For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
Rad. Would rogue operatives be called Jokers?
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go “wow!”
So... here's a question. I have an idea that in no way can be considered "totally original" as it's riffing on an existing subclass, but it's (IMO) a really fun riff thematically. Would it qualify?
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
So... here's a question. I have an idea that in no way can be considered "totally original" as it's riffing on an existing subclass, but it's (IMO) a really fun riff thematically. Would it qualify?
My guess is probably, but it's really up to Kaboom since he's the current judge.
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BoringBard's long and tedious posts somehow manage to enrapture audiences. How? Because he used Charm Person, the #1 bard spell!
He/him pronouns. Call me Bard. PROUD NERD!
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Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go “wow!”
So... here's a question. I have an idea that in no way can be considered "totally original" as it's riffing on an existing subclass, but it's (IMO) a really fun riff thematically. Would it qualify?
Absolutely. That line has been in the descriptive text since the first competition. Ideally, your homebrew should be original and such, but mainly in the sense that you arent straight up stealing someone elses work. If you want to reimagine, re-balance, or parody something, then that can be an inventive and creative homebrew tool as well. Go for it
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For the PC Options: Window to the Soul category, the Fomorian Knight fighter subclass
Fomorian Knights enhance their martial prowess using the supernatural power of runes, an ancient practice that originated with giants. Whether you found the giant’s work carved into a hill or cave or learned of the runes from a sage, you studied the giant’s craft and learned how to apply magic runes to empower your equipment. However, the legacy of these runes may not be what you thought -- this is the magic of the fomorians, a race of giants cursed by the fey after an attempted invasion of the Feywild. Fomorians themselves forgot their magic long ago, but extensive use of their lost runes may make you subject to the same fey curse that brought them low.
This fighter subclass is largely the same as the usual Rune Knight subclass, with the changes highlighted below:
Bonus Proficiencies
3rd-level Fomorian Knight feature
You gain proficiency with your choice of mason's tools or smith’s tools, and you learn to speak, read, and write Giant.
Rune Carver
3rd-level Fomorian Knight feature
You can use magic runes to enhance your gear. You learn two runes of your choice, from among the runes described below, and each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one rune you know with a different one from this feature. When you reach certain levels in this class, you learn additional runes, as shown in the Runes Known table.
Runes Known
Fighter Level
Number of Runes
3rd
2
7th
3
10th
4
15th
5
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a number of objects equal to the number of runes you know, and you inscribe a different rune onto each of the objects. To be eligible, an object must be a weapon, a suit of armor, a shield, a piece of jewelry, or something else you can wear or hold in a hand. Your rune remains on an object until you finish a long rest, and an object can bear only one of your runes at a time.
The following runes are available to you when you learn a rune. If a rune has a level requirement, you must be at least that level in this class to learn the rune. If a rune requires a saving throw, your Rune Magic save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
Cave Rune
This rune’s magic channels the judiciousness associated with stone giants. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks, and you have darkvision out to a range of 120 feet.
In addition, when a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw. Unless the save succeeds, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Eye Rune
This rune’s magic evokes the honeyed tongue and keen mind of a race once considered the most brilliant of the giants. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Intelligence (History) checks and Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
In addition, when you are damaged by a spell or magical effect, you can use your reaction to invoke this rune and gain resistance to the damage type dealt until the beginning of your next turn. The first time you hit with an attack on your next turn, the target takes an additional 2d6 plus your proficiency bonus force damage. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Flame Rune
This rune’s magic channels the masterful craftsmanship of the great fire giant smiths. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses your proficiency with a tool.
In addition, when you hit a creature with an attack using a weapon, you can invoke the rune to summon fiery shackles: the target takes an extra 2d6 fire damage, and it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. While restrained by the shackles, the target takes 2d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, banishing the shackles on a success. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Ice Rune
This rune’s magic evokes the might of those who survive in the wintry wilderness, such as frost giants. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to increase your sturdiness. For 10 minutes, you gain a +2 bonus to all ability checks and saving throws that use Strength or Constitution. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Rain Rune
This rune emulates the deceptive magic used by some cloud giants. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and Charisma (Deception) checks.
In addition, when you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and choose a different creature within 30 feet of you, other than the attacker. The chosen creature becomes the target of the attack, using the same roll. This magic can transfer the attack’s effects regardless of the attack’s range. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Rock Rune (7th level or higher)
This rune’s magic bestows a resilience reminiscent of a hill giant. While wearing or carrying an object that bears this rune, you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance against poison damage.
In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 minute. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Thunder Rune (7th level or higher)
Using this rune, you can glimpse the future like a storm giant seer. While wearing or carrying an object inscribed with this rune, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks, and you can’t be surprised as long as you aren’t incapacitated.
In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action to enter a prophetic state for 1 minute or until you’re incapacitated. Until the state ends, when you or another creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Giant’s Might
3rd-level Fomorian Knight feature
You have learned how to imbue yourself with the might of giants. As a bonus action, you magically gain the following benefits, which last for 1 minute:
If you are smaller than Large, you become Large, along with anything you are wearing. If you lack the room to become Large, your size doesn’t change.
