LostSoul
Adventurer
First draft of some fancying-up for the Warlock.
I had Sorcerer and Palladium Fantasy open when I wrote this.
WARLOCKS & SPELLS
A SPELL is the same for a warlock as it is for a wizard - a specific way of thinking. However, it is not the warlock who changes his perception! Warlocks make pacts with distant, powerful creatures in exchange for the ability to cast spells; upon agreeing to a pact, the warlock opens up a portion of his mind to be inhabited by his patron.
It is the patron that powers the spell, and the warlock acts as the vessel through which the spell is channelled.
Since a warlock's spells come from otherworldly sources, they cannot be understood and manipulated by wizards. The earliest known wizard spells came from attempts to unlock the secrets that allow warlock's patrons to create reality.
(The one exception to this rule is Eladrin - being immortal fey creatures, they can understand fey warlock spells and attempt to cast them as a wizard does. This process is the same as creating a new spell through experiment and requires a fey-pact warlock - typically bound against his will, as the experimental process destroys the warlock's mind, leaving him incurably insane.)
Warlocks gain power through gifts from their patron. In return for the cursed souls and spirits sent to the patron and fulfilling the requirements made in the pact, the warlock gains access to more and more power.
Casting the spell: The warlock commands his patron to produce the granted spell. The spell manifests itself as the warlock commands; Because of this, warlocks are able to improvise beyond the standard implementation of their spells:
Improvised Spell At-Will
Effect: Select a spell you can cast. Describe how you are using that spell to create an improvised effect. Instead of using the standard effect, the DM will determine the results of the spell based on your description. Example: Using Curse of the Dark Dream to convince the King the wine he just drank was poisoned.
Control: Who controls the spell? It is the patron. The warlock may ask - or force - the patron to release the spell's energies through act of will or through intense body-control granted from unnatural means and rituals.
The patron will agree to cast the spell so long as the terms outlined in the pact are met. If the patron is unwilling to cast the spell, the warlock may force the spell to be cast by making a Cha, Con, or Int attack against a DC of his level +12 - for as the warlock increases in power, so does the amount of energy the patron is willing to expend to maintain control!
When does the patron block access to the spell? When the warlock goes against any of the terms outlined in the pact. Use the concordance table to determine this:
Granted powers are spells and may also include such things as skills and feats, depending on the skill or feat in question.
Communicating with the patron: The Warlock is unable to directly communicate with his patron unless he has the skill Blasphemous Whispers. Other warlocks can sense what the patron wants but only via vague emotional impulses.
Forging a Pact:
1. Make contact with the patron.
2. Open your mind to the patron and bring it under control.
3. Negotiate terms.
4. Tear away a part of your mind and replace it with a part of the patron's.
Negotiating Terms:
Each patron will have specific terms that need to be met or the patron will not supply the warlock with spells! Use the following tables to determine what the patron's goals are and what it demands from the warlock, or role-play through the scene.
Notes:
- Loyal Servitude: the warlock must carry out the wishes of his patron without question or the patron will withold all granted powers. The patron will communicate its wishes as clearly as possible through commune (if the warlock has the skill Blasphemous Whispers) or emotional urging. If there is a time limit on the service, all spells are lost at the end of the term. Pacts with time limits generally require more intensive requests from the patron (the patron's goal is amped up to 11).
- Blood Sacrifice: the warlock must ritually sacrifice an innocent creature (of a type usually specified by the patron) once per month at a time appropriate to the patron. The warlock gains the Blood Sacrifice ritual. If the warlock does not carry out the sacrifice, the patron will withold all granted powers until the sacrifice is completed.
- Blood Sacrifice (first born): the warlock must sacrifice his or her first born child to the patron. Like it or not that child is damned. If the warlock does not have a child within a year of the pact, the warlock will lose all powers granted by the patron and gain the enmity of the patron.
- Destroy a Foe: the warlock must carry out a campaign to destroy an enemy of the patron. The warlock is granted 2d6 years to complete the request. The foe is typically a creature of epic level, though sometimes the foe can be a nation, a race (such as elves), or a religion.
