Siegfried Niemand
First Post
In honor of the upcoming holiday:
Jack of the Lantern is a 4th-level vestige (Binding DC 21) that grants his summoners the powers to travel long distances, attack their foes with hellfire, and to ward off evil spirits and demons.
Legend: In ancient days, before the fall of the Spidered Throne, there was a rogue by the name of Jack who walked among the places of power. He was said to have seen every plane known to the greatest wizards of the age, and rumored to have seen even more. Jack laughed at things like fate, and duty, and the gods. Sure in his own prowess, Jack thought little of his immortal soul, and that proved to be his downfall.
Jack loved two things above all in life: drinking and roaming the lower planes in search of powerful archfiends to play cruel tricks on. He boasted often of having tricked Graz’zt into changing into a silver coin in order to pay for some drinks in the City of Zelatar, only to have pocketed the demon lord in a blessed pouch that prevented the fiend from regaining his usual form. Jack also loved to tell of the time he met Asmodeus, who Jack tricked into climbing up a tree; when Jack quickly carved a number of holy symbols in the tree’s trunk the archfiend was trapped!
For years Jack wandered, pulling such tricks on any and every powerful fiend he could find, always abusing some holy power to get the better of them. He did this with the sole purpose of forcing a binding pact with the fiends to ensure that neither they nor any of their followers would ever take his soul. It all ended one night, however, when Jack died (most say in a drunken stupor in some far-off tavern).
Ascending to the Outer Planes, Jack passed from divine realm to divine realm in the Upper Planes, seeking any deity who would have him. But none would! All knew of Jack, and not even Olidammara and his perpetually inebriated followers would take in the stingy drunkard’s spirit. Finally, Jack slunk back to the Lower Planes, his old haunting grounds. All barred their gates to him, their dark lords having sworn to have nothing to do with his soul.
Upon reaching the hellish palace of Asmodeus, Jack was at last given an audience. The archfiend laughed at poor Jack from his mighty throne as the wayward soul approached. Jack’s tale of being denied at every turn only filled Asmodeus with glee as he too turned the wandering soul away. When Jack asked, “But where can I go?” the devil lord only smiled and replied, “Back to where you came from!”
Asmodeus then opened a portal back to the Material world, from which a cold wind blew. Jack, trembling, gazed into its dark, haunted depths. Laughing all the more, Asmodeus produced an ember of hellfire for Jack to light his way. And as the benighted spirit left the halls of the archdevil, he placed the coal inside a turnip he was eating to ensure it would not go out.
Now it is said that Jack, neither quite alive nor wholly dead, wanders still, seeking a home for his weary spirit.
Special Requirement: A lit candle and a pumpkin, turnip, apple, or similar vegetable must be placed within Jack of the Lantern’s sign before he will appear.
Manifestation: Over the long years, even Jack has forgotten what he once looked like. He now appears as a gaunt being in dark clothing appropriate to the binder’s culture, but with a large pumpkin in place of his head. The gourd’s carved eyes, nose, and mouth are filled with bright flames, and move as a living creature’s when Jack speaks.
Sign: Your eyes become pools of orange flames, and tongues of bright fire flick at the sides of your mouth when you speak.
Influence: Ever the irreligious trickster, when influenced by Jack of the Lantern you must attempt to use the Bluff skill before either the Diplomacy or Intimidate skills when you encounter obviously religious characters (cultists, clerics, paladins, fiends, and the like). You also gain a strong liking for alcoholic beverages, and those sweets featured in your culture’s autumnal festivities (if any).
Granted Abilities: Jack of the Lantern grants you swift movement, protection from your foes, and the power to light your way wherever you may travel.
Fast Movement: Your land speed is faster than the norm for your race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when you are wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying your speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
Fearsome Gaze: Your flaming eyes grant a +4 circumstance bonus on all Intimidate checks. Additionally, you can cause the fires to flare with a hellish light that acts as a fear spell. You cannot use this ability if you do not show Jack’s sign. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Hellfire Lantern: As a standard action, you can cause a jack o’lantern to appear in one of your hands. This fiery, otherworldly pumpkin can be set to float around you (in a manner similar to an ioun stone) and provide light as if it were a torch. You can choose instead to hurl the jack o’lantern up to 60 feet as a ranged touch attack that deals 4d6 points of damage, half from fire and half from untyped energy. For every three effective binder levels above 7th, the damage dealt by your hellfire lantern increases by +1d6 (5d6 at 10th level, 6d6 at 13th level, and so on).
Untouchable Soul: Evil outsiders, fey, and the like recognize Jack’s presence within those who bind him, and are still held to the ancient pacts he forced on them. This ability provides you with a continual protection from evil effect. When you attain an effective binder level of 13th, this ability acts like a continuous magic circle against evil spell.
