Festung Apprentice (NPC)

Medium humanoid 2,300 XP

AC 12 (15 with mage armor )

HP 67 (9d8 + 27; bloodied 33)

Speed 30 ft.

Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 13

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4

Skills Arcana +6 (+1d4), History +6, Investigation +6, Perception +4

Senses passive Perception 14

Languages any three

Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). They have the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): fire bolt , light , mage hand , prestidigitation , void maw

1st-level (4 slots): detect magic , identify , mage armor , shield

2nd-level (3 slots): alter self , misty step

3rd-level (3 slots): animate dead , counterspell , fireball

4th-level (3 slots): conjure minor elementals , greater invisibility

5th-level (1 slot): cone of cold

Festung Apprentice. You learn the void maw cantrip. In addition, when you use rapid summoning to conjure a creature you can do so with only 2 rounds of casting (instead of 1d4+1 rounds). With their new master’s help, these spellcasters are able to summon minor psychic elementals using 4th-level spell slots.

ACTIONS

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Fire Bolt (Cantrip; V, S). Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) fire damage.

Fireball (3rd-Level; V, S, M). Fire streaks from the mage to a point within 120 feet and explodes in a 20-foot radius, spreading around corners. Each creature in the area makes a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw , taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save or half damage on a success.

Greater Invisibility (4th-Level; V, S, Concentration). The mage or a creature they touch is invisible for 1 minute.

Cone of Cold (5th-Level; V, S, M). Frost blasts from the mage in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in the area makes a DC 17 Constitution saving throw , taking 36 (8d8) cold damage on a failure or half damage on a success. 

BONUS ACTIONS

Misty Step (2nd-Level; V). The mage teleports to an unoccupied space they can see within 30 feet. The mage can’t cast this spell and a 1st-level or higher spell on the same turn.

REACTIONS

Counterspell (3rd-Level; S). When a creature the mage can see within 60 feet casts a spell, the mage attempts to interrupt it. If the creature is casting a 2nd-level spell or lower, the spell fails. If the creature is casting a 3rd-level or higher spell, the mage makes an Intelligence check against a DC of 10 + the spell’s level. On a success, the spell fails, and the spellcasting creature can use its reaction to try to cast a second spell with the same casting time so long as it uses a spell slot level equal to or less than half the original spell slot. If the mage casts counterspell with a higher spell slot, the interrupted spell fails if its level is less than that of counterspell.

Shield (1st-Level; V, S). When the mage is hit by an attack or targeted by magic missile , they gain a +5 bonus to AC (including against the triggering attack) and immunity to magic missile. These benefits last until the start of their next turn.