Spirit of Short Bird

This was made as part of a creative writing challenge, taking 5 prompts from different people and using them as feature names. Please excuse the bizarreness.

Since as early as you can remember, there's been a voice in your head other than your own. It did not take long for you to realize it was a separate entity, trying to converse with you. This invisible friend kept you company in your early years. As you matured, they began opening up, revealing more of who they were, why they associated with you, and what their goals are.

Short Bird was something of a guardian deity to the Black Forest. As the civilization matured, Short Bird led the first government, and continued to preside over the Black Forest for many centuries. They were popular, and with their leadership the Black Forest prospered. They often left to visit other regions, taking the form of a short human, granting blessings and miracles and gaining popularity outside the Black Forest as well.

A different faction started a long and hard smear campaign against Short Bird. Short Bird's popularity slowly fell, and with the loss of support, they lost divinity as well. When Short Bird was greatly weakened, the opposition struck. On the Night of Long Necks, Short Bird's government was overthrown, and Short Bird was killed.

You know Short Bird's entire life story because they won't shut up about it. They sure love to talk about their past. Yet, they are not blind to the present; their remaining divinity fuels your powers, they want to grow with you, and they hope to one day set things right in the Black Forest.

To most, Short Bird is an ancient legend. To you, they are a very real close companion, sharing your body, though you are still in control and they act more as a co-pilot. It is likely Short Bird will never get a body of their own again, but they don't seem to mind residing in yours. 

You's watching you

At 1st level, Short Bird's divinity warps time in your vicinity.

When a creature within 120 feet of you makes a [ranged attack, sphere area effect, or line area effect] which would be instantaneous, you can use your reaction to convert it into a projectile effect. Any effects this could target which occur simultaneously, you can also convert to projectile effects in the same reaction.

• A projectile makes its movement at the end of the current turn, and repeats its movement each time 1 round after the previous movement.
• A projectile has a maximum lifespan of 1 minute.
• Ranged attacks are converted to targeted projectiles, targeting the original attack's target. On contact with the target, the attack roll is made.
• Sphere area effects are converted to targeted projectiles, targeting the centre of the sphere. Upon reaching the target, the projectile "detonates" and produces the sphere area effect.
• Line area effects are converted to untargeted projectiles, which travel in the direction to follow the line. The projectile confers its effect when it contacts a creature or whatever the original line area effect affects. The projectile dies after travelling the length of the original line effect.
• Targeted projectiles track the target and take the shortest path to the target. Untargeted projectiles continue to move in a direction. Targeted projectiles that lose their target become untargeted projectiles.
• Projectiles have a maximum movement speed of half the original effect's range, rounded down. For ranged attacks with a normal and long range, calculate the speed with the normal range. If the movement speed would be less than 30 feet, it is set to 30 feet. If the movement speed would be more than 300 feet, it is set to 300 feet.
• Projectiles can be blocked and absorbed by anything that would block the original effect. For example, for a sphere area effect from a spell that requires sight, an opaque obstruction can block the projectile.
• Projectiles which were originally a sphere area effect or line area effect can only apply their effect once per target. Multi-area origins like the Meteor Swarm spells have their areas (and converted projectiles) linked for purposes of preventing repeated effects. This prevents you from getting hit multiple times by the same spell just because it was converted to a projectile.
• When a projectile dies, if it had some material form (such as an arrow), it stops moving, but remains. Otherwise, it dissipates into nothing.
• Untargeted projectiles which were originally single-target effects can only affect one target.

One of Short Bird's names may be transliterated into Common as "You." Actions of violence were slowed, hindering aggressors. "You is watching," the birds would chirp, happy that their home was peaceful.

"Few know my legend or believe in me. My divinity is not what it used to be. I cannot help you dodge that arrow or that fireball, but I can buy time. I am sure you will make good use of it."

George

Starting at 6th level, Short Bird has regained enough power to momentarily manifest one of their human forms that they used in their travels - George.

As an action, you can change your appearance to George for a moment, emitting a powerful divine aura, and then changing back. All creatures that can see you within 120 feet and creatures within 15 feet (regardless of sight) must make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On failure, they are inflicted with Reverence.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Creatures with Reverence recognize you as a deity. This is usually good for you, as most creatures will respect you, and intelligent creatures will be inclined to show you kindness and treat you well. Some may give you gifts or offerings, wanting the deity's favour. Reverence does not automatically make a creature friendly or stop it from harming you. In rare cases, a very different reaction may occur, for example, if someone is intent on killing deities, Reverence may cause them to become extremely aggressive toward you. Creatures with divinity will tend to react to Reverence in unpredictable ways.

A creature with Reverence can re-attempt the saving throw every 10 minutes. On a success, they no longer have Reverence.

"I can project my old form for only a moment, but a moment is more than enough. It will not be necessary for them to know my legend or believe in me. The divine form is irresistible, they will believe it when they see it, and it will take a great deal of thought for them to overcome the natural reaction of their own mind."

ok, "ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop"

Starting at 14th level, your synchronization with Short Bird has improved to the point where Short Bird can subtly alter the components of spells as you cast them, resulting in an improved remixed version of the spell being cast.

You can choose to apply this effect to any spells you cast with exactly one counter*. For every 3 in the count that would have existed without this feature, this feature adds 1 more to the count.

You also learn Magic Missile, Aid, Mass Healing Word, Conjure Minor Elementals, and Mass Cure Wounds. They do not count towards your spell limit. All of these spells are examples of spells that this feature can enhance.

*A counter is a dimensionless integer constant that counts something other than dice. Hit points and damage are considered a dimension. Note that some resources are confusingly called "dice" but are actually counters. No SRD spells grant "dice" resources, but other sources may.

"I've been told the incantation sounds like a song and the somatic component looks like a dance. That the modified spell appears this way is a coincidence, but if you enjoy the performance, I will consider it a bonus."

Gray Eminence

Starting at 14th level, you can manipulate life and death.

As an action, you can choose a creature you can see within 120 feet. It is inflicted with Gray for 1 minute. For any effect that depends on hit points or maximum hit points, it treats the hit points and maximum hit points of a creature with Gray as 101.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

For purposes of counting as a buff (beneficial effect) or debuff (harmful effect), Gray is both.

"I originally tuned this power to be optimal for avoiding execution, and I do suggest you use it for that. But perhaps you will find some other use for it."

Throw it back

Beginning at 18th level, you can manipulate projectiles near yourself.

As an action, you can spend 5 sorcery points to redirect a projectile you can see within 120 feet.

• For targeted projectiles, you choose a new target within 120 feet of yourself.
• For untargeted projectiles, you choose a new direction.
• If the projectile originated from a line area effect, the travel distance limit is removed.
• The projectile's next movement is moved to be at the end of the current turn.
• The projectile becomes unlinked for purposes of preventing repeated effects. Targets which have already been affected by this projectile become vulnerable to it again.

"When death comes, throw it back."