# Blood & Tears

##### A Low Magic Sword & Sorcery Conversion for D&D 5e

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## Table Of Contents

- ### [3Overview](#p3) - ### [4Adventuring Features](#p4) - [4Proficiency Die](#p4) - [4New Ability: Sanity](#p4) - [5Madness Tables](#p5) - [6Indefinite Madness Effects Descriptions](#p6) - [8New Ability: Fame](#p8) - [8New Ability: Power](#p8) - [9Morale](#p9) - [10Action Points](#p10) - ### [11Combat](#p11) - ### [13Armor Points](#p13) - ### [14Equipment](#p14) - [14Helmets](#p14) - [15New Weapons, Armor and shields](#p15) - [16Item Bulk](#p16) - [18Ammunition Tracking](#p18) - [19Armor Types & Weapon Effectiveness](#p19) - [19Alchemical and Herbal Items](#p19) - ### [21Cultures](#p21) - ### [23Narratives](#p23) - ### [30Classes](#p30) - [30Modified Classes](#p30) - [31Rogue Archetype: Poisoner](#p31) - [33Conqueror](#p33) - [35Courtier](#p35) - [38Nomad](#p38) - [40Occultist](#p40) - ### [50Feats](#p50) - [50Modified Feats](#p50) - [51New Feats](#p51) - [53Weapon Mastery Feats](#p53) - ### [54Magic](#p54) - [54Spell Points](#p54) - [55Dangerous Magic](#p55) - [55White, Black and Grey Magic Spell Lists](#p55) - [57Dangerous Magic Effects Table](#p57) - [59Modified Spells](#p59) - [60New Spells](#p60)

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- ### [66Damage](#p66) - [66Injuries](#p66) - [67Healing](#p67) - [67Massive Damage](#p67) - ### [68Critical Hit & Miss Tables](#p68) - [68Energy Damage](#p68) - [70Impact Damage](#p70) - [72Slashing Damage](#p72) - [74Thunder Damage](#p74) - [76Fumble Table](#7p6) - ### [77Monster Hit Locations](#p77) - ### [79Downtime Activities](#79) - [79Carousing](#p79) - ### [81Timeline](#p81) - ### [82Languages](#p82) - ### [84Cities and Locales of Thule](#p84) - [84Claws of Imystrahl](#p84) - [87Dhar Marsh](#p87) - [90Hellumar and Nimoth](#p90) - [93Highlands of Nar](#p93) - [96Kaylayan the Golden](#p96) - [101Lands of the Long Shadow](#p101) - [14The Thousand Teeth](#p104) - [107Other Lands](#p107) - ### [108Cities and Locales of Xoth](#p108) - [108Lamu, the Mountain Fastness](#p108) - [108Susrah, Land of Warring City-States](#p108) - [109The Zorab Mountains](#p109) - [109The Al-Khazi Desert, the Howling Waste](#p109) - [109The Jungle Kingdoms of the South](#p109) - [110Yar-Ammon, the Kingdom of Tombs](#p110) - [111The Eastern Sea](#p111)

\page # Overview
Primeval Thule is a truly amazing world with characters and concepts that already align with Sword & Sorcery. What it is lacking are the mechanics. The purpose of this conversion is to inject these core elements of the Sword & Sorcery genre back into the setting of Primeval Thule. ## Alignment As with any Sword & Sorcery world, Primeval Thule is one focused on survival. Good and evil characters alike may find themselves doing things they would not have otherwise, simply to survive. Individuals within this world are defined by their motivation, culture, and personal ambitions and ethics. Having characters act according to their own motivation creates much more interesting plots and storylines than simply "*I’m good, you’re evil*" plotlines. ## Magic is dangerous Magic is not meant for mortals. Those that attempt to harness its power either run the risk of attracting the attention of creatures that would not see its powers in the hands of those it was not intended for or risk losing their minds in their dark pursuit. ## Combat is deadly Combat is always a risk at any level and no enemy is a pushover. Hitpoints are reduced substantially, magical healing is not as effective, and characters no longer fall unconscious when reduced to zero hitpoints. Instead, they remain fighting, but begin to suffer critical damage that could cause permanent injury and eventually death. ## The Gods are Silent The traces of long forgotten deities that left this world's sphere of influence when the Great Old Ones returned can still be felt by those that know how to find them. If these gods still exist and watch over those that blindly cling to their doctrines, they do so in silence.

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\page ## Adventuring Features ### Proficiency Die This rule replaces a character’s proficiency bonus with a proficiency die, adding more randomness to the game and making proficiency a less reliable indicator of mastery. Instead of adding a proficiency bonus to an ability check, an attack roll, or saving throw, the player rolls a die. The Proficiency Die table shows which die to roll, as determined by the character’s level.

Whenever a feature, such as the rogue’s Expertise, lets a character double his or her proficiency bonus, the player rolls the character’s proficiency die twice instead of once. ##### Proficiency Die | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Proficiency Die | |:----|:-------------|:------------| | 1st-4th | +2 | 1d4 | 5th-8th | +3 | 1d6 | 9th-12th | +4 | 1d8 | 13th-16th | +5 | 1d10 | 17th-20th | +6 | 1d12 ### New Ability Scores: Fame, Power & Sanity All characters start with an initial Fame and Power of 10, and a Sanity score of 11, modified by narrative choice as indicated in the following chart: ##### Narrative Modifiers | Narrative | Score Adjustment | |:---------------------|:------------------| | Escaped Slave | –2 Fame, –2 Power | | Guardian of the Nine | +2 Sanity | | Katagian Pit Fighter | +2 Fame | | Panjandrum | +2 Power | | Tribal Outcast | +2 Fame, –2 Power | #### Sanity Score A character with a high Sanity is level-headed even in the face of insane circumstances, while a character with low Sanity is unsteady, breaking easily when confronted by eldritch horrors that are beyond normal reason.

**Gaining and Losing Sanity.** Characters naturally improve Sanity over time; adventurers are made of stern stuff, and a lifetime of daring escapes and victories over savage foes helps to prepare them for the day when they meet something horribly abnormal. Sanity cannot be improved with normal ability score increases, and like other scores, maxes out at 20. Unlike other scores, Sanity can sometimes dip below 1; characters at 0 Sanity are insane. Sanity is gained or lost for the following: - Gain a level or go one year without being exposed to a Sanity save (gain 1d2–1 Sanity). - Fail a Sanity save (–1, –1d4, or –1d6 Sanity for the first, second, or third failed Sanity save in the same day). - A restoration spell of 2nd level or higher restores 1 Sanity lost within the last day. - A restoration spell of 5th level or higher restores 2d4 lost Sanity (but cannot increase Sanity above the character’s previous maximum).
**Sanity Checks** A character might make a Sanity check in place of an Intelligence check to recall lore about the alien creatures of madness encountered during an adventure, to decipher the writings of raving lunatics, or to learn spells from tomes of forbidden lore. You might also be asked to make a Sanity check when your character tries one of the following activities: - Deciphering a piece of text written in a language so alien that it threatens to break your character’s mind - Overcoming the lingering effects of madness - Comprehending a piece of alien magic foreign to all normal understanding of magic
**Sanity Saving Throws** A character might be asked to make a Sanity saving throw (Wisdom) when they run the risk of succumbing to madness, such as in the following situations: - Encountering an aberration, undead, or extraterrene creature for the rst time (DC 8). - Seeing an ally defeated by an aberration, undead, or extraterrene creature (DC 8). - Being charmed by an aberration, undead, or extraterrene creature (DC 8). - Witnessing alien or unwholesome magic (DC 5 + spell level). - Exposure to an alien environment (DC 10). - Hearing or seeing a Great Old One at a distance (DC 10). - Exposure to a profoundly abnormal alien environment (DC 15). - Encountering a Great Old One (DC 15, double Sanity loss on failure).
**Failed Sanity Save.** When a character fails a Sanity save, he or she loses 1 Sanity point and gains a madness effect (see the Madness effects below). The type of effect gained is determined by the Sanity score at the time of the triggering events failed save: ##### Sanity Score | Score | Madness Effect | |:------|:-------------------| | 10+ | Short-term | | 1-10 | Long-Term | | <1 | Indefinite Madness |

