Everything presented within these pages that is not otherwise owned by individuals and organizations (including, but not limited to, Wizards of the Coast), is the product of my own mind and is therefore owned by myself, William Ayer, and Mythtaken Interactive Adventures. It is not for dissemination, reproduction, sale, or use outside of my own authorization or use for personal play. All content that is thus owned by myself is placed under copyright, beginning on or about August 12th of 2020.
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Please note that everything found within this document and the accompanying Game Master Command and Control Document are still heavily WIP and are intended for playtest purposes. Feed back would be deeply appreciated
Please note that my eventual intention is to replace all non-basic system WOTC content with my own content in the future. That means, eventually, that any content that is not basic item prices, statistic/skill/etc names, the system of play, and things along those lines will be removed. I have no intentions of keeping any WOTC classes, spells, backgrounds, feats, or similar content long-term.
Please note that there are a few terminology differences between Veils of Paradise and classic 5E. Some of these are actually relevant to gameplay, and some of these are purely for aesthetic purposes. Examples include changing the names of some of the damage types to better align with potential side-effects of those damage types, and changing Armor Class to Defense Rating to better fit creatures with no armor.
Current custom content includes all classes, subclasses, races, backgrounds, and non-standard items found within this document, which belong to me. All pantheons of course belong to their respective cultures, as much as such a thing can 'belong' to anyone, but my portrayal of them in the world of Eleuthia and Eleuthia itself belong to me.
Part 2 | Copyright Mythtaken Interactive Adventures, 8/12/2020
Welcome, Players and Dungeon Masters, to Eleuthia!
I started developing what would become Veils of Paradise for a few reasons, none of which I would say had priority over any other. Perhaps the least noble would be how tired I was one of the typical problems we all run into with Table-top Role-Playing Games in general: meta-gaming. I can't begin to tell you how many groups I have been in where someone has already played the module, and it shows. They 'coincidentally' know how to avoid being caught by NPCs, or where to find certain pieces of loot. What quests to do in what order and how best to build their character to meet the challenges that the scenario or campaign meets. I confess, it got old quite quickly, because what enjoyment could I find in playing the game and experiencing the story when a member of the party was (essentially) cheating?
So I decided to make my own world, one that no one else would have played. One that would put every player on a level field. One that would eventually have randomized starting zones, enemies that changed in power or even in existence based on what decisions the players made. But how to craft such a world, how to fill it with characters that were interesting and a challenge to face across a battlefield or a negotiation table?
Well, it was quite simple, in the end. I went to that ever-growing, eternal well of the most incredible adventures and stories, the most compelling heroes and villains, ever known: human history.
There are no shortage of epic wars, incredible technologies, and nations as titanic men and women whose deeds have lasted long after the nations themselves have crumbled entirely into dust. Everyone knows who Tutankhamun, 'King Tut', is...but how many people know that his wife was Anack-Su-Namun, and that after his death she nearly wed a high-ranking prince of the Hittite Empire, Zannanza? Few enough, I imagine, and fewer still would know that he never reached Egpyt. Assassinated by Egyptian partisans who feared a Hittite Pharoah would end their nation's independence, Hittite rivals of his faction amongst the royal family, bandits seeking a wealthy mark, or pure misfortune?
No one knows, but upon that foundation and within that mystery (and many others, the world over) I found a rich oppurtunity for incredible stories. Perhaps, in this alternate world based on our ancient past, noble Zannanza was murdered by the players at the behest of one group or another? Perhaps he came to rule his homeland's rivals, having been escorted safely to his new throne by the players, in an effort to curry his favour?
This is the purpose of Veils of Paradise: to take history and, framing it in fantasy, educate and entertain anyone willing to play or watch.
Yet this campaign, this world, is not a simple history lesson, though it is firmly built upon that foundation. It is so much more than that, an epic story that is intended to truly live up to the name of campaign. A series of regions, each covering a full twenty levels and filled to bursting with content derived from centuries of history and mythology, each with their own heroes, villains, monsters, and cultures. All leading to one final, epic struggle against an ancient evil that has slumbered beneath the Land of the Gods for millenia.
It is often said that player choice matters in a campaign, but in truth this is an oversimplifcation of the fact. In the end, those campaigns are laid out quite firmly, with a set starting and ending point, even bits of the middle set in stone, and perhaps mine is no different at its core. But I hope it will be found different in its execution.
Amongst the nations of the world, the natives of Eleuthia, and the beasts that roam its mysterious shores, the players can find either allies or enemies. Through their actions, their reputations (and that of their faction) will become known to neighbors both new and old. Through Conquest or Diplomacy, they will unite the world of Eleuthia. Through means violent or peaceful, they will piece together archaeological artifacts and half-remembered legends to discover what truly drove their ancestors from Paradise. They will fight alone or at the heads of armies, perform missions of stealth or lay waste to entire cities. They will be people of honor and valour, or seek their own gratification and success regardless of cost.
This, in the end, is the story of that world. A world that is much like our own, with many of the same people and places we know and love, but shaped in such a way to bring excitement and involvement to anyone willing to give it a try. There will be anachronisms, on occasion, things that aren't entirely accurate, but there will always be a reason for it. To improve player experience, to fill in the vast blanks lying in the past of some ancient cultures, to enable the game world to function. But I am confident that those anachronisms will not detract from what this campaign has to offer, only enhance it.
Welcome again, Players and Dungeon Masters, to my dream. Welcome to Paradise!
Part 2 | Copyright Mythtaken Apocrypha, 8/12/2020
Gameplay
The Basics of the System
A Brief Cautionary Commentary
Veils of Paradise, like so many other table-top games (or, indeed, games in general) operate off of dice rolls. Whether physical dice or programming, the laws of probability dictate failure and success, life and death, love and loss. The players can, as we will discuss shortly, skew those laws somewhat in their favor, somtimes the Game Master can tweak things on your behalf, but the first thing to know about games such as this is this: in the end, it is the dice that decide what happens. As such, I always urge players not to take things too personally.
It can be disappointing to have your cunning plan fail spectarularly because the Dice Gods will it so, just as it can be dissapointing to lose a sport game or not have the winning numbers in the lottery. However, it is important to remember that your party members and the Game Master are not your enemy. You're all on the same team, you're all here to have fun. Don't let a poor roll of the dice ruin that enjoyment, not for you and not for those around you.
Besides, comfort yourself by knowing that, just as the Dice Gods can turn their faces away from you, so too can the Game Master earn their ire! Many a GM has seen their carefully crafted plans, meticulously planned fights, or legendary bosses turned on their heads by the vagaries of fate!
Part 2 | Copyright Mythtaken Interactive Adventures, 8/12/2020
The Core Mechanics
While there are a number of mechanics to any game, and especially in Table-Top Role-Playing Games such as Veils of Paradise, the majority of those mechanics are related to one of the three 'Cores' that I am going to go over and define here, before getting into greater depth on each a little bit later on.
These three Core mechanics are: Combat, Roleplay, and Exploration.
Combat
Combat is perhaps the most obvious in its meaning, and is the most common method by which the party can resolve an issue that confronts them. It is this fact that gives rise to the prominent, and quite accurate, in-community joke that the party consists entirely of 'murder-hobos', individuals that wander the world murdering anyone they please and stealing everything that isn't nailed down. Occasionally, they steal what is nailed down and burn a village to the ground while they are at it.
This common behavior is for a number of reasons:
Most people enjoy the combat aspects of games, especially role-playing games, more than the role-play aspects. This is because the combat is more energizing, more engaging, and generally has more going on that requires player involvement.
Combat is easier for most people than role-playing. Rolling the dice to kill something is generally just a faster and simpler way of resolving the issue than trying to think of how your character(s) might be able to resolve the issue verbally.
Everyone wants to be a mighty, epic hero. Mighty, epic heroes do not resolve their problems through diplomacy. Think about all the ancient heroes you learned about in school, like Hercules or King Arthur or the like. They didn't resolve their issues through diplomacy and giving inspiring speeches. They did it by laying waste to entire armies single-handedly. That is the experience that draw many people to this genre.
Combat is far less likely to be embaressing on a personal level. This might seem similar to the second point, but I think the differences are important. If something goes wrong in combat, its because the dice didn't like you that particular moment. Oh, there might be role-play potential involved, anything in the game can have story-telling potential if you want it too, but combat relies heavily on the dice. Roleplay, however, puts more pressure on the player themselves, and it can be embaressing to try and 'be' your character, especially if you're not experienced in doing so, and fumble an in-game social interaction or something similar.
This may seem like a joke, but some people also just want to see the world burn. They play these kinds of games just to roll dice and kill things, because it's enjoyable for them. No different from booting up the latest First Person Shooter title.
Now, none of these reasons are a bad thing, unless you are deliberatly starting unneeded fights for the express purpose of frusterating your party and ruining their enjoyment of the game, because the whole point of playing a game is to enjoy yourself when playing. If you and your party want to resolve most of your situations through combat, the more power and the more enjoyment to you.
Combat, by the very fact that so many different types of creatures, player classes, spells, weapons, and more would all be involved in the same combat, requires the largest number and largest variety of dice types. Dice are defined as, and reffered to throughout this document, by the number of sides that they possess These types are as follows:
d20. These twenty-sided dice are by far the most important dice in a TTRPG, as they dictate your Rolls to Hit against enemy creatures, their Rolls to Hit against you, Saving Throws against spells or abilities, Skill Checks, and more.
d12. Fairly uncommon, these twelve-sided dice are used only by certain classes and in certain circumstances during combat. They have no use for any role-play or exploration aspects of the game.
d10. More common than the d12, these ten-sided dice are used mostly for high-level spells or larger, two-handed weapons during combat, and have little use outside of it, besides the occasionaly Enhancement to Skill Checks or similar events.
d8. By far the most common dice in TTRPGs, these eight-sided dice are used for the vast majority of weapons, spells, enhancements, and detriments.
d6. These six-sided dice are relatively common at lower levels for spell-casters, or are used for smaller, weaker weapons such as daggers.
d4. These pyramid-shaped four-sided dice are used rarely, but often for particularly useful effects or spells that focus more on utility than causing damage.
On occasion, your Game Master may ask you to roll a dice that is not one of these. These dice are most commonly the d2 and the d3, with the occasional d5 making an appearence. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Mythtaken, there is no such thing as a 2, 3, or 5 sided dice, so how am I supposed to roll something like that?" Well, you're not, technically. That's why you'll need to do a little division!
For the d2, you have two options: roll a d4, and treat results of 1 or 2 as a 1, and 2 or 3 as a 2. Or, quite frankly, you can take the tradition, ancient method of flipping a coin. Just make sure to define whether one is heads or tails before the toss!
For the d3, simply roll a d6 and do the same thing. 1-2 is a 1, 3-4 is a 2, and 5-6 is a 3!
For the rare d5 that crosses your path, you do the same thing! 1-2 is a 1, 3-4 is a 2, 5-6 is a 3, 7-8 is a 4, and 9-10 is a 5!
Combat always follows the same sequence of events, something rather like an Order of Operations. While this doesn't define what each person must do during their turn, and in what order, such as certain table-top wargames, certain things have to happen for every combat encounter nonetheless.
The Surprise Round, if it applies. A Surprise Round, also known as an Ambush Round, is if one side or the other is able to surprise, or ambush, the other side and attack them without first being spotted. This takes place before battle is technically joined, because the battle doesn't begin until the Surprise/Ambush Round is completed. During a Surprise/Ambush Round, the Surprised/Ambushed party cannot make any movements or attacks of any kind, unless otherwise specified by Class or Feat traits, and all attacks made against them are made at Advantage. Similarily, any Saving Throws that they make must be made at Disadvantage.
Initiative is Rolled. Initiative defines the order in which all creatures involved in a particular combat encounter go, and are essentially the game mechanic method for defining the reaction speed of individual creatures. Initiative Rolls consist of a single d20, to which you add any relevant modifiers. For most characters, that will consist of their Dexterity Modifier. In other words, if you have a Dexterity Modifier of 3 and roll a 13, your Initiative will be 16, which means you go before everyone 15 and below, and after anyone 17 and higher.
Combat takes place between the two (or more) factions of characters on the battlefield in the order dictated by Initiative Rolls. During their own turn, a creature can spend their movement and use any Actions, Bonus Actions, or Free Actions that they are permitted to take, in addition to anything else defined by any Traits or Feats that they possess.
Combat continues along these same lines until one side is either dead, captured, or forfeits the field.
Defense Rating
One of the most important mechanics in Veils of Paradise is Defense Rating. Defense Rating is the mechanical representation of the armor or magical defenses that that target is using to protect themselves. The equipment a creature is wearing, it's Natural Armor, and shielding spells that it has active on itself, all can contribute to its Defense Rating. If you cannot defeat a creature's Defense Rating with your targeted attacks, you can't deal damage with your targeted attacks.
Combat Quick-Start
You want the short and sweet version on how to do a combat turn? I can do that, no problem. We'll start with Attacks, then cover abilities that require making a Saving Throw.
Attacks
Roll to attack with one of your weapons or spells. This attack roll consists of rolling a single d20, and adding your Proficiency Modifier, as well as any other modifiers that apply. Some examples would be your Ability Score Modifier for the weapon in question (Strength for a Warhammer, Dexterity for a Longbow) or your Spell Casting Attribute Modifier.
Note that 'Natural 20s', where the result of the d20 roll is a 20, automatically hit the target regardless of any other circumstances. Similarily, 'Natural 1s', where the result of the d20 roll is a 1, automatically miss regardless of any other circumstances.
Your Game Master will inform you if your Attack Roll hits the target. In order to hit the target, the combined value of your Attack Roll (that is, the result of the d20 plus all relevant modifiers) must surpass the Defense Rating of the target.
Should the attack hit the target, you then roll for damage. Much like the Attack Roll, the damage you deal is determined by rolling the weapon or spell's damage die, then adding any relevant modifiers (Proficiency Modifiers, Aptitude Modifiers, Enhancement Effects, etc).
The target suffers the indicated damage, minus any mitigating effects that the target might possess that lessen damage.
Area of Effect Abilities/Spells
Unlike targeted Attacks and Spells, which are aimed at an individual creature, Area of Effect abilities (AOEs) do not attack an individual creature, but rather a certain amount of space on the map, and any creature therein. As such, they do not need to defeat the creature's Defense Rating, but rather the creature must make a Saving Throws to avoid, lessen, or counteract the effects.
Note that it is ANY creature, unless otherwise specified, which means that your AOE spells can and will affect your allies caught inside of them as well.
Cast the spell, indicating the area you are attacking.
All creatures therein must attempt the requisite Saving Throws.
Creatures suffer what, if any, damage or effect dictated by the spell cast.
Victory or Death in Battle
The results of a battle is decided by who is still standing when all is said and done. To that end, each side will be attempting to reduce the other to zero HP before they themselves are. Below, find an explanation of what follows when they succeed.
Unconciousness
A player character, when reduced to zero HP, is Unconcious. This is also reffered to as 'being down' or 'downed'. Once downed, they must start making Death Saving Throws, which represent the possibility of them subcumming to their injuries (such as bleeding out) before recieving medical attention. A Death Saving Throw consists of a single, unmodified roll of a d20, with a success being anything that is a 10 or higher. You must make one Survival Check on each of your turns until one of the below results takes place
Stabalized: Your character counts as stabalized if you succeed in three Death Saving Throws. This does not restore them to conciousness, only means that they are unconcious but alive.
Death: Your character dies if you fail three Death Saving Throws, and no amount of healing will save them at that point. Only a resurrection-type spell will restore them to life.
Natural 1s and Natural 20s are also important to this feature
Rolls of 1 during a Death Saving Throw count as two failures
Rolls of 20 results in you gaining 1 HP, making you capable of acting on your turns again (in other words, you are not stable, but active).
Any damage that you suffer while Unconcious counts as a Death Saving Throw Failure. If the enemy attack is a critical hit, it counts as two failures. However, most creatures will not prioritize attacking a downed player character over those still capable of being a threat to them. Only certain entites, usually the more strategic or the more malicious, will attempting to Execute a downed player.
Unless otherwise specified, players that are reduced to zero HP are considered Unconcious. Unless specified, by either the party or the GM, all enemy creatures reduced to zero HP are slain outright.
When a creature recieves healing and is restored to combat capability, all Survival Checks that they might have made are automatically and immediatly reset, creating a fresh slate to start from the next time that they are reduced to zero HP.
Death
A creature that is reduced to zero HP, and in the case of players then fails three Death Saving Throws, dies. A dead creature or player can only be restored to life through the use of certain powerful spells.
While there may be exceptions to this rule, they would be few, far between, and apply only in very special, specific, and limited circumstances.
There are no limitations to the number of times that a creature can be ressurected by such magic. However, it would not be unusual or unexpected for the Game Master to apply some manner of mental or emotional detriment to a creature if it happens constantly. Understandably, dying traumatically in battle and then being torn from the peace of the afterlife over and over would be take no small toll on the player's character.
Damage Reductions and Enhancements
Certain creatures can be more or less vulnerable to certain kinds of damage during combat. As you might expect, a plant-based monster is more vulnerable to fire-based attacks, while a stone golem probably wouldn't take quite so much damage as you might hope from a slashing weapon like a sword.
Immunity
As the name implies, when a creature is Immune to a certain kind of damage, it means that damage of that type cannot harm them at all, except under rare and limited circumstances. This is usually because they share the same nature as the attack in question. It doesn't matter if its a little first level critter with less HP than your big toe, if its immune to fire your biggest Pyroblast won't do a thing!
Resistance
A creatures that is Resistant to a certain kind of damage can, unlike Immunity, still take damage of that source. However, it takes half of the damage rolled, rounding down, rather than the full amount.
Vulnerability
A creature that is Vulnerable to a certain kind of damage possess a weakness to it, usually because their natures are diametrically opposed to the attacking element. The most obvious example would, of course, be a water-based attack being used against a fire-based creature.
Stacking Resistance and Vulnerabilities
As much as I hate to disappoint you all, I'm afraid that damage Resistances and Vulnerabilities do not stack. For example, if a creature is vulnerable to both fire damage and magical damage, a Pyroblast will not deal four times as much damage, only twice as much. Similarily, damage cannot be reduced by more than half due to multiple, applicable resistances.
Wound Reduction
However, if the creature is within an area of effect that reduces damage, or has a feature that somehow reduces damage, this does apply regardless of Resistances or Vulnerabilities, and it applies before the Vulnerability or Resistance is. In other words, if a creature is Vulnerable to Fire damage and attack with 28 Fire damage, but also has an aura around it reducing damage it suffers by 4, you would subtract the 4 (making the damge 24) first before then doubling it due to the Vulnerability.
Wound Enhancement
Similarily, if a target creature is inside of an area or under an effect that increases damage suffered, or the attacking creature is inside and area or under an effect that increases damage done, you add the damage together and then increase it or reduce it based on the applicable Resistance or Vulnerability.
Types of Damage
Now that we've discussed how different kinds of damage can be mitigated or enhanced depending on the creature being attacked, we should probably discuss what kinds of damage there are!
Frost
Frost damage is the damage dealt by cold or water-based attacks. This will predominantly feature attacks that use ice as a weapon, such as Blizzard. Frost damage is also known for having side-effects that reduce the movement speed of the targets.
Fire
Fire damage is, as you might imagine, the damage dealt by fire-based attacks, such as Pyroblast or Firebolt. Fire damage is known for applying additional Damage-Over-Time (DOTs) that represent the burns inflicted on the creature by the attack.
Shock
Shock damage is the damage dealt by lighning-based attacks, such as Lightning Storm or Chained Lightning. Shock damage is also known for having side-effects that disrupt the Concentration or Reaction abilities of the targets. After all, it's hard to focus on something when you're getting electrocuted!
Corrosive
Corrosive damage is the damage dealt by acidic or poisonous sources, such as a hydra or giant snake, and is known for having side-effects that provide Detriments to the target creature, such as Blindness or the loss of a limb's functionality.
Blast
Blast damage represents the damage dealt by magical blunt force trauma, such as the shockwave from an exploding fireball.
Necrotic
Necrotic damage is the damage dealt by Dark Magic, and represents the unnatural rot inflicted by such magic on the body and soul of the target.
Radiant
Radiant damage is the damage dealt by Holy Magic, and represents the purgation of unholy creatures or taint.
Impact
Impact damage represents damage dealt by physical blunt force trauma, such as warhammers, rocks, and falling from a height.
Slashing
Slashing damage represents damage dealt by sharp edges, such as most swords or certain spells
Piercing
Piercing damage represents damage dealt by penetration weapons and spells, such as arrows, rapiers, or spikes.
Bleeding
Bleeding damage isn't a primary damage dealt by any sort of weapon, but is rather the representation of damage suffered over time from internal injuries (Blast, Impact), serious wounds (Slashing, Piercing) and the like.
Poison
Poison damage, much like Bleeding damage, isn't a primary damage dealt, but rather the representation of damage suffered over time internally due to poison, venom, or infection.
Status Effects
Status effects are physical or magical effects that modify how a character works during combat, either positively or negatively. Most are applied directly by enemy creature attacks or spells, though some can occur due to the environment as well.
Frozen
A Frozen creatures is completely encased in ice, which means that their speed is reduced to zero, and they are Vulnerable to Impact and Blast Damage, while being Resistant to Piercing and Slashing Damage. A Frozen creature can be thawed out through the use of a spell or ability that deals Fire damage equal or superior to the Spell Save of the creature that inflicted the status, or through other, more specialized spells, traits, and abilities.
Ignited
A creature that is Ignited is actively on fire, preventing them from losing their Burned Status until the fire is doused. This can be done with any spell that generates water, by submerging oneself in water, by an allied creature using their entire turn to smother the flames, or by the ignited creature using it's entire turn (movement included) to smother the flames.
Burned
A Burned creature is covered with debilitating burns, which cause it extreme pain whenever it moves. As such, it suffers additional damage (dictated by the spell or effect that burned it in the first place) when certain triggers are met, usually the beggining of their turn or every time that they move. This effect can be removed through a Medicine Check equal or superior to the Spell Save of the creature that inflicted the injury, through magical healing equal or superior to the maximum damage the Burning can do (I.E. 6 HP for a Burning Status of D6 Damage), or through other, more specialized spells, traits, and abilities.
Bleeding
A creature that is Bleeding has wounds that, for whatever reason (ragged, internal injury, etc) are shedding blood at an alarming rate, causing them to suffer damage periodically until they die or the Bleeding is staunched. The Bleeding status can be removed with a Medicine Check equal or superior to the Spell Save of the creature that inflicted the injury, through magical healing equal or superior to the maximum damage the Bleeding can do (I.E. 6 HP for a Bleeding Status of D6 Damage), or through other, more specialized spells, traits, and abilities.
Hidden
A Hidden creature is one that, via magic or talent, has ensured that other creatures around them cannot spot them immediatly. Hidden creatures tend to gain benefits when attacking enemies, and Hidden creatures that attack from range must make a Stealth Check after every attack to remain Hidden. Note that this does not mean that the creature is invisible!
Enraged
An Enraged creature makes their Attacks at Advantage and deal an additional damage with each attack equal to the sum of their Proficiency Modifier and Attack Modifier. However, if they suffer damage from a single attack greater than or equal to 10% of their total HP, they must make a Concentration Saving Throw or be shocked out of their rage, losing the benefit.
Situational Features
Situational Features, much like Status Effects, change the course of combat and influence it significantly, either to your benefit or to your detriment. However, unlike Status Effects, they are predominantly passive.
Advantage
Advantage, as its name implies, is provided to a creature when it makes an action at Advantage. Narratively, this represents something that is turning the tide to the benefit of the creature one way or another. Mechanically, this would include things that make hitting a target easier, with the most prominent being making a melee attack at a creature that is lying down on the ground. Since the creature is lying down on the ground, they are less able to protect themselves (by dodging, using their shield to block the attack, etc.) and as such are more vulnerable.
This vulnerability, this Advantage, means that any creature making an Attack at Advantage is able to roll 2d20 for its attack rather than 1d20, and picking the highest result.
Advantage will be provided by Status Effects, Class Abilities, Environmental Effects and more. If it is provided by something you, as a player, would not necissarly be aware of, the Game Master will inform you. Similarily, the Game Master will inform you if a creature is attacking you at Advantage, in case you have abilities or traits that become relevant due to being attack at Advantage, though they are not necissarly required to tell you why the creature is attacking at Advantage.
Disdvantage
Much like Advantage, Disadvantage implies much of its nature by its name, and it is easily understood to be the inverse of Advantage. Narratively, this represents something that is making a creature's attacks more difficult or less accurate. Mechanically, it means that the creature is more likely to miss the target, the most prominent example being making a ranged attack agaisnt a creature lying down. Since the creature is prone, its harder to properly aim at them or penetrate a weakspot in their armor.
This vulnerability, this DisAdvantage, means that any creature making an Attack at Disadvantage is able to roll 2d20 for its attack rather than 1d20, and picking the lowest result.
Disdvantage will be provided by Status Effects, Class Abilities, Environmental Effects and more. If it is provided by something you, as a player, would not necissarly be aware of, the Game Master will inform you. Similarily, the Game Master will inform you if a creature is attacking you at Disadvantage (or you must make the attack at Disadvantage), in case you have abilities or traits that become relevant due to being attacked or making attacks at Disdvantage, though they are not necissarly required to tell you why the creature is attacking at Disadvantage.
Engaged
Engaged is unique, in that it doesn't provide any implicit bonuses or detriments of its own accord, but changed how certain class traits, abilities, attacks, or spells might function in regards to a target. A creature counts as engaged when they have either struck, or been struck, by an enemy creature that is within five feet of themself within the last battle round. The struck, or striking, creature must not have moved outside of five feet after the attack, whichever direction it went in, was resolved. In other words, they must have remained within five feet of the creature they struck or were struck by for the Engaged status to apply
A creature can only, unless otherwise stated by an ability, trait, spell, or other modifier, be engaged with a single creature at any given time. If multiple creatures are involved attacking a single target, only the first creature to land and attack counts as Engaged with the target creature, unless otherwise stated by abilities, traits, spells, or other modifiers.
Narritavely, being Engaged represents being locked in combat with that creature. While you are not technically restricted from attacking other creatures within range or disengaging from your opponent, it could prove to be less beneficial or outright detrimental, depending on the creatures involved in the combat.
Exhaustion
Exhaustion, as you might expect, represents a character being exhausted. Worn down. Whether by starvation, extreme cold, pushing themselves beyond their limits, or more, Exhaustion poses a serious risk to any character. Exhaustion has ten levels, each one providing detriments to the Exhausted character, and Exhaustion can only be garnered by specifically noted effects and causes. All effects are cumulative, so advancing to a new level of Exhaustion adds additional effects rather than replaces them. Consult the table below.
Exhaustion Level
Effect
1
-1 to All Dice Rolls
2
-1 to All Dice Rolls
3
Disadvantage to Skill Checks, -1 to All Dice Rolls
4
Halved Movement, -1 to All Dice Rolls
5
Loss of Reactions, -1 to All Dice Rolls
6
Disadvantage to Attacks and Saving Throws, -1 to All Dice Rolls
7
Loss of Proficiency and Ability Score Bonuses, -1 to All Dice Rolls
8
Healing Reduced by Half, -1 to All Dice Rolls
9
Maximum HP Reduced by Half, -1 to All Dice Rolls
10
Death
Part 2 | Copyright Mythtaken Interactive Adventures, 8/12/2020
Skills and Proficiencies
Skill and Tool Proficiencies are of vital importance to both Roleplay and Combat, acting both as the narrative reason for a character's ability to do something (like pick a lock or haggle well).
Expertise
Expertise, in the world of Eleuthia, refers to exactly the same thing it does in the real world: a talent, or proficiency that has been honed to a level beyond that of the average person. In the game world, this highly-trained knowledge is reflected through doubling the effect of the character's Proficiency Modifier on the roll.
PART 1
Regions, Nations, and Cultures
The Great Continents, Nations of the World, and The People Who Call Them Home
Eleuthia is a vast and varied world, one with countless biomes and peoples spread across it's surface. But while some few have moved to the extreme reaches of the known world, in an effort to make peaceful homes for themselves, the majority of Eleuthia's inhabitants are spread across the Four Great Continents, radiating outwards from the Unknowable Reach.
The Unknowable Reach, the impenetrable and supernatural fog that effectively split the world in two for countless millenia, hiding the birthplace of all life (from which the world takes its name) from any who might try to find it. Any ship that sailed directly into it would sail back out the same place, or else even appear back in their home port, sometimes imediately and sometimes after weeks or even months of absence. If they ever returned at all.
As a result, the people of the Western and Eastern continents have no direct contact with one another, instead known only to the other by rumors and the merchants that travel to and from the Northern and Southern continents.
The Western Lands are split in two, the biomes as different from eachother as the people that inhabit them. The Northern Steppes are ruled by nomadic horse-tribes of the Khalka. A free-spirited people, the Khalka believe that the gods cast them out of Eleuthia, The Paradise That Was, for defiling those holy lands with the endless construction of permenant buildings and the seeking of wealth, scarring the earth in search of stone and precious metals. As such, they live only in temporary huts called yurts, carried on their horse's backs as they travel far and wide to ensure they do not over-graze any one area. They also believe that their horses are actually nature spirits, minor gods sent by the greater gods to watch over them, and ensure that they do not fall into the same sins in the outside world. They are perhaps the best light cavalry in the world, certainly the best mounted archers, and their lack of cities and permanent homes means breaking them as a people is almost impossible.
To the south is the Shenzhou Empire, so vast and sprawling that it incorporates everything from frigid tundras and mountain peaks, to lush valleys and humid jungles. Believing that the inhabitants of the Jade Throne are the incarnation of the oldest son of Shangti the supreme deity that is the universe itself, they believe that they are by divine right meant to rule all of creation. Their war with the Khalka has dragged on for centuries, the Khalka unable to exhaust the vast numbers of the Shenzhou military, and said vast military unable to catch and kill the swift-moving and nomadic riders. They are unique amongst the cultures of the world in believing that they were not born in and cast out of Eleuthia, but that the continent is in fact the Gate to Heaven, and they must as a people earn their way into the home of their gods.
The Eastern Lands are, in many ways, the opposite of those in the west. Rather than being split between two monolithic, if very different, factions in constant conflict with one another, the northern and southern portions of the Eastern continent rarely fight one another at all, too absorbed in fighting more immediate neighbors.
The Southern portion is a land of city-states that form and break alliances, and wage or end wars, on a constant and chaotic basis, despite being based around a single overarching cultural identity. This land, called Hellas by its people, shares a single language, a single pantheon, and there is truthfully little difference between them. But it is the minor differences that seem the most insurmountable and lead to conflict. The Lakonai, Atenai, and Makedonians each control just over a sixth of all Hellas, while the other half is composed of minor states that struggle to survive and avoid drawing the attentions ('positive' or negative alike) of their titanic neighbors.
The Northern portion is dominated by two empires, seperated from the south by a vast, dangerous mountain chain, that have settled into an uneasy peace after centuries of on-and-off warfare. The north-western tundras of Ruthenia, near the very roof of the world itself, are held by the hardy Kyivan. Used to surviving by their wits and raw determination, Kyivan heavy infantry is a nightmarish force to face, implacable in battle and nearly impossible to drive itno a rout. A Kyivan phalanx will leave the field only as victors or corpses, it is said, and should they be laid low, they will take the flower of their enemy with them nto the afterlife.
The South-Eastern portion, Skáney, is held by the Scandza. A people that are simultaneously trader and raider, warrior and farmer, the Scanzda are almost as well-traveled and widely known as the Atenai. Much like the Kyivan, they rely on heavy infantry in battle, and their shield walls are as problematic for their enemies as the phalanxes of the Kyivan and the Hellenic states. However, given their peace-time nature as farmers, most Scandza have only layers of thick cloth for armor, and simple spears for weapons. Bows are a rarity, as they are considered less honorable than melee weapons.
The Southern Continent is divided between two vast nations, each remembering better than any other continent the legends of Eleuthia, The Paradise That Was Lost, so old are their peoples.
To the South-West is possibly the oldest continous civilization still standing, a sprawling nation known as Kumat. Born on the banks of an enormous river snaking its way from the massive mountain range at the center of the continent, it has endured this hard land for at least five millenia. A tradtitionally defensive nation, relying on their expert knowledge of every oasis and hidden watering hole to sustain their forces while their enemies blunder about in dehydrated exhaustion.
By comparison, the Hittites of the North-East rely on the devestating charge of their scythe-wheeled chariots to turn the tide, their very thundering pass leaving blood and viscera scattered across the field. On the wings, driving their enemy into the paths of the charioteers, are light cavalry. Swift riders with shortbows and lances harassing and creating exploitable holes in enemy formations. Behind them comes light infantry to mop-up any survivors and secure the blood-soaked territory.
The Scions of Eleuthia
Who are the Scions?
The Scions of Eleuthia are a mercenary army, forged of and by those men and women who have no home. Whether that is because they were banished, fled, or driven out. Whether they sought a world of adventure, whether they sought greater wealth, whether they sought glory and prestige. Whether they tired of the constant warring between nations, the generations of fighting for no gain.
They can be of any race, any sex, any faith or creed, for the Scions welcome (almost) anyone amongst their ranks without hesitation or contempt. So long as they heed the Council and obey the rules and commands laid down, they are welcome.
Whatever the reason each member has, they have come together and found in each other fellowship and family. Now they roam the lands that they might once have called home, performing whatever tasks their clients require and longing for a day that they can have a new home, one seperate and away from the conflicts of the nations. To that end, they have named themselves for the Paradise That Was Lost, the Cradle from which All Life came forth.
With the wards around Eleuthia collapsed and the opportunity to forge a home for themselves in Eleuthia itself, the Council of the Scions has decided to send an expedition of Seekers and a support base to establish a foothold in Eleuthia, with the rest of the organization to follow over time.
It is these Seekers that form the player party, and it is their guidance and influence that will shape how the Scions behave and act within the vast supercontinent towards which they now sail.
What Are Seekers?
Simply put, Seekers of the Scions of Eleuthia are their most elite force. While countless soldiers, spellcasters, craftsman and diplomats form the Scion's ranks, it is the Seekers that are called in for the most valuable, the most difficult, and the most important missions.
It is Seekers who are also responsible for the two most important goals of the Scions: finding and recruiting further members for the Scions, and finding a place that the Scions can call home. Up until recently, of course, only the first has been remotely possible, as the other nations and peoples of Eleuthia have no interest in letting an army of mercenaries, which may or may not have disgraced or criminal members of their own nation amongst its ranks, set up and independant nation within their territory or sphere of influence.
Much like the Scions as a whole, their is no limitation on who can be a Seeker.
The Council of the Scions of Eleuthia
Also known as The Council of Thirteen, these men and women are the leaders and commanders of every Scion in the world. Whether directly or through subordinate officers, every mission given, censure made, reward assigned, and recruit brought into the fold either originates from or is approved by the Council, either in part or in whole.
Much like their innumerable subordinates, The Thirteen are a varied and colorful group. From professional soldiers such as Asim the Bulwark, who sits in the Eleventh Seat, to former farm girls like Callista the Modest of the Third Seat and everything in between, they are a cross-section of the mortal races.
Neither shy nor afraid of conflict, unlike certain other faction leaders, the Council will often roam the world themselves, either performing contracts, recruiting more members for the organization, or even (on occasion) travelling incognito to witness the world through the eyes of someone less famous, feared, and revered than their usual wont.
Third Seat, Callista Tapeinophrosyʹne
Once a simple, if beautiful, farm girl, Callista found herself suffering the indignities that so many simple folk suffer during times of war at the hands of her nation's enemies. Or, at times, it's allies.
Assaulted, with her father killed and her brother a member of the army, Callista struggled to help her mother maintain their land. When her mother fell pregnant from the attack, however, and took her own life, Callista was consumed with a desire to create a world where no one she loved (or herself) could suffer such an indignity ever again.
Closing up the farm (having faith that someday her brother will return home to live there in peace), Callista left to forge a new future for herself. In was not an easy journey, nor a kind one, but though she often stumbled she never fell nor faltered.
Eventually taking up arms as a Knight Guardian of Nemesis, she began to put her efforts into protecting people and delivering judgement upon the wicked. TIme passed, the tally of those she had killed rose and rose, but no matter how many bandits and marauding soldiers she slaughtered, the world never seemed to better itself. She alone was not enough to right its wrongs.
In the end, it was the Scions of Eleuthia that brought her peace, that gave her the might she needed to pursue her goals. Yes, it expanded the number of people she had to protect, but it also gave her the numbers and martial might to do so. Gaining the epithet of 'Tapeinophrosyʹne' (Lowliness of the Mind, which is to say Great Humility), both for her own humble nature (born from her simple past) and her divine mandate to humble the arrogant, she quickly rose through the ranks to become not just a Seeker, but a member of the ruling Council of Thirteen itself.
When Eleuthia was revealed, she was the first amongst the Council to suggest an expedition for forge a home of their own in that mythical land. A land where they would be safe, happy, and unmolested by the crimes and sins of those that were not them.
The Races of Eleuthia
There are many races that can be found throughout the world of Eleuthia, each as different as they are similar. Yet those races are no uniform mass amongst themselves, instead possessing subgroups dependant on cultural, physical, or spiritual differences. Some of those differences may seem greater than others to an outside observer, but no matter how nuanced and subtle they may seem, they are differences all the same.
There are no limitations to where a race can come from. Every race exists in every nation.
Races
Racial Traits
The description of each race includes racial traits that are common to members of that race. The following entries appear among the traits of most races.
Ability Score
Every race provides bonuses to a character's Ability Scores, with different races providing different bonuses based on their physical or cultural characteristics.
Age
Age, as its name implies, discusses the various benchmarks in each race's lives, such as the Age of Adulthood, the expected life span, even the age that a member of that race might be considered an Elder. Naturally, the age you choose to have your character be has roleplay relevancy, and (if you are so inclined) could be used as an in-character explanation for various Aptitude Scores in regards to that character. For example, a young and health creature might have higher Strength and Comstiution scores, but lower IIntelligence or Wisdom scores, representing superior physical health but also the lack of training and life experience that would come with age.
Size
Different races are, by their very nature, different physically. However, most races are 'Medium' in size. The size of a creature will have an effect on things such as carry-weight, movement through spaces, and can effect certain class traits, abilities, attacks, spells, or other
Size
Height Range
Small
4' and Below
Medium
5' to 7'
Large
7'-9'
Huge
9'-12'
Massive
13'-16'
Gargantuan
16'-20'
Titanic
20' and Above
Speed
Speed, simply puts, defines how fast a creature moves when in combat before modifications. Most humanoid creatures move thirty feet per combat turn.
Morality
Morality is, by far, the most flexible of the defining characteristics that help shape your character. Morality is, of course, quite subjective. Different individuals, families, cities, nations, races, cultures...all have their own different view of what is right or wrong. Of course, by its very nature, it is also one of the most important defining characteristics that helps to shape your character.
Languages
Languages are, as you might imagine, the languages that a creature can speak, read, and write. These can come from its race, cultures, background choice, and other such options. Two creatures must have a language in common to understand one another clearly, thought pantomimes are culturally and racially transcendant.
Subraces
Most races have 'subraces', for want of a better term. These subraces indicate slight differences, either culturally or physically, between two creatures of the same race. A good example would be a human being from one the the myriad available cultures. While the character is still a human, there are differences between humans from Hellas and Shenzhou, for example.
Racial Features
Finally, every race has two defining features that are, like Ability Scores, representative of their inherant talents or abilities. Each race comes with two such features: one that is Passive, intended for use out of combat, and one that is Active, which can be used in combat a limited number of times each day.
Human
The most numerous race, despite their comparativly short lifespans and...bold tendancies, purely because they breed faster than any other race, humanity is also the least set in its ways. Adaptive, creative, and clever enough to get themselves out of the trouble their brash natures inevitably places them in, they are simultaneously the most useful and useless of allies.
Ability Score Increase
Humans, being as diverse as they are, gain Ability Score bonuses based on which nation they are from. See the precise details on the next page.
Age
Compared to the likes of the elven and dwarven races, humans are terribly short-lived. Reaching adulthood after less than two decades of life and living at most a century (barring the use of magic to extend their lives), they work hard to make the greatest impact on the world around them in as little time as possible.
Alignment
In keeping with their talents and reputation as Jacks-of-All-Trades, humans are hardly limited when it comes to their moral and ethical codes. There are as many chaotic humans as there are lawful, as many good as there are evil. While some nations might have more of one than the other based purely upon cultural differences, it is safe to say that limitations in this matter are nonexistent between the nations.
Size
Human height typically varies between 5 feet three inches and six and a half feet. Females are typically on the lower end of the scale, males typically on the higher, though outliers obviously exist. A healthy human female adventurer will weight between 120 and 180 pounds based on height. Males will weight between 130 and 200 pounds. Your character's size is Medium.
Speed
Humans, thought not the fastest of the races, are not slow. Your movement speed, absent any further modifiers, is thirty feet.
Languages
Unlike the elves and the orcs and dwarves, unlike every other race in fact, the human languages were disparate from one another on Eleuthia, and have shifted even further apart over the millenia of seperation after The Banishment. Your human character, absent further features, speaks the language of their Nation of Origin.
Names
The name of your character is dictated by their Nation of Origin. See the Names section under each Nation for suggestions for both male and female characters.
Appearence
Your character's appearence will be, at least in part, dictated by their nation of origin. See your nation of choice under The Varied Kin of Man.
Passive Feature: Jack of All Trades
Humans, regardless of their nation of birth, are a determined race, and one that is prone to learning as many things as possible rather than focusing on a single talent. You gain Proficiency in one extra Tool, Language, and Skill of your choice. Furthermore, you gain one point to any two Ability Scores of your choice.
Active Feature: Master of None
Twice per Long Rest, if you fail an Ability Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw, you can instead choose to succeed.
The Varied Kin of Man
Humans are an incredibly diverse species, enough so that one could (and many do) argue that they are not one race, but many. This great diversity, born from leagues and centuries of separation, means that the humans of the different nations have developed differently than distant cousins.
Hellenic
Your character hails from one of the three major the Hellenic nations.
Your character likely has olive-toned or light-brown skin, with dirty-blonde or brunette hair and blue or brown eyes. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Hellenic.
Your Charisma and Intelligence scores are increased by 1 (Atenai), your Strength and Constitution Scores are increased by 1 (Lakonai), or your Wisdom and Charisma Scores are increased by 1 (Makedon).
Shenzhou
Your character hails from Shenzhou.
Your character likely has straight black hair, dark eyes (brown or black, commonly), and are likely on the short end of the human height spectrum, and lighter on the weight. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Shenzhou.
Your Wisdom and Dexterity Scores are increased by 1.
Khalkan
Your character hails from the Steppes
Your character has the same, or at least extraordinarily similar, physical characteristics as the Shenzhou. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Khalkan.
Your Dexterity Score is increased by 2.
Scandzan
Your character hails from Skaney.
Your character likely has pale skin, blonde or brunette hair, with blue or grey eyes. They speak, read, and right Scandzan.
Your Constitution and Strength Scores increase by 1.
Kyivan
Your character hails from Ruthenia.
Your character has the same, or at least extraordinarily similar, physical characteristics as the Skaney. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Ruthenian.
Your Constitution Score and Wisdom Score increase by 1.
Kumati
Your character hails from Kumat.
Your character's appearence will vary slightly depending on from what portion of Kumat they hail. The further south, the darker the skin, while the northern regions (especially those with significant mingling with the Hittites) have paler, though still brown, skin. Eye and hair color is typically on the darker end of the spectrum. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Kumati.
Your character's Intelligence Score is increased by 2.
Hittite
Your character hails from Nesha.
Your characters appearence will vary depending on what portion of Nesha they are from, with darker skin being more common the closer to the Kumati border they are from, but by and large they have more olive complexions and light-colored eyes.
Your Intelligence and Wisdom Scores are increased by 1.
Nihonese
Your character hails from Nihon.
Your character likely has straight black hair, dark eyes (brown or black, commonly), and are likely on the short end of the human height spectrum, and lighter on the weight. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Nihonese.
Your Charisma Score increases by 2.
Elf
The longest-lived of the races, elves are also the most set in their ways. Typically resistant to change or new things, due to long familiarity and the feeling that 'this is how things always have been'. If it hasn't broken, it shouldn't be fixed. They tend to take the long view of things, and generally feel that their way of doing things is best.
Ability Score Increase
Elves, ancient and prone to gathering knowledge across their long lives, are often regarded as the most intelligent of the races, though intelligence and wisdom do not go hand in hand. However, while not as varied as the children of Man, they are hardly an unvaried race. Some are hardier, some are more charismatic, and some are more familiar with the world of nature than the tomes of a library. Your character gains Ability Score points based on which subrace of elf you select.
Age
As the longest lived race, elves take the longest to mature. Considered little more than children until after their first century of life and living a between eight-hundred and one-thousand years old on average, they witness entire generations in a single lifetime.
Alignment
Elves tend to take a Lawful and Neutral view on things, seeing themselves as above the small, petty conflicts of the now, given their tendancy to focus on the 'long view' that can span generations. However, it is by no means unheard of for them to leverage their longevity (and all the advantages therein) to gather personal power and become tyrants. Nor is it unusual for an elf of righteous heart to spend centuries crusading against the force of Evil.
Size
Elves tend to be taller and possessing a more willowy build than most humans. Often described as 'svelte', particularly the females, elves range between five feet ten inches tall and six feet seven inches tall. Their weight is often within the same range of humans of the same sex despite the difference in height. Your character's size is Medium.
Speed
Elves are the swiftest of foot amongst the races. Your movement speed, absent any further modifiers, is thirty-five feet.
Languages
Like every race besides the humans, the elvish language has not changed to an appreciable degree during the time and distance since The Exodus from Eleuthia. There is little lingual or cultural drift that can occur, afterall, within a half-dozen lifetimes of your people.
Names
The name of your character is dictated by their Nation of Origin. See the Names section under each Nation for suggestions for both male and female characters.
Appearence
Your character's appearence will be, at least in part, dictated by their nation of origin. See your nation of choice under The Elven Kin
Passive Feature: Intoxicating Exoticism
Elves have long been considered the most desireable of romantic partners. Elegant, graceful, unnaturally beautiful, long-lived and wealthy, there is little about them that could be considered unappealing. Any creatures that makes a social roll (Insight, Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation) must do so at Disadvantage, as they are dazzled by your appearence.
Active Feature: Elven Eyesight
If there is something, besides their attractiveness, that makes elven kind famous, it is their ability to channel magic into their eyes and enhance their already-impressive eyesight further still. Once per long rest, you can provide yourself with a +3 bonus to all Attack Rolls you make for the next ten Battle Rounds.
The Elven Kin
Unlike humans, whose short life spans have resulted in significant changes between the same race depending on their nation of origin, elven diversity is less common but more significant.
Sgàil-bhreith
The Shadowborn, or the Children of Shadow, are said to have been corrupted by an ancient evil when the mortal races were cast out of Eleuthia. This has lead to them being prosecuted or mistrusted in many nations.
Shadowborn, ironically given their name, are actually a race of albinos. Their skin ranges from a dark, ashen grey to a pale, almost sickly white. Their eyes tend to be some shade of orange or red, usually on the darker side of the orange spectrum and the brighter side of the red. Their hair tends to range from light grey to white-silver. Your character can read, write, and speak Elvish.
Your Dexterity and Constitution Scores are increased by 1.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Àrd-bhreith
The High Born, as they have named themselves, are (by their own choice) the least numerous of the elven races. Prone to gathering resources and knowledge over the generations to hoard, members of this race are often regarded (often accurately) as the shadowed hands influencing the course of their nations.
Your character has no definitive appearance, as the High-Born are as varied as humanity is, beyond the typical differences in build. Your character reads, writes, and speaks Elvish, regardless of further customization choices such as Backgrounds.
Your Charisma Score is increased by 2.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Beanntan
The Mountainborn, or Children of the Peaks, tend to make their homes in the slopes and valleys of the tallest mountains.
Your character will likely have light brown or red hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Your character speaks, reads, and writes Elvish, regardless of further customization choices such as Backgrounds.
Your Constitution Score is increased by 2.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Coilleach
The Woodborn, or Children of the Forests, live deep within shrouded and ancient woodlands. Those who live in Hellas may have alliances, or bitter rivalries, with the Sisters of the Amazon Tribes that live in those same forests.
Your character likely has pale skin, blonde or brunette hair, with blue or grey eyes. They speak, read, and right Scandzan, regardless of further customization choices such as backgrounds.
Your Wisdom and Strength Scores increase by 1.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Dwarf
It is hard to point to any singular trait amongst the dwarven peoples and say that it is one they all share. Indeed, comparing one clan to another is a good way to find yourself in a great deal of pain, if not dead. That being said, a certain stubborness and self-righteousness (at least in regards to the other clans) is to be expected. As is a firm expectation that you will be able to tell at but a glance from which clan the dwarf you are speaking to hails. Woe betide they who guess wrongly.
Ability Score Increase
While not as varied as the humans, the disparate clans of Dwarfdom are quite different from one another, and fiercely proud of that fact. Your character gains a bonus to stats based on which clan they hail from.
Age
Though not as long-lived as the elves, dwarves still leave such races as humans well behind in terms of longevity. Living between six and seven centuries, most dwarves are not considered legal adults until their seventy-fifth year of life.
Alignment
Dwarves are, by and large, a pragmatic sort of people. They have their own codes and belief systems that only obliquely relate to those of the other races, and even then only occasionally. While the codes of some (such as the Krasnal) result in a friendly, jolly approach to life and other living creatures, the likes of the Duerwe view others as trespassers at best or invaders to be killed at worst. Your alignment is freely chosen, but choose one that makes sense to your character's clan lore.
Size
Shorter than humans, coming up to the chest or shoulders (at best) of the average member of the species, dwarves are neither fast nor agile. What they are, however, is sturdy. Lower to the ground, broad shouldered and barrel-chested, a well-trained dwarf is a lethal ambush enemy (for one so small can more easily hide) or a devastating melee opponent, forever within an enemy's guard and almost impossible to knock down. They qualify as a Medium creature.
Speed
Dwarves are by no means a swift race, especially not compared to the elves, though they can often run longer and with heavier weight. That being said, they are natural sprinters. Your movement speeds is thirty feety.
Languages
Like every race besides the humans, the dwarven language has not changed to an appreciable degree during the time and distance since The Exodus from Eleuthia. There is little lingual or cultural drift that can occur, after all, within a dozen or so lifetimes for your race.
Names
The name of your character is dictated by their Nation of Origin. See the Names section under each Nation for suggestions for both male and female characters.
Appearence
Your character's appearence will be, at least in part, dictated by their Clan. See the descriptions found in The Dwarven Clans section for more details.
Passive Feature: Stoicism
If dwarves are famous for anything, if there is a single unifying trait that could be assigned to all four of the rival clans without immediatly getting the speaker attacked for their temerity in misidentifying a clan, it is their stubborn, unyielding stoicism. At every level, starting with Level 1, you add additional HP equal to your Proficiency Modifier whenever you level up.
Active Feature: Obstinancy
The line between Stoicism and Obstinancy is thin, and dwarves enjoy dancing from once side to the other as often as possible. Once per Long Rest, you can activate this ability. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you reduce damage of all kinds and from all sources (unless specifically mentioned otherwise) by your Constitution Modifier + your Proficiency Modifier.
The Dwarven Clans
Unlike many of the other races, the clans of the Dwarf-Kin (outside of the Dvergr) have few differences physically. In face, it is quite hard to tell one clansdwarf from another if one is unfamiliar with the heraldry and social cues, but woebetide the poor fool that confuses one group of mountain-dwellers with another! The four clans (Dvergr, Krasnal, Duerwe, and Ebeltoft) are not always at war with one another, but even during peace there is little more than wary or resigned tolerance between them.
Dvergr
The dvergr, who claim descent from the same entities that forge the weapons of Asgard, are without a doubt the greatest craftspeople of arms and armor in the whole of Eleuthia. Furthermore, they are perfectly aware of that fact, and see no reason whatsoever to be humble about it. Indeed, if it wasn't for their talent, they would be appalling arrogant instead of uncomfortably confident.
With skin as black as charcoal and eyes the crimson found at the heart of a forge-fire, the dvergr are an intimidating sight. Your character can read, write, and speak Dwarven, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Intelligence score is increased by 2.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Krasnal
Short for Krasnoludek, meaning 'Good Little People', the Krasnal are the most good-natured of the dwarven clans, uninterested in the squabbling between the other clans (though they still take umbrage with being misidentified) and are the most integrated with the other races. Famous for their hospitality, they are the best cooks and brew-meisters on Eleuthia, and are quite proud of that fact.
Fair-skinned and crimson-haired to the very last dwarf, the Krasnal are a boistrous and friendly-looking lot. Your character can read, write, and speak Dwarven, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Charisma and Wisdom Scores are increased by 1.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Duerwe
The most malicious of the Dwarven kind, duerwe are well-known for the fierce and savage cruelty with which they protect their marshland homes. Travelers that stray from the safety of the main road, or have particularly bad luck, may find themselves baited and decieved deeper into the foggy bogs by dancing lights and murmuring voices, only to be strangled or drowned.
Your character will likely have light brown or red hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. They read, write, and speak Dwarven, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Constitution Score is increased by 2.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Ebeltoft
The Clan of the Hills, the Hill Dwarves, or the Hill People, are the most reclusive of the Dwarf-Kin. With a distaste for loud noises and large crowds, they tend to avoid large communities at all costs, entering only when they have no other choice, and only then for as brief a time as possible. Whilst around crowds, they will wear a special sort of earmuff, which helps muffle the noise to a level they can tolerate. Their communities tend to be small and spread out, each dwarf family just outside of shouting distance from the others.
Your character is likely quite pale, given their propensity to remain inside their quiet homes whenever possible, though they have few defining physical features beyond that. They read, write, and speak Dwarven, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Dexterity Score and Wisdom Scores are increased by 1.
Your character has 60 feet of Darkvision
Orc
Anyone can tell an orc and it's tribe at a glance, and it is not because of the small tusks that each bears, nor is it from their muscular builds. No, the most obvious sign is the emblem carved into their forehead. Whether it is the Moon of the Tethrāke or the Sun of the Kìzis, it is proudly and prominently displayed. Be wary should you stand beside one of each, for should their tempers get the best of them, between them would not be a safe place to be.
Ability Score Increase
Split down the middle as they are, there is little variety amongst Orcish kind. That said, your Ability Score Increases are based upon whether you hail from Sun or Moon.
Age
Longer-lived than humans but with far shorter life spans than elves or dwarves, orcs become adults in their thirtieth year and live between 150 and 200 years on average.
Alignment
Shamanistic and tribal by culture, orcs tend to put their people ahead of themselves. In regards to kin, Lawful Good would be the most common alignment. In regards to their rival tribe, Lawful Evil would be the best that could be hoped for. For the other races, Lawful Neutral would be the most appropriate.
Size
Similar in height to humans, with a build not dissimilar to that of the dwarves, orcs can often be described as small, moving walls. They qualify as a Medium creature.
Speed
Neither fast nor slow, the Tribes of the Sun and Moon move at a steady thirty feet.
Languages
Like every race besides the humans, the Orcish language has not changed to an appreciable degree during the time and distance since The Exodus from Eleuthia. While there are some differences, even significant ones, between the two dialects of Sun and Moon, members of each tribe learn both as a matter of course. The better to gather information when spying, interrogating, or being interrogated.
Names
The name of your character is dictated by their Nation of Origin. See the Names section under each Nation for suggestions for both male and female characters.
Appearence
Your character's appearence will be, at least in part, dictated by their Clan. See the descriptions found in The Bitter Rivals section for more details.
Passive Feature: Celestial Worshippers
Orcs dedicate themselves wholly and unreservedly to either Sun or Moon, depending on their clan, and for their worship (and their lifestyle) they gain great benefits in battle. Fighting beneath the light of their divine orb of light, they are strengthened. When fighting during Sunrise and Sunset ( 6am to 8pm), Kìzis orcs can double the bonus that their proficiency modifier provides in combat. Similarily, when between Sunset and Sunrise (8pm to 6am), Tethrāke orcs gain the benefit.
