# Into the Dark

##### A homebrew for grittier, more horrifying campaigns, with lasting consequences

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## Magic Changes Magic is rare in this setting, and weaker than usual. Rather than having spell slots, all classes with the ability to cast one or more spells have spell points based on their total spellcaster levels (when rounding class levels **round up** for this campaign), as shown in the table on page 289 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. However, there are some additional changes to magic functionality, outlined below.

Spell points are stored in artefacts known as magicite crystals. These are small to medium sized gems, the likes of which you might find on an ornate ring, set in a crown, or on the pommel of a sword. Magicite is rare, and the crystals can be destroyed, depriving a caster of magical energy until they find another. Magicite crystals come in a variety of sizes, as shown on the table below.

### Magicite Crystals | Size | Spell Points | Spell Level | Drain| Hit Points | AC | gp Cost | Rarity | |:----|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|----:|-----:| | Tiny (1/4") | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2| 26 | 85 | Common | | Small (1/2") | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3| 25 | 150 | Common | | Medium (1") | 16 | 4 | 2 | 4| 23 | 375 | Uncommon | | Large\* (2") | 25 | 4 | 2 | 5| 21 | 2,750 | Rare | | Huge\* (4") | 39 | 5 | 3 | 8| 18 | 8,000 | Very Rare |

#### Size Both large and huge magicite crystals (marked with a \*) require attunement by a spellcaster (Bard, Cleric, Sorceror, Warlock, Wizard), but do not use an attunement slot.
Paladins, Rangers, Fighters (Eldritch Knight), and Rogues (Arcane Trickster) cannot use anything larger than a medium magicite crystal, though they may carry multiple crystals. #### Spell Level This is the maximum level spell that can be cast using a crystal without damaging it. A spellcaster can cast a spell up to 4 levels higher than the crystal's spell level. There is a 25% chance per additional spell level to damage the Magicite crystal after the spell has been cast. Roll seperately each time an overlevel spell has been cast. Roll a D12 on the Crystal Damage table to determine the effect of the damage.
Unlike the standard spell points rules, Magicite crystals can cast spells of 6th level or higher more than once between Long Rests. This is balanced by the chance that such a powerful spell might break the crystal itself. #### Drain Magicite crystals recover all spell points during a long rest.
During a short rest, a character may spend any number of hit dice to recharge crystals. Roll all hit dice spent in this way, and distribute the total rolled as spell points between any number of magicite crystals the character is carrying. A character must spend at least as many hit dice as the crystal's drain before they can assign any spell points to it.

#### Crystals & Inventory A character may carry as many magicite crystals as they want, provided the total spell points they store do not exceed the total shown for their spellcasting level on page 289 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Exceeding this maximum causes a random crystal to be damaged, using the table below.
As well as providing power for spells, a magicite crystal can be used as a spellcasting focus for any class that can cast at least one spell. ### Attacking Magicite Crsytals Magicite crystals can be targeted in combat, using the AC in the table above. Magicite has immunity to all damage except Force, Bludgeoning, and Thunder. If the crystal is reduced to 0 hit points, it is immediately reduced to 0 Spell Points as well. In addition, roll a d20 on the following table to see what happens to the crystal. #### Crystal Damage | d20 | Effect | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | **Shattered:** The crystal's owner, and anyone within 5ft. of them suffers 1 radiant damage per spell point lost. The crystal is utterly destroyed. | | 2-3 | **Broken:** If the crystal was huge, it is reduced to small. If the crystal was medium or large, it is reduced to tiny. If the crystal was tiny or small it is destroyed.| | 4-10 | **Splintered:** The crystal is split in half, becoming two crystals of the next smaller size. | | 11-19 | **Cracked:** If the crystal is used to cast an overlevel spell it is automatically destroyed after casting the spell. | | 20 | **Chipped:** The crystal must be Attuned before it can be used again. |

RULES | MAGICITE

\page ### Cantrip Changes Cantrips do not require the use of spell points, but do require a spellcaster to have at least 1 intact magicite crystal of any size. Characters without any magicite crystals cannot cast cantrips, except via *Blood Magic*, as explained below. ### Blood Magic Magicite crystals are not the only way to fuel magic in this world, but the other ways are far, far more dangerous. A character with no spell points remaining, or with no intact magicite crystals may attempt to cast spells using *Blood Magic.* This may also be done to power a class feature or ability that requires the use of spell slots.
For each level of the spell, that character suffers 1d4 necrotic damage that cannot be prevented or reduced in any way. If the attempted spell is 4th level or higher, the damage increases to 1d6 per spell level. If the attempted spell is 6th level or higher, the damage is increased to 1d8 per spell level.
Blood magic, as well as being dangerous, can be incredibly draining. After casting a spell using *Blood Magic*, there is a 5% chance per spell level that the character suffers 1 level of exhaustion.
Casting a cantrip using Blood Magic causes character to suffer 1 necrotic damage that cannot be prevented or reduced in any way. Cantrips that inflict d10 or d12 damage cause 2 necrotic damage instead. Note that Blood Magic would only be required for cantrips if a character had no intact magicite crystals in their possession. ### Ki Points In this setting, monks use magicite as a focus for channelling ki. Monks use and generate Ki as normal, but their maximum Ki is limited by the size of a specially attuned magicite crystal they carry. Monks must perform a special ceremony including at least two hours of meditation in order to attune a new crystal. This may be done as part of a long rest.
If a Monk has mageline tattoos, the crystal will be absorbed into those tattoos, extending the pattern over a larger part of their body.
All Monks start with a tiny magicite crystal, or mageline tattoos that cover at least half of one arm, or the head. ### Pact Magic Warlocks' *Pact Magic* feature requires the use of spell points from magicite crystals in order to cast spells, however, the number of Warlock spells they may cast between Short Rests is limited (use the Spell Slots column from the normal Warlock class table).
After expending their normal casting allowance, Warlocks may continue to cast Warlock Spells via *Blood Magic*. They suffer only half damage from *Blood Magic*, and reduce the chance to suffer Exhaustion from Blood Magic by 10%.

### Mageline Tattoos A character with mageline tattoos treats their body as a spellcasting focus. The tattoos must cover a significant portion of the character's body in order to properly function. A hand, including part of the wrist, is enough to cast a cantrip without requiring magicite. An arm and part of the torso is enough to cast a spell of up to third level. Mageline tattoos covering the entire body have enough power to cast a single 9th level spell.
Mageline tattoos are a variation on *Blood Magic*, as such, each time a character casts a spell via Blood *Magic* (but not a cantrip), they must reduce their hit point maximum by 1 per level of the spell cast. This reduction may be reversed during a short rest by rolling hit dice to recharge their magelines (choose spell points or hit point maximum); or automatically during a long rest.
Mageline Tattoos hold 2 Spell Points per limb, 4 for the torso, and 1 for the head (for a total of 13 Spell Points). this value increases by a total of 6 (+1 per limb, +2 for the torso) at 11th level, and doubles at 20th level (for a total of 26 Spell Points). All Mageline Tattoos have a Drain of 2; or 3 for a full body set. ### Arcane Recovery Instead of being used once per Long Rest, this class feature allows a Wizard to recover additional spell points when using Hit Dice to recharge Magicite crystals. The additional spell points recovered are equal to half the character's Wizard level, rounded down.
This effect can be applied once per Magicite crystal during each rest the character takes. ### Font of Magic Instead of creating or dissolving Spell Slots, this class feature allows a Sorceror to continue casting spells even if they have no Magicite crystals. This feature can be used to cast spells of up to 5th level, treating Sorcery Points as Spell Points.
* A character with at least 11 levels in Sorceror can cast 6th level spells using this feature. * A character with at least 17 levels in Sorceror can cast 7th level spells using this feature. Once per long rest this feature may be used to siphon Spell Points from any Magicite crystal within 30 feet of the character. This effect drains Spell Points from the chosen Magicite crystal until the character has recovered to their maximum Sorcery Points, or the Magicite has no Spell Points remaining, whichever occurs first.
If the Magicite is held by an unwilling creature, they may make a Charisma save against the Sorceror's spell save DC, reducing the amount of Spell Points lost by half. The Sorceror only gains Sorcery Points equal to the Spell Points they actually drained.

