Surcease of Sorrow
Invisible Stalker 8/ Stalwart Sorcerer 3/ Divine Crusader 9/ Divine Agent 1.
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Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.
Spoiler: Character Description
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Surcease of Sorrow is a euphemism. It’s kinder to say than to describe its victims. No one in the city knows its cause or how to stop it, and it happens every month now. Something about our culture, they’ll say in the taverns, just makes a man let go.
The signs are well known, by now. Someone, usually overworked, will complain to their friends that they feel like they’re being followed by a raven. When they try to sleep, they hear and see the long-dead, whispering terrible things. Some spellcasters report that there are invisible symbols telling them to kill themselves.
Eventually the victim is found dead. Sometimes because their wrists have been slit, other times from nightmares. Sometimes, they seem like they’ve been scared to death. It predates on civilized society. It is nourished by that loneliness in the crowd, by the “probably nothing” of urban life. It can’t be stopped because neither magic nor medicine can find its cause.
Surcease of Sorrow is an invisible stalker. It has learned some sublime horror, connected to some terrible power— perhaps of Ilsensine, deity to mind flayers, perhaps to something more sinister. It uses illusions to torture its target and leaves then erases invisible arcane marks encouraging them to take their own life. Its magic is as difficult to detect as it is to see. Surcease of Sorrow hides under the bed, not breathing, not sleeping, but waiting. As its connection to its dark patron grows stronger, it conjures Nightmares and Phantasmal Killers to end its victims suffering. But its greatest asset is the city. It is the manifestation of “none of my business” and “it’s probably fine.” It expands into the spaces where “are you alright?” should be. Every other beast is kept out by the light and noise and law of the city. Surcease of Sorrow is of the city.
Spoiler: Attributes
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strength 16
dexterity 18
constitution 17
intelligence 18
wisdom 16
charisma 15
+5 to charisma over time through levelling up.
Spoiler: Full Build
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CR |
Class |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Skills |
Feats |
Class Features |
7 |
8 HD Elemental |
+6 |
+6 |
+10 |
+4 |
Knowledge (religion) +2, Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Search +6, Spot +10. Speak Language (Common) |
Nonverbal Spell, Shadow Weave Magic, Spell Focus (Illusion) |
Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, natural invisibility, improved tracking |
8 |
Stalwart Sorcerer 1 |
+6 |
+6 |
+10 |
+6 |
Concentration +1, Diplomacy +2, Knowledge (Arcana) +1 |
Spell Thematics (ghostly faces), Bonus: Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike) |
See Bonus Feat, Familiar (Raven) |
9 |
Stalwart Sorcerer 2 |
+7 |
+6 |
+10 |
+7 |
Concentration +3, Diplomacy +4 |
- |
- |
10 |
Stalwart Sorcerer 3 |
+7 |
+7 |
+11 |
+7 |
Concentration +5, Diplomacy +6 |
- |
- |
11 |
Divine Crusader 1 |
+7 |
+9 |
+11 |
+9 |
Concentration +7, Diplomacy +8 |
Insidious Magic |
Dream Domain, Aura (Lawful, Evil) |
12 |
Divine Crusader 2 |
+8 |
+10 |
+11 |
+10 |
Concentration +9, Diplomacy +10 |
- |
- |
13 |
Divine Crusader 3 |
+9 |
+10 |
+12 |
+10 |
Concentration +11, Diplomacy +12 |
- |
Electricity Resistance 5 |
14 |
Divine Crusader 4 |
+10 |
+11 |
+12 |
+11 |
Concentration +13, Diplomacy +14 |
Practiced Spellcaster |
- |
15 |
Divine Crusader 5 |
+10 |
+11 |
+12 |
+11 |
Knowledge (Religion) +3, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +15 |
Bonus (Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)) |
See Bonus Feat |
16 |
Divine Crusader 6 |
+11 |
+12 |
+13 |
+12 |
Knowledge (Religion) +4, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +17 |
- |
Acid Resistance |
17 |
Divine Crusader 7 |
+12 |
+12 |
+13 |
+12 |
Knowledge (Religion) +5, Concentration +17, Diplomacy +19 |
Domain Focus (Dream) |
Darkvision 90 ft. |
18 |
Divine Crusader 8 |
+13 |
+13 |
+13 |
+13 |
Knowledge (Religion) +6, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +21 |
- |
- |
19 |
Divine Crusader 9 |
+13 |
+13 |
+14 |
+13 |
Knowledge (Religion) +7, Concentration +19, Diplomacy +23 |
- |
Acid/Electricity Resistance 10 |
20 |
Divine Agent |
+13 |
+13 |
+14 |
+15 |
Concentration +24, Diplomacy +24 |
Greater Spell Focus (Illusion) |
Granted Domain (Mind) |
Sorcerer spells known:
0th- arcane mark, ghost sound, prestidigitation, mage hand, detect magic
1st- silent image, erase
Can cast six cantrips and five 1st-level spells.
