“Celerity. Accuracy. Lethality.”

Kaizen never sought to be an assassin… it just happened his swordsmanship suited assassination. As a practitioner of iaido his technique relies on first strike. Kaizen’s pragmatic methodology to exploit blindspots, inflict inhumane wounds, and withdraw from reach during duels lead to accusation of dishonor. Yet the core deterministic factor could be Kaizen’s distain for the katana and overwhelming perference for the wakizashi. Thus his options for employment fell into the influence of criminal syndicates and unscrupulous nobles.

Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral

Armor Class 17; Initiative +9 (19)
Hit Points 93 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 40 feet

Skills Acrobatics +9, Deception +8, Insight +9, Perception +9, Performance +4, Persuasion +4, Stealth +13; Calligrapher’s Supplies, Disguise Kit, Poisoner’s Kit, Thieves’ Tools
Gear Book (swordsman’s manuscript), Calligrapher’s Supplies, Enspelled Wakizashi of Haste, Studded Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools, Traveler’s Clothes, Wakizashi
Senses Blindsight 10 feet, Passive Perception 19
Languages Common, Common Sign, Draconic, Giant, Thieves’ Cant
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP; Proficiency Bonus +4)

TRAITS

Agile Movement. Opportunity Attacks have Disadvantage against Kaizen.

Dash over Difficult Terrain. When Kaizen takes the Dash action on his turn, Difficult Terrain doesn’t cost him extra movement for the rest of that turn.

Enspelled Wakizashi of Haste. The weapon has 6 charges and regains 3 (1d6) expended charges daily at dawn. While holding the weapon, Kaizen can expend 1 charge to cast the Haste spell.

Evasion. When Kaizen is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Kaizen instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw and only half damage if he fails. Kaizen can’t use this feature if he has the Incapacitated condition.

Fog of War. Kaizen gains Advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) check he makes as part of the Hide action during combat.

Initiative. Kaizen has Advantage on Initiative rolls.

Initiative Swap. Immediately after Kaizen rolls Initiative, he can swap his Initiative with the Initiative of one willing ally in the same combat. Kaizen can’t make this swap if he or the ally has the Incapacitated condition.

Masterful Mimicry. Kaizen can unerringly mimic another person’s speech, handwriting or both if Kaizen has spent at least 1 hour studying them.

Reliable Talent. Whenever Kaizen makes an ability check that uses one of his skills or tool proficiencies, he can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Resourceful. Kaizen gains Heroic Inspiration whenever he finishes a Long Rest.

Sniper. If Kaizen makes an attack roll while hidden and the roll misses, making the attack roll doesn’t reveal his location.

ACTIONS

Sneak Attack. Once per turn Kaizen can deal an extra 27 (5d6) damage to one creature he hits with an attack if Kaizen has Advantage on the roll and the attack uses a Finesse or Ranged weapon. The extra damage’s type is the same as the weapon’s type. Kaizen doesn’t need Advantage on the attack if at least one of his allies is within 5 feet of the target, the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition, and Kaizen doesn’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll.

Surprising Strikes. During the first round of each combat, Kaizen has Advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. If Kaizen’s Sneak Attack hits any target during that round, the target takes an additional 10 damage of the weapon’s type.

Cunning Strike. When Kaizen deals Sneak Attack damage, he can add one of the following Cunning Strike effects. Each effect has a die cost, which is the number of Sneak Attack dice Kaizen must forgo to add the effect. Kaizen removes the die before rolling, and the effect occurs immediately after the attack’s damage is dealt.

• Poison (-1d6). To use this effect, Kaizen must have a Poisoner’s Kit on his person. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 17. Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the poisoned target repeats the save, ending the effect on a success.
• Trip (-1d6). To use this effect, the target must be Large or smaller. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 17. Failure: The target has the Prone condition.
• Withdraw (-1d6). Immediately after the attack, Kaizen moves up to half his speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Enspelled Wakizashi of Haste. Melee Attack Roll: +9 to hit, reach 5 feet. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) Slashing damage. When Kaizen makes the extra attack of the Light property, he can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. Kaizen can make this extra attack only once per turn.

