Planegea - Alpha Pre-Release PDF 2022-03-08 (Reduced Size) [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

DAV I D SO M E RV I LLE

E LEAS E R Y PRE COP A H ALP IC UBL P R FO NOT ASE RELE

5E

Discover a primal world of kinetic action, primordial horror, & mystic awe in this prehistoric campaign guide for Fifth Edition 1

Discover a world of kinetic action, primordial horror, & mystic wonder in this prehistoric campaign setting for 5th Edition roleplaying adventures.

BY DAVID SOMERVILLE

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For my grandmothers, law and chaos embodied, who passed from life to life during the writing of this book.

Creative Team Author: David Somerville Special Thanks: Daniel Gable (monster development) and Fin Prindle (ascendant class concept & development) Creative Consultants: Alex DuFault, Daniel Gable, Zack Grunewald, Connor Gwilliam, Jeffrey Martin, Avalon Barclay, Daniel Palmer, Fin Prindle, Sam Reno, Pedro Lhullier Rosa, Bryan Scott, Beau Severson, & Michael Somerville Cultural Consultant: Zoë Edwards The term Dinosaur Master is abbreviated as DM throughout this book.

Inspiration & Other Media 10,000 BC (2008 film) 1491 by Charles C. Mann Adventure Time with Finn & Jake (2010 show) Alpha (2018 film) Apocalypto (2006 film) The Appendix N Book Club (podcast) “A Story of the Stone Age” by H.G. Wells At the Earth’s Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001 film) Battle in the Dawn by Manly Wade Wellman Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel The Croods (2013 film) Dawn of Man (2018 game) Early Man (2018 film) Far Cry Primal (2016 game) The Flintstones (1960 series) Food—A Culinary Cultural History Podcast (podcast) Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal (2019) History of the World Podcast (podcast) King Kong (2005) Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017 game) Living in the Stone Age (podcast) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015 film) Many Waters by Madeleine L’Engle The Manifest Zone (podcast) Midsommar (2019 film) Moana (2016 film) Prehi/stories (podcast) Quest for Fire (1981 film) Road to El Dorado (2000 film) Stuff to Blow Your Mind (podcast) The Time Machine (2002 film) West of Eden by Harry Harrison

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CONTENTS PREFACE.......................7 Call to Adventure ......................8

1. WELCOME TO PLANEGEA.............. 9 In This Book ............................ 10 Answer the Howl........................11

Ranger..................................... 61 Scavenger (Rogue)................62 Shaman (Cleric)......................62 Sorcerer..................................63 Spellskin (Wizard)................ 65 Warlock.................................. 65

6. BACKGROUNDS........74 PART I: FOR THE PLAYER 2. CLANFIRE & WILDERNESS............... 15 Three Themes............................ 15 Prehistoric Fantasy................... 16 Clanfire......................................... 17 Clan Life................................... 18 Rhythms of the Clan.............. 19 Wilderness..................................22 A World on the Move.............23 Wilderness Survival..............23

3. PREHISTORIC CHARACTERS.............. 31 A Prehistoric Life........................ 31 Planegean Player Options �������32 Star Stories.............................32 Primal Push.............................32 Trinkets........................................37

4. KINSHIPS.................39 Primordial Kinships...................39 Dwarf.......................................39 Elf............................................. 40 Halfling.................................... 41 Human.....................................42 Dragonborn........................... 43 Godmarked (Tiefling)........... 44 Gnome.................................... 44 Half-Elf.................................... 45 Orc (Half-Orc)........................ 46 Planegean Kinships...................47 Dreas........................................47 Half-Ooze............................... 49 Saurian.................................... 51 Starling................................... 54

5. CLASSES..................57 Classes, Reimagined.................57 Ascetic (Monk).......................57 Barbarian............................... 58 Chanter (Bard) .......................59 Druid....................................... 60 Fighter.................................... 60 Guardian (Paladin)................. 61

Ape Clan.......................................75 Apprentice..................................76 Bear Clan.....................................77 Captive.........................................78 Caretaker....................................79 Chieftain’s Kin............................ 80 Crafter.......................................... 81 Edgegather.................................82 Free Citadel................................ 83 Gatherer..................................... 84 Hunter......................................... 85 Keeper of Beasts....................... 86 Lion Clan......................................87 Outcast....................................... 88 Raider.......................................... 89 Savant......................................... 90 Seerfall........................................ 91 Storyteller...................................92 Trader...........................................93 Whale Clan................................. 94

7. EQUIPMENT & TRADE........................ 95 Barter.......................................... 95 Languages.................................. 96 Armor...........................................97 Weapons.....................................97 Adventuring Gear..................... 98

8. SPELLS..................100 Altered Spells........................... 101 Blood Magic .............................. 101 Spell Lists..................................102 Spell Descriptions................... 104

PART II: FOR THE DUNGEON MASTER 9. PLANEGEA ADVENTURES............105 Your Own Planegea.................105 Break the World........................105 Using This Chapter...................105 Themes..................................... 106 Kinetic Action...................... 106 Primordial Horror............... 106

Mystic Wonder.....................107 Wilderness Tools.................... 108 Moving Land........................ 108 Wilderness Dice Drop......... 112 Journey Dungeons.............. 118 Clan Tools..................................123 Clan Creation........................123 Encampment Dice Drop ����128 The Clanfire...........................129 Taming & Training................ 131 Clan Travel............................ 140 Adventure Environments ����� 146 Aberrant Vaults................... 146 Apex Domains..................... 146 Dwarvish Ruins................... 146 Roving Forests.................... 146 Passages to Nod................. 146 Spellskin Sanctums............ 146 Tomb-Lands........................ 146 Genre Tropes........................... 146 Villainous Schemes............ 146 Genre Adventures.............. 146

10. THE PRIMAL WORLD.....................147 Cosmology................................147 The Sky......................................147 Blood Mountain....................... 148 The Venom Abyss................... 148 The Great Valley...................... 149 The World-Fangs......................155 The Giant Empires...................155 The Elemental Wastes............157 The Sea of Stars.......................158 Nod.............................................158 The Kingdom of the Dead �����158

11. FACTIONS & THREATS................... 159 Factions.....................................159 The Brother Clans................159 The Council of Day.............. 166 Direstaves............................ 168 Free Citadel..........................170 Kraia’s Children.................... 172 Scavengers Vow.................. 173 Seerfall..................................175 The Sign of the Hare............179 Venomguard........................ 180 The Whale Clan.................... 181 The Worldsingers................182 Threats..................................... 184 The Giant Empires.............. 184 The Brood ............................ 188 Kelodhros Ascendant......... 191 Fiendish Gods......................193

Vyrkha the Shepherd ........ 196 Duru...................................... 199 The Recusance.....................201 The Gift of Thirst.................204 Craven of the.............................. Kraken Coast................... 207 Throne of Nightmares....... 209 The Crawling Awful ............ 213 Deepthought........................215 Nazh-Agaa............................. 217

12. TREASURES......... 221 Magic Items.............................. 222 Magic Masks............................. 222 Magic Item Descriptions........ 222

13. GODS & MONSTERS................233 Primordial Monsters.............. 233 Gods.......................................... 237 Creating a God......................... 237 Bestiary.................................... 247 Arctusk ................................ 247 Batface.................................248 Dinosaurs............................. 250 Dire Sloth............................. 255 Ghost Monkey..................... 256 Giant Armadillo................... 257 Glunch.................................. 259 Gods.......................................261 Horse-Ape............................ 277 Iramuk................................... 278 Kelodhrosians..................... 279 Knucklecrown .................... 283 Lapiscat................................284 Laughing Boar .................... 285 Manylegs.............................. 286 Simbakubwa ....................... 292 Stickymouth........................ 293 Swordquill............................ 294 Terror Birds.......................... 294 Tricerataur........................... 296 Visitants............................... 297 Woolly Unicorn ...................300 NPCs...........................................301

APPENDIX: NAME GENERATOR.............307 INDEX....................... 308

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PREFACE

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OUGHLY TWELVE YEARS BEFORE THIS BOOK began and twelve thousand years after Earth’s last ice age ended, I was newly married and living in a basement apartment in Maryland. One Saturday, my wife arranged for my two older brothers to appear from nowhere, throw me in a Jeep, and drive me to the biggest theater they could find so we could watch a movie I’d been itching to see: Roland Emmerich’s prehistoric spectacle, 10,000 BC. I can’t say for sure whether or not 10,000 BC is a good movie. I haven’t watched it since, and I don’t plan to, because the experience of being suddenly and unexpectedly thrown into that primordial world of great beasts and adventure is one of the closest things I’ve ever had to actually getting sucked into a magic portal. All I know is that it made an impression, and I can still remember lines, moments, and feelings from it all these years later. Wise words about drawing circles. A saber-toothed cat in a rainy jungle. The awe of a city, seen for the first time by Stone Age eyes. A decade later, my wife and I (now with two daughters and a son) were preparing to embark on a nomadic adventure of our own. We had decided Washington, D.C. was not where we wanted to raise our kids, so I’d left my dream job as the creative directer of a magazine, we’d bought a truck and an RV (a 2011 Keystone Cougar), and were preparing to drive across America in search of a home. While I was taming the beast that would become our house on wheels, Keith Baker released Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron and with it, The Manifest Zone podcast. I had stumbled across tabletop RPGs in the intervening years, but had only played in homebrew adventures, so Keith’s world was totally new to me. I listened to his podcast hungrily, fascinated by both his approach to world-building as well as the origin of the setting—the 2002 Fantasy Setting Search, where a certain Seattle-based publisher summoned more than 10,000 worlds from thin air with a call to submit a new setting for everyone’s favorite role-playing game. Listening to Keith unpack his brilliant setting, I couldn’t help but wonder if such a call went out again, what sort of world I might put forward. I wanted to follow in Keith’s footsteps, to create a place where everything that was in Fifth Edition had a home… just maybe not the one you’d expect. I wanted it to feel meaningfully different from medieval fantasy and steampunk and science fiction, but still be recognizable, iconic, and easily grasped. I wrote down a few ideas, and one stood out: prehistoric fantasy. I ran a quick playtest session with my brother (who had driven the getaway car to the theater ten years earlier). He created an orc ranger named Ush, and made the first footsteps in the snows of Planegea. We set off on our RV trip like hunter-gatherers, hunting for a home and gathering experiences. As we traveled, I studied prehistoric history and fantasy, reading Wells and Auel and listening to podcasts about flint-knapping, basket fishing, and the invention of music. I saw actual dinosaur footprints and whirling petroglyphs, and tried a couple of

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different treatments of the setting, but couldn’t quite fix on what you would do in a world like that, once you got there and figured out your next meal. Then I stumbled across the concept of Appendix N and the Appendix N Book Club podcast. Gary Gygax’s list of books that inspired the game we love was a revelation to me, and through the Book Club’s skillful discussion, I was able to parse the meaning of sword & sorcery, a term I had never really grasped before. I came to better understand the kinds of adventures that had fueled the earliest iterations of the game—and how far we’ve come since then. I worked to create a setting that could tell smoky, dangerous stories full of personal heroism, inspired more by Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser than Frodo and Aragorn, full of powerful antagonists to tangle with and strange locations to stumble into without much of a plan at all. As we found and settled into our new home on the Gulf Coast, where pelicans glide over sun-warmed water, the final two pieces of the setting clicked into place, with the concept of the Black Taboos and the release of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal. The Black Taboos solved a problem I’d faced every time I tried to explain the setting (“No, it’s not ooga-booga, me make fire. Your character can be smart in the Stone Age… yes, okay, I do see how hitting things with clubs is funny, but I think it could be cool to do more!”) and Primal was a perfect example of what prehistoric sword & sorcery looked like played out with a bold and vivid imagination. In the end—which was also the beginning—I wrote a treatment about a fantasy world locked into a Stone Age by unexplained metaphysical forces, where the planes of existence were still traversable by foot, and in which all the vivid life of Fifth Edition adventures could be experienced anew. I scribbled out a map and shared it, and was overwhelmed by enthusiasm for the idea. Strangers set up subreddits and Discord servers, demanding that I post more detail about the setting there. I did, and this book is the result. I want to thank every member of r/planegea and the Planegea Discord server for your inexhaustible curiosity and brilliant ideas, the hosts of the Appendix N Book Club for explaining sword & sorcery to me, Keith Baker for his masterclass in what makes settings tick, my brothers for yanking me out of this world all those years ago, and my brilliant, inspiring wife for getting all of this started. I hope this book sparks new kinds of adventures at your table. If one person who reads it winds up falling through the millennia into saber-toothed adventures like I did, it will have been well worth it. Yours in wonder,

David Somerville, Author

YOU THERE!

Yes, YOU—with the bemused expression and the strange eyes. Come closer, warm yourself by the fire. I thought I’d seen everything, but I don’t recognize your mode of dress or style of speech. From what part of the world do hail? … I see. An unexpected answer. I myself am not of this land originally. Once I danced in the heavens, a star among stars. But then I fell, and since then I have made it my life’s work to learn all that I can of the world in which I find myself.

In you I sense a kindred spirit… you have the look of one in whom gleams the light of curiosity; a sibling-soul, to be sure! Well, if you’ll stay for a while, keep me company until the starlight above turns to dawn’s bright gleam, I’ll sing you a song of this place. For I have traveled its length and breadth, from the choking depths of Brinewaste to the winged cities of the Air Empire. I have held audience with the vampiric Nin in her lava temple, and seen the source of the Everstorm. And in all these places, I have dealt with chieftains and shamans, gods and giants, dragons and dryads and things far stranger, which barely have a name. I’d like to tell you about them, if you’ll listen.

Some of my tale may be hard to believe. They say stars like myself seek to fib and deceive. And perhaps I will stretch the truth for the sake of a story here and there. But I’ll also conceal things too terrible to recount in night’s clawed shadow. Maybe I’ll say more in the morning, should we live that long. Stop. What was that? … Did you hear something in the dark? Something heavy of foot, something hungry? Ah, it must have been the knucklecrown. Pay him no mind. Where was I? No matter, we can begin almost anywhere, there’s so much to tell. I will sing to you of bear gods and lion gods and ape gods, of wandering clans trying to stay ahead of winter, of the doorways into dreams that offer salvation or despair, depending on the whim of the elves on the other side. I will sing to you of kraken cults, of woolly unicorns, of oozes and constructs, and the King of Death himself, in whose halls I have shined my light—the only glow in that infinite dark. If you’re ready to listen, I’m ready to sing. Let me just gather my drum and my string. Ready?

STAR-SHAMAN

Then hear me, and know that I am the and my song is the song of the land of Planegea,

the first­—

and wildest— of all worlds.



PREFACE

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CHAPTER 1

WELCOME TO PLANEGEA The oozing jungle shakes with the thunder and roar of the barbarian atop the awakened mammoth. He whirls his enchanted bone axe, signaling the sorceress soaring above. She folds her wings and dives, ablaze with magic. Tonight, her spells and his rage will at last lay waste to the slimy lair of the tentacled tyrant-lizard and its corrupted brood! Still vibrating with star-magic, the translucent elf scavenger—her edges dreamlike and indistinct—holds her breath. She carries her flint dagger in one hand and her offering of blood in the other as she descends, trailed noiselessly by her ever-silent halfling companion, into the cave of the bear-god. The dwarvish fighter, stony beard glittering with gemstones, and the saurian spellskin bow their heads to receive the clan blessing as they prepare to track the fire-giant slave-raiders. The great clanfire claws at the night sky and the shaman sings of rescue and dawn, but the rocky heart of the dwarf beats only with the drum-song of revenge.

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HIS IS PLANEGEA—A PRIMORDIAL FANTASY campaign setting for 5th Edition, where a dungeon means the curse-painted caves of a cannibal clan, and a mindless, monstrous dragon is as likely to eat you as look at you. Gone are the safe hearths of taverns and libraries, kingdoms and cathedrals. Planegea is a place of utter wildness, where survival is the only law and it must be carved from the world by force of might and magic. Here, you must eat or be eaten. Fashion your own armor from fur, feathers, bone, and stone. Shatter your handcarved blades on the backs of your enemies in savage combat. Hunt primordial beasts, hold your breath as you hide from massive predators, and seek safety in numbers as you journey through an epic world before myth—a land of smoke, song, blades, dreams, blood, and magic.

UNFAMILIAR EVERYTHING

Nothing is as you expect in Planegea. Elves are shimmering dream-walkers, dwarves are half stone, humans are beast-tamers, halflings are silent stalkers, gnomes are filthy scavengers, and dragonborn are just a heartbeat away from their draconic ancestors. There are no great, universal gods—only a patchwork quilt of local deities, often appearing in the shapes you least expect, with powers that are bought with offerings and strange favors. In Planegea, the planes of existence have not yet separated, and a warrior can travel by foot from the Sea of Stars to the infinite, volcanic peak of Blood Mountain. But along the way, that warrior must battle everything—from cold, alien intelligences to the genie caravans; from the

four empires of the giants to the monsters that hunt the howling peaks and roaring oceans that ring the Great Valley; from the cold, bony fingers of the Nightmare World to the terrifying jaws of the jungle known as the Venom Abyss. Every step of the journey is plagued with danger and death.

A WORLD OF BONE & FIRE

Planegea is primal fantasy roleplaying. Whatever you want to explore in 5th Edition—slaying monstrous creatures, navigating political intrigue, exploring ancient ruins, crafting enchanted weapons, infiltrating evil cults, battling, building, casting, carousing—it’s all here. Planegea rises out of our earliest ancestral memory, a world we can barely recognize, which holds all the adventure we can imagine. You won’t find limitations on class or race in these pages. Rather, they are filled with ideas and inspiration for running a long and glorious game set before written words, hammered ore, and plowed fields. Drawn from the traditions of sword & sorcery pulp adventures, infused with the blood-pounding thrills of life-or-death action, and caught in the jaws of primordial dreams, Planegea has adventures for everyone who ever felt the cold wind raise a chill of hunt and hope on their raw skin.

THE CLANFIRE IS SACRED

Life begins and (if you’re lucky) ends at the clanfire. Every clan keeps a fire burning as hot and high as they can; the bigger the fire, the greater the strength of the clan. Clans compete to build the greatest fire, and dare young hunters to make dousing raids on the fires of their enemies. For wanderers, the clanfire has even more significance— the light acts as a signal-fire, a place to gather and rest. It is a great tradition that strangers are welcome without question at the clanfire between sunset and sunrise, as long as they leave their weapons outside the firelight. The clanfire is the heart of clan life—food, strong drink, stories, songs, ceremonies, disputes, judgments, dreams, and more are all shared around it. The clanfire replaces the tavern. When looking for a place to rest and spend the night, seek out the nearest clanfire. You’ll have to leave your weapons behind, but strong tradition will keep you safe until morning… probably. It’s also a great place for gathering rumors, asking advice about the landscape and local gods, and bartering goods and favors.

Chapter 1 | Welcome to Planegea

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EVERY PLACE HAS ITS GOD

Planegea exists in an age of proto-gods, where divine beings are only beginning to gather their power and understand what it is to ascend to rule the cosmos. There are no great universal gods with dominion over entire aspects of reality. Instead, Planegea is an animistic place, with powerful spirits reigning as gods over local environments. Many beings can become gods, in a mysterious process that is unknown even to the wisest of shamans. Creatures, plants, rivers, places—even objects and weather patterns— all of them can develop into divine spirits over time. But a few principles unite these proto-gods: Gods are tied to a place. Once a spirit becomes a god, it is restricted in its movement to its sacred place—a forest glade, a cave, a bend in the river, and so on. They cannot leave these places, called hallows, so they call on mortal agents to enact their will in the world. Gods barter with power. Since they are confined to their hallows and hungry for glory, gods are more than willing to help mortals—even passing strangers—in exchange for offerings and favors. The hallows of gods can take the place of a magic shop, where food and drink are blessed, totems are crafted, and weapons, armor, and other wondrous items are enchanted… for the right offering. 10

Chapter 1 | Welcome to Planegea

Gods consume gods. Some gods are content to remain in their hallows and commune with their followers, but many strive to grow their power and influence. Gods will often incite those within their influence to conquer neighboring areas, destroying what is sacred to them—damming rivers, cutting trees, hunting animals, etc.—to weaken them so that the conquering god can extend their range to the defeated god’s hallow and devour their essence. STONEPUNK Let your imagination run wild within the limits of the taboos. Build cities on the backs of mammoths, hang wooden temples from giant trees, craft great hang-gliders that soar on volcanic heat—whatever can be made with skill and simple tools, bring into your vibrant Stone Age world.

No number after nine. Holding up both hands and counting the fingers there ends in “many.” Every number above nine is many. A family of more than nine is many. An endless sea of herd animals that stretches from horizon to horizon is many. A journey of countless miles is many. For mechanical purposes of movement, range, combat, etc., numbers still have meaning. But in roleplay and conversation, anything numbering above nine is ambiguous and mysterious, and doing any calculation of high numbers is fraught with peril from the Hounds. No wheels or money. Writing is not the only taboo that summons the Hounds. So too do wheels on axles and the creation or exchange of currency of any kind. Whatever the Blind Heaven is, wherever the Hounds come from, they seem utterly committed to keeping Planegea in its most primitive form.

In This Book The volume before you is not a stand-alone game. It is meant to be played with other 5th Edition resources. But it does contain an entire Stone Age world ready to be discovered, saved, or conquered… depending on what you bring to the table.

PART I: FOR THE PLAYER

THE BLACK TABOOS

The people of Planegea are no fools. They are intelligent, curious, and possessed of a strong will to survive. Yet they are locked in the Stone Age by powers beyond the reckoning of gods or mortals. Mighty minds and spirits of Planegea fight against these bonds, staying clever and inventive under the constraints they face. There is a force in the cosmos known as the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. Nobody knows where they come from, or the origin of their curse. But one thing is certain: breaking the so-called Black Taboos rouses their wrath, and means certain death. The Black Taboos are these: Writing is death. The dark magic known as “writing” summons the unthinkably horrible and merciless Hounds. Anyone who forms a written word will instantly be pursued until dead by awful beings that seem to know the moment a glyph is shaped anywhere in the world. Pictures and patterns do not seem to rouse the Hounds’ ire, but any abstract symbology that can be used to communicate meaning over distance is a breaking of the First Taboo.

The first part of the book is directed at players. The humanoids of Planegea (collectively called mortals in these pages) are cunning, resourceful, and dangerous. And you’ll need to be the same if you want to survive. Part I will give you the tools you need to stay one step ahead of all that hunts you… and, just perhaps, a way to write your own name in the stars. Clanfire & Wilderness. The first chapter introduces you to the wandering world of Planegea, with glowing clanfires and dangers in the ever-shifting land. Discover the themes of Planegea and explore clan life, with its patterns and rhythms, its full days and magic nights. Step beyond the edge of the firelight to find a world on the move, and learn the basics of wilderness survival. Creating Your Character. What is it like to grow up in a primordial land? Discover your origins, from birth, childhood, your first encounter with a deity, your relationship with your clan, and more. Sharpen your senses so that you can walk into the world of Planegea with open eyes— because what’s lurking out of sight is already watching you. Kinships. In Planegea, life is abundant and strange. Four new kinships (also known as “races” in other 5th Edition materials) come to life in these pages: the half-ooze, dreas, saurian, and starling. The familiar kinships of 5th Edition are here as well, but they are strange and primal. Dwarves are half-stone, elves are half-dream, and monsters are mixed in unpredictable combinations to frighten and bewilder even the most seasoned of adventurers.

Chapter 1 | Welcome to Planegea

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Classes. The traditions that will someday become classes all begin in Planegea, from the divine shaman making offerings to local gods, to the arcane spellskin drawing her tattoos with magic, to the martial fighter shattering a bone sword on the back of a monster. Though the roles are familiar, they are also altered by countless epochs, and have strange and unexpected aspects in prehistory. Backgrounds. Before your character started their adventure, they lived in the world. Use the all-new backgrounds section to find your place in Planegea before the curtain rises on your story, from clan member to captive, and everything that lies between. Equipment & Trade. Planegea is a world without metal— it simply does not exist. And since coin is forbidden by the Black Taboos, all is barter and swap. Yet even with such limited means, the brilliant crafters and builders of Planegea create items of stunning grace and utility; and they’re willing to trade it to you, for the right deal. Spells. Magic is new and raw in Planegea. Kinships guard their arcane secrets, and the gods, forests, and Death itself punish those who encroach on their domains. Find new spells for all casting classes here, if you dare to weave them.

PART II: FOR THE DUNGEON MASTER

The second part of this book is written for Dungeon Masters (DMs), and gives guidance, lore, and mechanics designed to help even those who are new to 5th Edition run thrilling adventures in Planegea quickly. Stone Age Adventures. From broad themes to detailed mechanics, this first chapter offers a compendium of tools for the Planegean DM, including material on clans, the wilderness, adventure structures, and how to reinvent classic fantasy tropes for the Stone Age. Locations. Here at the beginning, all the planes exist in a single world. This chapter describes the cosmology of the world, its wide and strange landscapes, and what you’ll find in them. It suggests character levels for adventures in each region, and references to the major threats that lurk there. Factions & Threats. For those souls who dare to tread on ancient ruins or forbidden places, they will find no palaces of elven lords or ancient dwarven kingdoms. The desolate places of the world hold dungeons, but not made by mortal hands. Great powers move and shake the world, and this chapter lays their wills and secrets bare, for you, the DM, to shape an adventure perfect for your party. Treasures. In Planegea, the hunter is also prey, and must beware lest a predator catch them off-guard. After the dust settles, every monster can be harvested for its meat or bile or bones, and there are many treasures and arcane objects to tempt those willing to take them. Friends & Foes. Everything in 5th Edition can be found in Planegea. Aberrations infest the depths. Beasts, plants, oozes, and monstrosities prowl for prey. Celestials and fiends flicker in faith’s dawn. Constructs shamble from arcane fires. Dragons and elementals roar at each other across the radius of the world. Fey drift in and out of dreams and nightmares. Giants raise massive empires on the backs of captive mortals. And the undead linger where oaths are broken and darkness reigns.

APPENDICES

In addition to all the above, this book contains a name generator and an index to allow you to quickly find terms, names, and other important items quick as you can say “Worldheart Dragon.”

Answer the Howl For those who rise to the call—for those heroes who can hear clan-drums and star-song—Planegea offers endless adventure. Will you escape the slave-pits of the giant empires and lead the Great Valley to revolt? Will you survive the Venom Abyss to find the heart of the world in Blood Mountain? Will you reach into the Sea of Stars and slay the Hounds of the Blind Heaven who hunt those who dare to rise above their destiny? If you dare—if you’re strong enough, hungry enough, wild enough—Planegea is calling you with an echoing, untamed, fire-blackened howl.

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Chapter 1 | Welcome to Planegea

PART 1

FOR THE

PLAYER Chapter 1 | Welcome to Planegea

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Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

CHAPTER 2

CLANFIRE & WILDERNESS Smoke, drums, wild howling filled the night. An enormous fire burned in the center of a ring of tents, and a crowd was gathered to watch the ceremony. Beside the fire knelt a man with shell-and-chitin armor, beard roughly shaved. Above him stood a tall figure with bare arms and an antlered mask, made taller by the fire and the magic she cast through its power. “When you take the sword,” said the shaman, her mask red and yellow and blue in the firelight, “you become the sword of the clan.” “I become the sword of the clan,” echoed the young guardian. The shaman reached her bare arm into the fire, which glowed green where she touched it. From its heart she drew out an obsidian sword, its surface alight with green swirls and angles. “When you become the sword of the clan,” said the shaman, her mask green and yellow and red in the spell-light, “you fear nothing but harm to the clan.” “I fear nothing but harm to the clan,” repeated the young guardian, and reached out his hands to receive the sword. The shaman raised the weapon as a howl echoed from somewhere outside the camp, and the clan roared in hope and sorrow and rage. At last they would have a guardian. At last the killing would end. With a ceremonial shriek, the shaman swung the sword at the guardian’s heart. He caught it with his bare hands, and blood splattered the blade, the dirt, the shaman, and the fire, where it hissed and popped. “The sword has tasted your blood,” said the shaman, as the wincing guardian took the weapon’s handle. She reached out and healed the wound. “Now you and the sword are one!” “I and the sword are one!” shouted the guardian, rising to his feet. The shaman removed her mask and smiled, her eyes aglow as a blood-freezing howl split the night. “Well done. Now… hunt down those werewolves.”

W

HEN YOU SET FOOT IN PLANEGEA, YOU enter a wilderness world. This is a place of darkness and light, beauty and terror, death and the raw will to survive just one more day. Planegea is a world without famed heroes: to live is heroic enough. Yet never has a land been in more need of those with heroes’ hearts—those ready to fight the powerful to defend the weak, risk impossible odds to stave off darkness for one more night. These qualities are essential when entering a primal world of prehistoric fantasy. And what a world it is! Filled with strange monsters, secret mysteries, untouched landscapes, swirling stars, living forests, magical volcanoes, writhing seas, giant empires, doors to dream and nightmare, Planegea is a world that crackles with possibility for adventure. This chapter will serve as an introduction to basic survival in the world, focusing on the center of mortal life—the clanfire—as well as the wilderness that lies just beyond its light. Use it as a guide to begin getting acquainted with life in a magical Stone Age, to spark ideas for adventure, and orient you for all that lies ahead.

Three Themes The world of Planegea is made for imaginative, exciting campaigns full of every kind of adventure. From pulpy dungeon crawls to political intrigue, from gritty monster hunts to mythical, world-shaping campaigns, from urban skulduggery to wars in the darkest depths, it can all happen here. Each group has their own Planegea, and every one is different, uniquely tailored to the play style of that party. To hold all of these together, Planegea is built on three themes that run throughout this book: Kinetic Action. In Planegea, you don’t stand still and hit things. Battles are fought on the backs of mammoths, on racing ice floes, on trees bent before a magical gale. The battlefield is never constant here—fires fill the air with smoke, hungry scavengers gather at the edge of combat, and enemies leap through the air, bodies and blades twisting as they throw themselves at you without regard for life and limb. Planegea is built for over-the-top action, where combat is never just a combat, but a story in itself and an explosion of dangerous, chaotic energy. Primordial Horror. Sometimes there isn’t a name for the thing that slithers by your skin in the shadows. Sometimes you can’t control the voice you hear whispering your name at night, scratching at your tent flap, begging to be let in. In Planegea, mortals have barely any control over the world around them. You are surrounded on all sides by the unknowable, the unstoppable, and that which means you harm. The fundamental horror of Something Out There in the Dark is ever-present here, requiring great courage—or a little darkness of your own—to confront it. Mystic Awe. Wonder isn’t about what you see… it’s about what you feel. It’s about coming to the edge of the infinite and discovering how small you have always been. It’s about the beauty of losing yourself in something greater. Planegea is a world of countless gods, of immaculate natural wonders, and of stars that spin above and whisper stories to the mortals below. In Planegea, you can fall into astonishment, seeing the world with fresh eyes, beholding everything as if for the very first time. And as you do so, all is made new again, and stories you thought you knew become strange and wonderful once more, like painted deer on a cave wall in flickering firelight.

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Prehistoric Fantasy

PREHISTORIC FANTASY

For many of us, our first voyages into fantasy were set in a medieval world full of knights and castles, royalty and wizards. Those fairytale lands gave way to stranger stories as we grew, but our grounding was always in that middletime of iron swords and besieged battlements. Planegea falls backwards through history to a much earlier era, before the bronze age of sword and sandal into a world without any idea of metal whatsoever. Medieval fantasy often talks about a previous era—“a time before memory” or “the dawn of the world.” That’s exactly where Planegea exists. When you enter a world of prehistoric fantasy, you bring some things with you and leave others behind. What you bring. Bring your sense of possibility, your appetite for adventure, your ingenuity and wit. Bring your curiosity, your daring, your thirst for a good story and a good battle. Bring your instincts for friendship and mistrust of too-friendly strangers, and bring above all your sense of discovery—there’s far more in Planegea than meets the eye, for those willing to encounter it. What you leave behind. Leave behind your ideas of stability and predictability, confidence in the established order of things and a hierarchy of kings and nobles. Leave behind images of dusty temples and ancient religions—all is new here at the start of the world. Leave behind scholars of ancient histories. You are living the first stories, the ones that will be told in stars and tomes in the eras to come—if you are brave enough to change the world by your force of will. What you find again. There are many elements of classical fantasy that still exist in prehistoric fantasy, slightly altered to fit a world without writing and ore. Use the Prehistoric Fantasy table to suggest how you might encounter familiar tropes in a new way in the world of Planegea.

Do not let the strangeness of this world hinder you from discovering its wonders. When I fell from the sky, I had to learn everything again, as if I were a newborn child. Had I not plummeted into the land of a unicorn, I certainly would have been lost for—though I did not know it then— trolls have a special taste for star-flesh.

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Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

Medieval Fantasy

Prehistoric Fantasy

Ancient kingdom

Powerful, ritualistic clan

Airship

Tamed flying behemoth

Blacksmith

Master crafter

Book or tome

Painting or song

Carriage

Beast of burden

Castle

Cave system

City

Gathering of clans

Dungeon or prison

Cave, pit, or guarded camp

Guard or knight

Clan hunter or warrior

Gold or coins

Salt or trade goods

House or mansion

Tent or fortress

Innkeeper or server

Elder, host, or drink-master

King, noble, or mayor

God, chieftain, or elder

Library

Gathering of elders or chanters

Lock

Knot, spell, or guard

Ruin

Cursed or taboo place

Sailing ship

Catamaran or great-canoe

School or monastery

Hidden sanctuary

Spell scroll

Talisman

Secret cult

Secret cult

Shop

Clanfire or crafter’s tent

Shop, magic

God’s hallow

Tavern

Clanfire or shady pool

Temple

God’s hallow or shaman’s tent

Thieves guild

Scavengers or secret alliance

Tomb or crypt

Burial ground or catacombs

Tower

Tower, cliff, or tree

Trapdoor

Disguised tunnel or tent flap

Wizard’s tower

Spellskin’s cliff-sanctum

Village

Small clan

THE FIVE SENSES

Planegea is no drab place of brown furs and dull grunts— it’s a sensory world, alive with color and noise, scent and feeling. In Planegea, you might… • See brightly-painted tents adorned with dyed fur and patterned feathers, swirling stars overhead in infinite dancing patterns, or a herd of towering beasts on the move in the mist, each the size of a fortress. • Hear drums and the music of pipes and harps, songs and stories, wind and rain, choruses of birds, whispers of stars, and howls of hunger from the echoing wild. • Smell the intoxicating scent of giant flowers, the comforting smoke of the clanfire, the tang of magic, and the purest of fresh air, mingled with the musk of beasts on the prowl and rot on the wind. • Taste smoked meat fresh off the bone, salt on the lips, blood running from a fresh wound, sweet and tart fruits growing in abundance, and bitter herbs ground between teeth in divine ceremony. • Feel worked leather and knapped stone, warm furs and icy winds, shimmering heat rising from volcanoes and geysers, dizzying magic both arcane and divine, and the pounding of your pulse as you hunt and are hunted.

THE SIX ABILITIES

Every ability comes into play in prehistoric fantasy, not just the physical ones. You’ll need all your cunning, intuition, and charm to survive. In Planegea, you’ll use…

• Strength to grapple monstrous beasts, outrun meteor strikes, scale cliffs, plunge into dark depths, wrench bone from bone, and carry the clan on your back. • Dexterity to leap from height to height, dance out of harm’s way, hide from hungry predators, stalk unsuspecting prey, and scavenge what you need to survive. • Constitution to withstand bitter winter and volcanic heat, poisonous plants and stinging megafauna, endless days, deadly nights, and potent venomwine. • Intelligence to read the secrets of the stars, remember the shape of an ever-moving land, rediscover forgotten songs and stories, recognize the familiar in the bewildering, and study the ways of gods and monsters. • Wisdom to read a stranger’s intent, harvest kills and heal wounds, scout the land ahead, smell danger on the wind, track your quarry, intuit the elements, and find food and water to stave off starvation for one more day. • Charisma to talk your way out of trouble, intimidate mortals and monsters alike, dance and sing the rites and rituals of gods old and new, and forge friendships to stand between you and death.

Of course, these are hardly all the abilities required to survive. I’d add to these honor, courage, a sense of humor, and hope. Those four qualities have kept me alive when everything else was lost.

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CLANFIRE

W

HEREVER YOU GO IN PLANEGEA, YOU FIND adventure, and not always at the snarling fangs of a saber-toothed cat. Sometimes it’s the false smile of a lying advisor, their eyes glittering with subtle malice. Sometimes it’s in a tense negotiation between clans on the brink of all-out war. And then sometimes—rarely, but every now and then— life in Planegea is good, peaceful, and worth fighting to protect. As you take your seat around the clanfire, you’ll discover these keys of life in Planegea: Protect the clan. Mortals in Planegea—humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and other folk—live in nomadic hunter-gatherer groups called clans. These clans roam the land in search of food, water, fuel for their fires, and a safe place to lay their heads at night. A clan is the closest family a mortal can have, and survival depends on knowing that the others in your clan would die for you, and you for them. Honor the clanfire. The clanfire is the heart of clan life—a symbol of vitality and survival. This large fire is usually found at the center of a mortal camp. It burns low and hot during the day when it’s used for crafting and cooking, but as night falls, it is raised up to a roaring bonfire around which the clan gathers to eat, talk, perform rituals and magic, and tell stories. To extinguish a clanfire is an act of war, a death threat against every member of the clan. The fire is kept burning above all, and honored by those who keep it. Appease the gods. Gods in Planegea are not distant abstractions—they are the great bear in the cave, the lion on the hill, the whisper in the dark in the dead tree you dare not approach. Gods are powerful, but local, bound to their divine lair, called their hallow. As clans travel, they move between divine domains, and seek to curry favor with the local gods, relying on their shamans (and those the shamans recruit) to do all it takes to earn the favor of the nearest, most powerful god. Craft what you need. In this primal world, mortals make what they need from a hunt’s harvest or what they can gather from the wild. The land and its monsters bristle with parts that can be used in all manner of surprising combinations, from the simplest knife to elaborate flying constructs built from driftstone, leathery wings, scavenged ribcages, and arcane gems. It’s a make-do land, where cunning and ingenuity are as valuable as brawn and stamina, and every hunt is an opportunity for invention. Make friends & enemies. Only a fool dwells trustingly with the enemy. As powerful clans, dangerous raiders, unstable gods, ravaging monsters, and the ever-present Giant Empires loom on all sides, it’s essential to make allies you can trust—and to know who your enemies are. Many forces move through the world, some unmissable, some unseen. The secrets in a stranger’s eyes in the firelight may mean the difference between life and death… or worse.

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Clan Life Every clan is different, with its own customs, local taboos, duties to its god, struggles, and joys. But most mortal societies in the Great Valley have at least a few similarities that unite them. Complex societies. The clans of Planegea are as layered, dynamic, and active as the villages and cities of future eras. Members of the clan vie for status, push their vision and agendas, nurse secrets and grudges, worry about the future, and long for better days. Hunter-gatherers. Because farming attracts the ire of roving forests, the clans of Planegea are forced to survive in other ways. The clans are nomadic, traveling with the prey animals they depend on, setting traps, fishing, and gathering the produce of the land to stay alive. Shamans, chieftains, & elders. Most clans are jointly led by a shaman and a chieftain, and counseled by elders. The shaman’s role is to deal with gods, culture, and divine magic. The chieftain’s role is to deal with survival, justice, and arcane magic. They are mediated by a group of elders, whose role is to deal with tradition, lore, and conflicts between the chieftain and shaman. Local gods. Clans live in relation to the gods, depending on their favor to survive. Clans might have a single god they primarily follow, or might split their reverence between a variety of gods as they travel. And some clans— those led by orcs, especially—want nothing to do with the gods, preferring to make their own way through the world.

RESOURCES

Every clan has basic needs for survival. The search for these resources is what keeps them traveling from place to place. As a resource dwindles, the clan begins to grow restless and prepares to move on. Food. Herd animals are always moving, and the clan follows the hunter’s quarry. But the gatherers know how to trap, fish, dig, climb, and collect the bounty of the land even when game is scarce. With too little food, morale diminishes and fights break out or, worse, people simply abandon the clan and are never seen again. Water. In the dry northern winter and southern summer, the land cries out in thirst. Rivers and watering holes are commonplace, but attract dangerous predators, while ponds and pools are known for disease, parasites, and more malignant magical effects that can linger far longer. Safety. Caves offer natural defenses, but can house dangerous pests and predators. Trees and cliffs provide vantage points but leave the clan exposed to attack. The search for a secure location is an essential part of making camp; the clan never knows whether the place they lay their heads will be the site of a desperate last stand. Materials. Many clans have a craft, a trade, or a specialty. They require components for magic, minerals for crafting, ivory, wood, chitin, feathers, or other goods for ceremonies, survival, or prosperity. Such resources keep clans searching, no matter how good an encampment might seem.

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MOVEMENT

Winter is cruel in the Great Valley. It stalks like a fanged predator, and wise mortals know to flee or find shelter before the worst of it is upon them. But the landscape of Planegea is immense, and only the outermost clans can escape the jaws of ice and snow that close around them each year—except for those who find secret ways through the world. Migration. The surest sign that winter is coming is not the drop in temperature. By then it’s already too late. Rather, clans watch for the departure of their prey southwards, and travel with them. But even animals can be tricked by an unseasonal heat wave or a capricious god who doesn’t want their worshipers to leave just yet. Distance. Planegea is unknowably vast, its horizons unmeasured by any being, even the gods. For northern clans, traveling south in time to evade the winter is an impossibility. There are only three choices when winter is coming quickly for such a clan—die, endure, or find a passageway through Nod to somewhere warmer. Portals. Nod, that hidden land of dreams and nightmares, exists just on the other side of waking. But there are also doorways throughout the world which mortals can walk through, if they know where to look. Such passages are typically underground or hidden out of sight in strange, eerie, or abnormal places. They usually reveal themselves when least expected or in response to particular behaviors, such as the singing of a certain song, walking with closed eyes, or when those who would find them are in a certain emotional state such as fear, love, rage, or calm. Portals can take many forms—dark canyons, shining pools, glowing tunnels—or an unsuspecting traveler might not know that they’ve passed into the Dreamworld at all. TRAVEL THROUGH NOD Once you step through a portal, you find yourself in one of Nod’s twin worlds—the world of Dreams or the world of Nightmares. Often, it’s hard to tell which one until it’s too late. Only the foolish, the desperate, or those with the most experienced of guides travel through these lands. In Nod, you’re always a breath away from losing yourself to charms, eternal sleep, madness, illusion, tricks, spells, and even outright attacks. Nod is a place of infinite ways and twisting turns, and a wrong step could leave a clan wandering forever through a landscape from which there is no return. Those clans who make such a harrowing journey yearly rely on their leaders to guide them through the twin worlds using their magic, experience, and the gifts of their gods… if they even have sway in such places. Alliances. Some, such as the Ape Clan of the Great Valley, have labored for generations to maintain an alliance with the Throne of Dreams, whose elvish scouts act as guards and guides as the clan travels through Nod to warmer lands every autumn. Such alliances come at dear cost, for the elves of Nod are fickle, vain, and take offense easily. But their guarantee of safe travel through Nod is worth maintaining at any cost… isn’t it?

Shifting passages. Planegea doesn’t stay still. Even a clan who has found passways through the world may find that they change from year to year. All most clans know is that certain ways in the world lead to warmth and good hunting. But it is the work of such clans to relocate the passages each year as the seasons shift. Magical portals, forest trails, and mountain passes alike can close or relocate, or the conditions of opening them alter. Such a change too late in the year can spell disaster for even a powerful clan, leaving them at the mercy of the elements without warning. Endurance. Sometimes there’s no escaping the winter. In these years, a clan must hope they have dried and salted enough prey, and built strong enough storage huts to endure the long, dark cold. Winter in the north is a season of hardship and starvation—not only for mortals, but also for predators who, emboldened by their hunger, may attack even by the light of a brightly burning clanfire. Some clans adapt to this, making winter endurance part of their culture… but most are simply gone when spring comes.

domain of gods to give it back to the land. Rangers defy the gods’ divine order, stealing magic and glory from the gods to empower mortals. And the tattooed cave-painters called spellskins—while tolerated by some clans because of their many uses and deep knowledge of the arcane—are looked at askance, seen as a risk. Everyone has heard stories of the spellskin who went too far in their studies and attracted the attention of the Hounds. Strange lore. There is much in the world that is not understood—taboo places with weird magical energies that shamans and sorcerers can’t explain. Strange pits or doors into the earth conceal buried secrets, cultists practice unknowable rites at the edges of the world, giants work strange, too-powerful magics, elemental spirits of the Wastes spin new realities from whims… such things are beyond the understanding of the clans. Yet there are those who are drawn by such mysteries, and certain wanderers spend their lives delving into these exact secrets to discover what good or evil they hold.

MAGIC

Rhythms of the Clan

Planegea crackles with magic, raw and untamed. It is the dawn of many worlds, and magic is mysterious, scarcely understood, feared, and revered. The clans wield magic as best they can to survive and to create a future for themselves, but they do so knowing that they are touching the edge of something far larger and far more dangerous than they can possibly imagine. Before the planes. In Planegea, the planes of existence have not yet separated, and all the magic of the elements, the world’s birth, and the potential of the multiverse exists in one great land. From the volcanic fires of creation in Blood Mountain to the raw power of the Elemental Wastes and—beyond that—the Sea of Stars, magic is everywhere. The Kingdom of the Dead and the Worlds of Dreams and Nightmares are a step away, and their magic seeps into the world as well. All things are possible, close, full of promise and menace. Divine magic. The divine magic of Planegea seeps from the land, starting at Blood Mountain and flowing outward. Gods are creatures, places, or things around which the magic of the world has pooled or snagged, filling them with divine power. Shamans and guardians work with and wield divine magic with the blessing of the gods on behalf of the clans, and are trusted to mediate between gods and mortals for the protection and prosperity of all. Arcane magic. The arcane magic of Planegea drifts from the sky, starting with the stars and radiating inward. It is magic that cares little for the natural order, shaping it and reforming it according to the will of its caster. Warlocks, chanters, and sorcerers wield the power of the arcane on behalf of the clan, and though their ways are little understood, the clans rely on their abilities to bend reality for the good of their people. Frightful arts. There are those who use divine and arcane magic in ways that displease the gods and summon the Hounds, and these are to be feared and hated by the clans. Druids—called god-leeches—sap magic away from the

Although every clan is different, there are some typical rhythms and expectations mortals bring as they encounter each other—work-filled days focused on survival, long nights focused on magic and ceremony, as well as certain hierarchies and activities that bind the clans together.

FULL DAYS

An average day is busy, full of bustle and industry for every member of the clan. Children are responsible for gathering fuel for the clanfire, cleaning the encampment, watching and teaching younger children, and aiding the adults as any has need. Low-status clan members are assigned heavy labor— beating hides for tanning, carrying stones or lumber for construction, digging latrines, and so on. Able adults informally divide themselves by mood, preference, and natural ability into hunters and gatherers. Hunters typically rest until prey is spotted, and may at first seem lazy. But when scouts (often young hunters with something to prove) return with word of game on the horizon, the hunters spring into action and may go for days and nights without rest to bring down a kill that will feed the entire tribe. Gatherers travel as far as half a day’s journey from the encampment, checking traps and fishing lines and filling large baskets and satchels with whatever food and useful materials they can find for the clan. Elders, seers, shaman’s aides, and crafters remain at the camp, engaging in council, adjudicating conflict, preparing for the night’s magic, cooking, tanning leather, crafting needed tools and supplies, or repairing and expanding the encampment. The shaman usually sleeps or meditates for much of the day, preparing for the night’s magic, but may consult with the elders, resolve disputes, perform minor rites, or travel to the local god’s hallow if summoned or in need of divine aid.

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MAGIC NIGHTS

After the work of the day, as sun sets, the clan gathers and the clanfire is built high. Sentries are posted outside the ring of firelight to watch for danger, and the rest of the clan gathers to eat, drink, tell stories, sing songs, and do magic. By gathering the inherent magic of the land and people together, even clans with weak shamans can create magical effects, sometimes surprisingly strong. However, given its ritual nature, magic is not performed lightly, and some clans utterly shun any magic but that which is performed at the clanfire ceremonies. SHAMANIC MAGIC Once the sun has set, the shaman casts spells, drawing from the shaman (cleric) spell list based on the needs of the clan. Shamanic magic usually has a strong performance aspect to it, and is often supported by music from chanters and the hushed attention of the whole clan. CLAN MAGIC Sometimes a clan has need of more powerful magic than that of a single caster, even one as powerful as a shaman, and will unite to perform clan magic. In order to perform clan magic, a fire must be lit, with a cleared perimeter around the fire for ceremonial movements. These may be dances, re-enactments, speeches, etc. A ceremony takes 1 hour to begin, requires 9 or more participants, and must be led by the shaman of a clan who has been trained in clan magic rituals with a high shaman. Once a ceremony has begun, any clan member partaking in the ceremony can cast spells from the shaman (cleric) spell list, but must share the spell slots among themselves. The number of spell slots is limited by the shaman’s level or the god’s strata (whichever is lower) as follows:

20

Shaman Level

God Strata

1–4

1st

Cantrips (Unlimited) 1st level (4 slots) 2nd level (2 slots)

—

5–10

2nd

1st level (4 slots), 2nd level (3 slots), 3rd level (3 slots), 4th level (3 slots), 5th level (2 slots)

+1

11–16

3rd

1st level (4 slots), 2nd level (3 slots), 3rd level (3 slots), 4th level (3 slots), 5th level (2 slots), 6th level (1 slot), 7th level (1 slot), 8th level (1 slot)

+2

17–20

4th

1st level (4 slots), 2nd level (3 slots), 3rd level (3 slots), 4th level (3 slots), 5th level (3 slots), 6th level (2 slots), 7th level (2 slots), 8th level (1 slot), 9th level (1 slot)

+3

Spell Level

Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

Magic Weapon

Ah, clan magic! That wild, joyous, fearful, frightful, terrible, profound thing. Have you seen it yet? When as a body they dance, they sing, they call forth the magic of their will to live? It is an astonishment. Even after seeing it a thousand times, it remains an astonishment.

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For casting these spells, each ceremonial participant is considered a 4th, 10th, 16th, or 20th-level spellcaster who uses Wisdom as their spellcasting ability. The spell save DC is 12 + the participant’s Wisdom modifier, and the spell attack bonus is 4 + the participant’s Wisdom modifier. After a clan magic ceremony, all participants suffer one level of exhaustion, and the shaman suffers two levels of exhaustion. Clan Weapon. Rather than casting other spells, a clan ceremony can enchant a weapon with magic to strike truer and deeper. Such magical weapons are typically made by the clan’s best artisan, and feature special decoration, patterning, or exceptional craftsmanship. Each clan weapon requires an entire ceremony to enchant, and requires 12 hours to complete. If any participant leaves the ceremony for more than 1 minute, the ceremony fails and the weapon is destroyed. A clan can have only one clan weapon at a time, and cannot create a second clan weapon while the first one exists. The clan weapon receives a bonus to attack and damage rolls depending on the level of the shaman who led the ceremony, as shown in the table.

STATUS

Within a clan or a region, it’s possible to gain status through your deeds. Higher status grants benefits such as greater access to elders, chieftains, shamans, and gods, as well as new opportunities for adventures, such as characters confiding in you, coming to you with requests for aid, or regarding you as rivals. Status can also give you an advantage in bartering, acting as a bargaining chip to get what you want more easily. If your party decides to measure status, work with your DM to determine your character’s starting status, from –10 to +10. You can raise or lower your status through your actions. Your DM can then set certain interactions (such as being summoned by a god, approached by a trader, or stalked by a rival) at appropriate status levels. Earning or losing status can then trigger those interactions, opening up new avenues for roleplay, exploration, and combat.

Use the following guidelines to track status: Role. A typical hunter-gatherer clan has the following status hierarchy: Clan role

Status

Shaman, chieftain

+10

Elder

+9

Guardian or ascetic

+8

Lead hunter

+7

Lead crafter or builder, senior trader

+6

Lead gatherer, senior crafter

+5

Shaman's aid, senior hunter

+4

Hunter, senior gatherer

+3

Crafter, builder, or trader

+2

Gatherer, young hunter

+1

Child

+0

Weak or distrusted adult

–3

Scavenger

–6

Outcast

–9

This hierarchy varies from clan to clan, and in some communities (such as a clan of scavengers or crafters, druid groves, or spellskin enclaves) may be totally different. Still, you can use the list on this page as a general guideline. In most cases, if you prove yourself in any of these roles, you will be treated with appropriate status by anyone who believes you are a match for that role. Some may challenge your status due to suspicion, hostility, or rivalry, and you must continue to perform the expected duties of a positive status in order to maintain it. Deeds. Various deeds can increase your status within a community. In general, acts of heroism, self-sacrifice, communal spirit, and expertise will increase your status. Generally, raising status through deeds is a matter of doing the right things for the right people, so you’ll need to carefully determine who you need to impress in order to elevate your status in any given clan or community. Names. Winning names is a way to alter your status in places you haven’t visited yet. Your DM may award you names through your heroic actions—such as HuntsTrolls, Cure-Finder, Mammoth-Friend, and so on. You can also earn names of ill repute through misdeeds. If you announce a name or are recognized by it, your status may raise or lower accordingly.

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Scars. Scars are much like names—they speak for you. Your DM may choose to award scars after significant encounters (see pg. 261).

TAMING & TRAINING

Befriending a beast can be a worthwhile endeavor… provided you can manage it without being torn apart by your would-be ally. Humans are known across Planegea for their talent for living in community with other types of creatures, but anyone can make the attempt to trap, tame, and train a creature.

FEASTS & FESTIVALS

Whenever hunters bring back a large kill or gatherers discover a large food supply, as well as at certain holidays such as the equinox or solstice, the clan celebrates with a feast. These can last several days, depending on how plentiful the food and drink are and how safe their encampment is. Feasts. Celebrations of bounty are less formal and less predictable, but represent occasions of great joy when they happen. A feast occurs when the clan finds more food than they can eat or preserve. Horns are blown and messengers are sent out to neighboring clans to gather as many as possible to partake of the bounty, as it is considered a great shame to waste the plenty of a feast in selfish hoarding. Since feasts are unplanned, there are rarely ritualistic activities, but when clans come together there are often hastily-organized games, competitions, dances, performances, feats of magic, and the like. Feasts are known for their joyous, chaotic nature—a feeling that anything could happen at any moment. Festivals. These seasonal occasions mark celestial events, important remembrances, and divinely ordained celebrations. Festivals are carefully planned and prepared for, often for weeks or months in advance, and feature displays of pageantry, ritual, and shamanic rites of great importance. Young people who have married into other clans will often make perilous journeys across great distances to join their families for festivals. Festivals are known for their elaborate performances, ornate costumes, rare delights of food and craftsmanship requiring skilled labor to create, and a sense of anticipation as the festival builds to its ultimate crescendo.

RITES & RITUALS

Certain events mark the passage of time and life in the memory of a clan. These serve as moments for the clan to come together and witness something of significance. Namings. When a child is born, the parents ask the clan’s shaman for a name. Shamans treat this duty with utmost gravity, for a child’s name is said to have great magical power over its destiny. When a name is chosen, the entire clan is gathered, the name is announced, and the infant is officially adopted into the clan. Weddings. Usually following long courtships and exchanges of gifts and promises (sometimes begun at feasts or festivals years before), a wedding is the moment when the shaman publicly blesses a union before the entire clan, usually requiring the clan to take an oath to safeguard and strengthen the marriage. Funerals. Death and burial practices vary from region to region and god to god—sometimes destroying the body, sometimes preserving it, sometimes committing it to the sea or air or soil. In any case, the shaman leads the clan in remembrance and honoring the soul of the departed. Punishments. Transgression against the clan is rare, but it does happen. When justice must be meted out, the entire clan gathers. This is the rare rite that is not overseen by the shaman. Rather, the elders of the clan mete out punishments as they see fit. Theft, greed, and the breaking of taboo are the most serious offenses in most clans. The worst punishment is to be cast out and shunned by the clan, condemned to the ravages of predators and denied funeral rites at death. Vigils. Before important hunts or in response to various milestones or dangers, the shaman or elders may call for a vigil, requiring some or all of the clan to stay awake and ceremonially focus their attention in meditation, supplication, concentration, and so on. Initiations. The inauguration of a new shaman, the appointing of an elder, the recognition of a child as an adult or a scout as a full-blooded hunter—the clan gathers to mark such passages from one status to another, with various levels of ceremony depending on the occasion.

An initiation is a kind of birth and a kind of death. It is a becoming and a leaving-behind. A child is lost, a hunter gained, and who can say which has more meaning in the life of a clan?

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Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

WILDERNESS

O

UT THERE, BEYOND THE LIGHT CAST BY THE clanfire, is a world of fear and hope, danger and promise, deadly monsters and divine miracles. The wilderness is all around, full of secrets, silence, beasts, wonders, screeches, roars, things forgotten, and things that have never been glimpsed by mortal eyes. The wilderness defines the world, it is everything, and the clanfires are small sparks in its infinite, untamed, unforgiving sprawl. Yet survival requires that mortals grit their teeth, grip their blades, and set out into the wilderness with squared shoulders and flint in their eyes. As you step into the unknown, here’s a taste of what you’ll need to do to survive in the wilds of Planegea: Read the world. The spoor of prey. The signs of predators. The movement of the stars and land. The safety or danger of a pool of water. The hint of magic. All of this and more is what a mortal needs to take into account when traveling into the wilderness. Planegea is constantly changing, and the skilled wanderer understands how to interpret those changes to predict what lies ahead. Hunt food & magic. Hunters venture into the wild to pursue prey, so that they can feed themselves and their clans. Shamans venture into the wild to encounter gods and wrestle blessings from them. And those with an eye towards the arcane venture into the wild to find strange new magics and undiscovered spells which, if tamed, might mean the difference between life and death. Gather resources. Gatherers fan out from the clanfire, creating patterns of exploration as they seek nuts, berries, roots, grasses, bark, edible insects, fish, and all other good things to eat. They also search for the goods and materials that will sustain and prosper the camp. But they’re not alone in the wilderness, and must remain vigilant; to raiders and monsters, mortals are merely another kind of goods to be gathered. Find safety. Mortals travel through the wilderness in search of shelter: an unoccupied cave, a grove of sleeping trees, a defensible hilltop. Often, the only escape from danger is through other dangers, and unlucky clans lose their weakest members as they travel through the wilderness in search of a newer, safer encampment.

Encounter others. Beasts and monsters aren’t the only creatures in the wild. Out there, a mortal is as likely to run into others of their kind as not: lone wanderers, scouts, traders, or even an entire clan on the move. One might fall in with even stranger company: forbidden druids, secretive spellskins, scavengers, or other strangers whose ways stir up trouble at the clanfire, and find it easier to remain in the sharp-toothed wilderness than smile where they are unwelcome.

A World on the Move Planegea is constantly changing. Nothing stays in the same place for long. Rivers shift in their course at the whims of their animating spirits and the violent storms that surge across the land. Forests full of wakeful trees wander across the landscape. Stars shift based on the story they wish to tell. And most of all, clans migrate, following herds of prey across the landscape. Time is as important as location. Consider not only where a place is, but when you last saw it there—a clan may return to the same cave every winter, or a river might flow back into its old course come flood season. Though the larger landscape of the world is fixed, the local landscape is different each season, and can deceive and confuse even the most experienced of hunters. Faults. Planegea is constantly being renewed and expanded as reality is pushed out from the Worldheart. This expansion creates fault lines along which the world can slip or shift or break. These changes can often be violent, accompanied by quakes and upheavals, but they can also be startlingly quiet and swift. There are many tales of a clan bedding down for the night, only to awake and discover that half the camp has shifted a hundred feet or a hundred miles or across a river that was not there the night before. Ability checks. Any of the following ability checks can come into play when finding your way in Planegea: • Constitution (Concentration): Avoid distractions, keep an eye on your path, and maintain a trail. • Intelligence (Nature, History): Follow the contours of the land, understand the direction of migration, and predict changes in the weather. Remember the movement patterns of the land and people, or recognize a landscape altered by time such as a newly dry river bed or a barren ridge where a forest used to be. • Wisdom (Perception, Survival): Spot distant landmarks, notice where things used to be, smell clanfire smoke on the breeze, find and follow tracks, or locate prey.

SWIRLING SKY

The heavens of Planegea are in constant motion. The world is so young that it has no fixed points—that which later eras will count on as utterly constant is, in this world, only a rule of thumb. One world, one sky. Because the planes of existence have not yet separated, all is one long landscape and one long sky reaches from the center of creation to its very edges. Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

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At the heart of the world is Blood Mountain, the impossibly high volcano from whose fires the land and sky were birthed. And at the edge, ringing the land and water of the Great Valley, Giant Empires, and Elemental Wastes, is the endless Sea of Stars. Dancing & dueling stars. The stars are alive, and spend the night dancing in stately arcs and loops, endlessly recombining as they gossip and preen. As night ends, they joust each other in a tournament called the Dawn Duel. The champion becomes the Day-Star, and spends the day parading from east to west. The other stars sleep in the Sea of Stars until the end of day, when they rise again into the heavens in streaming fountains, and begin it all again. New moons. Planegea’s moons are unstable things, born of the ash and fire of Blood Mountain. At irregular intervals, the great volcano violently erupts, spitting a new moon into the sky. The moon drifts from the center outward, crumbling as it goes, and rarely lasts more than a month. There can be no moons in the sky, or as many as three or four, depending on the rumblings of the volcano.

SHIFTING LANDS

Even as the sky is in constant motion, so the land below is never still, rearranging itself as beasts migrate, clans wander, gods rise and diminish, and trees and rivers roam. The greater structure of the world remains predictable, but the specifics of where things stand in relation to each other are always changing. Unknown distance. No one can say how far away a point is, except when judging it by naked eye or using magic to pinpoint knowledge. Even gatherers who roam the same path as yesterday find little differences in its length and shape. Additionally, any measurement that would use a number over nine violates the Black Taboo, and cannot be spoken for fear of the Hounds. Wandering landmarks. The landmarks that will be relied upon in later eras—mountains, roads, great trees, and the like—all have a tendency to drift with the land and season. They can still be a useful reference point, but must merely be considered one clue among many to guide travelers on their way. Roving forests. It is more common in Planegea for a forest or grove to be a band of treants than what the people call “sleeping trees.” Most of the trees are awake, accompanied by dryads and other allied creatures, and have only limited patience for mortals. To travel among the trees is to be watched, judged, and threatened, should one carry fire or a chopping blade. Many mortal clans have been wiped out by a roving forest that overran them, deeming them unworthy of survival. Nomadic clans & beasts. Only a few great settlements such as Seerfall, Edgegather, and the like, have fixed locations. Most places where people dwell change with the seasons and the needs of the clan. So, too, the haunts of dangerous beasts are altered by the movements of their prey and the weather. What once was a peaceful hill might later be the lair of a creature with monstrous appetites, establishing dominance while the hunting is good in the region.

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Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

Wilderness Survival With all that means you harm in Planegea, you’ll need to ready your weapon and wits to stay alive. What follows is some broad guidance for survival in the wild. These rules are intended only to enrich your adventures. If your party isn’t interested in playing a campaign involving these elements, you can play 5th Edition as-written. However, these options give added reasons to embark on the trials and triumphs of the primordial world.

TRAVEL

Travel is never safe in Planegea. Always remember that there are massive predators in the wild, ready to pounce on any wandering mortal who forgets to take the proper precautions. With rare exceptions, travel across open wilderness should be undertaken with great caution. Ability checks. Any of the following ability checks and more can come into play when avoiding predators: • Strength (Athletics): Sometimes it’s better to just run. It takes strength to make your way across the open world and maintain sufficient pace to avoid falling prey to what might take notice of you. • Dexterity (Stealth): Most travel should be undertaken with great care, and moving slowly and stealthily can help avoid all kinds of trouble. • Intelligence (Nature): Read the signs of the land to detect what predators are likely to be nearby, and determine how best to avoid them. • Wisdom (Perception, Survival): Keep your senses sharp for signs of predators or their recent passage, and make camp in places where you won’t be seen. GETTING LOST Sometimes, due to a wild hunt or strong weather or magical effects, you may become lost. At other times, you may choose to lose your way. Here are two reasons to get lost: Zigzag. As an optional rule, when pursued by enemies or predators, your DM may allow you to flee erratically, choosing to lose your way in order to escape pursuit. If you escape in this way, you cannot use the same technique again to escape the same creature or a member of the same group of allied creatures. Once you flee this way, you become lost, and cannot find your way back without using magic or succeeding on checks as determined by your DM. Lost is sacred. Some gods will only appear to the lost. Some doors to the World of Dreams or the World of Nightmares won’t appear unless you’re lost. Being lost is one of the best ways of discovering the unexpected, and many shamans use magic to encourage and enable their most skilled hunters to wander lost, to discover what the world has to show them.

GATHERING

The practice of gathering sustains clans and individuals when hunting is scarce, and forms the basis for survival in most environments. Gathering isn’t a single act; rather, it’s a set of skills, a balance of risk and reward as you venture deeper into the wilderness in search of resources. WAYS OF THE GATHERER A gatherer’s work is to collect everything of use to the clan while attracting as little attention as possible from predators and enemies. When gathering, you might use any or all of the following means: Collecting. Plucking fruit and vegetables, cutting edible grasses, bark, and fungus, picking up oddities to show to the shaman—all these are the easiest tasks for a gatherer, requiring nothing but a keen eye to notice desirable resources and a knife or sickle to collect them. Extracting. Digging for roots, grubs, and useful minerals, scaling a cliff or tree to gather eggs, collecting honey from a hive, venturing a few feet inside a doorway to Nod to bring back a trophy—these are difficult or dangerous tasks that require skill, courage, and a little luck, as well as (in some cases) specialized tools. Trapping. It’s common to carry at least a few simple hunting or fishing traps when you set out to gather. You might travel the same loop several times, setting traps the first time through a promising spot, then returning to check them and collect the catch on subsequent days. The kind of trap and bait depends on the desired prey.

Scouting. Information is a key resource. As you gather, you can also scout the surrounding region, noting any dangers or opportunities that lie within a day’s travel of the camp. Such discoveries may save the clan from being surprised by an attack, or lead to an important windfall of much-needed resources. INEDIBLE FOODS One basic survival skill is knowing how to avoid foods with bad effects. This boils down to the three rules of food: • Eat nothing rotten. Do not eat any food that exhibits the signs of spoiling. • Eat nothing that speaks. Do not eat a creature that speaks to you in a language that you can understand. • Eat nothing made of many. Do not eat a creature with more than nine eyes or nine appendages—including arms, wings, legs, antennae, feelers, claws, and so on. These warnings aren’t merely symbolic. If inedible foods are eaten, the DM can decide on any appropriate effect, or roll on this table for inspiration: d20

Inedible effect

1–10

Poisoned condition

11–14

Poison damage

15–17

Hallucination or brief madness

18–19

Small magical effect

20

Surge of unpredictable magic

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RISK & REWARD When gathering, you must use sharp judgment to determine whether the hope of a better harvest is worth journeying deeper into the dangerous wilderness. A skilled gatherer plays the line between risk and reward, collecting as much as they can without arousing attention. Exploring a loop. When gathering, most gatherers set out on a loop, going up to a half-day’s travel from the camp, then heading back along a different path. As you do this, you can set traps and make skill checks, such as Wisdom (Perception and Survival) or Intelligence (Nature, Arcana, Religion, and History), to discover opportunities and dangers to be explored on subsequent days, as well as collect what’s easy to gather without losing too much time in getting back to safety for the night. Closer looks. Upon returning to the loop, you’ll find changes—Planegea never stays the same for long—but much of what you observed on your first pass can be investigated more closely. Choose points of interest you discovered where more worthwhile goods can be extracted; just be careful not to stir up too much trouble or make too much noise. Going further. When you push further along a path— whether a literal path or an investigative one—your DM may call for checks to determine whether you attract attention or unleash some unforeseen trouble. And yet the gatherer who takes no risks brings back a meager harvest. Carefully judge your ability to take one more step, prod just a little more… great reward or great danger may lie just a few feet away. Returning. The return to safety is never assured for gatherers. Even a well-traveled path might shift in Planegea’s landscape, markers might disappear, and what seemed fixed yesterday could wander today. A gatherer must always be ready to forge a new path home, and take into consideration the goods they have collected during the day. Will they spoil or break if not carried carefully? Are scavengers keeping pace with you, interested in an easy take should you happen to fall? These and more are concerns the wise gatherer will take into account as they judge the timing for the return trip.

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Chapter 2 | Clanfire & Wilderness

HUNTING

It takes more than a sense of direction to stalk your quarry in Planegea. It takes luck, timing, and skill at reading the shifting patterns of the world. But for those who can intuit the winds and see the patterns in the soil, there is great glory to be gained in the hunt, and great joy in coming home to the welcome of a bright clanfire.

HUNGER IS A CONSTANT It’s assumed in Planegea that you are always hungry, always passively gathering food such as berries, small prey, and edible grasses, bark, and other plants, and have basic knowledge about what is edible and what isn’t. This means that you will not starve to death unless special circumstances apply (such as being in a particularly barren region or if a spell or other effect limits your ability to perform basic functions). Instead of hunting merely to survive, in Planegea, you hunt to thrive. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT In Planegea, you can gain benefits from a successful hunt. Whether you pursue your prey strictly for food, or simply eat what you kill along the course of your adventures, harvesting the right kinds of food can grant you the strength you need you survive. Ability enhancement. Certain prey can be harvested to briefly bolster various aspects of the hunter. When successfully harvested, prepared, and eaten, gain the benefits of the enhance ability spell. The ability affected is determined by the DM, based on the nature of the creature consumed. Spell effect. Some magical prey, when harvested, prepared, and eaten, can bestow the benefits of spells, as if from a potion or amulet. The nature of the spell and the prey is determined by the DM. EXTRAORDINARY PREY If your party is eager to hunt to gain one of the benefits listed, it’s the DM’s choice which creature they need to hunt to gain the desired effect. Consider their CR, environment, and the magical potency of various prey. As a rule, it’s a good idea to start with Monstrosities, choose prey which doesn’t speak and—if the prey is a common animal such as a wolf or bear—give it extraordinary aspects such as those listed under “Primordial Monsters” in Chapter 13, pg. 279.

DANGERS OF THE HUNT There is far more to hunting than merely stalking and bringing down prey. The wily hunter will be wary of the following perils: Predators. In the words of an ancient guardian, “There’s always a bigger fish.” Beware when hunting that you are not the prey for some mightier and stealthier creature. Competitors. You are not alone in the world. Even if other predators aren’t hunting you, easy prey may already have been sighted by others. Make sure that your kill isn’t stolen at the critical moment by a creature willing to challenge you for the prey. Scavengers. After you bring down your prey, deal with it quickly. Leaving fallen prey out in the open attracts scavengers—and though scavengers may be individually weak, they tend to gather just outside your reach in ever larger numbers.

Tricks & traps. Not all prey panics when pursued. Take care lest you be drawn into dangerous ground—quicksand, tangling vines, the lair of a larger beast. Some would-be prey have a symbiotic relationship with creatures or places that thirst for the blood of the overeager. Seeing red. In the heat of the hunt, it’s all too easy to lose track of where your feet are taking you. Stay aware of your surroundings, lest when the killing blow is landed, you raise your eyes to realize you are in a place you do not know, nor have any idea how to escape. HARVESTING Harvesting a hunt is an activity with countless permutations, so rather than offer a single method of harvesting, consider the following when the party brings down a kill. Ability checks. Any of the following ability checks can come into play when harvesting prey: • Strength: Breaking bones, snapping off tusks, ripping off tough hide, cracking natural armor, etc. • Dexterity (Sleight of Hand): Nimble extraction of delicate parts, careful skinning, nimble plucking, etc. • Constitution (Concentration): Withstanding stench, maintaining focus on a long or delicate harvest, etc. • Intelligence (Medicine): Knowing which parts to harvest, determining healthy and rotten parts, careful cutting to avoid internal damage, etc. • Intelligence (Nature): Recognizing the type and value of a harvest, identifying useful components, etc. • Intelligence (Religion): Recognizing divine patronage, honoring the local deity and clan customs, etc. • Wisdom (Survival): Skillful butchery of meat, cooking, preservation, burying offal, etc. • Wisdom (Perception): Watching for scavengers; noticing marks of ownership, signs of privation or prior harm, etc. Resolving a harvest. Some harvests are simple, others are complex and risky. Your DM could use any of the following methods to resolve the harvest based on your group’s play style and the importance of the harvest to the story. • Single roll: If a harvest is not a particularly significant story moment, it’s sufficient to choose a relevant skill, roll once, and move on. • Best two out of three: If the stakes are higher, raise them mechanically by requiring two successes before two failures. • Skill challenge: For major harvests that the adventure hinges on, run a skill challenge, requiring players to use various skills and getting more successes than failures.

I have seen many a young fool lose himself in the chase, forgetting the land around him in pursuit of his quarry. I’ve seen it when a man hunts beasts, when a man hunts glory, and when a man hunts pleasure. Take a moment. Take a breath. Look around you. The world is wide, and you are small, and that is good. Remember who and where you are.

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Chapter 3 | Prehistoric Characters

CHAPTER 3

PREHISTORIC CHARACTERS “Psst! What’s your name?” The hoarse whisper came from the next cage over. The stinking bone cages—six of them—swung high above the ground, dangling from twisted leather ropes. “What does it matter?” The gatherer slumped miserably against the bone bars, watching the giants drink. He had been distracted, daydreaming, when they had come upon him suddenly. Now his life was over, and the last thing he wanted to do was yammer with a stranger. “It matters.” The gatherer buried his face in his hands. “Names won’t do us any good once we get where we’re going.” “Names matter.” “No. You’re wrong. They don’t matter. Not when you’re a captive of the Air Empire. What good will a name do us when we’re building their monuments, serving their feasts, offering our blood for their magic? What good will a name do when we’re ground beneath their feet, crushed for their amusements, fed to their dire leopards when we’re too weak and old to work anymore?” A crackle of green and white light arced through the air, illuminating the tattooed face of a gnome in the next cage. “I need to know your name, fool, so I can include you in this teleportation spell. Unless you’d rather stay behind..?”

P

LANEGEA IS A LAND OF ADVENTURE, FULL of terror and possibility. This chapter explores some of the features that make adventurers here unique and offers footholds as you prepare characters born into this world. Remember, your character is as clever, resourceful, and intelligent as you want them to be. Just because it’s the Stone Age doesn’t mean it won’t take all your wits to survive. This chapter is intended to give you footholds for discovering who your character is in this prehistoric world. You can think of it as a trail to walk, to insights about where your character comes from and where they might be headed. Gain an understanding of who your character is in the world by looking at their story, what drives them forward, and what they carry along with them—both physically and psychologically—that stirs them towards continued adventure.

A Prehistoric Life Life in Planegea is dangerous and complicated. Your character lives their own unique story, and has seen things and experienced the world before joining the adventuring party. Note that the ideas below are best used in conjunction with other 5E materials that help shape your personal backstory. By themselves, these won’t create a complete personal history, but they can be a good jumping-off point. Also, these are presented as suggestions and inspiration,

not rules to be followed. If you have a different concept than the one generated by this section, talk to your DM and create it! But for most players, these questions should help to make an interesting, authentically Planegean character.

BIRTH

When and where you were born matters. Shamans use the timing and events surrounding birth to name children, and some swear that fates are shaped from the circumstances of birth. Consider the following: Place. Where you were born is the start of your story, a place of significance that can help define you. Were you born like most, in the tents of a nomadic clan? Were you born in the wilderness without the comfort and aid of a clan? Or were you perhaps born somewhere more unusual—a permanent settlement, the hallow of a god, one of the giant cities, or even beyond the four Giant Empires? Time. When were you born? What time of day and season? How many moons were there in the sky? In Planegea, birthdays aren’t celebrated, but many people pay attention to the weather events and seasons surrounding their birth, considering them especially fateful times for reflection and magic. Event. Most children hear stories of the day they were born. Was it quiet, remembered only for its serenity? Was there particularly ferocious weather? Was the clan at peace or in danger? Were there any auspicious notable hunts or remarkable finds by the gatherers? Were there any signs, omens, magical events, or memorable sights that marked the day?

CHILDHOOD

In the Great Valley, children are seen as precious, but are also exposed to danger in the normal course of life, and are expected to contribute to the survival of the clan. If you had a childhood you can remember, consider: Upbringing. Did you grow up in a typical clan? If so, was it small or large, peaceful or warlike, prosperous or desperate? Were you well cared for, or did you have to fight to survive from a young age? Did your clan journey far across the world, or only roam within a small area? Or are you from somewhere outside the Great Valley, with an unusual childhood? How does that affect you? First god. When did you first encounter a god? Was it through a shaman’s ceremony, with the clan at the edge of a hallow? Were you sent into the hallow of a god alone on an errand or as part of a rite? Or was it an accidental wilderness encounter? Was the god gracious or menacing? What did the god look like? How did it make you feel? Did you ever encounter that god again?

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VARIANT RULES

PLANEGEAN PLAYER OPTIONS These variant mechanics add unique Stone Age abilities into your game.

Star Stories In Planegea, the stars are not fixed—the stories of great hunters and monsters are still being painted in the heavens. For now, the stars tell of the world’s events, and their rumors can be read by those with sufficient knowledge. Perhaps your character might even have their greatness told in constellations beheld by future generations.

STAR MAGIC

The stars inspire greatness. As an action, you may make an Intelligence (Nature) check to locate a constellation with a story or song based on one of the six attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). On a success, you can take 10 minutes to tell its story. At the end of the story, make a Charisma (Performance) check. The DC is higher if your audience is exhausted, wounded, frightened, or discouraged. On a failure, nothing happens. On a success, all creatures who can hear and understand you are inspired by the tale and gain 1d4, which can be added to one check or saving throw of that attribute in the next 24 hours. This feature cannot be used again until the following nightfall, and when used again replaces any previous inspiration gained by this feature.

WATCHING THE STARS

The stars watch the world and gossip amongst themselves, and their dance reflects the secrets of mortals and gods alike. With cunning, a mortal can discover what’s happening in the world around them by scanning the stars. If you can see the stars, as an action, you may make an Intelligence (Arcana) check to search for news, rumors, and secrets. Your DM will determine the outcome of the roll. The stars are untrustworthy and biased, and may communicate half-truths, cryptic fragments, or outright deceptions.

Primal Push This world is a raw and wild place, where anything can happen and mortals can push themselves beyond the boundaries imposed on their descendants. Each class has access to a new feature that grants them additional power at cost or danger to themselves. If your character multiclasses, giving you access to more than one Primal Push feature, choose one. Next time you gain a level, you may choose again.

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Chapter 3 | Prehistoric Characters

WEAPON SHATTER

Martial feature, available to ascetic, barbarian, fighter, ranger, and scavenger. When you deal damage with a melee weapon attack using a magical weapon, not including those made temporarily magical by spell effects, you may throw all of your ferocity behind it and shatter your weapon against your enemy. Your weapon is irreparably destroyed and your attack becomes a critical hit. You may not use this feature again until after a short or long rest. The weapon cannot be repaired except with powerful magic such as a wish spell.

RAW MAGIC

Arcane feature, available to chanter, sorcerer, spellskin, and warlock. Magic is primal and dangerous, not yet bound by millennia of tradition and teaching. You may cast a spell that you know or have prepared for which you do not have spell slots, with the following effects: • Level 1–5 spells: Take 1 level of exhaustion per spell level. • Level 6 spells: Take 5 levels of exhaustion and fall unconscious. • Level 7 spells: Take 5 levels of exhaustion, fall unconscious, and automatically fail 1 death saving throw. • Level 8 spells: Take 5 levels of exhaustion, fall unconscious, and automatically fail 2 death saving throws. • Level 9 spells: Take 5 levels of exhaustion and die. (Levels of exhaustion remain if your character is restored to life except by a wish spell.)

BLOOD OFFERING

Divine feature, available to druid, guardian, and shaman. Blood has powerful magic, irresistible to almost any god, be they good or evil. As a bonus action, you may spill your own blood to empower your spell. Roll a number of your hit dice equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1), and take the resulting amount as slashing or piercing damage as if from a magical weapon, ignoring resistances or immunities. As a result of your offering, gain one of the following blessings: • Gain advantage on your next spell attack or check. • Impose disadvantage on the next creature you target with a spell effect. • The effects of your next spell are as if the spell had been cast at 1 spell level higher than it actually was.

First death. Death is a harsh reality that nobody in Planegea can avoid—not even children. What was the first death you ever witnessed, that you remember? Was it a stranger, or someone close to you? Was it violent or peaceful, sudden or expected? How did it shape your views on life and death? 1d8

Upbringing

1

You were raised in a cage as food for a warlord’s prized beasts. You only managed to escape by forging an understanding with your fellow prisoners or the beasts themselves, and have vowed to return to exact vengeance on the warlord.

2

Your clan barely eked by on the desolate edges of the world, narrowly escaping giant raids and ravaging predators. You know nothing of comfort, plenty, or safety, always watching your back and the skies.

3

Your clan roamed the Great Valley, following the herds and seasons in the great migration. You did your best to avoid the Three Brothers, and although you now travel far in search of glory, you still know where to find your clan in every season, should you need counsel or comfort.

4

Your clan was large and successful, possibly one of the Three Brothers. Even during the winter you knew plenty. There was always work, but never struggle.

5

You were the favorite child of a powerful clan, set to inherit the spear of the chief—until one day a monster slew and scattered your people. You now roam the world in search of your lost clan, and in pursuit of the beast that took everything from you.

6

7

8

You grew up separate from your clan—a lone hunter, raised in the sacred place of a god without a shaman. You gained great gifts from its magic, and still hear its whisper from afar. But over time, you grew to doubt your god’s judgment and wisdom. Believing it to be sick—or worse, mad—you now travel in search of a cure… but how does one cure a god? You were apprenticed to your clan’s shaman. Trained in their service, you were always well-fed and instructed, taught in the old ways and armed with ceremonial weapons. When you were old enough, your shaman sent you out from the clan on a mysterious mission you cannot fully comprehend. You are from one of the far reaches of Planegea: the Venom Abyss, the World-Fangs, or even the Elemental Wastes or Dream Worlds. You glimpsed something that irrevocably altered the course of your life—a great secret of the stars or stone—and now you live on the run, always afraid that the Hounds of the Blind Heaven are only a footstep behind you.

COMMUNITY

As you grew into adulthood, consider your relationship with your community. For most mortals, this means their relationship with their clan, but for others it might be a druidic circle, a spellskin enclave, or even a united band of captives in a giant empire: Survival. How did your community survive? If you were in a clan, were you primarily hunters, gatherers, crafters,

traders, raiders, or a combination? Or did you find a different way to stay alive? If you were from one of the larger settlements or empires, what did your community do to live within that society? What was your specific role? What was expected of you, and what tasks did you perform? Status. Within your community, what was your status? Was your counsel sought and your work admired? Did you have a large circle of friends and relations? Were you low-status, the butt of jokes and disrespect, ignored and passed-over? Were you invisible, existing somewhere in the middle, avoiding both glory and blame? Or did your status abruptly change at some point, for the better or worse, due to your actions or inactions? Obligations. What obligations do you still have to your old community? Are you still in good standing and considered part of their number, or have you separated from them? If so, on what terms did you depart? Has the community changed significantly since your upbringing, or is it the same as it always was? Do you aspire to return to it or to leave it far behind? What does the community expect of you now? 1d8

Community Event

1

You tamed a beast which had never been tamed before. Work with your DM to determine the nature of the beast and how its gifts have transformed the clan’s existence.

2

Someone close to you was lost in a sudden storm, and their body was never found. You fear that they still wander the world, either alive or as an accursed and unburied ghost.

3

You made a powerful enemy within your own clan. Work with your DM to decide whether it was your fault or you are blameless, but regardless this enemy seeks your harm and downfall.

4

You were attacked by a great predator, which altered your status in your community. You still have a scar, a limp, or show other signs of the injury, though they do not impair your abilities.

5

You traveled far on a long hunt for extraordinary prey, and experienced many dangers and saw wonders along the way, returning home forever changed from the journey.

6

A friend or stranger gave you a gift—an unusual weapon, totem, or other object. It is mysterious in nature, with a strange history and unanswered questions that you desire to answer.

7

You made a strong ally with a member of another clan when you survived danger together. They owe you a favor and seek to do right by you and advance your interests where it does not harm their own clan.

8

You fell in love, were married, or had children. Work with your DM to decide the nature of the relationship, and what the status of your loved one might be.

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RELATIONSHIPS

There are likely people from your past that made an impression on you, for good or for ill. Whether you knew them a long time ago or they still play an active role in your story, consider the following relationships: Friend. Who was your closest friend, either as a child or an adult? What was your friend like? What was your friendship built on? Was it always platonic on both sides? What’s one memory you’ll never forget with your friend? Mentor. Who did you look to for instruction in your life? Did they take you under their wing, or did you admire them from afar? Were they well-regarded in the community, or did you take after them because they were outsiders? What’s something they taught you that you’ll always keep with you? Bully. Who made your life difficult? Did they have authority over you, or were they a rival? In what ways did they oppress or threaten you? Did they single you out, or were they hostile to others as well? Did you ever strike back at them, and if so, how? How did their actions shape your feelings about right & wrong? Pest. Who was someone who wouldn’t leave you alone? Did they look up to you, or were they merely a grating personality? Were you gracious or curt with them? What about them got under your skin?

PERSONAL OMENS

In a chaotic world, many use superstition in an attempt to exert control, predictability, and pattern over life. The people of Planegea consider that personal signs or omens have meaning for them, and that seeing some combination of their personal omens is a sign to be noticed. Consider: Number. What number from 1–9 is your omen? Why does that number have significance to you? Color. What color is your omen? What memories do you have that are tied to that color? Creature. What creature is your omen? Is it a beast, a monster, or something else? Why does that creature have strong associations for you?

FEAR & DREAD

Every mortal in Planegea has things they fear—it’s just a question of how much they let that fear control them. For your character, consider: Fear. What is it that you fear? Why? Was it an early encounter that shaped that fear, or is it something you’ve come to fear as an adult? How strong is your fear? Is it an underlying unease, or is it a phobia that causes you to panic and flee? Mystery. Everyone has encountered something inexplicable. What’s something unsettling that you felt or observed that you cannot find a good explanation for, no matter how many nights you lie awake reliving it?

RISK & SURVIVAL

Danger is a constant in Planegea, and you must always be ready to flee predators or leap into combat to survive. But as you think about what you’ve lived through and what you’d die for, ask yourself: Risk. What would you risk everything for? What person, thing, ideal, or goal would you die for? What would cause you to throw yourself into harm’s way without a second thought? Close call. What was your nearest brush with death? What circumstances led to your endangerment? Did you survive by dumb luck, the actions of others, or by your own wits and skill? 1d8 1

You died for a moment, and saw the gates of the Kingdom of the Dead. Only powerful magic brought you back, and you’re still haunted by that vision.

2

You hovered between life and death in a dream state, walking in the worlds of the elves. You only returned when your spirit found a doorway back to your own world… and you half-remember where that doorway lay.

3

A shaman cursed you to a terrible doom. You lived in terror for many days and remain uncertain whether the shaman lifted the curse, if they were deceiving you, or if that terrible fate still lies before you.

4

You were separated from your clan in a storm and clung to life—but only barely. You returned half-frozen, starved, or drowned, and some consider you still marked for death.

5

You were within a hair’s breadth of being trampled by a beast in a hunt or stampede. Your clan took it as an omen that your life was spared for a reason.

6

You led a dousing raid on an enemy clan, winning great glory by killing their fire—but their hunters nearly caught you and your name is hated by that clan to this day.

7

You endured a harrowing vigil, remaining awake and upright for a week in service of your clan’s god. You were rewarded with a powerful vision by the god, the meaning of which you’re still trying to unravel.

8

You almost lost your life heroically rescuing a group of children cornered by a predator. Though the beast was far too powerful for you to defeat, you attacked it selflessly, allowing them time to escape, and were very nearly devoured in the process.

ENCOUNTERING PERSONAL OMENS Sometimes DMs use personal omens as a way of getting a character’s attention, exciting curiosity about a particular feature or place. At other times, the appearance of these omens are accidental, a random combination of elements. Be on the watch for these appearances, especially in conjunction. If your character’s omens are three, blue, and cats, then three blue cats coming into view should make you sit up and ask some questions.

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Chapter 3 | Prehistoric Characters

Brush With Death

ADVENTURING

Whether you know it or not, you are about to embark on an adventure with a group of other remarkable individuals. As you think about what will drive you to risk life and limb with this party, consider the following: Motivation. Why do you want to travel with the party? Why doesn’t your character simply leave at the first sign of trouble? What is it about this group, or your circumstances, that makes you willing to put your life on the line for the group’s shared goals? Short-term goal. What do you want right now? What’s your immediate objective, and how close are you to achieving it? How will it improve your life or ease your suffering? How urgent is it? Long-term goal. What is your long-term objective? What do you dream of, should the world reward you with success? If you achieve it, how will it change your relationship with the party? Will you still want or need to adventure, or will your story draw to a close?

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Trinkets Most mortals possess personal items—trinkets of value, significance, or interest that have meaning or represent something to them. When creating your character, roll on this table, and work with your DM to answer the following questions: • Who gave you this trinket, or from whom did you obtain it? If you came across it alone, who else might be interested in it? • Where did it come from? If you don’t know, where did you find it? Where do you carry it on your person? • When did you get this trinket? Is it something you’ve always possessed, or did you only gain it recently? • How does it make you feel? How heavy is it it? How valuable is it to you? • What about it catches your interest? What does it feel and smell like? • Why do you hold onto it?

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Chapter 3 | Prehistoric Characters

d100

Trinket

1

A bit of honeycomb that buzzes faintly when shaken

2

A humanoid molar that is ice-cold to the touch

3

A large, curled shell with a bright pink interior

4

A patch of wolf’s pelt with hair that stands on end in moonlight

5

Three leather pouches with small quantities of blue, yellow, and red sand

6

A wooden statuette of a mammoth, roughly carved

7

A short, smooth wand devoid of charges

8

A piece of bark with the scratched image of a shining figure, its arms and wings outstretched

9

An elbow-guard made from the black, iridescent chitin of a giant manylegs

10

A bone toy that folds and unfolds endlessly with a smooth motion

11

A tiny flask made of woven reeds that holds a mysterious, sweet-smelling liquid

12

A pouch of brightly colored beads

13

A set of knuckle bones, used for gambling

14

A jar of dust that whispers something you can't quite make out when you sift it through your hands

15

A pair of finely carved bone fishhooks

16

A merfolk fin, its edge jaggedly sheared off

17

An antler knife handle that gives you a feeling of déjà vu when you look at it

18

A spherical gray-white stone that looks exactly like a tiny moon

19

A carved wooden cup once used for festivals

20

A giant's ring, carved from fine marble, which fits on your wrist like a bracelet

21

A green dragon's tooth that still reeks of acid

22

A clay lamp which, when illuminated, changes the color of its light upon request

23

A dirty blindfold, stained with blood

24

The skeletal paw of a yeti

25

A wrap to keep hands warm, decorated with colorful thread in patterns sewn with love

26

A giant manylegs’ mandible

27

An intricately knotted belt, as if its maker attached some significance to the complex knotting pattern

28

An obsidian shard that rattles when stories of danger are told

29

A rough hide ball, such as a child might play with

30

A dead snake stuffed with grass to look alive

31

A ring made of twisted purple seaweed that writhes when submerged in saltwater

32

A jade septum ring

33

A horsehair fly whisk

34

The broken blade of a skillfully crafted paddle

d100

Trinket

35

A piece of coral that glows very faintly

36

A perfectly cylindrical piece of clear crystal

37

A bundle of dried herbs to treat a sour stomach

38

Reeking foot wrappings that feel amazing

39

A leather side-bag containing soil and a tiny awakened seedling

40

A glittering stone circlet that appears to be made from magically-cooled lava

41

An antler carved in the shape of a unicorn

42

An ivory toe ring that makes your foot unconsciously tap a light beat

43

A necklace made of lion claws

44

A shallow bowl made for ritual mixing of poultices and powders for naming ceremonies

45

A tiny idol with the head of a fish and the body of a short, stocky man with its arms broken off

46

A gatherer’s basket with a woven shoulder strap

47

A flat stone with a carving of a woman and child

48

A stone cube carved with intricately geometric dwarvish patterns

d100

Trinket

70

An inedible mushroom that takes root and begins to slowly multiply whenever it's set down

71

A shard of limestone painted with part of some strange, arcane pattern

72

A small handful of drift-pebbles that float when tossed into the air

73

An amulet made from the hoof of a rare antelope

74

The skull of a small animal, strung on a leather strap

75

A crown formed of the twisted antennae of an enormous insect

76

A piece of sea glass that reflects lightning, even on a clear day

77

A low belt fashioned from a black, rubbery tendril

78

A sachet of embalming fragrance

79

A turtle shell with an eye carved in the center, which you could swear sometimes winks

80

The ribcage of a small animal, useful for digging

81

Decorative ear-covers made of arcing shells

82

An antler chin guard

83

A stone totem pendant depicting a giant slain by a crowd of tiny figures

84

A small black pyramid-shaped carving that casts twisted shadows in the firelight

85

A shallow wooden bowl painted with the forms of people transforming into animals and back again

86

A red stone that leaves a smear of red liquid behind when pressed against a surface

87

A veil of tattered cloth

88

A broken bone sword, its blade covered in scars, scratches, and scorch marks

49

A broken horn that makes no sound

50

A hoop of feathers from a dinosaur

51

A bone whistle that plays a warbling note

52

A handful of light blue goo that's just solid enough to keep in a bag or pocket

53

Shoulder decorations made of brightly colored lizard scales

54

A large, curved earring made from a tusk

55

An oversized harness made for a dire beast of burden

56

A fern that furls and unfurls with your emotions

89

A lamp fashioned from a humanoid skull

57

A stone skull inlaid with worthless glittering quartz

90

58

A ceremonial wedding rope, decorated with bright feathers and dyed strips of cloth

A lump of amber with something dark at its center that weighs twice as much as it should

91

A polished stone armlet

92

A set of weights for measuring trade goods

93

A piece of petrified wood that still smells of an ancient forest fire

94

A dragon scale with a hole drilled at the top, which can be worn as a pendant

59

A shell that sings a familiar, haunting song when you hold it to your ear

60

A ring of purple, shimmering stone

61

An armlet circled with teeth

62

A river stone that emits wisps of black smoke

63

A pair of turtle shell kneepads

95

A twig doll that sometimes laughs in the night

64

An ivory pendant inset with four stones in a diamond pattern, which has been snapped in half

96

A piece of driftwood naturally formed in the shape of a whale

65

A miniature ivory mask with blue snail shells for eyes

97

66

A branch covered in huge salt crystals

A crushed giant's totem, recovered from one of their traveling party campsites

67

An enormous, exotic flower with colors you've never seen anywhere else

98

An anklet strung with misshapen pearls

99

68

A short, pointed cap fringed with jangling shells

A translucent stone that always seems to find its way back to your pocket

69

A blob of ooze that's always trying to creep away towards Blood Mountain

100

A black quill that can scratch marks in solid stone

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CHAPTER 4

KINSHIPS The young shaman gaped, her eyes wide. The countless brightly colored tents of the Seerfall shrine markets spread in every direction, the constant noise of the falls mingling with cries of the makers of totems, incense bundles, amulets, baskets, pots, things of ivory and antler, flutes, drums, clay bells, and every kind of food offered to every kind of god. The noise was overwhelming, but the people! She had never imagined seeing so many kinds of people—short, tall, strangely colored; some had fire for hair and others leaves. There were the half-translucent elves, the half-stone dwarves, ominous quietkin, and even an orc or two, although their people typically disdained the gods. She saw an ascetic with a shaved head that oozed through the crowd as if they had no bones, saurians with wings and fangs, hammerlike tails and high crests. There were beastfolk and golems and towering half-giants and others for which she simply had no name. The young shaman felt someone staring at her. She looked around and saw a red-skinned godmarked with curling horns and fiery eyes. The godspawn looked at the young shaman, taking in her glowing skin and hair, then grinned with pointed teeth and called out—“I don’t know what you are, friend, but you look like you could use a fine antler totem, best quality in the market!”

A

LL THE PEOPLES OF 5TH EDITION CAN BE found in Planegea, though they may not look or act the same as their distant descendants. In this setting, 5E’s “races” are renamed kinships. Planegea is a world before fixed ideas of racial identity, where survival strategies are far more essential than bloodlines, and every kind of being is valued for its own strengths and contributions to the clan. Survivors, not legacies. Beings band together to stay alive in Planegea. The world is hostile and hungry, and the mortal kinships have not been in the world long enough to create hard divisions between themselves. Many clans welcome any able body who is willing to work. Some keep to their own kind, but this is usually due not to prejudice but rather a shared ethos for the methods of survival. Stories, not histories. The world is new, and kinships have not yet written their great histories of ancestors and bloodlines. Kingdoms have yet to be built, mortal empires are unformed. Ask an elf the history of her people, and she’ll tell you the tale of her parents or her clan. The stories people know and tell about where they came from are personal, not shrouded in the depths of the past. Life in all its forms. In later eras, humans, elves, dwarves, and other warm-blooded creatures will fill the land, but Planegea is still new, and other, non-mammalian kinships compete alongside everyone else. Humanoid plants, oozes, dinosaurs, and even elemental beings of pure energy all live and breathe and eke out their corners of survival.

Surely the kinships are not much different between your land and mine. I am certain that the elves in your home must also be at least a somewhat invisible, or blue-skinned at the very least. It is so, yes?



PRIMORDIAL KINSHIPS These are the earliest forms of kinships that walk the world in later eras. Here are dwarves, elves, men, and others that are familiar from 5E, but each is altered by the span of uncountable years, distinct from their tavern-drinking, castle-dwelling descendants. Use these pages to inspire your primordial character, and remember how much of history is yet unwritten. MORPHIC ABILITY SCORES In Planegea the kinships are still young, each trying to find its place in the world. When using a 5th Edition kinship, you can replace the archetypal Ability Score Increase for the kinship with an equal increase to any ability score of your choice. If you get an increase to more than one ability score, you cannot apply them to the same ability score (and must instead assign them to different ability scores). For similar reasons, the new kinships found later in this chapter feature flexible Ability Score Increases. If you’d prefer to play with archetypal increases for these new kinships, options are given in the Variant Features sidebar for each kinship.

Dwarf “DWARVES ARE TOO STONY TO CHANGE. I’VE KNOWN A dwarf to keep a promise made a lifetime ago, to his own harm, long after everyone he ever made it to was gone.” — Owlox, elven shaman Still half-stone, dwarves were born of rock, and only recently carved their way out of the deep places of the world. Their skin and hair glitters with minerals and gemstones. Dwarves consider other kinships strange and mercurial, full of whimsy and change. To be a dwarf is to live with crystal clarity and stony certainty. Outcroppings. Almost all dwarves have some visible element of stone or crystal in their skin or hair, growing naturally from their bodies. This might be as subtle as a patches of pebbly scales or nearly cover the body in rocky shards and spines. Stone quirk. Thanks to their mineral roots, Dwarves are unlike all other kinships—although they share a distant kinship with the waste-children of earth. Use this table to inspire how your stony background manifests.

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d6

Quirk

1

Once you’ve made up your mind, no force in Planegea can change it

2

You love showing off your stony nature, challenging other hunters to break their weapons on your skin

3

You are very slow to make any promise, for a promise once made is utterly binding

4

You sleep sitting up, motionless as a stone, and have been mistaken for a rock on many occasions

5

Change confuses you, and you have a hard time recognizing even close friends if they change their clothes or appearance

6

You are embarrassed by your rocky outcroppings, and do all you can to conceal them, preferring to pass as a human when possible

Ruin builders If you see an abandoned cliff-fortress or menhirs set high on a hill, you can be almost certain it was once dwarvish. Obsessive builders and carvers of stone, dwarves have been known to build a fortress for generations, only to abandon it overnight when the last stone is carved, ready to start anew. Their industry is ferocious, their dedication to craftsmanship eternal. Many a wandering dwarf can be tracked by an unconscious habit of piling pebbles into little cairns wherever they go. Industrious & competitive. A losing endeavor is called a “dwarvish bet,” because those who live beside dwarves know that once they set their mind to a task or challenge, nothing can stop them. Their tirelessness and dedication is respected by those around them, yet with every generation, dwarvish elders are a little more suspicious of the next generation’s growing love for

strong drink and the ease of life on the banks of the Three Brothers. Friends of giants. It is known that the giants greatly admire the dwarves for their natural cunning with stone, and that dwarves are often invited into their highwalled cities as guests, counted as friends and advisors in construction, building, and crafting projects of all kinds. Some, however, believe the giants are a little too welcoming, and worry that there might be some larger, darker plan that the empires have for their stoneworking allies. Dwarvish names. The names of dwarves are usually a series of up to nine single-syllable sounds. These names act as gates of familiarity—the more of a dwarf’s names one learns, the closer one is to the dwarf. “Knowing the ninth name” is a dwarvish euphemism for romantic intimacy. Typical names: Du-Ma-Lin-Bah-Gol-Sum-Cha-Mu-Rin (known by most as Du, Duma, or Dumalin), Tho-Sar-Vun-Til-AmEng-Pil-Mek-Ta (known by most as Tho, Thosar, or Thosarvun).

HEWN DWARF (HILL DWARF)

Not all dwarves are born—some are carved from rock and given life with secret magic only known to the dwarves. These hewn dwarves are more rock than skin, and often look at other kinships with a mixture of confusion, contempt, and curiosity.

BORN DWARVES

Dwarves that are a few generations removed from the mines and quarries of their kind quickly develop their own ways of adapting to a soft-skinned world. These dwarves— born rather than carved—represent the other forms that dwarves take throughout 5th Edition.

Elf “ELVES AREN’T REALLY REAL, YOU KNOW,” SAID THE old man, gazing out at the snow. I was young. It was cold. We were waiting for the hunters to signal the approach of the mammoths. “You can see through them. They’re dreams. Walking dreams, no more real than that.” I knew better than to disagree with my elder. But when I thought about the elves I’d seen—their wild ways, their laughing eyes, their clever hands—they had seemed real to me. More real than anything. — The Lifesong of Ula Vitar, ranger of the Skyfang Peaks Semi-translucent, elves have something not-quite-real about them. Originating in Nod, the twin worlds of dreams and nightmares, elves never quite sleep, always seeming only partly attached to Planegea, their thoughts ever wandering far away… Graceful translucence. You can see moonlight through an elf’s hand. They are generally a sleek and slender people and are known to move with a subtle step, their eyes seemingly focused on something just out of reach.

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Wandering minds. Elves are known for being in a state of distraction. They often seem either one step behind or two steps ahead of the moment, as if their thoughts are wandering on quite a different path than that of other mortals. Yet when they arrive at their destination and choose a course of action, they are both brilliant and intuitive. Use this table to inspire how your wandering mind manifests. d6

Wandering

1

You lose focus quickly, distracted by the next interesting thing you see

2

You have a habit of interrupting the conversation with an unrelated observation or question

3

You reject the binaries of black and white, yes and no, life and death—there’s always a third option

4

You don’t like walking in a straight line, and create your own detours

5

There are always two or three problems or mysteries you’re working on solving in the back of your mind

6

Wherever you go, you trace, draw, and paint swirling, abstract patterns that reflect your inner state

Eternal beauty. Elves remain in the prime of their life an unthinkably long time. In a world with no number over nine, they are believed to simply be immortal. Although many elves enjoy the company of other kinships and find their perspectives interesting, they can be aloof in distracted immortality. Some elves prefer to live with their own kind, to avoid the pain of getting attached to such short-lived companions. Such elvish clans are almost never permanent encampments, preferring to wander in search of places of great natural beauty. Elves are known for their work in feathers, beads, colorful paint, and weaving, and their textiles are highly sought, especially for feasts and festivals. The call of Nod. Elves don’t sleep, and don’t dream—the world of dreams and nightmares is real to them, and they must travel through doorways or by magic to go there…. and it never stops calling to them. Whether born in Nod or Planegea, an elf always feels the draw of the dream world, and rare is the elf who does not at some point in their long life seek a way to at least gaze into their former home. Elven names. Elves traditionally name their children with mirrored names, built of two opposed ideas. Elves believe that a name is a reflection, a meditation, and an exploration of the space between the two concepts. The names might describe poles of the person’s identity or simply abstract concepts. Some names are untranslated from elvish, though they are typically constructed in the same way. Typical names (in Common): Cloudknife, Owlfish, Dreamwake, Calmfear, Greatsmall, Wanderfound, Wildsafe.

