LAST CHANCE for Big Savings on Fantasy Ebooks

In addition to the massive saving on all my books at Smashwords right now, my 5^th Edition Dungeons and Dragons ebooks are also now available on the Dungeons Masters Guild at “Pay What You Want” for a limited time. 

I still think my D&D PDFs are a steal at $1.99 for the amount of work I put into them.  But I also thought a summer time price option might coincide well with the big Summer/Winter Sale that thousands of Smashwords books are enjoying right now. 

(That sale, by the way, ends on July 31^st!  Click here to check out the skinny on my What’s New page, or click here to go straight to my Smashwords profile, where you can find all my books listed at the bottom.  You can also navigate from there to browse literally thousands of other ebooks by thousands of other authors, all on sale for up to 100% off through the end of the month.)

Now, exactly what’s the deal on the D&D books I’m talking about?  Glad you asked…

One is a “creative companion” with optional rules, new feats, and 10 pre-made characters to give you new ideas.  The other is a complete adventure of cultists, dark magic, and other obscenities.  The third (free) book is basically an excerpt from the first.

(I really should get around to unifying the look of the three different covers someday too.  But today isn't the day.)

---

Contained herein are more than 40 pages featuring customized game rules, a new, story-based experience system that does away with tracking math, and 17 powerful feats for players.  But that’s not all.

Presented for your inspiration are 10 complete characters created from new takes on existing classes, all forged via enhanced creation rules that favor player characters.  Each hero features stats, background stories, and character-building decisions spelled out to give you new ideas for your PCs and NPCs.  Examples include an archetype-defying Cthulhu warlock, steampunk mage, Shinto samurai, rogue spymaster, and Thor, godling of thunder.

Fantasy author J. D. Brink first discovered Dungeons & Dragons more thirty years ago.  Finally, with the advent of the Dungeon Masters’ Guild, he can now share some of his own ideas and game innovations with fellow players of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  The 5eCC works in conjunction with your own imagination to develop exciting new worlds and the heroes needed to save them!

 A cup of coffee costs four bucks.  Endless possibilities for your games: half as much.

Find it only at the Dungeon Masters Guild.

---

The simple townsfolk of Jersey Shore generally keep to themselves.  Neighbors might describe them as quiet cow herders, able fishermen, and pious church-goers.  If they had neighbors.  In fact, no one who visits Jersey Shore ever has anything to say.  Because visitors never leave.

This adventure is for early level player characters (levels 2-4), and will require one or two play sessions to complete.  Slip it into your campaign as an unfortunate pit stop in any D&D realm and enjoy an evening chock full of action, monsters, mystery, and humor.

Fantasy/SF writer J. D. Brink ran this adventure with his own D&D players based on just a few scribbled notes.  Now after weeks of further development, it’s ready for your team of D&D heroes.  Are they up to the challenge?

A cup of coffee costs four bucks.  An evening full of adventure: half as much.

Find it only at the Dungeon Masters Guild.

---

Jansen is an intelligent, quiet young man.  A bit of an odd duck, especially in a noble family.  Quite like his uncle Hadspen.  When Hadspen mysteriously passes away in far-away Dunwich, Jansen makes it his business to find out more.  What he discovers there is a treasure-trove of strange artifacts, an other-worldly patron, and new destiny of darkness and adventure.

Three inspirational player characters to give new perspective on existing character classes:

- a mysterious Cthulhu warlock

- a gifted Tielfing knight

- a crafty steampunk mage

Each features an extensive backstory and commentary on how they were built.

The Player Characters are the heroes of your story.  Each should have their own backstory and stand out as unique in the Realms.  This free DMG title is a sample taken from the Fifth Edition Creative Companion and is intended to encourage players and DMs to take the road less traveled to enhance their tales of adventure.

Find it only at the Dungeon Masters Guild.

NOTE: This post is being simul-cast on my NEW Chaos Theory website, which will soon be my ONLY ongoing website and blog.  Please take a moment to go there by clicking here.  You can subscribe by opening the triangle tab at the bottom of the page.

