Category: Playing D&D

Custom Backgrounds, classes, advice and more about Dungeons & Dragons

  • 7 reasons I’m excited for Witchlight and Strixhaven

    7 reasons I’m excited for Witchlight and Strixhaven

    There was a ton of news about tabletop Dungeons and Dragons last week, and hints at much more this week. The Week of Legend Lore announced two new books, some Dark Alliance news, and the 300th episode of Dragon Talk included the announcement of D&D Celebration from Sept. 24-26. The buildup to Celebration includes a contest for the Best DM in D&D.

    D&D Live is being presented by G4 on July 16 and 17. That’s when the flood of details about The Wild Beyond the Witchlight will come out, and probable a few other tabletop D&D news items.

    On Tabletop Tuesday my focus is on the two new books, and what intrigues me about them.

    Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos

    From the product page

    Right up front, I have to admit that during the pandemic I turned into a near nightly player of Magic: The Gathering Arena. I’m already a bit familiar with the lore around Strixhaven thanks to that. The card game got me quite interested in the magical university. Seeing how it transforms into a D&D world excites me. But there are a few reasons I’m more excited for Strixhaven than I was Theros or Ravnica.

    • Coming of Age stories are common in the mage school trope. Whether you enjoy Winx Saga, The Magicians, or that more famous property all of them capture that middle school to college vibe of discovering who you are. That genre has not yet been a focus of D&D.
    • Zero-to-Hero tales are related to that, and D&D as a leveling game embraces those quite well. Strixhaven has a solid mix of card strength so it does this too (some other MtG planes focus on big mana and others on small).
    • The Space for Mundane Students lets those that aren’t magical join your party. Where Potterworld just uses the mundane as an excuse for discrimination and The Magicians basically ignores them, Strixhaven is more like Winx in that non-casters are included (even if only mildly so). These warriors and such help defend the school from threats. Not every D&D party member needs to cast spells.
    • I miss college (DLI). Those stresses were different than the stresses I have no. Exploring some of them through the lens of D&D will be fun, and different from how I explored them playing Vampire on the streets of Pacific Grove, CA in the mid-90s.

    Also, there’s an Unearthed Arcana testing out archetypes that apply to multiple classes. Each of them represent one of the five colleges at Strixhaven. SyFy has a newser covering the book and the UA subclasses. Tribality breaks down the power level of test.

    The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

    Alt cover by Hydro74 will be available in local stores

    The next adventure from Wizards of the Coast is a jaunt to the feywild. Details at this time are still fairly sparse, but there is a fey carnival run by Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, that parallels the carnival in Ravenloft. This is lower on my purchase spectrum, mainly because I don’t want to be tempted into spoilers for an adventure in which I want to play. But, I still want it.

    • The World of the Everflow treats dragons, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and other inherently magical thinking beings as Fey. Witchlight can help me refine those other-earthly mindsets for my world.
    • The pseudo-Victorian look reminds me of Carnival Row. Having literature and shows that echo D&D helps me embrace the themes. It also helps when you pitch the adventure to people who don’t know D&D.
    • Anthropomorphic animals are fun. Back in the early 90s I played Albedo. The first fantasy series I read to completion was Narnia. Sweet Tooth is one of the best fantasy series of the modern era. Players looking for angles based on those elements will probably have them as the UA released with Feywild in its title had a rabbitfolk and owlfolk (this is probably also going to be in Strixhaven).

    Polygon has my favorite newser on Witchlight. There’s more at IGN.

    There’s still more Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft reactions

    From the official D&D blog talking about how 5e Ravenloft is more an exploration of genre buy-in rather than a power battle between players and monsters, to a Nerdists guide to how to run horror when you don’t like horror, the book is still being unwrapped. If you need help understanding the Domains of Dread there is little better than Black Dice Society. Watch a couple episodes before you run a campaign set in the Mists.

    The book exploded into the best-sellers scene with a 4th place in non-fiction in week one.

