"My words are the will of the council, my actions the weight of the law."
Introduction
As a Harbinger, you are the living voice of your faction’s highest authorities. When you speak, it is as though the ruling body itself has spoken. Whether delivering mandates, executing justice, or enforcing the faction’s interests, you act with absolute authority. To be chosen as a Harbinger is a rare honor, requiring a combination of discipline, loyalty, and unshakable resolve. You have been trained to uphold your faction’s laws and ensure its will is carried out across the Hall of Worlds and beyond.
You are more than a simple enforcer; you are an arbiter of power. When negotiations falter, when disputes arise, or when those who defy the faction must be corrected, it is you who ensures the faction’s supremacy remains unchallenged. Whether feared or revered, your presence demands respect.
Background Ability Bonuses
Primary Attribute: Charisma (+2)
Secondary Attribute: Strength or Wisdom (+1)
"I do not speak for myself. I speak for power. I am its will, and its law. I am the Harbinger."
- Skill Proficiencies: Your experience as a Harbinger has granted you a wealth of knowledge and skills, allowing you to serve your faction with unwavering efficiency.
Every Harbinger has walked a different path before earning their title. Choose or roll from the table below to determine how you came into your position.
| d8 | Harbinger Experience |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were personally selected by a faction leader for your unwavering dedication and skill. |
| 2 | You exposed a great betrayal or conspiracy within your faction and were rewarded with this position. |
| 3 | You were once a rogue or outsider, but proved your loyalty through extreme sacrifice. |
| 4 | A previous Harbinger trained you, passing their wisdom and authority onto you upon their death or exile. |
| 5 | You rose through the ranks by sheer force of will, crushing all opposition and proving yourself invaluable. |
| 6 | You have fulfilled an ancient rite or contract that bound you to your faction’s service as its enforcer. |
| 7 | Your family has served as Harbingers for generations, and you were the next chosen to inherit the duty. |
| 8 | You won your position through blood, challenge, or political maneuvering, proving you are worthy of it. |
Voice of Authority
Your status as a Harbinger grants you privileges and deference within your faction and among those who recognize its power.
- You can command audiences with lesser officials, advisors, or ranking members of your faction without prior approval.
- Your faction provides you with lodging, supplies, and resources necessary for your duties.
- When invoking the name of your faction, you gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks against those who recognize its authority.
- As an action, you can issue an authoritative decree to a creature within 30 feet that can hear and understand you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, they are either frightened or charmed (your choice) until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature once per long rest. Your status as a Harbinger grants you privileges and deference within your faction and among those who recognize its power.
- You can command audiences with lesser officials, advisors, or ranking members of your faction without prior approval.
- Your faction provides you with lodging, supplies, and resources necessary for your duties.
- When invoking the name of your faction, you gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks against those who recognize its authority.
Enforcer of the Law
You have been trained to uphold the faction’s edicts through negotiation, force, or execution of judgment.
- When attempting to apprehend or challenge someone who violates your faction’s laws, you gain advantage on initiative rolls.
- You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks to uncover lies, forgeries, or subterfuge used to deceive your faction.
- If acting on an official mission, your faction will provide you with legal backing, safe harbor, or political leverage to carry out your duties.
- When you successfully grapple or restrain a creature, you can use a bonus action to issue a command that they must follow on their next turn (as the Command spell, DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once) per long rest.
You have been trained to uphold the faction’s edicts through negotiation, force, or execution of judgment.
- When attempting to apprehend or challenge someone who violates your faction’s laws, you gain advantage on initiative rolls.
- You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks to uncover lies, forgeries, or subterfuge used to deceive your faction.
- If acting on an official mission, your faction will provide you with legal backing, safe harbor, or political leverage to carry out your duties.
Suggested Characteristics
A Harbinger is defined not only by their authority but by the convictions and discipline that sustain them. Whether an unflinching enforcer of the law, a master of diplomacy, or an unrelenting force of control, your role demands unwavering dedication. These characteristics reflect the mindset, motivations, and ethical dilemmas that shape how you wield your power.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | "I speak with precision, for my words shape the future of my faction." |
| 2 | "I never waver in my duty; hesitation is a weakness I cannot afford." |
| 3 | "I listen carefully before I act, ensuring my decisions uphold my faction’s will." |
| 4 | "Honor and duty outweigh my personal desires." |
| 5 | "Those who cross me will learn the meaning of true consequence." |
| 6 | "Every action I take reflects upon my faction; I cannot afford to be reckless." |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Loyalty. "My faction’s survival and dominance come before all else." (Lawful) |
| 2 | Justice. "Power must be used responsibly, and I will ensure fairness in its execution." (Good) |
| 3 | Order. "Stability is paramount, and I will remove any force that threatens it." (Lawful) |
| 4 | Control. "Through authority, I will shape the world into what it must become." (Neutral) |
| 5 | Unyielding Will. "My words and actions are law, and I will not be questioned." (Lawful) |
| 6 | Sacrifice. "My personal wants mean nothing; I exist to serve the greater cause." (Neutral) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | "My faction has given me purpose, and I will never betray it." |
| 2 | "There is one leader or council member I trust above all others, and I act in their name." |
| 3 | "I have sworn a personal oath that I must fulfill, no matter the cost." |
| 4 | "A rival faction constantly seeks to undermine us, and I will ensure they fail." |
| 5 | "I owe my life to my faction and will repay that debt through unwavering service." |
| 6 | "There is one truth I know that must remain hidden at all costs." |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | "I struggle to separate my personal beliefs from my faction’s will." |
| 2 | "Mercy is a weakness that leads to disorder." |
| 3 | "I have made enemies who will never forgive my judgments." |
| 4 | "I sometimes believe I am the law rather than its servant." |
| 5 | "I have carried out orders that still haunt me." |
| 6 | "I am uncompromising, even when diplomacy would serve better." |
Contacts
As a Harbinger, your network extends deep within your faction and beyond.
| d3 | Contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | A faction leader or council member who gives you directives. |
| 2 | A trusted informant who feeds you intelligence. |
| 3 | A loyal subordinate who enforces your will. |
| d2 | Non-contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | A rival Harbinger from another faction who constantly opposes your actions. |
| 2 | A former ally who now questions your faction’s authority. |
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