Medusa¶
Hunted as monsters with no thought given to their nature or origin, medusas are some of the most underestimated and misunderstood creatures. Many people fear medusas for their monstrous appearance and ability to turn others to stone, but few realize the truth. Each of these monstrosities was once a humanoid, cursed and transformed for defying a god. But while some medusas embrace wickedness, many simply fight for their lives against those who threaten them through their ignorance.
Cursed for Defiance¶
When a powerful mortal defies a god for good or for ill, agents of that deity might curse them to live as a medusa. The offender's skin and eyes become reptilian, and a nest of black venomous snakes replaces their hair. When the medusa wishes, beams from their eyes can slowly petrify others to stone.
Followers of the gods who impose this punishment spread terrifying myths about medusas, causing mortals to attack and shun them. This often drives medusas into solitude, or to places haunted by creatures who don't judge them based on mere appearance and horror stories. Many medusas plot ways to break their curse, searching for lost healing rituals or secrets to use against the gods who cursed them. Others embrace their new gifts, building stone gardens of the aggressors who foolishly hunted or harmed them.
Petrification¶
Petrification can take a character out of the game permanently. If you want to give the heroes a chance to recover an ally petrified after an encounter with a medusa, you can let them use the Find a Cure downtime project in Draw Steel: Heroes to discover an ancient ritual that can return a petrified creature to life. Alternatively, a medusa might have the power to reverse the state of a petrified victim if left alive, or there might be a temple nearby with a priest who knows how to cure petrification... for a price.
Serpentine Reflexes¶
While the medusa's stone gaze is legendary, they can move, strike, and evade as swiftly as a snake, even briefly manifesting scaled wings to dart through the chaos. This enhanced dexterity makes them difficult to pin down. Their petrifying gaze allows them to attack at range as necessary, but they're equally deadly in melee, where they have the full advantage of their snakes and the enervating venom pulsing through each snake's set of needlelike fangs.
Baleful Magic¶
Medusas have many means to defend themselves, even aside from their petrifying stare. They slow enemies down, weaken them, and can even temporarily charm and control them once petrifying magic takes root in their veins. These reclusive beings are no stranger to being outnumbered and overwhelmed. All they have in their power to gain leverage over their opponents, they wield ruthlessly.
Stone Gardens¶
Medusas often reside in stone gardens filled with statues of those who previously tried to slay them. This not only allows them to slip between their statues, hide, and then strike, but it also allows them to command the battle while in their lairs, shattering statues to harm others. Evil medusas sometimes slowly reverse the petrification of their victims one limb at a time to feed on them, creating grotesque mausoleums of the crumbling dead for unwitting adventurers to wander into.
Lifting the Curse¶
Agents of the deity who ordered a medusa's curse can sometimes be convinced to lift the punishment, usually in response to the medusa undertaking an impossible task in the god's name or making a threat that can't be ignored. Some sages claim that ancient rituals can undo the curse, but these lost secrets are often hidden by wrathful divine servants—and performing such a ritual might entail great sacrifice.
Medusa Languages¶
Medusas can speak any language they knew before they were cursed. Many of them speak Caelian, and others have learned the languages of monsters and creatures they dwell near. Additionally, tales tell of some medusas who speak the original form of Khamish.
Medusa
- Solo MonsterTrait
- Snake BitesMain actionSignature
- Damning GazeMain actionSignature
- PetrifyMain action5 Malice
- Nimble EscapeManeuver
- Venomous SpitTriggered action2 Malice
- Cunning EdgeTrait
- Many Peering EyesTrait
- Mass PetrifyVillain Action 1
- Serpent WingsVillain Action 2
- Stone PuppetsVillain Action 3