```metadata
title: 'Allfather''s Ink: Initiate Bundle'
description: ''
tags: []
systems: []
renderer: V3
theme: 5ePHB
```
{{frontCover}}
{{position:relative,top:-20px
# Initiate Bundle
## **Allfather's Ink**
___
}}
{{banner 5th Edition Compatible }}
{{footnote
Delve into the Ruined Realm of Midgard, haunted by the Drawn Creations of a Mad God!
}}
{position:absolute,top:-120px,left:-30px,height:127%}
\page
## Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
:
Read the following considerations if you are interested in using our content as a part of a commercial venture, or if you want to understand how Ariadne's Codex of Strings ties in with the content / software published by Wizards of the Coast, Midjourney Inc. and NaturalCrit. If none of this is of relevance to you, feel free to skip this page and move on to the content you came for!
- The content here contains references to Wizards of the Coast's 5th edition SRD, and is indeed shaped for compatibility with the rules and content there described. Everything we use from the SRD belongs squarely and completely to WoTC and Hasbro: we offer an expansion upon that content, by the terms of the CC-BY-4.0 license under which the SRD was published by WoTC.
:
- As a paying customer, you may use our expanded ruleset, our features, our spells, our monster --all our original content, in sum-- in any way you see fit, so long as it's non-commercial. If you want to use the content as a part of a commercial venture, you must give proper credit to "Ariadne's Codex of Strings" for the content you make use of. You can claim compatibility with our expanded ruleset, but not affiliation to our enterprise -- your content remains yours (and your responsibility), even if you use fragments of Ariadne's Codex.
:
- All the artwork featured in this entry of Ariadne's Codex of Strings is made by Kim Diaz Holm and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. In other words, available for free use. Do check out Kim on Patreon to support free art!
http://www.patreon.com/kimholm
:
- The name "Ariadne's Codex of Strings", as well as "Ariadne Stringweaver", "City of Strings", "Runo Fylsworth", and "Guilliam Fallow" are copyright 2023 by Alvar Mallo and Marcelo Fosco. You may use them verbatim (as they are written in this entry) under the conditions of point two, but you may not sell content that significantly expands upon their character and attributes as described here.
:
* The formatting of Ariadne's Codex of Strings is made using the Hombrewery software by NaturalCrit, licensed under an MIT license. As such, we express our profound thanks to them for providing this wonderful tool, and we hereby recommend it to anyone in the process of making professional-looking homebrew content for TTRPGs.
{{note,position:relative,top:700px,left:30px
## Contact Information
:
You may email us at support@codexofstrings.com if you have any questions, collaboration proposals, or, truth be told, anything you want to tell us at all!
:
If you want a great deal on all our publications, find us on Patreon and subscribe to one of our amazing (limited) tiers! www.patreon.com/codexofstrings
:
Check out Kim Holm! He makes amazing art and is an all around pretty cool guy. He's got a youtube channel and all! What a distinguished gentleman!
}}
{{position:absolute;top:20px;right:20px;width:auto
}}
{{imageMaskCorner26,--offsetX:52%,--offsetY:30%,--rotation:0
{height:75%,position:relative,left:310px,top:-1px}
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote Legal Considerations}}
\page
{{position:relative,top:-20px
# An Introduction
The land is scarred. The sea is restless. The sky darkens further with each passing dusk. This... is a dying world. A painful shadow, a memento of what happened, millennia ago, when the Enemy ravaged the universe and the Gods perished. Midgard is one of the few realms that survived the war. The cost was steep, and the land lies in eternal ruin, its ancient kingdoms turned to rubble, its heroes long forgotten. Only monsters roam these desolate wastes. Monsters... and you.
:
### Forgotten Shores
Along the coastlines, where mighty war fleets once docked, there is naught but echoed cries of mournful creatures. The waves appear as black tendrils that crash against lonesome cliffs, leaving behind trails of opaque foam. To approach such a misbegotten land is a feat in and of itself.
:
Terrible sea creatures, corrupted by the darkness of Midgard, attack any ship that gets too close to the shores of the ruined realm. A powerful, ever-present storm envelops the great island like a guardian of the unimaginable.
:
### Fateful Encounters
Many find Midgard by accident. Even though it is quite difficult to weather the storm and land on those derelict beaches, experienced sailors can manage it with a dash of luck. Others find themselves in a shipwreck, far away, only to wake up in the ink-touched sands of Midgard, unable to return to their home.
