Thetis, the Nereid Queen

“Meet Thetis: The Legendary Sea Goddess Who Shaped Heroes and Defied the Gods!”

• Pantheon: Greek mythology
• Deity Title: Thetis
• Deity Symbol: Sea waves or a conch shell
• Home Plane: The sea or Olympus
• Deity Level: Lesser deity
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Aliases: None
• Superior: None
• Traditional Allies: Other sea deities like Poseidon, Nereus, and Amphitrite
• Traditional Foes: Titans associated with the sea like Oceanus
• Divine Artifact: The enchanted armor of Achilles
• Servants: Nereids (sea nymphs), dolphins, and various sea creatures
• Servitor Creatures: Tritons, merfolk, and hippocampi
• Sacred Animal: Dolphin
• Manifestations: Appearing as a beautiful woman rising from the sea, manipulating water, and calming storms
• Signs of Favor: Calm seas, abundant fish, and protection from drowning
• Worshipers: Sailors, fishermen, and coastal communities
• Cleric Alignments: Neutral Good, Lawful Good
• Specialty Priests: Sea shamans, wave callers
• Holy Days: Midsummer’s Tide (celebrated during the summer solstice)
• Portfolio: Protection of sailors, guardianship of the sea, and maternal care
• Domains: Water, Protection, Healing
• Favored Weapon: Trident or spear
• Favored Class: Cleric or druid
• Favored Race: Tritons and sea elves
• Duties of the Priesthood: Performing rites to calm storms, blessing ships, and offering sacrifices to appease Thetis
• Major Cult/Temple Sites: Coastal temples, particularly in regions with strong maritime traditions such as Greece and parts of Asia Minor
• Benefits: Protection from drowning, enhanced fishing yields, and occasional aid during sea voyages
• Significant Others: Consort to Peleus, mother of Achilles

Thetis, a revered figure from Greek mythology, emerges as a powerful sea nymph and goddess of water. Her tale is one of divine intrigue, maternal devotion, and the eternal struggle between mortal and immortal realms.

Background: Thetis, daughter of the ancient sea god Nereus and the Oceanid Doris, rises among the illustrious Nereids, embodying the essence of the sea itself. Her presence evokes both awe and reverence, as she navigates the depths of the ocean alongside her sisters. Yet, beneath her ethereal facade lies a complexity of character and purpose.

Character Description: Thetis embodies the duality of strength and vulnerability, possessing a formidable presence tempered by a deep maternal instinct. Though revered as a deity, she grapples with her role in shaping the destinies of mortals, particularly her son Achilles. Her actions are driven by a desire to protect her loved ones, even at the cost of challenging the divine order.

Fears: Despite her divine status, Thetis harbors fears rooted in the precarious balance between mortal and immortal realms. She fears the consequences of defying fate and the wrath of the gods, especially in her efforts to shield Achilles from harm. Yet, her maternal instincts compel her to defy these fears in pursuit of her son’s well-being.

Reason for Actions: Thetis’s actions are driven by a profound love for her son and a fierce determination to shape his destiny. She navigates the intricate webs of divine politics and mortal conflicts, seeking to safeguard Achilles from the perils that await him. Her choices are guided by a potent blend of maternal instinct, divine duty, and a longing for her son’s legacy to endure.

Desired Outcome: Above all, Thetis seeks to ensure her son’s survival and legacy, even in the face of insurmountable odds. She dreams of a future where Achilles’s name will be revered for generations to come, where his deeds will echo through the annals of history. To achieve this, she is willing to challenge fate itself and confront the gods themselves, if necessary.

Thetis, the Nereid Queen

Medium celestial (nymph), lawful neutral

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 350 (40d8 + 180)

Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)	20 (+5)	22 (+6)	20 (+5)

Saving Throws Dex +13, Con +12, Wis +14, Cha +13

Skills Perception +14, Persuasion +13

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities psychic

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 24

Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 28 (120,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. Thetis’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: control water, charm person, water walk
• 3/day each: suggestion, dominate person, teleport
• 1/day: tsunami

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Thetis fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.

Aura of Enchantment. Friendly creatures within 30 feet of Thetis have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Actions

Multiattack. Thetis makes three attacks: one with her Drowning Kiss and two with her Suggestion.

Drowning Kiss. Thetis can flood the lungs of one willing or incapacitated target within 10 feet. The target must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or immediately begin drowning. Drowning creatures begin choking. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the target is no longer drowning.

