Strange chimerical creature combining the wings, body, and legs of a large bird with the head, neck, and antlers of a deer or stag

The Peryton is a strange chimerical creature combining the wings, body, and legs of a large bird with the head, neck, and antlers of a deer or stag. Females are as large as males but have less impressive antlers, though they inflict the same damage as those of the males. They are found mostly in high mountainous regions. Perytons are omnivorous with certain special dietary requirements. Specifically, both male and female perytons must dine on a heart before becoming fertile; they may share one heart, or each may acquire its own heart before seeking a mate. A peryton receives a bonus of +2 on the attack roll when striking with its antlers. Though they have claws, they do not apparently choose to use them in combat. They are immune to non-magical weapons, as indicated above. Perytons are intelligent, and speak their own language. They have a 65% chance of knowing the languages of one or more monster types found in the area of their lair, but rarely if ever speak Common or the languages of any demi-human races.

Although this monstrous carnivore feeds on any creature, it prefers humanoids, especially elves, half-elves, and humans. When it kills a humanoid, a peryton rips out its prey's heart and takes it back to its nest to be devoured.

The peryton is a bizarre creature that blends the body and wings of a bird of prey with the head of a stag. Its strangest feature is its shadow, which appears humanoid rather than reflecting the creature's physical form. Sages postulate that the first perytons were humans transformed by a hideous curse or magical experiment, but bards tell a different tale of a man whose infidelity caused his scorned wife to cut out the heart of her younger, more beautiful rival and consume it in a ritual intended to forever win her husband's heart. The ritual succeeded until the woman's villainy was exposed. She was hanged for her crime, but the lingering magic of her foul ritual caused the carrion birds that feasted on her corpse to transform into the first perytons.

Unnatural Hunger

A peryton's reproductive cycle depends on the heart of a freshly killed humanoid. The organ must be consumed by a female peryton before she can reproduce. When a peryton consumes a heart, its shadow changes for a brief time to reflect its true monstrous form. When attacking a humanoid, a peryton is single-minded and relentless, fighting until it or its prey dies.

If a peryton is somehow driven away, it stalks lost prey from afar, attacking again when the opportunity arises.

Bane of the Mountains

Perytons roost atop mountain ridges and lair in high caves. They prey on creatures living or wandering in the vales below, and travelers on lonely mountain roads learn to keep a wary eye on the sky. Because normal weapons are less effective against perytons, the folk of the mountains know to avoid confrontations with these monsters at all costs.

Established settlements are attractive to perytons as a renewable food source. As such, village councils and local nobles often hire adventurers to eliminate peryton nests.

Peryton

Winged Heart Hunter

Perytons are monstrous predators that hunt people—particularly humans and elves—in favor of all other prey. With the bodies of mighty avian scavengers and fanged, stag-like heads, perytons use ambush tactics to dive-bomb travelers. Strangely, the shadows they cast resemble humanoid silhouettes. This supernatural oddity lends credence to stories that perytons are cursed humans or elves, or that they arise from carrion birds that feed on the corpses of villains.

Perytons tear out the hearts of those they slay, carrying the organs back to grisly lairs. This gives rise to numerous superstitions surrounding perytons. Roll on or choose a result from the Peryton Superstitions table to inspire why a peryton steals hearts.