The Pomegranate Dead
The dead of coastal Misthaven are walking back with breath in their chests that isn't theirs. Hermes fetches the party ("The King would like a word"), Charon ferries them across the Styx while the sown dead try to drag them in, and Hades — proud, harried, in love — lends them the Obol of True Passage and names two people who know Asphodel: the healer Asclepius and the singer Orpheus. Both lead to the truth: the Queen's garden, and Persephone, who is raising a private legion to find out what she might be goddess of. She cannot be killed. The party must force her off the initiative list, then make sure nobody says it aloud when her husband arrives.
A husband and wife stuck with each other for eternity, who love each other anyway, each pushing the other's boundaries. Hades knows exactly what his wife is doing. He needs it stopped but will not confront her, will not seem controlling, and will not let her be embarrassed in her own home. His plan: send mortals to "discover" it, arrive late, and loudly congratulate them on destroying "whatever lich" was responsible so that she overhears. Persephone is bored, curious and ambitious; a quarter of forever is still forever. She doesn't mind him knowing. She minds very much if he says he knows.
"When the queen's garden sings with stolen breath, press this eye to the ferry-bell — the husband hears iron before lies."
Styx: PCs in the river memories returned
Clues (need 3): wounds witness tracks seal Ally: Asclepius Orpheus
Threshold 180:
Arrival Clock: Obol struck pomegranate broken
Hades interrupted: said aloud
Favors: Persephone Hades Obol kept
| Tier | Adjust |
|---|---|
| Easier | Library Standard, then Arrival Clock 3; no half-threshold zombie; both allies may come. |
| Library Std (6 PCs, L8) | Enc. 1: 6 skeletons + 1 Spartoi · Enc. 2: 3 dogs, 1 centaur, 1 zombie · Enc. 3: 4 skeletons + 1 Spartoi · Threshold 140 · clock 4 · her DCs 16, LR 2/day, no circle of death · skill DCs −1. |
| APL 10 ★ | As written: Enc. 1–2 Hard, Enc. 3 Deadly; Threshold 180; clock 5; one ally. No ally → clock 4. |
| Harder | Threshold 220 · clock 6 · 9 skeletons in Enc. 1 · zombies round 2 · circle of death twice · ally starts Enc. 3 at half HP. |
Enc. 1: 8 skeletons, 2 skeleton captains (Spartoi), a 6×2 ferry. Enc. 2: 4 death dogs, 2 centaur skeletons, 2 Cyclopean figures (zombies), humanoids for Asclepius and Orpheus. Enc. 3: a humanoid (Persephone), 4 skeletons (up to 9), the 2 captains at the bell. Optional: a Chimera as Cerberus.
The Pomegranate Dead
The mist parts on a shore of black sand. Charon poles toward you in a long, narrow ferry, black and low in water that reflects nothing. Hermes has paid. You step aboard; the river settles a hand's breadth below the gunwale. Halfway across, the water beside the hull bulges. A hand comes up — bone, green with river-slime — and closes on the rail. Then another. Then a dozen. At the bow, two taller shapes in green bronze haul themselves out of the Styx, and they are not reaching for their spears. They are reaching for you.
The sown dead aren't trying to kill the party; they're trying to grab, shove and drag the living into the Styx. Hold on until the ferry grounds at the end of round 4.
| ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ |
| ≈ | C | H↑ | → | ||||
| ≈ | → | ||||||
| ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ | ≈ |
Stern (C = Charon) → prow (H = Hermes, hovering) · far bank →
| Rd | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hands on the rail. 4 skeletons rise beside the hull (2 per side) and grab from the water. |
| 2 | Boarders. They climb aboard (or hang on). 4 more rise. 2 Spartoi climb over the bow at the end of their turns. |
| 3 | Shove. Captains Shield Bash toward the water; skeletons grapple and Drag Under. |
| 4 | The far bank. End of round: the ferry grounds; every dead thing lets go and slides back under. |
Faster: a PC takes the second pole (action, Athletics DC 15). Two successes → grounds at the end of round 3.
The keel grinds onto black shingle and every bone hand lets go at once. Charon points up a road of black glass: "The King will see you now." Then, unprompted: "The singer crossed again. Without a coin. I did not stop him."
