The Penitent

Stat block

Nine frozen pilgrims fused into one kneeling giant of ice around the woman who led them, with a lamp still burning somewhere inside it. Its fists reach, its embrace freezes you where you stand, and it wants, more than anything, to be warm.

• Saving throws: CON +10, WIS +6
• Resistant: necrotic
• Immune: cold, poison
• Condition immunities: exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
• Senses: darkvision 60 ft; passive Perception 11

Traits

• Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When the Penitent fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead, twice a day.
• The Bargain. The Penitent is what a vestige of the Amber Temple made of nine pilgrims who asked never to be cold again: their bodies, fused in ice around the one who led them. It goes for whatever is warmest.

Actions

• Multiattack. The Penitent makes two Frozen Fist attacks.
• Frozen Fist. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) Bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) Cold damage.
• Winter's Embrace. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 16, each creature within 20 feet of the Penitent. Failure: 18 (4d8) Cold damage, and the target has the Restrained condition until the end of the Penitent's next turn. Success: Half damage only.

Where you meet it

• The Tsolenka Pass: The Penitent stands up out of the gorge wall, nine pilgrims fused in grey ice, and turns all its heads toward…