Oath of Distrust

Followers of the Oath of Distrust are known as Oathsworn. By others they are sometimes referred to as Knights of Paranoia, though the Oathsworn do not like being called this. The Oathsworn are those who have been betrayed by someone they hold dear and now have no where and no one to call home. They have a hard time trusting others, but find comfort in the demands of the Oath. The Oath demands that they find one person who they think that they can trust the most and have them take an Oath as well. This person is known as the Caretaker. This binds the two together as the Caretaker receives benefits from their Oath and detriments if it is broken. This helps the Oathsworn feel more at ease knowing that there is someone who has an incentive to being trustworthy. The Caretaker may be dishonest, manipulative, disloyal, etc., just not to the Oathsworn; they can do that to anyone else.

The dynamic between Oathsworn and their Caretaker often lends itself to the two developing deep love, and great friendship, or a brother/sisterlike bond with one another. This often leads to the Oathsworn breaking their Oath. Thought the two do not know it, the true goal of the Oath is to get the Oathsworn to begin to trust again and to eventually break the Oath. Breaking it provides them, with additional strengths. However, those who wish to keep the Oath will also find great powers in their own way.

Tenets of Distrust

The Oathsworn follow these tenets:

Everyone is out to get me. I must be careful who I surround myself with.

Be wary of my surroundings, for someone could be plotting something.

Do not blindly trust what others say or do.

I am not paranoid, I am prepared for the worst.

 

The Caretakers follow these Tenets:

I will protect my Oathsworn from myself, others, and themselves, in fights and in everyday life.

Abandonment and betrayal are a fate worse than death, I will not subject them to this.

I will work hard to gain their trust and to never break it.

 

 Channel Divinity

Taking this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following Channel Divinity options:

At Arms Length: As an action, you can push all enemies 10ft. away from you in a circle. Those effected must make a Strength saving throw to prevent being pushed away. The DC is 12 + your Strength Modifier. After this, the player is absorbed in a cloud of distrust and anxiety. This prevents enemies from melee attacking you until your next turn. Attempting to do so will result in the player taking no damage and retaliating with 1d4 of damage. At the player's next turn, the cloud leaves.

The retaliation damage is increased to 1d6 at level 6, 1d8 at level 10, and 2d8 at level 16.

 Unrivaled Dismay: As an action, you can whisper an incantation. Doing so unleashes a dark fog from their mouth as they speak. This fog travels to a being of their choice, enveloping them in a dark shroud. This being becomes distrustful of everyone and will attack one of their allies on their next turn. If this being has no allies, they do not trust themselves enough to attack effectively and will skip their next turn. After their turn is over, the shroud leaves.

 Aura of Unease

Starting at the 7th levels, your extreme distrust creates a zone of unease.

The area 10ft. around you grants allies some of your distrust, allowing them to be wary of their surroundings. This adds +2 on perception and investigation checks and anyone trying to backstab them must roll at disadvantage.

If the Caretaker is within the zone, they gain the benefits listed above as well as a +2 to their AC. At the Oathsworn's 12th level, the Oathsworn can make a 1d8 retaliation after the Caretaker is melee damaged. This retaliation can only be done twice per short rest.

The area is extended to 30ft. at 18th level.

Fate Worse than Death

At the 15th level, the Oathsworn and their Caretaker can subject their enemies to the encroaching feeling of death. The Oathsworn and Caretaker choose a weapon to be their "Deathbringer". Deathbringers are weapons that are enshrouded in a pitch black fog. These weapons deal an additional 1d6 of necrotic damage. Each player may only have 1 Deathbringer at a time, and forming a new Deathbringer causes the old one to lose it's fog.

 Branching Paths

At the 20th level, the player must choose which path they will follow. Either the Oath of Solitude, or the Oath of Trust.

 

 

Oath of Solitude

This Oath causes the player to renounce their Caretaker and to go one with a life of solitude. The Caretaker is no longer bound by their Oath and loses all of their previous benefits above.

The player gains an addition +2 to their AC when no allies are within 10ft. of them.

The player may also unleash a fog from their hands to envelop all enemies within 30ft. This fog will deal 1d4 necrotic damage every turn for 3 turns. This ability returns after a long rest.

The player's Deathbringer will now deal an additional 2d6 of necrotic damage.

