Path of the Old Gods

A howl sounds out above the clang of swords and screams of battle, piercing through the blood-soaked fields of Skye. The cry is that of the battle-worn worshippers of Kromac warriors of the Old Gods. A sudden stillness strikes the skirmish as the combatants look toward the source of the echoing wail. There stands a woman clad in thick animal furs, her face smeared in the blood of her enemies. She belows “Kromac hungers!” as she grabs her nearest foe by the throat with her bare hands, lifting them off the ground effortlessly before tearing into their flesh.

 

The so-called great nations of the continent claim every scrap of land as theirs. Yet, many places in the world remain wild and untamed, and the people who live there refuse to relinquish their freedom to any lord, nation, or creed. They must fight to protect their way of life from the political strife that plagues the nations. In places such as the cold northern tundra of Netherwind, or the mystical Isles of Skye, as far south as the Jungles of Terene, and to the fiery peaks of the Drakeclaw Mountains dwell fierce warriors who rise up time and time again to fend off the intrusion of civilization.

These barbarians are bold and courageous warriors. They tend to lean towards more traditional combat tactics and rely on strength and cunning over plate mail and tactics. Many notable warlords have been referred to as barbarians, some famous and courageous, others infamous and terrible. Kristoff Karn, the invader of the East ern Vales, carved a bloody path through the free lands of the east in the name of conquest. The Ironhelm Dwarves foster traditions of berserker warriors. The Northfolk of Skye and the Netherwind Reavers are all notable barbarian groups.

Some barbarians hold deep faith and reverence for the ancient Old Gods, and view themselves as defenders of their sacred places. Keeping close ties to druids, they see themselves as warriors of the natural order, attuning to nature, animals, and the wilds. Others only loosely hold these ancient traditions.

Some barbarians care little for the ways of the Old Gods, however, and simply live for battle and adventure. Many fought as mercenaries during the Westemär Civil War or as seafaring pirates of the Middle Sea, or even a handful of bold Caspian warriors who stood to prove their might for their home.

Level 3: Brute Strength

You are relentless in battle, filled with a bloodlust and rage of the Old Gods. You are proficient with improvised weapons. Your unarmed strike and attacks with any melee weapons or improvised weapons that aren’t light deal damage equal to 1d12 plus your Strength modifier.

While you are raging, you gain the following benefits:

• All melee weapons you wield that aren’t light gain the heavy and thrown properties, including improvised weapons. A weapon which doesn’t specify a thrown range gains a range of 30/60 while you are wielding it.
• Once on your turn when you hit a creature within 5 feet of you with a melee weapon attack, you can try to grapple or shove that creature as part of the same attack.
• If your size is Small, you don’t have disadvantage on attack rolls when wielding a heavy weapon.

Level 6: Adaptable Combatant

You gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, your ability to grab enemies and turn anything into a weapon grows stronger.  You gain the following benefits:

• You can try to grapple or shove a creature up to two size categories larger than you.
• Your speed is no longer halved when you try to move a creature you’re grappling.
• Your unarmed strikes and attacks with improvised weapons count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• You can treat a creature you are grappling as an improvised weapon. When you hit another target using a grappled creature as an improvised weapon, the grappled creature takes damage equal to your Strength modifier plus your proficiency bonus. When you use a creature as an improvised weapon, thrown attacks made with it have a range of 10/20 feet.

Level 10: Brutal Kills

While you are raging, if you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can choose to kill them brutally, tearing off limbs, and savaging your enemy. The violent display terrifies those around you.

Any enemies that can see you must make a successful Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for the next minute. The save DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your strength modifier.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest you can do so again.

Level 14: Gifts of the Gods

The Old Gods have chosen you as their divine weapon, a tool to be used against evil. You gain the following benefits:

• When you are raging, you can attack three times whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
• You can grapple or shove any creature, regardless of size.
• You can add your Strength score to the range of all thrown weapons.
• When you shove a creature, you can push it 10 feet.

Level 6: Sturdy Build

Whenever you enter your rage or willingly end your rage on your turn, you can expend Hit Dice and regain hit points as if you had finished a short rest.

Level 3: Imbued by the Gods

Your natural strength is amplified, and the gods you worship bestow upon you inhuman capabilities:

• You gain proficiency in Intimidation if you don’t already have it, and add twice your proficiency bonus to Intimidation checks. 
• You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Your long jump and high jump are doubled.