    Odds and Ends

    There’s a new DM screen coming out.

    Yahoo! has an intro to D&D, which is eternally handy.

    Once upon a time the changes to Drow were expected to be the big news around D&D this summer. Those are now on the backburner a bit. They look intriguing.

    https://twitter.com/TitusLunter/status/1400450554124390411

    As Always, Maps

    Also, if you are a Patron of Deven Rue you can submit to have her make a map. Yes, I’m submitting, two areas in fact. One with be the bridge-city of Fort Ooshar and the other the region around Kirtin-on-the-Lake.

  • Call the Midwife – a 5th edition D&D Background

    Call the Midwife – a 5th edition D&D Background

    In a city you might be part of a guild, where in rural communities you could be the only midwife for miles. You are there to aid during pregnancy and birth. Your role goes beyond just those times, as you are also the confidant within the region. Your charges trust you, confide in you, and know that you will support them in their time of need.

    You are capable of calming emotions during impassioned times, trained in techniques of general healing, when you are present life is honored and saved. Whether itinerant or attached to a guild, your role within the community is respected. Those who don’t need your services still hold you in esteem, if from a distance.

    Cottage

    Midwife

    Skill Proficiencies: Insight
    Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit
    Languages: None
    Cantrip: Spare the Dying
    Equipment: Druidic focus or religious symbol, healer’s kit, traveler’s clothes, flask, jug, steel mirror, soap, 5 gp

    Feature: Welcome to our home

    Folk that care for families will always welcome a midwife into their house. They will not fight for the midwife, but will help them hide, provide some food or provisions for the midwife and their friends if able, and share the gossip that caregivers invariably know about a community.

    Characteristics: For now, use those from the Folk Hero or pick & choose your favorites. Whenever my background project sees full publication there will be unique characteristics for each of them

    Midwife Design Goals

    First and foremost, this design is to honor my late mother-in-law. She was a maternity nurse, and through her I met many other nurses. Secondly, the background leans into Call the Midwife, which my wife watches regularly. There is a bit of inspiration from Nynaeve al’Meara (Wheel of Time) and her time as Wisdom of Emond’s Field when she cared for the community as a healer and confidant for the women of the community. As there is no healer among official D&D products, the Midwife attempts to fill some of that niche (as will the Barber, the Apothecary, and the Healer).

    Like the Remarkable Drudge, the Midwife grants a cantrip at the cost of a skill and a tool/language.

    Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons

    Fediverse Reactions
  • Born to be Wild: A Feat of Wild Magic

    Born to be Wild: A Feat of Wild Magic

    Within the literature that inspires Dungeons & Dragons we see many tales of those born to magic. Some of these peoples are untrained, their magic barely controlled. In 5th edition D&D these are represented by Wild Magic Sorcerers. Not all fit the narrative around Sorcerers, because they are more than just an in-born mage. They have hints of spellcasting, but because it is born rather than learned control is not there.

    Yes, multiclassing can solve this. So can a Feat.

    The desire with Born to be Wild is to capture the feeling of those who have a tiny bit of innate magic in their bodies, but no control. Their magic sparks bizarre occurrences that range from helpful to destructive. Maybe they get trained someday. Maybe they are a warrior who can heal an ally, or a thief that can blast with missiles of power. Whoever they are, they struggle with innate powers and the impact of casting.

    Photo by Max Aquino

    Born to be Wild

    • Choose a cantrip from the following list: Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, Druidcraft. [This represents that you have innate minor powers]
    • Choose any 1st level spell. You may now cast this spell once per short rest, but when you do you roll on the Wild Magic Surge table of the Wild Magic Sorcerer. This spell may be added to your spell list, but whenever cast does cause a surge. [There is a temptation to have the player roll on the table twice and let them choose the better effect.]
    • Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Constitution. [This is to represent that the magic courses through your body.]

