





































Keeper Finding her centre,

a human wraps her hands

around the hilt of an ethereal

sword. She charges into the fray,

darting between enemy soldiers and

striking targets with a trained hand.. An experienced blade meets hers and the two warriors engage in epic struggle. He finds a

gap in her defence and lunges, but in an

instant her skin turns to steel and the blade

bounces helplessly away. The human studies

her adversary and runs him through. She rallies

the soldiers around her and charges into the

next combat. A halfling clutches an old tome tightly to her

chest, the dim candlelight of the library casting

ominous, dancing shadows about the walls. She

rubs sleep from her eyes and continues reading,

pouring over the maps and articles of the scholars

before her. The hairs on the halflings neck stand up

and she spins around, summoning a shield. An assassins blade bounces off of it. In the confusion the halflings’

form turns to mist, and as she materialises behind her adversary she plunges a clawed hand into his side. A dwarf raises a torch in front of him, a glowing hammer resting in the palm of his other hand. The flickering light illuminates the coffin in front of him, the arcane sigils flaring as the magic that binds the being within continues its task. The dwarf breaks the seals and is thrown back as a lich bursts from the coffin. The dwarf dodges out of the way as icicles spew from the lich’s fingers. He tumbles to his

feet and grins cockily as he conjures magic of his

own. Keepers are both capable warriors and

learned scholars. They are characterised by

the weapons they draw from their very

being and their mastery over the forces

of life and death. They are a learned people who have the potential to master an array of arts, from the art of battle to the art of magic.

The Keeper Level Proficiency Bonus Features Essence Weapon Damage Cycle Points 1st +2 Essence Weapon, Keeper's Tome 1d6 – 2nd +2 Empathic Learning, Pseudo Mortality 1d6 1 3rd +2 Studious Path 1d6 1 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 1d6 2 5th +3 Path feature 1d8 2 6th +3 Empathic Learning (2/rest) 1d8 3 7th +3 Path feature 1d8 3 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 1d8 4 9th +4 Essence Drain 1d8 4 10th +4 Augmented Essence Weapon 1d8 5 11th +4 Path feature 1d10 5 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 1d10 6 13th +5 Renewed Cycle 1d10 6 14th +5 Augmentation, Empathic Learning (3/rest) 1d10 7 15th +5 Path feature 1d10 7 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 1d10 8 17th +6 Augmentation, Gift of Tongues 1d12 8 18th +6 Transcendant Gaze 1d12 9 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 1d12 9 20th +6 Venerated Scholar 1d12 10 Mortal Coil Keepers are a shunned people. They have bastardised the forces of life and death so that they may live in a permanent state of pseudo-mortality. They are driven by the pursuit of knowledge, and they augment themselves to transcend life so that they may continue to learn while their magics sustain them. A keeper enters a situation with the desire to learn something, and will rarely leave the situation until this desire is fulfilled.

























They are known to create weapons from their very being, and they wield these weapons with a terrifying ferocity. They can hold their own against talented fighters, with some even continuing on to become accomplished gladiators and generals. Although skilled, they are not immortal. They do not fight and die for a worthless cause. One who dies is one who learns nothing. Knowers of Secrets, Seekers of Truth As well as hold their own with a fighter on the battlefield, their minds can match those of even the brightest wizard. Keepers are a close and well-connected community who work to uncover any truth that is hidden behind a veil of secrecy. People general know that if you lie to a keeper, it won’t take much time for them to realise the truth. A keeper will delve into the darkest dungeon and climb to the tallest peak on but the possibility that there is something to be learned. They will climb down into the lower planes and war against armies of demons and devils to steal unholy knowledge, and they will manipulate and dine with gods for but a glimpse into the well of truth. Creating a Keeper When you are creating your keeper character you may want to consider the driving force behind their thirst for knowledge. Do they have grand ambitions as a scholar or do they seek a famous reputation? Was there an event in their past that stuck with them and drove them down a path of learning? Perhaps it was as innocent as wanting to master the blade, or as ambitious as breaking the chains of mortality. Would they take madness above failure? Or is it humanity and empathy that drives them? It is important to ask why your character would become a keeper. Their powers are considered foul and their path is the one of the spurned. It is not an easy life, but is rewarding for those who would follow it until the end. Quick Build You can make a keeper quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Constitution. Second, choose the Sage background.

