I am having trouble incorporing my warlocks story into the campaing and need to pick some barins for inspiration.
Warlock backstory
He and his sister entered some caves they shouldn't have entered and got cursed with an incurable disease. He then made a deal with some entity to keep the disease at bay in return for periodic killings. The entity just cares about him killing stuff periodically. He mostly cares about his sister having a good life. After he made the deal he left town because he is ashamed of the deal he made. (The player let me choose the entity and the nature of the curse). His goal is to be able to save his sister without having to serve an evil entiy.
Campaign background
The BBEG is asmodeus who is building a dracolitch army and taking advantage of some cosmic stuff to finally win the blood war and take over the Abyss. This will lead to the freeing of resources from the evils to then focus on the material plane.
What i have so far.
I made the warlocks patron The Dark Prince. High level deamon. This is now cannon and cannot be changed.
My thought was that the players might appeal to this patron as allies since the demons will want to stop Asmo as much as them. However, the dark prince is actually working with Asmo so that he can have control over more of the Abyss and stop wasting resources on the Blood war.
Ok.
So what im having trouble with is the more practical aspect of incorporating his story. Like, mechanic or flavor of how he can communicate with his patron. How to up the ante by his patron to make it more challenging for him to follow what they want. Give him options to break the deal. And how to deal mechanically if he does break it. Is he not a warlock anymore?
In his research he did find that he could try and get some other powerful entity that is good to make a deal with instead.
Anyway. Im looking for some brainstorming from some more experienced DMs. Or some new ones too. Dont be afraid to go off the rails with ideas.
I'd have the patron communicate with him through the fresh corpses of those the warlock has killed. Patron wants killing, so this is a flavor way to tie in that need to how the warlock hears from said Dark Prince.
Not understanding why the players would appeal to a Demon Prince. They have to know that once this threat is prevented, demons hold zero allegiance to anything; including each other. If you want to up the ante, have the patron provide useful information to the party in return for incremental victories to stop Asmodeus. But have the warlock realize that each time this happens, the Dark Prince is also gaining power within the Abyss. So this may be trading one BBEG for another.
Breaking the deal may be include banishing the Dark Prince to some corner of the Abyss where it has no influence, providing another unwitting soul to make a deal, or accepting some kind of burden. Severing ties with ones patron does not imply that you are no longer a warlock. Power given isn't taken back. Its your table, but I see many folks under the impression that the patron is what powers the warlock. That is not RAW.
I'd expand the moral burden that the warlock has into the campaign story. There can be a shared feeling by the group that they are stopping this challenge "at any cost". That cost comes with a price as well.
I thought, which they actually did mention while talking amongs themselves, that they can make a temporary alliance with the deamons. To Stop Asmos plan and keep the blood war going. Though they probably wont mention the "keep the blood war going" part.
Before addressing your specific questions, I wanted to address one issue I noticed: If the patron is working for Asmodeus, his character is, by giving aid to his patron is giving indirect aid to Asmodeus. Working for the BBEG, even if unwillingly or unknowingly can be a source of party drama in the campaign at both the character level and the player level. From the character level, if the characters know the warlock is working indirectly for the BBEG, they are not going to trust him. At the player level, the players might feel frustrated that someone is making their lives harder. With a lot of groups, there is also a strong propensity for this level of metagame information to taint character decisions--if the players know the warlock is tied to Asmodeus, they might have their characters distrust him, even if the characters do not have access to this information.
To mitigate those issues, I would try to keep the nature of the warlock's patron's alliance secret from the players as long as possible. I would also reveal the Asmodeus-Patron relationship to the warlock's player well before revealing it to the other players (give him a dream or something that happens out-of-session, or send him a text/discord/etc. message mid-session to describe his dream). That way the warlock's player keeps some control over how the information gets revealed to the other characters and the other players, mitigating some of the problems that might come from metagame information.
Moving on to your specific questions:
Like, mechanic or flavor of how he can communicate with his patron.
Dreams are always a good way to do this. It is a little cliché, but they allow the patron to have a direct communication with the character in a manner the other characters are not privy to. You can often describe the dream or act out the dream off camera to keep information hidden from the other players.
Another option--work with your warlock's character and set up a number of portents. Perhaps seeing a raven land on a body he killed means his warlock is satisfied with the course your warlock is on. Maybe the bodies he kills have different internal afflictions based on the patron's mood. You could look into historical haruspicy, augury, etc. and probably find some portents that could serve as the basis for your communications.
How to up the ante by his patron to make it more challenging for him to follow what they want.
Provide him increasing information about why the patron wants him to kill. Perhaps he starts by learning that, whenever he kills for the patron's pact, his patron gets to claim the soul of the individual he killed. Next he might learn that the patron is using those souls to power some kind of dark magic. At this point, maybe the player has to decide whether the dark soul magic is a necessary evil because it might be valuable in the fight against Asmodeus. Finally you could, of course, reveal that the patron is actually working for Asmodeus so all the souls he has sent to his patron are increasing the patron's power.
Give him options to break the deal. And how to deal mechanically if he does break it. Is he not a warlock anymore?
I would start by defining what the deal actually entails so that way your player knows if he is bending the contract or actively breaking it. Personally, I would probably type up a legal contract between demon and warlock that clearly defines the obligations of both individuals, but I am also a nut and realize the same could probably be done by a conversation with the warlock's players and some written bullet points to make sure everyone is on the same page.
As for breaking the contract, demons are inherently opportunistic creatures, especially high level demons. Yes, this prince is probably going to be angry if your warlock breaks the contract, but there is a war brewing--your demon is not going to just discard an asset (i.e. take away patronage) without receiving some kind of compensation in recompense.
The easiest way to do this--the demon sells the contract to another warlock patron, changing the character's subclass but keeping him as a warlock. That way the demon gets "paid" by the new patron, so he increases in strength, while your player still gets to play the class he wants. You could even have the pact be sold to another demon so he keeps his subclass, but that causes some problems from a story perspective. If sold to another demon on Asmodeus' side, you are in the same problematic situation. If sold to a demon friendly to the party's aim, that means the demon lord sold an asset to his enemies. Selling the contract to an entity that has no stake in the demon war makes the most sense from a storytelling perspective.
It occurs to me that I probably should have offered earlier--if you do happen to want a written contract for your warlock-patron relationship, I have a basic template that I typed up. It probably could use some proofreading, is currently set up for the Fiend pact (they seemed the most contract-based to me), and leaves a blank where you fill in the specific actions required by the patron, but it would at least be a basic outline in the event you did want to draft up something more formal. Figure if I put the work into writing it up, might as well share it with other DMs who might be interested.
It occurs to me that I probably should have offered earlier--if you do happen to want a written contract for your warlock-patron relationship, I have a basic template that I typed up. It probably could use some proofreading, is currently set up for the Fiend pact (they seemed the most contract-based to me), and leaves a blank where you fill in the specific actions required by the patron, but it would at least be a basic outline in the event you did want to draft up something more formal. Figure if I put the work into writing it up, might as well share it with other DMs who might be interested.
ooh! I am interested.
I am probably not going to use it for this particular deal because I've already established that daemons don't do contracts as opposed to Devils. So Daemons can change stuff up as they please and not give a shit about how it affects their warlocks. But I do have another player that made a deal with an Asmo devil. It was a handshake deal but the contract was written into a tatoo appeared on his wrist after the handshake (he doesnt know this yet). He then chose to be turned into a vampire which destroyed his soul. So now he has been summoned to the court of the 9 hells for breach of contract. I haven'r written the contract yet so your resource would be very helpful!
