Phantom Spymaster

The Phantom Spymaster, formerly known as Giancarlo "Carlo" Costa is a human hollow one. He is the spymaster of Ravenloft Dark Lord Sophie Swanheart's cursed court.

## Appearance

The Phantom Spymaster appears as a human with white hair, a deathly pallor, and black eyes.

## Personality

The Phantom Spymaster is a mysterious and reclusive figure. He rarely appears in the Cursed Forest's public, and when he does, he is always disguised. Though he does not consider himself particularly loyal to Sophie Swanheart, he follows whatever orders she gives. He seems to care very little about anything other than his duties as spymaster.

## Biography

The Phantom Spymaster was once a human rogue named Giancarlo Costa, who lived and adventured on an unnamed continent. Dark Lord Sophie Swanheart received a vision that Carlo would be a great asset to her and set about corrupting him to get into her court. Swanheart appeared in Carlo's dreams to offer him great riches and power in exchange for his services, but Carlo, fearing Shadowfell and extraplanar entities, refused. Swanheart did not give up, but backed off from Carlo with the promise that should he ever need anything, she would be happy to provide it.

Carlo married a woman named Liliana. They had a son named Anthonio, who was born stillborn. As the healers worked to try to revive the baby, Carlo summoned Swanheart and accepted her deal in return for his son's life. As Anthonio's heartbeat started, Swanheart took some of Carlo's vitality, a reminder of their deal.

The weight of Carlo's decision pressed heavily on his shoulders and in the following years, Carlo spent less and less time around his family as he began adventuring again. He discovered that his roguish abilities had become necrotic in nature. Soon, Carlo gave up fighting against Swanheart and let her pull him into her Domain of Dread, whereupon he learned that Swanheart had stolen Anthonio's soul in the first place to force his hand.

Carlo abandoned his mortal name and life, taking up the mantle of the Phantom Spymaster.

## Relationships

* Sophie Swanheart: Sophie is the Dark Lord who the Phantom Spymaster is pledged to. When he was mortal, the Spymaster rejected Swanheart's original bid for him to join her, but relented after the orchestrated death of his son. The Spymaster is loyal to Swanheart and will obey her orders, but he will not put in more effort than is necessary.
* Dream Guardian: The Dream Guardian and the Phantom Spymaster have a negative relationship. The Dream Guardian is affronted by the Spymaster's lack of care toward his position. The Dream Guardian is the one who scornfully revealed the truth of the Spymaster's son to him.

## Abilities

### General Abilities

* Weaponry: The Spymaster is a skilled wielder of daggers. He wields a poison dagger and a necrotic life-stealing dagger.
* Roguish Abilities: The Spymaster can employ sneak attacks into his fighting, as well as evade traps and spells.
* Ghostly Abilities: The Spymaster has abilities reminiscent of ghosts, such as summoning ghostly wails to attack his enemies and briefly become incorporeal. The Spymaster is capable of storing souls in trinkets and using them to empower himself.
* Undead Abilities: As a hollow one, the Spymaster does not age and can escape the clutches of death easier than most. He is immune to effects that turn the undead.
* Resistances: The Spymaster is resistant to nonmagical attacks, as well as cold, poison, and psychic damage. He is completely immune to necrotic damage, but is weak to radiant damage.