Lord Noctis — The Bat Lord

Born in absolute darkness three centuries ago, Noctis was the runt of his clutch, rejected by his own kind for his unusual intelligence and obsession with mapping rather than hunting. Determined to prove his worth, he spent decades navigating the labyrinthine caverns beneath the western forests, discovering that the stone itself seemed to whisper secrets to those patient enough to listen. His breakthrough came when he realized these caves weren't random—they formed an ancient network deliberately engineered by a long-extinct civilization, with passages that threaded through the very foundations of kingdoms above. Noctis consolidated power by uniting the scattered bat colonies under his vision, teaching them to guard these tunnels as treasures beyond measure, for control of the underground meant control of knowledge itself. His dynasty has since grown into a shadow empire, with agents positioned throughout the cave network, listening to merchant caravans, intercepting correspondence, and watching the movements of armies before anyone topside even suspects trouble. Now, Lord Noctis rules from a crystalline throne carved from the heart of the deepest chamber, his golden eyes reflecting the bioluminescent fungi that illuminate his domain, ever watchful for those foolish enough to seek the secrets his family has spent centuries collecting.

Strength

14, modifier 2

Dexterity

18, modifier 4

Constitution

20, modifier 5

Intelligence

20, modifier 5

Wisdom

16, modifier 3

Charisma

18, modifier 4

Shadow Strike

Make a melee weapon attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 4 necrotic damage.

Echoing Secrets

Choose one creature within 60 ft. to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take 4d8 psychic damage and are frightened until the end of their next turn.

Cave Collapse

Create a localized cave-in in a 20 ft. radius. Creatures in the area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 6d10 bludgeoning damage and be restrained until the end of their next turn.

Summon Shadows

As an action, summon 2d4 shadowy minions that fight for you for 1 minute. They have 10 HP and deal 1d6 necrotic damage on a hit.

Cave Whisperer

Noctis can hear and understand whispers from the stone, gaining advantage on Intelligence checks related to knowledge of the underground.

Shadow Empire

Noctis can summon 1d4 bat minions as a bonus action, which act on his initiative.

strength

8

dexterity

10

intelligence

11

wisdom

9

constitution

11

charisma

10

Necrotic

Poison