The Lord of Envy

The Lord of Envy

Garlgax, the Lord of Envy, was once a drow prince named Gar'zax of House Doomthron, one of the great noble houses of Darkonglaxsti. Born a male within a cruel and rigid matriarchal society, Gar'zax entered life with few expectations placed upon him. Yet from an early age he possessed gifts that set him apart from his peers. He was intelligent, ambitious, and unusually favored by fate. More importantly, he shared a bond with his sister Dalth'zala that bordered upon obsession. The two were inseparable throughout their youth, and she remained the only being Gar'zax ever truly loved.

Both children were selected for the priesthood while still young and admitted into the Novitiate Order. For Dalth'zala, advancement was expected. For Gar'zax, it was extraordinary. Males rarely rose beyond the lowest ranks of the priesthood, yet both siblings displayed remarkable talent and devotion. Together they advanced into the Numerary Order, a distinction that brought them prestige and influence within Darkonglaxsti.

Their ambitions grew with their accomplishments. Both set their sights upon the Theocratic Order, the highest rank of the priesthood and the true rulers of drow society. Such an achievement was nearly unheard of for a male, but Gar'zax refused to believe the barriers that constrained others applied to him. His sister encouraged this belief, and his growing power as a priest seemed to justify it. His confidence was strengthened further by the fact that his mother, Lex'gora, stood among the highest-ranking priestesses of the entire Order. Gar'zax became convinced that his ascension was inevitable.

For years he devoted himself to study, prayer, and intrigue. By day he immersed himself in sacred learning beneath the earth. By night he spent countless hours cavorting with Dalth'zala, sharing forbidden love and the dreams of the power they would someday wield together.

When the day of elevation finally arrived, Gar'zax entered the ceremony expecting vindication. Before a gathered assembly, the names of the new Theocrats were announced. He listened with pride as Dalth'zala's name was called. Then he waited for his own.

It never came.

The ceremony ended. The honors were bestowed. Gar'zax stood forgotten among the crowd.

That night Dalth'zala came to comfort her brother. She found not the devoted companion of her youth, but a man consumed by humiliation. In a fit of jealous rage, Gar'zax struck her from behind and strangled her to death. In a single moment he murdered the only creature he had ever loved, not because she had wronged him, but because she possessed what he believed should have been his.

With his sister dead and his future ruined, Gar'zax turned his bitterness outward. He blamed his mother. He blamed the Theocrats. He blamed the Dark Serpent Goddess he had served faithfully throughout his life. Rather than accept his own failure, he convinced himself that he had been cheated. He swore vengeance against House Doomthron and vowed to tear down the priesthood that had denied him.

Fleeing Darkonglaxsti, he sought refuge in the nearby settlement of Ruthless, a sinister place haunted by squid-headed abominations the drow called Mind Flayers, their dreaded enemies. There he forged an alliance with Doolth, a powerful priest among those fell beings. Renouncing both his family and his faith, Gar'zax abandoned his former identity and took the name Garlgax. At Doolth's urging, he embraced the worship of Vornoth, the Walker-in-Darkness, and discovered that his new faith granted him powers he had never possessed before.

Armed with these dark gifts and supported by his monstrous allies, Garlgax launched a savage assault upon House Doomthron. His own mother fell beneath his wrath, along with many members of his bloodline. For a brief time it seemed his revenge would be complete.

Then the Theocrats intervened.

The drow priesthood shattered his rebellion and left him mortally wounded. Garlgax escaped only by fleeing back to Ruthless. There, weakened and vulnerable, he discovered the true nature of his allies. The squid-headed abominations immediately turned upon him, eager to destroy the pawn they no longer needed.

Only Doolth remained loyal. Claiming to have received a vision from Vornoth himself, the dark priest entrusted Garlgax with the infamous Amulet of Evernight and guided him through hidden tunnels deep beneath the world. At a secret meeting place, Doolth's vision proved true. Waiting there were agents of the Dweller in the Wintervale. Without hesitation, the abomination-priest surrendered Garlgax into their custody.

What followed remains hidden behind the shadows of the Nameless City. Garlgax remembered little of his years there. Fragments of memory survived, but much of his former life was stripped away, twisted, or remade. Whatever entered the city was not the same being that eventually emerged.

When he returned, he was no longer merely a bitter drow prince. He had become the Lord of Envy.

