They heard the footsteps, then saw the blades, and then tensed up in apprehension: they had arrived. Agents of divine wrath, an Astral Emissary is often taken as a herald of a cataclysmic event or a great change coming upon the world. To be sure, they often upset the order of things, just not always in favor of the practices of certain followers of their deity... a fact which virtually guarantees a genuine Astral Emissary will be making enemies from the beginning of their mission.

 Though an Astral Emissary is often a devout follower of a particular deity, they often reference a "Universal Will", a divine force distinct from any particular god. Some scholars and theologians have traced this force back to the early ages of the cosmos soon after the defeat of the primordials, putting it together piece by piece that the Universal Will is or was caused by a treaty and a council of gods- something that few will divulge, as inquiries into the identity of the coalition have had terrible consequences. Regardless of its origins, the Universal Will has its own voice and is the primary divine liaison of an Astral Emissary.

As an Astral Emissary, it may have been that you had a rebellious streak, feeling something unjust or lacking in the teachings of the temple you served; or perhaps your path was marked out by a shocking revelation, the call to action being given by the Universal Will or one of your deity's messengers; it might even be that you knew from the beginning this was the road you would walk. However you came to be an Astral Emissary, it is now your duty to bring divine judgement and holy wrath upon a world that is at odds with your purpose.

---

One of the hallmarks of a genuine Astral Emissary is their Astral Blades. Symbols of divine authority, they are massive swords that shimmer with grim purpose and hover near the emissary. These blades are tremendously powerful and the stuff of legend, capable of slashing through almost any obstacle; they have an inevitability about them, as even if they are destroyed they can reform a short time later. Even their mere presence is a strong message, enabling an Astral Emissary to intimidate and persuade those opposing them.

The origins of the immense might of an Astral Emissary is also hinted at in their title. They draw power from both the Universal Will and the Astral Plane itself(jokingly referred to as "The Backyard" by some emissaries), using the substance of the plane to form both their Astral Blades and work their spells. They are also able to call on it to erase actions taken against them, which is one of the other distinguishing traits of an Astral Emissary: the Astral Cancel, which calls on the Universal Will to alter the flow of time.

The authority of an Astral Emissary can also be a heavy burden on them. They make numerous enemies and very few friends, and sometimes their mission can pit them against those they love the most; their intentions are questioned, and their own doubts can mean the deity and the Universal Will take them to places they are unprepared to go. So their faith must be active and pure, for though there are sometimes necessary discrepancies between an emissary's actions and their mission, straying too far will turn the wrath they bring down upon them- but the rewards of successfully fulfilling the duty of an Astral Emissary are equally as breathtaking as the destruction they wield.

Bonus Proficiency

You gain proficiency with Intimidation as well as a bonus language.

Astral Blades

Also starting at 1st level, you can use your action(or when you roll Initiative) to create two Astral Blades nearby. They take the form of two majestic Large greatswords with wide blades, with engravings related to the symbolism of your deity. You are proficient with them while you wield it. They count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. They allow allies of yours to pass through them but they do not provide cover.

You can attack with the blades by using your Attack action, and are considered to be dual wielding them; however, to direct your Astral blades you must have a hand free for each blade. Due to them being Large in size you can use them to attack creatures up to 10 feet away during your turn. Their damage differs from a normal greatsword's: they deal 1d8 Slashing damage(1d10 at level 5, 2d6 at level 11, 3d4 at level 17); your weapon attacks with your Astral Blades use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength.

Your Astral Blades remain floating by your side. If you are teleported they remain in place, and if you are on the same plane and less than 300 feet away they will fly back to your side at 60 ft. per round; however, they disappear if more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. They also disappear if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die. The Astral Blades can also be attacked if you are more than 5 feet away: they have your AC and HP equal to your Proficiency, and they have resistance to all damage and immunity to all conditions; otherwise, attacks targeting them target you. They are destroyed if reduced to 0 HP or fewer, and up to two times the first minute after one has been destroyed, you can use your action to call out another one; destroyed blades reappear when you use this feature after taking a short or long rest.

Channel Divinity: Astral Cancel

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to use the authority invested in you to briefly halt the flow of time.

As an action, you present your holy symbol and evoke astral energy that has different effects depending on the instant in which you use it. Choose any creature within 30 feet of you, and it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a success you gain 10 feet of movement speed to use as part of this action. On a failure, it can't take reactions until the start of your next turn, and you gain 10 feet of movement speed you can use as part of this action, as well as the corresponding effect:

• Crimson: If you hit a target with a melee weapon attack before targeting it with this feature, you can make an additional melee weapon attack against the target as part of this action.
• Violet: If you make an attack roll against a creature before targeting it with this feature, you don't lose the action for that attack if it misses.
• Azure: If you have not targeted an enemy this round before targeting it with this feature, its movement speed is halved until the start of your next turn.
• Golden: If an enemy made an attack that included you as a target before you targeted it with this feature, it is pushed up to 10 feet away from you.

If you successfully use this feature you can't use it again until you take a long or short rest.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 6th level, you can make another attack when you use your attack option.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Astral Edge

Starting at 17th level, you can use your Wisdom modifier on each attack you make with your Astral Blades, and when you make a melee weapon attack with them against a target, it and each enemy within 5 feet of it take Slashing damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. In addition, your Astral Blades can be thrown, with a normal range of 30 feet and a long range of 60 feet. You are also always considered to be under the effects of the Guidance cantrip and the Divine Favor spell.