Fleet-Footed Fiend. The baelobard is naturally fast on its feet. It can move up to 60ft per turn, across any surface, and in any direction. It cannot cling to surfaces, however, and will fall if it ends its turn on a non-horizontal surface.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The baelobard has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Silver Tongued. The baelobard understands every language, written or spoken, but it cannot speak itself. It can speak using any creature/s (within 30ft, DC15 Wisdom saving throw) voice as its own.
Flesh of Dust and Diamonds. Upon being destroyed, the magic that holds the body of the baelobard together desintegrates, and it dissolves into a pile of dust and small diamonds (worth 10d20 gp).
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Puppet (Recharge 3 - 4). Psychic Attack. The baelobard selects one creature that it can see within a 30ft radius and attacks its mind, removing their free will and using their body as a puppet. The chosen creature must make a DC15 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, there is no effect, and the creature is not aware of any attack. On a failed save, the chosen creature becomes the baelobard's ally, and hostile to all others. The chosen creature must make a DC15 Wisdom save on the start of each turn, and the effect ceases only when a successful save is made. The effect also ends if the baelobard makes a hostile move against the chosen creature.
Sharp Breath (Recharge 3–4). The baelobard exhales jagged obsidian in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Faster than Thought (Recharge 2-3). The baelobard can use its reaction to avoid an attack made against it, stepping instantaneously to any open 10ft cube within 40ft.
Description
The baelobard takes the form of a large animal, jet black and hideous. It seems, at first glance, to be an object deserving of pity and compassion: a cross between a fox and a stag, standing six feet (6') at the shoulder, the baelobard possesses a intelligence beyond normal animals. It cannot speak, but is able to understand any spoken language, and common myth is that the baelobard is capable of granting wishes to the worthy.
However, on closer inspection, the baelobard possesses a mouth of razor-sharp fangs, and an inbuilt hatred of sentient races. It will use its powers to overcome the minds of those that approach it, turning them into puppets and using them to attack their friends. It is incredibly fast, able to outmaneouver and avoid most attacks, and can even breathe a spray of jagged obsidian on hostile creatures.
It does not need to eat, but will do so for pleasure. They hunt for sport, but never openly, and build a reputation that will ensure that their prey approaches them, only to turn against them. They have a vast cunning, and will use manipulation as well as violence.
Opinion is divided on the origin of the baelobards: myths state that there are only ever three, though others state that they can be bought to life by a ritual that combines construct and demon. It is true that the baelobards are keenly intuitive, and have a great knowledge of what passes on the material plane, but approaching them to gain their knowledge is a perilous undertaking.
Lair and Lair Actions
The baelobard, if not amusing itself by moving tirelessly across the land and hunting as it goes, will often make a lair for itself: generally an innocuous cave or an abandoned shrine. The baelobard will attempt to make the lair as approachable as possible, and will seek to make the approach to it appear to be a pilgrimage of some kind, in an attempt to lure sentient creatures to it.
Often, if it is able to find a creature willing to approach it and competely override its free will, it will use that creature as an acolyte: using their body to perform tasks that it is not suited to, and its voice to speak with other creatures lure them to the lair. The possessed creature will appear to be harmless, a creature with little wisdom but that is no threat to those that it approaches.
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