Warlock Pact

Warlock Pacts:

Infernal Type

Typical Patrons: Dispater, Mammon, Belial, Mephistopheles, Asmodeus, Baalzebul

Specifics: The infernal denizens of the Nine Hells of Baator are the undisputed masters of crafting power-driven bargains with mortals, so it should come as no surprise that the iconic warlock is a result of such a deal. No other creatures take as much pleasure from corrupting mortals with dark powers, and the sheer number of devils who traffic in such pacts would send a chill down the spine of the staunchest paladin. From ambitious horned devils and pit fiends to the greatest archdevils themselves, these masters of artifice and duplicity take pride in sowing evil throughout the land, and endowing warlocks with their power provides ample opportunity.

Though the ultimate source of your power is usually one of the Lords of the Nine, it is rare that warlocks deal directly with such powerful entities. Instead, powerful devils like pit lords hold most pacts (generally in the service of one of the Nine), typically brokering such deals through lesser fiends like imps or harvester devils.

Warlocks whose power comes from devils are most commonly lawful evil tyrants, though rebellious chaotic exceptions exist.

Automatic Languages: Infernal

Demon Type

Typical Patrons: Graz'zt, Pazuzu, Fraz-Urb'luu, Obox-ob, Orcus, Dagon, Lolth

Specifics: Perhaps surprisingly, few demonic powers are responsible for the pacts that create warlocks. As any planar scholar would tell you, demons fixate on rampant destruction over planned corruption, which means that most don't have the interest (or talent) required to broker such deals. The mightiest of the common demons, such as the mariliths and balors, only rarely take the time to instill such power, and a bare few of the so-called demon princes are so inclined. Mighty demons prefer to bestow their favor upon bloody cults of mad followers rather than reward a single individual with great power - after all, such an individual might easily become a threat to the demon prince's own rulership of his realm. Though the ultimate source of your power is usually one of the demon princes of the Abyss, it is rare that warlocks deal directly with such powerful entities. Instead, powerful demons like balors or glabrezus hold most pacts (sometimes, but not always, in the service of one of the princes), occasionally brokering such deals through lesser fiends like quasits or succubi.

Warlocks whose power derives from demonkind are most commonly chaotic evil and tend toward savage brutality.

Automatic Languages: Abyssal

Fey Type

Typical Patrons: Titania, Oberon, Queen of Air and Darkness

Specifics: A growing number of warlocks draw their power from the mystical realm of faerie. Fey have always enjoyed a special link to the wild magical energy that suffuses the natural world, and most sages agree that mortals - even the long-lived elves - can't begin to comprehend the sheer untapped potential that rests within faeriekind. The rare fey that interact with human folk represent only the tip of the iceberg. True fey are more terrible and beautiful than mortal eyes can bear to perceive. Legends of rival courts of fey - one light and one dark - have persisted for ages, though the fey themselves don't share details. The increase in mortals who wield fey-given power, however, suggests that the realm of faerie might be awakening from a long slumber. Woe to those who underestimate the effect of this development on the mortal realm.

Fey, be they from the Seelie or Unseelie courts, have an alien way of thinking. They expect servitude from those they patronize, and do not always understand the needs of mortals. A warlock whose powers are derived from fey origins can be just as dangerous to society as those in service to a fiend, and their payment just as costly.

Though the ultimate source of your power is usually one of the lords of the Faerie realms, it is rare that warlocks deal directly with such powerful entities. Instead, lesser courtiers like dryads, satyrs, nymphs, or hoary hunters broker such deals, either on behalf of their liege or in pursuit of their own amusement.

A fey-pacted warlock is equally likely to be a well-meaning chaotic good, an unpredictable chaotic neutral, or a malicious chaotic evil individual.

Automatic Languages: None

Slaad Type

Typical Patrons: Death Slaadi

Specifics: As beings of pure chaos unconcerned with matters of morality, few slaadi care enough to make pacts with mortals. Some of the most potent of them, however, such as the mightiest of the death slaadi, occasionally empower warlocks for their own unfathomable reasons.

To serve a slaad is among the most tenuous of pacts. Even if a slaadi can be convinced to make a bargain, it is unlikely to keep it for very long. Many warlocks in service to a slaad have long since lost the favor of their master, and spend their lives on the run from the powerful creature now seeking to regain its lost power.

The few slaadi that make pacts with warlocks generally arrange it directly, rather than relying on subordinates (for how could someone else be trusted to get a good deal?). Some slaads do serve a greater slaad, of course, but rarely are such lessers given any authority to act on behalf of their masters.

Warlocks whose powers derive from the slaadi can be of any alignment, but most are chaotic.

Automatic Languages: ?

Celestial Type

Typical Patrons: Corellon Larethian, Eladrins

Specifics: The mere suggestion that the paragons of virtue would grant such dark powers to mortals seems at first to be unworthy of discussion. However, some particularly wild or chaotic celestials, such as the eladrins, share more in common with the fey than with the archons or angels. Is it so inconceivable that the mighty denizens of the Court of Stars might see fit to share some fragment of their power with charismatic mortals?

In truth, few celestials actually broker pacts. While they do accept the service of mortals, there are typically better ways for such persons to carry out their will. Corellon Larethian occasionally sanctions pacts, brokered by eladrins under his service, but few others are so inclined. More commonly, the warlocks in service to celestials are actually converts - those who, through pact or birth, were granted the power of a darker or wilder entity, but have entreated to angels for their grace and protection. Few such individuals ultimately prove themselves worthy of celestial benediction, but the most selfless of them are occasionally welcomed among the beings of good. Their dark pacts broken, and their powers charged with the light of the upper planes, these warlocks go on to become powerful agents of the heavens.

A warlock who has celestial power to thank for his invocations is most likely to be chaotic good, though some do fall from grace.

Automatic Languages: Celestial

Other Type

Typical Patrons: Elder evils, night hags, vestiges, yugoloths, elemental lords, genies, rakshasas

Specifics: While the typical warlock (in so much as any warlock can be called "typical") serves great fiends, fey, or similar such creatures, there are occasionally those who find their powers from more esoteric sources. Great night hags, ancient evils, and forgotten mysteries have been known to bestow power onto mortals as well, though rarely to good ends.

In general, the greater the power of the entity that is gifting the warlock with their abilities, the more likely it is that the warlock will actually be dealing with a servitor of that entity. Few mortals gain the personal audience of a near-godly being like an elder evil or yugoloth lord, but a genie, rakshasa, arcanoloth is not so grand (outside of their own mind, anyway) that they cannot entreat with the warlock directly. Still, even meetings with such "small" patrons are rare - to be invested with the power of a warlock is generally a bargain with the expectation of independent service, otherwise they wouldn't need to imbue so much power into one creature. All warlock powers are ultimately loans - the warlock gains a singular investment of magical power that they agree to eventually return, with significant interest, after a period of time (typically, the end of their mortal life). A needy warlock constantly idling on their lender's porch might as well return their investment so the entity can use it somewhere else.

Warlocks who serve non-standard beings can be of any alignment. Born of a supernatural bloodline, a warlock seeks to master the perilous magic that suffuses his soul. Unlike sorcerers or wizards, who approach arcane magic through the medium of spells, a warlock invokes powerful magic through nothing more than an effort of will. By harnessing his innate magical gift through fearsome determination and force of will, a warlock can perform feats of supernatural stealth, beguile the weak-minded, or scour his foes with blasts of eldritch power.