Eldritch

[Unless otherwise stated, Eldritch spells deal Curse damage.]

Eldritch, The Tree of Reaping

The Eldritch discipline encompasses the manipulation of shadows, dark arts and necromancy. Through Eldritch magic, a mage may deal in curses, contracts or create and bind the undead.

Cantrips

Spell Name: Eldritch Bolt
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: Cantrip
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 15 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster gathers shadow within their hand and launches it as a projectile capable of unhorsing someone, knocking someone from their feet, or otherwise displacing someone. This follows normal projectile rules and the caster must roll a d20 to hit. Upon a successful hit, the bolt deals 1d8 impact damage and forces the target back 3m, though not at a high enough force to cause further damage if colliding with an object.

Spell Name: Mage Tendril
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: Cantrip
Spell Duration: Channeled
Range: 15m
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect: A spectral floating tendril, dark in its imagery and energy appears in an area in range of the caster's choosing, ready to do their bidding. The tendril lasts for the duration of the spell or until the caster dismisses it. The tendril will disappear if moved out of range. Using an action, the caster may control the tendril to manipulate an object, so on and so forth. The tendril may not attack, activate another magic item, or carry anything considered more than 10lbs in weight.

Spell Name: Shadow Trick
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: Cantrip
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 15m
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect: The caster may make manipulations to shadows for the purpose of aesthetic. Such as shadow puppets, chasing a shadow, and minor illusionary tricks. They cannot however use this to obscure light or vision in an area.

Tier 1

Spell Name: Darken
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 10 Meters, 3 Meter Radius
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
Choosing a 3x3m area within range, the caster may sap the light from the area, creating a radius of darkness. Targets within this area must attack with disadvantage, though also receive all melee and ranged attacks at a disadvantage.

Spell Name: Drain Life
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster attempts to consume a target’s life force through touch. When laying a hand on a target, the caster deals 1d4 Profane damage. Whatever damage they deal is added to their own HP. This spell does not work on Lost or Undead targets.

Spell Name: Lesser Necromantic Thrall
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster touches the corpse of a non-sentient creature up to Dangerous danger rating. Their body and soul is enthralled to the service of the caster, and may be commanded as a combat pet for the duration of the spell.

Spell Name: Death’s Touch
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 5m
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster sends a small bolt of energy towards a target that saps 1d4 of their HP. This HP loss cannot be healed by magical means for at least 1 OOC day, though this cannot prevent resurrection or force permanent death.


Spell Name: Kneel
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: 3 Turns
Range: 15 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster manipulates the body of a target in range to force them to kneel for the duration of this ability. While kneeling, this spell functions like a root, restricting the target's ability to stand but allowing full range of upper body movement.


Spell Name: Necrotic Grasp
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 5 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster conjures a dark hand that stretches out and seizes upon a limb of target, seemingly sapping away at their vitality. It deals 3d4 Curse damage, though instead of a wound, the affected area will appear visibly older and wrinkled, irrespective of their race. This effect remains for up to 3 OOC days before healing.


Spell Name: Limited Possession
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: 5 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster allows a consenting soul to temporarily possess their body for the duration. During the casting, the caster's eyes gloss over with a milky film, leaving them vulnerable to their surroundings as they relinquish control of their body to the soul. The soul will then speak through the caster's body, and their voice will be the voice of the possessing soul.

While possessed, the caster is unable to act or respond, and the body is controlled by the spirit, who may communicate and interact through the caster's form. The possessing soul must be roleplayed by the caster (or DM if the soul is not a player character). The soul temporarily inhabiting the caster's body retains their personality and can engage in conversations or actions as per their own will during the duration of the possession.


Spell Name: Banish Undead
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: 3 Turns
Range: 5 Meters
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster focuses on an undead creature with a soul, using their power to rip the soul from the body. The process is felt intensely by the undead target for the duration. The target must remain within range for the entirety of the spell’s duration in order for the soul to be successfully removed.

Once the duration is up, the soul is forcibly separated from the undead. For Greater Undead, the spell must be cast at Tier 3, or at the DM’s discretion. The body of the undead remains intact, and the creature can potentially be re-animated at a later time.

Player character undead may resist the effect by rolling a 1d20, with a roll of 15 or higher required to survive the process.


Spell Name: Reaper’s Lantern
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: 5 Meters, 3 Meter Radius
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
A ghostly green light is centered on a point, giving targets within the radius an uneasy feeling of dread. While inside, targets are unable to recover HP or heal from status effects. If a healing spell is attempted on a target affected by the spell, it will instead deal the equivalent healing amount as Curse damage.


Spell Name: Death Throes
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 1
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 15 Meters
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster targets a creature with 5 HP or less and uses their weakness to channel a fatal blow. The target must succeed on 1d20 roll with DC 18 or is immediately reduced to 0 HP and is incapacitated.

Tier 2

Spell Name: Shadowstep
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: 15 Meters
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster disperses in a cloak of shadows before manifesting in nearby darkness fifteen meters away. The darkness must be large enough to contain a standing person, though the person does not need to be entirely obscured by it.


Spell Name: Shadow Meld
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: 3 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster melds themselves with nearby shadows, traveling through the shadows for the duration of this spell and remaining undetected by the naked eye. While in this state, the caster cannot attack, cast, or interact with physical objects. If there are no more shadows to walk through, the caster will be ejected. If light or a sunstone is used to dispel the shadows while this spell is active, the caster will be ejected. If the shadow is attached to something that moves, the caster will travel with the movement, remaining in the shadow until the duration is over or the shadow is removed via light.


