5e 'Conan' Barbarian Primal Path

 Here's a quick take on the missing 'Conan' primal path from 5e. There's an implicit sexism to Conan, which I've incorporated into the design. So go ahead and be a female Conan and rescue some prince or something. In this sense, it works pretty well as a kind of Amazon.


Stranger in a Strange Land
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you choose 2 bonus languages which you have picked up to survive (including abilty to read and write in those tongues). You gain a bonus language at 6th, 10th and 14th levels.  Also, you are considered dangerous and strange by civilised men, gaining advantage on intimdation checks amongst them.

 Cat amongst the Pigeons.
At 3rd level, when you adopt this path, you may enter a state of savage, uncaring joy when you make a Reckless Attack. After a successful hit , you may keep attacking as long as you keep hitting. Each hit after the first costs d4 hp, then 2d4 hp, then 4d4, then 8d4...(representing your lack of care for your own safety and defence). This state ignores damage resistance provided by entering a rage.

Savage Allure
  Beginning at 6th level, you gain advantage on attempts to seduce or command. Civilised enemies tend want to capture you, rather than kill (probably to torture you to death).

 Stirred by Beauty
Starting at 10th level, you Crit on a 19 or 20 and apply an extra damage die to said Crit. This bonus only applies whenever you are attempting to protect, rescue or aid a member of the opposite sex.

Know, oh Prince...
At 14th level, you gain advantage on any stunt like manoeuvres when you rage. The stakes of a failed stunt, must always be high (DM's discretion) to qualify for this effect.

Weirder Dragon Born

A busy few weeks of gigging and production has come top an end, so I'm able to go back to my D&D comfort den,  perhaps with some extra insights gleaned from beating my brains a little. Or perhaps not.

At any rate,  I've been playing multiple games of my LotFP/D&D 5e hybrid since last Friday, with a couple of sessions on G+/Roll 20. It's been interesting to say the least, mainly because I've had the opportunity to develop a few ideas for my OSR community/homebrew setting---ideas which I think are not boring.

One of my players wanted nothing more than to play as Dragon Born. Frankly,  I was kind of horrified.  At best, they felt underwritten  and cartoony. At their worst,  they had a lame, B movie kind of vibe. Grotesque scenes floated before my third eye, scenes from a film, probably on the Sy-Fy Channel. I saw a rubber Dragon man stinking out the inn of ignorant goode folk. Just sort of looming there, waiting for his obligatory, stiffly choreographed fight scene and possibly , probably,earning a noble death, proving that the hero played by some 80s guy, was right to trust the big, dying lizard.

I mean, maybe you actually like the sound of that, I don't know. I mean, rubber heads definitely have their place. CGI heads, I'm still deeply unsold on. So think of those if you dig rubber.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, they even seem a poor fit for high fantasy, unless it's the kind of high fantasy championed by the Forgotten Realms,which, personally, as a setting,  seems too much like a LARP gathering in an American gym hall (and yes,  I've witnessed one...a Vampire game,  like the weirdest PE lesson of all time and a definitely saleable spectator sport). The idea of Renaissance Fair villages full of Midwestern peasants, I find, indescribably cack. To me, Dragon Born fit into that milieu.

There's no sense of mystery to them.  No sense of what makes a Dragon special. We see reasonable cracks at this with the other races...their racial abilities go some way to describing them as a culture and a species. But to say that dragons are defined by the types of damage they deal and resist... well, could it get any more boring?

What kind of losers are Dragon Born anyway?  How would you deal with the inferiority complex?  By hanging around other losers of your own species?  Or by stinking out inns, standing at the back of adventuring parties,  contributing nothing but your breath weapon and your BIG RUBBER DRAGON HEAD?

Even so, my player was thoroughly enchanted with the concept...thus, the race had to be made acceptable to mine eyes. I succeeded, but let's check your sensibilities...

The Dragon Born

The Dragon Born, ironically enough,  are not born,  but created. They emerge, from suicidal devotion to ideas,desperate need to escape the tatters of  life,doomed efforts to understand that which cannot be understood...and even; on occasion; from the wrong needle, dug deep into a vein, seeking an escape only the opiates of Yoon Suin can provide.


