#the persuasion the deception and the holy intimidation

[here-comes-the-bard]

vinkaide and poly pile are both "excuse me they asked for no pickles" ships and that's it that's the post

[yourdeepestfathoms]

The Ringmaster's Guide

a character guide for my TADC Dungeons & Dragons AU! this was originally gonna be the characters in the same universe, just LARPing the game, with Caine making the terrains and magic and stuff, but then i actually started thinking of backstories for everyone. so now it's a real AU in the DnD universe! (there's no exact full, fleshed-out plot line, and the fics i'm gonna write with this are gonna be random events!)

this guide contains stuff like the gangs' races, classes, designs, abilities, and some fun backstory tidbits ;)

(also even though they're not playing the game, i still included the stats, skills, and some written game mechanics for the vibes!)

RAGATHA

Race: Aasimar (Protector)

Class: Cleric (Order Domain)

Feats: Inspiring Leader, Great Weapon Master, Tough

Resistances: Radiant, Necrotic

—

Mother bear…

Oh, mother bear…

Where has thou cub gone?

—

STATS

HP: 135

AC: 20 (Mithral Plate)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking, 30 ft. flying

STR: 19 (+4) | DEX: 17 (+3) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 16 (+3) | WIS: 20 (+5) | CHA: 17 (+3)

Saving Throws

STR: +4

DEX: +3

CON: +4

INT: +3

WIS: +9

CHA: +7

Senses

Passive Perception: 19

Passive Investigation: 13

Passive Insight: 19

Skills

Acrobatics: +3

Animal Handling: +5

Arcana: +3

Athletics: +4

Deception: +3

History: +3

Insight: +9

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +3

Medicine: +9

Nature: +3

Perception: +9

Performance: +3

Persuasion: +7

Religion: +7

Sleight of Hand: +3

Stealth: +3

Survival: +5

—

Wings like silver, slicing through the sky. Twisting, turning, as graceful as a starling. A dance between earth and sky, a ballet of feathers and air, where gravity’s pull was but a distant memory when up so high.

A tiny squeal of joy. Shining eyes casting downward. Shimmering eyes looking up. 

“Aww, look at you,” she coos to the infant bound to her chest by soft fabric. The baby’s little wings, still covered in fluffy down, are extended fully and flapping gleefully. 

The mother laughs. “Do you think you’re flying?”

“AH!” her infant shouts, wings flapping harder.

Another laugh. She brushes her fingers over her child’s cheek, then looks to the horizon. “One day, this will all belong to you.”

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Vicious Glaive

- Crossbow

Spells

- Cantrip: Guidance, Mending, Resistance, Sacred Flame, Spare The Dying

- 1st Level: Command, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Inflict Wounds

- 2nd Level: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon, Warding Bond, Zone of Truth

- 3rd Level: Mass Healing Word, Revivify, Slow

- 4th Level: Banishment, Compulsion, Locate Creature

- 5th Level: Dominate Person, Flame Strike, Greater Restoration, Hallow, Mass Cure Wounds

- 6th Level: Blade Barrier, Heal

—

The city in the sky is divine and shining. The sky is clear and a crisp blue, not a cloud in sight. Other Celestials dart to and fro, all of them radiant. She sits in the soft grass of one of the many parks, watching as her child toddles around. A guitarist is playing nearby.

It’s peaceful. 

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Voice of Authority- Ragatha is able to invoke the power of the law to strengthen an ally’s attack. 

Order’s Demand- By raising her holy symbol, Ragatha can charm an enemy through exerting her presence over them.

Destroy Undead- If the will of an undead enemy fails against Ragatha casting Turn Undead, they are destroyed.

Embodiment of the Law- If casting a spell of the Enchantment school, she can quicken the casting time. 

Divine Strike- Ragatha can deal an extra bout of Psychic damage upon hitting an enemy.

Divine Intervention- Ragatha can call upon her deity for aid.

Racial Abilities

Healing Hands- Ragatha’s very touch is nurturing and life-giving. She is able to draw from a wellspring of gentle energy to heal people for a certain amount. 

Darkvision- Ragatha can see in the dark.

Celestial Legacy- Ragatha can cast the Light and Daylight cantrip at will.

Celestial Revelation: Radiant Consumption- Ragatha is able to unleash her full Celestial might on those who dare to test her. A bright, seething light pours from her eyes and mouth, and her very body acts as a beacon, radiating this same searing light in a radius. Any enemy who gets too close is scorched by this holy glow. All weapon attacks do extra Radiant damage. 

Flight- Ragatha is able to fly with her angel wings. 

—

Hunger. 

The whisper of the woods.

A hulking beast - clawing up her insides, biting at her ribs.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Acolyte 

Languages: Common, Celestial, Primordial, Elvish

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 100 GP

- Alms Box

- Amulet (Holy Symbol)

- Baby Blanket

- Bag of Holding

- Blanket

- Box of Incense

- Candle

- Censer

- Crossbow Bolts

- Crossbow, light

- Photograph of her and a small child

- Prayer Book

- Rations

- Reliquary

- Shield

- Tinderbox

- Vestments

- Vicious Glaive

- Waterskin

Aasimar are well-known for their beauty, and Ragatha is no exception. She’s a well-built woman, bearing great muscles for someone of her appearance. Her skin has a lustrous sheen to it. Growing within her curly red hair are shimmering feathers of white-blue. An ethereal light glows in her black left eye, and the right probably would be the same if it weren’t for the fact that it’s been seemingly scratched out; a seething red scar extends down that side of her face, as though she had been struck by a bladed weapon. 

Large, feathered wings extend from her back. They’re a beautiful silver-white color, fading to gradients of blue at their tips.

Strangely, she has sharper teeth and nails than would usually be seen in an Aasimar.

A red blemish, some kind of burn scar, encircles her throat, never to truly heal. 

—

Blood in her eyes. Blood in her mouth. 

Stinging, burning. Vicious pain, and yet the hunger and rage dominate everything.

 So many eyes, watching. 

Circling - a trapped beast. 

Somewhere deep within, a voice screaming, “STOP IT! STOP!”  

—

OTHER

- Lycanthrope (werebear)

—

Mama Bear,

Mama…

Please come home soon.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

JAX

Race: Tiefling-Harengon

Class: Rogue (Thief)

Feats: Shadow-Touched, Mobile, Gunner

Resistances: Fire

—

A fey bathed in infernal fire. Tainted, scorched. Searing flames burning inside and out. 

—

STATS

HP: 63

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking 

STR: 13 (+1) | DEX: 20 (+5) | CON: 10 (+0) | INT: 12 (+1) | WIS: 11 (+0) | CHA: 16 (+3)

Saving Throws

STR: +1

DEX: +9

CON: +0

INT: +5

WIS: +0

CHA: +3

Senses

Passive Perception: 10

Passive Investigation: 15

Passive Insight: 10

Skills

Acrobatics: +9

Animal Handling: +0

Arcana: +1

Athletics: +1

Deception: +11

History: +1

Insight: +0

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +5

Medicine: +0

Nature: +1

Perception: +0

Performance: +3

Persuasion: +7

Religion: +1

Sleight of Hand: +12

Stealth: +12

Survival: +0

—

She tried so hard to raise him to be a good boy. But she always knew he would follow in his father’s footsteps. 

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Rapier

- Daggers

- Shortbow

- Revolver

Spells

- Cantrip: Thaumaturgy

- 1st Level: False Life

- 2nd Level: Darkness, Hellish Rebuke, Invisibility

—

The smell of fire and brimstone. Ash dusting purple fur to black. Licking embers off his lips. 

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Sneak Attack- Jax is able to deal extra damage on attacks he has Advantage for.

Thieves’ Cant- As a Rogue, Jax can speak a language only other Rogues know.

Cunning Action- Jax’s agility allows him to make certain actions sooner than his allies would be able to. 

Fast Hands- Jax can use an item as a Bonus Action instead of an Action.

Second-Story Work- Jax can climb faster than his allies. 

Uncanny Dodge- When Jax can see the attacker who has hit him, he can half the damage. 

Evasion- Jax is able to avoid taking damage from certain attacks if they require a Dexterity Saving Throw.

Supreme Sneak- As long as Jax doesn’t use half of his movement, he has Advantage on Stealth checks. 

Reliable Talent- Jax is able to make the dice fall a little more in his favor. 

Racial Abilities

Darkvision- Jax can see in the dark.

Hellish Resistance- Jax is resistant to Fire damage.

Infernal Legacy- Jax innately knows the Thaumaturgy cantrip and the Hellish Rebuke and Darkness spells.

Lucky Footwork- Just because he doesn’t have the rabbit legs of his Harengon mother doesn’t mean this fella isn’t dextrous. When he slips up or stumbles, Jax’s quick reaction time gives him a chance to steady himself. 

Hare-Trigger- Jax’s fast rabbit reflexes sometimes allow him to strike first in combat. 

—

Too fast for the guards. Too quick for the dogs to catch. Any lock can be broken, and no chains can hold him down for long.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Criminal

Languages: Common, Thieves’ Cant, Infernal

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral 

Inventory

Money: 250 GP, 300 SP, 50 CP

- Alchemist's Fire (5)

- Arrows

- Bag of Holding

- Ball Bearings (bag of 1000)

- Beads of Fireball (10)

- Beads of Force (5)

- Bell

- Candle

- Crowbar

- Dagger (2)

- Deck of Many Things

- Grenade, Magical (3)

- Grenade, Smoke (5)

- Hammer

- Icon of Greed

- Lantern, Hooded

- Oil (flask)

- Piton

- Playing Cards

- Poisoner’s Kit

- Potion of Haste (3)

- Potion of Greater Healing

- Pouch of Gemstones

- Rapier

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Shortbow

- String

- Thieves’ Tools

- Tinderbox

- Vial of Acid (5)

- Waterskin

Anyone who looks at this guy can tell that he’s a hybrid. He’s a tall, lithe young man with a regular humanoid build. His entire torso is covered in thick purple fur that extends to his elbows on his arms and to his thighs on his legs—below that, it’s darker purple skin. Instead of rabbit feet, he has hooves, and his fingernails are sharp claws. Tufts of fur sprout from the base of his long tail, which ends in an arrowhead, before it tapers off to regular skin. His head is completely furry, and he has both the iconic rabbit ears and black horns that curve back over his scalp.  

—

Every jail cell looks the same after a while. None are impressive. And they’re all so easy to get out of. 

—

OTHER

- Son to the Demon of Greed

- Criminal of the state

- Wanted for several crimes

—

Chained to a wall. Slated for execution. Death by beheading. 

Ha.

That’s cute.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

ZOOBLE

Name: Zooble

Race: Simic Hybrid

Class: Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior)

Feats: Savage Attacker, Sentinel, Slasher

Resistances: N/A

—

They were someone, once. Normal skin. Normal hair. All their fingers and toes. All their teeth.

But that was a long time ago.

They can’t even remember their name.

—

STATS

HP: 137

AC: 19 (no armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking

STR: 20 (+5) | DEX: 16 (+3) | CON: 19 (+4) | INT: 10 (+0) | WIS: 13 (+1) | CHA: 9 (-1)

Saving Throws

STR: +9

DEX: +3

CON: +8

INT: +0

WIS: +1

CHA: -1

Senses

Passive Perception: 11

Passive Investigation: 10

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +3

Animal Handling: +1

Arcana: +0

Athletics: +9

Deception: -1

History: +0

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +0

Medicine: +1

Nature: +0

Perception: +1

Performance: +3

Persuasion: -1

Religion: +0

Sleight of Hand: +3

Stealth: +3

Survival: +1

—

For a long time, it seemed that they were going to waste away. Life was harsh, and their money was scarce. 

And then, they found their way to the great bronze city. 

Everything changed when they stepped through those giant gates. 

To this day, they still don’t know why they caught the eye of those aristocrats, but they were offered a job. It would give them housing and paid well. 

