5E Homebrew 3 Days a Week

If you're looking for Homebrew NPCs, villains, locations, magic items, monsters, subclasses, or encounters then you're in the right place! I try to post something new every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. All art posted here will include links to the artist.

[wendigoworkshop]

In the line of helpful stuff for TTRPG creators, a list of resources for art and stock images!

If you don’t have the money, you don’t have to use AI! There are cool people making affordable art!

Art Resources for Broke TTRPG Creators! by WendigoWorkshop

A small document with lots of resources for TTRPG creators on a budget

[mwfhomebrew]

The Inert Mesa/Senna's Striking Sanctum

Mesa Town by Cze Peku

Location: The Inert Mesa/Senna’s Striking Sanctum

“When the first hostages returned from Senna’s Sanctum, I thought surely they were mistaken. An entire mountain top could not be under the effect of an Antimagic Field. Even the most powerful of the Arcanum’s mages could muster one no more than 30-feet wide! Then I was kidnapped, and I saw for myself how right they were. While I was in that horrid place, it felt as if my connection to the weave was severed. But it was worse than that. Attempting to cast a spell was like trying to move a limb that was no longer there. I could feel the process in my mind, my hands would move on instinct, but when there should have been a surge of energy pouring into me, instead I just felt a suffocating hopelessness seep in. There is something deeply wrong with that place.” - Albireo Berreti, Seventh Arcanist of Svenali’s Retreat.

The Inert Mesa is a flat mountain top nestled among many others in the Stormblight Canyons. It was just over 100 years ago that the wizard Virago used this location for her ritual to curse the offspring of the dragon Parvathirax. During that ritual, Virago channeled the Watcher, an entity from beyond the planes, and used its power to blind the dragons and strip them of their wings. The sheer amount of magic Virago used for this rite both stripped this mountain of its connection to the weave and created a permanent tether between this plane and the Watcher.

No magic of any kind functions on the mountain. Spells fizzle, magic items become inert, and creatures imbued with a fragment of the weave lose their connection. Any creature that attempts to draw on magic in this place instead feels an absence and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness as their power is sucked into the far realms.

It was about 15 years ago that the tiefling barbarian Senna stumbled upon this mountain while being chased by a bounty hunter. She immediately noticed his inability to cast spells here and beheaded him on the spot. Having always carried a hatred for mages, Senna made her home here and eventually brought in more misfits and rogues who were seeking shelter. They shaped this mountain top into a home where martial abilities were key and no mages could touch them. They now refer to the mountain as Senna’s Striking Sanctum.

Since then, Senna has dubbed herself “Warlord Senna the Magnificent” and has taken to kidnapping mages and ransoming them back to the Infinite Arcanum. Her band of brigands attacks the caravans to and from Svenali’s Retreat, knocks out a couple wizards, and then locks them up in her fortress until the Arcanum brings gold to buy them back.

Adventure Hooks

The noble, Velman Voracio, has hired the party to save his son from a kidnapper in the Stormblight Canyons. His son is a wizard and a low ranking member of the Infinite Arcanum. He, along with a number of other wizards from his expedition, was kidnapped by a warlord calling herself Senna the Magnificent.

After dispatching some members of the Church of the Sightless Host, some scrawlings are found on a tablet in one of their pockets. They detail a vision sent by the Watcher of a location where their power has already seeped into the world. This location could act as a focus to amplify the Watcher’s power and strengthen their connection to this plane of existence.

Svenali Parren, leader of Svenali’s Retreat has tasked the party with infiltrating Senna’s Striking Sanctum and scouting out any weak points that might be used to bring down the warlord. Specifically, he wants to know how many guards there are, how large the antimagic field is, and the location of the prison where mages are kept.

[mwfhomebrew]

Svenali Parren

Llanowar Elves Fanart by Lorenzo Lanfranconi

NPC: Svenali Parren

“When the Infinite Arcanum first brought me on to lead the Stormblight Canyons expedition team, they told me this land was treacherous. I replied that no land is treacherous, it is just nature reacting to the presence of a foreign invader. I told them that with time, care, and a little magic, no land is too dangerous. I may have been wrong about that.” Svenali Parren, Expedition Lead of the Infinite Arcanum

Svenali is one of only a handful of individuals who ranks highly in the Infinite Arcanum and is not a wizard. This moon elf druid has spent much of his life focused on balancing the needs of nature with those of society, and this expertise made him a prime recruit for the Infinite Arcanum.

Svenali was first brought in as a contractor a few decades ago when the Arcanum’s new trade route passed through the hunting grounds of a nest of giant spiders. After losing half a dozen caravans, the Arcanum reached out to Svenali for a solution, and he has been working for them ever since.

The elf’s newest charge was to create and manage a base camp for the Stormblight Canyons expedition. After surveying several locations, he found a site nestled in the mountains and not too far from an estuary. The settlement erected there was affectionately dubbed Svenali’s Retreat.

Adventure Hooks

A shipment of supplies from the nearest city was meant to arrive a few days ago, but no one has seen it. The quartermaster has tasked the players with locating the missing caravan. After being assigned this task, Svenali brought the party into his private chambers to inform them that this supply run also included an envelope addressed specifically to him. If they retrieve the envelope and bring it to him while bypassing the quartermaster, they will earn a favor. Things to note: Svenali requires that the envelope remain unopened, the envelope contains a letter from his lover and he has been using the supply runs as a means of communication.

