Thessalmonster

The origin of the name 'thessal', whether a creator, a group or a land, is lost. The original thessalmonster, now extinct, looked like a thessalhydra without the fringe of snake heads. Its blood was so unstable that it could interbreed with hydras, gorgons, chimeras and even the far smaller cockatrice, and four hybrid lines survive. In every type, damage to fringe heads never reduces the body's hit points, and young of every type can be chained as guardians or loosed to roam unused areas.

This 30-foot reptile stands 8 feet at the shoulder. Eight snake heads on 6-foot necks ring a wide, round mouth edged with jagged teeth, and its 18-foot tail ends in a pair of sharp pincers. Its glossy hide is deep green above and ocher below, with red eyes.

Every fringe head bites on its own for 1d6, plus another 1d6 unless the victim saves vs. poison. The central mouth bites for 1d20, plus 1d20 more on a failed save vs. poison. The tail pincer grabs a foe for 1d12 and stuffs him into the mouth that same round. Anything inside the mouth must save vs. acid and vs. crushing blow every round until it is removed or destroyed. Once a day the beast can spit a glob of acid from its main mouth, splashing a 12-foot circle up to 30 yards away for 12d6 (save vs. poison for half). It is immune to acid and acidic poisons. Each fringe head is severed after 12 points of damage and grows back in 12 days.

Thessalhydrae haunt dark, wet swamps, jungles and caves. Their only treasure is meal debris that survived chewing and acid. Mistaken for true hydras, they use the confusion to ambush hydra hunters and also eat their dimmer cousins. Eggs sell for 7,500 gp and young for 12,000 gp.

A thessalhydra crossed with a chimera, this beast keeps the scaly lizard body and pincered tail but sports six to eight serpent heads around a lion's head maned in reddish gold, plus a red dragon's head rising from its upper back.

Each snake head bites for 1d6, plus 1d6 of acidic venom (save vs. poison for half). The lion jaws bite for 3d4; it cannot spit acid. The tail pincer deals 1d12 and can pin one man-sized or smaller victim, who breaks free only with an open doors roll (1d20 at +5, one try per round). The dragon head either bites for 2d4 or, as many as six times, spews a cone of flame that starts 5 feet across and fans out to 50 feet at a 20-foot reach, for 3d8 (save vs. breath weapon for half). Serpent heads die at 12 points without harming the body. The lion head steers the beast; if it is lost, the dragon head takes over, and if both are gone the creature becomes a semi-intelligent berserker, charging everything in reach until nothing is left, then crawling into a cave to regrow its heads. It regenerates 2 hit points per 24 hours, gains +3 on saves vs. heat and fire, and is immune to acid and petrification.

They lair in swamps, jungles and caverns, endure harsh climates, and lurk near settlements to snatch livestock and travelers by night, preferring human flesh. Eggs fetch 8,000 gp, young 12,000 gp.

Part thessalhydra and part gorgon, it has the lizardlike body, eight snake heads and a bull's head at their center. Coppery green metallic scales armor it.

Snake heads bite for 1d6 each, plus 1d6 on a failed save vs. poison, and the main mouth for 2d6, plus 2d6 on a failed save. Four times a day it exhales a petrifying cone of gas that runs 60 feet, spreading from 5 feet across at its jaws to 20 feet at the far end; anyone who fails a save vs. petrification turns to stone. It is immune to acid and petrification. Fringe heads fall at 12 points of damage and regrow in 12 days.

Thessalgorgons den in wilderness caves. An egg sells for 7,000 gp, a live youngster for 10,000 gp.

This cockatrice cross is smaller: a 12-foot torso, 6 feet at the shoulder, an 8-foot tail, and eight 6-foot fringe heads shaped like cockatrices, red-combed and feathered reddish gold on green necks.

Each head bites independently for 1d6, plus 1d6 on a failed save vs. poison, and the central mouth for 1d10, plus 1d10 more on a failed save. Once per day, each head can turn a victim to stone with its touch, and the effect extends even to creatures on the Astral and Ethereal planes. A fringe head is severed at 8 points of damage and regrows in 10 days, and harm to the heads never touches the body.

Thessaltrices favor warm places: steamy jungle, tropical marsh or heated caves. Their treasure is whatever their petrified victims carried. Eggs bring 5,000 gp and young 10,000 gp.