Steward

Today, there are innumerable legends you could pick from, which would go on and on about the supposed prosperity the last mortal era offered. It’s a popular fantasy topic to go back and imagine a less complex cosmos. A cosmos where monsters did not walk the face of the world, behemoths capable of swallowing cities and swatting aside mortals without even registering their presence. A simpler age without the constant threat of the monstrous divine, where the conjunction of realms had never taken place.

Stewards soundly reject these rosy recollections: to them, the modern age is one of wonder and promise, where the chaos gives birth to untold splendor worth safeguarding. To reverse the twilight world’s surreal current state would be to abandon a strange cradle where gods themselves may yet be born and nurtured. This adoration stewards possess either inspired, or followed, a peculiar trait they all share: at some point in their life, each steward has established a monstrous bond with one of the mighty behemoths of the monstrous world.

Sacred Keepers

Stewards are, to a one, people who have forged a bond with one of the great monsters of the twilight world. Either through happenstance or by deliberate effort, each steward has undergone a journey of some kind which forever linked their essence to one of the god-beasts or hellish megalithic beasts of the modern cosmos. This has altered them, making them part monster themselves, at least psychologically; with this bond, stewards in turn link to the world itself, becoming harbingers of the spiritual wilds that threaten to consume eternity.

In turn, the stewards are held in a place of honor and respect by their great beast: it is deeply invested in the steward’s wellbeing just as the steward is invested in its own. Indeed, it’s very normal to see these great monsters approach civilization as their stewards do, hovering just outside the walls of a township and silently observing. The stewards call their beast companions their “keepers”, and regard them with a sort of reverence, though each steward expresses this reverence in their own way.

Honored Pets

A great deal of mortal and spirit kind foster bonds and lasting relationships with their pets or livestock, and so to the majority of folks, it’s easy to look at a steward and imagine that they have a strange and monstrous pet. Stewards themselves would reject this framing, and most (if not all) would point out that it’s more accurate to say that the keepers are the masters, and the stewards themselves are the pets.

If you take a step back and consider it, this point is pretty easy to support: the behemoths of the monstrous world are large, and many are old or seemingly immortal. Steward keepers are no different — in fact, although stewards die, their keepers never seem to… and in cases where the steward has died, keepers are well-known for finding new stewards for their company.

Part of the Monstrous World

Over time, stewards begin to grow more monstrous and more like their keeper, taking on its traits and mannerisms. This blending of steward and keeper is a seemingly natural phenomenon, resulting from the monstrous bond and close proximity to one another for long stretches of time. The oldest of stewards have grown extremely monstrous over their lifespans, generally becoming less and less comfortable in civilized parts of the twilight world.

Eschewing civilization has considerable risks in the modern era, as any number of radiant spirits or agents of the monstrous divine could be in bloom just outside of the shelter of the Hanging Towers’ periphery. However, for stewards, such expeditions are far less threatening, and maybe even just a little bit preferable to most urban confinement. The monstrous world recognizes its own, and even if it didn’t: stewards never journey alone.

Creating a Steward

When creating a steward, think about your relationship with the monstrous world. Unlike most, you have taken to the new way of things fully. Where did this immense and lasting bond of yours come from? What is your keeper, how do you protect and assist it? Was it a long bond passed down within your family, or did you befriend a great and terrible monster, feared by all?

Quick Build

You can make a steward quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the wild born background.

Multiclassing Notes

If your group uses the optional rule on multi classing in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose steward as one of your classes.

Ability Score Minimum: As a multi class character, you must have at least a Wisdom score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level of another class if you are already a steward.
Proficiencies Gained: If steward isn’t your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a steward: Light armor, shields, Animal Handling, Athletics, Survival.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Keeper Tags	Keeper HD	Class Feature
1	2	1	1d8	Monstrous Bond, Fighting style
2	2	2	2d8	Rapport
3	2	2	3d8	Soothe
4	2	2	4d8	Ability Score Improvement
5	3	3	5d8	Monstrous Ferocity
6	3	3	6d8	Monstrous Bond Feature
7	3	3	7d10	Large Keeper
8	3	4	8d10	Ability Score Improvement
9	4	4	9d10
10	4	4	10d10	Monstrous Bond Feature
11	4	5	11d10	Inexhaustible
12	4	5	12d10	Ability Score Improvement
13	5	5	13d12	Huge keeper
14	5	6	14d12	Monstrous Bond Feature
15	5	6	15d12	Dreadful Behemoth
16	5	6	16d12	Ability Score Improvement
17	6	7	17d12
18	6	7	18d20	Gargantuan keeper
19	6	7	19d20	Ability Score Improvement
20	6	8	20d20	Inexorable

