Heroes of the Wilds

Cultures of the Wilds

Life within the Wilds is defined by the kiths, replacing family, common racial cultures, and many other roles within society. Side by side with those who share your labours, duties, and renown, you develop and are in part defined by your talents. Your coming-of-age, your height of prestige, your romantic future - all of these are filtered through the lens of kith, loosely or tightly, though variations occur from town to town. Intermarriage isn’t forbidden among kiths, but most find it to be an ‘unwise choice’. How could life partners understand the struggles and sacrifices another kith represents without living them, after all?

Changing kiths is rare, but allowed. The cost is merely time - one starts at the beginning and must go through each lesson and seeking alongside small children and suspicions of their peers. A few individuals who have proven multi-talented have been honored under two or more kiths, but a person can only belong to one. A merchant’s bodyguard might cleave to the hand-kith for the relationships it fosters, rather than chafe under the ward-kith, which focuses more on defending people than relating to them. A ward-mage has little interest and less to gain from theorycrafting and lectures, honing efficacy above all.

Hand-Kith. The largest of the kiths is actually dozens of smaller kiths aligned as one for convenience. Any who create and those who support them, from artisans to vocalists to authors, fall under the auspices of the handed. By providing goods worthy of the centuries, output will rarely be the focus of the handed. Quality and mastery comes before all else, to a sometimes frustrating degree to those from other kiths.

Lore-Kith. While the hand-kith focuses on the products of their work, those raised under the lore-kith must be more philosophical in mindset. By understanding the underlying reasons and structures of the foundations of Elvenkind, they can provide innovations, wonders, and protections beyond the hand or the shield. Lorekeepers maintain not just history or magic, but also law, patents, and matters of debt.

Ward-kith. The wardens are marked by blood. There is a necessary humility when one gives or takes life, so these warriors, healers, hunters, morticians, and a rare few meat preparers are raised with a constant awareness of that crucial exchange. Some revel in the thrill of the hunt, seeking glory and ‘territory’ of a kind. Others meditate deeply on the nature of harm or its consequences. But before all comes the work.

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Elvenkind Backgrounds

Beyond the usual tasks and labors that keep any society running, there are a few roles more specific to Elvenkind that reflect their outlook and sustain their culture. Many of these roles will make little sense to those raised under the Empire or their own local ways of life. Elvenkind rarely bothers to explain. If one lives among the Kin and Kind, one will come to comprehend. If not? There is no need to comprehend. The Kind, especially the high elves who remember the sting of diaspora, are loathe to share their heart.

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Astrologer

Every soul in the Dream has its own star, or so believers say. Everyone who’s ever lived and who may live again has a place in the Heavens as part of the one great light. Between them, pressures and currents linger and alter their course. Things that should not be pulse and writhe deep in the endless dark above, even as the Muses hover in whole constellations of their eager eyes. All of this is plain to the trained eye.

You’ve learned to look into the heavens without dizziness or bias. Or you haven’t, but you’ve learned enough of how to look at the people on the ground beside you to muddle through. Perhaps even both.

Skill Proficiencies. Deception, Insight
Tool Proficiencies. Cartographer’s tools and one gaming set of your choice
Languages. One of your choice from Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Primordial, and Deep Speech
Equipment. A set of fine clothes, tools for divination (see above), and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.

Feature: A Sense of Things

You may use your particular gifts to gain a keen insight on a person you speak to for at least a minute - gleaning hints of their motivations, driving emotions, and ulterior motives. You learn 3 traits of your choice among the target’s Ideal, Flaw, Bond, alignment, and other Traits. Attempts to magically sense divination or other magic reveal nothing. It’s simply apparent to you through observation of the stars or the target’s stature. Once you sense someone, you can’t do so again until you complete a long rest.

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Ghulam

A much-maligned practice of the daev is the mandated term of service. While the same terms are used for ghilman of daev descent and Kin who perform the same roles, it is rare to see a daev in service to Kin, while the opposite is commonplace. In return for all of the training and equipment necessary to perform a specialized service, from combat to enchanting, the ghulam submits almost entirely to their superior. This practice was used to end centuries of dynastic conflict within the daev, and is used aggressively to dismantle such hierarchies among the many peoples of the Karabagh beneath the Wilds and beyond.

