The Eldritch Author

Warlock Otherworldly Patron

The following material contains subclass features for those who accept Hughe Percival Lockcross as their warlock Patron. Even after Hughe's eventual death on a destroyed Ravnica, warlocks under his Patronage will not lose their Pact Magic Otherworldly Patron features. This is because their Dark Ringmaster will eventually ascend to become the entity known as the Eldritch Author, who exists beyond the linear concept of time, with no change to the powers bestowed to his warlocks.

Those who never meet the Dark Ringmaster are not excluded from these twisted gifts. Even millennia after his untimely demise, the Eldritch Author enjoys himself a good story and will seek warlocks from outside Hughe's life to entertain his endless desire for an epic adventurer. He sees the journeys of such warlocks as one would read a grand quest in an intriguing novel. If the Eldritch Author believes the tale too stale, he may impose literary hardships and obstacles to liven things up. Ironic to his namesake, he is likewise a reader who detests being bored of a potentially good book.

Eccentric Quirks

While it is often true that most warlocks are forever changed by their Patron in some manner or another, such is especially true for those under the watchful quill of the Eldritch Author. Since the majority of his chosen were already scholars and scribes of questionable clarity, most write off such alterations as inevitable to their already malformed psyche. But to the keen mind and observing eye the influence of this Patron, however insignificant to casual passersby, is far more noticeable.

Eccentric Quirks

d6	Quirk
1	I start scratching one specific part of my face when reading or inspecting something/someone closely. Sometimes this causes me to bleed and the scratch marks never heal.
2	I cease blinking and my expression curves to an unnatural grin when reading, writing, or talking about something I enjoy.
3	When wounded and not in immediate danger, I feel compelled to write with my blood as if it were ink. Sometimes I am convinced it is, in fact, actually ink.
4	My posture and facial features display symptoms of physical exhaustion even when I am not fatigued in the slightest.
5	I always find a way to remain calm and collected until I realize a new book or piece of favored information is available.
6	I often mention quotes and references to a plethora of subjects and people no one has ever heard of before (and, quite frankly, neither have I).

Eldritch Author Spells

The Eldritch Author lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Eldritch Author Expanded Spells

Spell Level	Spells
1st	bane, bless
2nd	aid, enhance ability
3rd	beacon of hope, haste
4th	death ward, freedom of movement
5th	creation, legend lore

Bonus Cantrips

At 1st level, you learn the thaumaturgy and vicious mockery cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but don't count against your number of cantrips known.

Thaumaturgy

You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip.

Vicious Mockery

You learn the Vicious Mockery cantrip.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 1st level, knowledge and tongues previously unknown to you are granted without your notice. You gain proficiency in your choice of Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion and may add double your proficiency bonus to one of those skills you are proficient in it (including the one chosen with this feature). You also learn one additional language of your choice.

Arcana

You are proficient in Arcana and add double your proficiency bonus with them. 

History

You are proficient in History and add twice your proficiency bonus to skill checks with it. 

Nature

You are proficient in Nature and add twice your proficiency bonus to skill checks made with it. 

Religion

You are proficient in Religion and add twice your proficiency bonus to skill checks with it. 

Mightier Than The Sword

Starting at 1st level, your every scribble and jot bends reality in ways not thought possible with a simple quill. During a long rest, you may magically craft a single bottle of eldritch ink that lasts until it is destroyed or consumed. You may have a total number of bottles of eldritch ink up to your proficiency bonus.

As an action, you may cast a spell with concentration that does not have a casting time longer than one action by writing with eldritch ink using a quill on any flat surface in place of somatic or material components unless the materials are consumed or have a specified gold value. The bottle of eldritch ink is destroyed in the process. Spells that are cast this way exist for half their duration (minimum 1 round) without needing to maintain concentration. You may only have one concentration spell active in this way at a time and cannot maintain or manipulate the spell during its duration if it uses an action or bonus action to do so (i.e. moving the sphere created through flaming sphere or controlling the target of crown of madness). If the writing or surface is smudged or destroyed with an action, or moved more than 10 feet from where it was inscribed, the spell cast by this feature ends.

Plot Armor

At 6th level, you dedicate your body as a proper vehicle for a story worthy of the Eldritch Author. By imbibing (drinking) a 1 ounce bottle of eldritch ink as an action, tattoos appear across your entire body in incomprehensible words and alphabet. Doing so grants you a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

This feature lasts for 3 days while the strange substance courses through your veins until it is expended, after which you must imbibe another 1 ounce bottle of eldritch ink to regain this feature. Effects like dispel magic can remove this benefit. Spells that sense magic like detect magic observe your entire body covered in a strange and unsettling bastardization of abjuration magic.

A Tale Neverending

The Dark Ringmaster or Eldritch Author has become so enamored by your deeds and character that he no longer wishes for a story without you in it. At 10th level, you cease aging, cannot die of old age, and you are immune to being magically aged.

While you carry at least one bottle of eldritch ink on your person, you gain advantage on death saving throws.

Deus Ex Morr'arx

At 14th level, your tale has become such a favorite of the Dark Ringmaster or Eldritch Author that he will occasionally intervene to keep the story of your life going. The first time you would drop to 0 hit points or you are subjected to an effect that would kill you instantaneously without dealing damage, death ward is cast on you as a reaction. You are not the designated caster, you do not choose when this feature triggers and no verbal components, somatic components, or spell slots are used. Truesight while observing this feature reveals a large, wraith-like entity in bright purple tatters looming over you briefly before vanishing.

The creature that was most directly responsible for dropping you to 0 hit points must succeed a Wisdom saving throw (spell save DC) or be frightened of you and the location where this feature triggered for 1 min. If the creature is immune to the frightened condition, it instead receives disadvantage on attacks made against you until the end of its next turn from the unsettling circumstances of your revival. These effects occur whether or not the affected creature can see or saw the entity.

After this feature triggers, it is unable to trigger again until you roll and beat a contested 1d20 roll against your DM at the end of every long rest until you regain use of this feature. Alternatively, your DM may decide on a prerequisite that the Dark Ringmaster or Eldritch Author demands of you in order to regain use of this feature.