The Twilight Sovereign
Medium fey, neutral evil
Physical Description
The Twilight Sovereign is a regal figure shrouded in perpetual dusk. Its form shifts between solid and ethereal, with tendrils of shadow and twilight emanating from its silhouette. Glimmering stars dot its midnight-blue skin, and its eyes burn with the fading light of dying suns. A crown of crystallized twilight adorns its head, casting a perpetual gloaming aura around its imposing presence.
"We dance at the world's end, you and I - but the music is dying."
Lore
The Twilight Sovereign rules over the boundary between day and night, light and darkness. Once a noble fey lord who maintained the balance between the Feywild and the Shadowfell, it became corrupted when it attempted to halt the natural cycle of time to preserve its realm's beauty.
The Eternal Gloaming Court The Sovereign's court consists of Twilight Courtiers and Duskblade Assassins, all former fey who surrendered their connection to dawn and dusk to serve in eternal twilight. They carry out the Sovereign's will across the planes, seeking to expand the influence of perpetual twilight.
The Fading Curse Realms that fall under the Sovereign's influence experience a gradual erosion of extremes - bright day and dark night slowly merge into an endless twilight. Plants wither, emotions dull, and the vibrant tapestry of life fades into muted tones.
The Last Festival of Light
"When the Sovereign first claimed its crown, we celebrated with lanterns and song. We didn't understand that each light we extinguished at dawn would never truly return." ā Elindra, Exiled Eladrin Sage
Stats
- Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
- Hit Points: 189 (18d8 + 108)
- Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (0) | 20 (+5) | 22 (+6) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 24 (+7) |
- Saving Throws: Dex +10, Con +11, Cha +12
- Skills: Arcana +9, Perception +8, Stealth +10
- Damage Resistances: necrotic, psychic; bludgeoning from nonmagical attacks
- Damage Immunities: poison
- Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
- Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 18
- Languages: Sylvan, Common, Elvish
- Challenge: 13 (10,000 XP)
Fading Presence. All healing is halved within 300 ft of the Sovereign. Bright light (15 ft radius or more) becomes dim light, and dim light becomes darkness.
Twilight Mantle. The Sovereign is invisible in dim light or darkness. When it starts its turn in bright light, it gains vulnerability to radiant damage until the start of its next turn.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Sovereign fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Innate Spellcasting. The Sovereign's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20):
- At will: darkness, minor illusion, silent image
- 3/day: counterspell, hunger of Hadar, mislead
- 1/day: plane shift (self only to Feywild/Shadowfell)
Multiattack. The Sovereign makes three Umbral Lash attacks.
Umbral Lash. Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (4d8 + 5) necrotic damage plus 13 (4d8) cold damage.
Consume Hope (Recharge 5-6). Each creature within 30 ft must make DC 20 Wisdom save. On failure, takes 22 (4d10) psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute (save ends).
Legendary Actions
The Twilight Sovereign 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 Twilight Sovereign regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Shadow Jaunt (1 Action). The Sovereign teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space in dim light or darkness.
Twilight Binding (2 Actions). The Sovereign forces one creature to repeat a saving throw against its Consume Hope ability.
Eventide Nova (3 Actions). All creatures in a 30-foot radius centered on the Sovereign take 27 (6d8) radiant or necrotic damage (target's choice). A creature can make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw to take half damage.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Twilight Sovereign can take one of the following lair actions while in the Perpetual Gloaming:
Chrono-Bloom Detonation. The Sovereign causes a 20-foot radius explosion of temporal energy at a point it can see. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d6 force damage and being slowed until the end of its next turn on a failed save, or half damage and no other effect on a success.
Mirror of Regret. Each creature in the lair must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be forced to use its next turn to attack the nearest ally.
Dusk Cavalry Charge. Spectral riders surge through a 60-foot line. Each creature in the line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d8 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Regional Effects
The region containing the Twilight Sovereign's lair is warped by its magic, creating one or more of the following effects:
- Within 6 miles of the lair, sunlight becomes twilight, and torches burn with an eerie blue flame.
- Beasts within 6 miles of the lair develop shadowy duplicates that attack travelers at night.
- Still water within 1 mile of the lair shows visions of the Sovereign's past glory.
If the Twilight Sovereign is destroyed, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
Tactics
The Twilight Sovereign is a cunning tactician who uses its control over light and shadow to maximum advantage. It begins combat by using Hunger of Hadar to separate healers from frontline fighters, preventing them from supporting their allies. The Sovereign positions itself in dim light whenever possible to maintain its invisibility.
It commands its Twilight Courtiers to sacrifice themselves at strategic choke points, triggering their Crescendo of Dusk explosions for maximum effect. The Sovereign saves its Consume Hope ability for when multiple enemies are clustered together, and uses its legendary actions to escape when cornered or to punish those who attempt to use light-based magic against it.
If reduced to 0 HP, the Sovereign dissolves into 2d4 Wailing Echoes (spectral CR 1/2 creatures) that pursue the party until the next dawn.
"Even in my ending, I am eternal. The twilight always returns, caught between what was and what shall never be."