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##### Short-Term Madness | d100 | Effect (lasts 1d10 minutes) | |:----|:-------------| | 01–20 | The character retreats into his or her mind and becomes paralyzed. The effect ends if the character takes any damage. | 21–30 | The character becomes incapacitated and spends the duration screaming, laughing, or weeping. | 31–40 | The character becomes frightened and must use his or her action and movement each round to flee from the source of the fear. | 41–50 | The character begins babbling and is incapable of normal speech or spellcasting. | 51–60 | The character must use his or her action each round to attack the nearest creature. | 61–70 | The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks. | 71–75 | The character does whatever anyone tells him or her to do that isn’t obviously self-destructive. | 76–80 | The character experiences an overpowering urge to eat something strange such as dirt, slime, or offal. | 81–90 | The character is stunned. | 91–100 | The character falls unconscious.

##### Long-Term Madness | d100 | Effect (lasts 1d10 x10 hours) | |:----|:-------------| | 01–10 | The character feels compelled to repeat a specific activity over and over, such as washing hands, touching things, praying, or counting coins. | 11–20 | The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks. | 21–30 | The character suffers extreme paranoia. The character has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks. | 31–40 | The character regards something (usually the source of madness) with intense revulsion, as if affected by the antipathy effect of the antipathy/sympathy spell. | 41–51 | The character experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a potion. The character imagines that he or she is under its effects. | 52–65 | The character is blinded (25%) or deafened (75%). | 66–75 | The character experiences uncontrollable tremors or tics, which impose disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that involve Strength or Dexterity. | 76–85 | The character suffers from partial amnesia. The character knows who he or she is and retains racial traits and class features, but doesn’t recognize other people or remember anything that happened before the madness took effect. | 86–90 | Whenever the character takes damage, he or she must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as though he or she failed a saving throw against the confusion spell. The confusion effect lasts for 1 minute. | 91–95 | The character loses the ability to speak. | 96–100 | The character falls unconscious. No amount of jostling or damage can wake the character.

##### Indefinite Madness | d100 | Effect (lasts until cured) | |:----|:-------------| | 01–18 | Amnesia | 19-30 | Catonia | 31-48 | Cognitive Block | 49-66 | Disassociated identity | 67-78 | Psychopathy | 79-85 | Psychosomatic loss | 86-00 | Schizophrenia #### Curing Madness A calm emotions spell can suppress the effects of madness, while a lesser restoration spell can rid a character of a short-term or long-term madness. Depending on the source of the madness, remove curse or dispel evil and good might also prove effective. A greater restoration spell or more powerful magic is required to rid a character of indefinite madness.

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\page ### Amnesia **Effect:** –4 penalty on Will saving throws and skill checks, and loss of memory
**Description:** A character suffering from amnesia cannot remember things; his name, skills, and past are all equal mysteries. While the character can build new memories, he has trouble accessing those gained before he contracted amnesia. While a character with amnesia can still speak and read any languages he knows, and doesn’t lose the most basic of skills needed to care for himself and interact within society, he cannot remember anything substantial about his past. A character with this affliction loses all class abilities, feats, and skill proficiencies gained before developing amnesia. He retains his base attack bonus, saving throws bonuses (though he takes a –4 penalty on Will saves), total XP, Hit Dice, and hit points. If a character gains a character level while suffering from amnesia, he can use any abilities gained via that class level normally. If the class level he gained was of a class in which he already had levels, he initially gains the abilities of a 1st-level character of that class, even though he is technically of a higher level in that class, and then progresses from there. When the amnesia is cured, the character regains the full abilities of the class; recalculate his level based on his total XP. ### Catonia **Effect:** The afflicted character acts as if she were incapacitated, but they do not appear to have suffered any life threatening injuries.
**Description:** A character suffering from catatonia mentally shuts down completely. While a catatonic character still breathes, she cannot eat or drink without assistance. ### Cognitive Block **Effect:** The afflicted character can no longer speak or write and has difficulty concentrating. He takes a –5 penalty on concentration checks. He cannot cast spells with a verbal component, and cannot prepare spells from a spellbook.
**Description:** This condition deprives a character of his concentration and his ability to speak, read, and write, though he can understand words he hears and can react to requests and commands as normal. ### Dissociated Identity **Effect:** –5 penalty on Wisdom saving throws and Wisdom-based checks, and disassociated identities (see below)
**Description:** This is a complicated affliction that manifests as two or more distinct and different personalities in the same mind. The number of personalities is up to the GM, as is the nature of the personalities. Should the affliction worsen in some way (such as by gaining dissociated identity again), the number of additional personalities might increase as well. Each morning upon waking and each time the afflicted character is revived from unconsciousness, she must succeed at a DC 15 Will save, or one of the character’s other personalities takes hold. If the afflicted character has more than one personality because of this madness, the manifested personality is either randomly chosen or chosen by the GM. If the afflicted character succeeds at all her saving throws against manifesting alternate personalities for 3 consecutive days, there is a 10% cumulative chance each night thereafter that another personality takes control during the character’s sleep, returning to bed afterwards and leaving the character with less sleep than expected; if the afflicted character fails a saving throw, the cumulative chance resets. The afflicted character’s memories, skills, and other abilities are unaffected by the personality shift, but typically the various personalities have no knowledge of each other and will deny, often violently, that the other personalities exist. ### Moral Insanity **Effect:** The afflicted character’s alignment shifts to evil, and he gains a +5 bonus on Deception checks to hide this madness. Once per day, the afflicted character can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to suppress this effect for 24 hours.
**Description:** This complex madness fills the afflicted character with hatred for the world and a detached feeling about others, as if they were nothing more than pawns for the afflicted character’s own uses. A character afflicted by moral insanity might plot the demise of friends and enemies alike, but always with the goal of avoiding blame or consequences and enabling him to continue to feed his dark desires. The impact of moral insanity must be roleplayed, although not all players may find it fun or interesting to play such a character. In such cases, the GM should assume control of the character whenever the madness is dominant. Evil characters can’t gain this madness.

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### Psychosomatic Loss **Effect:** The afflicted character becomes blinded or deafened, loses another special sense (like scent or blindsense), loses the use of limbs, or loses a special movement speed (like a fly or swim speed). The GM chooses how the psychosomatic loss manifests.
**Description:** While there is nothing physically wrong with the afflicted character, some kind of mental trauma has forced her brain to shut down sensory or motor systems. Furthermore, magical effects that typically remove these conditions (such as remove blindness/ deafness) have no effect on this madness; the madness must be cured in order to regain the senses or motor skills. ### Schizophrenia **Effect:** –4 penalty on Wisdom and Charisma-based checks; chance of becoming confused
**Description:** A character afflicted with schizophrenia can no longer function as he once did, dealing with sudden deficits in social skills and cognition, and an influx of new, strange behaviors. The character becomes erratic, chaotic, and unpredictable as his affliction and symptoms continue, often hitting a peak of symptoms including hallucinations and delusions. Each time a character afflicted with this madness finds himself in a stressful situation (such as combat), he must succeed at a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or become confused for 1d6 rounds.

