Special Equipment. Araeglos wears the ring of winter and wields an ancient longsword with a blade of pure ice, known as the blade of winter's wrath. Attuned by the same person, these two artifacts unlock greater powers; see the section Araeglos's Artifacts below.
In addition, his spellbook works like a tome of the stilled tongue, although there is no tongue attached to its cover and it seemingly has no connection to Vecna.
Aura of Frost. Araeglos eminates an aura of bitter cold, which covers the area within 15 feet of him. All nonmagical flames within the area are extinguished immediately, water and similar liquids within the area instantly freeze solid, allowing him to walk across them, and each creature that starts its turn within 15 feet of him takes 18 (4d8) cold damage at the start of each of its turns.
Greater Bladesong. As long as he is not incapacitated, Araeglos always is under the effect of a bladesong, which grants him the following effects:
- He has advantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws.
- He can add his intelligence modifier (+9) to the damage dealt by his weapon attacks.
- He can add his intelligence modifier (+9) to any Constitution saving throw he makes to maintain concentration on a spell.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Araeglos fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Araeglos has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects
One with the Ice. Araeglos can see through areas heavily obscured by snow normally, and can move across and climb icy surfaces without an ability check. Difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost him extra movement.
Rejuvenation. If he has a phylactery, Araeglos gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all his hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.
Spellcasting. Araeglos is a 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 26, +18 to hit with spell attacks). Araeglos has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): blade ward, chill touch. shape water, frostbite, mage hand, prestidigitation, sapping sting
1st level (at will): absorb elements, armor of agathys, grease, magic missile, shield, silvery barbs
2nd level (at will): cloud of daggers, earthbind, immovable object, mirror image, rime's binding ice, wither and bloom
3rd level (at will): animate dead, counterspell, dispel magic, pulse wave, sleet storm, spirit shroud
4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door, ice storm, resilient sphere, sickening radiance
5th level (3 slots): danse macabre, cone of cold, negative energy flood, scrying, steel wind strike
6th level (3 slots): flesh to stone, globe of invulnerability, Otto's irresistible dance, wall of ice
7th level (3 slots): crown of stars, finger of death, forcecage, plane shift
8th level (2 slots): Abi-Dalzim's horrid wilting, control weather, feeblemind, power word stun
9th level (2 slots): foresight, meteor swarm, time stop, wish
Soul of the Glacier. When Araeglos casts a spell that deals damage, he can change the spell's damage to cold, bludgeoening, piercing or slashing. In addition, Araeglos can maintain concentration on two spells at once.
Turn Immunity. Araeglos is immune to any effect that turns undead.
Multiattack. Araeglos makes three attacks with his blade of winter's wrath or two with his icicle spear, and casts one spell with a casting time of one action. If available, he can use Tomb of Eternal Frost instead of casting a spell.
Blade of Winter's Wrath. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 23 (1d8 + 19) slashing damage if used with one hand, or 24 (1d10+19) slashing damage if used with both hands, plus 18 (4d8) cold damage. Once on each of his turns, Araeglos can force a creature hit by this attack to make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or be frozen over with rime. A frozen creature is restrained until the end of its next turn. Creatures immune to cold damage are immune to this effect.
Icicle Spear. Ranged Spell Attack: +18 to hit, range 300 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d8) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) cold damage and all creatures within 10 feet of the target must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) cold damage on a failure or half as much on a success.
Tomb of Eternal Frost (Recharge 5–6). Araeglos touches a creature within 5 feet of him, which must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the creature breaks free from the ice that starts building up around it and nothing else happens. On a failure, the creature takes 54 (12d8) cold damage and is entombed in a thick layer of ice. A creature encased in ice is stunned, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the ice and at the start of each of its turns, it gains a level of exhaustion and takes 54 (12d8) cold damage.
The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, freeing itself on a success. The creature is also freed if the ice is destroyed by dealing at least 60 points of fire damage to it.
