Patron: Chrontics Vault

[johnzo]

Here's my new Patron! I wanted to get some weird gnarly pseudo-scifi into our game and also do some stuff that directly hits the die-chain mechanics.

It's a lot of work to write up a new Patron. I can't imagine how hard it is to write up a bunch of them while keeping it fresh!

CHRONTICS VAULT

A sentient mechanism from a dimension beyond time, Chrontics is a collector of arcane lore and a harvester of power. No one can say whether it is an obsessive librarian, a tyrant in waiting, or something stranger.

Chrontics recruits elves and wizards and other magic-users to serve as remote experience-collection units. It particularly values travelers and adventurers, as they are the most efficient and varied experience collectors.

Note that when a caster successfully Patron Bonds with Chrontics, they are kidnapped away to serve Chrontics for a period of 1-6 years and then returned to the place of casting as if no time had passed. Put another way, the casting time of Patron Bond is zero, but the caster will age 1-6 years for having cast it.

INVOKE PATRON

12-13: Chrontics cannot execute your invocation immediately and has queued it. You may roll your spellcasting action die against this spell each round as a free action until you roll 14+

14-17: Chrontics bounces the caster one round into the future. The caster disappears from the game and reappears on their next turn within one round's movement of their original position.

18-19: Chrontics replaces the caster with an iteration from a similar but less vicious timeline. The caster disappears from the game and reappears as above, but when they return, they have healed CLd6 hit points.

20-23: Chrontics allows the caster brief access to its mighty spell library. During this encounter, the caster may attempt to cast any non-patron caster spell of their CL or less with a d24 action die.

24-27: Chrontics allows the caster to proxy a clerical spell through one of its divine interfaces. The caster may cast any clerical spell of their CL or less with a d24 action die.

28-29: Chrontics supervises the caster's access to its libraries and divinities. The caster may cast any clerical or caster spell of their CL or less with a d30 action die.

30-31: Chrontics' cool precision floods the mind of the caster and sharpens their magical power. They receive a d10+1 Deeds die to roll along with their action die on their next spell. The caster may perform Mighty Deeds of Arms with this spell exactly as a warrior or dwarf!

32+: Chrontics timeshifts the caster, plus one of their companions, to a future in which they have successfully survived the current encounter while suffering no further wounds. Full XP are awarded for the encounter.

PATRON TAINT

1: The caster's brain and skull must swell in order to contain the amount of knowledge imparted by proximity to Chrontics. This deformity cannot be concealed. If this result is rolled a second time, the head swells to encompass the neck and the caster loses the ability to turn or tilt their head. On a third result, the head collapses into the trunk; the features relocate to the now-corpulent chest.

2: The caster's id, enthralled by the cold pure logic of Chrontics, unconsciously keeps a tiny fissure to hyperspace open. Furthermore, whenever the caster casts a spell, frigid hyper-ether will backwash through this portal, freezing water and frosting windows. If this result is rolled a second time, then the spell-triggered hyper-etheric leakage will be more serious and the blast will also extinguish all fires within 30' of the caster. If this result is rolled a third time, then everything -- living, animated, or undead -- within 30' of the caster must save vs. Fortitude with the DC being the caster's spell check. Failure indicates frozen paralysis for 1d3 rounds.

3: Intimacy with the massive rationality of Chrontics provokes intellectual mania in the caster. At first, this effect will cause occasional insomnia; the caster has a 25% chance of not receiving healing after a night's rest. If this effect is rolled a second time, the caster will only be able to sleep if massively intoxicated or enchanted with a sleep spell. If this effect is rolled a third time, the Dreamlands, jealous masters of repose as they are -- will kidnap the caster away without trace.

4: Chrontics identifies the caster as an ideal subject for temporal-echo experiments. When this taint is first rolled, the caster must reroll their name and occupation. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster must reroll their stats as if they were restarting as a new character. If this result is rolled a third time, Chrontics' experiments retroactively remove the caster from the timeline.

5: Chrontics starts to physically host itself inside the caster. When this taint is first rolled, the caster's eyes, fingernails, and tongue will begin to glow with hyperspace luminance. If this result is rolled a second time, the character's skin will slowly slough off, revealing dull grey metal-flesh lined with intricate multicolored circuitry, and their hair will be replaced by tangled strands of copper and gold. The character will grow 1d6gp worth of hair per month thereafter. If this result is rolled a third time, the transformation away from flesh becomes complete. The character may not be healed by magical means. They will continue to recover hit points nightly, but can only be healed by someone skilled in the maintenance of Chrontics' hardware.

6: Chrontics requires that the caster provide experiences of suffering and terror. When this taint is first rolled, the caster will earn a +4 spell check bonus to their next spell following a failed save. If this result is rolled a second time, Chrontics is not satisfied with the character's painseeking and begins to take remote control of them, steering them into danger, and imposing a -2 saving throw penalty while continuing to award the +4 spell check bonus following failed saves. If this result is rolled a third time, Chrontics will begin to take the character's suffering for granted, and will leave the -2 saving throw penalty in place while awarding no spell check bonus.

