What creature out of the MM would make a good prison warden?

[Chaosvii7]

The party I'm running has entered a territory all too familiar to one of the PCs - her homeland, which she was forced to flee after she kicked the ruling king in the nuts (and apparently so hard that she killed him, but that happened later). She's returning at the request of one of her childhood friends - who in truth is being set up to get said PC captured and taken to the city where she can stand trial for her crimes. While I don't expect her preliminary visit to the prison to last long, the party will likely find a reason to go back to jail, in which case they might very well have to start a riot. This will undoubtedly earn them the ire of the prison staff, and should they come into direct conflict, I want the warden and executioner to be memorable. Right now the plan for the executioner is to have him be a Giant - I'm torn between Fire and Frost, but that decision will come naturally I would imagine - but the warden, I have no clue as to what kind of monstrous personality I'd want running my prison.

So I thought I'd troll opinions from all of you. It doesn't have to be a creature out of MM, it can be an idea for a character that I will then turn into a custom NPC, but I was just interested in seeing if there's anything you'd pick out of the book to run a fantasy jail. It can be something that can charm prisoners into following orders, it can be a bit monstrous(I'd argue that it needs to be at least 50% human), or it could just be anything CR appropriate as long as one could justify it logically being chosen as a prison warden.

The party has one 6th level(likely to level up before they make it to the prison), one 7th level(also likely to level up), and four 9th levels, of varying races and classes. I don't need a challenge, I just need something that's within the power level of the group that could stand to run a functioning jail.

So please, any ideas, feel free to let me know. Like I said, if you don't think any creature straight out of the MM is worthy, then I will gladly take suggestions to build a warden as a custom NPC.

[Human Paragon 3]

A vampire might be good, and then his guards are all vampire spawn.

[arrowstorm]

The Green Dragon fluff talks about how it allows lesser beings to think that they are in control when the dragon is really weaving his will into everything. A dragon as a warden would be cool, even make him your BBEG. The poison breath could be modified to more of essentially a slow burn, where you con fill the prison with like a tear gas fog, even if the king becomes too antagonistic to the dragon, start a rebellion through the prisoners and control the leader of said rebellion.

[NNescio]

A Spectator? It's their nature to guard stuff and places ('though not quite people, but you can reflavor it slightly). Amusingly, they are also quite nice people as long as you don't threaten or interfere with what they are guarding.

Give it some class levels since it's otherwise quite weak (CR 3).

Alternatively, you can go with their greater brethren (Beholders and Death Tyrants), but those might be a mite too strong.

Mind Flayers can also be good wardens (and they have some incentive for doing so). Mind Flayer Arcanists even more so since they are usually regarded as outcasts by their fellow kind. Throw in some Intellect Devourer pets in either case if you want to be really, really evil (not that I would recommend this, as those things are severely under-CRed).

Both Beholders and Mind Flayers are arguably the most iconic D&D monsters.

[danpit2991]

bugbear no charm but plenty brutal

[MOLOKH]

It was more of a gatekeeper than a warden, but I put a Flameskull above the doors leading to a sacred tomb that my party just so happened to be passing through. The doors were at the end of a long narrow bridge hanging over a 100ft chasm, so the skull could drop a Flame Sphere on the bridge and just circle around and zap intruders. They ended up fighting it three times because it always died over the pit and they never had a chance to permanently get rid of it. Each fight ended up quite tense and memorable, even though the party was way above the skull's CR - the positioning gave it a huge advantage.

A bunch of Animated Armors, Shield Guardians, or even a Golem, maybe of the Flesh variety, sewn together from the parts of unruly prisoners, could also work, especially if they're given sentience.

[MrStabby]

On the human/non monstrous side I would imagine part casters would be good - get spell like hold person and divination spells to help prevent escape. Ensnaring strike is also thematic.

I am thinking a ranger chassis to hunt down escapees with a little caster on top. Level 5 ranger, level 3 cleric would get a load of control spells and detection spells as well as being a solid combatant. To raise the CR add it to another creature template or add some more class levels/abilities.

If you are happy with something not built as a character might be add some other abilities. Metamagic would be good. Misty step for a small cost would add something to the fight. Poison that drains strength on weapons might work. I you want high level abilities Maze or Power Word Stun once per short rest could fit the bill.

