Warlock

Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.

A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an archdevil, or an utterly alien entity—beings not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.

The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock’s being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons.

Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.

Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant but crazed student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.

Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure.

Over the centuries, the Felstriders have grown in power as a force of change and as such many warlocks have flocked to them. Riding their summoned infernal steeds, feared by many that come across them, or shunned by those unafraid, the Felstriders are seen by many as a dangerous group that leave behind a stinking trail of corruption through nefarious arcane means. Under the guidance of Listeners, a Fledgling Felstrider undertakes a ritual known as the Necrofire ritual, granting them powers unavailable to any outside of their Faction.

Little is known about Necrofire outside of the Felstriders, who closely guard its secret, but it is thought to have been gifted to them by a mysterious entity known as The Voiceless,

☠️Atal'ai, 🧝‍♂️Dwelf, 🧝Elf, 👴Gnome, 💰Goblin, 🧝‍♀️Half-Elf, 👨Human, 🦏Karkadann,👹 Orc, 🐀 Ratfolk, 🐰Rabbitfolk 😈 Tiefling, 🐍Vrael and 🕷️Zahn-tahet are more likely than other species to make a pact and tap into darker powers.