Innate Spellcasting. The hexblood's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, mage hand, hex
3/day each: hypnotic pattern, sending, sleep (7d8)
1/day each: counterspell, scrying
Fey Resilience. The hexblood has advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the charmed condition on themself.
Multiattack. The hexblood makes any two claw and/or weapon attacks.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Morphing Weapon. Any simple or martial weapon stats.
Nightmare Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is unconscious, it takes an extra 3 (1d6) psychic damage and is cursed until the Hexblood dies or the curse is removed by remove curse. The cursed creature’s hit point maximum decreases by 1 point whenever it finishes a long rest.
Altered Appearance. The hexblood magically alters herself to assume an alternate form. Her appearance can transform height, weight, facial features, sound of voice, hair length, colouration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. She can appear as a member of another race, though the changes are only cosmetic. She can't change her size or basic shape (bipedal). At any time, she can take action to change her appearance in this way again. The alteration ends if the hexblood takes a bonus action to end it or if she dies.
The changes wrought by this effect are very difficult to detect physically. A creature must take an action to visually inspect the alteration, manner and vocalisation and succeed on a DC 22 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that the hexblood is disguised.
Mimicry. The hexblood can mimic animal sounds and humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Invisible Passage. The hexblood magically turns invisible until she attacks or casts a spell or until her concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While invisible, she leaves no physical evidence of her passage, so she can only be tracked by magic. Any equipment she wears, or carries is invisible with her.
Hex. hex
Morphing Weapon. Weapon (any), uncommon (requires attunement). While holding this magic weapon, you can use a bonus action to speak its command word and have it magically change its shape to that of another simple or martial weapon of your choice. It remains in its most recent state if dropped. (Possible Weapon Origin: If unattuned, it reverts to the thigh bone of a hag, sharpened at one end and clubbed at the other, on an arcana check DC15 the control word "the name of the hag" is revealed).
Eerie Token. As a bonus action, you can harmlessly remove a lock of your hair, one of your nails, or one of your teeth. This token is imbued with magic until you finish a long rest. Gael uses these effects for business communications and keeping an eye on her operations. While the token is imbued in this way, you can take these actions:
- Telepathic Message. As an action, you can send a telepathic message to the creature holding or carrying the token as long as you are within 10 miles of it. The message can contain up to twenty-five words.
- Remote Viewing. If you are within 10 miles of the token, you can enter a trance as an action. The trance lasts for 1 minute, but it ends early if you dismiss it (no action required) or are incapacitated. During this trance, you can see and hear from the token as if you were located where it is. While you are using your senses at the token’s location, you are blinded and deafened in regard to your own surroundings. When the trance ends, the token is harmlessly destroyed.
Once you create a token using this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, at which point your missing part regrows.
Reaction Counterspell. She can cast counterspell as a reaction once per day as high as 3rd level.
Description
Gael Riordan is a Hexblood (a Hag-spawn) along the path to becoming a full Hag. She is a shrewd businesswoman who has built an underground empire known as The Sable Rats (an organisation that smuggles contraband, prohibited items and sometimes secrets to the spires).
This Corporate Hexblood wears many suits and faces, but her true appearance is that of a 6'2" ft tall, dark orange-skinned woman with eyes of burning coals and double-pointed or forked ears. Her hair is a mass of dark brown dreadlocks, and an eldercross of bone and antler grows from her temples. Her hands are claw-like, and her arms have green tattoos. She carries a Morphing Weapon that shifts with her physical alterations but usually favours a greataxe in her hexblood form.
Her alternate identities include:
- Barron Vole: Male Human Businessman. The Barron is a 6 ft tall, whip-thin gentleman with grey hair and brown eyes who appears to be about 50 years old. He is styled as a shadowy figure rumoured to have founded the Sable Rats, the face of the organisation. An organization of thieves, smugglers, and couriers. He looks about 50 years old but has been operating The Sable Rats for 120 years. In this form, the Barron's weapon looks like a walking cane(rapier stats).
