5e to 3.5: Converting the Amber Temple to Binder Ready Vesti

[Urik Von Derleath]

The title says it all. I’m trying to convert the vestiges found in the amber temple into suitable Vestiges for binding in 3.5. A few even already exist, Tenebrous, Savnok, and Dahlver-Nar are all found in Tome of Magic. So the question is, if you were going to convert the others, how would you do it?

[Mischief]

Can you clarify your end goal?

Are you trying to convert the curse mechanics [e.g. x uses of y spell in 5e to z uses of spell in 3.5e]?

Convert their identities?

Decide how to fit the vestiges into the cosmology of the greater Ravenloft setting?

Convert the Amber Temple encounters?

----

The vestiges as trapped evil beings, perhaps sealed by a group of guardians that the ancestors of the wereravens helped, is a pretty decent backstory. If it were me, I'd remove the vestiges that have prior named identities because they come with story baggage and make them all new.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Can you clarify your end goal?

I think I can clarify his end goal.

In the 3.5e supplement Tome of Magic, there is a class called a binder, and it uses special magic to interact with vestiges, the last remains of powerful entities. The vestige so bound grants certain powers, but it can also have minor untoward effects on the binder if the pact is made poorly.

As I understand it, Urik von Derleath wishes to take the entities in the Amber Temple and make them available for use by binders.

[Mischief]

Can you clarify your end goal?

I think I can clarify his end goal.

In the 3.5e supplement Tome of Magic, there is a class called a binder, and it uses special magic to interact with vestiges, the last remains of powerful entities. The vestige so bound grants certain powers, but it can also have minor untoward effects on the binder if the pact is made poorly.

As I understand it, Urik von Derleath wishes to take the entities in the Amber Temple and make them available for use by binders.

My lack of 3.5 knowledge shows. My helpfulness is limited, but for anyone else, here's the list of Vestiges in CoS with summaries of gifts and drawbacks, copied from someone else's doc I downloaded a couple years back. (I haven't cross-compared with the books for accuracy but I assume so.)

VIEW CONTENT:

The Dark Gifts of The Amber Temple

● Dark gift of Fekre, Queen of Poxes
○ Cast contagion as an action.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ The beneficiary reeks of filth.

● Dark gift of Zrin-Hala, the Howling Storm
○ Cast lightning bolt as an action.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ One side of the beneficiary’s face sags and goes numb.

● Dark gift of Sykane, the Soul Hungerer
○ Cast raise dead as an action.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ Beneficiary’s eyes glow sickly-yellow.
○ Gains the flaw, “If I help someone, I expect payment in return.”

● Dark gift of Savnok the Inscrutible
○ The beneficiary gains benefits of the mind blank spell. FOR A YEAR.
○ Beneficiary’s eyes melt away, leaving empty eye sockets that can still see.

● Dark gift of Tarakamedes, the Grave Wyrm
○ Beneficiary grows skeletal wings, and a fly speed of 50 ft.
○ Beneficiary must consume at least 1 pound of bones or grave dirt daily by dawn or DIE.

● Dark gift of Shami-Amourae, the Lady of Delights
○ Cast suggestion as an action.
○ Saving throws against it have disadvantage.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ Beneficiary grows an extra finger on each hand, and the flaw, “I can’t get enough pleasure. I desire others to create beauty for me at all times.”

● Dark gift of Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider
○ Beneficiary gains benefits of spider climb ability.
○ Beneficiary grows an extra eye somewhere on its body, which is blind and ever open.

● Dark gift of Dahlver-Nar, He of the Many Teeth
○ Beneficiary instantly reincarnates when it dies, a new body appearing within 10 feet of the previous one.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ Beneficiary loses all of their teeth until it reincarnates for the 3rd and final time.

● Dark gift of Zantras, the Kingmaker
○ Beneficiary’s Charisma score increases by 4, to a total of 22.
○ Gains the flaw, “I won’t take no for an answer.”

● Dark gift of Delban, the Star of Ice and Hate
○ Cast cone of cold as an action.
○ Can be used a total of 7 times.
○ Beneficiary gains benefits of a ring of warmth.
○ Gains the flaw, “Fire terrifies me.”

● Dark gift of Khirad, the Star of Secrets
○ Cast scrying as an action.
○ Can be used a total of 3 times.
○ Beneficiary’s voice becomes a low whisper, and its smile becomes cruel and evil.