RULES | BLOOD MAGIC & CLASS TWEAKS

\page # Rests & Recovery Options ### Short Short rests in this campaign cover 1 hour of downtime. Short rests may include light activities. During a short rest characters may use hit dice to regain hit points, recharge crystals, or reduce their Dread.
During a short rest, a character may spend any number of hit dice to recover their wits. Roll each hit die spent in this way, and subtract the total from that character's current Dread. This may reduce a character's Dread to 0.
During a short rest, a character may spend any number of hit dice to recharge their Magicite crystals. Roll all hit dice spent in this way, adding the character's spellcasting modifier to each roll. Assign each die to a magicite crystal the character is carrying. A magicite crystal must have at least as many hit dice assigned to it as its Drain before it recovers any Spell Points. ### Long Long rests cover a minimum of 8 hours of downtime, and must include at least 6 hours of sleep to qualify as a long rest (unless a trait, feat, ability or other effect reduces the amount of sleep a character requires).
Characters recover up to half of their spent hit dice during a long rest. In addition, characters are healed up to their maximum hit points (if not suffering from a lingering injury, otherwise roll half of total Hit Dice and recover that many hit points, these Hit Dice are not expended), and reduce their Dread by half (if not afflicted by madness).
A character afflicted by madness instead reduces their Dread by the roll of 2 dread dice. ### Extended An extended rest covers 5 or more days of downtime. An extended rest may include any level of activity. If recovering from madness or a lingering injury a character gains no benefit from an extended rest if they perform anything other than light activities (simple crafting, religious duties, etc).
At the end of an extended rest, a character is healed up to their maximum hit points, reduces their Dread to 0, no longer suffers negative effects from lingering injuries (if they spent time healing or found suitable prosthetics), and reduces any indefinite madness to long-term, or long-term madness to nothing (if they found suitable treatment).

## Prosthetics Due to certain lingering injuries having significant ongoing effects, some players or DM's might like to use the following rules for dealing with such injuries between extended rests—or even in addition to extended rests, creating battle-scarred veterans that have proved themselves in the world beyond doubt.
There are four types of prosthetics, each with differing costs and functionalities, given below. #### Crude/Improvised These are more like field expedients rather than true prosthetics. They do the job, but not well. Any associated attack roll, ability check, or save is made with Disadvantage while using a Crude/Improvised prosthetic. It's better than nothing. #### Functional A functional prosthetic restores as much of the normal function of the limb or extremity as possible. This may be through magical or mechanical means. Certain functional prosthetics may look strange, but do not impose any additional effects. #### Adapted A step up from functional prosthetics, these devices allow for little extras, like storage compartments, hold-out weapons, or even a secret cantrip inscribed into it. It is up to the DM what these might allow, but it generally shouldn't be any more powerful than a 1st-level spell, or a common wondrous item. #### Improved Expensive, bespoke, and better in almost every way. These prosthetics are as much works of art as they are functional limbs with certain 'improvements'; most often the result of Gnomish tinkering, or the hands of an Artificer. This kind of prosthetic offers a benefit chosen by the DM appropriate to the type of prosthetic, and as powerful as a 3rd-level spell or an uncommon wondrous item. #### Prosthetic Cost (gp) | Type | Eye | Hand | Arm | Leg | Organ | Note | |:----|----:|----:|----:|----:|----:|:----:| | Crude | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | - | Disadvantage | | Improvised | 15 | 25 | 15 | 10 | - | Disadvantage | | Functional | 200 | 100 | 150 | 75 | 125 | | | Adapted | 350 | 125 | 250 | 200 | 300 | Special | | Improved | 700 | 225 | 400 | 500 | 500 | Special | #### Hand of Hidden Arrows (Adapted) This prosthetic hand contains springs, cogs and other workings that allow it to be used as a hand crossbow. The hand contains 4 short crossbow bolts, and takes five minutes to reload. It requires a DC 25 Intelligence (*investigation*) check to discover that this prosthetic is actually a weapon.

RULES | RESTS & RECOVERY

\page ## Sanity & Madness As this campaign deals with visceral horror and terrifying beings from well beyond the mortal planes, it is possible for characters to go mad. This is tracked with a Sanity score, which works in the same way as any other ability score.
If building a character using the Standard Array method, there is an additional '11' that can be assigned to any ability score. If building a character using the points buy system, add 3 points that can be used on any ability score.
In addition, all characters have a new type of health pool, called Dread, which starts out at 0. The size of this pool is determined by class, using the same method as hit dice, and is modified by a character's Sanity. However, the dice scale is different, as shown below. Characters add their Sanity modifier to their maximum Dread. #### Dread Dice | Hit Die | Dread Die | Exceptions | |:-------:|:---------:| :--------- | | d6 | d10 | | | d8 | d8 | **Warlock:** d6 Dread Die | | d10/d12 | d6 | **Ranger:** d8 Dread Die| ### Dread Whenever a character would suffer psychic damage from an attack or spell, they must make a Sanity saving throw, with a default DC equal to the caster's spell save DC. On a successful save they reduce the damage of the spell by 1 die (for example, 3d6 damage would be reduced to 2d6). On a failed save the character suffers Dread equal to half the damage taken, after applying resistances, evasion and other effects. #### Short-term Madness If a character suffers more Dread than the highest possible roll of their Dread die plus their Sanity modifier from a single attack or event (for example, 9 Dread with a D6 Dread Die and a Sanity modifier of +2), they immediately suffer from a short-term madness. In combat, short-term madness lasts for 2d6 rounds, minus the character's Sanity modifier. A character afflicted by short-term madness cannot suffer a second short-term madness.
In addition, a character that suffers a Short-term Madness due to Dread is also Frightened by the source of the Dread. This Frightened condition applies even if the character is normally immune to the Frightened condition. The character continues to be Frightened until the source of the Dread is either dead, or out of their line of sight. #### Long-term Madness If character has Dread equal to or greater than half their maximum Dread, then they are afflicted with a long-term madness, as described on page 259 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. This long-term madness lasts for 3d4 + 4 days, instead of the usual 1d10 x 10 hours.
In addition, a character that suffers a Long-term Madness due to Dread is Restrained. The character may attempt a **DC 15** Sanity saving throw to end this condition at the start of each of their turns in combat. The character otherwise continues to be Restrained until the source of the Dread is either dead, or more than 500 feet away. A character immune to being Restrained loses that immunity against this effect.
A character that has a Long-term Madness caused by Dread is also Frightened for the first 1d6 rounds of combat against any enemy that can cause Dread via Frightful Presence. #### Indefinite Madness If a character has Dread equal to or greater than their maximum Dread, then they suffer from an indefinite madness that can only be cured with several uses of *greater restoration*, or by casting *wish*, or a similar spell.
In addition, a character that suffers an Indefinite Madness due to Dread is also Stunned until either their total Dread is less than their maximum Dread, or they can pass a **DC 20** Sanity saving throw. ### Rests & Dread If character afflicted by a long-term madness reduces their Dread to 0, then during each short and long rest they may perform a **DC 15** Sanity check. On a success, they are no longer afflicted by any madnesses. On a failure they suffer 1 Dread die worth of Dread as their mind attempts to make sense of the horrors they have witnessed. This DC decreases by 1 with each subsequent attempt. ## Magical Healing Services For parties composed primarily of front line offensive characters, or who have managed to lose their healers, most towns offer some degree of healing services. They are somewhat expensive, and not all towns can offer all services. #### Magical Healing | Spell | Cost | Availability | |:-----:|-----:|:--------:| | *Cure Wounds* | ***50 gp*** per level (Max 5th) | Everywhere; Smaller towns max 3rd level | | *Lesser Restoration* | ***75 gp*** | Everywhere except smaller villages | | *Remove Curse* | ***125 gp*** | Towns, Cities | | *Greater Restoration* | ***250 gp*** | Cities, Temples | | *Raise Dead* | ***1,500 gp*** | Cities, Major Temples | | *Heal* [scroll] | ***3,250 gp*** | Arcane Academies, Temples | | *Regenerate* [scroll] | ***6,250 gp*** | Major Temples |

