Phantos_Argent
2017-02-08, 08:59 AM
What started as the a conversion for more accurate Magic the Gathering in 5th edition grew into something else entirely. It upends the current spell system, making casters more powerful at earlier levels and considerably less powerful at higher levels. Known as Spectrum casters, they raw power of their spells increases much more slowly. Instead, they can adapt spells on the fly and learning a single spell can provide a great deal of benefits.
The purpose of this homebrew is to have magic be a constant part of the world, integrated entirely with a campaign rather than upending it. Many of the best magical options for dealing with issues are gone, such as the ability to summon creatures or teleport great distances. All of the base classes have an archetype for Spectrum casting, with the exceptions of Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. Their class features were a little wrapped around Vancian casting for a quick change and instead I just created a new "full" caster class known as the Ardent. I'll probably convert the whole doc to Giant format here eventually, but that's a good deal of work at the moment.
Spectrum Magic System (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F70clNOCdORo6CC-hUIctJP8H3RXJNqKAsbt0BtmEQU/edit)
Spectrum Magic Classes, the Ardent and Centurion (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jLWejTCFZqmfydlRe1OeBz3u55FLfyD7T35QkiBajwo/edit)
Spectrum Magic Archetypes and Feats
(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GgpxDxeuP5Gr4y0ORl9Ja5J-ryLDpUH5gD1XeUNqHwA/edit)
In addition to the basic information above, I also created a homebrew campaign world for Spectrum Magic known as Pentacost. It has several new weapons and a method of creating ones own races.
Pentacost, Conflict of the Six Houses
Pentacost takes place on the Shattered Plane. What was once a massive and vibrant world has become a collection of demi-planes, each one only somewhat connected to the others. In this world a hero known as Adrason Pentacost forged a bond with the Spectrum and tethered several Facets together to form Convergence, a haven for mortals and safe from the dangers of the other Facets.
In order to create this edifice, he sacrificed his own life and granted mastery of the Spectrum to his six disciples who would eventually become the Houses. For millennia they grew in power as only their scions were capable of opening reliable Gates to other Facets. The pact their ancestor’s made over a thousand years ago remained strong and each House did it’s best to work with one another.
Six years ago the Pact, held deep underneath Convergence and guarded by tireless golems, was magically dissolved. Without those guidelines holding them in check the six houses began to strive for more and more power. It has yet to come to open warfare, which none of them truly desire, but it is being fought with gold, spies, assassins, and mercenaries.
Races
All six of the Houses are human, but the Facets contain an untold multitude of creatures, each one stranger than the last. Rather than try to detail them all, here’s a quick for DMs and even players to create their own. There are few simple guidelines and methods for race creation detailed below.
Race Creation
Each race all have a minor trait, a major trait, a +2 bonus to one ability score and a +1 bonus to a different ability score. The ability score bonus should be decided by the player or DM, but can be randomized by assigning a number to each ability score and then rolling a d6 twice.
All major traits also have a drawback, something negative that somewhat cancels the positive effects out. These drawbacks aren’t an inherent part of the trait, but by taking the drawback you may select one or two more major traits so long as the drawbacks for each of those traits are applied as well. DMs should be careful allowing players to use this optional rule and should look over player created races carefully before integrating them into the game. There are also base traits for society including government, religion, and culture.
To keep things simple, all these races are inherently medium sized, live the same life span as a human, and speak Common. While this is good for ease of play, some DMs and even players may want to branch out. Some races could live for only a few years, are incapable of traditional speech, or are six inches tall. These might make for interesting encounters while exploring, but aren’t great for player characters.
Randomized
You’ll notice that there are twenty minor traits and twenty-four major traits. This is to make it possible for players and DMs to randomize their races and create something truly strange, such as a race of amphibious crystal people obsessed with battle and in complete anarchy. To decide major traits roll a d12 twice, once for each list or twice on the same list.
The suggested method for player created randomization is to allow them to choose the ability score bonuses and society rules, but roll for the traits. They should decide how many drawback major traits to take, if any, and then roll for all traits they’re taking twice. They then decide which group of traits to take. They cannot mix and match traits between the two groups.
Minor Traits
1, Natural Attack
Gain two natural attacks for either limb that both deal 1d6 damage or a single natural attack that deals 1d10. The exact form of these attacks is up to you, such as bony plates, a sickled tail, or simply sharp teeth, but they should deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
2, Low-Light Vision
You can see in areas with little light, such as at night under the moon or a city with few torches.
3, Minor Skill Boost
Gain proficiency with a single skill.
4, Culture Weapons
Gain proficiency with three martial weapons of your choosing and an armor type one step heavier than what you’re already proficient in.
5, Minor Magic Boost
Increase your Limit by +2.
6, Attractive
Gain advantage on Persuasion checks against creatures that would normally find you attractive.
7, Culture Skills
Gain proficiency with two Artisans tools or musical instruments. You may gain proficiency with one of both instead.
8, Tough
Gain a bonus to your hit points equal to your proficiency modifier.
9, Glide
You have prehensile wings that cannot fly, but does grant resistance to fall damage.
10, Physically Intimidating
You may add your Strength modifier on intimidation skill checks in place of Charisma.
11, Survivalist
Gain proficiency on survival skill checks made to find food and you can go twice as long without it.
12, Scholarly
Add ½ your proficiency modifier, rounded up, on intelligence based skill checks. This does stack with skills you're already proficient in.
Major Animalistic Traits
1, Advanced Senses
Choose two of the following abilities.
- Darkvision out to 60 ft.
- The Scent animal ability.
- Blindsight out to 10 ft.
- Increase your passive perception by +4.
- Gain advantage on rolls made to find traps, hidden objects, and see through illusions.
- Gain a constant detect magic effect.
Drawback
Your greater senses makes you susceptible to effects that overwhelm them. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being Blinded, Deafened, or Stunned.
2, Amphibian
You may breathe underwater and have a swim speed equal to your base land speed.
Drawback
Intense heat can causes serious damage quickly as it dries you out. Gain vulnerability to fire damage.
3, Hard Skin
Add your proficiency bonus to your AC. Does not stack with armor. Instead of Dexterity, you may add your Constitution bonus to your AC instead.
Drawback
Toughened skin slows your reaction time. Gain disadvantage on initiative checks.
4, Fleet
Increase your base land speed by +10 ft and gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
Drawback
Your increased agility comes from a lighter frame. Critical attack rolls deal x3 damage against you, not x2.
5, Aerial
Gain two wings and become immune to fall damage. At 6th level gain a flight speed of 20 ft which increases to 40 ft at 12th level and 60 ft at 18th level.
Drawbacks
Your body needs to be light in order to fly. Gain vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
6, Arachnid
Gain 30 ft of climb speed, advantage on Handle Animal checks with spiders, and as a bonus action you can produce webbing. This can act as either a net, grappling hook, or manacles without a lock. All these items dissolve after one hour and have vulnerability to fire damage.
Drawback
Your spider like instincts take over in the heat of the moment. During combat if you were successfully attacked during the last round your first attack roll against any target other than the one who attacked has disadvantage.
7, Undead
Become immune to necrotic damage, but vulnerable to radiant damage. Gain advantage on all Constitution saves.
Drawback
Divine magic no longer restores your hit points. This includes magic from Paladins and other divine classes.
8, Draconic
Learn the draconic tongue, automatically gain the Natural Attack Minor Trait, and a breath attack the same as a Dragonborn.
Drawback
Your natural pride can cause disastrous effects. Lower your Passive Perception by 2 and you have disadvantage on insight skill checks.
9, Amorphous
Your body doesn’t really have weak spots. You take no extra damage from critical hits or similar damage, such as a Rogue’s Sneak Attack ability.
Drawback
Your body’s strange nature makes it more difficult to heal. When a source of magical healing, such as from a spell or potion, would roll the amount of hit points it would restore to you, it rolls twice and takes the worse result.
10, Quick Healing
Gain fast healing 1.
Drawback
Being able to heal quickly makes you overconfident. Reduce your AC by -1.
11, Ferocity
When below half your maximum hit points your strength is considered to be 4 higher than it actually is and you become resistant to psychic damage.
Drawback
This state leaves you susceptible to mental influences. When below half your maximum hit points you have disadvantage on perception skill checks and saves against charms effects and illusions.
12, Iron Defenses
Become proficient in two saving throws of your choice.
Drawback
Shoring up your physical or mental defenses leaves you open to attacks from the other. If you’re proficient in more physical defenses than mental, you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws. If you’re proficient in more mental defenses than physical, you have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws. If the number is equal, choose one of the above.