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\page ## Fame Every day, some barbarian warrior or another roaming the wilderness slays a fearsome beast or cuts a band of slavers to pieces, a clever rogue pulls off a theft that leaves a whole city talking, or a mysterious sorcerer scatters a street gang with magic. Tales of great deeds, both dark and heroic, spread like wildfire through the marketplaces and winesinks of Thule—and when the same names turn up again and again in these tales, the owners of those names find that they are known by people they’ve never met in places they have never been. A character’s Fame score measures the extent to which he or she is known by strangers, for good or for ill. A character with a low Fame is known only by his or her family and immediate neighbors. An average Fame score means that the character is known by most people in a neighborhood or good-sized tribe. A high Fame score (14 or 15) means that people in other communities or nearby cities are likely to have heard of the character, especially if they have a reason to be interested in the character’s trade or doings. Finally, the name of a character with an exceptional Fame score is known in all but the most isolated or backwards places. Fame is useful for opening doors and establishing credibility in the right area. A noble who needs a difficult rival removed might seek out a renowned assassin for the job; a jungle trader who discovers a strange artifact might bring it to the doorstep of a famous wizard. Unfortunately, fame means that a character can sometimes be recognized or found more easily than others.
**Gaining and Losing Fame.** Fame can’t be improved with normal ability score increases. Instead, Fame improves with specific events, as shown below: - The character is publicly acknowledged or condemned by authority figures for a heroic or villainous deed (+1 Fame, no more than three times in a character’s career). - The character gains followers (+1 Fame). - The character gains the ability to launch a raid (+1 Fame). - The character gains a bonus to interaction checks from his or her narrative (the 6th-level benefit in many cases) (+2 Fame). - The character gains a title (+2 Fame). - The first time a character calls a horde or raises an army (+4 Fame). A character’s maximum Fame score is 20. Time is the only thing that dims fame (after all, spectacular failure is just as noteworthy as success). Characters who end their adventuring careers or other- wise drop out of sight lose 1 Fame per year, to a maxi- mum loss of 5 Fame from their highest total score.
**Fame Checks.** Typically, a Fame check arises in a social situation when a character attempts to make use of his or her reputation to gain a NPC’s help. Examples include: - Gaining an audience with a busy ruler. - Recruiting a crew for a dangerous voyage. - Intimidating foes (you can use Fame as the base ability for Fame/Intimidation checks). - NPCs attempting to locate or learn something about a famous character can make a Fame/History, Fame/Investigation, or Fame/Persuasion check, using the target’s Fame score as the base ability.
**Fame Saving rows.** A Fame save should be a rare event, but you can use a Fame save to see if a PC is recognized unexpectedly. In general, recognition in one’s normal setting is a DC 10 save, recognition in nearby settings is a DC 15 save, and recognition in a distant city or isolated area is a DC 20 save.
> ##### Fame and Power vs. Charisma > The Fame and Power abilities are most useful when interacting with NPC's, which means that they sometimes replace Charisma checks. That's ok--plenty of extremely dangerous high-level fighters can't make an intimidation check to save their lives, because they simply don't have a good Charisma score. Fame and Power allows a character to separate their authority and reputation from their personal charm, because they shouldn't always be the same thing. ## Power Power measures a character’s authority, rank, influence, and social status. Characters with low Power are nobodies—they might be able to appeal to city authorities or tribal leaders through personal persuasion, but they can’t use their place in society to force others to take actions they desire. Characters with average Power scores are generally accorded the privileges any citizen in good standing might expect, but are still subject to the whims of the mighty. Characters with high Power scores can use their social rank or influence to direct significant civic resources to their own purposes, while characters with extremely high Power scores (18 or more) are great princes, important chiefs, or the powers behind the throne.

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\page **Gaining and Losing Power.** Just like Fame, Power can’t be improved with normal ability score increases. Instead, Power improves with specific events, as shown below. Characters can also “buy” Power by spending time and money to set up networks of hirelings, informants, or valuable contacts. - The character spends 1,000 gp and 10 days of free time buying influence (+1 Power, one time only). - The character gains a title or position of minor authority (+1 Power). - The character builds a stronghold or gains a position of moderate authority (+2 Power). - The character gains followers (+2 Power). - The character spends 5,000 gp and 30 days of free time buying influence (+2 Power, one time only). - The character gains the ability to call a horde or army, or gains a position of great authority (+3 Power). - The character spends 25,000 gp and 90 days of free time buying influence (+3 Power, one time only). A character’s maximum Power score is 20. Characters lose Power if they lose positions, titles, or strongholds that granted increases of Power.
**Power Checks.** Ability checks against Power are useful for testing whether a character can get something done purely through the weight of his or her title and the reach of his or her family or organization. Examples include: - Directing local authorities to guard a location (or leave it unguarded). - Arranging the release of a prisoner. - Getting a royal councilor to propose a favorable law. - Banishing a rival or malefactor from one’s tribe. - Getting a distant tribe to search their lands for a fugitive. - Using your position to gain someone’s cooperation (you can use Power as the base ability for Power/Intimidation or Power/Persuasion checks).
**Power Saving Throws.** Like Fame saving throws, Power saves are rare. Most uses of Power are applications of skill and training, not the sort of in-the-moment test a saving throw represents. You might call for a Power save when circumstances do not allow a character to prepare for the test—for example, when the character suddenly needs to defy an arrest order or resist a NPC’s use of Power. ## Morale Some combatants might run away when a fight turns against them. A creature might flee under any of the following circumstances: - The creature is surprised. - The creature is reduced to half its hit points or fewer for the first time in the battle. - The creature has no way to harm the opposing side on its turn. A group of creatures might flee under any of the following circumstances: - All the creatures in the group are surprised. - The group’s leader is reduced to 0 hit points, incapacitated, taken prisoner, or removed from battle. - The group is reduced to half its original size with no losses on the opposing side. It is determined whether a creature or group of creatures flees by the DM making a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw for the creature or the group’s leader. If the opposition is overwhelming, the saving throw is made with disadvantage, or the DM can decide that the save fails automatically. If a group’s leader can’t make the saving throw for whatever reason, the creature in the group with the next highest Charisma score makes the saving throw instead. On a failed save, the affected creature or group flees by the most expeditious route. If escape is impossible, the creature or group surrenders. If a creature or group that surrenders is attacked by its conquerors, the battle might resume, and it’s unlikely that further attempts to flee or surrender will be made. A failed saving throw isn’t always to the adventurers’ benefit. For example, an ogre that flees from combat might put the rest of the dungeon on alert or run off with treasure that the characters had hoped to plunder.

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\page ## Action Points Inspiration is not used in Blood & Tears. Instead, a more dynamic and player-centric system of Action Points are used. The characters in Blood & Tears may not be heroes in the traditional sense, but they are certainly capable of feats of heroic action. These actions in the face of adversity is an integral part of the game. This is where Action Points come in. Characters have 2 Action Points to start the game with. Action Points are used during the course of adventures to ‘dig deep’ and do heroic (or lucky) things. ### Using Action Points You can use Hero Points to affect the outcome of a battle or situation and swing the odds to your favour. The following options are available to you: - A Twist of Fate - Maker of my Own Destiny - Mighty Success - Defy Death #### A Twist of Fate Where the narrative of a scene has not clearly defined a certain piece of information, the player might suggest something that sounds reasonable and make that suggestion become fact. Use of an Action Point in this manner should be at the discretion of the DM, and shouldn’t be used to effect major changes in a scene and can’t be used to change something that has already been established as a fact.

##### For Example If the characters are locked in a dungeon cell, one of them could use an Action Point to find a loose stone in the wall, that he can prize away, maybe to use to bash the guard over the head when he comes in to serve their slops. Or a character that has failed his Ability Check to swim after his ship has sunk in a storm could use an Action Point to describe how, luckily, a wooden spar from the ship’s mast floats by, allowing him to stay afloat by clinging to it.