After a few edits, it looks like the below is at least readable. This might be a bit long for a tattoo, but I hope it gives you some ideas for your contractual terms!
PACT TO ESTABLISH THE PATRON AND WARLOCK RELATIONSHIP
THIS PACT made this _____ day of __________________, _______, by and between, [name of demon] hereinafter referred to as “the Patron”, and [Warlock’s Name], hereinafter referred to as “the Warlock”.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS it is the desire of both parties to enter into an agreement whereby the Patron shall confer power upon the Warlock in exchange for consideration set forth herein. Hereinafter, this agreement shall be referred to as “this Pact”;
WHEREAS both parties have agreed to enter into this contract freely, voluntarily, and with full understanding the terms contained herein are binding upon soul, body, mind, and essence and said terms may continue to be enforceable and binding upon the Warlock, up to, and beyond, the death of the Warlock; and
WHEREAS it is the desire of the parties to determine and settle all matters concerning the formation of this Pact between the Patron and the Warlock and settle any and all other rights either party might have against the other arising out of the of this Pact.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual undertakings herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
VOLUNTARY EXECUTION: The parties hereby acknowledge that they are entering into this Pact of their own accord and without coercion or pressure of any kind. The parties have been duly advised of their legal rights and reviewed all the provisions of this Pact, and their questions pertinent thereto have been fully and satisfactorily explained to them. The settlement embodied in this Pact is in all respects acceptable to the parties, and accordingly they assent to all of the provisions.
BINDING NATURE OF THIS AGREEMENT: Each party, now and forever, hereby binds themselves or their soul, heirs, legal representatives, executors, administrators and assigns, to the terms of this Pact.
RELEASE:
a. The Warlock hereby releases and forever discharges the Patron from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Warlock now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Patron, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Warlock may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
b. The Patron hereby releases and forever discharges the Warlock from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Patron now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Warlock, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Patron may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
4.ASSIGNMENT OF THE WARLOCK’S SOUL: The Warlock’s soul shall be and hereby is the legal property of the Patron, free of any right, title, or claim of the Warlock. The Warlock shall maintain possession of the Warlock’s soul, for so long as the Warlock abides by the terms of this Pact. Upon the death of the Warlock, the Warlock’s soul shall be immediately transferred to the Patron. It is expressly understood that the Patron’s claim on the Warlock’s soul shall have priority over any claim by any third-party, whether such claim currently exists or shall exist at any point in the future. Any attempt by the Warlock to form a superseding claim upon the Warlock’s soul shall be considered a material breach of this Pact, subject to the enforcement provisions set forth herein.
5.OBLIGATIONS OF THE WARLOCK: The Warlock shall be and hereby is obligated to perform the following duties on behalf of their Patron:
a. [Placeholder for specific obligations of the Warlock]
6.WARLOCK POWERS TO BE CONFERRED BY THE PATRON: The Patron shall confer the following upon the Warlock, pursuant to the terms set forth herein: [Adjust based on pact]
a. Pact Magic: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast spells. The Patron shall confer any and all spells defined by the Table of Universal Spell Listing as a warlock spell, and may confer additional spells as chosen by the Patron.
b. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast two cantrip spells. The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock three cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a fourth level warlock and four cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a tenth level warlock.
c. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two spells, in addition to the cantrips set forth in Paragraph 6(b) above. This number of spells shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; four at third warlock level; five at fourth warlock level; six at fifth warlock level; seven at sixth warlock level; eight at seventh warlock level; nine at eighth warlock level; ten at ninth warlock level; eleven at eleventh warlock level; twelve at thirteenth warlock level; thirteen at fifteenth warlock level; fourteen at seventeenth warlock level; and fifteen at nineteenth warlock level.
d. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock one spell slot at first slot level. The number of spell slots shall increase to two upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; three at eleventh warlock level; and four at seventeenth warlock level. The level of the spell slot shall increase to second slot level upon the Warlock becoming a third slot level warlock; third spell level at fifth warlock level; fourth slot level at seventh warlock level; and fifth slot level at nineth warlock level.
e. Eldritch Invocations: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two Eldritch Invocations upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock. The number of invocations shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a fifth level warlock; four at seventh warlock level; five at nineth warlock level; six at twelfth warlock level; seven at fifteenth warlock level; and eight at eighteenth warlock level. The available shall be as follows:
Agonizing Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Armor of Shadows;
Ascendant Step, provided the Warlock obtained the ninth warlock level;
Aspect of the Moon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Beast Speech;
Beguiling Influence;
Bewitching Whispers, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Bond of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Book of Ancient Secrets, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Chains of Carceri, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Cloak of Flies, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Devil’s Sight;
Dreadful Word, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Eldritch Mind;
Eldritch Sight;
Eldritch Smite, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Eldritch Spear, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Eyes of the Rune Keeper;
Far Scribe, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Fiendish Vigor;
Gaze of Two Minds;
Ghostly Gaze, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Gift of the Depths, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Gift of the Protectors, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Grasp of Hadar, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Improved Pact Weapon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Blade;
Investment of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Lance of Lethargy, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Lifedrinker, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Maddening Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Mask of Many Faces;
Master of Myriad forms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Minions of Chaos, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Mire the Mind, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Misty Visions;
One with Shadows, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Otherworldly Leap, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Protection of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Rebuke of the Talisman, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Relentless Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Repelling Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Sculptor of Flesh, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Sign of Ill Omen, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Thief of Five Fates;
Thirsting Blade, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Chain;
Tomb of Levistus, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Trickster’s Escape, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Undying Servitude, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Visions of Distant Realms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Voice of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Whispers of the Grave, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level; and
Witch Sight, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level.
f. Pact Boon: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a pact boon upon the Warlock obtaining the third warlock level. This boon may be one of the following:
Pact of the Blade: The Warlock may create a pact weapon in an empty hand, choosing the form the melee weapon takes. The Warlock shall have proficiency with this weapon while the Warlock wields the weapon. The Warlock may also transform a magical weapon into the Warlock’s pact weapon through a ritual conducted in accordance with the Patron’s instructions. This weapon may thereafter be kept in an extradimensional space until recalled by the Warlock, and the Patron expressly indemnifies the Warlock against any loss that may occur while the weapon exists in this extradimensional space.
Pact of the Chain: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the Find Familiar spell, and shall instruct the Warlock in conducting a ritual by which the Warlock may cast this spell. This spell shall not count against the number of spells known pursuant to Paragraph 6(c), set forth above. In addition to forms inherent to the Find Familiar spell, this familiar may take the form of an imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.