    Design notes

    The intent here is to be similar in power to Magic Initiate, but to embrace the chaos of the Wild Magic Sorcerer. Dropping one cantrip and upping the usage of the spell is similar to the Artificer Initiate. Adding Metamagic would give the holder of the Feat control, which is in opposition to the intent.

  • Feat: Bonded Companion

    Feat: Bonded Companion

    Salvy

    Animal Companions, or Bonded Companions, or a key element of life in Kin. The Kin are the people of friendship, loyalty of loving those around them. This extends towards their non-humanoid companions as well. Where an elf might group in a land where spells are used to do mundane things, in Kin when a goliath needs a bit of string to finish sewing they send their swallow off to do it, or their heron to fish. Halflings have dogs that pull, push, fetch, hunt, fish, carry, and many other tasks. Human bonds with goats, rams, dogs, birds and horses are quite common. Bonds of Kin are a very essence of life. Almost everyone has one.

    This ruleset needs to do a few things.

    • Scale like cantrips, attacks and proficiency. The companion is expected to live alongside their friend for some time.
    • Build in a reason that having a Bond die is bad for the PC
    • Not destroy the action economy
    • As a bonus, can it be simplified for usage in gaming outside the World of Everflow?

    Feat: Bonded Companion

    Prerequisite: Wisdom of 13 or higher. Kin and Rangers ignore this prerequisite.
    This feat can be taken more than once.

    Two dogs on gravel

    You have an intense bond with a beast. These beasts cannot have a higher Intelligence than the character. In certain worlds the bonded companion can be a monstrosity. At this point I considered just granting access to the Bonded Companion system in a similar manner as to how Magic Initiate works, but instead built it within the Feat. The rule could be built by making Bonded Companion a Class Feature and Feat, but I digress. Taking the feat gives you Companion Points. You also gain companion points in the following manners;

    • Rangers at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 11th, and 17th levels
    • Druids at 1st and 5th level.
    • Clerics with the Nature domain at 1st level.
    • Your Wisdom modifier

    Those points can be spent on a single companion or multiple companions. A character can bond with a number of Companions equal to their Wisdom modifier +1 (minimum 1). Each new companion takes a number of weeks to establish a bond as their cost in companion points. This can be done as downtime, or could be a solo adventure. A character may only spend new points when they take the feat or if they are a Ranger or Druid at their higher levels that earn Companion Points.

    The following chart lists various Companions and their Companion Point cost.

    OneTwoThreeFiveSevenTen
    Herd dogSled DogWarhound *Giant Eagle *&Rhino &Mammoth *&
    RetrieverMastiff *Axebeak *&BisonElephant *Wyvern *&
    TerrierBloodoundOstrich &Bear *&Dire Wolf *&Roc *&
    Sentry DogGuard dog *Elk &Lion *&Owlbear *& 
    SprinterRavenPanther *&Worg *&Griffon *& 
    HeronEagle *&Bear Cub *&Hippogriff *&Pegasus *& 
    PigeonFalcon *Wolf *&Peryton *&  
    SparrowParrotTiger *&Awakened Tree &  
    Pony/MuleDraft HorseWarhorse *   
    FoxRiding HorseApe &   
    Goat/SheepMonkey    
    Awakened Shrub &Cow    

    Legend: The ‘&’ is used to indicate an animal companion that can only be paired with a Ranger, Druid or Nature Cleric. They are normally wild. The ‘*’ is used to indicate animals that can enter combat on command.

    "Postduif". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Postduif.jpg#/media/File:Postduif.jpg
    “Postduif” – Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

    As a Bonus Action the Bonder can command their animal. These commands are Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help. An animal without a * can only attack if the Bonder passes a Wisdom (Animal Handling) DC: 20 check. The Companion will continue that action until the combat is complete or another Bonus Action is used (ie they will Attack the directed target until that target is no longer participating in the combat). Some Companions have other actions that can be taken (A Retriever can Fetch as an action). Check with your DM for these other actions.

    When separated a Bonder and Companion that are on the same plane know the direction and rough travel time between them.