RULES | SANITY & DREAD

\page # Combat Changes With a more realistic setting than most, certain injuries will have a lasting effect in this campaign. In most cases an extended rest can be used to treat, mitigate, or heal such an injury to the extent that it no longer poses any significant penalty to the character.
### Facing Facing is used in this campaign, allowing for flanking attacks and backstabbing treachery. Use the standard rules for facing as presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide. ### Injuries Injuries are determined by the Lingering Injuries table later in this document.
A character (or creature) will suffer a permanent injury under the following circumstances: * When it suffers a *critical hit* * When it drops to 0 *hit points*, but isn't killed outright * When it fails a Death Saving Throw by 5 or more * When it would be affected by System Shock All such injuries apply from the start of the character's (or creature's) next turn.
During a long rest, a character or creature affected by a Lingering Injury is not automatically healed up to their maximum hit points. Instead, they roll half of their total hit dice, rounding up, and recover that many hit points instead. Hit dice used in this way are neither added to or subtracted from the character's available hit dice. ### Massive Damage A creature or character that loses half or more of its hit point maximum, rounded up, in a single turn may suffer from System Shock. That character or creature must make a DC 15 Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed save, it suffers from a random System Shock effect on the appropriate table below. #### System Shock (Creature) | d10 | Creature Effect | |:---:|:----------------| | 1 | The creature is reduced to 0 hit points. | | 2-3 | The creature is reduced to 0 hit points, but is stable. | | 4-5 | The creature is *Stunned* until the end of its next turn. | | 6-7 | The creature cannot take reactions, and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn. | | 8-9 | The creature cannot take reactions, and has disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of its next turn. | | 10 | The creature cannot take reactions until the end of its next turn. |

Characters suffer different effects from System Shock compared to creatures, and thus use the table presented below. Note that some of these effects may continue to apply once combat has finished. #### System Shock (Character) | d10 | Character Effect | |:---:|:----------------| | 1 | The character rolls hit dice equal to half their level, rounding up, and loses that many hit points. | | 2-3 | The character rolls hit dice equal to one-quarter of their level, rounding up, and loses that many hit points. | | 4-5 | The character is *Incapacitated* until the end of their next turn. | | 6-7 | The character cannot take reactions, and suffers 1 level of Exhaustion. If the character is at Exhaustion level 4 or higher, they do not suffer additional levels of Exhaustion from this result. | | 8-9 | The character cannot take reactions, and suffers 1 level of Exhaustion if they are not currently suffering from Exhaustion. | | 10 | The character suffers a hidden injury. At the end of this combat they must make a roll on the Lingering Injuries table. | ### Injuries & Death Saves The additional effects, Ability Score changes, or damage from lingering injuries do not require additional Death Saving Throws. In addition, these effects do not cause failed Death Saving Throws when they are applied. Instead, their effects will apply from whenever the character becomes Stable.
The Critical Bleeding injury is the only exception, requiring an additional Death Saving Throw (rather than causing an automatic failure) whenever it deals damage. A character that becomes Stable via the use of a Healer's Kit is also cured of the Critical Bleeding injury at the same time. ### New Condition: Staggered A character or creature recovering from a serious setback in combat, such as being knocked prone, or completely disarmed, is *staggered*. * The creatue can perform either an Action, **or** a Bonus Action. * The creature has Disadvantage on Attack Rolls, and on saving throws that use Strength or Dexterity. * The creature cannot use the Dash action. * This condition automatically ends at the end of the creature's next turn, or the end of its current turn if it was *staggered* during this turn.

RULES | INJURY

\page # Combat Changes (Cont.) Along with making combat more dangerous and tactical via the use of facing, flanking, and injuries, combat against hordes can be made faster with the following rule changes as well. In addition, when characters get into combat far from their allies, it might be some time before they receive help, as outlined below.
Spell Scrolls, being somewhat rarer than normal in this setting, also get a slight change. ### Cleave Any time a character kills an enemy creature outright with a single hit from a melee weapon attack, they may immediately apply any remaining damage to another creature within 5 feet of their original target, assuming the attack roll would be sufficient to also hit that creature.
This effect also applies if an enemy is killed by System Shock or a Lingering Injury. ### Punchthrough Any time a character kills an enemy creature outright with a single hit from a ranged weapon attack, they may immediately apply any remaining damage to another creature along the same line of fire, and not at long range, as the original target, assuming the attack roll would be sufficient to also hit that creature.
This effect also applies if an enemy is killed by System Shock or a Lingering Injury. ### Magic Familiarty Any character capable of casting at least one 1st level spell can make use of any Spell Scroll found while adventuring. If a spell is not on character's spell list (even at a higher level), they have Disadvantage on the attack roll, or the enemy gains Advantage on their saving throw against the spell's effects.
Characters incapable of casting spells may still make use of Spell Scrolls, but must always check for a Scroll Mishap (DMG, pp 140) against a DC equal to 8 + the Spell Level of the scroll. ### Distant Combat A character that is in combat can be heard easily up to 100ft. away. Beyond 100ft., any check to hear the combat is made with disadvantage. If a character is on a different level, each level of difference adds a cumulative x2 modifier to the effective distance between the characters.
Spells that cause loud sounds and/or deal thunder damage ignore the first modifier for being on different levels.

### Potions When in combat, characters may use a Bonus Action to drink any potion that would normally require an Action to drink. ### Flanking When attempting to flank, a character must be within 5 feet of the flanking square on the opposite side or corner of the target if the target is Large or Larger. For example, if a character is on the lower-left corner of a Huge creature, then in order to gain the flanking bonus, a second character would have to be at the upper-right corner, or within 5 feet (one square) of that corner.
In addition, a character or creature can only contribute to flanking a single target at a time, and that target must be in their front arc.
Certain creatures with the Reactive trait, or lacking rear arcs, may be immune to the effects of flanking. Oozes in general are hard to flank due to their very nature, along with a number of fey, aberrations, and multi-headed monstrosities. #### Moving to Flank
A creature only gains the benefits of the Flanking rule if it started its turn in a flanking position.
A creature that moves more than 5 feet around another creature while inside its melee reach has Disadvantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of its turn. This Disadvantage is cancelled if both the following are true: * The moving creature ended its move closer to the target creature than it started. * The moving creature is in the same arc it started in against the target creature. ### Frightful Presence Mythos creatures with the *frightful presence* ability do not cause the *frightened* condition. Instead, they cause Dread, based on their CR, as shown in the table below. The same table also applies to characters causing Dread when revealing secrets about the Mythos to other entities not normally part of it. #### Causing Dread | CR/Level | Dread Caused | |:---:|:----------------| | 0-1 | 1d4-1 | | 2-4 | 1d6 | | 5-10 | 1d8 | | 11-16 | 1d10 | | 17-24 | 1d12 | | 25+ | 2d10 |

RULES | INJURY

\page ## Low Gravity Rules #### Or "this is NOT Kansas"
Certain locations in the later stages of the campaign are very different to what players/characters might normally expect. As such, a number of modifications are applied to the basic rules to cover the effects of low gravity, and to make mobs more dangerous than usual. ### Movement All movement is considered difficult terrain unless a creature has—and is using—a flying speed. In addition, a creature's flying speed is doubled while on Aberros. UA Rangers, other classes, and creatures that normally ignore difficult terrain cannot ignore this penalty unless they have the basic star travel, star travel, or accelerated star travel ability (Mythos 5e).
When a creature uses the Dash action it must make a Dexterity saving throw or fall *prone* at the end of its movement. The save DC for this is equal to one quarter of the distance moved. When recovering from the *prone* condition, a creature uses all its remaining movement to stand back up.
In addition, when a creature performs a long jump or high jump, the distance it covers is doubled.
If a creature is wearing armour that has a Strength based pre-requisite then it ignores the above rule for difficult terrain, and for long jumps and high jumps. ### Falling All creatures have halve any damage taken from falling while in low gravity. In addition, A creature that falls more than 150 feet only suffers a maximum of 15d6 bludgeoning damage. ### Ability Checks & Saves Creatures have advantage on all Strength based ability checks and saving throws while in low gravity.
Creatures have disadvantage on all Dexterity based ability checks and saving throws while in low gravity. ### Weapons * Weapons with the *heavy* property are no longer *heavy* while in low gravity. * Weapons without the *heavy* property gain the *light* property while in low gravity. * Weapons with the *ammunition* property double their range while in low gravity. * Weapons with the *thrown* property gain advantage on the attack roll when thrown in low gravity.

## Mobs & Escalation #### Making mobs dangerous again
Higher level characters can easily mop the floor wth most mobs unless met with overwhelming numbers, which can be hard to work with. So, instead of simply throwing a larger sack of hit points at the characters, these rules aim to make fighting mobs both more dangerous and more tactically rich. ### Escalation All mobs (defined as a group of 6+ identical monsters, with a CR ≤25% of the party's average level, for these rules) have the Escalation special rule, and an Escalation die, usually a D12.
* Escalation dice start with a value of 0. * An Escalation die cannot be set to a value higher than the number of surviving creatures in that mob. * At the end of each round of combat where the mob still has half or more of its starting members, it adds 1 to the value on its Escalation die. When each member of a mob performs an attack, it adds the value currently showing on the Escalation die to its attack roll. If a member of a mob uses an ability that has a saving throw DC, it adds half of the value on the Escalation die to the save DC.
Whenever a member of a mob deals damage to a character or other target, they add the value of the Escalation die to the damage inflicted.
When a mob is reduced to less than half of its starting members, the value on their Escalation die is reduced to half its current value. ### Character Escalation If a character is within 5 feet of at least 3 members of a single mob, they also gain the bonuses of the Escalation die against that mob only. (i.e.: they may add the value to their attack rolls and damage rolls, and add half the value to any abilities that have a saving throw DC, such as spellcasting).
If a character somehow fulfills this requirement for multiple mobs, they use the highest available Escalation die. ### Causing Dread Characters can inflict Dread against certain enemies at the DM's discretion. Members of normal player races, intelligent monsters, and smarter constructs are all viable targets. Fanatics (of any kind), and anything with considerably lower Intelligence (3 or less) are not affected by Dread inflicted by players.

SPIRE OF NIGHT | LOW GRAVITY RULES

\page # Levels & Advancement Due to its nature as a more realistic setting, but wanting to keep in tune with the core ethos of the game, gaining levels and starting out are handled slightly differently in this campaign. ### Daring Spirits The characters in this campaign are bolder and far more driven than their peers. As such, they gain bonus hit dice at the levels shown below. Note that this does not increase the character's total hit points, but is an extra hit die that may be spent during rests and so forth (ie: for healing, for recharging magicite crystals, or recovering their wits). #### Bonus Hit Dice | Level | Bonus Hit Dice (Total) | Attunement Slots | |----:|:-------------:|:--------:| | 1 | 1 | 3 | | 5 | 3 | 4 | | 11 | 5 | 5 | | 17 | 9 | 6 | ### Feats & Abilities Characters may use any Feats available to them in this campaign. All characters may start with one racial feat and one generic feat; or one generic feat and +1 to 2 different ability scores.
When a character gains an ability score increase from increasing their level, they may choose to gain a feat instead. ### Hit Die & Dread Die Totals When gaining levels, characters are assumed to gain Hit Points equal to the average roll of their hit die as given in their class description. Characters add their Constistution modifier as normal.
When gaining levels, characters are assumed to gain maximum Dread equal to the average roll of their dread die as if it were a hit die of the same size. Characters add their Sanity modifier as normal.
At each level where they gain bonus hit dice, characters gain hit points and maximum Dread equal to the maximum possible roll on their respective dice instead of the average roll. > ##### Example hit point & Dread calculation > For example, a Wizard with a D6 hit die and a D10 dread die with +0 CON & SAN modifiers would have 24 hit points at 5th level
(6 at 1st level, +4 for each of 2nd, 3rd and 4th levels, and another +6 at 5th level),
and a maximum dread of 38
(10 at 1st level, +6 for each of 2nd, 3rd and 4th levels, and another +10 at 5th level). ### Starting Levels & Magicite Crystals All characters start at 3rd level for this campaign.
Dedicated spellcasters (Sorceror, Wizard) may start with a *Medium* magicite crystal, even though it holds more Spell Points than they have; or they may start with both a *Small* and a *Tiny* magicite crystal.
Other spellcasters (Bard, Cleric, Druid) may start with any combination of *Small* and *Tiny* magicite crystals, provided they do not hold more total Spell Points than their level allows.
Any other class with the ability to cast at least one spell (or cantrip) starts with a *Tiny* magicite crystal.
In addition to the above, all characters start the game with 3 *potions of healing*.
Due to spell point maximums and crystal maximums being offset, from level 3 onwards a character may use a crystal (or combination of crystals) that can hold up to 3 more spell points than their maximum spell point allowance for that spellcaster level. ## Sourcebooks & Arcana Players may use all content from the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Xanathar's Guide to Everything.
Players may use content from one additional source, if desired.
In addition, all players may use the classes and/or feats from this Unearthed Arcana: https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/UA-PsychicSoulPsionics.pdf

RULES | STARTING OUT

\page # Tables ### Injuries A character (or creature) will suffer a permanent injury under the following circumstances: * When it suffers a *critical hit* * When it drops to 0 *hit points*, but isn't killed outright * When it fails a Death Saving Throw by 5 or more * When it would be affected by System Shock ### Massive Damage A creature or character that loses half or more of its hit point maximum, rounded up, against a single attack may suffer from System Shock. That character or creature must make a DC 15 Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed save, it suffers from a random System Shock effect on the appropriate table below. #### System Shock (Creature) | d10 | Creature Effect | |:---:|:----------------| | 1 | The creature is reduced to 0 hit points. | | 2-3 | The creature is reduced to 0 hit points, but is stable. | | 4-5 | The creature is *Stunned* until the end of its next turn. | | 6-7 | The creature cannot take reactions, and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn. | | 8-9 | The creature cannot take reactions, and has disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of its next turn. | | 10 | The creature cannot take reactions until the end of its next turn. | #### System Shock (Character) | d10 | Character Effect | |:---:|:----------------| | 1 | The character rolls hit dice equal to half their level, rounding up, and loses that many hit points. | | 2-3 | The character rolls hit dice equal to one-quarter of their level, rounding up, and loses that many hit points. | | 4-5 | The character is *Incapacitated* until the end of their next turn. | | 6-7 | The character cannot take reactions, and suffers 1 level of Exhaustion. If the character is at Exhaustion level 4 or higher, they do not suffer additional levels of Exhaustion from this result. | | 8-9 | The character cannot take reactions, and suffers 1 level of Exhaustion if they are not currently suffering from Exhaustion. | | 10 | The character suffers a hidden injury. At the end of this combat they must make a roll on the Lingering Injuries table. |

