Liturgy of Vermillion (Autumn Druid)

[Sound of Azure]

Hello all,

I had a concept for an NPC (or possibly a PC) I thought was very interesting, and was looking for some input on mechanics and tips on how to make it all come together. So, here's the basic idea:

Nature is a circle. As the year goes by, the ring goes from life to death and back again. The Reaper Druids exist to make sure things pass when they should, be they beast, fey, man, or otherworldly being, even the land itself. The Reapers detest what is unnatural, or tries to cheat the natural cycle.

All Reapers lose their name upon entering the order. They become a concept, a personification of mortality and fate on the the world to ensure life's cycle goes on. They choose a name for theselves that suits their mission.

Liturgy of Vermillion is a middle-aged human versed in old stories and secrets of the world and is known to roam the marshes of the Vanadeva Basin. He's been known to appear by the roadsides, the soul-less dead eyes of his raven mask staring at travellers as they journey. Somehow, he always seems to know when someone has died in his territory, and appears not long thereafter.

Ok, enough flavour text.

Here's what I'm aiming for at the moment:

-> He needs to be frightening and otherworldly (through spell and Intimidate).
-> Excellent stealth and survival skills
-> I guess... he's a bit like Batman! But... a raven, instead haha.
-> Capricious. He'll help if it serves his ideology, or can channel others into achieving his goals.
-> Has little patience for stupidity or churlishness. "Grumpy Old Person" type. Almost no respect for "city people", who are out of touch with the natural world.
-> Probably True Neutral (possibly Lawful neutral).
-> More than likely wielding a Scythe (thematic)
-> His name refers to both Blood and the thematic colour of Autumn. "A religion of blood and endings". Nature as a predator and killer, culling the unfit and those whose tie has ome.

At present, I have him pegged as a level 14 character. I wanted to make an interesting build for the Fochlucan Lyrist. The Bard spells would concentrate on fear, domination, and divinations while his druid spells would be all about increasing his actual power in battle.

* Using the Wild Reaper Variant Druid from Dragon #311
Folded in the Hunter Druid and Avenger Druid from Unearthed Arcana
(Loses Animal Companion, Spontaneous casting, Wild Shape and Armour proficiency in exchange for Rage, Barbarian Speed, Tracking, Favoured Enemy and Monk AC and speed.)

* Was thinking about using the Feat-Based Rogue variant. Dismissed the Wilderness Rogue for now.

* Bard as normal (could go with Divine Bard).

The question is, is this a feasible NPC concept for the D&D game? Any tips on spell and feat selection?

Perhaps a suggestion of a better way to achieve such a character concept through the rules?

 

[taliesin15]

Sounds pretty good. Any missile weapons? Also, I would imagine any "Reaper" Druids would find the notion of Undead particularly abhorrent. What about also the notion of multiclassing with Barbarian?

 

[Sound of Azure]

Yeah, they do feel that way. Unfortunately, Ver will multiclass out of the class before he gets Turn Undead at 12th level.
I'm considering giving him Undead as one of his favoured enemies, but it might be better to have it as humans (his usual target).

Ranged Weapons? Hmm.... they get slings, darts, daggers, and throwing axes. Perhaps the character could be an elf? Useful for night hunting, bonuses on awareness skills, and gain the bow proficiencies. Also, the idea of this guy haunting the forest for hundreds of years is kinda cool.

Barbarian: interesting idea, and would increase his durability... plus the extra use of rage for the day would be useful. have to think about it.

 

[taliesin15]

Ranged weapons: don't forget about Spears. I know I sound like a broken record, but they are nice because of their versatility--melee, throwing, setting vs. a charge.

Whether you keep the character Ranger or Barbarian (maybe the character *started* as a Barbarian?) I think the skill Craft: Trapmaking might come in handy. Especially since the Druid has so many trapping type spells. And don't overlook other weapons good for binding victims who might end up as a Burning Man or Death Sacrifice.

As an aside, it makes my stomach turn hear about people playing Druids as if they are contemporary tree-hugging vegetarian hippies. OTOH that might make for a fun campaign plot point, the "real" Druids wanting to wipe out the heretic Druids who want to frolic with bunnies and flowers and their tofu wraps. Real Druids eat flesh. Flesh of heretic Druids, if need be. Etc.

 

[taliesin15]

one more comment...

Sound of Azure wrote:
Nature is a circle. As the year goes by, the ring goes from life to death and back again.

what I'm wondering is whether this implies that this character (or Order of Druids, perhaps?) looks for Human Sacrifices specifically in the Fall, and what does that imply for the other three seasons? In a sense, one could evoke beginning of Spring type rituals (Mardi Gras or Easter in cont. western culture, for example) implying new life from the old...perhaps the dead bodies of the Human Sacrifices are stored or salted away in a cellar and used to incubate new life, which emerges from the corpse at the beginning of the Spring ritual? This has my attention because of some thoughts I've been entertaining with the Druids IMC...

 

[Sound of Azure]

On ranged weapons: I'm unbelievably stupid sometimes! Forgot about being a multiclass... so there's the spears (and javelin), hand, light, and heavy crossbow, and shortbows as well to add to the ranged list. Makes things easier.

As an aside, it makes my stomach turn hear about people playing Druids as if they are contemporary tree-hugging vegetarian hippies. OTOH that might make for a fun campaign plot point, the "real" Druids wanting to wipe out the heretic Druids who want to frolic with bunnies and flowers and their tofu wraps. Real Druids eat flesh. Flesh of heretic Druids, if need be. Etc.

Indeed. I have a friend who plays them like that, since he is a tree-hugging hippy (though not vegetarian). I like to play them as predators, and as vengeful reactionaries. Good-hearted maybe, but they would be fundamentalists, not merely environmentalists.

what I'm wondering is whether this implies that this character (or Order of Druids, perhaps?) looks for Human Sacrifices specifically in the Fall, and what does that imply for the other three seasons? In a sense, one could evoke beginning of Spring type rituals (Mardi Gras or Easter in cont. western culture, for example) implying new life from the old...perhaps the dead bodies of the Human Sacrifices are stored or salted away in a cellar and used to incubate new life, which emerges from the corpse at the beginning of the Spring ritual? This has my attention because of some thoughts I've been entertaining with the Druids IMC...

That is possible. I've been treating it as a year-round hunt for those who cheat death, but with special emphasis during the Fall (hehe it sounds strange saying that). However, a yearly purge every Autumn would be creepier perhaps. A re-occuring event where people fear to enter the basin and surrounding lands for fear of the Red Death.

Thank you for the suggestion on the craft (Trapmaking) skill. I'd overlooked that one.

Perhaps Yellow-musk creepers would be appropriate, or something similar. The things they take over become plant creatures, but are very much like undead. I like it. These things could be formed during death (Winter) from those culled in Autumn, and emerge anew in Spring. Interesting idea.


On the Order itself, I was having it that there are certainly various factions within the Druidic circle. Some choose to emphasise certain aspects of the Ring, but all are important. Just as you need to burn off forest to contain bushfires, so too do you need to cull humanoid life to cull disease and misery. It is natural; it is good; it is the true way.