- [+] Blood Ability Gained
-
* Increases Minor->Major, or Major->Great. If an increase is not possible, grants a new ability at the noted power instead.
Strength d100 Ability 1 1-100 Minor 6 1-100 Minor 11 1-50 Minor 51-100 Enhanced to Major* 16 1-40 Minor 41-80 Enhanced to Major* 81-100 Major 21 1-40 Minor 41-75 Enhanced to Major* 76-100 Major 26 1-25 Minor 26-40 Enhanced to Major* 41-70 Major 71-100 Enhanced to Great* 31 1-25 Minor 26-40 Enhanced to Major* 41-70 Major 71-100 Enhanced to Great* 36 1-15 Minor 16-30 Enhanced to Major* 31-50 Major 51-80 Enhanced to Great* 81-100 Great 41** 1-10 Minor 11-25 Enhanced to Major* 26-40 Major 41-75 Enhanced to Great* 76-100 Great
**And every 5 afterwards (46/51/56 etc)
- [+] Blood Abilities by Derivation and Strength
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* indicates signature blood ability
Bloodline Minor Major Great ALL Animal Affinity, Bloodmark, Detect Illusion (ex. AN), Detect Lie (ex. AZ), Detect Life, Enhance Sense, Heightened Ability, Long Life, Major Resistance, Resistance, Unreadable Thoughts Animal Affinity, Blood Trait (ex. AZ), Detect Life, Divine Aura (ex. BR), Enhance Sense, Heightened Ability, Long Life, Major Resistance, Protection from Evil (ex. AZ), Resistance Animal Affinity, Blood Trait (ex. AZ), Detect Life, Divine Aura (ex. BR), Heightened Ability, Long Life, Major Resistance, Resistance Anduiras Courage*, Healing, Iron Will Battlewise, Courage*, Divine Wrath, Healing Courage*, Elemental Control, Healing Azrai Alertness, Death Touch*, Iron Will, Poison Sense Alter Appearance, Battlewise, Bloodform*, Charm Aura, Death Touch*, Fear*, Persuasion, Wither Touch* Berserker's Blood, Bloodform*, Charm Aura, Invulnerability, Major Regeneration, Regeneration, Shadow Form, Touch of Decay*, Travel, Wither Touch* Basaia Alertness, Healing, Light of Reason* Character Reading, Charm Aura, Divine Wrath, Healing, Light of Reason* Charm Aura, Elemental Control, Healing, Invulnerability, Light of Reason*, Travel Brenna Alertness, Blood History Alter Appearance, Character Reading, Charm Aura, Home Hearkening*, Persuasion Charm Aura, Home Hearkening*, Shadow Form, Travel Masela Blood History, Direction Sense Divine Wrath, Sea Song* Elemental Control, Travel Reynir Alertness, Direction Sense, Forest Walk*, Healing, Iron Will, Poison Sense Forest Walk*, Healing Elemental Control, Forest Walk*, Healing, Major Regeneration, Regeneration Vorynn Blood History, Mebhaighl Sense* Alter Appearance, Character Reading, Mebhaighl Sense* Berserker's Blood, Invulnerability, Mebhaighl Sense*, Travel
- [+] Alertness(Minor): Azrai, Basaia, Brenna, Reynir
- The character possesses an uncanny sense of his surroundings and is surprised only on a roll of 1. He gains a normal surprise check even in situations of automatic surprise. +10 to the DC against assassination attempts.
- [+] Alter Appearance(Major): Azrai, Brenna, Vorynn
- Some scions can briefly change their approximate build and facial features by means of a natural illusory talent. The effect is equal to a change self spell at the fifth level of ability, except that its duration is one turn plus one round per level. It can be used once per day. The scion can approximate another individual's appearance if he has met the individual previously. +5 to Espionage - Province, allows the creation of 1 Spy Ring.
- [+] Animal Affinity(Minor/Major/Great): ALL
- As a minor ability, the character has an empathic link with his totem animal. He will never be attacked by members of the species unless they are magically controlled. This grants a +2 to the EPL of your party on one type of adventure depending on your choice of totem animal (will be decided upon choice of totem).
