But in general I think the point of having a discussion thread here is to give each other constructive feedback before the submission period ends so that we can play our best cards and aren't ultimately surprised and disappointed by the votes.
I absolutely appreciate your enthusiasm, but in the future I'm going to politely suggest you might want to wait for someone to actually ask for feedback before jumping in with it on their submissions
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Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
But in general I think the point of having a discussion thread here is to give each other constructive feedback before the submission period ends so that we can play our best cards and aren't ultimately surprised and disappointed by the votes.
I absolutely appreciate your enthusiasm, but in the future I'm going to politely suggest you might want to wait for someone to actually ask for feedback before jumping in with it on their submissions
Anton, I know that this is not your first time participating in one of these competitions. It has been widely apparent from the get-go that the forum is used during the submission period to provide feedback on each other's entries. If the intent was to keep submissions hidden until voting, then they would be submitted privately to the judge prior to voting. Politely, if you have no desire for your homebrew to be reviewed and scrutinized before the voting period, you should wait until closer to the end date to submit.
My entry for the interactive category is the return of...
The Gnomish Machinery Figure-Out Chart
Rules
When your PCs discover a device or magic item of gnomish make, use this chart and accompanying tables to add some fun and comedy to your game. Here's how it works.
The identify does not work on gnomish devices and magic items. Instead, the PCs must work out the functions of the item by tinkering with it.
When a PC begins interacting with the item to work out its functions, start at the "Begin" box on the accompanying diagram.
To work out a gnomish device, you must make a series of Intelligence checks, with which you can use a set of tinker's tools.
DMs are encouraged to allow other ability scores here. A barbarian trying to brute-force a device can use Strength if it makes sense!
By spending ten minutes, a PC can make two Intelligence checks. This will correspond to two moves on the chart. A PC can spend time nonconsecutively in chunks of ten minutes each, and can spend time during a short or long rest.
The rarity of the item determines how much the PC must advance on the chart. To work out the function of a rare item, a PC must reach the "Rare" box on the chart, or lower and conclude your investigation. When you reach a box corresponding to a rarity, you can conclude the investigation.
The result of the appropriate ability check determines where you move along the chart. You can always choose to treat your result as a 1.
If you reach a "Failure" box, you must start over at the "Begin" box, even if you have already reached the box of the appropriate rarity.
Example of play:
Torple, the elf barbarian picks up a gnomish mechanical contraption of uncommon rarity, and has a spare moment to tinker with it. They begin at the "Begin" box on the chart. Torple spends ten minutes tinkering with the device. The player (having used Intelligence as a dump stat) rolls a 3 on their first Intelligence check, and moves down to the left on the chart. The device begins to malfunction, and the player rolls on the "Harmful Effects" table. The player then rolls a 12 on their second Intelligence check, moving down to the right into the "Common" box. Torple could conclude their investigation here, but the item is uncommon, so they have not worked out its function. Torple's party is then ambushed by a giant frog and must stow the item until later. During their next long rest, Torple continues trying to work out the device. They spend ten minutes to make two more Intelligence checks, beginning at the "Common" box. The player first rolls a 14, moving down and to the right. The player then rolls on the "Beneficial Effects" table as the device produces an unexpectedly good effect. The player then elects to forgo their next roll, treating the result as a 1. This moves them down and to the left, into the "Uncommon" box. They choose to conclude their investigation there, learning the full functions of the device.
The Chart
The Tables
Beneficial Effects Table
d20
Beneficial Effect
1
The device sprays you with perfume. For one hour you smell of fresh cut spring flowers strewn across a babbling brook with a hint of lemon, granting you advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
2
The device ejects 2d4 gems each worth 10 gp.
3
For one hour the device gains a walking speed of 30 feet and goes where it is told.
4
For one hour the device becomes magnetically charged. Creatures attacking you with metal weapons have disadvantage on their attack rolls.
5
For one hour the device sheds bright purple light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
6
For one hour the device warms you like grandma's blanket, granting you resistance to cold damage.
7
For one hour the device whispers words of advice, granting you advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Insight) checks.
8
The device projects a shimmering shield of bubbles around you. You gain 2d10 temporary hit points which last for one hour.
9
The device hums pleasantly. You recover one level of exhaustion.
10
The device charges with magical energy. You regain one expended spell slot of 3rd level or lower.
11
The Gnomish High Committee on Morale teleport to your location, offer you compliments and words of encouragement, then teleport away. You gain heroic inspiration.
12
The device injects you with a cleansing antitoxin, ending one effect causing you to have the poisoned condition.
13
The device covers you in a slick oily substance. For one hour you automatically succeed on saving throws made to escape a grapple.
14
The device conjures Stump, the giant badger, who serves you faithfully for one hour before burrowing away.
15
A piece of the device falls away. You are relieved to find that the piece is actually a common magic item.
16
The device pulses with waves of pure mojo, transforming you as if by Tenser's transformation, for 10 minutes. While transformed, your size is Small, and you grow a full beard.
17
For one hour the device flashes and beeps annoyingly when it is brought within 60 feet of a trap or secret door.
18
The device magically animates nearby shadows for one hour, granting you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made within dim light or darkness.
19
The device produces a mini automatic tomato tosser. For one hour when you are hit by an attack, the device hurls a tomato at the enemy who attacked you, who takes 1 point of bludgeoning damage.
20
The Gnomish High Committee on Tinkering teleport to your location and tinker with the device before teleporting away. The device gains one minor beneficial property. Roll on the Minor Beneficial Properties table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide to determine the property.
Harmful Effects Table
d20
Harmful Effect
1
The device overheats and forcefully vents superheated steam. You take 2d6 points of fire damage.
2
The device becomes coated with a slippery substance. For one hour, whenever you take damage, you must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save you drop the device, which lands 1d4x10 feet away from you in a random direction.
3
For one hour the device intermittently emits the sound of a car alarm, which can be heard up to 100 feet away.
4
For one hour the device becomes magnetically charged. Creatures attacking you with metal weapons have advantage on their attack rolls.
5
The device plays a distracting earworm that imposes disadvantage on saving throws you make to maintain concentration for one hour.
6
The device overloads with power. Up to three creatures within 30 feet of you must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage.
7
The device enlarges by one size, growing twice as large and weighing eight times as much for one hour.
8
The device belches out a cloud of stinking gas, as if by the stinking cloud spell (save DC 13), which surrounds you for 10 minutes.
9
The device magically transforms your clothes, making them gaudy and unstylish, for one hour. For the duration, you have disadvantage on all Charisma (Intimidation and Persuasion) checks.
10
The device reveals a coin slot and indicates that you must insert 10 gp before you can make another attempt to figure out its function.
11
The device conjures 1d4 hostile abyssal chickens which disappear after 1 minute.
12
For one hour, the device projects your surface thoughts into the minds of all creatures within 30 feet, as if having cast detect thoughts against you.
