Cultural Dichotomies
Everyone Culture within Virtateron has a Cultural Dichotomy, which is made up of two mutually exclusive Denominators (their Dichotomous Denominators) which affects the afterlife and also affects their current mortal life if they unlock its magical potential, in a process which could be compared to crafting a Wondrous Item with prerequisites and sacrifices needed. Essentially each Cultural Dichotomy has a default Dichotomous Denominator to which those members born into that Culture automatically are. It is possible for them to change from the Default Dichotomous Denominator by meeting the Primary Challenge prerequisites for the other Dichotomous Denominator. This disposition of the character's afterlife is the fundamental effect of which Dichotomous Denominator the character falls under, but with additional steps a character can open the supernatural potential of their own soul while alive. This is known as Unlocking the Dichotomous Denominator.
Changing which Dichotomous Denominators a member of a Culture is requires meeting the Primary Challenge for the other Dichotomous Denominator, which is labeled as the Primary Challenge within the Cultural Dichotomy's description of the Dichotomous Denominator. If changing back is possible for that Cultural Dichotomy the Dichotomous Denominator which isn't default with cover how that happens and how to recover.
Unlocking a Dichotomous Denominator like crafting yourself into a Magical Item, which requires specific sacrifice and effort to unlock which does not require spellcasting or magical knowledge beyond what is inherently known by being a member of the Culture. Functionally, to know specifics of the powers are covered by DC 10 History check for the Culture in question. Some Cultural Dichotomies allow movement between Dichotomous Denominators, others are one way transformations. Unlocking the supernatural power for the Default Dichotomous Denominator is equivalent to a Common Magic Item in GP value of the Sacrifice required (100 GP), may only be unlocked at 3rd level or higher, only requires one Challenge which is par of the sacrifice, and to use of the supernatural power requires being Attuned to a mundane prop defined by the Dichotomous Denominator as if it were a Magical Item. Unlocking the supernatural power for the other Dichotomous Denominator is equivalent to a Rare magic item in GP value of the Sacrifice required (6000 GP), may only be unlocked at 6rd level or higher, and requires Challenges (one is the specific sacrifice and the other an additional task). If a character unlocked the supernatural power for the other Dichotomous Denominator which isn't default, then later rendered back to the Default Dichotomous Denominator, they temporarily lose access to the other Dichotomous Denominator's supernatural power but gain access to the supernatural power for the Default Dichotomous Denominator which is default until they recover their lost status. A character can't be more than on Dichotomous Denominator nor use more than one Dichotomous Denominator's supernatural power at a time.
Frum
The Cultural Dichotomy of the Frum entails them being born in debt to Bal-Khoyv and finally paying that debt in full. Each Frummen is born owing 6000 gp worth of tithing to the official church of Bal-Khoyv. It is possible to change back to Indebted from Remunerated if the character commits an act which legitimately incurs a fine from Bal-Khoyv Khhnim member(s) with the authority to issue the fine to the character, and it is not immediately paid in full. Until that fine is paid in full to an offcial church treasurer of Bal-Khoyv Khhnim the Frum is Indebted, and when paid in full they regain their previous status and if applicable supernatural powers. The Attuned Props for the manifestation of the powers of this culture is a structural water basin for the Indebted and a scroll with Bal-Khoyv's Seal for the Remunerated. The Attuned Basin represents a person's existence, a vessel filled benevolently by Bal-Khoyv on credit and is sustain by Bal-Khoyv's continued investment into that person. Given Frum Culture is very common for Frummen to have unlocked this supernatural power as tithing is compulsory, and Heylik Erets extremely hot and arid climate makes this supernatural gift a family, community, kingdom, and even civilization sustaining one. Many caravan route stops center around collections of homes of devout Frummen and their local temple with a fountain for travelers and their beasts filled not by wells nor aquifers but by their pious Attunement, and of course payment to the community for access to the fountain and the security they provide. This does mean most of those with hopes to run, or be counted as an asset for a caravan to have reached their 100 GP worth of tithing first. The Attuned Scroll with Bal-Khoyv's Seal represents Bal-Khoyv's authority to levy labor from the Indebted dead. Since 6- Unlocking the supernatural power for Indebted is simply a matter of reaching their 100th gold piece worth of tithing to the official church of Bal-Khoyv. The challenge of unlocking this is supernatural power making sure the coin ends up in official church coffers which may be done with either Religion Check for knowing true church hierarchy or Insight Check to spot fraudsk.