    If someone tries to control a Companion it is an opposed Animal Handling check for the Bonder and whatever skill or spell is appropriate for the attempt to control the Companion. The duration of the control is per the appropriate spell or skill.

    If a Companion dies the Bonder takes half their Companion’s hit points in psychic damage. If they make a Wisdom save (DC: 15) they then take one quarter of their Companion’s hit points in psychic damage.

    Variant Rule in Kin: At first level and below halflings usually bond with canines and goliaths usually bond with avians. All Kin start with an additional Companion Point.

  • ‘Wine lets secrets out’ – the Vintner, a 5e D&D Background

    ‘Wine lets secrets out’ – the Vintner, a 5e D&D Background

    On a family vineyard with vines as thick as hippogriff legs you work the grapes. The slow, tedious springs and summers on the hard scrabble rocks are exhausting, the harvest a frenzy of activity. Then the fun starts, as does the waiting.

    The vintner enjoys all of this time, but the apex of their art is the finished bottle, and sharing it with others. They carry stories in their bottles. Stories of grapes, of skies full of wyvern, of the journey past the bandit camps, of that one time the mage saved their vines, and that other time when the druid thought they were helping.

    Every bottle has a story as does every person who sips it. The vintner is not just an expert at crafting wines. They are a marketing specialist and a storyteller. Each barrel, every cork, each wineskin, every jug – another tale to tell is discovered. The vintner may not have intended to travel the lands on quests, but they know whenever they return to their villa and vineyard they’ll have new discoveries to share.

    The following rules are a pre-publication example of a Vintner – a background for the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

    Vintner

    Skill Proficiencies: Nature and one of Deception or Persuasion
    Tool Proficiencies: Farming Tools, Winemaking Tools
    Languages: None
    Equipment: Farming Tools, common clothes, 1 pound of cheese, 3 wine skins, 3 small cups or glasses, 10 gp

    Feature: Wine Lets Secrets Out

    The vintner has a knack for storytelling and conversation. Through pouring a tasting and chatting they are able to learn a tale from the person’s past. Sometimes these are of an adventure, or a foible, or a mystery that needs to be solved, and at the rarest times these tales are things that were supposed to always remain hidden.

    Characteristics: For now, use those from the Guild Artisan or pick & choose your favorites. Whenever my background project sees full publication there will be unique characteristics for all of them.

    By Jolbert

    This map popped into my Facebook feed the day I published the Vintner. It’s included because it is perfect, and actually reminds me of Balboa.

    Vintner Design Goals

    To more capture the feel of the pseudo-Mid Ages/Renaissance period the Vintner is the grower, the maker, the taster, the seller. Plus, that type of specificity gets anti-5e pretty quick. While the Guild Artisan can capture this background, it forces the artisan into a guild. Many adventurers pride themselves in their independence. The Vintner had to be a solo gig.

    The choice of Deception or Persuasion is out of a desire to represent the different angles in marketing that can occur within the flavor business.

    When it came to tools versus languages there was a part of me that wanted a language rather than second tool, but that was hampered by two things. First, I generally frown on how D&D handles languages. Second, if I’m bundling growing in and have developed Farmers Tools, let’s use the Farmers Tools.

    The feature, which uses a Chinese proverb rather than the Latin In Vino Veritas, is an attempt to capture the flow of story and words as friends and even enemies commune over a bottle(s). As a DM having a player with this feature helps grant so many clues in new ways.

    Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons

  • Tracking time in the dungeon

    Tracking time in the dungeon

    Reblogging this because simplified tracking of time is always handy

    newbiedm's avatarwww. Newbie DM .com

    One of the things that still gives me a little bit of difficulty when I’m DMing is tracking time in the game’s fiction when the characters are in exploration mode. Combat is simple, the 6 second rounds are codified, and we know that 10 rounds is a minute in the game world, 5 rounds is just :30 seconds, and so on. Which means most fights are resolved in just under :20 seconds! Wow! 

