Sanguine Syndicate

Originally made by Vampires, the various Blood Hunter brotherhoods were trained to kill all kinds of creatures and harvest their blood. Some were charged with capturing specific blood lines of Humans or Elves, others learning to kill and harvest the blood of dangerous monsters such as Beholders and Unicorns, the Blood Hunters were formidable foes. These hunters were once referred to as '**Venari**'. A word that has taken on new meaning.

After the Severance, many vampires that relied on human blood ceased to be, or went into hibernation. The blood hunters found a new purpose, slaying monsters to harvest for various components or simply to kill a creature threatening a local populace. Now regarded as Monster Slayers, from slaying Dragons to Giant Rats, a **Slayer** can be found working in most cities across the Mainland.

## Faction Presence

Though few in number, the Monster Slayers of the **Sanguine Syndicate**, also known as the **Slayer Synidicate**, make formidable enemies, or unlikely allies. No other Blood Hunter sect is known to have survived to the present day. It's said that their secrecy is their reason for their survival. Their secretive organisation hides the location of its base of operations, relying on the individual hunters, slayers, clerics and mages of the order to provide supplies where they can.

They are often found taking up contracts in all nine cities. Posted up by various city officials, business owners and citizens, these contracts are made in order to offer a reward in return for either the slaying of rare beast or a monster, *typically to harvest specific parts of the rare creature*, or hired to kill it as a means of protection and defence, if the monster is encroaching on their land.

### Faction Hooks

These hooks are simply ideas for your character to have a reason to join the Syndicate, or to help inspire you to have a personal quest or goal in mind for your character.

* The Legend of Blood Mollification. - A way to infuse blood with divine magic that has been sealed away for 300 years.
* The Alabaster Majesty. - A terrifying white dragon that is apparently lurking in the mountains near Easthaven.
* The Wretched Revenant - An void entity that appears to be able to form within the material plane without stepping through a void tear, killing many unsuspecting travellers near Summerwilde.

### Slayers and Mutations

Slayers within the **Sanguine Syndicate** follow ancient hunting traditions in order to prepare themselves to become elite monster hunters. Teachings that were left behind by the Blood Hunters, *or Venari*, of old are used to ensure a slayer is the peak of their craft. A trained Slayer has undergone extensive training, ruthless mental and physical conditioning, and mysterious rituals, increasing their fighting prowess and prolonging their natural life. They have also extensively studied the **Venari Archives**, granting them understanding of monsters and beasts above most others.

Hearing a member of the Syndicate say "This creature is my Venari." roughly translates to "*my chosen quarry*" or "*my speciality*"

Often taken in as children or young adults, slayers-to-be are subjected to intense alchemical processes, consumption of mutagenic compounds, and relentless physical and magical training to make them dangerous and highly versatile against their vast array of opponents, many of which possess superhuman speed, strength and/or other deadly powers. For reasons that are not yet understood, Creationforged are able to take onboard these intense changes in a more stable and timely manner than other species.

The key permanent results of mutations shared by Slayers include:

* Sterility
* Over developed libido
* Cat-like eyes that grant very acute nightvision - Slayers can open their eyes to see in near pitch darkness.
* A boosted immune system
* Exceptionally increased strength, speed, reflexes, and endurance, far beyond any normal or well-trained individual, that allows them to swiftly end fights with minimal effort, and perform physical feats non-slayers couldn't hope to match.
* Accelerated healing granting quick recovery from injuries.
* Long lifespan and prolonged youth, often double the length of average for their species.

Some, *but not all,* Slayers undertake the **Sanguine Rite** and become a true Blood Hunter. A **Blood Hunter** is a dedicated mutant built specifically to hunt and kill inhuman prey, trained by the Syndicate.

As bound by the Faction's Accord, **The Sanguine Syndicate** are responsible for the following remits:

* The Hunting of Beasts and Monsters
* Knowledge of Beasts and Monsters
* Regulating Syndicate Contracts
* The Regulation of Blood Magic

### Rank

Each 'rank' of the syndicate, starting with the recruit and ending with the syndicate commander is considered to be a potent monster hunter.The slayer's captain decides when to promote the recruit based on their individual performance with contracts.

**Recruit** - A Recruit is assigned to a Slayer to work in pairs, as a master and apprentice relationship.

**Slayer -** A Slayer is assigned to a Recruit to work in pairs, as a master and apprentice relationship. Once promoted to Slayer, they are assigned a captain (often, but not always the captain of their former mentor.) that will request their presence at their **Remote Sanctuary** somewhere in the wilds. To achieve the rank of captain, a slayer must complete a contract in each of the nine cities, then complete a Blood Hunt put before them by the Blood Council. Using whatever means and allies necessary, the Slayer and their allies must kill the chosen target of the Blood Hunt and bring evidence of their kill to a predetermined location.

