TEXT: Blood Kingdoms
  18
  
  CREDITS
  Design: Christopher Lockey
  Development & Editing: Scott Gable
  Art Director & Graphic Design: Marc Radle
  Cover Art: Justine Jones
  Interior Art: Pedro Potier, Karl Waller
  Back Cover Art: Pedro Potier
  Publisher: Wolfgang Baur
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  version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, place 
  names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations, characters, artwork, sidebars, and trade dress. (Elements 
  that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Game Content:  The Open content in this book includes the Goggles of Shade, the Censer of Dark Shadows, Sanguine 
  Lance, and the Lupine Shade. No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission.  
  © 2020 Open Design LLC
  www.koboldpress.com
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  “The Band of the Twice Damned” by Christopher Lockey   ........................................................2
  “Abominations of the Blood Kingdom” by Christopher Lockey  ..............................................15
  TM
  
  2
  give higher-level characters a run for their 
  money as well.
  You may find it somewhat difficult to scale 
  these NPCs to 1st-level encounters without 
  sacrificing many of the traits and abilities 
  that make them unique, but you should 
  run into very little trouble in your attempts 
  to scale them upward for higher-level 
  adventures. A few extra hit dice, a handful 
  of minions, and a couple of interesting 
  magic items can go a long way when it 
  comes to balancing your encounters.
  Dramatis Personae
  Below are the members of the Band of the 
  Twice Damned.
  HAVRAN KREV, THE HARLEQUIN
  An alabaster mask hides the face of this 
  enigmatic fellow clad in a hooded black 
  robe. The mask is a stark combination of 
  features: a manic smile on the left gives 
  way to a grotesque frown on the right. The 
  fellow removes the mask to reveal the wily 
  countenance of a middle-aged man. His eyes 
  burn with unsettling anticipation, and he 
  cackles senselessly as his hands trace arcane 
  symbols in the air.
  T
  he following serves as a grim dossier, 
  detailing six unique non-player 
  characters (NPCs) who prowl the 
  shadow-haunted realms of Midgard’s 
  Blood Kingdom. These villainous outriders 
  are united by their allegiance to a sinister 
  mercenary company known as the Band 
  of the Twice Damned, a cruel and cunning 
  cadre of elite vampire spawn and other 
  denizens of the night led by the undead 
  warrior Vilém Erzov.
  If you’re a stranger to the Midgard setting, 
  the Band of the Twice Damned can find 
  a home in your own game world with the 
  slightest modicum of effort. Rest assured, 
  these horrific, headstrong characters belong 
  anywhere they roam.
  Scaling Encounters with  
  the Twice Damned
  The characters and creatures that comprise 
  the ranks of the Band of the Twice Damned 
  feature challenge ratings between 2 and 6, 
  so gamemasters (GMs) should find them 
  readily accessible for encounters throughout 
  low- to mid-level campaigns. But that 
  doesn’t mean the Twice Damned can’t 
  THE BAND OF THE  
  TWICE DAMNED 
  Six infamous outriders in the service of King Lucan  
  and Emperor Nicoforus the Pale.
  by Christopher Lockey 
  
  3
  Tenebrous Altars. This Krakovan 
  rogue-turned-warlock is the wild card of 
  the group. One of the few humans under 
  Vilém Erzov’s command, Havran Krev is 
  almost as bloodthirsty as his vampiric 
  brethren. Yet instead of satiating his 
  own appetites, Havran kills for the 
  entropic glory of his otherworldly 
  patron: a mask of the Great Old 
  One Nyarlathotep known as the 
  Crawling Chaos.
  Unlikely Allies. As the 
  highest-ranking human 
  mercenary in the Band of 
  the Twice Damned, Havran is 
  exceptionally poised for duplicitous 
  interactions with Midgard’s less 
  sinister peoples. Whenever 
  Sister Radana Nohc is unable 
  to broker parley or pacify 
  the weak, the Twice Damned 
  call upon Havran to dispense 
  his peculiar brand of civility. 
  In tandem with Havran’s 
  allegiance to the Crawling 
  Chaos, this has made for 
  some interesting (and often 
  aberrant) allies throughout the 
  band’s sordid history.
  HAVRAN KREV
  Medium humanoid (human), chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 49 (9d8 + 9)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  10 (+0) 16 (+3)  12 (+1)  12(+1)  14 (+2)  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Str +5, Con +4
  Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Investigation 
  +5, Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Sleight of 
  Hand +5, Stealth +5
  Senses passive Perception 16
  Languages Common, Darakhul, Elvish,  
  telepathy 30 ft.
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Havran 
  can use a bonus action to take the Dash, 
  Disengage, or Hide action.
  Dark Devotion. Havran has advantage on 
  saving throws against being charmed or 
  frightened.
  Innate Spellcasting. Havran’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma. He can innately 
  cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components:
  At will: detect magic, mage armor (self only)
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Havran deals an extra 
  7 (2d6) damage when he hits a target with 
  a weapon attack and has advantage on the 
  attack roll or when the target is within 5 ft. 
  of an ally of his who isn’t incapacitated and 
  Havran doesn’t have disadvantage on the 
  attack roll.
  
  4
  Spellcasting. Havran is a 4th-level spellcaster. 
  His spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 
  13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He has two 
  2nd-level spell slots, which he regains after 
  finishing a short or long rest, and he knows the 
  following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, 
  mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, 
  true strike
  1st level: dissonant whispers, hideous laughter
  2nd level: detect thoughts, invisibility, 
  phantasmal force
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Havran makes two melee attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing 
  damage.
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 
  3) piercing damage.
  HAVRAN KREV’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “Only the gods that were can tell.”
  Bond. “Servitude is just a means to an end.”
  Flaw. “My body is not my own, for there are 
  greater gifts than these.”
  OLD BRIMSTONE,  
  THE BLACKSMITH
  The smell of forge fire clings to this aged 
  derro soldier, who wears a strange set of 
  ebony goggles upon his ashen face. He 
  throws down a pair of battered tongs, 
  produces a massive silver warhammer 
  from behind his back, and charges 
  headlong into battle with a guttural roar.
  From the Depths. Nicknamed “Old 
  Brimstone” by his compatriots, this insane 
  derro blacksmith hones his craft in service 
  to the Twice Damned. From the forge 
  to the field of battle, his prowess 
  with hammers is unparalleled, and 
  though he thoroughly enjoys tossing 
  a hammer or two, Old Brimstone is most 
  satisfied when swinging his trademark 
  silver warhammer.
  Forge Madness. Old Brimstone’s 
  backstory is a mystery to his allies, partly 
  due to the mélange of insanities that riddle 
  his dark dwarven mind. In addition to 
  his delusions of grandeur and an array of 
  auditory hallucinations, Old Brimstone 
  mutters constantly to himself in Deep 
  Speech—a habit that raises the suspicions of 
  even the diehard killers of the Band of the 
  Twice Damned.
  OLD BRIMSTONE
  Small humanoid (derro), chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 17 (splint mail)
  Hit Points 64 (10d8 + 20)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  16 (+3) 15 (+2)  15 (+2)  10 (+0) 11 (+0)  10 (+0)
  