Active Feature: Light of Sun and Moon
So fervently do the Kìzis and Tethrāke worship their celestial body of choice that they can wield it's Light in battle. Once per Long Rest, you can channel this Light for 10 Battle Rounds, dealing an extra 1d6 Fire or Frost Damage with any damaging ability, depending on whether they are Kìzis or Tethrāke respectively. If activated during their particular time-frame per Celestial Worshippers, increase the bonus damage to 2d6.
The Bitter Rivals
Bitterly divided by the diurnal, sun-worshipping Kìzis and the nocturnal, moon-worshipping Tethrāke, Orcish kind have a history soaked in blood. How this on-again-off-again war began, no one knows for sure. Each side blames the other for starting it, generally with a healthy dose of tragedies and terrible crimes in accompaniment, but there is a common thread to both group's beliefs: that their warring is the reason that their gods have turned away from them. However, despite many attempts by both clans-people and outsiders to mediate, each side is firmly convinced that annihilation of the opposing party is the solution, rather than peace.
Each clan has their own rites and rituals, and each clan carves the sacred symbol of their chosen object of worship (a dot inside of a circle for the sun, and a crescent moon for the moon) into the forehead of their children at birth.
The greatest irony, perhaps, is that the farming-oriented Tethrāke worship the moon, rather than the sun that gives life to their crops, while the masterful hunters of the Kìzis shun the dark, moonlit night that would so easily hide them from their prey
Kìzis
The Kìzis, the Children of the Sun, are a patrilineal (meaning that the laws of inheritance and naming conventions follow the male line) people whose economy (and diets) revolve around hunting and fishing. As a result, they are constantly on the move in order to prevent themselves from depleting the natural resources of their territories. Superb pursuit and ambush hunters, they are excellant raiders.
Skin heavily tanned by constant exposure to the sun and rounded pupils make the Kìzis excellant day-time hunters, allowing them to blend in with dirt and stone, as well as easily spotting prey on land or lake. Your character can read, write, and speak Orcish, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Wisdom and Dexterity Scores are increased by 1.
Tethrāke
The Tethrāke, the Children of the Moon, are a matrilineal (meaning that the laws of inheritance and naming conventions follow the female line) people whose economy (and diets) revolve around the careful tending of crops. As a result, they tend to form more permanent settlements than their Kìzis rivals and excel at defensive warfare.
Pale-skinned due to the lack of the sun exposure, and slit-pupiled to better see by moonlight, the Tethrāke are proud of their resemblance to the silver-white surface of the moon. Your character can read, write, and speak Orcish, regardless of further customization choices such as Background.
Your Intelligence and Constitution Scores are increased by 1.
Half-Elf
If there is one thing that unites all half-elven kind, it is the ostracization that so many of them face. Neither fully elven, nor fully a member of another race, they are fully welcome amongst no one. High Born elves are particularly cruel to half-elves, believing them to polute the bloodline of the elven races. However, it is their very mixed-blood nature that provides this race with the advantages that they hold.
Ability Score Increase
Given their unique, literally hybrid nature, half-elves combine the best of both parents to become the best of two worlds. Details will be provided in the Mingled Bloodlines section.
Age
Experiencing the same longevity of their elven parent, a half-elf is considered little more than a child until after their first century of life and live a between eight-hundred and one-thousand years old on average. However, they are also more vulnerable to the weakness of their more mortal parent, like diseases or illnesses that would effect no full-blooded elf.
Alignment
Dwarves are, by and large, a pragmatic sort of people. They have their own codes and belief systems that only obliquely relate to those of the other races, and even then only occasionally. While the codes of some (such as the Krasnal) result in a friendly, jolly approach to life and other living creatures, the likes of the Duerwe view others as trespassers at best or invaders to be killed at worst. Your alignment is freely chosen, but choose one that makes sense to your character's clan lore.
Size
Half-elves tend to take more after their elven lineage than not, with a taller and more willowy build that most humans, dwarves, or orcs. However, the influence of their non-elven parent can still be easily seen. A half-dwarf might be shorter and stockier, a half-human a little broader, and a half-orc more muscular. Nonetheless, your size is Medium.
Speed
Neither as swift as pure-blood elves nor as slow as the dwarves, half-elves move at the same pace as the races of Man. Your movement speed is thirty feet.
Languages
As a half-elf, your character can speak the languages of both their mother and their father. You can read, write, and speak Elvish and either Dwarven, Orcish, or one of the Human languages based on what your non-elven parent is and where they came from.
Names
The name of your character is dictated by their Nation of Origin. See the Names section under each Nation for suggestions for both male and female characters.
Appearence
Your character's appearence will be, at least in part, dictated by their bloodline. See the sections of Mingled Bloodlines
Racial Feature: Inherited Power
Half-Elves, regardless of subrace, have one thing that sets them apart from all the rest: the way that their parent's natural traits mingle withing them. As a result, not only are their Ability Score bonuses dictated by what kind of half-elf that they are, but they gain diminished versions of their parents' own Racial Features. See the Sections of Mingled Bloodlines.
Mingled Bloodlines
Ostracized whenever they aren't being treated as a shameful fetish, the mixed-blood peoples of the half-elves most of live as nomads, roaming from place to place and living off the land. Often acting as entertainers or mercenaries, they never remain in one place longer than they must for fear of persecution.
Half-Human (Helven)
The most common of half-elven kind, given the prevalence of humans and the...fondness that members of each race can have for the other, half-human half-elves can be found nearly anywhere. Though they don't appreciate the moniker, a common way to refer to such a people would be 'Helven'.
Your appearence is based on a combination of two factors: your human ancestry, and your elven ancestry. Skin color will often be based on the human half, while eye and hair color will often be based on the elven half.
Select one Ability Score from each of your parents, and increase it by 1. (I.E., the child of a Kumati and Shadowborn could increase their Intelligence by 1 and their Dexterity or Constitution by 1). This ability can instead be used to increase a Score by 2 points if both parents share the same Ability Score increases.
Your character, though still possessing the enhanced eyes of elven kind, nonetheless suffers from some human visual limitations. You have thirty feet of Darkvision.
You gain one extra Tool, Language, or Skill Proficiency, and one point to any one ability score of your choice.
Twice per Long Rest, give yourself Advantage on any Ability Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw.
Half-Dwarf (Dwelf)
Least common of the half-elven kind, given their rather different natures and living environments, you would find a single half-dwarf half-elf for every ten human half-elves. Such an individual could, for the sake of clarity and brevity, be called a 'Dwelf'.
Your appearence is based on a combination of two factors: your dwarven ancestry, and your elven ancestry. Skin color will often be based on the elven half, while eye and hair color will often be based on the dwarven half.
Select one Ability Score from each of your parents, and increase it by 1. (I.E., the child of a Kìzis and Shadowborn could increase their Dexterity by 1 and their Intelligence or Constitution by 1). This ability can instead be used to increase a Score by 2 points if both parents share the same Ability Score increases.
Your character has superior Darkvision to other half-eleven, and even pure-blood, races. The range of your Darkvision is ninety feet.
You gain two additional Health Points at every level, starting at level one.
Once per Long Rest, you can increase your movement speed by 10 feet for 10 Battle Rounds.
Half-Orc (Horc)
Neither common nor rare, half-orc half-elves are in something of an odd place culturally. It would be rare to see a half-orc half-High Born, but common to see a half-Coilleach given the similar methods of living and culture between orc-kind and the Woodborn.
Your appearence is based on a combination of two factors: your orcish ancestry, and your elven ancestry. The majority of your appearence will be that of your elven parent, while your eyes will be based on those of your orcish parent. They will also have the mark of the orcish parent's clan on their forehead.
Select one Ability Score from each of your parents, and increase it by 1. (I.E., the child of a Kìzis and Shadowborn could increase their Dexterity by 1 and their Intelligence or Constitution by 1). This ability can instead be used to increase a Score by 2 points if both parents share the same Ability Score increases.
Your character, though still possessing the enhanced eyes of elven kind, nonetheless suffers from some orcish visual limitations. You have thirty feet of Darkvision.
The bonus that your Proficiency provides is one-and-a-half times (rounding down) your modifier during the time frames appropriate to your orcish parent's subrace. For example, a level 20 character would have a proficiency bonus of +8, rather than +6.
Once per Long Rest, you can deal an extra 1d4 Fire or Frost damage with any damaging ability, depending on your orcish parent's subrace. If this trait is activated during their particular time frame, increase this bonus damage to 2d4.
Minotaur
It is no great feat of wit to recognize a race on sight, but even the meanest intelligence can easily recognize a Minotaur on sight. Massive, powerfully built, partially-human and partially-bovine, failing to recognize one for what they are is nothing short of an impossibility. Descended from Asterion, first of his kind, The Monster of the Labyrinth, they exist on the fringes of society.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength Score is increased by 2 and your Constitution Score is increased by 1.
Age
One of the longest-living races on the face of Creation, Minotaurs can live upwards of 500 years, entering adulthood at around 60 or 70 years of age.
Alignment
Most minotaurs tend towards the Lawful Alignments, rigidly adhering to their clan laws with little in the way of deviation or hesitation, for it is this rigid adherence that has kept them alive and together in a world bent on using them, abusing them, and eradicating them.
Size
Towering over the majority of the other races, Minotaurs remain a Medium creature, but only just, stretching to well over nine feet in height without counting their horns.
Speed
Despite their incredible bulk and weight, minotaurs are far from being a slow race. Your movement speed is thirty feet.
Languages
Minotaurs do not have their own language, but instead speak Hellenic.
Names
All minotaurs have Hellenic names, regardless of which nation they might call home at any given time.
Appearence
Though the degrees of feature vary, all minotaurs have the same basic appearence. Their lower halves are that of a two-legged bull, their torsos that of a human, and their heads trend from somewhat-monstrous but human, to outright bovine, though all variations none-the-less also possess razor-tipped horns of varying sizes and shapes. Man have a light coating of fur across many parts of their body, with as many colors and textures as human hair possesses.
Passive Feature: Labrynthian Minds
Your mind, like your body, is not like those of the other races. You do not see the world as they do, think as they do, or remember as they do. To your benefit...and to your detriment. You cannot get lost, no matter how complex the terrain, once you have passed through an area once. Furthermore, your partially-inhuman mind renders you resistant to spells that effect the mind. Any saves you must make in relation to spells from the Circle of Visions or magical effects that compromise the senses are made at Advantage.
Active Feature: Thundering Stride
You may have the mind and body of a human, but your legs and head are those of a bull, and if there is one thing bulls are good at, it's charging. Once per Long Rest, you can activate this ability. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you gain the following benefits. Gain an extra ten feet of movement speed. When you move at least half your movement in a straight line and would impact another creature, you can choose to deal 1d8 Piercing and 1d8 Impact Damage and knock the creature prone as a part of your movement. The creature can make a Strength Saving Throw in an effort to avoid being knocked Prone.
The Sons and Daughters of Asterion
There is, perhaps, no race more ill-regarded than the minotaurs. Seen as dumb muscle at best and monstrous beasts to be slaughtered at worst, their very existence tainted not just by their bestial appearence by the mythologies of an entire continent, they exist upon the fringes of society, living as nomads that move from place to place whenever possible. Staying one step ahead of those that loathe them.
There is no land more dangerous than the lands and nations of the Eastern Continent, for in the ancient myths of Hellas and Palatinia alike their ancestor, Asterion of the Labyrinth, is a monster both hated and feared. A flesh-eating evil that consumed innocent young men and slaked his depraved lusts on innocent young women. Aspiring adventurers or hateful townsfolk seek to emulate the end of those ancient tales, seek to do as Theseus is said to have done, slaughtering Asterion and taking his horns for trophies. To those that hunt them, age, sex, creed, and history mean nothing.
Their existence even in less overtly, fanatically hostile lands is constantly threatened by the locals, who mistrust them as a matter of course. Still, survival is possible in these lands, if not the ability to thrive, with plenty of mercenary work to be found as families and villages and nations are more than willing to spend the blood and lives of minotaurs against threats both internal and external rather than risk their own soldiers and citizens.
Culture
Unlike many other races, minotaurs have their own culture more-or-less unrelated to the nations themselves, though of course there is no small amount of Hellenic influence, and it would not be unfair to say that bits and pieces of the other peoples inhabiting Creation have been absorbed as well. Nonetheless, Minotauran culture is distinct and fairly unique, a legacy of millenia of survival on the edge of society, shunned or hunted, with only themselves and a handful of those who are willing to accept them to count on for support.
The most important and most central figure of the minotaurs are their Elders. Responsible for maintaining their vast, detailed, and sacred oral histories, a minotaur band will throw themselves at attackers without hesitation or any sense of preservation for the sake of ensure their Elders escape harm or capture. Even their children are not so important, for while children that fall can be replaced in time, the loss of Elders cannot be compensated for. The knowledge that they hold, once lost, cannot be replaced.
Without the Elders and the knowledge that they hold, it would not be an exaggeration to say that a particular clan or group of minotaurs would lose every bit of their cultural identity that gives them meaning and purpose, causing them to become aimless and morose, if not outright suicidal.
Due to their enforced nomadic lifestyle, minotaurs tend to be very in tune with the natural world, proving to be adept hunters and trackers despite their size and weight, though they prefer the more patient, quiet efforts of farming and trapping rather than actively pursuing prey. None the less, due to their endurance, minotaurs are more than capable of pursuing their prey to exhaustion with little in the way of detriment to themselves.
Hellas
Lands of Iron Men and Wooden Ships
Hellas is a land in constant war, not because of vast differences between its peoples, but because of their deep similarities. Similarities that make what few, minor differences that they have seem all the greater, all the more sinister, all the more worthy of eradication through strength of arms.
Olympos
The Gods and Goddesses of Hellas
The Hellenic Pantheon, the Gods and Goddesses that rule Hellas, rule from their heavenly palaces atop sacred Mount Olympos. In many ways as flawed as the mortals that worship them, they are famed for their tempers, their lechery, and their cavalier attitude towards the mortal world and all those souls that inhabit it.
Zeus, Lord of the Sky and King of the Gods
King of the Gods and Ruler of Mount Olympus, Zeus is the God of the Sky, Lightning, Thunder, Law, Order, and Justice. He is the youngest child of Cronus and Rhea, brother and husband of Hera (on whom he frequently cheated with various mortals, immortals, and goddesses) and the brother of Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia.
His symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, bull, scepter, and scales
Hera, Goddess of Marriage and Queen of the Gods
Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family.
The youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister and wife of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage (and unable to properly punish Zeus himself), she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children.
Her symbols include the peacock, cuckoo, and cow.
Poseidon, God of Storms and Ruler of the Sea
God of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses.
The middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite; although, as with many of the male Greek gods, he had many lovers.
His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident.
Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest
Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth.
The middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Also the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother of Persephone.
Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig.
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare
Goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare
The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor.
Her symbols include the owl and the olive tree.
Apollo, God of Light and the Sun
God of light, the Sun, prophecy, philosophy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and plague.
The son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis.
His symbols include the Sun, bow and arrow, lyre, swan, and mouse.
Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon
Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plague.
The daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo.
Her symbols include the Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree, and bow and arrow.
Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty
Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire.
The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' blood dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son, Cronus, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares.
Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose.
Hephaestus, God of the Forge
Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes.
The son of Hera, either by Zeus or through parthenogenesis. Married to Aphrodite.
His symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail.
Hermes, Messenger of the Gods
Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves and games. He was also the guide of dead souls.
The son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus.
His symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre).
Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth
Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians.
She is the first child of Cronus and Rhea, the elder sister of Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.
Her symbol is a hearth with a fire burning inside of it.
Dionysus, God of Wine and Ecstasy*
God of wine, the grape vine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection. Patron god of the art of theatre.
The son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest Olympian god, as well as the only one to have a mortal mother.
His symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin, goat, and pinecone.
Hades. God of the Dead and King of the Underworld
the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous.Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although the last son regurgitated by his father. He and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, defeated their father's generation of gods, the Titans, and claimed rulership over the cosmos. Hades received the underworld, Zeus the sky, and Poseidon the sea, with the solid earth, long the province of Gaia, available to all three concurrently. Hades was often portrayed with his three-headed guard dog Cerberus.
His symbols include cornucopia, Cypress, serpent, mint plant, white poplar, and pomegranate
Themis, Goddess of Divine Law and Fairness
In many ways, Themis has the broadest duties of all the gods. Anything under the concept of ‘law’ and ‘order’ was her domain. The laws of nature, the order of the universe, social customs and organization, mores, and good counsel. She carries scales in her left hand and a sword, which she uses to ‘separate that which is true from that which is false’, is in her right hand. While invoked by Makedonian judges (indeed, they are known as Themistopoloi, ‘The Servants of Themis’) she is not technically the goddess of mortal law.
Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memories
As the personification of Memory, Mnemosyne knows everything that has ever been, and presides over the rivers of Lethe and Mnemosyne, ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Remembrance’. Dead souls seeking rebirth would drink from the Lethe in order to have their old selves, memories and all, wiped away before they could be born anew. Those that did not seek rebirth, either temporarily or permanently, would instead drink from Mnemosyne, imprinting their memories more deeply on their souls, preventing them from being reborn until they drink from the Lethe. She is invoked primarily by scholars, rulers, and interestingly enough at funerals, where she is invoked in the hopes of those still alive remembering the deceased and holding on to their memories of that person.
The Names of Hellas
Male:
Achilleus
Aesop
Agapios
Akakios
Alkibiades
Alexandros
Alexios
Ambrosios
Anastasios
Antiochus
Archimedes
Basileios
Damianos
Demetrios
Diogenes
Drakon
Euripiedes
Galenos
Gaios
Herakleitos
Herodotus
Hesiodos
Kleon
Kleitos
Female:
Agape
Alexis
Alexandria
Anastasia
Ambrosia
Anthousa
Artemisia
Aspasia
Charis
Chloe
Chrysanthe
Eirene
Eulalia
Euphemia
Hypatia
Kallisto
Kleopatra
Korrinna
Menodora
Phoibe
Zoe
The Atenai
The shields of the Lakonai are the men of its phalanxes, and Makedon empties it's coffers to build mighty fortresses of brick and mortar, but the walls of the Atenai Archipelago are and shall ever be the wooden hulls of the fleet!
Kleon, Supreme Polemarchos of the Atenai
The Eastern Archipelago and islands of Hellas, Atenai is unrivalled at sea. Its vast merchantile fleet, trading with every nation and docking in every port, brings it enormous wealth, wealth used to maintain and expand the equally vast fleet it uses to project its power across Aeonia. Biremes, Triremes, Penteres, and more besides sail under the royal blue of Atenai, the sacred owl of their patron deity flying proudly on every flagpole.
Seafaring Land of Democracy
Despite being the regarded as the first true democracy in the world, the people of Atenai do, in many ways, lack freedoms that those of Makedon and Lakonai enjoy. Women are consigned to weaving parlors and gossip circles, speaking only when spoken to and relegated to child-bearing and child-raising. Only free (male) citizens that own land are permitted to have a voice in the governance of their homeland. To be a woman with any sort of power, whether in the political field or on the field of battle, is to be an outsider at worst and ill-regarded rebel at best.
Despite this, however, there is no greater place than Atenai to be a patron of the arts. Whether one carves marble, performs upon the theatre's stage, has musical talent, or simply a way with words, Atenai is considered to be the center of the Hellenic world, and a place to purchase exports from and for the world over. Indeed, it is for these reasons that Atenai is so much wealthier than Lakonai, for while the Lakonaian phalanxes are unmatched on the field of battle, the barren mountain slopes and poorly-soiled valleys of their kingdom offer little in the way of wealth. A matter of no small bitterness between the two nations.
Basic Geaography
The center of Atenaian power is the Attikan Peninsula, jutting into the sea like a blade from the south-eastern edge of Hellas. The peninsula is made up almost entirely of hills and plains, with small forests clinging to life in places where civilization considers to much trouble to settle, like the upper slopes and peaks of the four mountains surrounding the capital city of Atenai herself: Aigaleo, Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettus. Far more prevalent are the extensive growths of shrubbery, and the carefully maintained olive groves whose export have done no small part in making the Atenai the mercantile and financial powerhouse that they are.
Around the peninsula itself are the islands that form the rest of Atenaian territory. Of the western coast lies Salamis and Aegina, while the eastern ocean is dotted with the likes of Keos, Mykonos, Delos, Lesbos, Andros, and Skyros. These eastern territories constantly chafe under the crushing yolk of Atenai, longing for the days past where they made their own fates, and their sons and daughters were not sent to die in Atenai's endless wars with her neighbors, even as their homes are stripped of resources to fuel the war effort. The constant and vigilant garrisons recquired to keep the restive populaces of these islands are a not-insignificant drain of the city-state's resources, and more than one campaign has turned against Atenai as a result of those soldiers, ships, and supplies not being available at a critical moment.
Potential Lore Hooks
Characters who call this region home could have any number of reasons for leaving, both good and ill.
A wanderlust would be common, a desire to see the rest of the world and its peoples. Born, perhaps, by spending many a day in your childhood watching the ships come in to port, seeing the myriad strangers from all corners of the world in all their garb, hawking their wares in more languages than you ever knew existed.
Perhaps you committed some grave crime, and were forced to flee from your homeland, one step ahead of the authorities.
Perhaps you are a rebel from the islands, seeking the wealth and allies needed to finally free your people from their conquerors.
Perhaps you were once a noble son or daughter of the nation, forced to leave through no fault of your own, but by a serious of unfortunate circumstances. A veteran, driven into exile by the deaths of your comrades, perhaps, or a Sage on a journey of penance.
Perhaps it was something else, something unique to your character, but I have no doubt it will be a story well worth living!
The Lakonai
We Lakonians are not a wealthy people, but we are richer in merit and courage than the cowardly Makedonians or the dithering Atenai. Our rivals content themselves with fulsome speeches and righteous rhetoric, building temples and statues of stone and gold to make themselves mighty, but we of the mountain valleys know that true strength, true power, lies not in The Purse. The might of a nation, its beating heart and iron will, comes not from men of means shouting empty words to the sky. No, it is those willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with their kin and die a thousand leagues from home that are truly rich.
Lysander, Polemarchos of Sparta
The Western Valleys of Lakonai are harsh to man and beast alike, farmland a precious resource surrounded by barren steppes and cold stone, but it is this very harshness that has forged its people into the hardiest in all of Hellas, and most certainly the most lethal upon the field of battle. Every man and woman within it's borders are expected to place the good of their homeland before themselves and their families, a belief made (quite literally) emblematic by the symbol under which they march into battle: the sharp point of the lambda, the very letter with which the name of their homeland begins.
Implacable Masters of the Phalanx
As Atenai rules the waves, so does Lakonai rule the field of battle. Men of the Noble Caste begin training in warfare at the age of seven, become full-time members of the military at the age of twenty, and remain on active duty until their sixth decade. Women, for their part, must prove exceptional before being admitted to the military, for fear that they will slow down the army or falter at a critical moment in battle.
Lakonaians are perhaps the most devout of the Hellenic states, with a higher number of Sages and Temple Knights than any of their neighbors, and more guardians of the sacred Pythia of Delphi call these mountain valleys home. Religious festivals and holidays are taken very seriously, and entire campaigns have lost their momentum in order to properly observe such events and rituals. They are ruled by two Kings, who are kept in check by a group of elders known as the ephors, who are responsible for ensuring that the kings perform their duties properly. Unfortunatetly, this often means that the kings focus on pleasing the ephors rather than doing what is necessary or beneficial in the moment.
Much like the Atenai, Lakonai possesses slaves, but despite their yearly 'war' with these Helots in order to keep their population (and their spirits) under control, it is arguably a better fate to be a slave in Lakonai than one amongst the 'People's Nation'. They are allowed to own property, and families are rarely broken apart, for the helots belong to the nation as a whole, rather than any one family. They are often decently fed and clothed, in order to better perform their duties, and they can more easily earn their freedom. Children born of unions, willing or not, between helots and their masters are made citizens, though of a lower, seperate tier than any other group within the city-state.
Unlike the rest of Hellas, for whom women are dedicated entirely to domestic tasks, Lakonaian women spend their days reading and writing, participating in physical fitness training and learning to play instruments and sing. Lakonaian women can also own and inherit property, a trait unique to their homeland, and while women in Atenai are expected to marry a man many decades their senior by the age of fourteen, Lakonaian women often do not marry until twenty, and often to men their own age.
While rarely full members of the military, Lakonaian women are raised 'to be as physically fit as their brothers', as a healthy and strong body is more likely to give birth to strong children, and should their homeland fall under attack while their armies were away, it is these women who would be the final line of defense.
Basic Geography
If Atenai is hilly, Lakonai is outright mountainous, consisting almost entirely of the valleys and lower slopes of the sacred Taygetus range. More densely forested than its rival nation due to Lakonaian military interests trending towards land battles rather than the sea, it has little in the way of properly, sustainably arable land, though what crop-worthy land that they do have is kept richly fertile by the Eurotas River. Indeed, it was the need for more farm land to feed their growing population that, at least according to the Kings and Ephors, drove Lakonai to first begin invading their neighbors.
Potential Lore Hooks
While any of the usual suspects would certainly apply to a Lakonaian character, their cultural imperative of nation over self makes things both more interesting and more difficult. Perhaps they are hunting a criminal in order to bring them to justice, or were banished unjustly due to the machincations of a rival. Perhaps They shamed themself in a battle, and seek redemption through a glorious death on the battlefield. Perhaps they are a Helot, freshly escaped, or a free-man seeking his fortunes elsewhere.
The Makedonians
Let the Lakonai and the Atenai break themselves against one another, as they have for centuries. Let their smaller neighbors cower in an effort to survive being caught between them. Let them both court Makedon, and let them both make her strong. When at last they crumble from within due to the excesses required by their endless campaigns, we shall be waiting. Makedon needs only to bide it's time, and Hellas will belong to us.
Perdiccas II, King of Makedonia
The Northern stretches of Makedonia are home to the most varied of terrains to be found in Hellas, containing mountain ranges equal to those of Lakonai and Atenai, but the largest unbroken plain in the whole of Hellas, the vast Thessaloniki-Giannitsa. It's rivers keep it's farmlands rich with life, and Makedonia is famed for both it's cattle and its horses, which are the best to be found for many leagues. It is equally famous for its many fortresses and citadels, and it is careful to never wrong any of its neighbors seriously enough to be drawn fully into the constant warring around them. They have mastered the art of manipulating both sides, and grown wealthy because of it. Wealth that they use to build their fortifications and train their armies, waiting for the day to end the warring for good by uniting Hellas under the banner of the sun.
Varied Land of Patience
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Makedon shares many social and cultural features held by their Hellenic cousins and neighbors. They worship the same gods, speak the same languages, observe (more or less) the same rites and rituals, have the same architecture, and fight the same way. However, it is the seemingly minor differences that are none-the-less the most vital ones. Unlike Lakonai and Atenai, the people of Makedon are quite willing to allow foreign temples and religions to operate within their cities. Indeed, they directly invited it, seeing the temples and their visitors as a prime opportunity for further income and influence. After all, it would be far easier to solidify and keep their hold on Hellas when the time comes with foreign aid and income.
Though this open-door policy is not enough to let Makedon compete with Atenai when it comes to sea-borne trade, it is more than enough to suit their purposes and the goals of their long view. They are frequently treated dismissively and with an absent-minded disdain from their more aggressive kinsmen, for keeping to themselves and 'sheltering in their forts like a turtle hides in its shell'. Of course, those same kinsmen forget how much damage a turtle can cause when it strikes from within the safety of said shell.
Basic Geaography
Though quite mountainous, like the rest of Hellas, on it's Eastern and Western extremes, it's heartland contains the largest unbroken stretch of plains to be found on the entire Hellenic portion of the continent. It is this vast plain, Thessaloniki-Giannitsa, that provides all the food the nation recquires not just for its people (with some exports to foreign lands, whether near or far), but for the proper raising of cattle and horses.
The capital city, Pella, lays to the west of the Axios River, at the head of a sheltered inlet that feeds into the Thermaic Gulf, allowing the Makedonians to project naval military and financial power from a place of significant safety. Heavily fortified, Pella is nonetheless a beautiful city, not entirely given over to militaristic efficiency. Indeed, it has some of the most beautiful agoras in Hellas, and is well known for its musicians and artists. The Royal Palace was, in fact, painted by the greatest Hellenic painter of the era in which it was built: Zeuxis, famed for his talents and his ability to capture life-like images with paint and stone.
In the north-east lies Amphipolis, a former Atenaian colony captured during one of the few times that Makedon involved itself in the conflicts of its neighbors.
Potential Lore Hooks
There are plenty of reasons for a Makedonian character to have left their homeland, all of which can lead to compelling game-and-role play.
Perhaps your character grew tired of the constant warring in Hellas and left to seek their fortune in more peaceful lands. Perhaps they are working as an agent of their people, gathering information and allies across the rest of Eleuthia to aid your homeland's goals of Hellenic unification. Perhaps they are researching the methods of architecture and construction from other lands, looking into what techniques and materials could be best used to make your home's defences more powerful than they already are. Perhaps your character grew enamored with foreign gods and seeks to learn more about them in their native land, or has even come to worship them. Perhaps they simply want to grow wealthy and decided the Scions were the best way to do it.
Palatinia
The Mighty Republic
Forged by the hands of a people twice-exiled, twice deprived of their home through force of arms, Palatinia is a land that tolerates neither trespass nor treachery. Though the many clans and houses and senatorial factions are ever squabbling with one another, external threats are met with the full might of the Palatines united.
Olympus
The Gods and Goddesses of Palatinia
Though many of the gods most revered by the Palatines are shared at their core with the people of Hellas, their names and broader natures can be in many ways all too different.
Jupiter, Lord of the Sky and King of the Gods
King of the Gods and Ruler of Mount Olympus, Jupiter is the God of the Sky, Lightning, and Thunder. He is the youngest child of Saturn and Ops, brother and husband of Juno (on whom he frequently cheated with various mortals, immortals, and goddesses) and the brother of Neptune, Pluto, Ceres, and Vesta.
His symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, bull, scepter, and scales
Juno, Goddess of Marriage and Queen of the Gods
Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family.
The youngest daughter of Saturn and Ops. Sister and wife of Jupiter. Being the goddess of marriage (and unable to properly punish Jupiter himself), she frequently tried to get revenge on Jupiter's lovers and their children. Unlike her Hellenic counterpart, Hera, Juno possesses martial aspects. She is often invoked as the guardian and divine counsellor to the State, guiding them to the right decisions.
Her symbols include the peacock, cuckoo, and cow.
Neptune, God of Storms and Ruler of the Sea
God of the seas, fresh water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses.
The middle son of Saturn and Ops. Brother of Jupiter and Pluto. Married to the Nereid Salacia; although, as with many of the male Palatine gods, he has had many lovers.
His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident.
Ceres, Goddess of the Harvest
Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth.
The middle daughter of Saturn and Ops. Also the lover of Jupiter and Neptune, and the mother of Proserpina.
Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig.
Minverva, Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare
Goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare
The daughter of Jupiter and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor.
Her symbols include the owl, the snake, and the olive tree.
Apollo, God of Light and the Sun
God of light, the Sun, prophecy, philosophy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and plague. He is the only deity worshipped by the same name in both Palatinia and Hellas.
The son of Jupiter and Leto, and the twin brother of Diana.
His symbols include the Sun, bow and arrow, lyre, swan, and mouse.
Diana, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon
Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth, protection, and crossroads.
The daughter of Jupiter and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo.
Her symbols include the Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree, and the bow and arrow.
Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty
Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire.
The daughter of Jupiter and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Caelus' blood dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son, Saturn, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. Married to Vulcan, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Mars.
Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose.
Vulcan, God of the Forge
Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes.
The son of Juno, either by Jupiter or through parthenogenesis. Married to Venus, though her unfaithfulness is famed to mortals and immoartals alike.
His symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail.
Mercury, Messenger of the Gods
Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves and games. He was also the guide of dead souls.
The son of Jupiter and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Bacchus.
His symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre).
Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth
Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians.
She is the first child of Saturn and Ops, the elder sister of Pluto, Ceres, Neptune, Juno, and Jupiter.
Her symbol is a hearth with a fire burning inside of it.
Bacchus, God of Wine and Ecstasy
God of wine, the grape vine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection. Patron god of the art of theatre.
The son of Jupiter and the mortal Theban princess Semele. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest Olympian god, as well as the only one to have a mortal mother.
His symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin, goat, and pinecone.
Pluto, God of the Dead and King of the Underworld
The god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Pluto was the eldest son of Saturn and Ops, although the last son regurgitated by his father. He and his brothers, Jupiter and Neptune, defeated their father's generation of gods, the Titans, and claimed rulership over the cosmos. Pluto received the underworld, Jupiter the sky, and Neptune the sea, with the solid earth, long the province of Terra, available to all three concurrently. Pluto was often portrayed with his three-headed guard dog Cerberus.
His symbols include cornucopia, Cypress, serpent, mint plant, white poplar, and pomegranate
Justitia, Goddess of Justice
Unlike her Hellenic self, Themis, Justitia is a goddess who is less worshipped and more respected as a symbolic representation of justice rather than it's divine architect and overseers. While she does possess a temple and a shrine in Roma, and statues of her are often found outside courthouses, she is rarely invoked by mortal worshippers, who instead seek the intervention of older and more powerful deities, such as Jupiter or Juno.
Mars, God of War and Father of the Palatines
Despite his many similarities with the Hellenic god Ares, Mars' differences are significant and form the basis of his devout worship in Palatinia. While Ares is a bloodthirsty brute, representing all the very worst and most monstrous aspects of war, Mars represents valor, martial prowess, victory in battle, and protection. Considered the father of the Palatines due to his impregnation of the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia, a pregnancy that resulted in the ancient twins Romulus and Remus, he is in many ways the patron god of Palatinia.
The Names of Palatinia
Male Praenomen:
Agrippa
Appius
Aulus
Caeso
Decimus
Faustus
Gaius
Gnaeus
Hostus
Lucius
Mamercus
Manius
Marcus
Mettius
Nonus
Numerius
Octavius
Opiter
Paullus
Postumus
Proculus
Publius
Quintus
Septimus
Sertor
Servius
Sextus
Spurius
Statius
Tiberius
Titus
Tullus
Vibius
Volesus
Vopiscus
Female Praenomen:
Appia
Aula
Caesula
Decima
Fausta
Gaia
Gnaea
Hosta
Lucia
Maio
Memerva
Mania
Marcia
Maxima
Mettia
Mino
Nona
Numeria
Octavia
Paulla
Postuma
Prima
Procula
Publia
Quarta
Quinta
Secunda
Septima
Servia
Sextra
Spuria
Statia
Tertia
Titia
Tiberia
Tulla
Viia
Volusa
Vopisca
Nomen:
Acilia
Aelia
Ancharia
Aquillia
Asinia
Atilia
Aurelia
Calpurnia
Claudia
Cloelia
Cornelia
Curiatia
Domitia
Erucia
Flavia
Furia
Gabinia
Gratidia
Hirtuleia
Hostilia
Icilia
Insteia
Julia
Junia
Juventia
Laelia
Laetoria
Livia
Lucretia
Maenia
Maevia
Menenia
Metilia
Naevia
Nasidia
Novia
Opimia
Plaetoria
Quinctia
Raexia
Rutilia
Salvia
Sulcipia
Tarquitia
Tituria
Valeria
Veturia
Vispania
Volcatia
Volusia
Palatines have naming conventions quite unlike the other nations, in that they can be between three and five parts long: the praenomen, the name given by one's parents. The nomen, which is the clan or family name. The cognomen, usually granted due to personal traits or deeds. Particularly impressive individuals might be have multiple cognomen.
A real world example would be Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator. Quintus being what we would consider his first name. Maximus was the branch of the larger Fabia gens, or clan, which he belonged to (thus, Fabius Maximus). Verrucosus refers to a wart that he had on his upper lip. Cunctator refers to his successful delaying strategy against Hannibal.
The Palatines
What does it mean to be a Palatine? To be the children of Romulus, of Remus, to share the divine bloodline of Mars himself? Its means you must be a steward. A guardian and caretaker of the land that the gods have given us. It means being a protector, standing between your people and all that would threaten them. It means being wise, and listening to the words of the people who live alongside you, regardless of agreement. It means being courageous, and standing unbowed even if all the world might assail you. This is what it means to be a Palatine. This is what makes our people and our nation great. Senatus PopulusQue Romanus. For the Senate and the People of Roma.
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, Consul and Dictator of Palatinia
A People's Nation
In many ways, from religion to culture, Palatinia is not terrible different from the neighboring city-states of Hellas. Worshipping the same gods, most of whom have little more than a change of name to seperate them from their Hellenic counterparts, with the same rituals and prayers and mythologies. Using the same techniques and styles of construction, from the sharply slopped rooves to the copious amounts of carved columns and reliefs, a Palatinian city will bear few differences, fewer still of which hold any degree of obvious, stark deviation.
What set's Palatinia apart from the states of Hellas, besides it's (ostensible) unity compared to Hellas fracticious nature, is the government. Superficially similar to the Atenaian democracy, the Palatine Republic functions in accordance to the will of the people. Yet the details that seperate democracy from republic can be stark in their simplicity, for in the Republic all citizens are judged as equal. Unlike in Atenai, where any man or woman can be deprived of their life or freedom by nothing more than a majority vote, the Republic has rights and protections enshrined as a matter of law, with entire positions, powerful positions, of government dedicated entirely to acting in the best interest of the common citizenry and the common citizenry alone. Of course, no system is flawless, and corruption is an insidious and equal-opportunity villain...
Basic Geography
Palatinia is a long, oddly boot-shaped peninsula (and a handful of accompanying islands) that makes up the southern half of the Eastern Continent, separated from the northern lands of Hellas by a dangerous and extensive mountain range known to the Palatines as the Alpes and the Hellenes as the Alphita.
Much of the central regions of the peninsula is taken up by the Apennine mountain range, which forms what could best be described as a spine for the region, and it's tendril-like offshoots branch off into many regions and territories towards the coasts. Outside of the mountains lay the Palatinian Hills, sprawling grounds that create fertile valleys for farming and sparser rises ideal for grazing herd animals.
Though predominantly a land of highs and lows, ups and downs, Palatinia is not without it's flat, lush plains. Indeed, nearly a full quarter of Palatine territory are such plains, laden with large, nourishing rivers that make travel quick and easy across the interior regions of the nation.
Potential Lore Hooks
While it is not particularly common for a Palatine to leave their homeland, it is hardly unheard of. The most common reasons are to seek one's fortune as a mercenary, to escape one's past (for a myriad of reasons, most of them less-than-bright), or as an effort to extract oneself from the inter-Palatine power struggles and squabbles between the various clans, the gens. Of course, ultimately, these suggestions and any other are suggestions alone. Your character belongs to you, their reasons are up to you!
Ruthenia
Frozen Land of Stout Hearts and Strong Steel
A harsh, cold, and hard land to live in, Ruthenia is an environment without pity or mercy for those mortals within it that do not prepare themselves appropriately and behave intelligently within her biting embrace. Even then, even with many layers, sufficient supplies, and knowledge of the terrain, Ruthenia can still steal the life from a mortal's breast in an instant if she so chooses.
Vyrai
The Gods and Goddesses of Ruthenia
A garden paradise of eternal spring, Vyrai is ruled over and protected by the gods and goddesses of Ruthenia.
Perun, God of Thunder and Warfare
Associated most with the oak tree, which the Kyivan believes represents the sacred, cosmic oak tree that is the home of all living creatures. Perun, King of Heaven, lives in the uppermost branches where he can see everything that happens in the tree. His shrines and temples are built in the highest places possible.
Dzbog (or Dazdbog), God of Fortune and The Hearth
Associated with both fire and water, he gives life to the crops and turns dead and fallen plantlife into ashen soil to enrich the plant still living. His name literally means the giving god, and he symbolizes bounty and abundance.
Veles, The Shapeshifter
Arch-enemy of Perun and responsible for causing destructive storms. He would often take the form of a serpent and slither up the sacred tree towards Perun’s perch. According to some, he stole Perun’s family from him and trapped them in the underworld, the roots of the sacred oak. Also regarded as a trickster deity, he is connected with magic, shamanism, and sorcery.
Belobog, the God of Light. Czernobog, the God of Darkness
The two-aspected deity of light and goodness, and darkness (along with death, misfortune, and overall calamity) is never worshipped only as one Aspect or another, but rather both in tandem. To do otherwise would invite the wrath of the ignored aspect.
Lada, Goddess of Love and Beauty
Lada is a goddess of the spring, the patron of weddings, and is called upon to bless a newly married couple, alongside her brother/other aspect Lado. Some Kyivan tribes refer to her as a mother goddess, while others simply call her the ‘great goddess’.
Marzanna, Goddess of Winter and Death
Marzanna is the deity most affiliated with the death and dying of the earth as winter encroaches. As the soil freezes and the crops die, Marzanna dies as well, only to be reborn each spring as Lada. Worshippers often build an effigy to represent her, which is usually burned or drowned as part of the cycle of life, death, and eventual rebirth.
Mokosh, the Fertility Goddess
Another mother goddess figure, Mokosh is a protector of women. She watches over them in childbirth, and is associated with domestic duties such as spinning, weaving, and cooking. Popular among Eastern Kyivan, she is connected to fertility; many of those who participated in the cult of Mokosh had large, breast-shaped stones that were used as altars. She is sometimes portrayed holding a penis in each hand, because as the goddess of fertility, she is the overseer of male potency — or the lack thereof.
Svarog, God of Fire
The father of Dzbog, Svarog is a solar god. Svarog is associated with smithcraft and the forge. Perhaps most importantly, he is a powerful god who is given credit for creating the world. In some parts of the Kyivan world, Svarog is blended with Perun to form an all-powerful father god. According to legend, Svarog is asleep, and it is his dreams that create the world of man; if Svarog awakens from his slumber, the realm of men will crumble.
Zorya, The Goddess of Dusk and Dawn
Representing both the Morning Star and the Evening one, Zorya is, like other Kyivan gods, found with two or sometimes three different aspects. She is the one who opens the gates of heaven every morning, as Zorya Utrennjaja, so that the sun can rise. In the evening, as Zorya Vechernjaja, she closes them again so dusk will take place. At midnight, she dies with the sun, and in the morning, she is reborn and awakens once more.
The Names of Ruthenia
Male:
Berislav
Blazh
Bogdan
Dalibor
Desislav
Dobrogost
Dobromil
Dobroslav
Dragomir
Gostislav
Krasimir
Miloslav
Mislav
Mstislav
Radomil
Radovan
Samo
Stanimir
Vasilii
Vladimir
Vlastimir
Ysevolod
Yaroslav
Zvonimir
Female:
Bogdana
Desislava
Dragoslava
Elena
Lyudmila
Miloslava
Oliga
Radoslava
Slavitsa
Stanislava
Tomila
Tomislava
Yaroslava
The Kyivan
The Kyivan do not rule through conquest and cruelty, but by the heartfelt invitation of it's people. When the other tribes warred with one another, visiting horror after horror upon their neighbor, they realized that it was no way to live, no way to honor the gods, and so (lacking the strength to put aside their hatreds of their own free will) they came to Honored Rurik and asked he and his brothers to rule over them. And so it has been ever since.
Askold, Conqueror of Kyiv
From the vast, fertile plains and rid plateaus to the western mountains, to the Dnipro River and the Azov Sea, to the deep mineral deposits of Donbas and Donets, Ruthenia does not lack in a variety of wildlife and wilderness to challenge and sustain its people. Though they often war with the Scandza, and often trade with the other nations, they are a people who are more comfortable around the hearths of their homes and deep within the abundant lands around them then in places of ostentatious and oppulent wealth.
Stalwart Children of a Frozen Land
The people of Ruthenia are no strangers to hardship, with their environment recquiring strength of both the body and the mind to survive, never mind thrive. But the Kyivan do thrive, spectacularly so, not only in spite of these hardships but because of them. It takes a hard life to make a strong man, they proudly proclaim, looking down on those like the soft-skinned and chiton-clad Atenai. What strength can be be found by standing about and talking all day, never enduring honest work?
It is this attitude, and the stories told by traders and travellers of many nations, that gave birth to the often-absurd rumors of Ruthenia and its people. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Kyivan lean into these rumors, finding it both amusing and useful to build up this image of themselves, ensuring that rivals and potential enemies underestimate them too one degree or another.
Indeed, despite the rumors and tales to the contrary, the Kyivan are not a truly barbarous people, living in mud huts and defecating in their own gardens. Indeed, Novgorod has an extensive sewage system of its own, and literacy amongst the people is comparatively high. Women can inherit and own property, and there is little in the way of an established class system outside the current prince and the slaves.
The prince, called a knyaz, is always accompanied by his druzhina (meaning 'fellowship'), consisting of the prince's most trusted retinue. Serving as the main body of the proffesional military forces as well as the senior administrators, druzhina wield a great deal of influence as the most common intermediaries between the prince and his citizens.
With the royalty and their druzhina protecting the land and seeing to its needs, and those of its people, the majority of the citizenry are free to work their trades and pay their tributes, unless called upon to serve as irregular militia alongside the proffesional ranks of the druzhina.
Basic Geography
While Ruthenia is, undoutably, a harsh land, it is not the collection of frozen wastes and madmen that rumors so vigerously paint it. Indeed, the more south-eastern reaches of the territory, closest to the border of Skaney, is quite lush and temperate. Still, it is not innacurate to say that it is a harsh land, and one that requires both effort and care to survive long-term. The taiga forests are endless and bear little in the ways of landmarks, the small steppes are featureless and devoid of resources, and the mountain ranges are steep and predator-filled.
The center of Kyivan power is, as their name might suggest, Kyiv. Though a smaller and less storied city than the old capital of Novgorod, it has quickly risen in prominence under the guiding hand of Prince Oleg, kinsman of Rurik and his most trusted advisor. While the aging king remains secure and comfortable within his palaces in Novgorod, his son Igor learns statecraft alongside Oleg.
Potential Lore Hooks
The Kyivan, much like their Skandzan on-again off-again rivals, have a strong trading relationship with many of the other peoples of the world. As such, a common reason for them to have left their homeland would be wanderlust or falling in love with a foreign land. Equally probable would be the ever-popular mercenary, banished criminal, or idealistic wanderer.
Skaney
Land of Trade and Terror
Skaney is a land that has a...complicated relationship with the rest of the world. Undeniably beautiful, with forested mountains, fertile valleys, and soothing fjords, yet it's beauty hides one of the most prolific dangers that the rest of the world may have to face: Scandzan raiders, looking to ply their 'trade' during the agricultural off-season.
Asgard
The Gods and Goddesses of the Scandzan
The magnificent home of the Scandzan gods and goddesses of the Aesir and Vanir families, Asgard is divided into twelve realms, each as magnificent and divine as the others, with Valhalla being the most beloved to the people who worship Odin All-Father and his kin.
Aesir
Odin, Allfather and King of Asgard
Odin is associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and is the husband of the goddess Frigg.
His symbol is the Valknut, an icon created by three interlocking triangles.
Frigg, Queen of Asgard and Goddess of Marriage
Frigg is the wife of Odin, the Queen of Asgard, and the keeper of the Domestic Arts. She dwells in the wetland halls of Fensalir, is famous for her foreknowledge, and is also affiliated with Marriage, Fertility, Foresight, and Wisdom.
Heimdallr, Gatekeeper and Guardian of Asgard
Also known as ‘The Shining God’, Heimdallr eternally guards the Bifrost, where the rainbow bridge meets the sky of the mortal realms. Able to see and hear everything occurring within the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil, he watches for both invaders of sacred Asgard and the onset of Ragnarok. It is said he created the social classes amongst the mortal races.
Baldr, God of Light and Joy
Younger brother of Mighty Thor, Baldr is the God of Light, joy, purity, and the summer sun. He is the father of Forseti, and considered the most beloved thing in all creation, a paragon of courage and honor.
Tyr, God of Law and Heroic Glory
The one handed God of Glory and Law, Tyr (renowned for his great courage) lost his hand as the central part of a deception to ensure the great wolf Fenrir was bound until Ragnarok.
Thor, God of Thunder
Associated with thunder, lightning, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind and also hallowing and fertility, Thor is perhaps the most famous and widely known God of the Skáney. Riding into battle on his chariot, which is pulled by two immortal mountain goats, he lays waste to all that oppose him with the power of his mighty hammer Mjölnir.
Loki, God of Trickery and Magic
Loki is (to some) the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Narfi and/or Nari. By the stallion Svaðilfari, Loki is the mother—giving birth in the form of a mare—to the eight-legged horse Sleipnir.
One never knows to whom Loki is loyal at any given moment, besides himself, and there are as many stories of him sabotaging and harming his fellow gods as there are of him aiding them.
Hel, Goddess of the Dishonored Dead and Ruler of Niflheim
Hel is the goddess of death and is a being who presides over the realm of Niflheim, where she receives a portion of the dead (the dishonored). The gods abducted Hel and her brothers from Angrboda's (her mother and a consort of Loki’s) hall. They cast her in the underworld, into which she distributes those who are sent to her; the wicked and those who died of sickness or old age. Her hall in Helheim is called Eljudnir, Home of the Dead. Her manservant is Ganglati and her maidservant is Ganglot (which both can be translated as "tardy"). She has a knife called "Famine", a plate called "Hunger", a bed called "Disease", and bed curtains called "Misfortune".
Vanir
Njörðr, God of the Sea and Seafaring
Father of the deities Freyr and Freyja by his unnamed sister, was in an ill-fated marriage with the goddess Skaði, lives in Nóatún and is associated with the sea, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth, and crop fertility.
Freyr, God of Prosperity and Virility
A widely attested god associated with sacral kingship, virility and prosperity, with sunshine and fair weather, and pictured as a phallic fertility god. Freyr is said to "bestow peace and pleasure on mortals.
Freyja, Goddess of War and Wealth
Associated with war, death, love, sex, beauty, fertility, gold, and seiðr, Freyja is the twin sister of Freyr and oversees the golden fields of Folkvangr, where she receives the souls of half of those who die honorably in combat (the other half go to Odin and Valhalla). She rides into battle in a chariot pulled by two enormous cats, and is accompanied by a fierce and gigantic boar named Hildisvíni
The Names of Skaney
Male:
Áki
Áleifr
Alfvin
Ásbjǫrn
Aðalsteinn
Auðr
Bárðr
Bjǫrn
Brynjarr
Dagr
Einarr
Eiríkr
Eysteinn
Gunnarr
Hákon
Hallbjǫrn
Hávarðr
Hildingr
Ingi
Ívarr
Jósteinn
Leifr
Magni
Mundi
Njáll
Ragnarr
Ragnvaldr
Sigmundr
Sindri
Snorri
Stígandr
Valdimárr
Valþjófr
Yngvarr
Female:
Alfhildr
Arnbjǫrg
Ása
Áshildr
Ástríðr
Auðr
Brynhildr
Brynja
Dagmær
Dagný
Eydís
Fríða
Grímhildr
Guðríðr
Gyða
Hjǫrdís
Ingríðr
Iðunn
Katla
Magnhildr
Ragna
Ragnheiðr
Rúna
Signý
Sigrún
Svanhildr
Thrud
Þýri
Valdís
Vígdís
Yngvildr
The Scandza
The other lands so often see us as simple people, barbarians. Uneducated, unintelligent, incapable of doing anything but warring and raping our way through their lands in search of pretty baubles and thralls that we turn around and sell to other lands. Perhaps they are right, perhaps we are savages, brutal beasts in the skins of men. But I think it more likely that they speak from a place of bitterness, of shame and regret that they are weak and incapable of defending their own people...and that they are so eager to ignore our 'crimes' against them to buy the treasures of other lands from us, even as we sell theirs in turn.
Ragnar 'Lothbrok' Sigurdsson, Jarl of Kattegat
Skaney is perhaps the most varied region amongst the nations, save perhaps the Shenzhou Empire, though admittedly the Empire has something of an advantage in that matter simply by its far greater size. With alpine forests, fertile farmlands, sheltered fjords, small archipelagos, and mountain lakes, there is a biome in this beautiful land for nearly everyone. Indeed, perhaps only the desert-dwelling Kumati wouldn't not find a place to comfortably call home here. And the people who call it home are as varied as the lands they inhabit. Farmers, craftsmen, traders, and raiders all live within its borders, interacting with their neighbors and foreign nations in their own unique, and quite different, ways.
Fierce Farmers, Raiders and Traders
The people who inhabit the lands of Skaney are, by many views, a shining example of contradiction to the first glance. Possessing slaves whose rights are virtually nonexistant (their usage in human sacrifice and as part of 'grave goods' is common and extensive), while permitting women to do such shocking things as inherit property, inherit the position of head of the family (albeit with some contextual restrictions), and seek divorce and remarriage of their own free will. They are even allowed to have significant authority amongst the religious class, and some few have earned glory and esteem on the field of battle.
Beyond the slave class, called thralls in their native tongue, there are a further two overarching ranks of people amongst Scandzan society: karls, which is to say the free men and women, and jarls, which are essentially an aristocracy. Naturally, within these two larger ranks there are many fluctuating tiers of power, with families rising and falling rythmically to and from prominence, merchants and warriors sneering at one another and competeing for their liege-lord's favour.
The karls are, by their nature of being all free people within Skaney, the most diverse of ranks. Amongst them are warriors, merchants, craftspeople. Farmers, fishermen, blacksmiths and horse-breeders. Priests and oracles, rune-masters and skalds. The fabric of the society, the motive force that sustains it, propels it, and maintains it. Oh, much of the labor is left to the thralls, of course, but thralls alone cannot singlehandedly support and entire society for long.
The jarls, being the rarest and most powerful of the classes, are by necessity the least diverse. While the tasks of leadership are by nature and belief more important of those below them, they are also the most straight-forward and regimented. Seeing to the administration of their lands, to the collecting of taxes and the maintenance of the lands. Overseeing the judgement of accused criminals and the punishment of the guilty, mediating feuds, and hearing the pleas of their people. Of course, life is hardly all work for these wealthy, powerful people. Many a day is whiled away with hunting, races, indulging in carnal pleasures or visiting neighboring lords.
Outside of their yearly raiding season, taking place at more or less the same time every year due to a variety of factors including the timing of harvests and the weather, the Scandza tend to content themselves with tending to their lands, pursuing sports and certain arts, and travelling far and wide to buy and sell as many wares as the world can offer them within the reach of their longships. Every nation that knows them fears and loves them simultaneously, resenting the raids occasionally suffered, but often willing to tolerate them in pursuit of the goods they bear whenever their weapons are at rest.
Basic Geography
Skaney is a wild, mostly untamed land of forests, farmlands, lakes, and fjords, cradled between and amongst scattered mountains, both lone and in ranges. Most people live seperated from one another, caring for their own individual farm through their own efforts and those of their thralls, travelling to the nearest large village or town only sporadically, such as when The Thing is called or in order to sell their goods at the market. Cities, as the other nations would understand them, do not exist in more than a handful of places, and none to the size and oppulence of wealthier and more temperate lands.
Skaney, unlike all of their neighbors and the vast majority of formal nations in the world, have no true, set-in-stone capital. They are, by their cultural organization, not dissimilar to a tribal confederation. While each Jarl rules his or her own lands with absolute autonomy, they often unite under one leader or another for a greater goal. Most recently, and most often, that leader has been Ragnar Sigurdsson, who is perhaps the closest thing that the Scandza have ever had to a universal ruler, and so one could (and some do) argue that his homeland of Kattegat is the capital of the Scandza.
Potential Lore Hooks
Scandzans, much like their Kyivan on-again off-again rivals, have a strong trading relationship with many of the other peoples of the world. As such, a common reason for them to have left their homeland would be wanderlust or falling in love with a foreign land. Equally probable would be the ever-popular mercenary, banished criminal, or idealistic wanderer. A warriors seeking a glorious death to enter Valhalla would be appropriate, as well, or one trying to reclaim their honor in blood.
