Page 3 - Homebrew D&D 5e Characters

Deathseer Maintaining the Balance

A deathseer recognizes that death is unavoidable, and when
A hulking goliath throws himself before a score of farmers,
someone's time has come is decided for reasons far beyond
bracing his blood-stained greatsword in front of him to meet
the understanding of brief mortality. They devote their lives to
the descending club of an enraged ogre. With effort, he
keeping the balance between life and death. Different
pushes the giant's gnarled weapon away from his scarred and
deathseers may focus on various aspects in an effort to keep
pitted face, and away from his plate armor that is nearly as
this balance, but all are bound by the contracts they sign;
damaged. “Their time is yet to come, monster" he drawls as
contracts that grant unique abilities, so work can be carried
he brings his sword to bear, charging at the ogre, "but your
out without objection.
own is upon us."
Although all deathseers pledge themselves into the
A nimble elf slips between the shadows, unsheathing a
ser vitude of a higher being through the signing of a reaper's
brace of short swords from her belt as she approaches a
contract, a deathseer's commitment to keeping the balance is
lizardfolk camp. She knows in the back of her mind that the
integral to their ver y soul at a young age. Deathseers train for
creatures only attacked the nearby town because they
years, learning how to navigate the battlefield while wielding
encroached on their territor y, but it matters not. The loss of
their iconic greatweapons. As such, many deathseers
life was not meant to pass, and amends must be made so it
typically shun training in the use of shields, stating that it
does not happen again.
obstructs the guidance from their deities; a guidance that
Sitting before a campfire and dragging a whetstone along
grants them mystical powers to carr y out their deity's will.
her mighty blade, a sturdy tiefling in worn armour calls upon
Some deathseers may find comfort in protecting the weak
the dark powers of the world to grant the weapon strength.
and the injured whose time has not yet come. Others carr y
With the final rasp of stone and teel's kiss, a dark void limns
out their work outside of the constraints of a moral compass;
her blade's edge, portending swift death to any who oppose
they are cold and calculating in their ser vice. Some simply
her.
enjoy their quest, preferring to complete assignments that
A deathseer's job, first and foremost, is to carr y out their
bring them to the forefront of war and conflict. The personal
deity's wishes. They may choose to forge their contract for
motivations of a deathseer are of little consequence to their
any number of reasons, whether to gain the power to
deity, so long as they do what is required of them in the
safeguard the weak from untimely ends, the ability to make a
eternal struggle to maintain the balance.
difficult decision without being clouded by moral ambiguity,
Entering into a Reaper's Contract
or because they revel in conflict and wish to enhance their
battle prowess. However, their deity's expectations are
unwavering, and for their obedience, deathseers are granted The life of a deathseer is not without constantly shifting
a seemingly limitless source of power to carr y out this will. constraints, balancing the need for adventure with their
deity’s demands. When their deity brands someone for
culling, a deathseer vows to locate the target and carr y out
their wishes. Though the details of their signed contract may
differ between deities, most deathseers complete their work
to help maintain the balance between life and death.
However, some may be driven by treasure promised by clergy
leaders, while others may simply enjoy the cruel nature of
their work.
Whatever their personal motivations, a deathseer's deity
expects their reapers to honor their commitment above all
else. Exploring an ancient cr ypt in search of a mad wizard
will always be a quest driven by a greater purpose than the
desire of wealth, for example. When their deity marks
someone for winnowing, a deathseer must make it their
utmost priority to make sure that soul passes into the
afterlife.

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