Sorrow Carriers
Sorrow carriers are macabre and bizarre constructs. At first
glance, they might appear to be slightly larger than an
average raven when viewed from a distance. However, upon
closer examination, their artificial nature becomes evident.
They are constructed from a framework of bones and wood,
held together by materials such as yarn, leather, or sinewy
tendons. Their wings are crafted from strips of cloth and
black feathers, creating an eerie yet intricate appearance.
Instead of traditional beaks, sorrow carriers feature thin,
needle-like protrusions. These needles are connected by
intestines or vines to a large container within the creature's
chest cavity. This container can vary in material, ranging from
clay pottery to leather bags, and serves as a core component
of their function.
Sorrow carriers possess a unique ability to absorb and
dispose of woe and misery from mortal beings. This
encompasses a wide range of sadness, whether it stems from
the loss of a loved one, failure in duty or service, or betrayal
by a trusted individual. Through an extraordinary procedure,
sorrow carriers can alleviate these emotional burdens,
offering a peculiar form of relief to those they encounter.
Taker of Anguish. A sorrow carrier employs its needle-like
beak to penetrate a person overwhelmed by grief, extracting
the emotions and storing them in its internal container. This
procedure significantly alleviates the afflicted individual's
emotional burden, making them feel as though a significant
weight has been lifted from their shoulders.
However, this process is not without its potentially lethal
risks. The container within the sorrow carrier holds a pure,
concentrated form of sorrow it has extracted. If the sorrow
carrier is destroyed and its container breached, this
concentrated sorrow seeks out the nearest individual to
inhabit. This sudden transfer can overwhelm the recipient
with intense anguish in an instant, potentially causing severe
mental trauma or even death to those unprepared for such a
potent influx of emotion.
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
To mitigate these dangers, sorrow carriers are
compelled to dispose of the collected sadness in remote,
isolated locations. Some of this sorrow is deposited at the
borders of dark, otherworldly realms, while other portions
are delivered to specially constructed wells. These wells are
repositories of immense misery and sorrow, and any who
drink from them or fall into their depths are subjected to
unimaginable despair.
Mysterious Purpose & Origin. The origins and purposes
of sorrow carriers remain shrouded in mystery. These
constructs traverse the lands, offering relief to those
burdened by emotional pain, transporting these emotions to
the farthest reaches of the world and even beyond. The
creators of these beings and the entities they currently serve
are subjects of speculation and rumor. There are whispers
suggesting that sorrow carriers were fashioned by malevolent
entities from shadowy realms, implying that their apparent
acts of kindness—removing sadness from individuals—mask
a more sinister agenda. It's speculated that these harvested
emotions serve a darker purpose.
Among the most unsettling legends is the notion of a
Raven Goddess, a deity characterized by her dark, destructive
love, who is particularly fixated on the heartache associated
with romantic love. This has led to observations that sorrow
carriers often appear to those suffering from the pains of
love. A theory exists suggesting that by removing an
individual's pain, the person doesn't learn from their
experiences or the consequences of their actions, thereby
dooming them to repeat their mistakes and perpetuate a
cycle of destructive love.
For those curious about the ultimate fate of the emotions
collected by the sorrow carriers, their quest often ends in
vain. Locations where these emotions are believed to be
discarded are fiercely guarded by numerous sorrow carriers.
Intruders risk being attacked by these constructs, which
inject them with a fraction of the stored sorrow,
overwhelming them with despair. To encounter a group, or
"murder," of sorrow carriers, is to endure profound misery.
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 Sorrow Carrier
Small construct, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (-2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Int +1
Skills Investigation +3, Insight +6, Perception +6
Damage Immunities psychic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses truesight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive
Perception 16
Languages speaks the languages of its creator.
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Death Sorrow. When the sorrow carrier dies, it
releases the sadness it was carrying. The nearest
humanoid creature within 100 feet of the sorrow
carrier must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw,
taking 21 (6d6) psychic damage and becoming
overcome with sorrow on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one without
becoming overcome with sorrow. A creature
overcome with sorrow has disadvantage on attack
rolls and ability checks if another creature is within
5 feet of it and isn't incapacitated. A creature can
take an action to make a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight)
check, ending the sorrow on a success.
Actions
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 7 (2d6)
psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC
13 Wisdom saving throw or become overcome with
sorrow as described in the Death Sorrow trait.
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This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Different Types of Sorrow
Sorrow bearers can have different types of sadness stored