The Vast Steppes
Lands of the Horse-Lords
The Steppes, for they have no other name, are most often described using a single world: vast. Another might be 'untouched', or perhaps 'pristine', and in truth applying all three (and many more besides) would not be a mistake. It is here that the nomadic Khalka live their lives and it is here that they have fought and died for generations to preserve from the predations of the Shenzhou.
Uçmag
The Gods and Goddesses of the Khalka
An untouched paradise, undefiled by humans, with all of creation is as it was the moment the gods brought the world into existence. This is Uçmag, the place where the souls of those who were righteous spend eternity watching over and guiding their mortal descendants.
Bai-Ülgen, the Creator God
Bai-Ülgen symbolizes goodness, welfare, abundance, plentiness of food, water, etc. Furthermore, he created earth, heaven and all living beings. In addition, he controls the atmospheric events and movements of stars. He creates land for people to live on, the heads of both humans and animals and the rainbow. He is regarded as the patron god of shamans and the source of their knowledge.
Od iyesi, Goddess of Fire and Marriage
Od (or Ot) means fire, and iye is the familiar spirit of any natural asset, literally meaning "master" or "possessor." Od iyesi protects the fire. It is also known as Ateş iyesi or Alev iyesi ("flame" or "blaze spirit"). She was said to have been born at the beginning of the world, when the earth and sky separated.
Erlik, God of Death and the Ruler of Hell
Erlik, Erlig, or Erlik Khan is the God of Death and Tamag (Hell) and was the first creation of Bai-Ülgen.Erlik's pride led to friction between the two, and he was banished to the underworld.
Erlik was involved in the creation of humanity. He slew the messenger-god, Maidere/Maydere, and is a teacher of sin. He is sometimes represented by a totemic bear. Erlik was the deity of evil, darkness, lord of the lower world and judge of the dead. He is known as the first of mankind, created by Ulgen. He wants to be equal to Ulgen, but is in a position inferior to him. Then he wanted to make his own land and was sent to the prison at the 9th layer of the earth and became opposed to the upper world, the realm of light.
The evil spirits created by Erlik cause misfortune, sickness and death to mankind. These spirits are imagined as Erlik's assistants. Besides these, his nine sons and daughters help their father in the way of evil. Erlik's daughters especially try to change a shaman's mind while he is attempting to reach Ulgen with their beauties. Erlik gives all kinds of sickness and wants sacrifices from the people. If they do not sacrifice to him, he catches the dead bodies of the people that he killed and takes them away to this lower world and then makes them his slaves. So, especially in the Altays, when sickness appears, people become scared of Erlik and make many animal sacrifices to him
Tung-ak, God of War
The Red God of War, who guides soldiers on the battlefield and chooses the winners and losers of battles and wars. Occasionally, enemy soldiers are sacrificed to him in an effort to turn battles in the favor of one side or the other, thought this is uncommon.
Maidere/Maydere, The Messanger God
The Names of the Khalka
Male:
Amgalan
Bataar
Batsaikhan
Batu
Batzorig
Chuluun
Delger
Ganbaatar
Gerelt
Jargal
Tarkhan
Timicin
Turgen
Altan
Dzhambul
Enkh
Erden
Möndör
Zamilan
Khürel
Female:
Altansarnai
Khaliun
Odtsetseg
Odsar
Odval
Saran
Sarangerel
Sarantsatsra
Sarnai
Yargui
Altandöl
Bayarmaa
Chimeg
Galtmaa
Erdenechimeg
Enkhtuya
Khair
Yagaan
Oyun
Tuya
The Khalka
Dwelling in the Khangai Mountains
A shield against alien enemies
A support for your precious life
A blade towards those who come, a guard towards those who look
Your Khalkha Tumen is indeed for you
Dayan Khan, Father of the Khalka Tumen
From the Khangai to the Khentii, the taiga to Lake Baikal, the Daurian to the Gobi, the Khalka roam a vast and magnificent land. A land that they treasure and safe-guard from the same kind of abuses that they believe caused the mortal races to be cast out of Paradise, and a land whose resources are constantly being sought by their might and diametrically opposed enemies to the south, the Shenzhou Empire. There are no greater mounted warriors, no better horse-archers, than these men and women, who can strike with the wrath of a heavenly hammer before fading away into the steppes like a breath on the wind.
Swift Riders of the Steppes, Humble Children of the Gods
It would be easy for foreigners to look down on the Khalka for their 'quaint' culture and religious beliefs, and a great many do, but those who take the time and the effort to look deeper find a people that are so utterly at peace and cooperation with the natural world around them that, to many, it beggars belief.
Believing that they were cast out of Eleuthia, the Paradise That Was and the Home of the Gods, for the rapacious way in which the races treated the land, they eschew building sprawling, permanent settlements and the mining of gold and silver. Always on the move, always treating the land and the creatures upon it with respect, they never hunt more than they need nor allow their horses and cattle to over-graze an area. They also believe that their horses are actually nature spirits, lesser gods in effect, that their pantheon have left in the mortal realm to watch over them and ensure they maintain this more righteous path until such time that forgiveness is earned.
Naturally, this means that their horses are their most precious possessions, and are treated with immense respect and care. They are kept warm, well-fed, and round-the-clock guards ensure that neither man nor beast can threaten them or cause them harm. Mare's milk, once fermented, is the basis of the popular alchoholic beverage called airag, and during harsher journeys the Khalka will carefully pierce a vein in the horse's neck and sustain themselves off of the warm blood that consequently flows from the wound. In addition to horses, sheep, goats, and cattle are popular fixtures to any tribe's herd, providing wool for clothing, meat and milk, and the hides necessary to construct the yurts in which the Khalka live.
While, like most of the nations, the Khalka are patriarchal, women are not silent ornaments amongst them. Instead, they are considered to be valuable advisors and assistants to their husbands and sons. They have their own mounts, are trained to fight in order to defend the camp and children, help care for and protect the herds, and are permitted to sit in on important meetings and discussions. Their advice is heard and often heeded, as the men are quite aware that their wives, mothers, and daughters have a different perspective on things, which is of course a valuable thing for any decision-making process.
There are several festivals that are deemed important enough to bring all the tribes together in one place, though two are the most prominent. There is the Naadam, the Feast of Sports, featuring competitions such as horse racing, wrestling, and archery. Then, there is the Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the end of winter and the coming of spring.
Basic Geography
There is, perhaps, no land quite like that of the Khalka. There is certainly no similarly vast expanse of more-or-less unbroken grasslands to be found anywhere else in the world, even amongst the lands of Nesha. Save for gently rolling hills and the two widely-seperated mountain ranges of Khangai and Khentii, only the occasional river, lake, or copse of trees break the immense unchanging horizon of the prairie.
Due to their nomadic lifestyle and disdain for permanent structures, it is hard to point to any one place and say 'this is the capital of the Khalka', and frankly this fact has long helped them survive and overcome Shenzhou attempts at conquering their lands and breaking their people. Only Ulaanbataar resembles anything like the cities of their neighbors, nestled deep in the heart of the Khentii mountain range. While the clans themselves never stop roaming far and wide, there is always a group from each of them whose duty is to act as a central hub for trade and information. Consisting of a shaman from each tribe, and accompanying guards and kin, they recieve reports from their travelling clan mates on such things as Shenzhou incursions, flooded plains, and fallow fields. This information is then disseminated to all the clans, so that a response can be organized.
Potential Lore Hooks
There are plenty of reasons for a member of the tribes to leave their homeland. Wanderlust, banishment, a quest for revenge. A desire to discover knowledge that could improve the lives of your people or allies to aid in the fight against the constant incursions of the Shenzhou. Perhaps you know of the Jade Throne's desires to claim Eleuthia for themselves and have joined with the Scions of Eleuthia in the hopes of thwarting their attempts to defile The Paradise That Was yet again.
Shenzhou
The Divine Land of the Heavenly Son
Ancient, mystical, and enamored with tradition, Shenzhou is a land nearly as large as the Khalkan Steppes that form it's northern border. It is also a land that, by its very nature, contains incredible darkness and light in equal measure. Secrets abound, factions endlessly manouver against one another, and always they hunger for more. More lands, more resources, more soldiers, more women, more wealth.
Diyu
The Gods and Goddesses of the Shenzhou
The Eighteen Realms and Ten Courts of Death are the ultimate destination, and hold ultimate power, over any being in Shenzhou belief. A place of atonement for sins, even gods might find themselves sentenced to penance by the Ten Yama Kings for their misdeeds, before being returned to the mortal world to carry on their duties or, if a mortal being, be reborn.
Shangti, Supreme God and Ancestor of All
Shangti is the supreme god of law, order, justice, and creation. He is also known as Jade Emperor, Yellow Emperor, or Yu Huang Shang-Ti, although there are sometimes important distinctions made between these names and Jade Emperor can mean another deity. Shangti is considered the great ancestor of all Shenzhou, who gave the people culture, architecture, skill in battle, agriculture, controlled the weather, regulated the seasons, and was king over the other gods, human beings, and nature. Shangti judges who was worthy to rule and for how long, and when a dynasty is no longer fit, it falls and another takes its place.
Queen Mother of the West
She is the queen of the immortal gods and spirits, especially female spirits who lived in the mystical land of Xihua ("West Flower"), and goddess of immortality. She is also known as Xiwangmu or Xi-Wang-Mu and lived in a castle of gold in the Kunlun Mountains, surrounded by a moat which was so sensitive that even a hair dropped on the waters would sink. This moat serves as protection for her Imperial Peach Orchard where the juices of the fruit of the trees give immortality. Xiwangmu is shown as a beautiful woman with sharp teeth and a leopard's tail, or as an old, unattractive woman with a hunched back, tiger's teeth and a leopard's tale, depending on her mood. She rewards her followers with eternal life but punishes those who anger her. She is the wife of Mugong, Lord of the Spirits, who watches over male spirits in the land of Donghua ("East Flower") but is sometimes seen as the wife of Shangti.
Guanyin, Goddess of Compassion and Mercy
Guanyin is the goddess of mercy and compassion, and who later became the patron of sailors and fishermen. She is so compassionate that she incarnated as the maiden Miaoshan in order to experience life as a human being and offer service to others. Miaoshan's father wanted her to marry a wealthy priest. Miaoshan refused to marry unless the marriage could end the sufferings caused by illness, aging, and death. When her father told her no marriage could end such things, she replied that a doctor could, but her father did not want her marrying someone of such a lowly occupation. She was allowed to enter a temple instead of marrying, but her father made sure that she was given all of the worst work, which she accomplished with the help of the nearby animals who responded to her goodness. Her father then tried to burn the temple down but Miaoshan put the fire out with her bare hands. He then had her executed, but when she went to hell, she released all of the goodness she held inside and turned it into paradise. The king of the dead, Lord Yama, sent her back to earth before she ruined his realm, and she lived afterwards on Fragrant Mountain where she watched over human beings. From her mountain home, she would often notice people in trouble on their boats at sea and rescue them, which is how she became the patron goddess of sailors and fishermen. She's one of the most popular deities in all of Shenzhou, and both men and women adored her.
Yan Wang, God of Death and King of the Afterlife
Yan Wang is the god of death and king in the afterlife. He is the greatest of all the Lords of Death who rule the regions of the underworld. He is also known as Yang-Wang-Yeh, Lord Yama, and Lord Yama King. Yan Wang presides over the judgment of souls and decides whether they will be punished for their crimes in life, go on to live with the gods, or be reincarnated. In one famous story, a soldier named Commandant Yang, who had caused a great deal of suffering and misery in his life, died and appeared in the court of Yan Wang. Yan Wang asked him how he had managed to build up so many sins on his soul in the short time he was on earth. Yang claimed he was innocent and had done nothing wrong. Yan Wang commanded the scrolls of Yang's life to be brought in where the date and time of his sins were read along with who was affected and how many had died because of Yang's selfishness. Yang was condemned by the Lord of Death, and a great hand appeared which snatched him up and crushed him. It was said that one could escape punishment for one's sins on earth but no one could escape justice in the court of Yan Wang.
Niu Lang and Zhi Nu, Deities of Love
The god and goddess of love. Zhi Nu was the goddess of weaving for the gods and daughter of Shangti. Every day she wove the beautiful robes the gods wore and looked down on earth from her place among the stars and wished she could visit. She was finally granted permission by her father and went to earth where she left her clothes by the banks of a stream and went swimming. A cowherd named Niu Lang saw her and fell in love with her so he stole her clothes so she could not run away from him. When Zhi Nu came out of the water she was outraged that her clothes were gone but when Niu Lang explained himself she fell in love with him. She forgot all about her home in the heavens and her duties as divine weaver and stayed on earth with Niu Lang. They were very happy together, every day they were more in love, and they had many children. Shangti was not pleased, though, and neither were the other gods and so soldiers were sent to bring Zhi Nu back home. Niu Lang tried to follow but Shangti threw a wall of stars across his path and stopped him; these stars are known on earth as the Milky Way. Once a year, magpies fly from earth to the Milky Way and form a bridge the two can cross to be with each other on the evening known as the Seventh Night of the Seventh Moon.
Nuwa and Fuxi, Parents of Mankind
Nuwa and Fuxi were the mother and father deities of human beings. Nuwa was born at the beginning of creation and fixed the mistakes made at first so that everything was perfect. She built a palace for herself, which became the model for Shenzhou architecture, and lived there with her friend and brother Fuxi, both depicted as human-dragons with human heads and dragon bodies or human bodies to the waist and dragon legs and tails. Nuwa became lonely and created human beings for company from the mud of the Yellow River. She breathed life into them and they moved and lived. She continued to make more and more human beings but it was tiring work and so she created marriage so that they could reproduce themselves. The humans were alive but had no knowledge of anything and so Fuxi gave them the gifts of fire, writing, how to get food from the sea, and all the other skills they would need to live. He also gave them the gifts of music, culture, and divination so they could make good decisions by knowing what the future held.
Caishen, God of Wealth and Trade
Caishen, the god of wealth, is one of the most popular gods of Shenzhou. Statues of Caishen (also known as Ts'ai Shen) can be seen in businesses run by Shenzhou merchants all around the world and in Shenzhou homes. His statue shows a wealthy man seated in a silk robe holding riches in both hands. He is sometimes accompanied by two attendants carrying bowls of gold. He was not just the god of material wealth but of a rich life which meant a happy family and a secure, prosperous, and respectable job. Caishen is very generous to his followers but was not foolish and did not give out his wealth to just anyone. People had to prove themselves worthy of his generosity by working hard, praying to him regularly, and thanking him for his gifts. Temples and shrines to Caishen are probably the most numerous in Shenzhou.
Menshen, Guardians of the Door
Menshen, the guardians of the door, known as "Gods of Peaceful Sleep" who protect a room, house, or building from evil spirits and ghosts. The emperor Taizong was having a hard time sleeping because of nightmares. He consulted a doctor who blamed the bad dreams on evil spirits. Taizong's nightmares were so real he thought people were actually in the room trying to kill him, and so two of his most trusted guards were posted outside the door of his room, one standing on each side. Taizong began to sleep better with the guards outside and so ordered that their images be painted on the doorway. News of Taizong's painted soldiers spread and soon more and more people were painting guardians on their doors and rooms. These images can be seen on many buildings and homes in Shenzhou and elsewhere.
The Names of Shenzhou
Male:
Xiu
Zixuan
Zihan
Yuxuan
Yuze
Xiang
Wei
Tao
Shi
Kai
Hao-Yu
Haoran
Guo
Fu
Dong
Da-fu
Chao
Chen
Bowen
Aiguo
Tu
Syaoran
Taio
Shan
Manchu
Longwei
Lim
Shang
Po
Kuo
Jing
Jiao-Long
Hu
Female:
Alix
Hien
Gho
Diu
Da Xia
Huan
Jia Li
Jiao
Liling
Lin
Liu
Loi
Luan
Meilin
Meiling
Niu
Nuo
Qing
Nuwa
Qi
Li Hua
Lixue
Nuan
Ming Yue
Mey
Meiying
Lien
Lian
Li Ming
Lai
Qinyang
Yun
Wang Fang
The Shenzhou
Rumours abound that our glorious kingdom is ruled by women, shadowy puppeteers behind the Jade Throne. Asburd, malicious heresies, spread by fear-mongering rebels and infiltraitors from the worthless northern barbarians. I am Zhao Yun, Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty of the Shenzhou. The Radiant Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years. No woman controls me, no woman controls the Empire, and no woman ever shall.
Lizong, Fourteenth Emperor of the Song Dynasty
Lizong is a mindless fool more interested in sleeping with his concubines, stealng new ones from their families, and gorging himself on wine and rich foods than ruling an Empire well. We of the Jin, hidden and hopeful, will cast down this tainted Son of Heaven, cast down the ancient hands pulling his strings, and bring salvation to the Shenzhou.
Tushan, Empress-In-Hiding of the Jin Dynasty
There is no land save Skaney that is as varied in biomes as the Shenzhou Empire. It is a land of absolute control by its Emperor, who wields supreme autocratic power and is regarded as a demigod come to guide his people to Heaven. To outsiders, whose experience is carefully controlled through limited exposure and scripted displays, it seems a monolithic entity, united and working smoothly, every man and woman knowing their place and performing their duties to better serve their nation. Beneath the surface, however, lies another story entirely.
Land Of Decadence and Duty
Shenzhou is an ancient land, and a proud one. While other nations have changed over the centuries, the inhabitants of this sprawling empire have made it a point of pride to remain as staid and static as possible, even when it seems blatantly to the detriment of their nation and its people. Tradition is of paramount importance, and many decisions are made based not one what an individual situation calls for, with all of its contextual factors accounted for, but rather on what an honored ancestor did in a vaguely similar situation generations before. Such a method of leadership and decision-making is known for creating great stability, by and large, but does not handle change nor the unexpected well.
Filial Piety, and respect to one's social and cultural superiors, are considered to be of paramount importance in Shenzhou society. The reputation of one's family name is vital, and one must behave according to rigid customs when in public in order to not bring shame onto your parents and ancestors. For women, filial piety means total submission to her husband's will, to be courteous at all times, to ensure male heirs, to prevent infighting between sons, and to advise one's parents to follows wise paths.
Interestingly, the concept of zhōng, 'loyalty', is not only as important, but also somewhat at odds with the autocratic power wielded by the Emperor. Tied in with the belief of the Emperor's divine mandate, and the inherant righteousness of all those he places in positions of power, Shenzhou culture states that a superior (of any kind) should be obeyed because of their inherant moral rectitude. However, this obediance does not demand subservience, as the loyalty shown by subordinates is expected to be reciprocated. A superior should heed the advise of his subordinates, even as the subordinate is expected to point out flaws in leadership.
In the last century, this recipricocity has begun to fade away, with more emphasis being placed on the obligations of the subordinate, and sages that refer to often to the duty of the people to replace or overthrow an incompetent or evil leader just as often find themselves disappearing some dark night.
The Empire, while primarily focused on the Khalka to the North (and the vast natural resources the tribes protect), is not without its internal enemies. An underground rebel group, led by the deposed survivors of the butchered Jin dynasty, fight to free their homeland from what they view as an unworthy Emperor.
Basic Geography
If there is a type of terrain, weather, or biome, it exists in the lands of the Shenzhou Empire. Even the arid, sand-filled emptiness of a desert is not foreign to this land. There is no place in this enormous territory that is entirely uninhabitaed, though the majority of the population is centered around the verdant plains and low mountains towards the nation's heart. Still, it would be far from unusual to meet a member of the Shenzhou from the Gobi Desert, the Changbai Mountains, the Rainforest of Xinshuangbanna, or the Sichuan Basin.
The center of the Shenzhou Empire is, of course, whatever city is currently hosting the Son of Heaven, who will often visit different Imperial Palaces depending on things such as the weather and his mood. However, the official capital (with the largest and grandest Palace, naturally) is the city of Bianjing. It is here that the majority of the Imperial Government stays, even as the Court itself follows the Emperor from place to place.
Potential Lore Hooks
While it may seem a strange thing indeed for someone from such an inwardly-focused culture to join a roaming, home-less mercenary army, there is no dirth of reasons for a citizen of Shenzhou to leave. A rebel seeking allies or knowledge to overthrow the Song, a Song loyalist looking to sabotage rebel efforts, someone who hate the both of them and simply wants to live free of the dynastic squabbles and endless powerplays that are rife in the Emperor's court. All these and more are available to you.
Nihon
Land of Rising Suns and Ancient Traditions
Nihon, at its most basic definition, is a land of duty. A land of service. Service to your family, your village, your lord, your shogun, your emperor, and your gods.
The Pantheon of Nihon
Amaterasu-Ōmikami
She is the goddess of the sun as well as the ancestress of the Imperial Household of Nihon. Her name means "Shines from Heaven" or "the great kami who shine Heaven". For many reasons, one among them being her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not officially) to be the "primary god" of Shinto.
Her symbols include the rising sun, a polished golden mirror, the serpent, and the dragon.
Ame-no-Uzume
Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry in Shinto. Her most famous tale is that of convincing Amaterasu to restore sunlight to Creation by dancing outside the cave that the sun goddess was hidden in.
Her symbol is that of a mischevious fox
Fūjin
Most often portrayed as a demonic, crimson-haired and green-skinned man wearing nothing more than a leopard skin with a large tubular sack holding the winds of the world, Fujin is the god of wind and one of the eldest Nihonese gods, born from Izanami after she died.
Raijin
The god of lightning, thunder, and storms, in addition to being the twin brother of Fujin the Wind God, Raijin is depicted as a fierce, muscular demonic creature wielding massive hammers, which he uses to play a cluster of equally large drums to create the thunder heard by mortals.
Susanoo-no-Mikoto
Famed for his temper and boorish behavior, Susanoo is nonetheless beloved by the people of Nihon for being a fierce protection deity, one who not only battled and slew the dreaded and monstrous Yamato-no-Orochi, but also taught the mortal races the arts of agriculture, allowing them to survive and thrive.
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto
God of the Moon, Tsukuyomi is most famous for his arrogance, which resulted in his murder of the Goddess of Food, Ukemochi, over a feast that she was hosting. So furious was his sister, Amaterasu, over his crime, that she turned away from him and relegated herself to another portion of heaven for the rest of eternity, seperating Moon and Sun forevermore.
Inari Ōkami
Deity of Foxes, fertility, rice, tea and sake, Inari is somewhat unique amongst the kami of Nihon in that they appear at times as a man, as a woman, or as an androgynous entity, depending on the tasks and duties that they are carrying out at the time, and even what portion of the land they are being worshipped in. No one depiction of them is favoured above the others, but all aknowledge them as one of the most powerful and central kami.
Takemikazuchi
A god of swords and considered the victor of the first sumo match, Takemikazuchi is famous for leading the coneuqest of the mortal world, fighting and defeating many of the terrestrial deities at the behest of Amaterasu and securing their lands for the heavenly deities.
The Names of Nihon
Male:
Akihiko
Akihito
Aoi
Asuka
Daichi
Daisuke
Genji
Haru
Hachirou
Haruto
Hayate
Hideyoshi
Jiro
Junichi
Kaito
Himura
Katsurou
Kei
Kiyoshi
Minato
Naoki
Ryota
Ryuji
Yuto
Female:
Aguri
Asa
Chiyo
Cho
Fubuki
Fuka
Haruhi
Himiko
Itsuko
Kaede
Kanna
Kasumi
Mai
Madoka
Nanako
Reika
Sakura
Sayuri
Seiko
Yayoi
Yukari
Clan Names:
Minamoto
Taira
Fujiwara
Tachibana
Ashikaga
Hojo
Mino
Inaba
Inoue
Matsumae
Oda
Takeda
Tokugawa
Toyotomi
Uesugi
Toki
Akita
The Nihonese
The sky, then the sea,
Or the sea on top of the sky,
I can no longer tell,
The mist and the waves rise,
To an increasing crescendo
Minamoto no Yoritomo, Seii Tai-Shōgun of Nihon
A long, slender island nation off of the coast of the Western Lands, Nihon is as ancient as it is shrouded in mystery. Few travelers come and go, the Nihonese content with remaining in their homelands, and their nearest neighbor (the Shenzhou) having long since learned that trespassing will quickly prove fatal.
Ancient Land of Contemplation
Though it seems a small thing to say, given that all races and nations could be so described, the best word to describe Nihon and it's people is tradition. Much like their neighbors in Shenzhou, Nihonese culture is very static, perhaps even appearing rigid to an outside observer. However, to the people who live there, it is a culture that has been carefully refined for centuries, standing the test of time and weathering countless storms. Every moment of every day, it's people dedicate themselves to their tasks and studies with an unwavering dedication that is as impressive as it is zealous.
With a social strata that, like so many other places, is divided into those that rule and those that serve, it is not quite the same as so many of the other nations. Indeed, the noble class have taken for themselves the word samurai as the epithet of their rank, a word that means 'to serve', and that is a label that they take very seriously. It is not uncommon, but indeed expected, for a samurai who suffers a great dishonor or shames their master to commit ritual suicide to atone.
Nor is duty considered any less significant by the ranks above or below them. The peasants serve the samurai on whose lands they live, working their fields and maintaining their estates, and are in return protected by their lord and his soldiers, just as the samurai and his soldiers protect and are protected by those above them, and so on to the Imperial Family and the Shogun themselves, Nihonese life, culture, and social mores are about dedicating oneself to one's family and one's superiors above yourself.
Basic Geography
Nihon is technically made up of a multitude of islands, but only four have any real signifigance, value, or population.
Kai, the northernmost, is by far the coolest and least industrialized.
Hondo, the largest and most central island, is where the vast bulk of the population lives.
Kyūkoku, the breadbasket of Nihon, with the volcanic soil and tropical temperatures allowing crops to be grown nearly year round.
Shikoku, the smallest of the islands and the most mountainous, with few people living there year round, but a source of much of the timber, stone, and metal resources of Nihon.
While the islands have their seperate extremes, their own quirks and unique features, the Nihonese islands are by and large quite mountainous, with the vast majority of the population centers along coastline, in sheltered valleys, or on the few plains and steppes the nation contains.
Potential Lore Hooks
Characters who call this region home could have any number of reasons for leaving, both good and ill.
Perhaps you are a ronin, a masterless wandering samurai (either the rank or the actual class), travelling the world and serving no one but yourself.
Perhaps you committed some grave crime, and were forced to flee from your homeland, one step ahead of the authorities.
Perhaps you are a vengeful warrior, hunting down those who wronged you, whether by harming your family, betraying your lord, or something else entirely.
Perhaps you were once a noble son or daughter of the nation, forced to leave through no fault of your own, but by a serious of unfortunate circumstances. A veteran, driven into exile by the deaths of your comrades, perhaps, or a Samurai on a journey of penance.
Perhaps it was something else, something unique to your character, but I have no doubt it will be a story well worth living!
Nesha
Land of the Chariot-Masters
Irkallu
The Gods and Goddesses of Nesha
The Great Below, underworld of Nesha, is a dark and forboding place. There is no torture for the wicked here, but neither is there paradise for the righteous. Here, the souls of dead mortal exist in little more than a void, barely given form, with dust as their food and clay as their nourishment. A place without light, populated only by the weakened, shadowed souls of the dead.
Tesshup, Lord of Storms, the Sky, and the Weather
King of the Gods, Husband of the sun goddess Arinniti. Depicted as a bearded man holding a trident-like thunderbolts and a mace.
Ariniti: Guardian of the Lands, Queen of All Creation
Goddess of the Sun. Depicted as a woman with the sun shining behind her, arms outstretched as if to embrace the world.
Aruna: God of the Sea
Depicted as a man accompanied by a shark and a dolphin, carrying a sword of stone(coral) and a whip of kelp. Patron God of sailors, fisherman, and naval merchants.
Kamrusepa: Goddess of Healing, Medicine, and Magic
Depicted as a young woman comforting a dying soldier.
Ishtar: Goddess of fertility, war, and healing
Depicted as a naked woman, a sword upraised in one hand while her other arm holds a baby to her breast.
Suwaliyat: God of Warriors and Conquest
Depicted as a scarred man crying tears of blood, wielding an enormous axe.
Hasameli: God of Metalworkers and Craftsmen
Depicted as a muscular, shirtless man standing beside an anvil, upraised hammer in his hand and fire coming from his mouth.
Lelwani: goddess of the underworld and death
Her temples double as undertakers and mausoleums, and she is depicted as an old woman holding a heart in her cupped hands.
Ishara: goddess of oaths, vengeance, and fair-trade
Invoked during trades and treaties, with the promise and invocation of her wrathful punishment upon those who break their oaths or employ deceit in their deals. Married to her rival, the God of Fortune and Thieves Rundas. Invoking her may draw the attention of Rundas.
Rundas: God of Fortune and Thieves
Invoked by gamblers and criminals alike, depicted as a man holding a pair of dice in one hand (both with the six on top) and a scale that is unbalanced despite being empty. Invoking him may draw the attention of Ishara.
The Names of Neshans
Male:
Sagana
Gassu
Tarhuntaziti
Asuwan
Aimi
Madawashi
Zida
Tiwatapara
Tarhupihanu
Kanuasu
Hamara
Mazziya
Killa
Mannanni
Inarawada
Wadapra
Iyarazutu
Girgisu
Sarama
Garnalaki
Kakka
Ewarisatuni
Marta
Sariya
Aliziti
Alariya
Warsiya
Ewriya
Muwatalli
Matsuri
Female:
Punawasha
Kuwari
Tata
Harapsiti
Azulsa
Ninalla
Asrsakiti
Asalka
Nimahsusar
Alawashi
Lihsusar
Ayatarsa
Iyanika
Santawiya
Mazzatasalla
Asnuhepa
Askiliya
Kali
Katasasar
Ammmalli
Arala
Hahharti
Supianika
Nawila
Iyarassa
Katata
Arnanika
Allaiturahi
Zuwi
Zuskana
The Hittites
The ignorant look upon our lands, these magnificent endless plains, and see naught but a wasteland. They look upon our buildings, with uncut stone resting upon uncut stone, mortarless. They look upon our armies and see men and women growing fat guarding garrisons and fortresses and trade routes. Good. Let them see what they wish to see, let them believe what they wish to believe. The lands of Hattusa are rich and ripe, our armies well-fed and well-trained, and anyone foolish enough to march upon those endless plains will find themselves buried beneath a tide of hooves and chariot wheels.
Suppiluliuma I, King of the Hittites
Spreading from its heart, cradled in the bend of the Maraššantiya River, the Hittite Empire is without a doubt on of the great powers of the world. It's chariots are without a doubt the mightiest, its horses amongst the finest, and its wealth comes as much from conquest as it does trade.
The Thunder of Man and Beast
The people of Nesha are, in many ways, a melting pot of other lands. Indeed, unlike most of the other nations, Nesha was not a unified land until recently, instead bearing more similarity to the loose confederations and constant in-fighting of the Hellenic states. It was only after the conquests and shrewd diplomatic moves of Suppiluliuma I that the disparate lands of Arazawa, Mittani, Carchemish, and Aleppo were united under the banner of Ḫattuša to form a cohesive empire.
While every nation uses chariots to one degree or another, there are none whose chariots can match the devestating power of those that come from this land. Though no foreigner, and most citizens of Nesha itself, have any idea what secret methods the master smiths of the Imperial Army use to forge the axles of these heavy war machines, the fact remains that they are capable of carrying greater weight, over rougher terrain, at higher speeds, than those belonging to any other nation.
The Neshans are ruled by a constitutional monarchy, with an assembly of noblemen, called the Pankus, helping the King rule and ensuring that his rulership meets the laws and traditions of the Empire. The majority of the powerful positions in the Empire, such as the army, the priesthood, and control over particularly vital provinces, are reserved to the close family of the ruling King. The rulers of conquered or vassalized nations are expected to travel to the Empire's capitol yearly, paying tribute and renewing their vows of obedience and submission to the Imperial Throne.
As expected of an Empire formed through the conquest with its immediate neighbors, with a powerful and ancient rival nearby, the Empire places a premium on military prowess and strength. With a standing army of between five and ten thousand (though it is dispersed throughout the empire as provincial garrisons and patrols), it can be supplemented by Lu Gistukul, Men of the Weapon, who act as a semi-proffesional militia. Charioteers are of greater value and standing than infantry, of course, but at the top of the Empire's military pyramid stand the Meshedi, the Men of the Golden Spear, who are responsible for accompanying the King into the heat of battle and guarding royal lands across the Empire. These most elite warriors are led by the Gal Meshedi, The Chief of the Bodyguards. The Gal Meshesdi often acts as the Commander-In-Chief of the Empire when the King is unable to campaign due to other obligations.
It is also a highly religious nation despite its militancy, with the King acting as the High Priest of Tesshup in addition to his roles as the head of the government and of the army. The King is often travelling between the major regional capitols of the Empire, presiding over various festivals and religious holidays in each, both as a way of reinforcing his people's loyalty to himself but to fatten the royal coffers from donations to the temples of each city.
Basic Geography
Somewhat oddly for a nation so dedicated to the power of the chariot, Nesha is a rather mountainous land, though given that this makes control over the fertile river valleys all the more valuable as a result, perhaps the dedication to the chariot (which excells in such valleys) is not so strange after all. None-the-less, Nesha is quite mountainous indeed, with everything from rolling hills to long mountain ranges that tower tens of thousands of feet tall. The hillier regions surrounding the valleys provide ideal pastureland for animals such as sheep, horses, and cattle, allowing the more easily tilled lands to be reserved to staple food and export crops as flax, wheat, barely, and lentils.
The center of Neshan power is the capitol city of Ḫattuša, built around the high ridge (itself occupied by the imperial palace) known as Büyükkale, and the city as a whole is heavily fortified, with nearly four miles of walls surrounding the inner and outer cities. It's temples and noble residences are built of stone, while most of the citizenry makes do with baked clay and wood harvested from nearby forests.
Potential Lore Hooks
An Neshan could leave his or her homeland for many reasons. Wealth, fame, revenge, exile, even love or pain. Perhaps they are seeking out superior methods of construction, or foreign markets to peddle their wares. Perhaps they lost a high-stakes rivalry amongst the nobility, or are a member of a conquered vassal who left home rather than serve their conquerors. Perhaps they are a soldier, seeking a new battlefield to enhance their reputation.
Kumat
The Land of Black Soil
A'aru
The Gods and Goddesses of Kumat
In Kumati tradition, upon death a mortal's soul, their heart, is judged by the Scales of Life against the Feather of Truth. Should the heart be heavier than the feather, the heart (and the soul it represents) are devoured by the crocodile-headed Ammit and destroyed utterly. Should the heart be lighter than the feather, the mortal soul is allowed passage into A'aru, the Field of Reeds. The Kumati paradise, formed from an idealized, perfected version of life in the mortal world.
Ra. God of Kings, the Sun, Order, and the Sky. Ruler of All Creation, Father of All Life
Represented as a falcon superimposed over a sun-disk or as a falcon-headed man with a sun disk over his head, Ra is the supreme deity of Kumat. According to the myths, all living things on Aeonia came from him. From the Sun comes the ripening of the crops the Kumati depend on to live, and it is to the Sun they give thanks.
Set. God of Deserts, Storms, Envy, Disorder, and Foreigners
Represented by a man with the head of a fennec fox, Set exists in an interesting place amongst Kumati belief. Simultaneously a villain and a hero, he is the brother of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, and the father of Anubis. Though he murdered and butchered his brother Osiris, splitting the king into multiple pieces and casting them to the four winds, he also travels every day on Ra’s sun-barge, defending the King of the Gods from the Chaos Serpent Apophis as they travel through the Sky and the Underworld on the eternal journey of the Sun.
Thoth. God of Wisdom, Writing, Hieroglyphics, Science, Magic, Art, and the Moon
Depicted as a man with the head of an Ibis or a Baboon, both animals that are considered sacred to him. In addition to his above primary duties, he was also the Scribe of the Gods, reported when the Scales of Judgement were even, and the creator and maintainer of both mortal and moral, i.e divine, law. When Isis gathered Osiris’ dismembered body, it was Thoth that taught her the Words of Power needed to resurrect him long enough for her to become pregnant with Horus.
Khnum. God of the Life-Giving Phiaro, Shaper of Children
Depicted as a man with the head of a ram standing near a potter’s wheel, holding a jar from which flows a stream of water, Khnum is the god whose purpose is the protection and control of the Phiaro, the enormous river around which the Kumati civilization is built. He is also believed to lovingly and carefully craft the bodies of human children from divine clay before placing them in the wombs of their mortal mothers.
Horus. God-King of Kumat, Lord of Sun and Moon
Depicted as a man with the head of a falcon, or as a peregrine falcon with one golden eye and one silver eye, Horus is believed by the Kumati to be an indwelt deity, existing within their ruling Pharaoh and giving him the wisdom and discernment needed to rule properly. Indeed, when a Pharaoh ascends to the throne, their name is changed to Horus, though their birth name usually follows. The current ruler of Kumat is Horus Tutankhamun.
Osiris. God of the Dead and Ruler of the Underworld
The current Osiris is believed to be Osiris Amenhotep III, grandfather of Tutankhamun, his father Akhenaten believed to have had his heart (and soul) devoured for his heretical abandonment of Kumat’s gods. Most commonly depicted as a green-faced pharaoh with his legs wrapped in mummification bandages. Sits in audience as every soul is judged after death.
Ptah, God of Craftsmen and Architects
The husband of Sekhmet and one of the Creator Deities in Kumati faith, Ptah is revered for literally thinking the world into existence. Revered by all those who create, but especially the crafters of jewelry and blacksmiths, he is simultaneously loved and feared. He is believed to be the cause of earthquakes and other land-related natural disasters, levelling cities and killing many, but this destruction births man’s creative determination to rebuild grander and more beautiful than before.
Hathor, Goddess of Music, Dancing, Joy, and Sexuality
Isis, Goddess of Life, Magic, and the Passage to the Underworld. Divine Mother of all Pharaohs, Wife of Osiris
Sekhmet, Eye of Ra, Guardian of the Pharaohs and Goddess of Healing
Depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness holding a spear, Sekhmet is Hathor’s alternate self. While the peaceful and kind Hathor represents all the wonders of a world without war, Sekhmet is the personification of Divine Wrath. She guides pharaohs into battle, giving them wisdom and courage to fight for their nation and people, and those that die in battle are personally escorted to the underworld at the moment of their death.Believed to breath fire and call the desert winds that flay flesh from bone, she is the courier of Ra’s wrath to the mortal races.
Anubis, God of Death, Burial Places, and the Underworld
Depicted as a young man with the head of a Kumati wolf, Anubis is second only to Osiris in the Land of the Dead. It is Anubis who attends the scales that judge a mortal’s heart (soul) and it is he who feeds the hearts of the wicked to the great crocodile that waits beside the scales.
Maat, Goddess of Truth, Justice, Wisdom, Morality, and Cosmic Balance
The Names of Kumati
Male:
Mensah
Entef
Chefren
Athothes
Usur-ha
Atu
Mencheres
Meht-nashkhti
Mibahu
Pe-sahi
Geta
Ansapata
Mohar
Menkaura
Kafele
Sarenen
Shakanasa
Meri
Akins
Riaz
Meiri
Khufu
Nezemab
Aqer
Matsimela
Kanebti
Eate
Pheles
Jahi
Khalfani
Female:
Merit
Hapu
Anta
Ankhsapenap
Ankhatefs
Mehi
Ama
Teiharset
Hathorisis
Sanura
Hehet
Menhit
Tairin
Samira
Zesiro
Iseueri
Mandisa
Kesi
Atinmerit
Siotio
Antarta
Nekhbet
Arbastutanif
Bataanta
Nani
Gararai
Kemat
Naunet
Maanai
Sakhmet
The Kumati
I was born to rule, and despite my youth the throne of my father is, and will remain, mine alone. My mother and wife advise me, my Grand Vizier advises me, my generals and nobles advise me, but it is Horus Tutankhamun who sits alone upon the Throne of Kings, and Horus Tutankhamun alone who will remain upon it.
Horus Tuntankhamun, Pharoah of Kumat
Named for the black soil that lines the banks of Iteru ('The River') that allowed the Kumati's ancestors to settle in an otherwise-barren land, Kumat is a land of violent contrasts. Along the live-giving length of water, one would find the spectacular farmland, animal, and plant life of the greatest oasis in the world. As the most ancient, continuous civilization known to mortalkind, the wealth, knowledge, and power it has gained and lost across history is beyond imagining, and it shows.
Ancient Empire of Monuments
If there is one thing that the people of Kumat can do with greater scale and skill than any other nation, it is building monuments. To kings and queens, to gods and goddesses, to awe-inspiring achievements and devestating disasters. Enormous pyramids dot the nation's territory, the colossal funerary icons of the worthiest kings and queens, alongside towering obelisks and sprawling temples.
These grand feats of architecture and construction are not, however, the focus of Kumati life. Instead, much of society revolves around farming and performing trade-crafts, such as pottery, wood-carving, and basket-weaving. It is only when the yearly flood season of Iteru that (with their fields underwater being rejuvinated by the mineral-rich river) that the farmers, no longer occupied with their primary job, are left at odd ends. Rather than leave thousands of men with nothing but idle time to cause trouble, the workforce was instead turned to infrastructure and architechtural marvels.
Religious belief is a deeply important part of daily Kumati life, and a method through which the aristocracy maintains control. The most prominent example of this is the belief that the ruler of Kumat is actually a physical indwelling of the mighty falcon god, Horus. A mortal, and subject to all the weaknesses and failings that comes with mortality, but directly placed upon the throne and guided by the gods all the same. After death, he becomes Osiris, God of the Dead and Horus' father. In this way, previous rulers remain the divine and mortal father both to their successor.
One of the most central beliefs, beyond that of the pharoah's divinity, is the concept of Ma'at. While this name is shared by a goddess who is considered it's personification, its relations to Kumati cosmological and religious beliefs is far more vital and significantly broader. Ma'at, in the most basic of terms, means 'order', and essentially refers to the cohesion of existence itself. If this cohesion is disrupted by the forces of disorder and chaos, then all of creation will collapse entirely. As such, keeping this concept of absolute order at the mortal level, socially and culturally, is considered perhaps the most important single thing any mortal life can be dedicated to.
While not as aggressive militarily as its neighbor, Kumat has a standing army of significant power, and their supreme familiarity with the terrain of their homeland (most especially the locations of the vital oases required to survive a campaign in the desert) makes invading them a risky proposition at best, and one guaranteed to bring about staggering casualties.
Basic Geography
Kumat is, as everyone knows, mostly desert. In point of fact, if it were not for the life-giving waters of Iteru, the entire nation would be nothing but desert. An endless arid wasteland devoid of all but the hardiest and most stubborn of life. However, due not only to the existence of the Iteru but also the yearly flooding (that could last three months or more), the delta in which most of Kumati society is based is one of the richest agricultural territories in existence. Outside of this delta, however, is an almost-uniformly flat desert that stretches to the horizon and beyond.
The center of Kumati power is the city of Men-nefer, called Memphis by Hellenic nations with which they so often trade, lies along the west back of Iteru, sustained and flourishing thanks to those sacred waters. Countless temples, large and small alike, dot the city, and the sprawling necroplois of Saqqara lies beside it, a city in it's own right that is populated by the dead and their caretakers.
Potential Lore Hooks
Like Shenzhou, Kumati society is very inwardly-focused, but that is hardly a disqualyfing factor for players. A farmer tired to backbreaking work for little wealth, a former soldier seeking greater fortunes, a child of the world with eyes of wanderlust, a criminal on the run. There is little in the way of limitations to player creativity for those with imagination.
PART 2
Classes of Eleuthia
Jomsvikingr
A nervous militia nervously waits by the foggy shore, staggered lines waving slightly as men and women shift nervously on their feet and stair down the obscured expanse of sand towards the sea, weapons clutched in clammy hands that are as damp with fearful sweat as they are the moisture in the air. A horn sounds in the fog, low and deep, and is followed by shouted phrases and chants. Calls and responses, rising from a hundred throats at once, as a double line of heavily armed and armored Scandza materialize from within, faces painted and shield adorned with the symbols of their gods. Their leader, a towering man clad in half-plate armor, raises his hammer high and shouts. Thunder rolls, and with a blinding flash three bolts of lightning descend and turn three members of the militia to cindered husks. The rest of the raiders heft their weapons and charge with a roar, as the militia crumbles before them.
Creating a Jomsvikingr
The Scandza believe that only the most worthy of warriors, those who died great deaths in battle, are worthy of entrance into Odin's mighty hall, but there are those that take this belief to a level of dedication unseen amongst their kinsmen. Swearing themselves to a god, acting as their mortal hero in Midgard, these warriors gain strength and ability far above a normal human. Strength and abilities they use to lay waste to anyone who opposes them in the name of their god.
Quick Build
To quickly build a Jomsvikingr, make STR and CON your primary stats, followed by WIS. Select the Raider or Zealot Background.
Scandza Characters ONLY. Minotaurs Excluded
Jomsvikingr
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Core Spells Known
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level
1st
+2
Oathbound, Spellcasting
2
2
1
1st
2nd
+2
Runic Magic, Fighting Style
2
3
2
1st
3rd
+2
Child of the Wind and Waves
2
4
2
2nd
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
3
5
2
2nd
5th
+3
Extra Action
3
6
2
3rd
6th
+3
Oath Feature
3
7
2
3rd
7th
+3
Iron Hearts
3
8
2
4th
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
3
9
3
4th
9th
+4
Fighting Style (x2)
3
10
3
5th
10th
+4
Oath Feature
4
10
3
5th
11th
+4
Holmganga
4
11
4
5th
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
4
11
4
5th
13th
+5
-
4
12
4
5th
14th
+5
Oath Feature
5
12
5
5th
15th
+5
Enhanced Runic Magic
5
13
5
5th
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
5
13
5
6th
17th
+6
Einheri
5
14
6
6th
18th
+6
Oath Feature
5
14
6
6th
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
5
15
6
6th
20th
+6
Valholl Calls
6
15
7
6th
Class Features
As a Jomsvikingr, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1D8
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (5) + your Constitution modifier per Jomvikingr level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: (CON), (STR)
Skills: Religion and any two of Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, or History
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) two martial weapons or (b) a martial weapon and a shield
(a) Leather Armor or (b) Chain Shirt
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
A rune-carving set, a pouch for rune-stones, and a scroll of vows
Spellcasting
At first level, the Jomsvikingr can now call on the power of the Scandzan gods to cast spells.
Core Spells
At first level, you know two Core Spells of your choice from the Jomsvikingr spell list. You learn additional Jomsvikingr Core Spells of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Core Spells Known column of the Jomsvikingr table.
Spell Slots
The Jomsvikingr table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your Jomsvikingr spells of 1st Tier or Higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Tier or Higher
You know two 1st Tier spells of your choice from the Jomsvikingr spell list. The Spell Known column of the Jomsvikingr table shows when you learn more Jomsvikingr spells of your choice from this feature. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what's shown in the table's Slot Level column for your level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Jomsvikingr spells you know from this feature and replace it with another spell from the Jomsvikingr spell list. The new spell must also be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Jomsvikingr table.
Spellcasting Ability
WIS is your spellcasting ability for your Jomsvikingr spells. You use your WIS whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your WIS modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Jomsvikingr spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your WIS modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your WIS modifier
Spellcasting Focus
The symbol of their chosen god: A hammer for Thor, the Valknut for Odin, a horn for Heimdallr, and the rune Tiwaz with a sword inside the shaft of the arrow for Tyr.
Oathbound
At first level, the Jomsvikingr swears themself to a God of Asgard, fighting in their name and gaining benefits from their fervent devotion. Your choice grants you features at 6th level, and again at 10th, 14th, and 18th levels.
Fighting Style
At second level, you can adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Embarked Professional:
You gain Proficiency in either Vehicles (Land) or Vehicles (Water). If you already have Proficiency in the chosen Vehicle Type, you instead gain Expertise.
When fighting aboard Vehicles in which you have Proficiency, you have +2 to all Attack Rolls that you make. If you have Expertise in that Vehicle Type, you additionally gain +1 to your DR.
Marksmanship:
You gain a bonus of +2 to Ranged Attack Rolls.
Attack Rolls that are made at Disadvantage due to environmental effects such as weather or natural darkness are instead made with a modifier of -5.
Savage:
When wielding a weapon with the Heavy or Two-Handed Properties you may, upon successfully striking an enemy creature with a melee attack, force the struck creature to make a Contested Strength Roll against you. Should the target creature lose this Contested Roll, they must roll a d3. On a 1, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone. on a 2, they must make a Strength Saving Throw or be Disarmed. on a 3, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or be pushed back 5 feet.
This effect can only be used on creatures equal to or smaller the size of the attacking creature.
Dimachairi:
As long as you are wielding a weapon with the Light property in each hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your DR.
When you make an attack with your main-hand weapon, you can make a second attack with your off-hand as a part of the action. This off-hand attack is resolved with a modifier of -3 to the attack roll.
Tandem Fighting:
If you make a melee attack against an enemy target and fail to strike it at least once during your turn, the next allied creature that makes an attack at the same enemy can make their first attack at Advantage. This ability does not stack with multiple failed attacks on the same creature.
Defensive:
You gain a bonus of +1 to your DR
Reduce damage from any non-spell sources by 3
Opportunist:
You gain an extra reaction each turn that can only be used to make an attack of opportunity.
If wielding a ranged weapon, you can make an attack of opportunity when an enemy creature makes a ranged attack against you, so long as you are attacking that creature in return.
Reflexive:
Whenever you make attacks of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the attack roll twice rather than once.
When you strike a target with an attack of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the damage roll.
Duelist:
As long as you are wielding a melee weapon lacking the Heavy, Reach, and/or Two-Handed properties in your main hand, and are wielding a weapon with the Light property in your off-hand, you can spend your Reaction to decrease an opponent's melee or ranged weapon attack roll by your Dexterity Modifier.
If this should make the attack miss, you can make an attack with your main-hand weapon against the attacking creature (provided they are within range) as a part of this reaction.
Runic Magic
At second level, the Jomsvikingr is able to use Skaney rune magic, by either engraving the rune on physical objects such as armor and weapons, or drawing it in the air to cause an effect. You may have seven runes prepared per day, may only have one of any particular rune prepared per day, and may use no more than three runes per combat encounter.
Each rune can only be used once per character per combat.
Child of the Wind and Waves
Starting at 3rd level, the Jomsvikingr gains Proficiency in Vehicles (Water). Additionally, they gain Advantage on Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Survival) and Wisdom (Perception), and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks while on board of a ship in any checks related to naval activity (maintaining balance on the deck, understanding shifting weather, plotting a course, knowing sea creatures, etc.).
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Iron Hearts
Starting at 7th level, the Jomsvikingr gains Immunity to the Frightened Condition.
Holmganga
Starting at 11th level, you can use a Bonus Action to challenge a single sentient enemy creature (of an Intelligence Score 6 or above) to a death-duel. They can make a Wisdom Check against a Wisdom Roll by the Jomsvikingr. A immobile space of forty feet radiating from a point equidistant between you is established as the duelling arena. While within this arena, you have +1 DR and +1d4 Damage against your opponent. Leaving the arena gives all creatures from the opposing side Advantage against the creature that left the arena until the combat ends.
Enhanced Runic Magic
Starting at 15th level, each of your runes have 2 uses. You regain all uses at the end of a long rest. You can now use four runes per combat encounter.
Einheri
Starting at 17th level, you can apply your Hólmganga to two enemies simultaneously, increasing your DR bonus to +2 and your damage bonus to 1d8.
Valholl Calls
At 20th level, you can use six runes per combat encounter, and your runes recharge on a Short Rest.
Warrior-Servants of the Gods
The Jomsvikingr are an order of Scandza warriors, staunchly dedicated to the reverence of their gods and their oaths of brotherhood. Their code is a strict one, instilling discipline and laying out behaviors that are and are not permitted. To fight unto death to defend their shield-siblings, to avenge their deaths, to neither speak ill of them nor strike them in anger. They are forbidden to show fear, or flee before an enemy that they can defeat, though retreating before a vastly superior foe is permissable. So break these tenants, to violate this code, means immediate explusion from the order at best.
Odin, The All-Father
Odin All-Father, King of the Realm Eternal. From his great throne of Hliðskjálf, he gazes down upon the realms of Yggdrasil, watching over all of creation, with the twin ravens of Huginn and Muninn on his shoulders, and the great wolves Geri and Freki at his feet. Creator and god of the runic language, of sorcery, of war and poetry, of knowledge and madness, of death and healing, Odin is fated to fall in battle against the vast and monstrous Fenrir.
Thought and Memory
At first level, the Jomsvikingr gains access to the Find Familiar spell, which does not count against their spells known, and can be cast as a bonus action. Upon casting the spell, two spectral ravens in the forms of Huginn and Munnin appear and act as any normal familiars do. For all functions of the Find Familiar spell, the two ravens function as a single entity. This includes when casting spells using your familiar as the point of origin.
Divine Insight
At first level, the Jomsvikingr gains proficiency in the Insight Skill. If they already have proficiency, they gain Expertise instead.
The Ravenous Ones
Starting at 6th level, the Jomsvikingr can summon two spectral wolves (use Dire Wolf stat sheet) in the forms of Geri and Freki, Odin's twin pet wolves. They become independant members of your party for the duration of the effect, which is 10 Battle Rounds per long rest. At level thirteen, they are enhanced to become CR 8 creatures.
Ulfhednar
Starting at 10th level, the Jomsvikingr can gift his allies with enhanced strength, with the appearence of a magical aura shaped like a wolf pelt, at the cost of making them berserkir. He can touch willing party members, up to half his proficiency in number (rounding up) and give them a bonus 1d12 damage to all non-spell attacks that they do. However, attacks against them are made at Advantage.
God of Runes
Starting at 14th level, certain runes gain increased benefits. See the Rune section. Furthermore, you can now use your summoned Familiars (from both Thought and Memory and The Ravenous Ones) as the point of origin for your rune effects.
Oskoreia, the Wild Hunt
Starting at 18th level, the Jomsvikingr can declare a Wild Hunt, targetting an enemy creature or creatures equal to their proficiency bonus. All members of the Jomsvikingr's party gain +5 movement speed when moving towards marked enemies, and +1d8 damage when attacking them. An enemy cannot be targeted by this ability and Hólmganga both. This ability can be used once per long rest.
Thor, God of Thunder
Mighty Thor, Hlódyn's son. The Protector of Mankind. God of Storms, it's thunder that quakes the earth and lightning that splits the sky. Mighty Thor, Odin's son, God of Fertility and Strength, of the sacred groves and the trees that give them life. Husband of Sif, father of valkyries, of gods, who rides into battle upon a heavenly chariot pulled by the twin goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. Mighty Thor, who shall one day die to destroy the World Serpent, Jörmungandr
Protector of Mankind
At first level, the Jomsvikingr deals bonus damage to creatures larger than themself. Please see the chart below, which displays the bonus damage, as well as additional damage applied per size catagory that the creature is larger than the Jomsvikingr. For example, a Medium creature using Protector of Mankind at level 1 against a Large creature does 1d4 damage, plus 2 because it is a single size larger. However, if it were using it against a Gargantuan creature, it would instead be 1d4+6.
Protector of Mankind
Level
Base Damage Bonus
Bonus per Size Catagory
1st
1d4
2
5th
1d6
1d8
10th
1d8
1d6
15th
1d10
1d8
20th
1d12
1d10
Chariot of Thunder
At first level, the Jomsvikingr gains proficiency in Vehicles (Land).
Hammer of the Thunder God
Starting at 6th level, the Jomsvikingr deals 1d4 Shock Damage when they strike an enemy with a melee attack.
Lord of Storms
Starting at 10th level, the Jomsvikingr can cast Spray of Sparks, Jolting Graze, Stormblade, Thunderblast, and Summon Storm as Bonus Actions
Thundering Blows
Starting at 14th level, the Jomsvikingr deals 1d4 Blast Damage when they strike an enemy with a melee attack.
