Warlock’s Apprentice: Shadow of Death

Draped in black funerary garb, ribbons of which move of their own accord, the creature has the appearance of a skeletal angel.

Angels of Death. Once beings of light and beauty who championed justice across the planes, the shadows of death formed after some agent of entropy discarded their bodies into the Void. Their celestial forms protected them from ultimate annihilation, but their minds were forever darkened by the plane’s dread influence. The shadows of death emerged from the darkness as death-obsessed agents of entropy.

Deathly Avatars. Shadows of death sometimes answer the call of death cults throughout Midgard. Rather than aid them though, they make them into their victims, killing them first before spreading the grave’s shadow across the world. From their hatred of all life, they form obsidian blades, which they use to take the lives of anyone they encounter.

Shadow of Death

Large celestial, chaotic evil

Armor Class 18

Hit Points 250 (20d10 + 140)

Speed 50 ft. fly 120 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (−2) 26 (+8) 24 (+7) 25 (+7) 25 (+7) 30 (+10)

Saving Throws Int +14, Wis +14, Cha +17

Skills Perception +14

Damage Vulnerability radiant

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing

Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 24

Languages all; telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

Death Throes. When the shadow of death dies, it explodes, and each creature within 30 feet of it or inside the area of its deathly shroud must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. The explosion destroys the shadow of death’s Blade of Unlight.

Deathly Shroud (Recharge 6). As a bonus action, the shadow of death causes magical shadows to spill forth from a point it can reach, out to a 120-foot radius, turning all light in the area to dim light. The shadows suppress all forms of light, even that created by spells and other magical effects. The shadows remain for 1 hour or until the shadow of death is incapacitated.

At the start of each of the shadow of death’s turns, each creature in the area of shadows other than itself, constructs, and undead must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) necrotic damage.

Destroyer of Life. A creature reduced to 0 hit points from damage dealt by the shadow of death dies and can’t be revived by any means short of a wish spell.

Magic Resistance. The shadow of death has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Shadow Leap. If the shadow of death is inside the area of its deathly shroud, it can magically teleport, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see inside the area of its deathly shroud.

Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadow of death can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

Actions

Multiattack. The shadow of death makes three Blade of Unlight attacks. It can substitute Vision of Ending for two of these attacks.

Blade of Unlight. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) necrotic damage, and the target gains one level of exhaustion and must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or reduce its hit point maximum by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.

Vision of Ending. Each creature that is not undead within 60 feet of the shadow of death that can see it must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. While frightened in this way, the creature is also paralyzed. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target also takes 35 (10d6) psychic damage. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to this shadow of death’s Vision of Ending for the next 24 hours.

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