Spoiler: Divine Crusader Spells Per Day
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Divine Crusader Spells per Day
Spells known are the dream domain. At 20th level, add the mind domain to spells known. Therefore, each spell level has only one spell known until Divine Agent, at which point it will have two spells known.
Level |
0lvl |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2nd |
- |
3 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3rd |
- |
4 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4th |
- |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5th |
- |
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
6th |
- |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
- |
- |
- |
7th |
- |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
- |
- |
8th |
- |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
- |
9th |
- |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Spell Thematics makes a certain spell of each spell level a thematic spell, increasing its caster level by one. In order, the spells chosen are ghost sound, silent image, augury, deep slumber, phantasmal killer, nightmare, dream sight, greater scrying, power word stun, and weird.
Spoiler: Level Write-Ups
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CR 7
At this point, Surcease of Sorrow already shows its connection to its dark patron. Its intuitive knowledge of religion and ability to speak common allows it to hunt carefully, but with its spells it is fighting at a disadvantage. If it encounters the PCs, it will select one to focus on and whisper to them every night, attempting to turn them against the party through mundane speech.
CR 10
At this point, its victim catches frequent glimpses of a raven. Their nights are tortured by ghastly apparitions, and from the safety of a hiding place Surcease of Sorrow will attempt to get them to cast see invisibility or similar. At that point, they will see its arcane mark, a symbol of suicide. When they finally bring themselves to sleep, Surcease of Sorrow will smother them and slit their wrists. It will take their prized possessions and hide them at their friends’ homes before morning arrives.
CR 16: Sweet Spot
Now Surcease of Sorrow has no need to kill with mundane methods. Its ability to cast Nightmare and Phantasmal Killer allows it to cause greater fear. At this point, Surcease of Sorrow focuses on spellcasters if it can, relying on the stereotype of the overworked, eccentric wizard to ensure that no one takes any warning signs seriously. Its nonverbal spells cover their verbal components, its spell thematics make them difficult to identify, and its insidious magic makes them difficult to detect.
CR 20
The level in Divine Agent allows Surcease of Sorrow to cast from the mind domain, effectively doubling its spells known from Divine Crusader. This increases its utility in scrying and divination generally. The public fear it has cultivated may be such that if the PCs kill Surcease of Sorrow most will simply not believe it ever existed. Tragically still, it may claims some victims even in death.
Spoiler: Sources
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Invisible Stalker- DMG
Stalwart Sorcerer- CM
Divine Crusader- CD
Dream Domain- CD
Mind Domain- CD
Practiced Spellcaster- CD
Shadow Weave Magic- PG
Insidious Magic- PG
Spell Thematics- PG
Divine Agent- MotP
Nonverbal Spell- PlH
Spoiler: Running Surcease of Sorrow
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Firstly, the subject matter of this villain is such that a DM should make sure that all players know what kind of campaign is being run and what kinds of themes they would have fun investigating. Second, Surcease of Sorrow is a subtle killer. The players should not encounter it for most of their search, perhaps only seeing its raven familiar in the distance. The investigation naturally comes to an end when it selects a PC and attempts to break them, so that should be delayed until dramatically appropriate. Its use of save-or-die spells also means that players should have plenty of time to investigate and prepare before a direct confrontation.
A lenient DM may rule that the deity weapon of Ilsensine could be (slam) for an invisible stalker, and change the feat selection accordingly. Such a DM may also want to increase Surcease of Sorrow’s charisma to allow it to cast more spells or give it another level in Divine Crusader, which would make it an Outsider.