Woodland Stride: You may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at your normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect you.
Jack of the Lantern is a 4th-level vestige (Binding DC 21) that grants his summoners the powers to travel long distances, attack their foes with hellfire, and to ward off evil spirits and demons.
Legend: In ancient days, before the fall of the Spidered Throne, there was a rogue by the name of Jack who walked among the places of power. He was said to have seen every plane known to the greatest wizards of the age, and rumored to have seen even more. Jack laughed at things like fate, and duty, and the gods. Sure in his own prowess, Jack thought little of his immortal soul, and that proved to be his downfall.
Jack loved two things above all in life: drinking and roaming the lower planes in search of powerful archfiends to play cruel tricks on. He boasted often of having tricked Graz’zt into changing into a silver coin in order to pay for some drinks in the City of Zelatar, only to have pocketed the demon lord in a blessed pouch that prevented the fiend from regaining his usual form. Jack also loved to tell of the time he met Asmodeus, who Jack tricked into climbing up a tree; when Jack quickly carved a number of holy symbols in the tree’s trunk the archfiend was trapped!
For years Jack wandered, pulling such tricks on any and every powerful fiend he could find, always abusing some holy power to get the better of them. He did this with the sole purpose of forcing a binding pact with the fiends to ensure that neither they nor any of their followers would ever take his soul. It all ended one night, however, when Jack died (most say in a drunken stupor in some far-off tavern).
Ascending to the Outer Planes, Jack passed from divine realm to divine realm in the Upper Planes, seeking any deity who would have him. But none would! All knew of Jack, and not even Olidammara and his perpetually inebriated followers would take in the stingy drunkard’s spirit. Finally, Jack slunk back to the Lower Planes, his old haunting grounds. All barred their gates to him, their dark lords having sworn to have nothing to do with his soul.
Upon reaching the hellish palace of Asmodeus, Jack was at last given an audience. The archfiend laughed at poor Jack from his mighty throne as the wayward soul approached. Jack’s tale of being denied at every turn only filled Asmodeus with glee as he too turned the wandering soul away. When Jack asked, “But where can I go?” the devil lord only smiled and replied, “Back to where you came from!”
Asmodeus then opened a portal back to the Material world, from which a cold wind blew. Jack, trembling, gazed into its dark, haunted depths. Laughing all the more, Asmodeus produced an ember of hellfire for Jack to light his way. And as the benighted spirit left the halls of the archdevil, he placed the coal inside a turnip he was eating to ensure it would not go out.
Now it is said that Jack, neither quite alive nor wholly dead, wanders still, seeking a home for his weary spirit.
Special Requirement: A lit candle and a pumpkin, turnip, apple, or similar vegetable must be placed within Jack of the Lantern’s sign before he will appear.
Manifestation: Over the long years, even Jack has forgotten what he once looked like. He now appears as a gaunt being in dark clothing appropriate to the binder’s culture, but with a large pumpkin in place of his head. The gourd’s carved eyes, nose, and mouth are filled with bright flames, and move as a living creature’s when Jack speaks.
Sign: Your eyes become pools of orange flames, and tongues of bright fire flick at the sides of your mouth when you speak.
Influence: Ever the irreligious trickster, when influenced by Jack of the Lantern you must attempt to use the Bluff skill before either the Diplomacy or Intimidate skills when you encounter obviously religious characters (cultists, clerics, paladins, fiends, and the like). You also gain a strong liking for alcoholic beverages, and those sweets featured in your culture’s autumnal festivities (if any).
Granted Abilities: Jack of the Lantern grants you swift movement, protection from your foes, and the power to light your way wherever you may travel.
Fast Movement: Your land speed is faster than the norm for your race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when you are wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying your speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
Fearsome Gaze: Your flaming eyes grant a +4 circumstance bonus on all Intimidate checks. Additionally, you can cause the fires to flare with a hellish light that acts as a fear spell. You cannot use this ability if you do not show Jack’s sign. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Hellfire Lantern: As a standard action, you can cause a jack o’lantern to appear in one of your hands. This fiery, otherworldly pumpkin can be set to float around you (in a manner similar to an ioun stone) and provide light as if it were a torch. You can choose instead to hurl the jack o’lantern up to 60 feet as a ranged touch attack that deals 4d6 points of damage, half from fire and half from untyped energy. For every three effective binder levels above 7th, the damage dealt by your hellfire lantern increases by +1d6 (5d6 at 10th level, 6d6 at 13th level, and so on).
Untouchable Soul: Evil outsiders, fey, and the like recognize Jack’s presence within those who bind him, and are still held to the ancient pacts he forced on them. This ability provides you with a continual protection from evil effect. When you attain an effective binder level of 13th, this ability acts like a continuous magic circle against evil spell.
Woodland Stride: You may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at your normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect you.
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