[h3]
BLEAK CABAL ("BLEAKERS, MADMEN")[/h3]
The multiverse ain't supposed to make sense; there's no grand schem, no deep meaning, no elusive order. The only truth worth finding lies within.
Prerequisite: Lawful characters don't join the Bleak Cabal because a life without meaning means a life without order.
Benefit: You are immune to madness inducing spells and effects such as
confusion, crown of madness, feeblemind, Otto's irresistible dance, Tasha's hideous laughter, the gaze of an umber hulk, or the winds of Pandemonium. You can spend Inspiration to mask yourself from
detect thoughts and similar forms of mind-reading (as if your Intelligence were 3 or lower) for 1 minute.
Restriction: During each day of downtime you have a 1% cumulative chance of succumbing to temporary Bleaker madness which lasts either until your downtime period ends or after 1d6+1 days pass, whichever comes first. During this madness you cannot take any activities (downtime activities or otherwise) besides resting; if you do, you cannot gain Inspiration until you atone or otherwise prove yourself to your faction's cause (or lack thereof!). If your group enjoys roleplaying such things, you may wish to roleplay the other PCs convincing your character to resume adventuring.
Survivor of the Grim Retreat (feat)
Prerequisite: Bleak Cabal faction member
After confronting the meaninglessness of your life on Pandemonium, during which you staved off overwhelming madness called the Grim Retreat, you were initiated as a factotum of the Bleak Cabal. As a factotum, you are tasked with caring for the mentally ill and spreading the Bleaker's philosophy. You gain the following abilities:
- You gain the ability to absorb madness. To do so you must touch a target in undisturbed meditation for an entire long rest, at the end of which their madness is cured and you take a level of exhaustion. However, the effects of their madness are absorbed into you, and even if you are immune to madness it still causes mental anguish for three days, during which absorbing further madness could be detrimental to you at the DM's discretion.
- By simply talking or performing for 10 minutes you can subtly cast the despair spell as a ritual, though after doing so you suffer a level of exhaustion. Also, if you're a bard, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard, add the following spells to your spells known or your spellbook at the corresponding levels: 3rd - crown of madness, 7th - despair, and 11th - howl of pandemonium.
- When you succumb to Bleaker madness for 1 week of downtime (either voluntarily or thru rolling), at the end of the madness you gain a strange insight into a current enemy or quandary you face. Your DM should help determine the exact nature of your strange insight.
[SBLOCK=Bleak Cabal Spells]
Despair
4th level enchantment
Casting time 1 action
Range 50 feet
Components V, S
Duration 1 round per level
One creature within 50 feet of you that can hear you is confronted by the meaninglessness of their existence. They must make a Wisdom saving throw, and if they fail they lapse into a deep depression that lasts for 1 round per level you have. While in the depression, the target is incapacitated and restrained. The target gets another saving throw if they are bound or other action is taken against them, though if they're attacked the spell is automatically broken.
At higher levels: When you cast this spell using a 5th level spell slot you can target two creatures. With a 6th level spell slot you target three creatures, with a 7th level slot four creatures, 8th level slot five creatures, and 9th level slot six creatures.
Howl of Pandemonium
6th level conjuration
Casting time 1 action
Range 30 ft radius or 60 ft cone
Components V, S, M
Duration Concentration (special)
You summon the screaming winds of Pandemonium thru your body into a numbing wail effecting all creatures within either a 30 ft radius or a 60 ft long cone (your choice). The spell lasts for however long you concentrate on it up to a maximum of 1 round per level, and for an equal amount of time after you stop concentrating. All creatures within its area of effect are deafened, cannot communicate by any means, suffer disadvantage to attacks and saving throws, nonmagical ranged weapon attacks and sound-based attacks automatically fail, and creatures trying to approach nearer to you must make a Strength saving throw or be unable to move any closer for that turn. Finally, any creature caught within the winds must make a Wisdom saving throw or be effected as per the
confusion spell.
The material component is a pebble from Pandemonium which must be consumed upon casting.
[/SBLOCK]