Snow-Elven High Magic (1/day). Araeglos delves into long-forgotten rituals and methods of casting and manipulating the weave, unleashing magic of unimaginable power. He upcasts one of his spells as if he was casting it with a 10th-level spell slot. When he does so, he can choose one of the following effects to apply to the spell:
- If he targets himself or friendly creatures, each creature targeted by the spell or included in its area of effect gains 80 temporary hit points in addition to any temporary hit points granted by the spell itself and is under the effect of a bless spell for one minute.
- If he targets hostile creatures, each creature affected by the spell takes an additional 36 (8d8) cold damage and must make a DC 26 Charisma saving throw or is under the effect of a bane spell for the next minute.
Winter's Curse. Araeglos targets a creature within 30 feet of him. The target must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is cursed. While cursed in that way, it can no longer benefit from any resistance to cold damage, can no longer regain hit points and when it dies, it rises as a coldlight walker under Araeglos's control at the start of its next turn.
A cursed target can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Alternatively, the effect can be ended by a remove curse spell or similar spell that can end curses. The curse also ends when Araeglos curses a different target.
Blizzard (Recharge 5–6). Araeglos empowers his Aura of Frost, turning it into a fierce blizzard until the start of his next turn. While empowered, the aura's radius is increased to 30 feet, the area becomes heavily obscured by snow and counts as difficult terrain, and strong winds automatically disperse fog, mists and similar phenomena. In addition, any fire damage dealt to a creature within the area is halved.
Each creature that starts its turn in the area takes an additional 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 26 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away from Araeglos and knocked prone.
Araeglos can take a total of three reactions per round, although only one per turn.
Winter's Aegis. When Araeglos takes damage, he can use his reaction to expend a spell slot, reducing the damage by an amount equal to five times the spell slot's level.
Frigid Rebuke. When a creature within Araeglos's Aura of Frost hits him with an attack, Araeglos can use his reaction to force it to make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) cold damage and be blinded and deafened as it experiences a whiteout-like effect, until it leaves the aura or until the end of its turn.
Araeglos can take 3 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. Araeglos regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Icewind Strike. Araeglos makes one attack with his blade of winter's wrath or with his icicle spear and moves up to his speed.
At-will Spell. Araeglos casts one of his at-will spells.
Frost Step. Araeglos teleports up to 60 feet to a space he can see. Each creature of his choice within 10 feet of the space he left must make a DC 26 Constitution savng throw, taking 18 (4d8) cold damage on a failure or half as much on a success. In addition, on a failed save, a creature is frightened of Araeglos until the end of its next turn.
Cold Burst (Costs 2 Actions). Araeglos emits a burst of freezing cold. Each creature of his choice within 30 feet of him must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 36 (8d8) cold damage, cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn and gains a level of exhaustion, on a success it takes half as much damage without any other effects.
Command Undead (Costs 2 Actions). Araeglos utters a dreadful command. Up to six undead friendly to Araeglos that can hear him and are within 60 feet of him must use their reactions to move up to their speed and to make an attack against a creature of Araeglos's choice.
Ring of Winter (Costs 2 Actions). Araeglos expends one or more charges to cast a spell from the ring or to use one of its other abilities.
Description
A long time ago, long before the Spellplague struck the world, Araeglos was a well-received, good-hearted king of a snow-elven empire, residing in a great palace built of white marble and magical ice, towering over the central city at the side of the Great Mountain, the empire's central landmark, and its adjacent frozen lake. He was a master of the arcane and a master of the blade, probably one of the greatest of his time, powerful enough to practice mythical elven high magic - and probably one of the first masters of the bladesong. His beautiful songs and dances in great battles were widely regarded.
However, over thousands of years, something dark rose within the king and started corrupting him. Not only did he start studying the forbidden arts of necromancy, his attitude started changing too. The once so perfect and likeable king, who did everything for his folk, slowly turned into a ruthless tyrant....