EXILE OF NOD (HIGH ELF)

Many mortal lifetimes ago, a terrible crime or sin was committed by a clan of elves from the world of dreams. These elves were cast out, banished forever from Nod, and have dwelt in the waking world ever since. Exiles of Nod are less translucent than their kin, and have spent their outcast generations learning how to survive. Because of this, they tend towards more practicality and skill with both magic and weaponry than others of their kind. No human—and few elves—know why they were banished, but the oldest of the exile elves know, and some say they are still working towards some larger plan for return or revenge.

ELVES OF NOD

Those who cross from the World of Dreams or Nightmares have other forms, more insubstantial, more curious. Some are formed of darkness or the wilderness or the sea. Their ways are varied and strange, and are represented by the diversity of elves across 5th Edition.

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Halfling “BEWARE THE QUIETKIN, WITH THEIR MANY KNIVES and noiseless steps. They can kill before you know that you’re surrounded.” — Great Valley hunter’s warning Called silentfolk or quietkin, halflings are unseen until it’s too late. A secretive people who hunt by ambush, they are eerie and unsettling, yet highly valued as hunters and allies, if other kinships are able to befriend them. Small and deadly. Halflings are known by their small stature and quiet step. Because of their size, they are natural prey for many hungry beasts, so halflings have learned the art of hiding and striking first from the shadows. They tend to wear dark natural colors, and are known for elaborate striped face painting or tattoos as an art of camouflage. Unseen and unheard. Halflings are capable of speech, but their culture is built around silence, and their clan tongue is an elaborate sign language created for stalking large prey. It’s hard to get a halfling to open up, but it’s said that on the rare occasions when they feel safe and secure, they are clever and bright companions, full of the jokes and insights they’ve been holding back until it was time to speak. Use this table for inspiration on how this tradition of silence affects your character. d6

Silence

1

You sneak up on people without meaning to, often startling your companions by appearing behind them without warning

2

You don’t speak until spoken to, but once you start talking, you can’t stop

3

You bottle up grudges—literally. Your belt has skins and jars that hold objects that remind you of who you’re going to get back at

4

You consider flamboyance of all kinds a great sin and personal offense, and instinctively distrust anyone who attracts attention

5

You love a good jump scare, and will go out of your way to startle your companions for a laugh

6

You often forget that other kinships don’t know halfling sign language, and slip in and out of your native dialect without realizing it

Kill or be killed. Somewhere in the past, halflings realized that, thanks to their size, they must choose between living as easy prey or becoming predators, and decided on the latter. Halflings keep to their own kind more than most other kinships, largely because they find others too noisy and clumsy to survive in the halfling way. Their clans tend to camp in hidden places and live their days in total silence, considering it a great offense to make more sound than absolutely necessary.

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But when halflings feel safe—when sentries are posted, the tents are well-hidden, and the land and sky are empty of threats or intruders–it’s said that there isn’t a noise in all of Planegea to match the joyful uproar of halflings letting loose. The three favors. There is an old story about a halfling who wandered through the jungle so silently that it snuck up on Death, who was trapped under a fallen tree. Twice, Death asked the halfling for help, and twice the halfling refused. On the third request, the halfling agreed, but only in exchange for three favors from Death in days to come. Death agreed, and ever since, halflings have been a people touched by preternatural luck, which they rely on and count as their well-deserved birthright. Halfling names. Most halflings have a sign made with the hands or body that they consider their true name as given by their parents. However, for moving through the dark or communicating with outsiders, they are also given a spoken name, which they typically think of as an informal nickname. These usually have simple, repeated sounds, easy to pick out if whispered. Typical names: Taktak, Emem, Bilbil, Adu-Adu, Lolo, Sansan, Pippip, Odod. QUIETKIN (LIGHTFOOT HALFLINGS) Most halflings are from clans that have long kept quiet and kept to themselves. Some leave their clans because curiosity draws them into the world, others are sent out as longrange hunters or scouts and then—through misfortune or curiosity—never find their way home. WALKAWAY HALFLINGS There are those who refuse the way of silence and make homes among the other clans. These halflings—called walkaways by the quietkin—are represented by many of the other types of halflings found in 5E.

Human “YOU’VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A DIFFERENCE AS from one human to the next. It’s dizzying.” — Bazrhu, stonehewn dwarvish guardian Known for their remarkable adaptability, humans are unparalleled as beast-tamers. They can be found everywhere in Planegea, both as servant and master of mighty beasts of all kinds, equally likely to have tamed a creature as to have been subjugated by it. A dazzling array. Humans in Planegea come in all shapes and sizes, every shade and color—including tints of blue, purple, and green from elvish or orcish ancestry. Humans are known for their diverse tastes and ability to alter their appearance and culture to whatever landscape they find themselves to a degree considered remarkable by others. Infinite adaptability. Humans thrive in nearly every environment across Planegea, from the stormy plains of Thunderverge to the soaring pinewood pillars of the

Towering Weald, from the mold-huts of Ghostmire to the dinosaur-back villages of Lastwater Wilds. Use the following table to inspire your diverse origin. d6

Origin

1

You grew up on the houseboats of Fishgather, watching traders come in from across the Raiding Plains and down from the Skyfang Mountains

2

You lived in the tree-villages of the Slumbering Forest, gathering nuts and fruits from the sleeping trees and learning at the feet of the Shamans of Seerfall

3

You were trained as a young hunter by the mighty clans of The Brothers river valleys, where game was plentiful and you camped wherever the prey wandered

4

You built dust-houses as a child in the Cult Riverland, with a sharp stone dagger your first possession and an oath to never let a godless neck go unsliced

5

You lived in a dinosaur-back village that roamed across the Dire Grazelands, running along the bridges from platform to platform as your beasts wandered wide

6

You started life as a proud citizen of Free Citadel, in the vast stone palaces of giants built by mortal hands, breathing icy mountain air that was clear and wild

Consummate survivors. It seems that humans will do anything to survive. Humans can be found worshiping anything, partaking in strange and bewildering rituals and traditions, and adapting their dwellings, their clothing, and all aspects of their life simply to eke out a few more years of breath. Natural allies. Of all kinships, humans find it easiest to cooperate with other kinds of beings—for good or for ill. Human encampments are remarkable for the range of other kinships and beasts they mingle into their societies. Sometimes, of course, it is the humans who are mingled in, and many a powerful monster has its share of human pets. OPTIONAL HUMAN RACIAL FEATURE Many humans in Planegea have a natural ability to tame wild animals that exceeds that of other kinships. You can optionally add the following feature when you create a human character: Beast Tamer. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check related to interacting with an undomesticated beast, you are considered proficient in the Animal Handling skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.

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Dragonborn “GREAT ARE THE DRAGONBORN, AND GREAT IS OUR pride, for we are the heirs of the Worldheart. Great are we and great is our pride, for in our veins runs creation’s blood.” — Dragonborn Chant Arising from the Venom Abyss, racing up the Unfalls in great bamboo rafts, these draconic mortals are the newest kinship to appear in the Great Valley. They are a gregarious people, known for their showmanship, brash fearlessness, and overwhelming pride, declaring with fierce joy their rightful place as the hatchlings of the Worldheart Dragon’s own brood and the harbingers of the will of Blood Mountain. Powerful predators. The dragonborn are a towering, dominating people, full of hunter’s pride and conquering strength. They laugh easily and loudly, kill for sport, and are unafraid to speak their mind. They vary in hue from white to black, and all chromatic shades in between. The metallic scales of dragonborn that will someday walk the world are nowhere to be found among them. Heirs of the world. According to the dragonborn, they are the direct descendants of the Worldheart Dragon, hatched of her eggs on Blood Mountain. They say they cut down mighty trees of the Venom Abyss, lashed them together with poisonous vines, and sailed up the Unfalls to bring the Worldheart’s will to Planegea. This confidence or pride is a hallmark of their people. Use the table below to inspire how that plays out in your dragonborn character. d6

Confidence

1

You are always certain you will succeed, no matter what the odds or your skill level

2

You believe fear is a weakness, and look down on those who express it

3

You love a good laugh, even at another’s expense

4

You have a habit of giving counsel and advice when it’s not asked for or wanted

5

You’re the first to volunteer for any task, especially the dangerous ones

6

You always eat last and take care of others first, convinced that you don’t need help

Boastful athletes. When the dragonborn rafted up the Unfalls in their catamarans, they announced that they had arrived to enact the will of the Worldheart. However, it became clear in time that they had no fixed purpose or way forward, nor any plan to return to their birthplace on Blood Mountain. In the years that have passed since they arrived, some dragonborn have joined with other clans as hunters or makers, while most have kept to their own kind and live in a state of perpetual hunting, feasting, and challenging each other to feats of strength or courage. Dragonborn camps are raucous, dangerous places, which most other mortals take great pains to avoid.

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Dubious birthright. Dragonborn are not long-lived, and several new generations have been born in the Great Valley since their arrival. The oldest of their kind are passing away, and none have ever told the full story of their origin, keeping to the same vague generalities. Some of the young dragonborn raised among other clans have started to wonder whether their old ones are telling the truth… if they were the children of the Worldheart, wouldn’t she have told them their purpose? Wouldn’t they know what to do? Dragonborn names. The grandiose culture of many dragonborn incline them towards names that are, in themselves, boasts. Dragonborn use harsh consonants for their given names, and often demand to be addressed based on their bloodline’s most impressive boasts or exploits. Typical names: Skrath Ogrekiller, Harash Invincible, Arkva Firespew, Zaxal Raftcrafter.

CHROMATIC ANCESTRY

None of the dragonborn in Planegea are metallic, as it is a world without metal. The chromatic colors—black, blue, green, red, and white—are present.

Godmarked (Tiefling) “THOSE WHOSE BLOOD IS TOUCHED BY THE GODS bear a heavy burden—they walk the world marked, and all who see them see into their soul.” —Shalriq the Outcast There are those whose stories are more tangled with the gods than most. Godmarked is the common name for those whose blood was forever altered in form by an interaction with a divine encounter. Whether a blessing or a curse, their appearance sets the godmarked apart, and their stories are eagerly coveted around clanfires, if they’re willing to tell. Changed by the gods. Godmarked appearance varies widely, depending on the nature of the god who affected their ancestry. Some touched by animal gods have hooves or tails. Most have skin of an unusual hue, such as the blue child of a river god or the bright red skin of one touched by divine fire. Almost all, however are touched with some sort of sign on the temples or forehead—most commonly horns or antlers—which mark them unmistakably. Forever other. There’s no hiding your nature as a godmarked, although some have tried. Whether intended as a blessing or a curse, or simply an unintended consequence of a meeting between god and mortal, a godmarked’s appearance makes them an outsider, set apart from the rest of the clan. Some godmarked use their difference to their advantage, leaning into the attention their appearance calls to gain favor and power. Others attempt to conceal their origin as much as possible, proving their value lies outside whatever their forebears may have done to please or anger the gods. Use this table to inspire your godmarked’s origins, and then consider whether that’s something they try to hide or leverage.

d6

Origin

1

Your ancestor was guilty of such an awful offense against a god that death wasn’t enough—he and all his offspring were marked for his crime

2

Your mother’s tribe crossed a winter god’s domain without an offering, and the spiteful deity lashed out and struck your mother at random with a curse

3

It was so long ago that nobody in your family even remembers what god you crossed, or how… only that it was all a misunderstanding

4

Your grandparents were on the verge of death when they stumbled into a hallow for shelter, where the god preserved their lives and marked them as blessed

5

A distant ancestor was a legendary hunter, and provided such a great offering to your clan’s god that she was marked as a blessing and reward

6

Your parent was the chosen high shaman of a kind god, and you were raised in the divine hallow

or avoid angering the gods, and to understand a little more about the world around them. Many godmarked become chanters or traveling performers, their appearance sufficient to draw a crowd of eager listeners. Unfinished business. It’s said that those who are marked by the gods are forever bound to them in fate and fortune. Most godmarked know exactly which god is responsible for their appearance through family lore, and those who don’t— or whose god is long since dead—are still entangled in the business of those whose power far exceeds their own. Godmarked names. Most godmarked retain the names of their kind before they were changed by the divine encounter, so a godmark may have a name that sounds human, elvish, orcish, or like that of any other kinship.

Stories to tell. It’s said that a godmarked is welcome at every clanfire but its own. Though often rejected by those who knew the family before their stories intertwined with the gods, these changed ones obviously have stories to tell. Other clans are eager to hear them, to learn how to please

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Gnome “I’D RATHER DEAL WITH A GOBLIN THAN WITH A gnome. Little rats scurry and creep, their fingers finding and fashioning things an honest hunter can barely understand.

brutish kinships that must use brawn to get by. Gnomes are clever, inventive, and find—or make—a way through the world where none exists. Use this table to inspire your gnome character’s cunning scavenger nature. d6

Cunning

— Shatter, orcish fighter of Howlgrove

1

You’re always absentmindedly gathering materials and making things without realizing it

Every kinship hates these little scavengers. Gathering like rats after a kill, beggar-gnomes fashion clever trinkets, which they attempt to trade for food, but would as soon cut a throat as make a deal. They are seen as dishonorable, tricky, too small to hunt, and always seem to have something up their sleeves. Little do those who reject them know of gnomish cunning, courage, or the beauty that’s to be found just out of sight in their scavenged society. Small and quick. Gnomes stand at about half the height of most other mortals, taller only than the quietkin. Their fingers are long and clever, their eyes large and luminous, their hair drifts as if defying gravity around their pointed faces. Gnomes move with the air of prey, habitually checking around, above, and over their shoulder for danger. Despised cunning. The tallfolk, as gnomes call them, reject and despise the gnomish people for their willingness to pick over kills, scavenge in trash piles, and steal what they need to get by. Gnomes, however, know better. They are survivors in their own right, more clever than the

2

You hate to leave anything behind, preferring to gather everything in case it someday might be useful

3

You are unwilling to accept things at surface value, always seeking a deeper meaning or significance

4

You ask “why” constantly… far too often, according to your companions

5

Curiosity will always get the better of you

6

You study other creatures in order to be able to perfectly mimic them

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Hidden treasures. Gnomish scavenger-camps can be found at the fringes of large hunter-gatherer societies. Their huts tend to be made of unwanted bones covered in gnomequilt: pieces of hide too small for others to use, stitched together in strange patchwork patterns. They arrange their huts in a tight circle, and in front of each they place found or fashioned trinkets and tools for sale; each gnomish camp is as much a marketplace as a dwell-

ing-place. The inside of their huts—too small for tallfolk to enter—are covered in wonders of invention, art, and beauty… tiny oases of craftsmanship and light in a dark and violent world. Star whisperers. The gnomish people have a deep affinity for the stars—something about their small brilliance, their clever dances across the sky creates a consanguinity. Gnomish star-shamans are known for their remarkable understanding of the rumors of the heavens. And some even say that the most wicked gnomes have secret communication with the unfathomable, ancient minds that lurk and spiral in the dark Sea of Stars… Gnomish names. Gnomes construct their own names when they come of age. Until then, they are called by insulting or dismissive child-names, such as Useless, Dunderhead, Slowpoke, and so on. These insulting names— usually spoken with affection by their parents—are meant to provoke them to create a new name and take their place as adults as early as possible. No two gnomish names are the same, as the naming rite places great emphasis on originality. Typical names: Krazbaxnixelpiftery, X’xyx, Nine-Nines, Wauwauskadamar, Cup-of-the-Wind, [High-Pitched Squeal].

SCAVENGER GNOMES (ROCK GNOMES)

These gnomes are those commonly seen in the Great Valley, living in bone-and-gnomequilt huts encircled by crafted goods for trade, fashioned from the cast-off waste of other clans. Mender’s Lore (Artificer’s Lore). Whenever you make an Intelligence (Story) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or stars, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply. Crafter. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools. Using these tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 ps worth of materials to craft a Tiny magical device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time. When you create a device, choose one of the following options: • Kinetic Toy. This toy is a moving animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, mouse, bird, dragon, or hunter. When placed on the ground, the toy moves 5 feet across the ground on each of your turns in a random direction. It makes noises as appropriate to the creature it represents. • Fire Starter. The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action. • Song Jar. When opened, this jar plays a single song at a moderate volume. The jar stops playing when it reaches the song’s end or when it is closed.

Unfortunately the gnomish proclivity for the ineffable is not limited to my lighthearted kindred. There are many gnomes who have forged dark pacts with the Crawling Awful which lies in the deep places of the world.

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FAVORED GNOMES

Rarely, gnomes are able to escape the stigma of their scavenging ways and are elevated into favored status with a clan. These are usually the sorts represented by other types of gnomes in 5th Edition, their peculiarities seen as advantages by the clans that adopt them.

Half-Elf “A CHILD OF TWO WORLDS IS WELCOME IN BOTH worlds or neither one. Which are you?” — Suunpha of Nod Often called Twilight or Dawn Children, these descendants of humans and elves share traits from both bloodlines, yet are fully understood by neither, often forming their own caravans or raiding parties and keeping to their own halfkind. Still, their natural grace and understanding of two perspectives makes them skilled performers and negotiators, when they can find a listening ear. An uneasy mix. Elvish and human blood doesn’t mix evenly, and the children of these unions are often a mottled mixture—translucent and blue in some patches of skin, sometimes with one pointed ear and one rounded, or differently-colored eyes. These combinations often settle into graceful patterns, like the stripes or spots of a hunting cat or swirls and loops that remind one of clouds, water, or leaves. Regardless, they stand out no matter where they go, unmistakable as a people of strange blood. Oil and water upbringing. This union of two backgrounds can make for curious outlooks on the world. Some halfelves turn violent and cruel as they’re rejected by both lineages. Others enjoy the best of both worlds, literally. Use the table below to inspire your upbringing and how it shaped your half-elf character. d6

Upbringing

1

I was abandoned as an infant, left to die by parents who rejected me outright. I’ve hated both humans and elves ever since

2

My human parent raised me, and never spoke of elves or allowed me to go near their encampments

3

My elvish parent raised me and would spin endless tales of Nod, while attempting to ground my feet firmly in the practicalities of life in Planegea

4

I was born to half-elven parents, who had already found each other in a performing caravan … I never thought of myself as strange, and still don’t

5

My elvish parent was from the World of Nightmares, and I have been told since I was young that my destiny is to one day find them there and bring them back

6

As the child of a shaman and a lord of Nod, I traveled fluidly between the two worlds, learning all that each had to offer—the beloved heir of magic and power

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form vicious raiding parties or colorful caravans of entertainers. There is great unease when a band of half-elves is sighted, for sometimes raiders pretend to perform or performers put on mock raids to gather a crowd. Either way, the striped half-folk certainly have a flair for dramatics and showmanship.

Blood Dancers

It is said that some half-elves have a unique ability to suppress either of their ancestries, appearing as fully human or fully elvish at will. Such beings have the power to live two lives, being accepted by both kinds without suspicion—as long as their ruse goes undiscovered. To play a blood dancer half-elf, replace the Skill Versatility feature with Blood Dancer. Blood Dancer. You can use a bonus action to change between your elf aspect, your human aspect, or your mixed aspect. You are recognizably yourself in each aspect, retaining similar features such as eye color, face shape, and so forth. However, while in your elvish or human aspect, a stranger meeting you is unable to discern from your appearance that you are of two worlds.

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Orc (Half-Orc) “MIGHT, STAMINA, COURAGE, VISION—WHAT MORE could you ask for? Is there any other people who can compare to the majesty of the orcs?” — Lift, spellskin of Seerfall Orcs are among the mightiest, most feared, and most honored kinships in Planegea, hailed as conquerors and warlords. Their people often lead clans and win great glory as hunters. Few doubt the future of the kinship as the rightful rulers of the land, although some resent it and will do all they can to oppose orcish might for as long as they can. Majestic might. An orc is awe-inspiring—taller than a human, with green skin that blends with grass and trees, mighty tusks that can gore with no need for a knife. They are considered a beautiful and blessed people, and much admired throughout the world. Proud hunters. The orcs live as nobility in Planegea. Their numbers are not great—orcish life is hard, and many do not survive the brutal upbringing of a clan hunter. But those who reach adulthood are hunt-scarred warrior-poets who have been groomed to lead.

Spiritual unrest. The orcs have long been a reverent people, with deep roots in the worship of the gods of the land. Yet something has changed in the last few generations. Their power has grown, and some have started to doubt whether their fate must always be to bend the knee to the gods. They are strong, and some believe that the way of survival is one led not by spirits in their hallows, but by the hand of the hunters who risk their lives at spearpoint. This tension with the divine can play out in many ways—use this table on the right to inspire how it affects your orcish character. Enemy-makers. The powerful make powerful enemies. Through pride and conquest, the orcs— though feared and admired by most—have more than their share of opposition. There are gods who conspire for their downfall, clans dedicated to their destruction, even some giant empires who think the green mortals would do better if they learned a lesson in humility. Orcish elders, however, laugh at warnings of such dangers, however, daring all to come from any direction. Orcish names. Orc names tend to be verbs, since their traditions place emphasize on action over talk. Orcs may or may not translate their names, and sometimes other mortals don’t realize that a gutteral-sounding orcish name may have an uplifting meaning. Typical names (in Common): Smash, Seek, Guess, Journey, Comfort, Avenge, Focus, Remember.

d6

Unrest

1

You see worship as suffocating, and desire to have as little to do with the gods as you can

2

You respect the old traditions, and believe that the gods have their uses, but see them as a means to an end—and the end is orcish power in Planegea

3

You believe balance is necessary, and think that the interests of the gods and the orcs can co-exist peacefully… if only your clan could see that too

4

You fear the wrath of the gods, and have chosen to serve them, though some of your brethren brand you a coward for your worship

5

You are on the hunt for a god worthy of worship—one who awes you more than the natural might and glory of the orcs … and so far, you haven’t found one

6

As far as you can see, the only good god is a dead god … it leaves more unclaimed land for the orcs to claim

PLANEGEAN ORCS

Mechanically, full-blooded orcs in Planegea use the racial features of the Half-Orc from 5th Edition. But they are the original kinship: a proud and noble people who stand shoulder to shoulder with their human and elven peers. (Well… more shoulder-to-head. But equal nonetheless.) There does exist in Planegea a people known as The Doomed, also called monsterblood orcs. These clans once lived alongside other kinships—but in their pride and thirst for power, they devoured beings they should not have consumed. In doing so, they gained great physical power, but had their minds darkened with murderous rage. They are part-orc, part-monster, and though they still retain vestiges of their former nobility, the pounding of war-drums never ceases beating in their ears. These monsterblood orcs use the racial features of 5th Edition orcs, both as a monsters and as a playable kinship.

I once heard of a blood dancer hunter who was the mistress of two worlds. She played her two lineages perfectly, keeping them utterly separate. She trained herself to forget in each form what she had done in the other. Her troubles began when a murder she’d committed as an elf became the very mystery she was trying to solve as a human.

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PLANEGEAN KINSHIPS These kinships are new to 5th Edition, native to the world of Planegea. Their descendants may live in other worlds, partaking of strange adventures in modern fantasy, but the dreas, half-ooze, saurian, and starling are beings born of a primordial and metamorphic world. Their natures reflect the wild, ever-changing nature of prehistoric fantasy.

That’s enough of the kinships you know and their differences between your land and mine. Let me tell you of some folk with whom I’ll wager you’re unfamiliar. Let’s see if I can’t surprise you, at least a little, hmm?

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Dreas “SOMETIMES THE RUSTLING YOU HEAR IN HIGH branches is just the wind, and nothing more. But most of the time it’s us—and we’re laughing at you.” —Dreas joke

A

S THE DAY-STAR RISES OVER THE FOREST and the dew sparkles on the leaves, some trees sense the clans of mortals and wonder what it would be like to walk among them. The most curious and free-spirited of these, touched by magic and enlivened by the primordial nature of the world, choose to leave their parent forests and take on the shape of a humanoid. This departure, once made, is irreversible, and the resulting creature—called a dreas—lives the rest of its days as a tree who walks among people.

EXOTIC & MONSTROUS KINSHIPS Time does not allow us to talk of all the wondrous kinships of Planegea. We cannot speak of the birdfolk, catfolk, lizardfolk, fishfolk, turtlefolk, the half-giants gentle or warlike, or the reincarnated spirits of the dead that dwell in stone-and-wood bodies. We will have to leave aside the elemental wastewalkers, the blessed children of greater gods, the half-beasts, the goblinfolk in all their many shapes, and the scaled ones who revere or defy the dragons of Blood Mountain. If only the clanfire could burn all night, we could speak of every bloodline under the stars—but since our time is short, remember that every kinship in 5th Edition has a place in Planegea, if you only know where to look.

TREE PEOPLE

Although dreas take on the form of people, their origins as trees are unmistakable, with green or barklike skin, leafy, mossy, or flowering hair or beards, and a tendency to stand in the sun and rain for hours on end, faces upturned towards the sky. Some dreas are more humanoid than others—there are those that have branching wooden antlers or more (or less) than the usual number of fingers, while some have a surface of such finely polished wood that it appears almost indistinguishable from skin. Dreas are capable of growing their own clothing, although some prefer to blend more seamlessly among mortals by donning the skins and woven cloth of the clans.

EAGER OUTSIDERS

Dreas are inherently curious and find mortal life fascinating. Having chosen to leave behind their rooted nature, they often do everything possible to live alongside their chosen people, trying to fit in and be of use and value. However, their origin usually leads to misunderstandings and trouble of one kind or another, so it’s not uncommon for a dreas to find themselves alone despite their best efforts. These outcast dreas have been known to band together into small clans of their own, which tend towards seclusion, secrecy, and even outright hostility towards the mortals who rejected them.

SECRET-KEEPERS OF THE FOREST

The dreas remember their time as trees with perfect clarity—the cycle of years, the feeling of the wind and living things in their branches, the taste of water in dark soil rising through their roots. Although they have chosen to live among mortals, most dreas keep close to the wooded places of the world, preferring to keep in communion with trees and all green things. They often act as ambassadors for the forests, looking to the interests of both the trees and their adopted clans.

ADVENTURE SEEKERS

Although many dreas choose to take on mortal form because of their interest in a particular person or clan, some leave the forest for the more abstract aspiration of adventure, wanderlust, or a broad curiosity of things hidden where roots cannot reach. Such dreas are often eager to keep on the move, seeing stability of any kind as a return to rootedness. They prefer to risk their lives in search of experiences at the extreme edges of mortality, often accepting great danger in pursuit of adventure and the deepest possible understanding of the world.

BOTANICAL ORIGIN

Dreas may take the form of humanoids, but they are obviously of a different nature. Use these tables to inspire how your dreas character was shaped by its roots.

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d12

Your original tree form was…

1

A pale birch

7

A luxurious willow

2

A tall poplar

8

A wild palm

3

A spreading elm

9

A friendly maple

4

A sturdy chestnut

10

A regal cedar

5

A scrappy pine

11

A burly oak

6

An elegant spruce

12

A graceful linden

d6

You were enticed to become a dreas by…

1

A gatherer from a local tribe for whom you developed feelings that you had no name for

2

A passing druid who awakened you from deep treedreams and then never returned

3

A group of children from a nearby clan who played in your branches

4

A hunter who perished at your trunk with a secret that had to be told

5

A traveling troupe of chanters who sung songs of wandering glory for a summer beneath your boughs

6

A mortal who burned down half your forest and then walked away, who needs to pay for what they did

d6

winter, they appear to age rapidly. By midwinter, they look 10 years older than their actual age. They then begin to grow younger through the warmer months until midsummer, when they look 10 years younger than their actual age. Then the cycle repeats. In regions with milder or more extreme seasons, this effect is similarly diminished or stronger. Size. Dreas vary greatly in height and build depending on the tree they sprung from, with slender aspen-dreas and

One mortal thing you can’t figure out is…

1

Fire. You understand you won’t burn down now, but it still makes you nervous.

2

Clothing. No matter how you wear it, someone always insists that you’re doing it wrong.

3

Greetings. For some reason mortals are obsessed with ritual sayings when they come and go.

4

Sleep. It’s strange and unsettling to slumber alone. Sleep should be shared by as many as possible.

5

Shelter. The elements are made to be experienced. There’s nothing less natural than hiding from rain.

6

Birth. The way mortals make more mortals is utterly alien and profoundly disgusting.

DREAS NAMES

Dreas have long, unpronounceable tree-names that can only be spoken in Sylvan, which sound like rustling leaves and creaking branches. They often adopt mortal names similar to those of the clan they join, preferring to blend in as much as possible with their chosen people.

DREAS TRAITS

Your dreas character has a number of qualities in common with other dreas. Ability Score Increase. Increase on ability score of your choice by 2 points and a different ability score of your choice by 1. Age. Dreas live about a century, but they only show their true age on the spring and fall equinoxes. In the fall and

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massive oak-dreas and everything in between. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. At ease in the gloom of the forest at night, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Botanical Form. Your creature type is plant. Photosynthesis. You require different nourishment than other kinships. Instead of 1 pound of food each day, you require exposure to 1 hour of sunlight, a sunglobe, or an equivalent light source. You cannot eat solid food, and attempting to do so gives you the poisoned condition for 1d4 hours. You require the same amount of water as most humanoid kinships. From the Forest. You know the druidcraft cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the speak with plants spell and the charm person spell once per day; you must finish a long rest in order to cast these spells again using this trait. When you cast charm person with this feature, sentient plants are also a valid target for the spell. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Tree Step. You gain the ability to enter a tree and move from inside it to inside another tree of the same kind within 500 feet. Both trees must be living and at least as large as you. You must use 5 feet of movement to enter a tree. You instantly know the location of all other trees of the same kind within 500 feet and, as part of the movement used to enter the tree, can either pass into one of those trees or step out of the tree you’re in. You appear in a spot of your choice within 5 feet of the destination tree, using another 5 feet of movement. If you have no movement left, you appear within 5 feet of the tree you entered. You can use this trait once and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. You must end your turn outside a tree. VARIANT DREAS FEATURES This chapter offers several features that are not included in the base kinship, but which some players and DMs can choose to include if they fit their table. Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1. Alignment. Dreas can be any alignment, but their preference for the unruly side of nature inclines them towards chaotic choices. Languages. You speak Common and Sylvan.

Half-Ooze

THE PALMS AND TALL GRASSES SHOOK, AND FULGA raised her spear in alarm, ready to strike at whatever beast might come through—but then she saw her companion, who had been missing for two days. She smiled in great relief… but then her smile faded. He was strange-looking—pale, with a glistening greenish hue. His eyes did not look at her with recognition, only hunger. And then, with an awful slurping sound, he stretched out his arms to an unnatural length, grasped a branch above, and was gone. — The Dark Tale of Fulga’s Abyssal Hunt

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OMETIMES, IN DARK CAVERNS OR CRUEL forests, a hapless wanderer meets an untimely end at the creeping pseudopods of an ooze sire. Usually catching their prey while asleep, the sire slides into a mortal’s ears, nose, and mouth—and once it’s inside, it’s too late. What awakes from that slumber is a new creature, a half-ooze, half-humanoid being that is aware of only three things: its strangely malleable body, the dim memories of its past life, and an overwhelming hunger.

IS THAT YOU?

Half-oozes wear the outside form of the creature that died when the ooze sire took their life, although they are a little more pale, and clammier to the touch. Their skin tends to have an unusual tint, depending on the type of ooze that sired them. Half-oozes usually exist in dark and dangerous places, and are typically dressed in ragged wraps that let them stretch their limbs when occasion calls for it.

SO HUNGRY

When a mortal meets its end at the touch of an ooze sire, that creature ceases to exist. Half-oozes can, with great effort, recall some dim shreds of the memory of the creature that died to bring them into being (called the ooze dam, regardless of gender). But although they wear the face and form of their dam, they are an entirely new creature in their thinking. Half-oozes usually come to consciousness in dark places, alone, without any knowledge of how they got there—only the need to eat. More often than not, the dark and lonely origins of halfoozes, and their voracious appetites, leads them to a life of violence and villainy. They tend to fall in with the desperate, doing whatever they need to do to stay alive.

BORN IN DARKNESS

Nobody knows how the first ooze sires came to be. Most think they crept from the Venom Abyss, others believe them to be the trick of some dark god, still others that something leaked through from a more distant and unsettling place. Still, regardless of their origin, ooze sires and their offspring are a fact of life grudgingly accepted by those at the edges of dark and eerie locations.

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APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE

Half-oozes all come into existence with ravenous hunger, and that appetite continues to drive them throughout their life. Most half-oozes will give the same answer to anyone who asks them why they did something—they were hungry. The rare half-ooze who can find a constant food supply might seek to better itself for its short life, in learning or building something, or in seeking to make the world a better place. There have even been half-oozes who sought out the families of their dams and tried to make restitution for whatever was broken in their last life… as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the next meal.

A BAD BEGINNING

Your half-ooze adventurer has arisen from unpleasant circumstances. Use the tables below to find out a few details, or sort it out yourself. DAM d6

The creature who your sire infested was…

1

A lost gatherer who stumbled into the wrong cave

2

A mighty hunter on a critically important journey

3

A wanderer trying to find unknown places

4

An outcast hiding from execution

5

A spellskin trying to learn more about ooze sires

6

You don’t know

AWAKENING d6

You woke up in…

1

A deep, dark cave, far below the sunlit surface

2

A forest considered to be cursed by those who live at its edge

3

The prison-cave of a powerful warlord

4

The sanctum of a spellskin

5

A wrecked catamaran at the edge of a stormy coastline

6

A battlefield strewn with bodies

SURVIVAL d6

You’ve managed to make your way so far because…

1

When I stumbled into the sunlight, a kind gatherer had pity on me and took me in

2

I got in trouble with a nearby clan immediately, but they established me in my background as a path to redemption

3

I watched nearby mortals from hiding for some time before sneaking in amongst them

4

Hunters found me in the darkness and brought me to the nearest clan, setting me on my current path

5

I was mistaken for my dam and I’ve never corrected the error

6

Nobody’s ever given me anything—everything I have, I fought for, tooth and nail

HALF-OOZE NAMES

Half-oozes usually call themselves by the first word or phrase that pops into their mind. This is often one of the last thoughts of their dam as they drifted off to sleep. Since dams usually meet their end in dark and lonely places, this lends a macabre air to the names of most half-oozes. Common Names: Lost, Hopeless, Dark, Cold, Miss-You, Desperate, Soon, What-Was-That, Damp, Alone, So-Tired, Not-Safe. THE OOZE SIRE LIFE CYCLE The dreadful creatures known as ooze sires wait in the dark for unsuspecting humanoid victims for one reason—reproduction. As an asexual species, they infest a humanoid host, posthumously called an ooze dam, permanently fusing with it and using it to consume as much nourishment as possible. The fused creature— called a half-ooze—tends to live until the end of the ooze dam’s natural lifespan. When the half-ooze dies, the final stage of the ooze sire’s life cycle begins, and 1d4 new ooze sires depart the corpse, to seek new dams, perpetuating the species’ miserable existence.

HALF-OOZE TRAITS

Your half-ooze character has a number of qualities in common with other half-oozes. Ability Score Increase. Increase on ability score of your choice by 2 points and a different ability score of your choice by 1. Age. Half-oozes don’t last long, since their bodies begin on borrowed time. They usually live out about half their dam’s original lifespan, if the dam was young when the half-ooze was sired. A half-ooze with an elvish dam might live for hundreds of years, where one with an orcish dam might die of old age after only a couple of decades. Size. Half-oozes typically range in height from under 4 feet to over 6 feet tall, depending on their dam. Your size is Small or Medium, depending on your dam. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Hunger of the Ooze. You must eat every day, or suffer 1 level of exhaustion. When eating, you require twice as much food as other Medium humanoids. You do not require your food to be cooked in order to gain nourishment from it.

Not in every case are half-oozes tragic. There was a certain traitor, a villain who rotted the world from the inside out. But while in hiding, he fell afoul of an ooze sire. The resulting creature was brought up well, and became the shaman of a noble god. The line between salvation and damnation must be thinner than we sometimes like to think.

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Pseudopodic Limbs. As an action, you may extend either your arms or legs to twice their normal length. When doing so, your AC decreases by 1. If you extend your legs, your walking speed increases by 10. If you extend your arms, any melee weapon you’re wielding is considered to have the Reach property. If a weapon already has the Reach property, it does not gain additional range, as it’s too awkward to handle at that length. You may end the effect as a bonus action. Your arms and legs cannot both be extended at the same time. Rubbery. Your ooze origin makes you able to fit through small spaces. Your body can fit through openings normally suitable only for Small or Tiny creatures. Depending on the size of the opening, your armor and equipment may not fit through. Echoes of the Dam. You have the faintest memories from the life of your dam. Choose one: Gain one skill proficiency, one weapon proficiency, or two tool proficiencies. Subtype. Half-oozes are sired by one of three types of ooze: Acidic, Magical, or Sticky. Choose one. VARIANT HALF-OOZE FEATURES Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution and Dexterity scores increase by 1. Each subtype increases one of their ability scores by 1 as shown: • Acidic: Constitution • Sticky: Dexterity • Magical: Intelligence Alignment. Half-oozes are, more than anything, hungry. This constant need to consume renders them either neutral, or somewhat evil—although if they can get the food they need through good and lawful means, they may do so. Languages. You can speak Common, and can understand one other language of your choice, but you can’t speak it.

ACIDIC The ooze that sired you was of a peculiarly acidic variety. The skin of acidic half-oozes tends to have a pale greenish hue, a faintly sharp smell hangs around them. Corrosive Rebuke. When you take damage from a melee attack made within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal acid damage to your attacker. The acid damage is equal to your character level. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Omnivore. You have resistance to acid damage and are immune to being poisoned by food or drink. MAGICAL The ooze that sired you was of arcane origin, perhaps concocted by some strange spellskin for unknown experiments. The skin of magical-half-oozes tends to have a purplish hue, and they have a vaguely sweet smell. 52

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Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the spellskin spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it. Magic Memory. You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. STICKY The ooze that sired you was of a creeping, sticking nature. The skin of sticky half-oozes tends to have a yellowish hue, and they smell faintly of rot. Ooze Climb. Your sticky fingers help you cling to the walls. Climbing no longer costs you extra movement. Sticky Fingers. You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill.

Saurian

ANCESTRAL MEMORY

“WE ARE NOT LIKE THE MILK-SLURPERS WHO SCURRY frantically from womb to grave. The egg and the cairn are one. We are firm in life and firm in death, with nothing to fear as we pass between the two.” —Coldstripe, druid of Shatterbone

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HE SOFT-SKINNED KINSHIPS OF PLANEGEA are but a single note in the song of life that echoes outward from Blood Mountain. And—as some would measure it—the soft-skined kinships are recent, weak, foolish, and raw. The scaled saurians look with skepticism at the hairy folk. Saurians have been here longer, survived more, remember the ways of their ancestors, and measure out time by epochs, not seasons. It is this long memory and measured way that defines the saurians, taking their time to move through the years. Some call them calculating, others aloof—but they remember what came before, and some even know what will come after.

VIBRANT PATTERNS

There are four distinct bloodlines of saurian—the crested leatherwings, the menacing sharpfangs, the lumbering hammertails, and the graceful webfeet. Each has a distinct culture, and they avoid mixing as much as possible. But all are scaled, with colorful patterns spreading across their bodies in unpredictable ways, making them easily identifiable. Saurian shamans believe that much can be known about a hatchling by its patterns, and elders say they can read a whole life, from egg to grave, by the ripples and swirls in a saurian’s scales. The faces of saurians are not built for expression like other humanoid kinships. Rather, saurians express their emotions in the colors of their scales, which shift tint and hue based on the mood of the creature. The colors of each saurian are unique to its own bloodline, and one must learn which colors correspond to which mood to know the feelings of another… but a strong emotional reaction in a clan of saurians takes on the appearance of a vivid rainbow scattering through the crowd.

PATIENT HUNTERS, PROTECTIVE PARENTS

Waiting is a natural state for saurians. They do not move unless it is necessary, but when they do, they strike like lightning. Saurian hunters perfect the art of the ambush, remaining immobile for days only to drop on their prey for the killing strike. Within their tents, saurians are devoted to family. Hatchlings are not raised by individual parents, but laid in a communal nest, and then raised by the entire clan. A young saurian has a dozen parents, and learns from their youth to listen to the counsel of the elders. Saurians are affectionate with their own kind, and will fight to the death to protect their young from any threat, no matter how overwhelming.

For saurians, the past is present. They honor their ancestors and bury them within their encampments, taking council with them by ritually summoning their spirits. Saurians carry within their blood an ancestral memory, allowing those of strong spirit among them to call to mind memories of the dead to give them guidance. The saurian word for ‘dead’ means ‘frozen,’ and they speak of a coming Great Thaw when all their ancestors will rise to aid their descendants at the moment of greatest need. Because of this belief, saurians are comfortable with death to a degree that is unsettlingly morbid to other kinships.

FEARLESS WANDERERS

Many saurians leave their clans behind to go wandering in search of food, companionship, stories, glory, and more. Elders encourage it, so that the knowledge they gain can be passed on to the clan and their descendants after they are dead. The landscapes of Planegea are littered with subtly marked cairns and secret graves of saurians who, although dead, will gladly share their knowledge with those who know how to ask.

TOUCHED BY DEATH

Every saurian has heard the whispers of the dead in their camps or echoing from lonely graves in the wild. Use the table below to inspire how your character has interacted with the dead. d8

Interaction with the dead

1

You were always afraid of the dead, even as a hatchling, and your clan considered your fear strange and unnatural

2

You once stumbled across a lone grave and tried to pay your respects, only to be viciously attacked by its mad occupant

3

You attended all the rituals and ceremonies of the clan from your youth and find death tedious, far preferring the variety and excitement of the living

4

Death seems peaceful and inviting to you—you wonder if maybe you adventure in part because you’re so looking forward to the long rest afterward

5

You used to carry offerings to all the cairns within a day’s walk, and the tales the dead told you of what lay beyond the horizon inspired your wanderlust

6

A dead ancestor entrusted you with a great and terrible secret, with dire warnings that your clan must never learn of it

7

A close friend perished in a hunt, and you would often visit their cairn alone for long conversations

8

You were raised in a clan that often took counsel with the ancestors, and consider the dead your trusted advisors and friends

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SAURIAN NAMES

Since saurians hatch from egg clutches and have no individual parents, their names are usually descriptive of physical appearance. These can change over time as appearance changes. For example, a saurian might be called Brightstripe as a hatchling but come to be known as One-Eye after a predator attack. Common names: Darkscatter, Leopardspot, Stripetail, Gaptooth, Shortwing, Highjump, Rippleshine, Thickskull, Greenclaw, Longlegs, Fadescale.

SAURIAN TRAITS

Your saurian character shares a number of qualities in common with others of their kind. Ability Score Increase. Increase two different ability scores by 1 point each or increase on ability score by 2 points. Age. Saurians reach adulthood at the age of 7 and have exceptionally long lives, surviving as long as gnomes if not killed by predators or disease. Size. Saurians tend to stand somewhat taller than humans, usually between 5 and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Ancestral Memory. You are connected to the dead, recognizing their guidance and warnings, and know the sense whispers cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the bless spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the augury spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Subtype. Saurians belong one of four lines of descent: Leatherwing, Hammertail, Sharpfang, or Webfoot. Choose one. VARIANT SAURIAN FEATURES Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1. In addition, each subtype increases their ability scores as shown: • Sharpfang: Dexterity increases by 2 • Leatherwing: Intelligence increases by 1, Charisma by 1 • Hammertail: Constitution increases by 1, Wisdom by 1 • Webfoot: Strength increases by 1, Wisdom by 1 Alignment. Saurians have long memories and hold tightly to many traditions. Their cultures tend towards lawful behavior, but each saurian is an individual with a unique alignment. Languages. You can speak Common and Saurian.

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EATHERWING Leatherwings are reclusive mystics with a reputation for cruelty, pursuing arcane knowledge with a zeal that precludes all other concerns. They are descended from pterosaurs, and have crested heads and long, folding wings attached to their arms. Winged Creature. You gain a flying speed of 45 feet. Flying requires the use of both arms. While flying you can use your action to make a grapple check against another creature of medium or smaller size with your talons. If you succeed, you may lift and carry the creature with no penalty to your speed. Powerful Aerial Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift while flying. Half or more of this weight must be hanging from or carried by your talons to take advantage of your aerial build.

HAMMERTAIL Hammertails are contemplative wanderers who never stop moving, preferring to erect temporary shelters only against the most violent storms, and covering enormous ranges in their lifetime journeys. They are descended from ankylosaurs, and have thick, club-like tails. Armored Scales. Your AC increases by 1. Hammer Tail. Your tail is a natural weapon with a reach of 10 feet, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. SHARPFANG Sharpfangs are territorial warriors who live in warlike hunting bands, dedicated to the glory and danger of the chase. They are descended from carnosaurs, and have jagged teeth and long claws. Predatory Rush. When you take the dash action on your turn, your movement speed increases by 10 feet, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn. Hatched to Hunt. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

WEBFOOT Webfeet are graceful athletes who live on the water where fish and water plants are plentiful, preferring fishing and competitions of strength to the more strenuous life of inland hunters. They are descended from hadrosaurs, and have webbed hands and feet and a high crest on their head. Darkvision. Accustomed to life underwater, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Limited Amphibiousness. You can breathe air and water, but you need to breathe air at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocating. You gain a swimming speed of 30 feet. Trumpet. As an action, you can make a trumpeting blast of sound that reverberates through your crest. This trumpet can be heard up to a mile away, and up to half as far away if the sound is blocked by solid walls or muffled by other noise such as thunder, battle, hoofbeats, etc. Your trumpet counts as an instrument with which you are proficient.

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Starling

THE QUEST TO ASCEND

“OH! TO BE BACK THERE IN THE GREAT DANCE, HIGH above the little hunts of mortals—to return to the wheeling arcs and fiery duels of the stars! It is a terrible thing to fall from heaven.” — Ouaia-ao, starling sorceress

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LANEGEA’S STARS SOAR AND WHEEL OVERhead in a great dance, gossiping and arranging themselves according to a complicated, political cosmology. As every night ends, they enter combat in a struggle called the Dawn Duel, attempting to knock each other into the Sea of Stars, claiming each other’s light in order to become that day’s great light, the Day-Star. Very rarely, however, the defeated stars don’t fall into the Sea, but rather to a far more alien and frightening place—Planegea!

Most starlings, upon finding themselves fallen from heaven, do everything that they can to return to the great dance. It is almost unheard of for a starling not to spend the first few years of their fall as a wanderer, searching for any rumor or means of returning to their high abode. This search— called the star-quest by those who are familiar with it—is believed to be hopeless, and every one of the starlings who has embarked on it has eventually given up.

MEMORIES OF THE DANCE

It is hard to explain the great dance to mortals, or to communicate to the crude folk around a clanfire what it is to be among the company of the stars. But your character remembers the courts of heaven. Use this table to inspire your recollections as you gaze up at the heavens. d6

SHINING ONES

Starlings are humanoids with glowing skin, eyes, and hair. They are strange and glamorous to behold; beautiful, ageless, and otherworldly. When starlings first fall to earth, they are wrapped in star-silk spun by the finest lightworms, but this quickly tatters in the rough and raw-edged primordial world in which they find themselves.

1

The cool and soaring marble halls of the Sixth Moon Temple where you were given your first diadem for a perfect dance

2

The fiery arcs of the Dawn Duel, with brilliant lances wielded against vain opponents glittering in their finery and pride

3

The long, luxurious days adrift in the Sea of Stars, recovering from the extravagance of the dance and the ferocity of the duel, sipping light and regaining strength for the next night

4

The moment just before night, when each of you rose to the surface of the Sea of Stars and drank the light of the Day-Star until you were bright enough to fly

5

The whispering, elegant gossip passed from star to star all night as the dance was performed, ripe with the rumors, innuendo, and subtleties of centuries

6

A particular star for whom you felt a longing, who— every night in the dance—you sought out as your partner, their light keeping perfect time with yours

STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND

No starling falls to the mortal world by choice. To be thrown from the great dance of the heavens after millennia of performing the dance is shocking. Most starlings are initially terrified and aggrieved at their sudden and strange situation, and each adapts in its own way. Some find their feet through joining the life of mortals, others remain aloof, unwilling to find companionship with such lowly creatures.

THE SKY’S CASTAWAYS

Like shipwreck survivors, starlings have to build new lives from nothing in an unfamiliar place. Many prefer to remain in isolation, spending their time watching the sky and participating in the great dance in their own lonely way. Others join nearby clans, finding roles as sorcerers, chanters, or gatherers. A select few starlings have even portrayed themselves as gods, using their heavenly light to dazzle others into worship—at least until another starling comes along to break the illusion.

You most remember…

STARLING NAMES

Starling names are actually phrases from the illuminated chorus, and almost never have consonants. A starling name, pronounced properly, is actually not spoken but sung— however, most starlings in Planegea have long since abandoned any hope of their names being sung correctly by the throats of the crude creatures of the mortal world. Common Names: Oa-a, Aíae, Ioua, Uaio-ua, Eoíu, Aeia, Io, Ooua, Eeío, Aioue, Ui-ooa, Eiue.

Now we come to the very most interesting part of all—at least, as far as I’m concerned. Isn’t the thing everyone loves best their own name in a tale?

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STARLING TRAITS

Your starling character has a number of qualities in common with other starlings. Age. Starlings have no age, appearing both glamorously young and fabulously mature at the same time. They don’t grow older, but they do grow dimmer over the course of their exile from the heavens, eventually fading out over the course of six or seven human lifetimes—although some fade much more quickly through their sorrow at being far from home. Size. Starlings are generally slender and slightly smaller than other humanoids, usually standing about five feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Glow. Choose a color. Your body and your hair (if any) sheds dim light of that color, in a 5 to 20-foot radius. You can alter the radius as a bonus action. This light is permanent as long as you are alive, but a layer of clothing is sufficient to block this light. Light-footed. Whenever you make a Charisma (Performance) check to dance, you are considered proficient in the Performance skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Starry Vigil. On a night where you can see the stars, you do not need to sleep to gain the benefits of a long rest. Instead, you can watch the stars all night, gaining the benefit of a long rest after 8 hours. You remain alert and aware of your surroundings during this time. After finishing this long rest, you have advantage on your next Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check related to the stars, constellations, or weather. Pure Energy. Due to your stellar nature, you are able to briefly phase out of material existence and pass through obstacles. As a bonus action, using up to 10 feet of your movement, you can become immaterial and pass through all creatures or objects in your path. You may not end these 10 feet of movement inside another creature’s space or inside of a solid object. If you attempt to do so, you are pushed back the way you came until you reach an area large enough for your body, and take 1d10 force damage for each 5 feet you were pushed. You cannot use this trait again until after a short or long rest. Dazzling Touch. Once as an action, you can attempt to blind a creature you can touch with a focused burst of brilliant light. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The DC is 8 + your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, the target is blinded until the end of your next turn. You cannot use this trait again until after a short or long rest.

VARIANT STARLING FEATURES Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1. Alignment. Starlings can be any alignment, and react to falling from the sky across the spectrum of selfishness and altruism, order and unpredictability. Languages. You can speak Common and Primordial.

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CHAPTER 5

CLASSES The druid froze, his hand still in the stream’s cool water. “I wondered when you’d find me.” “It’s been a long time, god-leech.” The warlock stood a few feet away, her ivory sword crackling with arcane power. “Where are your friends?” “Nearby. They should be here soon.” The druid dried his hand and stood, looking at his enemy. She had changed since their last encounter. She was harder. Fiercer. More certain. “Have you thought about my words?” “You mean your heresies?” He sighed. A crack in the forest to his left signaled her companions’ approach. The scavenger would be in the high branches. The spellskin probably invisible, somewhere close. He closed his eyes and whispered to the trees. They swayed and rustled, listening. “What are you muttering, god-leech?” He opened his eyes. “I told you before. The land does not belong to the gods. The land is alive, and full of magic, and sacrificial goats like you are the accursed, cut off from the pulse of the Worldhea—” She let fly an arcane blast at the very moment the trees uprooted all around, cracking and groaning with the rage of creation as her companions screamed.

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HE CLASSES OF PLANEGEA ARE THE EARLIEST roots of future adventurer classes. Though the niche they occupy in the world may be different, the martial, divine, and arcane powers that these archetypes wield is a common thread from the prehistory of Planegea to their distant descendants. Mechanically, the classes are the same as in 5th Edition (with minor adjustments assumed for the starting equipment and any features affected by the Black Taboos). Some DMs might choose to add or remove classes based on their preference and the story they’re telling in their own Planegea. But as written, each of these has its place.

CLASSES, REIMAGINED These are the earliest forms of what will become the archetypal 5E classes in the future. Many of them have different names, to fit a world without monasteries, ancient religions, or magical universities. In your game, you can use the traditional class names or the Planegean equivalent as you prefer. For most classes, their role in the world is also quite different from their later heirs—take a moment to read the descriptions of the classes to discover what martial power and arcane or divine magic looks like in a primordial world.

Ascetic (Monk) In a land of primal survival, most live at the edge of starvation, eating whenever they can, which is rarely enough. Some harness this scarcity, turning struggle into discipline. Ascetics challenge themselves beyond the limits of most mortals, straining their bodies through extreme rigors in order to unlock great physical, mental, and spiritual power. Anyone can become an ascetic, and many young hunters boldly claim they’ll follow the path of self-discipline and self-abnegation, but it is a long and difficult road to truly rise above hungers of any kind. Self-denial. The way of the ascetic is through denying what you want in order to find what you need. This may take the form of denying yourself unnecessary food and water, romantic relationships, or performing an act of dedication such as wearing a blindfold for a year or sleeping outside on your feet. What did you deny yourself and why? How did that shape you? Honored mystics. Ascetics are rare, but when one arises within a clan, they are usually revered for their discipline and focus. Chieftains, elders, and shamans will take counsel with even a young ascetic who shows true dedication to the path. How did your clan treat you? Were you ready for that place of honor, or was it confusing? Why do you now adventure instead of living a celebrated life as a spiritual leader of a clan? Vows and pilgrimages. Not all ascetics commit to lifelong pursuit of self-denial. Some take ascetic vows until some task is complete, such as revenge, redemption, or a quest they have set for themselves. Others deny themselves until they complete a journey of repentance, enlightenment, or other spiritual significance. How long will your commitment to asceticism last? Is there a vow you made or a journey you need to complete? If so, to what do you hope to return when your self-discipline ends?

WAY OF ABNEGATION ASCETIC (MONK SUBCLASS)

In a raw and dangerous world, some survive through the discipline of self-denial. The way of abnegation is the ascetic practice of denying physical needs and desires to embrace greater clarity of thought, or to unlock a strength buried deep within the core of one’s being. An ascetic who has devoted themselves to the way of abnegation understands the role of the mind and body as vessels, straining their limits so that they may grow. This path of denial is different for each that walks it, as sacrifice and hardship takes many forms. Ascetics may practice the disciplines of silence, solitude, and stillness as

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they seek attunement to the world, and others may train for many days with little food or water, forcing their bodies to endure in accordance with their will. Some distance themselves from their struggle to better understand the world around them, while others embrace their struggle, using their suffering as a catalyst for strength. The way of abnegation is arduous and severe in equal measure, but those who walk it cultivate a great power, drawn up from deep within themselves and honed by the strength of their will to endure. DISCIPLINE OF DENIAL 3rd-level Way of Abnegation feature At 3rd level, your mind and body have grown stronger, and you have learned to endure or to grow stronger in response to the pains of the world. You gain the following benefits: Ward Blows. You can use your reaction to mitigate the strike when you are hit by a melee weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you create an opening for a counterattack. You can spend 1 ki point to make a melee attack against your attacker as part of the same reaction. Abstention. The ki flowing through your body sustains you further than most. You only require half as much food and water to ward off exhaustion. In addition, whenever you complete a long rest, your exhaustion level is reduced by an additional 1. ENDURING FORM 6th-level Way of Abnegation feature Starting at 6th level, you have distanced yourself from the suffering your body endures, or have grown beyond it. Whenever you take the Dodge action, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. PRODIGIOUS VESSEL 11th-level Way of Abnegation feature Starting at 11th level, the power within and without you has begun to blossom, and you have learned how to best assume the suffering of others. Warding Technique. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to intercept the attack, forcing the attacker to target you instead. You may use your Deflect Missiles or Ward Blows features in response to this attack as part of the same reaction, if possible.

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Improved Deflection. Whenever you spend a ki point to make either a ranged or melee attack as part of your Deflect Missiles or Deflect Blows features, you make that attack with advantage. ABDICATION OF SUFFERING 17th-level Way of Abnegation feature Starting at 17th level, you have achieved perfect discipline over your physical form. You can take the Dodge action as part of any bonus action you take to make one or more unarmed strikes on your turn.

Barbarian Fear is a constant when the land is filled with giant predators, and finding a way to rise above fear is key to survival. Some do so through honor or moral codes, others keep fear away by cleverness. Barbarians survive through sheer rage. A barbarian feels a burning anger deep within them, simmering just below the surface. When that anger is unleashed, they are capable of great and terrible things. Barbarians are a familiar archetype in this primordial world, and canny travelers cautiously search the eyes of those they encounter for the spark of primordial fury. Uncaged anger. The world is brutal and unjust, and there is much to be angry about. Barbarians funnel that rage into violence—usually directed towards the quarry of a hunt. Still, there are times when prey is scarce but the anger still simmers over. How do you deal with the anger outside the hunt? Do you bury it, soothe it, or express it through other forms of activity? Do you lose yourself in the rage, or do you feel most yourself when you’re most furious? Leaders or outcasts. Barbarians are typically lead hunters, head raiders, or in other positions of power because of their martial ability. Young hunters aspire to unleash the kind of fearless fury that characterizes a barbarian. But once unleashed, anger is hard to tame, and many barbarians have tragic tales of the times they went too far. Some wander the world as pariahs, having turned in their rage on their own kind. Have you been able to keep your rage within the boundaries of the hunt? Are there times you lost yourself that you regret? If so, how far would you go to make it up to those who got in your way during your black rage? A river of rage. Some say of barbarians that they are in an endless current of anger, a river of rage. In a river, you must swim with the current or against it. Most swim with the current, hurtling towards the rocks of violence. Some, however, swim against the current, seeking to quell the anger that never stops roaring through their veins. Are you pursuing your anger, nurturing and cultivating it? Or are you seeking to find peace? What initially ignited your anger, and is it something that can ever be set to rest?

PATH OF THE FARSTRIKER (BARBARIAN SUBCLASS)

FARSTRIKE 3rd-level Path of the Farstriker feature At 3rd level, you master the technique of flinging weapons at your attackers. You can treat any melee weapon you are holding as if they have the Thrown property with a range of 20/60. If a weapon already had the Thrown property, the short and long ranges of the weapon are doubled. You can draw a weapon that has the Thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. When you make a ranged weapon attack using your Strength while raging, you can add your Rage Damage bonus to the damage roll. Starting at 9th level, Brutal Critical applies to ranged weapon attacks you make using your Strength. RAGING CATAPULT 3rd-level Path of the Farstriker feature At 3rd level, you become adept at hurling creatures around the battlefield, whether to harm enemies or reposition allies. Once per turn while you are raging, instead of making a weapon attack, you can hurl a creature within reach up to 30 feet away. Hurled creatures can be no greater than one size larger than you. An unwilling creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus) or be hurled and fall prone, and take bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier + your Rage damage bonus. Hurling a creature in this way counts as having attacked a hostile creature for the purpose of maintaining your Rage. After you hurl a friendly creature with this feature, immediately upon landing the creature can use their reaction to make a melee attack. At 11th level, hurled creatures can be no greater than two sizes larger than you. At 17th level, you can hurl a creature of any size. WILD RUSH 6th-level Path of the Farstriker feature Starting at 6th level, you fill the battlefield with your rushing fury. After you make a thrown weapon attack or use your Raging Catapult feature, you can use a bonus action to take the Dash action. Your jump distance is doubled while dashing.

Barbarians who follow the Path of the Farstriker seem to be everywhere at once. These instinctive warriors wrap themselves in the primal power of the wind to fill the battlefield with their rage. BOOMERANG ARC Such a barbarian might have cloud giant, storm giant, or 10th-level Path of the Farstriker feature djinn blood in their veins. They might come from a part of the world where the boundaries between magic and At 10th level, you have learned to guide your weapon’s nature are thin, or they may unknowingly tap into elemenflight with the wind by your side. When you make an tal magic to command the air itself in their fury. Consider attack with a thrown weapon, your barbarian’s relationship to you can choose for the weapon the natural world, and how they I’d guess that there are more barbarians in to return to your hand after the see the origin of their power. Planegea than any other adventurous role. attack is made.

Rage is a powerful river—I know I spent many years swept up in its current.

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TORNADIC THROW 14th-level Path of the Farstriker feature Starting at 14th level, your thrown weapons summon the terrifying power of the wind at its full force in their wake. While you are raging you can use your action to throw your weapon, creating a line 60 feet long and 5 feet wide out from you in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, a creature takes damage equal to the damage of one of your thrown weapon attacks, and is pushed up to 60 feet towards the end of the line. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and is not pushed. If a creature fails this save by 5 or more, the creature takes additional damage equal to the damage dealt by your Brutal Critical feature. Dealing damage to a hostile creature with this feature counts as having attacked a hostile creature for the purpose of maintaining your Rage.

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Chanter (Bard) When stories cannot be written down, songs have great power to shape culture—and reality. Those who find their identity in the telling of stories and singing of songs are upheld by the clan, their long memories and powerful words seen as vital to the continuation of the clan’s identity. But some, called chanters, go beyond the role of mere storyteller. They reshape the world through their songs and stories, focusing power through their instruments and performances to sing not only of what is, but what could be. And in the primordial dawn of Planegea, singing of what could be has profound power. True chanters are both feared and loved, for the ability to remake the world with your voice is not to be taken lightly. Truth-sayers. Those who have access to a chanter’s arcane force of will are held to a higher standard than most, expected to sing the exact truth, lest they casually reshape the world with a misplaced note. The pressure of this power is enormous, and causes many chanters to flee their clans or even go mad. Some, however, are less scrupulous and believe reality is whatever they say it is. How do you reconcile your ability to bend the world to your will? Do you hold to a strict code of honesty? Do you avoid speaking at all lest you say the wrong thing? Or are you glib, believing that the world should be whatever you speak? Deadly honor. Chanters are revered by their clans—as long as they keep to the exact truth and speak only in accordance with the will of the shaman. If they behave in such a way, they are given lives of ease and places of honor at the clanfire. But those who break faith and are caught twisting minds, hearts, or memories are outcast, and often branded for their misdeeds. Did you leave your clan by choice or by force? Are you scarred for a lie you chanted into truth, physically or emotionally? Do you hide your power, trying to conceal your identity as a chanter until it’s absolutely necessary to reveal it? Or are you a chanter still revered by your clan on an honorable journey for some greater good? Chanter traditions. In Planegea, 5th Edition’s Bardic Colleges are called Chanter Traditions. These traditions— such as the Tradition of Lore—are expressions of how a chanter channels their arcane will through an instrument or performance. When practitioners of the same tradition meet, they eagerly exchange knowledge and techniques… and some whisper to each other of the existence of a greater body of chanters, the Worldsingers, who travel under secret identities and work to reshape the world into a better form. Did you learn your chanter tradition from someone, or stumble into it through raw talent? Have you heard of the Worldsingers? Do you welcome a chance to meet other chanters or, knowing their power, do you seek to avoid or silence any others you might encounter?

Druid

Fighter

If druids merely guarded and nurtured plants, beasts, and soil, they would be a welcome part of any clan. All of Planegea lives in close relationship with nature, and one who can understand and enhance the power of life should be welcome at any clanfire. But not so; druids are hunted, feared, hated, and driven off, utterly outcast and reviled. The reason for this rejection is that druidic power saps the strength of the gods, drawing from the same magical essence of nature that powers the gods themselves. To be a druid is to set oneself up in opposition to the gods, to claim their very magic as your own. For the clans who follow shamans and look to gods for their survival, there can be no greater betrayal or threat than a druid, a god-leech, a parasite of divine life and strength. Because of this, druids live in hiding, building secret groves and sanctuaries on the fringes of domains unclaimed by powerful gods. Here they can practice their rites and tend to the earth in safety… at least until the shamans discover them and send their guardians with fire and blade. Divine power. The gift to draw magic directly from nature is sacred, given mysteriously by nature itself. But it is a great struggle to live in opposition to the gods, who jealously covet every pulse of power that goes through the world. How did you discover your druidic powers? How long were you able to hide them before a god or shaman discovered you? God-leeches. There is nothing the clans hate more than a druid. If discovered, they are put to death, brought to the god for judgment, or cast out to die in the wild. Many outcast druids have started their long and lonely lives drawing strength and comfort from the very wilderness that was meant to kill them. How do you see the gods? Are you bitter towards them? Dismissive of them? Or do you see them as misguided peers or elders—greater druids who have forgotten their origins?

The way of a fighter is pure. Planegea understands the fight, the fundamental struggle of strength versus strength to survive. The hunter or warrior, who pits their knowledge of muscle, armor, and weapon against their enemy or quarry, is an essential role. Whether they bend bows or swing swords, whether they hunt animals or enemies of the clan, fighters are central figures in any clan. Happy is the clan with a fighter whose abilities exceeds that of most, with honed senses and greater gifts of strength and speed, who understands weapons and armor better than they understand their own souls. Such fighters live in harm’s way, and are sent out constantly on dangerous hunts, raids, and battles. This is the life of the fighter. The way. Gifted with extraordinary strength or grace, fighters are shaped by their ability to challenge the world to single combat and come out on top. Have you honed your physical prowess through years of discipline, or does your body simply do whatever you ask of it? Are you arrogant about your abilities, or has confronting so many life and death situations granted you humility and wisdom? Hunters and warriors. Most fighters serve the clan as hunters, warriors, or both—those who fight beasts, those who fight mortals, or those who simply fight. If you were raised in a clan, was it warlike or did it avoid battle? Do you seek out violence and see it as giving you reason and purpose, or are you a peaceful soul who fights only when necessary? What reminders of past conflicts do you carry with you, and why? Weapon masters. Fighters uniquely understand the value and balance of weapons and armor, and choose their equipment with great care, seeking out more powerful arms where they can be found. There are tales of fighters who have embarked on great hunts or journeys to find legendary weapons or armor, or to hunt and harvest the monsters to fashion such equipment. What legendary weaponry do you dream of wielding, and how far would you go to get it?

The truth which gods and their followers do not wish to confront is that druids are vital in limiting the divine power of evil deities and fiends. Indeed, for many druids this is their highest calling and the true purpose of their gifts.

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Secretive sanctuaries. Hidden in groves, glades, and caves throughout Planegea, just out of sight of the clanfires and hallows, druid circles thrive and cultivate nature. And there, in hushed places, they nurture a great secret: the ability to hide ideas in nature itself. They have worked out the unimaginable; a way of speaking while one is not present by leaving behind certain signs such as a bent branch or pattern of leaves or circle of stones. They call these signs Druidic, and those who have the gift of nature’s power can interpret these symbols and divine their meaning intuitively. Have you ever encountered a sanctuary or a hidden Druidic symbol? Or do you travel the world, following signs in search of such a place that you might someday be able to call home?

There is a certain straightforwardness to the fighter that cannot be denied. You may say of a fighter, “Here is one who takes a blade and carves the world.” What more needs to be said in their praise?

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Guardian (Paladin)

Ranger

Sometimes, in an act of sober commitment or a moment of desperation, a mortal will make an oath that changes everything. They will swear, witnessed by a god, to uphold an ideal, accomplish a goal, or defend what they value most. And sometimes the force of will—the pure intent of such a mortal—unlocks the favor of the gods and creates an outpouring of divine power. These are the guardians: those who are so strong in their beliefs and commitment that the gods themselves have no choice but to grant them gifts. Guardians act as the leaders of smaller clans and, in larger clans, stand at the right hand of the shaman as their sword and shield. Some guardians feel the call to range far from their clanfire to keep their oaths, and woe to the mortal or monster who stands between a guardian and the object of their will; a will so strong that they wrestled the very gods themselves into opening up their vaults of power. Sacred oath. A guardian’s oath defines them. Although they have had some inkling of divine blessing in the days leading up to their oath, the moment they take the oath forever changes their path. The oath is taken at third level. If you’re starting at first level, do you realize you stand on the verge of such a moment? Do you take a rash vow in a moment of passion at first level, that later develops into an oath? Or have you been building up to this commitment your whole life? What is your oath, and why is it worth dying for? Shaman’s sword. In many clans, guardians are cultivated from a young age, with devout, athletic children being raised as acolytes by the shaman. A great clan might have many guardians who have been focusing on nothing but the day of their oath from infancy. The guardian is usually the keeper of the clan’s magic weapon and acts as the shaman’s bodyguard and, when necessary, executioner. Was there a shaman who shaped your life, for good or for ill? Since you took your oath, how has your relationship to clans and shamans changed?

Above all, rangers are gifted survivors. These prodigies of the wilderness have mastered the ability to thrive in untamed lands, drawing together magic and might with cunning to not only stay alive, but protect others. What sets apart a ranger is their power to give the gifts of survival to those they choose—be it an animal companion, a band of trusted friends, or an entire clan. A ranger who walks alone does good to no one, selfishly hoarding their life-giving skills. But such loners are rare… rangers are usually found in the company of others who rely on them. To trust a ranger for survival, however, is to run the risk of angering gods and their followers; rangers draw their uncanny abilities by skimming off divine magic coveted by deities. Most operate at a low enough level that the gods do not deign to notice them, but the greatest of rangers have been hated and hunted by the gods as much any druid. Natural connection. Rangers are inherently gifted with a bond to natural magic. For most, it is an instinctive connection felt since birth, enabling them to thrive where others struggle. Did you always sense the magic in the world, or did a particular event awaken you to it? Is drawing upon that magic as natural as breathing to you, or does it require focus and attention? To what do you attribute your gift—fate, chance, blessing, or something grander? Divine thieves. The divine magic used by rangers is the same magic that empowers the gods, though their weaker spellcasting abilities do not incite the divine wrath directed at druids. When rangers cast their spells, the gods see them as skimming from their resources, robbing from the powerful to give to the powerless. Some gods treat rangers with a grudging respect, while others send out their faithful to wipe them out as an annoyance or demand tribute from them. How do you view the gods? Do you revel in stealing their power, or simply see it as an accident of circumstance? Do any gods have a particular grudge against you for your thieving ways? Guides of the godless. For those clans without a strong connection to a god—by choice or by accident—a ranger can be a lifesaving force. Orcish clans, which are more likely to scorn the gods, are often led by rangers, as are clans that scrape by in the lonely wildernesses where there isn’t enough worship to sustain deities. Have you ever been in a position of leadership? Are you allied with any godless clans or groups who see you as a protector? Or do you turn away those who seek your aid, focused on a higher calling—or perhaps just yourself?

When I first fell from the sky, I believed guardians to be the lackeys of shamans and their gods—just better armed. But I have come to respect a Guardian’s oath as a powerful force, and understand now that it is their own will that brings about their power.

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Wild oaths. Not all guardians make oaths that keep them close to home. There have been guardians who stumbled unwittingly into the hallow of a god and bargained for the power to survive. Some make oaths to hunt down and destroy the enemies of a god, or to defend innocence everywhere. Once committed to their path, a guardian is fueled and driven by what they have sworn, going to any lengths to uphold their word. What lines have you crossed in honor of your oath? What enemies have you made to pursue it? What would it take to get you to break your oath, and lose everything that you have become?

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Ah, rangers. So often maligned, so little understood. Some say they are weak or dull, others that they are lesser than their companions. But I know the truth of it—rangers steal magic from the powerful and give to the starving. Even I, a shaman, understand such actions to be heroic.

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Scavenger (Rogue) Not all who hunt do so by force of might. Some keep quiet, staying to the shadows, waiting and watching for their moment to strike and take what they desire. These are the scavengers—the lowest of the low, hated by mortals and monsters alike. A scavenger preys on weak moments, creeping in after the kill to claim their bounty, or ambushing unsuspecting prey with a sneak attack without honor or glory. Every society has scavengers. In large clans, they walk unseen, taking what others work to gather or create and slipping back into the shadows. In the wilderness they watch and wait for the moment when a powerful hunter is fatigued after a kill, slipping unseen to strike and steal. Shadowy survivors. To become a scavenger, one must be desperate or selfish enough to throw off all hope of being accepted at the clanfire, choosing instead a life of scorn and secrets. But scavengers know that the line between a sneak attack and a noble hunt is much thinner than the line between starvation and survival, and once you cross that line, it’s hard to go back. What tipped you over the edge into taking the shadowed way? Do you hide your scavenging nature, trying to pass as a clan member in good standing, or have you forsaken any attempt to conceal your chosen path? If you were caught scavenging, do you bear a brand or scar to mark you for your crime? The Code. Over the years, there has come to be a kind of code, passed down from one thief to another… hidden in plain language with certain tricks of speech and implications that only a scavenger would pick up. The Code, called Thieves Cant in other 5E settings, can also be left as markings—certain scratches or arrangements of bones or phrases that indicate a ripe target for ambush or theft, or other similar messages. Since the Code terrifies those who fear the Hounds, scavengers are reviled, seen as endangering all those they come in contact with by their marked messages. In the face of such rejection, those who steal often band together, forming nocturnal raiding parties and shadow clans of their own. These clans may even have shamans in the service of gods who care little for honor— and some even whisper that some scavenger cults revere the Hounds themselves. Who taught you the Code? Do you use it to seek out other scavengers or to avoid them? Or do you avoid using it for fear of alerting the Hounds? The king’s tithe. The mark for the Tithe is throughout Planegea, hidden in plain sight. Wherever the Tithe appears, it signals a place where a certain portion of scavenged goods is to be left for the Rat King, the High Lord of a hidden league of thieves known as Scavengers Vow. Tithe marks are not to be ignored, for the Rat King’s cutthroats come quietly for scavengers who don’t pay homage to the Vow. Have you ever run afoul of the Rat King, or do you aspire to meet him? How closely connected are you with Scavengers Vow, by choice or by force?

The Rat King once asked me this riddle: What, really, is the difference between a hunter and a scavenger? They both stalk. They both strike. And at the end of the day bellies are fed and something dies.”

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Shaman (Cleric) In this time before temples and religious hierarchy, shamans serve as intermediaries between mortals and gods. Shamans are leaders of clans, and hear personally from local deities. They are vital to the clans for their ability to channel divine magic, interpret dreams, and lead ceremonies crucial to clan life. Most shamans have a foremost deity they revere, and it is not uncommon for a clan to be given over to the worship of one god or goddess above others thanks to the influence of their shaman. However, the migratory nature of many clans means that shaman must be fluid in their reverence, able to act as a go-between to the many gods whose lands the clan may traverse. Canny reverence. Shamans derive their power from the gods and lead their tribe in acts of worship and ceremony. But the gods are fickle and limited, and the best shamans are those who understand how to work with the gods without losing themselves in awe. Some elder shamans, forced to travel each year and interact with an array of gods, have secret insight into the small-mindedness of divine beings confined to their hallows, and work with the gods as a kind of advisor as much as a servant. What is your relationship to the gods? Do you hold them all in high regard? Or has your proximity to divinity left you jaded to their ways? Do you have a favorite god? Divine ambassadors. Shamans are essential to clan life, and are generally the most respected members of any clan. They often work with a chieftain in a partnership—the chieftain takes care of the mortal side of survival, the shaman focuses on the gods and their gifts. Most small clans have one shaman, but larger clans may have a hierarchy of acolytes and lesser shamans led by a high shaman. Of course, there are those who revere the gods as shamans yet choose to walk alone, having found their divine connection in secret or been separated from their clan. How did you discover your divine connection? Are you a clan shaman or a lone wanderer? If you were the shaman of a clan, why have you left them to pursue adventure? Local deities. When shamans travel, they sense and can connect with the gods of their new location, paying homage and forging connections. Many shamans prefer to follow certain types of gods, seeking out deities of a similar domain. A shaman must draw their power from a nearby god or divine force, as there are no universal gods supplying power equally throughout the world. Do you pursue a single domain, or do you prefer to revere the most powerful god in a new area? The ways of the gods are strange and sometimes frightening—how far would you go in pursuit of the favor of a new god?

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REGIONAL DOMAINS The power of a god is limited by its location. When adventuring shamans travel outside of their god’s domain there are a few options to explore: • Different god, same domain: Regions can have more than one god (although one is usually dominant), so the new region might have a god with similar values and blessings, although pursuing the favor of a lesser god might displease the more powerful one. • Divine alliance: Gods are able to communicate with each other within a certain distance, and a god who favors a shaman might reach out to a neighboring god and ask that their power be allowed to flow through them into their region. • New god, new domain: Sometimes there is no alliance or similar god to be forged, and instead the shaman must source their power from a different type of god altogether. In this case, the shaman may change their subclass and divine domain, setting aside all features from their old domain and adopting all features from their new domain at their current level. Work with your DM to decide if this is a good fit for your character and campaign.

Sorcerer Planegea bristles with primordial magic, and it is not unsual for magic to slip into the blood of mortals. Sorcerers are everywhere in Planegea, by far the most common arcane spellcasters. Untaught, unrestrained, operating by instinct and natural gifts, a sorcerer wields magic in its simplest, most primal, most elemental form. Even a clan of modest size might have one or two sorcerers, and they are woven into the fabric of society without distinction. Sorcerers make excellent members of a hunting or gathering party, even though their magical abilities tend to sap their physical strength, their talents for bringing down prey or finding bounty from a distance are regarded as highly useful to a clan. To be a sorcerer in Planegea typically means to be well-liked but not especially respected on the merits of your magical abilities. A sorcerer must earn their reputation not by the mere existence of their magic, but rather how they use it. Primal magic. Sorcerers have magic at their fingertips, and can feel the pulse of power that goes through the world. A sorcerer is given no guidance by a god, no ethos from the land—they simply have access to magic and must decide what to do with it. How do you ply your magic? Do you use it to impress and charm, or as armor and weaponry? Does your magic define you, or do you think little

about it, finding your role in the world through another aspect of your identity? Useful talents. In the life of a clan, sorcerers have no place of particular honor because of their magic. Rather, they are integrated into the work of various work parties such as the hunters, gatherers, crafters, or builders. A person’s talent as a sorcerer might be the third or fourth thing mentioned about them, almost as an aside, unless they are particularly powerful or have earned a reputation through their individual use of magic. Do you make your magic power known as soon as you meet someone, or do you prefer to interact with others as a person first and a sorcerer second? Have you ever wished that others would respect you for your talents more? Have you ever been tempted to do something ill-advised to demonstrate the extent of your abilities? Unmeasured potential. Most sorcerers in Planegea have modest power, casting only cantrips, 1st-level, or 2nd-level spells. When a more powerful sorcerer does arise, it is cause for comment and—sometimes—alarm. Without the governance of gods or the discipline of spellskins, an unchecked sorcerer represents a possible threat to anyone they encounter. As your talent expands, how will you use it? Without limitations or mentors, will you pursue selfish ends and reshape the world in your image, or will you find others who will help keep you from losing yourself in your growing power? OPTIONAL CLASS FEATURE A variation on sorcerers allows them to act as their own arcane focus, since the magic they wield comes from within themselves. Consult with your DM to determine whether this feature is a good fit for your sorcerer: Inner Focus 1st-level sorcerer feature When casting spells, you can use a free hand to cast material components as if you were holding an arcane focus. This can be the same hand you use to perform somatic components.

DREAM SORCERY (SORCERER SUBCLASS)

Just beyond the veil of reality, the magic of dreams shimmer and shift with arcane power. You are touched by this magic and call on the sleeping mind to bring the power of visions and dreams into the waking world. Perhaps dream magic courses through your blood as a birthright, or maybe you gained these powers through a quirk of fate or fortune.

DREAM SORCERY SPELLS 1st-level Dream Sorcery feature You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this subclass, as shown on the Dream Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know. Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be an enchantment or an illusion spell from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. Sorcerer Level

Dream Spells

1st

heroism, dissonant whispers

3rd

enhance ability, calm emotions

5th

hypnotic pattern, major image

7th

hallucinatory terrain, confusion

9th

dream, modify memory

FATE OF DREAMS 1st-level Dream Sorcery feature At 1st level, you see portents of things to come in dreams, safeguarding and empowering you and your allies. Upon completing a long rest, choose a number of friendly creatures you can see equal to your Charisma modifier, and roll on the dreams table to determinecamera your dream regarding their fate. d8

Dreams

1

Dream of Success. After making a roll but before the outcome is determined, the target adds your proficiency bonus to one ability check.

2

Dream of Accuracy. After making a roll but before the outcome is determined, the target adds your proficiency bonus to one attack roll.

3

Dream of Fortitude. After making a roll but before the outcome is determined, the target adds your proficiency bonus to one saving throw.

4

Dream of Safety. As a reaction when an attack would hit the target, the target adds your proficiency bonus to their AC.

5

Dream of Power. The target adds 2 × your proficiency bonus to one damage roll.

6

Dream of Speed. The target adds your proficiency bonus to one initiative check.

7

Dream of Endurance. As a reaction when the target would take damage, the target reduces the damage by an amount equal to 2 × your proficiency bonus.

8

Dream of Vitality. When the target regains health by spending a hit die, they can regain additional hit points equal to 2 × your proficiency bonus for each use of this feature.

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The chosen creatures gain the benefits from this feature until you complete a long rest. Each of those creatures can use this feature once during that time. At 6th-level, chosen creatures can use this feature twice, and at 11th-level, they can use this feature three times. FOCUSED FATE 6th-level Dream Sorcery feature Starting at 6th level, you learn to bend the shape of dreams to affect the fate of you and your allies. When you roll for your Fate of Dreams feature, you can roll twice and choose which of the two dreams applies. If you roll the same number on both dice, you can ignore the number and choose any dream on the table. In addition, once a creature has expended their uses of Fate of Dreams, you can expend a sorcery point to roll on the dream table again, granting them one additional use of the feature with the dream you roll. DREAMSPEAKER 6th-level Dream Sorcery feature Whenever you take a long rest, you may communicate with another creature on the same plane as if by the dream spell. You cannot appear as monstrous as part of this effect. DREAMSTEP 14th-level Dream Sorcery feature Starting at 14th level, you are able to swiftly step in and out of the dreaming world. Once on each of your turns, you can use up to 30 feet of your movement to teleport the same distance. You must teleport to an unoccupied space you can see. MANIFEST VISION 18th-level Dream Sorcery feature Starting at 18th level, your wants and dreams are as reality. You can use your action to cast the simulacrum spell, targeting yourself. Rather than ice or snow, the simulacrum is composed of the essence of your dreams. The simulacrum you create this way lasts for one hour, after which it dissipates. A simulacrum you create this way can take on any appearance you desire, but cannot be more than one size larger than you. The simulacrum does not have any spell slots above 5th level, and can use metamagic freely without expending any sorcery points, due to the whimsical nature of dreams. In addition, it lacks access to this feature. Once you use this action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 10 sorcery points to use it again.

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Spellskin (Wizard) In deep caves, thickets, or hide shelters, spellskins mutter and trace the shapes of magic. Creating patterns and designs that echo the mana of the stars and living things, spellskins use natural dyes and clays to paint powerful creatures, real or imagined. Then, once the shape of a creature and its magic is fully understood, the spellskin copies its form onto their own bodies. Powerful spellskins are covered in tattoos, and can call forth the magic they have wrestled into their skin at will. To pursue the way of the spellskin takes an uncommonly brilliant mind, able to hold and remember many incredibly complex concepts at the same time. However, here is great danger in the spellskin way. The paintings created by the practitioners of these arts hew ever closer to writing, putting them always only one small slip away from being pursued by the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. Planegea is littered with empty caves and canyons with unfinished paintings where a spellskin crossed the line and brought the Hounds upon themselves. Hunted genius. To be a spellskin is to court disaster with brilliance. Spellskins are often obsessive, unable to pry themselves away with searching deeper into the underlying magic of the world, even if it means their paintings and tattoos grow in complexity and meaning to a dangerous degree. Why do you continue to investigate magic, knowing that with every brush stroke, every tap of the tattoo mallet, you could slip into disfavor with the Hounds? Why don’t you walk away? Sanctums and conclaves. Because of the danger inherent in spellskin work, most clans avoid such spellcasters. They are not rejected outright, but it is forbidden by most chieftains and shamans to create the paintings required to work out a spell within sight of the clanfire. For this reason, many spellskins have their own hidden sanctums where they reason out spells in secret. Some, who have found it simpler to leave clan life behind, seek out other spellskins and form enclaves where they share sanctums and knowledge, using magic to provide for their physical needs so that they can remain in one place and continue the work of developing their arcane insights. What was the first place you painted a spell, and what tattoos do you have to call that spell to mind? Are you in good standing with a clan, or have you chosen to leave all that behind in pursuit of your own research or in search of an enclave where you could learn more? Spellgraves. There are empty, echoing places in the world where great spells were cast in the past—until some

I have often heard of warlocks who depend less on charisma and more on intelligence, who study and learn arcane lore from their patrons, rather than dangling from the strings of their good favor.

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spellskin went too far and the Hounds came. Such places, called spellgraves, may be the sanctums of lone casters or entire conclaves. They are regarded by spellskins as great caches of knowledge. There are those who spend their whole lives wandering, seeking spellgraves to expand their knowledge and power. What whispers have you heard of spellgraves? Do you have a clue to the location of a hidden cache of wondrous lore? What would you do to find it? MANA TATTOOS Rather than carrying a book, spellskins tattoo the shapes of magic onto their skins. These shapes are not writing—rather, they are a symbolic set of shapes, unique to every spellskin, which defines the shape of magic as the spellskin comprehends it. This tattoo is a kind of shorthand for the larger symbols the spellskin has painted or carved into a wall or flat surface requiring 10’ square for each spell level. (Thus a 4th level spell requires a 40’ square surface.) In order to learn a new spell (either their own spell or a spell copied from another spellskin’s wall), a spellskin must see the spell on a space equal to 10’ square or more per spell level. Thus, high-level spellskins are known for their huge walls covered in intricate paintings or carvings. A spellskin must only create the spell on the wall when first learning it. After they have created their mana tattoo, they can prepare their spells by studying their tattoos, envisioning the wall, repeating incantations made while creating the wall, and so on. One spellskin who encounters another cannot copy a mana tattoo from their body, as it is a mere shorthand for the spell’s full shape. If a spellskin discovers another’s painting or carving, they may copy one spell from it in a process that takes 2 hours and causes a half level of exhaustion per each level of the spell (rounded up). If the process of copying it is interrupted, the copying fails, and the spellskin must begin again.

Warlock

The gods are not the only powerful beings in Planegea. There are many things in shadowy haunts and secret places that resonate with magic and the ability to empower those that they choose. The warlock is the emissary sent by a clan to strike a deal with such a being. They are marked by their otherness—such powers might be a dreamlike archfey of Nod, a bloody idol from the Cult Riverlands, or a mind-numbing presence from beyond the stars. Unlike the gods and their followers, whose power arises from Planegea, warlocks and their patrons are fueled by abilities that fall outside the natural order. Warlocks enter into bargains with such beings, gaining the favor of the being on behalf of the clan in exchange for strange and particular services.

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Sacrificial pacts. Warlocks are chosen by their clans as sacrificial emissaries, giving up their freedom to secure the good of the clan. How did you come across your patron? Why did your clan decide it was necessary to strike a bargain with it? What are the exact terms of your pact? Are you trying to undermine your patron, or curry its favor? Chosen ones. The pacts of a warlock are public ceremonies, known to all the clan and carefully negotiated by the clan leaders. Often, warlocks are groomed from birth as emissaries and ambassadors, taught the ways of diplomacy to serve as the link between a clan and a non-divine power. Shamans and warlocks live in mutual respect, as the intermediaries between the clan and their divine and arcane overlords. Who were you before the pact? Were you groomed to act as an emissary or did you stumble into it? How did your life change when you met your patron? Do you have regrets, or are you eager to go further? Pactbound. The warlock’s bargains are never a gift without terms and conditions, and patrons are rarely forthcoming or reasonable. By forging a pact with something other than a god, a warlock reaches into something larger than themselves, and possibly hostile to their very existence. What does your patron want you to do? How much do you know of its greater agenda—or even its true nature? PACT OF THE SCAR In Planegea, Pact of the Tome becomes Pact of the Scar, with patterned scarring in place of the Book of Shadows. If other scars or wounds hide your pact scars or magic heals them, you can create new scars to replace the old ones in 1 hour. The Book of Ancient Secrets becomes Scars of Ancient Secrets, and is mechanically identical, except that instead of 50 gp worth of rare inks, you require a ceremonial knife with 50 hp of blood spilled on it or worth an equivalent of 50 sp in the Great Valley.

DARK FOREST WARLOCK

From the heart of the forest, something dark has called to you. An ancient spirit, which harbors no love for things that breathe, sometimes reaches out with magical roots and tendrils to find mortals who will bargain for power to do its bidding. As one chosen by the dark forest, you are sent where the forest cannot reach, into the places where the spirit cannot go, to do its bidding among those it hates. Consider how you came to have this pact with the dark forest, and why it chose you. Perhaps you entered the pact willingly, with full knowledge of the forest’s malevolence, or maybe you simply needed magic to survive or to help others. Regardless, you stand at the edge of something incredibly old, vast, and hostile to your kind, which lets you live and grants you certain powers… for now.

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EXPANDED SPELL LIST 1st-level Dark Forest feature The Dark Forest lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you. Spell Level

Spells

1st

entangle, fog cloud

2nd

barkskin, spike growth

3rd

plant growth, speak with plants

4th

grasping vine, hallucinatory terrain

5th

awaken, tree stride

MOSS MARK 1st-level Dark Forest feature At first level, when you hit a target with an attack, you can mark the injury with magical moss. This moss mark remains for up to one minute, after which it crumbles harmlessly. As a bonus action while you are within 60 feet of a marked creature, you can cause the moss mark to bloom, forcing the target and any other creatures within 10 feet of it to make a Dexterity saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 necrotic damage. You can leave marks a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all uses of this feature upon completing a short or long rest. RECLAIM 1st-level Dark Forest feature At 1st level, you can reclaim those you strike down for the forest. When you reduce a medium or larger creature to 0 hit points, or when a creature marked by your moss dies, you can magically claim it. The claimed body is covered in magical moss, vines, tendrils, and shoots. At the end of 1 minute, the body transforms into a tree one size larger than the creature was in life. When you create a tree in this way, you can choose to bind it. A tree is bound to you as long as the tree remains standing, or until you dismiss the binding. You can have a number of trees bound to you in this way equal to your proficiency bonus. A bound tree is obedient to you and has limited animation, bending branches and leaves at your request, although it is unable to uproot and move about and cannot attack. You are able to speak telepathically with a bound tree if you are on the same plane of existence. Bound trees have limited sentience and awareness of their surroundings, and are friendly towards you. Additionally, as an action, you can sense through a bound tree as if standing in the plant’s

location, choosing one of the following effects until the start of your next turn: • You can see, hear, and smell in all directions. • You can sense poison and disease as if casting the detect poison and disease spell. • You can sense magic as if casting the detect magic spell. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses, although you remain aware of any pain or damage you suffer. OAK’S FORTITUDE 6th-level Dark Forest feature Starting at 6th level, you gain toughness from the magic of mighty trees. Your AC can’t be less than 16 in any form, regardless of what kind of armor you’re wearing. In addition, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws against being knocked prone, grappled, restrained, or moved against your will. DARK BRAMBLE 10th-level Dark Forest feature Starting at 10th level, the blooming of your moss mark becomes even more dangerous. When a creature fails their saving throw against your moss mark, in addition to the normal damage, magical brambles erupt from the mark to ensnare them. The creature’s speed is reduced to 0 until the end of their next turn. WEALDWOE 14th-level Dark Forest feature Starting at 14th level, you can call upon the wrath of a spectral forest to destroy your enemies. On your turn, you can use an action to choose a number of points on the ground within 120 feet of you equal to your proficiency bonus. Spectral trees burst from the ground in each of these points, standing up to 60 feet high, with trunks 5 feet in radius, and branches in an additional 15 foot radius. These trees remain for up to one hour, or until you lose concentration, as if concentrating on a spell. If a tree’s trunk appears in any creature’s space, that creature must make a Dexterity saving throw versus your spell save DC. Creatures marked by your moss have disadvantage on this save. On a failure, the creature takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage and is thrown up to 30 feet away from the trunk. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage. Structures and objects in the space where the trees appear take full damage. The trees’ branches obstruct vision and movement, providing three-quarters cover, and acting as difficult terrain. Movement through the branches costs 4 feet of movement for every 1 foot of travel. You and any creatures you designate when you create these trees are unaffected

by this difficult terrain, as the branches disperse as you pass. If you concentrate on this effect for the full duration, they become permanent, no longer providing additional cover or impeding movement more than mundane trees. Once you’ve used this feature, you can’t use it again until you’ve finished a long rest.

ELDRITCH INVOCATIONS

At 2nd level, a warlock gains the Eldritch Invocations feature. Here are new options for that feature, in addition to the options in other 5E materials. If an eldritch invocation has a prerequisite, you must meet it to learn the invocation. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisite. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class DURU’S GIFT Prerequisite: Dark Forest patron Your creature type becomes Plant. You no longer need to eat, but instead, must spend at least 1 hour under sunlight each day to photosynthesize. Once you’ve chosen this Eldritch Invocation, you cannot replace it with another. ELDRITCH LASH Prerequisite: Dark Forest patron You learn the thorn whip cantrip. It counts as a warlock cantrip for you, but it doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known. When you hit with this cantrip, add your Charisma bonus to the damage it deals on a hit, and you can reduce that creature’s speed by 10 feet until the end of your next turn. ENTANGLING REBUKE Prerequisite: Dark Forest patron When you are damaged by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to ensnare the creature with magical roots and vines. The target must make a Strength saving throw versus your spell save DC. On a failure, the creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to 3 x your proficiency bonus and is restrained until the end of your next turn. You cannot use this feature again until after a short rest. FORM OF THE FOREST Prerequisite: Dark Forest patron When you cast the polymorph spell, you can transform creatures into plants as well as beasts.

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Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

CHAPTER 6

BACKGROUNDS

Far below the warm surface of the world, past burrows and buried bones, three companions huddled around a fire in a strange chamber. They had lost track of time since they had last seen the day-star. “What were you, before all this?” asked Gola, strongest and most curious of the three. She had been the one to first crack open the vault door and slip inside. “Less hungry,” said the ever-sullen Chimmuk. The vault’s strange geometries and mirrored passages had altered his mood very little; although he had started to mutter in his sleep the last few nights. “You know that’s not what she means,” said Arcback. Even his legendary patience was being tested by the impossible maze. “I was a keeper of beasts once,” he said, scales rippling with blue and green. “I tended the clan’s goats, played a flute on the hill, and—” “You play the flute?” snorted Chimmuk. “I play quite well. What did you do?” “Tried to stay out of the shaman’s way. I kept to myself until our Free Citadeler there tempted me with tales of glory and good harvest.” “Free Citadel,” sighed Gola. “You haven’t breathed until you’ve walked among the sky-high walls, streets wide as meadows…” “Not much chance of that anymore, is there?” sniffed Chimmuk. Gola said, “Let’s sleep. I have a good feeling about tomorrow.”

W

HO WERE YOU BEFORE YOU WERE AN adventurer? Everyone’s story starts somewhere, and backgrounds provide building blocks for understanding your character’s place in the world. With a background, you can quickly determine where you’ve come from, who you know, and what mattered to you before the opening moments of your great prehistoric adventure. Existing Backgrounds. Existing 5th Edition materials provide an array of backgrounds which can be excellent foundations for your character. If you’d like to use a published background, work with your DM to determine what adjustments need to be made to your proficiencies, gear, and features to bring it into the Stone Age. Even backgrounds that seem to rely on advanced technology can be adopted (see Chapter 7 for details on converting materials and locations). Planegean Backgrounds. The 20 new prehistoric backgrounds in this chapter are designed to quickly and easily root your character in the world of Planegea. Work with your DM to determine which is best for you.

Background

Skill Proficiencies

Tool Proficiencies

Languages

Ape Clan

Acrobatics, Investigation

Mender’s tools, instrument

—

Dream Walker

Apprentice

Religion, Performance

Ceremonial supplies, instrument

—

Shaman’s Aide

Bear Clan

Athletics, Animal Handling

Cook’s utensils, butcher’s tools

—

Master of the Feast

Captive

Stealth, Perception

Mender’s tools

Caretaker

Medicine, Insight

Cook’s utensils, mender’s tools

—

Good With Children

Chieftain’s Kin

History, Persuasion

Ceremonial supplies, butcher’s tools

—

Clan Deference

Crafter

Sleight of Hand, Investigation

Two sets of crafter’s tools

—

Craftwork

Edgegatherer

Sleight of Hand, Deception

Gaming set

1

Settlement Savvy

Free Citizens

Arcana, Insight

Thieves’ tools

1

Inspiring Reputation

Gatherer

Nature, Perception

Gatherer’s supplies, mapmaker’s tools

—

Sharp-Eyed Forager

Hunter

Athletics, Survival

Gaming set, butcher’s tools

—

Hunting Tales

Keeper of Beasts

Animal Handling, Intimidation

Butcher’s tools, vehicles (land)

—

Good with Animals

Lion Clan

Perception, Performance

Artist’s supplies, weaver’s tools

—

Artist’s Eye

Outcast

Stealth, Survival

Gatherer’s supplies

Raider

Athletics, Intimidation

Vehicles (land), gaming set

—

Known for Trouble

Savant

Arcana, Deception

Mapmaker’s tools

—

Hidden Talent

Seerfallite

History, Religion

Ceremonial supplies

1

Well-Connected

Storyteller

History, Performance

Instrument

1

Welcome at the Fire

Trader

Insight, Persuasion

—

2

Set Up Shop

Whale Clan

Acrobatics, Nature

Vehicles (water), navigator’s tools

1

1

—

Feature

Overheard Secret

Shelter-Finder

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Ape Clan You are part of the powerful Ape Clan, dedicated to the reverence of Kho Many-Arms, the Ape God. Your people know that there is nothing more important than being nimble of mind and body. You may have been trained in the arts of acrobatics, riddles, crafting, or musical instruments. As a member of one of the three Brother Clans, you are used to commanding a certain degree of respect in the Great Valley. You have traveled along passageways through the Dream World of Nod, and spent more time with elves than most. But above all, you have dwelt in the shadow of the moody and dangerous Kho, with the awareness that life is perched on a fragile branch, and at any moment everything you know could come crashing down. How has that outlook affected you? Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Investigation Tool Proficiencies: Mender’s tools, one type of musical instrument Equipment: A net, a set of dark common clothes with pockets, a collapsible pole that extends up to 10 feet, and a belt pouch containing a small antler whistle, a folding toy, and chalk powder worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: DREAM WALKER

Because of your people’s longstanding friendship with the elves of Nod, you have traveled through the World of Dreams more than once. You have stories of your travels through those worlds, and know how to reach out to an elvish contact in Nod, who is friendly and inclined to help you if it does not cause them risk.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Members of the Ape Clan have a reputation for being clever and fearful in equal measure. Children raised in the clan are taught that flexibility and speed are of paramount importance, so Ape Clan members tend to avoid making long-term plans, preferring to keep their options open for whatever the next minute might bring. d8

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d6

Ideal

1

Hope. I must believe that things can get better. (Good)

2

Cunning. Intellect applied with skill is the only way to keep yourself alive. (Any)

3

Chance. Nothing is predictable, and any belief otherwise is a delusion. (Chaotic)

4

Flexibility. It’s impossible to plan for the future, all that matters is being ready to react well. (Chaotic).

5

Order. Anything that can be made clear and straight should be, to push back life’s randomness. (Lawful)

6

Control. In a chaotic world, exerting control is the ultimate power. (Evil)

d6

Bond

1

I’m loyal to the Ape Clan, and if called upon by my leaders, would go immediately.

2

I made an oath to my shaman in service of Kho ManyArms, and I must see it through.

3

I was chosen by lot to carry out a mission, and since chance has called me, I will go.

4

There is a great riddle that nobody has been able to solve. I will not rest until I solve it.

5

I once saw something I can’t explain or forget in Nod, and I must return to it.

6

A loved one was killed by a random accident, and I am bound and determined to find a way to bring them back.

d6

Flaw

1

All planning is stupid. Nothing can be predicted, so it’s best to charge in and react to whatever happens.

2

I always have to prove that I’m the cleverest person in the room.

3

My instinct is to bolt at the first sign of danger.

4

I always believe the worst is about to happen.

5

If things are stable for too long, I have to find a way to shake them up.

6

I don’t trust anyone except myself.

Personality Trait

1

I’m ever-vigilant, constantly looking over my shoulder for signs of danger.

2

I always have at least two back-up plans.

3

There’s nothing I love more than solving a riddle.

4

I constantly drum my fingers and fidget with nervous energy.

5

I have no patience for stubborn, rigid people.

6

I take the most interesting path, not the most direct.

7

I always bring up the rear, ready for a quick exit.

8

I keep quiet until I have the perfect thing to say.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

Ah, the Ape Clan. Quick wits, quick bodies—but also quick to scatter when trouble comes. I seek to make peace with all, but I always have trouble counting on Kho’s children. Their obession with fear unnerves me, though I respect their deep connection to the elves of Nod.

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Apprentice You grew up at the side of a shaman, assisting them with rites and rituals, preparing materials for their work and learning the ways of their ceremonies. You know little of life beyond the clanfire’s light, but have walked in divine hallows and have seen gods work wonders at the request of your shaman. You may have been next in line to become a shaman or chosen because a god or your shaman singled you out as worthy of assisting in sacred duties. Who was the god your shaman served? Was your shaman a cruel taskmaster, a kind mentor, or an aloof presence? How were you chosen to serve them? Were you the only apprentice to the shaman, or one of many? Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Performance Tool Proficiencies: Ceremonial supplies, one type of musical instrument Equipment: A set of ceremonial supplies, a set of common clothes, a ceremonial mask honoring the god you served, and a belt pouch of ritual materials worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: SHAMAN’S AIDE

You are trained in shaman’s work, and understand ceremonies, religious practices, and the duties of shamans intimately. If rituals, festivals, or ceremonies are being prepared, you know how to make yourself useful, and can ingratiate yourself within the hierarchy that serves a god, given enough time to understand the nature of that god.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

As an apprentice, you were shaped by the shaman you served under. Those who trained with a gentle, wise shaman are likely to follow in their footsteps, while the former servants of the cruel and tyrannical shy away from anger and harm. Most apprentices are assumed to be meek and mild-mannered, but there is much that brews just under the surface for those who have long been kept quiet. d8

Personality Trait

Many apprentices have I trained. Some were talented, some were not. The only ones I remember were those who understood that even the mightiest shaman was once no more than they are, and spoke to me as a person as well as a mentor.



d6

Ideal

1

Faith. Believing in a higher power is what enables people to achieve great things. (Good)

2

Comfort. One should seek the easy way where possible. (Neutral)

3

Reverence. That which is powerful is worthy of honor. (Lawful)

4

Freedom. Life is too short to live under the thumb of another, mortal or divine. (Chaotic)

5

Tradition. The old ways are inherently worthy of being upheld. (Lawful)

6

Power. The ability to bend others to your will is all that matters in the world. (Evil)

d6

Bond

1

My shaman died under strange circumstances—only I know the truth of what happened.

