From the head of a derro

I’m working on a project and had to create a few things. They’re yours now.

A gross item

Flesh Pocket

Craftable. A patch of skin taken from another and attached, somehow, to your body. This is a secret hiding spot that only the most thorough search will find, if applied correctly. This small pouch can only hold very small items before it becomes obvious: a key to a jewelry box, a poisoned needle, or your most beloved lockpick.

A DC 18 Perception check or DC 15 Investigation check is required to spot the device.

I think this comes from Shadowrun actually. I needed this for two reasons: 1) I needed a way for the derro to have something smuggled into the prison when the rest of their belongings have been taken, and 2) someway to show the player characters (if they spot it) that this dude was willing to cut some flesh off another dude and SEW IT TO HIS THIGH.

An aggressive background

Acolyte With A Sword
Sometimes a god needs a physical force to ensure the divine plan goes the correct way; you have been that force. Eliminating threats to the faith, by sword or magic, discrete or bloody.

Choose a god you serve, working with your DM to see who is most appropriate to the world you’re in. Describe your religious contact who typically works with you, assigning your tasks.

Feature: Feared By Those Who Know. When applying pressure to someone who fears or respects your god, you can make Intimidation checks with advantage.

Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Intimidation.
Languages: One of your choice, plus Thieves Cant.
Equipment: A holy symbol, 1 vial of Assassin’s Blood or Serpent Venom, a set of common clothes, 15 gold pieces.

This derro has had his last dredges of sanity knocked out of him in the three Uniting Wars he’s been a part of, and the only reason anyone can think of for his survival is that he’s touched by Diinkarazan. Lets hope it doesn’t go to his head.

A dark spell

Diffuse Light.
Level 1, Evocation Spell. Concentration. Touch.
Light tends to avoid the target as best it can, dissolving as it approaches. Within a 10ft radius of the target, light becomes dim light, and dim light becomes non-magical darkness for 10 minutes.

I’m not totally sure why it took a derro to find this spell. Maybe discovering magicks requires a less, uh, structured mind. Either way, this is a god send (oh, maybe this is how he figured it out) for a sunlight sensitivity suffering derro.

Background: Itinerant

I realised I’ve not put anything here for a while, so I’ve been working on a quick adventure pack. It has turned out to not be quick. In the meanwhile, here’s a background I wrote for it.

I like backgrounds for two reasons (that I can think of right now):

  1. They give you some backstory immediately about your player, and an allegiance to something. Something you know your player cares about that the other players can make assumptions based of off.
  2. They allow the DM to build sticky hooks. “You forgot to pay your Guild dues, now you need to pay them back in the next 24 hours. Sidebar: All your money has just been stolen. Go make some quick cash!”

A thing I don’t like about them: the personality traits that come with them. I could do without those.

Itinerant

Those with arcane capabilities tend to show up right when you need them. You travel from town to town, offering minor magics as a service. Cleaning stained clothes, reattaching broken axe heads, turning over flowerbeds. Whatever services you can offer to the people who need it (and are willing to pay).

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Persuasion

Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools

Languages: One standard language of your choice

Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools, a set of traveller’s clothes, an identifying mark of an Itinerant, a pouch containing 15 gold pieces.

Feature: For services rendered

When you arrive in a town that you’ve not previously been to (or have not been there within the past ten days), you can spend some of your down time proffering your services. These almost always are required and earn you 3d6 copper pieces.

Over time, your attendance at the town becomes expected and the people begin to look forwards to your arrival.