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
Once on each of your turns, one of your attacks with a weapon or an unarmed strike can deal an extra 1d6 damage to a target on a hit.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Cast the Runes (This feature renamed, based on the forum thread that originally sparked the idea for this subclass)
7th-level Fomorian Knight feature
You learn to invoke your runic magic to potentially change fate. When another creature you can see within 60 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to reroll the d20 and use the new roll.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Monstrous Stature
10th-level Fomorian Knight feature
The magic of your runes permanently alters you. When you gain this feature, roll 3d4. You grow a number of inches in height equal to the roll. Moreover, the extra damage you deal with your Giant’s Might feature increases to 1d8.
In addition, you have begun to be affected by the fey curse on the fomorians. Your features become distorted and deformed, giving you disadvantage on all Charisma ability checks and reducing your base speed by 10 feet.
Evil Eye Curse
10th-level Fomorian Knight feature
Your features become distorted and deformed as the fomorian curse takes hold. However, you also gain the ability to curse others with your evil eye. As an action, you can force a creature you can see within 60 feet of you to make a Charisma saving throw with a spell save DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. On a failed save, the target takes 6d8 psychic damage, and the creature is also cursed with magical deformities. While deformed, the creature has its speed halved and has disadvantage on ability checks, saving throws, and attacks based on Strength or Dexterity. The transformed creature can repeat the saving throw each dawn, ending the effect on a success. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and is not deformed.
You may not use this ability again until you have taken a long rest. You may also not use this feature as long as a previous target is deformed.
Master of Runes
15th-level Fomorian Knight feature
You can invoke each rune you know from your Rune Carver feature twice, rather than once, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. You may also use your Evil Eye Curse once per long rest, regardless of whether a prior target is still deformed or not.
Runic Juggernaut
18th-level Fomorian Knight feature
You learn how to amplify your rune-powered transformation. As a result, the extra damage you deal with the Giant’s Might feature increases to 1d10. Moreover, when you use that feature, your size can increase to Huge, and while you are that size, your reach increases by 5 feet.
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
Rad. Would rogue operatives be called Jokers?
That is a great idea. I couldn't think of any way to incorporate the jokers in a good way, but that works perfectly.
For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
Rad. Would rogue operatives be called Jokers?
That is a great idea. I couldn't think of any way to incorporate the jokers in a good way, but that works perfectly.
Maybe when they have a big job they need to get done, they send out an elite group called a Straight.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
For the Interactive Options: A House of Cards category, the Tarokka Reader feat
You are able to glean the future by making a reading using your tarokka deck. You pull three cards; roll a d10 three times to see what you get. You may give the cards to other people or keep them for yourself, but a creature cannot use more than one card in a day:
(1-2) A card in the Swords suit. If you miss with a weapon attack, you may use this card to turn it into a hit.
(3-4) A card in the Stars suit. If you fail on an ability check, you may use this card to turn it into a success.
(5-6) A card in the Coins suit. Before rolling dice to determine damage or healing from a spell or magical effect, you may declare that up to three of the dice are their maximum value.
(7-8) A card in the Glyphs suit. If anyone you can see succeeds on a saving throw, you can use this card to turn it into a failure.
(9-0) A card from the High Deck. Roll an additional d10 to determine a spell list; you may use this card to cast one 1st-level spell of your choice from that list (1- Artificer; 2- Bard; 3- Cleric; 4- Druid; 5- Paladin; 6- Ranger; 7- Sorcerer; 8- Warlock; 9- Wizard; 0- choose a list when the card is drawn)
Once a card is used, it vanishes and returns to the deck. Any card not used by the next dawn also vanishes and returns to the deck. Once you have done a reading, you cannot make another reading that provides magical benefits until the next dawn.
If you have a physical tarokka deck, you may draw three cards from it rather than rolling three d10s.
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
This box contains a set of parchment cards. A full deck has 34 cards. A deck found as treasure is usually missing 1d20 − 1 cards.
The magic of the deck functions only if cards are drawn at random (you can use an altered deck of playing cards to simulate the deck). You can use an action to draw a card at random from the deck and throw or place it on the ground at a point within 30 feet of you.
One or more creatures are summoned over the thrown card and remains until it is reduced to 0 hp, or dies - if the creature dies the card becomes a non-magical object. The creature is real but of a size small enough to stand entirely within the boundaries of the card, it's game statistics otherwise remain the same however it can only target creatures and objects that are in physical contact with the card. If the card is moved, the creature moves with it. When two cards are positioned such that they touch each other the creatures on the cards can move from one card to the other and interact with each other.
Summoned creatures appear with a friendly attitude towards the creature that summoned them, but react to how they are treated according to their alignment and personality.
For the Interactive Options: A House of Cards category, the Tarokka Reader feat
You are able to glean the future by making a reading using your tarokka deck. You pull three cards; roll a d10 three times to see what you get. You may give the cards to other people or keep them for yourself, but a creature cannot use more than one card in a day:
(1-2) A card in the Swords suit. If you miss with a weapon attack, you may use this card to turn it into a hit.
(3-4) A card in the Stars suit. If you fail on an ability check, you may use this card to turn it into a success.
(5-6) A card in the Coins suit. Before rolling dice to determine damage or healing from a spell or magical effect, you may declare that up to three of the dice are their maximum value.
(7-8) A card in the Glyphs suit. If anyone you can see succeeds on a saving throw, you can use this card to turn it into a failure.
