Dark Information

Tuner

Your ability to master dark is considered wholly natural, and you don’t require a spellbook or a focus (like a wand).

Commune

To commune means to communicate with another living individual you know in a non-vocal manner. You must have met the target physically at some point previously. As an action, you can establish a psychic connection with the target and communicate for up to a minute before requiring an additional check. The base DC is 10. If the target is considered a friend, the DC decreases by 5; if the target is a loved one or relative, the DC decreases by 10. Distance plays a factor—if you can see the target, the DC is unmodified. If the target is within 10 miles, the DC increases by 5, and if within 50 miles increases by 5 again. Up to 100 miles, the DC reaches its ceiling, increasing by another 5; anything further requires a spell. You must share a language with the target, or the target must be able to understand you (like a trained pet). Once a connection is made, the target can communicate back (if they share a language) regardless if he or she is gifted in Vigor without making a check. The recipient knows who you are upon receiving the connection but cannot locate you.

Detection

Being endowed in Vigor allows you to be naturally receptive to its effects around you. This is similar to Perception except that it is narrowed to only detect fluctuation in the dark. You may ask, or a GM may request that you make a Vigor (Detection) check to analyze the level of dark around you. Depending on the difficulty of the task (set by the GM) you can attempt to detect the following within 30 feet of you:

• Natural regions strong in dark.
• Increased Vigor in living targets (those with an ability score of higher than 12).
• Artifacts or mechanisms either bottling the resource or otherwise strong in dark.
• Messages between individuals employing the Commune skill.

This ability can penetrate most barriers but is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. Contrary to popular conspiracy theory, aluminum foil alone will not suffice.

Induce

There are those able to push their inbuilt magic beyond its limitations. This is known as inducing. Many magic effects provide an option to boost via a Vigor (Induce) check. However, after a check is made, the target suffers damage equal to the final roll result OR the DC of the check – 10 (whichever is lower). If you fail at the check, the base spell still goes off as indicated.

For example, if a character is attempting a DC 20 Vigor (Induce) check and rolls an 8, that character suffers 8 damage; if the character rolls a 25 (succeeding at the check), that character still suffers 10 damage.

Natural Results. If a character rolls a natural 1 on a Vigor (Induce) check, it is an automatic failure, and the target is stunned until the end of the character’s next turn. If the character rolls a natural 20 on a Vigor (Induce) check, it is an automatic success, and the target suffers no damage from having made the check.

Vessel

A vessel is a character’s total dark pool; once this value is depleted, a character can no longer cast spells. A character can never possess a dark value larger than her vessel. As a spell is cast, the cost of the spell is reduced from one’s vessel. Thankfully, vessel is the raw potential of dark and is a renewable resource, ever recharging. It can even be quickly replenished with specific concoctions. It is also entirely possible that vessel is not an inherent natural resource at all, and is something held in a physical container, either outside of the body or as an implant (see Dark Gear).

A starting vessel score is equal to half that character’s Vigor ability score (not modifier) + level. All characters with a Vigor score of 8 or higher gain access to vessel—it is not reserved by a specific class. As we will see later, a vessel’s value can be adjusted by background, feats, and archetypes.

For example, a 1st level character with a Vigor score of 16 possesses a vessel of 9, while a 10th level character with a vigor score of 20 possesses a vessel of 20.

Vessel Regeneration (VR)

On your turn, you can regenerate your vessel. Select ONE of the following on your turn:

• Use a free action to regain 1 lost point from your vessel.
• Use a bonus action to regain 2 lost points to your vessel.
• Use an action to regain a number of points to your vessel equal to 1+ your Vigor modifier (this is your default VR score and can be modified by class features).

Asset

Unlike vessel, which can be measured, asset is more esoteric. At character generation, you gain an asset value equal to your Vigor modifier. This can be used at character generation and when reaching a new level to purchase dark spells. When a spell is purchased, the asset value is reduced by that spell’s cost.

Your asset value is akin to currency—though it cannot be lost or stolen. It can, however, be saved (banked), allowing the purchase of more expensive spells later on. Like vessel, your asset score can be increased via background selection and the addition of feats.

By default, each time you reach a new level, you gain a bonus to your asset score equal to your Vigor modifier. Asset is the one value that cannot be adjusted through cybernetics, mechanisms, or consumables.

River

While asset and vessel represent constantly adjusting values, your river is relatively fixed. The river is your bank of quick-reference spells that can be called upon in an instant’s notice to be cast. The river is a simple value equal to your Vigor modifier—you can assign any spell into the river except for rituals.

For example, a character with a Vigor modifier of 16 can hold 3 spells in her river.

