Void Caster

Void casters are a standoffish and secretive lot, prone to delving into monster prowled ruins and the dark corners of moldering libraries with equal caution; carelessly reading a text that might be sprinkled with Void glyphs can be just as deadly as stumbling into a den of trolls. As Void casters continue to study Void Speech, they learn to properly invoke the words and glyphs to empower a special type of magic that taps the vast potential of the Void. Some Void casters risk the darkness for the sake of gaining knowledge or strengthening ones defenses against that which lies beyond. Others succumb to the madness and corruption that Void magic causes and become living conduits for the horrors seeking entry into the world. 

Void Affinity

A Void caster can accumulate twice the normal amount of Void taint before being affected by exposure to the Void, and has advantage on saving throws made to resist gaining Void taint.

Void Taint

Void taint is a measure of how much the Void's influence has seeped into and corrupted a creatures essence. Accumulating too much Void taint causes madness and physical debilitation. Whenever a creature is exposed to Void taint, it risks losing a small piece of itself to that influence. The Void attacks the very reality of the exposed creature, overwriting a fragment of its personal reality with a twisted version. An exposed creature must make a Charisma saving throw against a DC based on the severity of the exposure, as described on the Void Exposure table. On a successful save, the creature might be shaken or upset by the experience, but suffers no ill effects. Once a creature has succeeded on a saving throw against a particular kind of Void exposure, it is unaffected by further exposures of the same type until if finishes a long rest. 

Void Exposure:

Creature exposure type                                                                                   Charisma Saving DC

• finishes a rest within a Void tainted area                                                 10DC
• Learns Void tainted lore                                                                              10DC
• Attunes to a Void tainted magic item                                                       15CD
• Learns a mythos magic or Void spell                                                       10+ spell level DC
• Is subjected to a mythos magic or Void spell of 6th lv or higher         Caster's spell save DC
• Encounters a creature of the Void for the first time                               10+ the creatures Charisma modifier DC
• Is exposed to the void itself                                                                        20DC

 

On a failed save, the creature gains 1 point of Void taint. A creature can accumulate an amount of Void taint equal to its proficiency bonus + its Charisma modifies (minimum of 2pts) without harm. When a creature's Void taint exceeds that number, it is afflicted with a form of indefinite madness and its Void taint total is reset to 0. 

Indefinite Madness

D10 Flaw (Lasts Until Cured)

1. "I am obsessed with discovering the hidden meaning in seemingly random objects, such as shards of smashed glass." 
2. "Some event in my life never happened. I won't acknowledge it or anything to do with it."
3. "I hear them whispering, always whispering. They're loudest near corners of rooms and other angles in structures."
4. "I constantly scrawl a set of strange glyphs without realizing it, sometimes goin so far as to cut them into my own skin."
5. "When I'm excited or upset, some of my words come out in a different language that I don't even understand."
6. "The trappings and symbol of a certain deity cause me great pain to look upon or touch."
7. "Ordered collections of objects are fascinating, and I have to study and count them."
8. "I collect strange or disgusting trinkets, such as teeth of creatures I kill or scrapings of dirt from everywhere I sleep."
9. "The music is always with me, and I must let it out. It doesn't matter that no one else finds the song beautiful."
10. "I hear scratching just on the other side of interior walls."

Instead of bearing this scar on its psyche, a creature can choose to channel the Void's influence into a physical change, known as a flesh warp. The Void can produce an infinite variety of these effects, ranging from subtle to terrifying, the Flesh Warps table offers a number of possibilities. A creature that has any flesh warp has disadvantage on Charisma checks involving a creature not of the Void for any purpose other than intimidation. 

 

