Invocations of the Outer Gods (more Cthulhu stuff for DnD)

 Invocations of the Outer Gods

<img
  src='https://lovecraftzine.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/2-lovecraft-occultist.jpg'
  style='position:absolute; top:200px; right:100px; width:600px' />




# (Or, More Homebrewed Cthulhu Mythos Themed Options for DnD 5th Edition)

\page

## Foreword
Due to popular demand (the reader's guess to where this demand comes from is as good as mine), I've made a second Lovecraft-themed document of homebrew rules for DnD 5th edition. More warlock patrons, cleric domains and monsters are included, as well as new spells as an additional feature. Not much else to say, really; read the previous document.

*-Lord Nomic*

## New Warlock Patrons

### Hastur

*“Songs that the Hyades shall sing,*

*Where flap the tatters of the King,*

*Must die unheard in Dim Carcosa. ”*
<div style='margin-top:10px'></div>

In occult texts, the terms "Hastur" "Carcosa" and "King in Yellow" often appear together, as if interconnected. The exact relation between these names is unsure, but they are all associated with madness, decay and loss.

Some hold that Hastur is an Outer God associated with the force of entropy and decay, making it essentially the polar opposite of Shub-Niggurath, and that the King in Yellow is an avatar of this deity.

Followers of Hastur or the King in Yellow often seek to tear down social order and spread madness by exposing the terrible truths that underlie society and the very existence of the world.

#### Expanded Spell List
The King in Yellow 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.

##### Hastur Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *dissonant whispers, ray of sickness* |
| 2nd  | *alter self, blur* |
| 3rd | *glyph of warding, nondetection* |
| 4th | *compulsion, phantasmal killer* |
| 5th | *geas, modify memory* |

#### Accustomed to Madness
Starting at 1st level, you are immune to the effects of madness (see page 258 in the Dungeon Master's Guide).


```
```

#### Gaze of Madness
Starting at 6th level, you may use your reaction to inflict madness on a creature within 30 feet that can see you. The target must pass a Wisdom saving throw (or make a Sanity check if sanity rules are used) with DC equal to your spell save DC or be afflicted with short-term madness.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

#### Entropic Shield
Starting at 10th level, when a creature makes an attack roll against you, you may use your reaction to force the creature to reroll all successful attack rolls during this turn. If a rerolled attack misses, the creature has disadvantage on its attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

#### The Yellow Sign
Starting at 14th level, you may use your action and spend 1 minute to inscribe the dreaded Yellow Sign on an object (such as a wall or a piece of paper).

The Yellow Sign retains its power for 24 hours. During this time creatures that see the sign must make a Intelligence saving throw (DC equal to your spell save DC), taking 2d6 psychic damage and being afflicted with long-term madness if they fail the save. If they roll a 1 on the saving throw, they are also afflicted with indefinite madness.

Even if the saving throw is successful, the creature is afflicted with short-term madness.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

### Nodens

*""And hoary Nodens raised a howl of triumph when Nyarlathotep, close on his quarry, stopped baffled by a glare that seared his formless hunting-horrors to gray dust.*"
<div style='margin-top:10px'></div>

Nodens, the Lord of the Great Abyss, is an unusual being in that much like Nyarlathotep he frequently manifests in a form comprehensible to mortals, often appearing as an elderly, human male with white hair—gray-bearded and hoary yet still vital and strong. He often rides in a chariot formed from a huge seashell pulled by magical beasts. Nodens is associated with the sea and storms, but he also rules the Underworld of the Dreamlands.

The exact relationship between Nodens, the Outer Gods, and the Great Old Ones is largely unknown and open to speculation, but he is said to belong to another distinct group of beings known as the Elder Gods. What is know is that Nodens opposes Nyarlathotep, hunting down his servants where he can find them and sometimes helping mortals who fall victim to the machinations of the Crawling Chaos.

\page

However, any assumption that Nodens is a somehow benevolent deity, or one that actually cares about mortals, is highly inaccurate. Nodens and Nyarlathotep are enemies and, due to Nyarlathotep's tendency to spread chaos among mortals, the goals of Nodens and mortals sometimes align. However, there is no indication this being considers mortals as anything more than useful pawns in his ongoing rivalry with Nyarlathotep.