:
Some things are better left forgotten. Yet, travelers across the multiverse end up stranded in Midgard all the time. It happens far too often for it to be a coincidence. A terrible unseen hand is pulling these unfortunate souls into the blackened realm of the Allfather. Great heroes and scholars are being summoned by fate, perhaps as part of a desperate ploy to finally put an end to the ever-growing corruption -- or perhaps to die in the grasps of the abominable creatures that roam the land...
:
### The Ruins of Midgard
Beyond the storm and fog extends a great expanse of broken stone and dead trees. Where once was a great gilded city, now there is rubble. Cobblestone streets taken by dark bushes, castles razed to the ground, and a canopy of skeletal branches over ragged fields of rock.
:
The darkness extends from the center of Midgard, beyond the ruined cities and broken landscapes. The ravaged wastes of the realm become almost a bitter aftertaste, when compared to the sour darkness of its source.
}}
{{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:3%,--rotation:270
{height:100%,position:relative,left:-60px}
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction}}
\page
{{position:relative,top:115px
### Atop the Blackbark
Beneath the blackened skies, the stump of a gargantuan tree extends from the center of the ruined kingdom like the clawing hand of a buried giant: Inkdrasil, the husk of Yggdrasil. It still stretches into the heavens, and yet... it is but a shadow of its former, even more awe-inspiring self.
:
Once, the great tree connected Midgard to other realms in the multiverse. Planeswalkers from across the galaxy came to visit the mighty kingdoms of old. Powerful heroes swore allegiance to the order of the ancient bark, and promised to protect all who lived upon its roots. Gods met under the golden leaves of the titanic tree to seek its primordial advice on matters of great importance.
:
Now, the Blackbark is nothing but a hollow trunk, atop which a creature of immense power awaits. Odin, the Allfather, ruler of the land beneath the Great Tree... a mad God.
:
### Of Ragnarök
When Odin gave his eye in exchange for knowledge, he glimpsed the future. A great battle that would kill the Gods. An Enemy so terrible even divinity couldn't stop it. This was known, to the people of Midgard, as Ragnarök. All knew of its coming. Odin, in great foresight, rallied the many gods of the universe under a banner of defiance against cosmic fate, and marched to war alongside great divinities of old, like Gyreon, God of Order, and Asterion, God of the Sun.
:
Perhaps, with his early warnings, the Allfather saved the multiverse. Still, the cost of victory against Eternity was great. The Gods had to be sacrificed. Each and every one of them. They banished the Enemy, but in doing so, gave their lives to it.
:
### A Prophecy Unfulfilled
The Gods fell, that day. All... but Odin. The bargain he made in exchange for knowledge had to be paid, and instead of dying an honorable death amongst his peers, he was sequestered back to his ruined world to face the consequences of his actions.
:
This, is his purgatory. Chained to the top of the Blackbark, he draws in ink all the demons that haunt his addled mind. His ruined kingdom now rots, plagued with horrors of his own creation. There is nothing here but war and death.
}}
:::::::::::::::::::
Whatever Odin saw when he gave up his vision... it was not supposed to end like this. And beyond the veil, somebody laughs at the Allfather's expense.
:
### A Land Abandoned
As such, the once great Midgard is now spoken of only in mourning. Within the shadows, ink-forged monsters haunt the desolate landscape, taking form from darkness itself. The air vibrates with the ghastly echoes of their creation, as they hunt and kill one another for the amusement of a Mad God.
:
You... should probably turn back. They crave the flesh of heroes.
{{imageMaskCorner26,--offsetX:45%,--offsetY:-39%,--rotation:-0
{height:72%,right:-55px,bottom:-70px}
}}
{{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:37%,--rotation:180
{height:110%,top:-330px}
}}
{{watercolor2,top:-200px,left:-190px,width:650px,background-color:white,opacity:100%}}
{{watercolor2,top:-200px,left:-190px,width:650px,background-color:white,opacity:100%}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction}}
\page
{{imageMaskCenter,--offsetX:-9%,--offsetY:0%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-30px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:-9%,--offsetY:0%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:9%,--offsetY:0%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:20%,--offsetY:-20%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:25%,--offsetY:-25%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:20%,--offsetY:-30%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:-20%,--offsetY:20%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:-25%,--offsetY:25%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{imageMaskCenter16,--offsetX:-20%,--offsetY:30%,--rotation:50
{height:115%,top:0px,left:-40px}
}}
{{quote,position:relative,top:720px,color:white,left:-30px,text-align:center
The answer comes to me as I wake. I slither from the bunk, droplets of ink staining the wood beneath my feet. It is a wonder this party hasn't killed me yet. I see my wretched form in the mirror, amorphous, disgusting, terrifying. A nightmare stares back at me. That is my curse.