There are ten venerable dragons,  shepherds of the creatures of flesh, stewarding and winnowing as they see fit. Their ultimate origin is unclear...that they are orders of magnitude more potent than mortal races is as obvious as their matter is alien. They seem to bear a kind of responsibility towards the creatures of flesh. But it is more accurately a commitment, to a terrible kind of eugenic omnicide.

Areas home to dragons, warp and twist in fashions apt to nature of the master of the land (where they live, they are always masters).  Their very proximity,  causes reality to bend towards a model in which the Dragon dominates and flourishes.

At some juncture,  their blood appeared in stoppered vials, circulating through the arcane underground,  such as it is.  How this blood had been obtained, was open to conjecture.

Some say that the blood was donated by these gargantuan doom lords, with intent and carried out by their servants.

The blood of the Dragon is highly mutagenic. If one injects the blood,  then a change occurs on a fundamental physical, mental and spiritual level.  In short, the subject becomes Dragon Born, their identity and matter, being overwritten by the power contained within the draconic blood.

No memories exist of the former individual. If the blood is injected,  a new level 1 being comes to exist.  This creature is entirely new, ageless and inquisitive.

Some perceive this as apotheosis.  Others as escape from a life of shame, crime,  illness or grave misfortune.  It is undoubtedly a kind of suicide.  Even so, all that hope to receive the intravenous mutagen, tell  themselves a trace of their old self will remain.  But it does not. Whatever was born human, is cast away irrevocably.

And yet a visual clue persists.  The Dragon Born can assume a humanoid shape for a few hours a day. The shape, the illusion, is the image of the former, abandoned identity.

They learn swiftly,  the benefits of surreptitious behaviour. Their true forms are too monstrous to be acceptable.  They find themselves hunted by Cube Knights and Monster Slayers, driven into wild places,  far from civilisation. And yet they are attracted to the lives of mortals, their strange ways their odd achievements. They also, are tempted to feast upon them. There exists a beast in the heart  of every Dragon Born, no matter how seemingly noble.

Some insinuate themselves back into society. Reptilian presences within the higher echelons of culture.  They are constantly seeking, wondering,  attempting to find purpose. The worst of them groom  and farm sentient life  so as have a ready larder of flesh. Some they say, are deep ensconced within the greatest aristocracies of the land.

Sometimes they dream and their dreams are atomic splendour. And remote.

Sometimes they receive thoughts from the one that spawned them. Sometimes they are imperatives.

Both The draconic and mortal experience, are open to them and yet they are neither. They can see through the illusions perpetuated by other Dragon Born. Sometimes they form alliances and secret societies,  though they are just as often loners.

The fleeting notion that they are part of a greater whole, never leaves them. They are obsessed with transformations and indeed,  many continue to seek physical metamorphosis throughout their seemingly endless lives.

The mysteries of existence never end. They see inside the inside of themselves and they are compelled to make it explicit. But it is a mirror looking into itself. There seems to be cessation of revelation.

A true and inimical Madness waits for many Dragon Born. Some say this madness leads ultimately to a strange city, all angles terminating in impenetrable Draco-Space. Finally, the oldest Dragon Born are here, building, creating something. The angles keep getting tighter. Can an angle exert something akin to gravity if it is acute enough? Acute through multiple spatial plateau?

Some scholars think so.



Every Dragon Born is saddled with a Draconic Temptation. Roll a d10. The Dragon Born has disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma rolls whilst resisting the Draconic Temptation and able to satisfy it immediately.

1 Virgin Heads
2 The Fat of Children
3 The Flesh of Dogs
4 The Hearts of Lovers
5 The Skin of Saints
6 The Bones of Knights
7 The Eyes of the Holy
8 The Tongues of Fathers
9 The Blood of Mothers
10 The Unborn Whole and Crunchy



 
Every Dragon Born learns a Draconic Truth. They know one such Draconic Truth when they are created. They may learn a new one whenever they qualify for an attribute increase or whenever they find/persuade a Venerable Dragon to teach them.

1 Egg Rebirth: a dragon born can construct an egg from itself out of which it will be reborn. This costs 5000 xp to create the first time, doubling thereafter. It is a costly process. Invariably they emerge less human, gaining a new Draconic Temptation with each renewal.

2 See True Geometry: the Dragon Born can utilise space according to dragons. Once per day, per point of Wisdom bonus, it may Dimension Door. A DC 15 Wisdom save must be made to avoid passing into a different dimension for d6 rounds. Carcosa, say. They usually end up somewhere portentous.

