You were touched by a presence that dwells between life and death—an entity ancient and powerful, who marked you for a purpose you do not fully understand. Whether through visions in your sleep, a pact in blood, or being born during an eclipse, your fate was sealed. You are more than mortal… and the shadows remembe
- Ability Scores:
- Arcana (knowledge of shadow/death magic)
- Stealth (blending into darkness)
- Religion (understanding the beyond)
- Insight (piercing lies and veils
- Feat: Pick two:
- One tool proficiency (e.g., Calligrapher’s Tools, Poisoner’s Kit)
- Or two languages (e.g., Abyssal, Infernal, Deep Speech)
Suggestions:
- Poisoner’s Kit (fits the theme)
- Calligrapher’s Tools (rituals, pacts)
- Languages: Abyssal, Undercommon, or one rare planar tongue
- Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language tied to the shadows or the veil between life and death. Choose from Deep Speech, Abyssal, Infernal, or Undercommon, reflecting the origin of your connection to the Monarch’s power. These languages are often whispered in forgotten tombs, muttered by the dying, or etched in the margins of forbidden texts.
- Equipment:
- A blackened dagger
- A fragment of an old crown or obsidian mask
- A journal written in a forgotten tongue
- 15 gp
Shadow Monarch Origins (d6):
The path to the black crown is rarely chosen—more often, it is bestowed. Roll on the table below to discover how the veil between life and death first touched your soul.
🎲 Shadow Monarch Origin Table (d6):
- Born under a blood eclipse, your cries silenced the winds and shadows stirred in your crib.
- You survived death—a mortal wound should have ended you, but something pulled you back, changed.
- You discovered an ancient relic, and in touching it, the voice of the Monarch entered your dreams.
- Your village feared you, claiming you walked with ghosts or cast two shadows when no light was present.
- You performed a dark rite, half as a joke, but something answered—and it never left.
- You are the last of a forgotten bloodline, cursed or chosen, depending on who you ask.
You can sense unnatural presences before others do. When in total darkness or near death (0 HP creatures or haunted places), you may ask the DM for a vague sensation or omen. Once per long rest, you may make a Wisdom (Insight) check (DC 15) to learn if an unseen entity is observing you, haunting the area, or influencing a nearby creature.