    Social encounters are also fairly easy to determine, as it’s usually real time conversations, with perhaps some minor adjudications of time passing as you negotiate and wait around for the car salesman to go talk to his manager about the offer you made him, etc… 

    But inside the dungeon, as the players are exploring, that’s a whole different…eh… monster. Now, the game offers a bit of rules in that regard… the DMG tells us that PCs moving…

    View original post 929 more words

  • Work the earth as a Farmer – a 5e D&D Background

    Work the earth as a Farmer – a 5e D&D Background

    Some heroes work the earth, till the fields, care for orchards, manage vineyards. The adventuring life was not part of their blood. There is no heroic act of rebellion or violence in their past, like the Folk Hero. They show their potential and heart every day. Some rise early, work late, and rest hard. Others understand nature, harnessing those forces to do as little as possible until harvest comes.

    All are connected to the land. Whether serf or free, whether rural or within the city, the farmer raises crops not just for their own family, but to supply a larger group. They are the blood of a civilization – vital.

    Some farmers do not get to remain in the pastoral life. They can be conscripted into battles, inspired by a local bard, maybe their debts force them to work with a local gang, Whatever took your farmer away from their homestead to the adventure they are on now that homestead, connection to earth, and family is a part of them forever.

    The following rules a pre-publication example of a Farmer – a background for the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

    Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

    Farmer

    Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Nature
    Tool Proficiencies: Farming Tools, Vehicles (Land or Water)
    Languages: None
    Equipment: Farming Tools, common clothes, beast of burden (donkey, mule, dog, etc) or cart, basket, 2 days rations, wine skin, 2 gp

    Feature: Horn of Plenty

    Through your knowledge of foods, their qualities and usefulness, combined with an uncanny knack for preparation you are able to stretch food supplies. A meal that would normally serve one serves two. They are both content and satisfied. A harvest in which you participate is also more effective – your senses help find a few more plants that are ready, branches that are missed, or mistakenly dropped produce. Those harvests produce more food, resulting in an increase in gold or barter value of 50%.

    Characteristics: For now, use those from the Folk Hero or pick & choose your favorites. Whenever my background project sees full publication there will be unique characteristics for all of them.

    Alternate: Beekeeper

    Photo by FRANK MERIu00d1O on Pexels.com

    Drop Athletics for Sleight of Hand. This is to represent the deft hands of someone who does their best to avoid being stung too frequently. Their loads also tend to be lighter compared to farmers who carry bushels of apples, shovel manure, dig irrigation, etc.

    Alternate Feature: Sweets

    You always have some honey – tiny jars, little wax sticks, hard candies, the format is up to you – to give away. Generally those who are gifted your sweets welcome the gift and have a positive impression of you and your group. These gifts can act as a salve to harsh spirits or a reward for previous help. They can also be traded for other uncommon goods that you may be in need of.

    Originally included as an option for the Remarkable Drudge, Farmer’s Tools are a must have for any farmer.

    Farmer’s Tools

    Cost: 5 gp | Weight: 7 lbs

    Proficiency with farmer’s tools means that you are familiar with the operations of a farm, orchard, vineyard, or other cropland. You are knowledgeable in the typical crops within an area, to include when to plant and harvest them. You also know their market value in most lands.

    Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons

  • Adding Festivals, Holidays, and Birthdays to Your Game – the May Blog Carnival

    Adding Festivals, Holidays, and Birthdays to Your Game – the May Blog Carnival

    Fantasy literature is full of parties – Bilbo’s birthday, various fests appear in Robin Hood, lunar celebrations and so much more. Watching or reading celebration scenes helps connects these myths and fantasies to reality. Who doesn’t like a party? They also are a reminder that the times upon which Dungeons & Dragons are founded had a hundred holidays.

    All told, holiday leisure time in medieval England took up probably about one-third of the year. And the English were apparently working harder than their neighbors. The ancien règime in France is reported to have guaranteed fifty-two Sundays, ninety rest days, and thirty-eight holidays. In Spain, travelers noted that holidays totaled five months per year.