### Attacking Magicite Crsytals Magicite crystals can be targeted in combat, using the AC in the table above. Magicite has immunity to all damage except Force, Bludgeoning, and Thunder. If the crystal is reduced to 0 hit points, it is immediately reduced to 0 Spell Points as well. In addition, roll a d20 on the following table to see what happens to the crystal. #### Crystal Damage | d20 | Effect | |:----:|:-------------| | 1 | **Shattered:** The crystal's owner, and anyone within 5ft. of them suffers 1 radiant damage per spell point lost. The crystal is utterly destroyed. | | 2-3 | **Broken:** If the crystal was huge, it is reduced to small. If the crystal was medium or large, it is reduced to tiny. If the crystal was tiny or small it is destroyed.| | 4-10 | **Splintered:** The crystal is split in half, becoming two crystals of the next smaller size. | | 11-19 | **Cracked:** If the crystal is used to cast an overlevel spell it is automatically destroyed after casting the spell. | | 20 | **Chipped:** The crystal must be Attuned before it can be used again. | #### Spell Point Cost per Spell Level | Level | Cost (Spell Points) | |:---:|:---| | **1** | 2 | | **2** | 3 | | **3** | 5 | | **4** | 6 | | **5** | 7 | | **6** | 9 | | **7** | 10 | | **8** | 11 | | **9** | 13 | ### Dread Levels #### (Influences/Revelations)
The save DC against Dread is the same as the Influence's Unnameable Doom DC. Characters suffer only half Dread on a successful save against an Influence. | Level | Influence | Revelation | Revelation Type | |:----:|:----:|:-----------:|:---------| |0| 2d4 | 1d4+2 | Minor (OR 'Mythos' Creature CR <8) | |1| 3d6 | 1d6+4 | Disturbing (CR 8+) | |2| 3d8 | 2d8 | Major (CR 14+) | |3| 2d10+6 | 2d10 | Horrifying (CR 18+) | |4| 2d10+10 | 2d10+4 | Apocalyptic (CR 20+) |

RULES | COLLECTED TABLES

\page

### Lingering Injuries | d100 | Injury | Stat | Effect | |:---:|:-------|:----:|:--------| | 1 – 10 | Head Wound | -1 INT -1 SAN | The character has taken a serious knock to the head, and is *stunned* until the start of their next turn. In addition, the character has disadvantage with all Wisdom and Intelligence checks and saves until this injury is cured. **DC 18** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* Two successes required (Restore INT or SAN), can be performed during a Short or Long Rest.
Spells: *greater restoration, heal, regenerate* | | 11 – 20 | Critical Bleeding | N/A | The character suffers 1 Hit Die of damage at the start of each of their turns in combat, or once each minute outside of combat. **DC 12** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* One success. Can be performed in combat. The character also suffers 3d6 Dread the first time they suffer this additional damage.
Spells: *greater restoration, regenerate* | | 18 – 20 | Eye Lost | N/A |The character has disadvantage on all skill checks that rely on sight. This injury cannot be healed in the field.
Spells: *regenerate* | | 21 – 30 | Chest Wound | -2 CON | The character always suffers from 1 level of Exhaustion higher than their current total, unless this would cause them to reach Exhaustion level 6. **DC 16** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* Two successes required (Restore 1 CON), can be performed during a Long Rest.
Spells: *greater restoration* | | 31 – 37 | Broken Arm | -2 STR | The character can only make use of one arm. The crippled arm may still carry a Shield, but only adds +1 to AC. **DC 14** Wisdom (*medicine*) with a *healer's kit* to set the arm. This can be performed during a Short or Long Rest. Two weeks to heal without magical assistance.
Spells: *greater restoration, heal* | | 38 – 40 | Hand Severed | -1 DEX | The character can only make use of one hand, and immediately drops whatever was in their severed hand. A character may lash/strap any item to their arm, but uses it with disadvantage. This injury cannot be healed in the field.
Spells: *regenerate* | | 41 – 47 | Leg Crippled | -15 Spd | The character cannot Dash, and makes any checks to climb or swim with disadvantage. **DC 16** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit* to set the leg. This can be performed during a Short or Long Rest. Two weeks to heal without magical assistance.
Spells: *greater restoration, heal* | | 48 – 50 | Leg Severed | -20 Speed | As Crippled Leg, but cannot be healed in the field. In addition, the character also suffers from the Critical Bleeding injury.
Spells: *regenerate* | | 51 – 60 | Scarred | +1 CHA | The character gains Proficiency (or Expertise if already proficient) in *intimidation.* The character loses any proficiency or expertise in *persuasion.* **DC 20** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* Three successes required (lose *intimidate* THEN -1 CHA THEN recover *persuasion)*, can be performed during a Short or Long Rest.
Spells: *greater restoration* | | 60 – 65 | Internal Injury | -1 CON | The character must pass a **DC 15** Constitution save each time they wish to take an action in combat. On a failed save, the action is lost without expending any Spell Points, charges, uses of a feature or similar. **DC 16** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* Can be performed during a Long Rest.
Spells: *lesser restoration, greater restoration* | | 66 – 80 | Wounded | N/A | The character suffers 1 level of Exhuastion, and makes Attack Rolls and Saving Throws with disadvantage until healed. **DC 12** Wisdom (*medicine)* with a *healer's kit.* Can be performed during a Short or Long Rest.
Spells: *cure wounds, lesser restoration, greater restoration, heal* | | 81 – 00 | Minor Scrape | N/A | The character must pass a **DC 15** Sanity save or immediately suffer 1d6+4 Dread. |

### Magicite Crystals | Size | Spell Points | Spell Level | Drain| Hit Points | AC | Autobreak vs (Max) Spell Lvl | |:----|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:----:| | Tiny (1/4") | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2| 26 | 6 (2) | | Small (1/2") | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3| 25 | 7 (6) | | Medium (1") | 16 | 4 | 2 | 4| 23 | 8 | | Large\* (2") | 25 | 4 | 2 | 5| 21 | 8 | | Huge\* (4") | 39 | 5 | 3 | 8| 18 | 9 |

RULES | COLLECTED TABLES

\page ### Magicite in the world Rumours exist of 'soft places', where magical essence flows through the air, and might be captured in liquid form, or compressed into something solid. Kingdoms spend a great deal of money fortifying such locations, but occasionally magicite gems have gone missing from shipments, or exceptionally bold adventurers have made off with a kings ransom of magic. This is not without risk, and almost all magicite crystals bear some kind of identfying mark, hidden to all but the most knowledgeable in the arcane arts. Most kingdoms will ruthlessly hunt down magicite thieves, and use their public executions to send a clear message to others that might try to harness that much magic for themselves. Those that serve a kingdom, especially in royal courts, and as war-mages, will often be granted access to the finest quality magicite available, reinforced, shielded, more efficient, or even better at channelling more powerful spells. There are certain locations that may spontaneously form lower quality magicite crystals, or leach liquid essence—which is used in the inking of the so called 'mageline' tattoos. Mageline tattoos are a functional combination of magicite essence and blood magic upon a person's skin. They are attuned, and serve as a spellcasting focus. The amount of magical energy stored is based on the amount of skin they cover, and their potency is determined by the precision and intricacy of the pattern. A tatoo on the back of the hand might be just enough to power a cantrip. An arm might allow a handful of simple spells. A complex, geometric pattern around a caster's torso might allow for one powerful spell, and several simpler ones. ### Enmeshed Materials In ages past metalsmiths unlocked peculiar techniques for working with magicite, finding ways to forge and cast into certain items. Tinkerers, jewellers and other artisans made use of the thin, flexible inlays of magicite created from this process. The process of crafting, forging, and concentrating on a technical project left these items imbued with a deep kind of magic, one that requires little input or upkeep from a user, unlike magicite crystals. The skills used by these exceptional craftspeople have almost disappeared from the world, but a few times in a generation there will be a truly inspired smith, or jeweller, or alchemist who 'rediscovers' these techniques and manages to craft a new magic item. Some scholars have surmised that this is an effect of the world of Sera itself, ensuring that there are always just enough magical items scattered throughout the world to help drive back the constant darkness.

