Knight of the Order of the Revealing Crackle

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.

Ser Skythistle strives to be a noble in every sense of the word despite toiling at the lowest rank. He is well-spoken, educated, conniving, charming, vindictive, and has an exquisite fashion sense – at least, for a dark fey sense of fashion. His leather armor has a dashing cut to it and is layered here and there with blood-amber studs that glint in the light. He wears an impressive helm made from a dragon’s skull riddled with direfly honeycombs. His cloak is blue dragon scales, taken from the same beast as the skull he wears. Ser Skythistle is always quick to tell the tale of how he slew the beast, though anyone with knowledge of things draconic knows it could not have been that old if its skull fits the fey. But Ser Skythistle cuts those who point such a fact out down to size with either his blade, his insults, or both. An accomplished rider, the fey knight keeps a stable of valued thunderchargers but will never lower himself to use a lance as a true dragoon fights with a sword.

Ser Skythistle

Medium Fey, lawful evil

Armor Class 17 (studded leather armor)

Hit Points 171 (18d8 + 90)

Speed 30ft

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

Saving Throws Con +9, Cha +9

Skills Animal Handling, +11, Deception +9, Insight +7, Persuasion +9

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

Damage Immunities lightning

Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 13

Languages common, 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.

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: Blinding Smite, Lighting Lure, Witchbolt

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

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.

Storm of Scars(Recharge 6).

Creatures within a 20ft radius of the waning chevalier must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma save or be temporarily branded by lightning-infused scars for the next minute. The waning chevalier knows where branded creatures are if they are within 1 mile of the fey, and its attacks deal an extra 7 (2d6) lightning damage against those creatures. In addition, the waning chevalier may use its reaction instead of action to use the continuous damage effect of Witchbolt on a scarred creature.

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

Cutting Words.

When Sir Skythistle has a critical hit on an attack, he may use his reaction to add insult to injury, provided the target can hear their voice. The target creature must succeed on a DC 17 Charisma save or be Stunned until the end of their next turn.