Pact of the Tome: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a Book of Shadows. The Warlock may utilize the Book of Shadows to choose any three cantrips from any class and may cast those cantrips at will. These cantrips shall not count against the number of cantrips known pursuant to Paragraph 6(b), set forth above. If lost, the Warlock may receive a replacement Book of Shadows from the Patron, upon completion of a ritual performed in accordance with the Patron’s instructions.
g. Upon obtaining each of fourth, eighth, twelfth, sixteenth, and nineteenth level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock either an increase of two to any one ability score; an increase of one to any two ability scores; or a feat.
f. Mystic Arcanum: Upon obtaining the eleventh warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock an arcanum. The Warlock shall choose one sixth-level spell defined as a warlock spell by the Table of Universal Spell Listing. The Warlock may cast this spell once without expending a spell slot and must finish a long rest before the Warlock may do so again. The Warlock shall receive additional arcanum upon obtaining the thirteenth warlock level, which shall be a seventh level spell; fifteenth warlock level, which shall be an eighth level spell; seventeenth warlock level, which shall be a nineth level spell.
g. Eldritch Master: Upon obtaining the twentieth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to draw upon the Warlock’s inner reserve of mystical power to regain additional spell slots. The Warlock may spend one minute entreating the Patron in a manner to be determined by the Patron, and the Patron shall refresh all the Warlock’s expended spell slots conferred by this Pact.
h. In addition to the spells listed as warlock spells on the Table of Universal Spell Listing, the patron shall confer the following spells:
Burning Hands;
Command;
Blindness/Deafness;
Scorching Ray;
Fireball;
Stinking Cloud;
Fire Shield;
Wall of Fire;
Flame Strike; and
Hallow.
k. Dark One’s Blessing: Whenever the Warlock reduces a hostile creature to zero hitpoints, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a temporary increase to the Warlock’s health.
l. Dark One’s Own Luck: Upon obtaining the sixth warlock level, the Warlock may call upon the Patron to alter fate in the Warlock’s favor.
m. Fiendish Resilience: Upon obtaining the tenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the warlock resistance to one type of damage, to be selected by the Warlock whenever the Warlock upon completion of a short or long rest.
n. Hurl Through Hell: Upon obtaining the fourteenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to transport any creature hit by the warlock to the Lower Planes for a temporary period of time.
BREACH OF THIS PACT:
a. In the event the Patron breaches the Patron’s obligations under this Pact, the Warlock shall have the option of voiding this Pact and ending any and all obligations formed pursuant to this Pact.
b. In the event the Warlock breaches the Warlock’s obligations under this Pact, the Patron may, at his election, terminate the Warlock and immediately lay claim to the Warlock’s soul, as set forth in Paragraph 4 of this Pact.
8.AGREEMENT TO MEDIATE: In the event there is any dispute as to the terms of this Pact, the enforcement of the Pact, or any other dispute by and between the parties arising from said Pact, the parties agree they will attempt to resolve any and all such disputes through the use of a trial by combat before pursuing any litigation. The Patron may elect to be represented by a second in the trial by combat. The Warlock shall serve as their own combatant in the trial by combat. The location of the trial by combat shall be determined by the Patron.
9. TIME: Time is of the essence with regard to all obligations imposed upon the parties pursuant to this Pact.
10.MODIFICATION OR WAIVER OF TERMS OF AGREEMENT: No modification or waiver of any of the terms of this Pact shall be valid unless in writing and signed by both the parties with the same level of formality as this Pact. No waiver of any breach or default hereunder shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default of the same or similar nature.
11.ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Pact contains the parties' entire understanding, there being no representations, promises, warranties, covenants or undertakings ("side agreements") other than those expressly set forth herein. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein. No oral statements or prior written matter extrinsic to this Pact shall have any force or effect. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein.
12. SEVERABILITY. If any of the provisions of this Pact is held to be invalid or unenforceable, all other provisions hereof shall, nonetheless, continue in full force and effect, unless the failure of the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be so substantial as to result in a failure of consideration for the contract as a whole.
13.GOVERNING LAW. This Pact shall be construed and interpreted, and the terms hereof shall be enforced, in accordance with the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time.
14.ENFORCEMENT OF PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT: The parties agree that any reasonable costs, including, but not limited to counsel fees, court costs, investigation fees and travel expenses, incurred by a party in the successful enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants, or provisions of this Pact or of the validity of this Pact itself, whether through litigation or other action necessary to compel compliance herewith, shall be borne by a defaulting party. Any such costs incurred by a party in the successful defense to any action for enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants or provisions of this Pact or in the successful defense to any action to invalidate this Pact shall be borne by the party seeking to enforce compliance or invalidate this Pact.
15.FURTHER ASSURANCES. The parties expressly covenant that they will, at all times in the future, upon request of the other, execute and deliver to the other any and all further documents as may be necessary or desirable to consummate the intent of this Pact.
16.DUPLICATE ORIGINAL: This Pact may be executed in any number of counterparts, any one of which may be deemed the original.
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
ATTESTATIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS
I, the undersigned patron, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Patron Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
I, the undersigned warlock, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Warlock Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
After a few edits, it looks like the below is at least readable. This might be a bit long for a tattoo, but I hope it gives you some ideas for your contractual terms!
PACT TO ESTABLISH THE PATRON AND WARLOCK RELATIONSHIP
THIS PACT made this _____ day of __________________, _______, by and between, [name of demon] hereinafter referred to as “the Patron”, and [Warlock’s Name], hereinafter referred to as “the Warlock”.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS it is the desire of both parties to enter into an agreement whereby the Patron shall confer power upon the Warlock in exchange for consideration set forth herein. Hereinafter, this agreement shall be referred to as “this Pact”;
WHEREAS both parties have agreed to enter into this contract freely, voluntarily, and with full understanding the terms contained herein are binding upon soul, body, mind, and essence and said terms may continue to be enforceable and binding upon the Warlock, up to, and beyond, the death of the Warlock; and
WHEREAS it is the desire of the parties to determine and settle all matters concerning the formation of this Pact between the Patron and the Warlock and settle any and all other rights either party might have against the other arising out of the of this Pact.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual undertakings herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
VOLUNTARY EXECUTION: The parties hereby acknowledge that they are entering into this Pact of their own accord and without coercion or pressure of any kind. The parties have been duly advised of their legal rights and reviewed all the provisions of this Pact, and their questions pertinent thereto have been fully and satisfactorily explained to them. The settlement embodied in this Pact is in all respects acceptable to the parties, and accordingly they assent to all of the provisions.
BINDING NATURE OF THIS AGREEMENT: Each party, now and forever, hereby binds themselves or their soul, heirs, legal representatives, executors, administrators and assigns, to the terms of this Pact.
RELEASE:
a. The Warlock hereby releases and forever discharges the Patron from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Warlock now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Patron, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Warlock may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
b. The Patron hereby releases and forever discharges the Warlock from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Patron now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Warlock, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Patron may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
4.ASSIGNMENT OF THE WARLOCK’S SOUL: The Warlock’s soul shall be and hereby is the legal property of the Patron, free of any right, title, or claim of the Warlock. The Warlock shall maintain possession of the Warlock’s soul, for so long as the Warlock abides by the terms of this Pact. Upon the death of the Warlock, the Warlock’s soul shall be immediately transferred to the Patron. It is expressly understood that the Patron’s claim on the Warlock’s soul shall have priority over any claim by any third-party, whether such claim currently exists or shall exist at any point in the future. Any attempt by the Warlock to form a superseding claim upon the Warlock’s soul shall be considered a material breach of this Pact, subject to the enforcement provisions set forth herein.
