Ratling Plaguebringer
Large monstrosity, chaotic evil
Physical Description
The ratling plaguebringer is a grotesque aberration that barely resembles its ratling origins. Standing nearly ten feet tall, its bloated form pulsates with dozens of bulbous growths that occasionally rupture to release clouds of disease-laden spores. Its skin has a sickly greenish-yellow hue where visible between patches of mangy fur, and is covered in weeping sores that never heal. Multiple limbs protrude from its torso at odd angles—some recognizably ratlike, others mutated into tentacles or insectoid appendages. The plaguebringer's face retains basic ratling features, though horribly distorted, with a mouth that has split vertically to accommodate an oversized tongue that constantly drips with infectious saliva. Clouds of flies and other insects swarm around it, feeding on the miasma of decay that emanates from its form. When it moves, it leaves behind a trail of putrid slime that causes small plants to wither and die within minutes of exposure.
The stench arrives before the creature itself—a nauseating miasma of rot, disease, and corruption that causes immediate gagging. Then the massive form lumbers into view, its body a testament to pestilence given flesh. Bulbous growths pulse and throb across its surface, occasionally bursting to release clouds of spores that glitter sickly in the light. Where it steps, vegetation blackens and withers, small insects drop dead from the air, and the very stone seems to decay. Its vertical maw splits in what might be a smile, revealing row upon row of needle-like teeth coated in yellowish film.
Lore
Living Plague Vessels. Plaguebringers represent the ultimate expression of the ratlings' affinity for disease and contagion. Through extensive magical and alchemical modifications, these creatures have been transformed into living incubators for dozens of magical plagues, each more virulent than the last. Their entire existence is dedicated to spreading these diseases to new populations and environments.
Patient Zero. Each plaguebringer begins as a volunteer ratling who displays unusual resistance to disease. These individuals undergo a transformation ritual where they are infected with countless magical contagions simultaneously, their bodies warping as they become hosts to the very essence of pestilence. Only one in a hundred candidates survives this process, emerging as a new plaguebringer.
Experimental Breeders. Plaguebringers constantly experiment with new diseases, combining existing strains or exposing them to magical energies to create novel contagions. They view this work as both art and science, taking pride in developing plagues with specific effects or targeting particular species. Some ratling warrens keep detailed records of plaguebringer creations spanning centuries of experimentation.
Venerated and Isolated. Despite their central importance to ratling society, plaguebringers are typically kept isolated in specialized chambers. Even other ratlings fear the uncontrolled release of their diseases, though they venerate plaguebringers as living embodiments of their destructive ideals. When deployed in warfare, plaguebringers are often the last resort, used when total contamination of an area is the objective.
The Walking Plague
"We tracked the source of the Wasting Fever epidemic to a single village on the Sword Coast. By the time we arrived, there was nothing left but corpses—except for one survivor, a half-mad farmer who described a massive ratlike creature that had visited their well three days before the first symptoms appeared. He said it 'blessed' the water with its touch. The terrifying part is that we found similar reports from six other outbreaks across the region, each describing the same creature but in locations hundreds of miles apart and within days of each other. Either there are multiple such abominations, or it can travel far more quickly than seems possible." — Report from the Order of the Gauntlet
Stats
- Armor Class: 20 (natural armor)
- Hit Points: 350 (30d10 + 180)
- Speed: 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 16 (+3) | 24 (+7) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) |
- Saving Throws: Con +14, Int +11, Wis +10
- Skills: Arcana +11, Medicine +10, Perception +10
- Damage Resistances: acid, cold, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities: necrotic, poison
- Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened, poisoned
- Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
- Languages: Ratling, Sylvan, Abyssal
- Challenge: 18 (20,000 XP)
Aura of Decay. Any creature that starts its turn within 15 feet of the plaguebringer takes 11 (2d10) necrotic damage.
Magic Resistance. The plaguebringer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Virulent Poison. When the plaguebringer hits a creature with a melee attack, the target must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Pestilent Corruption. Any creature that touches the plaguebringer or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature contracts a disease and is poisoned. While poisoned by this disease, the creature takes 18 (4d8) poison damage at the start of each of its turns, and it can't regain hit points. If the saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the plaguebringer's Pestilent Corruption for 24 hours.
Regeneration. The plaguebringer regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn. If the plaguebringer takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the plaguebringer's next turn. The plaguebringer dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Multiattack. The plaguebringer makes three melee attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage.
Plague Cloud (Recharge 5–6). The plaguebringer releases a 30-foot-radius cloud of toxic gas. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The area is heavily obscured and remains for 1 minute or until a strong wind disperses it. Any creature that starts its turn in the cloud must repeat the saving throw.
Infectious Burst (Recharge 6). One of the bulbous growths on the plaguebringer's body ruptures explosively. Each creature within 15 feet of the plaguebringer must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature contracts a devastating disease. While diseased, the creature can't regain hit points, its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse, and it has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength or Constitution. If the disease reduces the creature's hit point maximum to 0, the creature dies. The disease lasts until removed by the greater restoration spell or similar magic.
Tactics
The ratling plaguebringer begins combat by using Plague Cloud to affect as many enemies as possible, then moves into melee range to exploit its Aura of Decay and Pestilent Corruption abilities. It focuses its attacks on creatures that show signs of magical ability or healing powers, recognizing them as the greatest threats to its diseases. The plaguebringer uses Infectious Burst when multiple enemies are within range, particularly targeting those who have demonstrated resistance to its other diseases. It fights with malevolent intelligence, prioritizing the spread of infection over its own survival, and will deliberately allow enemies to hit it in melee to trigger its Pestilent Corruption ability.
The plaguebringer lurches forward, its bloated form surprisingly quick despite its size. With each movement, pustules on its body pulse and throb, some releasing small puffs of colored spores that hang in the air like mist. It seems to target those who show the greatest vitality first, as if offended by their health. When wounded, it responds not with pain but with what appears to be pleasure, its vertical mouth splitting in a grotesque approximation of a smile as its infections find new hosts.