Major Specialized Traits
1, Implanted Weapon
You have a powerful weapon as part of your body. It could be natural, such as a demonic arm, or literally grafted into your skin. Choose a single weapon and treat it as a natural attack, even if it requires ammunition. You may change the type of damage it inflicts, but it must be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. For obvious reasons it cannot be thrown. At 6th level this weapon is considered magical for the purposes of breaking through damage resistance or immunity. At 10th level it gains a +1 magical bonus which increases to +2 at 14th level and +3 at 18th level.
Drawback
The weapon cannot be sheathed inside your body or allow for manipulation. Instead, it must essentially always be held with one hand, though the aesthetics of that is up to you.
2, Major Skill Boost
Gain proficiency and advantage on all skill checks with a single skill.
Drawback
You become too focused on achieving perfect with a single ability. Lose proficiency with two of you starting class skills.
3, Natural Magical Talent
Gain access to a single Spectrum Color and learn one spell from that Color.
Drawback
Relying on magical skill has made your race frail. Reduce the total number of hit points you gain per level by 2.
4, Warrior Race
Become proficient with all armor and with all martial and simple weapons. Gain the first level ability of one of the Centurion’s Combat Styles.
Drawback
Combat is simple, trickery is not. If an attack made against you has advantage the attacker automatically hits and rolls their damage dice twice, taking the better result.
5, Tongues
You can speak, write, and read all languages.
Drawback
Your species has come into contact with too many races to remain stable. Every member of this race replaces their Minor Trait with one completely random. If it is already randomized, they lose it instead.
7, Wild Speech
Choose one of the following options.
- Gain proficiency with the Handle Animal skill and a constant Talk With Animals effect.
- Gain proficiency with the Survival skill and a constant Talk With Plants effect.
Drawback
Speaking with regular people can be difficult at times. Gain disadvantage on persuasion skill checks and deception skill checks to lie.
8, Blessing
You may add your Charisma modifier to your AC instead of Dexterity.
Drawback
The favor of Outsiders has made your race the enemy of their opposition. Choose either Fiends or Angels. You have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and similar abilities used by those types of creatures.
9, Paragon
Increase the maximum for all of your ability scores by +2 and gain a +1 bonus to the ability score of your choice.
Drawback
Much is expected of one capable of anything and it is particularly humbling to fail. The first time between short rests that you roll a natural 20, re-roll and keep the second result.
10, Companion
Your race is capable of forming a psychic link to a single animal. Forming this link is a 1 hour ritual and negates the first link if it is already formed. It’s CR must be equal to or less than ¼ of your own character level. You can communicate telepathically with this animal and it is considered to have an Intelligence of 5 if it’s intelligence is less than 5. You add your class level on all Handle Animal checks with that animal only. While bound, it gains a number of hit points equal and an AC bonus equal to your class level x4 and your proficiency modifier respectively.
Drawback
The link places a great strain on your mind. You become vulnerable to psychic damage and if your linked animal ever dies you take 1d12 psychic damage for every CR it possessed.
11, Mind Speak
You can communicate telepathically with all other members of your race, up to 100 ft. You may also communicate telepathically with other races, but they’re not as receptive. You may only transfer emotions, such as a feeling of urgency or a desire for friendship. You cannot lie when doing so.
Drawback
The ability to read minds has made crime practically non-existent in your culture. Gain disadvantage on all Deception and Sleight of Hand skill checks.
12, Focused
Every member of your race is trained from birth for their role in society. Choose combat, skills, or magic. If combat, gain a +1 bonus to your attack rolls and AC modifier. If skills, gain proficiency in 3 skills and 2 tools or instruments of your choice. If magic, increase your limit by +2 and a gain a +1 bonus to all of your Rotes.
Drawback
Choose one area to suffer a setback as great as your focus. If combat, reduce your AC by -2. If skills, lose proficiency in two of your starting skills. If magic, gain disadvantage on the first saving throw against the first malignant spell or similar ability cast on you during the round.
Society Traits
These have no mechanical benefit, but do help define your race beyond a collection of traits and drawbacks. Rolling isn’t really suggested for a player character’s race outside of more humorous campaigns, but do what you want. This is for fun! For most races roll once for the government traits, twice for the culture traits, and once on the religion traits.
Government Traits
1, Monarchy
All the power is held by one or fewer people at the highest level and passed down to their closest heir.
2, Republic
Cities and villages all send a single representative who have political power equal to the number of people they represent.
3, Feudal System
Common people owe their loyalty to lords and possibly even more higher up the chain. Though monarchs are common alongside this system, they have little interaction with the vast majority of civilians.
4, Democracy
Every citizen is allowed to vote on what they want done. This doesn’t mean equality, as citizen can easily mean land owning female with at least five adopted children and all grey hair.
5, Oligarchy
The land is ruled by a small group of people, no more than twenty-four but no less than six. They could be the most powerful nobles, a secret council of an ancient race, or leaders of the largest guilds.
6, Plutocracy
Whoever has the most money has the most power. Not necessarily corrupt with politicians selling their votes to the highest bidder, it does tend to bring out of the worst in people.
7, Communism
Everyone has an equal amount of control, pays the same, and contributes to the state to the best of their ability. Of course, it is still subject to corruptions and degradation.
8, Anarchy
There are no actual laws and the only justice you have is the kind you take.
9, Separation
Every city, town, village, or state is more or less on it’s own with only the worst of crimes being illegal between them all.
10, Theocracy
A church or similar religious organization controls everything and their doctrine is the law.
11, Satrapy
Rather than being their own nation or state, satrapies belong to another country some distance away with a governor or magistrate being put charge.
12, Merit System
Only the best are selected for government positions through a rigorous and pre-determined process. That said, there’s usually little that can be one if they prove wrong for that position.
Culture Traits
1, Food
Diet is heavy on one particular kind of food, such as meat, vegetables, fruit, or fish. This can just be a necessary staple to their environment, such as rain water in the desert, or it can be something more draconian, such as considering eating any living thing being the same as cannibalism.
2, Gender Preference
One of the genders (there might be more than two, who knows?) has a good deal more power and responsibility than the other. They might decide marriages for others of the opposite gender in their families, be the only ones allowed to own land or even property, fight in the military, or to carry a weapon.
3, Romance
Your race treats romance differently than most others. It could be a violent fight between potential suitors, marrying six different people at once, laws against marrying someone of the same social standing, what is considered attractive. It should be different enough to warrant mentioning to any tourists.
4, Xenophobia
Whether for good reasons or bad, members of your race distrust outsiders and people from different races. This is natural for a lot of races and most likely stems from experiencing betrayal.
5, Cosmopolitan
Regardless of the culture, it’s origin, or who practices it, your race will almost automatically accept it. Normally a good thing, it can lead to confusion and even clashes between people who believe in opposing ideas.
6, Fighting Focus
Fighting is a large part of your society. That could mean treating gladiators as celebrities, a strong culture based on hunting, or disputes being solved through violence. In most cases this means even the average citizens are capable soldiers in times of crisis.
7, Honor Focus
Every society has their own set of rules outside of their actual laws. Most of your race takes those rules very seriously and strong punishments such as exile or execution may be inflicted for something seemingly very minor, such as drinking before the head of the household touches their cup.
8, Arts Focus
Art is a very broad concept and can cover dancing, acting, pottery, forging, gardening, singing, playing an instrument, acrobatics, painting, and some most people have never heard of. Your race has managed to master one or more of these types and practices most of the rest.
9, Draconian
While law and order is good for a society, most would agree that your’s takes it a bit too far. That means curfew for adults, heavy restrictions on illicit substances, even laws for what colors you can wear outside! Outsiders will find these rules incredibly stifling if they’re even allowed inside.
10, Allowing
If it doesn’t cause physical harm to anyone else it’s allowed and there are even exceptions for that. Drugs and other intoxicants are common. Other, more violent, crimes are prevalent, but not necessarily a fact of life.
11, Idyllic
In a word, perfect. Food is plentiful, schooling is mandatory, the laws are fair, and there is equal justice for all. Very few such places exist, mainly because they’re popular targets for invasion.
12, Green
Much of your nation’s economy, religious focus, government, culture, or any of the above revolves around nature. Plants and trees are held as sacred, with people learning to live alongside instead of in conflict with it.
13, Superiority
Your race considers itself to be the best, the brightest, the strongest. This arrogance could be well-earned, but it is grating at best and inciting at worst.
14, Moribund
Death is everywhere and everyone must accept it as a fact of life. Funeral rites are long, structured affairs, with multiple speakers and old traditions. This focus on death can be offputting to some, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you seek it or wish to inflict it on others.
15, Gritty
Crime, violence, and tragedy are everywhere. Orphans seeing their parents cut down and vowing vengeance is a common occurrence, such that it often perpetuates itself. Any lawmaker is assumed to be corrupt, with the few noble ones either fired or killed for their trouble.
16, Industry
Innovation and creation are inexorable once a people have lived long enough. Manufacturing plants, assembly lines, furnaces that blast smoke into the air, smelters that cause the air to reek of tin. It might be uncomfortable to live around, but drives your civilization upward faster than anything else.