Twilight of the Thunder God
Starting at 18th level, the Jomsvikingr emulates mighty Thor's prophesized sacrifice against dread Jörmungandr. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, their attacks are made at Advantage. However, all enemy attacks against them are also made at Advantage. This ability can be used once per day.
Týr, God of Justice and Heroic Glory
Týr, noblest and truest of the gods. He who sacrificed his own hand to the Great Wolf, Fenrir, in order to allow him to be bound by the other gods, using the mighty chain Gleipnir. He who is destined to die, devoured by a similarily monstrous hound, Garmr, during Ragnarok.
Tales of Glory
At first level, the Jomsvikingr gains Proficiency in the Performance Skill. If already Proficient, they gain Expertise.
One-Handed Mastery
At first level, in emulation of Týr's one-handed nature, you are more skilled with one-handed weapons than most. You can elect to increase your DR by 1 and your damage by 1d6, but you cannot equip anything to your off-hand. At level 10, this increases to a bonus of +2 and 1d8 damage. At level 20, this increases to a bonus +3 and 1d10 damage.
Justice Unyielding
Starting at 6th level, the Jomsvikingr is determined to deliver justice to their enemies, each victory giving them a surge of strength to stay in the fight. Each time they land a killing blow on an enemy, they can heal 1d8 damage.
Heroism
Starting at 10th level, the Jomsvikingr can use a Bonus Action to recite a poem about the epic deeds of a god or hero to inspire. One allied creature can take one extra action, with diminished capacity. They can move half their movement, make one attack at Disadvantage, or (in the case of an save-type spell) give the ally advantage on their save. This can be done once per long rest.
Unremitting Justice
Starting at 14th level, the heal from Justice Unyielding is increased to 2d8, an no longer requires that you land the killing blow, only that you have damaged the enemy within the last two battle rounds. Furthermore, this healing also benefits from your Wisdom Modifier.
Gleipnir
Starting at 18th level, the Jomsvikingr can summon ghostly bonds in the image of Fenrir's silken chain on a single target within twenty feet. That target gains the Restrained status, and cannot be broken out by any means while you maintain the effect. Enemy attacks against you are made at Advantage, as you cannot focus on self-defense while holding this enemy in place. This can be done twice per long rest. Finally, the healing provided by Justice Unyielding is increased to 2d10 and benefits from your Wisdom and Proficiency Modifiers.
Heimdallr, Gatekeeper and Guardian of Asgard
Heimdallr, Gatekeeper of the Bifrost, Guardian of Asgard. His unblinking, unceasing, sleepless gaze sees all that occurs within the Nine Realms of Yggdrassil. His ears, powerful beyond mortal understand, hear the growing of grass in the earth and the wool on the sheep. Nothing escapes his attention as he defends The Realm Eternal, and so those who fight in his name dedicate themselves to the vigilant protection of their comrades.
Eternal Vigilance
At first level, the Jomsvikingr can no longer be taken by Surprise. They also have Advantage on Attacks of Opportunity.
Founder of The Social Classes
At first level, the Jomsvikingr gains Proficiency in Persuasion checks.
Guardian of the Gates
Starting at 6th level, the Jomsvikingr has an additional Reaction during their turn, which must be used to make an Attack of Opportunity in order to be utilized.
Gjallarhorn
Starting at 10th level, the Jomsvikingr can blow their replica of Heimdallr's horn, instantly waking their party (if they are asleep) and preventing them from being surprised. If they are suffering from the surprised status, it ends immediately as the magical note wash over them. This ability can awaken party members or allied creatures even if their sleep was induced by spells or chemicals.
Ruthless Defender
Starting at 14th level, when the Jomsvikingr makes an Attack of Opportunity, they can make two attacks instead of one.
Ragnarok
Starting at 18th Level, when the Jomsvikingr uses their Gjallarhorn, their allies also gain the benefits of Eternal Vigilance, Guardian of the Gates, and Ruthless Defender for the next 10 Battle Rounds. This ability can be used twice per day, resetting at dawn.
Jomsvikingr Spell List
Core Spells
Chilling Exhale
Elemental Tether
Winter's Grasp
Spray of Sparks
Jolting Graze
Know Direction
Stormblade
Water Breathing
Aqua Bind
Sheet of Ice
Create Water
Destroy Water
Whisper of Wind
Tinderspark
Cleanse Water
Disrupt Undead
Exorcism
Repel the Unnatural
First Tier
Primordial Chains
Ice Shard
Sparkbolt
Thunderclap
Wind Arrows
Fountain of Water
Soothe Minor Wounds
Curtain of Wind
Inflict Pain
Detect Undead
Penitent Smite
Second Tier
Jet of Water
Summon Squall
Freyja's Grief
Resist Elements
Make Whole
Seal Wounds
Whispering Wind
Imbue Vestments
Barbed Weapon
Divine Assistance
Anointed Earth
Mutual Suffering
Third Tier
Frozen Arrows
Shockwave
Shock Lance
Vacuum Scythes
Electrosphere
Radiant Guard
Recovery
Share Wounds
Keen Edge
Purge
Righteous Courage
Searing Light
Blaze of Light
Fourth Tier
Twisting Frost
Thunderblast
Lightning Bolt
Summon Storm
Regeneration
Swift Recovery
Primordial Blade
Divine Power
Holy Sword/Cursed Blade
Holy Hammer
Wrath of Order
Cloak of Divinity
Fifth Tier
Elemental Drakon
Disrupting Weapon
Slay Living
Mark of Justice
Sixth Tier
Resounding Roar
Cacaphonous Burst
Induce Terror
Transformation
Circle of Sanctity
Sacrosanct
Gleaming Guardians
Denouncement
Jomsvikingr Runes
Ansuz, Rune of Insight
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, 10 Minutes If Surged
The Jomvikingr gains proficiency in the Insight Skill so long as the rune is active and on their person.
Rune Surge Gain Advantage with all Insight Checks for the duration of the Surge.
God of Runes: The Jomvikingr gains Advantage and Expertise for the duration of the surge.
Berkana, Rune of Liberation
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant, 1 Minute If Surged
You trace the rune on yourself, breaking free of any movement impairing effects currently effecting you. This includes slows and binds. However, effects that render you incapable of any movement (paralysis, sleep, etc) cannot be broken by this rune.
Rune Surge: You gain immunity to all movement-impairing effects for the next 10 Battle Rounds.
Kenaz, Rune of Inspiration
Carving time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The Rune of Inspiration, when carved on a small, smooth, approximately palm-sized stone, allows the Jomsvikingr to add a single d8 to one of their rolls. After use, the stone disintegrates. The Jomsvikingr can find another such stone, but doing so takes ten 10 Battle Roundss.
Dagaz, Rune of The Dawn
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self, 20ft Aura
Duration: One Day, unless Surged
The Rune of the Dawn, when carved into an object, radiates bright light in a forty foot radius. This light cannot penetrate magical darkness.
Rune Surge: You pour further power into the rune, burning it out in a powerful surge that Blinds anyone whose eyes are not covered within the 20ft radius for 18 seconds. Warned Allies have a 50% chance of blocking their eyes successfully, a success being a 2 on a d2, a 1 being a failure.
God of Runes: If this rune is Surged, Blinded targets also take 3d12 psychic damage.
Ehwaz, Rune of Transportation
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Touch
Duration: One Day
Carving this symbol into a non-living mode of transportation (carts, chariots, ships, etc), lightening it. Travel time in this mode of transportation is reduced by one-third.
Fehu, Rune of Luck
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The Jomsvikingr can carve this rune on a small piece of bone from an animal that they have killed, turning it into a lucky charm. They can expend this rune to reroll a single attack roll, ability check, or saving throw of their choice. Afterwards, this luck charm is out of energy and must regenerate, which occurs at the next dawn.
Gebo, Rune of Balance
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Thirty Feet
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can bind themself to an enemy, reducing their HP by the amount of HP that the Jomvikingr has lost through combat. HP sacrificed with the Tiwaz Rune does not count towards this effect. Temporary HP that has been lost does not count towards this effect. This effect can only be triggered on an enemy once per day.
God of Runes: Temporary HP that has been lost and HP sacrificed with the Tiwaz Rune now counts towards this effect.
Hagalaz, Rune of Wrath
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: 20 Feet
Duration: Instant
The Jomsvikingr can carve this symbol into a small stone, which then can be thrown at an enemy target (treat this as a ranged attack using strength). If it hits, it sticks to the target, who then must make a WIS save with a DC of 15. Should they fail, they become Enraged, causing them to attack any creature near them without regard for allegiance. This effect can be broken by an allied spell effect, or by physically removing the stone from their skin. The afflicted player is not able to remove the stone themselves.
Isa, Rune of Ice
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Twenty Feet
Duration: Instant
Focusing on the freezing, stasis-inflicting nature of Ice, you can use use an action in order to slow your opponent, reducing their movement by half for three battle rounds.
Runic Surge By surging the power of this runestone, destroying it, you can attempt to inflict the 'Petrified' status on your enemy instead. They must make a DC14 Constitution save to negate the attempt. A successful save none-the-less still slows them, though only by a third (rounding down the nearest whole number if needed).
God of Runes: If you Surge this rune, your target must make the CON save to avoid Petrification at Disadvantage.
Jera, Rune of Harvest
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Touch
Duration: One Hour
All resources gathered by the holder of this runestone are doubled for the duration of it's use. This includes food, water, crafting materials, alchemical ingrediants, etc. No player can benefit from this more than one per long rest.
Laguz, Rune of Dreams
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: 30 Feet
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can cast the Hypnotic Pattern spell once before the runestone burns out.
Mannaz, Rune of the Mind
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, One Minute If Surged
The Jomvikingr gains a passive boost of one (1) point to their Intelligence Score.
Rune Surge: The bonus to the Intelligence Score increases to two (2) points for the duration of the Surge.
Nauthiz, Rune of Resistance
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, One Minute (surged)
The Jomvikingr does, upon activation of this rune, gain Advantage to saves that resist all mental spell effects: Fear, Charm, Sleep.
Rune Surge: The Jomvikingr becomes immune to the Fear, Charm, and Sleep effects for the next 10 Battle Rounds.
God of Runes: The Jomvikingr can share the effects of this rune's surge with a single ally within five feet.
Inguz, Rune of Energy
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can use this runestone to gain a one-use burst of energy, allowing them to use the Action Surge feature as if they were a member of the Fighter class.
God of Runes: The Jomvikingr can use this runestone twice before it disintegrates.
Pertho, Rune of Fate
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
When an enemy hits you with an attack that will reduce you to zero HP, you can use this stone to change your fate ever-so-slightly. You are reduced to one HP instead. This rune cannot be used more than once per day under any circumstance.
Raido, Rune of Journeys
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, One Minute If Surged
The Jomvikingr adds five feet to their movement while the rune is active.
Rune Surge The movement bonus is doubled for the duration of the effect
Sowilo, Rune of Victory
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can activate this rune in order to give themself Advantage for a single battle round. This rune cannot be used more than once per long rest.
Thurisaz, Rune of Conflict
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, One Minute if Surged
The Jomvikingr gains one (1) point to their Strength Statistic so long as this Rune is active on their person
Rune Surge: The bonus provided by the rune doubles for the duration of the surge.
Tiwaz, Rune of Justice
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can charge this stone with a portion of their health, reducing their maximum HP by 1/5th until the runestone is used or destroyed. This runestone can act as a single-use, set-amount health potion, restoring that amount of HP to any one person the stone touches. Once the stone is used, the Jomvikingr's maximum HP returns to normal, but they do not heal the missing health until their next rest, or if they benefit from a healing item/spell.
Rune Surge The Jomvikingr can surge the runestone in order to double the healing recieved by their ally without losing any additional health themself. However, the momentary loss of strength makes the next two attacks against them occur at advantage, and they have disadvantage on any Dexterity Saves to avoid damage.
God of Runes: the Jomvikingr is no longer so weakened by the Surge, removing the Advantage on attacks against them, and the Disadvantage on Dexterity Saves.
Uruz, Rune of Endurance
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
The Jomvikingr can touch the runestone to one creature within five feet, removing one rank of Exhaustion if they possess it. No creature may benefit from this effect more than once per day.
Wunjo, Rune of Fellowship
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Touch
Duration: Passive, Ten Minutes if Surged
The Jomvikingr gains Proficiency in Persuasion Checks.
Rune Surge: The Jomvikingr has Advantage on all Persuasion checks that take place over the time period.
God of Runes: The Jomvikingr has Advantage and Expertise for all Persuasion Checks during the time period.
Algiz, Rune of Protection
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Passive, One Minute if Surged
The Jomvikingr has one (1) bonus point to their DR so long as the rune is active and on their person.
Rune Surge: The bonus provided by the rune doubles for the duration of the surge.
God of Runes: When surged, the Jomvikingr gains resistance to one damage type of the player's choice for the duration of the surge.
Eihwaz, Rune of Stability
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
You can carve this rune on a pair of small, flat stones. When activated as a pair, they are attatched to the laces of your boots, ensuring that you keep your balance regardless of circumstance. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you cannot be knocked prone or staggered.
Othala, Rune of Legacies
Carving Time: One Hour
Range: Self
Duration: Variable
This Rune changes its effect based on the race of the Jomsvikigr wielding it.
Human: You can choose to succeed in a single Ability Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw.
Elf: You provide yourself with +3 to all Damage Rolls you make for the next Battle Round.
Orc: You gain the benefit of your Celestial Worshippers trait regardless of time of day for the next Battle Round. This ability provides the doubled bonus damage per Light of Sun and Moon as if it were the appropriate time of day.
Dwarf: You gain half of your total HP as Temporary HP.
Half-Elf:
Helven: You have Advantage on any Ability Checks, Attack Rolls, or Saving Throws for this Battle Round.
Dwelf: Increase your movement speed by 10 feet for the next Battle Round If you move in a straight line for at least thirty feet and would find yourself adjacent to an enemy creature with at least five feet of movement left, you can ram into the enemy creature and attempt to knock them prone. The enemy creature must make a Strength Saving Throw against your Spell DC (using Strength as the Spell DC statistic) or else be knocked prone. Creatures of Large size or greater have Advantage on this save.
Horc: You gain the benefit of your Celestial Worshippers trait regardless of time of day for the next Battle Round. This ability provides the doubled bonus damage per Light of Sun and Moon as if it were the appropriate time of day.
The Sage Class
Those who act on behalf of the gods and speak with their authority are the shepherds and servants both of the people, leading them in worship and caring for the temples and holy icons that they created with their taxes and their labors. To challenge a Sage directly is to earn the ire of not just the community that they serve, but the very Heavens themselves.
The Speakers for The Gods
The Sages of the Temples are those who serve the people of their nation through their connection to the gods. While the Temple Knights do so with martial skill, the Sages rarely engage in direct conflict. No, their talents lie in supporting their Temple brothers and sisters, in healing their wounds as Physicians, in banishing and weakening evil spirits and influences as Exorcists, and invoking their deities' divine aid as Voices.
Creating a Sage
There are many gods, and for every god there are many ways of worship. Make sure to have a reason why your character would have chosen the god and the Sage Path that they did, because an Path is for life. Such an important decision, shaping their entire future, must be considered!
Quick Build
To play a Sage, choose or create a background that fits your preference, such as the Acolyte Background. Then, decide which Path you wish to play: Physician, Voice, or Exorcist. This will dictate what stats you focus on: Intelligence, Charsima, or Wisdom, respectivly.
Shenzhou, Palatinia, Hellas, Kumat, Nihon, and Nesha ONLY
Choosing an Path and Ability Score
Unlike most traditional full-casters, The Sage has different Primary Casting Atributes based on which Path the player decided to follow during Character Generation
Physicians cast with Intelligence because they have studied the body and its workings through the scientific method, memorizing symptoms and treatments. It is only through extensive study and intense research they are capable of aiding the needy.
Voices cast with Charisma because they are preaching on behalf of their deity. It is through their words, their actions, and their ability to 'work the crowd' that they carry out their duties.
Exorcists cast with Wisdom because they are more in tune with what is or is not natural in in the world, allowing them to more accurately identify and confront supernatural entities and powers.
Sage Class Table
Sage
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Core Spells Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
+2
Spellcasting, Path of the Sage
4
2
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2nd
+2
Radiant Resonance: Copper
4
3
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3rd
+2
Deliverance
4
4
4
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvements
5
5
4
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
5th
+3
Gift of Domains, Extra Action
5
6
4
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
6th
+3
Path Feature
5
7
4
3
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
7th
+3
Resonance Enhancement
5
8
4
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
—
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
5
9
4
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
9th
+4
Radiant Resonance: Silver
5
10
4
3
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
10th
+4
Forebearance
6
11
4
3
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
11th
+4
Resonance Enhancement
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
13th
+5
Celestial Harmony
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
14th
+5
Path Feature
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
15th
+5
Radiant Resonance: Gold
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
17th
+6
Divine Deliverance
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18th
+6
Path Feature
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
20th
+6
Choir of the Bells
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
Class Features
As a Sage, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Sage level Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per Sage level after 1st
Saving Throws: (WIS) or (INT) or (CHR) based on Sage Path, DEX
Skills: Religion and one of the following: Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, or History
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
a set of padded armor
a Resonant Stave and any 1 Simple Weapon
(a) a dungeoneers's pack, or (b) an explorer's pack
A Holy Symbol
Spellcasting
At first level, the Sage can now cast spells.
Core Spells
You know four Core Spells of your choice from the Sage spell list. You learn additional Sage Core Spells of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Core Spells Known column of the Sage table.
Spell Slots
The Sage table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of first level or higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st Tier spells of your choice from the SAGE spell list.
The Spells Known column of the SAGE table shows when you learn more SAGE spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the table.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the SAGE spells you know and replace it with another spell from the SAGE spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
INT, WIS, or CHR is your spellcasting ability for your SAGE spells. Your magic comes from your deity. You use your INT, WIS, or CHR whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your INT, WIS, or CHR modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a SAGE spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your INT, WIS, or CHR modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your INT, WIS, or CHR modifier
Ritual Casting (optional)
You can cast a Sage spell as a ritual if that spell has a ritual tag and you have learned that spell.
Spellcasting Focus
You use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your Sage spells. You use a Resonant Stave as a spellcasting focus for your Radiant Resonance abilities. The Form your holy symbol takes is dependant on your deity of choice, and can be found in the Pantheon section.
Paths of the Sage
At first level, the class makes a choice between one of the following Paths, which dictates their role in the party and what Ability Scores to focus on. These Paths are: Physician, Voice, and Exorcist.
Radiant Resonance
At second level, the Sage can channel divine magic through the three bells on their staff. These effects are seperate from those of any spells cast by the Sage. The three bells are Copper, Silver, and Gold, representing the purity of the Sage's soul. The more devoutly they follow their deity (I.E., how high their level), the higher rank of bell that they can use. The Silver Bell becomes available at level 9, and the Golden Bell becomes available at level 15. Bell Effects can be found in the Signature Spell section at the bottom of this document. Furthermore, using a Resonance becomes a bonus action at level 7, and a free action at level 11.
Deliverance
The Sage can touch an ally that has been reduced to zero HP within the last 10 Battle Rounds, allowing them to auto-pass a single Death Save, or reducing their Failed Death Saves by one. This effect can only be used on an individual ally once per day, resetting at dawn.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Gift of Domains
Also at Fifth level, your character gains a single passive ability related to their deity and their deity's primary Divine Domain. Consult the table below to see which ability applies to your character.
Domains
Domain
Effect
Memory
Flawless Memory
Healing
You gain Double Proficiency in Herbalist's Kit, Poisoner's Kit, and Alchemist's Kit
Thieves
You gain Double Proficiency in Thieves' Tools, Poisoner's Kit, Disguise Kit, and Forger's Tools.
Fortune/Wealth/Luck
You gain Double Proficiency in all Gaming Sets
Hearth/Family
You gain Double Proficiency in Cooking Skills, and can create a campfire without a Tinderbox
Forge
Double Proficiency with Smithing Tools and Jeweler's Tools
Writing
You gain Double Proficiency in Cartographer's Tools and Forger's Tools
Music
You gain Double Proficiency in all Musical Instruments
Forbearance
Starting at 10th level, the Sage becomes Proficient with Constitution Saves.
Celestial Harmony
Starting at 13th level, you can utilize your Copper and Silver bells simultaneously.
Divine Deliverance
Starting at 17th level, the Sage's Deliverance is empowered. It can now be used on the same ally twice per day, resetting at dawn.
Choir of the Bells
At 20th Level, the Sage is now able to use all three of their bells simultaneously, filling the battlefield with their divine chimes.
Sage Paths
While the Sage as a whole is a support class, the manner in which is supports varies quiet significantly between it's Paths. The Physician, using INT as it's primary stat, focus on healing. The Exorcist, using Wisdom, specializes in identifying supernatural enemies, protecting the party from them with buffs or by weakning the target. Finally the Voice, using Charisma, directly channels their deity's power to buff the party.
Physician
A wounded man, groaning and writhing in pain, is carefully examined by a young woman in white robes, her hands stained with blood as she investigates the large gash across his chest. She consults a tome, a pricless collection of medical knowledge, filled with diagrams and extensive breakdowns on the human body. Finding the solution, she turns to her work table, mixing several herbs, fluids, and other reagents into a thick paste that she spreads across the injury, sealing the wound and stopping the blood flow while numbing the pain. This is the skill of the Physician: to heal not just with holy magic, but the power of science.
Diagnose
At first level, your can attempt to identify what, precisely, is ailing an ally. You are able to make Medicine checks in regards to the health of your allies (what sort of weapon caused the wound, what the injury is, if they have been poisoned) at Advantage. Healing effects you perform on that ally have a bonus of 1d4 to their value, as you have identified the problem and are treating it directly. The DC for the Medicine Check is your ally's Constitution Modifier + their Proficiency Modifier.
Proffesional Training
At first level, you gain proficiency in the Medicine Skill. If you already have proficiency, your proficiency bonus is doubled. Your Medicine Skill scales off of your Intelligence Score, rather than your Wisdom Score.
Balance The Humours
Starting at 6th level, the Sage is able to utilize their extensive training and experience to improve their healing abilities towards their allies. The bonus healing from Diagnose is increased to 2d6, and Diagnose checks can now be performed as Bonus Actions.
Celestial Guidance
Starting at 14th level, you are able to invoke the divine assistance of your god in healing that which your mundane solutions alone cannot cure. The bonus healing from Diagnose is increased to 1d12, and Diagnose checks can now be performed as free actions, once per turn.
Panacea
Starting at 18th level, you have discovered the mythical universal cure of ailments: the panacea. The Bonus Healing from your Diagnose is now 2d10, and cures one detrimental status effect on the target.
Exorcist
A young woman writhes in her bed, wreathed in a seething mass of shadows and malice. An old man stands over her, one hand gently waving a censor of incsence over her while the other radiates light down onto her prone form, his aged voice birthing a steady stream of prayers and incantations. Sweat beads on his forehead, his voice growing hoarse as he continues for what seems like hours, before a final shouted phrase finally forces the darkness from the girl's body. It settles in the corner of the room, coalescing into a humanoid form that shrieks and howls, eyes gleaming with rage as clawed hands grasp at its opponent, but the old man is unphased. A pillar of light consumes the creature, eradicating it forever more, and the exorcist leaves his patient to her family's care. His work here, done.
Abjure the Impure
At first level, the Exorcist deals an extra 2d4 damage to enemies that are of the FIEND, FEY, UNDEAD, or ABBERATION types with any damage dealing ability.
Discern The Unnatural
At Level One, The Exorcist is able to look into the aura, the soul, of any living creature and discern its state. If it is mind-controlled, possessed, charmed, or otherwise acting in anyway that is fundamentally against its natural state. Passive scans of this ability can be decieved by a high enough Deception Roll (Beating the Sage's Passive Perception). The Deception Roll is made at Advantage if the enemy is a higher level than the Sage, Normal if equal in level, and Disadvantage if at a lower level. An active scan is possible, resulting in pitting a Deception Roll agains a Perception Roll, with the same Advantage/Normal/Disadvantage rules as passive scans.
Weaken The Abhorrant
Starting at 6th level, the Exorcist is able to more directly attack the dark energies that give demons and evil spirits their powers. When you deal damage to an enemy that is a FIEND, FEY, UNDEAD, or ABBERATION, you can contest your Wisdom against the target's Constitution. Should they fail, they are weakened, attacking at disadvantage for 10 Battle Rounds. This ability can be used once per target, per long rest.
Soul Sanctification
Starting at 14th level, you are able to 'reset' the soul of a non-enemy creature. If they are mind-controlled, possessed, charmed, or otherwise acting unnaturally (as discovered by the Discern the Unnatural ability), you can remove that effect on them. This can only be used once per creature, per long rest. It can be used a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier.
Condemnation
Starting at 18th level, the bonus damage from Abjure the Impure increases from 2d4 to 2d10. You have Advantage when dealing damage to enemies that are of the FIEND, FEY, UNDEAD, or ABBERATION types.
Voice
A regal matriarch stands before an altar, facing the quiet, worshipful masses of her congregation, hands uplifted to the icon of her deity as she praises their name and preaches their will. The longer, the more fervent, that the sermon lasts, a change begins to overcome the woman. She radiates an inner light, her voice gaining a dual-toned majesty, a feeling of ancient power filling the temple. Telltale signs that her deity is now indwelt, interacting directly in the mortal realms through the mortal form of a devout worshipper.
Intonation of Canticles
At first level, the Voice can use an action to sing hymns of praise to their deity, buffing the party in a number of ways. This is done through the roll of a D7. All Canticle buffs last for 10 Battle Rounds, and the number of Canticles that can be sung per day is equal to your proficiency modifier.
Canticle of Swiftness: You sing about your deity's divine speed of body, their swift traversing of the world amidst their sacred duties. Inspired, your party members gain 10 feet of movement speed.
Canticle of Creation : You sing about how your deity helped shape the world and all the creatures within it, the story inspiring your party to focus more on the beauty, and danger, of nature. They gain a boost to their Wisdom Modifier of 1 point.
Canticle of Grace : You sing about the unmatched form of your deity, their inhuman agility, inspiring your party members with a boost to their Dexterity Modifier of 1 point.
Canticle of Strength : You sing about the strength of your deity, their divine might, and inspire your party to greater feats. Your party gains a boost to their Strength Modifier of 1 point.
Canticle of Cunning: You sing a hymn of your deity's cleverness, of their manipulations and trickery against gods and mortals alike, inspiring your party to emulate their quick-mindedness. They a boost to their Intelligence Modifier of 1 point.
Canticle of Tolerance: You sing the hymn of the martyrs who died in service to your deity, the story of their stoic loyalty inspiring the members of your party. They are gifted with a boost to their Constitution Modifier of 1 point.
Canticle of Elegance: You sing of the beauty of your deity's temples and teachings, the sheer beauty of which you speak inspiring the members of your party. They are gifted with a boost to their Charisma Modifier of 1 point.
Sacred Animal
At first level, your character is able to perform a Rite to Summon the Sacred Animal of their Deity, summoning a Medium CR 1 version of that animal. This does not count against your total spells known. You may choose to forgo your bonus action in order to have this summoned creature attack, though it is able to move, perform bonus actions, and reactions without costing you your bonus action.
Speaker for the Gods
Starting at 6th level, you are able channel a portion of your deity's presence through yourself. Temporarily increase your CHARISMA stat by two points and gain proficiency in any CHARISMA related Skills (Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, and Performance). If you are already proficient, double the benefit recieved. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds and can be used a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier.
Divine Beast
Starting at 14th level, your Sacred Animal is now capable of taking Actions without using your character's bonus actions, and their size and strength is enhanced to make them a Large CR 4 creature.
Immanence
Starting at 18th level, your deity now channels a portion of their own pure divinity through your mortal shell. Your Canticles are twice as effective, and you may have two Cancticles active at a time. If both Canticle Rolls have the same result, reroll. Your Sacred Animal is now a Huge CR 8 Creature.
Sacred Animals
Sacred Tortoise
Domains of Longevity, Memory, and Endurance
Medium Beast (Sacred)Large Beast (Sacred)Huge Beast (Sacred)
CR 4 - Juggernaut If the tortoise uses the Dash Action during it's turn and would impact an enemy creature with at least five feet of movement remaining, it can choose to ram into the enemy.
The enemy must make a DC 15 Strength Save or be knocked prone. If knocked prone, the Tortoise can make one Bite attack as a Bonus Action
CR 8 - Walking Mountain The Sacred Tortoise's Juggernaut ability no longer requires taking the dash action, and the Strength Saving Throw required to avoid being knocked prone is now DC 18.
Bonus Actions
CR 8 - Thundering Step The Tortoise may, after making a successful Bite attack, use it's Bonus Action to make an AOE attack. All enemy creatures within a 15ft Radius takes 5d8 Impact Damage, but can make a Constitution Saving Throw to halve the damage.
Actions
Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.
CR 4 - Multiattack. The Sacred Tortoise may make 2 attacks for its action instead of only one.
CR 8 - Multiattack (2). The Sacred Tortoise may make 3 attacks for its action instead of only one.
Reactions
Withdraw As a reaction, the Sacred Tortoise can retreat within its mighty shell and become Immune to Impact, Slashing, and Piercing Damage. However, coming back out of its shell on it's next turn requires it's action.
CR 4 - Rapid Return The Sacred Tortoise's Withdraw no longer requires a full action to exit, but rather a bonus action.
CR 8 - Defensive Snap The Sacred Tortoise's Withdraw, when triggered, now allows the Tortoise to make a single Bite attack at Advantage against the creature that triggered the effect.
Sacred Cricket
Domains of Fortune, Wealth, and Luck
Medium Beast (Sacred)Large Beast (Sacred)Huge Beast (Sacred)
CR 1 - Standing Leap: The Sacred Cricket's long jump is up to 70 ft. and its high jump is up to 50 ft., with or without a running start.
CR 4 - Cling and Bite The Sacred Cricket can make Grapple checks using Dexterity (Acrobatics), instead of Strength (Athletics).
CR 8 - Grappler The Sacred Cricket has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.
Actions
Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.
CR 4 - Multiattack. The Sacred Cricket may make 2 attacks for its action instead of only one.
CR 8 - Multiattack (2). The Sacred Cricket may make 3 attacks for its action instead of only one.
Reactions
Danger Sense. The Sacred Cricket can, as a Reaction, cause the first attack against them each turn to be made at Disadvantage.
Sage Spell List
Core Spells
Gout of Flame
Burst of Sound
Integrity
Cleanse Cuts
Read Magic
Stormblade
Night Vision
Globe of Light
Clanse Object
Flare
Cleanse Water
Break Curse
Exorcism
Repel the Unnatural
Disrupt Undead
First Tier
Sanctified Surface
Curtain of Wind
Soothe Minor Wounds
Lesser Mind Protection
Detect Living Creatures
Detect Poison and Illness
Induce Drowsiness
Detect Chaos
Detect Order
Network Minds
Merciful Nature
Detect Undead
Penitent Smite
Ward Against Wickedness
Bless Water
Second Tier
Conflagration
Freyja's Grief
Minor Warding
Resist Elements
Soothing Mist
Healing
Seal Wounds
Make Whole
Cure Ailment
Purge Poison
Status
Whispering Wind
Ray of Exhaustion
Imbue Vestments
Anointed Earth
Shield Against Sin
Veiled From Wickedness
Divine Assistance
Mutual Suffering
Third Tier
Fire Lance
Pyroblast
Induce Paralysis
Preservation
Reflect Magic
Elemental Cloak
Radiant Guard
Improved Healing
Recovery
Transpose Minor Injury
Share Wounds
Compel Slumber
Discern Lies
Purge Invisibility
Hypnosis
Pierce the Veil
Deceptive Comradery
Feign Death
Purge
Blaze of Light
Righteous Courage
Blaze of Light
Searing Light
Fourth Tier
Wildfire
Regeneration
Swift Recovery
Induce Amnesia
Detect Espionage
Divine Power
Holy Sword/Cursed Blade
Wrath of Order
Cloak of Divinity
Fifth Tier
Sundrop Barrage
Lesser Warding
Greater Healing
Shielding Mist
Far-Speak Mirror
Disrupting Weapon
Animal Growth
Mark of Justice
Sixth Tier
Resonance
Cacaphonous Burst
Starfall
Spellstaff
Induce Terror
Induce Bliss
Gleaming Guardians
Sacrosanct
Denouncement
Circle of Sanctity
Seventh Tier
Inferno
Frostwave
Phoenix Rebirth
Greater Warding
Grand Healing
Baneblade
Radiant Arc
Eighth Tier
Incandescent Nova
Tears of Salvation
Screen
Antipathy/Sympathy
Induce Insanity
Moment of Foresight
Temporal Stasis
Ninth Tier
Apocalypse
Armageddon
Steadfast Warding
Total Recovery
Perfect Resurrection
Metaphysical Distortion
Utter Erasure
Dimensional Mirror
Embodiment of the Gigaden
Embodiment of the Ullikummi
Embodiment of the Che'r'fe
Iron Body
Divine Intervention
Fire and Brimstone
Miracle
Chronoshift
Sage Resonances
Resonant Inspiration
Casting Time: 1 action
Copper Bell Resonance
Range: Aura of 20 Feet
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
A clear, pure note rings through the air, sharpening the minds of your allies with divine inspiration. Any allied creature within a twenty foot radius, centered on you, can add half your proficiency bonus (rounding up, minimum of 1) to any attack rolls, skillchecks, and saving throws that they make.
At Higher Levels: If cast with a Silver Bell, the radius expands to forty feet. If cast with a Gold Bell, the radius expands to forty feet and the bonus is increased to be equal to your proficiency bonus
Resonant Cacaphony
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Aura of 40 Feet
Silver Bell Resonance
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
A loud, echoing clanging sound thunders through the heads of your enemies, making it hard for them to focus on their actions. All enemy creatures within forty feet must make a Constitution save against your Sage Roll (INT, WIS, or CHR). All enemies that fail make Concentration saves at Disadvantage.
Resonant Calm
Casting Time: 1 action
Copper Bell Resonance
Range: Thirty Feet
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
A gentle series of notes echo across the battlefield, helping calm an ally's mind. One ally within thirty feet is Immune to the Fear effect. If they are already Feared, the effect ends and they become Immune.
Resonant Purity
Casting Time: 1 action
Copper Bell Resonance
Range: Aura of 20 Feet
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
A series of notes ring across the battlefield, fortifying an ally's body with divine light. They gain resistance to necrotic damage.
At Higher Levels: If cast with a Silver Bell, the effect applies to all allied creatures within the effect. If cast with a Gold Bell, the radius expands to forty feet and applies to all allied creatures within the effect.
Resonant Silence
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Aura of 40 Feet
Silver Bell Resonance
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
Paradoxically, there is a single note from your bell before all falls silent. Your allies within the aura of effect are now able to focus on maintaining their spells beyond anything previously possible. They have Advantage on all Concentration rolls.
Resonant Protection
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Aura of 20 Feet
Copper Bell Resonance
Duration: Up to 10 Battle Rounds
When you heal an ally, you gain provide them with a Temporary HP "shield" equal to one quarter of the HP restored. (Minimum of 1 HP)
At Higher Levels: If cast with a Silver Bell, the aura radius expands to forty feet. If cast with a Gold Bell, the radius expands to forty feet and increases the Temporary HP benefit to one-half of the healing recieved.
Resonant Unassailability
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Aura of 20 Feet
Copper Bell Resonance
Duration: Instant
A series of notes ring across the battlefield, fortifying an ally's mind with divine protection. They gain resistance to psychic damage.
At Higher Levels: If cast with a Silver Bell, the effect applies to all allied creatures within the effect. If cast with a Gold Bell, the radius expands to forty feet and applies to all allied creatures within the effect.
Resonant Resonance
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Aura of 20 Feet
Gold Bell Resonance
Duration: Instant
A series of notes rings across the battlefield, harmonizing with other bell-chimes. Any other Resonances you are performing have their effects improved by one tier. Copper becomes Silver, and Silver becomes Gold.
Temple Knight
A tall woman, clad in heavy plate armor and wielding a greatsword cleaves her way through a legion of undead, holy light pouring out of her as she purifies a destroyed village with divine retribution and burning resolve. To avenge the deaths of the innocent and bring justice to those that committed so unnatural a crime is the highest calling.
A young man, wearing robes and strategically placed plate armor, kneels amongst the dead and dying, golden energy flowing from his hands to purge disease, clean wounds, and heal injuries. To allow suffering within his sight is anathema, to ignore pain a greivous sin.
An old man in burnished armor with a white cloak stands as still as any statue beside the gates of a temple, shield and sword resting point down and against his legs. Every supplicant who enters the temple does so under his evaluating gaze, and he will suffer neither trespass nor sacrilege.
The Paladins of the Gods
The Orders of the Temple Knights are those who serve the gods of their nation in a manner rather more militant than their Sage bretheren. Whether it is laying waste to their gods enemies as a Knight Crusader, bringing healing and teaching to the ignorant and the faithful alike as a Knight Hospitaller, or safeguarding temples and pilgrimage routes as a Knight Guardian, they are at home in conflict.
Your Deity and your Cause
There are many gods, and for every god there are many ways of worship. Make sure to have a reason why your character would have chosen the god and the Order of Knighthood that they did, because an Order is for life. Such an important decision, shaping their entire future, must be considered!
Quick Build
To quickly create a Temple Knight, make Strength your highest Ability Score, followed by Charisma. Next, use the Zealot or Noble background.
Hellas, Kumat, Palatinia, and Nesha ONLY
Temple Knight
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Core Spells Known
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level
1st
+2
Chosen Champion, Spellcasting
2
2
1
1st
2nd
+2
Fighting Style, Judgement
2
3
2
1st
3rd
+2
My Body A Temple, Order of Knighthood
2
4
2
2nd
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
3
5
3
2nd
5th
+3
Extra Action
3
6
3
3rd
6th
+3
Divine Invocation
3
7
4
3rd
7th
+3
Order Feature
3
8
4
4th
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
3
9
4
4th
9th
+4
Purified Ground
3
10
5
5th
10th
+4
Divine Invocation
4
10
5
5th
11th
+4
Greater Judgement
4
11
6
5th
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
4
11
6
5th
13th
+5
Consecrated Ground
4
12
7
5th
14th
+5
Divine Invocation
4
12
7
5th
15th
+5
Order Feature
4
13
7
5th
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
4
13
8
6th
17th
+6
Hallowed Ground
4
14
8
6th
18th
+6
Order Feature
4
14
9
6th
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
4
15
9
6th
20th
+6
Divine Invocation
4
15
10
6th
Class Features
As a Temple Knight, you gain the following Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Temple Knight level
Hit Points at First Level: 10 plus Constitution Modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) plus CON Modifier
Proficiencies
Armor: All Armor Types, All Shield Types
Weapons: All Simple Weapons, All Martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Religion, any TWO of Athletics, History, Insight, Perception, Medicine, or Persuasion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) A versatile martial weapon and a shield or (b) any two martial weapons
(a) Five javelins or (b) any one simple melee weapon
(a) An explorer’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
All Temple Knights, regardless of above choices, also receive a Sage’s Pack, a set of Chain Mail Armor, and a Holy Symbol
Chosen Champion
At first level, select a deity from your nation of origin. This choice effects how your Divine Invocations function. Divine Invocation charges reset at dawn every day. Divine Invocations are performed as Actions. See the Divine Invocations section for the deity choices by nation.
Spellcasting
By 1st level, the class can cast spells.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Temple Knight table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your Temple Knight spells of 1st Tier or Higher, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of Temple Knight spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Temple Knight spell list. When you do so, choose a number of Temple Knight spells equal to your CHA modifier + half your Temple Knight level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest.
Spellcasting Ability
CHA is your spellcasting ability for your Temple Knight spells. You use your CHA whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your CHA modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Temple Knight you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your Temple Knight spells. The Form your holy symbol takes is dependant on your deity of choice, and can be found in the Pantheon section.
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Marksmanship:
You gain a bonus of +2 to Ranged Attack Rolls.
Attack Rolls that are made at Disadvantage due to environmental effects such as weather or natural darkness are instead made with a modifier of -5.
Savage:
When wielding a weapon with the Heavy or Two-Handed Properties you may, upon successfully striking an enemy creature with a melee attack, force the struck creature to make a Contested Strength Roll against you. Should the target creature lose this Contested Roll, they must roll a d3. On a 1, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone. on a 2, they must make a Strength Saving Throw or be Disarmed. on a 3, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or be pushed back 5 feet.
This effect can only be used on creatures equal to or smaller the size of the attacking creature.
Dimachairi:
As long as you are wielding a weapon with the Light property in each hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your DR.
When you make an attack with your main-hand weapon, you can make a second attack with your off-hand as a part of the action. This off-hand attack is resolved with a modifier of -3 to the attack roll.
Tandem Fighting:
If you make a melee attack against an enemy target and fail to strike it at least once during your turn, the next allied creature that makes an attack at the same enemy can make their first attack at Advantage. This ability does not stack with multiple failed attacks on the same creature.
Defensive:
You gain a bonus of +1 to your DR
Reduce damage from any non-spell sources by 3
Opportunist:
You gain an extra reaction each turn that can only be used to make an attack of opportunity.
If wielding a ranged weapon, you can make an attack of opportunity when an enemy creature makes a ranged attack against you, so long as you are attacking that creature in return.
Reflexive:
Whenever you make attacks of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the attack roll twice rather than once.
When you strike a target with an attack of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the damage roll.
Duelist:
As long as you are wielding a melee weapon lacking the Heavy, Reach, and/or Two-Handed properties in your main hand, and are wielding a weapon with the Light property in your off-hand, you can spend your Reaction to decrease an opponent's melee or ranged weapon attack roll by your Dexterity Modifier.
If this should make the attack miss, you can make an attack with your main-hand weapon against the attacking creature (provided they are within range) as a part of this reaction.
Mount Master:
If your mount is wearing barding, it gains a bonus of +1 to it's DR, and Resistance to non-magical Piercing Damage.
When mounted, if you are wielding a weapon that lacks the Heavy or Two-Handed properties in your main-hand and no other weapons, attack rolls you make with that weapon benefit from a bonus of +2.
When mounted, if you are wielding a weapon that has the Heavy or Two-Handed properties, enemy creatures struck by your attacks must make a Strength Saving Throw or else be knocked Prone.
Judgement
The Temple Knight can, upon landing a hit with a melee attack, deal an additional 2d4 damage to the target. This ability may be used a number of times per day according to your proficiency modifier.
My Body A Temple
The body of a Temple Knight is, in and of itself, a temple to the worship of their chosen deity. Their faith and loyalty is duly rewarded with a resistance to foreign corruption. You have Resistance to Poison and Necrotic damage. At level 10, you gain Advantage on saves against spell effects that affect the mind.
Order of Knighthood
At third level, you choose an Order of the Temple Knights to which you are sworn: The Knights Crusader, The Knights Guardian, and The Knights Hospitaller. Which Order you pick effects the spells you have available and how your Purified Ground line of spells function. It provides features at 3rd, 7th, 15th, and 18th levels.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat.
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Divine Invocation (Tier One)
At sixth level, you gain access to your first tier of Divine Invocation. Divine Invocations are powerful abilities unique to the deity that you chose with the Chosen Champion feature. See your deity's section in the Divine Invocations.
Purified/Consecrated/Hallowed Ground
You channel the power of your diety into the ground, temporarily turning it into holy ground dedicated to their glory and might. A ten foot radius (increasing to twenty feet at level 13 and thirty feet at level 17) around you provides benefits based on your Order of Knighthood. Allies who exit the effect lose the bonus until they enter it once more. This ability lasts 10 Battle Rounds and can be used twice per day, resetting at dawn.
Guardian: All allies within the radius gain one DR (two at level 13, and three at level 17) for the duration of the spell.
Crusader: All enemies within the radius lose one DR (two at level 13 and three at level 17) for the duration of the spell.
Hospitaller: All allies within the radius that benefit from overhealing gain temporary HP equal to the excess health points. At Level thirteen, add half your proficiency, rounding up. At level 17, add your proficiency.
Divine Invocation (Tier Two)
At 10th level, you gain access to your second tier of Divine Invocation. Divine Invocations are powerful abilities unique to the deity that you chose with the Chosen Champion feature. See your deity's section in the Divine Invocations.
Greater Judgment
Beginning at 11th level, your Judgement deals 2d8 damage rather than 2d4
Divine Invocation (Tier 3)
At 14th level, you gain access to your third tier of Divine Invocation. Divine Invocations are powerful abilities unique to the deity that you chose with the Chosen Champion feature. See your deity's section in the Divine Invocations.
Divine Invocation (Tier 4)
At 20th level, you gain access to your fourth tier of Divine Invocation. Divine Invocations are powerful abilities unique to the deity that you chose with the Chosen Champion feature. See your deity's section in the Divine Invocations. Your Tier Three and Tier Four invocations can now be used simultaneously, each costing one Invocation charge. You now have four charges per day
Orders of Knighthood
Those who serve the gods do so in many ways, but while the sages and clerics spread to words and teachings of their sworn deities, the Temple Knights place actions before words. Whether defending temples, rooting out evil, or healing the sick and injured, Temple Knights believe that true expression of faith and piety comes from doing.
Order of the Knights Guardian
Perhaps the oldest, and to many the greatest, Order of the Temple Knight is that of the Knight Guardian. While Hospitallers heal and Crusaders seek out and destroy evil, Guardians rarely ever leave the grounds of their assigned Temple, instead dedicating their lives to protecting it and all those within. Whether worshipper or cleric, stalwart paragon or cowering criminal, any who seek sacred Sanctuary within the walls of a temple will be defended to the death. Those who do leave do so to protect pilgrimage routes or travelling clerics from the dangers of the road.
Vows of the Guardian
Three concentric circles are etched in the shield of every Knight Guardian, each one bearing one of the Sacred Vows that they swear upon the altar of their god. Their every breath is from that moment forward meant only for the purpose of upholding those Vows.
Shelter the Faithful: A Guardian shall forever stand between dutiful worshippers and those who would, for any reason, do them harm.
Defend the Temple: As the Guardian protects those who worship, they must protect the holy ground and mortal house of their god. None who are unpious or blasphemous may deface it unchallenged.
Safeguard the Trust: Temples can be rebuilt, clerics replaced, but the trust of the faithful in the temple must never be broken. A Guardian must never, through his own actions or inactions, permit or cause a breach of that trust.
Holy Aegis
At Third Level, your attacks are now able to apply a debuff to an enemy target, imposing disadvantage on any attacks it makes on allied targets so long as you are within five feet of the marked enemy. This ability may be used a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, with all expended uses resetting at dawn.
My Body A Shield
At Seventh Level, you can now impose yourself between an enemy and an ally within your base movement as a reaction. However, due to the haste with which you move to protect your ally, the attacking enemy has advantage on their attacks against their new target: you.
Blessed Body
At Fifteenth Level, you gain resistance to non-magical slashing, Impact, and piercing damage
None Shall Pass
At Twentieth Level, you are the embodiment of protection, gaining resistance to all forms of damage and removing the Advantage on attacks made against you during the use of My Body A Shield. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds, and can be used once per long rest. Finally, you can use the effects of Holy Aegis a number of times equal to the sum of your Proficiency Modifier and Charisma Modifier.
Order of the Knights Crusader
The most visible, and certainly the most aggressive, of the Temple Knights are without a doubt the Knight Crusaders. Wherever evil lurks, wherever the pilgrims or devout of their gods are abused or persecuted, wherever justice must be claimed at the hands of a wrathful Knight, there you will find these holy warriors.
Vows of the Crusader
The spine of every Crusader’s blade bears two Vows, one on each side. These Vows are their Purpose and their Means in equal measure.
Purge The Unholy: Those who consort with demons and bargain with devils must be destroyed, their teachings turned to ash and their souls cast into Perdition.
Shepard the Innocent: When evil sets its gaze against the far-flung communities undefended by walls and armies, it is the duty of the Crusader to stand in their defence.
Blade of the Righteous
At 3rd level, your attacks gain bonus Holy damage equal to your proficiency modifier.
Vengeful Strikes
At 7th level, when an allied NPC or PC is incapacitated, your desire to punish their attacker drives your attacks. You gain Advantage against enemies that have incapacitated an allied NPC or PC within your line of sight during the current combat.
Rebuke The Unholy
At 15th, you gain an aura of holy wrath around yourself that radiates thirty feet. This aura affects anyone who is diametrically opposed to your deity's Moral Alignment, and they must make a Wisdom Roll against your Intimidation to avoid being Frightened. Any frightened targets can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn to end the effect.
Holy Warrior
At 20th level, You become the embodiment of your god's divine punishment. Once a per long rest, a magical shell, formed out of Light, coalesces around you in the form of your deity. Your allies no longer are effected by Rebuke the Unholy, and enemies suffering from its effects take your proficiency + Charisma bonus in holy damage every turn that they remain effected. This ability lasts 10 Battle Rounds. Finally, the damage from Blade of the Righteous is now equal to your Charisma Modifier plus your Proficiency Modifier.
Order of the Knights Hospitaller
By far the least martially-inclined of the Orders, the Order of the Knight Hospitaller are argued by many to be the most important. It is they whose temples heal grievous wounds, ensure healthy pregnancies and births, cure diseases and prevent plagues. It is they who often travel the world, bringing knowledge of medicine and sanitation to smaller and less educated communities, and it is they who bolster and aid the armies of their nation on the field of battle.
Vows of the Hospitaller
Do No Harm: A Hospitaller will never, through action or inaction, allow harm to come to one who is their patient.
Keep the Silence: A Hospitaller shall never disclose the details of a patient's health to any one besides the patient and the patient’s kin.
To Aid Fellow Healers: No Hospitaller shall ever refuse to give aid of any kind to a fellow healer, nor shall they refuse to pass on their knowledge to others.
Divine Healer
At Third Level, your extensive training in magical healing enhances your efforts. Add an additional 2 HP per spell level to all healing spells that you cast.
Salvation
Starting at 7th level, you can restore seventy-five percent of an ally's missing health points as an action, as well as purging any debuffs that are affecting them. This action can be performed once per long rest.
Martyr's Grace
Starting at level fifteen, you can sacrifice your HP to generate spell slots, spending 10% of your total HP per spell level to generate the slot. I.E. 10% for a Level One slot, 20% for a Level Two, etc. Temporary HP cannot be sacrificed in this manner. Sacrificed HP can only be regained through Rest.
Divine Providence
At 20th level, the HP cost for all tiers of Martyr's Grace is halved, and Salvation may be used three times per long rest.
Temple Knight Spell List
Core Spells
Integrity
Cleanse Cuts
Stormblade
Globe of Light
Disrupt Undead
Exorcism
First Tier
Sanctified Surface
Detect Living Creatures
Detect Poison and Illness
Soothe Minor Wounds
Detect Chaos
Detect Order
Flash of Light
Detect Undead
Penitent Smite
Ward Against Wickedness
Second Tier
Seal Wounds
Freyja's Grief
Minor Wouding
Healing
Cure Ailment
Purge Poison
Status
Imbue Vestments
Shield Against Sin
Divine Assistance
Anointed Earth
Third Tier
Induce Paralysis
Preservation
Radiant Guard
Improved Healing
Recovery
Share Wounds
Discern Lies
Keen Edge
Searing Light
Blaze of Light
Righteous Courage
Purge
Fourth Tier
Regeneration
Scomatic Limb
Detect Espionage
Holy Sword/Cursed Blade
Divine Power
Holy Hammer
Wrath of Order
Cloak of Divinity
Fifth Tier
Greater Healing
Disrupting Weapon
Mark of Justice
Sixth Tier
Induce Terror
Induce Bliss
Gleaming Guardians
Denouncement
Sacrosanct
Circle of Sanctity
Temple Knight Divine Invocations
Nesha
Ishtar, Goddess of War and Sex
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Burst of Sound, Ankle Snare, and Aqua Bind which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Terrifying Radiance: You exude an aura that is simultaneously entrancing and horrifying. Enemies within fifteen feet of you must make a Wisdom Roll against your Intimidation to avoid being Charmed. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds. Enemies may attempt to break this effect at the end of each turn, one attempt per turn, through further rolls. Furthermore, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Impetuous Wrath: Your holy fury spurs you on to greater speed, allowing you to enter the fray all the faster. Increase your movement speed by ten feet. This effects lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
Seductive Carnage: You are beautiful destruction made manifest. Your Divine Invocation now has the combined power of Terrifying Radiance and Impetuous Wrath. This effect lasts 10 Battle Rounds. You now have two Divine Invocation uses per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Gugulanna, the Bull of Heaven
Named for, or perhaps a bestial form of, the husband of Ereshkigal, Ishtar's sister and the goddess of the underworld, Gugulanna was a vast and all-powerful bull that was summoned by Ishtar to lay waste to the lands of Gilgamesh, an ancient Hero-King that had refused to become her lover
Crusader: The Bull's Might: You invoke the divine strength of Gugulanna, becoming a Huge creature and gaining a bonus to all damage you deal that is equal to your Charisma Modifier plus your Proficiency Modifier. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Guardian: The Bull's Hide: You invoke the divine endurance of Gugulanna, becoming a Huge creature and gaining DR equal to half (rounding up) of your Charisma Modifier. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Hospitaller: The Bull's Wisdom: You invoke the divine knowledge of Gugulanna, boosting the potency of your healing spells by adding your proficiency modifier and your Charisma modifier to the result on all spells. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Ishara, Goddess of Oaths and Vengeance
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spell Spray of Acid, which does not count against your Core Spells known. Furthermore, your attacks deal an additional 1d4 Poison Damage.
Tier One Invocation
Ritual Purification: While Ishara punishes oathbreakers with disease, so does she protect those who keep them. You can give allied party members within fifteen feet resistance to poison damage. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Furthermore, your Core Spell from Chosen Champion can be cast as a bonus action.
Tier Two Invocation
Lady of Scorpions: As a patron of marriage, one of the most sacred oaths one can make, you can now summon a Giant Scorpion that acts independantly in support of the party. This entity lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
Swift Retribution: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Ritual Purification and Lady of Scorpions, and your scorpion is a CR 8 creature. You now have two Divine Invocation uses per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Išharišh, the Illness of Ishara:
To the people of Nesha, Ishara holds dominion over all oaths sworn by mankind...and delivers punishment to those that break their oaths. These punishments take the form of illness and disease. The punishments called down by the Knights of her temples, however, are far more than simple sicknesses
Crusader: Malediction of Vulnerability: You invoke Ishara's wrath on your enemies, removing any damage resistances that they possess. Choose a point within fifty feet of you, causing an invisible magical fog to billow out. Any enemy within thirty feet of it's epicenter must make a DC18 CON save or suffer from the effect.
Guardian: Malediction of Feebleness: You invoke Ishara's wrath on your enemies, removing any bonuses non-equipment to physical damage that they currently possess. Choose a point within fifty feet of you, causing an invisible magical fog to billow out. Any enemy within thirty feet of it's epicenter must make a DC18 save or suffer from the effect.
Hospitaller: Malediction of Impotency: You invoke Ishara's wrath on your enemies, removing any non-equipment bonuses to spell-casting from those affected. Choose a point within fifty feet of you, causing an invisible magical fog to billow out. Any enemy within thirty feet of it's epicenter must make a DC18 save or suffer from the effect.
Nesha
Teshup, Lord of Storms
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Stormblade, Spray of Sparks, and Jolting Graze, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
God of Storms: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You now gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Sparkbolt, Thunder Web, Thunderclap, Summon Squal, Shock Lance, Electrosphere, Control Clouds, Thunderblast, Lightning Bolt, Summon Storm, and Shape Storms spells, which do not count against your known spells, and are cast as normal.
Tier Two Invocation
Guardian of Conquerors: You gain the effects of the Charger feat for 10 Battle Rounds, resetting at dawn.