Flesh Warps

1. Barbed Hide. Spiny barbs protrude from the creature's skin. Any creature grappling the affected creature takes 2d4 piercing damage at the start of its turn. The affected creature experiences constant pain while wearing armor or heavy clothing, giving it disadvantage on Dexterity checks made under those conditions. the creature had disadvantage on Deception and Persuasion checks unless the barbs are hidden from sights (which may require covering the creature's face, at the GMs discretion) 
2. Eyeless. The creature's eyes rot away, vanish (leaving behind smooth flesh), or otherwise become useless. The creature permanently gains the blinded condition. This condition can't be removed without curing this flesh warp. The creature's other senses are enhances by the Void. granting it blindsight out to a range of 10 feet as long as the creature can hear. 
3. Gleaming Skin. The creature's skin takes on a waxy, unnatural sheen. It might be pale, translucent, or even crystalline in appearance. The gleam grants other creatures advantage on Wisdom (Perceptions) checks made to locate the creature by sight. If the creature is in bright light when it is the target of a melee attack, it can use its reaction to add 1 to its Armor Class if the attacker can see its skin.
4. Pliant Bones.  The creature’s skeleton becomes cartilaginous and pliable. The creature can move through a space as narrow as 6 inches wide without squeezing (provided the creature isn't wearing armor), and the creature's Strength is reduced by 2. 
5. Prehensile Tail. The creature grows a 3-foot-long prehensile tail. The creature can use the tail to make one melee weapon attack with a simple weapon weighing 2 pounds or less, or to make one unarmed strike that deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + the creature’s Strength modifier. The creature has disadvantage on Acrobatics checks.
6. Proboscis. The creature’s mouth mutates into a long, tubular organ like the maw of a mosquito, moth, or worm. The creature loses the ability to speak and has disadvantage on Deception and Persuasion checks unless the proboscis is hidden from sight. The creature can use the proboscis to make a blood draining melee weapon attack. The attack roll can be made using Strength or Dexterity; a hit deals piercing damage equal to 1d4 + the creatures Strength modifier, and the creature becomes attached to the target. While attached, the creature can't attack but deals the attacks damage automatically to the creature its attached to. The creature can detach by spending 5 feet of movement. the creature being attacked or one of it's allies within 5 feet of it can free the creature from the proboscis automatically by using an action to do so.
7. Sentient Tumors. Large cystic tumors sprout from the creature’s shoulder, arm, or back. These growths are sentient and emit a weak psychic field. The character’s mind cannot be read telepathically or affected by divination spells. If the character takes psychic damage, however, he or she must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects of a confusion spell for 1 minute. The character also has disadvantage on Deception and Persuasion checks unless the tumors are hidden from sight.
8. Stench. The creature exudes the stink of rotting flesh, acrid chemicals, sickly sweet perfume, or some other odious aroma. Any other creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the affected creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. This stink clings to any objects that remain in the creature’s possession for at least 24 hours. Attempting to sell any such object might be impossible, or yields only half the normal price at best. Food in the creature’s possession spoils after 24 hours.
9. Tentacles.  One of the creature’s hands twists into a nest of writhing tentacles. Any check or saving throw the creature makes to maintain a grip or a grapple is made with advantage. Any check or saving throw it makes involving fine motor control or Dexterity is made with disadvantage.
10. Tusks. The creature’s incisors grow into enormous, curved and discolored tusks like those of a boar or a warthog. The creature has difficulty speaking and must make a successful DC 12 Dexterity check to cast a spell that has a verbal component.

Curing Flesh Warps and Void Taint

A Greater Restoration spell removes 1 point of Void Taint from the target, in addition to curing the target's indefinite madness, if the creature succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. Flesh warps are permanent manifestations of the Void within the body of a tainted creature and are incredibly difficult to remove. A regenerate spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a creature of a flesh warp. 

 

 

 

Whispers of the Void

Starting at 2nd level, as a bonus action immediately before casting a spell of 1st level or higher, a Void caster can utter a few words of Void Speech and weave its dark magic into the spell. The tainted spell disorients one creature the caster can see that the spell affects when it is cast. The creature has disadvantage om the next attack roll or ability check it makes before the start of the Void casters next turn. The caster must be able to speak in order to use this feature. 

Rebuke From Beyond

Beginning at 6th level, when damaged by a creature within 60 feet, a Void caster can use a reaction to bark a destructive word of Void Speech. If the creature can hear the caster, it takes necrotic damage equal to half the caster's wizard level + his or her spell casting modifier. A caster can use this ability a number of times equal to his or her spell casting modifier (minimum of 1), and regains all expended uses after finishing a long rest. The caster can't use this feature if he or she is unable to speak.

Powerful Echo

Starting at 10th level, when casting a Void magic spell that targets only one creature, a Void caster can also target a second creature. Additionally, he or she has advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on Void spells.

Manifestations

At 14th level, a Void caster can choose a point he or she can see within 60 feet and use an action to utter a complicated phrase in Void Speech. The area within 20 feet of the point is shrouded in dim light for 1 minute. Any creature in the area that is hostile to the caster gains vulnerability to necrotic damage and has disadvantage on Wisdom checks. An affected creature that starts its turn in the area or that enters the area for the first time on its turn takes 3d6 necrotic damage, or half that damage with a successful Constitution saving throw (using the Void casters spell save DC). Once the caster uses this ability it can't be used again until after finishing a long rest. The caster can't use this feature if he or she is unable to speak.