Spell Name: Underworld Armor
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 15 Turns
Range: Self
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster circulates shadows around themselves, creating pitch-black plate armor that acts like steel. This armor does not serve to protect against any magical or other attacks besides the mundane, just like regular armor would. However, this armor does allow the caster to continue using spells while it is active.


Spell Name: Eldritch Defender
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 10 Turns
Range: 15 Meters
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster summons forth a conglomeration of shadow in the form of their choosing to act as a temporary combat pet. This protector may take whatever form the caster desires, but it cannot exceed the size of an average Orc and cannot be made to mimic creatures above threatening tier. This creation can only have the mechanics of something that the caster has seen before, but may aesthetically take any form. This creation follows the Combat Pet rules.


Spell Name: Out of Limbs
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 3 Turns
Range: 15 m
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect: Eldritch tendrils emerge from the ground around the target who is within range. The tendrils will aim to wrap themselves around the legs and arms of the chosen target, tightening and constricting the target into place. The tendrils may also aim to block the target from screaming for help by wrapping itself around their mouth and throat. If the target on their action succeeds on a 1d20 saving throw they may break free (DC 12).


Spell Name: Necromantic Thrall
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster touches the corpse of a creature up to Threatening danger rating, or of a mundane humanoid. Their body and soul is enthralled to the service of the caster, and may be commanded as a combat pet for the duration of the spell. If a sentient soul is enthralled, it is not aware of who it once was, and is not capable of using any magic or abilities it may have had in life. Corpses of players may not be enthralled.


Spell Name: Catch Soul
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: Permanent, Until Dispelled
Range: 3 Meters
Concentration: Medium
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster uses this spell to capture and house a soul in a container of their choosing, provided the soul is within range. The soul is trapped inside the container and can remain there for as long as the caster desires, but the container behaves according to prison rules if the soul belongs to a player, preventing the soul from being held indefinitely without OOC consent.

Once the soul is freed from the container, the spell is no longer in effect, and the caster will need to recast the spell to capture a different soul.


Spell Name: False Vitality
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 2
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: Self, Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster focuses on themselves or a target they may touch and imbues them with 3d4 temporary HP that remains for the duration of the spell. If the target is attacked for this duration, their false HP is lost before their actual HP. This effect cannot stack on a single target.

Tier 3

Spell Name: Shadow Clone
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 3
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: Self
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster raises up their shadow to act as a clone of themself. The shadow is the same shape, size, strength, and speed as the caster. Until the target or the caster is attacked, the difference between the two cannot be determined by the naked eye. The shadow clone is able to mirror the caster’s actions, from lifting to physical attacking, though is only capable of casting cantrip and Tier 1 level spells. Rituals cannot be cast with the aid of a clone. This spell follows the Combat Pet rules, as the shadow clone functions as a combat pet. After taking three strikes, the clone will dissipate.


Spell Name: Puppet Master
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 3
Spell Duration: 3 Turns
Range: 10 Meters
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster grips the blood and body of another person, allowing them to manipulate the target temporarily. The caster can force the target to perform simple actions such as sitting, walking jerkily, or swinging a weapon inaccurately, but they are unable to make the target perform complex tasks such as casting spells. The target may still move their limbs with great difficulty. Additionally, the caster cannot use this spell to make the target harm themselves.


Spell Name: Decay
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 3
Spell Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Concentration: True
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
This spell allows the caster to fully decay a corpse into compost. The process is complete and irreversible, ensuring that the body is entirely destroyed and cannot be used for any form of necromancy, revival, or resurrection. The decayed remains are left as organic matter, unable to be reanimated or repurposed in any way. The only exception is by divine intervention at a DM’s discretion. This does not destroy the soul.


Spell Name: Bound by Will
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 3
Spell Duration: Permanent Unless Dispelled/Destroyed
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster creates a document that outlines the terms of an agreement between them and another individual, such as a treaty or contract. These terms can range widely in nature, from obligations of servitude and loyalty to specific tasks and obedience, but cannot include terms that force the target to harm themselves. The target must be fully informed of all the terms and conditions of the contract before agreeing.

Once the target signs the document, they are bound to the agreement under the magical influence of this spell. The only way to break the agreement is to either destroy the document itself or have the magic within the document dispelled. The agreement becomes binding and unbreakable unless one of these conditions is met.


Spell Name: Greater Necromantic Thrall
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 3
Spell Duration: 5 Turns
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: False

Spell Effect:
The caster touches the corpse of a creature up to Monstrous danger rating, or of a sentient being. Their body and soul is enthralled to the service of the caster, and may be commanded as a combat pet for the duration of the spell. If a sentient soul is enthralled, it is not aware of who it once was, though its abilities are at the disposal of the caster (At DM discretion).


Spell Name: Necromantic Binding Ritual
Discipline: Eldritch
Tier: 4
Spell Duration: Permanent, Until Dispelled.
Range: Touch
Concentration: False
Ritual: True, 3 Casters Required

Spell Effect:
The casters recite a ritual around the corpse of a creature up to Monstrous danger rating, or of a sentient being. Their body and soul is enthralled to the service of the ritual leader, and may be commanded however the caster sees fit. If a sentient soul is enthralled, it is vaguely aware of who it once was, but feels eternal servitude to the ritual leader and feels compelled to follow all commands. The target retains abilities it had in life. The spell ends if the target falls below 0 HP, or if the spell is dispelled by the ritual leader, or otherwise unwoven.