Class Features As a keeper, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per keeper level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per keeper level after 1st Proficiencies Armour: Light armour

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: Two of your choice



Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Religion. Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: (a) a spear or (b) a sling

(a) an explorer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack

Leather armour and a dagger

Alternatively, you can buy equipment with a starting wealth of 3d4 x 10 gp. Essence Weapon Your study as a keeper has enabled you to draw a weapon from your very being. You can use your bonus action to summon your Essence Weapon. The weapon appears in your hand, and takes the form of any one-handed melee weapon of your choice. The weapon does 1d6 necrotic damage. This damage increases as you gain keeper levels, as shown in the Essence Weapon Damage column of the keeper table. You are considered proficient with your Essence Weapon, and you use your Strength modifier when you make attack and damage rolls with the weapon. Your Essence Weapon lasts for an hour, after which it is reabsorbed into your being. The weapon is dispelled earlier if it leaves your hand, if you fall unconscious, if you die, or if you choose to dispel it (no action required). Keeper's Tome You carry with you a tome which contains all of your studies as a keeper. The tome is a simple leather-bound book that only you can read, the pages appearing empty to others. It has as many pages as it needs and is invulnerable to the damaging effects of the elements. Should the tome be lost, stolen, or somehow destroyed, you can perform an 8 hour ritual to create another one, and a further hour for each study that must be rewritten into the new book. Your Keeper’s Tome contains a number of studies equal to your proficiency bonus, and you add new studies to your tome as you gain keeper levels. You gain the benefits of the studies you choose.





































When you gain a level in this class you can

choose to replace one of the studies in your

Keeper’s Tome with another from the Tome Studies list at the end of the class description. Empathic Learning Starting from 2nd level you can use an action to touch a willing creature. You gain proficiency with one skill, weapon, or tool that the creature is proficient in. You have this proficiency for 10 minutes. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. You gain an additional usee of this feature at 6th and 14th level. Pseudo Mortality At 2nd level you have achieved a loose control over the cycles of life and death, which you have learned to exploit. You have a number of Cycle Points (as shown on the Cycle Points column of the keeper table) which you can use to fuel these exploits. You regain expended Cycle Points when you finish a long rest. Enhance Cognition. As a reaction you can expend 1 Cycle Point to gain advantage on one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. You can choose to use this feature after you have rolled, but before the DM has determined if the roll was successful. You cannot gain advantage on death saving throws this way. Enhance Fortitude. As a bonus action you can expend 1 Cycle Point to expend and roll one of your remaining hit dice and regain hit points equal to the result. Additionally, when you gain this feature your body no longer shows the frailty of old age (you can, however, still die of old age). Studious Path At 3rd level, you choose a studious path that shapes the direction of your study. Choose the Path of Battle, the Path of Eternity, or the Path of Magic. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 5th, 7th, 11th, and 15th level.











































Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this feature. Essence Drain Starting from 9th level, whenever you score a critical hit or kill a hostile creature with your Essence Weapon, you regain 1 Cycle Point. Augmened Essence Weapon Starting from 10th level, you gain the ability to alter the properties of your Essence Weapon whenever you conjure it. When you summon your Essence Weapon, you can choose to augment it by expending Cycle Points. Your Essence Weapon can’t benefit from more than one augmentation unless otherwise noted. You know two of the following augmentations. You learn another at 14th and 17th level. Alchemical Muddling You expend 1 Cycle Point and select a damage type. Until your Essence Weapon is dispelled, it deals the damage type you chose in place of necrotic damage. You can use this augmentation even if you have already used another when you summoned your Essence Weapon. Essence Bow You expend 1 Cycle Point. Your Essence Weapon is instead summoned as a bow, and gains the heavy, two-handed, and ammunition (range 150/600) properties. Attacks made with the Essence Bow use your Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls.







