Sneeves

Kai Miyagi was always warned to behave himself, "you don't want to end up like Sneeves," they'd say. The one who broke all the rules and was banished for it. If only it were that simple.
Sneeves would never deny he was a troublemaker. He was loud, obnoxious, and would never follow a rule simply because "it is what it is." He knew of the new world and warned the temple elders that they were barely making an impact while civilization leaped lightyears ahead. Magic could not be stopped, but it could be controlled. Sneeves made himself a blood hunter and was shunned for delving into the darkness in such a way. Sneeves stole magic from dormant Hexblades and was banished for it. "They're all a bunch of rats anyway."
It seems the forest floor beneath Hornswoggle has a gravitational pull for the unwanted and misbegotten. Sneeves quickly encountered the Mousefolk led by Myzi the Mouse King and was welcomed to join them. They could use somebody willing to fight a little dirty. As opposed to a holy mission to stop the unstoppable, stealing from the new world to feed the old was something Sneeves could get behind. He easily became a close confidant to the king.
When Kai finally came to town with rabies strewn across his back Sneeves had to get involved -- he could use that hexblade to improve his spellcasting prowess. They fought, Kai used skills only taught in the temple, and the harengon escaped into the city above. Kai got into trouble and Sneeves got him out, but not until after he had time alone with the axe to rob it of another spell. Sneeves assumed they were done after Kai was hooked up with somebody capable of getting him out of the city
Then a few months ago everything changed. They heard word of a high-level theft of Virescent's horde. It was blamed on a tusker demon and a hoard of gnoll that suddenly appeared in the understory -- a cover-up in all likelihood -- that then fell down to the forest floor.
Sneeves was at Bubastal with Mynni and her entourage. The fiends quickly made the forest floor impassable. They consumed the Mouse King's soul. Walls went up and Sneeves put himself in charge of his small group. They must kill the tusker demon, restore the king's soul, and retake Zobeck. He'll do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals -- if only he could level up.

Alignment

True Neutral

Current Residence

Bubastal

Sneeves

Small Ratfolk, Blood Hunter, Neutral

Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor)

Hit Points 32

Speed: 25 ft Swim: 10 ft

STR

7
( -2 )

DEX

16
( +3 )

CON

12
( +1 )

INT

14
( +2 )

WIS

10
( +0 )

CHA

10
( +0 )

Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +2, Stealth +7

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages Common

Challenge Rating 1+

Proficiency Bonus +3

Description

Sneeves survived a dangerous, long-guarded ritual that altered his life’s blood, forever binding him to the darkness and honing his senses against it. He gained the ability to channel—or sometimes sacrifice—a part of his vital essence to curse and manipulate creatures through hemocraft magic.
The Temple of the Omnipotent Rat believed he went too far as Sneeves pushed the limits of hemoocraft for use against the rise of sentience corrupting the world. Hexblades have long counted on their ability to meld into the background and escape those who hunt them, vanishing into noble courts without a trace, or bending the minds of the most stalwart warriors. So Sneeves trusted his resilience and delved into the same well of corrupting arcane knowledge, stealing magic from dormant Hexblades to better combat the awakened and exalted threats. Though he might have traded a part of himself for their power, though he was expelled from the temple, Sneeves knows the benefits of that power far outweigh the price.

Sneeves augments his combat techniques with the ability to cast spells.
DC 13, +5
Cantrips. Blade Ward, Booming Blade
1st-Level (2). Distort Value, Expeditious Retreat, Hellish Rebuke

Nimbleness. Sneeves can move through the space of any creature size Medium or larger.
Pack Tactics. Sneeves has advantage on his attack rolls against creatures within 5 feet of an unimpeded ally.
Hunter's Bane (1d6 Hemocraft DC 13). Sneeves has advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track fey, fiends, or undead, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about such creatures.

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Crimson Rite. As a bonus action, Sneeves can activate a rite of hemocraft that infuses his weapon strikes with elemental energy. The effect of the rite lasts until he finishes a short or long rest. When he activates a rite, he takes necrotic damage equal to one roll of your hemocraft die (1d6). This damage can’t be reduced in any way. A weapon can hold only one active rite at a time.