#### Expanded Spell List
Nodens 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.

##### Nodens Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *fog cloud, longstrider* |
| 2nd  | *gust of wind, levitate* |
| 3rd | *call lightning, sleet storm* |
| 4th | *dominate beast, ice storm* |
| 5th | *cone of cold, destructive wave* |


#### Noden's Blessing
Starting at 1st level, you have advantage on rolls to resist beign frightened by an aberration, and when you reduce an aberration to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your warlock level (minimum of 1).

#### Noden's Rebuke
Starting at 6th level, when a creature makes an attack against you, you can use your reaction to unleash a thunderous blast of magic at it. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 thunder damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. If the creature is an aberration, the damage increases to 4d8.

In addition, if the creature fails the save and is Large or smaller, it is pushed up to 10 feet away from you.

Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

#### Aberration Hunter
Beginning at 10th level, your patron teaches you how to best hunt the servants of Nyarlathotep and other aberrations. When you deal damage to an aberration, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage. In addition, you are immune to being frightened.

#### Rider of the Storm
Starting at 14th level, you have flying speed equal to your current walking speed whenever you are not underground or indoors.


## New Cleric Domains

The following domains are intended to provide more appropriate domains for clerics worshiping the Outer Gods, Great Old Ones, or other similar themes. For the most part, they are themed after "corrupted" versions of the cleric domains in the PHB.

### Occult (Forbidden Knowledge)

##### Occult Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *comprehend languages*, *indentify* |
| 3rd  | *augury*, *prepare essential saltes* |
| 5th | *speak with dead*, *summon from essential saltes* |
| 7th | *arcane eye*, *divination* |
| 9th | *legend lore*, *scrying* |



#### Occult Knowledge
Starting at 1st level, you have advantage when making checks to decipher occult texts (the kind that would require a Sanity check to read).

You also gain proficiency in the following skills: Arcana, History, and Religion.

#### Channel Divinity: Forbidden Knowledge
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to tap into a font of knowledge beyond mortal ken. As an action, you may choose to automatically succeed in one Arcana, History, or Religion skill check. If you do so, you must succeed in Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used), with DC equal to the DC of the skill check, or be afflicted with short-term madness.



#### Channel Divinity: Read Memories
At 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to read a creature's memories and alter them.

As an action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature succeeds on the save, you can't use this feature on it again until you finish a long rest.

If the creature fails its save, you can read its memories, going back a number of days equal to your Wisdom score. You may choose to erase one of these memories after reading it.

#### Reckless Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you may choose to add twice your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip, but if you do so you must succeed in a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used) or be afflicted with short-term madness.

#### Visions Out of Time
Starting at 17th level, you can call up visions of the past or the future that relate to an object you hold or your immediate surroundings. You spend at least 1 minute in meditation and prayer, then receive dreamlike, shadowy glimpses of past or future events. You can meditate in this way for a number of minutes equal to your Wisdom score and must maintain concentration during that time, as if you were casting a spells.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

\page

**Object Reading.** Holding an object as you meditate, you can see visions of the object's previous owner. After meditating for 1 minute, you learn how the owner acquired and lost the object, as well as the most recent significant event involving the object and that owner. If the object was owned by another creature within a number of days equal to your Wisdom score, you can spend 1 additional minute for each owner to learn the same information about that creature.

If the object has been associated with some form of occult or eldritch activity, such as sacrificial rituals or summoning of eldritch beings, you can learn about the event no matter how long ago it happened, although many such events are liable to force a Sanity check (or a Wisdom save or be afflicted with madness), the DC and degree of madness depending on the event.

**Area Reading.** As you meditate, you see visions of events of recent past or future in your immediate vicinity (a room, street, tunnel, clearing, or the like, up to 50 feet cube), going back a number of days equal to your Wisdom score or forward a number of days equal to your Wisdom modifier. For each minute you meditate, you learn about one significant event, beginning with the most recent. Note that any knowledge gained from the future is likely very fragmentary, and only represents one possible course of events.

