Valravn
The raven watches the humans, and her heart is heavy. She watches them sing and leap and grow. They build their cities and write their plays, and the raven sighs. "What can I do to be like them?" she asks her heart, and, in a dark and vile whisper, her heart answers.
—excerpt from a book of folktales.
When a cursed raven eats the flesh of the recent dead, they become monsters known as valravn. Often, these monsters betray their origins by appearance alone: four-legged, hunched, furred and feathered, neither raven nor wolf. These creatures are swiftly destroyed by hunters who know of their wickedness and their remains are burned out of fear that another cured raven may feast upon them.
Occasionally, for reasons unknown even to them, a valravn takes a human form.
At a glance, they are indistinguishable from humans. These valravn enter society by pretending to be lost travelers, amnestic survivors of monster attacks, or simple tradesmen. Then, according to the stories, they quietly prey upon the populace. With each pound of dead humanoid flesh they eat, the greater they become.
Raven Hunt
It is dangerous to accuse a person of being a valravn.
If you are wrong, you have damned a person to a label that is difficult to shake. Disguised valravn are indistinct from a human person. Some claim that all valravn are raven-haired or that they do not blink. However, these are rumors unsubstantiated by reality. The only way to identify a valravn is to witness them employing their strange powers: devouring flesh to gain visions, commanding an army of birds, placing the cold hand of death on an opponent. Otherwise, there is no difference between them and a human.
If you are right in your accusation that a person is a valravn, you have made a terrible enemy. You must act fast, lest you become their next meal.
The Flock
Valravn are people without a creation myth. Some have tried to trace their origins back to a hypothetical first cursed raven, but these attempts have been fruitless. Some accept, and even enjoy, being people without a past. Others turn to religion to find a god that may sponsor their existence. Valravn can follow any god, but many tend towards tricksters and gods of death.
Soldiers of Feather and Beak
Valravn are limited in number. Cursed ravens are not common to begin with, and the monstrous valravn outnumber the humanoid valravn ten to one. Even so, there is one characteristic all humanoid valravn share: a proficiency with armor. The valravn are practiced with shields and armor, a trait they assign to a cultural need to defend themselves against a hostile world.
Valravn Traits
If you would like to play a valravn, you gain
access to the following traits:
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength,
Constitution, and Wisdom scores all increase by 1.
Age. When valravn become humanoid, they universally appear to be in their late teens to mid-twenties. All valravn are considered adults upon making their transformation. Valravn have a slightly shorter lifespan from humans, typically living to be 75 years old.
Size. Valravn are typically between five-foot-five to six-foot-five, though there is plenty of variation. Your size is medium.
Speed. Your movement speed is 30 feet.
Bonus Proficencies. You have proficiency in Deception, plus one of the following: Animal Handling, Arcana, Athletics, or Intimidation. You are proficient in light and medium armors, in addition to shields.
You know the Chill Touch spell. Constitution is your spellcasting modifier.
Behold! A Man! You are a transformed raven and, though you appear human at a glance, you have not completely shed your bestial nature. For the purposes of spells and features, you count as a Beast when it is detrimental to you, such as the Dominate Beast spell. However, you have advantage to resist these effects.
Murder Song. You share a telepathic link with ravens and other valravn. You can telepathically communicate with them so long as they are within 120 feet of you and on the same plane of existence. You can also convey simple ideas to any winged beasts, such as non-corvid birds and bats.
Corpse Eater. You have powers over dead flesh and the life that once inhabited it. You can complete a ten minute ritual, during which you consume at least one pound of flesh from a humanoid who has died within the last ten days. Gentle repose extends the timeline on this requirement. Once the flesh is consumed, you connect to the spirit that once inhabited the body. If the spirit is unavailable, this feature fails.
While connected to the spirit, you can ask them questions using the conditions of the Speak With Dead spell. During this time, you are deaf and blind to anything but the spirit.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
Languages. You speak Common and one language of your choice.
Backgrounds and Valravn
Having popped into existence after being a bird, valravn present a challenge in selecting a background. While it is ultimately up to the player and DM how to approach this topic, consider that cursed ravens often watch humans and learn some things about them. Alternatively, choose Hermit, Outlander, or any isolated character background.
Valravn Feats
As a valravn, you are always seeking to
become stronger. With your DM's permission,
you may hone some of your natural abilities
with the following feats.
