Pacts
In a world of adventurers rapidly gaining experience and power in a short span of time in order to conquer their fated adversaries, it is often easy to forget that you are most certainly not the first in this world to do so. Many beings in this world have gained immense power, absconded from this fraction of reality, and become forgotten. This is very rarely the end of their interaction with this plane of existence, however.
Beings with power maintain bonds and influence in this world with Pacts, offering a fragment of their immense power to prospective mortals on this plane in order to further their own ends.
Forming a Pact
Methods of forming a pact are as varied as the strange and esoteric entities that offer them, however there are a great many records of Pacts thanks to the efforts of the Jakunnal Magical Society, an organization dedicated to the study and propagation of occult magical practices. Each record is the firsthand account of a member of the JMS chronicling the abilities they gained from their pact, and often followed by the secondhand accounts of the fates of those same members.
Types of Pacts
Listed below are a few example pacts that individuals within Utopia Prime form, these pacts are recorded in written history, though it is not out of the question that there are unrecorded pacts of far greater power, or far more gruesome costs.
Pact of Dissonance
– Nobody of Consequence
The pact bearer loses their identity.
This means that they forget who they are or were, and are unable to speak their own name when referring to themselves.
All boons granted to the pact bearer as a result of their identity, any abilities that are exclusive to themselves, and any deals or pacts made in their name, all cease to function.
If the pact bearer adopts a new identity or attempts to recover their old one, they lose all benefits imparted to them by this pact.
In exchange for their identity the pact bearer is granted the following benefits;
The pact bearer cannot be targeted directly, as they have no identity to denote as a target, and can only be affected by things that are not exclusively targeted at them, such as the area of effect of a fireball.
The pact bearer is utterly immune to all things regarding their identity, completely divorced in all ways from who they used to be.
Any record of the pact bearer is obfuscated, be it name, appearance, or memory.
So just to get all of the facts straight; A person with no face charged in, killed fifty-five armed men, stole a book, and then told you – with a voice with no identifiable attributes – to turn your life around? – Aramid Dallahan’s cross-examination of Timothy Kaleigh
Pact of the Free
Those who inherited the curse of the pact their family had taken. The one who couldn’t fully leave behind that curse. They would all bear witness to the bare flesh of the one who was free. To the one who left it all behind and his overwhelming intensity. – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
The one who invokes this pact upon themselves are prohibited from making use of the following; Magic (Divine, Arcane, Occult, etc.), Supernatural Abilities, Spell-Like Abilities, and Pact abilities besides ones granted by the Pact of the Free.
The use of magical weapons is not prohibited, so long as they are not also spell-completion items or items that allow the user to cast spells or benefit from the effects of spells in any form.
In exchange, the pact bearer gains the following benefits;
The pact bearer is undetectable by any Magical, Supernatural, Spell-like or Pact-based means, and gives off no aura of any form.
The pact bearer is immune to non-damaging magical effects that target only them.
Magical boons of any type (Divine, Enhancement, Profane, Esoteric, etc.) are ineffective against the pact bearer.
When calculating ability scores, the pact bearer may treat the value of each of their ability scores as the sum of all of their ability scores, for example;
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 16 would be treated as;
Str 76, Dex 76, Con 76, Int 76, Wis 76, Cha 76
HP received from hit dice are maximized.
All saves are considered Good saves.
The pact bearer’s Base Attack Bonus is equal to their number of hit dice.
He was the strongest. I had no doubt about that. The magical prowess he wielded, he wasn’t just invincible… he was the deadliest thing in existence. Until we met him. I’ll never forget how easily he drove his blade into Goji… like all the power in the world meant nothing to him. – Geta Suguru
Pact of Honed Strength
Now, it’s your turn. – Roshinori Yagi, pact bearer
The Pact of Honed Strength is unique among pacts, in that for every pact bearer after the first, the provider of the pact is the previous pact bearer.
The Pact of Honed Strength stockpiles the physical strength of each pact bearer who possesses it and is able to pass it on to the next pact bearer.