D&D 5E: New Titles Via Dungeon Masters Guild

Hey there, fellow nerdites.  I'm happy to announce that I now have two pdf ebooks on Wizards of the Coast's Dungeon Masters Guild.  The Guild is a marketplace where players can contribute to the gaming community by publishing material through OneBookShelf and their consortium of gaming companies.  There is a cornucopia of D&D material to be found there, with prices ranging from free, to a few dollars, to paying whatever you think is fair.

What I have decided is fair is $1.99 for each of mine, which is less than I'd charge for an equivalent work of fiction, given the word counts and amount of time I put into them.  One is a full story adventure module in a creepy small town.  The other is a source book with new feats, custom rules, and new ways to imagine existing character classes, without having to reinvent the rules for them.

Here's what I mean:

 

The simple townsfolk of Jersey Shore generally keep to themselves.  Neighbors might describe them as quiet cow herders, able fishermen, and pious church-goers.  If they had neighbors.  In fact, no one who visits Jersey Shore ever has anything to say.  Because visitors never leave.

This adventure is for early level player characters (levels 2-4), and will require one or two play sessions to complete.  Slip it into your campaign as an unfortunate pit stop in any D&D realm and enjoy an evening chock full of action, monsters, mystery, and humor.

Fantasy/SF writer J. D. Brink ran this adventure with his own D&D players based on just a few scribbled notes.  Now after weeks of further development, it’s ready for your team of D&D heroes.  Are they up to the challenge?

A cup of coffee these days costs four bucks.  An evening full of adventure: half as much.

Find it by clicking here.

Contained herein are more than 40 pages featuring customized game rules, a new, story-based experience system that does away with tracking math, and 17 powerful feats for players.  But that’s not all. 

Presented for your inspiration are 10 complete characters created from new takes on existing classes, all forged via enhanced creation rules that favor player characters.  Each hero features stats, background stories, and character-building decisions spelled out to give you new ideas for your PCs and NPCs.  Examples include an archetype-defying Cthulhu warlock, steampunk mage, Shinto samurai, and rogue spymaster.

Fantasy author J. D. Brink first discovered Dungeons & Dragons more thirty years ago.  Finally, with the advent of the Dungeon Masters’ Guild, he can now share some of his own ideas and game innovations with fellow players of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  The 5eCC works in conjunction with your own imagination to develop exciting new worlds and the heroes needed to save them!

A cup of coffee these days costs four bucks.  Endless possibilities for your games: half as much.

Find it by clicking here.

* * * 

Check 'em out and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions!  

Free and Discounted Fantasy Fiction: Final Phase of the Fall Fallout

Wow, that's a lot of F's.

This is the final week of my "Fall Fallout Campaign" during which I've been running discounts on almost all of my ebooks.  I don't expect to be running any deals for quite some time, so get them while you can!

My 400-page fantasy novel Tarnish is just 0.99 (dollars or pounds, US or UK) right now through the 22nd.  You can find it on Amazon by clicking here now.

Being a hero isn’t as easy as the tavern tales would have you believe. 

Billy Cole has always been a quick study, be it at telling tales, brewing ale, or swordplay. 

And yet it surprises Wil Thunderstrike, his alter ego, at just how hard and fast the lessons come on his first venture into the real world of back-alley thieves, traveling talespinners, and warriors of renown.  

Wil’s quest is to find epic heroes to save his home town, but it'll take more than a sword and the inspiring tales of his legendary idols to survive the harsh world beyond Redfield.  And the further he travels into the night, the darker he gets.

Tarnish is a grittier coming-of-age story than you’re used to, where destiny is forged, not written.  

What kind of hero would you be?

You can also pick up The Prince of Luster and Decay, a Tarnish prequel story, for FREE through the 22nd.  Find it on Amazon right now by clicking here.

In war, men don't only fight the enemy. Sometimes they must also fight themselves.

Sergeant Knox leads the Head Knockers, a unit of scout-saboteurs in the war against the Dread Duke and his armies. They are the favorite squad among Captain Brighton’s Stormwalkers, until an ambush kills the Captain, half the company, and Knox’s best men.