(9-0) A card from the High Deck. Roll an additional d10 to determine a spell list; you may use this card to cast one 1st-level spell of your choice from that list (1- Artificer; 2- Bard; 3- Cleric; 4- Druid; 5- Paladin; 6- Ranger; 7- Sorcerer; 8- Warlock; 9- Wizard; 0- choose a list when the card is drawn)
Once a card is used, it vanishes and returns to the deck. Any card not used by the next dawn also vanishes and returns to the deck. Once you have done a reading, you cannot make another reading that provides magical benefits until the next dawn.
If you have a physical tarokka deck, you may draw three cards from it rather than rolling three d10s.
This is a really fun idea. Sadly, I cannot add it to the Interactive category, as player Feats are part of the PC category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
This box contains a set of parchment cards. A full deck has 34 cards. A deck found as treasure is usually missing 1d20 − 1 cards.
The magic of the deck functions only if cards are drawn at random (you can use an altered deck of playing cards to simulate the deck). You can use an action to draw a card at random from the deck and throw or place it on the ground at a point within 30 feet of you.
One or more creatures are summoned over the thrown card and remains until it is reduced to 0 hp, or dies - if the creature dies the card becomes a non-magical object. The creature is real but of a size small enough to stand entirely within the boundaries of the card, it's game statistics otherwise remain the same however it can only target creatures and objects that are in physical contact with the card. If the card is moved, the creature moves with it. When two cards are positioned such that they touch each other the creatures on the cards can move from one card to the other and interact with each other.
Summoned creatures appear with a friendly attitude towards the creature that summoned them, but react to how they are treated according to their alignment and personality.
Playing Card
Illusion
Ace of hearts
Red dragon
King of hearts
Knight and four guards
Queen of hearts
Succubus or incubus
Jack of hearts
Druid
Ten of hearts
Cloud giant
Nine of hearts
Ettin
Eight of hearts
Bugbear
Two of hearts
Goblin
Ace of diamonds
Beholder
King of diamonds
Archmage and mage apprentice
Queen of diamonds
Night hag
Jack of diamonds
Assassin
Ten of diamonds
Fire giant
Nine of diamonds
Ogre mage
Eight of diamonds
Gnoll
Two of diamonds
Kobold
Ace of spades
Lich
King of spades
Priest and two acolytes
Queen of spades
Medusa
Jack of spades
Veteran
Ten of spades
Frost giant
Nine of spades
Troll
Eight of spades
Hobgoblin
Two of spades
Goblin
Ace of clubs
Iron golem
King of clubs
Bandit captain and three bandits
Queen of clubs
Erinyes
Jack of clubs
Berserker
Ten of clubs
Hill giant
Nine of clubs
Ogre
Eight of clubs
Orc
Two of clubs
Kobold
Jokers (2)
You (the deck's owner)
Like AntonSirius' submission, I sadly cannot accept this for the Interactive category, as magic items fall under the DM category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
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Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews!Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
For the Interactive Options: A House of Cards category, the Tarokka Reader feat
You are able to glean the future by making a reading using your tarokka deck. You pull three cards; roll a d10 three times to see what you get. You may give the cards to other people or keep them for yourself, but a creature cannot use more than one card in a day:
(1-2) A card in the Swords suit. If you miss with a weapon attack, you may use this card to turn it into a hit.
(3-4) A card in the Stars suit. If you fail on an ability check, you may use this card to turn it into a success.
(5-6) A card in the Coins suit. Before rolling dice to determine damage or healing from a spell or magical effect, you may declare that up to three of the dice are their maximum value.
(7-8) A card in the Glyphs suit. If anyone you can see succeeds on a saving throw, you can use this card to turn it into a failure.
(9-0) A card from the High Deck. Roll an additional d10 to determine a spell list; you may use this card to cast one 1st-level spell of your choice from that list (1- Artificer; 2- Bard; 3- Cleric; 4- Druid; 5- Paladin; 6- Ranger; 7- Sorcerer; 8- Warlock; 9- Wizard; 0- choose a list when the card is drawn)
Once a card is used, it vanishes and returns to the deck. Any card not used by the next dawn also vanishes and returns to the deck. Once you have done a reading, you cannot make another reading that provides magical benefits until the next dawn.
If you have a physical tarokka deck, you may draw three cards from it rather than rolling three d10s.
This is a really fun idea. Sadly, I cannot add it to the Interactive category, as player Feats are part of the PC category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
Oh. I was thinking a feat that incentivizes giving benefits to other people would count as "social"
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
For the Interactive Options: A House of Cards category, the Tarokka Reader feat
You are able to glean the future by making a reading using your tarokka deck. You pull three cards; roll a d10 three times to see what you get. You may give the cards to other people or keep them for yourself, but a creature cannot use more than one card in a day:
(1-2) A card in the Swords suit. If you miss with a weapon attack, you may use this card to turn it into a hit.
(3-4) A card in the Stars suit. If you fail on an ability check, you may use this card to turn it into a success.
(5-6) A card in the Coins suit. Before rolling dice to determine damage or healing from a spell or magical effect, you may declare that up to three of the dice are their maximum value.
(7-8) A card in the Glyphs suit. If anyone you can see succeeds on a saving throw, you can use this card to turn it into a failure.