Mechanically and in broad social strokes, this background is identical to the Benefactor background from the Imperial mainland (See “Heroes of the Empire”), but neither group would appreciate a comparison. A ghulam is allowed and encouraged to maintain personal wealth and might rise significantly in status and regard while still remaining socially distinct from the unbound. The idea of an ‘enslaved’ wayholder, for example, would not confuse the daev, while baffling the Galasteri social mind.

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Tattooist (or ‘Sure-Handed’)

In a Dream where instability is taken for granted, stability is highly valued for practical and spiritual reasons. Tattoos are a common rite across many cultures of soldiers, nobles, artisans, and criminals alike. Hundreds of styles form a complex meta-language, from simple face markings to the full-body pieces put on display from the legendary pleasure-sellers of Prince’s Promise.

Among Elvenkind, facial tattoos denote adulthood within a kith or within one’s community. Bare skin is seen as a sign of youth or even immaturity, as many mark personal lessons or seekings in ink. Wood elves and daev often prefer ritual scarification and take pride in bearing the marks without complaint. On the other hand, temporary markings are common for handfastings, festivals, and other transitional rites.

Skill Proficiencies. Insight, Medicine
Tool Proficiencies. Tattooist’s kit, herbalism kit
Equipment. Tattooist’s tools, an herbalism kit, a set of traveler’s clothes, a sketch book, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.

Feature: An Artist’s Eye

You have a keen appreciation for an artist’s hand and gain hints into the motivation behind art. This applies beyond your personal work and goes into any work of art, music, or writing. In addition, you tend to have an idea as to a person’s demeanor, origins, or history based on their aesthetic.

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Sun Woman

Many wear the veil, but there is only one Sun Woman. For whatever reason, you never truly fit in among your kin, kith, or even among Elvenkind - and that, you’ve realized, is a blessing. If the full truth of things were known, the Dream would already be in harmony. Until then? You have truths in you to impart. It is your duty both to hear and to hide the truths of others. Like the sun, you both shed light and blind eyes.

Within the Wilds, you’re regarded with equal parts reverence and unease. It’s neither your failing nor your fault that people fear the socially-sanctioned truth-telling while wearing the anonymous veil. You speak what should not be hidden, but truth can be as painful as staring into the sun. It’s up to you to provide light, but to veil it where it can’t be appreciated. Sharing secrets among your sisters, you keep Elvenkind pointed in the right direction as only the Sun Woman could - all of you, and the only you.

Skill Proficiencies. Choose two from Deception, Insight, Performance, and Persuasion
Languages. One of your choice
Tool Proficiencies. Weaver’s tools, disguise kit
Equipment. Disguise kit, a set of fine clothes, a set of traveler’s clothes, a silk veil, an uncomfortable secret of someone relevant to the campaign, and a belt pouch containing 20 gp.

Feature: Beneath the Veil

Whatever your past? You are the Sun Woman now and all Sun Women are one. This gives you access to more than a spy network – you have access to a vast store of rumors, fears, and secrets. You are sworn to use these to guide people towards a higher truth. How you choose to do so is at your own discretion.

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Adepts

Cunning is a favored virtue among the Kind and their Kin, though knowing when to be cunning and when to let things lie is equally valued. Those who transgress in Elvenkind must remain aware of the benefits and costs to society of those sins or challenges. Those who further the needs of their people will find allies and forgiveness. Those who remain selfish will have to learn to thrive in a solitary existence.

The Way of Station

After centuries being ‘lost unto darkness’, it is said that the Way of Station liberated the daev from their ancestors’ follies. By submission to a fixed term of years in a given role, they may indulge in the rewards of duty and act without fear in the name of purpose. There’s no ambition during submission, no vying for place - only a honing of one’s talents to present later to those who may best use those talents at the time. Through devotional training, the daev transcend the self and resist the ‘great enemy’ that still looms in the depths of the unconquered Underdark. Where some see zealotry, the daev see only a goal.