Whenever passed on, the Strength and Constitution scores of the previous pact bearer are both reduced to one, and the new pact bearer gains an Esoteric bonus to their Strength score equal to the penalty to Strength taken by the previous pact bearer.
The Pact of Honed Strength invariably takes a toll on the user. Whenever making a roll that is modified by the strength modifier of the pact bearer, the pact bearer takes damage equal to the difference between their total Strength modifier, and their Strength modifier excluding the benefit they gained from the Pact of Honed Strength.
Over time and through training, this damage can be lessened, but it cannot be reduced by any other means.
Before taking up the Pact of Honed Strength, a prospective pact bearer may begin training in order to handle the power ahead of time, and this will also count towards lessening the damage taken through using it.
The first person cultivates the power, and then passes it on to another. The next refines it and passes it on again. We can only hope that this power is only ever used by those whose hearts are stained by altruism, or that the chain of pact bearers ends with a lonely death – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
Pact of the Imaginary God
Suomen Rumina, a name lost to legend as a despicable and demonic warlord of centuries past. In his day he was an unkillable, bloodthirsty monster who cared not for the world, allowing things to live and die by his own whims. The total incarnation of such a monster would be cataclysmic for society today. This is why Yuji Iwadori must die. – Markus Ikel’s opening statement in Iwadori v. State
The pact bearer may allow their body to become host to a nearly-dead and forgotten entity, known as an Imaginary God
The Imaginary God resides within the pact bearer’s body, retaining any abilities they had, however they are functionally only a passenger within.
The Imaginary God has an Ego value of 10 plus the number of hit dice you possess, but each Imaginary God has a way to increase the amount of Ego they possess and, while most choose this fate in order to escape death, many have their own opaque reasons to incarnate within a vessel such as yourself.
The pact bearer gains the ability to utilize any domain spells granted by the cleric domain or domains that the Imaginary God holds domain over. The pact bearer may cast those granted spells so long as the spell level does not exceed half their own number of hit dice.
Additionally the pact bearer could gain access to Supernatural, Extraordinary, or Spell-Like abilities that the Imaginary God can perform by making case-by-case deals with the entity, most often increasing the Ego of the Imaginary God in return for access to the power.
The DC for all abilities granted to you by the Imaginary God are equal to their Ego value.
What a brilliant era to be resurrected in! A modern world of boundless opportunity, immensely vast stretches of marvelous sights and sounds and people. Unconquered, and mine for the taking! – Suomen Rumina, incarnated within the body of Yuji Iwadori
Pact of Infinity
I’m not exactly stopping attacks, it’s more like the closer they get to me, the slower they go. That’s the infinity that exists between us, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to reach my level. – Goji Satoru
Activating the benefits of the Pact of Infinity requires a standard action. The benefits last until Concentration on Infinity lapses or the pact bearer chooses to end the benefits as a swift action. Concentration may be maintained as a swift action every turn.
Infinity grants an Esoteric bonus to the pact bearers AC equal to the sum of all of their positive ability score modifiers in addition to their number of Hit Dice.
This bonus to AC stops all foreign objects, creatures, and all else besides breathable air mere inches from the body of the Pact Bearer.
Infinity does not give immunity to effects that reposition or push back the pact bearer.
Effects that automatically hit, such as Magic Missile or critical attack rolls, are not automatic hits against the pact bearer, and must roll to exceed the AC of the pact bearer regardless unless they decide otherwise.
Sources of damage that affect a larger area of effect rather than being singularly targeted at the pact bearer are entirely ineffective against them unless they decide otherwise.
Whenever an attack is made against the pact bearer, regardless of if it exceeds their AC, the pact bearer must make a Concentration check in order to maintain Infinity. The DC of this check is equal to the attack roll made against the pact bearer.
While benefiting from the Esoteric bonus granted by the Pact of Infinity, the pact bearer may not make any weapon attacks.