Gorgons could work as wardens - they have the feel of patrolling monsters (again add class levels as appropriate).

[Temperjoke]

How about a Beholder? It's got lots of abilities that would be useful in containing prisoners.

EDIT: I see someone else mentioned the Beholder. I still think it's a good idea though.

[pwykersotz]

I think Stone or Iron Golems are pretty great wardens. A host of immunities, custom programing, and they hit like a truck. Magic resistance doesn't hurt either. Maybe a powerful creature such as a Dragon or a Sphinx controlling the golems would be good too.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Aboleth.

(1) It automatically knows the best levers to control the prisoners.
(2) The tentacle disease persistently lowers the threat of escape by the prisoners. One hit when you enter, and from then on, you have a crippling vulnerability the aboleth can exploit. If there are no clerics in the prison, there is just no way for the prisoners to deal with it.
(3) Enslave. The prisoners can possibly subvert this power by hurting eachother, but the Aboleth can likely maintain a pretty decently sized group of thralls.
(4) Fouled water sources make escapes difficult to survive.
(5) The ability to project an image and see from it allows the aboleth to chase down any escapees and monitor the prison easily.

All at CR10. A very challenging encounter, but not absurdly inappropriate.

[Gnomes2169]

Agreeing on the Aboleth and Mind Flayer suggestions. Both are incredibly powerful plotters who have ways to just disable (not kill) high-powered and high-priority prisoners, and both can easily keep a giant (the executioner) and whatever guards the prison employs under control.

[TopCheese]

Invisible Stalkers

Really really really fun air elementals.

[Nishant]

Invisible Stalkers

Really really really fun air elementals.

I like invisible stalkers... perhaps not as wardens, but definitely as surveillance and/or enforcers. completely invisible, hardly visible even with true seeing....These guys are scary. just promoting another layer

[Tallis]

Abeloth or chain devil spring to mind from the MM, not sure of the CR but shouldn't be too hard to adjust. Wizard who is trying to become a lich and plans to sacrifice the prisoners s another possibility. Paladin who suffered great injuries and had some of his limbs replaced with golem parts giving him great strength. Efreet controlling ire elemental guards works with fire giant executioner. Polymorphed gold dragon who wants to see if she can reform the prisoners. Dwarven cleric of Tyr obsessed with law.

[PoeticDwarf]

Golems, beholders, animated objects, hobgoblins. All cool

[Capac Amaru]

Galeb Duhr. Doesn't need to eat, sleep, or move, and doesn't age.

[Nishant]

Galeb Duhr. Doesn't need to eat, sleep, or move, and doesn't age.

It'd be interesting to give it some class levels as well.. I'm pretty sure its low CR

[Capac Amaru]

It'd be interesting to give it some class levels as well.. I'm pretty sure its low CR

6. 16 Armor class, can animate 2 boulders nearby that duplicate its stats except for INT and CHA. 60ft speed when rolling downhill.

Im thinking a prison with stone statue guards, morph balling to chase murderhobos down corridors Indiana Jones style.

[TopCheese]

I like invisible stalkers... perhaps not as wardens, but definitely as surveillance and/or enforcers. completely invisible, hardly visible even with true seeing....These guys are scary. just promoting another layer

I would release them after lights out to roam the halls and keep prisoners in line. I would probably release If he creatures so prisoners can hear (see in the morning) what is waiting for anyone who leaves their cell.

Edit

Also my prison would be a really really really big earth elemental so no one can tunnel/get a earth elemental to break them out.

I'm talking marvel celestial size.

[Inevitability]

Chain Devil, maybe? Perhaps whoever created the prison bound him to it and commanded him to let no living soul escape from it until the day he died. However, the chain devil quickly found a loophole in the summoning contract and is now offering to release people in exchange for their soul.

You'd get a monster that is slightly below the party's level (so maybe boost it a bit, or give it some bearded/barbed devil minions), has an interesting story, and can be easily bribed should the PC's end up captured.

[Darkzekkai]

I know it's not from MM but what about the minotaur from the waterborne UA? Seems pretty thematic to be a warden.

[Tallis]

Medusa turns particularly troublesome prisoners to stone.