual Energy. The Windfarer Hatchling has 6 Ki points, and can use them in the following ways:
As part of a movement action, the Windfarer Hatchling can spend at least 1 Ki point to gain 10 feet of additional movement, increased by 10 feet for each additional Ki point spent.
As a reaction, the Windfarer Hatchling can spend at least 2 Ki points to gain advantage on a saving throw.
As part of a melee attack action, the Windfarer Hatchling can spend at least 3 Ki points to deal 1d10 additional damage on that attack for every 3 Ki points spent.
Flyby. The Windfarer Hatchling doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an opponent's reach.
Keen Vision. The Windfarer Hatchling has advantage on Perception checks related to sight.
Attacks
Multiattack. The Windfarer Hatchling can use an attack action to make 2 Claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Natural Weapon Attack, +7 to hit, 5 ft. reach, one target. On a hit, deals 28 (5d10+3) Slashing damage. If the target is a creature, the target becomes Grappled (DC 13 to escape). Attacks against a Grappled target are made with advantage.
Epic Actions
The Windfarer Hatchling has 4 epic action charges, and can spend one of these charges to act. Only one action can be used at a time, at the end of another creature's turn. At the start of the Windfarer Hatchling's turn, the number of charges resets to 4
The Windfarer Hatchling can take an action and restore its reaction (if spent)
The Windfarer Hatchling can spend all or the rest of its movement
The Windfarer Hatchling can repeat a saving throw against an effect affecting it
Cost. When the Windfarer Hatchling redoes the saving throw this way, it loses 9 hit points.
Runes
Runic Pulse: Lazulite Pulse (7 points)
Runes: Presence Eraser, 3 uses
Matriarch
Windfarer Matriarch
Spirit - Beast, Huge
- Senses
- Keen Vision. Passive perception 17
- Speed
- 30 feet walking and 120 feet flying
- Skills
- Acrobatics +8, Stealth +8, Perception +7
- Languages
- Spiritual, Sylvan
Defenses
Saving Throws: Wisdom +7
Damage resistance. Simple Physical and Poison damage
Damage immunity. Cronal damage
Condition immunity. Grappled, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, and Restrained
Characteristics
Spiritual Energy. The Windfarer Matriarch has 6 Ki points, and can use them in the following ways:
As part of a movement action, the Windfarer Matriarch can spend at least 1 Ki point to gain 10 feet of additional movement, increased by 10 feet for each additional Ki point spent.
As a reaction, the Windfarer Matriarch can spend at least 2 Ki points to gain advantage on a saving throw.
As part of a melee attack action, the Windfarer Matriarch can spend at least 3 Ki points to deal 1d10 additional damage on that attack for every 3 Ki points spent.
Undetectable. The Windfarer Matriarch can't be targeted by divination magic, perceived by magical scrying sensors, or detected by abilities that detect spirits.
Invisibility (Recharge 4-6). Using a bonus action, the Windfarer Matriarch can turn Invisible for 1 hour or until it takes an Attack action.
Wind Intensification (Count 2). Upon activating this ability, Wind Intensity within a 600-foot radius of the Windfarer Matriarch increases by one category every 2 combat turns, following the order below:
(Count 0) - Calm Wind
(Count 2) - Moderate Wind
(Count 4) - Strong Wind
(Count 6) - Gale
(Count 8) - Storm
Swiftness. The Windfarer Matriarch can use the Disengage or Dodge actions with a bonus action.
Flyby. The Windfarer Matriarch doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an opponent's reach.
Keen Vision. The Windfarer Matriarch has advantage on Perception checks related to sight.
Attacks
Multiattack. The Windfarer Matriarch can use an attack action to make 3 Claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Natural Weapon Attack, +8 to hit, 10 ft. reach, one target. On a hit, deals 34 (5d12+4) Slashing damage. If the target is a creature, the target becomes Grappled (DC 14 to escape). Attacks against a Grappled target are made with advantage.
Epic Actions
The Windfarer Matriarch has 4 epic action charges, and can spend one of these charges to act. Only one action can be used at a time, at the end of another creature's turn. At the start of the Windfarer Matriarch's turn, the number of charges resets to 4
The Windfarer Matriarch can take an action and restore its reaction (if spent)
The Windfarer Matriarch can spend all or the rest of its movement
The Windfarer Matriarch can repeat a saving throw against an effect affecting her
Cost. When the Windfarer Matriarch redoes the saving throw this way, she loses 10 hit points
The Windfarer Matriarch can spend 2 epic actions to make an additional attack with her reaction.
Epic Resilience
Resilience Points: 114 When the Windfarer Matriarch would fail any saving throw against an effect, she can spend 10 Resilience points to succeed instead. In addition, the Windfarer Matriarch can use the effect below:
Determination (2 points): When the Windfarer Matriarch is targeted and must make a saving throw to resist an effect, she can spend Resilience points to gain advantage on the roll.
Freedom of Wind (10 points). The Windfarer Matriarch touches a creature with her feathers using a bonus action, removing all effects that reduce the target's speed, and letting it ignore difficult terrain for the next 4 rounds.
Runes
Runic Pulse: Pearl Pulse (Up to 2 target creatures gain 10 temporary hit points, +1 to attack rolls and +3 to Damage)
Runes: Presence Eraser, 3 uses. Wind Spirit, 2 uses.