Herald of Dreams

This immense butterfly-like creature has the face of a moth, brightly colored wings and body, and a long three-pronged tail that looks like peacock feathers. As it beats its wings, a light misting of sparkling dust falls from them. Its large multifaceted eyes hold within their otherworldly beauty the spark of intelligence and reasoning.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Although the particulars of its appearance differ every time it is sighted, its common form is that of a titanic moth or butterfly with a brightly colored, 40-foot wingspan that often reflects some aspect of the quest the goddess has willed it upon. In times of great need, the night monarch rises to protect the faithful and combat the most egregious depredations of the followers of evil gods. Sighting the herald is thought to bring good luck and favorable dreams, which many hold to be visions from the goddess herself.

Ecology

Despite its appearance, the herald is not a butterfly and does not fill an ecological niche. In fact, as an outsider it serves no real role in the world’s ecology at all. The herald does not eat or drink, though some idealists believe their good wishes, fond hopes, and sweet smells sustain the creature.

Moths and butterflies seem to be instinctually drawn to the giant creature. Occasionally, when the herald comes to rest for a lengthy period of time, such numbers of these delicate insects gather upon its form that, when it finally does take back to the sky, it erupts in an explosion of countless colorful wings.

The herald embraces and embodies the portfolio of dreamers and travelers. It prefers to communicate via dreams, possessing the power to place creatures into a deep, relaxing sleep (which makes communicating with them far easier), then communicating via its dream spell-like ability. In more urgent situations, it can use its antennae to telepathically communicate directly with a creature, but it’s mind-to-mind speech is often the stuff of riddles, if not blatant non-sequiturs. In addition, the herald has at its disposal a wide range of spell-like abilities that facilitate freedom.

Habitat & Society

Surprisingly stealthy despite its size, the herald soars through the sky in near silence. Spotting a monarch is considered a sign of good luck and a blessing. Followers who spot the herald sometimes go so far as to set up shrines to the goddess marking the event.

Being a projection of the goddess’s will, even if destroyed the herald reappears later in full health—though many theologians theorize that a period of days or weeks must pass before it can remanifest on the material plane. Worshipers, however, consider attacking the creature to be one of their religion’s most severe blasphemies, going to great lengths to avenge the creature’s temporary death.

Many stories of the herald tell of innocents or pious worshipers escaping peril on the creature’s back. Despite its seemingly fragile form, the giant insect can carry great weights at swift speeds, sweeping the goddess’s favorites hastily on to their destinies. The night monarch can carry 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive riders. One myth of the great beast tells of a whole army of sprightly lyrakien sweeping in to combat a horde of goblins from the herald’s back.

A light load for the herald is up to 798 pounds; a medium load, 799–1,599 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,600–2,400 pounds.