13
For one hour, the device leaks a pungent, sticky oil, making you easy to track.
14
For one hour, the device occasionally partially fuses with other unattended objects for one minute at a time.
15
For one hour the device gains a walking speed of 30 feet and walks off in random directions while unattended.
16
A piece of the device falls away. You cannot attempt to figure out the device again until it is repaired, requiring one hour of work with tinker's tools or one vial of sovereign glue.
17
For one hour, the device emits a clown honk whenever you knowingly tell a lie.
18
The device emits a hallucinogenic gas that forces you to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you are forced to dance as if by Otto's irresistible dance, for one minute. While this effect persists, the Gnomish High Committee on Japery teleport to your location and mock you, before teleporting away.
19
The device begins ticking and counting down from one minute. You can attempt to make a DC 10 Intelligence check with tinker's tools to stop the timer. If this check succeeds, or if the timer reaches seventeen seconds, the timer stops and the device hurls a pie at the nearest creature within 30 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 1 bludgeoning damage.
20
The Gnomish High Committee on Tinkering teleport to your location and tinker with the device before teleporting away. The device gains one minor detrimental property. Roll on the Minor Detrimental Properties table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide to determine the property.
Before you is a being torn between celestial grace and aberrant horror. In the dim light, its form shifts unsettlingly—a once-glorious figure irrevocably twisted by the very knowledge it once sought to protect. Its wings, once pure and shimmering, are tattered, trailing a haze of darkness that distorts reality itself. In one hand, it clutches a twisted lantern—once a beacon of divine light, now warped and alien, its glow sickly and unsettling. Its eyes, filled with ancient knowledge, unravel your thoughts with a gaze that is both profoundly wise and deeply mad. A whisper of countless voices echoes in your mind as you face it, a susurration of secrets best left unknown.
Brilliance (Celestial Form Only). The Archivist sheds Bright Light for 30 feet and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet.
Forms of Dissonance. Within an area of magical silence, the Archivist takes on its true form, and its Type is Celestial. When the Archivist exits an area of magical silence, it shape-shifts into a form of pulsing, shrieking geometric patterns. In this form, its Type is Aberration. Its game statistics, except for its Type, are the same in each form.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day or 4/Day in Lair). If the Archivist fails a Saving Throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Resonant Movement (Aberration Form Only). The Archivist can move through other creatures and objects as if they were Difficult Terrain, and its movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
Each creature it moves through takes 5 (1d10) Thunder damage; no creature can take this damage more than once per turn. The Archivist takes 5 (1d10) Force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Shrieking (Aberration Form Only). The Archivist emits a loud screeching sound that can be heard out to a range of 120 feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The Archivist makes three Distortion Touch attacks. It can replace one of these attacks with a use of Spellcasting.
Distortion Touch.Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) damage. The damage type is Radiant if the Archivist is a Celestial or Thunder if the Archivist is an Aberration.
Disrupting Resonance (Aberration Form Only). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 30-foot-radius Sphere centered on the archivist. Failure: 33 (4d10) Thunder damage and the target's Concentration is broken. Success: Half damage.
Celestial Lantern (Celestial Form Only).Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot Cone. Failure: 39 (6d12) Radiant damage and the target has the Blinded condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage.
Spellcasting. The Archivist casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18):
The Archivist can take up to three Reactions per round but only one per turn. If the Archivist is in its lair, it can take an additional Reaction per round.
Alien Mind.Trigger: A creature tries to read the Archivist’s thoughts or deals it Psychic damage. Reponse—Intelligence Saving Throw: DC 18, the triggering creature. Failure: 33 (6d10) Psychic damage and the creature has the Stunned condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage.
Phase Shift.Trigger: The Archivist uses its Legendary Resistance trait. Response: The Archivist casts Silencecentered on itself, or dismisses a previously cast Silence spell.
Warp Reality.Trigger: Another creature the Archivist can see ends its turn. Response—Intelligence Saving Throw: DC 18, the triggering creature. Failure: The Archivist Teleports either itself or the target up to 60 feet into an unoccupied space that it can see.
The Accursed Archive
The Accursed Archive is a vast, labyrinthine library hidden deep within the earth, where the air is thick with the scent of ancient parchment and dust. Endless rows of towering bookshelves stretch into the darkness, filled with tomes bound in strange materials and inscribed with eldritch symbols. The walls pulse with an unnatural, dim light that seems to seep from the very stones, casting eerie shadows that dance and twist as if alive. Whispers echo through the corridors—faint, unintelligible, yet filled with an unsettling malevolence. In the heart of the archive lies the Archivist's sanctum, a circular chamber where reality itself seems unstable, with the very fabric of space warping and shifting around a central pedestal holding a book bound in living flesh. This is where the Archivist conducts its dark research, drawing power from the forbidden knowledge contained within the accursed texts. The oppressive silence of the archive is broken only by the occasional, distant scream or the rustle of unseen pages turning, as the Archivist prowls the shadows, eternally searching for more secrets to corrupt.
DM Notes
The Archivist is meant to be a minor villain fought in its lair, the Accursed Archive. The Archive's stacks are perpetually shrouded in a field of magical silence, as the silence, in which the Archivist takes on its celestial form. In the field of silence, the Archivist communicates using its telepathy. If a character disobeys the rules of the Archive, such as by stealing or defacing a book, the field of silence falls, and the Archivist takes on its aberration form. The archivist is evil, and delights in corrupting mortals, but maintains the facade that it is a celestial librarian.
Anton, I know that this is not your first time participating in one of these competitions. It has been widely apparent from the get-go that the forum is used during the submission period to provide feedback on each other's entries. If the intent was to keep submissions hidden until voting, then they would be submitted privately to the judge prior to voting. Politely, if you have no desire for your homebrew to be reviewed and scrutinized before the voting period, you should wait until closer to the end date to submit.
Especially when I'm a participant in a competition, I don't provide "feedback" on other entries unless it's asked for
That just seems like common courtesy to me
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Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Everyone, enough. I'm pulling rank as Judge and asking we drop this.This line of conversation is over.
I know I haven't participated in this competition for as long as any of you, but looking at the past competition threads validates Kaboom's take on things: feedback is common and expected, and there's nothing stopping anyone from submitting late in the competition. Anton, now we know that you don't want feedback. Fine.
A little tongue in cheek and feedback welcome (I'm not sure how much of the base item text to copy across).
DM Options: Catalysts of Change
Bag of Tricks (Cursed)
Wondrous Item, uncommon
This ordinary bag, made from gray, rust, or tan cloth, appears empty. Reaching inside the bag, however, reveals the presence of a small, fuzzy object. The bag weighs 1/2 pound.