But there was a catch, of course. Two of them, to be precise. Everything came with strings attached. Nothing was ever that good.

Surprisingly, though, they found themself not minding these “conditions.” If anything, it sounded interesting.

And they did pride themself in their high pain tolerance. 

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Greataxe

- Handaxe (2)

- Javelin (4)

Spells

- 1st Level: Beast Bond, Speak With Animals

- 5th Level: Commune With Nature

—

Ow. Ow. OW.

It hurt worse than they were expecting, but the enhancements fit just right. They did well. 

They’ll be fine. 

They’re strong.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Rage- Zooble is able to enter a Rage in battle that makes them resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.

Unarmored Defense- Zooble’s AC is higher when not wearing armor.

Reckless Attack- Zooble can choose to attack heedlessly, giving them an Advantage on the hit, but also giving all enemies Advantage to hit them.

Spirit Seeker- Zooble has an attunement with the natural world. They are able to cast Beast Bond and Speak With Animals as ritual spells.

Totem Spirit: Bear- Zooble has picked the bear as their Totem Spirit. While in a Rage, they are resistant to all damage except Psychic.

Fast Movement- Zooble’s movement is boosted by ten feet when not wearing heavy armor.

Aspect of The Beast: Elk- Zooble has chosen the elk as their animal aspect. Party travel is faster than it usually would be.

Feral Instinct- Zooble’s might allow them to attack quicker in combat.

 Brutal Critical- Through sheer savagery, Zooble can increase the damage done to an enemy.

Spirit Walker- Zooble can cast Commune With Nature as a ritual spell.

Relentless Rage- Zooble’s fury urges them forward. When they otherwise would have fallen unconscious, if in a Rage, Zooble can cling on for just a little bit longer to keep fighting. 

Racial Abilities

Animal Enhancement- As a Simic Hybrid, Zooble has had new body parts added to them to make them more powerful.

Manta Glide- Zooble has ray-like fins on their back that allow them to glide and fall safely, though they can’t fly with them. 

Grappling Appendages- Zooble has an additional pair of appendages growing alongside their arms, which they are able to grapple and attack enemies with.

Darkvision- Zooble can see in the dark.

—

All around them, they’re being watched. So many people, so many more eyes.

The sun is high in the sky. The walls around them gleam. The sand of the coliseum floor is warm beneath their feet. 

In their hands, they heft their greataxe, then charge forward.

This will be easy. 

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Champion

Languages: Common, Elvish

Alignment: Neutral

Inventory

Money: 10 GP

- Bedroll

- Greataxe

- Handaxe (2)

- Mess Kit

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Waterskin

Zooble is a bit of an anomaly, as many Simic Hybrids are. Their body is a strange clash of bits and parts, like they’re a puzzle made of pieces from other puzzles.

Their torso and right arm are humanoid—and those are pretty much the only normal things about them. However, their torso is mottled in orange and yellow for an unknown reason. Their left arm is similar to that of a crustacean’s, red in color and ending in a large claw. Their left leg is hooved, while their right leg is that of a bear’s, both having come from their Totem Spirit rather than from being a Simic Hybrid. Two appendages, similar to the arms of a praying mantis, extend from their back. Also on their back are two fin-like membranes that are almost like wings, allowing them to glide. 

They constantly wear a helmet that they rarely ever take off. The helmet is grated in the front and has two horns curving out from the top. 

—

Fighting. Training. Growing stronger and stronger.

More battles. All victories. 

They’re called a champion. 

No one can make them fall.

They will never lose. 

—

OTHER

- They were something great. Once. 

—

It’s their first time tasting blood, and it is a rank venom in their mouth. 

Their body aches all over. They can barely move their limbs—if they’re even still attached to their body. It’s difficult to tell.

All around them, the forest is buzzing with noise, and yet all they can hear is their own shallow breathing and the echoing roar of a crowd, slowly fading out…

They should have died that day. Their injuries were grievous. But fate had other plans. 

Something in the forest stirs. Like those aristocrats, it saw something inside of them. So, it approaches, tentative and slow, then accepts them in its embrace.

Infused with the vitality of the earth and its kin, they stand.

They will never lose again. 

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

GANGLE

Race: Plasmoid

Class: Druid (Circle of Stars)

Feats: Healer, Elemental Adept, Mage Slayer

Resistances: Poison

—

Bright light. 

A roll of thunder.

Pain pulsing through every inch of her body.

“Yes! YES!”

Awakened. 

—

STATS

HP: 87

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking

STR: 10 (+0) | DEX: 14 (+2) | CON: 14 (+2) | INT: 16 (+3) | WIS: 17 (+3) | CHA: 12 (+1)

Saving Throws

STR: +0

DEX: +2

CON: +2

INT: +7

WIS: +7

CHA: +1

Senses

Passive Perception: 13

Passive Investigation: 13

Passive Insight: 17

Skills

Acrobatics: +2

Animal Handling: +3

Arcana: +7

Athletics: +0 (Advantage)

Deception: +1

History: +3

Insight: +7

Intimidation: +1

Investigation: +3

Medicine: +7

Nature: +3

Perception: +3

Performance: +1

Persuasion: +1

Religion: +3

Sleight of Hand: +6

Stealth: +6

Survival: +3

—

The tower is nice. The woods outside of it are even nicer. So many animals. So many flowers.

It’s a shame she can’t stray very far.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Scimitar

Spells

- Cantrips: Druidcraft, Magic Stone, Mold Earth, Produce Flame

- 1st Level: Cure Wounds, Entangle

- 2nd Level: Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Moonbeam

- 3rd Level: Call Lightning, Conjure Animals

- 4th Level: Polymorph, Stoneskin

- 5th Level: Antilife Shell, Mass Cure Wounds

- 6th Level: Primordial Ward

—

Elf ears. Marigolds. Shriveled bat wings. Powered flame. A piece of a unicorn horn.

She enjoys watching the cauldron be mixed around and around. 

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Druidic- Gangle knows Druidic, the secret language of the Druids.

Wild Shape- Gangle can shapeshift into animals.

Star Map- Gangle has a special starry map that gives her several different benefits.

Starry Form- Instead of turning into an animal, Gangle can use her Wild Shape to take on a certain kind of Starry Form of her choosing, with each one giving a different benefit.

Cosmic Omen- Gangle can consult her star map for omens to predict how an action might pan out.

Twinkling Constellation- Even after she’s already selected a Starry Form, Gangle can change it to something else. 

Racial Abilities

Amorphous- Gangle can squeeze through spaces as narrow as 1 inch wide. 

Darkvision- Gangle can see in the dark.

Hold Breath- Gangle can hold her breath for up to an hour.

Natural Resilience- Gangle has resistance to Poison damage and to being poisoned.

Shape Self- Gangle can mold and shape her body however she pleases.

—

Her master’s power grows.

As does her worry. 

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Servant

Languages: Common, Druidic, Giant, Ooze

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 15 GP

- Bedroll

- Calligrapher’s Supplies

- Candle

- Holy Symbol

- Mess Kit

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Scimitar

- Wooden Shield

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Totem

- Waterskin

- Weaver’s Tools

As a Plasmoid, Gangle appears much like a blob of slime molded into the vague shape of a humanoid. The pale red ooze making up her body is shaped in a way that makes it look like she’s swathed in ribbon. Within her body, a nervous system can be seen, glowing ever so slightly. Upon her head, she wears a white mask that acts as her face, as it is enchanted to emote and speak. 

—

Perhaps it is time to leave.

The forest calls. 

—

OTHER

- She was once the servant to a Lich. 

—

Freedom. 

Finally.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

KINGER

Race: Warforged

Class: Ranger (Swarmkeeper)

Feats: Sharpshooter, Durable, Alert

Resistances: Poison, Disease 

—

His kingdom is flourishing. 

Within the city walls, life blooms in every crevice. Queenie loves flowers, so he’s covered every possible surface in plant life for her. It really brightens the streets. 

They’re happy. 

—

STATS

HP: 124

AC: 17 (Scale Mail)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking

STR: 12 (+1) | DEX: 14 (+2) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 8 (-1) | WIS: 13 (+1) | CHA: 14 (+2)

Saving Throws

STR: +5

DEX: +6

CON: +4

INT: -1

WIS: +1

CHA: +2

Senses

Passive Perception: 15

Passive Investigation: 9

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +2

Animal Handling: +5

Arcana: -1

Athletics: +1

Deception: +2

History: +3

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +2

Investigation: -1

Medicine: +1

Nature: +3

Perception: +5

Performance: +2

Persuasion: +6

Religion: -1

Sleight of Hand: +2

Stealth: +2

Survival: +5

—

He’s down at the stables one day when the marshal comes up to him, asking if they could take a stablehand under their wing to help with the workload. 

Weird. He could have sworn he hired a stablehand… But perhaps he’s just thinking wrong. Queenie always says he would lose his head if it wasn’t attached to his neck!

He agrees to the marshal’s request, and a new stablehand is hired. 

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Longbow

- Quarterstaff

- Spear

Spells

- 1st Level: Cure Wounds, Longstrider

- 2nd Level: Pass Without Trace

- 3rd Level: Conjure Animals, Plant Growth, Water Walk

—

Kinger goes to a bookstore to pick up the newest copy of Queenie’s favorite book series. 

“How’s your wife been?” he asks the clerk.

The clerk looks at him oddly. “I’ve never been married.”

Kinger is confused. He could have sworn a young, cute couple ran this store together. He remembered meeting them when they first arrived in his city.

But… 

No. He didn’t.

By the next day, he’d forgotten about the clerk’s wife.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Favored Enemy- Kinger has expertise on tracking, hunting, studying, and interacting with two creature types of his choice (monstrosities and beasts).

Natural Explorer- Kinger is adept at traveling through certain types of terrain (forest, grassland, mountains).

Primeval Awareness- Kinger can focus on the immediate area around him and try to sense aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead within a 1 mile radius.

Gathered Swarm- Kinger has befriended a swarm of insects that act as his allies and will attack with him.

Extra Attack- Kinger can attack twice.

Writhing Tide- Kinger can focus his swarm around him, allowing the swarm to lift him up so he can hover around. 

Land’s Stride- Kinger can move through non-magical difficult terrain without wasting any excess movement.

Hide In Plain Sight- Kinger can camouflage himself.

Mighty Swarm- Kinger’s swarm grows stronger, allowing it to deal more damage. 

Racial Abilities

Constructed Resilience- Due to Kinger not having a body of flesh, he has great fortitude that grants him several benefits: resistance to Poison damage and being poisoned, immune to disease, doesn’t need to sleep, doesn’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.

Sentry’s Rest- Instead of sleeping, Kinger can stand or sit motionless doing nothing and gain the same benefits of a rest.

Integrated Protection- Kinger’s body gives him natural protection.

—

It seems like the city is getting smaller. 

He and Queenie held their usual Flower Festival the day before, where butterflies would fill the sky in their multitude of colors. But for some reason, it felt like not as many people showed up. He doesn’t know why. 

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Noble

Languages: Common, Draconic, Quori, Undercommon

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 25 GP

- Arrows

- Bedroll

- Books

- Longbow

- Mess Kit

- Quarterstaff

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Scroll of Pedigree

- Signet Ring

- Spear

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Waterskin

- Wedding Ring

Kinger almost looks like a regular man, except instead of skin, he looks to have been chiseled out of marble - a grand statue given life. He has no mouth, and upon his head is a crown carved to always be present. His hands seem like they were broken off somehow, replaced by swarms of insects forming the shape of hands. Butterflies follow him around and are usually perched on his shoulders and head. 

—

The sound of singing haunts his dreams. A gentle dire, a murmured beckon. He refuses to sleep, and for a while, Queenie is there to coax him to rest, but then…

Wait.

Who is Queenie?

—

OTHER

- He’s strayed far from his kingdom. 

—

He’s never been married. 