#### Maker of my Own Destiny You can spend a point to roll the dice again whenever you make an Attack, Parry, Dodge, Ability Check or Saving Throw (even if you roll a 1, which would otherwise be an automatic failure in some cases). If you do this you must use the result of your second roll. #### Critical Success Whenever a player hits in combat, he can turn the success into a Critical Success at the expenditure of an Action Point. The results of a Critical Success depend on what the character is doing. Note: This is effectively the same as rolling a natural 20 on your attack roll. You can do this even if you spent an Action Point rolling the dice again.

#### Defy Death Action Points can always be used to keep a character alive where he would otherwise be killed or seriously injured. If you have taken sufficient damage to put you below zero hit points you may immediately spend a point to roll a d10 and reduce the damage received by that amount (Up to zero). ### Regaining used Action Points Any used Action Points are recovered, in full, at the end of an adventure. ### Handedness As it is possible for players to literally lose an arm, knowing their primary handedness becomes important. Players will need to roll a d20. |d20|Result |:--|:--| |1-14|Right Handed |15-18 | Left Handed |19-20 | Ambidextrous Making a one-handed attack with a weapon wielded in your off-hand will be done at disadvantage.

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\page # Combat ### Climb onto a Bigger Creature If one creature wants to jump onto another creature, it can do so by grappling. A Small or Medium creature has little chance of making a successful grapple against a Huge or Gargantuan creature, however, unless magic has granted the grappler supernatural might. As an alternative, a suitably large opponent can be treated as terrain for the purpose of jumping onto its back or clinging to a limb. After making any ability checks necessary to get into position and onto the larger creature, the smaller creature uses its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the target’s Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If it wins the contest, the smaller creature successfully moves into the target creature’s space and clings to its body. While in the target’s space, the smaller creature moves with the target and has advantage on attack rolls against it. The smaller creature can move around within the larger creature’s space, treating the space as difficult terrain. The larger creature’s ability to attack the smaller creature depends on the smaller creature’s location, and is left to the DM's discretion. The larger creature can dislodge the smaller creature as an action (knocking it off, scraping it against a wall, or grabbing and throwing it) by making a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the smaller creature’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The smaller creature chooses which ability to use. ### Disarm A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target’s grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item. The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. ### Mark This option makes it easier for melee combatants to harry each other with opportunity attacks. When a creature makes a melee attack, it can also mark its target. Until the end of the attacker’s next turn, any opportunity attack it makes against the marked target has advantage, while opportunity attacks made to other targets have disadvantage. The opportunity attack doesn’t expend the attacker’s reaction, but the attacker can’t make the attack if anything, such as the incapacitated condition or the shocking grasp spell, is preventing it from taking reactions. The attacker is limited to one opportunity attack per turn.

### Overrun When a character tries to move through a hostile creature’s space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the hostile creature’s Strength (Athletics) check. The creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn. ### Shove Aside A creature can use the special shove attack to force a target to the side, rather than away. The attacker has disadvantage on its Strength (Athletics) check when it does so. If that check is successful, the attacker moves the target 5 feet to a different space within its reach. ### Tumble A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile creature’s Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn. ### Hitting Cover When a ranged attack misses a target that has cover, the DM can use this rule to determine whether the cover was struck by the attack. First, it is determined whether the attack roll would have hit the protected target without the cover. If the attack roll falls within a range low enough to miss the target but high enough to strike the target if there had been no cover, the object used for cover is struck. If a creature is providing cover for the missed creature and the attack roll exceeds the AC of the covering creature, the covering creature is hit. ### Cleaving When a melee attack reduces an undamaged creature to 0 hit points, any excess damage from that attack might carry over to another creature nearby. The attacker targets another creature within reach and, if the original attack roll can hit it, applies any remaining damage to it. If that creature was undamaged and is likewise reduced to 0 hit points, repeat this process, carrying over the remaining damage until there are no valid targets, or until the damage carried over fails to reduce an undamaged creature to 0 hit points. The hit location for all subsequent attacks is the same as the initial target. ### Aim (Action) You can use your action to aim your melee or ranged attack. If you do so, your next attack roll is made at advantage.

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\page ### Shield Bash (Bonus Action) If you are proficient in shields, you may use a shield as a melee weapon that deals 1d4+Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. If a shield bash causes hit point damage to the target, they are also staggered and cannot take the parry or dodge action on their next turn. ### Called Shot You attempt to attack a specific or vulnerable area on your enemy by declaring a location on your target. You take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If you hit, you skip the hit location roll and instead hit the declared location. In addition, you can make the attack roll at disadvantage. If you hit, you ignore armor as your hit skillfully bypasses it and hits a vulnerable, unarmored area. ### Dodge (Reaction) When you are hit in combat, you may use your reaction to dodge the melee or ranged attack. Make a Dexterity check adding your proficiency die. If the check is equal to or greater than the attack roll, you dodge the attack. You must be able to see the attacker. This ability replaces the existing standard Dodge Action. ### Feint (Bonus Action) As a bonus action, you attempt to use guile and combat training to trick your opponent into a mistake. You and your target make an opposed melee attack roll. If you win, your next melee attack against the same target cannot be dodged or parried. If your next action is anything other than a weapon attack, the advantage of feinting is lost. ### Parry (Reaction) When you are hit in combat, you may use your reaction to parry the melee attack. Make an attack roll with your weapon or your shield. If the roll is equal to or greater than the attack roll, you parry the attack. You must be able to see the attacker to parry it. If you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, parry can replace one of them. You can also use your bonus action to parry if you're fighting with two weapons in each hand. These are in addition to the reaction. A parry made against a weapon of a size larger than your own will incur a -3 penalty to the parry roll per size category larger.

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\page # Armor Points Blood & Tears introduces armor points (APs) to the game. You no longer gain AC from your armor; instead the damage you receive is subtracted by the value of the armor you're wearing. ### Hit Location When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, roll a d20 for hit location. To speed up play, roll the hit location die at the same time as you roll for the attack. ##### Hit Location | d20 | Location | |:----|:-------------|:------------| |1-2 | Head |3-4 | Right Arm |5-6 | Left Arm |7-14 | Body |15-17 | Right Leg |18-20 | Left Leg ##### Armor Points | Type | Armor | Body AP | Arms AP | Legs AP | |:-------|:----------------|:--------|:--------|:--------| | Light | Padded | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Light | Leather | 1 | 1 | 1 | | Light | Studded leather | 2 | 2 | 2 | | Light | Leather Cuirass | 3 | 0 | 3 | | Medium | Hide | 2 | 2 | 2 | | Medium | Scale mail | 4 | 4 | 4 | | Medium | Chain shirt | 6 | 0 | 0 | | Medium | Mail Cuirass | 5 | 0 | 5 | | Medium | Breastplate | 8 | 0 | 0 | | Medium | Bronze Cuirass | 5 | 5 | 5 | | Heavy | Ring mail | 4 | 4 | 4 | | Heavy | Chain mail | 6 | 6 | 6 | | Heavy | Scale Coat | 8 | 8 | 8 | **Head AP is found under the Helmets section* ### Damage Reduction When you are hit in combat, you reduce the damage you receive by your Constitution modifier (minimum of +0) in addition to the damage reduction from your armor. If you deal several damage types on a single attack, you can choose the order which damage is dealt first. You calculate all damage together, reduce AP and the target's Constitution modifier from the total and if there are any damage left, you can choose the damage type that reduces the target's hit points. > ##### Damage Reduction Example Rejgar the Crown Knight tries to hit Volass the Knight of Takhisis with his greatsword. Rejgar rolls for a hit, total of 19. Volass tries to parry it with his greatsword using his reaction but rolls an 18, so Rejgar hits. He rolls for hit location hitting Volass's body. Rejgar rolls for damage and gets 15 total. This damage is reduced by Volass's plate (AP 8) plus his Constitution modifier +3. Volass takes 15 - 11 = 4 points of slashing damage to his body and is not happy.
### Falling Damage Damage from falling ignores armor. ### Armor Class Armor class has been changed dramatically. To hit a creature now requires a melee or ranged attack roll against the target's size AC +/- their Dexterity Modifier. Medium armor has a maximum Dexterity bonus of +2 and Heavy armor +0. If the creature has a movement rate of 0, the attacker automatically gains advantage. This also applies to nonmoving items. If you have a magic item or spell that grants you a bonus to your AC, that bonus is added to your AC. ##### Target Size AC | Size | AC | |:-----|:-------------| | -3 or More Sizes Smaller | 21 | -2 Sizes Smaller | 19 | -1 Sizes Smaller | 17 | Equal Size | 15 | +1 Size Larger | 13 | +2 Sizes Larger | 11 | +3 or More Sizes Larger | 9 ### Hit Degree When you hit a target, you deal extra damage based upon how high your roll is compared to the Target's AC, parry or dodge. ##### Hit Degree | Hit Exceeds by | Extra Die of Damage | |:-----|:-------------| | 5-9 | 1 | 10-14 | 2 | 15 or more | 3

