# Explicitica Defilus, the Reptile God

##### A statblock for Explicitica Defilus from the adventure _Against the Cult of the Reptile God_, using ideas from Matt Colville's 'Action-Oriented Design' video.

\page___ ## Explicitica Defilus Explicitica Defilus is a naga, long serpents with human-like faces who are skilled in magic, either arcane or divine. Explicitica Defilus, who never goes by any shortening of her chosen name, trained in the art of wizardry, but also delved into Abyssal powers of control, granting her a powerful charming gaze. ***Ancient Creation.*** Long ago, nagas were a proud and noble creation, but after their creators' demise, they decided that the were to inheirate the lands they once protected. Good nagas became benevolent dictators, while evil nagas became cruel tyrants. Explicitica Defilus had a similar goal to other evil nagas, but not quite the standard: To be revered as a god. ***Weakened Form.*** Nagas possess a powerful form of rejuvination, allowing them to return to life after only a few days, regardless of the damage dealt to their original form. However, powerful magic can interupt this ability, and befitting her attempt to be a god, Explicitica Defilus' last encounter with heroes left her rejuvinated but massively weakened after their cleric channeled the power of their god to smite the naga down. Since her return, she has been amassing a following, in part to attempt to restore her rejuvination ability. ***Naga Traits.*** Like all naga, Explicitica Defilus does not require food or water, and does not sleep, nor breathe. ### Explicitica Defilus' Lair Explicitica Defilus' lair is an area of natural caves and tunnels with some partially-constructed rooms and pathways. She has only existed beneith the swamps next to Orlane for about 6 months. She has about 40 townsfolk from both Orlane and nearby farms under her control, along with a tribe of approximately 50 troglodytles, and various animals around the area. Along with her charmed cultists, she is allied with the leader of the Troglodyte tribe and about 6 tribe members, the lead priest in Orlane and her acolytes, and the thief Derek through non-magical means. In the depths of her lair, Explicitica Defilus commonly lays on her pile of gold, silver and copper, along with any items that the cultists thought were valuable or magical. Nearby is a runic circle, 10 feet in radius, with about 1 and a half dozen cult members spread within it, enacting some ritual. #### Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Explicitica Defilus can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; Explicitica Defilus can't use the same effect two rounds in a row: * 1d4 Mudviper minions emerge from the water and immediately act, acting on iniative 20 from then on. * The cultists of the prayer circle enact a ritual, casting one of the following spells at target(s) of Explicitica Defilus' choice: Bane, Bless, or Shield of Faith. As a byproduct, 1 member of the prayer cirlce drops to 0 hit points. * Explicitica Defilus draws lifeforce from the prayer circle, and deals a total of 2d10 necrotic damage to members of the prayer circle, split as she wishes, and regains that many hit points. ``` ``` #### Regional Effects The region containing Explicitica Defilus' lair is warped by the naga's magic, which creates one or more of the following effects: * The water is supernaturally foul. Any creature who drinks from it must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 points of necrotic damage, and Explicitica Defilus heals 1 hit point. * Snakes and other reptiles are more common, and are immediately hostile to creatures who are not allies of Explicitica Defilus, regardless of their normal disposition. * Troglodytes and reptiles allied with Explicitica Defilus have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to swim, and ignore mundane difficult terrain. If Explicitica Defilus dies, these effects fade over the course of ld6 days. ### Explicitica Defilus Equipment and Hoard Explicitica Defilus often lies on top of her hoard of treasures, but she does wear a few of her most valuable items, chief among them being her *Ring of Protection*, which she wears on her tail, along with various other non-magical rings. Due to her shape, she wears no other jewelry, and utilizes no weapons, but on the ground she has a total of 3428 gold peices worth of non-magical items (109 pp, 1,452 gp, 2,371 sp, 3,890 cp, one 100 gp diamond, two 50 gp rubies, and various family heirlooms and keepsakes totalling a worth of 410 gp). She also has a +1 shortsword, one *scroll of augury*, two *potions of healing*, and a *potion of bull's strength*. ``` > > ##### Explicitica Defilus' Spellbook > Explicitica Defilus's spellbook is written is a mix of Abyssal and Common, and had to be recreated by the naga after her defeat. To decipher a spell without understanding Abyssal requires 1 hour to make a DC (11 + 2 times the spell's level) Intelligence (Arcana) check, with non-wizards having disadvantage on the check. On a failure, a creature cannot attempt to decipher thay specific spell until they complete a long rest. Those who understand Abyssal and Common treat this as a normal spellbook. The book contains the following