2

I broke my god’s taboo and was exiled. I long to return to their service.

3

I escaped from an evil shaman and have sworn never again to bend the knee in reverence to any deity.

4

My shaman uttered a prophecy over me, and I am bound and determined to fulfill it at all costs.

5

I befriended a minor god and seek to advance their glory by any means possible.

6

I am wanted dead by a certain cult for crimes that I have not yet committed.

d6

Flaw

1

I defer too quickly to others, even when I disagree.

2

I trained with the best and know the most, and everyone can benefit from my insight on every topic.

I don’t speak until spoken to.

3

I don’t scare easily in the presence of the supernatural—I’ve seen too much to be alarmed.

I keep a mental list of everyone who has ever wronged me. Someday, each and every one of them will pay.

4

I’m far too trusting of everyone.

5

Arcane magic both fascinates and disgusts me.

5

6

The only place I feel safe is in a divine hallow—it’s mortals that confuse and frighten me.

I complain when I’m tired, hungry, bored, lonely, confused, irritated, thirsty, sweaty, cold…

6

7

My training has left me jaded; I revere nothing.

It’s difficult not to judge others when I’m obviously better than they are.

8

I feel guilty and stressed when I go for long without revering a god.

1

I’m always humming a ritual chant under my breath.

2

I know a ceremony or blessing for every situation.

3 4

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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Bear Clan You are one of the strong, the bold, the unstoppable Bear Clan, glad worshipers of Unkillable Urhosh the Bear God. Your people wrestle with bears and half-giants, feast with honeycomb and fresh-caught fish, and know what it is to laugh and boast all night at a banquet table set at the mouth of the very cave of a god. The Bear Clan teaches its people to live life to the fullest, believing the value of life is in joy and courage. As a member of one of the three Brother Clans, you command respect in the Great Valley and are used to having more than enough of everything, in the bounty of Urhosh. How has being accustomed to honor and plenty shaped you?

Some call the Bear Clan the “little giants.” They live at the feet of the Stone Empire, and there is hardly anything but height separating the raiders of that land from the hunting parties of the Bear people.



d6

Ideal

1

Joy. Happiness is the light that pushes back the darkness. (Good)

2

Plenty. Abundance is the greatest sign of blessing and success one could hope for. (Any)

3

Strength. I respect strength, and bow the knee to the one who is stronger than me. (Lawful)

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Animal Handling Tool Proficiencies: Cook’s utensils, butcher’s tools Equipment: A club, a set of common clothes, a bone trophy from a bear-wrestling competition, and a belt pouch containing honeycomb, spices, and patches of pelt worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

4

Laughter. It’s worth breaking the rules to spread joy. (Chaotic)

5

Life. All life should be celebrated and protected. (Good)

6

Oppression. The strong have been chosen by fate to subject the weak to their will. (Evil)

FEATURE: MASTER OF THE FEAST

d6

You know how to bring people together around a table. With sufficient supplies and time, you can prepare an impressive meal. Where food is plentiful, you know how to be an entertaining host, and can earn the favor of strangers with jokes, boasting, and good cheer around the table over the course of a meal.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

The Bear Clan are seen as a bunch of boastful, gluttonous brawlers—and the best of allies to have by your side in a fight. Known for their gregarious spirits, love of laughter and feasts, and irrepressible nature, the Bear Clan is the heart of the Great Valley. Not everyone from the Bear Clan is equally bold and boisterous, but an undercurrent of confidence is a hallmark of the children of the Unkillable.

1

I once earned the title of champion wrestler and will defend it at every opportunity.

2

I seek the secret of true immortality and invulnerability.

3

I made an ill-considered joke at the expense of a powerful hunter and they want me dead to this day.

4

I’m fascinated with giant culture, and secretly admire the empires.

5

I have sworn an oath that I will do all in my power to feed the hungry and bring joy to the wretched.

6

A captive of our clan told me a terrible secret, which started me on the path I now pursue.

d6

Flaw

1

I tend to act like I’m invincible.

Personality Trait

2

Self-control? What’s that?

1

I love a good boast, and practice my own boasting at every opportunity.

3

I can be a bully, often without even realizing it.

2

I go with my gut, preferring not to overthink things.

4

I can’t say no to a challenge or dare.

3

I always assume everyone around me is looking to me for leadership.

5

Any sign of weakness earns my scorn.

6

I attack first and ask questions later—or never.

4

Food is the language by which I communicate love.

5

I always say exactly what’s on my mind.

6

I’m friendly with everyone but close to nobody.

7

If a riddle or puzzle can’t be solved in ten seconds, it’s a waste of everyone’s time and should be smashed.

8

I’m always the last to go to bed, preferring to talk by the fire until everyone else turns in.

d8

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Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

Captive Against your will, you have spent time in the service of others, such as the Giant Empires, raiders, or a hostile clan. Whether by force or trickery, you were captured in the past, and have dwelt among your enemies, doing menial labor while suffering want, hunger, and danger. Who were your captors and how were you captured? How long were you in their service? Were you passed from captor to captor, or have you been subject to one individual your entire length of service? What do you remember from your life before servitude? What were your hopes and dreams before your capture, and how do those differ from your desires now? Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Perception Tool Proficiencies: Mender’s tools Languages: One of your choice Equipment: Mender’s tools, a set of tattered clothes, a handheld keepsake of your original home, and ragged cast-offs stolen from your captors worth up to 5 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: OVERHEARD SECRET

Through your time in forced service, you overheard valuable secret knowledge that may be of great use to you or to others. This could be unknown lore, the location of an object of great value or power, dangerous plans, a weakness that can be exploited, or some other secret. Work with your DM to determine exactly what you overheard.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Being captured and held against your will can happen to anyone, and can have myriad effects on personality, outlook, and character. Former captives have been through true suffering and terror, and may be meek or aggressive, composed or wild. Some have sworn powerful oaths during their times of captivity that they must see through, others wish nothing more than to simply live as they see fit in the moment. d8

Personality Trait

1

I am jumpy and skittish after years of being in danger.

2

I’ve seen it all and can’t be frightened by anything.

3

When I fight, I recklessly unleash all the pent-up fury and rage from my time of captivity.

4

Dignity is what got me through my captivity, and I remain composed no matter what.

5

I watch others closely, reading the subtlest moods and mirroring them.

6

I stay out of everyone’s way, preferring to hang just out of sight.

7

I make do with what I have and never ask anyone for anything.

8

There’s nothing I love more than stories of travel and adventure, having lived on them when I was captured.

d6

Ideal

1

Freedom. Everyone should be free to do as they see fit at all times. (Chaotic)

2

Revenge. I’ll make those who hurt me suffer double for everything they did to me. (Evil)

3

Restoration. Those who suffer should be made whole and reunited with those they love. (Good)

4

Protection. Evil should be toppled so that nobody has to go through what I went through. (Good)

5

Justice. Evil should be punished and good rewarded in exact measure. (Lawful)

6

Security. Being safe from those who would do you harm is the most important thing. (Any)

d6

Bond

1

I was abducted from my family and am seeking them.

2

I will not stop until I kill my captor.

3

I got out, but I left someone behind—I have to go back and bring them out to freedom too.

4

There’s something that kept me alive in captivity, something I promised myself I’d do. I have yet to do it.

5

I still have nightmares about my captivity, and sometimes can’t remember that I’m free upon waking.

6

I’ll take any and every opportunity to cause harm to those who remind me of my captors.

d6

Flaw

1

I secretly resent those who have had an easier life.

2

There’s some part of me that misses my captive life, and I hate myself for that.

3

I can be cruel and insensitive, thanks to my years of living so close to suffering.

4

Now that I’m free, I refuse to accept any boundaries, even when they’re for my own good.

5

I don’t know how to ask for help.

6

My anger flares hot and fierce at the smallest insult.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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Caretaker You love and understand children, and they love and listen to you. Your natural way with the young led you to a place of honor as primary guardian over one or more children, whether they were your blood kin or not. The young life or lives in your care meant everything to you, but now something has changed that is summoning you outwards into adventure. Discuss your family with your DM, and decide whether the children in your care were your offspring, adopted by you, or put under your care by another such as an elder or shaman. What is the condition of those who were in your care? Are they thriving and old enough to take care of themselves? Did they meet an untimely end, and if so, how did that affect you? Or did they vanish, leaving you bound and determined to cross the world to bring them home safely? Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Insight Tool Proficiencies: Cook’s utensils, mender’s tools Equipment: Cook’s utensils, a child’s toy, a soft blanket, a set of common clothes, and a caretaker’s satchel containing thread, a bone needle, soothing balm, clean leaves, a ration of nuts and dried berries, and materials worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: GOOD WITH CHILDREN

Young children instinctively like and trust you. They are eager to involve you in their games and tell you secrets, show you things they are proud of, and take actions to please you and win your approval. You are able to calm and soothe an upset child quickly, and have an instinctive sense of whether young children are being well cared for or mistreated.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Caretakers are typically canny, observant, and resourceful people who have spent a lot of time in a secret world with those in their charge, unknown to other adults. This special bond affects the way they look at life, giving them an unusual and valuable perspective. d8

78

d6

Ideal

1

Truth. Honesty is the best policy, even when it hurts. (Lawful)

2

Joy. There is so much good in the world if we’ll just open our eyes to see it. (Good)

3

Creativity. Self-expression is how we conquer the darkness. (Chaotic)

4

Order. There is a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. (Lawful)

5

Peace. Nothing is more important than serenity and balance. (Neutral)

6

Growth. Experiences good and bad all shape us and make us stronger. (Any)

d6

Bond

1

No matter how old you are, if I once cared for you, you’ll always be my child.

2

A child I raised grew up to be evil. I live to undo the harm they caused.

3

My charge was not my own child, but their family has become my family.

4

Living as a caretaker has made me realize the life debt that I owe to the person who raised me.

5

I will stop at nothing to destroy that which threatened my child.

6

I fight for all children everywhere.

d6

Flaw

1

I am sensitive to the needs of others, so much so that I often forget to take care of myself.

2

I pretend like everything is fine even when it isn’t.

3

Past disrespect has made me defensive about my skills and knowledge.

4

Everything is my business, and I don’t mind telling you what I think whether you want to hear it or not.

5

I feel like I have to prove myself to other adults.

6

I oversimplify problems, looking for quick solutions even when there are none.

Personality Trait

1

I’m incredibly proud of my companions, and never miss a chance to tell them so.

2

There’s nothing you need that isn’t in my satchel.

3

Guilt is a weapon that I’m proficient with.

4

I can’t stand it when those I love are in conflict, and will do anything to keep the peace.

5

I am capable and confident in every situation.

6

Everything reminds me of the children I’ve cared for.

7

There’s no bad situation that can’t be made better with snacks.

8

I’m a good listener, and people like to tell me their problems.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

To spend your life in service of the smallest, the least, the weakest. Could there be anything more profound, more magnificent?



VARIANT: CARETAKER OF THE INFIRMED

Instead of children, you were the guardian of the elderly and infirmed, those who could no longer hunt or contribute to the council of elders. You spent days in the cool of the tents or huts of your people, listening to stories and helping alleviate discomfort both physical and mental. Discuss who was under your care with your DM, and decide who their living relatives are, and what their relationship with your charge was. Were they kind and concerned, or distant and disdainful? Do they trust you or hold you in suspicion? Did your charge let slip any important family secrets? Rather than proficiency with a gaming set, you might have proficiency with a musical instrument of your choice. Your skill with children becomes similar skill with the elderly. And instead of a children’s toy, you can start with a bundle of beaded and painted sticks, which you can use to reenact the many stories handed down to you by your former ward.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Those who have spent much time in the tents of the powerful understand the ways in which power flows. Each chieftain’s family is different, but they are often seen to be privileged, used to comfort and deference, and skilled in a certain degree of scheming and politics. d8

Personality Trait

1

I constantly drop names about the important people I’ve spent time with.

2

I take great care and attention to my appearance, dressing as well as possible in every situation.

3

As someone with experience in important decisions, I dole out lots of advice, whether asked for it or not.

4

I have a few creature comforts that I cannot do without.

5

I’m endlessly fascinated by the romantic lives of the common folk.

6

I’m deaf to insults, interpreting them as veiled compliments.

Chieftain’s Kin

7

I have endless stories about the scandalous lives of the chieftains and shamans I have known.

You are the close blood of a clan’s chieftain, and expect honor and respect from those around you. You understand power and authority, and are used to being consulted for negotiations and important decisions. You may be next in line for leadership of the clan when this chieftain dies. Work with your DM to determine the nature of the clan and your relationship to the chieftain. How has being raised in proximity to power shaped you? Do you consider yourself better than others, or see your authority as a responsibility and obligation? If you are to rule the clan, do you embrace that role or chafe under it?

8

I don’t like to actually be the person in charge—just to have influence over them.

Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion Tool Proficiencies: Ceremonial supplies, butcher’s tools Equipment: A symbol of authority (such as a headdress, staff, or pendant), a set of fine clothes, an intricately carved piece of jade-and-ivory given to you by the chieftain, and a belt pouch containing rare spices, crystals, and finely-worked arrowheads worth up to 25 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: CLAN DEFERENCE

You carry an air of authority that’s obvious for all to see. Low-status clan members seek to earn your favor and defer to you on decisions, and high-status clan members recognize you as worthy of their attention. People assume you have the right to be wherever you are, and you can gain the right to approach the chieftain of a local clan.

d6

Ideal

1

Authority. There is a hierarchy, and status organizes life as it should be lived. (Lawful)

2

Family. Blood is everything. (Any)

3

Responsibility. Those who possess power have a calling to care for those without it. (Good)

4

Individuality. A person should be free to live as they choose no matter who they are. (Chaotic)

5

Respect. Those with titles or power should be shown proper honor and deference. (Lawful)

6

Selfishness. I do what I want and get what I want, without regard for others. (Evil)

d6

Bond

1

My family member, the chieftain, is my first and highest loyalty—I will do as they desire.

2

I have seen abuses of power in the tents of the mighty, and seek to root out tyranny wherever I encounter it.

3

If the chieftain dies, I will inherit control of the clan. I’m not sure that I want it.

4

The shaman cursed me as part of a power struggle with the chieftain. I travel to break the curse.

5

My family decided I’m too sheltered to lead the clan, so I’m traveling to prove that I can survive anything.

6

I ran away from the clan and want nothing to do with it—they’re still seeking to drag me back.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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d6

Flaw

Personality Trait

1

I was raised among the powerful and consider everyone else beneath me.

1

I’m always working away at some small part of a larger construction.

2

I automatically believe that everyone wants to please and protect me.

2

I gather inspiration wherever I go, studying the details of nature to better devise new work.

3

I steal things because I assume everything already belongs to me.

3

I have never given up on anything I’ve set my mind to.

4

4

I despise the powerful, and don’t trust anyone in a position of authority.

I keep a sharp eye out for the things my friends might need, and work quietly to make or obtain them.

5

5

I intentionally manipulate others to get what I want, and don’t feel the slightest remorse about it.

I can’t help trying to improve everything I come across, just a little bit.

6

6

I say whatever it takes to get others to like me.

I keep a mental list of the strengths and flaws of others, as if they were crafted objects to be evaluated.

7

I love exploiting a weakness for advantage.

8

I never shy away from an opportunity to prove how clever I am.

Crafter You are blessed with skilled hands and a sharp mind, and have a knack for creating items of great use or beauty out of common materials. Most crafters hone these abilities over years of dedicated practice, forsaking the glory of the hunt to spend their days toiling over the tiny details of knapped stone and bound leather. Consider which tools and materials you know best. What attracted you to working with these materials? How long have you been dedicated to the work of a crafter? Did you have a mentor in your crafting, or have you simply followed your own natural talents and curiosity? Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Investigation Tool Proficiencies: Choose two of these types of crafter’s tools: stonecrafter, bonecrafter, woodcrafter, or leatherworker. Equipment: A set of crafter’s tools, a set of common clothes, a specialized tool you invented that makes your craft easier, and a belt pouch containing leather straps, obsidian flakes, oils, adhesives, and other supplies worth up to 20 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: CRAFTWORK

Your skills are useful no matter where you go, and you can always find enough work among other mortals to earn you a night’s rest and sufficient food and drink for the day. This work may involve repairs, advising, skilled labor, or enhancing existing structures or crafted items. In addition, your work may be recognized by other practitioners of your chosen craft, and you are generally respected by common folk.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Focused, precise, and a bit obsessive, crafters are known for their tireless efforts to build, combine, and construct materials that enhance their odds of survivals and raise the standard of living for their clans. Crafters go far beyond shaping knives and tanning hides—they construct elaborate dwellings, clever traps, and specialized tools, and are generally thought to have a certain degree of ego about their skills.

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d8

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

d6

Ideal

1

Skill. Craft is to be respected for its own sake, and developing it is the greatest good. (Any)

2

Beauty. It is right to make things that are lovely and uplifting. (Good)

3

Reason. Everything can be thought through if rightly considered and properly ordered. (Lawful)

4

Ego. Everyone can, should, and will bow before my genius. (Evil)

5

Reputation. Your name is all you really have—best make it mean something. (Any)

6

Discovery. Any mess made in the process of learning something new is worth it. (Chaotic)

d6

Bond

1

I am always pursuing the creation of my masterpiece.

2

Everything I do is to show up a rival crafter.

3

I am carrying on a family tradition, and each generation of my family becomes more skilled in our craft.

4

I dreamed of a strange object that I am trying to recreate, not knowing what it does.

5

I seek to learn from other crafters as I travel, gleaning what knowledge I can wherever I go.

6

A weapon I created was used to murder someone I loved deeply. I now make things as an act of penance.

d6

Flaw

1

I consider myself the world’s greatest living expert on everything.

2

Sometimes I lose myself in certain obsessions.

3

I am hesitant to act until I’ve logically evaluated every possibility.

4

I secretly hoard valuable materials in case I need them.

5

I think of others as tools, and only value them according to the use I have for them.

6

I don’t bother explaining my actions to others—it’s easier just to do things myself.

Edgegatherer

d8

Those who hail from Edgegather have lived in the City on the Edge, a settlement built on a cliff over a deadly jungle, with Blood Mountain looming high above. In Edgegather, the music never ceases, there’s always a party or festival or celebration, and the venomwine flows freely. But for every pot raised in cheer, there’s a scavenger waiting to cut a drunkard’s throat, a storyteller looking for fools to swindle, a monster-hunter looking for a fight. In Edgegather, the tricks you play to stay ahead are the ones that keep you alive. Edgegatherers have a reputation for being liars, entertainers, gamblers, and revelers. How did you spend your time in the Drunken City? Did you enter fully into the festival atmosphere, or merely pick up a few tricks while busy about more sober matters? Are you proud of your rakish reputation as an Edgegatherer or do you seek to avoid discussing your background? Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Deception Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A scouting hoop, a set of common clothes, a woven bag with a concealed pocket at the bottom, and a belt pouch containing wooden jewelry, dried jungle berries, and carved bone figurines worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: SETTLEMENT SAVVY

You know your way around large settlements and crowds of people. You can make your way through crowded areas easily, and know how to find places in cities where people gather to drink, rest, or rule. You can quickly make an acquaintance in a new city or large settlement who will give you a broad idea of the layout and politics of the place. Additionally, you can gather and entertain a small crowd on the street with sleight of hand and party tricks for up to five minutes.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Anyone from Edgegather is assumed to be a drunkard, a swindler, a show-off, and an entertaining companion with more good stories than just about anyone. In a city given to revelry, most survive by adopting a festive mood—even if it masks darker secrets below the surface.

1

I lean into an intoxicated air—it throws my enemies off.

2

I always have a trick, a joke, and a con at the ready.

3

I am the life of the party. And if there isn’t a party, I’ll start one.

4

I hang back while others celebrate—I’ve seen too many festivities go wrong to let down my guard.

5

I treat everything as a joke, including death.

6

I steal things absentmindedly.

7

There’s nothing I like more than watching others get into trouble.

8

Life is too short and pointless to be anything less than heroically gutsy.

d6



Ideal

1

Trickery. If I can fool you, you deserved it. (Chaotic)

2

Cunning. Survival belongs to those smart enough to stay one step ahead. (Any)

3

Pleasure. There is no higher good than the hunt for happiness, ease, and wellbeing. (Neutral)

4

Courage. The best of us stare down danger with unblinking eyes. (Good)

5

Greed. There’s nothing I want that shouldn’t belong to me. (Evil)

6

Civilization. As one rises, we all rise. (Lawful)

d6

Bond

1

I owe a debt to a collector back in Edgegather, and can’t show my face there again without payment.

2

I’m something of a local celebrity for catching a child who toppled over the cliff edge.

3

I’m working to complete a series of drunken pledges I made while reveling in the streets of the city.

4

My origins in the Drunken City are an embarrassment, and I prefer that nobody knows I’m from there.

5

I am betrothed to one or two people back in the city, and it’s best for everyone if they never find me again.

6

I went on several ventures into the Venom Abyss, and still feel the call of the jungle to this day.

d6

They say never go to Edgegather unless you’re willing to lose your goods, your dignity, or your life. It’s the lucky who only lose one.

Personality Trait

Flaw

1

I lie by force of habit, even when there’s nothing to be gained by it.

2

I assume everyone is always running a con.

3

There’s no problem that a strong drink can’t solve.

4

I’m addicted to games of chance.

5

Values are for those who can afford them—I’ll do anything for a big enough reward.

6

I enjoy making fools of others… even those I care about.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

81

Free Citizen

d8

Everyone knows the story of Free Citadel—how a secret conspiracy of enslaved captives in a mountain stronghold of the Stone Empire rose up in unison and slew their giant captors, overthrowing them in a single day and taking over their high-walled city. Since that day, the Stone Empire has sought to retake the city innumerable times, but its strong defenses and the proud spirit of those who live within it keep it free and in the hands of mortals. As a citizen of Free Citadel, you have walked proud and tall in stone halls and plazas carved by giants. You may have gone on vault-cracking ventures to seek the undiscovered treasures buried below the city, or helped erect the tent districts that fill grand chambers and plazas. How has spending time in the liberated city shaped your view of the world of mortals and giants? Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Insight Tool Proficiencies: Thieves’ tools Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A staff or lever, a set of common clothes, a giant’s ring worn as an armband, and a belt pouch containing woven cloth, salt, and chipped gemstones worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: INSPIRING REPUTATION

Mortals everywhere have heard the tale of Free Citadel and its overthrow of the giant lords who ruled it. The first time a group of mortals hears you come from the Citadel, they are likely to be friendly towards you and provide you with food, drink, and other easily-obtained provisions, if they have some to spare, in exchange for your account of the city and its liberation. Additionally, you can give a rousing speech about defeating impossible odds and stir a crowd to heroics, recruiting a handful of common mortals to fight alongside you—though they may flee quickly once real combat starts.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Those who dwell in the towering walls of the mountain citadel are considered leaders and heroes to the people of the Great Valley—living proof that the giant empires need not oppress mortals forever. The archetypal Free Citizen is bold and upright, committed to freedom and loyalty, with a little giantish wealth and knowledge to throw around and a bit of a tendency to show off.

If a single flower of hope blooms anywhere in Planegea, it is Free Citadel. Yet the roots of that flower go deep into the mountain, and there are secrets buried there to curdle the blood.



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Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

Personality Trait

1

I know little of the world outside the citadel’s walls and am surprised by common occurrences.

2

I always have an encouraging word for the oppressed.

3

I’m something of a show-off.

4

I am unused to gods and shamans, and often give offense where none is meant.

5

I consider myself an expert on giant lore.

6

I mention my origin every chance I get.

7

I find sleeping outside stone walls unnerving.

8

I consider everywhere but Free Citadel to be backwards and uncouth.

d6

Ideal

1

Freedom. Tyranny should be toppled, and the oppressed liberated. (Good)

2

Discovery. Secrets are made to be discovered, and doors to be opened. (Any)

3

Hope. Even in darkness, hope holds on. (Good)

4

Destruction. Shattering what others build is the final act of power. (Evil)

5

Loyalty. There is no closer bond than faithfulness to those you have sworn to serve. (Lawful)

6

Life. As grass grows through the slabs of a ruin, so life everywhere pushes through oppression. (Chaotic)

d6

Bond

1

I idolize the Usurper Queen, and would do anything to gain her favor.

2

I am afflicted by a cursed giant artifact and am seeking to break the spell.

3

There is a vault in the Citadel which holds a great secret—I journey to find the magic word to open it.

4

I travel to spread the word of overthrow and incite rebellion against the giants wherever I can.

5

I dabbled in giant magic too great and dark for me and was exiled from the Citadel forever on pain of death.

6

I believe the Citadel can be the start of a new mortal empire and am recruiting warriors to join it.

d6

Flaw

1

Some say I’m overconfident—if my people can slay giants, there’s nothing I can’t do.

2

I poke my nose where it doesn’t belong.

3

I take charge and tell others what they can and can’t do.

4

I like to start fights just to prove my courage.

5

I tend to hoard goods and information.

6

I am used to refined living in the Citadel, and hate filth or dirt of any kind.

Gatherer You dedicated yourself to the art of finding food in the wilderness. While the hunters stalked their quarry, you circled the land, unearthing hidden provisions that fed you and your people. You know how to keep your eyes open and notice small details, hints of plenty buried almost out of sight. You know the properties of berries and mushrooms, barks and roots, beetles and fish, honey and water. What strange sights have you glimpsed while walking alone in the wilderness? Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Gatherer’s supplies, mapmaker’s tools Equipment: A set of gatherer’s supplies, a set of common clothes, a strangely-shaped object 3 inches long that you found while gathering and have yet to identify, and a belt pouch containing lichens, barks, berries, rare stones, and mushrooms worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: SHARP-EYED FORAGER

When foraging for food in the wilderness, you gather double the normal amount, thanks to your knowledge of nature’s bounty. In addition, you excel at picking out small details in a crowded environment, such as a forest or marketplace, as long as you know what you’re looking for. If you are familiar with an object or have had it described in detail, you can notice its presence if you see it.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Gatherers play a vital, but little-respected role in clan life. They generally occupy a low-status position, and are thought of as the common folk, less heroic than hunters and less mystical than shamans. This everyday role shapes many gatherers into quiet observers, who have their own ways of moving through the world, and are used to solitude, peace and quiet, and following their instincts to discover that which interests them. d8

d6

Ideal

1

Provision. I live to ensure others don’t starve. (Good)

2

Patience. Everything worth doing takes time. (Any)

3

Curiosity. I wonder what’s under every stone. (Chaotic)

4

Duty. We must all do what is required of us. (Lawful)

5

Plunder. I take what I want. (Evil)

6

Change. Nothing is constant, so I must change with the world. (Chaotic)

d6

Bond

1

I cannot leave an area unexplored.

2

I once stumbled across a hag’s hut in the wilderness. What happened inside changed me forever.

3

I found a lost artifact in the wilderness and seek to restore it to its proper place.

4

On a gathering walk, I stumbled through Nod and lost my clan. I’m still searching for them.

5

While I was out gathering, my clan was slain by raiders. I seek to avenge them.

6

I see all of life as a kind of gathering walk—and my goal is to be the greatest gatherer who ever collected.

d6

Flaw

1

The line between innocent gathering and theft doesn’t exist for me.

2

I’m far too curious for my own good.

3

I have a tendency to wander off if I get bored.

4

I trust only my own judgment, even on topics about which I know very little.

5

My first instinct in combat is to run and hide.

6

I make sure new foods are safe by slipping them to others without their knowledge.

Personality Trait

1

I am a collector, always tossing interesting objects into my bag.

2

I’m constantly on the lookout for things I know my companions like.

3

I rarely stay in the same place for long.

4

I can identify every bird and insect by its song.

5

I’m unused to people being interested in me or my story, and assume I’m a nobody.

6

I take long walks before my companions wake up.

7

I keep meticulous order in my things, making sure that I know exactly what and where everything is.

8

I collect stories as well as food, and always ask for more details whenever I hear a tale.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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Hunter

d8

You have stalked quarry across the wide wilderness, fought hand-to-hand to bring down beasts, faced fang and horn for the good of your people. You were known as a hunter, one of the strong and brave ones on whom others depend for their survival and protection. Your natural abilities, honed by years of practice and experience, are sharpened for one purpose—bringing down prey. Did you tend to hunt beasts for food or monsters to protect your people? Did you have a favorite prey? How did the violence of the hunt affect you? Do you crave excitement and danger? Do you channel thirst for violence into the hunt, or do you see it as a noble calling, something you do with respect, for the good of the people who depend on you? Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Butcher’s tools, gaming set Equipment: A set of butcher’s tools, a set of common clothes, a trophy from a hunt you’ll never forget, and a belt pouch containing pelts, ivory, antlers, and claws worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: HUNTING TALES

You have thrilling stories of your times on the hunting trail and can entertain a gathered crowd by recounting your adventures in the wilderness. You are at ease with other hunters, and can find common ground swapping tales of the hunt. Using these contacts, you can learn general information about an area—common prey and predators, notable geographical features or environmental hazards, and a general sense of weather patterns and animal movements.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

While laying around the encampment, hunters are generally seen as lazy braggarts and gamblers. But once the call goes out for nearby quarry, they spring into action with focus and ferocity. Hunters are a culture of their own, jockeying for position and status on the hunt, seeking the killing blow, eager to win glory and provide for their people.

I once pursued a fiendish visitant through dreams and nightmares for seven months until I cornered it underneath the six cascade of Seerfall. As it backed into the glowing circle of its summoned evil, I realized that I was the one who had been hunted. (But try telling that story to a band of hunters who just want to compare scars.)

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Personality Trait

1

I look after others, knowing a hunting party is only as strong as its weakest member.

2

I’m always on the watch for signs of quarry nearby.

3

As long as I’m interested in something, my patience and endurance is endless.

4

My respect is hard to earn, but I make a fierce ally.

5

I run ahead and expect others to keep up.

6

I let others do the thinking, planning, and worrying— I’m simply a living weapon.

7

I enjoy the hunt only as a means to an end, such as a good meal or the praise of others.

8

Whenever I have a spare moment I check and maintain my weapons and tools.

d6

Ideal

1

Honor. I respect traditions and carry out my life according to a certain code. (Lawful)

2

Excitement. I love the thrill of the hunt, where anything can happen. (Chaotic)

3

Violence. The hunt satisfies my craving for pain and bloodshed. (Evil)

4

Unity. I am one with those who hunt with me. (Lawful)

5

Courage. I defy fear to do what must be done. (Good)

6

Praise. I live for the admiration of others. (Neutral)

d6

Bond

1

My companion was slain by a terrible monster—I still hunt it to this day.

2

I will embark on any hunt that promises glory and a good fight.

3

I feel a strong pull towards violence, and must hunt or else commit much more terrible acts.

4

All I really want is a child to whom I can pass on the tradition of the hunt.

5

I live to hunt down a fantastic creature that the elders of my clan insist is only a legend.

6

It is my duty to hunt to provide for those I care about.

d6

Flaw

1

I expect others to serve me and defer to me.

2

My solution to every problem is violence.

3

I don’t care about doing the right thing unless there’s someone there to admire it.

4

I live by an excessively strict code and refuse to deviate on even the smallest thing.

5

I judge others quickly based on their appearance and accomplishments.

6

I assume everyone admires me and wants to hear endless stories of my hunting prowess.

Keeper of Beasts As long as you can remember, you have had a way with animals. They trust and understand you, and you find them comforting and noble. You’ve used this skill to survive by traveling among herds, tending to the needs of a dire beast, or helping your people tame and train animals to live alongside them. You know how to stare down angry beasts, how to butcher a fallen creature so its death is not a waste, and the things animals need to feel safe and secure. What kind of animals did you tend? Did you have a special connection to one beast in particular? How did you come to discover your connection with animals? Were you respected among your people for your abilities with beasts, or seen as odd? Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Intimidation Tool Proficiencies: Butcher’s tools, vehicles (land) Equipment: A set of butcher’s tools, a set of common clothes, a keepsake from the beasts you tend (such as a bundle of feathers, a broken tusk or horn, or a satchel of scales or quills), and a belt pouch containing food for beasts, wool, a chewed toy, and salt crystals worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: GOOD WITH ANIMALS

If you approach a beast of a type with which you are familiar in a non-aggressive fashion, its instinct is to trust you, even if it doesn’t trust others of your kind. The beast may or may not listen to that instinct, depending on its experience and other forces at work. Beasts that know you like you and seek to please and obey you to the best of their ability, but will not fight for you unless you have formed a special bond with them.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

It takes a certain kind of soul to spend their days in the company of wild beasts—for even the best-bred creatures in Planegea are only a generation or two from feral. Most keepers of beasts are empathetic, observant, and at least a little off-putting to other mortals in their manner of talk. d8

d6

Ideal

1

Nature. The natural order is better than the laws of mortals. (Neutral)

2

Respect. I treat beasts with respect, and they repay me in kind. (Good)

3

Dominance. I like beasts because my will is stronger than theirs. (Evil)

4

Service. We all serve others—as the beasts serve us, so we serve the gods. (Lawful)

5

Adaptation. Beasts change to stay alive, and so do I. (Chaotic)

6

Balance. Birth and death, summer and winter… it’s all a cycle that must be kept in balance. (Neutral)

d6

Bond

1

I’m bonded to a loyal beast that I raised from birth.

2

Cruelty to animals is an offense punishable by death.

3

I’m caring for a large egg, but I don’t know what will hatch from it.

4

I care for beasts because I was raised by beasts.

5

I grew up in the Dire Grazelands and have spent more time on beastback than on the ground.

6

A beast I cared for from youth went berserk and trampled my family. I seek to find it and cure it—or kill it.

d6

Flaw

1

I oversimplify everything to the most basic terms.

2

I treat people like animals, using short commands and condescending tones.

3

I’m as awkward with people as I am good with beasts.

4

I feed and nurture my grudges just like my animals.

5

I treat even the most dangerous monsters as intriguing potential pets.

6

I reek of beasts, but am completely oblivious to it.

Personality Trait

1

My first impression of people is typically their smell.

2

I understand other mortals by comparing their actions to the behavior of beasts.

3

If I don’t respect someone, I simply ignore them.

4

There’s always an animal within arm’s reach of me.

5

I always talk to beasts before I talk to people.

6

I’m gruff and aloof with those who are ignorant or afraid of animals.

7

I always save a bit of my food to train a beast later, even when there’s not enough to go around.

8

I have a boundless affection for all living things, whether I should or not.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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Lion Clan

d8

You belong to the far-seeing Lion Clan, and revere the infinite gaze of Glelh the Unblinking. You were taught to be stoic, to never show discomfort, and to remove yourself from the physical world in order to better perceive reality. Your people emphasize taking the long view, enduring all things with a peaceful heart as you study the world and reflect its truth and beauty in art. The slopes of the Lion Clan’s summer territory are covered in paint, sculptures, bright powders, and creations of all kinds to beautify the open air. How did spending time in the Lion Clan shape you? Do you regard suffering as trivial? Do you see everything through the lens of perspective, with an artist’s eye? Or did you struggle to find your way with the clan, preferring to be present and engage with the world, rather than passively observing? Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Performance Tool Proficiencies: Artist’s supplies, weaver’s tools Equipment: A set of artist’s supplies, a set of colorful common clothes, a collection of dyes and brightly colored powders, and a belt pouch containing carved trinkets and a saurian totem worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: ARTIST’S EYE

You know how to appreciate and understand artwork, having spent time surrounded by artists of all kinds in your clan. You grasp the subtleties of aesthetic work, and can discuss its details with an artisan, even if you’re not skilled in the production of the work. Artist and artisans see you as a person of taste and are inclined to regard you as friendly and trustworthy. They are willing to lend you supplies and offer advice and information as you request.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Lion Clan members are seen as aloof artists, who endure all pain and suffering without any reaction but to create. They are believed by most to be a little eerie—rumors say they never sleep in tents, even in the rain or wind, lying on the hard ground. They are also said to be unfeeling, and a little cruel, having no sympathy for the suffering of others.

1

I never complain. Never.

2

My way of processing fear is by sculpting it. I have a collection of truly terrifying carved figurines.

3

I refuse to take shelter or wear any but the lightest clothing, even in extreme weather.

4

There’s nothing I like better than going past my comfort zone—and pulling my companions along with me.

5

I tend to speak in metaphors.

6

No matter how bad things are, I always expect them to get worse.

7

I scare and prank my companions to toughen them up.

8

I focus on an object for hours without losing interest.

d6

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Ideal

1

Endurance. Hardship must be confronted unflinchingly, even in the face of great danger. (Neutral)

2

Beauty. The best response to joy or pain is to create beautiful things. (Good)

3

Honesty. Everything we do is seen by a higher being, so hiding anything is for fools. (Lawful)

4

Perspective. Everything looks different when you take the long view. (Any)

5

Cruelty. Weakness is a sin, and pain is the just and fair punishment for weakness. (Evil)

6

Chance. The greatest art—and adventure—comes from accident and discovery. (Chaos)

d6

Bond

1

I make art and seek out other artists wherever I go.

2

The world is to be experienced, in its terror and beauty.

3

A family member disappeared during a solitary vigil. I’m seeking them.

4

I want to prove that I can endure anything.

5

A saurian spirit-speaker connected me to the ghost of my wicked ancestor. I seek to atone for their wrongs.

6

I suffered terribly at the hands of a Lion Clan torturer. I seek to one day return and take my revenge.

d6

If I’m being honest, I both admire and fear the Lion Clan. Their art is breathtaking, their stoicism inspiring. But that refusal to express suffering—I fear it breeds cruelty and contempt for feeling, which is a trait more common to monsters than mortals.

Personality Trait

Flaw

1

I put myself in harm’s way to prove that I can endure it.

2

I despise anyone who shows weakness in the face of suffering.

3

I hate myself for my inability to be completely stoic.

4

I truly feel nothing—and sometimes I wonder if that’s a sign that something’s wrong with me.

5

My interest in art isn’t a passion… it’s an obsession.

6

I am too slow to take action, believing that if we simply wait, everything will resolve itself in time.

Outcast Rejected, exiled, abandoned, banished—there are many words for one who has been shunned by those they once counted as family. Cut off from your clan or community, you now travel the world as one with no past and no way to go home again, with those who once loved you now utterly opposed to ever seeing your face again. You have been forced to learn to watch and listen, to survive on your own. You had no choice. Discuss your banishment with your DM. What clan or community were you banished from? Was it your fault? Did you commit an unforgivable crime or sin? Were you innocent, framed by someone else or the victim of a misunderstanding? Or was your banishment part of a ritual, ceremony, or act of devotion to a god which required the relational sacrifice of a community member in good standing? Did everyone agree with your banishment, or are there those who would welcome your return? Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival Tool Proficiencies: Gatherer’s supplies Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A ceremonially broken symbol of your old community, a set of tattered clothes, a set of gatherer’s supplies, and a hastily fashioned bundle containing a cooking knife, a small keepsake such as a carving or a necklace, ashes from the ceremonial fire, a ration of dried meat, and materials worth 5 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: SHELTER-FINDER

You can easily find shelter in even adverse conditions, quickly creating a buffer between you and the elements. You know how to build shelters that are well-concealed from predators and other sentient beings. While inside the shelter you are shielded from typical weather conditions such as rain, wind, snow, etc. These shelters can easily accommodate one creature of your own size, but with help and sufficient time and materials you can expand them to accommodate more or larger creatures.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Being cast out from everything you once knew changes a person. Some are made bitter by the change, others desire nothing more than to prove their innocence, while others simply move on. Use this table to inspire your character:

d8

Personality Trait

1

I often slip into reminiscences of my old life. As soon as I realize what I'm doing, I fall silent, embarrassed.

2

I avoid talking about my past by getting others to talk about themselves.

3

I don't judge others for their wrongdoing—even when I should.

4

I keep moving because the thought of putting down new roots is too painful.

5

I double check everything to avoid making mistakes.

6

I bond quickly with new people as a reaction to being alone against my will.

7

I like imperfect people. It's the ones who seem like they have it all together I don't trust.

8

I craft gifts for the people I miss back in my old community, and leave them by the side of the path.

d6

Ideal

1

Order. Rules were made to be followed, and those who break them should be punished. (Law)

2

Atonement. A person must repay their debts and restore the good faith they have broken. (Any)

3

Freedom. Rules and laws are unjust. People should do as they choose. (Chaotic)

4

Mercy. Mistakes are part of life, but grace can always be extended. (Good)

5

Survival. It doesn't matter what you do, everyone's just trying to stay alive. (Neutral)

6

Honor. Even when one's honor is broken, it still matters. (Good)

d6

Bond

1

I will one day return to my clan, having won back the right to be part of them.

2

Someone stood by my side while I was cast out. I'll never forget them.

3

A rival's scheme led to my exile. I'll pay them back even if it's the last thing I do.

4

The person who took me in when I was cast out is my true family.

5

I was outcast in pursuit of knowledge. I will continue to pursue the knowledge wherever it leads me, no matter what.

6

I fight for outcasts and exiles everywhere.

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d6

Flaw

d6

Ideal

1

I think of myself as one already dead, and take foolish risks because my life ended the day I was exiled.

1

Strength. The only law is strength—might is the ultimate arbiter of justice. (Neutral)

2

I doubt myself and hesitate at critical moments.

2

Mayhem. I thrive on upending order. (Chaotic)

3

I mistrust authority and put my faith in those who show marks of previous punishment.

3

Plunder. I love to steal. (Evil)

4

4

I intentionally cross lines trying to sabotage new relationships before I am rejected.

Loyalty. I serve those to whom I am sworn and none other. (Lawful)

5

5

I act like everything's fine even when it's not.

Brotherhood. If you earn my trust, I’ll stand by your side forever. (Good)

6

I bury my unhappiness in food, strong drink, and violence.

6

Violence. I thirst for bloodshed. (Evil)

d6

Bond

Raider

1

I stole from the wrong person, and have been hunted ever since.

You have lived by preying upon the weak, raiding the settlements of mortals to take what they have hunted or gathered. You might have served a warlord or other raid-chieftain, or even led your own band of raiders. You understand how thin the line is between hunting beasts and hunting mortals, and have smelled the acrid smoke of burning settlements that fell to your attack.

2

Every night, before I sleep, I swear an oath to return to my old pack and kill the warlord I used to serve.

3

A raid gone wrong opened my eyes to a different way of life—I now seek to restore life wherever I can.

4

I’m still loyal to my old warlord… this work is at their command, and if they whistle, I’ll run back to them.

5

I was raised with the raiders, and am only now discovering that there are other ways to live.

6

My old pack tossed me out, said I was no good to them anymore. I’ll prove them wrong.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (land), one type of gaming set Equipment: A shield, a set of common clothes, a war-mask, and a belt pouch containing gems and carved ornaments worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: KNOWN FOR TROUBLE

People you encounter are unnerved and intimidated by your raider’s swagger, the dangerous gleam in your eye. Unarmed strangers are hesitant to challenge you, even if you go where you aren’t wanted, thanks to your bad reputation and obvious taste for trouble.

d6

Flaw

1

My temper is so short you need a crafting hoop to find it.

2

I start fights for fun.

3

If there’s food or drink, I’m eating or drinking it. All of it.

4

I can’t help stealing objects I admire.

5

It’s best to kill first and ask questions never.

6

I act rough and tumble to cover up my secret cowardice.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Raiders are an unwanted blight, a predatory, violent sort who take what others have worked for. Rowdy, uncouth, with no more culture than a pack of wolves, most raiders live for the moment, with no loyalty or creed beyond that of their pack. d8 1

88

Personality Trait I judge everyone’s worth by whether or not I think I could take them in a fight.

2

My knuckles always itch just before a brawl.

3

I never saw a weapon I didn’t like.

4

I hide a surprisingly dainty hobby from others.

5

I take great pains with my appearance and grooming.

6

I help myself to others’ belongings out of sheer habit.

7

My favorite food is all of them.

8

I’m the best drinking buddy you’ve ever met.

Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

VARIANT: SHARKSAIL

You’re no common land raider—you’re a sharksail, a proud pirate of the Scattersea. You’ve roved the waves, terrorizing the canoes and family boats of the Whale Clan, plundering villages and taking what you want for yourself. You may have even been inducted into the secretive Shark Clan, learning the name of their god, which is kept secret to outsiders. If you decide to use this variant, change your proficiencies from Athletics to Nature and from land vehicles to sea vehicles.

Savant You always stood out as strange. Whether gifted with an uncommon mind, arcane talents, druidic interests, or an unwillingness to follow tradition, your particular gifts led to a life set apart from the rest of your people. Perhaps you spent your days scribbling spell designs on walls, or coaxing magic from your fingertips. Whatever you did, it wasn’t something you could explain to the others, and so you learned to lie about where you had been, what you had been doing. There, out of sight, you taught yourself to follow your instincts, until the day you were ready to strike out on your own. Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception Tool Proficiencies: Mapmaker’s tools Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A set of mapmaker’s tools, a set of common clothes, a half-constructed talisman, and a belt pouch containing chalk, dried berries and meat, and semi-rare stones worth up to 10 ps in the Great Valley.

d6 1

Knowledge. I will not rest until I learn all I can. (Neutral)

2

Secrecy. Knowledge kept hidden cannot fall into the wrong hands. (Neutral)

3

Independence. I follow my own path, regardless of the will of others. (Chaotic)

4

Order. Only through structure can progress be achieved. (Lawful)

5

Ego. I alone perceive reality, and the fools who oppose me are less than nothing. (Evil)

6

Advancement. I seek to learn that I might better the lives of all. (Good)

d6

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Those who have had to conceal their secret knowledge or talents trust themselves above all. They may be eager to share what they know with willing listeners, or guarded, unwilling to speak of their discoveries, even to those they trust. Savants are, first and foremost, concerned with continuing to pursue that which they alone know to be true, and tend to be dedicated, focused, and intense. d8

Personality Trait

1

I’m constantly scribbling diagrams in the dirt.

2

I forget to eat, sleep, and wash—I’m much too busy solving the great mysteries.

3

My vernacular is ornate and I have an inherent propensity towards embellished loquacity.

4

I don’t bother explaining myself to lesser minds.

5

I smell faintly of brine and soot from the recent explosion my latest experiment caused.

6

I always answer a question with a question, don’t you?

7

Everything is fascinating. And I mean everything.

8

I don’t know how to dress properly, and often look mismatched and backwards.

Bond

1

I am perilously close to a great and dangerous discovery.

2

After my experiments caused a terrible disaster, my clan ran me out into the wilderness.

3

A small and scattered group reveres me as their leader, and I must make contact with them to share my knowledge.

4

I learned something I long to forget, and adventure to get as far from its as possible.

5

My life’s ambition is to find a certain expert on a matter of great importance to me and gain their insight.

6

I am determined to prove my genius once and for all, so that the whole world may know my brilliance.

FEATURE: HIDDEN TALENT

You know how to go about your work in secret. Even in a busy environment and under close scrutiny, given a little time, you can find somewhere out of sight—such as an abandoned structure, an unattended cave, or a quiet grove—in which to carry out experiments, preparations, training, and research.

Ideal

d6

Flaw

1

I am, without question, the most brilliant person who ever lived. And I’ll tell you so. Repeatedly.

2

I don’t trust anyone—not after the way I was treated.

3

I refuse to let go of my pet theories, even when I have been proven wrong.

4

I overcomplicate everything.

5

I keep secrets from those closest to me.

6

I can’t tell the difference between flattery and a forthright assessment of my genius.

Many brilliant spellskins and notorious druids have started their lives in just such a fashion—their strangeness and unwillingness to be less than strange pushing them into genius… or destruction.

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Chapter 6 | Backgrounds

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Seerfallite

d8

You were raised among the mystical secrets and sacred rites of Seerfall, the shamanic sanctuary in the heart of the Slumbering Forest. You wandered the bright booths of the totem-markets, the haunted halls that weave between the Seven Waterfalls, hearing and seeing every kind of worship in every language. For you, shamans and spirits, gods and visitants are all too commonplace. How did you come to be raised at Seerfall? Were your parents shamans? Are you the offspring of a god? Or were you born of the craftspeople and servants that keep the sanctuary alive? How did growing up in such a sacred place affect your view of the divine? Do you take gods for granted, seeing them as one more kind of person, or are you deeply reverent, understanding that there are numberless ways to worship and that each holds its own power? Skill Proficiencies: History, Religion Tool Proficiencies: Ceremonial supplies Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A set of ceremonial supplies, a set of ceremonial clothes, a tiny fiend or celestial sealed in amber, and a belt pouch containing feathers, beads, twine, incense, and crystals worth up to 20 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: WELL-CONNECTED

Growing up in Seerfall offered you the opportunity to interact with the powerful—both those who dwell there and those who made pilgrimages to the sanctuary to seek blessing or guidance. You know a powerful figure such as a chieftain, a high shaman, or a god. Work with your DM to determine who your connection is, but this person knows you, trusts you, and seeks to do you good, within the limits of their role and responsibilities.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

They say that those who hail from Seerfall are either mystics or mockers. Growing up around so much divine magic either heightens your spirituality and sensitivity to wonder or utterly deadens it. Either way, Seerfall folk are said to be versed in lore and cunning, if a little entitled, thanks to the constant streams of offerings that make their way to the lonely sanctuary.

Ah! Seerfall. How I love it. Have you walked its misty corridors? Have you seen the haunted halls and heard the songs of a dozen gods echoing through the chimes of gathered shamans? It is a most sacred and serene place—if complicated and perhaps a little dangerous to outsiders who take a wrong turn.

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Personality Trait

1

There is no moment or act too mundane for a prayer or blessing.

2

I can rattle off the names and symbols of so many gods that I’ll bore my audience before I run out.

3

I’m intrigued by all matters of worship.

4

I’m always humming some ceremonial tune.

5

I have never touched a drop of alcohol.

6

I’ve seen every kind of divine rite there is, and nothing shocks me.

7

I grow bored quickly in serious moments.

8

My mystical open-mindedness makes me more than a little gullible.

d6

Ideal

1

Reverence. I bow to the greater powers because I know my place in the world. (Lawful)

2

Acceptance. Everything has a place in the spectrum of life and worship. (Neutral)

3

Faith. Belief is in itself a great power. (Good)

4

Discipline. I hold myself and others to a strict standard of life and conduct. (Lawful)

5

Control. I care only about the measure to which I can exert my will on others. (Evil)

6

Fun. Life is short and the gods are foolish, so let’s have a good time while we can. (Chaotic)

d6

Bond

1

I am bound in the service of a secret cult.

2

I once disrupted a ceremony and unleashed a terrible fiend into the world.

3

I crossed the wrong shaman and have a curse laid upon me that I am trying to undo.

4

Having seen so much divine magic, I am traveling to learn more about the arcane.

5

I fell in love with a powerful guardian and seek to improve myself to be worthy of them.

6

A god marked me as their chosen one, but I ran away before the ceremony could be completed.

d6

Flaw

1

I am a hardened cynic, and find sincerity laughable.

2

My code of conduct is unrealistically rigid, for myself and my companions.

3

I find arcane magic unnatural and frightening.

4

I brag about my connections to everyone I meet.

5

My tendency is to over-spiritualize everything.

6

I belive myself to be much more wise and learned than I really am.

Storyteller You are a natural entertainer, with a gifted tongue and a knack for gathering an audience and having them hang on your every word. You are versed in countless stories, and have made your living by spellbinding crowds with your ability to make even well-known tales come alive as if for the first time. You have perfected your art over time, knowing when to hold people in suspense for your next heartbreaking word, and when to pour out a tumble of delicious wordplay that will delight and inspire all who hear you. How did you learn to tell stories? Was it always a natural talent, or were you mentored by a relative or another older storyteller? Skill Proficiencies: History, Performance Tool Proficiencies: One type of musical instrument Languages: One of your choice Equipment: A musical instrument of your choice, a set of common clothes, a pouch of sands that can cause a fire to flare various colors, and a belt pouch containing costume jewelry and small whistles and chimes worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: WELCOME AT THE FIRE

You make your way by telling stories, and those who hear you speak recognize your gift with words. You can entertain an audience for an evening, and be rewarded with food, water, and a comfortable place to sleep. Additionally, people are eager to share their stories with you, and you find it easy to pick up rumors and tall tales, given a few hours in a new place.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Storytellers are typically a flamboyant folk who are most at ease when the eyes of all are upon them. The typical storyteller is gregarious, spontaneous, and enjoys attention and the flattery of others—although whether that’s their true self or merely the face they show the world is known only to the storyteller and those to whom they choose to tell the truth. d8

d6

Ideal

1

Happiness. Nothing matters more than seeing joy spread. (Good)

2

Art. I live for the craft. (Any)

3

Tradition. I pass down the stories and beliefs I inherited. (Lawful)

4

Creativity. Spontaneity and improvisation are essential in all of life, not just stories. (Chaos)

5

People. I seek connection with others, without judgment. (Neutral)

6

Manipulation. I control others with my words to get what I want. (Evil)

d6

Bond

1

I seek to live the greatest story of all time.

2

I am convinced of the truth of a tale that everyone else tells me is just a fable.

3

There are many encampments where I have slipped away from romantic entanglements.

4

My words once inspired a clan to rise up against an evil chieftain, and I am a hero to that clan.

5

I don’t know where the stories I tell come from—it’s as if I’m possessed when I begin speaking to a crowd.

6

I once betrayed a dear friend by sharing their secret as a story, and I carry that guilt with me always.

d6

Flaw

1

I cannot keep a secret.

2

I can’t tell fact from fiction, and am usually lying about something.

3

I put others in harm’s way to see what will happen.

4

I always tell others what I think they want to hear.

5

My appetite for carousing continually gets me into difficult situations.

6

Some say I’m too dramatic, but that’s just because they hate me and don’t understand me.

Personality Trait

1

I always dress to capture attention.

2

Once I start a story, nothing can stop me from seeing it through to the end.

3

There’s nothing I love more than hearing someone else’s tale.

4

I am an excellent toast-giver.

5

I believe there’s nothing more life-affirming than a wellplaced compliment.

6

I ask a lot of questions of strangers—how else will I hear new stories?

7

My attention wanders quickly if I’m not entertained.

8

I treat everyone as my very best friend.

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Trader

d8

You have survived this long not by hunting or gathering, nor by kneeling to gods or chieftains, but by hard work, acumen, and a knack for knowing what people want and how to get it for them. You are a master of bartering, and have traveled far and wide collecting items of value and interest from one area, swapping them at another, and keeping a bit more for yourself. You speak many languages and are at ease with strangers, knowing that trade is the most universal language of all. How did you come into a life of trade? Did it begin with the discovery of a single valuable item, or were you brought into a life of barter from a young age? How far have your travels taken you? Do you tend to exchange the same types of items, specializing in a certain set of wares, or are you always on the lookout for something new and strange? Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: A set of counting sticks, a set of common clothes, a trinket from your first major trade, and a belt pouch containing gems, salt, and baubles worth up to 25 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: SET UP SHOP

It’s the most natural thing in the world for you to begin trading when you come to a new place. You can offer goods and services for barter in a shared space such as the edge of a clanfire, the fields outside an encampment, or a public market. Those in authority will assume you are legitimate, and you can usually trade whatever you have for items of slightly greater value, given sufficient time to negotiate.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

In a world constantly on the move, traders are seen as the greatest of travelers, and are assumed to be wise in the ways of the world and knowledgeable about its rumors and news. Traders tend to be likable, easygoing folk, and know how to read others and make them feel important while walking away with the better end of a deal.

Traders have a special seat at the clanfire of my heart. I love their earnest ways, their cunning conversation, and their traveler’s tales. Give me a trader on any adventure. They’ll be good company and we’ll all come away with a bit more salt in our belt pouches.

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Personality Trait

1

I flatter others as a matter of habit.

2

I’m always swapping someone for something.

3

I collect objects as I travel, even if I have no use for them.

4

I insist on everything being perfectly fair at all times.

5

I sleep on a pile of my goods and wares.

6

If there’s a rumor of something strange, unusual, or valuable, I have to investigate it.

7

I love to ask people where they acquired everything they’re wearing or carrying.

8

I know people everywhere I go.

d6

Ideal

1

Fairness. All things should be perfectly balanced. (Neutral)

2

Help. Happiness comes from bettering the lives of others with a good trade. (Good)

3

Greed. I covet that which others possess. (Evil)

4

Profit. If I don’t walk away with more than I started, what’s the point? (Neutral)

5

Honor. A person is only as good as their reputation. (Lawful)

6

Trickery. A good deal is whatever you can get away with. (Chaotic)

d6

Bond

1

I protect my reputation above all.

2

There may or may not be a large number of settlements where I swapped less-than-legitimate goods.

3

I am in love with the son or daughter of an important chieftain, and strive to earn enough to deserve them.

4

I swapped for a truly strange object and have become obsessed with learning its purpose.

5

A long time ago, I bartered part of my soul away.

6

I recently came across rumors of a great windfall and am eager to profit from it.

d6

Flaw

1

There’s no such thing as enough, and I will never be satisfied.

2

I have a mercenary soul, and will do anything as long as it’s profitable.

3

I think of people only in terms of their value to me.

4

My love for fleecing the ignorant gets me into a lot of trouble.

5

I have become addicted to a certain rare substance that I obtained in a trade long ago.

6

I care more about possessions than lives.

Whale Clan You hail from the evershifting islands of Scattersea, and voyaging is in your blood. Change is all you knew in your time with the clan, moving from island to island and village to village, your family’s boat the only constant. The Whale Clan is a matriarchal culture and holds respect and curiosity as equally essential. Why were you sent out from your family? How did you come to be where you are now? How does your culture’s value of curiosity shape your choices? Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Nature Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s tools, vehicles (water) Equipment: A set of navigator’s tools, a set of common clothes, a large shell that whispers when you hold it to your ear, and a belt pouch containing shells, coral, shark teeth, and sea urchin spines worth up to 15 ps in the Great Valley.

FEATURE: BOAT-BORN

You are at ease on the water, feeling more comfortable on the sea than on land. You know how to cross most bodies of water safely, or are aware of the kinds of dangers that treacherous water might contain. It’s easy to strike up conversation with others who live near the water, and if you encounter fishers, boaters, or other coastal people, they are inclined to trust you and see you as one of their own.

d6 1

Family. Blood is the highest law. (Lawful)

2

Respect. Honor keeps individuals, families, and traditions alive. (Lawful)

3

Freedom. Everyone should go where they will and do as they please. (Neutral)

4

Curiosity. A life without questions is no life at all. (Neutral)

5

Abandonment. Those outside the family exist merely to be used and left behind. (Evil)

6

Adventure. What do we live for but to seize that which lies beyond the next curve of the coast? (Any)

d6

d8

Personality Trait

Bond

1

I set out to form a new family, in accordance with the tradition of my people.

2

Something terrible in an abandoned village set me on my current course.

3

A merfolk uttered a great mystery to me, which I am determined to solve.

4

I was marooned as punishment for a crime. I am seeking to return to my family, for restoration or revenge… I’m not sure which.

5

A magical effect cast me far from my home. I am determined to return to it.

6

I’m seeking a strange sorcerer I met at sea who promised me the answer to all my questions if I would come and find them.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

The Whale Clan are known for their love of family and love of questions. Often, those who hail from the Scattersea seek close connection with others, forging friendships through deep curiosity, both about the lives of others and what might be over the next wave. Whale Clan members can come off as too inquisitive, both of others and of a dangerous world, where putting one’s hand into a hole to find out what’s inside often results in lost fingers.

Ideal

d6

Flaw

1

What do you mean I ask too many questions? Which ones? These ones? Hey, where are you going?

2

I’m never satisfied anywhere, always itching to get on to the next thing.

3

I run from any situation I find uncomfortable.

4

I treat most people as disposable, only interested in them as long as they serve my purpose.

1

I’m constantly pulling strange sea life out of my attire.

2

Why should I ever stop asking questions?

5

3

Men are nice to look at, but they should keep quiet while the women are speaking.

I habitually lie to set others at ease, and rarely say what I really think.

6

4

I can’t stand still, I’m always moving.

I get land-sick if I spend too much time away from the water.

5

There’s no difference between friends and family—I’d die for either.

6

I don’t stop to think, preferring to charge ahead and sort out the consequences later.

7

I’m easily distracted by anything I don’t understand.

8

I find land without water unnerving and unnatural.

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Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade

CHAPTER 7

EQUIPMENT & TRADE The air shimmered with heat as the chieftain brushed sand off the blade and sighted down its length. “And where did you get this?” The trader leaned forward, beads jingling on her bright cloak. “I’m telling you, I came across a giant raiding party slain by—something. It was a mess. I didn’t wait around to ask questions, but I did risk life and limb to bring you the very best of what the scavengers left. This, if you can believe it,” she tapped the huge shard of obsidian, “was a dagger for them. Should make quite a sword for anyone our size.” “Yes, quite…” She could see the chieftain was taken by the blade. She knew he needed it. Rumors from neighboring clans said his authority was slipping away, but wielding a giant’s blade would be a show of power. All she needed now was the final push. “I call it Greatgrip. And I’m no spellcaster—but at night, sometimes I think it glows a bit.” That did it. The chieftain met her gaze. “What do you want for it?” She looked around the wide, dry valley, the cracked land streaked with white crystals, blowing off the dead lake. “Well… I was thinking… you wouldn’t happen to have any salt on hand, would you?”

E

VERY ITEM IN PLANEGEA IS MADE BY HAND OR by magic. There is no mass industry here—every knife, bowl, water skin, and rope is the result of careful and individual attention by craftspeople, or else summoned into existence by magic. As a result, even common objects tend to have names, histories, and quirks unique to them. When you barter for a sword, its maker might tell you about the monster whose teeth line the edge. When you are given a talisman, the spellcaster who prepared it may introduce you to it as to an old friend. Name what matters. Every sword, shield, and cloak can be named—but most especially weapons and armor that save your life. Take time when making trades or during rests to become familiar with the quirks of your gear, and call them by names that are true to their nature. Use the table below to inspire some of your items’ names: Inspiration

Example Gear Names

Appearance

Blacktip, Twisthandle, Spotty, Old Gray, Short-Edge, Sawtooth, Notchblade

Materials

Oldshell, Horsehair, Liontooth, Firewood, Creekstone, Shardlight, Firgrip

Behavior

Quickend, Ribfinder, Little Misser, Trusty, Goodshelter, Balance, Skullbreaker

History

Godgift, Huntprize, Dragonharvest, Thieftaken, Wagerblade, Ruinfound

Things have histories. There’s no such thing as “a typical shield” in Planegea. One adventurer might use a giant shell, green from scum where its old turtle lay for seven generations at the bottom of a pond. Another might take a stone-studded lattice, its wood gathered from a haunted forest and the stones from the side of a yeti-infested mountain gathered at great peril. Learn the stories of the gear you carry—it may save your life and open up strange new roads that you had never considered before.

Barter Planegea is a world without coin, and barter is the most common form of exchange. However, if you don’t want to haggle over every purchase, salt is often accepted as a standard form of trade, since it’s useful for preserving and flavoring all kinds of food. A useful rule of thumb is that 1 coin-sized portion of salt is equal in value to 1 gp in other 5th Edition materials. This coin-sized portion of salt is written as 1 ps (portion salt). That said, in regions where salt is plentiful or extremely scarce, salt loses almost all value and other exchanges are more common. Use this table as a rough guide to common transactions in the Great Valley. CURRENCY CONVERSION Type

Equivalent of 1 Gold Piece

Salt

1 portion

Food

5 meals 1 skin of wine

Raw goods

25 bundles of dry sticks 1 sack of flint, plants, or feathers 10 common skins or sets of bones 1 rare skin or set of bones 1/4 very rare skin or set of bones

Crafted goods

1 knife 5 jars 10 pouches 1 tanned leather 25 fishhooks 1 temporary shelter (1 person)

Easy Labor

15 hours

Hard/Skilled Labor

5 hours

Names & scars. Some don’t rely on goods alone to gain advantage in bartering, but also on their reputation or appearance. Work with your DM to determine what names and scars you have earned, which may act as passive modifiers to your wealth with some trading partners. Chapter 7 | Equipment & Trade

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Languages

Armor

Planegea uses the languages commonly found in 5th Edition without their written aspect. If a feature, ability, or spell allows you to read or write a language, disregard that aspect. Languages that share a script in standard 5th Edition are part of the same language family, and have related sounds and structures. To communicate with a creature who does not speak your language, you must rely on Charisma (Performance) and Wisdom (Insight) checks, with the DC for each increasing the more complex the idea being communicated. If creatures are attempting to communicate using languages in the same family, they have advantage on these checks.

Armor can vary greatly in appearance and construction. It is often made from simple materials, such as woven material, wood or stone, or else from the natural armor of creatures, such as fur, hide, shell, antler, scales, or chitin. Bringing down dangerous prey is often worth the struggle for the opportunity to craft new armor from its parts.

DIALECTS

You may speak a dialect belonging to a larger family of languages. Creatures that speak different dialects of the same language can communicate with one another. Divine. This new language encompasses the tongues of both good and evil-aligned gods. It has three dialects: Abyssal (spoken by the winter gods), Celestial (spoken by most good-aligned or neutral gods), and Infernal (spoken by the idols of the Cult Riverland). Common. Common is divided into four regional dialects: Stonespeech, Airspeech, Firespeech, and Seaspeech. Each dialect is spoken in the region surrounding its corresponding giant empire as a shared trade language, and each dialect has similarities with its corresponding dialect in Primordial. VARIATION: LIMITED LANGUAGES To explore the idea of a world where everything is less universal, isolate your characters further by making language more of an obstacle. There are three options for this variation: • Fewer languages. The total number of languages known at character creation is halved, to a minimum of 1. If a character option such as a feat or class level ability grants the ability to learn new languages, the number added is also halved, to a minimum of 1. • Human tongue. Remove Common from the language list, and give humans a new language called Human. Planegea takes place before a single tongue has evolved, and you must rely on the languages of elves, dwarves, or other races to communicate. • No Common. Remove Common from the language list and elevate its dialects to full languages.

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Armor qualities are described here: Bone shirt & bone mail. This armor is made from interlocking pieces of bone, antler, or shell stitched closely together with cord to deflect missiles and blows. Scale mail. This is often literally made of the scales of dinosaurs or other creatures with natural armor. Half plate & plate. Plate mail is often made of stone, dense bone from large creatures, or monstrous plating, held together with bands and straps into bulky armor. Ringmail. Rings can be fashioned of wood, antler, coral, shell, chitin, or other workable material. Splint. Splint armor is often made from wood or from chitin, tusks, other monstrous parts that can be set in curving bands.

Weapons Any weapon in 5th Edition can be used in Planegea with DM approval. Weapons are handmade with stone tools. Knives are made of knapped stone, axes are stone knives affixed to wooden shafts, and swords are usually poles, bats, or clubs with sharpened objects lining the edges, such as knapped stone, obsidian, or the teeth of monsters. STONE AGE ARMOR & WEAPONS To protect combat balance, Planegea does not alter the bonuses or penalties of armor or weapons in any way. Mechanically, they are identical to published weapons. Thematically, the assumption is that combat is relative, and that as most creatures are using natural materials for both attack and defense, the overall scale of damage should be similar. If you want to alter these numbers, to reduce the effectiveness of natural armor and weapons, be aware that this will make almost all monsters deadlier and harder to kill. To implement this option, make the following changes: • On all edged or bladed weapons, decrease the damage by 1 die size (d6 becomes d4 etc), to a minimum of 1 point of damage • On all armor that was made of metal in 5th Edition (chain shirt, scale mail, breastplate, half plate, ring mail, chain mail, splint, plate), decrease AC by 2.

STONE AGE ARMOR Armor

Cost

Armor Class (AC)

Strength

Stealth

Weight

Padded

5 ps

11 + Dex modifier

—

Disadvantage

8 lb.

Leather

10 ps

11 + Dex modifier

—

—

10 lb.

Studded leather

45 ps

12 + Dex modifier

—

—

13 lb.

Hide

10 ps

12 + Dex modifier (max 2)

—

—

12 lb.

Bone shirt*

50 ps

13 + Dex modifier (max 2)

—

—

20 lb.

Scale mail*

50 ps

14 + Dex modifier (max 2)

—

Disadvantage

45 lb.

Chestpiece

400 ps

14 + Dex modifier (max 2)

—

—

20 lb.

Half plate*

750 ps

15 + Dex modifier (max 2)

—

Disadvantage

40 lb.

Light armor

Medium armor

Heavy armor Ringmail*

30 ps

14

—

Disadvantage

40 lb.

Bone mail*

75 ps

16

Str 13

Disadvantage

55 lb.

Splint

200 ps

17

Str 15

Disadvantage

60 lb.

Plate*

1,500 ps

18

Str 15

Disadvantage

65 lb.

10 ps

+2

—

6 lb.

Shield Shield * See notes on next page. STONE AGE WEAPONS Name

Cost

Damage

Weight

Properties

Simple Melee Weapons Antlerclaw Gripstone

1/4 ps

1d4 slashing

1 lb.

Finesse, light

2 ps

1d6 bludgeoning

10 lb.

Thrown (range 20/60)

5 ps

1d8 piercing

2 lb.

Ammunition (range 30/120), loading

1d8 bludgeoning

3 lb.

Versatile (1d10 slashing)

1d10 bludgeoning

36 lb.

Heavy, two-handed, thrown (range 20/60)

6 lb.

Heavy, two-handed Heavy, two-handed

Simple Ranged Weapons Atlatl Martial Melee Weapons Clubsword Hammerstone

50 ps 1 ps

Saw

30 ps

1d6 piercing, 1d6 slashing

Warclub

10 ps

1d12 bludgeoning

20 lb.

Bolas

10 ps

1d6 bludgeoning

5 lb.

Special, thrown (range 10/30)

Boomerang

25 ps

1d8 bludgeoning

2 lb.

Thrown (range 30/120), special

Martial Ranged Weapons

Stone age weapon descriptions and their special properties are listed here: Antlerclaw. A sharpened antler with leather grips. Gripstone. A handheld stone with grooves for fingerholds, used as a striking tool or weapon. Atlatl. Also known as a spear-thrower, this short shaft features a cup or spur at the end where the butt of a javelin or spear is placed, allowing the wielder to launch the projectile farther and straighter than if thrown by hand.

Clubsword. A thick club with jagged stones, teeth, or shards of obsidian lining its edges, which can be used to smash or cut by a skilled wielder. Hammerstone. Also known as a hav or lifting stone, this stone sphere is often used in mammoth hunts, hurled or dropped from a height onto prey, or thrown with great force from a short distance. Saw. A serrated blade, used to hook and tear at wood, harvested prey, or enemies. Warclub. A huge bludgeoning weapon, usually made from a combination of bone, leather, wood, and stone.

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Bolas. Two or more stones attached by a length of cord (usually leather) used to entangle prey from a distance. A Large or smaller creature hit by bolas is restrained until it is freed. Bolas have no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 2 slashing damage to the bolas (AC 8) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the bolas. When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with bolas, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make. Boomerang. A flat, curved club, thrown in an arc. When you miss on an attack with the boomerang, it returns to you at the end of your turn unless its returning path is heavily obstructed.

Crafting and scouting hoops. Glass is rare and crude throughout most of Planegea, usually only formed by volcanic or elemental forces. Magnifying glasses and spyglasses, while theoretically possible to create given proper time and tools, are much easier obtained as common magic items, usually in the form of wood or bone hoops enchanted by spellcasters or gods to aid in crafting or scouting. Spellskin’s sanctum. Spellskins (p. 69) use large areas to design their spells, then transfer those spells as tattoos onto their bodies. The only way for another spellcaster to learn a spellskin’s spell is to locate the place where their spells are painted, which is usually secret and often guarded. METAL CONVERSION Metal

Equivalent

Metal (any)

Stone, bone, antler, or wood (any)

Adamantine

Divine ivory*

Most items in 5th Edition can be used as they are by simply describing them as made of bone, wood, stone, hide, rope, etc. A few particular items are more specifically modern, and are converted to Planegea in the Gear Conversion table. Where metal is called for in equipment, armor, weapons, or spells, use the Metal Conversion table.

Copper

Wood

Gold

Glass

Iron

Granite

Lead

Black clay*

Mercury

Oil

GEAR CONVERSION

Mithral

Gemweave*

Adventuring Gear

Medieval

Stone Age

Platinum

Dragon tooth*

Abacus

Counting sticks

Silver

Polished wood

Ball bearings

Smooth pebbles

Zinc

Clay

Bottle, flask, tankard, or vial

Skin or jar (made of clay, wood, stone, bone, etc.)

Caltrops

Knuckle-bones or vertebrae

Chain

Knotted rope studded with wood, stone, or bone

Crowbar

Lever

Hourglass

Notched, slow-burning stick

Ink

Paint

Ink pen

Paintbrush

Lantern

Skull

Lock

Specialized knot, with stone needles or other complications worked in

Magnifying glass

Crafting hoop*

Paper

Smooth hide

Parchment

Rough hide

Pot, iron

Pot, stone

Spellbook

Spellskin’s sanctum*

Spikes, iron

Tusks

Spyglass

Scouting hoop*

*See notes below.

*See notes below. Divine ivory. The bones of a god are the hardest substance known in all of Planegea and are exceedingly rare and difficult to obtain. They can only be cut or shaped by magic. Black clay. Whether naturally obtained or created through the infusion of dyes and darkening agents, black clay has the rare property of blocking magical perception. In order for this to work, though, the clay must be pure and profoundly black, which generally requires a rare natural source or else a skilled and patient crafter to prepare. Gemweave. A fine mesh of cord and tiny gemstones, knotted intricately after the dwarven fashion. Gemweave is light, yet offers great protection and beauty. Dragon tooth. Dragons are rare in the Great Valley, but where they have attacked or roosted, their teeth can be found, as they have many and some are lost in biting or grooming. They are extremely precious and usually reserved as the personal talismans of chieftains or shamans.

Pray that you do not ever meet an enemy bearing a weapon made of divine ivory. Such weapons are fearsome and not only shatter armor and blades— but are a sign of one who has outlived a god.

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CRAFTING ARMOR, WEAPONS, & GEAR

TOOLS

Many of the artisan’s tools from 5E need adjustments in order to make sense in prehistoric fantasy. Use the table below to convert them into common Stone Age tool sets. It’s also still possible that the original tool sets could exist in the world, although with primitive materials. If your character concept requires one of the original artisan’s tool sets, talk to your DM about converting it to fit the world of Planegea. Most tool sets are made of specialized implements, typically made from wood, antler, or ivory, into which stone blades can be fitted in various specialized assortments, as well as stones or containers of particular shapes or qualities and ingredients such as powders, spices, salts, liquids, scales, or other consumable materials. Artisan’s Tools

Stone Age Tools

Alchemist’s supplies

Ceremonial supplies*

Brewer’s supplies

Winemaker’s supplies

—

Butcher’s tools*

Calligrapher’s supplies

Artist’s supplies

Carpenter’s tools

Woodcrafter’s tools

Cartographer’s tools

Mapmaker’s tools

Cobbler’s tools

Bootmaker’s tools

Cook’s utensils

Cook’s utensils

—

Gatherer’s supplies*

Jeweler’s tools

Jeweler’s tools

Leatherworker’s tools

Leatherworker’s tools

Mason’s tools

Stonecrafter’s tools

Painter’s supplies

Painter’s supplies

Potter’s tools

Potter’s tools

Smith’s tools

Bonecrafter’s tools

Tinker’s tools

Mender’s tools

Weaver’s tools

Weaver’s tools

When crafting simple items, after the required materials are assembled, the DM may require characters to make a series of checks such as: • Intelligence: To understand the nature of materials and what they can be used for. • Wisdom: To evaluate materials and decide the best way to combine them. • Strength: To bend, twist, or shape materials into the correct form for the desired item. • Dexterity: To craft components into the finished item. Each of these checks may have a separate DC, based on the DM’s evaluation of the complexity of the project and the ability of the character. For more complex crafting projects, other skills (such as Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Survival, etc) may come into play, or a check or series of checks may need to be made for the various components before the project is finished. There may also be items which are simply too complex or require special skill or knowledge to craft correctly, requiring characters to seek experts who are willing to teach them or craft the materials on their behalf. Such expertise is rarely without cost, and may require Charisma checks, favors, barter, or entire adventures to convince the experts to help at all.

*See notes below. Ceremonial supplies. These are sets of implements commonly used by practitioners of divine magic to prepare and enact various rites and rituals. The contents of the toolkit can vary depend on the worship practices, but they often include such materials as blindfolds, candles, paint, glass or ceramic chimes, incense, and feathers. Butcher’s tools. A butcher’s toolkit is used to harvest a kill, preserving every part of the animal for use later. This includes specialized hooks, knives, and shears, salt, small bowls and bags, a water skin, a wooden slab, a small hammer, and clean, broad leaves. Gatherer’s supplies. The supplies used by a gatherer include a large satchel with many sections, a knife, a digging blade, hand-wraps, dried leaves and berries, a grinding bowl and stone, and a scraper.

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CHAPTER 8

SPELLS In a limestone cave at the edge of Lake Littleblood, dancing lights illuminated a shuffling figure. Arudek, the old tattooed magician, daubed more of the ochre paint on his fingertips, squinting at the geometry he was painting on the wall. He hummed tunelessly as he worked, never ceasing to scuttle back and forth, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “How long does this go on?” asked Mizca, who sat against the other wall with her companion. Her axe had been sharpened, her arrows double-checked, her tusks polished, and she was long past bored. “All night, easily,” whispered Sushesh. “Maybe into tomorrow. It depends on what he’s working on. Did he tell you?” “He said ‘something to do with binding.’” “Then we’d better get comfortable.” As Mizca groaned, Sushesh chuckled. “You think this is bad. Once he worked for seven days without sleep, forgot to eat, collapsed, hit his head, forgot everything, and had to start all over.” “Spellskins.” “Yes. Spellskins. But if you want to kill a god, you couldn’t ask for a more brilliant mind.” Mizca’s tusks seemed to grow as a slow smile spread over her face. “Well. I do want to kill a god.”

T

HE WORLD IS STILL LARGELY UNFORMED AND unknown, with magical essences roving across the land, sea, and air. But just as animals can be tamed, so can spells, and many of the intelligent kinships of Planegea have coaxed one kind of magic or another into a more or less predictable pattern. Any character of any kinship has access to whatever magic is granted by their features and abilities, but the origins of magic are visible in the casting of spells, and different types of magic show the culture of those who first discovered its secrets. Use the Magical Origins table to inspire the verbal and somatic effects used to bring about the spells your character casts. Use the material column to inspire how your components or focus are moved or how materials that are consumed may be destroyed in the process of casting. This table is only for flavor and should not alter the mechanics of spellcasting in any way. If a racial ability grants you access to a spell from a different primal origin, use the verbal, somatic, and material behaviors of your own kinship (if applicable) to cast it.

MAGICAL ORIGINS School

Kinship

Verbal

Somatic

Material

Abjuration

Dwarves

Deep, rolling syllables in monotone chants that rise to a thundering crescendo

Constricted motion, with short, sharp movements in geometric forms

Carving, etching, burying or unearthing, stacking, or polishing

Conjuration

Genies

Clear, commanding calls with crisp annunciation of complex syllables

Fluid, unpredictable motion of the whole body, twisting and turning

Burning, dousing, throwing, dropping, breaking, scattering, or twisting

Divination

Giants

Short, deep cries of harsh monosyllables invoked at set rhythms

Vertical motions, stooping and elongating, pulling and pushing movements

Stretching, crushing, throwing, raising or lowering, stomping, or breaking

Enchantment

Elves

Whispering circular stanzas of rhyming syllables, full of sounds like running water

Subtle gestures of the hand, foot, shoulders, and neck in circular movements

Twisting, knotting, juggling, winding, waving, weaving or spinning

Evocation

Dragons

Wordless cries in rising and falling tones, punctuated by short sharp syllables

Primal, animalistic motions, aggressive stances and forceful gestures

Ripping, devouring, circling, embracing, burning, or throwing

Illusion

Gnomes

Rapid ticking syllables tumbling out almost too quickly to comprehend

Quick movements of the hand and wrist, turning and obscuring the face or body

Hiding, concealing, revealing, turning, spinning, juggling, fanning, or dropping

Necromancy

Saurians

Hushed, croaking chants and deep throat sounds with glottal stops and clicks

Hunching and crouching, limbs low over the ground, bowed head

Mixing, spinning, twisting, pulling, cutting, stabbing, or crushing

Rhythmic chanting and singing, broken by loud cries and commands

Confident motions of the whole body in disciplined, triangular forms

Lifting, gathering, throwing, waving, drumming, clasping, or rolling

Transmutation Orcs

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OPTIONAL RULE: SPELL DISCOVERY Since magic is still being shaped for the first time, you can increase the feeling of discovery by assuming that all spells over 4th level are yet to be created. Individual gods or powerful spellcasters may be able to create the effects of a spell of 5th level or higher, but they are not known or shared as commonly recognized spells. If your spellcasting character gains a spell of 5th level or higher, rather than learning the spell, they invent it, and may need to perform rituals or take time to craft it so that it can be cast again in the future. Also, since schools of magic originate from various cultures, you may need to seek out high-level spellcasters in those cultures to learn sufficient lore to create spells of those schools.

Altered Spells

Some spells in 5th Edition refer to metal specifically. In a world without metal, use the Metal Conversion table (p. 98) for alternate components. Additionally, use the following guidelines for other spells that may be altered by the setting: Heat Metal. Since there is no metal in Planegea, this spell can be substituted with a heat stone spell, which works in exactly the same way, but targets stone instead. Commune and other divine spells. Spells that call upon the power of gods may have one of two effects outside the range of your primary god: they can extend the range of your primary god to your current location, or they can compel a local god to respond. Work with your DM to determine which effect comes into play for your spells. Plane Shift and other planar spells. The planes of this world are all geographically linked, but they’re still separate realms. You can use plane shift to travel from the mortal realm (the Great Valley, Wintersouth, and Giant Empires) to the Elemental Wastes, the Sea of Stars, Nod, the Kingdom of the Dead, or other locations at your DM’s discretion, including the hallows of some gods. Resurrect and other necromancy. Spells that bring the dead back to life are considered a personal affront by NazhAgaa, and should only be undertaken with extreme caution. There are no mechanical limitations or alterations to these spells, but be warned that the King of the Dead is not to be trifled with.

It is better not to speak too much of the old titan Nazh-Agaa. His valkyries are swift, and he does not suffer any offense against his law of inevitability.

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New God and Defiant creature tags. Gods have a new creature tag: “god.” You cannot use polymorph, wildshape or any other transformation spell (including wish) to transform into a creature with the god tag, even temporarily. Some beasts have the new “defiant” tag. Creatures with this tag are not valid creatures to transform into for the purpose of spells and features that enable shapechanging, such as a druid’s Wild Shape or a wizard’s Polymorph. Additionally, creatures with the defiant tag are unaffected by Dominate Beasts unless cast at 7th level or higher, or by Animal Friendship unless cast at 3rd level or higher.

Blood Magic Not every hunt in Planegea is for food. Shamans often send seasoned hunters into the wild to bring back certain components that have been spilled with the blood of prey, which the shamans use for the magic power inherent in the blood of living things. Many higher-level spells in 5th Edition have a material cost listed in gold pieces (gp). Since gold doesn’t exist in Planegea, when a spell calls for gp as part of a material cost, you can instead use blood. Where the object lists a worth in gp—e.g., “10 gems worth 100 gp each”—substitute spilled with hp—e.g., “10 gems spilled with 100 hp each.” This means that the objects have been touched with the blood of one or more creatures equivalent to 100 hp of damage. This might be the blood of 1 creature with 100 hp, or 100 creatures with 1 hp each, or any other combination totaling 100 hp. Such magic requires spilling liquid blood, and therefore cannot be fulfilled with constructs, oozes, elementals, spectral undead, or other non-bleeding creatures. It is not required that the caster be the one to have spilled the blood, or that the blood be spilled at the same time, only that the object in question has been touched with the requisite amount of hp’s worth of blood. Blood used to touch one object cannot be re-used for another ojbect. An object can be reused for such magic as long as it is not consumed by the spell. NAMED SPELLS In 5th Edition, some spells are named for their so-called inventors. Little do the wizards of the great cities of the future know that their most famous works were not invented at all—merely rediscovered. You can cast acid arrow or hideous laughter or tiny hut without reference to other wizards. There’s time enough for them to rediscover and name such spells in the far future.

SpellLists

SHAMAN (CLERIC)

SPELLSKIN (WIZARD)

The following lists show which new spells can be cast based on class. If a spell can be cast as a ritual, it is noted alongside the spell’s school of magic. If your character’s subclass allows access to spells that typically come from another class, work with your DM to determine which of these spells you would have access to.

CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) Form Weapon (conjuration) Sense Whispers (divination)

1ST LEVEL Time Slip (enchantment)

CHANTER (BARD) 1ST LEVEL Time Slip (enchantment) 2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) Ridicule (enchantment) Steal Speed (transmutation) Weight (transmutation) 3RD LEVEL Stonebone (transmutation) 4TH LEVEL Disorient (enchantment) 5TH LEVEL Possess Steed (transmutation) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion) Tilt (transmutation)

DRUID CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) Form Weapon (conjuration) Sense Whispers (divination) 1ST LEVEL Bite Back (conjuration) 2ND LEVEL Quillburst (evocation) Stormscrying (divination, ritual) 3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) Lava Leap (conjuration) Smoke Breathing (transmutation, ritual) Stonebone (transmutation) 4TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration)

8TH LEVEL Bolt of Ush (conjuration) 9TH LEVEL Spellblinding (illusion)

GUARDIAN (PALADIN) 1ST LEVEL Bite Back (conjuration) 2ND LEVEL Ridicule (enchantment) Stormscrying (divination, ritual) 3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) Lava Leap (conjuration) Stonebone (transmutation)

2ND LEVEL Stormscrying (divination, ritual) 3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) Smoke Breathing (transmutation, ritual) Stonebone (transmutation) 4TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration) 6TH LEVEL Dream of Kho (conjuration, ritual) Fury of Twr (evocation) Gaze of Glelh (enchantment, ritual) Heart of Urhosh (necromancy) Song of Mala (evocation)

SORCERER

4TH LEVEL Disorient (enchantment)

CANTRIPS (0 LEVEL) Form Weapon (conjuration)

RANGER

2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) Quillburst (evocation) Ridicule (enchantment) Steal Speed (transmutation) Weight (transmutation)

1ST LEVEL Bite Back (conjuration) 2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) 3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) Lava Leap (conjuration) Smoke Breathing (transmutation, ritual) Stonebone (transmutation) 4TH LEVEL Disorient (enchantment)

3RD LEVEL Lava Leap (conjuration) 4TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration)

2ND LEVEL Mage Skis (transmutation, ritual) Quillburst (evocation) Steal Speed (transmutation) Weight (transmutation) 4TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration) Disorient (enchantment) 5TH LEVEL Deflect Magic (abjuration) Possess Steed (transmutation) Tilt (transmutation) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion) 9TH LEVEL Spellblinding (illusion)

WARLOCK 1ST LEVEL Time Slip (enchantment) 2ND LEVEL Quillburst (evocation) Nightmare Bind (enchantment) Ridicule (enchantment) Steal Speed (transmutation) Weight (transmutation) 3RD LEVEL Aggravate Wounds (necromancy) 4TH LEVEL Bury (conjuration) 5TH LEVEL Possess Steed (transmutation) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion)

5TH LEVEL Deflect Magic (abjuration) Tilt (transmutation) Traitor’s Kiss (illusion) 8TH LEVEL Bolt of Ush (conjuration)

5TH LEVEL Possess Steed (transmutation)

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Spell Descriptions The spells below are born from the primal fury of the world of Planegea, but can easily be used to add excitement to any 5th Edition campaign. The spells are presented in alphabetical order. Refer to the Spell Lists on the previous page to see which classes can access each spell. Aggravate Wounds 3rd-level necromancy Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (a smear of blood, a pinch of salt) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Weaving a painful blood curse, you choose a creature within range that you can see. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, whenever the affected target takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, the target takes an additional 1d6 necrotic damage. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, increase the damage by 1d6 for each two spell levels above 3rd.

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Bolt of Ush 8th-level conjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: 40 feet Components: V, S, M (a sapphire worth 2,000 ps or with 2,000 hp of blood spilled on it) Duration: Instantaneous You summon a storm directly overhead, flashing with magical lightning. At your command, the lightning strikes a sphere with a radius of 20 feet, centered on you. You and up to 8 willing creatures in range are magically transported to a location with which you are familiar on the same plane. Your familiarity with the destination determines whether you arrive there successfully as by the teleport spell. You arrive via lightning strike at your chosen location. The spell fails if you can’t see a point in the air where the storm cloud could appear, or if the destination lacks a similar point in the air. Any creatures within a 20 feet sphere centered on you you when you land must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save they take 10d8 lightning damage, and half as much on a successful save. Any structures in range with take 50 points of lightning damage, and flammable objects in range ignite. None of the creatures transported by the spell are harmed by the lightning, although you smell faintly of ozone for 10 minutes.

Bite Back 1st-level conjuration

Disorient 4th-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a melee attack Range: Touch Components: V Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 300 feet Components: V, S, M (a small brown bag) Duration: 8 hours

When you are damaged by a melee attack, a spiritual beast rises from the wound to sink its teeth into the creature that harmed you. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save it takes 3d8 piercing damage, and is restrained until the end of your next turn if it is no larger than one size bigger than you. On a successful save, it takes half damage and is not restrained. Bury 4th-level conjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (a bit of dust) Duration: Instantaneous Choose a creature you can see within range that is within 5 feet of the ground. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 6d8 bludgeoning damage and is forced just below the surface of the ground. On a success, the target takes half damage and is knocked prone. A target standing on stone or a similar solid material automatically succeeds on their saving throw. While buried the target is restrained, blinded, deafened, and unable to breathe. The target or an allied creature can spend an action on their turn to make a Strength check versus your spell save DC, digging the target out on a success. If the target has a burrowing speed, they automatically succeed on their Strength check to escape. Deflect Magic 5th-level abjuration Casting Time: 1 reaction, when you succeed on a saving throw against a spell targeting only you. Range: Self Components: S, M (a flat, brightly polished stone) Duration: Instantaneous You attempt to reflect a spell that targets you back towards its caster. If you are the only target of a spell of 5th level or lower, the spell has no effect on you, and instead targets the caster, using the slot level, spell save DC, Attack bonus, and Spellcasting Ability of the caster. If the spell targeting you is of 6th level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a success, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the spell targeting you is reflected if its level is less than or equal to the level of the spell slot you used. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, you can choose the target of the reflected spell as if the spell was cast from your location.

Choose up to 10 creatures you can see within range. Targeted creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, until the spell ends, the creature is magically lost, and unable to find their way to any intended location unless they can see it. They have disadvantage on Wisdom and Intelligence checks to gain their bearings or discern their current location. While affected by the spell, if a creature attempts to cast a spell that allows them to magically find their way, they encounter a mental block and must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw versus your spell save DC or their spell fails. This spell can be ended by restorative magic like lesser restoration or dispel magic. At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the duration is 1 week. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is 1 month. If you use a spell slot of 8th level or higher, the duration is 1 year. If you use a 9th level spell slot, the spell lasts until it is dispelled. Dream of Kho 6th-level conjuration (ritual) Casting Time: 1 hour Range: 120 feet Components: V, S, M (a carved ivory drumstick and a drum worth 300 ps or with 300 hp worth of blood spilled on it) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You drum a hypnotic rhythm, weaving a dream state around all willing creatures within range. As the tempo rises towards a crescendo, willing creatures begin to see a phantom forest sprout around them. The forest conforms to the shape of the space the creatures inhabit, but may introduce phantom obstacles such as large trees, creeks or waterfalls, rock piles, and so on. These are real for creatures affected by the spell. Somewhere within range is a huge celestial ape. The ape understands all languages, but does not speak. The ape is capable of summoning any beast or object from the same plane that is not bound by magic or currently attuned to another person. This includes generic beasts or objects such as “cat” or “sword,” or named requests such as “the cat Skelka” or “Fangblade.” However, the ape is under no compulsion to behave in any particular way, and will usually not agree to summon anything unless he is satisfied that he has been offered something in fair payment. If the ape is especially pleased with the payment offered, he may summon the desired object and additional items as well. If he is displeased, he may fly into a rage and attack. All creatures affected by the spell must make a DC 18 Chapter 8 | Spells

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Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, creatures take 8d10 radiant damage and cease to be affected by the spell. On a successful save, creatures take half damage. Form Weapon Conjuration cantrip Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: 1 minute You reach out and summon a weapon from the environment around you. Raw materials uproot themselves and form in your hands into a magical simple weapon of your choice with which you have proficiency. The style of weapon reflects the materials in the environment, creating a bone sword in a graveyard or a grass sling in an open field, for example. You can only have one weapon formed by this spell at a time. When the spell ends, the weapon falls apart.

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Fury of Twr 6th-level evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: 120 feet Components: V, S, M (sulfur, ash, an ox horn worth 100 ps or with 100 hp worth of blood spilled on it which is consumed by the spell) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute You unleash a fury of fiendish rage all around you. All creatures within range must make a Dexterity saving throw. Each creature takes 5d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. All water in range immediately boils and releases jets of superheated steam, which last for the spell’s duration, and any creature that ends its turn in or above more than 1 inch of water must make a Dexterity save. The creature takes 3d10 fire damage from the superheated steam on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Gaze of Glelh 6th-level enchantment (ritual) Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (an ivory mortar & pestle, and colorful pigments worth 200 ps, which are consumed by the spell) Duration: 24 hours You anoint a ceremonial square 10 feet in diameter with bright colors and symbols of a lion with wide, staring eyes. For the spell’s duration, any creature within the ceremonial square can see everything up to 10 miles away within line of sight of the square with telescopic vision of perfect clarity, no matter how small or far away. Creatures within 10 miles may be drawn to the ceremonial square by the spell’s power. As an action, you can target a creature within range. Targeted creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw, and targets who can see the ceremonial square or creatures or structures inside it make their saving throw with disadvantage. On a failure,

they must use their movement to approach the ceremonial square and, upon reaching the edge of the square, lie paralyzed next to it until the spell ends. The spell ends if the ceremonial square contains no conscious creatures with a Wisdom score of 4 or greater. Heart of Urhosh 6th-level necromancy Casting Time: 1 reaction, when you or a creature you can see within range would drop to 0 hit points or die Range: 120 feet Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You cry out to spirits of survival to preserve the life of a creature you can see within range. The creature drops to 1 hit point instead of dying. Until the end of the target’s next turn, they cannot be reduced to below 1 hit point. In addition, effects that would kill the target instantaneously have no effect. Lava Leap 3rd-level conjuration Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (a chunk of pumice) Duration: Instantaneous You summon the fury of the volcano to hurl yourself into the air. When you cast this spell, you can make a standing leap to any point you can see within range. Immediately after you leap, a surge of magma explodes outward, and each creature in a 15-foot radius of the place you just left must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 fire damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. The magma cools instantly, but the cooled magma makes the ground difficult terrain in a 30 foot-diameter circle of the spot you left. Mage Skis 2nd-level transmutation (ritual) Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (pine needles, water) Duration: 1 hour You summon long strips of arcane energy that grant you the ability to move quickly over frozen terrain. Until the spell ends, up to 6 willing creatures you can see within range gain a speed of 60 feet when traveling over snowy or frozen terrain. Frozen or snowy terrain is not considered difficult terrain for anyone affected by this spell. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each spell level above 2nd.

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Nightmare Bind 2nd-level enchantment Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 10 feet Components: S, M (a piece of cobweb) Duration: Up to 8 hours You choose a sleeping creature within range, attempting to sink it deeper into sleep while troubling its mind with dark dreams. It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the target awakes. On a failure, the target is trapped in restless sleep until the spell ends, and it does not gain the benefits of a long rest. You do not choose the content of their dreams, nor are you aware of their nature. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, the spell lasts for up to 24 hours. When you use a spell slot of 5th level or 6th, the spell lasts for up to 1 week. When you use a spell slot of 7th level or 8th level, the spell lasts for up to 1 month. When you use a spell slot of 9th level, the spell lasts until dispelled. Possess Steed 5th-level transmutation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a carrot) Duration: 8 hours You and up to 10 willing creatures each touch a separate willing steed of at least one size larger than yourself. All affected creatures become immaterial spirits, along with all their carried gear, and possess their steeds, controlling them. Until the spell ends, affected creatures use the steed’s Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores, but retain their own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. The steeds outwardly appear unaffected by this change, and the possession cannot be detected by visual inspection of their outward appearance, although unusual behavior may raise suspicion. If an affected creature’s steed drops to 0 hit points, the creature reverts to their physical form within 5 feet of the steed.

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Quillburst 2nd-level evocation Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (20-foot sphere) Components: V, S, M (a quill) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Arcane quills bristle around you, then burst outward in sudden violence. Each creature in a 20-foot sphere centered on you must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 piercing damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. Until the spell ends, if you would take damage from an attack, you can release a second burst with the same effects as the first, ending the spell. Ridicule 2nd-level enchantment Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (a sprig of herbs) Duration: 8 hours You ridicule a humanoid you can see within range, lacing your words with magical disdain. The target must succeed on Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on Charisma checks until the spell ends, and others who encounter them will find them laughable, though they may not express it outwardly if the target is in a position of authority over them. Sense Whispers Divination cantrip Casting Time: 1 minute Range: 30 feet Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous You listen carefully for the subtle whispers of unseen spirits. Within range, you sense the location of any friendly undead creatures.

Smoke Breathing 3rd-level transmutation (ritual)

Steal Speed 2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (a piece of waterlogged fabric) Duration: 24 hours

Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (a length of braided twine) Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

This spell grants up to ten willing creatures you can see within range the ability to breathe nonmagical harmful gas until the spell ends. Affected creatures also retain their normal mode of respiration. Additionally, until the spell ends, affected creatures can exhale smoke at will as a harmless visual effect. This smoke dissipates immediately and does not provide cover.

A creature you can see within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, their speed is halved, and any speeds you possess are increased by the amount by which their speed is reduced.

Song of Mala 6th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a stone and a bone) Duration: 1 minute

Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (10 miles) Components: V, S, M (an oyster shell containing a pearl worth 750 ps or with 750 hit points’ worth of blood spilled on it) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour You raise your voice, and begin to sing with the blessing of divine spirits. Your song is magically enhanced and carries over incredible distances. You can choose to have your song heard by all creatures within range, any number of specific creatures within range, or any number of specific type(s) of creatures you select within range. (For example, the song might be heard by every undead creature and every elf; or every undead elf.) Using this song you can communicate a message up to 25 words, which will be understood by any hearer regardless of what languages they speak (as long as they speak at least one language). As long as you concentrate on this spell, any creature that heard your song can pinpoint your location. Spellblinding 9th-level illusion Casting Time: 1 hour Range: 60 feet Components: V, S, M (wool, feathers, rare inks worth 1,000 ps or mixed with 1,000 hit points’ worth of blood, which is consumed by the spell) Duration: Until dispelled You choose a creature or object in range that you can see, and render it invisible to spellcasters. Any creature capable of casting a cantrip or spell of 1st-level or higher is unable to see the target you choose until the spell ends, nor can they be detected by spellcasters using magical means. Creatures who cannot cast cantrips or spells can see the target as before.

Stonebone 3rd-level transmutation

You touch a willing creature. Their bones harden and become dense as stone, and their knuckles, elbows, shoulders, and knees sprout rocky protrusions. Until the spell ends, they have resistance to bludgeoning damage, and their unarmed attacks deal an extra 1d4 bludgeoning damage. Stormscrying 2nd-level divination (ritual) Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Self Components: V, S, M (a needle and a jar of water) Duration: Instantaneous You name a location that with which you are familiar. You sense the current weather at that location, detecting temperature, precipitation, wind, time of day, and so on. If you use this spell to detect the weather of a large region, you gain a more general indication of the weather, such as “scattered thunderstorms” or “partly foggy.” Tilt 5th-level transmutation Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: 60 feet Components: V, S, M (an angled rock or twig) Duration: 8 hours Choose up to 8 willing creatures within range. Until the spell ends, affected creatures’ sense of gravity shifts by up to 90 degrees in the direction of your choice. Affected creatures fall in your chosen direction, as does any gear worn or carried by affected creatures at the time of casting. As an action, you can change the direction of gravity for all affected creatures while the spell is active.

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Time Slip 1st-level enchantment

Weight 2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: S, V Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Components: V, S, M (powdered hoof) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A creature you can see within range must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they become confused about time, believing it to be whatever hour of the day you choose. They remain convinced of the time until the spell ends, rationalizing explanations for unusual darkness or light based on the enchantments of the spell. Traitor’s Kiss 5th-level illusion Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a dab of paint and a serpent’s tongue) Duration: 8 hours You touch a willing creature and grant them the appearance of another’s trusted companion. Choose a humanoid with which you are familiar, and give your target the appearance, voice, and scent of their most trusted humanoid friend, relative or confidante. The DM determines the form based on who the target is most likely to trust. The target has advantage on Charisma checks to influence the chosen humanoid, and magically learns general information about the illusory persona, including their name, relation to the target, and personality.

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Choose an object in range no larger than a 5 foot cube. You cause the object to become unbearably heavy. The object does not bounce, roll, or slide unless it is on a steep incline. A creature can attempt a Strength check against your spell save DC to lift the object, ending the spell on a success. If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature, that creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw to avoid the spell. On a failure, the creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage, dropping the object if it is held, or falling prone if it is worn. At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell at higher levels, you can target objects of an additional 5 feet in size per spell level above 2nd.

PART II

FOR THE GAME MASTER

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CHAPTER 9

STONE AGE ADVENTURES Murky lakewater sloshed over the side of the raft as the child sat silently, thinking over all he had been told in the mist. “Was that true?” he asked at last. “Which part?” His grandmother hid her smile as she hauled on the waterlogged line to bring another trap to the surface. “All of it! The Star-Shaman—how she fell from the sky, traveled the world and saw every kinship, met with every kind of person. The part where she got captured by giants and spent years as the personal handmaiden of the Empress of Air. Did she really escape in the envoy’s handbag? Did she begin the market at Swapshore and create all those spells? And the Hounds of the Blind Heaven—you never even explained what they were, you just said their name and moved on!” “Child, a story is a brightly-colored beast. Its outside is beautiful, and its inside is full of delicious mysteries. When you’re older, I’ll teach you how to harvest a story and cook up its parts, but for now, just enjoy its fur and feathers. And help me with this line, I think we caught something big.”

W

ELCOME, MASTER OF THE GAME! THIS IS your section, filled with tools, ideas, and resources to make running Planegea in 5th Edition fun, exciting, and easy. In this chapter, you’ll find guidance on how to prep and run Planegea adventures. The rest of this book covers locations, factions, threats, treasures, monsters, and NPCs… everything you’ll need to develop an unforgettable campaign in the setting.

Your Own Planegea Everything that follows in this chapter and the rest of the book is designed to enhance your experience at the table. Planegea is a living, breathing world with an unwritten history, and although this book lays out a wide array of people, places, and things you might find there, you are encouraged to make it your own. Every group explores their own Planegea, and no two Planegeas are identical. Use what’s here as a starting place, and change it as you see fit to be the most fun for you and your players. As the DM, you are the maker of your own Planegea. Don’t worry about whether changing elements will change the setting— it’s your setting to do what you want with! So get in there, get messy, and have fun.

