Lionel's Circus of Horrors

Four and a Half Words: Evil Sentient Ex-Circus Lion

5 Minute Prep

Meet the Villain: Lionel

Concept: Evil sentient lion running a circus where humanoids are the exhibits.
Passion: Hates humanoids to the point of irrationality. Especially halflings.
Methodology: More than happy to do dirty work himself, but prefers to see his exhibits suffer.
Voice: Haughty and arrogant, or deep and ominous, depending on the tone you are going for.
Favorite One-Liners:

• I have cages in your size.
• Hmm, if that's all you can do, maybe I should just eat you instead.
• *evil chuckle or laugh* They'll pay me a lot to see you beg.

The Fight

Lionel starts with an arrogant one-liner (something like, "Ah, the animals have arrived" or "Oh good, the clowns have finally arrived"). Then has his minions charge in to keep the party at bay while he laughs and whips literally everybody.
Goal: to enjoy the pain of the other sentient races, and to enslave them, adding them to his circus.
Strategy: use minions to weaken the party while he enjoys all of their pain, leaping in for the final strike if there is an opportunity.
Tactic: Lionel

HP: 40 (if they do more than this in the first round with a non-critical hit, then increase this as necessary so that he still has at least 30HP at the start of his second turn).
AC: 14
Bipedal: Lionel is able to walk on two legs, which he does when using his whips.

hits people with the Whip of Pain

+5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 13 Con save or fall prone from pain.

from behind the wall of his minions

1 Acrobat: 10 HP; 14 AC (dodge Balancing Pole: +4 to hit, reach 10ft, one target, 5 (1d6+2) Bludgeoning damage; Pack Tactics; Move along trapezes at normal speed.
1 Firebreather: 10 HP; 12 AC (dodge Fire Breath: 15ft line, 6 (2d6) Fire damage, Dex save DC 12 halves this damage.
2 Strongmen: 15 HP; 14 AC (natural armor Toss: make a Strength (Athletics) check against an enemy within 5ft. They may oppose it with a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If you succeed, you may throw the enemy up to 10ft away. They take 1d6 damage and must succeed a DC 14 Acrobatics check or fall prone. When possible, Strongmen will throw their opponent onto fire jets or flaming hoops. Even off balconies.

, whom he controls with his Whip of Command

+5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 13 Con save or fall prone from pain.

. However, he never passes an opportunity to bite

Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.

a nearby prone opponent as a bonus action.
HALFLINGS: if Lionel sees a halfling, all of the above tactics go out the window. He begins growling and maybe even foaming at the mouth. Each time it is his turn, he must resist his animalistic hatred for halflings

By making a DC 15 Wis save, to which he has +3

. If he succeeds this check then he acts normally, but with rage instead of arrogance and joy. If he fails, then he drops what he is holding and pounces

If Lionel moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

on the halfling. For the rest of the battle, nothing else matters to him except killing

Multiattack: two claws and one bite (claws do 1d6 piercing damage but are otherwise just like bite)

that halfling.
If, during this mindless rage, Lionel is reduced to 0 HP, he begins to collapse, but the rage sustains him, and he is instead at 1 HP. At that point, if the halfling is still alive, Lionel becomes frightened

of the halfling, and atttempts to dash away from it as fast as possible.
If the halfling has perished or fallen unconscious when the rage subsides, then Lionel is instead very tired, gaining one level of exhaustion.
Terrain Options:

• Balconies
  Platforms at least 5ftx5ft wide and 20ft tall that are accessible by ladder or ramp. For extra flavor, make them each different sizes and/or shapes.


• Flaming Hoops
  Flaming Hoops: at least 3 flaming hoops throughout the arena. Take 1 fire damage if you start your turn next to one. DC 15 Acrobatics check to jump through. 1d4 fire damage and fall prone on failure.


• Fire Jets
  2d6 fire damage to a creature standing on them when they are active. Scatter or place 4 throughout the arena. Pick two to be active each round.


• Trapezes and Tightropes
  Connecting the balconies (or maybe other places if you want) are various acrobatic thingamabobs, like tightropes and trapezes. Dex (Acrobatics) DC 15 to use them for movement. (Add flaming hoops (2d6 fire damage on a failed Acrobatics check, before falling) if you're feeling adventurous).

More Minutes Prep

The Setting

Circuses can be found just about anywhere. Whatever the situation your players are in, simply read the following to initiate the encounter.

An enormous, ornate tent stands in front of you, its entry flap pulled aside in a brazen welcome. You had heard rumors that some kind of traveling performance was in town. The sign lables it as "Lionel's Acrobatics and Oddities Extravaganza!"

