Jack of the Lantern (3.5e Vestige)

A vestige that guides you through use of trickery and a scary turnip

Jack of the Lantern, the Drunk Liar

Level: 4th

Binding DC: 21

Special requirement: Yes

Legend

Jack was a human drunkard, living on the streets, travelling the day between villages to beg for some money to drink himself to sleep each night. He was a known liar and a trickster, always bluffing other people for his own benefit. Largely hated, his only companions were people that he hadn't still defrauded or reckless people with nothing to lose.

He was a sinner and one day a devil archfiend took interest in him, wanting to test its slyness. He appeared before him, ready to take him to Hell for his sins. Jack, knowing he was doomed, played his last card: he asked for a last round of drinks. After the devil complied, Jack informed him that he didn't have money to pay and asked for the devil's help. The devil transformed in a silver coin, as per suggestion of Jack, and was quickly put in a pocket, along with a holy sign that Jack used to move people to pity. The devil, now trapped by the power of the sign, had to bargain for its freedom, according him another ten years of life.

At the end of that period the devil returned to claim Jack's soul. Jack was in a dire situation, but came prepared to the appointment. He met, casually, with the fiend outside of town, near an apple tree. The fiend appeared to him as a decrepit corpse, smiling creepily. Jack, to prevent his fate, asked the fiend for a last meal: an apple from the nearby tree. The fiend, being naive, allowed it and climbed on the tree to retrieve the fruit. Jack rapidly planted several holy signs of different good deities around the tree, preventing the devil to descend. After a long negotiation, Jack achieved the promise of the fiend not to take him to Hell, once he was dead.

Years later, the dissolute life of Jack took its toll and he died alone, near a farming field. The Upper Planes were prohibited to him, as he was a very notorious liar and drunkard, and when Jack came to the Gates of Hell, he was refused entrance, as per the pact he stipulated years earlier. Not giving up, Jack asked for something to warm himself, as it was cold. Devils thrown him a piece of infernal coal, that Jack collected and put it inside a turnip, that he dug from the field, carved as a grotesque face to serve as a lantern to light the way in the space between planes.

This the end of the story of Jack, damned to roam between the planes, never being accepted in any of them.

This vestige is inspired by the legend of Stingy Jack.

Manifestation

You put the lit turnip at the center of the sign, before calling for Jack. After a second of silence, the lines of the sign glows with a red light, releasing sparks of fire. At the same time, an ethereal copy of the sign appears above it, fixated into the air at a height of about 6,5 feet (2 meters). A faint, blue light descends to the ground from it. At this point the turnip begins to float, seemingly animated by a gray smoke, that resembles a humanoid figure, with the turnip as the head. When the turnip is at the same height as your face, a mocking voice comes from it. Jacks speaks to you through the flickering of the flame inside the turnip, joking and being noisy, but willing to lend its powers.

Special Requirement

You must put a carved turnip, with a light inside, at the center of the binding sign.

Sign

Your steps become a bit unsure, as if you were tipsy, and your breath smells like alcohol.

Influence

You are compelled to lie and bluff, especially to gain something, such as another mug of ale.

Jack is very talkative and will often comment the situation and offer advice. Beware his nature.

Granted abilities

Jack of the Lantern grants you a silver tongue and the use of its peculiar lantern to light your steps and scare enemies away. He also gives you apotropaic protection against evil.

Fiend Deceiver: You gain a bonus on Bluff and Sense Motive checks equal to half your effective binder level. Against fiends this bonus is equal to your full effective binder level.

Jack's Lantern: As a standard action you may summon a lantern in the form of a carved turnip (a rutabaga). It appears, lit, in your hand. This turnip lights up to 20 feet (6 meters) in a circular radius, or you may project a cone of light up to 40 feet (12 meters), changing between the two modes with a swift action and you may dismiss the turnip as a free action. This effect replicates the spell light for the purpose of dispelling magical darkness. At level 12th you replicate the spell daylight, for the purpose of dispelling magical darkness.

For one minute per binder level you may replicate the spell ghost lantern with the light from the lantern: you and one other creature per three caster level, up to five, may see this light. Other creatures do not see it, effectively making it invisible to them. Caster level it's equal to your effective binder level. While you hold the lit lantern you gain the effect of protection from evil. Against fiends you gain the effect of magic circle against evil (only the outward version of this spell). You may use this turnip for the ability turnip of terror: its effects do not cease as the turnip immediately returns to your hand after the explosion.

Scare attack: You gain the scare attack feature. You deal 1d6 of extra damage + 1d6 for each three class level beyond the first, up to 5d6 at 14th level.

Turnip of Terror: As a standard action, you may use a carved turnip as a thrown weapon with a range of 30 feet (9 meters). The turnip explodes at the impact in a smoke cloud with a 10-feet radius (3 meters). Anyone caught in the burst must make a Will save of be shaken for 1d3+1 rounds. From the 10th level, targets affected are frightened for 1 round and shaken for 1d3+1 rounds after that. A creature that passes the save is still shaken for one round. Once you have used this ability, you may not do so again for 5 rounds.

Author: the bluez

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