Rite of the Flame. Attacks Sneeves makes with this weapon are magical, and deal 1d6 extra fire damage.

Rite Focus. While Sneeves has an active crimson rite, he can use his weapon as a spellcasting focus for warlock spells, and when he successfully targets a creature with a blood curse, attacks then deal additional damage equal to your proficiency modifier (+3).
Brand of Castigation (recharge on short/long rest). When Sneeves damages a creature with an active crimson rite he can channel hemocraft magic to sear an arcane brand into that creature (no action required). He always knows the direction to the branded creature as long as it’s on the same plane as him. Further, each time the branded creature deals damage to him or a creature he can see within 5 feet, the branded creature takes 2 psychic damage (equal to his Hemocraft [Wis] modifier). This lasts until dismissal, reapplication on another creature, or third level magic dispelling.
Blood Maledict (2, recharge on short/long rest). Sneeves chooses which blood curse to invoke -- before it affects the target, he can choose to amplify the curse by taking necrotic damage equal to one roll of his hemocraft die (1d6). This damage can’t be reduced in any way. Creatures that do not have blood are immune to blood curses unless he amplified the curse.

Blood Curse of the Marked. As a bonus action, Sneeves marks a creature visible within 30 feet. Until the end of his turn, whenever he hits the cursed creature he rolls an additional hemocraft die (1d6) when determining the extra damage from the rite. Amplify. The next attack roll against the target before the end of Sneeves' turn has advantage.

Blood Curse of Bloated Agony. As a bonus action, Sneeves curses a creature visible within 30 feet, causing its body to swell until the end of Sneeves's next turn. For the duration, the creature has disadvantage on Strength checks and Dexterity checks, and takes 1d8 necrotic damage if it makes more than one attack during its turn. Amplify. This curse lasts for 1 minute. The cursed creature can make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the curse on itself on a success.

Actions

Multiattack. 2 attacks with the Blood Hoopak.
Blood Hoopak (A). +2 Magic Melee/Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, two-handed, range 10/100 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 +5) bludgeoning (sling) / piercing (butt spike) damage. When you hit with a melee attack using this magic spear and reduce the target to 0 hit points, you gain 2d6 temporary hit points.
Rat Sling Flurry. Magic Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 10/100 ft., three targets. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. (+1 Ammunition, Magic)

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Potion of Greater Healing (2). Uncommon Magic Item. Regain 4d4+4 hp
Dust of Sneezing and Choking. Uncommon Magic Item. Throw a handful of the dust into the air, every breathing creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 15 CON SAVE or start sneezing so uncontrollably they cannot breathe. They are incapacitated and suffocating. As long as it is conscious, a creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on it on a success. The lesser restoration spell can also end the effect on a creature.
Wand of Enemy Detection (A, 7). Rare Magic Item. Expend 1 charge to speak its command word. For the next minute, you know the direction of the nearest creature hostile to you within 60 feet, but not its distance from you. The wand can sense the presence of hostile creatures that are ethereal, invisible, disguised, or hidden, as well as those in plain sight. The effect ends if you stop holding the wand.
Bag of Bounty. Uncommon Magic Item. A sturdy leather sack with tiny Siberys shards embedded into the lining. Sneeves can use an action to cast create food and water, drawing a feast from within the bag. He can create the standard bland fare without requiring any sort of check, but finer food requires a Charisma check. A failed check results in a sour and squalid meal.
Earing of Message (5 charges). Common Magic Item. The blue crystal of this earring is wrapped with delicate copper wire. While wearing it, Sneeves can use an action to expend 1 charge and cast the message spell. The earring regains 1d4 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn.

Reactions

Defensive Duelist. When another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency (+3) to your AC for that attack, potentially deflecting the attack.
Ring of Evasion (A,3). Rare Magic Item. When you fail a Dexterity saving throw while wearing it, you can use your reaction to expend 1 of its charges to succeed on that saving throw instead.