Ancient Blue Shadow Dracolich

According to the laws of magic, shadow dragons cannot become dracoliches, and dracoliches cannot become shadow dragons. However, to those powerful or mad enough, these laws are meant to be broken. Foul, powerful, dangerous rituals were created to accomplish just this, which can only be done in the Shadowfell. The ritual kills the dragon, and when it is reborn, it is infused with shadows, revealing the black and wispy form of a new shadow dracolich. Although extremely uncommon, there are records of shadow dracoliches in recent history. One such dragon was Uthagrimnoshaarl, a gargantuan beast whose obligation was to guard the Well of Dragons.

Shadow dracoliches often make their homes either where they previously lived or in places surrounded in death and shadows, such as the ruins of a decimated city,  deep mountain caves, or places close to the Shadowfell.

Shadows surround the dragon's lair, making visibility difficult and allowing the dragon to sneak up on intruders. Undead creatures are drawn to the presence of a shadow dracolich, bolstering its previous army of servants.

A shadow dracolich's lair is filled with traps covered in magical darkness. Should its lair be overrun, the dragon will seal the entrance and escape in a hidden passageway covered by an illusion or magical darkness. Unable to see, the attackers will undoubtedly stumble blindly about into the various traps, after which the dragon will return in a few days. finish off whoever is left, and add their loot to its hoard.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

• Grasping shadowy tendrils appear beneath one creature that the dragon can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (5d6) necrotic damage and be restrained. A creature can take an action to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, ending the restraint on a success.
• Magical darkness spreads from a point the dragon chooses with 90 feet of it, filling a 20-foot-radius sphere until the dragon 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 nonmagical 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.
• The dragon targets one Medium or smaller creature that casts a shadow. The target's shadow must be visible to the dragon and be within 60 feet of it. If the target fails a DC 20 Charisma saving throw, its shadow detaches from it and becomes a shadow that obeys the dragon's commands, acting on initiative just after the dragon. A greater restoration spell or a remove curse spell cast on the target restores its natural shadow, but only if its undead shadow has been destroyed.

Regional Effects

The region containing a shadow dracolich's lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Color is leeched from the land within 6 miles of the lair, making it lightly obscured.
• Shadows and wraiths, as well as other undead scour the land within 6 miles of the lair. Creatures whose bodies have decayed will also sometimes rise as skeletons to fill the dragon's ranks.
• Creatures taking a long rest within 6 miles of the lair must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or not gain the benefits of a long rest as the life is being leeched from the area. Servants of the dragon automatically succeed on this save.

If the dragon dies, creatures immediately regain the ability to take proper long rests, and the color and light gradually returns to the land within 1d10 days. Any undead remain and act on their own whims.