Mercenary Knight

Nobles of the Waning Court - The beauty of ripe fruit blended with the breach within autumn’s long shadows, every noble of the waning court is a vision to behold. Black, pupilless eyes dominate their fine-boned faces while sharp teeth lurk behind plush lips. The faeries’ ears are pointed like an elf’s, but slightly shorter. This is due to the antelope-like horns spiraling from their temples, the base of which are riddled with red-stained honeycombs. Waning court nobles wear their hair long, often braided with bones and sticks, and is a color of fall leaves. Their skin tone can best be described as bloodless. Commonly, these fey wear leathers cured of eldritch animals, cloaks made from a nightmare or displacer beast pelts, black iron plates, and amber adornments with petrified insects within. Most find their mien more savage than aristocratic. Stray direflies are their constant companions, always buzzing cryptic prophecies as they crawl about.

While there are many fey who share a drop of royal blood with the King in Amber this warrior is a cut above the rest. As haughty as it is alien, the knight of the waning host represents the lowest strata of the entitled waning nobles. Proven worthy after countless battles, or through courtly guile, the waning chevalier is gifted a throneshard sword to go along with its status. From there the fey may become a battlefield commander, a lone and questing antagonist, or devious coutier. The last is by far the deadliest. While the chevalier is clad in eldritch leathers like other soldiers of the host it is also adorned with a motley of accessories befitting its knightly order and personal trophies. One knight might bear a gossamer tabard clipped into place by the finger bones of a troublesome, but vanquished rival. The next wears pauldrons of exotic chitin and a cape woven from hair strands stolen from their amorous conquests. No matter the particulars of its eccentric appearance the waning chevalier is a terrible force to behold on the material plane.

A true mercenary within the Waning Court, Mockingbird cares only about feeling something that he hasn’t in a very long time; excitement. He always accepts payments for his services, of course, as that is an expectation of a contract, but he only accepts contracts that will bring him into conflict with potentially worthy opponents. Those who hire him realize they may be fighting against him in the next campaign, but they also trust he will never be the one to break the contract. Before the Waning Court fractured into five siblings jostling for power, Mockingbird was the King Under Amber’s court jester. He didn’t get the position because he was funny or brought truth to power – his liege cared for neither – but because his grim demeanor and dry mimicry skills bemused the King. Once the King was betrayed, Mockingbird was turned out to make his own way, which was fine. He stoically accepted it as he does everything. Not only is he adept with blade and magic, but he can also copy the abilities of those he fights whether hero or beast. His bite is likewise envenomed with a psychic malaise which drains the will to do, well, anything, which takes the fight right out of his foes.

Mockingbird the Humorless

Medium Fey, lawful evil

Armor Class 15

Hit Points 190 (20d8 + 100)

Speed 30ft

Str 15 Dex 22 Con 20 Int 17 Wis 13 Cha 20

Saving Throws Con +9, Cha +9

Skills Athletics +6, Deception +9

Damage Resistances lightning, thunder, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened

Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 11

Languages common, goblin, orc, sylvan.

Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Aura of Arrogance.

If a creature misses the waning chevalier with an attack the creature has disadvantage on attacks against that waning chevalier until the end of their next turn.

Ephemeral Mien.

The waning chevalier ignores difficult terrain when moving. If the fey provokes an opportunity attack it may use its bonus action to gain a +2 armor class until the start of its next turn.

In addition, once per day, the waning chevalier may move as if it has cast the spell Misty Step.

Innate Spellcasting.

The fey can innately cast Calm Emotions (spell save DC 17), requiring no material components. Its innate spellcasting ability is Charisma.

Mimicry.

Mockingbird the Humorless can mimic animal and humanoid sounds he has heard. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check.

Actions

Multiattack.

The waning chevalier can make three melee attacks as one action.

Throneshard Sword.

Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+5) slashing damage.

Bite.

Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) pericing damage plus 9(2d8) psychic damage. The creature must succeed on a DC 17 Charisma saving throw or become indifferent about creatures of Mockingbird the Humorless' choice for the next minute. If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, they also can take no actions as they fall into listless during the duration of the effect. Any time the creature takes damage or witnesses a friendly creature taking damage, they may repeat this save with the effect ending on success.

Bonus Actions

Prideful Stride:

If the waning chevalier reduces a creature to 0 hit points with an attack they may immediately use the dash action as a bonus action. If the fey is mounted it may grant this ability to its mount instead.

Reactions

Soul Mimicry.

After hitting a creature with less Hit Dice than he with a bite attack, Mockbird the Humorless may use his reaction to gain access to one of the abilities, class abilities, bonus actions, or reactions for the next minute. Whenever the fey uses soul mimicry again, all previous abilities, class abilities, bonus actions, or reactions are lost.