Marrowborn Minion: Rook

When motionless, the marrowborn rook may be mistaken for a monolith of carved bone worshipped by a mad, alien cult. However, as the horror comes alive its hulking forearms peel away like a beetle's wings to reveal its grotesque entirety. The rook resembles a giant's ribcage filled with rancid organs floating on a squirm of cartilaginous tendrils. A few of the ghastly pseudopods roam past the framework's boundary, ready and eager to catch other marrowborn on the move. Its head is a crenellated growth of petrified keratin with an anemone-like bloom of sensory apparatus nested in the top and the lower jaw of a giant as a foundation. Sprawling out of the bottom of the anathema, the thickest tendrils propel the marrowborn rook along in a manner not unlike an octopus. As with all of its vile species, the undead's bones are scrawled with blasphemous, undecipherable runes.

Unliving Rampart. The marrowborn rook is designed to be a siege engine, a mobile fortress, and conveyance for the Marrowborn all rolled into one. The terror can link its massive forearms together and hold a location against most foes. The sinister sigils along its bones crackle with fell energy when it is in such a state, reflecting violence back onto its enemies. On the move, the marrowborn rook uses its giant arms as a battering ram, smashing over creatures and demolishing walls.

Its smaller tendrils created handholds for other marrowborn to grasp and ride along like fleas on a hound's hide. Once the marrowborn rook breaches a defensive line, its kin leap off and into action against the prey within. If need be, the rook will fill the hole it just made until the rest of its hive are poised to flow in after.

Marrowborn Rook

large undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 11

Hit Points 142 (15d10 + 60)

Speed 30ft

Str 19 Dex 12 Con 19 Int 9 Wis 13 Cha 13

Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +7

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities blinded, frightened, poisoned

Sensesblindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond),, passive Perception 11

Languages-

Challenge 5 (1800 XP)

Deathless Fortification.

As a bonus action, the marrowborn rook reduces its speed to 0 until the end of its next turn. During this time, the marrowborn rook becomes immune to the prone condition, has disadvantage on attack rolls, and gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, and force damage. In addition, it deals force damage to all targets within 10ft equal to the damage it resists from each attack or spell that hits it.

Magic Weapons.

The marrowborn rook's weapon attacks are magical.

Actions

Multiattack.

The marrowborn makes two slam attacks as one action.

Slam:

Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage.

Crushing Surge (Recharge 6).

The marrowborn rook moves 20ft in a straight line and moves through objects and creatures its size or smaller. All creatures in the spaces the rook moved through must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity save or take 13 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and 13 (4d6) force damage. Crushing Surge deals double damage to objects and structures.

Reactions

Beast of Burden.

Whenever the marrowborn moves, it may use its reaction to catch up to four Medium or Small friendly creatures within 5ft with its tendrils and carry them along. These carried creatures do not provoke an opportunity attack due to this movement and must be placed in an unoccupied square or a space with a prone creature within 5ft of the marrowborn rook when its movement ends. If these carried creatures cannot be placed, they are instead reduced to 0 hit points and destroyed