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

POMNI

Race: Shifter (Swiftstride)

Class: Warlock (The Void)

Feats: Mounted Combatant, Fey-Touched, Actor

Resistances: N/A

—

Stuffed in a cage, the kitten quivers, pressed into the furthest corner to stay out of reach. She’s crying, hyperventilating. She’s so scared. She wants to go home. 

—

STATS

HP: 87

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking

STR: 5 (-3) | DEX: 18 (+4) | CON: 15 (+3) | INT: 12 (+1) | WIS: 12 (+1) | CHA: 20 (+5)

Saving Throws

STR: -3

DEX: +4

CON: +2

INT: +1

WIS: +5

CHA: +8

Senses

Passive Perception: 11

Passive Investigation: 11

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +8

Animal Handling: +1

Arcana: +5

Athletics: -3

Deception: +5

History: +5

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +5

Investigation: +1

Medicine: +1

Nature: +1

Perception: 1

Performance: +12

Persuasion: +5

Religion: +1

Sleight of Hand: +8

Stealth: +4

Survival: +1

—

Bright colors and flashing lights. A calliope is playing happily. Dozens of people fill the stands to watch the show, and she is the main act. 

Don’t mess up.

Don’t mess up. 

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Dagger (2)

- Sickle

- Sling

Spells

- Cantrips: Chill Touch, Eldritch Blast, Fire Bolt, True Strike, Mage Hand, Magic Stone, Prestidigitation  

- 1st Level: Bless, Hellish Rebuke, Inflict Wounds, Misty Step

- 2nd Level: Blindness/Deafness, Shatter

- 3rd Level: Bestow Curse, Counterspell, Vampiric Touch

- 4th Level: Blight, Dimension Door, Elemental Bane

- 5th Level: Hold Monster

- 6th Level: Investiture of Fire

—

The lick of a whip dragging its blood-wet tongue across her back. Chains around her wrists, holding her down. A bridle in her mouth, choking back the screams that so desperately want to be heard.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Touched By The Void- Sometimes, Pomni’s body will flicker in and out of existence. When this happens, she gains Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, causing the attack to phase right through her. Additionally, she has Advantage on Death Saving Throws, but if she were to die, she would be dragged back into the Void and devoured. 

Eldritch Invocations- Pomni has a number of eldritch knowledge at her disposal, granting her a number of benefits.

Eldritch Spear- The range of Eldritch Blast is extended to 300 feet.

Agonizing Blast- More damage is added to Eldritch Blast.

One With Shadows- If in an area with dim light or darkness, Pomni can become invisible.

Relentless Hex- Pomni can create a temporary connection with a creature. When connected, she can teleport up to 30 feet towards the creature.

Maddening Hex- Pomni can deal extra Psychic damage by creating a psychic disturbance.

Repelling Blast- Eldritch Blast will move the target back by 10 feet.

Pact Boon: Pact of the Tome- Pomni has been given a Book of Shadows by her patron, granting her three extra cantrips.

Abyssal Field- Pomni creates a sort of field that rips at the veil of reality, opening up a space to the Void in the material plane. Within this field, weak objects crumble away and are destroyed, while everything and everyone aside from Pomni takes damage. 

Entropy Awaits- After reducing an enemy to 0, Pomni can thrust their soul into the Void, feeding it and allowing her to regain a number of hit points back. 

Mystic Arcanum- Pomni’s patron has bestowed upon her an arcanum, which allows her to gain a higher level spell earlier than she normally would. 

Racial Abilities

Darkvision- Pomni can see in the dark.

Shifting- Pomni can take on a more bestial appearance. As a Swiftstride Shifter, when she is shifted, she moves faster than she normally would. 

—

Something is wrong. Something happened. The train took too sharp of a turn, and suddenly, she’s falling. Falling. Falling.

She braces herself for impact, for the terrified release of death…but it never happens.

She opens her eyes.

There’s nothing.

Everything is just…empty. 

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Circus Freak

Languages: Common, Abyssal, Undercommon, Deep Speech, Sylvan, Goblin

Alignment: Neutral Good

Inventory

Money: 10 SP

- Book of Shadows

- Component Pouch

- Dagger (2)

- Ink

- Ink Pen

- Little Bag of Sand

- Parchment

- Sickle

- Sling

- Small Knife

- Woodcarver’s Tools

Unlike others of her kind, Pomni isn’t exactly the most ferocious or intimidating—both in personality and appearance. She’s a small, stout young woman—so short that she constitutes as a Small creature. All Shifters resemble some kind of animal, and she resembles a tiger, which is rather hilarious due to the previous mention of her being tiny and pathetic. Weirdly, her fur is red and blue instead of black and orange…but given everything else that’s just been mentioned about her, that’s pretty on-par.

Round little tiger ears poke out of her scruffy black hair, and she has a tiger tail. Her fingers and toes are clawed, and her teeth are sharp. Blue stripes are scored along her upper arms, thighs, neck, and cheeks. The bottom of her feet are padded, making it more comfortable for her to walk around without shoes on, which she usually does. She also appears to be somewhat digitigrade, often walking on her toes (perhaps to look taller?). Her nose is pink like a tiger’s. Her fingers have been permanently stained to a black gradient. 

When she’s shifted, Pomni gains a slightly more intimidating edge. Fur sprouts up her limbs and along her back, and her face takes on a more bestial appearance. 

There are red blisters around her wrists and ankles.

However, there’s something…weird about Pomni. Something almost…uncanny. Sometimes her muscles will visibly spasm beneath her skin, like they’re alive and want to get free. Sometimes her flesh will ripple. Upon her back, she has a pair of strange, vestigial wings beneath the skin. Occasionally, little black tentacles will sprout from random parts of her body. Two horn buds rise from her crown. 

And her eyes…they’re just not right. 

—

She doesn’t know how long she’s been down here. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? It doesn’t matter anymore.

She’s alone. All alone. 

She’s tried screaming. She’s tried to claw her way out. She’s tried praying to every god in existence.

Nothing.

It’s like the entire world has shut her out. 

She always knew there were fates worse than death.

She thinks she may have found the worst. 

—

OTHER

- She was once an act in a traveling magical circus that would go around via train on the borders between different planes. 

- Aberrant Horror

—

Light. Freedom.

She’s out. She’s free.

But she’s not alone. Not anymore.

Something whispers in her mind. And something writhes beneath her flesh. 

She���s scared. 

[7saith-moved]

HOLY LIGHT OVER NIGHT , OH, KEEP THE SPIRIT STRONG.

name: lucifer fallhaven

nicknames: luci

species: fallen angel

residence: purgoe, louisiana & venice, italy ( previous hellvilli )

occupation(s): head of fallhaven crime family, ceo of nether corp

previous titles: king of hell

sexuality: heterosexual

visual age: 40's

actual age: need to ask?

fc representation: penn badgley

WARNINGS of mention of torture, weapons, abandonment, violence, crime .

STRENGTHS

influence: as a former king of hell and the ceo of nethercorp, lucifer possesses immense influence over both the supernatural and human realms.

legal acumen: having worked his way up as a lawyer in the nineteenth century, lucifer is highly skilled in legal matters, making him a formidable negotiator and manipulator.

immortality: being a fallen angel, lucifer is immortal and resistant to many conventional forms of harm

WEAKNESSES

heavenly restrictions: lucifer is bound by the agreement between heaven and hell, limiting the extent of his actions to prevent upsetting the balance and facing consequences from higher powers.

vulnerability to divine forces: despite his power, lucifer is vulnerable to the forces of heaven and divine intervention.

complicated past: lucifer carries the weight of his rebellious past, which can be exploited emotionally or psychologically.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

soul contracts: lucifer can offer contracts to humans in exchange for their souls, granting him their allegiance and servitude.

shape-shifting: as a fallen angel, lucifer can change his appearance to blend in with humans or adopt a more intimidating form.

hellish influence: he can exert control over demonic forces and manipulate hellish energies..

TRAITS

charismatic: lucifer possesses a charismatic and persuasive demeanor that draws people in.

strategic: he is a master strategist, always thinking several steps ahead to achieve his goals.

ambitious: lucifer is driven by ambition and a desire to maintain control over the supernatural realms.

WHAT THE HEAVENLY COUNCIL TELLS YOU . . .

Long before the current accord between realms, Lucifer was a revered and mighty archangel in the celestial hierarchy. His unmatched charm and beauty earned him the moniker "Lightbringer." However, his pride and yearning for independence led him to challenge God's authority. This defiance sparked a cataclysmic conflict in the heavens. Lucifer and his followers fiercely battled against the heavenly forces but were eventually overpowered and banished from paradise. The once-glorious archangel found himself plummeting from heaven, his once majestic wings now scorched and torn as he descended into the depths of the infernal abyss. The anguish of God's retribution haunted Lucifer for centuries. The memory of the war he started, the agony of rejection, and the burning pain of his damaged wings served as constant reminders of his rebellion. God's punishment left an enduring mark on Lucifer's psyche, stirring feelings of torment.

THE TRUTH . . .

Humans often overlook the fact that everything was orchestrated. Heaven required a scapegoat, and Lucifer willingly took on the role out of loyalty to his father. With a heavy heart, he dared to pose a question that gnawed at his conscience: Was it pride or mere curiosity, and when did curiosity become a sin? Before the heavenly council, he voiced his inquiry, only to quickly see the deception in front of him.

ACT ; ONE - THE DEFIANCE

In the pristine white corridors of Heaven, urgency fills the air as a tumult looms on the horizon. With swift force, Lucifer is seized and hauled to the heart of Heaven, where he faces the consequences of his rebellion. No mercy, not even from the angelic. A knife is drawn and soon the vision turns to white. "you're nothing" a voice rings through the piercing rings. his brothers have made him foe.

ACT ; TWO - THINK WE MADE THE SUN CRY

Lucifer refuses to speak of the terrifying events. With closed eyes, he imagines his mother's comforting embrace. Despite his torn wings, he briefly finds solace in her love, feeling as if he's experiencing the tranquility of a mortal's peaceful passing—silent, fierce, and strangely beautiful. is this his death?

ACT ; THREE - IN THE END WE'RE ALL FALLEN

As Lucifer plunges through the skies, the echoes of angelic screams reverberate through the celestial realm, a haunting reminder of their once-beloved comrade's descent. Legend has it that Lucifer's impact upon the mortal ground was so tremendous that it cleaved a continent in twain. A deep chasm formed between the fractured landmasses, into which cascaded torrents of water. Downward, Lucifer plummeted into the abyss of eternal darkness, descending into the infernal depths of Hell.

ACT ; ? - O'MORTAL NOT EVEN YOU DESERVE TO KNOW THE HORRORS OF HELL.

After countless centuries, a weakened Lucifer emerges from his slumber amidst the damned souls of Hell. Amidst the wretched souls surrounding him, he pauses to mourn the heavens that had forsaken him, tears streaming down his face before drying into a mask of rage. Determined not to emulate his father's failures, Lucifer resolves to fulfill his duty to care for those around him. Gradually, what was once known as Hell transforms into Hellvilli, an empire forged in darkness. Under Lucifer's reign, sinners find redemption and rise above the judgment that once condemned them.

THE PRESENT . . .

Lucifer is thriving in the modern era, commanding his infernal family with remarkable prowess, causing unease in the heavenly realms. The Fallhavens, a formidable supernatural crime syndicate, boast a membership exceeding a hundred individuals. Their frequent clashes with rival supernatural families, particularly those associated with Heaven, are well-known. The historic animosity between angels and demons has historically resulted in deadly conflicts, though recent times have seen a welcome decrease in hostilities.

In 1927, the Heavenly Council seeks Lucifer to draft contracts due to a decline in mortal prayers. A council of Hellvillian princes has been established to maintain cosmic equilibrium. These seven influential figures currently dwell on Earth, scattered across the globe. Their actions sow chaos and lead mortals towards embracing the sanctity of goodness.

