Art: Jason Kang
Creatures: Oceans
This section contains statistics for various aquatic creatures. Individual lore for each creature is written below. The stat blocks are organized alphabetically by creature name.
The following creatures are described:
| Creature Name | Size/Type | CR |
|---|---|---|
| Deepglow Ray | Medium beast | 2 |
| Phase Dolphin | Medium fey | 3 |
| Royal Jellyfish | Large fey | 4 |
Deepglow Ray
The deepglow ray is a common sight in the depths of Sanctum. Native to Sanctum, the ray can grow up to 14 feet wide and can travel at surprising speeds through the water. Like most rays, they are docile hunters, feeding off various crustaceans, mollusks and fish that inhabit their environment. These rays live anywhere from 20 to 30 years, with the oldest ones ever caught measuring 40 years old.
Bioluminescent Hunters. Deepglow rays are best recognised for their signature glow, a deep blue hue that attracts all kinds of fish into their vicinity. The light is said to be similar to that cast through the faerie fire spell, with many documented examples of their glow
Deepglow Ray
Medium beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 14
- Hit Points 31 (7d8)
- Speed 0 ft., swim 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 19 (+4) 14 (+0) 1 (-5) 12 (+1) 2 (-4)
- Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha -2
- Skills Perception +3, Performance -2
- Condition Immunities Charmed
- Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 2
Innate Spellcasting. The deepglow ray's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11). The deepglow ray can cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: faerie fire
1/day: hypnotic pattern
Water Breathing. The deepglow ray can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) Piercing damage.
Deepglow Ray
illuminating invisible creatures right before they strike. Scholars have documented deepglow rays use their lights to put their prey into a trance, slowing down their potential escape. Unsurprisingly, deepglow rays seem to be immune to their charming effects, and even attempts to charm them with other spells have failed to deliver results.
Seafarer's Guide. While they can be found in all the major oceans in Sanctum, deepglow rays are extraordinarily sensitive to their environment. They cannot tolerate water with a low concentration of coral and other life. The reasoning for this is unknown to scholars, but the belief is that they require the coral to regenerate their natural light over time. Fishermen use the ray as a guide that they are approaching a particularly rich environment for fish, which usually correlates with a better yield for the day.
Phase Dolphin
Sanctum is filled with all kinds of unique creatures, and none encapsulate the bizzare nature of these creatures as perfectly as the phase dolphin. These cetaceans are fast moving ethereal dolphins that can step between the ethereal plane and the material plane to hunt their prey. They are a rare sight, but can be found in every ocean in Aureus, Sanctum, and Sepulchure. They grow up to 12 feet long and can weigh up to 150 pounds. While a lot is known about the species, their ability to step through planes makes studying wild individuals exceedingly difficult. Estimates place their maximum lifespan at anywhere from 20 to 40 years, depending on the individual and their environment.
A Phase Pod. Phase dolphins hunt in small groups of up to eight individuals known as a pod. Each pod has an alpha that guides them and leads the hunt when tracking prey. It is well documented that phase dolphins communicate through clicks, giving them a unique and powerful tool to use against both their food and any threats that hunt them.
Phase Dolphins and Sea Elves. In Aureus, the phase dolphins have been tamed by the sea elves in the oceans to use as mounts and companions in their lifestyle. Their mobility and their ability to step into the ethereal plane makes them valuable allies against the leviathans of the Great Ocean's depths. This practice is seldom seen outside Aureus, but small communities in Sanctum and Sepulchure have attempted to tame wild phase dolphins for the same purpose, with varying degrees of success.
Art: DarkMoon & lie setiawan
Phase Dolphin
Phase Dolphin
Medium fey, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 15
- Hit Points 66 (10d8 + 10)
- Speed 0 ft., swim 90 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 9 (-1)
- Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
- Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages Phase Dolphin
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 2
- Charge. If the phase dolphin moves at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d8) force damage.
- Ethereal Jaunt. As a bonus action, the phase dolphin can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.
- Pack Tactics. The phase dolphin has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the phase dolphin's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
- Hold Breath. While in water or in the Ethereal Plane, the phase dolphin can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d8 + 5) Piercing damage.
Royal Jellyfish
In the oceans of Sanctum lurks many weird wonders of the deep. The royal jellyfish is one of these creatures. They're known to sailors as the 'ladies of the sea' due to their humanoid appearance and their graceful movement. Royal jellyfish are a rare sight, but one that seafarers remember for the rest of their days. These creatures are up to 40 feet long, and live anywhere from 15 to 20 years.
Royal Wanderers. Royal jellyfish let the currents guide them, using their tentacles to latch onto anything that falls within their reach. Royal jellyfish generally travel alone, but if the currents are kind they will group up with others of their species. Electric eels and other species with the ability to control electricity find a strong kinship in these creatures, often traveling with them for protection.
Resilience to Magic. As much of the creatures they encounter are magical in nature, the royal jellyfish has developed a resistance to the arcane. This power extends even to many adventurers spells.
Royal Jellyfish
Royal Jellyfish
Large fey, lawful neutral
- Armor Class 12 (Royal Defense)
- Hit Points 60 (8d10 + 16)
- Speed 0 ft., swim 15 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 6 (-2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 19 (+4)
- Skills Persuasion +6, Performance +6
- Damage Immunities lightning, thunder
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
- Challenge 4 (1100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 2
- Magic Resistance. The royal jellyfish has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
- Royal Defense. The royal jellyfish's AC includes its Charisma modifier.
- Water Breathing. The royal jellyfish can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Multiattack. Royal jellyfish makes two attacks with their tentacles.
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d8 - 2) bludgeoning damage + 11 (3d6) lightning damage.