I’m able to get the technique to discern how dangerous something is based on the strength of its Occult energy, mass, velocity, even its shape. I’ve automated what I used to do manually. I doubt anyone could touch me at this point, after all… I’m the strongest for a reason. – Goji Satoru
Pact of the Limitless
Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one. – Goji Satoru
The pact bearer gains the ability to perform four attacks;
Blue, an attack that converges space and repositions enemies and allies alike. All creatures in a 60ft radius of the pact bearer may be repositioned without a save. The creatures are moved 60ft from their initial position, however all creatures within the radius must have the same translation applied to them, including the pact bearer.
Red, an attack that diverges space and causes unerring damage to enemies. The pact bearer may select a single point within 120ft. This point is struck as if by a magic missile, traveling from the pact bearer to the point. This attack deals damage equal to the number of hit dice the pact bearer possesses. The damage from this attack cannot be reduced.
Purple, a technique that requires a Full Round Action to perform. Every creature in a 120ft line must make a reflex save or die. All mundane objects within this line are destroyed. The DC for Purple is equal to 10 plus the number of Hit Dice the pact bearer possesses.
Infinite Void is the ultimate technique of the Pact of the Limitless. Infinite Void is a Standard-Radius Opaque Barriered Non-distributive Domain which uses the sum of all of the pact bearers ability score modifiers as its key ability score modifier. The pact bearer stuns all creatures within Infinite Void for as long as it is active.
Whenever utilizing any abilities from the Pact of the Limitless, the pact bearer must also suffer the effects of those abilities in addition to their enemies. The ability is considered to be targeting both the pact bearer and the other target or targets of the ability when used.
Isn’t it funny? When you have everything… you can’t do anything. – Goji Satoru
Pact of Midas
His Majesty had been rewarded for his generosity, his once-in-a-lifetime good deed, with anything he wished. It is thought the way of Gods to look over and protect mortals. In this way it must be the way of mortals to destroy themselves. – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
Anything that is touched by the pact bearer becomes gold, in a manner akin to Flesh to Stone for living creatures and Transfiguring Touch for inanimate objects.
Additionally, the body of the pact bearer begins to transfigure itself into gold, penalizing them with one point of permanent Dexterity drain per day until they reach zero, at which point their body is transfigured into a golden statue.
There are no saving throws for the effects of this pact.
It is said that you die two deaths; one when you perish, and another when your name is spoken for the last time. A golden statue is a brilliant way to ensure that your body survives, but one day your face will be sanded down to nothing, and your figure will tarnish and melt, reassuring one absolute truth; death cares not for you – Deamish Greyhorn, scholar of alchemy
Pact of Shadow
The Ten Shadows Pact is known through my people’s history, the practice of which is passed down from parent to child. The Pact has been instrumental in our family’s rise to power, but the subjugation rituals have claimed more of my descendants than anything else. Our souls are given to the Pact more often than they are laid to rest. – Megumin Zeni
Purveyors of the Shadow Pact gain access to ten Shikigami, known as The Ten Shadows. These beasts are formidable allies that can be summoned by the taker of the pact, however they must first be subjugated before they take commands from the summoner.
When summoning a Shikigami for subjugation, the summoner may bring in others to help, selecting any creatures they can see as participants in the subjugation ritual, however subjugating a Shikigami requires defeating them in single combat, rendering this an ineffective strategy for collecting additional Shikigami for use. Regardless of the number of creatures participating in the subjugation ritual, the summoner is always the Shikigami’s primary target.
When there are multiple creatures involved in a subjugation ritual, any who are left in a state where they would die are instead placed in a state of suspended animation, with their hit points equal to the amount required for them to die. They remain in this state until the subjugation ritual is concluded, with either the Shikigami, or all participants, being killed.
Many Shikigami are able to be summoned in quantities larger than one, and each of these Shikigami must be subjugated individually.
Whenever summoning a Shikigami that they have successfully subjugated, the summoner must adhere to all of the criteria of the particular Shikigami they aim to summon, outlined here.
