Page 50 - D&D Bestiary

DEMILICH LAIR TRAITS
A demilich's tomb might have any or all of the following
The immortality granted to a lich lasts only as long as
effects in place:
it feeds mortal souls to its phylactery. If it falters or fails
in that task, its bones turn to dust until only its skull The first time a non-evil creature enters the tomb's
remains. This "demilich" contains only a fragment of area, the creature takes 16 (3d10) necrotic damage.
the lich's malevolent life force- just enough so that if it • Monsters in the tomb have advantage on saving
is disturbed, these remains rise into the air and assume throws against being charmed or frightened, and
a wraithlike form. The skull then emits a terrifying ag!linst features that turn undead.
howl that can slay the weak-hearted and leave others • The tomb is warded against the magical travel of
trembling with fear. Left alone, it sinks back down and creatures the demilich hasn't authorized. Such crea-
returns to the empty peace of its existence. tures can't teleport into or out of the tomb's area
Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an or use planar travel to enter or leave it. Effects that
end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming allow teleportation or planar travel work within the
undead. However, time can erode the lich's reason and tomb as long as they aren't used to leave or enter the
memory, causing it to retreat into its ancient tomb and tomb's area.
forget to feed on souls. The spells it once knew fade If the demilich is destroyed, these effects fade over the
from its mind, and it no longer channels the arcane course of 10 days.
energy it wielded as a lich. However, even as a mere
skull it remains a deadly and vexing enemy.
ACERERAK AND HIS DISCIPLES
Enduring Existence. Even after a lich is reduced to
The transformation into a demilich isn't a bitter end for
a demilich state, its phylactery survives. As long as its
allliches that experience it. Made as a conscious choice,
phylactery is intact, the demilich can't be permanently
the path of the demilich becomes the next step in a dark
destroyed. Its skull reforms after 1d10 days, restoring evolution. The lich Acererak-a powerful wizard and
the creature to its wretched state. If it has the presence demonologist and the infamous master of the Tomb of
of mind to do so, a demilich can reclaim its former Horrors-anticipated his own transformation, preparing for
power by feeding just one soul to its phylactery. Doing it by setting enchanted gemstones into his skull's eye sockets
so restores the demilich to lich form, reconstituting its and teeth. Each of these soul gems possessed the power to
undead body. capture the souls on which his phylactery would feed.
Undead Nature. A demilich doesn't require air, food, Acererak abandoned his physical body, accepting that it
would molder and dissolve to dust while he traveled the
drink, or sleep. So great is a demilich's will to survive
planes as a disembodied consciousness. lfthe skull that
that it always has the maximum number of hit points for
was his last physical remains was ever disturbed, its gems
its Hit Dice, instead of average hit points.
would claim the souls of the insolent intruders to his tomb,
magically transferring them to his phylactery.
A DEMILICH's LAIR Liches who follow Acererak's path believe that by becoming
A demilich hides its earthly remains and treasures in a free of their bodies, they can continue their quest for power
labyrinthine tomb guarded by monsters and traps. At the beyond the mortal world. As their patron did, they secure
heart of this labyrinth rests the demilich's skull and the their remains within well-guarded vaults, using soul gems to
maintain their phylacteries and destroy the adventurers who
dust from its other bones. disturb their lairs.
In its crypt, a demilich has access to lair actions Acererak or another demilich like him has a challenge
and additional uses for its legendary actions. Its whole rating of21 (33,000 XP), or 23 (50,000 XP) in its lair, and
lair also has unique traits. A demilich in its lair has a gains the following additional action option.
challenge rating of 20 (24,500 XP). Trap Soul. The demilich targets one creature that it can see
within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 19 Charisma
LAIR ACTIONS saving throw. On a failed save, the target's soul is magically
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the demilich trapped inside one of the demilich's gems. While the soul is
rolls a d20. On a result of 11 or higher, the demilich trapped, the target's body and all the equipment it is carrying
takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. It cease to exist. On a successful save, the target takes 24
(7d6) necrotic damage, and if this damage reduces the target
can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.
to 0 hit points, its soul is trapped as if it failed the saving
The tomb trembles violently for a moment. Each crea- throw. A soul trapped in a gem for 24 hours is devoured and
ture on the floor of the tomb must succeed on a DC 19 ceases to exist.
Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. lfthe demilich drops to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and
The demilich targets one creature it can see within turns to powder, leaving behind its gems. Crushing a gem
60 feet of it. An antimagic field fills the space of the releases any soul trapped within, at which point the target's
body re-forms in an unoccupied space nearest to the gem
target, moving with it until initiative count 20 on
and in the same state as when it was trapped.
the next round.
The demilich targets any number of creatures it can
see within 30 feet of it. No target can regain hit points
until initiative count 20 on the next round.

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