bwatford

I think I got a bit carried away there with the descriptive writing. Please let me know if it is too much, and I will tone it down. There was just a lot to cover in that post. Feedback is always appreciated.

Dungeons & Dragons 5e with DM BWatford Noodles heart was as vast as the endless sky, and his spirit as wild as the untamed winds. He was no ordinary gnome; his eyes shimmered with the iridescence of a thousand dreams, and his hands, though small, were deft as the wings of a hummingbird. On a day when the sun hung low, casting amber hues across the land, Noodles found himself at the base of the daunting spire. The rock face rose like a sentinel, jagged and unyielding, guarding the secrets that it held within. But Noodles was undeterred as his companions asked him to take up the task. Noodles took a deep breath, the scent of moss and earth filling his lungs, and began his ascent. Each movement was a dance between determination and grace. His fingers grasped the rope, calloused from a lifetime of adventure, finding strength in the fibers that bit into his skin. The cliff fought back, its edges sharp as a dragon’s tooth, threatening to tear both flesh and hope. But Noodles was a creature of both earth and ether. He climbed with the agility of a cat, his feet finding purchase on the smallest of ledges, his body swaying with the rhythm of the cliff’s cruel song. The rope swayed perilously, a pendulum between success and peril, as Noodles ascended towards his goal. Twenty-five feet may as well have been a journey across realms for the wyrd gnome. The wind howled, a chorus of ancient voices challenging his progress, yet Noodles climbed, undaunted. His eyes remained fixed on the nook, a mere crevice from afar, but to him, a gateway to wonders untold. As he reached the final stretch, the cliff seemed to relent, its harshness giving way to awe at the gnome’s tenacity. Noodles pulled himself over the edge, his heart pounding like the drums of the deep. The well-concealed, claustrophobic nook of rough stone opens to a wondrous sight: A clearly humanoid-made chamber of hewn rock, partially collapsed beneath the weight of ancient stones. A slightly damaged mosaic of beautiful tiles on the wall sports bronze highlights on its wave patterns. More imposing still, an arch made of bronzegleaming metal holds a massive, closed set of double doors of the selfsame metal. Both the arch and the double doors sport strange runes and are untouched by the collapse. The ruinous heap before Noodles was a testament to the might of time and decay. A colossal barricade of stone and debris had surrendered to gravity, cascading down in a thunderous tumult. Yet, amidst the dust and echoes of its downfall, Noodles, with the keen eye of an experienced adventurer, surveyed the aftermath with swift precision. His gaze, sharp as a falcon’s, darted over the crumbled mass, assessing each fractured boulder and splintered shard. The air was thick with the scent of ancient earth, a pungent reminder of the collapse’s recent fury. But Noodles, with an innate understanding of the capricious nature of such ruins, discerned the subtlest of cues that spoke of stability – a precarious, fleeting stability, but enough for the moment’s needs. He knew all too well the herculean labor it would take to clear such a monumental obstruction, a task bordering on the Sisyphean. The very thought of attempting to excavate the mountainous pile seemed a fool’s errand, for the stones were locked in a silent, stubborn embrace, defying any who would challenge their newfound resting place. Yet, fortune had cast a kind glance upon Noodles this day, for the collapse, in all its wild abandon, had spared the two treasures he sought. The mosaic, a kaleidoscope of colors and history, lay untouched, its tiles winking like jewels in the dim light. And the arch, a gateway to mysteries untold, stood defiant against the chaos, its form unmarred by the surrounding desolation. Once, the mosaic before Noodles might have been a masterful portrayal of the sea’s capricious dance, its waves captured in a moment of frozen tumult. Now, as he leaned in, his eyes narrowed with the focus of a sage, the remnants of that artistry beckoned to him, whispering secrets of its former glory. The pattern, though worn by the relentless march of time, still held a semblance of life. To Noodles’ discerning gaze, the waves seemed to undulate gently, rhythmically, as if stirred by a ghostly zephyr. It was a mesmerizing sight, the stone waves ebbing and flowing in a silent ballet that only the keenest of observers could perceive. Drawn to the intricacies of the metalwork interwoven with the stonework, Noodles inspected the metallic elements that crowned the mosaic’s peaks. Here, amidst the duller tones, he discovered specks of blue that sparkled like the morning dew under the first kiss of dawn. These tiny, sapphire-like flecks caught the light in such a way that they lent the artwork an ethereal luminescence. Yet, as he studied the phenomenon, the rational part of Noodles’ mind understood the truth. The movement was but an illusion, a trick of light and shadow playing upon the craftsmanship of old. There was no enchantment here, no spell woven into the very fabric of the mosaic. It was, in its essence, a testament to the skill of its creator – an artist who could invoke the illusion of life in the inanimate, who could make the observer believe, if only for a heartbeat, in the magic of art. Noodles pivoted on his heel, his attention captured by the arch that stood solemn and unguarded. It rose from the ground, a silent sentinel wrought from ancient metal, its surface kissed by the same bluish flecks that adorned the mosaic. The arch was a relic of a bygone era, its purpose lost to the mists of time, yet it commanded respect and curiosity. The runic script that etched its way across the metal was a tapestry of enigmatic symbols, each rune flowing into the next in an elegant, unbroken sequence. The language was alien to Noodles, a cryptic puzzle that defied his extensive knowledge. It was as if the runes were born from the very essence of mystery, a language conceived by the universe itself, spoken