**Captain -** A Captain is assigned five slayers to guide, and a location to guide them from known as a Remote Sanctuary, thought to be a keep, old tower or some other lost and remote place outside of the nine cities.

Claret Warden - *Secretive*

Blood Council - *Secretive*

Nobody knows how the rest of **Syndicate** functions as their order is incredibly secretive.

### Faction Benefits:

Your chosen faction provides you with a set of additional starting equipment, in addition to that which is granted by your class. Including gold.

* a silvered weapon of your choice of the following: Shortsword, Longsword, Greatsword, Dagger, Rapier, Scimitar, Sickle
* a steel weapon of your choice from the following: Shortsword, Longsword, Greatsword, Dagger, Rapier, Scimitar, Sickle
* a uniform of the Syndicate (traveler's clothes in quality)
* a wooden stake
* an silver amulet representing the syndicate (This can be used as a Spellcasting Focus or a Druidic Focus)
* a pouch containing the remainder of your last contract (7 gp)
* a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of Rations, a Waterskin, 50 feet of Hempen rope
* monster harvesting tools (Includes; *a skinning knife, a mincing knife, a bone saw, a bone spade, a pair of metal tongs, a small mallet, a chisel, five cork-stopped glass vials, a glass flask, a jar of salt, a jar of embalming fluild, a roll of linen cloth, all rolled up in a fur bundle.)*
* a **venari bestiary**
* **Feature:** Syndicate Contract

**[ Venari Bestiary ]**

* Your **Venari Bestiary** is a leather-bound tome with 100 blank vellum pages suitable for recording information. It is your tome of knowledge on your chosen quarry. You have extracted information (*chosen below*) from the **Venari Archives** and store it in your bestiary, having studied this knowledge you are the authority on these creatures. The ancient Blood Hunters categorised creatures using different methods than the tomes and studies of today. Members of the **Sanguine Syndicate** are able to apply the "Venari" creature type to any creature described in their Venari Bestiary. Some abilities work specifically with **Venari** as targets. If you kill a creature (or are involved in its killing) that is not Venari, if you then successfully harvest a single component from it and study its cadaver and the surrounding area (such as its hunting grounds, burrow or lair) for at least an hour, you can add the creature's Venari-subtype to your bestiary (ask your DM for clarification).

For example, if a member has chosen "Undead(Spirit)", their bestiary is primed with of knowledge of Undead Spirits. When they encounter an Ghost, that creature counts as both a **Ghost** and **Venari** to the character. Some of these categories overlap, for example, Chimera fulfil both "Monstrous Hybrid" and "Multi-headed Monstrosities" criteria.:

**Venari Archive Training List**

**Syndicate Contracts**

You are able to find work in all nine cities as a monster slayer, by visiting most taverns or job boards and taking up syndicate contracts. You have the authority to negotiate on these contracts and bring along allies to aid you in the hunt. You have the insight to understand if the contract is genuine, if it is worth the gold it is offering to pay and are able to weigh the consequences of a failed hunt.

As deemed in the Faction's Accord, benefits are awarded for progression through the rank system of all factions in Vari.

* **Recruit:**
	+ **[** **Recruit Training** **]** You gain proficiency in one of the following three skills, History, Medicine or Survival,
		- Additionally you gain proficiency in monster harvesting tools. You can use your the Survival skill to butcher or harvest the cadaver of a slain creature.
	+ **[ Mutation: Cats-Eyes ]** Your have undergone a transformation that has given you the ability to open your pupils to see in near pitch darkness. As a bonus action you can enable your Cats-Eyes mutation for one hour, granting you **darkvision** out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, this mutation extends the range of your darkvision by 60 feet to a maximum of 120 feet. You can use this mutation a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier until you benefit from a long or short rest.
	+ **[ Venari Archive Training ]** You have studied the **Venari Archive**. Your extensive training has granted you knowledge on the behaviours, habitats and anatomy of certain creatures. You can recall information regarding the anatomy of your **Venari** recorded in your **Venari Bestiary**. You have advantage whenever you make an Intelligence (**History**) or Wisdom (**Medicine**) check relating to a **Venari**, it's lair, habitat, hunting grounds or it's anatomy, or Wisdom (**Survival**) checks to track, butcher or harvest the carcass or of such creatures. Additionally had advantage on Survival checks to butcher or harvest the cadaver of such a creature.
	+ **[ Venari Studies ]** Choose three creatures from the **Venari Archive Training List** to add to your Venari Bestiary.

