Expulsed (Challenge +1*)

Sometimes, the gods can be just as foolish as any mortal. Deities can become so smitten with a person that they grant him or her special attention and favors. These beloved of the gods are often faster, smarter, swifter, or more beautiful than any other child, and most go on to become mighty warriors, gifted poets, holy men, and others whom the gods expect to live up to these great gifts.

In some rare cases, though, a mortal betrays a god’s trust. With a single act, these blessed individuals turn their backs on their sacred pacts and are utterly forsaken. These tormented spirits, however, linger on in the world of the living. They cling to hate, to hubris, to the supernal knowledge of the self, and they are so arrogant that they believe it was the god(s) who failed them. They become the Expulsed, and their influence can topple kingdoms, destroy nations, and lead whole flocks astray from the divines’ light.

The Expulsed are immortal. They are invincible. They are a terrifying example of what happens when a god is wrong. Many are centuries old, their legends long since faded from the waking world. They prefer this obscurity, for the only way they can be slain is for their sin, the blasphemy that caused their betrayal, to be exposed to them on ground sanctified to one of the deities they betrayed.

Expulsed Legends

The Expulsed fit into broad categories that describe loosely the reasons for their fall. Most fall into one of the following four categories, but others may exist:

Faithless Knight. The faithless knight was once bold and mighty warrior who, in an act of rashness or cowardice, committed such a violation of his faith’s tenets that he is forever accursed. Faithless knights become craven beings that travel the world spreading terror and fear through military conquest and force of arms.

False Lover. A person of great charm and beauty in life, a false lover is (or was once) counted among the most exquisite people in the world. Her name and her face inspired multitudes. She may have started wars with her beauty or ended them with her grace. Ultimately, though, shattered lives and heartbroken lovers have followed in her wake. Now, the false lover sows discord and torments the descendants of those who once adored her.

Forsaken Priest. For most gods, there is no greater crime than to forsake one’s holy vows and lead others away from faith. A forsaken priest has used the divine powers entrusted to him to mislead the world. The forsaken priest has betrayed the highest offices and the most sacred oaths, now wandering the world toppling churches from within or creating heretical sects that subvert the will of the gods.

Treacherous Thief. Some people are blessed with incredible luck and skill. Occasionally such a one betrays the gods who granted those gifts, defrauding those who trusted her and taking everything from those who cannot afford to give. The treacherous thief lies, cheats, and steals everything she can, even going so far as to steal from the gods. Now, in death, the thief suffers in the knowledge that no treasure she misappropriates can ever buy her way out of damnation. Expulsed Template

Creating a Expulsed

Any humanoid can become one of the Expulsed, provided it commits some crime against the gods so heinous that death alone is insufficient as punishment. A creature that becomes Expulsed retains all its statistics except as noted below.

Challenge. Note that an Expulsed’s challenge rating is very likely to increase by at least 1..

Type. The Expulsed’s type changes to undead.

Alignment. The Expulsed’s alignment is always evil.

Armor Class. While it is wearing only light or no armor and not wielding a shield, the Expulsed’s AC includes its Charisma modifier.

Speed. The Expulsed’s ground speed increases by 30 feet, to a maximum of double the base creature’s speed. Its other movement speeds do not change.

Ability Scores. Increase any one of the Expulsed’s ability scores by 2, to a maximum of 24.

Damage Vulnerabilities. The Expulsed has vulnerability to one type of damage (usually radiant, but choose one appropriate to its story).

Damage Resistances. The Expulsed has resistance to necrotic damage and to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered.

Damage Immunities. The Expulsed is immune to poison damage.

Condition Immunities. The Expulsed is immune to being charmed or poisoned, and it cannot suffer from exhaustion.

Senses. An Expulsed gains darkvision out to 60 feet, or the range of its darkvision increases by 30 feet if it already had darkvision.

Blasphemous Veil. The Expulsed is immune to all divination magic that would discern its nature or alignment.

Rejuvenation. Until confronted by its crimes on sacred ground (usually a location dedicated to one or more specific gods, depending on the Expulsed’s original crime), the Expulsed cannot be destroyed. Otherwise, if reduced to 0 hit points or destroyed by some other effect, the Expulsed vanishes from existence and returns in 1d6 days, with all spells, abilities, and hit points restored. Any special mounts, familiars, items, or other such accoutrements vanish with them, and return with them. Expulsed Legend. An Expulsed’s fall from grace usually determines what abilities its cursed legend manifests. As noted previously, the four best-known types of Expulsed are the faithless knight, false lover, forsaken priest, and treacherous thief. This choice affects some of the Expulsed’s unique abilities, as described below. (Other types of Expulsed may exist with other unique abilities.)

In general, an Expulsed should receive one or two of the following special traits or actions, as appropriate to the nature of the Expulsed’s blasphemy.

Some of these abilities require a saving throw. Use the Expulsed’s spell save DC, if any, or else the DC is 8 + the Expulsed’s proficiency bonus + the Expulsed’s Charisma modifier.

Dread Weapon. One weapon the Expulsed carries becomes magical, and if the weapon does not already provide attack and damage bonuses, the Expulsed gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. (For Expulsed with high challenge ratings, you may increase the bonus appropriately.) In addition, the Expulsed can’t be disarmed of the weapon. If it is on the same plane of existence, the Expulsed can summon the weapon as a bonus action on its turn, causing it to teleport instantly to the Expulsed’s hand.

A faithless knight or treacherous thief may choose one type of damage from among the following: acid, cold, necrotic, or poison. When the faithless knight or treacherous thief hits with this weapon, it deals an additional 1d6 damage of the chosen type. (For more powerful Expulsed with high challenge ratings, you may increase this extra damage appropriately.)

Silent Wind. The Expulsed has advantage on Stealth checks. If the Expulsed is a treacherous thief, it has advantage on all Dexterity checks.

Sweet Lies. The Expulsed has advantage on Deception checks. If the Expulsed is a false lover or forsaken priest, it has advantage on all Charisma checks.

New Action: Frightful Presence. Each creature of the Expulsed’s choice that is within 30 feet of the Expulsed and aware of it must succeed on a 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 Expulsed’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

For faithless knights and forsaken priests, the range of Frightful Presence increases to 60 feet.

New Action: Life Drain. The Expulsed’s mere touch becomes a melee spell attack. This attack deals necrotic damage equal to 4d8 + the Expulsed’s Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma modifier. (For Expulsed of various challenge ratings, you may modify the base damage of this attack appropriately.) The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. If the Expulsed is a forsaken priest, it regains hit points equal to the damage it deals with this attack.

New Action: Pleasing Form. The Expulsed can use an action to charm a creature within 60 feet of him that can see him. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw, and it does so with advantage if the Expulsed or its allies are fighting the target. If the target fails the saving throw, it is charmed by the Expulsed for 24 hours or until it or its companions do anything harmful to the target. The charmed creature regards the Expulsed as a friendly acquaintance. When the effect ends, the creature does not know it was charmed. The Expulsed can use this ability twice. When it completes a long rest, the Expulsed regains all uses of Pleasing Form. A false lover can use this ability a number of times equal to its Charisma modifier between long rests.