Adeline Dawn

human wearing a green top, brownish purple hair, pants, and gloves, holding a lute on her shoulder, rash on her arm

Adeline Dawn (Bard)

Medium humanoid (human), Neutral Good

Cisgender woman (she/her)

Armor Class: 10

Hit Points: 19

Speed: 30 ft.

Strength Dexterity Constitution Intelligence Wisdom Charisma
12 (+1) 8 (-1) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 19 (+4)

 

Skills: Acrobatics +1, History +6, Insight +4, Performance +6

Senses: Passive Perception 13

Languages: Common, Orc

Challenge: 2

Abilities

Spellcasting. Adeline is a 2nd level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following bard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): Mage Hand, Prestidigitation

1st Level (3 slots): Charm Person, Illusory Script, Silent Image

Bardic Inspiration. As a bonus action, a creature (other than herself) within 60 ft. that can hear her gains an inspiration die (1d6). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome. Uses: 4 per Long Rest

Song of Rest. If she or any friendly creatures who can hear her performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.

Traits

Rash [IE 2, Periodic]. Adeline must succeed on a DC 7 Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration each round on an applicable spell. Adeline must also succeed on a DC 7 Constitution saving throw every day or develop Infection.

Actions

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) or 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing damage, versatile.

Background

Adeline grew up in a strict household. She found art to be the creative outlet that allowed her a reprieve from the stress around her. Her parents took note that she was talented in many different artforms and wanted to see her continue down that path. They would supply her with different types of materials and see which ones Adeline would be most interested in. She began to build a small side business and sell her art for others. The only thing that she loves more than making art is connecting with others. Adeline began to make a name for herself and use her art to inspire others. However, Adeline’s work as an artist is difficult for her when her health condition begins to flare-up; it becomes hard for her to hold any type of art tools. This difficulty can then cause a creativity block in Adeline for a while, and she does not get to express her artistic creativity to the world. When she has a hard time having that creative outlet fulfilled, Adeline has been known to ask others for assistance, whether that is to entertain her with tales about magical travels or perhaps bring her items that will inspire her when she begins to feel better.

Personality

Adeline is a full-figured human woman with horn-rimmed glasses. Her style is very bookish, with a twist of punk. She has brown, chest length hair and is normally the tallest female in the room. Adeline is fairly quiet, but always looking up ways to help from a distance. She constantly gets lost in her artwork and is always learning new art-related hobbies. Her first love will always be painting, and she will try to paint any story that she ever gets her hands on. She is full of stories, and she talks to you for hours if you let her. Adeline is very skilled at what she does, however, she is unable to always perform at her best due to her medical condition.

Plot Hooks

  1. Adeline loves talking with others and often sets up her painting in local areas where there is a lot of foot traffic. Some days, she says she’ll paint a person’s deepest desires if they pay her 1 gp.
  2. Adeline could also be concerned about the local sculptures around town. She pays close attention to all of them, and it seems that the sculptures seem to be moving into different positions overnight. No one believes her, but she knows the fine details of each piece of art in the city.
  3. Adeline will often draw inspiration for her new work by inviting newcomers to her gallery. She may send a letter requesting the party’s presence at her location. She will then talk with them until they share a story of their heroism. She will then take time to paint their adventure on a canvas and offer it back to them for a fee.



Appendix 7: Sample Characters

Grid of 13 heroes on back background

Adelaide (Paladin)
Adeline Dawn (Bard)
Aderyn Lloyd (Rogue)
Arioch Morningstar (Druid/Fighter)
Ash (Wizard)
Asher (Bard)
Ashur Ivaako (Wizard)
Baldor Rockfist (Bard)
Belmaia aka Bell (Warlock)
Brace (Cleric)
Caleburk (Sorcerer)
Donna Nason (Barbarian)
Eldris Moonbow (Ranger)
Emmara Tandris (Wizard)
Evard Dale (Ranger)
Fiorabelle the Untouchable (Barbarian)
Gaks Yellowbelly (Cleric)
Ilse Winternacht (Rogue)
Intentional (Bard)
Justice (Siege Engineer)
Kei’ain (Druid)
Kosha Indigo Princess (Bard/Warlock)
Lanark (Barbarian)
Larin Goodhand (Bard)
Macer (Bard/Barbarian)
Mala Tyno (Bard/Warlock)
Moonmaeven (Druid_Bard)
Nona Watson (Wizard)
Pandora Frost (Monk)
Professor Onyx (Monk)
Quintessence (Bard)
Ran Jadaar (Paladin)
Ripley Vance (Rogue)
Robert Houlroyd (Druid)
Rohna Ginnsley (Bard)
Rork (Druid)
Sabele Ni’Leary (Cleric)
Sklara (Sorcerer)
Sky Coreleto (Cleric)
Spark Peerly (Wizard)
Sue Lightfoot (Fighter)
Sym Karba (Wizard)
Talia Dustbloom (Rogue)
Trinita “Trinit” MacLeod (Ranger)
Tristan Swordsplow (Druid)
Ulva (Druid)
Vagrus Sek’kuar (Cleric)
Veralynn Sweetbriar (Druid)
Yllbella (Druid)
Yodin (Bard)




