Kingsblood Sorcery (RotW)

This class is designed for the Rhythm of the Warsong campaign setting.

Long ago, when the notes of the Warsong were first scattered, men aimlessly fought amongst each other with no unity. They clawed at the opportunity to obtain the esoteric power of the Warsong's rhythm, greed, and wrath fueling them as they killed their own kin and sacrificed all. It was an aimless world of violent tribes and giant, ancient monsters that controlled the lands. Then came the old kings. Slayers of the ancient monsters, unifiers of men, and conquerors of lands. From the Warfather of Brocheran, to Reayon I, first Great Lord of Ildregaard, the old kings formed nations out of warring tribes. And while unity and greatness was not found through peace, but war, something different marked the old kings, setting them apart from the common tyrants. Something grander than the notes they composed upon themselves. Kingsblood.

Blessed and granted by and the old gods and new, kingsblood is the designation of great men. In the Oldtimes, when the old kings came to rise, their blood turned purple for achieving what they had, which marked them as destined to rule. Who could not follow a leader endorsed by the gods? However, when a person bearing kingsblood died, their soul went directly to Old Heaven, no other afterlife. For this reason, even the strongest resurrection spells could not revive those of purple blood, for they had not truly died, but instead rejoined their gods where they belonged, far out of the reach of mortal magic. Though gone from mortals perception, their power still lingered. While kingsblood was a blessing, a gift from the gods, it was still hereditary-- dominantly so. Your blood was either purple or red, no in-between. Over the centuries, kingsblood was been bred into noble families, in order to preserve it and use it as a bargain to marry off noble children to rulers of the world. Kingsblood has even made its way into the veins of common people, through either whores who had slept with nobles, or by secret affairs.

Whilst still rare, kingsblood permeates within the culture of Spokenword and it no longer retains its prominence a divine mark, save for the few royal kingsblood bloodlines, most of the purple-blooded alive today are of noble or diluted heritage. In a last attempt to revive the power and prestige that kingsblood once held, sorcerers of the world sought a way to tap into the power of the long-lost bloodlines. They succeeded, but in an obtuse way. Though the souls of the great purple-blooded had long passed, their presence still persisted in echoes of modern kingsblood. Thus, the art of kingsblood sorcery was born, using magic to link the bloodline of a purple-blooded sorcerer to the bloodlines of great rulers, temporarily utilizing their power. These became known as blood invocations, the last vestiges of the power of past kings. Sorcerers who practice the art today not only seek power through the linking of their bloodlines, but a sense of greatness that is wholly unmatched.

Restriction: Kingsblood

Only those who bear the coveted purple blood known as kingsblood can partake in this sorcerous origin and link their bloodline to the great kings of the past. It does not matter whether your own bloodline is royal, noble, or diluted, only that you are purple-blooded. When creating your RotW character, you can opt to bear kingsblood, but it comes with both cost and reward.

Blood Vestige

Starting at 1st level, you become able to temporarily link your bloodline to the kings and leaders of the past, borrowing a portion of their power. You can use a bonus action to manifest the ancestry of your kingsblood into a small, magical mass known as a blood vestige. Your blood vestige appears as a fist-sized apparition that represents your bloodline, i.e. a crown, coin, flame, etc. You must continuously sustain your blood vestige in an empty hand, where it gently levitates and follows your palm.

Your blood vestige can be sustained until you dispel it as a bonus action. It is dispelled early if you are incapacitated or if you use your hand that is sustaining your blood vestige for any other purpose than sustaining it. While you are sustaining your blood vestige, your AC increases by 1 and you can use your Blood Vestige as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.

Ancestral Link

Starting at 1st level, using the power of your blood vestige, you can link your bloodline to the kings and great rulers of the past, temporarily utilizing their power. These powers are contained in the form of blood invocations, special abilities you can use with an array of effects. Blood invocations are not treated as spells but they are magical in nature. In order to use a blood invocation, your blood vestige must be active and sustained. If your blood vestige is dispelled, any lingering effects of blood invocations disappear as well. You can only use one blood invocation per turn.

