Ashlands Viper

Small beast, unaligned

Found throughout the Ashen Wastes and the arid scrublands bordering the Blightlands, the Ashlands Viper is a grey-scaled serpent that can grow up to five feet long. Its venom is prized by alchemists and feared by travellers --- a cocktail of paralytic toxins and trace necrotic compounds that cause flesh to blacken around the wound. The viper is ambush-patient, burying itself in ash and grey soil, waiting motionless for hours until prey wanders close enough to strike.

Armor Class:13 (natural armor)

Hit Points:11 (2d6 + 4)

Speed:30 ft, burrow 10 ft

Challenge:CR 1/4

STR

4 (-3)

DEX

16 (+3)

CON

14 (+2)

INT

2 (-4)

WIS

12 (+1)

CHA

3 (-4)

Skills:Stealth +5, Perception +3

Senses:Blindsight 10 ft, passive Perception 13

Traits

Ash Camouflage. The viper has advantage on Stealth checks made in ash, sand, or grey soil.

Ambush Strike. If the viper hits a creature that is surprised or that hasn't acted yet in combat, the bite deals an additional 3 (1d6) poison damage.

Actions

Bite. Melee: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 CON save or be poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, the target's speed is halved and it takes 2 (1d4) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns.