====== Amek the Copperhaired ====== Are you in the mood for a story? ... It's a sad one, I'll warn you. Alright. It's about me, obviously, but it sounds better this way... Once upon a time, there was a man named Amek, the one who became the Copper-haired to defend his friends against the Midnight. He was a member of a mercenary company that traveled in the service of the Wanderer, his knights and his friends, and so it was until the Wanderer settled for a time in the land of Arcydea, and the man and his companions sought work to remain sharp when there was no war left to fight. They used their skills in war and in peace to help others, and so it was... Until one day, one of the Wanderer's allies caught the man's eye, and he fell in love. She was a beautiful dragon, regal and golden, the color of majesty, and yet she seemed fond of the man. There was talk of one day, becoming a couple, marrying beneath the falls of Alshira where dragons fly and dreams soar. But the dragon had an enemy. Another man, with hair of cherry red and a heart of dark depths. The Cherry Red wanted to make her his bride, wanted power, and wanted to become a god. He learned to create life, and unleashed it on the world, to show his worthiness. And he was sponsored by another dragon goddess, one of burnished bronze, who looked upon the machinations of the other gods with jealousy and anger. The Cherry Red perished for his pride... But the Bronze would not lose her faithful apprentice, and brought him back. Again, he made lives miserable and people suffer, again he was felled, and again he was revived. Eventually the other gods saw the magnitude of his sins, and intervened. They would not destroy the Cherry Red, but they gave his reincarnations karmic import. Still, it only delayed the time before he made a monster of himself again. And again. And the Copper-haired? He was busy slowly wooing his dragon love, tolerating the Cherry Red as one would tolerate a wound that kept being picked raw. But one day things changed. One day, there were two moons ... And then one night, the red moon exploded, violently, in a shower of bleeding rock. And with that, magic fell apart, the world began to collapse and descended into chaos. The gods took note, and gathered to hold the crumbling world together, and rebuild the stability that had been lost. But in the shuffle, the Golden maiden was gone. And the Copper-haired knew who was to blame, for the Bronze was conspicuous in her absence and the Cherry Red, too, was nowhere to be found. Her spirit was not in the afterlife, so if she was dead, her soul was trapped. And if not, the Cherry Red was certainly making her suffer in his own perverted ways. But nobody would listen to the Copper-haired... The world was in tatters, and much of their energy and strength was devoted to saving it from dissolving altogether. The Copper-haired would not accept this. He raged, and he swore vengeance, that he would hunt down the Cherry Red and make him suffer as all whom had sought to help him had suffered, as all who had been unfortunate enough to listen to his lies had suffered, as all who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and been forcibly impregnated or gutted or melted or mutated had suffered. He would be vengeance. And he was. He raged, and he hunted, even as the world that was on the brink of annihilation slowly recovered. He cared for nothing but finding the one who had taken his love, his everything from him forever. It took him centuries. The path was very well hidden. It was as if they were so intent on their wickedness that they had obscured themselves from even the sight of the gods, and thus even the gods said they could not help. But the Copper-haired eventually, after many, many years, found a clue in the pocket of a man, and another in the mind of a priest. They told him to search within the Everwinter mountains, where magic was still gone and the weather would freeze a man solid in minutes.The Cherry Red was there. And so the Copper-haired broke through the defenses. His skin froze, but his rage kept him warm. He was alone, for all had abandoned him to his quest long ago, telling him that surely the Bronze and the Cherry Red were gone from the world, but he had his anger to propel him inwards. Melting through doors meant to resist any attack, ripping violently through men and machines. There was no magic, but he could fight, and he did with all his fury. Until he found the lair of the Cherry Red at last. ... But something was wrong. Even the Copper-haired in his rage could not help but notice that many of the things he broke through were not meant to keep something out, but in. He expected to find his Golden maiden, free her from whatever horrors she had suffered, and end the Cherry Red forever. Or he expected to find that the Cherry Red had truly destroyed his love, and he would make him pay if it cost him everything. But... The Cherry Red was in chains, in locks, trapped within a machine in a room that siphoned power and sapped strength. He was helpless. He was weak. And he was a prisoner. A similar machine was nearby, empty. Had he tried some horrifying ritual that went awry? Had he expected things to go differently and was preparing some elaborate scheme? The Copper-haired looked, and he saw that they were at the heart of the great machine, that which made the weather and burned Mana and made even him weak and pale and tired. And so he smashed the core of the machine, and everything went dark. But he could see in the dark, and could see that doing so had unlocked the thing that the Cherry Red was sequestered in. He went forward, and found that he was alive, but comatose, barely capable of breathing. He prepared himself - the Cherry Red was a master of psi, and that meant that in this room where Mana was almost all gone, he might still be preparing an attack at any moment. He prepared himself, and he waited for enough magic to return, so that he could cast a spell to enter the mind of the Cherry Red, to see what he could learn about his beloved, and all of this. ...what he found was a broken man, one who had suffered worse over the centuries than even the Copper-haired could have wished to inflict. The Cherry Red was an Immortal, and the place was meant to keep Immortals contained and powerless so that they could be studied, and the secrets of immortality unlocked from their blood and bones and brains. ...there were two machines, he remembered, searching the dimness of the Cherry Red's fading thoughts. Who was in the other? Was it his beloved? Was it the Bronze? What had caused this? A friend. A friend he had not seen since before his descent into madness and fury, a gentle woman who was a master of machines. The Cherry