During the Dark Conquest, Garlgax led the successful invasion of Orland and established himself as ruler of the conquered kingdom. There he found satisfaction in spreading misery among those who possessed what he never could. Chief among these objects of envy were the surface races themselves. The freedom of the open sky, the warmth of the sun, and the simple joys of life above ground became constant reminders of what lay forever beyond his reach. Unable to enjoy such blessings himself, Garlgax dedicated much of his existence to ensuring that others enjoyed them as little as possible.

Garlgax stands six feet, one inch tall and possesses the ebony skin and silver hair common to the drow race. He is lean, weighing roughly one hundred and seventy-five pounds. His voice is high, sharp, and perpetually tinged with spite. He is a master schemer, preferring manipulation, betrayal, and corruption to open confrontation. When nervous or deep in thought, he habitually twirls strands of his silver hair between his fingers, a small remnant of the prince he once was.

Unlike many villains driven by hatred, Garlgax is motivated by something far smaller and far more poisonous. He cannot bear to see others possess what he lacks. Every accomplishment becomes an insult. Every joy becomes an affront. Every success enjoyed by another feels like a theft from himself. Thus he embodies envy in its purest form: a soul so consumed by resentment that it would rather destroy happiness than endure another's possession of it.



The Lord of Envy

Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil


Armor Class   18 (scale mail and shield)
Hit Points   180 (18d8+54)
Speed   30 ft.


STR  14 (+2)   DEX  16 (+3)   CON  17 (+3)   INT  16 (+3)   WIS  20 (+5)   CHR  17 (+3)


Saving Throws   Con +8, Wis +10, Chr +8
Skills   Insight +10, Perception +10, Persuasion +8, Religion +10, Stealth +8
Senses   Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages   Dark Speech, Elven, Kingdom Common, Mordularian
Challenge   15 (13,000 XP)


Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the Lord of Envy fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Fey Ancestry. The Lord of Envy has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep.

Amulet of Evernight. The Lord of Envy wears the artifact the Amulet of Evernight (randomly determine its beneficial and detrimental effects).

Innate Spellcasting. The Lord of Envy's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights
1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)

Spellcasting. The Lord of Envy is an 18th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The Lord of Envy has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, poison spray, resistance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bless, command, inflict wounds, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, spiritual weapon
3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic, protection from energy
4th level (3 slots): banishment, divination, freedom of movement
5th level (3 slots): flame strike, insect plague, mass cure wounds
6th level (1 slots): harm
7th level (1 slots): fire storm
8th level (1 slots): antimagic field
9th level (1 slots): mass heal

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in Sunlight and not wearing the Amulet of Evernight (which he generally wears all the time), the Lord of Envy has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions


Multiattack. The Lord of Envy makes two Drow War Gauntlet attacks.

Drow War Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing and slashing damage. A drow war gauntlet is a leather glove attached to the wearer's hand. As a free action on its turn, the wearer can use a hidden button to extend the jagged hooks and blades of the gauntlet.

Hand crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Summon Demon (1/Day). The Lord of Envy attempts to magically summon a yochlol with a 40 percent chance of success. If the attempt fails, the Lord of Envy takes 6 (1d12) psychic damage. Otherwise, the summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the Lord of Envy, acts as an ally of the Lord of Envy, and can't summon other demons. It remains for 10 minutes, until the Lord of Envy dies, or until the Lord of Envy dismisses it as an action.

Legendary Actions


The Lord of Envy can take three 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. The Lord of Envy regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. The Lord of Envy can't use the same legendary action two turns in a row.

Instill Envy. The Lord of Envy causes a strong feeling of Envy to afflict an enemy within 30 feet that he can see. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw DC 18 or become strongly envious of a random ally and, in a jealous rage, use an action to make a melee or ranged attack against that ally. If the target can't use a melee or ranged attack to attack the ally, it does nothing this turn.

Attack. The Lord of Envy makes a Drow War Gauntlet or Hand crossbow attack.

Cantrip. The Lord of Envy casts an at-will spell.

Lair Actions


The Lord of Envy is often found in his stronghold in Orland City. Creatures that live in the half-mile around his lair tend to grow sensitive to bright light. They also become more covetous and possessive. If he is in his lair, the Lord of Envy has a challenge rating of 16 (15,000 xps). On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Lord of Envy can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. The Lord of Envy can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.