:
I can't fly anymore.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction: Marefjes}}
\column
{{quote,position:relative,top:40px,color:white,left:50px,text-align:center
I often dream of a crow in the snow. Dead, trapped inside his mortal coil. He cannot fly anymore. He cannot even breathe. Yet, he endures, his soul anchored to his rotting corpse. Aware. Suffering. A spot of black in a sea of white. Is there a sense to his penance?
:
Why can't he move on?
}}
\page
{{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:0%,--rotation:90
{height:101%,position:relative,left:-150px,top:px}
}}
\column
{{position:relative,left:40px,top:-20px,
{{text-align:center
## Ink-Forged
*Playable Race by Ariadne's Codex*
}}
:
### The Ones that Haunt
In the aftermath of the cosmic upheaval that was Ragnarök, when Odin returned to his land and the chaotic energies clashed and mingled, the Ink-Forged emerged – beings of shadow and ichor, a scourge upon the land. These elusive entities embody the remnants of divine conflict, taking on fluid forms that dance on the edge between the tangible and intangible.
:
Created by Odin himself, they are the faces of nightmares, or Marefjes in the local tongue. The Ink-forged extended to other realms, as the ichorous corruption continued to expand. This black essence of midnight, given as ink to the Allfather, is the corrupting substance behind the terrible Harbingers.
:
#### After the Desolation
Shaped from the very essence that once sustained the Great Yggdrasil, Ink-forged are beings of death and shadow, their existence an enigmatic testament to the aftermath of divine battles.
:
The return of Odin, known as the Allfather's desolation, is the event that birthed these monsters from the survivors of Midgard. As a result, they bear a resemblance to the creatures and entities that once thrived in the Kingdom of Gold, though their forms are ever-shifting, mirroring the fluidity of their creation.
:
#### The Artist Behind the Marefjes
The Allfather, chained to the Blackbark, is forced to continue the profane art that gives birth to more powerful and complex Ink-forged. The more he paints, the more terrible his creations.
:
The ichorous corruption runs deep in these creatures, yet it does so unequally. The more an Ink-forged kills, the greater it becomes, as they absorb the remnants of all other living things and turn them into ichor. The further one is from the Blackbark, however, the less dangerous the Ink-forged become.
:
### The Ones that Endured
In other realms, far from the Allfather's madness, some Marefjes have gained sentience and broken free from the Thread of Madness. Shunned by other civilizations, they managed to create community among themselves, often with the help of other monstrous races.
:
These forsaken souls catch glimpses of their previous existence in dreams. The ichor cannot create, it can only corrupt; as such, the essence of the Marefjes can be recovered through great effort and willpower. Those that do, however, wish they hadn't, as they become awake, aware of their terrible forms.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction: Marefjes}}
\page
{{position:relative,left:-20px,top:-0px
These survivors call themselves the Ones that Endured, and attempt to live a normal life far from the Blackbark, in spite of their corrupt heritage. Their unbroken will is what carries them through their accursed existence, one arduous step at a time.
:
#### Physical Manifestation
Ink-Forged possess amorphous, shadowy forms that ripple and undulate as if guided by unseen currents. Their fluid nature allows them to adopt the guise of the creatures they were inspired by, whether it be wolves, giants, or humanoids.
:
Despite their shadowy appearance, ink-forged beings are not malevolent by nature, as long as they are kept far from Odin's madness. Instead, they embody a sense of balance, seeking to rectify the cosmic disharmony left in the wake of Ragnarök. Created to destroy, the Marefjes renounced their cursed calling to instead carve their own path. Life always finds a way...
:
### Ink-forged Traits
***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, up to a maximum of 20.
:
***Size.*** Ink-forged playable characters are usually of medium size, but can be small or large depending on the creature they attempt to emulate.
:
***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
:
***Eyes of Ink.*** You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 60 feet.
:
***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.
##### Born of Ink
As an Ink-forged, you can choose to prepare one of the following abilities at the end of a short or long rest. Once you use that ability, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again, prepare another or use another.
