Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 18 Unarmoured
Hit Points 154 (28d8 + 28)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
9 (-1)
DEX
14 (+2)
CON
13 (+1)
INT
18 (+4)
WIS
15 (+2)
CHA
22 (+6)
Saving Throws DEX +8, WIS +8, CHA +12
Skills Deception +12, Insight +8, Persuasion +12, Religion +8
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Restrained
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +6
Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Eli van Hassen fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Darklord's Curse. Eli’s “powers” are not truly his own but represent the land reacting to protect him (although, for all mechanical purposes, they are his powers and expend his actions) and as such, his spells are usually reserved his lair actions. When this happens, he must make a deception check against the players' passive perception or a contested check against a players' perception or insight check who request it to gauge his surprise.

Additionally, the spells cast in this way cannot be countered by spells or effects as they are considered natural phenomena of the Domain of Dread itself.

Lastly, if Eli van Hassen dies he rapidly begins to decompose and the land swallows him up. Eli van Hassen wakes the following morning in his bed with a full bill of health, missing the memory of his death but not the events leading up to it. The only thing that can truly end Eli's life is beheading by the Headless Horseman, at which point the Domain of Dread begins to collapse upon itself.

False Advisor. When Eli van Hassen is within 60 feet of Acerrubrum, his Eladrin advisor (appointed by the Domain of Dread), when he makes a melee weapon attack, it automatically fails, wasting his action much to his surprise.

Cringe and Cower. When Eli van Hassen has at least 2 allies within 10 feet, he gains advantage on saving throws and attack rolls made against Eli have disadvantage.

Stay Away From Me. Unless Eli van Hassen's movement speed is 0, he will always use as much of his movement on his turn as he can to keep at least 10 feet away from a hostile creature.

Fey Blessing. Eli van Hassen's AC includes his Charisma modifier. Additionally, his Charisma modifier is added to his melee attack and damage rolls instead of his usual modifiers.

Actions

Multiattack Eli makes three Dagger attacks and uses Fickle Fortune.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60, one target.  Hit: 6 (1d4+6) piercing damage plus 3 (3d6) psychic damage.

Fickle Fortune.  Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 30 ft, one target.  Hit: 27 (5d10) psychic damage, and afflict the target with one of the following (roll 1d6):  

  • 1-3: Target is knocked prone.
  • 4-5: Target's speed is halved until the end of their next turn.
  • 6: The target is affected as though by the Slow spell until the end of their next turn. (-2 AC and Dex saves, can't use reactions. On their turn, can either use an action or bonus action, but not both. Regardless of their abilities or magic items, they can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during their turn. If they attempt to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until their next turn, and they must use their action on that turn to complete the spell. If they can't, the spell is wasted.)

Foul Fortune (Recharge 5-6).  Eli van Hassen targets a point within 60 feet.  Creatures in a 15 foot radius of that point must make a DC 20 Con save or suffer the effects of Fickle Fortune, above. Creatures that succeed on their Con save take half of the psychic damage but no additional effects.

Spellcasting. Eli van Hassen casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 20):

At will: animal messenger, druidcraft, infestation, locate object, mending, vicious mockery (3d4)

3/day each: earthbind, fog cloud, skywrite

2/day each: shield (see reactions), wall of thorns, warding wind

1/day each: call lightning, heroes' feast

Bonus Actions

Let None Touch Me. Eli van Hassen targets an ally within 60 feet of him. That ally uses their reaction to move up to their speed towards Eli.

Reactions

Oh Gods, Save Me! Eli van Hassen casts the shield spell, however, instead of an invisible barrier of magical force, it is a semi-permanent element of nature manifesting to protect him; a thin slab of stone erupts from the ground interposing the attack, a flock of geese swarm the space and intercept each hit and drop to the ground dead, a bramble thicket instantly grows encasing Eli in a protective umbrella, etc. If Eli moves away from the space this reaction spell was cast, he no longer receives the benefit of the spell for its duration.

Legendary Actions

Slink Away. Eli van Hassen moves up to his movement speed. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Filthy Peasant. Eli van Hassen casts vicious mockery (3d4)

Woe is Me (Costs 2 Actions). Every creature that has made an attack roll against or dealt damage to Eli van Hassen since the end of his turn must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or take 16 (3d10) psychic damage and must then use their reaction to move up to their speed away from Eli van Hassen. On a success, they take half damage and aren't forced to move.

Twist Fortune (Costs 3 Actions). Eli van Hassen recharges and immediately uses Foul Fortune.

Description

Eli van Hassen is taken straight from the 4th edition Domain of Dread, The Endless Road found in Dragon Magazine 174 from 2009 on pg 67. This my attempt to update him for 5th edition to be used in a Ravenloft campaign for 5-6 (very synergetic) players of around level 14-16. The ying to Eli van Hassen's yang in this Domain of Dread is The Headless Horseman, his mortal enemy. van Hassen lives in fear of the Horseman's blade while the Horseman cannot rest in peace until he has van Hassen's head.

Eli van Hassen stands on the far end of middle age, his hair grey and his face heavily lined. He prefers fine clothes of rich colours, and his movements appear sudden or exaggerated, as though he were possessed by a constant angry frustration. The domain has granted Eli some measure of power over the land—accidents befall those who oppose him, the ground reaches up to impede his attackers, and so forth. Yet even this is more frustration than blessing, for while Eli revels in this power, he cannot consciously control it, nor exercise that power over any who dwell beyond his estate.

Eli remains distant, putting guards and other allies between himself and his foes. Eli’s “powers” are not truly his own but represent the land reacting to protect him (although, for all mechanical purposes, they are his powers and expend his actions). As such, they take different forms. Fickle fortune might manifest as debris falling from the ceiling, a stray arrow from earlier in the battle, the ground reaching out with roots to twist the ankles of the foe, or the sudden appearance of a swarm of insects tearing at someone’s flesh. Make use of these powers as best befits the situation but remember that Eli himself is never entirely certain what will happen.

Lair and Lair Actions

Lair Actions

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

  • A spell is cast from Eli van Hassen's Spellcasting list. Casting a spell in this way expels one of the spell's uses per day, it lasts for the duration of the spell (not until the next Initiative count of 20) and uses Eli van Hassen's concentration. If the spell has a range of self, it is centred on Eli van Hassen and if the spell requires a target point or creature, the Domain of Dread makes this choice on Eli's van Hassen behalf.
  • Eli van Hassen requests for more guards and 6 (1d10+1) satyr burst out of explosions of butterflies and fireflies.
  • Butterflies and fireflies flutter across the battlefield accompanied by the sound of pan flute on the wind. Until the next Initiative cost of 20, each hostile creature to Eli van Hassen begins a whimsical dance in place: shuffling, tapping its feet, and capering for the duration, enamoured by the spectacle. Creatures that can't be charmed are immune to this spell. A dancing creature must use all its movement to dance without leaving its space and has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and attack rolls. While the target is affected by this spell, other creatures have advantage on attack rolls against it. At the start of its turn, a dancing creature makes a Wisdom saving throw against DC20 to regain control of itself.

Previous Versions

Name Date Modified Views Adds Version Actions
3/6/2023 11:56:55 PM
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Monster Tags: NPC

Habitat: ForestGrasslandUrban

Spikepit

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