Gibbering Mouther
- Size: Medium
- Type: Aberration
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
- AC: 9
- Initiative: -1 (9)
- HP: 52 (7d8 + 21)
- Speed: 20 ft, Swim 20 ft.
| ATTR | VAL | MOD | SAVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| DEX | 8 | -1 | -1 |
| CON | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| INT | 3 | -4 | -4 |
| WIS | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| CHA | 6 | -2 | -2 |
- Skills: None
- Immunities: Prone
- Senses: Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 10
- Languages: None
- CR: 2 (XP 450; PB +2)
Traits
Aberrant Ground. The ground in a 10-foot Emanation originating from the mouther is Difficult Terrain.
Gibbering. The mouther babbles incoherently while it doesn't have the Incapacitated condition. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 10, any creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the mouther while it is babbling. Failure: The target rolls 1d8 to determine what it does during the current turn:
1-4. The target does nothing.
5-6. The target takes no action or Bonus Action and uses all its movement to move in a random direction.
7-8. The target makes a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an attack.
Actions
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +2, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d6) Piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it has the Prone condition. The target dies if it is reduced to 0 Hit Points by this attack. Its body is then absorbed into the mouther, leaving only equipment behind.
Blinding Spittle (Recharge 5-6). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 10, each creature in a 10-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within 30 feet. Failure: 7 (2d6) Radiant damage, and the target has the Blinded condition until the end of the mouther's next turn.
Lore & Background
Gibbering mouthers are among the most alien and disturbing creatures to emerge from the Far Realm, beings of pure chaos and madness that defy natural law. These aberrant horrors appear as writhing masses of eyes, mouths, and flesh that constantly shift and change, babbling incoherently in languages that mortal minds cannot comprehend. They are living embodiments of insanity, created when the barriers between reality and the Far Realm weaken, allowing chaotic energies to coalesce into these nightmare beings.
The creature's constant gibbering is not random noise but fragments of alien knowledge, forbidden truths, and maddening revelations from beyond the veil of reality. Those who listen too long to a gibbering mouther's speech often find their sanity shattered, their minds unable to process the cosmic horrors being revealed. These creatures seem to exist purely to spread chaos and madness, consuming both flesh and sanity with equal hunger.
Combat Tactics
Gibbering mouthers are unpredictable combatants whose very presence disrupts the battlefield. Their Aberrant Ground ability turns the surrounding area into difficult terrain, making it hard for enemies to maintain their footing or position. The creature's Gibbering forces opponents to make wisdom saves or be incapacitated by the maddening sounds.
The mouther's Bite attacks target multiple enemies simultaneously, as its numerous mouths can reach different opponents. It uses its Blinding Spittle to disable ranged attackers and spellcasters, forcing them into melee range where its chaotic nature is most effective. The creature fights with no regard for tactics or self-preservation, driven purely by alien instincts.
Encounter Ideas
The Madhouse: A gibbering mouther has taken residence in an abandoned asylum, its presence driving the few remaining patients completely insane. The party must navigate the chaos-warped building to reach and destroy the creature.
Planar Breach: A magical experiment has torn a hole between the Material Plane and the Far Realm, allowing gibbering mouthers to pour through. The party must seal the breach while fighting off waves of these aberrant horrors.
The Whispering Woods: A forest has become corrupted by Far Realm energies, with gibbering mouthers lurking among the trees. The constant babbling has driven local wildlife mad, creating a zone of pure chaos that threatens nearby settlements.
Cultist Summoning: A cult dedicated to entities from the Far Realm has summoned a gibbering mouther as part of their ritual to bring about the end of rational reality. The party must stop the ceremony before the creature's presence weakens the barriers between worlds.
Environmental Effects
Gibbering mouthers warp reality around them through their connection to the Far Realm. The ground becomes soft and unstable, constantly shifting and changing texture. Gravity may fluctuate slightly, causing objects to fall sideways or float briefly. Colors appear more vivid and alien, while shadows move independently of their sources.
Sound becomes distorted in the creature's presence, with echoes arriving before the original noise and conversations becoming difficult to follow. Time may seem to move differently, with some actions taking longer than expected while others happen almost instantaneously.
Treasure
Gibbering mouthers don't collect treasure in any traditional sense, but their lairs often contain items from their victims or objects that have been warped by Far Realm energies. Coins might be fused together in impossible shapes, while gems could display colors that don't exist in normal reality.
Magical items exposed to the creature's influence may develop strange properties or curses. Books and scrolls might contain text that changes when read, revealing different information each time. Weapons could be twisted into bizarre but still functional forms.
Plot Hooks
The Spreading Madness: A gibbering mouther's influence is slowly expanding outward from its lair, causing increasing numbers of people to lose their sanity. The party must find and destroy the creature before the madness reaches a major city.
Far Realm Archaeology: Scholars studying ancient ruins have accidentally awakened a gibbering mouther that was trapped in the foundations. The creature now guards dangerous Far Realm artifacts that could threaten reality itself if they fall into the wrong hands.
The Babbling Prophet: A gibbering mouther's constant speech occasionally contains accurate prophecies about future events, making it valuable to those who can withstand its maddening presence. The party must decide whether to exploit this knowledge or destroy the creature.
Chaos Containment: A powerful wizard has been using gibbering mouthers as components in experiments to understand the Far Realm, but his containment measures are failing. The party must help secure the creatures or deal with the consequences of their escape into the world.