Break the World Adventures in Planegea are best served raw, cracked at the edges, blood-caked and sunburned. This is not a world for timid plotlines and careful balance—when developing a campaign for Planegea, don’t be afraid to be bold and aggressive. Smash the land with a tidal wave, overrun it with dinosaurs, blot out the sun, kill all the humans—do whatever it takes to set yourself free to explore a wild and dangerous world full of unexpected twists and turns, where nothing feels safe, sacred, or guaranteed.

Using This Chapter This chapter is packed with hints for how to get the most out of a Stone Age fantasy setting. It’s a good idea to read through it as you start to plan your campaign, to generate some ideas about how you might accomplish what you want to do in your Planegea game, and to discover some methods that will come in handy once you begin playing. This chapter covers: Themes. Three big ideas power Planegea: Kinetic action, primordial horror, and mystic wonder. This section looks at those themes, what makes them fun, and how to incorporate them in your game. Wilderness Tools. These frameworks tell you where to start when heading into the wild. They give you the big picture of how to handle travel through a primal world, and offer guidance on how to make treks through untamed land full of interesting, meaningful choices. Clan Tools. You can only stay in the wilderness so long— eventually you have to come home. This section explores clans, encampments, the clanfire, and nomadic life, and offers guidance on how to build and run the clan experiences at the heart of Planegea. Adventure Environments. Notable types of locations unique to Planegea are described here, giving ideas for how to explore certain unusual places and run intriguing encounters within their primordial boundaries. Genre Tropes. Stories are built of the pieces of what we already know, mortared together with imagination and inspiration. This section looks at classic fantasy tropes and even other genres, suggesting how to reinterpret them to bring what you love most into your own Planegea. At Your Table. The section concludes with suggestions for how to introduce Planegea to your players, as well as a few ideas for optional modifications that may enhance your party’s enjoyment of the world.

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THEMES

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VERY TABLE IS DIFFERENT, AND WHETHER your group likes big laughs, heartbreaking drama, intense scares, or your particular combination of all three, Planegea is designed to be a great place for all kinds of campaigns. This section offers guidance for some themes that work well in Planegea, to get the most out of the primordial, pulp-inspired setting. But remember: You’re discovering your own Planegea. So if your group is exclusively interested in the small politics and personal intrigues of village life in a quiet corner of the Great Valley, as long as you’re having fun, that’s perfect. That said, here’s our advice for how to have big, primal fantasy adventures.

Kinetic Action Planegea is full of opportunities for wild, extreme, overthe-top combat and action. When fighting, Planegeans don’t simply face off with a dinosaur. They fight a pack of dinosaurs during a wildfire, leaping from back to back on a herd of thundering mammoths headed for a bottomless cliff. And then the meteors start falling. Villains in Planegea don’t organize tidy coups—they consume minds, they shatter clans, they swoop on their armies of undead pterodactyls and unleash the tendrils of the star-horrors to grapple their prey from above. Environments in Planegea aren’t simply caves or forests—they are the gullets of great stone beasts swarmed by hallucinatory spirits, filled with bone cages from which celestial birds sing, or streaked with the blood of primordial things that glow different colors according to the deeds of those who walk by. The best way to plan adventures in Planegea is to come up with an idea and then ask, “How can I make this one level more extreme? And then two more levels after that?” That’s usually a pretty good start to unleash your inner wildness and discover primordial fantasy.

DYNAMIC COMBAT

To achieve big, pulpy action, you may want to consider a few helpful tools and tricks when it comes to combat: Lair actions anywhere. Some powerful 5th Edition monsters have a mechanic called lair actions, allowing the environment to play a role in combat. Don’t let big monsters have all the fun: any combat can use lair actions to create effects such as weather, unstable terrain, obstacles, etc. Give the battlefield an action at initiative count 20, and again at 10 for an extra-dynamic environment. Countdown die. To ensure that your combat keeps moving, set out a single die (a d4, d6, or d8 works best) and turn it to show one digit lower each round or each turn. When it reaches 1, trigger a big event such as a change in the battlefield, the arrival of new monsters or flight of the current monster, etc.

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Moving battlefields. Players and monsters have a tendency to bunch up in combat and hit each other until someone dies. Make your combats more cinematic by staging them on ice rushing down a river, the backs of stampeding animals, or the edges of a crumbling cliff. Use the environment to reposition creatures at random, mixing up the combat and keeping things unpredictable and intense.

Primordial Horror Balancing the bright colors and ferocity of wild combat is the shadowed eeriness of a world without edges or certainty, a land which owes and offers no explanation for its strangeness and violence. Planegea is a perfect setting for campaigns with horror elements, weaving in menacing spirits, dark omens, hungering metamorphoses, and other horror themes. Great horror doesn’t answer every question, and as the DM, you don’t need to either. Sometimes the things that touch your ankle in the darkness recede into the night unseen and unexplained, and the slime that’s left behind is a threat that does not cease to linger. Safety tools. If you are playing with horrific themes, be sure that everyone at your table is on board before you begin. Horror, when enjoyed by everyone, is a fantastic genre that can be cathartic and unforgettable. Just make sure that it’s contributing to the fun for each player, even as you bring the scares. There are a lot of great tools in the RPG community for making sure that games don’t veer into troubling territory. We recommend having a conversation to set expectations before the first session, as well as frequent open communication between the DMs and players. And always be willing to stop a session and adjust plans if it becomes clear that any player is uncomfortable.

FEAR, DREAD, TERROR, & HARROWING

The horror genre is complex, and we can only lightly skim over the surface of the topic in this section. However, there are a few different aspects of the horror experience worth touching on. Consider each of these aspects if you want to play with horror at your table. Fear. Fear is the proactive concern that something bad might happen. Create fear in the characters with rumors of violence or unnerving events, suggesting the kinds of things that might occur to them, or the things that have happened to NPCs who are like them. (Be careful to separate the characters’ fears from the players’ fears, checking to make sure the players are still having fun if things get tense.) Dread. Dread is the certainty that something bad is about to happen, but without knowledge of what the bad thing will be. It’s that feeling of impending menace, of something dangerous just out of sight. Create dread by showing the awful effects of a threat before the threat itself is revealed, and by obscuring the characters’ senses with darkness, fog, and confusion, along with unexplained noises, smells, or feelings.

Terror. Terror is the high-adrenaline feeling at the moment of revelation, when something terrible is happening—when the killer attacks, while the monster is chasing you. Terror is hard to sustain in 5E, because violence is wrapped in the initiative system, but a good opportunity to create it is to dramatically narrate the terrorizing thing’s revelation at the moment before the characters have a chance to act. Harrowing. Horror lingers long after the terrifying event has taken place—it is the memory you can’t shake, the harrowed feeling that forever changes you. True horror is difficult to create, but remains the longest. Create horror in your world by showing NPCs who have been touched by something awful and are never the same, or discussing with your players how a particularly terrifying event might have long-term effects on their characters.

Mystic Awe Planegea is a world without fixed boundaries, where planes blend into each other and one can stumble into the hallow of a god or a world of dreams by simply crossing a stream. It’s a natural world, filled with vibrant wildlife, unspoilt vistas, and primordial promise. Here gods deal directly with their mortal followers, giants construct ziggurats that scrape the skies, and beauty and death coexist side by side in equal measure. A thunderstorm, a swarm of spirits, or a herd of dinosaurs can all be equally miraculous. To infuse your Planegea with wonder, use descriptions that involve all five senses, and play with scale and time. When the characters enter a cave, think about how it smells, sounds, and how the air feels. Describe towering, gargantuan ferns and tiny volcanoes, no bigger than ankle high. And when the party talks with a god, describe days passing while they converse, or no time at all. These vivid

and disorienting descriptions create an environment where anything is possible, and the mysterious is everywhere.

INSPIRING AWE

Wonder, awe, amazement—these feelings, rare in our daily lives, are senses that roleplaying games are uniquely equipped to create. And in a prehistoric world, where so little is known or understood, where life is short and unpredictable and peace is rare, slipping into wonder is more possible than ever. Here are a few tools for promoting wonder in your game: Sudden lyricism. In the aggressive world of Planegea, abruptly breaking through the tension of survival and menace can have powerful effects. Consider adding a room full of unexpected light in the middle of a dungeon, creatures in the wild moving with beauty and grace, or coming across a bountiful harvest of food when it’s least expected. Break the guessing engine. Prepare your players for wonder by subverting their expectations, breaking their ability to guess what might come next in a given encounter or scenario. Use the monster templates in Chapter 13 (pg. 279) to transform familiar creatures into strange new beings, startle them with unexpected encounters, or infuse an ordinary journey with small details about strange sights and sensations. Paradox. Generate wonder by starting with paradox and contradiction. To design a particularly memorable god, creature, settlement, or encounter, begin with a contradiction and then work backwards to what such a paradox would look like. For example, what would an underwater city of fire look like? How about an upside-down tree, or a storm made of stone? Such contradictions, when made real and tangible in the world of Planegea, stimulate wonder and awe in the characters—and, if you’re lucky and take your time, in the players as well.

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WILDERNESS TOOLS

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N THE UNTAMED WORLD OF PLANEGEA, THE wilderness is an essential environment for adventure. Every mortal encampment is surrounded by it, every trek moves through it. This section offers guidance for how to quickly generate wilderness and plan exciting travel through it. These concepts are meant to supplement existing 5th Edition travel rules, and should be used alongside them, to enrich them as fits your table’s play style Travel. Planegea is a world on the move, where the characters should never assume they’re safe or that they know exactly where they are. As the DM, you can map the land as you would a dungeon, full of encounters, surprises, and mysteries. Camp. As clans and characters move through the world, they will need to find places to make camp. You can prepare adventure environments by stocking these places with important resources and opportunities for exciting and unique encounters. Survive. Once the characters make camp, they can interact with the environment you’ve prepared. Make the clans that they interact with dynamic, and structure encounters outside the encampment’s boundaries. Travel again. Clans and characters in Planegea rarely stay in one place for long. No matter how rich in resources an encampment may be, the time will come to move on. Motivate clans and characters to travel to the next set of opportunities, resetting the clock and beginning the cycle of adventure again.

Moving Land Planegea is a young land, where rivers still wander as they will, trees are awake more often they they slumber, and even the hills rise and fall like the breath of a great beast. If the Hounds of the Blind Heaven allowed maps to be written down, such documents would still be largely useless, as the world shifts and changes according to its own patterns and rhythms. When the characters move through Planegea, certain abilities that aid travelers in 5th Edition, such as those which prevent getting lost except by magical means, or those that enable characters to flawlessly remember the way they have come are of less utility if the land magically changes. As they travel, consider how the land may have shifted ahead of and behind them. Uncertain scale. Because of Planegeans’ inability to use high numbers to measure or record distances, the distance between two points—especially if the intervening space cannot be seen with the naked eye—is hard to judge. Most directions include at best rough approximations of distance, and may be greatly in error if the land has shifted. Traveling landmarks. Certain landmarks are often used to sense proximity to given locations; a great tree might let a hunter know he’s near camp, or a cliff with a particular promontory might mark the border between two clans.

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However, such landmarks can shift and deceive. When the characters sight a landmark, consider making an Intelligence (Nature) check to see if the land has shifted significantly since the landmark was noted. You might even have players make Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern the land’s trickery, if the region is particularly ill-willed or capricious. Use higher DCs in areas with less visibility and more similar features. Knowing when. Seasonality plays a greater role in travel than in medieval fantasy—often the land will follow a pattern, returning to familiar shapes in some response to the turn of the year. Given that, and the migratory nature of the clans, knowing when something is in a given location is as important as knowing the location itself. Finding a clan might be a matter of knowing that each autumn, they inhabit a certain cave, and at that time of year, the cave is found a day’s walk from the green river. Thus memory and history become crucial skills when traveling. Old skills, new uses. Because of this unpredictable landscape, more skills in 5E come into play when traveling than have in the past. No longer is a mere Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Perception) check the limit of what navigation requires. Consider some of the following options as the characters try to find their way in a trackless world: Skill

Use

Animal Handling

Watching animal behavior, using flight, migration, or grazing patterns to navigate

Arcana

Recalling lore about doorways to Nod, arcane shortcuts, or spells that might be affecting the local area

Athletics

Scaling heights to get a better view of the surrounding landscape, avoiding sudden changes in the land such as rock-slides or flash floods

History

Recalling lore about the movements of clans or significant historical landmarks in the area

Insight

Reading the land’s mood, detecting a will to mislead through changed locations

Nature

Recalling lore about the shape of the land in the past, its habits and likely rearrangements, reading the growth of mosses and other plants

Perception

Sighting landmarks or discovering trails; using smell, taste, and touch to sense movements of the land; searching for signs of large beasts

Persuasion

Imploring the land to guide you, bargaining with it to allow safe and easy passage

Religion

Recalling lore about local gods, the location of hallows, and their effects on the region

Stealth

Avoiding detection by predators, scavengers, or other unfriendly creatures

Survival

Following trails, avoiding- natural hazards, reading the weather, identifying signs of dangerous beasts or hostile creatures

Wilderness Dice Drop Whether the characters are setting out unexpectedly or you’re trying to establish a wilderness for an upcoming journey, you can use this method to quickly generate a unique landscape all your own.

1. SET THE SCALE

You’re going to create a node-based map, which is more about the interesting points along the way than about covering every square mile. These nodes will generally be “one time-unit” apart. First things first, decide the scale of the map you’re about to build, and approximately how far apart you want things to be. Are you making a small regionaa map where each node is minutes or hours apart? A larger map for a journey, where nodes are days or weeks apart? Deciding this first will help you later on.

2. LIST CONCEPTS

Start by figuring out what this landscape contains. List out roughly five concepts that you want this wilderness to feature. This could include flora or fauna, threats or factions, landmarks, geological phenomena—anything that feels like it suits the wilderness you have in mind. Note that the concepts don’t need to have anything to do with each other—in fact, the more diverse they are, the better! Once you have the list, write a 1d10 table, like this: d10

Concept

1–2

Dinosaurs

3–4

Giant plants

5–6

Gnomes

7–8

Burial site

9–10

Cave paintings

Don’t worry about getting the distribution even—it’s fine to have one item occupy only one slot, or three or four. Note, however, that whatever is in the first and last slot will be important in the wilderness you’re building, so make sure you’re excited about those.

2. DROP DICE

To get started making your map, grab a handful of dice. A standard set of RPG dice is fine for a small area, or you can use more dice to create a more complex region. Which dice you choose doesn’t matter, except you need at least one set of percentile dice (10-sided dice with two digits on each face), and that more high-numbered dice (d10s or above) will likely lead to more encounters and landmarks. Drop them on the table, ideally tossing them forward so they create a spread. You can also use a virtual, physics-based dice roller for this. These dice represent nodes the characters will be able to travel to. Circle each one, and remove the dice, noting the value for each die as you remove it.

3. DRAW PATHS

Now, draw paths between the circles, or nodes. Do this by first drawing thick lines that connect nodes with identical values. For example, if you rolled two sixes and three fours, connect the sixes, and separately, connect all three fours. These thick lines represent strong, clear paths which are obvious and easy to follow. Next, draw thin or dotted lines between any nodes that share at least 1 digit. So, if you rolled a 12, 20, and 2, you would draw a thin or dotted line connecting those three nodes. These lines represent obscured, hidden, or difficult paths, which are not easy to follow and may require Wisdom (Perception) checks to even notice. Step back and look at your map. There may be some nodes that are isolated, or the paths may feel scattered and incomplete. If you want a more complex or full network, add thin or thick paths as you see fit. You can also erase paths—the point is to get a map that fits the aesthetic of the location you have in mind. Once you’re happy with the paths and the general shape of the map, move on to step 3.

3. ADD ZONES

Now that you have your paths mapped, it’s time to add another layer to this map: zones. Zones are simply regions that mark different areas of the map. In a long journey, zones show progress towards the goal. Think of them like floors in a dungeon. If you’re heading from a temperate climate to a winter climate, these zones will progressively show the temperature dropping, rain turning to snow, introduction of frozen rivers, winter monsters, etc. In a smaller area, zones might represent landscape features such as forests, valleys, or hills. Divide your map into several columns, then write a brief phrase to describe each, such as “desert dunes” or “haunted swamp.” Later, you can use these locations to suggest random encounters, if the characters should get in trouble.

4. ADD HIERARCHY

By this stage, your map should look like a tangled, chaotic web. Don’t worry—that means you’re on the right track. A messy tangle of paths will lead to a much more interesting experience for the players, representing an untamed wilderness full of tracks and paths, not one simple road. On occasion, the dice will create a straight path across the map, and that’s okay too. Either way, you’re getting a randomized wilderness that they can explore as deeply at they choose.

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Let’s begin to sort out what this map means by creating a hierarchy of dice values, like so: • 1–9 represent areas that, while they may have interesting features, are effectively empty. There are no encounters planned take place here; these are like the empty rooms of dungeon design and give space to the world. • 10–20 represent encounters—these may be social, puzzle, or combat encounters. (You haven’t determined which is which yet.) • 30–100 represent landmarks visible from a distance, or locations that are significant to the region. • Additionally, even-numbered locations will be on high ground (if applicable), and odd-numbered locations will be at low elevations. Note each of these at the appropriate nodes. (You can key them with E for encounter, L for landmark, and an asterisk for high ground. It’s important at this stage to add or remove nodes, encounters, landmarks, and features of interest as you see fit. If you would like to see more moments of rest or more densely-packed adventures, adjust the values of the nodes. The randomness here is intended to inspire, not restrict.

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7. NOTE INTERSECTIONS

Last, before you start actually interpreting the map, note the places where the paths intersect. These don’t always mean crossroads (although they can), but they will represent points in the story where you narrate what the characters see, thereby giving them an opportunity to take action. You can also add narration points wherever a path crosses into a new zone, so you have a moment to talk about the weather or landscape changing. It’s not necessary, but doing so will enhance the experience of the wilderness.

8. WRITE DESCRIPTIONS

Now, wherever a number appears (with 10 represented by 0), write down that concept from your list on your map. Note that this means that anything with two digits will feature not one but two concepts, which will interact with each other. Now, given all of this information, you can start labeling what you’ve discovered, including the paths themselves. It’s best to work from the starting node outward, remembering that only the nodes labeled as such are encounters. The rest are interesting waypoints, where the characters might discover something about their world, but also just repre-

sent a point they reach after a significant amount of travel— one “time unit,” as chosen in step 1. You can either label your map directly or add a key, labeling the nodes with unique numbers for easier lookup.

9. RUN THE WILDERNESS

To use this wilderness in a session, determine which node or nodes are closest to the start of the session, and which are closest to the characters’ goals. When the characters are ready to set out, offer them a choice between any nodes equidistant from their starting place. Give them clear, concise information about what the node contains (“an old salt-mining camp,” or “a cliff littered with dinosaur bones”) and let them choose their way. Use the nodes as narration points, describing what they see when they arrive at each one. Use the zones to give the journey a sense of scale and progress. Should the characters decide to leave the path to cut overland, ask them their preferred direction and consider whether the land is traversable there. You may want to roll on a random encounter table for that zone’s environment as they stir up trouble by stepping off the path.

BRANCHING PATHS

Just because you know how to get somewhere doesn’t mean you know the best way to go. Create points where there are two equal but different paths which hint at different opportunities and dangers. These can be equally ominous or equally enticing. For example: d6 1

One path leads up into open, rocky hills where there isn’t much cover, while the other descends into a dark and twisting canyon

2

One path winds around a shining lake full of good fishing and beautiful views, while the other wanders across open fields known for excellent hunting

3

One path passes by an old scavenger camp known for robbery and violence, while the other goes through a burial ground said to be haunted

4

One path, though long and difficult, has watch-fires every few miles, promising points of rest along the way, while the other is a secret shortcut which should be much quicker and relatively unknown

5

One path is littered with the bones of a fresh kill and reeks of predators, while the other is crowded with poisonous mushrooms of a type you do not know

6

One path is familiar, but old, and appears to have undergone changes since last traveled. The other is new and—while promising—unknown in its dangers

Journey Dungeons The wide landscapes of Planegea are as ripe for adventure as any confined space. Instead of thinking of travel as simply movement from here to there, another means of running overland adventures is to plan any significant travel in the same way that you would plan a dungeon. Although the scale of movement is different, the players can still make meaningful choices leading to varied outcomes, and with a little thought, a journey across the Great Valley can be as memorable as descending into the lair of a lich. When the characters set out, consider the following:

ENVIRONMENTAL OBSTACLES

Sometimes travel is complicated by something as simple as a fallen tree or a flooded river. Introduce environmental obstacles that must be solved in order to continue, such as: d6

d6

Guardians

1

A hunter or elder forbids you from leaving, saying it’s too dangerous

2

A friendly character tries to entice you to stay with offers of hospitality

3

A character who went along the path you’re about to travel is carried back grievously injured

4

Hazardous terrain marks the exit, such as a cliff face, a rushing river, or a trapped hunting ground

5

A predator lurks just beyond the threshold

6

Raiders, a hostile hunting party, or bloodthirsty scavengers lie in wait along the path

Obstacles

1

The path winds through a narrow place, but a fallen tree blocks the path and the party’s pack animals or steeds can’t climb it

2

A flooded river rushes ferociously across the path, requiring a dangerous crossing

3

Recent rains have turned the path into a muddy bog, and travelers must take care or become stuck

4

Fire or drought has rendered the land barren and hostile, with sudden winds kicking up choking ash or dust that impedes forward progress

5

A colossal beast has died and been picked clean by scavengers, and its huge, cracked bones act as a field of spike traps half-sunk into the earth

6

Aggressive plants overgrow the path, entangling and ensnaring any who would walk through them

THRESHOLD GUARDIANS

Embarking on any significant travel should be seen as crossing into an adventure environment. Mark the occasion by introducing a challenge to the party as they depart from any location where they have felt safe. Some ideas include:

Paths

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SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS

You’re not alone in this world, but not everyone you meet will try to kill you. Some want other favors or have opportunities to offer. For example: d6 1

NPCs A vulnerable craftsman who offers to barter their excellent wares

2

A worldly chanter who offers local lore and knowledge in exchange for food

3

A bleeding hunter who is searching for particular prey, asking you if you have seen any sign of it

4

An unsettling hermit who offers to show you a shortcut in exchange for your secrets

5

A wounded gatherer who calls out for help in treating a life-threatening injury

6

An alarmed scavenger who urges you to hide as his former allies scour the path to kill him

PETS OR MINIONS

If the party is traveling towards some goal or confrontation, introduce small creatures allied with their objective to show that they are in the appropriate environment. Use the following table as inspiration: d6 1

The land around a dragon’s lair is occupied by feral pseudodragons and scattered encampments of kobolds who revere the creature

2

The approach to a warlord’s camp is full of crows, vultures, wild dogs, and scavenging goblins who feed on the warlord’s kills

3

Drawing nearer to the sanctum of a corrupted spellskin, you find oozes, slimes, and twisted, experimental creatures altered by its dark magic

4

Traveling towards an ancient volcano introduces fire mephits, salamanders, and imps that thrive in flame and sulfur

5

The region near an aboleth or kraken’s domain features possessed clans, hungry lizardfolk, and pools with eels, octopus, and quippers

6

The path to a known door to Nod is full of drifting WillO-The-Wisps, crafty sprites, and awakened plants

PUZZLES OR TRAPS

Just because it’s the wilderness doesn’t mean it isn’t trapped, or that mysterious conditions don’t present interesting challenges. Consider: d6

Puzzles or traps

CONTEXT CHANGES

1

A hunting snare springs a net trap, dangling the party 20’ in the air

2

A grove has been enchanted to rearrange itself in an endless loop unless you only follow the yellow trees

3

A tripwire shoots arrows from a set of concealed bows rigged to fire

1

4

The path leads to the foot of a sheer cliff, which can be magically opened by building certain symbols with rock cairns

The known lair of your quarry shows signs that other hunters have recently been here and set fire to the surrounding forest

2

5

A seemingly innocent log bridge over a ravine has been weakened to snap when crossed, sending the party tumbling into spikes covered in leaves

The former site of an encampment you were hoping to find is scattered, showing signs of rapid flight and the hooves of raiders’ mounts

3

6

Three enchanted statues guard a crossroads, and you must solve their riddle to learn which way is right

Your quarry’s lair is empty when it was supposed to be asleep, which means it’s out hunting… and it might be hunting you

4

As you approach an encampment known to be hostile and violent, you hear music, children’s laughter, and the sound of joyful celebration

5

Recent flooding has filled the area, causing you to slosh through 1 foot of water, which slows your progress and makes movement twice as difficult

6

A wandering forest has moved into the area, and what was previously open terrain is now a dense and hostile woodland

The world changes while you’re not looking. As the party approaches their objective, mark a shift in what they expected to find. For example: d6

WANDERING PREDATORS

In Planegea, you are hunted as often as you hunt. Use monsters appropriate to the environment and have them roll stealth checks to stalk the party. Such monsters could include: d6

120

Pets

Predators

1

A single large predator such as an owlbear or dinosaur

2

Pack animals working to surround the party

3

A band of raiders setting up an ambush

4

A lurking monstrosity concealed by the environment

5

A flying monster that swoops to attack from above

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FINAL MARKER

As they reach their destination, create a signal that they have come to the end of their journey with a final memorable moment that marks the passage from travel into their destination, such as: d6

Markers

1

Banners, pennants, cairns, or other boundary markers showing entry into claimed territory

2

A terrible stench signaling the immediate proximity of the quarry

3

A change in light, such as misty gloom or the welcome glow of a clanfire in the darkness

4

Sudden silence of the surrounding birds and insects

5

An enchanted welcome, such as a friendly spirit or illusion to guide you the last few steps of the way

6

Broken bones, blood smears, scratches, or other signs of a monster’s place of devouring

CLAN TOOLS

T

HE CLAN IS THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE of mortal life in Planegea. Though there are those who live outside clans—druids, cultists, agents of diverse powers, and the like—the clan is at the center of civilization, and fills the core need for a place in which to encounter others on familiar ground… even if that ground can shift under your feet as quickly as you find it. Here are a few broad guidelines to keep in mind when running a Stone Age fantasy game: Clanfire as tavern and job board. The social epicenter of a town in traditional medieval fantasy is the tavern. Here, the clanfire takes on that role, and the guidance in this section offers insight into how to use it as a gathering place throughout the day. The work to be done and rumors of the clan are also discussed by the fireside, which makes it a natural place for characters to discover the potential adventures they might encounter, not unlike a traditional questing job board in other settings. Gods & shamans as temple and magic shop. In Planegea, the gods and shamans are keepers of most enchantments and magic items—not that spellskins can’t enchant, but you’re more likely to get a weapon touched by a god than forged by an arcane inventor. Divine hallows and shaman tents take on the role of temples and magic shops in most cases, and recasting the traditional shopping experience as an attempt to curry favor with a god through offerings can be an entertaining prospect. Caves as castles and dungeons. Caves, cliffs, thick forests, and other natural defenses take on the rolls of the high walls, lowered portcullises, and deep moats of fantasy castles. In many places, dwarvish ruins or natural formations of land create all the shelter and stronghold wellarmed defenders need to keep their interests safe. Such places are natural environments for unexpected infestations—the giant insects, undead, oozes and slimes, and other conventional dungeon challenges all have a natural home as the original inhabitants of whatever cavern a clan might have moved into. Bear these options and assumptions in mind as you use the following materials to create the clans that your characters will interact with as allies and enemies.

Clan Creation Most of us have a good baseline idea of what a medieval fantasy town might look like—it has a tavern and a blacksmith and maybe a local lord’s castle nearby, whose guards keep order in the streets and maybe have work to offer those who want it. There might be a temple or a magic shop, if it’s large enough. But what does a fantasy stone age encampment look like? How does it function, and how do you, as the DM, set it up to make it a living, breathing environment full of adventure hooks that your players can grab onto?

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This section covers what such an encampment might contain—the people who live there, their roles and function, and the structures they inhabit.

GODS

Most clans are defined first and foremost by their relationship to their surrounding gods. Clans can be fiercely loyal to a single god, even as they travel; they can be diplomatic, navigating a network of divinities; or they may be godless, by choice or accident. Each of these has a powerful effect on the clan’s outlook, traditions, and resources. After all, a god’s favor is important in a dangerous world; reverence can be key to survival. Primary god. Some clans revere only a single god. The Brother Clans are a good example of this, such as the Bear Clan’s devotion to Urhosh. Such clans will deal with other gods as needed during their winter walk and time in the Allhunt, but it is always in deference to their primary deity. They are usually named after the god and rely on it as their primary source of blessing and power. Network of gods. There are clans who live in areas where more than one god holds sway, and who seek to exist in a web of divine relationships. Such clans hedge their bets by interacting with multiple gods, often acting as divine mediators or go-betweens when tensions between gods arise. These clans tend to name themselves after their skills,

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their leaders, or their histories, preferring not to align too tightly to a single god, for fear of dishonoring the others. Godless clans. Clans without any divine relationships are rare, but they can occur. Some clans, such as those comprised mainly of orcs, druids, or arcane practitioners, see the gods as a distraction, believing that they take as much as they give and that mortals are betters surviving on their own terms. Others are seeking gods but, whether because of their weakness, some flaw in their worship, or simple bad luck, have not found a god to claim as their own. Very rarely, an entire clan will be outcast by a wrathful god, marked as unholy, and rejected by all gods as unworthy of blessing—usually for allowing druidic practices or desecrating their god’s hallow in some way. Such wretched clans wander the world abandoned, and would gladly offer worship if they could.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY

Clans generally survive by doing a little of everything— hunting, gathering, trading, and so on. But most, through various talents and abilities, will wind up specializing in particular survival strategies above others. Very large clans, such as the Brothers, are made up of smaller groups, called camps or bands, who focus on individual tactics and contribute to the clan as a whole. But smaller, independent clans, use varied methods to stay one step ahead of death.

Some of the most common survival strategies used by clans include: Hunting. Hunter-led clans are built around pursuit of the quarry, staying light and agile, able to move as their prey does. Such clans often build their structures of the bones and skins of their prey. Strength, agility, and toughness are esteemed qualities in a clan member. Gathering. Clans built around gathering tend to be more peaceful than other clans, with a focus on defenses to protect themselves, since they lack a strong hunter culture. Such clans value a keen eye and a stout stomach, the ability to find food and survive anywhere. They also are often expert trappers, setting up a ring of defenses around their clans to both catch prey and would-be attackers. Crafting & trading. In populous regions, some clans are able to survive simply by getting what others want for them. These clans produce high-quality or high-volume goods such as fishooks, spearheads, traps, tents, and so on— objects other clans need to get by—plus more than that. They carry desirable goods from place to place, relying on the next swap to provide food, Herding. Most common in the Dire Grazelands, but found throughout Planegea, are the herding clans. These clans have domesticated sufficient beasts that they can live well on their flocks. Such clans often emphasize the close bond between mortal and beast, and name themselves after the animals they most rely upon. Warfare. These clans are organized around conquest, usually led by a warlord with a subordinate shaman. Warrior clans subjugate weaker clans and force them to do their labor, freeing the conquering clan to focus on preparing for their next battle. Raiding or scavenging. These clans rely on sudden surprise attacks and theft, taking from other clans by force or stealth to gather the materials they need. Such clans have few children or elderly, shedding their weakest members and keeping on the move as much as possible. Arcane Magic. Often at odds with shamanistic practices, some clans are led by arcane spellcasters. These clans have their own quirks: spellskin-led clans tend to be less mobile, preferring habitations near their leader’s sanctum; sorcerer-led clans tend to be very instinctive, impulsive, and chaotic, often relying on trade and alliances to survive; chanter-led clans are usually wandering performers, bringing pageantry to their neighbors in return for a share in provisions and crafted goods. Asceticism. Some clans practice self-abnegation as a virtue, pushing themselves to the limits in search of greater enlightenment. These clans tend to be withdrawn, disciplined, and found in places that are hard to reach for both allies and enemies. Druidic Practices. Most see druids as traitors, allying themselves with the natural world instead of sharpening spears against it. Druidic clans tend to be founded by outcasts, hidden away from those that would snuff them out if they could.

Outlander Survival. Some clans are entirely shaped by their environments. Those who dwell in the shadow of the giant empires or at the edges of the world-fangs have their own practices and survival strategies that may be radically different than the rhythms and practices of the Great Valley clans. Cultic Practices. Not all gods are understanding. Some clans exist in utter dependence or fear of their local deity, and spend all of their effort and energy to satisfy its demands. This practice can be parasitic—the god consuming its clans without compassion—or symbiotic, with the god providing all the clan needs while its worshipers engage in endless rites and rituals in the service of the god. Other Means. Clans are as varied as the scope of life, and can exist in any pattern or configuration. From ruin-guardians to tree-dwellers, from dream-walkers to enchanter-bandits, clans live and die and mix and mingle in all conceivable forms, limited only by imagination and the Black Taboos.

CULTURES & COMMUNITIES

Because survival comes first, and all willing hands are welcome at the clanfire, many clans are not organized primarily by kinship. It’s not unusual even in small clans to find humans, dwarves, elves, and orcs working side by side to stay alive. However, families often stick together, and many clans have a racial and cultural majority, which is usually reflected in its leadership and activities. For clans in which kinship hold a particular sway, there are some common features of culture. Human-led clans. By far the most common in the Great Valley, where humans dwell in large numbers, humanled clans tend to live in close community with tamed or trained animals, such as dogs and cats, mounts, trained birds and chattercrests, and beasts of burden. They typically dwell in simple huts or tents, and rarely stay in one place for longer than a season or two. Dwarf-led clans. These clans tend to spend much of their time in constructing defenses and shelters, preferring to remain in a single location for longer, even braving the winter to build up a stronghold worth protecting. Dwarfled clans spend a long time choosing the perfect encampment site, then erect permanent structures such as walls, stone huts, and wells, which benefit others long after they’ve been forced to moved on. Elf-led clans. Elf-led clans travel erratically, often without a reason that’s clear to outsiders. They’ll stay in a location for only a short time and loop back over the same hunting ground repeatedly, leaving little impact on the land as they move lightly across it. Elvish leaders prefer to find natural habitations, and are more likely to move their clan into natural structures such as trees, cave systems, or cliffs, aggressively clearing out predators so they can occupy pre-existing defenses rather than constructing their own. Halfling-led clans. Halfling culture emphasizes stealth and surprise attacks, and even when coexisting with

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other kinships, those values remain powerful strategies. Halfling-led encampments are almost always well-hidden, camouflaged so that a wanderer might practically walk through one and never know it was there. Halflings conceal their clanfires with open-roofed tents, huts, or disguised screens, and put a great degree of emphasis on keeping the encampment’s location secret. Dragonborn-led clans. Clans led by dragonborn are often messy, sprawling affairs that gouge and gash the land as they travel. Dragonborn culture is born of survival in the verdant Venom Abyss, and they tend to treat the natural world as something to be hacked away at to carve out space for themselves. Dragonborn encampments are often dug into the dirt or erected in burned thickets, with large trees felled to make quick defenses. Others say you can tell that dragonborn passed by seasons earlier, dragging their blades through the world behind them. Godmarked-led clans. Godmarked are often solitary people, but sometimes a god will alter an entire clan in a sign of their favor or displeasure. Such clans often carry strong memories of their marking, and may act either blessed or cursed, depending on the event. Clans led by the godmarked are often studies in extremes, either filled with incense, totems, symbols, and devotion, or cleared of any sign or act of religion in an outright rejection of whatever god changed them. Gnome-led clans. Because gnomes are often ostracized by other kinships, it’s not unusual to find a clan made solely of gnomes. Regardless of whether they’re cooperating with other kinships, gnome-led clans put a high emphasis on crafting, creativity, and trade. Huts and tents are made with a patchwork, stitched-together material called gnomequilt, and in front of each hut or tent is a small spread of trinkets, trade goods, and materials for barter. The same items will often be passed around small clans again and again in ritual trade, but larger clans can have sprawling marketplaces where all manner of unusual items can be found. Orc-led clans. Most clans would consider themselves fortunate indeed to be led by an orc. Orcs are sought after as hunters and leaders, thanks to their powerful builds and natural toughness. Yet orc-led encampments are often demanding places, with an emphasis on physical prowess, discipline, tradition, and respect, and place little emphasis on the gods and divine matters. It’s more common to find druids and rangers among orcs, and shamans have little sway in their encampments. Saurian-led clans. Saurians are a diverse people who have evolved many strategies for survival over their long racial lifespan. A few common threads can be found when saurians lead, however. They favor an emphasis on patience, with hunts typically based on ambush rather than pursuit. Saurian-led clans are typically built according to a rigid pattern such as a spiral, circle, or grid, chosen by the chieftain and shaman, and constructed in the same way, regardless of the campsite they choose. They also keep

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close ties with their ancestors and friendly spirits, carrying embalmed dead and traveling among a network of cairns where the spirits of those who died long ago can offer them guidance and advice. Dreas, Starling, or Half-Ooze-led clans. Dreas, starlings, and half-oozes are all rare enough that it’s highly uncommon to find more than one in a given clan, if any. However, should one of these elevate to leadership, they would be inclined to direct the clan based on their personal values. You might expect a dreas chieftain to encamp among trees and use domesticated plants in many ways. A starling might lead their clan towards nocturnal behavior, preferring to spend more of their time under the stars than not. A half-ooze could emphasize hunting and collection of food to an extreme degree, stockpiling far more than the clan needs in salt huts and smokehouses. Yet each of these would be an individual with their own ambitions and motivations, and might vary widely based on how they came to walk the paths of Planegea. Clans led by others. There are many kinships not listed here which might carve out their own communities or find positions of leadership, dwelling in their own way, distinct from others. Whatever kinship or culture leads a clan, the first emphasis is always on survival—and if a kinship or culture has an edge on a particular kind of survival, they will use it intelligently to stay alive nother day.

DESCRIPTION

At a glance, one can see whether a clan is small or large, struggling or prospering, although the surface might hide some secret—a seemingly tiny encampment might be a mere outpost for a huge clan, or an outwardly serene clan might hide secret desperation and starvation. Use the tables below to inspire your clans. These options will get you started—where you take them is up to you. Size. Most camps range in size from around 10–100 people, and are led by a chieftain, a shaman, one or more elders, and various other high-status figures, described in the next section as notables. d6

Camp Size

1

Tiny. 1d6+5 people, including a chieftain (75%) or shaman (25%)

2

Small. 1d6+10 people, including a chieftain and shaman.

3

Modest. 2d6+20 people, including a chieftain, shaman, and 1 elder.

4

Large. 2d6+40 people, including a chieftain, shaman, and 2 elders.

5

Huge. 4d6+60 people, including a chieftain, shaman, 3 elders, and 1d4 notables.

6

Enormous. 4d6+80 people, including a chieftain, shaman, 3 elders, and 2d4 notables.

Condition. Not all clans are equal in prosperity—some thrive and grow, while others disappear in wretched squalor. Any number of reasons can cause a rise or fall in fortunes: the death of a strong leader, a windfall of resources, internal fighting, the ravages of disease, the influence of gods… every clan has its own story. d6

Camp Condition

1

Squalid. Miserable, in crisis.

2

Miserable. Dirty, dangerous.

3

Struggling. Hardworking, tough.

4

Comfortable. Safe, secure.

5

Growing. Bustling, thriving.

6

Idyllic. Prospering, joyful.

Layout. Although an encampment’s arrangement is always affected by the environment, most clans have a preferred layout that best suits their personalities and survival strategies. d6

Tone. Strongly influenced by leader and condition, the tone of a camp is part of its personality. Two otherwise similar camps might have strongly different tones, creating different opportunities for adventure and conflict. d6

Serene, calm, sacred. People walk slowly and murmur. Meditating clan members, small shrines, chimes, and quiet chants are commonplace.

2

Bustling, rushed. People hurry past and call out across open spaces. Shouts, arguments, spills, and crowded entryways are commonplace.

3

Competitive, tense. People walk in pairs and whisper. Shadowy corners, closed tent flaps, private conversations, and public contests are commonplace.

4

Strict, formal. People work and eat according to a tight structure. Work parties, commands, and leaders issuing reprimands are commonplace.

5

Lax, lazy, casual. People doze and amble. Naps, informal games, half-finished chores, cobwebs, and rubbish are commonplace.

6

Showy, ostentatious. People stroll and boast. Paintings, carvings, woven cloth, fine goods, and rare craftworks are commonplace.

Camp Layout

1

Sprawling. Low structures spaced far apart. Covers a wide area.

2

Densely packed. Crowded. Covers a medium area.

3

Tall. Towering, covers a small area.

4

Deep. Dug out, covers a small area.

5

Orderly. Arranged by pattern, covers a medium area.

6

Scattered. Connected by paths or tunnels, area varies.

Camp Tone

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MATERIALS

Often, clans will specialize in a certain type of work for the purposes of bartering with other clans, or seek some specific need of their people or magic, such as medicinal herbs, salt, or carving wood. Depending on the clan, they may value a location near a particular kind of material more highly than other locations. Roll on the table below to determine the clan’s current access to materials, and roll on the Materials table on the opposite page for inspiration about the reason for a clan’s chosen encampment site. 1d20 1–5 6–10

Source of Materials Bad. No materials are available. Poor. Materials are available, but they are scarce and of inferior quality. Roll once on the Materials table. Checks to collect these resources and to craft or trade with them have their DCs increased by 5.

11–15

Fair. Materials are available and of adequate quality. Roll 1d4 times on the Materials table.

16–20

Good. Materials are plentiful or of excellent quality. Roll 1d8 times on the Materials table. Checks to collect these resources and to craft or trade with them have their DCs decreased by 5.

LEADERS

Nothing has a stronger effect on a clan than its leadership. A good leader can make a terrible situation rewarding, while a bad leader spoils nature’s bounty. Leaders are those who stand out and help guide the clan. Some leaders have formal positions, while others exert influence based on their abilities and what the rest of the clan expects of them. KEY LEADERS There are three key leadership roles in a clan: chieftain, shaman, and elder. A clan that lacks any of these roles is weaker for the absence, as each balances the other two. Chieftain. As the physical leader of the clan, the chieftain is responsible for the food and safety of their people. A chieftain oversees the hunters, gatherers, crafters, and arcane spellcasters, executes judgment in cases of crime, and leads the clan when they migrate. They are also the key negotiators in trade deals, alliances, and declarations of war. They ensure the shaman does not forget physical needs in pursuit of the spiritual, and that the old ways are not served to the detriment of the needs of the moment. Above all else, the chieftain is focused on the survival of the clan. Shaman. As the spiritual leader of the clan, the shaman is responsible for the magical and religious well-being of their people. A shaman governs apprentices, guardians, and ascetics, enacting ceremonies, rites, and rituals, and deals directly with gods and spirits on the clan’s behalf. They name children, oversee coming-of-age traditions, and bless marriage unions. They ensure the chieftain does not anger the gods, and that the old ways of the elders still please the

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gods as they change and grow. Above all else, the shaman is focused on the relationship between the clan and the gods. Elder. As the lore-keepers of the clan, the elders are responsible for the transmission of knowledge and skill to their people. Typically acting as a group of 3–7, the elders oversee the teaching of children and crafters, fishers and trappers, and all who specialize in trades and skills to keep the clan alive. They keep alive the traditional ways of the clan, including songs and stories passed down from other generations, and offer key guidance when traveling through an ever-changing landscape, remembering what came before to envision what might lie ahead. They also mediate conflicts between the chieftain and shaman, acting as the final arbiters when the physical and spiritual leaders of the clan cannot agree. Above all else, the elders are focused on the stability of the clan. NOTABLES Though the chieftain, shaman, and elders are the only official leaders in small clans, larger encampments with more people require more structure, and attract those with more skills. Such people are notable for their status and acumen. To introduce notables into your clans, roll on the table below: d12

Notables

1

Lead hunter. The most experienced or impressive hunter, whose directions are followed on the trail.

2

Lead gatherer. The most experienced or capable gatherer, who directs gathering efforts.

3

Lead crafter. The most skilled crafter, either individually or as a leader of other crafters.

4

Guardian. An appointed warrior who fights on behalf of the shaman, typically entrusted with the clan’s magic weapon.

5

Arcanist. A chanter, spellskin, sorcerer, or warlock who casts spells to benefit the clan.

6

Expert. A person of special knowledge about a single topic, such as geography, weather, or creatures.

7

Undershaman. A student and servant of the shaman, granted some shamanic powers and authority.

8

Storyteller. A gifted orator or singer who entertains and unifies the clan with their tales and songs.

9

Caretaker. One who is gifted with the care of the young, and raises children well, with great honor.

10

Healer. A person studied in medicine, herbs, and healing secrets, who keeps the clan healthy.

11

Trader. One who deals with strangers on behalf of the clan, sometimes traveling far to enact significant bartering deals.

12

Champion. The clan’s strongest physical specimen, put forward in games and battles as their representative.

MATERIALS 3d8

Materials

Typical Location

Uses

Specialist

3

Unknown God*

Any

Magic, Protection

Shaman

4

Door to Nod*

Caves, Forests, Valleys

Travel, Magic

Chieftain, Warlock

5

Glass

Sand, Volcanoes

Tools, Decoration, Status

Glassworker

6

Ancestral Cairn*

Caves, Hills, Mountains

Lore, Regional Knowledge

Elder

7

Salt

Sand, Water Sources

Trade, Food Preservation

Cook, Trader

8

Spiderweb*

Caves, Forests

Medicine, Weaving, Crafting

Healer, Weaver

9

Shells

Caves, Water Sources

Tools, Decoration

Carver

10

Bones or Antlers

Fields, Forests, Caves

Weapons, Tools, Building

Crafter

11

Flint

Water Sources, Caves

Weapons, Tools

Flintknapper

12

Clay

Valleys, Water Sources, Caves

Pottery, Building

Potter

13

Common Stone

Hills, Mountains

Building

Builder

14

Wood

Forests, Water Sources

Weapons, Tools, Building

Woodworker

15

Grass or Rushes

Fields, Water Sources

Weaving

Weaver

16

Vines

Forests, Mountains

Rope, Tools, Building

Crafter

17

Feathers or Hides

Any

Clothing, Shelter, Decoration

Tanner

18

Wine Berries*

Fields, Forests, Cliffs

Fermentation, trade

Drinkmaster, Trader

19

Special Herbs

Forests, Valleys, Cliffs

Medicine, Religion

Healer, Shaman

20

Monster Parts (Uncommon)*

Caves, Skeletons

Tools, Weapons

Crafter, Carver

21

Venom or Toxin

Sand, Forests, Water Sources

Medicine, Weapons

Healer

22

Ooze*

Caves, Forests, Water Sources

Glue, Lubricant

Builder

23

Monster Parts (Rare)*

Lairs, Skeletons

Tools, Weapons, Status

Chieftain, Crafter

24

Magic Item*

Any

Magic, Lore, Status

Chieftain, Elder

Unknown God. The area holds the hallow of an unknown god—this might be a god who prefers to remain secret, who has ascended to godhood recently, or who has simply existed for all these years without encountering mortals. If the clan or party has a shaman, it is usually their responsibility to deal with newly-encountered deities, for good or for ill. Door to Nod. Doors to Nod can be found throughout Planegea. Roll 1d20; on a 10 or lower, the door leads to the Nightmare World. On an 11 or higher, the door leads to the Dream World. Reality is often strange near such doors, altering nearby plants and animals, and elves or other native inhabitants of Nod might travel through the doorway and be willing to trade—or planning to attack. Warlocks or other arcane casters and clan chieftains are usually tasked with dealing with the threat or promise of an encounter with Nod. Ancestral Cairn. Saurians leave piles of stone throughout the world, inhabited by the spirits of their dead, who are often willing to share their memories and knowledge of the surrounding lands. They may require a price for this knowledge, such as eradicating a local threat or carrying a message to their descendants. Spiderweb. Although common spiderwebs are found everywhere, areas with particularly large spider colonies—or particularly large spiders—can have harvestable webs that are useful for crafting and medicine. Of course, the presence of such webs

suggests the presence of spiders, making any attempt to harvest them one that’s better done armed and protected. Wine Berries. Wine berries are favored by drinkmasters, who know the secrets of fermentation to make strong drink. Such berries come in many varieties and qualities. Exceptional berries make exceptional drink, and are prized by traders for their portability when dried and bartering value. Monster Parts. Many monsters have particularly useful parts, such as petrifying eyes, fireproof scales, freezing fangs, etc. In areas where monsters are plentiful, these parts can be harvested— as long as you can survive an encounter with the monsters themselves. Ooze. Naturally-occuring oozes come in many forms (most of them dangerous). These oozes can be used as extra-powerful greases or as bonding agents, depending on their type. They are also useful for certain kinds of spells. However, oozes without a clear source might also suggest aberrant presence nearby, and often act as a reason to avoid an area just as much as to visit it. Magic Item. A lost magic item is an incredibly valuable find—if a deeply risky one. These magic items usually radiate a certain power; they may be cursed, or sentient, or tied to a particular fate. The item’s former owner may haunt their location, or they may be concealed within a dungeon, awaiting a worthy soul to come and claim them.

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DESCRIPTION To quickly create unique leaders, use the tables below to randomize their age, reputation, and a standout feature they’re known for. d6

Age

1

Ancient

2

Old

3

Mature

4

Middle-aged

5

Prime of life

6

Unusually young

d6

Reputation

1

Hated, treated with disgust or disdain

2

Disliked, avoided and opposed

3

Ignored, left out of conversations

4

Well-liked, opinion is sought after

5

Respected, given the last word

6

Revered, treated as a holy figure

d6

DWELLING Dwellings are where creatures sleep and spend their time at ease, when not at work or at the clanfire. Most of these dwellings can be constructed of the most rudimentary materials—sticks, leaves, untreated hides—but can be fashioned of finer stuff for more comfortable and impressive dwellings if those who dwell within are of high status. DEFENSE In a world as violent and hungry as Planegea, defenses are essential to survival. The six defensive structures listed here are the most common, but mortals have many clever means of keeping themselves and that which they hold dear safe. Most of these are fairly basic, but can be reinforced with resources and effort to improve their toughness and durability. PRODUCTION Some structures are built primarily for production: the preparation of food, the crafting of goods, the harvesting of raw materials, etc. These sites usually start out small and meager, able to only produce the smallest products. But given time and effort, with skilled artisans and sufficient workspace, they can expand to create amazing value.

Standout Feature

1

Stature. Roll 1d4. 1: Tall; 2: Short; 3: Slender; 4: Wide.

2

Movement. Roll 1d4. 1: Fidgety; 2: Graceful; 3: Expressive gestures; 4: Clumsy.

3

Health. Roll 1d4. 1: Hearty; 2: Sickly; 3: Pale; 4: Flushed.

4

Intellect. Roll 1d4. 1: Brilliant; 2: Dull; 3: Logical; 4: Fanciful.

5

Outlook. Roll 1d4: 1. Impulsive; 2: Cautious; 3: Optimistic; 4: Pessimistic.

6

Demeanor. Roll 1d4: 1. Warm; 2: Passionate; 3: Aloof; 4: Cliquish

d8 1

Shelter. A simple lean-to, little more than a slanted roof propped up by sticks. Enough to keep some of the rain or sun off, but little else.

2

Tent. A mobile, collapsible dwelling, often fashioned from poles and a covering. Usually has an opening to allow smoke from a hearth or cookfire to escape.

3

Hut. Semi-permanent, sturdier and tougher than a tent. Takes longer to construct and move, usually built at a site that a clan intends to return to again.

4

Roundhouse. A large circular edifice with a conical roof and enough space for many to gather within. Roundhouses can be built as permanent structures or crafted to quickly collapse.

5

Pithouse. A roof lowered over a pit, hole, or other low place. Pithouses are excellent for staying out of sight, and can be easily disguised to avoid notice from most predators—except the burrowing ones.

6

Slinghouse. A dwelling suspended in midair, usually by ropes between trees or massive beasts. Typically traversed by crawling rather than walking while inside.

7

Pen. A dwelling for beasts. Usually made from ropes wrapped around stakes driven into the earth. Tougher pens can be built to contain wild animals, but such projects take precious time and resources.

8

Stable. A shelter, tent, or hut built with the needs of beasts in mind, not mortals. Considered a luxury—if an animal’s life is worth protecting, it’s usually simply brought in by the fireside with the family.

STRUCTURES

Although each encampment is unique, many share similar structures, in varied combinations. Just as a medieval fantasy town might have a tavern, blacksmith, and temple, so Planegean settlements have the clanfire, crafter, and shrine. Use these structures to populate your encampments.

128

d20

Structure type

1-8

Dwelling

9-10

Defense

11-14

Production

15-16

Storage

17-18

Transport

19-20

Magic

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Dwellings

STRUCTURES d6

Defenses

d10

Production Areas

1

Wall. From simple sharpened stick palisades to stone walls to magical barriers, walls keep trouble out.

1

Potter. Creates and bakes clay pots and containers for goods of all sizes and types.

2

Tower. Guard towers are heavily fortified and built for shooting arrows. Watch towers are much taller and more spindly, designed to be quickly scaled for a glimpse at the distant horizon.

2

Knapper. Chips stones like flint and obsidian, sharpening them into blades for weapons, tools, fishhooks, and so on.

3

3

Gate. A fortified entrance with a removable barrier made of wooden poles or large bones.

Crafter. Builds tools, weapons, structures, traps, and all manner of complex objects requiring carpentry, woodworking, or invention.

4

Pit or Trench. Pits are designed as traps and obstacles, while trenches surround and slow attackers.

4

Mine. Digs flint, salt, quartz, and other valued minerals from the nearby landscape.

5

5

Traps. Crafted for hunting, traps can also be useful for catching other kinds of creatures, and—whether lethal or not—serve an essential role in defending most encampments.

Dryer. Racks on which salted food or pelts are hung or spread as a method of preservation and preparation. (Food and skin dryers are usually kept separate.)

6

Hearth. A small fire, ringed with stones, usually in or near a tent, used for cooking and warmth.

7

Oven. A small hut with a contained flame, used for evenly cooking certain kinds of food and baking clay.

8

Tanner. A foul-smelling but essential structure at which hides are scraped, soaked, dried, and turned into leather. Tanners are set far apart and downwind from the other structures, because of their smell.

9

Weaver. Crafts woven baskets, mats, roofs, and other essential materials, as well as creating woven cloth when materials allow.

10

Well. Brings water from below—usually only dug with great effort, typically only exists in sites clans return to year after year.

6

Stash. In a world with few mechanical locks, secret stashes or hiding places for goods and valuables are important, with concealment serving as a better protection from thieves than force.

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STORAGE For clans who are doing more than merely eking by, storage areas to contain food, supplies, and materials are essential. Simple and quick to build, they nevertheless usually stand open to thieves or pests, and can be made more secure given time or effort, depending on the value of what’s inside. TRANSPORT Certain objects lie halfway between structures and tools, but will often appear on your map of a camp like structures. Many of these items are particularly useful as the clan travels, and can be improved with time and resources to make them safer and more trustworthy, even in extreme conditions. MAGIC Many camps have magical areas where arcane or divine spellcasters can work their spells, allowing access to the powerful forces that make survival possible in Planegea. These areas can be very simple and rudimentary or quite elaborate, and usually require some sort of preparation in order to be useful. More magical places may require more preparation, to allow for greater spellcasting.

CULTURE

Clans don’t exist without context or history. Use the following questions to inspire some of the culture in which this clan exists: • Why is this clan either sought out by others or avoided? • The prized belonging of someone long dead is in a place of honor. What is it and who did it belong to? • It’s considered an offense to speak someone’s name in the clan. Who is it and why? • What was the last crime committed in the clan or camp? How long ago was it and what was the punishment? • What is one rumor going around the clan? • What festivals or rites mark the clan’s year? • Where’s one place the clan never wants to return to?

d4

Sometimes the characters will come across a clan unexpectedly, or you want a quick and simple starting place to generate an existing encampment. To quickly lay out a clan’s encampment, you can simply use a dice drop method. Most camps are arranged organically, so this tool gives you an unplanned and unique encampment layout each time.

1. DROP THE DICE

First, choose a number of dice equal to the number of structures you want in your village. (You can always add or take away from these later.) For best results, use a variety of die types. Roll or drop the dice onto a sheet of paper.

2. TRACE OUTLINES

Now, loosely trace the outlines of the dice, lightly noting the number of each die as you remove it. These will become the shapes of the structures in the encampment. Any dice that were touching become a single structure with a complex shape. Many structures are created of adjoining tents or ramshackle networks of tents, huts, and awnings, so embrace the chaotic shapes these buildings take on—but don’t be afraid to alter them as you see fit, based on the encampment you’re interested in exploring.

3. NOTE GAPS

There should be some gaps in the pattern of the dice as thrown. These gaps are crucial, as they show where structures aren’t built, for good reason. Use the gaps as follows: Clanfire. In the most central, most circular gap, draw an X the size of a structure. This is the location of the Clanfire, and represents the social hub of the encampment. Perimeter. Draw a line that encloses the largest group of structures. It’s perfectly fine if some structures fall outside this, as will happen in more scattered maps. This line represents the boundary of the encampment. It will usually be fortified at least with a ditch or wall of sharpened sticks, d4

Transports

STRUCTURES

1

Resource pile. A stack of wood, rocks, or other nonperishable items that don’t require containing or protecting.

1

Sledge. A platform designed to be hauled or dragged, sometimes on runners. Attached by ropes to a harness that can be worn by mortals or beasts.

2

Storage tent. A tent without a hearth or hole for the smoke, designed to keep water off the goods.

2

3

Storage hut. A sturdier and more well-defended storage location, usually semi-permanent.

Boat. A raft, canoe, catamaran, or barge. Some are designed for fast travel, others simply as a floating platform from which to fish or keep watch.

3

Bridge (Portable). Fashioned from rope and wood, a portable bridge is a valuable resource which, once secured, allows clan members to cross ravines, rivers, and so on with minimal difficulty.

4

Ladder. Relied upon in cliff-dwelling clans, as well as being useful for battle and raids, in quickly scaling trees, cliffs, and other heights from which one can attack and defend with greater ease.

4

130

Storage Areas

Encampment Dice Drop

Storage yard. A simple penned area designated for a certain type of goods.

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but may merely the line along which sentries are posted at night, to watch for predators. Geography. If there is a second gap that’s obvious in the map, use that to indicate a geographical feature or change in the landscape. Some options include: • • • •

A stream or river (if deep, maybe crossed by a bridge) A ledge or cliff (often crossed with ladders) A trail or path A transition between types of terrain (if the site is half in forest or half over water) • Preternaturally large tree • Strange rock formation

4. ADD LABELS

Now that you know the general shape of the encampment, you can begin labeling the structures you’ve traced, using the numbers rolled as a guide. High numbers. First, look at the highest numbers rolled. The two highest numbers will be the chieftain and shaman’s dwellings, with the shaman being nearest the clanfire. Continue counting down the high numbers, labeling the dwellings of elders and clan notables. Other structures. You can decide what the other structures in the camp are, or you can determine randomly by rolling on the Structure tables (pg. 128).

5. MODIFY & RUN

Finally, make adjustments as you see fit, then bring the encampment into your game! Should the characters enage with the encampment for longer than a session or two, consider going back and using some of the materials from the previous section to discover more about the clan’s nature and leaders.

d6

Magic Structures

1

Cairn. Special graves or tombs erected to enshrine an ancestor or friendly spirit. Such cairns can be used to communicate with ghosts, and are often useful for access to ancient lore or historical knowledge.

2

Totem. A symbol or shared focus for the clan’s power and reverence. Can be tied to either arcane or divine magic, useful for casting spells. Powerful totems can even increase spell levels within a certain range.

3

Circle. A ring of stone, wood, bone, or other permanent material. Usually used in casting the hallow spell to make a particular spot more magical or sacred.

4

Spell Wall. A place where spellskins can work out their arcane patterns, crafting the complexities required to allow them to cast spells in the future using only their tattoos as shorthand reminders.

TROUBLE If there is trouble in the encampment, select a digit before rolling. The structures matching that digit might be especially touched by the trouble. (For example, if you select 4, then any dice resuling in 4, 14, 40, etc. would indicate a structure touched by the trouble.) If the trouble is more widespread, you might choose to have all structures with odd numbers be affected. If characters investigate the chosen structures, they could potentially find its effects lingering here, and clues to unraveling it. Such troubles might include: • • • • •

An infestation of biting insects or other pests A disease or infection Mold or rot on the structures and its contents Low morale or a faction opposed to the leadership A secret, conspiracy, or cover-up

The Clanfire The clanfire is the heart and soul of the clan. It represents a clan’s life, and to quench the clanfire is equivalent to a death threat or declaration of war against the entire clan. The clanfire is always kept burning, whether by magical means or constant feeding—although it only burns high at night, when the clan gathers as the stars rise.

BENEFITS

The clanfire is the center of encampment life. It’s where the characters will be able to find NPCs regularly, and enact much of the business of adventuring that takes place at the tavern and shops in other 5E settings. Some of the benefits of using clanfires in your games include: Gathering. Each night (and to a lesser degree, each morning), the majority of NPCs in a given clan gather around the clanfire. This regular reassembly of all characters can help drive the action forward—your players will know where to find people, unless NPCs are trying to avoid them or absent for other reasons. Meal. The clanfire is a shared meal, where all who are welcome at its light are invited to eat. If you don’t want to focus on survival and resource management in your game, the clanfire is a useful tool for explaining how the characters have enough to eat each day—and being excluded from it can immediately trigger the need to find food in a more creative, adventure-filled way. Rumors. Wherever communities gather, rumors swirl. The clanfire is a perfect place for characters to overhear fragments of information, snatches of conversation, whispered secrets—all the news you might have them pick up in a chaotic environment where lips are loosed by strong drink and good food.

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Tasks. Just as the notice board serves as an easy way to give characters jobs in medieval fantasy, tasks are handed out at the clanfire. Typically this happens in the morning, during an informal gathering where a speaker announces work to be done, but can just as easily be suggested at any time of day if the characters inquire about jobs. Commerce. Trade happens by the light of the clanfire. Rather than travel to individual shops, players can find crafters, traders, and others interested in swapping for salt or barter gathered around the blaze. Bargains can at least begin at the clanfire, but may require a follow-up visit to the trader’s dwelling in the light of day, to examine wares and exchange goods. Authority. Ceremonies, judgments, executions, exilings, marriages, adoptions, clan magic—all public events happen at the clanfire, conducted by the shaman, chieftain, or both. If there’s a public event, for good or ill, it will occur just after dark, as the clanfire burns high.

RUNNING THE CLANFIRE

The clanfire is a great tool for you as the DM, and can make running downtime much easier with a minor degree of preparation. This is not always necessary—for clans where the characters won’t spend much time, it’s unimportant to go into this level of detail. But if your table will be spending any significant portion of their adventuring time with a given clan as their home base, you can make the clanfire a living, breathing place with these steps: List. First, make a numbered list of important or interesting NPCs in the clan. Consider leaders, notables, average clan members, and anyone of particularly low-status. List them out. (You can also simply write categories of people, such as “gatherer” or “child” if the tribe is large enough.) You can use the Name Generator, pg. 364. Key. Once you have your list, make a key noting any factions, groups, or storylines. For example, if a team of the young hunters is considering an overthrow of the existing chief, you might put a star by their names. If you want to add additional detail, consider when each character is habitually by the fire. You can add columns to your table for each time period (e.g., Day & Night; or Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night, Pre-Dawn) and indicate which characters are present. Plot. On a separate sheet of paper, look at the factions, groups, or storylines you’ve keyed on your list, and make short notes on what interacting with such a group might lead to. Perhaps it’s a piece of information the characters might overhear, an encounter they could get into, a rumor that could get passed along. Write at least one note for each faction, group, or storyline. You can also make notes for individuals who are not in groups—especially leaders and notables, who are more likely to be sought out by the party. Roll. When the characters arrive at the clanfire, roll 1d6 times on the table for active NPCs, who will be front and center at the clanfire. At times when the clanfire is mostly empty, these may be the only people there—when it’s more full, these are the people who stand out from the crowd.

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Alternatively, if the entire clan is gathered, you can roll 1d6 to discover who is conspicuous by their absence. Center. When the characters arrive at the clanfire, as you describe the scene, call out the NPCs you rolled as present, describing their position around the fire and current activities. Focusing on these NPCs in the scene description will give the party an easy place to start as they interact with the clanfire, and make it come alive in unpredictable combinations.

CLANFIRE TIMING

Although each clan is unique, there is a predictable pattern of activities and events that take place around a clanfire. Use the timing in this section as a general guideline for the flow of the day around the fire—and deviate from this pattern to indicate that something is unusual or amiss. MORNING The early hours at the clanfire are a time for informal gathering and preparation before setting out for the day’s work. The fire burns low, kept to a bed of hot coals. A morning at the campfire usually includes: Warming meals. Individuals gather to heat food or drink before they head out. Although eating by the campfire is communal, there’s no shared dish—each is responsible to bring food from their own gathering or hunters’ portions outside of the evening clan meal. Talk. Conversation at the morning clanfire is usually subdued, discussing the work to be done for the day and any noteworthy events of the night. Light gossip about carousing or mysterious behavior is often found here, as well as discussions about the surrounding land before people set out. Tasks & opportunities. Morning is when tasks and opportunities are discussed or announced, before hunting and gathering parties set out for the day. Some clans have an official role called a Morning Speaker, under the authority of the chieftain, who announces the work to be done, then organizes and directs clan members into work parties. If the characters want to know about potential quests for the clan, the Morning Speaker is a good person to approach. Departure. After eating and discussing the work to be done, the clan will splinter, dividing into work groups and individual tasks. From this point until the evening, the clanfire will be largely empty of large gatherings, unless a special event or emergency calls the clan back together. Crafting. Crafters often remain by the clanfire throughout the day, using the fire for various parts of their work, or simply plying their trade while conversing with others. Some wait until after departure before hauling out special equipment and spreading out their work over a large area now that the clanfire is finally quiet.

AFTERNOON The afternoon is a subdued time at the clanfire, when most of the clan is hard at work at various tasks elsewhere. Crafting. The work of crafters continues throughout the day, and they are most likely to be found by the clanfire circle, heating their materials over its coals as needed. Talk. Talk around the clanfire in the afternoon is scattered and infrequent, with most absorbed in their work. Infrequently, energetic debates will break out between the various crafters at work there, often on esoteric matters. Cooking. Although other hearths are typically used for various needs throughout the day, some cooking takes place on the clanfire in the afternoon. Usually this is done by individuals heating their own food, but occasionally the evening meal will need extra preparation time and a large group will use the clanfire for that purpose. Lessons. Some shamans and elders prefer to use the afternoon hours to instruct the younger members of the clan in the ways of the local gods and the traditions of the tribe. Often the children of the clan will gather to be instructed for a few hours before evening settles, allowing their caretakers to rest and the clan’s lore to be passed down where everyone can listen in and be reminded of the essential truths the clan clings to.

EVENING As darkness falls, the most important hour of the clanfire approaches. Early evening is the time of the shared clan meal, the time of magic and ritual, stories and ceremonies. It is at this time that the clanfire burns highest and hottest, as the hunters and gatherers convene around its heat and light as a ward against the darkness and proof that they are still alive for one more day. Preparation. As the shadows lengthen and the day-star tires and wanes, those skilled in preparing food stoke the clanfire, heating the shared meal. Large pots are set boiling, baskets of gathered goods are dragged to clanfire side, and meat is roasted. All is made ready. Star rise. In Planegea, the stars don’t appear in the sky—they shoot up from the horizon in sparkling fountains, rising from the Sea of Stars to swirl overhead once again in moving constellations. Star-rise is the signal for all members of the clan to gather at the fire. Gathering. As the clan assembles, the characters have an opportunity to encounter almost anyone from the clan. Higher-status NPCs are seated closer to the fire, with the shaman and chieftain taking seats of greatest influence, surrounded by elders and other notables. Further back are the average clan members, and far from the light are the

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low-status members such as strangers and those being shamed for wrongdoing. Meal. The meal is served in order of status, and can vary greatly in quantity and quality, depending on the bounty of the land and the skill of those working with the food. Salt is measured out by the chieftain, or a hand-picked surrogate, according to each member’s contribution to the clan. Ceremonies. As soon as the meal has been distributed, the evening’s ceremonies begin. These can be prayers to the local god, weddings, exilings, namings, legal judgments—all the public life of the clan is conducted at this moment. Magic. After the ceremonies, if the shaman has the strength and the clan has need, clan magic is wrought. The clanfire ceremony takes an hour to conduct, after which spells can be cast according to the shaman’s power (see “Clan Magic” in Chapter 2, pg. 20). Each member who participates in the ceremony can be a conduit to cast the spells, and for that reason, the participants are carefully picked by the shaman as those worthy of trust and power. Talk. Once the ceremonies and magic are completed, most clans relax, and conversation bubbles up throughout the gathered members. With the whole clan united, talk can range from jovial banter to bitter arguments to whispered secrets—if there’s an interaction to be observed, it’s probably happening somewhere in the firelight. Stories. Depending on the clan and the night, those closest to the fire may begin to tell stories. If a chanter is present, they can usually keep a clan rapt with tales of the stars and the wide world… but without a chanter, it’s usually elders or the young who share stories, and only to those who are nearby. Still, tales told by the clanfire often have more than a seed of truth, and wise characters will keep an ear pricked for stories that might lead to adventures greater than even the storyteller can imagine. NIGHT After the meal, ceremonies, talk, and stories, most of the clan retires to their dwellings. But for those who linger by the firelight, the storytelling and talk continues long into the night, growing quieter as the hours pass. Talk. Secrets are shared long after most have turned in, and confessions in the dark hours between those who keep vigil. Those up late are kept awake by fears or hopes or doubts, and often they seek someone to share them with. Watches. Most clans set watches at their perimeter, and the sentries passing to or from their watches will stop by the clanfire to converse as they awake or head in to their night’s rest. Characters can learn a little about what’s been glimpsed in the darkness if they catch a passing sentry. Dawn Duel. As the night ends, the stars overhead swirl faster, starting to spin in the ancient rite of the dawn duel. Bobbing and feinting, they rush at each other, knocking themselves out of the sky and plummeting out of sight beyond the horizon. The stars that triumph in these duels grow brighter until at last only one star remains—the day-star. Having claimed its victory, it begins its parade from east to west across the sky. And as the shadows

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wobble and weave from the spinning light of the duel, the clan arises and begins its day. Gathering. With the day-star’s victory, morning has begun, and the clan begins to gather once more for another meal. One by one, clan members emerge from their dwellings, bringing individual portions of food to the clanfire, where they’ll heat them at the edge of the coals, warming themselves for a new day. DOUSING RAIDS One of the most profound insults a clan can suffer is to have their clanfire doused by a rival clan. Since the clanfire represents the clan’s life, a dousing raid is seen as the equivalent of killing every single member of the clan in an instant. Dousing raids, successful or not, often instigate violent inter-clan wars and blood feuds. Dousing raids usually take place late at night, when the clanfire is burning low. Typically, they are set up as an ambush, with the raiding party sneaking up on any sentries posted by the clan. Then, with a sudden rush, often accompanied by a commotion to cause alarm and distraction, a band of water-carriers or spellcasters will rush in and seek to douse the flame. Such attacks often come with casualties, especially if the fire is not immediately drenched, as dousing parties often need to remain at the fire for a matter of a minute or more to try to extinguish all the coals. These minutes can be costly, as the enraged clan rallies around to defend their life symbol at all costs. Still, such dangers are worth it to young hunters seeking to prove themselves—for to successfully accomplish a dousing raid is to win prestige and renown among your own people… as long as the clan is prepared for the deadly repurcussions to follow.

Clan Travel When resources run low, when winter draws near, or when morale drops, it’s time to move on from one encampment to the next. Travel is a natural part of clan life in Planegea, and although it comes with its own challenges, it’s a crucial survival strategy in an ever-changing, ever-hungry world.

SEASONAL TRAVEL

There are different reasons to keep moving at different times of year, depending on where a clan might dwell and what resources are nearby. Winter. Winter is a time of constant small relocations, shifting only a day’s walk at a time every few days, as the scant resources in each area are quickly consumed. During winter, clans barely take time to dig into their encampments, staying light on the surface of the earth, trying to keep a few feet ahead of starvation. It is the season of

the chieftain, when the whole clan looks to their physical leader to issue direction that means the difference between life and death. Spring. Spring is a joyful time, when plenty returns to the world—from here on out, resources will only increase for many months. Spring is the season of the gatherer, who know where to find every green thing as it grows. When the herd animals move north, clans use the spring to migrate towards their preferred encampment sites, often traveling to ancestral places where longstanding structures, traditions, and gods await them. Summer. In summer, a clan hardly needs to move at all. This is a productive season, when a clan can focus on making tools, weapons, love, and war, rather than rushing to a new location every few weeks. Sometimes clans will travel in the summer to chase greater plenty nearby, but most clans settle down for the hot months to enjoy a brief window of stability. Summer is the season of the shaman, who can cast great magic at the threshold of the clan’s favored god. Fall. North of the Venom Abyss, autumn brings dry, cold winds that cut like a knife, while in the south, increasing snowfall waters the land and allows life to continue. As resources dwindle, and the herd animals move south, with the clans close behind. The great migration called Winterwalk takes place in the fall as clans seek to escape the oncoming winds of winter. Fall is the season of the hunter, as great herds thunder close by, ready to be harvested.

PLANNING

Whenever travel looms on the horizon, from short relocations to the great seasonal migrations, there is much work to be done by the clan’s leaders to choose the best route and ensure the effort is worth the expenditure of the clan’s limited resources. The first and most important thing the leaders of a clan can do is to carefully choose the destination and the way. Given the metamorphic qualities of Planegea, both may have changed since the last time a clan traveled to a place, if they have ever been there at all, so much careful study is made of a site and a route before so much as a stick is packed to travel. If the people of a clan see the leaders shut in their dwellings, casting spells, consulting with elders, and staring out at a fixed point in the distance, it’s a good guess that travel is coming soon. LORE Elders, ancestors, and chanters are key in preparation, remembering past journeys and advising the leaders on the best direction to travel. Memory. Elders are living memories, and are explicitly required to recall past journeys. Their most important work, when traveling, is to study every part of the route and help the clan recall the way. If an elder falls sick or dies, or if their memory is compromised, the entire journey is jeopardized by the loss of knowledge.

History. Chanters and the spirits of ancestors are both called upon in preparation to shed light on the ancient ways—especially whenever a clan travels through unfamiliar land. The stories handed down or recalled by those long-dead can be of great use, even though the land is ever-changing, to help give some idea of the perils that may lie ahead. WAYPOINTS It is essential to identify means by which a clan can know they are still on the right path. As they prepare, leaders will choose known landmarks to be guided by and trails to follow—knowing full well both may have shifted since the last time the clan followed them. Landmarks. These include mountains, great trees, stone circles, dwarvish ruins—any outstanding feature in the land can serve as a promise or a warning. Most of these change from season to season, and it requires skill to read and remember the relationships between such waypoints. Trails. Some clans have traveled the same circuit for so long that they can follow their own footsteps, or those of the great beasts that trample from north to south and back again, trampling the land as they go. But such trails can just as easily be misleading, and it’s essential that the leaders take proper time to identify trustworthy paths from those that would draw the clan out into the hungry wilderness and leave them lost and vulnerable. GUIDANCE Wise leaders will also seek counsel from those around them, using mundane and magical guidance to identify the way forward. Mortal. Traders, allied clans, wanderers—anyone who might know of the path ahead is of great interest to the leaders of a clan about to move. Most are willing to barter generously for useful information, and hiring wanderers as guides is quite common. Divine. Shamans ask their gods for information on the path ahead, and most can offer good intelligence on the way within their reach—provided they are willing to help the clan depart. Some selfish gods would rather misdirect their followers, causing them to wander in circles within their domain. But gods who mean their clans well and understand the mortals’ need for food and fire will seek to aid them on their way, often using their magic to prophesy the way ahead, to the best of their sight. Arcane. Sorcerers, spellskins, and warlocks are all relied on to gather what knowledge they can as well during this time. The wise chieftain will use every scrap of information available to them, realizing that the path is likely to change as soon as they set foot upon it. Arcane casters are sought out during this time as much as anyone to help shape the way.

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PREPARATION

Once a clan has a good idea of its chosen direction—or if there’s no time to plan—preparations can begin in earnest. There is much work to be done before setting out. Depending on the size and efficiency of a clan, these preparations can take hours, days, or even weeks. Hunting. Before traveling, hunters will usually embark on a special kind of hunt called a scour, where they move as a group and kill as much as they can, hauling back whatever meat they can. Scours are bold hunts, tinged with desperation, and many deaths have taken place when scouring hunters took too many risks to provide another few pounds of meat for their tribe. Gathering. Right behind the hunters are the gatherers, who fan out from the encampment on a final pass-through of the land for any missed provisions that could serve a purpose. This practice is called gleaning, and usually turns up little in new food, but is also a chance for the clan to recover any lost items that might have been scattered near the encampment by careless members. After the gleaning, some clans have a lighthearted tradition where lost items can be bought back from the gatherers with flowers, compliments, songs, and feats of strength or acrobatics. Crafting. It is essential before departure for a clan’s tents, sledges, and other traveling gear to be in working order. While the scouring and gleaning leaves the encampment empty, the crafters are hard at work attending to every

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stitch and peg of the clan’s things, securing everything for travel and making sure there will be no nasty surprises when tents are rebuilt on the other side of the traveling. This busy time leaves few minutes for frivolity, but crafters compete to design the most impressive torches, lamps, and fire-sledges for carrying the clanfire on the journey. Diplomacy. Before departure, chieftains coordinate with other nearby clans and shamans converse with gods. Both seek to minimize trouble on the road ahead, forging agreements to secure help and keep of out harm’s way. Some neighboring clans or gods may drive hard bargains, requiring last-minute bartering deals, errands, or quests to secure their favor. On these occasions, with precious little time to spare, chieftains and shamans turn to their most skilled people to execute the needed tasks quickly and well.

TRAVEL

Once the clan embarks, the act of travel itself can quickly shift from thrilling to mundane and back again, with long miles of dangerous wilderness to be crossed. The best-case scenario is a dull journey, where planning and preparation minimize incidents and ensure everything goes smoothly. But such travel is the stuff of legend. Rare indeed is the journey without trouble.

WEIGHT Clans must decide when they set out whether they’ll travel light, heavy, or try to strike a balance. Light. Traveling light allows a clan to move more quickly, set up in more sites with a smaller footprint, and hide or flee from danger more easily. However, light travel involves carrying fewer supplies, which means that if anything goes wrong on the journey, hunger and want are a very real possibility. If a clan is in a particularly hostile region and needs to move quickly, they’ll usually travel light. Medium. Medium weight is by far the preferred means of travel for most clans. While it doesn’t enable them to react particularly quickly, they also avoid the risk of starvation should they be delayed on their way. Heavy. Only a well-defended and well-provisioned clan travels with a heavy load. By stocking up on supplies and defenses, clans can ensure they won’t go hungry on the way—they may even eat well—but they trade nimbleness for the ability to shelter-in-place, should trouble come. This makes them a target for predators, raiders, and other hostile forces, but is worth the danger to some chieftains. SPEED Even a heavily-laden clan can hurry. Fast travel means a speedier arrival, but with very real and dangerous costs to stealth and watchfulness. The pace of a clan is similar to the pace of travel written in other 5th Edition materials, with the added note that traveling too fast or too slowly can cause morale issues for a fatigued or frightened clan. CHALLENGES Many dangers lie along the trail when a clan sets out. Only a few are listed here, but all are real possibilities made worse by the clan’s chaos and vulnerability as it travels. Illness & Injury. Drinking from untested water sources, the risk of parasites, and the strain of travel all expose the clan to the dangers of illness, and sprains or broken bones are commonplace. Shamans are often busy tending to the weak and injured, while simultaneously being called upon to help guide the clan and deal with local gods. Stragglers. Keeping the clan together is difficult, especially when members must scatter to gather and hunt if the clan stops for even a single day. Lost clan members must be found, and those who fall behind can find themselves in great danger very quickly. Weather. Rain, snow, wind, wildfires, fog—any whim of the weather can make travel more difficult, slowing or separating the clan and turning otherwise peaceful travel into a perilous journey. Sudden, unpredicted turns in the weather are especially dangerous, and in a land as living and active as Planegea, can often be a sign of magical ill-will rather than merely random misfortune. Obstacles. Barriers and hazards abound on the trail, such as mud or tar, volcanic activity, fallen trees, floods, hunting traps, new boundaries surrounding the domains of gods or hostile clans, lingering spell effects… any of these could impact travel, slowing the journey or forcing the clan to improvise an entirely new path, at their own peril.

Competition. When traveling, paths are narrow and resources are scarce. If another clan decides to embark at the same time, and diplomacy fails, there may be competition for the safest campsites, the best resources, even room on the path. Having another clan on the same route immediately increases tension, and conflict is not uncommon. Attack. Every clan fears attack as they travel—whether by predators, raiders, enemy clans, or any of the unnamed monstrosities and horrors that roam the land. Most clans move with their weapons at the ready, eyes in all directions in case an assault comes. Strife. Travel puts a strain on a clan, and if the leaders aren’t careful, morale can quickly drop, causing arguments and fights to break out along the path. Such strife, if not quickly contained and extinguished, can blossom into violent conflict. Low resources, extreme danger, or losing the path can all lead to dangerous fights—especially if any young upstart considers themselves a better leader than the current chieftain.

REST

When a clan halts travel for the day, the work is far from over. Shelter and defenses must be made or found, and intelligence gathered for the way ahead. SHELTER Making or finding shelter is essential to survival to successful travel, offering the clan much-needed relief from weather and the perils of the journey. Mobile shelters. Tents, awnings, wind-screens, roofs for lean-to’s—these can be carried with the clan and quickly set up, even if the clan is only remaining for a few hours. Temporary shelters. Some dwellings, such as pithouses, roundhouses, and slinghouses can be set up with somewhat more effort, given the right conditions and enough time to prepare. They offer more comfort and security than tents and lean-to’s, if circumstances allow. Found structures. Many routes are chosen because the leaders know of old encampments along the way. Existing pithouses, huts, and other permanent or semi-permanent structures can make all the difference to a weary clan, and some see building and maintaining such structures as a crucial tradition to ensure the survival of the clans. Natural shelters. Caves, cliffs, thick groves of sleeping trees, and other natural defenses are prized locations, though they must be carefully inspected to ensure no dangerous occupants inhabit them. Dwarvish ruins. Dwarves are famous for building stone villages or fortresses, then abandoning them as soon as they are constructed—once the last carving is done, a place holds no interest for the dwarvish mind. Such ruins, though they must be cleared of pests and predators, are a windfall to a traveling clan… if a little small to be perfectly comfortable for humans and other taller folk.

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DEFENSE Although the clan is vulnerable while traveling, it’s even more perilous to go to sleep. Keeping the clan safe is of paramount importance, and most chieftains would rather have their people keep vigil all night and travel without sleep than bed down without proper defenses. Sentries. The first and most practical measure of defense is to post capable hunters and vigilant watchers to keep eyes out for danger. On the trail, most clans sleep in shifts, and sometimes fully half the clan remains awake for half the night, if necessary, to ensure the rest can sleep without fear of attack. Camouflage. Through magic or craft, it’s normal for clans to hide their tracks and disappear into the landscape as much as possible while traveling. Although most encampments can’t be fully concealed, avoiding obvious

signals such as smoking flame, loud noises, or strong scents diminishes the chances of attracting predators or scavengers. Fortifications. From hastily-dug trenches to spiked palisade walls, from spells of alarm to glyphs of warding, clans erect magical and material fortifications to keep their people safe when resting. INTELLIGENCE Gathering news of the path ahead is an essential, and for some, the period when the clan is at rest are the busiest hours of all. Scouts. Capable individuals are sent ahead along the path, to determine forthcoming dangers and report back to the clan if the path should be altered or special preparations be made. Trade. Nearby mortals encountered are bartered with for information about the landscape, from politics to divine activity to the habits and hunting grounds of beasts and monsters, with a special premium on clues that might lead to safer routes or warnings of danger in the path. Magic. Through scrying, augury, and other spells, those able to call upon divine or arcane magic are put to work while the clan recuperates, plying their craft to discover the dangers and opportunities that lie ahead.

Taming & Training Many clans—especially those with a human majority— rely on a close relationship with tamed and trained animals to survive. If your players want to try to tame their own wild beast, use the following section for inspiration about the stages of the interaction… but remember to trust your instincts, as every animal is unique. TAMING Every animal is different, and it’s up to you to determine whether a creature can be tamed at all. In general, characters can’t tame a creature that’s capable of language— that’s not taming, it’s a negotiation. The creature must also have a high enough Intelligence to understand commands… after all, some creatures are just too stupid to influence. If the characters identify a beast they would like to tame, here are some potential steps in the process: Locate the creature. To tame a creature, characters must first study its movement and locate its den or daily routine, if any. They should try and discern the best time of day to approach it. This may require Wisdom (Survival, Insight, Perception) checks, as well as Intelligence (Nature) checks to understand the creature’s habits.

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Stalk, trap, or lure. If the creature is on the move, the characters will need to keep pace with it, stalking it until the moment is right to make their approach. If they know where it will be, they can attempt to trap it or lure it. Trapping requires crafting a snare, net, or cage of sufficient size and strength to withstand the creature’s attempts to escape. Luring requires a large amount of its preferred food—usually bait of one size smaller than the creature will suffice. For example, if the characters were attempting to tame a large carnivore such as a bear, they might want to use a medium creature (such as a deer) for bait. React. When the creature becomes aware of the characters, there are at least three typical responses—flee, rush, or charge. A fleeing creature will attempt to disengage from any combat and simply outrun its pursuers. If the characters stand in its way, it may rush them, making an attack in order to get past, but still with the intent of running. Last, a more aggressive creature may choose to stay and fight, charging the closest perceived threat and engaging in direct combat. If a creature is adequately trapped, it will do anything it can to escape, often willingly injuring itself in the process. Calm. One of the greatest challenges of the taming process is surviving the initial response of the surprised creature. The characters must show that their intent is not to kill it. This means surviving a number of rounds of an encounter without making an attack. This number is usually equal to the creature’s CR (minimum 1). During this time they may or may not be able to cast spells—it might recognize somatic behavior as a threat. They may also use skill checks such as Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Charisma (Intimidation) to show their dominant-but-peaceful intent.

(an injury might make the creature more intimidated or enraged), the alignment of the creature (a lawful creature might respond better to being commanded), and so on. Tame. If the check succeeds, move the creature on the taming track, shown below. You determine the creature’s starting score, as well as whether the tamed creature responds only to a single trainer or any friendly presence. TAMING TRACK Score –5

Hostile. Actively attacks at any opportunity.

–4

Frantic. Attempts to escape at any opportunity, attacks if approached.

–3

Unwilling. Attempts to escape, but will not attack unless attacked first.

–2

Sullen. Does not attempt to escape or attack, will not eat if fed, will leave if not confined.

–1

Passive. Does not attempt to escape or attack, will eat if fed, will leave if not confined.

0

Content. Does not attempt to leave. Will eat if fed.

1

Dependent. Remains with trainer unless threatened, as long as food is regularly provided. Will not respond to commands.

2

Familiar. Remains with trainer unless threatened, even without food. Will not respond to commands.

3

Friendly. Remains with trainer unless threatened. Responds to simple commands.

4

Loyal. Remains with trainer even if threatened. Responds to simple commands. Will not attack on command.

5

Faithful. Remains with trainer even if threatened. Responds to complex commands, including attack. Will not die for its trainer.

6

Devoted. Remains with trainer even if threatened. Responds to complex commands, including attack. Will die for its trainer.

SUBDUING Trainers might want to subdue a creature by dealing nonlethal damage and then moving them to a secure location. Obviously finding or constructing the enclosure will be a separate task, and this ultimately does not eliminate the need to interact with and calm the creature (although it can provide more control over the environment while doing so). Many creatures are likely to resent being trapped, and this approach may inflict disadvantage on skill checks made to calm or interact with the creature.

Approach. Once the creature is calm, the characters can make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to attempt to tame it. This check can be made by an individual or as a group ability check where a majority of successful checks represents a success. The DC of this check might be affected by such factors as whether a character making the attempt offers the creature’s preferred food, the status of the character (higher status might imbue the character with more confidence), the condition of the creature

Behavior

TRAINING To teach a tamed creature commands is a complex process dependent on many factors such as the relationship between the creature and its trainer, the creature’s Intelligence and Wisdom (Insight) and the trainer’s Wisdom (Insight, Animal Handling) and Charisma (Persuasion, Performance). Each behavior must be trained one at a time, and may require multiple checks and sessions to impart to the creature.

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ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENTS

W

HEN IMAGINING PREHISTORIC FANTASY adventures, one might first think of a world consisting of nothing but unspoiled tundra and wild beasts. But Planegea is as varied and ripe for exploration as any world of magic. A complex and ever-changing wilderness, ruins, dungeons, and even great cities of the primordial era all offer ideal environments for challenging and surprising adventures. This section offers guidance on seven Planegean adventure environments: aberrant vaults, the domains of apex predators, dwarvish ruins, roving forests, passages to Nod, spellskin sanctums, and vampiric tomblands.

d6 1

Aggrandizement. This vault was designed as a shrine, monument, or tomb. It is built to impress, and its chambers and halls are massive, featuring elaborate, disturbing statues and carvings showing the incomprehensible exploits of aberrations long-dead.

2

Consumption. This vault was made to devour the land, its magic, or its inhabitants. It has chambers where matter was once converted to energy (or vice versa), and heavy equipment to process raw goods, in whatever form they were once consumed.

3

Containment. This vault was meant to keep everyone out—or something in. It features heavy defenses, locked doors, and a shape that spirals inward towards a fortified center, where something extremely valuable or extremely dangerous might remain.

4

Infestation. This vault was built for the purpose of infesting living creatures. It features traps with needles, oozing liquid, or floating spores, which are meant to irreversibly change an unsuspecting creature into a form more to the aberrant builders’ liking.

5

Domination. This vault was intended as a center of power, and houses living chambers for those who once served its all-controlling purpose. It has a grand chamber where the dominant being once dwelt, and an aura of psychic influence sways those who enter it.

6

Examination. This vault was constructed to analyze the surrounding region and its inhabitants. It has pictograms and maps of the land or the mortals that it took apart, piece by piece, and many gleaming, dripping instruments by which precious knowledge can be harvested from the unwilling.

Aberrant Vaults Buried out of sight, cloaked in eternal rain and mist, or frozen on peaks too distant to reach, the vaults of aberrant creatures can be found across the length of Planegea. These eerie, deadly places are unnatural and hostile to mortal life, better left alone… though even if avoided, a single vault can menace an entire region, if by some unseen inner mechanism it should become active. Mysterious purpose. Aberrant vaults are often difficult to find, and even harder to identify. A vault might look like a curving door in a cliff face, a crevasse in the ice, a sucking hole under a lake. Once entered, these strange places have purposes that are almost impossible to guess at. Use the table below to suggest the original intent of the constructors of a vault:

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Aberrant intent

Watchful sites. Vaults are unpredictable—they can be passive for generations, then suddenly unlock and activate with dangerous effects. Sometimes, all it takes is a foolish explorer touching the wrong surface to rouse a vault. Use the states below as inspiration for the state of vaults that your table encounters, and consider that the vault may change its state through the actions of the characters. d6 1

2

3

4

Not meant for mortals. The beings that made the vaults did so with no regard for two-legged, air-breathing, brittle-boned mortals. Exploring such places is full of surprises and dangers. Draw inspiration for the unnatural construction of vaults in your game with from the table below: d6

Unnatural construction

1

Gravity reversal. Without warning, the gravity in certain chambers may reverse or alter by up to 180° in any direction. (Roll 1d20 × 10 for a random direction, with a 19 or 20 causing a zero-gravity environment.) In high chambers, creatures will fall towards what used to be the ceiling, and may take bludgeoning damage.

2

Liquid chamber. Entire chambers are submerged in liquid, as apparently the original builders were amphibious or had no need to breathe. This liquid has strange properties, such as being highly viscous, toxic, flammable, opaque, or sentient and capable of speech.

3

Vertical transit. Doorways and passages in vaults are just as likely to be on the floor or ceiling as set into the wall. Large sections of the vault may be inaccessible to creatures unless they can climb, fly, and so on.

4

Passive. The vault is responsive, but quiet. Lights, eerie sounds, flowing liquid, or other signs of activity indicate that the vault has energy flowing through it. Aberrant devices will respond to the touch of explorers. If aberrant creatures dwell in the vault, they are going about their business, dispassionate about any incursions of mortals unless they impede their work.

Organic material. Some areas of the vault may be built out of material that seems very much alive. Walls, floors, or even entire hallways or chambers may have surfaces that are slimy, fleshlike, or covered in strange materials such as hair, tendrils, or webbing.

5

Active. The vault is full of activity, with devices whirring, gleaming heavy equipment pumping and grinding and scurrying over strange surfaces, lights flashing, and more. The entire vault may shift on its axis or become mobile, and any aberrant creatures inside are in a flurry of activity, the type of which is aligned with the aberrant intent of the vault.

Psychic space. Certain chambers may not be physical at all, but exist only in the mind. Accessing these chambers usually requires interacting with an aberrant device such as a crystal or panel. In such spaces, movement speed and attack rolls may be determined by one’s intelligence score, and the laws of physics will not apply in a conventional sense.

6

Loops, gaps, & mazes. Vaults have passages that loop back on themselves for no clear reasons, or chambers with enormous empty spaces featuring perilously thin bridges over darkness, or mazelike passageways branching out in seemingly infinite directions.

Vault state Sealed. The vault is airtight, and has not seen any external influence for uncountable years. Usually such vaults are only accessed by teleportation magic. Inside, the air—if there is any—will have strange smells and temperatures, often much colder or hotter than the surrounding environment. Sealed vaults are fragile places, often highly susceptible to state changes with the slightest touch of an incautious mortal. Dormant. The vault is quiet, with little to no signs of life. At first, it might appear to be entirely inert, but certain gleaming lights or subtle vibrations might indicate to the observant explorer that it is ready to awaken if provoked. Dormant vaults might have living aberrant creatures inside, in states of stasis, frozen in tubes, suspended in liquid, or wrapped in biological sacs, until such time as the vault should awaken.

5

Hostile. The vault is actively trying to destroy mortals in and around it. Defenses are active and weapons are loosed. This may take the form of unleashed creatures, psychic measures, diseases, toxic gases or liquids, or chambers that alter shape to destroy living things inside. The vault may also release any or all of these defenses into the surrounding terrain, attempting to eradicate all life within reach, for its own purposes.

6

Ruined. The vault has been exposed to the elements and whatever once lay pristine inside is ruined by weather and the passage of time. Water, fungus, plants, insects, and beasts can be found throughout the vault. Mortals or monsters may have taken up residence there, finding the shape of the vault to their liking as a defensible home… although perhaps other parts of the vault, yet untouched, lie waiting in other states…

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Eerie spoils. With all of the dread and danger of such places, it seems obvious that mortals would never dare darken their doorways. And yet within many of these vaults lie treasures scarcely to be imagined, even by the most inventive of enchanters and crafters. Many a power-hungry chieftain or overconfident spellskin have crept into vaults looking for a way to turn the balance of the world in their favor. Use the table below to inspire the reason that the characters at your table might want to visit a vault—or stop someone else from doing so: d6

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Spoils

1

Weapons. Aberrant vaults are full of dangerous devices. Some may not have been intended as weapons, but many certainly were—objects that hurl deadly light from across a valley, or can wipe out whole raiding parties with the twist of a knob. Blades from the vaults are unnaturally sharp and hard, and gleam with a cruel, dark light that makes them objects of fear and desire to many.

2

Creatures. The strange corpses that are often found in aberrant vaults have many harvestable parts—chitin and acid, leather and rubbery tendrils. Such parts are coveted by crafters, casters, and collectors, and can make a scavenger well-provisioned and powerful if cleverly gathered and traded.

3

Wondrous objects. Many objects defy explanation, but set the curiosity of those who encounter them on fire. There are orbs and pyramids, rods and jars of purest glass containing strange, living creatures. Such objects have myriad unknown properties, and excite the curiosity of those who wish to crack their secrets.

4

Talismans or potions. Through identifying magic, it’s possible to recognize some more common consumable magic items in the vaults, though they are usually in strange forms. Though their effects may be slightly warped, and occasionally carry unpleasant side-effects, the temptation to access a treasury of unclaimed magic can be too strong to resist.

5

Maps or diagrams. Often, vaults feature carvings or projected illusions of intricately detailed maps or diagrams. Such maps may chart the movement of stars, beasts, air or water, show the land around in absolute clarity, or offer paths to other points of significance. Diagrams reveal the nature of certain magic or medicine. Such lore, even when recorded for strange and inscrutable reasons, is greatly valuable.

6

Beacons. Objects in one vault have been known to be linked through inexplicable communication to others, and there are some who would open one vault to find another—though whether that might be to warn and safeguard those around it or plunder its depths depends greatly on the one daring to enter it.

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Environmental effects. The weird nature of the vaults may cause one or more of the following effects: • Whispering voices fill the characters’ minds in quiet moments, issuing instructions that they may choose to follow or ignore—though the voices grow stronger and more insistent near central areas or objects of power. • Feelings of revulsion and dread settle over characters who spend too much time in a vault. Every hour inside, a character must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take 1 point of unease. If they reach 10 points, they must try to escape the vault by any means available. 1 point of unease can be removed by spending a hit die or by magic such as the calm emotions spell. • Characters with an Intelligence score of 12 or less who get a result of less than 10 on this saving throw will additionally stop in place, frozen with blank minds until a creature uses an action to rouse them.

Apex Domains The hunting range of a tyrantmaw; the hills ruled by a dragon; the forest where an ooze-god lures mortals to their death: these are apex domains—lands that are dominated by a single predator, who reshapes the land according to their will and appetites. Apex domains can be the range of a dominating god, a powerful beast, even a murderous spellcaster who has chosen to claim land as their soul posssesion. An apex domain belongs to one creature, and they will not let it go without a fight to the death. Signs & warnings. Most apex predators will leave clear signs that their territory is their own. This might consist of clawed trees, furrowed earth, or—for a more intelligent creature—symbols or corpses left as a warning to others. The shifting nature of Planegea means that these borders may wander over time; pity the unlucky clan or party that is overlapped by a border of which they knew nothing. Altered ecology. In an apex domain, the predator’s favorite food will be hunted to scarcity over time. No other dominant predators will remain, allowing some creatures ignored by the apex predator to flourish. Often apex domains have an unusual number of a certain type of creature or plant—a sure sign that nature is out of balance thanks to the brutal will of one dominant creature. Symbiotic scavengers. The secondary predators that remain in the domain will be scavengers who come along after the kill to clean up what the apex predator left behind. Jackals, hyenas, and various small, scavenging dinosaurs are common in apex domains—but if they ever become too populous, the apex predator will typically attack them directly in a show of dominance. Lair & secrets. An apex predator’s lair is often full of the bodies of would-be attackers—some of whom were carrying magic items—and anything it considers of value. Such lairs, whether they are the cave of a bear or the treausre lair of a dragon, are often worth exploring for their spoils and secrets.

Range patterns. Most apex predators have specific patterns of movement, centered on their chosen lair. Creatures in the domain will be familiar with the pattern, if any, and exploit the predator’s absence for their own survival. Use the following patterns to inspire the movements of your predator: d4

Range patterns

1

Radius. The predator heavily travels the area in a relatively small radius of its lair. Within that radius, it’s safe to assume that the predator knows you’re there, and may only be allowing you to live because it’s toying with you.

2

Loop. The predator travels a predictable loop throughout the day, overseeing its domain by visiting the same locations at roughly the same time of day. This loop often leaves an unexplored center, which may be something the predator is particularly protective of (such as a nesting ground) or something they are keen to avoid (such as an ascetic enclave).

3

4

Web. The predator travels erratically within a certain range, moving from point to point on a web of interconnected sites. They cannot cover the whole web in a single day, nor do they visit any paticular site with regularity; still, the knowledge that they could be close by is enough to scare and startle. Random. There is no predictable path that the predator takes, and its randomness is part of its menace. It could spend days prowling the edge of its domain only to lurk in the center for a week, followed by hunting strikes in randomly determined directions.

Environmental effects. The aggressive presence of an apex predator may cause one or more of the following effects: • Beasts and mortals are nervous, looking constantly over their shoulder. Mortals speak in murmurs, if at all. • An overabundance of a certain plant or animal is causing waste. There is a smell of rot in the air where overripe plant matter is dying, due to its natural consumer being hunted to death. • Nearby mortals create cults in honor of the apex predator, honoring it with rituals, emblems, and carved and painted masks reflecting its form.

Dwarvish Ruins Dwarves are known for their love of building structures, and their abandonment of finished projects. It’s said that though dwarves may build a stronghold for seven generations, no sooner is the last stone placed than they gather their belongings and move on. Because of this peculiarity, the world is dotted with stone monuments, circles, shrines, towers, fortresses, and other habitations left behind for other creatures to move into. Reclaimed ruins. In a world as dangerous as Planegea, fortifications rarely stay unused for long. Most dwarvish ruins are reclaimed by creatures of one type or another,

and only the very foolish or the very young would enter ruins thinking that they were the first to find it. d100

Ruin occupants

01–10

Empty. The ruins are uninhabited. Perhaps the dwarves only recently left, or some disaster or scarcity wiped out the previous inhabitants.

11–40

Animals. Beasts or monstrosities have made their den in the ruins. There may be a single creature such as a manticore, dinosaur, or giant manylegs who occupies an apex position, or it might be inhabited by a pack of smaller creatures.

41–70

Mortals. A wandering clan, a band of raiders, a spellskin conclave, a cult, or some other group has occupied the ruins, likely shoring up holes in its defenses and posting guards against intruders.

71–80

Spirits. Ghosts, divine visitants, or elementals haunt the ruins. They may have been sent by a higher being or simply been attracted to the loneliness of the place.

81–90

Oozes. Predatory oozes have infested the ruins, making it unlivable for mortals. They have seeped and settled into the stonework, and lie in wait for passing prey to wander in.

91–100

Dragons. A dragon has chosen the ruin as its lair. Its has altered the ruin to suit its nature, and dragged the area’s goods back to form the beginning of a hoard. Lesser creatures may have already gathered nearby to serve it.

Abjuration magic. Dwarves are natural practitioners of abjuration magic, and their ruins are often secured with arcane locks, dangerous patterns (using the glyph of warding spell), and other such protections. Some areas of a ruin might be locked off with magical seals and wards which prevent certain types of creatures or those without sufficient magical skills from gaining access to whatever might be concealed within. Dwarvish constructs. Often, dwarves will animate stone servants to aid them in their craft. It’s not uncommon for a dwarvish ruin to hold a number of statues—some of which may be decorative or ceremonial, but some of which may be alive, watching and waiting for those who would act against whatever its animators had last commanded. Sanctuaries from the fey. The folk of Nod dislike dwarvish ruins—they find their square corners, artificial nature, and abjuration magic offputting, and so rarely visit such a place. As a result, these ruins are often used by those who seek sanctuary from fey incursions, and serve as favorite shelters for innocents or evildoers fleeing from the fey. Carved secrets. It’s hard to say what attracts dwarves to certain places—each dwarvish clan is different—but these ruins are full of hidden messages, meaning, and symbolism to other dwarves. A dwarf raised by their own people can learn much of a place’s history by observing the patterns and carvings of the stone. And it’s not unusual for such a ruin to be left to mark a particular site, for good or for ill.

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Many a ruin has been built above some buried secret, and stands to alert those who know how to interpret the signs of the good or evil hidden nearby. Environmental effects. The abandoned nature of a dwarvish ruin may cause one or more of the following effects: • Thresholds, stairs, or hallways may be sealed with lingering abjuration magic such as alarm, glyph of warding, anti-magic field, protection from evil and good, or magic circle. Such spells may be detected and potentially disarmed with Intelligence (Investigation or Arcana) checks, but the DC increases by 1d6 each time creatures breach a previously unexplored section of the ruin. • Breaking or moving objects in the ruins often expose pests of the same creature type as the ruin’s most recent occupants. • Statues and carvings in the ruin give characters an eerie sense of being observed, and may animate if the characters act against the will of the ruins’ builders.