Clues: teeth left on deck are pomegranate-stained (Investigation DC 12); a Theban sowing-mark on Spartoi bronze (History DC 14).
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil · CR 2 (450 XP)
AC 14 (armor scraps) | HP 26 (4d8+8) | Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 14 +2 +2 | 14 +2 +2 | 15 +2 +2 | 6 −2 −2 | 8 −1 −1 | 5 −3 −3 |
Vulnerabilities: bludgeoning · Immunities: poison; exhaustion, poisoned · Senses: darkvision 60 ft.
Sown from Teeth. When reduced to 0 HP, roll a d6: on a 6 (5–6 while a Spartoi Captain stands within 60 ft.), the bones reassemble at 1 HP at the start of its next turn unless shattered (bludgeoning), burned (fire) or seared by the Obol (radiant).
Pack Drill. Advantage on attack rolls if another Hydra-Tooth Skeleton is within 5 ft. of the target.
River-Risen. Sown in the bed of the Styx; the river does not harm it. From the water it can use Grasping Hands and Drag Under against a creature in a square beside the hull. Knocked overboard, it spends its next turn climbing back aboard (Enc. 1).
Many Hands. Each other Hydra-Tooth Skeleton grappling the same creature adds 2 to the DC to escape the grapple and to the save against Drag Under.
Actions
Multiattack. Two shortsword attacks, or one shortsword and one shield bash. It can replace any of them with Grasping Hands.
Shortsword. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing.
Shield Bash. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) bludgeoning; DC 12 Strength save or prone.
Grasping Hands. One creature within 5 ft. makes a DC 12 Strength or Dexterity save (its choice) or is grappled (escape DC 12).
Drag Under. One creature the skeleton is grappling makes a DC 12 Strength save, with disadvantage if prone. On a failure it goes overboard into the Styx, and a skeleton that was aboard goes with it, still holding on.
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil · CR 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 17 (bronze scraps, shield) | HP 97 (13d8+39) | Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 18 +4 +7 | 14 +2 +2 | 16 +3 +6 | 10 +0 +0 | 12 +1 +1 | 10 +0 +0 |
Vulnerabilities: bludgeoning
Immunities: poison; exhaustion, frightened, poisoned · Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 · Languages: understands Ancient Greek; barks drill-calls
Sown from the Dragon's Teeth. The first Spartoi sprang from the teeth Cadmus sowed at Thebes; these were sown in the Queen's garden and wear the bronze of the men they replaced. At 0 HP it collapses into a heap of teeth; on a 5–6 at the start of its next turn it rises with 15 HP, unless the killing blow was bludgeoning, fire or radiant.
Drill Captain. While it stands, Hydra-Tooth Skeletons within 60 ft. that can hear it reassemble on a 5–6 instead of a 6. Kill the captains first.
Bronze Sinks. If it goes into the Styx it sinks in its bronze and is out of the fight; the river keeps it. On the ferry it uses Shield Bash, not its spear: it wants you in the water.
Actions
Multiattack. Three Dory attacks, or two Dory attacks and one Shield Bash.
Dory. +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) piercing.
Shield Bash. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning, and the target makes a DC 15 Strength save or is pushed 10 ft. and knocked prone.
Reactions
Hold the Line. When a creature it can see moves within 5 ft. of the ferry-bell (or of another post it guards), it makes one Dory attack against that creature. On a hit the target's speed becomes 0 until the end of the turn.
Medium Undead (Unique), Neutral · Ferryman
AC 16 | HP 110 (13d8+52) | Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 16 +3 +3 | 12 +1 +1 | 18 +4 +4 | 14 +2 +2 | 16 +3 +3 | 11 +0 +0 |
Skills: Insight +7, Perception +7 · Immunities: necrotic, poison; frightened
The Fare. Hermes has paid the way in. The way home costs the Obol Hades lends the party. Attempting to fight him capsizes the ferry: everyone aboard goes into the Styx (see Enc. 1).
Ferryman. He poles; he does not fight for anyone. The crossing takes 4 rounds whatever happens on deck. When the ferry grounds, he hooks any passenger still in the river out with his pole.