:
***Shadow Step.*** As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is in dim light or darkness.
:
***Fluid Form.*** As a reaction to taking damage, you can momentarily shift your form, causing the attack to partially pass through you. You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage until the start of your next turn.
:
***Ethereal Sight.*** You can see invisible creatures and creatures in the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you for the next hour.
}}
{{position:relative,left:20px,top:-20px
### Subrace: Luminescent Veil
Born of contrast, the Ink-forged that have strayed further from the All-father's corruption start to manifest a light of their own. Perhaps the Thread of Madness was never meant to gain consciousness.
:
Their eyes shine with an eldritch luminescence and light seems to warp around their ever-shifting forms.
:
***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Charisma score increases by 1.
:
***Revealing Light.*** You know the *Light* cantrip. Once per long rest, you can choose to focus the luminescence of this innate magic, turning it into a *concentration* spell with a duration of one minute. For this duration, you see things within the bright light radius of the cantrip as if you had *truesight*.
:
***Born of Ink: Blinding Flash.*** As a part of your *Born of Ink* feature, you always have the following ability prepared: as a bonus action, you shine in bright maddening light. All creatures within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the end of their next turn. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this feature.
:
### Subrace: Inkbound Marefjes
Some Ink-forged never escape their nightmarish origin. These are the most dangerous among their kin, as they often feel the pull of the Thread of Madness on their being, urging them to sow chaos and strife.
:
They are, however, one of the most dextrous races in the multiverse, each movement as gracious as flowing ink, and often show extreme restraint, tempered by years of discipline, when it comes to their eldritch calling.
:
***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 1. Your Dexterity maximum score is 22.
:
***Resilience of the Mad.*** You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
:
***Haunted by Nightmares.*** When taking a long rest, you often dream of Marefjes and the Allfather, and the deal Odin made with the King in Yellow. An eye... for knowledge. Sometimes, you share Odin's prophetic dreams and learn secrets pertaining to your current circumstances, at the DM's discretion.
:
***Born of Ink: Shadowmeld.*** As a part of your *Born of Ink* feature, you always have the following ability prepared: If you are in dim light or darkness, you can use your bonus action to meld into shadows, becoming invisible for 1 minute or until you make an attack, cast a spell, or take damage.
}}
 {width:325px,mix-blend-mode:multiply,transform:rotate(90deg),position:absolute,top:400px,left:245px,opacity:80%}
{{watercolor9,top:-1250px,left:-150px,width:390px,background-color:white,opacity:100%,transform:rotate(120deg)}}
{{watercolor9,top:-1239px,left:-150px,width:390px,background-color:white,opacity:100%,transform:rotate(120deg)}}
{{watercolor9,top:200px,left:-05px,width:650px,background-color:white,opacity:100%,transform:rotate(-50deg)}}
{{watercolor9,top:200px,left:-05px,width:650px,background-color:white,opacity:100%,transform:rotate(-50deg)}}
{{imageMaskCorner1,--offsetX:-62%,--offsetY:70%,--rotation:0
{height:100%}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner1,--offsetX:66%,--offsetY:-60%,--rotation:0
{height:100%}
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction: Marefjes}}
\page
{{quote,position:relative,top:-10px,left:-45px,width:330px
"This realm... may be the origin of the ichorous corruption that destroyed my country. The First Harbingers, this... is their birthplace. There is much to learn, here. Thread with care, hunter, lest the darkness consume you too. I wouldn't want to put down a friend."
:
{{attribution Stormwalker Geld of the Sixth Company}}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner36,--offsetX:72%,--offsetY:50%,--rotation:40
{height:150%,position:relative,top:0px,left:-30px}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner36,--offsetX:-45%,--offsetY:-33%,--rotation:50
{height:150%,position:relative,top:0px,left:-30px}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner36,--offsetX:40%,--offsetY:-20%,--rotation:0
{height:150%,position:relative,top:0px,left:-30px}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner36,--offsetX:40%,--offsetY:-20%,--rotation:0
{height:150%,position:relative,top:-00px,left:60px}
}}
 {position:absolute,top:-170px,right:-30px,width:500px,transform:scalex(-1)}
{{note,position:relative,top:430px,background-color:gainsboro
##### The Black Touch
Little is known about the dreadful plague called the Black Touch. It occurs when one is exposed to a significant amount of the ink-like essence prevalent in the creatures within Midgard, either by direct ingestion or prolonged periods of minor exposure.