only by the stars and the void between them. Despite the arch’s imposing presence, there was no hint of malice or trickery about it. No signs of traps lay in wait, no mechanisms designed to ensnare the unwary. It was as though the arch had been left open, a gateway inviting passage, its secrets offered freely to those brave enough to step through. The bluish flecks within the metal caught the light, casting an otherworldly glow that seemed to pulse with a rhythm all its own. It was a subtle effect, yet it lent the arch an aura of the arcane, as if the very metal were imbued with a sliver of the cosmos. Noodles, ever the intrepid explorer, felt a surge of excitement. Here was a challenge not of physical might, but of intellect and intuition. The arch beckoned, a portal to the unknown, and Noodles, with a spark of wonder in his eyes, stood ready to embrace whatever mysteries lay beyond. Before Noodles stood the double doors, enshrined within the archway like a silent riddle carved from the heart of the earth. The doors were seamless, their surface a continuous canvas of bronze that betrayed no hint of entry – no handles to turn, no hinges to creak. They were as enigmatic as the moon’s dark side, as impenetrable as the depths of the deepest ocean trench. The bronze itself was a spectacle, not merely for its lustrous sheen but for the curious specks of blue that adorned it. These flecks were scattered across the metal like stars in the night sky, a constellation of tiny, twinkling sapphires embedded within the very essence of the doors. They shimmered with an inner light, a luminescence that seemed to pulse with the lifeblood of the cosmos. And upon this metallic expanse was inscribed a language of otherworldly origin. The script was a symphony of unfamiliar characters, each letter an intricate dance of lines and curves. It was as if the language had been scribed by the hand of an alien scribe, its alphabet unknown to the annals of known civilizations. Noodles, with all his worldly travels and scholarly pursuits, found himself at a loss, for the script matched none he had encountered in his vast repertoire of knowledge. The doors, in their silent majesty, stood as guardians to secrets untold, their cryptic language a whisper from the void, beckoning to those who would dare to unravel their mysteries. Noodles, ever the seeker of the arcane, felt the stirrings of a challenge, a puzzle that called to the very core of his being, promising wonders beyond the veil of the mundane. AS ABOVE SO BELOW Rultmoork Unknown distance from the BadlandsSome peoples call it the Wasted West, others just call it the Wastes or the Mana Wastes, but the locals who live within or on its fringes just call it the Badlands. An appropriate name for what goes on within. The magical turmoil and strain has warped the terrain into supernatural badlands. Travelers report entire patches of dunes where all magic falls dead one day and is augmented the next. The absence of ley lines makes spellcasters nervous, and some spells perform at maximum capacity or sputter out for no discernible reason. Teleportation, shadow roads, and other magical forms of transportation are extremely risky, since without guiding ley lines, teleporting travelers can find themselves going nowhere, stranded in unintended locations, or even stranded between worlds. 5:26 pm Day 2 LEY LINE DISRUPTION 29% * Unless a spellcaster uses a bonus action to make a concentration check to manipulate the twisted magical energies resonating from the badlands when casting a spell other than a cantrip, there is a 29% chance today of an unpredictable result. Scene Information: There is thirty-four minutes of daylight remaining. Please make sure something in your posting template (usually picture or name) links back to your character thread). Active Maps Not in Use!! Bookkeeping PASSIVE PERCEPTION Noodles: 17 | Zelda 16 | Deidre 13 | Taborlin 12 | Willowveil 11 | Question 10 INITIATIVE Not in Use!! MECHANICS Not in Use!! CONDITIONS Not in Use!! DESCRIPTIONS Not in Use!! DEIDRE O'CEALLAIGH Hit Points: 47/47 Hit Dice: 5/5 Hex: 1/1 *L Misty Step: 1/1 *L Spell Slots: (+7, DC 15) *L 1st Level: 4/4 2nd Level: 2/2 DM Inspiration: 1/1 LYNESTRA "ZELDA" VORAMMAS Hit Points: 29/29 (fey ancestry) Hit Dice: 5/5 Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L Natural Recovery: 1/1 *L Wildshape: 2/2 *S Spell Slots: (+7, DC 14) *L 1st Level: 4/4 2nd Level: 3/3 3rd Level: 2/2 DM Inspiration: 1/1 "NOODLES" GOBLINFRIEND Hit Points: 38/38 (gnomish cunning) Hit Dice: 5/5 Psionic Power: 6/6 (d8) Prescience Roll: (20) 1/1 Spell Slots: (+4, DC 12) *L Feather Fall: 1/1 Augury: 1/1 DM Inspiration: 1/1 QUESTION Hit Points: 32/32 (automation) Hit Dice: 5/5 Accelerated Healing: 1/1 *L Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L Portent Roll 1: 8 Portent Roll 2: 14 Spell Slots: (+8, DC 16) *L 1st Level: 4/4 2nd Level: 3/3 3rd Level: 2/2 DM Inspiration: 1/1 TABORLIN SOOTHSONG Hit Points: 44/44 (divine health) Hit Dice: 5/5 Channel Divinity: 2/2 *L Divine Sense: 4/4 *L Lay on Hands: 25/25 *L Spell Slots: (+7, DC 15) *L 1st Level: 4/4 2nd Level: 2/2 DM Inspiration: 1/1 WILLOWVEIL Hit Points: 38/38 Hit Dice: 5/5 Spell Slots: (+7, DC 16) *L 3rd Level: 2/2 DM Inspiration: 1/1 CHILD OF THE BRIAR Hit Points: 50/50 (Vulnerable fire Hit Dice: 20/20

The Manual of Adventurous Resources (also known as MoaR) set of books for A5e are allowed for further options, just make sure you list the source if you use anything from them. In this book you will find: Two brand-new classes with seven archetypes between them; the elementalist, which harnesses the power of the four classical elements and the wielder, a warrior bonded to a magical artifact. Nine heritages, including frogfolk, harpies, half-giants, merfolk, and unliving. Many of the new heritages come with abundant sub-heritages and notes for customizing their mechanics to represent other heritages as well. Fifteen cultures, many directly tied to the new heritages. Ten backgrounds. Four destinies. A whopping forty-eight archetypes for existing classes. Nine synergy feat chains, including five utilizing the new classes. Two strongholds. Five follower types.