(9-0) A card from the High Deck. Roll an additional d10 to determine a spell list; you may use this card to cast one 1st-level spell of your choice from that list (1- Artificer; 2- Bard; 3- Cleric; 4- Druid; 5- Paladin; 6- Ranger; 7- Sorcerer; 8- Warlock; 9- Wizard; 0- choose a list when the card is drawn)
Once a card is used, it vanishes and returns to the deck. Any card not used by the next dawn also vanishes and returns to the deck. Once you have done a reading, you cannot make another reading that provides magical benefits until the next dawn.
If you have a physical tarokka deck, you may draw three cards from it rather than rolling three d10s.
This is a really fun idea. Sadly, I cannot add it to the Interactive category, as player Feats are part of the PC category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
Oh. I was thinking a feat that incentivizes giving benefits to other people would count as "social"
Not quite. If its something that a player would pick as part of building their character (feats, spells, subclasses, etc) then it falls under the PC category. "Social" in the interactive option refers moreso to the Social pillar of the game - i.e interacting with NPCs and social environments (like parties or meetings) to extract information, secure aid, negotiate a treaty, and so on.
The_Summoning_Dark's submission is a good example. They put forward a secret organization (collection of NPCs) that the party could interact with in their adventure.
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Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews!Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
Rad. Would rogue operatives be called Jokers?
That is a great idea. I couldn't think of any way to incorporate the jokers in a good way, but that works perfectly.
Maybe when they have a big job they need to get done, they send out an elite group called a Straight.
That is also a great idea. I might add those in soon.
I'm working on making a corrupted feywild domain for the Competition. Would that be allowed in the DMs Option category, since it would probably come with alternate rules and ideas for encounters?
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BoringBard's long and tedious posts somehow manage to enrapture audiences. How? Because he used Charm Person, the #1 bard spell!
He/him pronouns. Call me Bard. PROUD NERD!
Ever wanted to talk about your parties' worst mistakes? Do so HERE. What's your favorite class, why? Share & explainHERE.
I edited my pc options, Horrific/Glamorous Appearance so that if a creature under the glamorous effect sees itself it will become completely enamoured with its own reflection similar to Narcissus in Greek mythology.
I have updated my Interactive Category submission, adding in information on Jokers and Straights. That information is in the Ordo Structure section and in the Ordo and the Players section. I may add more to this at some point, but I am not sure yet. I will tell you if I do, and, as always, I would love feedback on my work.
For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own. Jacks are often charged with hunting down rogue operatives called Jokers.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
Sometimes a job is too big to be accomplished by one Card Carrier. When a larger task must be carried out, the Ordo assembles an elite group called a Straight. A Straight is a combination of five different Card Carriers who each have different specialties that they use together to be an effective team. They are used in important and complex missions that require many different talents and abilities.
When a Card Carrier goes rogue for whatever reason, they are labeled as Jokers. These Jokers must constantly be on the run and stay in hiding for the Ordo will stop at nothing in order to hunt them down. A Card Carrier usually becomes a Joker when they decide that the Ordo has no right to be controlling the fate of innocent people. Maybe the Ordo harmed someone they loved, maybe they realized that the Ordo’s goals are not always beneficial to the people. Whatever the reason, their lives are changed by being in contact with the Ordo. The Ordo Chartae will ruin their name, destroy all chances for them to establish a home and livelihood, and constantly hound them down to kill or imprison them. Because their chances of living a normal life outside of joining the Ordo have been ruined, many Jokers decide to dedicate themselves to the downfall of Ordo Chartae, though none have succeeded so far.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
-A Joker comes to the party, they have recently left the Ordo’s ranks and are seeking a place of safety. They ask the party to help and hide them from the Ordo’s wrath.
-The party is approached by a Joker who desires to take down the Ordo. They need help and have come to the party for aid in their mission.
I'm working on making a corrupted feywild domain for the Competition. Would that be allowed in the DMs Option category, since it would probably come with alternate rules and ideas for encounters?
I would say so, especially if you have strong sections for both the extra rules and the encounter suggestions. Its a little iffy, since I feel a domain would fall closer to the Interactive category, but I think with all the bells and whistles you intend to add it can fit the DM category just fine as a Rule/Encounter submission.
Semako, if you feel differently, let me know since this is your category.
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Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews!Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
Rad. Would rogue operatives be called Jokers?
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
So... here's a question. I have an idea that in no way can be considered "totally original" as it's riffing on an existing subclass, but it's (IMO) a really fun riff thematically. Would it qualify?
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
My guess is probably, but it's really up to Kaboom since he's the current judge.
BoringBard's long and tedious posts somehow manage to enrapture audiences. How? Because he used Charm Person, the #1 bard spell!
He/him pronouns. Call me Bard. PROUD NERD!
Ever wanted to talk about your parties' worst mistakes? Do so HERE. What's your favorite class, why? Share & explain
HERE.Absolutely. That line has been in the descriptive text since the first competition. Ideally, your homebrew should be original and such, but mainly in the sense that you arent straight up stealing someone elses work. If you want to reimagine, re-balance, or parody something, then that can be an inventive and creative homebrew tool as well. Go for it
Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
For the PC Options: Window to the Soul category, the Fomorian Knight fighter subclass
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
That is a great idea. I couldn't think of any way to incorporate the jokers in a good way, but that works perfectly.