Essence Chain You expend 1 Cycle Point. Your Essence Weapon gains the thrown (range 20/40) property and isn’t dispelled when it leaves your hand. After you make a thrown attack with your Essence Weapon, you can use your bonus action to have it teleport back to your hand. Essence Shield You expend 1 Cycle Point. Your Essence Weapon is instead summoned as a shield. You gain a +2 bonus to AC. Additionally, while you hold your Essence Shield, when a creature you can see attacks a target other than you within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. Keen Weapon You expend 2 Cycle Points. Until your Essence Weapon is dispelled, it scores a critical hit on rolls of 19 and 20. Vigorous Burst You expend 2 Cycle Points. Any hostile creature within 5 feet of you is pushed 10 feet away. Your Essence Weapon isn’t summoned. Wide Attack You expend 1 Cycle Point. Your Essence Weapon gains the reach property. You can use this augmentation even if you have already used another when you summoned your Essence Weapon. Renewed Cycle Starting at 13th level, you regain expended Cycle Points when you finish a short or long rest. In addition, whenever you use your enhance cognition or enhance fortitude features, you can expend an additional Cycle Point to grant the benefit to a friendly creature you can see within 30 feet of you instead of yourself. Gift of Tongues Starting at 17th level, you understand all spoken languages, and you can speak the language of any creature that understands one. You also understand any written language that you see. This feature does not decode the meanings of secret messages or arcane sigils.

Transcendant Gaze Starting at 18th level, you have Truesight out to a range of 30 feet. Venerated Scholar At 20th level your knowledge transcends cerebral bonds and can be drawn from anywhere in the world, regardless of your place in it. You can choose to replace any number of your Tome Studies whenever you finish a long rest. Studious Paths Different keepers have different ambitions, which drive their scholarly pursuits and deepens their understanding of the forces that control the world. Your studious path reflects your approach to learning. Path of Battle Keepers who adhere to the path of battle seek to learn and master the intricacies of combat and warfare. Their lot is with the knights and fighters that live by the blade and board. Bonus Proficiencies When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armour, shields, and martial weapons. The Study of War When you choose this path at 3rd level, the Tome Studies you can learn are expanded to include the Manoeuvres listed under the Battle Master subclass of the Fighter class (PHB p.74). You gain two superiority dice, which are d8s. You expend one of your superiority dice whenever you use a Manoeuvre, and regain any expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority dice at 7th level, and one more at 15th level. Extra Attack Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Calculated Strike Starting at 7th level, you also add your Intelligence modifier to attack rolls you make with your Essence Weapon. Brutal Smite Starting at 11th level, whenever you hit a creature with an attack with your Essence Weapon, you can expend 2 Cycle Points to roll an additional damage die. Keeper's Plate Starting at 15th level, you can use your reaction to expend any number of Cycle Points to enhance your durability in combat. Your skin hardens into a material like steel and your armour takes on a glossy shine. You gain a +1 bonus to AC for every two Cycle Points that were expended. Furthermore, you gain immunity to force damage, the frightened condition, and the prone condition. These bonuses last for 1 minute, but end earlier if you fall unconscious or if you die. Path of Eternity Keepers who adhere to the path of eternity seek to continually bastardise the sanctity of life to contort their being into a state of immortality. They are a closely tied group of scholars, more prone to distrust and paranoia than others. Bonus Proficiencies When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with two skills or tools of your choice. The Study of Life When you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain an additional Tome Study which you must use to study a creature. Additionally, you learn the spare the dying cantrip. Whenever you use it to stabilise a creature you regain 1 Cycle Point. Expertise At 5th level, choose two of your skill proficiencies or one of your skill proficiencies and one of your tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 11th level you can choose two other skill or tool proficiencies to gain this benefit. Unending Mortality Starting at 11th level, you become immune to poison and disease. Additionally, you can no longer die of old age.













