• Any spell with a casting time of one minute is reduced to an action while in the river.
• Any spell with a casting time of one action is reduced to a bonus action while in the river.
• Any spell with a casting time of one bonus action can be used once per turn as a free action while in the river.

Anytime you finish a short or long rest, you can swap out any spells you possess in your river.

Spells with a casting time longer than one minute cannot be placed in a character’s river. You are not required to put a prerequisite spell of a more powerful spell in the river to cast that more powerful spell from your river.

Spell List

Path of Water

• Path Benefit. You gain a swim speed equal to your ground speed.
• Synergy Path. Path of Earth.

Traits. Similar to Earth, water spells involve boisterous hand movements and little to nothing else.

Root Water Spells

Endothermic Ray.

You release a torrent of cold air toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 1d6 + Vigor modifier cold damage, and its speed is reduced by 5 feet until the start of your next turn. A creature killed by this spell becomes frozen until it thaws. For every 3 additional dark spend on this spell, increase damage by 1 die (max +3 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Alter Temperature (Ritual).

You can freeze or boil up to 5 gallons of water you touch. This must be relatively pure water and cannot be a water-like substance (like oil). You can alter water-based liquids like wine, but you cannot alter the temperature of blood within a body.

• Sacrifice: Spend 1 point of damage.

Tier 1 Water Spells

Water Breathing (Ritual).

You can breathe underwater for the duration.

• Sacrifice: Spend 2 hit points; spend an additional hit point for every additional creature you want to include in this spell.

Water Walk (Ritual).

This spell grants you the ability to move across any liquid surface—such as water, acid, mud, snow, quicksand, or lava—as if it were solid ground. This does not protect you from any other properties of the substance (acid still corrodes, lava still burns, mud is still dirty). If you are submerged, the spell carries you to the surface of the liquid at a rate of 60 feet per round.

• Sacrifice: Spend 2 hit points; spend an additional hit point for every additional creature you want to include in this spell.

Tier 2 Water Spells

Control Water (Ritual).

Until the spell ends, you control any freestanding water inside a cubic area up to 500 feet on a side. You can cause the water level of all standing water in the area to rise by as much as 20 feet. You can create a 20-foot tall wave that travels from one side of the area to the other. You can cause water in the area to move apart and create a trench. You can cause flowing water in the area to move in a direction you choose, even if the water has to flow over obstacles, up walls, or in other unlikely directions. You can cause a whirlpool to form in the center of the area. Any creature or object in the water and within 25 feet of the vortex is pulled 10 feet toward it. A creature can swim away from the vortex by making a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC. When a creature enters the vortex for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d8 + Vigor modifier bludgeoning damage and is caught in the vortex until the spell ends. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t caught in the vortex. The first time each turn that an object enters the vortex, the object takes 1d8 + Vigor modifier bludgeoning damage; this damage occurs each round it remains in the vortex.

• Sacrifice: Spend 2 hit dice.

Shard Thrower.

You form a hard and sharpened rod of ice and hurl it towards a target. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 5d6 + Vigor modifier cold damage. The shard melts to water within a minute of impact. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase damage by 1 die (max +4 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Tier 3 Water Spells

Storm.

A hail of rock-hard ice pounds to the ground in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within range. Each creature in the cylinder must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d8 + Vigor modifier bludgeoning damage and 3d6 + Vigor modifier cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Hailstones turn the storm’s area of effect into difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase damage by 1 die (max +4 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d10.

Breath of Cold.

You exhale a blast of cold air. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 7d6 + Vigor modifier cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature killed by this spell becomes frozen until it thaws. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase damage by 1 die (max +4 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Frozen Barrier.

You create a solid wall of ice up to 60 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick with its furthest point not further than 120 ft. You can bend this wall in any configuration, even enclosed shapes like cubes, cylinders, or domes. Each creature within its area upon creation or within 5 feet while it is in effect must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 6d8 + Vigor modifier cold damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The barrier has an AC 15 and 40 hit points per 10-foot section, and it is vulnerable to fire damage. Reducing a 10-foot section of wall to 0 hit points destroys it and leaves behind a sheet of frigid air in the space the wall occupied. A creature moving through the sheet of frigid air for the first time on a turn must make a Constitution saving throw. That creature takes 4d6 + Vigor modifier cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. For every additional 1 dark spent before casting, increase the length of the wall by 10 feet.

• Boost (DC 10): When the duration expires, make a Vigor (Induce) check to extend the effect for another minute. The DC increases by 1 each time it is attempted

Tier 4 Water Spells

Tsunami.

