Laboratories for Expansion of New Science (Faction)

> *This page contains mechanical information for a specific faction. For more general information, see Factions.*
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The Laboratories for Expansion of New Science, or L.E.N.S., is a collection of scientists, inventors, and those who value knowledge at all costs. Based in a fledgling settlement within the Continent, they pursue the advancement of science. More recently, though, they've taken particular interest in understanding the wild magic inherent in the jungle and hope to harness it to make the volatile landscape more hospitable. Knowledge is a group effort; a penny for your thoughts?

## Rank 1: Intern

As a new member of L.E.N.S., you can choose which of the guild's main three branches you wish to work for: Companion Creation, which focuses on using the miniature Feywild core developed to create automatons to assist in their research and experiments, the Alchemists, who research and create various potions and poisons, and Field Researchers, who research a broad variety of topics.

### Mechanics

***Student Smith (Companion Creation).*** You gain proficiency with Smith’s Tools. If you already have proficiency, you gain expertise.

***Beginner Brewer (Alchemy).*** You gain proficiency with Alchemist’s Tools. If you already have proficiency, you gain expertise.

***Hands-on Work (Field Work).*** You gain proficiency with Tinkerer’s Tools. If you already have proficiency, you gain expertise.

### Social

***Helping Hand.*** You are now part of a group filled with scholars and scientists. While you may not be privy to many secrets or projects, scientists will be more willing to share some information if doing so will allow you to assist them. Additionally, you learn the location of various non-classified L.E.N.S. labs around the Archipelago and have been told the password required for entry.

## Rank 2: Assistant

You have proved yourself to be useful to your chosen branch, and have gained more responsibility and resources.

### Mechanics

***I.G.O.R. Mk I (Companion Creation).*** You have been trusted with the knowledge of how to make a miniature Feywild Core. During a long you can craft a Feywild Core using supplies given to you by the guild. During this rest or during any following rest you can use this core to create an Individualized Gadget Optimized for Research (I.G.O.R.). You gain a familiar as if you had cast the *Find Familiar* spell. Your familiar is a construct and there is no material component for the spell. If the *Mending* spell is cast on it, provided it has at least 1 hp, it regains 2d6 hit points. Alternatively, you can spend 1 minute using Smith's Tools to repair it as if you had cast *Mending* on it. If the familiar is reduced to 0 hit points it is destroyed and can only be remade during a long rest. As your companion travels with you, it gains knowledge about the world. Twice per day you can use its knowledge to grant you advantage on a History, Nature, or Religion check as you and your companion combine your knowledge.

***Proficient Poisoner (Alchemy).*** Your experience in alchemy has made your poisons more deadly than most. The dc for any poison you use that does not inflict the paralyzed, incapacitated, or unconscious condition cannot be less than 12+ your proficiency bonus. Additionally, you have become skilled enough to make concoctions with various effects to aid you in your travels. At the start of each adventure, you gain one potion from the following list. It cannot be sold and loses potency if not used by the end of the adventure.

* Oil of Slipperiness
* Potion of Fire Breath
* Potion of Growth
* Potion of Resistance (rolled randomly in front of the DM)
* Potion of Water Breathing
* 2 Assassin’s Blood
* Serpent's Venom

***All According to Plan (Field Work).*** When you make a saving throw or ability check before you roll, you can choose to use your Intelligence modifier instead of the skill modifier normally used for that skill or save. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you have taken a short or long rest. Add proficiency only if you are already proficient in the save before switching to intelligence.

### Social

***Eccentric Quirks.*** You have started to gain a reputation and people may start to recognize you as a member of L.E.N.S. People aware of your affiliation will be willing to look past some of your more harmless eccentricities and will not be shocked or alarmed if explosions follow you, as long as such explosions do not put them at risk. Additionally, those associated with L.E.N.S. or those who appreciate its work may be willing to help you, as long as it wouldn’t put them at risk.

## Rank 3: Scientist

Your supervisor has seen your skills and decided that you are ready to begin running your own experiments. You now work with fellow scientists under a head scientist, working towards important projects.