Oath of Trust

The player is finally able to fully trust their Caretaker. The Caretaker receives improved benefits from being within the Aura of Unease. The bonus AC is increased to +3 and the retaliation damage is increased to 2d8. This retaliation can now be done 3 times per short rest.

The Oathsworn may swap places with their Caretaker before the Caretaker is hit by an attack. This ability returns after a long rest.

Should the Caretaker be knocked unconscious, the Oathsworn will unleash a bloodcurdling yell and will deal an additional 1d8 damage for the rest of combat. This ability returns after a long rest. If the Caretaker is killed, the damage is increased to 2d8, and the Oathsworn will take the Oath of Solitude from then on.

Caretaker Breaks Oath

Small Infraction

Should the Caretaker break the Oathsworn's trust 3 times in small ways, they are renounced. The Oathsworn will take the Oath of Solitude at level 20. The former Caretaker will receive no benefit from the Aura of Unease, not even any benefits granted to other members of the party.

Large Infraction

The same as above occurs, but only after 1 large infraction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Features Section

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At Arms Length

At Arms Length: As a Channel Divinity action, you can push all enemies 10ft. away from you in a circle. Those effected must make a Strength saving throw to prevent being pushed away. The DC is 12 + your Strength Modifier. After this, the player is absorbed in a cloud of distrust and anxiety. This prevents enemies from melee attacking you until your next turn. Attempting to do so will result in the player taking no damage and retaliating with 1d4 of damage. At the player's next turn, the cloud leaves.

The retaliation damage is increased to 1d6 at level 6, 1d8 at level 10, and 2d8 at level 16.

Unrivaled Dismay

As a Channel Divinity action, you can whisper an incantation. Doing so unleashes a dark fog from their mouth as they speak. This fog travels to a being of their choice, enveloping them in a dark shroud. This being becomes distrustful of everyone and will attack one of their allies on their next turn. If this being has no allies, they do not trust themselves enough to attack effectively and will skip their next turn. After their turn is over, the shroud leaves.

Aura of Unease

Starting at the 7th levels, your extreme distrust creates a zone of unease.

The area 10ft. around you grants allies some of your distrust, allowing them to be wary of their surroundings. This adds +2 on perception and investigation checks and anyone trying to backstab them must roll at disadvantage.

If the Caretaker is within the zone, they gain the benefits listed above as well as a +2 to their AC. At the Oathsworn's 12th level, the Oathsworn can make a 1d8 retaliation after the Caretaker is melee damaged. This retaliation can only be done twice per short rest.

The area is extended to 30ft. at 18th level.

Fate Worse than Death

At the 15th level, the Oathsworn and their Caretaker can subject their enemies to the encroaching feeling of death. The Oathsworn and Caretaker choose a weapon to be their "Deathbringer". Deathbringers are weapons that are enshrouded in a pitch black fog. These weapons deal an additional 1d6 of necrotic damage. Each player may only have 1 Deathbringer at a time, and forming a new Deathbringer causes the old one to lose it's fog.

Branching Paths

At the 20th level, the player must choose which path they will follow. Either the Oath of Solitude, or the Oath of Trust.

Oath of Solitude

This Oath causes the player to renounce their Caretaker and to go one with a life of solitude. The Caretaker is no longer bound by their Oath and loses all of their previous benefits above.

The player gains an addition +2 to their AC when no allies are within 10ft. of them.

The player may also unleash a fog from their hands to envelop all enemies within 30ft. This fog will deal 1d4 necrotic damage every turn for 3 turns. This ability returns after a long rest.

The player's Deathbringer will now deal an additional 2d6 of necrotic damage.

Oath of Trust

The player is finally able to fully trust their Caretaker. The Caretaker receives improved benefits from being within the Aura of Unease. The bonus AC is increased to +3 and the retaliation damage is increased to 2d8. This retaliation can now be done 3 times per short rest.

The Oathsworn may swap places with their Caretaker before the Caretaker is hit by an attack. This ability returns after a long rest.

Should the Caretaker be knocked unconscious, the Oathsworn will unleash a bloodcurdling yell and will deal an additional 1d8 damage for the rest of combat. This ability returns after a long rest. If the Caretaker is killed, the damage is increased to 2d8, and the Oathsworn will take the Oath of Solitude from then on.