Svenali’s magic has detected a series of tunnels that have popped up recently under the settlement. Normally, this wouldn’t be a concern, what with blue dragons tunneling all over the mountainside, but these tunnels do not have the crystalline walls customary for the dragons. Svenali is worried that some other creature may be lurking nearby.

A series of recent supply thefts in Svenali’s Retreat has the quartermaster concerned. He requested that the players keep watch on the storehouse for the next week. Svenali also contacted the players to warn that something strange might be going on. When attempting to speak with the cats in the storehouse, they were unable to provide any help. It seems that whoever is stealing supplies is cloaking themselves in a shroud of impenetrable darkness.

Roleplaying Svenali

Svenali is a quiet, softspoken man with instense eyes but an overall gentle presence. Despite living his life thoroughly separate from society, he is more articulate and precise with his wording than most courtiers.

Svenali prefers to be called Sven by his friends

Sven has a sweet tooth, particularly for fruity pastries

Sven hates the day to day job of running the settlement and wishes to return to the wildlands, but feels his commitment to the Arcanum is not fulfilled until the base is running smoothly.

Sven has a secret lover in a nearby city and uses the supply runs to get letters back and forth.

While it is not part of his job, Sven is concerned about the blue dragons in the area and wonders what might have cursed them. Any information on their condition would be intriguing to him.

[mwfhomebrew]

A thing I worked on came out today!

I contributed to both this and the first volume which came out late last year!

In this volume, you'll find 23 new subclasses, 7 new races, over 40 new monsters, a handful of NPCs to use in your games, and new rules and tips for running games!

While the subclasses and races were the parts that I was most excited about in both volumes, the new rules in are what I've used the most at my table.

Both of these volumes were the culmination of months of work from over 25 designers and several dozen playtesters. Every aspect of the book had to go through multiple screening processes before being approved. Pretty much everything in them was thoroughly crafted with care by a whole team that wanted to make the best book possible.

If this sounds interesting, please check them out! And if you want both, there is a bundle of both volumes for a reduced price.

[mwfhomebrew]

Cursed Blue Dragons

Wingless Dragon by Pierre-Olivier Couture Goulet

Monsters: Cursed Blue Dragons

"When I first heard of the blind dragons of the Stormblight Canyons, I was reminded of the horrifying bulettes, but thought the reports had been overblown. When I first saw a blind dragon from the Stormblight Canyons I shit myself." - Tasavesh D'organo, Apprentice Wizard with the Infinite Arcanum

The blue dragons of the Stormblight Canyons have been cursed to lose both their wings and their sight. What was meant to weaken and deform them has only made them more terrifying predators.

Without their wings, these cursed dragons now travel, almost exclusively, through the earth and stone, leaving countless tunnels in their wake. It is not uncommon for these tunnels to collapse roads, buildings, or even entire settlements.

Combat Tactics

Cursed dragons often are not seen before they attack, but are felt. They burrow through the canyon sides, creating tunnels of glowing crystals. These tunnels they leave behind, if close to the surface, are a common hazard in the Stormblight Canyons. Cursed dragons are also largely nocturnal hunters, which turns their blindsight and tremorsense into an even greater boon.

If a creature steps on a tunnel, that creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall through the ground and fall prone. Cursed Young dragons create tunnels that are 15 ft down (2d4 fall damage) and Cursed Adult dragons create tunnels that are 20 ft down (2d6 fall damage).

If a Cursed Dragon burrows under a creature on its turn, that creature must immediately make this saving throw.

Cursed Dragons prefer to sink several creatures into their tunnels and then loose their lightning breath to hit every creature that fell.

Cursed Blue Young Dragon

Large Dragon, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 152 (16d10+64)

Speed 60 ft., burrow 40 ft.

STR 21 (+5)

DEX 13 (+1)

CON 19 (+4)

INT 15 (+2)

WIS 16 (+3)

CHA 9 (-1)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +8, Wis +7

Skills Perception +11, Stealth +5

Damage Immunities Lightning

Condition Immunities Blinded

Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Tremor Sense 60 ft., Passive Perception 21

Languages Common, Draconic, Telepathy 60 ft.

Challenge 9 (5000 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +4

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales lightning in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one

Cursed Blue Adult Dragon

Large Dragon, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 21 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 225 (18d12+108)

Speed 70 ft., burrow 50 ft.

STR 25 (+7)

DEX 15 (+2)

CON 23 (+6)

INT 16 (+3)

WIS 18 (+4)

CHA 11 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +11, Wis +9

Skills Perception +13, Stealth +6

Damage Immunities Lightning

Condition Immunities Blinded

Senses Blindsight 90 ft. (blind beyond this radius),Tremorsense 90 ft., Passive Perception 23

Languages Common, Draconic, Telepathy 90 ft.

Challenge 16 (15000 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +5

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales sparks in a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack.

