Tuhirangi

Huge monstrosity (shapechanger), lawful neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 190 (20d12 + 60)

Speed 30 ft., swim 90 ft. (hover while in water)

STR 23 (+6) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 15 (+2) · WIS 18 (+4) · CHA 17 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +8, Wis +9, Cha +8

Skills Insight +9, Perception +11, Survival +9, Water Vehicles +7

Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks while the guardian is in water

Condition Immunities frightened, prone (while swimming)

Senses darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 60 ft. (water only), passive Perception 21

Languages Aquan, Common, Māori; telepathy 120 ft. with creatures touching the same body of water

Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action Tuhirangi transforms into a Large pale dolphin (Pelorus Jack) or back to his true dragon-serpent form. His statistics stay the same; only his speed changes (swim 120 ft. in dolphin form, land speed 0 ft.). He can’t use Tail or Current Breaker while a dolphin, and he can’t use Sonic Beacon while a dragon. Equipment he carries melts into water and reforms when he does.

Kaitiaki of the Strait. Any vessel Tuhirangi chooses to protect has advantage on ability checks made to navigate or control the vessel. A vessel he chooses to hinder has disadvantage.

Whirlpool Ward (Recharge 6). If Tuhirangi is reduced to 70 hit points or fewer, roiling currents form a 20-foot-radius cylinder around him. The area is difficult terrain, and creatures other than Tuhirangi that start their turn there must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be restrained by water until the start of their next turn. The ward lasts 1 minute or until Tuhirangi ends it (no action).

Guardian’s Mercy. Tuhirangi deals non-lethal damage against creatures that have not desecrated tapu rocks or attacked him first.

Actions

Multiattack (Dragon Form). Tuhirangi makes two attacks: one with his Bite and one with his Tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 8) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 20 ft. and knocked prone.

Current Breaker (Recharge 5-6; Dragon Form). A 60-foot-long, 20-foot-wide line of churning water erupts from Tuhirangi. Each creature in the line must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) bludgeoning damage and being pulled 30 ft. toward Tuhirangi on a failed save, or half as much damage and no pull on a success. Huge or smaller vessels take the damage automatically.

Sonic Beacon (Recharge 5-6; Dolphin Form). Tuhirangi releases a ringing click heard 300 ft. away. All hostile creatures within 30 ft. must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 32 (5d12) thunder damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn; on a success it takes half damage and isn’t stunned. Friendly creatures instead gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed until the end of Tuhirangi’s next turn.

Reactions

Tidal Juke. When Tuhirangi is hit by an attack he can see, he halves the damage from that attack and moves up to 20 ft. in water without provoking opportunity attacks.

Lore

The sea guardian of New Zealand’s southern waters.

In Māori mythology the word taniwha covers a wide range of supernatural beings that dwell in the waters or underworlds of Aotearoa / New Zealand. These creatures are fundamentally dual in nature: some act as predatory abductors and destroyers, others as kaitiaki—guardians charged with protecting a given territory and enforcing sacred prohibitions known as tapu. Tuhirangi belongs squarely to the guardian class and holds an exceptional post in the pantheon, for he watches over the nation’s central shipping artery, Cook Strait, which Māori call Te Moana-o-Raukawa.

The name Tuhirangi entered tradition as the being who accompanied the legendary navigator Kupe on his first voyage from the homeland of Hawaiki to the shores of Aotearoa. After Kupe’s victory over the giant octopus Te Wheke in these very waters, the explorer appointed Tuhirangi permanent warden of the Strait, investing him with spiritual authority and the duty of keeping order.

From Oceanian Bestiary 5E, p. 94 · Fern Flower Press