Maybe when they have a big job they need to get done, they send out an elite group called a Straight.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
For the Interactive Options: A House of Cards category, the Tarokka Reader feat
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Interactive Options:
The Deck of Non-Illusions
This box contains a set of parchment cards. A full deck has 34 cards. A deck found as treasure is usually missing 1d20 − 1 cards.
The magic of the deck functions only if cards are drawn at random (you can use an altered deck of playing cards to simulate the deck). You can use an action to draw a card at random from the deck and throw or place it on the ground at a point within 30 feet of you.
One or more creatures are summoned over the thrown card and remains until it is reduced to 0 hp, or dies - if the creature dies the card becomes a non-magical object. The creature is real but of a size small enough to stand entirely within the boundaries of the card, it's game statistics otherwise remain the same however it can only target creatures and objects that are in physical contact with the card. If the card is moved, the creature moves with it. When two cards are positioned such that they touch each other the creatures on the cards can move from one card to the other and interact with each other.
Summoned creatures appear with a friendly attitude towards the creature that summoned them, but react to how they are treated according to their alignment and personality.
This is a really fun idea. Sadly, I cannot add it to the Interactive category, as player Feats are part of the PC category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
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Like AntonSirius' submission, I sadly cannot accept this for the Interactive category, as magic items fall under the DM category. For the interactive category we are looking for social or environmental things like NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or shops or taverns
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Oh. I was thinking a feat that incentivizes giving benefits to other people would count as "social"
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Not quite. If its something that a player would pick as part of building their character (feats, spells, subclasses, etc) then it falls under the PC category. "Social" in the interactive option refers moreso to the Social pillar of the game - i.e interacting with NPCs and social environments (like parties or meetings) to extract information, secure aid, negotiate a treaty, and so on.
The_Summoning_Dark's submission is a good example. They put forward a secret organization (collection of NPCs) that the party could interact with in their adventure.
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That is also a great idea. I might add those in soon.
I'm working on making a corrupted feywild domain for the Competition. Would that be allowed in the DMs Option category, since it would probably come with alternate rules and ideas for encounters?
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HERE.I edited my pc options, Horrific/Glamorous Appearance so that if a creature under the glamorous effect sees itself it will become completely enamoured with its own reflection similar to Narcissus in Greek mythology.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/1811880-horrific-glamorous-appearance
I have updated my Interactive Category submission, adding in information on Jokers and Straights. That information is in the Ordo Structure section and in the Ordo and the Players section. I may add more to this at some point, but I am not sure yet. I will tell you if I do, and, as always, I would love feedback on my work.
For the interactive option, I would like to submit a homebrew faction/organization. While it does mention a few examples of places that would work, I tried to keep it setting agnostic so that it could be used in a homebrew world.
Ordo Chartae
Ordo Chartae is a secretive order with only fifty-two members, called Card Carriers, who each have different specific skills they use to advance the Ordo's influence. The organization is split into four Suits which each specialize in specific skills. The Suits are:
Hearts- Ordo members in the Hearts Suit specialize in social affairs and are the front of the organization.They often have strong political influence and most of them spend time among rich merchants and wealthy nobles.
Clubs- The Clubs are the masters of combat and are the brute force of the Ordo. When the Ordo needs someone to attack or defend something, or if they need to enforce their orders with violence, then they call in Clubs operatives.
Diamonds- Those of the Diamond suit are much more subtle than those of the Clubs. They are masters of infiltration and thievery, and could be anyone that you meet, from the beggar, to the barmaid, to the cobbler in your village.
Spades- The Spades operatives are researchers and/or keepers of magic. They collect knowledge and are who the Ordo uses when arcane matters are at hand.
Goals. The Ordo's goals are often not clear to those they interact with. They seek power and influence, they want the ability to cause and change things in the world for the better, or at least for their betterment, without always having to step out in the open and be seen influencing the turnout of important events. They want control, but they do not care if those they control know they are in control. They often interact with other criminal organizations, but those they work with are often unaware of their motives or even who they are.
The Ordo wants to decide who wins and who loses. They want to pick which businesses succeed and which ones fail, they want to say who returns victorious after a war, and who goes down in history as hero and villain. They want to choose who lives and who dies.
Because of that nature, some people who have discovered that they exist provide them with bribes and favors in order to be ignored or even helped, but not all Ordo Chartae members are true to their word.
Individual operatives may not have a strong desire for influence and power. Some might just be drawn in because the Ordo has the means to obtain their desires, or because they have separate goals from the rest of the faction but the group is the best and/or only way to achieve those goals. Even though some may not be completely in line with the Ordo's objective, anyone who joins Ordo Chartae can never leave Ordo Chartae alive.
Structure. Ordo Chartae has a sort of hierarchy based around a certain magic item that the Ordo owns called the Master Deck (detailed below). The Ordo is led by a council of Card Carriers that consists of three members from each Suit. There are the Kings and Queens of each Suit who are influential members of the society and serve as both leaders and advisors to the Aces, who are the ultimate heads of the Suits. The Aces run the whole faction and have the most power. Below those three are the Jacks, who are elite operatives who carry out the orders of each Queen, King, and Ace. The Jacks have the ability to order the other operatives around, but for the most part, they carry out the most important missions of their own Suits on their own. Jacks are often charged with hunting down rogue operatives called Jokers.