3 Breather underwater/aether. Does what it says on the tin. Phlogiston would work just as well as Aether. Beware Aetherial Regrets, which are fascinated by Dragon Born. They also are now able to resist extremes of pressure.

4 Draconic Trans-mind. They can reach into a kind of Akashik Record, a draconic supra consciousness...a reptilian over soul. Roll 5 d20 and arrange in any order. These are the results of the Dragon Born's next 5 d20 rolls. Put this down to the fact that Draconic Trans-Mind knows the limits of neither time, nor space. This emanation is perhaps a side effect of the Strange City.

5 Envoy. The Dragon Born been chosen by a great dragon, to represent its interests amongst the lesser races. The Dragon Born gains advantage on persuade rolls with wise members of monstrous races (those who recognise the Envoy's crest). They become subject to random dragon missions and a gain a host of  new enemies. On the other hand, whenever a monster city is entered, the Dragon Born can rely on having the capability of drawing upon one contact, a being aware of their importance.

6 Stone Sleep. Can enter a stony encased hibernation trance appearing to be a foetal statue. This takes about 10 minutes. The Dragon Born is treated exactly like a petrified individual, but remains conscious and can re-flesh with a thought. DC 10 con save required, else cannot awake for d100 years without outside help. This help, involves the Dragon Born's favourite Draconic Temptation.

7 Mutagenic Blood. The Dragon Born's blood, creates more Dragon Born if injected intravenously. The transfused individual, is immediately level 1 in a new class. About a pint is required. The old person is completely gone. The new Dragon Born is a physical clone and will be favourable towards the one that made it.

8 Hoard Strength. GPs have powerful effects upon Dragon Born when slept upon. A minimum bed of 5000 gp, is enough to constitute a hoard.  Sleeping on it, will ensure the Dragon Born begins each morning inspired.  Furthermore,  the Dragon Born may make a DC 18 Insight check to know who was the last owner of any given GP in their collection.  A DC 18 Insight check will reveal their current location. Treasure must spend at least 2 weeks within   the lair of the Dragon Born to qualify for hoard status. The Dragon Born becomes trnasfixed by the notion of acquiring more wealth for its hoard.

The Dragon Born still possesses a breath weapon and a resistance. A d10 can be rolled to determine the Dragon colour of origin.

(I used the ten Venerable Dragons from Rafael Chandler's extremely fun 'Terratic Tome', as the basis for the breath weapon/resistance of my Dragon Born. You can use the normal ten if you wish. I don't really have much time for them, as written.)

Vermilion             Fire, 15' cone, resistance to poison or fire
Azuline                Lightning, 30' line, resistance to electricity
Porphyrous          Insects, 15' cone, resistance to piercing
Chlorochrous       Enchanted Cloud (force), 15'cone, resistance to force
Nacreous              Sulfur (fire), cone 15', resistance to poison or fire
Flavescent            Sonic Death (force) 30' line, resistance to force
Albicant               Cold, 15' cone, resistance to cold
Chromatophoric   Fire & brimstone (fire) 30' line, resist fire
Gamboge              Spores (poison), 15' vibe,  resist poison
Atrous                   Acid, 30' line, resist acid

Everything else, I'd keep as is. I recognise that I've certainly made the race more complex, but honestly, I think they needed that. Well...I needed that. 

Fire on the Velvet Horizon, 'Geisha Spore-Glyphapillar', GLYPHAPILLAR

Glyphapillar

OLD SCHOOL

Unarmoured, Move 5' 1 HD, HP1 , 0 damage, Morale 7.

Warding Gaze: Anything the Glyphapillar stares at, if it has a mind, cannot approach closer than 5'. This is theoretically close enough to be struck with a longsword or larger. However, with each Glyphapillar present, this range increases by 5'. 

They appear in colonies of d100. (I came to this conclusion after noting that

Eriogaster lanestris, appeared in colonies of several hundred. Glyphapillars are maybe bigger and certainly magical, so I scaled it down a bit)

A certain combination of scents, grants an individual the ability to move freely amidst the Glyphapillar's collective gaze. This may be derived from the 'Black Bark', that is, a genus of tree enjoyed by the Glyphapiullar. This is however...uncertain.

