The Fiend of the Moors

Often mistaken for some manner of scabrous mutant the Fiend of the Moors is not some reptilian horror. His muck-caked scales were once a brilliant suit of armor harvested from a felled dragon and crafted by the finest elfish smiths of the era. His toothy maw was a great helm flanked by wing adornments that was fused with his time-ruined face in a manner best to consume the humanoid flesh he now craves. His claws started delicate fingers that coaxed heart-tugging notes from lyre strings and ecstatic sighs from bewitched lovers but were worn down to long, scything bones. His desiccated, still heart used to beat with dauntless courage and run fast when on the hunt. Now it aches with eternal loneliness. Once a hero of renown, the Fiend of the Moors is now an accursed corpse doomed to haunt the bogs where he fell.

Oath Broken. The Fiend’s tragedy stems from where it often does in such tales; hubris. Seeking the hand of an elf noble he swore that he would venture into the Moors, track down a mythical beast, and bring back its head to seal his ‘paramour’s’ favor. He vowed he would never cease hunting the beast even after his last breath. Neither the hunter nor the object of his desire fancied one another, though. The noble wished to be ride of the arrogant suitor and the hunter only wished the union as it would be another feather in his cap.

There is power in words and perhaps the gods wanted to see such arrogance punished. Off the hunter set off into the swamps and soon discovered the mythical beast was just that, mythical. He also realized he couldn’t leave the swamp with his task unfinished. Forlorn and exhausted the Fiend drowned himself to try and escape the curse, but the swamp refused to let him go. Centuries later he haunts and hunts it still. Enough centuries have passed that the hunter has been forgotten and rarely glimpsed Fiend, due to its armor and claws, is mistaken for some manner of ophidian cryptid.

Undead Nature. The Fiend of the Moors does not need to breathe, eat, or sleep.

The Feind of the Moors

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (+2 scale mail armor)

Hit Points 153 (18d8+72)

Speed 30ft

Swim 40ft

Str 20 Dex 14 Con 18 Int 8 Wis 18 Cha 12

Saves Dex +7, Con +9

Skills Athletics +10, Perception +9, Survival +9

Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison

Damage Resistances blundgeoning, piecing, and slashing from non-magical weapons that aren't silvered

Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 18

Languages common, elvish, primordial

Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Lurking Horror.

If the Feind of the Moors remains motionless it gains a +5 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as it remains so and does not take an action. This ability only functions in swamp terrain.

Spell Casting:

The Feind of the Moors is an 18th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). .

1st (4 slots) Absorb Elements, Hunter's Mark

2nd (3 slots) Pass Without Trace, Silence, Conjure Animals

3rd (3 slots) Nondetection, Plant Growth

4th (3 slots) Locate Creature, Freedom of Movement

5th (1 slot) Tree Stride

Magic Resistance:

The Feind of the Moors has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack

The Feind of the Moors makes two claw attacks and one spectral bite attack as one action.

Claw:

Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.

Spectral Bite:

Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a will-o-wisp under the Feind of the Moor's control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The Feind of the Moor's can have no more than twelve will-o-wisps under its control at one time.

Legendary Actions

The Feind of the Moors 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 Feind of the Moors regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Claw (1 point): The Feind of the Moors makes a Claw attack.

Hide (1 point). The Fiend of the Moors takes the Hide action.

Master's Call (1 point). A friendly undead creature within 30ft that the Fiend of the Moors can see and that is not deafened makes an Attack.

Consume Life (2 points): The Feind of the Moors can target one creature it can see within 15 feet of it that has 0 hit points and is still alive. The target dies and the Feind of the Moors regains 20 (6d6) hit points.

Spell (2 points): The Feind of the Moors casts an available spell.

Using the Feind of the Moors–

As the Fiend of the Moors is confined to, well, the Moors, it's best to make the terrain feature expansive in size if one wishes to use the wraith as a recurring villain. Perhaps a few trade roads run through the bogs, dangerous as they made be they cut weeks off of a journey rather than go around. Perhaps there are ancient ruins within the muck laden with treasure to tempt adventurers repeatedly into its depths, or maybe a few rare plants that only grow in its stagnant waters that are vital to the local economy. No matter the reason the Fiend of the Moors and the creatures under his thrall remain a constant threat. Very little besides instinct and hate remain within the Fiend's breast. He torments the living until they die in anguish, making it more likely they become restless spirits. The Fiend takes a special interest in those who remind him of the paramour who doomed him in the first place. Even after centuries of suffering the apparition cannot accept personal responsibility for his fate.

When used as a short term villain, the Fiend of the Moors easily stands as the boss of a swamp-based dungeon. Perhaps he has stolen the child of a person of import that looks like his paramour, or a member of the player character's supporting cast. In the middle of the bog, within a half-sunken keep, he awaits for the heroes to come crashing in and end him once and for all.

Appropriate Minions

Earth Elementals (Swamp mud)

Giant Bats

Giant Constrictor and Poisonous Snakes

Shadows

Slithering Trackers

Specters

Swamp Hag ally

Sword Wraiths

Water Elementals (swamp water)

Water Weirds

Wights

Will-o-wisps

Wraiths

Vargouilles