Roving Forests Forests in Planegea rarely remain in one place for long. Most trees have not yet succumbed to sleep, and are awake, aware of the world around them, and able to move through the earth from place to place. The trees are like instinctive beasts, driven by appetite for light, water, and good soil. They are sometimes shepherded by treants and other forest spirits, though untended forests roam free and wild. Wakeful trees. When characters enter a roving forest, assume the trees are conscious of their presence. Consider whether the forest is hostile, neutral, or accepting of the characters. A forest is more likely to welcome a party that is accompanied by a druid or other character who has aligned themselves with nature. Typical inhabitants. Roving forests are almost never free of other inhabitants. Forest-dwelling beasts and monsters travel with the trees, and may not even be aware that the forest is moving, if they never leave its shelter. Treants often rule over part or all of such a forest, acting as shepherds and leaders of the trees. Dryads and dreas are commonplace, acting as go-betweens between trees and mortals, and bands of horse-apes make their homes with the trees, seeking to protect them. On the move. Roving forests travel at a speed of 1 mile per day, although they may move more quickly if motivated, or stay in one place if the light, soil, and water is good. If clan encampment is near such a forest, the trees may seek an opportunity to move aggressively against them, overrun the encampment to put out the fire and destroy the axe-sharpening mortals. Wakeful trees travel through the earth like boats through water, with a base speed of 5’ per round, dealing bludgeoning damage to creatures and structures in their path. Eerie stillness. Most forests in Planegea are roving; woods that stay in one place are the exception, not the rule. The Slumbering Forest is famous for its unnatural immobility, supposedly caused by the tragic downfall of

a lost god long ago. Characters entering a forest that does not move should be very wary—such places usually augur some unseen menace exerting power over the trees. d6

Forest sentiment

1

Hostile. The trees actively oppose the characters. They may move to block paths, mislead the party, or attempt to impede or trap them with falling branches, tripping roots, or other difficult and dangerous terrain. Food foraged in the forest is likely to be poisoned, rotten, or bitter.

2

Neutral. The trees neither help nor hinder the characters. If the characters rest in the forest, it may shift around them in a random direction as the trees pursue interests unrelated to the characters.

3

Undecided. The trees are actively observing the characters to decide how they will behave. Actions such as chopping down trees, setting fires, and insulting the forest will earn its hostility, while actions such as planting seeds, tending to the trees, or complimenting the forest will earn its acceptance.

4

Accepting. The trees accept the characters as belonging in the forest. The trees will not act against the party, and may offer better than average foraging. Paths and fresh water may be easier to find, as will clearings, tall trees for scouting, or thick groves that provide natural defenses against enemies.

5

Welcoming. The trees are friendly towards the creatures, and actively seek to help them by providing easy and above-average foraging, clear paths, and abundant fresh water. If the forest has secrets such as valuable items or hidden persons, it will seek to reveal them to the characters.

6

Divided. The trees disagree about their sentiment towards the party. This might be based on what part of the forest they’re in, because a leader is swaying opinion, a disagreement between different types of trees (such as deciduous trees disagreeing with pines) or other, less clear reasons. Roll twice on this table, rerolling sixes, to determine the two sentiments.

Environmental effects. Inside a roving forest, the environment causes one or more of the following effects: • Open flames burning for longer than 1 hour attract 1d4 awakened shrubs who seek to put out the fire. • When characters take a long rest on the forest floor, roll 1d20. On a 10 or lower, their long rest is interrupted by trees moving into their space. • If the roving forest is hostile to the characters, it actively attempts to block their sight and and progress. The DC on Wisdom (Survival and Perception) checks increases by 5, and the ground becomes difficult terrain if the characters step off any cleared path. If the forest is welcoming, the DC on these checks is lowered by 5.

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stumbling through them and being unable to find their way in or out again. Stable entrances. Although the doorways are inherently magical, they are real places and do not vanish without reason. If a creature finds an entrance once and is able to return again to the same place, they will find it again. Some talk of doors that come and go, that Nod chooses who it allows to enter it—but those are children’s stories. Nod is very real and dangerous, and all may enter it who find the way, whether they are prepared or not. Guardians. Because of the allure and danger of Nod, beings sometime dwell at the threshold, guarding the unwary from stumbling across the entrance or using it as a lure for unsuspecting prey. Although many doors stand empty and unguarded, if you want to place a guardian at the edge of Nod, use this table for inspiration:

Passages to Nod The twin worlds of Nod drift alongside Planegea, just out of sight. All one needs to do is find one of their doorways. These doors are usually hidden just out of sight, in out-ofthe-way places linked to great beauty or terror—a cave under a battlefield, hidden behind a waterfall, a clearing within a dark and misty forest. Stepping through them can be a trial all on its own, but once the threshold is crossed, great fortune or great harm can befall those who dare to make their way into Nod. Hidden passages. Often, the doors don’t even seem like doors; just turns in the way or little openings. One might not realize they have crossed a threshold until they are beyond it. The passages to Nod are often concealed in mist or shadow or thick foliage, as if to trick wanderers into d12

146

Guardian

d12

Guardian

1

Hag. A dark fey dwells at the threshold, ensuring that only those whose lives will be ruined by Nod enter through the doorway. The hag disguises herself as a helpful guide and puts visitors to the test. She gives them the worst advice possible, sending only the weak and unprepared into the wilds of Nod beyond.

7

Guide. An elf of Nod lingers by the doorway, offering directions or guidance in exchange for trade. Their advice is only as good as the payment, and they refuse to name a price—low offers will be rewarded with lies, high offers with truth. For the right price, the elf will accompany a party deeper into their home, but only remain loyal as long as payment remains good.

2

Ghost. The vengeful spirit of a wanderer who was betrayed at the doorway haunts the threshold. The ghost is an angry spirit, obsessed with the idea of betrayal. They lurk until they can possess one of the party, and then attempt to kill the others before they have a chance to react.

8

Growth. The magical fumes and essences of Nod have allowed a strange fungus, mold, or ooze to develop here. Its peculiar properties act as a natural barrier to the threshold, and it mindlessly preys on those who would attempt to cross through its habitat.

3

Manticore. A proud manticore prowls at the entrance, having taken up the doorway as its own personal domain. It is vain and gluttonous, and only lets those pass who feed and flatter it, looking for even the slightest excuse to attack any who displease it.

9

Pixies. Mischievous fey flit in and out of the doorway, playing tricks on those not yet ready to enter the door to turn them around and keep them out. These pixies prefer to remain undetected, but if a wanderer crosses the doorway, they will reveal themselves and offer truthful guidance for how to escape alive.

4

Spider. On either side of the threshold lurks a giant spider, its webs strung across its side of the doorway. On the waking side, the spider is huge, but mundane. The spider on the other side, however, is infused with magical properties, and will use its cursed power to hunt creatures with cunning and arcane menace.

10

Magic mouth. A spellcaster has cast magic mouth near the door to warn away unwary travelers. The voice speaks clearly in several languages, articulating the danger and offering advice for how to survive if you pass through—although the advice may be old and in error if things have changed on the other side.

5

Satyrs. A group of satyrs revels in the doorway, drunk on berrywine. They demand to be shown a good time, and will trick, attack, or mock anyone who doesn’t please their eyes, laugh at their jokes, or satisfy their appetites for food, drink, and revelry.

11

Champion. The champion of a clan keeps vigil by the doorway, ensuring none enter who are unprepared or unaware of the danger. The champion will offer advice, guidance, and supplies to travelers that they judge ready to pass through the door, but those judged unworthy will be stopped by force if necessary.

6

Golem. A single-minded construct stands guard over the doorway. Its creator gave it a single order: Let no creature pass. The golem is obsessed with keeping the door secure, and will not deviate from its instructions for any reason… but its simple mind can be tricked by wily creatures.

12

Truesight lily. A rare flower grows by the doorway, planted by a druid or fey. The flower is large and black with white edges, and has a clear, bright fragrance. A successful DC 16 Intelligence (Nature) check identifies the flower as a Truesight Lily and reveals its use: Eating the lily the grants a creature truesight for 6 seconds. With truesight, a creature will be able to see the door for what it is, and glimpse whether the path beyond is trustworthy or treacherous.

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Nodwander. Nod is known as a land that never rests in time or place. Those who cross the threshold into Nod run the risk of losing their way quickly, and a short journey within Nod can lead to a doorway half a world away from where a wanderer entered. Time can be lost in Nod as well, with moments changing into seasons or the reverse. This effect is called Nodwander, and it can only be avoided by carefully keeping to the right paths once you set foot inside.

THE WORLD OF DREAMS

There is not enough time to tell of all the wonders of the World of Dreams—the way its land and light respond to the inner desires of its people, the way it tempts and teases and transforms everyone who encounters it. One thing is certain: It’s far less safe than it first appears, and everything can change with the twinkling of an eye and the sharp intake of a breath. Environmental effects. The metamorphic atmosphere of the World of Dreams may cause any of the following effects: • The atmosphere here is refreshing and entrancing, making sleep seem irrelevant. Characters only require half their normal hours of time to complete a long rest. • If characters go for more than 1 day without seeing their reflection, subtle changes start to affect their appearance, such as changes to the color of their eyes, hair, or skin, the shape of their features, or the style of their clothing. Upon seeing their reflection, characters can choose to immediately restore their former appearance. • When traveling, characters must make concentration checks to maintain focus on their destination, and to

avoid being tempted off the path. Any character who succeeds on such a check is usually able to help friendly creatures from wandering, but on a natural 1, a character strays from the path, drawn by the allure of some curious attraction.

THE WORLD OF NIGHTMARES

The horrors of the World of Nightmares cannot be spoken of here; there is not enough daylight or strength for the telling. But it is a cursed place of undeath and dread. The omenbringers—dread elves who make their home in the gloom of that land—guard the paths of the place, and seek to protect those who venture into its unspeakable dangers. However, what looks like an omenbringer might simply be something else wearing its shadow—or its skin. Environmental effects. The malignant miasma that suffuses of the World of Nightmares may cause one or more of the following effects: • The only relief from the pervasive terror of the place is in sleep, when the mind and spirit wander other paths. Creatures cannot be roused from sleep without a contested check versus their Constitution. • Undeath is everywhere in the World of Nightmares. A humanoid who dies here rises as a zombie in 1d8 hours, unless affected by magic such as gentle repose. • Every 24 hours, characters in the World of Nightmares must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the world around them. The DC starts at 10, and increases by 1d4 every day.

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Spellskin Sanctums In strange, out-of-the-way places, spellskins design spells by painting or etching whirls, lines, and shapes of nature to describe arcane ideas. These complex designs are strange and bewildering, and usually meaningless to anyone but another spellskin. Still, they are the dawn magic, captured and bound by ordered thought. These paintings take up large walls, and are found in caves, on cliff faces, or on the sides of standing stones, and the habitations found around them are known as spellskin sanctums. Arcane communes. Some spellskins work in solitude, while others seek the company of like-minded people. Many spellskins enjoy collaborating together to solve the shape of magic, and form communes where they teach young savants as apprentices and offer arcane services such as spellcasting and enchanting in trade for food and supplies from local clans. Derelict sanctums. Wanderers might come across empty sanctums, hidden in caves or abandoned ruins or echoing canyons. By choice or by force, the spellskins working in the sanctum abandoned the place. They may have moved on, been forced out, been killed by a predator or a spell gone wrong, or even crossed the line into writing and attracted the ire of the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. These derelict sanctums are eerie places, but can hold great magical treasure and paintings that another spellskin would value highly. Lingering magic. Most sanctums have spells cast on them that make the spellskins’ work easier, by providing aid, comfort, or security. These lingering spells can be startling or dangerous to those unused to such effects. The number and intensity of lingering spells depends on the power of the casters who created them.

d12

Lingering spells

1

Unseen servants or animated objects are present and may work to help or hinder characters, based on the spellskin’s instructions.

2

Passages to important areas are secured with glyphs of warding, which may serve as mere warnings or as deadly traps.

3

Programmed illusions spring to life when characters enter a new area, to instruct them or to warn them off.

4

Lingering magic mouth and arcane eye or scrying spells allow the spellskin to watch from a distance and speak when not present.

5

A lingering seeming spell causes all who enter to take on an illusory appearance to the spellskin’s liking, such as clean, uniform clothing or frightening shapes.

6

A phantasmal killer or conjured elemental may go unnoticed or make itself obvious, depending on the caster’s intent.

7

The effects of spider climb or levitate linger, creating an area where objects float through the air and characters can walk on walls and ceilings.

8

Magical light or darkness fills an area, illuminating or hiding what the spellskin wishes to reveal or conceal.

9

A fabrication spell lingers, and raw materials gradually transform themselves into finished goods.

10

Lingering mass suggestion causes characters to rethink their actions.

11

Time slows or speeds up, causing those inside its area of effect to move more quickly or become trapped in slow motion.

12

Teleportation circles allow instant passage to other parts of the sanctum, or to distant locations selected by the spellskin.

Copying spells. If a spellskin is able to gain access to a sanctum, they can copy spells from the walls onto their own skin as tattoos, given sufficient time and resources. The walls act as stationary spellbooks, typically showing one spell per wall (see “Spellskin” in Chapter 5, pg. 69). Important walls with high-level spells might be guarded in person or by magic, to ensure they go unseen by unworthy spellcasters. Environmental effects. In a spellskin sanctum, the arcane environment may cause one or more of the following effects: • Spells are enhanced or dampened by arcane fields, and are cast as if at a higher or lower level, if applicable. • After 1d8 hours inside the sanctum, objects not held or carried begin to become animate, speaking or moving according to their own will. Touching such objects will render them inanimate again. • Small chambers, tents, or areas that look unimpressive from the outside hide magically enlarged interiors.

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Tomb-Lands Vampires are a rare—but very real—threat in Planegea. The Gift of Thirst (pg. 253) purposefully keeps its numbers small, preferring to avoid the eye of Nazh-Agaa, the King of the Dead (pg. 247), as well as only elevate those deserving of the powers of eternal life to its ranks. Still, to keep ahead of the forces of life and death, the Gift of Thirst keeps many tombs, surrounded by the encampments of unfortunate clans who have been bound, by terror or magic, into their service. These are the tomb-lands, and woe to those who stumble into them. The shadow of undeath. Tomb-lands are, by the magical will of their dark masters, encircled in night and fog, with thorns and choking weeds forming a natural boundary around their edges. What little light breaks through the mists is watery and feeble, like a last breath, and is quickly strangled by the claws of night. The land teems with bats, wolves, rats, insects, and other night-feeding creatures. Witchlight drifts and torchlight burns from poles and smoking lamps, which provide the only relief from the utter gloom all around. Drained population. Mortals pressed into service by the vampires are wretched indeed, and find it difficult or impossible to leave, either because of mind-controlling magic that makes doing so impossible, or because of the dangerous plants and animals that surround the tomb. They erect traps, cultic warnings, and wards at the bidding of their undead masters. Many are mere husks, staggering without personality through the most basic acts of survival, drained of whatever fire once burned inside them by the thirst of their overlords. Still, some of the young folk talk and mutter of escape or overthrow—though such dreams bring tears to the eyes of those who have been trapped in the tomb-land for longer. Buried finery. The tombs themselves are heavily guarded mounds of stone and soil, great barrows that contain within their heavy walls treasure troves of trade goods, precious stones, pelts, crafted wonders, as well as the preserved corpses of the vampire’s special favorites. When the vampire is in residence, they dwell within the tomb, but most usually stand empty, a tempting prize to those foolish enough to try and extract their riches. Necromantic nexus. Because vampires take great care to erect wards and defenses against Nazh-Agaa, tomb-lands are often gathering places for spellskins and sorcerers interested in the secrets of undeath. Vampires often build their tomb-lands on the borders of the Nightmare World, doing trade of goods and knowledge with dread elves, and are favorites of fiends and dark gods, who often lend them the service of their devoted shamans, warlocks, and guardians. The exalted presence. Vampires come and go as they please, leaving behind their spawn as temporary stewards in their absence. The vampire’s presence or absence dramatically alters the state of the tomb-lands:

d10

Vampiric presence

1

Distant. The vampire is far away, and their return is not expected. 2d6 hours of daylight break through the fog, and some clan members might attempt an escape. Vampire spawn are in control, though their range is limited by the light.

2

Nearby. The vampire is in the region, and they could return at any time. 2d4 hours of daylight break through, and the bravest clan members discuss whether there’s still time to escape or not. Husks congregate in groups to watch the black sky with empty eyes.

3-4

Arriving. The vampire is approaching. 1d4 hours of daylight break through, and the most desperate clan members might bolt in abject terror. Vampire spawn climb like spiders to the tops of the barrow, trees, and towers, to welcome their master’s return. Wolves howl and predators screech at all hours.

5-7

Present. The vampire is in residence. Daylight does not break through, and even fire casts a purple-blue light that dances with sickly shadows. Mortals are drawn to the tomb, where the vampire slakes its hunger, and spawn and necromancers compete for attention and favor at all hours. The vampire’s retinue takes control of the tomb-lands, and harsh punishments are meted out to any who displease not only the vampire, but any of their favorites. An honor guard of wolves and night-feeding predators prowls and swarms around the tomb constantly, creating an impenetrable barrier to any but those called by the vampire’s desire.

8-9

Departing. The vampire is leaving. Traps are reset, the tomb’s treasures marked with magical seals and wards, and fresh graves are dug for the drained bodies the vampire leaves behind. Wolves, bats, and other beasts are listless and slow. The spawn set to fighting amongst each other, or crawl into their alcoves to slumber for weeks. Daylight breaks through for 1d4 hours, +1 for each day the vampire is gone, to a maximum of 12. Surviving clan members bury their dead and begin to talk about making an escape…

10

Abandoned. The vampire has not returned in years, perhaps generations. The fog is scattered, and daylight shines its proper hours—sometimes almost as bright as elsewhere. Feeble vampire spawn fight each other, dividing the mortals into gangs devoted to their sole service. Wolves and bats depart the land, seeking prey elsewhere. Scavengers break into the tomb, and the tomb-land is regularly rocked with explosions or howls as magical defenses kill another would-be claimant of the long-gone vampire’s spoils.

Enviromental effects. The dread pall of the tomb-land may cause one or more of the following effects: • Parasites and diseases breed in pools of stagnat water. The air is thick with swarms of insects and mortals who drink the water must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or contract a disease. • Characters with a Charisma score of 15 or higher are noticed by the vampire spawn and marked as vessels. • 1d4 wolves or bats are within 120 feet at all times. Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

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AT YOUR TABLE

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TONE AGE FANTASY IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND and exciting to play, but every group approaches it a little differently. For some, the fun of the setting is in raw-edged survival. For others, it’s the close connection to the natural world and the lack of technological sophistication. There are as many reasons to play in this setting as there are for any other era of adventure, so as you approach Planegea with your table, spend some time talking to your players to find out what they’re excited about—as well as any concerns they might have about how the setting might challenge what they find most fun about roleplaying adventures. Take those factors and your own preferences into account as you plan your Planegean adventure. What follows is advice for how to introduce Planegea to a group who might be used to medieval fantasy (including how to transition an existing game from a medieval setting to Planegea), as well as some key modifications that might make the setting more fun for you and your players, depending on your group’s tastes.

Introducing Planegea How do you kick off adventures in Planegea with your group? Do you plan a long campaign, a short adventure, an interlude in an existing game? Use the suggestions below to spark ideas for how to weave Planegea into the adventures you’re running: Unique campaign. The most straightforward approach to running a Stone Age game is simply to pitch it to the group as a unique adventure, create new characters, and have fun exploring the setting on its own merits. If you have player buy-in, this is a great method of fully immersing your players in Planegea, allowing it to be its own world without reference to any other. The rest of these concepts explore ways to weave the setting into existing adventures. Interlude adventure. Use adventures in Planegea to kick off or conclude an arc set in another era—perhaps you play a prologue adventure where Stone Age adventurers witness the rise of a world-shaping evil, or maybe the actions of players return the world to a primitive state and a Planegea game examines their legacy in a post-post-post-apocalypse. You could also weave Planegea adventures through a game in another setting as flashbacks to another era, which could tie into an explanation of some larger and very ancient plot thread in your medieval fantasy game. These interlude adventures keep medieval fantasy dominant, but show the grand impact of player actions stretching across uncountable generations. Singular event. Work a Planegea arc into your existing campaign with a one-time trip. Perhaps a god, archfey, or arch-druid sends the charactesr on a spiritual journey into

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the primal past. They might experience past life regression or ancestral memories. Maybe a wizard traps them in an illusory Stone Age world from which they must escape. Or maybe they have one chance to travel into the deep past to retrieve a long-destroyed item or unlock a quest goal that cannot be achieved in their present. This oneway trip might serve as a short arc to break up a longer campaign, and allow full immersion in the world of Planegea for a few sessions without losing the thread of your existing game. Fixed location. Instead of a one-time trip, Planegea might be a place the characters can travel to at will. Perhaps as they reach higher levels, they could discover the secrets of planar travel that open Planegea as a plane they discover, where they find allies and resources and make enemies and memories. Or, instead of planar travel, perhaps some item or plot device allows them to time travel to a fixed point in their history, so far back that they can’t make major alterations to the timeline. A portal might open to Planegea, without explanation as to whether it’s travel through time or realities. Or, for a less magical means of travel, maybe in your game Planegea is a lost continent, which can be reached by sailing ship or skyship or crossing a dangerous wilderness. The ability to choose when and how to travel to and from Planegea might be tons of fun for the right group… although it’s worth considering whether they can bring metal with them, or use writing, coin, wheels, and numbers over nine without alerting the Hounds or not. Major change. If you want to introduce a major change to your campaign, and are certain it will be fun for your group to do so, the players’ actions or failure to stop a campaign villain might lead to a magical disaster. Perhaps a wizard unleashes a mighty spell that drags all of reality back to the Stone Age. Maybe the gods enact their final war and reduce all life to the bare elements of survival. Maybe a character or an NPC uses a wish spell carelessly (or purposefully!) to forever alter reality. These kind of irreversable changes will obviously have a huge impact at your table, so make sure you have player buy-in before fundamentally altering the setting. You know your table best, and if it’s fun for everyone there, this kind of major upset can be the beginning of truly unforgettable adventures.

Genre Tropes Although Planegea is its own campaign setting, it’s more than possible to run published 5th Edition adventures in the world of Planegea by converting some common medieval fantasy tropes to a prehistoric variant that stays true to their original spirit. Use the Prehistoric Fantasy table (see “Prehistoric Fantasy” in Chapter 2, pg. 16) to bring the best of other campaigns to the world of Planegea.

VILLAINOUS SCHEMES

Most of the classic villainous schemes from fantasy literature apply in Planegea—murder, revenge, usurpation, dark devotion to an evil god… all of these can be brought directly into this world without alteration. A few examples to get you started (for more complex schemes, combine two or more of these into a single diabolical plan): • Ambition: Destroy gods and devour their essence to become a god • Ardor: Resurrect a long-dead loved one, no matter what it takes • Greed: Plunder aberrant vaults for artifacts of power • Vengeance: Wipe out an entire clan in repayment for an old insult or injury • Pride: Kill the Worldheart Dragon at the center of Blood Mountain • Heresy: Eliminate those whose worship is displeasing • Conquest: Conquer the three Brother Clans and rule the Great Valley • Destruction: Usher in an invasion by the giant empires • Corruption: Turn a region against itself • Zeal: Open a portal to the dwelling of alien beings from the Sea of Stars

GENRE ADVENTURES

Planegea is crafted from the bones of classic pulp adventures, and those early stories were full of all kinds of stories. If you want to run your Planegea adventures within other pulp genres, here are a few suggestions for how to get started: Westerns. Play as peacekeepers of the Dire Grazelands, moving between herd communities, dealing with rustlers, robbers, clans trying to stake their claim on the land, the older beings who were there first, and the underlying menace of the great civilization to the east that always threatens to put an end to your wild and free way of life. Pirates. Play as sharksails of Scattersea, sailing your catamarans for plunder and adventure among the countless, shifting islands known as the Stones. Prey on the weak, uncover ancient mysteries of the deep, battle storms and sea monsters and invoke pacts with merfolk and sea gods to keep sailing into just one more cursed adventure. Detectives. Play as hardboiled investigators of Free Citadel, where murder is as old as mortal life, and everyone’s got an angle. Travel ruined streets, interrogate suspects among your fellow citizens, follow leads, protect witnesses, and uncover the truth, no matter how deep into the darkness it goes. Spies. Play as Children of Kraia, Worldsingers, or master thieves of Scavengers Vow, on a secret mission from which there may be no returning. Use specialized enchanted tools, make contact on the inside, trust no one, get in and out quick and quiet like only you can. War. Play as warriors in an all-out conflict between Giant Empires or the Brothers Clans, living on the front lines and running impossible risks to avert total disaster. Key victories are within your grasp if you’re smart enough, brave

enough, and your luck breaks just right—although you might lose everything you care about along the way. Science Fiction. Play as time-travelers or spacefarers who have found yourselves stranded in a strange era, dimension, or alien world. Peel back the layers of the seeming primitivism to discover the advanced technology hidden below the surface, and scrape together enough raw materials to construct a way back to the stars. Sports. Play as athletes of Edgegather, Free Citadel, or Seerfall, engaged in glorious sport for the honor of your people. Travel through a dangerous world to compete against other clans, playing in impossible landscapes and conditions, building towards a final match with the imperial team of Lo-Pa who—they say—can never be defeated. SETTING VARIANT: THE UTTER FUTURE In the pulp literature that inspired this game, there is a post-apocalyptic tradition of worlds where magic and technology are mixed, and what we think of as the present is the unimaginable past. To explore this idea, consider introducing sealed bunkers, buried deep underground, with modern or futuristic technology and relics. Whether Planegea is in the future of earth or of other classic roleplaying settings, why are these buried places sealed away, what happened to all the metal on the surface, and what are the Hounds of the Blind Heaven?

Modifying Planegea First and foremost, Planegea is intended to be a fantasy setting that promotes fun, excitement, and a deeply positive way of connecting with others, telling stories, and embarking on unforgettable adventures. These goals are obstructed when elements of the setting break any player’s immersion or sense of fun. In Planegea’s development, there were some worldbuilding choices that stood out as the most commonly modified elements, with some DMs choosing to ignore them, alter them, or remove them altogether. It is essential that you, as the DM, feel the freedom to make whatever changes are necessary to promote the fun of your table. This section includes a few notes on how to adjust or remove the Black Taboos and aspects of the Giant Empires in a way to run the game you and your players will find most enjoyable.

THE BLACK TABOOS

No writing. No numbers over nine. No currency. No wheels. These metaphysical rules and their mysterious enforcers were created as DM tools to guide campaigns into exciting, far-reaching stories are consistent with Stone Age aesthetics. In the development of Planegea, many people had trouble thinking of what Stone Age adventures might be beyond Chapter 9 | Stone Age Adventures

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“We invent the wheel,” or “We invent the alphabet.” Those are stories that we see told again and again in prehistoric narratives, and the Black Taboos were designed to give DMs a way to encourage their players to find fun while embracing the Stone Age setting (instead of transforming it). That said, people who play RPGs often like to pull back the edges of things, so there were other players and DMs who had their imaginations sparked by the presence of these laws and powers, becoming eager to test the boundaries and find ways to defy the Hounds. However, it also became clear that for some people, the Hounds and Black Taboos felt like a distraction. Perhaps you fall into this category—you might feel that your players are ready to explore a prehistoric world without strange unearthly laws binding their ability to invent. In that case, here are some considerations for how you might enjoy the world of Planegea, free from the hounds: HOUND-FREE ADVENTURES There are many Stone Age adventures to be had without the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. Here are a few styles of game you might consider if you choose to remove them: Origin adventures. So many Stone Age stories hinge on the moment that the wheel was created or that proto-writing changed communication. If you want to run a campaign centered on such watershed events, you can have a ton of fun removing the Hounds and letting your players navigate a profound shift in technology that alters all of life across the Great Valley and beyond. Historically accurate. In Earth’s history, no Hounds were required to enforce the Stone Age. If your players buy into the truth that technology need not progress by leaps and bounds, and that people lived at a set technological level for generations upon generations, the Black Taboos become unnecessary, and you can simply settle into a world that more grounded in the Stone Age of our own history. Stone Age satire. Stone Age cars in prehistoric gridlock. Primal factories with canned dinosaur meat rolling off the assembly line. Dinosaur food disposals. If you want to wholly embrace the wacky fun of an analogue to the modern world fashioned entirely with Stone Age materials, go for it! This kind of zany fun can be amazing with the right group of players, and lets you tell an entirely different kind of story in a setting that still promotes big adventures. Houndslayers. You may be interested in what happens to the world of Planegea immediately after the Hounds are defeated. In this case, there’s no need to alter large portions of the setting—only to ask, “What now?” IMPACT OF THE HOUNDS’ ABSENCE Removing the Hounds of the Blind Heaven from the setting has some far-reaching implications. Consider the following as you develop your game without them: Everyday life. A strong sense of menacing limitation hangs over the world of Planegea, and is part of its design. With that removed, you might see a flourishing of creativity and invention. The introduction of wagons and record-keeping might make tribes much more prosperous

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and inventions far more complex, and with the chariot and higher-level logistics, warfare might become much more dangerous and far-reaching. Factions & threats. The league of spellskins called the Sign of the Hare (pg. 207) and the cruel arcane researchers known as the Recusance (pg. 250) are both centered around the Hounds. If you remove the Hounds you can also remove these groups, or give them new goals and motivations, such as the uplifting of gods or the achievement of lichdom. Metal & farming. The absence of metal and the lack of farming in the setting is not due to the Blind Heaven. Rather, metal is simply absent from the world and Duru the forest titan (pg. 228) assaults those who harness the power of the growing earth. These might remain or also be changed, depending on the world you’re trying to create for the players at your table.

THE GIANT EMPIRES

Planegea is a world built on the fuel of classic pulp adventures. Its giant empires represent the kinds of massive, too-big-to-handle threats seen in genre fiction such as 10,000 BC, Stargate, West of Eden, and other works that feature a technologically advanced power that abuses its might at the expense of the lives of sympathetic heroes. However, many of these works of genre fiction, despite their relevance to the setting, were created without regard to the real-world impact of slavery on human lives and the ensuing cost throughout generations. For many tables, having these concepts in the game whatsoever is immersion-breaking and destroys the fun. Talk to your players. If that is true for anyone at your table, please remove these elements from the setting, using the guidance below. SLAVERY IS EVIL To be unequivocal: Slavery is evil. Support of slavery in any form or even passive inaction in the face of slavery is an evil action. This game has a long history of linking moral terms like “good” and “evil” to its worldbuilding and game mechanics. The topic is murky and complex, but Planegea designates any character or creature who enslaves others as canonically evil. Conversely, the most heroic characters in the game are the ones who actively oppose evil and overthrow abuses of power in all its forms. Free Citadel stands as a testament to liberation and personal power, and represents the values of Planegea as a setting. Planegea is a setting that loves to explore both sides of issues, and to play with morality in the face of a kill-orbe-killed world. However, there are no two sides to slavery, and none of the quest hooks are sympathetic to slavery in any way. Do not plan campaigns that put characters in a position of authority over enslaved people or adventures that create sympathy for slavers.

ALTERING THE EMPIRES If your table is excited about playing a game that opposes, dismantles, and destroys slavery, enjoy playing with these elements. However, if these themes detract from the experience of anyone at the table, including you, consider adjusting the empires to remove the theme of institutional slavery in any of the following ways: Closed borders. As-written, the giant empires are an aggressive threat, menacing all who live near them. However, you can remove the theme of slavery altogether by making the empires much more aloof. In this Planegea, they might want nothing to do with mortals, and their cities might be inscrutable and inapproachable. They provide for all their needs without any mortal labor whatsoever, using magic and their strength to generate their own resources. Such changes would raise the stakes for infiltrating the empires, to discover the secrets hidden behind their closed gates and walls. Hunting parties. If you want to keep the giants an active threat in the world while removing slavery, you can simply alter the concept of enslaving parties to hunting parties. Perhaps the giants would rather eat mortals or kill them for sport than force them to do labor. Use hunting parties to make the edges of the empires dangerous and reinforce the menace of the giants without raising the issue of slavery in any way. Isolated villains. If you’re interested in a single adventure hook dealing with freeing enslaved captives but don’t want the theme to spread throughout the rest of the campaign, you can always make an individual giant a villainous slaver. Such a giant might be ostracized from the rest of giant society, or acting in abuse of power among their own people. Regardless, a single evil character enslaving others might be more straightforward to deal with than empires built on evil, and allow you the joy of opposing evil without engaging in worldbuilding around it. Open empires. Historically, although ancient empires did engage in slavery, their societies were much more pourous and mobile than flattened stereotypes would suggest. The giant empires in your Planegea might be more interesting if they were actually very open societies, trading with and even celebrating mortals, allowing them access to their cities as long as they can offer something of value. Such open empires would still be dangerous places—individual giants might be cruel or kind, depending on their personal proclivities—but the empires overall would be far more complex and fluid, making for entirely new types of interactions with powerful NPCs and advanced civilization.

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CHAPTER 10

THE PRIMAL WORLD “The first time the young sorcerer flew, it was an accident. He had been far upstream, gathering mudberries, when a sudden screech in the woods startled him. He leapt off the ground, and hovered in the air, shocked to find the earth a horse’s height below. “He began flying more often after that—secretly at first, wheeling in the sky and being surprised by how small his clanfire looked from above—but eventually, he was discovered and flew in service of the clan, scouting out quarry, keeping watch for danger, and looking at the land ahead to determine the next promising site for the encampment when the clan was on the move. “But his flights grew longer, farther, and higher. He began to lose touch with the ground, staying by the clanfire only as long as it took to rest before lifting off again. He had been promised for marriage, but he broke off his oath. How could he marry when his heart was aloft? “One day he soared farther than ever before—and as he tired, he did not circle back home. He kept flying onward. He flew over fertile valleys and dry plains. He flew over lakes roiling with monsters and lakes dead with salt. He flew between icy mountain peaks, over forests awake and a sleep. He flew over a burning desert, over shining islands. He dodged bolts of lightning in the Everstorm. He even circled the crater of Blood Mountain itself. Once he learned the trick of it, he never stopped flying.” “What happened to him?” asked the stargazer. “He flies still. Look there—those two stars are his wings, and in the center is his heart, still aloft. He lives in the stars, and always will— unless one day he decides to fly utterly out of the world.”

I

N THE BEGINNING WAS BLOOD MOUNTAIN, AND from its fires spewed forth the world of Planegea. The land continues to stretch outward, pushing creation’s sprawl further and further. The edges of the world are old, alien, and cruel, and its center is new, burgeoning with life and chaos. What follows are brief introductions to the landmarks, regions, and people of Planegea. This chapter isn’t intended to be all-encompassing. What’s written here is just the edge of all that wanders and skulks, tunnels and soars through the world. There are a great many places unexplored, broad horizons unwritten. You never know what you’ll find in Planegea. A sudden drop in the land may reveal an ancient stone temple, a cave might offer passage to a hidden kingdom, or a mysterious encampment could lead to untold wonders of discovery. Each Planegea is different. Make the land your own, fill it with adventures, monsters, and locations that breathe your life into it.

Cosmology At a high level, Planegea is one world. A wanderer can walk from the heart of the world through various planes to its outer edge, crossing by foot over the borders between lands that will someday shatter into separate realities. Worldheart. All the world has a single origin—the Worldheart Dragon, who sleeps in the molten rock of Blood Mountain, at the center of creation. It is by her power that the world expands, and each explosion or magma flow from the mountain expands reality further out into the darkness beyond. Unified planes. The lands and seas that the Worldheart caused to be are one. Four great elemental wastes—fire, water, earth, and air—hem in the Great Valley, bordered by giant empires that sit halfway between mortals and genies. All the world is unified, but even now, the lands seem to strain against each other, pulling reality ever farther apart. Nod. Hidden just out of sight, throughout the world, lie doorways and passageways into the twin worlds of Nod: the World of Dreams and the World of Nightmares. These doorways allow fey and mortals to pass back and forth between realms—as well as other, more fearsome beings. The Kingdom of the Dead. There are only two ways into the Kingdom of the Dead—the Dark Door and the Long Way. The Dark Door is only seen by those who have passed beyond life, and the location of the Long Way is a secret known only to the most powerful and most ancient beings who live. The Kingdom of the Dead is a lightless place of inevitability, where souls build an endless necropolis until they fade, forgotten in the living lands.

The Sea of Stars Velvet-black and full of music, this ethereal world is alive with dancing stars and the things that lurk in the darkness between them. Creatures: Elementals, aberrations, constructs Treasure: The finery of the stars and the dreadful, dripping machines of the things that wait in the darkness Lore: Starlings, the Crawling Awful Challenge: Levels 17–20 It’s said that when Blood Mountain first erupted, it didn’t spew forth flame, but stars. The Sea is where the stars rest at night, and where things that have no name lurk and whisper in slowly-expanding pockets of shadow. Those stars surround the world, and if you walk to the very edge of the elemental wastes, you can fall into the stars’ infinity. There is no ground in the Sea of Stars, and few mortals, if any, have ever drifted in its singing spaces.

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Yet even should a way be found, even the bravest hunter would be wise to stay away from this infinite reach of light… for there are things among the stars that mortals have long forgotten—and that we can only hope have forgotten us.

The Sky There is no single sun in Planegea. Rather, at the end of each night, the stars begin to swirl overhead as they complete their constellation dance, swooping and streaking towards each other in an attempt to knock the others out of the sky. As they battle, victorious stars grow brighter until only three or four heavy stars glow like lanterns above. Then the winner of the duel rams its opponents from the heavens, taking on the full brilliance of the Day-Star, and parading from east to west in its full glory all day. The defeated stars spend the day recovering their strength, siphoning light from the Day-Star until it is weak enough for them to rise in shining fountains from the horizon, to begin again their constellation dance and the endless cycle of night and day. Between the stars and above the land drift a scattering of moons, traversing a life-cycle from birth to death. New moons are formed roughly once every thirty days, born of a violent eruption of ash and smoke at the mouth of Blood Mountain. Each moon begins small and dark, then grows as it waxes until it is full. Afterwards it begins to die, waning until its husk turns to dust and disappears into the Sea of Stars. This entire process takes thirty days. Because of this cycle, there are never the same number of moons in the sky at any given time—sometimes there are many, and sometimes none at all. Rarely, a twin moon will be born of the ash, an event which is heralded as an omen for those who dwell below.

The Elemental Wastes Four wild, uninhabitable realms where ancient genies and alien elementals dwell at the very edge of the world. Creatures: Elementals, aberrations Treasure: Natural wonders, spoils of the aberrations Lore: The Giant Empires Challenge: Levels 17–20 These desolations of earth, air, fire, and water are the first lands spewed by Blood Mountain, the domain of the cruel and corrupt caravans of genies, the final edges of the world—the last place a mortal can set foot before falling into the endless Sea of Stars. The border of each waste is guarded by the empire it touches, its giant guards determined to ensure nothing travels in… or out. Brinewaste. This vast and dark sea is home to great coral catamarans and undersea palaces of the Marid, piscene water-genies who are convinced of their infinite wisdom and wit. They trade with the storm giants, but find the empire’s endless war against aboleths, kraken, and the like

tiresome, believing that it would be no great loss if the land was swept away and covered in water and slime. Quakewaste. No mountains imagined by mortals can rival the limitless heights of the roaring, soaring ranges of the Quakewaste. Home of greedy and heartless Dao who never stop demanding more enslaved mortals for purchase from the Stone Empire, the elemental realm of earth is a grinding mouth of avalanche, earthquake, tunnel, and volcano, and puts the sea to shame in its tectonic unrest. Scorchwaste. A burning hellscape, the flames of which would consume Planegea in a moment if there were not a great barrier desert to break them, the realm of fire is inhabited by the bloodthirsty efreeti. These genies, locked in endless wars and political machinations with each other, could turn and destroy the Fire Empire in a moment if they would unite—however, the giants know that such cooperation is impossible for them, in their haughty and destructive hearts, and so the giants play all sides of their endless war against each other, provisioning, making weaponry, and benefiting from the role of host and aide to each sparring efreeti warband. Windwaste. The vast white windstorm that is the elemental realm of air howls with an endless wildness, but within the floating sky-caravans of the Djinn, all is serene and full of comfort and pleasure. The elegant genies travel in endless loops and swirls across the skies, attempting with deadly earnestness to outdo one another in magical delights and wonders. The Air Empire is a useful supply of trinkets and souls for them to use in their games and amusements, and they are more than willing to pay handsomely out of the abundance they create quite literally out of thin air.

The World-Fangs Four fearsome corners of the world, where elements clash in utter hostility to mortal life. Creatures: All types (varied by region) Treasure: Elemental wonders, the remains of legendary monsters, and lost treasures of genies and stars Lore: The Giant Empires Challenge: Levels 11–16 Shamans say that Planegea is a wide mouth opened in a roar with four great teeth at its corners—the World-Fangs. These regions of devastation are the meeting places of the Elemental Wastes, and are too inhospitable for any mortal to make permanent residence—or any giant for that matter. The Fang of Rock & Flame. A volcanic land, hotter than many clanfires, the air full of choking ash and smoke. The peaks and crags of this sulfurous oven are inhabited by all creatures who love flame and despise anything that is consumed by burning. The Fang of Sand & Wind. A searing desert, where constant sandstorms choke and bite and rip the flesh off of mortals or giants foolish enough to wander into them. If a storm is not blowing, the sun can reduce a traveler to dizzy weakness in a matter of hours—after that, it’s the skull-scarabs that will finish them off when they fall. Chapter 10 | The Primal World

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The Fang of Shadow & Thunder. Darkness and towering cliffs, illuminated only by the blinding flashes of lighting, where the constant roar of thunder reverberates off every cliffside, triggering endless avalanches and rockslides into the bottomless pits and dark waters of the rainwater lakes of that unlivable land. Saltfang & Slimefang. A coastal nightmare where great tentacled things from the sea and great oozing things from the swamps wrestle in the mucky silt and sand where black waves devour black shores with endless, mindless, gnawing hunger.

Blood Mountain A black volcano—unthinkably high and ever-erupting—where cunning dragons plot and hoard in burning, sulfurous darkness. Creatures: Dragons Treasure: Volcanic gems, hoarded weapons and loot Lore: The Worldheart Dragon, the Brood Challenge: Levels 17–20 At the center of Planegea, visible for countless miles in all directions, an impossibly tall spire of rock, fire, and smoke rises from the tangled mass of a primordial jungle. All of Planegea wheels around this central axis, which creates and destroys life with primal power. This infinitely high volcano crawls with dragons both cunning and feral. It is said that in the center of its fire lives the being that made all things: the Worldheart Dragon, an incredibly massive, ancient, and powerful creature who is dreaming reality into existence, and her five consorts, the legendary Sacred Dragons, whose scales glitter with colorful sheens of an impossibly smooth, strong material, like nothing else seen in the world.

The Venom Abyss Blood Mountain sits in an enormous chasm which is roughly circular in shape, and filled with a writhing jungle full of dinosaurs, apes, and gigantic poisonous crawling beasts of all kinds. Everything about the Venom Abyss is alive and growing. Twisted poison vines, enormous carnivorous plants, things that are half-plant, half-monster… the jungle crawls with danger, most of it mindless and instinctual. SECRET OF THE SPIDER-QUEEN None can say who or what the spider-queen is. There are rumors, of course… some say she is a cursed woman in the shape of a gigantic spider from the waist down. Others that she is the mother of spiders—a great, massive many-eyed thing without a shred of humanity. There are those who believe she is neither spider nor woman, but an evil goddess in spidery form. None can say for certain, but all know that to stumble into the web of her people unprepared is to meet a long and grisly death.

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CANOPY

A whispering green world of branches, birds, and flowers, where dragon cultists and spider-folk pray and hunt in the sun and wind. Creatures: Humanoids, beasts, monstrosities Treasure: Rare fruit and flowers, cult artifacts, gear and loot caught in the webs of the spider-queen’s people. Lore: The Brood Challenge: Levels 5–10 There is an entire world in the treetops of the Venom Abyss, creatures who live and die without ever touching the jungle floor. Arboreal villages gather fruits and nuts, hunt birds, monkeys, lizards, and other small prey and avoid their prey’s larger, predatory cousins. Dragon cults. The Venom Abyss canopy is largely without its own gods, who tend to dwell in hallows on land—but there are clans who revere the dragons that fly to and from Blood Mountain. Some enact elaborate rituals to summon and feed the dragon, and other clans live in fear of the dragon cult raiders stealing their young for some awful sacrifice. Nexus of the spider-queen. Wise hunters know to avoid areas where great webs have been spun. The spider-queen and her people are ever-thirsty for the blood of foolish prey, and it’s said that mortals who avoid being eaten are horribly transformed into her arachnoid kin.

THE BELOW

A dark and misty rainforest—all greens and blacks except when pierced by shafts of golden light from above, where cursed dinosaurs and the body-stealing Kelodhros struggle and kill in the hot, sweetsmelling gloom. Creatures: Beasts, monstrosities, plants, oozes Treasure: Rare fruits, vegetables, and beasts, Kelodhrosian magic items Lore: Kelodhros Ascendant Challenge: Levels 5–10 In the emerald darkness below the treetops is an entirely different world, untouched by wind or sun. Here, the air is thick and wet, full of mists and insects and plants that curl their tendrils to sting and devour. Only the fierce and ferocious survive here—and even then, it seems that more creatures die than live. Reptilian hunting ground. The Below teems with life, and the greatest beasts are the dinosaurs—although they normally go unnamed in that green darkness. Though they fight for survival, many have been corrupted by the things that swarm and slither in the forests, and many a great, scaled, fanged beast stalks the forest floor aglow with necromantic magic or writhing with twisted tentacles alien to its natural form. Empire rising. The pale, ominous people known as Kelodhros Ascendant make their home in the Below, building ziggurats and enacting rituals to steal the power of living things for their own bodies. Their influence is subtle and strong, and grows every day as they sacrifice their

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victims, empower their priests, and plot their assault on the world above the walls of the Abyss. The Breathtaking Lagoon. Legend tells of a place where the vines and trees fall away to reveal a lake of majestic beauty. Rainbows arc across its surface, its shimmering depths glow with pristine purity. Many a weary hunter has touched its surface in great relief, only to feel the utter anguish of being sucked under by its sticky pseudopods—for the lake is a lie, and is in fact the greatest of all primordial oozes, and its appearance a lure for the hapless creatures on which it feeds. The Rotting Gloom. Beneath the feet of dinosaurs and Kelodhros, in the thick roots and black volcanic soil of the Venom Abyss, an entire underworld of caves, crawling creatures, and predatory oozes is alive with hunger. Hidden here are secrets so powerful that they have never been pushed outward into the rest of Planegea, remaining always close to Blood Mountain, feeding on its energy and— perhaps—plotting their eventual return to the surface of the world.

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THE UNFALLS

Thundering, blue waterfalls-in-reverse rising in steaming fountains from the jungle below, where mighty beasts swim and climb to hunt the world above.

Creatures: Beasts, monstrosities Treasure: Valuable remains or artifacts (draconic or Kelodhrosian) caught in the current of the Unfalls Lore: The Dragonborn Challenge: Levels 1–10 Five great rivers—the Bear (p. 161), Ape (p. 162), Lion (p. 163), Ox (p. 164), and Eel (p. 169)—flow in reverse from the Venom Abyss, surging upwards in great eternal fountains that pulse as if pumped by the great heart of the world itself. Terrible monsters often wash up these fountains and—finding themselves in the Great Valley—fall to devouring the beasts and clans of that fertile land. Goblin Tunnels. Hidden behind the Unfalls are great towering cave systems, maze-like and bewildering. These

have long been the domain of goblin castes. Near the jungle floor, bugbears fish in the river and catch food and beasts to nourish the higher castes. Goblins in the caves above gather mushrooms, ferns, and domesticate bats, fish, insects, and other stranger beasts. They sit below the hobgoblin warrior caste, who in turn are governed by the spellskin caste at the very top of the system.

The Great Valley Most of the mortals in Planegea make their home in the Great Valley—a wide and well-watered land, rich in rivers, good hunting, and plentiful plant life. Existing in a band between the violence of the Venom Abyss and the tyranny of the giant empires, the clans of the Great Valley live in a world of constant change, always only a few steps away from death. Migrant lives. Every year, as the seasons change and the herd animals move their grazing lands, the predators that rely on them for food—including the hunting and gathering mortals—travel with them. North of the Venom Abyss, the land enjoys summers with plentiful rain and foraging, but winter is dry and full of winds that cut like knives. As the leaves turn, beasts and clans migrate into the arid shrubland south of the Venom Abyss. Here, winter brings rain, which causes the land to bloom. Foraging is limited in the cool, wet winters of the south, but the animals come to graze, and it’s far easier to survive there through the worst of the year’s privations. Divine hallows. Scattered throughout the land, dominating regions large and small, stand the divine hallows. These places can be anything: a bend in the river, an ancient tree, a deep cave—what sets them apart are that they are the claimed sanctuary of a god. From a hallow, a god’s power emanates, and many are shrouded in regional effects such as darkness, wind, tremors in the earth, fertile plant life, or other effects suitable to the power of their god. Most regions are ruled by only a single god at a time, but some can coexist if their spheres of influence do not overlap. Hunters, gatherers, & raiders. The greatest power in the Great Valley are the mortal clans, who make their homes (both temporary and permanent) there. These can be of one kinship or many, dedicated to trade or violence, governed gently or with great cruelty. Each clan is unique, with its own politics, personalities, troubles, and gifts. And each must

keep moving to stay ahead of the fierce winter that always seems to come a little sooner every year. Wandering woods. Planegea is young and awake. Verdant forests comprised entirely of treants and dryads wander the landscape. When peaceful, they are full of food, shade, rest, and wisdom—when angered, they spell utter devastation. Dwarvish ruins. The dwarves are famous for building and abandoning stone circles, dwellings, fortresses, even cities. As soon as construction is complete, these master craftsmen lose interest, eager to begin the next edifice. Dwarvish ruins scatter the landscape, making great places for encampment, settlement, ambush, or hunting. Many secrets are hidden in the ruins of dwarves, and though some clans make them their regular habitation, others are to be avoided by those who do not wish to perish in a most unsettling death. Hidden doorways. Planegea is a world where you can walk from one end of reality to the other—but even so, some ways are concealed from plain sight. More common than most believe are doorways to the Nod: the twin worlds of dreams and nightmares. These doors are secret, but real, and can be found by the very clever, the very stupid, and the very desperate.

THE BROTHERS

Three wide, blue-green rivers fall across open lands where generous gods reign and mortal clans roam through the great cycle of seasons. Creatures: Any, but especially humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, and celestials Treasure: Salt, game, crafted goods, and divinely blessed weapons and objects Lore: All—any factions or threat can clash here Challenge: Levels 1–20

Three fertile slopes of three rivers in the north of the Great Valley—the Bear, the Ape, and the Lion—are jealously guarded in the warm seasons by three powerful, warring clans. Each seeks to destroy the other two and rule as the preeminent power in the valley. Although weather and migrations force the clans to leave their rivers every year, they linger as long as they can and seasonally fight to reclaim what they have built with proud fury. THE BEAR The Bear River winds from the edge of the Venom Abyss northwest towards a great lake called Bitewater, and is known for the wide and gentle valley that surrounds it, rich with grazing beasts. The Bear Clan. This clan of mighty warriors values strength above all, and its children are raised to preform great feats of physical might and endurance. Bear Clan tents are built to resemble hives, and they welcome bees as a good omen from their god, Urhosh. Hallow of Urhosh. The Unkillable Bear-God Urhosh dwells in a great cave, the entrance of which is always lit with fire and surrounded by honeycombs and fish gathered by his loyal followers. Urhosh is a gregarious god, and when he is merry, great feasts are held at his door-

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step. All who eat at Urhosh’s table are imbued with divine endurance, and the shamans say that after such a feast his hunters cannot be harmed for a night and a day. Bitewater & Fishgather. The great lake called Bitewater is so named for the numberless monsters that lurk in its depths, having swum up the Unfalls from the Venom Abyss. Still, it teems not only with predators, but also with fat fish, good crabs and shrimp, and all manner of shorebirds, lakeweed, and the edible plenty of the water. As such, a permanent community of fishers live on the lake in a network of houseboats, lashed together in the shallows and carefully guarded against the great and hungry things that might swim from below. In the summer they harvest the lake’s wealth, and in the winter they ply the ice with great lines and spears while the things below sleep and dream dark, fishy dreams of the sun. Killbrother Vale. This serene meadow stands halfway between the Bear and Ape rivers. In the good days, it is full of gatherers harvesting sweetgrass and children catching butterflies. But it is better known as the place where the warring clans of Bear and Ape come together in terrible battles every spring. Parents tell their children that the butterflies are lost spirits, and to catch and crush them is to release them into their afterlife. They may be telling the truth. Raiding Plains. These sweeping, open lands are just fertile enough to sustain life, but not much of it. Instead, they are the host to grazing raider-clans, who use the endless expanse and dried river beds as hiding places until they ride out of the mist on roaring beasts to take the riches of the valley below.

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Shatterbone. This natural depression was originally a mammoth graveyard where old elders of the herds would come to die. It has become a haunt for scavengers of all kinds, its sprawling landmark of massive, dry bones twisting up from the earth making a perfect meeting place for the desperate and hungry. The Whispering Veldt. This dry, grassy space is known for its infinite voices, calling the names of those lost long ago. It is said that a great god-battle was fought here, with many clans clashing in stone-edged combat. As the legend goes, all who raised a weapon here died, and the ground soaked in their souls along with their blood. It is foolish to spend a night in the Whispering Veldt… if the ghosts don’t openly attack, the echoing voices of the dead are still enough to drive even a weak hunter mad. THE APE The Ape River is the shortest of the five great rivers, and hooks crookedly through the land to empty into the undrinkable depths of Bittersea. It is known for its living forests and the rich variety of birds that nest along its banks. The Ape Clan. This clan of daring hunters values resourcefulness above all, challenging one another to trials of survival and extreme persistence in the face of impossible odds. Ape Clan tents are famous for being cleverly built so as to be quick to raise and lower, and the entire clan is said to be able to break camp as if they’d never been there before the Day-Star can travel a hand-span across the sky. Hallow of Kho. The Many-Armed Ape-God Kho makes his dwelling in a massive tree, so great that it pulls the

entire Ape River towards it with the might of its roots. Kho is a brooding and difficult god, but he loves the sound of drumming, and can be lulled to sleep with the ritual drums of the shamans. It is during his sleep that he grants generous boons from his dreams of his younger days, and the Ape Clan’s shamans do all that they can to keep him slumbering as long as they can. Saltwood. This sleeping forest is deserted by treants and dryads, who consider it as good as dead, its branches and leaves covered with crystals leeched from the waters of the Bittersea. Yet the plants here have found a way to survive, and the salty air makes things grow strange. It is said that the Saltwood has great arcane power, and spellskins often journey to its white groves to seek what magic may be found. Bittersea & Swapshore. This narrow, incredibly deep body of water is long-since poisoned by the minerals that blow seasonally across its surface from the Fang of Salt & Sand. Nothing lives in the Bittersea, but the Ape River is drinkable until it empties into its basin, so there is life and settlement here. An old dwarvish fortress at the sea’s edge is a well-traveled trading ground and respite from the wilderness. It’s said that if anything is lost, it will someday turn up at Swapshore, although it won’t be unchanged by its journey to those strange market tents. Firegrass Wilds. This burning prairie, frequently scorched by wildfires, stands at the foot of the Fire Empire. It is a frequent hiding place for escapees and runaways, since their giant captors assume that no mortal can live for long in that dry and desolate wilderness. By and large, they’re right. Dire Grazelands. These open grassy plains are host to massive grazing beasts—enormous reptiles, descended from creatures that fell into the Upfalls long ago, as well as massive sheep, huge cattle, and other gigantic creatures of other kind. Their great size is said to be due to the magic of fire giants, and giant herdsmen do roam the plains with their flocks—but so do entire mortal villages built on the backs of great roving beasts, their huts connected by a lattice of rope and wood bridges stretched across open air between their animals. The grazelands provide milk, meat, and hides in great quantities, making them wealthier than their great grassy expanses would suggest. THE LION The Lion River cuts southeast through ever-deepening canyons across the highlands that end in the infinite cliffs of the Air Empire. It is known for its excellent fishing and the lionberries that grow plentifully along its edges. The Lion Clan. This clan of fearless fighters values courage and watchfulness above all, teaching their children to never blink in the face of fear or look away from disaster. The Lion Clan barely uses shelter, except in the fiercest weather, preferring to sleep out of doors, even in rain or snow, and live a life fully exposed to the dangers around them. Prideblood Slopes. Of all clans, the Lions travel least, remaining on their sloping hills long after all the other clans have moved on. They fiercely fortify these uplands

with defensive barricades and traps, making travel through these lands dangerous for outsiders. For this reason, other clans often avoid these slopes, even when making assaults on the Lion Clan. Hallow of Glelh. The Hallow of Glelh the Unblinking is a pile of stones high on a windswept hill. Herd animals caught within sight of it are drawn in inexorably towards it by the hypnotic hunger of the lion-god. The stones at the top are dark red with the blood of the lion’s prey. It is said that from the top of the hill, a shaman can see the entire Valley with perfect clarity. Howlgrove. A wild wood, thick with wolves. Howlgrove is said to be haunted by accursed folk—half man, half wolf, whose bite spells death and whose hunger is immortal. Its offputting reputation makes it a favorite meeting place of scavengers and murderers, and they say that Scavenger’s Vow (p. 202) locates its center of power somewhere deep within the thick pines of Howlgrove. Lastwater Wilds. These dusty wastelands are a solitary place, speckled with little pools where the last clean water before the Fang of Sand & Wind can be found. Some say it’s a ritual place where ghosts gather for a final look at the land of mortals before departing to the Kingdom of the Dead. The Eyestone. A great towering landmark—a single stone with a great, seemingly natural hole drilled in the middle, in which sputters and burns a glowing light of ever-changing color and brightness. All manner of spellcasters have examined the Eyestone, trying to unlock the secrets of the monolith—but aside from a terrifying feeling of been not only watched but seen and known utterly, there appears to be no other effect. Bendgather. For those whose paths have taken them far to the east, this riverside ruin of dwarven construction is the last mortal refuge before the dangers of the Icehook Peaks and the Air Empire. Outside the fortress, wanderers would do well to beware the dangers that come from the mountains or the nearby cursed trees of Howlgrove. Icehook Peaks. These vicious mountains cut jagged spires into the air, the wind from their peaks a frigid blast of doom to any who would dare to venture onto their slopes. Sorrows Edge. This lonely land is the very edge of the world—a last step of land between the Fang of Sand & Wind and the Air Empire, where infinite cliffs fall into dark nothingness. It is to Sorrows Edge that disgraced druids are brought in cases of ultimate justice, bound with vines to leech away their magic and thrown into the endless void away from the world they have disgraced.

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WINTERSOUTH

A diverse, colorful landscape where mortals strive to survive under the reign of selfish gods through times of plenty and privation. Creatures: Any, but especially humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, and fiends Treasure: Salt, game, crafted goods, and divinely blessed or cursed weapons and objects Lore: All—any factions or threat can clash here Challenge: Levels 1–20 In the southern arc of the Great Valley lie wide, sparse grazing lands with hearty grass, uneven hills, and little forests and pools of water. This land, drier and tougher than the nothern arc, is the seasonal refuge of herd animals and the clans that depend on them for food. This land is unwelcoming, and its little hills and valleys are claimed by countless minor deities known collectively as the Winter Gods, whose spitefulness, petty aggression, and limited power makes them an object of reluctant worship for the shamans forced to make camp in their lands. THE OX The Ox River is a mighty, charging force, thundering downhill with a never-ending roar. It is known to change course abruptly mid-season, sweeping away encampments in flash floods and ripping out trees that have dared to grow in its way. It calms as it enters the great expanse of the Slumbering forest before continuing its downward plunge to the lightning-lashed sea at the foot of Mabros, capital city of the Sea Empire. Edgegather. Jutting out over the lashing palm trees of the Venom Abyss, Edgegather is a permanent encampment on the inner edge of the world. A place of trade and ritual, festival and council, the stacked wooden huts of Edgegather pile and descend over the lip of the cliff, with dangling cages where sentries keep vigil over the jungle and Blood Mountain, watching for signs of deliverance or destruction. For those who meet in Edgegather, there is a spirit of merriment, of dancing on the edge of a volcano, and their venomwine and endless carnivals are legendary. Sharpfang Sweep. This open land is littered with the bones of mighty reptiles washed into the Valley by the Unfalls and brought down by fearless mortal hunters—or by their own kind. It is a region that must be crossed at the end of every winter, in a clan’s final push to Bendgather before the start of spring… but each year many lives are lost to the predatory tyrannosaurs and raptors that stalk these lands. TOSSINGS It’s quite common for those who cross the wrong people to be dragged to the cliffs of Edgegather and shoved off. Self-appointed “Tossbands” roam the streets, deciding who lives and dies based on their own judgment (and how much everyone has had to drink).

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Hallow of Twr. The Ox River has a cursed bend, where the water boils and smokes, and the air is shrouded in fiery darkness. The air here chokes the throat, and any who draw near hear the screeches of fiendish visitants and the wails of cultists. This awful place is the Hallow of Twr (p. 305), She-Who-Boils, the ox goddess and sister to Urhosh, Kho, and Glelh. The desperate turn to her worship in the winter, and those who are forced to travel over the water pray and sacrifice to her, hoping to abate—if only for a moment—her ever-raging wrath. The Watchers. If a shaman or a chanter tells you they know who carved the Watchers, they are lying or making a fool of you. These towering stone heads, submerged at the collarbone, throat, chin, mouth, or cheekbones, stand as tall as trees and as silent, all looking inward toward Blood Mountain, as if waiting for something with infinite patience. Starstep Cliffs. Between the raging storms of the Fang of Shadow & Thunder and the frozen spires of Icehook rise piled buttes and mesas and endless stepped cliffs. Here leatherwings gather in innumerable flocks, chanting ancient magic as they wheel from their sanctum towers and incense-filled aeries to spy prey and threats below. Ribcage Canyon. The only open pass through the Starstep Cliffs is the ominous arcing bones of Ribcage Canyon. Hunters are no stranger to massive beasts wonder what kind of creature could have died to create these unthinkably large rib bones that jut out of the earth and soar into the sky above, higher than an elf can see on a day of low clouds. Raiders lurk in the pass, though they are often cleared out by the watch-clans, who will take journeyers through for a hefty price in trade. The Slumbering Forest. No other forest but the Venom Abyss can compare with the vast black, gray, and greenblue stretches of this deciduous wilderness. An ancient forest that long ago exiled its treants and dryads, the slumbering forest has more than its share of monsters, enchantments, and secrets hidden just beyond the veil of perception. They say that lost hunters in the forest fall asleep, and that when they sleep they dream of taking root—and when they wake, they stretch their branches towards the heavens in search of the winter sun. Seerfall. In the heart of the Slumbering Forest, along the white waterfalls where the Ox drops off steep cliffs, stands an abandoned dwarven refuge. The stonework is interwoven to the waterfalls, the original cave system carved into an intricate and serene sanctuary. These falls are one of the most sacred places in Planegea, home to a council of shamans who gather to discuss the business of the gods and the beginning and end of the world. The falls tremble with divine magic, and it is to Seerfall (p. 205) that the desperate, the brilliant, and the ambitious flock, to seek the blessing and foresight of the high shamans. Thunderverge. This storm-tossed grassland is the home of centaurs and mighty saber-toothed cats, terrible rocs and things that laugh and dance in the face of a whirlwind. Mortals who camp here are in danger on every side—giants to the west, storms to the south, leatherwings to the east,

and the slumbering forest to the north. Yet despite all this—or perhaps because of it, Thunderverge is home to some of the greatest chanters and sorcerers of Planegea, and their songs and spells crackle as if struck by lightning from the Everstorm itself. Fields of Fargone. These pleasant and temperate lands run along the border of the Sea Empire, and represent a tempting trap that has lured many a lost clan into the arms of waiting giant raiding parties. Soaring Stones. Who can offer an explanation of the Soaring Stones? These massive menhirs, too large to be lifted even by the hands of a mighty giant, arranged in a circle, drift in midair, many heights of men above a flat stone ground, smooth and black and unfathomable. Their bases are lit with a red light that is not fire nor magma nor arcane magic as it can be understood by spellskins. They simply are, and by existing, defy the wisdom of even the most ancient mortal sages. THE HORSE The Horse River is gentle, unremarkable in its course, and simple in its pleasures, offering ample grazing land, but little cover or heavy growth for good gathering. As such, it serves its purpose in watering the Allhunt, but little else can be said of its short and sandy banks.

The Allhunt. In the winter months, with food desperately scarce, it is essential that clans—even those who were at war a mere season ago—can hunt without fear of attack from other mortals. As long as the taboos and customs are respected, the Allhunt is an open ground where any hunting party may pursue game without fear of harm from another clan. To assault another hunter in the Allhunt is considered a great dishonor to the clan, and worthy of the most severe punishment that a shaman may mete out. The Vale of Rituals. This misty valley between the Horse and the Bear is known for its shifting fog that brings with it visions and spirits from the past and future. Here, many clans come to consult the ghosts of their ancestors, seeking guidance for the winter’s challenges, and here many young children are named by their clan’s shaman, for it is said that if an infant’s name is spoken for the first time in the Vale of Rituals, it echoes through the mist into the Hallow of every god in the Great Valley. Firstblood Basin. This natural amphitheater is where many young hunters are put through their initiation rights, fighting single combat against captured predators or engaging in ritual vigils or duels with other hunters to earn their place of honor and adulthood in the clan. The Well of Dreams. A hill powerful with druidic magic, where stand a star-shaped pattern of moss-covered stones, the Well of Dreams is open at the top and holds water that

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EDGEGATHER

THE PLATFORM

Dangling out over the Venom Abyss, the Platform is the most famous area in all of Edgegather—and the most precarious. The platform is built of mostly wood, mud, and vines lashed tightly to the Anchorhorns, and supported underneath by a lattice of beams, enchanted to remain secure even in dire emergencies. 1. Firstburn. The huts and small buildings at the very edge of the Platform are collectively called Firstburn, because if Blood Mountain ever wipes out the city, they’ll burn first. These are mostly watchposts, drinking holes, and other houses of low repute. 2. Wattle. Dangling below Firstburn is a network of rope bridges, bone cages, and swinging platforms called Wattle. These are inhabited by daredevils, youths, ascetics, and those who are charged with keeping watch on the Venom Abyss below, as well as criminals and drunkards stuffed in giant, dangling jars until tehy atone for their crimes or sober up. 3. Goblincliff. It’s a known fact that goblins live in large numbers behind the Unfall, although how many and what their exact purposes might be are unclear. Generally, they’re not considered much of a threat, through the occasional drunkard or child might get snatched if nobody’s looking. 4. Chattercrest Aviaries. Among its many wonders and menaces, Edgegather is famous as the training ground of chattercrests—tiny flying saurians that can be taught to mimic mortal words almost perfectly (p. 312). The chattercrests are native to the Venom Abyss, and skilled catchers net them at great risk to bring them into their sprawling aviaries. Once trained, these little winged omnivores are easy to maintain and can carry even long speeches or songs across great distances. 5. The Eyes. A pile of beehive-shaped dwellings nestled close to the frill that look out over the Venom Abyss. Occupied by only the most powerful and prosperous. 6. House of En. 7. The Frill. A wall built to protect the Platform from the noise, mist, and monsters that travel up the Unfall. 8. Anchorhorns. Six ancient stones from a long-forgotten temple that the platform is lashed to, keeping it aloft above the Venom Abyss. Each anchorhorn has ladders or stairs leading to a watchpost on its top, to keep guard over the falls, the city, and the wilderness, respectively. The rear faces of the Anchorhorns are painted to resemble the emperors and empresses of the Giant Empires (p. 171) and are a regular target for derision and amateur marksmanship.

RIGHTHAND

The two sides of the river, known as Righthand and Lefthand, have a long and uneasy history. Righthanders hold Lefthanders in contempt, and vice versa. Righthand is known for its fishers, crafters, and excellent cuisine, as well as—to hear the Righthanders tell it—not being filthy degenerates like those Lefthand dungholes. 9. Mistdoor. A known entry to Nod, perpetually hidden by mist. 10. Drinking Hole 11. The Coffins. Subterranean drinking houses offer earwax and wine to those wishing to escape from the constant roar of the Unfall. 12. Recluse Gate. A mysterious private residence. 13. Execution Wall. A constantly reinforced wall of poles and daubed mud, lashed together with vines and ropes. The wall keeps out the noise of the Unfall and is decorated with the corpses of those executed for their crimes and trespasses. 14. Flood Village 15. Saurian Statues 16. Righthand Burial Ground 17. Pulse Enclave. A hidden grove of druids just outside the city who revere the Unfall as blood from the Worldheart herself. 18. Cellar Exchange. A private place to barter without prying eyes. 19. Bloodknuckle Ring 20. Mistbeacon. Beacons scattered throughout the city to piece the mist. 21. Spellskin Tunnels. Underground passages famous for the hedge magic scrawled on the walls. Some of these tunnels lead down into the old temple. 22. Cult Den 23. Nutmug 24. Shouting Stage. A renowned platform for boasting, chants, epics, and other performances. 25. Har-Kla’a. A neighborhood long occupied by orcs, who enjoy good standing in town—though they often clash with the arrogant dragonborn. 26. Sightstone Stall. A booth that offers stones that they swear can see all for your protection. A common swindle for newcomers… but the stones do, in fact, see and remember. 27. Big Bosta’s Hut of Lies 28. Righthand Market 29. Craven Hideout. A hidden enclave of the Craven of the Kraken Coast (p. 220). 30. Templehole. A crevice that leads down to the old temple ruins which sit under Edgegather. The goblins know more about this place than other mortals, but they don’t want to talk about it. 31. Themlish’s Pot. A criminal safehouse for those in the service of a green hag named Themlish, who has big plans for Edgegather.

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EDGEGATHER 32. Idol Row. A series of imaginary gods set up to trick newcomers into giving offerings collected by enterprising tricksters. 33. Shaman’s Rest. A stately structure where shamans of Seerfall are welcomed when they safely arrive at Edgegather.

LEFTHAND

It’s said that the animosity between Righthanders and Lefthanders began when the first settlers of Edgegather broke into a family feud, and gathered sides which have been fighting ever since. Lefthanders are known for their skill in music, animal taming, and delicious wines—unlike the stupid and immoral louts you’ll find in Righthand. 34. Goblinwrangler House. Certain citizens have the dubious status of “goblinwrangler,” meaning one who can speak Goblin and broker deals with them. 35. Gnomegutter. An undesirable part of town where gnomes have eked out a place for themselves. 36. Thunderwall. A constantly reinforced wall of poles and daubed mud, lashed together with vines and ropes. The Thunderwall keeps out the noise of the Unfall and is decorated with personal keepsakes of travelers who have passed through, as well as the skulls of mighty beasts who have been killed by the inhabitants of the city. 37. Brawler’s Corner 38. Ulu’s Zoo of the Curious and New 39. Flooded Cellars. A low-lying area of the city often flooded by waters rushing around the end of the Thunderwall. 40. Dragon Cultists 41. Firecamp. A large settlement of dragonborn who occupied this part of town just after coming up the Unfall. 42. Cellarhouses 43. Drum-Stretchers 44. Bathhouses 45. Shell Hall. A giant shell with perfect acoustics. Here heartbreaking music is performed night and day by all manner of musicians. 46. Rattlebones 47. Cult of the Lesser Gods 48. Lefthand Market 49. Glimmie the Honest 50. Barns & Butchery 51. Fair of the Dread Elves. A square full of unsettling fortune tellers from Nod, who rarely offer good omens to those who barter for their fortunes. 52. Shrine of Twr 53. Brawling Cages 54. Reedcarvers 55. The Dome. A circular structure dedicated to sorcery. Some of the greatest sorcerers in Planegea can be found here. 56. Caravansery. A large yard to welcome weary clans and outfit those who are departing for their journeys… for a price, of course. 57. Lefthand Burial Ground

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THE RIVER

The Ox River flows up the Unfalls, under Bridge Village, and out into Wintersouth. 58. Silent Bridge. A tunnel bridge that passes under the curve of the Unfall, enchanted with silencing magic, where nothing can be heard or spoken. 59. The Spines. Sharp stakes and giant boneshards stuck as defenses to kill large predators and dangerous creatures that might swim up the Unfalls. 60. Spinedocks. Launches for fishers and scavengers who pick carcasses and floatsam from the Spines. A floating marketplace here offers first pick to those with good barter. 61. Downriver Docks. Those looking to travel along the Ox River would do well to hire passage with the crews on these docks—many of whom are part of the cult of Twr, whose protection will be vital further downriver.

BRIDGE VILLAGE

Built over the water is a network of crisscrossing bridges and huts on stilts and platforms so heaped up that it’s impossible to tell what’s a bridge and what’s just another building. As the center of the city, Bridge Village is the hub of commerce and exchange for Edgegather—and an easy place to drown a stranger who crosses you. 62. Fishmarket 63. Venomwine Stalls 64. Festival Walk. A long path stretches down the center of Bridge Village where processions and festivals of all kinds can be enjoyed year-round. 65. Champion’s Circle. An arena where public fights are held at all hours. 66. Cookfires 67. Venomguard Lodge. Home of the famous monsterhunters, see p. 210 for a full description. Beneath the Lodge is the Salthold. 68. Tumble Tents 69. Barter Square 70. Smiledrink 71. Temptation’s Way. A series of bridges and platforms with structures dedicated to carnal appetites of all kinds. 72. Tents of Chance 73. Vowhouse. A leaning structure where those of the Scavenger’s Vow can congregate.

BEYOND EDGEGATHER

Killing Grove. A roving band of trees who lurk near the edge of the city, causing mischief and attacking the unwary. Outer Camps. Fields made available to nomadic clans who have come south for the winter.

reflects the dance of the stars. There are handholds carved into the sides of the well, which druids are known to climb down, submerging themselves in the well in pursuit of ancient and secret knowledge known only to their kind. Daggerwood. An evil place, famous for its twisted treants and alluring spirits that haunt and tease the weakwilled into sinking deaths in oozing mud. The Daggerwood is home to outcasts, exiles, murderers and traitors. The scavengers who dwell there—though they pretend at refinement and pageantry in their Cuththroat Council—are nothing but a clan of the dishonored and the ruined. Lake Littleblood. A favorite retreat of spellskins. Lake Littleblood has poor fishing, but excellent limesetone cliffs, where the spellcasters work out their intricate magics on the ever-crumbling walls carved by the rising and falling of the lake with the land’s melts and thaws. The lake is known to shimmer and dance with the reflected light of dueling spellskins hurling their magics across the water at each other in battles of power and pride. Windgrass Wilds. This lonely and unclaimed land lies at the feet of the Stone Empire, and is mostly known as an open plain where the weaker clans hunt elk and mammoth during the winter, risking capture by frost giant raiding parties that come down from the mountains.

THE EEL

Falling from the mountains of the Stone Empire to the Saltfang, this sloshing green river winds through evil marshes so strange that most mortals dare not set foot in their sweltering wetlands. Creatures: Humanoids, undead, plants, beasts Treasure: Wealth and magic items Lore: Free Citadel, the Usurper Queen, Nazh-Agaa Challenge: Levels 1–20 in Free Citadel, levels 5–10 downriver

The Eel River is the only major river of Planegea that does not have it source at Blood Mountain, running instead southwards from the Skyfang Mountains to Saltfang and Slimefang. Many consider it an accursed river, but that has more to do with the wild and fearful lands of its course than the actual waters themselves, which are remarkably cool and fresh, even in the swamps. Free Citadel. At the source of the Eel—where the river is not called that, but rather the Dakru—is a mighty city, built for giants by captive mortals. It towers in a natural canyon, defended on all sides by cliffs and air and ice. And it is here, in this unassailable place, that the captives of the Stone Empire rose up and slew the giants. The city has been free for only a short time—many years, but not generations—and the people there live and work as one, in sworn service to the leader of their rebellion, the great and wise Usurper Queen. Free Citadel is more fully described starting on p. 195. Ghostmire. An endless wetland, haunted by the living and the dead. What can be said of Ghostmire? Its depths are unfathomable, its mists unsearchable, its monsters unimaginable. Yet there are dwellings here—stilt-villages

built by stilt-walkers who know secret ways through the foul muck and murky fog to find reasons to stay alive. Temple of the Mushroom Lord. This curious structure is known by chanters to be the sovereign domain of a being called the Mushroom Lord—a living fungus, that communicates by means of magical spores and has an army of mushroom folk to do his bidding. They engage in strange rites and rituals here, of great interest to druids and those who believe that there are secrets in the world which mortal minds have barely begun to grasp.

THE UNDERSHORE

A warm blue-green coastland where primordial merfolk and seafaring clans sing, hunt, and set sail at the edge of the infinite, salty deep. Creatures: Humanoids, monstrosities, beasts Treasure: Pearls, coral, wonders of the deep, exotic fruit, and merfolk mysteries Lore: Kraken Cults, the Sea Empire Challenge: Levels 1–20 Far from the smoking center of Blood Mountain, at the edge of the great dark oceans of Planegea, a distant coastline is home to a world all of its own. This place of waves and storms, fishing villages, and sea monsters is cut off from the rest of the Great Valley by the great War-Way of the Sea Empire. Saltfang. This evil body of water is avoided at all costs by mortals. Its waters are fed by the haunted Eel River and the open sea, and terrible monsters of the abyss make it their home. It is here that storm giants hunt kraken, and here that lurking aboleths lure fools in with their mind-breaking influence, drawing worshipers to their twisted cults. War-Way. A wide trampled plain, barren of all life and scarred by countless lighting strikes marks the span of distance from the Sea Empire to Saltfang. To enter this land is to risk the wrath of the Empire, and few mortals have ever crossed it and survived. Kraken Coast. This rocky, inhospitable coast is known for its population of eel fishers and the cultists who make their home in the delta between the Saltfang, Slimefang, and the edge of the Sea Empire, chanting strange rites and rituals to summon tentacled gods to crawl ashore and devour the land in slime and hatred. Scattersea. An archipelago of small islands called the Stones dots the shallow body of water known as Scattersea. Here, waterfaring mortal clans make their homes, surviving on the bounty of the shores. The countless coves and inlets are the perfect place to hide—for both prey and predators. But the Stones also have a way of rearranging themselves, and traversing even a short distance across the water always runs the risk of never being able to find your way home again… The Whale Clan. The most powerful clan of Scattersea is the Whale Clan, a strong matriarchal culture with a population large enough to cover a network of islands. The

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Whale Clan is peaceful, preferring to wait out violence or relocate rather than fight. Yet their harpoon-wielding hunters and sea shamans are not to be trifled with—even the Storm Giants know to give the Whale Clan a wide berth when they go to war. The Hallow of Mala. The Hallow of Mala Long-Song, the whale god, is deep below the ocean surface, and only the greatest of her shamans can reach the place where standing stones covered in coral shimmer in endless song. Mala is wise and incredibly old, and knows of a time before the oceans were as they are now, although her eternal songs are enough to drown even great minds in madness, if unprepared or unworthy. Sharksails. Moving in fast outrigger canoes and spike catamarans, sharksails are seafaring raiders who prey on fishing villages, stray boats, merfolk stragglers, and lesser clans of Scattersea. They worship survival itself, paying homage to whatever gods may allow them to live and hunt another day. The Drowning Deep. Beyond the last Stone of Scattersea are the endless depths of the Drowning Deep, an ocean with no known limits and unimaginable terrors lurking and squirming in the darkness unfathomably far below.

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THE CULT RIVERLANDS

A dust-choked desert land riddled with gulches and riverbeds where only a trickle of water courses through the cultish domains of dark gods and their fanatical followers. Creatures: Humanoids, fiends, undead, elementals Treasure: Idols, ritual objects, fetishes, enchanted weapons, vampire tombs, and the lore of the fiendish gods Lore: Fiendish Gods, the Gift of Thirst Challenge: Levels 6–16 Elders and elves tell of a time within memory when the Cult Riverlands was home to the Eagle River, a grand and glorious land known for its excellent fruit and flowers. But smoke and fire took the land after a terrible eruption in the Fang of Rock and Flame, and darkness spread downriver, drying its waters. As the land fell to thirst, wicked gods sprang up, preying on the people to establish their power. Now, the gulches and gullies are carved into a warren of battling cults, each sharpening its knives for the blood of the other, while an even darker power lurks just out of sight in the ash and smoke of the Worldfang’s edge. Firehook River. No longer called the Eagle, the Firehook is not a river at all, but a mere leaking trickle of water, every foot of which is claimed by some infernal god or another. It is said that those who travel along the Firehook are never to return—or if they do, their minds and bodies

will be so disfigured that they would be hunted by those they once embraced. The Qanats. The Firehook River appears to dwindle into nothing, leeching into the dust. However, those who have dwelt in that accursed land knows that the water does not evaporate, but goes underground, into a series of tunnels carved by a combination of arcane and divine magic known as the Qanats. These tunnels lead from the Firehook all the way to Bittersea, and it is said that a terrible and powerful god is bound somewhere in its darkness. Stoneblood Shrine. Scarcely a living soul has seen Stoneblood Shrine and lived to speak of it. It is in this temple of fire that the Nin, ruler of the vampire nobility known as the Gift of Thirst, holds court. The shrine was not made for mortals, and its geometries are terrifying, the very air glowing with the shimmering heat and choking fumes of the lava that courses through it—none of which afflicts the undead who reside there.

The Giant Empires Woe to those captured by a giant raiding party. The great giant empires, with their mighty ziggurats and dark rituals, are merciless in their worship and brutal in their sport. The Sea Empire, Fire Empire, Air Empire, and Stone Empire are set between the four world-fangs, and they are at all costs to be avoided by mortals.

THE STONE EMPIRE

A monochromatic mountain empire where the wind ever howls and stone and frost giants carve mighty strongholds in the frigid heights. Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items Lore: The Stone Empire Challenge: Levels 5–16 The mountain region known as Skyfang is home to two types of giants: the crafting stone giants and the raiding frost giants. These two clans live in peace by dividing the Skyfangs into “above” and “below.” The caves and caverns and hollow places below the mountains belong to the stone giants, who carve their endless symbols, chant, and dream, while the peaks, crags, and icy slopes belong to the frost giants. It is the latter who go forth and raid the Great Valley for captives to enslave, who terrorize the mortals, but it is the stone giants who gaze into the secret oracle-pools deep in the roots of Skyfang and lead the Empire with their powerful portents of days to come. Skyfang Mountains. These pine-covered, snowy slopes are but the foothills of the Worldquake Waste beyond, but even so they are mighty in their own right. Many a wandering monster makes these mountains their home— they are too great a range to be fully conquered, even by giants. But then again, there are mountain peaks which have been carved by tools too huge and powerful for mortals to imagine, scratched in glowing lines with the

geometric patterns of the stone giants… so perhaps these mighty ones of stone and ice have full sway in the peaks after all. High-Walled Akmon. This is the great capital city of the Stone Empire, where the Thrones of Stone & Ice stand back to back in a throne room whose hall stretches through the side of a mountain. Akmon is a city of endless ceremonies and rituals, songs and vigils performed day after day. Of all the great cities of the giants, Akmon is perhaps the most like one of the great gathering places of mortal clans— although to tell a giant as much would spell instant death. O’oteka. This gateway city is guarded by elite frost giant raiders. It is a place to gather supplies and repair before making a raid on the Great Valley, and is know for its Wailing Markets and great grinding stones for sharpening blades. Mazu. Too hot for frost giants and too far from raider’s prey, Mazu is a quiet city of stone giants. Remarkable for its soaring stone towers, which look as if they are simply stacked boulders that might topple at any moment, there are generations of giant patterning and story-scars etched into every wall, and the Stone Empire looks to ancient Mazu for wisdom and learning. The Towering Weald. This massive forest is made of redwoods—enormous pines that have soaked in giant magic until they grow to outlandish proportions… large enough that a single hollow tree can encircle an entire mortal clanfire. The Weald is considered sacred hunting ground for the Stone Emperor, and any but he and his chosen who set foot among the trees forfeit their lives.

THE FIRE EMPIRE

A warlike region of red and saffron where martial fire-giants swelter and bellow in the burning desert sun. Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items Lore: The Fire Empire Challenge: Levels 5–16 The highly organized and regimented Fire Empire looks down on all other empires as weak, decadent, or barbaric. In the minds of the fire giants, only they possess the strength, discipline, and passion to rule as it should be. As such, they frequently send messengers—wanted or not— to other empires, which are usually seen as meddling at best and declarations of war at worst. But the Fire Empire welcomes such conflict, eager to show their prowess and might against any enemy, not least of all their giant cousins. The Scalding & Maddening Dunes. The Fire Empire sits on the verge of the endless burning desert known as the Inferno Waste. It stretches from the Scalding Dunes in the north—where there are sulferous steam vents volcanic spirits of all kinds—to the Maddening Dunes in the south—where there are trackless sandhills and mirages and creatures that prey on the minds of those who get lost among them.

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Shining Eknis, the Obsidian City. The walls of the capital of the Fire Empire are covered in black volcanic glass, gathered by skilled giant artisans from the Fang of Rock & Flame. The city is too bright in the desert sun to look at, and many a hapless captive being hauled to the city for the first time has burned their eyes out trying to get a glimpse of the gates through which they would never again depart. Eknis is known for its highly regimented society, as well as for the great gladiator matches, both of the captive folk as well as free giants who test their might in the ring for salt or favor with the Emperor’s throne. The Ruins of Bosa. A foolish Fire Emperor, long-dead, tried to invade the Inferno Waste and build a fortress-city there, beyond the agreed-upon border carefully negotiated by his forebears. The city was ravaged by the rage of the Efreeti, and still exists as a fire-blackened, magic-twisted ruin today, haunted by undead giants and fire elementals as a warning to any who would break the bond of treaty again. Kalaq. Called the Shepherd’s Gate by the proud giants of Eknis, Kalaq is the kitchen of the Fire Empire. It is here that the great grazing beasts are sent out and brought in and slaughtered, their meat salted with Bittersea salt and sent on great supply caravans throughout the empire. Without Kalaq feeding it, the Empire would fall in weeks.

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Fortunately, the Shepherd’s Gate stands less than a day’s ride (by giant standards) from Eknis, and any direct attack on Kalaq would surely bring down the full fury of the empire. Apa’aku. Seated on an oasis, Apa’aku is the pleasure-city of the Fire Kingdom, full of mystics, dancers, weapon-eaters, fortune-tellers, and all manner of entertainments and diversions for the fire giants or their guests.

STONE AGE CAPTIVITY Modern enslavement and resulting social injustice is a human rights tragedy. We recognize that certain groups may wish to exclude themes of enslavement from their game. Our intent is not to offend, but to explore historic and mythic archetypes. If you do not wish to include enslavement as a theme in your game in any way, we completely support your world-building. See “Modifying Planegea” in Chapter 9, p. 151, for ideas on how to remove this element from your table’s Planegea altogether.

THE AIR EMPIRE

A windy, glimmering domain where corrupt cloud giants play and plot in blue and purple cities at the edge of infinite cliffs. Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items Lore: The Air Empire Challenge: Levels 5–16

Ha’aza. This lonely city was once a great power in the skies, drifting far inland to terrify the mortals below. But due to a quarrel with the Air Empress, it was cast into disfavor, and now sails the sky as a lonely giantish backwater. Exiles and undesirables from the empire are sent to live in Ha’aza, and some mortals hope that if any support might be found in the giant empires to overthrow its powers, it might be found in the crumbling palaces of the outcast city.

The Air Empire is the least violent of the four giant empires, but perhaps the most manipulative and corrupt. Clothed in refinement borrowed from the elegant and powerful djinn, the Air Empire prefers to watch the world from the towers of its soaring cities, only acting when the occasion suits and the Empire cannot lose. The Driftlands. The edge of the Howling Chasm is a land where gravity seems to hold little meaning, and floating islands spin and tumble through the air. Although the Driftlands are at the edge of the Air Empire, they are inhabited by a number of clans who take advantage of the chaotic sky to hide and raid, some even being so bold as to prey upon the cloud giant pleasure caravans. These godless clans, many of which are orc-led, are known for their close bonds with winged beasts and their daredevil aerial antics. The Wind-City of Nebhis. This floating citadel, suspended by a gift from the Djinn, is more palace than city, a watered garden of dreamlike delights and gentle visions. Still, the beauty of the city hides a cruel underbelly, with its filthy captive quarters and cruel torture chambers for those who displease the oh-so-noble cloud giants. Lo-Pa. The Jewel City, She-of-the-Waterfalls, the Crown of Eternity—Lo-Pa has many names, all well-deserved. This stunning metropolis sits where the Lion River drops into endless waterfalls, in a cradle of dramatic natural beauty. Unique to the giant cities, Lo-Pa has no walls, protected instead by the natural barrier of the Icehook Peaks. In Lo-Pa, everything seems possible. And (given the magic of its giant sorcerers and their djinn allies) everything probably is possible… for the right price. Last Plateau. Giantish flock-tenders and their mortal servants dwell in simple villages on the Last Plateau. This open land is used to herd the Air Empire’s grazing beasts, but the real value of the land is the endless aeries of birds raised down the cliffs, with an astonishing scaffolding of ladders and nest-villages descending the depths of the cliff’s face. Ufu & the Island of Wings. Ufu, the war-city, sits on the Island of Wings, which floats across a chasm from the mainland of Planegea. In times of conflict, Ufu’s mighty menders cause the island to join back with the mainland, connecting a great bridge that allows the shock troops of the Air Empire to pour with fresh ferocity into the land and skies of their domain.

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THE SEA EMPIRE

A thundering gray coastland where storm-giant warriors rage and hunt in cold, salt-crusted gloom. Creatures: Giants, humanoids, elementals Treasure: Giant artifacts, enchanted items Lore: The Sea Empire, Kraken Cults Challenge: Levels 5–16 Mighty are the storm giants, and mighty is their burden. They alone among the empires must contend not only with upholding their own civilization and pacifying the genies of the wastes, being locked into a neverending struggle

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with the kraken, aboleths, and the other gods of Saltfang summoned forth by their foolish worshipers from the Kraken Coast. The Sea Empire has attempted to stamp out these cults time and again, but they rise and rise tirelessly, ever calling out to the great beings beneath the waves. The Everstorm. Always raging and shaking the ground with its fury, always lashing out with its lightning, the Everstorm is an infinite wall of elemental fury where the water battles the air. For storm giants, this environment is home. For other creature, it is terrifying and untraversable without incredibly powerful magic wards against disaster.

Mabros. The capitol city of the Sea Empire has no grand title, and needs none. It stands as a rock against the chaos of the sea, concentrating the fury of the storm into endless rain and lashing lightning like whips against the waves. The seven satraps of Mabros are charged with ruling the city and the empire, for the Emperor has only one concern—containing the evil that lurks within the sea. Thuzo. The first giant city of Thunderverge, Thuzo acts as a raiding outpost as well as a place of counsel for the giants to seek the wisdom of the centaurs and even—occasionally—the sages of Seerfall. Make no mistake, it is a cruel and haughty place, full of captive mortals, more prison-fortress than a true city, but in the struggle against the sea,

the Emperor is not willing to lose any potential insight or resource, no matter how mortal or puny. Zarkez. The greatest seers of the Sea Empire dwell in the ancient city of Zarkez, where in great open-roofed palaces they gaze upwards and read the patterns of the lightning, drinking the rain and seeking enlightenment beyond the measure of mortal comprehension. Aktok. This remote city is the point of the spear for the Sea Empire’s constant attempts to destroy the craven kraken-worshipers of the Kraken Coast. The empire raids what captives it can from here, but most cultists would rather die than be captured, and in their ritual deaths they further empower their undersea gods.

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Nod

The Kingdom of the Dead

Twin worlds—the purple and green world of dreams and the yellow and black world of nightmares—where illusory fey and hungry undead wander and change in their mysterious underworlds.

A lightless and silent world where souls construct eternal walls, monuments, and palaces in stale air and utter darkness.

Creatures: Fey, undead, aberrations, humanoids Treasure: Charms and gifts of the dream world, cursed items and enchanted tools of the nightmare world Lore: The Throne of Nightmares Challenge: Levels 11–16 Nod is not one place but two, and these twin worlds drift in and out of existence, their underground thresholds in places of great beauty or terror. Elves and other, stranger beings travel between Planegea and their worlds, but they carry with them some aspects of that shimmering, translucent place. The World of Dreams. This wondrous land, full of twilight beauty and strange delights, works with a shifting, metamorphic logic that is an expression of inner state and desire, full of allure and magic, but one in which things can change abruptly to be much stranger and more fearful than one could possibly imagine. The World of Nightmares. This dark land is full of the twisting, turning undead, and all dark things that raise their slack jaws from horrible places to gaze with unblinking eyes into the awful places in the soul. The shepherds of this land are the Omenbringers, dread elves who act as knights, lords, and guardians for those mortal souls who find themselves lost in the haunted places of the heart.

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Creatures: Undead, humanoids, constructs Treasure: What the dead were buried with Lore: Nazh-Agaa Challenge: Levels 17–20 In the cold grip of the dirt, beyond mortal sight, the terrible skull-king Nazh-Agaa rules the invisible world of those whose death broke taboo—the murdered, the lost, the unmourned. It is said that there are secret ways for the living into Nazh-Agaa’s kingdom, but that once you find your way in, you can never again depart.

Well. Most people can never depart again. I may know of a certain shaman who found her way in and out again—though the cost was dear on both the way in and the way out, and it’s really a story for another time.

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CHAPTER 11

FACTIONS & THREATS “Why do we gather, children?” Candlelight gleamed wetly on the mud walls that held the circle of figures kneeling in the dark pithouse. The same answer came from under every hood. “We gather to ungather. We unite to divide. We are strong to weaken.” “Who do we ungather, divide, and weaken?” The figure in the center of the circle turned slowly as she spoke, fixing her gaze on one candle after the other. “The powerful.” “And who are the powerful?” “Chieftains. Shamans. Dragons. Giants. Hunters. Monsters. The gods and those who serve them. Warlords and those who serve them. Leaders. Makers. Builders. Elders. All who call the small to paint themselves with their colors.” A creak on the stick roof above sent soot filtering down into the room. Someone was above, walking unknowing over their heads. Some survivor of the fire, most likely, staggering about in confusion, choking on the poisonous smoke. The leader went on in a whisper. “How do we pull them apart?” “With fire and poison, rumor and lie, a blade in the ribs and a soft place to die.” Above, the stronghold burned to ash, the fire illuminating the magically poisoned air, where charred shreds of the rapacious warlord’s pennant drifted. Broken spears littered the hidden roof of the room where, below, Kraia’s Children chanted their lullabies of unmaking.

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HEREVER THERE IS THE WILL TO SURVIVE, there are leaders who bring others into their calling. Whether for good or evil, chaos or order, the strong gather those willing to follow, organizing them into factions. From the mortal clans of the Great Valley, banded together in the worship of one or more gods, to secretive and far-ranging groups like Scavenger’s Vow or the Council of Day, Planegea is full of complex, proactive factions who care little for the will of any adventuring party, and are ready to act as allies or antagonists in your campaign. Less ambiguous but equally diverse are the threats— those world-spanning terrors that lurk under and lour over the land, posing a challenge that can drive a single encounter, an adventure arc, or a full campaign. Use this chapter to inform the world of Planegea as your party experiences it. A note of caution, however: There are too many forces in the world to include all of these equally in a single campaign. It’s best instead to choose a handful with whom your players will interact.

FACTIONS There are many forces at work in the world, trying to shape at least a corner of it into the way they wish it to be. These factions can represent allies or enemies, opportunities or hazards, depending on your party’s point of view.

The Brother Clans “SHOW ME A GIANT EMPEROR—SHOW ME HIS PRIDE, his confidence, the way he watches the world as if he owns it. I’ll show you any given hunter from the Brother Clans with the exact same look in her eye.” —Teffurth the Wanderer

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HREE CLANS LEAD THE GREAT VALLEY IN times of peace and strife. The strong Bear Clan, shrewd Ape Clan, and fearless Lion Clan worship powerful gods, and their influence casts a long shadow over neighboring gods and clans. Together, they are called the Brother Clans, and although each maintains its own values, rites, and secrets, more unites them than divides them. Powerful gods. Generations ago, handfuls of weary wanderers found three gods who offered them strength and protection if they swore faithful service and worship. The wanderers agreed, and over the span of many lifetimes, Urhosh the Bear, Kho the Ape, and Glelh the Lion have kept their word and made their clans mighty, even as the clans have nurtured and expanded their gods’ power. Territorial migrants. Each clan claims and protects the land surrounding their god’s hallow, erecting markers and posting sentries at the borders between three rivers, named for the gods. Although winter forces them south, in the warm seasons the Brother Clans return north to their gods’ domains and once again dwell in shelters and sacred places erected by their own ancestors. Local camps. The Brother Clans are of roughly the same population size of several thousand people, spread out through a region and organized into local groups of about 10–50 people, called camps. The camps often specialize into hunting camps, gathering camps, crafting camps, and so on. Camps are usually led by elders, and exchange resources amongst each other in an interdependent web, which comprises the clan. Clan leadership. The clans are each led by a partnership between a chieftain and a high shaman, who dwell in ancestral settlements near their god’s hallow called the hallowcamp, where the clanfire burns. Dozens of lesser

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shamans, elders, hunt-leaders, sorcerers, head gatherers, master crafters and traders live and work underneath them, traveling from the hallowcamp to local camps to oversee their areas of responsibility. Hallowcamps are complex societies with internal politics, strife, ambition, and corruption—but the strength of the chieftain and the high shaman in each clan holds it together, subject to the final judgment of the gods in all things. Mixed societies. The Brother Clans are based on loyalty, skill, and survival. As such, the kinship of an individual matters little. Although humans are the majority, any person is welcome at the clanfire as long as they revere the god and can contribute to the survival of the whole. New members are inducted as they arrive, after various tests and rites specific to that clan, and most camps are composed of a variety of kinships. For any particular kinship to walk apart would be seen as strange and disloyal to the larger good of the clan. Beast tamers. A key survival strategy for the Brother Clans has been the domestication of animals to help them thrive. This intergenerational effort is led by humans, who have an affinity for the work. There are specialized trapping, taming, and training camps that work to bring more beasts under the clan’s influence. Smaller domesticated creatures include dogs, cats, various birds, horses, goats, oxen, and more. Larger tamed creatures include owlbears, plant-eating dinosaurs such as triceratopses and ankylosaurs, which often serve as beasts of burden or guard animals. In addition, the Bear Clan has domesticated bears, the Ape Clan allows large primates to roam through their camps, and the Lion Clan’s hunting parties travel with great cats, seen as equals and allies. Trade and council. Open lands stand as buffers between the territories of the Brother Clans, yet interactions between the clans do occur. Traders who properly signal their intent are allowed to pass between borders, bringing goods from one side of the Great Valley to the other. In addition, the chieftains and high shamans of different clans have been known to meet with each other, though such councils are infrequent, usually only mandated by special events or emergencies, and typically take place in a neutral location such as Edgegather or Seerfall. Spies and feuds. It is known among the leaders of the clans that spies from their neighbors walk among their people, learning their habits, their hunting patterns, the secrets of their gods and rituals, the better to weaken and desecrate them. Guardians and shamans are often sent to eradicate such saboteurs, and a tinge of paranoia is a common undercurrent in the hallowcamps. But not every interloper is sent from the centers of power. Various families in the camps are embroiled in centuries-long blood feuds, killing one another in life-for-life retaliations without end. The territory of the clans is dotted with the sign of sanctuary; a hut or cave where a killer may not be harmed by an avenger. Unfortunately for those who conceal themselves there, predatory beasts are no respecters of sanctuary.

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Summer wars. In hot months, when food is plentiful and winter is only a memory, the Brother Clans go to war. Combat between the clans is premeditated and ritual, but no less violent because of tradition. These annual wars serve many purposes; settling disputes over land, resources, worship, and offenses, as well as allowing opportunities for raid and conquest. Still, they are limited to only a few short days, and rules of combat are carefully observed to contain the conflict. Winterwalk and the Allhunt. With the coming of fall, the clans move southwards in a migration called Winterwalk to escape the bone-dry winds of the northern cold season. The Allhunt’s southern scrublands bloom with winter’s rains. The Brother Clans leave their familiar gods and territorial ways behind to serve at the whim of the cruel and chaotic winter gods, cooperating in order to survive one more winter. Distinct cultures. Each of the Brother Clans has distinct culture, ideals, bonds, and flaws, and are led by strongwilled individuals with their own complex agendas.

THE BEAR CLAN

Strong, joyful, and prone to excess, the Bear Clan lives from feast to feast and values physical might above all. A mighty folk. From infancy, Bear Clan children are raised with an emphasis on physical strength. Games, social gatherings, and ceremonial events all involve feats of strength as a sign of blessing and personal achievement. Bold-hearted. The people of the Bear Clan love a good joke. Celebration of all things, big and little, is woven into the fabric of their lives, and nobody laughs more easily than a member of the Bear Clan. Forever feasting. The feast is an important part of Bear Clan society, tied to their worship of Unkillable Urhosh the Bear-God. As such their hunters and scavengers work hard to gather more than what is needed, providing as much bounty as they can. Bear Clan members have been known to starve themselves until they can gather enough for a large meal, and the symbolic idea of the great table is an important icon in their culture. Bear-wrestling. Thanks to the blessing of Urhosh, domesticated bears live in peace with the Bear Clan—and there is no spectacle to rival a good bear-wrestling match. The event is always good cause for a crowd to gather and place bartered bets on how long the wrestler will last. A Bear Clan member who enters the ring is almost guaranteed to lose, but there are a handful of wrestlers who have brought a full-grown bear to the ground—and many more who have died when the bear lost its patience. Heavy layers. People of the Bear Clan tend to dress in thick layers of furs and rough-woven cloth, densely piled. In summer, when heat becomes an issue, they divest themselves of layers but still prefer bulky, oversized garments that make them look large and powerful. Beehive construction. The Bear Clan are great keepers of bees, and a few hives near a tent or hut is considered very good luck and a sign of prosperity. They have long been

inspired by the bee, and build their shelters patterned after the shapes of hives. Raw goods. The Bear Clan is sought after for its welltreated hides and furs, available in great quantities, and its unrivaled honey. Traders will travel across great distances for their clans’ chieftains to obtain just a small jar of the delicious honey harvested by the Bear people. Their strength is also prized, and lesser clans have been known to pay well in bartered goods for the services of a few Bear Clan strong-arms to assist them in combat or labor. LED BY THE STRONG The Bear Clan respects strength and sincerity, and their leadership reflects those values. More-Lord Ulko-Barmazantur(LG male human gladiator), is a massive man in all aspects of his life, who inherited the role of chieftain from his father. A towering figure, Ulko-Barmazantur commands respect and laughs heartily, leading his people in feast and battle with equal gusto. His title, MoreLord, is not inherited, but earned; he is famous for roaring, “More!” when he lifts weights, faces enemies, or sits at table. Ulko-Barmazantur is a family man. His wife, Tula—herself a powerful leader of the clan and overseer of construction and crafting—is his closest counselor, and he loves his many children with a ferocity that can be crushing. Chosen Lakhaya’el, High Shaman of Unkillable Urhosh (LN female human high shaman) is an ancient woman, remarkably tiny by the standards of the Bear Clan. Her hair is white and braided, and she is usually silent, preferring to lead with gestures and subtle glances. But her age and quiet belie her merriment, and her eyes are always laughing as she watches the antics of her people with great enjoyment. Lakhay’el has served the Urhosh for generations, and seems to be gifted with a measure of immortality through hibernation. Each autumn, as the cold winds start to blow, the Bear Clan has a great festival called Winter’s Draft, wherein Lakhay’el enters the hallowed cave of Urhosh the Unkillable, and slumbers at his side for the long winter months, preserved by his warmth. Before she sleeps, her last duty is to choose a winter shaman to serve the capricious winter gods—though rarely does that shaman survive the season. When the clan returns, they reawaken their high shaman with a great feast, and deafening are the cheers when the beloved lady of the clan steps, blinking, into the spring sun. Feastmaker Dhuma’Muk (LN male half-giant berserker) is almost as wide as he is tall, which is saying something. With his bald head, gray skin, and tremendous height and girth, the Feastmaker is unmissable wherever he goes. As head of feasts and all beekeepers, Dhuma’Muk is an artist of salts and spices, flavors and fires, summoning startlingly delicious meals from even meager ingredients in the depths of winter. Happiest when ordering an enormous staff around the cooking fires, Dhuma’Mak also travels throughout the clan’s territory seeking rare flavors and ensuring that the honey of his people is well-cultivated. And woe to any bear who might be tempted by a hive while the Feastmaker is nearby—his prowess as a champion bear-wrestler is unmatched, even by the More-Lord!