As a major ability, the character can speak with animals of the totem species. The animal must be within 10 feet of the character. This works as Animal Friendship spell, granting an animal companion for "Main Adventures." Your gain +2 to the EPL of your party on another type of adventure.
As a great ability, once per day, the character may shape change into the particular animal form for up to four hours. This ability can situationally grant +5 bonuses to escaping assassinations, or spying, etc (depending on your totem choice, you will be given a specific bonus).
You will be allowed to chose a totem animal upon gaining this blood ability. Try to remain thematically appropriate, but having a lion for Anduiras is not required (nor a cat for brenna, etc).
- [+] Battlewise(Major): Anduiras, Azrai
- The scion with this ability is a military genius, blessed with an uncanny power to analyze enemy weaknesses, create sound plans of attack, and inspire troops to victory. Any army he leads is far more effective than a similar force under another commander. The DC of the "war adventure" is considered 1 level higher than chosen for purposes of effects.
- [+] Berserker Blood(Great): Azrai, Vorynn
- Few on Cerilia doubt that this blood ability initially came to the Vos as a gift from Azrai. Still, it somehow managed to manifest in Vorynn's heirs as well. The Vos blessed with this blood ability see it as a sign of strength, and those who still worship Vorynn perceive it as a mark of forgiveness for their races' past transgressions. Scions with this ability can surpass the limits of mortal endurance and battle after other mortals would have died at the hands of their enemies. When a scion with the berserker 's blood ability suffers enough damage that his hit points fall to zero or lower, he can make a saving throw vs. death magic in an attempt to keep fighting. The scion may add 1 point to his saving throw for every two levels of experience that he has achieved. If the saving throw is successful, the scion goes into a berserk fury. The scion may fight only with melee weapons or barehanded, and will attack the nearest opponent single-mindedly. When he defeats that opponent, he moves on to another. When he runs out of opponents, he must make a saving throw vs. petrification or continue attacking the nearest living being (friends included). The scion continues to fight until he runs out of people to attack, he is somehow healed to above zero hit points, or he suffers damage beyond zero equal to his bloodline strength score. Should this last condition occur, he falls into a coma. If he cannot be brought to positive hit points within two rounds, the scion dies. If the scion receives enough healing to bring his hit points above zero, he lapses into a deep-but normal-sleep. He must rest for twice the number of rounds he spent fighting at zero or fewer hit points, or make a system shock check every round he acts. If he fails the check, he dies immediately.
While berserk, he is immune (no Saving Throw is necessary) to the wizard spells charm person, friends, hypnotism, sleep, irritation, ray of enfeeblement, scare, geas, and the clerical spells command, charm person or mammal, enthrall, cloak of bravery, and symbol. He gets a +4 to save against the wizard spells blindness, Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter, hold person, charm monster, and confusion, and the clerical spells hold person and hold animal. The emotion spell has no effect on the Berserker, unless the caster chose the fear result. If fear was chosen, the Berserker gets a normal Saving Throw; if he makes it, he continues on as before, but if he fails it, he is prematurely snapped out of his Berserk, with all the normal effects of coming out of the Berserk (but he doesn't suffer other fear effect). The fear spell has exactly the same effect: If he saves, there is no effect, and if he doesn't save, he's snapped out of the Berserk. If he fails a saving throw against charm monster, he simply counts the caster as one of his allies; he doesn't come out of the Berserk or obey the caster's commands. While Berserk, the character gets 1 extra attack, +1 to attack, +3 to damage. This does not stack with Haste.
While Berserk, he must fight each opponent until that opponent is down. Once an opponent is felled, the Berserker must move to the nearest enemy and attack him. He can't, for instance, choose to attack the enemy leader if that leader is behind seven ranks of spearmen. The Berserker must keep fighting until all enemies are down. While Berserk, the character is temporarily unaffected by the clerical spells bless, cure light wounds, aid, cure serious wounds, cure critical wounds, heal, regenerate (and wither). He will gain the benefits of those spells only after he has come out of his Berserk and suffered any and all damages which occurred then. The taunt spell is automatically successful, and will cause the Berserker to abandon his current enemy and rush to attack the taunter.