:
Over time, the infected extremities turn dark and start producing ichor. This foul liquid feeds off the blood like mold, and takes over the body in a matter of days. Typically, a person can survive for about a week before succumbing to the affliction. Treatment must come quick, or the sickness becomes nearly incurable.
:
If left to rot, the body will become a bulbous mess of black liquid, from which Harbingers can be born, under the right circumstances.
:
- A creature suffering from this sickness cannot benefit from advantage in any roll and takes their level in acid damage at the end of every long rest. This damage is subtracted from the creature’s maximum hit points. If this damage kills the creature, they rise as a Harbinger in a week's time, unless their body is burned or otherwise warded from undeath.
}}
\column
{{monster,frame,position:relative,top:310px,left:10px
## Harbinger Draugen
*Medium Undead, chaotic evil*
___
**Armor Class** :: 12 (natural armor)
**Hit Points** :: 26 (4d8 + 8)
**Speed** :: 30 ft.
___
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|15 (+2)|9 (-1)|14 (+2)|5 (-3)|8 (-1)|10 (+0)|
___
**Damage Resistances** :: acid, necrotic
**Damage Immunities** :: poison
**Condition Immunities** :: charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
**Damage Vulnerabilities** :: radiant
**Senses** :: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
**Languages** :: None
**Challenge** :: 2 (450 XP)
___
***Mindless.*** This reanimated corpse is the remains of an adventurer that died within the Myrkviðr. The ink of the Allfather has taken its body, making it shamble mindlessly towards the nearest creature.
:
***Resilient Ink (3/day).*** If damage reduces the Draugen to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the Draugen drops to 1 hit point instead.
### Actions
***Grasp of the Drowned.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 6 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. A creature hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 12).
:
***Regurgitate Ink.*** The Draugen spews a toxic vomit of black ink onto a creature it is currently grappling. Targets must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving throw is affected by the *Black Touch* sickness.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction: the Black Touch}}
\page
{{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:0
{height:117%,top:-230px,left:-20px}
}}
{{imageMaskEdge4,--offset:24%,--rotation:20
{height:117%,top:30px,left:-20px}
}}
{{monster,frame,wide,position:relative,top:450px
## Harbinger Troll
*Huge giant, chaotic evil*
___
**Armor Class** :: 16 (natural armor)
**Hit Points** :: 150 (12d12 + 72)
**Speed** :: 40 ft.
___
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|21 (+5)|13 (+1)|22 (+6)|7 (-2)|9 (-1)|7 (-2)|
___
**Skills** :: Perception +2
**Damage Resistances** :: acid, necrotic
**Damage Immunities** :: poison
**Condition Immunities** :: charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
**Damage Vulnerabilities** :: radiant
**Senses** :: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
**Languages** :: Giant, Primordial, Asgardian
**Challenge** :: 7 (2900 XP)
___
***Keen Smell.*** The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
:
***Regeneration.*** The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes radiant or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
:
***Path of Ink.*** If the Troll reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, the Harbinger's overflowing corruption afflicts the body with the *Black Touch* sickness. Creatures within 30 feet of a Harbinger Troll roll death saving throws with disadvantage.
:
If a humanoid is killed by the troll, they are corrupted by the ichor and rise as Harbinger Draugen at the start of their next turn.
:
***Power of the Inkfather.*** For every medium or larger creature affected by the Black Touch sickness within 60 feet of the troll, it gains +1 to its Strength score, up to a maximum of 24. Harbinger Draugen count as affected creatures for the purposes of this trait.
:
### Actions
***Multiattack.*** The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
:
***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d6) acid damage.
:
***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 16 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 4 (1d6) acid damage.
:
***Regurgitate Ink (Recharge 5-6).*** The Troll spews a toxic vomit of black ink in a 15-foot cone in front of it. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) acid damage and 13 (3d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures that fail this saving throw are affected by the Black Touch sickness.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote An Introduction: the Black Touch}}
\page
{{imageMaskCorner35,--offsetX:-55%,--offsetY:50%,--rotation:0
{height:52%,top:-80px,left:-240px,transform:rotate(-40deg)}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner35,--offsetX:53%,--offsetY:-50%,--rotation:2
{height:54%,bottom:-90px,left:200px,transform:rotate(-220deg)}
}}
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
#### Seal of the King
*Wondrous item, Very Rare*
:
The journey is known as the Path of Ink. Few managed to complete it, and none have been known to return from the cusp of the ruined tree. All the while, the Allfather continues to draw in ink, creating new and horrific monsters each day. Can this land ever be cleansed?