  5
  Saving Throws Str +5, Con +4
  Skills Arcana +2, Athletics +5, Perception +4
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Common, Deep Speech, Dwarvish, 
  Undercommon
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Eldritch Resilience. Old Brimstone has 
  advantage on Constitution saving throws 
  against spells.
  Insanity. Old Brimstone has advantage on 
  saving throws against being charmed or 
  frightened.
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Old 
  Brimstone has disadvantage on attack rolls and 
  on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on 
  sight unless he is wearing his goggles of shade.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Old Brimstone makes two melee 
  attacks with his warhammer or two ranged 
  attacks with light hammers.
  Two-Handed Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 
  to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) 
  bludgeoning damage, and the target must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or 
  be knocked prone.
  Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) 
  bludgeoning damage.
  Light Hammer. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) 
  bludgeoning damage.
  Field Repair (3/Day). Old Brimstone can use 
  his action to temporarily improve the quality 
  of one weapon or one piece of armor he 
  can touch. Until the end of the encounter, 
  an improved weapon receives a +1 bonus to 
  damage rolls and a repaired piece of armor 
  receives a +1 bonus to AC. A weapon or 
  piece of armor can only be improved this way 
  once, and the temporary improvement ends 
  immediately following the final turn of combat.
  OLD BRIMSTONE’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “A life of battle is a life well lived.”
  Bond. “I was born to craft blades for the 
  world’s most powerful armies.”
  Flaw. “Perfect is never good enough.”
  SISTER RADANA NOHC,  
  THE CHAPLAIN
  A lithe, garnet-eyed woman clad in crimson 
  robes surveys the battlefield with cold 
  calculation before raising a strange silver 
  censer above her head. As incense wafts 
  away from the orb, the air around her 
  darkens with supernatural shadow. She 
  raises her head in gleeful mockery before the 
  gloom obscures her sultry form, and all that 
  remains is her cruel laugh.
  Sanguine Sister. This dhampir cleric of the 
  Blood Goddess Marena is a valuable member 
  of Vilém Erzov’s crew whose delicate 
  demeanor obscures her deadly nature. 
  Although Erzov trusts her completely, 
  Radana’s true fealty remains with her coven 
  of Red Sisters at Cantri Abbey—who have 
  instructed her to ride with the Band of the 
  Twice Damned so that she can monitor (and 
  report) their ongoing activities.
  Umbral Sentinel. Sister Radana’s dhampir 
  heritage is well-suited for her assignment 
  to Erzov’s vampiric warband. Not only 
  are her divine magics a potent asset on the 
  battlefield, she is unhindered by the sunlight 
  that so righteously assaults many of her allies. 
  When they must travel overland during 
  sunlight hours, the Twice Damned operate 
  under the protections of Sister Radana Nohc 
  and her censer of dark shadows.
  GOGGLES OF SHADE
  Wondrous item, uncommon
  While wearing these dark lenses, you have 
  advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks. 
  If you have sunlight sensitivity, wearing 
  these goggles negates the disadvantage on 
  attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks 
  that rely on sight when you, the target of 
  your attack, or whatever you are trying to 
  perceive is in direct sunlight.
  
  6
  SISTER RADANA NOHC
  Medium undead (dhampir), lawful evil
  Armor Class 14 (leather)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  12 (+1) 15 (+2)  14 (+2)  13(+1) 16 (+3)  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +5
  Skills Athletics +3, Deception +5, Medicine +7, 
  Persuasion +5, Religion +3, Stealth +4
  Damage Resistances necrotic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Darakhul
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Spellcasting. Radana is a 5th-level spellcaster. 
  Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save 
  DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She has the 
  following cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, sacred flame, 
  thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, guiding 
  bolt, shield of faith
  2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, 
  spiritual weapon
  3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, dispel 
  magic
  Undead Resistance. Radana has advantage 
  on saving throws against disease.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Radana makes two rapier or two 
  shortbow attacks. She can make a grapple 
  attack or Dark Thirst attack in place of any 
  attack.
  Dark Thirst. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 
  to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is 
  grappled by Radana, incapacitated, or 
  restrained. Hit: 1 piercing damage 
  plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage. 
  Radana regains hp equal to the 
  amount of necrotic damage dealt.
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 
  + 2) piercing damage.
  Censer of Dark Shadows (3/Day). Radana 
  conjures a 30-foot-radius sphere of 
  magical shadow for 1 hour. Bright light 
  and sunlight within this area is reduced 
  to dim light, and dim light within this area 
  is reduced to darkness. The shadow spreads 
  around corners, and nonmagical light can’t 
  illuminate it. The shadow emanates from 
  the censer and moves with it. Completely 
  enveloping the censer within another sealed 
  object, such as a lidded pot or a leather bag, 
  blocks the shadow. If any of this 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.
  Predatory Charm. Radana magically beguiles 
  the mind of one humanoid she can see within 
  30 feet for 1 hour. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw, or Radana 
  has advantage on Charisma checks against the 
  target. If Radana or any of her allies damage 
  the target, the effect ends. If the target’s saving 
  throw is successful or the effect ends, the 
  target is immune to Radana’s Predatory Charm 
  for the next 24 hours. A creature immune 
  to being charmed is immune to this effect. 
  Radana can have only one target affected by 
  
  7
  her Predatory Charm at a time. If she uses her 
  Predatory Charm on another target, the effect 
  on the previous target ends.
  RADANA NOHC’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “Ecstasy through pain.”
  Bond. “All things are possible with the 
  blessings of the Red Goddess.”
  Flaw. “I have little respect for anyone who 
  does not show fealty to Marena’s will.”
  VARRATIR V’AL, THE HUNTER
  A slate-skinned elven archer emerges from 
  the shadows with uncanny grace. Two 
  wicked horns—like the subtly curved antlers 
  of an impala—protrude from beneath the 
  folds of the fellow’s long silver mane, which is 
  pulled back into a handsome topknot. As the 
  shadow fey ranger takes aim, a wolf made 
  of dusk itself darts out from behind him and 
  quickly closes in.
  Unseelie Emissary. This callous shadow 
  fey hunter is the scourge of northern 
  woodlands and serves as the dutiful and 
  demented scout of Erzov’s terrifying troupe 
  of vampiric villains. With the benefit of 
  Varratir’s expert orienteering, the Band of 
  the Twice Damned navigate the shadow 
  roads (both known and unknown) that 
  weave their umbral way through the 
  Blood Kingdom’s unholy hinterlands with 
  preternatural ease.
  A Tooth for a Tooth. Varratir is allied with 
  a special undead animal companion—the 
  hateful lupine shade named Forathas. The 
  origin of Varratir’s strange symbiosis with 
  spectral beasts is a mystery but is no doubt 
  connected to his shadow fey ancestry. With 
  or without the combat support of their 
  Blood Kingdom comrades, Varratir and 
  Forathas make a formidable team and are 
  nigh inseparable.
  VARRATIR V’AL
  Medium humanoid (shadow fey elf), neutral evil
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
  Hit Points 54 (10d8 + 10)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  12 (+1) 17 (+3)  12 (+1)  11(+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +4, Cha +4
  Skills Arcana +2, Perception +4, Stealth +8, 
  Survival +4
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages Common, Elvish, Umbral
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Colossus Slayer. When Varratir hits a creature 
  with a weapon attack, the creature takes an 
  extra 1d8 damage if it’s below its hit point 
  maximum. Varratir can deal this extra damage 
  only once per turn.
  CENSER OF DARK SHADOWS
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
  This enchanted censer paints the air with 
  magical, smoky shadow. While you hold it, 
  you can use an action to speak its command 
  word to conjure a 30-foot-radius sphere of 
  magical shadow for 1 hour. Bright light and 
  sunlight within this area is reduced to dim 
  light, and dim light within this area is reduced 
  to darkness. The shadow spreads around 
  corners, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate 
  this shadow.
  The shadow emanates from the censer and 
  moves with it. Completely enveloping the 
  censer within another sealed object, such 
  as a lidded pot or a leather bag, blocks the 
  shadow. If any of this 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. Once this ability of the censer is 
  used three times, it can’t be used again until 
  the next dawn.
  
  8
  Fey Ancestry. Varratir has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t 
  put him to sleep.
  Innate Spellcasting. Varratir’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma. He 
  can cast the following spell innately, 
  requiring no material components:
  1/day: misty step (when in 
  shadows, dim light, or 
  darkness only)
  Spellcasting. Varratir is a 
  5th-level spellcaster. His 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom 
  (spell save DC 14, +4 to hit 
  with spell attacks). He has 
  the following cleric spells 
  prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): fog 
  cloud, hunter’s mark, 
  longstrider
  2nd level (2 slots): pass 
  without trace
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While 
  in sunlight, Varratir has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls 
  and on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight.
  Steel Will. Varratir has advantage 
  on saving throws against being frightened.
  Traveler in Darkness. Varratir has advantage 
  on Intelligence (Arcana) checks made to know 
  about shadow roads and shadow magic spells 
  or items.
  Undead Companion. Varratir can use a bonus 
  action to verbally command the lupine shade 
  Forathas to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, 
  Dodge, or Help action. If Forathas dies, Varratir 
  can obtain a new companion by spending 8 
  hours magically bonding with a lupine shade 
  that isn’t hostile to him.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Varratir makes two shortsword or 
  shortbow attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing 
  damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) 
  piercing damage.
  FORATHAS, THE LUPINE SHADE
  Varratir V’al is closely linked to a lupine shade 
  named Forathas, which serves as the shadow 
  fey ranger’s companion. Forathas is a lupine 
  shade with an AC of 14, 30 hit points, and an 
  additional +2 proficiency bonus to attack rolls, 
  damage rolls, saving throws, and Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks.
  Forathas obeys Varratir’s commands as best 
  it can and takes its turn on Varratir’s initiative. 
  Varratir can use a bonus action to verbally 
  command Forathas to take the Attack, Dash, 
  Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. If Varratir 
  is incapacitated, absent, or doesn’t issue a 
  command, the lupine shade acts on its own.
  