Now the new Captain has new orders.  He’s sending the Head Knockers to investigate the possible source of the attack.  The town they find appears empty, but there’s something waiting for them there.  And they’ll need both heart and steel to defeat it.

This stand alone, sword and soldiery novella gives a glimpse into history of the fantasy novel Tarnish.

Only a few days left!
  

5th Edition D&D: Jedi Knight

Daemana is here!  But first, read this little update...

This blog entry has been revamped to fall into line with the newest version of itself.  This change follows in the wake of my new Fifth Edition Creative Companion available from the Dungeon Masters' Guild, which you can get to by clicking here.  

From the DMG, you can download the 45 page PDF file for a measly $1.99.  Here's the description:

Fantasy author J. D. Brink first discovered Dungeons & Dragons more thirty years ago.  Finally, with the advent of the Dungeon Masters’ Guild, he can now share some of his own game innovations with fellow players of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  

Contained herein are more than 40 pages featuring custom game rules, a new experience point system, and 16 new feats for players.  But that’s not all. 

A Cthulhu warlock, steampunk mage, Shinto samurai, and rogue spymaster: these are just 4 of 10 characters created from new takes on existing classes, complete with detailed backstories and decision descriptions.  Ten characters meant to provide players and DMs with new inspiration for developing their own worlds and the heroes to save them.     

What's in the book started here on the blog as a creative exercise in character creation for the 5th edition of D&D.   

I also used to have some cooler, more specific images for the blog, but they weren't acquired by strictly legal means.  (Turns out Google is not a magical copyright-granting fairy.  Don't exactly own the rights to use "Jedi" either...)  So sorry, the images are gone.  But you have a good imagination, right?

So using the creation guidelines outlined in the book (which includes a bonus feat for everyone), I made up some PCs both for my own inspiration and for yours.  Hopefully they'll give you some new ideas for your own game.

*****

DAEMANA FIREHEART, KNIGHT OF THE OBSIDIAN ROSE

“My preference is peace.  My purpose is justice.  And, unfortunately for you, my art is death.”

  

Fighter (5)

Alignment: LG

STR	13	+1
INT	16	+3
WIS	15	+2
DEX	16	+3
CON	13	+1
CHAR	16	+3

HP:  55

AC:  15 

PROF:  +3

SAVES:  STR (+4) CON (+4)

INIT:  +6

RACE:  Tiefling

* Char +2, Int +1

* Darkvision

* Hellish Resistance

* Infernal Legacy

* Languages: Common, Infernal

BACKGROUND:  Acolyte

* Reputation of the Order

* Carpenter’s tools

* Language: Draconic

FIGHTER:

* Fighting style: Dueling

* Action Surge

* Second Wind

* Extra Attack

* Martial Archetype: Eldritch Knight

-- Bonded weapons: Rapier, Sickle

-- Spells

SKILLS:

* Insight (+5)

* Arcana (+6)

* Athletics (+4)

* Acrobatics (+6)

* Bonus Languages: Dwarvish, Giant, Goblin

FEATS:

* Weapon Focus: Rapier

* Martial Adept

 -- 1D6 superiority die

 -- Save DC (14)

 -- Maneuvers: Parry, Reposte

SPELLS:

* Spell Save DC (14)  Spell Attack Mod (+6)

* Spell slots: 1st (3)

* Known Cantrips: Thaumaturgy, Bladeward, Magehand

* Known Spells

-- 1^st Level: Witchbolt, Charm Person, False Life, Protection vs Evil & Good

* Infernal Legacy Spells: Hellish Rebuke, Darkness

GEAR:

* Chain shirt, heavy cloak, traveling clothes

* Rapier, sickle, 5 darts

* Explorer’s pack, only as much money as she needs to get by

  

STORY NOTES:

Thirteen years ago, a tiefling girl was running for her life.  She and her parents had been traveling and happened into the wrong human city.  Her parents were there killed by a lynch mob prejudiced against her people, widely feared for their demonic traits.  The young girl—ten-year-old Daemana—scarcely had time to process her family’s death before her survival instincts drove her to flee for her own life.  She stumbled down an alley, around a corner, and smack into a cloaked man.  The girl bounced off the man and landed on her rear end.