- [+] Blood History(Minor): Brenna, Maesela, Vorynn
- Some scions are blessed (or cursed) with the memories of their ancestors. With concentration, they can call upon the memories of all direct ancestors. A character gains these memories at the time of his birth; therefore, the character will have none of his parent's memories of events later than the character's birth. Places, people, and information long forgotten elsewhere may be available to the scion as the DM allows. FREE NWP: Local History, plus possible random tidbits of knowledge (similar to bardic 'random knowledge').
- [+] Bloodform(Major/Great): Azrai
- This is the power that causes an awnshegh's form to shift toward its most corrupt state; from the character's perspective, he is achieving power that ultimately suits his nature (if not his aesthetic wishes). An uncontrolled power, bloodform manifests whenever a character invested with the blood of Azrai (and this ability) taps his powers. In many ways, bloodform is more a curse than an ability, but many awnsheghlien look at it as a mixed blessing. Initial changes are small but noticeable; for example, a human female with Azrai's bloodline is wounded, and when she uses her regeneration ability, her body heals over the wound with different skin, almost a scaled hide. Continual use of blood abilities brings these physical changes more to the forefront until they totally alter the original creature, creating an awnshegh; our example of the human female could eventually become the Naga or some other suitably scaled creature of nightmares. Depending on the amount and frequency of powers used, as well as the character's bloodline strength, the transformation to awnshegh form could take as little as three years or as many as six centuries. When a character with the bloodform ability receives any additional power, through bloodtheft or other channels, there is a 75% chance that the new ability will manifest as a physical change in his body which allows either a new attack (claws, beak, fangs, etc.), a new defense (armored or furred skin, increased speed, etc.), or a new physical ability entirely (the Gorgon's paralytic gaze, the Vampire's mist form, etc.)
The ultimate transformation of a character to awnshegh status should be carefully planned by the DM, so there is logical progression of the creature's form, attack and defense modes, and final powers based on the character's personality and nature. If this is a player character, discussions with the DM on the character's drives and goals can help to divine how the PC's bloodform will be manifest.
+3 EPL on war adventures
- [+] Bloodmark(Minor): ALL
- The blooded character bears a visible, recognizable sign of his special heritage. Depending on the family, it may be a white streak in the hair, eyes of brilliant green, or a birthmark. NPCs who recognize the mark will tend to be respectful toward the scion, and even enemies perceive the mark as a warning to conduct themselves carefully around the scion. The bloodmark's effect is a -3 bonus to encounter reaction checks (from Table 59 in the DMG), depending on the circumstances of the meeting. Your lieutenant limit is increased by one. You are able to do a FREE ACTION: Seek Lieutenant, once (this is assumed to have happened pre-game if you started with Bloodmark).
- [+] Blood Trait(Major/Great): ALL except Azrai
- Blooded characters can change their physical forms to access their blood abilities more evocatively. In effect, a character can use this gift to alter his body to accurately reflect his powers. This is very similar to the uncontrolled bloodform ability that creates awnsheghlien, though the characters partially control the power changing them. The exact form of these blood trait transformations is not controlled by the blooded character, but the timing of the change is. Therefore, these characters choose to exhibit their special legacies openly. An NPC with a bloodtrait is unsettling to normal mortals, though, and results in a +1 to +4 encounter reaction penalty, depending on circumstances.
Examples: A character with Vorynn's bloodline might choose to change her entire head to resemble that of an owl in order for her to more easily tap her animal affinity talent. Another blooded character might shift his hand from appearing as solid flesh to something crystalline that glows when the healing talent is used. Unlike the bloodform, this change does not advance uncontrollably; it advances and alters a character further only if so willed by the character.