spells: > * 1st level: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Identify, Mage Armor, Shield and Unseen Servent > * 2nd level: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Hold Person, Scorching Ray, and Web > * 3rd level: Clarivoyance, Counterspell, Fireball, Sending, Tongues \page ___ ___ > ## Explictica Defilus >*Large Monstrocity, Neutral Evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor and *ring of protection*) or 16 with mage armor > - **Hit Points** 89(1d4 + 5) > - **Speed** 35ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|15 (+2)| > >___ > - **Saving Throws** Str +4, Dex +3, Con +5, Int +8, Wis +6, Cha +6 (Saves include +1 due to *ring of protection*) > - **Skills** Arcana +7, Persuasion +5, Religion +7 > - **Damage Immunities** poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 12 > - **Languages** Abyssal, Common > - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) > ___ > ***Charming Gaze.*** Any creature that meets Explicitica Defilus' gaze must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by her. See sidebar *Charming Gaze* for more details. > > ***Limited Rejuvination.*** Whenever Explicitica Defilus drops to 0 hit points, she may attempt a DC 5 Constitution saving throw. On a success, she may kill up to 1d4 willing creatures within her prayer circle, and regain hit points equal to the total hit points of the creatures killed. In addition, on a success, the DC for the saving throw increases by 5 until she completes a long rest. > > ***Spellcasting.*** Explictica Defilus is a 6th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks), and she needs only verbal components to cast her Spells. She likely has the following wizard spells prepared. Those is brackets represent her [combat/non-combat] choices. > > Cantrips (at will): mage hand, message, minor illusion, prestidigitation > > 1st level (4 slots): [shield/detect magic], [mage armor/unseen servant], sleep > > 2nd level (3 slots): darkness, [scorching ray/detect thoughts], hold person, web > > 3rd level (3 slots): clarivoyance, [counterspell/sending], fireball > > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (3d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. > > ***Tail.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d8+3) slashing damage. > > ### Reactions > ***Glance.*** As a reaction to a creature within 30 feet making an attack roll against her, Explicitica Defilus shifts here gaze towards the attacker. The attacker may either continue with the attack, but afterwards be subject to her Charming Gaze, or be considered blind to Explicitica Defilus until the end of the turn, granting disadvantage on attack rolls as usual. > > ### Paragon Actions > Explicitica Defilus can take 2 paragon actions, choosing from the options below. Only one paragon action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Explicitica Defilus cannot use her Villanous Act twice in the same round. Explicitica Defilus regains spent paragon actions at the start of her turn. > > ***Whip.*** Explicitica Defilus uses her Tail attack. > > ***Villianous Act.*** Explicitica Defilus performs one of the following actions, based on the current round. > * Round 1: ***Quickened Cast.*** Explicitica Defilus casts one of the following spells: Mage Armor, Sleep, Darkness, Hold Person, or Web. > * Round 2: ***Shed Skin.*** Explicitica Defilus sheds her damaged skin, ending any ongoing effects and conditions she is currently effected by. > * Round 3: ***Unwilling Escape.*** Explicitica Defilus moves up to 40 feet, grappling a target along the way (escape DC 14), and jumps with the target into the water. Each turn the grappled creature begins in the water, they must make a death saving throw. These saves are removed upon returning to air.

##### Charming Gaze Creatures charmed by Explictica Defilus via her Charming Gaze trait are charmed for 1 hour. Creatures charmed in this way believe Explictica Defilus is a fallen god, and will do near all in their power to 'return' her to godhood. If ordered to do something very out of their character (give up a child, attack an ally), they may reattempt the saving throw, ending the effect early on a success. An order that would result in obvious death for the creature ends the effect automatically. A creature who saves is immune to this effect for 24 hours. As a few minute long ritual, Explictica Defilus can attempt to force itself deeper upon a charmed target. The target must, at the end of each minute, make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. If the target obtains 3 successes prior to 3 failures, the ritual ends, and the target is immune to Explictica Defilus' charming gaze permenantly. If the target obtains 3 failures prior to 3 success, the ritual ends, and the target is charmed for 7 days. If a creature charmed in this way is subjected to the charming gaze again, or prays at a life-like depiction of Explictica Defilus, the duration extends till 7 days from that point. This charm-effect can be ended with the *dispel magic* or *remove curse* spells, or higher level restoritive magic. The effects also fade over 24 hours if Explictica Defilus is killed.

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