Ashkott Glyphapillar: Burning a Glyphapillar, transforms it into a Vitellary. 

5E

Glyphapillar- AC 6, HP 2, Spd. 5ft +0, 0 Damage    XP 10  CR 0

S-6/D-4/C 0/I-3/W 0/C-4

Warding Gaze: As above, only note that a sngle Glyphapillar may look upon a target as part of their move but, must then take an action to change targets. A single Glyphapillar has a Passive Perception of 12. This increases by 1 for each Glyphapillar present, to a maximum DC of 30.

All else as above. 

Fire on the Velvet Horizon, 'Geisha Spore-Glyphapillar', GEYSER LORD, ORACLE OF THE VENT, FUMEROLE LICH

Geyser Lord

OLD SCHOOL

Armour as plate and shield, Move 0' (though may disengage to vent lair), 30' when surrounded by water of home vent, 14 Hit Dice, HP 94 , 1d12 dam (Scalding Spray), Morale 10.

Immune to fire damage. Half damage from magical fire. 

Spell Use: Geyser Lord knows spells deemed appropriate for a 14th level magic user. Some are more powerful, knowing and casting spells as an 18th level magic user.

Boiling Column :  The Geyser Lord is enveloped within a poisonous, scalding, torrent of water.  Anyone attacking must save vs poison or become Ill for d6+1 days. Furthermore, d12 damage is taken automatically, due to the searing heat.

Unavoidable Fate: Given the correct offerings,  the Geyser Lord will set you forth upon a heroic path that may be tragic, glorious or both. Roll on the following tables. Replace with your own entries as they are used up.

When you...

1. See the unfurling of the carnellion sail
2. Taste the 'Seeing Bark' 
3. Smell the crushed black poppies
4. Hear three eagles at midnight
5. Receive the gift of the spider 
6. Cause the saddest one to laugh
7. Die the little death
8. Are accused of the Lord's crime. 

You will...

1. Travel to the source of the great river.
2.  Journey to the Temple of Three Errors.
3. Journey to the Tree of the Lonely God.
4. Find the pool where the women go to drown.
5. Seek the counsel of the reptile oracle.
6. Travel to frozen Joten Lodge.
7. Go before the cracked temple.
8. Find the crimson pastures.

Once there,  you will be tasked to:

1. Marry the hideous Goblin Princess 
2. Poison the paladin Regent. 
3. Destroy the sad Golem called Tashok the Grinder
4. Murder the saintly children of the Duke.
5. Find the crown of delight.
6. Sack the temple of love.
7. Ruin the great artist's masterpiece.
8. Apprentice oneself to the Lonely archangel and steal his grimoire.

Upon accomplishing this, the character will achieve a dream appropriate to his/her character. This ought to be determined at the point of asking. There exists an 80% chance that the prophecy will end in the violent death of the character.  This will be expressed in pelucid fashion thusly:

1. Nothing that breathes will ever halt your assent. 
2. Beware the friend without blame.
3. As the Sun shines, so shall the glory be yours. 
4. The bride shamed, will be your damnation.
5. There shall be no curse more terrible than love.
6. Beneath the idol with your mother's face, sorrow will find you. 
7.  One final ascent beyond the clouds and you are gone. 
8.  In your dreams,  they will find you. 

The prophecies always come true unless the Geyser Lord is destroyed. If any result should see the character die before his/her destiny is  fulfilled, pass that death onto the most important NPC in that character's life. If there are none,  it's PC time. Everybody knows that the Geyser Lord's prophecies are inevitable.  It'll serve them right. 

Funerole Lich

Becomes undead.  Can only be hurt by +2 weapons or greater.  Casts as a 20th level caster. Gains a 20' land speed.  
  

5E

Geyser Lord- AC 19, HP 125, Spd. 0ft (though may disengae to vent lair)/30 ft in water +9, 3d6 dam (scalding spray),    XP 13,000 CR15 (Geyser Lord) XP 24,000 CR 20 (Fumerole Lich)

S+1/D+1/C+3/I+5/W+5/C+1


Legendary Resistance: Geyser Lord may choose to pass a failed save; 3/day
Immunities: Immune to fire and posion damage. Half damage from magical fire.

Spell Use: Geyser Lord knows spells deemed appropriate for a 14th level sorcerer. Some are more powerful, knowing and casting spells as an 18th level sorcerer .

