Incorporeal Movement. Balleg can move through other creatures and objects as if they are difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Innate Spellcasting. Balleg's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). Balleg can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Inside lair (1/day each): blight, cloudkill, finger of death, vampiric touch
Outside lair (1/day each): black tentacles, chain lightning, earthquake, telekinesis
Legendary Resistance (5/day): If Balleg fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Turning Defiance: Balleg and any other undead within 30 feet of Balleg have advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Undead Nature. Balleg doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Multiattack. Balleg uses its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Balleg's Frightful Presence. Each creature of Balleg's choice that is within 120 feet of Balleg and aware of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for one 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 Balleg's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. A creature has disadvantage on saving throws made against this ability.
Enervating Breath (Recharge 5-6). Balleg exhales waves of necrotic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 49 (14d6) necrotic damage, and is weakened for one minute, suffering disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws based on Strength on a failed save. On a success, it suffers half as much damage and isn't weakened. A weakened creature can repeat the save at the end of its turn, ending the effect on itself on a success. Lesser restoration or similar magic also removes the weakness at DM discretion.
Balleg can take three 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. Balleg regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Death Sight (Costs 3 Actions). Balleg targets a single creature that it can see. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 30 (6d10) necrotic damage. The target dies if this damage reduces it to 0 hit points.
Ghostly Surge (Costs 2 Actions). Balleg releases a surge of necrotic energy. Each creature within 10 feet of Balleg must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 12 (2d6 + 5) necrotic damage and be knocked prone. Balleg can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Tail Attack (Costs 1 Actions). Balleg makes a tail attack.
Description
No one utters Balleg's name lightly. Children who use it as a curse word are disciplined, quickly, and severely. It is not a name used in jest or spoken without some understanding of why you said it.
Some believe that simply whispering its name can summon Balleg.
There are many dragons in the world. No one knows for sure how many. But those who live here understand there's a routine, a balance, and that reality carries with it a few expectations. Red dragons are bad news, but you know what you're in for. Gold dragons are generally good, and they wear their heart on their scales.
But Balleg...Balleg is another story entirely. Balleg redefined evil. Born with tattered wings and plucked from the Void--where all magic is born--Balleg was summoned by a powerful necromancer, Gjorn the Illborn. Looking to avoid detection by any powerful things, the wizard squeezed the newborn dragon through the tiniest pinhole in the Void. Upon this "birth," Balleg was thrust into this world and imprisoned by Gjorn.
And as unbelievable as it sounds, Balleg somehow became even worse.
For two decades, Balleg was the subject of every cruel experiment Gjorn could fathom. Using Balleg's body as a magical focus, Gjorn carved away at the dragon's flesh, utilizing every piece he could to study the extremities of magic. The experiments were excruciating, and Balleg's body was ripped apart.
Gjorn realized Balleg would not survive at that rate of experimentation pace. And since the magic expended summoning Balleg was far too great to attempt again, he knew this was the only living subject he'd ever have. Gjorn turned his attention to extending Balleg's "life."
His plan was simple: turn the dragon undead.
Using a complicated ritual, Gjorn placed Balleg into a force cage and scorched its body with magic. Hours turned to days, as the necromanced summoned every ounce of magic he knew to transform the dragon into unloving flesh. But Gjorn failed to understand the Void. It does not obey the laws of magic the way other elements do. Instead of weakening, Balleg grew in power. The dragon became something otherworldly.
The necro-dragon's flesh is half-missing. In its place is a spectral image of what Ballege believes it should look like. In this form, Balleg is a half-dragon and half-ethereal beast, but all undead. Its flesh is just a tool for navigating the physical world, its shape, an apparatus for striking fear into the weak-willed and superstitious masses. Balleg is not subtle. Balleg is walking destruction.
Balleg wants the world to pay for what has happened to it. Now that nothing remains of the necromancer who brought this state upon it, Balleg's vengeance knows no specific target.
Despite the destruction it has brought to these lands, none will speak its name.
Their fear is justified.
