Special Equipment. Dagon carries Embrace of the Uncaring Sea, a powerful magic trident.

Innate Spellcasting. Dagon’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). It can cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

• At will: cloudkill (works underwater only), control water, create and destroy water, darkness, detect evil and good, detect magic, detect thoughts, magic missile (as the 4th level spell), teleport, telekinesis, tongues, water breathing

• 3/day each: conjure animals (aquatic creatures only), conjure elemental (water elemental only), dispel magic, dominate beast (aquatic creatures only), fear

• 1/day each: confusion, feeblemind, finger of death, hold person, hold monster, lightning bolt, stoneskin, time stop, web, wish

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If Dagon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The demon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The demon’s weapon attacks are magical.

Unholy Aura. An unholy aura surrounds Dagon out to a radius of 40 feet. A creature who enters or begins their turn in the area must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target is frightened for 1 minute. While frightened, they are paralyzed. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Water Mastery. Dagon has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws when even partly immersed in sea water.

Actions

Multiattack. Dagon makes three melee weapon attacks.

Embrace of the Uncaring Sea. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 24 (4d6 + 10) piercing damage, or 28 (4d8 + 10) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack, plus 17 (5d6) poison damage. If Dagon rolls a natural 19 or 20, the target must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be afflicted by the crushing pressure of the sea. A creature afflicted by this cannot breathe, use verbal components, or take actions or reactions. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. Magic such as heal can end this affliction early.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) slashing damage and target is poisoned until the beginning of Dagon’s next turn.

Command Aquatic Creature (Recharge 5–6). One creature with a swim speed that Dagon can see within 120 feet of it hears the telepathic commands of Dagon and must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is charmed for 24 hours. While charmed, it must follow the orders of Dagon to the best of the target’s ability and it is immune to being charmed or frightened by another effect or spell. A target can repeat the saving throw when it takes damage, ending the effect on a success.

Legendary Actions

Dagon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Dagon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Move. If at least halfway submerged in water, Dagon can move up to half its swim speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Command Aquatic Creature (Costs 2 Actions). Dagon uses its Command Aquatic Creature ability, even if it has not recharged.

Ink Cloud (Costs 3 Actions). Dagon exhales a 60-foot cone of inky blackness. Underwater it is as black ink, while above water it manifests as a thick cloud, and the area counts as heavily obscured. It remains until dispersed by a strong current or wind (at least 20 miles per hour). Dagon can end this effect on its turn as a bonus action. Creatures who enter or begin their turn in the area must make a successful DC 22 Constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) poison damage.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Dagon can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Dagon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Maelstrom. The currents and eddies of the underwater realm Dagon occupies swirl in a maelstrom out to a radius of 100 feet. All creatures in that area, other than Dagon, must make a DC 21 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target is moved in a random direction 30 feet.

Control Tempature. Dagon selects an area of water within 100 feet no larger than a 20-foot sphere and causes it to heat to boiling or cool drastically. Any creature within that area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) cold or fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful saving throw.

Regional Effects

The region containing Dagon’s lair is warped by its magic, creating one or more of the following effects:

Aquatic Bestiary. Aquatic creatures of all types are drawn to Dagon’s presence; often they are only hostile to non-aquatic creatures.

Unusual Weather. Once per day, Dagon can control the weather surrounding his lair out to a 6-mile radius. The effect is identical to the control weather spell.

Adverse Conditions. Within 1 mile of the lair, Celestial creatures find the air or water difficult to breathe and tread. These creatures must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw whenever they take a long rest. On a failed save, the creature does not benefit from that long rest. If Dagon is slain, changed weather reverts to normal as described in the spell, and the other effects fade in 1d10 days.

Embrace of the Uncaring Sea

Weapon (trident), artifact (requires attunement)

Barnacles and small lampreys cover this 10-foot-long, deepblue- green weapon; no matter how many barnacles or lampreys are removed, the weapon always seems covered in them. The three mismatched tines of the trident drip salty brine at all times, and the weapon always appears wet.

Attunement. In order to attune to Embrace of the Uncaring Sea, you must feed the lampreys that adorn its haft, dealing 8d10 necrotic damage to you, which cannot be resisted in any way. Oversized. A Medium-sized creature has disadvantage on attack rolls made with Embrace of the Uncaring Sea unless they wield the weapon two-handed.

Magic Weapon. You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with Embrace of the uncaring Sea. It also functions as a trident of fish command.

Brinetooth. You deal an additional 5d6 poison damage on a successful hit with the trident.

Embrace of the Depths. If you roll a 19 or 20 on an attack with this trident and you hit, the target must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be afflicted by the crushing pressure of the sea. A creature afflicted by this cannot breathe, cast spells using verbal components, or cannot take actions or reactions. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. Magic such as heal can end this affliction early. Destruction. You can destroy Embrace of the Uncaring Sea by stabbing the tines into the highest mountain within the hottest desert and leaving it to dry in the blazing sun for 100 years, at which time it crumbles into ash. If it is removed prior to the 100 years elapsing, all progress is lost.

large

fiend

cr26

tome-of-horrors

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