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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8747073" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Now, the luposphinx. I changed this one considerably from its original treatment, where it was basically just a dull monster with a magical howl. It didn’t even need to be a sphinx. To be honest, none of the 1e sphinxes had any real flavor to them—their entry in the 1e MM didn’t even say they asked riddles!In case anyone is interested in my thought process when I was figuring out how to make this creature interesting, it basically went like this:“The text reads ‘there is a 40% chance that they would be accompanied by 5-20 humanoids, usually gnolls or xvarts.’ Why is this? They’re evil, they want to hang around evil people, and they’re not going to be their pet, so what do they want minions for? Standard minioning stuff? Lemme look at LU’s sphinxes. Huh, sphinxes guard planar boundaries. Hmm. Maybe luposphinxes try to break those boundaries. Why would they do that? Because they’re anti-sphinxes, except they don’t explode if they touch a real sphinx. So they put together groups of mercenaries and people who want to watch the world burn, but not xvarts because those aren’t in LU, and make planar portals. Probably using a ritual. That the Narrator can make up, so I don't have to. Now to write it up.”…I never claimed my thought process was particularly sensical or in-depth.[ATTACH=full]258993[/ATTACH]Art by quite probably Jim HollowayLuposphinxThe Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #119Created by Lance HankinsAccording to legend, every time a sphinx is created, a luposphinx is also born, and where sphinxes are guardians of the walls between reality, luposphinxes are the destroyers who seek to tear down those walls and let all of reality mingle together. They are creatures of chaos, and unlike sphinxes, who are created ex nihilo, luposphinxes are literally born, pulling themselves bloodily out of a laboring mother worg, dire wolf, or other Large canid. They reach maturity within hours or days, aware of their purpose in existence.Luposphinxes resemble feather-winged lions with the heads of wolves. Their feathers and fur are dark gray.Connivers. Luposphinxes, like the wolves they resemble, are pack animals, but their packs consist of themselves and the dozen or so other creatures, whom they convince through promises or threats to aid their cause. Although unpleasant, destructive, and manipulative, luposphinxes are not liars. They are honest about their goals and charismatic enough to rally people to their cause.Plane-Tearers. Luposphinxes create elaborate rituals that allow them to literally bite through reality. They send their minions to gather the necessary reagents and sacrifices needed for each ritual while they scout out the perfect location for them to perform the ritual—clearing out any creatures that live in that location first.Twinned Creation. When a luposphinx is born, it is aware of the existence sphinx that was created at the same time of its birth and of its name—and the sphinx is aware of the luposphinx’s existence and name in return. The luposphinx considers this sphinx to be a hated sibling; the far more powerful sphinx usually views the luposphinx as a dangerous nuisance. The luposphinx and sphinx otherwise have no knowledge of the other’s whereabouts, although they become aware should the other die.Luposphinxes are far weaker than true sphinxes, and the rituals they put on often gather the attention of armed adventurers. But luposphinxes have another trick that few know about: as long as their sibling lives, they will eventually be reborn. They remember their previous lives perfectly, and their desire for revenge on those who killed them before wars against their desire to destroy planar walls. The sphinx is aware whenever its sibling is reborn.Like sphinxes, luposphinxes can travel through space. They lack the ability to travel through time, however.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. Luposphinxes have the bodies of winged lions and the heads of wolves.DC 15. Luposphinxes usually surround themselves with a large number of minions in order to further their goals.DC 20. The luposphinx is a dark reflection of the true sphinx; each time a sphinx is created, a luposphinx is created as well. Where sphinxes are guardians of reality, luposphinxes seek to destroy it.Luposphinx EncountersTerrain: forest, grassland, hill, mountain, ruin, temple, tomb, tundraCR 5-10: Luposphinx; luposphinx with 2d4 cultists or bandits; luposphinx with 1d4+1 gnolls; luposphinx with 2-3 jackalweres, wereratsTreasure: 3 jets (100 gp each), golden chalice (worth 250 gp), electrum coffer (100 gp), oil of etherealness, spell scroll of arcane eye, 1-2 tuning forks (for use with plane shift spell)CR 11-16: Luposphinx with cult fanatic and 1d6+4 cultists; luposphinx with jackalwere pack leader and 1d4+2 jackalweres; luposphinx and spirit naga; luposphinx with gnoll packleader, gnoll demonfang, and 2d4 gnolls.Treasure: diamond (worth 1,000 gp), puzzle box made of dragon horn and mother of pearl (worth 1,000 gp), immovable rod, ioun stone of protection, two scrolls of charm monster.Signs1. A terrible howl in the distance2. A rash of thefts in the area; the stolen objects come from different planes of existence or have magical properties related to the planes, or else might be used as gifts to extraplanar beings.3. The presence of a powerful extraplanar being.4. A ransacked and destroyed library; with a DC 20 Investigation check, it’s learned that the library was a favorite of a sphinx.Behavior1. Attacks on sight.2. Attempts to size up the characters to see if they’d