Lucifer unleashes chaos on Earth, establishing Hellvillian as a nine-layered realm of damnation, with a small town called Purgoe perched atop its hierarchy. This town remains hidden, visible only to sinners, a determination made by the heavenly council. Each new mortal soul entering Earth undergoes judgment and prediction for either eternal damnation or heavenly ascent, a game played among the angels that Lucifer finds excessively cruel.

Yet, it's crucial to understand that Lucifer's involvement in making contracts was not by choice. He was coerced by the threat of harm to his family, compelling him to make difficult decisions and swear an oath to the heavenly council. Fret not, mortal as the king of hell has a plan to bring hell to it's lone kingdom.

[shovel-the-quasit]

"Hidden" quest in Baldur's Gate 3 Guildhall - Cheeky Nora

Somehow still finding new things even on my 7th playthrough. There's a woman near the dragonborn playing the flute in the Guildhall named Cheeky Nora. If you talk to her, she will go on a slightly unhinged rant about being dumped by the hall barkeep and ask you to ask him what's up.

The barkeep is a bugbear. If you ask him what's up with him and Cheeky Nora, he says:

"Gah! Nora's what you call an M-F - the M stands for Monster. Let's just say I ain't that type."

holy shit lmao

The rest of the quest below.

You have a couple different options for breaking the bad news to Nora:

(Persuasion) He's intimidated by you. Do yourself a favor and set your sights somewhere else.

(Intimidation) He's a bugbear. The only date you two will go on is if he decides to eat you for dinner.

(Deception) It's me. Severn and I are in love.

(Intelligence) Bugbears live short lives. It's destined for tragedy either way.

I went with 3 since it seemed most in-character.

She says, "You backstabbing minx. I suppose you want to fight now, eh? Bathe in one another's blood in Severn's name? Perhaps for someone else, I would. But my love for Severn is pure. Unsullied by violence."

Then she gives you the ring she was going to give him.

Incredible.

[coffeeincluded]

Just started act 3 in Baldur’s Gate 3 and holy crap I just got bombarded with some chilling side quests one after the next.

The whole thing with the circus and the clown aside (which, what the fuck is up with that circus YOU HAVE REDCAPS WANDERING AROUND), you have:

All the refugees piled into a slum and being harassed and worse

Scratch was abused by his previous owner along with the other two dogs still at the courier

Uma demanding that Astarion help save the Gur children that he was forced to steal for Cazador (and I just know I’m gonna find a room full of abused vampire spawn children)

And a conspiracy to PLANT EXPLOSIVES IN TOYS MEANT FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN (which, something similar has actually happened in real life; the Soviet Union did something similar when they were in Afghanistan in the 1980s)

All of that in the span of one long rest.

Just, damn. That is chilling. And also fantastic. And I kinda want to write something about that, about my Tav’s (Soren, a wood half elf bard) growing horror and disgust and rage; by the end of my playtime Soren was using nothing but intimidation and violence to get information when he only ever used persuasion and deception before.

[heartsdefine]

☽ ─ ELSPETH'S DND CHARACTER BUILD (BG3 AU)

a work in progress, more to be added as i put the info together!

CLASS/LEVEL.

Level 6 Cleric (towards the end of Act 1) Proficiency Bonus: +3

ABILITY SCORES & SKILLS.

STRENGTH: 13 (+1) — Saving Throw: +1 ↪ Athletics: +1 DEXTERITY: 14 (+2) — Saving Throw: +2 ↪ Acrobatics: +2 ↪ Sleight of Hand: +2 ↪ Stealth: +2 CONSTITUTION: 16 (+3) — Saving Throw: +3 INTELLIGENCE: 16 (+3) — Saving Throw: +3 ↪ Arcana: +3 ↪ History: +6 ↪ Investigation: +3 ↪ Nature: +3 ↪ Religion: +3 WISDOM: 16 (+3) — Saving Throw: +6 ✓ ↪ Animal Handling: +3 ↪ Insight: +6 ↪ Medicine: +3 ↪ Perception: +3 ↪ Survival: +3 CHARISMA: 14 (+2) — Saving Throw: +5 ✓ ↪ Deception: +2 ↪ Intimidation: +2 ↪ Performance: +2 ↪ Persuasion: +2

PROFICIENCIES.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Flails, Morningstars Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields Instruments: Piano, Flute, Lute

LANGUAGES.

Common, Elvish, Druidic

FEATURES & TRAITS.

CHANNEL DIVINITY CHARGES: 2 (replenished by a short or long rest) - PRESERVE LIFE. Evoke a healing energy that restores 3 x Character Level hit points to allied creatures. - TURN UNDEAD. As an action, present your holy symbol and cause undead creatures to flee. - DESTROY UNDEAD. When you successfully Turn an Undead creature, it also takes 4d6 Radiant damage. DISCIPLE OF LIFE. Your devotion empowers your healing Spells. When casting a healing spell, the target regains an additional 2 + Spell Level hit points. BLESSED HEALER. Regain 2 + Spell Slot Level hit points when casting a healing spell on another creature.

FEATS.

LUCKY. You gain 3 Luck Points, which you can use to gain Advantage on Attack rolls, Ability checks, or Saving throws, or to make an enemy reroll their Attack rolls.

SPELLCASTING.

CLASSES: Cleric of Selûne SUBCLASS: Life Domain SPELL ATTACK BONUS: +6 SPELL SAVE DC: 14 PREPARED SPELLS: 9

SPELLS KNOWN.

CANTRIPS. 1. Blade Ward 2. Guidance 3. Light 4. Resistance LEVEL ONE. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇〇 1. Bless (Life Domain) 2. Cure Wounds (Life Domain) 3. Guiding Bolt 4. Healing Word 5. Shield of Faith LEVEL TWO. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇 1. Aid (Life Domain) 2. Lesser Restoration (Life Domain) 3. Calm Emotions 4. Prayer of Healing 5. Warding Bond LEVEL THREE. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇 1. Beacon of Hope (Life Domain) 2. Revivify (Life Domain) 3. Daylight 4. Mass Healing Word 5. Spirit Guardians

ETCETERA.

[justacryolophosaurus]

Cleric Subclass: Revelry Domain

Inspiration: I wanted to update the subclass for my Cleric for Dionysus character. So it tends to take inspiration from the Nature Cleric and the GOO Warlock.

Revelry Domain

Clerics of the Revelry Domain are a strange bunch. On the surface they resemble and are easily confused for the clerics of the gods of the Nature Domain. However, much like the gods they worship, clerics of the revelry domain are far scarier the more you get to know them. They serve ancient and old gods, ones that embody a beings most primal desires, with clerics of the revelry domain serving gods known for offering respite and escape from the trials of life and restoring the energy of people to keep going. But just because what they do now is mostly bless the parties and festivals they frequent, it doesn’t mean clerics of the Revelry Domain aren’t able to fend off those who seek to crush the will of the those seek to ruin the experience.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and brewing supplies.

Oenolic Acolyte

At 1st level, you gain the Thorn Whip and Mind Sliver Cantrips. These are cast as cleric cantrips. You also gain proficiency in two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion

Additionally, you can use your Wisdom modifier where you would normally use your Charisma modifier.

Channel Divinity: Bad Influence

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to debilitate your enemies. As an action your present your holy symbol and invoke the name of your deity causing one of three effects (your choice). The effects end when specified or when you next use your Channel Divinity.

Motion Sickness:

A number of enemies within 30 ft. of you less than or equal to your proficiency bonus must make a Constitution saving against your cleric spell save DC. Those that fail proceed to vomit uncontrollably, becoming incapacitated and prone for 1d4 turns.

Grasping Vines:

A number of enemies within 30 ft. of you less than or equal to your proficiency bonus must make a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC. Those that fail are grabbed by vines that rip open the ground, rendering them grappled and restrained. The restrained creatures can try and beat the saving throw again, using an athletics or acrobatics check. The effect of this option ends for each creature when they beat the saving throw or collectively after one minute.

Frightful Presence:

A number of enemies within 30 ft. of you equal to or less than your proficiency bonus must make a Wisdom saving throw against your cleric spell save DC. Those that fail become frightened of you and take the most direct route away from your location ignoring both your allies and your enemies. They can repeat the same saving throw on each of their following turns. The effects of this channel divinity end when they succeed the saving throw, they leave your line of sight for one round, or after a minute has passed.

Tempered Mind

Starting at 6th level, when a spell that requires a Wisdom or Intelligence saving throw is cast against you, you can instead choose to make the attacking creature make the same saving throw against a DC equal to your Cleric spell save DC plus your proficiency bonus. If they fail, the effects of a failure apply to them. If they succeed, the effects of a success applies to you. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

Additionally, any creature that tries to read your mind against your will must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Cleric spell save DC. If they fail, they become frightened of you until the next time you take a long rest.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 psychic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Blackout

At 17th level, you gain the ability to infect a number of creatures with your gods maddening presence. You can use your action to touch 1d4 creatures affected by your Channel Divinity or your Tempered Mind feature.

If the creature is above a CR of 15 then they must succeed a Wisdom saving throw equal to your cleric spell save DC plus your proficiency bonus and that can be the only creature that you can affect with this feature. If it succeeds it isn’t affected by this feature and you can’t use this feature again until you’ve had a long rest. They must make the same saving throw after each long rest.

That creature is then charmed by you until a Remove Curse spell is cast on it, the charmed condition is removed from it, or you use this feature again. You cannot use this feature again until you have either lost all the creatures you charmed or you willingly let them go.

You can communicate telepathically with the charmed creature as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. They will fight with and help you, taking their turn after you in initiative. They have all the abilities they had when they were not charmed by you.

When the creature succeeds on the saving throw on any of the following mornings or you release them willingly, they are not hostile towards you and your allies unless provoked. Outside of that, their actions are up to your DM’s discretion.

[thanflowers]

☽ ─ ELSPETH'S DND CHARACTER BUILD (BG3 AU)

a work in progress, more to be added as i put the info together!

CLASS/LEVEL.

Level 5 Rogue, Level 7 Cleric (at end of game) Proficiency Bonus: +4

ABILITY SCORES & SKILLS.

STRENGTH: 14 (+2) — Saving Throw: +1 ↪ Athletics: +2 DEXTERITY: 18 (+4) — Saving Throw: +8 ↪ Acrobatics: +8 ↪ Sleight of Hand: +12 ↪ Stealth: +8 CONSTITUTION: 16 (+3) — Saving Throw: +7 INTELLIGENCE: 15 (+2) — Saving Throw: +2 ↪ Arcana: +2 ↪ History: +6 ↪ Investigation: +2 ↪ Nature: +2 ↪ Religion: +2 WISDOM: 18 (+4) — Saving Throw: +7 ✓ ↪ Animal Handling: +4 ↪ Insight: +12 ↪ Medicine: +4 ↪ Perception: +4 ↪ Survival: +4 CHARISMA: 15 (+2) — Saving Throw: +2 ✓ ↪ Deception: +2 ↪ Intimidation: +2 ↪ Performance: +2 ↪ Persuasion: +2

PROFICIENCIES.

Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords, flails, morningstars Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Instruments: Piano, Flute, Lute Tools: Thieves' Tools

LANGUAGES.

Common, Elvish, Druidic

ROGUE FEATURES & TRAITS.

SNEAK ATTACK. Deal extra damage (+3d6) to a foe you have Advantage against. Also works if you have an ally within 5 ft of the target and you don't have Disadvantage. CUNNING ACTION. (Dash/Hide/Disengage) You can use a Bonus Action to Dash, Hide, or Disengage. UNCANNY DODGE. Use your lightning-quick reflexes to protect yourself. When an attack hits you, you only take half the usual damage.

CLERIC FEATURES & TRAITS.