- Lifelong Servitude: As loyal servitude, but lasting the warlock's entire life, and the service required isn't as intense, but the service required is generally long-term and larger in scope (ie. creating a religion).
- Soul: The warlock's soul is relinquished upon death. The warlock's soul travels to the patron's domain when he dies instead of the Shadowfell. The warlock cannot be raised from the dead by any means (though travel to the patron's domain may allow the warlock's friends to rescue his soul, usually trapped in some kind of artifact). The patron is willing to give the warlock much more latitude in his actions when it comes to fulfilling its goals.
Negotiation Skill Challenge:
It's possible to run the negotiation as a skill challenge (complexity 1, level 30! - remember that a 1st-level warlock will not have any skills granted to him from his patron). This is probably best when a character above first level decides to mult-class into warlock; with 1st-level characters it's unlikely that they will get their way, though it can add nice colour and personality to the warlock's patron.
The warlock may ask for more gifts than usual (ie. the typical powers granted by level); treat this as a Divine or Legendary Boon (see DMG2).
Each offer and counter-offer will require a check. A successful roll means that the patron will consider the PC's offer, usually getting more specific about the warlock's service in the next request; a failed roll means that the patron will ask for harsher terms. If the skill challenge is won by the player, the patron will agree to the terms made during the skill challenge. If the skill challenge is failed, the patron will not alter the terms made during the skill challenge. The warlock may walk away at any time (and the patron may accept at any time, though usually they will try to eke as much as they can), though if the warlock walks away he still has to deal with the patron in his mind (who will try to possess the warlock, requiring another skill challenge with dire consequences for failure).
The aspiring warlock may prepare in any way possible; if he knows the Blood Sacrifice ritual, he may use it to boost his rolls. Drugs may also help. Use the following table as inspiration for your own warlock:
All modifiers stack!
Example:
1st check: The patron's goal is ruin and desires lifelong servitude. It demands that the warlock bring about the fall of humanity, spending his life to make pacting and sacrifice as common as it was during the height of Bael Turoth. The PC offers to spend 10 years attempting to bring the last city of ancient Nerath to its knees, destroying the remnants of that once-proud empire.
Success: The patron agrees, saying 10 years and the destruction of Nerath, and the warlock must lie with the queen while under the patron's influence, getting her to bear a tainted bloodline.
Failure: The patron scoffs at the warlock's request and demands that the warlock sacrifice the first human noble he meets (or a specific NPC) to make up for his impertinence.
The next check plays off of the first, going back-and-forth until terms are agreed upon or the warlock walks away.
Walking Away: If the warlock does walk away, the patron will attempt to possess the warlock, requiring another skill challenge (complexity 1, same level); the patron will attempt to force the warlock to do something horrible, and each check resolves the success of the patron's attempt. The patron will usually leave the warlock alone at the end of the skill challenge, having to deal with the consequences of the patron's actions.
Hybrid/Multi-Class Warlocks:
Any character can multi-class into warlock at any time; they will have to go through the whole procedure above.
I had Sorcerer and Palladium Fantasy open when I wrote this.
WARLOCKS & SPELLS
A SPELL is the same for a warlock as it is for a wizard - a specific way of thinking. However, it is not the warlock who changes his perception! Warlocks make pacts with distant, powerful creatures in exchange for the ability to cast spells; upon agreeing to a pact, the warlock opens up a portion of his mind to be inhabited by his patron.
It is the patron that powers the spell, and the warlock acts as the vessel through which the spell is channelled.
Since a warlock's spells come from otherworldly sources, they cannot be understood and manipulated by wizards. The earliest known wizard spells came from attempts to unlock the secrets that allow warlock's patrons to create reality.
(The one exception to this rule is Eladrin - being immortal fey creatures, they can understand fey warlock spells and attempt to cast them as a wizard does. This process is the same as creating a new spell through experiment and requires a fey-pact warlock - typically bound against his will, as the experimental process destroys the warlock's mind, leaving him incurably insane.)