The other Card Carriers carry out the commands of their authorities and each specializes in a certain skill that fits into their suit and is useful for the Ordo Chartae.
Most Card Carriers have lives outside of the faction, though the Ordo must come first, and many are well known figures in the world or are seemingly normal citizens.
Each Card Carrier carries a single card from the Master Deck and that card defines who they are in the Ordo. The cards are their identification, badge, and tool that they keep on themselves at all times. For example, the Queen of Spades could be a powerful magician in Candlekeep who always carries a queen of spades card on her and when speaking with another Ordo Chartae member, she is referred to by them as the Queen of Spades, and if she is meeting with a smuggler who also happens to be a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier who has a Six of Diamonds, she will refer to him as Six of Diamonds. All Ordo members know of the other Ordo members, speak thieve's cant, and they all have proficiency in a deck of cards. Some Ordo members might carry a normal deck of cards and they hide their Ordo Chartae card inside it to conceal their identity.
Sometimes a job is too big to be accomplished by one Card Carrier. When a larger task must be carried out, the Ordo assembles an elite group called a Straight. A Straight is a combination of five different Card Carriers who each have different specialties that they use together to be an effective team. They are used in important and complex missions that require many different talents and abilities.
When a Card Carrier goes rogue for whatever reason, they are labeled as Jokers. These Jokers must constantly be on the run and stay in hiding for the Ordo will stop at nothing in order to hunt them down. A Card Carrier usually becomes a Joker when they decide that the Ordo has no right to be controlling the fate of innocent people. Maybe the Ordo harmed someone they loved, maybe they realized that the Ordo’s goals are not always beneficial to the people. Whatever the reason, their lives are changed by being in contact with the Ordo. The Ordo Chartae will ruin their name, destroy all chances for them to establish a home and livelihood, and constantly hound them down to kill or imprison them. Because their chances of living a normal life outside of joining the Ordo have been ruined, many Jokers decide to dedicate themselves to the downfall of Ordo Chartae, though none have succeeded so far.
The Master Deck.
Wondrous Item, Legendary, (requires attunement from a Creature with Proficiency in a Deck of Cards, up to 52 people can be attuned to this item at a time and they must have a card from the deck on them to stay attuned)
The Master Deck gives you expertise in sleight of hand, insight, and deception checks to all who are attuned to it.
If a creature attuned to the Master Deck has a card from the deck on their person, they gain the following benefits depending on which cards they have:
- Hearts, those of the Hearts Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Charisma checks and saving throws.
- Clubs, those of the Clubs Suit gain a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls they make.
- Diamonds, those of the Diamonds Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Dexterity ability checks and saving throws.
- Spades, those of the Spades Suit gain a +1 bonus to all Spell attack rolls and saving throws.
If someone holds the full master deck, they gain all the benefits of each suit and the bonuses become +3 instead of plus one.
If someone is attuned to the deck and is holding an Ace, they can use an action to open a rift that allows them to see and communicate verbally with one other Card Carrier or the other three Ace holders. This lasts for up to an hour or until an Ace holder ends it without using an action. This can be done three times a day and the Deck regains all uses at dawn.
The Ace holders can also use an action to summon another Card Carrier who then appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the Ace holder. This teleportation automatically fails if either of the Card Carriers involved in the summoning is on a different plane of existence from the other Card Carrier.
Example Card Carriers. There are many Card Carriers who are a part of the Ordo Chartae. The following is a list of example Card Carriers that could be used, the dungeon master can fill in the rest with their own operatives and/or swap out the samples with their own.
The Aces:
The Ace of Hearts- The Ace of Hearts is a traveling tiefling racaraide, a renowned and feared bard who journeys across the lands and can give a man great renown and honor with a ballad of their glory, or tear down their reputation with a song of their vile nature. This Racaraide is known as Aulaud the Praiser, though he is known as the Ruiner by others. Men and women of high status and importance dread and respect him for he has caused the downfall of nations by ridiculing the rulers and causing their people to lose faith in them. He has also elevated Lords to such renown that they have gained eternal respect and honor by his praise. Wherever he travels, he is offered free room to sleep in for as long as he likes, and is given as much food and drink as he wants, in an attempt to please him and gain his favor.