It is rare that any regent or scion of any bloodline would choose to significantly change his form, as this sort of alteration of form is most closely linked in many peoples' minds with the awnsheghlien. Within the first eight centuries after Deismaar, though circumstances forced this ability into use in order for the forces of good to vanquish the growing evil of rampaging awnsheghlien. While no one in the public eye has actively used this power to change himself in recent centuries, a few ancient heroes embraced this ability to become servants of good who moved beyond humanity. Known ehrsheghlien (elvish for "blood of light") that still exist within Cerilia include the Pegasus, the Phoenix, and the Treant.
- [+] Character Reading(Major): Basaia, Brenna, Vorynn
- The scion is an unnaturally perceptive judge of character and can quickly form accurate assessments of another character's intentions, attitudes, and motivations. The scion must speak with the person in question for at least one round to form an impression. Alignment is not revealed, but if the target is doing something directly related to alignment (for example, plotting an evil act), the scion will get a perception of evil tendencies. A scion with this ability is almost impossible to fool. He'll spot potential traitors or bad-faith deals with 90% accuracy unless the target's intent is magically concealed. +5 against Espionage - Province and Espionage - Plant Spy/Spy Ring.
- [+] Charm Aura(Major/Great): Azrai, Basaia, Brenna
- Similar to divine aura, charm aura projects an invisible shroud of power around the blooded character. Rather than enthralling onlookers with awe and majesty, this aura also mesmerizes and controls those within 50 feet. As a major ability, the character can charm 1-6 non-hostile creatures or scare enemies. As a great talent, charm aura inflicts either mass charm on non-hostiles or confusion on hostiles within 75 feet. This power, regardless of its rank, is usable only three times per day and affects only non-blooded creatures of six or fewer hit dice. Charm Aura, when used with a divine aura, can extend the range of either aura to 100 feet. Your lieutenant limit is increased by one. You are able to do a FREE ACTION: Seek Lieutenant, once (this is assumed to have happened pre-game if you started with Charm Aura).
- [+] Courage(Minor/Major/Great): Anduiras
- As the ancient god of noble battle, Anduiras imbued supernatural courage into many of the bloodlines derived from him. As a minor ability, characters with courage automatically succeed saving throws versus spells and effects that create magical or normal fear, including cause fear, fear, phantasmal killer, drums of panic, dragon fear,and similar effects. For effects that are normally allowed no save, the character may roll a saving throw with a -2 penalty.
As a major ability, this effect extends to all allies within 10 feet. 1/2 level units are immune to morale failure, or fear effects.
As a great ability, all units in the scion's area of the battlefield automatically succeed morale checks. Level units are immune to fear effects.
War Adventures: +1 EPL Minor, +2 EPL Major, +3 EPL Great
- [+] Death Touch(Minor/Major): Azrai
- A character afflicted with this ability can exude a virulent poison in some manner. Contact with this toxin results in disease or death, depending on the strength of the ability. With the slightest contact, death touch can spoil food and drink, or pollute a small well or enclosed pool of water. This ability manifests in a wide variety of ways, such as a skin contact poison (emitted through pores on hands or other appendages) [-2 AC, -2 to saves], injected poisons (introduced through fangs or another piercing implement) [-4 to saves], or a spray or cloud (anything form a mist-like breath weapon to an underwater ink cloud). At its widest dispersal, the death touch affects only those creatures within a 25-foot radius of the emission point.
At minor levels, contact forces a victim to save vs. death magic or else contract a disease and lose 1d4 hit points per day until a neutralize poison or a cure disease is cast on the victim. A major death touch is more virulent, and an immediate save vs. death magic is needed to stave off death in 1-10 rounds; if successful, the effects still operate as per the minor ability.
Obviously, some awnsheghlien have even more dangerous variants of this ability, exuding natural poisons of extremely virulent natures. While they are listed as having this ability, their particular poisonous touches (or effects) are unique and detailed under each specifically empowered awnshegh.