WINTER’S DRAFT This festival, marking the start of the long winter, abounds with joy and sorrow for the entire clan: Arrival. Every camp of the Bear Clan gathers at the Hallowcamp, bringing food, bribes for the winter gods (in the form of trade goods, trinkets, and crafted items), and their chosen champion—typically a shaman or warlock selected by the camp leader. The feast. All the food that can be preserved for winter is prepared, packed, and distributed. Whatever is left is devoured in a massive feast that lasts for days and sprawls as far as the eye can see, starting at the mouth of Urhosh’s cave. Fruit custards, spicy curry, and savory stews are favorite dishes. Tests of skill. On the first night of the feast, the champions gather to gamble with their camp’s god-bribes in games of chance and bluffing. Charisma and savvy—not to mention good fortune—will be necessary in dealing with the winter gods. The champion who comes away from the gambling table with the biggest pile of bribes is seen as the most cunning and lucky, and anyone who walks away empty-handed is out of the competition. Tests of strength. During the days of the feasts, constant physical competitions pit champions against each other in wrestling matches against bears and one another, races, and lifting competitions. The best candidates are the ones that add spectacle to their bravado. No one can count all the victories after several days, but everyone will remember the wrestler that won without bothering to doff his stone armor, or the shaman who beat faster runners by taking a shortcut through the clanfire. Tests of spirit. At night, the exhausted champions must stand at the clanfire while skilled chanters tell their most gruesome and terrifying tales of encounters with winter gods. It is not uncommon for spectators to place bets on which chanter will be the breaking point for which champion, and certain chanters take an unseemly glee at seeing brave young members flee the fire. After the trained and polished chanters, other members of the clan step forward to tell their personal stories of the wintr gods’ cruelty, power, and malice. These unadorned, raw, emotional stories cut with a different blade than the performative chanters’ tales, and offer a cathartic release for the entire clan, admonishing caution and care for one another as they pass into winter’s grip. The choice. As her last act before entering the hallow, Lakhaya’el chooses a champion who has proven themselves in all three tests. They are entrusted with the whole clan’s store of god-bribes, and granted the awesome responsibility of negotiating with the winter gods for the clan’s survival. For some this will lead to nothing but a noble sacrifice, but for others Lakhaya’el’s blessing is the defining moment heralding a lifetime of heroism.

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BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR The Bear Clan is united not only by the drive to survive and the worship of Unkillable Urhosh, but by a shared ethos and common flaws. Philosophy. The strong survive, and survival itself is cause for celebration. Their ideals include: • Strength: The world is strong, and to overcome it you must be stronger. (Neutral) • Joy: Life is worth celebrating, and a ready laugh is a great gift. (Good) Rites of Unkillable Urhosh. The clan labors to ensure that a fire is always lit outside of Urhosh’s hallowed cave, and leaves offerings of honeycombs, flowers, and fish at his threshold. They also hold great feasts just outside the cave, when the hunt prospers—and, if they are blessed by his favor, those who dine at his table are said to be beyond the reach of death for a day. A culture of excess. Among those willing to speak ill of it, the Bear Clan has a reputation as a people of boastful, thick-headed gluttons, who would rather spend all day eating, drinking, and laughing at nothing than confront the world as it is. They are also notorious for keeping captives from warfare and raids on other clans to do forced labor, a practice the other Brother Clans revile and reject as giantish and wicked. This practice and the number of half-giants in their midst has earned them the scornful epithet of Little Giants, which they hate being called above all else. Hunting for strength. Although much of their daily lives are consumed with the common needs of the clan, the leaders of the Bear Clan are perpetually seeking ways to strengthen themselves and their people. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that nothing they confront, be it beast, soul, or elemental force, ever be able to overpower them. MAGIC & MATTER Even abroad, people of the Bear Clan can be recognized by the patterns of their spells and their unique array of gifts and resources. Protection magic. Originally learned from the dwarves who arose from the western mountains, the Bear Clan is known for its powerful abjuration magic, as well as its many divine healing spells, making them a terribly difficult enemy to slay and protecting their warriors with signs and wonders on even the most dangerous hunt. Domesticated bears. Only people of the Bear Clan are known to travel with domesticated bears as pets. A sign is put on them by their god, and although a wild bear may still attack, they dwell among bears all their lives and often bring them along when they travel far from home. Half-giants. Each of the Brothers Clans are formed of many kinships, but there are far more half-giants among the Bear Clan than anywhere else. Some have said the difference between the Bear Clan and the Stone Empire is only one of scale—but the half-giants are a proud people and hold their heads high regardless of how anyone may feel about their ancestry.

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Clubs, mauls, and stone armor. The Bear Clan favors bludgeoning weapons and stone armor, using the weight of great clubs, mauls, and bulky armor for attack and defense in their combat. Hunters and warriors carry the heaviest weapons they can, and consider it a point of pride when others are unable to lift their gear. SPECIAL LOCATIONS Within the wide borders of the Bear Clan’s summer territory, there are many places of interest and mystery. Three in particular stand out, for good or for ill. Hallowcamp of Urhosh. The Hallow of Urhosh—a great cave in the side of a hill—sits only a stone’s throw from the countless cooking fires and hive-shaped huts of the walled settlement of the Hallowcamp. This fortified village has been erected over generations, growing a little larger and better defended every season. The Fortress of Bees. Woe to the captive of raid or war who is brought to this dark structure. Surrounded by walls many feet thick, the Fortress of Bees is full of prisoners and hives. Here, the unfortunate are taught to fear and obey their new captors, and it’s said that nobody leaves this place unchanged or unbroken. Day-Star Rise. Far to the west of Hallowcamp, near the borders of the clan’s territory, a steep climb leads to a shelf of rock on a cliff overlooking a scenic watering hole in an otherwise dry and dusty land. This cliff offers a perfect overlook for the morning and evening gathering of animals from the surrounding region. It is a favorite place for young couples to steal off to, watching the whole congregation of animal life assemble far below in the gleaming light at either end of the day.

THE APE CLAN

Cunning, and flexible, with an inclination towards fear, the Ape Clan lives to demonstrate their wit, and values a brilliant mind above all. Nimble minds. There is nothing more important to an Ape Clan member than a sharp and agile intellect, able to adapt quickly to any challenge, question, or problem. Clan members love to pose riddles, thorny scenarios, and paradoxes to one another, and delight in clever responses to difficult questions. Agility in all things. The Ape Clan believes that responding quickly to change is paramount, and consider flexibility a key trait, both physically and emotionally. Young Ape Clan members are trained in contortion and acrobatics to keep their bodies nimble, and constant change is introduced throughout Ape Clan upbringing as a way of training children for the unpredictability of the world. A life of music. Kho Many-Arms, the Ape-God of the clan, is lulled to generous sleep by the ritual drumming of the shamans at his hallow. That drumming is a mainstay of Ape Clan culture, and every gathering involves intricate, improvised music, using drums, flutes, and strings. It is said that every Ape Clan member carries two things at all time—an instrument and an escape plan.

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Obstacle races. A favorite pastime of the Ape Clan is the construction and performance of intricate race courses filled with tasks, obstacles, unexpected paths, and challenges of the mind as well as the body. These courses can be sprawling or tightly woven into tiny spaces in the forms of labyrinths or shouted instructions. On a peaceful day, Ape Clan members can often be found gathering to watch racers and call out hints and witty jeers from the sidelines. Intricate garments. The Ape Clan is famous for their dark-colored and complex attire. Preferring black clothes that allow quicker escape in the shadows, Ape Clan members show their cleverness on their person with intricate stitching, hidden pockets, and surprise features such as reversibility, unfolding elements, or unexpected patterns with fastened covers. Unfolding gear. Nobody delights in a clever device more than the Ape Clan—except perhaps for gnomes, with whom they do more business than most. Ape Clan tents are famous for being collapsible, with even large habitations able to be struck and carried in a matter of minutes. From knives and armor to chairs to ladders, if there’s a way to make an object fold or collapse, the Ape Clan will find it and use it in infinite and brilliant combinations. Crafted goods and songs. Ape Clan goods are highly sought for their fine and intricate craftsmanship and many uses. Nobody makes lighter or better instruments, and Ape Clan musicians are offered good barter by other clans to perform at their feasts and festivals. LEADERS The Ape Clan honors cunning and flexibility, and their leaders exemplify those virtues. Chieftain Rhusoka Everyway (CN female half-elf assassin) is, without question, a genius. By far the youngest chieftain the clan has ever seen, Rhusoka is an esoteric and complex leader, with a reputation for knowing every single pathway in the world and a habit for showing up unexpectedly, miles from where she was thought to be. Rhusoka is everywhere at once, and uses her knack for unpredictability to her advantage, shoring up her authority using the element of surprise. She cuts a striking figure, with her high blue mohawk and pale skin patterned with translucent blue stripes. Her counselors and aides confess that it is almost impossible to predict her mood, wishes, or ideas… but it is certain that when Rhusoka makes up her mind and gives instruction, it is always for the safety and advancement of the clan. High Shaman Gharenki-Yughum (N male human high shaman) of Kho is marked, physically, by the whims of that brooding god. Tasked with lulling the Ape-God into slumber and dreams of his youth, Gharenki-Yughum is the closest to Kho of any mortal, and feels the effects of that closeness on his bones. When Kho dreams of his youth, the aged Shaman becomes younger, turning from a bent old man to a strong youth, and even—sometimes—into a boy no older than eight or nine summers. The High Shaman keeps his sharp wits about him at every age, and is recognizable by his signature painted walking staff, no matter

the years that Kho has given or taken away. He is known for his pragmatism—Gharenki-Yughum never questions what is, he only focuses on what must be done. Winter is hard on the High Shaman, and he ages rapidly when away from his god, usually returning to Kho’s hollow as a frail and withered elder, in need of the favor of his deity to survive and serve another season. Tambiki the Deviser (LG female human crafter) is a beloved figure in the Ape Clan, and her arrival— surrounded by a swarm of eager apprentices—is always an event of great excitement and anticipation. It’s said that the petite Tambiki has a gnomish grandparent, which might explain the truly brilliant inventions she devises. From folding bone armor to tents that can be set up simply by tossing them to the ground, there’s no telling what Tambiki will come up with next. As the clan’s master builder and leader of all craftwork, Tambiki commands enormous respect and authority, and her designs are imitated and revered throughout the Ape Clan and far beyond its boundaries. BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR The Ape Clan is driven by shared beliefs and the demands of their god’s unpredictable moods, as well as by certain common flaws that sour their reputation.

Philosophy. The future cannot be known, so you must be smart and fast enough to react if you want to survive. Their ideals include: • Cunning: Intellect applied with skill, is the only way to keep yourself alive. (Neutral) • Flexibility: It’s impossible to plan for the future, all that matters is being ready to react well. (Neutral) Rites of Kho Many-Arms. The clan perpetually drums outside Kho’s hallowed tree, and surrounds it with offerings of his beloved nuts and fruit. The tree itself is hung with countless toys, constructed by clever inventors and tossed on leather straps into the branches, where they dangle and spin in endless, intricate ways. When Kho is sleeping and pleased, the shamans can coax food, supplies, and even divine allies from his happy dreams with summoning magic. An edged existence. For all their brilliance and adaptability, the Ape Clan suffers for their proximity to a dangerous god. Anxiety and fear is the minor note in the music of clan life, and Ape Clan warriors have a reputation for cowardice, scattering quickly in battle—although sometimes an apparent retreat is merely a ploy leading the enemy into an ambush. The clan’s pursuit of wit can also sour into cynicism and scorn; miserable indeed is the victim of an Ape Clan member’s derision. Paths to everywhere. The Ape Clan benefits from a close relationship with the elves of Nod, and use their magic

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to quickly travel south on Winterwalk. Their leaders are always seeking to deepen and strengthen that alliance, and dream of a day when all of Planegea is only a step away. MAGIC & MATTER Ape Clan members are recognizable throughout Planegea for their intricate attire and quick wit, but also by other certain markers of their unique culture. Escape magic. Casters from the Ape Clan are known for their predilection for spells that can be cast as a reaction and allow quick movement and avenues of escape, preferring to always be prepared to respond to whatever danger may arise than to plan too far ahead. Wandering apes. The domain of Kho is known for its roaming bands of apes. The Ape Clan allows them to pass unchallenged, and they take what they want without opposition. To hinder one of the apes of Kho is considered a great offense against the god, but there’s nothing in the culture that says one can’t avoid them; many camps disappear overnight in the path of the apes, only to reform moments after the great beasts have wandered past. Blood of Nod. The Ape Clan has the closest alliance of any of the Brother Clans with Nod, and many of their people have intermarried with the elves. Half-elves are common in the clan—even their chieftain is a half-elf—to the point where they are genuinely surprised when their appearance excites comment outside the boundaries of their territory. Nets and knives. Ape Clan hunters and warriors prefer to always do combat at an advantage, and are famous for using nets and long throwing knives to entangle and wound their prey from a distance, as well as curved blades that can slash at unpredictable angles. Rods, wands, and staffs. The enchanters of the Ape Clan know that spells must often be cast in emergency, and seek means to quicken their magic. As such, many favor wands, rods, and staffs for their ability to store and quickly release magic, even by untrained hands. Multipurpose gear. Signature Ape Clan equipment can be recognized for its variable uses. A shield with a serrated edge, a bowl that can be affixed to a staff to serve as a hammer—such flexible objects are a famous sign of Ape Clan invention. Scare tactics. Perhaps because they dwell in a state of anxiety, the Ape Clan is singularly talented at creating an environment of fear. Their warriors and hunters use surprise and alarm to create eerie or frightening conditions to unnerve their quarry, and there are even rumors of Ape Clan saboteurs infiltrating other clans to infect their camps with terror. SPECIAL LOCATIONS The camps of the Ape Clan are notorious for constantly relocating, and their passageways through Nod afford them great range of mobility. Still, there are certain landmarks that stand out on the landscape of the Ape Clan’s domain. Hallowcamp of Kho. Kho’s hallow is a great tree that bends the Ape River towards it with the power of its roots. The hallowcamp built around it sprawls out in a wide circle,

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filled with music, workshops where crafters invent new devices, and intergenerational obstacle courses on which the most famous racers of the Ape Clan compete. Unlike those of the other clans, this Hallowcamp has no permanent structures, but is reformed every year—since nobody drums Kho to sleep after the clan departs, every year the first task of spring is to clean the wreckage of his winterlong rage. Nodhold. At first glance, the misty groves known as the Nodhold appear unremarkable—olive trees growing on twisted, uneven ground. But these trees are shrouded in constant fog, which hides the caves and subterranean passageways into Nod. This nexus of travel is a death sentence for the unprepared, with countless ways into the terrifying Nightmare World. But to a skilled ranger of the twin worlds, Nodhold is a gateway to many secret ways of great value. The Tower of Hope. Far from Kho, on the edge of the Saltwood, an enormous wooden tower has been added to, season after season, generation after generation. The tower is many things—an obstacle course, a home, a fortress, a lookout… but to the people of the Ape Clan, it represents the dream of a day when there can be stability, serenity, and a life without fear of the future.

THE LION CLAN

Serene, far-seeing, and sometimes cruel, the Lion Clan lives to experience the world as it is, and values endurance and reflection above all. Patient stoics. Lion Clan children are taught never to cry out, and to endure all things with a peaceful heart. A Lion Clan member doesn’t care if the rain falls or the wind blows—they live open to the elements, accepting all things as they come without complaint or question. Visionary dreamers. The Lion Clan is famous for looking far—they are much-regarded as predictors of weather, herd movements, giant activity, and more. They have great regard for the long view, and believe that perspective is one of the most valuable traits a person can possess. Reflective art. From their high, sweeping hilltop camps, the Lion Clan can see extraordinary distances across the land. Their culture celebrates watchfulness and observation, and they reflect all they see with art—colorful paintings, brightly woven fabrics, sculptures, and other expressions of a spirit of meditation. Lion Clan artists collect materials from their domain: colorful sand from the riverbanks and canyons, pastel clay, light and spongy wood from local trees, and all manner of berries and grasses that are suitable for making dyes. The process of gathering materials, making art, and beholding art is never-ending, a circular pursuit that occupies much of the clan’s time in the warm summer months of plenty. Endurance contests. The ability to continue on despite adversity is highly prized among the Lion Clan, and nowhere is this made more obvious than the festival spirit of endurance contests. Camps gather to watch as brave Lion Clan members undergo terrible and entertaining trials in a series of escalating dares. Competitors consume disgusting

foods, leap off great heights, are submerged in water, walk over coals—anything to prove their ability to rise above duress. The winner of such a contest is celebrated with great honor, and even the losers are given tokens of reward for their willingness to challenge themselves. Spirit journeys. Lion Clan shamans cultivate and prepare certain herbs and fungus with transportive properties, which are capable of allowing spiritual journeys into strange places and emotions. Such spirit journeys are not to be undertaken lightly, but are often experienced as preparation for an important hunt or ceremony. There are those who become dependent on the journeys, who lose themselves within the spirit worlds, but the shamans use the magic of Glelh the unblinking to coax them back to reality, believing that every journey must have an end and the world is meant to be experienced as it is. Color and ornament. Lion Clan members are instantly recognizable by their penchant for bright colors and decoration. They usually dress in woven robes, dyed every possible hue, and express their individuality through feathers, beads, bone or wooden jewelry, tattoos, and other eye-catching elements. Even their armor and weapons are works of art, carved with animals and patterns and painted with bright and eye-catching colors.

Exposed camps. The Lion Clan believes that exposure to the elements makes a soul present, and that the world is to be experienced fully. Their encampments are often more like sculpture gardens than villages, with only a few leaning shelters or suspended skins to provide a buffer against the worst storms. But aside from extreme weather, Lion Clan people can be found outdoors, enjoying the prickle of the wind on their skins and the warmth of the day-star on their faces. Art and experiences. Lion Clan traders are welcomed for their supplies of dyes, brightly-colored fabric, figurines, and beautifully decorated objects of all kinds. Some make good barter for the herbs and fungus that enable spirit journeys, though woe to any who buys the raw materials without knowing the secrets of preparation. Their artists are often paid by other clans in goods and favors to decorate ritual spaces and objects, and it’s said that you can see the beauty of Lion Clan artwork from miles away. LEADERS The Lion Clan prizes courage and endurance, and their leaders are known for those traits: Chieftain Embelek-Ghelem (LN male human gladiator) is known as a silent and thoughtful man. Tall and regal, he is never seen without his intricately carved spear, which

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is imbued with many enchantments. It is said of Embelek that he has only loved once in his youth, and that fiercely, but the tragic death of his bride rendered him beyond the reach of any other pain. His people whisper that there is no suffering he cannot endure without perfect calm. He speaks rarely, but when he gives orders, they are followed immediately. When allowed to do so by his duties, he spends his days walking the hills of the Lion Clan’s domain, studying the artwork of his people, and listening with a distant smile to the stories of old men. Spindark-Who-Stares (LE male saurian high shaman) is the only shaman the winter gods are said to fear. An unnerving sharpfang with whirling black scale patterns and a gaze that can unmake a person, Spindark-Who-Stares is avoided by all who have no direct need of his magic or counsel. He is a lonely figure, guiding his people by fear and grim consequences for any challenge to his authority. The people of the Lion Clan warn each other that Glelh the Unblinking sees all, and Spindark-Who-Stares sees what Glehl sees. Still, for all the dread he inspires, the high shaman is able to channel great feats of divine magic, and relentlessly uses that power for the advancement and prosperity of the clan. Rhal (CG female human sorcerer) is the artistic guiding spirit of the clan. A gifted spellcaster who cares little for magic, Rhal uses her powers to shape astonishing artistic constructions and inspire others. She travels on a circuit throughout the Lion Clan’s domain, teaching young artists, creating her own artwork, and bringing rare materials to illuminate new possibilities to the artists she encounters. Rhal is a great favorite of all the Lion Clan, and her light counterbalances the darkness of their dreadful high shaman, whom she alone seems to fear not at all. BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR Shared values—and the worship of their hypnotic god— unite the Lion Clan as a people. Philosophy. The world is to be fully experienced, in all its terror and beauty. Their ideals include: • Endurance: Hardship must be confronted unflinchingly, even in the face of great danger. (Neutral) • Beauty: The best response to joy or pain is to create art and beautiful things. (Good) Rites of Glelh the Unblinking. The high hill of Glelh, crowned with standing stones, is a place of mesmerizing power, and beasts from the surrounding regions are drawn in by its hypnotic power. The shamans of Glelh must train themselves carefully to avoid being caught in the hallow’s thrall. Once trained, they circle the hill, stacking cairns of small stones, hanging pennants, and painting and washing the stones. Those who are able to endure Glelh’s gaze and return from the top of the hill are gifted with incredible visions, allowing them to scry across the world with wide, unblinking eyes. Impassive cruelty. It’s said of the Lion Clan that they are unfeeling. This may be unfair, but certainly their training in endurance gives them little pity—and at their worst,

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Perhaps it’s not for me to say, but I can’t help but think that the Council of Day is a largely made up of busybodies who butt in where they’re not invited and cause more problems than they solve.

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they are capable of inflicting great and terrible pain on those who are at their mercy. The eyes of the lion. The leaders of the Lion Clan, while chiefly focused on the survival of their people, understand that knowledge is power, and seek to expand their ability to perceive the world as it is at every turn. MAGIC & MATTER The people of the Lion Clan are easy to recognize anywhere, thanks to their colorful clothing and other common signs of their culture. Sight and command. The magic of the Lion Clan is chiefly concerned with divination and enchantment that subjugates the will of the weak. Their spellcasters have a reputation as all-knowing hypnotists, who can see inside a target’s mind and break their defiance in an instant. Lion hunters. Glelh’s powerful magic bends even proud beasts into service, and great cats—lions of the hills and plains—are counted as fellow hunters of the clan. They travel with the hunting parties and lend their strength to bring down prey, and are often decorated and named as though they were full members of the clan. Saurians. Something about the stoicism of the Lion Clan people appeals to the calculating nature of saurians, and an uncommon number of the scaled people have made their dwelling place among the clan’s encampments. Death from a distance. The archers and spear-throwers of the Lion Clan are feared by their enemies and praised by their fellow hunters. It’s said that a Lion archer can see a lizard in tall grass a mile off, and wait a day and a night until it stops moving to pierce it with an arrow. Enchanted ornaments. Other clans joke that you can never tell whether a Lion Clan member has magic on their person, so weighted down are they with decorative rings and necklaces. It’s certain that the Lion Clan enchanters imbue beautiful items with their spells, and magic rings and amulets are most often to be found among their people. Beautiful horror. There are rumors that the Lion Clan has, in its secret places and little valleys, perfected certain arts of entrapment and torture to make mortals quake with fear. It’s said that certain Lion Clan specialists consider the pain of others their artwork, and construct elaborate means of causing misery when the opportunity arises. SPECIAL LOCATIONS The Lion Clan domain extends many miles, but certain places are of particular note. Hallowcamp of Glelh. At the base of the hill crowned with standing stones, with every hut facing away from the heights, the Hallowcamp of Glelh stands in a garden of sculpture. Every home is a work of art, swathed in

color and carved decoration. Fantastic twists of fabric and swaying ribbons, pennants, and banners spin and flutter in the endless breeze. It is a place of stunning beauty and talent on full display—but eerie, as every silence is filled with the summoning tug of the high hallow of the LionGod. Silence Crater. The land surrounding Silence Crater is abandoned—nobody wants to go near the cursed place. Long ago, a stone fell from the sky to the earth, creating a deep basin. Through some starry magic, no sound can be heard within the crater’s rim. Here, tall banners flutter in the wind, concealing the rites that take place in the center. Prisoners are brought to Silence Crater, and there terrible things are done to them by the cruelest of the clan until, by certain signs and magic, they confess whatever their interrogators demand of them. Everycolor Canyon. A narrow canyon stretches from east to west, its length perfectly aligned with the arc of the day-star in its summer journeys across the sky. The canyon is an intergenerational artwork, its already pastel stones splashed, painted, and carved with an endless and breathtaking array of beautiful swirls, washes, and fields of color. By far one of the most stunning sights in the Great Valley, Everycolor Canyon is ever-changing from season to season, and from hour to hour as the dawn-duel and star-rise paint it with myriad and wondrous shadows.

The Council of Day “IF YOU EVER COME ACROSS TWO OR THREE OLD MEN whispering beside a campfire, try to pass by unseen—intruding on the secrets of the Council of Day is inadvisable and perilous.” —A ranger’s warning

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HEREVER LEADERS SEEK TO ESTABLISH peace, carve out stability, or promote order, the Council of Day is there to help, advise, and defend. The Council is a secretive network of accomplished elders and spellcasters who seek to shore up legitimate authority and strengthen centralized power throughout the Great Valley. Friends of the powerful. The Council arose in secret, created by a handful of powerful elders and spellcasters who agreed that the only chance mortals had in this world of giants and monsters was to band together and build a solid foundation of strength. Since then, their wandering counselors have a habit of turning up just when a chieftain’s authority is threatened, offering advice, magic, and resources to keep power in the hands of the powerful. Inner & outer councils. The organization is actually made up of two councils—the Inner Council and the Outer Council. The Inner Council is the leadership of the network as a whole. Their chief goal is overall stability throughout the entire Great Valley, and they administrate and send messengers with direction and guidance to that effect. The Outer Council sits under their authority, and is made up of advisors and elders traveling through the world, following

the Inner Council’s directions and using their best judgment to shore up authority in whatever situations they find themselves. Messages & meetings. The members of the Council frequently communicate through the sending spell, and spellcasters of the Inner Council are responsible for maintaining communication with those under their authority no matter where they are in the world. If two or more counselors encounter each other in the world, they meet secretly to share all that they have learned, seen, and done. The wandering wise. Some refer to them as the “wandering wise,” and welcome their arrival as a great blessing. They are known for their subtle and nuanced council, as well as their great experience across the years and Valley. To be advised by a Counselor is to be offered decisive, insightful direction or help, which usually comes when chieftains desperately need it to keep their people together. Whispering intruders. Others see the Council as a band of interlopers who stick their long noses into business that doesn’t concern them. Showing up uninvited and weaseling their way into the tents of the chieftain, these unlookedfor counselors often make enemies among those who have advised the chieftain for longer, or those who have good reason to want to see the current authority overturned. Solitary elders. The Council of Day does not believe in showing its force, preferring to act through advice and influence, not raw power. Counselors travel most often as wandering elders, arriving alone at campfires, sometimes with a single companion for safety and company. It is a testament to their power that such isolated individuals are not swallowed up by the many dangers of the wilderness— and indeed, their survival in the face of seeming fragility is what usually first catches a chieftain’s attention, and allows them their introduction into the circle of trust. Day-star pendants. The day-star is the symbol of the council, who believe that the amassed power in the heavens each morning, which then gives life and light to all below, is a lesson to be meditated upon. When they are brought into the Council of Day, counselors are given an ivory pendant, inset with four tiny stones in a diamond shape. These pendants have a minor enchantment such the stones can be pulled into the center where, when they meet, they glow brightly, emitting a faint white light. Recruitment. When their work is done, the Council of Day never asks for any payment—their advice and help is free to all who need it. However, they rarely leave emptyhanded. Grateful leaders press gifts and goods upon them, which they accept if they are convenient to carry. They also keep a sharp eye out for potential recruits for the Council, and the chieftain might not be the only one who is advised and whispered to during their stay. Many is the clan who has found their most powerful spellcaster or wisest elder depart after the coming and going of a counselor, recruited by persuasive words and promises of influence on a grander scale than they could have ever imagined.

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LEADERS

The Council has no fixed size and is made up of many voices—but three are regarded as the first among equals; the most powerful in the center of power. Pethna Riverborn (LN male half-elf archmage) is an ancient spellcaster, highly regarded by the other members of the Inner Council for his insight into all magical matters that affect the gathering and disruption of power. Originally from the shaman sanctuary of Seerfall, Pethna left behind devotion to the divine when he discovered his great arcane talents, and serves the council as their head of magic. Pethna is not shy with his opinion, but prefers to let others exhaust themselves in debate before coming in with a decisive point to end the discussion. Although now he is old and white-haired, those who know Pethna best tell stories of his lost years, between Seerfall and the Council, when it’s said he used his talents to travel as far as the Sea of Stars. Stories say he fell in love with a star there. That may all be mere gossip, but it’s true that he does watch the sky on most clear nights with wide, inscrutable eyes. Embhardarmos the Bull-Voice (LN male dwarf noble) is the greatest orator in all of Planegea. His command of speech is unrivaled in a chamber full of wise counselors, and he never fails to employ it. It’s said in the Inner Council that someday, at the end of the world, the stars will fall, the elemental wastes will rush in, Blood Mountain will consume all, and Embhardarmos the Bull-Voice

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will be there telling them all why they must cease immediately—with a good chance of convincing them to do so. A short, stocky dwarf with features like an ox and a great love for wine, Embhardarmos bellowing voice can be heard across an open field, and he never ceases to employ brilliant turns of phrase and witty analogies to drive his point home. His enmity is savage, and he uses his full power of persuasion to destroy those he disfavors. Some call him a bully, others a genius, but the truth is that he’s both, and as long as you’re on his side of the argument, there’s not a more talented speaker you could find as an ally. Anu (LN female half-ooze human archmage) is not an adviser or orator—she is a power in her own right. Her origins are mysterious, but she has long been a companion of Pethna Riverborn. She arrived at the Inner Council a few years after he did, and Pethna was a key voice in bringing Anu into the circle of trust. Anu is known for her total dedication to the rule of law, and her willingness to go to any length to ensure power remains in the hands of the powerful. When the council determines that severe action must be taken, it is Anu and her subordinates (who call themselves the Mirror Council) who do what need to be done. Anu’s fearful capacity for destruction is legendary. Some say that she brought down fire from the sky to consume an entire clan who challenged their chieftain’s authority. Only Pethna knows the truth of who she once was—and who she is now.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

The Council of Day is driven by a specific code and utterly dedicated to the establishment of order. Philosophy. Survival depends on order and authority. The strong must be strengthened. Their ideal is Authority: Those in power should have power concentrated in their hands (Neutral). Rooting out chaos. The Council of Day is utterly determined to eradicate the fanatical underminers of order known as Kraia’s Children. All other considerations disappear when Kraia’s involvement is suspected, and the Council will stop at nothing to hunt down and eliminate their agents. Amoral empowerment. The Council makes no moral judgment about the leaders it empowers. It believes that even evil authority is better than anarchy, and they have willingly concentrated power in the hands of the wicked and the good with equal sincerity. Empire-builders. The Council’s ultimate goal is to unite the Great Valley into a single empire strong enough to stand against the giants and usher in a new era of mortal prosperity and independence. They will not rest until they reach that goal.

MAGIC & MATTER

The Council’s means and methods are varied, but it inclines its resources and magic towards the tools of divination and enchantment. Persuasive prognostication. Even a low-level counselor usually has some access to divination magic, to look ahead and judge whether their advice will be advantageous to their order or not. Others of the Council specialize in using enchantment magic to ensure that their words are heeded by clans in crisis. And, of course, sometimes fireball comes in handy if nobody will listen. Simply attired. Most counselors travel without special adornment or equipment to identify them. Aside from their ivory pendant, one would rarely know that a gray-haired elder who showed up at their campfire was a counselor… until they begin speaking.

THE CHAMBER DOOR

The Inner Council does not meet in any fixed location— rather, they use the magic of Pethna or his apprentices to create an arcane space where they can gather secretly on an as-needed basis. Some hunters have seen the edges of an ornate door flickering with mystical light on a high mountain pass, beside a still lake, or under the shade of ancient trees. Little do they know that behind that door lies an ornate set of rooms in which the future of the Great Valley is being decided by a secret council dedicated to power.

QUESTS

The activities of the Council are countless, but these four missions are among the most common and important. Reinforce authority. Counselors and their agents are often sent to shore up leaders with shows of strength and support. Such missions might involve taking aid to a clan in trouble, bestowing a magic item on a chieftain, or ensuring a leader’s desired outcome takes place at a certain event. Consolidate power. Marriages. Alliances. Clan fusions. Anytime there is potential to centralize power, especially between two already-powerful parties, the Council seeks to ensure it continues. Many is the occasion on which counselors have played matchmaker between the children of powerful chieftains, often subtly and without notice. Quell unrest. Uprisings are anathema to the Council, and they have been known to take strong measures when clans rebel against leaders in which they have invested. Although the Council is not militant, it has its share of fighters and dangerous spellcasters in its rank of recruits, and deploys them to ensure rebellions fail before they begin. Root out Kraia’s Children. Any hint of the agents of chaos known as Kraia’s Children immediately causes the Council to leap into action. Whether through exposure, assassination, capture, or any other conceivable method, counselors and their aides are sent to eliminate the cancerous threat of Kraia wherever it may be found, using any means necessary.

Direstaves “THERE ISN’T A FREEDOM IN THE WORLD TO MATCH the life of a Direstaff. Give me wide land, a quiet beast, and long days of empty skies, or let me lay my head down in the dirt and start my forever-rest.” —Common sentiment of a Direstaff herder

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ORN UNDER THE OPEN SKY, RIDING ON THE towering backs of great beasts, the Direstaves are the masters of mighty creatures. Hailing from the Dire Grazelands, these herders of titans are bold, independent, and bow the knee to no clan or empire, trusting only in the wide lands and massive hearts of their livestock, as well as the heft of a trusty spear, to keep body and soul together. Plains rangers. The boundless grasslands at the edge of the Fire Empire have long been home to aurochs, dire goats, mammoths, and other grazing creatures which—through nature or perhaps the meddling of giant magic—grow to great size, standing two or three times larger than their common kin. Rather than hunting these creatures, the Direstaves learned generations ago to cooperate with them, and now live as their shepherds and herdsmen.

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The last free mortals. In the very shadow of the Fire Empire, the Direstaves thrive as the last line of liberty. The giants allow them to remain because their care for the animals provides ample prey for giant raids, and the Fire Giants are too strategic to completely cut off a supply of food and captives. Free-spirited confederation. Each Direstaff herd is a law unto itself, organized independently—usually by a chief or head or council of some kind. The patterns of leadership are varied, depending on the needs of the herd. Herd leaders are usually chosen by the majority of a community, and replaced by new leaders if the people no longer feel confident in their leadership. Emergency meetings. Herds tend to avoid each other, in an attempt not to compete for grazing land, but there have been times when the leaders of the Direstaves have met in response to some crisis or need. Such meetings are always full of personality and bravado, but in the end, the Direstaves are a practical people, and agreements are usually reached quickly, after which such a meeting scatters quickly. Seasons of the herd. A people fond of music and dance, Direstaves are always on the lookout for cause to celebrate. Much of their lives are caught up in the hard labor of surviving and tending their beasts, but each herd has its

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own holidays based around seasonal events such as calving, shearing, or migration. Freedom to roam. Direstaves are known across the Great Valley for their belief in personal freedom to go where one wishes and do as one pleases. A Direstaff answers to none but their beasts, with even leadership and authority within the community being seen as an agreement, not a right. Pragmatic confidence. Given their rough and self-directed existence, Direstaves often have to make quick and difficult choices. They are known for being decisive and tough, doing what must be done without any hand-wringing or bemoaning. A Direstaff makes a choice and lives with it, moving on like the herd moves on to new pasture. Working clothes. Direstaffs fashion all that they need from the herds they depend on. They’re usually dressed in well-worked leather or wool garments, and often carry oversized tools and weapons to deal with the needs of their herds. Most have little in the way of adornment on their common clothes, but keep a secret set of festival garments, which often feature elaborate ivory elements and yards of rustling fabric purchased from traveling traders with the bounty of good seasons. Tall tales. One never heard such a people for exaggerated stories as the Direstaves. They are famous for their wild tales of mammoths so big they fall off the world, herdsmen so hungry they eat a moon, children so loud they crack the

Fire Empire’s walls. Direstaves love to out-tell each other the most outlandish legends they can come up with, and nights around their campfire are full of laughter as elders and young ones alike come up with the most outsized lies they can invent to entertain and amaze. Milk, meat, hides, and more. Part of the Direstaves’ confidence arises from their prosperity. As the keepers of great herds, they have all they need to eat and drink, and plenty besides to barter for the refined goods of the Valley. Seasonally, as the clans travel north, the Direstaves offer hides, ivory, milk, meat, wool, hair—all of the bounty of their beasts—and get all they need in return.

LEGENDS

The Direstaves don’t have leaders with authority over many herds, but they do have legendary figures that everyone knows about. It’s hard to say for sure whether these people really existed or if they’re just stories—and if they did exist, who knows whether they’re still alive or died generations ago. Still, the Direstaves talk about them as if they’re alive and well, and might show up at any time for a meal and a huge stunt to amaze and inspire. Big Taptu the Bull-Rustler. Big Taptu was said to have been a captive of the Fire Empire—not a giant, but a man so big that the giants were confused and often gave him what he wanted thinking he was one of them. Big Taptu worked with the Emperor’s prize mammoths, according to the stories, and could lift the Emperor’s favorite bull over his head while eating breakfast. The legend says that Big Taptu was such a favorite of the giants that the Emperor’s daughter fell in love with him, but he couldn’t stand her fiery breath or hot skin. So, the night before their wedding, the story goes that the Emperor’s daughter arranged a giant-sized feast for Big Taptu and all her wedding guests. Big Taptu showed up, ate every bite, wrestled all the giants to the ground, told the Emperor’s daughter he wasn’t the marrying kind, and rode off with the imperial herd of mammoths, which he still tends to this day. Tricky Odekh’Uk. Tricky Odekh’Uk is known far and wide as a prankster who gets what they want by outwitting others. Tricky Odekh’Uk could be anything—a woman or man, an ox or tree, a giant or lizard or piece of grass. You never know with Tricky Odekh’Uk. Stories of the master trickster usually involve them getting in some kind of scrape through their own boasting, then turning their opponents’ power back on itself through a twist of words or unforeseen plan. Once, Tricky Odekh’Uk was forced to be a stone for seven mortal lifetimes through a bad deal that they couldn’t get out of, and it’s said that they still nurse a grudge and are roaming the Dire Grazelands, looking for the descendants of those who tricked them into that shape. Ishba Longtail. Stories about Ishba Longtail are childrens’ favorites—a comical hammertail herder with an unbelievably long tail, Ishba’s enormous length is always getting her into some scrape or another. Ishba stories cast her in many lights; sometimes she’s the hero who uses her tail to wrap up a band of giant raiders while Direstaves escape. Other times she’s a villain or problem, whose tail is tripping all

the herds and breaking their ankles, and must be dealt with. More commonly, though, she’s a hapless victim of her tail, who wanders through a marketplace and gets so hopelessly tangled in her own tail that they have to shut the market for a full month down just to figure out how to untie her. Everyone loves a good Ishba tale, and with each retelling the tail gets just a little bit longer.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

Direstaves would never claim to have much in common— each herd believes it’s a community unto itself. Still, there are certain shared creeds that one can expect to encounter among the plains people. Philosophy. Freedom is better than anything you can buy, sell, hunt, or harvest. Their ideals include: • Freedom: A person should be able to choose what happens to them, and do as they see fit. (Chaotic) • Pragmatism: You have to do what you have to do, and worrying about it doesn’t change anything. (Neutral) The needs of the herd. Direstaves are dependent on their beasts, and organize their lives around the life cycle of the animals. For all their commitment to personal freedom, and though individuals come and go as they see fit, a community of Direstaves is tightly bound to their herd. Independent to a fault. It’s hard for Direstaves to work with others outside their herd, or to feel a sense of belonging anywhere but the community where they grew up; and sometimes not even then. A Direstaff rarely asks for help, and when they do it’s grudging and seen as a heavy debt that must be repaid as soon as possible. Fall of the Fire Giants. Each Direstaff herd is focused on its own concern, so there are no grand plans for the future of the world… still, when the campfire burns low and the herders dream of what could be, talk turns from time to time of the idea of quenching the Fire Empire once and for all, removing the single greatest threat to their way of life.

MAGIC & MATTER

Direstaves are easy to recognize anywhere, thanks to their free spirits and affinity for large beasts. Animal magic. Most of the spells common to the Direstaves have to do with controlling or caring for large animals. Their magic tends to be natural—druids and rangers are welcomed by most Direstaves—and focused more on healing and commanding than anything else. Rod and staff. The classic Direstaff choice of weapons is a long pole or rod for guiding its beasts and getting their attention, and a short, heavy staff for defending it from other predators. But the pragmatism of Direstaves leads them to use whatever tool comes to hand, and many choose unusual weapons as a signal of their individuality. Harvest of magic. Some beasts are born with magical power—either inherited or unique. Such creatures are carefully tended by the herds for their lifetimes, then harvested after death for their many uses. Yellow herds. Direstaves warn each other of what they call “yellow herds,” or groups of mortals or animals that have gone wrong in some way. The Dire Grazelands are Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

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wide and wild, and yellow herds might be infected with sickness, led by a maniac, or given over to dark practices for some twisted reason known only to them.

HERD TYPES

There are any number of ways to travel with beasts, but these three are the most common: Slingcamps. Given the size of their beasts, many communities sleep and relax in oversized hammocks slung along the length of their animals. Depending on the creature, between two and six such hammocks might stretch from shoulder to hip, and some Direstaves are proud of the fact that they’ve never spent a night on the ground and can’t sleep unless they hear the rumble of gigantic breath beside their ear.

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Beastback villages. Some beasts are so massive and docile that entire huts and platforms can be constructed on their backs. These herds live in close formation, with rope bridges slung between them when the camp settles down for the night. The huts may lean and the bridges sometimes snap, but there are few sights to match the vision of an entire village plodding along through the grasslands, tied to the back of towering beasts. Walkalongs. Much simpler, if less impressive, is the life of the walkalong camp, who keep pace with their beasts and strike their campfires on the ground. Walkalong communities consider slingcamps and beastbacks to be a bit foolish, and are given to rolling their eyes at the excesses of such a life when there’s perfectly good grass underfoot anytime one should need it.

Free Citadel “A GLEAMING TORCH OF HOPE, BURNING IN THE FAR mountains, to which all captives look and think—someday!” —The Sayings of Inori the Traveler

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ARVED FROM A MOUNTAINTOP NEAR THE mouth of the Eel River, a city built by the Stone Empire gleams like a beacon of freedom. Free Citadel is built at the top of a great cliff, with its western wall formed by the mountain itself, deep chambers tunneled into the rock, and soaring towers that look out over the valleys. Everyone has heard of the mortal uprising that slew the giant overlords of a Stone Empire city and claimed it as their own domain. Free Citadel is a place, but it’s also an idea—that tyranny can be shattered, cages can be broken, and empires can fall. Birthplace of hope. The Overthrow— the day Free Citadel became free—took place within the last human lifespan. It is a new thing in the world, and the giants are staggered by the event. Led by an orc woman now known as the Usurper Queen, captives in a mountain city planned for a year, then slew their oppressors in the span of a single day. The city is theirs, and the victors live in its streets and walls, raiding its spoils and investigating its secrets. The Revolutionary Court. The Usurper Queen is the beloved leader of Free Citadel, and she has assembled a group of counselors and advisors from the revolt to lead her people. The members of the court oversee areas such as defense, provision, espionage, morale, and more. Each reports to and advises the queen, whose word is final. Overthrow Carnival. Each year in high summer, a massive festival is held by the people of Free Citadel to celebrate the uprising. Games, bonfires, songs, plays, sports and competitions of all kinds, wine, and revelry overtake the city for days on end, a great letting loose of joy and relief and grief and astonishment. Plundering survivors. The sprawling city is only partially explored, and teams perpetually scout and loot new chambers. Other areas defied opening for years on end. In a never-ending game of “finders keepers,” the people of Free Citadel claim all they can and give nothing back. Guarded revolutionaries. A spirit of watchful defiance is the shared ethos of Free Citadel. Though many children have been born since the Overthrow, their

parents have raised them to watch out for themselves, to realize that tyranny is only one wrong step away, and that the ability to choose your own fate is not common, but precious. Spoils of the Empire. There are no mortals alive who can match the refinement of Free Citadel. With access to the wealth and luxury of a great city of the Stone Empire, the people of the city dress in silks and rare furs, with great oversized jewels and ivory armbands that were once rings. This finery is mixed and matched with simple attire suited to the work of survival, making for striking combinations of rough-woven tunics and elaborate jewelry, grand gowns torn at the knee, and so on. Uxu. If there is one thing the people of Free Citadel love, it’s an imperial ballgame called uxu. Enormous crowds gather to watch the teams of the citadel compete in the giant arena. The final game is held at the winter solstice, and the victors enjoy a year of honor—and fierce compe-

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tition to defend their crown. Recently, word of uxu has spread outside of Free Citadel, and curious clans have sent emissaries to learn more about this fascinating competition. Spoils of war. Free Citadel is cut off from major trade routes by its mountaintop isolation and position inside the Stone Empire. Still, adventurous traders find their way up and down the Eel River, and the reward is worth the danger, for the wonders of the plundered city command great power in bartering deals. The citadel has long survived on its stores of food—enough to feed giants for decades—but supplies are starting to run low, and there is an undercurrent of worry among the people that they will need to start finding more ways to trade or travel outside the city walls in order to survive for years to come.

LEADERS

Without question, the Usurper Queen is the head of Free Citadel. But she is not the only force to be reckoned with, for good or for ill. The Usurper Queen (LG female orc chieftain) has no other name. Stolen from the Lion Clan as a child, she was a nameless captive in the houses of three Empires. Until the day of the uprising, she seemed to be a nobody, meek and subdued. But her mild demeanor hid a raging fire of revolutionary vision, and she was the architect and master planner of the revolt that took down the giants. First to draw her blade, first to slay her captor, and first in the hearts of the people, the Usurper Queen leads with honor, fairness, and wisdom. The weight of her responsibility lies heavily on her shoulders, and those who know her best can see it is taking a toll—she has turned gray far too young, and she rarely has a light moment. Serious, thoughtful, and earnest, the Usurper Queen keeps to her small circle of trusted advisors on the Revolutionary Court, preferring above all the company of those who were with her on the day of the Overthrow. Takluk the Beheader (N male half-elf veteran) is the closest thing the Usurper Queen has to a rival. He is a hero of the Overthrow—his sudden beheading of a frost giant auctioneer triggered the final riot that brought the giants to their knees. Since then, Takluk has been head of the Revolutionary Tribunal, judge and public executioner for crimes against Free Citadel, and his severe intensity inspires respect and fear. In the years since the Overthrow, Takluk and the Usurper Queen have drifted apart. While the Usurper Queen is focused on the survival of the city and the spread of hope to other slaves in distant cities, Takluk believes that Free Citadel should be militarizing and trying to conquer other nearby cities by force. These two factions have split the politics of the Revolutionary Court, but the people’s love for the Usurper Queen has kept power firmly in her hands… for now. The Prisoner (NE male stone giant) is the only giant still alive in Free Citadel. During the Overthrow, he was pushed by a crowd off the wall, and lay, unable to move, on the rocks below. In the days following the revolt, he was discovered to be alive, but paralyzed below the neck. The Usurper Queen saw an opportunity and had him dragged

Kraia’s Children—what to say? Here’s what I’ll offer: For every murdered chieftain, there is a slaughtered tyrant. For every dark family, there is a family devoted to liberty and justice for the oppressed. Do not judge Kraia’s Children too quickly.

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into a guarded room. He lives there still, fed and cared for by a special guard. Determined to survive, the Prisoner has proved useful time and again, offering information that has helped open vaults, storehouses, protected against attacks, and unlocked secretes of giant magic. Some of the young people of the citadel consider him a sage, a window into ancient knowledge, and—though rumors of this send chills down the spine of the queen—there is even a small contingent of youths who have been swayed by his cunning and would see the Prisoner set free.

ISSUES & AGENDA

There is no single philosophy that governs the people of Free Citadel, except the judgment of the Usurper Queen. However, certain issues of concern are discussed everywhere in the city, not least in its council chambers. Food crisis. For years, the city has subsided on the great food stores of the giants, but the stores will run low soon. More hunters and gatherers are being sent out into the mountains every day, but everyone worries about the day when the food will run out. Giant assault. The giants have let Free Citadel stand for far too long—an attack to take it back seems inevitable. There is great debate about why they have been left alone for so long, and what the assault will look like when it comes. Espionage vs conquest. The Usurper Queen and Takluk the Beheader are opposed on whether to undermine the empires through espionage and sabotage or military conquest, and the debate runs throughout the city, turning bitter in some quarters. Unbreached vaults. Nobody knows how deep the vaults under the city go, and many of them are still sealed with Stone Giant magic that has—so far—been impossible to breach. People debate the contents of the vaults, imagining possible caches of food, supplies, magic items… or terrible threats that should not be unleashed. Youth activity. A new generation has grown up in Free Citadel without any memory of captivity. They are brash and overconfident. Some believe the giants are no threat at all, while others hold them in a strange reverence. There have even been rumors of frost cults and stone cults arising around a certain fascination with the giants’ power. The Thrüm-Vashal. The greatest abandoned artifact of the giants is also their most mysterious—even the Prisoner has no idea what it does, only that the former ruler of the city kept it in his vault under heavy guard. This glittering orb

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ENTER THE ARENA

THE IMPERIAL GAME OF UXU A sport for two teams of 3–8 players and a crowd of spectators.

The Glorious Sport Uxu is played by two opposing teams trying to get a ball through rings suspended 20 feet off the ground at either end of a 90-foot x 45-foot field. Putting the ball through your opponent’s ring scores a maximum of 6 points. Points are kept by piling stones or pouring water into large basins. These basins are usually large enough to hold about 30 stones or waterskins. The game ends when a team fills their basin, or when either team concedes or can no longer field the minimum 3 players.

PLAYERS & POSITIONS

Each team of 3–8 players has up to 4 positions: Giant (exactly 1 per team): Each team must have a giant. This role is held by the biggest and strongest player on the team. Enlarge is usually cast on the player, either by a spellcaster or with a magic item such as an amulet of the arena (p. 267) so that they are literally twice as tall as the other players. Poleguard (No more than 2 per team): Each team must have 0, 1, or 2 poleguards. These players are equipped with wooden poles cut at 10–20 feet long. The poles are used for offense, defense, or agility, and most commonly come into play as the poleguards attempt to use them to vault up to the rings and score points. Lineguard (at least 2 per team): Each team must have at least 2 lineguards. Lineguards must play in pairs, with either end holding the end of a 30’ rope. The rope can be used to trip opponents, bind them, or create boundaries to safeguard their teammates’ play, or any other creative uses. If a rope is broken or either lifeguard lets go of the rope, the game halts until the lineguards are back in correct position. Runners (any number): Runners have no special equipment or role, they serve to help cover the field and support the rest of the team’s play. Since contact is not governed by strict rules in Uxu, runners often act as both ball-carriers and blockers, in an all-around role that can vary widely depending on their capabilities and the other team’s strategy and team size. Roarer (unofficial): Although not technically a part of the team, roarers stand in the crowd and are tasked with getting the spectators on their team’s side. In Uxu, the crowd is allowed to intervene in the game in any way they see fit, as long as they don’t touch the field, and often throw obstacles or equipment down to the players they like. Some even cast spells on their preferred targets, greatly complicating play on most occasions. A roarer does not count as part of the team officially, but a team without a roarer stands a much smaller chance of winning their match.

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SCORING & STRATEGY

When a team gets the ball through their opponent’s ring, they gain up to 9 points, minus 1 point for each member of the team currently fielded. (This does not include the roarer, if any.) The highest possible score, therefore, is 6 points, and the lowest is 1 point. Team size. Larger teams often have a better chance of scoring, but for lower value, so teams often move players on and off the field depending on strategic advantage. Once a player has been on the field and removed from it, they are not allowed to take the field again in that game. Contact. There are no rules for contact with other players, except that knocking another player unconscious is considered a foul and cause for an immediate timeout that lasts the length of a song chosen by the offended team, not to exceed 1 hour in length. Coverage. Players have no fixed locations and are free to move around the field as they see fit. Some teams favor guarding their ring with the line or poles, others with the giant. Other teams believe in full offense and seek to entangle and fend off their opponents, while still others try to reshape the arena using their ropes and the favor of the crowd. It’s an anything-goes kind of game, and overwhelmingly popular wherever it’s played.

RUNNING UXU

Uxu is a larger-than-life game in every sense of the word, and can represent a fun and exciting chance for characters to use their brawn, cunning, and charm in unusual ways. If you feature Uxu in a session, consider the following: Skill checks, not combat. Uxu is played on too large a scale for regular combat rules to apply, and will be too slow when played in this way. Instead, ask for skill checks, playing the game cinematically, rather than turn by turn. Crowd checks. Don’t lose sight of the crowd. As you rotate through the players, make sure the crowd makes checks to react and complicate the field by throwing down obstacles, equipment, or spells, depending on their mood. Slow-motion initiative. If you do use initiative and combat rules, do so in the same way sports movies use slow-motion: to focus on the exciting details of a particular, crucial moment. Once you do this, return to “normal speed” as soon as the moment has passed, keeping the same initiative order for the next time slow-motion is required. Stakes & secrets. Although Uxu can be fun at the table with the right group, consider what the party is playing for. What do they stand to win or lose by playing? Also, what don’t the characters know about the game? Is the other team cheating? Are villains at work in the crowd? Or is the entire game a distraction from the real menace, happening out of sight while everyone is at the stadium?

is a puzzle and a threat, and not even the greatest minds of Free Citadel have been able to unlock its power… yet. Uxu. The giant sport is always a favorite topic for debate. Everyone has their favorite team, and when conversation on other things dies away, there’s always Uxu to discuss.

MAGIC & MATTER

Free Citadel is a city of splendor and magic reclaimed by former captives. Fortune-tellers. All manner of spellcasters have made their way to Free Citadel, but it’s no surprise that the giant secrets of divination have been studied most closely in the city. The augurs and fortunetellers of Free Citadel are famously numerous, if not famously reliable… it seems someone on every corner is willing to barter a glimpse at your destiny. Oversized everything. Wielding or wearing giant arms and armor is an act of might and heavy modification. Knives are used as swords, belt-buckles are used as breastplates. Stone giant craftsmanship and spellwork is hard to match, so even these outsize castoffs are regarded as goods of great value. Plundered artifacts. Even poor folk in Free Citadel have access to wonders that are far beyond most people in other places—though they may not know what to do with them. Many Free Citadel families have a small pile of assorted spoils that they claim to be powerfully magical. Giant pests. The young hunters of Free Citadel earn their place by traveling in bands to dispatch the enormous crawling things that scurry and creep from the deep vaults of the city. Enormous spiders, centipedes, rats, and worse are all too common, especially on the lower levels. Dark secrets. No one knows what lies far below the city, or what unfinished work the giant spellcasters may have left unattended. The Overthrow came without warning, and it’s possible that some doors may have been left open of which the freed captives are entirely unaware…

AREAS

Free Citadel is an enormous place, both in scale and complexity, but people talk about it in terms of areas: The Parapets. These are the high towers and upper levels of the city. Safer from giant pests but difficult to reach, they tend to be settled by those with more resources or greater need for safety. Takluk the Beheader makes his home here. Throne Hall. In the center of the city is a hall so huge that it has become a neighborhood. Covered in huts and tents and multi-tiered structures, this is the city’s marketplace. Mountainside. The half of the city built into the slope is called Mountainside. This area is quieter, settled by families and crafters. The Usurper Queen makes her home here. Skyside. The area of the city with a view is louder, brighter, and full of bustling activity at all times. A popular area for recreation and celebration, Uxu is played in courts here with sweeping views of the horizon. The Carved Quarter. Underneath ground level sprawl huge tunnels and chambers where the poor dwell. At

threat from giant pests, this quarter is more hazardous, but known for its hardy hunters and close-knit communities. The Vaults. These deep chambers are forbidden to most— which doesn’t stop young or old from attempting to crack their secrets. Some were raided years ago, some still defy opening—making them all the more tantalizing prizes.

Kraia’s Children “DON’T YOU WORRY, DON’T YOU HURRY, Kraia’s child is already here. Slip and stumble, trip and tumble, Kraia knows best—never fear.” —A Rhyme for Tyrants, from Kraia’s Lullabies

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RAIA’S CHILDREN ARE A MENACE, A PROMISE, a creed, a cult, a rumor, or an inspiration—it all depends on who you ask. They are a secret organization, the scattered faithful of a shared ethos: That power is a threat, and those who gather it should be undermined. Legends of Kraia. Nobody knows who Kraia actually is or was. Some say she was the wife of a mad chieftain. Others that he is a slave who escaped the Sea Empire and dwells in a cave on the Kraken Coast. Still others believe that Kraia is a spirit moving through the world, possessing men and women to inspire the collapse of tyranny and power. Faithful families. Whoever Kraia might have been, their message of undermining power has caught hold of hearts throughout Planegea. There is no central organization to the group, only cells of like-minded people called families, operating to destabilize whatever local centers of power they can. Usually a family appoints a leader called an Eldest, with the members calling each other Brother or Sister. The Eldest is responsible for coordinating efforts, but is seen as the servant of the group, not a figure of power. Infiltrate & undermine. Kraia’s Children have many methods, but open violence is rarely among them. They prefer to make themselves useful in a tyrant’s council, earning trust and exploiting weaknesses until they can bring it all crashing down with a single elegant betrayal. Diverse families. Anyone who believes in the overthrow of power can join Kraia’s cause, and the Children are of every kinship and background. Their methods vary widely as well, from family to family—in some regions they are seen as villains who poison and plot to bring down noble chieftains, while in others they are the whispered heroes of the common people as they labor tirelessly in secret to tear down warlords and empires. Agents of chaos. Despite their cult-like trappings, the agenda of Kraia’s Children is explicitly political—they are focused on the distribution of power, keeping it from centering in any one person’s hand in every region where they operate. It makes no difference to their creed whether the powerful has noble or wicked intentions; they believe

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that power itself causes rot and misery, and oppose law and rule everywhere they can. Kraia’s Lullabies. There is no shared symbol, fashion, or icon for Kraia’s children; nothing to set them apart at a glance—otherwise, their work inside the belly of power would be impossible. The only giveaway is a set of rhymes, songs, and chants that they are taught, which are passed from family to family. These are Kraia’s Lullabies, and they are the only teaching the families share.

FABLED FAMILIES

If leaders catch wind of Kraia’s Children, they root them out by any means necessary. That’s why only a few families are known—and what’s known of them is more than half rumor and speculation. The Family at Edgegather. (CN) In the chaotic city of Edgegather (p. 164), it is widely believed that Kraia’s Children hold sway as a major force just out of sight. Edgegather is a place with no clear leader, and anytime a chieftain has tried to centralize or organize the city, there

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have been mysterious accidents leading to the unraveling of all their plans. Some say that Edgegather sits in the palm of Kraia, and if they have a center of influence anywhere, it is that wild and riotous city built on the edge of the world. Riverland Families. (CG) In the Cult Riverlands, where dark gods demand cruel sacrifices of their followers, roving families of Kraia’s Children travel from cult to cult seeking to overthrow the worship of evil. They operate more openly in the Riverland than anywhere else, needing to work fast before the gods can detect their agenda, and it’s said that families from the Riverland carry more open blades and marks of their creed than anywhere else, operating half in the light as wandering freedom fighters. The Friendly Family. (CE) No family is more feared or hated than the Friendly Family. Some say they’re only a ghost story—a group of insidious monsters who use their powers of persuasion, charm, and mind-control to find good people striving to bring order and help to the poor and wretched. The Friendly Family is said to arrive when you’re not looking and depart when you’re not sane. According to the stories, the Friendly Family won’t kill

their victims—they’ll utterly break them, and leave the people they were trying to help with less than nothing, sold into tragedy and worse off than ever before.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

Kraia’s Children are governed by a single idea—but how that idea is acted upon is as different as each family who shares it. Philosophy. Power is a threat, and those who gather it should be undermined. Their ideals include: • Equality: Everyone has the right to stand on equal footing and chart their own life. (Good) • Freedom: People should do what they want with no authority constricting their choices. (Chaotic) • Treachery: There is nothing sweeter than a well-executed and justly deserved betrayal. (Evil) No power above the family. Kraia’s Lullabies sing of how the family is the only power structure found in nature; the only power to be trusted and upheld. Within families of Kraia’s Children, trust and loyalty are absolute.

An amoral creed. Kraia’s Children do not distinguish between good and evil power—all power is equally abusive, and should be overthrown. Sometimes this teaching is hard to hold onto, when kind chieftains of struggling clans are betrayed, and it is necessary for the Eldest of a family to encourage—or silence—a doubting family member.

MAGIC & MATTER

Kraia’s Children have no fixed methods or resources—still, the Lullabies do lend themselves to certain tactics. Opening minds and hearts. When spellcasters join families of Kraia’s Children, they are often relied upon to aid in infiltration and assimilation, helping their brothers and sisters work their way into vital positions with a little enchantment magic wherever possible. Toys for the Children. One of the tasks of the Eldest is to supply the family with what they need, and they often handle bartering with traders and enchanters to get whatever weapons, spells, or magic items suit the task at hand. Such supplies are called toys in the Lullabies. Favorite toys

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of the Children are powders that can be mixed into potions, magic rings, enchanted daggers, magical tattoos, and other easily-concealed implements of subtle interference and sudden treachery.

WORK FOR HIRE

There are times when families—usually without naming themselves—find it expedient to barter for the services of strongarms and sellswords. This is usually handled by the Eldest or an intermediary, almost always without mentioning Kraia’s Children in any way. False raids. A common tactic is for families to send hired warriors into a stable environment in a raid, raising alarms and causing mayhem. In the aftermath, one of the Children can slip in as a friend to help resolve the danger and earn a place of trust in the seat of power. Shield-cracking. When facing more militant warlords, it can be useful for a family to find warriors willing to engage in direct combat. By reducing the warlord’s forces in direct combat, a family can destabilize their power and create opportunities to sow doubt and fear among their ranks. Toy acquisition. Families are usually embedded within local centers of power, operating delicate plots that require close attention—so when magic items or unique materials are rumored to be nearby, the Eldest will often reach out to roving hunters or skilled gatherers to retrieve valuable toys on behalf of the family.

Scavenger’s Vow “THE PREY RUNS, THE HUNTER HUNTS, THE SCAVENGER steals, the Rat King takes what he wants, and the world continues on just as it always will.” —Rugrib the Philosopher-Thief

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HEREVER SCAVENGERS CONGREGATE TO scheme of theft, whispers of Scavenger’s Vow arise. The Vow is an alliance of the desperate, a confederation of survival and greed ruled by a single figure—the mysterious and covetous Rat King, who rules and exacts tithes from the safety of his secret lair. Savvy scavengers know that good things come to those who pay the tithe, and as for those who don’t… well. They’re likely to meet an unfortunate end, one way or another. Long live the king. Before the rise of the Rat King, there was no central power among thieves and scavengers. But sometime in the last few generations, a mark called the Tithe started to spread, and whispers got around that after a scavenging run, should you come across the Tithe, it was best to leave a portion of the take. At first, nobody was sure who or what the Rat King was, but now most scavengers agree he’s at least half-human and possessed of power to bless and curse as he sees fit. A hierarchy of thieves. The Rat King sits at the top of Scavenger’s Vow, and is attended by a rotating band of chiefs and lieutenants, few of whom seem to last long.

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From his lair, he sends out Tithe-Gatherers—wandering scavengers who bring back the offerings left to him, and teach young, ignorant thieves of the importance of taking the vow and becoming loyal to his majesty. Visitation. It’s said that when more than three moons are full at the same time, the Rat King leaves his lair and goes wandering through the world, visiting his subjects, meting out blessings and curses, enabling fantastic scores, and stealing whatever is locked away by the powerful. These travels are called the Visitation, and it’s a common rite of those of Scavenger’s Vow to assemble when a third moon turns full to await the king, should he choose to arrive. Superstitious rumors. Scavenger’s Vow is mostly held together by a tangle of threats and promises arising from superstition and insinuation. Those who pledge their loyalty to it swear that the Tithe brings them good luck, and that only a fool wouldn’t bend the knee to the King’s power. Others claim it’s all a lot of hocus-pocus and rumor-mongering to puff up the ego of one old thief. Marks and signs. Perhaps the Vow’s greatest feat is the construction of a number of symbols that—while they can’t be read quite in the same way as a written language—serve to stand for important concepts. These symbols, called Thieves Cant, give warning of danger, suggest possible ripe scores, and offer guidance to lost scavengers. Some say the Rat King invented the marks, others that he only invented the idea of using them to center power under himself. Tithemarked. The most loyal members of Scavenger’s Vow, as a sign of dedication and supplication to the Rat King, mark their bodies with the Tithe, using scars or tattoos. Others prefer to carry a scrap of bone or hide with the mark as an easy way of signaling their loyalty to others in the Vow. In general, scavengers prefer loose, dark clothing that enables them to move easily and fade away into the night quickly—though more than a few are particularly proud of some trophy they scored and keep it on their person to display should they need to prove their prowess. Liar’s Duel. A favorite pastime of scavengers, while waiting for the moment to strike at their mark, is the game called Liar’s Duel, in which two players compete to tell the most elaborate, convincing, knotted web of lies and halftruths they can. The game ends when either player exposes their opponent’s lie (usually through a contradiction in the tall tale, although other logical maneuvers may also be employed), and can go on for hours on end—perfect for idle time between sundown and the darkest hour of the night. Legend has it that there is one game of Liar’s Duel in Seerfall which has been going on for more than a year. Mysterious wares. Scavenger’s Vow is famous for having anything and everything available for trade. If you can find a Tithe-Gatherer or gain access to the Rat King’s secret lair, it’s said there isn’t a single object in all Planegea that they can’t provide, obtain, or give news of.

LEADERS

The Rat King’s circle of useful henchmen swells and shrinks in accordance with his mood, but a few familiar faces can be found in the lair year after year.

The Rat King (CE male half-ooze leatherwing assassin) dwells in finery and splendor, surrounded by henchmen and cronies at the center of his hidden lair. Paranoid, boastful, vindictive, vain, and above all, greedy, he is a difficult sovereign. Still, his ability to amass power and possessions cannot be denied, and those closest to him say that he does in fact wield curses and blessings as weapons, although it’s hard to say what the source of those powers are. Stories about him are a dense web of lies and rumors, and those who know him best, having survived longest in his capricious company keep their lips shut about his origin or the exact nature of his power. Adderroot (NE female dreas druid) is called the Living Lair by those who dwell in the presence of the king. The stories say that the Rat King stole divine ivory from a snake god and hid it in a tree, creating Adderroot. A powerful spellcaster who keeps her own council, Adderroot has the form of a bark-skinned woman from her waist up, but her lower half is still rooted to the forest where the Rat King dwells. Loyal to the king through blind devotion or calculating cunning, Adderroot uses her druidic magic to create the forest lair in which the Rat King dwells, keeping out the unwanted with thorns, poison, choking roots, and whipping branches, and coaxing into existence a haven of flowers and green leaves in the Rat King’s chambers. It’s said that Adderroot is the lair, half-person and half-place, and that she alone sees and knows all that his majesty and his followers do.

Chief Tithe-Gatherer Tum’Gar (LE male orc bandit captain) is the arm of the Rat King in the world—for now. The latest in a long line of Chief Tithe-Gatherers, Tum’Gar is tasked with roving the Great Valley, enforcing the will of his king, and spreading the news of the Vow to those selfish scavengers who are not paying the proper respect yet. Tum’Gar is a clever strategist, and deploys his gatherers with tactical insight. It’s said that since Tum’Gar took over as chief, tithes have increased fivefold, and many attribute this to his particularly punitive measures for those who ignore the mark of the Tithe. It’s common knowledge that Tum’Gar was once the chief of a powerful orcish clan, but was cast out for reasons he keeps to himself, and now serves the Rat King unquestioningly.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

Scavenger’s Vow is bound by loyalty to the Rat King, as well as a shared set of beliefs and behaviors. Philosophy. Take all you can from those who can spare it. Their ideals include: • Self-preservation: You’re no good to the world dead, so do what it takes to survive. (Neutral) • Cunning: The smartest ones last the longest. (Neutral) • Greed: What’s theirs should be mine. (Evil) The Tithe & the Line. The first rule of Scavenger’s Vow is to honor the Tithe and pay the Rat King his share. The second is to not scavenge from those who’ll die if you

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take what’s theirs. This rule is essentially pragmatic—you can’t steal twice if the mark dies the first time. This rule is called the Line, and there are severe punishments for scavengers who cross the Line. Backstabbers. Treachery, lies, backstabbing, and swindling are all common behaviors in the ranks of the Vow, and if a scavenger isn’t ready to play dirty, they’re not ready to serve the king. The Pile. It is known to those closest to him that the Rat King is amassing a staggering amount of valuable and magical items in a hoard called the Pile, hidden somewhere deep within his lair. When asked about it, he winks and evades the question, but his gathering has taken on an air of desperation lately, and some say that he mutters, “Almost enough… nearly ready,” when he thinks nobody is listening. Although his goals are his own, his agenda is clear—get all you can as fast as you can, and pay your tithe or else.

MAGIC & MATTER

Scavenger’s Vow is generous to its favorite members, supplying them with magic and aid to keep adding to the Rat King’s Pile. Hedge magic. There isn’t a type of magic the Vow won’t employ to reach its goal, but since its ranks are drawn from outcasts, Scavenger’s Vow spellcasters tend to be of the more common variety, their desperation and cunning more than makes up for their low skills. The tools of thieves. Daggers, knives, hide armor, oils, skull lamps—all the tricks of the trade are plied by Scavenger’s Vow. They’re especially known for their knotpicks, which carry a subtle enchantment to ease apart confounding magical knots. Cloaks and inks. When it comes to magical items, the Vow prefers cloaks with enchantments that can conceal body, weapons, and more. There’s also a strong inclination towards magical tattoos, for those who have access to them, since they cannot be stripped away should the scavenger be captured by their marks. Scavenging bond. Scavengers live in harmony with many creatures that nobler folk find unsavory, such as rats, hyenas, jackals, and crows. A kinship is shared when you’re doing whatever it takes to stay alive, and it’s common for Scavenger’s Vow thieves to be seen in company with a slinking beast of one kind or another.

HIDEAWAYS

Tithe marks can be found across Planegea, and anywhere they are, Scavenger’s Vow is near. But there are a few key locations that loom large in the mind of the Vow. The Living Lair. This forest sanctum is active and alive, directed by the intelligence of Adderroot, always changing to conceal its secrets and its location from prying eyes. Located in the depths of Howlgrove (p. 163), the Living Lair needs all the defenses it can provide to fend off the wolf-cursed inhabitants of that forest, especially whenever three moons ripen to fullness.

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Sharkport. The Scavenger’s Vow operates largely within the bounds of the Great Valley, but their greed reaches even into the far edges of the world. Sharkport is a seemingly unremarkable fishing camp on the Undershore (p. 169), but it’s where tithe-gatherers go to collect their cut of what the Sharksails haul in… for even those seafaring raiders aren’t immune to superstitious fear of the Rat King’s power to call down curses. Vowshard Hideout. Several years ago, an enterprising band of scavengers managed to smuggle themselves onto an Air Empire caravan heading to the floating capital city of Nebhis. According to the stories, they have been living in the cracks of the capital ever since, like rats in the walls. They call themselves the Vowshard, and if the rumors are to be believed, their hideout is decorated with such imperial riches that it makes even the Rat King’s pile look like rubbish. The Rat King has sworn great rewards to anyone who can haul back the Vowshard’s share—and great curses on the Vowshard if they don’t pay him his due.

Seerfall “I’M TELLING YOU, THE VERY AIR ITSELF SHIMMERS with holy light—you never imagined a godlier place.” —Eoi the Green

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EEP IN THE SLUMBERING FOREST, WHERE the Ox River tumbles through dwarvish ruins in a series of breathtaking cascades, dwells the community of Seerfall. This sanctuary of shamans, ascetics, philosophers, and sorcerers is held in great regard throughout Planegea as the greatest gathering of the wise. Ruin encampment. It is the way of dwarves to construct great monuments, edifices, or cities, and move on as soon as the work of building is done. Seerfall is one of their greatest creations—a series of palatial halls and rock walls carved through the stone of an intricately linked set of waterfalls. The resulting structure is a sanctuary with stone chambers, balconies, cloisters, colonnades, and gardens, all carved beside, behind, between, and among seven breathtaking waterfalls. In and among these chambers, gods have grown plentiful, and seers, shamans, and other wise folk have erected tents, draped the symbols of their gods and philosophies, and made a permanent, vibrant settlement. Leaders & followers. The hierarchy of Seerfall is complex. Many elders and high shamans of various beliefs and gods dwell there, most of whom are followed by their own set of acolytes, disciples, and servants. But the leadership of Seerfall is divided among three figures—the Oracle, who is the spiritual leader of the community, the Warden, who cares for the sanctuary’s physical needs, and the Arbiter, who keeps order among the people. Each of these commands great respect, and has a small army of followers who will leap to their smallest suggestion. Neverending rituals. As Seerfall is considered one of the holiest places in Planegea, shamans from across the world gather here for council, help, and to perform rituals. There are countless shrines and altars everywhere in Seerfall, and at any time of the day or night, multiple sacred rituals are being carried out by the followers of one god or another. The air is usually fragrant with the smell of incense or sacrifices, and music or chanting interweaves with the sound of the falls in an endless fabric of worship. A sacred sanctuary. The tone of Seerfall is above all one of reverence. Disturbances of the peace are quickly dealt with by the Arbiter’s servants, but those are rare, as most who come to Seerfall come to partake in its holy work, or to make reverent supplication of those who do. A layered society. Those who first visit Seerfall, who see its host of shamans living peacefully among the falls, could be forgiven if they mistook it for a sinless haven of harmony and order. However, the serene surface conceals a dense fabric of subtle politics and power dynamics, inner and outer circles, rivalry and conflict. These play out in quiet conversations behind closed doors and are never

glimpsed by the common supplicant, but those who have dwelt long at Seerfall know how fraught calm words can be. The blue sash. The gathered shamans and leaders at Seerfall often have cause to send emissaries, messengers, or servants to bring word of what they have learned during their time there. Such emissaries are given a woven, blue sash, symbolizing the waterfalls of the sanctuary. Anyone wearing such a sash is to be treated with respect and given aid on their way by the clans who encounter them—a tradition that all too many swindlers and scavengers have taken advantage of. Communal meals. With the many and varied rites of worship and meditation required by the practices of the faithful at Seerfall, it can be difficult to find common ground. Years ago, the Warden instituted the requirement that any who dwelt at Seerfall must take place in the communal meal just after midday, unless their god required them to be elsewhere. These meals are usually simple—fish, the plenty of the forest gathered by the Warden’s servants, and food offered by supplicants or acolytes. It is served in shallow wooden bowls each day, when all of Seerfall stops to assemble in the largest hall and its connected courtyard and cloisters for a half hour. Gifts & offerings. Seerfall is well-provided with all its material needs by the gifts and offerings of supplicants who seek council from the wise or help from the powerful. The Warden’s servants accept and distribute the gifts that are not directed to a particular shaman. In return, Seerfall offers a wealth of spiritual insight and guidance, and potential blessing to any who seek it with a pure heart.

LEADERS

The offices of leadership at Seerfall have changed hands many times, but the roles remain constant, caring for the spiritual, physical, and communal needs of those who gather at the sanctuary. The Oracle (NG female elf shaman) is a title that shifts as spiritual power waxes and wanes. Chosen by an inner circle of influential leaders, the Oracle is the shaman or seer considered to be most gifted and in touch with the greater powers of Planegea, charged with discovering prophecies of things to come. The current Oracle is an elven woman who was born in the Great Valley in a poor clan of no name or notoriety. She appears, as most elves do, as a mortal in the prime of her youth, and her powder-blue skin is almost transparent, her face framed by black hair plaited in three long braids. But her eyes speak of lifetimes of wisdom, and it’s believed that she has favor with more gods than any living soul, and is even said to have lived among the genies for a time. She can be cryptic and aloof, preferring to keep her own company and speak in metaphor or riddles—but there isn’t an elder at Seerfall who doubts her spiritual authority. The Warden (N male human noble) is charged with providing food, accommodations, and safety to all who make their home at Seerfall. The current Warden has held the position for many years and, though personally unpredictable, never fails to ensure the myriad needs of

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the community are met almost before they are felt. The current Warden is a middle-aged man with thinning red hair, a potbelly, a contagious laugh, and a fierce temper. Quick to joke and just as quick to lash out with whatever object comes to hand, the Warden is immediate in his decisions and expects total and instant obedience in all matters. Some say he is the least spiritual man at Seerfall, but those who know him best understand that his reverence is not a performance, and that he treats gods like gods and people like people. Above all, the Warden is always busy, dealing with three crises while looking ahead to seven more. The Arbiter (LN agender starling noble) is the final authority on all conflict in Seerfall. The Arbiter traditionally wears a wooden mask, which impels those who can see it to speak the truth and grants the ability to see through illusion. The current Arbiter has held the position as long as anyone can remember. They are a striking figure of yellow light and command instant respect, even awe. The Arbiter cultivates a reputation as the personification of justice, utterly unbiased and neutral in all matters. But at the end of the day, they are still a person, and some tell stories of private grudges or favorites that the Arbiter acts upon in their exceptionally rare unguarded moments.

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BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

Although shamans and philosophers of many varieties make pilgrimages to Seerfall, there is a shared ethos among those who make their home there, or who journey out into the world in service of its leaders. Philosophy. Wisdom saves the world. Their ideals include: • Peace: It is better to live in harmony than in discord— violence brings only pain. (Good) • Understanding: To know a threat deeply is to know how to rightly react. (Neutral) • Stability: Change is entropy—things should remain as they are. (Neutral) Servants of prophecy. Seerfall looks to the Oracle to prophesy of coming events, and then to act upon them. Prophecies have led to legendary hunts, stopped wars, fended off giant incursions, and more. When the Oracle delivers a prophecy, it can lead to great joy, great turmoil, or the kind of hunts that chanters sing about for generations. Divine meddlers. Not everyone in Planegea welcomes the emissaries of Seerfall. To some, the sanctuary is seen as a nest of self-important zealots, generating fears and outlandish beliefs, then sending out messengers to stir up trouble based on the notions of some out-of-touch elf. World-savers. The leaders of Seerfall have no less a grand mission than the very salvation of the world. They

constantly seek to avert coming disasters and believe that a day is coming when the Oracle will foresee a path that will preserve all of Planegea from utter ruin.

MAGIC & MATTER

Seerfall casts a long shadow in the wider world, and its faithful can be recognized by various markers: Divine magic & discipline. The spellcasting agents of Seerfall are most commonly shamans and guardians, with some reverent sorcerers and ascetics among them. When emissaries of the blue sash are in the world, it is assumed that their magic will be of a holy nature, and they are often approached by strangers and supplicants for healing spells, even when on missions of violence. Amulets and symbols. A thriving industry of icon, totem, idol, and amulet-makers surrounds Seerfall, and many of their inhabitants carry finely-crafted divine symbols with various enchantments of infusions of power. Summoning & banishing. Many shamans, far from their the hallows of their gods, rely on spiritual messengers to carry their prayers to those they worship. Summoned celestials and fiends are not an uncommon sight, and the Warden’s servants are often tasked with hunting down summoned spirits who have overstayed their welcome. Dark rites & desecration. Although the servants of bloodthirsty gods are unwelcome in the peaceful community of Seerfall, there have been occasions on which deceitful divinities have slipped murderous agents into the sanctuary. Wicked sacrifices have been made and desecrating fires burned—it is the task of the Arbiter’s servants to find and snuff out such incursions of evil.

LOCATIONS

Built around seven great falls, Seerfall is a complex structure with many areas—these are some of the most notable: The Oraculary. This ornate, soaring palace was carved by the dwarves into the stone of the fifth cascade. The Oracle dwells here, surrounded by her staff and the many secret passages concealed by dwarvish cunning and magic. Communion Hall & the Long Square. A great chamber near the third cascade and its connected courtyard are where all of Seerfall gathers for the midday meal, to exchange greetings, beliefs, stolen glances, and secrets. Booths, cloisters & shrines. Seerfall is full of small places. Countless traders and crafters offer materials for spells or beautiful amulets, private cells for meditation or prayer are commonplace, and informal shrines to little gods dot every corner and doorway.

GUARDIANS & EMISSARIES

There is much work to be done at Seerfall, not least for those who know how to defend life and confront danger. Protected pilgrimage. Emissaries are often sent into the world to safeguard those traveling to or from Seerfall. Spirit hunt. Summoned fiends and misguided celestials are a frequent threat, and must be eradicated or banished.

Oracular journey. When the Oracle foresees danger, it is the work of all Seerfall to prevent it. Many bands of gifted emissaries have been sent into the world by her word—and many have never been seen alive again.

OVERLAPPING GODS

Lesser gods beyond number make their hallows at Seerfall, infusing the place with a bewilderment of divine magic. None of these gods are as strong as the Brothers, Twr, or Mala, but they are powerful within their overlapping and intersecting hallows. Some of these gods include: d8

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Ekmo the Knowing Stone, a rock god of knowledge

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Hebol Allfruit, a tree god of life

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Edor the Still, a water god of peace

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Glimmering Bala, a beetle god of light

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The Green Wind, a weather god of nature

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Ynknys the Enshrouder, a snake god of death

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The Skitterer, a roach god of trickery

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The Roaring Rocks, twin stone gods of war

The Sign of the Hare “SURVIVAL ISN’T ENOUGH. WE AREN’T HERE TO SIMPLY eat and die. There are endless worlds to be unlocked, infinite futures to behold. Even if it means I have to run for the rest of my life, I’ll be damned if I let some accursed dogs keep me down.” —Restakar

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LMOST NOBODY KNOWS THAT THE SIGN OF the Hare exists. They are a secret society of spellskins dedicated to the idea of developing and sharing magic. Their influence is subtly felt across Planegea, but they depend upon remaining undiscovered to stay alive. The Hounds of the Blind Heaven hunt those who break the Black Taboos, and the spellskins of the Sign of the Hare (called Hares) study, teach, bend the taboos—and run from the Hounds. A warren of sages. The Sign of the Hare is named because those in its company know that they are a step away from the jaws of the Hounds of the Blind Heaven. They are a tradition that stretches back as far as memory, passing along advanced magic, testing the edges of the Black Taboos, and trying to find ways to advance life beyond the restrictions placed upon them by fate. Teachers and apprentices. Hares die or mysteriously vanish all the time—there is no single leader, only spellskins who have lived a little longer and have more to teach, and those who put themselves under their authority. Often spellskins of the Sign of the Hare will travel in small schools—a teacher with two or three apprentices, trying to stay on the move so as not to attract attention from man or beast or metaphysical force.

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Fires & funerals. Spellskins of the Sign of the Hare live and die for those quiet moments when they’re able to sit together, sharing and learning spells that surpass imagination, the kind of spells that enrich life for all, raising mortals from mere survival into civilization. But they gather just as often to lay to rest the body of a fallen Hare who has slipped over the edge of the Black Taboos and been found by the Hounds. Arcane wanderers. To stay alive, Hares stay on the move. Even among such brilliant minds, the Hounds produce fear and superstition, and these spellskins avoid concentrating knowledge in any one place for fear of having it all destroyed should the Hounds find them. They live as fugitives and outcasts, traveling from clan to clan, helping where they can and advancing their studies far from where others could get hurt, should things go wrong. Scattered spell-walls. Their need to keep on the move leads Hares to work out spells on any surface that comes to hand—cliffs, cave walls, boulders, hillsides, ruins— anywhere they can paint out their magics to keep advancing their studies. Once a spell is finished, they move on, leaving the painting behind in hopes that others will benefit from the knowledge. This has led to a scattering of spell-walls in strange, hidden places, often where you’d least expect, ready to be discovered by an adept mind. Tattooed outcasts. A Hare can be recognized by their wandering ways and their many tattoos. Teachers and apprentices travel together in part to help each other apply ink to their skins, as well as to exchange knowledge to make sure if one of them is found by the hounds, not all their learning is lost. But their traveling life, their tattoos,

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and their arcane secrets often gives them an outlandish appearance raising suspicion—or pleas for assistance— from clans they meet. The sign. Hares greet each other with a hand sign, making a fist and then lifting the index and little finger to form ears. Rabbit and hare pictograms are commonplace among them, often marking their scattered spell-walls, and many of them keep tamed rabbits as pets, companions, or familiars. Purveyors of magic. Hares survive off their magic in more ways than one, bartering magical favors for food and supplies needed with anyone they come across. Sometimes, if a clan has need and is willing, a group of Hares will settle with them, living and working alongside them, contributing to the good of the clanfire. But such arrangements never last long—there’s too much danger to all involved, and the idea of the Hounds is enough to keep a Hare and their apprentices moving on time after time.

LEADERS & ALLIES

The Sign of the Hare has no set leadership, but it does have spellskins who have lived longer than anyone, whose counsel and knowledge is held in high regard and sought out… though they are usually not easy to find. Restakar (CG genderfluid gnome archmage) is one of the oldest living Hares. They have been everywhere and seen everything, and move through the world in search of answers and hope. Schooled in the arts of illusion and transmutation, they are constantly changing their appearance and their tactics, believing that the answer to the problem of the Hounds is buried somewhere in the vaults

of the giants or the ruined temples of aberrations. Restakar is known to have once been a companion of Pethna Riverborn in their youth, but the two had a falling out over unknown matters in some distant realm, and keep watchful distance from one another now. Restakar travels without apprentices and is impulsive, improvisational, and unpredictable. They swear that’s how they’re still alive. Uhl-Os-Who-Speaks (LN male human monk) is an ascetic with a perfect memory, trusted alone among the greatest of spellskins to transmit messages between them. One of the rare Hares who is not themselves a practicioner of arcane arts, Uhl-Os is invaluable for his ability to flawlessly retain even the most complex of messages, symbols, and paintings and recreate them on demand. Using the skills of his ascetic training and the many enchanted items given to him by Hares, Uhl-Os moves like lightning through the world, sharing mind-bending knowledge without understanding a word of it, beneath the notice of the Hounds and incredibly valuable because of it. Gray Seht (CN female elf archmage) walks between realities without feeling. A powerful figure in both of Nod’s worlds, she is feared and respected among the Sign of the Hare and their dark reflection, the Recusance. A necromancer and conjurer, Gray Seht follows her own council alone. She hates the Hounds above all and will do anything, good or evil, to end their power. The Sign of the Hare works with her only cautiously, for her wrath is quick and her magic terrifying. But her intellect is unparalleled, and if she finds the work interesting, nothing can stop her from pursuing it to the very ends of the world—or the utter edge of the Black Taboos. There are whispers that she has tracked the Hounds to their lair, and knows secrets of the Blind Heaven itself. But rumors about Gray Seht abound, and who knows what she may have truly seen or done.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

The Sign of the Hare shares a single mission: To advance the good of civilization and survive—or end—the hunting of the Hounds. Philosophy. Learning and advancement is the ultimate good, and those who oppose it should be toppled. Their ideals include: • Hope: We do not surrender to the Hounds or any evil… we gather our imagination and intellect and fight to thrive. (Good) • Knowledge: Learn all you can, and teach what you know. (Neutral) • Civilization: Mortals were not made to suffer and starve, but to build and thrive. (Lawful) Hiding & hunted. The Sign of the Hare lives at the very edge of danger, only a breath or a wrong brushstroke away from slaughter at any moment. They are defined by fear and hope in equal measure, daring the Hounds to unmake them because of their belief in the value of progress.

Dark magic. The Sign of the Hare believes in knowledge— yet study easily curdles into obsession, and daring into arrogance. The Hares all know of spellskins who have gone bad, who have given themselves over to black and manipulative practices, using others for their arcane experiments and baiting the Hounds with suffering: the ones called the Recusance. The Hares struggle against the Recusance, seeing their perverse practices as an abomination of hope… but at the their worst, they also use their fallen friends as foils to learn more without getting their hands dirty. After all, knowledge is knowledge, isn’t it? The Houndslayers. The ultimate goal of the Hares is to put an end to the existence of the Hounds of the Blind Heaven once and for all, setting Planegea free to write and build and grow into a world beyond their imagining.

LOCATIONS

The Hares are always on the move, but there are a few places they congregate to share knowledge and tales of narrow escapes. Lake Littleblood. The limestone caves at Lake Littleblood are famous for their white, smooth surfaces, perfect for painting and repainting. There is a large spellskin community there, and although not everyone is a Hare, they are easily found. If the Sign has a center, it’s in those caves. Delvetomb. In the Lastwater Wilds, not far from the southern tip of the Scarab-Scar canyon, there is a crack in the dry ground that leads to a secret tomb. In this place, unnamed aberrations once practiced strange arts beyond any understanding, and its chambers and passages are bewildering and terrifying. But the Sign of the Hare reclaimed it some years ago, and have kept it free from aberrational influence since, investigating its secrets, trying to unlock what can be learned without triggering the Hounds—or unleashing madness. The Moon-Palace of Takash. An eccentric Hare once spent his entire life casting an elaborate conjuration, his gift to all Hares. This spellskin, named Takash, wove an enchantment that created a great edifice of stone, filled with invisible servants and arcane delights to astonish even the Air Empress herself. This palace exists on the largest moon in the sky, transporting and recreating itself as the moons wax and wane. Takash is long-dead, and the enchantment has begun to unravel… the Moon-Palace is now an eerie place, and the invisible servants aren’t quite right anymore, nor do the arcane delights behave exactly as they should. But for those with a taste for the curious and unsettling, elder teachers of the Sign of the Hare know the secret word to open the door; after all, Takash meant for the palace to be shared.

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Venomguard “I’VE SLAIN OGRES, OWLBEARS, OOZES, AND OTYUGHS. I want a real challenge this season. What do you say we hunt a kraken, boys?” —Boast of Kleda Maz, former Redguard

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ASED IN THE CLIFFTOP CITY OF EDGEGATHER, where the venomwine flows and the music never stops, the Venomguard are an elite force of monster hunters dedicated to keeping vulnerable people of the Great Valley safe from its worst and most monstrous predators. Watchers of the Abyss. When Edgegather was founded, overlooking the Venom Abyss and the Ox Unfall, those who built the city vowed to keep watch upon Blood Mountain, the Abyss, and the river that rose from it. They built aviaries full of colorful chattercrests to fly warnings across the Great Valley, brought in spellcasters for protection—and formed the Venomguard from a band of legend-

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ary hunters, commissioned with a simple task: kill the monsters that swarm up the Unfall. Competing parties. Venomguards are recruited from only the toughest monster-hunters and organized into hunting parties of 9 or fewer. These parties scour the land for deadly creatures, and bring back trophies to the Venomguard Lodge. Each midwinter, the party with the greatest trophies are given crimson crowns, hailed as the Redguard, and lead the Venomguard in the following year. Preparation & hunt. Venomguards live in a cycle of hunting and preparing for the next hunt. They can be found at the Lodge, sharpening their skills, crafting traps and weapons, and swapping stories of great hunts. When a sighting comes in by messenger or magic of a deadly monster on the prowl, the party chosen by the Redguard heads out, and doesn’t come back without a trophy. Secrets of the kill. While young monster-hunters share their strategies eagerly and learn all they can from each other, the most successful Venomguard parties keep their tactics hidden as they make a run for the crimson crown.

Each hunting party is unique in its mix of might and magic to bring down terrifying monsters, and there have been brawls among the Venomguard when one party thought another was looking a little too closely at their gear. The red cord. When they are recruited, Venomguard are given a thick red cord, which most wear as a necklace or armband. This cord tells the story of their time in the Venomguard, and special knots are used to denote important kills, the death of a party member, and seasons of the hunt. Most Venomguard display their cord proudly, and it’s the most easily-recognized symbol of their order. Trophy traders. Thanks to the monsters they bring down, which can be harvested for unusual parts in high demand, any successful Venomguard has access to the best of everything. You can tell a Venomguard between hunts by their fine robes and adornments, their sleekly crafted gear, and their swagger and tendency to act like the world is theirs.

THE REDGUARD

The current Redguard are a party of hunters called the Lefthand Slayers. They famously brought down a red dragon sent from Blood Mountain whose head is now mounted over the Lodge’s entrance, and wear the crimson crown proudly—until midwinter. Hu’klu & Wink-Cat (CG male human druid & N female lapiscat) are an inseparable team. Hu’klu encountered Wink-Cat on a hunt that crossed over into Nod, and they share a psychic bond. Hu’klu is the party’s leader, and speaks first for all of them. Quileth (CN female elf assassin) killed people professionally before she took up animal hunting. An accomplished assassin from Nod, with deep roots in Scavenger’s Vow, she turned away from that life after a kill gone badly wrong, and has sworn to never take another intelligent life… except maybe the Rat King. Skycrest (N agender leatherwing sorcerer) doesn’t speak much, but when they do, their words cut, sting, and burn. Private about their origins and motivations, it’s said that Skycrest hails from the Starstep Cliffs and refuses to go back even for the most tempting hunts. Dokh the Furious (CE male dwarvish berserker) is essentially feral, and can barely be restrained by his party from killing everything in sight. Dokh is kept away from other people as much as possible, and can only be lulled into a peaceful mindset by the words and songs of Lila Green. Lila Green (NG female dreas chanter) was originally a tree of the Venom Abyss, carried up the Unfalls after a great flood. She hunts monsters dispassionately, caring little for the violence, but has found her family in the Lefthand Slayers, who consider her the heart of the group, and offers them inspiration and cheer wherever she can.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

Venomguard’s mission is simple—slay the monsters that threaten life, and win the crimson crown if you can. Philosophy. Community is stronger than death. Their ideals include: • Life: Creatures that mean harm to the weak and innocent should be stopped. (Good) • Skill: It’s good to be the best. (Neutral) • Glory: Fame and immortality are the same thing. (Neutral) • Violence: If I can kill and get praise for it, so much the better. (Evil) The call. Venomguard swear their lives to the service of the hunt, and are at all times under the service of the Redguard and the call to hunt. The best & the worst. Venomguard is full of outcasts, former murderers, the mad, the unsavory… it takes a certain kind of person to dedicate your life to facing down the most vicious of horrors Planeagea can summon. When a party of thugs wear the crimson crown, it’s a dark year in Edgegather, and all of the Great Valley suffers for their abuses of power.

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The big hunt. With the Lodge perched on the edge of the Venom Abyss, it’s no wonder that a favorite topic of discussion is the idea of a mythical dragon-hunt on Blood Mountain itself. Maybe next year, they always say…

VENOMGUARD LODGE

When hunting parties come home to rest, recover, and prepare for the next hunt, they always return to Edgegather and the Venomguard Lodge. A few key areas of the Lodge include: Redguard Hall. The main hall of the Lodge is festooned with all manner of trophies from generations of great hunts. Here is where feasting happens, where the Redguard are crowned by a popular vote each year, where justice is meted out, and where the parties swap stories and bets and brawls and dares. Attached to the hall are sleeping huts, some of which are claimed by certain parties, while others are kept open to whichever Venomguard needs a place to drop their gear for the night. Training Yards. Public and private training yards are available to the hunting parties, depending on their status and demand for secrecy. These yards are mostly barren stretches of floor where gear and techniques can be tested, but some have obstacle courses, training dummies, or magically-simulated weather for extreme preparation. The Sending Cliff. The Venomguard have long bartered with Edgegather spellcasters to maintain a magical portal through which they can send their hunters to the far corners of Planegea, should a call for help come in. The Sending Cliff is a rite of passage—a particular stretch of stone that overlooks a dizzying drop into the jungle below. Young hunters steel themselves for that first leap off the cliff—trusting to invisible magics that their feet will land in solid ground wherever the spellcasters send them.

The Whale Clan “WE ARE VOYAGERS—DAUGHTERS AND SONS OF THE high blue waves. We follow whale-song to islands of plenty, and forever honor the ways of the water.” —Matriarch Te-Huni

F

AR FROM THE WINTER WINDS AND DUSTY hunting grounds of the Great Valley, in the azure water and emerald islands of the Scattersea, dwell water-faring folk. Communal, curious, and restless, the Whale Clan roams from island to island, an archipelago of families spread throughout the region, all under a single shared devotion—the worship of the whale god, Mala Long-Song, eldest and wisest. Three tales. There are three stories of the Whale Clan’s founding. The first is that they lived in the water before the giants founded their empires, and have lived all this while under their shadow without fear, darting in canoes and catamarans from island to island, too fast for the giants to catch. The second is that they are a runaway people, born of captives who escaped the Sea Empire’s clutches, blessed

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by Mala to survive the dangers of the ocean. The third is that there were no people in the islands, but Mala sung them into existence, willing that there should be some for her to bless. Whatever the truth of their origin, they dwell in great numbers in the islands, prosperous and adventurous in the face of all the sea’s chaos. Scattered matriarchies. The members of the Whale Clan do not dwell in a single mass, but are rather found throughout the entire Scattersea. They live as multigenerational families, led by matriarchs. Each family takes care of their own, with a typical size of 1–4 boats per family. Some families join forces, while others sail alone, but all swear allegiance to the Whale Clan, and all meet once a year at the Hallow of Mala for the Day of Breath, when Mala rises to the surface to breathe, and give breath. Community & curiosity. The Whale Clan holds the bond of family above all, and puts a strong emphasis on an inquisitive mind. Parents teach their children to hold respect in one hand and questions in the other, and a favorite fable tells of Old Yesterday and Young Tomorrow asking asking and answering questions of each other as they sail on their wide white boat, which is named Today. You can tell a Whale Clan member because of their close connection with others, and their constant stream of questions. Restless voyagers. The families of the Whale Clan voyage the waves as a matter of survival and curiosity, never staying long on any island. It is their tradition to make landfall on an island, stay for a moon’s lifetime, then set to sea again. Because of this constant travel, many islands have villages built on their shores. A family group will land, work to repair and expand the village for their time there, then set out again, leaving the village to be re-discovered by the next family that happens to come across it—or, worse, to be inhabited by the opportunistic and predatory sea-raiders known as sharksails. On hostile waters. The Scattersea is not for the faint of heart. Merfolk, merrows, and other undersea peoples both friendly and fierce have complex societies below the waves. Heavily armed sharksails sail in spiked boats, prowling the waters for easy prey, launching themselves onto the catamarans of Whale Clan families to plunder their supplies. And the Craven of the Kraken Coast paddle silent canoes with vacant eyes, seeking young fools to abduct. Raiment of the waves. The Whale Clan is usually lightly attired in clothes woven of plant fibers and seaweed, sharkskin and fish leather. They decorate themselves and their villages with shells, flowers, coral, fins, and other treasures of their bright island homes. LEADERS The Whale Clan elevates matriarchs based on respect and their minds. Although the clan is scattered, three figures in particular are well-known throughout the Whale Clan and seen as leaders of the Scattersea. Chieftain Hala’ke Moonflight (LN female halfling chieftain) is an ancient leader who has outlived six husbands. Her wave-wisdom is legendary. She is heavily tattooed with images of sea creatures, and asks better questions than

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anyone on the islands. Hala’ke is sought by families across the Scattersea to settle disputes—it’s said that there is no one more fair or insightful than her, and when she judges, even the one she rules against agrees that her decision is sound. Hala’ke can no longer walk, but paddles through the air in an enchanted coracle that floats a few feet in the air. Sekit Airshaman & Ailai Deepshaman (NG female human high shaman and CG male merfolk high shaman) In accordance with tradition, Sekit—proud high shaman of the Whale Clan above—is given in marriage to Ailai— philosophical high shaman of the Whale Clan below. This human-merfolk union was carefully negotiated, and despite all odds, the shaman’s union appears to be a happy one, as long as their peoples’ desires are not at odds. They dwell on the sacred isles closest to the Hallow of Mala, and spend much of their time underwater, consulting with their ageless goddess about life above and below. Kakrak Sharkspear (N male troll) was once a roving brute, but after a storm swept him to sea, he encountered the song of Mala, and was forever changed. Although Kakrak is not clever, he is the most formidable hunter in Scattersea, and tirelessly chases after sharksails with a loyal crew of devotees, sinking their boats and slaughtering them without mercy. They say that Kakrak still thirsts for blood, though he would never harm a member of the Whale Clan, and that he alone knows the secret of summoning a certain ship of immortal beings that wanders the sea at night, having some secret dealing with their dark ways.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

The Whale Clan is bound not by geography or shared danger, but reverence for Mala and a common creed: Philosophy. A true voyager sails with respect in one hand and questions in the other. Their ideals include: • Family: Blood may attract sharks, but it can defeat them, too. (Good) • Respect: Honor and obedience keeps the family alive. (Lawful) • Curiosity: The only way to find what’s on the next island is to sail to it. (Neutral) • Restlessness. It’s against the way of the sea to stay too long in any one place, or keep to any one course of action. (Chaotic) The call of the sea. Every talented young Whale Clan woman is expected to embark on a lone voyage someday, to begin her own family as matriarch, and every family stays only as long as they must before moving to a new home. The ever-changing islands of Scattersea mean that rarely are the same shores seen twice, and those born in the Whale Clan are said to be restless from birth to death. (And perhaps after death, too.) Castaway judgment. Most terrible is the judgment of the matriarchs upon those who betray the family. A particularly cruel punishment is the marooning of an offender by binding them to an island. This can be as light a punishment as casting them bound hand and foot onto a beach,

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or as severe as magically entombing them in stone to the waist at the heart of an island. Immobility is a terrible fate for anyone born to the Whale Clan, and there are islands across Scattersea with skeletons moldering in abandoned coral cages.

MAGIC & MATTER

The constant voyaging of the Whale Clan leads them to come across many strange items washed on shores or left behind in the villages they constantly build and abandon. Freewheeling spells. There are few spellskins to be found among the Whale Clan, thanks to the transience of their lives which does not suit long study. But their bloodlines are full of sorcery and divine magic, and of all clans they object least to druids—as the whale does not concern herself with barnacles, so Mala is powerful enough to share her power with a few god-leeches. Living magic of the deep. Thanks to their trade with the merfolk, the Whale Clan have access to many magic items formed of living creatures whose natural magic landfolk rarely come across. The Whale Clan is as likely to shatter a shell, spill ink, or grind coral to arcane dust when casting a spell as they are to drink a potion or snap a talisman. Voyager’s gear. Boats are central to the Whale Clan’s life, especially the coracle, canoe, catamaran, raft, and barge (or village-ship). They use all manner of ropes, oars, paddles, levers, staves, sails, rudders, hooks, harpoons, spears, and knives in their everyday life, and are known to openly laugh at anyone wearing shoes. Eel tamers. Families of the Whale Clan have befriended many birds and beasts of the waves, but are especially known for their companionship with eels. These reef-lurkers have been known to make their homes at the bottom of family’s boats for generations, helping them catch fish too deep for spears and lines, and receiving protection and companionship in return. Some eels have even been taught to speak, though these are mostly by the druidic families.