Recognition of Value

In response to an ally within half of your walking speed being attacked or falling subject to a harmful spell, you may use your reaction to swap places with that ally. If the ally is unwilling, they may attempt a Strength saving throw against a difficulty of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier. If the save is successful, you stop at the nearest adjacent space to that ally and the ally is not moved.

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Submission of Self

When you use the Dodge action, you can center yourself upon a task. Until the start of your next turn, you also roll with advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.

In addition, when you’re reduced to 0 hit points, you may choose to remain conscious until you fail a death saving throw. This greatly increases the risk of being attacked while dying, but might be worth it.

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Prayer in Silence

Any spell you cast that doesn’t involve an attack roll or saving throw against unwilling targets benefits from the Subtle Spell metamagic option, and thus doesn’t require verbal or somatic components.

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Steps in Silence

You have mastered the art of striking silently. You no longer come out of hiding on a missed melee or ranged attack.

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Surrender Stillness

You may willingly suffer damage equal to your character level to gain the benefits of freedom of movement for 1 minute, pushing your body beyond its limits or even dislocating fingers and limbs to extricate yourself.

Acceptance of Station

Upon using Submission of Self, you becoming immune to the charmed and frightened conditions, ending them immediately if already present. During this time, you may designate a target as a bonus action. For the duration, your attack rolls are made with advantage against this target, while attack rolls against any other target suffer disadvantage.

If you reduce your target to 0 hit points, you may immediately choose another creature as your quarry. Otherwise, you must take another Dodge to refocus, otherwise you continue to suffer disadvantage when attacking others.

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Paragons

Those who give and take blood for the Kind dedicate themselves to their art and to the meaning behind it. High elves tend to focus on knowledge, tactics, and dominance on the field, a facet of solar worship. Wood elves, on the other hand, favor conflict as an end unto itself, a crucible of experiences and sensations that both prove one’s place and sculpts one into a leaner, stronger form. The daev? Get things done, by whatever means are necessary. Devoted service means subordination of the spirit to the cause.

The Way of Consequence

One of the Ways taught by the wood elves, the Way of Consequence is a total philosophy of life, ethics, magic, and the martial arts. Every choice has many consequences, and those consequences are the full measure of that choice’s weight. It is the ends, both to actor and subjects, that defines the choice. In the hunt, life is given for life. In war, life is taken for many objectives. One must consider who pays, and what.

That the largely human Masked Knights have taken up the question of this view has not gone unnoticed, though whether this is comprehension or perversion is an open debate.

Bite for Bite

As a bonus action on your turn, you may take a threatening stance until the start of your next turn. While in this stance, you gain the following benefits:

• Attacks against you that originate from within the range of a held weapon you’re proficient with or the range of a cantrip that includes an attack roll provoke an opportunity attack from you.
• You may use any cantrip you know with a casting time of 1 action that includes an attack roll or a saving throw to avoid damage when making an opportunity attack.

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Blood for Blood

Prerequisite: Bite for Bite

While in your threatening stance, attacks made upon allies within 5 feet of you also provoke opportunity attacks.

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Grasping at Flames

Prerequisite:Bite for Bite

While in your threatening stance, you are immune to the grappled and restrained conditions. Attacks that would normally impose these conditions also suffer disadvantage, while you make saving throws against effects that would impose these conditions with advantage if the effect has other relevant consequences.

Additionally, these effects provoke your opportunity attacks if they did not already do so.

The Thorn’s Toll

Prerequisite: Grasping at Flames

You have mastered the art of vengeful precision, causing intense pain and joint damage as retribution. When a creature suffers damage from your opportunity attacks, they also suffer the poisoned condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, that creature may attempt a Constitution saving throw against a difficulty of 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom modifier or your spellcasting modifier, whichever is higher. On a success, the poisoned condition ends.