Summoning any Shikigami requires verbal components (speaking the name of the shadow aloud) as well as somatic components which require both hands to be free.
Whenever a subjugated Shikigami is killed, it is permanently destroyed, and cannot be summoned by the pact holder ever again.
Megumin Zeni was killed in action after deeming his battle with the possessed corpse of Yuji Iwadori impossible to win. He chose instead to take the possessed corpse with him, summoning Mahoraga for subjugation and dooming them both. – An excerpt from Memoirs from the Hakaisen War
Pact of Symbiosis
I suppose this wouldn’t be a perfectly scientific explanation, but I think I’d call them “alien goop” [laughs]. Their benefits are obvious; strength, speed, mental acuity, it’s absolutely a boon for any prospecting adventuring types, which there are a lot of today. I’d advise caution though… it’s not like we know where they came from. – an excerpt from Adelene Ire’s interview in Venture Capital
The pact bearer may bond themselves to an entity known as a Symbiote. These entities have no substantial form on their own, but dramatically increase the abilities of the host in return for sharing their body.
The statistics for the Symbiote are as an eidolon with hit dice equal to the hosts, and otherwise functions like the Synthesist Summoner ability Fused Eidolon, using the hit dice of the pact bearer as their effective Summoner level.
Ultimately the Symbiotes’ actions are controlled by the DM, and has an Ego value equal to its Hit Dice plus 10.
We are stronger together. There is no reason for us to be separated. Why? Why do you want to kill us? This strength makes us a better man, a better hero! With this strength we can do what we always wanted to do, we can finally make him proud of us. – Poison, a symbiote host
Pact of The Beast Mother
We all have things we dislike about ourselves. We all wish we were taller, more attractive, stronger, more confident. It is said that all things in life exist on a spectrum, so who is to say what you may do given the very same chance. I choose not to begrudge Kafir, because I am not sure I would act much differently in her position. – An excerpt from Soul of Wax
The pact bearer may leave behind their form as it is and exchange it for something far different.
The pact bearer may select a bestiary entry which has a number of hit dice equal to their current number of hit dice. The character sheet which makes up the pact bearer is entirely exchanged with the bestiary entry, the only things carrying over being the personality of the pact bearer, and any other Pacts made by the pact bearer.
Perhaps it is possible we are mistaken. These entities we claim to be something mysterious, esoteric, and hostile may very well be the Gods we know. Perhaps we attribute these more nasty and capricious moments to other entities simply to preserve our notion of them as they are. Perhaps we do all of this because we would not know what to do if the Gods were as flawed as their creations. – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
Pact of The Eight Gates
The body has natural defenses against itself. Every fiber in one’s being, every muscle, every bone, every tendon, is capable of rending itself apart in service to power. The flow of any energy throughout the body is halted by eight gates, these are the things that stop the body from destroying itself, and with dedication… they can be opened. – Gias Myline
An individual who takes this pact may choose to open one of their gates at any time as a free or immediate action, allowing borrowed power to flow freely through their body, at a cost.
The first gate is located in the brain’s left hemisphere. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this first gate dramatically increases the mental capacity of the practitioner, allowing them to process information at an extreme pace. By expending a number of hit points equal to their number of hit dice, the practitioner may gain the benefits of Haste for one turn.
The second gate is located in the brain’s right hemisphere. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate increases the physical resilience of the practitioner. This increases the cost of hit point expenditure for the practitioner to two hit points per hit die, and gives the additional benefit of ending all current status effects afflicting the user, and makes the user immune to all status effects while the benefit is active in addition to all previous benefits.
The third gate is located in the spinal cord, at the peak. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate begins to spread the power into the practitioner’s very bones. The practitioner must expend three hit points per hit die, and in exchange they gain a dodge bonus to AC equal to the sum of their strength, dexterity, and constitution modifiers for one turn in addition to all previous benefits.