Scions with this ability are rarely fooled by illusion spells that create false visual images. When a scion encounters an illusion, he is immediately allowed a saving throw versus spell. Success means the scion instantly perceives the illusion for what it is, even if he is making no particular effort to disbelieve the illusion. If he consciously attempts to disbelieve, he does so with a +4 bonus to the saving throw. This ability is effective against any illusion spell that creates a false image or substitutes a false image for reality. The scion gains no advantage against spells such as invisibility, deafness, blur, fear, and eyebite. +2 to Effective Party Level for "Magical" adventures.
Detect Lie(Minor): ALL except Azrai
Once per day, the scion can concentrate on one individual and discern whether he is speaking the truth, as per priest spell detect lie. The effect lasts for one turn regardless of the scion's level. The reverse of the spell is not possible through this blood ability. +5 vs Espionage - Plant Spy/Spy Ring.
- [+] Detect Life(Minor/Major/Great): ALL
- The blooded character can sense all living creatures and things within a particular range. At minor ability, the character can sense animal life in general amounts (little to a lot) and the exact amount and location of living plant life within 100 yards per Intelligence point. +2 to EPL on "Survival" adventures
Major ability grants the character a range of 300 yards per Intelligence point, the power focused to detect exact amounts of animals and general amount of sentient life. +5 to Espionage - Province
At great ability, detect life can pinpoint exact numbers of all forms of life (sentient or not) within 500 yards per Intelligence point. +10 vs Espionage - Assassinate
- [+] Direction Sense(Minor): Maesela, Reynir
- A character with direction sense has almost no chance of becoming lost. As long as he knows his destination, he has an unerring sense of the direction in which his destination lies. This does not mean that the character always follows the easiest course when travelling, since he could easily encounter impassible terrain and be forced to detour around it. The scion can also retrace his steps with ease. FREE NWP: Direction Sense. +1 to EPL for "Naval" adventures for Maesela blooded, and "Survival" adventures for Reynir blooded.
- [+] Divine Aura(Major/Great): ALL except Brenna
- An intangible mantle of power and nobility surrounds some blooded characters, commanding respect form all they meet. Divine aura marks the character as a scion of power, just as a bloodmark does; the character gains a -3 bonus to all encounter reaction checks from Table 59 in the DMG.
The scion can enhance his aura once per day with one round of concentration. The effect lasts one round per level.
As a major ability, the character can enthrall any non-blooded creatures within 30 feet.
As a great ability, the character's aura acts as a hypnotic pattern against non-hostile creatures and as a fear spell against enemies (the abilities affect a 30-foot radius). All the auras affect only creatures of character's level Hit Dice or less; the great auras may be used simultaneously. Your lieutenant limit is increased by one.
- [+] Divine Wrath(Major): Anduiras, Basaia, Maesela
- When a character with this ability is moved to great anger, he becomes a terrible enemy. His body is imbued with extreme strength, and the mere sight of his angry visage terrifies his enemies. The divine wrath can never be summoned voluntarily; it comes over the scion only when he battles someone who has wronged his loved ones or himself. The DM must decide whether the player's role-playing of the character indicates that the divine wrath might overtake him. This condition grants the character the following: a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls; one extra attack per melee round; a +3 bonus to all saving throws; and resistance to damage, all successful attacks against him are reduced by 1 point per die of damage. Spells cast by the scion result in the maximum possible effect, for example, a 5th-level wizard casting fireball automatically causes 30 points of damage (normal saving throws still apply); spells of variable duration always last the maximum amount of time. Furthermore, any enemy within 10 feet of the character who meets his gaze must save versus spell or be stricken with fear and flee for 2d6 rounds. The divine wrath lasts on turn plus one round per level or until the battle is over.
- [+] Elemental Control(Great): Anduiras, Basaia, Maesela, Reynir
- Several of the old gods were closely tied to the four elements. Maesela was goddess of the sea; Basaïa was associated with the sun; Reynir was tied to earth; Anduiras was associated with the skies. A few rare scions of these lines inherited their progenitors' powers over these elements. A scion with the elemental control ability can summon an elemental of the appropriate type once per week with no risk of the creature turning on him. The elemental follows the scion's orders for 10 rounds before departing. In addition, the scion receives on of the following powers depending on derivation. Scions of Anduiras may create a gust of wind up to three times per day; scions of Basaia are protected by resist fire; scions of Reynir may meld into stone or passwall once per day; and scions of Maesela may water walk for up to three full turns per day.
