Serathiel, the Unanswered Prayer

Traits

• Magic Resistance. Serathiel has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Unanswered. Serathiel cannot be perceived by divination magic, and it cannot be compelled to speak. Any spell or effect that would force it to answer a question fails, and the caster learns only that it heard them.
• Weight of Petitions. Any creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of Serathiel must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or be unable to take reactions until the start of its next turn, weighed down by the accumulated asking.
• Angelic Weapons. Serathiel’s weapon attacks are magical. When it hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 4d8 radiant damage (included in the attack).

Innate Spellcasting

Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with spell attacks).

• Cantrips. Augury, Detect Evil and Good, Sending, Zone of Truth

Actions

• Multiattack. Serathiel makes two Sundered Hymn attacks and uses Grant the Letter if it is available.
• Sundered Hymn. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 3d8 + 5 radiant damage. A blade of compacted prayer, still audible as a faint overlapping murmur. Its cuts do not bleed so much as brighten.
• Grant the Letter (Recharge 5-6). Serathiel answers the last thing the target asked for aloud, exactly as it was worded and not as it was meant. The target takes 36 (8d8) psychic damage, or half as much on a successful save, as the gap between what it wanted and what it said is made plain to it.
• Chorus of Silence. Hit: 6d10 thunder damage. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking half as much damage on a successful one. Every prayer Serathiel has ever failed to answer sounds at once, and then stops. Each creature in a 60-foot radius takes 33 (6d10) thunder damage and is deafened for 1 minute, or takes half damage and is not deafened on a successful save.

Bonus Actions

• Ascend the Petition. Serathiel rises up to 30 feet straight upward without provoking opportunity attacks. Anything it was holding, including a creature, rises with it.

Reactions

• Deferred Answer. Serathiel sets the spell aside rather than stopping it. The spell does not take effect this turn; instead it resolves at the start of the caster’s next turn, targeting whatever now occupies the original area. The caster cannot change or cancel it.

Legendary Actions

• Regard. Serathiel turns its attention to one creature it can see within 60 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn, having been briefly and completely understood.
• Hymn.
• Answer in Full. Serathiel grants every unspoken wish within 30 feet at once. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or take 22 (4d10) psychic damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Lair Actions

• The Weight of Asking. Every petition ever spoken in the cathedral sounds at once for a heartbeat. Each creature of Serathiel’s choice within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw or be deafened and unable to speak until initiative count 20 on the next round.
• Answered in Stone. A kneeling figure of grey stone rises from the floor in an unoccupied space Serathiel can see within 60 feet. It has AC 17, 20 hit points, and occupies a 5-foot square until destroyed. While it stands, creatures within 10 feet of it have disadvantage on saving throws against Serathiel’s spells.

Regional Effects

• Literal Ground. Within 3 miles of Serathiel, any promise or oath spoken aloud is binding in a small, inconvenient way. A creature that breaks such an oath has disadvantage on its next saving throw.
• Nothing Is Overheard. Prayers, confessions, and whispered secrets within 3 miles do not carry. Attempts to eavesdrop by magical or mundane means automatically fail, and divination spells cast in the region return only silence.