    Pre-industrial workers had a shorter workweek than today’s

    Within our games we can also capture these feelings of merriment, civic pride, religious faith, and family gathering. Not only can we, we should. The foundational literature demands it. Having characters and societies that are more than sword swinging, spell flinging battlers creates stories of greater emotional depth.

    Full Moon Storytelling is hosting this month's Blog Carnival because it is my birthday. What better way to celebrate my own aging than talking about D&D parties? Last month's blog carnival was hosted at Codex Anathema, and was all about powerful magic items and artifacts. The rest of 2021's blog carnivals can be found at Of Dice and Dragons.

    There are several ways that you can integrate these events into your campaigns. Whether they get a couple lines or are a couple sessions will be up to you and your tables.

    Fetch Quests

    This may be the easiest way to add a holiday to the start of your game. A cold open that involves a civic leader that needs the very specific item for the holiday in question gathers a group of specialists together in order to find the lost item.

    Maybe at the beginning the community is downhearted. Rather than party they have to head off into the wilds to search for very specific item. Their journey brings them out of the village. In that world they can discover the thing, bring it back home as heroes and the festival is now also a victory celebartion.

    Introducing New Culture

    Journeys to strange lands mean new discoveries. When the group arrives in an unfamiliar place have them encounter a festival unlike any they’ve seen before. This introduction to a new culture emphasizes the differences, in a way that is full of brightness, joy, and excitement (unless you choose something dour).

    By arriving at fest-time the group immediately knows how different the place is. Maybe if they have observational knowledge of the culture a history or culture check helps the character in question understand what is going on. Otherwise the group learns what’s going on by engaging with the worlds and cultures which you’ve created together.

    Change of Pace

    Between dungeons, dragons, orc wars, piracy, invasions by mindflayers, elemental cultists, the mists – what happens? Normal life. And normal life in the worlds of D&D is weird. But it’s also people who do things like celebrate birth, coming-of-age, weddings, coronations, harvests, solstices, equinoxes and more.

    Take those moments of normality to highlight the abnormality of your D&D world. The dichotomy of a party with the world-shaking events of a tier 3 or 4 adventure is potent. Those few moments of calmness and levity during a session may just be the ones that the table remembers later. Killing a 45th bandit isn’t a big deal. Giving the town kids the feather of an owlbear? That’s a moment!

    Victory Celebrations

    You’ve cleared the dungeon, slain the dragon, the forces of Gruumsh were held back, recovered the holy tooth of the founding family of the town, the heist was prevented, the heist was successful – however your adventure or campaign ends there must be a party, a big party.

    Maybe the characters are throw the party. Perhaps the queen calls the empire to celebrate. Imagine that you’ve save the world and the Old Gods convene the grandest fairies of the planes to reward you and the world for the success.

    Inspiration for Characters

    You can also spin things the other way. Search real world festivals and holidays and turn them into you own character concepts. Maybe your next Artificer is based the technomancers of Jingle Jangle. What Moon Druid isn’t dedicated to the thirteen full moons? Before you became a hero were you a carnival barker? Your next D&D character could be the expert marksman brought in as a ringer, or the strongest person in the world.

    Every birthday, holiday, or real world festival is an opportunity for character creation. So create. I’m certain that Awf’s birthday is coming up. Everyone’s favorite axe-wizard is going to party like the elf-raised dwarf he is – I don’t know what that means yet.

    How do you integrate festivals, holidays, and birthdays into your D&D games?

  • Rogue: Propagandist – a literary revolutionary

    Rogue: Propagandist – a literary revolutionary

    This archetype has been banging around my head for some time. The ability of words to inspire rebellion, to move nations, and to inspire people to be better is quite clear. Dungeons & Dragons kind of wraps this into the College of Whispers Bard, but that’s quite supernatural. The Rogue: Propagandist is mundane, based in historic examples such as Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin, as well as in certain versions of Assassin’s Creed.

    The design intent is to empower more play in urban and/or political campaigns. This attempt, which is essentially version 1.5, uses new mechanic for the rogue, one that demonstrates that people who publicly advocate for rebellion are often known, but still effective. The Propagandist most powerful abilities are powered by their Sneak Attack dice. This seemed to fit better than making them weak Bards in an Arcane Trickster variant like the Society of Veil and Shadows.

    Most of the lore description is removed from this pre-publication draft in order to focus on the mechanics, which are complex and new. The Swarm of Commoners and the Printing Press tool are just shells of what they will be in the future as well.

    Rogue: Propagandist

    Rebel and Pamphleteer

    You rose from the underbelly of empire to demand a better life for all. Your pamphlets and speeches can inspire hope, or fear. Whether from the soapbox or via playbill your proclamations turn the tides of rebellion or keep a government in power.

    Propagandist Features

    LevelAbility
    3rdWordsmith, Rabble Rousing
    9thProclamations
    13thGrand Voice
    17thMaster Essayist

    Wordsmith

    When you choose this archetype at 3rd level you gain proficiency with the Printing Press and a skill from the following list — History, Investigation, Insight, Deception, Persuasion, and/or Performance.

    In addition you learn one language of your choice.

    At 6th level you may choose the Printing Press for your expertise option.

    Rabble Rousing

    Your words inspire rebellion. You are able to summon a Swarm of Commoners. These commoners are allied with your cause, but are not willing to die for it. You spend an active Sneak Attack die for each use of this ability per short rest. The number of dice used determine how many Swarms you summon. Rabble Rousing takes a minimum 10 minutes to activate via speech, pamphlet, or other communication. The Swarm is summoned at a time and location where some commoners could be expected. The Swarm of Commoners has advantage on saves versus fear and are considered under the effects of the Charmed condition.

    Proclamations

    To issue a Proclamation you spend at least ten minutes creating a pamphlet, playbill, speech, cartoon, etc. These Proclamations grant bonuses to those who experience their call. Those bonuses are equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice spent at the time of proclamation (Proclamation Bonus). The Proclamations’ influence extends to a number of subjects determined by the proficiency bonus + ability score modifier in the skill or tool used to deliver the proclamation. The proclamation can be delivered via speech (Persuasion, Deception, Performance), pamphlet (Printing Press), or cartoon (Calligrapher’s Tools, Painter’s Tools). A tool would use Intelligence (i.e. a 9th level Propagandist with an INT of 14 issuing a Proclamation of Safe Haven via a pamphlet would grant 6 readers the benefits of Safe Haven).

    Proclamations that require a save do so against a DC determined by 8 + Proficiency and Intelligence Bonus.

    List of Proclamations

    • Unrest – A number of Swarm of Commoners determined by the spent Sneak Attack dice gain a Proclamation Bonus of temporary HPs and gain the same bonus to damage rolls. These Swarms will attack on the Propagandist’s initiative roll minus 10. The Proclamation inspires a rebellion.
    • Rally – Subjects regain hit points in the number of the spent Sneak Attack dice plus a Proclamation Bonus (ie. 2d6+6) as these Proclamations rebuild the morale of wounded forces.
    • Urgency – Subjects gain a Proclamation Bonus to their next initiative roll. Subjects are eager to join the fight.
    • Power – Subjects gain a Proclamation Bonus to their damage rolls during their next combat. Those attentive to the Proclamation recognize that they are powerful.
    • Warning – Subjects fall under the Frightened condition if they fail a Wisdom Save versus your Proclamation DC. They are wary of the forces working against them, afraid of any Swarm of Commoners and/or the Propagandist. They are overcome with this fear for one hour.
    • Safe Haven – Subjects are able to gain the benefits of a short rest via the calming words of the Proclamation.

    Grand Voice

    Beginning at 13th level your words can invigorate your allies. You can use a Reaction to have an ally reroll a failed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw. You have a proficiency bonus number of uses of this ability per long rest.

    At 17th level you may also remove one level of Exhaustion via your Grand Voice, as long as the level of Exhaustion is not level 5 or 6. You may only remove one level of Exhaustion per ally in this manner.

    Master Essayist

    The strength of your words lasts. At 17th level any of your Proclamations (except Safe Haven) issued using a Printing Press grant their benefits/disadvantages until the target takes a short rest.

    Swarm of Commoners

    Huge, Neutral

    • Armor Class 10
    • Hit Points 21 (6d6)
    • Speed 20
    STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
    10 (0)10 (0)10 (0)10 (0)10 (0)10 (0)
    • Saving Throws
    • Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
    • Condition Immunities 
    • Senses Passive Perception 10
    • Languages Common (or 1 language of a peoples)
    • Challenge Rating

    Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa. The swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Medium commoner. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points except via Proclamations.

    Actions

    Club. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, Reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (3d4) bludgeoning damage. This attack assumes multiple commoners are attacking as one.

    The Swarm of Commoners can be adjusted if made up of a single humanoid race. Usually their weapons are clubs, but in some cases they may all use a specific simple weapon.

    Any ally of the Propagandist, or the Propagandist themselves, that attacks from within the Swarm of Commoners has advantage on their attacks. They may also use the Swarm for half-cover, attempt a Stealth/Deception check as a bonus action. Upon a success the individual within the Swarm of Commoners is considered invisible.

    Printing Press (tool)

    These are the necessary tools to create pamphlets, books, and playbills. The press itself is too large for adventuring, but you would still have ink, a sheaf of paper, scissors, a few letter blocks and one or two signet blocks.

    Thoughts?

  • Whistle of Az and Sel for the Blog Carnival

    Whistle of Az and Sel for the Blog Carnival

    Within the World of the Everflow every thinking peoples from the Land of Kin bonds with an animal. The most common of these are dogs (especially among halflings), birds (especially among goliaths), and horses (especially among humans). These beasts are family, inseparable companion, and essentially an extension of that person. They share personality and aid each other throughout their shared lives.

    This intimate companionship started after magic left the world. Now, the norm, bonding started with Az, his dog Sel, and a three-hole pipe. Together they created more and more and more and more and more bondings. Eventually this drove Az mad, for the thoughts of 100s of beasts were in his head. What was to be a blessing from one of the gods, turned into a curse for young Az. As he aged, the nation of Azsel formed around Az and Sel. Their whistle becoming the symbol of the nation, it was once under guard as a holy relic. Over the millennia the whistle disappeared. The power of bondings spread beyond what the Whistle started. Companionship is now so common that few consider it magical.

    Many also think legend of Az and Sel is merely a story, not real. But the Whistle of Az and Sel is in fact real, and dangerous, for the curse will drive you as mad. If any have found the Whistle in the current era they are not making that discovery public.

    This is my latest entry for the Blog Carnival.

    David, as a young man, playing pipe and bell as he watches his sheep in the pasture. – The Morgan Bible, Folio 25

    Whistle of Az and Sel

    Wondrous Item, artifact, cursed (requires attunement)

    When playing the Whistle of Az and Sel the user can cast the following spells at will, without expending a charge and as a bonus action. These require no spell components nor concentration if that is normally required.

    • Animal Friendship
    • Beast Bond
    • Speak with Animals
    • Animal Messenger
    • Locate Animals
    • Summon Beast
    • Conjure Animals
    • Dominate Beast
    • Commune with Nature
    • Druid Grove

    This power comes with a cost. That cost varies by user.

    When one attunes with the Whistle of Az and Sel they experience two minor and one major detrimental properties. They also suffer from one long-term madness upon attuning and indefinite madness for as long as they are attuned (see DMG page 260). This cursed item requires a quest from a god or powerful magic to be unattuned.