:
To those that undertake this hopeless endeavor, He who wears Yellow always gifts an unbroken seal of black ink over a golden coin. It is unclear what this seal even is, but it used to carry a certain significance in Midgard, in a time before the affliction.
:
It feels strangely warm to the touch, as if channeling an old magic. You feel braver, as if carrying the hopes of the heroes that came before you... but it is also tainted, somehow.
:
A creature that has a Seal of the King in their possession is immune to the *Black Touch* sickness
\
and the *frightened* condition but becomes vulnerable to radiant damage.
:
This gold coin could be used as some sort of
\
currency in these parts. The Man in Yellow's
\
influence stretches far and wide...
{{text-align:center,position:relative,left:30px,top:-10px
## The Path of Ink
}}
:
{{position:relative,left:30px,top:-10px
{{quote,text-align:center
"To those that brave the wilds of the Inkdrasil groves, take heed. There is nothing here. The creatures that roam the land are mad, just like their maker. These monsters of darkness and black ink, born of the chained father, have no other purpose than to kill. To kill, and spread their infection."
:
{{attribution Stormwalker Geld of the Sixth Company}}
}}
Why? What is the purpose of this terrible place? Midgard was once a powerful realm... Now, it only serves to house monstrosities. Planeswalkers avoid it, yet the corruption has already spread to other dimensions. What terrible promise chained the Allfather to the tree?
:
If anyone truly knew the answer, they perished ages ago. Today, only Odin himself is burdened by that knowledge, and is either unwilling or unable to recount it. Yet, some bold souls still embark on the journey to the rotten tree, following the guidance of a mysterious man in yellow robes. It is said the Allfather can still be freed, if a strong enough hero reaches the summit of the
\
Black Bark.
:
Odin rewards the faithful... so the rumors say.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote The Path of Ink}}
\page
{{position:relative,top:-25px
## Derelict Wanderers
:
The forgotten roads of the kingdom once known as Asgard still make a path through the mountains. These ancient passages once led armies into a great capital of gold, at the feet of the mighty Yggdrasill, jewel of Midgard.
:
Today, these pathways of stone are unkept, teeming with afflicted bandits and Harbingers. To those that cannot survive the Myrkviðr beyond the hills, this is their only sanctuary, for the shores are taken by spirits and sea serpents. Under the cover of mountains, these derelict wanderers find refuge in barren valleys and rocky caves.
:
In these parts, were few Dragefjell are found, the greatest danger are not Harbingers nor bandits, but a much more insidious creature. Stories tell of a traveler carrying an enormous bag, full of riches, through the abandoned roads -- seemingly easy prey for the desperate mountain-dwellers. That is how the monster attracts its meal.
:
Once it is cornered, the Cronebearer shows its true, terrifying form. The monstrous Ink-forged paralyzes its would-be attackers with blood-curling screams from a thousand maws that sprout from its bag, only to then feed on the unfortunate creatures that fall to its bait.
:
}}
\column
:
{{monster,frame,wide,position:relative,top:-15px
## Cronebearer
*Large aberration, neutral evil*
___
**Armor Class** :: 15 (natural armor)
**Hit Points** :: 130 (15d10 + 75)
**Speed** :: 30 ft.
___
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|18 (+4)|
___
**Saving Throws** :: Con +9, Wis +6, Cha +8
**Damage Resistances** :: acid, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
**Damage Immunities** :: poison
**Condition Immunities** :: charmed, poisoned
**Senses** :: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
**Languages** :: Common, Primordial, Asgardian
**Challenge** :: 10 (5,900 XP)
___
***Magic Resistance.*** The Cronebearer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
:
***False Appearance.*** The Cronebearer can appear as a hooded traveler with a very large bag on its back. After it uses its *Reveal Form* action, it cannot return to its false appearance until it has finished a short rest.
:
***Innate Spellcasting.*** The Cronebearer's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). The Cronebearer can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components:
:
*At will:* silent image, charm person, detect magic
:
*3/day each:* detect thoughts, hold person, invisibility (self only)
:
*1/day each:* dominate person, harm
### Actions
***Reveal Form (1/day).*** The Cronebearer sheds its illusory form, unleashing a thousand screams echo from its aberrant mouths. It immediately uses its *Paralyzing Scream* action with a range of 60 feet instead of 30. The Cronebearer can move up to half its maximum speed as part of this action.
