Cindrel magic

Brandwork

Drawing raw power from a cindrel held or lodged in the body. Common, powerful, and slowly dangerous.

Every cindrel is a splinter of the star that fell into the Ostrel Isles four hundred years ago. Hold one long enough, or carry one under your skin, and you can pull its light through yourself: a flame in your palm, a lance of radiance, a ward of singing glass.

The light is not free. Draw more than your body can hold and it leaves Ash behind, a grey, brittle quiet in the blood. Enough Ash and the star marks you.

← Back to lore

How it works

Technique

What a brandworker has learned to draw. Each technique is a card on the sheet, paid for in Ember.

Brandmark

What Ash leaves behind. Rolled on the Brandmark table at Ash 5 and Ash 10; the DM grants it.

Ember is what you draw from your cindrel. Your maximum is twice your proficiency bonus plus your Constitution modifier, and a long rest refills it.

Ash builds as you overreach, and clears by 1 on each long rest:

every technique that costs 3 or more Ember adds 1 Ash;
Starbrand adds 1 Ash;
Overdraw adds 2 Ash.

Brandmarks. At Ash 5, and again at Ash 10, roll a d6 on the Brandmark table. The DM grants the mark that comes up. A Brandmark does not fade when the Ash clears.

A technique's attack bonus is your proficiency bonus plus your Constitution modifier, and its save DC is 8 plus both.

Techniques

Learned, practised, paid for in Ember.

Wickflame

1 Ember

A cold blue light that the drowned fear

Effects

Technique: Bright light in a 30-foot radius for 1 hour, held in your palm or a cindrel. The Sallowkin have Disadvantage on attack rolls inside it.
Wickflameaction
1 Ember · sustained · self, 30 ft sphere · 1 hour · Bright light in a 30-foot radius. The Sallowkin have on attack rolls inside it. · The first thing every brandworker learns, and the last thing the Sallowkin want to see.

Cinderlance

2 Ember

A spear of radiance; more Ember, more spear

Effects

Technique: A ranged spell attack within 60 feet for 2d10 radiant damage, and 1d10 more for every extra Ember you pour in.
Cinderlanceaction
2 Ember · attack (PB + CON) · 60 ft · 2d10 radiant · +1d10 per extra Ember

Glasswrack Ward

3 Ember, 1 Ash

A shell of singing glass, for one round

Effects

Technique: Reaction: +5 AC until the start of your next turn, and whatever struck you takes 1d6 cold damage. Adds 1 Ash.
Glasswrack Wardreaction
3 Ember · sustained · self · 1 round · adds 1 Ash · The attacker takes 1d6 cold damage.

Starbrand

5 Ember, 1 Ash

For a minute, the star burns through you

Effects

Technique: For 1 minute, your spells deal maximum damage on their first die. Adds 1 Ash.
Starbrandbonus action
5 Ember · sustained · self · 1 minute · adds 1 Ash

Last resort

Every Brandworker learns it with the trade. Nobody chooses it.

Overdraw

2 Ash

Take Ember you do not have

Effects

Technique: When you are out of Ember, take 1 more. You gain 2 Ash instead.
Overdrawspecial
no cost · self · adds 1 Ember, adds 2 Ash

Brandmarks (d6)

The star's marks. Nobody learns these.

Glass veins

Brandmark 1

Blue lines under the skin

Effects

Brandmark: Resistance to cold damage. In darkness you have Disadvantage on Stealth checks: the lines glow.
Resistance to cold
Glass veins
In darkness you have on Stealth checks: the lines glow.

Starlit eyes

Brandmark 2

Eyes that keep the light

Effects

Brandmark: Darkvision out to 60 feet. In bright sunlight you have Disadvantage on Perception checks.
darkvision 60 ft
Starlit eyes
In bright sunlight you have on Perception checks.

Sallow echo

Brandmark 3

You hear the drowned whisper

Effects

Brandmark: Advantage on checks to detect the Sallowkin. The DM may send you visions.
Advantage on Perception checks
to detect the Sallowkin
Sallow echo
You hear the Sallowkin whisper. The DM may send you visions.

Cold blood

Brandmark 4

More light, no warmth

Effects

Brandmark: Your Ember maximum increases by 2. You can no longer feel warmth.
+2 Ember maximum
Cold blood
You can no longer feel warmth.

Tide-touched

Brandmark 5

The sea knows your name

Effects

Brandmark: You can breathe water for 1 minute each day, and the sea calls you by name.
Tide-touched
You can breathe water for 1 minute each day, and the sea calls you by name.

Living cindrel

Brandmark 6

A cindrel fused to your chest

Effects

Brandmark: One cindrel fuses to your chest. You are never without light, and Slackwater cultists can sense you within 1 mile.
Living cindrel
You are never without light: you shed dim light in a 10-foot radius whenever you want. Slackwater cultists can sense you within 1 mile.