Adaptive Ward (Mythic Trait)
Each time Vhorrak’thal is struck by an enemy, it learns from the attack and gains Resistance to the last damage type that hit it for 1 round. If the same damage type hits it twice in a row, it gains Immunity instead for that round.
Runic Core (Legendary Trait)
Vhorrak’thal core fuels its attacks with raw magic:
• Whenever a creature within 10 feet casts a spell, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 2d8 Force damage as the runes surge.
• Spells cast within 30 ft of it have disadvantage on concentration checks. Unless the make a Constitution save (DC 14) to resist the effect.
Relentless Titan (Recharge 5-6)
If reduced to 0 HP, Vhorrak’thal restores itself to 50 HP, over the course of one round its body reforging from cursed energy. During this state (that round), it deals an extra 1d10 Necrotic damage on all attacks.
Vhorrak’thal makes two melee attacks or uses Titan’s Chain.
Ruinbound Blade (Melee Attack, 10 ft Reach)
• +9 to hit, 2d10 + 5 slashing damage, plus 1d8 Necrotic.
• If the target is hit, they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Titan’s Chain (Ranged, 30 ft)
• +7 to hit, 3d6 Bludgeoning + Grappled (DC 14 STR escape).
• If a creature is grappled, Vhorrak’thal can make a bonus action attack against them with advantage. The target can make a Strength save (DC 15) to avoid being restrained. Otherwise (DC 14 STR escape).
Soulflare Rune (Recharge 5-6, 20 ft Cone)
• All creatures in the cone must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 Force damage on a fail and being Blinded for 1 round.
Bonecrusher Stomp (Bonus Action, 10 ft Radius)
• Each creature in range makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or takes 2d10 Bludgeoning and is knocked back 10 feet.
(3 per Round)
1. Echoing Curse (Costs 1 Action)
• One creature within 30 ft must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or suffer Disadvantage on saving throws for the next round.
2. Rebounding Ward (Costs 2 Actions)
• When hit, Vhorrak’thal can release a pulse of necrotic energy, dealing 1d10 Necrotic to all creatures within 10 feet.
3. Shattered Oath (Costs 3 Actions, Recharge 6)
• Calls forth 3 spectral warriors (HP 20, AC 14, attack +6, 1d8 + 4 slashing) that fight for 3 rounds or until slain.
Mythic Action Name. Enter the description for how mythic actions work for your monster here.
Mythic Action Name (Costs # Actions). Enter the description for your mythic action.
Description
Long ago, the Bastion of Vayrek-Tor stood as a fortress of unwavering loyalty, its warriors bound by sacred oaths to guard a power too dangerous to be wielded. Vhorrak’thal, once the proud commander of the Oathbound Knights, led his order in eternal vigilance—until the day his own men betrayed him. The seals were shattered, the bastion fell, and in the chaos, Vhorrak’thal, was cast into undeath, his soul trapped between duty and madness. Now, bound by the very oaths that once defined him, he lingers as a warden of a realm lost to time, ensuring none may claim what remains.
As you step into the shattered ruins, a heavy stillness hangs in the air, broken only by the distant whisper of long-forgotten oaths. The sky above is a swirling void of ashen clouds and violet lightning, casting flickering shadows over the broken stonework. Jagged chains, massive as castle walls, stretch across the battlefield, their spectral glow pulsing with an eerie, rhythmic hum. At the heart of this desolation stands a towering figure—armor fused with blackened steel and ancient bone, a tattered cloak trailing behind him like the remnants of a fallen banner. His hollow, ember-lit gaze fixes upon you as he grips a runebound blade, its surface cracked with flickers of necrotic energy. His voice, like the grinding of rusted iron, echoes across the ruined halls:
“You stand upon forsaken ground, where oaths are chains and death is but a whisper. Prove yourselves… or be bound in ruin as I have.”
Lair and Lair Actions
The Shattered Bastion is a ruined fortress-plane, a fragmented demi-plane that exists between the Material Plane and the Shadowfell. It was once a glorious citadel of warriors sworn to protect a forgotten relic, but over millennia, betrayal, time, and eldritch corruption reduced it to a broken realm of lingering oaths and eternal torment.
Lair Actions for Vhorrak’thal, the Ruinbound Warden
Initiative Count 20 (Losing Initiative Ties):
Vhorrak’thal exerts his influence over the ruins, using the twisted magic of the Shattered Bastion to hinder his foes. He can choose one of the following lair actions each round. He cannot use the same action twice in a row.
1. Chains of the Oathbound
Spectral chains erupt from the ground, reaching toward those who dare to defy the Ruinbound Warden.
• Each creature of Vhorrak’thal’s choice within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or become restrained until the end of their next turn.
• A restrained creature can attempt to break free as an action by making a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
As the ground shudders, spectral chains snap from the ruins, wrapping around your arms and legs, pulling you toward the abyss.
2. Echoes of Betrayal
Vhorrak’thal conjures the voices of his fallen oathbound brothers, whispering twisted lies into the minds of his foes.
• Each creature of his choice within 60 feet must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
• While frightened, creatures see phantom images of fallen warriors, their faces shifting into those of their allies, causing hesitation and doubt.
The voices of the dead slither through your mind, whispering in familiar tones: “You cannot trust them. They will betray you as we were betrayed.”
3. Shattered Bastion’s Collapse
Vhorrak’thal commands the ruins to break and shift, making the battlefield even more unstable.
• Each creature standing on the ground must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone as the ground crumbles beneath them.
• Large cracks open across the battlefield, creating dangerous gaps or falling debris hazards.
The very ground beneath you trembles, and with a thunderous crack, stone collapses into the abyss, threatening to drag you down with it.
4. Oathfire Surge
The twisted runes of the Bastion flare to life, fueling Vhorrak’thal with searing energy.
• Vhorrak’thal regains 20 HP as glowing runes pulse across his armor.
• Any creature within 10 feet of him takes 2d8 necrotic damage (DC 15 Constitution save for half).
The runes on Vhorrak’thal’s armor pulse with a sickly glow, siphoning the very essence of the battlefield to fuel his unyielding form.
5. Oathbound Revenants (1/Encounter)
In a moment of desperation, Vhorrak’thal summons two spectral warriors—the remains of his fallen knights.
• They appear within 20 feet of him and act on their own initiative (use Specter or Wight stats).
• These warriors fight until slain or until Vhorrak’thal is defeated.
From the crumbling mist, shadowy warriors materialize, their hollow eyes burning with the same cursed fire that fuels their master.
If the party is especially strong(CR9+), consider the following upgraded lair action:
🔥 Forsaken Oathstorm (Recharge 5-6)
A violent storm of cursed energy erupts in the lair, fueled by the shattered oaths of the fallen.
• Every creature of Vhorrak’thal’s choice in the lair must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 4d8 necrotic damage and be blinded for 1 round.
• The battlefield is briefly obscured, making all creatures heavily obscured (disadvantage on attacks) until the next lair action.
A vortex of broken oaths and swirling embers ignites around you, searing through flesh and mind alike, momentarily blinding you in the howling storm of betrayal.
Lair Effects (Always Active)
The Shattered Bastion itself is a realm of cursed oaths, and its presence warps reality:
• The air is thick with whispers.
• Any Insight checks made to detect lies have disadvantage as the voices of the past create confusion.
• Spectral chains move on their own.
• Difficult terrain shifts unpredictably every few rounds.
• Spells feel unstable.
• Whenever a spellcaster casts a spell of 3rd level or higher, roll a d6:
• On a 1, the spell fizzles, and the caster takes 1d8 psychic damage.
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