LANGUAGES OF ELISSAR Most of the people in the kingdom speak the common trade tongue. Common languages would be Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Gnoll, Gnomish, Goblin, Halfling, and Orc. Uncommon Exotic languages would be Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Infernal, Celestial, Draconic, Deep Speech, Ignan, Infernal, Primordial, Sylvan, Terran, and Undercommon. Rare Exotic languages would be Boggard, Druidic, Giant Eagle, Giant Elk, Giant Owl, Khalkos (scent-based), Jabber, Minotaur, Mycelial, Shahuagin, Scorpionfolk, Troglodyte, Winter Wolf, Worg, and Yeti. Elissar has many, many dead languages from so many major events in its past that destroyed entire cultures that are now lost, these have not yet been fleshed out in the setting as a whole. Here are just a few of the Dead Languages of Elissar. Fyæsǔian, Gaunbêmish, Henmii, Iitfúian, Kpapian, Mbiksopchesian, Nemaan, Nyugníian, Papsyen, Puyäfian.

My discord server now has a fully dedicated channel for OOC discussion of Abomination Vaults.

POSTING TEMPLATE You are welcome to use the following template. It is designed to include all pertinent details about your character for quick reference by both the Narrator and yourself as the player. Please ensure that your posting template provides a link to your character thread for convenient reference. STONESINGER CENYA ELF BARD 4 COLORSEER AC: 14 | HP: 25/25 | Maneuver DC: 12 | Passive Perception/Insight: 10/10 Spell Slots: 1st 4/4, 2nd 3/3 | Spell Attack: +6 | Spell DC: 14 Bardic Inspiration: 4/4 | Eternium Palette: 1/1 | DM Inspiration: 1/1 Token should be max size of 150px, you can pick your own style and you can make them at the link below. Posts should use the default size and color for optimal viewing across different themes and devices. If you decide to use colors, it's best to adhere to the basic palette since these colors vary with the themes. "Speech should always be in quotes and in bold." Thoughts should be in italics Mechanics Main Hand: Empty Off Hand: Empty Action: Your action goes here. Bonus Action: Your bonus action goes here. Move: Your movement goes here. Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

