Interesting NPC: Liatha Galanodel
"Assassin Elf" by Bob Greyvenstein
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Medium Humanoid (Elf), Chaotic Neutral
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Armor Class 15 (Studded Leather)
Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
Speed 30 ft.
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STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 16 (+3)
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Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4
Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +3, Perception +3, Stealth +9
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Thieves' Cant, Common, Elven
Damage Resistances Poison
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
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Special Equipment. Liatha carries two magic Scimitars of Wounding
which she also keeps coated with a potent poison.
Assassinate. During her first turn, Liatha has advantage on attack rolls
against any creature that hasn't taken a turn. Any hit she scores against
a surprised creature is a critical hit.
Evasion. If Liatha is subjected to an effect that allows her to make a
Dexterity saving throw to only take half damage, she instead takes
no damage if she succeeds on the saving throw, and only half
damage if she fails.
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, Liatha deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage
when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on
the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Liatha
that isn't incapacitated and she doesn't have disadvantage on the
attack roll.
Animal Companion. Liatha is bonded to Brixos, her raven, which is
her animal companion. Brixos acts on its own initiative, but otherwise
obeys Liatha's commands. As a bonus action, Liatha can command
Brixos to use its reaction to take the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or
Help action.
Actions
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Multiattack. Liatha makes two scimitar attacks
Scimitar of Wounding. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3), slashing damage, and the target must
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. Additionally, once per turn, when Liatha hits a creature with
an attack using this magic weapon, you can wound the target. At
the start of each of the wounded creature's turns, it takes 1d4
necrotic damage for each time you've wounded it, and it can then
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, ending the effect of all
such wounds on itself on a success. Alternatively, the wounded
creature, or a creature within 5 feet of it, can use an action to make
a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, ending the effect of such
wounds on it on a success.
History. Liatha is somewhat of a tragic figure. She spent quite a few
years during her formative time in an orphanage, and when she was
barely old enough, she was snatched up by a wealthy benefactor
who would turn out to be head of a local Assassin's Guild called
The Grimfellows. Liatha was trained at extreme levels of difficulty,
The Grimfellows wishing to weed out the weak, but Liatha prevailed.
Eventually, she was accepted into the Grimfellow ranks, and began
fulfilling contracts from her employers, enjoying privileges and
riches she'd never known as an orphan, but living a dark life in
the shadows. She began to feel hollow and empty, and during an
attempt on a very powerful wizard's life with a group of other
assassins, Liatha was magically petrified for hundreds of years after
the wizard smashed a powerful magic amulet against a rock wall.
When she emerged from her magical petrification, she discovered
everything she had known was mostly gone. Vegetation and trees
had grown up around her in the ruins of the wizard's tower, and
for the first time in a very long time, she felt like a real Elf. She no
longer felt hollow, away from the cities and the murder. She kept
to herself, living as one with nature, and befriending animals. She
bonded with a raven and named it Brixos, and honed her skills in
the wilderness. That's when Liatha learned some of her former
Grimfellows had also survived the petrification, and that the guild
had become very strong. The Grimfellows never let you out once
they let you in, and when Brixos warned her that she had cloaked,
armored visitors encroaching on her territory, she knew they had
come for her. She dispatched the assassins with her poisoned
magical scimitars but knew the Grimfellows would keep coming.
So, now, she's taking the fight to them.
Description. Liatha is tall for an Elf, and very stoic. She has long
blonde hair when not worn up or under a mask or helmet, and
is very lithe and agile. She has piercing eyes and is often seen
in recent days wearing shades of green to blend in with the
forest. Formerly, she would almost always wear black.
Roleplaying Liatha. Liatha is no stranger to socializing. To be a
successful assassin, she had to mingle and schmooze with the
best of them. If she's quiet, she's more how she actually wishes
to be. If she's talkative and engaging, she's usually doing it on
purpose to learn what she can about you. Liatha has a certain
respect for those with combat aptitude. She's distrustful of
magic users and now very wary of their abilities. In battle, she
will almost always strike hard and fast and make sure the spell-
casters go down first and then take time with the martial types.
If the players end up being involved in taking down an assassin's
guild, Liatha would be perfect to accompany them (just switch out
the name of the guild to the one you're using). She wants to take
out the head of The Grimfellows to make them stop coming after
her. Liatha is very good at subterfuge and reconnaissance and she
always has her ear to the ground. Even with time having passed
her by, Liatha is very adaptive and so she's learned a lot about the
city and the guild's role in it in modern times. If the PCs are sent by
The Grimfellows or another assassin's guild to stop her, she will
show no mercy. Her wilderness home is booby-trapped and she
will inflict as much damage as possible before vanishing. She's not
stupid, in the least.
Anyway, we hope you will enjoy having Liatha pop up in your one-
shot or campaign. Maybe she'll even inspire an NPC of your own.
Let us know what you think of her in the comments below! - Joe