5.OBLIGATIONS OF THE WARLOCK: The Warlock shall be and hereby is obligated to perform the following duties on behalf of their Patron:
a. [Placeholder for specific obligations of the Warlock]
6.WARLOCK POWERS TO BE CONFERRED BY THE PATRON: The Patron shall confer the following upon the Warlock, pursuant to the terms set forth herein: [Adjust based on pact]
a. Pact Magic: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast spells. The Patron shall confer any and all spells defined by the Table of Universal Spell Listing as a warlock spell, and may confer additional spells as chosen by the Patron.
b. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast two cantrip spells. The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock three cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a fourth level warlock and four cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a tenth level warlock.
c. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two spells, in addition to the cantrips set forth in Paragraph 6(b) above. This number of spells shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; four at third warlock level; five at fourth warlock level; six at fifth warlock level; seven at sixth warlock level; eight at seventh warlock level; nine at eighth warlock level; ten at ninth warlock level; eleven at eleventh warlock level; twelve at thirteenth warlock level; thirteen at fifteenth warlock level; fourteen at seventeenth warlock level; and fifteen at nineteenth warlock level.
d. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock one spell slot at first slot level. The number of spell slots shall increase to two upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; three at eleventh warlock level; and four at seventeenth warlock level. The level of the spell slot shall increase to second slot level upon the Warlock becoming a third slot level warlock; third spell level at fifth warlock level; fourth slot level at seventh warlock level; and fifth slot level at nineth warlock level.
e. Eldritch Invocations: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two Eldritch Invocations upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock. The number of invocations shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a fifth level warlock; four at seventh warlock level; five at nineth warlock level; six at twelfth warlock level; seven at fifteenth warlock level; and eight at eighteenth warlock level. The available shall be as follows:
Agonizing Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Armor of Shadows;
Ascendant Step, provided the Warlock obtained the ninth warlock level;
Aspect of the Moon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Beast Speech;
Beguiling Influence;
Bewitching Whispers, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Bond of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Book of Ancient Secrets, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Chains of Carceri, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Cloak of Flies, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Devil’s Sight;
Dreadful Word, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Eldritch Mind;
Eldritch Sight;
Eldritch Smite, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Eldritch Spear, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Eyes of the Rune Keeper;
Far Scribe, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Fiendish Vigor;
Gaze of Two Minds;
Ghostly Gaze, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Gift of the Depths, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Gift of the Protectors, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Grasp of Hadar, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Improved Pact Weapon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Blade;
Investment of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Lance of Lethargy, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Lifedrinker, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Maddening Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Mask of Many Faces;
Master of Myriad forms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Minions of Chaos, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Mire the Mind, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Misty Visions;
One with Shadows, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Otherworldly Leap, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Protection of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Rebuke of the Talisman, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Relentless Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Repelling Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Sculptor of Flesh, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Sign of Ill Omen, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Thief of Five Fates;
Thirsting Blade, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Chain;
Tomb of Levistus, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Trickster’s Escape, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Undying Servitude, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Visions of Distant Realms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Voice of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Whispers of the Grave, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level; and
Witch Sight, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level.
f. Pact Boon: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a pact boon upon the Warlock obtaining the third warlock level. This boon may be one of the following:
Pact of the Blade: The Warlock may create a pact weapon in an empty hand, choosing the form the melee weapon takes. The Warlock shall have proficiency with this weapon while the Warlock wields the weapon. The Warlock may also transform a magical weapon into the Warlock’s pact weapon through a ritual conducted in accordance with the Patron’s instructions. This weapon may thereafter be kept in an extradimensional space until recalled by the Warlock, and the Patron expressly indemnifies the Warlock against any loss that may occur while the weapon exists in this extradimensional space.
Pact of the Chain: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the Find Familiar spell, and shall instruct the Warlock in conducting a ritual by which the Warlock may cast this spell. This spell shall not count against the number of spells known pursuant to Paragraph 6(c), set forth above. In addition to forms inherent to the Find Familiar spell, this familiar may take the form of an imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.
Pact of the Tome: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a Book of Shadows. The Warlock may utilize the Book of Shadows to choose any three cantrips from any class and may cast those cantrips at will. These cantrips shall not count against the number of cantrips known pursuant to Paragraph 6(b), set forth above. If lost, the Warlock may receive a replacement Book of Shadows from the Patron, upon completion of a ritual performed in accordance with the Patron’s instructions.
g. Upon obtaining each of fourth, eighth, twelfth, sixteenth, and nineteenth level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock either an increase of two to any one ability score; an increase of one to any two ability scores; or a feat.
f. Mystic Arcanum: Upon obtaining the eleventh warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock an arcanum. The Warlock shall choose one sixth-level spell defined as a warlock spell by the Table of Universal Spell Listing. The Warlock may cast this spell once without expending a spell slot and must finish a long rest before the Warlock may do so again. The Warlock shall receive additional arcanum upon obtaining the thirteenth warlock level, which shall be a seventh level spell; fifteenth warlock level, which shall be an eighth level spell; seventeenth warlock level, which shall be a nineth level spell.
g. Eldritch Master: Upon obtaining the twentieth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to draw upon the Warlock’s inner reserve of mystical power to regain additional spell slots. The Warlock may spend one minute entreating the Patron in a manner to be determined by the Patron, and the Patron shall refresh all the Warlock’s expended spell slots conferred by this Pact.
h. In addition to the spells listed as warlock spells on the Table of Universal Spell Listing, the patron shall confer the following spells:
Burning Hands;
Command;
Blindness/Deafness;
Scorching Ray;
Fireball;
Stinking Cloud;
Fire Shield;
Wall of Fire;
Flame Strike; and
Hallow.
k. Dark One’s Blessing: Whenever the Warlock reduces a hostile creature to zero hitpoints, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a temporary increase to the Warlock’s health.
l. Dark One’s Own Luck: Upon obtaining the sixth warlock level, the Warlock may call upon the Patron to alter fate in the Warlock’s favor.
m. Fiendish Resilience: Upon obtaining the tenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the warlock resistance to one type of damage, to be selected by the Warlock whenever the Warlock upon completion of a short or long rest.
n. Hurl Through Hell: Upon obtaining the fourteenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to transport any creature hit by the warlock to the Lower Planes for a temporary period of time.
BREACH OF THIS PACT:
a. In the event the Patron breaches the Patron’s obligations under this Pact, the Warlock shall have the option of voiding this Pact and ending any and all obligations formed pursuant to this Pact.
b. In the event the Warlock breaches the Warlock’s obligations under this Pact, the Patron may, at his election, terminate the Warlock and immediately lay claim to the Warlock’s soul, as set forth in Paragraph 4 of this Pact.
8.AGREEMENT TO MEDIATE: In the event there is any dispute as to the terms of this Pact, the enforcement of the Pact, or any other dispute by and between the parties arising from said Pact, the parties agree they will attempt to resolve any and all such disputes through the use of a trial by combat before pursuing any litigation. The Patron may elect to be represented by a second in the trial by combat. The Warlock shall serve as their own combatant in the trial by combat. The location of the trial by combat shall be determined by the Patron.
9. TIME: Time is of the essence with regard to all obligations imposed upon the parties pursuant to this Pact.
10.MODIFICATION OR WAIVER OF TERMS OF AGREEMENT: No modification or waiver of any of the terms of this Pact shall be valid unless in writing and signed by both the parties with the same level of formality as this Pact. No waiver of any breach or default hereunder shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default of the same or similar nature.
11.ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Pact contains the parties' entire understanding, there being no representations, promises, warranties, covenants or undertakings ("side agreements") other than those expressly set forth herein. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein. No oral statements or prior written matter extrinsic to this Pact shall have any force or effect. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein.
12. SEVERABILITY. If any of the provisions of this Pact is held to be invalid or unenforceable, all other provisions hereof shall, nonetheless, continue in full force and effect, unless the failure of the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be so substantial as to result in a failure of consideration for the contract as a whole.