Burrow (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon burrows underground and moves a distance equal to half its speed before resurfacing and making a bite attack against a creature in range. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

[mwfhomebrew]

Church of the Sightless Host

Blind Warlock by Artur Mosca

Organization: Church of the Sightless Host

“When I first fell into the chasm, I thought I was going to die. I was alone, my legs were shattered, and I was in complete darkness. I cried out, hoping someone, anyone would hear me. And it did. Something reached out to my mind and showed me how I could survive. I saw myself, in the darkness, grabbing the skinning knife from my pouch, gripping it firmly, and shoving it into my eyes. I knew that if I presented this offering to whatever reached out to me, it would save me. And it did.” - Lancaster Richter, priest of the Church of the Sightless Host

The Church of the Sightless Host worships an entity known as the Watcher. This does not appear to be a god, but rather something from the Far Realms. Those who have reported contact with the Watcher describe it as a creature of immense size, covered in countless, lidless eyes. It is said that whenever a member of the Church of the Sightless Host blinds themself, another set of eyes appears on the Watcher.

There are reports of the Church dating back several centuries, but its current level of activity is much higher than at any other point. Recruitment seems to be taking place all over, where members will target the sick, the destitute, and the outcast and attempt to bring them into the fold. The bulk of the church seems to be based in the Stormblight Canyons where the members have aligned themselves with the blinded dragons.

The only known ritual of the church appears to be a sacrificial self-blinding. After they have been deemed worthy, members will consume a drought of ravensbloom and elf’s ire that both dulls the senses and appears to strengthen their bond with the Watcher. It is during this ritual that people report seeing the Watcher and having it speak with them.

Stats

Most cult members would use the stats of either the cultist or the cult fanatic, with the following exceptions

They both have blindsight 30 feet.

They both can telepathically communicate to creatures within 30 feet if the creature knows at least one language.

Cultists can cast the Eldritch Blast Cantrip using Charisma as the spellcasting ability and +2 for proficiency.

Cult fanatics use Charisma instead of Wisdom as their spellcasting ability, they have a +2 for proficiency, and they have two 2nd-level spell slots.

Cult fanatic spells are instead

Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

1st-Level: Arms of Hadar

2nd-Level: Darkness, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Spider Climb

Adventure Hooks

A member of the party has a close connection with someone that has been lured into the Church of the Sightless Host. In order to prevent them from becoming bound to a great old one, they must go on a rescue mission. All leads have led the party to the Stormblight Canyons. The question is whether or not they will arrive before the blinding ritual takes place.

Oliver Farrow, a cleric of knowledge, is concerned about reports of a cult called the Church of the Sightless Host that has made its home in the Stormblight Canyons. He wants the players to find a few of their members and question them about their practices.

Supplies around Svenali’s Retreat have been going missing. At first it was a crate of food here and there, then a couple weapons or a suit of armor, but now a large crate of component crystals have gone missing. At first, Svenali suspected it to be an inside job, but guards reported a strange, unpierceable blackness and distorted voices that seeped into the mind on the night of the theft. The expedition he sent to locate the crate never returned, but they were carrying a stone used to track their location.

[mwfhomebrew]

Parvathirax V.S. Virago

Blue Dragon by Sandara Tang

NPC: Parvathirax

Sailors tell tales of storms that come on faster than seems possible, of rain that comes down hard enough to flood the decks and lightning that seems almost malicious, and of a dragon whose very presence is enough to sink ships. This is the legacy of Parvathirax the Flood Bringer. - Leovold Marrow, scholar and maritime specialist for the Infinite Arcanum

The ancient blue dragon who once made her home among the mountains of the Stormblight Canyons is a well-known threat not just to those who trek too close to her home, but to seafarers as well. While her lair may be in the canyons, the oceans are her hunting grounds. Sailors speak of her in hushed tones whenever a storm seems to be moving just a little too fast, and many ships have met their end thanks to her scraping claws and electric maw.

Parvathirax’s fury only seems to have grown in the last century. Before, she would spend months, maybe even years, resting at her home in the Stormblight Canyons before resurfacing again. For the past one-hundred years though, the Flood Bringer has routinely terrorized every ocean and settlement within 10000 miles of her lair. It appears as if she is desperately searching for something or someone, but no one who encounters her has lived to tell of it.

The only place safe from this ancient blue dragon’s wrath appears to be the very place she used to call home. The storm over the Stormblight Canyons has almost entirely disappeared in her prolonged absence. Some scholars are even calling for a name change considering, with Parvathirax gone, the canyons actually get less rainfall than would be expected for the area.

Ms. Orc- Last Stand by Bayard Wu

NPC: Virago

I first saw her at the pub in Svenali’s Retreat. She looked gorgeous! Hair curled, tusks shined, brows plucked, not what you normally see in the pub, so I knew I had to take my shot. But something was off. While she may appear to be a young woman, there was something about her eyes that spoke of age. Was it wisdom? Or trauma? Or was she just tired of me talking to her? Either way, I didn’t buy her another drink after the look she gave me. – Polanch Trichavik, exasperated tavern goer.

Virago was a talented wizard from a very young age. The nomadic orc tribe she grew up in scraped together as much gold as possible to send her to be trained at Vanistrom Academy when she was just 12. It didn’t take long for her to rise up through the ranks and become a prodigy at the academy. She had a knack for spellcraft, particularly transmutation, and was easily able to alter formulas and manipulate circles in order to improve effects or even create brand new ones.

