Yuan-ti Anathema

Yuan-ti Anathema

Harper Field Dossier
Combat reference
Type	The pinnacle of yuan-ti transformation — a great serpent body with arms and many snake heads
Vulnerabilities	Silence. Every working it knows is spoken; struck mute, it is only teeth and coils. Cold, force, and honest steel all bite in full
Resistances	Fire and lightning
Immunities	Poison and thunder — venom means nothing to it, though its body can still be fouled and sickened (the poisoned condition took hold at the bridge)
Condition Immunities
Strong Saves	Magic slides off it — it shrugs at spells and magical effects that lesser creatures fail against
Senses	Reads the warmth of living bodies through the heat-pits below its eyes; darkness is no refuge from it
Movement	Swims as swiftly as it slithers, and will come up out of a river you thought was empty
Notable Abilities	A druid's grasp of vines and grasping earth — all of it spoken aloud; many biting heads and crushing coils within reach of its arms
Provenance
Knowledge	Partial
First Encountered	Session 54, rising from the Winding Water at Boareskyr Bridge
Filed by	Agent Wren, of the Tellstone circle

The Harpers' Read

An anathema is what a yuan-ti spends a lifetime of rites trying to become, and the hills keep very few of them — the bridge-keeper at Boareskyr had twenty years of books and had never once written one down. Treat every report of one as true until proven otherwise.

Your first move is not a blade. It is Silence. Everything the creature casts, it speaks, and a single well-placed hush strips it down to an animal — a big one, with many mouths, but an animal. After that, mind your elements: it bathes in fire and lightning without much complaint, and poison is a joke to it, but cold, force, and plain sharpened steel wound it honestly. Do not count on your spells landing at all — magic slides off the thing, so bring effects that give no save or allies who don't cast. Keep your distance while it dies; every one of those heads bites, and the arms are strong enough to crush. And do not bother hiding in the dark — it reads your body's warmth through the pits beneath its eyes. The company at Boareskyr Bridge killed theirs without taking a single blow, and that is the correct number of blows to take from an anathema.

Encounters of Record

• Session 54 — An anathema swam down the Winding Water to Boareskyr Bridge behind its clutch of spies and came ashore in front of the whole town. Karma bent its Entangle aside, Gootcha's Silence deleted its entire spell list, Baelgrum's Commanded it through a wolf pack, and Keyleth's longbow finished it before it ever completed an attack. The carcass was harvested in the street.

Harvest Profile

CR 12 — Very Rare ceiling. Rules: Monster Harvesting. Search all components by effect: Find Components.

Component	Tool	Rarity	Effect	Primary for	Contributor to
Anathema Venom Glands (signature)	Poisoner's	Very Rare	Many-fanged venom — virulent, layered neurotoxin Damage: Poison • Afflict: Poisoned	Poison, Bomb	Weapon
Gemlike Serpent Eyes	Jeweler's (or Thieves' fine work)	Very Rare	Serpent gaze — gem-focus stock; beguilement and suggestion Afflict: Charm • Boost: Spell Power	Wand, Wondrous	Staff
Mageward Ichor	Alchemist's	Very Rare	Spell-turning essence — warding against magic Resistance: Spells • Boost: Saving Throws	Potion, Wondrous	Staff, Armor
Anathema Scale Coat	Smith's	Very Rare	Layered serpent-scale plating — fire- and lightning-warded Boost: Armor Class • Resistance: Fire • Resistance: Lightning	Armor	Wondrous, Weapon
Heat-Pit Clusters	Navigator's	Very Rare	Heat-sense — perceive warm bodies through darkness; divination Sense: Blindsight • Sense: Heightened Senses • Utility: Divination	Wondrous	Wand, Staff
Antivenin Organ	Herbalism	Rare	Antitoxin — resist & neutralize poison Restore: Cure Poison • Ward: Poison	Potion	Poison, Wondrous
Six-Skull Crowns	Smith's	Rare	Serpent skull-crowns — helm and trophy stock Boost: Armor Class • Skill: Intimidation	Armor	Wondrous, Weapon
Anathema Hide	Leatherworker's	Rare	Vast serpent-leather — supple and warded Boost: Armor Class	Armor	Wondrous
Coiled Muscle Sinew	Leatherworker's	Rare	Constricting sinew — strength & grip Boost: Strength • Skill: Athletics	Armor	Weapon, Wondrous
Envenomed Fangs	Poisoner's / Smith's	Uncommon	Venom-channeled fangs Damage: Poison • Damage: Piercing	Weapon	Poison
Serpent Musk Gland	Alchemist's	Uncommon	Beast-calming serpent musk Skill: Animal Handling • Afflict: Charm	Potion	Wondrous
Abyssal Ichor	Alchemist's / Calligrapher's	Uncommon	Faintly abyssal blood-ink; sigil reagent Boost: Spell Power	Wondrous	Wand
Heat-Pit Membranes	Navigator's	Uncommon	Lesser heat-sense membranes Sense: Heightened Senses	Wondrous	—
Supple Scale-Skin	Leatherworker's	Uncommon	Shed-ready scale-skin; light leather Boost: Armor Class	Armor	Wondrous
Serpent Blood	Alchemist's / Poisoner's	Common	Structure only	—	Potion, Poison, Bomb
Anathema Fangs	Smith's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Weapon
Scale Handfuls	Smith's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Weapon
Rib Bones	Smith's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Weapon
Sinew Cords	Leatherworker's	Common	Structure only	—	Armor, Wondrous
Serpent Meat	Cook's	Common	Structure only	—	Rations

Harvest Record

Harvested in Session 54; quantities include margin bonuses. Banked totals: Harvested Materials.

Component	Qty	Outcome	Recovered by (roll)
Anathema Venom Glands	2	Recovered— signature +1 at margin 10	Shade(30)
Gemlike Serpent Eyes	2	Recovered— pairs	Gootcha(27)
Mageward Ichor	1	Recovered	Xanphina(21)
Anathema Scale Coat	1	Recovered	Baelgrum(20)
Heat-Pit Clusters	1	Recovered	Keyleth(20)
Antivenin Organ	1	Recovered	Karma(17)
Six-Skull Crowns	2	Recovered	Baelgrum
Envenomed Fangs	5	Recovered	Shade
Serpent Musk Gland	3	Recovered	Xanphina
Abyssal Ichor	3	Recovered	Xanphina
Heat-Pit Membranes	3	Recovered	Keyleth
Serpent Blood	13	Recovered	column sweeps
Anathema Fangs	9	Recovered	column sweeps
Scale Handfuls	4	Recovered	column sweeps
Anathema Hide	—	Left— no leatherworker	—
Coiled Muscle Sinew	—	Left— no leatherworker	—
Supple Scale-Skin	—	Left— no leatherworker	—
Sinew Cords	—	Left— no leatherworker	—
Serpent Meat	—	Left	—
Rib Bones	—	Left	—

See also

• Yuan-ti — the serpent-folk and their other kinds
• Bestiary — the company's field bestiary
• Monster Harvesting · Harvested Materials · Find Components