Deathwarden

"We are those who walk with the dead, guarding their passage beyond the veil, punishing those who profane their rest, and preserving the memory of all who came before."

Introduction

The Deathwardens are chosen servants of the Matron of Ravens, guardians of memory and sanctity. You have been trained to escort souls safely to the afterlife, protect their final rest, and punish necromancy and blasphemous rites. To the living, you are a comfort; to the undead and their masters, you are relentless doom.

Detailed Description

Deathwardens walk the line between life and death. You have stood beside grieving families, whispered final prayers over the fallen, and wielded your gifts to ensure no soul is stolen by corruption. Whether your role is psychopomp, mourner, or executioner, you embody the Matron’s dual charge: memory preserved, death sanctified.

You may have trained in the funeral houses of Ozythralis, walked the cemeteries of Thaldrinor, or stood with the Last Rites in their battle against necromancers and fiends. Wherever death is, so too are you.

Background Feature: Keeper of the Veil

• You are recognized as an agent of the Matron’s will. Ordinary folk instinctively trust you to handle death with sanctity. You can secure free passage into cemeteries, burial grounds, mausoleums, or places of mourning.
• When confronted with undead, you can attempt to compel them with a show of authority. Roll a Charisma (Religion) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Insight). On a success, unintelligent undead hesitate or retreat for 1 round. Intelligent undead may parley or respect your authority, depending on the DM.

Background Bonuses

• Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Insight
• Tool Proficiencies: One artisan’s tool used for funerary practices (mason’s tools, calligrapher’s supplies, woodcarver’s tools).
• Languages: Two of your choice, often tied to cultures of the dead (such as Celestial, Undercommon, or a local tongue).

Background Feats

• At character creation, you gain the Magic Initiate (Cleric) feat, but you must choose one cantrip tied to memory or death (Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, Toll the Dead).
• Alternatively, you may take the Skill Expert feat, representing your role as a keeper of lore and memory.

Background Ability Bonuses

• Increase Wisdom by +2 and Charisma by +1, or distribute +1 to three different abilities.

Background Specific Table: Role of the Deathwarden

Choose or roll to define your place in the Matron’s work:

d6	Role	Flavor
1	The Psychopomp	You guide souls with prayers, rituals, and calm presence, easing their journey.
2	The Mourner	You keep vigil at funerals, reciting the names of the dead so they are never forgotten.
3	The Sentinel	You guard burial sites, crypts, and shrines from desecration and necromancy.
4	The Judge	You stand in judgment of the wicked, ensuring necromancers and oathbreakers pay their due.
5	The Archivist	You collect names, memories, and histories, preserving the lives of the fallen in written or oral record.
6	The Raven’s Blade	You walk as executioner, striking down those who defy death’s sanctity.

Background Equipment

• Holy symbol of the Matron of Ravens
• Artisan’s tool tied to funerary craft
• Black funerary robes and travel clothes
• Small book of names and memories you’ve preserved
• 15 gold coins

Background Characteristics

Personality Traits (choose or roll)

1. I speak softly, as though in a funeral hall.
2. I remember every name of the dead I’ve ever buried.
3. I light a candle at dawn and dusk for those who passed that day.
4. I never lie about matters of life and death.
5. I keep feathers, bells, or tokens from funerals as reminders.
6. I rarely smile, but when I do, it carries the weight of sincerity.

Ideals

1. Memory. No life should vanish without remembrance.
2. Sanctity. Death is sacred; it must never be profaned.
3. Vigilance. The undead are abominations that must be destroyed.
4. Mercy. The grieving must be comforted, even in despair.
5. Judgment. Necromancers and oathbreakers must be punished.
6. Balance. Life and death are two halves of one whole; neither must dominate.

Bonds

1. I swore an oath to preserve the memory of my family.
2. I carry the funeral mask of my mentor.
3. I buried a village alone after a necromancer’s attack.
4. I follow a raven that only I can see, believing it to be the Matron’s guide.
5. I keep a book of names that grows heavier with each death I witness.
6. I lost someone dear to undeath; I will never allow it again.

Flaws

1. I cannot forgive necromancers, even if redemption is offered.
2. I am haunted by the names I couldn’t preserve.
3. I see omens of death in every shadow.
4. I refuse to speak the names of the profane dead.
5. I can be cold and distant, even to those I care for.
6. I envy the dead for their peace.

Contacts/Organization

Deathwardens are often tied to the Last Rites, the strike team of the Matron’s faithful in Ozythralis. Others serve in village shrines, city catacombs, or as lone wanderers. You can reliably find shelter, aid, or respect in places that honor the Matron of Ravens, and you may know allies among the Last Rites who share your calling.

"Every name written. Every life remembered. Every soul guided to its rightful rest. This is our burden, our duty, and our unending vigil."

Deathwarden Trinket Table

When you create a character with the Deathwarden Background, you may roll a d12 or choose a trinket from the list below.

d12	Trinket	Description
1	Black Feather Pendant	A raven’s feather encased in glass, always cold to the touch.
2	Funeral Bell Charm	A tiny silver bell on a chain. It rings faintly when undead are near.
3	Memory-Stone	A smooth black stone carved with the name of the first soul you ever guided.
4	Vial of Grave Dust	Dust from a sanctified burial ground, used to consecrate the fallen.
5	Veil Fragment	A scrap of black funerary cloth, embroidered with silver thread in the shape of a raven.
6	Bone Bead Bracelet	A bracelet made of carved bone beads, each etched with a forgotten name.
7	Wax Seal of the Matron	A small iron stamp that impresses the image of a raven in flight.
8	Jar of Ashes	A tiny clay urn sealed with wax, said to hold the ashes of an unknown soul.
9	Calligrapher’s Quill	A black quill pen tipped with silver, meant for writing the names of the dead.
10	Coin for the Ferryman	An ancient silver coin carried in a leather pouch, never spent.
11	Glass Eye	A single glass eye taken from a funerary mask, its gaze strangely lifelike.
12	Raven Skull Charm	A small polished bird skull strung on black cord, used as a ward against necromancy.

 

Rituals of the Deathwarden Table

When you take the Deathwarden Background, you may choose or roll on this table to define the sacred practices you perform. Each ritual reflects your devotion to the Matron of Ravens and your duty as one of Those Who Walk With the Dead.

d8	Ritual of the Deathwarden	Description
1	The Candle Vigil	At dawn and dusk, you light a single black or white candle in honor of all who passed that day. You whisper a name of someone you remember with each flame.
2	The Feather Offering	You keep a raven’s feather on your person at all times. When you witness death, you release the feather to the wind, symbolizing the soul’s final flight.
3	The Bell Toll	You carry a small funerary bell and toll it once for each soul you bury or consecrate, calling the Matron to witness.
4	The Veil Binding	When preparing a body, you tie a strip of black cloth across its eyes. You keep a small scrap from each veil as a token of remembrance.
5	The Ash Mark	Before battle, you mark your brow (or weapon) with ash to remind yourself that death is always near and must be respected.
6	The Silent Hour	Each day, you spend one hour in total silence, dedicating your thoughts to the memory of those you’ve guided. During this time, you refuse to speak or act frivolously.
7	The Name Stone	You carry smooth stones etched with the names of the fallen. When a stone grows too heavy to bear, you bury it in consecrated ground.
8	The Raven’s Prayer	Before sleep, you recite a litany to the Matron of Ravens, asking her to guard the dreams of the living and the rest of the dead.

 

Ability Scores:

• Increase Wisdom by +2 and Charisma by +1, or distribute +1 to three different abilities.

Feat:

• At character creation, you gain the Magic Initiate (Cleric) feat, but you must choose one cantrip tied to memory or death (Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, Toll the Dead).
• Alternatively, you may take the Skill Expert feat, representing your role as a keeper of lore and memory.

Skill Proficiencies: Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Insight

Tool Proficiencies: Tool Proficiencies: One artisan’s tool used for funerary practices (mason’s tools, calligrapher’s supplies, woodcarver’s tools).

Languages: Two of your choice, often tied to cultures of the dead (such as Celestial, Undercommon, or a local tongue).

Equipment:

• Holy symbol of the Matron of Ravens
• Artisan’s tool tied to funerary craft
• Black funerary robes and travel clothes
• Small book of names and memories you’ve preserved
• 15 gold coins

Suggested Characteristics

d6	Personality Trait
1	I speak softly, as though in a funeral hall.
2	I remember every name of the dead I’ve ever buried.
3	I light a candle at dawn and dusk for those who passed that day.
4	I never lie about matters of life and death.
5	I keep feathers, bells, or tokens from funerals as reminders.
6	I rarely smile, but when I do, it carries the weight of sincerity.

d6	Ideal
1	Memory. No life should vanish without remembrance.
2	Sanctity. Death is sacred; it must never be profaned.
3	Vigilance. The undead are abominations that must be destroyed.
4	Mercy. The grieving must be comforted, even in despair.
5	Judgment. Necromancers and oathbreakers must be punished.
6	Balance. Life and death are two halves of one whole; neither must dominate.

d6	Bond
1	I swore an oath to preserve the memory of my family.
2	I carry the funeral mask of my mentor.
3	I buried a village alone after a necromancer’s attack.
4	I follow a raven that only I can see, believing it to be the Matron’s guide.
5	I keep a book of names that grows heavier with each death I witness.
6	I lost someone dear to undeath; I will never allow it again.

d6	Flaw
1	I cannot forgive necromancers, even if redemption is offered.
2	I am haunted by the names I couldn’t preserve.
3	I see omens of death in every shadow.
4	I refuse to speak the names of the profane dead.
5	I can be cold and distant, even to those I care for.
6	I envy the dead for their peace.