If the location has been associated with some form of occult or eldritch activity, you can learn about the event no matter how long ago it happened, although many such events are liable to force a Sanity check (or a Wisdom save or be afflicted with madness), the DC and degree of madness depending on the event.


### Fecundity (Unrestrained Life)

##### Fecundity Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *cure wounds*, *entangle* |
| 3rd  | *lesser restoration*, *protection from poison* |
| 5th | *forced evolution*, *revivify* |
| 7th | *corrupted blood*, *death ward*|
| 9th | *contagion*, *mass cure wounds* |

#### Unnatural Toughness
When you choose this domain at 1st level, increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

#### Disciple of Fecundity
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level.

#### Parasitic Healer
Beginning at 6th level, the harmful spells you cast convert some of the damage inflicted to healing. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage to a creature, you or a friendly creature of your choice within 10 feet of you regains hit points equal to 2 + the spell's level. The amount of hit points regained this way can't exceed the damage the spell inflicted.


```
```

#### Leeching Strike
At 8th level, you gain the ability to empower your weapon strikes to steal your foe's vitality, a gift from your deity. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause that attack to deal an extra d6 necrotic damage to the target. You regain an amount of hit points equal to the extra damage inflicted. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d6.

#### Overheal
Starting at 17th level, when you roll dice to restore hit points with a spell, you may before rolling use this feature to double the rolled result (for example, a roll of 6 becomes 12). However, if the amount of healing is more than is needed to restore the target to full hit points, it will take damage equal to the excess hit points at the end of its next turn (for example, if a creature has taken 10 hit points of damage, and your heal it for 12, it will at the end of its next turn take 2 damage).

### Wilderness (Undiscovered Nature)

##### Wilderness Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *entangle*, *speak with animals* |
| 3rd  | *alter self*, *spike growth* |
| 5th | *protection from energy*, *plant growth* |
| 7th | *grasping vine*, *dominate beast* |
| 9th | *contagion*, *tree stride* |

#### Acolyte of the Wilderness
At 1st level, you learn one druid cantrip of your choice. You also gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival.

#### Wilderness Stalker
Starting at 1st level, as long as you are unarmored or wearing light armor, you can apply your proficiency bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in natural environment.

#### Channel Divinity: Predator's Grace
Starting at 2nd level, you may use your Channel Divinity to increase your movement speed.

As a bonus action you may invoke your deity and grant yourself a +10-foot bonus to your base movement speed for 1 round. This bonus increases by 5 feet for every 5 cleric levels you possess. You can also move through non-magical difficult terrain without it costing extra movement for 1 round.


#### Wrath of Elements
Starting at 6th level, when a creature within 30 feet of you takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to grant that creature vulnerability to that damage type until the end of your next turn.

\page

#### 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 acid, thunder, or lightning damage (your choice) to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

#### Cull the Weak
Starting at 17th level, if you are attacking a creature that has less than 50 % of its maximum hit points remaining, your have advantage on your weapon attack rolls.

### Maelstrom (Devouring Tempest)

##### Maelstrom Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *fog cloud*, *thunderwave* |
| 3rd  | *gust of wind*, *shatter* |
| 5th | *call lightning*, *lightning bolt* |
| 7th | *control water*, *ice storm* |
| 9th | *destructive wave*, *lightning from beyond* |


#### Bonus Proficiency
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor.

#### Thunderstrike
Also at 1st level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you may use your reaction to cause the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. If the save is failed, the creature is knocked prone if it is Medium-sized or smaller.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

#### Channel Divinity: Stormreaver
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to cause your melee attacks to unleash blasts of lightning.

When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you may use your Channel Divinity to force each other hostile creature within 10 feet of the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes lightning damage equal to 2d6 + your cleric level on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one. A creature that has total cover from you is not affected.


#### Channel Divinity: Destructive Overload
Starting at 6nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to wield the power of the storm with unchecked fury.
When you roll lightning damage, you may before rolling use Chanel Divinity to double the rolled result (for example, a roll of 6 becomes 12). However, if you do so, you suffer damage equal to the rolled result yourself.


```
```

#### 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 or lightning or thunder damage (your choice) to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.



