Herald

Heralds are mortals chosen to be the envoys of the strange spiritual gentry which survived the destruction of the bygone radiant realms. Gifted with a portion of their gentry’s spiritual might, heralds have the ability to temporarily assume the mantle of their tremendous power. This comes with an edict, though: heralds must follow the ethical framework of their gentry, and proceed with their agenda, or else risk losing their patronage.

Servants of the Distant Gentry

Although heralds vary considerably from one another, they all have one major thing in common: they ventured into the periphery of the alien distant gods, leftovers of the shattered radiant realms, and somehow gained their patronage. The reasons for this are as varied as the heralds themselves, ranging from deliberate oaths by the power-hungry to chance encounters with flighty but considerable radiant ones.

Because of this, heralds are inscrutable in terms of their agenda, and the twilight world, even the parts of it scourged by the Megalithic periphery, treat them with respect or at least wariness.

Radiant Chimera

Heralds are capable of temporarily assuming the mantle of their lords, but mortals are far from sturdy frames for divine might. These mantles flash into being for a second or two and then vanish just as quickly, leaving behind a fading radiant halo with a lingering trace of the vanishing radiant divinity. Often this halo quickly gives way to a second mantle, and then another, and another. It’s from this quick fluctuation of radiant shapes that heralds have established a reputation as odd spiritual chimera: easy to spot, but very difficult to predict.

Creating a Herald

When creating a herald, consider how your character attracted the strange eye of the distant radiant gentry. Did you stumble headlong into a strange Arcadian periphery and strike the fancy of some of the fairy lords there? Did you scheme for the power over life and death from the gods of annihilation in the Stygian reaches?

Quick Build

You can make a herald quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Charisma, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the radiant explorer background.

Multiclassing Notes

If your group uses the optional rule on multi classing in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose herald as one of your classes.

• Ability Score Minimum: As a multi class character, you must have at least a Charisma score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level of another class if you are already a herald.
• Proficiencies Gained: If herald isn’t your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as an inquisitor: ???

Class Features

As a herald, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per herald level.
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier.
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per herald level after 1st.

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, two martial weapons of your choice
• Tools: None
• Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
• Skills: Choose any three

Equipment

You start with the following equipment in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• One martial weapon of your choice
• (a) a hand crossbow and quiver of 20 bolts or a short bow and quiver of 20 arrows
• (a) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (b) an explorer’s pack
• Studded leather armor and a wooden shield

Assume Mantle

At 1st level, you gain the ability to assume one of the mantles of your patron gentry as a bonus action. This mantle lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

Each mantle is distinct, and each time you assume it, it gives you an unpredictable boon unique to the mantle but not necessarily always the same boon as the last time. To determine the effect of your mantle, roll 1d8: the amount you roll gives you points you may use to purchase features from the mantle. This value grows by 1d8 at 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level.

When a mantle fades, it leaves you with a halo which lasts until the start of the next following turn. This halo is a dim remnant of your mantle, giving you a lingering connection with radiant magic.

While you have this halo, you may not reassume the mantle which gave it to you. At first, this halo is temporary, but it grows in duration as you gain in strength. At 6th level, your halos last 2 rounds, at 13th level, they last 3 rounds, and at 20th level they last 4 rounds.

You begin knowing 3 mantles, gaining another at 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level.

Additionally, whenever you gain a level, you may pick one mantle you know and replace it with a new mantle which you meet the requirements for.

Envoy of the Distant Gods

At 2nd level, you have developed an stronger bond with the distant spirits of the radiant realms. Each mantle has not only the name of one of the strange distant spirit gods you serve, it also has both an aspect and a realm. Pick one aspect: chthonic or empyrean, and one realm: Arcadian, Astral, Primordial, Stygian, or Sylvan.

This improves your ability to assume mantles in the following ways:

• If your aspect lines up with a mantle, you reduce the cost of mantle features by 1.
• If your realm lines up with a mantle, you add your proficiency bonus to your assume mantle roll.
• If both your aspect and realm line up with a mantle, extend the duration of its halo by an additional round.

Distant Court

At 3rd level, you officially become accepted as an honorary member of your gentry’s distant court. Choose your court from the courts listed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you new features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

The distant courts are fickle and possess a strange, and difficult to understand agenda. Membership in a distant court comes with a series of taboos: an ethos which the court exemplifies. Violating these taboos violates your connection with your distant court for a time: you may not assume mantles until you’ve taken a long or short rest.

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.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Assume Greater Mantle

Starting at 8th level, you learn one of your distant court’s greater mantles. The mantle is always considered to match your aspect and realm, but you may only assume it once until after you’ve taken a short or long rest.

You gain an additional greater mantle at 12th level, and again at 18th level.

Improved Assume Mantle

At 12th level, you may roll an extra 1d8 for every 8 rolled on an assume mantle check, and you may re-roll any assume mantle dice which come up as 1.

Superior Assume Mantle

At 18th level, you may assume mantle as a free action.

Exultant Chimera

Starting at 20th level, you may assume two mantles at once. Roll your assume mantle dice as normal, except you may spend the resulting pool on two mantles as you wish.