npc

Saint Valerius

Saint Valerius the Just

Medium celestial, Lawful Neutral

Reveal Stat Block

Speed

30 ft., fly 60 ft.

armor class

hit points

190

challenge rating

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

Saving Throws WIS +12, CHA +12, STR +12

Skills INSIGHT +18, PERCEPTION +12, PERSUASION +12, RELIGION +9

Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed

Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 22

Languages All, telepathy 120 ft.

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day).If Valerius fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Eye of Valerius.Valerius automatically knows if a creature he can see is lying. He has advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.

Aura of Justice.Hostile creatures within 30 feet of Valerius cannot benefit from being invisible or having cover.

Actions

Multiattack.Valerius makes three attacks with Lawbringer.

Lawbringer (Longsword).Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage plus 18 (4d8) radiant damage. If the target is a chaotic-aligned creature, it takes an extra 9 (2d8) radiant damage.

Scale of Justice (Recharge 5-6).Valerius targets two creatures he can see within 60 feet. He can choose to either split the total hit points of the two targets equally between them, or force both to make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 36 (8d8) radiant damage; on a success, it regains 36 (8d8) hit points.

Legendary Actions

Sword Strike.Valerius makes one attack with Lawbringer.

Command.Valerius casts Command (DC 20) without expending a spell slot.

Judgment (Costs 2 Actions).Valerius targets one creature within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be restrained by shimmering golden chains until the end of Valerius's next turn.

Saint Valerius the Just

Saint Valerius the Just, also known as the Lawbringer, is the patron saint of justice, governance, and the noble houses of Kigum. In the mythology of the Pantheon of Seven Saints, Valerius was a human paladin of exceptional virtue who rose to prominence during the chaotic transition at the end of the Age of Ruin. He is credited with establishing the first "Code of Civilized Magic," a set of legal and ethical guidelines designed to prevent the reckless arcane experimentation that led to the creation of the Mana Wastes. He is traditionally depicted as a stern, armored figure wielding a longsword in one hand and a set of balanced scales in the other, symbolizing the necessary union of strength and justice.

The most famous legend associated with Saint Valerius is the "Trial of the Thirteen Liches." According to the hagiographies, Valerius single-handedly tracked down and brought to justice a cabal of immortal necromancers who were attempting to restart the rituals of the Arcane Ascendancy. Rather than executing them immediately, Valerius conducted a formal trial in the ruins of their own capital, proving their crimes before the surviving populace and the gods. He then sacrificed his own life to seal the necromancers within a permanent, antimagic prison, ensuring that their corruption would never again touch the world. This act of self-sacrifice and adherence to the law, even in the face of ultimate evil, form the cornerstone of his worship.

In the modern era, the worship of Saint Valerius is mandatory for the city guards, magistrates, and high-ranking officials of Kigum. His cathedrals are grand, white marble structures where legal disputes are often settled before the "Eye of Valerius"—a massive, enchanted gemstone said to glow in the presence of a lie. The Inquisition of Saint Valerius is one of the most powerful and feared organizations in Aethervale, tasked with hunting down cultists, rogue mages, and anyone who threatens the established legal order. For the common folk, Valerius represents the promise of a stable and predictable world, though his more fanatical followers are often criticized for prioritizing the letter of the law over mercy.