Nearly a century ago, an elven monk named Luzien worked in the Temple at the eastern side of the Forsaken Peak. Luzien was obsessed with the notion of immortality. Within the caverns of the Eyries, he studied dark rituals and necromantic rites, hoping to find a way to extend his life. When Luzien’s brothers at the Temple learned of his dark devotion, they labeled him a heathen and slew him. They buried Luzien in a soft patch of soil near the center of the Eyries.
Little did Luzien’s brothers know that Luzien had indeed discovered a way to prolong his life. Shortly after his death, Luzien rose as a wraith, his mind still intact thanks to a ring of mind shielding. Having studied apparitions, Luzien could take control of his form and evolve. Eventually, his ghost form changed, leaving behind a humanoid shape and taking on a much more horrific and amorphous appearance.
The decades weren’t kind to Luzien’s mind. Eventually, he lost all memory of his past life, desiring only to drain the souls of any live creature that dared enter the Eyries. Now, Luzien is known by the current inhabitants of the Forsaken Peak as The Master of the Peak.
Undead Nature. The Master of the Peak doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
The Master of the Peak’s Lair
Luzien’s lair is at the center of The Forsaken Peak (see “The Secret of Forsaken Peak Part 2, Area B16).” It is where his temple brothers buried his body.
When the Master of the Peak is encountered in its lair, it has a challenge rating of 16 (15,000 XP).
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Master takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the Master can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row.
- Up to three shadows appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the Master and remain until destroyed. Shadows summoned in this way roll initiative and act on the next available turn. The Master can have up to three shadows summoned by this ability at a time.
- Until initiative count 20 on the next round, any creature that attempts to cast a spell of 3rd level or lower in the Master of the Peak’s lair is wracked with pain. The creature can choose another action, but if it tries to cast the spell, it must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 necrotic damage per level of the spell, and the spell has no effect and is wasted.
- The lair grows unnaturally cold. Each creature within 60 feet of the Master of the Peak must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the creature takes 4d6 cold damage and has disadvantage on its ability checks until initiative count 20 of the next round. On a successful saving throw, the creature takes half as much cold damage and no other negative effects.
Regional Effects
The Forsaken Peak is home to all manner of powerful, godlike creatures. The Master is dangerous, certainly, but not nearly as strong as the others. As such, only the Eyries are affected by its presence.
- All creatures that die within the Eyries rise as either the same type of creature that killed them or specters within 24 hours.
- Divination spells cast in the Eyries often come back with terrifying results. A creature that casts a divination spell must make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with a DC of 10 + the spell’s level. If the check fails, the creature is wracked with horrific visions of its own death; the spell has no effect and is wasted.
- A creature that enters the Eyries and leaves it alive is cursed. The creature suffers from debilitating nightmares every night. Until a remove curse spell is cast on the creature, it cannot gain the benefits of a long rest.
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Master of the Peak (Luzien)
Large undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65)
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Abilities Str 6 (-2), Dex 20 (+5), Con 20 (+5), Int 18 (+4), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 20 (+5)
Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +9, Cha +10
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with cold iron weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Elven
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
Incorporeal Movement. The Master can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Innate Spellcasting. The Master’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: bane, thaumaturgy
- 3/day each: dispel magic, dimension door
- 1/day: harm
Magic Resistance. The Master has advantage against spells and magical effects.
Rejuvenation. If the Master of the Peak is destroyed, it regains its form within 1 hour unless its remains are burned or holy water is sprinkled upon them. The new form appears within 5 feet of where its remains are buried.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the Master has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Multiattack. The Master can use its Vile Whisper and makes one attack with its Life Drain.
Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 23 (4d8 + 5) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damages taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Vile Whisper. The Master targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can hear the Master, it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of the Master’s next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also stunned for the duration. A target that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to the Master’s vile whisper for the next 24 hours.
Create Shadow. The Master targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. The target’s spirit rises as a shadow in the space of its corpse or in the nearest unoccupied space. The shadow is under the Master’s control. The Master can have no more than seven shadows under its control at one time (not counting those created by its lair actions).
Legendary Actions
The Master of the Peak can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Master regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The Master makes one attack with its Life Drain or uses its Vile Whisper.
Wind Blast. The Master casts gust of wind.
Icesoul (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature in the Master’s space must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 23 (4d8 + 5) cold damage and its movement is reduced by half until the end of its next turn. If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half as much cold damage.
Telekinetic Thrust (Costs 2 Actions). The Master targets a creature or unattended object within 60 feet of it. A creature must be Large or smaller to be affected by this magic, and an object can weigh up to 600 pounds.
If the target is a creature, the Master makes a Charisma check contested by the target’s Strength check. If the Master wins the contest, the Master hurls the target up to 60 feet in any direction, including upward. If the target then comes into contact with a hard surface or heavy object, the target takes 1d6 damage per 10 feet moved.
If the target is an object that isn’t being worn or carried, the Master hurls it up to 60 feet in any direction. The Master can use the object as a ranged weapon, attacking one creature along the object’s path (+10 to hit), and dealing 19 (3d12) bludgeoning damage on a hit.
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