After graduating from the academy at 28, Virago worked briefly as a researcher before feeling the pull of homesickness. She left the academic life behind and returned to her tribe to act as an advisor and a teacher. While she was away though, the land had turned against her tribe. What was once lush plains full of game and food had been replaced by cracked dirt and a starving people.

Knowing that something had to be done to save her tribe, Virago convinced them to travel with her to a new land she had found during her time as a researcher. It had everything her people could need, game to hunt, fruit to forage, an abundance of water, and, best of all, no other people. The only downside were the blue dragons that made their home among the mountains.

It took two years of prolonged travel through unknown wilderness, but Virago’s tribe finally made it to the Stormblight Canyons. They thrived in this new land for over a decade before they drew the attention of Parvathirax. One of their hunting bands encountered a young blue dragon while chasing down a giant elk. Instead of allowing the creature to steal their catch, one of the young hunters thrust her spear into its belly. Its cry brought the wrath of Parvathirax down upon the whole tribe.

In less than a week, every last orc had been hunted down and killed. Every orc except Virago. She wept with fury and guilt at what had befallen her family. She swore, if it was the last thing she did, she would get her revenge.

It took years of research and contact with an entity not of this plane, but Virago was able to craft a spell that would punish Parvathirax for what the dragon had done to her family. The orc woman set up the ritual site atop a mesa in the canyons. She carved sigils into the stone, sacrificed creatures, spilt her own blood, and chanted for a solid seven days before a blinding flash of lightning told her that it had been a success. All of Parvathirax’s children were blinded and their wings would all wither and slowly fall away. The same would be true for any children she may have in the future.

This was just over one-hundred years ago.

Since then, Virago has used her transmutation magic both to hide herself and to extend her lifespan. Parvathirax has been searching for her for the past century, all the while she has been hidden in canyons, changing her body every few decades. Her newest form most resembles her original. An orc woman with yellow-green skin, flowing brown hair, and cheek bones that could stab a man. Despite appearing to be about twenty-three, her eyes are still unchanged. They bear the markings of someone who has lost everything, of someone who has obtained vengeance, and of someone who has lived much longer than she should have.

[mwfhomebrew]

The Stormblight Canyons

Cave by Philipp A. Urlich

Location: The Stormblight Canyons

The storm in these canyons may have ceased, but that doesn’t make it any easier to see the dangers coming for you. Only now, instead of from above, the danger comes from below.” - Svenali Parren, Expedition Lead of the Infinite Arcanum

The Stormblight Canyons were home to the Ancient Blue Dragon Parvathirax, the Flood Bringer, for thousands of years. The pounding thunderstorms that accompanied her lair eventually turned the mighty mountain into a series of connected canyons. Around one-hundred years ago though, these storms suddenly came to a halt. It seems as if the Flood Bringer has left her lair behind. Since then, she has been spotted across the world, but never in the same place twice.

The story behind Parvathirax’s expedition is mostly unknown, but it seems to coincide with a curse that has befallen her brood. Around one-hundred years ago, all of the other blue dragons in the area suffered some form of malady that stripped them of their vision and made their wings shrink and shrivel. No longer able to fly, her children have taken to carving their homes deep in the canyons.

The caves made from the lightning breath of these blind, flightless dragons are covered in bright blue crystals that seem to radiate with their own magic. Upon discovering one of these caves, a dwarven explorer took a sample and had it appraised by the Infinite Arcanum, a collective of wizards with a focus on magical trade. It seems that these crystals can be substituted for magical components.

This discovery led to the Infinite Arcanum creating a base of operations in the Stormblight Canyons in order to excavate more of these magical stones. They view the many caverns created by the dragons as a vast, untapped goldmine. This base, Svenali’s Retreat, employs adventurers, miners, and mages, and has brought the first traces of civilization that the canyons have ever seen.

The wizards of the Infinite Arcanum are not the only ones that have been drawn in by the caves. Another group, calling themselves the Church of the Sightless Host, has made their home in the tunnels and allied themselves with the blind dragons.

Adventure Hooks

The players have entered into a contract with the Infinite Arcanum to scout out a new mining location after their last scouts reported strange visions and noises while in the area. Several of them reported losing sight for a prolonged period of time while a few others reported seeing a strange, horrible creature even when their eyes were shut.

The noble, Velman Voracio, has hired the party to save his son from a kidnapper in the Stormblight Canyons. His son is a wizard and a low ranking member of the Infinite Arcanum. He, along with a number of other wizards from his expedition, was kidnapped by a warlord calling herself Senna the Magnificent.

Oliver Farrow, a cleric of knowledge, is concerned about reports of a cult called the Church of the Sightless Host that has made its home in the Stormblight Canyons. He wants the players to find a few of their members and question them about their practices.

The Infinite Arcanum was prepared to deal with dragons, but they were not prepared for raiders. With a few of their members already kidnapped by the warlord Senna, the group decided to hire adventurers to help defend expeditions to and from the mines.

[mwfhomebrew]

I think for the month of May I want to focus on really fleshing out one area. So, monsters, patrons, quests, dungeons, puzzles all made for a specific region.

If anyone has a suggestion for something they'd want to see, feel free to drop them in the replies or in an ask!