13.GOVERNING LAW. This Pact shall be construed and interpreted, and the terms hereof shall be enforced, in accordance with the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time.
14.ENFORCEMENT OF PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT: The parties agree that any reasonable costs, including, but not limited to counsel fees, court costs, investigation fees and travel expenses, incurred by a party in the successful enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants, or provisions of this Pact or of the validity of this Pact itself, whether through litigation or other action necessary to compel compliance herewith, shall be borne by a defaulting party. Any such costs incurred by a party in the successful defense to any action for enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants or provisions of this Pact or in the successful defense to any action to invalidate this Pact shall be borne by the party seeking to enforce compliance or invalidate this Pact.
15.FURTHER ASSURANCES. The parties expressly covenant that they will, at all times in the future, upon request of the other, execute and deliver to the other any and all further documents as may be necessary or desirable to consummate the intent of this Pact.
16.DUPLICATE ORIGINAL: This Pact may be executed in any number of counterparts, any one of which may be deemed the original.
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
ATTESTATIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS
I, the undersigned patron, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Patron Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
I, the undersigned warlock, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Warlock Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
Dude. This is amazing. And you are a crazy person. in a good way. THANKS!
After a few edits, it looks like the below is at least readable. This might be a bit long for a tattoo, but I hope it gives you some ideas for your contractual terms!
PACT TO ESTABLISH THE PATRON AND WARLOCK RELATIONSHIP
THIS PACT made this _____ day of __________________, _______, by and between, [name of demon] hereinafter referred to as “the Patron”, and [Warlock’s Name], hereinafter referred to as “the Warlock”.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS it is the desire of both parties to enter into an agreement whereby the Patron shall confer power upon the Warlock in exchange for consideration set forth herein. Hereinafter, this agreement shall be referred to as “this Pact”;
WHEREAS both parties have agreed to enter into this contract freely, voluntarily, and with full understanding the terms contained herein are binding upon soul, body, mind, and essence and said terms may continue to be enforceable and binding upon the Warlock, up to, and beyond, the death of the Warlock; and
WHEREAS it is the desire of the parties to determine and settle all matters concerning the formation of this Pact between the Patron and the Warlock and settle any and all other rights either party might have against the other arising out of the of this Pact.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual undertakings herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
VOLUNTARY EXECUTION: The parties hereby acknowledge that they are entering into this Pact of their own accord and without coercion or pressure of any kind. The parties have been duly advised of their legal rights and reviewed all the provisions of this Pact, and their questions pertinent thereto have been fully and satisfactorily explained to them. The settlement embodied in this Pact is in all respects acceptable to the parties, and accordingly they assent to all of the provisions.
BINDING NATURE OF THIS AGREEMENT: Each party, now and forever, hereby binds themselves or their soul, heirs, legal representatives, executors, administrators and assigns, to the terms of this Pact.
RELEASE:
a. The Warlock hereby releases and forever discharges the Patron from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Warlock now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Patron, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Warlock may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
b. The Patron hereby releases and forever discharges the Warlock from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Patron now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Warlock, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Patron may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
4.ASSIGNMENT OF THE WARLOCK’S SOUL: The Warlock’s soul shall be and hereby is the legal property of the Patron, free of any right, title, or claim of the Warlock. The Warlock shall maintain possession of the Warlock’s soul, for so long as the Warlock abides by the terms of this Pact. Upon the death of the Warlock, the Warlock’s soul shall be immediately transferred to the Patron. It is expressly understood that the Patron’s claim on the Warlock’s soul shall have priority over any claim by any third-party, whether such claim currently exists or shall exist at any point in the future. Any attempt by the Warlock to form a superseding claim upon the Warlock’s soul shall be considered a material breach of this Pact, subject to the enforcement provisions set forth herein.
5.OBLIGATIONS OF THE WARLOCK: The Warlock shall be and hereby is obligated to perform the following duties on behalf of their Patron:
a. [Placeholder for specific obligations of the Warlock]
6.WARLOCK POWERS TO BE CONFERRED BY THE PATRON: The Patron shall confer the following upon the Warlock, pursuant to the terms set forth herein: [Adjust based on pact]
a. Pact Magic: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast spells. The Patron shall confer any and all spells defined by the Table of Universal Spell Listing as a warlock spell, and may confer additional spells as chosen by the Patron.
b. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast two cantrip spells. The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock three cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a fourth level warlock and four cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a tenth level warlock.
c. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two spells, in addition to the cantrips set forth in Paragraph 6(b) above. This number of spells shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; four at third warlock level; five at fourth warlock level; six at fifth warlock level; seven at sixth warlock level; eight at seventh warlock level; nine at eighth warlock level; ten at ninth warlock level; eleven at eleventh warlock level; twelve at thirteenth warlock level; thirteen at fifteenth warlock level; fourteen at seventeenth warlock level; and fifteen at nineteenth warlock level.
d. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock one spell slot at first slot level. The number of spell slots shall increase to two upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; three at eleventh warlock level; and four at seventeenth warlock level. The level of the spell slot shall increase to second slot level upon the Warlock becoming a third slot level warlock; third spell level at fifth warlock level; fourth slot level at seventh warlock level; and fifth slot level at nineth warlock level.
e. Eldritch Invocations: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two Eldritch Invocations upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock. The number of invocations shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a fifth level warlock; four at seventh warlock level; five at nineth warlock level; six at twelfth warlock level; seven at fifteenth warlock level; and eight at eighteenth warlock level. The available shall be as follows:
Agonizing Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Armor of Shadows;
Ascendant Step, provided the Warlock obtained the ninth warlock level;
Aspect of the Moon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Beast Speech;
Beguiling Influence;
Bewitching Whispers, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Bond of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Book of Ancient Secrets, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Tome;
Chains of Carceri, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Cloak of Flies, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Devil’s Sight;
Dreadful Word, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Eldritch Mind;
Eldritch Sight;
Eldritch Smite, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Eldritch Spear, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Eyes of the Rune Keeper;
Far Scribe, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Fiendish Vigor;
Gaze of Two Minds;
Ghostly Gaze, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Gift of the Depths, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Gift of the Protectors, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Tome;
Grasp of Hadar, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Improved Pact Weapon, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Blade;
Investment of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Lance of Lethargy, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Lifedrinker, provided the Warlock obtained the twelfth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Blade;
Maddening Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Mask of Many Faces;
Master of Myriad forms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Minions of Chaos, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Mire the Mind, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Misty Visions;
One with Shadows, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Otherworldly Leap, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level;
Protection of the Talisman, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level and takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Rebuke of the Talisman, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Talisman;
Relentless Hex, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level, has the hex spell, or has a warlock feature that curses;
Repelling Blast, provided the Warlock obtained the eldritch blast cantrip;
Sculptor of Flesh, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Sign of Ill Omen, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Thief of Five Fates;
Thirsting Blade, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level and takes the Pact of the Chain;
Tomb of Levistus, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Trickster’s Escape, provided the Warlock obtained the seventh warlock level;
Undying Servitude, provided the Warlock obtained the fifth warlock level;
Visions of Distant Realms, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level;
Voice of the Chain Master, provided the Warlock takes the Pact of the Chain;
Whispers of the Grave, provided the Warlock obtained the nineth warlock level; and
Witch Sight, provided the Warlock obtained the fifteenth warlock level.
f. Pact Boon: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a pact boon upon the Warlock obtaining the third warlock level. This boon may be one of the following:
Pact of the Blade: The Warlock may create a pact weapon in an empty hand, choosing the form the melee weapon takes. The Warlock shall have proficiency with this weapon while the Warlock wields the weapon. The Warlock may also transform a magical weapon into the Warlock’s pact weapon through a ritual conducted in accordance with the Patron’s instructions. This weapon may thereafter be kept in an extradimensional space until recalled by the Warlock, and the Patron expressly indemnifies the Warlock against any loss that may occur while the weapon exists in this extradimensional space.