Curse. This bag is cursed. When you use an action to pull a fuzzy object from the bag, you must make a DC 10 wisdom saving throw (you can choose to fail). On a success, you withdraw the object and it functions as per the normal effects of a bag of tricks. On a failure, the object sticks to and rapidly engulfs you. Roll a d8 and consult the table that corresponds to the bag's color. You magically transform into that creature. See the Monsters Listing for the creature's statistics.
The transformation lasts for 1 minute, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. Your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the creature. You retain your alignment and personality.
You assume the hit points of your new form. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. As long as the excess damage doesn’t reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious. You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of your new form, and you can’t speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech. Your gear melds into the new form. You can’t activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
Once three fuzzy objects have been pulled from the bag (normal or cursed), the bag can't be used again until the next dawn.
The Whirlygig is an indescribable creature - not because none have seen it, like the invisible stalker, but because every account of it gives a completely different description of its appearance. One account describes it as a tiny sprite-like Fey creature with a deer's head, dragonfly wings, and a mouse's body, another as a horse made of pure flame with a mane and tail of smoke and embers, yet another as transparent ooze filled with glitter. It is only through the diligent efforts of yours truly that it was discovered these differing accounts all describe the same species of creature due to their one constant element: a spiral mark on its forehead (or on top of its body if the creature has no head).
The creature appears to be innately trans-planar existing on all planes of existence simultaneously and having a form suited to each such plane, but able to swap their forms between planes at will.
When creating a Whirlygig, choose one creature of each creature type of a CR 3-5 to function as its different planar forms.
Whirlygig
Neutral Tiny/Small/Medium/Large Any Creature Type
AC: 15, HP: 75(10d8+30), Speed: 30 ft, fly 30 ft
STR 16 (+3), DEX 16 (+3), CON 16 (+3), INT 16 (+3), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 16 (+3)
Teleport (1/day). The Whirlygig can choose to transport all creatures currently touching itself to another plane when it uses its Planar Swap. The creatures are transported to the plane that the Whirlygig swaps with.
Actions
Slam. +8 th, 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Legendary Actions (3/round)
Planar Swap (2 actions). The Whirlygig swaps its creature type, size and physical appearance, and game statistics for those of a different planar form. It retains its Legendary Actions, it’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma modifiers, and its skill proficiencies and HP in the new form.
This item takes the form of a golden thread of magic, interwoven into a red thread of fate. A creature in the possession of this weave can change one thing about any spell or ability, like its effective range, damage type, creatures it affects, the saving roll, wether something requires concentration, et cetera. Your DM decides what is reasonable. You can use this item as a part of the action used to activate the spell or ability and the changes last for the duration of this activation. After using this item the threads vanish from your inventory.
This item takes the form of a golden thread of magic, interwoven into a red thread of fate. A creature in the possession of this weave can change one thing about any spell or ability, like its effective range, damage type, creatures it affects, the saving roll, wether something requires concentration, et cetera. Your DM decides what is reasonable. This requires no action and can be done at any time. After using this item the threads vanish from your inventory. At the end of the next use of the changed ability or spell, it returns to normal.
Hi Zombles! A comment or two here. But first, this item feels a lot like the special spell components from 3rd and 4th editions, of which I was a fan. It also feels a lot like the "clicker" from the Alan Wake games (that I'm obsessing over currently).
Substantively, check the highlighted sentences. I would recommend the following for clarity:
For the first sentence, I would say something like "You can use this item as a part of the action used to activate the spell or ability." I believe that conforms a bit more with other 5e stuff. I would also caution against saying "at any time", unless you really mean it. Can I use this thread 10 years before casting a spell? 100 years after?
The second sentence is a bit confusing. If the item is consumable, as you have said up top, then it is unneccesary. That would also make the last clause a bit strange. If it is not actually consumable, as the final clause suggests, then I would strike the word consumable from the top.
Edit: For reference.
Consumables
Some items are used up when they are activated. A potion or an elixir must be swallowed, or an oil applied to the body. The writing vanishes from a scroll when it is read. Once used, a consumable item loses its magic.
Thisis Notfu Nny was once an Empyrean daughter of great mother nature herself. Ever ambitious, the girl did not think her status as a celestial titan was enough. And where else could a already supreme being grow then into godhood itself. She sought to carve out a divine domain for herself and fell upon the obviously elite race known as the hamsters. She awakened hundreds of these hamsters and even recruited hamsters from space to aid her as disciples. Giant hamsters the size of Black Bears became her guardians and her terror came in the form of the already infamous Hamdragon, an abominable hybrid of hamster and dragon with a breath of necrotic flame.
Now mortal you have a choice, you can accept your inferiority before great hamsterkind and adopt Thisis as your goddess too, or rage against the dying of the humanoid's supremity. But in the end it's inevitable that hamsterkind will rule with iron paw!
Thisis’ Influence
Thisis is still a fairly minor god and her influence are mostly contained to regions where hamsters occur naturally. Her army of tiny beasts sometimes gathering in swarms around a black bear sized hamster known as a Thisis Champion.
Besides merely being the goddess of hamsterkind, she is also ambition and a hoarder, as such she's become a symbol of the hoarding of food before a famine, represented as a hamster with her cheeks stuffed.
Thisis' Goals
Thisis is very straightforward, her goals are the advancement of Hamsterkind and the establishment of a great Hamster nation with her as the patron diety.
Divine Relationships
Thisis is often mocked amongst other dieties and as such has few genuine relations. When interacting with other dieties its mostly with those of infinite patience, such as Ilmater, Hestia or Sylvanus. She is also amusing to those gods who enjoy chaos and upheaval of the status quo, such as Loki, Dionysus and Nyarlathotep. In Theros her main ally is Karametra.
Few consider Thisis a true enemy, but she is seen as a nuisance by many. The main gods that spare some of their efforts to work against her are those gods who hate the fantastical. Bane, Helm and Ares are amongst those who do not like her existence. In Theros her main opponent seems to be Ephara, for her mockery of what a true state is supposed to be.
Worshiping Thisis
Worship of Thisis Notfu Nny is a celebration of the absurd. Worshippers will dorn helms or masks adorned with the face of hamsters and revel in dance while throwing seeds at each other. Other ceremonies involve the petting and care of a holy hamster kept in the temple. Temples often include great wheels attached to the wall in which those of penitent nature can run away their sin, or just run because it's fun.
The main holiday of the hamster cults are the days of Hoarding. After harvest the worshippers will spend three days gathering as much food as possible and preserve it for the upcoming winter. This is accompanied with much song and ritual. When these three days are over, the fourth day will be spend using the unpreservable or left-over food for a great feast. Many a town has been saved from famine because of this practice.
MYTHS OF THISIS
Thisis as a newer goddess does not have as many myths as some of the older gods, but many stories have been spread about her.