Neutral Witness. Answers one honest question about recent crossings if paid fairly. Will not accuse the Queen by name.
Actions
Ferryman's Pole. +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning + 7 (2d6) necrotic.
Styx Lash (Recharge 5–6). 30-ft. line; DC 15 Dexterity. 21 (6d6) necrotic on a failure, half on a success; a failure also reduces speed to 0 until the end of its next turn.
Reactions
Paid Passage (1/Round). When a passenger whose fare is paid goes overboard, he holds out his pole. The passenger makes a DC 12 Dexterity save; on a success it catches the pole and ends hanging on the gunwale instead of in the river. "The fare is paid. Hold on."
The Pomegranate Dead
A road of black glass runs up to a hall cut from a single block of basalt. Scribes in grey read names aloud — thousands of names, the newly dead, without pause. At the far end are two thrones. One is obsidian and occupied. The other is carved with pomegranates and empty; a half-eaten fruit rests on its arm. The man on the obsidian throne is tall, tired and beautifully dressed. "Ah. Hermes found you. Good. Sit — no, don't sit, there isn't time. Listen."
Play Hades as a host managing a delicate dinner party: courteous, harried, proud, steering every sentence away from the one subject he cannot raise. The scribes never stop reading. He never stops glancing at the empty throne.
"This subject is delicate. Know that the pride of a god is more easily wounded than you think — and more so in their own domain — and their retribution is severe. There are those at the temples of Athena who would whisper mockeries of Ares. But would those same whispers be uttered near a temple of Ares? Or on a battlefield? A warrior may pray to Athena or to Ares in the heat of battle. But to curse either in their domain? That warrior's life is forfeit. So: discretion, and reverence, when you work in the domain of a god. Do not wound their pride."
He returns to this whenever anyone gets close to the subject.
Discreet: "Asphodel is that way. Mind the dogs. They used to be such good dogs." A servant's lantern and the two names.
Hostile: the torches die; the scribes stop reading for the first time in ten thousand years; the party is outside before they remember walking. They still have the Obol — and nothing else.
Medium Celestial (God), Lawful Neutral · Quest Giver · Not a combatant
Role: Briefs the party in his throne room; ends Enc. 3 when the Arrival Clock completes
Pride and Love. He knows what his wife has been doing. He needs the dead to stop rising, but he will not confront her — he is glad she is finding new interests and will not seem controlling — and he will not let her be embarrassed in her own home.
His Plan. Send mortals to "discover" it, arrive late, and very publicly congratulate them on destroying whatever lich must have been responsible — loudly enough that she hears, and gets the message.
What He Will Not Do. Name the culprit, look into it himself ("Just because the dead are rising doesn't mean the living have stopped dying!"), or hear his wife accused in his house. He steers the party to an ally who will lead them to her instead.
The Rule of His House. Whenever a PC begins to accuse the Queen in his presence, he interrupts — every time. A PC who talks over him and says it aloud makes him Hostile.
Hostile. He uses Rebuke on the speaker, ends the audience, gives no pointers to allies, owes no favor, and takes the Obol back at the end. He still needs the rising stopped.
Arrival Clock. Struck on a ferry-bell, the Obol calls him: 5 rounds (Harder: 6; Library Standard: 4), ticking at the end of each of Persephone's turns. Late on purpose.
Not a Word. If both gods save face, he owes the party a favor and "will pay it on the day the sky is on fire" (Cerberus joins the party against Typhon in Victory Unchained).
Persistence. Do not fight or kill Hades. He is the off-ramp, not a boss.
Actions
Rebuke of the Dead King (only when Hostile). Each creature that spoke against the Queen makes a DC 18 Constitution save, taking 27 (6d8) necrotic damage and becoming frightened of Hades for 1 hour on a failure, or half as much damage on a success.
Medium Celestial (shapechanged), Chaotic Good · Escort
Public face: travel-stained guide in Misthaven who "knows a ferry"
Role. Fetches the party from Misthaven on Hades' behalf, pays Charon for the crossing, and walks them to the throne room. All he will say is: "The King would like a word."
Secret. He knows exactly what the Queen has been doing, and finds the whole marriage enormously entertaining. He will not say so to anyone.