#### Roiling Maelstrom
Starting at 17th level, you can use your action to summon a roiling maelstrom centered around yourself, which lasts 1 minute or until you dismiss it using another action.

While the maelstrom is active, creatures other than yourself that are within a 30-foot radius of you treat the area as difficult terrain and have disadvantage on their attack rolls. Hostile creatures that begin their turn inside this area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 lightning damage on a failed save.

### Betrayal (Malevolent Trickery)

##### Betrayal Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *charm person*, *disguise self* |
| 3rd  | *detect thoughts*, *pass without trace* |
| 5th | *bestow curse*, *nondetection* |
| 7th | *confusion*, *seal of sacrifice* |
| 9th | *geas*, *modify memory* |

#### Blessing of the Betrayer
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency in the Deception and Stealth skills.

#### Channel Divinity: Anonymity
Starting at 2nd level, you may use your Channel Divinity to make yourself unrecognizable.

As an action, you invoke your deity to hide your true nature. For the next 10 minutes, creatures are unable to perceive or remember all but the most general information about you. If they saw you or interacted with you, they still remember your presence and your general shape (such as humanoid), as well as the gist of your interactions with them, but they don't remember specifically what you said or details of your appearance.

This feature has no effect on creatures with Truesight, who can see through the effect.

#### Channel Divinity: Sudden Shift
Starting at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to teleport yourself out of the way of an attack.

When you are attacked by a creature that you can see, you may use your reaction to teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. If this would put you out of range from the attack or in total cover from the attacker, the attack automatically misses.

\page

#### Betrayer's Blade
Starting at 8th level, once per turn when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage to the target if you have advantage on the attack roll. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
The extra damage is doubled if the creature regarded you as friendly.

#### Master's Illusion

At 17th level, you you can use your action to create an illusion that hides the appearance of yourself and any number of allies within 30 feet for 1 round for each of your cleric levels.

You instantly change the appearance of the subjects and then maintain that appearance for the illusion's duration. You can make the subjects appear to be anything you wish. The subjects look, feel, and smell just like the objects or creatures the illusion makes them resemble.

Creatures must pass a DC20 Wisdom (Perception) check to see through the illusion. Creatures with Truesight can see through it automatically.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.


### Madness

##### Madness Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|:----:|:-------------|
| 1st  | *bane*, *charm person* |
| 3rd  | *crown of madness*, *induce madness* |
| 5th | *bestow curse*, *clairvoyance* |
| 7th | *confusion*, *induce greater madness* |
| 9th | *dream*, *modify memory* |

#### Mad Priest
Starting at 1st level, you gain immunity to the effects of short- and long-term madness. However, you are afflicted with a random flaw from the indefinite madness table, which can't be cured.

#### Frenzied Attacks
Starting at 1st level, when you make an attack action, you may make one weapon attack as a bonus action, but if you do so all attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

#### Channel Divinity: Mad Inspiration
Starting at 2nd level, you may use your Channel Divinity to gain mad inspiration. You may use a bonus action to choose one of the following: attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. For the next 3 rounds, you gain +10 bonus to the chosen rolls, but have disadvantage on the other two rolls.

#### Channel Divinity: Vision of Madness
Starting at 6th level, you may use your Channel Divinity to inflict maddening visions on a creature. As an action, choose one creature within 60 feet of you. That creature must pass a Wisdom saving throw (or make a Sanity check if sanity rules are used) with DC equal to your spell save DC or be afflicted with short-term madness.

If the creature succeeds on the saving throw, you can't use this feature on it again until you finish a short or long rest.

#### Infectious Madness
Starting at 8th level, you gain resistance to psychic damage. Any creature that deals psychic damage to you or attempts to read your mind must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used) or be afflicted with short-term madness.

#### Flay Reality
Starting at 17th level, you can use your action to activate an aura of madness with radius of 30 feet centered on yourself that lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it using another action.


Hostile creatures that begin their turn inside this aura must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to your spell save DC). A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is afflicted with short term madness but is immune to any further effect of the aura for 24 hours.

A creature that fails the save is afflicted with long-term madness, and is confused as if affected by the *Confusion* spell. At the end of each of its turns, an affected creature can make a Wisdom saving throw, ending the confusion effect for that creature on a successful save.