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Sages

The sun. The self. The soul. Three philosophies and the religions framed around them are inextricably interwoven in the Wilds. High elves speak of the Sun as a source of absolute truth, and it is a limitation of ourselves and our world that we can’t contain the fullness of that light. Through study, meditation, and time? We grow ever closer to a time when the light may reach all places within and without. Their wood elvish cousins favor a study in struggle, seeking ecstatic experiences and attainments through constant seeking and self-improvement. Lessons are written in tears, scars, sweat, and satisfaction. Yet to the daev? Service is a form of spiritual transcendence. An ancient hubris haunts their cultural memory, and now they strive to serve in elaborate tiers of willing slavery, putting all in the hands of proven guides.

Aspects of these competing or complementary philosophies blend into a sort of meta-religion where Kin might consider the sun at dawn, noon, and dusk for inspiration, draw blood from a finger to honor a doe from a hunt, and then offer a month’s service from dusk to dawn at a household she feels she’s wronged.

Supernal Source

Elven magic is so intricately tied to their nature and culture that a unique supernal worldview is an alien concept. Students of the arcane, the divine, and nature share insights and practices without conflict or confusion among the Kind and their students. The difference, then, between the Galasteri view of the supernal and the elvish one is in how these arts are obtained, advanced, and especially governed.

The Galasteri empire and its many wayholders form an elite magocracy of a sort. Wherever power collects, magic is likely to follow. Elvish magic is more focused on achieving communal goals than in attaining or sustaining one’s personal power, authority, or knowledge. It requires a massive amount of minor magics to tend to the altered plants and animals that make the interwoven societies of the Kind possible. By subtly shifting nature to fold around and towards their needs, they can in turn help those beneficial aspects thrive. As such, cooperation has become the essential marker of elvish magical arts.

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Supernal Boons

Wolf-Weaver

When you hit a creature with an attack roll from a cantrip or that creature fails a saving throw against your cantrip, allies who can see you may make the attack rolls of a cantrip with advantage and saving throws against their cantrips suffer disadvantage. This benefit lasts until the start of your next turn.

Circle Ritualist

You may assist others in casting ritual spells, reducing the casting time by half. Multiple ritual casters with this boon may work together, each one halving the casting time, up to a maximum of the spellcasting modifier of the caster initiating the spell. The initiating caster must have access to the ritual spell you cast together and makes any necessary rolls. They also have full control over the spell’s final results.

The initiating caster does not need to have this boon to benefit from the aid participants, but does not reduce the casting time by participating.

Imbue the Ebbing Flame

Prerequisite: the ability to cast 2nd-level spells

As an action, you may prepare yourself to aid an adjacent ally in casting a spell with a casting time of 1 action or less that they lack the focus to complete. In effect, you ready the focus for the spell they wish to cast on their turn as you use your reaction to complete the spell. The total focus needed to cast the spell is increased by half of the spell’s level, but those points may come from you or the original caster.

Levy of Burdens

You may set aside a reserve of energies to maintain a spell with a duration of 8 hours or longer (including spells that last until dispelled or triggered). By spending focus equal to half the spell’s level (minimum 1), the levy maintains the spell for another increment. You may set aside this focus, not regaining it upon completing a short or long rest, to continue sustaining the spell until this levy is released.

The spell need not even be one that you cast. For spells cast by a willing caster at a higher level than you can manage, you must spend focus once per day towards the total spell level that are not replenished. Once paid, you may regain some of the expended focus, down to half of the spell’s level as listed above.

This service functions for and is especially useful for spells like teleportation circle that must be cast once a day for a full year to become permanent. For example, so long as the levy is set aside, the circle may be used once per day by the caster who first created the circle until the levy is released or the circle becomes permanent. Other spells with permanence continue granting their benefits while a levy is held.

You need not remain within range of the spell, so long as you’re on the same plane of existence at least once per week. If raised from death within a week, you may maintain the levy if you can expend the spell slots to pay the levy again before that week is over, starting from the dawn of the day before your death.

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