  9
  VARRATIR V’AL’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “The hunt is the greatest thrill.”
  Bond. “Show respect to the shadow roads 
  and the dark ways lest ye be taken by them.”
  Flaw. “Others need me more than I need 
  them.”
  VILÉM ERZOV, THE COMMANDER
  A pallid yet imposing warrior clad in 
  blackened mithral plate mail sits atop a pale 
  undead warhorse draped in rusted barding. 
  This rugged, long-haired mercenary—whose 
  yellow eyes and semi-translucent skin betray 
  his vampiric nature—flashes a cruel smile to 
  reveal two prodigious fangs before raising a 
  bloodstained lance from his side. He seems 
  thirsty. And prepared.
  Grim Allegiances. Vilém Erzov is the 
  spawn of a powerful vampire 
  lord of ill repute: 
  Commander Baleneus 
  of Cantri Abbey. 
  Instead of servitude to 
  Lucan’s Ghost Knights 
  however, Erzov sought 
  to continue his life as a 
  freebooting mercenary. 
  As the self-appointed 
  leader of the Twice 
  Damned, he commands 
  his cutthroat band of 
  macabre mercenaries 
  with an iron fist and ill will.
  Accursed Methods. Erzov is a 
  cunning tactician and a skilled fighter 
  who exploits every advantage and 
  opportunity on the battlefield he can find. 
  Not only has Erzov surrounded himself 
  with some of the fiercest cutthroats in 
  Midgard, he’s begun to amass a small 
  collection of arcane curiosities that will 
  no doubt help the tides of fate flow in 
  his favor: among these are his accursed 
  sanguine lance, his mithral armor, and 
  his grim destrier.
  Undead Nature. Vilém Erzov doesn’t 
  require air.
  VILÉM ERZOVMedium undead (vampire 
  spawn), neutral evil
  Armor Class 18 (mithral plate mail)
  Hit Points 82 (11d8 + 33)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  16 (+3) 16 (+3)  16 (+3)  11(+0) 12 (+1)  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +4
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth + 6
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  
  10
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Darakhul
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Brave. Vilém has advantage on saving throws 
  against being frightened.
  Regeneration. Vilém regains 10 hit points at the 
  start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point 
  and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If he 
  takes radiant damage or damage from holy 
  water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of 
  his next turn.
  Spider Climb. Vilém can climb difficult surfaces, 
  including upside down on ceilings, without 
  needing to make an ability check.
  Vampire Weaknesses. Vilém has the following 
  flaws:
  Forbiddance. He can’t enter a residence without 
  an invitation from one of the occupants.
  Harmed by Running Water. He takes 20 acid 
  damage when he ends his turn in running 
  water.
  Stake to the Heart. He is destroyed if a 
  piercing weapon made of wood is driven 
  into his heart while he is incapacitated in his 
  resting place.
  Sunlight Hypersensitivity. He takes 20 radiant 
  damage when he starts his turn in sunlight. 
  While in sunlight, he has disadvantage on 
  attack rolls and ability checks.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Vilém makes two melee attacks, 
  only one of which can be a bite attack.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one willing creature or a creature that is 
  grappled by Vilém, incapacitated, or restrained. 
  Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 
  (2d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point 
  maximum is reduced by an amount equal to 
  the necrotic damage taken, and Vilém regains 
  hit points equal to that amount. The reduction 
  lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The 
  target dies if this effect reduces its hit point 
  maximum to 0.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing 
  damage. Instead of dealing damage, Vilém can 
  grapple the target (escape DC 13).
  Longsword +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) 
  magical slashing damage.
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 
  to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d10) piercing damage.
  Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long 
  Rest). For 1 minute, Vilém can utter a special 
  command or warning whenever a non-hostile 
  creature that he can see within 30 feet of him 
  makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The 
  creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can 
  hear and understand Vilém. A creature can 
  benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. 
  This effect ends if Vilém is incapacitated.
  Sanguine Lance. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to 
  hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 4) 
  piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 
  The target’s hit point maximum is reduced 
  by an amount equal to the necrotic damage 
  taken, and Vilém regains hit points equal to 
  that amount. The reduction lasts until the 
  target finishes a long rest. The target dies if 
  this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
  SANGUINE LANCE
  Magic weapon (lance), uncommon (requires attunement)
  This fiendish lance runs red with blood. You 
  gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls 
  made with this magic weapon.
  Whenever you hit a target with this lance, 
  the target takes an additional 1d6 necrotic 
  damage, and you regain hit points equal to 
  half the amount of necrotic damage dealt. The 
  extra damage lasts until the target finishes a 
  long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces 
  its hit point maximum to 0.
  Curse. This lance is cursed, and becoming 
  attuned to it extends the curse to you. Each 
  day, as long as you remain cursed, you have 
  disadvantage on Constitution saving throws 
  until you draw blood from another creature 
  with the lance. Once the lance has done 
  damage to another creature or its surface has 
  contacted the blood of another creature, this 
  effect of the curse is negated until the next 
  dawn.
  
  11
  REACTIONS
  Parry. Vilém adds 2 to his AC against one melee 
  attack that would hit him. To do so, he must see 
  the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
  VILÉM ERZOV’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “Who dares, wins.”
  Bond. “I’ll never forget the immortal power 
  my vampire lord has given me.”
  Flaw. “I have little respect for anyone who is 
  not a soldier.”
  ŽRAVIKA, THE MANGLER
  A tangled mane of black hair obscures the 
  feminine face of this imposing vampire 
  spawn. A feral ferocity is evident in the 
  bloodstains on her shredded garments and 
  by her curious blood-soaked arsenal: a chain 
  that dangles menacingly at her side, its far 
  end fused to a rusty hunting trap. She lurches 
  forward with a hiss, dragging the hefty iron 
  trap along the ground before winding up the 
  chain for a toss.
  Hook and Pull. Žravika utilizes a crude 
  and brutal arsenal to capture and savage 
  her victims, including her supernaturally 
  gifted claws and fangs as well as a bear trap 
  hooked to a 20-foot chain. She almost prefers 
  to snare her victims with the trap instead 
  of her bare hands if only for the distress it 
  seeps into their doomed and frantic souls. As 
  Žravika is fond of saying, “Terror makes the 
  blood taste sweet.”
  Unholy Hunger. Žravika is nicknamed “the 
  Mangler” by her allies because of the blood 
  frenzy that drives her chaotic style of combat. 
  It is a rare circumstance that a victim of 
  Žravika’s is left whole enough to re-animate, 
  and she is quite often drenched in blood after 
  feeding. This untamed approach to battle 
  is an effective one however—that is, when 
  Žravika’s ruthless appetites don’t spook the 
  quarry or needlessly hurry the chase.
  Undead Nature. Žravika doesn’t require air.
  ŽRAVIKA
  Medium undead (vampire spawn), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 110 (12d8 + 56)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4)  11(+0) 10 (+0)  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +3
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth + 6
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Darakhul
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Blood Frenzy. Žravika has advantage on melee 
  attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t 
  have all its hit points.
  Regeneration. Žravika regains 10 hit points at 
  the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit 
  point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. 
  If she takes radiant damage or damage from 
  holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the 
  start of her next turn.
  Spider Climb. Žravika can climb difficult 
  surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, 
  without needing to make an ability check.
  Vampire Weaknesses. Žravika has the following 
  flaws:
  Forbiddance. She can’t enter a residence 
  without an invitation from one of the 
  occupants.
  Harmed by Running Water. She takes 20 acid 
  damage when she ends her turn in running 
  water.
  Stake to the Heart. She is destroyed if a 
  piercing weapon made of wood is driven into 
  her heart while she it is incapacitated in her 
  resting place.
  Sunlight Hypersensitivity. She takes 20 radiant 
  damage when she starts her turn in sunlight. 
  While in sunlight, she has disadvantage on 
  attack rolls and ability checks.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Žravika makes two melee attacks, 
  only one of which can be a bite attack.
  
