Order of the Vörður

 

The Vörður are ancient sentinels, bound by oaths carved in blood and stone. They wander the fringes of civilization, hunting beasts that defy nature and magic that curdles the soul. To face such horrors, they etch primordial runes upon the air itself, wielding the raw elements of creation in a desperate dance against annihilation. Theirs is not a life of glory, but of grim necessity—for every monster they fell, they bear the scars of the pact that gave them power.

 

Level 3:  Vitneskja Vörðsins and Rúnakraftur

Vitneskja Vörðsins

At 3rd level, your training emphasizes preparation over brute force. You know exactly what you are hunting.

You gain proficiency in the Arcana and Nature skills. If you already have proficiency in either skill, you gain expertise in it instead. By spending 10 minutes examining a physical trace left by a creature (footprints, broken foliage, bloodstains, or shed scales), you can glean information from it. You learn the creature's type (e.g., Fiend, Monstrosity), its approximate size (Tiny to Gargantuan), and how long ago it passed through the area. You also have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to track that specific creature for the next 24 hours.

Rúnakraftur

At 3rd level, you learn to carve volatile runes into the air, channeling elemental forces through your Hemocraft.

You know all the runes presented below, and you can prepare up to three different runes when you finish a short or long rest; you can prepare one additional rune at 11th level and another at 18th level. You have a number of Runic Charges equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended charges when you finish a short or long rest. As a bonus action, you can expend one Runic Charge to activate a rune you have prepared; if the rune requires a saving throw, the DC equals your Hemocraft save DC.

• Eldur (Fire). You project a 15-foot cone of searing flame. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d8 fire damage + your Hemocraft ability modifier. On a success, they take half damage. This damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 18th level. Optionally, you can choose to activate this rune to produce the spell Produce Flame for one minute.

• Hrinda (Push). You unleash a concussive wave in a 15-foot line. Each creature in that area must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are pushed 10 feet directly away from you and are knocked prone. On a success, they are pushed only 5 feet and are not knocked prone. The distance pushed increases to 15 feet at 11th level and 20 feet at 18th level. When targeting an object with Hrinda, the rune deals 15 force damage to that object and pushes it away from you 15 feet.
  
  
• Skjöldur (Shield). You wrap yourself in invisible, kinetic energy. You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Hemocraft ability modifier, and you gain a +1 bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn. The temporary hit points granted by this feature increase to 2d8 at 11th level and to 3d8 at 18th level
  
  
• Gildra (Trap). You inscribe a glowing rune on the ground in a 5-foot square within 30 feet of you. The first creature that steps onto that square must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d6 lightning damage, and their movement speed is halved until the end of their next turn. The rune lasts for 1 minute or until triggered. This damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level, and the creature also takes damage if they move, and 3d6 at 18th level; additionally, their speed becomes 0. Optionally, you can invoke the rune Gildra as part of a long rest to sanctify a 15-foot cube of space surrounding the glyph. This sanctified space prevents incorporeal objects and creatures from entering the space and prevents monstrosities and undead from entering the space without first providing the password chosen by you when you invoke the rune. When used in this way, the rune lasts for 24 hours before it fades harmlessly unless triggered.
  
  
• Hugur (Mind). You assault the mind of a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they cannot take opportunity attacks against you and have disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn. The duration extends to 2 turns at 11th level and then increases to 1 minute, and an affected creature can remake this save at the end of their turn, at 18th level.

• Is (Ice). You project a 15ft cone of freezing air. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d8 cold damage plus your Hemocraft ability modifier. On a successful save, they take half damage. This damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 18th level. Additionally, the ground becomes frozen solid, turning it into difficult terrain.
  
  
• Græða (To Mend). You inscribe a rune onto a willing creature within 5 feet of you; this can include yourself. A creature bearing this rune has any poisons afflicting it removed and regains 1d6 plus your Hemocraft ability modifier hit points.
  
  
• Eitraður (Toxic). You assault the body of a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes Poisoned for the next minute and takes 1d4 poison damage at the end of its turn. An affected creature may make this saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect on a success. On a success, the targeted creature suffers no ill effects. The damage from this ability increases to 2d4 at 11th level and 3d4 at 18th level.

• Að Heilla (To Charm). Your words and actions are enchanted with honeyed power. You invoke this rune on a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes Charmed by you for the next minute. While charmed in this way, you roll Persuasion, Deception, Intimidation, and Insight checks against that creature at advantage. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the start of its turn. On a success, the creature becomes immune to this rune and is aware that you tried to influence its mind with your magic.

Level 7: Járn og Silfur

Starting at 7th level, you learn to coat your weapons in ephemeral metals and exploit the elemental weaknesses of your foes.

When you activate your Crimson Rite, you can choose to change the Rite's damage type to Poison or Acid instead of the normal type. Additionally, when you hit a creature with a weapon under the effect of your Crimson Rite, you can use a bonus action to instinctively probe its defenses. You immediately learn one damage immunity, resistance, or vulnerability that creature possesses. You can do this a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1), regaining all uses on a long rest.

Level 11: Mækt Rúnanna

The runes do not merely burn—they remember. You learn to read the echoes left behind by blood, fear, and violence on the land itself. Starting at 11th level, your combat rhythm becomes flawless. When you use your bonus action to activate your Crimson Rite, you can activate one Rúnakraftur effect as part of the same bonus action. This still consumes a Runic Charge as normal.

Additionally, you gain access to Rúnaspeki.  You can perform a 10-minute ritual by tracing runes in the air while focusing on a physical remnant of a creature (a set of tracks, a dropped scale, a tuft of fur, a bloodstain, or a piece of its lair). When the ritual completes, you gain a supernatural vision. You learn the following about that specific creature: Its exact direction and approximate distance from you (up to 1 mile away). Its current status: whether it is Healthy, Bloodied, in Critical condition, or dead. A brief flash of its current environment (e.g., "cave walls," "dense forest," "stone corridor").

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Level 15: Blóðbölvun Vímu

Starting at 15th level, your blood curse can intensify the use of your toxins. You gain the Blood Curse of Intoxication for your Blood Maledict feature. This doesn't count against your number of blood curses known.

Blood Curse of Intoxication 
Prerequisite: 15th Level: Order of the Vordur

As a bonus action, you cause a creature within 30 feet of you to become poisoned.  A creature poisoned in this way cannot be immune to the poison or acid damage caused by your Crimson Rite or Runakrafta abilities. The cursed creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success.

Amplify. The cursed creature takes 4d6 poison damage when you inflict this curse, and it takes this damage again each time it fails a Constitution saving throw to end the curse.

Level 18: Hámætti Vörður

Starting at 18th level, you have become a living legend of the hunt—a walking armory of primordial magic and martial mastery. The runes answer your call instantly, and your reserves are nearly limitless. Your Runic Charges increase to equal your proficiency bonus + your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1 extra). And once per long rest, when you activate a Rúnakraftur, you can choose to do so without expending a Runic Charge. 

When you roll initiative, you can use your reaction to activate a single Rúnakraftur effect on yourself before the first turn of combat begins. Additionally, your mastery over the runes becomes so profound that you can push beyond your normal limits.  As a bonus action, you can expend one Runic Charge to activate two different prepared runes simultaneously (for example, Eldur and Hrinda in the same action). You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.