Character Creation Healing Potions

Choose a secret from the next page to flesh out your These take a bonus action to quaff, and an action to
character's backstory. Also, you may choose one each administer.
Uncommon, Rare and Very Rare magic item. You do not start
with these items, but you may encounter them in your travels. Death Saving Throws
These are tracked and rolled by the player in secret.
Supplies
Rather than tracking supplies, the party is assumed to have a
ready supply of all mundane items listed on page 150 and
154 of the Player's Handbook.
Rather than track encumbrance, players can each carry ten
things each in their backpacks, apart from other worn or
carried items. Rather than track experience points, we will
use milestone leveling
Winds of Magic
The Weave has been damaged beyond repair, and its forces
swirl in violent and unfettered patterns that locals refer to as
the Winds of Magic.
To those who know how to harness their power, the Winds
may be channeled to produce uncommon, singular and
surprising effects. When casting a spell without using a ritual
or magic item, the mage may produce any effect hitherto
unwitnessed, limited only by the spell's level, its name, and
the caster's imagination.
Examples of Use
Changing the damage type of a firebolt to radiant, or creating
a poisonous goodberry that harms rather than heals, are
possible uses of the Winds of Magic. The spell's level governs
its range, number of targets, and damage, which cannot
generally be affected by the Winds.
The theme of the spell, such as food (in the case of
goodberry) or fire (in the case of firebolt) must also be
maintained. A spellcaster couldn't shoot a firebolt made of
water, for example, although one made of holy fire would be
in keeping with the theme. Likewise, goodberry could not be
used to create a turkey dinner, even though it might have the
same effect mechanically. When in doubt, the name of the
spell should be used as a reference for the theme.
Repeated Effects
No effect may be used more than once per campaign. The
DM may keep a record of previously used effects and veto an
effect if it has been used before. The intent is that the players
use the Winds to add variety and novelty to the game with a
one-time bending of the rules, rather than simply inventing
new rules.
Heroic Stunts
The Winds of Magic may even be used by those normally
incapable of spellcasting. For example, anointing some
arrows with alchemist's fire so that they do an additional d4
fire damage on a hit, or using a chain of cold iron to restrain a
fiend, are legitimate uses of the Winds of Magic. However, the
tides of magic being unpredictable at best, such effects do not
work more than once.
Secrets
S
aints and murderers.
Liars and vagabonds.
None are to be trusted.
Nothing is what it seems.
Who knows what darkness lies in the hearts of
men? Only the shadows...
As part of creating your character, choose one of these
secrets to help flesh out your backstory. These replace
backgrounds and are completely optional for your character.
A player can always write their own backstory and only use
the mechanics of a secret. No player may take the same
secret as another. You may attempt any ability check related
to your Secret with advantage.
Barber
Once per long rest, use your action to take your barber's
razor to a character, causing them to roll a DC 10 Sanity
check. If the check is passed, the patient heals 4d4 hitpoints
plus the patient's Constitution bonus. This counts as magical
healing. If the check is failed, the patient suffers the effects of
Madness and takes 2d4 slashing damage minus their
Constitution modifier.
Your knowledge of anatomy allows you to critically hit on a
19 or 20.
You have a pearl-handled straight razor (treat as scimitar).
Coachman
You've witnessed miracles, or witchcraft, for which you have
no explanation. Your hooded lantern is a holy symbol of the
Morninglord that shines like a beacon. Once per long rest,
you may activate its powers with an action, dispelling any
magical darkness within 30 feet. You have proficiency with
land vehicles.
You have a lover whom who haven't seen in years. At any
time outside of combat, you can decide who the lover is by
choosing an NPC that you can see. Once you've made this
choice, you can't change it. The old flame is friendly and
helpful towards you even if your past is checkered.
Farmhand
None could have predicted the comet that came blazing down
to crash upon the old mill, and spread the unrelenting
crystalline entity that consumed the honest miller's once
fertile fields. Even now, it feasts upon your flesh, slowly
taking hold of your body and soul as it begs for sustenance
with a will of its own.
You have a pitted scythe (treat as glaive). You have a locket
with Beatrice's portrait. You cannot read or write.
Once per long rest, you may choose to critically succeed on
a death saving throw before rolling it, as the symbiotic entity
refuses to let you die. This counts as magical healing.
Pedlar
The hunters came in the night, firing silver bullets and
bellowing about werewolves and cursed blood. We Vistani are
a noble people, the enemies of dark powers, and we curse
those sanctimonious butchers that would murder simple
travelers, leaving nothing but a field of headstones in their
wake.
You have a tarokka deck with which you can use per the
Portent ability on page 116 in the Player's Handbook. You
cannot read or write.
Preacher
It's TRUE!! That book in the apothecary's study burned the
truth into your brain, which is that YOU ARE THE TRUE
avatar of the Morninglord, and HIS SUN will shine upon a
new day! GLORY? GLORY TO THE MORNINGLORD!
You have a corded switch used to beat you as a child (treat
as flail). Add 15 to any d100 Madness roll you make. You have
a flask of spirits (treat as aquaregia). You cannot read or
write.