## New Spells

#### Conjure Byakhee
*5th-level conjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 minute
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour
- **Class:** Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You call forth a byakhee (see the bestiary in "Disciples of the Outer Gods"), which appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range. The byakhee disappears when it drops to 0 hit points.
The byakhee is friendly to you and your companions for the duration of spell. Roll initiative for the byakhee, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you) for the duration of the spell. If you don't issue any commands to it, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

Once the spell ends, you no longer have control over the byakhee, and it either flees or attacks you, depending on the situation.

#### Conjure Nightgaunt
*3rd-level conjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 minute
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour
- **Class:** Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

\page

You call forth a nightgaunt (see the bestiary), which appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range. The nightgaunt disappears when it drops to 0 hit points.
The nightgaunt is friendly to you and your companions for the duration of spell. Roll initiative for the nightgaunt, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you) for the duration of the spell. If you don't issue any commands to it, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

Once the spell ends, you no longer have control over the nightgaunt, and it either flees or attacks you, depending on the situation.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using certain higher-level spell slots, more nightgaunts appear: two with a 5th-level spell slot, three with a 7th level spell slot, and four with a 9th level spell slot.


#### Conjure Star Vampire
*5th-level conjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 minute
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S, M (blood of a humanoid creature)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You call forth a star vampire (see the bestiary in "Disciples of the Outer Gods"), which appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range. The star vampire disappears when it drops to 0 hit points.
The star vampire is not friendly to you or your companions, and will attack the nearest creature. Roll initiative for the star vampire, which has its own turns.


#### Corrupted Blood
*4th-level necromancy*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Until dispelled
- **Class:** Cleric, Druid

Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, you afflict the creature with the corrupted blood disease.

At the end of each of the target's turns, it must make a Constitution saving throw. After failing three of these saving throws, the disease's effect lasts for the duration and the creature stops making these saves. After succeeding on three of these saving throws, the creature recovers from the disease and the spell ends.

Any effects that remove a disease or otherwise ameliorate its effects apply to the corrupted blood disease.

A creature afflicted with the corrupted blood disease suffers 6d6 necrotic damage at the beginning of its turn. If the creature is reduced to 0 hit points for any reason, all creatures within 10-foot radius of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be afflicted with the corrupted blood disease.

```
```


#### Embrace of Corruption
*5th-level evocation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

Your touch can trigger uncontrolled mutation in your victim, twisting their flesh and causing it to rot from within.
You touch a creature, and that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 8d10 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

A creature that takes damage from this spell has disadvantage on Charisma checks until the damage is healed.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th.


#### Forced Evolution
*3rd-level transmutation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour
- **Class:** Druid

You touch a creature, reshaping their flesh. Choose one of the following effects; the target gains the effect until the spell ends. However, the target must also succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if the sanity rules re used) or is afflicted with short-term madness.

**Armored Skin.** If the target is not wearing armor, their base AC becomes 14 + their Dexterity modifier.

**Elongated Limbs.** The target's unarmed strikes and melee weapon attacks gain 5 feet extra reach.

**Keen Senses.** The target gains darkvision (60 ft.), and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and initiative rolls.

**Tentacles.** The target can't be tripped and has advantage on rolls made to grapple an opponent. In addition, the target can climb difficult surfaces without needing to make ability checks.

**Unnatural Speed.** The target's walking speed is doubled, and its long jump is up to 20 feet and high jump up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.

**Unnatural Strength.** The target has advantage on Strength checks, their carrying capacity doubles, and when they make a melee weapon attack using Strength, they gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.


**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 3rd.

\page

#### Induce Greater Madness
*4th-level enchantment*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

This spell assaults a creature's mind with horrific visions. One creature that you can see within range must make a Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used). On a failed save, it is afflicted with long-term madness.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4th.


#### Induce Madness
*2nd-level enchantment*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

This spell assaults a creature's mind with horrific visions. One creature that you can see within range must make a Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used). On a failed save, it is afflicted with short-term madness.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd.