The man Daemana had run into drew a polished rapier from his belt.      

Overwhelmed with fear and confusion, the tiefling girl closed her eyes and prepared for death.

The mob of savage pursuers rounded the corner in search of their prey and came face to face with the man and his rapier.  He offered them a chance to turn around and go home.  None of them took it.  Though he was outnumbered eight to one, the cloaked man dispatched six of them before the last two decided that their hatred wasn’t worth dying for. 

The cloaked man took Daemana under his wing and, after two months of traveling, delivered the girl to the monastery that had raised him.  The Order of the Obsidian Rose was an organization shrouded in mystery, though rumor of their quest for perfection and justice was widely known in that quarter of the world.  The young orphan was taken in and made an acolyte of the Order.  By virtue of her passionate and sometimes wild nature, the girl became known as Daemana Fireheart. 

For nine years, Daemana lived and studied within the monastery.  She became a monk and knight of the Obsidian Rose; indeed, she became one of the most noble and powerful of their small number.  The Order emphasizes perfect control and purity through physical and psychological means.  The tenements include justice and respect for all, no matter race, status, or creed.  A knight’s first priority is non-violence, but when this is not possible, it is their duty to be the most powerful violent force involved in any conflict.  They are as the wind or the flame: in peace, to barely exist at all; but when required, to become an irresistible force that consumes all who refuse their grace and mercy.  Inwardly, this is achieved by perfecting one’s own mind and body.  Outwardly, this is evident by their mastery of the rapier and control over the winds of magic.  The knights’ focus on mastering their own skill is so great, in fact, that they refrain from carrying or using any magic items.

Nine years of training is the First Phase of the Rose.  Daemana Fireheart then began the Second Phase of the Rose: to spread mercy and justice everywhere fate takes her.  And when she feels the time is right, she will enter the Third Phase of the Rose and return to the monastery to train the next generation of knights, until death takes her.

GAME NOTES:

My general goal with these character creation exercises was to make non-typical D&D heroes.  I also like to blend genres and in looking at the Eldritch Knight path of the fighter, I started assembling in my mind what that might look like.  The image I had quickly resembled a certain order of knights from a galaxy far, far away.  I also found that this order favored mastery of a single weapon, and so the Japanese Kensai came to mind.  I melded these ideas together into something I think works as a cool character concept.

I also got incredibly lucky with rolling out the stats.  I’m usually cool with having some 8s or 10s to balance things out into a realistic character, but the Dice Gods were smiling on me this day.  And ironically, the scores I cared about least for her were the iconic Fighter abilities of Strength and Constitution.  Saves in INT and DEX would really be a better fit for this gal, but…  Whatcha gunna do?

The monk-like focus for this monastery was not unarmed martial arts, but mastery of a single weapon.   And which is more graceful for a lady or gentleman than the rapier?  To supplement the perfection of that art, I selected Dueling as his fighting style and took my feat Weapon Focus, as well as Martial Adept for his 4^th level feat.  (Thus getting a sliver of the Fighter’s Battle Master archetype too.)  And these special maneuvers are tailored to the rapier: parry and reposte. 

You might also notice that I altered the Acolyte background to fit my needs, swapping the Arcana skill for Religion.  In this monastic order, magic is taught over gods.  I also renamed “Shelter the Faithful” and “Reputation of the Order.”  The plater and DM could figure how and when to make this work.  I also figured that with her high INT (and my bonus languages rule) she didn’t need two more languages, so I gave her one and a tool proficiency—monks would learn a skill and have to maintain their own monastery after all.

Racially, I wanted to not go human again (as I usually do go human), and figured having a race with innate magical abilities would mesh well with this.  I also figured having the hated outsider would work well.  (Worked for Drizzt, right?)

5th Edition D&D: Steampunk Wizard

Daisy Geartwitch is here!  But first, read this little update...

This blog entry has been revamped to fall into line with the newest version of itself.  This change follows in the wake of mynew Fifth Edition Creative Companion available from theDungeon Masters' Guild, which you can get to by clicking here.  