The Harvester and the Glutton. Two brothers inherited their father's farm and decided to split the land between them. One day each of the brothers found a hamster in their field asking for a seed. The older brother grabbed the hamster and threw him from his field, the younger brother showed kindness and gave his hamster a seed. When harvest came the hamster returned to the younger brother and warned him to hoard as much as he could. The younger brother heeded the warning and stuffed his barns with stored food, while the older brother sold and ate his harvest. The next spring a famine hit the land and the older brother ran out of food. The younger brother shared his stored food with the older brother and the older brother saw the error of his ways. The hamsters returned before them accompanied by the goddess Thisis and accepted both brothers into her cult.
Thisis and Odin. One day Odin disguised as a crow flew along the forest sky, upon the forest floor he saw a hamster that was looking upon a tree and landed beside it. Odin asked the Hamster what it was doing. The creature replied with stuffed cheeks that it was hungry, but could not reach the fruit above. Odin asked why it would not eat the food in its cheeks. The Hamster replied that it could not eat that food until it had new food to replace it with. Odin was confounded but agreed to get the fruit for the hamster. The hamster eagerly accepted the fruit from the crow and revealed itself to be the goddess Thisis. When Odin asked why she had not just used her divine form to get the fruit, she replied that the kindness of others was a beautiful thing.
The Hamdragon. Once there was a young dragon who was in search of an easy meal. It came upon a village of hamsters and thought it had found an easy snack. But as it approached the village it was confronted by a goddess. Thisis forced the dragon to kneel and asked what it came for. The dragon explained that it was hungry. Thisis empathized and opened her stores for the dragon. The dragon eagerly ate, but as it ate it realized it had taken on the shape of a hamster himself. Thisis blessed him as the Hamdragon and pledged he would never go hungry again. The hamdragon from then on served as a protector of the village.
Most worshipers of Thisis Notfu Nny are those that do not like the seriousness of organized religion, while still seeking its community. Seeing hamsters and hoarding, but also kindness as the perfect balance of silliness and genuine goodness.
Thisis' Favor
Thisis grants her favor to those who are alligned with her views on kindness and able to stomach the stranger parts of her worship with great dignity. She also favors those that take care of hamsters. The Thisis' Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god.
Thisis' Favor
d6
Circumstance
1
You had/have a pet hamster that means the world to you.
2
You have a history as a farmer or food gatherer and know the virtue of preservation.
3
In a moment of bravery you protected a hamster.
4
Your parents were members of the cult and your were born into it.
5
You had a faithful encounter with the legendary Hamdragon, or at least you claim you did.
6
You shared your food with those in need.
Devotion to Thisis
Servants of Thisis facilitate the protection of hamsterkind and the preservation of food. As a follower of Thisis, consider the possibilities on the Thisis' Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.
Thisis' Ideals
d6
Ideal
1
Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what she stands for. (Any)
2
Preservation. I preserve things for when the need is highest. (Lawful)
3
Ambition. I have an unending ambition and do not mind through which path I achieve it. (Evil or neutral)
4
Hamsters. I just think hamsters are great and deserve to be held in high esteem. (Neutral)
5
Kindness. We should all show empathy and kindness to those around us. (Good)
6
Silliness. I love silliness and going against the grain, I want to have some fun in faith. (Chaotic)
Earning and Losing Piety
You increase your piety score to Thisis Notfu Nny when you honor her or hamsterkind through acts such as these:
Protecting or aiding a hamster
Preserving food and items for when they are most needed and showing kindness and charity to those that need it
Performing in rituals associated with Thisis Notfu Nny
Your piety score to Thisis decreases if you harm hamsterkind, impede her ascension, or perform forbidden acts such as these:
Performing acts of great Gluttony
Aiding those that seek to harm hamsterkind
Showing embarrassment or straying from your devotion
Thisis' Devotee
Piety 3+ Thisis trait
Your life is intertwined with the master of hamsterkind. You can cast goodberry once per long rest with this feat. You can also cast speak with animals at will but only for hamsters. Hamsters are friendly towards you. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Thisis' Votary
Piety 10+ Thisis trait
You can cast polymorph with this trait, requiring no vocal components. You cannot choose the new form, a creature polymorphed this way will always take the form of a Space Hamster. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Thisis’ Disciple
Piety 25+ Thisis trait
You can summon a giant space hamster to serve as your permanent companion. The giant space hamster rolls its own initiative in battle, but follows your orders. If you are incapable of giving verbal orders it will disengage and move away from hostile creatures, or take the dodge action if no hostile creatures are within 30 feet of it. If the giant space hamster dies, it can be resummoned after 1d4 days.
Champion of Hamsterkind
Piety 50+ Thisis trait
You can increase your Wisdom or Dexterity score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
This item takes the form of a golden thread of magic, interwoven into a red thread of fate. A creature in the possession of this weave can change one thing about any spell or ability, like its effective range, damage type, creatures it affects, the saving roll, wether something requires concentration, et cetera. Your DM decides what is reasonable. This requires no action and can be done at any time. After using this item the threads vanish from your inventory. At the end of the next use of the changed ability or spell, it returns to normal.
Hi Zombles! A comment or two here. But first, this item feels a lot like the special spell components from 3rd and 4th editions, of which I was a fan. It also feels a lot like the "clicker" from the Alan Wake games (that I'm obsessing over currently).
Substantively, check the highlighted sentences. I would recommend the following for clarity:
For the first sentence, I would say something like "You can use this item as a part of the action used to activate the spell or ability." I believe that conforms a bit more with other 5e stuff. I would also caution against saying "at any time", unless you really mean it. Can I use this thread 10 years before casting a spell? 100 years after?
The second sentence is a bit confusing. If the item is consumable, as you have said up top, then it is unneccesary. That would also make the last clause a bit strange. If it is not actually consumable, as the final clause suggests, then I would strike the word consumable from the top.
I appreciate your feedback! I will make most of the changes as suggested for clarity. I will however keep the part of the threads disappearing from your inventory, just to make it extra clear that you can only use them once I also like that sentence for the mystical vibe it gives.
I appreciate your feedback! I will make most of the changes as suggested for clarity. I will however keep the part of the threads disappearing from your inventory, just to make it extra clear that you can only use them once I also like that sentence for the mystical vibe it gives.
Thisis Notfu Nny was once an Empyrean daughter of great mother nature herself. Ever ambitious, the girl did not think her status as a celestial titan was enough. And where else could a already supreme being grow then into godhood itself. She sought to carve out a divine domain for herself and fell upon the obviously elite race known as the hamsters. She awakened hundreds of these hamsters and even recruited hamsters from space to aid her as disciples. Giant hamsters the size of Black Bears became her guardians and her terror came in the form of the already infamous Hamdragon, an abominable hybrid of hamster and dragon with a breath of necrotic flame.
Now mortal you have a choice, you can accept your inferiority before great hamsterkind and adopt Thisis as your goddess too, or rage against the dying of the humanoid's supremity. But in the end it's inevitable that hamsterkind will rule with iron paw!