17, Rural
Your people value farming, hard work, and dedication above all else. Any nobility or similar person in charge handles the business side of things and is expected to work just as hard if not harder than their constituents.
18, Bureaucratic
To see the description of this culture trait, please fill out form 2-c and receive your id card. This will let you get into filing center g and there you can fill out form 24-9p. Everything from quills used daily and kilos of manure being brought into the city must be monitored and recorded.
19, Guilds
By definition, guilds are collection of professionals that all work towards the same goal and try to improve the fortunes of their members. For your race, they’ve become an eponymous fact of life. They hold large amounts of power, making going against them dangerous and joining them beneficial.
20, Warlike
Conquest is your race’s driving force, trying to claim more land, more money, more power, or all of the above. While not inherently evil as some of the greatest civilizations ever built were built on the ruins of those that came before, someone still has to create those ruins and they were once filled with people.
Religion Traits
1, Pantheon
Your race worships a collection of gods and goddesses who play an active role in their lives. They might work together, each one maintaining the balance in their domains, or they could antagonistic, using their followers as pieces on the gameboard.
2, Monotheistic
There is but one god, one creator, one almighty being who is the sole deity worthy of worship. While they usually have some manner of counterpart, worshipping that being is heavily frowned upon at best. For the purposes of playing D&D, treat that one god as having every domain.
3, Ideal
Rather than a god, your race worships a concept or set of ideas. They can be as simple as “Don’t do bad things,” or as complex as sixty-two tomes of philosophies and rules. It can even be more metaphorical, such as worshipping the land itself or the sun without attributing a human persona to it.
4, Spiritual
Spirits can be found almost anywhere, such as rivers, on the peaks of mountains, inside sacred objects, and even within towns. Many have several names and raise in power by the prayers of people. To make this a central part of play, treat positive spirits as Celestials and negative spirits as Fiends.
5, Ancestral
Why pray to some voiceless being in the sky when the true deservers of your devotion have already lived? Ancestor worship can be simplistic, with no real effect on people’s lives, or perhaps they’re still around in the aether and can grant boons to those who show proper respect.
6, Atheism
Simply put, your race believes in nothing. When confronted by divine power, they dig in and simply claim that deities are little more than powerful angels or devils. Considerably formidable, yes, but not truly worth devoting your life to.
Places
There are hundreds of Facets out there, each with their own rules, creatures, and environments. It would take a very long time to detail them all, but there is one large constant to Pentacost and that is Convergence. Known as the Reconstructed City, it was once multiple smaller fragments that the great hero gave his life to create and protect.
All of Convergence is city, from deep underground where monsters and bandits form makeshift homes, to the very top, where powerful members of each House live in floating towers. Crime becomes more dangerous and constant the further down you go. Beyond the six Houses, which are detailed below, here are a few districts Convergence is famous for.
The Workbench
Gaining its name for its unfinished nature, Pentacost was placing the final touches in this new district when the entire city began to come apart and he had to give his life to save it. Still connected to dozens of odd fragments, monsters come and go around the Workbench. The wards Pentacost set up over a millenia still hold, but the district is very dangerous. Only the most foolhardy attempt to live there, seeking some of the arcane devices left behind by Convergence’s founder.
Palace of Bronze
Oddly enough, not made of bronze. Instead, it was created by the “seventh” house, Drahgendell. Their founder initially made his living performing every task no one else wanted to do, getting paid in practically worthless bronze coins. But he was smart and eventually gathered together outcasts from the six Houses and adopted them. Now the Palace sees a constant stream of people and goods moved throughout its sturdy halls. Considered mongrels by the six, those running the Palace are all descended from Drahgendell’s original exiles and can open Gates.
Scarforge
Built into the bedrock of Convergence, Scarforge was initially to be a training room for the standing army that hasn’t been needed. Purchased by Mistress Vetch over six hundred years ago, the enigmatic woman turned it into a public arena where champions do battle with one another and against captured beasts. Still ran by the seemingly immortal warrior woman, she has designated the top halves as dueling space to decide matters of honor while the bottom half an almost never ending torrent of carnage.
Greenhome
What began as a personal project by the original head of House Prasnius has since grown into a massive greenhouse that is constantly growing. She set up Greenhome as an open sanctuary that welcomes all, though you still need special permission to view the more dangerous specimens. No longer affiliated with the Prasnius, Greenhome is ran by volunteers who maintain by selling small amount of incredibly rare ingredients. They have been known to use some of these funds to purchase never before seen flora.
Temple Row
While most of Convergence worships the Spectrum as a whole, a number of them still find solace in older deities. Every god with more than a few followers has at least a shrine on Temple Row, though it is normally dominated by churches belonging to the Decinos. Clerical healing off all sorts are sold on Temple Row, though the prices are normally impossibly steep for non-followers of the faith.
Culture
Convergence began as an experiment, a way to see if it would be possible for the world to be put back together. Six Facets were originally sewn into shape to form Convergence, all of them with their own unique cultures and ideas. Since then, Convergence has only grown. All of the Houses now have their personal Facets attached to Convergence, each one a small town in their own right. That said, there are a few constants to life in Convergence.
Fame is a valuable resource and one that is constantly shifting. Heroic exploits, true or not, are sold as mass printed booklets. Singers and actors, especially those from far off Facets, perform to packed playhouses. There are clubs devoted to various members of the Dark Troupe and speculation as to their true identities is a serious hobby.
With the mayor of Convergence being little more than a figurehead, crime has caused a steady increase in bouncers, private investigators, and mercenary companies. They’ve so far managed to stem the tide, but it is a losing battle and one the warring houses are devoting little effort in fighting.
The Six Houses
Each house is identified with a specific Color of the Spectrum. Though members tend to specialize in that Color, most are capable of accessing at least one other. Magic placed into their very bloodlines gives them the power to open and maintain Gates. As Gates are the only way to transport from different Facets, this gives them considerable clout in Convergence that couldn’t sustain itself without food and other goods from nearby Facets. It is still possible to travel through Gates, but without the stability ritual odd and dangerous things can happen.
The Black House of Furvus, The Left Hand of Pentacost
Whenever Pentacost needed something done, no matter the circumstance, he turned to Furvus. A very small man, he would disappear and the job would get done. No one ever saw a thing, at least nothing they would admit to. Originally just a problem solver, Furvus went a step farther when creating the goals set for his House. They would prevent issues from becoming anything more dangerous. To that end, he established experimental laboratories, a wide string of informants, and schools devoted to both killing and spycraft.
They have evolved throughout the years. Now members of the house choose which division they go into upon reaching adulthood. Magically inclined head towards the Understone, developing new necrotic technique and interrogating the dead for information. Those uncomfortable with danger join the Dark Troupe, a play group of masked actors, musicians, acrobats, and dancers who hide their identities when they perform shows. Every expedition to a new Facet of substantial size is accompanied by a member of the Faceless to establish intelligence connections, whether they know it or not. Finally, their most elite members join the Wetworkers and perform contract killings.
House Furvus is always led by the head’s of each division. From the rumors, their Facet is comprised of rotting trees, graveyards, houses with cracked black paint, and stone gargoyles that sometimes shift from their perch. Instead, it is almost entirely built underground with small manor for entertaining visitors. Those who make it below find the furnishings plain, but of exceptional quality and most of their members live there.
The Blue House of Cymat, The Right Hand of Pentacost
If any of the founders could have led Convergence after the death of Pentacost, it was Professor Sharisen. She devoted countless hours to his research and was his counterpart when it came to developing new magic. Unfortunately, the good professor became despondent after his death and died herself a few years later and humanity lost its best chance at reassembling all the Facets.
House Cymat is divided between some of the bravest explorers and most dedicated researchers in all of Pentacost. That division is something of a sore point for the explorers, as they risk life and limb while the vast majority of Cymat resources is funneled almost entirely into research. Many of the older members are pushing back against this protest, while their youngest are becomingly increasingly disillusioned with lives of looking at tomes in mage lit libraries.
House Cymat is led by a rail thin blind man named Locian. He does little without first casting divination, which has led Cymat to great prosperity. Their Facet is actually just empty sky, but filled with floating towers, each one rising by half above the one below it in a spiral pattern. Without the proper password, one must pass trials of mind attacks and illusions to ascend, something they use to test initiates who wish to rise higher in House Cymat.
The Green House of Prasnius, The Heart of Pentacost
Oakheart was the only non-human founder, being a dryad of considerable magic skill. Her children were in fact born from her very roots and green tones are a common color in their hair even today. While refugees funneled into Convergence, it was Oakheart who cared for them by providing both food and medicine. Her tree still stands in the southern corner of Convergence, a lasting monument.
