The Broken Lords

The Unkillable

Steel does not forget. Neither do they.

The Broken Lords are unlike the other Blighted. They do not wander aimlessly through the ruins, nor do they mindlessly lunge at the scent of the living. Instead, they march, armor rattling softly in the still air, following roads that no longer lead anywhere, standing guard over fortresses long abandoned. They fight with purpose, though they have none, and they follow orders, though none remain to give them. They are relics of a war that ended long ago, soldiers who never laid down their arms, even when the flesh rotted from their bones.

Unlike the shambling dead, the Broken Lords retain fragments of training, enough to make them far deadlier than the uncoordinated masses of the Blight. They parry attacks, they flank their prey, and, most disturbingly, they fight as a unit. Some travelers have reported seeing them form ranks before attacking, shields raised in a display of discipline that should have died with them. Others swear they have witnessed them standing motionless, as if waiting for orders, only to strike the moment a weapon is drawn against them.

They are most often found on the sites of old battles, standing over the rusted wreckage of war, as if still waiting for their commanders to return. Their armor is battered and rusting, their tabards faded beyond recognition, their once-proud weapons dulled by time. But steel does not forget—and neither do they.

The Broken Lords fight with more than just instinct—they fight with discipline. Unlike other Blighted, they do not break formation, they do not attack blindly, and they work together as if their minds are still bound to old tactics. This is both their strength and their weakness. They are predictable, following strict formations and structured combat styles. Disrupt their coordination, and they become significantly easier to handle—separating them from their unit, breaking their lines, or forcing them onto uneven ground can throw them off. If heavily armored, strip their protection first—their defense is what makes them formidable. Fire may weaken them, but it does not scatter them as it does other Blighted. If cornered by a Broken Lord patrol, remember this: they do not retreat, and they do not surrender—you must commit to the fight, or you must flee before they surround you.

Some claim there are ways to avoid them. That uttering the right command, or raising an old sigil, might cause them to hesitate. But those are rumors—whispers of desperate men trying to explain why they survived when others did not. What is certain is this: The Broken Lords do not run. They do not falter. And if they fall, they will rise again, formations closing, weapons raised, waiting for an enemy that never left.

If you find yourself standing on a battlefield long since abandoned, and the wind carries the sound of metal shifting in the mist—leave. Do not call out. Do not draw your sword. And for the love of whatever gods still listen, do not step between them and their forgotten duty.

Stat Block

Medium Undead, unaligned

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Challenge: 1 (200 XP)

Traits

• Martial Remnants:
  Gains advantage on its first attack roll each round if an ally is within 5 ft. of its target.

Actions

• Rusting Longsword:
  Melee Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Damage: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
  
  
• Splintered Crossbow:
  Ranged Attack: +4 to hit, reach 60/120 ft., one target.
  Damage: 5 (1d10) piercing damage.
  • After firing, the Broken Lord must spend its next bonus action reloading.
    
    
• Shield Bash:
  Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Damage: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.