Hooks

(As you approach the large tent), you hear a few cheers and some clapping. As it subsides, you hear a deep, booming voice that carries impressively well call out, "And now, I am pleased to introduce you to our final act of the night *dramatic pause* <the name of your most curious player goes here>.

Give them some time to bite the plot hook. If they seem like they are going to leave it be, ignore the parts inside the parenthesis.

Set the Scene

You can set the scene with as much build up or suddenness as you like. If you are in a pinch, you can read the following.

On entering the tent, you see a small group of people sitting on some makeshift benches around a large circle in the middle of the tent. They are watching intently as, in the middle, a lion in gaudy clothes and a monocle whips a young half-elf while shouting commands.
Before you can react, the half-elf cringes and runs on all fours toward a large, flaming hoop in the center of the ring. The audience of 4 gasps as the half-elf leaps through the hoop, turning in a somersault as he flies. As he completes the turn, his dexterity is not enough, his naked back rubs against the metal, flaming hoop. Loud hissing fills the air and the half-elf hits the ground hard before scrambling to his feet to stand ready.
The lion booms out a command and the half-elf hobbles backstage, disappearing behind some curtains in the back.

At this point, if the players have not yet acted, Lionel turns to them and says,

"Ah, I see my final act has arrived after all."

If the players play along, go with it. Have them traverse parts of the battlefield while Lionel laughs and whips them. If they stick with it, they may be able to pretend (or not) to join up with the circus for a while and eventually cleverly free his exhibits, dramatically weakening him in a fight.
Otherwise, it's time to roll for initiative.

A Note On Continuity

A very natural question for the more. . . difficult players to ask in this situation would be, "Wait, why don't we just get the guards to arrest him?" Some possible barriers to Lionel's arrest could be:

• The local policing force is too scared of him to do anything.


• The leader of the policing force has been CAPTURED BY THE CIRCUS! And maybe they even replaced them with an actor (only until they leave the city of course).


• If you are using the optional regional effects below, Unseen Predator offers a MYRIAD of reasons why the local constabulary has not rallied the troops against the circus (or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, why they ARE MARTIALLING their forces against the circus, in which case they will almost certainly need some backup. . . ).

Turn It Up To 11

Note: Season to Taste

Only you know your players' strength in a given situation. When initiating this encounter turned up to 11, feel free to include only a few of the below abilities, edit the abilities or their DCs, or even add more abilities to fit the encounter to your players' characters' abilities. These are here for inspiration, not as hard and fast rules. In other words: Season to Taste.

3 Legendary Actions

Whip of Pain (1 action): Lionel makes one attack with his Whip of Pain and laughs maniacally.
Roaring Leap (1 action): Lionel jumps up to 25 feet in a straight line, roaring loudly. If he lands on another character, they must make a Strength saving throw of DC 13 or be knocked prone.
Leap (1 action): As Roaring Leap, but to an unoccupied space and it does not provoke opportunity attacks. Preferably, he ends his movement in a particularly threatening position, like behind an enemy. If this is the case, then he chuckles and says one of his favorite one-liners. He can also go 20ft vertically. What? Don't give me that incredulous look. He's a legendary sentient circus lion who murders halflings, this is the least weird thing about him.
Legendary Resistance: When Lionel fails a saving throw, he can succeed it instead. He may only use this ability 3 times. All three uses return on completion of a long rest.
Legendary Reaction (like normal reactions but more legendary)
Not So Fast: When an enemy within 10ft who has not yet damaged Lionel moves toward him, Lionel may use his reaction to attack with his Whip of Command and orders them to "STOP" if he is nervous, "Drop it" if he is feeling sassy, or "*dramatic pause* Sit" if YOU are feeling sassy.

Lair Actions

Ah, so your Lionel is not only legendary, but worthy of his own, mystical lair, twisted by his malice into something truly ominous. Woe to adventurers who wander into this circus unprepared.
I Have Cages In Your Size: Lionel causes a metal cage to fall from above the target or rise from beneath the target, trapping it. If the creature fails a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, then it cannot exit its movement becomes zero. Lifting or otherwise moving the cage to escape is an action that uses up half of the victim's movement for that turn, and requires a DC 20 Strength check to do successfully.
Fire Jets: Lionel chooses 3

Or more. More is good too.

fire jets, which immediately activate, and continue to burn until the next time he picks a lair action. All other fire jets turn off.
Poor Performance: Lionel riles up the crowd (there is always a crowd). They get angry and start booing and throwing various food products at the target. That target has disadvantage on all skill checks until the next time Lionel picks a lair action.

