Mashurdal

Huge giant, Typically Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 23 (+6) · DEX 8 (−1) · CON 20 (+5) · INT 5 (−3) · WIS 8 (−1) · CHA 6 (−2)

Skills Athletics +9, Perception +2

Gear Magical Bridle The Millennial Owl's Egg (Stashed deep in lair), 1d4 Black Hen Eggs.

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Understands Giant and Common but cannot speak; communicates only in guttural grunts

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Traits

External Life Force. Mashurdal's life force is anchored to a magical black hen. If the hen (AC 12, 10 HP, 0 Speed) is slain and all its magical eggs are smashed, Mashurdal instantly drops to 0 Hit Points and dies, bypassing any immunities or magical healing.

Canine Panic. Mashurdal has an irrational, panic-inducing fear of dogs. While he can hear a canine barking or see a canine within 120 feet, he has Disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks.

Naive Brute. Mashurdal is exceptionally gullible and lacks all critical thought. He has Disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against illusions and enchantment effects.

Actions

Multiattack. Mashurdal makes two Uprooted Tree attacks or two Boulder attacks.

Uprooted Tree. Melee Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) Bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is automatically knocked Prone.

Boulder. Ranged Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) Bludgeoning damage.

Bonus Actions

Swallow Black Egg (3/Day). Mashurdal pulls a magical egg from his satchel and swallows it whole. He instantly regains 20 Hit Points and ends one condition currently afflicting him.

Mashurdaly are phenomenally stupid and naïve, lacking all critical thought

Lore

Mashurdal is a foolish man-eating giant from Romani fairy tales who lives in the mountains with his family and can only be truly killed by destroying the magical black hen that holds his life force.

Mashurdaly, also called Masurdalo—a Serbian phrase meaning “stout forest man”—are colossal mountain giants found in the Romani folklore of Hungary, Romania, the Balkans, and Serbia. Their main name comes from the Romani words maš (“meat”) and murdalo (“killer”), so the literal meaning is “meat-killer.” Mashurdaly haunt remote forests, highland ravines, and lonely moors, sleeping on sheepskins in damp caves. Their bodies are matted with coarse hair, they stink of raw meat, and every footstep makes the ground tremble. Each giant owns a magic bridle; slip it over his neck and the brute turns into a hideous, bony horse that can run like the wind.

In the wild they are territorial, mostly nocturnal predators. They live in full family units with a giant wife and children, yet the males are fixated on kidnapping human women for forced marriage. They feed on game and stray livestock—especially sheep—but despite their crushing strength they are painfully slow-witted. Mashurdaly are phenomenally stupid, naïve, and lack all critical thought, so tricking or trapping one is child’s play for ordinary people. They can’t form coherent speech and communicate only through guttural grunts. At night a giant may creep to the edge of a village to watch humans from afar, but they have a panic fear of dogs: the moment they hear a bark, they drop everything and run. In spite of their violent nature, a mashurdal is capable of real gratitude and can become a loyal ally if a person helps him when he’s helpless.

From The Fairy Tale Compendium · Fern Flower Press