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\page # Equipment ### Helmets Since hit locations are important, it is necessary to introduce helmets as a separate piece of armor to the game. Padded armor includes a padded cap, leather armor includes a leather cap, a bronze cuirass includes a metal open-face helmet, chain mail includes coif, a leather cuirass includes a leather closed-face helmet, splint includes a metal open-face helmet, scale coat includes a metal closed-face helmet. A character also has the option of wearing a different helmet than the one intended for your suit of armor. **Perception** If the Helmet table shows "Disadvantage" in the Perception column, the wearer has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. ##### Helmet | Type | Helmet | Cost | Armor Points | Perception | Bulk | |:----- |:---------------------------|:-------|:--|:-------------|:----| | Light | Padded cap | 1 gp | 1 | — | 0.1 | Light | Leather cap | 2 gp | 1 | — | 0.1 | Light | Leather open-face helmet | 10 gp | 2 | — | 1 | Light | Leather closed-face helmet | 20 gp | 4 | Dis | 1 | Medium | Metal cap | 10 gp | 3 | — | 0.1 | Medium | Coif | 15 gp | 4 | — | 1 | Heavy | Metal open-face helmet | 150 gp | 6 | — | 2 | Heavy | Metal closed-face helmet | 300 gp | 8 | Dis | 2 **Cap** A cap is a padded, leather, or steel skullcap worn much like a close-fitted cap, beret, or bonnet. Caps are usually worn with padded armor, leather, studded leather, hide, or any other lightweight protection. **Coif** A coif is a padded chain mail hood. It fits snugly around the neck and over the head, except the face. It usually comes with or is built into a suit of chain mail or mail-based armor. **Open-Face Helmet** This class of open-face helmet, made of reinforced leather or metal, covers most of the head, save the face and neck. These helmets commonly provide protection for the nose (this piece of the helm is called a nasal). Open-face helmets are popular with officers and leaders, and are appropriately worn with armors like ring mail and chain mail. **Closed-Face Helmet** The closed-face helmets are identical to the open-face helmets, but include a visored faceplate. These tend to be worn by officers and sergeants-at-arms. They are most commonly worn with plate mail.

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\page ### Unavailable Arms and Armor Some more advanced weapons and types of armor simply haven’t been invented yet or are not available in the age of Thule.
The items listed below are restricted:
**Weapons:** Hand crossbow, rapier.
**Armor:** Half-plate, plate, splint.
**Mounts and Vehicles:** Camel, draft horse, warhorse
**Other:** Ball bearings, magnifying glass, piton, spyglass. ### New Armor & Shields While some types of armor are not available in Thule, the civilizations of the continent have developed some new varieties of armor. In general, Thulean armors tend to leave more of the wearer’s skin uncovered than suits found in more advanced settings. The differences are purely cosmetic.
**Bronze Cuirass:** The finest armor that is normally available in Thule is the bronze cuirass, sometimes called bronze plate armor. It consists of a snug-fitting sculpted bronze breastplate to cover the torso, a leather skirt or kilt with bronze studs, heavy bronze greaves, shoulder pieces, and a bronze helmet (usually open- faced). It is fitted carefully to the wearer and allows excellent mobility, although for best effect it should be used with a heavy shield. When combined with a heavy shield, the wearer presents his or her enemies with a wall of bronze from head to toe.
**Leather Cuirass:** A leather cuirass consists of a molded breastplate of stiff leather, often sculpted with natural appearing musculature and decorated with gold or silver personal emblems. A short skirt made of weighted straps covers the wearer to the mid-thigh, and a light helmet of boiled leather is included. It protects better than studded leather armor but offers somewhat less mobility.
**Mail Cuirass:** This is essentially a reinforced chain shirt. The mail is sewn into sturdy leather panels and then shaped carefully to the wearer’s torso, providing a better fit and better mobility than regular chainmail and better protection than a chain shirt. Like the leather cuirass, a mail cuirass usually includes a skirt of weighted leather straps studded with bronze or iron to provide some basic coverage to mid-thigh, as well as a light bronze helm.
**Scale Coat:** The scale coat is a simple form of scale mail that dispenses with sleeves and leggings, making it relatively simple to manufacture. Heavy scales sewn to a thick coat provide good protection for the torso and the upper legs, while greaves protect the lower legs and shoulder pieces or vambraces help protect the arms. The scale coat is usually worn with a bronze or iron helmet. It is the heaviest armor commonly available in Thule, and many city guards or soldiers wear armor of this type.

**Heavy Shield:** Whether round, rectangular or any other shape, this massive shield resembles a portable wall. Its sheer size and weight make it abnormally difficult to use *Proficiency.* To wield a heavy shield proficiently, you must have proficiency both with shields and with heavy armor. *Special.* While you are wielding a heavy shield with which you are proficient, you can take the *Cover (Action)*, which grants you half cover until the start of your next turn. ##### New Armor & Shields |Type | Armor | Cost | Strength | Stealth | Bulk | |:------:|:-----------------|:-------|:---------|:--------|:-----| | Light | Leather Cuirass* | 100 gp | - | — | 1 | Medium | Mail Cuirass | 600 gp | Str 13 | Penalty | 3 | Medium | Bronze Cuirass | 900 gp | Str 13 | Penalty | 4 | Heavy | Scale Coat | 40 gp | Str 13 | Penalty | 2 | - | Heavy Shield | 35 gp | Str 13 | - | 2 *Despite being Light armor, a Leather Cuirass allows a max +2 Dex modifier* ##### New Armor Points | Armor | Body AP | Arms AP | Legs AP | |:---------------:|:--|:--|:--|:--| | Leather Cuirass | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | Mail Cuirass | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | Bronze Cuirass | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | Scale Coat | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ### Shields When you are parrying a hit with a shield, you receive a +2 bonus to your Parry reaction or a +4 bonus if your are wielding a heavy shield. You can use a shield or heavy shield to parry ranged attacks. ### New Martial Weapons The warriors of Thule wield a great variety of weapons from many different cultural traditions.
**Chakram:** An aerodynamic throwing-ring with an edge of sharpened metal, the chakram is hard to master but deadly in trained hands.
**Khopesh:** This sickle-shaped blade is heavy and awkward, but its extreme curve allows the wielder to trip opponents. When you attack with a khopesh, you can choose to make a tripping attack. You have disadvantage for the attack, but if you hit, you knock your target prone. You can only trip bipedal foes of Large size or smaller using a khopesh this way.
**Mace-Axe:** This weapon features a mace-like head with a single axe blade on one side. It is heavy and hard to wield, but delivers a powerful blow. You can choose to deal bludgeoning or slashing damage with a mace-axe.