Regional Effects

The epitome of evil sentient lions, this is Lionel at his most dangerous.
Vicious Lionry: Lions that are in the region corrupted by Lionel become vicious, hateful predators. They go out of their way to attack nearby towns and farms. Sentient species (especially halflings) become their preferred prey.
Always Collecting: Wherever Lionel goes, the number of disappearances increase. Each night, a number of people equal to the number of nights he has been there vanish. Some are eaten, but most are subjugated and turned into exhibits at his circus. Thank goodness he rarely stays in town for more than 3 days.
Unseen Predator: Though most people do not realize the truth about Lionel's circus, thinking it a strangely gloomy travelling show, they cannot help but feel as though they are being watched by an unseen predator. Everyone in a region in which Lionel has set up his circus must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw each night at dusk to resist the gnawing fear that follows his circus. Failure increases their Fear Level by 1. Important Note

We highly recommend rolling this check only for the PCs and prominent NPCs, while automatically incrementing it each day for everyone else. Rolling for individuals is time consuming for little reward.

Fear Levels:
1) Nervous

You cannot shake a nervousness that follows you around wherever you go. You must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw to enter areas of less than dim light without significant light (like a lantern, torch, or the light spell). If you fail, you refuse to enter the area, or do whatever it takes to leave that area. You may repeat the saving throw each round, but after 3 failures you cannot try again until you finish a long rest in a well lit place. If you fail 3 times while stuck in an area of darkness, you become frightened until you finish a long rest in a well lit place. Hallowed grounds are always considered well lit if you are not on bad terms with the hallowing religion.

2) Scared

You will not enter dark areas, and you must make a Wisdom saving throw of DC 13 to enter dimly lit areas. This follows all of the same rules as level 1. In addition, you find yourself being startled by any small surprise. You have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws unless you are in an area of bright light, or an area hallowed by a religion that is friendly to you.

3) Terrified

While you are not in an area of bright light, you are must pass a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw each round or become panicked. While panicked in this way, you lose the ability to think rationally and begin to flee the darkness as best you can. All Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks have disadvantage. In order to think clearly enough to light a torch, cast Light, or take similar action (really anything except for running from the darkness), you must succeed a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, and then a DC 15 Intelligence check. Succeeding both checks means you successfully light the torch or similar thing, and are now only Frightened until you finish a long rest.

4) Irrational

It is extremely rare for the circus to stay in town long enough for this stage to become a problem. When they do, there is a 50% chance each day that the fear turns to anger and the victims begin to lash out at their fear, forming riots and angry mobs. Lionel has learned to (usually) avoid this, and as such rarely stays in town longer than 2 days. At this level, you become paralyzed by fear whenever you are not on hallowed ground or within at least a 20ft radius of bright light. You may not willingly enter any area that is dim or darker. You are extremely irritable and distrusting of all but the closest friends, and must succeed a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw to attempt a Charisma or Intelligence check.

These effects extend to any creature capable of feeling fear.
Unseen Predator Recommended Seasonings:
Long-Term Seasoning: By changing the daily fear roll into a weekly fear roll, you can quickly turn Lionel's circus into a long term threat, where players have to fight an increasing feeling of dread over several weeks. This makes the circus seem a much more ominous and dreadful.
Fight the Darkness Seasoning: If you have a very political campaign, this seasoning might just be up your alley. With this, instead of rolling fear for each person, or automatically incrementing it for the whole region, you roll fear for each faction in the region. With each faction at a different level of fear, it is easy to see how you could build an entire campaign around keeping the factions from exploding into fear-based war. This seasoning goes particularly well with Long-Term seasoning, but also with Large Scale seasoning.
Large Scale Seasoning: This seasoning is great if you want the fear's source to be a significant boss. Using this seasoning causes the "region" affected by Lionel's regional effects to be an entire kingdom, empire, or whatever else you want to put him in charge of.

More Resources

Pairs Well With

Circus Investigation

Dark Continent by Tabletopaudio.com

The Fight

Cry Havoc by Tabletopaudio.com

Variations

A Bit More Grounded

Lionel: Less Sentient, no whips, no kidnappings, no monocle.
Strongmen: Lionesses, "Toss" becomes "Drag Away" (the females are the hunters after all).
Acrobats: Younger lions, same stats, no 10ft reach.
Firebreathers: Diseased lions, same stats, acid damage instead of fire.