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Dragon Magazine #127 had once creature in it that immediate jumped out at me as belonging on Eska. The quagmire was originally created by Scott Bennie, and I built my conversion upon James Introcaso’s young gaping maw, with a few changes.
Scattered among the coastal swamps and marshlands of Eska, a curious ooze has developed, the quagmire, or living quicksand. They are quite a natural hazard to those who are unaware of their presence.
Saurians on Eska have developed a bit of a relationship with quagmires, and use them as defensive hazards around their sviks. Once a quagmire has been identified, they mark the area around it, often with discreet marks on surrounding trees and rocks. A DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check is required to identify these markings. Saurians gain advantage on these checks, though members of the closest svik will know where the quagmires are located without having to make a check. After the area is marked, they proceed to make sure it is well fed so that it does not move.
When a quagmire reproduces, or found in an undesirable area, a saurian svik will try to move it, a long and arduous process given the quagmire’s slow speed and luring scent. Such an undertaking often requires the entire svik working in tandem, and there is usually a loss of saurian life. Any outsiders that offer or are recruited to help are often adopted by the svik and made members of the clan upon successful completion of the task.
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STR
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DEX
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CON
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INT
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WIS
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CHA
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14 (+2)
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12 (+1 )
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16 (+3)
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8 (-1)
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15 (+2)
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8 (-1)
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Grappler. The quagmire has advantage on attack rolls against a creature grappled by it.
Psedopod Pull. The quagmire can use its move to pull any number of creatures it is grappling adjacent to it.
Multiattack. A quagmire may make two psedopod attacks or one psedopod attack and one bite attack.
Psedopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 feet, one creature.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 feet, one creature. Hit: 20 (3d10+5) piercing damage.
Swallow. The quagmire makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the quagmire.
Swallowed creatures must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed for 1 round. At the end of this period if the creature is still swallowed by the quagmire they save again or remained paralyzed for another round. If the creature does save but remains swallowed it is subject to another saving throw every round after the successful one. A swallowed creature’s maximum hit points are reduced by 1 for round it is swallowed. When it’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 the creature is completely digested by the quagmire and dies.
Quagmires devour organic matter, even leather, bone, and paper, but will leave deposits of metal and gems (the undigested remains of their victims). Quagmires can be huge, with pools 30 feet in diameter not unknown. They are believed to reproduce by fission. Because quagmires blend in with their surroundings, they have no true coloration.
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Jon Bupp 