- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- Lawful Evil
- Armor Description
- Natural armor
- Condition Immunities
- Charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
- Creature Type
- Undead
- Current Hp
- 135
- Damage Resistances
- Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities
- Cold, necrotic, poison
- Formatted Senses
- darkvision 60 ft. ft., passive Perception 18
- Formatted Skills
- Arcana +11, History +11, Perception +8
- Formatted Speed
- 30 ft. ft.
- Formatted Saves
- Con +9, Int +11, Wis +8
- Hit Dice
- 18d8 + 54
- Legendary Actions Count
- 3
- Languages
- Common, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
- Proficiency Bonus
- 6
- Xp
- 20000
Senses
- Darkvision
- 60 ft.
- Passive Perception
- 18
Actions
Multiattack.
Mordrath uses Frightening Gaze, then makes one Paralyzing Touch attack.
Paralyzing Touch.
Melee Spell Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Frightening Gaze.
Mordrath fixes his gaze on one creature he can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Disrupt Life.
Each non-undead creature within 20 feet of Mordrath must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
Cantrip.
Mordrath casts a cantrip.
Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions).
Mordrath makes one Paralyzing Touch attack.
Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions).
Mordrath uses Disrupt Life.
Lair Actions
Bell of Unmaking.
A spectral bell tolls from the valley church; each creature of Mordrath's choice within the lair must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or lose its reactions until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Gravewater Rising.
Black water seeps from the ground in a 20-foot-radius area Mordrath can see, creating difficult terrain until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Profaned Reliquary.
A desecrated holy relic flares within the lair; one undead creature of Mordrath's choice regains 15 hit points, or one consecrated object loses its magical benefits until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Reactions
Shield.
When Mordrath is hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell, he casts shield, increasing his AC by 5 until the start of his next turn and negating magic missile.
Skills
- Arcana +11
- History +11
- Perception +8
Spellcasting
Spellcasting.
Mordrath is an 18th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). He requires no material components for his spells. He has the following spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost. 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self, magic missile, shield. 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, misty step, ray of enfeeblement. 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fireball, animate dead. 4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door, ice storm. 5th level (3 slots): dominate person, hold monster, scrying. 6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability. 7th level (1 slot): finger of death, plane shift. 8th level (1 slot): power word stun. 9th level (1 slot): power word kill.
Special Abilities
Legendary Resistance (3/Day).
If Mordrath fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Rejuvenation.
If Mordrath's phylactery exists, he gains a new body in 1d10 days after being destroyed, regaining all his hit points and becoming active again.
Turn Resistance.
Mordrath has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Description
Mordrath Keth is a tall, narrow skeleton draped in crimson funeral robes, with an iron crown fused to his skull and blue witchfire burning in his eye sockets. Chains of broken prayer beads hang across his ribcage, clattering whenever he moves.
Equipment
Tattered crimson robes, an iron signet ring, a black crystal phylactery hidden beneath the valley church, and a bone wand
Hook
The church's buried foundation contains Mordrath's phylactery, but destroying it also releases the trapped souls of everyone the lich has sacrificed there.
Motivation
Mordrath desires the destruction of the church and village in the valley, believing their faith sustains a divine presence that prevents his dominion over the region.
Personality
Coldly methodical and contemptuous of compassion, Mordrath speaks like a magistrate delivering an inevitable sentence. He prefers to corrupt symbols of hope before destroying those who cling to them.
