Animal Lord, Lord of Vultures

Family: Animal Lords

Large fey (shapechanger), neutral good

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 20 (+5)

Saving Throws Dexterity +8, Constitution +8, Wisdom +7
Skills History +7, Insight +7, Perception +7
Damage Resistances fire, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, poisoned, stunned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Special Traits

  • Bird Passivism. No bird or ravenfolk can willingly attack the Lord of Vultures. They can be forced to do so through magical means.
  • Danger Sense. The Lord of Vultures has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and can’t be surprised.
  • Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the Lord of Vultures fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
  • Magic Resistance. The Lord of Vultures has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Magic Weapons. The Lord of Vultures’s weapon attacks are magical.
  • Pack Tactics. The Lord of Vultures has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of his allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
  • Rejuvenation. If he dies, the Lord of Vultures’s soul reforms on the Astral Plane. In 1d6 days, it inhabits the body of another bird of prey on the Material Plane which becomes the Lord of Vultures with all of the hp and abilities thereof. Only killing every bird of prey on the Material Plane will prevent this trait from functioning.
  • Shapechanger. The Lord of Vultures can use his action to polymorph into a Huge giant vulture, a Medium dark-skinned man with black and gold hair, or back into his true Large, winged humanoid form. His statistics, other than his size, are the same in each form with the exception that only the Lord of Vultures’s true and vulture forms retain his flying speed. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying transforms with him.
  • Speak with Birds. The Lord of Vultures can communicate with birds as if they shared a language.
  • Innate Spellcasting. The Lord of Vultures’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

Actions

  • Multiattack. In humanoid or his true form, the Lord of Vultures makes three spear attacks. In vulture form, he makes three attacks: one with his beak and two with his talons.
  • Spear (Humanoid or True Form Only). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) radiant damage, or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) radiant damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. If the Lord of Vultures throws the spear, it magically reforms in his hand immediately after the attack.
  • Beak (Vulture Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (3d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) radiant damage.
  • Talons (Vulture Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 17) if it is a Huge or smaller creature and the Lord of Vultures isn’t already grappling a creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns.

Legendary Actions

The Lord of Vultures can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Lord of Vultures regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

  • Move. The Lord of Vultures moves up to half his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
  • Wing Buffet (Costs 2 Actions; True or Vulture Form Only). The Lord of Vultures beats his wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the Lord of Vultures must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
  • Dive Bomb (Costs 2 Actions; True or Vulture Form Only). The Lord of Vultures flies up to his speed and makes a spear or talon attack against one creature. If the attack hits, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing or slashing damage. The Lord of Vultures must fly at least 30 feet straight towards the target to use this action. The Lord of Vultures can’t use this action if he is grappling a creature.

About

This charismatic and handsome dark-skinned man has the noble bearing of a lord or king. A pair of black and gold wings grow from his back, and his bare feet are taloned like a raptor’s. He wears fine silk clothing and brandishes a large, shining spear. A gold circlet sits atop his brow above his aquiline nose.

The immortal Lord of Vultures and King of Raptors and makes his home in a mountaintop eyrie on the highest peak of the tallest mountain. He acts as a god to vultures, eagles, rocs, and other birds of prey, protecting and safeguarding the interests of avians throughout the world. Though his domain and interests overlap with those of the Queen of Birds, they rarely interact. They have differing opinions on how their wards should be protected and keep out of each others’ way to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Uncommon Ally. Less reclusive than his counterpart, the Lord of Vultures enjoys involving himself in the affairs of humans and their kin from time to time. He has been known to aid those brave enough to make the perilous climb to his mountain abode and will sometimes enlist the help of mortals himself, particularly if the natural order of things is at risk. If he feels these mortals cannot be entirely trusted, he will lay a geas upon them to make sure they do everything they can to complete whatever task he sets.

Disguised Wanderer. Several times a year, the Lord of Vultures travels the lands of mortals, either disguising himself as a dark-skinned human man with black and gold hair or taking the form of an enormous vulture with black and gold wings. In either guise, the Lord of Vultures is always vigilant against those who seek to destroy birds of prey or their habitats and is ready to take swift and terrible action, if needed.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.

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