Pact of the Chain: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the Find Familiar spell, and shall instruct the Warlock in conducting a ritual by which the Warlock may cast this spell. This spell shall not count against the number of spells known pursuant to Paragraph 6(c), set forth above. In addition to forms inherent to the Find Familiar spell, this familiar may take the form of an imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.
Pact of the Tome: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a Book of Shadows. The Warlock may utilize the Book of Shadows to choose any three cantrips from any class and may cast those cantrips at will. These cantrips shall not count against the number of cantrips known pursuant to Paragraph 6(b), set forth above. If lost, the Warlock may receive a replacement Book of Shadows from the Patron, upon completion of a ritual performed in accordance with the Patron’s instructions.
g. Upon obtaining each of fourth, eighth, twelfth, sixteenth, and nineteenth level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock either an increase of two to any one ability score; an increase of one to any two ability scores; or a feat.
f. Mystic Arcanum: Upon obtaining the eleventh warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock an arcanum. The Warlock shall choose one sixth-level spell defined as a warlock spell by the Table of Universal Spell Listing. The Warlock may cast this spell once without expending a spell slot and must finish a long rest before the Warlock may do so again. The Warlock shall receive additional arcanum upon obtaining the thirteenth warlock level, which shall be a seventh level spell; fifteenth warlock level, which shall be an eighth level spell; seventeenth warlock level, which shall be a nineth level spell.
g. Eldritch Master: Upon obtaining the twentieth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to draw upon the Warlock’s inner reserve of mystical power to regain additional spell slots. The Warlock may spend one minute entreating the Patron in a manner to be determined by the Patron, and the Patron shall refresh all the Warlock’s expended spell slots conferred by this Pact.
h. In addition to the spells listed as warlock spells on the Table of Universal Spell Listing, the patron shall confer the following spells:
Burning Hands;
Command;
Blindness/Deafness;
Scorching Ray;
Fireball;
Stinking Cloud;
Fire Shield;
Wall of Fire;
Flame Strike; and
Hallow.
k. Dark One’s Blessing: Whenever the Warlock reduces a hostile creature to zero hitpoints, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a temporary increase to the Warlock’s health.
l. Dark One’s Own Luck: Upon obtaining the sixth warlock level, the Warlock may call upon the Patron to alter fate in the Warlock’s favor.
m. Fiendish Resilience: Upon obtaining the tenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the warlock resistance to one type of damage, to be selected by the Warlock whenever the Warlock upon completion of a short or long rest.
n. Hurl Through Hell: Upon obtaining the fourteenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to transport any creature hit by the warlock to the Lower Planes for a temporary period of time.
BREACH OF THIS PACT:
a. In the event the Patron breaches the Patron’s obligations under this Pact, the Warlock shall have the option of voiding this Pact and ending any and all obligations formed pursuant to this Pact.
b. In the event the Warlock breaches the Warlock’s obligations under this Pact, the Patron may, at his election, terminate the Warlock and immediately lay claim to the Warlock’s soul, as set forth in Paragraph 4 of this Pact.
8.AGREEMENT TO MEDIATE: In the event there is any dispute as to the terms of this Pact, the enforcement of the Pact, or any other dispute by and between the parties arising from said Pact, the parties agree they will attempt to resolve any and all such disputes through the use of a trial by combat before pursuing any litigation. The Patron may elect to be represented by a second in the trial by combat. The Warlock shall serve as their own combatant in the trial by combat. The location of the trial by combat shall be determined by the Patron.
9. TIME: Time is of the essence with regard to all obligations imposed upon the parties pursuant to this Pact.
10.MODIFICATION OR WAIVER OF TERMS OF AGREEMENT: No modification or waiver of any of the terms of this Pact shall be valid unless in writing and signed by both the parties with the same level of formality as this Pact. No waiver of any breach or default hereunder shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default of the same or similar nature.
11.ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Pact contains the parties' entire understanding, there being no representations, promises, warranties, covenants or undertakings ("side agreements") other than those expressly set forth herein. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein. No oral statements or prior written matter extrinsic to this Pact shall have any force or effect. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein.
12. SEVERABILITY. If any of the provisions of this Pact is held to be invalid or unenforceable, all other provisions hereof shall, nonetheless, continue in full force and effect, unless the failure of the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be so substantial as to result in a failure of consideration for the contract as a whole.
13.GOVERNING LAW. This Pact shall be construed and interpreted, and the terms hereof shall be enforced, in accordance with the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time.
14.ENFORCEMENT OF PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT: The parties agree that any reasonable costs, including, but not limited to counsel fees, court costs, investigation fees and travel expenses, incurred by a party in the successful enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants, or provisions of this Pact or of the validity of this Pact itself, whether through litigation or other action necessary to compel compliance herewith, shall be borne by a defaulting party. Any such costs incurred by a party in the successful defense to any action for enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants or provisions of this Pact or in the successful defense to any action to invalidate this Pact shall be borne by the party seeking to enforce compliance or invalidate this Pact.
15.FURTHER ASSURANCES. The parties expressly covenant that they will, at all times in the future, upon request of the other, execute and deliver to the other any and all further documents as may be necessary or desirable to consummate the intent of this Pact.
16.DUPLICATE ORIGINAL: This Pact may be executed in any number of counterparts, any one of which may be deemed the original.
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
ATTESTATIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS
I, the undersigned patron, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Patron Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
I, the undersigned warlock, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Warlock Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
Dude. This is amazing. And you are a crazy person. in a good way. THANKS!
No problem, hope it can be of help!
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Hello,
I am having trouble incorporing my warlocks story into the campaing and need to pick some barins for inspiration.
Warlock backstory
He and his sister entered some caves they shouldn't have entered and got cursed with an incurable disease. He then made a deal with some entity to keep the disease at bay in return for periodic killings. The entity just cares about him killing stuff periodically. He mostly cares about his sister having a good life. After he made the deal he left town because he is ashamed of the deal he made. (The player let me choose the entity and the nature of the curse). His goal is to be able to save his sister without having to serve an evil entiy.
Campaign background
The BBEG is asmodeus who is building a dracolitch army and taking advantage of some cosmic stuff to finally win the blood war and take over the Abyss. This will lead to the freeing of resources from the evils to then focus on the material plane.
What i have so far.
I made the warlocks patron The Dark Prince. High level deamon. This is now cannon and cannot be changed.
My thought was that the players might appeal to this patron as allies since the demons will want to stop Asmo as much as them. However, the dark prince is actually working with Asmo so that he can have control over more of the Abyss and stop wasting resources on the Blood war.
Ok.
So what im having trouble with is the more practical aspect of incorporating his story. Like, mechanic or flavor of how he can communicate with his patron. How to up the ante by his patron to make it more challenging for him to follow what they want. Give him options to break the deal. And how to deal mechanically if he does break it. Is he not a warlock anymore?
In his research he did find that he could try and get some other powerful entity that is good to make a deal with instead.
