Meracles - The Homebrewery

RING OF THE HIGH VAMPIRE KING
Wondrous ring, artifact, requires attunement

This ring has three empty sockets where gems once were. Without any of the gems, the ring is a normal ring, except that you can cast gate once from it, regaining the ability to do so on the next dusk. The band of the ring and all three gems, when found, require attunement.

If one of the three gems comes close to the ring, it will magnetize to its correct socket. The three colors of the gems are green, red, and orange. Whenever you find a gem and it connects to the ring, you gain the effect of that gem. When you collect all three, it also unlocks another ability. Also, the ring has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of 1, which all increase by 5 for every gem that is found. The ring is designed to be a Mirror-Under-Mind, and its personality is always the opposite of the bearer's, including their alignment. The ring will not attempt to take control of the wearer, but will advise them with the hope that their mind may be open to change. If the wearer of the ring's alignment is neutral, the ring is also neutral, and they work in harmony, unlocking a sixth ability.

This ring was forged by the Dwarven Vampire Smith-Blade Kyrassus. The wood used to burn its forge was from awakened trees, instilling souls into the metal, which was taken from the fell sword of Coraxe the Immortal Might, who slaughtered his way out of the Hells. The gems were taken from the eyes of dead gods: the green from Corellon Larethian, the red from Tharizdun, and the orange from Kyrassus's own eye.

Gemless. The ring, with or without gems, always has the ability for gate to be cast from it. The ring can't be used this way again until the next dusk.

Green. When the green gem is in place and attuned to, the wearer can cast awaken from the ring at will.

Red. When the red gem is in place and attuned to, the wearer can cast drain life (from Dark Arts Player's Companion) on any creature (DC 28). The ring can't be used this way again until the next dusk.

Orange. When the orange gem is in place and attuned to, the wearer can cast imprisonment on any creature (DC 28), taking the Minimus Containment option only, and the orange gem itself is the containment. The orange gem can hold up to three creatures in this way. The ring can't be used this way again until the next dusk.

Triune. When all three gems are connected to the ring and attuned to, the wearer's soul is split in half, and half of it is contained within the ring. This can never be undone, short of the ring's destruction. The effect this has on the bearer are as follows: the wearer becomes blurred to all vision, and all attacks against them are made with disadvantage; the wearer is filled with the might of gods and makes all saving throws with advantage; the wearer is immortalized and ceases to age, and if they are killed but the ring and its gems remain intact they materialize from the ring in 1d3 days. If even one of the gems is dislodged, they cannot materialize.

Neutral. If the wearer is the same alignment as the ring (requiring them to be neutral), then they unlock this ability. They need not be attuned to the ring for this ability to function. The wearer can speak, read, and write all languages, their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores cannot be lower than the ring's, and they gain telepathy out to 360 feet.

It is rumored that the High Vampire King is still waiting to materialize when the ring is put back together, but this has not been confirmed. There are three legends surrounding how the ring moved from Kyrassus to the High King Meracles. The first is that Meracles stole the ring and imprisoned Kyrassus inside it. The second is that Kyrassus gifted it to Meracles, but soon died when he lost possesion of the ring, as he forged his own soul into it. The third is that the ring was originally a crown forged by Kyrassus for Meracles as he ascended to the throne, but the ring did not wish to leave Kyrassus, knowing the true evil of Meracles. Therefore, Kyrassus reforged the crown into a ring so that it would not have that much knowledge.

Meracles, Hand Before The Lichless God

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 16/21 (natural armor / Bladesong)

Hit Points 171 (18d8 + 90)

Speed 30/40ft., climb 30 ft. (Bladesong)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

22 (+6) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 20 (+5)

Saving Throws Dex +10, Wis +9, Cha +11

Skills Arcana +17, Intimidation +11, Perception +10, Religion +11, Stealth +16

Damage Resistances necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing that is nonmagical

Condition Immunities exhaustion

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Elvish, Giant, Infernal

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Meracles fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Weapons. Meracles's weapon attacks are considered magical for overcoming resistances.

Regeneration. Meracles regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in running water or sunlight. If he takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of his next turn.

Ring of the High Vampire King. If Meracles has the ring, he can cast the following spells from it: gate (1/day), awaken (at will), drain life (1/day), and imprisonment (1/day), taking the Minimus Containment option only. The DC for these spells is 28.
If all three gems are present in the ring, Meracles has advantage on all saving throws and all attacks against him are made with disadvantage. Further, if he is killed but the ring and its gems remain intact, Meracles materializes from the ring in 1d3 days. If even one of the gems is dislodged, Meracles cannot materialize.

Spellcasting. Meracles is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). Meracles has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, fog cloud, sleep
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, gust of wind, mirror image
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, fireball
4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility, polymorph
5th level (1 slot): cloudkill, scrying

Unholy Persistence. Meracles has advantage on rolls against an effect that turns undead.

Vampire Weaknesses. Meracles has the typical weakness of vampires as listed on page 297 of the monster manual.

Actions

Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). Meracles makes two attacks, any combination of longsword and unarmed strike.

Longsword (Vampire Form w/ Bladesong Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d6 + 9) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, Meracles can grapple it (escape DC 22) instead of dealing the bludgeoning damage. A grappled creature provides partial cover to Meracles.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Meracles, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage and the target has disadvantage against Meracles’s charm attack for 1 minute. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Meracles regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under Meracles’s control.

Charm. Meracles targets one creature he can see within 60 feet of him. If the target can see Meracles, the target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed. The charmed target regards Meracles as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected, by force if needed. The target isn’t under Meracles’s control, but it takes Meracles’s request and actions in the most favorable way and lets Meracles bite it.
Each time Meracles or his companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise the effect lasts 24 hours or until Meracles is destroyed, on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.

Bonus Actions

Bite. Meracles can use a bonus action to make a bite attack.

Bladesong. Meracles can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if he incapacitated, if he dons medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if he uses two hands to make an attack with a weapon. Meracles can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time if he chooses (no action required). While Meracles's Bladesong is active, he gains the following benefits: Meracles uses his Bladesong AC, his Bladesong speed, gains advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, and gains a +5 bonus to Constitution saving throws.