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The Shame of the Cyst Family

Centuries before Tilda’s time, the Cyst family began a hidden project known only as “Continuance.” Its purpose? To preserve the minds of dying geniuses and innovators — capturing them through arcano-mechanical necromancy, preserving life after death in a combination of man and machine. Publicly, the Cysts spoke of legacy, memory preservation, post-mortem consultation. Privately they manufactured life, binding it to divine engines, hoping to create a pantheon of eternal advisors — an undead council of inventors who could never forget and never fade.

They justified it with one chilling belief:

“Death halts progress. So, we will halt death.”

When Bhita discovered the fusion of undeath and invention, she saw it not as innovation — but as infection. Unbeknownst to them, she saw it as a tether to the god of undeath to her domain.

“You forged from silence, not wonder. You built with corpses, not courage. And now you will carry the rot in your name.”

In a single, sweeping act of divine will:

  • She severed all dreams from Cyst minds — no divine visions, no creative flashes, only silence.
  • She collapsed the Continuance archive, melting the soul-bound engines from within.
  • She marked the Cyst name: a curse of rust, making their machines age faster, break sooner, or act with unpredictable rebellion.

No clergy spoke the name “Cyst” again without spitting afterward. Their towers stood empty. Their patents were purged. Their descendants inherited a legacy of shame.

Now, generations later in the year 2594, Tilda Cyst has been given a chance at atonement. Not with machinery. Not with undeath. But with life itself.

By carrying a child that will become the first Divine Flame since the fall of their family name she offers its life for her will and a message to Bhita herself:

“We no longer fear death. We accept it — as the price of true progress.”


And we open here...

Inside, a chamber of polished brass and bone hums with arcane light. A pregnant woman lies at rest within a circular dais of rotating rings, each etched with glyphs older than the Cyst name itself. Tilda Cyst, pale and sweating, breathes slowly — divine light pulsing through the veins in her arms, flickering like a forge on the edge of ignition.

Two heartbeats echo in the chamber. Not hers. The children. A divine rhythm. Slow. Heavy. Inevitable.

In the adjoining chamber, you gather — three members of the once-condemned Cyst bloodline, and one who walks in the name of Bhita.

Outside these walls, workers sharpen tools and reinforce gates. Rumors of dissent gather in the tunnels beyond. Not all believe this child should be born. Not all believe that this child should be sacrificed.

But in here — this room, this hour — the fate of your family’s legacy begins to turn as her husband Gorrim Cyst plots to stop them.


Roleplaying Help:

Sek

Viewpoint: “Blood and name matter. If this child can cleanse our bloodline, then everything we've endured was worth it.”
Motivation: Sek is driven by a deep obsession with legacy. He believes this act will restore nobility to the Cyst name and allow the family to rise again in social and historical prominence.

Annali

Viewpoint: “We owe her our silence and protection, because our data killed too many before her.”
Motivation: Annali knows how close her ancestors came to perpetuating the sin of Continuance as a direct line to her lineage. Her guilt fuels a quiet but fierce desire to protect Tilda — not as a subject, but as someone finally allowed autonomy.

Fah

Viewpoint: “Structure was once our prison. Now, it must become our shield — for her.”
Motivation: Fah has not abandoned his love of order, but he’s redirected it. He sees protecting Tilda and the ritual — without tampering — as the one righteous application of control the family has left.

Lume

Viewpoint: “She believed in me. That’s more than anyone else in this house ever did.”
Motivation: Lume’s loyalty is personal. He’s younger, idealistic, and emotionally bonded to Tilda not by blood or legacy, but by friendship and faith. He’s here because she asked.