  12
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one willing creature or 
  a creature that is grappled by 
  Žravika, incapacitated, or 
  restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 
  4) piercing damage plus 7 
  (2d6) necrotic damage. The 
  target’s hit point maximum 
  is reduced by an amount 
  equal to the necrotic damage 
  taken, and Žravika regains 
  hit points equal to that 
  amount. The reduction lasts 
  until the target finishes a 
  long rest. The target dies if 
  this effect reduces its hit point 
  maximum to 0.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: 
  +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) 
  slashing damage. Instead of 
  dealing damage, Žravika can 
  grapple the target (escape 
  DC 14).
  Bear Trap Bola. Ranged 
  Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 
  9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage 
  plus the target is grappled 
  (escape DC 13).
  ŽRAVIKA’S PERSONALITY TRAITS
  Ideal. “The greatest pleasures are derived 
  from inflicting pain.”
  Bond. “I thirst for the glory of the master.”
  Flaw. “All living creatures are cattle and 
  should be treated as such.”
  Encounters with the Band of the Twice Damned
  Whether presented as allies or enemies, 
  there are many ways characters could come 
  into contact with Vilém Erzov’s Band of the 
  Twice Damned. Here are a few scenarios 
  (both within and outside the Blood 
  Kingdom) that could draw the party into a 
  conflict or confrontation:
  • The characters are soldiers in King 
  Lucan’s army, training among the lower 
  ranks of the Ghost Knights of Morgau. 
  As part of their training, Commander 
  Baleneus of Cantri Abbey has ordered 
  the party to meet up with the Band of the 
  Twice Damned outside of Heiderbirg. 
  Here, they will collectively plan an 
  assault against several barbarian tribes of 
  the Wolfmark that have risen up against 
  their vampiric invaders. Once the 
  uprising has been adequately stamped 
  out, the characters are promoted in rank 
  
  13
  by Commander Baleneus who stations 
  them near Cantri Abbey for a new 
  campaign alongside the Red Sisters.
  • A wealthy merchant from the Free City 
  of Jozht hires the characters to disprove 
  a despicable rumor: that his offspring—a 
  brash cleric of Thor named Magni 
  Magnason—has not only fallen in battle 
  against the dread armies of King Lucan 
  but has been re-animated to serve their 
  abyssal ranks in damnable perpetuity. 
  With the name and last known location 
  of the Band of the Twice Damned as his 
  only leads, the elder Magnason offers 
  the party a handsome fee to find his boy 
  and either bring him home or put him 
  out of his undead misery.
  • The characters are all residents of a 
  Blood Kingdom border town (such as 
  Skogarholm, Lingenau, or the Obertal 
  Freehold) that is sacked by the Band of 
  the Twice Damned and allied soldiers in 
  Lucan’s army. Instead of slaughter, the 
  party members face a life of servitude to 
  the Twice Damned. How they survive is 
  entirely up to them.
  Other Warbands of the  
  Blood Kingdoms
  The Band of the Twice Damned aren’t the 
  only outriders operating throughout the 
  wilds of Morgau, Doresh, and Krakovar. 
  The Blood Kingdom—and the lightless 
  realms beneath—are home to many undead 
  warbands who serve one lord or another (if 
  not many at the same time).
  THE FELL RIDERS
  This group of ghoulish mercenaries 
  stationed near Lengrove is known for the 
  foul, winged mounts that carry its woeful 
  warriors into battle (featuring creatures 
  such as giant bats and skull drakes). An 
  eccentric darakhul commander named 
  Barron Sefton Wurm leads this putrid horde 
  from atop his nightgaunt steed (see Creature 
  Codex). Increasing numbers of Fell Rider 
  patrols have been seen outside the borders 
  of the Blood Kingdom—a grim development 
  that is alarming to many of the fair peoples 
  of greater Midgard, to say the least.
  ROT COMPANY
  The soldiers of Rot Company are comprised 
  of a legion of zombies and skeletons led 
  by a triumvirate of masked necromancer 
  overlords—referred to simply as the 
  Three. Rot Company continues a slow and 
  perpetual march across the Blood Kingdom 
  from their Necropolis headquarters south 
  of Bratislor, returning to the capital at least 
  once a year to celebrate their spoils. Massive 
  skeletal beasts are rumored to support their 
  numbers, along with the divine assistance of 
  an unholy relic of Vardesain known as the 
  Crucible of the Hunger God.
  New Creatures
  Amidst their legions of lesser minions, the 
  armies of King Lucan and Nicoforus the Pale 
  are often reinforced by special undead animal 
  companions. The grim destrier and the 
  lupine shade are but two of these creatures. 
  Larger warbands of the Blood Kingdom 
  have been known to boast a wide array of 
  exotic undead beasts and uniquely horrifying 
  entities, all of which serve to frighten their 
  enemies as much as bolster their ranks.
  GRIM DESTRIER
  A grim destrier is an undead warhorse bred 
  utilizing the loathsome magic of powerful 
  necromancers. These dreadful steeds are 
  immune to the effects of exhaustion and will 
  tirelessly serve any riders both brave and 
  malevolent enough to mount them.
  Undead Nature. A grim destrier doesn’t 
  require air, food, drink, or sleep.
  
  14
  GRIM DESTRIER
  Large undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 15 (breastplate barding)
  Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)
  Speed 60 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  18 (+4) 12 (+1)  14 (+2)  6(−2) 
  12 (+1)  7 (−2)
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages understands Abyssal and Common 
  but can’t speak them
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Trampling Charge. If the grim destrier moves 
  at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and 
  then hits with its hooves on the same turn, 
  that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target 
  is prone, the destrier can make another attack 
  against it with its hooves as a bonus action.
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the 
  grim destrier to 0 hit points, it must make a 
  Constitution saving throw (DC 5 + damage 
  taken) unless the damage is radiant or from 
  a critical hit. On a success, the grim destrier 
  drops to 1 hit point instead.
  ACTIONS
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning 
  damage plus 5 (2d4) necrotic damage.
  LUPINE SHADE
  Lupine shades are undead beasts resembling 
  dark exaggerations of wolf shadows. Like 
  shadows and shrouds, lupine shades hunger 
  for the vitality of living creatures but are 
  particularly drawn to those unpolluted by 
  the taint of evil. Long tied to the unseelie 
  courts of the shadow fey, these wolvish 
  creatures also make exceptional minions for 
  undead and necromantic masters.
  Undead Nature. A lupine shade doesn’t 
  require air, food, drink, or sleep.
  LUPINE SHADE
  Medium undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 30 (5d8 + 5)
  Speed 50 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  6 (−2) 14 (+2)  13 (+1)  6 (−2) 12 (+1)  8 (−1)
  Skills Stealth +6
  Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, 
  thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, 
  grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, 
  restrained
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages understands Common and Umbral 
  but can’t speak them
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Amorphous. The lupine shade can move 
  through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide 
  without squeezing.
  Keen Hearing and Smell. The lupine shade has 
  advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that 
  rely on hearing or smell.
  Pack Tactics. The lupine shade has advantage 
  on an attack roll against a creature if at least 
  one of the lupine shade’s allies is within 5 feet 
  of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, 
  the lupine shade can take the Hide action as a 
  bonus action.
  Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the 
  lupine shade has disadvantage on attack rolls, 
  ability checks, and saving throws.
  ACTIONS
  Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) 
  necrotic damage, and the target’s Strength 
  score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if 
  this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the 
  reduction lasts until the target finishes a short 
  or long rest. 
     If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, 
  a shadow or a shroud (50% chance; see Tome 
  of Beasts) rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
  