[mwfhomebrew]

Way of the House Spouse

Subclass: Way of the House Spouse

Life had changed a lot for Jergo since she left the service of the lich, Szass Tam. She settled down with a fine woman, adopted a few beautiful children, and became the best stay at home mother she could be. But when that family was being threatened by her former boss, Jergo knew what she needed to do. She may not be the assassin of a powerful lich anymore, but she is something just as powerful and much more frightening. A house spouse.

Monks who follow the Way of the House Spouse have turned away from a life of villainy and embraced the comforts and excitement of domestic bliss. They may have served an evil master before, but, after meeting the love of their life, their dedication to the art of service has reached new heights. The goal of these monks is to elevate those they care about and to help them achieve their goals.

The Way of the House Spouse is not just a monk subclass, but a whole backstory for your character that should be planned around from the beginning. Monks that follow this path often start in service to some evil, or at least unscrupulous, organization, a precipitating event happens that causes them to leave this organization, and then they get married and settle down. You should also consider how many spouses you have, how you met, and if you have any children. Finally, what made you decide to leave your new life of domesticity and return to adventuring? You can determine all of these on your own or roll on the tables below.

Evil Organization You Belonged To (d6)

Service to an Evil Wizard

Thieves’ Guild

Death Cult

Service to a Corrupt Politician

Pirate

Part of a Dungeon Construction crew

How You Met Your Spouse (d8)

They still work for the Evil Organization

You both worked for the Evil Organization and decided to leave it together

You were childhood friends

They were a bounty hunter that caught you and turned you in

They are the child of your former Evil boss

You kidnapped/robbed them while you worked for the Evil Organization

They belonged to a rival Evil Organization

You met at Criminals Anonymous

What Made You Leave Domestic Bliss to Start Adventuring (d8)

Your spouse has been kidnapped

You just needed a hobby outside of the house

You were banished from your home

You are on the run due to past crimes

Your former Evil Organization is after you

You spouse is also off adventuring

You and your spouse are deeply in debt

Your spouse popped out of existence

Set Up Strike

3rd-level Way of the House Spouse feature

You have learned that the secret to combat is not just to pummel the enemy, but to work with and support your allies. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use the Help action as a bonus action.

Tools of the Trade

3rd-level Way of the House Spouse feature

You gain proficiency with cook’s utensils and one of the following of your choice: Arcana, Intimidation, Stealth, or Thieves’ Cant.

You also gain a token of affection from your spouse. You determine what this is, or you may generate it randomly by rolling on the Affection Token table.

Affection Token Table (d8)

A silver locket with a lock of your spouse’s hair held inside.

A love letter in a sealed envelope that you’re saving for a special occasion.

A bottle of your spouse’s favorite perfume.

The diary your spouse started when you began dating.

An enchanted wedding ring that glows when your spouse rubs it.

Your spouse’s favorite pillowcase which still has their smell.

An item from your first date with your spouse.

A tattoo that perfectly matches one your spouse has.

Home Cooked Meal

6th-level Way of the House Spouse feature

As part of a short rest, you can prepare a meal that serves a number of creatures equal to your monk level. At the end of the rest, creatures that ate this meal gain the following benefits:

Their exhaustion level is reduced by 1.

They add half your monk level (rounded down) to each Hit Dice they spend.

They gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your monk level.

You must finish a long rest before you can prepare this meal again.

Top-Tier Service

11th-level Way of the House Spouse feature

When you take the Help action on your turn, you may choose to modify it in one of the following ways:

You can help two allies targeting the same creature.

When an ally you helped makes their first attack roll before your next turn, they can reroll one of the dice once.

Unconditional Support

17th-level Way of the House Spouse feature

When you make an unarmed strike with your Flurry of Blows, you can use the Help action as part of that attack. The creature you aid your allies in attacking must be the target of the unarmed strike.

[mwfhomebrew]

Amnella Swamp

Swamp by Leonardo Borazio

Location: Amnella Swamp

“When I first spotted the swamp in the middle of Amnella desert, I thought it was a mirage flashing before my eyes. After it did not vanish as I approached, I thought it was a miracle. It was not until I traversed further into its slimy grasp that I realized I had merely left one death trap for another.” - Professional Wizard Monte Doogle

Located deep in the heart of the Amnella desert, Amnella swamp sticks out like an infected thumb, rotting and putrid. What at first appears to be a safe haven from the dry desert heat is in fact even more dangerous. The water and vegetation here may be appetizing to those who have trekked for miles through the sandy dunes, but they are merely the luminous bulb of a vicious angler fish.

Amnella swamp is not a natural phenomenon. It was created by a coven of hags that opened a portal to the elemental plane of water in the middle of Amnella desert. At first, the land flourished with new life. Trees sprouted, plants began to bloom, and travelers would stop to refill their waterskins. A couple settlements were even established to create a half way point from one side of the desert to the other.

Eventually, the hags’ portal became less stable. More water was coming out than was necessary, which not only made growing food difficult, but also made the land less stable. The settlements that had been erected slowly started to sink into the mud.

There was also the situation with the elementals. At first it was small things. Elementals the size of your fist escaping into our plane and making their home in the swamp, but as the portal destabilized the elementals that came through grew larger and more volatile.

