Rogue’s Gallery is a series dedicated to showing detailed NPCs at different CRs, useful as mentors, rivals, patrons, or just for colorful casting.
To celebrate the launch of Book of Ebon Tides, we’re featuring an NPC for use in (or around) the Shadow Realm. They also make a great way to personalize the adventures awaiting in Tales from the Shadows!
Mazrin Krail
Mazrin Krail was unpleasant while alive. His drow masters capitalized on his misanthropy by facilitating his research into toxins and necrobiology, in hopes of using his discoveries to annihilate their enemies. In particular they funded his development of a variety of fungal and bacterial plague-bearing agents that displayed the number of ways in which living flesh can desiccate and decay.
If anything, Mazrin’s death and subsequent apotheosis as a darakhul has further narrowed his worldview, while widening the ability of his new darakhul masters to strike at nearby communities of the living. Mazrin cares little about who he serves so long as they provide a steady stream of live test subjects.
Personality Trait: I perform a host of rituals throughout the day that I believe protect me from occult threats.
Ideal: Domination. With the power I will unearth, I will take my revenge on those who wronged me.
Bond: No theory, however unbelievable, is worth abandoning without investigation.
Flaw: There is no law or social convention I won’t break to achieve my goals.
Mazrin Krail, Servant of Decay
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 (hide)
Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 15 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 15 (+2) | 8 (−1) |
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +4
Damage Resistances necrotic, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Undead Resilience. Mazrin is immune to disease and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and poisoned.
ACTIONS
Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.
Burrowing Maggot (Recharge 5–6). Mazrin conjures a maggot that appears under the skin of a creature he can see within 30 feet of him. The target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 6 (1d8 + 2) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once summoned, the maggot endures until its victim is dead or the victim has made three successful saving throws.
Spellcasting. Mazrin casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12):
At will: guidance, resistance
2/day each: jump, longstrider
Mazrin Krail, Disciple of Decay
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 (hide, 16 with barkskin)
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 8 (−1) |
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +5
Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +5
Damage Resistances necrotic, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Undead Resilience. Mazrin is immune to disease and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and poisoned.
ACTIONS
Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage.
Burrowing Maggot (Recharge 5–6). Mazrin conjures a maggot that appears under the skin of a creature he can see within 30 feet of him. The target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 12 (2d8 + 3) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once summoned, the maggot endures until its victim is dead or the victim has made three successful saving throws.
Spellcasting. Mazrin casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
At will: guidance, jump, resistance
2/day each: barkskin, hold person, longstrider
Mazrin Krail, Deliverer of Decay
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 (hide, 16 with barkskin)
Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 8 (−1) |
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +5
Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +5
Damage Resistances necrotic, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Undead Resilience. Mazrin is immune to disease and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and poisoned.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Mazrin makes two Bite attacks, or he uses Burrowing Maggot and makes one Bite attack, or he casts a spell and makes one Bite attack.
Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Burrowing Maggot (Recharge 4–6). Mazrin conjures a maggot that appears under the skin of a creature he can see within 30 feet of him. The target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 16 (3d8 + 3) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once summoned, the maggot endures until its victim is dead or the victim has made three successful saving throws.
Spellcasting. Mazrin casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12):
At will: guidance, jump, longstrider, resistance
2/day each: barkskin, blight, hold person
Mazrin Krail, Master of Decay
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 (hide, 16 with barkskin)
Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 8 (−1) |
Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +4
Damage Resistances necrotic, poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Air of Rot. Creatures that end their turn within 5 feet of Mazrin must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (3d8) necrotic damage.
Undead Resilience. Mazrin is immune to disease and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed and poisoned.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Mazrin makes two Bite attacks, or he uses Burrowing Maggot and makes one Bite attack, or he casts a spell and makes one Bite attack.
Poison Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.
Burrowing Maggot (Recharge 4–6). Mazrin conjures a maggot that appears under the skin of a creature he can see within 30 feet of him. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns, taking 22 (4d8 + 4) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once summoned, the maggot endures until its victim is dead or it has made three successful saving throws.
Spellcasting. Mazrin casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At will: barkskin, guidance, jump, longstrider, resistance
2/day each: blight, hold person
1/day each: contagion, insect plague
REACTIONS
Rupture. If Mazrin is grappled or swallowed whole, he magically passes through his attacker’s body, dealing 19 (3d12) necrotic damage as he exits to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of his attacker.
Like this, not often I see a progressive stat block for an NPC.
Where’s the errata for Ebon Tides ? Spotted 3 maybe, the Bearfolk Ley Walker is mentioned but not in chapter 9. The other is minor errors
Great job. More of these progressing NPC’s, please. Very useful for reoccurring NPC’s.
Mazrin Krail was unpleasant while alive. His drow masters capitalized on his misanthropy by facilitating his research into toxins and necrobiology, in hopes of using his discoveries to annihilate their enemies.