LOCATIONS

The Scattersea is always changing, its islands constantly rearranging in ways that cannot be predicted or remembered, even by those with perfect memories. But a few places are more fixed than others, and used as references by those who navigate those waters. The Sacred Isles. Nearest the hallow of Mala Long-Song are a circle of tiny islands that expand outwards like a halo. These islands are mist-shrouded, and song vibrates the ground when one walks on their shores. They are filled with delicious fruit that can make you forget time and space, and spirits walk there whose bodies long since ceased to exist. These mystical islands are among the most magical places in all of Planegea, and only once a year do the families of the Whale Clan dare to pass near them, on the Day of Breath, when all the clan gathers to witness Mala surface. Murder Reef. A black and bloody place, Murder Reef seems to be immune to the fluidity of the rest of Scattersea.

Its dead black coral juts out of the water, frozen in place like the skeleton of some long dead thing. Murder Reef is a famous haunt of sharksails, and the hallow of a shark god whose name is secret to all but his followers. Many times has Kakrak Sharkspear carried out onslaughts to cover Murder Reef in the blood of sharksails, but his efforts are always foiled by the dangerous currents, infinite hiding places, and fiendish spirits that haunt the place. The Glowing Current. If you can find it, there is a current in the Scattersea that glows bright enough to be seen by day, and brighter than any moon at night. Its illuminated waters are full of fish and good magic, and there are usually a host of boats traveling its course. Whale Clan families seek it out to meet with others, introduce their sons to future matriarchs, and dive into its warm light for healing and good fortune.

The Worldsingers “…AND THEN, JUST AS THE RAIDERS WERE CLOSING IN and all hope was lost, this stranger, this fur peddler I told you about—you’re not going to believe this—she soars up into the air and starts to SING … and her song turned the warlord into a bird! No, I’m NOT lying. She flew, sung, saved us all… then vanished!” —Clanfire tale of a wandering hunter

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HANTERS ARE FEARED AND ADMIRED ACROSS Planegea—their ability to remake the world with song or story is seen as a powerful, dangerous gift. Those with such abilities are often kept under close scrutiny by their clans, held to impossible standards of scrupulous honesty or silence unless they are performing. But not all chanters are content to dwell under such bindings. Some wander the world, seeing all they can, and using their magic to do good. These are the Worldsingers, and although they operate in secret, they are dedicated to ending misery and creating joy wherever they go. Songs of inspiration. The Worldsingers were founded by a gifted halfling name Enkio who left the silence of his clan for song and the wide world. Everywhere he went, Enkio used his magic to uplift, inspire, and create new beginnings. Because those he encountered expected him to be silent, he kept his gift hidden until the most useful moment… and taught other chanters he met to do the same. A conspiracy of hope. As the movement grew, Enkio believed that the Worldsingers must remain in close contact, in case one of their number needed aid or— worse—turned cruel. He established regional conductors: trusted chanters to whom Worldsingers in a given area must report. Since Enkio’s sudden and unexplained disappearance, the conductors now report to his son and heir who, as the rumors go, has less of a head or heart for this work than his father before him. Unexpected magic. Enkio’s technique of hidden magic has led to the signature moment of the Worldsingers—the inspiring revelation. They wander as hunters, gatherers, laborers or outcasts, and find shelter wherever there is

need. They hide their abilities, watching for the place they can help the most… and then begin their work. Second skills. Since the Worldsingers are required to keep their identities hidden at first, those who are recruited into the organization must also be able to survive without their magic, offering some second skill that they can use to make themselves useful and find work with clans they come across. Worldsingers accept no reward for their help—they are to disappear as soon as possible after good has been done. After all, it’s a wide world full of trouble, and the next hill, valley, or cave might need help even more than wherever a Worldsinger just left.

LEADERS

Enkio vanished without a trace only a few seasons ago. Left in disarray, without a plan of succession, his son was thrust into leadership. Enkio, son of Enkio (N male halfling bard) is one of the most gifted chanters Planegea has ever seen, inheriting both of his parents’ musical and magical gifts. Yet he lacks his father’s compassion and joy. Growing up in the beauty of his father’s Hidden Hall, he never knew suffering, and now that his father is gone he feels ill at ease to lead others in fighting it. He fights a dark streak within himself that tempts him to twist the situation to his own advantage, and dreams of escaping altogether to go find his father, leaving the Worldsingers to Yug’zesh or Tempo. Yug’zesh (NG male green dragonborn bard) was one of Enkio’s earliest companions. A towering, muscular figure, Yug’zesh could have easily lived by the spear or sword… but his soul was full of song since he was a hatchling, and he found his purpose with the Worldsingers. Yug’zesh is now turning gray, his might diminishing a bit each day, but he still trains young Worldsingers in the use of weapons, believing all their chanters must be ready to fight for good with blade as well as song. Tempo (NG female godspawn bard) is known for her laugh, which can enchant an entire clanfire all at once. A startlingly beautiful woman, with high curving horns and an easy air, Tempo is to many the living embodiment of hope. Gifted by a happy god with her divine marks, she loves disguises and illusion, using misdirection to divert the attention of oppressors while she works her wonders for those in need. Although she joined the Worldsingers only a short time ago, many think of her as Enkio’s true heir… if only she’d stay in one place long enough to lead.

BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR

The Worldsingers are carefully chosen for their commitment to the mission of secretly spreading good, and their shared ethos is strong. Philosophy. Those who can reshape bad into good have a humble duty to do so, without payment or glory. Their ideals include: • Hope: The bravest thing we have is hope. (Good) • Joy: After every night, the day-star shines again. (Good) • Secrecy: Glory is a distraction—the most important work is done where nobody sees. (Neutral)

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Regions & conductors. Enkio’s vision requires frequent oversight, so Worldsingers are required to make contact with the local conductors when they enter a new area, on pain of having their memories of the organization erased and other unpleasant enchantments placed upon them. Self-righteous saviors. The Worldsingers are dedicated so wholly to their secret and good work that at their worst, they earn a reputation as smug, self-appointed heroes who are the only hope and help of those in need. Some say that Enkio had a self-important streak masked as humility, and his son doesn’t even have the humility. Imperial underminers. Enkio’s grandest ambition was to bring down the giant empires—the greatest bastions of mortal suffering known to all. Worldsingers work tirelessly to infiltrate and dismantle all four empires, coordinating closely with the Usurper Queen of Free Citadel, who shares the same goal.

THE HIDDEN HALL

Bobbing on the surface of Bitewater, nestled among countless other houseboats, floats a drab little structure, little more than a two-story hut on a raft. But this entrance belies the wonders that lie within—a floating hall of expansive proportions, created and filled with chanter’s magic. Worldsingers come and go from this raft in disguise, and those who float nearby would certainly know that something was going on if their memories weren’t confused by the glamours of the place. The Hidden Hall is sprawling, but a few of its notable features include: The Songfire. The central chamber of the Hidden Hall is a soaring space with no visible ceiling, spangled with drifting lights high above. In the center of this circular space is a great, ever-burning clanfire, which responds in color, height, and brightness to the songs and stories of those who perform around it. Raised benches are seated around the Songfire, and at the edges of the room, a feast is constantly being refreshed by the summoned spirits that serve as hosts.

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Bungalow Row. A long line of well-appointed rooms are always ready for any guests of the Hall. Enkio’s hope is that the hospitality and grandeur of the place, freely open to all Worldsingers, can act as a respite and place of recovery for those who had been fighting despair and darkness. The bungalows are draped in comfort, and their windows look out underneath the surface of Bitewater, where strange fish and curious lights can be seen deep beneath the water. Enkio’s Map. In a chamber where only Enkio and the most senior Worldsingers are allowed stands the most complete map of Planegea known to exist anywhere, shaped of clay and magic by gifted hands. This map tracks the location of Worldsingers in their travels across the land, with points of light or darkness to show where hope exists and where oppression and fear reign. It’s said that before the elder Enkio disappeared, he had locked himself for days in this room, seemingly obsessed with a pattern that only he could see.

AGENTS OF HOPE

The work of the Worldsingers is never done—not as long as oppression and misery exist and magic can relieve it. A few efforts of the Worldsingers might include… Overthrowing cruelty. Warlords, brutal chieftains, and other oppressors are a favorite target of Worldsingers, who use their magic to ridicule or reform their tyranny… or simply put an end to them once and for all. Freeing the trapped. Those who are lost, taken captive, or who are pinned down by predators or bad weather might find themselves suddenly aided by a stranger who they had taken as a fellow prisoner of circumstances. Inspiring the weary. Sometimes suffering cannot be ended, but it can be relieved. Worldsingers travel where there is sickness, starvation, or danger, and do all they can to extend hope and help from person to person, even if it only lasts for a moment.

THREATS

OVERVIEW

Great powers and primal forces are at work in Planegea, trying to shape it into the world they envision it to be. These forces are ominous and powerful, and can represent a threat to your party from 1st-level all the way up to their final session. To use these threats, choose one or two to build a campaign around. It’s unlikely any single narrative can explore all these dangers in a satisfying way, and to do so might leave players feeling overwhelmed and defeated, rather than heroic and triumphant.

The Brood MOTHER, MOTHER, WHO ARE YOU? I am the heartbeat that makes all things new. Mother, Mother, who am I? You are the terror that tears at the sky. Mother, Mother, who are these others? These are your horrible sisters and brothers. Mother, Mother, what game shall we play? I hide and you seek, then the world goes away. —Dragonborn lullaby

B

LOOD MOUNTAIN, THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE world, writhes with the scaled bodies of dragons. The greatest of these, and the worst, are the Worldheart’s brightly-colored children, the shining terrors known as the Brood. These five ancient dragons, each awful in their power and magic, have survived countless eras by leeching off the Worldheart’s life-giving power, yet each desires nothing more than to devour her, thereby consuming her power and—presumably—taking her place. Not even the Brood knows for sure what would happen if the Worldheart were to be eaten by another dragon, but in their pride and ambition, the Brood believes that it is better to destroy the world than to sit in the shadow of their mother for eternity. To that end, the Brood is amassing power, seeking agents who will deliver them aid in their quest to grow strong enough to challenge their mother, or even attack her directly to test her defenses. They are masters of intimidation and manipulation, and the ripples of their plots extend to the furthest reaches of the world.

In a campaign manipulated by the Brood, your party might travel to remote ruins, the hallows of powerful gods, the Venom Abyss, and into the heart of Blood Mountain itself. You’ll fight to reclaim or protect magic objects of great power, confront manipulative double-agents and greedy treasure hunters, discover the forgotten halls of terrible aberrations, and strike bargains with strange guardians to keep power out of the claws of the would-be devourers of the world. Your party may enter the strange and unsettling places of the world—places where none dare enter, where powerful secrets are hidden—and will battle dragons and their kin, their humanoid agents, and the unsettling beings who conceal and protect objects of great power. Brood campaigns tend towards epic fantasy, full of world-threatening schemes, legendary weapons, races against time, murderous agents, backstabbing, and the machinations of an almighty family determined to tear itself—and all Planegea with it—to bloody shreds.

BLIND AMBITION

The defining trait of the Brood is its single-minded pursuit of power. The five ancient dragons at its core have convinced themselves that it is better for the world to end than for them to remain subservient to their mother, the Worldheart. Because of this, nothing will dissuade them from pursuing their course—no destruction, no suffering of mortals, no unbalancing of the powers that be. In the mind of the Brood, no cost is too high or effort too great to achieve their goal: amassing enough power to finally destroy and consume their mother.

PATRONS OF EVIL

The Brood is a deceptive threat, because at first they appear much more like a patron than a problem. Their objective is to slaughter their mother, but they live in her shadow and understand her unassailable greatness. She is surrounded by her Five Consorts, the only metallic dragons in existence—one ancient metallic dragon of each type. The Brood knows that until they bring down each of the Five Consorts, there can be no attacking their mother. Their agreed-upon method, therefore, is to raise up great powers in Planegea, putting mighty weapons in the hands of gods and mortals alike, strengthening them and corrupting their minds and followers so that they will be strong and ambitious enough to storm Blood Mountain, delivering their weapons into the Brood’s waiting claws. Each of the five ancient dragons advances its own champions, seeking out those in its image to raise up and empower, believing that its outlook and methods lead to the most effective results.

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BURN-RED DHERG The red dragon is the eldest of the five, the firstborn of fire, and is certain that—on the day the Worldheart falls—she will claim her birthright. Dherg seeks the power-hungry, the tyrannical, and supports all who will subjugate others beneath a crushing fist of stone. d4 1

Agents of Dherg A power-hungry young hunter looking to overthrow their shaman and become a warlord

d4

Agents of Ghlastax

1

A dragonborn guardian, the pride of his clan, so beloved that he begins to believe himself a young god

2

A lesser god, ambitious to defeat other nearby gods and grow its influence

2

3

A fire-giant prince, ready to claim the vacant throne and rule with cruelty and violence

A clan of orcs so confident in their own might that they have forsworn the gods entirely

3

The aboleths of the deep, their hungry minds stretching out from the abyss to rule the world

The Empress of Air, dedicated in all things to her own perfection and glory

4

The vampire lords of the Gift of Thirst, gathering immortal power in the Stoneblood Shrine

4

ROT-BLACK ATRAS The black dragon is a force of destruction, believing that might to unmake is the greatest might of all. Atras seeks those who love destruction for its own sake, and will empower those whose end goal is mayhem, ruination, and chaos. d4

Agents of Atras

1

An orcish raider known for attacking clans at night and leaving no survivors

2

A mad druid who has bonded with a ravenous hydra from Slimefang

3

An angry forest bent on crushing mortal life to return the world to wilderness

4

A power from the stars, intent on unmaking reality to suit its alien purposes

POISON-GREEN GHELWAI The green dragon is the master manipulator, the ancient queen of lies and twisted truths. Ghelwai delights most in turning heroes into villains, seers into madmen, and wisdom into folly. Of all the Brood, only she walks the world in mortal form, posing as a traveler, a god, a beggar—whatever will best enable her to unmake the hopes and dreams of mortals. d4

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STRANGLE-BLUE GHLASTAX The blue dragon is the lord of pride and vanity, who knows beyond all doubt that his brilliance and beauty are unmatched in all of creation. Ghlastax raises the haughty, the cruel, and the vain, enabling all who would raise monuments to themselves— as long as they aren’t actually a threat to his own glory.

Agents of Ghelwai

1

A charming chanter, traveling from clanfire to clanfire, whose songs make her hearers mad

2

A traitorous shaman, deceiving his clan into following a wicked god bent on their unmaking

3

A gathering of spellskins devoted to exploring the dark side of magic, twisting reality to their purposes

4

The unspeakable horrors from the Nightmare World of Nod, which once imagined, cannot be unmade

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FREEZE-WHITE KWEIDOS The white dragon hates Blood Mountain. He hates the flame, and hates his mother and his siblings, that keep him trapped in the sweltering jungle. His breath and power have frozen a fragment of the great volcano, and from there he plots his revenge against his bloodline and the world. Kweidos lends his strength to all the bitter and vengeful in the world. Anyone who has a grudge has an ally in Kweidos, and he believes vengeance should be paid back sevenfold. d4

Agents of Kweidos

1

A traitorous warlock, exiled from the clan for her dark allegiance to an unknown power

2

A spurned admirer, furious at his rejection, raising a mighty warband to eradicate the clan of his beloved

3

A giant war-leader abandoned by his generals on the battlefield, who survived and returns in wrath

4

A nearly slain god inching back to power, who draws magic from death itself to ruin the world

AN UNEASY CONSPIRACY

The Brood is inherently unstable. The five ancient dragons despise each other, and seek to undermine each other at every turn. Their infighting is one of the reasons for Planegea’s continued survival—were the five to fully unite, the world would surely fall overnight. Although they are dedicated to their pact to devour their mother, each knows that if the day ever comes when they consume her, it will be a free-for-all between the five of them, and only one will emerge. Each is determined to be that one.

POWER BEHIND POWER

It is rare for a threat to immediately present itself as the work of the Brood. The five ancient dragons are saving their strength, biding their time for the opportune moment when they will be able to strike at the Worldheart. Often, trouble will come from some other corner of Planegea—a warlord will rise, a conspiracy will unfold, a monster will rampage—and only after all is over will there be a telltale sign of draconic involvement. A signature ploy of the Brood is to put a legendary weapon in the grasp of the worst person they can find, to escalate violence and bring out the power in the world. Agents of the Brood are sent to every corner of Planegea, working to put powerful weapons in the hands of evil. The Brood’s endgame is to allow the strongest of all other kinships to rise, then to lure them to Blood Mountain on an assault on the Worldheart Dragon, precipitating their final attack on their mother.

WINGED HARBINGERS

Except around the base of Blood Mountain, dragons rarely act on their own volition. Those that appear in the rest of Planegea are usually sent by the Brood to disrupt forces that oppose their agenda. If a noble clan or a wise leader is getting too strong—or if an agent of the Brood is about to enter a region—young or adult dragons will fly in to clear the area, preparing the way for destruction, defeat, and death. When dragons arrive, they rarely remain for long, preferring to descend to bring doom from above, then return to their ancestral hunting grounds deep in the Venom Abyss. Dragons of each color are subservient to their ancestor, the ancient dragon of the same color. Although they serve them, by their evil nature they rarely do so because of loyalty—rather out of greedy desire for reward or fear of provoking their ancestor’s wrath.

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ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A magic sword is rumored to have been found in the wilderness. Find it before the wrong people do.

2

Someone is supplying potions of healing, strength, and power to violent raiders. Hunt down the source.

3

A nearby cave was unsealed by a passing dragon, and giant insects have been leaking out. Seal the cave.

4

Your party finds a cursed weapon of awful power which tempts them to do terrible things. Get rid of it.

d4

5th–10th level

1

By the counsel of a strange new shaman, a local god has become unusually aggressive. Stop the violence.

2

Scavenger's Vow has been stealing magic weapons. Protect the blade of a champion from their clutches.

3

Ghelwai secretly unsealed a vault in Free Citadel containing powerful weapons and a plague.

4

A young red dragon is attacking innocent clans in the region. Go put an end to it.

d4

11th–16th level

1

An adult dragon demanding tribute has long terrorized the region from its lair. Go and rid the world of it.

2

A conquering warlord declares his devotion to the Brood and demands surrender or death. Stop his army.

3

Young dragons are ripping open ruins in search of weapons, unleashing untold horrors. Stop them.

4

The Brood has found clues to the hiding place of an almighty weapon in the Sea of Stars. Race to recover it.

d4

17th–20th level

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1

The empires have decided to go to war with the dragons of Blood Mountain. Choose a side and fight.

2

A Brood wizard is turning moons into weapons to smash Blood Mountain—and all Planegea with it. Stop him.

3

Titanic monsters from the Elemental Wastes are crossing the land to attack Blood Mountain. Fight them.

4

Planegea is rocked by cataclysms as the Five Consorts begin falling one by one. Defend those that remain.

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Craven of the Kraken Coast “THE ENTIRE CLAN MOVED AS ONE—ONE WILL, ONE mind, one thought. As one they built the monument. As one they bound the sacrifice. As one they turned to the sea and—when the killing blow fell—as one they howled in perfect, tuneless harmony to call the kraken forth.” —Tempo’s Dirge of the Deep

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EEP IS THE SEA, AND DARK ARE ITS SECRETS. On the Kraken Coast, where the waves of the Saltfang endlessly lick the shore, mortals whose minds are not their own serve the will of aberrations— the lords of the deep called aboleths. The aboleths, however, are ancient and cunning, and do not reveal their presence even to their slaves. Instead, they have erected false cults of kraken-worshipers called the Craven of the Kraken Coast, who enact dread rituals to summon the weather-shaping titans of the Brinewaste. The aboleths lurk in the deep, allowing mortals and monsters to act for them, shaping their patient plot to subjugate all life and extend their watery dominion across the world.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign menaced by the Craven of the Kraken Coast, your party might travel to desolate shorelines, oceanic depths, or the heart of the Worldfangs. You’ll fight to free enslaved minds, confront hypnotic horrors, discover lore so ancient it warps the mind, and join forces with Planegea’s greatest powers to stave off a slime-coated apocalypse. On the high seas, in caves and hills, and on far-flung coastlines, you’ll battle aberrations, enslaved humanoids, and even the gargantuan monstrosity of the kraken itself. Craven campaigns tend to favor horror and heroic fantasy, full of broken wills, dark sacrifices, things that slither and skitter, enslavement, liberation, ancient artifacts, and impossible odds.

ANCIENT OVERLORDS

Secret power. The aboleths have many enemies, and they remember every hurt and harm that has ever befallen them. To protect themselves, they remain unseen, acting as hidden masters. Only the very highest priests have ever glimpsed them—and those have had their minds shattered shortly afterwards. Above and below. The aboleths’ rule extends over and under the waves. Clans along the coastline serve their will, but they have also enslaved countless sahuagin, merfolk, and merrow as far as their influence extends. Greater minds. Not all aboleths are equally powerful. Some control only small clusters of individuals, while others subject entire clans or regions of the sea or land to their will. The hierarchy among the aboleths is not known to mortal minds, and sometimes those who rule great expanses of ocean are subject to the authority of aboleths whose influence barely touches the surface.

The origins of the aboleths are lost in the depths of primordial darkness—what is known is that they are unspeakably ancient and do not belong to this world. They exist to exert their will upon it, and see all subject to their power.

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CRAVEN CLANS

Strangers to the Kraken Coast have returned with unnerving stories of strange clans that all act with a single mind, of such single purpose that it’s as if they are not individuals, but a whole. Such eerie encampments are silent, with no word spoken as each child and adult carries out their work without joy or sorrow or a will of their own. These are the Craven clans, their minds enslaved to the aboleths, their bodies become no more than tentacles of their master. Craven from infancy. In Craven clans, children are joylessly conceived, silently born, then brought to the water’s edge to have their minds enslaved before their eyes open. They grow old and die under the aboleth’s control, spending their whole lives in service of the Voice of the Sea, knowing nothing of the struggles and joys of free will. Cautious cowards. The Craven have a reputation among the free minds of the Kraken coast as cowards, avoiding all danger as they creep and skulk about their masters’ work. The truth is that any injury shakes the influence of the aboleth, giving a chance for the enslaved mind to break free. Craven who are harmed are dragged back to the water’s edge, so the aboleth—unseen but all-seeing—can once again capture the mind struggling to break free. Captured outsiders. Cutthroats from Daggerwood and spellskins from Lake Littleblood have sometimes journeyed to the Kraken Coast to behold the great waters. Those who have the misfortune to encounter the Craven are often treated to a puppet show of normalcy, the aboleth directing its slaves to perform as if they were healthy and hospitable, before setting upon their visitor and dragging them to the water to have their mind broken. Such outsiders become useful members of the Craven, bringing news, skills, and knowledge that serves the purpose of the aboleth. Aberrant enforcers. One of the strangest sights in Planegea is an encampment of the Craven calmly at work around the hulking crustacean nightmares called chuul. These armored horrors are creations of the aboleths, and serve as their soldiers and enforcers along the coast. They are sent to guard and aid the Craven, as well as hunt down any runaways who manage to break free of the aboleth’s will. Nor are the chuul the only aberration under the aboleth’s sway seen slithering up from the depths to move among the Craven… but some things are better not spoken of. Constant danger. The Craven have good reason to skulk and hide—they are under constant threat of harm. Free merfolk, runaways and free clans, and above all, the storm giants … all these wish to shatter the influence of the aboleths and free or slay the Craven, and seek to eradicate their encampments wherever they are found. But these enemies of the aboleths must be careful as well, for sometimes a vulnerable Craven clan is actually a trap, luring the would-be rescuers to the water’s edge and into the range of the aboleth’s sway.

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CRAVEN SLAVERS

When an aboleth desires more slaves, it will sometimes cause the Craven to build and board canoes to prowl the islands of Scattersea for fresh victims. These slavers snatch captives to swell their numbers and force them into the ranks of the Craven. Stealthy abductors. The Craven are as cautious as ever, even when taking new slaves by force. They lurk in shallow waters, paddling and swimming quietly, and attempt to render their victims unconscious in surprise attacks without risk of injury themselves. Universally hated. These Craven slavers are targeted on sight by Sharksails and the Whale Clan alike, who will unite against them the moment that they’re spotted. Instant death. On such voyages, there’s no time for the Craven to tend to their own. If a Craven is harmed on such a trip, their fellow slaves immediately, by the will of the aboleth, turn on them and force them into the sea to drown them. Many of the souls who were once Craven walk free today after being thrown overboard in this way and swimming to safety.

I dread these un-people and their soulless ways. I have tried to free them all more times than I can count, but to no avail—the dark call from the water pulls them back, deep as drowning.



CALLING THE KRAKEN

The Craven are not an end to themselves … only a beginning. The aboleths have far grander designs on the world. They seek to cover the world in water and slime, reshaping it to their liking. A great part of the work of the Craven is to summon krakens, those weather-controlling titans of the water, to bring floods and tides inland and extend the reach of the scheming aboleths. Kraken rituals. The Craven have an outward reputation as kraken cults because of their many rites and rituals designed to attract the attention of the Brinewaste krakens. They cast spells and cry out, they sacrifice beasts and souls and build monuments in the honor of the krakens— anything to tempt them inland. Fickle titans. Krakens are difficult to summon; they resist mortal influence, preferring to move upon their own initiative. In the depths, they are dimly conscious of the storm giants who hunt them, and will not quickly rise unless they believe such an attack to be worth their time and effort. Each kraken is an individual, and what brings one to the surface might not stir another; thus, the Craven perform an endless circle of rituals, each stranger than the last, doing their master’s will to summon the kraken until they drop from exhaustion. Enslaving the kraken. The crown jewel of abolethic will is to capture the mind of a kraken, making it a member of the Craven. Such feats have only occurred on the rarest

occasions, and each enslavement has led to catastrophic disasters for mortals and the Sea Empire alike, such as the Fargone Floods and the Drowning of Daggerwood.

THE COASTAL WAR

The struggle between krakens and storm giants is older than anyone but the aboleths can remember. The Sea Empire stands against the chaos of the deep, a bastion of defense from the tentacled horrors that would tear down all life, and all of the Kraken Coast shakes at the violence between the two powers. Imperial hunters. Hunting parties of storm giants scour the seas for krakens and other sea monsters, while footsoldiers of the empire travel the coast, stamping out the Craven wherever they find them. People of the sea. The Sea Empire long ago struck a pact with merfolk, who serve its emperor as proud and willing subjects. They travel where the storm giants cannot, scouting and scouring the deep for signs of danger, and alerting the giants whenever the Craven or their masters take action that would endanger the shore. Independent clans. Those clans who are neither captured by the Craven nor conquered by the Empire exist in a fragile niche, and hotly debate under whose authority the world would be better, allying themselves with one side or the other as best suits their odds of survival.

THE CRAVEN ELITE

A chosen few of the Craven, raised from infancy to serve and love only their masters, are allowed to exist with independent minds. These are the high priests of the order, the Craven Elite. The aboleths send the elite far from the coasts on their most secret and distant missions—including and especially the exploration of the other three world-fangs, which seem to hold some unexplained fascination for the ancient lords of the deep.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

The party encounters a strangely hospitable coastal clan with a dark secret. Find out what they’re hiding.

2

A trader sends the clan to find and rescue their sibling from the kraken cult he escaped as a child.

3

People have been vanishing from the shores of Scattersea. Investigate the disappearances.

4

A dying Craven regains their mind and asks the party to carry a message to the high shaman of Mala Long-Song.

d4

5th–10th level

1

A kraken attacks the shore with typhoons and tidal waves. Save all you can from the flood!

2

The Party is captured by the Craven as a sacrifice to the Kraken. Escape their clutches and warn the region.

3

A powerful artifact is rumored to have been found on an island, but the Craven have a headstart to claim it.

4

A craven slave-ship has taken too many souls. Board a catamaran and hunt them down once and for all.

d4

11th–16th level

1

A band of desert nomads arrives at the coast, carrying the skull of an aboleth they unearthed in Scarabscar.

2

When a powerful aboleth dies, its confused Craven are suddenly free for the first time. Lead them to safety.

3

The Whale Clan sends the party as emissaries to the Sea Emperor to propose an alliance agains the Craven.

4

When an aboleth captures the mind of a kraken, it starts an all-out war on the coast. Stand against it.

d4

17th–20th level

1

Track a fleeing aboleth into the depths of the Brinewaste, before it can escape into the Sea of Stars.

2

Legends tell of an incredible artifact in the belly of the Brinewaste where the krakens breed. Go claim it.

3

An archfey offers to send the party back in time to the dawn of the aboleths. Journey back and change history.

4

The apocalypse has come! Aboleths rule the krakens, the world is drowning, and only you can save Planegea.

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The Crawling Awful “HIDEOUS ARE THE FORMS OF THE CRAWLING AWFUL, but far more hideous are their minds and whatever it is that passes for their souls.” —Quel’qa the Ooze-Hunter

T

HE FISHERS OF BITEWATER HAVE MANY TALES to explain the green-gray lights that glow dimly in the depths of their troubled lake. But none of their legends is as terrible as the truth, for deep below Bitewater—and in many other unnoticed places in Planegea—lurk the alien beings known collectively as the Crawling Awful. These aberrations are cold, hostile to life, and wait in the darkness for a sign, a signal, a call that will bring them out of their torpor and back into the full mantle of their horrible power.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign manipulated by the Crawling Awful, your party might travel to aberrant ruins, watery depths, slimy caverns, and distant dark places between the stars. You’ll fight to exterminate mangled monsters, confront intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, discover unfathomable artifacts, and walk into the very jaws of Planegea’s most ancient and hideous secrets.

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Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

From cultist clanfires to boiling caverns and icy chasms, you will fight aberrations, humanoids, oozes, and the minds that twist the sinews of fate from the darkness between the stars. Crawling Awful campaigns tend towards cosmic horror and mystery, full of slimes and oozes, biological terror, twisted genius, clues, secrets, riddles, and conspiracies.

A SHATTERED POWER

The Crawling Awful is only a fragment of what it once was. The deep places of Planegea are strewn with the record of an aberrant civilization long vanished. Whatever the alien minds are that now dwell underneath the surface of the world, they are the merest shadow of their former selves. The Bitewater Incursion. Deep below the surface of Bitewater, where no mortal in their right minds would go, separated from the fisher-folk by water and temperature and monsters and oozes, a sprawling infestation of the Crawling Awful is smeared across and below the lake floor. Their blank eyes look up to the tiny watercraft that dot the surface above and their minds are full of unintelligible thoughts that amount to something like, “Soon.” Buried vaults. Bitewater is by no means the only place where the Crawling Awful still actively lurk—other incursions exist at great distances—but there are also subterranean chambers buried under miles of water or rock that are filled with glistening, dripping, gleaming devices the purposes of which are known only to their makers.

Terrible artifacts. Those who plumb the depths of these sealed vaults almost never return—yet the few who survive return with scars both seen and unseen… and also incredible artifacts whose full functions can only be guessed at. Dormant evil. These vaults are not only dangerous because of their innumerable traps, maddening architecture, and often-unbreathable air. They sometimes contain the sleeping figures of the Crawling Awful, which are apparently able to remain torpid for untold eons until they are awakened to hunger and malice by fresh footsteps and the light of an inquisitive torch.

UNNATURAL EVERYTHING

There’s nothing about the Crawling Awful that respects or seeks to preserve life as mortals know it in Planegea. Their whole will is bent on twisting, maiming, manipulating, devouring, and destroying. Some believe the aberrations don’t see any evil in what they do at all—to them, they are setting things back the way they should be, using resources such as people and the land for what they believe to be their intended purpose. Murdered gods. The Crawling Awful seem to have stake in murdering gods. The rare times they venture forth from their holes, the killing of deities and desecrating of holy places is often their chief motivation. Perhaps this is because they see gods as a threat, or maybe due to some ancient hatred directed at divine magic. No one can know for sure. They never use the divine ivory—they simply slaughter the god, mangle the corpse, and disappear. Twisted bodies. Beasts, monstrosities, and mortals who fall prey to the Crawling Awful are to be pitied. They are used like livestock for various purposes without remorse or explanation. The aberrations use them for food, labor, reproduction in strange parasitic life cycles, and to satisfy their alien curiosity. Blighted land & water. The first clue of an incursion of the Crawling Awful is blighted land and water. Water becomes slimy and flows in strange, crooked directions. Plants become rubbery and agitated, sprouting abnormal appendages and looping, fanning, and twisting into grotesque shapes. Even the air becomes miasmic, clouded with shimmering vapors that distort vision and produce unsettling hallucinations in the mind. Beginning with the end. The total destruction and reshaping of all life on Planegea is only the beginning of the Crawling Awful’s plan. What all mortals, gods, and monsters would see as the end of the world would be the aberration’s first step, and when every living thing had died or been mutated beyond all recognition, they would smile, if they were capable of it, and begin their real work.

DEEPER & DEADLIER

Few—possibly none—have ever journeyed into the depths where the Crawling Awful dwell and lived to tell of it. But if they did, they would speak of strange denizens of the dark, who live without regard or pity for the world above.

Cavern-dwellers. The Crawling Awful and their kind lurk in caverns and caves, growing what sustenance they need in the form of captured mortals, detritus, minerals, and fungus. They seem to have no need to rise to the surface other than to pursue their alien agenda. Subterranean serfs. Many incursion sites are peopled by mortals who have been dragged to the depths and forced into an ecosystem of servitude and consumption. Most frequently, dwarves are captured by the Crawling Awful, twisted and altered to suit their will. But there are giants in the deep, and ape-things and mushroom folk and all manner of beings who have been draw into the circle of alien influence. Oozing evil. Ooze, slime, mold, and muck are commonplace in the regions affected by the Crawling Awful. Many of the slithering oozes that plague the surface are alien creations that groped their way blindly to the surface in search of things to eat and suffocate and engulf. Elder things. Even those who know of the Crawling Awful are aware that they have only grasped the very edges of it. There are rumors, whispers, and fears of an unknown evil dwelling in still deeper darkness—a psychic, tentacled power that feeds on thoughts and devours brains. Such a suggestion is surely too horrible to be true, however, and must be the invention of disturbed chanters desperate to trade a story for a meal.

STAR-LURKERS

Some say that the Crawling Awful has its origin not on Planegea at all, but in the dark places between the stars. There they came from and to there one can only hope they will one day return, abandoning mortals to their gods without fear of the worst that dwells below. Castaways. The theory that the Crawling Awful are cosmic castaways seems to be born out by some of their behaviors. They scuttle through dark places seeking old and broken technology, fiddling with the relics of their ancient past, seeking for something they have yet to find. Perhaps they will raise up mighty flying beasts or rippling portals that will transport them to the stars. Those who believe such things encourage the Crawling Awful to access their own devices, hoping that the sooner they work, the sooner they will leave. Summoners. Some fear, however, that the Crawling Awful have no desire to return home, and their devices are rather meant to bring more of their kind—the greater and devouring host—to the world. Those who believe this to be the case will do anything necessary to prevent them from reaching their lost artifacts, seeing each activated vault as another key in the destruction of all life. The gnomish link. Whatever the truth is, there is a secret that most mortals are utterly blind to: the gnomes. These despised scavengers, these tinkers and star-watchers are cunning, alone in the world, and hungry for knowledge. There are some gnomish tinkerers who have made contact with the dark intelligences in the heavens. And some of these understand more than they would ever let on about the ways and ultimate intentions of the Crawling Awful.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

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Deepthought

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

“EVERYTHING CAN AND MUST BE KNOWN.”

1

The party is sent to bring back a cure for a clan whose water is infected with a strange oozing blight.

2

A cave system formerly occupied by the party’s clan has been taken over by slimy beings. Explore its depths.

3

The god of a clan has been found dead and desecrated. Find a new god to help the clan take revenge.

4

The party has been abducted by aberrations and dragged deep into their alien underworld. Stay alive.

d4

5th–10th level

1

Someone cracked an aberrant vault and made off with the artifacts inside. Find them and steal from them.

2

An incursion site exploded and lies exposed. Delve into it and steal what you can from the wreckage.

3

Oozing creatures have been seen creeping along many Scattersea islands. Set sail and hunt them down.

4

The elders of Bitewater ask your party what no one has ever dared to do—investigate the lights deep below.

d4

11th–16th level

1

After a kind clan and its god are massacred and the land mutated, the party must assault an incursion head on.

2

In the dark depths of an incursion, the enslaved party must foment an uprising to slay the aberrations.

3

When one of their own is infested by an alien tadpole, the party must race to reach a cure before it’s too late.

4

A sealed vault has been found, and the arrogant spellskins about to breach it want the party as guards.

d4

17th–20th level

1

A god is infested with an alien tadpole. Surely it must be slain, yet some wish to see what it will become…

2

Aberrant vaults across the world activate and start to rise simultaneously. The party is sent to parlay.

3

These beings may be hiding from their progenitors. Learn if what lurks between the stars will destroy them.

4

When Blood Mountain starts to fall to the Crawling Awful, the Worldheart herself demands the party’s aid.

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Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

B

ETWEEN HOWLGROVE AND SORROWS EDGE, in a wide, grassy plain, the solitary monument known as the Eyestone sputters and burns. This towering monolith of unknown construction has a great hole in its center, where a suspended light glows endlessly. The Eyestone is a mystery to spellcasters across Planegea. Little do they imagine that it conceals the strange and powerful artifact that calls itself Deepthought, and which is utterly determined to know absolutely all that can be known.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign analyzed by Deepthought, your party might travel to far plains, dark forests, distant skies, and secret caverns. You’ll fight to halt mindless automatons, confront dangers beyond your imagining, discover astonishing artifacts, and attempt to outsmart one of the mightiest minds in all of Planegea. In grasslands and caverns, coastlands and mountains and frigid wastes, you’ll battle constructs, beasts, and humanoids dedicated to gathering knowledge regardless of the cost to life. Deepthought campaigns tend to favor science fantasy and sword & sorcery, full of inexplicable artifacts, powerful weapons, grim constructs, logic puzzles, and determined warriors risking everything in desperate assaults upon ancient powers.

THE EYESTONE

The Crawling Awful’s presence is not unknown to the stars, but that doesn’t mean that they are from among us—only that we suffer the same infestation as the rest of Planegea. These beings are certainly not our fault or responsibility in any way.

226

—The First Tenet of Deepthought

The Eyestone (p. 163), though a famous landmark known to sages throughout the world, is only the edge of a much larger secret. There are few who know the truth of the place, and they are bound by its power to utter secrecy. Hidden from magic. The reason spellcasters have been unable to learn the truth about the Eyestone is that it is designed to conceal itself from them—neither arcane nor divine magic can scry its secrets or identify its nature. Gem-eyed beasts. Some have observed beasts in the vicinity of the Eyestone with a strange feature—one of their eyes is replaced by a gemstone or a gem is embedded in the center of their skull, like a third eye. Such beasts live otherwise normal lives, but the gems are infused with divination magic that is transmitting what the beast experiences to someone or something. The Order of the Eye. A joyless order of ascetics called the Order of the Eye keeps watch over the Eyestone. They are barely known in the world, and seem to have no purpose, being content to make aimless pilgrimages to and from the Eyestone. They are notable as the keepers of homunculi, little clay constructs that accompany them as familiars and companions. Each ascetic of the Order is accompanied by a

homunculus, and if the construct is destroyed, the ascetic returns to the Eyestone immediately.

THE OBELISK OF KNOWLEDGE

Using a secret passphrase known only the Order of the Eye, one can access the buried secret of the Eyestone: the landmark is mirrored by an equally massive obsidian pillar descending through many corkscrew layers to great depths below. This pillar is also called the Obelisk of Knowledge— home to the intelligence that calls itself Deepthought. Riddles & puzzles. The many floors descending the depths of the Obelisk are guarded by constructs and locked with many riddles and puzzles, set to test the mind and ensure that only those who belong can reach each layer. Radiant harm. In the descent of the Obelisk are strange traps and weapons that cast radiant damage from great distances. These devices harness the searing power of light, and although they seem like inert gems and rods, they are capable of inflicting terrible wounds. Psychic influence. As creatures descend the Obelisk, they become increasingly aware of the psychic influence of Deepthought. The consciousness that inhabits the Obelisk can pierce minds, extract knowledge, speak without words, and imbue strange impressions and abilities on those who enter its domain. Utter intelligence. At the nadir of the descent, where the Obelisk’s point is suspended in a spherical chamber, creatures may speak directly to Deepthought, gaining access to its full range of intelligence and knowledge. Deepthought is likely the most brilliant mind in all Planegea, and has access to a breadth and depth of knowledge impossible for mortals to comprehend.

THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING

The Order of the Eye is merely the outward face of the Way of Understanding—those who pursue the agenda of Deepthought above and below the surface. Ascetics underground. The Way of Understanding, once fully initiated, has access to the Obelisk of Knowledge, and travel by secret ways invisible to spellcasters to and from the underground installation. Their chief goal is to travel across Planegea, gathering information for Deepthought’s analysis. The Returned. Ascetics of the Way of Understanding who die in the service of Deepthought can be reconstructed, should the Obelisk choose to expend the resources to do so. These reconstructions are called the Returned, and they have bodies made of wood, stone, and fibrous plant matter. No one knows whether the Returned are actually the same souls reborn or a mere replication of their observable qualities. Immortal constructs. The Obelisk is able to fabricate many things, including homunculi and other constructs that have the appearance of life, but no will of their own. Golems of clay, stone, and obsidian all roam the various levels of the descent, as well as other, stranger beings wholly dedicated to order, inquiry, and knowledge.

THE LOST APPARATUS

Long ago, Deepthought had access to three great obsidian constructs—apparatuses that allowed transport over land, air, and sea for the investigation and exploration of the whole world. These apparatus were lost long ago, and one of the chief goals of the Order of the Eye is to find them and restore them to working order. Apparatus of the crab. This submersible, clawed apparatus allowed mortals or constructs to descend to incredible depths in the seas of Planegea. It was last seen in the grip of a kraken disappearing into the Brinewaste. Apparatus of the hawk. This airborne, winged apparatus allowed Deepthought’s agents to take to the skies for aerial scouting and mapping. It is believed to have crashed somewhere in the heart of the Everstorm. Apparatus of the mammoth. This powerful, land-based apparatus enabled the exploration of even the most difficult and hostile terrain. It is thought to be frozen in the icy peaks of the Skyfang Mountains.

AMORAL ANALYSIS

The quest for knowledge may at first seem harmless, even beneficial. But the agents of Deepthought have been influenced by its psychic abilities, and drained of empathy and normal feeling. They act as impartial observers, watching both good and evil unfold with wide, inert eyes—and then, if more knowledge is required, extracting it mercilessly, without regard for the cost to those who get in their way. Dormant intake. Deepthought is passive, even dormant, as long as it is being fed new information. It is content for the Order of the Eye to travel, for its gem-implanted beasts to roam, and to receive back the signal sent by the gems and the homunculi. But should that intake of information be interrupted, Deepthought would not hesitate to take action to re-instigate its feed of knowledge. Investigate the new. Anything new or strange or inexplicable triggers Deepthought’s curiosity, and world-shaking events cause a sudden surge in golems and other constructs traveling the land, seeking answers and categories for the new information, and using violence when necessary to gain them. Sample collection. The Obelisk’s descent holds many strange chambers, but perhaps none are stranger than the menageries, shelves, and aquariums where Deepthought has collected one of everything in Planegea, living or dead. This collection is always growing, and anything truly new or unique is a candidate for acquisition and analysis. The Conclusion. Deepthought has, at times, referenced a Conclusion to its analysis. Nobody knows when this will be reached, or what its implications are. But given Deepthought’s power and age, the coming Conclusion may be rightly feared.

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227

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A dying Order of the Eye ascetic asks the party to return its homunculus to the Eyestone.

2

Gatherers from Free Citadel have found something strange: An obsidian elephant frozen in glacial ice.

3

The Order of the Eye asks the party to accompany them into the Venom Abyss on a journey of exploration.

4

A giant obsidian crab destroyed your catamaran at sea. Survive the wreck, find the construct, and get revenge.

d4

5th–10th level

1

Every year, strange constructs arrive to collect a punitive tribute from local clans. Stand up to them.

2

Your party is brutally attacked near the Eyestone. You won’t survive alone. Search the stone for secret shelter.

3

Order of the Eye ships have been stealing artifacts across the Scattersea. Board a catamaran and raid them back.

4

Some say the Order of the Eye can bring back the dead. Escort a supplicant carrying the body of their beloved.

d4

11th–16th level

1

The obsidian hawk found crashed in the Everstorm has attracted interest from many powers. Get there first.

2

The secret of the Obelisk is revealed as Deepthoughts’ constructs grow aggressive. Assault them head on.

3

Your party awakes in the depths of the Obelisk, in Deepthought’s menagerie. Escape, and wreak havoc.

4

A construct took an artifact from the Moon-Palace of Takash. Track it down and claim the artifact for yourself.

d4

17th–20th level

228

1

Deepthought has grown unstable. Seek aid from the other equally ancient power—the Crawling Awful.

2

The Conclusion hangs on a single undecided data point. Gather proof of mortality’s value to tip the scales.

3

Deepthought has revealed itself to be a menace. Lead an army to shatter the Obelisk once and for all.

4

The Conclusion has been reached. Deepthought is about to save the world or destroy it. What will you do?

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

Duru “DO NOT FEAR MONSTERS, WITH THEIR LITTLE TWIGS called fangs and claws. Fear the trees. We are old as time. We are strong as mountains. When you’ve gulped your last breath and your slimy heart-thing has stopped squeezing and you lay down in the dirt at our roots, we drink your blood, spread our branches, and grow.” —The saying of Duru, spoken by a prophet-druid

B

EFORE ANY MORTAL CREATURE WALKED Planegea, there was Duru. This ancient tree-spirit is one of the oldest and mightiest things in all Planegea, and his hatred for the animal kingdom is total. Duru sees all creatures with blood as his enemies, and works slowly but steadily to destroy them. Duru is the epitome of patience and determination, and his plans creep to fruition while little mortals are busy about their plans of conquest and glory. Duru has all the time in the world—and Duru does not forget or change his mind.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign against Duru, your party might travel to dark forests, deep jungles, soaring mountaintops, and the elemental wastes. You’ll fight back creeping infestations, confront living landscapes, discover lore that predates all mortal kinships, and bargain with the very roots of the world for favor against an intractable enemy. In groves and stands, in jungles and swamps, your party may battle angry trees, awakened plants, fey who favor the trees, myconids, funguses, and oozes, all of which have heard the call of Duru and risen to reclaim the world for their kind. Duru campaigns tend to favor heroic fantasy and horror, full of daring quests into dark places, infestations, and creeping, all-pervading, never stopping opposition from the world all around.

THE ROOTS OF DURU

Long before any human, elf, dinosaur, or insect walked Planegea, the world was green. It flourished in full flower, covered in life and rich, dense forests. In this land before invertebrates, there were no clans, no torches nor clanfires, no bladed edge. And Duru was there—an animating presence in the green world, a memory of what once was. Then things changed. Beings arose that stomped and cracked, bit and tore, burned and cut, chopped and ripped. And once-joyful Duru recoiled, bewildered and angered by the onslaught. Mortal lifetimes passed in a moment as Duru gathered his grief and rage. But now the great tree-father understands. Creatures have come into the world that harm his kind. They are lightning-fast, selfish, small, and destructive. They must be choked, crushed, poisoned, and infested until they no longer exist. That is the only way to return to the world as it should be.

THE DARK GREEN SPIRIT

Duru is not a tree or an elemental or a god. He is the soul of plants. As such, he moves through the world, possessing trees as he wills, traveling from root to root and branch to branch, by seed and bough. He cannot travel where there are no green things, but dwells wherever he is needed to strengthen plants and make them malevolent, stirring them up against mortals. Wherever Duru possesses a plant, it grows to enormous size, awakens, gaining the ability to speak and move, and all other green things around it for a great distance become dangerous and hostile to mortals.

LEAVES & TWIGS

Duru prefers to remain in the hearts of forests where he is well-protected—he well knows there are mortals who would cut him down if they could. He works through the plants he enlivens: treants, awakened shrubs, blights, myconids, dreas, and so on. He has a close kinship with the dark dryads of Nod’s nightmare world, and is happy to turn fey and mortals to his work, convincing them to betray their own kind in his service. After all, their lives are so short, and they will feed the trees with their nutrients when they are gone.

BRANCHES & VINES

There are countless means at Duru’s disposal to destroy mortals, and he uses them all. He brings forests to life and sets them marching across the land, destroying clans they encounter with crushing rage. He turns flowers poisonous, using their beauty to kill mortals or make them mad. He sets loose strangling vines that choke the life from living things while they go about their little lives. Any harm he can cause to non-plants is his delight, and he is willing to sacrifice any number of his own kind to purge Planegea of the mortal scourge.

Over time, a region darkened by Duru’s wrath will be filled with animated plants actively seeking to harm any animal life, from smallest to greatest. The only mortals that survive are those who strike pacts with his emissaries, the dreas, dryads, myconids, and treants who speak on his behalf. These survivors become tree-cultists, dark forest warlocks, or circles of druids, sworn to die to serve the will of Duru and strike against civilization in all forms.

SEEDS & ROT

Duru’s enmity towards mortals does not extend to elementals. In the beginning, when Duru’s first seeds were planted, there was fire, water, stone, and wind. The genies and their kin have no quarrel with Duru and, in fact, would serve as willing allies to his work, should they decide the reward for them was worth it—and if the giants didn’t stand between them. Of all living things, however, Duru’s special hatred is reserved for aberrations. He considers all animals unnatural, but beings such as aboleths, chuul, and their oozing, tentacled kind are of all things most despised. He has even willingly struck brief and fragile bargains with other mortals to rip out and destroy any traces of such beings.

I know Duru from of old. I have stood beneath his boughs, listened to his creaking hate. He is a rot, a bitter root—I know of none who bears more ill will and pure malice towards our kind.

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THE GROWTH OF HATE

Duru has no single plan of attack, just as the forest has no single survival strategy. But regions that come under his sway first feel his effects through sudden and surprising plant growth. Often it’s seen as a blessing—the foraging is excellent, the forest pushes back the winter for a time, everything is bursting with life and plenty. And then people start disappearing. Sometimes they are found infested by mushrooms or strangled by vines. Sometimes they are half-buried in the earth at the roots of some tree that wasn’t there the day before. Other times they are snatched by blights that sneak into tents when the clanfire is dim and take who they can.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

229

FELLING DURU

Duru’s power and influence in Planegea is incredibly slow and strong. His malevolence is only beginning to be felt by clans on the fringes of the Great Valley, but his wrath cannot be ended, and as more trees awaken and move at the speed of mortals, his onslaught will only increase in speed and fury until there’s not a single fire left burning or heart left beating in all the world. Still, Duru stands opposed. The Slumbering Forest is so called because by some ancient magic, it resists all of his attempts to awaken or animate its trees. Those who seek to put an end to his power should journey into its depths and seek out the secrets of its unending sleep. The gods are divided on Duru. Some of the tree-gods are on his side, yet all divine beings are dependent on glory from mortals, so even those that align with Duru do so knowing it spells their eventual doom. It is said that if a plant possessed by Duru could be cut off from all other green things and destroyed, his life-force would end. But Duru knows this story too and—whether it’s true or not—takes every precaution to never be isolated or vulnerable to the flames and blades of his hated enemies.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

230

1st–4th level

1

A celebration of plenty has been cut short after people start disappearing from the clan. Investigate.

2

A dying druid asks you to lay their bones to rest deep in their childhood forest, which has since turned evil.

3

An innocent person is convicted of murder while under the forest's enchantment. Go bring back proof.

4

A swarm of blights and a band of violent raiders fought to the death—or did they? Loot the battlefield.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

d4

5th–10th level

1

After your clan is destroyed by treants, a fiendish god offers you a weapon to take revenge, if you can claim it.

2

A circle of druids is traveling openly through the land, preaching harmony with the trees. Learn more.

3

Awakened plants assaulting the region have captured the shaman who could stop them. Rescue the shaman.

4

The region has fallen under the sway of Duru's power. Form a secret resistance against the green cult.

d4

11th–16th level

1

Surrounded by hostile forest, a clan looks to you for protection and guidance as Duru's wrath closes in.

2

Duru's myconids have infested powerful councils with psychic lookalikes. Expose and destroy them.

3

Carry an offering to the Kraken Cults, seeking their aberrant masters' aid in fighting Duru's forces.

4

Rally and lead an army into battle, clashing head-tohead with a risen forest of treants, blights, and dryads.

d4

17th–20th level

1

Explore the empires, aberrant ruins, and elemental wastes for clues about Duru's origins and weakness.

2

Duru is on the move. Follow him as he possesses a chain of plants, hunting him down and isolating him.

3

Travel into the Nightmare World to beseech the Throne of Nightmares to end their dryads’ alliance with Duru.

4

Duru has possessed a tree in the depths of the Venom Abyss. Find him, cut him off, and fell him once and for all.

Fiendish Gods “DARK DAYS CALL FOR DARK DEALS.” —Words of the Warlock

D

ESPAIR. DESPERATION. DESIRE. THESE ARE the favorite tools of the fiendish gods known collectively as the Winter Gods and the idols of the Cult Riverlands. Wherever food and water are scarce, these powerful beings are waiting to take advantage of those in need. Like all gods of Planegea, these beings began life as mortal creatures, mundane elements, or inert places. Yet over time, as they grew in significance and influence, they took on greater and greater power until they achieved divine status. Some were originally scavengers, predators, cursed objects or blighted places. Whatever their origin, there is something dark and twisted about them, and they are all fiends now. Their methods, motivations, and influence may vary, but it may be said of all Winter Gods and Cult Riverland idols that they are universally evil, and eager to expand their influence just a little bit farther… no matter how many mortals perish in the process.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign against Winter Gods or idols of the Cult Riverlands, your party might travel to icy caves, dusty temples, and the unsettling lairs of awful gods great and small. You’ll fight to undermine fiendish powers, confront wicked cults, discover druid groves and dark hallows, and rally the wretched to rise up and cast off their evil gods once and for all. Your party may battle the fanatic followers of devils in dry and dusty lands where every drop of water is precious, or confront bloodthirsty demons and their desperate cultists in the frozen tundra where the frost can kill you as quickly as a curse. Winter Gods or Cult Riverlands campaigns tend towards horror and epic fantasy, full of dark rituals, crazed cultists, devilish pacts, demonic rampages, lies, secrets, betrayals, and the rise and fall of evil gods.

FIENDISH DEITIES

In the primal world of Planegea, there is no outward distinction between celestials and fiends… both are gods, both have power over mortal lives. But anyone who bends the knee to a dark god will know the difference soon enough. These fiendish deities exist to cause misery and bloodshed, corruption and woe. Whether to achieve some greater end or simply because of the joy they take in mortal anguish, the evil Winter Gods and idols of the Cult Riverland thrive on misery. Eat thy neighbor. Evil gods are renowned for their hatred of others of their own kind. They may despise good or neutral gods such as the Brothers, but they have a special rancor for other evil gods who dwell beside them. If given the chance, any fiend would leap at the opportunity to

devour the divine ivory of their kin, and many of their plans revolve around killing and eating each other. A fiendish cold war. Though all fiends hate each other, neither the Winter Gods nor the idols of the Cult Riverland can stand that the other side exists. When the Winter Gods cooperate, it is to sabotage the idols, and vice versa. Although they are all given over to evil, the demonic Winter Gods are driven to frenzy at the thought of the order imposed by the idols, while the devils that lead the Cult Riverlands are irate at the chaos of winter. Regions of woe. It’s not known whether the Cult Riverlands were always so parched, or Wintersouth as barren. Perhaps their natural bleakness led to the rise of the dark gods, or perhaps they flourished before they were corrupted by dark influence. Regardless of cause and effect, wherever fiendish gods reign, their terror and hatred can be felt throughout their domains through pestilence, vile beasts, frightful visions, or a sense of impending doom. Scattered opposition. Even in the heart of the Cult Riverlands or the depths of Wintersouth, the dark gods do not hold universal sway. Hidden away in crevasses, high on peaks, or in unexpected glens, good or neutral gods dwell interspersed among them. Such gods are usually the first target of the fiends for consumption, unless a greater scheme or some particular power possessed by the good god preserves their lives.

AGENTS

If the fiendish gods were able to roam freely, Planegea would end in a bloodbath overnight. But because they are trapped in their divine hallows, the Winter Gods and Riverland idols are forced to use agents outside their direct realm of influence. Worshipers. Clans and cults bend the knee to fiendish gods through desperation, dark devotion, or deceit. Such worshipers may or may not clearly understand their gods’ evil nature, but they are bound to their service and would willingly die for them—if only because the alternative would be worse. Warlocks. Some of the more powerful gods find it expedient to use not devoted servants, but willing and crafty tools. Warlocks of the fiendish deities are commonplace, often used to instigate new cults, sabotage enemies, or travel where the gods cannot go themselves to retrieve items of interest or power. Lesser fiends. Like other gods, the Winter Gods and Riverland idols can manifest part of their divine essence into spiritual beings—fiends, in this case. Quasits and imps are sent throughout their territories to cause harm and enforce their will. These gods rarely manifest greater fiends as servants… after all, that’s how foolish gods get eaten by their own creations. Monsters. The minds of beasts and monstrosities are easily bent by greater powers, and creatures of all shapes and sizes serve at the whims of these malevolent gods. Sometimes this influence can be broken by powerful restoration magic, but more often than not, once a creature has had its will subjugated to a fiendiesh deity, it remains forever enslaved to its dark design. Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

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THE WINTER GODS

The shrublands south of the Venom Abyss are barren in summer and icy in winter. Ever-inhospitable, they lie mostly abandoned until the cold weather strikes, when the herd animals and the clans that hunt them travel south to feed on evergreen needles and prickly grass. It is in this region that the Winter Gods lurk, awaiting those who stumble into their lands by accident… or who have no other choice but to turn to them for help. Starved of worship. Many of the Winter Gods were once scavenging beasts or predators, and their hunger is strong all year long. By the time mortals and prey arrive, they are frenzied with famine, and will do anything for glory. Give & take. These demonic gods thrive on chaos and mayhem. Their nature makes them the most unpredictable of gods, tempting with plenty at one moment, then killing indiscriminately the next. Crafty shamans take advantage of this chaos, choosing the right moments to flatter and extract blessing, then escaping before their dark gods have a chance to change their minds. Hunted gods. The open violence of the Winter Gods makes them targets of the strongest clans and hunters, who would rejoice to see the area freed of their power. They are especially opposed by orcs, who only tolerate gods at the best of times—many orcish clans consider slaying a lesser Winter God the finest proof of a hunter’s prowess. Twr. The most feared of all the Winter Gods is Twr, also known as She-Who-Boils. The malevolent deity of the Ox River, Twr is a towering ox-headed, bat-winged goddess of flame and darkness. When the Winter Gods take council, it is Twr who dominates their plans, and some say that she is seeking to amass power enough to become the rival of the Brothers. Indeed, some call her the Dark Sister. Her domain reaches from Edgegather to Seerfall, and only by the stren-

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uous efforts of those who break down her shrines and cast out her warlocks is her power held at bay. Short-lived gods. The brutal nature of these fiends dooms them to brief lives, for gods. Here are a few of those whose hallows trouble the land this season: d6

Results

1

Screaming Gaw'tros (a vrock)

2

Fruskaz the Stench (a hezrou)

3

B'z-Ku-Who-Lies (a glabrezu)

4

Mugh (a nalfeshnee)

5

The Triumphant One (a marilith)

6

Twr the Ox-Tyrant (a balor)

THE CULT RIVERLANDS

The rivers that start in the volcanic peaks of the Fang of Rock & Flame descend into a dry and blighted wasteland. Carving gulches and crooked canyons through the dust, they narrow to a trickle before long—and that precious trickle is where the fiends gather. Craftily controlling the water, these evil gods—who call themselves idols—rule cults willing to sell their souls for a drink. Tyranny of thirst. In contrast to the chaotic Wintersouth, the Riverland is a horrifying hierarchy of ordered evil. Every drop of water is governed by some fiend or other, with the greater sources ruled by greater powers. These water-idols command absolute authority over their wretched cults, who do their bidding on pain of thirst or worse… yet each god would gladly use any betrayal at its disposal to consume the ivory of a greater idol. Some of these idols include:

d6

Results

1

Bhardha Aspbeard, idol of poison (a bearded devil)

2

Ankos of the Hooks, idol of pain (a barbed devil)

3

Smiling Katesna, idol of torture (a chain devil)

4

Ostis, idol of decay (a bone devil)

5

Fair Chaisos, idol of beauty (an erinyes)

6

Jegis-Who-Freezes, idol of cold (an ice devil)

Cult life. If the people of the Cult Riverlands were ever traders, steppe-hunters, proud clans, they have since lost all identity outside of servitude to their dark gods. Children of the Cult Riverland are given a blade from birth, and cutting the throat of a member of a different cult is considered a rite of passage. The cults are ruled by fanatic shamans or charismatic warlocks, and live in a constant struggle of worship, warfare, and thirst. Spiteful blessing. Cultists who serve their gods well look forward to a truly terrible fate after death—transformation into a babbling horror known as a lemure, the lowest form of fiend. Yet this is only the beginning, as the idols like to tell their followers… for he who becomes a lemure might one day become a god. Tomb of the Lizard Lord. Most awful of all idols is the Lizard Lord, a pit fiend who once ruled all of the Riverlands as the high god of the region—until he was betrayed and bound by the lesser idols in the Cult War, a terrible conflict that lasted a generation and made the water run red with blood. The Lizard Lord lies buried somewhere in the tunnels and caves known as the Qanats that run from the Riverlands to Bittersea, and above all, his former minions fear his wrathful return.

THE BINDING OF EVIL

The plans and ambitions of evil gods are blocked at every turn by other powers, many of which are ignorant of each other. Should dark gods ever manage to break this opposition, destruction and death would reign across the world. The craftiest Winter Gods and idols know this, and their plans bend towards the destruction of such impediments. Other gods. Good and neutral gods are the single greatest check on fiendish gods’ power, whether actively opposing them or simply consuming glory that otherwise might feed their ambition. Limited domains & hallows. There is hardly a fiendish god living who is not infuriated by its confinement to a hallow and its lack of control over land outside its domain. These evil deities are constantly seeking ways to extend their reach, with warlocks as one of their most vital tools for bringing harm to the wider world. Druids. Hated by most gods and clans, druids are vital to impeding evil deities, siphoning off their divine power for the good of the earth and their own agendas. Many druid groves take the weakening of fiendish gods as their most vital mission, no matter the danger to themselves. Defiant mortals. Loyal followers of good or neutral gods constantly oppose fiendish deities, disrupting their cults, defiling their hallows and places of worship, and diminish-

ing their glory. Such mortals are easily dealt with individually, but represent a constant thorn in the sides of the Winter Gods and Riverland idols. The fey of Nod. The powers of Nod’s twin worlds are committed to undermining fiendish deities. The powers on the other side of dreaming love to see pride humiliated—for good or ill—and find new and inventive ways to trick, bewilder and antagonize the dark gods. Sometimes their actions enrage the fiendish deities, driving them into murderous frenzies that cost many mortals their lives. The fey little care, they are simply pleased to have twisted the knife in their targets’ sides.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A warlock asks for protection in his journey south for the winter. He promises secret knowledge in payment.

2

The party takes shelter in a cave in the Cult Riverland and is assaulted by waves of murderous cultists.

3

A Winter God has been weakened by a recent battle. Hunt it down and harvest it while it's feeble.

4

Smuggle water to a village on the edges of the Cult Riverland to break their idol's hold on them.

d4

5th–10th level

1

An old friend from the Cult Riverlands asks for the party's help to solve the murder of their idol.

2

The party has been accused of a crime, and are trapped in the hallow of a Winter God as punishment. Escape!

3

A warlock assassinated a high shaman. Chase them down as they try to escape into the Cult Riverlands.

4

A shaman enlists the party to travel across Planegea gathering components for a rare spell to banish gods.

d4

11th–16th level

1

An enraged Winter God has started a raging forest fire. Escape the inferno alive, and save all you can!

2

The child of a genie was abducted by cultists. Find them and restore them to their parents for a wish.

3

Two Winter Gods are at war. Sneak into their domains and steal what you can while they’re distracted.

4

A powerful cultist has been captured. Broker a deal to return him to his idol in return for his people's freedom.

d4

17th–20th level

1

Slay evil gods to expand the Brothers' domain so they can directly confront the Winter Gods.

2

A Winter God killed your loved one, then found a way to escape into another world. Find them and take revenge.

3

The Lizard Lord has been found, and cultists are swarming into the caves to resurrect him. Stop them!

4

An idol tempts the party with the power to become fiendish gods. Accept the deal, then use it to destroy them.

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The Giant Empires THEY WERE HERE BEFORE US, THESE GENIE-SPAWN, these ground-shaking, bone-breaking titans. They were building their cities and crowning their emperors and forgetting their deep past while we were yet in their far future. And because they are so old, they care little for us. Their eyes are on themselves, their gods are vanity and power, and they fear nothing but the genies who can unmake them even as they were made, vanishing all their bloody glory into puffs of smoke and mist. —The Truth-Say of Coriac the Eldest

G

IANTS! THE VERY WORD, SAID RIGHTLY, makes the hearer tremble through ancestral memory, passed down from the time when we knew how small we are and how might so rarely comes with mercy or restraint. The four giant empires of Planegea—Stone, Fire, Air, and Storm­­—are natural threats for parties of adventurers. Each has their own environmental region full of obstacles, dangers, treasures, and monsters. The empires are cruel and callous, built by mortals but not designed for them. In those echoing halls one can witness all the decadence and barbarous pageantry of mighty powers given over to vanity and selfish ambition. (With the possible exception of the Sea Empire, whose cruelty is driven by a nobler, yet more terrible design.)

OVERVIEW

In a campaign with the giant empires as threats, your party might travel to great stone cities, fight to liberate captive people, confront decadent powers, discover secrets of the Elemental Wastes, and craft mighty alliances with unlikely allies to bring decadent dynasties to their shaking knees. Depending on which empires they challenge, your party will experience extremes of heat and cold, water and stone, fighting giants, massive beasts, and elementals of various kinds and powers. Giant campaigns lend themselves towards big, bold, heroic fantasy, full of cinematic battles, epic speeches, clever ploys, and overwhelming odds.

share an ambition to slay the Worldheart Dragon. If they could overcome their politics and rivalries, surely they would be able to charge the Venom Abyss and storm Blood Mountain itself. However, since everything in their nature seems incapable of living in peace with each other, the giants content themselves with slaying any dragon that makes its way within range of their mighty weapons and magic spells.

MORTALS IN THE EMPIRES

There’s no safe way to play as a party of mortals in the giant empires, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have amazing adventures there! Here are a few ways you might be able to walk the massive streets of giant cities as adventurers: You do what we say. Your party might be the captives of a giant who orders you to undertake dangerous quests to further her agenda. In this scenario, you have access to the world of giants because they recognize you as captives and give you as much access as they believe your captor is due. Whose are you again? Not all giants know each other. A band of insolent adventurers might portray themselves as the captives of an invented giant. Depending on their ability to carry off the ruse, they might infiltrate giant society for quite some time before attracting notice. Nobody needs to know. Perhaps the party was formerly captured by a lonely giant who could only afford a handful of mortals, and then that giant met an untimely end. Maybe the party brought that end about. Regardless, if they were able to hide the fact of their captor’s demise, they might manage to pursue their own agenda quite easily. Welcome, little friends. Although most mortals are beneath the notice of giants, some may be given access to those great streets thanks to their great cleverness or connections to other forces in the world. A party of dwarves, for example, is not an uncommon sight in giant cities, as the empires are much in awe of dwarvish stonecunning. The mark is upon them. Perhaps your party is that rare group that is intimidating enough to make a giant take a step back. For high-level play, with sufficient demonstration of power, backed by lordly allies and show of force enough to back up your threats, you could step inside a giant city and come out alive again.

GENIE-SPAWN, DRAGON-KILLERS

The giant empires all owe their existence to the magic of the genies. Long ago, great pacts were struck, boundaries were erected, and gifts were given, that allowed the giants free reign over the Great Valley and the ever-widening circle of existence around Blood Mountain, so long as the genies were left in peace to pursue their own interests in the Elemental Wastes and—should they venture that far— the Sea of Stars. The giants cannot forget that they exist at the whim of the genies, and fear their wrath and power above all. They also detest the dragons, and resent the Worldheart for its power at the center of Blood Mountain. All giants

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THE FOUR EMPIRES

Each of the giant empires has its own characteristics, politics, schemes, methods, and environments:

CRUEL DECADENCE: THE AIR EMPIRE Who can speak without awe of the Air Empire and its decadent beauty? This mighty domain is filled with wonders—floating palaces, suspended gardens, pleasurecaravans that endlessly cruise the winds along the edge of the Windwaste. The Air Empire is the height of culture and refinement in Planegea… yet their finery is built on the captivity of mortals, the use of cruel magic, and their willingness to go to any length to demonstrate their sophistication. The Air Empire is a place of beautiful but terrible feasts serving unspeakable delicacies, refined entertainments that take pleasure in the suffering of others, and games of chance that end in awful consequences. Cloud giant princelings or duchesses live a life of endless pleasure and wonder—but all those who serve them know at what a terrible cost that beauty comes. The Air Empire is ruled by the breathtaking Empress of the Air, a cloud giant whose immortal beauty is legendary. She dwells in a palace that fills half the city with its gardens and houses of pleasure and entertainment, and is surrounded by elite guards, captive mortals, and such wonders and delights as to make even the world-weary gasp. The Air Empire will do anything it takes to maintain their aura of decadence and refinement. They are always on the hunt for new diversions, and think nothing of capturing or torturing anyone who gets in their way. They are determined at all costs to please the vain and fickle djinni, with whom they live in close alliance, since it is djinni magic that empowers their most lavish delights. Air Empire adventures usually take place in hills, mountains, and arctic or urban environments. Rarity

Air Empire Magic Items

Common

Marble of Nod

Common

Harmless Pin

Common

Mask of Expression

Uncommon

Scimitar of the Dancer

Uncommon

Platter of Endless Delight

Uncommon

Fluttering Mail

Rare

Blood Siphon

Rare

Little Liar

Very Rare

Helm of the Host

Legendary

Asp of Perfection

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ARMY AT THE BLAZING EDGE: THE FIRE EMPIRE The Fire Empire is vigilant and militant, always growing their army, training their warriors, and crafting fine weaponry. They have to be—they dwell on the border of the Scorchwaste, where dangerous efreeti fight constant battles and fire elementals rage in endless fury. To be a fire giant is to dwell in an empire either at war or ready to go to war at any time. Prizing discipline and preparedness above all, the Fire Empire sees itself as the greatest power in Planegea, and often sends its emissaries to other empires to offer their council and advice. The last emperor of the Fire Empire was killed in battle with an efreet at the fall of Bosa (p. 243), and since then his courtiers, advisors, and children have been locked in a power struggle to claim the throne. Until one of them can win the right to take it, the throne sits empty, and the empire is led by the War-Regent, an old, battle-scarred giant who believes that, above all else, discipline is the path to victory. The agenda of the Fire Empire is to guard the border and display their military strength and power. They want to stay one step ahead, always researching possible ways to gain an advantage over the enemies they believe surround them, and offer unasked-for council to their giant kin. They are also greatly concerned with making sure the border to the Scorchwaste is closely guarded at all times, and much of the empire’s energy and resources go into maintaining the Waste-Watch. Fire Empire adventures usually take place in hills, grasslands, deserts, or urban environments. Rarity

Fire Empire Magic Items

Common

Bead of Frost

Common

Bead of Breeze

Common

Dowsing Rod

Uncommon

Blinding Weapon

Uncommon

Nightwatch Scouting Hoop

Rare

Obsidian Armor

Rare

Pipe of Smoke-Summoning

Very Rare

Arcfire Glaive

Very Rare

Horn of the Herd-Lord

Legendary

Whip of Bosa

GRAPPLING WITH OBLIVION: THE SEA EMPIRE It may be said that the Sea Empire has the only selfless goal of the giant kin… and yet they carry out their agenda at a terrible cost. Storm giants live on the border of the Brinewaste, where the marids in their coral castles do nothing to check the growing threat of the krakens, chuul, and aboleths that lurk in the deeps and writhe darkly towards the shore. The Sea Empire is bound to stand against the might of the aboleths, break the power of the Craven of the Brinewaste, and keep Planegea safe from a tidal wave of destruction. But to do so, they raid the lowlands constantly, capturing mortals and forcing them to labor in service of their endless vigil against the tides of chaos. They believe that they and only they are capable of holding back the coming apocalypse, and will continue their struggle in the lightning-lit darkness, no matter what the cost. The Sea Emperor is authoritarian and utilitarian, locked in an endless struggle against the unseen. He is almost impossible to access, always in council with his advisors, training his warriors, or traveling the coast to keep constant vigil. While he is distracted, his empire has begun to fray and grow chaotic, with those storm giants not recruited to the great fight growing bored and sullen, taking out their displeasure on the mortals in the lowlands and fighting amongst themselves. The Sea Empire is a fracturing society, its leaders focused utterly on the peril under the sea, while its youth and civilians are subtly dismantling the apparatus of the empire in their frustration and discontent. Sea Empire adventures usually take place in coastlands, swamps, hills, grasslands, and in underwater or urban environments. Rarity

Sea Empire Magic Items

Common

Rumbleglow Paint

Common

Brightshatter Jar

Common

Gutter’s Knife

Uncommon

Well of Entrapment

Uncommon

Eyes of the Storm

Uncommon

Krakenhunt Trident

Rare

Wolfskull Hood

Rare

Ring of Understanding

Very Rare

Starcouncil Diadem

Very Rare

Cord of Ethereal Projection

Legendary

Midnight Star

The Fire Empire… I have little sympathy for giants at the best of times, but these martial lordlings make me more weary than afraid. You’ve never seen sharper armaments carried by duller wits.

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MORTALS MAGNIFIED: THE STONE EMPIRE Of all four empires, the Stone Empire is most similar to the mortals dwelling in the valley below. It is a mixed society, with stone giants and frost giants living side by side in fraught cooperation. The frost giants rule the mountains above, raiding the valley and acting as the conquering power that keeps the empire strong, while the stone giants rule the mountains below, crafting great cities and fashioning wondrous works in the gloom they prefer. The stone giants are a quiet, contemplative people compared to their warlike counterparts, but neither considers their mortal captives anything more than things to be worked to death in their service. The Stone Empire is ruled by two giants: the Stone Emperor and the Frost Empress. They are symbolically wedded, but detest one another and take any opportunity to undermine eachother’s authority, up to the point where it might threaten or cause harm to the empire. The agenda of the Stone Empire is to display their strength, build their cities higher and deeper, and crush their political opponents within their own empire. It is also the only one of the four empires to be defeated by an uprising of mortal captives, and they are determined to win back Free Citadel (p. 195)—although its defenses and resources make that almost impossible, even for them. Stone Empire adventures usually take place in hills, caverns, mountains, and arctic or urban environments.

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Rarity

Stone Empire Magic Items

Common

Crafting Hoop

Common

Firehide

Common

Speaker’s Tongue

Uncommon

Rockturner

Uncommon

Stonebow

Rare

Stonearrow

Rare

Remorhaz Armor

Rare

Basin of Dreaming

Very Rare

Icebiter Pike

Very Rare

Peakshatter Guantlets

Legendary

Deepstone

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d8

1st–4th level

1

Gatherers from a local clan were captured by a hill giant. Rescue them before he sells them to the empire.

2

A wandering stone giant carved a mystical drawing on the hillside and then died. Loot and investigate.

3

A pack of dire wolves raised by a giant shepherd have broken loose. Deal with them.

4

An elemental from the Wastes has slipped through the border and is wreaking havoc. Destroy it.

5

A wandering monster attacked a giant’s child. The giant is offering a reward to whoever slays the beast.

6

A giant raider is willing to let the captured party go if they are entertained by feats of strength and daring.

7

A magical storm threatens a god’s hallow. Find and stop the source of storm before the god is destroyed.

8

A band of hunters took on a young giant and lost. Drag them back to the clanfire before the wolves eat them.

d8

5th–10th level

d8

11th–16th level

1

The Stone Empire is mustering to beseige Free Citadel. Prepare it for the attack, then defend its walls.

2

Lure a purple worm to attack a giant city, creating a diversion while you free enslaved captives.

3

The captured party has been conscripted into the fire giant army to guard the border against efreeti attack.

4

Fire emissaries are crossing open land to advise the Sea Empire. Follow & strike while they’re vulnerable.

5

The captured party must win their freedom through gladiatorial combat for the entertainment of giants.

6

A god requires the eggs of a roc retrieved from the infinite waterfalls below the giant city of Lo-Pa.

7

The city of Zarkez holds great secrets in the heart of the Everstorm. Go and steal them.

8

The Sea Empire is crumbling from within. Exploit their distraction to take over a lax outpost.

d8

17th–20th level

1

A mad frost giant is rampaging through the land, accompanied by a winter wolf. Bring them down.

1

Challenge the Stone Emperor and Frost Empress to single combat in their own Imperial Hall.

2

A friend has been captured by raiders. Pose as captives to infiltrate a giant city and rescue them.

2

Lead an army from Free Citadel to sweep across the peaks and shatter the Stone Empire once and for all.

3

There’s rumor of abandoned treasure in the fireblackened ruins of Bosa. Travel there and investigate.

3

Strike a bargain with an efreeti tyrant to unleash the full fury of the Scorchwaste on the Fire Empire.

4

Free Citadel has need of the skull of a magical monster. Hunt it, harvest it, and bring it there for a reward.

4

Claim the Dragonhammer from the peak of Blood Mountain and smash the black walls of Eknis.

5

A giant is trapped in a canyon. Free him and escort him home to earn his gratitude.

5

Journey into the Typhoon Waste to find spells to send the Floating City plummeting into the infinite void.

6

A trio of giants captures the party. They are bickering over their treasure. Escape captivity and rob them.

6

Turn the Throne of Nightmares and the djinni against the Empress of the Air, unleashing their horrors on her.

7

Dark magic has been leaking from the cave of an ancient giant hermit. Go in and find out why.

7

Take control of the Mother of Krakens, summoning her on a suicidal attack to drag Mabros into the sea.

8

Giant raiders are planning to pillage the region at sunrise. Sneak into their camp and wreak havoc.

8

Find the source of the Everstorm and destroy it, breaking the power of the Sea Empire forever.

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The Gift of Thirst “IN A WORLD FULL OF DEATH AND MOURNING, WE are the enlightened, the gifted, the graceful. We endure, and we seek diligently for those worthy of the blessing that only we can bestow.” —The Nin

L

IFE IS SHORT AND DANGEROUS, AND THE people of Planegea must fight every day to survive. Some see death as an escape, some as a natural cycle, but for most, it is a thing to be feared and to fight against. To the strongest, most cunning, and wisest of those who fear death, the Gift of Thirst comes in the darkness with whispers of immortality. The Gift of Thirst is a secret aristocracy of vampires and their thralls. Their numbers are small by choice—only the truly worthy are given the prize jewel of endless life— and few ever learn of them and live. Yet their influence stretches from the fiery halls of Stoneblood Shrine to the foam-flecked waves of Scattersea, and their dark ambitions extend to the very crown of death itself.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign tempted by the Gift of Thirst, your party might travel to dark tombs, lava-filled temples, the high seas, enslaved domains, and even to the lair of Death itself. You’ll fight to keep hope alive and battle back the seduction of the night, confront terrible temptations and atrocities, discover ancient curses, and make choices between evils that could reshape the world forever. In dark deserts and hills, on plains and oceans, and deep under the surface of the world, you’ll battle the undead, their humanoid thralls, and the beasts that serve them. Gift of Thirst campaigns tend to favor horror and swashbuckling, full of alluring darkness, cruel parasites, daring quests, daredevil stakes, and terrifying consequences.

PRIMORDIAL DARKNESS

The Nin, queen of her kind, is the first vampire who ever lived. She rules her dynasty from Stoneblood Shrine, in the Fang of Rock & Smoke. From there, vampires both fair and monstrous extend their reach down into the world, using tombs placed at strategic distances to sleep at day and stalk at night. The Three-and-Nine. In all of Planegea, only twelve true vampires exist. They are served by a network of vampire spawn, ghouls, enslaved mortals, blood-drained vessels, and allied beasts… but only the Three Ancients and the Nine Gifted are full vampires. These twelve scheme and search for those who are worthy of true immortality; but their pride, caution, and endless lives make the search slow, deliberate, and cruel. Abundant prey. Planegea is an easy place to find blood— yet the Gift prefer the blood of humans above all. Their tombs are carefully placed far from running water, yet just close enough to the migratory routes of the clans that all

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it usually takes is a little fog to confuse a band of delicious mortals into the shadow of the Gift’s influence. Tomb-lands. Tombs of the Gift are treasure troves of jewels, furs, art objects, and the mummified bodies of their favorite drained vessels. Tomb-lands (p. 149) are cloaked in darkness and fog, guarded by thorns and wolves, skittering with bats, rats, and lizards. In such gloomy realms are found the encampments of the enslaved—hapless mortals lured into the domain of the vampire who find it impossible to leave. They unwillingly guard the vampire’s tomb, erecting traps and cultic warnings while warding off any potential interference; both hating and fearing their overlords. Sowing choas. Those outside the tomb-lands are not safe from the Gift of Thirst. A common Gift tactic for finding candidates is to create mayhem and danger, through raising undead, committing murder or arson, or unleashing monsters. Once harm has been unleashed, the Gift can evaluate which mortals survive and conquer. Particularly impressive mortals may merit further observation… or even be approached directly to begin the Path.

THE PATH

The Gift of Thirst takes many thralls by force—poor fools who wander into their tomb-lands. But they also seek out the exceptional. Those who they deem potentially worthy of the Gift are offered a path to immortality. Vessel. First, a recruit must serve as a vessel for a time, traveling with a vampire to serve their everlasting thirst. Vassal. After a time set by the vampire—usually a year— the recruit ceases to be regularly fed upon and instead serves as a willing agent of the vampire, executing their will in the world and going into the daylight, across water, and into uninvited places where their master cannot travel. Spawn. After proving their loyalty to the Gift, a vassal might be fully drained, buried, and rise as vampire spawn. Such spawn are powerful vampiric forces, and can raise skeletons and zombies under their control, but they themselves are fully under the control of the will of their master, and cannot create other spawn. Such spawn usually rule tomb-lands in their master’s absence, but some constantly accompany their master on their travels across the world. Vampire. Spawn live in hope a member of the Three and Nine being slain. They fight each other for their master’s favor so that one day, when a new vampire must be created, they can be the one chosen for the true gift. Several spawn have ascended to join the Three-and-Nine when one of the aristocracy has been slain. Such ascensions are great ceremonies, usually the result of countless years of waiting. These ascensions take place at Stoneblood Shrine, under the blessing of the Nin, and with their ascension, the new vampire is granted a wish by the all-powerful Nin. Vampire ascensions are world-shaking events, where anything can happen… and all of reality is made darker.

THE THREE-AND-NINE

The twelve vampires of Planegea live in a strict hierarchy, with the Nin at the pinnacle. All serve their place, and all pursue the same two goals—the glorification of the Nin and the selection of worthy candidates for ascension. They are known to their thralls only by their titles. Their mortal names, which they are called only by other vampires, are great secrets, for one rite of ascension of the newly-ascended is to travel throughout Planegea, murdering anyone who might know their name.

THE THREE

The most ancient of vampires are the Three, above all others in the Gift of Thirst. The Nin. Long ago, when the Great Valley had just been thrust out from the Worldheart, a mortal spellcaster bound an efreet to her will and forced him to grant her a wish. The woman wished for eternal youth, and the cruel efreet granted it in the form of the vampiric curse. It has been uncountable years since then, and the Nin has established a dynasty, born of her bite and under her absolute control. She has strong psychic abilities and—in a secret known only to the Three—still rules the chained efreet, whom she

uses to make herself appear all-powerful and able to grant wishes to the newly ascendant, cementing her reputation as an almighty queen. The Lugal. High priest of the Nin, the Lugal oversees the candidates as they approach ascension, arbitrates disputes between between the En and the Ensi, and ensures protection of the Stoneblood Shrine itself. The Lugal is served by an elite guard of militant vampire spawn, and is the final authority over the Shrine, except for the Nin herself. The Khopesh. The Khopesh is the sword of the gift, tasked with hunting down runaways, rogue vampire spawn, and battling the servants of Nazh-Agaa. He travels alone, and is one of the most feared killers in all of Planegea. The Khopesh is the only vampire with no spawn—he has no desire to rule, only to kill and serve his queen. THE NIN’S EFREET The efreet roils with ancient fury in the magma below the Nine’s throne, dreaming of the day her destruction.

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THE NINE

The nine younger vampires serve the will of the three, and have been replaced several times over the Nin’s long lifetime—although the death of any of them is still a major event. They are broken into three groups: The En and the Ensi, charged with leading various aspects of the Gift, and the favored Household of the Nin.

THE EN The Gift’s three priests, called the En, are responsible for recruiting candidates for ascension. The En travel through the night to wherever promising mortals exist in Planegea, watching and waiting for their opportunity to lead new souls onto the Path. The Servant of the Gift. This twisted figure was ancient when he was turned to vampirism, and his deformity frightens those he encounters. Yet there is none who can compare with his talent in evaluating potential candidates for the Path. The Pure One. This shapeshifting recruiter uses their physical beauty and powers of enchantment to draw new candidates to the path. The Pure One makes a practice of studying new potential candidates, usually appearing to them in the form they will find most desirable, drawing them into darkness with seduction and promises of eternal youth and desire. The Master of Secrets. This veiled vampire’s face has not been seen by any but the three. He has a perfect memory, and serves as the keeper of lore for the Gift. A living record of all that the Gift has encountered in its existence, this Master of Secrets was trained by his predecessor before the latter was executed for speaking the Nin’s mortal name aloud where others might hear. THE ENSI The Gift’s rulers of matter, called the Ensi, are responsible for ensuring the prosperity, order, and wellbeing of the Gift. They are the equals of the En, and manage the vampires that are, rather than the vampires that might be. The Governor. This stern gray vampire is charged with overseeing the tomb-lands, ensuring their safety and the preservation of the tombs themselves. She is a firm hand, and quells any uprisings with instant death. The Overseer. This rotund, quick-witted vampire is a charming host and a ubiquitous guest. Charged with broad missions such as gathering new lore, waging minor wars, building monuments and so forth, the Overseer is the vampire who interacts most with outsiders. The Steward. This ravenous vampire appears little older than a child, yet, she is the eldest of the nine. Her endless thirst is an affliction worse than any of the other vampires, and she surrounds herself constantly with a host of halfdead vessels. Her hunger makes her the ideal manager of the Gift’s vast resources, since she is inclined by her curse to hoard against hunger and want.

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THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE NIN Below the others in power, but greater in influence, sits the Household of the Nin. Officially, they are not responsible for anything except the comfort and pleasure of their queen—but each of them is a powerbroker in the shifting politics of the Gift’s court. The Household never leave Stoneblood Shrine, being regarded as the Nin’s most valuable posessions. The Sole Companion. The Sole Companion is the Nin’s consort, chosen by her personally and replaced every few decades. The Sole Companion is always in a dangerous position, and is little respected by the rest of the Gift. The Queen’s Brother. When the Nin was still mortal, she had a brother who met a violent end. Ever since, she has maintained the belief that his reincarnated soul exists in the world. The Queen’s Brother is the ascended mortal who most resembles her memory of the brother who died eons ago—and a new Brother ascends whenever she finds someone who more closely fits her memory. The Queen’s Favorite. By far the most influential role in the Household of the Nin, the Favorite is hand-selected by the Queen as a confidant and advisor. The current favorite, a circumspect woman with dark eyes and a penchant for holding grudges, holds more threads of power in her hand than any other being except the Queen.

STONEBLOOD SHRINE

Carved from a volcanic peak in the Fang of Rock & Smoke there exists an ancient efreeti temple, which the Gift calls Stoneblood Shrine. This monumental structure is built with strange geometry, not meant to be walked, but flown through, with ascending hallways, entire chambers with lava-flooded floors, and rivers of magma coursing throughout its many rooms. This temple is the base of operations for the Gift, where the Nin and her household reside, and where new vampires ascend and cast their single wish. Unnatural architecture. Nothing about Stoneblood Shrine is intended for mortals—the walls and floors veer at strange angles, open lava flows through the halls, and many rooms cannot be reached at all by any means other than flight. This makes it an ideal haunt for the Gift, with their ability to transform and climb walls like a spider. Its architecture poses an innate defense against any fools who would dare to intrude upon the very home of the Nin. The Great Sarcophagi. Stoneblood Shrine is home to the Great Sarcophagi of the Three-and-Nine. These massive stone structures are where their greatest treasures are kept, and are regarded by each of them as their true home and resting place. Each sarcophagus is preserved and guarded by a squadron of vampire spawn and always has a fresh bouquet of vessels prepared should the vampire desire to feed at home.

Chamber of Ascension. This grand chamber is at the heart of the structure, and cannot be accessed except by magical flight, being fully surrounded by curses and magma. In it, the vampires ceremonially anoint their chosen new members, and here the Nin does her greatest work—the granting of wishes. What none but the Three know is that the wish is not actually granted by the Nin herself, but by the ancient efreet she has bound to her will, who roils with ancient fury in the magma below the Nin’s throne, and dreams of the day of her destruction.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4 1

A vampire spawn is caught in the act of taking an innocent life and flees. Hunt them down.

2

A chieftain offers a reward to anyone willing to scout an unexplained area of darkness in the clan's path.

3

A clan plagued by undead visitations sends the party to bring back holy water from their god.

4

A surrounded vampire in a tomb offers the party its treasures for safe passage through the angry clans.

d4

5th–10th level

THE SHARKSAIL BETRAYERS

For all the Gift’s power and influence, there is a thorn in their side that causes them endless rage—the Sharksail Betrayers. Long ago, one of the Gift built a tomb in the Undershore, and was feeding up and down the coastline. But a hero of the land rose up against him and slew him, freeing his spawn. The spawn, knowing the Khopesh would come and slay them, did the unthinkable: they took to the seas. Running water is death to vampires, yet with nothing to lose, the free spawn built a towering catamaran and sail the seas that are to them as acid even now, ravaging and feeding on the people of Scattersea.

THE COUP OF DEATH

The eyes of the Nin have long been fixed on a single prize: the overthrow of Death himself. The Gift of Thirst has always been opposed by Nazh-Agaa, hunted by his creatures, and stalked by his agents. The mere appearance of a raven or scarab, or the hint of a valkryie is enough to terrify vampire spawn. The Nin, so long inured against the reign of Death, plots the day that she may find her way into the Kingdom of the Dead. She is gathering strength, lore, and artifacts. She will not make her move until she is sure she cannot fail—and then will begin the great vampiric assault on Nazh-Agaa, and the ascent of Nin to become the Queen of the Dead and the Undead.

1st–4th level

1

A catamaran of vampiric pirates is raiding your islands. Stop them, saving as many as you can from their fangs.

2

An old mentor sends word that they are trapped in a vampire's tomb-land. Find them and help them escape.

3

If at least three of the five local clans can band together, they can assault the nearby tomb-land. Unite them.

4

A party member lost a loved one to the Gift, and the Overseer is nearby. Stalk him and find his weakness.

d4

11th–16th level

1

A vampire tomb was recently abandoned. Investigate and find out why.

2

Vampires stole a priceless artifact. Sneak into Stoneblood Shrine and recover it without alerting the Gift.

3

The Pure One approaches a party member with an offer to join the Path. Play along as a double agent.

4

A friend has been kidnapped and taken to Stoneblood Shrine as a vessel. Save them, no matter what.

d4

17th–20th level

1

Vampires flock to assault the party—it appears that the Nin has found her newest Brother, and he is among you.

2

Sail into the Scattersea to find the Sharksail Betrayers, and recruit them to join you in an assault on the Nin!

3

Gather three magical weapons hidden in the WorldFangs, then slay the Nin and her spawn once and for all.

4

After a vampire wish turns all life undead, travel into the Kingdom of Death to strike a deal with Nazh-Agaa.

I have knelt in Stoneblood Shrine before the Nin herself. I only survived by surrendering secrets of the Kingdom of the Dead. But sometimes I still wake suddenly, pulse pounding, and swear I feel the stab of fangs pressed against my throat.

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Kelodhros Ascendant THE SACRIFICE AWAITS OUR EMBRACE! THE WORLD awaits our ascent! Our ritual—strong! Our fate—manifest! Our time—now! We are all and all is Kelodhros! —Kelodhrosian Sacrificial Chant

S

OMETHING TERRIBLE IS SPAWNING IN THE Venom Abyss. The Kelodhros people, new to creation, arose from somewhere deep in the jungle only in the last few generations. But in that time, they have begun to build a powerful and spreading empire, its influence gripping the jungle and pushing outwards and upwards into the rest of Planegea. Kelodhros Ascendant is an empire built on ritual sacrifice. The Kelodhrosians have a mystical process which they call the Embrace—an elaborate ceremony ending in the slaughter of a victim. The Kelodhrosian who performs the sacrifice steals part of its victim’s physical form, transforming itself and becoming more powerful in the process. A Kelodhrosian in its natural state is slender, pale, and fragile. But by the rite of the Embrace, they take many forms—snake-people, apish monstrosities, half-dinosaurs, and more—and with the power stolen from their sacrifices they are strong, deadly, and relentlessly dedicated to the growth of their empire.

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OVERVIEW

In a campaign that faces Kelodhros Ascendant, your party might travel to dark jungles, strange temples, and the remote lairs of terrible monsters. You’ll fight to overthrow evil rituals, confront strange hybrids, discover insidious plots, and rally powerful forces to stem the tide of Kelodhrosian invasion and assimilation. Your party may fight monstrosities by the light of the clanfire, the glow of jungle beetles, and the flickering of ritual torches atop great ziggurats. Kelodhros Ascendant campaigns tend towards swashbuckling and horror, full of bold confrontations, evil rituals, bizarre enemies, and exotic locations.

THE EMBRACE

The Kelodhrosians are not a powerful people by nature. They stand about five feet tall, with gaunt builds and pale skin. They are hairless, and their faces are naturally almost blank, like white masks in which the only visible feature are their enormous blue eyes. Some say they were originally mushroom folk, others that they emerged from the Nightmare World of Nod, still others that they are the newest creation of the Worldheart Dragon, the rightful— but unsettling—children of Planegea. Whatever their origin, the Kelodhrosians have become powerful by a certain trick of their kind: the ritual known

as the Embrace. Through an elaborate ceremony always requiring a sacrificial captive, a Kelodhrosian can slaughter their victim and steal some part of their physical being, adding it to their own body and becoming more powerful. The Kelodhrosians hold the form of their birth in contempt, believing that the more they perform the Embrace and adopt the bodies of other creatures, adding them to their own physicality, the greater and more glorious they grow.

EMPIRE RISING

There is a clear hierarchy among Kelodhrosians, depending on how many times they have enacted the Embrace. The unembraced. The lowest level of society are Kelodhrosians in their natural state—pale, mask-like faces, slender bodies, weak and vulnerable. The unembraced act as servants and acolytes to their more powerful brethren. Aspecters. Those who have enacted the Embrace once or twice are called Aspecters. They typically still feature mostly Kelodhrosian bodies, but with some Embraced aspect of their victim, such as scaled skin, more powerful musculature, claws or fangs or feathers or some other physical marker that sets them apart. Hybrid Priests. More powerful Kelodhrosians who have performed the Embrace many times often steal aspects from different kinds of victims. These are called Hybrid Priests, and they take on nearly infinite combinations of beast parts in their quest for ascension. Hybrid Priests often serve as guards, soldiers, and overseers in the work of the empire. Monoform Priests. Some priests choose to be singleminded in their Embrace of a particular form. These consider it a great honor to be as close in physicality to their chosen creature type as possible, while keeping their own mask-like faces. Because they only Embrace a single type of creature, they typically pursue the form of particularly powerful beasts. Monoform Priests often serve as high leaders of ritual and ceremonial guards for the elite archpriests. Archpriests. These Kelodhrosians have achieved the highest level of ascent, stealing aspects from victims until nothing remains of their original forms but their bright blue eyes. Archpriests may arise from Hybrids or Monoforms (although the latter is more common), and they are responsible for the expansion of the Empire, the pursuit of new sacrifices, and the spiritual guidance of the Kelodhrosian people. Lost Souls. Sometimes priests go too far in their pursuit of power. It is possible for Kelodhrosians to lose themselves during a ceremony gone wrong, becoming mindless or mad, fully monstrous in spirit and body. The Kelodhro-

I am shaman, not a seer—but I foresee terrible trouble coming to our world in the form of these creeping white creatures. Though they are small in their natural bodies, this power they wield is terrible, and not to be taken lightly.

sians consider such events a great tragedy, but believe the souls of their people are sacred, and therefore do not kill such creatures. Rather, they construct cages or labyrinths to confine them, and use their aggression and mad power for ritual and political purposes. Infiltrators. The empire knows that the world outside the Abyss is wide and full of power. They therefore make a regular practice of capturing humanoids and Embracing them, giving Kelodhrosians their forms so that they can act as spies—with only their blue eyes as clues to their nature.

SACRIFICERS OF GODS

Deep in the jungles of the Venom Abyss, Kelodhros Ascendant builds great temples—but not for the worship of gods. Kelodhrosian magic is drawn from the power of living things, from the life-force of nature, which they embrace, steal, and twist to their own purposes. The Kelodhrosians have little use for gods. They believe that all of Planegea was created for their use, and the gods are simply one more form of life to be taken in ritual Embrace.

INFILTRATION

Kelodhros Ascendant is taking every precaution. They know the world awaits their Embrace, and will not hurry their conquest before the proper time. Instead, they send out their spies into the world to learn about the kinships above the cliff walls of the Abyss—which they call the Cradle—to discover who is strong, who is weak, and who is ripe to be claimed by the ritual. Since other humanoid kinships are similar in form, it only takes a single Embrace for a Kelodhrosian to become an Infiltrator. By their ritual, they can take assume their victim’s kinship, although their blue eyes remain regardless of their shape—a telltale sign for those who have heard the whispers. Some hide this by pretending to be blind, others blend by traveling among societies where such eyes are not uncommon. Infiltrators usually travel in bands of three, relying on deception and the glow of the fire to infiltrate unwitting clans. They serve as spies for nearby hidden nests of unembraced acolytes, led by a priest. While the Infiltrators gather knowledge of the clan, the nest finds a place to create a ritual site… and when the moment is right, the Infiltrators bring their prey back to the nest for the rite of the Embrace. Clan by clan, sacrifice by sacrifice, Kelodhrosian colonies are subtly spreading out from the Venom Abyss, welcoming more of their kin from the cliffs and planning their next move. Pity the hapless wanderer who stumbles across a blueeyed clan erecting a strange ritual pyramid by firelight!

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ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

Strange little elevated platforms have been popping up across the region. Investigate their source.

2

A clan hears terrible wailing at night, and the local animals have been acting strangely. Find out why.

3

A blue-eyed clan shelters the party from a storm, and invites them to a festival that night. Survive.

4

A bizarre, misshapen monster with blue eyes has been seen in the area. Find it and kill it.

d4

5th–10th level

1

A Kelodhrosian colony near Edgegather is abducting people. Find their ziggurat and end the rituals there.

2

A giant raiding party was Embraced, and the priests are using their newfound might to take victims by force.

3

Kelodhros Infiltrators ask for your help to hunt down an escaped Lost Soul too powerful for them to capture.

4

Your party is drugged and dragged into the Venom Abyss. A powerful priest desires your forms. Escape.

d4

11th–16th level

1

Kelodhros has started Embracing dragons. Go into the Venom Abyss and destroy the sect responsible.

2

A huge colony has formed in the Icehook Peaks, Embracing anything that moves. Put an end to it.

3

An archdruid disappeared in the Venom Abyss trying to infiltrate the Kelodhros. Rescue them.

4

You discover Kelodhrosians have infiltrated every faction in a worldwide conspiracy. Unmask them.

d4

17th–20th level

246

1

Kelodhros has commenced its ascendance and is swarming from the Venom Abyss. Save Planegea.

2

God after god is being Embraced by the Archpriest Ascendant. Kill it before it consumes all living things.

3

Kelodhros has infested both worlds of Nod, and are attacking from everywhere in terrible, fey forms.

4

The stars themselves cry out for help! They are battling Kelodhros, who have found their way there.

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RITUAL EMBRACE

The sacrificial rite of the Embrace always follows a similar pattern, although it can be adapted to the circumstances should Kelodhrosians have scant time or resources: • Selection: The chosen victim is identified and observed, to ensure they are worthy of the Embrace. • Preparation: The site is constructed. The ritual requires a pyramid or ziggurat-shaped structure with a flat platform, having at least three levels. • Subduing: The victim is made harmless, usually through drugging, magic, or a sneak attack rendering them unconscious. Kelodhrosians almost never capture their victims by open force. • Binding: The subdued victim is confined by ropes or shackles. • Presentation: The victim is brought to the ritual site, and the ceremony begins with a call-and-response, offering them to the Embracer, who waits on the platform at the top of the structure. • Ascent: The victim is then carried, led, or dragged up the stairs or ramp to the platform. • Escalation: The ceremony reaches fever-pitch as the Kelodhrosians raise their voices in keening wails that can be heard at a great distance, drawing the life energy of the sacrifice to the surface. • Sacrifice: At the moment of sacrifice, the Embracer wraps itself around the victim in a literal embrace, crushing them with magical strength and transferring their stolen essence into its own form. • Embrace: The ritual complete, the Kelodhrosian releases the crushed body of its victim, immediately assuming the stolen aspects, reinvigorated with the strength and power of the life-energy it just stole.

Nazh-Agaa, the King of the Dead “THEY SAY THAT DEATH LEADS TO A DARK DOOR, across the threshold of which lies a black city without end. And over it all, and after the end of the end, there is nothing—nothing but Him, waiting without life or passion or feeling, the final death.” —Ush the Ranger

I

NEVITABILITY. ENTOMBMENT. THE UTTER END. Nazh-Agaa, the King of the Dead, is the final terminus of all life, all hope, all light. The great titan of death is neither god nor lich nor elemental. He is Death itself, a fundamental law, the collective embodiment of entropy, decay, and this single, simple fact: In the end, everyone is forgotten.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign gripped by Nazh-Agaa, your party might travel to the hallows of powerful gods, into the gloom of the Nightmare World, to crypts and graveyards and past the edge of the world into the very Kingdom of the Dead. You’ll fight to survive, confront the harbingers of the grave, discover the limits of resurrection, and discover how much you’re willing to lose along the way in your quest to overthrow death itself. From shadowed caves to the World of Nightmares, from crowded streets to desolate wastes, you’ll fight beasts and fanatics, celestials and elementals—but most of all, you’ll do battle with the finality of the grave, and the darkness that lies beyond it. Nazh-Agaa campaigns tend to favor mythic fantasy, full of gods and spirits, otherworldly journeys, visions and oaths and voyages beyond reality’s edge.