- Granny Gael: Female Human Cook. Granny is a 5'2" ft short, stout elderly woman with white curly hair and brown eyes. She wears a burgundy calico dress with a ruffled apron and carries a recipe book in her pocket. The granny identity is used for spying and watching important voyages. Gael is thoughtful and kind until you cross her, and then she will poison you. In this form, Gael's weapon looks like a rolling pin (club stats).
Secret Origins. Gael's parents were dock workers on Spire Aurora. Seeking to have a child, they made a bargain with a hag. Gael is the result of that arrangement.
Current Occupation - The Sable Rats. Underworld organization is covertly involved in many societal industries with operatives across many spires. Primarily located in Spire Aurora. The main occupation involves acquiring, selling and distributing prohibited items across Sarim. The sable rats are rumoured to be created and ruled by a self-styled Barron of fortune, the mysterious Barron Vole. The Barron’s identity and influence are a closely guarded secret. The rats are run by loyal lieutenants who have never been successfully captured or turned to expose the organization.
Their organization is a vast network of casual pickpockets, bootleggers, smugglers, couriers, thieves, spies, fences and information brokers.
Possible future. Becoming a Hag, Gael is enjoying life as a long-lived fae, but the passage of time is beginning to take its toll, and as her power grows, so does her desire for power. Eventually, she plans to undergo the ritual to transform a hexblood into a new hag. She desires the Cauldron of Rebirth to aid in her eventual transformation.
Lair and Lair Actions
The Hexblood's Lair
Hotel Miskatonic: A large room at the Hotel Miskatonic is retained by a reputable contact of the Sable Rats. The room can be found if the lights are dimmed. There is a tell-tale glowing yellow sign painted on the ceiling. In addition to the large rooms, a small apartment on the 4th floor with a small garden bed and an old wooden door. It is a small, comfortably furnished apartment with a well-stocked kitchen/apothecary.
- An unusual glowing yellow moss grows around in her garden. In her kitchen, a player could find vials of dull yellow ichor that fluoresces in the dark. This is the substance that the Sable Rats use to create their mark and communicate with their people.
Other Important Locations
Warehouse 42HL5: A rarely used warehouse at lot 42 River Street, Habitat Level 5, covered with a hazardous mould that most people avoid. Someone has scrawled the Yellow Sign on the wall. Inside a chained and padlocked warehouse is the entryway to a secret network of interlevel maintenance tunnels and storehouses of contraband and rare items.
The Old Hell-hound: A popular speakeasy on Church Street has a secret door behind a bookshelf leading to an even more secret lounge. A long shelf contains liquor bottles, foul ichors, huge leather chairs and a carpet as soft as velvet surrounding a traditional fireplace with a glowing healing crystal.
- Each creature within a 20-foot radius centred on the healing crystal regains 1d4 HP for every hour it spends in its presence.
Trade Operations
Sybeth: This merchant (marauder) skyship has an elegant hull and bright brass fittings with sails and rigging. The ship's captain is a stout man named Tane, and it is crewed by experienced sailors secretly on the Sable Rats' payroll. The ship's stern hold is registered to carry barrels of grains, nuts, flour and seeds. There are several smugglers caches on the ship.
Pickpocket Activities: Among the spires, it is possible to see the lowest level of the Sable Rats' influence by carefully watching the life on the docks, markets and the lower-level workspace, and you may see pickpockets. If you are not part of the organization and try to steal and are noticed by the Rats, you may be pressured to join or pay a tax for operating in their area.
- An unsuspecting creature might have their pockets picked.
- It is a difficult place to pickpocket, and a creature attempting to do so may be approached by the Sable Rats and pressured to join them, warned to leave or forced to pay a tax for operating in their territory.
Rumours. Barron Vole's identity includes the fact that the sable rats have operated for 120 years. He may be one of the deathless or long-lived races if he is still alive.
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