Murex
This is the version published in Silk Road's Guide to Seafaring. View the existing Rules version.
This massive species of predatory snail likes to inhabit coastal caves and rocky outcroppings: pretty much anywhere the land meets the sea. These venomous purple predators will attack and devour anything that wanders into their territory, including members of their own species. Their slow speed makes them easy to evade, but they can pose a deadly threat when they attack in great numbers, and have been known to wipe out entire crews of ships that anchor too close to the shallows at night.
Loot the Body! The mucus gland of the purple murex is a highly valuable commodity to Silk Road merchants, as it is currently the only known substance capable of dying fabric “Tyrian purple” (sometimes also called royal purple). Due to the high demand for purple textiles in almost every culture worldwide, a murex mucus gland can fetch a high price in any market. A single purple murex can have up to 3 mucus glands in its body, and each requires a DC 14 Medicine check to remove it without destroying it. Each gland can be sold for 50 (2d4 x 10) gp in a standard market, and a merchant who specializes in textiles might be willing to pay even more.
Murex
Medium monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class: 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 23 (3d6 + 12)
Speed: 15 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 4 (-3) | 18 (+4) | 1 (-5) | 10 (+0) | 4 (-3) |
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Prone
Senses: tremorsense 60 ft., passive perception 10
Challenge: 1 (200 XP) Proficiency: +2
Features
Amphibious: The Murex can breathe air and water.
Spider Climb: The Murex can climb to difficult surfaces, in-cluding upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Actions
Sting: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the target is paralyzed. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Devour: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one paralyzed creature. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Shell Defense: The Murex withdraws into its shell, gaining a +4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can emerge as a bonus action on its turn.
Source attribution and license
Silk Road's Guide to Seafaring, printed pages 197.