Adventure Hooks

The settlement of Amnorok has been having problems in its rice fields. At first, it was only the giant lizards used to transport the rice that were going missing, but lately a few farmhands have vanished only to appear a couple days later floating face up in the field. The village’s farmers have refused to return to the fields until whatever is slaughtering them has been handled.

The Xolorix Coven who first created the portal to the plane of water need help in order to bring it back under their control. It was almost two centuries ago that they used a powerful gem to open the portal, and in that time the gem’s power has faded. They are no longer able to control the tides that are surging forth from the plane of water or the legions of water elementals that are coming with them. To return the crystal to its original state, they need the raging heart of a powerful fire elemental.

As if the water elementals weren’t bad enough, recently the inhabitants of Amntol, a settlement on the northern side of the swamp, have becoming afflicted with some type of plague. The villagers first become itchy and covered with red blisters before becoming feverish and strangely gaunt. Many have died from this disease already, and those that haven’t are refusing to leave their homes for fear that they might contract it. Unbeknownst to them, this is the work of the druid Valem Kor. He has been sending swarms of insects into the town to drink from the villagers while they sleep.

[mwfhomebrew]

Awakened Yetis

Gugu the Troll by Marishka Kleyman

Race: Awakened Yeti

The awakened yetis of Eiselcross are a relatively new phenomenon. When the city of Aeor crashed into the harsh tundra of Foren, a crystal from the city pierced the body of a yeti. Ever since, yetis who have touched the crystal have been imbued with intelligence and have had their primal urges dimmed. While those yetis who first touched the crystal have long since passed, it was not until recently that the yetis have begun to build a civilization. This is in part due to the efforts of the tribe’s leader, Brightheart, who has placed an emphasis on recruiting their less enlightened brethren into the fold.

Every awakened yeti feels the need to protect the crystal that has given them a new life. For this reason, they insist on keeping the location of their settlement a secret. Who knows what might happen if the crystal is removed from its magical location, or if it were destroyed?

The question is, what has driven you to leave this settlement and seek out a life of adventure? Were you recruited by adventurers who happened upon your village? Or did you want to experience something beyond the harsh existence of Eiselcross? It is up to you to decide.

Raised in the Wild

While the awakened yetis of Eiselcross may be more cultured than other yetis, they still have problems understanding the minutiae of civilized society. Between their lack of social graces and the sheer spectacle of being a yeti, they often stand out like a sore thumb in most cities. You may roll on the table below for a quirk related to your heritage.

Awakened Yeti Quirks

I am still working on my ability to speak common, and sometimes revert back to yeti out of habit.

I often feel sympathetic towards other “monstrous” creatures and wish I could gift them as I have been gifted.

While I understand the function of clothes, I am still unsure if they are truly necessary.

My curiosity and need to learn in new situations border on irresponsible.

Money is still a new concept to me, and not one that I am very proficient in or appreciative of.

While the crystal improved my intellect, I cannot say the same for my table manners.

Yeti Names

Most awakened yetis have two names: one from their life before touching the crystal, and one that they adopted shortly after. The pre awakening name is in yeti and is often very difficult for humanoids to pronounce. Their chosen name often symbolizes an aspect that they hope to embody. These names tend to be shortened when in the company of humanoids.

Yeti Chosen Names: Smilebringer (Brin), Griefshatterer (Reef), Shacklebreaker (Shack), Wisdomseeker (Dom)

Yeti Traits

Yetis have a lot of natural traits based on their physiology which is specially adapted to withstand the harsh environment of Eiselcross.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution, Intelligence, and Strength scores each increase by 1.

Age. Yetis reach adulthood at age 16 and live up to 120 years.

Alignment. After awakening, many yetis tend toward more lawful alignments, but some prefer to stick to their chaotic roots.

Size. Yetis stand between 8 and 9 feet tall and weigh between 300 and 500 pounds. Your size is medium. Here is how to determine your height and weight randomly, starting with rolling a size modifier.

Size Modifier = 2d12

Height = 7 feet + 2 inches + your size modifier in inches

Weight in pounds = 250 + (2d6 x your size modifier)

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Frozen Climate. You are naturally adapted to cold climates as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Yeti’s Claws. Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed attack.

Chilling Gaze. You can use your action to assault a creature you can see within 30 feet with the freezing energy of your heritage. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed save and is stunned until the end of your next turn. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your chilling gaze, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and you can speak Yeti which does not yet have a written form.

[mwfhomebrew]

Variskosy, Diviner of Death

Beholder by Kuba Grzybowski

Dungeon: Varioskosy, Diviner of Death

“My eyes are many, but the futures they behold are many more. I see glimpses of possibilities. I see countless scenarios laid out before me. And do you want to know something? There is not a single timeline in which you can escape my wrath.” - Variskosy

Variskosy is a relatively young beholder, born recently from the nightmares of Zargomythis the Grizzled One. As such, they are still relatively untested. Every encounter they have had so far has been no match for the young beholder. This sounds impressive, but those encounters were mostly with wild animals and solo adventurers who were caught unaware. These confrontations have led Variskosy to believe that they are undefeatable. Variskosy even believes that they can see into the future, but in reality what they are really doing is just thinking about what could happen.