Though Oakheart started the process out of generosity, the house now sells both medicine and food to Convergence. They maintain over a dozen Facets devoted entirely to farming, assigning scions who are either weak in magic or causing trouble to watch over them. Some of the more altruistic members still administer to the sick, but the vast majority spend their time training animals, exploring Facets, and developing new plants.
House Prasnius is led Sheyval Amberheart, a half-dryad with strong familial connections to Oakheart. Under her leadership Prasnius has grown considerably in power, but some are uncomfortable with her new edicts that involve market manipulation and raising prices for hard to obtain medicine. The woodland Facet of Prasnius, once open to all visitors, has been shut off to the public and it is getting difficult for Scions to receive the support of their House.
The Red House of Byrus, The Sword of Pentacost
Founded by the Seventh Knight, Sir Byrus, the Red House was established alongside House Canditus as the first and last line of defence in Convergence. Byrus himself was not only famous for his great feats in battle, but also for never showing his face, a tradition kept to this very day. Born from the two knightly orders that existed before the Shattering, Byrus laid down a set of rules that all warriors from his House must follow.
Though times have changed considerably, House Byrus still refuses to participate in what they call base mercenary work. Instead, in exchange for part of their stipend being sent back to the House, Knights of the Red will agree to serve as a vassal for lords that have earned their respect. This is an important distinction to them, the difference between being dying proud and dying in dishonor.
In keeping with tradition, the current Seventh Knight selects four potential candidates and they must duel on another. The last one standing assumes the mantle of the Seventh and never again speaks their birth name. All three of the others become the head’s Guard who also advise them. Their knightly fortress takes up the entirety of House Byrus’s Facet.
The White House of Canditus, The Shield of Pentacost
The story of Canditus the Farmgirl and the Waylaid Pentacost is one being constantly retold. It speaks of her saving the mage from certain death at the hands of monsters by taking up his fallen weapons. How true that story is can no longer be verified, but it is true that Canditus served Pentacost as his personal bodyguard for many before founding her House.
Made from the remnants of a knightly order, House Canditus devotes itself toward protecting people from threats they could not face alone. Only through great deeds of glory can Scions rise throughout the House, a fact that drives most into great danger. Their main source of income is from collecting bounties and taking treasure from slain monsters. This means their wealth fluctuates rapidly, being affluent one year and nearly destitute the next.
Lamorat is the current head of the Canditus, having gotten the position for the being the first to successfully slay a Fiend that had already taken the lives of seven of his seniors. Young and inexperienced, he constantly abandons his post to hunt monsters. Lamorat is uncomfortable in this role and it is no secret he is searching for a more experience knight to take his place. Many have not been heard from years as they travel across the Shattered Plane. He finds the Canditus Facet stifling, it being no more than a massive clearing filled with small houses and training grounds.
The Yellow House of Flaven, The Mind of Pentacost
House Flaven’s founder had the unique ability to remember all of her past lives, a trait that she has passed down to all of her female descendants. Flaven herself was said to have the been the equal of Pentacost when it came to sheer magical knowledge, but lacked the force of personality needed to command great amounts of the Spectrum. This did not sit well for her and Flaven was the only founder to have unfriendly relationship with Pentacost.
While Flaven studied magical theory, her descendants devoted themselves towards producing magical and technological marvels. As males of the House lacked the flashes of brilliance brought on by remembering some forgotten secret, they’re considered unimportant and most are sent to manage mining operations or to run their business side. This has even started to encroach on their personal lives the past few generations, as males Flavens are expected to marry skilled casters and father children.
Zellehawn has been the head of Flaven for over fifty years and the elderly woman requires an enchanted seat to move around. She knows the end is near and has changed the Inventor’s Challenge contest from every four years to every year in the hopes of finding an heir. Winning is by no means a requirement for becoming the head, but it encourages all Flaven's studying abroad to come home and show off their new discoveries. Rather than a single Facet, Flaven has seven massive workshops instead, all spread throughout Convergence.
Religion
While there are a multitude of religions found throughout the Facets, the largest easily belongs to the Decinos. Worshipped before the Shattering, each deity has two different faces that they show at different times as needed. Many can be found worshiping only a single face, depending on how their own Facet view the deity's domain. For example, a thick woodland Facet may praise Venat as a great provider while an enclosed Facet that deals with vicious beasts on a regular basis may revile him.
Libitas, God of Death
Right Face: She guides souls into the afterlife, assigning them to their eternities and judging them fairly.
Left Face: She rips the very life from the living, feeding on their despair and judging them harshly.
Alcritas, Goddess of Life
Right Face: She blesses mothers with the strength to carry on through adversity and manages the cycle of rebirth.
Left Face: She manipulates the births of greater and greater monsters, all to wipe out humanity out of vengeance for the Shattering.
Venat, God of The Hunt
Right Face: He teaches respect for all creatures and to give thanks for animals that provide food.
Left Face: He embodies the primal nature of the wild, to kill or be killed yourself.
Adigito, God of Knowledge
Right Face: He holds the answers to all great questions and spurs mankind to find those answers for themselves.
Left Face: He selfishly hoards knowledge and secrets.
Lustrai, Goddess of Light
Right Face: She provides the living energy of all things through the sun.
Left Face: She seeks nothing but more fire and will not rest until the world is ablaze.
Alitura, Goddess of Nature
Right Face: She blesses the crops and ensures a strong harvest.
Left Face: She requires sacrifice for her blessing and sends calamities to those that do not show the proper respect.
Procella, Goddess of Tempest
Right Face: Though fickle, she maintains the winds that bring both trade and rain to heal droughts.
Left Face: She destroys ships and villages at whim.
Solus, Goddess of Trickery
Right Face: She humbles the haughty through tricks and teaches important lessons in the process.
Left Face: She provides her targets with the tools of their damnation and her victims are tormented for their entire lives.
Falx, God of War
Right Face: He inspires the weak and the innocent to defend themselves against those that would threaten them.
Left Face: He incites battle and institutes that only the strong can survive.
Gear
One of the greatest innovations in combat comes from the Armamant. In it’s base form it resembles nothing more than just a handle, but when you insert a light crystal a weapon of hard light protrudes from it. Each colored crystal has three forms; A base form, a heavy form, and a specialized form. Armaments cost 100 gold while each crystal corresponding to a Spectrum Color costs 50 gold apiece. Switching crystals is an action while switching forms is a bonus action. Each separate crystal is considered to be a martial weapon.
Black Crystal, Sickle, Scythe, and Sling Dagger
Sickle: A one-handed finesse weapon that deals 1d6 slashing damage.
Scythe: A two-handed heavy finesse weapon that deals 3d4 slashing damage.
Sling Dagger: A light weapon that deals 1d6 piercing damage and has a reach of 10 ft, but any attacks not made at 10 ft are made with disadvantage.
Blue Crystal, Cudgel, Staff, and Wand
Cudgel: A one-handed light weapon that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Staff: A two-handed finesse weapon that deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage. Both ends can be used while Two-Weapon Fighting.
Wand: Reduce your limit by 2 to give this weapon four shots. Each shot deals 1d6 force damage with a maximum range of 30 ft. Only useable by Spectrum casters.
Green Crystal, Claws, Tail, and Fang
Claws: A one-handed weapon that deals 1d6 slashing damage. Actions made to disarm you while wearing it have disadvantage.
Tail: A two-handed linked chain 5 ft weapon that deals 1d10 bludgeoning damage.
Fang: A versatile weapon that is essentially two serrated blades combined together. It deals 1d8 (1d10) piercing damage and on a critical hit you may make a free attack against an object held the target.
Red Crystal, Blade, Sword, and Saw
Blade: A versatile finesse weapon that deals 1d8 (1d10) piercing damage.
Sword: A heavy two-handed weapon that deals 2d6 slashing damage.
Saw: A one-handed weapon that deals 1d8 slashing damage. A caster with access to the Red Color may reduce their Limit by to increase that damage to 3d8 for 1 round.
White Crystal, Gauntlet, Hammer, and Shield
Gauntlet: A light weapon that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and cannot be disarmed. If used by a character capable of improved unarmed fighting, such as the Monk, instead increase that damage by +1.
Hammer: A two-handed heavy weapon that deals 1d12 bludgeoning damage. Has advantage on attacks made against immobile objects or characters.
Shield: A simple shield.
Yellow Crystal, Dual Blade, Sword Spear, Arbalest
Twin Blade: A versatile finesse weapon that deals 1d6 (1d8) slashing damage. Both ends can be used while Two-Weapon Fighting.
Sword Spear: A two-handed weapon with 5 ft reach. If used with reach, deals 1d10 piercing damage. If used closer, deals 1d10 slashing damage.
Arbalest: A two handed heavy crossbow that deals 2d10 damage with a range of 30/120 ft. It can fire twice without needing to reload, but takes an entire action to reload.