within them, representing the different types of sadness they
have collected. This can make an encounter with different
sorrow bearers more interesting as the players have to
contend with the different types of sadness and their effects.
A regular sorrow bearer carries the Sorrow of Betrayal by
default, but you can switch it with any of the sorrows listed
below.
A creature can only suffer from one type of sorrow at a
time.
Sorrow of Betrayal
The creature feels the heavy burden of betrayal by those it
once trusted, causing unease towards those who approach.
The creature suffers disadvantage on attack rolls and
ability checks when another creature is within 5 feet of it and
is not incapacitated.
Sorrow of Loneliness
The creature experiences profound abandonment, finding the
presence of companions insufficient to stave off the feeling of
isolation.
The creature has disadvantage on attacks and checks
unless at least one of the creature's allies is within 5 feet of
the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Sorrow of Failure
The creature endures the anguish of failing an important task
or duty, with every misstep or defeat plunging it deeper into
despair.
Whenever the creature misses an attack or fails a check, it
suffers disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until
the end of its next turn.
Sorrow of Grief
The creature feel the dread of losing someone close to them
that they care dearly about, losing or seeing anyone, friend or
foe, up on the brink of death sends a creature into a panic.
Whenever the creature witnesses another creature dying
or being reduced to 0 hit points, it suffers disadvantage on
attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn.
Sorrow Carrier Adventures Sorrow Carrier Loot
d4 Adventure Hook The valuable items looted from sorrow carriers will generally
The Sorrow Theft: A powerful figure hires the
come from whatever can be harvested from them. This
adventurers after experiencing a strange form of theft: harvesting can usually be done using a Wisdom (Survival)
their capacity to feel sorrow has been stolen, leaving or Intelligence (Nature) check. However, you may allow
1 them emotionally imbalanced and dangerously players proficient with specific tools to harvest items related
detached. The party must track down a rogue sorrow to that tool. For example, a character might make a Wisdom
carrier that's absorbing emotions not to alleviate pain, (Carver’s Tools) check to harvest the wood scraps from the
but to serve a darker purpose. sorrow carrier
The Wells of Despair: Rumors tell of wells filled with the Sorrow Carrier Loot Table
pure essence of sorrow, where Sorrow Carriers dispose The following table describes the number of items and value
2 of their collected woes. When a well near a village of those items the players are able to loot depending on the
overflows, the inhabitants begin to succumb to result of their check or the results of your roll. If they're
overwhelming despair. making checks, you can have them make a separate check for
Echoes of the Past: The party encounters a Sorrow each creature they're looting or use one check for multiple
Carrier that is centuries old, carrying the sorrows of a creatures at once to save time.
3 long-forgotten tragedy. This ancient sorrow begins to
seep into the land, resurrecting ghostly apparitions and Sorrow Carrier Loot Table
reliving the events that led to the construct's creation. Looting Check Result or 1d20 + 3 Loot
Harvest of Tears: An alchemist has discovered a way to 1-5 1 5gp Item
manipulate the essence of sorrow collected by Sorrow
Carriers, intending to use it as a component in a 6-9 1d4(2) 5gp Items
4
powerful elixir. However, the alchemist's experiments 10-16 1 10gp Item
have unintended consequences, leading to outbreaks
of acute melancholy in nearby towns. 17-21 1d4(2) 10gp Items
22+ 1d4(2) 20gp Items
Sorrow Carrier Tactics
Sorrow carriers behave reactively and possess limited Example Sorrow Carrier Loot Names
intelligence, focusing on guarding a specified area or object You can give the different types of items unique names based
or delivering their sorrow to a designated location. on their material and value to help differentiate them from
Attack Pattern. Their behavior in combat is generally one another. The following tables provide some example
predictable and follows the following order: names.
Start by inflicting the initial transgressor (usually the Example Sorrow Carrier Item Names
creature at the forefront of a group) with sorrow. 1d4 5gp Item 10gp Item 20gp Item
Work your way through the group, inflicting everyone with 1 Cracked Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow Carrier
sorrow. (Bone) Carrier Beak Carrier Beak Beak of Despair
Once everyone is inflicted with sorry, focus on the nearest
creature suffering from disadvantage caused by the 2 Tattered Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow Carrier
specific type of sorrow the carrier spreads. (Cloth) Carrier Wing Carrier Wing Wing of Despair

Retreat. Upon being reduced to one-third of their 3 Tattered Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow Carrier Skin
maximum health (approximately 17 HP), sorrow carriers will (Hide) Carrier Skin Carrier Skin of Despair
attempt to flee. This instinctual retreat is driven by their Sorrow Carrier
imperative to prevent the dispersal of the sorrow they bear 4 Rotted Sorrow Sorrow
Bone Hide of
into the broader world. (Wood) Carrier Bone Carrier Bone
Despair

Art Credit
Crow of Dark Tidings
(Shadows Over Innistrad Remastered)
- Simon Dominic, Wizards of the Coast
Crow of Dark Tidings
(Shadows Over Innistrad)
- Tianhua X, Wizards of the Coast
Carrion Crow - Aaron Miller,
Wizards of the Coast

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This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.