- Unlocking the supernatural power for Remunerated is simply a matter of reaching their 6000th gold piece worth of tithing to the official church of Bal-Khoyv, and then as their additional task . The primary challenge of becoming Remunerated status is making sure the coin ends up in official church coffers which may be done with either Religion Check for knowing true church hierarchy or Insight Check to spot frauds, this alone however does not unlock the supernatural power. The second challenge which is only needed to the supernatural power must have receive official sanction as Collectors of Bal-Khoyv's Due, which is a euphemism for those Frummen empowered created Undead Skeletons with Animate Dead on their fellow Frummen whom have not reached paying their 6000th gold piece (or greater if they received official church sanctioned fines), which may be done with either Persuasion Check to negotiate and convince church officials or History Check to make a argument based on legal precedence.
- Indebted
- You create up to 10 gallons of clean water within range in an open ceramic, masonry, or stone waterproof basin that weighs at least 200 pounds which you have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to as if it were magical, focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes silent meditation on gratitude towards Bal-Khoyv. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, and technically can be Attuned to multple Basins if you so choose, but this does not increase the number of times a day you can use this power. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest.
- Remunerated
- You gain the power to make an undead servant. While holding your attuned scroll with Bal-Khoyv's Seal choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid of the Frum Culture that died while still Indebted within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. The target becomes a skeleton, the flesh flaking away with necrotic energy if corpse is chosen instead of a pile of bones (the GM has the creature’s game statistics). The name of the target and monetary value owed to Bal-Khoyv appears on the scroll. Each day the monetary value listed next to that name reduces by a silver piece, and the skeleton spontaneously disintegrates and experiences the Ceremony (Funeral) on the dust when the amount reaches zero. On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must use this power on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the power reasserts your control over up to four creatures you have animated with this power, rather than animating a new one. For every even level above 6th you can animate one additional skeleton as above, or reassert control over four creatures you've animated with this power. Undead Animated with this power are separate from other pools of controlled undead. For the attuned scroll with Bal-Khoyv's Seal, you must have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to it as if it were magical, focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes silent meditation on the significant societal benefits of repaying Bal-Khoyv. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, and technically can be Attuned to multple scrolls if you so choose, but this does not increase the number of times a day you can use this power. If you don't have the scroll with a skeleton's name on your person, you lose the ability to command them as a bonus action. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest.
Imperium
- Fruitless
- While opening wearing your Attuned offcial Badge and Seal declaring your citizenship of a secular (non-theocracy) Kingdom of the Imperium Culture and speaking a phrase identifying you're acting on that authority that kingdom gives you next time you hit with a ranged weapon attack against any being which is not a law-abiding member of that kingdom, in addition to the normal effects of the attack, the target and each creature within 5 feet of it must make a Dexterity save. A creature takes 1d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
- Fruitful
- You may while standing in place with verbal supplications of gratitude to the All-Tree, Arbor Mundi, with arms held upwardly outstretched for 8 hours, cause all plants in a half-mile radius centered on you yield twice the normal amount of food when harvested for 1 year if your wearing a Torc Holy Symbol og Arbor Mundi which you have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to as if it were magical, focused on only that item while wearing it around your neck (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes silent meditation on your gratifude for the Eternal Bliss which you are assured and how you wish to express that type of unearned benevolence towards others. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, also takes up the neck Magic Item slot, removing the Torc removes the Attunement, and thus you can only have a single Attuned Holy Symbols of Arbor Mundi. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest. Use of this power requires Concentration.
Pasajè
- Innominate
- Until the power ends or you use an action to dismiss it, you can disguise yourself magically in many ways. You can appear to be shorter or taller by about a foot and change the appearance of your body weight, but you cannot change the basic structure of your body. The illusion can include your clothes, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person. The illusion is only visual, so any sort of physical contact will only interact with the real size and shape of you. Someone may also use an action to make an investigation check against your spell save DC. (leaning into their future role as a faceless extra in the stories of more famous individuals as their afterlife, the Pasajè may not chose to imitate any True Named Pasajè.)
- True Named
- Bestow Curse (May Bestow Curse on the power of their own True Name based on their Fame/Infamy by stating it in the third person "Kou Mens of Lekòl Bato Sis, curses your scaly hide to wither and die as I stab you to death." when used by Kou Mens of Lekòl Bato Sis to cause her blade attacks to also cause necrotic damage as she fulfills a petty vendette against a Vit who ruffled her feathers.)
Veron
- God-Spark Ravenous
- With a shout declaring your intent to kill and devour the soul of your first target, you activate this power. Until the power ends, you deal an extra 1d6 damage to a creature which is a member of a Culture you can see whenever you hit it with a weapon attack, and you have advantage on Perception and Survival checks to find it. If the target drops to 0 hit points before this power ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn to shout declaring your intent to kill and devour the soul of your first target which is another creature which is a member of a Culture that you can see. This power lasts no longer than an hour from the first activation until recharged with a Long rest. This power also has a limitation of you are within 96 miles of a personal altar which weighs at least 200 pounts and is dedicated to your own individual deicidal-hunger, soul-appetite and self-worship which you have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to as if it were magical, focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes chanting about and meditating on your desire to devour the divine. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, and technically can be Attuned to multiple alters if you so choose, but this does not increase the number of times a day you can use this power. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest.
- Soul Satiated
- You can utter foul words, summoning demons from the chaos of your own inner Abyss. Roll on the following table to determine what appears. d6 / Demons Summoned 1–2 / Two demons of challenge rating 1 or lower 3–4 / Four demons of challenge rating 1/2 or lower 5–6 / Eight demons of challenge rating 1/4 or lower The DM chooses the demons, such as manes or dretches, and you choose the unoccupied spaces you can see within range where they appear. A summoned demon disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends. The demons are hostile to all creatures, including you. Roll initiative for the summoned demons as a group, which has its own turns. The demons pursue and attack the nearest non-demons to the best of their ability. As part of casting the spell, you can form a circle on the ground with the blood used as a material component. The circle is large enough to encompass your space. While the spell lasts, the summoned demons can’t cross the circle or harm it, and they can’t target anyone within it. Using the material component in this manner consumes it when the spell ends. At higher level When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th or 7th level, you summon twice as many demons. If you cast it using a spell slot of 8th or 9th level, you summon three times as many demons.
Jundo-no-min
- Alchemically Pure
- You can cause nonmagical food and drink within a 5-foot-radius sphere centered around yourself is purified and rendered free of poison and disease when you flourish the your utensil which you have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to as if it were magical, focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes silent meditation on alchemical and racial purity and how it is tainted by believing the absurdity of divinity and worship. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, and technically can be Attuned to multiple eating utensils if you so choose, but this does not increase the number of times a day you can use this power. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest.
- God-Tainted
- Merely by your presence you interrupt the first two times you see a creature which is a member of the Jundo-no-min Culture that Alchemically Pure Dichotomous Denominator casting a spell greater than a cantrip. If that creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, its spell fails and has no effect. If it's a spell of 4th level or higher, make a Wisdom check which you may not fail on purpose. The DC is 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the spell is interrupted. Each time this happens there is a gren flash from your eyes and a blotchy patch of your skin becomes become inky black.
Gehen Volki
- Wild
- You can magically increase you or your mount's speed by 10 feet for an hour, if you're carrying a satchel which you have previously spent a Short Rest Attuning to as if it were magical, focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it (this can’t be the same short rest used to learn the item’s properties). This focus includes silent meditation on the nature of nomadic freedom. If the Short Rest is interrupted, the attunement attempt fails. This Attunement counts towards your three Attunements, and technically can be Attuned to multiple satchels if you so choose, but this does not increase the number of times a day you can use this power. You regain this ability when you finish a Long rest.
- Cultivated
- Leomund's Tiny Hut
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