Master of Souls
Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus p. 234
- Size
- Medium
- Type
- humanoid (human)
- Alignment
- neutral evil
- AC
- 12
- Hit Points
- 45 (6d8+18)
- Speed
- walk 30 ft.
- Saving Throws
- Wis +4
- Skills
- Arcana +6, Religion +6
- Passive Perception
- 12
- Languages
- Abyssal, Common, Infernal
- Challenge
- 4
Traits
Grave Magic
When the master of souls cast a spell that deals damage, it can change the spell's damage type to necrotic.
Spellcasting
The master of souls is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): chill touch (see "Actions" below), mage hand, message, prestidigitation
- 1st level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, ray of sickness (see "Actions" below), shield
- 2nd level (3 slots): darkness, misty step, scorching ray (see "Actions" below)
- 3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, fireball
Actions
Multiattack
The master of souls attacks twice with its flail.
Silvered Skull Flail
Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage, and the target has disadvantage on all saving throws until the end of the master of souls' next turn.
Chill Touch (Cantrip)
Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8) necrotic damage, and the target can't regain hit points until the start of the master of souls' next turn.
If the target is undead, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against the master of souls for the same duration.
Ray of Sickness (1st-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot)
Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of the master of souls' next turn.
If the master of souls casts this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
Scorching Ray (2nd-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot)
Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft., one target per ray (3 rays if a 2nd-level spell slot is used, 4 rays if a 3rd-level spell slot is used). 7 (2d6) fire damage per ray.
Spells
chill touch, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, burning hands, detect magic, ray of sickness, shield, darkness, misty step, scorching ray, animate dead, fireball
Spell Slots
0,4,3,2
Other data
description
The Dead Three are evil adventurers named Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul who long ago quested to become gods. They succeeded but grew even more ambitious. They tried to seize the Tablets of Fate from the overgod Ao and use them to rule over Faerûn and its gods. They failed and were slain during the Time of Troubles. Since then, a variety of contingency plans they had in place allowed them to be reborn.
While the Sundering saw the other gods of the Forgotten Realms withdraw their direct influence from the world, the Dead Three remained behind in mortal form as quasi-divine beings. While their power has diminished, they remain a formidable trio and play a malevolent role in influencing events on Faerûn.
Myrkul and his followers: Myrkul is the Lord of Bones, claiming power over corpses and souls. His cultists are those who seek to claim lore, power, and even fealty from the deceased.
Myrkul has the power to call forth the soul of any slain creature and bind it into a wax skull. Myrkul can use this ability only if he claims some part of a creature's physical body, grinds it up, and creates a skull that includes the resulting dust. So long as the soul remains inside the skull, the skull's eye sockets burn with cold blue flames. While the skull is intact, Myrkul can compel the soul trapped within to answer his questions and share its knowledge. The skull degrades with each service rendered, eventually collapsing and releasing the soul. The soul can also be released by dousing the wax skull with holy water.
Myrkul is calculating, distant, and self-centered. He cares only for the acquisition of knowledge and finds that managing the daily affairs of life is at best a tedious distraction. He is happiest when surrounded by his tomes of lore and the undead he has called forth to do his bidding.
Those who follow Myrkul are either wizards or those who seek to master the necromantic arts.
Delvers into Lore: Cultists of Myrkul study rituals that allow them to force the souls of the dead into service, compelling them to answer questions and share forgotten lore. They seek out arcane secrets in ancient ruins, and attempt to steal spellbooks and other tomes from wizards outside of the cult.
Cult Ranks: A follower of Myrkul wields a flail that has a skull replacing the normal flail's striking head. Necromites are initiates who have not yet mastered arcane magic and rely on their flails in battle. Skull lashers are spellcasters who use magic to augment their combat abilities. The Masters of Souls delve deep into Myrkul's secrets, allowing them to animate the dead and perform other grave magic.