The Patrons of Ahrd

In the world of Ahrd, the powers of the cosmos manifest themselves in the Clerics and Paladins who worship the gods above, the druids of the lands commune with nature itself, and wizards study the otherworldly magics that bind and create the universe. Some, however, search for a more quick and sinister path to power.

The warlocks of Ahrd pledge themselves to gods that prey on those weak of mind or spirit, who crave the strength to right the wrongs of their lives, and who do not know or care what will become of their mortal souls. Through ritual or divine intervention, these gods come to the disaffected with a taste of power. But always demand more and more of their warlocks as time passes, before their lives are eventually forfeit by circumstance or time. And then these warlocks crave oblivion.

While there are many beings that offer their powers to mortals in exchange for fealty, the most powerful are these three Sons of Hun: Medios the Horseman, Lucas the Spite, and D'kar, the Demon. Each offer very different abilities and lives, and demand different tributes.

While any god can be worshipped or invoked in the right circumstance, the path of the warlock is deep and whole. It is indeed rare to see any turn from these paths once they walk down them, and even if they do not suffer great spiritual or physical harm in the breaking of their pact, it is unlikely the gods will forget them when the time comes to claim their soul.

## Warlock Patron: Medios

At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with Medios the Horseman. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, as well as an expanded list of spells.

Expanded Spell list
 2nd
 3rd
 4th
 5th

**Horseman's Rider.** The service to Medios has granted you unnatural life, until your tasks are completed. You have advantage on Death Saves.

**Spellcasting Focus**: You gain proficiency in Scythes and can use them as a spellcasting focus.

**The Pact of Medios**. The Horseman does not delight in pain or death (or much of anything), but sees the passing of life as inevitable and the passage of souls to the afterlife as a necessity. Not properly preforming funeral rites for your fallen enemies and allies alike will see your link with your god severed, and only a pious sending of souls will see your ability to cast spells restored. Medios hates undead with a passion, and any with souls still attached to their corpses (such as wampyr) should be assumed a great prize to be earned for your patron. Medios may also visit you in dreams and visions to request certain souls be delivered to him, and with or without a reason the deed must be performed.

### The Fire of Eternity

At 1st level, you can wreath yourself in the cold blue flames of the underworld. As a bonus action, you conjure a ring of flame that surrounds you for 1 minute. You can dismiss the fire as a bonus action.

When a creature moves into or starts their turn within 5 feet of you, they must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 cold damage. A single creature cannot take this damage more than once a turn. The damage increases to 2d6 at level 10 and 3d6 at level 18.

You can conjure the flames a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

### Cast the Coins

At level 6, you are able to toss a handful of coins that have been paid to the horseman. The coins are conjured from the Plane of Death, and you toss a number of coins equal to your proficiency bonus. These coins land within 30 feet, and each coin must be within 10 feet of at least one other coin.

If the coin lands on an unconscious or dead creature, their souls are sent to Medios and they cannot be resurrected.

If the coin lands in the same space as a conscious or living creature, their souls are seared with visions of their own death. They become vulnerable to necrotic and cold damage. If a creature resists one of these types, they lose that resistance instead. If they are immune to the damage, they remain immune.

Any coin that does not land on or in the same space as a creature remains in the space until the warlock moves more than 30 feet from it. Once any coin is used, it disappears. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

### The Pale Rider

At 10th level, Medios recognizes you as an instrumental tool on the mortal plane. You are gifted a horse made of pure hellfire. You gain the Find Steed spell, and can cast it once per day without spending a spell slot. You can cast the spell again utilizing a spell slot as normal. The form of the steed must use the below statistics:

### Dirge

At 14th level, you can bellow a song that rattles the bones of the poor souls who hear it. As an action, the dirge can be sung and all creatures within 60 feet that can hear you must take a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened. Creatures with a mortal soul (usually humanoids, beasts, giants, and some undead) that are immune to the Frightened condition are still affected. Any dead within 60 feet are immediately sent.

Creatures frightened by the dirge halve their movement, and are deafened to all but the dirge.

You can concentrate on the dirge as if it was a spell and continue singing it as an action on subsequent turns. Creatures that are not frightened during your turn must take the save again as above. Creatures frightened at the start of your turn take 4d10 psychic damage.

You can choose any number of creatures to be immune to the dirge as you sing it. If you fail a concentration check, choose to end the dirge, or 1 minute passes, any frightened creatures recover at the start of your next turn. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.