● Dark gift of Yrrga, the Eye of Shadows
○ Beneficiary gains truesight for 60 feet.
○ Lasts for 30 days.
○ Beneficiary’s eyes become starry voids.
○ Gains the flaw, “I believe that all life is pointless and look forward to death when it finally comes.”

● Dark gift of Great Taar Haak, the Five-Headed Destroyer
○ Beneficiary gains benefits of a belt of fire giant strength (STR score to 25).
○ Lasts for 10 days.
○ Gains the flaw, “I like to bully others and make them feel weak and inferior.”

● Dark gift of Yog the Invincible
○ Beneficiary’s hit point maximum increases by 30.
○ Lasts for 10 days.
○ Oily black fur covers the beneficiary’s face and body.

● Dark gift of Norganas, the Finger of Oblivion
○ Cast finger of death as an action.
○ Can be used 3 times, after which beneficiary must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or drop to 0 hit points.
○ Beneficiary’s blood turns black and viscous, like tar.

● Dark gift of Vaund the Evasive
○ Gains benefits of an amulet of proof against detection and location and a ring of evasion.
○ Lasts for 10 days.
○ Beneficiary becomes twitchy and nervous, gains the flaw, “I can’t give a straight answer to any question put to me.”

● Dark gift of Seriach, the Hell Hound Whisperer
○ Can summon and control 2 hell hounds as an action, both appearing at once.
○ Can be used only once, gift vanishes when they die.
○ Beneficiary can speak Infernal, and a sulfurous smoke issues from their pores when they speak it.

● Dark gift of the Vampyr
○ A humanoid of evil alignment must accept this gift.
○ Beneficiary becomes aware of the following conditions to be met in order to gain this gift:
○ Slay another humanoid that loves or reveres him/her, then drinks the dead humanoid’s blood within 1 hour of slaying it.
○ Die a violent death at the hands of one or more creatures that hate it.
○ Beneficiary then instantly becomes a vampire (under the DM’s control by the book’s instructions).
○ Gains the flaw, “I am surrounded by hidden enemies that seek to destroy me. I can’t trust anyone.”

● Dark gift of Tenebrous
○ A humanoid of evil alignment that can cast 9th-level wizard spells must accept this gift.
○ Beneficiary becomes aware of instructions to perform in order to gain this gift:
○ Craft a phylactery and imbue it with the power to contain the beneficiary’s soul.
○ Takes 10 days.
○ Concoct a potion of transformation that turns the beneficiary into a lich.
○ Takes 3 days.
○ Items cannot be crafted concurrently.
○ Upon drinking the potion, beneficiary immediately turns into a lich (under the DM’s control by the book’s instructions).
○ Gains the flaw, “All I care about is acquiring new magic and arcane knowledge.”

● Dark gift of Zhudun, the Corpse Star
○ Can cast resurrection on a dead creature, no matter how long it’s been dead.
○ Can be used only once.
○ Beneficiary gains a corpselike appearance, and is easily mistaken for an undead.

Also potentially of interest for ideas.

"Gifts" received from the Vestiges when you choose their free revival service instead of having a party member do it or paying a misanthropic green hag or the fleshcrafting Abbot who wants a wedding dress (and bits of you, and Irena's face) to make Strahd's bride. (Adventurer's League PDF Download link)

[Urik Von Derleath]

The title says it all. I’m trying to convert the vestiges found in the amber temple into suitable Vestiges for binding in 3.5. A few even already exist, Tenebrous,
Savnok, and Dahlver-Nar are all found in Tome of Magic. So the question is, if you were going to convert the others, how would you do it?

In the 3.5e supplement Tome of Magic, there is a class called a binder, and it uses special magic to interact with vestiges, the last remains of powerful entities. The vestige so bound grants certain powers, but it can also have minor untoward effects on the binder if the pact is made poorly.

As I understand it, Urik von Derleath wishes to take the entities in the Amber Temple and make them available for use by binders.

Exactly, it allows the use of The Amber Temple in 3.5 in a way that is still meaningful AND when the binder is eventually reintroduced in 5e, it can give us a jump start on the update.

[Resonant Curse]

Dragon Magazine had some additional vestiges you could look at like Primus and Kas.