Anduiras: Elemental Air grants +2 to EPL on "Hunt" adventures and war adventures
Basaia: Elemental Fire grants +2 to EPL on "Survival" adventures and naval war adventures
Maesela: Elemental Water grants +2 to EPL on "Naval" adventures and naval war adventures
Reynir: Elemental Earth grants +2 to EPL on "Underground" adventures and war adventures
- [+] Enhance Sense(Minor/Major): ALL
- Blooded characters are sometimes gifted with powers of perception far beyond those of ordinary mortals. The nature of the enhanced sense depends on the derivation and power of the character's bloodline.
Anduiras: Scions of Anduiras may detect evil three times per day, as described for paladins in the PHB. As a major ability, they may detect evil at will. +1(Minor)/+2(Major) EPL vs outsider and undead adventures
Azrai: A scion of Azrai can see into and through shadows without difficulty. At dusk, his vision is as acute as if it were bright daylight. Anyone hiding in shadows (regardless of time of day) suffers a 50% penalty to the check if a scion of Azrai happens to look at the hiding place. 1/day scions of Azrai's vision may pierce magical darkness. As a major ability, Azrai's spawn gain the power to see into the Shadow World as noted for halflings (detect evil, detect undead, and detect magic [necromancy only] in the real world; as per the wizard spells at the fifth level of ability; 75% chance of success; as often as a scion wishes; concentrating for one round allows all three at once). Azrai's scions may also note places where a crossover to the Shadow World can be made, but this does not confer the ability to enter the Shadow World. +1(Minor)/+2(Major) EPL vs undead adventures
Basaïa: Scions of Basaïa's blood have the vision of a hawk. They can spot detail and motion at ten times the distance of a normal human. All missile range penalties for the scion are reduced by one category, i.e., long-range shots suffer the -2 penalty of medium range fire, and medium range fire is not penalized. As a major ability, Basaïa's scions can penetrate normal or magical darkness for one turn per day by sending forth narrow beams of fiery sunlight from their eyes. The light reaches a distance of 60 feet. +1(Minor)/+2(Major) EPL vs Magical Adventures
Brenna: Brenna's line is blessed with the sight and hearing of cats. They have infravision to a range of 30 feet and gain a +1 bonus to surprise checks. There is no major ability for Brenna's line. +1 EPL vs Underground Adventures
Maesela: Characters of this derivation are not hindered by wind, rain, fog, snow, or other weather related obscurement. The character can see at least 120 feet in even the worst conditions (although darkness affects the character normally), and hearing is not hampered by howling wind or driving rain. A scion with a major ability can hear his name spoken (as well as what is said about him) anywhere within 10 miles. The scion and the speaker must both be outdoors at the time. The wind carries conversations about the scion to him; enemies must be careful of speaking his name. +1(Minor)/+2(Major) EPL vs Naval Adventures
Reynir: A scion of Reynir is attuned to the wilderness and possesses the Tracking proficiency as a ranger of equal level. (If the scion is a ranger, he gains a +4 bonus to his Tracking score.) In addition, the scion is surprised in wilderness settings only on a roll of 1; he notes the snap of twigs, the movements of birds and small creatures, and other telltale signs of an enemy's presence. There is no major ability for Reynir's blood. +1 EPL vs Survival Adventures
Vorynn: Characters of Vorynn's line have a limited ability to see into the future. By concentrating for one round, the scion may attempt to learn the result of his actions, gaining information equal to a divination spell cast by an 8th-level priest. He may attempt this once per day. As a major ability, the divination effect may trigger automatically when the character is headed into unknown danger (this does not count against his active attempt at a divination). There is a 60% chance that the blood ability activates; the DM may modify this chance based on the nature and degree of danger. Strong, evil threats are more likely to trigger the ability than weaker, accidental dangers. +1(Minor)/+2(Major) EPL vs Magical Adventures.