Maedar

Maedar, also sometimes called maeder, were extremely rare male variants of medusae.

Description
Maeder had humanoid bodies with a powerful muscular structure and gray skin. They lacked body hair and did not have the head serpents of their female counterparts. Their choice of clothing was minimal, usually a kilt or a simple tunic.

Personality
Maedar were untrustworthy to all creatures except their mate. In regards to their mate, maedar were extremely loyal and trustworthy. If his mate was killed, the widowed maedar went to great lengths to avenge her death.

Abilities
Maedar had the innate ability to duplicate the effects of the stone to flesh spell, by touching a target, several times a day. They were able to project this ability in the Astral and Ethereal plane.

Maedar were able to walk through stone as if it were air. This required significant concentration and was not without risks. While passing through stone, if a maedar intercepted a phase door spell, it was instantly fatal.

They were immune to paralyzation and petrification-based effects and spells. They had a natural immunity to the venom of the snakes atop a medusa's head.

Combat
Maedar were very strong. They did not use weapons, instead relying on their fists in melee combat. Some maedar, however, were reported to use longswords and longbows in combat with great prowess. They also possessed a weakening gaze that could daze their opponents and poison their minds.

Society
Maedar were extremely rare. Of the male children medusae birthed, only 1% were maedar, the rest killed by their mothers' sight. They were so rare most other sentient creatures were unaware of their existence. In addition to their rarity, maedar rarely left the lair they shared with their mate.

Maedar spoke Common and the languages of lawful evil creatures, as well as any local language.

Maedar respected other lawful evil creatures including their deities, particularly Skoraeus Stonebones. They sometimes cooperated with other lawful evil creatures for payment or protection. It was not uncommon for small groups of medusae and maedar to ally with yuan-ti.

Ecology
Maedar were natural-born offspring of medusae with other maedar. If mating with a human, a female medusa always produced eggs that hatched into female medusae offspring. If a medusa and a maedar mated, however, she produced a clutch of between two and six eggs that hatched into human offspring in 99% of the cases, in which case the babies were immediately petrified upon seeing their mother. In only 1% of the cases, a maedar was born. The extremely rare occurrence of maedar, along with their reclusive behavior, was the reason even most sages were unaware of their existence.

Maedar lived underground, although some were known to live above ground in the Goblin Marches. They rarely left their lair and spent their time guarding the treasure that was hoarded there.

Maedar were monogamous and mated for life with a single medusa. They were carnivores but did not hunt, instead relying on their mate for food. Their mate would turn a target into stone, and then the maedar would use their ability to transform stone into flesh, allowing both him and his mate to feast on their prey. A maedar's blood was extremely poisonous.

Sages agreed that maedar were native to Toril, but could be found in other worlds and planes, such as the Domains of Dread. Maedar native to other locations could display different abilities.

Notable Maedar

 * Emperor Vulkaran the Dark, leader of the Vodoni Empire in the mid‒14 century DR.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Under the Dark Fist
 * Magazines
 * Dungeon #40: "Khamsa's Folly"
 * Video Games
 * Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter