The Chosen Empire of Elderia

All Elderians share the following origin benefit:

• ASI: +1 Intelligence; up to your Ability Score cap
• Skill Proficiency: Arcana or Religion
• Language: You can speak and write Elderian

  The following are specific sub-origins that a character from Elderia can take, this alters the base Elderia origin.  

Crusader

You have risen to the call of the crusaders; though their focus have shifted from the crusades of the past which sought to purify vampirism from the neighboring lands of Berusia; now these fine crusaders seek out the remnants of the once mighty vampire empire's minions, the Nightbeasts, destroying them one by one to free the land from their horrors.

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Strength ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: Athletics, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Berusian Geography, Berusian Fauna, Berusian Flora, Draconic Culture, Dragon Faith, Night Beasts, Siege Tactics, Warfare, Vampirism, Elderian Geography, Elderian Court system, Elderian Fauna, Elderian Flora, Elderian Laws and Customs, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: A holy symbol of Typhan, a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, a waterskin, a uniform in the style of your unit and indicative of your rank, a signal horn, a two-person tent, a flask of holy water, and a coin pouch containing 7 gold pieces and 5 silver pieces.

Feature: Holy Edict

• You can infuse your attacks with the fervor of your faith. Whenever you make a martial attack, you can instill within this attack your ardent faith, causing the attack's damage type to change to Radiant damage. Alternatively, if you cast a spell that normally deals, Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder damage, you can convert that spell to deal Radiant damage instead. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus + half of your level in any Divine classes that you possess (rounding down regaining spent uses after completing a long rest.
• Additionally; should you make an attack that already deals Radiant damage, you can expend a use of this ability to cause that attack to deal an additional amount of Radiant damage equal to your Proficiency bonus, this only occurs for the first instance of the spell or attack.

  Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d8 Personality Trait

1. I’m always polite and respectful.
2. I’m haunted by memories of war. I can’t get the images of violence out of my mind.
3. I’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones.
4. I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen.
5. I can stare down a hell hound without flinching.
6. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way.
7. I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly refer to that person’s deeds and example.
8. I judge people by their actions, not their words.

d6 Ideal

1. Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful)
2. Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good)
3. Freedom. Tyrants must not be allowed to oppress the people. (Chaotic)
4. Might. If I become strong, I can take what I want—what I deserve. (Evil)
5. Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)
6. Nation. My city, nation, or people are all that matter. (Any)

d6 Bond

1. No matter how long it takes, I must atone for the sins and failures of my past.
2. Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind.
3. I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that was lost long ago.
4. I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it.
5. I have a family, but I have no idea where they are. One day, I hope to see them again.
6. I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

d6 Flaw

1. The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering with fear.
2. I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior.
3. I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret.
4. My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning.
5. My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god.
6. I cannot lie; falsehood is the first step towards damnation, even when it is for a noble cause.

Dragon Scholar

You have studied the draconic arts, traditions, and their magic extensively, focusing your efforts on not only those of your homeland, but those abroad as well. You have used this knowledge not only to further your own academic research, but to further your own skills through the magics secreted away by the ancient draconic texts you have uncovered.  

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Wisdom or +1 Charisma ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: History, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Draconic Magic, Dragon Physiology, Draconic Culture, Draconic World Shaping, Draconic Writings, Elderian Geography, Elderian Courtsystem, Elderian Laws and Customs, Elderian Nobility, Elderian Flora, Elderian Fauna, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: Ritual Book, Backpack, waterskin, messkit, clothes (scholar's), map of Elderia, 50 feet of hempen rope, bedroll, blanket, ration x10, quarterstaff, light crossbow, 20 bolts, dagger, tinderbox, torch x10, and a coin pouch containing 10 gp, and 5 sp.

Feature: Draconic Gifts

• You gain one cantrip from the Sorcerer spell list; additionally, choose two spells of 1st level from the Wizard spell list with the Ritual tag, you can cast these spells as a ritual. Your Spellcasting Ability score for spells cast using this feature are cast using the same ability score boosted by your Origin. When your Proficiency bonus increases, you gain an additional ritual spell known, this spell can be of a level no higher than Your Proficiency bonus - 1. You must otherwise follow all requirements of the spell when attempting to cast a spell using this feature.
• You gain access to an Average-quality library.

  Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d8 Personality Trait

1. I use polysyllabic words that convey the impression of great erudition.
2. I am more interested in the past than the present; as a result, I am mostly asocial.
3. I’m used to helping out those who aren’t as smart as I am, and I patiently explain anything and everything to others.
4. When exposed to some new piece of magic, I can’t help but try to figure out what it does and how it works
5. I’m willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make my own judgment.
6. I … speak … slowly … when talking … to idiots, … which … almost … everyone … is … compared … to me.
7. I tend to talk about magic as if everyone understands it, and cannot comprehend the ignorance of those who do not.
8. I am extremely proud of the school I attended, and will boast of it often

d6 Ideal

1. Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge. (Neutral)
2. Preservation. We must protect the relics of the past, else their creators will fade from memory. (Lawful)
3. Greater Good. Magic should be used to protect and improve the lives of the common people (Good)
4. No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence. (Chaotic)
5. Power. Knowledge is the path to power and domination. (Evil)
6. Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself. (Any)

d6 Bond

1. It is my duty to protect my students.
2. I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands.
3. I often think of the family I left behind when I became an apprentice, I would like to find them some day.
4. My life’s work is a series of tomes related to a specific field of lore.
5. I’ve been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question.
6. I must prevent the relics of the past from falling into the hands of thieves and looters.

d6 Flaw

1. I am easily distracted by the promise of information.
2. Most people scream and run when they see a dragon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy.
3. Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
4. I overlook obvious solutions in favor of complicated ones.
5. There is an intense rivalry between myself and a particular colleague, and it often clouds my judgment.
6. People who are superstitious about Magic are idiots, and not worth my time.

Dragon Chanter

You work to spread the divine words of the dragon creators, heralding their return through chants and prayers to the scaled lords. You utilize your knowledge of dragon kind to further enhance your righteous calls bolstering those through your vigorous chants.  

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Charisma ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: Performance, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Draconic Culture, Draconic World Shaping, Dragon Faith, Hymns of the Dragons, Draconic Runes, Elderian Geography, Elderian Laws and Customs, Elderian Nobility, Elderian Flora, Elderian Fauna, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: A holy symbol of the Dragon Faith, a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 candles, 2 blocks of incense, a censer, 10 days of rations, a waterskin, common clothes, an abacus, 10 feet of chain, a flask of holy water, and a coin pouch containing 7 gold pieces and 5 silver pieces.

Feature: Hymns of the Dragons

• Whenever you would provide a Morale bonus from one of your class features or from a spell that you have cast, that Morale bonus is increased by 1 for one creature of your choice.
• Any aura that you create has its radius increased by 5 feet.

  Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d8 Personality Trait

1. I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly refer to that person's deeds and example.
2. I fill awkward silences by humming an old hymn
3. Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
4. I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in almost every situation.
5. I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect (or condemn) the worship of other gods.
6. I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world.
7. I want nothing more than to share my tales with others, regardless of if they’re really listening.
8. I think people who don’t care about history are fools to be ignored.

d6 Ideal

1. Missionary. My purpose is to spread the word of the gods and convert the misguided. (Neutral)
2. Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good)
3. Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic)
4. Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith’s religious hierarchy. (Lawful)
5. Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)
6. Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy of my god’s favor by matching my actions against his or her teachings. (Any)

d6 Bond

1. I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that was lost long ago.
2. I will someday get revenge on the corrupt temple hierarchy who branded me a heretic.
3. I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my parents died.
4. Everything I do is for the common people.
5. I will do anything to protect the temple where I served.
6. I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies consider heretical and seek to destroy.

d6 Flaw

1. I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely.
2. I put too much trust in those who wield power within my temple’s hierarchy.
3. My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god.
4. I am inflexible in my thinking.
5. I am suspicious of strangers and expect the worst of them.
6. Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the detriment of everything else in my life.

Ruin Delver

You count yourself amongst the ruin delvers of Elderia, those brave few who seek out the ancient relics of people lost to return them to the descendants of the old empire. It is through this role that you have found ancient secrets and hidden powers of the dragons from the past.

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Dexterity ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: Investigation, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Ancient Cultures of Elderia, Ancient Draconic Runes, Ancient Roadways of Elderia, Ancient Roadways of Berusia, Arts and Crafts of Elderia, Folklore of Berusia, Folklore of Elderia, Ruins of Berusia, Ruins of Elderia, || Elderian Geography, Elderian Court-system, Elderian Fauna, Elderian Flora, Elderian Laws and Customs, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: Backpack, waterskin, messkit, traveler's outfit, winter cloak, map of (Berusia or Elderia), 50 feet of hempen rope, piton x10, hammer, bedroll, blanket, tinderbox, lantern (hooded), oil (flask) x5, chalk x5, belt pouch, shovel, two-person tent, quarterstaff, and a coin pouch containing 12 gp, and 5 sp.

 

Feature: Lost Secrets

• Whenever you would make an ability check relating to one of your Lore's or to learn about hidden knowledge, you can spend 2 points of Stamina to add a +1d4 Insight bonus on the results of that check. Additionally, should you gain access to the Spellcasting feature; choose one Metamagic option available to the Sorcerer; you can apply this metamagic to your spells by expending Stamina equal to 1 + Sorcery Point cost of that metamagic option.

  Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d8 Personality Trait

1. I must know the answer to every secret. No door remains unopened in my presence.
2. I let people underestimate me, revealing my full competency only to those close to me.
3. I compulsively seek to collect trophies of my travels and victories.
4. I am more accustomed to life on the road or underground than in a settlement or my actual "home".
5. I am quiet and reserved. I will not take the spotlight from the real heroes.
6. Everything must be described and written accurately. I tend to like correcting people if even their grammar is amiss.
7. Everything has deeper stories. I'll ask endlessly to get those answers.
8. When I set my mind to something, I follow through no matter what gets in my way.

d6 Ideal

1. Adrenaline. I’ve experienced such strangeness that now I feel alive only in extreme situations. (Any)
2. Promise. My life is no longer my own. I must fulfill the dream of someone who’s gone. (Any)
3. Preservation. I preserve the past for future's study. (Lawful)
4. Inspiration. The tales I tell may inspire the next generation of heroes. (Good)
5. Fame. Fame is all there is in the end. If I can't get famous on my own, I'll just ride the coattails of another. (Any)
6. Knowledge. Understanding the world is more important than what you do with your knowledge. (Neutral)
7. Deceiver. There's a story here I want to be told my way, even if it's not exactly what happened. (Evil)

d6 Bond

1. Everything I do is in the service of a powerful master, one I must keep a secret from everyone.
2. The world has been convinced of a terrible lie. It’s up to me to reveal the truth.
3. A great evil dwells within me. I will fight against it and the world’s other evils for as long as I can.
4. I’m desperately seeking a cure to an affliction or a curse, either for someone close to me for myself.
5. Spirits are drawn to me. I do all I can to help them find peace.
6. I value my companions, and the opportunity they have given me.

d6 Flaw

1. I have a deadly fear, which is so bad it cripples me if I encounter it.
2. I’m convinced something is after me, appearing in mirrors, dreams, and places where no one could.
3. I’ve done unspeakable evil and will do anything to prevent others from finding out.
4. I know the ends always justify the means and am quick to make sacrifices to attain my goals.
5. I egregiously underestimate or overestimate the risks a job represents.
6. I tend towards the romantic, and embellish my stories. Be it historical, or personal.

Shadowbroker

The land of dragons is home to many wonders, grand cathedrals, spires of magic, even colleges of the arts, but just as the arts, magic, religion, and the culture therein flourish on the surface, so to does an underground, a shadowy connection to those deemed 'unfit' lies. It is this underground that you have found yourself most at home; acting as a shadowbroker for those unable to find the goods they so desperately need, or perhaps the information that some wish best left hidden. It is from your acts as a Shadowbroker that you have learned how best to keep an ear to the ground, and eye to the secrets of your fair land.

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Dexterity or Charisma ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: Deception or Gossip, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Berusian Nobility, [City] Politics, [City] Underground, Elderian Faith, Elderian Nobility, Fencing of Goods, Smuggling Routes of Berusia, Smuggling Routes of [City], Smuggling Routes of Elderia, Elderian Geography, Elderian Court system, Elderian Fauna, Elderian Flora, Elderian Laws and Customs, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: A traveler's outfit, a disguise or forgery kit, a blanket, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, a mess kit, a tinderbox, a crowbar, 50 feet of hempen rope, and a pouch containing 13 gold pieces and 8 silver pieces.

Feature: Honeyed Words and Keen Insight

• Whenever you attempt to bribe a Non-Player Creature, your bribe is twice as effective as normal. In the case of when a bribe would be taken poorly, you have advantage on checks made to "play-off" this bribe as a misunderstanding or similar circumstance.
• You can roll Wisdom (Insight) against a Non-Player creature to discern certain personality quirks of that creature, as well as how a potential lie may be taken by that creature. This is opposed by that creature's Highest Charisma-based skill. Finally, should you be caught in a lie, you can expend 2 points of Stamina to attempt the lie again at Disadvantage, should it succeed, the lie is taken as if you had never failed in the first place and instead succeeded on your check.
• You gain access to an Average-quality library.

  Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d10 Personality Trait

1. Flattery is my preferred trick for getting what I want.
2. I think of everything in terms of monetary value.
3. Nothing rattles me; I have a lie for every occasion.
4. The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden.
5. I love gold but won’t cheat a friend.
6. I hate to start fights, but I love to finish them.
7. I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.
8. I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide.
9. The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it.
10. I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff.