Deathly Constitution
Requirement: Valravn race
Your unusual eating habits have toughened your immune system to very specific threats. You gain resistance to Necrotic and Poison damage. You cannot contract diseases.
Monster Empathy
Requirement: Valravn race
You have a greater understanding of monsters, being one yourself. Your Wisdom increases by 1. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks when determining the motivation of a Beast, Elemental, Monstrosity, Ooze, or Plant.
Consuming flesh at your table
Valravn are based creatures from on Danish folklore. They are ravens who have consumed a human heart and, as a result, transformed into a knight.
This lore takes a back seat if you or your table are uncomfortable with this subject matter. You do not have to engage with this aspect if you do not wish to do so. As a substitute to eating flesh, a valravn may use magic to disappear it, use fire to burn it, or take other approaches. As with any homebrew, talk with your table before using it and make sure everyone.
Valravn do not try to draw attention to themselves. They adopt the combat traditions of those around them. Even so, some traditions have evolved from or because of them, spreading beyond valravn to any who wish to master them.
Circle of Thread
Druids are dedicated to the natural order of the world. Druids of Thread take this to an extreme conclusion, becoming agents of Fate itself.
When you join this Circle at level 2, you gain the following features.
Circle of Thread Spells
When you join this circle at 2nd level, you have glimpsed the weave of fate and have changed. You have access to some spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the table below
Once you gain access to one of these spells, you
always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against
the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that doesn't appear on the Druid Spell List, the spell is nonetheless a druid spell for you.
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2 | Arms of Hadar, Detect Evil and Good |
| 3 | Crown of Madness, Fortune's Favor |
| 5 | Clairvoyance, Hunger of Hadar |
| 7 | Arcane Eye, Death Ward |
| 9 | Legend Lore, Synaptic Static |
Spin Fate
You have a pool of d6 dice called Spin Dice. You lose all Spin Dice when beginning a long rest and gain
one die automatically when completing a long rest.
Your pool has a maximum number of Spin Dice equal
to your proficiency modifier.
You gain a die for your pool when you roll a 20 on a d20, when you roll a 1 on a d20, or when you cast
a divination spell that expends a spell-slot. You do
not gain Spin Dice if you are rolling at advantage or disadvantage and the result not used is a 1 or 20.
While you are conscious and not incapacitated, you
can use your Spin Dice in the following ways:
• When you roll damage on a spell or attack, you may expend a Spin Dice to add Psychic or Necrotic damage (your choice) equal to the amount rolled. You can use
this ability even while wildshaped. You can do this only once per turn. At 10th level in this class, you may roll
up to two Spin Dice as additional damage, if you
would like to do so.
• When you roll an Intelligence check or Charisma (Intimidation) check, you may expend and roll a
Spin Dice. You can add the result to the check.
• As a reaction to a creature within 30 feet of you
rolling a d20 for an attack roll or ability check, you
may expend and roll a Spin Dice to add or subtract
(your choice) the amount to the d20's result.
Veins of String
At 6th level, your connection to fate has empowered your body and mind. When you roll a Spin Dice, you can choose to gain temporary hit points equal to the amount rolled + your Wisdom modifier.
Seer's Strength
At 10th level, you have become comfortable with your glances of fate's machinations. You cannot be Frightened and you have resistance to Psychic damage.
Broken Thread
At 14th level, the weight of your possible death ripples through all of fate. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you automatically cast circle of death at 6th level. The spell is centered on the place you have fallen. You and any creature you designate are immune from the damage of this spell.
Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Oath of the Surgeon
Healing magic has limits. Not every community has access to divine magic and some illnesses lie beneath the touch of a god. Oath of the Surgeon Paladins dedicate themselves to the study of anatomy, honing both their healing and the deadliness of their strikes.
Tenents of the Surgeon
Study Tirelessly. Shield yourself from being unprepared.
Heal the Sick. Let none suffer from disease.
Hobble the Violent. The body's weaknesses can be exploited to protect the innocent.
When you pledge this Oath, you gain access to the following features.
Surgeon Spells
You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the Oath of the Surgeon Spells table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work
| Paladin Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3 | Ray of Sickness, Tasha's Caustic Brew |
| 5 | Blindness/Deafness, Hold Person |
| 9 | Life Transference, Tongues |
| 13 | Blight, Confusion |
| 17 | Mass Cure Wounds, Steel Wind Strike |
Bonus Proficiency
When you take this Oath at level 3, you gain proficiency in Medicine if you do not already have it.
