Pale Lord (Vampire Lord)

Medium undead, lawful evil

“Do not mistake courtesy for mercy. I have had nine hundred years to refine both, and I know precisely when to employ each.”

The Pale Lords are the Sundering's most terrible and most enduring legacy. They were created in the God-War's aftermath, when Mordath withdrew his hand from death and the most powerful humans who died during that catastrophe found themselves trapped between a broken afterlife and a Void-saturated world. Their souls did not pass on. Their bodies did not rest. They *changed* --- twisted by broken death and raw Void energy into something that was no longer human but remembered, perfectly, what it meant to be.

Armor Class:18 (natural armor)

Hit Points:204 (24d8 + 96)

Speed:40 ft, climb 30 ft

Challenge:CR 13

STR

20 (+5)

DEX

18 (+4)

CON

18 (+4)

INT

18 (+4)

WIS

16 (+3)

CHA

20 (+5)

Saving Throws:DEX +9, WIS +8, CHA +10

Skills:Perception +8, Stealth +9, Deception +10, Persuasion +10, Intimidation +10, History +9, Insight +8

Damage Resistances:Necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities:Charmed, exhaustion, poisoned

Senses:Darkvision 120 ft, passive Perception 18

Fear Check:DC 18 Wisdom save when first encountered.

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Pale Lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Regeneration. The Pale Lord regains 20 HP at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 HP and isn't in direct sunlight (from a Breach) or running water. If the Pale Lord takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn.

Shapechanger. As a bonus action, the Pale Lord can polymorph into a Tiny bat, a Medium cloud of mist, or back into its true form. While in bat form, it can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, and it has a flying speed of 30 feet. While in mist form, it can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects; it is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can pass through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. In each form, its statistics are unchanged except as noted.

Spider Climb. The Pale Lord can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing an ability check.

Misty Escape. When the Pale Lord drops to 0 HP outside its resting place, it transforms into a cloud of mist instead of falling unconscious, provided it isn't in direct sunlight or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed. While in mist form at 0 HP, it can't revert to its true form and must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its true form and is paralyzed until it regains at least 1 HP. After 1 hour in its resting place with 0 HP, it regains 1 HP.

Turn Resistance. The Pale Lord has advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.

Weaknesses

Breach Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The Pale Lord takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in direct sunlight from a Breach or God-Scar. While in direct sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. The normal grey daylight of the Shroud does not trigger this weakness --- only the raw, unfiltered sunlight that pierces through Breaches.

Running Water. The Pale Lord takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.

Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the Pale Lord's heart while it is incapacitated in its resting place, the Pale Lord is paralyzed until the stake is removed.

Invitation Required. The Pale Lord can't enter a private residence without an invitation from one of the occupants. Public buildings, ruins, and wilderness areas require no invitation.

Spellcasting

Mana Pool: 50

Spell Save DC: 18

Casting Ability: CHA

Spells Known: *Toll the Dead* (cantrip), *Chill Touch* (cantrip), *Message* (cantrip), *Charm Person* (Tier 1, 2 mana), *Detect Thoughts* (Tier 2, 3 mana), *Hold Person* (Tier 2, 3 mana), *Darkness* (Tier 2, 3 mana), *Counterspell* (Tier 3, 5 mana), *Dispel Magic* (Tier 3, 5 mana), *Fear* (Tier 3, 5 mana), *Dominate Person* (Tier 5, 7 mana), *Scrying* (Tier 5, 7 mana), *Eyebite* (Tier 6, 9 mana)

Actions

Multiattack. The Pale Lord makes two attacks, only one of which can be a Bite.

Unarmed Strike. Melee: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the Pale Lord can grapple the target (escape DC 18).

Bite. Melee: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft, one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the Pale Lord, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target's HP maximum is reduced by the necrotic damage taken, and the Pale Lord regains HP equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its HP maximum is reduced to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a **Pale Lord Thrall** under the Pale Lord's control. The Pale Lord can instead choose to initiate the **Turning** --- see sidebar.

Charm. The Pale Lord targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet. If the target can see the Pale Lord, the target must succeed on a DC 18 WIS save or be charmed. The charmed target regards the Pale Lord as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. The target isn't under the Pale Lord's total control, but it takes the Pale Lord's requests and actions in the most favourable way. Each time the Pale Lord or its allies do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the save. Otherwise, the charm lasts 24 hours, until the Pale Lord is destroyed, until the Pale Lord is on a different plane, or until the Pale Lord takes a bonus action to end it. A target that succeeds is immune to this Pale Lord's Charm for 24 hours.

Cast a Spell. The Pale Lord casts one of its known spells.

Legendary Actions

Move. The Pale Lord moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Unarmed Strike. The Pale Lord makes one unarmed strike.

Charm (Costs 2). The Pale Lord uses its Charm action.

Bite (Costs 3). The Pale Lord makes one bite attack.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Pale Lord takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. The Pale Lord can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.

Shadows Rise. Tendrils of shadow reach from the walls, floor, and ceiling. Each creature of the Pale Lord's choice within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 16 DEX save or be restrained by the shadows until initiative count 20 of the next round. A restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 16 STR check, freeing itself on a success.

Bloody Mist. A crimson mist fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the Pale Lord can see within 120 feet. The area is heavily obscured. Each creature that starts its turn in the mist must succeed on a DC 16 CON save or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the Pale Lord regains HP equal to the total necrotic damage dealt. The mist lasts until initiative count 20 of the next round.

Psychic Command. The Pale Lord targets one creature it has charmed or that is a thrall within the lair. The target must use its reaction to move up to its speed in a direction of the Pale Lord's choice or make one weapon attack against a target of the Pale Lord's choice (Pale Lord's decision).

Seal the Exits. All doors and windows within the lair slam shut and lock magically. A DC 20 STR check or *Knock* spell is required to force one open. This effect lasts until the Pale Lord uses a different lair action or dismisses it (no action required).

Regional Effects

The region within 3 miles of a Pale Lord's lair is warped by the creature's presence, creating any or all of the following effects:

Perpetual Gloom. The already-dim daylight within 3 miles of the lair is further reduced. Bright light becomes dim light. Dim light becomes darkness. Torches and lanterns shed half their normal radius.

Thrall Network. Animals within 1 mile of the lair serve as the Pale Lord's eyes and ears. The Pale Lord can perceive through any rat, bat, crow, or wolf within this radius as a bonus action.

Unquiet Dead. Corpses buried within 1 mile of the lair have a 10% chance per night of rising as shambling corpses under the Pale Lord's control.

Dread Presence. Humanoids within 3 miles of the lair experience disturbing dreams. A creature that completes a long rest within this area must succeed on a DC 12 WIS save or gain no benefit from the rest (it counts as having slept, but mana and HP recovery is halved).