### Spell Scrolls (Codexes) In this world, due to the nature of magic, spell scrolls are not simple pieces of parchement with arcane inscriptions. Instead, they are complex cylinders made with steel or stone, and inlaid with molten magicite in a special kind of forge. This process provides the power for the spell, and inside the cylinder are placed scribed or etched metal plates that serve as material components, along with providing information on verbal and somatic requirements. To use a codex, the endcap is broken free, charging the inlaid magicite, and the caster withdraws the metal plates which provide the other components. After finishing the cast, the cylinder and plates are consumed—converted into additional magical energy—and all that remains is the cracked endcap. Codexes for low-level spells are relatively rare, as magicite is reasonably common, and most can cast such spells without damaging the crystals. High level scrolls are much more common, especially for 7th-level and higher spells, occurring perhaps four times more frequently than in other settings. This also reduces the cost of such scrolls by 75%, and the scribing time by 50%. ### Healing Lingering Injuries Within the world there are many places that can lessen the effects of lingering injuries, be it by magic (regeneration and similar spells), prosthesis (ranging from simple hooks and peg-legs to magicite powered automail), or specialised re-training (physical therapies and action regimes). Players can choose which type of healing they receive for roleplay purposes, but the mechanical effect of such healing is the same regardless of what they choose: They no longer suffer any negative effects from that lingering injury. Multiple lingering injuries can be healed during an extended rest at the DM's discretion. Regrowing a few fingers and fixing several small scars is simple enough. Fitting a prosthetic for a leg and treating a festering wound require considerably longer. ### Recovering from Madness Prayer, Witch Doctors, Mentalists; all of these are things—or people—that can help reduce the impact of the horrors adventurers regularly face. There are many stratgies for facing and defeating such horrors, and some will be more effective than others. Players can choose to roleplay these situations or not, as they desire. The mechanical effects remain the same, no matter how a character chooses to treat their madnesses. After an extended rest, indefinite madnesses are reduced to long-term madnesses, which will last 2d4 days from the end of the extended rest. This might require a roll on the long-term madness table, or the DM may simply pick the closest appropriate result based on the indefinite madness the character suffered from. If a character was afflicted by a long-term madness then that madness is cured at the end of any extended rest.

BACKGROUND | THE WORLD

\page # The Pantheon The world of Sera has a complex, interconnected pantheon of gods, drawn from a storied history and more than a few folk tales. Some gods have faded, and others have sprung forth to take their place. Those touched by gods may sometimes be granted the gift of becoming an avatar—which is usually just as fatal as it is powerful. To wield the power of a god for more than a second is something no mortal body can bear. ## Creation In the beginning, was nothing. From the nothingness sprung the elder God. His name has now been lost to the mists of time, but it was he who was responsible for creating the firmament, and it was he who brought the world into existence. But, the elder God's powers were not without limits. He could create, but his creations always lacked vitality. As time passed, he grew lonely. So, he created company. A bright star, whom he called Seia. What he did not realise, was that in his loneliness, he gad given Seia a spark of his own power, just enough to quicken her form. With this spark of power, Seia became a radiant goddess, blanketing the world in a golden haze. The elder God looked down upon his creation and realised that if his power was spread, his limits would vanish. So it was that he created Jin, goddess of the moons. Still, the world was lonely. It had day and night. The moons waxed and waned and the seasons passed without change. Seia looked upon the world, and breathed out but a fraction of her essence. Seeing her only sister give up power for no reason puzzled Jin, and in her puzzlement, she breathed a little of her own essence into the world. From Seia came Rai-Tane, the god of fire and stone. From Jin came Kyron, the god of chaos and confusion. ## The Old Gods These five became known as the old gods, the elder God, Seia, Jin, Rai-Tane and Kyron. Between them, the world was shaped. Seia's light warmed the earth during the day. Jin's daughters—the moons—watched over the world at night. Rai-Tane's passion wrought volcanoes across the land, forever changing the face of the world. Kyron shifted and changed, moving the lands while touching nothing. His influence separated the continents and spread the ocean. Soon the world looked like it does today. One large continent with many people, and many small continents with no people. But in this time, the people had not yet been born. The world was shaped, but it was devoid of life. Rai-Tane's volcanoes had made the land fertile, but there was nothing to grow. Yet. The oceans were devoid of life, and the lands were barren deserts.

## Storm As the world began to turn around Seia, a new god, unknown to the others, was born from the oceans and the sky. Her name was Eryje, and her nature tempestuous. From the churning of the oceans she rose, and found the sky calm. This would not do, for to her, the churning currents were the natural state of the world. All around, clouds began to gather, and lightning forked the sky. With her birth, a great storm descended upon the oceans, lightning striking the waters again and again. From this energy, the oceans were changed, things that were broken re-formed, and as they reformed, these strange things were quickened to life. In time they came to dominate the ocean, absorbing Seia's warmth, and simply growing. But Eryje's stormy moods often broke them apart, or destroyed them utterly until one day, these tiny quickened lives learned that they could work together, that even if some died, the greater whole would survive. And thus it was that life spread throughout the oceans. Sometimes on the surface, sometimes in the deeps, drawing energy from Rai-Tane's oldest volcanoes. Seia saw this, and smiled upon the world. She saw only what was good, the fact that Eryje had brought life into the world. Jin saw the storm goddess's rages, and that she was destroying her own creations. Those touched by her thunder died instantly. So Jin spoke with Seia, the moons telling the sun what was happening beneath her. ## Salvation Jin and Seia wept for those creations merely brushed aside by Eryje's wrath. Together, they made a promise—those only brushed aside by the storm god would survive. So it was that the celestial goddesses, joined once in body and mind, gave unto the world the goddess Shaya. When Shaya came unto the world, the injured began to heal, and the sick grew healthy once more. When one particular creation was thrown inland by a violent storm, gasping for breath, Shaya took pity upon it, and intervened directly. The fish—as it had been—found itself changed, its fins becoming short legs, and its tail growing in length behind it. Gills still sprouted from its neck, but it also gained the ability to breathe in the open air. In time, this creature had offspring, and as it died, the flora inside it burst forth onto fresh soil, becoming the first plants seen on land. Much time passed, and the earth became a vital, fertile land. While Eryje's moods had ruled the oceans, there was nothing to halt the progress of life upon the land. Creatures lived until they were eaten, or suffered a fatal accident. None died of age.

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

\page ## Death Rai-Tane and Kyron noticed this, and saw that in time, it would become a problem. Their solution was not to intervene, but establish a new law, one that would forever separate the beasts from the gods. Gods could live forever. Beasts could not. And so, joined in body and mind as Seia and Jin had before them, Rai-Tane and Kyron gave unto the world Morrde, the god of death. When beasts reached the end of their allotted time, this new god would claim them as his own, dragging them down to his realm. In the realm of Morrde, beasts would live on, in a rough facsimile of their old domains. None questioned this, for the realm of shadows was the sole dominion of Morrde himself, and none of the other gods could enter. This did not concern them, as Morrde could not enter the mortal realm or the ethereal plane where the other gods resided. The natural order of the world grew, and at the same time, the realm of shadows grew more complex, more real. In all this time, man had yet to exist, and so, there was no magic in the world. None of the other gods realised it, but the realm of shadows was beginning to touch upon the mortal world, and in time some of the beasts that Morrde had taken returned to the world. But, when they had returned, they were not the same, they harboured great anger towards the living, and wished to make them suffer as they had. Thus, the first daemons had come into the world. Their stay was brief, but violent. So much so that Eryje grew jealous of their power, and wished to find a way to halt them. In her rage, she exhaled across the oceans and blew great storms onto the lands. Her essence suffused these storms, and magic came into the world. Then came an event that shocked all the gods, for such a thing had not happened since the existence of the elder God himself. A being came into existence in the ethereal plane, unbidden, created not by other gods, but from itself. ## Magic That god was Deaze. His domain was not the mortal world, nor the ethereal plane, but what lay between. Essence, the tempest of the gods, had been tamed. Magic began to move throughout the world, shifting on tides that were not born of natural events. Time passed, and special creatures began to appear. Creatures attuned to the ebb and flow of this mysterious new substance. Some could even manipulate the skeins of Essence to their own purposes. And so it was ready. The world could now begin to live and grow beyond the gods' control. Great aeons passed, and the lands shifted upon the oceans. Then, man suddenly appeared. His origins were uncertain, perhaps he came from something that already existed, something that grew too used to magik. Perhaps, as the universities and learned scholars say, he was borne into existence by a long process of evolution. Or, perhaps he arrived from some other place, and called this land of magic his home.

