Art: Brian Valeza
Creatures: Coast
This section contains statistics for various coastal 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Turtle | Medium beast | 1/4 |
| Relic Crab | Small beast | 1/8 |
| Shoal Monster | Huge monstrosity | 14 |
Coastal Turtle
Coastal turtles are a staple of the tropical oceans of Sanctum. These reptilian swimmers feed on the various sea grass, small crustaceans, and algae that grows in the shallows around the coast. Like their name suggests, the coastal turtle is found commonly around the shoals of Verdani and the interior ocean, especially in the northern regions of Nydiven where they litter the beaches.
A Gentle Sight. Coastal turtles are recognisable for their six flippers, rugged shell, and aggressive, angular shape. Despite their appearance, coastal turtles are notoriously docile. Sea elves have learned to use these creatures as a means of transportation, hitching a ride on their shells to take them through the various currents in the shoals.
Journey to Nydiven. Every year in the dying days of High Summer, the coastal turtles journey through the wide open ocean returning to the beaches of Nydiven to mate and lay their eggs. The northern settlements celebrate this event and often close off beaches to outsiders. The turtles hatch in the later days of First Harvest and if they survive, they will typically live for up to 50 years.
Relic Crab
Crustaceans come in many forms and one of the weirder ones is known as the relic crab. These little critters have managed to unearth a fragment of a building, ceramic item,
Coastal Turtle
Coastal Turtle
Medium beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 15 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 32 (4d8 + 8)
- Speed 15 ft., swim 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 13 (+1) 4 (-3)
- Saving Throws Con +4
- Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 2
- Hold Breath. The coastal turtle can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Withdraw. As an action, the coastal turtle can withdraw entirely into its shell. While in its shell, the animal gains +5 to its AC and advantage on all Constitution-based saving throws, but cannot take actions or reactions other than another action to end this effect.
or another piece of debris from the Verdani era and turn it into their home. Relic crabs are unremarkable beyond this, but some have chosen to hunt the crustaceans for the potential riches their shell might contain.
Along the Coasts. Relic crabs can be found everywhere that the Verdani empire once stood, from the docks of Arcanis to the bluffs of Kaebria. Relic crabs are relatively rare even in these areas though.
Relic Crabs: Riches to be Found
Each relic crab is different. You can use the following table to determine the nature of the creature's shell and the riches it holds:
d100 Artifact 01-30 A useless piece of rubble 31-50 An old broken ceramic pot 51-60 A worthless metal object 61-70 A burial urn, worth 5 cp 71-80 An ancient copper bowl, worth 10 sp 81-90 A jeweled vase, worth 25 gp 91-99 A golden artifact, worth 100 gp 100 A crystal geode, worth 1000 gp
Art: Simon Dominic Brewer
Relic Crab
Relic Crab
Small beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 8 (2d6 + 2)
- Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 5 (-2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 2 (-4)
- Skills Stealth +4
- Senses Blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 2
- Amphibious. The crab can breathe air and water.
Actions
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 - 2) Bludgeoning damage.
Shoal Monster
The stories tell the tales of what lurks in the deep, but few ever address the terrors that dwell in the shallows. One of these creatures is the Shoal Monster, a large hulking brute that patrols the coves they call home. The Shoal Monster was first identified by explorers in the year 134 AR during the first expedition to the Forgotten Isle. Since then, only a handful have ever been documented and even fewer have been faced in combat.
Hulking Monstrosity. From one of the documented cases, the researchers determined that a shoal monster can be up to 40 feet tall and they can weigh several thousand pounds when it is fully matured. This size makes them some of the larger terrestrial creatures found in Sanctum, but still significantly smaller than the titans of Denarius. Scholars
believe that a shoal monster can live for centuries. This was determined through multiple expeditions to the Golden Sands beach in Kaebria, where a shoal monster was studied over the course of a century with no visible signs of aging.
Command of the Seas. The shoal monster has the ability to channel the sea and use this power to great effect. It is believed that the second expedition to the Forgotten Isle in the year 512 AR was cut short by the shoal monster, thanks to a surviving record by the captain. In this log, the captain describes the shoal monster's ability to conjure torrents of water and create whirlpools which had a devastating impact on one of the fleet's galleons.
Coastal Protector. Many animals, such as the fish, crustaceans, and birds that inhabit the shallows seem to have a strong respect for the shoal monster. Its presence seems to keep many larger predators such as sharks and rays away from the coast they protect.
While their diet is unknown, it is believed that the shoal monster feeds on seagrass and other oceanic plants. This is supported by the lack of aggression that the shoal monster exhibits to the creatures in its environment.
Shoal Monster's Lair
The Shoal Monster is able to command the shallows in its immediate vicinity. While a Shoal Monster is in a large, natural body of water no more than 10 feet deep such as a cove or a beach, it is considered to be within its lair.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the shoal monster takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; The shoal monster can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- A whirlpool kicks up from a point in a body of water that the shoal monster can see within 120 feet of it, creating a 20-foot cube of torrential currents. Each creature in the whirlpool’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, having their speed halved until the shoal monster takes another lair action.
- The shoal monster pulls all creatures towards itself with a powerful current. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on the shoal monster that are also in the same body of water as the shoal monster must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is pulled in a straight line toward the shoal monster, ending in an unoccupied space as close to the center as possible.
- The shoal monster channels nearby water away from itself. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on the shoal monster that are also in the same body of water as the shoal monster must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is pushed 20 feet in a straight line away from the shoal monster.
Regional Effects
The region around the shoal monster is notoriously treacherous for those who are unprepared. One or more of the following effects applies within the shoal monster's lair.
- The waves striking a coast noticeably increase in both height and velocity.
- Smaller birds, crustaceans, and fish can be seen gathering within 1 mile of the shoal monster.
Art: Bethesda Softworks
Day 27 Log 2
After the initial confrontation, with the beast, I ordered the Crystal Sword to take point in our expedition. I figured its steel reinforced hull would survive another altercation. It did not. The Crystal Sword now rests at the bottom of the sea, 3 nautical miles south of the three peaks. We managed to save half of the crew, but unfortunately the others were lost in the chaos. I have attached their names to this log, hopefully they find peace in the Ethereal Plane.
-Excerpt From the Captain's Log From the Second Expedition to the Forgotten Isle
Shoal Monster
Huge monstrosity, neutral evil
- Armor Class 18 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 203 (19d12 + 108)
- Speed 40 ft., swim 70 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 7 (-2) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)
- Saving Throws Str +11, Con +9, Wis +7
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Skills Athletics +11,
- Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 12
- Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
Proficiency Bonus 5
- Amphibious. The shoal monster can breathe air and water.
- Forceful Strikes. The first time the shoal monster attacks a creature on its turn, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be moved up to 15 feet horizontally in a direction of the shoal monster's choice.
- Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If the shoal monster fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
- Siege Monster. The shoal monster deals double damage to objects, structures, and vehicles.
Actions
Multiattack. The shoal monster makes three slam attacks, or one slam and one rock attack.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 6)
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Legendary Actions
The shoal monster can take 3 legendary actions, 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 shoal monster regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Brace. The shoal monster gains 20 temporary hit points, which last until the beginning of its next turn.
- Slam Attack. The shoal monster makes a slam attack.
- Torrential Blast (Costs 2 Actions). The shoal monster conjures a blast of water erupting from itself. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- Beaches within the area seem unnaturally clean as all seaweed and washed up plants have been consumed by the shoal monster.
If the shoal monster dies, the sea immediately calms. Any creatures that have gathered disperse over the next 10 minutes and the beaches remain in their current state until 3d6 days have passed.