Power always comes at a price. Yours is a short leash, a list of demands, and an inhuman eye forever looking over your shoulder. You have been made an instrument in your Patron’s hand. In exchange, you have been gifted power beyond your means, for all the good it does you. Use it wisely, and remember your debts must always be paid.
Starting Equipment: Depends on your Patron
Suggested Skills: Astrologer, Gambler, Painter
Each Warlock Template grants you +1 Pact Dice (PD).
A: Patron, Credit, Debt, Obligations, +2 spells (1d6)
B: Beseech, +1 spell (1d8)
C: Magical Reservoir, +1 spell (1d10)
D: Patron’s Gift, +1 spell (chosen)
Patron
You have formed a pact with an Otherworldly being in exchange for magical power. Your patron takes up 1 permanent social slot and cannot be overwritten by Stigma. Each patron has unique Goals, Marks, and Favors.
Once you have entreatied with a patron, you cannot swap out your existing Warlock Templates until you have freed yourself from the pact. This may require a quest.
Credit
Credit is the magical power borrowed from your patron, represented by Pact Dice (PD). Invest up to 4 of your PD to cast spells. These always return to your pool, are not modified by SAV, and do not generate Mishaps or Dooms. Each use of your PD consumes your line of Credit. When casting a spell, for every PD you invest, gain +1 Debt.
Debt
Debt is the ineffable thing owed to your patron for its power. Each point of Debt subtracts 1 from the ceiling of your PD result. Rolling above this ceiling counts as the current maximum instead. For example, at 2 Debt, your possible results are [1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4].
At 6 Debt, you have fully exhausted your Credit (your PD can only roll 0). If you accrue more Debt beyond this, your patron will kill you and collect on your soul, no Save.
All Debts must be paid off before you can gain another Level.
Obligations
Obligations are tasks assigned by your patron that you must complete to pay off your Debt. Each Obligation performed removes 2 Debt, unless otherwise noted.
Beseech
Call upon your patron for aid. The form of help is dependent on your current Debt and what the patron considers to be helpful. You must be able to speak to do this. Always accrues +3 Debt.
Magical Reservoir
Prolonged exposure has left a fragment of your patron’s power within you. Channeling this power directly is like touching a live wire with your brain, but frees you from the constraints of your patron’s Credit.
When casting a spell, you can choose to suffer 1d6 Stress. For each point of Stress, treat the casting as if you had 1 less Debt. If your effective Debt would be less than 0, only gain additional Debt from PD that roll 4-6.
Patron’s Gift
Your patron grants you a permanent, beneficial mutation unique to them. It cannot be revoked, even if you later break your pact.