Warlocks gain power through gifts from their patron. In return for the cursed souls and spirits sent to the patron and fulfilling the requirements made in the pact, the warlock gains access to more and more power.
Casting the spell: The warlock commands his patron to produce the granted spell. The spell manifests itself as the warlock commands; Because of this, warlocks are able to improvise beyond the standard implementation of their spells:
Improvised Spell At-Will
Effect: Select a spell you can cast. Describe how you are using that spell to create an improvised effect. Instead of using the standard effect, the DM will determine the results of the spell based on your description. Example: Using Curse of the Dark Dream to convince the King the wine he just drank was poisoned.
Control: Who controls the spell? It is the patron. The warlock may ask - or force - the patron to release the spell's energies through act of will or through intense body-control granted from unnatural means and rituals.
The patron will agree to cast the spell so long as the terms outlined in the pact are met. If the patron is unwilling to cast the spell, the warlock may force the spell to be cast by making a Cha, Con, or Int attack against a DC of his level +12 - for as the warlock increases in power, so does the amount of energy the patron is willing to expend to maintain control!
When does the patron block access to the spell? When the warlock goes against any of the terms outlined in the pact. Use the concordance table to determine this:
Code:
Concordance
Starting Score 5
Warlock fulfills minor term +1
Warlock fulfills major term +2
Warlock ignores chance to fulfill minor term -2
Warlock ignores chance to fulfill major term -4
Pleased+: ??
Satsified: As normal.
Unsatisfied: The warlock must make a control check in order to use any granted
powers once per day.
Angered: The warlock must make a control check in order to to use any granted
powers once per encounter.Granted powers are spells and may also include such things as skills and feats, depending on the skill or feat in question.
Communicating with the patron: The Warlock is unable to directly communicate with his patron unless he has the skill Blasphemous Whispers. Other warlocks can sense what the patron wants but only via vague emotional impulses.
Forging a Pact:
1. Make contact with the patron.
2. Open your mind to the patron and bring it under control.
3. Negotiate terms.
4. Tear away a part of your mind and replace it with a part of the patron's.
Negotiating Terms:
Each patron will have specific terms that need to be met or the patron will not supply the warlock with spells! Use the following tables to determine what the patron's goals are and what it demands from the warlock, or role-play through the scene.
Code:
Patron's Goal
1d6 Goal
1 Community - establish a new one or protect an existing one.
2 Conquest
3 Corruption
4 Ruin - like corruption, but focused on larger communities.
5 Worship - who wouldn't want this?
6 To be Worshipped - this involves setting up a cult or religion.
Patron's Demand
1d6 Demand Notes
1 Loyal Servitude for 1d6 years Intense service required!
2 Blood Sacrifice 1/month Specific time and creature type
3 Blood Sacrifice (first born) Must have child within 1 year
4 Destroy a Foe Foe is usually Epic tier
5 Lifelong Servitude Less intense, long-term goals
6 Soul Warlock cannot be raised from the deadNotes:
- Loyal Servitude: the warlock must carry out the wishes of his patron without question or the patron will withold all granted powers. The patron will communicate its wishes as clearly as possible through commune (if the warlock has the skill Blasphemous Whispers) or emotional urging. If there is a time limit on the service, all spells are lost at the end of the term. Pacts with time limits generally require more intensive requests from the patron (the patron's goal is amped up to 11).
- Blood Sacrifice: the warlock must ritually sacrifice an innocent creature (of a type usually specified by the patron) once per month at a time appropriate to the patron. The warlock gains the Blood Sacrifice ritual. If the warlock does not carry out the sacrifice, the patron will withold all granted powers until the sacrifice is completed.
- Blood Sacrifice (first born): the warlock must sacrifice his or her first born child to the patron. Like it or not that child is damned. If the warlock does not have a child within a year of the pact, the warlock will lose all powers granted by the patron and gain the enmity of the patron.