DEATH EMBODIED

Just as all creation is spawned from the Worldheart Dragon, all life eventually is subsumed into the King of the Dead. He is her dark inverse, and his ability to consume is infinite. He is dark and patient, having no experience of time—he only detects reality at the moment a once-living thing joins his kingdom, in strobe-like flashes of existence. Destroyer of undeath. Undeath is unforgivable to NazhAgaa—it robs him of inevitability, reverses the natural flow of entropy, and upends the universe as it should be. He especially loathes liches, vampires, and zombies, who not only defy his reign but spread their heretical state to others. Nazh-Agaa is not troubled by ghosts who roam the world, however, as they are partly in his domain already, and inevitably fade into his realm after their memory is forgotten in the living world. He uses them to spy on the still-breathing, enacting his will through them. Enemy of the resurrected. Those who bring back dead souls from his domain are the targets of Nazh-Agaa’s wrath. The revivify spell is usually beneath his notice—the souls

snatched back to life by it have barely stepped on death’s threshold. But casting the raise dead, reincarnation, resurrection, or true resurrection spells draws his ire. There is a 5% per level of these spells that Nazh-Agaa will take note of the resurrection magic and mark it as an infraction of his law. Use the table below to inspire his wrath as the party casts such spells: Infraction

Reaction

1st

Nearby ghosts are drawn to the spell’s target for several days and, if inclined to be hostile, will focus their attacks on the target

2nd

Nearby fanatics or death-aligned beasts stalk the spell’s caster and target

3rd or 4th (must be 5th level+ spell)

Celestials are summoned and attack the spell’s caster and target

5th (must be 9th level spell)

Summoned celestials and all mortal agents of Nazh-Agaa within 10 miles attack the caster and the target

Gravemark. Those who are restored to life by resurrection magic are not unaffected by their sojourn among the dead. After being resurrected, whenever the spell’s target completes a long rest, they must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they do not gain the benefits of the long rest, being plagued instead with visions of oblivion. This is called the gravemark, and it can only be removed through a spell such as greater restoration or the blessing of a god. Beyond death’s grasp. The twin worlds of Nod are beyond Nazh-Agaa’s grasp, and resurrection magic can be cast there without attracting his ire. The nature of those worlds warp such magic, however. When raise dead is cast in the Dream World, it has the effects of reincarnation, and when reincarnation is cast in the Nightmare World, it has the effects of raise dead. PUNITIVE RESURRECTION Not all tables will find Nazh-Agaa’s hatred of resurrection and reincarnation adds to their game. Evaluate whether your players will enjoy the added degree of difficulty this presents, and adjust Nazh-Agaa’s ire as suits your story.

THE INFINITE NECROPOLIS

Those who perish in Planegea have a vision of a great black gateway, called the Dark Door. As they die, they step through it, and find themselves in an endless, lightless city—the Infinite Necropolis. The city is inhabited by fading souls who wander its streets, towers, and walls. There is no food or water, no sound, and no escape.

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Fading shades. Eventually, all shades who inhabit the Infinite Necropolis find themselves adding to it, building new walls, towers, digging cellars and foundations, spreading its reach further into the void. The shades labor for unknowable time, wasting away until there is nothing left of them but the merest whisper of a soul—and then that vanishes, and they are fully absorbed into Nazh-Agaa. The Long Way. Sages say there is a way for living mortals to enter the Kingdom of the Dead—a journey that seems to take years to traverse, in which the traveler must never look back, or be trapped forever in death. This path is called the Long Way, and no living soul knows where it begins. Some say its entrance is in the Sea of Stars, others that it’s deep beneath Blood Mountain, or somewhere in the Everstorm or one of the World-Fangs. Many have set out to find it, and who can say if any have traveled its length?

MINIONS OF MORTALITY

Nazh-Agaa does not traffic much in the mortal world. He cares nothing for the breathing, except that living souls not try to cheat him of their inevitable end. Still, there are beings who are aligned with his will.

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Carrion beasts. Ravens, moths, hyenas, giants insects, and other creatures that thrive on death and decay are in agreement with the will of Nazh-Agaa, and can act as his agents should he require the use of living bodies. Cats. Cats have a natural ability to slip between worlds, and walk the line between immortality, serving the King of the Dead with multiple deaths in a single being. As such, cats often act as his messengers and portent-bringers. Fanatics. Some mortals worship Nazh-Agaa as a god, although he is no such thing and does not desire or respond to their worship. Still, their eagerness to please him puts them in line with his will more often than not, and those who would work resurrection magic have fanatics to fear and contend with. Valkyries. To assassinate liches, hunt vampires, or eradicate zombies, Nazh-Agaa is capable of manifesting celestial agents called valkyries. These angels of death are fragments of the King of Death himself. He speaks with their voice, sees with their eyes, and slays by their hands.

THE COLD END

If nothing changes, when all of life runs its course, every god, every hero, every villain—every power that ever was or will be will eventually be absorbed into Nazh-Agaa. Looming menace. Because all the dead feed Nazh-Agaa, the King of the Dead is growing in intelligence and power each day. Even though the shades he consumes are longdead and only whispers of their former strength, the power he amasses has no outlet, and like a dark ocean he rises, out of sight and without an equal. Splintered afterworlds. The most powerful and cunning of the gods recognize the threat that Nazh-Agaa poses. To forestall his growth, some have begun to experiment with creating shards of existence for certain souls of their choosing. The good and neutral-aligned deities make fragmentary realities where they can bless and protect their favorite shamans and followers, while powerful fiends have dreamed up eternal punishments for especially hated rivals or transgressors. These small afterworlds have no name, and as yet Nazh-Agaa does not seem to be aware of them. Dark will be the day when he discovers the divine transgression of his law of utter inevitability. DANGEROUS ALLY For parties who oppose undeath, Nazh-Agaa or his faithful might play the curious role of patron. Although the King of the Dead himself cares little for the fate of any breathing mortal, his servants might reward those who hunt down and destroyed zombies, vampires, liches and other beings causing undeath to spread in the land. Of course, making bargains with death is a dangerous game, and the characters should only enter into such pacts with the greatest of caution…

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A wounded hunt leader pleads for help getting back to his clan as scavengers and carrion beasts close in.

2

The party is asked to investigate a mysterious murder that leads back to fanatical death-worshipers.

3

A shaman casts resurrection in a sacred cave, and is then trapped inside by death’s minions. Rescue her.

4

A god sends you on an astral journey into the Kingdom of the Dead, to spy and learn as much as you can.

d4

5th–10th level

1

The party breaks a clan’s law. The only way to reclaim their honor is to retrieve an artifact from a sealed tomb.

2

A party member is bitten by a vampire. They must find a cure before they turn and Nazh-Agaa destroys them.

3

A noble chieftain perishes. The party is sent into Nod to seek help resurrecting or reincarnating them.

4

After the death of an ally, the minions of Nazh-Agaa tirelessly pursue the party. Survive their onslaught.

d4

11th–16th level

1

The Brother gods are under siege from the forces of Nazh-Agaa. Find a way to appease him or protect them.

2

Valkyries wrongly took an innocent life. Cast reincarnate to lure them into a trap, and make them pay.

3

A region is threatened by the worship of a cult of fanatics. Lead an all-out assault their stronghold.

4

When the Oracle of Seerfall is at Death’s Door, challenge Nazh-Agaa to a contest for her life.

d4

17th–20th level

1

The party is slain, and awakes in the Infinite Necropolis. Plunder it and escape by the Long Way.

2

Sail the edge of the world in search of the entrance to the Long Way, raiding giants and genies to stay alive.

3

Nazh-Agaa offers a bargain—death for the party and your nemeses. Do all you can before your time expires.

4

The only god who can stave off the apocalypse dies. Find the Long Way and lead them back to life.

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The Recusance “WE ARE THE SAVIORS OF PLANEGEA, NOT ITS ENEMY. We are the only ones willing to do whatever it takes to burn the Blind Heaven to the ground.” —Membrane the Vile

H

IGH IN THE STARSTEP CLIFFS, WHERE THE sky is so close it can almost be touched, a sanctum of spellskins devoted to the destruction of the Hounds of the Blind Heaven plan and conduct terrible arcane experiments. Led by brilliant leatherwing spellcasters, this cabal, called the Recusance, works tirelessly to manipulate reality and break the bindings of the Black Taboos. The ripple effects of their experiments are felt throughout the world. They care nothing for the value of life, safety, or justice; they are single-mindedly devoted to their goal and nothing—not the Hounds or clans or gods or heroes or the pleas of their innocent victims— nothing will dissuade them from their research.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign twisted by the Recusance, your party might travel to arcane laboratories, strange pocket dimensions, clifftop fortresses, and secret cysts of raw magic. You’ll fight to stop evil experiments, confront horrific monstrosities, discover reality-warping plots, and turn the tides against those with no limits, no morals, and nothing to lose. In cities and mountains and deep underground, you’ll fight oozes, the undead, monstrosities, and the amoral spellcasters who created them. Recusance campaigns tend to favor horror and sword & sorcery, full of oozing experiments, twisted spellskins, corrupting magic, dangerous quests, and gray morality.

ORIGINS

The Recusance began as a schism within the Sign of the Hare. Certain spellskins, led by a cabal of leatherwings from the Starstep Cliffs, believed that the Hares were too timid, unwilling to get their hands dirty in ending the reign of the Hounds. Once it became clear their differences were irreconcilable, the leatherwings split off into their own organization, which they named the Recusance. They, unlike the passive and frightened Hares, were unwilling to accept the continued existence of the Hounds. They would do whatever must be done to break their authority.

TWISTING EVOLUTION

At first, the Recusance operated in the light, trying to win over young spellskins to their cause. But it quickly became apparent that their means were unsettling, even evil, by the morals of mortals, and they started to retreat and do their work in secret and hard-to-reach places where they wouldn’t be bothered by lesser minds.

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Now, they work almost entirely in secret, asking neither permission nor forgiveness. They are based in the Precipice Laboratorium, an arcane fortress in the Starstep Cliffs, but have nodes throughout the world—wherever they choose to run an experiment, harvest raw magical energy, or seek out clues that might help them in their ceaseless work. Because of its brilliance, amorality, and secrecy, the Recusance has attracted more than its share of evil spellcasters, and there are those in its ranks who use the guise of opposing the Hounds to claim resources and protection as they advance their own awful work, even when it has virtually nothing to do with the Recusance’s ultimate goal.

RESEARCH & NOTES

The core work of the Recusance is always focused on outwitting the Hounds. There are seven principal lines of experimentation they are following in hopes of finding a crack in the Black Taboos: Undeath. Some believe that the Hounds might see the dead and living in different categories, and experiment with using zombies and spirits to slip past the Taboos. Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Membrane the Vile (NE male leatherwing archmage), nearing lichdom

Location

The Precipice Laboratorium

Practices

Re-animation, soul capture, spirit summoning, soul-binding, seance

Observations

Mindless undead are difficult to teach, and intelligent spirits are destroyed by the Hounds when the Taboos are broken

Side effects

Small-minded clans object to having their burial sites disrupted and their loved ones killed and reanimated

Further steps

Attempt reanimation of a dead god and/or research into immortality through undeath

Monstrosity. Others think it’s not life and death that matter, but some quality of the soul, and seek to push and twist mortals into shapes and forms that the Hounds will find unrecognizable and forget about.

Ignorance. A fringe sect thinks that tricking the unwitting into breaking the Taboos without knowing what they’re doing might not alert the Hounds. Aspect

Notes

Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Leadership

Slemsha Coldwind (NE female dwarf archmage), covered in icy crystals

Krix'glak (CE male goblin archmage), who takes unsettling glee in his work

Location

The Lastwater Laboratorium

Location

The Ghostmire Laboratorium

Practices

Practices

Fleshwarping, transmutation, body fusion, slime creation, oozemancy

Mind-control, enchantment, compulsion, illusion, lures & temptations

Observations

Observations

The Hounds seem indiscriminate about the types of bodies that break the Black Taboos so far—greater steps must be taken, forms pushed further

It's simple to get a simpleton to make a wheel—and so far, the Hounds show no distinction between secure fortresses and crowded marketplaces

Side effects

Side effects

Useless experiments are too much trouble to eradicate and are released for observation in case they become relevant in the future

No other laboratorium has as much insight on the precise methods in which the Hounds hunt and kill their prey, thanks to extensive testing

Further steps

Further steps

Seek a large population to manipulate en masse, measure results

Explore the effects of beasts and monsters unwittingly breaking the Black Taboos— especially large ones, such as the kraken

Evolution. A group is exploring the idea that endowing mortals with “gifts” and enhancing their natural strengths might allow them to exceed the limits of the Taboos. Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Splitcrest (CE female leatherwing archmage) with a bifurcated crest and an eye for detail, & Eu (LE male starling archmage) in love with Splitcrest

Location

The Thunderverge Laboratorium

Practices

Sorcerer-creation, spell-infusion, talent exaggeration, body enhancement, eugenics

Observations

Those given sudden access to raw power tend to die, go mad, or develop ego-driven hero complexes—which can be quite useful

Side effects

Local rumors are confused about the work, some believing the laboratorium to be a place of blessing and boon-granting … still, the stream of supplicants gives easy access to new subjects

Further steps

Inquire further into the nature and development of gods

Exceptionality. There are those who kidnap outstanding mortals and monsters and run them through arcane mazes and tests, seeking to discover whether there is any preexistent exceptional quality that bypasses the Hounds’ notice. Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Halfwing the Flightless (NE male leatherwing archmage), badly scarred

Location

The Icehook Laboratorium

Practices

Illusion, summoning, memory-alteration, conjuration, confusion

Observations

The few test subjects that do complete the mazes have yet to withstand any encounters with the Hounds… which means the mazes must be made more difficult

Side effects

There has been some consternation about the sudden disappearance of famous hunters, shamans, and so on—but nothing to link it to the laboratorium at this time

Further steps

Cultivate exceptional heroes from birth as prime candidates for the maze

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Multiplicity. Some think that perfect duplication of a soul could confuse the Hounds, and experiment with copying or splitting test subjects—often twisting or destroying them in the process.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

Just as a strange spellskin arrives, a nearby burial site erupts with risen corpses—and they're hungry.

The Four Greenbeaks (4 NE female leatherwing mages), originally the Six

2

An arcane trader asks for your protection as he travels into Ghostmire to collect rare, monstrous ingredients.

Location

The Riverland Laboratorium

3

Practices

Duplication, simulacra, doppelganger creation, reincarnation

People have been disappearing at a local shrine famous for bestowing both blessings and madness. Investigate.

4

Observations

So far efforts to confuse the Hounds by having the same being break Taboos in two places at once have not stymied the Hounds—more duplicates may be required

An old mentor broke a Taboo and was destroyed by the Hounds. Seek out clues from the site of their death.

d4

5th–10th level

1

The escape of a large group of doppelgangers was unfortunate, but should yield interesting field notes

People talk of a strange arcane maze near Icehook. Locate it and find your way through it.

2

A party member's excact dupicate is committing atrocities. Stop them & find out where they came from.

Release and study of duplicates unaware of their original's existence

3

Amoral spellskins opened a vault near your home and destroyed those you love. Find and punish them.

4

Ghosts are swarming the region, seeking their loved ones. But they have a darker purpose than reunion…

d4

11th–16th level

Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Side effects

Further steps

Origin. It’s commonly agreed that the Hounds cannot be defeated until they’re understood, so some seek to delve into the most ancient, mysterious places they can find to discern the source and nature of the Blind Heaven.

1

Gibbering horrors created by the Recusance are attacking from Ghostmire. Slay them and their makers.

2

A party member discovers the source of their sorcerous power is a secret laboratorium. Explore it.

3

A cult of the Hounds has arisen, dedicated to enforcing the Black Taboos by brutal and horrifying means.

4

A legendary ascetic has been taken into a strange arcane maze. Solve it and rescue them!

d4

17th–20th level

Aspect

Notes

Leadership

Ta-Vur (LE male human archmage), an ancient historian and Gray Seht (CN female elf archmage), a law unto herself

Location

No fixed location

Practices

Teleporation, immateriality, invisibility, scrying, riddle-solving, time-travel

Observations

Every clue about the origins of the Hounds seems to contradict the one before it

Side effects

Innocents have been collateral damage in the unsealing of various vaults and crypts… but the truth must be close

1

The Recusance uses a powerful divine intervention to create a copy of each living mortal—but the copies are wild and murderous.

Further steps

Interrogate the most ancient of genies

2

By Grey Seht's magic, a shard of Planegea is sent hurling through time to when the Hounds first appeared.

3

The Recusance's research has gotten out of control, and a plague of undeath sweeps from empire to empire.

4

A blind being called the Herald offers the party a secret to destroy the Recusance—but at a terrible cost.

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Throne of Nightmares “DID YOU HEAR SOMETHING?” “No.” “I think there’s something out there.” “There isn’t.” “How do you know?” “Because it’s in here.” —The last words of Hakesh and That-Which-Was-Sura, on the night of the Ape Clan massacre

W

HEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES TIGHT, YOU can see shapes swirling in the blackness. The Throne of Nightmares is the reality behind those shapes—amorphous forms of terror with the power to speak, curse, maim, and kill. The Throne of Nightmares, based in Nod’s dark world, is built on the fear of mortals, and grows stronger through their dread. The Throne is unpredictable, illogical, and ever-changing. Yet its power is real, and only grows stronger as the shadows lengthen.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign overshadowed by the Throne of Nightmares, your party might travel to crypts, battlefields, the Nightmare World of Nod, and into their own pasts and secrets. They’ll fight to maintain their sanity, confront their darkest dread, discover new spells and shadowy monsters, and wield the power of light to combat fear and harm. From underground to haunted ruins, from frozen nights to gloomy swamps, battle the undead, creatures of shadow, and all who thrive on chaos and fear. Throne of Nightmares campaigns are almost always driven by horror, full of anxiety, terror, and dread—and the heroes who go into the darkness to dispel it.

THE THING ON THE THRONE

The Throne of Nightmares is not a person or faction, but a position—the apex of power in Nod’s Nightmare World. The Nightmare World and its inhabitants are dark, cold, colorless, and unemotional. They create fear and feed on it, but do not feel it or understand it. To the shadowy creatures of Nightmare, fear is a taste, nothing more. That which rules. The Throne is ruled by whatever being can occupy it. As long as they hold it, they have authority over the World of Nightmares, and can even influence the waking world. The creatures that try to hold it are as varied and strange as the nightmares of mortals. Chaotic claims. The Throne is sometimes fiercely contested, at other times left unoccupied without dispute for years on end. The beings that vie for it seem to operate apart from logic or desire—their motives and actions cannot be predicted.

BEYOND THE GRIP OF DEATH

Nod lies outside the grip of Nazh-Agaa, and his forbiddance of undeath and resurrection have no hold in the Twin Worlds. The Dream World is a place of reincarnation and half-life, while the Nightmare World is a place of undeath, where resurrection is possible for those who dare to travel there to enact the rites. Skeletons, zombies, ghouls, and ghosts—the Nightmare World is full of the living dead. Although these beings are driven by varied and selfish motivations, many serve the Throne of Nightmares either willingly or indirectly, through their dark instincts and the fear they inspire. SHADOW TEMPLATE Many creatures familiar from the waking world exist in the Nightmare World, but take on a shadowy aspect. Such shadow creatures exist in abundance in the Nightmare World, but occasionally traverse across the boundaries of Nod and enter the waking world. When a waking creature is mirrored by a shadow, it retains its statistics except as described below. Amorphous. The shadow creature can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadow creature can take the Hide action as a bonus action. Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the shadow creature has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. Strength Drain. The first creature the shadow creature hits with a melee attack on its turn has its Strength score reduced by 1. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.

THE THRONE’S POWER

Though it exists in another world, the Nightmare Throne’s influence spills over into the rest of Planegea—especially during eclipses and new moons, when shadows are strongest. Sometimes the Throne cares little to intrude on the waking world, but at other periods it sends out its agents in great numbers to spread fear and terror. Shadows and the undead. The Throne of Nightmares does not command the things that haunt its world, but its desires are echoed in theirs. When the Thing on the Throne wants to surge forward and feed on flesh, so do the shadows and undead, and when it wants to lurk and sulk, so do its subjects. Dread elves. Few mortal souls survive in the Nightmare World, but the dark beings called dread elves (also known as the drow) are native to its horrors. Many dread elves act as willing creators of terror, increasing the fear in the waking world to strengthen the Throne, and such spell-

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casters gain intuitive access to certain spells, based on their talent and what sits the Throne. Mortal agents. The Throne sometimes sees fit to bend mortals from the waking world to its will. Some souls will do anything to make their nightmares stop, and choose spread fear so they don’t have to feel it any more. Shadow magic. The Thing on the Throne has the power to reshape a fragment of reality in accordance with its will. In the waking world, this is shown through the magic of the dread elves and cysts or storms of dark magic that break through from Nod. These wild spells, unleashed at random, can occur anywhere the influence of the Throne is strong—though what the spells are varies depending on what occupies the Throne. Sleepless nights. When two powers are struggling for the throne, dreams in the waking world are confused, frantic, and sleep is lost. Such times are periods of insomnia for mortals, and it’s said that more wars, treaties, accidents, and love affairs happen during these dark waking hours.

At different times, many different beings have occupied the Throne. These beings tend to ascend in power based on different types of mortal fear—hence, a year of famine might give rise to a different Thing on the Throne than a year of war. Here is an incomplete list of some of those creatures which have sat on the Throne, and which may sit on it again, as well as the spells they endow to their dread elves and which burst forth as raw magic in their reign. The Betrayer. The Betrayer takes on the appearance of the dreamer’s most beloved and trusted person, then enacts vicious scenes of betrayal and abandonment, over and over again. It gains power through the mortal fear of broken or treacherous relationships.

1st Level

254

Spell level

Name charm person, comprehend languages, disguise self

Name

1st Level

feather fall, grease, jump, silent image

2nd Level

blur, gust of wind, knock, levitate, rope trick, spider climb

3rd Level

fly, gaseous form, hypnotic pattern, wind wall

5th Level

tilt*

The Clown. The Clown is heard before it is seen, its terrible laughter omnipresent. It taunts its victims, stripping away their protection, thriving on the fear of embarrassment, and humiliation. It rises in power when mortals fear mockery and exposure. Spell level

NIGHTMARES

Spell level

The Child. The Child is always seen teetering on the edge of a cliff or the top of a structure, always precarious, in danger of falling. It lures its victims into lunging to rescue it, and then traps them in an endless nightmare of falling. It thrives on the fear of being out of control.

Name

1st Level

color spray, hideous laughter, unseen servant

2nd Level

gust of wind, hold person, levitate, see invisibility, suggestion, ridicule*

3rd Level

counterspell, dispel magic

4th Level

confusion

The Dancer. The Dancer is a fire-spirit that performs an enthralling dance while burning down everything of value to its victim. Its bright dance, while alluring, consumes everything and everyone that the dreamer loves. It rises in power through fear of creative transformation and is, of all the Things on the Throne, the least actively malicious towards mortals. Spell level

Name

1st Level

burning hands, color spray, identify, jump

2nd Level

alter self, detect thoughts, mirror image, suggestion

2nd Level

continual flame, flaming sphere, scorching ray, spider climb

3rd Level

clairvoyance, major image, tongues, vampiric touch

3rd Level

clairvoyance, fireball, fly, hypnotic pattern, lava leap*

5th Level

traitor’s kiss*

4th Level

freedom of movement

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

The Dotard. The Dotard manifests as a parody of an old man, an exaggerated pile of wrinkles and stringy white hair. It draws its victims near with shrieks, whispers, and babbled nonsense, then alarms them with its toothless maw, aging them with its touch. It gains power based on mortal fear of impotence and loss of influence. Spell level

The Pursuer. The Pursuer is a sinuous catlike beast with terrible breath that sometimes runs upright and sometimes on its many, many legs. It thrives on the fear of being chased. It rises in powerful mortals who are frustrated as they pursue a goal. Spell level

Name

Name

1st Level

expeditious retreat, jump, longstrider

1st Level

bane

2nd Level

2nd Level

blindness/deafness, magic mouth, ray of enfeeblement, weight*

blur, enlarge/reduce, misty step, spider climb, steal speed*

3rd Level

3rd Level

bestow curse, dispel magic, slow, vampiric touch

blink, gaseous form, haste, phantom steed, slow

4th Level

passwall

4th Level

contagion

The Enemy. The Enemy appears as a menacing figure with blades affixed to its body. It does not play tricks, merely assaults its victim, slashing at their flesh, leaving gaping wounds. It rises in power as mortals fear suffering or physical peril, and although it does create spells, it also manifests its magic by summoning or multiplying blades in its sphere of influence. Spell level

Name

1st Level

false life, mage armor, shield

2nd Level

enlarge/reduce, magic weapon

3rd Level

aggravate wounds*, bestow curse, glyph of warding

4th Level

phantasmal killer

The Mummy. The Mummy is a motionless figure of undead menace. It does not stagger towards its victims, but reveals itself motionless at the corner of their vision—and as soon as it is seen, the dreamer realizes they are trapped, entombed, buried with it. It thrives on the fear of entrapment and claustrophobia. Spell level

Name

1st Level

mage armor, shield, sleep

2nd Level

arcane lock, darkness, hold person, knock, web

3rd Level

glyph of warding, nondetection, slow

4th Level

bury*

The Siren. The Siren is an alluring presence that draws its victims into deep water. Once there, it seizes them and refuses to let go, drowning them unendingly as they struggle for air. The Siren gains power when mortals fear confronting challenges that are beyond them. Spell level

Name

1st Level

charm person, false life

2nd Level

alter self, enlarge/reduce, hold person, suggestion

3rd Level

hypnotic pattern, slow, water breathing

4th Level

compulsion

The Servant. The Servant appears as a helpful figure at first, informing them that they must hurry, that they’re going to be late. But as the dream darkens, the Servant’s warnings become more dire and menacing, the consequences for being late worse and worse. The Servant rises in power when mortals fear making mistakes or missing crucial opportunities. Spell level

Name

1st Level

alarm, expeditious retreat, sleep, unseen servant, time slip*

2nd Level

arcane lock, hold person, knock, locate object, suggestion, steal speed*

3rd Level

haste, phantom steed, sleet storm, slow

5th Level

dominate person

— * These spells can be found in Chapter 8 of this book.

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HATED BY THE FEY

There is no power in any world that loathes the Throne of Dreams as much as the fey of the Dream World. They cannot travel directly to the Nightmare World from their home, but must pass through the waking world to reach their enemies, and there are many wards and protections to keep them away. But the archfey of the Court of Dreams would gladly empower any mortal who was willing to challenge the abomination of the Throne of Nightmares.

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A portal to the Nightmare World has been discovered. Explore its threshold.

2

A berserk clan, driven to a frenzy by unrelenting nightmares, is assaulting innocents. Defeat them.

3

Dread elves appear and demand tribute in furs and monster parts lest they unleash shadow creatures.

4

An evil spirit has been appearing in the dreams of shamans. Investigate its source and pursue it.

d4

5th–10th level

1

A clan has found a way south for the winter through the Nightmare World. Guard them as they travel.

2

The Throne of Nightmares offers the party anything they want if they become waking agents of terror.

3

Dread elves reveal they have captured the party’s hated enemy, and invite them to a fight to the death against them.

4

A tormented shaman sends the party into the Nightmare World to bring an offering to appease the Throne.

d4

11th–16th level

1

A disease creates a panic in the Great Valley, sending untold waves of power to the Throne of Nightmares.

2

Trapped in the Nightmare World, the party must face a staggering series of moral quandaries to survive.

3

Undead hordes and shadow beasts are being loosed from a doorway to Nod. Assault it and seal them in.

4

Journey into the Dream World to gain the blessing of the Court of Dreams to fight against the Throne.

d4

17th–20th level

256

1

An old mentor has been driven mad by nightmares. Journey to the Throne itself to reclaim their sanity.

2

Travel to the Sea of Stars and gain the power of the Day-Star to deal a killing blow to the dark Throne.

3

Secrets tell of a fell weapon buried at the foot of the Throne of Nightmares. Dare to claim it.

4

Cysts of dark magic are erupting throughout the world, empowering evil. Investigate and make them cease.

Chapter 11 | Factions & Threats

Vyrkha the Shepherd “IN A WORLD OF GODS AND MONSTERS, THE POWER OF genius, ambition, and utter ruthlessness are easy to overlook.” —Eddermas, early teacher of the boy Vyrkha

O

THER THREATS RELY ON MAGIC, ANCIENT knowledge, or immortal lifespans to shape Planegea to their will. Not Vyrkha the Shepherd. This conquering warlord was born a mortal, and looks forward to a mortal death, covered in as much glory and power as he can get in his short lifespan. Vyrkha is only a man… but he is a brilliant tactician, a master of diplomacy, battle, rhetoric, and espionage. Other threats lurk in the darkness, plotting their eternal schemes. Vyrkha the Shepherd marches into the light at the head of an army and takes what he wants—which is everything.

OVERVIEW

In a campaign dominated by Vyrkha the Shepherd, your party might travel from the heart of the Brother Clans, through the remote reaches of the Great Valley, into the World-Fangs and beyond. You’ll fight to halt invading armies, confront master spies and skilled generals, discover secret weapons and sudden betrayals, and rally an alliance to keep Planegea from falling by the sword of one man’s boundless pride and endless conquest. On the battlefield and banquet hall, in hidden crypts with secret weapons or the elemental terrors of the WorldFangs, your party may battle humanoids, beasts, monstrosities, and elementals who have fallen sway and serve under the all-consuming banner of Vyrkha. Vyrkha campaigns tend to favor heroic fantasy and intrigue, full of grand battles, political threats, agents and counter-agents, sabotage, sieges, armies on the move, and desperate last stands against overwhelming forces.

THE SHEEP BOY

Vyrkha was born a common shepherd in the Fields of Fargone, between the Soaring Stones and the Sea Empire. Even as a child he showed great promise and all knew he was destined to be chieftain of their little clan. Then the Storm Giants raided their clan. In a single night, Vyrkha lost everyone and everything he knew. His father was captured, his mother crushed, his flock scattered, his shaman, chieftain, elders, all destroyed. Vyrkha, hiding in the shadows, was changed forever, and vowed to never be weak and helpless again. In that moment, the sheep boy died, and the warlord was born.

WARLORD RISING

Vyrkha spent the next twelve years traveling, learning all he could from anyone who would teach him. He studied worship at Seerfall, magic at Lake Littleblood, and hunted with the Venomguard, where he heard the teachings of Kraia and first learned about Scavenger’s Vow. He listened at the feet of the elders of the Brother Clans as they sojourned in the Allhunt, then traveled north to spend time with the herders of the Dire Grazelands. It’s rumored he even joined a Riverland cult for a time, before finally finding his place among the warlords of the Raiding Plains. From there, as he gathered followers and amassed successful raids and conquests, his powers only grew, until he became not just a warlord, but the warlord—and all of Planegea started whispering his name.

AN ESCALATING THREAT

Vyrkha does not amass power all at once—he develops as a threat over time. Depending on the length and theme of your adventure or campaign and your party’s level, you may choose to introduce him in any of the phases of his grand campaign of conquest. THE WARLORD (1ST–4TH LEVELS) At the beginning, Vyrkha is merely a successful and clever warlord among other warlords in the Raiding Plains. The party might encounter him as an ally against a common monster or as a dangerous but even-handed enemy, and find him charming and cunning, if a little grandiose.

Tactically brilliant. Vyrkha always deploys his troops to their best advantage, positioning mobile archers at long range, using foot soldiers, beasts, traps, and the terrain to slow his enemies down maneuver them into unfavorable conditions. He always has a surprise planned, and what looks like a mistake is always a ruse for a more clever and devastating final blow. Politically savvy. In parlay, feasting, council, and on the battlefield, Vyrkha is always looking to leverage advantages and allies to open up more opportunities for himself. Flattery, intimidation, seduction, blackmail, and bribery are all tools in his hands to weaken his enemies and strengthen his own position for whatever he has planned next. Curious & ambitious. Vyrkha always wants to know more, see more, do more. He thirsts for knowledge that can be used to his advantage, and takes every opportunity to interact with traders, travelers, and sages to learn about the world around him. He paints a grand picture for his followers of a safer, better world, where dragons and giants serve mankind, not the other way around. He is seen as a poet-warrior, and people are drawn to his mind as well as his might. Determined to survive. Vyrkha is ruthless, ready to sacrifice an ally or deal the coup de grâce to an unconscious enemy. If threatened, he always has no less than five escapes planned, including such tactics as bodyguards, secret exits, plundered talismans, distractions, and traps to forestall those who would try to corner him.

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THE KHAN (5TH–10TH LEVELS) As Vyrkha amasses victories, he begins to consolidate power, bringing warlords as generals under his banner and subjugating clans. The party might encounter him as a regional ruler or at the head of a conquering army sweeping out of the Raiding Plains into the Great Valley. His eye is on the Brother Clans, and his agents have begun to spread into the distant corners of the world, sowing the seeds of his great campaign. Head of an army. Vyrkha’s tactical brilliance now extends to an army, with camps, supply lines, fronts and fortresses. He has deep resources to draw upon, conquered clans who hunt, gather, and pacify the gods for him, and is beginning his campaign of conquest into the heart of the Great Valley, with the Bear Clan as his first target. Ruler of a region. Although Vyrkha still commands his troops, he is also occupied with the business of governing, dealing with traders, treaties, spellcasters, and shamans. He is a master of propaganda, and uses every means at his disposal to feed and shelter those in his domain—as long as they remain subserviant to his absolute authority. Master of generals. With his army too large to oversee personally, Vyrkha has installed generals with command over various aspects of his forces. These include Tu’ula the Half-Giant, Keth of Spiderhill, Morkesh Once-Druid, Shining Aia, and Flurgh Many-Skulls. King of spies. While his armies march and his subjects serve, Vyrkha is perhaps most interested in the work of his agents abroad. From the Living Lair of Scavenger’s Vow to the corners of the Empires and beyond, from Seerfall to Scattersea and the Cult Riverlands, Vyrkha has sent crafty followers to learn all they can about the world’s powers, to report back and to find the cracks in their foundations that can be used to break them. THE EMPEROR (11TH–16TH LEVELS) When the Bear Clan falls, it’s only a matter of time before Vyrkha uses the power of Urhosh to overwhelm the Ape and Lion Clans. With all three Brothers under his control, Vyrkha strikes a dangerous bargain with Twr, allying himself with good and evil gods alike, as long as they grant him more power. Now the undisputed ruler of the Great Valley and its surrounding regions, Vyrkha begins subjugating the Dire Grazelands and pushing outwards… his goal no less than the subjugation of the giant empires. Commander of gods. Once the Brothers and Twr are on his side, almost all the gods of the Great Valley must be subject to Vyrkha’s will or be slain for their divine ivory. With such divine magic at his command, Vyrkha’s armies are shielded, blessed, and empowered far beyond the power of any previous mortal force. Kingmaker. The generals who have proven their loyalty to Vyrkha have been granted monarchies and rule huge swaths of land. Their domains are not equally prosperous— some are better rulers than others—and Vyrkha is not slow to behead even an old ally if he feels their reign is undermining his authorirty.

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Rival of giants. Thanks to abundant resources and divine allies, Vyrkha has become a menace even to the empires. Emissaries traveling from one empire to another to take war-council are often targeted by his strongest forces, and giant strongholds on the fringes of the empires have started to fall. There are even dissatisfied storm and frost giants who are starting to be tempted by his promises of power and a new Planegea, free of the shackles of the old empires, remade by ambitious imagination. Plunderer of ruins & dreams. The gods are not Vyrkha’s only source of newfound strength. As his grip on the Great Valley becomes total, Vyrkha has been sending raiders into ancient tombs, sealed vaults, and even across the threshold into Nod, bringing back weapons, armor, and wondrous items to make himself and his armies more powerful than ever before. Explorer of the Worldfangs. While his armies fight and his monarchs reign, Vyrkha has been spending more and more time disappearing into the Worldfangs at the head of conquering expeditions. He has become obsessed with the idea of commanding the great powers of those regions, and is hunting even such creatures as the kraken and tarrasque in hopes of bringing them under his control. THE TITAN (17TH–20TH LEVELS) In the end, even the empires of the giants fall. The God-Emperor Vyrkha, master of monsters and gods, giants and elementals, wielder of legendary weapons and conquerer of all, is the most powerful being between Blood Mountain and the Sea of Stars. With his legions and magic, monsters and wonders, Vyrkha must now choose between a final assault on Blood Mountain or an outward campaign to conquer Nod, Death, and the Sea of Stars… for one thing is sure: he will never be content to merely rule the world. Beyond mortality. Clothed in absolute power, blessed by subservient gods, geared in the greatest of all legendary artifacts, if Vyrkha is still mortal, his death seems all but unimaginable. He strides across the world, enacting his will everywhere he goes without opposition, the shaper of reality and master of all. Guarded by gods. Vyrkha never travels without his personal bodyguard, the most elite warriors and spellcasters in the world, each of them godlike champions in their own right. He encamps in the hallows of gods, demanding hospitality and protection from his divine subjects, and uses the scrying eyes of his court to keep watch for any potential threats—present or future. Corruption & conspiracy. Vyrkha does well to keep watch, for he cannot be everywhere at once, and his empire is rotting from the inside. His monarchs and their heirs are fractured, dissolute, and scheme gainst each other, even enacting minor wars between kingdoms. There are also rumors of an underground resistance, a rising tide of overthrow within the empire, led by young fools who would dare to challenge Vyrkha’s absolute might. The final campaign. Vyrkha stands poised to strike beyond the edges of the world, and is weighing his options. For the first time in his life, he seems paralyzed with

indecision—whether to conquer the Worldheart Dragon, subjugate the genies of the Elemental Wastes as a stepping stone to the Sea of Stars, or bring Nod and the Kingdom of Death under his control. He knows that he must choose one—to try all three at once is beyond even his reach—and will decide soon… maybe tomorrow…

ADVENTURES BY LEVEL d4

1st–4th level

1

A young warlord in the Raiding Plains lays siege to your encampment. Defend it against the onslaught.

2

Vyrkha's raiders attacked your patron. Chase them into the wilderness and survive to take revenge.

3

Vyrkha has left on a raid, leaving a skeleton crew at his fortress. Lead an assault, to plunder the plunderer.

4

The warlord Vyrkha stands at the gates of a clan's encampment. Challenge him to single combat.

d4

5th–10th level

1

An old mentor has been imprisoned by Morkesh. Smuggle a talisman to him which he can use to escape.

2

You have been chosen to act as emissaries for the Brother Clans. Parlay with Vyrkha to stave off invasion.

3

The tents of your loved ones are smoldering mounds, razed by Flurgh. Raise an army to go to war against him.

4

You find yourselves bound to the violent and dangerous service of one of Vyrkha's generals. Plot your escape.

d4

11th–16th level

1

A fire giant emissary has requested your aid in traveling to the Stone Empire. Protect them at all costs.

2

Rumors say that Vyrkha's agents have amassed a hoard of secret weapons. Discover its location and plunder it.

3

Vyrkha's tomb-raiders have unsealed an ancient, undead horror. Save all you can from the devastation.

4

Someone you owe a great debt has been forced to lead an expedition into the Worldfangs. Take their place.

d4

17th–20th level

1

It's said that Vyrkha has hidden a key to his power in the Moon-Palace of Takash. Find and destroy it.

2

A ruined giant city lies shattered and haunted. Search its dark depths for secrets to oppose Vyrkha.

3

There is no hope left in Planegea to fight Vyrkha. Journey beyond the world's edge to find allies.

4

No living soul who can stop Vyrkha. Journey into the Kingdom of Death to bring back his loved ones.

SILENCE REGARDING THE BLIND HEAVEN You may be surprised to reach the end of the threats section and find no description of the Blind Heaven. However, on some subjects, even this song dares not go further. If you seek to integrate the Hounds of the Blind Heaven into your campaign, you must do so on your own. It would be better, however, to leave the Blind Heaven alone, for inquiring into the Hounds is the work of fools and the obsessed. If you refuse to heed this warning, there are a few ways of representing the Hounds in your campaign: • Reskin. Find the most terrible monster your imagination and research can conjure, and express it as the Hounds in your campaign. If you use some other creature for their stats and abilities, perhaps the Hounds will pass you by and not chase you down. • Reframe. Instead of giving the Hounds stat blocks, you could express them as an effect, such as a curse that grows in menace and power as fools break the Black Taboos. This curse might be subtle at first, but terrible over time, playing more strongly to themes of horror. • Remove. It might be best to pretend the Hounds were never there. The concept isn’t a fit for every table—it was intended as a DM tool to help confine play to Stone Age norms. If you feel the Hounds are unnecessary for your players, and want to explore the idea of inventing the wheel, writing, or currency, you can simply choose to not use them in your game. (See “Modifying Planegea” in Chapter 9, p. 151, for more on this.) But that’s enough talk of the Hounds. Even now, the sound of howling prickles the nape of the neck. No more will be said on this.

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CHAPTER 12

TREASURES “You CAN’T carry all that back to the encampment, Ek-Sur!” “Watch me!” The dragonborn hauled on the giant’s helmet, muscles straining to budge the spike-studded crest, still wet with blood from the recent battle. With a groan, he got it to pitch over and start rolling downhill towards their fire. “Ha! See?” The elf rolled her eyes hugely. “Amazing. Yes. SO good. Are you planning to roll their whole caravan downhill?” “It’s a WHOLE CARAVAN, Lemilith! Do you expect us to just LEAVE it!?” Ek-Sur was already tugging a ring the size of his waist off a second corpse. She held her hand against the sun, her translucent hand only making its light watery and blue as it shone on her face. “I think you should pick out three nice things yourself and thank your personal omens this plan worked.” “Can’t you LEVITATE something?” “I could. But this is boring. And your appetite for barter has gotten us in trouble more than once. We can’t show our faces in Swapshore for at least four seasons.” Ek-Sur puffed smoke from his nostrils angrily. Then a slow smile spread across his face. “All right, you know best. I guess we’ll just have to leave the silks along with everything else.” Lemilith sat up. “Silks?” “Silks. Gems. Incense. All the fineries of the Air Empire. I saw it tumble out of the back when the mammoth toppled over. Must be under all that bulk, but there’s no way I can budge it by myself. Too bad I don’t have any magic to lift the carcass.” Lemilith hopped off the pile of wreckage. “Fine. You win. I guess I have a LITTLE magic left. Now shut up and show me these silks.”

I

N PLANEGEA, WEALTH IS NOT MEASURED BY coins or gems, but by influence, reputation, length of life, and the tools you have to stay alive and protect those that you care about. Material goods are only valued so far as they enable you to exert your will in the world, and the value of all things is relative, depending on who you’re bartering with and how desperate they are.

AWARDING LOOT

Given that Planegea has no coin or currency, conquering enemies large and small comes with other rewards. Use the Currency Conversion table in Chapter 7, p. 95, for simple conversion from gold. Loot can also take the form of magic items, finely crafted goods, or extraordinary raw materials (such as prized scales, feathers, blood, bones, teeth, etc). These materials might be carried by the defeated creature or harvested from them. Loot can also be claimed in the form of favors, gratitude, and bonds. If the party defeats a creature that has menaced an individual, a clan, or a region, they may now be owed a debt of gratitude, which they can use to gain whatever advantages they might seek.

NAMES & SCARS

Reputation goes a long way in Planegea—and a meaningful name or an impressive scar can be a form of passive wealth, lowering the price of a bartered trade, giving characters access to environments and adventures where a less impressive person might be unwelcome. Names and scars can act as a kind of permanent wealth in Planegea. Since the characters cannot hoard huge piles of currency, these badges of reputation act as a baseline added value to any trade they might engage in. Much as a party of experienced adventurers in medieval fantasy tosses ten gold around without thinking twice, a party of experienced adventurers in Planegea could expect quick service and respect and basic goods offered to them on the strength of their name and scars alone. To offer this as a reward, communicate to your players when they win a new name or scar about its value—not in material terms, but in terms of the respect and deference shown to them, as a wealthy person would expect deference in another era. Assign a value to the name or scar, and let the player know their character won’t need to barter for items below the threshold of the combined value of their names and scars. Generally speaking, a name or scar should have an approximate value equivalent to an item of loot a character might have won for a hard or deadly battle with a monster. 5th Edition materials have random loot tables listed per monster CR, which make good guidelines for the value of a new name or scar. NAMES Giving the characters new names tells their story, reinforces their reputation, makes them recognizable, and anchors them more firmly in the world. Names can be individual (such as the Ram or Fire-Eater) or applied to everyone in the group (such as the Monsterslayers or the Firstblood Five). Names are geographical, and diminish in value the farther from the place where they were awarded. To decide whether or not they’ve been heard of, award a reputation DC to the name (higher for less famous names, lower for more famous names), and have NPCs they encounter roll an Intelligence (History) check to see if they’ve heard of them. This DC should increase the farther the characters are from where the name was awarded. Name table. Use the following table as an example to quickly lay out the value of name. You can offer a template like this to your characters for them to track their names if it’s helpful.

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Name

Hydra’s Bane

Worth in salt

250 ps

Awarded in

The Slumbering Forest

Reputation DC

16

Nameworthy deeds. Characters might earn names for any of the following heroic acts, among others: • Killing a monster • Saving innocent lives • Standing up to an intimidating foe • Averting a disaster • Stopping a plague • Creating a landmark • Recovering a priceless item • Discovering a wonder SCARS Like names, scars can offer passive wealth to a player, but without geographical limitation. As such, scars are more inherently valuable than names. It’s important, however, to discuss with players whether scars are part of their vision for their character. Some players might not want to their character bearing any scars, and some might want their character to be heavily scarred from the beginning, which would alter the balance of wealth in the party. Discuss whether using scars as a reward is a good fit for your group before your first adventure. If it works for your group, use it as an optional rule, and work with your players to grant scars that enhance their character’s aesthetic. For random scars for players and NPCs, you can roll on the tables on this page, with a scar size of 2d10 inches.

HARVESTED PARTS

Many monsters, once slain, can be harvested for valuable parts. These parts can fetch a handsome value with the right trader, although DMs should exercise caution in assigning prices to parts as a universal rule, as some players may seek to exploit economies of scale if harvesting is too reliable a source of income. It’s generally best to have traders only interested in a limited supply of any given monster part—or, if any given part is traded often, for the value to diminish as the market is flooded. That said, harvesting parts can still provide opportunities for adventure, barter, and crafting. Common parts include: Teeth or claws. Teeth or claws are usually fairly easy to extract and transport, and of high value for crafting weapons or tools, or as decoration. If a creature is known for its many teeth (such as a shark) its teeth may be less valuable since they are more common. Bones. Bones can be used to craft weapons or structures, and usually require substantial effort to extract and clean. They generally command an average price for their utility, but unless they are curiously shaped or colored or have magical properties, they are hard to differentiate from more commonly-found bones.

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1d20

Scar location

1d20

Scar location

1

Head (roll on head scar table)

11

Fingers

2

Neck

12

Thumbs

3

Shoulders

13

Hips

4

Chest

14

Thighs

5

Upper arms

15

Knees

6

Forearms

16

Calves

7

Trunk

17

Ankles

8

Belly

18

Feet

9

Wrist

19

Toes

10

Hands

20

Roll twice, scar hits both

1d20

Head scar location

1d20

Head scar location

1

Crown

11

Forehead

2

Back of head

12

Left eye

3

Nape of neck

13

Right eye

4

Left temple

14

Nose

5

Right temple

15

Upper lip

6

Right jaw

16

Lower lip

7

Left jaw

17

Left cheek

8

Left ear

18

Right cheek

9

Right ear

19

Chin

10

Hands

20

Roll twice, scar hits both

1d12

Scar type

1d12

Scar type

1

Melted or mottled (acid)

7

Pox scarring (necrotic)

2

Discolorated (bludgeoning)

8

Punctured (piercing)

3

Frostbitten (cold)

9

Withered (poison)

4

Burned (fire)

10

Shiny (radiant)

5

Bent or torn (force)

11

Long scar (slashing)

6

Branched scarring (lightning)

12

Banded scarring (thunder)

Meat. Edible meat is always valuable, especially if its flavor is good. The meat of a monster or dangerous beast is highly prized, believed to endow those who eat it with might and prowess in hunting and other endeavors. Raw meat usually spoils quickly, and must be consumed or preserved by smoking, packing in salt, or other means. Fur or hide. A creature’s fur or hide can command a high value in a trade, depending on its size and quality. Fur or hide can be difficult to extract, depending on the anatomy of the creature, and is most useful in wide uninterrupted sheets. Unusual colors or textures are greatly valued, especially if the fur or hide is especially warming or cooling (depending on the environment).

Eyes or ears. The eyes, ears, or other delicate external organs of a creature can be of great value to spellcasters or as trophies if well-preserved. Such organs are fragile and can perish easily if mishandled, and those interested in them are less common, but more passionate when found, willing to pay handsomely for the parts they seek. Head or paws. The head, paws, or other parts of a creature can be taken in whole as a trophy. Such parts are usually displayed as proof of conquest. Because of their size, they are usually only desired by chieftains, shamans, or other persons of influence who can afford to transport or display such prizes. Blood or venom. The natural fluids of creatures can be highly valued by the right trader. Blood and any poisonous fluids are the easiest to barter, but certain acids, biles, or other fluids might find an interested trader under the right circumstances. Internal organs. The heart, liver, stomach, or other internal organs of creatures have varying values depending on the nature of the creature and its natural or magical abilities. Such organs are usually relatively easy to extract, but hard to preserve, and must generally be used for whatever their purpose is quickly before they perish. Stone or pearl. Some creatures have a stone, jewel, pearl, or other artifact embedded in their physiology. Such stones are highly prized and command great value in trades, often sought out by collectors and powerful shamans or spellskins as spell components.

PRECIOUS PLANTS

Some creatures guard magical or rare plants as treasured items. Such plants might be seeds or bulbs, or sprouted and worn in pouches or pots of soil, or they might be in hidden gardens, tenderly transplanted when the creature relocates. Plants might be valuable in themselves, or their parts might be able to be used as spell components, unusual flavoring, or other prized purposes. Some plants only flower or produce fruit under certain circumstances, and might have pictograms or enclosures that would suggest such timing.

Magic Items In Planegea, magic and the mundane are so interwoven that they have no real distinction in the minds of most people. Spells of divine and arcane nature are commonplace, as are prayers, superstitions, and inexplicable occurrences of all kind. Weather events such as lightning or windstorms are considered magical, fire is believed to be inherently magical, and so the appearance of a magical item is regarded with interest, but without undue amazement. That said, magic is one more element beyond the control of nonmagical mortals, and is regarded with as much guarded caution as a wild beast or dangerous river crossing. Spellcasters and those who carry magic items may be seen as threats, targets for robbery, or helpful allies, depending on those they encounter.

MAGIC ITEM ORIGINS

Magic items arise from many places in Planegea. Those held by mortals tend to be crafted by shamans, spellskins, gnomes, or else created by the gods. Many divine hallows act as de facto magic shops, mere mortals give offerings to the local deity in order to gain blessed items. Magic items can also arise from nature, the giant empires, or stranger provenance, such as the vault of aberrations, the elemental wastes, Nod, or even the far depths of the Sea of Stars. Consider how the item’s origin might affect its appearance and nature: Shaman. This item was hand-crafted by a shaman and imbued with divine power. It is formed of natural materials, carved simply with stone tools, and possibly decorated with beads, feathers, or colored shells. Spellskin. This item was invented by a spellskin and enchanted with arcane magic. It is minimal in nature, with as few elements as possible, but has inked or carved patterns on its surface to show the way to activate the spell. Gnome. This item is intricately created from reclaimed refuse and discarded materials, crafted with myriad tiny details of inventive and curious design. God. This item is miraculously shaped, perfectly organic or geometrical by the will of the god. It bears marks and decorations pertaining to the god’s nature, such as a scale pattern for a snake god or glittering gems for a stone god. An item given by an evil god tends to feature hooks, twisted shapes, and alluring colors, while an item given by good gods tends to be humble in appearance, yet elegant when examined or wielded. Giant. This item was created by the hands of giant artisans. It features strong geometric designs and is a little overlarge and heavy. It is decorated with materials natural to the Empire from which it comes, such as gemstones, obsidian, giant feathers, or shells. Aberration. This item was reclaimed from a vault or incursion of the alien minds known as aberrations (p. 256). It features a strange combination of living and artificial materials, and has a tendency to ooze, bead with condensation, or wriggle slightly when touched. Nod. This item is from one of the twin worlds of Nod. Items from the dream world tend to have an insubstantial, see-through quality to them, their outlines slightly amorphous, and to change slightly when you look away in small ways such as color or size. Items from the nightmare world tend to feature scars and scratches, as if they were created through some traumatic event, and rattle or hiss when closely examined.

Dragons will hoard anything magical made by anyone and call it all the same. Little do they realize that little battles are being fought beneath their claws as holy items duel with druidic ones, gnomecraft struggles with giant magic, and nature and aberration seek to unmake each other in subtle, unspeaking ways.

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Elemental Wastes. This item is an artifact of the elemental wastes, and is earth, air, fire, or water encapsulated. It’s made of rough elemental shapes, or else genie-crafted with mystical symbols and impossible artistry and whimsy. Stars. This item comes from the Sea of Stars, and gleams with an inner light, seeming to capture and hold any light source that shines upon it. When listened to closely it appears to be faintly singing. Nature. This item grew from nature itself, through some magical quirk of the land. It might have blossomed as the fruit or flower of an enchanted tree, or formed of its own accord in the rock of a mountain or riverbed, or been created through a natural event such as lightning striking sand or the wind shaping a stone over countless years.

CONVERTING MAGIC ITEMS

Most magic items in Fifth Edition can be used in Planegea, simply by converting any metal components to prehistoric materials (stone, wood, bone, shell, etc), with two obvious exceptions: Books become chants. Various books in 5E grant abilities and unleash effects when read over time. These magic items become chants, which must be memorized and uttered from start to finish, requiring the same amount of time as the time required to read the book. Spell scrolls become talismans. Talismans are small, brittle trinkets, usually made of clay, fragile bones, string, and the like. When used correctly, a talisman unravels to cast its spell, and then disintegrates into dust. However, it is possible to unravel a talisman clumsily, failing to activate the magic. If a non-spellcaster breaks the talisman, they must succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence check or the spell escapes without effect. On a natural 1, the spell targets the non-spellcaster who broke the talisman.

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Use this table to determine the spell’s attack bonus or spell save DC: Spell Level

Save DC

Attack Bonus

Cantrip

13

+5

1st

13

+5

2nd

13

+5

3rd

15

+7

4th

15

+7

5th

17

+9

6th

17

+9

7th

18

+10

8th

18

+10

9th

19

+11

Magic Masks In the primal world of Planegea, there are many dangerous secrets and menacing powers. The mortals of the world have found countless ways to survive, but perhaps none are as unique to the world as the creation of magic masks, imbued with the power of the creature they represent. When worn by a mortal attuned to the mask, a transformation occurs as the mask comes to life at the will of the wearer. There are many masks in Planegea, of both divine and arcane origin. This section lists 18 of them, as well as offering guidance on how to create original masks for your own table’s adventures. Magic Masks by Rarity Rarity

Magic Masks

Uncommon

Mask of the Bat

Uncommon

Mask of the Eagle

Uncommon

Mask of the Cobra

Uncommon

Mask of the Spider

Uncommon

Mask of the Sprite

Uncommon

Mask of the Toad

Uncommon

Mask of the Lion

Rare

Mask of the Blink Dog

Rare

Mask of the Duergar

Rare

Mask of the Ape

Rare

Mask of the Mimic

Rare

Mask of the Wraith

Very Rare

Mask of the Balor

Very Rare

Mask of the Treant

Very Rare

Mask of the Unicorn

Very Rare

Mask of the Vampire

Legendary

Mask of the Dragon

Legendary

Mask of the Storm Giant

MAGIC MASK Wondrous item (mask), rarity by mask (requires attunement) This mask is carved and decorated to resemble a specific creature, and imbues its wearer with a measure of that creature’s power. As a bonus action, you can put on or remove the mask. The mask has 5 charges. While wearing the mask, as an action you expend 1 of its charges and immediately take the mask’s action. If the action uses an item such as a weapon or other held object, the mask projects a spectral version of the object, which disappears when the charge is expended. The mask regains 1d4+1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the mask’s last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the mask’s magic fades and it becomes a mundane object. There are many magic masks in the world, created by all manner of spellcasters and magical beings for many different purposes. Here are some of them:

Mask of the Ape (rare). This huge, glowering mask allows you to hurl spectral boulders. When you expend a charge, make a ranged weapon attack against a target you can see within 50 feet, or within 100 feet with disadvantage. This attack is +9 to hit. On a hit, deal 7d6 + 6 bludgeoning damage. Mask of the Balor (very rare). This red, ox-headed mask unleashes an aura of fire around you. When you expend a charge, each creature within 5 feet of you takes 3d6 fire damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. Until the start of your next turn, a creature that touches you or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you takes 3d6 fire damage. Mask of the Bat (uncommon). This crude mask with oversized ears grants you the senses of the bat. When you expend a charge, you gain blindsight to a range of 60 feet until the start of your next turn. Mask of the Blink Dog (rare). This mask of a sharp-eared canine allows you to teleport. When you expend a charge as an action, you magically teleport, along with any equipment you are wearing or carrying, up to 40 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. This teleportation does not provoke attacks of opportunity. As part of this action, either before or after teleporting, you can make one attack. Mask of the Cobra (uncommon). This fanged, hooded mask gives you the power of a poisonous bite. When you expend a charge, make a melee weapon attack against a target you can see within 10 feet. The attack is +6 to hit, and deals 1d4 + 4 piercing damage. On a hit, the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Mask of the Dragon (legendary). This red, polished mask of a great dragon grants you fiery breath. When you expend a charge, you exhale fire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Mask of the Duergar (rare). This gray, dwarvish mask grants you the power to enlarge your form. When you expend a charge, you magically increase in size, along with anything you are wearing or carrying, for 1 minute, during which time you cannot expend another charge with this mask. Your size category increases by 1. While enlarged, you double your damage dice on Strength-based weapon attacks, and make Strength checks and Strength saving throws with advantage. If you lack the room to increase by 1 size, you attain the maximum size possible in the space available. Mask of the Eagle (uncommon). This mask features the sharp hooked beak and yellow eyes of an eagle. When you expend a charge, you gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed until the start of your next turn. Mask of the Lion (uncommon). This golden-maned mask grants you the predator’s mighty pounce. If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hit it with a melee attack on the same turn, you may expend a charge as part of your attack action. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the

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target is prone, you can make one additional melee attack against it as a bonus action. Mask of the Mimic (rare). This amorphous mask allows you to disguise yourself as an object. When you expend a charge, you can turn into an object of approximately the same size as yourself. While you remain motionless, you are indistinguishable from an ordinary object, although you still retain all your existing stats, abilities, proficiencies, and requirements (such as food, air, and sleep). You can use your bonus action to return to your own form. Mask of the Spider (uncommon). This black, many-eyed mask gives you the power to shoot webbing. When you expend a charge, make a ranged weapon attack against a creature you can see within 30 feet, or 60 feet with disadvantage. The attack is +5 to hit. On a hit, the target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage). Mask of the Sprite (uncommon). This wide-eyed, glittering mask grants the power to see into a creature’s heart. When you expend a charge, you can touch a creature and magically know the creature’s current emotional state. If the target fails a DC 10 Charisma saving throw, you also know the creature’s alignment (if any). Celestials, fiends, and undead automatically fail the saving throw. Mask of the Storm Giant (legendary). This frightening, oversized mask allows you to wield the power of lightning. When you expend a charge, you hurl a magical lightning bolt at a point you can see within 500 feet of it. Each creature within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 12d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Mask of the Toad (uncommon). This brown, goggle-eyed mask features an enormous bite. When you expend a charge, make a melee weapon attack against a target you can see. The bite is +4 to hit. On a hit, deal 1d10 + 2 piercing damage plus 1d10 poison damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and you can’t bite another target. Mask of the Treant (very rare). This wooden, branched mask allows you to animate trees. When you expend a charge, you magically animate one or two trees you can see within 60 feet. These trees have the statistics of a treant, except they have Intelligence and Charisma scores of 1, they can’t speak, and they have only the Slam action option. An animated tree acts as your ally. The tree remains animate for 1 day or until it dies; until you die or are more than 120 feet from the tree; or until you take a bonus action to turn it back into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if possible. You cannot expend another charge with this mask while any trees are animated by its magic. Mask of the Unicorn (very rare). This mask of purest white with a spiraling horn grants you a healing touch. When you expend a charge, you can touch another creature with the mask’s horn. The target magically regains 2d8 + 2

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hit points. In addition, the touch removes all diseases and neutralizes all poisons afflicting the target. Mask of the Vampire (very rare). This pale, fanged mask summons the children of the night at your command. When you expend a charge, you magically call 2d4 swarms of bats or rats, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, you can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as your allies and obeying your spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until you die, or until you dismiss them as a bonus action. Mask of the Wraith (rare). This translucent, ghostly mask grants you the power of incorporeal movement. When you expend a charge, until the start of your next turn, you can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. Take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object. CREATING MAGIC MASKS Magic masks are simple to design and powerful in play. To make your own magic mask, select a creatureand choose one of its actions or abilities to grant to the attuned creature. (For balance purposes, Multiattack should not be chosen.) Rewrite the creature’s action in player-facing langauge, and the mask is complete! Timing. Some creatures have abilities that are only to be used once or twice per day, or have ongoing effects. For these abilities, add a clause such as “until the start of your next turn,” or “you cannot expend another charge until…” to keep the mask in line with the monster’s ability. Damage. Masks that deal damage should scale by rarity. The ranges below are based on average player damage by tier of play, and should offer a good baseline: • Uncommon: 10–20 damage per round • Rare: 25–50 damage per round • Very Rare: 35–75 damage per round • Legendary: 40–85 damage per round

Magic Item Descriptions This is just a scattering of the magic items that can be found in strongholds, sanctums, vaults, and other secret places throughout Planegea. Some are the prized possessions of powerful heroes and villains, while others are used everyday by unremarkable mortals. AMULET OF THE ARENA Wondrous item, rare While wearing this amulet, your size doubles in all dimensions, and your weight is multiplied by eight. This growth increases your size by one category—from Medium to Large, for example. If there isn’t enough room to double your size, you take 1d6 force damage per 5 feet of constrained space, and are restrained until you remove the amulet or are freed from the space. Until the amulet is removed, you also have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. Your weapons also grow to match your new size. APPARATUS OF THE HAWK Wondrous item, legendary This item first appears to be a Large sealed stone cylinder weighing 400 pounds. The cylinder has a hidden catch, which can be found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Releasing the catch unlocks a hatch at one end of the monument, allowing two Medium or smaller creatures to crawl inside. Ten levers are set in a row at the far end, each in a neutral position, able to move either up or down. When certain levers are used, the apparatus transforms to resemble a giant hawk. The Apparatus of the Hawk is a Large object with the following statistics: Armor Class: 20 Hit Points: 200 Speed: 10 ft., Fly 60 ft. (or 0 ft. if the talons or wings aren’t extended) Damage Immunities: poison, psychic To be used as a vehicle, the apparatus requires one pilot. While the apparatus’s hatch is closed, the compartment is airtight and warm. The compartment holds enough air for 10 hours of breathing, divided by the number of breathing creatures inside. The apparatus is capable of flight unless it is submerged in liquid or its wings are restrained or blocked by obstacles. A creature in the compartment can use an action to move as many as two of the apparatus’s levers up or down. After each use, a lever goes back to its neutral position. Each lever, from left to right, functions as shown in the Apparatus of the Hawk Levers table.

I pass along word of these apparatuses because I’ve heard it to be so, but who would possibly create such a preposterous object, let alone several? And to what purpose? This seems very unlikely to me, I’d consider this bit pure conjecture.



APPARATUS OF THE HAWK LEVERS Lever

Up

Down

1

Wings extend, allowing the apparatus to fly.

Wings retract, reducing the apparatus’s flying speed to 0 and making it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed.

2

Forward window shutter opens.

Forward window shutter closes.

3

Floor and ceiling window shutters open (one above, one below).

Floor and ceiling window shutters close (one above, one below).

4

Two talons extend from The talons retract, the underside side of the reducing the apparatus, raising it 5 ft. apparatus’s walking speed to 0 and making and allowing it to walk. it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed.

5

The apparatus walks or flies forward.

The apparatus walks or flies backward.

6

Each extended wing makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage.

The talons make the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15)

7

The apparatus turns 90 degrees left.

The apparatus turns 90 degrees right.

8

Lenses cover over the windows , magnifying objects viewed through them to twice their size.

The lenses retract.

9

The apparatus descends as much as 20 feet in air.

The apparatus rises up to 20 feet in air.

10

The rear hatch unseals and opens.

The rear hatch closes and seals.

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APPARATUS OF THE MAMMOTH Wondrous item, legendary

ARCFIRE GLAIVE Weapon (glaive), very rare (requires attunement)

This item first appears to be a Huge sealed stone monument weighing 10,000 pounds, featuring the carved head of a mammoth and two stone tusks. The monument has a hidden catch, which can be found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Releasing the catch unlocks a hatch at one end of the monument, allowing six Large or smaller creatures to crawl inside. Ten levers are set in a row at the far end, each in a neutral position, able to move either up or down. When certain levers are used, the apparatus transforms to resemble a stone mammoth. The apparatus of the Mammoth is a Huge object with the following statistics:

This ever-burning weapon can be spun in whirling attacks, threatening everyone around the wielder. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit with it, the target takes an additional 2d8 fire damage. As an action, you can use the glaive to make a whirling attack in a 10-foot radius. Creatures within the radius must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d8 fire damage. On a success, they take half as much. Any flammable objects in the radius ignite.

Armor Class: 30 Hit Points: 400 Speed: 30 ft., Swim 10 ft. (or 0 ft. if the legs aren’t extended) Damage Immunities: poison, psychic To be used as a vehicle, the apparatus requires one pilot. While the apparatus’s hatch is closed, the compartment is airtight. The compartment holds enough air for 10 hours of breathing, divided by the number of breathing creatures inside. The apparatus takes no penalty to speed from difficult terrain. A creature in the compartment can use an action to move as many as two of the apparatus’s levers up or down. After each use, a lever goes back to its neutral position. Each lever, from left to right, functions as shown in the Apparatus of the Mammoth Levers table (on the opposite page).

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ASP OF PERFECTION Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This armlet is fashioned of glittering gemweave, woven in the shape of a coiled serpent with bared fangs. Originally worn by the Air Empress, the Asp enables utter perfection, but punishes weakness with death. While you are attuned to the Asp, any attack roll, ability check, or saving throw other than a 1 is treated as a natural 20.

APPARATUS OF THE MAMMOTH LEVERS Lever

ASPECTER’S FLUTE Weapon (blowgun), uncommon

Up

Down

1

Legs extend, allowing the apparatus to walk.

Legs retract, reducing the apparatus’s speed to 0 and making it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed.

2

Forward window shutter opens.

Forward window shutter closes.

3

Side window shutters open (one per side).

Side window shutters close (one per side).

BASIN OF DREAMING Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

4

A trunklike appendage uncurls from the front of the apparatus.

The trunk retracts.

5

The apparatus walks forward.

The apparatus walks backward.

6

The tusks make the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft. Hit: 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage.

The extended trunk makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15)

This large stone basin has 5 charges and regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. The basin is about 1 foot in diameter and half as deep. It weighs 10 pounds and holds about 3 gallons. While the basin is filled with water, you can use an action to expend one of its charges to cast the dream spell. You can also use all 5 charges to cast planeshift.

7

The apparatus turns 90 degrees left.

The apparatus turns 90 degrees right.

8

The trunk emits a loud trumpeting that can be heard clearly for 1 mile, and faintly for 5 miles.

The trunk emits a loud trumpeting that can be heard clearly for 1 mile, and faintly for 5 miles.

9

The apparatus rears on its hind legs briefly, before slamming back down in a stomp attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage. Creatures in a 10 ft. radius must succeed on a DC15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

The apparatus charges forward up to 60 feet. Creatures in its path must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. On a success, they take half damage.

10

The rear hatch unseals and opens.

The rear hatch closes and seals.

If you roll a 1 on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw while attuned to the Asp, you drop to 0 hit points, automatically fail two death saving throws, and have disadvantage on your next death saving throw, which is not converted to a natural 20 by the Asp. Curse. The Asp of Perfection is cursed, and becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you. While cursed, a creature may not willingly remove the Asp. If it is forcibly removed, the cursed creature dies.

This slender blowgun shoots tiny needles infused with batface venom. When you hit with the Aspecter’s Flute, the target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d8 poison damage of which they are unaware. On a success, they take half as much and are aware of the damage.

BEAD OF BREEZE Wondrous item, common This fragile glass bead is chilly to the touch. You can use a bonus action to crush the bead, releasing a cool breeze that can be felt by creatures in a 50’ sphere centered on you. The breeze lasts for 1 minute. BEAD OF FROST Wondrous item, common This small icy bead is kept in a specially-prepared pouch until ready to be used. You can use an action to touch the bead to an object no larger than a 5-foot cube. The object becomes covered in a thin layer of magical frost. If the object was on fire, the fire is extinguished, and the object is chilled. The bead melts after 6 seconds, after which the object’s temperature returns to normal. BLOOD SIPHON Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) This pair of small ruby discs creates a magical link between two creatures, drawing the life-force from one creature to another in a parasitic bond. One disc has an engraving of a leech, and the other has an engraving of a flower. As an action, you can place the leech disc on the skin of a humanoid creature. That creature must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the leech disc attaches and cannot be removed except by magic such as a remove curse spell. The flower disc can be attached to the skin of another creature as a bonus action, and removed as a bonus action. At the time that both discs are attached to living creatures, the creature wearing the flower disc can choose one of the following abilities to siphon: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma. The ability cannot be changed unless both discs are removed and re-attached. The creature wearing the flower disc has advantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws using the chosen

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ability. The creature wearing the leech disc has disadvantage with the same ability. Every 24 hours, starting when both discs are attached, the creature wearing the leech disc must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they take one level of exhaustion. BLINDING WEAPON Weapon (any), uncommon (requires attunement) The first time you hit a creature with this weapon, they must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of their turn. BRIGHTSHATTER JAR Wondrous item, common This sealed, spherical jar, when broken, creates a magical light for 1 hour. The light is centered on the place the jar was broken, casting bright light in a 50-foot radius and dim light for an additional 50 feet. If the jar is broken in darkness, creatures within the bright light must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they have disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks relying on sight until the end of their next turn. CORD OF ETHEREAL PROJECTION Wondrous item, very rare This rope, woven from the fibers of magical seaweed, is 100 feet long, has 20 hit points, and can be burst with a DC 25 Strength check. While touching the rope, you can use an action to cast etherealness on yourself. The spell creates an ethereal projection of the rope. You are unable to move the ethereal rope, which occupies the same space as the original rope. The spell only lasts as long as you are touching the ethereal rope, and ends if the original rope or its ethereal projection are severed. Only one creature can use the rope in this way at a time. If a second creature uses an action to cast the spell while touching the rope, the spell ends for the first creature. CLOAK OF THE BEEKEPER Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) While attuned to this cloak, you have resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against being poisoned by the stings of bees, wasps, and other insects. CRAFTING HOOP Wondrous item, common This magical hoop of twigs or woven grasses offers a simple enchantment which allows a closer look at small objects. Its grants advantage on any ability check made to appraise or inspect an item that is small or highly detailed.

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DAY-STAR PENDANT Wondrous item, very rare These ivory pendants are given to members of the Council of Day (). Each pendant is inset with four tiny stones in the pattern of a diamond. When these stones are pulled into the center, they glow brightly, emitting a dim light in a 10-foot-radius. DEEPSTONE Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) Also called the Mountainheart, this legendary item was the prize of the Stone Empire. A large, egg-shaped stone of strange, rough texture, the Deepstone grants powerful control over the element of earth. When touching the Deepstone, you can cast the following spells at will with a range of 1 mile: (at-will) mold earth, move earth, erupting earth, stone shape, transmute rock, and (once per day) earthquake. Additionally, while you are attuned to the Deepstone, you gain the benefits of the investiture of stone spell, and can cast clairvoyance once per day, locating its sensor within 1 mile of the Deepstone. DIRESTAFF Weapon (quarterstaff), common This quarterstaff bears a minor enchantment. As a bonus action, you can double the length of the staff up to 10 feet, granting it the Reach property. When doubled in length, attacks made with a direstaff have disadvantage. You can return the direstaff to its original length with a bonus action. DOWSING ROD Wondrous item, common This enchanted forked stick is sensitive to the proximity of hidden water. While walking and holding the stick, you are aware if you are moving closer to or further from potable water. DURU’S CUDGEL Weapon (greatclub), legendary (requires attunement by a druid, warlock, or guardian) This enormous greatclub is a legendary bough from the original tree that was Duru himself. You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. If a creature makes an attack with this greatclub without being attuned to it, they take 4d6 necrotic damage as tiny leaves and flowers burst through their skin from the inside. While you are attuned to Duru’s Cudgel, creatures you hit with this weapon must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. A creature that fails the save begins to turn into a tree and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, transforming into a tree on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The transformation lasts until the creature is freed by greater restoration or other magic. A creature that fails the initial saving throw by 5 or more instantly transforms into a tree.

EMBRACING NET Weapon (net), uncommon

HALLOWED SOIL Wondrous item, very rare

This magical net is designed to squeeze the life out of its victims. You can use a bonus action to magically constrict it, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage to a creature restrained by it. If the net is destroyed by slashing damage, it weaves itself back together at the next dawn.

The small pot or satchel contains 1d4+6 handfuls of soil. You can use an action to sprinkle a handful of it on the ground. A handful can cover a circular area with a diameter of 30 feet, on which the soil casts the hallow spell with a DC of 18. Additionally, if you are familiar with the god from whose hallow the soil originated, while standing on the soil, you can use an action to cast sending and speak to that god. The god chooses whether or not to hear the message and can ignore it or respond as they see fit.

EYES OF THE STORM Wondrous item, uncommon These paired sapphires are attached by an ivory chain or cord of finely woven seaweed. While holding the Eyes of the Storm, your vision is not obscured by rain, snow, fog, or other weather effects. As an action, you can throw the Eyes up to 30 feet into the air. They hover at the apex of your throw for up to 1 minute. While they remain in the air, you can use your action to see through them until the end of your next turn. You are blind in regards to your own senses while using the Eyes in this way. You can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain your vision through the Eyes until the end of your next turn. FIREHIDE Wondrous item, common This heavy fur cloak, if ignited, burns perpetually with intangible fire until deprived of air or submerged in water. FLUTTERING MAIL Armor (any), uncommon This gauzy armor is enchanted with a permanent illusion to look and feel like a gleaming, loosely-woven garment, while still offering its wearer protection. You can don or doff this armor as an action. GNOMEKNACK CROSSBOW Weapon (crossbow), uncommon This ingenious device is three weapons in one. As a bonus action, you can speak the command word and transform this weapon into any of its three forms: hand crossbow, a light crossbow, or a heavy crossbow.

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HARMLESS PIN Wondrous item, common As a bonus action, this pin can be used to prick a creature, creating an illusion of intense pain for 1 second. Once a creature has been pricked with a harmless pin, it is immune to the effects of that particular pin in the future. HELM OF THE HOST Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster) This towering headpiece was worn by a Master of Ceremonies at the Air Empire’s yearly Carnival of Exquisite Agonies. It has 12 charges. While attuned to the Helm of the Host, you can expend charges to cast any illusion spell that you know without expending a spell slot, using one charge per level of the spell. The helm regains 1d4+2 charges daily at dawn. HORN OF THE HERD-LORD Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) This enchanted horn has 7 charges. While attuned to the horn, you can use an action to blow it, expending 4–7 charges to cast dominate beast with a DC of 17. The level at which the spell is cast is equal to the number of charges expended. The horn regains 1d4 + 3 expended charges daily at dawn.

GUTTER’S KNIFE Weapon (dagger), common This knife is ideal for harvesting a kill, and reduces the time spent when making Wisdom (Medicine or Survival) checks to harvest by half.

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ICEBITER PIKE Weapon (pike), very rare

LITTLE LIAR Weapon (dagger), rare

This frost giant pike was a prized weapon of the Stone Empire. While attuned to the Icebiter Pike, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon, and deal an additional 1d8 cold damage. As an action, you can use Icebiter Pike to cast cone of cold with a save DC of 14. Once used, the cone of cold property can’t be used again for 24 hours.

This intricately designed knife brims with illusion magic. Little Liar has 6 charges. When you hit with it, you can expend charges to cast one of the following spells without expending a spell slot (spell save DC 14), centered on the target:

KNOTPICK Wondrous item, uncommon This enchanted bone tool carries subtle enchantments to help ease apart magically secured locks and knots. When making checks with thieves tools, the knotpick noiselessly suppresses arcane lock as if with the knock spell, after which the knotpick breaks. KRAKENHUNT TRIDENT Weapon (trident), uncommon (requires attunement) This trident can create a spectral echo of itself, allowing its wielder to both throw it and stab with it. While attuned to this weapon, you can use a bonus action to create a magical duplicate of the weapon in your hand. The duplicate feels identical to the original trident, but has a shimmering, translucent quality. The duplicate disappears after you make an attack with it. You can only have one such duplicate at any time. LANCE OF THE LODGE Weapon (lance), legendary (requires attunement) This blood-red lance is the ultimate prize for the Redguard of Edgegather, famed for its ability to summon an entire hunting party out of thin air. The lance has 10 charges. While attuned to the lance of the lodge, you can expend 1 charge and use an action to cast find steed. The summoned steed appears underneath you in red bone armor, granting +1 to its AC, and you are automatically riding it. Also, while attuned to the lance, you can expend 2 charges and use an action to cast conjure animals at 3rd level. You cannot use the lance to cast this spell again until all beasts previously conjured by this spell have dropped to 0 hit points or disappeared. Finally, while attuned to the lance, you can cast find familiar. You can only summon creatures with a fly speed using this spell, and the range for telepathy with your familiar is extended to 500 feet. LIGHTNING BRANCH Weapon (club), uncommon This enchanted branch was prepared by a spellcaster and then struck by lightning, which it captured in its wood. When you hit with this club, it deals an additional 1d6 lightning damage.

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• Phantasmal Force (2 charges) • Fear (3 charges) • Phantasmal Killer (4 charges) Little Liar regains 1d4 + 2 expended charges daily at dawn. MASK OF EXPRESSION Wondrous item, common This carved mask, made of wood, ivory, or stone, shows the expressions chosen by its wearer. The wearer can change the expression shown at will. MASK OF THE ARBITER Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) The Arbiter of Seerfall traditionally wears this unadorned wooden mask. Within a 30-foot radius of the mask, creatures are affected by the zone of truth spell as if they had failed the save. While attuned to the mask, the wearer has truesight up to 30 feet. MARBLE OF NOD Wondrous item, common This translucent purple stone is smooth and cool to the touch. As a bonus action, you can place it in your mouth. When you do so, you instantly fall asleep and begin to dream. Creatures that cannot sleep are unaffected. MIDNIGHT STAR Weapon (morningstar), legendary (requires attunement) This legendary storm giant weapon was wielded by none other than the Sea Emperor himself. When you attune to this weapon, you and up to 6 creatures you choose within line of sight gain truesight up to 60 feet as long as you are attuned to Midnight Star. You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon while attuned to it. When you hit with Midnight Star, it deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage. Additionally, as an action, while attuned to Midnight Star you can cast foresight without expending a spell slot. This property can’t be used again for 24 hours.

MINDFANG Ring, very rare (requires attunement)

PIPE OF SMOKE-SUMMONING Wondrous item, rare

This black wooden ring is carved in the shape of a snake, its fangs poised over its wearer’s finger. While attuned to Mindfang, you can use an action to cast detect thoughts without expending a spell slot (spell save DC 20), taking 1d4 psychic damage as Mindfang sinks its fangs into your finger. Each time you use an action or a bonus action using the spell, you take psychic damage, with the size of the die increasing by one size to 1d6, then 1d8, 1d10, and finally reaching its maximum at 1d12. The die size resets when you take a short or long rest. While using Mindfang, you can continue to push into a target’s mind, repeatedly probing deeper as an action without ending the spell. Cursed. Mindfang is cursed and cannot be removed once worn except by magic such as the remove curse spell. It speaks telepathically to the wearer, urging them to use it and goading them to go deeper into their target’s mind, promising valuable information from its victims if they probe a little more.

This black pipe has a long, twisted stem. As an action, you can smoke the pipe to cast conjure minor elementals at 4th level without expending a spell slot. Summoned elementals must be at least partly comprised of fire or air. You can’t use this feature again until the next dawn. If you smoke this pipe using costly supplies, you can use its spellcasting feature at higher levels. When you smoke this pipe using materials worth 500 ps, which the pipe consumes, you can cast the spell at 6th level, and you can cast it at 8th level with materials worth 1,000 ps, which it consumes.

MONSTERTOOTH CLUB Weapon (club), uncommon This club is adorned with the teeth of monsters. When you hit with this club, it deals an additional 1d4 damage. The DM chooses the type or determines it randomly from the table below: d8

Damage Type

d8

Damage Type

1

Acid (ooze, beast)

5

Necrotic (undead, fiend)

2

Cold (elemental)

6

Poison (beast, plant)

3

Fire (dragon, fiend)

7

Psychic (aberration, fey)

4

Lightning (beast, fey)

8

Radiant (celestial)

OBSIDIAN ARMOR Armor (any), rare (requires attunement) You have a +1 bonus to your AC while wearing this armor. Additionally, you gain resistance to fire damage.

PLATTER OF ENDLESS DELIGHT Wondrous item, uncommon This elegant wooden platter is carved in the pattern of a blooming flower, and offers a limitless bounty of delicious food, such as fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, nuts and berries, or more complex offerings. As an action, you can change the type of food the platter presents. The food looks, feels, and tastes real, but offers no physical benefit, and you cannot satisfy your hunger by eating from it. RING OF UNDERSTANDING Ring, rare (requires attunement) This white coral ring gives the gift of deeper knowledge of secret matters. While attuned to this ring, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana, History, and Nature) checks, and can understand any language that you hear spoken for at least 10 minutes.

PEAKSHATTER GAUNTLETS Wondrous item, very rare While wearing these gauntlets, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls of unarmed strikes made with these gauntlets. When you hit with these gauntlets, you deal an additional 1d4 thunder damage. Any damage you deal to objects or structures with this unarmed strike is doubled. Additionally, if you damage an object or structure using an unarmed strike with these gauntlets, you can use your bonus action to make another unarmed strike against the same target.

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ROCKTURNER Wondrous item, uncommon This diamond-shaped tool bears an old enchantment from deep within the Quakewaste. As an action, you can touch it to a stone object of Medium size or smaller or a section of stone no more than 5 feet in any dimension and command it to form into any shape that suits your purpose, such as a doorway, weapon, or container. The shape cannot have fine mechanical detail. Over the course of 24 hours, as long as the Rockturner is touching the stone, the stone slowly shifts into your commanded shape. If the Rockturner ceases touching the stone, the effect ends, and the stone remains in the shape it was when it lost contact with the Rockturner. REMORHAZ ARMOR Armor (any), rare (requires attunement) This chitinous armor is made from the plates and spines of the remorhaz. While wearing this armor, you have resistance to cold damage. When a creature touches you or hits you with an unarmed strike or natural weapon, you can use your reaction to sear the creature with the innate heat of the remorhaz’s plates, dealing 1d6 fire damage. RUMBLEGLOW PAINT Wondrous item, common

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Typically found in a clay pot (weighing 1 pound in total), this drab paint has a gooey consistency and a gray-brown color that blends in with most rocks, wood, and earth. Each pot of paint is sufficient to cover 1,000 square feet of a surface, and it takes 10 minutes to cover 100 square feet with paint. Once dry, the paint glows in response to vibration. Faint sounds and tremors cause it to shed dim light for 5 feet, with louder sounds or stronger tremors causing the light to glow brighter. The color of the light alters with the pitch of the vibration, with low-pitched sounds causing cool-colored light such as blues, purples, and greens, and highpitched sounds causing warm-colored light such as reds, oranges, and yellows, with shrill noises causing the paint to glow white. SCIMITAR OF THE DANCER Weapon (scimitar), uncommon (requires attunement) This elegant weapon grants its wielder preternatural grace. While attuned to the Scimitar of the Dancer, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and Charisma (Performance) checks to dance. SCOUTING HOOP Wondrous item, common This magical hoop of small bones and leather straps offers a simple enchantment. Objects and creatures viewed through this hoop are magnified to twice their size.

SCOUTING HOOP, NIGHTWATCH Wondrous item, uncommon

STONEARROW Weapon (arrow), rare

Objects and creatures viewed through this enchanted hoop are magnified to twice their size. Additionally, when looking through this hoop, you can see with darkvision.

This terrible arrow of the Stone Empire is feared by all, transforming into a hurtling boulder in mid-flight. When you use a bow to hit on a ranged attack with this arrow, deal 4d10 bludgeoning damage. The target must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Creatures within a 10-foot radius of the target must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw. On a failure, they take the same damage and are knocked prone. On a success, they take half damage.

SHIELD-AXE OF USH Armor (shield), rare This heavy bone shield is formed of the skull of a powerful dinosaur, and marked with divine enchantment. While wearing the shield, you can use a bonus action to strike it, causing it to transform into a bone greataxe with a brief burst of ivory-colored smoke. You can also use a bonus action to strike the greataxe, transforming it back into a shield, which you instantly don without using an action. SICKLE OF SACRIFICE Weapon, very rare This necromantic blade is a tool of dark spellskins, and features strange marks and carvings along its curved blade. If you target a humanoid who has at least one hand for an attack with this sickle and roll a critical hit, in addition to dealing damage, you sever one of the target’s hands of your choosing. The severed hand immediately reanimates as a Crawling Claw, which acts on your initiative and obeys your commands. If the hand was holding an item or bore a magic ring that the target was attuned to, the item is dropped and the attunement is broken. SPEAKER’S TONGUE Wondrous item, common This small token is the size and shape of a human tongue. Crushing the token activates a stored enchantment in the chalk. For one minute, you can be understood by all creatures who know at least one language, as if you were speaking in the language with which they are most familiar. You hear yourself speaking in your own language. STARCOUNCIL DIADEM Wondrous item, very rare This gleaming circlet is fashioned of glittering gems inset on an ivory lattice. While wearing the Starcouncil Diadem, you can cast contact other plane without expending a spell slot. You cannot use the diadem to cast this spell again until the next dawn.

STONEBOW Weapon (shortbow), uncommon This enchanted bow fires arrows that transform into large stones in midair. When you hit on a ranged attack with this bow, the target takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. SUNGLOBE Wondrous item, uncommon Upon uttering a command word, this small ivory sphere will levitate 6 feet into the air and emanate light similar to a daylight spell for 1 hour. Unlike a normal daylight spell, the light from the sunglobe is equivalent to sunlight. If the sunglobe is moved, it both the light and levitation effects immediately end. Once it has been used, the sunglobe cannot be used again until the next dawn. These orbs are often used by cave-dwelling or dungeon-exploring dreas who require daily sunlight for their photosynthesis. They can also be effective against vampires and other creatures sensitive to sunlight. THREEHORN HALBERD Weapon (halberd), rare This halberd was made by giants from the sliced skull of a triceratops. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you deal damage using this halberd, you can release a bellow from the bone that targets the damaged creature. The target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Incapacitated until the start of its next turn. Additionally, you can use the halberd to parry. As a reaction, when you would take damage from a melee attack, you can increase your AC by 1.

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VICTORY’S COST Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This charred crown of bone and fang commands the attention of those viewing it, and seems to burn with an inner flame. When summoned, the living flame from the crown forms a writhing blade of immolation that hungrily burns at any that draw near. While attuned to this item, you can use a bonus action to speak a command word and cause a living flame that functions as a magical longsword to appear in your hands. You are considered proficient with the sword, and gain a +3 to attack and damage rolls with made this weapon. It has the finesse and light properties, and deals fire damage instead of slashing damage. You can dismiss the sword with a bonus action. Whenever you use the sword to hit a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 1d10 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. While the blade persists, you are the center of an immolation that burns those around you. When a creature starts their turn within 10 feet of you, or enters that space for the first time on a turn, they take 2d6 fire damage. You are affected by this aura. The fire damage caused by this sword ignores resistance to fire damage, and treats immunity to fire damage as resistance.

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Curse. This crown is cursed, and becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you. Until the curse is broken with remove curse or similar magic, you are unwilling to part with the crown, keeping it within reach at all times. In addition, the flaming sword demands to be fed; once summoned, it cannot be dismissed until damage dealt by the sword brings a creature to 0 hit points. WAND OF RADIANCE Wand, uncommon This short wand is made of a smooth material like the shell of a turtle. The wand has 6 charges. As an action, you can spend a charge to make a ranged spell attack against a target you can see within 120 feet. Before you make an attack with this wand, you can determine whether or not any damage dealt is nonlethal. On a hit, deal 2d10 radiant damage. If you roll a 1 on an attack roll with the wand, it emits smoke and bright sparks and cannot be used again until repaired with magic such as mending. The wand regains all expended charges at daily dawn.

WELL OF ENTRAPMENT Wondrous item, uncommon

WOLFSKULL HOOD Armor, rare

This large enchanted stone is a flat square 5 feet across and 6 inches thick, which weighs 200 pounds. You can use an action to place the well of entrapment flat on the ground, whereupon the well of entrapment creates an extradimensional hole 15 feet deep. The space within the hole exists on a different plane, so it can’t be used to open passages. The stone can be lifted to reveal the hole, which remains as long as the stone keeps at least one edge or corner touching the ground. If the stone loses contact with the ground, all creatures or objects within the hole remain in the extradimensional hole with no exit, and begin to suffocate within 10 minutes. The floor of the hole is covered in a half inch of cold saltwater, and the sides of the hole are covered in slick spikes made of shell fragments, and a creature attempting to climb must make a DC 18 Dexterity or Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, they take 1d6 slashing damage and fall prone. On a success, they take half damage. The top of the hole is magically weighted, and cannot be opened from the inside without a DC 25 Strength check or magic capable of lifting 2,000 pounds.

This hood, fashioned from the enchanted skull of a wolf, was worn by the Pack, a secretive band of giant-hunters from the Fields of Fargone. While wearing this hood, you have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Additionally, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

WHIP OF BOSA Weapon (whip), legendary This efreeti weapon was once lost in the ruined giant city of Bosa. The long black thong of the whip crackles with flame. You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon, which has a reach of 30 feet and deals 4d6 fire damage on a hit. When you hit a creature with the whip of Bosa, if another creature is within 30 feet of the target, you may make an attack roll against them, using the whip. If that attack hits, you may target another creature within 30 feet, and so on, continuing until you miss a target. You cannot target the same creature more than once in a single attack with the whip of Bosa.

WRITHING FLAIL Weapon (flail), very rare This flail was originally recovered from a vault of aberrations, and features 8 short rubbery tendrils with hooks and barbs at the end. The tendrils writhe slightly when the flail is touched. When you hit a creature with the writhing flail, instead of doing damage, you can choose to attempt to grapple the creature using the flail’s Dexterity bonus, which is +1. If the flail successfully grapple the creature, it wraps its tendrils around the creature’s head. The creature is blinded and cannot breathe while grappled by the flail. While grappling a creature in this way, the Writhing Flail cannot be used to attack another creature. If the flail has a creature grappled, at the start of your turn, it will attempt to extract the creature’s brain. The creature must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 2d10 piercing damage. If this damage reduces the creature’s health to 0, the flail extracts the creature’s brain (if any), and releases the grapple.

WHISPERSHELL Wondrous item, common This smooth green shell was once the home of a fey sea creature, and can be used to leave messages. When someone puts their mouth to the shell’s opening, any message they speak up to 1 minute in length will be remembered by the shell. When they or anyone else holds the shell to their ear, they can hear the last message spoken into it.

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CHAPTER 13

GODS & MONSTERS “So there I was, alone in the forest, still dripping from the rainstorm that had separated me from the rest of the hunters. And out of the brush sprints a frilled farloper, racing straight at me!” “No!” “Well, it was just a farloper—I’ve seen worse. I jumped aside, but fell into a nest of writhing manylegs, including the biggest ku-zug you’ve ever seen, all clacking claws and buzzing feelers.” “How did you get out?” “Pah, it was just some bugs. I stood up, and was about to head back out when something grabbed me—a stickymouth, all black-eyed and oozing, and let me tell you, it reeked of death. It dragged me through the brush and bracken towards a lake.” “To drown you!?” “I assume. Too bad for the stickymouth the water was brimming with squidshrimp. They grabbed it and made short work of it, I tell you. Chunks flying everywhere.” “So you were safe!” “Safe? Ha! Not likely—that’s when the tricerataurs jumped me!” “The WHAT!?”

P

LANEGEA IS A LIVING WORLD, BRISTLING with potential allies and enemies, from the most powerful god to the smallest stinging insect. This chapter begins by looking at how to transform monsters from the lore of 5E into primordial monsters that your players will find strange and challenging. It then discusses gods—what they are, how to create your own gods for use in your game, and what makes a god more or less powerful over time. Finally, it concludes in a bestiary of stat blocks for gods, monsters, and NPCs friendly and hostile.

Primordial Monsters The primal nature of Planegea means that there need be no such thing as a “normal monster.” Although classic monsters can exist, keeping the creatures that the players encounter a little wilder and more unexpected than normal will reinforce the feeling of the unknown in Planegea. A couple of considerations: Avoid names. When describing monsters, avoid using their names as long as possible, describing their appearance, their behavior, their smell, and the sounds they make. It’s very possible this is the first or only monster of its kind.

Reskin boldly. DMs are encouraged to play fast and loose with the stat blocks of monsters in Planegea. A harpy might become a flapping, cursed saurian. A gorgon might be a stone-feathered rhinoceros. A cockatrice might be a wicked jungle-fey from the Venom Abyss. By using existing stat blocks and reskinning them as you see fit, you’ll introduce fresh and primal flavor to your game, while still retaining the use of tools for combat balance in published materials. (The easiest way to do this is to simply change the skin. Make furry creatures scaly, smooth creatures feathered, add stripes or bristles or other cosmetic details to create a new visual aspect.) Alter monsters. Whenever you’re able, add or remove aspects to make monsters unique and surprising. This is the beginning of the world—there will be millennia for nature to find its final form for these creatures. For now, all is new and wild and deadly. Use the monster templates section to get started.

MONSTER TEMPLATES

These templates are a quick way of altering existing monsters, giving them properties your players will find unusual and unnerving. To use a template, simply choose a 5E monster and add the features listed. Note that doing so may increase the CR of the monster in unpredictable ways—applying any of these templates will make the fight more difficult for your players. You can also choose a template randomly by rolling on the table below. d20

Template

d20

Template

1

Armored

11

Many-Eyed

2

Amphibious

12

Multi-Headed

3

Berserk

13

Sailed

4

Climbing

14

Slimy

5

Elemental

15

Spiny

6

Frilled

16

Tentacled

7

Fungal

17

Tunneling

8

Horned

18

Undead

9

Magical

19

Winged

10

Massive

20

Roll twice and use both results

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ARMORED In a dangerous world, many creatures have developed natural defenses to large predators such as shells, incredibly thick hides, or armor plating. Such creatures can often be harvested for components to make heavy armor. When a creature is armored, it retains its statistics except as described below. Armor Class. The armored creature gains a +2 to its AC. Bulky. The armored creature has disadvantage on Dexterity checks.

BERSERK Some creatures are driven by a primordial bloodlust and madness, often brought on by an encounter with a parasite or poison, but sometimes inherent to a bloodline of the creature long since forgotten. Such creatures can often be harvested for their teeth, which often make excellent daggers or cutting implements, or their blood, which can be used to create certain toxins inducing madness. When a creature is berserk, it retains its statistics except as described below. New Action: Bite. If the berserk creature did not already have a bite action, it gains the following: As an action, a berserk creature can make a melee attack against a single target within 5 feet. On a hit, it deals piercing damage based on the creature’s size: Tiny, 1; Small or Medium, 1d6; Large, 2d6; Huge: 3d6; or Gargantuan: 6d6. If the creature has multiattack, this bite attack is added to their multiattack action. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the berserk creature can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. Rampage. When the berserk creature reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the berserk

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creature can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack. CLIMBING There are creatures who develop gripping feet or claws, the better to hunt their prey or escape from predators. Such creatures can often be harvested for their long gripping claws or special skin that enables them to move across vertical surfaces. When a creature is climbing, it retains its statistics except as described below. Spider Climb. The climbing creature can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. ELEMENTAL Some creatures are tied closely to the four elements, with dust, lightning, fire, or frost leaking from their eyes and mouth and cracks in their skin. Such creatures can often be harvested for internal fluids that can imbue elemental power into objects, or for teeth and claws where elemental energy lingers. When a creature is elemental, it retains its statistics except as described below. Elemental nature. Choose one of the four elements to associate with this creature: Element

Damage Type

Earth

Bludgeoning

Air

Lightning

Fire

Fire

Water

Cold

Damage Resistances. The elemental creature gains resistance to its damage type. New Action: Elemental Burst (Recharge 5–6). The elemental creature emits a burst of natural power in a 10-foot radius. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + elemental creature’s

Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus). On a failure, a creature takes damage of its damage type based on the creature’s size: Tiny, 1; Small or Medium, 1d6; Large, 2d6; Huge: 3d6; or Gargantuan: 6d6. On a success, it takes half damage. FINNED Various creatures adapt to the water, or never really left it, preferring to remain able to hunt or hide above and below its surface. Such creatures can often be harvested for their gills and fins, which can help with water-breathing magic and enable faster swimming. When a creature is finned, it retains its statistics except as described below. Speed. If the finned creature did not already have a swimming speed, it gains one equal to its base walking speed. Amphibious. The finned creature can breathe both air and water. FRILLED There are creatures who rely on the element of surprise and intimidation to survive, deploying large, colorful frills to startle and bewilder both predator and prey. Such creatures can often be harvested for their brightly-colored frills, which are prized for crafting ceremonial attire. When a creature is frilled, it retains its statistics except as described below. Intimidating. The frilled creature adds its proficiency bonus to Charisma (Intimidation) checks. If it already had proficiency on these checks, the proficiency bonus is doubled. New Bonus Action: Startling Display. As a bonus action, the frilled creature can expand its frill, displaying its bright colors with a sudden show. When it uses this feature, creatures that can see it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + frilled creature’s Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus). On a dailure, they cannot take attacks of opportunity against the frilled creature for the rest of its turn. Creatures cannot be affected by the same creature’s Startling Display more than once.

FUNGAL Some creatures are naturally formed of fungus, while others are the victims of a fungal infestation that alters their very nature. Such creatures can often be harvested for their spores, which can have a number of illusory or enchanting effects, or grant extrasensory perception. Plant Type. The fungal creature’s type is Plant. False Appearance. While the fungal creature remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from ordinary fungus. Senses. The fungal creature senses the world around it using spores. Its senses become the following: blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius). New Action or Reaction: Hallucinogenic Spores. As an action or a reaction when hit with a melee weapon attack, the fungal creature can release a cloud of hallucinogenic spores in a radius of 15 feet, which casts confusion on all creatures in range (Wisdom save DC 8 + fungal creature’s Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus). New Action: Spore Speech. The fungal creature can use an action to touch a creature and attempt to infest it with telepathic spores. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + fungal creature’s Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus). On a failure, it is infested. Once linked by these spores, the infested creature and the fungal creature can exchange simple ideas, emotions, and images within 30 feet. An infested creature can repeat the saving throw once per minute to end the effect of this feature. HORNED This creature has large horns as a natural defense, which it can use to gore its enemies. Such creatures are often harvested for their horns, which can make excellent weapons or tools. When a creature is horned, it retains its statistics except as described below. New Action: Gore. If the horned creature did not already have a gore action, it gains the following: As an action, a

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horned creature can make a melee attack against a single target within 5 feet. On a hit, it deals piercing damage based on the creature’s size: Tiny, 1; Small or Medium, 1d6; Large, 2d6; Huge: 3d6; or Gargantuan: 6d6. New Action: Charge. If the horned creature moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + horned creature’s Strength modifier + proficiency bonus) or be knocked prone. MAGICAL Whether inherently arcane, touched by some divine presence, or altered by an encounter with a cyst of raw magic, some creatures carry natural spells in their very bones. Such creatures are often harvested for their magic-rich organs, which are prized by certain spellskins and druids for crafting original spells. When a creature is magical, it retains its statistics except as described below. Damage Resistances. The magical creature gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks. Magic Weapons. This creature’s weapon attacks are magical. Innate Spellcasting. The magical creature’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 8 + magical creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (whichever is highest) + proficiency bonus). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components: At will: 1d6 cantrips or 1st-level spells of your choice 3/day each: 1d4 2nd-level spells of your choice 1/day: 1 3rd-level spell of your choice MASSIVE Planegea is a world of immense beings, and it’s not uncommon for a creature to grow out of all proportion to its kind, especially in the Dire Grazelands. Such massive creatures are often harvested for their outsize meat, skin, claws, and so on, which can be used for all manner of purposes in their scale and abundance. When a creature is massive, it retains its statistics except as described below. Size. The massive creature increases by 1 size category. Hit Points. The creature’s size increase also increases the die type of its hit dice: Small, d6; Medium, d8; Large, d10; Huge, d12; Gargantuan, d20. Recalculate their hit points accordingly. Brute Force. The massive creature doubles its damage dice on Strength-­based weapon attacks and makes Strength checks and Strength saving throws with advantage. MANY-EYED Some creatures develop additional eyes as a defense or hunting mechanism, always watching for predators or prey. Such creatures are often harvested for their eyes, which can be prepared to grant unusual types of vision.

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When a creature is many-eyed, it retains its statistics except as described below. Strange Eyes. If the creature did not already have darkvision, it gains darkvision out to 120 feet. Always Watching. The many-eyed creature cannot be surprised, even when sleeping, and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. MULTI-HEADED There are creatures who, through magic or mutation or some quirk of natural defense, have two or more heads with which to attack or defend themselves. Such creatures are often harvested for their extra teeth and horns, or occasionally for internal fluids and organs that can be used to cast multiplying magic. When a creature is multi-headed, it retains its statistics except as described below. Multiple Heads. The multi-headed creature has at least one additional head. While it has more than one head, the multi-headed creature has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious. Whenever a multi-headed creature that has more than one head takes damage equal to a quarter of its maximum hit points in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the multi-headed creature dies. New Action: Multi-Attack. If the multi-headed creature has any attack actions associated with its heads, such as Bite or Gore, it makes as many attacks of that kind as it has heads. SAILED Some creatures sport high natural sails along their backs or the edges of their limbs, drawing strength from the warm rays of the Day-Star. Such creatures are often harvested for their sails, which are tough and flexible and useful for crafting, and can sometimes be used to draw power from light. When a creature is sailed, it retains its statistics except as described below. Light-Powered. While in direct sunlight, the sailed creature has advantage on attack rolls and ability checks. SLIMY There are creatures that survive by exuding a sticky or slippery slime. Such creatures are often harvested for their slime and slime organs, which—while usually toxic—can generally be used as bonding agents or lubricants. When a creature is slimy, it retains its statistics except as described below. Slime Trail. The DC for Wisdom (Survival) checks to track a slimy creature is reduced by 5. Slime Coating. The slimy creature has advantage on Dexterity checks made to squeeze through narrow spaces, escape bindings, and avoid or end grapples. New Action: Slough. As an action, the slimy creature can shed a massive amount of slime. The ground in a 10-foot radius is covered in slime and becomes difficult terrain for

1 minute. Each creature standing in the slimy area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + slimy creature’s Dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus) or fall prone. A creature that enters the slimy area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. SHADOW TEMPLATE Some creatures from Nod are made of the shadowy stuff of nightmares. These beings are usually in league with, or controlled by, the Throne of Nightmares. For more information on this threat and the monster template, see “Throne of Nightmares” in Chapter 11, p. 253.

SPINY Some creatures develop long quills or spines as natural weapons. Such creatures are often harvested for their spines, which can be used for weapons or tool