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\page **Warspear:** This is a short, broad-headed stabbing spear mostly intended for melee combat. It is too short to brace against a charge, and can only be thrown a short distance. Warspears are popular among Thule’s jungle tribes.
##### New Martial Weapons | Weapon | Cost | Damage | Bulk | Properties |:--------:|:------|:-------------|:--|:---------------------------------| | Khopesh | 20 gp | 2d4 slashing | 2 | Heavy, special | | Mace-axe | 15 gp | 1d8 slashing | 3 | Heavy, versatile (1d10), special | | Warspear | 8 gp | 1d8 piercing | 2 | Heavy, thrown (range 20/60) | | Chakram | 20 gp | 1d6 slashing | 1 | Thrown (range 30/120) | ## Item Bulk Each item has a representation of its bulk, which is a number, or a dash ("—") if it has negligible bulk. Add together the numerical bulk values of all items you are wearing and carrying, then round down, to determine the total amount of bulk you are carrying. Items that have negligible bulk count toward your bulk limit only if the GM determines that you are carrying an unreasonable number of them. **Carrying Capacity.** Your carrying capacity is equal to your Strength score. This is the weight (in bulk) that you can carry. If you carry weight in excess of this, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10 feet. If you carry weight in excess of 1.5x your Strength score (rounded down), you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. ##### Armor | Type | Name | Bulk | Weight | |:-----|:------|:-----|:-------| | Light | Padded | 1 | 8 lbs. | Light | Leather | 1 | 10 lbs. | Light | Studded leather | 1 | 13 lbs. | Light | Leather Cuirass | 1 | 15 lbs. | Medium | Hide | 1 | 12 lbs. | Medium | Chain shirt | 2 | 20 lbs | Medium | Scale mail | 4 | 45 lb. | Medium | Breastplate | 2 | 20 lb. | Medium | Mail Cuirass | 3 | 40 lbs. | Medium | Bronze Cuirass | 4 | 50 lbs. | Heavy | Ring mail | 3 | 40 lb. | Heavy | Chain mail | 4 | 55 lb. | Heavy | Scale Coat | 3 | 35 lbs. | - | Shield | 1 | 6 lb. | - | Heavy Shield | 2 | 15 lbs. ##### Simple Melee Weapons | Name | Bulk | Weight | Properties | |:-----|:-----|:-------|:-----------| | Club | 1 | 2 lb. | Light | Dagger | 0.1 | 1 lb. | Finesse, Thrown | Greatclub | 2 | 10 lb. | Two-Handed | Handaxe | 1 | 2 lb. | Light, Thrown | Javelin | 1 | 2 lb. | Thrown | Light hammer | 1 | 2 lb. | Light, Thrown | Mace | 1 | 4 lb. | - | Quarterstaff | 2 | 4 lb. | Versatile | Sickle | 1 | 2 lb. | Light | Spear | 2 | 3 lb. | Thrown, Versatile ##### Simple ranged Weapons | Name | Bulk | Weight | Properties | |:-----|:-----|:-------|:-----------| | Crossbow, light | 1 | 5 lb. | loading, two-handed | Dart | ― | 1/4 lb. | Finesse, thrown | Shortbow | 1 | 2 lb. | two-handed | Sling | ― | ― | ##### Martial Melee Weapons | Name | Bulk | Weight | Properties | |:-----|:-----|:-------|:-----------| | Battleaxe | 2 | 4 lb. | Versatile | Estoc | 2 | 5 lb. | Heavy, two-handed | Falchion | 1 | 4 lb. | Finesse | Flail | 1 | 2 lb. | — | Glaive | 4 | 6 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed | Greataxe | 3 | 7 lb. | Heavy, two-handed | Greatsword | 3 |6 lb. | Heavy, two-handed | Halberd | 4 | 6 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed | Lance | 4 | 6 lb. | Reach, special | Longsword | 2 | 3 lb. | Versatile | Lucerne Hammer | 4 | 10 lb.| Heavy, reach, two-handed | Maul | 3 |10 lb. | Heavy, two-handed | Morningstar | 1 | 4 lb. | - | Pike | 4 |18 lb. | Heavy, reach, two-handed | Scimitar | 1 | 3 lb. | Finesse, light | Shortsword | 1 | 2 lb. | Finesse, light | Trident | 2 | 4 lb. | Thrown, versatile | War pick | 1 | 2 lb. | - | Warhammer | 2 | 2 lb. | Versatile | Whip | 0.1 |3 lb. | Finesse, reach

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\page ##### Martial Ranged Weapons | Name | Bulk | Weight | Properties | |:-----|:-----|:-------|:-----------| | Blowgun | 1 | 1 lb. | loading | Crossbow, heavy | 3 | 18 lb. | Ammunition, heavy, loading, two-handed | Longbow | 2 | 2 lb. | Ammunition, heavy, two-handed | Net | 0.1 | 3 lb. | Special, thrown ##### Ammunition | Name | Bulk | Weight | |:-----|:-----|:-------| | Sling bullet | - | - | Case, crossbow bolt | 1 | 1 lb. | Quiver | 1 | 1 lb. ##### Containers | Item | Bulk | Weight | Capacity | |:-----|:-----|:-------|:---------| | Backpack | 2 | 5 lb. | 4 bulk (1 cubic foot / 30 pounds of gear) | Barrel | 4 | 25 lb. | 15 bulk (5 cubic feet solid) / 40 gallons liquid | Basket | 1 | 2 lb. | 4 bulk (2 cubic feet / 40 pounds of gear) | Bottle, glass | 0.1 | 2 lb. | 1½ pints liquid | Bucket | 1 | 2 lb. 2 bulk | (½ cubic foot solid) / 3 gallons liquid | Case, map or scroll | 0.1 | 1 lb. | 10 sheets of paper or 5 sheets of parchment | Large chest | 9 | 75 lb. | 36 bulk (12 cubic feet / 300 pounds of gear) | Medium chest | 6 | 45 lb. | 21 bulk (7 cubic feet / 175 pounds of gear) | Small chest | 3 | 15 lb. | 6 bulk (2 cubic feet / 50 pounds of gear) | Flask or tankard | ― | 1 lb. | 1 pint liquid | Jug or pitcher | 1 | 4 lb. | 1 gallon liquid | Pot, iron | 1 | 10 lb. | 1 gallon liquid | Pouch | 0.1 | 1 lb. | 6 light items (⅕ cubic foot / 6 pounds of gear) | Sack | 0.1 | 1/2 lb. | 3 bulk (1 cubic foot / 30 pounds of gear) | Saddlebags | 2 | 8 lb. | 6 bulk (2 cubic feet / 60 pounds of gear) | Spellbook | 0.1 | 3 lb. | 100 pages of spells | Vial | ― |― | 4 ounces liquid | Waterskin (full) | 1 | 5 lb. | 4 pints liquid

##### Alchemical Items | Item | Bulk | Weight | |:-----|:-----|:-------| |Acid (vial) | ― | 1 lb. |Alchemist's fire (flask) | ― | 1 lb. |Antitoxin (vial) | ― | ― | |Sunrod | 0.1 | 1 lb. |Tanglefoot bag | 0.1 | 4 lb. |Thunderstone | ― | 1 lb. |Poison, basic (vial) | ― | ― |Smoke stick | ― | 1/2 lb. ##### Consumables | Item | Bulk | Weight | |:-----|:-----|:-------| |Ball bearings (bag of 1,000) | 0.1 | 2 lb. |Caltrops (bag of 20) | 0.1 | 2 lbs. |Candle | ― | ― |Chalk (1 piece) | ― | ― |Holy water (flask) | ― | 1 lb. |Ink (1 ounce bottle) | - | ― |Oil (flask) | ― | 1 lb. |Paper (one sheet) | ― | ― |Parchment (one sheet) | ― | ― |Perfume (vial) | ― | - |Potion of healing | ― | 1/2 lb. |Rations (1 day) | 0.1 | 2 lb. |Sealing wax | ― | ― |Soap | ― | ― |Torch | 0.1 | 1 lb ##### Magical Foci |Foci Type | Item | Bulk | Weight | |:---|:----|:-----|:-----|:-------| | Arcane focus | Crystal | ― | 1 lb. | Arcane focus | Orb | 0.1 | 3 lb. | Arcane focus | Rod | 0.1 | 2 lb. | Arcane focus | Staff | 1 | 4 lb. | Arcane focus | Wand | ― | 1 lb. | - | Component pouch | 0.1 | 2 lb. | Holy symbol | Amulet | ― | 1 lb. | Holy symbol | Emblem | - | ― | Holy symbol | Reliquary | 0.1 | 2 lb.