  15
  T
  he Blood Kingdom of Midgard is an 
  accursed realm unlike any other, home 
  to horrors both unspeakable and spectacular. 
  The amalgamated lands of Morgau, Doresh, 
  and Krakovar persist under the cruel reign 
  of King Lucan, vampire lord of Bratislor. 
  Meanwhile, the subterranean realms 
  beneath these federated kingdoms serve 
  as the dominion of Nicoforus the Pale and 
  his Ghoul Imperium. A grim yet fortuitous 
  alliance between these two despots has 
  fueled a steady rise in the proliferation of 
  powerful undead in the region, which has no 
  doubt made the Blood Kingdom even more 
  inhospitable for the weak of will and the 
  faint of heart.
  What follows is a macabre treatise on three 
  unique monsters that reside within various 
  corners of Midgard’s Blood Kingdom (but 
  who are also perfectly at home in any dark 
  fantasy setting with a proper penchant for 
  gothic horror and the phantasmagorical). 
  Herein you will find examinations of 
  the legendary creatures known as the 
  Bloodstone Gargoyle of Bratislor Pass, 
  Scythe Tail the Undying Wyvern, and the 
  Heiderbirg Horror. During your scrutiny 
  of these abominable beasts, you may 
  very well discover various customs of the 
  Blood Kingdom themselves along with 
  information on notable personages, local 
  legends, and an enchanted item or two.
  But hear you this and remember, whether 
  questing across the bloodstained Field of 
  Salesh or braving the boundless corners 
  of your own mortal mind... tread carefully 
  when walking among the dead, for the eyes 
  of Lucan lurk in every shadow.
  Horror in Roleplaying:  
  Genre and the Blood Kingdom
  Chances are you’ll only take a trip to 
  Midgard’s Blood Kingdom if your gaming 
  group enjoys a fair bit of horror in your 
  shared roleplaying experience. If this is 
  the case, you’re in for a treat, for the Blood 
  Kingdom is rife with dread. If you’re 
  relatively new to the horror genre or simply 
  reluctant to taste of its forbidden fruits, then 
  rest assured: a little fear in your storytelling 
  makes the light-hearted fare taste oh so 
  sweeter. But whether you’re an experienced 
  gore hound or a fledgling fear chaser, the 
  Blood Kingdom beckons with open arms 
  and eager fangs.
  ABOMINATIONS OF THE  
  BLOOD KINGDOM 
  Three legendary creatures of ill repute from the  
  Greater Duchy of Morgau, Doresh, and Krakovar.
  by Christopher Lockey 
  
  16
  This material encourages you to embrace 
  the darker side of your roleplaying, and it 
  draws inspiration from a wide variety of 
  grim and gothic tales—fitting with the dark 
  fantasy surrounding the Midgard setting 
  itself. Below ground, Nicoforus the Pale’s 
  ghoulish minions toil for a grim future 
  in which the Midgard they inhabit is less 
  governed by the sun-loving nations of the 
  surface. (If this means allegiance to Lucan 
  and his bloodthirsty kin, then so be it.) In 
  the realms above, an evil army of vampires 
  has expanded from the seclusion of their 
  mountain keeps, establishing one of the 
  largest and most powerful dominions in the 
  known world. The existence of the Blood 
  Kingdom establishes a new normal.
  Adventures in Morgau, Doresh, and 
  Krakovar (as well as the caverns beneath) 
  can be as convention-laden or as free of 
  tropes as you’d like them to be. But don’t 
  be afraid to lean on trope because a genre 
  as nuanced as horror demands a certain 
  amount of discipline to feel authentic and 
  sincere, and this discipline is informed at 
  every turn by the generations of horror 
  storytellers that came before—how they 
  innovated and what we can learn from 
  them—stretching all the way back to the 
  campfires of time immemorial. Study your 
  favorites, and bring what they teach you to 
  the table.
  Fearful Omens
  With the advent of the alliance between 
  King Lucan and Nicoforus the Pale, the 
  confederated Blood Kingdoms have ushered 
  in a new era of prosperity for evil means and 
  the monsters who perpetuate them. In the 
  days and nights since Lucan’s grim treaty 
  has come to pass, the denizens of the foul 
  lands between Dornig and Neimheim have 
  grown increasingly aware of their rising 
  station. And this supernatural momentum is 
  almost tangible. After all, the Ghost Knights 
  of Lucan’s army couldn’t have stormed the 
  northern coasts of the Wolfmark without 
  darakhul warriors in their midst, and the 
  ghouls of the Imperium can only expand so 
  far without the aid of their surface-dwelling 
  brethren. More than a mere political current, 
  this is the movement of a society—an entire 
  undead civilization—whose motivations 
  are predominantly questionable, if not 
  altogether evil. The psychic, supernatural, 
  and metaphysical maelstrom this has 
  wrought is one of epic proportions.
  One result of this confluence is the 
  ongoing emergence of new and otherwise 
  long-dormant creatures of legend. There 
  are entities who prefer to skulk furtively 
  in the shadows, and there are those 
  whose reputations precede them like 
  the doom winds of a plague storm. The 
  Blood Kingdom is the sum of its parts: the 
  essence of every abominable horror that 
  crawls within the lands of Morgau, Doresh, 
  Krakovar, and the realms beneath. And they 
  are ultimately defined by the denizens who 
  defend (and expand) their shared borders.
  We’re all familiar with the mythological 
  trappings of the classic vampire lair: coffins 
  draped in cobwebs in silent dungeons, 
  creatures of the night prowling misty 
  moorlands full of foreboding shadows. By 
  its very nature, a nation full of vampires 
  betrays some of the mystery and pageantry 
  of the vampire myth (as defined in the 
  current and previous editions of the game). 
  Since vampires of the Blood Kingdom 
  occupy a more “normal” place in society, 
  it falls on the abnormal to take up their 
  traditional roles. The emergence of 
  Midgard’s abominations has often been 
  preceded by calamitous events that herald 
  their arrival, like storms, plagues, famines, 
  or fires. How the abominations contained 
  herein manifest themselves in your 
  campaign is entirely up to you.
  
  17
  Rumors and Legends
  Extensive travel through Midgard is bound to stir up some chatter about the Blood Kingdom 
  and the peculiar horrors that haunt its tortured landscapes. Furthermore, passing through 
  a border town or investigating local legends could reveal all sorts of details. Roll a d12 or 
  choose from the following list of rumors to determine what kind of information characters 
  might discover:
  1.      Merchants traveling south from Bratislor along the Great Northern Road talk of a 
  haunted mountain pass that calls lonely travelers to their dooms.
  2.     Traders who ferry along the River Brocken speak of a foul wind that stirs off the western 
  banks of the river near Lengrove.
  3.      Pirates of the Nieder Straights whisper tales of a doomed ship that was savaged by a 
  strange form of vampiric plague it picked up near Heiderbirg.
  4.      Dozens of pale infants in the lands surrounding Morgau and Doresh are being born 
  with an irregular, triangle-shaped birthmark—a blemish that resembles a map of 
  Bratislor Pass.
  5.      On the day preceding each full moonrise, the northern waters of the River Yoshtula run 
  red with blood.
  6.      Trees of the Siarka Swamp bleed a loathsome crimson sap.
  7.      One in nineteen horses birthed in the Blood Kingdom are born pale and gaunt but 
  harbor strange supernatural gifts.
  8.      The sacking of Heiderbirg has angered the ancient Wolfmark gods; as a result, the skies 
  above the marshes west of Heiderbirg are wracked by weird storms.
  9.      A temple to Marena south of Bratislor trains its Red Sister devotees to supplicate 
  themselves to strange earthen idols.
  10.    The winged beasts and feral ghouls of the Cloudwall Mountains worship an elder 
  wyvern god.
  11.    Children who die under a new or full moon are cursed and must serve the Red Goddess 
  and her minions in the afterlife.
  12.    Earthquakes in the Great Necropolis have begun waking strange horrors from the 
  shadowy depths of the earth.
  Dramatis Personae
  Whether by accident or design, those who 
  scour Midgard’s forbidden realms are often 
  fate-bound to find what they seek, and if 
  one travels the Great Northern Road long 
  enough, the sinister forces of supernatural 
  evil are never far behind. Here now are 
  three of the most notorious legendary 
  creatures that reside within Midgard’s 
  Blood Kingdom along with descriptions 
  of their lairs, regional effects, plot hooks, 
  and more. If you’re looking for more than 
  a mere encounter, consider these unique 
  monsters to be “minibosses” of your own 
  campaign, and try to present them with the 
  narrative pacing and dramatic gravitas a 
  classic horror story deserves.
  