The fourth gate is located in the spinal cord, slightly lower. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate allows the power to spill itself through the practitioner’s bloodstream. The practitioner must expend four hit points per hit die, and in exchange their dexterity score is doubled for one turn in addition to all previous benefits.
The fifth gate is located in the abdomen. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate pours the power throughout the practitioner’s muscle fibers. The practitioner must expend five hit points per hit die, and in exchange their strength score is doubled for one turn in addition to all previous benefits.
The sixth gate is located in the stomach. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate pushes the practitioner’s body to its limits. The friction caused by the speed and power with which their musculature is moving allows them to more effectively harm their enemies. The practitioner must expend six hit points per hit die, and in exchange they may add their strength modifier to each die of damage rolled for their melee attacks for one turn in addition to all previous benefits.
The seventh gate is located in the spinal cord, at its base. Allowing the flow of power to pass through this gate allows the practitioner’s attacks to compress that air they come into contact with, effectively increasing the lethal range of their attacks by a significant margin. The practitioner must pay seven hit points per hit die, and in exchange their melee attacks gain reach equal to their highest movement speed for one turn in addition to all previous benefits.
The eighth and final gate is located in the heart. Allowing power to flow through this gate is a death sentence. For one full minute, all attacks are considered critical hits, and all damage rolled is maximized in addition to all previous benefits. Throughout this minute the practitioner pays no cost. At the conclusion of this minute the practitioner is slain without exception.
Whenever initiating benefits from this pact, the practitioner must use the highest costs and gain the highest benefits available to them with the gates they currently have open.
Over the course of a Long Rest, the practitioner may close the highest-numbered gate they currently have opened.
In teaching him how to master the Eight Gates, I gave him license to cripple himself for life. I fully accept the responsibility for the injuries my son has sustained. He will be remembered as a hero for his role in this battle, but I hope that none wish to follow in his footsteps, and above all else that none will follow in mine. – Dias Myline
Pact of The Glutton
Nobody understands what these creatures taste like. It’s like swallowing an old rag that was used to wipe up shit and vomit. That is the life I live. Kill, Consume, Repeat. Every problem I face is solved when I kill, I consume… and for who? I’m so sick of it all… and I’m sick of how these creatures taste – Geta Suguru
Whenever killing a creature that would disappear upon death, such as an outsider, elemental, or magical beast, the pact bearer may instead consume the creature and add them to their store of consumed creatures.
If there is a greater than 5 difference in Hit Dice between the pact bearer and one of the aforementioned creatures, they may consume the creature as a standard action without needing to kill them.
When stored, the creature regains hit points at a rate of one per round, and requires a swift action to summon them into existence in a square adjacent to the pact bearer, but no actions to command.
If the pact bearer is to die, all stored creatures are released simultaneously, and each may act in any manner they wish.
Upon death, the pact bearer is taken by The Glutton, and added to his collection.
It was almost impossible to see in the haze of magical abominations and twisted creatures that erupted from him when that blade pierced his heart, but I saw it. A long, thin hand descended from the night sky above. Without much effort, and almost entirely unnoticed, it gingerly took hold of his corpse and lifted his body upwards, back into the sky where it had come from. – Yuta Tonkatsu
Pact of The Other Side
Come now, shake my hand… Won’t you shake a poor sinner’s hand? – Doctor Familié
The pact bearer gains the ability to offer pacts to other mortals. When offering pacts in this fashion, the pact bearer may decide the terms of the pact as well as all associated costs, but the benefits must be of an existing pact, as the pact bearer is nothing more than a middleman for pact-bearing entities.
The pact bearer is given a quota by the greater entity it acts as a middleman for, and failure to meet this deadline will be faced with consequences.
The pact bearer’s shadow transforms, gaining the statistics of a Greater Shadow, but having its movement restricted to within a 30ft radius of the pact bearer, and always stretching from the pact bearer as if cast upon the surroundings by an invisible flame.
The shadow of the pact bearer is returned to existence after a long rest if killed.