The Ace of Clubs- On the outskirts of a small town the Ace of Clubs dwells. He is a man named Hreimer, he lives in a tiny hut by a small stream and he appears to have aged beyond reckoning. He was once a mighty warrior of great strength who waded into war and bloodshed eagerly, slaughtering any foes who dared to oppose him. All the death he caused took a toll on him and a fear of death gripped his being. He couldn't sleep for fear of what would be waiting for him after his death. He learned of a magical ring that could grant you everlasting life and three chances to wish for anything his heart desired. After a long and arduous quest, he discovered the ring. He read the inscription and found that the ring could grant him anything he wanted three times, and as long as he wore the ring he would never die, but once he used up the last wish, the ring would lose its life sustaining powers. As he lived on, he found his strength begin to diminish as he aged. So he wished to never lose the strength of his youth as he aged. He went on to fall in love, but the woman he loved was killed by his enemies. In his rage he wished them dead, and they were. This left him alone with either one wish and the chance to return his love to him, or to live on for eternity. Thousands of years have passed and they reveal his choice. He is now an unimaginably old man with the strength of a mighty warrior and one wish. Over this long time, his fear of death has dwindled, and he may now use his wish up at the right opportunity to aid the Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Diamonds- Kendrick Quickflick is a halfling gambler and also happens to be the Ace of Diamonds. Kendrick haunts the dark streets of any major city that has folk who are ready to put their luck to the test. He has earned major amounts of money through gambling and seems to have a supernatural level of luck. Kendrick once met a devil who challenged him to a gambling game for his soul. He won, and now carries a pack of fiend-possessed cards that he uses to escape sticky situations. Not much is known about his history, and the tales he tells are often taller than he is (though that isn't hard). Quickflick has grown bored with most high stakes gambling games, and so he looks for ways to spice them up. He will often study those that he will play against long before they even know he exists, and then he will come up and make them a bet they cannot refuse. From those days of studying his opponents Kendrick knows exactly what they desire most in the world, and he will offer to play them, but for very high stakes. Sometimes it's to the death, sometimes he uses his Ordo Chartae connections to destroy them in other ways, but his gambling always benefits Ordo Chartae.
The Ace of Spades- The Ace of Spades goes by that name and is a powerful practitioner of the arcane arts. She has immersed herself in eldritch studies for so long that most people cannot even understand her speech because it is a scrambled mixture of words from every language ever spoken. She dwells in a tower on the edge of reality that shifts to different planes of existence randomly and can only reliably be found at daybreak. She is constantly monitoring the other Ordo Chartae members through scrying devices, and all Card Carriers know that she might be watching them at any minute.
The Jacks:
Jack of Hearts- The Jack of Hearts is a nobleman who appears in royal courts unannounced to influence and observe events of importance. He owes a debt to the Ace of Hearts, but only him and the Ace know what it is. Because of that debt, he is honor bound to obey the Ace's every command, and his appearance in a court heralds a major event in history, though not many notice his arrival. He is always dressed in fine garments embroidered in spade, heart, diamond and club symbols. He also wears a black eye patch bearing the heart symbol and he is skilled in the use of a rapier.
Jack of Clubs- The Jack of Clubs is a bounty hunter of great skill and precision. He would be hired for any important mission, if it wasn't for the fact that he would abandon any task immediately if he was ever needed by the Ordo Chartae. His weapon of choice is a mace with a Clubs symbol as the head.
Jack of Diamonds- The Jack of Diamonds is a master thief and assassin who often gathers the information that the Ace of diamonds needs. He wears almost all black except eleven red diamonds are placed around his costume. He leaves his calling card, a jack of diamonds card, whenever he pulls off a mission and he is considered to be a legend by most people who blame any misplaced or unexplainable stolen object on him. They are not often wrong.
Jack of Spades- The Jack of Spades is a powerful magician who travels through halls of learning, researching lore that may aid the Ordo's plans, and when needed, altering the records to better Ordo Chartae's designs. Whenever the faction faces an otherworldly threat, the Jack of Spades is the first to arrive and he often imprisons creatures of magic in a tome of darkness in order to control them. He can then call on them and force them to serve him for a short period before granting them their freedom. He his constant contact with otherworldly forces have driven him insane and he is a dangerous foe who might summon a horde of fiends to terrorize someone who angers him.
Other Card Carriers:
Threster Vanderbert- There is an inn and tavern called The Four of Hearts Inn run by a Ordo Chartae Card Carrier named Threster Vanderbert whose card is the Four of Hearts. He carefully collects and spreads rumors and gossip, influencing what others think about other businesses and people, and he is a master at collecting real information from rumors and stories told by those that come to his establishment. He provides free room and board for any Card Carrier that arrives at his inn.
Gronador Gutripper- The Eight of Clubs was once a bloodthirsty orc who desired to control and
conquer all he looked upon. He became the chieftain of several clans and in order to gain more power, he slew a dragon and completed a ritual that would transform him into a Half-dragon warrior. Gronador lacked the ability to hold his kingdom together and maintain his power, so all that he had accomplished fell apart. The Ordo Chartae heard of his combat prowess however and having an opening, they came to him with the offer of control and power. He accepted and serves the Ordo as one of its mighty warriors who they call upon when brute force is necessary. When not wading through war to turn the tides in the Ordo's favor, Gutripper dwells in a secluded mountain cave where he guards his treasures and hones his strength and might so that he may be ready when the need for battle may arise.
Toliver Safekeep- The Three of Diamonds is a tiny yet well respected gnome locksmith. He runs a shop that is known for its masterfully crafted locks and bolts perfectly suited for keeping treasures safe. What most people don't know is that this gnome has crafted each lock he makes in a special way so that any Card Carrier that has spoken with him can pick the lock with ease.
