Medium undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
Speed 20 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +5
Proficiency Bonus +6 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 17 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Con +8, Int +5, Wis +9, Cha +8
Skills History +5, Religion +5
Damage vulnerabilities fire
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages the languages it knew in life
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Magic Resistance. The mummy lord has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Rejuvenation. A destroyed mummy lord gains a new body in 24 hours if its heart is intact, regaining all its hit points and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the mummy lord’s heart.
Spellcasting. The mummy lord is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The mummy lord has the following cleric spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): sacred flame, thaumaturgy
- 1st level (4 slots): command, guiding bolt, shield of faith
- 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, silence, spiritual weapon
- 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, dispel magic
- 4th level (3 slots): divination, guardian of faith
- 5th level (2 slots): contagion, insect plague
- 6th level (1 slot): harm
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The mummy can use its Dreadful Glare and makes one attack with its rotting fist.
- Rotting Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the remove curse spell or other magic.
- Dreadful Glare. The mummy lord targets one creature it can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the mummy lord, it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies and mummy lords for the next 24 hours.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The mummy lord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The mummy lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Attack. The mummy lord makes one attack with its rotting fist or uses its Dreadful Glare.
- Blinding Dust. Blinding dust and sand swirls magically around the mummy lord. Each creature within 5 feet of the mummy lord must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of the creature’s next turn.
- Blasphemous Word (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord utters a blasphemous word. Each non-undead creature within 10 feet of the mummy lord that can hear the magical utterance must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the mummy lord’s next turn.
- Channel Negative Energy (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord magically unleashes negative energy. Creatures within 60 feet of the mummy lord, including ones behind barriers and around corners, can’t regain hit points until the end of the mummy lord’s next turn.
- Whirlwind of Sand (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord magically transforms into a whirlwind of sand, moves up to 60 feet, and reverts to its normal form. While in whirlwind form, the mummy lord is immune to all damage, and it can’t be grappled, petrified, knocked prone, restrained, or stunned. Equipment worn or carried by the mummy lord remain in its possession.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
Mummy Lord
A mummy lord is a powerful and evil undead creature that was once a mortal of great authority or influence, such as a king, a priest, or a wizard. Mummy lords are often created by dark rituals that preserve their bodies and souls, granting them eternal life and unholy power. Mummy lords retain the memories and personalities of their former selves, but are twisted by their undead nature and their devotion to the dark gods or forces that granted them immortality. Mummy lords often wear the regalia and wield the weapons that they used in life, and some of them can cast potent spells as well.
Description
A mummy lord resembles a normal mummy, but with more elaborate and ornate wrappings and adornments. A mummy lord’s skin is dry and withered, and its eyes glow with malevolence. A mummy lord’s body is resistant to physical harm, and it can regenerate from most wounds unless its heart is destroyed. A mummy lord’s heart is usually kept in a hidden location, protected by traps, guardians, or magic. A mummy lord can also transform into a whirlwind of sand, allowing it to move swiftly and avoid damage.
A mummy lord gives off an odor that is said to be reminiscent of a spice cupboard because of the herbs used in the embalming process that created it. A mummy lord is keenly intelligent and is able to communicate just as it did in life. Further, it has an inherent ability to telepathically command all normal mummies created by it. It can also control other mummies, provided that they are not under the domination of another mummy lord, but this is possible only when verbal orders can be given.
Combat
A mummy lord is a formidable opponent in combat, using its rotting fist to inflict both physical and necrotic damage, as well as a dreadful curse that slowly drains the life force of its victims. A mummy lord can also use its dreadful glare to frighten or paralyze its enemies with a mere look. A mummy lord’s most dangerous weapon, however, is its spellcasting ability. A mummy lord can cast a variety of cleric spells, such as command, hold person, animate dead, dispel magic, contagion, insect plague, and harm. A mummy lord can also create blinding dust and sand to obscure its foes’ vision.
A mummy lord has several weaknesses that can be exploited by savvy adventurers. A mummy lord is vulnerable to fire damage, which can prevent its regeneration and destroy its wrappings. A mummy lord is also susceptible to spells and effects that target its mind or soul, such as turn undead, banishment, or magic circle. A mummy lord can be permanently destroyed if its heart is found and annihilated.
When a mummy lord wishes to create normal mummies as servants, it does so by mummifying persons infected with its rotting disease. This magical process requires 24 hours and cannot be disturbed without ruining the enchantment. Persons to be mummified are normally held or charmed so that they cannot resist the mummification process.
Once the process is completed, victims are helpless to escape the bandages that bind them. If nothing happens to free them, they will die of the mummy rot just as they would have elsewhere. Upon their death, however, a strange transformation takes place. Rather than crumbling away into dust, these poor souls rise again as normal mummies.
Obviously, this process is too time consuming to be used in actual combat, but the mummy lord will often attack a potential target in hopes of capturing and transforming it into a mummy. All mummies created by a mummy lord are under its telepathic command.
Habitat / Society
A mummy lord usually dwells in an ancient tomb or temple that was once its place of power or worship in life. A mummy lord rarely leaves its lair, unless it has a specific goal or mission to accomplish. A mummy lord often commands a horde of lesser undead, such as zombies, skeletons, or normal mummies, as well as other creatures that serve its will. A mummy lord may also have allies or followers among the living, such as cultists, fanatics, or mercenaries.
A mummy lord’s motives and goals vary depending on its personality and history. Some mummy lords seek to restore their lost kingdoms or empires, others seek revenge against those who wronged them in life or disturbed their rest in death, and others seek to spread their dark influence and power across the world. A mummy lord may also have a specific agenda related to the god or force that granted it immortality, such as fulfilling a prophecy, completing a ritual, or preparing for an apocalypse.
The first of these creatures is known to have been produced by Anhktepot, the Lord of Har’akir, in the years before he became undead himself. It is believed that most, if not all, of the mummy lords he created in his life were either destroyed or drawn into Ravenloft with him when he was granted a domain.
A number of these creatures are believed to serve Anhktepot in his domain, acting as his agents in other lands he wishes to learn what is transpiring in other portions of Ravenloft.
The process by which a mummy lord is created remains a mystery to all but Anhktepot. It is rumored that this process involves a great sacrifice to gain the favor of the gods and an oath of eternal loyalty to the Lord of Har’akir.
If the latter is true, then it may lend credence to the claim of many sages that Anhktepot can command every mummy lord in existence to do his bidding. If this is indeed the case, it makes the power of this dark fiend far greater than is generally supposed.
Ecology
A mummy lord has no natural place in the world’s ecology, as it is an aberration created by unnatural means. A mummy lord does not need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep, but it does require a constant supply of negative energy to sustain its existence. A mummy lord draws this energy from the death and decay of living things around it, creating a zone of desolation and corruption wherever it goes. A mummy lord may also seek out sources of negative energy, such as cursed artifacts, unholy relics, or places of evil power.
A mummy lord has few natural enemies, as most creatures fear and avoid it. However, some beings may oppose a mummy lord for various reasons, such as paladins, clerics, druids, or other champions of good; rival undead lords who covet its power or territory; ancient enemies who seek to settle old scores; or adventurers who seek to loot its treasures or stop its plans.