CHANNEL DIVINITY CHARGES: 2 (replenished by a short or long rest) - PRESERVE LIFE. Evoke a healing energy that restores 3 x Character Level hit points to allied creatures. - TURN UNDEAD. As an action, present your holy symbol and cause undead creatures to flee. - DESTROY UNDEAD. When you successfully Turn an Undead creature, it also takes 4d6 Radiant damage. DISCIPLE OF LIFE. Your devotion empowers your healing Spells. When casting a healing spell, the target regains an additional 2 + Spell Level hit points. BLESSED HEALER. Regain 2 + Spell Slot Level hit points when casting a healing spell on another creature.

FEATS.

LUCKY. You gain 3 Luck Points, which you can use to gain Advantage on Attack rolls, Ability checks, or Saving throws, or to make an enemy reroll their Attack rolls.

SPELLCASTING.

CLASSES: Cleric of Selûne SUBCLASS: Life Domain SPELL ATTACK BONUS: +6 SPELL SAVE DC: 14 PREPARED SPELLS: 9

SPELLS KNOWN.

CANTRIPS. 1. Blade Ward 2. Guidance 3. Light 4. Resistance LEVEL ONE. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇〇 1. Bless (Life Domain) 2. Cure Wounds (Life Domain) 3. Guiding Bolt 4. Healing Word 5. Shield of Faith LEVEL TWO. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇 1. Aid (Life Domain) 2. Lesser Restoration (Life Domain) 3. Calm Emotions 4. Prayer of Healing 5. Warding Bond LEVEL THREE. Spell Slots: 〇〇〇 1. Beacon of Hope (Life Domain) 2. Revivify (Life Domain) 3. Daylight 4. Mass Healing Word 5. Spirit Guardians

ETCETERA.

[wardensantoineandevka]

The babes are back in town! I'm VERY excited, you can tell because I got bingo done a little early for once, and I'm sure everyone else is too. I've put together a bingo call list for the Nein reunited. Just like the C2 finale's call list, this is 69 items. You can find them all below the cut, and you can get your own bingo card here at BingoBaker. Here's some notes for the call list.

"Fjord has a new hat" is rather generous. Since it is pretty impossible to tell if it's the SAME hat as the one he had in Eiselcross, I'm going to say that if he is described with ANY hat, this square is legal.

"Fjord has a tattoo" does not require it be magical. A non-magical tattoo counts, but a magical one is fun.

"any (real) cat" generally is for any cat that isn't Frumpkin. Ergo, mentioning Frumpkin as a cat who once accompanied Caleb does not count. (He was a fey cat, rather than a beast cat, anyway.) The Tower counts also do NOT count, by virtue of not being real cats.

Any item listed by name, the item must be used for it to count as a square. For example, Beau teleporting using the Cape of the Mountebank make the square legal. Endless Flask counts if it's offered or drunk from.

"Sweet Baby" is Veth's gun. If Veth has acquired more bullets and shoots her gun, that's the square for it.

"any new item" is for any item that the Nein did NOT have at the end of the campaign. This is any item they may have acquired between now and the end of the campaign OR any item they newly acquire during this episode.

"new crew member" is for any new NAMED crew member of the Nein Heroez. The currently known crew is: Fjord, Orly, Marius, Gallan, Shelda, Kingsley, and Jester. Should he have decided to join the crew since, Vandran also counts as existing crew.

"ship to ship combat" is basically any combat between ships as entities in themselves, i.e. cannon fire. "Combat on deck" is largely between PCs individually. A single combat CAN be both.

If it is mentioned that Marius has killed someone BEFORE this episode, it DOES count for "Marius kills someone"

Any listed spell does count if an NPC casts it.

"Veth casts a new spell" covers cantrips as well.

Fjord was mentioned as having Cone of Cold during the campaign, but casting is now DOES count for "Fjord or Caleb casts new spell" bc it was never cast. Friends counts for the same reason.

As always, you can ask me for clarifications before, during, or after the episode into the rest of the week! I always love seeing your bingos or almost bingos—and I also love seeing some fun rows you hope will happen ahead of the episode.

May the Nein bring you luck this week.

Fjord has a new hat

Fjord has a tattoo

Star Razor used as flashlight

Caleb still has the Staff of Power

Caleb mentions any (real) cat

Veth references summer camp

summer camp kid named

Kingsley multi-classed

Kingsley single-classed

Yasha still has the Holy Avenger

Sprinkle

Cape of the Mountebank

Endless Flask

Marvelous Pigments

Inescapable Lash (my beloved)

Sweet Baby

Mantle of Spell Resistance

Ring of Telepathy

Ring of Warding

Rod of Absorption

Winged Boots

any new item

new crew member

ship to ship combat

combat on deck

underwater combat

combat on land

Nein Heroez still using ballistae

Nein Heroez now using cannons

Marius kills someone

Marius hasn't killed anyone

Marius lands an attack

Orly casts a spell

any NPC has a gun

any PC uses explosives

Beau and Yasha kiss

Fjord and Jester kiss

Darktow

Nicodranas

Port Damali

any other Coast city

Avantika appearance

Caduceus appearance

Sabian appearance

Vandran appearance

Kotho mention or appearance

Gelidon mention

Divine Intervention

Marine Layer

Fury of the Tides

Stunning Strike

Cone of Cold

Counterspell

Polymorph

See Invisibility

Sending

Voltaic Bolt

illusion cast

Veth casts a new spell

Fjord or Caleb casts a new spell

Arcana check

Deception check

History check

Insight check

Intimidation check

Perception check

Persuasion check

Stealth check

Survival check

[unreluctantone]

Encountober - Foo Guardians

As part of @catbatart's Encountober, I present:

Holy Guardians (a Dungeons and Dragons Encounter for 4 characters of levels 2-4).

The village church of Sodden Hope has been ransacked and the party have drawn in to investigate, possibly because the village reeve is convinced that the party is somehow responsible. Dedicated to an ancient river goddess, the church has stood on this stop for centuries and holds many secrets. The priest is unavailable at the moment, as they are still recovering from wounds suffered when they attacked the ransacker, but an elderly caretaker (half-elf commoner) named Young Eled is standing guard outside. If the party have official approval for their search, he'll gladly stand aside, otherwise he will need to persuaded with a DC 11 Deception, Intimidate, or Persuasion check.

Investigating the church, the party will find that everything disturbed: religious objects strewn on the floor, pages torn from tomes and scattered about, and every piece of furniture that is bolted down has been knocked over. A successful DC 13 Investigation check will reveal that much of this is just random chaos intended to conceal that the search was more focused and planned than a random attack. The ransacker targeted the church's collection box, a specific tome concerning famous warriors who are buried in the church, and the locked cabinet that held the church's religious paraphernalia. If he is present, Young Eled can tell the party that an antique but seldom-used holy symbol is missing.

Regardless of whether or not they gleaned this information, the party's search leads them to a door in the church's basement that has obviously been disturbed recently, and then closed again. Young Eled can only tell the party that he can not recall the door ever being unlocked. It is now, and when opened, reveals a surprisingly large chamber (an expansive 40 feet by 50 feet!). Rusty, antique weapons hanging on along the walls, and opposite the door stands an ancient shrine, flanked by two half-pillars on which set a matched pair of ornate stone lion-dogs.

The shrine consists of a cabinet on an stone altar, and is recognizably not dedicated to the same faith as the rest of the church. The party will need to get closer to identify it, which is when things get tricky. As soon as anyone moves within 30 feet of the shrine, a magic mouth triggers and speaks the command phrase "For the High Throne" in Tabaxi, activating the two stone foo guardian wondrous statuettes. These swell to large size and leap to attack anyone in the room.

The party can fight them, or if their nature as a magical item is identified (DC 15 Arcana check) retreat out of the door and wait an hour for them to revert to mere statuary. In a fight, the foo guardians begin by trying to pounce on the nearest target, and then roar to weaken their opponents. They will fight to their own destruction, but cannot pursue beyond the room.

Once the foo guardians have been dealt with, the party can investigate the shrine more closely. The cabinet contains a small statuette (not magical!) of a woman with six arms, each of which hold a different weapon, and a five old golden signet rings (each is worth 10 gp, or 25gp if sold to an antiquarian in a large city). The same symbols found on the rings are carved into the wall behind the shrine, along with a sixth symbol. A successful DC 11 Investigate check will tell the party that there is a void in the dust inside the cabinet, indicating that until recently, a sixth signet ring sat there, presumably matching to the sixth symbol on the wall. A successful DC 13 History check, or consulting Young Eled, will identify the symbols and signets as belong to noble families that dwell in the surrounding area in the days when it was part of the now-fallen Kingdom of Calamar, with the sixth symbol and the missing signet ring belonging to the Lords of Amriel, whose ruined villa is only a half-day's travel north of Sodden Hope. A successful DC 13 Religion check will identify the woman as a war goddess named Lady Mara, while a successful DC 15 Arcana check will noted the similarity to a type of powerful demonic summons known as a marilith.

And yes, if the party has successfully identified the foo guardians, they now potentially have a useful new magical item.

Below: Young Eled.

Argh, so many words to set up the actual meat of the encounter! My simple combat encounter swelled to a full investigation. Also, the cultural specificity of foo guardians made this one tricky.

(Art 1 source, Vlad Kuzmin on ArtStation)

(Art 2 source, DaywynsDnd on DeviantArt)

[raeynbowboi]

Making a Disney Prince DnD Party

PRINCE PHILLIP THE FAIRY KNIGHT

Race: Human Background: Noble (History, Persuasion) Class: Archfey Warlock Skills: Arcana, History, Investigation, Persuasion

There were definitely points to making Phillip a Cavalier Fighter, Ancients Paladin, or a Fey Wanderer Ranger to make Phillip a more melee-focused build, but after examining Phillip’s escape from Maleficent’s castle and his actual clash with the dragon, Phillip relied heavily on the magic of the good fairies to succeed. Flora also gives him the Enchanted Shield of Virtue and the Mighty Sword of Truth. Sounds like a textbook case of a blade pact Warlock. If you want to multiclass with him, the Cavalier Fighter or Ancients Paladin are the most compatible to mix with an Archfey Warlock. A Valor or Swords Bard could also work, giving Phillip more magic, and the chance to steal spells like Hunter’s Mark, Find Steed, Conjure Woodland Beings, or Holy Weapon that Phillip doesn’t have access to as a pure Feylock. Be sure to have Summon Fey and Conjure Fey on Phillip’s spell list so he can call the good fairies to help him in battle.

PRINCE ADAM THE BEAST WITHIN

Race: Variant Human Background: Noble (History, Persuasion) Class: Beast Barbarian Feats: Charger Skills: Athletics, History, Intimidation, Persuasion

With this build, Adam gains the ability to shift between his human and beastly form when he rages, making his beast form a byproduct of his foul temper and aggression, a very nice translation to DnD mechanics while remaining in character. His charger feat also lets Beast dash toward enemies and then attack them, imitating the hunter’s pounce of a predatory animal. If you want more mobility or to commit more to a pure beast-form, you can also build Adam as a Tabaxi to radically increase his movement speed with a furry pelt to go with it.

FLYNN RIDER THE MOST WANTED MAN

Race: Human Background: Urchin Class: Thief Rogue Skills: Deception, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

This one really isn’t that surprising. There is a point to be made for the Swashbuckler, as it does make use of charm, but then, so can a thief if you give them expertise in Charisma checks.

LI SHANG THE IMPERIAL GENERAL

Race: Human Background: Soldier (Athletics, Intimidation) Class: Kensei Monk Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Intimidation

As a general, one could argue that he should be a Battle Master Fighter so he can implement strategy, but here’s the thing. Shang isn’t that brilliant of a commander. Every order Shang gives is pretty much the most direct, combative approach to a problem. Mulan is a tactician. Shang is a soldier. None of the other fighter types really felt like good fits for Shang either, so I went with a kensei monk, allowing Shang to study the blade as a part of his discipline.