## Man Man had come into the world, a world of gods and magic, and as is the way of man, he tried to change it. To shape the world to his own ends. The first men knew of the gods, the old gods, and worshiped them as the True Gods. As the other gods and goddesses watched, they saw that this devotion brought power to the older gods. In this sole act of man, the pantheon became divided. Brother and sister fought against father and son. Mother and daughter were pitted against each other, fighting for supremacy. For as the story went, if one god could claim power from followers, then all of them could. If a young god gained enough of a following, then they might have power enough to supplant the older gods. Perhaps, some whispered, even the elder God himself. Like the gods they worshiped, man soon became divided. Many countries, many lands, many voices. All wanted different things. As man spread apart, he began to invent. To adapt. To tell stories. Stories not just about man, but about gods. The facts were often wrong, but the gods could not intervene—they had fought for too long. These incorrect facts became accepted as the truth, and as man accepted them, the heavens, and even the gods themselves, started to change. The first to change was the Elder God. His followers were now so diminished and so rare that no others knew of his existence. Soon—as the gods reckon time—the Elder God vanished. At first the other gods did not notice. Then, when the fighting grew fiercest, Seia went to beseech his aid. In his place she found… nothing. ## Avatars Weeping, Seia approached the other gods and goddesses under the flag of truce, calling upon them to lay down their arms and bear witness to what their strife had done. The pantheon was rocked to its core. The gods were eternal. Nothing could harm them. Or so they had thought. In secret, Seia descended upon the earth, making a pact with all men. So long as one man—or woman—were to believe she existed, then she would do everything in her power to help that person succeed, no matter the cost. What Seia did not know was that by taking mortal form she had created an avatar. The other gods could not fail to notice a lone woman, wandering the wilds, imbued with the light of Seia. When they asked the sun goddess of what she had done, Seia refused to speak of it, saying that it was the only to ensure they were never forgotten as the elder God was. So it was that the other gods made their own avatars, and from each avatar sprang a nation, a religion, a way of life well suited to the region where the avatar lived.

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

\page ## Darkness Man had noticed these exceptional people, mages, but imbued with the true power of the gods. Some were hunted, and some became great kings and queens. Some wandered the world, and some chose one place to live a life eternal. It was then that the stars changed, the heavens grew black, and the Endless Midnight began. For almost a century it was night across the earth, and noon was marked only by a dim twilight. Man, not having the true knowledge of the heavens, knew that the Endless Midnight must have been the work of an angry god. They did not know which god. Indeed, when each avatar was questioned at the Conclave of Midnight it was revealed that each of the gods and goddesses was fighting just as hard as man to lift the darkness from the world. Sure in their knowledge, man asked if they had angered a new god. Though they did not know it, their collective belief had, in fact, created this self-same god. He bore the name Skol, father of cold. His wrath was said to be terrible, and that he sent great beasts of ice to punish those who crossed him. Skol's avatar arrived at the conclave ten days later. No one survived his appearance, and all the other avatars were destroyed, forcing the gods to abandon the world—at least, for a time. But, beneath the world there was one god, a god with no avatar. No ability to enter the mortal realm. A god of darkness. As man began to dwindle, he sought aid from any that would listen. The old gods ignored them, but there was one who saw the darkness as an invitation. His name was Morrde, and in man's darkest hour, he would be their saviour. ## Enlightenment It took time, many decades, but with the effort of the lord of shadows, mankind managed to push back the darkness, to recover from the cold. A new dawn broke, but as mankind rejoiced, they saw the true form of their saviour. They set upon this avatar with a ferocity unmatched even by that with which they had fough the daemons of Skol. Morrde was forced once more into the realm of shadows, unable to touch upon the mortal world. The other gods did not bother to question him—for they all thought Morrde would hate them for abandoning mankind. But he did not. Mordde harboured no hatred for man, or for his celestial bretheren. Instead he pitied them. For none could see the beauty held within the sacred darkness. And though he harboured no hatred for man, he longed for another Endless Midnight, another chance to touch upon the material world. This longing had a strange effect upon the Essence threaded through the mortal world and the shadow realm. It solidified, not fading from the world, but becoming greatly concentrated. Concentrated enough to power the greatest of magics. The desires of the shadow lord had created the first magicite, and with it, the pact of blood magic.

## Mechanical Man In the north, past the Blackfang range, at the foot of Karn's Razor, sat the first city. Hygar, fortress of the north. In this city were many mechanisms, clockwork dials and gears, pulleys and ratchets, systems for moving water under the ground. The people of Hygar, the people of the north, knew that these inventions were likely to anger the gods whose magic had been used in their creation, so they prayed for forgiveness, and for the machines to continue working. Their prayers were answered, during the winter maelstroms, in a way they never thought possible. One man, an inventor, had made a body of light metals, bronze and brass, detailed with silver. Inside were a myriad gears and pulleys to move this body. As he was about to place the final gear in position, something beat at his door. Being a kindly person, the man opened the door, not wanting whoever was outside to freeze to death in the cold. It was not a person on the far side of the door, but a shadowy beast, a daemon that had somehow broken through from the shadow realm. The man had no weapons, nothing to fight with, nothing to protect himself. He did the only thing he could think of—he prayed for salvation. A fist with silver knuckles turned the demon into a cloud of ash. The man looked up in awe. His creation had moved, unbidden, without the final piece in position. It moved strangely, its motion coming in small jerks, not smooth transitions. Despite this fact, the man knew his creation was undoubtedly alive, somehow driven by magic—though he had used no magicite. The creation had no name, and the man could not stop it as it left his home. The city began to venerate this odd saviour, to pray for its assistance when confronted by impossible situations. In time, it learned to speak, Essence animating the metal, making it flow smoothly where it had jerked and started before. Soon enough, the creation had been given a name: Nyrvan. It meant "the built one" in the northern tongue. All noticed that around Nyrvan, devices seemed to spring to life, mechanisms worked better, and tinkerers gained sudden inspiration. It was not clear exactly when it happened, but Nyrvan had become an avatar, a physical being with the power of a god. And yet, what all the men of Hygar found strange, was that there was no god for the miracles Nyrvan performed.

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

\page ### Deaze *Lawful Good.* God of sight and nature. Deaze rules the outer planes, seeing possible futures and working to either bring them to fruition, or to avert the disasters they entail. ### Eryje *Chaotic Neutral.* Goddess of the storm. She rules the skies and oceans, giving the currents purpose and direction. She is also responsible for the great storms that sometimes make landfall during the firetide season. ### Jin *Chaotic Good.* Goddess of the moons. Jin rules the upper heavens with the help of Seia and Shaya, though is often at odds with them due to her passionate nature. ### Kyron *Neutral Evil.* God of destruction. Living in the spaces between, Kyron is an itinerant, angry god, and often visits destruction upon other realms if one faction seems to be growing too powerful. ### Morrde *Lawful Evil.* God of shadows and death. Though he is considered evil by many, death is a natural part of the world. He rules the shadow realm, and is unable to cross the material plane. In person Morrde is stern, and just, but not unkind. ### Nyrvan *Lawful Neutral.* God of created things and artifice. He rules the brass palace, a realm made of clockwork and gears, powered by great forges and steam engines. ### Rai-Tane *Neutral.* God of fire and stone. Rai-Tane rules the world beneath the world, and is considered more of a force of nature than a god by many. He has had the most avatars of any god, but has also had the fewest survivors among those that become his avatar. ### Seia *Neutral Good.* Goddess of the sun. She rules the upper heavens in triumvirate with Shaya and Jin. She is an older goddess, and will often appear in times of great need. ### Shaya *Neutral Good.* Goddess of health and illusions. She rules the upper heavens in triumvirate with Seia and Jin. She is the goddess that will most often send her avatar to the material plane.