Red had realized dimly, through the growing fog, that he could set one of them free... And he chose to free her, rather than himself. He gave up his only chance at saving his own skin to let her escape instead. As for the rest... There was nothing. The Cherry Red had no idea what had happened to the Bronze or the Golden. In the end, he had paid for his crimes, and that was one horrific act that he had not done. There was no answer. The Golden... And the Bronze, and so much more... Were just gone. The Copper-haired bowed his head, and he left the broken place. The Cherry Red was gone, but not by his hand. The Golden was gone, and he had wasted so long chasing the Cherry Red that there was no chance he would find her again, not even a ghost. He carried the Cherry Red from that place, and buried him someplace far away, and let his soul pass to the afterlife. He went to attend to a few things. And then he began to wander again, stopping nowhere for long, crossing mountains and seas, oceans and deserts, never staying anywhere for long... Until the day he decided to help a man recover his daughter from a broken world, that is. I told you it wasn't a happy story. But that's why I think I'm going to stay here a while. And maybe someday, go visit old friends. ===== Character Sheet ===== Race: Ancient Copper Dragon Class Levels: 20th Level Bard (College of Swords); 20th Level Sorcerer (Divine Soul) Race: 26 HD (Ancient) Copper Dragon Immortal: Portfolio of Vengeance HP: ?? STR 27 (+8) \\ DEX 20 (+5) \\ CON 27 (+7) \\ INT 20 (+5) \\ WIS 17 (+3) \\ CHA 20 (+5) === Proficiencies === Proficiency Bonus: +7 Armor: All armor, shields. Weapons: All weapons. Tools: ? Saving Throws: ? Skills: ? Languages: Common, Draconic, Elvish, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Undercommon ==== Abilities ==== === ? (Background: ?) === ? ==== Bard Features ==== Spellcasting Cantrips You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, learning a 3rd cantrip at 4th level and a 4th at 10th level. Spell Slots The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn an additional bard spell of your choice at each level except 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Amek knows 22 bard spells. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier Spell Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier Ritual Casting You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag. Spellcasting Focus You can use a musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells. Bardic Inspiration You can use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest. Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level. Jack of All Trades Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus. Song of Rest Beginning at 2nd level, if you or any friendly creatures who can hear you make a performance, regain hit points by spending hit dice at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to 1d12 at 17th level. Bard College At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a bard college of your choice. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level. * College of Swords Expertise At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Font of Inspiration Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest. Countercharm At 6th level, as an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). Magical Secrets By 10th level, choose two spells from any class, including this one. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you and are included in the number in the spells known column of the Bard table. You learn two additional spells from any class at 14th level and again at 18th level. Superior Inspiration At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use. === College of Swords === Bonus Proficiencies At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and the scimitar. If you're proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells. Fighting Style At 3rd level, choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again. * Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. Blade Flourish At 3rd level, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn. Defensive Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn. Slashing Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. Mobile Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target. Extra Attack Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Master's Flourish Starting at 14th level, whenever you use a Blade Flourish option, you can roll a d6 and use it instead of expending a Bardic Inspiration die. ==== Sorcerer Features ==== Spellcasting Cantrips At 1st level, you know four cantrips of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn additional sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Sorcerer table. Spell Slots The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. Amek has 4,3,3,3,3,2,2,1,1 spell slots, and knows 15 spells from sorcery. Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier. Spell attack modifier = Your proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier. Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells. Sorcerous Origin Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level. * Divine Soul Font of Magic At 2nd level, you gain sorcery points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects. Sorcery Points You have 20 sorcery points, and you regain all spent sorcery points when you finish a long rest. Flexible Casting You can use your sorcery points to gain additional Spell Slots, or sacrifice Spell Slots to gain additional sorcery points. You learn other ways to use your sorcery points as you reach higher levels. Creating Spell Slots: You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The created spell slots vanish at the end of a long rest. