What is a Hydra in Pathfinder 2e?
What is a Hydra in Pathfinder 2e? Hydras are multiheaded, foul-tempered serpentine beasts with voracious appetites, widely feared for their regeneration abilities. Scholars of bestial lore can describe several hydra variations. Though rare, hydras with more than five heads live in very isolated areas, sometimes guarding incredibly powerful artifacts. Explorers who have visited colder swamps and frozen glaciers tell tales of hydras with blue-tinged scales that are immune to the cold and can exhale clouds of icy death. Similar stories describe fiery hydras that breathe gouts of flame and swim in the molten lava of active volcanoes.
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Table of Contents
The Hydra’s Lullaby
A small village nestled by a lake lives in harmony with a hydra. The creature, instead of being a menace, sings lullabies that have magical properties. But recently, the hydra’s songs have turned sorrowful, causing unrest and nightmares among the villagers. The adventurers must uncover the reason behind the hydra’s sorrow and restore peace to the village.
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The Hydra’s Prophecy
An ancient prophecy speaks of a hydra that will rise when the kingdom is in its darkest hour. As a series of calamities befall the land, a hydra indeed appears, but not as a destroyer – as a protector. The adventurers are tasked with aiding the hydra, deciphering the prophecy, and restoring balance to the kingdom.
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The Hydra’s Pact
In a city built around a massive oasis, a festival is held every year to honor a pact made with a hydra. The creature ensures the oasis never dries up, and in return, the city offers it tribute. This year, however, the tribute has gone missing, and the oasis’s waters are receding. The adventurers must find the tribute or negotiate a new deal with the hydra.
Island of the Hydra
A remote island is said to be home to a unique species of hydra, one with golden scales and a melodious roar. The island, however, is surrounded by treacherous waters and has never been successfully mapped. The adventurers are hired by a collector to capture a scale from the golden hydra, but they might find the island’s inhabitants worship the creature as a deity.
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Adventure Ideas
The Hydra’s Garden
Deep within a dense, enchanted forest lies a glade known as the Hydra’s Garden. This oasis is said to have healing properties, but it’s guarded by a hydra that has plants and vines growing from its body. The adventurers are sought by a dying noble who believes the waters of the glade can cure him. They must navigate the forest, appease or confront the plant-hydra, and secure the healing waters.
Echoes of War
Ruins of an ancient battlefield are said to be haunted by the spirits of fallen warriors. Recently, a hydra with spectral heads has been seen wandering the ruins. Each head tells tales of a different battle. The adventurers are hired to investigate the connection between the hydra and the haunted grounds, leading to revelations about forgotten wars and lost legacies.
The Hydra’s Symphony
In a grand city known for its music and arts, a performance is interrupted by the sudden appearance of a hydra whose roars harmonize into haunting melodies. Instead of attacking, it seems to be searching for a particular instrument. The adventurers must uncover the link between the hydra and the city’s musical history, leading to a tale of a bard who once tamed a hydra with music.
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About the Author:
Dwight Scull has been playing tabletop role-playing games (starting with Dungeons and Dragons 3.5) back in 2001. He started being a dungeon master around 2005.
He loves to play many different types of TTRPGs, including Pathfinder, GURPS, Shadowrun, Vampire: The Masquerade, Mage: The Ascension (and other White Wolf Games), Nights Black Agents, and others.
Fan of mysteries, light horror, co-op board games, true crime, sci-fi, and fantasy.