Boiling Column :  The Geyser Lord is enveloped within a poisonous, scalding, torrent of water.  Anyone attacking must pass a DC-18 Constitution save or become nauseous  for d6+1 days. Furthermore, 3d6 damage is taken automatically, due to the searing heat.

Unavoidable Fate: see above. 

Fumerole Lich: An undead Geyser Lord casts spells as a 20th level sorcerer. It becomes undead and gains immunity to charm, non-magical weapons, sleep, paralysis and blindness. It gains a 20ft land speed.

Legendary Actions:

Cast a cantrip: Costs 1 action. 

Vent gasses:  vents poisonous steam into the chamber. Everyone within 50 feet must make a DC-15 Constitution save to avoid nausea.  Victim can repeat save each turn to shake it off. 2 actions.

Searing Torrent: 6d6 30' cone heat/bludgeoning damage.  DC-15 Dexterity save for half damage. 2 actions

Master Sorcerer: Cast a 2nd level spell. 3 actions

Lair Actions

The actual lair of the Geyser Lord, is the boiling, underground vent. To challenge it here, one must be able to breathe water,  resist heat, resist poison  and resist extreme pressure. Needless to say,  it dwells within a hostile and alien environment. Without these precautions, expect to take 3d10 damage/round due to boiling water, make a DC-20 Constitution save to avoid gaining a level of fatigue each round due to the pressure and a further DC-15 Consitution  save/round to prevent nausea and 4d6 poison damage

Obfuscating Cloud: Geyser Lord provokes a an underwater fog of sediment.  Acts as darkness in a 100' radius sphere.  The Geyser Lord can see through this cloud normally.

Vent Thing: Geyser Lord manifests a Vent Thing, essentially a small water elemental, entirely under the Geyser Lord's control. Vent Things are toxic. Upon a successful hit,  make a DC-10 Constitution save to avoid nausea. This save may be repeated each round.

Voice of Fate: Geyser Lord marks an opponent. Target must use their best attribute save (representing their heroic potential) to beat DC-18. Failure indicates that the character suffers disadvantage on all subsequent rolls until the Geyser Lord is slain or chooses to mark another character.

Fire on the Velvet Horizon, 'Geisha Spore to Glyphapillar', GLYPHAPILLAR

Geisha Spore

OLD SCHOOL

Unarmoured, Move 30' land/15'air (when caught on breeze), 1 Hit Dice, HP 3 , 1d3-1 damage, or by weapon -1 Morale 12.

Kiss: The Geisha Spore rarely attacks to cause damage (it only does so if ordered). It generally attempts to kiss, at first with the illusion of consent, but thereafter whenever the target is not paying attention. If the target is not paying attention to the Geisha Spore, it will surprise on a 2 in 6. It only ever attempts to kiss humans.

Fungal Infestation: Save vs Poison -2. Failure results in contamination. Geisha Spore dies either way.

• Initial effects are minor iirritation. -1 to combat rolls for d3 hours. Phase 1 initiates in d12+2 days. Cure Disease will remove the spore at this point.

• Phase 1- replacement of muscles and joints with fungal mass. +3 Strength. +3 Constitution. A Remove Curse spell at this point, can still save the victim. Phase 2 initiates in d12+2 days.

• Phase 2- Replacement of brain. Character dies, but is not cognisant. Resurrect would restore the victim at this point.

• Upon the arrival of the next storm, facsimile character dies, more spores are released, as described in FotVH.
 

 

5E

Geisha Spore- AC 11, HP 6, Spd. 30ft/15 ft in air when caught on initial breeze +4, 1d3-1 damage or by weapon -1,    XP 400 CR 2

S-1/D+1/C 0/I-2/W-3/C+1

 Kiss: The Geisha Spore rarely attacks to cause damage (it only does so if ordered). It generally attempts to kiss, at first with the illusion of consent, but thereafter whenever the target is not paying attention. If the target is not paying attention to the Geisha Spore,it makes a stealth check+3 in an effort to beat the targets passive perception. It surprises its victim if successful.

Fungal Infestation: DC-15 Constitution save. Failure results in contamination. Geisha Spore dies either way.

• Initial effects are minor iirritation. disadvantage to combat rolls for d3 hours. Phase 1 initiates in d12+2 days. Cure Disease will remove the spore at this point.