Sek Cyst

2 Level (0/900 XP for level-up) Investigator Background Gnome Race / Species / Heritage None Alignment
Artificer
Level 2
Hit Dice: 2/2
1d8+1 Class 1

STR
11
+0
DEX
14
+2
CON
13
+1
INT
16
+3
WIS
12
+1
CHA
10
+0
15
Hit Points
+2
Initiative (DEX)
14
Armor Class (AC)
+2
Prof. Bonus
30
Speed (walk/run/fly)
13
Passive Perception
+4 Expertise Bonus
+2 Proficiency Bonus
+0 Strength
+2 Dexterity
+3 Constitution
+5 Intelligence
+1 Wisdom
+0 Charisma
saving throws
+2 Acrobatics DEX
+1 Animal Handling WIS
+5 Arcana INT
+0 Athletics STR
+0 Deception CHA
+3 History INT
+3 Insight WIS
+0 Intimidation CHA
+5 Investigation INT
skills
+1 Medicine WIS
+3 Nature INT
+3 Perception WIS
+0 Performance CHA
+0 Persuasion CHA
+3 Religion INT
+2 Sleight of Hand DEX
+2 Stealth DEX
+1 Survival WIS
Skills
  Weapon / Attack AB Abi Dmg Dmg Type
Crossbow, Light +0 STR 1d8 Piercing
 Ammunition, Loading, Range, Two-Handed, Slow
Shortsword +2 DEX 1d6+2 Piercing
 Finesse, Light, Vex
Attacks
Studded Leather, Shield, Crossbow Light, Shortsword

Equipment Copper: 0, Silver: 0, Electrum: 0, Gold: 0, Platinum: 0 Money
Common, Gnomish, Halfling

Languages & Proficiencies


™ & © Wizards of the Coast - D & D 5e Character Sheet v2.08, made by Tillerz - Updated: 2025-06-11
To print this sheet: Expand the spell book (if you have any entries there), then click "Print Sheet" at the top, select "Print to PDF" and format A3. Then print the resulting PDF to whichever format you need with "fit to page" selected.

Annali Cyst

1 Level (0/300 XP for level-up) Sage Background Gnome Race / Species / Heritage None Alignment
Wizard
Level 1
Hit Dice: 1/1
1d6+2 Class 1

STR
8
-1
DEX
15
+2
CON
14
+2
INT
16
+3
WIS
12
+1
CHA
10
+0
8
Hit Points
+2
Initiative (DEX)
12
Armor Class (AC)
+2
Prof. Bonus
30
Speed (walk/run/fly)
11
Passive Perception
+4 Expertise Bonus
+2 Proficiency Bonus
-1 Strength
+2 Dexterity
+2 Constitution
+5 Intelligence
+3 Wisdom
+0 Charisma
saving throws
+2 Acrobatics DEX
+1 Animal Handling WIS
+5 Arcana INT
-1 Athletics STR
+0 Deception CHA
+5 History INT
+1 Insight WIS
+0 Intimidation CHA
+5 Investigation INT
skills
+1 Medicine WIS
+3 Nature INT
+1 Perception WIS
+0 Performance CHA
+0 Persuasion CHA
+5 Religion INT
+2 Sleight of Hand DEX
+2 Stealth DEX
+1 Survival WIS
Skills
  Weapon / Attack AB Abi Dmg Dmg Type
Dagger +2 DEX 1d4+2 Piercing
 Finesse, Light, Thrown, Nick
Dagger +2 DEX 1d4+2 Piercing
 Finesse, Light, Thrown, Nick
Quarterstaff -1 STR 1d6-1 Bludgeoning
 Versatile, Topple
Attacks
Dagger, Dagger, Quarterstaff, Ink (1 ounce bottle), Clothes Common, Spellbook, Small Knife, Backpack, Robe, Oil, Parchment, Tinderbox, Book, Lamp, Ink Pen, Ink

Equipment Copper: 0, Silver: 0, Electrum: 0, Gold: 15, Platinum: 0 Money
Common, Halfling, Elvish, Celestial, Gnomish

Languages & Proficiencies


™ & © Wizards of the Coast - D & D 5e Character Sheet v2.08, made by Tillerz - Updated: 2025-06-11
To print this sheet: Expand the spell book (if you have any entries there), then click "Print Sheet" at the top, select "Print to PDF" and format A3. Then print the resulting PDF to whichever format you need with "fit to page" selected.

