The Heart Queen (Sidh)

Posted on by solomani

My players keep traveling back to Ynn to use the Vats (they summoned a modern to help them figure out how to use it).  Each time they visit I add unique encounters drawn from Alice.  Decided to add the Red Queen and make her a sidhe taking liberal inspiration from a Red and Pleasant land as the sidhe are described as “elves crossed with gray aliens crossed with vampires”.  This is my basic reference point for the odd occasions that the PCs may meet a sidhe.

What elves are to humans, the Sidhe are to elves. These creatures are immortal, unnaturally beautiful, and undeniable geniuses. Their race combined the radi- ant beauty of angels, the ancient deca- dence of vampires, and the elegant grace of elves. 

SIDH

Medium humanoid (sidhe, elf), lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (grace and pain)
Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 68)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
18 (+4)
DEX
18 (+4)
CON
18 (+4)
INT
17 (+3)
WIS
15 (+2)
CHA
18 (+4)
Saving Throws DEX +9, WIS +7, CHA +9
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +9
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non iron-based attacks
Damage Vulnerabilities iron-based weapons
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan, Sidhe
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Alien Mind. The sidhe have advantage on any effect that requires a CHA, WIS or INT saving throw.
Awareness. The sidhe are never surprised.
Animal Friend. Animals will not willingly attack a sidhe. Any animal forced to attack the sidhe through magic may repeat the saving throw to break the compulsion each time they make an attack roll against the sidhe.
Masters. Native inhabitants of Ynn will obey any in- struction a sidhe gives them; they were made to serve.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the sidh fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Flowerbed. If the sidhe is reduced to 0 HP, instead of dying it transforms into a patch of flowers or mushrooms growing where their body falls. They regain 1 HP twice a day (sunrise and sunset) until fully healed, and return to flesh when on full HP or if blood soaks into the ground where they’re growing. A stake in the heart prevents this and freezes the sidhe at 0hp until the stake is removed. De- stroying the body while it is staked kills the sidhe permanently.
Regeneration. The sidh regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the vampire takes damage from iron, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the sidh’s next turn.
Misericorde. Sidh carry a cruciform hardwood (lignum vitae or ebony) stiletto specifically designed for impaling sidh (or vampires). In a pinch it can be used as an ordinary dagger.
The Idea of Thorns. Each sidh in the Gardens of Ynn carries some form of this magical-psychological disease.  The disease is highly infectious and is spread via words.  It’s always an overly intellectual idea that seems like a good idea on paper but insane in reality.  Refer to the adventure for details of the form it may take.

Spellcasting. The vampire is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The sidh has the following wizard spells prepared:

Actions

Multiattack. The sidh makes two attacks or casts two different spells. They prefer using spells or servants to attack and defend themselves but will engage in melee if they must.

Elfin Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 2d6 + 4 slashing damage.

Charm. The sidh targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the sidh, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the sidh. The charmed target regards the sidh as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the sidh’s control, it takes the sidh’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can. Each time the sidh or the sidh’s companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the sidh is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Children of the Garden (1/Day).If the sidh is in the Gardens of Ynn (or other plane crafted by the sidh), the sidh magically calls 2d4 native garden creatures to its defence. Roll randomly on the encounter table and these creatures turn up to defend the sidh.  The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the sidh and obeying its spoken commands. The creatures remain for 1 hour, until the sidh dies, or until the sidh dismisses them as a bonus action.

Legendary Actions

The sidh can take 3 legendary actions +1 for each PC above 4, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The sidh regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Move. The sidh moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
  • Elfin Greatsword. The sidh makes one elfin great sword attack.
  • Charm. The sidh uses charm.
  • Children of the Garden. If available, the sidh may use this action.
  • Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The sidh casts one spell.

 

The Heart Queen (or Red Queen) is a typical example of her kind. She is perpetually surrounded by swarming butterflies that have a heart-shaped pattern on their wings – a real heart pattern.

The Red Queen

For the Red Queen make the following changes to the standard sidhe stat-block:

Replace flowerbed with:

Sound-Wave. If reduced to zero hit points, she will turn into a shrieking sound (only tangible to devices or magics that absorb sound), moving at 3x human speed, reforming at some distance into an ordinary-sized playing card (a queen of hearts) and regenerating 1hp per round. She remains invulnerable and powerless in this form until she regains 10 hit points and thereupon automatically reverts to ordinary form. However, a drop of blood from another vampire of King or Queen level is sufficient to revive her completely.

 Add the following traits:
  • Skinchanger.She can transform into a wolf (white with scattered bright red marks). Same hit points. In this form, she may use her Charm ability and attack once per round at her usual to-hit bonus — clawing for 2d6 points of damage, or biting to drain a level per strike or feed on a helpless victim.
  • Magic Turning. Chance of reflecting harmful spells back on the caster equal to her current hit points. She is otherwise immune to cast magic but not to magic items native to the garden (like the vorpal sword).

Add the Power Word additional action:

  • Power Word: Crawl (1/Day). Which will cause everyone else in hearing range to make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or crawl, moving at half speed and attacking with disadvantage until they leave her presence (no longer visible and at least 100 yards away— if she is in her castle, they must leave it to escape the effect) or eat something (no way of knowing this).

Replace Elfin Greatsword with Rod of Smiting:

  • Rod of Smiting. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 1d8 + 7 bludgeoning damage. On a critical hit the weapon drains a charge (has 1d20+5) and does 37 force damage. It does an extra 3d6 force damage against constructs.

Swap her INT and WIS scores and replace her spellcasting trait with an equivalent cleric spell list:

Spellcasting. The Heart Queen is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following cleric spells prepared:

Published by solomani