SPELLBURN

1: Chrontics briefly seizes part of the caster's brain in order to run a computation. The sudden, draining distraction causes the caster to spellburn their Intelligence, Wisdom, or Personality. Following the casting of the spell, the caster must succeed on a Will save vs. their spell check roll or be stunned and insensate for 1d3 rounds.
2: Chrontics has a temporary energy deficiency and harvests the character's life force to compensate. The caster suffers 1 hit point of damage for every two points that they spellburn from their Strength, Agility, or Stamina.
3: Chrontics accepts the sacrifice of Strength, Agility, or Stamina -- and also needs to borrow the caster's eyes for a few moments. The caster's eyes vanish and return after 1d3 rounds. The caster is blinded while their eyes are missing.
4: The caster is overexposed to Chrontics' alien rationality and must force themselves to forget. The caster may spellburn up to 10 points from their Strength, Agility, and Stamina, but this damage is deferred for 3d4 hours. If the caster can drink or drug themselves into unconsciousness before the damage becomes effective, they do not suffer this attribute damage. A sleep potion or spell will not suffice. The sleep must be black and dreamless.

PATRON SPELLS: CHRONTICS
Those who serve as remote units for Chrontics eventually learn three unique spells, as follows:

Level 1: Vault Query
Level 2: Chrono Rollback
Level 3: Recruit Iteration

VAULT QUERY

Level: 1 (Chrontics Vault)
Range: caster
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 1 round
Save: none

Chrontics Vault contains libraries of experiences -- agonies and ecstasies, triumphs and tragedies, fancies and practicalities. This spell empowers the caster to search Chrontics' accumulated knowledge and to channel the expertise stored therein in the form of a single skill roll.

Manifestations: Roll 1d4. (1) A booming machinelike voice directs the caster in their task. (2) The caster's face goes blank, their eyes roll back, and they carry out their task like a puppet. (3) A thick crowd of multilegged mechanical constructs appears on the character's body; they stream forth to complete the task and then crumble into fragments of an unidentified metal. (4) The caster merges into the target of the skill roll and manipulates its interior.

1 Lost, failure, patron taint.

2-11 Lost and failure.

12-13 The caster benefits from the consultation. They may roll a d20 on their next skill check, regardless of the nature of the task and/or their career.

14-17 As above, but the caster rolls a d24.

18-19 As above, but the caster rolls a d30.

20-23 As above, but the caster rolls a d30 + d6

24-27 As above, but the caster rolls a d30 + d10

28-29 As above, but the caster rolls a d30 + d14

30-31 As above, but the caster rolls a d30 + d20

32+ As above, but the caster rolls 2d30.

CHRONO RETREAT

Level: 2 (Chrontics Vault)
Range: see below
Duration: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action
Save: none

Chrontics' remote units cannot help but absorb some of its massive power and knowledge. Key among these is the ability to step through time and wrench events into a more pleasing shape.

This is a relatively simple but dangerous incantation. The caster must spellburn at least 4 points to cast it, and they may suffer permanent loss of Luck from the casting. The gods agree on little, but they are unified in their antipathy towards those who tinker with time!

Manifestations: (1) Everyone's stomach lurches as the entire universe revolves around the caster for a moment as time wrenches backwards to the desired moment. (2) Everyone experiences the original timeline, but the results are as per the altered timeline -- for example, a warrior may miss with an axe-stroke, but the goblin they were attacking falls cloven in two before them anyway. (3) A spectral version of the caster appears before the rerolling character and advises/guides their attempted action. (4) Time simply skips the altered moment.

1 Lost, failure, and patron taint.

2-11 Lost, failure

2-13 Failure, but the spell is not lost

14-15 One target within 10' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. However, the caster's time-crafting is clumsy, so this roll is made at -1 die size. The caster's meddling goes unnoticed by the gods, and thus they suffer no Luck loss.

16-19 One target within 10' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster loses 1 Luck point permanently as the gods take notice on this trespass.

20-21 One target within 20' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster loses 1 Luck point permanently to the gods' displeasure.

22-25 One target within 20' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster's time-crafting is sure-handed, and the target gains a +1 or -1 die size modifier to the reroll, at the caster's option. The caster loses 1d2 Luck points permanently to the gods' displeasure, and the target suffers 1 permanent Luck damage as well.

26-29 One target within 30' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster's expert time-crafting grants a +1 or -1 die size modifier to the reroll at the caster's option. The caster loses 1d2 points of Luck permanently to the ire of the gods, and the target suffers 1 permanent Luck damage as well.

30-31 One target within 30' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster's masterful time-crafting grants a +2 or -2 die size modifier to the reroll, at the caster's option. The caster loses 1d3 Luck points permanently as their timecrafting draws the ire of the gods, and the target suffers 1d2 permanent Luck damage as well.

32-33 One target within 40' of the caster must reroll a just-made die roll. The caster's masterful time-crafting grants a +2 or -2 die size modifier to the reroll, at the caster's option. The caster loses 1d3 Luck points permanently as their timecrafting draws the ire of the gods, and the target suffers 1d2 permanent Luck damage as well.