be good candidates to convert to the cause.3. Researching a new plane-tearing ritual.4. Preaching to a cult of fanatical followers.LuposphinxLarge monstrosityChallenge 7 (2,900 XP)AC 16 (natural armor)HP 114 (12d10+48; bloodied 57)Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft.STR 18 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4)INT 14 (+2) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 20 (+5)Proficiency +3Maneuver DC 16Saving Throws Str +7, Dex +5, Con +7Skills Arcana +5 (+1d4), History +5, Perception +4, Persuasion +8Damage Resistances damage from nonmagical weaponsCondition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunnedSenses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 14Languages Abyssal, Common, telepathy 120 ft.Innate Spellcasting. The luposphinx’s spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). It can cast the following spells, requiring no material components:At Will: detect evil and good, detect magic3/day: dispel magic1/day each: banishment, planar ally (The luposphinx can also summon aberrations and constructs with this spell, in addition to celestials, elementals, fey, and fiends, and it must provide the necessary gifts needed to bargain with the creature it summons.)Inscrutable. The luposphinx is immune to divination and to any effect that would sense its emotions and thoughts. Insight checks made to determine the sphinx’s intentions are made with disadvantage.Keen Hearing and Smell. The luposphinx has advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing and smell.Rebirth. When a luposphinx dies, it is reborn 2d10 years later with its former life’s memories. It can only be killed permanently if its sphinx sibling dies before it is reborn.ActionsMultiattack. The luposphinx attacks once with its bite and twice with its claws.Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) force damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or fall prone.Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4+5) slashing damage.Planar Jaunt (1/Day). The luposphinx targets up to eight creatures it can see within 300 feet. The targets are magically transported to a different place, plane of existence, or demiplane. This effect ends after one hour or when the luposphinx takes a bonus action to end it. When the effect ends, the creatures reappear in their original locations, along with any items they acquired on their jaunt. While the effect lasts, the luposphinx can communicate telepathically with the targets. The luposphinx chooses one of the following destinations:• Different Location or Plane of Existence. The creatures appear in empty spaces of the luposphinx’s choice anywhere on the Material Plane or on a different plane altogether.• Demiplane. The creatures appear in empty spaces of the luposphinx’s choice on a demiplane. The demiplane can be up to one square mile in size. The demiplane can appear to be inside, outside, or underground, and can contain terrain, nonmagical objects, and magical effects of the luposphinx’s choosing. The luposphinx may populate it with creatures and hazards with a total Challenge Rating equal to or less than the luposphinx’s Challenge Rating.Terrifying Howl (Recharge 6). The luposphinx emits a how. Each creature of the luposphinx’s choice that can hear it within 60 feet must make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it is frightened for 1 minute. A creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. When it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends for it, it is immune to any luposphinx’s Terrifying Howl for 24 hours.Bonus ActionsEncouraging Howl (Recharge 6). The luposphinx emits a howl, and any number of creatures of its choice within 60 feet that can hear it are inspired. For the next minute, inspired creatures gain an expertise die on attack rolls and saving throws. A creature can benefit from only one Encouraging Howl at a time, and the luposphinx cannot target itself or another luposphinx.ReactionsCommand Minion. When the luposphinx would be hit by an attack, they command an ally within 5 feet to use its reaction to switch places with the luposphinx. The ally is hit by the attack instead of the luposphinx.CombatLuposphinxes send their minions in to attack, allowing them free reign to do what they want. The luposphinx starts its attack first with an Encouraging Howl, and then with a Terrifying Howl, then wades in with claws and teeth, attacking the closest creature. It retreats when bloodied.Ritual TearingThe luposphinx can create a ritual designed to open a semi-permanent portal to another plane. The exact nature of the ritual is up to the Narrator, but at the least, should require several thousand gold worth of material components and magic items and take a minimum of 12 hours to fully set up, although the actual ritual takes less than a minute to perform.When completed, a permanent portal to a plane of the Narrator’s choice is created. This takes the form of a Malfunctioning Planar Portal (as per the exploration hazard in Trials & Treasures), along with any other effects the Narrator wishes to include, such as extraplanar beings stepping through or environmental hazards from that plane affecting the area around the portal. The portal will range from 5 to 20 feet across and will slowly expand. Closing or stabilizing the portal requires high-level magic or a quest of some sort—it can’t be fixed by mending the broken stone as in the hazard.After every 24 hours, the Narrator will roll a d20. On a roll of 15 or above, the portal will begin to stabilize. After 1d10 days, it will no longer malfunction and will simply be an open portal.</blockquote>

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