Contract Killers are the boogeymen of the criminal
underworld, typically only employed by creatures who
understand that sometimes to make sure a loose end stays
tied up, you need a professional who can... go the distance.
Also known as Soulstealers, unscrupulous individuals of this
way of life make a goodly amount of coin working with devils,
the most desperate to use their talents to acquire rare or
particularly irritating souls. Students of this archetype usually
work in pairs, master and pupil passing their trade on down
the line, although also working in groups occasionally on
bigger targets.
The most essential thing to know about a Contract Killer is
that when their targets die, the right to their soul is passed on
to them. They can use that soul in trade, although certain
souls are worth infinitely more than others. The appearance
that deed takes is a physical one, and it differs between
Contract Killers. You can choose your own appearance for
your deeds, or roll on the table below.
| Deed Appearance |
|---|
| d6 |
Appearance |
| 1 |
A sealed scroll, frayed, singed, or stained. |
| 2 |
Scrimshawed bone or ivory, exquisite in detail. |
| 3 |
An etched slate of dull stone, ever cold to the touch. |
| 4 |
A small figurine in the creature's likeness. |
| 5 |
An uncut gem, pale light visible inside. |
| 6 |
An iron coin, stamped with eldritch runes. |
Open Contract
Beginning at 3rd level, you learn to curse your targets with a
mark of impending death. As a bonus action, choose a
creature you can see within 30 feet of you. For the next hour,
or until the curse is removed by a remove curse spell or
similar magic, a brand or tattoo of your own design appears
on a part of its body. Additionally, for the duration, you can see
a faintly glowing outline of that creature even if it is heavily
obscured from you. 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a
thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks this outline. Once
per round, when you hit the cursed creature with a weapon
attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 force
damage to the target. Once you reach 10th level, the additional
force damage dealt increases to 2d8.
You can use this feature twice, and you regain any expended
uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Services Rendered
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to take ownership of a
creature's soul in its death. When a target of your Open
Contract curse dies while within 120 feet of you, you can
immediately manifest a deed to its soul (if it has one) as a
magical object you are carrying (no action required). The deed
remains until you destroy it, detailed below, or until you die.
While a deed remains, the creature's soul is not considered
free or willing for the purposes of effects that would return it
to life. You can use your bonus action to destroy a deed, and
you learn the creature's most immediate concerns or
intentions during the hour prior to its death. You can own a
maximum number of deeds with this feature equal to 1 + your
Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) at any given time.
Reverse Curse
Beginning at 7th level, you have learned to adapt some of your
curse's magic to enhance yourself. As an action you can gain
one of the following benefits for the next hour:
- On The Scent. You have advantage on Wisdom checks you make to track or spot creatures, and to determine a creature's intentions or truthfulness.
- Devil's Tongue. You have advantage on Charisma checks you make to coax information from a creature.
- Second Shadow. You have advantage on Dexterity checks you make to remain unnoticed or hidden.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your
Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) and you regain all expended
uses after you complete a long rest.
Pay It Forward
At 10th level, when you use your Services Rendered feature to
create a deed, you can use your reaction to immediately
destroy the deed and regain a use of your Open Contract
feature.
Now You See Me
At 15th level, you gain the ability to become invisible when you
use your Second Wind, until the start of your next turn. You
become visible again to any creature you damage or force to
make a saving throw during that time that isn't cursed by you.
Death Warrant
Beginning at 18th level, when you hit a creature cursed by
your Open Contract feature, if the damage would reduce it to
an amount of hit points equal to or lower than twice your
Fighter level, it dies.
What Is The Worth Of A Soul?
Contract Killers deal in souls, and as such they
generally understand that, most of the time, a soul
isn't worth the paper it's written on. They can
convert almost any soul into a deed, but they
generally take the more important ones for
completing jobs, or store them for future
bargaining. A Contract Killer can willingly hand over
the ownership of a deed in their possession to a
creature capable of accepting it instead of simply
destroying it for a momentary advantage, which is
usually a moderate to high ranking devil or similarly
powerful creature.
This is information to keep in mind when
considering playing, or allowing, a Contract Killer in
a game. A Contract Killer will often be looking for
jobs or contacts in areas they visit, and the
economy in which souls are bought and bargained
for can be an important source of conflict and
development for the player. Perhaps the character
in question has a specific soul in mind, currently
out of reach, or is just trying to continue the family
business. |
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