  18
  THE BLOODSTONE GARGOYLE  
  OF BRATISLOR PASS
  A hulking effigy carved from solid bloodstone 
  clings to the sanctuary steeple. A closer 
  look reveals a sinister winged creature of 
  elemental earth that bears the loathsome 
  likeness of a demonic statue with long, 
  curving horns and a prodigiously wicked 
  grin. The sound of grinding stone and the 
  blinking of two luminous crimson eyes 
  precede the gargoyle’s lightning-swift assault.
  Blood and Stone. Journeyed pathfinders 
  and loyal servants of the Blood Goddess 
  Marena know of a seldom-used mountain 
  pass, south of Bratislor along the Great 
  Northern Road, where a secluded monastery 
  is situated in grim isolation. Here, the 
  Bloodstone Gargoyle of Bratislor Pass 
  watches balefully over the crumbling walls 
  of the Vermilion Abbey from atop its black 
  granite steeple. A coterie of ghouls and 
  vampire spawn occupy the abbey’s lightless 
  sanctuary, patiently awaiting the return of 
  their Red Sister mistresses under the tireless 
  guidance of their unholy sentinel.
  Grim Sentinel. Born from a massive slab 
  of chalcedony, the Bloodstone Gargoyle 
  of Bratislor Pass gleefully serves the cruel 
  interests of its sanguine masters and has 
  watched over the Vermillion Abbey’s 
  mountain sanctuary for at least a century. 
  The precise origin of this peculiar elemental 
  menace remains a mystery, for none quite 
  like it has ever been chronicled. Yet despite 
  this surreptitious history (or perhaps 
  because of it), the tale of the guardian has 
  become a prized fable among Midgard 
  storytellers with a fondness for horror.
  Evil to the Core. An accursed gemstone 
  known as the heliotrope heart is buried 
  deep within the bloodstone gargoyle’s stony 
  chest. This magical orb can only be retrieved 
  if the gargoyle is slain, at which point the 
  rest of the earthen creature crumbles to 
  dust. A scant few entities are even aware of 
  the orb’s existence, such as the Arch-Devil 
  Parzelon, Midgard’s most learned sages, and 
  the Red Goddess Marena herself.
  Elemental Nature. The bloodstone 
  gargoyle doesn’t require air, food, drink, or 
  sleep.
  BLOODSTONE GARGOYLE
  Large elemental, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 72 (8d10 + 28)
  Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  18 (+4) 11 (+0)  18 (+4)  6 (−2) 12 (+1)  7 (−2)
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks that 
  aren’t adamantine
  Damage Immunities poison
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, 
  poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Terran, understands Common but 
  can’t speak, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 5 (2,300 XP)
  False Appearance. While the bloodstone 
  gargoyle remains motionless, it is 
  indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The bloodstone gargoyle makes 
  two attacks: one with its bite and one with its 
  claws.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target’s 
  hit point maximum is reduced by an amount 
  equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the 
  bloodstone gargoyle regains hit points equal 
  to that amount. The 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 in this way and then 
  buried in the ground rises the following night 
  as a vampire spawn under the bloodstone 
  gargoyle’s control.
  
  19
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing 
  damage.
  Fiendish Charm. The bloodstone gargoyle’s 
  eyes sparkle with crimson light as it targets 
  one humanoid it can see within 60 feet of it. 
  If the target can see the bloodstone gargoyle, 
  the target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom 
  saving throw against this magic or be charmed 
  by the bloodstone gargoyle. The charmed 
  target regards the bloodstone gargoyle as a 
  trusted friend to be heeded and protected. 
  Although the target isn’t under the bloodstone 
  gargoyle’s control, it takes the gargoyle’s 
  requests or actions in the most favorable 
  way it can, and it is a willing target for the 
  gargoyle’s bite attack. 
     Each time the gargoyle or the gargoyle’s 
  companions do anything harmful to the 
  target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending 
  the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the 
  effect lasts 24 hours or until the gargoyle is 
  destroyed, is on a different plane of existence 
  than the target, or takes a bonus action to end 
  the effect.
  LEGENDARY ACTIONS
  The bloodstone gargoyle can take one 
  legendary action, 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 bloodstone gargoyle regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Detect. The bloodstone gargoyle makes a 
  Wisdom (Perception) check.
  Hurl Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, 
  range 40/120 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 
  4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a 
  creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone.
  
  20
  THE BLOODSTONE GARGOYLE’S LAIR
  The Bloodstone Gargoyle of Bratislor 
  Pass serves as the sleepless sentinel of a 
  crumbling mountain temple to the Blood 
  Goddess Marena, where he perches upon 
  an ebon steeple. Known as the Vermillion 
  Abbey, this black granite edifice also 
  houses a restless pack of ghouls and a small 
  cadre of vampire spawn birthed from the 
  gargoyle’s sinister bite.
  REGIONAL EFFECTS
  The craggy region surrounding the 
  bloodstone gargoyle’s lair in Bratislor 
  Pass has been corrupted by its unnatural 
  presence, creating the following effects:
  • There’s a noticeable increase in the 
  population of bats in the region.
  • Plants within 1,000 feet of the lair are 
  withered, and their stems and branches 
  have become twisted and thorny.
  • Shadows cast within 1,000 feet of 
  the lair seem abnormally gaunt and 
  sometimes move as though alive.
  If the bloodstone gargoyle is destroyed, 
  these effects end after 3d6 days.
  BLOODSTONE GARGOYLE OF  
  BRATISLOR PASS PLOT HOOKS
  Characters could find themselves 
  encountering the Bloodstone Gargoyle of 
  Bratislor Pass for a variety of reasons:
  • While traveling the Great Northern 
  Road, the characters encounter the lone 
  survivor of an ill-fated adventuring 
  party. Two prodigious bite marks on the 
  fellow’s shoulder betray his encounter 
  with the bloodstone gargoyle, which 
  he describes in vivid detail before 
  succumbing to his wounds. As he dies, 
  he beseeches the characters to purify the 
  unholy altars of the Vermillion Abbey by 
  destroying them. 
  • A cabal of Red Sister acolytes has 
  kidnapped the characters who find 
  themselves imprisoned within the 
  lightless dungeon of the Vermillion 
  Abbey. If they manage to escape their 
  blasphemous jail, will they survive the 
  abbey’s bloodstone sentinel and his 
  retinue of undead minions?
  • A powerful druid of Wendestal Forest 
  tasks the characters with retrieving the 
  heliotrope heart from the bloodstone 
  gargoyle’s earthen remains. In return, 
  she promises to reward the characters 
  HELIOTROPE HEART
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
  This polished orb of dark-green stone is 
  latticed with pulsing crimson inclusions that 
  resemble slowly dilating spatters of blood. 
  While attuned to this orb, your hit point 
  maximum is not affected by the necrotic 
  damage of the bite of a vampire or vampire 
  spawn. Additionally, while holding this orb, 
  you can speak its command word as an 
  action to cast false life as if it were cast using 
  a spell slot of 2nd level; this property can’t be 
  used again until the next dusk.
  Curse. This orb is cursed, a fact that is 
  revealed only when an identify spell is cast on 
  the orb or you attune to it. Attuning to the 
  orb curses you until you are targeted by the 
  remove curse spell or similar magic. As long 
  as you remain cursed, you are unwilling to 
  part with the orb, keeping it on your person 
  at all times. While cursed, your shadow seems 
  abnormally gaunt and sometimes moves of its 
  own volition as though alive; as a result, you 
  have disadvantage on Charisma (Performance) 
  and Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
  