School of Evocation

You focus your study on magic that creates powerful elemental effects such as bitter cold, searing flame, rolling thunder, crackling lightning, and burning acid. Some evokers find employment in military forces, serving as artillery to blast enemy armies from afar. Others use their spectacular power to protect the weak, while some seek their own gain as bandits, adventurers, or aspiring tyrants.

Evocation Savant

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an evocation spell into your spellbook is halved.

Sculpt Spells

Beginning at 2nd level, you can create pockets of relative safety within the effects of your evocation spells. When you cast an evocation spell that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save.

Potent Cantrip

Starting at 6th level, your damaging cantrips affect even creatures that avoid the brunt of the effect. When a creature succeeds on a saving throw against your cantrip, the creature takes half the cantrip’s damage (if any) but suffers no additional effect from the cantrip.

Empowered Evocation

Beginning at 10th level, you can add your Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of any wizard evocation spell you cast.

Overchannel

Starting at 14th level, you can increase the power of your simpler spells. When you cast a wizard spell of 1st through 5th level that deals damage, you can deal maximum damage with that spell.
The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 necrotic damage for each level of the spell, immediately after you cast it. Each time you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the necrotic damage per spell level increases by 1d12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.




Warmth Domain

When you’re alone and cold, a close friend will warm you. The Warmth domain focuses on close friendships and trusting relationships apart from the passions of romantic love. Gods of hearth, life, and war can claim influence over this domain, as can gods of love whose focus extends to a broader range of human relationships.

Warmth Domain Spells

Cleric Level Spells
1st Bless, Protection from Evil and Good
3rd Aid, Warding Bond
5th Beacon of Hope, Mass Healing Word
7th Locate Creature, Mass Cure Wounds
9th Forbiddance, Heal

Bonus Proficiency

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Insight and Persuasion.

Better Together

Also at 1st level, you can strengthen your friends by each others’ presence. As an action, you choose a number of willing creatures within 30 feet of you (this can include yourself) equal to your proficiency bonus. You create a magical connection among them for 10 minutes or until you use this feature again. While any connected creature is within 30 feet of you, you can grant each temporary hit points equal to 1d4 + your proficiency bonus for the duration as long as they stay within range.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Channel Divinity: Bond of Friendship

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to bolster the confidence of your allies. As an action, you present your holy symbol and choose a number of willing creatures within 30 feet of you (this can include yourself) up to your cleric level. While they remain within range, they have resistance to psychic damage and a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus on all saving throws against being frightened or charmed or on saving throws required by uncomfortable emotions such as Amplified Emotions or Baseless Emotions. The effect lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated or die.

Channel Divinity: Through Thick and Thin

Starting at 6th level, your Better Together feature also gives each affected creature advantage on one Constitution or Wisdom saving throw of its choice while under the effects of this feature, and it also restores one hit die to each affected creature.

Divine Strike

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 psychic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Thick as Thieves

At 17th level, when you use your Bond of Friendship feature, all affected creatures also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.




Fiend

You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.

Expanded Spell List

The Fiend lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Spell Level Spells
1st Burning Hands, Command
2nd Blindness/Deafness, Scorching Ray
3rd Fireball, Stinking Cloud
4th Fire Shield, Wall of Fire
5th Flame Strike, Hallow

 

Dark One’s Blessing

Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your warlock level (minimum of 1).

Dark One’s Own Luck

Starting at 6th level, you can call on your patron to alter fate in your favor. When you make an ability check or a saving throw, you can use this feature to add a d10 to your roll. You can do so after seeing the initial roll but before any of the roll’s effects occur.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Fiendish Resilience

Starting at 10th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.

Hurl Through Hell

Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly transport the target through the lower planes. The creature disappears and hurtles through a nightmare landscape.
At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not a fiend, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from its horrific experience.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.




Draconic Bloodline

Your innate magic comes from draconic magic that was mingled with your blood or that of your ancestors. Most often, sorcerers with this origin trace their descent back to a mighty sorcerer of ancient times who made a bargain with a dragon or who might even have claimed a dragon parent. Some of these bloodlines are well established in the world, but most are obscure. Any given sorcerer could be the first of a new bloodline, as a result of a pact or some other exceptional circumstance.

