Recently I've been thinking about the False Hydra. Specifically how to deal with the metagaming issue that will undoubtably come up with a creature like this. When the game gets to the point at which the players start to understand what is going on with the false hydra, instead of policing them or cajoling the players into not metagaming, why not make it a game mechanic?
In the original article Arnold from the Goblin Punch blog talks about how being exposed to the false hydra's song will cause nervous disorders, insanities, even psychotic breaks. This is because part of the victim's brain knows the truth, and is trying to communicate it to the part of the brain that is under the sway of the false hydra.
In severe cases, split-brain occurs, when one part of the brain strives to communicate with the other. One of the PC's limbs might suddenly become its own entity, one that crudely and violently struggles to convey the danger to the PC.
Once the players know what is going on, let they themselves represent the portion of their character's brain that knows the truth. Now they are trying to communicate with their character, in a sense they will roleplay the metagaming. The trick is, as we already learned, there are side effects to this. Here is where the False Hyrda Split-Brain Effects Table comes in. Whenever a player tries to communicate meta-knowledge, act on any meta-knowledge, or just otherwise metagame in any way- they roll on the table. No muss no fuss no sus. At first I suspect this will cause the party to stop this type of metagaming, but if you have smart players like I do I bet they will eventually figure out that it might just be worth risking a roll or two on the table to help their characters get some key intel.
I feel this really takes the false hydra to another level, and shows the true brilliance of this monster. It tests the player's creative thinking and strategy in a truly unique way. Anyway, here's my first run at the table...
d20
1. An incredible pain tears through your mind. You are stunned for 1 minute.
2. For the next 24 hours from time to time you catch yourself idly trying to sing the hydra's song. It is, after all, a tune that is stuck in your head. Your rudimentary vocal chords could never come close to replicating its terrible and perfect grandeur, and after a few moments of singing you can't seem to remember how the notes go anyway, or even what the song was your were trying to sing in the first place. You have disadvantage on WIS saves for 24 hours. Anyone else who hears your attempts at singing the song and has also heard the real hydra song does not recognize it and finds your singing particularly irritating.
3. The next action you take you instead stop and completely forget what you were going to do, forgoing the action.
4. You have a panic attack. Make a CON save. On a fail all checks, saves, and attacks are at disadvantage and you are frightened for 1 minute. On a success you make checks at disadvantage only and are not frightened.
5. You try to hold two contrary realities in your head simultaneously, take 2d6 psychic damage.
6. You suddenly remember that your last long rest was fitful and plagued with dreams in which you were running through a seemingly endless labyrinth of underground tunnels, lost with no end in sight. Add 1 point of exhaustion.
7. Your vision goes black as your mind struggles to keep a grip on what is occurring. Make a CON save. On a fail you speak only in gibberish for 1 minute. On a success the PLAYER is able to speak through their PC for 1 minute, though only in one or two word phrases. The player may use this time to communicate meta-knowledge to the PCs. Each time this is done however their character takes 1d4 psychic damage.
8. Your mind rages against itself, you take 1d6 +2 psychic damage and are blinded for 1 minute.
9. During the next long rest you dream of a group of people all standing together screaming at you trying to tell you something. They gesture wildly and seem terrified and frustrated, but you hear only a deafening white noise and can not make out anything they are saying. When the long rest ends you gain no benefits from it and take 1 point of exhaustion. (The people in the dream group of course represent those consumed by the false hydra. Describe them to the players, but if there are any that they knew use only vague terms as if you were describing a stranger or a new NPC.)
10. Make an INT save. On a success you take 1d6 psychic damage. On a fail choose 1d4 prepared spells at random to become no longer prepared for that day. If you do not use magic or do not prepare spells you simply get the sensation that you were trying to remember something very important, but you have forgotten it.
11. You have trouble focusing. You are unable to prepare actions or take reactions for 24 hours.
12. Make a WIS save. On a failure you forget everything that has happened since you woke up today. On a success you forget the last hour.
13. The DM choses a consumable item to remove from your inventory. When did you use that? You can't remember.
14. Your brain scrambles and you lose the ability to speak or understand Common for 2d6 hours.
15. Your mind is a scattered heap. You lose the use of your proficiency modifier bonus on any checks or saves for 24 hours.
16. You begin to hear a strange voice in your head. For the next hour you have disadvantage on all INT, WIS, and CHA saves.
17. Your grip on reality is loosening. You are under the effect of the Confusion spell for 1 minute.
18. The party finds themselves in a different location having seemingly lost track of the last 1d6 +2 hours.
19. You find unintelligible writing speared on all parts of your body with exposed skin. Take 2d6 psychic damage.
20. You are able to convey a key piece of information regarding the false hydra to yourself or others. Select this info based on what you've learned.
