Death Tyrant

The Pale Dreamer

A large floating skull, with one large single eye and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. The central eye hole glows red, and spectral points of red light float around the creature.

Death tyrants were an undead form of beholder, similar to zombies, that retained some innate magical abilities. They were often used by powerful wizards as guardians. They were almost never encountered near other beholders, who found them abhorrent.

“ A cluster of tiny lights descended from a dark crevice in the ceiling. These motes cast an eerie glow on the great, alien skull that hung beneath them. ”

— From the journal of Jastus Hollowquill, explorer of Undermountain.

On rare occasions, a beholder's sleeping mind drifts to places beyond its normal madness, imagining a reality in which it exists beyond death. When such dreams take hold, a beholder can transform, its flesh sloughing away to leave a death tyrant behind. This monster possesses the cunning and much of the magic it had in life, but it is fueled by the power of undeath. A death tyrant appears as a massive, naked skull, with a pinpoint of red light gleaming in its hollow eye socket. With its eyestalks rotted away, ten spectral eyes hover above the creature and glare in all directions.
Deathly Despot. As they did when they were beholders, death tyrants lord their power over other creatures. Moreover, a beholder's ability to quash magical energy with its central eye gives way to a more sinister power in a death tyrant, which can transform former slaves and enemies into undead servants. Zombies created by a death tyrant are used and discarded as needed. They stand guard at the entrances to the death tyrant's lair or guard its treasure vaults.
Acting as bait for traps or as combat fodder, zombies keep powerful enemies distracted while the death tyrant moves into position and prepares to destroy them.
Armies of the Dead. A death tyrant that embraces undeath becomes an engine of destruction. Driven by a hunger for power and security, it advances against humanoid settlements, using its eye rays to destroy every creature it encounters, then building an army of undead. If left unchecked, a death tyrant might wipe out the population of a city in weeks, then set its undead eye on wider conquest. As each settlement falls, the death tyrant's zombie forces build to overwhelming numbers.
Undead Nature. A death tyrant doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

The Menagerie fought one in the crypts under Outding Refuge Church.

— Session 62: The Dead Beholder Report

Basic Information

Anatomy

A death tyrant was the result of a beholder's mad dreams of existing beyond death. On the rare occasion in which such dreams took hold of a live beholder, its flesh rotted away, and a naked skull with spectral points of red light for eyes would emerge. A death tyrant held much of the powers of the original beholder, now fueled by the power of Undeath.
Although somewhat similar to a zombie, a death tyrant was a much more powerful creature, that continued to lord over others the same way beholders did. On the other hand, a true beholder zombie was the result of the necromantic reanimation of a dead beholder, and although a formidable foe, was a considerably weaker creature and a mindless servant.

Varieties

Kasharin were death tyrants who had been raised from the bodies of beholders infected with the beholder-contagion malohurr. Though their abilities and behavior largely paralleled that of regular death tyrants, kasharin carried a highly contagious disease similar to mummy rot that slowly killed whatever creature they touched.

Ecology and Habitats

The ritual to create a death tyrant was quite elaborate and the components required for it would typically cost around 3,000 gp. Elder orbs and beholder mages were both known to be capable of casting a spell that would transform dead beholders into death tyrants. They were also known to have a unique spell that would override the orders given to a death tyrant.
Death tyrants were capable of being magically bound to items by wizards, forcing them to obey the commands of whoever wields it. In a similar fashion, they could be bound to obey those who spoke a specific code-word, but this was considered faulty by comparison.

Behaviour

Death tyrants retained enough of their intelligence to be capable of performing complex commands. When not taking orders or if faced with a situation that was not detailed in their orders, they would attempt to destroy any living creature that wasn't expressly identified as off-limits.
If an accident was made during their creation, death tyrants were known to go into a "rogue" state. Death tyrants in such a state were incapable of being commanded by any means, even by spells.

Combat

Unlike the gaze of a beholder, which disabled any magic where a beholder was looking, a Death Tyrant's gaze caused recovery to become impossible. Healing magic ceased to work, wounds failed to heal themselves, the very essence of life was gone in anything under the view of a Death Tyrant.
As creatures with the powers of necromancy, death tyrants could summon undead. However, unlike human necromancers who could at best summon a few hundred undead with intense concentration, a Death Tyrant could summon as many zombies as it pleased without effort.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Harvesting

Instructions

Instructions: Because this creature is an Undead, the player should roll a Arcana Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.

Type: Undead
Skill: Arcana

DC	Item	Description	Value	Weight	Expiration	Crafting
15	Death Tyrant Teeth	The teeth of a Death Tyrant are strong and sharp. The teeth can be used in bone crafts, decorations, jewelry and small weapons. Weaponsmiths often decorate hilts, or line blades with these teeth.	500 gp	15 lb.	∞	Greataxe +2
25	Death Tyrant Eyel	The Death Tyrants eye resonates with negative energy, and is prized by magic users for it's arcane properties.	3500 gp	20 lb.	2 days	Negative Energy Crystal (HHH)

Most Crafting Items have an acronym associated with it, such as "DMG". These acronyms refer to specific guide Books. For example, "DMG" refers to the "Dungeon Master's Guide". The acronyms for HHH and HHH2 refer to Hamund's Harvesting Handbook, a homebrew harvesting guide that offers a variety of homebrew (not official) magic items.