Grave Digger
The dark star. It shined on the hour of your birth and now it
still watches you coldly and distantly, whispering secrets of
blasphemous and unspeakable treasures.
If you fail any attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you
notice a glittering trinket. Roll on the treasure table.
Two may choose to know the general location of two
Uncommon, two Rare, and two Very Rare items when you
create your character.
You have your trusty shovel (treat as greataxe). You cannot
read or write.
Herbalist
Abducted by hags as a child, you have a hag eye that you can
remove painlessly. If you close your other eye, you can see
through the hag eye as if it were attached to you as long as it
is within 10 miles. The eye has Darkvision out to 60 ft.
As an action, you can send a telepathic message of up to
twenty five words to a creature holding or carrying the eye, as
long as that creature is within 10 miles of you.
Your hide (bluish, purplish, or greenish) gives you an AC
equal to 10+ your Dexterity modifier+ your Constitution
modifier while you are not wearing any armor. You can use a
shield and still gain this benefit.
Knight
You were just a beggar, so why did the shadow save you,
killing the brigands attacking that nobleman's coach? With
the nobleman and his servants dead, there was nobody to
witness you take the nobleman's clothes, name, lands and
titles. You have the court mask of the decapitated nobleman
and his riding horse.
You have advantage to saving throws made to avoid falling
off your mount, and always land on your feet when falling off
10 feet or less unless incapacitated. You may mount or
dismount as a free object interaction. You have proficiency
with land vehicles.
You cast no shadow. Once a day, you may call upon the
shadow as an action, increasing the range of your melee
attacks by 15 feet for 1 minute.
Peasant
The eldest scion of Luitpold von Holswig-Schliestein, you
were heir to a great fortune and kingdom... then that trouble
started with the Von Carsteins. Bowed down only by the
memories of your own lost glory, you could never submit to
anyone else. Not you, of noble blood.
Not that you expect any of these insignificant peons to
understand the depths of your sorrow.
Once per day in a civilized setting, you can spend an hour
to call forth an angry mob. Of these, four humanoids of CR
1/8 or lower would be willing to join you in combat. You are
unable to determine the type of humanoids, nor are you able
to command more than four in combat with this ability at any
one time. Roll initiative as a group, and obey any verbal
commands with no action needed for issuing commands.
Performancer
Camp followers supported the army during the war against
Valentia, and these tinkers, hustlers, harlots and procurers of
substances both legal and illicit stood by the soldiers during
endless marches and countless skirmishes. You were one of
those mercenary survivors, and your immoral ways have led
you to outlast the war, and Valentia itself, even though it took
your youth, your family, and your soul.
You may play a ribald tune once per long rest, as long as
you are proficient with a musical instrument. After 10
minutes, all allies within 30 feet may regain 1d4+ your
Charisma modifier Sanity points.
You have a d6 Bardic Inspiration die, per page 53 in the
Player's Handbook.
You have a plundered shield with the tarnished crest of
Valentia. You cannot read or write.
Protagonist
An indiscriminate highwayman, you can Dash, Disengage, or
Hide as a bonus action.
You have the musket you murdered your sister with.
If you are hit by an attack roll, you can react by channeling
your sister's spirit. Add your proficiency bonus to your AC. If
this causes the attack to miss, the ability can't be used again
until a short rest.
Rat Catcher
An escapee from the darklord's dungeons, you rescued a
small but vicious dog (treat as giant rat). Add your proficiency
bonus to the creature's AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls. Its
maximum hitpoints are at least four times your level, and it
has advantage on savings throws as long as it can see its
master. It acts on your initiative and if it dies, a new Small
beast of CR 1/8 or lower may be tamed after 8 hours of
searching. You cannot read or write.
Witch Hunter
You were cursed with lycanthropy, and the memories of those
you butchered haunt you. You are still vulnerable to slashing,
blunt, and piercing damage from silvered weapons.
You have advantage on Intelligence saving throws against
effects that you can see, such as enemies and spells. To gain
this benefit, you must be able to utter an imprecation against
this menace, and can't be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.
You have lovingly restored the silvered weapon (simple or
martial) that the Witch Hunter finally defeated you with.
Woodcutter
You were just a woodcutter; he offered you ten gold pieces to
participate, and you took it. When you awoke from the slab,
the alchemist reached out his hand to help you get up. Your
not sure if his experiment was a success or a failure, but he
crumbled to dust at your feet as soon as your hands touched.
Your unarmed strikes deal extra necrotic damage equal to
1d8 + your Constitution modifier. In addition, at the start of
each of your turns, a creature grappled by you or one
grappling you takes the same amount of necrotic damage.
The necrotic damage from this secret ignores necrotic
damage resistance. If a creature is reduced to 0 health from
necrotic damage, their body shrivels into dust. You cannot
read or write.
Wizard
He said you were the greatest apprentice he'd ever had, but as
soon as you found out your master's ulterior motive, you fled
from his service. You never managed to get licensed, but you
may start with an Invocation and a cantrip. You can read and
write Draconic but not Common.