Tier Three Invocation
King of Heaven: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of God of Storms and Guardian of Conquerors. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Illuyanka, the Great Serpent
The enormous serpentine dragon that was slain by Teshup in antiquity after it defeated him and tore out his heart and eyes, Illuyanka is a mythical creature of profound power.
Crusader: The Serpent's Strike: You invoke the poison-filled fangs of Illuyanka, giving your attacks the ability to poison the target with a paralytic venom. Successful attacks on enemy targets cause them to take a DC18 CON check, which if failed causes them to take 2d8 Poison damage and become paralyzed. This bonus lasts for 10 Battle Rounds. The Paralyzation can be broken as normal.
Guardian: The Serpent's Patience: You invoke the calm patience of a lurking serpent that is waiting to strike. Attacks made against an enemy that is engaged with another entity have Advantage.
Hospitaller: The Serpent's Cunning: You invoke Illuyanka's cleverness, inhibiting your enemies' ability to attack yourself and your allies. Enemy attacks against allies you have healed or buffed are made at disadvantage. This trait lasts for 10 Battle Rounds, but each application to an ally lasts only a single battle round, and must be refreshed with another heal or buff to be maintained.
Hasameli, God of Metalworkers and Craftsmen
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Mending, Gout of Flame, Searing Touch, and Tinderspark Spells, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
God of the Forge-Fire: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You also gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Fireball, Primordial Flame, Fire Lance, Pyroblast, Wildfire, Searing Cyclone, Sundrop Barrage, and Flying Flamescythes spells, which do not count against your spells known and is cast normally.
Tier Two Invocation
Cloak of Smoke: You can invoke the thick smoke of the forge to cloak yourself, causing targetted ranged attacks made outside of fifty feet to be made at disadvantage. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
Stoke the Flames: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of God of the Forge-Fire and Cloak of Smoke. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Master of the Forge:
To the people of Nesha, Hasasmeli is the mountain god that forges the weapons wielded by his fellow gods. Kings and Generals also call on him to cloak them in the smoke from his forge, allowing them to move unnoticed by the enemy during war.
Crusader: Breath of the Forge: The Temple Knight can, as a bonus action, exhale flame in a twenty-foot cone, causing 3d8 Fire Damage to anyone that fails a DC 16 Dexterity Save. An enemy that is Engaged with the Temple Knight (directly in front of them and within five feet) must succeed on a DC18 save instead. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Guardian: Reforge: The Temple Knight can enhance either the arms or armor of the entire party, either increasing DR by 2 or allowing their attacks to deal an extra 1d12 fire damage. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Hospitaller: Cauterize Wounds: The Temple Knight can touch an ally that has been reduced to zero HP within the last 10 Battle Rounds, allowing them to auto-pass a single Death Save, or reducing their Failed Death Saves by one, by sealing the wound shut with searing heat. This effect can only be used on an each member of your party once per day, resetting at dawn.
Temple Knight Divine Invocations
Kumat
Ra. God of Kings, the Sun, Order, and the Sky. Ruler of All Creation, Father of All Life
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Gout of Flame, Searing Touch, and Tinderspark Spells, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Sun-Father: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You also gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Fireball, Primordial Flame, Fire Lance, Pyroblast, Wildfire, Searing Cyclone, Sundrop Barrage, Flying Flamescythes and Primordial Blast spells, which do not count against your spells known and is cast normally.
Tier Two Invocation
Burning Form: You gain Resistance to fire-based damage.
Tier Three Invocation
Eternal Sun: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Sun-Father and Burning Form. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
The Sun God's Radiance
Ra, God of Kings, watching over mankind from his blazing throne. Ra, Bringer of Life, ripening crops and providing life-giving warmth. Ra, God of Order, forever holding the all-eroding poison of Chaos at bay.
Crusader: Searing Blows: Your melee attacks sear the flesh of your enemies, dealing an extra 3d4 Fire damage per strike and potentially (on a roll of 4 on a D4) inflicting a painful burn on them as well. Burned enemies suffer 1d6 Fire Damage on their next turn, consuming the burn, which can be reapplied with another successful attack.
Guardian: Blinding Radiance: A corona of sunlight appears around you, blinding in its radiance. Unable to see you properly within it, enemies attacking you do so at disadvantage for the next 10 Battle Rounds.
Hospitaller: Nourishing Sunlight: From the gentle warmth of the sun comes life. Your healing spells apply an additional three-turn heal-over-time of 2d8 per turn on allies that you use healing spells on for the next 10 Battle Rounds.
Anubis, God of Death, Burial Places, and the Underworld
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Necrotic Bolt and Wicked Touch, which does not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Lord of Unliving: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You also gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Arrhythmia, Bolt of Corruption, Inflict Pain, Ossein Shield, Desecrate Ground, Necrotic Rays, Draining Grasp, Necrotic Hammer, and Slay Living spells, which do not count against your known spells, and are cast as normal.
Tier Two Invocation
Bonds of Burial: When you Invoke this Invocation, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, spells with the range of Touch and melee attacks that hit the target have the chance of wrapping the target in mummification bandages. They must make a Dexterity Save against your spell DC, or be Restrained for the next 10 Battle Rounds. At the end of each of their turns during that time, the target can make a Strength Save against your spell DC to break free.
Tier Three Invocation
The Embalming Lord: Your Divine Invocation now has the Combined effects of Lord of Unliving and Bonds of Burial. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Lord of the Sacred Land:
Anubis, God of Death, who guards the pharoah's tomb. Anubis, King of the Afterlife, who ushers the souls of the worthy into paradise. Anubis, Lord of the Underworld, who offers up the hearts of the wicked to be devoured by Ammit.
Crusader: Guardian of the Scales: Holding the scales that weight the hearts and souls of mortals, the scales that either elevate them to heaven or damn them to nonexistence, Anubis is a fair but dangerous god. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, add 2d8 Radiant damage to all damage you deal. This bonus is increased to 4d8 against creatures of the undead, aberration, fiend, and monstrosity type.
Guardian: Protector of Tombs: Guardian of Graves and Cemetaries, Anubis was tasked with (amongst other things) the protection of the dead's rest. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you are immune to Necrotic damage and have Advantage on all attacks made against undead creatures.
Hospitaller: Guide of Souls: Perhaps the most sacred duty of Anubis was to guide souls from their mortal bodies into the Court of Osiris, where their souls are judged. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, healing effects applied to allied creatures also provides them with a single-use 'shield' that deals 3d6 Radiant damage to melee attackers that hit them.
Kumat
Sekhmet, Eye of Ra, Guardian of the Pharaohs and Goddess of Healing
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Elemental Tether, Night Vision, Ankle Snare and Aqua Bind, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Bloodgorged: You gain an additional half of your movement towards enemies that you have injured in the last two battle rounds. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds. This effect can be refreshed or newly-applied to targets with any attack made after the Invocation is made. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Scorching Winds: You are surrounded by hot, dry, swirling desert winds. Enemies that hit you in melee take 1d4 damage in retribution. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
Mistress of Dread: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Bloodgorged and Scorching Winds. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
She Who Keeps The Balance
As the ultimate enforcer of the Cosmic Balance, Ma'at, on behalf of Ra, Sekhmet dispenses lethal, brutal justice as often as she gives succor to those who are suffering. Simultaneously feared and adored by the people of Kumat, she is a hero and villain in equal measure. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Crusader: The Lady of Slaughter: The legends of Sekhmet depict a merciless huntress, one who even defied Ra himself once she tasted blood. Upon the death of an enemy that you have injured within the last two battle rounds, you can immediately move your full movement towards another enemy and attack as if it were your turn. All such attacks must be made at Disadvantage. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Guardian: Protector of Pharaohs: Sekhmet is the guardian deity of the Pharoahs and their families, guiding them in battle and striking down their enemies whilst shielding them from harm. Upon activation of this Invocation, you can declare a single allied creature to be your 'Pharoah' for the next 10 Battle Rounds. As long as you are within five feet of them, melee attacks against them are made against you instead. As long as you are within fifteen feet of them, ranged attacks against them are made against you instead.
Hospitaller: Mistress of Life: As the patron of healers and physicians, Sekhmet is worshipped as much for her gentle mercy as she is her ruthless wrath. In particular, she is famed for providing succor and relief from plagues and illness. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, your healing spells gain a bonus 1d12 healing and remove any detrimental status effects on their targets.
Thoth, God of Wisdom, Writing, and Magic
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to any four Core Spells and any two First Tier Spells of your choice, which do not count against your Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Scribe of Fates: It is Thoth that is responsible for recording the fate of all mortals whose hearts are weighed, and Thoth who reports such fates to the other gods. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you know the general health of all enemies within visual range (percentage, to the nearest round number) and can report it to your allies freely. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Divine Gamble: It is Thoth that is responsible for the length of the year, having gambled against The Moon for a portion of it's light and winning five extra days for Creation. Roll 5d5 and gain the indicated number of Temporary HP for the next 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
The Thrice-Great: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Scribe of Fates and Divine Gamble. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Divine Lord of Words:
It is Thoth who inspires, creates, records, and makes manifest all that is written in Creation, mortal and divine alike, and it is Thoth who gives words power. Those that worship him may wield the power of words as he does, speaking things into existence with the voice of heaven.
Crusader: Divine Word: Oblivion: The Crusader can, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, channel the Divine Word used by Thoth when he records the fate of those souls whose hearts fail to pass the test against the Feather of Ma'at: Oblivion. Neither resurrection nor eternal bliss, but utter non-existence. Once per turn, as a free action, the Temple Knight may select a recently defeated enemy. Ressurection and healing magic will no longer have an effect on that enemy, unless an enemy spellcaster uses Remove Curse or a similar effect.
Guardian: Divine Word: Eternity: The Guardian can, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, make a Constitution Saving Throw whenever they suffer damage. If this save is equal to or greater than the attack statistic of the creature, the damage is halved. If it is not, they suffer the damage as normal.
Hospitaller: Divine Word: Rebirth: The Hospitaller can, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, Channel the Divine Word that reflects the circular nature of Creation, of the inevitable rebirth that follows every death. Every time an allied creature kills an enemy, they regain HP equal to the damage of the killing blow. Excess HP gained in this way becomes Temporary HP.
Temple Knight Divine Invocations
Hellas
Nemesis, Goddess of Retribution
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Elemental Tether, Ankle Snare, and Aqua Bind, which do not count against your Core Spells known. You also gain access to the Primordial Chains and Elemental Darts spells, which do not count against your Spells Known
Tier One Invocation
The Winged Balancer of Life: Upon Invoking this effect, your character grows a pair of wings, granting them flying speed equal to half of their natural movement. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
To Give What Is Due: When with Divine Invocation is activated, the Temple Knight doubles their movement towards creatures that have harmed them or an allied creature during the current battle. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Tier Three Invocation
To Bring Justice: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of The Winged Balancer of Life and To Give What is Due. You can use two Divine Invocations per day. Note that by the nature of combining the two effects, the flying speed provided by Winged Balancer of Life is also doubled.
Tier Four Invocation
The One Who Cannot Be Escaped
To the people of Hellas, Nemesis is neither good nor evil. She is truly neutral, delivering proportional justice when and where it is deserved. She is as implacable as she is even-handed, giving rise to the title-names of Adrasteia and Erinys, for none can escape her sight or outrun the justice that she delivers
Crusader: Merciless Pursuit: You are now dedicated entirely to the hunt of those who flee their deserved fates. Your flying speed increases to be twice your natural movement. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Guardian: The Left Hand of Justice: Half of any direct damage (area of effect abilities do not apply) caused to you is returned against the enemy that dealt it. Damage mitigation effects such as Temporary HP apply as normal. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Hospitaller: The Right Hand of Grace: Half of the direct damage you deal to an enemy is echoed onto an ally as healing. Area of Effect abilities do not apply. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom
Chosen Champion
You gain Proficiency in any two Proficiencies of your choice. If you already have Proficiency in a selected skill, you can instead choose to gain Expertise instead. Furthermore, you can pick any two Core Spells of your choice, which do not count as spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Bright-Eyed: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you have thirty feet of Darkvision. If you already possess Darkvision, increase it by twenty feet. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Lady of Battle: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you gain the use of the Tandem Fighting fighting style, and the effect no longer requires missing the target creature once.
Tier Three Invocation
Tritogenia: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Bright-Eyed and Lady of Battle. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Patron of Heroes:
Pallas Athena, The Unwearying, The Industrious, She Who Fights In The Front. It is not the patron of the crafts nor the city of Atenai that is followed by the Temple Knights, but the goddess who leads men into battle and aids heroes.
Crusader: Promachos: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, so long as you are within ten feet of being the foremost member of your party (oriented towards the largest concentration of enemies) your attacks are made at Advantage.
Guardian: Gorgoneion: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, enemies that you attack or are attacked by must make a WIS save of 18 or higher to avoid gaining the Frightened effect. Enemies who lack eyes, are otherwise blind, or lack sufficient Intelligence (Ability Score of 6) are immune to this effect.
Hospitaller: Palladium: If one of your allies is rendered unconscious, you can raise a ghostly statue of them over their body. This statue has the same DR as the original and half of their total HP. The fallen ally cannot take further damage from any source until the statue is destroyed by a direct attack (though AOE cannot destroy it, they can damage it). This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds, and can be applied to any ally that is down or goes down during the duration.
Hellas
Poseidon, God of the Sea
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Microseism, Stormblade, Water Breathing, and Aqua Bind, which do not count against your Core Spells known. You also gain access to the Sparkbolt, Fountain of Water, and Earthen Wall spells, which do not count against your Spells Known
Tier One Invocation
Father of Horses: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you possess a spectral warhorse, wearing Plate Barding, that functions the way any mount from any other source does. Should you already have a mount, your mount is enhanced with Plate Barding for the duration of the Invocation instead. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Earth-Shaker: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when you successfully hit an enemy with a targeted spell or attack, you may cause the ground to quake beneath their feat. They must make an Acrobatics (Dexterity) Saving Throw against your Spell DC to avoid being knocked prone until their next turn.
Tier Three Invocation
World-Thunder: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Father of Horses and Earth-Shaker. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Lord of Sea and Storm
Feared and loved in equal measure by the people of Hellas, it is Poseidon that protects sailors and guides them safely home, or shatters their ships and sends them to watery graves. It is Poseidon that fathered all horses, giving speed and strength and ease of life to the people of Hellas. It is Poseidon who summons storms to destroy the enemies of the faithful, or to shield them from natures wrath.
Crusader: Pihassas: Pegasos, winged horse-child of Poseidon and Medusa, carried for Zeus an arsenal of thunderbolts as the God of Skies marched into battle. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, your mount (either provided by or modified by Father of Horses) sprouts beautiful wings, providing it with sixty feet of Flying.
Guardian: Petraios: Poseidon of the Rocks, he who shapes the Earth and forged the mighty walls of Troy. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when one of your allies is hit by a targetted ranged or magical attack, subtract your Spell Save DC from the attack's damage, as a small chunk of stone rises from the ground to partially block the attack.
Hospitaller: Asphaleios: Poseidon the Protector, he who protects the faithful and shelters their ships during storms or cloaks them in a defensive fog to shield them from their enemies. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you radiate a magical fog with a diameter of sixty feet. While within this fog, your allies are partially obscured from their enemies. Characters with Sneak Attack may make use of the feature, and enemy attacks against those within the fog are made at disadvantage.
Apollo, God of the Sun
Chosen Champion
You gain access to the Gout of Flame, Searing Touch, Know Direction, Globe of Light, Flare, and Burst of Sound Core Spells, which do not count against your Spells Known.
Tier One Invocation
Apollo of the Sacred Oracle: You passively gain access to the Veiled from View, Locate Object, Fireball, Poison Bomb, Conflagration, and Fire Lance Spells. Furthermore, when you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions.
Tier Two Invocation
Lord of the Physicians: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, your healing spells benefit from your Wisdom and Intelligence modifiers.
Tier Three Invocation
Apollo of the Shining Bow: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Apollo of the Sacred Oracle and Lord of the Physicians. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Helius Apollo:
Apollo, Son of Leto, Heir of Helios, Lord of the Son. He whose burning chariot crosses the sky by day, bringing light and life and warmth to all the mortal realms. Apollo, he who slew the mighty Python, casting the serpent into Hades and binding its spirit there. Apollo, he who gives prophecies to the Oracles, and guides the world of mortals through their voices.
Crusader: Phoebus: Radiant, bright, far-seeing Apollo. Lord of the Sun, He-Who-Brings-Warmth. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, your attacks deal an additional 2d6 Radiant damage and 1d6 Fire Damage, as your blessed weapon delivers searing, shining punishment upon your enemies.
Guardian: Apotropaeus: Apollo the Protector, Apollo the Oracle, He-Who-Averts-Danger. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, attacks against you are made at Disadvantage, as you peer into the future and see when and where your enemy will strike next, allowing you to dodge more easily
Hospitaller: Alexikakos: Apollo the Watcher, Apollo the Shepard, He-Who-Wards-Off-Evil. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, enemies attacking allies that you have healed within the last battle round must make their attacks at Disadvantage as your divine magic clouds their vision.
Palatinia
Mars, God of War and Martial Valor
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Stormblade, Burst of Sound, and Searing Touch. These spells do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
The Marching God: Your movement speed is passively increased by five feet. Furthermore, your core spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. When Invoked, your movement speed is increased by ten feet instead of five.
Tier Two Invocation
Wolf-King: Summon the wolf-mother of Romulus and Remus, Lupa, from the netherworld. She becomes an independent member of your party for the duration of the effect, which is 10 Battle Rounds. See the Lupa (Summoned) character sheet in Monsters and Menaces
Tier Three Invocation
The Implacable Mars: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of The Marching God and Wolf-King. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Father and Guardian
Mars is in many ways the patron god of the Palatines, for he represents the most important parts of their society: martial valor, victory in battle, and the peace that follows said victories. Said in some temples to have been the divine father of Palatinia's twin founders, Romulus and Remus, he could even be called the literal father of their nation.
Crusader: Mars Ultor: Mars the Avenger, Lord of Retribution. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when an allied creature is successfully struck by an enemy creature, you may make a ranged attack against that creature with a javelin of fire. Draw a direct line between yourself and the enemy. All enemy creatures within that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw, or suffer 3d6 Fire Damage. The targeted enemy creature, if struck, suffers 2d8 magical piercing damage in addition to the 3d6 Fire Damage. It can halve the Fire damage through a successful Dexterity Save of it's own.
Guardian: Mars Quirinus: Mars the Protector of Citizens, Defender of the Peace. When under the effects of None Shall Pass, enemies making an attack against you for purposes of My Body A Shield must do so at Disadvantage. Furthermore, should the attack fail, the attacking creature takes damage equal to your Charisma Modifier + your Proficiency Modifier.
Hospitaller: Mars Pater: Mars the Father, Patron of the People. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, whenever you cast a healing spell or a buff, half of the healing done or the effects of the buff may be 'echoed' onto a single allied creature. Furthermore, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, half of the healing applied by Salvation can be applied to every other member of the party.
Vulcan, God of Fire and Forge
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Mending, Gout of Flame, Searing Touch, and Tinderspark Spells, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Forge-King: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You also gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Fireball, Primordial Flare, Conflagration, Fire Lance, Pyroblast, Wildfire, Searing Cyclone, Sundrop Barrage, and Flying Flamescythes spells which do not count against your spells known and is cast normally.
Tier Two Invocation
Mulciber: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you radiate a thirty-foot-wide aura that provides Resistance to Fire and Radiant damage, as well as an Immunity to the Burned status, to any allied creatures within it so long as they remain in the area of effect. While exiting the aura will remove this bonus, reentering it will cause it to reapply.
Tier Three Invocation
Hammer and Anvil: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Forge-King and Mulciber. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Vulcanalia:
Worshipped as both destroyer and creator, purger and fertilizer. Feared and loved, adored and hated. Vulcan is a god of contradictions, for just as fire lays waste to everything in it's path, the ash it leaves behind brings forth new life. To the people of Palatinia, Vulcan brings life and death in equal measure.
Crusader: Master of Mount Etna: Deep within Mount Etna lies the fiery forge that Vulcan uses to make the arms and armors and artifacts of the gods, it's volcanic fury barely tamed and simmering. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, pillars of flame 10 feet in diameter erupt beneath six random creatures within 120 feet of yourself, dealing 2d8 Fire Damage and afflicting the Burning effect on any creature struck. The damage can be halved with a Dexterity Saving Throw, and allied Creatures have Advantage on this save.
Guardian: Wall of Heat: The forge-fire of Vulcan burns with the heat unimaginable to mortal minds. The kind of heat that can kill someone, simply by standing within it's embrace for too long. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you radiate a thirty-foot-wide aura that causes 2d8 fire damage to anyone standing in it. The damage can be halved with a Constitution Saving Throw, and allied Creatures have Advantage on this save.
Hospitaller: Fertile Flame: From the ashes comes new life, for a cleansing fire clears that which is dead and gone away. or the next 10 Battle Rounds, you radiate a thirty-foot-wide aura. Allied Creatures within this aura that suffer Fire damage are healed for half the total possible damage, before any modifiers would be applied to reduce it.
Jupiter, God of the Sky
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Stormblade, Spray of Sparks, and Jolting Graze, which do not count against your Core Spells known.
Tier One Invocation
Stormcaller King: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. You now gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Sparkbolt, Thunder Web, Thunderclap, Summon Squal, Shock Lance, Electrosphere, Control Clouds, Thunderblast, Lightning Bolt, Summon Storm, and Shape Storms spells, which do not count against your known spells, and are cast as normal.
Tier Two Invocation
Fulgurator: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you radiate a thirty-foot-wide aura. Allied creatures within that Aura take half the damage from spells, abilities, effects, and weapons that require a Dexterity Saving Throw to avoid or mitigate damage. Unlike most abilities, this stacks with other similar abilities. However, this damage is not cumulative. The first ability applies, halving the damage. Then, this ability applies, halving not the original number, but the result of the first reduction.
Tier Three Invocation
Jupiter Feretrius: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Stormcaller King and Fulgurator. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
King of the Capitoline
It is Jupiter, mighty king of the gods and ruler of all that dwells in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld, is a god deeply revered by by the Palatines. Though they do not call on him so often as they do the gods of war, such as Mars, he is no less respected nor worshipped.
Crusader: Jupiter Tonans: Thundering Jupiter, whose mighty voice shakes the heavens and rocks the earth. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when an enemy creature attempts to cast a spell or use a special ability, you can force them to make a Constitution Saving Throw or else take 2d8 Blast damage and be Deafened until their next turn.
Guardian: Jupiter Praestes: Jupiter the Protector, whose casts lightning upon those that dare to harm his people. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when an enemy creature deals damage to an ally, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or suffer 2d8 Shock damage as a lightning bolt falls from the sky and strikes them.
Hospitaller: Jupiter Stator: Jupiter the Stayer, whose guiding hand settles the souls of the fearful and delivers terror upon the enemies of his people. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, allies that you heal or enhance gain layer of mental protection. Your allies can make all saves related to combating the effects of spells and abilities that affect the mind or deal Psychic damage at Advantage, as well as any saves required for maintaining Focus. This effect lasts until your next turn, and must be reapplied with another healing or enhancement spell.
Diana, Goddess of the Hunt
Chosen Champion
You passively gain access to the Core Spells Know Direction, Night Vision, Ankle Snare, and Flare, which do not count against your Core Spells known. You also gain access (Spell Tier Slot permitting) to the Veiled From View, Nature-Shaped Shelter, Quell, Antifragrance, Entangling Vines, Pierce the Veil, Feign Death, Elemental Arrow, and Animal Growth spells, which do not count against your known spells, and are cast as normal.
Tier One Invocation
Hunt-Mistress: When you Invoke this Invocation, your Core Spells from Chosen Champion can be cast as bonus actions. Furthermore, for the next 10 Battle Rounds, you are accompanied by two shining, silvery wolves that act independently from the rest of the party as allied creatures. These wolves use the Dire Wolf Sheet.
Tier Two Invocation
Silver-White Bow: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you gain access to a magical longbow formed from pure moonlight. This weapon functions as a +3 Longbow and, in addition to the regular Piercing Damage, deals 2d6 Radiant Damage. Enemies damaged by this weapon are marked by moonlight, giving them Disadvantage on all checks related to Stealth.
Tier Three Invocation
Lady of the Moon: Your Divine Invocation now has the combined effects of Hunt-Mistress and Silver-White Bow. You can use two Divine Invocations per day.
Tier Four Invocation
Diana Omnivaga:
Patroness of Hunters and Nature, Diana leads a band of mortal and immortal women in an endless, world roaming hunt. Searching for worthy prey, man and beast alike, to slay. Those that catch her eye may be given the chance to impress her, those that earn her wrath will be killed without pity, and those that flee before her will be stalked without relief.
Crusader: Diana Nemorensis: Diana of the Woods. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, the Radiant Damage of your Silver-White Bow is instead 2d8, and allies that make ranged attacks against targets marked by Silver-White Bow are made with a bonus of +3.
Guardian: Diana Trivium: Diana of the Threefold Path. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when an allied creature is damaged by an enemy, you may make an attack against the attacking creature using your Silver-White Bow. If you hit, in addition to dealing damage, your wolves spawned by Hunt-Mistress can move their full movement towards the enemy creature. If within range afterwards, they may make attacks against that creature at Disadvantage.
Hospitaller: Diana Caelus: Heavenly Diana. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when creatures marked by your Silver-White Bow attack an allied creature, you may make a ranged attack against that enemy creature. If your attack should hit, rather than deal damage to the enemy creature, you may choose to halve the amount of damage dealt to your ally, instead suffering it yourself. Damage reductions and resistances function as normal on damage suffered from this ability.
Dao Shi
A meditating man kneels within a beautiful garden, silent and still, listening to the flow of water, the rustling of leaves, the chitter and chatter and song of the living creatures around him as he embraces the peace and serenity of the natural world. A gong sounds thrice and he frowns, eyes opening as he rises to his feet and turns away from the glorious peace of his meditations. He quickly makes his way through the Temple to its main gate, and finds his initiates facing off against heavily armed and armored men demanding entrance. As he watches, the man who leads them draws a longsword and beheads one of the initiates. The master leaps forward, fists shining with power, and in an instant the attacker's corpse, chest shattered, collapses to the ground. Fearful, his soldiers retreat, leaving the Temple and its inhabitants to their peaceful contemplations.
Quick Build
In order to quickly build and play a Dao Shi, make Dexterity and Wisdom your primary Ability Scores. Next, use the Acolyte background.
Masters of Inner Power
The various traditions of the Dao Shis of Shenzhou are legendary for two things: their pious enlightment, and their sheer lethality. Underestimating a Temple and its inhabitants has led to the utter annihilation of more than one marauding bandit group or invading army, and even if a temple should fall, the cost that its Dao Shis will exact from there attacker will be the stuff of legend. Enhancing their supreme martial talents with the powerful and versatile energies of Chakra, their flowing forms upon the battlefield are as beautiful as they are deadly.
Your Tradition Defines You
A Dao Shi dedicates their entire life to their Temple and the the Traditions that it holds in sacred trust. Why did your character pick the traditions that they did, why did they leave their temple, why did they join the Scions? These are all important, character shaping details that should be fleshed out before you begin playing to define how your character would react to the world of Eleuthia.
The Dao Shi
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Maximum Possible Chakra Points
1
+2
Seven Mortal Strengths, Deflecting Blows, All Journeys With A Single Step
5
2
+2
First Chakra: Survival, Greased Lightning
10
3
+2
Monastic Tradition
15
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
20
5
+3
Extra Action, Second Chakra: Creativity
25
6
+3
Third Chakra: Power, Thunder Feat
30
7
+3
Monastic Tradition Feature
35
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
40
9
+4
Fourth Chakra: Harmony
45
10
+4
Monastic Tradition Feature
50
11
+4
Fifth Chakra: Expression:
55
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
60
13
+5
Sixth Chakra: Insight
65
14
+5
Seventh Chakra: Spirit
70
15
+5
Monastic Tradition Feature
75
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
80
17
+6
Mantra
85
18
+6
Monastic Tradition Feature
90
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
95
20
+6
Shifu
100
Dao Shi Features
Your Dao Shi gains the following features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Dao Shi level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 5 + your Constitution modifier per Dao Shi level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: Any 1 Artisan Tool and Any 1 of Lyre, Flute, Lute, or Drums
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Strength
Skills: Perception, Insight, Acrobatics, and Athletics
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) any two simple weapons or (b) a quarterstaff and 10 Darts
(a) leather armor
(a) A Sage's Pack or (b) an Explorer's Pack or (c) an Adventurer's Pack
Any other items relevant to the class
All Journeys With A Single Step
At first level, the Dao Shi has begun their journey on The Path of Mastery. Attacks made with weapons or while unarmed can use Dexterity instead of Strength. Your base damage for Unarmed Attacks is 1d8, and your base DR is 14, regardless of equipped armor or other modifiers.
Deflecting Blows
At first level, the Dao Shi is able to spend a Reaction to block non-magical ranged attacks at themselves or an ally within five feet. Roll a D8 + your Dexterity Modifier and subtract the result from the attack roll. If the attack roll drops below your DR, that attack misses. Otherwise, proceed with damage calculation as normal.
The Seven Mortal Strengths
At first level, you gain access to, and can gain the benefits of, the Seven Chakras of the mortal body, in the form of a resource called 'Chakra Points', which are spent to perform Chakra Arts. Chakra points are gained in the following ways:
Action
Chakra Points
Critical Strike
2
Atks at Adv
1
Spell Save Success
1
Killing Enemy
1
Deflecting Blows Success
1
Disrupting Enemy Concentration
2
Knocking Enemy Prone
1
Rolling Maximum Damage
2
Escaping Grapple
1
Successfully Grappling
1
Avoiding An Enemy Attack
1
Note that any given action may gain Chakra Points applicable for any of the above actions. In other words, if you are able to knock an enemy caster prone, disrupting his Concentration, make a second attack at advantage, which kills him, you will gain 4 Chakra Points. Unspent Chakra Points are not lost between turns.
First Chakra: Survival
At second level, you gain a refreshing pool of Temporary HP at the end of every turn, based on the number of Chakra Points you earned and spent that turn. These points are not cumulative, but reset (if any remain) when your next turn begins.
Greased Lightning
At second level, increase your movement speed by 5 feet and your DR by 1 plus your Dexterity Modifier if you are wearing no armor of any kind.
Monastic Tradition
At third level, the Dao Shi can choose to follow the path of one of the more advanced disciplines: the Shaolin Dao Shi or the Sì Xiàng Dao Shi.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Second Chakra: Creativity
Beginning at 5th level, you may pick one of the following effects and permanently gain the benefits it provides. This choice cannot be changed once made.
+1 Bonus DR
+10 Movement
+2 to Deflecting Blows
+1 to Attack and Damage Rolls
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Third Chakra: Power
Starting at 6th level, halve the Chakra Point cost of all Chakra Arts. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks now count as a +1 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Step of Thunder
Starting at 6th level, your Deflecting Blows is enhanced. You may now move up to your movement towards an ally being attacked by melee or non-magical ranged attacks. Upon arrival, you may either direct the attack towards yourself or attempt to block the attack. Deflecting Blows functions as normal from this point. This ability cannot be used if you are restrained or otherwise have a movement of zero, but does ignore difficult terrain.
Fourth Chakra: Harmony
Starting at 9th level, you may use two Chakra Arts simultaneously, so long as you have sufficient Chakra Points. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks now count as a +2 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Fifth Chakra: Expression
Beginning at 11th level, any Chakra Art with damage of a non-physical type (which is to say, any damage beyond Slashing, Impact, and Piercing) can change that damage to another non-physical type, though all other effects remain the same. For example, changing Fire Damage to Frost Damage, or Radiant to Nectoric. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Proficiency Modifier.
Sixth Chakra: Insight
Starting at 13th level, you can attempt to discern the nature of an enemy and discover their strengths or weaknesses as a Bonus Action. If the target CR is below your combined Proficiency and Wisdom Modifiers, you can discern either a Damage Resistance/Immunity in an enemy, or a Vulnerability. This insight will be provided via a vision of the target being struck by an attack,and the results (not damaged, barely damaged, badly damaged). This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to your Proficiency Modifier.
Seventh Chakra: Spirit
Starting at 14th level, your spirit is empowered, increasing the Chakra Points rewarded by all relevant actions by 1. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks now count as a +3 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Mantra
Beginning at 17th level, you begin a combat encounter with three Chakra Points and Temporary Hit Points equal to Twice the Sum of your Wisdom Proficiency Modifier and your Proficiency Modifier.
Shifu
At 20th level, you now Critically Strike on unmodified rolls of 18, 19, and 20.
Monastic Traditions
There are many methods of being a Dao Shi, each with their own benefits, talents, and skills born from a lifetime of training. From the Sì Xiàng, who channels the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts, to the Shaolin that have taken the natural combative methods of nature and made them their own, your body is a supreme weapon.
Sì Xiàng (Four Symbols)
Channeling the power of the Four Symbols (also known as the Four Auspicious Beasts) of Shenzhou, Sì Xiàng Dao Shis are the most mystical of their kind. Learning to properly wield this power to its fullest effect is the study of a lifetime, but once it is mastered they have the power to lay waste.
Channel Guardian
At 3rd level, the Dao Shi gains the ability to, as a bonus action, channel the power of one of the Four Auspicious Beasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
Dragon: Gain 1d4 Poison Damage
Bird: Gain 1d4 Fire Damage
Tiger: Gain 1d4 Slashing Damage
Tortoise: Gain 1d4 Frost Damage
Auspicious Grace
Additionally at 3rd level, gain a passive enhancement when you invoke your Channel Guardian, depending on the Beast(s) invoked.
Dragon: Gain Five Feet of Movement Speed
Bird: Gain +2 to your Deflecting Blows
Tiger: Gain +1 to all Attack Rolls
Tortoise: Gain +1 to your DR
Auspicious Power
Starting at 7th level, the Dao Shi gain bonus effects in accordance with the beast selected. See the Chart Below
Harmony
Starting at 10th level, the Dao Shi can channel the power of a second Auspicious God with their Channel Guardian ability. The bonus damage to their attacks is increased in accordance with the chart below.
Life
Starting at 15th level, the Dao Shi can channel the power of a third Auspicious God with their Channel Guardian ability, and they gain damage resistances for the duration of the effect in accordance with the chart below.
Master of Wuxing
Starting at 18th level, the Dao Shi can channel the Four Auspicious Gods simultaneously, and gain a further bonus affect from each.
Dragon: Critical Strikes create an explosion of vines around the target, creating difficult terrain with a diameter of thirty feet around them. This applies even if the target is slain by the attack. If the target is not slain, it is Restrained until it can make a DC 17 Strength Save to tear free.
Bird: Critical Strikes create an explosion of flame around the target, causing 2d8 Fire Damage to All Enemy Creatures within a diamter of thirty feet.
Tiger: Critical Strikes cause the target to bleed, causing it to take 1d8 Bleeding Damage at the start of each subsequent turn until the bleeding is stopped with an action or healing effect.
Tortoise: Critical Strikes causes the target to suffer from the Stunned effect until they make a DC 17 Constitution Save.
The Four Auspicious Beasts
Name
Cardinal Position
Element
Bonus Effect
Meng Zhang, the Azure Dragon
Guardian of the East
Wood
Level Seven
1d6 Poison
Level Ten
2d4 Poison
Level Fifteen
Poison Damage Resistance
Ling Guang, the Vermillion Bird
Guardian of the South
Fire
Level Seven
1d6 Fire
Level Ten
2d4 Fire
Level Fifteen
Fire Damage Resistance
Jian Bing, the White Tiger
Guardian of the West
Metal
Level Seven
1d6 Slashing
Level Ten
2d4 Slashing
Level Fifteen
Slashing Damage Resistance
Zhi Ming, the Black Tortoise
Guardian of the North
Water
Level Seven
1d6 Frost
Level Ten
2d4 Frost
Level Fifteen
Frost Damage Resistance
Shaolin
Shaolin Dao Shis, unlike the adepts of Wushu, who hone their weapons-skills, and the adepts of the Four Symbols, to channel divine power to do battle, the Dao Shis of the Shaolin arts become weapons. Their hands and feet, wielding chakra or nothing but simple mortal strength and skill.
The Imitative Arts
At 3rd level, the Dao Shi learns to imitate the movements and fighting styles of animals. Each Art provides some manner of bonus effect, and the Dao Shi may select which Art they are using at the start of each combat. Switching between Arts costs a bonus action.
Praying Mantis: You gain +1 to your DR. In addition, you are able to attack an enemy entering your melee range as a Reaction.
Monkey: You gain +1 to your DR. In addition, you have Advantage in all Dexterity Checks and Saves.
Leopard: You gain +1 to your DR. In addition, you gain +5 Feet of Movement Speed
Tiger: You gain 10 points of Temporary HP upon Activation of this Art. In addition, you gain 1d4 damage to all Attack Actions while this Art is active.
Crane: You gain +2 to all Deflecting Blows results. In addition, you gain +5 Feet of Movement Speed.
Snake: You gain +1 to your DR. In addition, your melee attack range is extended by 5 Feet.
Dragon: You gain +1 to your DR. In addition, you gain Advantage in Strength Checks/Saves.
The Way of the Empty Hand
Additionally at 3rd level, the damage die for the Dao Shi's Unarmed Attacks increases from a D8 to a D10. At level 18, it increases to 2d8.
Four Limbs, Four Blows
Starting at 7th level, the Dao Shi may make a second attack whenever they make an Unarmed Attack. This/These second attack(s) is/are made at Disadvantage.
Twinned Arts
Starting at 10th level, the Dao Shi may make use of and, possess the benefit, two Imitative Arts simultaneously.
Four Blows Sunder Foes
Starting at 15th level, the Secondary Attacks from Four Limbs, Four Blows are no longer made at Disadvantage.
Trinity of Arts
Starting at 18th level, the Dao Shi may make use of, and possess the benefit of, three Imitative Arts simultaneously. Furthermore, the following additional effects are provided by each Imitative Art:
Praying Mantis: Your Reaction Attack when an enemy enters your range is now made at Advantage.
Monkey: Damage taken from Dexterity Saves, whether successful or failed, are halved.
Leopard: You may Disengage or Dash as a Bonus Action
Tiger: Your Temporary HP is Tripled, and your Additional Damage is changed from 1d4 to 2d6
Crane: Successful Deflecting Blow efforts allow you to attempt to counter-attack. If it is a non-magical ranged attack, roll a d20 and add the result to your Dexterity Modifier. If the attack hits, roll the same damage dice the enemy attack uses, as you pluck the arrow/dart/bolt/etc from the air and throw it back. If it is a melee attack, you may make a single Unarmed Attack in response.
Snake: Your melee attacks gain an additional 2d6 Poison damage, and the enemy target must make a Consitution Save throw against your Wisdom Spell DC or suffer from the Poisoned status for their next turn.
Dragon: When you succeed in Grappling an enemy target, you may make an Unarmed Attack in the form of a headbutt.
Chakra Arts
Howling Fist Shatters Sky
Range: 25 foot line, 20 foot cone + Variable
Chakra Points Cost: 15 Chakra + Variable
Duration: Instant
You charge your fist with Chakra and strike out, sending a blast of concentrated energy as a beam, with a shockwave radiating out from it in a cone. Every creature in a direct line for 25 feet takes 2d8 Impact damage, while those caught in the shockwave suffer 2d6 Impact damage.
Further Chakra Points can be spent to enhance this attack, with 5 feet being added to both portions of the attack's range and one additional damage die to each damage section for every 15 additional Chakra Points.
Winding River Cleanses Army
Range: Variable
Chakra Points Cost: 15 Chakra + Variable
Duration: Instant
You summon three waves of pure chakra, each five feet wide, which you can send in any direction you choose. They will travel along that line until they hit a creature or object, dealing 3d6 Frost Damage to whatever it impacts. If this is a creature, it must then make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked prone.
The number of waves and the damage can be increased by expending further Chakra Points when casting. Every additional ten chakra spent adds another wave, and if you instead spend 15 additiona chakra, you may add not just an additional wave, but deal 1d6 extra Frost Damage to each wave.
Rabbit Flees Ravenous Wolves
Range: Self
Chakra Points Cost: 15 Chakra
Duration: Instant
As a Reaction, you may use the Dash Action when attacked by an enemy creature. This movement must be used to move away from enemy creatures. Should there be no direction devoid of enemies, you must move towards the smallest concentration of them.
Crouching Tiger Hides From Dragon
Range: Self
Chakra Points Cost: 15 Chakra
Duration: Instant
As a Reaction, you may take your next Dexterity Saving Throw at Advantage. If you succeed, take no damage. If you fail, take half damage.
Savage Crow Blinds Frightened Fox
Range: Melee Range
Chakra Points Cost: 10
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack. If the attack hits, deal 3d6 Piercing Damage. The target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be Blinded for their next battle round.
Soothing Rain Washes Wounds
Range: Self
Chakra Points Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
For every 10 Chakra Points spent, you regain 2d4 Health Points.
Beautiful Maiden Greets Husband
Range: Melee Range, 10 ft. + Variable Throw
Chakra Points Cost: 5 Chakra Points + Variable
Duration: Instant
Make a Grapple attack at Advantage against an enemy creature within range. Should you succeed, you may throw the now-Grappled creature at another enemy creature within ten feet. That creature must make a Dexterity Saving Throw in order to avoid being struck. If the second creature is struck, both enemy creatures take 2d6 Impact Damage and are knocked prone. If the second creature avoids it, only the thrown creature suffers these effects.
The throw distance and damage can be increased by spending further Chakra Points, increasing the range of the throw by 5 feet and the damage by 1d6 for every 10 Chakra Points spent.
Loving Couple's Forceful Embrace
Range: Melee Range
Chakra Points Cost: 20 Chakra Points
Duration: Instant
Make a Grapple attack at Advantage against any two enemy creatures within range. Should you succeed, you drag the two creatures towards one another, slamming their bodies together and dealing 2d8 Damage to each. The two creatures must then make Constitution Saving Throws or be Stunned for one round.
Happy Child Throws Ball
Range: 25 foot line + Variable
Chakra Points Cost: 5 Chakra Points + Variable
Duration: Instant
You gather a ball of potent chakra in your hand and hurl it at a target of your choice. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, deal 2d8 Impact damage.
Further Chakra Points can be spent to enhance this attack, with 5 feet being added to both portions of the attack's range and one additional damage die to each damage section for every 15 additional Chakra Points.
Infant Dragon's Fierce Exhalation
Range: A 5 Foot Long, 15 Foot Wide Line
Chakra Points Cost: 5 Chakra Points
Duration: Instant
You gather gather fire magic in your throat before spitting flames from your mouth, forcing any hit creature to make a Dexterity Saving Throw or else suffer 1d8 Fire damage.
Hands Clasped In Prayer Silence Firestorm
Range: 30 Foot Wide Aura
Chakra Points Cost: 15 Chakra Points
Duration: Instant
You clap your hands together into a classic praying pose, a shock-wave of pressure emanating from the point where they meet, pushing back and weakening any onrushing flames. Roll a Wisdom Saving Throw. All allied creatures, including yourself, within a thirty-foot-aura radiating out from yourself, reduce the Fire and Blast Damage from any spells, abilities, or effects by the value of the Saving Throw until your next turn. If you roll a Natural Twenty, you can choose to halve it instead.
Hoplite
Two massive wings of men and women, ten rows deep and a hundred bodies long, advance slowly and steadily across the grassy plain towards one another, singing their battle-hymns in a unified voice that shakes the very sky even as the earth trembles beneath their marching feet. They pick up speed, jogging now, the songs ceasing as they save their breath for the conflict to come. The last few yards, lilting cries fills the sky, eleleleleu! eleleleleu! and alalalalai! alalalalai! soaring on the wind, before they clash. A rolling of flesh and steel heralds the impact, neither side buckling under its weight nor faltering before their foe. A contest of strength, body and mind alike.
The Unshakeable Warriors of The Eastern Lands
For centuries, the phalanx has been the mighty formation of the Hellenic and Palatine peoples. Slow, unified, an implacable tide of steel and skin endlessly advancing to grind their enemies into dust beneath their feet and drive the survivors before them. The Hoplite brings the full force of his massive shield to bear, a weapon as much as a defense. A juggernaut of metal and flesh, advancing implacably through the desperate attacks of their foes.
Quick Build
First, make Strength and Constitution your primary Ability Scores. Next, take the Veteran or the Noble background.
Hellas and Palatinia ONLY
Hoplite Class
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
+2
Trained Soldier, Ataraxia, Pankration
2nd
+2
Hoplon
3rd
+2
For The Sake Of The Line
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
Shield-Bearer
6th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
7th
+3
Extra Action
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
Shield Master
10th
+4
Othismos
11th
+4
Mastery of the Spear
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
Not One Step Back
14th
+5
Strike Hard, Strike Fast
15th
+5
Unshakeable
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
Timplacable
18th
+6
Pæanes
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
Epilektoi
Class Features
As a Hoplite you gain the following class features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Hoplite level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Hoplite level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: All Armors
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: One Musical Instrument of your choice
Saving Throws:(CON)(STR)
Skills: Athletics and any two of Nature, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Survival, History, or Medicine
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a dory, and an aspis or (b) a sarissa, and a pelte
a set of chain mail
(a) a dungeoneer's pack (b) an explorer's pack
Any other items relevant to the class
Trained Soldier
At first level, you wield a spear with greater skill than any conscripted peasant. Add +1 to your attack rolls with spear-type weapons.
Ataraxia
At first level, when you roll Initiative, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Hoplite Level plus Twice your Proficiency Modifier.
All of Power
At first level, you have mastered the Hellenic art of Pankration. Your character has Advantage on Strength Checks/Saves related to wrestling or Grappling.
Hoplon
At second level, the movement penalty provided by wielding an aspis-type shield or a sarissa-type pike is only 10 feet, rather than fifteen.
For The Sake of the Line
At 3rd level, you gain +1 DR for each shield-equipped ally beside you and within five feet, and provide them +1 DR in turn. This ally must be directly to one side or the other of you, they cannot be ahead, behind, or on a diagonal position.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Shield-Bearer
Beginning at 5th level, when wielding a shield, you now reduce damage taken from non-spell ranged attacks by a number equal to your proficiency modifier
Extra Action
Beginning at 7th level, you can make two Actions, instead of once, during your turn.
Shield-Master
Starting at 9th level, your talent with your shield has increased. You now reduce damage taken from non-spell ranged attacks by a number equal to twice your proficiency modifier.
Othismos
Starting at 10th level, when engaged with an enemy, you may use a bonus action to push them back. Make a Strength Check against their Strength Save. If their save is higher, they must retreat five feet without provoking an attack of oppurtunity. However, if their save should be lower, they are knocked prone and you may take an attack of opportunity. This ability only works on opponents that are smaller, the same size, or one size larger than yourself.
Mastery of the Spear
Beginning at 11th level, increase the damage of any spear-type equipped by one damage tier (i.e. D6 to D8, D8 to D10, etc) and increase the attack roll bonus provided by Trained Soldier to +2.
Not One Step Back
Starting at 13th level, you are immune to pushback effects using physical force (whether magical or not), and have Advantage on checks to avoid going Prone.
Strike Hard, Strike Fast
Starting at 14th level, when you successfully damage an enemy with a melee attack, you may make a second attack with the same weapon against the same target.
Unshakeable
Starting at 15th level, your Shield-Master is enhanced to reduce damage from non-spell ranged attacks by a number equal to half your Hoplite Level plus twice your Proficiency Modifier.
Implacable
Beginning at 17th level, the Temporary HP provided by Ataraxia is increased, now being your Hoplite Level plus Three Times your Proficiency Modifier. It also provides you with resistance to Non-magical Impact, Piercing, and Slashing damage while this pool of Temporary HP remains unexhausted. Note that this effect does not refresh via Temporary HP provided by other sources, only the Temporary HP provided by Ataraxia when Initiative is rolled counts towards this effect.
Pæanes
Starting at 18th level, you may use a bonus action to sing the battle hymns of your people, increasing either your DR or your Attack Roll bonus by your Charisma modifier until the end of your next turn. This may be used a number of times per day equal to your Charisma Modifier.
Epilektoi
At 20th level, Othismos becomes a free action, and an oppurtunity attack may be made as a reaction against any enemy knocked prone within your attack range by an ally. The bonus DR provided for all parties affected by For The Sake of the Line is now +2.
Skinwalker
A massive wolf, wounded and bleeding, its chest heaving with exertion, lies on its side in the midst of a forest clearing. The bushes rustle, a young woman clad only in scant, rough furs stepping out and padding towards it with silent steps. She kneels beside it, avoiding its weak snarls and snaps easily, petting its head comfortingly even as she draws a long knife from her belt, which she plunges into its chest. It shudders and breaths its last, and she murmurs a few words of thanks and praise to its spirit before setting to work, carving flesh from bone and devouring it raw. As she rises from the corpse, her skin ripples, her bones shift, and in her place stands a wolf just like the one she had slain. Bowing her head to the corpse, she turns and lopes away.
Beasts In Mortal Skin
Skin-Walkers, more than any other, are tuned to the creatures with which the mortal races share their world. By devouring the raw flesh of creatures that they defeat, Skin-Walkers are able to take the power those creatures hold for their own, learning to take on their forms and wield their strength in battle.
Creating a Skinwalker
Skin-Walkers are simultaneously loved and feared by those who know their nature. Appreciated for the talents and the protection that they bring to their tribes, and for the reverence with which they treat nature, they are none-the-less feared for their hunger and their powers.
Quick Build
To quickly build and Skin-Walker, make Strength your primary statistic, followed by Wisdom. Finally, take the Amazon or Outsider backgrounds.
Skinwalker
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Shapeshifts per Day
Features
1st
+2
-
Taste of Victory, Survival Instinct
2nd
+2
2
Spoils of Strength
3rd
+2
2
Easy Meal
4th
+2
2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
2
Mystic Blows
6th
+3
2
Greater Spoils
7th
+3
3
Shifting Protection
8th
+3
3
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
3
Glorious Feast
10th
+4
3
Piercing Blows
11th
+4
3
Monstrous Hunger
12th
+4
4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
4
Ravenous Frenzy
14th
+5
4
Rending Blows
15th
+5
4
-
16th
+5
4
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
4
Abberation Ascension
18th
+6
5
Iron Hide
19th
+6
5
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
6
Incarnation
Class Features
As a Skinwalker, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: d12
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 8 + your Constitution modifier per Skinwalker level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: All Armor
Weapons: All Simple Weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit, any One Musical Instrument
Saving Throws:(WIS), (STR)
Skills: Survival, Perception, and any two of Stealth, Nature, Intimidation, Athletics, or Acrobatics
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) Spear or (b) Shortbow
(a) Leather Armor or (b) a Chain Shirt
(a) Explorer's Pack or (b) an Dungeoneer's Pack
Carving knife
Taste of Victory
At first level, the Skin-Walker can use a Bonus Action to devour a portion of an enemy's flesh in order to heal 1d4 + their Wisdom Modifier Health Points. The target must have been slain within the last battle-round for this ability to be used. This ability can only be used on Beasts, and can be used a number of times per short rest equal to your proficiency modifier.
Survival Instincts
At first level, you are in touch with the primal instincts of all animals, those that dictate survival in a harsh and deadly world. When you are required to make a Dexterity Saving Throw, absent other factors, you can make it at Advantage.
Culinarian
At first level, you gain proficiency with Cook's Utensiles and Brewer's Supplies. If you already have proficiency from another source, you may double the bonus provided by your proficiency modifier when using these tools.
Spoils of Strength
At second level, when the Skin-Walker devours an enemy in accordance with The Taste of Victory, they learn to take on the form of that creature. Once transformed, they maintain their own stats (if higher than those of the creature), actions, abilities, etc. Their HP and DR, however, are changed to that of the creature they are transformed into. Furthermore, they can use that creature's actions, bonus actions, and reactions in addition onto their own. They do not, however, gain access to Abilities like Pack Tactics.
See the chart below in order to compare your character's level to that of the CR they are capable of shapeshifting.
Finally, when you devour a creature and gain the ability to take it's form, you have an innate and permanent understanding of its language, regardless of your current form. In the same vein, you can speak any language non-creature language that you know, even while transformed.
Transformations using Spoils of Strength last a number of hours equal to your Skin-Walker level. You regain spent transformations on a short rest.
Level
Combat Rating
2
1
4
2
8
4
16
6
20
8
Easy Meal
At third level, you can devour the bodies of defeated enemies, satisfying any food requirements that you might have. Furthermore, you gain Resistance to Poison and Corrosive damage. Consuming an enemy in this way can activate your Spoils of Strength, and takes at least 10 Battle Rounds.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Mystic Blows
Beginning at 5th level, your attacks while transformed count as magical for the purposes of enemy resistances and immunities.
Greater Spoils
Starting at 6th level, you are now able to use the 'abilities' of the creatures that you shapeshift into. For example, a dire wolf's Pack Tactics.
Shifting Protection
Starting at 7th level, when wearing Light Armor, you retain its benefits, as if it were Barding, while Transformed. At level 10, this effect applies to Medium Armor, and at level 14 it applies to Heavy Armor
Ravenous Frenzy
Starting at 9th level, the healing that you recieve from Taste of Victory is increased to 3d4 plus your Wisdom Modifier, and it can now be used as a free action once per turn.
Piercing Blows
Starting at 10th level, your attacks while transformed now count as a +1 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Monstrous Hunger
Beginning at 11th level, your Taste of Victory and Spoils of Strength can now be used on Monstrosities.
Glorious Feast
Beginning at 13th level, healing that you recieve from Taste of Victory is increased to 4d6 + your Wisdom Modifier, and can be used on any creature within five feet of your character at activation.
Rending Blows
Starting at 14th level, your attacks while transformed now count as a +2 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Abberration Ascension
Beginning at 17th level, your Taste of Victory and Spoils of Strength can now be used on Abberations.
Iron Hide
Beginning at 18th level, you gain any applicable Resistances and Immunities from the creatures that you transform into, but none of the weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
Incarnation
At 20th level, your Taste of Victory and Spoils of Strength can be used on Dragons. Furthermore, the healing provided by Taste of Victory is now 3d8 + WIS + Proficiency Modifier. Finally, when transformed, your attacks count as +3 magical weapon for the purposes of attack rolls, damage rolls, enemy resistances, and enemy immunities.
Warrior
A powerfully built man, clad in heavy armor, stands amidst a field of corpses, his weapons dripping with gore, his stance that of a mighty warrior who has achieved a glorious victory. There is a shout, high-pitched and fierce, and the form of a lightly-armored young woman hurtles towards him, massive greataxe held high. He dodges, but to no avail, for her blow is so mighty it shatters the very earth beneath their feet. He stumbles and falls, sword clattering away, and has but a moment to realize his fate before she beheads him. Triumphant, the young woman holds her axe high and howls her triumph.
Glory and Fury
Warriors, brave and honorable men and women that seek to do nothing more than to defend and empower their tribe (and enhance their own personal standings, gathering glory to their names) through feats of strength and martial prowess. Used to fighting not as part of a cohesive formation, but an army of individuals, they are deadlier the further they are from their allies.
Creating a Warrior
Warriors are not loners, per se, but they aren't proffessional soldiers trained to work in union with others like the Hoplite. While a part of the party, they are nonetheless rewarded for bold, aggressive, high-risk game play with higher damage and an array of abilities and attacks that can turn the tide of battle quite handily.
Quick Build
To quickly make a Warrior, make Strength and Constitution your primary ability scores. Then, select the Raider or Veteran backgrounds.
The Warrior
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Maximum Possible Wrath
1
+2
Face to Face, First to the Fray, Mighty Blows
---
2
+2
Wrath
10
3
+2
Glory Hound
15
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
20
5
+3
Extra Action
25
6
+3
Ability Score Improvement
30
7
+3
Merciless
35
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement
40
9
+4
Tempered By Wisdom
45
10
+4
Savage Blows
50
11
+4
Extra Action (x2)
55
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
60
13
+5
Seething Wrath
65
14
+5
Weaponized Fury
70
15
+5
Warrior-Sage
75
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
80
17
+6
Relentless
85
18
+6
Victorious
90
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
95
20
+6
Living Legend
100
Warrior Features
Your Class gains the following features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: d10
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Warrior level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: Any Tools related to the class.