CHARACTER THREAD TEMPLATE You are welcome to use the following template. It is designed to include all pertinent details about your character for quick reference by both the Narrator and yourself as the player. By keeping this post current in your character thread, you eliminate the need for a separate Myth-Weavers character sheet. Ensure that your posting template provides a link to your character thread for convenient reference. STONESINGER CENYA ELF BARD 4 COLORSEER Age 98 Height 5 feet 4 inches Weight 123 pounds Size Medium Culture Shadow Elf Background: Entertainer VITALS HIT POINTS 25 HIT DICE 4 (1d8+1) ARMOR CLASS 14 (Padded Leather) SPEED 30 ft. MANEUVER DC 12 PERCEPTION 10 (passive) IMMUNITIES None INSIGHT 10 (Passive) RESISTANCES None VULNERABLE None SKILLS & SAVES STRENGTH 8 (-1) Athletics -1 STR Save -1 DEXTERITY 14 (+2) Acrobatics* +4, Sleight of Hand +2, Stealth +2 Dexterity Save* +4 CONSTITUTION 12 (+1) Constitution Save +1 INTELLIGENCE 14 (+2) Arcana* +4 (constructs +1d4), Engineering* +4 (tunnels +1d4), History +2, Investigation +2, Nature +2, Religion +2 Intelligence Save +2 WISDOM 10 (+0) Animal Handling +0, Culture +0, Insight +0, Medicine +0, Perception +0, Survival* +2 (dungeoneering +1d4) Wisdom Save +0 CHARISMA 18 (+4) Deception* +4, Intimidation* +6 (verbal), Performance* +6 (vocals +1d4), Persuasion* +6 (+1d4) Charisma Save* +6 * Denotes Proficiency (denotes expertise) PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES Armor Light armor Weapons Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords Tools Lute, mason’s tools Senses Darkvision 120 ft. Languages Common, Elvish, Undercommon ARCHTYPE: COLORSEER Colorseers express their magic through the ebb and flow of fantastical colors. www.levelup5e.com EQUIPMENT Backpack, crowbar, dagger, hammer, hand crossbow, lute, padded leather, pitons (10), quiver with 20 bolts, rapier, torches (10), tinderbox, waterskin, rations (8 Supply) Maximum Supply: 8 Maximum Bulk: 1 BACKGROUND: ENTERTAINER Connection. Stone and Steele, her old performing troupe led by Riley Steele. Memento. A shard of the harmonic crystal she found deep underground, which still resonates with her voice. Pay the Piper. In any settlement in which Cenya hasn’t made herself unpopular, her performances can earn enough money to support her and her companions: the bigger the settlement, the higher Cenya’s standard of living, up to a moderate lifestyle in a city DESTINY: KNOWLEDGE Cenya seeks universal truths too vast and terrible for mortal minds to comprehend, or untold secrets hidden away from inquiring minds. She fulfills her destiny of Knowledge and gains her fulfillment feature when she has a true epiphany. SOURCE OF INSPIRATION Learning. Cenya gains inspiration whenever she makes an arcane, divine, scholastic, or scientific discovery. FULLFILLMENT FEATURE Converging Theories. Cenya’s understanding has bridged the gaps and she joins what once was disparate into a unified scientific and spiritual theory. Her Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores each increase by 2 and their maximums each become 22. INSPIRATION FEATURE Critical Evaluation. As a bonus action, Cenya may spend her inspiration to quickly evaluate a creature or item she can see, accurately determining one objective attribute of her choice. When evaluating a creature, she may determine its resistances, immunities, vulnerabilities, what languages it speaks, or its armor class. When evaluating an object, she may determine if it is magical, poisonous, cursed, trapped, or its approximate value. WEALTH COIN POUCH Copper: 0 | Silver: 0 | Electrum: 0 | Gold: 6 | Platinum: 0 BANKED COIN Copper: 0 | Silver: 0 | Electrum: 0 | Gold: 0 | Platinum: 0 ITEMS OF VALUE (Gems, Art, Jewelry, etc.) 1. 2. 3. MAGIC ITEMS ATTUNED ITEMS (Maximum of 3) 1. 2. 3. NON-ATTUNED ITEMS 1. 2. 3. CONSUMABLES 1. 2. 3. COMBAT Action Bonus Action Reaction ATTACKS Rapier +4 to hit; reach 5 ft; one target; 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage. Parrying. This weapon is designed to be used with a light shield. When Cenya makes an attack with this weapon and is using a light shield she can use a bonus action to either make an attack with her shield or increase her Armor Class by 1 until the start of her next turn. Finesse. Cenya may choose to use your Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls made with this weapon (included). Hand Crossbow (offhand) +4 to hit; range 30/120 ft; one target; 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. Dual-wielding. This weapon is designed to be wielded in concert with another weapon. When wielding another weapon in your main hand that does not have the heavy property, Cenya can use her bonus action to make an attack with this weapon (see Two-Weapon Fighting). Loading. This weapon must be loaded before it can be used. Cenya may only make one attack with a loading weapon when she uses an action, bonus action, or reaction to fire it, regardless of the number of attacks she could normally make. SPELLCASTING Caster Level 4 | Spell Casting Ability Charisma | Spell Save DC 14 | Spell Attack +6 Art Specialty: Voice. Cenya has advantage on saving throws made to maintain concentration on bard spells. CANTRIPS (Click the spell for more information) Dancing Lights (V, S, M). Cenya creates up to four hovering lights which appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that can be combined into a glowing Medium-sized humanoid form. Each sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. She can use a bonus action to move the lights up to 60 feet so long as each remains within 20 feet of another light created by this spell. A dancing light winks out when it exceeds the spell’s range of 120 feet. Minor Illusion (S, M). This spell creates a sound or image of an object. The illusion disappears if dismissed or Cenya casts the spell again. Cenya may create any sound she chooses, ranging in volume from a whisper to a scream. She may choose one sound for the duration or change them at varying points before the spell ends. Sounds are audible outside the spell’s area. Visual illusions may replicate any image and remain within the spell’s area, but cannot create sound, light, smell, or other sensory effects. The image is revealed as an illusion with any physical interaction as physical objects and creatures pass through it. An Investigation check against Cenya’s spell save DC also reveals the image is an illusion. When a creature realizes the image is an illusion, the effects become fainter for that creature. Prestidigitation (V, S). Cenya wields arcane energies to produce minor effects within 30 feet. Choose one of the following: Create a single burst of magic that manifests to one of the senses (for example a burst of sound, sparks, or an odd odor). Clean or soil an object of 1 cubic foot or less. Light or snuff a flame. Chill, warm, or flavor nonliving material of 1 cubic foot or less for 1 hour. Color or mark an object or surface for 1 hour. Create an ordinary trinket or illusionary image that fits in your hand and lasts for 1 round. Vicious Mockery (V). As long as the target hears Cenya (understanding her words is not required) it makes a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or it takes 1d6 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the first attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. 1ST-LEVEL (4 Slots) (Click the spell for more information) Comprehend Languages (V, S, M). For one hour Cenya gains +10 bonus on Insight checks made to understand the meaning of any spoken language that she hears, or any written language that she can touch. This spell doesn’t uncover secret messages or decode cyphers, and it does not assist in uncovering lies. Cure Wounds (V, S). One creature (which is not a construct or undead) Cenya can touch regains 1d8+4 hit points. Harmonic Resonance (V, S, M, Concentration). Until the spell ends after 1 minute, Cenya may take the Help action as a bonus action. Additionally, when a creature within 30 feet uses a Bardic Inspiration die, she may choose to reroll the die after it is rolled but before the outcome is determined. Cenya cannot cast another spell through her spellcasting focus while concentrating on this spell. Heroism (V, S). Until the spell ends, one willing creature Cenya touches cannot be frightened and gains 3 temporary hit points at the start of each of its turns (any remaining are lost when the spell ends). Thunderwave (S). Thunder rolls from Cenya in a 15-foot cube. Each creature in the area makes a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet from Cenya. On a success, a creature takes half damage and is not pushed. 