Thisis’ Influence
Thisis is still a fairly minor god and her influence are mostly contained to regions where hamsters occur naturally. Her army of tiny beasts sometimes gathering in swarms around a black bear sized hamster known as a Thisis Champion.
Besides merely being the goddess of hamsterkind, she is also ambition and a hoarder, as such she's become a symbol of the hoarding of food before a famine, represented as a hamster with her cheeks stuffed.
Thisis' Goals
Thisis is very straightforward, her goals are the advancement of Hamsterkind and the establishment of a great Hamster nation with her as the patron diety.
Divine Relationships
Thisis is often mocked amongst other dieties and as such has few genuine relations. When interacting with other dieties its mostly with those of infinite patience, such as Ilmater, Hestia or Sylvanus. She is also amusing to those gods who enjoy chaos and upheaval of the status quo, such as Loki, Dionysus and Nyarlathotep. In Theros her main ally is Karametra.
Few consider Thisis a true enemy, but she is seen as a nuisance by many. The main gods that spare some of their efforts to work against her are those gods who hate the fantastical. Bane, Helm and Ares are amongst those who do not like her existence. In Theros her main opponent seems to be Ephara, for her mockery of what a true state is supposed to be.
Worshiping Thisis
Worship of Thisis Notfu Nny is a celebration of the absurd. Worshippers will dorn helms or masks adorned with the face of hamsters and revel in dance while throwing seeds at each other. Other ceremonies involve the petting and care of a holy hamster kept in the temple. Temples often include great wheels attached to the wall in which those of penitent nature can run away their sin, or just run because it's fun.
The main holiday of the hamster cults are the days of Hoarding. After harvest the worshippers will spend three days gathering as much food as possible and preserve it for the upcoming winter. This is accompanied with much song and ritual. When these three days are over, the fourth day will be spend using the unpreservable or left-over food for a great feast. Many a town has been saved from famine because of this practice.
MYTHS OF THISIS
Thisis as a newer goddess does not have as many myths as some of the older gods, but many stories have been spread about her.
The Harvester and the Glutton. Two brothers inherited their father's farm and decided to split the land between them. One day each of the brothers found a hamster in their field asking for a seed. The older brother grabbed the hamster and threw him from his field, the younger brother showed kindness and gave his hamster a seed. When harvest came the hamster returned to the younger brother and warned him to hoard as much as he could. The younger brother heeded the warning and stuffed his barns with stored food, while the older brother sold and ate his harvest. The next spring a famine hit the land and the older brother ran out of food. The younger brother shared his stored food with the older brother and the older brother saw the error of his ways. The hamsters returned before them accompanied by the goddess Thisis and accepted both brothers into her cult.
Thisis and Odin. One day Odin disguised as a crow flew along the forest sky, upon the forest floor he saw a hamster that was looking upon a tree and landed beside it. Odin asked the Hamster what it was doing. The creature replied with stuffed cheeks that it was hungry, but could not reach the fruit above. Odin asked why it would not eat the food in its cheeks. The Hamster replied that it could not eat that food until it had new food to replace it with. Odin was confounded but agreed to get the fruit for the hamster. The hamster eagerly accepted the fruit from the crow and revealed itself to be the goddess Thisis. When Odin asked why she had not just used her divine form to get the fruit, she replied that the kindness of others was a beautiful thing.
The Hamdragon. Once there was a young dragon who was in search of an easy meal. It came upon a village of hamsters and thought it had found an easy snack. But as it approached the village it was confronted by a goddess. Thisis forced the dragon to kneel and asked what it came for. The dragon explained that it was hungry. Thisis empathized and opened her stores for the dragon. The dragon eagerly ate, but as it ate it realized it had taken on the shape of a hamster himself. Thisis blessed him as the Hamdragon and pledged he would never go hungry again. The hamdragon from then on served as a protector of the village.
Most worshipers of Thisis Notfu Nny are those that do not like the seriousness of organized religion, while still seeking its community. Seeing hamsters and hoarding, but also kindness as the perfect balance of silliness and genuine goodness.
Thisis' Favor
Thisis grants her favor to those who are alligned with her views on kindness and able to stomach the stranger parts of her worship with great dignity. She also favors those that take care of hamsters. The Thisis' Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god.
Thisis' Favor
d6
Circumstance
1
You had/have a pet hamster that means the world to you.
2
You have a history as a farmer or food gatherer and know the virtue of preservation.
3
In a moment of bravery you protected a hamster.
4
Your parents were members of the cult and your were born into it.
5
You had a faithful encounter with the legendary Hamdragon, or at least you claim you did.
6
You shared your food with those in need.
Devotion to Thisis
Servants of Thisis facilitate the protection of hamsterkind and the preservation of food. As a follower of Thisis, consider the possibilities on the Thisis' Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.
Thisis' Ideals
d6
Ideal
1
Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what she stands for. (Any)
2
Preservation. I preserve things for when the need is highest. (Lawful)
3
Ambition. I have an unending ambition and do not mind through which path I achieve it. (Evil or neutral)
4
Hamsters. I just think hamsters are great and deserve to be held in high esteem. (Neutral)
5
Kindness. We should all show empathy and kindness to those around us. (Good)
6
Silliness. I love silliness and going against the grain, I want to have some fun in faith. (Chaotic)
Earning and Losing Piety
You increase your piety score to Thisis Notfu Nny when you honor her or hamsterkind through acts such as these:
Protecting or aiding a hamster
Preserving food and items for when they are most needed and showing kindness and charity to those that need it
Performing in rituals associated with Thisis Notfu Nny
Your piety score to Thisis decreases if you harm hamsterkind, impede her ascension, or perform forbidden acts such as these:
Performing acts of great Gluttony
Aiding those that seek to harm hamsterkind
Showing embarrassment or straying from your devotion
Thisis' Devotee
Piety 3+ Thisis trait
Your life is intertwined with the master of the veil. You can cast goodberry once per long rest with this feat. You can also cast speak with animals at will but only for hamsters. Hamsters are friendly towards you. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Thisis' Votary
Piety 10+ Thisis trait
You can cast polymorph with this trait, requiring no vocal components. You cannot choose the new form, a creature polymorphed this way will always take the form of a [monster]Space Hamster[/spell]. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Thisis’ Disciple
Piety 25+ Thisis trait
You can summon a [monster]giant space hamster[/spell] to serve as your permanent companion. The giant space hamster rolls its own initiative in battle, but follows your orders. If you are incapable of giving verbal orders it will disengage and move away from hostile creatures, or take the dodge action if no hostile creatures are within 30 feet of it. If the giant space hamster dies, it can be resummoned after 1d4 days.
Champion of Hamsterkind
Piety 50+ Thisis trait
You can increase your Wisdom or Dexterity score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
@MinMaxxed I am not quite sure what you mean with the DM's category description. Can we submit any kind of monster that has a transformation? Many high-level boss monsters/encounters have multiple transformations/phases. Tying transformations to a story point such as a moon phase or something does not really work when submitting them as standalones, that would be something that is worked into a campaign and its plot...