HERCULES THE THUNDEROUS HERO

Race: Variant Human Background: Athlete (Acrobatics, Athletics) Class: Champion Fighter, Divine Soul Sorcerer Fighting Style: Unarmed or Great Weapon Fighting Feats: Tough Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Survival

As a Champion Fighter, Hercules can score critical hits more often, and as a Divine Soul Sorcerer, Herc can be the descendant of Zeus. While Tempest Cleric was an option, it doesn’t quite fit. Herc’s not a very bright guy, and a high wisdom score would have been out of character. Storm Sorcerer would have worked fine, but many of the features include letting Herc fly, though I suppose one could flavor that as him riding on Pegasus. But for me, the ability to make Herc the literal mechanical son of Zeus as a Divine Soul Sorcerer felt the most accurate way to build him.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #135: Martha (Ruler)

Summer goes by so fast, doesn’t it? Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the last of the summer 1 servants, Martha! By the end of this build you too can punch a dragon so hard people on the other side get hurt.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Mana prism power make up!

Race and Background

Martha’s still a Human, but since this is a variant of her normal build this is also a Variant Human. That gives her +1 Wisdom, +1 Constitution, proficiency in Animal Handling if the Tarrasque gets too uppity, and the Crusher feat. That nets you +1 Strength, and once per turn you can move a large or smaller creature when you hit it with a bludgeoning attack. Also, dealing critical damage with a bludgeoning attack gives advantage to all attack rolls against that creature for a round. We haven’t even hit level one yet and you’re already breaking bones.

Like last time, you’re still an Acolyte, giving you Insight and Religion proficiency. I don’t think I have to explain why those skills are good for Saint Martha.

Ability Scores

Despite everything you’re still a woman of the cloth, so your Wisdom should be as high as possible. Like I said in the opening your punches pack a punch, so Strength is second. Third is Constitution. Your Natural Body means you can shrug off poisons pretty easily. After that is Dexterity, because if you’re going to fight in a bikini you’d better be fast. Your Charisma isn’t great, mostly because we couldn’t make everything an 18, but we’re dumping Intelligence. It’s not like the other summer servants will notice.

Class Levels

1. If you want to punch through a dragon, monk levels are a must. First level monks get Martial Arts, letting you make an unarmed attack as a bonus action after you attack with your main action. There’s monk weapons too, but we’re just here for unarmed attacks. You can also use your dexterity instead of strength for attacks, but we’re not gonna do that. You can also use your martial arts die when you make unarmed damage rolls, and it grows as you level up. You also get Unarmored Defenses, giving you an AC of 10+ your wisdom mod + your dexterity mod to help with the whole “bikini armor” thing.

Finally, you get proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saves, as well as two monk skills. Athletics for a beach body, and History because you’re a servant, so duh.

2. Second level monks get Ki points, a number per short rest equal to your level, that you can spend to dash, disengage, dodge, or attack twice as a bonus action. You also get Unarmored Movement, increasing your walking speed as long as you’re only wearing a swimsuit. If the other players ask, it’s absolutely necessary.

3. Third level monks seek out a monastic tradition, and we’re going for a real throwback this time- the Way of Tranquility will give us all the holy power we need, and eventually, fists strong enough to tame a dragon. When you set down the Path of Tranquility you can cast Sanctuary on yourself for free once per minute. Any creature that tries to attack you must first make a wisdom save (dc 8+your wisdom modifier + proficiency) or redirect the attack. The effect still ends if you make an attack, but creatures that break through the effect are immune for an hour. 

You also get Healing Hands, giving you the same effects as a paladin’s Lay on Hands, but you get 10 times your level in healable HP each long rest. You can also replace a flurry of blows attack with this feature when you use it. Slap your party back to life!

You can also Deflect Missiles, reacting to incoming arrows and the like to reduce the damage you take. If you reduce it to zero, you can also spend a ki point to throw it back as a part of the same reaction!

4. Fourth level monks can Slow Fall, spending a reaction to reduce damage taken from falling. You also get your first Ability Score Improvement, bumping up your Wisdom for a higher AC and stronger Sanctuary.

5. Fifth level monks get an Extra Attack each attack action, and can turn their attacks into Stunning Strikes by spending ki, forcing the creature they hit to make a constitution save or be stunned for a round.

6.  Sixth level monks have magical hands thanks to their Ki-empowered Strikes, letting them get around resistances. Tranquility monks also become an Emissary of Peace, giving you advantage on charisma checks to calm down people, as long as they aren’t deception or intimidation checks. You also get proficiency in the persuasion skill.

7.  Your Evasion supercharges your dexterity saves, meaning you take half damage on failures and no damage on successes. If you’re going to tame a dragon you’d better get good at dealing with fire breath. Your Stillness of Mind also lets you end charms or frightening effects on yourself as an action. Honestly, you’re kind of the one who does the frightening around here.

8. Use this ASI to bump up your Strength for stronger and more accurate attacks. Now we’re talking.

9. Your Unarmored Movement Improvement lets you run on water and up walls, as long as your turn ends on solid ground. Perfect for those long walks on the beach.

10. Your Purity of Body makes you immune to disease and poison. Ki manipulation is really similar to being a cleric, now that we’re looking at it. Ah well, just makes it that much easier to reflavor it.

11. Eleventh level tranquility monks can Douse the Flames of War, using your action to force a wisdom save on a creature you touch. It automatically doesn’t work if the creature’s missing any HP, but if it does work it can’t deal damage or force saves for a minute, or until it’s attacked, takes damage, makes a saving throw, or sees its allies do any of the above.

12. Use this ASI to grab the Tough feat for a free 24 HP, plus two extra every time you level up. If you’re going to brawl, you’d better be ready to take some hits. For the lord, of course.

13. The Tongue of the Sun and Moon means that you now effectively speak and understand every spoken language. I mean, yeah, I guess that is technically a power Jesus gave to people, so it kinda fits. It also means you don’t have to wait for the translations Type Moon is never going to do on most of their work, so I envy you.

14. Your Diamond Soul gives you proficiency in all saving throws, and you can spend a ki point to re-roll a failed save. Pretty easy to reflavor that as god’s favor tbh.

15. Your Timeless Body now suffers no negative effects of old age (not that there’s any to begin with RAW) and you can’t be aged magically. Honestly that’s a really good thing considering we’re still sticking to the bikini.

Also you no longer need food or water, save it for your guests.

16. Use this ASI for more Strength, so you can punch even harder and nothing else. Stronks are always valid. You also get one point of Dexterity for... later.

17. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably thinking, “Fateandphantasms you dolt! You forgot to make this build super good at punching!” Hahaha, wrong. The final ability tranquility monks get is the Anger of a Gentle Soul. If you see a creature take someone else down to 0 HP, you can use your reaction to gain a damage bonus against them until the end of your next turn. That damage bonus is equal to your monk level. You can use this once per short rest.

18. Now that you can finally punch a hole through a Tarrasque, it’s time to diversify. As a Fighter, you get a Fighting Style: The Mariner fighting style gives you +1 to your AC, and you get a climbing and swimming speed, the perfect fit for a deserted island.

You also get a Second Wind, healing yourself as a bonus action, but honestly your healing hands are probably better.

19. Second level fighters get most of the reason we came here, Action Surge! Tack an extra action onto your turn for extra punching!

20. If you really want to powergame I’d suggest taking echo knight here for the extra attacks, but we’re sticking to character here, so go the way of the Champion for Improved Criticals. Now you deal critical hits on 19s and 20s!

Pros:

There’s a reason this UA isn’t really used any more. Adding a +17 modifier to your attack damage for a round means you can do ridiculous amounts of damage in a very short time. Toss in that action surge and a flurry of blows and you’re dealing 6d10+126 damage. That can ko a couple of builds on this account before we even start rolling!

Having proficiency on every save, nearly permanent Indomitable, and near permanent Sanctuary means you can just kind of ignore enemies if you don’t feel like fighting them. That doesn’t even get into the fact that you can shut them down on a save too.

You have more healing than a paladin, and you can move 110 feet in a round to administer that healing. If someone goes down, you can probably be there to help them back up. Or just kill whoever did it, either or.

Cons:

As a stronk, your AC isn’t amazing. It’s not even that bad, but when you’re a frontline fighter who can explode without warning you’re doing to bring a lot of attention on yourself, and that bikini isn’t going to help you here.

Playing to character means you’re only using your fists, which have a range of five feet. Flyers are going to be an issue, as are any monks who stuck it out until at least level 18.

A lot of this build is dependent on really old UA, so odds are most DMs aren’t going to let it slide for your average game. Ah well, Summer’s almost over anyway.

[paperanddice]

A bard, jester, or other performer (and especially any kind of comedian) might linger on after death if they feel their wit and humor went underappreciated in life. Taunting haunts exist to inflict comedy on the living, usually picking out a favored target to go after and creating schemes and routines based on that. Even the most malevolent taunting haunt is rarely outright murderous, though they have some ways of ending a life. But a corpse can't appreciate the prank pulled on it, or suffer through the effects of having its words twisted out of its own control by magic. The gag ends, rather than drawing on for as long as the ghost wants it to.

The only way to end a taunting haunt's reign is to resolve whatever issue caused it to become bound to the world, or to outwit it. Overthrowing a tyrant who had a bard put to death for mocking him may be one example, or letting the haunt put on a performance before a club that turned her down in life for spurious reasons. Anyone who engages the haunt in a battle of wits may be able to defeat it by putting on a performance that outmatches the haunts or heckling the comedian until it must leave the stage for good.

Originally from the 3.5 Monster Manual V. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as a spot on the Paper and Dice Discord server, consider backing me there!

5th Edition

Taunting Haunt Medium undead, any chaotic Armor Class 14 Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8) Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. Str 4 (-3) Dex 14 (+2) Con 12 (+1) Int 13 (+1) Wis 11 (+0) Cha 15 (+2) Skills Deception +6, Intimidation +4, Performance +6 Damage Immunities necrotic, poison Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with silver weapons Damage Vulnerabilities force, radiant Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 10 Languages any languages it knew in life Challenge 2 (450 XP) Battle Of Wits. A creature can use an action to challenge the haunt to a battle of wits. The creature makes a DC 14 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion) check. On a success, the haunt can't take any actions on its next turn except to taunt and respond to the character. This effect ends if any of that creature's allies attack the haunt or cast a spell on it. If the check fails, the haunt is immune to the effects of this trait until the end of its next turn. If a single creature succeeds on 3 checks before failing 3, the haunt is permanently destroyed. If a creature fails 3 checks before succeeding on 3, the haunt instead has advantage on all attacks against that creature and its allies, that creature and its allies have disadvantage on saves against the haunt's spells and abilities and are vulnerable to damage dealt by the haunt. Encore. If the haunt is destroyed in any way except by losing a Battle of Wits, it returns after 24 hours, reappearing in a space within 1 mile of where it was destroyed. A wish spell cast during this time prevents this trait from functioning. Force Of Personality. The taunting haunt's AC includes its Charisma bonus. Incorporeal Movement. The taunting haunt can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Innate Spellcasting. The taunting haunt's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). The taunting haunt can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: hideous laughter, vicious mockery (5th level) 3/day each: invisibility 1/day each: fear Actions Incorporeal Tickle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) necrotic damage and target must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on its next saving throw before the end of the haunt's next turn. Tripping Tongue. The taunting haunt can target a creature it can see within 30 feet of it and ruin the creature's ability to speak. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or it is forced to say the opposite of what it means to for one minute. The creature can't cast spells with verbal components or use effects that require clear speech or understanding. Anyone listening to the creature can glean the intended words in anything the creature says with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Reactions Vicious Lampoon. When an opponent within 30 feet of the taunting haunt misses an attack, the haunt can mock that creature's failure. The target must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.