From the DMG, you can download the 45 page PDF file for a measly $1.99.  Here's the description:

Fantasy author J. D. Brink first discovered Dungeons & Dragons more thirty years ago.  Finally, with the advent of the Dungeon Masters’ Guild, he can now share some of his own game innovations with fellow players of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  

Contained herein are more than 40 pages featuring custom game rules, a new experience point system, and 16 new feats for players.  But that’s not all. 

A Cthulhu warlock, steampunk mage, Shinto samurai, and rogue spymaster: these are just 4 of 10 characters created from new takes on existing classes, complete with detailed backstories and decision descriptions.  Ten characters meant to provide players and DMs with new inspiration for developing their own worlds and the heroes to save them.     

What's in the book started here on the blog as a creative exercise in character creation for the 5th edition of D&D.   

I also used to have some cooler, more specific images for the blog, but they weren't acquired by strictly legal means.  (Turns out Google is not a magical copyright-granting fairy.)  So sorry, the images are gone.  But you have a good imagination, right?

So using the creation guidelines outlined in the book (which includes a bonus feat for everyone), I made up some PCs both for my own inspiration and for yours.  Hopefully they'll give you some new ideas for your own game.

*****

DAESIMACH GEARTWITCH, STEAMPUNK WIZARD

“I admit she’s talented.  Perhaps too talented for her own good…” – Guild Master Gursh McWyld

Wizard (3)

Alignment: LG 

STR	8	-1
INT	17	+3
WIS	13	+1
DEX	16	+3
CON	12	+1
CHAR	11	0

HP: 21

AC: 15

PROF: +2

SAVES: INT (+5) WIS (+3)

              ADV vs. magic

INIT: +6  (includes small size)

RACE: Rock Gnome

* Int +2,Con +1

* Languages: Common, Gnomish

* Darkvision

* Gnome Cunning

* Artificer’s Lore

* Tinker

BACKGROUND:  Guild Artisan

* Guild Membership in Tinkerers’ and Alchemists’ Guilds (though not liked in either)

* Tinkers’ tools

* Alchemist kit

WIZARD:

* Arcane Recovery 

* Arcane Tradition: School of Transmutation

-- Transmutation Savant

-- Minor Alchemy

SPELL CASTING:

* Spell DC (13)  Spell Attack Mod (+5)

* Spell Slots: 1st (4) 2nd (2)

* Prepare 6 spells

* Known Cantrips: Mending, Shocking Grasp, Dancing Lights

* “Spellbook” Spells (plans and formulas for devices and alchemical mixtures)

-- 1^st Level: Find Familiar, Grease, Chromatic Orb, Identify, Color Spray, T’s Floating Disc, Fog Cloud, Feather Fall, Shield

-- 2^nd Level: Web, Cloud of Daggers, Blur, Locate Object

SKILLS:

* Arcana (+5)

* Investigation (+5)

* Insight (+3)

* History (+5)

* History (+7) on magic items, alchemy, devices, etc.

* Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elvish, Halfling

FEATS:

* Lightly armored

FAMILIAR:  Klick-Klack, the clockwork owl

BASIC GEAR:

* Tools, belt pouches, & satchel (arcane foci)

* Light crossbow with bolts, 2 daggers

* Studded leather armor

* Tinker’s tools, alchemist’s kit

* Traveling clothes, working overalls

* Selma the donkey (with cleverly locked saddle bags)

STORY NOTES:

Daesimach Geartwitch—Daisy for short—is herself rather short; she is a gnome, after all.  And while she had generally been regarded with respect and a smile among her own people, she found the greater world to be less receptive.  Was it because she was a gnome?  Perhaps elves and dwarves, even halflings, were better respected in the human lands?  Not only was she a gnome, but she was also female.  It was jealousy, her friends told her, played an equal role to these, if not more so. 

Daisy was presented to the Pact of the Philosopher’s Stone Guild (alchemists) and the Turns of the World Guild (Tinkers and Artificers) with great enthusiasm by her mentor, the great gnome master Cagghai Pennybottom.  She became a guild member on his recommendation, and to say that she was excited would be a terrible understatement. 