  21
  with a magical boon (such as the 
  spells greater restoration, reincarnate, 
  or scrying in a time of need) and safe 
  passage through the Wendestal.
  • A blistering snowstorm drives the 
  characters into the Bratislor Pass for 
  shelter as they make their way north 
  or south along the Great Northern 
  Road. During their first rest, one of 
  the characters—or perhaps a friendly 
  scout in their midst—is beset by a trio 
  of ghouls who drag the hapless victim 
  toward the shadow-steeped threshold of 
  the Vermillion Abbey.
  THE HEIDERBIRG HORROR
  The pallid skin and beady red eyes of this 
  corpulent ogre betray its undead nature, but 
  the slavering, blood-soaked tissue between its 
  gruesome bifurcated jaws suggests something 
  more than mere vampirism. As the creature 
  shambles forward, a ten-foot, toothed 
  proboscis flicks forth from its gory maw. The 
  undulation of a small rasping mouth on 
  the tip of this monstrous tongue is almost 
  as sickening as the smell of carrion rot that 
  clings to it. But not quite.
  Vile Origins. The Heiderbirg Horror is 
  the hideous product of foul necromantic 
  experimentation. Conceived as a 
  weaponized form of vampirism, the horror 
  was created by a mad Krakovan chirurgeon 
  named Vol Vorigrad in the depths of his 
  dingy Heiderbirg laboratory. After slaying 
  its maker in a most brutal fashion, the 
  horror escaped to the streets above and 
  nimbly evaded the local commandery 
  during a blood-soaked exodus through 
  Heiderbirg’s western gate. It has stalked 
  the swamp-soaked village known as West 
  Heiderbirg ever since.
  Odious Methods. Vorigrad introduced 
  a number of strange mutations and 
  “upgrades” to his giantkin subject, including 
  the curse of vampirism, a unique bloodborne 
  pathogen, and the magically assisted graft 
  of a grotesque, lamprey-like tongue. These 
  alterations have made the Heiderbirg Horror 
  a valuable yet unpredictable asset for those 
  who would benefit from its chaotic brand of 
  destruction.
  Putrid Progeny. Like other vampires, the 
  Heiderbirg Horror passes on the curse of 
  vampirism to its victims. Vampire spawn 
  created by the horror’s distinct virulence 
  carry the abomination’s sludge blood disease 
  themselves and are also capable of inflicting 
  it upon others. As a result, the doom of West 
  Heiderbirg owes nearly as much to sludge 
  blood as it owes to the undead mutant itself.
  Undead Nature. The Heiderbirg Horror 
  doesn’t require air.
  THE HEIDERBIRG HORROR
  Large undead (ogre mutant), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27)
  Speed 40 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  19 (+4) 14 (+2)  16 (+3)  8 (−1) 10 (+0)  7 (−2)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +3
  Skills Perception +6, Stealth +3
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages understands Common and Giant but 
  can’t speak
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Regeneration. The horror regains 10 hit points 
  at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit 
  point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If 
  the horror takes radiant damage or damage 
  from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at 
  the start of its next turn.
  Vampire Weaknesses. The horror has the 
  following flaws:
  Forbiddance. It can’t enter a residence without 
  an invitation from one of the occupants.
  Harmed by Running Water. It takes 20 acid 
  damage when it ends its turn in running water.
  
  22
  Stake to the Heart. It is destroyed if a piercing 
  weapon made of wood is driven into its heart 
  while it is incapacitated in its resting place.
  Sunlight Hypersensitivity. It takes 20 radiant 
  damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. 
  While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on 
  attack rolls and ability checks.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The horror makes two attacks, 
  only one of which can be a toothed proboscis 
  attack.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing 
  damage. Instead of dealing damage, the 
  horror can grapple the target (escape DC 15).
  Toothed Proboscis. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 
  to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 4) 
  piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, 
  and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). 
  Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, 
  and the horror can’t bite another target. If the 
  target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw against disease 
  or become infected with sludge blood until 
  the disease is cured. Additionally, the target’s 
  hit point maximum is reduced by an amount 
  equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the 
  horror regains hit points equal to that amount. 
  The reduction lasts until the target finishes a 
  
  23
  long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces 
  its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain 
  in this way and then buried in the ground rises 
  the following night as a Heiderbirg vampire 
  spawn under the Heiderbirg Horror’s control.
  LEGENDARY ACTIONS
  The Heiderbirg Horror can take one legendary 
  action, 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 horror regains spent legendary actions 
  at the start of his turn.
  Charge. The horror moves up to its speed.
  Vomit Blood. The horror spews a noxious jet 
  of blood from its bloated gut. Each creature 
  in a 15-foot cone must succeed on a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw or become 
  poisoned. While poisoned in this way, a target 
  takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of 
  each of its turns. A target can repeat the saving 
  throw at the end of each of its turns, ending 
  the effect on itself on a success. Additionally, 
  each creature in the area must succeed on 
  a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against 
  disease or become infected with sludge blood 
  until the disease is cured.
  THE HEIDERBIRG HORROR’S LAIR
  The Heiderbirg Horror stalks the 
  swamp-soaked ruins of a doomed village 
  west of Heiderbirg where its insatiable 
  appetite subsides on any warm-blooded 
  creatures it can find. The stagnant waters 
  of this rural marsh surrounding “West 
  Heiderbirg” are quite hospitable to 
  the horror, whose malevolent essence 
  has obscured the very sun itself with a 
  penumbral blanket. 
  NEW DISEASE: SLUDGE BLOOD
  Sludge blood is a peculiar illness that 
  originates from the Heiderbirg Horror’s 
  putrid bite and noxious blood. It is sometimes 
  transmitted by the horror’s vampiric spawn 
  and the vermin that dwell within its marshy lair.
  When a humanoid creature is bitten by a 
  carrier of the disease or otherwise exposed, 
  the creature must succeed on a DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw or become infected.
  It takes 1d3 hours for sludge blood’s 
  symptoms to manifest in an infected creature. 
  Symptoms include lethargy, contusions, and 
  darkened veins. The infected creature gains 
  vulnerability to necrotic and poison damage 
  and to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage, and it regains only half the normal 
  number of hit points from finishing a long rest.
  At the end of each long rest, an infected 
  creature must make a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw. The creature recovers from 
  the disease following three successful saves. 
  On each failed save, the creature’s Dexterity 
  decreases by 1d4 points. If Dexterity loss 
  reduces the infected creature’s Dexterity  
  below 1, the creature dies. A humanoid 
  slain in this way rises the following night 
  as a Heiderbirg vampire spawn under the 
  Heiderbirg Horror’s control.
  VARIANT: HEIDERBIRG VAMPIRE SPAWN
  A casualty of the Heiderbirg Horror’s bite 
  attack or of the deadly effects of sludge blood 
  can reanimate as a variant vampire spawn. 
  Heiderbirg vampire spawn are considered CR 6 
  monsters and gain the following attack:
  Diseased Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature or a 
  creature that is grappled by the vampire, 
  incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 
  3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic 
  damage. The target’s hit point maximum is 
  reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic 
  damage taken, and the vampire regains hit 
  points equal to that amount. The reduction 
  lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The 
  target dies if this effect reduces its hit point 
  maximum to 0. Additionally, the target must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving 
  throw against disease or contract sludge 
  blood until the disease is cured.
  
  24
  REGIONAL EFFECTS
  The region surrounding the Heiderbirg 
  Horror’s boggy lair has been corrupted by 
  the creature’s unnatural presence, creating 
  the following effects:
  • There’s a noticeable increase in the 
  populations of rats, snakes, and leeches 
  in the region.
  • Plants within 1,000 feet of the lair are 
  rotted, and their stems and branches 
  are covered in black knots and festering 
  wounds.
  • Stagnant water within 1,000 feet of 
  the lair is covered in a cloudy layer of 
  scum that sometimes roils and moves as 
  though alive.
  • A storm cloud clings to the sky within 
  1,000 feet of the horror’s lair where 
  sheet lightning and moaning winds 
  herald intermittent downpours.
  If the Heiderbirg Horror is destroyed, 
  these effects end after 2d6 days.
  HEIDERBIRG HORROR PLOT HOOKS
  Characters could find themselves 
  encountering the Heiderbirg Horror for a 
  variety of reasons:
  • A few citizens of the village west 
  of Heiderbirg have survived the 
  horror’s onslaught by hiding in the 
  swamp-soaked basements and moldy 
  attics of their ramshackle dwellings. 
  Desperate to escape but too timid to 
  leave, they remain fearfully out of 
  sight and wait for salvation as they 
  slowly starve to death. One of these 
  villagers—a malnourished teen named 
  Kóri Myrrström—has made his safe 
  exodus out of the West Heiderbirg 
  swamp and beseeches the party for aid.
  • An infamous Bemmean warlock named 
  Yorick Lesch desires a sample of the 
  Heiderbirg Horror’s vital fluids for his 
  own perverse experiments and will pay 
  the characters handsomely if they can 
  retrieve a liter or more of the creature’s 
  noxious blood.
  • Wandering vampire spawn who carry 
  the noxious disease known as sludge 
  blood have taken up residence along 
  the mouth of the Yoshtula River. 
  The scattered clans of Wolfmark 
  barbarians who roam these lands are 
  eager to remove the vampiric pestilence 
  from their shores and welcome any 
  outlanders who would take arms against 
  the invasive undead and help locate the 
  source of their profane origin.
  • An upstart lieutenant from the Order 
  of the Bloody Blade at Heiderbirg 
  Castle views the Heiderbirg Horror as a 
  valuable asset in the war against Lucan’s 
  enemies. This obstinate dhampir 
  noble—a warrior named Saoirse Khet—
  is keen on capturing the abomination 
  for study in her dungeon far beneath 
  Heiderbirg. She offers the characters 
  generous rewards from her enchanted 
  armory in return for successful 
  exfiltration and enslavement of the 
  legendary creature.
  SCYTHE TAIL, THE UNDYING WYVERN
  Cobwebs and mold cover the decrepit 
  scales of this hulking undead wyvern who 
  sits menacingly upon a scattered mound 
  of rotting bones. The tip of its razor-sharp 
  stinger drips a noxious black poison upon 
  the skeletal heap, and its milk-white eyes 
  pierce the darkness in hungry anticipation. 
  As the undead wyvern shifts atop its 
  makeshift throne, you spy the hilt of 
  a colorful blade protruding from the 
  creature’s left shoulder.
  Grim Hunter. In life, the wyvern Scythe 
  Tail was the scourge of the Lengrove 
  hinterlands. After a short-lived death, it now 
  presides as a tyrant of the caverns below. Its 
  once-leathery wings, now gaunt and thin as 
  parchment, help it patrol the subterranean 
  