If Confronted. "Pay attention. Mind your tongue in his house. Do not eat the fruit."
The Pomegranate Dead
The path from the palace leads into meadows of pale asphodel — waist-high flowers the color of old bone, stretching to a horizon that doesn't exist. Somewhere in the mist a tent glows: an oil lamp, a healer's kit, someone cataloguing the wrong things. Further off, a lyre is playing — the only warm sound in the Underworld. Then the barking starts: dry, rattling barks, like bones in a sack, and under it hoofbeats with no flesh in them.
3+ clues open the Garden Road. The Kennel Road leads to Cerberus (p. 6).
Asclepius (action), or a PC he coaches (Medicine DC 15), calls a Bone Centaur by its old name: WIS DC 14. Fail → it lowers its bow for 1 minute unless attacked; a second failure lays it down for good. "I know that bridle-knot. He taught it to me. He taught it to all of us."
Other ways: Animal Handling/Religion DC 15 (adv. with the Obol) turns a dog for 1 minute · Stealth DC 14 leads the NPCs through the fog while one PC distracts (Performance/Religion DC 14).
Asclepius (cleric / necromancer): show ≥2 floral/royal clues, Persuasion DC 13. In the garden: heals, breaks the pomegranate, turns the raised dead, returns one fallen PC, clock −1.
Orpheus (bard): protect him and tell him what Lydia saw, Persuasion DC 14 (adv. if no shade was drained). In the garden: bargain DC 15, silences her legendary actions once, lulls the summons; makes Cerberus easy. "She let Eurydice go once. Because I sang. Then I looked back."
Only one goes. The other holds Asphodel — the healer with his patients, the singer keeping the shades quiet. Neither → Arrival Clock starts at 4.
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)
AC 13 (bone plates) | HP 39 (6d8+12) | Speed 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 15 +2 +2 | 14 +2 +2 | 14 +2 +2 | 3 −4 −4 | 13 +1 +1 | 6 −2 −2 |
Skills: Perception +5, Stealth +4 · Vulnerabilities: bludgeoning
Immunities: poison; exhaustion, poisoned · Senses: darkvision 120 ft.
Two-Headed. Advantage on Wis (Perception) and on saves vs. blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
Grave-Hound. A two-headed hound picked clean to the bone and strung back together with pomegranate vine; its ribs rattle when it runs and it still wears the Queen's collar. When reduced to 0 HP by anything but bludgeoning or radiant damage, it collapses into a heap of bones that twitch for a round.
Actions
Multiattack. Two bite attacks.
Bite. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing. If both bites hit the same target on a turn, the target makes a DC 12 Constitution save or is poisoned and diseased (grave-rot: HP max reduced by 5 per failed daily save until cured — Asclepius can cure with Healing Touch).
Large Undead, Neutral · CR 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 15 (bone barding) | HP 110 (13d10+39) | Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 18 +4 +4 | 16 +3 +3 | 16 +3 +3 | 9 −1 −1 | 13 +1 +1 | 8 −1 −1 |
Skills: Athletics +7, Perception +4, Survival +4 · Vulnerabilities: bludgeoning
Immunities: poison; exhaustion, poisoned · Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 · Languages: understands Ancient Greek
Chiron's Kin. Raised from the bones of the centaurs of Chiron's line — the teacher who taught Asclepius medicine. Asclepius knows them on sight. He (or a PC he is coaching, with a DC 15 Medicine check) can use an action to call one by its old name: it makes a DC 14 Wisdom save. On a failure it lowers its bow and takes no actions for 1 minute unless attacked; a second failure lays it down for good.
Hunting Charge. If it moves at least 30 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a Pike attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage and makes a DC 15 Strength save or is knocked prone.
The Queen's Bridle. Its skull is bridled in black leather stamped with the Queen's seal — a clue (see Enc. 2).
Actions
Multiattack. Two Pike attacks, one Pike and one Hooves attack, or two Longbow attacks.
Pike. +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) piercing.
Hooves. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning.
Longbow. +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing plus 7 (2d6) necrotic.