Saving Throws: (CON)(STR)
Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, and any two of Survival, Acrobatics, Medicine, Nature, or Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) great axe and four handaxes or (b) maul and four javelins
(a) Leather Armor or (b) a chain shirt
(a) Dungeoneer's Pack (b) an Explorer's Pack
Any other items relevant to the class
Face to Face
At first level, when an enemy attacks you within your reach, you may spend your Reaction to strike back. Make one regular attack with your equipped weapon against that opponent.
First to the Fray
At first level, you have Advantage on your Initiative Rolls.
Mighty Blows
At first level, when wielding a two-handed weapon, deal an extra 1d4 damage.
Wrath
At second level, you are able to generate and manifest Wrath, enhancing yourself and enabling you to use it for devastating Wrathful Strikes. 25% (rounding up) of all damage dealt and recieved generates Wrath, while it is reduced the full amount of any healing that the Warrior recieves from any source. Generated Wrath does not decay in between turns. Anything unspent carries over to the next turn unless reduced by healing.
See the chart below for the amount of Wrath required for each enhancement. Note that each section of Wrath (10-50 and 50-100) stack internally.
Wrath
Benefit
10
+5 Feet Movement
20
+1 DR
30
+1 to Attack Rolls
40
+1 to Damage Dealt
50
+10 to Movement Speed
60
+2 to DR
70
+2 to Attack Rolls
80
+2 to Damage Dealt
90
An Additional Reaction per Turn
100
An Additional Bonus Action per Turn
Note that Wrathful Strikes that require a Saving Throw use your Strength as your Spell DC.
Glory Hound
At 3rd level, you gain benefits from fighting alone and suffer when surrounded by allies. For every ally within twenty feet of yourself, reduce your DR by one and subtract 1 from every attack and damage roll. However, if there are no allies within twenty feet, add one to your DR, attack rolls, and damage rolls instead.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Merciless
Starting at 7th level, you can use this ability to take an additional action on a turn. This ability is expended upon use, and regenerates on your next short or long rest.
Tempered By Wisdom
Starting at 9th level, you've started to learn that there is more than life to pursuit of glory. The distance that you must keep from allied creatures, per Glory Hound, is reduced to fifteen feet.
Savage Blows
At 10th Level, the bonus damage from your Mighty Blows is increased to 2d6.
Extra Action (x2)
Beginning at 11th level, you can make three Actions, instead of two, during your turn.
Seething Wrath
Starting at 13th level, your Wrath generation increases to half of all damage dealt and recieved, while the Wrath reduction resulting from healing is reduced to 75% (rounding up).
Weaponized Fury
Starting at 14th level, the Wrath cost of all abilities is reduced by half, rounding down.
Warrior-Sage
Starting at 15th level, you have lived long enough to fully cast off the illusions of war you had in your youth. The distance that you must keep between yourself and allied creatures, per Glory Hound, is reduced to ten feet.
Relentless
Beginning at 17th level, if you fail a single Saving Throw, you may reroll it and use the new result. You will then be unable to benefit from this feature again until you take a short rest.
Victorious
Starting at 18th level, if you kill an enemy creature with a Wrath ability, half of the cost (rounding down) is refunded. This ability does not stack if multiple targets are killed by a single ability.
Living Legend
At 20th level, the distance that you must keep between yourself and allied creatures, per Glory Hound, is reduced to five feet. You critically strike on rolls of 19 or 20. Furthermore, you may activate this ability to immediatly generate 100 Wrath. Finally, for the next 10 Battle Rounds after activating this ability, the first attack each round that would knock you unconscious instead reduces you to 1 HP. This feature's active effects can be activated twice per day, resetting at dawn.
Wrathful Strikes
Decimate
Range: Melee Range, Variable Diameter
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack on the ground in front of you. Each creature in a diameter around you, defined by the amount of Wrath that you spend on the ability, must succeed in a Dexterity Saving Throw to halve the damage recieved.
The diameter starts at 10ft (5 ft radius) and 2d6 damage and costs 10 Wrath. For every 10 Wrath spent after that, add 5 ft to the diameter and 1d6 to the damage.
Cleave
Range: Melee Range
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack on a target in front of you. Deal 1d6 damage for every five Wrath that is spent on the ability.
Overpower
Range: Melee Range
Wrath Cost: 10
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack on a target in front of you, dealing 3d8 damage. Your target must succeed in a Strength Saving Throw or be knocked prone.
Endorphin Rush
Range: Self
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
For every 10 Wrath spent, you regain 2d4 Health Points. This health does not reduce your Wrath beyond the required costs.
Maim
Range: Melee Range
Wrath Cost: 5-25 Wrath
Duration: Instant
For every 5 Wrath spent, your enemy suffers 1d6 Bleeding damage at the beggining of each of their subsequent turns for 1d2 rounds per 5 Wrath spent.
Concuss
Range: Melee Range
Wrath Cost: 15 Wrath
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack against an enemy target. Should the attack succeed, rather than deal damage, you can cause them to take Concentration checks for the next 1d5 rounds at Disadvantage.
Destabalize
Range: Melee Range, Variable Diameter
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
Make a melee attack on the ground in front of you. Each creature in a diameter around you, defined by the amount of Wrath that you spend on the ability, must succeed in a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked prone.
The diameter starts at 10ft (5 ft radius) costs 10 Wrath. For every 10 Wrath spent after that, add 5 ft to the diameter. All ground in that area becomes difficult terrain for any creature passing through it.
Thunder Feat
Range: Movement + Variable
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
You channel your wrath into your legs, providing you with a burst of speed and a surge of might momentum. As a Reaction, you can move your full movement, plus five feet for every 10 Wrath spent, towards one enemy creature that has attacked an ally. The enemy must make a Strength Save against your Spell DC or be knocked prone. Should the enemy creature be knocked prone, you may make a single attack against them.
Flesh of Steel
Range: Self
Wrath Cost: Variable
Duration: Instant
You channel your wrath into your your body, hardening your skin and deadening your nerves, making it harder for your enemies to harm you. Gain Resistance to non-magical Piercing, Slashing, and Impact Damage, as well as Poison Damage, for 1d3 rounds per 25 Wrath Spent.
Samurai
T wo armies, clan-banners fluttering high, regard one another with mingled caution, tension, and loathing across a grassy plain. Units and divisions stand ready to fight to the death for the sake of their lords and lands. Armored men, wearing fearsome masks designed to look like demons, look for hated rivals or honored enemies amongst the opposing ranks. There is a moment of stillness, sweeping over one and all, before a long, low horn blast echoes over the field. The armored men, the samurai of Nihon, charge into battle with their ashigaru following behind. Victory or death is at hand. For their lords, for their clans, for their families, and for their honor.
Honor In Service
For generations, the Nihonese of the Samurai class have led and protected the people their island nation. For generations, the disparate clans and prefectures have warred between one another, their violent rivalries continuing unabated no matter the pleading or the threats of generations of the Imperial Family for peace. For generations, they have passed down their arts to their children, honing their talents in war and peace.
Creating a Samurai
Samurai dedicate themselves, every moment of every day, to mastery. To control, both over themselves and their circumstances. They are focused, they are intelligent, and for all their pride and dedication to honor, they are neither brash nor foolish. To act without proper forethought is contemptible, to give up when the path grows difficult is disgusting, and to fail for arrogance is worthy of death.
Quick Build
In order to quickly make a Samurai, make Strength and Constitution your primary Ability Scores. Then, select the Fallen Noble or Noble Background.
Samurai Class
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Class Resource
Features
1st
+2
1
Bushido, Fighting Style, Bajutsu
2nd
+2
2
Kiai
3rd
+2
3
Bujutsu
4th
+2
4
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
5
Extra Action
6th
+3
6
Art of the Court
7th
+3
7
Bugei Feature
8th
+3
8
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
9
Gaman
10th
+4
10
Bugei Feature
11th
+4
11
Tsuyoi Kiai
12th
+4
12
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
13
Oyoroi
14th
+5
14
Extra Action (x2)
15th
+5
15
Bugei Feature
16th
+5
16
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
17
Taeru
18th
+6
18
Bugei Feature
19th
+6
19
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
20
Isshokenmei
Samurai Features
Your Samurai gains the following features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per Samurai Level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Samurai level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: All Armor
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: One Musical Instrument, Dragonchess Set
Saving Throws: CON, STR
Skills: History, Insight, and any two of Persuasion, Intimidation, Religion, Nature, or Performance
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a katana and wakizashi or (b) a yumi and a katana or (c) a naginata and a katana
(a) Chain Mail (b) Studded Leather Armor
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Bushido
At first level, you adhere strictly to a code of conduct that dominates every facet of your life. Most important of these are Honor and Warfare, especially together. When you have no more than one enemy and no allies within five feet of yourself, add 1d6 to your damage for each attack you make. However, you are not able to wield Shields. At level 10, this damage increases to 1d8, and at 15 to 1d12.
In addition, you gain proficiency in Persuasion or Intimidation. If you already have proficiency in the selected Skill, you gain Expertise
Fighting Style
At first level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Mount Master:
If your mount is wearing barding, it gains a bonus of +1 to it's DR, and Resistance to non-magical Piercing Damage.
When mounted, if you are wielding a weapon that lacks the Heavy or Two-Handed properties in your main-hand and no other weapons, attack rolls you make with that weapon benefit from a bonus of +2.
When mounted, if you are wielding a weapon that has the Heavy or Two-Handed properties, enemy creatures struck by your attacks must make a Strength Saving Throw or else be knocked Prone.
Marksmanship:
You gain a bonus of +2 to Ranged Attack Rolls.
Attack Rolls that are made at Disadvantage due to environmental effects such as weather or natural darkness are instead made with a modifier of -5.
Savage:
When wielding a weapon with the Heavy or Two-Handed Properties you may, upon successfully striking an enemy creature with a melee attack, force the struck creature to make a Contested Strength Roll against you. Should the target creature lose this Contested Roll, they must roll a d3. On a 1, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone. on a 2, they must make a Strength Saving Throw or be Disarmed. on a 3, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or be pushed back 5 feet.
This effect can only be used on creatures equal to or smaller the size of the attacking creature.
Dimachairi:
As long as you are wielding a weapon with the Light property in each hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your DR.
When you make an attack with your main-hand weapon, you can make a second attack with your off-hand as a part of the action. This off-hand attack is resolved with a modifier of -3 to the attack roll.
Tandem Fighting:
If you make a melee attack against an enemy target and fail to strike it at least once during your turn, the next allied creature that makes an attack at the same enemy can make their first attack at Advantage. This ability does not stack with multiple failed attacks on the same creature.
Defensive:
You gain a bonus of +1 to your DR
Reduce damage from any non-spell sources by 3
Opportunist:
You gain an extra reaction each turn that can only be used to make an attack of opportunity.
If wielding a ranged weapon, you can make an attack of opportunity when an enemy creature makes a ranged attack against you, so long as you are attacking that creature in return.
Reflexive:
Whenever you make attacks of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the attack roll twice rather than once.
When you strike a target with an attack of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the damage roll.
Duelist:
As long as you are wielding a melee weapon lacking the Heavy, Reach, and/or Two-Handed properties in your main hand, and are wielding a weapon with the Light property in your off-hand, you can spend your Reaction to decrease an opponent's melee or ranged weapon attack roll by your Dexterity Modifier.
If this should make the attack miss, you can make an attack with your main-hand weapon against the attacking creature (provided they are within range) as a part of this reaction.
Bajutsu
At first level, you are familiar with the horses that indicate your exalted rank. You have Proficiency in Animal Handling, and Advantage on any checks related to horses.
Kiai
At second level, you focus your fighting spirit by releasing an energetic yell as a bonus action, letting you make any attacks you make for this round at Advantage. This ability can be used once every short rest.
Bujutsu
At third level, the Samurai masters one of the Arts of War: the Art of the Sword, the Art of the Spear, the Art of Sword-Drawing, or the Art of the Bow.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Sensou Saino
Starting at 6th level, your experience on the battlefield has grown, your talent for warfare more honed. You may select a second Fighting Style.
Gaman
Starting at 9th level, whenever you are reduced to zero hit points, you may make a Constitution Saving Throw, the DC of which is 5+ the damage taken. If you succeed, you instead are reduced to 1 HP.
Tsuyoi Kiai
Beginning at 11th level, your Kiai ability is enhanced. You can now use your Kiai three times per short rest. Furthermore, when you use this ability, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Proficiency Modifier + Constiution Modifier + Wisdom Modifier.
Oyoroi
Beginning at 13th level, you can add half your Constiution Modifier, rounding down, to your DR.
Extra Action (x2)
Starting at 14th level, you can make three Actions, instead of two, during your turn.
Taeru
Beginning at 17th level, when making the Constitution Saving Throw for Gaman, you may add your Strength Modifier to the result.
Isshokenmei
At 20th level, you have dedicated your life to the mastery of Bushido and all its tenents. You may select a third Fighting Style, your Kiai may be used five times per long rest, and you may now add your Dexterity Modifier to the result for your rolls in relation to Gaman. Finally, the bonus to your DR provided by Oyoroi rounds up instead of down.
Samurai Arts of Mastery
Samurai, Those Who Serve, are the noble class of Nihon, and warriors of renown and skill dedicated to a strict code of Conduct, called Bushido. Those who study and adhere to this 'Way of the Warrior' must learn philosophy, religion, and many Arts both Martial and Civil. Though any samurai is expected to be competant in all of them, true mastery in any of them is the effort of a lifetime.
Battojutsu, the Art of Sword-Drawing
Battojutsu is, more than any of the other samurai arts, the art of killing. Kyujutsu, kenjutsu, naginatajutsu...all can be used for meditative purposes, for competition in sport, and more. Battojutsu is intended for the rapid, single-strike killing or severe wounding of an enemy. When a Master of Battojutsu draws their sword, it will not finish its movement without being stained in blood.
Nukitsuke
At 3rd level, you have started down the path to master the art of sword-drawing. When you make an Attack with Advantage, the effectiveness of your target's DR is reduced by -1.
Iaido
Additionally at 3rd level, you may spend your Reaction to make an Attack of Opportunity when an enemy enters your range.
Kirioroshi
Starting at 7th level, when you strike an enemy with an Attack of Opportunity and deal damage, you may make a second attack at Disadvantage.
Kiritsuke
Starting at 10th level, when you are attacked and missed by an enemy within five feet, you may make a counter attack against them. This attack does not benefit from Extra Action or similar abilities. This may be done a number of times per long rest equal to your Proficiency Modifier.
Chiburi
Starting at 15th level, your attacks made at Advantage strike a critical point on your enemy, causing them to take 1d8 Bleeding Damage immediatly, and at the beginning of each of their subsequent turns until the status is removed.
Noto
Starting at 18th level, you gain the following changes to your features:
The negative DR modifier of Nukitsuke is now -2
the Attack of Opportunity provided by Iaido is made at Advantage.
Your secondary attack with Kirioroshi is no longer made at Disadvantage.
The bleeding from Chiburi is now 1d10.
Naginatajutsu, the Art of the Naginata
The Naginata, primary weapon of the onna-musha. A weapon of elegance, grace, and lethality, mastery of the naginata allows its wielder to threaten enemies both near and far
Tai Sabaki
At 3rd level, when you make an Attack of Opportunity or an attack at Advantage, you can move up to half your movement afterwards. Attacks of Opportunity against you during this bonus movement are made at Disadvantage.
Kamae
Additionally at 3rd level, you are ready to strike when an enemy strikes against you. When an enemy creature attacks you within your range, you may choose to spend your Reaction to attack them. That creature must then make it's attack against you at Disadvantage.
Furikaeshi
Starting at 7th level, you have mastered centripetal force, allowing you to turn the size of your naginata and it's sweeping motions into momentum. When attacking a creature outside of five feet, deal an extra 1d8 Slashing damage.
Conversely, if faced with multiple creatures at close range, you can instead decide to attempt force them away. Make attacks against any creature within five feet. Any creature that you hit suffers 1d4 Slashing Damage and is forced to move five feet directly away from you. This movement does not trigger Attacks of Opportunity or any similar abilities.
Kurikomi ka Kuridashi
Starting at 10th level, you have learned how to shift your grip on the haft of your naginata, and thus it's 'length', allowing you to benefit in one of two ways during combat. On Initiative, decide which of the two grips you will start with. Afterwards, changing your grip requires a Bonus Action.
Kurikomi: your hands are higher on the haft, shortening your range but increasing your defenses. Reduce your attack range by five feet, but increase your DR by 1
Kuridashi: your hands are lower on the haft, extending your range but decreasing your defenses. Increase your range by five feet, but reduce your DR by 1
Furiage
Starting at 15th level, when you make an attack at Advantage and hit the target, it must make a Strength Saving Throw against your Spell DC (using Strength as the modifier) or be knocked prone.
Tsuki
Starting at 18th level, you have mastered the naginata and it's uses in battle. The following changes are made:
When using Kurikomi, your DR increase by 2, instead of 1.
When using Kuridashi, you gain a bonus of 3 damage to your attacks.
Your Bonus Movement via Tai Sabaki no longer provokes Attacks of Opportunity.
The damage for Furikaeshi increases to 1d10 and 1d6, respectively.
Kyujutsu, the Art of Archery
Wielding the yumi, despite seeming less valorous than the naginata or katana or yari, is a matter of great importance and honor amongst the Samurai. Indeed, it was the art of wielding a bow on horseback that was the original hallmark of the samurai social class, long before the focus upon the katana became ubiquitous.
Tōteki
At 3rd level, you have learned the first philosophy of kyujutsu: 'the arrow hits the target'. Your attacks with a ranged weapon ignore half and three-quarters cover.
Ashibumi
Additionally at 3rd level, you have talent in shooting accurately, so long as you are able to focus and have firm footing. If you remained stationary and have not been damaged or taken the Dodge action since your last turn, your next attack roll gains a bonus of +5.
Hanare
Starting at 7th level, you have mastered the timing required to release your arrows at best possible time. When a non-magical ranged attack is made against you or an ally, you may use your reaction to try and intercept the projectile with your own. The enemy projectile as an DR equal to the value of the enemy creature's attack roll. Beating this DR destroys the enemy projectile. Failing means that the attack proceeds as normal.
Kanteki
Starting at 10th level, you have learned the second philosophy of kyujutsu: 'the arrow pierces the target'. You can choose, in exchange for a -5 modifier to your attack rolls, to deal an additional 10 damage with your ranged attacks.
Zanshin
Starting at 15th level, you maintain your focus even once your arrow has been released. After you have successfully struck an enemy with an attack, you can move up to fifteen feet without counting as having moved for the purposes of Ashibumi.
Zaiteki
Starting at 18th level, you have learned the third philosophy of kyujutsu: 'the arrow exists in the target'. Through sheer determination to succeed, you can attempt to strike a target you have missed. When you miss a ranged attack, you can spend your Reaction to immediatly make another shot at the same target. This ability can be used three times per long rest.
Primalist
A beautiful elven woman, dressed in an elegant robe and wielding no weapon, is making her way along a rural road when she is accosted by a band of depraved thugs. Confident in their ability, they move to assault her, but she neither attempts to flee nor cowers in fear. Instead, she snaps her fingers, a small spark of flame flickering to life over a single fingertip as the gem on the choker around her neck begins shining with power. An instant later, that small spark is a collossal fire elemental, one whose flames quickly render the terrified bandits to ash.
Servants of the Primordial Powers
Giving themselves wholly into the service of one of the four primordial elements that form the fabric of creation, Primalists wield Fire, Water, Air, or Earth in battle and in everyday life, bound so closely to that element that it begins to influence their behaviors, methods of dress, even choices in food. They quite literally live and breath their element, even worshipping it at times.
Your Element of Choice
Primalists excel at one thing, and one thing only: causing as much elemental destruction as possible, with the occasional side-benefit of battlefield control, even if only because their magic causes so much damage to the battlefield that no one else can move around it freely. The most important decision any Primalist player can make is choosing what Element their character is affialiated with, and why. Is it a family trait, passed down and honed over the generations? Is it a blessing from some sort of deity or immortal entity? Is it a curse that you struggle to control?
Quick Build
In order to quickly make and play a Primalist, make Charisma your Primary Ability Score, followed by Constitution. Finally, pick the Apprentice background.
As a Primalist, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Primalist Level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (4) + your Constitution modifier per Primalist level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons
Tools: Any One Musical Instrument, Jeweler's Tools
Saving Throws:CONCHA
Skills: Arcana, Religion, and any Two of Persuasion, Deception, Intimidation, History, or Insight.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shortbow and shortsword or (b) a shield and any one Martial Weapon
(a) set of leather armor
(a) an acolyte's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Primalist's Choker
Spellcasting
At first level, the class can now cast spells.
Core Spells
At first level, you know four Core Spells of your choice from the Primalist spell list. You learn additional Primalist Core Spells of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Core Spells Known column of the Primalist table.
Spell Slots
The Primalist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Primalist spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Tier or Higher
You know two 1st Tier spells of your choice from the Primalist spell list. The Spell Known column of the Primalist table shows when you learn more Primalist spells of your choice from this feature. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Primalist table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Primalist spells you know from this feature and replace it with another spell from the Primalist spell list. The new spell must also be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Primalist table.
Spellcasting Ability
CHA is your spellcasting ability for your Primalist spells. You use your CHA whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your CHA modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Primalist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your CHA modifier
Spellcasting Focus
Primalist Choker: A crystalline gem, in a color related to the Primalist's element of choice (Red for Fire, Blue for Water, Violet for Air, Green for Earth) set into a choker, providing their voice with the arcane charisma required to control their summons.
Elemental Devotion
At first level, the Primalist devotes themselves entirely to the worship and channeling of one of the primal, elemental forces of the universe: Fire, Air, Earth, or Water. Regardless of which you select, you speak, read, and write Primordial, and are able to communicate with any elemental, or any other creature that speaks that language.
Summon Elemental Servant
At first level, you may summon an elemental servant to fight at your side. This is a Medium CR 1 creature that is a Fire, Water, Air, or Earth-aligned Elemental based on your Devotion Choice. The damage and health of these creatures is dictated by which element they are aligned with. Any Devotion-Specific abilities that enhance your damage or defenses equally apply to your elemental.
Maintaining your summoned creature requires Concentration, like any Concentration spell. You may summon a creature a number of times per day equal to your Proficiency Modifier, and may have no more than one creature summoned at once.
Elemental Osmosis
At second level, you gain Resistance to damage(s) of the type(s) that matches the summoned elemental. However, you are vulnerable to damage(s) of the type(s) that the summoned elemental is vulnerable to.
Furthermore, you gain additional benefits based on element: Primalists of Water can breath underwater and 15 feet of Swim Speed, Primalists of Earth have 15 Feet of Tremorsense and Burrowing Speed, Primalists of Air have 15 Feet of Blind Semse and Hover, and Primalists of Fire have 15 Feet of Darkvision and Climbing Speed.
You also gain access to the Primordial Energy resource, which can be spent on various effects. The amount of Primordial Energy you have is dependant on your level, and is shown in the Primordial Energy column of the Class Table. All expended Primordial Energy is regenerated when you take a long rest.
Elemental Echo
Starting at 3rd level, when you cast an element-based spell that matches that of your Devotion, your Elemental elemental can cast a weakened version of the same spell at a second target or target area that you designate. This Echoed spell deals a half of the damage, before modifiers, that the same spell would deal if cast by the player character. In all other ways, save Spell Slot cost, the spell functions exactly as it does when cast by you.
This can be done a number of times per day equal to your Proficiency Modifier.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Incitement
Starting at 5th Level, when casting an element-based spell that matches that of your Devotion, you can spend Primordial Energy equal to the spell's level to give yourself (and your elemental, if they Echo it) Advantage on any rolls associated with the spell. If the spell instead requires that enemy creatures make a Saving Throw, they must make it at Disadvantage.
Split Concentration
Starting at 7th level, you may have one spell that requires Concentration active in addition to your Summon Servant. However, Concentration Checks are made at Disadvantage when benefiting from this ability.
Elemental Spirit
Starting at 10th level, the elemental that you summon is upgraded to a CR 4 Large Creature. Furthermore, the movement and vision provided by Elemental Osmosis are doubled.
Strong Mind
Starting at 13th level, you may now make Concentration Checks when benefiting from Split Concentration normally, rather than at Disadvantage.
Elemental Resonance
Starting at 15th level, when casting a spell that matches the element you have Devoted yourself to, increase the damage die used by one tier of strength. In other words, a d4 becomes a d6, a d6 becomes a d8, etc.
Elemental Lord
Starting at 17th level, the elemental that you summon is upgrade to a CR 8 Huge Creature.
Primordial Incarnation
At 20th level, you have mastered your element of Devotion. Halve the Primordial Energy cost (rounding Down) of any relevant abilities. Furthermore, the Resistance(s) you gain per Elemental Osmosis become Immunities instead. Finally, your spells and that of your Summoned Elemental are empowered, allowing you to negate the effects of Resistances against your element of Devotion and turning Immunity into Resistance.
Primalist Devotions
Storm-Caller
Wielding the power of the ancient, Primordial Air that carries the breath of life across the whole of Creation, Storm-Caller Primalists move as swiftly as the wind itself, and strike without warning like a thunderbolt.
Storm-Born
At first level, your character has sworn themselves to the Primordial Air, the element of Wind and Storm. Any spells you cast that cause Shock or Blast damage deal an additional 1d6 damage of the appropriate type. Furthermore, if fighting with a weapon, your weapon deals an extra 1d6 damage of either Shock or Blast, your choice.
Swift As Storms
At first level, you gain a bonus to your movement speed of +10. Furthermore, if you have successfully struck a target with a spell dealing Shock damage, that target cannot make Attacks of Opportunity against you until your next turn.
Arcing Currents
Starting at 6th level, you can spend Primordial Energy to enhance the power of your Shock and Blast spells. You can spend one Primordial Energy per spell level to add one damage die to the spell. For example, if casting Shock Bolt, you could spend 3 Primordial Energy to have it cause 9d6 damage instead of 8d6 damage.
Storm-Binder
Starting at 9th level, when dealing Shock or Blast damage, you may reroll any damage die of 1 or 2. You must keep the reroll, regardless of the result.
Sky-Quake
Starting at 11th level, when you damage a flying creature with a Shock or Blast spell, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or fall from the sky, taking fall damage in accordance with their altitude. If the spell you cast requires a Dexterity Saving Throw to mitigate damage and they succeed, the creature may make the Constituion Saving Throw at Advantage.
Wind-Dancer
Starting at 14th level, you gain flying speed equal to your movement speed. Furthermore, you have Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.
Herald of Storms
Starting at 18th level, you control the power of the storms to a level few can comprehend. Increase the damage bonus provided by Storm-Born to 1d8. Enemies effected by Sky-Quake must make their Constitution Saving Throw at Disadvantage if they failed the Dexterity Saving Throw. Finally, add an additional damage die to the effects of Arcing Currents.
Flamesworn
Flamesworn, as their name states outright, are devoted to the Primordial Flames, the fire that the gods gifted to the mortal races so that they could warm their homes, cook their food, and stave off the terrors that lurked within the darkness of the night. The fire that sheilds them from harm and turns their enemies to little more than ashes.
Fuel the Flames
At first level, your character has sworn themselves to the Primordial Flame, the element of Fire. Any spells you cast that cause Fire damage deals an additional 1d6 Fire damage. Furthermore, if fighting with a weapon, your weapon deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage.
Blistering Barrier
At first level, if an enemy successfully strikes you with an attack, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or suffer 1d6 Fire Damage.
Swelling Hunger
Starting at 6th level, you can spend Primordial Energy to enhance the power of your Fire spells. You can spend one Primordial Energy per spell level to add one damage die to the spell. For example, if casting Fireball, you could spend 3 Primordial Energy to have it cause 9d6 damage instead of 8d6 damage.
Backdraft
Starting at 9th level, when dealing Fire damage, you may reroll any damage die of 1 or 2. You must keep the reroll, regardless of the result.
Searing Remnant
Starting at 11th level, if you have successfully damaged an enemy with an attack or spell dealing Fire damage, they suffer from the Burned status. Burned targets take 1d10 damage at the start of each of their subsequent turns for the next minute, unless a spell that removes status effects is used on them, and must make an Concentration Saving Throws at Disadvantage so long as the status lasts.
Sweltering Aura
Starting at 14th level, your Blistering Barrier is empowered. The aura of heat around you is so intense that enemy creatures attempting to attack you within ten feet must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Spell DC or else make their attack at Disadvantage. The damage dealt by your Blistering Barrier is now 1d10 Fire Damage.
Apostle of Ashes
Starting at 18th level, you have an understanding of fire that can hardly be matched. Increase the damage provided by Fuel the Flames to 1d8. Additionally, enemies making their Saving Throws against Blistering Barrier must do so at Disadvantage. Finally, Fire-aligned spells that critically strike (or whose save is critically failed) melt the ground beneath the target(s), turning the square(s) on which they stand into molten magma. That square now deals 1d10 fire damage per turn to any creature standing on it, and counts as difficult terrain.
Stone-Born
It is from the Earth that Life came, and it is to the Earth that Life returns at its Ending. It is the Earth that sustains the mortal races, provides them with food and shelter and safety from wind and rain and storm. It is the Earth that is the Cradle of Creation, and those that can shape it are never helpless so long as they are within it's embrace.
Strike As Stone
At first level, your character has sworn themselves to the Primordial Soil, the element of Earth. Any spells you cast that cause Impact damage deals an additional 1d6 Impact damage. Furthermore, if fighting with a weapon, your weapon deals an extra 1d6 Impact damage.
Strong As Steel
At first level, you can double the bonus provided by your proficiency to Constitution Saving Throws, including Concentration Checks.
Magnitude
Starting at 6th level, you can spend Primordial Energy to enhance the power of your Impact spells. You can spend one Primordial Energy per spell level to add one damage die to the spell. For example, if casting SPELL NAME, you could spend 3 Primordial Energy to have it cause RELEVANT damage instead of RELEVANT damage.
Devastation
Starting at 9th level, when dealing Impact damage, you may reroll any damage die of 1 or 2. You must keep the reroll, regardless of the result.
Sunder the Land
Starting at 11th level, spells that you cast, and attacks that your Elemental makes, cause the ground beneath struck targets to become difficult terrain. If the spell effect already makes the ground difficult terrain, it instead creates a 10 foot deep pit. Any creature standing in that square falls into the pit and takes falling damage, whilst any creature that tries to cross that square must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of DC 16 to avoid falling in as well.
Heart of Mountains
Starting at 14th level, you gain Resistance to non-magical Piercing and Slashing Damage.
Prophet of Earth
Starting at 18th level, you have an understanding of fire that can hardly be matched. Increase the damage provided by Strike As Stone to 2d8. Additionally, enemies effected by the initial application of Sunder the Land are knocked prone until their next turn. Finally, double the depth of pits created by Sunder the Land, and any pit created by this effect is lined with spikes, dealing an additional 1d10 damage for every 10 feet of depth.
Frostheart
The snows of winter may bring rest and recovery to the fields and trees and animals of creation, but it is a dangerous and unpredictable force that cares nothing for those caught in its path. Young or old, man or woman, orc or elf or human...it will steal the air from their lungs and freeze their blood to ice in an instant if given the chance.
Iceborne
At first level, your character has sworn themselves to the Primordial Frost, the element of Ice. Any spells you cast that cause Frost damage deals an additional 1d6 Frost damage. Furthermore, if fighting with a weapon, your weapon deals an extra 1d6 Frost damage.
Lethargy
At first level, enemies struck by your spells/attacks. or who strike you with melee attacks, lose 10 feet of movement-speed per successful hit in either direction.
Avalanche
Starting at 6th level, you can spend Primordial Energy to enhance the power of your Frost spells. You can spend one Primordial Energy per spell level to add one damage die to the spell. For example, if casting SPELL NAME, you could spend 5 Primordial Energy to have it cause 8d8 damage instead of 9d8 damage.
Dreams of Ice
Starting at 9th level, when dealing Frost damage, you may reroll any damage die of 1 or 2. You must keep the reroll, regardless of the result.
Absolute Zero
Starting at 11th level, spells that you cast, and attacks that your Elemental makes, cause the ground beneath the target(s) to freeze instantly into a large spike of ice. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or else suffer 3d6 Frost and 1d8 Piercing Damage.
Seeping Chill
Starting at 14th level, any ground where you or your Elemental moves across ices over, becomes difficult terrain for the next minute. Any creature that would stand on it or cross it must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked prone. Getting to their feet successfully will require another Dexterity Saving Throw, as they struggle to get their feet under them.
Glacial Harbinger
Starting at 18th level, the tides and frost obey you without question. Increase the damage provided by Iceborne to 1d8. Additionally, double the movement loss from Lethargy. Finally, increase the damage of Absolute Zero to 3d8 Frost Damage and 1d10 Piercing Damage.
Primalist Spell List
Core Spells
Gout of Flame
Microseism
Chilling Exhale
Winter's Grasp
Searing Touch
Spray of Sparks
Elemental Tether
Jolting Graze
Curtain of Wind
Stormblade
Water Breathing
Aqua Bind
Sheet of Ice
Tinderspark
Whisper of Wind
Create Water
Destroy Water
First Tier
Elemental Darts
Fireball
Ice Shard
Sparkbolt
Primordial Chains
Thunderclap
Wind Arrows
Fountain of Water
Thunder Web
Earthen Wall
Solidify Air
Second Tier
Jet of Water
Conflagration
Summon Squall
Primordial Flare
Third Tier
Vacuum Scythes
Frozen Arrows
Fire Lance
Shock Lance
Crystalline Lance
Pyroblast
Magnitude
Electrosphere
Elemental Cloak
Elemental Arrow
Control Clouds
Dessicate
Drown
Fourth Tier
Twisting Frost
Thunderblast
Lightning Bolt
Wildfire
Summon Storm
Primordial Bolt
Primordial Blade
Air Walk
Fifth Tier
Elemental Drakon
Searing Cyclone
Fissure
Sundrop Barrage
Control Winds
Summon Storms
Sixth Tier
Flying Flamescythes
Earthquake
Primordial Burst
Spellstaff
Seventh Tier
Pyroclasm
Inferno
Summon Tempest
Frostwave
Eighth Tier
Incandescent Nove
Primordial Murder
Primordial Blast
Forge-Father's Breath
Flaying Wind
Ninth Tier
Apocalypse
Implosion
Armageddon
Macroseism
Howling Blast
Static Dome
Forbidden Sun
Grand Conduction
Mountain's Grasp
Polar Ray
Hekau
The powerful pracitionars of magic in Kumat, hekau occupy positions of significant influence and wealth in Kumati culture. Responsible for learning, protecting, and passing on the divine teachings entrusted unto mankind by gods and goddesses of Kumat, they not only help protect their rulers and fellow Kumati from the wicked, insidious corruption of Chaos in the service of Ma'at,but the land itself. With responsibilities ranging between banishing crop-ravaging insects, giving healing and medical treatment to those in need, crafting protective amulets and wards, even creating and controlling powerful stone constructs called ushabti in the service of the throne, the importance of hekau cannot possibly be understated.
Source of Power
The power that hekau wield is rooted in one thing: their knowledge of, and ability to channel, the heka, the supernatural energy unique to the gods and the fabric of creation itself. Wielding an apotropaic wand, a hippopotamus tusk with carvings of deities and powerful spells engraved into them. These ivory wands not only allow the hekau to cast spells, but also control the powerful ushabti servants that they carve and command.
Creating a Hekau
While the majority of Hekau would certainly be devoted priests, servants of the gods and of their nation (and the people therein), it would hardly be unheard of for a wielder of their arts to be less than pious, or to wield their powers for their own gain rather than for the benefit of Kumat. Why your Hekau would have joined the Scions of Eleuthia is up to you, but it wouldn't be outlandish for one to feel a calling to render aid to those outside their homeland, to wish to travel more of the world, or to be fleeing from the wrath of their superiors after abusing their powers.
Quick Build
To play a Hekau, choose or create a background that fits your preference, such as the Acolyte Background. Then make Intelligence your primary statistic, followed by Constitution.
Hekau
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Core Spells Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
+2
Spellcasting, Prophet of Heka
4
2
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2nd
+2
Ward Off The Blows of Fate
4
3
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3rd
+2
Reshape Stone
4
4
4
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
5
5
4
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
5th
+3
Extra Action
5
6
4
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
6th
+3
Eyes of the Sun
5
7
4
3
3
—
—
—
—
—
—
7th
+3
Divine Words
5
8
4
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
—
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
5
9
4
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
—
9th
+4
Honored Scribe
5
10
4
3
3
3
1
—
—
—
—
10th
+4
Distant Guardian
6
11
4
3
3
3
2
—
—
—
—
11th
+4
Heart of Good Fortune
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
1
—
—
—
13th
+5
Words of Power
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
14th
+5
Chief of Secrets
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
—
—
15th
+5
Defy Fate's Cruelty
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
—
17th
+6
To Preexist Duality
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18th
+6
Veins of Heaven
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
20th
+6
Lector Priest
6
15
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
Class Features
As a Hekau, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: d6
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 4 + your Constitution modifier per Hekau level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: Mason's Tools, Jeweler's Tools
Saving Throws: WIS, INT
Skills: Religion, Arcana, and any one of History, Medicine, Performance, or Insight.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a mace and a sickle
(a) Leather Armor
(a) a sage's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
An apotropaic wand
Spellcasting
At first level, the class can now cast spells.
Core Spells
At first level, you know four Core Spells of your choice from the Hekau spell list. You learn additional Hekau Core Spells of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Core Spells Known column of the Hekau table.
Spell Slots
The Hekau table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Hekau spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Tier or Higher
You know two 1st Tier spells of your choice from the Hekau spell list. The Spell Known column of the Hekau table shows when you learn more Hekau spells of your choice from this feature. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Hekau table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Hekau spells you know from this feature and replace it with another spell from the Hekau spell list. The new spell must also be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Hekau table.
Spellcasting Ability
INT is your spellcasting ability for your Hekau spells. You use your INT whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your INT modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Hekau spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your INT modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your INT modifier
Spellcasting Focus
Your spell-castng focus is an apotropaic wand, a hippopotamus tusk whose curved ivory surface has been carefully decorated with carvings of your name, as well has litanies of praise to Heka, the personification of magic.
Prophet of Heka
At first level, the Hekau is able to craft an ushabti, an animated statue carved from stone. The ushabti may take the physical form of one of the following creatures:
Griffon, a creature with the front half, head, and wings of an eagle, and the back half of a lion.
Serpopard, a creature with the body and head of a feline, and the elongated neck of a serpant.
Sphinx, a creature with the head of a mortal woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.
Uraeus, a cobra.
Whet, a scorpion.
At first level, this statue is carved from limestone and is fairly rough in appearence, a reflection of the inexperience of the Hekau. See the Ushabti Section for the character sheets of each level of Ushabti Mastery. Carving an ushabti takes six hours of uninteruppted effort.
Ward Off The Blows of Fate
At second level, your Ushabti gains the ability to Intervene. When an enemy creature makes an attack against you, you can spend a Reaction to have your Ushabti interpose itself between the attacker and yourself, provided they are within their reach (attack range) of either one or both of you. Reduce the damage that the enemy's attack would deal by 1d10 + your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.
Reshape Stone
Starting at 3rd level, you can spend an action to repair some of the damage that your ushabti has taken. On use, your ushabti regains 2d6 + your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus health points. This action can be taken twice per long rest.
At level 10 the healing provided increased to 2d8, at level 15 it increases to 2d10, and at level 20 it increases to 2d12.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Eyes of the Sun
Starting at 6th level, you can provide your ushabti with proper eyes, eyes made with the precious and divine orange-red carnelian stone. Eyes that invoke the sacred sun-disk, eyes that mirror the gaze of mighty Horus, eyes through which you can see a world once dark become bright as daylight. Your ushabti gains 90 feet of Darkvision, and you are able to see through their eyes.
Divine Words
Starting at 7th level, you are able to carve words into your ushabti, which provide it with a bonus dependant on which words you carve into it. At level 7, you can carve two words.
Divine Word
Result
Sedjet (Sacred Fire)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Fire Damage
Maw (Water)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Frost Damage
Seshed (Lightning Bolt)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Shock Damage
Pahtah (Strength)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Impact Damage
Sarat (Thorn)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Slashing Damage
Ahripita (Bow)
Attacks deal 1d8 bonus Piercing Damage
At (Striking Power/Moment)
Ushabti gains Sentinel
Taw (Mountain)
+1 to DR, -10 Movement
Hiwi (To Hit)
Ushabti adds 1/2 your Proficiency to Attacks
Xasaf (To Repel)
Your Ushabti adds your Proficiency to Saving Throws against Spell Effects
Kal (Bull)
Gains Charger
Honored Scribe
Starting at 9th level, your mastery of the arts of crafting and animating ushabti have increased, allowing you to carve your ushabti out of obsidian, increasing it's power, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Distant Guardian
Starting at 10th level, spells that you can can instead be cast with your ushabti as the point of origin, rather than yourself. Allies that would be struck by damaging Area of Effect spells or effects may make any related saves at Advantage.
Heart of Good Fortune
Starting at 11th level, you are able to install a 'heart' in your ushabti's chest, a large turqoiuse crystal that takes up residence in the center of it's chest. A heart that invokes the power of divine Hathor, the two-sided goddess that represents the wrathful guardianship of Ra and delivers his punishment upon mortal kind on the one hand, and the aspects of the joys of life and motherhood on the other.
When you suffer damage, your ushabti can take half of it on your behalf. When your ushabti takes damage, it can reflect half of that damage back on it's attacker. This is done via a special attack roll, made at Advantage, that must bypass the attackers AC.
Words of Power
Starting at 13th level, you are able to carve three words into your ushabti, allowing it to benefit from the power within their concepts. Further more, the effects of the words increase in power.
Divine Word
Result
Sedjet (Sacred Fire)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Fire Damage
Maw (Water)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Frost Damage
Seshed (Lightning Bolt)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Shock Damage
Pahtah (Strength)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Impact Damage
Sarat (Thorn)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Slashing Damage
Ahripita (Bow)
Attacks deal 2d8 bonus Piercing Damage
At (Striking Power/Moment)
Ushabti gains Sentinel, Use at Advantage
Taw (Mountain)
+2 to DR, -5 Movement
Hiwi (To Hit)
Ushabti adds your Proficiency to Attacks
Xasaf (To Repel)
Your Ushabti adds your Proficiency and Intelligence Modifiers to Saving Throws against Spell Effects
Kal (Bull)
Gains Charger and Goring
Chief of Secrets
Starting at 14th level, you have reached an ever higher tier of mastery in crafting and animating ushabti, allowing you to carve them out of sandstone, further increasing it's power, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Defy Fate's Cruelty
Starting at 15th level, your Ward off The Blows of Fate is greatly empowered. Your ushabti can now spend a special Reaction, above and beyond the basic Reaction it possesses, exclusively for the purpose of Intervening in attacks made against you or your allies. The range of the ability is extended to half of your ushabti's movement speed, and you can reduce the damage of the attack to 2d12 + your Intelligence Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.
To Preexist Duality
Starting at 17th level, so in tune are you with Heka's divinity that you are capable of emulating, in some small way, the swiftness that he came into being. You may add your Intelligence Modifier to your Initiative Rolls.
Veins of Heaven
Starting at 19th level, you can adds veins of the divine stone, the Stone of Heaven, lapis lazuli, to your ushabti. With the same placement as those of mortal men, these veins allow your magical power to flow more easily through the ushabti. Allies no longer need to make saves against spells you cast through your ushabti via Distant Guardian, and if the spell's damage coincides with one of the Divine Words carved into your ushabti, add that damage onto the effect of the spell.
Lector Priest
At 20th level, you have mastered the arts of ushabti creation and spell-casting both. Your ushabti can now be made out of granite, enhancing it's durability, power, and aesthetic appeal to the utmost, and you are capable of carving a total of four Divine Words into it's surface.
Hekau Spell List
Core Spells
Microseism
Gout of Flame
Elemental Tether
Spray of Acid
Jolting Graze
Spray of Sparks
Searing Touch
Integrity
Cleanse Cuts
Read Magic
Stormblade
Create Water
Whisper of Wind
Tinderspark
Cleanse Object
Cleanse Water
Break Curse
Exorcism
Repel the Unnatural
Disrupt Undead
First Tier
Imbue Small Stone
Fireball
Sparkbolt
Thunderclap
Primordial Chains
Wind Arrows
Poison Bomb
Fountain of Water
Sanctified Surface
Lesser Mind Protection
Sooth Minor Wounds
Curtain of Wind
Induce Drowsiness
Detect Order
Detect Chaos
Locate Object
Magic Fang
Detect Undead
Bless Water
Erase
Ward Against Wickedness
Penitent Smite
Merciful Nature
Second Tier
Jet of Water
Acid Bolt
Conflagration
Primordial Flare
Detonate Area
Resist Elements
Minor Warding
Freyja's Grief
Make Whole
Cure Ailment
Seal Wounds
Healing
Status
Whispering Wind
Illusionary Duplication
Misdirection
Imbue Vestments
Ray of Exhaustion
Shield Against Sin
Anointed Earth
Veiled from Wickedness
Divine Assistance
Mutual Suffering
Third Tier
Shock Lance
Shockwave
Crystalline Lance
Magnitude
Electrosphere
Induce Paralysis
Elemental Cloak
Radiant Guard
Preservation
Recovery
Share Wounds
Reflect Magic
Improved Healing
Discern Lies
Compel Slumber
Purge Invisibility
Hypnosis
Keen Edge
Purge
Searing Light
Blaze of Light
Righteous Courage
Fourth Tier
Thunderblast
Wildfire
Lightning Bolt
Drifting Explosive
Regeneration
Swift Recovery
Detect Espionage
Illusory Wall
Holy Sword/Cursed Sword
Divine Power
Cloak of Divinity
Wrath of Order
Holy Hammer
Fifth Tier
Fissure
Sundrop Barrage
Searng Cyclone
Lesser Warding
Greater Healing
Disrupting Weapon
Animal Growth
Mark of Justice
Sixth Tier
Resonance
Starfall
Earthquake
Cacaphonous Burst
Arcane Analysis
Induce Terror
Induce Bliss
Transformation
Spellstaff
Gleaming Guardians
Circle of Sanctity
Sacrosanct
Denouncement
Seventh Tier
Explosion
Inferno
Phoenix Rebirth
Greater Warding
Grand Healing
Radiant Arc
Eighth Tier
Incandescent Nova
Primordial Murder
Imperceptible Demolisher
Forge-Father's Breath
Tears of Salvation
Screen
Scintillating Pattern
Moment of Foresight
Perfect Dousing
Induce Insanity
Temporal Stasis
Ninth Tier
Apocalypse
Implosion
Armageddon
Macroseism
Forbidden Sun
Static Dome
Grand Conduction
Mountain's Grasp
Steadfast Warding
Total Recovery
Perfect Ressurrection
Metaphysical Distortion
Utter Erasure
Iron Body
Embodiment of the Gigaden
Embodiment of the Ullikummi
Embodiment of the Che'ru'fe
Divine Intervention
Fire and Brimstone
Miracle
Chronoshift
Ushabti
Limestone Ushabti
Large construct, Same as Summoner
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points (10 + your Intelligence Modifier) X Proficiency Bonus, + your Hekau Level
Mirrored Proficiency. The Limestone Ushabti has the same Proficiency Modifier as the Hekau that controls it.
Actions
Limestone Blow.Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2).
The type of damage relates to what form the ushabti takes:
Griffon: Piercing (Beak) or Slashing (Talons).
Sphinx: Piercing (Teeth) or Slashing (Claws).
Uraeus: Piercing (Fangs) or Impact (Tail).
Whet: Impact (Claws) or Piercing (Tail).
Serpopard: Piercing (Fangs) or Slashing (Claws).
Obsidian Ushabti
Large construct, Same as Summoner
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points (10 + your Intelligence Modifier) X Proficiency Bonus, + your Hekau Level
Mirrored Proficiency. The Obsidian Ushabti has the same Proficiency Modifier as the Hekau that controls it.
Actions
Obsidian Blow.Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3).
The type of damage relates to what form the ushabti takes:
Griffon: Piercing (Beak) or Slashing (Talons).
Sphinx: Piercing (Teeth) or Slashing (Claws).
Uraeus: Piercing (Fangs) or Impact (Tail).
Whet: Impact (Claws) or Piercing (Tail).
Serpopard: Piercing (Fangs) or Slashing (Claws).
Pounce (Griffon, Sphinx, Serpopard). The ushabti leaps on top of an enemy creature. They must make a DC 15 Strength Saving Throw or else be knocked prone. If they are knocked prone, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Encoil (Uraeus, Serpopard). The ushabti attempts to coil itself around an enemy creature. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 15 or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the Ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Grasp (Whet). The ushabti attempts to grab an enemy creature in it's pincer claws. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action
Sandstone Ushabti
Large construct, Same as Summoner
Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points (10 + your Intelligence Modifier) X Proficiency Bonus, + your Hekau Level
Mirrored Proficiency. The Sandstone Ushabti has the same Proficiency Modifier as the Hekau that controls it.
Actions
Pounce (Griffon, Sphinx, Serpopard). The ushabti leaps on top of an enemy creature. They must make a DC 15 Strength Saving Throw or else be knocked prone. If they are knocked prone, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Encoil (Uraeus, Serpopard). The ushabti attempts to coil itself around an enemy creature. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 15 or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the Ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Grasp (Whet). The ushabti attempts to grab an enemy creature in it's pincer claws. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 15 or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action
Sandstone Blow.Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4).
The type of damage relates to what form the ushabti takes:
Griffon: Piercing (Beak) or Slashing (Talons).
Sphinx: Piercing (Teeth) or Slashing (Claws).
Uraeus: Piercing (Fangs) or Impact (Tail).
Whet: Impact (Claws) or Piercing (Tail).
Serpopard: Piercing (Fangs) or Slashing (Claws).
Granite Ushabti
Large construct, Same as Summoner
Armor Class 21 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points (10 + your Intelligence Modifier) X Proficiency Bonus, + your Hekau Level
Speed 40 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
22 (+6)
16 (+3)
22 (+6)
4 (-3)
16 (+3)
4 (-3)
Saving Throws Str +6, Con +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Mirrored Proficiency. The Granite Ushabti has the same Proficiency Modifier as the Hekau that controls it.
Multiattack. The Granite Ushabti makes two attacks.
Actions
Pounce (Griffon, Sphinx, Serpopard). The ushabti leaps on top of an enemy creature. They must make a DC 16 Strength Saving Throw or else be knocked prone. If they are knocked prone, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Encoil (Uraeus, Serpopard). The ushabti attempts to coil itself around an enemy creature. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 16 or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the Ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action.
Grasp (Whet). The ushabti attempts to grab an enemy creature in it's pincer claws. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 16 or else become Restrained. If they are Restrained, the ushabti may make an attack against the creature as a Bonus Action
Granite Blow.Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6).
The type of damage relates to what form the ushabti takes:
Griffon: Piercing (Beak) or Slashing (Talons).
Sphinx: Piercing (Teeth) or Slashing (Claws).
Uraeus: Piercing (Fangs) or Impact (Tail).
Whet: Impact (Claws) or Piercing (Tail).
Serpopard: Piercing (Fangs) or Slashing (Claws).
Ranger
A column of men and women march along a packed-dirt road lined by the dense vegitation of a lush forest, blind to those stalking them from the cover of the foliage. Wearing mottled cloaks with arrows on the strings of their bows, they await a signal to unleash hell upon their prey. Elsewhere, a brave and bold young man dressed in furs and carrying a spear crafted from the bone of some great beast quietly and carefully places a large trap on the ground, covering it with leaves and sprinkling it with liquid taken from a bottle. Yet elsewhere, a young woman carefully leads a large caravan through the mountains, her eyes roaming the roads and slopes around her, finding the safest path and keeping a wary eye out for threats to her charges.
Hunters of Man and Beast
There are those for whom the bow is not just a useful tool, not simply a method to feed themselves and their families, but a life. To them, the bow and the hunt sit at the heart of every moment of their lives. Whether they are leading armies through the mountains or killing high-value targets from afar as Pathfinders, hunting down and killing large and mighty beasts as the Monster Hunter, or laying deadly ambushes as a Partisan, Rangers lead the way to victory.
Creating a Ranger
The three subclass of Ranger are wildly different in roleplay potential, so make sure that your character's backstory makes sense. A Partisan, after all, would not logically have learned their trade idly or because they had a happy life, but in fighting against what they saw as an oppressive regime or, perhaps, in pursuit of an anarchist agenda. Whatever the case may be for your character, remember that playstyle and roleplay are inextricably linked!
Quick Build
To quickly build a Ranger, make DEX and WIS your primary stats. Select the Insurgent, Amazon, or Veteran Backgrounds.
No Restrictions
Ranger Class
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
1st
+2
Specialization
2nd
+2
Fighting Style, Silent Steps
3rd
+2
Talented Hunter
4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
Extra Action
6th
+3
Ability Score Improvement, Specialization Feature
7th
+3
Escape and Evasion
8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
Zeroed In
10th
+4
Specialization Feature
11th
+4
Proficient Hunter
12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
Extra Action (x2)
14th
+5
Specialization Feature
15th
+5
Relocate
16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
Master of the Hunt
18th
+6
Specialization Feature
19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
Thrill of the Hunt
Class Features
As a Ranger, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
Hit Dice: d6
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (4) + your Constitution modifier per Ranger level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: (DEX), (INT)
Skills: Perception and any one of Survival, Nature, Medicine, Stealth, Investigation, or Animal Handling.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) two martial weapons or (b) a martial weapon and a shield
(a) Leather Armor or (b) Hide Armor
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
Specialization
At first level, the Ranger can pick a specific specialization: Pathfinder, Partisan, or Monster Hunter. Your choice grants you additional features at 6th level, and again at 10th, 14th, and 18th levels.
Silent Steps
At second level, you gain Proficiency in Stealth. If you already have Proficiency, you instead gain Expertise. You can also take the Hide Action as a Bonus Action.
Fighting Style
At second level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Embarked Professional:
You gain Proficiency in either Vehicles (Land) or Vehicles (Water). If you already have Proficiency in the chosen Vehicle Type, you instead gain Expertise.
When fighting aboard Vehicles in which you have Proficiency, you have +2 to all Attack Rolls that you make. If you have Expertise in that Vehicle Type, you additionally gain +1 to your DR.
Marksmanship:
You gain a bonus of +2 to Ranged Attack Rolls.
Attack Rolls that are made at Disadvantage due to environmental effects such as weather or natural darkness are instead made with a modifier of -5.
Savage:
When wielding a weapon with the Heavy or Two-Handed Properties you may, upon successfully striking an enemy creature with a melee attack, force the struck creature to make a Contested Strength Roll against you. Should the target creature lose this Contested Roll, they must roll a d3. On a 1, they must make a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked Prone. on a 2, they must make a Strength Saving Throw or be Disarmed. on a 3, they must make a Constitution Saving Throw or be pushed back 5 feet.
This effect can only be used on creatures equal to or smaller the size of the attacking creature.
Dimachairi:
As long as you are wielding a weapon with the Light property in each hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your DR.
When you make an attack with your main-hand weapon, you can make a second attack with your off-hand as a part of the action. This off-hand attack is resolved with a modifier of -3 to the attack roll.
Tandem Fighting:
If you make a melee attack against an enemy target and fail to strike it at least once during your turn, the next allied creature that makes an attack at the same enemy can make their first attack at Advantage. This ability does not stack with multiple failed attacks on the same creature.
