Medusa, Maedar
Medium monstrosity, lawful evil
- Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
- Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
- Skills Athletics +5, Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4
- Damage Resistances poison
- Condition Immunities paralyzed, petrified
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages Common
- Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. The maedar can cast meld into stone and see invisibility at will.
Venomous Gaze. When a creature that can see the maedar's eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the maedar, the maedar can force it to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw against poison if the maedar isn't incapacitated and can see the creature. A creature that fails the save takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage and is poisoned. The poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see the maedar until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the maedar in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
If the maedar sees itself reflected on a polished surface within 30 ft. of it and in an area of bright light, the maedar is, due to its curse, affected by its own gaze.
Actions
Multiattack. The maedar makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Stone to Flesh (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest.) The maedar touches a petrified creature (or portion of a creature) within its reach, ending the petrified condition. A creature restored in this way must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or die.
Medusa,
Maedar
Maedar are the little-known male version of the medusae. They are extremely rare, however, and few medusae ever find a maedar spouse. Maedar are rarely seen; generally they remain in the lair they share with a medusa mate. Because of their rarity and natural reclusiveness, even most sages are unaware of their existence.
Male medusas don’t have the snaky hair of their female counterparts, but their blood is even more poisonous. The gaze of a maedar ravages the mind and body, leaving its victims dazed, weak, and ripe for killing.
Reverse Petrification. A maedar’s magical power to transmute stone to flesh provides food for him and his mate. He smashes her petrified victims, then transforms them into meat. This ability also can convert a human-sized mass of stone into a fleshy substance. Such flesh is inert and lacking vitality, unless a life force or magical energy is available. For example, this ability would turn a stone golem into a flesh golem, but an ordinary statue would become a corpse.
Glyptars. When a maedar has foreknowledge of his death, he can transfer his life force into a natural gemstone and retain his consciousness. This isolation eventually drives the maedar to madness. If this gemstone, called a glyptar, is removed intact from the earth, the maedar’s spirit is now able to animate the crystal and anything inorganic attached to it. Thus if the glyptar is set into a statue, the maedar’s life force animates it as a golem. Similarly, if the glyptar is set in the pommel of a sword, the sword can become a flying sword (see Animated Objects in the Monster Manual) or sentient weapon as described in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
Art Credit: RK Post, 2008 Wizards of the Coast