Large Undead, Neutral Evil · CR 5 (1,800 XP)
AC 11 | HP 115 (11d10+55) | Speed 25 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 20 +5 +5 | 6 −2 −2 | 20 +5 +5 | 3 −4 −4 | 6 −2 +1 | 5 −3 −3 |
Resistances: necrotic · Immunities: poison; exhaustion, poisoned
Senses: darkvision 60 ft.
Stolen Breath. A bloated corpse from the Asphodel fields, swollen with breath the Queen stole from the living. Its chest heaves; every exhale smells of pomegranate and grave-soil.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces it to 0 HP, it makes a Constitution save (DC 5 + the damage taken) unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, it drops to 1 HP instead.
Death Sigh. When it dies, it exhales every breath it stole: each creature within 10 ft. makes a DC 14 Constitution save or takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage and is poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. Two Grave Slam attacks.
Grave Slam. +8 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) bludgeoning plus 7 (2d6) necrotic. The target makes a DC 14 Constitution save or its HP max is reduced by the necrotic damage until it finishes a long rest.
Breath Thief (Recharge 5–6). It presses its mouth to a grappled, prone, or dying creature within 5 ft. and inhales: 21 (6d6) necrotic, DC 15 Constitution save for half, and the zombie regains HP equal to the damage dealt. A shade reduced to 0 HP this way is gone for good.
Medium Humanoid (Human, son of Apollo), Neutral Good · Bard · CR 6 ally
AC 14 | HP 82 (15d8+15) | Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 10 +0 +0 | 16 +3 +6 | 12 +1 +1 | 13 +1 +1 | 14 +2 +2 | 20 +5 +8 |
Skills: Performance +11, Persuasion +8, Insight +5, History +4
Senses: passive Perception 12 · Languages: Common, Ancient Greek
The Man Who Came Back. The only living man to cross the Styx twice. He walked out of the Underworld once with Eurydice behind him, looked back, and lost her. He has come down again, alone and without leave, because her shade is missing from Asphodel.
The Song She Wept For. Persephone wept once at his song; it was she who let Eurydice go. While he plays within 60 ft. of her, the bargain (Path B) is DC 15 instead of DC 18.
Calms the Hound. Cerberus has heard him before. Checks to calm Cerberus have advantage while he plays, and his playing counts as one success.
One Ally Only. If the party brings him to the garden, Asclepius stays in Asphodel with his patients. Recruit by protecting him and telling him what happened to Eurydice (Persuasion DC 14).
Iconic. Do not kill. At 0 HP he is stable and unconscious, still holding the lyre.
Actions
Lyre-Blade. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing.
Spellcasting (Cha, DC 16, +8 to hit). At will: vicious mockery (3d4), friends. 2/day each: calm emotions, healing word (3d4+5). 1/day: hypnotic pattern.
Lull of the Lyre (Recharge 5–6). Each skeleton, death dog and zombie within 30 ft. that can hear him makes a DC 16 Wisdom save or is incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
The Song She Wept For (1/Encounter). He plays the song from his first descent. Persephone takes no legendary actions until the start of her next turn.
Bonus Actions
Inspiring Refrain (3/Day). One ally within 60 ft. who can hear him gains a d8 Bardic Inspiration die for 10 minutes.
Reactions
Counter-Song. When a creature within 30 ft. makes a save against being charmed or frightened, it has advantage.
Asclepius's stat block is on p. 5.
The Pomegranate Dead
The garden gate stands open. That is the first wrong thing; it is never open. Rows of black pomegranate trees with fruit so dark they pull the light. Furrows where something was planted, grew, died and was replaced. A bronze ferry-bell on a plinth beside a second, smaller throne — and, either side of the bell, two figures in green bronze who do not breathe. The Queen stands at the center of it all in a gown the color of late autumn. "I was wondering when my husband would send someone. He never comes himself. He's so very busy."
"My mother is the Harvest. My husband is the Dead. And I am — what? His wife? Her daughter? I am here a quarter of every year, and a quarter of forever is still forever. If I am to be Queen of the Dead, then I will be Queen of the Dead. Goddess of the Undead? Of the Shades? Who knows. I'm experimenting."
Threatened with telling Hades: "Tell him? Darling. He knows. He simply hasn't said so — and I would very much like to keep it that way."
