Voice of the Void (Medium Archetype)
We’ve seen and even covered various medium archetypes in the past that channel something other than the spirits of the dead, but none are more sinister and unknowable than the things called by the so-called voices of the void.
Indeed, just in time for the Halloween season, we are now looking at a medium archetype that touches on cosmic horror, drawing upon bodiless being beyond the veil of reality to grant them power in exchange for working their strange will upon the material world.
However, for all the great power that these beings offer, it also comes with drawbacks and risks, sapping at the medium’s sanity and warping their behavior.
Indeed, this archetype is a great way for a heroic character to emulate having access to a dark power that they may be hesitant to use.
Rather than true spirits, these spirits instead channel servants of the otherworldly powers called emissaries. While these beings function mostly the same way as spirits, their presence and influence degrades the mind of the medium. What’s more, if the entity takes full control, the trauma of what the medium witnesses beyond the realm of sane reality takes a toll on their mind when they return.
The emissary promises greater fortune and skill, allowing the medium to choose to not cede influence to them. However, doing so causes the otherworldly intelligence to surge in their minds, causing their behavior to become erratic briefly, making it clear that they are not in full control.
The taboos of these alien wills are couple with bizarre rites as well that distance the medium from their own mortal mindset, making it very hard for them to seem relatable to others. However, as long as they are under such a blasphemous taboo, the potency of the surges that they can unleash increases.
As vessels for otherworldly beings, these mystics are hazardous to all familiar life, and can unleash pulses of strange energy that harm all, living or dead, aside from the strange alien life that falls under the category of aberration.
If you’re looking for a medium that can potentially get even greater power at great risk, this archetype can certainly be appealing. Much more than any other medium, you are going to want to carefully manage your influence, letting yourself be confused for 1 round when using surges in less dire circumstances, only taking the influence when you need your wits about you. Beyond that, build as you would any other medium.
This archetype may be from Villain Codex, but those who use it do not necessarily have to be villainous. That being said, even goodly mediums with this archetype are clearly dealing with powers beyond their comprehension, but for the right personality type, perhaps someone intense who either recklessly ignores, or willingly accepts, the risk might be appropriate.
It’s also worth noting that while medium spirits may vary in identity and goals, the fact that voices of the void draw from the same terrible entities might mean that when they lose themselves to their power, their bodies might pursue dark agendas.
All communication from the S.S. Rotfin has ceased after some sort of uprising occurred on board. When the party investigates, they find the halls crawling with eldritch horrors, and at the center of it all, a halfling who seems to command the creatures, though they clearly are relying primarily on the otherworldly force that seems to inhabit their body.
Sent on a divine mission, the divine sirrush dragon Kovectnashan is seeking someone corrupted and influenced by the Singer in Darkness. However, his radiant form makes searching for such a being difficult, so he is now seeking virtuous heroes to act in his stead.
A dedicated pacifist, Toya Emnara harbors a terrible secret, her connection to an otherworldly entity called Pholox. The last time she used Pholox’s power, however, she lost control and ended up killing many people, which is why she refuses to tap into that power again now.
