Lich's Fortitude. If damage reduces the Half-Lich to 0 hit points, it must make an Intelligence saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the Half-Lich drops to 1 hit point instead.
Unusual Nature. The Half-Lich doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Multiattack. The half-Lich makes two Piercing Claw attacks.
Piercing Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, the half-lich can pull the target up to 10 feet toward itself, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The half-lich has two claws. While a claw grapples a target, the claw can attack only that target.
Soul Rejection. One enemy within 15 ft. of the Half-Lich makes a Charisma Saving Throw, DC 15, as it gazes into their eyes. Their soul temporarily leaves their body, suspending it over their body and leaving them Incapacitated on a Failure. The creature may make this Save again at the end of each of their turns to restore their soul to the body. On a success the target creature takes 11 (3d6+2) Psychic Damage instead.
The suspended soul is vulnerable outside of its host and has an AC of 10. If a Shard of Death strikes this Soul the creature is immediately considered Downed and makes a Death Saving Throw.
Shadow Jump (Recharge 5–6). If the half-lich is in dim light or darkness, each creature of the half-lich’s choice within 15 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 34 (5d12 + 2) necrotic damage.
The half-Lich then teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. It can bring one creature it’s grappling, teleporting that creature to an unoccupied space it can see within 5 feet of its destination. The destination spaces of this teleportation must be in dim light or darkness.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the boneclaw takes the Hide action.
Deadly Reach. In response to a creature entering a space within 15 feet of it, the boneclaw makes one Piercing Claw attack against that creature.
Piercing Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, the half-lich can pull the target up to 10 feet toward itself, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The half-lich has two claws. While a claw grapples a target, the claw can attack only that target.
Half-Lich’s Mastery. The Half-Lich gains 8 (2d8) +4 temporary hit points.
Soul Tether. Magic Weapon Attack. +4 to hit. Apodektis lashes out with a whip of necrotic shadow energy for 10 (2d8)+2 Necrotic damage and 6 (1d8) +2 Cold damage. On a hit the target creature’s soul becomes tethered to Apodektis for 2 rounds.
As a Bonus Action Apodektis may sap the tethered soul, reducing one Ability Score at random. (1d6) The creature receives -1 to the selected Ability Score and Apodektis gains +1 to the same Ability while the tether persists.
- Up to two creatures may be tethered at one time.
Servant's Oath. The Half-Lich gives a command. Up to 2 friendly creature within 60 ft. of it takes either the Move Action or Attack Action.
If no Shards of Death are within 120 ft. of the Half-Lich it summons one.
Description
A wizard who tries to become a lich but fails might become a Half-Lich (boneclaw) instead. These hideous, cackling monsters share a few of liches’ attributes, but while liches are immortal masters of the arcane, Half-Lichs (boneclaws) are thralls to evil, hatred, and pain. The most important part of the transformation ritual occurs when the soul of the aspiring lich migrates to a prepared phylactery. If the wizard is too physically or magically weak, or the phylactery is too small, to compel the soul into its new home then the Ritual backfires.
Specific to Apodektis, his soul left his body but could not fully return upon having too small of a vessel. This left him mad with both greed and regret.
Once a member of a secretive order of Swampland Druids, he betrayed them all to procure the Elixir of Dilation. This dark elixir uses magic-infused blood to bind souls via ritual sacrifice. He continues to collect bodies for this Elixir as well as a new vessel to store his own soul in hopes of a proper Lich becoming rite. In service to his own ends, Apodektis became a self-designated High Priest of the False God. Dedicating himself to the False God gained him a modicum of Divine power. This power has enabled him to persist without his soul crumbling away inside his imperfect vessel. Now he delights in causing horrific pain. He lurks like a spider in shadowy recesses, waiting for victims to approach within reach of its long, bony limbs. Once speared, a creature is pulled into the darkness to be sliced apart and used in the Ceremony of Eternal Night.
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