A · Arrival Clock (primary). Strike the Obol on the bell (action) — past the Spartoi's Hold the Line (Dash, shove, distraction, or drop a captain). 5 rounds (4 with Asclepius), ticking at the end of Persephone's turn. Announce what's left. The rule of his house applies from now on.
B · Threshold + bargain. Threshold 180 → 0 (she turns Wrathful, still unkillable), then Persuasion/Intimidation DC 18 (DC 15 with Orpheus playing). "Ring the bell. Say nothing. And I shall owe you one."
C · Flee to the kennels → Cerberus (p. 6); opportunity attacks apply.
Never describe her dying at 0 — cracked composure, falling flowers, screaming silence.
"There they are — the heroes of Asphodel! I trust whatever upstart lich was behind all this has been thoroughly disintegrated? Banished? Or did my dog eat him? He does that. Splendid work. Splendid. My Queen — you'll have heard? The dead are lying down again. Such a relief for all of us."
Hand out: Obol (kept), Favor of the Queen, Favor of the King — see the item cards.
Medium Celestial (Goddess), Neutral (ambitious) · CR 12 threat · UNKILLABLE BOSS
AC 18 | HP — (Threshold 180; see Immortal Court) | Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 14 +2 +2 | 18 +4 +10 | 18 +4 +4 | 16 +3 +3 | 20 +5 +11 | 20 +5 +11 |
Skills: Deception +11, Insight +11, Nature +9, Religion +9 · Resistances: necrotic, psychic; BPS from nonmagical
Queen in Her Own Right. Bored, curious and ambitious. Her mother is the Harvest, her husband the Dead; she will not be only "his wife". She is experimenting with what she might be goddess of — the Undead? the Shades? — by raising a private legion. She loves Hades and does not want him prying. Above all she will not have it said aloud, in her own home, that he knows. The reveal is the mystery payoff.
Immortal Court — Cannot Be Killed. She has no true HP. Track a Pressure Threshold of 180. Damage and certain effects reduce the threshold. At 0 she does not die — she becomes Wrathful (see Legendary Actions) but remains unkillable. Win = she leaves initiative (Hades arrives, a bargain, or Cerberus).
Pomegranate Focus. While she holds her pomegranate (object AC 20 / HP 40, immune to psychic), she can summon. Destroying it prevents new summons for 2 rounds and drops the threshold by 30.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). Turn a failed save into a success.
Actions
Multiattack. Two Necro-Vine attacks and Cast a Spell, or three Necro-Vines.
Necro-Vine. +10 to hit, reach 15 ft. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing + 10 (3d6) necrotic; DC 18 Strength save or restrained (escape DC 18).
Cast a Spell. Spell save DC 18, +10 to hit. At will: chill touch (4d8), command. 3/day each: hold person, blight, spirit guardians (necrotic blossoms). 1/day: circle of death (8d6, 60-ft. radius — only while the pomegranate is intact).
Sow the Teeth (Recharge 5–6). Summons 1d4+1 Hydra-Tooth Skeletons in unoccupied spaces within 30 ft. They act after her.
Legendary Actions
Vine (Cost 1). One Necro-Vine attack.
Whisper (Cost 1). One creature within 60 ft. makes a DC 18 Wisdom save or is frightened until the end of its next turn.
Reap & Sow (Cost 2). One skeleton within 60 ft. explodes (10-ft. radius, DC 15 Dex, 14 (4d6) necrotic) and is replaced by a Skeletal Death Dog.
Wrathful Queen (Cost 3, only at Threshold 0). Sow the Teeth recharges immediately and she casts chill touch on two targets; still cannot be slain.
Medium Humanoid (Demigod physician), Neutral Good · Cleric / Necromancer · CR 6 ally
AC 14 | HP 97 (15d8+30) | Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 10 +0 +0 | 14 +2 +2 | 14 +2 +2 | 18 +4 +7 | 18 +4 +7 | 14 +2 +2 |
Skills: Medicine +10, Nature +7, Insight +7, Religion +7
Why He Is Here. Following a plague of "false deaths" — corpses walking with stolen breath. He believes someone is siphoning Asclepian healing into necromancy.
