Tome of Beasts: Fext

Taut dead skin, adorned entirely with tattooed fish scales, covers this woman’s face and hands. She wears scaled armor, sea green like verdigris on copper and wields a strange sword. Her pale eyes stare, unblinking.

Undead Warlock Slaves. Ancient and powerful beings across the multiverse grant magical knowledge to mortals through dangerous pacts. Those bound to these pacts become warlocks, but the will and force of their patron is borne by more than just those who strike bargains for sorcerous power. A fext is a former warlock who has become wholly dedicated to their patron—mind, body, and soul—and functions as enforcer, bodyguard, and assassin. They are powerful undead slaves to the will of their otherworldly patron.

Linked to a Master. Each fext is a unique servant of their patron and exhibits the physical traits of its master. The eyes of every fext are tied directly to their patron’s mind, who can see what the fext sees at any time. The fext also possesses a telepathic link to its patron.

The process a warlock undergoes to become a fext is horrendous. The warlock is emptied of whatever morality and humanity he or she had as wine from a jug, and the patron imbues the empty vessel with its corruption and unearthly will. Whatever life the fext led before is completely gone. They exist only to serve.

Outdoing Rivals. Scholars have debated about how many fext a patron can command. The more powerful and well-established have at least 100, while others have only a handful. Where there is more than one fext, however, they maneuverings amongst themselves to curry favor with their powerful lord. Each fext is bound to obey commands, but they attempt to carry them out to the detriment of their competitors. Scheming is common and rampant among them and they try to work without the aid of other fext as much as possible.

Undead Nature. A fext doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

FEXT

Medium undead, any alignment

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 60 (11d8+11)

Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12(+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +4, Cha +7

Skills Perception +4

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage with nonmagical weapons

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages the languages spoken by its patron

Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The fext’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: hex

hex 3/day each: counterspell, fear, gaseous form

counterspell, fear, gaseous form 1/day each: hold monster, true seeing

hold monster, true seeing Magic Resistance . The fext has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

. The fext has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons . The fext’s weapon attacks are magical.

. The fext’s weapon attacks are magical. Patron Blessing. A fext is infused with a portion of their patron’s power. They have an Armor Class equal to 10 + their Charisma modifier + their Dexterity modifier.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The fext makes two melee or ranged attacks.

Eldritch Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing damage plus 16 (3d10) force damage.

Eldritch Fury. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60/200 ft., one creature. Hit: 25 (4d10 + 3) force damage.

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But this is where we must stop for now, my friend. My mind, it wanders so at times. Do come see me again, though, for more of the wonders and surprises of Midgard. (OGL)

This creature comes from the Tome of Beasts. You can continue on this adventure in the Midgard Worldbook, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

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