You can create a wall of water up to 300 feet long, 300 feet high, and 50 feet thick that lasts for the duration. When the wall appears, each creature within its area must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 5d8 + Vigor modifier bludgeoning damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. At the start of each of your turns after the wall appears, the wall, along with any creatures in it, moves 50 feet away from you. Any Huge or smaller creature inside the wall or whose space the wall enters when it moves must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take 4d8 + Vigor modifier bludgeoning damage. A creature can take this damage only once per round. At the end of the turn, the wall’s height is reduced by 50 feet, and the damage creatures take from the spell on subsequent rounds is reduced by 1d8. When the wall reaches 0 feet in height, the spell ends. A creature caught in the wall can move by swimming. Because of the force of the wave, though, the creature must make a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC to move at all. If it fails the check, it can’t move. A creature that moves out of the area falls to the ground. For every 2 additional dark spent, increase damage by 1 die (max +4 dice).

• Boost (DC 25): Increase damage dice to d10.

Path of Death

• Path Benefit. When you recover hit points through spells, you can recover vessel instead at a rate of 1 dark:5 HP. This is a free action.
• Synergy Path. Path of Decay

Traits. Death spells involve dark incantations, and when materials are required, it is often always blood or ash…or both blood and ash, often used to construct a magic circle. It’s not a subtle method of magic. Blood should be fresh, often with a recent animal sacrifice (in the past 5 minutes).

Root Death Spells

Drain Touch.

Make a melee spell attack against a creature, inflicting 1d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage, and you regain 1 hit point. For every 2 additional dark spent before casting, increase dice by 1 and recovery by 1 (max +3 each).

• Boost (DC 15): Reduce the cost of this spell to an action.

Dead Life.

You gain your Vigor modifier in temporary hit points, which are lost after the spell expires. For every 1 additional dark spent before casting, increase gain 1 additional temporary hit point (Max +10).

Tier 1 Death Spells

Death Curse.

Make a melee spell attack against a creature; on a hit, the creature suffers disadvantage on all ability checks on Constitution saving throws until the spell ends. You also deal 1d6 additional necrotic damage whenever you hit with any non-spell attack.

• Boost (DC 15): Make a drain touch attack (regardless if it's selected as your spell) as part of the same spell.

Animate.

A Medium or smaller-sized corpse in any state of decay (even bones) becomes any undead creature with a CR of 2 or less. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell that you can see (you can command any or all of them at the same time). If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying until you cast this spell on it again. For every 3 additional dark spent before casting, you can raise or sustain two undead.

• Boost (DC 20): You can create undead at CR 3 or less.

Tier 2 Death Spells

Perish.

The target you touch must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 7d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. For every 2 additional dark spent before casting, you can increase the number of dice by 1 (Max +5 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Line of Death.

You create an invisible wall of necrotic energy up to 60 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick with its furthest point no further than 120 ft. You can bend this wall in any configuration, even enclosed shapes like cubes, cylinders, or domes. Each creature within its area upon creation or within 5 feet while it is in effect must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 7d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. Any creature passing into the wall after it is cast fails automatically. For every additional 1 dark spent before casting, increase the length of the wall by 10 feet. This wall is invisible, with the only evidence of its existence being the inevitable corpses.

• Boost (DC 13): When the duration expires, make a Vigor (Induce) check to extend the effect for another minute. The DC increases by 1 each time it is attempted.

Tier 3 Death Spells

Greater Animate.

This operates the same as animate, except the maximum CR of the undead creature is now 5. For every 3 additional dark spent before casting, you can raise or sustain two undead.

• Boost (DC 20): You can create undead at CR 6 or less.

Lifeforce.

The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 7d6 + Vigor modifier necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save; you recover hit points equal to 25% of the damage dealt. The damage can’t reduce the target’s hit points below 1. For every 2 additional dark spent before casting, you can increase the number of dice by 1 (Max +5 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Tier 4 Death Spells

Hand of Death.

The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 9d6 + Vigor necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as an undead of CR 3 or less that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of its ability. For every 2 additional dark spent before casting, you can increase the number of dice by 1 (Max +5 dice).

• Boost (DC 20): Increase damage dice to d8.

Resurrection (Ritual).

You touch a creature that has been dead for no more than 5 years that didn’t die of old age, and that isn’t undead. If its soul is free and willing, the target returns to life with all its hit points. This spell neutralizes any poisons and cures all diseases afflicting the creature when it died. This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts. Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target is at level 4 exhaustion. Boost (DC 15): You can increase the age of the corpse by 5 years. Increase the DC by 1, increasing the age by 5 years each (no Max).

• Sacrifice: After casting, you gain four levels of exhaustion.