2ND-LEVEL (3 Slots) (Click the spell for more information) Detect Thoughts (V, S, M, Concentration). On the round she casts it, and as an action on subsequent turns until the spell ends, Cenya can probe a creature’s mind to read its thoughts by focusing on one creature you can see within 30 feet. The creature makes a Wisdom saving throw. Creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or less or that don’t speak any languages are unaffected. On a failed save, Cenya learns the creature’s surface thoughts—what is most on its mind in that moment. On a successful save, she fails to read the creature’s thoughts and can’t attempt to probe its mind for the duration. Conversation naturally shapes the course of a creature’s thoughts and what it is thinking about may change based on questions verbally directed at it. Once she has read a creature’s surface thoughts, Cenya can use an action to probe deeper into its mind. The creature makes a second Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, she fails to read the creature’s deeper thoughts and the spell ends. On a failure, she gains insight into the creature’s motivations, emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind. The creature then becomes aware that she is probing its mind and can use an action to make an Intelligence check contested by her Intelligence check, ending the spell if it succeeds. Additionally, Cenya can use an action to scan for thinking creatures within range that she can’t see. Once she detects the presence of a thinking creature, so long as it remains within range she can attempt to read its thoughts as described above. The spell penetrates most barriers but is blocked by 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead. Magic Map (S, M). Cenya creates a map with herself at the center, choosing a scale up to 100 by 100 miles. The map only includes locations that she has seen and traveled through. The map doesn’t show areas at a significantly different elevation from her current location. If she casts the spell while lost, the spell fails. BARDIC INSPIRATION (4 Per Long Rest) Cenya chooses one creature other than herself that can hear or see her within 60 feet. That creature gains a d6 Bardic Inspiration die. Once within the next 10 minutes, it can roll this die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw result. Alternatively, Cenya can use her Bardic Inspiration to power her Battle Hymns. Battle Hymns. Cenya can expend a use of her Bardic Inspiration to activate this feature at the start of her turn. It continues until she chooses to end it or loses concentration (as if it were a spell), or if activated during a combat whenever the combat ends. Cenya’s battle hymns can affect 4 additional creatures. Harmony of Pain: The creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to Cenya’s Bardic Inspiration die. Song of Clarity: At the start of each of her turns, Cenya can choose one creature. At the start of its turn, the chosen creature can expend and roll one of its Hit Dice to regain hit points. Battle Hymn Focus. At the end of another creature’s turn, Cenya can use her reaction to activate a battle hymn. This battle hymn replaces any currently activated battle hymns. Replacing an activated battle hymn does not require expending a use of Bardic Inspiration if it has no target yet. FEATS & FEATURES Fey Ancestry. Cenya gains an expertise die on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep. EXPLORATION Critical Evaluation. Cenya may spend her inspiration to quickly evaluate a creature or item she can see, accurately determining one objective attribute of her choice. When evaluating a creature, she may determine its resistances, immunities, vulnerabilities, what languages it speaks, or its armor class. When evaluating an object, she may determine if it is magical, poisonous, cursed, trapped, or its approximate value. Trance. Cenya doesn’t need to sleep. Instead, she meditates deeply, remaining conscious. When she takes a long rest, she spends 4 hours in her trance state (instead of sleeping for 6 hours). During the trance Cenya suffers no penalty to passive Perception. A long rest remains 8 hours for her as normal, and the remainder of the time must be filled only with light activity. Eternium Palette. (1/Day) Cenya’s artistry focuses on the play of colors, tugging and pulling at them to reveal new hues. She gains advantage on saving throws against illusions. In addition, when she knows she is being targeted by an illusion spell, she can choose to halve or double its duration. Once she has used this feature a number of times equal to half her proficiency bonus, she can’t do so again until she finishes a long rest. Jack-Of-All-Trades. Whenever Cenya makes an ability check with a skill or tool she is not proficient with, she adds half her proficiency bonus (rounded down). SOCIAL Bardic Legend. When Cenya enters a settlement and spends a day playing or recounting her Bardic Legend, the reputation of her and her allies starts to grow. In addition to receiving local quests suited to the exploits detailed in her bardic legend, when Cenya rests in a settlement that knows her bardic legend she and her allies regain all spent Hit Dice over the course of a long rest. In addition, she gains an expertise die on Prestige checks made in the settlement. Sly Confidant. When Cenya succeeds on an opposed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check, she gains advantage on her next opposed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check against the same creature. Varied Expertise. Cenya gains an expertise die on checks made using Persuasion. APPEARANCE Stonesinger Cenya is an exuberant shadow elf with a golden voice and a fascination with minerals and gemstones. She makes her living traveling town-to-town and performing, frequently reuniting with her duet partner—a human woman named Riley Steele—to perform together. Cenya is curious and obsessive, sometimes to the point of naïveté; she will gladly chase an intriguing mystery to the exclusion of all other considerations. Having lived in quiet desperation throughout her adolescence underground, she now seeks to enjoy the highest pleasures of life, sampling the finest foods, aged drink, and music that there is to find. Her indulgence can make her seem frivolous, but beneath that appearance lies a keen eye and an inquisitive soul that can’t be quenched. BACKSTORY Once a miner in a shadow elf commune deep underground, Cenya grew up leading a lifestyle chiefly concerned with the pragmatic realities of day-to-day survival. Art and culture were rarely of interest to her community, and she carried this same mentality for the better part of a century. Her life only changed when she discovered a large, humming crystal in a rounded cave, clearly not naturally-formed. When she spoke the crystal echoed back in harmonies, and she couldn’t help but raise her voice in song to accompany it. In the swelling joy that accompanied her discovery of music, she eagerly returned to her community with what she had learned. Unfortunately, her people had little interest in what she had to say. In short order she was exiled to the surface for her frivolity, and the only act of rebellion she could manage was keeping the location of the crystal a secret so that it wouldn’t be harvested by her people. On the surface, forced to survive on her own, she continued to refine her craft until she found she could make a living through it. ALLIES & ORGANIZATIONS Stone and Steele, her old performing troupe led by Riley Steele. FOLLOWERS & STRONGHOLDS Neigh Type Riding Horse Abilities Speed 60ft, AC 10, HP 19.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Questions about the application process should be asked here. Also feel free to join the Abomination Vaults or the A5e Level Up discussion on my Discord server.

