My character creation policy for this goes: (1) Ability score are rolled on 4d6, discard the lowest. (2) Create them to d3+2 levels. Level 3 is when they start to get interesting. (3) Give them an appropriate magic item at 3rd and 5th levels. (4) I believe the PCs are the heroes of the story, so I generally give them max hit points, no rolling. Though I do like the 5th edition roll or take better-than-half system. (*) While Ilike the personality traits, bonds, etc of the background portion of the new creation process, I figure the big write up I'm doing covers that stuff.
*I've also taken a shine to the optional "speed factor" rules in the new DM's guide, so you'll see those modifers applied.
FIRST I'll give the character's story, then game stats, and finally (if noteworthy), the how and why I made my creation choices.
Jansen, the Eye in the Shadow
I.
Jansen Fellcorr came from a family of minor nobility and had lived mostly in 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 to discover the secrets of their lives. He was an intelligent, polite, and somewhat 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, a young man of 26, 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 passing, Jansen made it his business to find out more. 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 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 him.
As an adventurer, Jansen carries the same cane that his uncle 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 tower that is benefactor inhabits, be it palace or prison. His whispering dreams and deep research also led him to discover the Shade Mantle, black-stained leather armor that almost seems tailor-made for him. (He only had to bash in a few skulls in order to liberate it from its previous, ignorant keepers.) Its enchantments ward off weapons, light, and prying eyes. His loyal companion and familiar, Lovecraft the ferret, acts as his eyes and ears, sticky fingers, and only true friend. He wears two signet rings: the Fellcorr crest on his right hand and, on his left, a ring bearing a symbol unknown to any court of this realm. He uses his family pedigree only when needed to infiltrate or influence others along his course.
II.
JANSEN, THE EYE IN THE SHADOW
Warlock (3rd level) Human
Bkgrd: Noble Align: CN
STR | 8 | -1 |
INT | 14 | +2 |
WIS | 14 | +2 |
DEX | 11 | 0 |
CON | 10 | 0 |
CHAR | 16 | +3 |
HP: 24
AC: 13 (leather armor +2)
PROF: +2
SAVES: WIS (+4) CHAR (+5)
INIT: +0
SPD: 30 ft
COMBAT:
Cane (club) | Init +2 | +1 to hit | D4-1 dmg | Light |
Cane (w. Shillelagh) | Init +2 | +5 to hit | D8+3 dmg | Magical, light |
Daggers | Init +2 | +2 to hit | D4 dmg | Finesse, light, thrown |
Attack Spells | Init –(sp lvl) | +5 to hit | Save DC 13 |
RACIAL/CLASS /BACKGROUND FEATURES:
Proficiencies: light armor, simple wpns, dragonchess (gaming)
Life of Privilege
Awakened Mind (telepathy 30ft)
Familiar (via spell): Lovecraft the ferret (weasel stats)
Pact Boon: Book of Shadows with a Great Old One
Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Mask of Many Faces
SKILLS:
Deception (+5)
Persuasion (+5)
Intimidation (+5)
Arcana (+4)
Investigation (+4)
History (+4)
Insight (+4)
Stealth (+5) (via Shade Mantle armor)
Languages: Common, Elven, Primordial
FEATS:
Magic Initiate
SPELLS:
Spell Save DC (13) Spell Attack Bonus (+5)
Warlock: 2 cantrips, 4 known, 2 slots, 2nd level
0: Eldritch Blast, Friends
1: Dissonant Whispers, Arms of Hadar, Disguise Self (via Mask of MF)
2: Suggestion, Spider Climb
Books of Shadows
0: Shillelagh, Guidance, Thaumaturgy
Magic Initiate Feat (wizard)
0: Blade Ward, Minor Illusion
1: Find Familiar
GEAR:
Ornate cane (club)
Shadow Mantle armor (Leather armor +2, Stealth +5, cast Darkness 1/week)
Fine clothes
Scholar’s pack
2 daggers
Scroll of pedigree
2 signet rings – one of Fellcorr family, one unknown (arcane focus)
His uncle’s estate in Dunwich
(an advanced Jansen, twisted by the master's power?)
III.
Building this warlock: 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 instead of settling for just one! I wanted to favor spellcraft so I took the Book of Shadows, which lets me pick 3 cantrips from any class lists I want. I took Shillaigh as one of those, a druid 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 (mostly because I don't like the stereotypical races),and I greatly favor the human option of an extra skill and a feat over raising all my abilities. For that bonus feat I took Magic Initiate, which gives me 3 more spells from another class (2 cantrips, 1 first level). I chose wizard and used Find Familiar as my 1st level spell, thus giving me the Familiar/Chain invocation too. BAM! All three paths in one! And a boatload of spells for just a simple 3rd level warlock.
So while he can certainly deal damage at range and up close, because of his average DEX and CON he can't dodge or take a hit very well (which is partially why I gave him magic armor for his item). But not all characters need to be combat powerhouses. I like how this edition states that the three main aspects of game play are (yes) combat, exploration, and interaction. This is a brainy magic user who will excel at the second and third aspects more that the first one. As a player and DM I like to make use of skills and non-combat spells too. Jansen 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 bit of a spy and manipulator. I also chose many of his spells based on 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 with this guy.
OTHER NOTES: My friend Josh back home is actually going to play the game and he made a Cthulhu-type warlock, which made me want to make one too. I also considered making a Hellboy lookalike using either a half-orc, dragonborn, or tiefling with a fiendish pact. It also occurs to me a low-class dwarf miner at work deep in the earth discovering a buried Cthulhu patron would make a fun story. The Fey aspect of warlocks... is cool but not as interesting to me as the darker options.
So while he can certainly deal damage at range and up close, because of his average DEX and CON he can't dodge or take a hit very well (which is partially why I gave him magic armor for his item). But not all characters need to be combat powerhouses. I like how this edition states that the three main aspects of game play are (yes) combat, exploration, and interaction. This is a brainy magic user who will excel at the second and third aspects more that the first one. As a player and DM I like to make use of skills and non-combat spells too. Jansen 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 bit of a spy and manipulator. I also chose many of his spells based on 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 with this guy.
OTHER NOTES: My friend Josh back home is actually going to play the game and he made a Cthulhu-type warlock, which made me want to make one too. I also considered making a Hellboy lookalike using either a half-orc, dragonborn, or tiefling with a fiendish pact. It also occurs to me a low-class dwarf miner at work deep in the earth discovering a buried Cthulhu patron would make a fun story. The Fey aspect of warlocks... is cool but not as interesting to me as the darker options.
I actually really like this character and you might see him in a future fantasy series one day!
(* images stolen shamelessly via Google. Blame them, not me...)
(* images stolen shamelessly via Google. Blame them, not me...)