Anyway. Im looking for some brainstorming from some more experienced DMs. Or some new ones too. Dont be afraid to go off the rails with ideas.
Thanks!
I'd have the patron communicate with him through the fresh corpses of those the warlock has killed. Patron wants killing, so this is a flavor way to tie in that need to how the warlock hears from said Dark Prince.
Not understanding why the players would appeal to a Demon Prince. They have to know that once this threat is prevented, demons hold zero allegiance to anything; including each other. If you want to up the ante, have the patron provide useful information to the party in return for incremental victories to stop Asmodeus. But have the warlock realize that each time this happens, the Dark Prince is also gaining power within the Abyss. So this may be trading one BBEG for another.
Breaking the deal may be include banishing the Dark Prince to some corner of the Abyss where it has no influence, providing another unwitting soul to make a deal, or accepting some kind of burden. Severing ties with ones patron does not imply that you are no longer a warlock. Power given isn't taken back. Its your table, but I see many folks under the impression that the patron is what powers the warlock. That is not RAW.
I'd expand the moral burden that the warlock has into the campaign story. There can be a shared feeling by the group that they are stopping this challenge "at any cost". That cost comes with a price as well.
I thought, which they actually did mention while talking amongs themselves, that they can make a temporary alliance with the deamons. To Stop Asmos plan and keep the blood war going. Though they probably wont mention the "keep the blood war going" part.
Before addressing your specific questions, I wanted to address one issue I noticed: If the patron is working for Asmodeus, his character is, by giving aid to his patron is giving indirect aid to Asmodeus. Working for the BBEG, even if unwillingly or unknowingly can be a source of party drama in the campaign at both the character level and the player level. From the character level, if the characters know the warlock is working indirectly for the BBEG, they are not going to trust him. At the player level, the players might feel frustrated that someone is making their lives harder. With a lot of groups, there is also a strong propensity for this level of metagame information to taint character decisions--if the players know the warlock is tied to Asmodeus, they might have their characters distrust him, even if the characters do not have access to this information.
To mitigate those issues, I would try to keep the nature of the warlock's patron's alliance secret from the players as long as possible. I would also reveal the Asmodeus-Patron relationship to the warlock's player well before revealing it to the other players (give him a dream or something that happens out-of-session, or send him a text/discord/etc. message mid-session to describe his dream). That way the warlock's player keeps some control over how the information gets revealed to the other characters and the other players, mitigating some of the problems that might come from metagame information.
Moving on to your specific questions:
Dreams are always a good way to do this. It is a little cliché, but they allow the patron to have a direct communication with the character in a manner the other characters are not privy to. You can often describe the dream or act out the dream off camera to keep information hidden from the other players.
Another option--work with your warlock's character and set up a number of portents. Perhaps seeing a raven land on a body he killed means his warlock is satisfied with the course your warlock is on. Maybe the bodies he kills have different internal afflictions based on the patron's mood. You could look into historical haruspicy, augury, etc. and probably find some portents that could serve as the basis for your communications.
Provide him increasing information about why the patron wants him to kill. Perhaps he starts by learning that, whenever he kills for the patron's pact, his patron gets to claim the soul of the individual he killed. Next he might learn that the patron is using those souls to power some kind of dark magic. At this point, maybe the player has to decide whether the dark soul magic is a necessary evil because it might be valuable in the fight against Asmodeus. Finally you could, of course, reveal that the patron is actually working for Asmodeus so all the souls he has sent to his patron are increasing the patron's power.
I would start by defining what the deal actually entails so that way your player knows if he is bending the contract or actively breaking it. Personally, I would probably type up a legal contract between demon and warlock that clearly defines the obligations of both individuals, but I am also a nut and realize the same could probably be done by a conversation with the warlock's players and some written bullet points to make sure everyone is on the same page.
As for breaking the contract, demons are inherently opportunistic creatures, especially high level demons. Yes, this prince is probably going to be angry if your warlock breaks the contract, but there is a war brewing--your demon is not going to just discard an asset (i.e. take away patronage) without receiving some kind of compensation in recompense.
The easiest way to do this--the demon sells the contract to another warlock patron, changing the character's subclass but keeping him as a warlock. That way the demon gets "paid" by the new patron, so he increases in strength, while your player still gets to play the class he wants. You could even have the pact be sold to another demon so he keeps his subclass, but that causes some problems from a story perspective. If sold to another demon on Asmodeus' side, you are in the same problematic situation. If sold to a demon friendly to the party's aim, that means the demon lord sold an asset to his enemies. Selling the contract to an entity that has no stake in the demon war makes the most sense from a storytelling perspective.
All great advise from both of u. Thank you! Got the creative juices flowing!
It occurs to me that I probably should have offered earlier--if you do happen to want a written contract for your warlock-patron relationship, I have a basic template that I typed up. It probably could use some proofreading, is currently set up for the Fiend pact (they seemed the most contract-based to me), and leaves a blank where you fill in the specific actions required by the patron, but it would at least be a basic outline in the event you did want to draft up something more formal. Figure if I put the work into writing it up, might as well share it with other DMs who might be interested.
Familiars can be a good way to communicate between warlock and patron, particularly if your player’s warlock has a quasit in this case.
even if not, an invisible quasit could be an intermediary sent by the Dark Prince.
ooh! I am interested.
I am probably not going to use it for this particular deal because I've already established that daemons don't do contracts as opposed to Devils. So Daemons can change stuff up as they please and not give a shit about how it affects their warlocks. But I do have another player that made a deal with an Asmo devil. It was a handshake deal but the contract was written into a tatoo appeared on his wrist after the handshake (he doesnt know this yet). He then chose to be turned into a vampire which destroyed his soul. So now he has been summoned to the court of the 9 hells for breach of contract. I haven'r written the contract yet so your resource would be very helpful!
PACT TO ESTABLISH THE PATRON AND WARLOCK RELATIONSHIP
THIS PACT made this _____ day of __________________, _______, by and between, [name of demon] hereinafter referred to as “the Patron”, and [Warlock’s Name], hereinafter referred to as “the Warlock”.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS it is the desire of both parties to enter into an agreement whereby the Patron shall confer power upon the Warlock in exchange for consideration set forth herein. Hereinafter, this agreement shall be referred to as “this Pact”;
WHEREAS both parties have agreed to enter into this contract freely, voluntarily, and with full understanding the terms contained herein are binding upon soul, body, mind, and essence and said terms may continue to be enforceable and binding upon the Warlock, up to, and beyond, the death of the Warlock; and
WHEREAS it is the desire of the parties to determine and settle all matters concerning the formation of this Pact between the Patron and the Warlock and settle any and all other rights either party might have against the other arising out of the of this Pact.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual undertakings herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
a. The Warlock hereby releases and forever discharges the Patron from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Warlock now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Patron, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Warlock may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
b. The Patron hereby releases and forever discharges the Warlock from all causes of action, claims or demands whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, that the Patron now has, or may have had, whether known, reasonably should have been known, or unknown, including unknown as a result of the actions by the Warlock, as of the date of execution of this Pact. This release shall not be construed to waive any claim the Patron may have against the Patron arising out of the requirements of this Pact.