Dragon Ancestor

At 1st level, you choose one type of dragon as your ancestor. The damage type associated with each dragon is used by features you gain later.

Dragon Damage Type
Black Acid
Blue Lightning
Brass Fire
Bronze Lightning
Copper Acid
Gold Fire
Green Poison
Red Fire
Silver Cold
White Cold

You can speak, read, and write Draconic. Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled if it applies to the check.

Draconic Resilience

As magic flows through your body, it causes physical traits of your dragon ancestors to emerge. At 1st level, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.
Additionally, parts of your skin are covered by a thin sheen of dragon-like scales. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

Elemental Affinity

Starting at 6th level, when you cast a spell that deals damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry, you can add your Charisma modifier to one damage roll of that spell. At the same time, you can spend 1 sorcery point to gain resistance to that damage type for 1 hour.

Dragon Wings

At 14th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.
You can’t manifest your wings while wearing armor unless the armor is made to accommodate them, and clothing not made to accommodate your wings might be destroyed when you manifest them.

Draconic Presence

Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the dread presence of your dragon ancestor, causing those around you to become awestruck or frightened. As an action, you can spend 5 sorcery points to draw on this power and exude an aura of awe or fear (your choice) to a distance of 60 feet. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (if you chose awe) or frightened (if you chose fear) until the aura ends. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.




Hunter

Emulating the Hunter archetype means accepting your place as a bulwark between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness. As you walk the Hunter’s path, you learn specialized techniques for fighting the threats you face, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs to towering giants and terrifying dragons.

Hunter’s Prey

At 3rd level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

Colossus Slayer. Your tenacity can wear down the most potent foes. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, the creature takes an extra 1d8 damage if it’s below its hit point maximum. You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.
Giant Killer. When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately after its attack, provided that you can see the creature.
Horde Breaker. Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack, you can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of your weapon.

Defensive Tactics

At 7th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

Escape the Horde. Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.
Multiattack Defense. When a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against all subsequent attacks made by that creature for the rest of the turn.
Steel Will. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Multiattack

At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

Volley. You can use your action to make a ranged attack against any number of creatures within 10 feet of a point you can see within your weapon’s range. You must have ammunition for each target, as normal, and you make a separate attack roll for each target.
Whirlwind Attack. You can use your action to make a melee attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of you, with a separate attack roll for each target.

Superior Hunter’s Defense

At 15th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

Evasion. When you are subjected to an effect, such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a Lightning Bolt spell, that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stand Against the Tide. When a hostile creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to force that creature to repeat the same attack against another creature (other than itself) of your choice.
Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.




Oath of Devotion

The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the loftiest ideals of justice, virtue, and order. Sometimes called cavaliers, white knights, or holy warriors, these paladins meet the ideal of the knight in shining armor, acting with honor in pursuit of justice and the greater good. They hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, and some, for better or worse, hold the rest of the world to the same standards. Many who swear this oath are devoted to gods of law and good and use their gods’ tenets as the measure of their devotion. They hold angels–the perfect servants of good–as their ideals, and incorporate images of angelic wings into their helmets or coats of arms.

Tenets of Devotion

Though the exact words and strictures of the Oath of Devotion vary, paladins of this oath share these tenets.
Honesty. Don’t lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise.
Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise.
Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom.
Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.
Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Paladin Level Spells
3rd Protection from Evil and Good, Sanctuary
5th Lesser Restoration, Zone of Truth
9th Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic
13th Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith
17th Commune, Flame Strike

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Sacred Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Turn the Unholy. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring fiends and undead, using your Channel Divinity. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.

Aura of Devotion

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed while you are conscious.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Purity of Spirit

Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a Protection from Evil and Good spell.

Holy Nimbus

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of sunlight. For 1 minute, bright light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that.
Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn in the bright light, the creature takes 10 radiant damage.
In addition, for the duration, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends or undead.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.




Way of the Open Hand

Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm.

Open Hand Technique

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:

  • It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
  • It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
  • It can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Wholeness of Body

At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Tranquility

Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a Sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.

Quivering Palm

At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.




Champion

The archetypal Champion focuses on the development of raw physical power honed to deadly perfection. Those who model themselves on this archetype combine rigorous training with physical excellence to deal devastating blows.

Improved Critical

Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Remarkable Athlete

Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus. In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier.

Additional Fighting Style

At 10th level, you can choose a second option from the Fighting Style class feature.

Superior Critical

Starting at 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20.

Survivor

At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.