Perhaps the excited, ingenious young girl didn’t realize that her great success and new ideas might be an insult to some of the older, less talented guild members who had always thought themselves important.  Those jealous old men clearly couldn’t compare their own abilities to this young, inhuman, female prodigy.  Pennybottom’s command of respect was the only thing that kept Daesi in good standing with the Guilds’ more rancorous chiefs for as long as it did.  And when the old gnome master disappeared, it wasn’t long before Daisy found herself in ill-favor among her “peers.” 

She seeks now to find out what happened to Cagghai Pennybottom.  Not to restore her respect to those petty guild masters, but to discover and, if necessary, rescue her friend and teacher from whatever fate has befallen him.

Like most gnomes, Daisy is generally cheerful and innovative of mind, but she has learned to distrust the baser motives of the human world and its inhabitants, be they human or not.  She feels more at home in communities of the shorter races—dwarves, halflings, and gnomes—and this is where she can finally feel free to be herself.  She otherwise spends too much time guarding her emotions.  Therefore, despite the miracles of craft and chemistry that she is capable of, Daisy generally does not live up to her true potential.  The only friend she feels completely at home with is the mechanical owl Klick-Klack, her homemade clockwork familiar.

GAMES NOTES:

As with all of these D&D character creations, I wanted to do something different with the class.  Here I’ve made a wizard, always my least favorite class.  Wizards are traditionally too fragile and, in the beginning levels (which is where I prefer to play), they tend to be one-trick ponies.  (Can you say magic missile?  I hates me some magic missile…)  It seems like everyone who’s ever made a wizard made the same damn boring character and stocked up on the same damn spells, first and foremost being magic missile.  (Notice Daisy doesn’t use it, though it would fit her well as self-propelled darts of some kind.)

I wanted to make a wizard who wasn’t a spellcaster in robes, but instead is a gadgeteer and craftsman (or craftswoman, in this case).  And though it does kind of conform to the stereotype, it seemed most appropriate to make her a gnome.

The most important thing about this character is that her spells are not incantations, but are clockwork, steampunk, or alchemical gadgets and effects!

Her “preparing spells” at rest is mixing potions, and winding up and preparing machines.  A few spells (like Mending) are as much talent as minor magical effects, but mostly I imagine her throwing breakable glass vials and releasing tiny devices to achieve her magic.  Feather Fall, for example, might be spring-loaded wings, a small parachute, or propellers with claws for grabbing peoples’ backs.  Shocking Grasp could be metal conductors in her gloves hooked up to a chemical battery and/or routed through the metal studs of her leather armor.  Chromatic Orb and Fog Cloud are chemical mixtures in small glass globes.  Color Spray is a strobe light that shines through a prism.  Cloud of Daggers is a swarm of wind-up, free-flying, bladed propellers.  I chose all of her spells based on the idea that they could be imagined this way (and specifically didn’t take magic missile!).  I also assumed that in her three levels of adventuring she’d picked up a few extra spells for her spell book in the form of formulas and design schematics, so she’s got a few more than you might expect.

In her creation, I replaced the persuasion skill from the Guild Artisan background with Arcana, given the nature of the guilds she’s part of. Besides, Persuasion isn't befitting this character's social awkwardness, which is also reflected by her low Charisma score.  These experiences do, however, make her good at reading people, thus her Insight skill.  I also tweaked the background to give her two toll proficiencies, one in each of her areas of expertise.

Also fitting the theme is her homemade familiar, Klick-Klack the clockwork owl.  (Inspired by the original Clash of the Titans movie, my favorite as a kid, but I believe that owl’s name was Boobo).

I actually made up Daisy over a year ago as part of my character creation exercises on my blog.  The other wizard on this list, Kurzette, I made up just a week ago for this book.  And now that I’m revising Daisy’s story, I see the eerie similarity in their personality and story.  I guess inventive, shy nerds have a lot in common, eh?  (Including talent!  Break out of your shells, my fellow shy nerds!  Trust me, there’s nothing to be afraid of!)