d6 Ideal

1. Wealth. Heaps of coins in a secure vault is all I dream of. (Any)
2. Smuggler’s Code. I uphold the unwritten rules of the smugglers, who do not cheat one another or directly harm innocents. (Lawful)
3. All for a Coin. I’ll do nearly anything if it means I turn a profit. (Evil)
4. Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic)
5. People. For all my many lies, I place a high value on friendship. (Any)
6. Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need. (Good)

d8 Bond

1. I intend to become the leader of the network of smugglers that I belong to and see it grow to that of the grand guilds of the big cities.
2. I owe a debt that cannot be repaid in gold.
3. I was tricked by a fellow smuggler who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief.
4. I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don’t like to brag about it.
5. My ill-gotten gains go to support my family.
6. I owe everything to my mentor—a horrible person who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere.
7. I come from a noble family, and one day I’ll reclaim my lands and title from those who stole them from me.
8. Someone I loved died because of a mistake I made. That will never happen again.

d10 Flaw

1. Lying is reflexive, and I sometimes engage in it without realizing.
2. I believe everyone has a price and am cynical toward those who present themselves as virtuous.
3. I struggle to trust the words of others.
4. I’m too greedy for my own good. I can’t resist taking a risk if there’s money involved.
5. Few people know the real me.
6. Though I act charming, I feel nothing for others and don’t know what friendship is.
7. I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying.
8. I turn tail and run when things look bad.
9. I’m always in debt. I spend my ill-gotten gains on decadent luxuries faster than I bring them in...
10. When faced with a choice between money and my friends, I usually choose the money.

Wyrmscarred

You have been marked by dragonkind, an omen or perhaps a gift from some greater power you have been chosen, whether at birth or sometime thereafter both your physical form and very soul have been forever altered by this mark. Now you feel the strength of dragons flow through you, your own powers enhanced by the gifts given unto you where a blade might stop the common soldier, for you it simply glances off, protected by this gift. Further this gift seems to stretch the bounds of your soul, protecting you from even the foulest of magic.

• ASI: You can replace your +1 Intelligence ASI for a +1 Constitution ASI; up to your Ability Score cap.
• Skill Proficiency: Survival, this is in addition to the Arcana or Religion proficiency from the base origin; you can replace either of these skill proficiencies with a tool proficiency of your choice.
• Lore (choose any five): Draconic Culture, Draconic Lineages, Draconic Magic, Dragon Faith, Folklore of Elderia, Fundamentals of Arcana, Warfare, Elderian Geography, Elderian Court system, Elderian Fauna, Elderian Flora, Elderian Laws and Customs, or Elderian History.
• Equipment: Backpack, waterskin, messkit, traveler's outift, bedroll, blanket, tinderbox, torch x10, and a coin pouch containing 42 gp, and 8 sp.

Feature: Dragonskin

 

• Your Hit Point maximum increases by 2 for every Hit Dice you've attained.
• You can spend 4 points of Stamina to re-roll a failed saving throw made against a Magical spell or effect, you must take the new result, even if it is worse.

Below are a number of options that can help flesh out your characters. These are optional, and you may choose your own if they don't fit your character. Typically pick 2 Personality Traits, and 1 from each of the other lists.

d12 Personality Trait

 

1. I feel most at peace during physical exertion, be it exercise or battle.
2. When exposed to some new piece of magic, I can’t help but try to figure out what it does and how it works.
3. When I see others struggling, I offer to help.
4. I judge people by their actions, not their words.
5. Thinking is for other people. I prefer action.
6. I’ve been isolated for so long that I rarely speak, preferring gestures and the occasional grunt.
7. I connect everything that happens to me to a grand, cosmic plan.
8. I often get lost in my own thoughts and contemplation, becoming oblivious to my surroundings.
9. I’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones.
10. I am horribly, horribly awkward in social situations.
11. I get bitter if I’m not the center of attention.
12. I’m haunted by memories of war. I can’t get the images of violence out of my mind.

d6 Ideal

 

1. No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence. (Chaotic)
2. Might. If I become strong, I can take what I want—what I deserve. (Evil)
3. Greater Good. My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit. (Good)
4. Live and Let Live. Meddling in the affairs of others only causes trouble. (Neutral)
5. Logic. Emotions must not cloud our sense of what is right and true, or our logical thinking. (Lawful)
6. Destiny. Nothing and no one can steer me away from my higher calling. (Any)

d8 Bond

 

1. I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it back.
2. I will overcome a rival and prove myself their better.
3. I will be the best for the honor and glory of my home.
4. My isolation gave me great insight into a great evil that only I can destroy.
5. I have a family, but I have no idea where they are. One day, I hope to see them again.
6. I entered seclusion to hide from the ones who might still be hunting me. I must someday confront them.
7. I idolize a hero of the old tales and measure my deeds against that person’s.
8. Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.

d8 Flaw

 

1. My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning.
2. I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure.
3. I indulge in a habit that threatens my reputation or my health.
4. I’ll do anything to win fame and renown.
5. The tyrant who rules my land will stop at nothing to see me killed.
6. I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble.
7. I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell.
8. People who are superstitious about magic are idiots, and not worth my time.