• Phase 1- replacement of muscles and joints with fungal mass. +3 Strength. +3 Constitution. A Remove Curse spell at this point, can still save the victim. Phase 2 initiates in d12+2 days.

• Phase 2- Replacement of brain. Character dies, but is not cognisant. Resurrect would restore the victim at this point.

• Upon the arrival of the next storm, facsimile character dies, more spores are released, as described in FotVH.

White Elves and the Ancestor Societies

"Not all the white elves are barbaric and pitiless – some are civilized and pitiless.... They are ruled by two blue-skinned sisters, frost giant queens." Vornheim-Zak S





So as I think I mentioned in an off hand, fluff fashion somewhere back, elves in my game are split into four distinct types, colour coded for easy reference: Dark Elves (heavily inspired by False Patrick's 'Black Glass' essay), Green Elves, Moon Elves and White Elves (Inspired by Zak S' two or three sentences in Vornheim). Here's a stab at a soulless White Elf, culture thing.

Mythos & Lore:

Across (and through)  the Porous Borders, the Hollow World of the gods, awaits in immaculate splendour. Beyond the physical , all things are conceived and known in an endless aesthetic instant. To experience the flesh,  is impossible. It does not constitute a part of a universe composed purely from the stuff of the imagination. And yet...to say that a god cannot understand experience would be quite wrong.  For the most part, they transcend it, but occasionally their aesthetic appreciation reaches a critical mass and they must find some way to feel first hand, the beauty of creation.

This is how the Elves came about.

In the case of the White Elves, two frost giant sisters emerged from the endless white wastes of the Kraal. By parthenogenesis, they gave birth to their people,  all for the sake of longed for sweet experience. To say they were shocked by the frigid cold (whose beauty was now somewhat offset by its tendency to kill) would be an understatement...at any rate, they absorbed some of its bite and cruelty. In many ways,  they were fortunate: they at least were not dealt the bleak hand played upon the Dark Elves. All Elves feel dully as if they have been tricked.

Once one crosses the Porous Border,one cannot go back.

They created the frozen city of Nornrik. From that strange city,  they spread south. Their peculiar talents, beauty and immortality  ensured them a place in society,  especially in Vornheim. However,their soulless natures presented a series of unforeseen problems.

The White Elves live outside the fear of old age. Imperishable, only violence or other outside agency can end them. When they do die, often after countless centuries of life, their consciousness reject what is occurring/has occurred (knowing only oblivion awaits) and these psychic imprints are driven insane, enraged by happen-stance and fear. Death simply does not happen to them. Now rendered psychotic wraiths,  they are incredibly dangerous and cause havoc for their families.

At some point, the White Elves learned to control and bind the ghosts of their fallen ancestors, combining placatory rites, with harsh spiritual torments. This has become the very totem of their society, the frame by which all else hangs.

White Elf 'Mothers' rule their people with every cunning

tool at their command, knowing that ultimately they are the gate that stands between the elves and a murky realm of rage maddened spectres. The word 'Mother' and the word 'Host', are one and the same in the Elven tongue.

Elven women produce something akin to spider silk from their mammary glands. Mothers weave this silk into the Tapestries of the Beloved Dead. These Tapestries are constantly worked upon by Family members and they depict Ancestors engaged in heroic and noteworthy activity. They are vital components of any long term placatory activity.

Organisation:

Each Elven family is a mini-state unto itself, ruled by an autocratic Mother. She determines the laws they follow, the customs they celebrate, the punishments that are meted out. She leads the rituals of the Ancestor Societies, receiving visions and binding ghosts into servitude and fetishes called 'Kaaba'. In practice, she delegates much responsibility, leading only the major rites and observances.

Restrictions:

White Elf society is a matriarchy. Something in the soothing nature of the feminine is believed to calm the insane ancestors. However, some have suggested that this is merely a ploy by the scheming Mothers to maintain the gender status quo. Either way, breaking this taboo seems to lead to madness more often than not.

During rites, The Mother wears a powerful Reindeer skin fetish called a Skikkja. All others wear black cloaks.

Whenever an elf is about to knowingly commit a sin, he/she puts a leaf in his/her hair to avow him/her from responsibility.

White Elf shaman are fond of using reindeer horns as symbols of their power.