@MinMaxxed I am not quite sure what you mean with the DM's category description. Can we submit any kind of monster that has a transformation? Many high-level boss monsters/encounters have multiple transformations/phases. Tying transformations to a story point such as a moon phase or something does not really work when submitting them as standalones, that would be something that is worked into a campaign and its plot...
I don't see why tying a transformation to a story point would make a bad submission as long as you describe the story point in question. In my submission, for instance, the trigger is when the monster moves into or out of a zone of magical silence. That's obviously going to be encounter/story-specific.
@MinMaxxed I am not quite sure what you mean with the DM's category description. Can we submit any kind of monster that has a transformation? Many high-level boss monsters/encounters have multiple transformations/phases. Tying transformations to a story point such as a moon phase or something does not really work when submitting them as standalones, that would be something that is worked into a campaign and its plot...
I don't see why tying a transformation to a story point would make a bad submission as long as you describe the story point in question. In my submission, for instance, the trigger is when the monster moves into or out of a zone of magical silence. That's obviously going to be encounter/story-specific.
@Semako I mean, technically yes you could, but that would be (in my opinion) boring. My intention was much as Gnomarchy described-- include the story point! How the DM incorporates that is ultimately up to them, but the idea is to provide interesting narrative options for the DM.
I really like the flavour of this, it seems a bit underpowered compared to other feats. Maybe allow people to use the reaction PB times per long rest, instead of just once?
I really like the flavour of this, it seems a bit underpowered compared to other feats. Maybe allow people to use the reaction PB times per long rest, instead of just once?
I absolutely appreciate your enthusiasm, but in the future I'm going to politely suggest you might want to wait for someone to actually ask for feedback before jumping in with it on their submissions
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Anton, I know that this is not your first time participating in one of these competitions. It has been widely apparent from the get-go that the forum is used during the submission period to provide feedback on each other's entries. If the intent was to keep submissions hidden until voting, then they would be submitted privately to the judge prior to voting. Politely, if you have no desire for your homebrew to be reviewed and scrutinized before the voting period, you should wait until closer to the end date to submit.
Three-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
My entry for the interactive category is the return of...
The Gnomish Machinery Figure-Out Chart
Rules
When your PCs discover a device or magic item of gnomish make, use this chart and accompanying tables to add some fun and comedy to your game. Here's how it works.
Example of play:
Torple, the elf barbarian picks up a gnomish mechanical contraption of uncommon rarity, and has a spare moment to tinker with it. They begin at the "Begin" box on the chart. Torple spends ten minutes tinkering with the device. The player (having used Intelligence as a dump stat) rolls a 3 on their first Intelligence check, and moves down to the left on the chart. The device begins to malfunction, and the player rolls on the "Harmful Effects" table. The player then rolls a 12 on their second Intelligence check, moving down to the right into the "Common" box. Torple could conclude their investigation here, but the item is uncommon, so they have not worked out its function. Torple's party is then ambushed by a giant frog and must stow the item until later. During their next long rest, Torple continues trying to work out the device. They spend ten minutes to make two more Intelligence checks, beginning at the "Common" box. The player first rolls a 14, moving down and to the right. The player then rolls on the "Beneficial Effects" table as the device produces an unexpectedly good effect. The player then elects to forgo their next roll, treating the result as a 1. This moves them down and to the left, into the "Uncommon" box. They choose to conclude their investigation there, learning the full functions of the device.
The Chart
The Tables
Beneficial Effects Table
Harmful Effects Table
Feedback would be deeply appreciated!
And my entry for the DM category is...
The Archivist
Before you is a being torn between celestial grace and aberrant horror. In the dim light, its form shifts unsettlingly—a once-glorious figure irrevocably twisted by the very knowledge it once sought to protect. Its wings, once pure and shimmering, are tattered, trailing a haze of darkness that distorts reality itself. In one hand, it clutches a twisted lantern—once a beacon of divine light, now warped and alien, its glow sickly and unsettling. Its eyes, filled with ancient knowledge, unravel your thoughts with a gaze that is both profoundly wise and deeply mad. A whisper of countless voices echoes in your mind as you face it, a susurration of secrets best left unknown.
Brilliance (Celestial Form Only). The Archivist sheds Bright Light for 30 feet and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet.
Forms of Dissonance. Within an area of magical silence, the Archivist takes on its true form, and its Type is Celestial. When the Archivist exits an area of magical silence, it shape-shifts into a form of pulsing, shrieking geometric patterns. In this form, its Type is Aberration. Its game statistics, except for its Type, are the same in each form.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day or 4/Day in Lair). If the Archivist fails a Saving Throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Resonant Movement (Aberration Form Only). The Archivist can move through other creatures and objects as if they were Difficult Terrain, and its movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
Each creature it moves through takes 5 (1d10) Thunder damage; no creature can take this damage more than once per turn. The Archivist takes 5 (1d10) Force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Shrieking (Aberration Form Only). The Archivist emits a loud screeching sound that can be heard out to a range of 120 feet.
Multiattack. The Archivist makes three Distortion Touch attacks. It can replace one of these attacks with a use of Spellcasting.
Distortion Touch. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) damage. The damage type is Radiant if the Archivist is a Celestial or Thunder if the Archivist is an Aberration.
Disrupting Resonance (Aberration Form Only). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 30-foot-radius Sphere centered on the archivist. Failure: 33 (4d10) Thunder damage and the target's Concentration is broken. Success: Half damage.
Celestial Lantern (Celestial Form Only). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 60-foot Cone. Failure: 39 (6d12) Radiant damage and the target has the Blinded condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage.
Spellcasting. The Archivist casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18):
At will: Daylight, Detect Thoughts, Dispel Magic, Silence
The Archivist can take up to three Reactions per round but only one per turn. If the Archivist is in its lair, it can take an additional Reaction per round.
Alien Mind. Trigger: A creature tries to read the Archivist’s thoughts or deals it Psychic damage. Reponse—Intelligence Saving Throw: DC 18, the triggering creature. Failure: 33 (6d10) Psychic damage and the creature has the Stunned condition until the end of its next turn. Success: Half damage.
Phase Shift. Trigger: The Archivist uses its Legendary Resistance trait. Response: The Archivist casts Silence centered on itself, or dismisses a previously cast Silence spell.
Warp Reality. Trigger: Another creature the Archivist can see ends its turn. Response—Intelligence Saving Throw: DC 18, the triggering creature. Failure: The Archivist Teleports either itself or the target up to 60 feet into an unoccupied space that it can see.