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\page ##### Adventuring Gear | Item | Bulk | Weight | |:-----|:-----|:-------| |Bedroll | 1 | 7 lb. |Bell | ― | ― |Bit and bridle | 1 | 1 lb. |Blanket | 1 | 3 lb. |Book | 1 | 5 lb. |Chain (10 feet) | 1 | 10 lb. |Clothes, common | 0.1 | 3 lb. |Clothes, costume | 0.1 | 4 lb. |Clothes, fine | 1 | 6 lb. |Clothes, robes | 0.1 | 4 lb. |Clothes, traveler's | 0.1 | 4 lb. |Hammer | 0.1 | 3 lb. |Hourglass | 0.1 | 1 lb. |Ink pen | ― | ― |Kits, Various | 1 | 1-5 lbs. |Ladder (10-foot) | 3 | 25 lb. |Lamp | 1 | 1 lb. |Lantern, bullseye | 1 | 2 lb. |Lantern, hooded |1 | 2 lb. |Lock | 0.1 | 1 lb. |Manacles | 1 | 6 lb. |Mess kit | 0.1 | 1 lb. |Mirror, steel | ― | 1/4 lb. |Musical Instruments, Various | 1 | 1-10 lbs. |Piton | 0.1 | 1/4 lb. |Rope, hempen (50 feet) | 1 | 10 lb. |Rope, silk (50 feet) | 0.1 | 5 lb. |Saddle, exotic | 5 | 40 lb. |Saddle, pack | 2 | 15 lb. |Saddle, riding | 3 | 25 lb. |Signal whistle | ― | ― |Signet ring | ― | ― |Snowshoes | 1 | 2 lb. |Spikes, iron (10) | 1 | 5 lb. |Tent, two-person | 2 | 20 lb. |Tinderbox | ― | 1 lb. |Tools, Various | 1 | 2- lbs. |Whetstone | 0.1 | 1 lb.

### Ammunition Tracking The tracking of arrows and bolts in Blood & Tears is done in such a way as to be effortless to the players and DM. With every attack made by a bow or crossbow, the player will also roll a corresponding ammo die. A full quiver or case begins at d10. Every time a 1 is rolled on the ammo die, the player will then use the next lower die, a d8, to make the ammo rolls. That will continue from d8->d6->d4->out of ammo. A roll of a 1 on a d4 will result in the player being out of ammunition until they obtain more and refill their quiver/case, thus restoring their ammo die to d10. The purpose of the ammo die is to abstract the finite resource of ammunition along with the process of reclaiming spent arrows and bolts after combat has ended into one mechanic.
> ##### Equipment Packs >**Burglar's Pack (4.8 bulk, 47.5 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

**Diplomat's Pack (4.3 bulk, 26 lb.)** Includes a small chest, 2 cases for maps and scrolls, a set of fine clothes, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, a lamp, 2 flasks of oil, 5 sheets of paper, a vial of perfume, sealing wax, and soap.

**Dungeoneer's Pack (6.1 bulk, 61.5 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

**Entertainer's Pack (3.8 bulk, 38 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a bedroll, 2 costumes, 5 candles, 5 days of rations, a waterskin, and a disguise kit.

**Explorer's Pack (6.0 bulk, 59 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a bedroll, a mess kit, a tinderbox, 10 torches, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

**Priest's Pack (2.3 bulk, 24 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a blanket,10 candles, a tinderbox, an alms box, 2 blocks of incense, a censer, vestments, 2 days of rations, and a waterskin.

**Scholar's Pack (2.0 bulk, 11 lb.)** Includes a backpack, a book of lore, a bottle of ink, an ink pen, 10 sheets of parchment, a little bag of sand, and a small knife.

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\page ## Weapon & Armor Material Weapons and armor in Blood & Tears are made primarily from copper and bronze, though some instances of weapons and armor made from other materials such as stone and bone can also be found in lesser civilized areas. Weapons and armor made from Dwarven iron can also be found, but it is extremely rare. When dwarves do make a gift of an iron sword or shield to a worthy recipient, they usually put a “mark of iron” on the recipient—a small tattoo or brand of the smith’s rune, indicating that the bearer has the right to carry that weapon. Of course, it is possible to find raiders and marauders carrying an iron weapon looted from the corpse of their rightful wielder and don’t have any such mark. But dwarves are not above hiring thieves or assassins to get these weapons back when they learn of one. The craftsmen of Atlantis also knew the secret of working iron, of course, and a number of stranger and more mysterious alloys as well—steel, mithral, adamantine, orichalcum, and others. It is possible that these secrets may still survive in some Atlantean ruins, but for the most part this knowledge has vanished from the world. A small amount of Atlantean weapons and suits of armor can be found in the treasuries and vaults of the greatest princes and kings, each considered beyond priceless. Magical weapons and armor are the stuff of legends. Although stories exist of such artifacts, most people will go their entire lives without ever actually seeing any. ## Armor Types & Weapon Effectiveness Not all weapons work as well against certain types of armor. Studded leather, for example, is very effective at defending against the slashes from a scimitar, but not from the piercing stabs of a shortsword. To reflect this, Damage rolls may gain advantage and disadvantage depending on the weapon used and the armor that it is striking. Attacks against unarmored opponents always receive advantage on their damage die. ##### Weapon Damage vs Armor Type | Armor Type | Slashing | Piercing | Bludgeoning | |:-----------|:---------|:---------|:------------| | Leather | - | Adv | - | Studded Leather | Dis | - | - | Leather Cuirass | - | Adv | - | Hide | - | Adv | - | Scale Mail | - | - | - | Chain Shirt | Dis | - | Adv | Mail Cuirass | Dis | - | Adv | Breastplate | Dis | Dis | - | Bronze Cuirass | Dis | Dis | - | Ring Mail | - | - | - | Chain Mail | Dis | - | Adv | Scale Coat | - | - | - ## Alchemical and Herbal Items Certain men and women can create quasi-magical alchemical items such as alchemical powders, poisons and herbal drugs. Such items require time, money, rare ingredients, and a properly-equipped laboratory to craft. ### Powders As an action, powders can be thrown up to 20 feet from the wielder. The dust spreads in a 20-feet radius cloud, affecting all creatures within the area. **Berserking-Powder:** This blue-white powder causes madness. Creatures who fail an Intelligence saving throw (DC 12) enter a rage (as per the barbarian class ability) and attack the nearest creature for 1d6 rounds. Market Price: 400 gp. **Blinding-Powder:** This thick black dust causes temporary blindness. Creatures who fail a Constitution saving throw (DC 13) are blinded for 3d6 rounds. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a new Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on a success. Market Price: 500 gp. **Dreaming-Powder:** This pale yellow powder causes hallucinations and strange visions. Creatures who fail a Wisdom saving throw (DC 13) are affected as per a confusion spell for 1d8 rounds. Market Price: 350 gp. **Fire-Powder:** This deep red powder ignites upon contact with air, and is therefore always kept in some kind of container, made from glass, ivory or clay. The explosion causes 5d8 points of damage (Dexterity DC 15 for half) to all affected creatures. Market Price: 300 gp. **Smoke-Powder:** A sooty, grey powder that obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. The area beyond becomes heavily obscured. The cloud dissipates in 2d4 rounds unless blown away faster by a strong wind. Market Price: 100 gp. ### Herbal Drugs The following herbal drugs can be prepared from natural plants by skilled herbalists. Herbal drugs are treated as a special form of poison that have beneficial effects but require saving throws against the harmful side effects. Repeated use of any of these drugs may cause addiction. **Grey Desert Lotus:** The powdered leaves of the Grey Lotus is a popular drug among the Khazraj nomads of the al- Khazi Desert. A creature that drinks a concoction of water mixed with the powdered leaves gains advantage on Strength ability checks for 1 hour, but must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 13) or become nervous and skittish (and suffer disadvantage on Perception checks) twice as long as the benefits last. Market Price: 75 gp. **Red Lotus of Ghoma (Ghoma-Weed):** This herb, with its characteristic red leaves, is calming both for the body and the mind. It is harvested by ascetic priests in the tropical realm of Ghoma. A creature that chews on the red leaves gains resistance to bludgeoning damage as well as advantage on saving throws against fear for 1 hour, but must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 15) or suffer 1d2 levels of exhaustion. Market Price: 75 gp.