Life After Death Starting at 15th level, when you would make a death saving throw you can expend 3 Cycle Points to automatically succeed. Additionally, if you are killed, the reincarnate spell is cast on you immediately without requiring material components. You can only be brought back this way once per year. Path of Magic Keepers who adhere to the path of magic seek to unravel the arcane mysteries that surround all of multiverse. Their lot are the wizards, the clerics, and the druids who utilise magic in all its forms. Spellcasting When you choose this path at 3rd level, you augment your modus of operandi with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the PHB for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for spell lists. When you gain this feature, choose the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell list. Your choice will determine the spells you have access to as you gain levels in this class. Regardless of which spell list you choose, all of your known spells are considered Keeper Spells for you. Spell Slots. The Path of Magic table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. Spellcasting Focus. You can to use your Essence Weapon as a spellcasting focus for your keeper spells. Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the spell list you chose. The Spells Known column of the Path of Magic table shows when you learn more keeper spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the spells you know with another spell of your choice from the spell list you chose, and it must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your keeper spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorisation. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a keeper spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier



Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Path of Magic Keeper Level Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 3rd 3 2 – – – 4th 4 2 – – – 5th 4 3 – – – 6th 5 3 – – – 7th 5 4 2 – – 8th 6 4 2 – – 9th 6 4 2 – – 10th 7 4 2 – – 11th 7 4 3 1 – 12th 8 4 3 1 – 13th 8 4 3 2 – 14th 9 4 3 2 – 15th 9 4 3 2 1 16th 10 4 3 2 1 17th 10 4 3 3 1 18th 11 4 3 3 1 19th 11 4 3 3 2 20th 12 4 3 3 2 Cantrips When you choose this path at 3rd level, you learn two cantrips from your chosen spell list. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of your cantrips with another cantrip of your choice from your chosen spell list. The Study of Magic At 5th level you have learned to convert life energy into arcane potential and vice versa. As a bonus action you can expend a spell slot to regain Cycle Points equal to the slot’s level, or you can expend Cycle Points to regain a spell slot whose level is equal to half the number of points expended (rounded down). Additionally, the Tome Studies you can learn are expanded to include the spells of your chosen spell list. You can cast any spell that is in your Keeper’s Tome as if it were a Keeper Spell, and any spell in your Keeper’s Tome doesn’t count against your number of spells known. The spells in you have in your Keeper’s Tome must be of a level for which you have spell slots.



























Sap Vitality At 11th level you can drain a creatures will to succeed. Whenever a keeper spell you cast requires a creature to make a saving throw, you can expend 2 Cycle Points to impose disadvantage on the roll. Charged Weapon Starting at 15th level, you can imbue your Essence Weapon with one of your keeper spells. Whenever you finish a long rest you can select a keeper cantrip with a casting time of 1 action to instil in your Essence Weapon. Whenever you hit with an attack with your Essence Weapon, you can cast the chosen cantrip as a bonus action. Tome Studies A keeper spends their entire life in pursuit of knowledge, and this knowledge augments them with powers and abilities shared by their subjects. It is generally expected that a keeper can only study what they have been exposed to, however study in libraries and sharing knowledge with others are both feasible excuses when choosing your Tome Studies. Whenever a Tome Study requires a creature to make a saving throw, the DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. The following studies are organised alphabetically first by class, creature, then environment. Classes Keepers who study other classes learn rudimentary methods of mimicking how they operate. Where a keeper can maintain study of many creatures and environments, studying a class takes considerable dedication, and as a result a keeper can only have one class study in their Keeper’s Tome. Barbarian's Anger You can use your bonus action to enter a rage. If you can cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging. Your rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus, but ends early if you are knocked unconscious, or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature or taken damage since your last turn. While raging, your melee weapon attacks deal an additional +1 damage and you have resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest.

