Learning Blood Invocations. You learn two blood invocations of your choice, which are detailed under “Blood Invocations” below.  You learn an additional blood invocation of your choice at 6th and 14th level. Each time you learn new blood invocation, you can also replace one blood invocation you know with a different one. Blood invocations usually become stronger at 5th, 11th, and 17th level. Note that this scaling refers to your player level, not exclusively your sorcerer level.

Using Blood Invocations. You have two uses of this feature. Every time you use a blood invocation, you expend a use of this feature. If you have no remaining uses of this feature, you cannot use any blood invocations. You regain all expended uses when you take a short rest or long rest. Beginning at 6th level, you can use this feature three times between rests, and at 14th level, you can use it four times between rests.

Blood Invocations

The blood invocations are presented in alphabetical order. 

Adaum's Supremacy

Adaum Turgenev, known as "Adaum the Tyrant" was the last king of a united Voljord. One of the few Anckerdemnish rulers to bear kingsblood, he thought himself higher than all others, worthy of all he did not have. In an act of unwarranted aggression, he declared war on Wintervale, but his people did not care for war. A surrender was quick to came, and Adaum was quick to fall.

As a bonus action, you can raise your blood vestige to the heavens, symbolizing your supremacy just as Turgenev had. Until the start of your next turn, or until your blood vestige is dispelled, attack rolls against you cannot have advantage, and attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws you make cannot have disadvantage.

Blair's Riposte

During the Last Battle of Unvaril, which began the Valkran Civil War, the first king of Separill, Blair White, struck down Edrick Skyne I with a riposte of his dagger, killing not only the last emperor of the Valkran Empire, but the entire empire itself.

When a creature misses a melee weapon attack against you within your reach, you may use your reaction to form your blood vestige into a small dagger which you can plunge into the opponent. Make a melee spell attack against that creature. On a hit, you deal piercing damage equal to 2d4 + your Charisma modifier and the creature cannot make reactions until the start of their next turn.

You must be a 6th-level sorcerer to learn this invocation. This invocation's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

Brys's Sacrifice

A selfless king of Separill, Brys White defended the capital of Hollow during the Second Battle of the Black Castle, where Ridian's Blue Insurgency was invading. Brys rode on his horse, through the first line of defense, and detonated a powerful arcane bomb, sacrificing himself to take out over half of the Insurgency and win the battle.

As an action, you can form your blood vestige into a powerful mass of arcane energy, which then detonates, causing massive damage. Every creature within a 20-foot radius of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 3d10 force damage. On a success, a creature takes half damage. You do not make a saving throw, but due to the resilience of your kingsblood and blood vestige, you only take half of the damage dealt.

This invocation's damage increases by 3d10 when you reach 5th level (6d10), 11th level (9d10), and 17th level (12d10).

Daamir's Strength

The desert regions of southern Valkeran were as deadly as they were chaotic. Tribes of raiders and warriors scoured the sands, some in flee of the expanding empire in the north, some in hopes of creating nations. In the end, only the strength of Daamir of the Warrior could unite the Sands of Ulur. Daamir was destined to ascend to godhood, so he did.

You become able to call upon your blood vestige to tap into the strength of Daamir the Warrior, gaining a fragment of his power. As a bonus action, touch one creature. Their Strength score increases to 20, if it is not 20 already, and they have advantage on all Strength-based skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for 1 round (6 seconds) or until your blood vestige is dispelled.

This invocation's duration increases to 2 rounds when you reach 5th level, 3 rounds at 11th level, and to 1 minute at 17th level.

Edrick's Feathers

After the death of his father and the fall of his empire, Edrick Skyne II was left not as emperor, but as the first king of Reunice. And if not for Edrick II's gracefulness and diplomacy, Reunice would have been burnt to the ground in the civil war, instead of remaining a friendly power with the countries that seceded from it.

As an action on your turn, you can form your blood vestige into feathers, symbolizing Edrick II's peaceful nature. Target a creature you can see within 80 feet of you. They instantly become charmed by you as they are showered in apparitions of feathers. This charm lasts for 10 minutes or until your blood vestige is dispelled. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect is not broken when you or your allies harm the creature, but they do become aware they were charmed by you. Otherwise, the creature does not know they were charmed by you when the effect ends.

You can only have one instance of this invocation active at once, and you can end its effects as a free action on your turn.

