You once served a hidden order that tended to sentient texts—books grown from bark, scrolls of stretched mycelium, and tomes bound in breathing vines. These artifacts whispered truths of the old gods and the balance of nature, and you learned to calm them, read them, and even bond with them.
To preserve what could not be copied or stored, the order engraved sacred passages directly into the flesh of its most trusted scribes. Magical plant-ink and ritual etching bonded living script to your skin. Some of it shifts. Some glows. Sometimes, it murmurs in your dreams.
You are both student and storage—a living vessel of druidic knowledge the wild world refuses to let die.
- Ability Scores: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
- Feat: Magic Initiate (Druid)
- Skill Proficiencies: Arcana and Religion
- Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher's Supplies
- Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Calligrapher's Supplies, Book (prayers), Holy Symbol, Parchment (10 sheets), Robe, 8 GP; or (B) 50 GP
Suggested Characteristics
| d10 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I treat books like people and people like books—some are worth reading, some aren’t. |
| 2 | I have a habit of quoting obscure footnotes as if they were proverbs. |
| 3 | I’ve seen forbidden magic and survived. I don’t take life lightly anymore. |
| 4 | I organize everything in categories—even people and moral decisions. |
| 5 | Silence soothes me. If I can hear myself think, I can solve anything. |
| 6 | I smile when people lie to me. I love testing how good they are at it. |
| 7 | I can’t abide anyone who destroys books—even if they have good reasons. |
| 8 | I believe truth is sacred—even if it causes pain. |
| 9 | I see magic not as a weapon, but as a language. |
| 10 | I’m careful not to leave a mark behind—be it in a scroll or on a soul. |
| d5 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | No matter how buried, the truth must be unearthed and preserved—unaltered and unflinchingly. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Even ancient magic can be improved—nothing is sacred if it stands in the way of understanding. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | Knowledge is the only treasure that grows when shared. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Words have power, and must be wielded with as much care as blades. (Good) |
| 5 | Some knowledge must be rewritten—or erased—to make room for a better version of the truth: mine. (Evil) |
| d5 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | There’s a single text I was never allowed to read, and I will find it—even if it costs me everything. |
| 2 | My family thinks I wasted my life in dusty halls. I will prove that the archive’s knowledge has real power. |
| 3 | A former friend betrayed our scholarly code by stealing a rare tome. I will recover it, and ensure justice is served. |
| 4 | I once accidentally destroyed a priceless manuscript. I still carry the guilt and intend to one day recreate it from memory. |
| 5 | I made a vow to complete the research my mentor began but never finished. I won’t rest until the last page is written. |
| d5 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I often value books and magical texts more than the people around me. |
| 2 | I refuse to admit when I’m wrong—especially when it's a topic I’ve studied. |
| 3 | If something is forbidden or sealed away, I become obsessed with discovering why. |
| 4 | I underestimate threats because I believe knowledge will protect me. |
| 5 | My moral compass bends when I believe knowledge is at stake. |
Comments