13th Age

Taunting Haunt Triple-strength 2nd level spoiler [undead] Initiative: +8 Vulnerability: Holy Incorporeal Tickling +6 vs. PD - 10 negative energy damage Natural Even Hit: The target is also hampered (save ends). C: Tripping Tongue +6 vs. MD (one nearby enemy) - 5 psychic damage and the target says the opposite of everything it means to (save ends). Until the target saves, it can’t cast spells, use battle cries, or use any other ability or feature that requires it to speak Limited Use: 1/turn, as a quick action. [Special Trigger] C: Vicious Lampoon +6 vs. MD (one nearby enemy) - 5 psychic damage and the target is dazed (save ends) Limited Use: 1/turn, as an interrupt action when an enemy attacks the taunting haunt and misses. Battle of Wits: An enemy can use a standard action to make a DC 15 Charisma check against the haunt. On a success, the haunt is stunned until the end of its next turn, or until it is attacked. On a failed check, the haunt is immune to this effect until the end of its next turn and instead gains a +2 bonus to all attacks. If the haunt is stunned for 3 turns in a row by the same character, it is destroyed. The character takes a cumulative -1 penalty to this check unless the player comes up with a creative insult or witty joke to say with each check. Ghostly: The taunting haunt has resist damage 16+ to all damage except force damage. The haunt can move through solid objects, but can’t end its movement inside of them. Flight. Rejuvenation: When the taunting haunt drops to 0 hit points, it disappears but does not die. It reforms anywhere within a mile of where it died after a number of days equal to its level. AC 16 PD 12 MD 16 HP 90

[dmsden]

Location, Location, Location – The Crypt of Arzenoth

Hullo, Gentle Readers. This is our first article in our new series Location, Location, Location. Every month, we’ll offer a “five room dungeon” style location that you can insert into your own campaigns or even build a campaign around. Although the articles will be written from the perspective that they’re meant to be played as part of the Angel of Chaos campaign that I’m building in my monthly Campaign-Building articles, I’ll keep them open enough that they should be easily adaptable to any setting.

Background: Long ago, the paladin Aurelia Arzenoth was a hero and champion of the god of chivalry. Armed with a magic holy sword, she cut a path through the forces of Chaos that helped to push the Borderlands east and increase the dominion of the Realm. Sadly, she finally fell in battle with a terrible foe, the Mummy Lord Rutahkhen. Her holy sword, Daybreak, was hidden by her allies, and it’s said that clues to its location were hidden in her secret crypt, somewhere in the town of Thanavorne.

Now, however, agents of Chaos have reportedly found the Crypt’s entrance, and adventurers are needed to find out what they know before the secrets of the Crypt are recovered. For if Chaos gets its claws on Daybreak, it could be perverted into an Unholy Sword, Nightfall. This would be a disaster for the forces of the Realm.

Room 1 – The Leaky Tap. This place is the poster child for seedy taverns. Normal rats lurk in the shadowy corners, and unsavory types congregate to discuss nefarious dealings. The one-eyed half-orc barkeep, Frik, claims to know nothing about Chaos or Crypts, but an Insight 12 check can tell that he’s lying and nervous. He’s not much for fancy words, so Persuasion checks to get him to spill the beans are at DC 17. He’s gullible and rather craven, however, so Deception and Intimidation checks are only DC 12. If “persuaded”, he’ll admit that there have been strange people coming and going, and he fears that they may be plotting something dire.

Insight and Perception checks can reveal that many of the people in the bar don’t like this line of questioning, and anyone who understands Thieves’ Cant recognizes that signs are being given to sound an alarm and to kill the interlopers! Two cultists and their leader, a human thug named Kurd Votash, move to attack the PCs with Surprise if at all possible. A third cultist tries to run out the door in order to fetch their leader, Viara Neth, a human spy who is currently moving around the neighborhood with two other cultists, seeing if she can find another way into the Crypt. It will take the cultist two rounds to find Viara, and then another three rounds to return with her party. This could make this fight quite deadly for the PCs.

Treasures: The cultists all carry 2d4 cp and 1d4 sp. Kurd Votash has 13 sp and 2 gp. Viara Neth has 10 cp, 2 sp, and 3 gp.

Room 2 – the Cellar. Once things are secure, Frik tells them that, although he’s not sure what they’ve been looking for, they’ve essentially been keeping him out of the cellar. The PCs can use a skill like Investigation or Survival (DC 15) to find that there’s been a lot of activity around one particular poorly-repaired wine rack in the southern wall. An Investigation check (DC 18, or 14 if the PCs have already seen the activity) will find that this wine rack is bolted to a secret door! It is locked (DC 15) and trapped with a poison needle (DC 15 to find and/or remove. If the trap is activated and not avoided (DC 15 Dexterity saving throw), it does 1 piercing damage, and the victim must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 12) or take 7 (2d6) poison damage. The secret door creaks open noisily, revealing fine stone construction quite unlike the shoddy construction above.

Room 3 – The False Crypt. Beyond the secret door, a History check will reveal that these passages are far older than the buildings above. A Survival check will reveal that no one has been down here in some time. The PCs will find a modest crypt room. There are smashed urns and coffers, as well as a defaced sarcophagus full of smashed bones. There is a modest shrine of the God of Chivalry on the far wall that seems to be largely untouched. This room is, of course, a false tomb, designed to trick would-be thieves into thinking that the crypt has already been plundered. If the PCs inspect the shrine, they will find the outlines of a secret door (DC 15 Investigation or Perception), but there’s no obvious way to open it. A DC 15 History or Religion check will reveal that the shrine is what’s called a Shrine of Imploring Prayer, suggesting that one of the faithful of the God of Chivalry would wish to kneel and offer a prayer of supplication here (a Cleric or Paladin who serves the God of Chivalry, or someone with the Acolyte background who serves the God of Chivalry knows this automatically.) If anyone kneels and offers a short prayer to the God of Chivalry, the shrine lowers into the floor, revealing a larger room beyond.

Room 4 – The True Crypt. This is a much more magnificent room, with a marble sarcophagus carved in the form of a shroud-covered lady knight with a sword held over her chest. Small funerary urns stand in each corner, and a more magnificent shrine of Valdamor stands on the eastern wall, lit by Everburning Torches built into the walls, bathing the room in golden light. It’s at this time that a new enemy is revealed. Thaven Reek is an Evil Mage (stats found in Lost Mine of Phandelver. Alternately, create a 4th level Wizard using the rules in the Player’s Handbook). He is flanked by two cultists. They offer the PCs a chance to leave peacefully. Reek would rather not die here, so, if necessary, he will use charm person and/or misty step to escape. If he is killed, however, the PCs can claim a solid victory.

Treasures: The cultists all carry 2d4 cp and 1d4 sp. Thaven Reek is carrying 5 gp, a spell component pouch, and has a leather cord around his neck with a garnet worth 15 gp.

Room 5 – The Reward. When the enemies have been slain or driven off, a ghostly figure manifests. This is the lawful good ghost of Aurelia Arzenoth. She will offer the PCs the contents of the urns to help aid them in their battles against chaos. She does not, however, know where Daybreak might be, although she believes there is a clue in one of the urns. 

Treasures: Two urns contain 800 cp and 400 sp each. One urn contains 400 sp and 10 zircons worth 50 gp each. The final urn contains 200 cp and a piece of a map with a clue to the whereabouts of Daybreak.

This adventure could then prompt a campaign of seeking Daybreak, following various clues to recover pieces of a map, or some other device to lead the PCs to their goal.

[echodrops]

The League of Villains Plays DnD AU

(Saw a post by @bunny-loverxiv last night that reminded me I’ve had this stupid thing in my drafts unfinished for over a year now. I’m not sure I’ll ever have time to come back and finish it, but in the spirit of what I posted earlier, here it is, in all its unfinished.. glory...)

Since I asked for a League of Villains plays DnD AU and no one delivered, alas, I guess I’ll just do all the work myself!

So, without further ado:

Shigaraki Tomura’s Character Sheet:

Race and Appearance: Fallen Aasimar, with hair pale as the flesh of wraiths and eyes like two burning pools of blood, reflecting out from the infernal pits of the abyss. His rippling muscles under his bone-white skin carry the scars of his uncountable victories, and when his corrupted celestial powers radiate forth, ghostly skeletal wings rise--

( “Do I have to keep reading? This is really long...”

“It’s important!”)

Alias: “Zephiroth”

(”Isn’t that the guy from Final Fantasy?”

“No! That was Sephiroth! My character’s name is totally different!”)

Class: Oath of Conquest Paladin/Hell Knight

Motto: Dim the Ray of Hope

A dread knight whose armor is black with the blood of his enemies; to stand against him on the field of battle is to know true fear, and none have called themselves his equal and lived to tell the tale. His menacing aura is a cloud of evil righteous murder that spreads across the land as he advances, and everywhere he travels is seeped into the deepest of despairs. Civilizations tremble before the darkness of his impossibly dark darkness.

(“Did you run out of adjectives?”

No, I meant exactly what I said.”)

Also, collects the severed hands of his conquests.

(”Tomura-kun, this isn’t a character, this is just you!”

“Collecting body trophies is standard lore for conquest paladin; you’d know if you read Xanathar’s Guide.”)

Alignment: Chaotic Good

(“Shigaraki Tomura, I am not sure this alignment fits with the character you’re describing--”

“I wrote the campaign, so good’s whatever I say it is.”

“Boss, doesn’t playing in your own campaign defeat the purpose? Knowing everything ahead of time’s a great idea!”

“Shut up, I don’t care about spoilers.”)

Backstory: Zephiroth the Bloody swore an oath to complete the conquest of his father, King Jenovo, who fell in battle to his eternal rival and estranged foolish younger brother, Nimbus Might ( “You know, I really think I’ve heard these names before...”). Jenovo’s quest was undoubtedly a noble one: to reunite the brothers’ separated kingdoms under a single legitimate banner--and its single legitimate ruler. The two brothers clashed in a battle of titans that shook the entire world, and though he was in the wrong, Nimbus Might reigned supreme in the end, and took Jenovo’s life and kingdom both. The death of his father crushed the last remnants of joy and love in young Prince Zephiroth’s black heart and now he will stop at nothing to put an end to Nimbus Might’s reign by turning every symbol of his false kingdom to dust.

Notable Stats and Weapon: +5 Intimidation, +5 Persuasion; greatsword and shield wielder.

Tomura is a quintessential min-maxer; he made everyone else take the standard array for stats but... “rolled” for his.

(”This old man’s been reviewing the character sheets, Shigaraki, and couldn’t help but notice some discrepancies in the party’s stats compared to yours--”

“You’re welcome to not play. Ever.”

“Must have been a trick of the light!”)

Carrying: The holy relic “Lavos”

(”Isn’t that just from Chrono Cross?”

“I think you mean, Khrono Kross, Spinny.”)

The relic is a glowing black and red container imbued with a hellish aura, containing magical bullets said to be formed from the blood of the time goddess, allowing Shigaraki to permanently unwind his opponents’ powers. Limited use, 5 times.

Dabi:

Race and Appearance: Tiefling.

(“Did you not even bother to write an appearance?!”

“My character has the same appearance as me.”

“That’s not even possible. Tieflings are supposed to have horns!”

“Okay, my character has the same appearance as me with horns.”)

Alias: “Dabi” 

(”You can’t name your character after yourself!”

“But I’m not named Dabi.”)

Class: Phoenix Sorcerer

Motto: Ashes to Ashes

(”You can’t play this class either, it isn’t canon.”

“You told me to pick one from the wiki; ain’t my problem you didn’t specify.”

“I said no homebrew!”

“And that means... what?”)

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

(”You ignored my instructions about our alignment too, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but you said ‘good’ so I assumed I misheard.”

“We’re the protagonists of this story--our cause is just!”)

Feats and Skills: ...Hmm, for some reason, many things have been written and then crossed out?

(“W-What have you done?! You can’t just modify things however you feel! Why would you even swap out Nourishing Fire for an Elemental Affinity that deals ice damage?! And did you just scratch out ‘long rest’ and put ‘short rest’ here? That’s OP!”