Feat, Armament Mastery
You've trained with various Armaments and mastered their use. Gain the following benefits
You may switch out crystals as bonus action and switch between forms as a free action.
If you strike the same target with a different form of the same Armament during the same round, deal +1d8 damage on that attack.
The purpose of this homebrew is to have magic be a constant part of the world, integrated entirely with a campaign rather than upending it. Many of the best magical options for dealing with issues are gone, such as the ability to summon creatures or teleport great distances. All of the base classes have an archetype for Spectrum casting, with the exceptions of Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. Their class features were a little wrapped around Vancian casting for a quick change and instead I just created a new "full" caster class known as the Ardent. I'll probably convert the whole doc to Giant format here eventually, but that's a good deal of work at the moment.
Spectrum Magic System (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F70clNOCdORo6CC-hUIctJP8H3RXJNqKAsbt0BtmEQU/edit)
Spectrum Magic Classes, the Ardent and Centurion (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jLWejTCFZqmfydlRe1OeBz3u55FLfyD7T35QkiBajwo/edit)
Spectrum Magic Archetypes and Feats
(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GgpxDxeuP5Gr4y0ORl9Ja5J-ryLDpUH5gD1XeUNqHwA/edit)
In addition to the basic information above, I also created a homebrew campaign world for Spectrum Magic known as Pentacost. It has several new weapons and a method of creating ones own races.
Pentacost, Conflict of the Six Houses
Pentacost takes place on the Shattered Plane. What was once a massive and vibrant world has become a collection of demi-planes, each one only somewhat connected to the others. In this world a hero known as Adrason Pentacost forged a bond with the Spectrum and tethered several Facets together to form Convergence, a haven for mortals and safe from the dangers of the other Facets.
In order to create this edifice, he sacrificed his own life and granted mastery of the Spectrum to his six disciples who would eventually become the Houses. For millennia they grew in power as only their scions were capable of opening reliable Gates to other Facets. The pact their ancestor’s made over a thousand years ago remained strong and each House did it’s best to work with one another.
Six years ago the Pact, held deep underneath Convergence and guarded by tireless golems, was magically dissolved. Without those guidelines holding them in check the six houses began to strive for more and more power. It has yet to come to open warfare, which none of them truly desire, but it is being fought with gold, spies, assassins, and mercenaries.
Races
All six of the Houses are human, but the Facets contain an untold multitude of creatures, each one stranger than the last. Rather than try to detail them all, here’s a quick for DMs and even players to create their own. There are few simple guidelines and methods for race creation detailed below.
Race Creation
Each race all have a minor trait, a major trait, a +2 bonus to one ability score and a +1 bonus to a different ability score. The ability score bonus should be decided by the player or DM, but can be randomized by assigning a number to each ability score and then rolling a d6 twice.
All major traits also have a drawback, something negative that somewhat cancels the positive effects out. These drawbacks aren’t an inherent part of the trait, but by taking the drawback you may select one or two more major traits so long as the drawbacks for each of those traits are applied as well. DMs should be careful allowing players to use this optional rule and should look over player created races carefully before integrating them into the game. There are also base traits for society including government, religion, and culture.
To keep things simple, all these races are inherently medium sized, live the same life span as a human, and speak Common. While this is good for ease of play, some DMs and even players may want to branch out. Some races could live for only a few years, are incapable of traditional speech, or are six inches tall. These might make for interesting encounters while exploring, but aren’t great for player characters.
Randomized
You’ll notice that there are twenty minor traits and twenty-four major traits. This is to make it possible for players and DMs to randomize their races and create something truly strange, such as a race of amphibious crystal people obsessed with battle and in complete anarchy. To decide major traits roll a d12 twice, once for each list or twice on the same list.
The suggested method for player created randomization is to allow them to choose the ability score bonuses and society rules, but roll for the traits. They should decide how many drawback major traits to take, if any, and then roll for all traits they’re taking twice. They then decide which group of traits to take. They cannot mix and match traits between the two groups.
Minor Traits
1, Natural Attack
Gain two natural attacks for either limb that both deal 1d6 damage or a single natural attack that deals 1d10. The exact form of these attacks is up to you, such as bony plates, a sickled tail, or simply sharp teeth, but they should deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
2, Low-Light Vision
You can see in areas with little light, such as at night under the moon or a city with few torches.
3, Minor Skill Boost
Gain proficiency with a single skill.
4, Culture Weapons
Gain proficiency with three martial weapons of your choosing and an armor type one step heavier than what you’re already proficient in.
5, Minor Magic Boost
Increase your Limit by +2.
6, Attractive
Gain advantage on Persuasion checks against creatures that would normally find you attractive.
7, Culture Skills
Gain proficiency with two Artisans tools or musical instruments. You may gain proficiency with one of both instead.
8, Tough
Gain a bonus to your hit points equal to your proficiency modifier.
9, Glide
You have prehensile wings that cannot fly, but does grant resistance to fall damage.
10, Physically Intimidating
You may add your Strength modifier on intimidation skill checks in place of Charisma.
11, Survivalist
Gain proficiency on survival skill checks made to find food and you can go twice as long without it.
12, Scholarly
Add ½ your proficiency modifier, rounded up, on intelligence based skill checks. This does stack with skills you're already proficient in.
Major Animalistic Traits
1, Advanced Senses
Choose two of the following abilities.
- Darkvision out to 60 ft.
- The Scent animal ability.
- Blindsight out to 10 ft.
- Increase your passive perception by +4.
- Gain advantage on rolls made to find traps, hidden objects, and see through illusions.
- Gain a constant detect magic effect.
Drawback
Your greater senses makes you susceptible to effects that overwhelm them. You have disadvantage on saving throws against being Blinded, Deafened, or Stunned.
2, Amphibian
You may breathe underwater and have a swim speed equal to your base land speed.
Drawback
Intense heat can causes serious damage quickly as it dries you out. Gain vulnerability to fire damage.
3, Hard Skin
Add your proficiency bonus to your AC. Does not stack with armor. Instead of Dexterity, you may add your Constitution bonus to your AC instead.
Drawback
Toughened skin slows your reaction time. Gain disadvantage on initiative checks.
4, Fleet
Increase your base land speed by +10 ft and gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks.
Drawback
Your increased agility comes from a lighter frame. Critical attack rolls deal x3 damage against you, not x2.
5, Aerial
Gain two wings and become immune to fall damage. At 6th level gain a flight speed of 20 ft which increases to 40 ft at 12th level and 60 ft at 18th level.
Drawbacks
Your body needs to be light in order to fly. Gain vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
6, Arachnid
Gain 30 ft of climb speed, advantage on Handle Animal checks with spiders, and as a bonus action you can produce webbing. This can act as either a net, grappling hook, or manacles without a lock. All these items dissolve after one hour and have vulnerability to fire damage.
Drawback
Your spider like instincts take over in the heat of the moment. During combat if you were successfully attacked during the last round your first attack roll against any target other than the one who attacked has disadvantage.
7, Undead
Become immune to necrotic damage, but vulnerable to radiant damage. Gain advantage on all Constitution saves.
Drawback
Divine magic no longer restores your hit points. This includes magic from Paladins and other divine classes.
8, Draconic
Learn the draconic tongue, automatically gain the Natural Attack Minor Trait, and a breath attack the same as a Dragonborn.
Drawback
Your natural pride can cause disastrous effects. Lower your Passive Perception by 2 and you have disadvantage on insight skill checks.
9, Amorphous
Your body doesn’t really have weak spots. You take no extra damage from critical hits or similar damage, such as a Rogue’s Sneak Attack ability.
Drawback
Your body’s strange nature makes it more difficult to heal. When a source of magical healing, such as from a spell or potion, would roll the amount of hit points it would restore to you, it rolls twice and takes the worse result.
10, Quick Healing
Gain fast healing 1.
Drawback
Being able to heal quickly makes you overconfident. Reduce your AC by -1.
11, Ferocity
When below half your maximum hit points your strength is considered to be 4 higher than it actually is and you become resistant to psychic damage.
Drawback
This state leaves you susceptible to mental influences. When below half your maximum hit points you have disadvantage on perception skill checks and saves against charms effects and illusions.
12, Iron Defenses
Become proficient in two saving throws of your choice.
Drawback
Shoring up your physical or mental defenses leaves you open to attacks from the other. If you’re proficient in more physical defenses than mental, you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws. If you’re proficient in more mental defenses than physical, you have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws. If the number is equal, choose one of the above.
Major Specialized Traits
1, Implanted Weapon
You have a powerful weapon as part of your body. It could be natural, such as a demonic arm, or literally grafted into your skin. Choose a single weapon and treat it as a natural attack, even if it requires ammunition. You may change the type of damage it inflicts, but it must be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. For obvious reasons it cannot be thrown. At 6th level this weapon is considered magical for the purposes of breaking through damage resistance or immunity. At 10th level it gains a +1 magical bonus which increases to +2 at 14th level and +3 at 18th level.