Defensive:
You gain a bonus of +1 to your DR
Reduce damage from any non-spell sources by 3
Opportunist:
You gain an extra reaction each turn that can only be used to make an attack of opportunity.
If wielding a ranged weapon, you can make an attack of opportunity when an enemy creature makes a ranged attack against you, so long as you are attacking that creature in return.
Reflexive:
Whenever you make attacks of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the attack roll twice rather than once.
When you strike a target with an attack of opportunity, you can add your Proficiency Modifier to the damage roll.
Duelist:
As long as you are wielding a melee weapon lacking the Heavy, Reach, and/or Two-Handed properties in your main hand, and are wielding a weapon with the Light property in your off-hand, you can spend your Reaction to decrease an opponent's melee or ranged weapon attack roll by your Dexterity Modifier.
If this should make the attack miss, you can make an attack with your main-hand weapon against the attacking creature (provided they are within range) as a part of this reaction.
Talented Hunter
Starting at 3rd level, the Ranger has honed their skills across a variety of abilities, giving them access to the Talents found on the table below. The Ranger may only benefit from the effects of one Talent at a time. Each use costs 1 Talent Point, the pool of which is equal to the Ranger's Wisdom Modifier. This pool resets on a Long Rest.
Talented Hunter
Talent
Effect
Hunter's Mark
You mark an enemy creature. For the next hour, you can track it perfectly, and any attacks made against that creature deal 3 bonus damage. If that creature is slain, the mark automatically moves to the nearest enemy creature within your sight.
Tactical Withdrawal
You can immediately move your full movement. Attacks of Opportunity made against you during movement granted by this ability are made at Disadvantage.
Overdraw
Shooting a target withing range that is outside of your bow's optimum range does not impose Disadvantage for this battle round.
Snapshot
When attacked in melee, make a ranged attack at Disadvantage in response. Does not cost a Reaction.
Quick Draw
After missing with a ranged attack, make a second attack at Disadvantage. This second attack cannot trigger effects like Zeroed In or Fatal Penetration.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Escape and Evasion
Starting at 7th level, once per turn after the Ranger has successfully struck an enemy with an attack, they can move half their movement speed. Furthermore, when attacked by an enemy, they can spend their Reaction to impose Disadvantage on the attack.
Zeroed In
Starting at 11th level, when you hit an enemy creature with a Critical Strike, you can immediately make another Attack at Advantage. This free Attack cannot trigger this ability, though all other effects trigger as usual.
Proficient Hunter
Starting at 11th level, the Ranger can benefit from two Talents simultaneously, and Critical Strikes cause the Ranger to regenerate a single expended Talent Point each.
Extra Action (x2)
Starting at 13th level, you can make three Actions, instead of two, during your turn.
Relocate
Starting at 15th level, the Ranger has the ability to take the Hide action at the end of the movement provided Escape and Evasion. This ability does not require spending an Action or Bonus Action.
Master of the Hunt
Starting at 17th level, the Ranger's pool of Talent Points is expanded. It now consists of the sum of the Ranger's Wisdom Modifier + their Proficiency Modifier.
Thrill of the Hunt
At 20th level, your attacks critically strike on rolls of 18, 19, and 20.
Specializations
To simply carry a bow or spear and be talented in their use is not sufficient to make one a Ranger. No, to truly deserve the name, one must reach beyond mere archery and tracking and ascend to a level of mastery found only through a lifetime of dedication.
Pathfinder
Perhaps the least-well-known of the Rangers roaming the world, neither the basis of a minstrel's song as often as the Monster Hunters nor as...attention-grabbing as the Partisans, Pathfinders are consider to be the most valuable by those that travel the world, for their talents lie in leading those that follow them through the harshest climates and most difficult of terrains without harm, and when forced into battle, their devastating marksmanship strikes down their targets with unerring accuracy.
Ease of Passage
At first level, the Ranger can no longer be affected by non-magical difficult terrain and gains a bonus of +5 to their movement speed. Furthermore, you gain a climbing and swimming speed equal to your movement speed.
Cloaked In Nature
At first level, the Ranger has Advantage on Stealth checks when lightly obscured by environmental and weather effects, such as flora, rain, snow, or mist.
Aim Small, Miss Small
Starting at 6th level, when the Ranger is Hidden, their first attack against a target is made at Advantage.
Exceptional Scout
Starting at 10th level, the Ranger can make any Perception checks at Advantage and can no longer be taken by surprise, as well as gaining a +5 bonus to Initiative.
One Shot, One Kill
Starting at 14th level, the Ranger adds it's Wisdom Modifier to either the Attack Roll and Damage Roll of any attack they make with a ranged weapon, so long as that attack is made at Advantage.
Meticulous Execution
Starting at 18th level, so long as the Ranger is Hidden, any attacks that they make are made at Advantage.
Monster Hunter
By far the most famed of the Rangers, Monster Hunters and their feats (whether successfully heroic or tragically useless) are popular and common fodder for tavern songs, bard-tales, and plays. And why wouldn't they be? Individual warriors, seeking out, hunting down, and laying low the largest and mightest of beasts, claiming their flesh and bone as trophies.
Fell The Vast
At first level, the Ranger deals bonus damage to creatures larger than themself. Please see the chart below, which displays the bonus damage, as well as additional damage applied per size category that the creature is larger than the Ranger. For example, a Medium creature using Fell The Vast at level 1 against a Large creature does 1d4 damage, plus 2 because it is a single size larger. However, if it were using it against a Gargantuan creature, it would instead be 1d4+6.
Fell the Vast
Level
Base Damage Bonus
Bonus per Size Catagory
1st
1d4
2
5th
1d6
3
10th
1d8
4
15th
1d10
5
20th
1d12
6
Skirmisher
At first level, the Ranger can swap between their bow and melee weapons as a Free Action, but they can only do so once per battle round.
To Weaken the Mighty
Starting at 6th level, the Ranger has learned that pure power is not the only path to victory. You are now able to provide your arrows with bonus effects (see the chart below) before you fire them. Each arrow can only benefit from a single bonus effect at a time, but effects gained from sources other than this ability do not count against this limit.
To Weaken the Mighty
Arrow Type
Effect
Enemy Save
Ensnaring
Restrained
DC 13 Dex to Avoid Restrained, DC 16 STR to break free.
Shrieking
Target and all creatures within 20 feet take 1d8 True Damage
DC 13 WIS
Ethereal
Creatures with the Ethereal trait or a defensive magical illusion are no longer attacked at Disadvantage
None
Bodkin
+2 to Hit
None
Fleshtear
1d6 Bleeding per Turn until Removed. (Limit of 2 per target per size rating.)
Unless removed with a DC 14 Medicine Check, the bleeding is increased to 1d8 per turn for 1d6 turns after arrow removal.
Deft Counterstrike
Starting at 10th level, if an enemy misses you with an attack due to the effect of Escape and Evasion, you can make a free attack at Disadvantage against them with a melee weapon, even if that weapon is not currently in your hand.
Bring Low the Titans
Starting at 14th level, the DCs for the arrow effects from To Weaken The Mighty increase by 3.
Fatal Penetration
Starting at 18th level, if two attacks are made against the same target in a row, the third attack is resolved with a modifier of -3 to the target's Defense Rating. Furthermore, targets with a Resistance to Piercing Damage instead have the damage resolved as normal, and targets with Immunity to Piercing Damage instead have Resistance.
Partisan
Ambushes. Merciless savagery. Killing or wounding the largest number of targets at the same time as they can. These are the hallmarks of Rangers who follow the path of the Partisan. Whether in pursuit of anarchy, a greater good, or simple and ruthless efficiency, Partisans make every footstep a danger and every attempted escape a folly.
Opening Salvo
At first level, when rolling for Initiative, make a Stealth Roll against the Passive Perception of the enemy creature(s). Should you match or beat their Passive Perception, you are Hidden and may attack one enemy creature at Advantage before the first round of initiative begins.
Ambush
At first level, when you are Hidden, you have Advantage in Initiative Rolls, and attacks made against you during the first round of Initiative are made at Disadvantage.
Barrage
Starting at 6th level, when making a ranged attack on a target, you can also make a ranged attack at every creature within fifteen feet of that target. These additional attacks are made at Disadvantage.
Strike Zone
Starting at 10th level, you gain access to a special form of Reaction, in addition to your normal Reaction. When an enemy creature would provoke an Attack of Opportunity from an allied creature within range of your weapon, you may spend this special Reaction to make an Attack of Opportunity against that enemy creature. This can be done a number of times per Long Rest equal to your Dexterity Modifier.
Ruthless Barrage
Starting at 14th level, rather than making your additional attacks at Disadvantage, creatures that are not the primary target instead gain +2 to their DR against attacks made with Barrage.
Killing Field
Starting at 18th level, you make your Stealth Check for Opening Salvo at Advantage, your Special Reactions pool per Strike Zone is now equal to your Dexterity and Proficiency Modifiers combined, and you may now additionally chose to expend a Special Reaction to attack an enemy creature that willingly moves within your line of sight.
Fixer
A rich nobleman berates a young craftsman, waving his hands around angrily, causing the young man and young woman following him to flinch instinctively with every movement. When he finally finishes his rant, he stalks away and pushes through the crowd to another stall, this one selling ale. Buying himself a full pint of foam-topped liquid, he drinks it quickly, downing it with almost undignified haste before slamming it back on the counter, belching loudly, and wiping his mouth. Tossing a handful of coppers beside the mug, he snaps his fingers at his younger companions and strides off again. He makes it precisely 13 steps before he begins to cough violently, bloody spittle spraying from his mouth. He collapses to the ground, convulsing and foaming at the mouth, and by the time anyone thinks to turn their attention to the ale-seller, the stall is long empty. The seller lost in the crowd, simply one face amongst many, utterly unremarkable. Nothing more than another shopper watching the spectacle.
Underhanded Methodology
All Fixers, men or women alike and regardless of Nation of Origin, fight not with brawn, but brains. While they area deadly with their weapons and as capable of cutting a throat as anyone else, their real lethality lays in their cunning methodology. Subverting, weakening, poisoning, decieveing, finding and exploiting weaknesses...anything that can provide an advantage is to be ruthlessly exploited.
Creating a Fixer
Fixers, named in reference to their skills in 'fixing problems' to maintain a thin veneer of respectability, are regarded in a distinctly complicated way. Looked down upon by even their closest allies for their 'disgraceful and underhanded tactics' and 'rank cowardice', every faction of every nation amidst every culture in all the lands makes use of their services.
Quick Build
If you want to quickly make a Fixer, make Dexterity your Primary Ability Score, followed by Constitution. Next, choose the Secret Police, Jin Dynasty Loyalist, or Outsider background.
All Races Except Minotaur Permitted
Fixer
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Unlucky Numbers
Features
1st
+2
4
Unlucky Numbers, Inconspicuous Intervention, The Better Part of Valor
2nd
+2
4
A Particular Set of Skills
3rd
+2
4
Specialization Selection
4th
+2
4
Ability Score Improvement
5th
+3
8
Extra Action
6th
+3
8
Light-Foot
7th
+3
8
Specialization Feature
8th
+3
8
Ability Score Improvement
9th
+4
9
Uncanny Luck
10th
+4
9
Specialization Feature
11th
+4
9
Take Their Measure
12th
+4
9
Ability Score Improvement
13th
+5
9
Swift As A Serpent
14th
+5
13
Silent Yet Swift
15th
+5
13
Specialization Feature
16th
+5
13
Ability Score Improvement
17th
+6
13
Extra Action (2)
18th
+6
13
Specialization Feature
19th
+6
17
Ability Score Improvement
20th
+6
17
Symbols of Death
Part 2 | Copyright Mythtaken Apocrypha, 8/12/2020
Fixer Features
Your Fixer gains the following features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Fixer Level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 4 + your Constitution modifier per Fixer level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: All Weapons
Tools: Thieves' Tools
Saving Throws: DEX, INT
Skills: Stealth, Acrobatics, and any two of Investigation, Deception, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand, or Persuasion.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shortbow or (b) two daggers or (c) two shortswords
a set of leather armor
(a) a burglar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
A set of Thieves' Tools
A Disguise Kit
Unlucky Numbers
At first level, as a free action, your Fixer can roll a dice whose number of sides is indicated by the Unlucky Numbers column of the class chart. If you roll anything other than that number, your next attack deals bonus damage equal to the Unlucky Number. However, if you roll the indicated number, you suffer the damage instead. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier.
Inconspicuous Intervention
At first level, if are attacking a creature that is Engaged, you have Advantage in your first attack against that creature.
The Better Part of Valor
At first level, you gain an additional bonus action each turn, but this bonus action can only be used to Disengage. When you use this ability, your movement is increased by half for the duration of that turn.
A Particular Set of Skills
At second level, you learn Thieves' Cant and can double the proficiency modifier bonus of any two of the skills that you have proficiency in. When you reach level nine, you may select two more skills and double their proficiency modifiers as well.
Specialization Selection
At third level, you can choose one of the following specializations: Liquidation, Infiltraition, or Aquisition.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Alternatively, you can choose a feat (see Chapter 6 for a list of feats).
Extra Action
Beginning at 5th level, you can make two Actions, instead of one, during your turn.
Light-Foot
Starting at 6th level, you have Advantage on any Stealth Checks that you make so long as you have moved half of your movement or less. Stealth Checks for the Hide Action may now be made as a Bonus Action. Furthermore, when you are successfully struck by an enemy creature that you can see, you can spend your Reaction to halve the damage.
Uncanny Luck
Starting at 9th level, you seem to have a sixth sense for imminent danger. You make Dexterity Saving Throws at Advantage, and if the throw is required to take half damage, you instead take no damage at all. Failed saves instead deal half damage, rather than full damage.
Take Their Measure
Beginning at 11th level, you have an eye for the attack patterns of your enemies. If you are struck by an enemy, the next attack against you by that same enemy must be made at Disadvantage.
Swift As A Serpent
Starting at 13th level, you have Advantage on your Initiative Rolls, and can no longer be taken by Surprise.
Silent Yet Swift
Starting at 14th level, you have Advantage on any Stealth Checks that you make, even if you moved at full speed. The Hide Action is now made as a Free Action.
Extra Action (2)
Beginning at 17th level, you may take three Actions, rather than two, during your turn.
Symbols of Death
At 20th level, your Unlucky Numbers is enhanced. When you have Advantage against an enemy target, you automatically succeed your Unlucky Numbers roll, dealing maximum damage with that ability.
Fixer Specializations
Fixers fix problems, even if that means causing a problem for someone else. Of course, 'fixing a problem' could simply meaning robbing someone blind because the 'problem' in question is having an empty coin-purse.
Liquidation Specialist
Liquidation Specialist Fixers are known for their talent in removing living beings from the proverbial equation. Fighting with carefully targeted strikes and poisoned blades, there are few finer in the arts of death.
Find Weakness
At 3rd level, you count as Stealthed when attacking a target from directly behind them, provided that they are Engaged with another creature at that time.
Tainted Blades
Additionally at 3rd level, you can lace your weapon(s) with a single poison of your choice from the following list as Free Action when Initiative is rolled. Changing your poison after that point during the same combat encounter requires the use of a Bonus Action. When you strike an enemy with a weapon so affected, roll a d3. On a roll of three, the target is afflicted. Consult the chart below.
Poison
Effect
Impeding Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or have their movement halved for their next turn
Mindfog Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or make their next Focus Check at Disadvantage
Festering Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or have any healing done on them reduced by half (rounding up).
Axonian Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or risk dropping their weapon with their next attack. DC 13 STR/DEX to keep hold of their weapon.
Disorienting Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or make their next attack at Disadvantage.
Vicious Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or suffer an additional 1d8 damage.
Staggering Poison
The enemy must make a DC13 CON check or make their next Dexterity Saving Throw or Acrobatics Check at Disadvantage.
Exploit Weakness
Starting at 7th level, your Find Weakness is enhanced. Your Stealthed attacks, now able to target weakpoints in the enemy's defenses, ignore 2 points of the target's DR.
Virulant Poison
Starting at 10th level, the DC of the checks required for your poisons' effects is increased to DC 16. Furthermore, you may now have one poison on each of your two weapons. All other rules established under Tainted Blades still apply.
Shatterpoint
Starting at 15th level, your Find Weakness is further enhanced. You now count as Stealthed if you are anywhere in the rear arc of the target creature.
Merciless Elimination
Starting at 18th level, your attacks now critically strike on a roll of 18, 19, or 20. Furthermore, the DR reduction effect of Exploit Weakness is now a -3. the damage for your Vicious Poison is now 2d12. Finally, the DC for your poisons is now DC 18.
Infiltraition Specialist
Infiltraition Specialists. There is no one better at remaining unnoticed and gathering information. They can wear any face, speak any language, blend in with any culture. They are your neighbor, your coworkers, your friends, even your family. They are everywhere, and nowhere. Sleep well...
This Specialization is not yet complete enough for testing purposes!
Aquisition Specialist
Every Fixer has their talent, and yours is seperating others from their belongings. Gold, gems, keys, perhaps even their weapons and their lives if you have the skill for it. Sticky fingers are useless without a deft and clever hand.
Quick and Clever
At 3rd level, you gain Proficiency in Sleight of Hand. If you already have Proficiency, double the bonus applied. Furthermore, you have Advantage on all Sleight of Hand checks that you make.
Troublesome Traps
Additionally at 3rd level, you can place traps on the battlefield as you move. Place one trap per turn. This trap must be placed on one of the squares that you pass through during your movement. See the chart below for a list of available traps and their effects. Enemies can roll Perception against your Sleight of Hand to determine if they notice you planting the trap. Traps cannot be deployed to occupied squares. If they do notice, and they activate the trap, they have Advantage in the save(s) against its effects.
Trap
Effect
Piercing Trap
When triggered, a series of small spikes puncture the feet of everyone within a 5 ft radius of the trap location unless they make a DC 13 DEX save. They take 1d6 Piercing damage, then bleed for 1d4 damage for every 10 feet they move for 1d6 rounds.
Smoke Trap
When triggered, a cloud of smoke expands to fill a 15ft Radius Area around the Trap Location. This cloud of smoke causes creatures inside of it to make all attacks at Disadvantage. You count as Stealthed when attacking a target inside the smoke cloud.
Tar Trap
When triggered, a pool of tar expands to fill a 15ft Radius Area around the Trap Location. This pool of tar counts as difficult terrain.
Clamp Trap
When triggered, the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw of 13 or higher or become rooted. Breaking the clamp requires a DC 13 Brawn check to break it. You count as Stealthed when attacking a target held by a clamp trap.
Toxic Trap
When triggered, the trap creates a poisonous cloud 15ft in Radius. Creatures inside, or those who enter, must make a DC 13 CON save or suffer from the Poisoned effect. Furthermore, while Poisoned, they take 1d8 damage per turn.
Stunning Trap
When triggered, a burst of lightning fills a 15ft Radius Area around the Trap Location. Enemies within must make a DC13 CON check or be stunned for one round and take 1d8 Lightning Damage
Dextrous Disarmament
Starting at 7th level, you can attempt to Disarm a creature that you are engaged with. After hitting them with an attack, roll a Sleight of Hand check against their strength, as you attempt to twist their weapon out of their hand with your own and they attempt to hold onto it. If they fail, they drop the weapon and must spend an action to retrieve it. This ability may not be applied to shields.
Lethal Lobs
Starting at 10th level, you are able to deploy a trap into a square that is within five feet of any square that you travel through during your movement. This includes squares that are currently inhabited by an enemy creature, whereupon the trap is instantly activated. The effects of your traps change to those of the chart below.
Trap
Effect
Piercing Trap
DC increased to 16, damage increased to 2d8 Piercing and 1d10 Bleeding.
Smoke Trap
The radius is increased to 25ft.
Tar Trap
The radius is increased to 25ft
Clamp Trap
The DCs are increased to 16.
Toxic Trap
The radius is increased to 20ft, the DC to 16, and the damage to 1d12.
Stunning Trap
the DC is increased to 16, the radius to 25ft, and the damage to 1d12.
Fatal Filching
Starting at 15th level, when you successfully Disarm a creature, you can use your Reaction to make an attack at Advantage against the first non-allied creature that tries to retrieve the weapon before your next turn.
Deadly Devices
Starting at 18th level, the effects of your traps change to those of the chart below, and you can now deploy them up to fifteen feet away from yourself.
Trap
Effect
Piercing Trap
DC increased to 18, damage increased to 2d12 Piercing and 3d8 Bleeding.
Smoke Trap
The radius is increased to 30ft.
Tar Trap
The radius is increased to 30ft
Clamp Trap
The DCs are increased to 18.
Toxic Trap
The radius is increased to 20ft, the DC to 18, and the damage to 3d10.
Stunning Trap
the DC is increased to 18, the radius to 30ft, and the damage to 3d10.
PART 4
Arms and Armor
Ancient Arsenals Reborn
Weapon and Armor Classifications
Classifications are the broadest terminology for arms and armor, the largest catagory by which they can be sorted, which helps to dictate what bonus and detriments they might provide to the one wielding and wearing them.
Bows
Though they come in many forms and can be wielded in more than a few ways, all bows possess the same basic function: to fire a comparitevely small, metal-tipped projectile at a target at long range.
Polearms
Perhaps one of the oldest and simplest weapons in existence, the spear at it's most basic is little more than a sharp stick used to fight an enemy at greater reach than that of your own two hands. Yet despite it's simplicity, it has long remained a weapon of great effect and enduring use, from the most basic of Spears to the likes of the Halberd or the Sarissa Pike.
Daggers
Small and deadly, daggers are the preffered weapons of the villainous, the sneaky, and the underhanded in the views of many. Easily concealed, they are popular weapons for those percieved as lacking the courage or the moral fortitude to confront their opponents openly and honorably.
Swords
In contrast to the dagger, swords are seen as inherantly heroic, the weapon of the courageous and talented hero. Though their designs vary, the majority of them fall somewhere between two and a half and four feet in length of sharpened, battle-ready metal.
Maces
An evolution of the oldest weapon concieved (outside, of course, of one's fist or a large rock), the club, maces are brutal weapons that rely on crushing and breaking their victims into submission.
Light Armor
Light Armor, as the name implies, is the thinest, least-protective armor available to characters and creatures, but also the one that most favours mobility. Characters that wear light armor will typically be going so not because they expect it to allow them to survive a direct engagement with the enemy, but rather to keep them alive long enough to disengage if they are unable to stay out of their enemies' reach.
Medium Armor
Medium Armor is a middle-ground between the flexible mobility of light armor and the durable protection of heavy armor. While it is far better at keeping those wearing it alive in combat than light armor, it is also more restrictive and heavier, making it detrimental to say the least when one is attempting to be stealthy.
Heavy Armor
Heavy Armor is the most powerful and most durable of the armor types, designed for those heroes and villains that want to wade into the very center of the battle and out the other side without a scratch. There is no clever dodging, no deft footwork or swift movement. There is only endurance.
Shields
Neither, technically, weapons or armor, shields are a vital part of many a being's arsenal. Worn on their non-dominant arm, a shield's wielder can use it to block enemy attacks, shield themselves from the enviornment, or even (for the particularly skilled) surprise the enemy by using it to attack.
Weapon and Armor Properties
Powerful
Weapons with the Powerful property modify their attack and damage rolls using the Strength Attribute.
Heavy
Weapons with the Heavy property cannot be wielded by creatures with a size smaller than Medium, as they lack the bulk, build, and height necessary to wield them properly.
Two-Handed
Weapons with the Two-Handed property have a size, weight, or length (or some combination thereof) that make wielding them with anything less than both hands an impossibility.
Special
Weapons with the Special property have additional bonus effects or special rules, above and beyond those that might govern them based on their other properties and classifications.
Reach
Weapons with the Reach property are longer than typical weapons, such as polearms, and as such have increased range while in combat. All Reach weapons have a range of 10 Feet, rather than five.
Long Reach
Long-Reach weapons are even longer than Reach weapons, and vanishingly rare. Long Reach weapons have a range of fifteen feet.
Wootz
Wootz-worked items render the wearer (if armor) immune to critical strikes from enemy targets or (if weapons) bypass the non-magical resistance to Slashing, Impact, or Piercing damage.
Encumbering
Weapons and Armor that are Encumbering are so heavy and bulky that even the strongest struggle to move quickly while carrying them. Creatures with Encumbering Items equipped have their speed reduced by 15 Feet for each such item.
Versatile
Weapons with the Versatile property can be wielded with either a single hand or with two. Wielding it two-handed causes it's damage die to increase by 1 die value (i.e from a d8 to a d10), while also allowing it to benefit from any abilities, traits, or effects that affect two-handed weapons.
Deft
Weapons with the Deft property modify their attack and damage rolls using the Dexterity Attribute.
Multiple Keywords
When an item has multiple keywords or properties, all of them apply simultaneously. For example, the Zhǎn mǎ dāo/Nagamaki has both the Polearm and Sword keywords. Any bonuses, detriments, feats, or abilities that effect either Polearms and Swords affect it.
Item Rarity
Rarity
Effect
Common
Regular weapons/armor that anyone could find and use. Provide no bonuses, just a servicable thing for killing people/keeping yourself from being killed
Superior
More expensive, well-made weapons, that your slightly-wealthier-than-average merchant house would be able to afford. Provide +1 bonuses.
Rare
Expensive items that a minor noble family would have for its house members. Weighs half as much as a common item of the same kind, and has twice the value of a superior item of the same type.
Exquisite
In addition to being half the weight of the standard item and twice the value of a Rare item of the same type, Exquisite items provide a bonus of +2
Masterwork
In addition to being half the weight of the standard item and having twice the value of a Rare item of the same type, Masterwork items provide a bonus of +3 and (in the case of armor) any ability checks that would be made at Disadvantage due to wearing that set of armor are instead made as normal.
Legendary
Items like Mjolnir, Ame no Murakamo, or the Shield of Achilleus. Their bonuses and stats are unique to each item.
Dory
Between seven and nine feet long, with a leaf-shaped point and a long spike at the far end, the dory is the primary weapon of the Hoplites of Hellas, a spear above and beyond the pointed sticks wielded by the peasantry.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Polearm)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8(1d10)
Damage Type: Piercing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Thrown, Versatile, Reach, Powerful
Range: 20/60
Weight: 3
Cost: 15gp
Sarissa
Nearly fifteen feet long, with a leaf-shaped point and a long spike at the far end, the sarissa is the longest spear (or, more accurately, pike) on the face of Eleuthia.
Between six and nine feet long, made of thick oak with an iron cap on the bottom, the Resonant Stave is so named by the Sage's that wield it due to the elaborate headpiece each possesses. Though the decorations and trimming might change, all Resonant Stave headpieces have the same feature: three small bells, made of copper, silver, and gold. These bells, representing the purity and mastery of the Sage wielding the staff, channel the Sage's magic.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Polearm)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8(1d10)
Damage Type: Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Versatile, Powerful
Weight: 4
Cost: 15gp
Aspis
The largest shield in the known world, the aspis is nearly three feet from rim to rim and provides unmatched protection to its wielder at the cost of slowing them down significantly.
Armor (Shield)
Defense Rating Bonus: 3
Category: Items
Properties: Heavy, Encumbering
Weight: 16
Cost: 15gp
Pelte
A crescent-shaped wicker shield that weighs little and offers less in terms of protection. Often hunt around the neck of it's wielder so they can keep both hands on their sarissa.
Armor (Shield)
Defense Rating Bonus: 1
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Light, Handless
Weight: 3
Cost: 8gp
Cho-Ko-Nu
A most remarkable weapon, the repeating crossbow can fire six shots before being reloaded thanks to a box ammunition reservoir. However, due to its construction, it's shots lack the velocity of more traditional weapons, forcing most wielders to use poisoned bolts.
The weapon can be fired six times before it needs a new magazine.
Replacing the magazine requires a full turn, using all actions and halving available movement.
A Masterwork Cho-Ko-Nu can be fired nine times before its magazine needs to be replaced.
Meteor Hammer
Hailing from the lands of the Shenzhou, the liúxīng chuí is a deadly weapon in the hands of a master. Consisting of two heavy, solid metal balls the size of a large fist linked by a thick chain or rope of around six feet in length.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Mace)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d6
Damage Type: Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Two-Handed, Heavy, Special, Powerful
Weight: 6
Cost: 35gp
Every time you make an Attack Action that successfully hits the target, you may make a second Attack for free as you pull the flung hammer back towards yourself.
You can choose to grip the meteor hammer by on end, forgoing the second attack to instead provide the weapon with the Reach property.
Chakram
A throwing weapon shaped like a circle, with an outer edge that is razor sharp, the chakram is a complicated but deadly throwing weapon. A skilled wielder can, if needed, use it as a melee weapon.
Ranged Weapon (Martial)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d6
Damage Type: Slashing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Thrown, Deft, Light
Range: 20/80
Weight: 1
Cost: 40gp
The weapon can be fired six times before it needs a new magazine.
Replacing the magazine requires a full turn, using all actions and halving available movement.
A Masterwork Cho-Ko-Nu can be fired nine times before its magazine needs to be replaced.
Kusarigama
An unusual Nihonese weapon, the chain-sickle is as rewarding to wield as it is dangerous to master. Made up of a short-hafted combat sickle with a long, weighted chain attattched to the pommel
Melee Weapon (Martial, Sword)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8
Damage Type: Slashing, Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Reach, Finesse, Special
Weight: 5
Cost: 25gp
Every time you make an Attack Action with the blade that successfully hits the target, you may make a second Attack for free with the weight at the far end of the chain.
The Reach property applies only to the weighted end of the chain.
As an Attack Action, you can forgo dealing damage and instead wrap the chain around your opponent's weapon, attempting to pull it out of their hands with opossing Strength Checks.
Tonfa
Made of heavy wood and slightly longer than a forearm, with a perpendicular handle attached a third of the way down the length of the main shaft, the tonfa (known as the guai amongst the Shenzhou) is a deadly weapon and effective defense in the hands of those with even the most rudimentary training.
Melee Weapon (Simple, Mace)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d6
Damage Type: Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Finesse, Light, Special
Weight: 2
Cost: 25gp
If you attempt a Grapple while wielding the tonfa, roll at Advantage. While being used to Grapple an enemy, the tonfa cannot be used to deal damage.
If you are instead dual-wielding tonfa, your Grapple automatically Restrains the target.
When wielded by a Dao Shi, each tonfa wielded provices a +1 bonus to DR (maximum of +2), and can be used to project certain Chakra abilities.
Chuttuval
A weapon that has more in common with a whip than a sword, the chuttuval has a long, flexible blade of razor-sharp metal that can easily flay flesh from bone, whether it is that of an enemy or a foolish wielder.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Blade)
Category: Items
Damage: 2d6
Damage Type: Slashing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Reach, Finesse, Special
Weight: 4
Cost: 100gp
Every second attack made with this weapon gains 1d6 damage for that attack.
You can choose to reduce the damage the weapon deals by half in order to strike up to two targets within range rather than one.
When one or more of the damage die rolls the maximum possible result, the target of the attack suffers 4 Bleeding Damage at the start of their next turn for each maximum damage result.
Zhǎn mǎ dāo/Nagamaki
Large weapons with more similarity to a polearm than what most might consider a sword, the 'horse-chopping sabre' of Shenzhou and the 'long-wrapping' greatsword of Nihon are deadly weapons against infantry and (especially) cavalry alike.
When you strike a creature that is mounted or is itself a mount, the struck rider or mount must make a Constitution Saving Throw or be knocked prone. Riders are automatically dismounted by this effect. The DC for this effect is 8 + your Strength Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus.
Tessen
Deceptively innocent in appearence, tessen are folding fans whose ribs and spokes are made from the same metal as more obvious arms and armor. Capable of cracking bone when folded and possessing a razor edge that can cut a throat in an instant when unfurled, the tessen is a popular weapon with members of the samurai social class, as it allows them to be armed even when deprived of their signature swords.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Dagger)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d6
Damage Type: Slashing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Light, Deft, Special
Weight: 4
Cost: 70gp
When wielding a Tessen in your off-hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your Defense Rating.
Gunbai
In contrast to the delicate-in-appearance tessen, the gunbai is a solid piece of metal on an oaken haft, richly painted to serve it's dual purposes of indicating it's wielders high social and military rank, and signaling said wielder's subordinates. It also makes an excellant bludgeon, sun-shade, or arrow-interceptor.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Mace)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8
Damage Type: Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Special, Powerful
Weight: 8
Cost: 50gp
If playing a class that provides non-magical buffs or instructions to it's allies, the buff is enhanced.
If wielding a Gunbai in your off-hand, you gain a bonus of +1 to your Defense Rating.
Flying Claws
A sibling weapon to the meteor hammer, the flying claws (also known as flying talons) are made for entrapping their targets. Metal claws attattched to long, finely made chain, designed with carefully made springs that cause the claws to clamp shut around whatever is in their grasp when the chain is tugged a certain way.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Thrown)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8
Damage Type: Piercing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Special, Two-Handed, Deft
Weight: 6
Cost: 50gp
After successfully attacking a creature with this weapon, you can attempt to bind them. They must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, the DC of which is 8 + your Dexterity Modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. Should they fail, they are Restrained until released.
To be released, a creature allied with the bound creature must spend an Action to try and pry the Claws lose. This requires a Strength Check, the DC of which is 15. Failure means that the bound creature suffers 1d8 damage as the Claws clamp back down.
Once a creature is bound, the Flying Claws cannot be used again until that creature is Released or dies. However, the user of the weapon is capable of using other weapons while still holding onto the chain after a creature is bound.
Through the use of opposing Strength Checks, the weapon's wielder may attempt to drag the bound creature towards them, at 5 feet per Action spent to do so.
Longbow
The longbow is a powerful weapon, but one that requires great strength to pull and keep steady while aiming.
Smaller and less powerful than the longbow, the shortbow is a weapon that is nonetheless more mobile and requires more dexterity than power to wield properly.
Ranged Weapon (Martial, Bow)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d8
Damage Type: Piercing
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Two-Handed, Ammunition, Deft
Range: 50/400
Weight: 1
Cost: 25gp
Sling
A weapon used by peasant farmers and proffessional soldiers alike, a sling is no less deadly a weapon for all it's mechanical simplicity. Hurling small, rounded stones with enough force to bend metal and shatter bone, they make a good weapon for many a circumstance.
Ranged Weapon (Simple, Bow)
Category: Items
Damage: 1d6
Damage Type: Impact
Item Rarity: Common
Properties: Ammunition, Deft
Range: 50/400
Weight: 1
Cost: 10gp
The Armor of Ajax
Ajax is one of the most famed, and most tragic, heroes of ancient Argolid. One of the mightest and physically powerful, he laid waste to countless enemies and armies, only to fall victim to his own pride. Feeling shamed after a lost competition with an ally, he killed himself by plunging his sword through his heart. Now that you have returned him to rest, wear his armor to equal victories...and lesser tragedies.
Heavy Armor (Plate) +1, Requires Attunement
Defense Rating: 19
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 70 lbs
Special Traits:
The wearer suffers three less damage from all Impact and Slashing sources
The wearer suffers three additional damage from all Piercing sources
The Bulwark of Ajax
As famed as Ajax is, renowned for his strength and bulk and build, it is his shield that is spoken of in hushed tones, for it is said that his shield was never pierced, nor had an enemy been able to bypass it's defense.
Shield (Aspis) +1, Requires Attunement
Defense Rating Bonus: 4
Category: Items (Special), Heavy, Encumbering
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 16 lbs
Special Traits:
Twice per Day, the wielder can reduce the Attack Roll of an incoming attack by 7 (representing the seven layers of oxhide), resetting at dawn.
The Heasrtscale of Python
It speaks to the colossal size of Python and the strength of his scales that a single scale, one that once rested over his heart, is the size of the largest and broadest of shields.
Shield (Aspis) +2, Requires Attunement
Defense Rating Bonus: 5
Category: Items (Special), Heavy, Encumbering
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 16 lbs
Special Traits:
A creature that has this item equipped has Resistance to Fire Damage
A creature that has this item equipped has Resistance to Radiant Damage
A creature that has this item equipped has Resistance to Poison Damage
A creature that has this item equipped has Resistance to Corrosive Damage
Járnglófar, The Iron Gauntlets of Thor
The mythical gauntlets of Thor, with which he is able to control the vast power of his mighty hammer Mjölnir. Without these gauntlets, wielding it would be impossible even for a god, and they also allow those who wield the hammer to summon it back to themselves after it is hurled.
Armor, Requires Attunement
Defense Rating Bonus: 2
Category: Items (Special), Powerful
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 5
Special Traits:
If the wearer is wielding Mjolnir, they can summon the hammer back to their hand when it is thrown.
Jomsvikingr wielding this item gain an additional +1 to their DR and Advantage in Athletics Checks and Strength Saves.
Megingjörð, Thor's Girdle of Power
The mythical belt or girdle of Thor, which enhances his already vast physical might by two-fold, allowing him to contend with the mighty enemies of Asgard and lay waste to their armies when even his fellow gods would falter and fall to weakeness.
Requires Attunement
Statistic Bonus: +10 to your Strength Score
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 5
Special Traits:
Jomsvikingr wielding this item gain 1d4 damage to all weapon attacks, and 1d6 to all unarmed attacks.
Svalinn, the Icing Draught
A mythical shield believed to keep the sun from burning the world away, this rounded shield radiates a cold that is painful to all but it's wielder.
Armor (Shield)
Defense Rating Bonus: 2
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 4
Special Traits:
The bearer becomes Immune to Radiant and Fire damage from any source.
Furthermore, enemies that make melee attacks against the wielder must make a CON Saving Throw of 18 or suffer 2d8 Frost Damage (if their attack missed) or 2d10 Frost Damage (if it hit).
Dáinsleif, The Blood-Letting Blade
A sword treated with mingled awe and fear, Dáinsleif is a blade that cannot be sheathed once drawn until it draws blood, and delivers cursed, unhealable wounds to its victims.
Melee Weapon (Martial, Sword)
Category: Items (Special)
Damage: 3d8
Damage Type: Slashing
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Properties: Versatile, Finesse
Weight: 3
Special Traits:
The blade must kill something before it can be sheathed once drawn.
Damage done by this weapon is Resistant to Healing, reducing all healing done to a victim by 75% (rounding up) until Remove Curse or a similar effect is used on the target.
Mjölnir, Thor's Hammer of Lightning
The mythical hammer of Thor, with which he destroys the enemies of Asgard and protects the mortal races. So mighty is this hammer, that only those with the belt and gauntlets of Thor are capable of wielding it.
Jomsvikingr wielding this item can use it as the focal point for their spells and rune effects, allowing them to throw it to a location as a part of casting a spell, significantly extending the range and utlity of those effects.
This item can only be wielded by those wearing Megingjörð and Járnglófar.
Draupnir
The mythical multiplying ring of Odin, placed upon the pyre of his beloved son Baldr, this small and simple golden ring possesses one fascinating, if distinctly non-combative, ability: every ninth night that it is attuned to an individual, eight new rings 'drip' from Draupnir, each just as pure and valuable, and each of precisely the same size and weight.
Requires Attunement
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 0.5
Properties: Special (Self-Multiplying)
Special Traits:
An individual attuned to this ring will find that, every nine days, it multiplies itself by eight, resulting in a total of nine rings. These additional rings are worth 100 gold pieces each, and cannot multiply themselves.
The Nestor Cup
A cup of rare workmanship, studded with bosses of gold; it has four handles, on each of which there are two golden doves feeding, and it has two feet to stand on. Any one else would hardly be able to lift it from the table when it is full, but for it's bearer it is no heavier than the meanest of cup, rough and wooden.
No Attunement Required
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 2
Special Traits:
The Nestor Cup acts as a self-refilling Healing Potion, which scales with player level. It has three uses per day, resetting at dawn, and can be used as a free action regardless of whether it is being used on the holder or an ally.
Player Level
Potion Grade
1-5
Potion of Healing
5-10
Greater Potion of Healing
10-15
Superior Potion of Healing
15-20
Supreme Potion of Healing
The Shield of Achilleus
Achilleus, Master of Myrmidons, Peerless Warrior and Fleet of Foot. Whomsoever bears his shield will cross the battlefield with the speed of a horse and strike with the might of a giant.
Requires Attunement
Armor (Aspis-type Shield)
Defense Rating Bonus: 3
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Item Properties: Heavy
Weight: 15
Special Traits:
The Bearer gains +10 Feet of Movement
The Bearer gains +3 Strength
The Bearer gains Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws
The Burial Mask of Agamemnon
A funeral mask forged from solid gold and shaped to the mould of the legendary king's face, the Burial Mask of Agamemnon is an artifact that is as ancient and powerful as it is beautiful and valuable. Powerful spells of preservation are worn into it, allowing its wearer to survive greater damage, but risking total paralysis the longer they wear it.
Requires Attunement
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 4
Special Traits:
The Wearer gains the benefits of the Stoneskin Spell, but their movement is reduced by five feet as the funereary powers of the Mask stiffens their limbs. Every two battle rounds, their movement is reduced by another five feet. Should their movement reach zero, they become Petrified, the effect of which can only be removed by the Remove Curse spell or similar effects.
The player can decide to don or doff the mask, resetting their 'stacks', using an Action on their turn. It cannot be put back on until one full turn has passed since they last wore it.
The Silver Siege Rhyton
A beautiful and intricatly-wrought rhyton, shaped like the horn of a chamois, this ceremonial drinking container is made of pure silver and has the engraving of a fortified town under attack by an unknown force.
Category: Items (Special)
Item Rarity: Unique/Legendary
Weight: 4
Special Traits:
The Silver Siege Rhyton is a self-refilling Potion of Resistance, providing Resistance to one damage type, decided by a d10 roll and the chart below. Drinking it is a free action, and it can only be drunk three times a day, resetting at dawn. The effects of each use lasts one hour. If a creature is under the effects of the Silver Siege Rhyton already, the effects do not stack. Each new Resistance replaces the previous Resistance.
d10
Damage Type
1
Corrosive
2
Frost
3
Fire
4
Impact
5
Shock
6
Necrotic
7
Poison
8
Psychic
9
Radiant
10
Blast
Skíðblaðnir
A mythological ship of the Scandzan Pantheon, Skíðblaðnir is the finest ship in all of Yggdrasil, though not the largest. Able to expand itself to fit all the gods and all their equipment, bespelled to always have the most ideal wind possible, and capable of travelling anywhere and everywhere. Furthermore, it can fold up like a clothe to fit in one's pocket.
Cover Creatures inside the Skíðblaðnir have three-quarters cover. Creatures standing on the railing only have half cover.
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The Skíðblaðnir can use its steering oar to move with its sails or oars.
Small, but Magnificent (Special) The Skíðblaðnir can be folded up to fit into any player's inventory when not in use, and weight nothing when in this state. To expand it, the player must stand within five feet of a body of water and use an action to take the ship out and cast it into the water.
Hull
Defense Rating 27
Hit Points 180
Control: Steering Oar
Defense Rating 18
Hit Points 54
Movement: Magical Sail
Defense Rating 18
Hit Points 54
Speed (Sea) 999 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Movement Restrictions: When using the sail, the ship has a larger turning radius, allowing it to turn only thirty degrees per turn
Movement: Magical Oars
Defense Rating 9
Hit Points 36
Speed (Sea) 499 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Movement Restrictions: When using the oars, the ship is slower, but has a tighter turning radius, allowing it to turn forty-five degrees per turn.
PART 3
Backgrounds
Custom Designed, Historically Inspired
Amazon
Hellenic Societies ONLY, Female Characters ONLY
History
No one knows for sure where the Amazons first came from, but what is known is that they fiercely defend their territories with ambushes and terror tactics. Entire armies have disappeared into the forests under their control and never been seen again. Over the years their borders have expanded very little, but their influence has grown as the nation/city-states strive to secure protection, or even just a lack of attack, for trade caravans passing through and near their territories. Young girls, trying to escape arranged marriages or simply in a fit of pique, have long since taken to running away in an effort to achieve 'freedom'. Often enough they reappear outside of the nearest town, village, or city looking none the worse for wear, but others are accepted amongst The Daughters of The Forest and become Sisters.
Society
As a warrior race, Amazons are ruled by the best fighters, and the rulers can change in mere 10 Battle Roundss as a result. Any Daughter of the Forest can challenge the ruling Queen for the throne, and when a Queen passes away her successor is decided by ritual (non-lethal) combat. They are a solitary people whenever possible, and they put a great deal of effort into MAKING it possible, which leads to the world at large knowing little about them. They are proud and have their own code of honor, one which depends heavily on context and the cause for the conflict. They have tendancy to sneak into the outer-regions of civilization and kidnap men they, for whatever reason, consider worthy of impregnating them, sometimes waylaying them along the road instead. Likewise, if more rarely, women that impress them in any one of many ways may find themselves 'recruited' as well, though said women might not always find this particularly objectionable.
Feature: Daughters of the Forest
Amazons gain Advantage in Dexterity (Stealth), Wisdom (Survival), Intelligence (Investigation), and Wisdom (Perception) checks while in forests and grasslands. However, due to their sheltered upbringings, the same checks are made at disadvantage everywhere else.
Amazonian Names
They follow typical Hellenic female naming conventions. While some names are listed below, more options can be found earlier in this text under the Hellas Lore section.
You start with a Spear, a Bedroll, a pouch of your favorite flowers/herbs to remind you of home, a keepsake/heirloom from your people, and A Waterskin
Skills, Tools, Languages
You are proficient with the Survival skill, and one of the following: Nature, Medicine, Perception, Acrobatics, or Athletics.
You speak Hellenic and Amazon Code Talk, a vocable languages consisting of animal sounds and other natural noises to convey meaning. For example, the sound of a bird call followed by two thumps of a tree trunk and the snapping of a branch.
You are proficient in all Simple Weapons, Light Armor, and Medium Armor.
Class Restrictions
Temple Knight
Magister
Sage
Class Exceptions
Despite being from an 'advanced' society, you are rather more in tune with nature than the rest of Hellas. As such, you have access to the following class despite normal restrictions
Druid:
Skin-Walker:
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d7
Personality trait
1
I am bitter about leaving the forest, and I have no desire to remain in cities more than I must
2
I watch carefully, learning the strengths and weaknesses of the wider world around me
3
I am proud of my gender. Arrogant men who act superior will find themselves punished or humiliated.
4
I will freely encourage the women around me to throw off their society's trappings and rules
5
I've never left the forest, or met someone who lives beyond the treeline. I'm terribly curious, with nothing more than embellished stories and my own imagination.
6
I'm oblivious to the cultural rules and habits of those around me
7
I sometimes wonder if hiding away in the forests is truly the best way for my people to live. I watch and learn all that I can, to teach my sisters when I return.
Ideals
Ideals
1
Curious Collector There are so many strange things that can be found in the outside world! I have no idea what most of them do, but I can't wait to collect them all and take them home to show the others! (Chaotic Alignments)
2
Knowledge Is Power The outside world is so very different from my home. I will record everything that I can through word and art to ensure my people are prepared to face its dangers and reap its benefits. (Neutral Alignments)
3
Paragon I am an ambassador to the outside world. I will show them that the Amazons are not savage, lustful women that live in caves and mate with wolves. (Lawful and Good Alignments)
4
Ruthless 'Liberator' The men of the outside world are filth, good only for breeding. Their women need to be freed at any cost, whether they want it or not. Women that prop up the status quo are broken beasts, best put out of their misery. (Non-Good, Non-Lawful)
Flaws
1d8
Flaws
1
I have an innate trust for other women, and I struggle to grasp that they can be just as 'evil' as men.
2
I have trouble respecting or listening to those who lack in strength or wisdom, according to my own viewpoints. Weakness doesn't last long in the forests.
3
I am very arrogant about the free life I live, believing it to be better than any other option, no matter what.
4
I am very contemptous of the outside world, considering them to be little more than savages obsessed with hoarding gold.
5
I assume the worst of those around me, assuming that they are trying to take advantage of me, in one way or another, at all times.
6
I have a large chip on my shoulder about proving my abilities, and will often take risks or provoke fights in an effort to show just how strong I am.
7
I have very rigid views of many moral scales relating to things like honesty and loyalty, and I have significant issues understanding the importance of context.
8
I will often try to seduce women around me, unable to grasp the idea of exclusivity. Their husbands, or wives, might object to my flirtations.
Bonds
1d8
Bonds
1
I am looking for a man to give me children, worthy enough to help create the next generation of Amazons.
2
Someone kidnapped one of my sisters to make her their bride. I will find my sister, flay her kidnapper, and bring her home safely.
3
I was banished from my homeland for something that my people consider unforgiveable.
4
Our forests are being destroyed by the growing cities. I must find a new home for my people!
5
My hunting party was attacked at the forest's edge, and I must hunt down the people who killed my sisters.
6
I intend to lead my people in a new direction, but I need to learn more of the outside world first.
7
Isolationism will not protect our homes. We must have dialogue and relationships with the world outside our forests if we wish to properly protect them in the long term.
8
I am hunting down another Amazon that has broken our most sacred laws. I cannot return home until I kill her or capture her.
Theban Sacred Band
Hellenic Societies Only, Male Characters Only
Physical Description
The Theban Sacred Band, known alternativly as the Sacred Band of Thebes, is composed entirely of men. As well-trained and experienced soldiers, they are powerfully built and often go into battle wearing scented oils.
History
The Sacred Band of Thebes are the elite military formation of the city-state for which they are named. Composed entirely of male lovers, organized into 150 pairs, they are personally hand-picked by the current commander for ability and merit. Social rank, wealth, and other such concerns were totally irrelevant. The Band is often thought to have been formed by a man named Gorgidas, but no few scholars are of the opion that he only reformed it. Whatever the case, the ideal upon which the Band is based is that a man will fight hard for his friends, but harder still for his lover.
As such, every member is either an erastês, meaning 'lover', or a erômenos, meaning 'beloved'. This is based on age and experience, with the elder taking the dominant role (erastês) and the younger the more submissive role (erômenos). The older members are responsible for training the younger, ensuring that their martial talents are well-honed and helping to keep them alive during battles. The typical age range of a member would be 20 on the low end, and 30 at the high.
The Sacred Band is based out of their citadel, Cadmea, and supported entirely by taxes upon the citizens of Thebes, so that they can dedicate all of their time to training (strategy, combat, philosophy, dancing, etc.) or taking to the field whenever required by their homeland.
Feature: Tragic Hero
Every audience loves the story of a tragic hero, especially if it involves a heavy dose of romance. Everywhere you go, you can tell the story of yourself and your lover, allowing you to make gold based on a Performance Roll. You can make Performance Rolls for this feature at Advantage. This feature can only be used once per week per location.
Roll
Reward
10
10gp
12
30gp
14
50gp
16
75gp
18
100gp
20
150gp
20+
200gp
Sacred Band Names
They follow conventional male naming methods, though of course Hellenic names would be the most accurate and appropriate.
Starting Equipment
You start with a a memento of your partner, a pouch containing 15gp, a spear, and a shield.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You are proficient with the Athletics and Performance Skills
You speak Hellenic and one other language of your choice
You are proficient in all Martial Weapons, Simple Weapons, and Heavy Armor
Class Restrictions
Magister
The Theban Sacred Band is a warrior fraternity, not a magical one.
Sage
The Theban Sacred Band visits temples, it does not administrate or serve in them
Temple Knight
The Theban Sacred Band is a warrior fraternity, not a holy one. Temple Knights have no place there.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d6
Personality trait
1
I am depressed from losing my partner
2
I take pride in my skill at arms, and will act boastfully
3
I am openly flirtatious with other men, trying to replace my lost lover
4
I will often be critical of the fighting or performance skills of those around me
5
I'm not used to having to work for pay, and will often be oblivious to the concept and costs
6
I have an axe to grind with the nation that my lover died fighting, and will react poorly to anyone who lived there
Ideals
Ideals
1
Vengeful Crusader I will never stop hating those that killed my lover, and will seek revenge at every oppurtunity! (Chaotic Alignments)
2
Freedom I miss my lover, my brothers, and the Citadel of Cadmea, but to roam the world freely is a dream come true! (Neutral Alignments)
3
Enduring Heroism My lover may be dead, but I will carry on our cause in his memory. For the good of Eleuthia, my fight endures. (Lawful and Good Alignments)
4
Death-Seeker There is nothing I want more than to see my lover again in the paradise of death, and so I fight with reckless courage, though I will not shame myself with overtly suicidal behavior
Flaws
1d6
Flaws
1
I have an innate trust for men that remind me of my deceased partner, compromising my decision-making
2
I am a perfectionist, and will react very poorly to both failure and slights against my skills
3
I am very arrogant about my membership in the Sacred Band, considering myself a superior fighter to all I meet
4
I'm not used to having to work for pay, and will often be oblivious to the concept and costs I incur
5
I have a large chip on my shoulder about proving my abilities, and will often take risks or provoke fights in an effort to show just how strong I am.
6
I have very rigid views of many moral scales relating to things like honesty and loyalty, and I have significant issues understanding the importance of context.
Bonds
1d7
Bonds
1
I want to see the world, for my lost love and for myself
2
I want to create a place where I can live in peace
3
I was banished from The Sacred Band for something that they consider unforgiveable.
4
I'm tired of watching my lovers die on the battlefield, and had to leave the Sacred Band
5
My unit of the Sacred Band as attacked, and I must hunt down the people who killed my brothers and lover.
6
My lover has gone missing during a campaign, and I must try to find him.
7
I am hunting down another a former member of the Sacred Band, and cannot return until I kill or capture him.
Zealot
No Restrictions
History
For as long as you can remember, you have been passionate about your faith. Attending every service, memorizing every prayer and ritual, making offerings to the gods with neither hesitation nor regret nor the performative piety of the secretly sinful. Heartfelt obedience and dedication, these are the hallmarks of your faith, a truly defining feature that shapes so much of who you are and how you live your life.
Over the length of your life, this faith became the defining feature of who you are and how you live your life, the over-arching reason that is at the core of nearly every moment of every day. This might, on occasion, be to your detriment, straining personal relationships and causing conflict with those of foreign beliefs due to your often-inflexible beliefs, but you are content with your life so long as you believe you are carrying out your divine calling.
The focus of your zealotry is up to you. Do you seek to purge those you deem heretical? To spread the word of your pantheon, through prociding a pious example of righteousness or by delivering divine justice upon those who do not convert swiftly enough? Perhaps your focus is on defending those who share your faith, eradicating anything that might threaten them?
Your story, your faith, and your purpose are what shape you, and it is up to you to decide how and why.
Feature: Faith and Fury
As a Zealot, there is nothing more important to you than spreading the word of your god and, even better, punishing those that have profaned them in some way. When tracking monsters and mythical creatures from the mythology of your Nation of Origin, you have Advantage on any checks related to tracking and identifying the creature in question, and can make History or Religion checks in an effort to recall information about them, such as abilities, resistances, or vulnerabilities.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, 5 vials of holy water, a holy symbol, a healer's kit, a pouch holding 25 gold pieces, and any one martial weapon, as well as a shield.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one Musical Instrument or Game of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Religion and any two of: Investigation, Insight, Intimidation, or Perception.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
I tend to proslytize whenever possible, spreading my god's faith regardless of circumstance.
2
I am inherantly suspicious of everything and everyone, especially anything that seems too good to be true. It's probably the work of evil.
3
I travel from place to place a lot - evil must be fought everywhere that it can be found.
4
I lack any sort of filter, nor do I want one. If I see something I consider sinful, it will be mentioned.
5
I enjoy killing those I deem heretical, probably more than I should.
6
I care nothing for the wealth or position of those I confront for their sins.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Devotion Come what may, whatever suffering the gods allow to come my way, never shall my devotion waver! (Good Alignments)
2
Duty For the good of my nation and the godly people who call it home, I shall purge evil wherever I find it! (Lawful Alignments)
3
Dread I have forged a reputation of such dread that people give me whatever I want, and I couldn't be more pleased. (Evil Alignments)
4
Audacity I've always wanted to be the hero of my own story. What better way than to be the pious hero battling the legions of evil? (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I can be overzealous in spreading the word and teachings of my deity.
2
I am virtually incapable of tolerating the faith of others.
