Agents of the Tribunal
Every society knows of the criminal underbelly that acts as the network between thieves, cutpurses, and outlaws, but the Tribunal is something that transcends beyond these petty factions. The Tribunal is a criminal organization that has lasted for generations, using magic and esoteric arts to give themselves an edge over other warring, smaller factions. The Tribunal values Loyalty and Respect above anything else, and to be inducted under their wing means a lifetime of servitude, and a knowing of one’s place.
Those who are willing to stay within the rigid boundaries of the hierarchy of order in the Tribunal are rewarded generously, not just with coin but with unique magics, resources from far off lands, and personalized extradimensional quarters tailor made to their fancy. But to stray away from the Tribunal, to speak even a whisper of treason is heresy; and it will bring ruin to their life as well as cause significant repercussions over who first inducted them and was tasked with bringing them into the Tribunal.
A Dangerous Price. When one begins to work with the Tribunal, and is accepted under their wing, they must undergo the Inking, where their true name is scribed upon the Red Blossom Scroll. The Red Blossom Scroll is a powerful enchanted scroll kept by those of the higher echelon of the Tribunal, and it works as a powerful conduit for divination and enchantment based magics. By having one's name within the Red Blossom Scroll, they make themselves much more susceptible to spells like Scrying, Suggestion, and Geas; provided the caster is holding the Red Blossom Scroll.
Because of this intense commitment, those who work for the Tribunal are fiercely loyal to the Tribunal, and fully understand the hierarchy of order and the rigidity of their values. They know to go against the Tribunal and their traditions would spell nothing but imminent doom. As such, the Tribunal Agents listed below utilize much of the shadowed benefits of the Tribunal through use of esoteric magics and magical items to ensure the success of certain operations.
Gajut
Medium humanoid, Typically lawful evil
- Armor Class 16 (Scale Mail)
- Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 13 (+1) 9 (-1)
- Saving Throws Str +8, Wis +4
- Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +2
- Condition Immunities Exhaustion
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages Common and Thieves' Cant
- Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Infused Brute. A melee weapon deals two extra dice of its damage when the Gajut hits with it (included in the attack).
Actions
Multiattack. The Gajut makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage
Bonus Actions
Leap. The Gajut infuses their blood with fiendish energy and leaps 30 feet in a direction. If the Gajut leaps into another creature's space, the Gajut can immediately make a Shove attack against the creature.
Reactions
Fiendish Infusion. Whenever the Gajut makes a Strength check, Strength saving throw, or Constitution saving throw, they can activate their fiendish infused blood and roll 2d6, adding the result to their saving throw or ability check.
Rebuke. When the Gajut is hit with a melee attack, the Gajut can immediately make a Slam attack against the creature who hit them, provided they are within reach and the Gajut can see them.
Massive humanoids with heavy masks that depict snarling demons with extended tusks and enlarged fangs carrying heavy long studded clubs, as mist seems to roil off their skin; the Gajut is a specific agent of the Tribunal where their brutish strength is amplified through an infusion of Fiendish blood. Although the majority of Tribunal dealings are quiet and surgical, sometimes blunt, raw force is necessary and the Gajut works as this kind of enforcer.
Fiendish Infusion. Gajuts are typically stronger and beefier individuals, such as Orcs, Goliaths, or Firbolgs; however the Tribunal has taken this innate strength and bolstered it through a complex ritual that infuses their blood with that of a powerful Fiend, known as a Fiendish Infusion. This gives the Gajut the ability to perform otherwise impossible feats of athleticism and raw strength; even if it muddles the mind with fury and bloodlust.
The Kagen are agents that have trained under the monastic wing of the Tribunal, becoming one with the shadow and darkness. With their Shadowed Mask, their entire being is partially translucent, as if fading from existence, as they use this to gain the drop on their enemies, dripping into shadow to surprise foes and gain easy entry into many areas they may not be welcome in.
Kagen
Medium Humanoid, Typically Lawful Evil
- Armor Class 15 (unarmored defense)
- Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 11 (0)
- Saving Throws Wis +4
- Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +4, Stealth +5
- Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
- Damage Resistances Necrotic
- Condition Immunities Grappled
- Senses Darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages Common and Thieves' Cant
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Unarmored Defense. While the Kagen is wearing no armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its Wisdom modifier.
Innoculated to the Shadows. Magical darkness doesn't impede the Kagen's darkvision.
Actions
Multiattack. The Kagen makes four attacks, each of which can be an Unarmed Strike or a Dart attack. It can replace one of these attacks with Spellcasting and it can use Fade before or after each attack.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage
Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Fade. The Kagen teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it leaves and its destination must be in dim light or darkness.
Spellcasting. The Kagen casts one of the following spells, using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12):
At will: featherfall, minor illusion, thaumaturgy
1/day each: darkness, disguise self, silent image
Blood Weaver
Medium Humanoid, Typically Lawful Evil
- Armor Class 16 (Hemomantic Wraps)
- Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
- Speed 30 ft., climb 50ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +5
- Skills Acrobatics +10, Athletics +2, Deception +6, Perception +5, Stealth +7
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Common and Thieves Cant plus any two languages
- Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Graceful. The Blood Weaver takes no damage from falling 60 feet or less and if the Blood Weaver is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the Blood Weaver instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw and only half damage if it fails, provided the Blood Weaver isn't incapacitated.
Animated Wraps. The Blood Weaver can climb any surface with their wraps; provided there are holds and it is not completely smooth. Furthermore, the Blood Weaver can climb even if they are up to 15 feet away from the surface they are climbing, and can stay suspended from the wall or ceiling they are climbing with their wraps.
Actions
Multiattack. The Blood Weaver makes three whip attacks, and can replace one of these attacks with a Constrict attack, if they are able to.
Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. On hit, the target is Grappled by the Blood Weavers wraps, and while grappled in this way they are Restrained and Suffocating. The Blood Weaver can only have two targets Grappled in this way.
Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. The Blood Weaver halves the damage that it takes from an attack that hits it. The Blood Weaver must be able to see the attacker.
Blood Weavers have partaken in a grisly hemomantic ritual that has bonded a special kind of demonsilk fabric to their skin, where the folds of the kimono, dresses, and wraps that they wear are grafted and part of their anatomy and body. Because of this, Blood Weavers need no weapons, and cause hemomantic bursts throughout their wraps to allow them to traverse nearly any environment with incredibly ease, and dispose of creatures with unnaturally strong fabrics.
Thoughthief
Medium humanoid, Typically lawful evil
- Armor Class 17 (Psionic Defense)
- Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 19 (+4) 17 (+3) 15 (+2)
- Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +5
- Skills Insight +6, Perception +6
- Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened
- Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 16
- Languages Any three languages plus Thieves' Cant, telepathy 120ft.
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Psionic Defense While the Thoughthief is wearing no armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its Intelligence modifier.
Knowledge of the Red Blossom Scroll. If the target of the Thoughthief has their name scribed in the Red Blossom Scroll, they have disadvantage on all saving throws made to resist the Thoughthief's spells and Steal Memory ability.
Somnumstep. If the Thoughthief casts the spell Dream against a target whose name is written in the Red Blossom Scroll and fails their saving throw by 5 or more, the Thoughthief can teleport within 5 feet of the target at the end of their long rest.
Actions
Multiattack. The Thoughthief makes two psychic strikes and can replace one of these with Spellcasting.
Psychic Strike. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft. or range 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (5d8 + 4) psychic damage
Steal Memory (Recharge 6). The Thoughthief targets a creature they can see within 60 feet of them. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw (DC 15) or take 36 (9d8) psychic damage and be Stunned until the end of their next turn, only taking half damage on success. If the target fails their saving throw by 5 or more, the Thoughthief may choose to steal a single memory from the target's mind which can be;
- The memory of a Location
- The memory of a Face
- Or the memory of a Name
The affected target still recalls the memory that has been stolen.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The Thoughthief casts one of the following spells, requiring no components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At will: arcane eye, calm emotions, detect thoughts, sending, suggestion, tasha's mind whip
1/day each: mass suggestion, modify memory, dream
Thoughthiefs are agents that have been indoctrinated and trained in psionics, to become powerful abstract fighters and spies, as well as hunters of those who wrong the Tribunal or betrayed them. Their primary purpose is to hunt down those with information that the Tribunal seeks, as their psionics have been honed to perfection so they have the ability to steal literal thoughts and memories; which can prove to be invaluable information from the right person.
Trained in Somnumstep. Thoughthiefs are one of the only members of the Tribunal that have been trained in the dangerous art of Somnumstep, a twist of enchantment and divination based magics to transport oneself through another creature’s dreams, allowing the Thoughthief to potentially traverse from continent to continent, or even across planes. This practice is incredibly dangerous and requires an stalwart sense of self, as using Somnumstep involves reducing one's essence and very soul to the whims of another person's unconscious mind; which can greatly affect or even destroy the psyche of the user.
Additional Tribunal Agents
Beyond the Tribunal agents listed in this document, typical agents of the Tribunal use the stat blocks of Assassin, Archer, Master Thief, Spy, and Warlord. However, because of the esoteric magics and knowledge that the Tribunal frequently utilizes, these agents may have one of the following Masks donned, granting them an additional boon.
These masks are not intended to be used by player characters, and only function if the wearer has their true name written in the Red Blossom Scroll.
Wooden Mask
Faceless. The wearer of this mask's voice is magically altered and enchanted, and no creature can recall the exact nature of their voice or recognize their voice.
Shadowed Mask
Fade into Shadow. If the wearer of this mask ends their turn in dim light or darkness, they become Invisible until the end of their next turn or until they attack a creature or force a creature to make a saving throw.
Bonus Actions
Under the Cloak of Darkness. The wearer of this mask can Hide if they are in dim light or darkness.
Sadist's Mask
Bloodthirsty. The wearer of this mask critically strikes on a roll of 19 or 20, and when they critically strike a creature, they deal an additional 3d6 necrotic damage and gain temporary hit points equal to the damage they dealt to the creature.
Contorted Mask
Masquerade. The wearer of this mask can cast the spells Disguise Self and Alter Self without requiring components.
Mask of the Fanged Serpent
Spectral Fangs. Once per turn, when the wearer of this mask hits a creature with an attack, they can deal an additional 1d10 poison damage and force the target to make a DC15 Constitution saving throw. Upon failure, the creature is poisoned until the end of their next turn.
Mask of the Smiling Murderer
Charming. The wearer of this mask has advantage on all Charisma (Deception and Persuasion) checks, and can cast the spell Charm Person (DC14) without requiring components once per day.
Sobbing Mask
Agony. Whenever the wearer of this mask takes damage from a melee attack, each creature of their choice within 5 feet of them takes 1d6 psychic damage.
Mask of the Snarling Oni
Fearsome Aura. Once per turn when the wearer of this mask hits a creature with an attack, they can force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 14) or become Frightened of them until the end of their next turn.
Changelog
- Version 1.0
- Initial version released
More!
This homebrew was made by KoatheDM, and you can find more homebrew content on Patreon! I also have an Instagram account, Reddit account where I post and tease other homebrew content by the name of KoatheDM, and a Twitter where I also tease upcoming content! This document was made through GMbinder. Art by Zhihui Su, Rafał Górniak,Fahmi Fauzi, and Stefan Chernev.