This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists.
This creature produces no Harvested Meat.

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Sources

Source(s):

• 1. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 27–29. ISBN 978-0786965614.
• 2. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 309–310. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
• 3. Ed Greenwood (1990). Lost Ships. Edited by Jennell Jaquays, Anne Brown. (TSR, Inc.), p. 84. ISBN 0-88038-831-5.
• 4. Richard Baker, James Jacobs, and Steve Winter (April 2005). Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-3657-6.
• 5. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 315–316. ISBN 978-0786965614.
• 6. Aaron Allston (1996). I, Tyrant. (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-7869-0404-6.
• 7. Aaron Allston (1996). I, Tyrant. (TSR, Inc.), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-0404-6.
• 8. Aaron Allston (1996). I, Tyrant. (TSR, Inc.), p. 35. ISBN 0-7869-0404-6.
• 9. Aaron Allston (1996). I, Tyrant. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 34–35. ISBN 0-7869-0404-6.
• 10. Aaron Allston (1996). I, Tyrant. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 15, 80. ISBN 0-7869-0404-6.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Beholder
• Undeads

Scientific Name

Exnihilia, Inmortui, Animatum, Sceletus (Oculus tyrannus, Beholder)

Origin/Ancestry

Undead (Corporeal Skeleton | Skull, Beholder)

Lifespan

Undead

Conservation Status

None. Most civilized nations outlaw such necromancy and request a "kill on sight" to all such undead. This is also considered an Invasive species: Beholders are not native to most worlds, and they can often disrupt the natural balance of an ecosystem. As such, they are often hunted and killed by creatures that see them as a threat.

Average Height

10 - 12 feet tall (some up to 15+)

Average Weight

several tons

Geographic Distribution

• Underdark
• Underdark Terrain
• Underground Terrain

Related Ethnicities

• Undead Creatures

5E Statistics
Crystal FlameSkull

Size	Large
Type	Undead
Alignment	Lawful Evil
Challenge Rating	14 (15 in its lair)

General Information

Vision	Darkvision
Activity Cycle	Any
Diet	None
Language(s)	Deep Speech, Undercommon
Favored climate	Any
Favored terrain	Any, Space

Session Reports

• Session 61: Back to the Crypt, Again Report
• Session 62: The Dead Beholder Report

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Monster Manual, page 29

Death Tyrant CR: 14 or 15 when encountered in lair

Large undead, lawful evil

Armor Class: 19 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 187 (25d10+50)

Speed: 0 ft , can hover

STR

10 +0

DEX

14 +2

CON

14 +2

INT

19 +4

WIS

15 +2

CHA

19 +4

Saving Throws: STR +5, CON +7, INT +9, WIS +7, CHA +9

Skills: Proficiency Bonus +5, Perception +12

Damage Immunities: poison

Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone

Senses: Darkvision 120 ft, Passive Perception 22

Languages: Deep Speech, Undercommon

Challenge Rating: 14 or 15 when encountered in lair

Negative Energy Cone. The death tyrant's central eye emits an invisible, magical 150-foot cone of negative energy. At the start of each of its turns, the tyrant decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone is active. Any creature in that area can't regain hit points. Any humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie under the tyrant's command. The dead humanoid retains its place in the initiative order and animates at the start of its next turn, provided that its body hasn't been completely destroyed.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage.
Eye Rays. The death tyrant shoots three of the following magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it:
1. Charm Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the death tyrant for 1 hour, or until the death tyrant harms the creature.
2. Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
3. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
4. Slowing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target's speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
5. Enervation Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
6. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or the death tyrant moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. It is restrained by the ray's telekinetic grip until the start of the death tyrant's next turn or until the death tyrant is incapacitated. If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds or less that isn't being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30 feet in any direction. The death tyrant can also exert fine control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a simple tool or opening a door or a container.
7. Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and undead.
8. Petrification Ray. The targeted creature must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
9. Disintegration Ray. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine gray dust. If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of magical force, this ray disintegrates a 10-foot cube of it.
10. Death Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 0 hit points.
The death tyrant can't repeat an effect until all three have been used, and it can't use the same effect on consecutive rounds.

Legendary Actions

The death tyrant can take 3 legendary actions, using the Eye Ray option below. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The tyrant regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. 
Eye Ray. The death tyrant uses one random eye ray.

Regional Effects

A region containing a death tyrant's lair is warped by the creature's unnatural presence, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Creatures within 1 mile of the tyrant's lair sometimes feel as if they're being watched even when they aren't.
• When a creature hostile to the tyrant and aware of its existence finishes a long rest within 1 mile of the tyrant's lair, roll a d20 for that creature. On a roll of 10 or lower, the creature is subjected to one random eye ray of the tyrant.

If the death tyrant dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.

Suggested Environments

Underdark