Drawback
The weapon cannot be sheathed inside your body or allow for manipulation. Instead, it must essentially always be held with one hand, though the aesthetics of that is up to you.
2, Major Skill Boost
Gain proficiency and advantage on all skill checks with a single skill.
Drawback
You become too focused on achieving perfect with a single ability. Lose proficiency with two of you starting class skills.
3, Natural Magical Talent
Gain access to a single Spectrum Color and learn one spell from that Color.
Drawback
Relying on magical skill has made your race frail. Reduce the total number of hit points you gain per level by 2.
4, Warrior Race
Become proficient with all armor and with all martial and simple weapons. Gain the first level ability of one of the Centurion’s Combat Styles.
Drawback
Combat is simple, trickery is not. If an attack made against you has advantage the attacker automatically hits and rolls their damage dice twice, taking the better result.
5, Tongues
You can speak, write, and read all languages.
Drawback
Your species has come into contact with too many races to remain stable. Every member of this race replaces their Minor Trait with one completely random. If it is already randomized, they lose it instead.
7, Wild Speech
Choose one of the following options.
- Gain proficiency with the Handle Animal skill and a constant Talk With Animals effect.
- Gain proficiency with the Survival skill and a constant Talk With Plants effect.
Drawback
Speaking with regular people can be difficult at times. Gain disadvantage on persuasion skill checks and deception skill checks to lie.
8, Blessing
You may add your Charisma modifier to your AC instead of Dexterity.
Drawback
The favor of Outsiders has made your race the enemy of their opposition. Choose either Fiends or Angels. You have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and similar abilities used by those types of creatures.
9, Paragon
Increase the maximum for all of your ability scores by +2 and gain a +1 bonus to the ability score of your choice.
Drawback
Much is expected of one capable of anything and it is particularly humbling to fail. The first time between short rests that you roll a natural 20, re-roll and keep the second result.
10, Companion
Your race is capable of forming a psychic link to a single animal. Forming this link is a 1 hour ritual and negates the first link if it is already formed. It’s CR must be equal to or less than ¼ of your own character level. You can communicate telepathically with this animal and it is considered to have an Intelligence of 5 if it’s intelligence is less than 5. You add your class level on all Handle Animal checks with that animal only. While bound, it gains a number of hit points equal and an AC bonus equal to your class level x4 and your proficiency modifier respectively.
Drawback
The link places a great strain on your mind. You become vulnerable to psychic damage and if your linked animal ever dies you take 1d12 psychic damage for every CR it possessed.
11, Mind Speak
You can communicate telepathically with all other members of your race, up to 100 ft. You may also communicate telepathically with other races, but they’re not as receptive. You may only transfer emotions, such as a feeling of urgency or a desire for friendship. You cannot lie when doing so.
Drawback
The ability to read minds has made crime practically non-existent in your culture. Gain disadvantage on all Deception and Sleight of Hand skill checks.
12, Focused
Every member of your race is trained from birth for their role in society. Choose combat, skills, or magic. If combat, gain a +1 bonus to your attack rolls and AC modifier. If skills, gain proficiency in 3 skills and 2 tools or instruments of your choice. If magic, increase your limit by +2 and a gain a +1 bonus to all of your Rotes.
Drawback
Choose one area to suffer a setback as great as your focus. If combat, reduce your AC by -2. If skills, lose proficiency in two of your starting skills. If magic, gain disadvantage on the first saving throw against the first malignant spell or similar ability cast on you during the round.
Society Traits
These have no mechanical benefit, but do help define your race beyond a collection of traits and drawbacks. Rolling isn’t really suggested for a player character’s race outside of more humorous campaigns, but do what you want. This is for fun! For most races roll once for the government traits, twice for the culture traits, and once on the religion traits.
Government Traits
1, Monarchy
All the power is held by one or fewer people at the highest level and passed down to their closest heir.
2, Republic
Cities and villages all send a single representative who have political power equal to the number of people they represent.
3, Feudal System
Common people owe their loyalty to lords and possibly even more higher up the chain. Though monarchs are common alongside this system, they have little interaction with the vast majority of civilians.
4, Democracy
Every citizen is allowed to vote on what they want done. This doesn’t mean equality, as citizen can easily mean land owning female with at least five adopted children and all grey hair.
5, Oligarchy
The land is ruled by a small group of people, no more than twenty-four but no less than six. They could be the most powerful nobles, a secret council of an ancient race, or leaders of the largest guilds.
6, Plutocracy
Whoever has the most money has the most power. Not necessarily corrupt with politicians selling their votes to the highest bidder, it does tend to bring out of the worst in people.
7, Communism
Everyone has an equal amount of control, pays the same, and contributes to the state to the best of their ability. Of course, it is still subject to corruptions and degradation.
8, Anarchy
There are no actual laws and the only justice you have is the kind you take.
9, Separation
Every city, town, village, or state is more or less on it’s own with only the worst of crimes being illegal between them all.
10, Theocracy
A church or similar religious organization controls everything and their doctrine is the law.
11, Satrapy
Rather than being their own nation or state, satrapies belong to another country some distance away with a governor or magistrate being put charge.
12, Merit System
Only the best are selected for government positions through a rigorous and pre-determined process. That said, there’s usually little that can be one if they prove wrong for that position.
Culture Traits
1, Food
Diet is heavy on one particular kind of food, such as meat, vegetables, fruit, or fish. This can just be a necessary staple to their environment, such as rain water in the desert, or it can be something more draconian, such as considering eating any living thing being the same as cannibalism.
2, Gender Preference
One of the genders (there might be more than two, who knows?) has a good deal more power and responsibility than the other. They might decide marriages for others of the opposite gender in their families, be the only ones allowed to own land or even property, fight in the military, or to carry a weapon.
3, Romance
Your race treats romance differently than most others. It could be a violent fight between potential suitors, marrying six different people at once, laws against marrying someone of the same social standing, what is considered attractive. It should be different enough to warrant mentioning to any tourists.
4, Xenophobia
Whether for good reasons or bad, members of your race distrust outsiders and people from different races. This is natural for a lot of races and most likely stems from experiencing betrayal.
5, Cosmopolitan
Regardless of the culture, it’s origin, or who practices it, your race will almost automatically accept it. Normally a good thing, it can lead to confusion and even clashes between people who believe in opposing ideas.
6, Fighting Focus
Fighting is a large part of your society. That could mean treating gladiators as celebrities, a strong culture based on hunting, or disputes being solved through violence. In most cases this means even the average citizens are capable soldiers in times of crisis.
7, Honor Focus
Every society has their own set of rules outside of their actual laws. Most of your race takes those rules very seriously and strong punishments such as exile or execution may be inflicted for something seemingly very minor, such as drinking before the head of the household touches their cup.
8, Arts Focus
Art is a very broad concept and can cover dancing, acting, pottery, forging, gardening, singing, playing an instrument, acrobatics, painting, and some most people have never heard of. Your race has managed to master one or more of these types and practices most of the rest.
9, Draconian
While law and order is good for a society, most would agree that your’s takes it a bit too far. That means curfew for adults, heavy restrictions on illicit substances, even laws for what colors you can wear outside! Outsiders will find these rules incredibly stifling if they’re even allowed inside.
10, Allowing
If it doesn’t cause physical harm to anyone else it’s allowed and there are even exceptions for that. Drugs and other intoxicants are common. Other, more violent, crimes are prevalent, but not necessarily a fact of life.
11, Idyllic
In a word, perfect. Food is plentiful, schooling is mandatory, the laws are fair, and there is equal justice for all. Very few such places exist, mainly because they’re popular targets for invasion.
12, Green
Much of your nation’s economy, religious focus, government, culture, or any of the above revolves around nature. Plants and trees are held as sacred, with people learning to live alongside instead of in conflict with it.
13, Superiority
Your race considers itself to be the best, the brightest, the strongest. This arrogance could be well-earned, but it is grating at best and inciting at worst.
14, Moribund
Death is everywhere and everyone must accept it as a fact of life. Funeral rites are long, structured affairs, with multiple speakers and old traditions. This focus on death can be offputting to some, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you seek it or wish to inflict it on others.
15, Gritty
Crime, violence, and tragedy are everywhere. Orphans seeing their parents cut down and vowing vengeance is a common occurrence, such that it often perpetuates itself. Any lawmaker is assumed to be corrupt, with the few noble ones either fired or killed for their trouble.
16, Industry
Innovation and creation are inexorable once a people have lived long enough. Manufacturing plants, assembly lines, furnaces that blast smoke into the air, smelters that cause the air to reek of tin. It might be uncomfortable to live around, but drives your civilization upward faster than anything else.
17, Rural
Your people value farming, hard work, and dedication above all else. Any nobility or similar person in charge handles the business side of things and is expected to work just as hard if not harder than their constituents.
