Lommán’s Bonanza of Backgrounds: Weaveclothed

“In naked beauty more adorned
More lovely than Pandora.”

-John Milton, Paradise Lost

Adult Material

The following material contains sexual material, and may not be appropriate for all groups and/or players. Please do not use this material in a game without approval from the GM as well as the other players.

Playtest Version

This material is still in the process of being playtested. It is fully usable as written, but may be refined or changed in later versions. As always, this content should only be used with GM permission.

Weaveclothed


For as long as there have been wizards, there have been wives’ tales about spellcasters being more powerful the less clothing they wear. For the most part these are considered by sages to be faulty extrapolations of the difficulty arcane spellcasters have had performing the somatic components of their spells while wearing armor too heavy for them. Particularly in this era when a number of wizards—dwarves chief among them—have learned to master spellcasting in even the heaviest of armor, this tale is typically only believed by the most superstitious, and is primarily used as an excuse by more flirtatious or easily fatigued individuals to justify wearing little and carrying less.
However, there is a basis for the folklore. Certain practices, divine blessings, or even pure talent can in fact convey the ability to feel the weave of magic, but only with bare skin and intense focus—no distractions or distortions of sensation caused by clothing. Because in many places the cultural establishment among spellcasters strives to seem extremely respectable and staid, and most individual spellcasters would likely be reluctant to bare all for such a subtle advantage, this talent often goes untaught or even entirely unnoticed. Combined with the rarity of those naturally possessing it without training, it is understandable why even few experts realize it exists.
    Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, History
    Tool Proficiencies: One of your choice from alchemist’s supplies, calligrapher’s supplies, jeweler’s tools, tinker’s tools, or herbalism kit
    Languages: One exotic language of your choice
    Equipment: One set of tools you are proficient with, chalk, 8 candles, exotic dried lichen which can be uses as incense or ground to make ink or paint, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Weft and Warp

Due to your sensitivity to the weave of magic, you can vaguely sense the ripples and contours created by frequent manipulations of the weave. So long as you are nude, you are can readily locate places where arcane spells (or divine spells of deities of magic) have been cast on a regular basis for a long period or where many such spells have been cast in a short duration recently. In either case, however, it does not provide any insight into the nature of the spells cast nor the exact positions where they were cast. Furthermore, your connection to the weave is strong enough that can also lightly pluck on the strands to create minor magical effects—you gain the Prestidigitation cantrip but can only cast it using this feature when undressed.

Suggested Characteristics

Having a rare and valuable power that requires nudity to utilize will inevitably give the user an unusual perspective on life in a world where clothes are the norm. Some take to the experience with glee and exuberance, happy to use the excuse to seek thrills or an enhanced sense of personal freedom. Others find it embarrassing and work hard to maintain composure when they are likely to draw the gaze of anyone around them. A few might even find the combination of power and vulnerability to be unnervingly arousing.

d8 Personality Trait
1 I prefer to be active at night, when there aren’t so many crowds or watchmen to dodge.
2 Since I don’t wear clothes, I double down on fashionable jewelry and hairstyles.
3 I realize that I have to work twice as hard as everyone else to seem dignified, so I put in five times as much effort to do it.
4 It’s true. I am beautiful.
5 I don’t mind when people assume I’m an erotic dancer or the like. Being underestimated gives the element of surprise.
6 I’ve given up on even trying to conceal my interest in someone. Better to just say it than pretend they can’t tell just by looking at me.
7 I am constantly trying to keep myself clean, since I don’t have anything to keep the dust and grime off.
8 “If you want to keep your fingers, look but don’t touch.”

 

d6 Ideal
1 Evangelism. I firmly believe that a lot more people could do at least a little bit of magic if they spend enough time in unimpeded contact with magical fields.
2 Alertness. Knowledge is power and early warning is knowledge. The social awkwardness is worth it if I have even a chance at gleaning advanced information about a magical threat.
3 Openness. I’m certain that people would have fewer conflicts if they weren’t cutting themselves off from shared contact with the weave of magic so much.
4 Seduction. Why persuade people with just your charms or just magic, when you can combine them and bend people completely to your will?
5 Communion. I worship a deity of magic. Having the currents of magic flow through my skin is to touch the divine.
6 Originality. I discovered my talent by impulsively disregarding stodgy old traditions and discovering something the hidebound fogies couldn’t even imagine. I want to help people passionately pursue new and better ways of doing things!

 

d6 Bond
1 I know what it is like to feel vulnerable, so I do what I can to protect people who are afraid.
2 I am striving to live up to the example of the mighty sorceress who saved my village from a pack of raiders using absolutely nothing but a wand.
3 Too many enchanted tools for spellcasters take the form of robes or the like which channel magic around the wearer instead of through. My mission is to discover or invent a way to produce the same effects without the obstruction of clothing.
4 The master who taught me the skill of channeling the weave through my skin had me swear to find two apprentices with the talent and teach them as well, to keep the technique alive.
5 I intend to use my talents to track down evil magic users who are difficult to catch.
6 I am seeking out texts of an ancient near-forgotten deity of self mastery and internal power, like the one I found misplaced in a library and learned my current techniques from.

 

d6 Flaw
1 If I really have to focus, even other people’s clothing gets on my nerves.
2 I reflexively consider any suggestion that I wear clothes to be a subtle attempt to try to weaken my magic and leave me vulnerable.
3 Just because I have to be naked most of the time to do my thing doesn’t mean I’m not embarrassed by it.
4 Magic feels good, but sometimes feeling too much magic too fast makes me unbearably aroused.
5 I’m really not trying to seduce anyone, it just happens!
6 I hate bad weather and go to great lengths to avoid it.

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System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Lommán’s Bonanza of Backgrounds: Weaveclothed Copyright 2022, Malachite Idol; Author Patrick Johnson.

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