The Blood domain is a divine domain for clerics that uses a rare form of magic known as hemocraft to manipulate the blood and vitality of themselves and others. Blood domain clerics are known as blood clerics, many of whom are associated with the Claret Orders. The Blood domain was created by Matthew Mercer.
Description[]
The Blood domain is based on the understanding of the life force in the mortal shell, the balance of life and death, and sacrifice. Almost any neutral or evil deity can claim some influence over the secrets of blood magic; good gods tend to shun it except in extenuating circumstances.[1] Known deities that have the blood domain in their portfolio include Asmodeus, Gruumsh, The Raven Queen, Torog, and Zehir.[2][3][4][5]
History[]
- See also: Claret Orders
Blood clerics originate in the continent of Wildemount. During the Marrow War, the high cleric of the Julous Dominion secretly made a pact with a devil of the Nine Hells to gain the power to repel the Dwendalian Empire. However, the bargain came at the cost of the Marrow Valley becoming overrun with devils and undead.[6]
Seeking to protect his people, a priest named Trence Orman prayed to the Raven Queen for help, and she granted him the secrets of hemocraft magic. Using this power, Trence and his followers formed the Claret Orders and banished the devils and undead from the realm. Unfortunately, with the Marrow Valley now clear, the Dwendalian Empire was then able to advance and conquer the Julous Dominion.[6]
The new Dwendalian lords of the Marrow Valley blamed the Claret Orders for the fiends that had been filling the region. Despite their best efforts, the Claret Orders were unable to convince their new rulers otherwise, and went into hiding, though they never stopped secretly protecting the lands from monstrous threats.[6]
Small sects of Claret Orders had reached Tal'Dorei in the years before 812 PD. In 812 PD, the head of the Tal'Dorei chapter of the Claret Orders was a dwarven blood cleric of the Raven Queen named Teresa Dulamar.[7] She was killed in combat in 826 PD, and after her successful resurrection, retired. By 836 PD, she was serving in an advisory position to the new Claret Director, Alasterre de Vitrevos, also a blood cleric of the Raven Queen.[8]
The Tombtakers, including a tabaxi blood cleric named Cree Deeproots, split from the Claret Orders in Wildemount to follow a different path. After the Tombtakers were scattered in 833 PD, Cree joined the Gentleman's Troupe, the local affiliate of the Myriad in Zadash, helping them to track down those who betrayed the organization.[9] In Thunsheer 836 PD, Cree resurrected the leader of the Tombtakers, Lucien, setting in motion the final chapters of Campaign Two.
Iron Authority[]
The clerics of the Iron Authority, dedicated to Bane, the Strife Emperor, are rumored to use blood magic to sustain their supreme leader Tz'Jarr far beyond his natural lifespan,[10] though many clerics of the Strife Emperor are associated with other domains: War, Order, or the Forge.[11]
Powers and abilities[]
This section is based on pp. 168-169 of the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn.
Blood clerics gain proficiency with martial weapons.
Blood Domain Spells
- 1st level: sleep, false life
- 3rd level: ray of enfeeblement, hold person
- 5th level: haste, slow
- 7th level: blight, stoneskin
- 9th level: dominate person, hold monster
Bloodletting Focus
Whenever blood clerics deal damage to creatures with blood with any spell of 1st level or higher (including the weapon attacks of spiritual weapon[12]), they deal extra necrotic damage by drawing blood from the wounds.
Channel Divinity: Crimson Bond
As an action, blood clerics can focus on a sample of a creature's blood to learn that creature's approximate distance from the cleric and in which direction, and the creature's general state of health (based on percentage of hit points), as long as the creature is within 10 miles. The cleric can maintain concentration on this bond for up to one hour.
While the bond is maintained, the cleric can spend an action to force the target creature to make a Constitution saving throw. If they succeed, the bond ends. If the creature fails, the cleric can see through the target's eyes or hear through the target's ears instead of the cleric's own for a number of rounds equal to the cleric's Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1 round), after which the bond ends. Regardless of the outcome of the save, the cleric takes necrotic damage.
Channel Divinity: Blood Puppet
As an action, blood clerics can force a Large or smaller creature (at 17th level, Huge or smaller) to make a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they become charmed and physically controlled by the cleric. Unconscious and dead creatures automatically fail the save.
Sanguine Recall
At 6th level, blood clerics can, as an action once per long rest, recover spell slots (up to 5th level) with a combined level of half the cleric's class level (rounded up), taking damage based on the levels of spell slots recovered.
Divine Strike
At 8th level, blood clerics deal additional necrotic damage on weapon attacks.
Vascular Corruption Aura
At 17th level, as an action once per long rest, a blood cleric can emit an aura for 30 feet for one minute that causes enemy creatures with blood to bleed, suffering necrotic damage each turn they enter or start their turn in the aura. Enemies that would regain hit points while within the aura only regain half of the intended number, rounded up.
Notable Blood Clerics[]
- Cree Deeproots: Member of the Tombtakers
- Teresa Dulamar: Former head of the Claret Orders in Tal'Dorei, worshipper of the Raven Queen
- Alasterre de Vitrevos: Teresa's successor, also a worshipper of the Raven Queen
References[]
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 101.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 17.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 19.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 20.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 168.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 54.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 33.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 53.
- ↑ See "Fleeting Memories" (2x14) at 30:37.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 120.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 35.
- ↑ Matthew Mercer answered this question on Twitter, saying he'd allow it.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Cree Deeproots, a Blood cleric, by Clara (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Cree and Lucien, by Bunchu (source). Used with permission.