The kingdown now lies in ruins and its inhabitants have fled a long time ago. But Araeglos, now known as the Lich King of the North, stayed, continuing his dark rituals. What actually was the cause of his corruption, what he actually tries to achieve, noone knows it. But there are rumors that he has lost his own will a long time ago, that whatever he did and still is doing is dictated by a powerful being, older than the gods themselves, imprisoned far beneath the eternal ice of the north a long time before the first snow elves settled there...
Once known for his flawlessness and beauty, Araeglos now appears decayed, rotten, his once precious robe is torn, his once gleaming mithril armor is rusty and dented, his scepter is bent and gems are shattered, and instead of radiating an aura of purity, he now brings decay, fear and death. And frost. His once beautiful songs are filled with darkness and mourning and his sword, the ancient moonblade known as the blade of winter, once was a symbol of royality, of glamour and of hope, but nowadays it is feared amongst adventurers. His body is completely and entirely made of pure ice that has replaced his rotting flesh over thousands of years. He has become eternal like the eternal ice, and this eternity now must be broken by a party of brave adventurers...
Araeglos's Artifacts
Araeglos has two powerful artifacts in his possession, two royal insignia of the fallen kingdom: the ring of winter and the blade of winter's wrath, which is an ancient, delicately crafted longsword with a blade of pure ice. Back in the days before the kingdom fell, it was known by the elvish name Fornlang.
For Araeglos, the sword works as described in his statblock for simplicity and ease of use; If you want to allow a player character to be able to use this weapon after having defeated the Lich King of the North, you can use the following statistics for it (the sword also has a separate entry in D&D Beyond's homebrew database):
Fornlang is a longsword of delicate elven craftsmanship, reminescent of a moonblade, but likely a lot more ancient than most such swords. With its name in old elvish roughly translating to Blade of Winter, it was crafted by the king of the snow elves at the end of the great ice age, when the world was still young and the glaciers retreated and the snow-elves followed them to the north - it was a desperate attempt by him, a great archmage who knew the magic of snow and frost like no other, to save his kin, to give them a weapon that could defend them against the dangers that came with warmer temperatures and that could ensure that winter would remain in the snow-elven realm.
The sword's blade is made of pure crystalline ice, carved from the very origin of the glacier covering the Great Mountain, the central landmark of the snow-elven realm, and it is held by a hilt made of Mithril with a large sapphire inlaid in its pommel.
Sentience. Fornlang is a sentient neutral good weapon with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 12, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates by transmitting emotions, sending a tingling sensation through the wielder's hand when it wants to communicate something it has sensed. It can communicate more explicitly, through visions or dreams, when the wielder is either in a trance or asleep.
Personality. Fornlang seeks snow-elven ideals, courage, loyalty, beauty, music, and life are all part of this purpose; and it wants to protect the snow-elven realm by unleashing winter's wrath upon those who are intruders from outside, break the law or otherwise pose danger and by spreading cold into the lands, keeping warmth at bay. Once the sword has bonded to an owner who shares its ideals and cares for the realm of the snow elves as the sword does, its loyality is absolute, it will serve its wielder no matter what. If the sword has a flaw, it is overconfidence and judging others too harshly; and of course it does not like heat.
Dormant. The longsword grants you the following properties while in its dormant state:
- The sword has the finesse property.
- You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
- When you hit with an attack with Fornlang, the attack deals an additional 1d8 cold damage.
- Freezing Strike: As a bonus action, you can cause the sword's blade to flare with intense cold for one minute or until you hit a creature with an attack using this weapon. That creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be frozen solid for 1 minute or until someone uses an action to break the ice. While frozen, a creature is restrained. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all uses when you finish a long rest.
Awakened. The longsword grants you the following properties while in its awakened state:
- You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
- The additional cold damage increases to 2d8.
- You gain resistance to cold damage.
- The saving throw DC for the sword's Freezing Strike increases to 18.
- Snow Magic: While you are holding the sword, you can cast one of the following spells (saving throw DC 18) either as an action or, when you take the attack action on your turn, in place of one of your attacks: cone of cold, ice storm, sleet storm, slow or wall of ice. Once a spell has been cast using the sword, that spell can't be cast from the sword again until the next dawn.
