Friends and Foes - Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Friends and Foes. As they so often do, destruction and creation intermingled. As Purphoros cut into Nyx, he rattled the celestial creatures that populated the night sky. He accidentally dislodged Polukranos, the World Eater, from its heavenly perch. The fifty-headed monster plunged toward the mortal realm, leaving a trail of Nyx blazing in the sky. Heliod joined with Nylea, God of the Hunt, who cast vines beneath the hydra's body to ease its harsh entrance into the world. The hydra materialized in the valley and was momentarily stunned into stillness. Though much diminished in size, the hydra could still destroy every human city unless it was immediately contained. Together the gods trapped the hydra inside a cavern deep under the Nessian Forest. Arasta of the Endless Web exacts her undying revenge upon two more champions of the gods This chapter provides stat blocks for a variety of creatures unique to Theros, including mythic monsters-legendary beings intended to serve as peerless threats. It also includes lore relevant to monsters from the Monster Manual that appear on Theros. Nyxborn Creatures Just as the gods are born of Nyx, so are many creatures. Nyxborn creatures are beings of legend, some the subjects of hopeful dreams and others the product of nightmares. They come into existence as the result of divine action, as the expression of abstract ideals, or as manifestations of the strength of shared belief. As mortals continue to tell their tales of creatures that never were and repeat legends that glorify historic individuals, Nyxborn creatures of those stories might arise. Whether monsters, manifestations of long-dead mortals, or other beings, Nyxborn creatures share certain characteristics: they resemble ordinary mortal creatures, but any part of their body that isn't lit by direct light shows the starry gleam of Nyx. Nyxborn creatures typically act as the direct servants of one of the gods, but occasionally they escape from the realm of Nyx and pursue th...