Umbilical cords are kept and used as fetishes and jewellery. They must never be lost.

Hair and (Sometimes) fingernails must be not be cut, except during a rite to protect the original owner from malevolent ghosts.

Now D&D

Mechanically speaking, White Elves are the same as High Elves. However,  difficulty arises in terms of modelling the necro-animistic Ancestor Societies. I saw somebody handle shaman as essentially clerics who worship their dead descendants. I think this is probably a reasonable angle of approach.

Ancestor Domain

1st:  Protection from Evil/Good, Sanctuary
3rd: Gentle Repose, See Invisibility
5th:  Magic Circle, Speak with Dead
7th:  Banishment, Divination
9th:  Planar Binding, Dream

Bonus Proficiency: Persuade. Gains advantage on persuade with own people, due to deference.

 Fetch 

Starting at 2nd level,  you are joined by one of your Ancestors in the form of an invisible companion. This Ancestor is bound to your umbilical necklace 'Fetch Cord'. If the cord is destroyed, so is the Fetch. This is the only way to end it. It is a malicious thing, only visible to you. It  takes the form of (d12):

1 An eyeless crow
2 A horrible black moth
3 A rat with an old woman's face
4 A monkey that moves like a Ray Harryhausen creature.
5 A white hare, looks like road kill. Limps.
6 An elven child, mouth and eyes sewn shut.
7. A flat, naked old woman that lives under the bed.
8. An area of utter darkness.
9. A scarecrow that is always in the corner.
10. A puddle of stagnant water.
11. A crawling thing composed of flies.
12. A doppelganger of yourself, insane grin, reptilian eyes.


Initially it does very little but watch. Each Fetch represents tbe shade of an Ancestor and its stats are generated as for an elf. It can be consulted. It has the strange wisdom of the dead.  It will warn you if you are in danger sometimes. It can cast the Thamaturgy cantrip at will. But that is all.

(Channel Divinity) Bind Dead

Instead of destroy undead, at 5th level the you gain the ability to bind undead into fetishes. The table from the Player's Handbook is suitable for determining the level of undead which can be affected. The object in question must be prepared in a ritual that takes 3 hours, although it can be small and innocuous.

Upon binding,  physical undead turn to dust. Physical or ethereal, their animating spirit is drawn into the prepared object. There they will stay unless destroyed.

A fetish grants the use of any supernatural abilities possessed by the dead.  For example, a dagger containing a ghoul's essence,  will paralyse on a successful hit.  All saving throws are at the creature's original difficulty. However, every-time the fetish  is used in this manner,  you must test to bind the creature anew. Failure results in the spirit using the ability against you. A natural 1, means the spirit is immediately freed. In the case of physical undead,  they manifest as spectre.

Using a bound power counts as a use of Channel Divinity.


 Fetch Boon

At 6th level, the Fetch's relationship with you has grown to the point where it now provides a physical benefit.  Choose two from the following list. Choose another at level 9 and a final boon at level 17:

1. The Fetch can now venture beyond the animist's personal space.  It can travel around 100 mph. The Animist can see through its eyes (even if it has no eyes).

2. The Fetch obey commands.  It cannot interact with the physical world, but it is essentially loyal. Without this boon, the Fetch is a stubborn thing and must be persuaded to do the animist's bidding.

3. The Fetch can interact with the physical world, stars as generated.  In all other ways,  treat as a poltergeist. Can be dangerous.

4. Fetch can cast counter-magic once per day at the animist's level. It will do so instinctively.

5. Fetch actively wards the animist (or is it just the Fetch Cord it wants to protect?). +2 A.C.

6. Fetch can possess a target as a ghost. DC 10 + Fetch's Charisma bonus to resist.  Fetch can automatically animate a dead body. Stats as zombie, only with Fetch's mental attributes. Can animate objects or body parts. Can possess as many times per day as Wisdom bonus.

7. Fetch can cast any of the Animist's spells.  It can also deliver touch spells on the Animists behalf.

8. Fetch can see the future and will discuss it in the form of cryptic statements. See Vornheim for an excellent fortune system.

9. Can poison all food and water within 100m radius. Poison is deadly.

10. Can enter dreams and fight as an Invisible Stalker. If killed in dream, wake up with one random insane disorder.

11. Melds Ancestral memory with your memories. +2 Wisdom.

12. Can convert recently slain into Obol (currency used by the dead and demons) 1 HD/CR=10 Obol. For the purposes of XP, 1 Obol=5 XP  This idea is swiped from Matteo Diaz Torres and his 'A Most Thoroughly Pernicious Pamphlet'.