#### Induce Permanent Madness
*6nd-level enchantment*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 90 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

This spell assaults a creature's mind with horrific visions. One creature that you can see within range must make a Wisdom saving throw (or Sanity check if sanity rules are used). On a failed save, it is afflicted with indefinite madness.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 6th.

#### Lightning From Beyond
*5th-level evocation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 120 feet
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

An arc of multicolored energy shoots from your hand and hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. The creature takes 7d10 force damage. In addition, all other creatures within 5 feet of the target creature must make make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 7d6 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

**At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th.


#### Prepare Essential Saltes
*2nd-level necromancy*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 hour
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S, M (a corpse of a Medium or smaller creature, which the spell consumes)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You ritually cremate a corpse, producing "essential saltes" from the ashes. These can be used with the *summon from essential saltes* spell. They also count as the body of the dead creature for spells such as *reincarnate* or *raise dead*.



#### Primordial Annihilator
*9th-level evocation*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** 1 mile
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard

You open a rift in reality in a point you can see within range, blasting everything in the vicinity with unfathomable energies. Each creature within a 60-foot radius sphere centered on the point must make a Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 13d10 force damage and 13d10 thunder damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one, and is blinded and deafened for 1 round.

If the damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it is disintegrated.

A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magical items, are reduced to a pile of gray ash. The creature can be restored to life only by the means of a *true resurrection* or *wish* spell.

This spell damages objects in the area, and automatically disintegrates any nonmagical objects wholly within the area of the spell.

#### Quantum Entanglement
*4th-level abjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes
- **Class:** Sorcerer, Wizard

You touch a creature, linking its life-force to your own on a fundamental level. When you or the target creature regains hit points or takes damage, the other regains the same amount of hit points or takes the same amount of damage.

#### Seal of Sacrifice
*4th-level necromancy*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute
- **Class:** Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

\page

You touch a creature, and that creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be cursed for the duration of the spell. A cursed creature has vulnerability to all damage types. A *remove curse* spell ends this effect.

**At Higher Levels.** If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. If you use a 6th level spell slot or higher, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9th level spell slot, the spell lasts until dispelled. Using a spell slot of 6th level or higher grants a duration that doesn't require concentration.


#### Summon From Essential Saltes
*4th-level necromancy*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 hour
- **Range:** Touch
- **Components:** V, S, M (essential saltes of a creature)
- **Duration:** Instantaneous
- **Class:** Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You use the essential saltes of a dead creature to resurrect the creature. The spell forms a new body for the creature, identical in age and appearance to that it had when alive.

The reincarnated creature recalls its former life and experiences. It retains the capabilities it had in life.

However, if the creature reincarnated this way is hit with a *dispel magic* spell, enters an antimagic field, or is otherwise affected with an effect that dispells or suppresses spells, the creature disintegrates back into its essential saltes.

#### Time Split
*9th-level conjuration*
___
- **Casting Time:** 1 action
- **Range:** Self
- **Components:** V, S
- **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour
- **Class:** Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You split into two identical copies, pulled from slightly different timelines. Both copies are identical to the "original" you, having the same profile, spells, hit points, etc., but any damage inflicted on one causes the same damage to the other (in other words, the copies effectively share a hit point pool), and any positive or negative effects affecting one affect both. The copies share senses, and you can move both of them on your initiative, but they can only perform one action, reaction, and bonus action between them each turn.

When the spell ends, you choose which copy to dismiss, leaving the other as the "original" you.

## Bestiary

### Avatar of Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep is unusual among the Outer Gods in that it takes direct interest in the affairs of mortals, often manifesting an avatar form to allow it to directly interact with its servants or manipulate mortals. Nyarlathotep has many, potentially infinite amount of, avatars, but one of the most common forms it takes when interacting with mortals is the Black Pharaoh.

This form may appear as a seemingly ordinary male human, often wearing elaborate robes and headdress (although it may choose an outfit that attracts less attention if it wants to), radiating an aura of unnatural charisma. People feel compelled to kneel before him without being able to explain why, and throngs gather to hear him speak without remembering his words afterward.

This avatar, or another very similar to it, may also take a more inhuman appearance, with completely pitch-black skin and some unnatural traits such as hoofed feet or lack of eyes.

