Merrenoloth

Grim, gaunt captains of rivers across the planes, merrenoloths are best known for ferrying passengers along the River Styx, although they also commonly serve as ferry captains between the Plane of Water and the Celestial Realms. They have total command of their vessels, ensuring that their passengers reach their destinations safely.
Whenever a merrenoloth takes on a contract to captain a ship, it bonds with the vehicle to make sure nothing goes awry with it during the journey. A merrenoloth can navigate its ship safely through the worst storms, always stays on course, and never runs afoul of the myriad hazards that can thwart lesser captains.
A merrenoloth can hold its own in a fight, but it prefers to avoid combat when possible. In fact, it typically specifies in its contracts that it is under no obligation to fight. A merrenoloth's first duty is always to its vessel.

Related Ethnicities

• Yugoloths

Merrenoloth

Medium yugoloth, lawful neutral

Armor Class 13

Hit Points 40 9d8

Speed 30ft Swim: 40ft

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STR

8 -1

DEX

17 +3

CON

10 0

INT

17 +3

WIS

14 +2

CHA

11 0

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Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +5

Skills History +5, Nature +5, Perception +4, Survival +4

Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities acid, poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages Yugoloth, telepathy 60 ft.

Challenge 3

Innate Spellcasting. The merrenoloth's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: charm person, darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, gust of wind
3/day: control water
1/day: control weather
Magic Resistance. The merrenoloth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The merrenoloth's weapon attacks are magical.
Teleport. As a bonus action, the merrenoloth magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

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Actions

Multiattack. The merrenoloth uses Fear Gaze once and makes one oar attack.
Oar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Innate Spellcasting. The merrenoloth's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Fear Gaze. The merrenoloth targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the merrenoloth for 1 minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end ofeach of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Lair Actions

• The ship regains 22 (4d10) hit points.
• A strong wind propels the ship, increasing its speed by 30 feet until initiative count 20 on the next round.
• The air within 60 feet of the ship is filled with howling wind. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, that area is difficult terrain, and when a Medium or smaller creature flies into that area or starts its turn flying there. it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Any ship a merrenoloth is contracted to captain becomes the creature's lair. When fighting on the ship, the merrenoloth can invoke its ability to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the merrenoloth can take one lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Regional Effects

A merrenoloth imbues its vessel with powerful magic that creates one or more of the following effects:
• The ship doesn't sink even if its hull is breached.
• The ship always stays on course to the destination the merrenoloth names.
• Creatures the merrenoloth chooses to take on the ship aren't discomfited by wind or weather, though this effect doesn't protect against damage.
If the merrenoloth dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d6 hours.