3
My brash and aggressive behavior in matters of faith can cause endless problems.
4
I tend to clash with the worshippers of other gods, even those from my own pantheon.
5
I sometimes find myself doubting the wisdom of the gods, or struggling to understand their desires and plans
6
I sometimes abuse my position to convince devout people to do what I think is right, even if the gods did not answer their pleas.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I love spreading my god's teachings like nothing else.
2
Purging evil is my greatest desire.
3
I see it as my divine purpose to aid and protect my comrades.
4
I want to learn more of the divine mysteries of creation.
5
It is my deepest wish to be commanded by the gods directly.
6
I am the guardian of a sacred text, and must protect it with my life.
Veteran
No Restrictions
History
For as long as the mortal races have had the means and desire to carry and wield weapons, there have been those that are young and those that are not. Those that are stepping onto the battlefield for the first time, and those that have spent their entire life shedding blood for king and country. The fresh-off-the-farm Recruit, and the experienced, worldly, grizzeled Veteran.
You are a Veteran, a life-long fighter that has spent countless years on innumerable battlefields, and the blood that stains your hands is likely beyond comprehension. War has been your life for as long as you can remember, in conquest or protection, just or injust, righteous or wicked. You have witnessed acts of such courage, such valour, such strength and determination that those safely in the homeland would never believe that they were true. You have witnessed such acts of cruelty, cowardice, foolishness and obscenity that even the most wicked of men might blanch and quail at the telling of them.
The reasons you joined the military, how you behaved when enlisted, the friends you lost and enemies you made...everything that shapped you is for you to decide.
Feature: Battlefield Experience
Countless years on the battlefield have taught you how to push yourself beyond the typical limits, to keep fighting even when utterly exhausted. To press on, when your fingers tremble, your legs ache, and your eyes droop of their own accord. You can choose to treat a Short Rest as a Full Rest at will. However, doing so more than once every forty-eight hours results in you taking a level in Exhaustion.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, three trophies/mementos (from either defeated enemies, lost friends, or a mix. Your choice.), and any one martial weapon of your choice. If you choose a ranged weapon that requires ammunition, you also recieve 20 pieces of ammunition (darts, arrows, bolts, etc.) for that ranged weapon.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one Musical Instrument or Game of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Survival and any two of the following: Medicine, Perception, Athletics, or Acrobatics.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
I'm a tired and bitter old veteran. I've no patience for the romantic views of the youthful 'heroes'. They don't understand what it's really like.
2
I am a consumate proffesional. Everyone is treated according to their station, nothing more or less.
3
I love the battlefield. The adrenaline, the fear, the excitement. The spoils, the rewards.
4
The soldier's life is the only one I've ever known. I can't imagine leaving it for long.
5
I'm tired of fighting, tired of being away from home so often for so long. I just want peace...
6
I never intended to be a soldier, but now I've been one for so long, I barely remember my old life.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Nationalism I love my nation, I believe in my nation, I fight for my nation and, if the gods should decree it so, I will die for my nation! (Good Alignments)
2
Obediance My nation has called for me to serve, and I will answer! (Lawful Alignments)
3
Wrath I love nothing more than killing. Getting paid to kill for my nation just makes it sweeter. (Evil Alignments)
4
Greed I don't care about the war, I don't care about the cause. I care about the plunder! The money, the looting, the prestige! That's what matters! (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I don't look out for my allies on the battlefield, and focus on saving my own skin when need be.
2
Mercy is a foreign concept. Better to kill your enemies now rather than later.
3
After winning a battle, I do what I want and take what I want. To the victor go the spoils!
4
I don't care about 'honorable' combat, I care about winning the fight. That's all that matters.
5
I never stop to think about the reason I'm fighting. It doesn't matter, I have my orders.
6
Civilians don't matter. If they get caught in the fighting, it's their own fault for not escaping when they had the chance.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I would die to protect my comrades or innocents.
2
Mercy is a blessing that seperates mortals from beasts.
3
I want to be the greatest soldier in history, a legend with statues in his honor.
4
There is no greater feeling than fighting side by side with my siblings-in-arms.
5
The worst part of war, is being away from my home and loved ones.
6
The worst part of war is the deaths of those who never raised a weapon.
Raider
No Restrictions
Physical Description
A plague, or tool, used by and endured by every nation and culture, raiders are those who get what they need or want by taking it through strength of arms, rather than through trade. Whether it is due to desperation, cultural inclination, sadism, or simple greed, these men and women are ruthless in pursuit of their goals.
History
There has never been a shortage of men and women who survive by taking from others both near and far. It is the nature of nature itself, after all, to compete for the resources needed to survive. The mortal races are no different from animals in this way, but where they do differ is in cruelty.
It would be fair to say that most raiders are driven to the lifestyle by necessity. Lacking in resources to survive without aggression, or lacking the know-how to exploit what resources they do possess, they must take that which they are unable to make for themselves from those around them.
For others, it is a cultural imperative, a way of proving worthiness and strength amongst their people. For a monstrous few, the raping and killing itself is the goal.
Regardless of the cause, regardless of whether they come by land or by sea, a raider is a dangerous opponent. One that is skilled in intimidation and remaining hidden from the forces of law and order. Underestimate them at your peril, and if underestimated, use such foolishness without hesitation.
Feature: Inescapable and Uncatchable
A raider that cannot learn to evade pursuit or, when hiding amongst the masses, evade detection is a raider that doesn't live very long. Similarly, a raider that is easily escaped is nothing more than a bumbling fool with a weapon. You have Advantage on Deception checks when being questioned or recognized, and you have Advantage on Survival checks related to pursuing any entity (animal, construct, or sentient creature).
Raider Names
While Raiders can come from any nation and be of any race or sex, they are more commonly men of the Scandzan or Kyivan. Regardless, look under your Nation of Origin for appropriate names.
Starting Equipment
You start with a pouch containing 15gp, any one simple or martial weapon, and a shield.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You are proficient with the Intimidation Skill and one of either the Navigator's Tools or Cartographer's Tools
You speak one language of your choice
You are proficient in all Martial Weapons, Simple Weapons, Light Armor, and Medium Armor
Class Restrictions
Sage
A raider spends their time robbing temples, it does not administrate or serve in them
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d6
Personality trait
1
I regret what I must do to survive
2
I will often try to lay claim to treasures before anyone else can
3
I value strength of arms over anything else
4
I will often be critical of the fighting skills of those around me
5
I am prone to attempt intimidation of those around me
6
I'm always glad to return home after a successful raid
Ideals
Ideals
1
Remorseful Raider I wouldn't commit such crimes if I had any other choice, but for my family I damn myself! (Good Alignments)
2
Freedom I might raid and pillage and plunder, but all I really care about is seeing the world and it's inhabitants! (Neutral Alignments)
3
Plunder and Pillage I don't care about who does what, all I care about is treasure! Silver, gold, gems and jewelry! (Chaotic Alignments)
4
Might Makes Right The strong have the right to do as they please with the weak, as the gods decreed when they shaped the world. If any man or woman should contest my right to take what I want, let them stop me with their own two hands! (Evil Alignments)
Flaws
1d6
Flaws
1
I enjoy killing a little bit too much
2
I am very proud, and will react very poorly to both failure and slights against my skills
3
After years of successful raiding, I have become arrogant and believe myself untouchable
4
I'm not used to fighting alongside people whose lives I actually care about
5
I may try to lie to or manipulate even my allies if it means getting a larger share of treasure
6
I will make dangerous or foolish decisions for the sake of wealth or glory
Bonds
1d7
Bonds
1
I dream of a raid so rich, I can give up this lifestyle forever
2
I owe a great deal of money to dangerous people, and am forced to raid in order to pay them off
3
I was banished from my homeland for committing a grave crime
4
I wish to live a peaceful life, far from conflict, but I lack the means to do so
5
I must earn the favour of my gods through glorious victory on the battlefield, or an honorable death. Mortal morality means nothing to eternity
6
My wife and children were stolen from me by rival raiders. Now I raid in turn, hoping to find them and kill those who committed the crime against me
7
I crave anything that gives me a sense of power. Killing, enslaving, stealing, all of it is what gives my life meaning
Camp Follower
Female Characters ONLY
History
For as long as men (and women) have marched to war, there are those that have followed at their heels. Some, perhaps even most, have been nothing more than the spouses and children of the soldiers, following their warrior family member from duty to duty, rather than remaining behind. Another, more unsavoury section would be the more...malicious scavengers. Bandits, unscrupulous merchants, predators in human skin of all kinds and descriptions. The most famous group is, perhaps, those who provide...comfort to any warrior whose spouse has not followed them on campaign. A taste of warm companionship, for a time, and for a price. It is from this final group that your character has come, seeking a better life than that of a bed-warmer.
Perhaps your character has spent their time amongst the Scions trading favours for training, perhaps they were forced to help defend the camp and earned their place in the military wing, perhaps they were always a member of the military that sought a way to make extra coin on the side. Their story is yours to shape, now.
Place Amongst The Scions
Though they are an army with no nation to call home, wanderers and vagabonds with strength of arms and little more as far as the world is concerned, the members of the Scions have the same needs and wants as the rest of the mortal races. As such, there is no shortage of work for women who are willing to do what they must in order to survive, and being amongst this famed mercenary band is a safe life of steady income. It is almost impossibly rare for a male camp follower to be found amongst the Scions' train, for female Scions whose interests trend towards men tend to seek out companionship amongst their own ranks, rather than outside of it.
Feature: Pleasurable Company
You are talented and practiced at providing companionship and comfort to men and women both. When you attempt to Charm another creature using a spell effect, roll a D3. On a roll of 1, they make their save at Advantage. On a 2, they make it at Normal, on a 3 they make it at Disadvantage. Furthermore, Deception, Persuasion, and Performance rolls related to Seduction or Entertainment rolls are made at Advantage and with your Proficiency Bonus applied. If you already have Proficiency in these skills, double the bonus provided.
Camp Follower Names
Given the fact that camp followers are, by their very nature, a universal constant amongst the nations, your character will have a name appropriate to their nation of origin.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a token from an admirer, a set of Revealing Clothes, and a belt pouch containing 25 gold pieces.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You are Proficient with the Performance and Persuasion skills
You speak Thieves Cant and any one language of your choice
You are Proficient with the Disguise Kit and any one type of musical instrument
Class Restrictions
Temple Knight
You've spent your life entertaining soldiers to survive, not training in a temple to serve the will of the gods.
Magister
You did not spend the majority of your life living inside the library of a city-based academy of magic.
Sage
Much Like the Temple Knight, you have nothing in the way of experience with the rituals and arts of the Temples.
Class Exceptions
Temple Knight of Ishtar:
As someone who is both familiar and comfortable with the carnal acts, it is possible for you to have caught the notice, and the favour, of the Neshan goddess of Sex and War. (Neshan Characters Only)
Sage of Love:
As someone who spends a great deal of time expressing the most primal of acts available to the mortal races, it is possible for you to have caught the notice, and the favour, of a deity whose Domain consists of Love or Sex. (Any Sage-capable Nation)
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d7
Personality trait
1
I enjoy bringing pleasure to my clients with my talents
2
I'm competative with those around me, both in the bedroom and out of it
3
I strive to provide the best service I can, whatever it may be
4
I don't care about social mores. As long as I'm making money, I'm happy
5
I hate that this is the only way I could survive, but I don't let it bring me down
6
I know exactly how to use my body to the greatest effect
7
I enjoy teasing clients and potential clients
Ideals
Ideals
1
Indulgence I love sex, and people love having sex with me. Why shouldn't I do it as often as I want, and get rich while I'm at it? (Chaotic Alignments)
2
Manipulation My body is a weapon, and I know best how to wield it to bend the wills of those around me. (Evil Alignments)
3
Freedom Who gives a damn what the stuffy, puffed up folk say? Life is about having fun and enjoying yourself, however you please! (Good Alignments)
4
Acceptance This life isn't an easy one, but I'm alive and comfortable. That's more than many can say.
Flaws
1d7
Flaws
1
All I care about is money and sensual pleasures. Nothing else matters to me.
2
I do what I want, when I want. If people don't like that, to bad!
3
I have a confidence in myself that borders on arrogance, and mock those around me.
4
I can be a bit bigoted, judging races solely by my sensual interest in them and nothing else.
5
I have a hard time connecting to anyone emotionally.
6
I enjoy interfering in relationships and sabotaging them.
7
Sometimes, I rob my clients while they sleep off my efforts.
Bonds
1d8
Bonds
1
Many of my clients are people I would consider dear friends.
2
I feel kinship with others in my proffession, and will be friendly with them if I can.
3
I'm well-protected by my loyal clientele.
4
I'm saving up for a noble cause.
5
I love to listen to my clients and help them with their woes.
6
I've spent my whole life serving others, now I want to be the one who is served.
7
Despite what I've done to survive, I crave emotional attatchment and genuine affection.
8
I once worked at a brothel, but I ran away. Now, I only work for myself.
Secret Police
Hellenic Societies, Shenzhou, Kumat ONLY
History
For as long as Kings, Queens, and Warlords have ruled, there have been those that have dissented to their leadership, and so there have always been those that those rulers call to duty to root out dissent and ensure peace in their kingdoms. Whether by honeyed words, shiny coin, or bitter, bitter steel. Through methods clever or horrifying, they work to keep their nation balanced and well-protected from any enemies that it might have, both foreign and domestic, that cannot (or will not) meet their homeland's armies openly on the field of battle.
Your character was once one of these Secret Police, dedicated their cause. Whether the Hellenic Krypteia, the Kumati Medjai, or the Shenzhou Jǐnyīwèi, they once delivered terror and hidden justice to those disloyal to their nation without mercy or hesitation. At some point, and for a reason known only to you and those you trust, you left that life behind to join the Scions of Eleuthia and turn your talent in spying and interrogation to their benefit.
Feature: Master Inquisitor
You are a proffesional at going unnoticed and rooting out information, and gaining conffessions from the guilty. As long as you are wearing nondescript clothing and behave subtly, people will not clearly remember either your appearence or your presence without putting deliberate effort into it. Furthermore, you have Advantage on Insight, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation, or Deception checks related to gathering information from a sentient living subject whose language you speak.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a Disguise Kit, a Set of Thieves Tools, and any two of Dagger, Longsword, Shortsword, Hand Crossbow, or Quarterstaff.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak Thieves Cant. You also know a written, coded language that only you, and those you have specifically taught, can read or understand.
You Gain Proficiency with Disguise Kits and Thieves' Tools.
You Gain Proficiency with Stealth and any one of: Insight, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation, or Deception.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d7
Personality trait
1
I tend to approach conversation with people as though it were an interrogation, even when it isn't
2
I have a dark sense of humour and laugh even when others would consider it inappropriate.
3
Death no longer fazes me. It is a natural part of life.
4
I hunt people like animals.
5
I have killed so many that I have lost count.
6
I change my attitude and personality to blend in with the people around me.
7
I always check the escape routes of every building I enter.
Ideals
Ideals
1
Knowledge The more knowledge I possess, the more power I have. Over myself, over others, over armies and nations. I will be the most powerful of all. (Chaotic Alignments)
2
The Ultimate Hunt I'm a predator, and everyone else is my prey. (Evil Alignments)
3
Protection There are as many threats to my home and its people as there are stars in the sky. I must protect them! (Good Alignments)
4
Duty This life isn't an easy one, but it is a worthy one. To defend my nation and my people, what greater purpose could there be? (Lawful Alignments)
Flaws
1d6
Flaws
1
I've worn so many disguises, I've lost sight of who I truly am.
2
Violence is my answer to almost any challenge.
3
I take extreme pleasure in ending the lives of others, even (or perhaps especially) when they are innocent.
4
Personal safety does not matter so much as getting the job done.
5
I have a hard time connecting to anyone emotionally.
6
I believe I am playing a game, one that I am winning.
Bonds
1d5
Bonds
1
A good person was executed with information I gathered on them. I am trying to atone.
2
I fell in love with someone I was spying on.
3
A criminal killed my parents and I will get vengeance.
4
Criminals are no more than animals that need to be put down.
5
A fellow recruit died because I made a mistake I won’t let it happen again.
Jin Dynasty Loyalist
Shenzhou ONLY
History
When the Song Dynasty took power among the Shenzhou, they did so via the near-total eradication of the ruling Jin Dynasty. Oh, they disguised it amongst the 'rebellion' of the traitorous Huan Xuan, and Liu Yu claimed he was restoring the rightful rulers to the throne when Sima Dezong was placed on the throne, but did he not kill this Emperor and place his brother on the throne, a brother that abdicated in his own favour? And all throughout, were not the branches of the beloved Jin culled until only the most distantly related remained? This is so, but as the Song came to power, so did the surviving Jin, lead by a distant cousin, go into hiding and prepare to reclaim their rightful place. Now led by the Empress-In-Exile Tushan, they believe the time has come with the rediscovery of Eleuthia.
Your character is a Jin loyalist, a loyal servant to those you deem the true rulers of your homeland. Your entire life has been spent in hiding, in an exile within your own nation. Every day, filled with fear of discovery. Every night, swearing to right the wrongs your dynasty has suffered.
Feature: Insurgent
As a Jin Loyalist, you spend a large amount of time hiding from those who would kill you, and ambushing your enemies. You are quickly able to distinguish the surrounding landscape to find ideal places for a hidden base of operations, and the ideal places to lay deadly traps and ambushes. Additionally due to your time outside of society, and away from supply lines, you know how to scavenge for resources. You have Advantage in Survival checks for foraging and tracking, and Perception checks based on Hearing and Sight.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a Disguise Kit, a Set of Thieves Tools, and any two of Dagger, Longsword, Shortsword, Hand Crossbow, or Quarterstaff.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak Thieves Cant and one language of their choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Disguise Kits and Thieves' Tools.
You Gain Proficiency with Stealth and any two of: Perception, Survival, Medicine, or Nature
Suggested Characteristics
Personality traits
1d7
Personality trait
1
I tend to approach conversation with people as though it were an interrogation, even when it isn't.
2
I'm extremely suspicious of those around me, not sure of their loyalties.
3
I'm loyal unto death to those who are loyal to me.
4
I prefer ambushes and fighting in the shadows to pitched, open battles.
5
I'm loyal to the Jin to seek revenge against the Song, not because of politics.
6
I change my attitude and personality to blend in with the people around me.
7
I always check the escape routes of every building I enter.
Ideals
Ideals
1
Anarchy The revolution will not be civilized! Burn their temples, deface their palaces, kidnap their kin! Let Shenzhou fall into fire and be reborn from the ashes! (Chaotic Alignments)
2
Vengeance The streets and palaces of Shenzhou will run red with the blood of the Song! (Evil Alignments)
3
Justice The crimes of the Song, against my Dynasty and the people of Shenzhou, must be paid for! (Good Alignments)
4
Duty By the oaths that I have sworn and the blood-bound duty of my ancestors, ever shall I serve the Jin. (Lawful Alignments)
Flaws
1d6
Flaws
1
I've worn so many disguises, I've lost sight of who I truly am.
2
I'm a coward at heart, often leaving others to do the fighting or staying close to the back lines.
3
I enjoy killing my enemies and their supporters, even noncombantants.
4
Personal safety does not matter so much as getting the job done.
5
I have a hard time connecting to anyone emotionally.
6
I believe I am playing a game, one that I am winning.
Bonds
1d5
Bonds
1
I let some of my comrades get caught and executed. I am trying to atone.
2
I fell in love with a Song Loyalist.
3
I won't rest until the Song have been destroyed
4
The Song and those who follow them are animals and deserve to die.
5
I made a mistake and many of my comrades died. I can't let it happen again.
Acolyte
Shenzhou, Kumat, Hellas, Nihon, Nesha ONLY
History
At a very young age, you found yourself given into the care of a temple, to learn to worship and serve the gods within their very homes upon the mortal plane. For as long as you can remember, you have learned the arts of care-taking the temple, of assissting in and guiding worship and religious services.
Your character is a Acolyte, a devotee to a specific god, having spent your entire life preparing to be a conduit for their while and a guide for their worship. You can expect respectful treatment by the average citizen of most lands, even those that may not be the most friendly to you, and outright reverence from those of your own.
How you came to work at the temple can vary: you could have been orphaned and taken in by the priests and priestesses, you could be the latest in a long line of devoted temple staff, you could have been abandoned without any known reason or cause by your parents, left on the temple steps as a baby.
Your story, your faith, and your purpose are your own.
Feature: Conduit of Faith
As an Acolyte, you are a respected representative of the gods, and as such will be afforded extra aid within reason when you request it. You (and those in your company) may purchase basic supplies (foodstuffs, clothing, bedding, and simple weapons) for half of their listed price, secure paid lodging at half the normal rate, recieve free healing, food, and lodging at temples belonging to your nation of origin.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, any one Musical Instrument of your choice, quarterstaff, and 25 gold pieces in a pouch.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and any one Musical Instrument of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Religion and any two of: Perception, Persuasion, Medicine, Insight, or Performance
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d7
Personality trait
1
I tend to proslytize whenever possible, spreading my god's faith regardless of circumstance.
2
I will frequently mention my deity or invoke their name in conversation.
3
I wish I remembered my family.
4
I am eager to 'debate' matters of faith with those around me. Whether they want me to or not.
5
I am sheltered and somewhat naive, after being sheltered in a temple for my whole life.
6
I am eager to be outside of my home temple and seeing more of the world.
7
I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect (or condemn) the worship of other gods.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Devotion I will be the greatest servant to my god that this world has ever seen. I will spread their Word to all corners of creation. Everyone will know and honor their name! (Good Alignments)
2
Tradition I honor the gods with precision and dedication, every ritual completed and every task performed exactly as they have always been, unquestioningly adhering to millenia of tradition. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Influence I utilize my position and the faith of the people to enhance my own personal power and influence. (Evil Alignments)
4
Aspiration Worshipping the gods is good. Being famed for my faith is better. (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I can be overzealous in spreading the word and teachings of my deity.
2
I struggle to follw my deity's teachings, even after all these years.
3
I lack awareness of how the world works outside a temple, and it gets me into trouble.
4
I tend to clash with the worshippers of other gods, even those from my own pantheon.
5
I sometimes find myself doubting the wisdom of the gods, or struggling to understand their desires and plans
6
I sometimes abuse my position to convince devout people to do what I think is right, even if the gods did not answer their pleas.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I love spreading my god's teachings like nothing else.
2
Taking care of the devoted is my highest calling.
3
I see it as my divine purpose to aid and protect my comrades.
4
I want to learn more of the divine mysteries of creation.
5
It is my deepest wish to meet the gods and worship them in person.
6
I am the guardian of a sacred text, and must protect it with my life.
Outsider
No Restrictions
History
There have always been those that, when the rest of the world lays downs roots and makes their homes in villages or towns or cities, instead make the world as a whole its home. They wander its vast reaches, never staying in one place for very long, either by will or because they are forced to do so by circumstance. Always outsiders, those that sit in the darkest corners of the inn, focused on their meal and ignoring the song and laughter around them.
You are one of these Outsiders. You have no home, no roots, no kin. You simply wander from place to place, living as you can and surviving by whatever means.
The reasons for your exile from society, your lack of a permenant home, is up to you. Whether you wander by choice, too restless to live in one place for long, or because you were cast out of your home for a crime committed, or even if your home was destroyed in a war or cataclysm. Your past is your own.
Feature: Faceless Vagabond
All these years of endless wandering have taught you how to go unnoticed, how to be dismissed from memory the instant you are out of sight. An important survival trait for someone without family and friends to support and protect them. When in a non-combat situation, unless you have taken an action that would bring suspicion onto you or you are being actively searched for, you can blend into the crowd and go unnoticed.
When outside of a city, you have a talent for foraging and finding supplies, allowing you to supply for the survival needs of up to five mortal creatures of the Medium size per day, provided that the terrain you are in would permit you to forage.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a quarterstaff, a hooded travelling cloak, a Cartographer's Kit, and a pouch containing 25gp.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any two languages of your choice, and have proficiency in Cartographer's Tools.
You Gain Proficiency with Survival and any two of the following: Medicine, Nature, Animal Handling, or Slight of Hand.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
I prefer the quiet serenity of the woods to the squalid racket of a city.
2
I've spent so long alone in the wilds that I've forgotten how to have conversations or observe social niceties.
3
Sometimes, I miss the guranteed warmth and comforts of the 'civilized' life.
4
I like my personal space, and can become violent when it is violated, even if accidentally.
5
I get restless if I am in the same place for to long, even anxious.
6
Though I never come out and say it, my lifestyle has made me desperatly lonely.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Respect If there is one thing I have learned, being the bottom of the world's social ladder, it is that everyone deserve even the most basic respect. (Good Alignments)
2
Penance I once committed a terrible wrong, and must wander the world righting other wrongs in penance. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Bitterness Everyone who ever looked down on me, abused me, cursed me, refused to help me...they'll all suffer for their transgressions! (Evil Alignments)
4
Anarchy I don't care about the law, I don't care about social mores or the 'proper' way to live life! I'll do whatever I damn well please, so long as it makes me happy! (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I tend to have light fingers, especially where valuables and food are concerned.
2
Because I struggle socially, I tend to get embaressed easily, and then angry.
3
I've no respect for privacy, listening to any conversation, snooping in any space, ignoring physical boundaries.
4
If someone can't survive in the wild, it's not my job to save them. More supplies for me!
5
I'll survive by whatever means needed, even if its by committing crimes.
6
I don't believe in heroes, or villains. Just the living, the dying, and the dead.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I was once saved from a terrible fate by an adventurer. I hope to do the same for another, some day.
2
I feel a great kinship with those who are outsiders or lonely.
3
I pray with all my heart that someday I might rejoin society again.
4
I adore nature and all that can be found within it.
5
I owe my life to those that taught me to survive in the wilderness.
6
I grew up in the forests, an Outsider from birth. I hope to find out where I came from some day.
Noble
No Restrictions
History
A life of privelage, prestige, wealth is yours. Whether you married into a noble house, were born to one, or claimed your nobility in service to your nation and your ruler. Perhaps your ancestors were war heroes, or merchants of such wealth and talent that they paid their way into nobility. You are a Noble, the pinnacle of your nation's social later, beneath only the royal families, or those that are analogous to them.
Of course, power comes with responsibility. As a member of the nobility, it is your birthright to command those of lesser classes than yourself, but it is your duty to command them responsibly. A Noble without their servants is hardly a noble, after all, and a Noble that lets their lands waste away is a noble that will quickly find themselves destitute or worse.
The sort of Noble you are is up to you. Are you the libidinous sort, the responsible sort, the tyrannical? Are you the proud scion of an ancient and well-regarded house, or are you the determined heir of a destitute and fallen one, determined to restore it to it's former glory? Are you a sheltered child, seeking to reenact the adventures you group up hearing from the bard's tales, or the banished disappointment?
Your story, your bloodline, and your desires are what shape you, and it is up to you to decide how and why.
Feature: Power of Peerage
As a Noble, you a born with a power inherant to your blood. It is not the poor of a race, not the power of magic or the like, but of your ancestry. Your bloodline. The power of influence, which in many ways is a far greater and more useful power than mere physical or magical might. Anyone can kill with a blade or a fireball, but the power that lies within words alone is a far rarer thing.
When your party is attempting to secure lodging, if in the Cradle of your Nation of Origin, you can stay with the local nobility for no cost, having your meals and sleeping space provided free of charge. Outside of your Nation of Origin's Cradle, you pay a reduced rate, instead recieving them at half cost at either the best public space or the local nobility, depeending on circumstances. Furtermore, you have a single non-combat companion, a servant whose duty it is to take care of your belongings. This servant can be of any sex, race, and Nation of Origin you select. However, if they are not from your Nation of Origin, you must have a viable reason why.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Fine Clothes, a set of Travelling Clothes, a Riding Horse (with a Riding Saddle), a longsword, and a shield. If you prefer, you can replace your Riding Horse with a Camel and recieve an extra 25 gold to cover the difference. If you take this option, you still recieve the Riding Saddle.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one Musical Instrument or Game of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Insight and any two of the following: Persuasion, Intimidation, Deception, or History.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
The power I and my family possess has gone to my head.
2
I dislike actions that could be seen as 'dirtying' my hands, and prefer to make others do them for me.
3
Despite the station to which I belong, I know I am no better than anyone else. In the end, we are all mortal.
4
I treat my subjects well, but never forget that I command and they obey.
5
I despise the commoners, seeing them only as tax-payers and soldiers to serve my ambitions.
6
I dream of rising to an even higher rank than I now hold, whether by honor or by subterfuge.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Responsibility Nation, people, family. These are those for whom I am responsible. In peace and in war, their needs are my purpose. (Good Alignments)
2
Duty To serve your ruler, there could be no greater honor. To serve your people, no higher calling. To serve your family, no more intimate duty. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Power The power of my rank is a beautiful thing, and I wield it for my own desires without hesitation or regret. (Evil Alignments)
4
Daring I've never wanted to be one of those soft, peaceful nobles sitting about wining and dining and dying of old age. A life of dangerous adventure and a glorious, tale-worthy death, that's my desire! (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I can be quite snobbish and entitled, especially in public.
2
I care more for my own safety than that of anyone else.
3
I tend to waste money of frivelous things.
4
I can lose my composure easily if things don't go my way.
5
I sometimes find myself doubting the wisdom of the gods, or struggling to understand their desires and plans
6
I sometimes abuse my position to convince devout people to do what I think is right, even if the gods did not answer their pleas.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I crave adventure more than anything else.
2
Once, when I was lowest in life, a commoner family helped me. Now, I pay that goodness forward.
3
I strive to build alliances, for myself and for the Scions.
4
I still love my family, despite everything that has happened
5
When I left my lands, I left those I loved. I miss them terribly.
6
I wish to help build a new nation and a new home in Eleuthia.
Fallen Noble
No Restrictions
History
Nobles, in some form or another, have always existed. Those that have more than those around them, whether it is resources, property, influence, or all of them together. Yet for so long as nobles have existed, so have their fallen kindred. Men and women whose nobility has been lost or stripped away, by time, by ruler, by the gods themselves.
You are one of these Fallen Nobles. You have fallen from grace, either by your own actions or those of others, and are a shadow of your former self. Your lands are gone, your wealth is gone, your servants and soldiers are gone. Everything that made you a noble, besides your ancestry and the blood in your veins, is gone.
The reasons for your fall, whether personally or that of your family enitrely, are your own. Perhaps a grave crime was committed, perhaps you were framed for disloyalty, perhaps your family disowned you, perhaps years of poor luck laid you low. Whatever the reasons, this fall from grace has shaped you and defined you in ways intrinsic to who you are...and, perhaps, your efforts to right this fall will shape who you become in the future.
Feature: Fallen, Unbroken
You may have lost your title, your lands, your wealth and servants and all the trappings of the lifestyle that was once yours, but you have not forgotten who you are. You have not forgotten how to be a noble. And being a noble means having and using connections.
You have the best chance of figuring out who to talk to, and how to talk to them, in order to find out the juciest gossip, most powerful secrets, and deepest shames of the people in power wherever you are, from the smallest village to the mightest city.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a trinket or precious heirloom of your family, any one martial weapon of your choice, and a pouch containing 25 gold coins. If the martial weapon you pick is a ranged weapon, you also have 20 rounds of ammunition (arrows, bolts, etc.) for the weapon in question.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one musical instrument and gaming set of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with History and any two of the following: Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Insight.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
Despite my loss of rank, I still act as, and demand that others treat me, as a noble.
2
I get surly around other nobility, especially those from my former homeland.
3
I am determined to clear my name/my family's name.
4
I am reluctant at best to talk about what took my nobility from me.
5
The loss of my rank taught me how to empathize with the commoners.
6
I hate it when commoners mock me or think I'm the same as they are, thanks to my fall from grace.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Respect If there is one thing I have learned, going from the top of the world to the bottom, it is that everyone deserve even the most basic respect. (Good Alignments)
2
Justice I know my family and I didn't deserve our disgrace, and I will prove it and reclaim our heritage and honor. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Hate Everyone who was involved in my fall from grace, no matter who they are, where they live, or how involved they were...all of them will die! (Evil Alignments)
4
Renegade I broke the law and earned my disgrace, but it was for a good cause! (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
The loss of my rank hasn't tempered my arrogance. If anything, it has gotten worse.
2
If someone reminds me of my fall from grace, especially in a mocking way, I tend to lose my temper.
3
My loyalty to the Scions is tempered by my desire to use them in order to reclaim my title and lands.
4
I don't care what I have to do or who I have to hurt to reclaim my proper place.
5
I feel responsible for what happened, even if it wasn't my fault or had nothing to do with me.
6
I have become obsessed with my honor, and will act foolishly or take absurd risks in order to maintain it.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
A family of commoners did me a great kindness once. Now, I try to do the same for others.
2
I will rebuild my family, but not with old lands and allies. A new world with new friends is my future.
3
I strive to redeem myself/my family, and am always on the lookout for a way to do so.
4
I am loyal to those who are loyal to me. If my fall taught me anything, it was that loyalty is to be cherished.
5
Having suffered a great injustice, I now seek to stamp such injustice out wherever I can find it.
6
I dream of having a spouse and children who can be honored, not disgraced, to carry my name.
Apprentice
No Restrictions
History
There have ever been those that have wielded the power of magic, for good or for ill. There are some that are self-taught, or learn the traditional arts of the clan or tribe, but there are also those that learn from trained, proffesional experts of the craft. Those that attend an academy of spell-work, those who study beneath a wise intellectual, those that spend much of their youth pouring over books in ancient libraries.
You are one of these Apprentices. Someone who has dedicated a huge portion of their life to mastering the esoteric but powerful Circles of Magic. Someone who has learned how to shape the fundamental forces of Creation itself to wield in support of your allies and destruction of your enemies.
The reasons for your studies, the reasons that you left your cloistered life of education and experimentation, are your own.
Feature: Academic Acknowledgement
As the former student of a prestigious school of magic, or of a well-known teacher of magic, you find that many doors that would otherwise be closed to you are open. Gaining an audience with other magic-users, especially those from the same nation as your educational background, is simplicity itself. You can also stay at a school of magic, provided it has living space available, free of cost, and make use of its library for any studies or investigations you might be undertaking.
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a minor magical trinket, a Testimony of Competancy from your School or Mentor, a dagger, and 25 gold pieces in a pouch.
\columnbreak
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one tool of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Arcana, and any two of the following: Investigation, Performance, Insight, or Medicine.
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, even that which is forbidden to me.
2
I tend to have rivalries with other spellcasters, especially those from other nations.
3
I never want to stop experiencing and learning new things, it's that makes me feel alive.
4
I am most comfortable in places where magic and mages are accepted and respected. I get anxious when that isn't the case.
5
I respect my mentor a great deal, and will often reference them and their teachings during conversations.
6
I get irritated when people get overly superstitious about magic.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Knowledge I have little interest in the games of kings and countries, only knowledge itself. (Good Alignments)
2
Purpose I wield my magical powers for the betterment of the Scions and Creation at large. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Control Magic is power made manifest. The more control I exert over the magical arts, the more power I can exert over the world entire. (Evil Alignments)
4
Experimental Others might stick to the safe space of established spells and knowledge, but not me! (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Flaws
1
I struggle to comprehend that others may not understand magic like I do, and can come across as quite rude or condescending as a result.
2
I look down on spellcasters who weren't trained in academies like I was, considering them hedge mages at best.
3
I tend to focus more on the gathering of knowledge and artifacts than helping people or doing the 'right thing'.
4
I will do anything to anyone in the pursuit of more and greater knowledge.
5
I lack skill with social niceties, and lack the desire to change that fact.
6
I am quite arrogant, and often refuse to aknowledge, or even believe, that something is my fault.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
My mentor is the only one who has ever believed in me, and I'll never stop feeling indebted to them.
2
Magic is meant to serve and protect people, not to rule over them.
3
I love knowledge more than anything else in the world, and am insatiably curious about anything and everything.
4
I dream of becoming a powerful mage so I can raise my family out of obscurity.
5
My dream is to master the most powerful spells in the world, and then design spells greater still.
6
I was foolish in my youth, and now I suffer from a magical curse that I seek a cure for.
Insurgent
No Restrictions
History
For as long as there have been governments, rulers, leaders, or people in positions of power, there have been those who wished to tear them down. To lay them low, to burn their thrones and palaces and privelages to the ground around their very ears. Some of those movers and shakers are wicked, undeserving of their rank, undeserving of their wealth and their influence...and some of the insurgents are not freedom fighters desperatly trying to free their people from the cruel grip of a monstrous leader, but instead men and women grasping at power for their own greed.
You are an Insurgent, a rebel. Whatever the cause you pursue, whomever you seek to overthrow and whatever reasons you have, are your own. Whether you sought power, sought freedom, sought revenge, or were simply a young fool caught up in a turbulent and emotional time, your activities have left a mark that will never fade upon you.
Only time will tell whether you are one of the righteous or one of the wicked.
Feature: Rabble Rouser
As a former(?) insurgent yourself, you are talented when it comes to finding those hiding from the eyes of those who hold positions of power. Whether it is the city guards, customs officials, or your own superior officers, you know how to avoid their attention and make friends with those that like to cause trouble. If you spend sufficient time in an area, or are familiar with the culture, you can cultivate contacts amongst the fringes of society. These contacts will provide information, access to areas, potential quests, and more. They may even help you start trouble in the area...
Starting Equipment
You start with a set of Travelling Clothes, a memento from your time amongst your revolutionary brothers and sisters, a copy of your wanted poster, a pouch containing 25 gp, and a dagger.
Skills, Tools, Languages
You speak any one language of your choice, and have proficiency in any one tool of your choice.
You Gain Proficiency with Deception, and any one of the following: Insight, Survival, Persuasion, or Intimidation
Suggested Characteristics
Personality Traits
Pick two, or roll 2d6
Personality trait
1
I am an extremist, unwilling to compromise or work with those whom I disagree with, even against a mutual enemy or for a mutual good.
2
I have witnessed many terrible atrocities at the hands of the government.
3
I have committed atrocities, and seen them committed by allies, in the pursuit of our goals. I regret that fiercly.
4
All I care about is accomplishing my goals. Whatever it takes, whoever loses their lives, however I am remembered...none of that matters.
5
I don't like to involve myself personally. Better to plot and plan and let others take the risks as I reap the rewards.
6
Those that support the regime, either actively or by refusing to act against them, are guilty and deserve death.
Ideals
Pick One
Ideals
1
Peace The people deserve peace, security, and hope. If those that rule cannot provide it, they must be replaced with those who can. (Good Alignments)
2
Justice The system has failed. It has failed the people, it has failed the land, it has failed the nation itself. Let that failure be washed away and replaced. (Lawful Alignments)
3
Control Though I proclaim the righteousness of our cause, I don't care for it. All I desire is power for myself. (Evil Alignments)
4
Anarchy No leaders, no kings, no courts or judges. No good, no evil, no right or wrong. Everyone can live their lives as they see fit, no matter what. (Chaotic Alignments)
Flaws
Pick One, or Roll 1d5
Flaws
1
I ignore contradictions or hypocrisy in my beliefs and actions.
2
I will leave my comrades to a terrible fate without hesitation.
3
I refuse to listen to the advice or guidance of others, believing every action I take is right.
4
I care more for the future rewards that come with winning than for the cause itself.
5
Hate and violence come far more easily to me than patience or peace.
Bonds
Pick One, or Roll 1d6
Bonds
1
I give voice to the voiceless, and strength to the weak. They have been ignored for far too long.
2
Justice is gone in this land, this world. It must be restored!
3
The ruling class has forgotten their duties to the people in the bliss of their privelage. They must be reminded!
4
I love my comrades as if they were my own blood-kin.
5
I hate the regime far more than I love the common people or the cause.
6
I have faith in my comrades and our cause, that we will be on the righteous side of history.
PART 4
Birthsigns
Astrologically Predetermined Powers
Every person born, no matter their race, gender, and nation of birth, are born under one of the Twenty-Two Signs of Heaven. Represented by a star, or stars, in the night sky, their birth-sign is determined by but a single method across the whole of the world: at their Day of Naming, when the priests of their gods hold them to the sky in offering and speak their name for the first time, the Sign whose star(s) shines(s) above their head will bring them good fortune in life.
Over time, these stars became represented by specific images, known as the Major Arcana. The vast majority of people carry a small card representing their birth-sign on their person at all times, believing that it will ensure that the good fortune of their birth will never desert them.
During character generation, your Dungeon Master will have you roll a D22 (players are permitted a single reroll), which will randomly determine with Birthsign you were born under. This birthsign will provide you with a bonus ability that is useable once per day, resetting at dawn. Activating a Birthsign's bonus costs a unique Action that can only be used for this purpose, and does not cost any of your regular actions.
Spell DCs, where applicable, are based on whichever is highest of your characters WIS, INT, or CHR stat. Spells granted by Birthsigns followed the rules and limitations laid out in the spell's description, and can only be cast once per day.
The Fool
Representing the protaganist of a story and associated with mania, intoxication, and delirium, The Fool is most often portrayed as a beggar or a vagabond
COMBAT: Your character can cast the Scomatic Limb spell at Fourth Tier without consuming a spell slot or requiring Focus. This does not count as one of your known spells.
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain Proficiency in the Performance Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Magician
The Magician stands behind a table, which bears the items that represent the suits of the Minor Arcana: Cups, Coins, Swords, and Clubs. One hand points upwards to the sky, while the other points downwards at the earth beneath his feet, representing the concept of 'as above, so below'. The ideal that the activities of the spiritual realm effect the physical, and vice-versa.
COMBAT: You regain a spell slot of a level equal to your proficiency bonus. Should your proficiency bonus be greater than your highest level spell-slot, you gain a spell-slot of your highest level.
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Arcana Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The High Priestess
The High Priestess sits on a simple chair, dressed in white robes and wearing a sheer veil. Her eyes are closed and her hands are folded in prayer, a religeous text laying open in her lap.
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you can add your Religion Proficiency Bonus to the Attack, Damage, and Healing rolls of all spells you cast.
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Religion Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Empress
The Empress sits on a throne wearing a crown with twelve stars, holding a scepter in one hand. The scepter represents her power over life, her crown represents her dominance over the year, and her throne is in the midst of a field of grain, representing her dominion over growing things.
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, when standing within Difficult Terrain, you are immune to it's effects and can make attacks against other creatures within the terrain at Advantage.
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Nature Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Emperor
The Emperor sits on a ram-adorned throne, a symbol of War. Another ram head can be seen on his cloak. His long white beard represents wisdom wisdom. He holds an Ankh scepter in his right hand, and a globe, symbol of domination, in his left.
COMBAT:
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Intimidation Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Hierophant
The Hierophant is seen seated on a throne between two pillars symbolizing Law and Liberty. His right hand raised in blessing, with two fingers pointing skyward and two pointing down, thus forming a bridge between Heaven and Earth. In his left hand he holds a symbol of faith.
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you gain the effect of any one Temple Knight Tier Three Divine Invocation.
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Persuasion Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Lovers
The card depicts a man and a woman facing one another, standing on a green field, with a mountain in the background. Above them, in the heavens, a deity blesses their relationship to be long and fruitful.
COMBAT:
OUT OF COMBAT:
The Chariot
A figure sits in a chariot, pulled by two sphinxes or horses. One of the steeds is black and the other white. The figure is crowned and winged. The figure may hold a sword or wand.
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you can treat any dice rolls you make as if they were a natural twenty. However, each use of this ability results in a stack of Exhaustion.
OUT OF COMBAT: You reduce your Exhaustion stacks at twice the normal level.
Justice
A figure sits in a throne on a dais, holding a sword in their right hand, representing punishment, and a set of scale in their left, representing fairness. A blindfold is covering their eyes, ensuring no bias can be made in the judgement.
Randomly select one enemy opposing you. You each gain the passive bonuses that the other possesses. For the purposes of this effect, a passive bonus constitutes as the following: Barkskin, Temporary HP, and other spell effects along similar lines. This ability lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
The Hermit
An old man, standing on a mountain peak, carrying a staff in one hand and a lit lantern containing a six-pointed star in the other. In the background is a mountain range.
Your character can cast Find The Path as a Ritual. The effects last until your next long rest. This does not count as one of your known spells.
Wheel of Fortune
A six-spoked wheel, often attended or crested by a Sphinx-like half-human attired in an Kumati-style headdress. The wheel is divided into four quadrants, each bearing the alchemical symbol of one of the four elements: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water.
COMBAT: Roll a d4. Depending on the result, their Attacks or Spells deal an extra d6 damage of either Impact, Fire, Slashing, or Frost. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
OUT OF COMBAT: At the start of each day, roll a d6. For the rest of the day, you gain Proficiency in Ability Checks and Saving Throws of the Ability Score corrosponding to that number. 1 for STR, 2 for DEX, etc.
Strength
The card depicts a woman and a lion, with the woman leaning over the lion, clasping the lion's jaws shut with her hands, an infinity symbol above her head.
COMBAT: Select one Skill that you have Proficiency in. For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you can add it's Bonus to any Attack or Damage Rolls you make.
OUT OF COMBAT: When you roll a Hit Die in order to regain HP, that Hit Die counts as being a naturally maximum roll. This can only be done with one Hit Die per rest until level 8, when it becomes two Hit Die, and at level 14 it becomes three Hit Die.
The Hanged Man
The image of a man being hanged upside-down by one ankle . However, the solemn expression on his face traditionally suggests that he is there by his own accord, and the card is meant to represent self-sacrifice more so than it does corporal punishment or criminality.
COMBAT:
OUT OF COMBAT: You can sacrifice one of your Hit Die in order to provide it to an ally, within five feet, in need. This Hit Die regenerates in your Hit Die pool as normal on your next long rest.
Death
The Death card usually depicts the Grim Reaper, the personification of Death. In some decks, the Grim Reaper is riding a pale horse, and often he is wielding a sickle or scythe. Surrounding the Grim Reaper are dead and dying people from all classes, including kings, bishops and commoners
COMBAT: Your character, if they are reduced to zero HP, can make one final action at advantage before falling unconscious. This action must be used to make a weapon attack (ignoring Extra Action) or to cast a Cantrip
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain the ability to auto-pass one Death Saving Throw each day, resetting at Dawn.
Temperence
Temperance is depicted as a person with one foot on water and one foot on land, pouring liquid from one jug into another, diluting wine with water. At the end of a path, there is a crown to show the mastery of a goal.
You gain resistance to 'toxins' until your next long rest, including Corrosive, Necrotic, Poison, Alcohol, and Drugs. In the case of the latter two, this means Advantage on CON saving throws.
The Devil
The Devil has harpy feet, ram horns, bat wings, a reversed pentagram on the forehead, a raised right hand and a lowered left hand holding a torch. He squats on a square pedestal. Two naked demons (one male, one female) with tails stand chained to the pedestal.
COMBAT:
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain Proficiency in the Deception Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Tower
The Tower depicts a burning tower being struck by lightning or fire from the sky, its top section dislodged and crumbling. Two men are depicted in freefall against a field of multicolored balls.
COMBAT: For the next minute can cause calamity to strike an enemy within their line of sight, forcing them to make an attack against a member of your party at Disadvantage. This costs your Reaction.
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain Proficiency in the Deception Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Star
A naked woman kneels by the water; one foot is in the water and one foot is on the land. Above her head is one large star, representing her core essences, and seven smaller stars, representing the chakras. In each hand she holds a jug. From one jug she pours a liquid into the water. From the other jug she pours a liquid onto the land.
COMBAT: You can cast the CLoak of Divinity spell at Fourth Level without consuming a spell slot or requiring Focus. This does not count as one of your known spells.
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain a D8 Inspiration Die at Dawn on each day, which can be used like any other Inspiration Die. This Inspiration Die is separate from any you might gain from another source, allowing you to gain an Inspiration Dice from this effect and another source simultaneously. However, you cannot possess more than one Inspiration Die from The Star at the same time.
The Moon
The card depicts a night scene, where two large pillars are shown. A wolf and a domesticated dog howl at the Moon. The Moon has sixteen chief and sixteen secondary rays, dripping dew on the earth
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you can add your Stealth Proficiency Bonus to the Attack, Damage, and Healing rolls of all spells you cast.
OUT OF COMBAT: Gain Proficiency in the Stealth Skill. If you already have Proficiency, gain Expertise instead.
The Sun
An infant rides a white horse under the anthropomorphized Sun, with sunflowers in the background. The child of life holds a red flag, representing the blood of renewal while a smiling sun shines down on him, representing accomplishment.
COMBAT: For the next 10 Battle Rounds, you can use a Bonus Action to spend one of your Hit Die to restore health as if taking a rest.
OUT OF COMBAT: You gain one extra hit die (based upon your class) each day, regaining it at Dawn.
Judgment
A divine being gazes down on the Earth as the souls of the faithful rise from their crypts, following it's guidance into the afterlife. Meanwhile, the souls of the wicked are being dragged into damnation by monstrous beings wielding red-hot, spiked chains.
COMBAT:
OUT OF COMBAT: Your Attacks and Spells deal an extra 1d6 Radiant or Necrotic damage, depending on moral alignment, for 10 Battle Rounds.
The World
A naked woman dances above the Earth holding a staff in each hand, surrounded by a wreath, being watched by a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, representing the four classical elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air.
COMBAT: Roll a D4. You gain a 20-foot aura, and all enemies within it gain vulnerability (or lose their resistance to) damage of the corossponding type: Frost, Fire, Impact, or Slashing. This does not effect enemy Immunities. This effect lasts for 10 Battle Rounds.
OUT OF COMBAT:
Non-Player Character Massed Combat Rules
A major part of Veils of Paradise is warfare between large numbers of opposing characters and/or creatures. After all, it hardly makes sense for the actions of the half-dozen members of a player party to singlehandedly change the fates of nations and continents without assisstance! In order to streamline combat and increase immersion in such situations, please make use of the following rules.
NPC Unit Sizes
Like most real-world armies, the armies in Veils of Paradise are made up of various sub-units of different sizes, which can be combined or split as it's leaders (or the dungeon master!) sees fit in order to accomplish a mission. While some variance between nations or due to circumstances might result, this rule of thumb is generally a good one to follow.
Given the differences between nations and cultures, and in the interest of avoiding any unpleasant stifling DM creativity and reducing monotony for the players (and predictability from the game!), the NPC units can be composed of many classes, each loosely defined (as seen in the above chart) by a battlefield role. Please see the chart below for an impression of what classes fulfill what roles.
Please note that in certain catagories, requisites would apply. For example, a Samurai qualifying as a Cavalry Unit would have to be mounted and remain so for the battle, excepting certain circumstances such as the mount being killed or the Samurai being dismounted. These classifications are not intended to be a way to stack the proverbial deck by sticking an extra dozen Magisters on horses to pad the numbers before immediately having them dismount to fight.
Feats
Displays of Mastery
Safeguarding Spearstrike
Requirements: You must be wielding a polearm
You are practiced in swiftly striking threats to your allies with your spear.
Increase your Strength Score by 1 Point, to a maximum of 20.
If you are within five feet of any allied creature, and that allied creature is attacked by an enemy creature, you may make one attack against that creature, so long as the enemy creature is within range of your own attack.
This feature cannot be used against the same enemy creature more than once per battle round, even if the creature makes multiple attacks during it's turn.
This feature cannot benefit from Advantage for any reason.
Precision
Requirements: You must be wielding a bow-type or thrown-type weapon
Your experience with bows and thrown weapons allow you to use them with greater accuracy.
Increase your Dexterity Score by 1 Point, to a maximum of 20.
You gain a bonus of +1 to any attacks made with a ranged weapon or a thrown weapon. Thrown weapons must actually be thrown in order to gain the benefit of this Feat.
Increase the damage dealt by ranged weapons or thrown weapons by +2. Thrown weapons only benefit from this increase if they are actually thrown.
Professional Wounding
Requirements: See Below
You have mastered your weapon of choice, allowing you to cause greater damage to your targets with minimal effort.
Increase your Strength Score or Dexterity Score by 1 Point, to a maximum of 20.
You must pick a single type of damage from Impact, Slashing, or Piercing.
Once per turn, when you hit a with an attack that deals damage of your chosen type, you can reroll the attack's damage dice and keep either result.
When you score a critical hit that deals damage of your chosen type, you can add one additional dice when rolling for damage.
Trained Fighter
Requirements: None
Talent with a weapon can only get you just so far. Training is a factor, and you're well-trained indeed.
Increase your Strength Score or Dexterity Score by 1 Point, to a maximum of 20.
You may learn any single Fighting Style of your choice.
Concurrent Concentration
Requirements: You must be capable of casting spells
If there is one thing that you're good at, it's focusing on things. In fact, you're so good at it that you can Focus on two things at once!
Increase your Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma score by 1 Point, to a maximum of 20
You can have two spells requiring Focus active at the same time. However, you must still make individual Focus checks for each spell.
Heir of Asterion
Requirements: You must be a member of the Minotaur Race
The blood of the First Minotaur, Cursed Son of Minos, flows through your veins. Harness this power, this might, and lay waste to your enemies!
Increase your Strength Score by 2 Points, to a Maximum of 22
You are now capable of wielding weapons with the Heavy or Two-Handed Weapons with a single hand without penalty.
You now grow Exhausted, from all sources, at half of the rate other creatures do, and require half of the food and water rations that they do.
PART X
Non-Player Factions
Reputation
Each and every NPC faction in Eleuthia will have their opinion of the player party, and thus the Scions of Eleuthia as a whole, shaped by the party's actions. Even rumors and hearsay can have an effect, whether or not the event in question was witnessed, or even ever happened in the first place! Naturally, the reputation (good or ill) will have measurable effects on how the Scions are seen by those around them.
High reputation will result in the ability to recruit NPCs to your faction, forge alliances both military and financial, and provides discounts on all purchases made in that faction's territory. Factions aware of Scion encampments may drop by for a visit, providing income and offering assistance with current threats facing the Scions.
Low reputation will result in higher prices, a refusal of service and, if the reputation is well and truly cratered, attack-on-sight by any NPC loyal to that faction, regardless of circumstance. Factions aware of encampments belonging to the Scions may launch attacks on them in an effort to wipe the Scions out, potentially causing a Campaign End for the players.
As such, it is in the party's best interest to carefully monitor their reputation with various factions, risking outright war only if they have sufficient military strength to achieve a Conquest Victory over the faction in question. Similarily, a sufficiently high reputation will result in a Diplomacy Victory over the faction in question, making them an ally to the player faction that is willing to act on your behalf, even in situations that are not necessarily to their benefit.
Please see the table on the right side of this page for the 'breakpoints' in reputation, as well as the benefits or detriments that apply for each 'breakpoint'.
Reputation
Benefit/Detriment
-30
Attacked On Sight, Hunt Settlements
-25
Attacked On Sight, Attack Known Settlements
-20
Attacked On Sight
-15
Attacked After Warning
-10
Refusal to Trade or Give Quests
-5
Prices Increased By 50%
0
No Benefits or Detriments
5
Will Trade With Party Faction
10
Quest Rewards Increased by 5%
15
Prices Reduced By 10%, Military Assists In Combat
20
Can Request Assistance With Mutual Missions
25
Quest Rewards Increased by 10%
30
Can Recruit NPCs for Non-Mutual Missions, Prices Reduced By 25%
50
Diplomatic Victory, Full Alliance
Vice or Virtue?
Your world is a world at war, nations and peoples struggling against one another for every reason imaginable. Religion, greed, desperation, even a desire to end war through total conquest.
Ever since its founding, your faction has remained neutral, fighting for whomever has the coin to offer. Still, the constant fighting and lack of a true home has begun to wear on your minds and hearts, and with the collapse of the wards hiding Eleuthia from sight or travel, you see the opportunity to claim a land for yourselves.
It is up to you whether you wish to be a paragon of virtue or a renegade. Will you expand your lands through conquest and slavery, or diplomacy and friendship? Will you mix vice with virtue, or throw yourself into the extremes of the scale?
When they tell your story, adventurer, what will they say of you?
Will you be upheld as an aspiration, or decried as a cautionary tale?
