Warlock (FiD)

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In a world of supernatural dominion and lurking shadows, you have forged a pact with a monstrous patron—be it a lord of hell, a beguiling fey, an incomprehensible alien, or a revenant mocking death—in exchange for otherworldly power. Bound by this unholy bargain, you wield forbidden magic and command otherworldly creatures, but at a dire cost.

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. Dread: Your malignant aura unsettles animals and common people, fostering unease and suspicion within a range based on your tier (p. 221). Interactions in this range may suffer reduced effect or altered position.
2. Demand: You must invoke the name or title of your patron to wield powers. It must be audible, but in quiet surroundings, a whisper will suffice. When in conflict with your patron, you may call on some abstract power source instead.
3. Discord: You have duties as a warlock, but you are not bound to obey. Your patron may send other minions to enforce its will or punish your defiance. Warlocks serving the same patron often clash to assert dominance or curry favor.

Special Abilities

1. Endless Wrath: When you use a power to make an attack that is fine and/or potent, you may choose to forego these qualities. For each quality you choose not to use, the power's stress cost is reduced by one.
2. Monstrous Companion: Your Familiar Spirit grows to human size and becomes an expert cohort (bodyguard and loremaster, p. 96) that is Intelligent. Its attacks are potent, and it gains one arcane ability: elemental attack, mind-link, or reduces non-potent damage. You can take this ability multiple times to grant additional arcane abilities.
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 required 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 a great outcome or by murdering a helpless creature.
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: Your summons or displays of violence instill terror in those who witness them. 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 vivid visions and stupor. When its effects end, you suffer Vertigo (Level 2 Harm), leaving you disoriented and physically unsteady.
• Familiar ◯: 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. Your Familiar acts as an intermediary, advancing your patron's agenda while supporting you.
• Fine and Potent Weapon ☐: A masterwork hand weapon such as a dagger, sword, or a heavy weapon like 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. When worn openly, it grants +1d to 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.