### Skol *Chaotic Evil.* God of cold and wild nature. His domain intrudes upon the northern wastes, and those that wander through during a storm may not know on which side they belong. Skol's evil is less self-serving, more part of his very nature as a wild god. ## Dwarven Gods ### Diuna *Lawful Good.* Goddess of wisdom. Almost all dwarven homes will have a totem to Diuna placed in a prominent location to seek her blessings. Many dwarves also carry a small journal with Diuna's runic name inscribed upon it. ### Helzon *Neutral.* The god of the forge, and god of all creation. Dwarves sometimes view Helzon with suspicion, as he created all things in the world, the good, and the bad. All smiths venerate this god, regardless of their personal views. ### Kazun *Lawful Neutral.* The god of war and just causes. Almost all dwarven warriors will carry a totem of Kazun. He is said to aid any that fall in the face of great evils. ### Kohil *Neutral Evil.* God of luck and trickery. Kohil has many schemes in the world, as is sometimes seen as a foil to the human's Deaze. ### Nata *Chaotic Good.* Goddess of life and home. She watches over the small farms that dot the countryside, and in Dwarf tales she is said to not care of racial difference. ## Elven Gods ### Orellan *Chaotic Neutral.* God of all things. Orellan is seen as an aloof figure by high elves, as a force of nature by the wood elves, and as a dark saviour by the drow. ### Lolth *Chaotic Evil.* Goddess of spiders and night. Lolth is the chief goddess of the drow, and has an almost permanent presence on the material plane, ruling with an iron fist.

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

\page ## Gnomish Gods ### Fâe-Na'nune *Neutral Good.* Goddess of trickery and mischief. Devout worshippers are viewed with some suspicion as many things go missing around them, only to be found decorating the wrong shrines later. ## Halfling Gods ### Inderra *Lawful Good.* Goddess of life and fertility. Another, kinder guise of Shaya, focusing less on illusion and more on family. Most halflings carry a trinket dedicated to or blessed by Inderra. ## Orc Gods ### K'ratt *Chaotic Evil.* God of war and storms. He seeks to plunge the world into an endless war, for which his followers are best suited. ### S'karr *Chaotic Neutral.* God of the savage wilderness. Worshipped in older, shamanic traditions among the orcs. Little else is know of this god and his, her, or its objectives. ## Other non-human Gods ### Calagon *Lawful Good.* God of good dragons, and one half of the draconic pantheon. He values life, investigation, and noble duels. ### Surtur *Lawful Evil.* God of giants. Viewed as a saviour by evil giants, and a savage oppressor by good giants, there are always rumblings of an invasion into his realm to end his rule. ### Typhon *Chaotic Evil.* God of evil dragons, and brother of Calagon. He values war, hatred, and destruction.

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

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##### Gods of Sera | Deity | Alignment | Domains | Symbol | |:------|:---------:| :----- | :----- | | Calagon | LG | Knowledge, War | A dragon's head and a scroll | | Deaze | LG | Nature, Life | An eye within a circle | | Diuna | LG | Knowledge | The runes 'Di' and 'Un', interlinked | | Eryje | CN | Tempest | A bolt of lightning above a wave | | Fâe-Na'nune | NG | Trickery | Crossed fingers in relief | | Helzon | N | Forge, Life | A hammer and anvil | | Inderra | LG | Life, Light | A heart within a circle, or twinned lovers | | Jin | CG | Light, Nature | Three connected circles | | K'ratt | CE | Knowledge, War | Four fangs pointing down, the outer pair enlarged | | Kazun | LN | Tempest, War | A hammer trailed by lightning | | Kohil | NE | Trickery | A coin with two heads | | Kyron | NE | War, Death | An inverted triangle bisecting a line | | Lolth | CE | Knowledge, Death | A spider with a drow face | | Morrde | LE | Death | A scythe and an hourglass | | Nyrvan | LN | Knowledge | A complex set of gears | | Nata | CG | Life, Nature, Light | A sun inscribed with the Tao | | Orellan | CN | Nature, Light, Tempest | A sun and two moons | | Rai-Tane | N | Knowledge, War, Forge | A stylized volcano | | S'karr | CN | Nature | Four fangs arranged in a cross | | Seia | NG | Light, Knowledge | The radiant sun | | Shaya | NG | Life, Trickery | Tao circle, with an eye in darkness, and heart in light | | Skol | CE | War, Death | Two jagged icicles | | Surtur | LE | War | A giant with a downturned sword | | Typhon | CE | War, Death | A dragon's tail and wings |

BACKGROUND | THE PANTHEON

\page # The Planes The world of Sera lies at the intersection of several planes, notably the high heavens, the shadow realm, and the spaces beyond. Sera itself is part of the material plane. More planes exist, but these are less well known, and even less explored. ### The Material Plane The material plane encompasses Sera, her five moons (Chronos, Aberros, Disyrious, Efram & Lune), and the aether bewteen them. In this setting the Fae live in pocket dimensions known as hidden spaces, accessible only through Fae magic, with passages running between them through the Essence. ### The Shadow Realms Below the material plane lies the realm of shadow, a place of rest or justice for passing spirits. The spirits of the newly dead occupy this plane, and are judged by Morrde. Deeper in the realm of shadows, in the heart of darkness, lies a portal to a deeper, darker place that gives birth to fiends and daemons. ### The Abyss Deep within the shadow realms lie a portal unique in its permanence. This is the only connection the other planes have to the abyss, and the spaces between refuse to acknowledge its existence. Many suspect that Skol rules this plane, and can create portals directly to the material plane during the winter maelstroms. ### The Upper Heavens Above the material plane are the upper heavens, a place filled with gods and wonder, and the birthplace of many celestial beings. It is rumoured that there are branches from this plane into other heavens, but few have ventured far enough to tell. ### The Brass Palace Between the material plane and the high heavens sits the pocket dimension of the brass palace, ruled by Nyrvan. ### The World Beneath the World An intersection of the shadow realms and the material plane, the world beneath the world blends the underdark into the space occupied by neutral and evil gods. Rai-Tane is the ultimate ruler of this plane. ### The Essence Beside the material plane lies the Essence, a demi-plane of almost pure magic, and home to all elementals. The Essence is shaped by the elementals that live there and the borders between can be churning chaos, dangerous for travellers not from the Essence. ### The Dreamlands One of the outer planes, connected not by cosmology, but by a collective unconscious of all things. This plane has its own lands, a single moon, and thriving economy based around lucid dreams and the souls of sleepers. It is just as dangerous as the material plane, but holds far more magic and wonder. ### The Spaces Between Encompassing everything are the spaces between, linking the high heavens, the realm of shadow, the Essence, and the material plane. There are, however, two planes the spaces beyond cannot reach. The first of these is the abyss, the birthplace of evil and everything infernal—the entire plane is anathema to the spaces between. The second unreachable place is the dreamlands, which can be reached only in lucid dreams and maddening visions. ### Planar Effects In rules terms, the spaces beetween function as the Ethereal Plane, the upper heavens serve as the Astral Plane, and the shadow realm serves as one part of the afterlife.
There are only a handful of teleportation circles between the planes, but this is of little consequence due to the spaces between offering many paths to travel between the planes. Not all such paths are permanent, and not all such paths are safe, but all of them exist in the spaces between.

BACKGROUND | THE PLANES