Suggestion. Thetis suggests an action to a creature she can see within 30 feet that can hear and understand her. If the target fails a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw, it pursues the suggested course of action to the best of its ability. The effect ends when the action is completed, after 8 hours, or if the creature is harmed by Thetis or her allies, whichever comes first.

Water Bolt (Recharge 5-6). Thetis hurls a bolt of water at a creature she can see within 120 feet. The target must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) bludgeoning damage and 33 (6d10) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Thetis can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects:

• Thetis creates a 30-foot cube of water in a space she can see within 120 feet. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Strength saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage and being knocked prone on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being knocked prone on a successful one.
• Thetis summons 1d4 water elementals, which appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of her. The elementals are friendly to Thetis and obey her commands.

Regional Effects

The region containing Thetis’s lair is warped by her magic, creating one or more of the following effects:

• Bodies of water within 1 mile of Thetis’s lair become enchanted, granting those who drink from them resistance to psychic damage for 24 hours.
• Creatures within 5 miles of Thetis’s lair are subject to enchantment, causing them to feel an irresistible urge to seek out the nearest body of water.

Thetis’s Story

A Nereid, daughter of Nereus, and Doris, a grand-daughter of Tethys.

Thetis, a figure from Greek mythology, holds a significant place in the tales of ancient Greece, her story weaving through the fabric of countless myths and legends.

As a sea nymph and one of the fifty Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus and the Oceanid Doris, Thetis was revered as a goddess of water and the oceans. Her beauty was renowned throughout the realm of the gods, captivating the hearts of both mortal men and immortals alike.

One of the most well-known episodes in Thetis’s story is her marriage to the mortal hero Peleus, son of Aeacus. It was foretold that her son would become greater than his father, a prophecy that concerned the Olympian gods Zeus and Poseidon. To ensure the fulfillment of the prophecy, Thetis was betrothed to Peleus against her will, despite her initial reluctance. The wedding of Thetis and Peleus, celebrated on Mount Pelion, marked the beginning of a tumultuous journey filled with both joy and sorrow.

Thetis and Peleus bore a son, Achilles, who would go on to become one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology. Yet, Thetis’s role as a mother was fraught with challenges and heartache. Concerned for her son’s fate, Thetis sought to protect Achilles from the dangers that awaited him, even attempting to make him invulnerable by immersing him in the waters of the River Styx. However, in her haste, she neglected to protect his heel, leading to the famous vulnerability known as the “Achilles’ heel.”

Throughout the Trojan War, Thetis played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of Achilles and the events that unfolded on the battlefield. She intervened on behalf of her son, seeking to ease his suffering and ensure his place among the heroes of legend. Her actions, guided by love and maternal instinct, left an indelible mark on the outcome of the war and the fate of those involved.

In the end, Thetis’s story is one of sacrifice, devotion, and the enduring power of a mother’s love. Though her actions may have led to tragedy and heartbreak, her presence remains a symbol of strength and resilience, a reminder of the eternal bond between parent and child in the face of adversity.

Currently in the World

Thetis, the sea goddess, stands tall and regal amidst the shimmering blue waters, her form wreathed in the gentle embrace of the ocean’s currents. Her flowing locks, the color of the foamy waves, cascade around her like tendrils of seaweed, adorned with pearls and shells that glimmer in the sunlight filtering down from above. She wears a gown of iridescent sea foam green, woven from the finest silks of the ocean depths, shimmering with an otherworldly light that dances across her graceful form.

Currently, Thetis is tending to her domain, moving gracefully through the crystal-clear waters, her movements fluid and elegant as she attends to the needs of the creatures that dwell within her realm. Schools of fish dart around her, drawn to her presence like worshippers to a divine idol, while playful dolphins frolic in her wake, their joyful laughter echoing through the waves.

Her surroundings are a mesmerizing tableau of coral reefs and swaying kelp forests, alive with vibrant colors and teeming with life. Rays of sunlight filter down from the surface, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow upon the sea floor below. The air is filled with the melodious strains of singing whales and the gentle rustle of seaweed in the currents.

Despite the tranquility of her surroundings, there is a hint of sadness in Thetis’ eyes, a shadow of sorrow that lingers beneath the surface of her serene exterior. Though she is a goddess of great power and majesty, she cannot escape the weight of her own destiny, nor the pain of the sacrifices she has made for the ones she loves. Yet even in the face of adversity, she remains resolute, her spirit unbroken and her resolve unwavering as she continues to fulfill her sacred duties as guardian of the sea.