18, Bureaucratic
To see the description of this culture trait, please fill out form 2-c and receive your id card. This will let you get into filing center g and there you can fill out form 24-9p. Everything from quills used daily and kilos of manure being brought into the city must be monitored and recorded.
19, Guilds
By definition, guilds are collection of professionals that all work towards the same goal and try to improve the fortunes of their members. For your race, they’ve become an eponymous fact of life. They hold large amounts of power, making going against them dangerous and joining them beneficial.
20, Warlike
Conquest is your race’s driving force, trying to claim more land, more money, more power, or all of the above. While not inherently evil as some of the greatest civilizations ever built were built on the ruins of those that came before, someone still has to create those ruins and they were once filled with people.
Religion Traits
1, Pantheon
Your race worships a collection of gods and goddesses who play an active role in their lives. They might work together, each one maintaining the balance in their domains, or they could antagonistic, using their followers as pieces on the gameboard.
2, Monotheistic
There is but one god, one creator, one almighty being who is the sole deity worthy of worship. While they usually have some manner of counterpart, worshipping that being is heavily frowned upon at best. For the purposes of playing D&D, treat that one god as having every domain.
3, Ideal
Rather than a god, your race worships a concept or set of ideas. They can be as simple as “Don’t do bad things,” or as complex as sixty-two tomes of philosophies and rules. It can even be more metaphorical, such as worshipping the land itself or the sun without attributing a human persona to it.
4, Spiritual
Spirits can be found almost anywhere, such as rivers, on the peaks of mountains, inside sacred objects, and even within towns. Many have several names and raise in power by the prayers of people. To make this a central part of play, treat positive spirits as Celestials and negative spirits as Fiends.
5, Ancestral
Why pray to some voiceless being in the sky when the true deservers of your devotion have already lived? Ancestor worship can be simplistic, with no real effect on people’s lives, or perhaps they’re still around in the aether and can grant boons to those who show proper respect.
6, Atheism
Simply put, your race believes in nothing. When confronted by divine power, they dig in and simply claim that deities are little more than powerful angels or devils. Considerably formidable, yes, but not truly worth devoting your life to.
Places
There are hundreds of Facets out there, each with their own rules, creatures, and environments. It would take a very long time to detail them all, but there is one large constant to Pentacost and that is Convergence. Known as the Reconstructed City, it was once multiple smaller fragments that the great hero gave his life to create and protect.
All of Convergence is city, from deep underground where monsters and bandits form makeshift homes, to the very top, where powerful members of each House live in floating towers. Crime becomes more dangerous and constant the further down you go. Beyond the six Houses, which are detailed below, here are a few districts Convergence is famous for.
The Workbench
Gaining its name for its unfinished nature, Pentacost was placing the final touches in this new district when the entire city began to come apart and he had to give his life to save it. Still connected to dozens of odd fragments, monsters come and go around the Workbench. The wards Pentacost set up over a millenia still hold, but the district is very dangerous. Only the most foolhardy attempt to live there, seeking some of the arcane devices left behind by Convergence’s founder.
Palace of Bronze
Oddly enough, not made of bronze. Instead, it was created by the “seventh” house, Drahgendell. Their founder initially made his living performing every task no one else wanted to do, getting paid in practically worthless bronze coins. But he was smart and eventually gathered together outcasts from the six Houses and adopted them. Now the Palace sees a constant stream of people and goods moved throughout its sturdy halls. Considered mongrels by the six, those running the Palace are all descended from Drahgendell’s original exiles and can open Gates.
Scarforge
Built into the bedrock of Convergence, Scarforge was initially to be a training room for the standing army that hasn’t been needed. Purchased by Mistress Vetch over six hundred years ago, the enigmatic woman turned it into a public arena where champions do battle with one another and against captured beasts. Still ran by the seemingly immortal warrior woman, she has designated the top halves as dueling space to decide matters of honor while the bottom half an almost never ending torrent of carnage.
Greenhome
What began as a personal project by the original head of House Prasnius has since grown into a massive greenhouse that is constantly growing. She set up Greenhome as an open sanctuary that welcomes all, though you still need special permission to view the more dangerous specimens. No longer affiliated with the Prasnius, Greenhome is ran by volunteers who maintain by selling small amount of incredibly rare ingredients. They have been known to use some of these funds to purchase never before seen flora.
Temple Row
While most of Convergence worships the Spectrum as a whole, a number of them still find solace in older deities. Every god with more than a few followers has at least a shrine on Temple Row, though it is normally dominated by churches belonging to the Decinos. Clerical healing off all sorts are sold on Temple Row, though the prices are normally impossibly steep for non-followers of the faith.
Culture
Convergence began as an experiment, a way to see if it would be possible for the world to be put back together. Six Facets were originally sewn into shape to form Convergence, all of them with their own unique cultures and ideas. Since then, Convergence has only grown. All of the Houses now have their personal Facets attached to Convergence, each one a small town in their own right. That said, there are a few constants to life in Convergence.
Fame is a valuable resource and one that is constantly shifting. Heroic exploits, true or not, are sold as mass printed booklets. Singers and actors, especially those from far off Facets, perform to packed playhouses. There are clubs devoted to various members of the Dark Troupe and speculation as to their true identities is a serious hobby.
With the mayor of Convergence being little more than a figurehead, crime has caused a steady increase in bouncers, private investigators, and mercenary companies. They’ve so far managed to stem the tide, but it is a losing battle and one the warring houses are devoting little effort in fighting.
The Six Houses
Each house is identified with a specific Color of the Spectrum. Though members tend to specialize in that Color, most are capable of accessing at least one other. Magic placed into their very bloodlines gives them the power to open and maintain Gates. As Gates are the only way to transport from different Facets, this gives them considerable clout in Convergence that couldn’t sustain itself without food and other goods from nearby Facets. It is still possible to travel through Gates, but without the stability ritual odd and dangerous things can happen.
The Black House of Furvus, The Left Hand of Pentacost
Whenever Pentacost needed something done, no matter the circumstance, he turned to Furvus. A very small man, he would disappear and the job would get done. No one ever saw a thing, at least nothing they would admit to. Originally just a problem solver, Furvus went a step farther when creating the goals set for his House. They would prevent issues from becoming anything more dangerous. To that end, he established experimental laboratories, a wide string of informants, and schools devoted to both killing and spycraft.
They have evolved throughout the years. Now members of the house choose which division they go into upon reaching adulthood. Magically inclined head towards the Understone, developing new necrotic technique and interrogating the dead for information. Those uncomfortable with danger join the Dark Troupe, a play group of masked actors, musicians, acrobats, and dancers who hide their identities when they perform shows. Every expedition to a new Facet of substantial size is accompanied by a member of the Faceless to establish intelligence connections, whether they know it or not. Finally, their most elite members join the Wetworkers and perform contract killings.
House Furvus is always led by the head’s of each division. From the rumors, their Facet is comprised of rotting trees, graveyards, houses with cracked black paint, and stone gargoyles that sometimes shift from their perch. Instead, it is almost entirely built underground with small manor for entertaining visitors. Those who make it below find the furnishings plain, but of exceptional quality and most of their members live there.
The Blue House of Cymat, The Right Hand of Pentacost
If any of the founders could have led Convergence after the death of Pentacost, it was Professor Sharisen. She devoted countless hours to his research and was his counterpart when it came to developing new magic. Unfortunately, the good professor became despondent after his death and died herself a few years later and humanity lost its best chance at reassembling all the Facets.
House Cymat is divided between some of the bravest explorers and most dedicated researchers in all of Pentacost. That division is something of a sore point for the explorers, as they risk life and limb while the vast majority of Cymat resources is funneled almost entirely into research. Many of the older members are pushing back against this protest, while their youngest are becomingly increasingly disillusioned with lives of looking at tomes in mage lit libraries.
House Cymat is led by a rail thin blind man named Locian. He does little without first casting divination, which has led Cymat to great prosperity. Their Facet is actually just empty sky, but filled with floating towers, each one rising by half above the one below it in a spiral pattern. Without the proper password, one must pass trials of mind attacks and illusions to ascend, something they use to test initiates who wish to rise higher in House Cymat.
The Green House of Prasnius, The Heart of Pentacost
Oakheart was the only non-human founder, being a dryad of considerable magic skill. Her children were in fact born from her very roots and green tones are a common color in their hair even today. While refugees funneled into Convergence, it was Oakheart who cared for them by providing both food and medicine. Her tree still stands in the southern corner of Convergence, a lasting monument.
Though Oakheart started the process out of generosity, the house now sells both medicine and food to Convergence. They maintain over a dozen Facets devoted entirely to farming, assigning scions who are either weak in magic or causing trouble to watch over them. Some of the more altruistic members still administer to the sick, but the vast majority spend their time training animals, exploring Facets, and developing new plants.
