Netherdeep Additional Rivals
Introduction
For DMs running Call of the Netherdeep with a party of 6 or more that want a unique extra rival, here are two further options for a unique additional rival party member, including ideas for backstory, stat blocks, and magic items at Tier 3.
Kraxus Vitalis is a ravenite dragonborn blood hunter searching for purpose after fighting for the Dynasty in the War of Ash and Light.
Malia Springleaf is a halfling druid on a mission to establish relations between the reclusive Lotusden clan and the Kryn Dynasty.
Battle Chatter
| Rival | Sample Quotes |
|---|---|
| Kraxus | "You call that a weapon? This is a weapon." "With a drop of my blood, I will spill far more of yours." "Leave fighting to the professionals." |
| Malia | "I bet you weren't expecting this!" "Hah! That's ruined your plans!" "Grrrrrrr!" (in wildshape form) |
Kraxus Vitalis
When the Chroma Conclave destroyed Draconia, young Kraxus fled north, becoming a refugee. Illness struck him as he reached Fevergulf lake, and Kraxus was saved only through blood magic from a passing member of the Claret Order. After regaining his strength, Kraxus trained as a blood hunter, eventually taking the ritual of the Hunter's Bane. Kraxus' forearms are covered with numerous scars from clawing across them to draw the blood that activates his powers.
Kraxus enlisted in the Kryn Dynasty's army to fight the Dwendalian Empire, but now the war has ended, he has settled in Jigow, and is unsatisfied with the quiet life he currently leads.
Malia Springleaf
Malia Springleaf has always longed to see the reclusive Lotusden halflings become a part of the wider world. When the city of Draconia fell, she helped establish the village of Charis, and Malia now considers this a timely moment for her clan to establish relations with the Kryn Dynasty. Impressed with what little she has heard of the Dynasty, she has impulsively headed north against the express wishes of the clan elders.
Malia has a love of nature, and trained in the traditional druidic ways of the Lotusden halflings. Malia has a particular fascination for the Exandrian moons Catha and Ruidus, joining the druidic Circle of the Moon, for she was born under the full moon of Ruidus. This ill-fated birth meant Malia was not bestowed the typical halfling luck, although that has not stopped her bold approach to life.
Magic Items
Ruidium Luxon Pendant
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
The pendant is a black crystal attached to a gold necklace. Streaks of ruidium cover the crystal. While wearing the pendant, you gain the following benefits:
- You can breathe water.
- You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Manifest Echo. As a bonus action you can summon an echo of yourself within 15 feet of you (it replaces an existing echo). The echo has AC 14 + your proficiency bonus, 1 hit point, and immunity to all conditions. It uses your stats for saves and attacks and can use your reaction for gaining an attack of opportunity. If it moves over 30 feet from you it is destroyed. On your turn you may choose from the following options:
- The echo can move up to 30 feet as a free action.
- As a bonus action, you can choose to switch places with the echo.
- When you make a melee attack, the echo can also make an attack.
Ruidium corruption. When you manifest an echo using the pendant, you must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you gain 1 level of exhaustion. If you are not already suffering from ruidium corruption, you become corrupted when you fail this save.
If Ruidium Is Destroyed. If the Apotheon is killed or redeemed, all the ruidium in Exandria is destroyed instantly, and the Ruidium Luxon Pendant instead becomes a Luxon Pendant, losing all prior properties and gaining the Fragment of Possibility property of a Luxon beacon (EGtW p268).
Ruidium Wildwood Staff
Staff, very rare (requires attunement by a druid)
This dark purple wooden staff is crafted from a Vermaloc tree, with ruidium infused into the splits and knots of the wood. When holding the staff, you gain the following benefits:
- You can breathe water.
- You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Enhanced Wildshape. As an action, you may use this staff to transform into an elemental or a beast, using one of your wildshapes. You can increase the maximum CR of a monster you can wildshape into by 2.
Ruidium corruption. When you wildshape using this staff, you must make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you gain 1 level of exhaustion. If you are not already suffering from ruidium corruption, you become corrupted when you fail this save.
If Ruidium Is Destroyed. If the Apotheon is killed or redeemed, all the ruidium in Exandria is destroyed instantly, and the Ruidium Wildwood Staff instead becomes a Staff of the Woodlands.
Kraxus Vitalis (Tier 1)
Medium humanoid (ravenite dragonborn), neutral
- Armor Class 13 (studded leather)
- Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
- Saving Throws Dexterity +3, Wisdom +4
- Skills Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth +4
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses passive Perception 14
- Languages Common, Draconic, Orc
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Kraxus makes two maul attacks.
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Breath Weapon (1/Day). Kraxus exhales an icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Bonus Actions
Blood Maledict. Kraxus loses 1d4 hit points and chooses one of the following effects:
Kraxus' weapon attacks become magical and deal an additional 1d4 cold damage on a successful hit for the next hour.
A target within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 for 1 minute. The target can repeat saves at the end of each of their turns.
Malia Springleaf
(Tier 1)Small humanoid (halfling), neutral good
- Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
- Hit Points 44 (8d6 + 16)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2)
- Saving Throws Intelligence +2, Wisdom +5
- Skills Animal Handling +4, Medicine +4, Nature +5
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Common, Draconic, Halfling
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Malia makes one quarterstaff attack and one thorn whip attack.