Arhentut- The Ten of Spades is a powerful mummified mage who has awakened from death. The magic that sustains his mummified form will be lost if he ever leaves his pyramid, so he creates magical constructs and summons spirits to leave his life sustaining prison and perform tasks for him in the outside world. He took over a nearby desert kingdom, claiming to be its ancient and rightful king who has returned from the dead, and the people there now serve him as slaves and bring him all he desires. The Ordo Chartae contacted him and through them he has now been able to expand his reach much further but in more subtle ways. He provides the Ordo with many long forgotten secrets and spells and he also keeps a prison in the bottom of the pyramid where he imprisons those who have angered the Ordo Chartae.
Victorina Lovacastron, the Queen of Hearts- The Queen of Hearts is a real world queen whose kingdom rests on a fey crossing. The proximity to the strange magic has driven her slightly mad, but that actually helps when negotiating with the fey. She has made many pacts and deals with fey beings, using them to aid the Ordo Chartae's goals.
Vigilon Tonkson- The Nine of Clubs is a captain of the city guard in a major city. Using his influence, he can hunt down criminals much more easily, and when an Ordo Chartae member needs to go outside the law, he is willing to look the other way. He has joined the Ordo Chartae in an attempt to use the power he gains there to better protect the city he guards, and he tries to stay unaware of the Ordo’s less legal actions.
The Creachers- The Eight of Diamonds card is held by a "family" of robbers, murderers, and thieves known as the Creachers. They are not all related by blood and consider anyone who joins their group as a part of the Creacher family. They live mostly out in the wilds near well traveled roads and often steal from travelers. The Card Carrier that holds the Eight of Diamonds is the leader of the group and the only real member of Ordo Chartae. Any Creacher can become the Eight of Diamonds if they manage to steal the card from the current Eight of Diamonds without being caught. They then have the right to command the other Creachers, but they also have to protect the card or have their position stolen from them. Any Creacher who fails in an attempt to steal the card is horribly punished, sometimes to the point of death. The current Creacher is a thug named Snarlclaw who is a dangerous and deadly brute who rules the Creachers with an iron fist. The Creachers are all loyal to the Ordo Chartae, and often commit crimes on their behalf.
The Executioner- The Ten of Spades is known as the Executioner. He can magically shift his appearance into any form he desires, usually taking on the appearance of a hangman or other executioner. Sometimes, an Ordo Chartae member gets caught doing something illegal, and it is often simplest for the Ordo to allow them to be put to death. The caught Card Carrier does not fear however, for they know that the Executioner will be there. The Ten of Spades has many magical tricks to cause all onlookers to believe they just saw a man’s death, but in reality that man has just walked away and out the door, or might be in a magical, death-like coma and will be awakened by the Executioner later on. They might go as far as to bury the Ordo Chartae member, but the Executioner will faithfully dig them out of their grave and return them to life. He can rescue an Ordo member who has died recently, by temporarily crossing over into the Domain of the Dead and chasing after the lost soul, but if they have been gone for too long, the Executioner has no ability to return them to life. However, he is practiced in the arts of necromancy and can bring many creatures to a state of undeath and use them as his servants.
Ordo Chartae and the Players-
If the Dungeon Master is willing to have the characters play Ordo Chartae characters, the following list shows where most classes fit into the structure.
Hearts- Bards, Rogues, Clerics, Paladins
Clubs- Fighters, Barbarians, Paladins, Rangers, Monks
Diamonds-Rogues, Bards, Artificers, Rangers
Spades-Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerers, Artificers, Druids, Clerics,
Tasha’s Cauldron’s rules on Group Patrons can also be used for the Ordo Chartae. Suggested Patrons include the Academy, Aristocrat, Crime Syndicate, Military Force, or the Monarch.
The following is a list of story ideas involving the Ordo Chartae:
-The party finds that wherever they go, they are treated poorly and looked down upon. Then, an Ordo Chartae member contacts them, claiming to be the source of their ruined reputations and will restore their name if they obey them.
-The Ace of Diamonds challenges the players to a high stakes gambling match. If they win, they receive the one thing they can’t turn down, if they fail, their lives are forfeit.
-The party attempts to do something, (start a business, find or buy an item, aid someone) and they discover that the Ordo is hampering their every attempt, having decided that they will fail, and the Ordo must either be confronted head on, or appeased in order to succeed.
-The party hears of the Ordo’s plans to overthrow a political figure that they support and they must work against the Ordo to save the kingdom from the horrible ruler the Ordo would appoint.
- The Ordo offers the party a position in their ranks, but first they must prove themselves by completing an important challenge or task.
- An NPC has angered the Ordo and finds that a mysterious force is subtly attacking them, ruining every attempt at success, and they try to hire the party to figure out what is happening and put a stop to it.
-A Joker comes to the party, they have recently left the Ordo’s ranks and are seeking a place of safety. They ask the party to help and hide them from the Ordo’s wrath.
-The party is approached by a Joker who desires to take down the Ordo. They need help and have come to the party for aid in their mission.
Both of those submissions' links on the first post have been updated
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I would say so, especially if you have strong sections for both the extra rules and the encounter suggestions. Its a little iffy, since I feel a domain would fall closer to the Interactive category, but I think with all the bells and whistles you intend to add it can fit the DM category just fine as a Rule/Encounter submission.
Semako, if you feel differently, let me know since this is your category.
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Got an interactive submission incoming. Just gotta finish the last part and give it a once-over.
P.S. Personally, unless the corrupted feywild domain thing is a dungeon, I would consider it better fitting as an Interactive Option.
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