Jamison

Here is a quick write up I did for a character in a homebrew tabletop game a friend was running. The character is an Aasimar warlock with a Celestial patron. I was trying to decide between playing another cleric or trying a warlock for the first time when I found the Celestial in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. It’s basically a “heavenly” take on warlocks, the inverse of a class that’s considered “dark” and frequently evil. It’s a path that let’s a warlock heal his or her allies between bouts of Eldritch Blast. I wanted to attach a typical dark side to my character for the sake of providing inner conflict so the character has the “Haunted One” background, leaving him stuck with a dark apparition that plagues him. Here’s my Celestial ‘lock Jamison.

Early Life

Jamison lived most of his life around Routil and grew up just to the southeast of the city, working with his family in their small farming community. He was born there thirty years ago to John and Emily. A few years later his kid sister, Sara, was born. They were happy and life was simple for a time.

He's since left behind his family name. It was one of many steps he took to protect them. Jamison saw himself a guardian and they were his first and most important wards.

The visions began when he was seven, his parents initially believing it was a reaction to Sara coming along. A simple case of a jealous sibling telling tales for attention. The voices started at eleven. Neither the visions or voices stopped. They prepared him for his life ahead as an Aasimar, chosen by the Gods to guard this world and given gifts from the divine residents of Mount Celestia to fight for those who could not fight for themselves.

A Guiding Light

Jamison would come to realize his dreams were an education and even included a teacher, an angel known as Valandras. Practical and lighthearted, Val was in many ways what he strived to be and in many more what he could never become. He taught Jamison how to make his way in this world and to seek glory in the astral plane. Val strengthened his bond with the diety Helm in ways that Jamison woud not understand until he was older. And so Valandras was his patron and through their celestial pact Jamison would receive the power to heal and defend his allies.

He would not realize until later that he'd had a darker being with me.

An Annoying Shadow

Celestial warlocks are rare. Jamison knew he was special but hadn’t yet learned why he'd excelled at an art that many considered dark. Was he not a being of light, after all? He would not blame Val. Angelic guides see the best in the Aasimar they teach. There are some lessons that you have to learn on your own.

Valandras had spoken to him for years of hidden knowledge he would eventually have to seek out to the north within the famed Sanctuary of Cass. So it was that shortly after turning seventeen Jamison began his journey. A trip uneventful until he met an old family friend he'd never been told about but most assuredly knew he was linked to.

While making camp, yet a few days out from his final destination, he had found himself staring into his small campfire when he heard a voice he couldn't recognize. Not one of his typical celestial messengers.

“You need to put that out, I'm telling you. Be quick about it.” Jamison looked up to see a tattered, cloaked figure suddenly beside him. “Hello stranger. Where did you come from?” he asked. The warlock was alert but tried to maintain a calm composure.

The figure pulled back his hood, revealing a decayed, translucent face. There was no flesh on a good portion of it and his teeth were visible through his left cheek as he sternly whispered, “Fool! Do as I say.” He had glowing ruby eyes that grew fiery with his agitation. Jamison stumbled backwards to the ground, picking up the quarterstaff always kept within reach. He swung at the figure but hit nothing and the humanoid form disappeared.

“Do it, now!” rang out a plea from where he’d previously stood. Jamison rose to his feet and started kicking the loose ground into his fire.

“What’s this then?” said another unrecognizable voice. “Over here boys!”

The bandits would beat the young warlock to within an inch of his life, mostly upset that he didn’t have any valuables worth their trouble. He awoke late the next afternoon and could barely move.

“You listen to that god awful angel all the time. Where was he last night, boy? Huh? Hrmph!” The figure was hooded again. "Who are you? What are-,” mumbled Jamison before he was interrupted.

“I am Frederick, young master Jamison, and I think it’s time for us to have a chat.”

The Present

Now Jamison finds himself in the center of the realm looking for more answers than ever. More than a decade after meeting Frederick, every day is a struggle between the gifts of light and this apparition that has plagued his family for generations. The ghost that his own parents failed to warn him about. Maybe they thought his celestial blessings prevented him from being haunted like his family had been for generations. He can only guess. He hasn't been back home in years.