WITCHLIGHT FOLLOWER While in a dismal forest or remote swamp, you caught sight of a string of lights bobbing through the trees. You stepped forward for a closer look, and then still further when the lights retreated a few paces. Then you remembered the rumors. Will-o’-wisps, rushlights, corpse lanterns—whatever they’re called—such evil creatures lead people to their doom. With a supreme effort of will, you broke free from the alluring enchantment, and you’ve resolved to never let the strange lights of remote wildernesses claim you again. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Dexterity or Wisdom and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Survival and Nature Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: Two languages of your choice. Feature: Light’s Bane You have developed a resistance to the enchanting and misleading lights of the wilderness. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to navigate through swamps and other difficult terrain, and you cannot be charmed or frightened by creatures that use light or illusions to lure their prey. Terrain Expertise: You are particularly adept at moving through your chosen terrains (swamps and subterranean bodies of water). When you make an ability check related to traveling or surviving in these terrains, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. Connection: You have a close friend who shares your fascination with the mysterious lights and has accompanied you on several expeditions to uncover their secrets. Memento: A small glass orb that seems to contain a bit of the strange light you once followed. It no longer moves or leads, but it glows softly when danger is near.

STARWATCHER You’re one of Wrin Sivinxi’s closest confidantes. You’ve spent many long nights with her under the stars, learning the tales associated with the Stellar Pilgrims' Conclave and how the heavens can predict the future. You know that Wrin has paralyzing claustrophobia; she sees menace in angles and danger in confined spaces, which is why her shop is an all-domed canvas that opens to the sky. If Wrin thinks there’s trouble, you’ll be the first to offer to help. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Intelligence or Constitution and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Arcana and Insight. Tool Proficiencies: Navigator's Tools Languages: One language of your choice. Feature: Celestial Intuition You have an innate connection to the cosmos and can read the stars to predict omens and portents. Once per long rest, you can spend an hour observing the stars to gain insight into an upcoming event, as determined by the DM. The DM may give you a vague hint about an upcoming challenge, opportunity, or threat. Dubious Knowledge: When you fail an Intelligence (Arcana) check to recall information about celestial bodies or events, you still learn a bit of true knowledge along with something that sounds plausible but is actually false. Connection: You have a deep bond with Wrin Sivinxi, who has become a mentor and friend. Your shared nights under the stars have created a strong trust, and you are one of the few who knows about her claustrophobia. Memento: A small crystal that refracts light in multiple colors, given to you by Wrin after a particularly enlightening night of stargazing. It seems to glow faintly when the stars are bright.

RUIN DELVER You’ve looked through some of the smaller ruins in the Otari hinterlands but have never quite built up the courage to check out the creepy lighthouse called Gauntlight. You’ve heard that these ruins are pretty well picked over, and mostly collapsed, but you always planned to some day explore them and perhaps find some bauble left behind from the centuries-old battle where the Roseguard slew an evil sorcerer. You know that the crumbled stone of old ruins has a tendency to shift, so you’d better step lightly if you get the chance to explore Gauntlight. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Intelligence or Dexterity and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics and History. Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' Tools Languages: One language of your choice. Feature: Ruins Intuition You have an uncanny sense for navigating through ruins and understanding their layout. You can find paths through rubble and collapsed structures that others would miss. When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check related to the structure or history of ruins, you can add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Cat Fall: You have honed your reflexes to land gracefully from falls. When you fall, you can use your reaction to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your character level. Connection: You have a mentor who is an experienced delver of ancient sites. They have taught you much about the dangers and rewards of such places, and you share a goal to one day fully explore the Gauntlight. Memento: A small, ancient coin from a long-lost civilization you found in one of the smaller ruins. It’s your good luck charm and a reminder of the mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

MARKET RUNNER Keeleno Lathenar, the proprietor of Otari Market, is a grim and bitter man. A werewolf named Jaul Mezmin mauled his wife, Ayla, to death 30 years ago. Keeleno has never forgotten nor forgiven this attack, and he believes against all odds that Jaul has evaded justice and is alive and well. Running errands for Keeleno around town, you’ve gotten to know him almost as well as you know Otari. Keeleno’s suspicions have rubbed off on you a bit, so you keep a wary eye on other people— particularly around the full moon. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Constitution or Charisma and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion and Insight. Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: Two languages of your choice. Feature: Keen Observer Your time spent watching for signs of deceit and danger has honed your observational skills. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to determine if someone is lying to you, and you can use your action to make a Wisdom (Perception) check to spot hidden creatures or objects, including those in disguise or under the effects of illusion magic. Hobnobber: You are adept at mingling and making connections. When you spend at least 1 hour conversing with others during a social event, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the Charisma (Deception) check of one creature you interact with. If you succeed, you learn a piece of useful information or a rumor about that creature. Connection: You have developed a close bond with Keeleno Lathenar, who has become like a mentor to you. His tragic past and suspicions have influenced your worldview, making you cautious and protective of those you care about. Memento: A silver coin that Keeleno gave you on your first day as a market runner. It’s an old and rare piece, and he claimed it brought him luck in his youth. You’ve kept it as a lucky charm ever since.