Exalted. The longsword grants you the following properties while in its exalted state:
- You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.
- The additional cold damage increases to 3d8.
- You gain immunity to cold damage.
- The saving throw DC for the sword's Freezing Strike and Snow Magic increases to 21.
- Blizzard Aura: While you are holding the sword, you radiate a blizzard-like aura of intense frost, strong gusts of wind and heavy snowfall. The area within 15 feet of you is lightly obscured and counts as difficult terrain for your enemies. In addition, all nonmagical flames are extinguished and each creature of your choice that starts its turn within 15 feet of you must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 cold damage on a failure or half as much on a success.
Random Properties. Fornlang in its dormant state has one minor beneficial property and one minor detrimental property. When the sword attains an awakened state, it gains an additional minor beneficial property and an additional minor detrimental property. When the sword raches its exalted state, it gains a major beneficial property.
Destroying the Sword. Only a snow-elf attuned to Fornlang can destroy the sword. To do so, the sword must be brought deep into the glacier caves on the summit of the Great Mountain - and there, at the very origin of the glacier, a ritual must be performed, which will take several hours to one day. Once the ritual is completed, the sword's blade is reunited with the glacier's ancient ice and the hilt crumbles to dust. As the sword's essence leaves it, it creates a fierce blizzard, which rages for a month, until it finally calms down. The sword also is destroyed when the last snow-elf dies.
In addition, If a creature is attuned to both the ring of winter and the blade of winter's wrath, it gains the following benefits - these benefits apply to Araeglos as well; although his blizzard aura works slightly differently, as described in his statblock, due to his innate magic and connection to the eternal ice:
- You can see normally through areas heavily obscured by snow. In addition, difficult terrain made of snow or ice does not cost you extra movement and you can move and climb on icy surfaces without having to make an ability check.
- Fornlang's additional cold damage on a hit increases to 4d8. You can use a bonus action on your turn to empower the sword's Blizzard Aura. For the next minute, its radius is increased to 30 feet, a creature that fails its saving throw is knocked prone by the strong winds and all fire damage dealt within it is halved.
- The ring of winter's amount of charges is doubled to 24, and when you use an action to create an ice object or an animated ice creature with the ring of winter, two creatures or objects can be summoned at once, provided enough charges are expended.
- You can cast the spell blade of disaster as a bonus action, dealing cold damage instead of force damage as the summoned blade is made of ice. Once this property has been used, it cannot be used again for 7 days.
Lair and Lair Actions
The Lich King's Lair
Araeglos still resides within the ruins of the great palace of the once glorious empire. The great gate has fallen a long time ago, and most parts of the building have collapsed, but the central hall, once the throne hall of the king of the snow elves, with the mighty Throne of the North and its beautiful pillars of ice and marble still stands. Some doorways to the palace's other wings like the library still are passable, but characters need to watch out for danger. Probably the most likely location to encounter him though is the crypt beneath the palace, the final resting place of the kings that ruled over Rhivendor before Araeglos came. This place that eventually became his ritual chamber...
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Araeglos can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects; Araeglos can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Glacial Fissure. Araeglos targets a point he can see within 150 feet of him. A crevasse, up to 120 feet long, 10 feet wide and 60 feet deep, opens up. Each creature within the area of the fissure must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or fall in, taking fall damage and landing prone. On a success, the creature moves with the ledge of the fissure. The fissure is permanent, emits bitter cold, freezing fog, and a creature that ends its turn within the fissure or not more than 30 feet straight above it takes 18 (4d8) cold damage.
- Icicles. Araeglos causes large icicles to drop from the ceiling. Each creature of his choice he can see within 150 feet of him must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes 18 (4d8) piercing damage and 18 (4d8) cold damage and is knocked prone. On a success, it takes half as much damage without any other effect.