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 5th. Slot Level Cost 1st 2 2nd 3 3rd 5 4th 6 5th 7 Converting a Spell Slot to Sorcery Points: As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of sorcery points equal to the slot's level. Metamagic At 3rd level, you gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another one at 10th and 17th level. You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted. Careful Spell When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell's full force. To do so, you spend 1 sorcery point and choose a number of those creatures up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell. Distant Spell When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell. When you cast a spell that has a range of touch, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet. Quickened Spell When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 sorcery points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting. Subtle Spell When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Sorcerous Restoration At 20th level, you regain 4 expended sorcery points whenever you finish a short rest. Divine Magic Your link to the divine allows you to learn spells normally associated with the cleric class. When your Spellcasting feature lets you learn a sorcerer cantrip or a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from the cleric spell list or the sorcerer spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a sorcerer spell for you. In addition, choose an affinity for the source of your divine power: good, in Amek's case. You learn an additional spell based on that affinity, Cure Wounds. It is a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn't count against your number of sorcerer spells known. If you later replace this spell, you must replace it with a spell from the cleric spell list. Favored by the Gods Starting at 1st level, divine power guards your destiny. If you fail a saving throw or miss with an attack roll, you can roll 2d4 and add it to the total, possibly changing the outcome. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Empowered Healing Starting at 6th level, the divine energy coursing through you can empower healing spells. Whenever you or an ally within 5 feet of you rolls dice to determine the number of hit points a spell restores, you can spend 1 sorcery point to reroll any number of those dice once, provided you aren't incapacitated. You can use this feature only once per turn. Angelic Form Starting at 14th level, you can use a bonus action to manifest a pair of spectral wings from your back. While the wings are present, you have a flying speed of 30 feet. The wings last until you're incapacitated, you die, or you dismiss them as a bonus action. The affinity you chose for your Divine Magic feature determines the appearance of the spectral wings: eagle wings for good or law, bat wings for evil or chaos, and dragonfly wings for neutrality. Unearthly Recovery At 18th level, you gain the ability to overcome grievous injuries. As a bonus action when you have fewer than half of your hit points remaining, you can regain a number of hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. ==== Dragon Abilities ==== === Traits === Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. === Dragonform Actions === Multiattack: The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 8 piercing damage. Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 8 slashing damage. Tail: Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 2d8 + 8 bludgeoning damage. Frightful Presence: Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. Dragon Breath (Recharge 5-6): The dragon uses one of the following breath weapons. Acid Breath. The dragon exhales acid in an 90-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (14d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Slowing Breath. The dragon exhales gas in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can't use reactions, its speed is halved, and it can't make more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the creature can use either an action or a bonus action on its turn, but not both. These effects last for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a successful save. Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon's choice). In a new form, the dragon retains its alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. Its statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form, except any class features or legendary actions of that form. === Legendary Actions === Can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary actions are regained at the start of each turn. Detect: The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check. Tail Attack: The dragon makes a tail Attack. Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions): The dragon beats its wings. Each creature within 15 ft. of the dragon must succeed on a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (2d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its flying speed. Armor Class 21 (Natural Armor) Saving Throws Dex +12, Con +14, Wis +10, Cha +12 Skills Deception +11, Perception +17, Stealth +12 Damage Immunities Acid Senses Blindsight 60 Ft., Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 27 Languages Common, Draconic Dragons are innately magical creatures that can master a few spells as they age, using this variant. A young or older dragon can innately cast a number of spells equal to its Charisma modifier. Each spell can be cast once per day, requiring no material components, and the spell's level can be no higher than one-third the dragon's challenge rating (rounded down). The dragon's bonus to hit with spell attacks is equal to its proficiency bonus+ its Charisma bonus. The dragon's spell save DC equals 8 +its proficiency bonus + its Charisma modifier. ==== Immortal Aspects ==== Divine Rank 0: Champion of the Rose Creatures of this rank are sometimes called quasi-deities or hero deities. Creatures that have a mortal and a deity as parents also fall into this category. These entities cannot grant spells, but are immortal and usually have one or more ability scores that are far above the norm for their species. They may have some worshipers. Ordinary mortals do not have a divine rank of 0. They lack a divine rank altogether. Transmutation A deity is immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the deity might have work normally on itself. Energy Drain, Ability Drain, Ability Damage A deity is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage. Mind-Affecting Effects A deity is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). Bypassing Damage Reduction As outsiders with alignment subtypes, the natural attacks of deities, as well as any weapons they wield, are considered aligned the same as the deity for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. Damage Reduction: A quasi-deity (Rank 0) has DR 10/epic. Immortality All deities (even those of rank 0) are naturally immortal and cannot die from natural causes. Deities do not age, and they do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The only way for a deity to permanently die is through special circumstances, usually by being slain in magical or physical combat. Deities of rank 1 or higher are not subject to death from massive damage. They also have regeneration equal to Divine Rank + 1, healing per round in combat and eventually regrowing severed or destroyed limbs and other parts. ==== Equipment ==== Cloak of the Wanderkin (+3 AC bonus) Spear of the Wanderkin (+3 magical) Ugly Knife (normal damage, dispels magic)