Kurdrela's Fortitude

A defector from the Steel Union, a dwarf with a gut of iron, and one of the few women to ever lead a country, Kurdrela Ironfall was the first Commander of the People's Republic of Iron, a militaristic country dedicated to keeping Ildregaard's Mekanönian affairs in order. She was incredibly brave and durable, fighting to her last hurrah in the Iron Massacre.

As a bonus action, you can form your blood vestige into a mug full of hardy ale and you become temporarily numb to pain. You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + twice your player level and you have advantage on Constitution saving throws, with a bonus to them equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). These effects last until the start of your next turn.

Reayon's Spear

Reayon was a name none knew in the lawless northeastern continent, a land that had no name, ruled by the Four Lords of Compass, one lord at each edge of the continent. That was, until they all fell to Reayon's spear, and the army that he raised from commoners. Soon, the pointless continent had purpose. It had dignity. It had a name. And it had a ruler. Hail Ildregaard.

As an action, you can form your blood vestige into Great Lord Reayon I's spear, which slew many lords and conquered Ildregaard. Make a ranged spell attack against one creature within 80 feet of you. On a hit, they are rended by the spear and take piercing damage equal to 1d12 + your Charisma modifier. Additionally, their speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn.

This invocation's damage increases by 1d12 when you reach 5th level (2d12), 11th level (3d12), and 17th level (4d12).

Rekane's Burning

Relatruese IX was always a problem child. Inobedient. Violent. Mean. A childhood of neglect led to him murdering his father and becoming Great Lord. Though, he gave himself a new name. Rekane. The first and only. For nobody wished to continue his name after he set fire to the innocents of the PRI and brought war to Ildregaard. An era of shame.

As an action, target up to 2 creatures you can see within 120 feet. With a chaotic flame roaring out from your blood vestige, those creatures are set on fire. They instantly take 1d8 fire damage and must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or else the fire persists on them. On a success, they only take the initial damage and the fire subsides. Whenever a creature that is on fire starts their turn, they take an additional 1d8 fire damage. At the end of their turn, they may repeat the saving throw. The fire also subsides when your blood vestige is dispelled.

This invocation can target up to 4 creatures when you reach 5th level, up to 6 creatures at 11th level, and up to 8 creatures at 17th level.

Remillien's Fortune

Great Lord Remillien I was given his name by Reayon XIII so he would usher in an age of fortune as global trade became viable for Ildregaard, as his name meant "the lord of gold." While the country didn't find immediate wealth under Remillien I, under the rule of his grandson, Remillien III, Ildregaard became the wealthiest country in all of Spokenword, funding its immense military.

As an action, your blood vestige takes the form of a chest of gold, releasing two floating gold coins of fortune. These coins harmlessly orbit around you for 1 minute, or until your blood vestige is dispelled. Whenever a creature you can see within 120 feet of you fails a skill check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a coin and allow that creature to reroll their roll, benefiting of off Great Lord Remillien III's good fortune. They must take the new roll.

You must be a 6th-level sorcerer to learn this invocation. This invocation creates 3 coins at 11th level, and 4 coins at 17th level.

Sel'Faer's Mirror

The high elves of Brocheran were the few, but powerful group that introduced magic to the common people, presented as a gift of Lillith. However, of these high elves, their leader, Sel'Faer Solisir, was one of the few to master the craft. Seeing the danger in magic's destructive potential, he invented the Counterspell and Dispel Magic spells to mitigate its absolute power.

As an action, you quickly summon the apparition of a beautifully crafted mirror from your blood vestige, which you then assign the mirror to protect one creature you can see within 120 feet of you, which can be yourself. Whenever the assigned creature is targeted by or affected by any spell, the mirror slightly cracks and completely protects the creature from the spell. The mirror can crack 2 times before it shatters and ends this invocation. You can only have one mirror active at once. You can assign the mirror to protect a different creature as a bonus action.

You must be a 6th-level sorcerer to learn this invocation. The mirror can crack 3 times before breaking when you reach 11th level, and 4 times at 17th level.

Tel'Or's Arrow

Much like Sel'Faer Solisir was the ruler of high elves, Tel'Or Preslynn was the ruler of the wood elves and a master of the hunt. Whenever a beast ran, her arrow would follow. It was under her 300-year protection and reign that the wood elves were able to defend themselves from the orcs, and eventually drive them out of the forests of Valkeran.

