The Lernean Hydra
MANY-HEADED SERPENT
SPECIALITY:
Poison
LOCATION:
The Mother’s Sanctum
THE LERNEAN HYDRA
WHAT IS IT?
Defeating the Lernean Hydra was one of the twelve legendary labours of Herakles, but it provided a unique challenge: every time Herakles would cut off one of its nine heads, three new ones would sprout from its neck. Herakles’ cousin Iolaos turned out to be the key to victory, cauterizing the Hydra’s headless necks so they would not regenerate.
Even so, one of the Hydra’s heads was truly immortal, and so was buried under a massive rock, consigned to oblivion.
And yet… long after even Herakles had met his doom, the Hydra’s immortal head, endlessly bleeding, worked its subtle poison into the earth, and then into the bodies of the unlucky few who still remained at Lerna. Though many died, some lived. Then the Hydra called to them, and so they came, answering to the voice of ‘The Mother’ as they have taken to calling it. Now the Hydra slithers again. Life… always finds a way.
BATTLE ABILITIES
Regeneration – The Hydra is nearly unkillable and constantly regenerates on the battlefield.
Poison – Any and all attacks from the Hydra will infect the target with its blood, dealing damage over time as they decay.
Poison Bomb – Long range, small explosive spit that affects everything in a radius.
Poison Breath – At close range the Hydra can unleash its potent breath, infecting everything nearby.
Virulent Blood – Even attacking the Hydra is not safe, as its blood will begin to infect them and destroy armour as they swing.
PLAYSTYLE
The Hydra exists to simply spread its ruinous legacy no matter the cost, and its cult is intent on establishing footholds wherever they go. However, at the outset, its Vitality has taken a toll from years in its weakened state, as well as its defeat by whomever Hero proves himself its better during a Mythic Expedition. Feeding the Hydra will increase its Vitality… and enemies are not the only thing on the table.
The Hydra prefers to rain death from afar, as do some of her fanatical cultists, who are more pieces of itself than human beings. The ones used to hold the front line are either tough and self-regenerating, or capable of weakening the enemy even with their own deaths, by literally bleeding poison on them. The Hydra’s poisonous powers can even be conferred to regular units, albeit at the cost of Vitality.
FACTION ABILITIES
Vitality – A measurement of the Hydra’s power, fed by battle or your own forces. Can be spent on various buffs for buildings or armies, or simply kept to make the Hydra a true terror.
New Buildings – Four buildings, one for each of the Hydra’s cultist units. These are extremely expensive and difficult to build, but the Hydra’s power can make things easier.
Hydra Feast – A unique stance for the Hydra army which generated Vitality in exchange for putting the host army into attrition. Why? Who could say.
Hydra Ritual – An agent action of the Hydra that exchanges Vitality for massive boosts to building its unique structures.
Post battle options – As well as feeding enemies to the Hydra, newly conquered settlements can be infused with its power to reduce the cost of Hydra buildings.
UNIQUE UNITS
Drinkers of Venom
Maddened by the Hydra’s venom and the constant hiss inside their heads, these accursed Lernaeans sought and found the burial place of its immortal head. They knew that they should eat from its flesh and drink from its blood so it may consume them in its turn and be reborn. Now they roam the land, seeking to spread the Hydra’s ruinous domain.
Hydra Archers
Their poison arrows will do a lot of work to bring down and pick off enemies who might otherwise swarm your forces. Great support for a rampaging Hydra.
Hydra Defenders
Tough to the last, regenerative and wielding poison-tipped spears, these are the hardy footsoldiers of the Hydra’s army. Their large amount of health and heavy armour and defenses make them tough to clear off the battlefield.
Hydra Priest
A true worshipper of the Hydra, trading battle prowess for the mystical powers the drinking of venom has brought.
STRENGTHS OF THE HYDRA
The Hydra is a life-draining force of nature, whose enemies weaken and drop dead before they even face it. The more one rushes headlong into the Hydra’s Poison-dripping maws, the more likely it is they will never even reach it.
The Hydra best serves the hero who looks to outlast their opponent – when your enemies are melting inside their armour, time is always on your side.
HOW TO CAPTURE
The Mythic Expedition for the resurrected Hydra will take you through the swamps of Lerna, deep into the domain of the Monster’s fledgling cult. The deeper you go, the more you will ask yourself… have you also answered a call?