The Accursed Archive
The Accursed Archive is a vast, labyrinthine library hidden deep within the earth, where the air is thick with the scent of ancient parchment and dust. Endless rows of towering bookshelves stretch into the darkness, filled with tomes bound in strange materials and inscribed with eldritch symbols. The walls pulse with an unnatural, dim light that seems to seep from the very stones, casting eerie shadows that dance and twist as if alive. Whispers echo through the corridors—faint, unintelligible, yet filled with an unsettling malevolence. In the heart of the archive lies the Archivist's sanctum, a circular chamber where reality itself seems unstable, with the very fabric of space warping and shifting around a central pedestal holding a book bound in living flesh. This is where the Archivist conducts its dark research, drawing power from the forbidden knowledge contained within the accursed texts. The oppressive silence of the archive is broken only by the occasional, distant scream or the rustle of unseen pages turning, as the Archivist prowls the shadows, eternally searching for more secrets to corrupt.
DM Notes
The Archivist is meant to be a minor villain fought in its lair, the Accursed Archive. The Archive's stacks are perpetually shrouded in a field of magical silence, as the silence, in which the Archivist takes on its celestial form. In the field of silence, the Archivist communicates using its telepathy. If a character disobeys the rules of the Archive, such as by stealing or defacing a book, the field of silence falls, and the Archivist takes on its aberration form. The archivist is evil, and delights in corrupting mortals, but maintains the facade that it is a celestial librarian.
Especially when I'm a participant in a competition, I don't provide "feedback" on other entries unless it's asked for
That just seems like common courtesy to me
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Everyone, enough. I'm pulling rank as Judge and asking we drop this.This line of conversation is over.
I know I haven't participated in this competition for as long as any of you, but looking at the past competition threads validates Kaboom's take on things: feedback is common and expected, and there's nothing stopping anyone from submitting late in the competition. Anton, now we know that you don't want feedback. Fine.
It's done. Enough.
A little tongue in cheek and feedback welcome (I'm not sure how much of the base item text to copy across).
DM Options: Catalysts of Change
Currently homebrewing the Mistveil Rogue, an elusive infiltrator that can vanish into thin air.
DM Options: Catalyst for Change
The Whirlygig
The Whirlygig is an indescribable creature - not because none have seen it, like the invisible stalker, but because every account of it gives a completely different description of its appearance. One account describes it as a tiny sprite-like Fey creature with a deer's head, dragonfly wings, and a mouse's body, another as a horse made of pure flame with a mane and tail of smoke and embers, yet another as transparent ooze filled with glitter. It is only through the diligent efforts of yours truly that it was discovered these differing accounts all describe the same species of creature due to their one constant element: a spiral mark on its forehead (or on top of its body if the creature has no head).
The creature appears to be innately trans-planar existing on all planes of existence simultaneously and having a form suited to each such plane, but able to swap their forms between planes at will.
When creating a Whirlygig, choose one creature of each creature type of a CR 3-5 to function as its different planar forms.
Whirlygig
Neutral Tiny/Small/Medium/Large Any Creature Type
AC: 15, HP: 75(10d8+30), Speed: 30 ft, fly 30 ft
STR 16 (+3), DEX 16 (+3), CON 16 (+3), INT 16 (+3), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 16 (+3)
Skills: Deception +6, Arcana +6
Senses: 60 ft darkvision
Languages: -
Challenge: 5
Abilities
Teleport (1/day). The Whirlygig can choose to transport all creatures currently touching itself to another plane when it uses its Planar Swap. The creatures are transported to the plane that the Whirlygig swaps with.
Actions
Slam. +8 th, 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage on a hit.
Legendary Actions (3/round)
Planar Swap (2 actions). The Whirlygig swaps its creature type, size and physical appearance, and game statistics for those of a different planar form. It retains its Legendary Actions, it’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma modifiers, and its skill proficiencies and HP in the new form.
Attack. The Whirlygig makes one attack.
Evade. The Whirlygig moves up to its speed.
DM Options: Catalysts of Change
Piece of the Weave (Magic Item, Consumable)
This item takes the form of a golden thread of magic, interwoven into a red thread of fate. A creature in the possession of this weave can change one thing about any spell or ability, like its effective range, damage type, creatures it affects, the saving roll, wether something requires concentration, et cetera. Your DM decides what is reasonable. You can use this item as a part of the action used to activate the spell or ability and the changes last for the duration of this activation. After using this item the threads vanish from your inventory.
I am also here.
Am snek.
I am currently judging the Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIV
Hi Zombles! A comment or two here. But first, this item feels a lot like the special spell components from 3rd and 4th editions, of which I was a fan. It also feels a lot like the "clicker" from the Alan Wake games (that I'm obsessing over currently).
Substantively, check the highlighted sentences. I would recommend the following for clarity:
Edit: For reference.
Interactive Options: Positively Looney
Thisis Notfu Nny (Deity)
Goddess of hamsterkind
Thisis Notfu Nny was once an Empyrean daughter of great mother nature herself. Ever ambitious, the girl did not think her status as a celestial titan was enough. And where else could a already supreme being grow then into godhood itself. She sought to carve out a divine domain for herself and fell upon the obviously elite race known as the hamsters. She awakened hundreds of these hamsters and even recruited hamsters from space to aid her as disciples. Giant hamsters the size of Black Bears became her guardians and her terror came in the form of the already infamous Hamdragon, an abominable hybrid of hamster and dragon with a breath of necrotic flame.
Now mortal you have a choice, you can accept your inferiority before great hamsterkind and adopt Thisis as your goddess too, or rage against the dying of the humanoid's supremity. But in the end it's inevitable that hamsterkind will rule with iron paw!
Thisis’ Influence
Thisis is still a fairly minor god and her influence are mostly contained to regions where hamsters occur naturally. Her army of tiny beasts sometimes gathering in swarms around a black bear sized hamster known as a Thisis Champion.
Besides merely being the goddess of hamsterkind, she is also ambition and a hoarder, as such she's become a symbol of the hoarding of food before a famine, represented as a hamster with her cheeks stuffed.
Thisis' Goals
Thisis is very straightforward, her goals are the advancement of Hamsterkind and the establishment of a great Hamster nation with her as the patron diety.
Divine Relationships
Thisis is often mocked amongst other dieties and as such has few genuine relations. When interacting with other dieties its mostly with those of infinite patience, such as Ilmater, Hestia or Sylvanus. She is also amusing to those gods who enjoy chaos and upheaval of the status quo, such as Loki, Dionysus and Nyarlathotep. In Theros her main ally is Karametra.
Few consider Thisis a true enemy, but she is seen as a nuisance by many. The main gods that spare some of their efforts to work against her are those gods who hate the fantastical. Bane, Helm and Ares are amongst those who do not like her existence. In Theros her main opponent seems to be Ephara, for her mockery of what a true state is supposed to be.
Worshiping Thisis
Worship of Thisis Notfu Nny is a celebration of the absurd. Worshippers will dorn helms or masks adorned with the face of hamsters and revel in dance while throwing seeds at each other. Other ceremonies involve the petting and care of a holy hamster kept in the temple. Temples often include great wheels attached to the wall in which those of penitent nature can run away their sin, or just run because it's fun.