Shortly after forming, Variskosy found their way to a subterranean chamber full of glowing mushrooms and a waterfall that feeds into a small pool. This chamber was the basement floor of the wizard, Braylee Umberhill’s tower. With Braylee away on adventures, Variskosy set up home inside her tower and made it their lair.

Adventure Hooks

The players happen upon Braylee in a tavern, sulking over a bottle of mead and nursing a busted leg. She returned from an adventure a few days prior only to discover that her home had been taken over by a beholder. She tried to combat the monster, but its ability to disable her magic made her almost useless and she was lucky to escape with her life. In exchange for helping her to defeat Variskosy, Braylee will share the spoils of her last adventure. This includes a small hoard of magic potions, gold, and a couple uncommon magic items.

While traveling through the woods, the players come across a large tower with a tabaxi camping outside. This is Silvio Berrara, a wandering alchemist. He heard that a beholder had claimed this tower as its lair and was hoping to bargain with it for a few vials full of tears. Unfortunately, the foolhardy creature was not willing to communicate with the alchemist and attacked him for trespassing. Silvio is hopeful that some resourceful adventurers might still be able to obtain those vials of tears for him though. If the players are successful, they will be rewarded with their choice of either potions or a favor from the highly skilled alchemist.

The players have been sent to find information from another quest and have heard that a book on the subject may be in the library of Braylee Umberhill. When they reach her tower though, they find a hulking mass of flesh and eyes where they had expected a welcoming wizard. In order to retrieve the book they are seeking, they will have to either negotiate with this creature or defeat it.

Notes on the Tower

Braylee’s tower is a large, circular, five story (including the basement) stone structure with a wide opening in the middle that allowed her to quickly fly from floor to floor. A staircase hugs the walls on each level, allowing access to the floors above and below. There is a rail, 4 feet high, by the opening on each floor to help prevent falling. The height of each floor is 12 feet. The radius of each room is 20 foot and the radius of the center opening is 7.5 feet.

The bottom floor contains a 20 foot deep pool with a waterfall and glowing mushrooms which, unbeknownst to Braylee, opened into the underdark.

The ground floor above that was mostly where the wizard entertained visitors and contains a comfortable sitting area and kitchen.

The 1st floor above that is Braylee’s library. There are two, large, floor to ceiling windows with comfortable benches in front of them, but the rest of the walls are lined with bookshelves that are packed beyond capacity.

The 2nd Floor above that is Braylee’s laboratory where she devises new spells. This level is mostly empty, containing only a couple chests stocked with components, scrolls, and books. Additionally, there is a desk littered with spell ideas as well as a few spellcasting related charts. There are scorch marks on the walls and a few ritual circles drawn on the floor.

The top floor is Braylee’s bedroom. The entire wall is made of glass, allowing her to look out upon the forest in every direction. The furniture here is the definition of opulent and plush. No expense has been spared to make this the most comfortable living space possible. There is a glass door on the side opposite her bed which grants access to a deck that wraps around the whole tower. This door is never locked because Braylee lost the key.

Variskosy’s presence has also warped the tower. A thin layer of slick slime covers most of the floors and stairs, turning them into difficult terrain. Additionally, the walls have become fleshy in places and even sprouted large, yellow eyes that never blink. These eyes are even visible on the exterior of the building. Variskosy can perceive through these eyes whenever he wishes, but does not do so automatically.

Since claiming this tower, the beholder has mostly been interested in the art of spellcraft and has read much of the research the wizard has done as well as many of the books in her library. They spend 70% of their time on the 2nd floor, 10% of their time in the basement pools, and 20% of their time relaxing on Braylee’s bed.

The fact that Variskosy can levitate freely about the tower while players will likely have to use the stairs gives the beholder a sizable advantage in this fight. If players do have magical means of flight, they have to be cautious to avoid the antimagic cone of Variskosy’s eye or risk plummeting into the pool below.

[mwfhomebrew]

Dauthi's Retreat

Death's Oasis by Greg Rutkowski

Location: Dauthi's Retreat

“Death may come for all, but in Dauthi’s Retreat the process seems to be expedited.” – Silvio Berrara, wandering alchemist

The first thing you notice about Dauthi’s retreat is the stench. The vile smell of rot and decay so strong that it seeps into your nostrils and fills your mouth with bile. You’re not entirely sure what has died, no one is, but the stench of its rotting form permeates the land for miles. The second thing you notice is the quiet. There are no birds chirping. There is no rush of water from a stream. There is only silence. Combine the lack of noise with boots trekking on the slurping, muddy ground and even a small group of stealthy adventurers might as well be a herd of stampeding rothe.

Dauthi’s Retreat wasn’t always like this. It used to be a profitable trading post, mostly due to its varidium mine. The rare material used in crafting magical artifacts made the outpost a profitable asset. This led to the varidium wars. For a decade, the outpost was under threat of attack and constantly changed hands. When one warlord would claim the town for themself, it would not be long before another came along to challenge them. This is when the land began to change.

In a few short years, the land around the outpost transformed from a lush forest into a swamp that reeked of blood and rotting flesh. That was when the shadows came. Attracted by the scent of death and decay, hordes of creatures made of pure darkness descended upon Dauthi’s Retreat. These creatures spread death everywhere they went. Even the slightest touch would cause plants to wither and flesh to fester. In no time at all, life had ceased to exist in this place.