Bard's Oration You can use your bonus action to inspire a creature within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you. That creature gains a 1d6 Bardic Inspiration die. Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the result to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can choose to do this after the d20 is rolled, but before the DM has determined whether or not it has succeeded. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest. Cleric's Turning You can use your action to force an undead creature within 30 feet of you that can see or hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is frightened of you for 1 minute. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest. Druid's Skinchange You can cast the polymorph spell at will, targeting yourself, without requiring material components. You can only transform into a beast with a challenge rating of 1/2 or lower. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest. Fighter's Training You are considered proficient with all armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. Monk's Defence While unarmored, your AC = 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Paladin's Healing You have a pool of healing power that replenishes when you finish a long rest. With that pool, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your keeper level. As an action, you touch a creature and restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool. Ranger's Instincts You ignore nonmagical difficult terrain and you cannot become lost except by magical means. While you are tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Rogue's Backstab Once per turn, you can deal an

additional 1d4 damage to one creature you hit

with an attack if you have advantage on the roll. Sorcerer's Chaos Whenever you roll a 1 on a d20 roll, you can choose to roll on the Wild Magic Surge table (PHB p.104). Warlock's Companion You know the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. When you cast it, you can choose one of the normal forms or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite. Wizard's Practice You know two cantrips from the Wizard spell list (PHB p.210). Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Creatures Keepers who study other creatures know how to selectively enhance specific attributes to emulate their subjects. Aboleth's Telepathy You can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature can speak a language it understands you, even if you don’t share a language. Angel's Radiance You know the light cantrip. You have resistance to radiant damage. Beast's Savagery Your unarmed attacks become natural weapons, and deal 1d6 damage. You are considered proficient with these attacks. Demon's Fury At the start of each of your turns, creatures within 5 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 fire damage. Any flammable objects in that space that aren’t being worn or carried are ignited. Devil's Cunning You are considered proficient in the Deception skill and add double your proficiency bonus to Deception checks. Dragon's Presence You can use your action to exude a frightful aura. Creatures within 10 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the start of your next turn. Dwarf's Training You are considered proficient with the battle-

axe, handaxe, throwing hammer, and war

hammer, and your choice of smith’s tools,

brewer’s supplies, or mason’s tools. Elemental's Touch Your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4

bludgeoning, cold, or fire damage (your choice).

































Elf's Trance When you take a long rest, you trance for 4

hours, which is equivalent to 8 hours sleep. Fey's Affinity You can speak with beasts and plants as if you shared a language. Giant's Toss You are considered proficient with any weapon with the thrown property. When you hit a Medium or smaller creature with a thrown weapon attack it must make a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Gnoll's Rampage When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points you can use your bonus action to move up to half your speed.



























Gnome's Mentality You add half of your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic that don’t already use your proficiency bonus. Goblin's Cowardice You can take the disengage or hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns. Golem's Sturdiness You are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form.

Grimlock's Senses You have blindsight out to 10 feet. Halfling's Luck When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest. Human's Versatility Select one of your abilities. You add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to any skill check that uses the chosen ability if the skill doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus. Kenku's Mimicry You can mimic animal sounds and human voices. Lizardfolk's Lore You are considered proficient in the Nature and Survival skills. Merfolk's Blessing You can breather air and water.

You have a swim speed equivalent

to your base walking speed. Ooze's Corrosion Any creature that starts its turn

touching you (such as when

you’re grappling a creature)

takes 1d4 acid damage. Orc's Bloodlust Your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 damage of the weapons damage type. Plant's Nourishment You can cast the goodberry spell once per day without requiring material components. Shapechanger's Guise You can cast the alter self spell once per day. Undead's Fortitude If damage reduces you to 0 hit points, and that damage isn’t from a critical hit, you can make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 5 + the amount of damage dealt). On a success, you are reduced to 1 hit point instead. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest. Vampire's Seduction You can force one target within 30 feet of you that you can see to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is charmed by you for 1 minute. The charmed target treats you as a trusted friend, and although isn’t under your control it takes your requests and actions as favourably as it can. If the charmed target takes damage it repeats its save. You can use this feature once, regaining use of it when you finish a short or long rest.





























Environments Keepers who study environments know what it takes to not only survive, but thrive in a variety of biomes. A keeper finds twice as much food when foraging in an environment in their Keeper’s Tome, in addition to the listed benefits. Arctic You have resistance to cold damage and are naturally adapted to cold climates. Coast You have advantage on Strength saving throws against being knocked prone. You have a swim speed equivalent to your base walking speed. Desert You have resistance to fire damage and are naturally adapted to hot climates.