House Prasnius is led Sheyval Amberheart, a half-dryad with strong familial connections to Oakheart. Under her leadership Prasnius has grown considerably in power, but some are uncomfortable with her new edicts that involve market manipulation and raising prices for hard to obtain medicine. The woodland Facet of Prasnius, once open to all visitors, has been shut off to the public and it is getting difficult for Scions to receive the support of their House.
The Red House of Byrus, The Sword of Pentacost
Founded by the Seventh Knight, Sir Byrus, the Red House was established alongside House Canditus as the first and last line of defence in Convergence. Byrus himself was not only famous for his great feats in battle, but also for never showing his face, a tradition kept to this very day. Born from the two knightly orders that existed before the Shattering, Byrus laid down a set of rules that all warriors from his House must follow.
Though times have changed considerably, House Byrus still refuses to participate in what they call base mercenary work. Instead, in exchange for part of their stipend being sent back to the House, Knights of the Red will agree to serve as a vassal for lords that have earned their respect. This is an important distinction to them, the difference between being dying proud and dying in dishonor.
In keeping with tradition, the current Seventh Knight selects four potential candidates and they must duel on another. The last one standing assumes the mantle of the Seventh and never again speaks their birth name. All three of the others become the head’s Guard who also advise them. Their knightly fortress takes up the entirety of House Byrus’s Facet.
The White House of Canditus, The Shield of Pentacost
The story of Canditus the Farmgirl and the Waylaid Pentacost is one being constantly retold. It speaks of her saving the mage from certain death at the hands of monsters by taking up his fallen weapons. How true that story is can no longer be verified, but it is true that Canditus served Pentacost as his personal bodyguard for many before founding her House.
Made from the remnants of a knightly order, House Canditus devotes itself toward protecting people from threats they could not face alone. Only through great deeds of glory can Scions rise throughout the House, a fact that drives most into great danger. Their main source of income is from collecting bounties and taking treasure from slain monsters. This means their wealth fluctuates rapidly, being affluent one year and nearly destitute the next.
Lamorat is the current head of the Canditus, having gotten the position for the being the first to successfully slay a Fiend that had already taken the lives of seven of his seniors. Young and inexperienced, he constantly abandons his post to hunt monsters. Lamorat is uncomfortable in this role and it is no secret he is searching for a more experience knight to take his place. Many have not been heard from years as they travel across the Shattered Plane. He finds the Canditus Facet stifling, it being no more than a massive clearing filled with small houses and training grounds.
The Yellow House of Flaven, The Mind of Pentacost
House Flaven’s founder had the unique ability to remember all of her past lives, a trait that she has passed down to all of her female descendants. Flaven herself was said to have the been the equal of Pentacost when it came to sheer magical knowledge, but lacked the force of personality needed to command great amounts of the Spectrum. This did not sit well for her and Flaven was the only founder to have unfriendly relationship with Pentacost.
While Flaven studied magical theory, her descendants devoted themselves towards producing magical and technological marvels. As males of the House lacked the flashes of brilliance brought on by remembering some forgotten secret, they’re considered unimportant and most are sent to manage mining operations or to run their business side. This has even started to encroach on their personal lives the past few generations, as males Flavens are expected to marry skilled casters and father children.
Zellehawn has been the head of Flaven for over fifty years and the elderly woman requires an enchanted seat to move around. She knows the end is near and has changed the Inventor’s Challenge contest from every four years to every year in the hopes of finding an heir. Winning is by no means a requirement for becoming the head, but it encourages all Flaven's studying abroad to come home and show off their new discoveries. Rather than a single Facet, Flaven has seven massive workshops instead, all spread throughout Convergence.
Religion
While there are a multitude of religions found throughout the Facets, the largest easily belongs to the Decinos. Worshipped before the Shattering, each deity has two different faces that they show at different times as needed. Many can be found worshiping only a single face, depending on how their own Facet view the deity's domain. For example, a thick woodland Facet may praise Venat as a great provider while an enclosed Facet that deals with vicious beasts on a regular basis may revile him.
Libitas, God of Death
Right Face: She guides souls into the afterlife, assigning them to their eternities and judging them fairly.
Left Face: She rips the very life from the living, feeding on their despair and judging them harshly.
Alcritas, Goddess of Life
Right Face: She blesses mothers with the strength to carry on through adversity and manages the cycle of rebirth.
Left Face: She manipulates the births of greater and greater monsters, all to wipe out humanity out of vengeance for the Shattering.
Venat, God of The Hunt
Right Face: He teaches respect for all creatures and to give thanks for animals that provide food.
Left Face: He embodies the primal nature of the wild, to kill or be killed yourself.
Adigito, God of Knowledge
Right Face: He holds the answers to all great questions and spurs mankind to find those answers for themselves.
Left Face: He selfishly hoards knowledge and secrets.
Lustrai, Goddess of Light
Right Face: She provides the living energy of all things through the sun.
Left Face: She seeks nothing but more fire and will not rest until the world is ablaze.
Alitura, Goddess of Nature
Right Face: She blesses the crops and ensures a strong harvest.
Left Face: She requires sacrifice for her blessing and sends calamities to those that do not show the proper respect.
Procella, Goddess of Tempest
Right Face: Though fickle, she maintains the winds that bring both trade and rain to heal droughts.
Left Face: She destroys ships and villages at whim.
Solus, Goddess of Trickery
Right Face: She humbles the haughty through tricks and teaches important lessons in the process.
Left Face: She provides her targets with the tools of their damnation and her victims are tormented for their entire lives.
Falx, God of War
Right Face: He inspires the weak and the innocent to defend themselves against those that would threaten them.
Left Face: He incites battle and institutes that only the strong can survive.
Gear
One of the greatest innovations in combat comes from the Armamant. In it’s base form it resembles nothing more than just a handle, but when you insert a light crystal a weapon of hard light protrudes from it. Each colored crystal has three forms; A base form, a heavy form, and a specialized form. Armaments cost 100 gold while each crystal corresponding to a Spectrum Color costs 50 gold apiece. Switching crystals is an action while switching forms is a bonus action. Each separate crystal is considered to be a martial weapon.
Black Crystal, Sickle, Scythe, and Sling Dagger
Sickle: A one-handed finesse weapon that deals 1d6 slashing damage.
Scythe: A two-handed heavy finesse weapon that deals 3d4 slashing damage.
Sling Dagger: A light weapon that deals 1d6 piercing damage and has a reach of 10 ft, but any attacks not made at 10 ft are made with disadvantage.
Blue Crystal, Cudgel, Staff, and Wand
Cudgel: A one-handed light weapon that deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Staff: A two-handed finesse weapon that deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage. Both ends can be used while Two-Weapon Fighting.
Wand: Reduce your limit by 2 to give this weapon four shots. Each shot deals 1d6 force damage with a maximum range of 30 ft. Only useable by Spectrum casters.
Green Crystal, Claws, Tail, and Fang
Claws: A one-handed weapon that deals 1d6 slashing damage. Actions made to disarm you while wearing it have disadvantage.
Tail: A two-handed linked chain 5 ft weapon that deals 1d10 bludgeoning damage.
Fang: A versatile weapon that is essentially two serrated blades combined together. It deals 1d8 (1d10) piercing damage and on a critical hit you may make a free attack against an object held the target.
Red Crystal, Blade, Sword, and Saw
Blade: A versatile finesse weapon that deals 1d8 (1d10) piercing damage.
Sword: A heavy two-handed weapon that deals 2d6 slashing damage.
Saw: A one-handed weapon that deals 1d8 slashing damage. A caster with access to the Red Color may reduce their Limit by to increase that damage to 3d8 for 1 round.
White Crystal, Gauntlet, Hammer, and Shield
Gauntlet: A light weapon that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and cannot be disarmed. If used by a character capable of improved unarmed fighting, such as the Monk, instead increase that damage by +1.
Hammer: A two-handed heavy weapon that deals 1d12 bludgeoning damage. Has advantage on attacks made against immobile objects or characters.
Shield: A simple shield.
Yellow Crystal, Dual Blade, Sword Spear, Arbalest
Twin Blade: A versatile finesse weapon that deals 1d6 (1d8) slashing damage. Both ends can be used while Two-Weapon Fighting.
Sword Spear: A two-handed weapon with 5 ft reach. If used with reach, deals 1d10 piercing damage. If used closer, deals 1d10 slashing damage.
Arbalest: A two handed heavy crossbow that deals 2d10 damage with a range of 30/120 ft. It can fire twice without needing to reload, but takes an entire action to reload.
Feat, Armament Mastery
You've trained with various Armaments and mastered their use. Gain the following benefits
You may switch out crystals as bonus action and switch between forms as a free action.
If you strike the same target with a different form of the same Armament during the same round, deal +1d8 damage on that attack.