:
***Multiattack (aberrant form only).*** The Cronebearer makes three *Bite* attacks.
:
***Bite.*** Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and suffers 11 (3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns.
:
***Paralyzing Scream (Recharge 5-6).*** The Cronebearer lets out a blood-curling screech from its many mouths. Each creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 23 (5d8) psychic damage and be *paralyzed*. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the Cronebearer's paralysis effect for the next 24 hours, though they still take the damage.
}}
{{imageMaskCorner,--offsetX:5%,--offsetY:40%,--rotation:0
{height:200%}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner36,--offsetX:5%,--offsetY:35%,--rotation:0
{height:200%}
}}
 {position:absolute,top:-100px,right:-20px,width:460px,transform:scalex(-1),mix-blend-mode:darken}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote The Path of Ink}}
\page
{{imageMaskCorner,--offsetX:5%,--offsetY:40%,--rotation:0
{height:200%}
}}
{{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:-10%,--rotation:203
{height:128%,left:-20px,transform:scalex(-1)}
}}
{{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:0%,--rotation:260
{height:128%,left:-20px,transform:scalex(-1)}
}}
:::::::::
{{position:relative,top:500px,left:-40px,width:361px,text-align:center
{{
## Spoils of Dead Heroes
}}
:
Midgard, Inkdrasil, Asgard. These are all names to refer to the accursed lands of Odin. Beyond his blackened realms, his domain is known as the grave of heroes.
:
Promises of great rewards lead many, even today, to tread the Path of Ink. Some do it in hopes of freeing the Allfather, while others wish to take his power for themselves. It is no secret that Odin possesses a Thread of Divinity, coveted by many as the ultimate treasure.
:
Thus, adventurers from the four corners of the multiverse brave the Midgardian wilds. Most don't make it out of the mountains. And those that do are most likely killed in the unforgiving Myrkviðr, the region that follows. No one has achieved what so many set out to do, and yet, they keep coming.
:
Mighty heroes from all ages, from the fall of the Gods to our era, have fallen and left behind their equipment, treasures unto themselves, but twisted by ink...
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote The Path of Ink}}
\page
{{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:0
{height:300%,left:-560px,top:-850px,transform:rotate(50deg)}
}}
{{imageMaskEdge3,--offset:4%,--rotation:190
{height:200%}
}}
 {position:absolute,top:570px,right:30px,width:380px,mix-blend-mode:}
 {position:absolute,top:-110px,right:310px,width:600px,mix-blend-mode}
{{position:relative,top:480px,color:white
##### Visage of the Punished Seer
*Wondrous Item (mask), Artifact (requires attunement)*
:
This accursed mask seems to be made of bark and stone, but the face it depicts looks far too real to be a simple carving. The eyes shine with a truth better left to the imagination.
:
This mask shows a terrible reality. Whoever puts it on must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 23 (5d6 + 5) psychic damage and be *stunned* by deathly visions until the end of their next turn. A creature that succeeds this saving throw can attune to the item for 1d4 days by witnessing the prophecies that led to the seer's death. In this story, they are of Ragnarök.
:
While attuned to this mask, your Wisdom score increases by 2.
:
The power of prophecy flows from the mask onto its wearers. While attuned, you can cast the following spells through the mask requiring only verbal components (spell save DC 20):
*At will: locate object, detect magic, see invisibility*
*3/day each: clairvoyance, scrying*
*1/day each: foresight*
:
While using this mask, you cannot be detected by divination magic unless you wish to be.
}}
\column
{{position:relative,top:-32px,left:0px,color:whit
##### Ring of Eternal Struggle
*Ring, Artifact (requires attunement)*
:
This ring hides within itself the power of death and rebirth, the eternal struggle, present in all Ink-forged. The battle is to the strong...
:
You can activate and deactivate this item by speaking its command word, *Ouroboros*, as an action or bonus action. While active, you take 5 points of necrotic damage at the start of each of your turns and whenever you miss an attack roll. This damage cannot be mitigated in any way. While active, every attack roll you land against a hostile creature deals an additional 5 points of necrotic damage and heals you for 10 hit points. If you have less than half your total hit points, you heal for 15 hit points instead.
:
While this ring is active, whenever you reduce a creature of CR 1 or higher to 0 hit points, you gain a charge. This item can hold up to three charges, that are lost if left unused after a minute. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, a charge is expended and you drop to 1 hit point instead.