4. ASSIGNMENT OF THE WARLOCK’S SOUL: The Warlock’s soul shall be and hereby is the legal property of the Patron, free of any right, title, or claim of the Warlock. The Warlock shall maintain possession of the Warlock’s soul, for so long as the Warlock abides by the terms of this Pact. Upon the death of the Warlock, the Warlock’s soul shall be immediately transferred to the Patron. It is expressly understood that the Patron’s claim on the Warlock’s soul shall have priority over any claim by any third-party, whether such claim currently exists or shall exist at any point in the future. Any attempt by the Warlock to form a superseding claim upon the Warlock’s soul shall be considered a material breach of this Pact, subject to the enforcement provisions set forth herein.
5. OBLIGATIONS OF THE WARLOCK: The Warlock shall be and hereby is obligated to perform the following duties on behalf of their Patron:
a. [Placeholder for specific obligations of the Warlock]
6. WARLOCK POWERS TO BE CONFERRED BY THE PATRON: The Patron shall confer the following upon the Warlock, pursuant to the terms set forth herein: [Adjust based on pact]
a. Pact Magic: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast spells. The Patron shall confer any and all spells defined by the Table of Universal Spell Listing as a warlock spell, and may confer additional spells as chosen by the Patron.
b. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to cast two cantrip spells. The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock three cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a fourth level warlock and four cantrips upon the Warlock becoming a tenth level warlock.
c. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two spells, in addition to the cantrips set forth in Paragraph 6(b) above. This number of spells shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; four at third warlock level; five at fourth warlock level; six at fifth warlock level; seven at sixth warlock level; eight at seventh warlock level; nine at eighth warlock level; ten at ninth warlock level; eleven at eleventh warlock level; twelve at thirteenth warlock level; thirteen at fifteenth warlock level; fourteen at seventeenth warlock level; and fifteen at nineteenth warlock level.
d. Upon formation of this Pact, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock one spell slot at first slot level. The number of spell slots shall increase to two upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock; three at eleventh warlock level; and four at seventeenth warlock level. The level of the spell slot shall increase to second slot level upon the Warlock becoming a third slot level warlock; third spell level at fifth warlock level; fourth slot level at seventh warlock level; and fifth slot level at nineth warlock level.
e. Eldritch Invocations: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock two Eldritch Invocations upon the Warlock becoming a second level warlock. The number of invocations shall increase to three upon the Warlock becoming a fifth level warlock; four at seventh warlock level; five at nineth warlock level; six at twelfth warlock level; seven at fifteenth warlock level; and eight at eighteenth warlock level. The available shall be as follows:
f. Pact Boon: The Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a pact boon upon the Warlock obtaining the third warlock level. This boon may be one of the following:
g. Upon obtaining each of fourth, eighth, twelfth, sixteenth, and nineteenth level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock either an increase of two to any one ability score; an increase of one to any two ability scores; or a feat.
f. Mystic Arcanum: Upon obtaining the eleventh warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock an arcanum. The Warlock shall choose one sixth-level spell defined as a warlock spell by the Table of Universal Spell Listing. The Warlock may cast this spell once without expending a spell slot and must finish a long rest before the Warlock may do so again. The Warlock shall receive additional arcanum upon obtaining the thirteenth warlock level, which shall be a seventh level spell; fifteenth warlock level, which shall be an eighth level spell; seventeenth warlock level, which shall be a nineth level spell.
g. Eldritch Master: Upon obtaining the twentieth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to draw upon the Warlock’s inner reserve of mystical power to regain additional spell slots. The Warlock may spend one minute entreating the Patron in a manner to be determined by the Patron, and the Patron shall refresh all the Warlock’s expended spell slots conferred by this Pact.
h. In addition to the spells listed as warlock spells on the Table of Universal Spell Listing, the patron shall confer the following spells:
k. Dark One’s Blessing: Whenever the Warlock reduces a hostile creature to zero hitpoints, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock a temporary increase to the Warlock’s health.
l. Dark One’s Own Luck: Upon obtaining the sixth warlock level, the Warlock may call upon the Patron to alter fate in the Warlock’s favor.
m. Fiendish Resilience: Upon obtaining the tenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the warlock resistance to one type of damage, to be selected by the Warlock whenever the Warlock upon completion of a short or long rest.
n. Hurl Through Hell: Upon obtaining the fourteenth warlock level, the Patron shall confer upon the Warlock the ability to transport any creature hit by the warlock to the Lower Planes for a temporary period of time.
a. In the event the Patron breaches the Patron’s obligations under this Pact, the Warlock shall have the option of voiding this Pact and ending any and all obligations formed pursuant to this Pact.
b. In the event the Warlock breaches the Warlock’s obligations under this Pact, the Patron may, at his election, terminate the Warlock and immediately lay claim to the Warlock’s soul, as set forth in Paragraph 4 of this Pact.
8. AGREEMENT TO MEDIATE: In the event there is any dispute as to the terms of this Pact, the enforcement of the Pact, or any other dispute by and between the parties arising from said Pact, the parties agree they will attempt to resolve any and all such disputes through the use of a trial by combat before pursuing any litigation. The Patron may elect to be represented by a second in the trial by combat. The Warlock shall serve as their own combatant in the trial by combat. The location of the trial by combat shall be determined by the Patron.
9. TIME: Time is of the essence with regard to all obligations imposed upon the parties pursuant to this Pact.
10. MODIFICATION OR WAIVER OF TERMS OF AGREEMENT: No modification or waiver of any of the terms of this Pact shall be valid unless in writing and signed by both the parties with the same level of formality as this Pact. No waiver of any breach or default hereunder shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default of the same or similar nature.
11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Pact contains the parties' entire understanding, there being no representations, promises, warranties, covenants or undertakings ("side agreements") other than those expressly set forth herein. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein. No oral statements or prior written matter extrinsic to this Pact shall have any force or effect. The parties are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set forth herein.
12. SEVERABILITY. If any of the provisions of this Pact is held to be invalid or unenforceable, all other provisions hereof shall, nonetheless, continue in full force and effect, unless the failure of the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be so substantial as to result in a failure of consideration for the contract as a whole.
13. GOVERNING LAW. This Pact shall be construed and interpreted, and the terms hereof shall be enforced, in accordance with the Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time.
14. ENFORCEMENT OF PROVISIONS OF AGREEMENT: The parties agree that any reasonable costs, including, but not limited to counsel fees, court costs, investigation fees and travel expenses, incurred by a party in the successful enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants, or provisions of this Pact or of the validity of this Pact itself, whether through litigation or other action necessary to compel compliance herewith, shall be borne by a defaulting party. Any such costs incurred by a party in the successful defense to any action for enforcement of any of the agreements, covenants or provisions of this Pact or in the successful defense to any action to invalidate this Pact shall be borne by the party seeking to enforce compliance or invalidate this Pact.
15. FURTHER ASSURANCES. The parties expressly covenant that they will, at all times in the future, upon request of the other, execute and deliver to the other any and all further documents as may be necessary or desirable to consummate the intent of this Pact.
16. DUPLICATE ORIGINAL: This Pact may be executed in any number of counterparts, any one of which may be deemed the original.
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
ATTESTATIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS
I, the undersigned patron, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Patron Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
I, the undersigned warlock, do hereby certify that I personally annexed this Pact and acknowledged the same, and I attest with my signature, signed in mine own blood, that I hereby bind soul, body, mind and essence to the terms and conditions set forth in this Pact.
___________________________________
[Warlock Name]
GIVEN IN BLOOD under my hand this _____ day of ________, _____________.
Tatoo is magical. Contract can be as long as I want it to be. Lol
Dude. This is amazing. And you are a crazy person. in a good way. THANKS!
No problem, hope it can be of help!