FOGFEN TALE-TELLER You know there are monstrous things out in the swamp known as Fogfen; you’ve seen these things through the mist, gliding through the murky water and heaving themselves over sodden bits of land. No one in Otari believes your tales of swamp monsters from the depths, even when you embellish the creatures of your stories with fangs, wings, or tentacles. You’ll just have to prove to them that there are truly monsters out there, and that they were wrong to doubt you. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Strength or Charisma and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Athletics and Nature. Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: Two languages of your choice. Feature: Monster Mythos You have a knack for recalling and sharing tales of the creatures that lurk in the depths of swamps and mists. Your stories are so vivid and detailed that they can inspire or terrify those who hear them. As an action, you can captivate an audience with your tales, giving them either a sense of hope and inspiration or a shiver of fear. This can affect a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) within 30 feet who can hear you and understand the language you speak. The effect, whether it’s granting a 1d4 inspiration die or imposing disadvantage on the next ability check, lasts for 1 minute or until you lose concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). Titan Wrestler: You have practiced grappling with creatures larger than yourself. You can use your Athletics skill to attempt to grapple or shove a creature up to two sizes larger than you. Connection: You have a sibling who is an avid skeptic of your tales and has bet a significant sum that you cannot prove the existence of the swamp monsters you claim to have seen. Memento: A mysterious, scale-covered egg that you found on one of your expeditions into Fogfen. It’s dormant for now, but you feel it holds the key to proving your stories true.

ELDRITCH ANATOMIST You’re a trained physician who can ably tend wounds of many kinds. But more than a practitioner, you’re a scholar. Some cultures shape flesh to extreme degrees, creating aberrations from humanoid forms. The flesh forges of distant Nex practice this fleshwarping, as do certain subterranean societies you hope to one day study— preferably from a safe and clinical distance. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Intelligence or Wisdom and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Medicine and Nature. Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit Languages: One language of your choice. Feature: Scholar of the Unnatural You have an extensive knowledge of anatomy, both natural and twisted by arcane means. You can identify aberrations and other creatures that have been altered by magic or other forces. Additionally, you can apply this knowledge to aid in treating wounds inflicted by such creatures. When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage from a creature of this type, you can use your reaction to allow the creature to regain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). This feature can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are regained after a long rest. Assurance: You can use your Medicine skill and a Healer's Satchel to stabilize a dying creature and grant it a number of hit points equal to your Medicine skill proficiency without needing to make a roll. This feature can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are regained after a long rest. Connection: You correspond with a secretive society that shares your interest in the anatomical oddities of the world. They occasionally send you specimens and texts, which you study with a mix of fascination and trepidation. Memento: A peculiar scalpel with an intricately carved handle that was found beside an ancient and strange altar. It seems ordinary, but you feel a strange connection to it, as if it’s waiting to reveal its true purpose.

BIBLIOPHILE You love few things more than a good book, and as a result, Odd Stories is your favorite shop in Otari. The bookseller Morlibint supplies you with fiction, anthologies, and other delightful reads, and he’s always eager to discuss his latest finds with you. You know that imagination is the greatest magic, but a working knowledge of actual magic helps, too. Ability Score Increases: +1 to Intelligence or Charisma and one other ability score. Skill Proficiencies: Arcana and Investigation. Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher's Supplies Languages: One language of your choice. Feature: Lover of Lore You have spent countless hours in libraries, and you have a knack for finding rare and obscure information. When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you often know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a library, scriptorium, university, or a sage or other learned person or creature. Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an almost inaccessible place, or that it simply cannot be found. Unearthing the deepest secrets of the multiverse can require an adventure or even a whole campaign. Arcane Sense: You have an innate sense for detecting magic. As an action, you can open your awareness to magically detect the presence of spellcasting or the use of magic items within 60 feet of you. This sense can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. Connection: You have a long-standing rivalry with a fellow scholar who believes that imagination is frivolous compared to the pursuit of hard facts. This rivalry often leads to heated debates and a competitive drive to outdo each other in academic achievements. Memento: A weathered bookmark made from an unknown material, given to you by Morlibint after you found an extremely rare tome for him. It’s rumored to have magical properties that you have yet to unlock.

BACKGROUNDS The following backgrounds are particularly suitable to characters in the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, although heroes can select any background they choose and need not confine their selection to those provided below. People come from all walks of life to seek their fortunes, after all.

SKILLS AND FEATURES The heroes will perform best if their party contains a well-rounded selection of skills and feats. Acrobatics and Athletics are important for the physical mobility required in dungeons, while different knowledges can particularly help to identify the strange creatures and decipher the clues that await in this particular eldritch ruin. As far as good features to take, anything that helps to spot or avoid dangers, improve initiative, or increase or decrease damage taken or given may make winning a fight much more likely.

LANGUAGES Although Common will likely suffice for most heroes, certain other languages might prove useful to know. Aklo, Elven, and Undercommon all have some use during this Adventure Path.

