The Maidens of Balance, a sisterhood of elven wizards well-versed in the intricate art of necromancy, played crucial roles in their community. They served as midwives, wise women, spiritual mentors, and compassionate caregivers in their hospices. Their revered presence was felt at both the beginning and end of life, often being the first and last faces one encountered.
These maidens were highly esteemed and their services were cherished by the community. Their blessings and guidance were sought for most significant events in the city. When war unexpectedly threatened their doorstep and they had few warriors to protect their home, the most formidable of the Maidens of Balance turned to the power of undeath. They reanimated the numerous deceased that their sisterhood had lovingly laid to rest, leading this unholy army to successfully defend the city.
Upon their victorious return, the maidens found their people deeply unsettled by the potent forces they had unleashed, and horrified at the sight of their deceased family members and loved ones transformed into undead soldiers. This horror led to the exile of the sisterhood to the frozen peaks of nearby mountains, where many perished due to the harsh elements. The resilient few who survived devised a ritual to resurrect their fallen sisters as rime maidens, driven by a thirst for vengeance and the desire to one day return home.
Minions of the Maiden
Around a rime maiden, a variety of undead creatures can be encountered. These potent necromancers possess the ability to not only create undead minions under their direct control but also draw other undead to their presence. Maidens inscribe magical runes on the reanimated corpses, granting them resilience against the howling winds that surround the maiden while infusing their attacks with a bitterly cold bite. These undead entities are uniquely suited to the harsh environment shaped by the maiden’s magic.
A Rime Maiden’s Lair
Rime maiden’s necromantic practices require a plentiful source of corpses. Large graveyards, crypts and tombs make the perfect place to perform rituals to raise the dead and focus necrotic energy. Recent battles and the resulting mass graves are also attractive locations for a rime maiden as fresh corpses make exceptional undead. Colder environments are ideal as they can help preserve bodies longer.
A rime maiden encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 15 (13,000 XP).
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the rime maiden can take one of the following lair actions; the rime maiden can’t take the same lair action two rounds in a row:
Ice Wall. The maiden casts wall of ice.
Focused Defense. The maiden chooses one creature it can see within 300 feet of it. Summoned frost skeletons have advantage on attacks against that creature until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Grasping Limbs. The maiden animates the body parts that litter its lair. The maiden chooses a point it can see on the ground within 120 feet of it and animates limbs in a 30-foot-radius circle. Each creature of the maiden’s choice in the area must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 18) and restrained. The limbs can be attacked and destroyed (AC 12; hp 14; immunity to poison damage).
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a rime maiden’s lair is altered by the maiden’s magic, creating one or more of the following effects:
Winter Forecast. The area within 6 mile of the lair is engulfed in freezing cold temperatures, chilling wind, and wintery weather.
Bone Fragments. Fragments of bone can be found littering the area within 1 mile of the lair.
Preservation. The bodies of dead creatures within 1 mile of the lair decay at half the rate as normal. This slower decay affects resurrection magic, allowing a corpse residing within the region to be older than a spell may normally permit.
If the maiden dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d8 days.
Rime Maiden
Medium Undead, Typically Lawful Evil
Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 21 (+5) | 17 (+3) | 22 (+6) |
Saving Throws Dex +8, Int +10, Wis +8
Skills Arcana +10, History +10, Insight +8, Nature +10, Persuasion +11
Damage Resistances fire, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +5
Freezing Aura. An aura of freezing wind and snow swirls around the maiden in a 60-foot-radius sphere. The area is difficult terrain for other creatures and provides half cover against attacks and effects from outside the aura.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the maiden fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Turn Resistance. The maiden has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Unusual Nature. The maiden doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Actions
Multiattack. The maiden makes two Frozen Touch or Necrotic Ray attacks.
Frozen Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8 + 3) cold damage and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the end of the maiden’s next turn.
Necrotic Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 90 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage and the target can’t regain hit points until the start of the maiden’s next turn.
Summon Undead. The maiden summons 1d4 + 1 frost skeletons in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it, up to a total of 10 summoned frost skeletons.
Spellcasting.The maiden casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18):
- At will: mage armor, speak with dead
- 2/day: cone of cold, faerie fire, slow
- 1/day: freezing sphere, sleet storm
Legendary Actions
The maiden 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’s turn. The maiden regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The maiden makes one Frozen Touch or Necrotic Ray attack.
Frost Step. The maiden releases a blast of frost. Each creature within 10 feet of it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (3d8) cold damage. The maiden can then teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Necrotic Burst (Costs 2 Actions). The maiden uses Summon Undead and causes a burst of necrotic energy within 5 feet of each of its summoned frost skeletons. Each creature within the area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. Undead are immune to this damage.
Frost Skeleton
Much like their non-icy counterparts, frost skeletons are straightforward undead creatures with simple minds, prone to distraction by noises and sights unless under the guidance of a more powerful controller. These creatures are adept at thriving in colder climates, and they bear enchantments that elevate their abilities beyond those of a typical skeleton. Notably, one of these enchantments causes the skeleton to shatter into ice shards upon its defeat.
Frost Skeleton
Medium Undead, Typically Lawful Evil
Armor Class 13 (armor scraps)
Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 15 (+2) | 6 (-2) | 8 (-1) | 5 (-3) |
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages understands all languages it spoke in life but can’t speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Death Burst. When the skeleton dies, it explodes in a 10-foot-radius sphere of freezing air and ice centered on itself. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) cold damage.
Frostborne. The skeleton can ignore difficult terrain caused by ice and snow.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) cold damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage and 3 (1d6) cold damage.
Downloads
Further Reading
You can find some more monster flavor templates here.
Pair a rime maiden with a skeletal commander to create an army of undead.
Imagery created with Midjourney.