Fah Cyst

2 Level (0/900 XP for level-up) Soldier Background Gnome Race / Species / Heritage None Alignment
Fighter
Level 2
Hit Dice: 2/2
1d10+2 Class 1

STR
17
+3
DEX
13
+1
CON
15
+2
INT
10
+0
WIS
10
+0
CHA
10
+0
20
Hit Points
+1
Initiative (DEX)
17
Armor Class (AC)
+2
Prof. Bonus
30
Speed (walk/run/fly)
10
Passive Perception
+4 Expertise Bonus
+2 Proficiency Bonus
+5 Strength
+1 Dexterity
+4 Constitution
+0 Intelligence
+0 Wisdom
+0 Charisma
saving throws
+1 Acrobatics DEX
+2 Animal Handling WIS
+0 Arcana INT
+5 Athletics STR
+0 Deception CHA
+0 History INT
+0 Insight WIS
+2 Intimidation CHA
+0 Investigation INT
skills
+0 Medicine WIS
+0 Nature INT
+0 Perception WIS
+0 Performance CHA
+0 Persuasion CHA
+0 Religion INT
+1 Sleight of Hand DEX
+1 Stealth DEX
+2 Survival WIS
Skills
  Weapon / Attack AB Abi Dmg Dmg Type
Javelin +3 STR 1d6+3 Piercing
 Thrown, Slow
Flail +3 STR 1d8+3 Bludgeoning
 Sap
Greatsword +3 STR 2d6+3 Slashing
 Heavy, Two-Handed, Graze
Attacks
Chain Mail, Javelin, Flail, Greatsword, Backpack, Oil, Rations, Rope, Tinderbox, Torch, Waterskin, Caltrops, Crowbar

Equipment Copper: 0, Silver: 0, Electrum: 0, Gold: 54, Platinum: 0 Money
Common, Gnomish, Dwarvish

Languages & Proficiencies


™ & © Wizards of the Coast - D & D 5e Character Sheet v2.08, made by Tillerz - Updated: 2025-06-11
To print this sheet: Expand the spell book (if you have any entries there), then click "Print Sheet" at the top, select "Print to PDF" and format A3. Then print the resulting PDF to whichever format you need with "fit to page" selected.

Lume

3 Level (0/2700 XP for level-up) Acolyte Background Human Race / Species / Heritage None Alignment
Cleric
Level 3
Hit Dice: 3/3
1d8+1 Class 1

STR
14
+2
DEX
10
+0
CON
13
+1
INT
10
+0
WIS
16
+3
CHA
13
+1
27
Hit Points
+0
Initiative (DEX)
2
Armor Class (AC)
+2
Prof. Bonus
30
Speed (walk/run/fly)
15
Passive Perception
+4 Expertise Bonus
+2 Proficiency Bonus
+2 Strength
+0 Dexterity
+1 Constitution
+0 Intelligence
+5 Wisdom
+3 Charisma
saving throws
+0 Acrobatics DEX
+3 Animal Handling WIS
+0 Arcana INT
+2 Athletics STR
+1 Deception CHA
+0 History INT
+5 Insight WIS
+1 Intimidation CHA
+0 Investigation INT
skills
+5 Medicine WIS
+0 Nature INT
+5 Perception WIS
+1 Performance CHA
+1 Persuasion CHA
+2 Religion INT
+0 Sleight of Hand DEX
+0 Stealth DEX
+5 Survival WIS
Skills
  Weapon / Attack AB Abi Dmg Dmg Type
Mace +2 STR 1d6+2 Bludgeoning
 Sap
Attacks
Shield, Chain Mail, Mace, Backpack, Holy Symbol, Rations, Robe, Blanket, Tinderbox, Lamp, Holy Water

Equipment Copper: 0, Silver: 0, Electrum: 0, Gold: 7, Platinum: 0 Money
Common, Gnomish, Dwarvish

Languages & Proficiencies


™ & © Wizards of the Coast - D & D 5e Character Sheet v2.08, made by Tillerz - Updated: 2025-06-11
To print this sheet: Expand the spell book (if you have any entries there), then click "Print Sheet" at the top, select "Print to PDF" and format A3. Then print the resulting PDF to whichever format you need with "fit to page" selected.


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