:
You can also expend a charge to manifest a powerful but risky enchantment. Your next melee attack deals additional necrotic damage equal to your missing hit points, up to a maximum of 50 additional damage. If you miss, you are instantly reduced to 0 hit points.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote The Path of Ink}}
\page
{{imageMaskEdge,--offset:0%,--rotation:0
{height:200%}
}}
{{imageMaskCorner34,--offsetX:-0%,--offsetY:52%,--rotation:0
{height:200%}
}}
 {position:absolute,top:-30px,right:160px,width:520px,transform:rotate(-5deg)}
{{color:white,wide,text-align:center,position:relative,top:460px
##### Pandora's Box
*Wondrous Item, Artifact*
:
*"Foolish girl, that Pandora. So eager. Her curiosity was the death of us all. To think we had a chance at redemption, to think the Mad God's corruption could have been cleansed... now, we all bow to the ichorous curse. Pandora was killed by the box, in the end. That blighted artifact... It yearns to be opened. To unleash chaos upon the land. To fulfill the most ruinous of purposes."*
:
This small wooden box is an artifact from another land and another time. It's an old, decrepit thing that can very easily be mistaken for a worthless reliquary. Those who touch it, however, are immediately taken aback by the overflowing power within the artifact, and know, deep within their hearts, that the object is primordially evil.
:
The box contains power and corruption in equal measure and can only be opened by a creature of non-lawful alignment. It takes a full minute to open, as the energies of the ancient lock slowly give way to the chaos inside. All creatures within 120 feet of the box when it opens must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be instantly killed. If the creature that opens the box survives this deathly wave, they are blessed by the chaotic power of the artifact. They immediately recover all their hit points, features, and abilities, and are cleansed of any curse, disease, or poison. While within 120 feet of the box, they can increase two ability scores of their choosing to 26 and gain 50 temporary hit points at the end of each of their turns. These benefits last for as long as the box stays open.
:
While open, the box spawns 1d6 + 3 Harbinger Draugen and 1d4 Harbinger Trolls every minute. After the first hour, it spawns a single Harbinger Revenant instead of the Trolls. If the box is kept open for 24 hours, it spawns a CR 30 Leviathan of Ink. After summoning it, it is considered empty and spawns no more creatures. If the creature that opened it is alive and within 120 feet of the box, a ghastly voice, thick with cruelty and satisfaction, offers three wishes to its opener. These wishes are granted with evil intent, always bringing great suffering to the world in their fulfillment. Once used in this manner, the box cannot be opened again until a century is passed.
:
A creature of lawful alignment can attempt to close the box. They must spend a minute in communion with the artifact, spending their action to maintain concentration on the ritual. At the start of each of their turns, they take 20 necrotic damage. All creatures spawned by the box will attempt to interrupt the closing ritual at any cost. After the box is sealed in this manner, it cannot be opened again for one month.
}}
{{pageNumber,auto}}
{{footnote The Path of Ink}}
\page
{{backCover}}
# That's all, Folks!
:
We hope you enjoyed this wonderful sourcebook. Allfather's Ink is our eight entry into this burgeoning universe we call the Codex of Strings. If you want to see more of us, we have a lot more content in our site: www.codexofstrings.com
:
All art in this booklet was produced by Kim Diaz Holm. His fantastic dark fantasy is what inspired us to make this sourcebook.
:
We would like to extend a big *THANK YOU* {{width:1px}} to all of our patrons, who make these entries possible and give us starving creatives some stability in this ever-fledging world.
:
These commendable Threadmaster-tier Patrons have climbed through the ranks of our organization, and are the lifeblood of this project:
##### **-- No Please I Insist, thank YOU Dan and Friends.**
##### **-- Gavin Pacheco**
##### **-- Steven Zillinski**
##### **-- Kristian Meling**
##### **-- John Doe**
##### **-- Kyle Sellke**
##### **-- Dakota hinton**
##### **-- Asin Samay**
##### **-- Thomas Woodruff**
##### **-- Richard J Shepard III**
:
Got any feedback? Ideas? Suggestions? We have an email! How very modern of us...
:
Reach us at support@codexofstrings.com
___
{{text-align:center,position:relative,top
##### Join us in voting for our next entry!
www.patreon.com/codexofstrings
}}
{position:absolute,bottom:0,right:-154px,height:100%}