- Snow Penitentes. Araeglos targets a point he can see within 150 feet of him. In a 40-foot-radius centered on that point, the ground freezes over with sharp and jagged spikes of ice and frozen snow. The area counnts as difficult terrain, and when a creature moves into or within that area, it takes 5 (1d8) piercing and 5 (1d8) cold damage for every 5 feet it travels. In addition, if a creature is concentrating in the spell’s area, the creature must make a successful DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the start of its turn or lose concentration. The effect lasts until Araeglos takes this lair action again or until he dies.
- Soul Tether. Araeglos targets one creature he can see within 60 feet of him. A crackling cord of negative energy tethers Araeglos to the target. Whenever Araeglos takes damage, the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, with disadvantage if Araeglos takes fire damage. On a failed save, Araeglos takes half the damage (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage. This tether lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round or until Araeglos or the target is no longer in Araeglos's lair.
- Blessing of Eternity. Araeglos reaches for the power frozen within the eternal ice. He regains 80 HP and restores a spent spell slot of a level equal to 1d8. If he has no spent spell slot of that level, he does not restore a spell slot.
Regional Effects
The region around the lair of the Lich King of the North is warped by his magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Temperatures are unusually cold and blizzards are common within 10 miles of the Lich King's lair, being more fierce and lasting longer than usual blizzards. Creatures may gain one or more levels of exhaustion if they can't protect or shelter themselves.
- Zombies and other undead rise from the ice within 5 miles of the lair. Their bodies appear to at least partially are made of ice and thus they are immune to cold damage.
- Crevasses are a common hazard within 3 miles of the lair. Some of them are hidden beneath a fresh layer of snow, some of them have swallowed parts of the ruins of the former kingdom, some may open right beneath travelers' feet...
- The area within 1 mile of the lair is covered with nonmagical darkness. Since the fall of the kingdom, the sun has never shone in this place, and no aurora flickers over the sky to provide illumination. Coldlight walkers, the undead remnants of unfortunate adventurers that succumbed to the eternal frost, that roam the area, are the only sources of light. Divination spells cast within that area or targeting locations or creatures within that area, fail, unless they were cast by the Lich King of the North himself.
If the Lich King of the North is killed, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
Variant: Nimgoroth, the Lich King's Mount
If you want to provide an even greater challenge to your players, then you can introduce Araeglos's mount. Nimgoroth, the name translates to White Horror in the common tongue, is an ancient white dracolich, and a faitfhul servant of Araeglos, obeying his commands in combat with no objection. He used to be a normal dragon dwelling in the glaciers near the peak of the highest mountain of the fallen kingdom, but the Lich King of the North has cursed him, taking the dragon's own will away and binding him to his service, and in the process, Nimgoroth, twisted by these dark, evil forces, became a dracolich. In a similar fashion to what happened with Araeglos himself, the rotting flesh of Nimgoroth's body got partially replaced with ice.
Araeglos will ride Nimgoroth, equipped with a saddle of the cavalier, into battle, they each have their own initiative. During combat, Araeglos may dismount Nimgoroth and later mount him again by using either just movement or, if Nimgoroth is flying, by teleporting, either from his back to the ground or vice versa. Whether Araeglos is riding the dragon or not, Nimgoroth always obeys his commands, which Araeglos can issue telepathically at all time. If the Lich King is destroyed, and only then, the curse is lifted, Nimgoroth slowly reverts back to a normal dragon, regains its own consciousness, is frightened for 1 minute and will act on its own, that might include trying to flee into the mountains, towards his old lair.
Nimgoroth uses the ancient white dragon statblock with the following changes:
- Type. Nimgoroth's type changes from dragon to undead, and he no longer requires air, food, drink or sleep.
- Damage Resistance: Nimgoroth has resistance to fire damage.
- Damage Immunities: Nimgoroth is immune to cold, necrotic and poison damage as well as to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
- Condition Immunities: Nimgoroth can't be blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned or stunned. He also doesn't suffer from exhaustion.
- Magic Resistance: Nimgoroth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
- Turn Resistance. Nimgoroth has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
- Lair Actions: Nimgoroth shares his lair with Araeglos. If you want him to take lair actions, he does so at initiative count 10, losing initiative ties, or in place of Araeglos's lair actions.
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