The Psychopomp

Every culture on every world in every universe has some aspect of death incarnated. The Grim Reaper, Shinegami, The Raven Queen and many more, not Gods of Death but something all together more ancient, more powerful, for even gods can die. All exist beyond space and time, wherever and whenever death is, they are.  No-one knows if this is true, but rumours about that these entities cannot resist a challenge. Games intrigue them and should one prove victorious bargains can be made with them.

 

You died. Whether it was old age, accident, disease, any of the myriad ways one can meet their end, even murder. Let's face it was murder and it definitely was your time to go. As you sit up, stand and look down at your body, you can't quite make out the features of your killer. In fact the features of the world seem to be fading away, swirls of grey mist leeching away the colour. You notice an absence, something you never thought that you would miss. You can't feel it, can't hear it. Your heart; it no longer beats. Before you looms a shadow, this is the end.

Whether you cheated Death or bargained with it, it has a price. You have been invested with some of Death's power but in doing so you are become an agent of death. Those who serve a psychopomp or indeed are a psychopomp themselves become what is known as Death's Hands. Death is anything and everything, it can be hideous or beautiful, cruel or kind. This diversity is reflected in a Death's Hand, they embody all aspects of death. Some are assassins, murderers, psychopaths while others ease peoples pain, send the sick and dying to the next world with care and grace. Many still prefer to be adventurers, travelling where the winds take them, fighting and slaying monsters for Death does not care what it takes, just that is is there when the time comes. As you take steps on the path of a Psychopomp Warlock, you take an uncommon approach for death is always personal and so you are always in the thick of things.

Expanded Spell List

The Psychopomp lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Pyschopomp Expanded Spells

Death's Hand

You are the embodiment of Death, but with power comes certain limitations. You cannot die in the traditional sense, if you fail 3 death saves you must make another bargain with the Psychopomp you serve. Revivification spells do not work on you. When you die roll a 1d20 on a natural 1 your body crumbles to dust leaving behind only a token recognisable to your allies. You return as a shade but you cannot interact with anything except your token where you can restore yourself to your body over a long rest.  If you roll a natural 20 you are restored with half health. On any roll in-between you return as a Shadowy Spectre. You must return to your body over a long rest after taking this form.

 

You gain the ability to infuse your strikes with Deaths very presence. Your Eldritch Blasts can still be used as the standard cantrip, however you can instead choose to channel them into your strikes. Some do this with a weapon others prefer to use their unarmed strikes, others still choose a combination of the two. While channelling your Eldritch Blasts in this way your unarmed strikes or weapon(s) makes subtle alterations to the cantrip.

• You suffer no disadvantage for being with 5ft of an enemy additionally you gain a +2 to hit when you use Death's Hand.
• The Death's Hand Strike deals 1d10 + your charisma modifier. You can make 1 attack at level 1, 2 attacks at level 5, 3 attacks at level 11 and 4 attacks at level 17. These attacks have a dual aspect dealing both psychic and force damage. When you attack this way you also gain a bonus action attack, but this attack only deals 1d6 + your charisma modifier.
• The very act of hurting a creature with a Death's Hand strike fuels you, once per turn when you damage a creature within 5ft of you with this strike you heal up to your Charisma modifier.
• When a creature dies within 30ft of you while you are using the Death's Hand,  you draw in the last vestiges of its life essence ushering its soul onwards. You gain 2d10+ your charisma modifier temporary hit points. This does not work if the creature is undead.

Harbinger

At 1st level, you acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with martial weapons. You choose to face death as it comes, for it always comes, even for itself, as such you cannot wear armour, instead beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armour and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier. You trust your own skill and speed and Death's blessings to keep you alive if it and the fates so choose.

The Harbinger.

When you perform a successful strike with your Death's Hand you earn a Harbinger point, you can have up to a maximum amount of Harbinger points up to your level, gaining 1 at 1st level and so on up to level 13. These points can be used to fuel your actions.  They reset upon a short or long rest and you must earn them through combat again.

 You are a harbinger of death, you walk in its shadow, you are terror and mercy, light and dark.

• For 1 Harbinger point you can mark a target for death. Each strike you make can deal a critical hit on a 19-20 for 1 minute.
• Undead are an anathema to you, when you hit an undead creature you do additional damage up to your charisma modifier.
• (Requirement 3rd level) When hit a creature with an attack from your Death's Hand you can choose to spend 1 Harbinger point to deal an additional 1d6 damage. At 5th level you can increase this to 2d6, at 11th level you can increase this to 3d6.
• When you are reduced to 0 hit points you can spend 2 Harbinger points to gain resistance to the damage that reduced you to 0hp, potentially keeping you from death.
• (Requirement 5th level) You can use 4 Harbinger points to bring a creature back from the brink of death. You restore a creature that has died within the last minute to 1hp. 

 

Guardian Hound

You gain the ability to summon forth a companion from the underworld.

GUARDIAN HOUND

Death's Smile

Not everyone fears death, some greet it with a smile. You gain expertise in Persuasion, Deception and Intimidation. Additionally you are beset by glimpses of the past and the future you gain advantage on Initiative and Perception and History checks.

Reaper

At 14th level you can adopt the form of a Reaper. For 6 Harbinger points or a spell slot you can for 1 minute become Death.

• You assume a shadowy incorporeal form, your strikes seem to move through a target seemingly doing no damage but where your blows hit flesh begins to die. Your attacks now drain the damage they cause and restore it to you on each blow you strike.
• Attacks are made at disadvantage against you.
• You can move through objects and creatures, as you pass through a creature you deal damage up to your charisma modifier.
• For another 6 Harbinger Points you can choose to end this form early in a great blast of energy. Each creature within 30ft must make a constitution save or take 11d6 force and psychic damage or half damage if they succeed on the save. You can only attempt this explosion once per short rest.