This character is one of my favorites from this exercise and I have already developed her into a central hero in my future series of fantasy adventure novels.  (If only I could escape the day job to get them written!)

5th Edition D&D: Cthulhu-Warlock

I've decided to reposted this to my new website because this is by far the most popular post on this site.  Apparently there's a lot of D&D gamers looking for a good warlock build, most likely of the dark and mysterious Cthulhu variety.   

You can find Jansen here, as well as within the virtual pages of a free sample book on the Dungeon Masters Guild website called The Eye in the Shadow (just click here).  He's one of three characters profiled there.

You can also find him with NINE other characters, 16 new feats, and lot whole lot more in my new Fifth Edition Creative Companion,  available from theDungeon Masters Guild right now for only $0.99.  You can find it by clicking here.  

The 5eCC is a 45 page PDF.  Here's the description:

Fantasy author J. D. Brink first discovered Dungeons & Dragons more thirty years ago.  Finally, with the advent of the Dungeon Masters’ Guild, he can now share some of his own game innovations with fellow players of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  

Contained herein are more than 40 pages featuring custom game rules, a new experience point system, and 16 new feats for players.  But that’s not all. 

A Cthulhu warlock, steampunk mage, Shinto samurai, and rogue spymaster: these are just 4 of 10 characters created from new takes on existing classes, complete with detailed backstories and decision descriptions.  Ten characters meant to provide players and DMs with new inspiration for developing their own worlds and the heroes to save them.     

*****

JANSEN, THE EYE IN THE SHADOW

“Kinda a funny looking feller, eh?  Don’t look dangerous, but something ‘bout him makes me skin crawl.  Better keep a distance.” – Constable’s Deputy, Dunwich

Warlock (3)

Alignment: CN

STR	8	-1
INT	14	+2
WIS	14	+2
DEX	11	0
CON	10	0
CHAR	16	+3

HP:  24

AC:  12

PROF:  +2

SAVES:  WIS (+4) CHAR (+5)

INIT:  +2

RACE:  Human

BACKGROUND:  Noble

* Dragon chess gaming proficiency

* Life of Privilege

* Languages: Common, Elven

WARLOCK:

* Otherworldly Patron: Great Old One

* Awakened Mind

* Pact Boon: Book of Shadows

* Eldritch Invocations:

-- Beguiling Influence

-- Mask of Many Faces

SPELLS:

* Spell DC (13)  Spell Attack Mod (+5)

* Warlock: 2 Cantrips, 4 Known Spells, 2 Spell Slots at 2^nd Level

-- Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Prestidigitation

-- 1^st Level: Hex, Arms of Hadar

-- 2^nd Level: Suggestion, Crown of Madness

* Eldritch Invocation: Disguise Self at will

* Books of Shadows: Druid (WIS)

-- Cantrips: Shillelagh, Produce Flame, Resistance

* Magic Initiate Feat: Bard (CHAR)

-- Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion

-- Once per long rest: Dissonant Whispers

* Ritual Caster: Wizard (INT)

-- 1^st Level: Find Familiar, Unseen Servant

FAMILIAR:  Lovecraft, the ferret (fiend)

SKILLS:

* Intimidation (+5)

* Arcana (+4)

* Investigation (+4)

* History (+4)

* Insight (+4)

* Deception (+5)

* Persuasion (+5)

* Bonus Languages: Primordial, Abyssal

FEATS:

* Magic Initiate

* Ritual Caster

BASIC GEAR:

* Ornate cane (club), 2 daggers

* Studded leather armor

* Fine clothes, Scholar’s pack, scroll of pedigree, 2 signet rings – one of Fellcorr family, one unknown (arcane focus)

* His uncle’s estate in Dunwich

STORY NOTES:

Jansen Fellcorr came from a family of minor nobility and had lived most of his life in abject boredom.  The life of privilege didn't disagree with him, per say, but there was very little about that easy, controlled life that held his interest.  He made study and observation ("people watching") his hobbies, sometimes following strangers all day, even back to their homes, to discover the secrets of their lives.  Jansen was an intelligent, polite, and rather creepy young man.