Raiser of the Dead. The one mortal-born healer who ever brought the dead back — Zeus struck him down for it at Hades' complaint. He knows exactly how the dead are raised, which is why this frightens him. Hades still keeps complaints about him on file.
Chiron's Pupil. Chiron the centaur taught him medicine. The bone centaurs in Asphodel are Chiron's kin, and he can call them by name (see their card).
One Ally Only. If the party brings him to the garden, Orpheus stays in Asphodel to keep the shades calm. Recruit with ≥2 floral/royal clues (Persuasion DC 13 with the evidence).
Iconic. Do not kill. If reduced to 0 HP, he stabilizes in a sacred sleep (removed from the fight). He will not strike Persephone to kill.
Actions
Serpent Staff. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning + 7 (2d6) poison or radiant (his choice).
Healing Touch (3/Day). A creature he touches regains 18 (4d8) HP and may end one poison or disease.
Turn the Inverted (1/Day). Each undead within 30 ft. that Persephone raised makes a DC 15 Wisdom save or is turned for 1 minute (it flees and takes no actions unless cornered); the effect ends on a creature that takes damage.
Return from the Threshold (1/Day). A creature that died within the last minute returns to life with 1 HP.
Diagnostic Gaze. Insight/Medicine check with advantage to identify how an undead was made (reveals the summoner-signature: floral + grave).
Bonus Actions
Field Surgery (1/Round). One ally within 5 ft. gains 10 temporary HP.
Orpheus: p. 4. Hydra-Tooth Skeleton and Spartoi Captain: p. 2. Skeletal Death Dog and Breath-Thief Zombie: p. 4.
The Pomegranate Dead
The Kennel Road ends in a yard of iron stakes and bone piles before three black archways. Only the middle one leads anywhere. Something the size of a house lies across it, asleep, and all three of its heads are snoring in different keys. Then one of them opens an eye.
Calm (preferred): Animal Handling or Performance DC 16 — group check, 3 successes before 3 failures while others Dodge or Dash. Advantage with the Obol as a scent-token (action, not consumed) or with Orpheus playing; Orpheus's playing counts as one success (Cerberus has heard him before).
Distract: rations or illusions, Deception DC 14 — 2 rounds to Dash through the center arch.
Fight: full stats below. Iconic — prefer not to kill. At 0 HP he flees whimpering; Hades is displeased, and the Arrival Clock starts at 3 as Hades feels the wound.
Three Throats at the Gate (Orpheus + Cerberus) is archived. Hades' favor arrives as Cerberus, fighting beside the party against Typhon in Victory Unchained — a party that hurt him here may find him less eager.
Huge Monstrosity, Lawful Neutral · CR 10 (5,900 XP) · OPTIONAL / Iconic
AC 16 (natural) | HP 178 (17d12+68) | Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sc md sv | 22 +6 +6 | 12 +1 +1 | 18 +4 +4 | 6 −2 −2 | 14 +2 +2 | 10 +0 +0 |
Skills: Perception +10 (adv) · Senses: darkvision 120 ft., smell living breath 300 ft. · Immunities: frightened
Iconic — Prefer Not to Kill. Win by calming, distracting, or slipping past — not by slaying Olympus's hound. If reduced to 0 HP, he flees whimpering (Hades will be displeased).
Three Heads. Advantage on Perception; can make opportunity attacks against three different creatures per round.
Gate Guardian. Blocks the inner road to Hades' private court. Getting past him is an alternate resolution that calls Hades without the garden ferry-bell.
Actions
Multiattack. Three bite attacks (one per head).
Bite. +10 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 17 (2d10+6) piercing. If two or more bites hit the same target in a turn, DC 18 Strength save or grappled and restrained in the jaws (escape DC 18).
Tripartite Roar (Recharge 5–6). 60-ft. cone; DC 16 Wisdom. Fail: frightened for 1 minute (repeat at the end of its turns) and deafened for 1 round.
Legendary Actions
Detect (Cost 1). Wisdom (Perception) check.
Bite (Cost 1). One bite attack.
Drag (Cost 2). Move up to 20 ft. dragging one grappled creature without provoking.