Channel Divinity: Pressure Points
At 3rd level, as a bonus action, you call upon your Oath's guidance to enhance your strikes with deadly precision. Within the next minute, on your next successful attack, you wound the target gravely. At the end the target's next turn, the wound cracks open. The target takes damage equal to half of the damage your attack inflicted. The damage is of the same type as your weapon's damage.
Channel Divinity: Distribute Antibiotic
Also at 3rd level, when you use your lay on hands feature, you may expend 5 points of healing and use of channel divinity to cure blindness/deafness, paralyzed, or stunned.
Hobble
At level 7, your oath grants you the steady hand to maim a target with precision. As part of an attack, you may maim a target via one of the following ways below. The target must have the relevant biology to inflict this ability.
• Bicep. You cut through the muscle of your target's arm, reducing their capability to attack. For any weapon attack that the target makes, the target must reduce 1d4 from the attack roll.
• Achilles Tendon. You slice through the target's leg, reducing its movement. The target's walking movement is halved, and the target has disadvantage against attempts to knock them prone.
• Larynx. You crush the target's voice box. The target cannot speak without straining themselves. If the target attempts to cast a spell that requires a vocal component, they must first succeed at a Constitution saving throw against your spellcasting DC. On a failure, the spell is not cast, but the spell-slot is not expended.
The target is subject to this effect for one minute or take an action to attempt to fix the issue. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spellcasting DC. On a success, the target patches themselves up enough to no longer be effected.
Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest. At level 18, you may use this ability twice before needing a short or long rest.
New Spell: Phlebotomizing Smite
Though created by Surgeon Paladins, with DM permission, you can add the following spell to any Paladin's spell-list.
Phlebotomizing Smite
2nd-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Self
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, you magically puncture the creature with focused, fast-acting acid. The attack deals an extra 2d6 acid damage to the target. At the end of the target's next turn, it takes damage equal to half the acid damage inflicted by this attack, and its wound closes.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.
Fortitude
At 15th level, you are always under the effect of resistance.
The Surgeon's Knife
At 20th level, as an action, you focus and transform into the ideal form of your Oath: an extension of your knife. For one minute, you gain the following benefits:
• When you take the attack action with a melee weapon, you can make one additional attack.
• You have two reactions per round. At least one reaction must be used as an attack of opportunity.
• You and allies who start their turn within 10 feet of you regain hit points equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier. You must be conscious for this ability to function.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Enemy Valravn
The majority of valravn are of the monstrous sort. They can be encountered in combat using the following statblock.
When encountering cursed ravens, use the raven statblock located in the Monster Manual, with the following additional trait:
Valravn Transformation. By feasting for one hour on the corpse of a humanoid who has fallen within the last 10 days, a cursed raven may become a valravn. Roll a 1d100. On 1-50, no transformation happens. On 51-90, the cursed raven becomes a monstrous valravn. On 91-100, the cursed raven becomes a humanoid valravn.
Monstrous Valravn
Large monstrosity, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
- Skills Intimidation +3, Survival +2
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages 120 ft. telepathy with other valravn
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Ceaseless. If the monstrous valravn takes 10 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
Vicious Hunger. The monstrous valravn has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Actions
Multiattack. The monstrous valravn takes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, plus 2 (1d4) necrotic damage.
Summon Ravens (1/Day). The monstrous valravn magically summons 1d4 + 2 cursed ravens in unoccupied spaces it can see within 30 feet of it. The ravens are under the valravn's control and act immediately after the valravn in the initiative order. The cursed ravens disappear after 1 hour, when the valravn dies, or when the valravn dismisses them (no action required).
Credits and Disclosure
Art Credits:
In order of appearance.
The Raven’s Warning MtG Art from Kaldheim by Lie Setiawan.
Crow Storm MtG Art from Unstable by YW Tang
Candlegrove Witch (Variant) MtG Art from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt by Brigitte Roka
Spare Dagger MtG Art from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms by Khurrum
Short Sword MtG Art from Core Set 2021, Dominaria by John Severin Brassell
Bird Token MtG Art from Kaldheim by Jason A. Engle