“When the hell have any of you let me get a long rest?”

“Animal Handling as a skill, seriously?!”

“Figured you’d give me some monsters to tame.”

“Go fuck yourself!”

Shigaraki was, in fact, planning on there being monsters for Dabi to tame.)

Backstory: A traveler with a shadowy past.

(”That’s... your whole backstory? Are you freaking kidd--”

”Aww, come on Dabi, this bio is lame! Oh, I know, I know! You’re actually a prince in disguise, exiled from his kingdom and seeking vengeance on his father, the one who left him horrifically burned and on the brink of death, which caused you to be rescued by the soul of a lonely phoenix, and at the end of your quest, after reclaiming your rightful throne from your evil father, you free the phoenix who possessed you to save your life, but then it returns and swears its eternal love to you! Eehee!”

“We’re...not doing that.”

“You can’t do that anyways, it completely undermines my lore. There are only two kingdoms in this world, and I’m going to be the ruler of both of them.”)

Notable Stats and Weapon: +3 Deception, +4 Insight; wields darts.

(”But why do I even have to pick a weapon? It says right there I have Burning Hands.”)

Carrying: A shard of never-melting ice in the shape of a three-petaled flower; it exudes a calming chill even when wreathed in the wildest of fires. Looking at it makes you feel... melancholy?

(”Why is this the only section with detail?! If you could put this much effort in here, you should have taken the rest seriously too!”)

Mr. Compress:

Race and Appearance: Human, a man in the prime of his life, with a roguish glint in his eye and a rakish gold mustache above his mysterious smirk. There’s an artfully placed scar below his right eye that speaks to a life of the blade and adventure, and his pressed linen and metallic brocade doublet belies his nature as a man of impeccable taste. His jaunty black bandana is always pulled low over his eyes, but mischief seems to twinkle out from beneath the accompanying black mask nevertheless.

(“Oh, I like it! A lot! Hey, hey, will you rewrite mine for me? Make it like yours but cuter!”)

Alias: The Dread Pirate Roberts

(“Huh? The first part is good, but why “Roberts”?

“Well, no one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley.”

“What are you snickering about, Kurogiri?”

“Nothing at all, Shigaraki Tomura.”)

Class: Multi-class Swashbuckler and School of Conjuration Wizard

Motto: To the Pain!

(“These two classes don’t compliment each other at all. You should change to Hexblade at least!”

“As you wish.”

“Kurogiri’s laughing again. What are you two hiding? Tell me!”)

Mr. Compress knew full well the classes he picked didn’t mesh; he just lives for the shits and giggles. He’s actually been playing DnD longer than Toga’s been alive, but where’s the fun in telling Tomura that?

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Skills: Acrobatics, Persuasion, Performance, Sleight of Hand

(“Okay, but am I the only one who actually created a real character instead of a self-insert? DnD’s a role-playing game; isn’t the whole point to use your imagination?!”

“Ain’t our fault your real self is too boring to be a decent character, Lizard.”

“You never miss an opportunity to insult me, do you, asshole?!”)

Backstory: Although he came from unremarkable origins, Westley Roberts found himself thrust on to the path of great destiny when the merchant ship on which he was employed was attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts--

“How can he attack his own ship? You forgot your own name, didn’t you?”

“Not all, Shigaraki! I’m not that old!”

--but when Roberts heard the tale of Westley’s quest to prove himself for the one he loved--

“Wait, who is this other character now? There was no love interest listed before!”

“Just let me tell the story!”

--Roberts was overcome by the depth of Westley’s tale of woe and decided to name him his successor, passing down the title of Dread Pirate Roberts--

“Can I change my character to a Dread Pirate?”

“No, Dabi!”

“I’m just sayin’, why was I not informed of this option?”

--sothathecouldmildlyterrorizethewatersaroundhishomekingdomandfinallyamasstherichesneededtoimpresshischarminglove. PHEW! Thank you for letting me finish!

Notable Stats and Weapon: +4 Dexterity, +5 Charisma; wields a rapier with impeccable skill. Is definitely not left-handed. Carrying: A Rodent of Unusual Size. Excellent distraction. Also edible.

“What is wrong with everyone in this room?!”

And the rest of the League I didn’t finish, but:

Spinner: A gorgeous lady Argonian who spits beams of pure light--

“No, this is too cool. Change it.”

“Awww come on, Shigaraki, just let me have this--”

“Change it.”

Toga: Tabaxi assassin. ON A QUEST FOR LOVE. (May or may not have decided this after peering over Mr. Compress’s shoulder during character creation time.)

Twice: Halfling wizard. None of his stats make sense because he couldn’t make up his mind where to put them.

Hawks: Aarakochra bard. Entirely useless. That asshole who rolls to seduce everything.

Kurogiri: The DM. But not by choice.

There’s no Giran or Gigantomachia because I started writing this before either of them were really “part” of the League. Use your imaginations~

[4dorks-1windmage-1shadow]

The Links as D&D Characters, Part 4: Violet (Vio) Link

Inspired by a question I saw on @hauntinghyrule ‘s blog. My character analysis and thoughts on what character class the boys would be if they were D&D characters, and why.

Green / Red / Blue��/ Shadow / Vaati / FS Zelda

As a preface, there won’t be any doubles on classes except in the case of dual-classing, and in those cases the first class I talk about my justifications for will be the primary class (i.e. the class they would have chosen at level one). My choices will be based on the character theming and personalities, even though at a base level it would be easy to say “they’re all paladins, duh” because of the implied “holy knight chosen by the gods to eradicate evil” concept. Vio is a high Intelligence, high Dexterity, high Charisma character- or at least he is based on his depiction in the manga. You may be thinking: Athena, what do you mean Vio has high charisma? Isn’t he more known for his intelligence and strategic abilities? You’re right, and also, you misunderstand. He’s not using that high charisma for Persuasion or Performance or even Intimidation. Remember how Vio spends an entire story arc fooling Shadow into thinking they were friends and Vio was evil, and how he also fooled Green, Red, and Blue (up until giving Green the hint that he was a double agent)? That’s all going into Deception baby! There’s only two classes that I can think of where Intelligence, Dexterity, and Charisma (1 out of the two for CHA actually) are major players: Wizards and Rogues. My actual pick is Rogue, but we’ll go through Wizard just to see why I didn’t go with Wizard.  Vio’s demeanor lends itself well to the vision of a wizard- wizards are spellcasters that gain magic through intense study, and Vio is seen carrying a book around during the manga. This book somehow magically has the answers to whatever he needs (or it was just specifically written about Force Gems and I’m being dramatic), and Wizards have spellbooks that have their spells in it. Vio could be a really great wizard, but there’s three issues I personally found with that.  1. Wizards have low HP. Their hit dice is a d6 (a trait they share with Sorcerers), and Vio could go head to head with Green in melee combat. Of course, low health doesn’t usually matter if you don’t get hit, but the whole point of a wizard is to hide behind the beefier tanks and blast the big bad monster with meteor strikes and giant explosions and like a whole lot of psychic damage and pray to whatever gods might take pity on a poor arcane magic user that the big bad doesn’t just like. . .step on them. Vio may not be as much of a front line fighter as say, Green and Blue are, but he’s not squishy. 2. Wizard subclasses give tons of variety in terms of how you can play them, but I don’t see any of the wizard Arcane Traditions being worth the low health, complete lack of armor and complete lack of ranged weapons (meaning Vio wouldn’t have access to his signature bow). School of Abjuration isn’t a good fit, because Vio’s idea of protecting is to actually throw himself head first into danger (like when he dived in front of Stone Arrghus to save Red, or like the entire double-agent arc). School of Conjuration doesn’t have anything that really relates to Vio symbolically or in regards to his story arc. School of Divination could be a good fit for him, since he’s all about knowledge and anticipating what the enemy is going to do next, but then. . .Blue’s weird spidey-sense in the Erune & Rosie story could make him a contender for that if his intelligence stat were high enough. School of Enchantment is a no, because even though Vio has high enough charisma to deceive pretty much everybody in the double-agent arc, he’s not. . .ever really shown doing anything else charismatic, and it just doesn’t seem fitting for the type of character he is. School of Evocation is the magic of big explosions and elemental magic, which is great, but showing off is rarely Vio’s style. School of Illusion is really the only one that might fit, and only because of Vio’s deceptive and manipulative nature, but again he doesn’t get to have archery and if he doesn’t get to have archery what’s the fucking point. School of Necromancy is stereotyped as the “evil” option (which personally I don’t agree with but I didn’t write the rules) or at the very least taboo magic, which I don’t see Vio being in pursuit of knowledge enough to dip into that well. Finally, School of Transmutation symbolically works for his character arc: he transforms by learning that the world isn’t quite as black and white as he thought it was, and Shadow was not as evil as he seemed; however, that’s a bit of a stretch.

3. All of this was a very long-winded way of saying that I didn’t make him a wizard even though it would be a decent fit because I’m saving wizard for a different character and thank you for reading that long ass paragraph. So why does rogue fit better? Rogues are OP as fuck, that’s why. They get access to ranged weapons, and at first level you get to choose four skills. Four whole skills out of Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth. Vio then gets to take up to a max of 4 of those skills (or any of the skills he has proficiency with) and double how good he is at those things. Vio has the most potential to be a fairly stealthy, strike from the shadows type of fighter. Or rather, according to the rules of Sneak Attack (which does 10d6, or an average of 35 extra damage on a hit), strike from within 5 feet of Blue, Green or Red who are also fighting the same enemy. Rogue Vio gets to learn secret codes and how to pick locks, he can Dodge, Dash, or Hide without taking up his attacking action. He can reduce the amount of damage he takes as a reaction, he gets proficiency in Wisdom saving throws (thank god because he actually needs it), ignore enemy advantage and turn missed attacks into hits. He’s just so tactical! So strategic! And rogue’s Blindsense also means that he has fucking echolocation up to 10 feet. So we’re really hitting all of the marks on what makes Vio a better Rogue than he is a Wizard, and we still haven’t talked about Roguish Archetypes. In Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, there is a Roguish Archetype called Mastermind. It’s description reads “A master tactician, manipulates others”. That’s Vio. He’s in the book. Admittedly, Vio isn’t just manipulative, smart, a tactician, deceptive, etc.- there are times in the manga where he’s sensitive, foolhardy, bull-headed and just not the brightest. Like saying that all Blue is is an angry hot-head, saying Vio is just a non-emotional strategist is a disservice to his character. Vio has lots of book smarts, but he is not wise. Key example of this: the entire Shadow Link and “Evil” Vio arc. We see his perspective actually get challenged by the way Shadow acts and treats him. Prior to that story line he probably saw Shadow as a one-dimensional villain, but after. . .well, he learned not to judge a book by its cover. Mastermind Rogue is actually well-suited to this lesson- it focuses on learning the secrets underneath the exterior of a person. Granted that does come back around to manipulating and strategizing again, but the point is that he would learn to be more mindful of what a person could actually be like instead of what they portray on the surface. It gives him proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, and a gaming set, as well as two extra language. Further adding to my personal headcanon: Vio is talented as shit. Jack of all trades, master of none. The Help action gets added to the Dodge, Dash and Hide list as tactics he can use without having to take up his attacking action, and the range of that Help action extends up to 30 feet. Insightful Manipulation grants him the ability to learn the INT, WIS, and CHA stats of a target that he interacts with or observes for a set amount of time, and as a reaction he can have an attack target someone else instead of him. At the highest level of Mastermind, his mind can literally not be read by telepathy or any other means, and in a Zone of Truth area of effect he can lie his ass off even if he failed the saving throw and no matter what he says he’s telling the truth according to the spell. He can bullshit a lie detector test and get away with it. Mastermind Rogue Vio. He’s like that one vine that goes “you better watch out, you better watch out, you better watch out, you better watch out-”.