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Archetypes & Pathways

Pact Binder

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The Pact Binder draws power from bargains struck with forces beyond mortal understanding. Whether bound to ancient beings, forgotten gods, or stranger things still, they wield dangerous gifts granted through oath, sacrifice, and unwavering devotion.

Level 1 Abilities

Patron’s Gift: Choose a Patron to seal your pacts with:

  • The Serpent: You always know when a creature is attempting to deceive you. Once per Scene, you may ask the GM what a creature truly wants.
  • The Elder: You no longer require sleep. During moments of quiet contemplation, you may ask the GM one question about the history or nature of your surroundings.
  • The Darkness: You can see clearly in darkness, including magical darkness. While obscured, mundane creatures struggle to remember your exact appearance.
  • The Blade: You may summon a spectral weapon of your choice. It does not count towards Load and disappears when out of your possession.
  • The Divine: You always know when nearby spirits, undead, or divine beings are present. Once per Short Rest, you may emit a holy light that clears 1 Recovery for nearby allies.

Terms and Conditions: When you use {Mysticism} to examine a pact, curse, binding, spirit, or magical contract, you may ask the GM who created it, what it demands, or what would break it.

Twist Fate: Once per Scene, when a Sorcery fails, you may redirect its effects and consequences onto another valid target.

Bleeding Heart: When you touch a creature, you experience their strongest current emotion or source of pain. Once per Scene, you may intensify or suppress that feeling until the end of the Scene.

Hexproof: You are immune to the Cursed Status. You may still willingly accept curses, pacts, or bindings if you choose.

Level 5 Abilities

Name of Power: When you learn the true name, title, or nature of a supernatural being, gain +1 Outcome to {Mysticism} and {Weird} Throws made directly against or involving it.

Strange Communion: Once per Long Rest, use {Weird} to contact a supernatural entity. You may ask it for information, guidance, or a favour, but the GM determines what it wants in return.

Soul Capture: Once per Scene, when a character dies, you may capture their essence in a Soul Jar (1). You may release the captured soul to restore one use to up to 3 expended Words of Power.

Terror Incarnate: Once per Long Rest, until the end of the Scene, whenever you successfully use {Weird} or {Mysticism} against a character, they also become aflicted with Fear.

Level 10 Abilities

Forbidden Contract: Once per Long Rest, call upon the powers that be, to achieve an otherwise impossible magical effect at a cost. The GM determines the cost or consequence.

Indebted: Whenever a creature willingly accepts your aid, gift, or bargain, they become Indebted to you until that debt is repaid. Once per Scene, if an Indebted creature refuses a reasonable request from you, they suffer immediate supernatural misfortune determined by the GM.

Cursewright: You may create permanent cursed magical items. During a Long Rest, choose a weapon, armour, or trinket and start a 6-Step Curse Track. Fill the Track through {Mysticism}, {Weird}, sacrifice, bargains, or appropriate ritual work. When filled, bind a powerful supernatural benefit and curse into the item. The item remains until destroyed or the curse is broken.

Level 1 Words of Power

Bind, Gaze, Blood, Gift, Bone, Hex, Brand, Mark, Curse, Oath, Dark, Pact, Debt, Promise, Desire, Seal, Flesh, Shadow, Frog, Whisper

Level 5 Words of Power

Beckon, Sacrifice, Compel, Shackle, Consume, Summon, Corrupt, Tempt, Coven, Torment, Dominate, Enslave, Invoke, Offering, Possess

Level 10 Words of Power

Abyss, Damnation, Eclipse, Eldritch, Fate, Forbidden, Infernal, Judgement, Oblivion, Ruin