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The Heart Queen (Sidhe)

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”. The other inspiration is the actual Red Queen from Dungeonland. This is my basic reference point for the odd occasions that the PCs may meet a sidhe. 


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/Heart Queen

Medium humanoid (sidhe, elf), Chaotic Neutral
AC 16 (grace and madness); HP 144 (17d8 + 68); Speed 30 ft.
STR +4, DEX +9, CON +4, INT +0, 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
CR 15 (13,000 XP)
Alien Mind. The Heart Queen have advantage on any effect that requires a CHA, WIS or INT saving throw.
Awareness. The Heart Queen is never surprised.
Animal Friend. Animals will not willingly attack The Heart Queen. Any animal forced to attack her through magic may repeat the saving throw to break the compulsion each time they make an attack roll against The Heart Queen.
Masters. Native inhabitants of Ynn will obey any instruction The Heart Queen gives them; they were made to serve.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If The Heart Queen fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Sound-Wave. If reduced to zero hit points, The Heart Queen 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.
Regeneration. The Heart Queen regains 20 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point. If she takes damage from iron, this trait doesn’t function at the start of The Heart Queen’s next turn.
Misericorde. The Heart Queen carry’s 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. The Heart Queen 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.
Skinchanger. The Heart Queen 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 smiting on a critical hit.
Magic Turning. Chance of reflecting harmful spells back on the caster equal to her current hit points as a percentage. This means, when the fight starts, she will automatically reflect all magic back to the caster.

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:

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.

Flowerheaded 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.

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.

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).

Legendary Actions

The Heart Queen 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 Heart Queen regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.

  • Move. The Heart Queen moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
  • Smite! The Heart Queen makes one rod of smiting attack.
  • Charm. The Heart Queen uses charm.
  • Children of the Garden. If available, The Heart Queen may use this action.
  • Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The Heart Queen casts one spell.

 


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

Replace flowerbed with:

 

 Add the following traits:

Add the Power Word additional action:

Replace Elfin Greatsword with Rod of Smiting:

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

Posted in 5e, Clash of the Titans, Dungeons & Dragons, Monstrous Compendium, The Ninth World

1 Comment

  1. solomani

    Updated to make this post specifically about the Queen of Hearts who my players fought recently. The sidh base creature is in a new post.

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