Oath of the Dragon Vassal

The Dragon Oath Paladin was a faction subclass derived from the paladin class. Naturally, like any paladin, they needed to swear an oath and channel its power to cast oath spells. [Please create the oath for the faction subclass.] Cassius pondered for a moment. Taking into account the specific circumstances of the Kingdom of Cinders, he drew inspiration from the Oath of Conquest. Flames danced wildly through the air, forming erratic lines of fiery text: Tenets of the Dragon Vassal A paladin who takes the Oath of the Dragon Vassal brands the Tenets of the Dragon Vassal onto their upper arm. Douse the Flame of Hope: It is not enough to merely defeat an enemy in battle. Your overwhelming victory must be decisive enough to shatter their will to fight forever. A blade can only end a life, but fear can end an entire nation. Rule with an Iron Fist: Once conquest is achieved, tolerate no dissent. Those who abide by the kingdom's order shall be favored and elevated; those who defy it shall be punished and reduced to ash as a warning to all. The Dragon Lord Above All: Cassius Claubau Norixius is the sole sovereign of your bloodline, mind, and soul. You must obey every command of the red dragon without condition until the end of time, or face your own destruction. Cassius commanded: "Recite your oath." "Yes, Master." Half-kneeling on the ground, Fried looked up at the burning words hovering in midair. His mind suddenly drifted back to the moment twelve years ago when he had sworn the oath to become a Lionheart Knight. Back then, Archduke Leo, still in his prime, had just accomplished the great feat of the Lionheart Alliance. With spirits soaring, the archduke had laid a sword upon his shoulder, bestowing the supreme glory of a Lionheart Knight. Now, times had changed. He had become the vassal of an evil dragon that made the entire Northlands tremble, poised to serve as the red dragon's claw in conquering the world. Yet in his heart, Fried felt only wistful reflection, nothing deeply conflicted. After facing his true self, he understood clearly that he was merely a man driven by self-interest—never the kind of knight Tariq had hoped him to be. Calmly, he recited the oath: "Douse the flame of hope, rule with an iron fist, the Dragon Lord above all." With the crackle and hiss of burning, the three tenets of flame branded themselves into his upper arm, leaving blackened marks that faintly glowed with ember light. "Very good." The red dragon pressed the sharp tip of a claw against Fried's arm. Even without exerting force, it pierced the skin, and blood welled from the puncture. The blood made the oath on Fried's arm flare with fire. It bonded with the red dragon's power, forming a tether to the dragon's magical essence, ultimately forging unique oath spells. And this was the function of the Oath of the Dragon Vassal. The faction subclass construction was complete. Dragon Oath Paladin: [Dragon Oath Paladins are a unique breed of paladins. Some seek immense power, some pursue longevity, and others hunger for war and conquest, craving the baptism of blood and fire. Yet they all share one thing in common: allegiance to the master of the Kingdom of Cinders, the red dragon Cassius. Having forsaken their former righteousness, Dragon Oath Paladins adorn their armor with trophies taken from fallen foes and deliver the cruellest deaths by fire to their enemies, serving as a terrifying warning to anyone who dares defy the decrees of their Dragon Lord. Unlike ordinary paladin oaths, those who break this oath do not become Oathbreakers; instead, their bodies and souls burn simultaneously, dying in the most agonizing manner imaginable. When a dragon's roar echoes across the land and the Dragon Oath Paladins emerge in ranks from the horizon, they show no mercy, meting out the most horrific ends to their foes as a blood offering to their Dragon Lord.] [In addition to the paladin's base features, the Dragon Oath Paladin gains extra features:] [At 3rd level, you gain the features: Dragon Oath Spells; Channel Dragon Power: Draconic Majesty; Channel Dragon Power: Dragon Bond] [Draconic Majesty: You can use your Channel Dragon Power to exude a terrifying presence. If an enemy fails their saving throw, they fall into Trembling Dread for up to one minute.] [Dragon Bond: You can use your Channel Dragon Power to forge dragon-blood chains linking yourself to other Dragon Oath Paladins. You will split all damage taken among yourselves, and whenever damage is suffered, the dragon-blood chains will unleash flames, continuously searing nearby enemies.] [At 6th level, you gain the feature granted by your Sacred Oath: Advent of the Dragon Lord] Advent of the Dragon Lord When twelve or more Dragon Oath Paladins recite the Sacred Oath of the Dragon Vassal in unison, they can summon a phantom red dragon formed of fire, which can serve as a vessel for Cassius's will to descend. The phantom's appearance and abilities are an exact replica of Cassius's, with its power determined by the number and strength of the Dragon Oath Paladins invoking it, capped at Cassius's true body. [At 9th level, you gain the feature granted by your Sacred Oath: Aura of Searing Flame] Aura of Searing Flame As long as you are not incapacitated, you continuously emit an Aura of Searing Flame. This aura causes the surrounding temperature to spike drastically, increases fire damage, inflicts the burned condition on enemies, and grants allies an exhilarated effect. When enough Dragon Oath Paladins project this aura simultaneously, it can even trigger a volcanic eruption. After browsing through the Dragon Oath Paladin's details, Cassius exhaled a plume of sulfurous breath. "A very fine faction subclass." "And it even feels somewhat familiar." After a moment's contemplation, Cassius commanded Fried to use his newly acquired abilities. "Yes, Master." Naturally, Fried obeyed without question, releasing that power. Channel Dragon Power: Draconic Majesty. A familiar dragon fear radiated from him, though it was vanishingly faint compared to the red dragon's. "Continue." Channel Dragon Power: Dragon Bond. A crimson spectral chain coiled around his body, radiating searing heat, though there was no other target to connect with. Cassius watched the display of these abilities, his eyes narrowing slightly as an unusual gleam flashed in his golden slit pupils. "Just as I thought." "This is an extension of my own power." Now that this faction subclass was created, Cassius felt his power gain a certain extension, capable of transmitting through bloodline bonds into these Dragon Oath Paladins. Every time Fried invoked a spell of the Dragon Vassal Oath, Cassius would be able to feel the presence of that power. This was no theft of his own power, but rather an extension and manifestation of the red dragon's formidable magical essence. 'This form is almost like...' 'Divine magic?' Cassius mused. Yet deities were still far too distant for him. For now, he took far more satisfaction in the birth of another powerful faction subclass—another tremendous asset for the Kingdom of Cinders. "Fried, I order you to construct the Dragon Oath Hall in Northwind Keep and train more Dragon Oath Paladins as quickly as possible." "Yes, Master." Fried dropped to one knee and readily accepted the command.