* **Slayer:**
	+ **[ Slayer Training ]** You gain proficiency in one of the following three skills, History, Medicine or Survival,
	+ **[ Caladrius Elixir ]** (Requires attunement by a Sanguine Syndicate Member.) This small magical vial of light blue liquid glimmers when agitated, it contains an elixir that triggers your body's own mutated regenerative abilities and further boosts your immune system. When you consume this potion you regain 4d4+4 Hit Points and cure yourself of one disease affecting you. You are granted resistance to all saving throws against disease for the next hour. Only you can gain the benefit from this potion, which magically refills at dawn.
	+ **[ Mutation: Enhanced Cats-Eyes ]** If **Venari** tracks are present when you activate your Cats-Eyes ability, you see a faint aura around them and can identify which Venari type they belong to, for example, ***Vampire***.
	+ **[ Venari Studies ]** Choose three more creatures from the **Venari Archive Training List** to add to your Venari Bestiary.

* **Captain:**
	+ **[ Sanguine Amulet ]** This magical amulet must be attuned by a Captain (or higher) of the Sanguine Syndicate. As an action you can spend a minute focusing on the amulet, once a minute passes, You and up to five willing creatures within 5 feet of you instantly teleport to the recall chamber within the designated Sanguine Syndicate Sanctuary. You and any creatures that teleport with you appear in the nearest unoccupied space to the stone you designated when you linked the amulet to the recall stone, see below. If you have not designated a recall stone, the amulet does nothing.
		- While attuned, you must designate a recall stone within a **Sanguine Syndicate Sanctuary** by placing this amulet against the recall stone and focusing on it for 1 minute.
	+ You gain **one** additional mutation from the following:
		- **[ Mutation: Mammoth's Monumental Constitution ]** You have ingested the Mammoth mutagen, your body and spirit have adapted to withstand more punishment in combat by granting you the following:
			* You gain a permanent +1 to your AC.
			* Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points. (Tough Feat)
		- **[ Mutation: Owlbear's Unrivalled Perception ]** You have ingested the Owlbear mutagen, your sense of hearing, smell, sight and reaction timings have been dramatically enhanced, allowing you to catch glimpses of things that would otherwise pass you by. Granting you the following:
			* While your **[ Mutation: Enhanced Cats-Eyes ]** ability is active, you can see invisible **Venari** within 60 feet as if they were visible, and **Venari** on the Ethereal Plane.
			* You gain proficiency in perception checks. *Or, if you already have proficiency in perception, you gain expertise in Perception, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.*
			* You can’t be surprised while you are conscious. You gain a +5 bonus to initiative. Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. (Alert Feat)
		- **[ Mutation: Wolf's Swift Alacrity ]** You have ingested the Wolf mutagen, you are able to move much quicker, strike at your foes as you move by them and bound over strenuous ground. The mutation grants you the following:
			* You gain a permanent +1 to your attack rolls.
			* Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra movement on that turn. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not. (Mobile Feat)
		- **[ Venari Studies ]** Choose three more creatures from the **Venari Archive Training List** to add to your Venari Bestiary.

* **Claret Warden:**
	+ Your mutations advance as the mutagen develops within you.
		- **[ Mutation: Superior Cats-Eyes ]** When this feature is active you gain the benefits of the "detect magic" spell for the duration, additionally, this mutation extends the range of your darkvision by a further 60 feet to a maximum of 180 feet.
	+ Additionally you gain one of the following depending on which mutation you chose at **Captain** rank.
		- **[ Mutation: Mammoth's Monumental Constitution ]** You gain a further +1 to your AC.
		- **[ Mutation: Owlbear's Unrivalled Perception ]** You have a +5 bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) and passive Intelligence (Investigation) scores. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made that rely on hearing and/or sight.
		- **[ Mutation: Wolf's Swift Alacrity ]** You gain a further +1 to your attack rolls.

* **[ Venari Studies ]** Choose three more creatures from the **Venari Archive Training List** to add to your Venari Bestiary.

* **Blood Council:** *Unknown*

**Mutation:** Whenever a mutation improves such as the cats eye mutation, it retains all benefits of the previous mutation. Additionally, if any other abilities work with one version of a mutation, it works with all version of the mutation.