34+ One target within eyeshot of the caster is considered to have rolled the minimum or maximum (caster's choice) possible result on their die. The caster and target both suffer 1d3+1 permanent Luck damage as their timecrafting draws the fury of the gods. Everyone witnessing this event also loses 1 Luck point to the gods' indiscriminate hatred. Additionally, the next Healing roll made to benefit the caster will result in automatic disapproval from the healer's god!

RECRUIT ITERATION
Level: 3 (Chrontics Vault)
Range: 30'
Duration: see below
Casting Time: 1 round
Save: none

Chrontics Vault can freely intermingle the contents of all universes. This spell petitions Chrontics to provide assistance in the form of another iteration of the caster, yanked crosstime into the prime universe from another, largely compatible universe.

Manifestations: Roll 1d4. (1) The iteration is a different gender than the caster. (2) The iteration has distinctively different facial hair than the prime caster. (3) The iteration is a different species than the caster -- see "Variety In Humanoids," p.379. (4) The iteration is utterly indistinguishable from the caster.

1 Lost, failure, patron taint.

2-11 Lost, failure.

12 Lost, failure, AND a twisted, opposite-alignment version of the caster appears permanently in the prime universe as an enemy NPC.

13-15 An iteration of a randomly-selected ally appears, under the control of that ally's player. The iteration's visit to the prime universe lasts for but a single round. It has exactly the same hit point and attribute damage as the prime universe version of the ally. When the spell ends, the version with more hit points disappears from the prime universe and teakes its possessions with it.

16-17 The iteration's visit to the prime universe lasts for but a single round. It is under the control of the caster's player. It has exactly the same hit point and attribute damage as the prime universe version of the caster. When the spell ends, the version of the caster with more hit points disappears from the prime universe and takes its possessions with it.

18-21 The iteration remains in the prime universe for 1d4+2 rounds. It is under the control of the caster's player. It has exactly the same hit point and attribute damage as the prime universe version of the caster. When the spell ends, the version of the caster with more hit points disappears from the prime universe and takes its possessions with it.

22-23 The iteration's visit to the prime universe lasts for 2d6 rounds. It is under the control of the caster's player. It has exactly the same hit point and attribute damage as the prime universe version of the caster. When the spell ends, the version of the caster with more hit points disappears from the prime universe and takes its possessions with it.

24-26 The iteration remains in the prime universe for 1 hour. It is under the control of the caster's player. It is unwounded, with no hit point or attribute damage. When the spell ends, the version of the caster with fewer hit points disappears from the prime universe, and takes all its possessions with it.

27-29 The iteration remains in the prime universe for 1d6 hours. It is under the control of the caster's player. It is unwounded, with no hit point or attribute damage. When the spell ends, the version of the caster with fewer hit points disappears from the prime universe. The disappearing version may leave equipment behind in the prime universe.

30-31 The iteration remains in the prime universe for 1d12 hours. It is under the control of the caster's player. It is unwounded, with no hit point or attribute damage. When the spell ends, the prime caster may choose which version of them will disappear from the prime universe. The disappearing version may leave equipment behind.

32+ The iteration remains in the prime universe for 1d4 days. It is under the control of the caster's player. It has full hit points. It is a much more awesome version of the caster and gains a +2 die size modifier on all action rolls. When the spell ends, the awesome iteration disappears from the prime universe but may leave its equipment behind.

[jodown]

Whoa. Waking up and reading this first thing before work totally made my day. Everyone's gonna want Chrontics as their patron. I do.

Thanks for sharing!

[ragboy]

Here's my new Patron! I wanted to get some weird gnarly pseudo-scifi into our game and also do some stuff that directly hits the die-chain mechanics.

It's a lot of work to write up a new Patron. I can't image how hard it is to write up a bunch of them while keeping it fresh!

It's definitely not easy -- especially when you're also trying to set it in a "placeholder" campaign context.

This patron is very good. A couple of the Patron Taints are a bit harsh -- I would suggest not destroying/removing the spellcaster. Half the fun is having the caster continue to exist (and suffer). I LOVE this one -- how do you handle situations where the caster ends up a dwarf (or other demi-human) however?

4: Chrontics identifies the caster as an ideal subject for temporal-echo experiments. When this taint is first rolled, the caster must reroll their name and occupation. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster must reroll their stats as if they were restarting as a new character. If this result is rolled a third time, Chrontics' experiments retroactively remove the caster from the timeline.

[johnzo]

This patron is very good. A couple of the Patron Taints are a bit harsh -- I would suggest not destroying/removing the spellcaster. Half the fun is having the caster continue to exist (and suffer). I LOVE this one -- how do you handle situations where the caster ends up a dwarf (or other demi-human) however?

Thanks ragboy!

Oh man, I didn't even think about how rerolling a character's occupation could change their species.

I think I'd see if the player wanted to change into the new demi-human class, and if so we'd redo their character as that class. Or if they wanted to stay on the magic-using path, they could be a magic-user or elf mechanically with dwarf or halfling chrome.

(edit) And if the ultimate effect of that taint is too harsh, it could be rewritten like: 1: reroll name, 2: reroll attributes, 3: reroll occupation.

[Ravenheart87]

Brilliant work, this is my favourite patron so far.