### Flying Polyp
Flying polyps are a race of utterly alien extraterrestrial (likely also extradimensional) creatures. Their amorphous bodies are only partially material and can turn invisible at will, though this ability appears somewhat negated by whistling noises associated with them in general. Their senses do not include sight, but what senses they have can penetrate all material obstructions. They can also direct powerful wings, which they use as a weapon, and are capable of flight despite lacking any visible means of doing so.

The partially immaterial nature of the flying polyps gives them resistance to normal means of damage, but they are vulnerable to certain forms of electrical energy. Their minds are so utterly alien that any mental contact with them has proven to be impossible.

In ancient times the great race of Yith warred with the flying polyps, imprisoning them underground, but eventually the polyps rose up and almost exterminated the Yithians, who escaped destruction by casting their minds into the far future where the polyps were extinct. Afterward the polyps returned to their subterranean haunts. Having no conception of light, the polyps seem content to remain there, annihilating the few intruders that chance upon them. The entrances to their dwellings are mostly deep within ancient ruins where there are great wells sealed over with stone. Inside these wells still dwell the polyps.


\page


___
___
> ## Avatar of Nyarlathotep (Black Pharaoh)
>*Medium aberration, chaotic evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 21 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 158(15d8 + 90)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|22 (+6)|28 (+8)|22 (+6)|30 (+10)|26 (+8)|30 (+10)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Int +17, Wis +15, Cha +17
> - **Skills** Arcana +17, Deception +17, Perception +15, Persuasion +17
> - **Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
> - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
> - **Senses** truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 25
> - **Languages** all, telepathy 120 ft.
> - **Challenge** 21 (33,000 XP)
> ___

> ***Magic Weapons.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep's attacks are magical.

> ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 25). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

> At will: *charm person*, *command*, *disguise self*

>3/day each: *dominate person*, *dream*, *geas*, *mislead*

>1/day each: *dominate monster*, *feeblemind*

> ***Legendary Resistance (3/Day).*** If the avatar of Nyarlathotep fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

> ***Magic Resistance.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep makes two attacks.

> ***Scepter.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +13 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 27 (6d8) force damage. If the target creature has 100 hit points or fewer, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die.

> ### Legendary Actions
The avatar of Nyarlathotep can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The avatar of Nyarlathotep regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

> ***Teleport.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

> ***Void Blast.*** The avatar of Nyarlathotep emits a blast of magical energy. Each creature of its choise in a 10-foot radius must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) psychic damage plus 14 (4d6) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

> ***Kneel Before Me (Costs 3 Actions).*** Each creature of the avatar of Nyarlathotep's choice in a 30-foot radius must make a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw or be incapacitated for 1 round and charmed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this ability for the next 24 hours.


\page

___
> ## Flying Polyp
>*Large aberration, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 15
> - **Hit Points** 136 (16d10 + 48)
> - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|20 (+5)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|3 (-4)|
>___
> - **Skills** Perception +6
> - ** Damage Resistances** bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
> - ** Damage Immunities** poison, psychic
> - ** Damage Vulnerabilities** lightning
> - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, petrified, poisoned, prone
> - **Senses** truesight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 16
> - **Languages** _
> - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP)
> ___
> ***Avoidance.*** If the flying polyp is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

> ***Incorporeal Movement. *** The flying polyp can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
>
> ### Actions
> *** Multiattack.*** The flying polyp makes two attacks with its tentacles, or turns invisible and makes one attack with its tentacles.

> ***Invisibility.*** The flying polyp turns invisible for 3 (1d6) rounds.

> *** Tentacles.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until the grapple ends, the flying polyp can use its tentacles on another target.

> ***Whirlwind. (Recharge 4 - 6)*** Each creature within 10 feet of the flying polyp must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 15 (3d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage and is flung up to 20 feet away from the flying polyp in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, it takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for eveyr 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.

> If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn't flung away or knocked prone.

### Nightgaunt

Nightgaunts have a vaguely human shape, but are thin, black, and faceless. Their skin is slick and rubbery. They sport a pair of inward-facing horns on their heads, a pair of membranous wings on their back, and a long barbed tail. Nightgaunts use their tail to scratch, tickle, and otherwise irritate their victims in order to tire them out and make them easier to carry off to parts unknown.

