Warlocks ¶
“Am I serving something ancient… or something pretending to be?” - Skalen Trie, Warlock of the Guild of Shadows
In the current age, magic is quieter.
Rebuilt through study, tradition, or through bloodlines, it has become something structured, understood, and at least in appearance, controlled.
Warlocks, however, answer a different call.
Warlocks in Thalureth are individuals who have either:
- pursued forbidden knowledge through shadowed means (see: Guild of Shadows), or
- responded to voices that reach from beyond the natural boundaries of the world, most notably from the Great Dark
Before the Sundering, a pact between a Warlock and their patron is believed to have been a direct and deliberate contract between planes. Now, such agreements are fractured.
Pacts are no longer fully understood. Many are formed accidentally, incompletely, or under false assumptions. When a Warlock reaches out, they are not always certain what answers. What they believe they serve… and what truly answers them… are not always the same.
Sources of Warlock Power: ¶
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| The Great Dark | A vast, unknowable expanse beyond the structure of the world. Power drawn from here is distant, cold, and indifferent. |
| The Veins of Shadow | A network of influence beneath reality itself. Not a place, but a presence. Those who draw from it feel observed… or grown into. |
| The Great Scar | The dividing wound of the world. Fragments of unstable energy leak from it, behaving as though guided by intent, though no singular entity is confirmed. |
Known Entities ¶
These names are attributed to the voices Warlocks claim to hear. Their existence remains unverified, and interpretations vary across regions and individuals.
| Name | Alignment | Title | Known Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thalzogg | Chaotic Evil | The Eldritch King, The Gatekeeper | Associated with the Sundering and the creation of the Great Scar. Presence linked to pressure, distortion, and the breakdown of boundaries between realities. Does not communicate directly in known cases. |
| Valerian | Chaotic Neutral | The Weaver | Communicates in perceived patterns, guidance, and intent. The bridge of warlock energy, and the shaping of outcomes through unseen influence. |
Warlocks in the World of Thalureth: ¶
Warlocks are known, but they are not seen.
They are not recognised as a formal discipline of magic, nor are they openly acknowledged in the same way as mages or scholars. Instead, they exist within rumour, implication, and quiet avoidance. Most Warlocks either hide their power, or disguise it behind other capabilities.
To be identified as a Warlock is to invite:
• suspicion
• isolation
• or silent intervention
The prevailing belief across Thalureth is that:
The same forces Warlocks draw upon are those that caused the Sundering. As a result, Warlocks are not merely feared, they are associated with the end of the previous age.
In cities such as Leth’Anora Quay, individuals are rarely accused directly. Instead, knowledge moves through networks, and awareness precedes confrontation. The next time you visit, perhaps explore The Underways and see if you can find the steps to the Guild of Shadows.
Considerations from The Great Scar: ¶
The Great Scar is not only a physical boundary, it is a source of ongoing instability. Warlocks are believed to have a unique and dangerous relationship with it.
Distortion of Reality ¶
Use of Warlock magic may result in subtle or severe distortions:
• environmental instability
• the summoning of powerful beings that will bring you to the darkness
• unexplained incidents occurring without clear cause
These effects are not always controlled by the Warlock, and may increase with continued use of power.
Irreversibility of Pacts ¶
Once formed, a Warlock’s pact cannot be broken through any known method. If a player decides to roll a Warlock, they have already committed certain outcomes to their adventuring party and must discover and understand the outcomes in order to control it.
The only theoretical exception is an event of equal magnitude to the Sundering itself.