There is but one thing more dangerous than to deal with an entity offering power in exchange for servitude, and that is to fail in that servitude. – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
Pact of The Hollow
It was that look in his eyes. I know he was just a kid, and I should’ve tried to pull him away from the scene in front of him but… those eyes! There was nothing behind them! That’s not a look a child should be- that’s not a look a person should have and… and something about it turned my blood to ice. – Anonymous, excerpt from withheld interview by Local News 8
The Pact of The Hollow can only be invoked by someone who has truly lost everything. In the moment in which they are left with nothing, the moment in which they are entirely alone and hollow, they may allow this power to fill that void.
The pact bearer gains the ability to copy Supernatural and Extraordinary abilities they witness being used in combat.
They are limited in copying one ability per initiative roll, and they must be able to clearly see this ability being used.
The pact bearer may not copy abilities that are greater versions of lesser abilities without first copying those lesser abilities.
If the pact bearer witnesses two abilities being used in tandem, they may only copy one of those abilities.
I just want to believe it’s okay to keep living. – Yuta Tonkatsu
Pact of The Six Eyes
He was born powerful, I knew that much. It was easy to see. Those eyes, those startlingly, almost impossibly blue eyes… They were the first sign that the balance of our world had changed forever, because the position of the strongest had just been challenged. – excerpt from The Hitman’s Ledger
When looking at a creature, the pact bearer gains all knowledge available about that creature’s makeup, allowing them to look at the bestiary entry or character sheet that makes up that creature. This does not confer any inclination as to the inner thoughts and motives of a creature, nor any insight into their personality.
The pact bearer automatically succeeds on all Concentration checks.
The pact bearer gains True Seeing permanently.
The pact bearer gains a +20 Esoteric bonus to perception checks.
In exchange for the benefits granted by this pact, the remaining lifespan of the pact bearer is halved.
This pact is tied directly to the eyes of the pact bearer. If the pact bearer is to lose either eye, or become permanently blinded in either eye, they cease to gain the benefits of this pact.
…Well that’s because of The Six Eyes, I’m able to have everything work on its own. Of course it’s only because someone as immensely skilled, intelligent, funny, dashingly handsome, and with a secret softer side that nobody can help but fall for… Sorry, what was I talking about again? – Goji Satoru
Pact of Undying Love
He was the best of us. Donovan Chase was a model paladin, he remembered his prayers, fought with righteous honor, and protected his people on the Day the Behemoth Fell. I suppose it only makes sense what happened to him. We spend our lives rescuing people from mortal danger and great evils… we never consider what would happen if we saved the wrong person. – Erika Orimodo
When a creature directly witnesses the death of another creature which they deem to be their true love, they may choose to invoke this pact. The slain creature returns to life as a Dread Revenant, and their soul is bound within their dead body until it is permanently destroyed.
The Revenant retains any class features it had in life, and some minor personality traits, but lacks the ability to speak or articulate itself and additionally lacks any free will of its own. The Revenant always knows the location of the creature who invoked this pact and will follow any commands given to them by that creature.
The death of the creature who invoked this pact will set the Revenant to peace, negating their rejuvenation ability.
It is said that the Rotted Ones fell together on the battlefield. The unparalleled might of an undead warrior’s reckless abandon still fueled by the flames of holy retribution stood no chance when the one who bound it, its ‘true love’, was cut down. Once alone the Revenant did nothing to resist its fate, seeming to welcome the blade that carved it in twain. – Unknown, an excerpt from Pact Bearer
Variations on Pacts
The above are the standard incarnations of these pacts. Pacts may be subject to Binding Vows and may also have certain restrictions applied or lifted in exchange for greater or lesser power respectively. Examples include Pact of the Glutton applying to all creatures slain but in turn having a limited capacity, or the Pact of Infinity being permanently involuntarily active but reflecting attacks that fail to surpass the AC of the pact bearer. As always, modifications to pacts must be approved by the DM.