The main holiday of the hamster cults are the days of Hoarding. After harvest the worshippers will spend three days gathering as much food as possible and preserve it for the upcoming winter. This is accompanied with much song and ritual. When these three days are over, the fourth day will be spend using the unpreservable or left-over food for a great feast. Many a town has been saved from famine because of this practice.
MYTHS OF THISIS
Thisis as a newer goddess does not have as many myths as some of the older gods, but many stories have been spread about her.
The Harvester and the Glutton. Two brothers inherited their father's farm and decided to split the land between them. One day each of the brothers found a hamster in their field asking for a seed. The older brother grabbed the hamster and threw him from his field, the younger brother showed kindness and gave his hamster a seed. When harvest came the hamster returned to the younger brother and warned him to hoard as much as he could. The younger brother heeded the warning and stuffed his barns with stored food, while the older brother sold and ate his harvest. The next spring a famine hit the land and the older brother ran out of food. The younger brother shared his stored food with the older brother and the older brother saw the error of his ways. The hamsters returned before them accompanied by the goddess Thisis and accepted both brothers into her cult.
Thisis and Odin. One day Odin disguised as a crow flew along the forest sky, upon the forest floor he saw a hamster that was looking upon a tree and landed beside it. Odin asked the Hamster what it was doing. The creature replied with stuffed cheeks that it was hungry, but could not reach the fruit above. Odin asked why it would not eat the food in its cheeks. The Hamster replied that it could not eat that food until it had new food to replace it with. Odin was confounded but agreed to get the fruit for the hamster. The hamster eagerly accepted the fruit from the crow and revealed itself to be the goddess Thisis. When Odin asked why she had not just used her divine form to get the fruit, she replied that the kindness of others was a beautiful thing.
The Hamdragon. Once there was a young dragon who was in search of an easy meal. It came upon a village of hamsters and thought it had found an easy snack. But as it approached the village it was confronted by a goddess. Thisis forced the dragon to kneel and asked what it came for. The dragon explained that it was hungry. Thisis empathized and opened her stores for the dragon. The dragon eagerly ate, but as it ate it realized it had taken on the shape of a hamster himself. Thisis blessed him as the Hamdragon and pledged he would never go hungry again. The hamdragon from then on served as a protector of the village.
Thisis’ Champions
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Good
Suggested Classes: Druid, warlock, ranger, paladin
Suggested Cleric Domains: Trickery, Nature
Suggested Backgrounds: Hermit, sage, outlander, anthropologist
Most worshipers of Thisis Notfu Nny are those that do not like the seriousness of organized religion, while still seeking its community. Seeing hamsters and hoarding, but also kindness as the perfect balance of silliness and genuine goodness.
Thisis' Favor
Thisis grants her favor to those who are alligned with her views on kindness and able to stomach the stranger parts of her worship with great dignity. She also favors those that take care of hamsters. The Thisis' Favor table offers several suggestions for the nature of your connection to the god.
Thisis' Favor
d6
Circumstance
1
You had/have a pet hamster that means the world to you.
2
You have a history as a farmer or food gatherer and know the virtue of preservation.
3
In a moment of bravery you protected a hamster.
4
Your parents were members of the cult and your were born into it.
5
You had a faithful encounter with the legendary Hamdragon, or at least you claim you did.
6
You shared your food with those in need.
Devotion to Thisis
Servants of Thisis facilitate the protection of hamsterkind and the preservation of food. As a follower of Thisis, consider the possibilities on the Thisis' Ideals table as alternatives to those suggested for your background.
Thisis' Ideals
d6
Ideal
1
Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what she stands for. (Any)
2
Preservation. I preserve things for when the need is highest. (Lawful)
3
Ambition. I have an unending ambition and do not mind through which path I achieve it. (Evil or neutral)
4
Hamsters. I just think hamsters are great and deserve to be held in high esteem. (Neutral)
5
Kindness. We should all show empathy and kindness to those around us. (Good)
6
Silliness. I love silliness and going against the grain, I want to have some fun in faith. (Chaotic)
Earning and Losing Piety
You increase your piety score to Thisis Notfu Nny when you honor her or hamsterkind through acts such as these:
Your piety score to Thisis decreases if you harm hamsterkind, impede her ascension, or perform forbidden acts such as these:
Thisis' Devotee
Piety 3+ Thisis trait
Your life is intertwined with the master of hamsterkind. You can cast goodberry once per long rest with this feat. You can also cast speak with animals at will but only for hamsters. Hamsters are friendly towards you. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Thisis' Votary
Piety 10+ Thisis trait
You can cast polymorph with this trait, requiring no vocal components. You cannot choose the new form, a creature polymorphed this way will always take the form of a Space Hamster. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Thisis’ Disciple
Piety 25+ Thisis trait
You can summon a giant space hamster to serve as your permanent companion. The giant space hamster rolls its own initiative in battle, but follows your orders. If you are incapable of giving verbal orders it will disengage and move away from hostile creatures, or take the dodge action if no hostile creatures are within 30 feet of it. If the giant space hamster dies, it can be resummoned after 1d4 days.
Champion of Hamsterkind
Piety 50+ Thisis trait
You can increase your Wisdom or Dexterity score by 2 and also increase your maximum for that score by 2.
I am also here.
Am snek.
I am currently judging the Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIV
I appreciate your feedback! I will make most of the changes as suggested for clarity. I will however keep the part of the threads disappearing from your inventory, just to make it extra clear that you can only use them once I also like that sentence for the mystical vibe it gives.
I am also here.
Am snek.
I am currently judging the Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIV
@MinMaxxed I am not quite sure what you mean with the DM's category description. Can we submit any kind of monster that has a transformation? Many high-level boss monsters/encounters have multiple transformations/phases. Tying transformations to a story point such as a moon phase or something does not really work when submitting them as standalones, that would be something that is worked into a campaign and its plot...
I don't see why tying a transformation to a story point would make a bad submission as long as you describe the story point in question. In my submission, for instance, the trigger is when the monster moves into or out of a zone of magical silence. That's obviously going to be encounter/story-specific.
Here is my submission to the DM category: the alternating constructs, the Clink-Clacks!
Clink-Clack Warrior
Clink-Clack Searcher
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXIV?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
@Semako I mean, technically yes you could, but that would be (in my opinion) boring. My intention was much as Gnomarchy described-- include the story point! How the DM incorporates that is ultimately up to them, but the idea is to provide interesting narrative options for the DM.
Here’s my Player option: the Mournful feat!
Feedback is welcome!
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXIV?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
I really like the flavour of this, it seems a bit underpowered compared to other feats. Maybe allow people to use the reaction PB times per long rest, instead of just once?
I am also here.
Am snek.
I am currently judging the Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIV
I'll likely do that. Thanks for your input!
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXIV?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature