Paladins in Amerath

Available Subclasses: Devotion, Ancients, Vengeance (PHB); Crown (SCAG)

Image by Tyler Walpole

A number of chivalrous and holy orders exist in Amerath, and paladins are generally members of these; crusaders and defenders of the faith.

 

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per paladin level
Hit Points at 1^st level: 1d8 + 16 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels: 2d4 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per paladin level after 1^st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor

Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: One gaming set
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Religion, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a jian

(a) five javelins or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Leather armor, two daggers, and a holy symbol

 

Unarmored Defense

While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Spellcasting

Paladins can not cast spells, though they still gain spell points as normal, which can be used for their Divine Smite.

Divine Sense

Paladins do not have Divine Sense; instead, they have Battle-Ready, below:

Battle-Ready

Whenever you roll initiative, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your paladin level + your Charisma modifier.

Fighting Style

May only choose from Defense, Daseel Style, Protection, Rosebriar Style, Half-sword, or Acrobatic.

Gifts of the Faithful

At 2^nd, 6^th, 9^th, and 12^th levels, a Paladin may select one feature from below:

Bonus Ability Score Increase

The paladin may increase a single ability score by 2. This gift can be taken multiple times, but only once per ability score.

Bonus Feat

The paladin may take any feat they qualify for as a bonus feat. This gift may be taken multiple times.

Channel Divine Power

Some Paladins may channel divine power like a cleric, though in a slightly more limited fashion. When selecting this feature, a paladin chooses one use of the Channel Divinity feature. They may use this feature a number of times per long rest as if they were a cleric of half their level. If this feature is chosen again it adds a different Channel Divinity feature.

Defend the Fallen

If an ally is reduced to 1/5 or less of their maximum hit points by an attack, you may use a bonus action to Dash provided your Dash takes you closer to that ally.

Pool of Belief

Gain 2d6 dice, which can be used in one of two ways:

Added to a Divine Smite, as per PHB pg 86.

Or, spent as a bonus action to grant an ally temporary hit points equal to the result, which stack with any other temporary hit points. This can only be used on creatures with at least 1 Hit Point, and does not work on undead or constructs.

Spent dice are recovered at the end of a long rest. This feature may be taken multiple times, each time adding 1d6 to the belief pool.

True Believer

1/day, add your proficiency bonus to any save, even if proficiency already applies. You must declare your use of this feature before rolling.

 

All other features as normal.

Clerics of Amerath

Image by Mitch Mohrhauser

Available Subclasses: Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, War (PHB); Arcana (SCAG); Forge, Grave (XGE); Order (GGR)

 

Clerics are found wherever folk settle. The Acolyte and Cloistered Scholar backgrounds are the most frequent.

 

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d4 per cleric level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d4 + 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 2d2 (or 3) + your Constitution modifier per cleric level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor

Weapons: Daggers, war fans, quarterstaffs, darts, blowguns, longswords, jian, shortbows, longbows.

Tools: Calligrapher’s supplies, and choose one additional Artisan’s tool or a musical instrument.

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Religion, Stealth, and Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a priest’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A holy symbol

 

Spellcasting

A Cleric’s spellcasting ability is predicated on their Charisma, rather than their Wisdom. If any cleric spell specifically refers to the cleric’s Wisdom modifier or Wisdom score, it instead uses their Charisma modifier or Charisma score.

Sacred Defense

Beginning at 1^st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.

Sacred Arrows

Beginning at 3^rd level, by spending spell points, you can infuse spiritual power into your arrows. This allows them to break through barriers, destroy certain permanent spells, and purify objects; additionally, they count as magic weapons for the purposes of dealing damage and breaking through creatures’ defenses.

Sense Unnatural

As an action, you can open your awareness to detect the presence of otherworldly entities. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any aberration, elemental, fae, celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover. You know the type of any being whose presence you sense, but not its identity.

Within the same radius, you also detect the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.

Spirit Hunter

Clerics receive extensive training in dealing with malignant spirits. Starting at 1^st level, a cleric may always act during a surprise round against spirits and undead.

Channel Divinity Modification: Exorcism

Instead of being able to turn undead, exorcism affects any aberration, elemental, fae, celestial, fiend, or undead.

In addition to usual use, you may use this ability in concert with an attack, such as with a bow or a sword; if your attack is successful, your Exorcism takes effect. This uses up one use of your Channel Divinity, whether the attack hits or not.

After you reach 5th level, when a non-undead creature fails its saving throw against your Exorcism feature, the creature is banished for 1 minute (as in the banishment spell, no concentration required) if it isn’t on its plane of origin and its challenge rating is at or below a certain threshold, as shown on the Exorcism table. Undead creatures are Destroyed as usual.

Exorcism

Cleric Level    Banishes Creatures of CR…

5^th                    ½ or lower

8^th                    1 or lower

11^th                  2 or lower

14^th                  3 or lower

17^th                  4 or lower

 

Domain Modification: Life

Life domain clerics gain proficiency in Medicine and the herbalism kit, instead of Heavy armor.

 

Domain Modification: Nature

Nature domain clerics gain proficiency in Medicine and the herbalism kit, instead of Heavy armor.

 

Domain Modification: War

War Domain clerics gain proficiency in Medium armor, not Heavy armor.

 

All else as standard.

 

Khazelhil

Khazelhil (Fire Elves, Ashen Elves)

Image shamelessly stolen from Phobs

The Fire Elves are descendants of the ancient High Elves of the Ashen Kingdoms, said to have had the favor of the gods; but they sought yet more power, and drew otherworldy energies upon themselves, and made deals with demons. The wars for supremacy that followed the latter were their downfall. So many centuries on, they are somewhat rare, but not uncommon in certain regions, such as the forests surrounding the Lake of Tears and the settlements nearby; they are more widespread in the South. They are often distrusted, for the Ashen Kingdoms had many faults in their final days, and the rumors of infernal heritage are well known; thus they are generally insular.

Fire Elves tend to wear enveloping hooded cloaks or robes, brown or red or black or green or cobalt or scarlet on the outside, and sometimes veils; golden or golden-brown on the inside and the trim, with rich patterns. They wear bright clothing beneath, sky-blue or ochre or yellow or crimson or white, and many wear patterns of facepaint to match. They wear a good deal of jewelry, gold and silver and bronze and steel, and are fond of necklaces and bracelets and rings and earrings; however, they rarely wear piercings or tattoos. Those with antlers or horns will often hang small shapes of jewelry from them.

Fire Elves have the same lithe body shape as other elves, and have bronze skin, flame-red hair, and golden eyes with black sclera; the last of these are frequently the only thing seen beneath their robes.

Some have one or two stranger features as well, the impetus for their robes. Roll 1d3-1 times on the table below.

d100   Some fire elves:

1-4       Have polyphonic voices

5-8       Are androgynous, perhaps hermaphroditic.

9-12     Are hooved

13-16   Have a strange floral or herbal fragrance

17-20   Move with feline grace

21-24   Habitually sleep in ditches, up trees, or beneath hedges

25-28   Have bones of branch and vine

29-32   Are mad as a hatter

33-36   Have catlike eyes

37-40   Have a pair of delicate antlers or horns

41-44   Have clawed fingers

45-48   Smell of incense and spice

49-52   Have eyes that flash with reddish light when they feel strong emotions

53-56   Have goat’s legs and hooves instead of normal legs

57-60   Smell of brimstone

61-64   Have soft hair, like fur

65-68   Have a splash of shocking color in their hair or eyes, like blue, orange, or pink.

69-72   Have an upturned nose, or only nose slits

73-76   Smell of burnt wood

77-80   Smell of fresh-turned earth

81-84   Leave a wake of ash and cinder

85-88   Have no shadow and/or cast no reflection

89-92   Have a sharp-toothed grin, slightly wider than most people find comfortable.

93-96   Cause unease in animals

97-100 Wither plants with prolonged touch/presence

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Otherworldly Ability. Choose two of the following traits, or roll randomly (reroll duplicates). Charisma is your spellcasting ability for any spells.

1          Charm person 1/day

2          Clairvoyance 1/day

3          Darkness 1/day

4          Cause fear 1/day

5          Resistance to fire damage

6          Resistance to lightning damage

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish and the Blood Speech.

Male Names: Thylius, Virakarra’uzur, Azraz, Loshamos, Yarikh, Cendunus, Mundus, Adrelukan, Ashus, Vinamurra’uzur, Sharalphasis, Lonlaraz, Anmos, Harraz, Menelphus, Andrakaraz, Lokkalius, Virmiraz, Kammos, Eularius, Nalmenos

Female Names: Colitta, Aetheria, Mylith, Dorissa, Nittari, Hemine, Kalith, Hessunher, Hessebel, Sylissa, Arpharis, Nikkaris, Liletria, Nikkather, Betraz, Colmine, Kanetria, Deleria, Kattari, Sharilphanat, Carena

 

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Fire Elves, an Elf subrace of Amerath; essentially, the setting’s response to tieflings.

I think the tables are fun.

Taverns & Tea-Houses

A couple of tables I worked up, for taverns and tea-shops in the D&D setting I’ve been working on the last couple of years.

[A brief note on the setting, Amerath: A swashbuckling, sword-and-sorcery wuxia setting, with inspiration less from medieval Europe and more from the Americas, Asia, and the European Bronze Age.]

