Knight of the Order of the Torn Breath

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.

Redleaf would have been perfectly content to spend his life as a bandit or highwayman. Instead, it was born to a prestigious line of waning nobles within the Court of Gales. As such, he was duty-bound to join the Order of the Torn Breath and serve the interests of the Prince Whispering Wind. If only that particular fey wasn’t a blinking idiot. While Redleaf does respect his lord’s dedication to their commoner lover as well as their naked avarice, the knight cannot wrap his mind around why the hell the Prince Whispering Wind fills his coffers with ephemera. There are only two things across all the planes that have actual value; coins and souls. Redleaf cannot collect the latter but he certainly hoards the former. He values gold so much that his eyes have turned that very color instead of black, which matches most fine becoming with his mane of red hair. Redleaf doesn’t dress ostentatiously, for a fey knight anyway, opting for dark leather armor, a deep crimson cloak, and chitin greaves. The issue is that Redleaf is a miser and a brute. He loves stealing money and hates spending it in equal measure.

Redleaf the Cheat

Medium Fey, lawful evil

Armor Class 17 (studded leather armor)

Hit Points 180 (19d8 + 95)

Speed 30ft

Str 14 Dex 22 Con 20 Int 12 Wis 16 Cha 20

Saving Throws Con +9, Cha +9

Skills Perception +7, Stealth +9

Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons

Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 17

Languages common, sylvan.

Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

A Fool and His Money...

On a successful hit, Redleaf deals an additional 1 point of thunder damage for every 100 gold pieces worth of coin the target currently has on their person.

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.

Cheater's Eye.

Redleaf always knows what creature carries the most gold piece value in coins within 30ft. This ability includes invisible creatures, though the fey does not glean their exact location. Redleaf has Expertise with gambling sets, even if he has never played the game before. He automatically understands its rules.

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. However, its speed then becomes 0 until the end of their next turn.

Innate Spellcasting.

The waning chevalier’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). it can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: Gust, Gust of Wind, Phantasmal Force

Magic Resistance.

The fey has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack.

The waning chevalier can make two throneshard sword attacks as one action.

Throneshard Sword.

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

Flensing Gale (Recharge 6).

With a flourish of its blade, the waning chevalier births a lethal cyclone in a 30ft cone. All targets within the cone must succeed on a DC 16 Strength or take 21 (6d6) magical slashing damage and be knocked prone. On success, a creature takes half as much damage and is not knocked prone.

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

Fate Stealer.

If a hostile creature within 30ft gains Disavantage, Redleaf may remove that Disadvantage. However, on his first action next round, he gains Advantage.