Custom Ability: A Chronicle of Heroes

Heroic Insight:

While you have access to this ability, you gain a bonus to Intelligence (History) checks equal to your Wisdom Modifier. 

Hero's Chronicle:

Activation: Bonus Action

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Recharge: Once per dawn

I am not a hero. I record, I observe, I guide—but I do not seek glory. Yet in witnessing the deeds of others, and chronicling the epic, I leave my own mark. These stories flow through me and in so doing, weave my presence into the tapestry of legend, whether I wish it or not.

You have gained the ability to unleash the knowledge of the archetypal path of heroes, inspiring allies, bolstering yourself, and unleashing extraordinary feats. The Chronicle contains four sequential stories, each reflecting a stage of the Hero’s Journey.

• Story Progression: At the start of your turn, as a free action, you may advance to the next book. Or you may remain under the effects of a single book for up to three rounds. Once the final book is reached, this ability deactivates automatically at the end of your turn.
• Please note: 
  • This ability can only be active while in combat initiative. Exiting initiative automatically ends this ability.
  • You may only benefit from the effects of one book at a time.
  • Additional effects that require prerequisites still apply only if conditions are met.

Books of the Chronicle:

Book One: The Call to Adventure — the Iliad

• Effect: You and allies within 10 ft. gain +1d4 to weapon attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.

The Iliad, Book 1, Line 1

Book Two: The Supreme Ordeal — Fáfnismál

• Effect: Choose a number of allies equal to your Wisdom modifier (including yourself) within 30 ft. They gain 1d8 temporary HP, and weapon attacks deal +1d4 additional damage until the start of your next turn.
• Damage Type: Necrotic, acid, or poison (chosen once this story is activated, and at the beginning of subsequent turns while active).

Youth, oh, youth! of whom then, youth, art thou born?
Say whose son thou art,
Who in Fáfnir's blood thy bright blade reddened,
And struck thy sword to my heart

The Poetic Edda, Fáfnismál, stanza 14 

Book 3: Transformation — Journey to the West

• Effect: Once per turn, after hitting a creature, you may teleport up to 30 ft. If you attack immediately after teleporting without using additional movement, you have advantage on the attack.

He held it in his hands, saying, 'Don't run! Let old Monkey try his hand on you with this rod!'

Journey to the West, Chapter 57

Book Four: The Heroes Return — the Odyssey

Effect: Gain one use of Action Surge for this turn.

Though you should give me all that you have in the world both now and all that you ever shall have, I will not stay my hand till I have paid all of you in full. You must fight, or flee for your lives; and flee, not a man of you shall.

The Odyssey, Book 22, Lines 68–70

Storyteller’s Boon

• If all four stories are activated without losing concentration, choose one boon that lasts until your next short or long rest:
  • Rage of Achilles: You gain a bonus 1d6 damage on monk weapon/unarmed strikes.
  • Blood of Fáfnir: You may choose to convert all of your attack's damage type to poison, acid, or necrotic. This damage overcomes resistance, and suppresses immunity to the poisoned condition. If the target is poisoned while their immunity is suppressed it continues to afflict them for the usual duration indicated on the spell or ability you used to poison them. 
  • Leap of the Great Sage: After each successful attack, you may choose to teleport up to 30 ft. If no additional movement is expended before attacking again, you gain advantage on the attack.
  • Nobody’s Gambit: Once per turn, you can choose to add your Wisdom modifier to an attack roll after rolling but before knowing if it hits.

Epic Storyteller’s Boon: 

• If all stories are activated for their maximum duration before losing concentration:
  • Your selected Storyteller’s Boon instead lasts for 24 hours.
  • You gain advantage on all History checks for the full duration of the Boon.
  • You gain a bonus effect, based on the boon you selected:
    • Augmented Rage of Achilles: Once per round, if an attack misses, you may choose to hit instead.
    • Augmented Blood of Fáfnir: You may choose to add one extra Martial Arts die to each attack's damage.
    • Augmented Leap of the Great Sage: Your teleport distance is increased to 60 ft., and you may bring a willing creature within 5 ft. If you attack immediately after, that creature may use a reaction to attack the same target with advantage.
    • Nobody’s Augmented Gambit: Your opportunity attacks do not expend reactions, and you may make as many as are provoked in a round.

Note: Only one Storyteller’s Boon and one Epic Storyteller’s Boon may be active at once. Choosing a new effect refreshes or replaces the previous one.