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit (+5 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
Thorn Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage, and if the target is Large or smaller they are pulled up to 10 feet towards Malia.
Spellcasting. Malia casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
At will: druidcraft, shillelagh
1/day each: healing word, entangle
Bonus Actions
Wildshape (2/day). Malia transforms into a mastiff, ape, or brown bear for up to 4 hours at a time. Malia retains her alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores but otherwise uses the beast's stat block. In this form, Malia's attacks count as magical, and Malia can't cast spells. If reduced to 0 hit points, the wildshape ends and any excess damage is carried over to Malia's hit points.
Kraxus Vitalis (Tier 2)
Medium humanoid (ravenite dragonborn), neutral
- Armor Class 13 (studded leather)
- Hit Points 97 (15d8 + 30)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dexterity +4, Wisdom +5
- Skills Insight +6, Perception +7, Stealth +6
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Common, Draconic, Orc
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Kraxus makes two maul attacks.
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Breath Weapon (1/Day). Kraxus exhales an icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Bonus Actions
Blood Maledict. Kraxus loses 1d6 hit points and chooses one of the following effects:
Kraxus' weapon attacks become magical and deal an additional 1d6 cold damage on a successful hit for the next hour.
A target within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 for 1 minute. The target can repeat saves at the end of each of their turns.
A target within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute, suffering 14 (4d6) poison damage at the start of each of their turns. The target can repeat saves at the end of each of their turns.
Malia Springleaf
(Tier 2)Small humanoid (halfling), neutral good
- Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
- Hit Points 82 (15d6 + 30)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2)
- Saving Throws Intelligence +3, Wisdom +7
- Skills Animal Handling +5, Medicine +6, Nature +8
- Senses passive Perception 17
- Languages Common, Draconic, Halfling
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. Malia makes one quarterstaff attack and one thorn whip attack.
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit (+7 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
Thorn Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage, and if the target is Large or smaller they are pulled up to 10 feet towards Malia.
Spellcasting. Malia casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At will: druidcraft, shillelagh
2/day each: healing word, entangle, spike growth
1/day: dispel magic
Bonus Actions
Wildshape (2/day). As a bonus action, Malia can transform into an ape, brown bear, or hunter shark for up to 6 hours at a time. Malia retains her alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores but otherwise uses the beast's stat block. In this form, Malia's attacks count as magical, and Malia can't cast spells. If reduced to 0 hit points, the wildshape ends and any excess damage is carried over to Malia's hit points.
Kraxus Vitalis (Tier 3)
Medium humanoid (ravenite dragonborn), neutral
- Armor Class 15 (breastplate)
- Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51)
- Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft. (cloak of the Manta Ray)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dexterity +4, Wisdom +8
- Skills Insight +7, Perception +8, Stealth +8
- Damage Resistances cold
- Senses passive Perception 16
- Languages Common, Draconic, Orc
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Special Equipment. Kraxus has a cloak of the Manta Ray and a ruidium Luxon pendant. As a bonus action, Kraxus can manifest an echo of himself with AC 17 and 1 hit point. When he does so Kraxus must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
Actions
Multiattack. Kraxus makes two maul attacks.
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Breath Weapon (1/Day). Kraxus exhales an icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Bonus Actions
Blood Maledict. Kraxus loses 1d8 hit points and chooses one of the following effects:
- Kraxus' weapon attacks become magical and deal an additional 1d8 cold damage on a successful hit for the next hour.
- A target within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 for 1 minute. The target can repeat saves at the end of each of their turns.
- A target within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute, suffering 14 (4d6) poison damage at the start of each of their turns. The target can repeat saves at the end of each of their turns.
Malia Springleaf
(Tier 3)Small humanoid (halfling), neutral good
- Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
- Hit Points 93 (17d6 + 34)
- Speed 25 ft., swim 25 ft. (ruidium Wildwood staff)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Intelligence +3, Wisdom +8
- Skills Animal Handling +6, Medicine +7, Nature +8
- Senses passive Perception 18
- Languages Common, Draconic, Halfling
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Special Equipment. Malia has a ruidium wildwood staff. As an action, Malia can use a wildshape to transform into a giant shark or any CR5 elemental. When she does so, Malia must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
Actions
Multiattack. Malia makes one quarterstaff attack and one thorn whip attack.
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit (+8 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, or 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
Thorn Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) piercing damage, and if the target is Large or smaller they are pulled up to 10 feet towards Malia.
Spellcasting. Malia casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
At will: druidcraft, shillelagh
2/day each: healing word (at 2nd level), spike growth, call lightning
1/day: dispel magic
Bonus Actions
Wildshape (2/day). As a bonus action, Malia can transform into a brown bear, hunter shark, or giant eagle for up to 9 hours at a time. Malia retains her alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores but otherwise uses the beast's stat block. In this form, Malia's attacks count as magical, and Malia can't cast spells. If reduced to 0 hit points, the wildshape ends and any excess damage is carried over to Malia's hit points.