Steward level progression

Class Features

As a steward, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per steward level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per steward level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
(a) two shorts words or (b) two simple melee weapons
(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows

Monstrous Bond

At 1st level, you choose the monstrous bond you have with your keeper: Ancient, Hive, Grave, Ruin, or Titan. Each monstrous bond is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice gains you features at 1st, 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

The Keeper

Keepers are not considered monsters for the purposes of determining stats. Instead, your keeper shares the same ability scores, and proficiencies as you. You have an intuitive bond with your keeper and can tell where they are, how they are, even understanding their communications wordlessly. Your keeper is around medium size.

In combat, your keeper acts immediately after you do. It has a movement speed of 30ft, and can make a basic attack which does 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a successful hit.

Your keeper has a 1d8 hit die for every steward level you have. At steward level 1, it has hit points equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier, and it gains an additional amount of hit points equal to 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier for every steward level after 1st.

You may modify your keeper as you progress in steward levels, by applying keeper tags to it. At 1st level you have 1 keeper tag. You gain another keeper tag at 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 20th level.

Whenever you gain a steward level, you may pick one of your keeper tags and replace it with another one of your choice which you meet the requirements for.

Sanctity of the Keeper

Keepers are sacrosanct to your story, integral to your character in every way. They never die permanently unless it would replace your keeper with another equally powerful keeper. Should your keeper be taken down to 0 hit points, or killed or removed from you in any way, it instead emerges unexpectedly, unharmed and nearby you at some point after your next long rest.

In addition to the above, keepers ignore their a size for the purposes of determining where they can go: they can find their way into most spots not designed to prevent keepers from intruding. They do not destroy bridges when they cross, they can follow you into cramped tunnels and sewers, and so on. However, when in an environment too small for their size, your keeper is unable to attack.

Fighting Style

At 1st level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options.

You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can re-roll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Rapport

Starting at 2nd level, whenever you are within 30ft of your keeper, you gain +1 AC and advantage on attack rolls.

Soothe

At 3rd level, you can calm and protect your monstrous keeper. You may cast cure wounds as a level 1 spell on your keeper a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. You regain all spent soothes after a long rest.

The spell level you cast with increases to 2 at 5th level, 3 at 8th level, and 4 at 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 above 20 using this feature.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Monstrous Ferocity

At 5th level, whenever you make an attack, if your keeper is in range, you may use your reaction to have your keeper attack your target as well with their basic attack. This does not use any of your keeper’s actions.

Beast of Legend

Starting at 6th level, any attacks made by your keeper are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage.

Large Keeper

At 7th level, your keeper grows in size to large. Their hit points grow to an amount equal to 10 + your Constitution modifier, plus another 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier for every steward level after the first. Their hit dice grow to 1d10 per steward level. You may re-roll your keeper’s hit points if you choose.

Additionally, your keeper gains a trample attack which does 1d8 + your Strength modifier in damage. On a successful hit, their target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.

Inexhaustible

At 11th level, when within 120ft of your keeper, you ignore the effects of exhaustion.

Huge Keeper

At 13th level, your keeper grows in size to huge. Their hit points grow to an amount equal to 12 + your Constitution modifier, plus another 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier for every steward level after the first. Their hit dice grow to 1d12 per steward level. You may re-roll your keeper’s hit points if you choose.

Your keeper gains a third attack, which does 1d10 + your Strength modifier of bludgeoning damage in a 15ft cone.

Dreadful Behemoth

Starting at 15th level, your keeper begins to cow those around you, filling creatures with a nameless dread. As an action, your keeper can cast fear at a target of its choice (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom modifier). Your keeper may do this a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier. You regain all spent uses of this feature after a long rest.

Gargantuan Keeper

At 18th level, your keeper grows in size to gargantuan. Their hit points grow to an amount equal to 20 + your Constitution modifier, plus another 1d20 (or 11) + your Constitution modifier for every steward level after the first. Their hit dice grow to 1d20 per steward level. You may re-roll your keeper’s hit points if you choose.

Inexorable

Starting at 20th level, while your keeper lives, if you would take damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you instead reduce to 1 hit point. In addition, your keeper returns to life after a short rest.