Groenlandica
In the coldest, most arctic regions of the world, there exist woolly caterpillars that are mostly innocuous, living most of their lives in their larval states. But in a multiverse where magic can seep into any creature, there is always the chance for incredible transformations.
Grown to tremendous size and infused with the very essence of cold, Groenlandica is a wonder to behold. It moves slowly over the tundra, consuming all foliage in its wake. Over the course of days, it may plow its way through permafrost forests, ever chomping, often indifferent to the creatures that get caught in its maw.
Mythic Legends. Most arctic caterpillars eventually form a double-layered cocoon and then spend a single day as moths, beautiful and stark above the white ice. Denizens of the north whisper that one day Groenlandica will enter its cocoon and emerge as the greatest moth ever beheld. But among these villagers and townsfolk, there is also fear for the day. Typical arctic moths are ferocious eaters during their single day of life. These villagers rue a future where Groenlandica will sweep through the skies, flying from harvest to harvest and devouring all of the north before it dies.
Groenlandica in
Icewind Dale: Rime of the FrostmaidenGroenlandica would be a natural wonder discussed in Ten-Towns, and a potential Ten-Towns rumor during the Frostmaiden's Rime, especially if she's in the area. With Auril's touch upon the grasp still visible in the skies, many Ten-Towns denizens would speculate that Groenlandica might form its cocoon soon, and some nervous and desperate individual might even be willing to pay for an adventuring party to slay the creature before it can devour what remains of the Ten-Towns. As such, Groenlandic would fit well into Chapter 2.
Groenlandica as a Mythic Encounter
Groenlandica is a powerful entity under normal circumstances, but to give your characters a truly mythic challenge, you can have it activate its Metamorphic Emergence trait. When this happens, Groenlandica quickly wraps itself in a frozen cocoon before exploding as its moth form rises from the shell. After its form changes, Groenladica can choose one of its mythic actions when it uses a legendary action.
Read or paraphrase the following text when Groenlandica uses its Metamorphic Emergence Trait:
Frozen silk geysers from its mouth and spinneret, wrapping around it in a matter of seconds. Like glacial ice, it freezes around the body. Instantly, the icy cocoon pulses faster and faster like a heartbeat before a crack splits it. In a flash of boreal light and icy shrapnel, a pair of wings emerges from the crack, followed by a woolly body and great, knowing eyes.
Fighting Groenlandica as a mythic encounter is equivalent to taking on two CR 9 creatures in one encounter. Award a party 15,000 XP for defeating Groenlandica after it uses its Metamorphic Emergence trait.
Suzanne Helmigh, WotC
Groenlandica
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 99 (6d20 + 36)
- Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 80 ft. (mythic only)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 9 (-1) 22 (+6) 6 (-2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dex +3, Int +2
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities cold
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages Sylvan
- Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Innate Spellcasting. Groenlandica's spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast cone of cold and insect plague once per day each requiring no material components.
Legendary Resistance (1/day). If Groenlandica fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Metamorphic Emergence (Mythic Trait, Doesn't Recharge). If Groenlandica is reduced to 0 hit points, it doesn't die or fall unsconscious. Instead, it forms a cocoon as geysers of ice and silk shoot from its body. Each creature within 10 feet of Groenlandica must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage and 9 (2d8) cold damage. Groenlandica then emerges from the cocoon, regains 99 hit points, gains a fly speed and the flyby trait, and moves up to its speed.
Flyby (Mythic only). Groenlandica doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Actions
Multiattack. Groenlandica makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its slam.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack. +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) piercing damage, 10 (4d4) cold damage, and if the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, taking 5 (2d4) cold damage at the start of each of its turns, and Groenlandica can't use this attack on anyone else.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack. +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Legendary Actions
Groenlandica can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Groenlandica regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. Groenlandica makes a Wisdom (Perception)
check.Slam. Groenlandica makes one slam attack.
Spinneret (Costs 2 Actions). Groenlandica shoots a web
of silk from its spinneret in a 30-foot cone centered
on it. Any creature in the area must make a DC 16
Dexterity saving throw (DC 16) or be restrained until
it uses an action to free itself from the silk. The area
becomes difficult terrain until the start of its next
turn.Mythic Actions
If Groenlandica's mythic trait is active, it can use the options below as legendary actions.
Frost Wing Gale. Groenlandica beats its wings. Each
creature within 10 feet of Groenlandica must make a
DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a
creature takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and
7 (2d6) cold damage and is knocked prone. On a
success, a creature takes half as much damage and is
not knocked prone.Icewing Hypnosis (Costs 3 Actions). Each creature within
60 feet of Groenlandica that can see it must make a
DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned. A
stunned creature can repeat its saving throw at the
end of its turn, breaking the effect on a success.
Titus Lunter, WotC