BONUS ACTIONS

Cunning Action. On his turn, Kaizen can take one of the following actions: Dash, Disengage, or Hide.

Roving Aim. Kaizen gives himself Advantage on his next attack roll on the current turn, provided that he hasn’t moved during this turn.

Off-Hand Wakizashi. Melee Attack Roll: +9 to hit, reach 5 feet. Hit: 3 (1d6) Slashing damage. When Kaizen makes the extra attack, he can make it as part of the Attack action instead of as a Bonus Action. Kaizen can make this extra attack only once per turn.

REACTIONS

Parry. If another creature hits Kaizen with a melee attack, Kaizen can take a Reaction to add 4 to his Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss Kaizen. Kaizen gains this bonus to his Armor Class against melee attacks until the start of his next turn.

Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that Kaizen can see hits him with an attack roll, Kaizen can take a Reaction to halve the attack’s damage against himself (round down).

“You have no idea how insignificant all of us are.”

Shinare was an orphan raised by itinerant mercenaries. Through his young adulthood the regiment ventured through mountain forests where Shinare learnt swordsmanship ubiquitous to the region. He would later come into possession of an ancient blade that imprisoned entities who promised incalculable power in exchange for freedom. Deals were struck, an extinct legacy was bequeathed to a new progenitor, and eldritch horrors were released unto the world. In time Shinare realized the overwhelming magnitude of his mistake. Nonetheless, though he does not trust or worship Those Who Were Imprisoned, Shinare is not above aiding such cults for compensation.

Medium Humanoid (Human), Lawful Neutral

Armor Class 18, Initiative +6 (16)
Hit Points 167 (1d10 + 17d8 + 72)
Speed 30 feet, Swim 30 feet

Skills Arcana +6, Athletics +8, History +6, Perception +6, Persuasion +14; Cartographer’s Tools
Gear Arcane Focus (medallion), Book (occult lore), Greatsword, Plate Armor, Traveler’s Clothes
Resistances Psychic
Senses Blindsight 10 feet, Truesight 30 feet, Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Draconic, Giant
Challenge 12 (7,200 XP; Proficiency Bonus +6)

TRAITS

Concentration. Shinare has Advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration.

Contact Patron. Once per Long Rest, Shinare can cast the Contact Other Plane spell without expending a spell slot to contact his patron, and Shinare automatically succeeds on the spell’s saving throw.

Create Thrall. When Shinare casts Summon Aberration, he can modify it so that it doesn’t require Concentration. If Shinare does so, the spell’s duration becomes 1 minute for that casting.

Eldritch Hex. When Shinare casts Hex and chooses an ability, the target also has Disadvantage on saving throws of the chosen ability for the duration of the spell.

Gift of the Depths. Shinare can breathe underwater. Once per Long Rest, he can cast Water Breathing without expending a spell slot.

Initiative Swap. Immediately after Shinare rolls Initiative, he can swap his Initiative with the Initiative of one willing ally in the same combat. Shinare can’t make this swap if he or the ally has the Incapacitated condition.

Magical Cunning. Once per Long Rest, Shinare can perform an esoteric rite for 1 minute, regaining up to 2 expended Pact Magic spell slots.

Mystic Arcanum: Shinare’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit). He regains all expended Mystic Arcanum spells when he finishes a Long Rest. Shinare knows the following Warlock spells:
6th level (1): Eyebite
7th level (1): Forcecage
8th level (1): Befuddlement
9th level (1): True Polymorph

Pact Magic. Shinare’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 22, +14 to hit). He regains all expended spell slots when he finishes a Short or Long Rest. Shinare knows the following Warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): Blade Ward, Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, True Strike
5th level (4 slots): Armor of Agathys, Banishment, Clairvoyance, Confusion, Contact Other Plane, Counterspell, Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Dimension Door, Dispel Magic, Dissonant Whispers, Fly, Hex, Hunger of Hadar, Major Image, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Modify Memory, Phantasmal Force, Suggestion, Summon Aberration, Synaptic Static, Tasha’s Hidenous Laughter, Telekinesis, Tongues, Vampiric Touch

Pact of the Chain. Shinare knows the Find Familiar spell and can cast it as a Magic action without expending a spell slot.

