My players faced the third boss of the adventure – Lucien, Captain of the Guard (The Phthisic and Johann being first and second respectively). They decided to try and free him from domination but everything failed. Instead, they killed him, removed the cap from his head – a psionic plate that mind-flayers use to make their domination power permanent and then cast resurrection. This immediately flipped him to the PC side. This is part of the ongoing conversion to 5e of A Darkness Gathering.
LUCIEN, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil (was lawful good)
Armour Class 18 (heavy chain shirt)
Hit Points 324 (27d8 + 108)
Speed 30 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
20 (+5) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws STR +9, DEX +7, CON +8
Skills Athletics+9, Intimidation+8, Investigation +12, Perception+5, Persuasion+8
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Indomitable (3/Day). Lucien can reroll a saving throw he fails. He must use the new roll.
Survivor. Lucien regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit points than half its hit point maximum.
Longsword Specialization. Lucien has specialized in the use of a longsword and gains +2 to hit and damage with this weapon (included).
ACTIONS
Multiattack.Lucien makes two longsword attacks and one hand crossbow attack.
Longsword.Melee Weapon Attack:+11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit:11 (1d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Blackjack.Melee Weapon Attack:+9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit:9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. The blackjack knocks out an opponent reduced to 0 hit points (unconcise and stabilized).
Hand Crossbow.Ranged Weapon Attack:+7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.
Hit:6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Lucien 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. Lucien regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Weapon Attack. Lucien makes a weapon attack.
- Command Ally. Lucien targets one ally he can see within 30 feet of him. If the target can see and hear Lucien, the target can make one weapon attack as a reaction and gains advantage on the attack roll.
- Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions). Lucien targets one enemy he can see within 30 feet of him. If the target can see and hear him, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of Lucien’s next turn.
DESCRIPTION
Tall, thickset, and sporting a bristling black moustache, Lucien is a plain human male. He wears a heavy chain shirt beneath a heavy blue cloak. His steel brooch — a roaring bear —serves as his badge of office. Armed with a longsword and club, he looks like he can hold his own in a fight.
LAIR ACTIONS
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the following lair action automatically triggers:
- The Twisted Mirror summons a celestial centipede to support and protect Lucien. These creatures act intelligently and will flank enemies, block doorways and give their lives, if necessary, to protect Lucien. There is no limit to the number of centipedes that can be summoned.
The Twisted Mirror has the following additional traits:
- Anyone looking at the mirror must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be affected by the mental dissonance emitted by the strange swirling patterns. On a failed the save the creature has -2 to all Intelligence related rolls (skills, saving throws and ability checks) and is slowed (as the spell) until the end of the creatures next turn.
- The mirror is immune to all damage but is destroyed when Johann is killed or it takes at least 1 psychic damage.
- It may be disabled for the entire battle on a successful DC 15 Arcana check made adjacent to the mirror.
DM Note: In my game, the players teleported into the office and disabled the mirror on the first round so it only spewed out one centipede which, alone, is no match for 8 level 15 characters. So was a short-lived encounter.