  25
  sprawl beneath the Cloudwall Mountains 
  with ease. And the poison stinger at the 
  tip of the undead wyvern’s eponymous tail 
  has become a foul perversion of its original 
  form—a blade-like barb that injects a deadly 
  necrotic venom.
  Cruel and Conniving. Scythe Tail’s 
  transformation was the result of potent 
  darakhul necromancy, but the covenant 
  between the undying wyvern and his 
  ghoulish creators is tenuous at best. The 
  alliance between Scythe Tail and the ghouls 
  of the Great Necropolis has served their 
  mutual interests for nearly a century, but 
  while the ghouls continue to benefit from 
  the terrifying presence of their immortal 
  warden, the undead wyvern itself has grown 
  increasingly restless. Scythe Tail hungers for 
  more than the wealth of wayward outlanders 
  and carefully plots a dreadful ascension from 
  the depths of its fetid subterranean lair.
  The Hexen Blade. An adamantine 
  short sword known as the hexen blade 
  has remained curiously lodged above 
  Scythe Tail’s right shoulder following a 
  long-forgotten foray with the weapon’s 
  previous owner. This magic sword grants 
  its wielder the ability to master certain 
  uncanny illusions and would make a prized 
  addition to any enchanted armory. Despite 
  the hexen blade’s modest renown, none 
  who have set out to claim it have returned 
  
  26
  from the wyvern’s lair alive. One certainly 
  wonders what other treasures have heaped 
  themselves upon Scythe Tail’s hide or hoard 
  since.
  Undead Nature. Scythe Tail doesn’t 
  require air, food, drink, or sleep.
  SCYTHE TAIL, THE UNDYING WYVERN
  Large undead (wyvern), neutral evil
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 142 (15d10 + 60)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 80 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  CHA
  21 (+5) 10 (+0)  18 (+4)  8 (−1) 14 (+2)  6 (−2)
  Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
  Damage Immunities poison
  Skills Perception +5
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages understands Common and Darakhul 
  but can’t speak
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Scythe Tail 
  fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed 
  instead.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Scythe Tail makes two attacks: one 
  with its bite and one with its stinger. While 
  flying, it can use its claws in place of one other 
  attack.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 
  10 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing 
  damage.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing 
  damage.
  Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, 
  reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) 
  piercing damage. The target must make a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save or half as 
  much damage on a successful one. A creature 
  who suffers necrotic damage from this attack 
  becomes poisoned until the start of Scythe 
  Tail’s next turn.
  LEGENDARY ACTIONS
  Scythe Tail can take 2 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. 
  Scythe Tail regains spent legendary actions at 
  the start of its turn.
  Detect. Scythe Tail makes a Wisdom 
  (Perception) check with advantage.
  Melee Attack. Scythe Tail makes one melee 
  attack.
  Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). Scythe 
  Tail fixes its gaze on one creature it can see 
  within 80 feet of it. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become 
  frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat 
  the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the 
  effect ends for it, the creature is immune to 
  Scythe Tail’s Frightening Gaze for the next 24 
  hours.
  SCYTHE TAIL’S LAIR
  The Undying Wyvern occupies a 
  shadow-haunted cave within the Lengrove 
  hinterlands where he presides over a 
  HEXEN BLADE
  Weapon (shortsword), rare (requires attunement)
  The colorful surface of this sleek adamantine 
  shortsword exhibits a perpetually shifting, 
  iridescent sheen. 
  You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage 
  rolls made with this magic weapon. 
  This magic weapon has 3 charges. While 
  holding it, you can use an action and expend 
  1 charge to cast disguise self, hypnotic pattern, 
  or mirror image (save DC 15).
  The sword regains 1d3 expended charges 
  daily at dawn.
  
  27
  cold subterranean lake from atop a nest 
  of timeworn bones. A bizarre species of 
  pallid, carnivorous fish patrols the rimy 
  lake. Opposite the cavern’s twisting eastern 
  entrance, tunnels spider out mazelike from 
  the central cave toward the lightless depths 
  of the Great Necropolis and beyond.
  REGIONAL EFFECTS
  The cavernous region surrounding Scythe 
  Tail’s lair has been corrupted by the 
  creature’s unnatural presence, creating the 
  following effects:
  • There’s a noticeable increase in the 
  populations of bats, scorpions, and 
  snakes in the region.
  • Plants will not grow within 500 feet of 
  the lair, and any vegetation that once 
  grew here has long been replaced by 
  moldy fungal rot.
  • A creeping mist clings to the ground 
  within 500 feet of Scythe Tail’s lair. The 
  mist occasionally takes eerie forms, such 
  as grasping talons and writhing serpents.
  • Undead within 500 feet of the lair have 
  advantage on saving throws against 
  effects that turn undead.
  If Scythe Tail is destroyed, these effects 
  end after 2d10 days.
  SCYTHE TAIL PLOT HOOKS
  Characters could find themselves 
  encountering the undying wyvern for a 
  variety of reasons:
  • A headstrong descendant of the hexen 
  blade’s gnomish creator seeks to retrieve 
  the magical shortsword to honor his 
  family and gain favor with various 
  lords of Neimheim. This perilous quest 
  requires a dauntless group of explorers, 
  and the characters are no doubt 
  precisely the party for the job.
  • Scythe Tail has grown increasingly 
  ornery over time, and his once-fruitful 
  symbiosis with the ghouls and other 
  renegades of the Great Necropolis has 
  been compromised by his feral nature. A 
  coalition of devious Fretlock merchants 
  and their patrons have pooled their 
  resources to hire a group of sellswords 
  to slay the beast or rout him out of the 
  Lengrove hinterlands.
  • In a perverse attempt to intimidate her 
  darakhul allies, a contentious vampire 
  baroness of Lengrove wants to mount 
  Scythe Tail’s head above her mantle. 
  She is willing to pay the characters a 
  handsome reward of 1,000 gp if they can 
  deliver the undying wyvern’s skull intact.
  • The characters have been incarcerated 
  by darakhul slavers within the Great 
  Necropolis below Lengrove. After 
  successfully liberating themselves from 
  a nefarious Necropolis prison known 
  as Skarhold, the only thing between the 
  characters and the surface world is the 
  carefully guarded chamber of Scythe 
  Tail—who is eager to eviscerate any 
  interlopers who cross its path.
  Other Abominations  
  of the Blood Kingdoms
  The Bloodstone Gargoyle, the Heiderbirg 
  Horror, and Scythe Tail are not the only 
  abominations of Midgard’s Blood Kingdom. 
  Scores of various legendary creatures are 
  rumored to exist in the outlying lands of 
  Morgau, Doresh, and Krakovar—including 
  the Spawn Mother of Salesh, the Demon Bat 
  of Castle Bruvik, and the Lurker of Lodezig, 
  among others. And there most certainly are 
  others.
  What unknown evils prowl the 
  blood-soaked lands between Dornig and 
  Neimheim? And what new atrocities will 
  the unholy alliance of Lucan and Nicoforus 
  yield? A world of remarkable horrors lies 
  waiting to be found. Will Midgard’s would-
  be heroes and villains be mighty enough to 
  survive them? Only time and your fiendish 
  imagination will tell…
  
  28
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of 
  the Coast, Inc. 
  System Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy 
  Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, 
  James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris 
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  Warlock 18: Blood Kingdoms. Author: Christopher 
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Kobold Press/Warlock/Warlock #18 - Blood Kingdoms.pdf