The death of Hadspen Fellcorr--Jansen's uncle--went largely unnoticed, as Hadspen had been the strange and estranged black sheep of the family.  Jansen, at twenty-six years of age, barely even remembered his uncle Hadspen.  But when he heard of the man's passing and saw how the rest of his noble family chose to ignore the black sheep's death from their flock, Jansen made it his business to find out more.  (He had nothing better to do, after all.)  It took him a week to travel to the city of Dunwich, where his uncle had lived and died.  The Dunwich mortician and Hadspen's landlord were only too happy to turn over the odd nobleman's personal effects and quarters to the nephew who had come to claim them.  Though he had lived there for years, no one in town seemed to know Hadspen very well, nor did they want to.  It was rumored that he dabbled in dark magic and secrets best left undiscovered.

It was in his dead uncle's home that Jansen uncovered new mysteries and a new purpose in life.  Hadspen's quarters were filled with books and rarities: drawings and journals, maps and star charts, ancient artifacts and dusty grimoires.  Jansen dove in eagerly and lived in Dunwich through the summer,  fall, and into winter.  And it was on the bitter cold evening of the winter solstice that he finally unlocked the same key that his uncle had years before.  It was on this cold, snowy night that he finally met Hadspen Fellcorr's other-worldly benefactor.

Jansen has taken his uncle's place as the servant and apprentice of a strange, extra-planar power.  He has, in fact, surpassed his uncle and become an actively mobile agent, taking on the title of Eye in the Shadow.  The motives of his patron are unclear, even to him, but he serves it with no less devotion.  Be it good or evil, Jansen's benefactor seems to be an entity of shadow, deception, knowledge, and madness.  Though his master speaks to him only rarely, Jansen continues to follow wherever his destiny seems to be leading.

As an adventurer, Jansen carries the same cane that his uncle had used in life.  This is a very ornate walking stick carved to resemble an alien tower on another plane of existence.  It is patterned after the very structure that is benefactor inhabits, be it a palace or a prison.  His loyal companion and familiar, Lovecraft the ferret, acts as his eyes and ears, sticky fingers, and only true friend.  Jansen wears two signet rings: the Fellcorr crest on his right hand, and, on his left, a ring bearing a symbol unknown to any court in this reality.  Jansen uses his family pedigree only when needed to infiltrate or influence others along his course, preferring to forget the worthless life of nobility he’d lived before.

GAME NOTES:

I actually did quite a bit of dark research myself to see what options and spells I wanted to take with this character.  Warlocks have three paths they can follow, called Eldritch Invocations, and in a way I have managed to take all three here rather than settling for just one!

I wanted to favor spellcraft with this guy, partially because Warlocks have such a weird and limited magic-user mechanic.  (Though I do like that they work in a different way than the rest.)  I took the Book of Shadows, which lets me pick 3 cantrips from any class list.  I chose Druids and Shillelagh, a spell that lets me turn Jansen's fancy cane (club) into a magical weapon of moderate power.  Therefore, I kind of get the bonded weapon invocation.  I also tend to make human characters, so I started with two Feats.  For both I took more spells, which gave me access to Find Familiar, thus effectively giving me the Chain invocation too.

BAM!  All three Warlock paths in one character!  And I have an amazing number of spells for a 3rd level character, especially a warlock!

And while he is magicked up pretty darn well, he’s not going to dodge or take a hit very well.  But not all characters need to be combat powerhouses!  I like how Fifth Edition clearly states the three main aspects of game play: not just combat, but also exploration and social interaction.  Jansen is a brainy magic user who will excel at the second and third aspects far more that the first one.  As a player and DM—as I’ve said before—I like to make sure skills and non-combat spells are valuable in the game too.  This character will put his best ability score—Charisma—to good use, along with useful INT- and WIS-based skills.

His role as the Eye in the Shadow makes him a spy and a manipulator.  I chose many of his spells to specifically fit his shadowy and Cthulhu-like nature.  I also considered an owl and raven for his familiar, both of which seem very Cthulhu to me, but the ferret just seemed to fit more comfortably somehow.

I actually really like this character concept.  He’s just begging to be in a story/novel someday!