(Channel Divinity) Ancestor Strike

Add an extra d12 cold damage at the cost of a channel divinity use. Crist on a 19 or 20. At 14th level, this rises to 2d12.

Ghost Walker

At level 17, the you may concentrate for a turn to become ethereal. May force any spirit to parlay whist in this state.  May turn up to Wisdom bonus other characters ethereal also.


That's about all I can be bothered writing at the moment. I'll update this with some old school rules eventually, but I figure that it won't be far beyond you, my good reader in converting backwards.

Fire on the Velvet Horizon, 'Eclipse Lich to EoNian Wyrm' EONIAN WYRM

EONIAN WYRM

OLD SCHOOL

Armour as plate and shield, Move 100' Flying/Ground/Swim/Tunnel, 30 Hit Dice, 270 HP,  4d12 Dam (Dark Coils) 4d8 Dam (Devouring 'Maw') Morale 12

4 Attacks (3 Dark Coil, 1 Maw/1 Constrict)

Constrict. The Wyrm  can make one constriction attempt instead of a Devouring 'Maw' effort. 4d12 damage and target must save vs paralysis to avoid being grappled. Grappled target takes 4d12 damage each round and the Wyrm may continue to make attacks on others around it (it's a mile or so long). Grappled victim may attempt to free itself with a Strength check at -8 at the beginning of its turn.

War of the Monsters. The Wyrm can effectively force conflict between itself and any Titan, Demon or Old One. They must Save vs Magic at -8 to resist.

Frightful Presence. Save vs Paralysis or be stunned for d3 rounds.

Swallow. Makes one Devouring 'Maw'  attack upon a target of huge or smaller. Target must make a save vs Death at -2 to avoid being swallowed.  They take 9d6 damage at the start of each Wyrm turn.

Seize the Darkness. If underground, in space, in the night or otherwise surrounded by darkness, the EoNian Wyrm may repair itself of 8d6 HP. Leaves a space absent of anything for 24 hours.

5E

EONIAN WYRM - AC 24, HP 820, Spd. 100ft Flight/Ground/Swim/Tunnel, +19, 6d12+10 dam (Dark Coils), 5d12+10 (Devouring 'Maw')    XP 155,000 CR 30

S+10/D 0/C +10/I 0/W+8/C 0

Immune to fire, poison, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from non-magical weapons. Cannot be blinded, charmed, frightened, paralysed or poisoned.

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

Destroyer. The Wyrm deals double damage against structures.

Multi Attack.The EoNian Wyrm can use its Frightful Presence. Then The Wyrm attacks 5 times with its endlessly rotating, grinding coils before making a Devouring Maw attack or a Swallow attack.

Constrict. The Wyrm  can make one constriction attempt as a bonus action.  +19 to hit, deals 6d12+10 damage and target is grappled. DC-22 to escape.

War of the Monsters. The Wyrm can effectively force conflict between itself and any Titan, Demon or Old One that is of at least CR 25. Target must succeed in an opposed Wisdom check to resist. If the target fails, it must abandon whatever it is currently doing to face the Wyrm in battle.

Frightful Presence. Any creature within a mile of the EoNian Wyrm must succeed at a DC-24 Wisdom save else become frightened for 1 minute. Those affected can repeat the saving throw at the end of each turn. Passing the save grants immunity to Frightful Presence for 24 hours.

Swallow. Makes one Devouring 'Maw'  attack upon a target of huge or smaller. Target must make a DC-18 Dexterity save to avoid being swallowed. Swallowed creatures are blinded and restrained. They take 18d6 damage at the start of each Wyrm turn.

Legendary Actions:

Tail Lash. The Wyrm makes one Dark Coil attack.

Surge. The Wyrm moves up to half its speed in any direction. If it chooses to tunnel, it vanishes from sight, drawing all of its mile long body behind it in a maddening instant.

Seize the Darkness (Costs 2 actions). If underground, in space, in the night or otherwise surrounded by darkness, the EoNian Wyrm may repair itself of 16d6 HP. Leaves a space absent of anything for 24 hours.