Adventure Hooks

The newly named noble Primrose LaFrey has purchased the settlement of Dauthi’s Retreat from someone claiming to have owned it. She hopes to rebuild the town and begin mining varidium once more in order to increase her standing in the city of Vamuth. The seller told her that the settlement had been mostly destroyed, but not that the surrounding lands appear to be cursed. LaFrey will reward players who free the land from its curse and help her establish an outpost with a 20% stake in the varidium production.

All that is left of the sprawling forests of Dauthi’s Retreat is a thick, towering tree in the middle of the swamp. If the players can survive the journey to this massive tree, they find a hollow cavern that has been carved into its trunk. Inside is a winding passage way that descends far below the ground. This is the home of the druid Melok Dorn. After seeing the slaughter and destruction of nature caused by men fighting over the varidium mine, Melok used this tree as the focus for a spell that would allow the land to fight back. Things did not go as Melok intended though. Perhaps Dauthi’s Retreat had already been cursed by the vast bloodshed, or maybe Melok’s ritual was not prepared correctly, but this should not have been the outcome. The druid has spent the last 7 years of his life trying to undo the ritual, but with no success.

The elven wizard, Riovo Quethanelle, has enlisted the players’ aid in escorting him to Dauthi’s Retreat. For most of his life, Riovo lived in Dauthi’s Retreat and worked as a magical craftsman. He had a successful business, but was forced to leave it all behind when the raids started. Riovo claims that his basement laboratory should still be secure and that the precious items inside are worth the risk. In exchange for the players’ help in returning to his lab, Riovo promises them either gold or a magic item from his collection.

[mwfhomebrew]

Wandering Alchemist Silvio Berrara

Runaway Alchemist by Aurore Folny

NPC: Wandering Alchemist Silvio Berrara

I’ve been on the road for the past 37 years. I’ve seen both flora and fauna that are beyond the comprehension of man. I have traveled both the cursed river Styx and, it’s holy counterpart, Oceanus. I have healed dragons on the brink of death and I have delivered kings to their doom. I will be damned before I let my aching joints keep me from the life I love.

Backstory: Though he is perpetually hunched from years of hauling around a pack the size of a small pig, this tabaxi still stands an imposing 7 feet tall and has clawed hands big enough to palm watermelons. Despite being 73 years old, Silvio’s feline features hide his age well. The only indications that he might be reaching the end of his life are the greying fur around his mouth and ears and his gruff, perpetually hoarse voice.

Silvio became an alchemist early in his life, and took to the craft like a kraken to water. By the time he reached 36, he felt as though there was nothing more he could learn behind the walls of a city. This led him to a life of adventure. For the past 37 years, Silvio has spent his life exploring not just the world but also other planes in order to find new ingredients with which to experiment. This life of research has led to him being regarded as one of the best alchemists in the world.

Roleplaying Silvio

More than anything else, Silvio desires to advance his skills in alchemy. He will do this through any means necessary.

Life on the road is lonely, especially for someone who grew up with 13 brothers and sisters. Any chance Silvio gets to have a good conversation is a chance he takes. This includes keeping the company of dragons, deva, and devils.

The only thing Silvio likes more than telling tales of his adventures is hearing tales from others. He has more than 30 years of fantastical adventures to regale players with, but he will insist they spin a story of their own.

The past few years have been hard for the aging Tabaxi. His body has been worn down by time, but his spirit insists that he keep going. He does his best to ignore his limitations, and will be visibly and verbally disturbed by those who try to cater to him due to his age.

Example stories from Silvio

Sailing the river Styx after finding an antidote to its amnesia inducing properties.

Saving the life of the ancient silver dragon Drameneraz who was cursed by a hag to have her teeth fall out at dawn each day.

Curing an entire town of lycanthropy with the help of a unicorn and an unnamed archfey.

Adventure Hooks

One of the players has contracted lycanthropy, and they have heard that a traveling alchemist might have the cure. The source of this information also comes with his last known location. When the players find Silvio, he will be willing to help them for a fee. His supply of lycanthrope saliva is low, and, since this ingredient needs to be collected during the full moon, it is difficult to acquire. In exchange for a few vials of saliva during the next full moon, Silvio will either cure the player or give them a recipe for the cure.

The players stumble upon an old, crumbling wizard’s tower and find the elderly tabaxi camping nearby. Silvio will inform the players that a beholder has claimed the tower as its lair. He came in an attempt to barter with the creature for a vial of tears from each of its eyes, but it was not in the mood to trade. Silvio will claim to have escaped without any problems, but the majority of his left arm is still turned to stone. He will ask the players to deal with the beholder for him. If they return with either the vials of tears or the creature’s intact eyes, the tabaxi will reward them with rare potions.

Silvio has been working on a new potion that supposedly will greatly prolong his life and allow him to pursue his passion for many more years, but the ingredients are rare. In addition to his current, exotic stock he needs the rib bone of a lich, the breath of Auril the Frostmaiden, and the soul of a unicorn. In exchange for these ingredients, Silvio will split the potion with the players, giving them 3 doses.