### Mechanics

***I.G.O.R. Mk II (Companion Creation)**.* You have been able to upgrade your Companion to aid you in battle. Your familiar gains hp equal to 5 times your Intelligence Modifier (minimum of 5) and your familiar can cast the *Heroism* spell on you once per day. Additionally, once per day, you can use your bonus action to command your familiar to analyze a foe you can both see. You then learn about one of the following things about the monster of your choice: damage immunities, damage resistances, vulnerabilities, or armor class.

***Adept Alchemist (Alchemist).*** You have used so many potions that you can use them without needing to even think about it. You can consume potions as a bonus action and can apply oils in half the time. Additionally, you can apply poison to your weapon as a bonus action. If you have the *Poisoner* feat, you can coat two weapons in poison. Also due to the potency of your potions, they boost your fortitude while running through your system. if you are under the effect of a potion, you gain +2 to Constitution saving throws.

***Powerful Monologue (Field Agent).*** When you roll a 20 on an attack roll, you can begin laughing maniacally and make a short speech about how your foes are doomed. When you do this, choose one of two effects:

* Every hostile creature within 30 feet of you must make a DC 15 wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for the next minute. The creature you made the critical hit against has disadvantage against the initial save. At the end of a creature's turn, it can remake the save, ending the fear on success.

* Up to 6 creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you gain advantage on saves against being frightened for the next minute and gain a number of temporary hit points equal to Half your level (rounded down) plus your rank in this faction.

### Social

***Functioning Member of Society.*** Most people will recognize your affiliation and understand that you are higher up on the ladder than most. When crafting, you can request inexpensive materials needed to make it from civilians and if they perceive an immediate need for what you are making, such as if there is an impending threat, they may provide it no questions asked. Additionally, you now gain access to more hidden L.E.N.S. labs across the Archipelago.

## Rank 4: Head Scientist

Your skills have been proven to be far beyond that of your peers and your Branch Leader has taken notice, giving you your own team of Scientists to work under you for your experiments.

### Mechanics

***I.G.O.R. Mk III (Companion Creation).*** Your tinkering on your metallic companion has paid off and you’ve figured out how to boost their physical capabilities, at least for a time. Once per day, you can use your action to cast the *Summon Construct* spell (4th level, Metal form only), with Intelligence as the spellcasting ability, transforming your familiar into a beast made for battle. When you cast the spell this way, you do not need to provide a material component, and you cannot lose concentration as a result of taking damage.

***Master Mixer (Alchemist)**.* You have become even more skilled at crafting potions and can make more at once. You gain an additional potion. You can choose between an additional uncommon potion from the rank 2 lists or one of the options from the list below. Additionally, you have used so many poisons that you can better shrug them off. You gain resistance to poison damage and advantage against being poisoned.

* Potion of Frost Giant Strength
* 3 common Potions of Healing
* Elixir of Health
* Burnt Othur Fumes
* Malice

***It’s Alive! ALIVEE! (Field Agent).*** As an action, you can lay your hands on a dead creature. Lightning then strikes at your location, and you take 5d10 lightning damage that cannot be reduced in any way. You then instantaneously cast the *Raise Dead* spell without any components. If the lightning damage reduces you to 0 hit points, you cast the spell before falling unconscious. The revived creature does not suffer from the debuff to their attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks until a minute has passed since they were raised. The raised creature regains hit points equal to the lightning damage you took and re-attunes to any items they were attuned to before death that are still on their person. The revived subject gains the Aversion to Fire trait (If you take fire damage, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of your next turn) and cannot be healed by sources that cannot heal undead. The only way to remove these downsides is to obtain a diamond worth 500gp and spend 1 hour to complete the spell, bringing them to life. Once you use this ability, it cannot be used again until 1d4 weeks have passed.

### Social

***Declassified.*** You have become very recognizable to the general public and are likely to be welcome in most places of science and learning. You have a team of Scientists working under you and are allowed access to some of the L.E.N.S.' most secret projects, although sharing these secrets without a very good reason is likely to get you in trouble.