Nightgaunts are the servants of Nodens, Lord of the Great Abyss, and often attack or harry the servants of Nyarlathotep. Those favored by Nodens may call upon nightgaunts as steeds or allies.
___
> ## Nightgaunt
>*Medium aberration, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13
> - **Hit Points** 33 (6d8 + 6)
> - **Speed** 20 ft., fly 60 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|8 (-1)|
>___
> - **Skills** Perception +2, Stealth +5
> - **Condition Immunities** blinded, exhaustion
> - **Senses** blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
> - **Languages** understands all languages, but can't speak
> - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP)
> ___
> ### Actions
> ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until the grapple ends, the nightgaunt can attack only the grappled creature.

> ***Barbed Tail.*** One creature grappled by the nightgaunt must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or it have disadvantage on its attack rolls and rolls to escape the grapple until the end of its next turn.


\page

### Shantak
Shantaks are huge creatures, similar in size to elephants, with bat-like wings, slimy skin, and a vaguely horse-like head at the end of a long neck. Shantaks are in some way associated with Nyarlathotep, and sometimes summoned to serve as steeds by Nyarlathotep's worshipers. The followers of Nodens hunt these beasts, and because of this they greatly fear nightgaunts.

___
> ## Shantak
>*Huge aberration, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 126(11d12 + 55)
> - **Speed** 20ft., fly 40 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|20 (+5)|9 (-1)|20 (+5)|3 (-4)|10 (+0)|3 (-4)|
>___
> - **Condition Immunities** exhaustion
> - **Senses** darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** _
> - **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP)
> ___
> ***Frightened by Nightgaunts.*** The shantak has a phobia of nightgaunts, and upon seeing one it must make a Widsom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The shantak can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If the shantak's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, it is immune to being frightened by nightgaunts for the next 24 hours.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit:* 26 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
>
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. *Hit:* 15 (3d6 + 5) piercing damage.

## New Race: Ghoul

Lovecraftian ghouls have little to do with the standard DnD ghouls aside from sharing a taste for corpses (most obviously they are living beings, not undead), and should be treated as an entirely separate race which just happens to be called the same thing.

#### Necrophagous Humanoid Underground Dwellers
Ghouls are a race of nocturnal subterranean beings. They are humanoid in appearance, although their faces are described as vaguely canine in appearance. Some ghouls were once human, but a diet of human corpses, and perhaps the tutelage of proper ghouls, mutated them into horrific bestial humanoids.

Ghouls often live in sewers and catacombs under cities, which gives them easy access to their preferred source of food: humanoid corpses. They prefer to eat decayed flesh, but if no bodies are available, they may attack living creatures.

However, despite their frightening appearance and unsavory eating habits, ghouls are mentally not too different from humans, and can be reasoned with or even befriended. In fact, the interests of humans and ghouls often align, as a large population of humans also results in a steady supply of corpses for the ghouls to feed on.

Adventurers dwelling into underground catacombs would be wise to gain the loyalty of ghouls, as they are familiar with the environment and could prove to be dangerous foes otherwise.

### Ghoul Traits

Ghouls have a variety of natural abilities resulting from adapting to their subterranean habitat and diet of corpses.

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1.

**Alignment.** Ghouls are most often neutral. They can rarely be considered to be good. They don't have any particular disposition towards law or chaos.

**Size.** Ghouls are roughly the size of humans, although usually walk hunched over. Particularly old ghouls may reach far larger size, however. Your size is Medium.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

**Carrion Eater.** Ghouls' diet of decaying flesh has resulted in them developing resistance to many diseases and poisons. You have resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws made against nonmagical diseases and poisons.

**Natural Weapons.** Ghouls have sharp teeth and claws. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d4 piercing damage.

**Superior Darkvision** You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Sunlight Sensitivity.** You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

**Keen Smell.** You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

**Horrific Appearance.** Most people find the appearance of ghouls disturbing and frightening, making interaction with them difficult. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks, but disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks.

**Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common.