Halaster, the Mad Mage of
Undermountain, is the deranged individual behind most of the traps and horrors found in the great dungeon under
Waterdeep. Undermountain is his home, an amusement gallery in which others perform to entertain him.
The Mad Mage knows the ever-changing ways of Undermountain as no one else does, for he is the one who controls those changes. He prefers to remain unseen, skulking about invisibly or peering through scrying sensors that resemble wide-open eyes surrounded by sparkling motes of light.
Halaster’s abilities far exceed those of most mortal wizards. His expertise with magic gates allows him to travel far and wide to engage in magical research. He spends much of his time creating gates, moving them around, and casting elder runes on them. Halaster’s gates connect the different levels of Undermountain, thus enabling him to bring new monsters into the dungeon to replenish those that die or escape. Even as groups of adventurers try to gain decisive control of just a small section of Undermountain’s halls, Halaster constantly alters the dungeon’s perils to thwart them.
Halaster’s true form is that of a tall, gaunt, male
human, but he uses magic to take on many other visages and shapes. No matter what form he wears, the Mad Mage giggles and mutters incessantly. Contrary to appearances, however, Halaster is alert and attentive to the activities and preparations of all beings near him. He never willingly enters combat without first casting
mage armor and
mind blank on himself.
Halaster Blackcloak CR: 23 (50,000 XP)
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil
Hit Points: 246 (29d8 + 116)
Speed:
30 ft
Saving Throws: Int +14, Wis +11
Skills: Arcana +21, History +21, Perception +11
Damage Resistances: Fire, Lightning
Senses: Truesight 120 feet, Passive Perception 21
Languages: Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, Infernal, Undercommon
Challenge Rating: 23 (50,000 XP)
Special Equipment. Halaster wears a robe of eyes and a horned ring. He wields a blast scepter.
Arcane Recovery (1/Day). When he finishes a short rest, Halaster recovers all his spell slots of 5th level and lower.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Halaster fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Master of Undermountain. While in Undermountain, Halaster can cause one of the following effects as a bonus action:
- Halaster targets a volume of unoccupied space or solid stone no larger than four 10-foot cubes within 30 feet of him, turning the open space to solid, worked stone or vice versa.
- Halaster causes one door or archway within 30 feet of him to disappear and be replaced by a blank wall, or he restores a door or an archway previously removed in this way
- Halaster deactivates or reactivates one of Undermountain’s magic gates. The gate must be within 120 feet of him.
Rejuvenation. If Halaster dies in Undermountain, he revives after 1d10 days, with all his hit points and any missing body parts restored. His new body appears in a random safe location in Undermountain.
Spellcasting. Halaster is a 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit with spell attacks). He can cast
disguise self and
invisibility at will. He can cast
fly and
lightning bolt once each without expending a spell slot, but can't do so again until he finishes a short or long rest. Halaster has the following wizard spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation
- 1st level (4 slots): mage armor, magic missile, shield, silent image
- 2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, cloud of daggers, darkvision, knock
- 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
- 4th level (3 slots): confusion, hallucinatory terrain, polymorph
- 5th level (3 slots): Bigby's hand, geas, wall of force
- 6th level (2 slots): chain lightning, globe of invulnerability, programmed illusion
- 7th level (2 slots): finger of death, symbol, teleport
- 8th level (1 slot): maze, mind blank
- 9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm, wish
Actions
Blast Scepter. Halaster uses his blast scepter to cast thunderwave as a 4th-level spell (save DC 16).
Legendary Actions
Halaster 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. Halaster regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Cast Spell. Halaster casts a spell of 3rd level or lower.
Spell Ward (Costs 2 Actions). Halaster expends a spell slot of 4th level or lower and gains 5 temporary hit points per level of the slot.
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