Joe Talo

Joe Talo arrived in this land as a refugee from a distant country shrouded in mystical tradition, bearing upon his face the distinctive serpent markings that branded him as either blessed or cursed depending on who you asked. Born with an innate gift for sorcery that manifested through an uncontrollable compulsion—the ability to bend the wills of those around him through mere words—Joe discovered early that his gift came with a terrible price: he could never silence the power that flowed from his lips, even when he desperately wished to. Raised by a mentor who taught him to disguise his commands within the language of cooking ingredients, Joe learned to communicate in a code that would confuse outsiders while allowing him to navigate a world terrified of his abilities. The constant strain of wielding such raw power took its toll, scarring his throat with each command and forcing him to carefully calculate whether bending someone's will was worth the physical agony that followed. Wearing the practical uniform of a traveling scholar, Joe drifted between settlements as a chaotic neutral wanderer, sometimes using his gift to help those in need and other times wielding it for his own gain, never quite certain which impulse would win out. His greatest fear became the discovery that his voice could be recorded and replayed, turning him into an unwilling weapon that could be deployed long after he'd moved on, and his greatest hope was finding someone who could teach him to control the blessing that had defined his entire existence.

Strength

10, modifier 0

Dexterity

14, modifier 2

Constitution

14, modifier 2

Intelligence

16, modifier 3

Wisdom

12, modifier 1

Charisma

20, modifier 5

Spell Suggestion

Joe commands a target within 20 meters to follow a simple command. Roll a d20; if higher than target's Wisdom save, they obey. Damage dealt is 1d10 if successful, but if they resist, Joe takes 1d10 damage.

Ingredient Speech

Joe can communicate using food ingredients, allowing him to confuse enemies and allies alike. This grants advantage on Deception checks.

Voice of Agony

After using his ability, Joe suffers 1d4 damage to his throat, increasing to 1d8 if the command was complex or against a stronger foe.

Echoing Command

Joe can record his commands and play them back later. This allows him to use his ability without speaking, but it requires a device and can be used once per long rest.

Serpent's Blessing

Grants automatic spell suggestion, compelling others to follow commands.

strength

0

dexterity

2

constitution

2

intelligence

3

wisdom

1

charisma

5

Psychic