Psychic Spells. When Shinare casts a Warlock spell that deals damage, he can change its damage type to Psychic. In addition, when Shinare casts a Warlock spell that is an Enchantment or Illusion, he can do so without Verbal or Somatic components.

Resourceful. Shinare gains Heroic Inspiration whenever he finishes a Long Rest.

Somatic Components. Shinare can perform the Somatic components of spells even when he has weapons or a Shield in one or both hands.

Thought Shield. Shinare’s thoughts can’t be read by telepathy or other means unless he allows it. Whenever a creature deals Psychic damage to Shinare, it takes the same amount of damage that Shinare takes.

Tome of Leadership and Influence (3). Shinare’s Charisma score increases by 2, as does his maximum for that score.

ACTIONS

Devouring Blade. Shinare gains the Extra Attack feature for his pact weapon. With that feature, he can attack thrice with the weapon instead of once when he takes the Attack action on his turn.

Lifedrinker. Once per turn when Shinare hits a creature with his pact weapon, Shinare can deal an extra 3 (1d6) Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage to the creature, and expend one of his Hit Point Dice to roll it and regain 5 (1d8 + 2) Hit Points.

Pact Blade. Melee Attack Roll: +14 to hit, reach 5 feet. Hit: 21 (2d6 + 14) Necrotic, Psychic, Radiant, or Slashing damage. If Shinare’s attack roll misses a creature, he can deal 5 Necrotic, Psychic, Radiant, or Slashing damage. Shinare can use the pact weapon as a Spellcasting Focus.

Pact of the Chain. When Shinare takes the Attack action, he can forgo one of his own attacks to allow his familiar to make one attack of its own with its Reaction.

Eldritch Blast. Spell Attack Roll: +14 to hit, range 120 feet. Hit: 13 (1d10 + 8) Force or Psychic damage. The spell creates four beams. Shinare can direct the beams at the same target or at different ones. Make a separate attack roll for each beam.

True Strike. Spell Attack Roll: +14 to hit, reach 5 feet. Hit: 21 (2d6 + 14) Radiant or Slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) Radiant damage.

Vampiric Touch. Spell Attack Roll: +14 to hit, reach 5 feet. Hit: 27 (5d6) Necrotic or Psychic damage. Shinare regains 13 Hit Points. Until the spell ends, Shinare can make the attack again on each of his turns as a Magic action, targeting the same creature or a different one.

BONUS ACTIONS

Awakened Mind. Choose one creature Shinare can see within 30 feet. Shinare and the chosen creature can communicate telepathically with each other while Shinare is within 8 miles. To understand each other, Shinare must mentally share a language. The telepathic connection lasts for 18 minutes and ends early if Shinare uses this ability to form a connection with another creature.

Clairvoyant Combatant. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 22, when Shinare forms a telepathic bond with a creature using his Awakened Mind. Failure: The creature has Disadvantage on attack rolls against Shinare, and Shinare has Advantage on attack rolls against that creature for the duration of the bond. Once Shinare uses this feature, he can’t use it again until he finishes a Short or Long Rest unless he expends a Pact Magic spell slot (no action required) to restore his use of it.

Hew. Immediately after Shinare scores a Critical Hit with a Melee weapon or reduces a creature to 0 Hit Points with one, he can make one attack with the same weapon.

Pact of the Blade. Shinare can conjure a pact weapon in his hand. The pact weapon disappears if Shinare use this Bonus Action again, if the weapon is more than 5 feet away from him for more than 1 minute, or if he dies.

Pact of the Chain. Shinare can command his familiar to take the Attack action.

Second Wind. Shinare regains 6 (1d10 + 1) Hit Points. He can use this two times per Long Rest, and can regain one expended use when he finishes a Short Rest.

Telepathic Connection. While his familiar is within 100 feet of him, Shinare can see through the familiar’s eyes and hear what it hears until the start of Shinare’s next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses it has.

REACTIONS

Pact of the Chain. Trigger: Shinare’s familiar takes damage. Response: Shinare can grant it Resistance against that damage.

Reactive Spell. Trigger: A creature provokes an Opportunity Attack from Shinare. Response: Shinare can cast a spell at the creature rather than making an Opportunity Attack. The spell must have a casting time of one action and must target only that creature.