CLASSES Members of any class will have plenty of moments to shine in the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, but keep in mind that dungeon-delving makes up a significant part of the campaign. Characters who excel at persuasion or deception will certainly have opportunities to talk their way out of dangerous situations and make allies out of enemies, but there’s not really a web of intrigue and influence in the Vaults to support characters who excel at such things. Characters who can handle themselves in a fight with bizarre and monstrous foes will excel, but so will knowledgeable characters like bards and wizards who can unlock some of the mysteries the dungeon presents. Traps and hidden doors abound in dungeons, so a rogue makes an excellent addition to any Abomination Vaults party.

HERITAGES For being a small town, Otari has an exceptionally open-minded view of people from elsewhere. In part, this attitude is due to the town’s proximity to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Absalom, only a few days’ travel away. Townspeople in Otari might consider other people strange—certainly, Wrin Sivinxi is considered a good-natured eccentric by most— but that’s due to personal behavior, not ancestry. As the characters spend a lot of time delving into dark dungeons, a heritage or culture with darkvision has advantages but isn’t necessary. In short, any heritage and culture combination make a good fit for the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path.

ALIGNMENTS There isn’t any restriction on character alignments in the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path. The heroes aren’t likely to be evil, as they should care about the fate of Otari and its people, but characters of any alignment could investigate strange clues and seek their fortunes in dungeons.

COMING TOGETHER The Abomination Vaults Adventure Path begins near the small town of Otari on the southern shore of the Isle of Kortos. A robust and spoiler-free description of the town can be found in this player’s guide. While this gazetteer does mention things that aren’t frequently discussed in polite company (such as the rough crew that hangs out at the Crook’s Nook), the contents of this gazetteer are considered common knowledge among Otari’s citizens. It’s possible for some (or even all) of the heroes to hail from Otari, but that isn’t necessary. Although most of the campaign’s action takes place in the dungeon about a half hour to the north in the swampy Fogfen, the heroes will return to Otari many times and should come to rely on its people. The heroes might or might not know each other, but all of them should have a friend in common: the town’s eccentric oddities merchant, Wrin Sivinxi. Wrin’s mixture of tiefling and elven ancestry is impossible to miss: her eyes are devoid of pupils, small ram horns curl around her elven ears, and her fingertips sparkle with motes of glittering light. Wrin is more than a collector of unusual items and occult lore; she’s a scholar of the stars who possesses curious foresight about strange events (perhaps this foresight drove her to build a friendship with the heroes in the first place). In any case, once Wrin collects the heroes to tell them of a strange light she has seen around Gauntlight, the mysterious inland lighthouse deep in the Fogfen, the campaign can begin!

THE STELLAR PILGRIMS' CONCLAVE As friends of Wrin Sivinxi, the heroes all know that she follows a pantheon of deities collectively known as The Stellar Pilgrims' Conclave. Any hero who wants to can also follow this pantheon. The details of The Stellar Pilgrims' Conclave are as follows. In the timeless expanse of the cosmos, where the stars are the beacons of the eternal night, there exists a divine assembly known as The Stellar Pilgrims’ Conclave. This celestial gathering is composed of deities who watch over the heavens, guiding the souls of mortals and charting the courses of stars and constellations. Lore of The Stellar Pilgrims’ Conclave: The Conclave was formed at the dawn of time, when the first stars were set upon the celestial canvas. Each deity within the Conclave represents a celestial body or a constellation, embodying the vast and varied aspects of the universe. They are the patrons of navigators, astronomers, and all who seek understanding in the night sky. The most sacred time for the followers of the Conclave is during the celestial alignments when the gods’ paths align in the heavens. It is during these events that the Conclave is believed to gather in the celestial domain, a realm of endless night sky, where they observe the movements of the cosmos and the interplay of light and darkness. Temples dedicated to The Stellar Pilgrims’ Conclave are often observatories with open domes that allow worshippers to gaze upon the stars. The clerics and oracles of the Conclave, known as Starwalkers, are revered for their ability to interpret the celestial signs and predict events of significance. The lore speaks of the Conclave’s gift to mortals—the Celestial Sextant, an artifact that allows its wielder to navigate by the stars. Unlike mythical devices that traverse planes, the Celestial Sextant is firmly rooted in the material world, guiding seafarers and explorers across the earthly realm by the constellations above. The symbol of the Conclave is a circle of stars surrounding a spiraling comet, representing the unity and guidance of the celestial deities. To wear this symbol is to carry the blessing of the Conclave, ensuring safe passage through the perils of the world. The lore of The Stellar Pilgrims’ Conclave is a saga of discovery and wonder. It teaches that every soul is a star on its own journey, and that the gods of the Conclave are the shepherds of these celestial travelers, guiding them not through other planes, but across the vast and wondrous expanse of the world itself.

THE ROSEGUARD An adventuring party who made their name in Absalom, the Roseguard defeated the villainous Belcorra Haruvex and founded the logging town of Otari. Today, the people of Otari continue to respect and honor the Roseguard on Founder’s Day. The Roseguard consisted of the following heroes. Aesephna Menhemes: Aesephna was the party’s healer. She was a cleric of Aeliana who was always more comfortable in smaller towns than big cities like Absalom. Otari Ilvashti: Otari, the group’s rogue, was a charming optimist who kept the others hopeful with his charm and humor, even during their darkest hours. Vol Rajani: Vol was the party’s fighter, a no-nonsense swordswoman who claimed to be exiled royalty from Nidal. Zarmavdian: The group’s wizard was a well-educated diviner who pursued outlandish conspiracy theories and occult lore.