Warlock (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page

In a world where the supernatural reigns and dark forces lurk, you've entered into a pact with a monstrous patron for a share of power. Whether it's a lord of hell, a beguiling fey, an incomprehensible alien, or a revenant mocking death, you've willingly traded your soul for unearthly power. Bound by this unholy bargain, you wield dark magic and command otherworldly creatures to do your bidding.

Touchstones: Elric of Melnibone and Arioch, Lord of Chaos The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock, Faustus and Mephistopheles, Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, Manfred and various potential patrons, Manfred by Lord Byron, Margarita and Woland, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Eric Draven and the Crow, The Crow (1994) Spawn (Al Simmons) and Malebolgia, Spawn (1997), Maleficent and Diaval, Maleficent (2014), Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) and Chthon, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

Trauma Condition—Cerberic

Your pact has three facets, like the three heads of Cerberus, the guardian of the gate to the underworld.

1. Curse: You emit a malignant aura that disturbs animals and common people. This covers the area within a range based on your tier (p. 221). This creates a sinister mood that might clue someone in that a warlock is around, but it won't point you out.
2. Chant: You must invoke the name or title of your patron to wield powers. This has to be loud enough to be heard, but in a quiet a whisper will do. When in conflict with your patron, you may call on some more abstract power source instead.
3. Conflict: Your patron can be demanding, but you are not bound to obey. Your patron can't take away your powers, but it may send its minions against you if you oppose it. Warlocks of the same patron often clash over the patron's favor.

Special Abilities

1. Endless Wrath: When you use a power to make an attack that is fine and/or potent, you can opt to remove these qualities. For each quality you choose not to use, the stress cost of the power use is reduced by one.
2. Monstrous Companion: Upgrade your Familiar Spirit, it grows to be up to human-sized and will now act as a bodyguard. This is an expert cohort (Bodyguard) (p 96) that is Intelligent. It has potent attacks, and gains an arcane ability: elemental attack, mind-link, or reduces non-potent damage. Take this ability multiple times to choose an additional arcane ability for your pet each time.
3. Pact Ward You may expend your special armor to resist harm, or to push yourself on an Attune or Command action.
4. Ritual: You can Study an occult ritual (or create a new one) to summon a supernatural effect or being. You know the arcane methods to perform ritual sorcery. You begin with one ritual already learned. See p 222.
5. Sacrifice When you kill a person, you can dedicate their soul to your patron to recover one stress. You can recover up to three stress per score this way. Killing someone usually requires great outcome or a helpless creature can be murdered.
6. Spirit Ally You have a supernatural ally you can summon using Advanced Attune powers. You know this creature intimately and have an established relationship, giving you +2d and improved position on all Resolve actions against it. Your ally advances in tier as you do. You can take this ability multiple times to gain additional allies.
7. Unnatural Presence: When you unleash violence or summon a creature, it's especially frightening. You gain additional effect when you Command a frightened target or attempt to intimidate others with a show of power.
8. Powers: Air, Animal, Barrier, Darkness, Death, Earth, Electricity, Fire, Ice, Flux, Illusion, Kinesis, Life, Light, Metal, Mind, Order, Plant, Space, Time, and Water.

Dark Allies, Dire Foes

˄ ˅ Ardyn, dealer in the forbidden.

˄ ˅ Draxon, a warlock.

˄ ˅ Invar, an inquisitor.

˄ ˅ Lorin, a rich patron.

˄ ˅ Thalon, a cultist.

Inventory

☐ Black Lotus.

◯ Familiar Spirit.

☐ or ☐☐ Fine potent melee weapon.

☐ Power robe.

• Black Lotus ☐: A tar-like resin made from the leaves of the plant. Induces hours of stupor and visions. Adds effect to Attune rolls. Alchemic, Consumable, Volatile “Woozy,” lvl 2 harm as the effect ends.
• Familiar Spirit ◯: A monster camouflaged as an item or a small animal that acts as an agent of your patron. This is an expert (loremaster) (p 96) that is Intelligent. The Familiar assists you, but is loyal to your patron's interests.
• Fine and Potent Weapon ☐: A masterwork hand weapon like a dagger or sword or a heavy weapons such as a ☐☐ greatsword. This weapon carries a magical sigil, making it potent. The fine quality improves the effect while the potency allows you to damage supernatural targets..
• Power Robe ☐: An extravagant robe displaying your power and allegiance. +1d on Command rolls. Conspicuous, Playbook.

XP

• Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.

At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.

• You addressed a challenge using powers or coercion.
• You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
• You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

Starting Actions

Attune 1

Command 2

4 points by choice, no higher than 2 in any one.