- Destroy a Foe: the warlock must carry out a campaign to destroy an enemy of the patron. The warlock is granted 2d6 years to complete the request. The foe is typically a creature of epic level, though sometimes the foe can be a nation, a race (such as elves), or a religion.
- Lifelong Servitude: As loyal servitude, but lasting the warlock's entire life, and the service required isn't as intense, but the service required is generally long-term and larger in scope (ie. creating a religion).
- Soul: The warlock's soul is relinquished upon death. The warlock's soul travels to the patron's domain when he dies instead of the Shadowfell. The warlock cannot be raised from the dead by any means (though travel to the patron's domain may allow the warlock's friends to rescue his soul, usually trapped in some kind of artifact). The patron is willing to give the warlock much more latitude in his actions when it comes to fulfilling its goals.
Negotiation Skill Challenge:
It's possible to run the negotiation as a skill challenge (complexity 1, level 30! - remember that a 1st-level warlock will not have any skills granted to him from his patron). This is probably best when a character above first level decides to mult-class into warlock; with 1st-level characters it's unlikely that they will get their way, though it can add nice colour and personality to the warlock's patron.
The warlock may ask for more gifts than usual (ie. the typical powers granted by level); treat this as a Divine or Legendary Boon (see DMG2).
Each offer and counter-offer will require a check. A successful roll means that the patron will consider the PC's offer, usually getting more specific about the warlock's service in the next request; a failed roll means that the patron will ask for harsher terms. If the skill challenge is won by the player, the patron will agree to the terms made during the skill challenge. If the skill challenge is failed, the patron will not alter the terms made during the skill challenge. The warlock may walk away at any time (and the patron may accept at any time, though usually they will try to eke as much as they can), though if the warlock walks away he still has to deal with the patron in his mind (who will try to possess the warlock, requiring another skill challenge with dire consequences for failure).
The aspiring warlock may prepare in any way possible; if he knows the Blood Sacrifice ritual, he may use it to boost his rolls. Drugs may also help. Use the following table as inspiration for your own warlock:
Code:
--------------------------- Negotiation Modifiers --------------------------
Fey Infernal Star
Pact Mod Pact Mod Pact Mod
Contact... Contact... Contact...
in fey circle +2 in magic circle +2 stars are right +4
at height of season +2 at gate to hell +2 in a dungeon** +4
during full moon +2 during new moon +2
Sacrifice...* Sacrifice...*
white bull +2 immortal +2
fey creature +1 mortal innocent +1
Smoke/ingest rare herbs +2 mortal sinner +1
Drink poison +2
* - in addition to any bonus gained from the blood sacrifice ritual.
** - the dungeon must be active, ie. full of wandering monsters.All modifiers stack!
Example:
1st check: The patron's goal is ruin and desires lifelong servitude. It demands that the warlock bring about the fall of humanity, spending his life to make pacting and sacrifice as common as it was during the height of Bael Turoth. The PC offers to spend 10 years attempting to bring the last city of ancient Nerath to its knees, destroying the remnants of that once-proud empire.
Success: The patron agrees, saying 10 years and the destruction of Nerath, and the warlock must lie with the queen while under the patron's influence, getting her to bear a tainted bloodline.
Failure: The patron scoffs at the warlock's request and demands that the warlock sacrifice the first human noble he meets (or a specific NPC) to make up for his impertinence.
The next check plays off of the first, going back-and-forth until terms are agreed upon or the warlock walks away.
Walking Away: If the warlock does walk away, the patron will attempt to possess the warlock, requiring another skill challenge (complexity 1, same level); the patron will attempt to force the warlock to do something horrible, and each check resolves the success of the patron's attempt. The patron will usually leave the warlock alone at the end of the skill challenge, having to deal with the consequences of the patron's actions.
Hybrid/Multi-Class Warlocks:
Any character can multi-class into warlock at any time; they will have to go through the whole procedure above.