As an action, you can cause your blood vestige to quickly shoot out an arrow of magic, seeking the heart of your enemy. Make a ranged spell attack at one creature within 120 feet of you. On a hit, they take 1d8 piercing damage and the arrow becomes stuck in them for 1 minute or until your blood vestige is dispelled. As a bonus action, you can teleport in front of them, pulling the arrow out of them as you arrive and dealing an additional 1d6 piercing damage.

The damage this invocation deals when you pull the arrow out increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Uhzog's Warcry

The Winter Horde of Anckerdemn was and continues to be the largest and fiercest horde of orcs in all of Spokenword. And of it, the greatest Warchief of the Winter Horde was Uhzog Boulderstomper, who was said to have killed so many Voljordian nobles that his blood turned purple from the sheer amount he spilled onto his skin. In his words: "Uhzog strongest. Uhzog scariest."

As an action, you can take the power of your blood vestige into yourself, then erupting with a warcry similar to the volume and might of Uhzog himself. All hostile creatures within a 60-foot radius of yourself must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or become frightened of you until the start of your next turn. All creatures within 5 feet of you when you emit the warcry immediately take 1d6 thunder damage and become deafened for 1 minute. Hostile creatures that become defend have disadvantage on their saving throw.

This invocation's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Warfather's Greatsword

Often considered to be the first man to ever bear Kingsblood, the first emperor of the Valkran Empire whose name history has since forgot, the Warfather united Valkeran through his strength and leadership. It is widely theorized he was a powerful composer, but of all the unknowns that surround him, one thing is certain: his greatsword brought the end of many men.

As an action, your blood vestige assumes the form of the Warfather's greatsword, which you can bring down upon an enemy with a heavy vertical slice. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, they take slashing damage equal to 2d6 + your Charisma modifier and must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.

This invocation's damage increases by 2d6 when you reach 5th level (4d6), 11th level (6d6), and 17th level (8d6).

Yousuf's Shield

Yousuf the Guardian, the younger brother of Daamir, and the first sultan of the Kingdom of the North Sands, Yousuf made his mark on the people of the desert after defending off invading tribes from the north, not letting a single man die behind his shield. For this reason and many others, Yousuf joined his older brother in godhood.

As a bonus action, you can summon a shield from your blood vestige, taking its place in front of you. The shield lasts for 1 minute or until your blood vestige is dispelled. It grants you a +2 bonus to your AC as long as you are not already benefitting from a shield. Additionally, all non-magical damage you take while the shield is active is decreased by 1.

This invocation's damage reduction increases to 2 when you reach 5th level, to 3 at 11th level, and to 5 at 17th level.

Arcane Hemorrhage

Starting at 6th level, your kingsblood becomes able to enhance your natural spellcasting, increasing the potency of your spells when your blood spills. After taking at least 1 hit point of damage (except for psychic damage), you begin to leak your blood, which enhances your spells for 1 minute after it first leaves your veins. During this time, your spell attack bonus and spell save DC are both increased by 1. If the damage puts you beneath half of your maximum hit points, the bonus increases to 2 instead.

Invocation Mastery

Starting at 14th level, you gain the greatest insight into your blood invocations and the skill of linking your bloodline. You can now use metamagic on your blood invocations where it is applicable, despite them not being spells, they are treated as cantrips for this purpose. 

Awakened Vestige

At 18th level, your awaken your blood vestige, making your bloodline and the link to others an innate part of your being, making your entire body a blood vestige. You gain the following benefits:

• Your blood vestige no longer needs to be sustained in an empty hand, and it takes a much larger form all over your body, such as a full-sized crown atop your head, a deathly cape, or a constant flame over your skin.
• You can expend 5 sorcery points to use a blood invocation without expending a use of Ancestral Link, or if you have no uses remaining.
• You can switch any of your blood invocations for any other whenever you take a long rest.

Additionally, once per short rest as a bonus action, you can expend a use of Ancestral Link to take the power of the linked bloodlines directly into your blood, restoring hit points equal to half your sorcerer level + your Constitution score.