b'The Desiccated One \n'b'  Medium   fey ,  chaotic neutral  \n'b'  Armor Class  16 (natural armor)  Hit Points  85 (10d8 + 40)  Speed  30 ft.\n'b' STATS STR: 19 (+4) DEX:  14 (+2)  CON:  18 (+4)  INT:  17 (+3)  WIS:  13 (+1)  CHA:  18 (+4)  \n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'  Saving Throws   Dex  +5,  Wis  +4,  Cha  +7  Skills   Deception  +7,  Insight  +4,  Perception  +4  Damage Resistances  acid, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with cold iron weapons  Damage Immunities  fire  Condition Immunities   charmed ,  frightened   Senses   darkvision  60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive  Perception  14  Languages  Trade Tongue, Elvish, Infernal, Umbral  Challenge  8 (3,900 XP) \n'b' SPECIAL TRAITS \n'b'\n'b'  Legendary Resistance (3/Day) . If the Desiccated one fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. \n'b'  Rejuvenation . If killed in a desert, the Desiccated one\xe2\x80\x99s body reforms from the desert sands in 24 hours, regaining all his  hit points  and becoming active again. His new body appears anywhere within the desert confines of his realm. Only the complete removal of his body from the desert prevents this trait from functioning. \n'b'  Sand Stride . The Desiccated one can burrow through nonmagical sand at his walking speed. While doing so, he doesn\xe2\x80\x99t disturb the material he moves through. In addition,  difficult terrain  composed of sand doesn\xe2\x80\x99t cost him extra movement. \n'b'\n'b' ACTIONS \n'b'\n'b'  Multiattack . The Desiccated one makes two attacks. \n'b'  Desiccating Fist .  Melee Weapon Attack : +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.  Hit : 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14  Constitution  saving throw or become cursed with the Desiccated one\xe2\x80\x99s desiccation. While cursed, the target can\xe2\x80\x99t regain  hit points , and its  hp  maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target\xe2\x80\x99s  hp  maximum to 0, the target dies, and it rises 10 minutes later as an apaxrusl under the Desiccated one\xe2\x80\x99s control. The curse lasts until removed by the  remove curse  spell or similar magic. \n'b'  Searing Sand Bolt .  Ranged Spell Attack : +7 to hit, range 120 ft., one target.  Hit : 14 (4d6) fire damage. \n'b'  Engulfing Sand Wave (Recharge 5-6) . The Desiccated one releases a wave of rippling sand. Each creature within 20 feet of the Desiccated one must make a DC 15  Dexterity  saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and is forced  prone  and buried. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn\xe2\x80\x99t forced  prone  or buried. The buried target is  restrained  and unable to breathe or stand up. A creature, including the target, can take an action to make a DC 15  Strength  check, ending the buried state on a success. The area becomes  difficult terrain . \n'b'\n'b' LEGENDARY ACTIONS \n'b' The Desiccated one can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature\xe2\x80\x99s turn. The Desiccated one regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn. \n'b'\n'b'  Move . The Desiccated one moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. \n'b'  Desiccating Touch (Costs 2 Actions) . The Desiccated one uses his Desiccating Touch. \n'b'  Blinding Sandstorm (Costs 3 Actions) . The Desiccated one creates a whirling sandstorm in a 10-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point he can see within 60 feet of him. When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must succeed on a DC 15  Dexterity  saving throw or be  blinded  for 1 minute. Flying creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw. A  blinded  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The sandstorm lasts for 1 minute, until the Desiccated one uses this legendary action again, or until the Desiccated one dies. \n'b'\n'b' REGIONAL EFFECTS \n'b' The desert creeps along with the Desiccated one wherever he goes, which creates one or more of the following effects: \n'b'\n'b' Sandstorms are common within 6 miles of the Desiccated one \n'b' If the Desiccated one spends 24 hours within 1 mile of a plant that is not acclimated to surviving in the desert, the plant wilts and dies at the end of the 24 hours \n'b' If the Desiccated one spends 1 week within 1 mile of an oasis pond or small lake, the body of water dries up at the end of the week \n'b' If the Desiccated one spends 1 month within 1 mile of a non-desert biome, the biome becomes a desert at the end of the month. \n'b'\n'b' If the Desiccated one dies, plants that died don\xe2\x80\x99t return to life, but the other effects fade over the course of 1d10 days. \n'b' ABOUT \n'b' Once a powerful and well-to-do  fey lord , the Desiccated one had aspirations that were too high for his abilities. When his coup against a fey lady failed, the Desiccated one was stripped of his power and banished into the desert, where the lady believed he would perish. Weakened and dying, the Desiccated one reached deep within the wastelands around him, tying the power of the ley lines he found there to the very fiber of his being. While the effort twisted and marred his once-beautiful form, he found not only a fountain of life but new power at his fingertips. The sands now answer the call of the Desiccated One. \n'b' The Desiccated one controls an ever-growing army of apaxrusl (see page 268), which he can communicate with telepathically at any distance as long as they are within his desert. Able to speak through any of his minions\xe2\x80\x99 mouths, the Desiccated one can also experience their senses. He also shares this connection with his zalikum (see page 278), named Hevn. \n'b' The desert has given him new power and granted him life, but the Desiccated one is trapped within its confines. He cannot leave the desert by any means, mundane or magical. With his powers, he is slowly pushing that barrier outward, covering the surrounding lands in sand. He strives for a future when he has regained his former power and can smother the fey courts in his sandy retribution.'