The heralds of blood are 20-foot-tall giants with bruised purple skin, and wart-like blood blisters that deform their features. They often wear cowled robes over golden armor streaked with black or green, and their staves of power are always ebony and mithral, embedded with precious stones.

As powerful sorcerers and blood mages, heralds of blood are without peer. They enjoy enslaving ogres and giants whenever possible, though they make do with lesser slaves when they must.

Dark Prophets. Their stirring speeches proclaim that the end times are fast approaching, and their followers must prepare for a bloody reckoning. Behind their charismatic preaching, the heralds of blood serve elder earth gods that demand blood sacrifices, especially dark druid orders devoted to human hunts and the murder of innocents. They have the power to grant strength, lust, and vitality—or to wither those who cross them.

Blood Magic Vortexes. In their true form, which they keep hidden except in battle, heralds of blood are swirling vortexes of blood, bone, and raw magical power. They feed on ley line magic and the black blood of the earth as much as on flesh and blood.

Herald of Blood

Huge fiend, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 115 (10d12 + 50)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft., fly 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	12 (+1)	20 (+5)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)	16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +10, Con +9, Wis +7
Skills Arcana +6, Perception +7
Damage Resistances piercing, lightning
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Void Speech
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Blood Armor. The herald of blood takes no damage from the first attack against it each round and ignores any nondamaging effects of the attack.

Gift of Blood. As an action, the herald of blood can transform any fey, human, or goblin into a red hag, if the target willingly accepts this transformation.

Grant Blood Rage. As a bonus action, the herald of blood can grant a single living creature blood rage, giving it advantage on attacks for 3 rounds. At the end of this time, the target gains 1 level of exhaustion and suffers 13 (2d12) necrotic damage from blood loss.

Humanoid Form. A herald of blood can assume a humanoid form at will as a bonus action, and dismiss this form at will.

Melting Touch. When a herald of blood scores a critical hit or starts its turn with a foe grappled, it can dissolve one metal or wood item of its choosing in that foe's possession. A mundane item is destroyed automatically; a magical item survives if its owner makes a successful DC 17 Dexterity saving throw.

Actions

Engulfing Protoplasm. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) slashing damage and the target must make a successful DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the herald of blood (escape DC 16). While grappled this way, the creature takes 39 (6d12) acid damage at the start of each of the herald’s turns. The herald can have any number of creatures grappled this way.

Legendary Actions

A herald of blood 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. A herald of blood regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Move (1 Action). The herald of blood moves up to half its speed.

Call of Blood (2 Actions). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., all creatures in reach. Hit: 39 (6d12) necrotic damage and each target must make a successful DC 17 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Majesty of Ragnarok (3 Actions). The herald of blood emits a terrifying burst of eldritch power. All creatures within 100 feet and in direct line of sight of the herald take 32 (5d12) necrotic damage, gain 2 levels of exhaustion, and are permanently blinded. Targets that make a successful DC 15 Charisma saving throw are not blinded and gain only 1 level of exhaustion.