Taverns

 

Random Tavern

d6           Construction

1              Wood planks

2              Cut stone

3              On a boat in the harbor

4              Whitewashed walls, red roof tiles

5              Over water – on stilts or pilings, perhaps also acting as a bridge.

6              Rice-paper and red-painted wood

 

d4           Interior

1              Cushion seating and low tables, futon beds

2              Chairs and tables

3              unfurnished floorboards (50% chance of being covered in straw), bare benches and stools

4              Long communal tables

 

d12         Atmosphere/Other Notes

1              Carpets strewn about the floor, colorful wall hangings (1-3 patterned, 4-6 scenes)

2              A smoky haze hangs over the main room

3              Live plants and lava stone, black velvet paintings, trained pseudodragons on the bar and in the rafters

4              Additional seating outside

5              Well-behaved merchant patrons

6              Raucous laborer patrons

7              A bar fight is currently in progress

8              Informal, casual, friendly

9              Funded by a temple, staffed by priests, holy iconography prevalent.

10           Dim lighting, gloomy, quiet muttering

11           Thieves’ guild safehouse, secret cellar

12           Owner waters down the drinks

 

d10         Food Offered 3 of:

1              Roast meat (1-2 turkey, 3-4 moose, 5-6 mutton)

2              Lamb/mutton and potato stew

3              Bread (1-2 sourdough, 3-4 rye, 5-6 rice, 7-8 flatbread)

4              Cheese (1-2 moose, 3-4 goat, 5 yak, 6 sheep)

5              Seafood (1 trout, 2 salmon, 3 catfish, 4 bass, 5 perch, 6 carp, 7 mahi mahi, 8 halibut, 9 crab, 10 shrimp, 11 lobster, 12 crayfish)

6              Bread and sauces

7              Meat pies

8              Rice

9              Meat or vegetable skewers

10           Noodles

 

d6           Drinks Offered 3 of:

1              rice wine

2              beer

3              red wine

4              white wine

5              orange wine

6              pink wine

 

d10         Also Offers 1d3 of

1              Pipe-leaf

2              Side room with (1-2 singing, 3-4 dancing, 5-6 drama, 7-8 comedy)

3              Private room with screen, access to bar, offers private drinking for higher price

4              Dancing girls

5              Free lunch with purchase of one drink

6              Communal bath, using water from nearby hot spring if any

7              Fruit pies

8              Gaming supplies (1-2 dice, 3-4 cards, 5-6 pattern guessing games, 7-8 roll d6 twice)

9              Live music, open stage

10           Spiced potatoes

 

 

Tea Shops

 

Random Tea Shop

d6           Construction

1              Wood planks

2              Cut stone

3              On a boat in the harbor/river

4              Underground (1-3 cave, 4-6 cellar)

5              Over water – on stilts or pilings, perhaps also acting as a bridge.

6              Racial (1d4)

1              Elvish: walls of graceful stone and living trees, a canopy of branches and a latticework of stone, a floor of moss or short-cropped grass, lit by jars of fireflies at night set loose when morning comes. Trees artfully scattered across the main room.

2              Dwarvish: walls of stone in geometric shapes, set tight without mortar; a floor a few steps below the level of the ground, so the building seems larger inside than out; few windows, with light provided by lamps filled with glowing spores; reading material may be provided.

3              Drow: red lanterns, silk tapestries, the faint smell of roses; no windows, curved and fluid stone; soups sipped quietly from shallow bowls, food eaten with knives or pairs of sharpened sticks.

4              Tallfellow Halfling: Built of wood, with many windows; spacious feeling, but a ceiling around 6’; anything colored is mainly in vibrant shades of brown, yellow, or green.

 

d4           Interior

1              Cushion seating and low tables

2              Chairs and tables

3              Private compartments

4              Long communal tables

 

d12         Atmosphere/Other Notes

1              Carpets strewn about the floor, colorful wall hangings (1-3 patterned, 4-6 scenes)

2              A haze of incense and smoke

3              Flooded ankle-deep in clear water, a slight current taking away any detritus; seating areas may or may not be raised on dry platforms.

4              Additional seating outside

5              Well-behaved merchant patrons

6              Raucous laborer patrons

7              Fountain fills the room with the sound of trickling water

8              Every patron is required to wear a carnivale mask

9              Reading materials are provided, and conversation kept to a low murmur

10           Tables, counters, bowls, utensils, fixtures are made of copper and bronze

11           Owner runs a smuggling ring. Secret door in basement leads somewhere convenient. Rough-looking folks at the side table are off-work employees.

12           Haunted. Do not sit in the corner, it is taken.

 

d8           Teas Offered 3 of:

1              White

2              Yellow

3              Green

4              Oolong

5              Red

6              Heilong

7              Blue Lotus

8              Herbal

 

d10         Also Offers 1d3 of

1              Pipe-leaf

2              Hookah

3              Rice Wine

4              Dancing girls

5              Pastries (3 of: 1 bubbly pie, 2 fruit tart, 3 chasan, 4 churro, 5 cream horn, 6 kolache, 7 cheese pastry, 8 curry puff, 9 fig roll, 10 lotus seed bun, 11 samosa, 12 empanada)

6              Soup (1-2 rice-noodle, 3-4 fish, 5-6 rice-noodle with fish, 7-8 lamb and vegetable, 9-10 turkey and potato)

7              Steamed buns, filled with meat or vegetables

8              Sandwiches and cakes

9              Live music

10           Sweet iced tea