Nurgle Cult Patriarch

Saves: Toughness +8, Willpower +7

Proficiencies: Command +7, Lore +6, Medicae +6

Grandfather's Favorite. The patriarch regains 5 Vitality at the start of each of its turns and is immune to toxic damage, disease, fear, despair, and psychic morale pressure. Wounds visibly disappoint it rather than hurt.

Garden of Decay. The ground within 15 feet of the patriarch is contaminated. An enemy that starts its turn inside makes a Toughness Save DC 14 or takes 1d6 toxic damage, and suffers -1 to Toughness Saves while it remains in the garden.

Shepherd of the Flock. All plague creatures within 60 feet do not make Morale checks, and once per round as a free action the patriarch redirects one of them: it immediately moves up to its Movement toward a point of his choosing.

Crook of Harvest. Melee Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 4 bludgeoning damage, and the target is dragged adjacent to the patriarch, into the garden.

Pandemic Benediction. The patriarch blesses everything within 20 feet. Plague allies in the zone regain 2d6 Vitality. Enemies make a Toughness Save DC 14 or take 2d6 toxic damage, contracting a disease of the GM's choice on a failure of 5 or more.

Gift of Seven Sorrows. One enemy within 30 feet makes a Toughness Save DC 14 or contracts an escalating affliction: it takes 1d4 toxic damage at the start of each of its turns, increasing by one die each round (maximum 4d4), until treated with a Medicae check DC 14.

Call the Tide. Once per scene, when the patriarch is first bloodied, a poxwalker mob arrives at a point within 60 feet at the start of the next round — the reserves were always closer than the party hoped. If a mob is already on the field, it may instead immediately move its full Movement toward a point the patriarch chooses.

Morale: Never flees and never despairs. If truly dying, it settles down contentedly to burst: its death is a contamination event — resolve Pandemic Benediction against enemies only — not an ending.

Tactics: Fight it as a siege: the party must breach the horde, endure the garden, and out-damage regeneration, all on a clock of their own accumulating afflictions. It fights slowly and warmly, offering surrender terms it means sincerely. Bring the means to deny regeneration and a plan for the death burst, or win the fight and lose the room.

Loot / Evidence / Hooks: The crook and its seed-jars, plus ledgers of 'gifts given' naming every seeded well and granary in the sector — priceless to a quarantine effort.

The Nurgle Cult Patriarch is a bloated cult master whose presence makes rot feel merciful — grandfatherly, patient, and genuinely loving toward the sicknesses in its care. It has already survived everything the party is about to try.

Use this threat as the boss of a plague arc: the source of the outbreak, the shepherd of the horde, and an endurance fight the party must plan for.

Boss-tier durability and regeneration, contamination aura, horde command, despair-based control, near-total morale and poison immunity — a siege in the shape of a man.

Grandfather's Favorite. Immense Vitality, regeneration each round, immunity to poison and disease, and wounds that visibly disappoint it rather than hurt.

Garden of Decay. The area within 15 feet is permanently contaminated ground; enemies inside risk poison damage and suffer -1 to Toughness Saves.

Shepherd of the Flock. All plague creatures within 60 feet ignore Morale, and once per round the patriarch redirects any of them as a free action.

Loving Patience. Immune to fear, despair, and psychic morale pressure; it has heard every threat before, usually from the dying.

Pandemic Benediction. Area burst of blessing: plague allies in the zone heal, enemies save against disease exposure.

Crook of Harvest. Heavy melee attack that drags the target adjacent, into the garden.

Gift of Seven Sorrows. One enemy saves against Toughness or contracts an escalating affliction that worsens each round until treated.

Call the Tide. Summons or redirects a poxwalker mob to a chosen point; the reserves were always closer than the party hoped.

Morale: Never flees and never despairs; if truly dying, it settles down contentedly to burst — its death is a contamination event, not an ending.

Tactics: Fight it as a siege: the party must breach the horde, endure the garden, and out-damage regeneration, all on a clock of their own accumulating afflictions. It fights slowly and warmly, offering surrender terms it means sincerely. Bring the means to deny regeneration and a plan for the death burst, or win the fight and lose the room.

Full Stat Block Priority: Boss