To celebrate the launch of Book of Ebon Tides, we’re featuring an NPC perfect for use with adventure in the Shadow Realm, at different levels. They also make a great way to personalize the adventures awaiting in Tales from the Shadows!
Leiloch Poire
This rakish shadow fey is dressed in a loose, half unlaced, wide-cuffed tunic, tight suede trousers, and shiny black leather boots adorned with platinum buckles. Graceful horns sweep smoothly back over their hairless scalp. Their wry expression leaves you uncertain as to whether they want to seduce you, filch coins from your purse, or sell you a used mule.
Though Leiloch Poire is now an esteemed professor of magical balladeering, this was certainly not always the case. Not so long ago, as the shadow fey see it, while a mere pupil of the arcane arts, Leiloch was the bane of teachers and peers both. Whether playing mundane pranks (such as using cantrips to place a caltrop under a professor’s bottom as they were settling into their seat) or adapting existing magic to more amusing ends, Leiloch left frustrated headmasters, besotted admirers, and foolish-looking rivals in their wake.
Now, thankfully, they are a respectable and responsible educator who would never think to teach their old tricks to impressionable new minds (outside of school hours for a very reasonable fee).
Personality Trait: I don’t hold back when there’s free food and drink on offer.
Ideal. Aspiration. One day my wondrous deeds will be known around the world.
Bond. I have a strong interest and sense for fashion and current trends.
Flaw. I often don’t know when to shut up.
Spell Smith. Leiloch’s restless curiosity has left its mark on the annals of magical experimentation. Their best-known works, Leiloch’s arduous shuffle, Leiloch’s interminable yarn, and Leiloch’s irritating kazoo can be learned by mischievous magic users and songsmiths.
Leiloch Poire, Student of Arcane Songcraft
Medium Humanoid (Shadow Fey), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 8 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +5
Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +2, Performance +5, Persuasion +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Fey Ancestry. Leiloch has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can’t put them to sleep.
ACTIONS
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Distracting Burst. Leiloch discharges a disorienting swirl of colors and shapes at a creature they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Irritating Kazoo (Recharge After a Short or Long Rest). Leiloch plays a droning note on a kazoo that echoes even after they stop playing. All creatures within 10 feet that can hear the note must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or, for 1 minute, take 1d6 thunder damage at the beginning of each of its turns and be unable to cast spells with verbal components. A creature can make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, overcoming the effects on a success.
Spellcasting. Leiloch casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
At will: mage hand, message, prestidigitation
2/day each: hideous laughter
BONUS ACTIONS
Arcane Inconvenience (Recharge on a Short or Long Rest). When Leiloch casts an illusion or enchantment that allows the target a saving throw, the saving throw DC is increased by 1d4.
Leiloch Poire, Student of Arcane Lyricism
Medium Humanoid (Shadow Fey), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 8 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +6
Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +2, Performance +6, Persuasion +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Fey Ancestry. Leiloch has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can’t put them to sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Leiloch uses Distracting Burst and makes a Rapier attack or Hand Crossbow attack.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Distracting Burst. Leiloch discharges a disorienting swirl of colors and shapes at a creature they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Irritating Kazoo (Recharge After a Short or Long Rest). Leiloch plays a droning note on a kazoo that echoes even after they stop playing. All creatures within 10 feet that can hear the note must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or, for 1 minute, take 1d6 thunder damage at the beginning of each of its turns and be unable to cast spells with verbal components. A creature can make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, overcoming the effects on a success.
Spellcasting. Leiloch casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
At will: mage hand, message, prestidigitation
2/day each: hideous laughter, invisibility
BONUS ACTIONS
Arcane Inconvenience (Recharge on a Short or Long Rest). When Leiloch casts an illusion or enchantment that allows the target a saving throw, the saving throw DC is increased by 1d4.
Leiloch Poire, Undergraduate of Arcane Composition
Medium Humanoid (Shadow Fey), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 8 (−1) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +6
Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Perception +2, Performance +6, Persuasion +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Fey Ancestry. Leiloch has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can’t put them to sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Leiloch uses Distracting Burst and makes two Rapier attacks or Hand Crossbow attacks.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Distracting Burst. Leiloch discharges a disorienting swirl of colors and shapes at a creature they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Interminable Yarn (Recharge After a Short or Long Rest). Leiloch tells an long, pointless story. All creatures of Leiloch’s choice that they can see within 20 feet of them are charmed, restrained, and incapacitated for 1 minute. At the beginning of each of an affected creature’s turns, it can make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw to act normally on its turn but falls under the effect again if it ends its turn within 20 feet of Leiloch. Creatures that can’t hear, are deafened, or that are immune to being charmed, are not affected. An affected creature that takes any damage can act normally and is immune to the effects of this feature for 24 hours.
Spellcasting. Leiloch casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
At will: mage hand, message, prestidigitation
2/day each: dimension door, greater invisibility, hideous laughter
BONUS ACTIONS
Arcane Inconvenience (Recharge on a Short or Long Rest). When Leiloch casts an illusion or enchantment that allows the target a saving throw, the saving throw DC is increased by 1d6.
Leiloch Poire, Professor of Arcane Balladeering
Medium Humanoid (Shadow Fey), Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 13)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 8 (−1) | 18 (+4) | 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +6, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +4, History +4, Perception +3, Performance +7, Persuasion +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Fey Ancestry. Leiloch has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and magic can’t put them to sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Leiloch uses Distracting Burst and casts a spell, or uses Distracting Burst and makes two Rapier attacks or one Rapier attack and one Hand Crossbow attack.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Distracting Burst. Leiloch discharges a disorienting swirl of colors and shapes at a creature they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Arduous Shuffle (Recharge After a Short or Long Rest). All creatures within 20 feet of Leiloch, of Lieloch’s choice, are compelled to listlessly perform a shuffling dance. For 1 minute, affected creatures can move only half their speed, can’t use reactions, and can make only one weapon attack on their turn. At the beginning of its turn, an affected creature can choose to take 1d4 levels of exhaustion to end the effect and become immune to it for 24 hours. A creature can finish a short rest to recover all levels of exhaustion gained from this feature.
Spellcasting. Leiloch casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At will: mage hand, message, prestidigitation
2/day each: dimension door, greater invisibility, modify memory
BONUS ACTIONS
Arcane Inconvenience (Recharge on a Short or Long Rest). When Leiloch casts an illusion or enchantment that allows the target a saving throw, the saving throw DC is increased by 1d6.
Very interesting!
Oh, I always follow Leiloch Poire and I very like it.