The Diabolical Court

You’ve made a pact with the Judges of Baator, also known as the Diabolical Court, the pitfiends who rule on and maintain devilish contracts. The Supreme Court of the Nine Hells, these devils are tasked with maintaining order between the underworld and mortal souls. They gain power and influence with each deal that is made, and accreditation for each contract followed through on both sides.

Expanded Spell List

The Diabolical Court 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.

Spell level               Spells

 

1:                            Command, Disguise Self

2:                            Detect Thoughts, Calm Emotions

3:                            Sending, Nondetection

4:                            Dominate Beast, Locate Creature

5:                            Dominate Person, Geas

 

Dance with the Devil

Starting at 1st level, you can make Diabolical Contracts between yourself and others. Your total number of running Contracts is equal to your spellcasting modifier. You can make deals with anyone or anything, so long as it has a soul (some sentient items might apply). 

To begin a Contract, you must offer a gift or service, to which the contractee agrees to a price. Either party may negotiate to make the deal more advantageous for themselves. The Contract can be drawn up on any paper, but must be written in blood, and you do not have to announce all the conditions you put down. For this “fine print”, add your proficiency bonus to any Charisma (Deception) checks you make. Both contractor and contractee must sign the Contract in blood.

Once the deal is signed, whoever has entered the deal with you is Charmed so long as the Contract is in effect. If a creature bound to your Contract breaks the deal, fails to pay the price, or dies before completion, they suffer an immediate penalty specified in the written deal (preferably their soul). If both parties fulfill their side of the deal, the Contract is ended. You may own up to as many souls as your Warlock level, and those left over go to your patron. If the creature is alive, it continues living its mortal life. If the creature is dead, its soul is stored within a receptacle that you keep on your person, preferably something small, like a watch or a gem. 

Owned souls retain their intellect, memories, and personality, even those within you. While living souls continue their daily lives, stay sentient within the receptacle of your choice. Whenever in your presence, owned souls must follow your instructions, whether willing or unwilling. 

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Conjure Souls

At 6th level, as an action you may summon one soul, willing or unwilling, that you own. These souls may be returned with a bonus action.

If the creature is dead, it appears as an orb, floating five feet above the ground and shedding dim light for twenty feet. The soul retains its personality, intellect, and memories, and can speak freely. As a bonus action, you may move it up to 30 feet, and when hit, the soul returns to you undamaged. 

If the creature is alive, it appears in its ordinary form, and can use its normal stats. The soul follows your instructions, and acts on its own turn. If the creature is killed, it’s soul floats towards you and joins the rest of your souls.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Slick Salesman

Starting at 10th level, you begin to expand your Contract abilities. In order to lock a soul into a Contract, the contractee no longer needs to be aware that a deal is taking place or what their price is, but they must be aware that they are receiving something. While a paper document must exist, a soul no longer needs to sign it properly; instead, if a creature shakes your hand, agrees to receive your offer, or follows an instruction you give them, their signature will appear on the paper, and the Contract will begin. 

If you have written out a Contract, you may communicate telepathically with an unconscious creature you are touching to request a signature. You appear in their mind, you may negotiate, and if they agree to the terms, their signature will appear on the Contract.

Master of Chains

At 14 level, your power over souls becomes otherworldly. You may use your souls the following ways:

• You attack a soul you have summoned, landing a crit. You target a creature you can see or whose name you speak out loud. The target must make a Charisma saving throw against your Spell Save DC. If they fail, they take all the damage you dealt to the soul, as necrotic damage. If they succeed, they take half damage. The soul is destroyed.
• You touch a soul you have summoned, and the orb or creature explodes, leaving faint streaks of light behind. Three creatures of your choice within 30 feet regain 5d8 hit points. The soul is destroyed. 
• You possess the body of one soul you own. For ten minutes, you control, perceive, and speak through the creature. While possessing the creature, your body falls unconscious. If your body or the creature’s body takes any damage, the connection is broken, and you wake up in your body

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.