Hook
Balleg's story belongs in any campaign. DM's are encouraged to write rumors of a twisted, malevolent half-dragon into their campaigns long before the party ever encounters Balleg. When they do, it should already have entire regions of the world under its thumb. Balleg easily has the power to control a town or small city. Or even a shire. The stories leading up to its control are up to the DM to devise. But just looking at Balleg should be enough to convince players the average footman is no match against a flying dragon that is only visible half the time.
Encounter
Balleg lacks subtlety. Balleg seeks out those that wish it harm and destroys everything in its path to reach them. There, Balleg will use its power to dismantle the offending hero. For those Balleg does not know, it will simply break them and throw the remains to the wolves.
Tactics
Balleg is especially hateful of spellcasters. Its first action is to burn them to the ground, regardless of who else is there. Its tactics are not dim or wild, but they aren't precise or smart like a field marshal, either. If an opportunity presents itself, even if an average person would know it's a trap, Balleg strikes.
Balleg does not give hardy-looking adventurers the chance to surprise it or catch it in a cave like a hibernating bear. It can also keep its distance from the party, using Enervating Breath on spellcasters. Balleg uses Legendary Resistance wisely. It is well aware of what constitutes powerful magic and reserves this ability for top-tier spells.
Outdoors, Balleg attacks the party from a distance, keeping them guessing with aerial moves and magical spells--earthquake (500-foot range) and chain lightning (150-foot range) are used early, while its Incorporeal Movement and black tentacles (90 feet) are used as a surprise attack against an unwitting foe (a spellcaster, perhaps?) after several rounds of fighting. If a wizard gets within 60 feet of Balleg, it casts telekinesis immediately, lifting the wizard in the air and keeping them in its grip.
Underground, Balleg fights tooth and nail. While surrounded, it uses its Ghostly Surge. It alternates its lair actions to summon more minions to its aid. Balleg uses its Incorporeal Movement to get behind the enemies or maneuver when surrounded. It fights like a caged animal, but it has the mind of a wizard, which means it's not going to let anyone get the best of it.
Just when the party thinks they have the advantage, it uses a Legendary Action or its Incorporeal Movement to get away. Or it taps into power they didn't know it had.
Regardless of where Balleg encounters the party, it knows the advantage of keeping itself at a distance from adventurers. It has plenty of minions to throw at the party to occupy them until it can get in close.
Wealth for War
Balleg's previous master owned powerful magic items that survived the dragon's wrath. Spellbooks, necromantic theory and a map to the largest hidden graveyard in the world make up the lion's share of the treasure. Balleg's tormentor also left behind an indestructible iron coffin. Its true purpose is unknown.
Lair and Lair Actions
Balleg's lair is claustrophobic and cramped. The route to Balleg's final lair is constrained, while the final resting place is just big enough for Balleg to rest in.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Balleg takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Balleg can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Four wights rise, appearing in unoccupied spaces that Balleg can see within 100 feet. They act immediately and on initiative count 20 in subsequent rounds and obey Balleg's telepathic commands. They remain until Balleg uses this action again. If Balleg dies, the wights become free-willed creatures.
- A wall of moaning, thrashing corpses springs into existence on a solid surface within 120 feet of Balleg. The wall is up to 60 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick, and it blocks the line of sight. When the wall appears, each creature in its area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature that fails the save takes 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and is pushed 5 feet out of the walls' space, appearing on whichever side of the wall it wants. A creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of the wall must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or take 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed saving throw or half as much damage on a successful one. Each 10-foot section of wall has AC 5, 15 hit points, resistance to piercing and bludgeoning damage, and immunity to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage. The wall sinks back into the ground when Balleg uses this lair action again or when Balleg dies.
Regional Effects
The region containing Balleg’s lair is warped by its magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Thick clouds shroud the area within 1 mile of the lair. Storms are common, and even during the day the ambient light is dim at best.
- Scavengers and carrion birds are common and aggressive towards creatures within 5 miles of the lair.
- Creatures who take a long rest within 1 mile of the lair must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or suffer madness at DM discretion.
If Balleg dies, these effects fade over 1d10 days.
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