The Lord of Envy
The Lord of Envy was born Gar'zax, a minor prince of the House Doomthron in the large Drow City of Darkonglaxsti. Although he was born a male in a matriarchic society, Gar'zax had certain advantages. His sister Dalth'zala had a particular fondness, even love, for him. The prince returned his sister's love, and throughout childhood they were inseparable. Both children were chosen for the priesthood at a young age and were admitted to the Noviate Order. Males generally did not progress beyond this lowest order of the priesthood, yet both Gar'zax and his sister were certainly blessed in the eyes of the Demon Goddess of his people, and they both excelled as minor priests. Soon they were inducted into the middle rank of priests, the Numerary Order. This was quite an accomplishment for Gar'zax, although it was expected for his sister, but both were ecstatic, and together they set their sites on the highest rank of the priesthood, the Theocratic Order. The problem, however, was that males almost never attained this rank, but Gar'zax and his sister reinforced each other's belief that together they would achieve it, and indeed, Gar'zax's power and acumen as a priest made this seem possible. Moreover, the young prince's mother Lex'gora was the highest ranking Priestess in the Order; thus Gar'zax came to believe that he would be a Theocrat. With this end in mind, the young prince spent his days in his dark underground home studying and praying and his nights cavorting with his beloved sister.
After several long years of training, the time came when the new Theocrats were to be announced. At a dark ceremony, Gar'zax heard with pleasure his beloved sister's name called, and he waited for his own to follow. The ceremony came to an end, however, without his name being called. Gar'zax was crushed. Later that evening, his sister came to visit the distraught drow. She tried to console him, but in a fit of jealous rage he struck her down from behind and strangled her, the only being he had ever loved. Knowing his fate was sealed, and blaming both his mother and the Dark Serpent Goddess she worshipped, Gar'zax vowed revenge, swearing that he would bring down House Doomthron and crush the Theocrats. In desperation, he fled to the nearby community of Ruthless, a place where squid-headed abominations lurked, where he allied against his own mother and his own people with Doolth, a dark priest and a power among these fell beings. Gar'zax forsook his drow heritage, renaming himself Garlgax and renouncing his religion. At Doolth's recommendation, he took up the religion of Vornoth, the Walker-in-Darkness. He found that his worship of this new god allowed him powers previously unattainable. With his newfound might and his squid-headed allies, he led an assault on House Doomthron, killing his own mother and many of his kin. When the rest of the Theocrats intervened, however, Garlgax was sorely wounded and barely managed to escape back to Ruthless. Seeing his weakness, the abominations turned on him, seeking to destroy him. Doolth, however, claiming a vision from Vornoth himself, gifted Garlgax with the infamous Amulet of Evernight and spirited him through miles of hidden tunnels to a secret meeting place, where the squid-headed abomination found that his vision was indeed divinely inspired. There they found several dark-cloaked beings, who turned out to be agents of the Dweller in the Wintervale, and the abomination-priest gave Garlgax over into their keeping.
He was taken to the Nameless City, and his time there was a dark blur. All he knew was that his past was lost to him, and he was further remade. Finally he took up the mantle of the Lord of Envy and led the successful assault on the Kingdom of Orland during the Dark Conquest, setting himself up to rule this land and to inflict misery on those who could walk free in the sun.
Garlgax has ebony skin and silver hair. He is 6'1" and weighs 165 pounds. His voice is high and spiteful, and he is very conniving. He twirls his hair as a nervous habit.
The Lord of Envy
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil
Armor Class 18 (scale mail and shield)
Hit Points 180 (18d8+54)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 14 (+2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 17 (+3) INT 16 (+3) WIS 20 (+5) CHR 17 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +10, Chr +8
Skills Insight +10, Perception +10, Persuasion +8, Religion +10, Stealth +8
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Dark Speech, Elven, Kingdom Common, Mordularian
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the Lord of Envy fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Fey Ancestry. The Lord of Envy has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep.
Amulet of Evernight. The Lord of Envy wears the artifact the Amulet of Evernight (randomly determine its beneficial and detrimental effects).
Innate Spellcasting. The Lord of Envy's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights
1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)
Spellcasting. The Lord of Envy is an 18th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The Lord of Envy has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, poison spray, resistance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bless, command, inflict wounds, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, spiritual weapon
3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic, protection from energy
4th level (3 slots): banishment, divination, freedom of movement
5th level (3 slots): flame strike, insect plague, mass cure wounds
6th level (1 slots): harm
7th level (1 slots): fire storm
8th level (1 slots): antimagic field
9th level (1 slots): mass heal
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in Sunlight and not wearing the Amulet of Evernight (which he generally wears all the time), the Lord of Envy has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Actions
Multiattack. The Lord of Envy makes two Drow War Gauntlet attacks.
Drow War Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing and slashing damage. A drow war gauntlet is a leather glove attached to the wearer's hand. As a free action on its turn, the wearer can use a hidden button to extend the jagged hooks and blades of the gauntlet.
Hand crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Summon Demon (1/Day). The Lord of Envy attempts to magically summon a yochlol with a 40 percent chance of success. If the attempt fails, the Lord of Envy takes 6 (1d12) psychic damage. Otherwise, the summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the Lord of Envy, acts as an ally of the Lord of Envy, and can't summon other demons. It remains for 10 minutes, until the Lord of Envy dies, or until the Lord of Envy dismisses it as an action.
Legendary Actions
The Lord of Envy can take three 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 Lord of Envy regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. The Lord of Envy can't use the same legendary action two turns in a row.
Instill Envy. The Lord of Envy causes a strong feeling of Envy to afflict an enemy within 30 feet that he can see. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw DC 18 or become strongly envious of a random ally and, in a jealous rage, use an action to make a melee or ranged attack against that ally. If the target can't use a melee or ranged attack to attack the ally, it does nothing this turn.
Attack. The Lord of Envy makes a Drow War Gauntlet or Hand crossbow attack.
Cantrip. The Lord of Envy casts an at-will spell.
Lair Actions
The Lord of Envy is often found in his stronghold in Orland City. Creatures that live in the half-mile around his lair tend to grow sensitive to bright light. They also become more covetous and possessive. If he is in his lair, the Lord of Envy has a challenge rating of 16 (15,000 xps). On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Lord of Envy can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. The Lord of Envy can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.
- A random enemy in the lair suddenly believes he is lost in the confusing tunnels of the Dark Deeps. The target takes 6 (1d12) psychic damage. As a free action, he must move his speed in a random direction.
- The Lord of Envy targets one creature he can see within 30 feet of him. The target can't regain hit points until initiative count 20 on the next round.
- Magical darkness spreads from a point the Lord of Envy chooses within 60 feet of him, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere until he dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and non-magical light can't illuminate it. If any of the effect's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.