Blood & Tears

\page **Silver Lotus:** Found only in the dark depths of certain caves on the Silver Lotus Isles in the Eastern Ocean, guarded by hostile pygmies, the fragile leaves of this lotus are destroyed by direct exposure to sunlight. This potent herb induces sleep, grants pleasurable dreams (but sometimes strange visions and nightmares), and for magic-users, it boosts and restores magical power (fully restores spell points). A creature that inhales the smoke produced by burning the dried and crushed silver leaves must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 15) or fall unconscious for 1d6 hours. Market Price: 100 gp. ### Poisons Given their insidious and deadly nature, poisons are a favorite tool among assassins. Poisons come in the following four types. **Contact.** A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects. **Ingested.** A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. You might decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save. **Inhaled.** These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when they are inhaled. A single dose fills a 5-foot cube. **Injury.** A creature that takes slashing or piercing damage from a weapon or piece of ammunition coated with injury poison is exposed to its effects. ###### POISONS | Item | Type | Price per Dose | |:-----|:-----|:---------------| | Assassin's blood | Ingested | 150 gp | Barafa-Grape | Injury | 200 gp | Burnt othur fumes | Inhaled | 500 gp | Essence of ether | Inhaled | 300 gp | Malice | Inhaled | 250 gp | Oil of taggit | Contact | 400 gp | Pale tincture | Ingested | 250 gp | Serpent venom | Injury | 200 gp | Torpor | Ingested | 600 gp | Truth serum | Ingested | 150 gp | Wyvern poison | Injury | 1,200 gp **Assassin's Blood (Ingested).** A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned. **Barafa-Grape:** Found only in the deep jungles of the south, the bright yellow berries of the barafa-tree can be used to coat blades and arrow-tips. Anyone struck by such weapons must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 13) or be slowed for 1 minute. A creature affected by this effect makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it. Like other poisons, a new dose must be re-applied to the weapon whether the saving throw fails or not. Market Price: 200 gp. **Burnt Othur Fumes (Inhaled).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends. **Essence of Ether (Inhaled).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake. **Malice (Inhaled).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The poisoned creature is blinded. **Oil of Taggit (Contact).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 24 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage. **Pale Tincture (Ingested).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can't be healed by any means. After seven successful saving throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally. **Serpent Venom (Injury).** This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant poisonous snake. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. **Torpor (Ingested).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 4d6 hours. The poisoned creature is incapacitated. **Truth Serum (Ingested).** A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The poisoned creature can't knowingly speak a lie, as if under the effect of a zone of truth spell. ### Other Alchemical and Herbal Items **Green Fire-Resin:** This sticky resin is prepared from several plants and mixed with secret alchemical ingredients first discovered by the priests of Yar-Ammon. Any torch soaked with the resin burns three times longer than a normal torch, but gives off a weird green light. One dose is enough to treat 10 torches. Market Price: 2 sp. **Purple Leaves of Uthjar:** The utility of this rare plant is well-known far outside its native realm, but has never been successfully cultivated elsewhere. A creature that chews on the purple leaf gains advantage on saving throws against mind- affecting magic for 1 hour. Market Price: 150 gp.

Blood & Tears

\page # Cultures In Blood & Tears, races are depicted as several distinct cultures of the human race, as depicted in the Primeval Thule setting. Although other races do exist, they cannot be chosen at character creation. ## DHARI The Dhari are the prevalent race of central and western Thule. They inhabit the jungles, forests, and hills of the continent’s interior basin, especially the regions of Dhar Mesh (from which they take their name) and the dry uplands of Nar. Most Dhari are barbarians or savages, at home deep in their native jungles, but civilized Dhari make up most of the population of cities such as Katagia, Orech, and Thran. Dhari tend toward medium height, with brown or black hair and eyes of brown or blue; men often grow beards and wear their hair shoulder-length. Dhari are naturally light in skin tone, but most are deeply tanned by lives spent outdoors. They often dress in well-cured buckskin, leather, or hides, and think nothing of stripping down to a loincloth and simple harness for carrying weapons or tools in the steaming humidity of their jungle home. The Dhari people revere the spirits of nature and see the world as a living thing. Those who live in cities regard the gods simply as particularly important spirits, and honor them the same way they honor the spirits of the forest, the animals, and the elements. Dhari men and women are expected to be strongly self-reliant and independent; they prize freedom and the right to speak their minds or refuse leaders they disagree with. They tend to be direct, honest, and industrious, and compared to other peoples of Thule, they are very modest in their personal conduct—part of self-reliance is self-control, after all. ### Examples of Dhari Names **Male Names.** Abhijeet, Akshat, Amitava, Aniruddh, Arjun, Ashish, Bhaskar , Bhavin, Chetas, Chiranjeev, Dalbir, Debashish, Dhruv, Ehsaan, Fardeen , Gagandeep, Gautam, Gurdeep, Himmat, Indranuj, Jayesh, Junaid, Kabir, Karun , Kshitij, Lohith, Mohammed, Navjot, Nimit, Ojas, Onkar, Paritosh, Parvez, Pranav , Ramandeep, Rohan, Salman, Samir, Sanjay, Shahzad, Shishir, Siddharth, Sumer , Swapan, Tejas, Udit, Umar, Veer, Vinay, Zeeshan
**Female Names.** Aaina, Aasha, Aditi, Amena, Antara, Arshpreet, Arunima, Ayesha , Bhagyashree, Bhoomi, Chaaya, Chhavi, Deepika, Diya, Falguni, Fatima, Gauhar , Geetha, Harini, Indrani, Jasleen, Jyothsna, Kanika, Laila, Lavanya, Lopamudra , Malavika, Meera, Naaz, Nalini, Nivedita, Parinaaz, Piya, Prabhjot, Rangana , Revati, Ruchika, Saira, Sarah, Shahnaz, Shifa, Shreya, Shweta, Surabhi, Tanvi , Tavleen, Upasana, Vaishnavi, Yoshita, Zainab

## KALAY Most numerous of Thule’s peoples, the Kalays were the last of the major tribal groups to migrate to Thule in the time of the continent’s population by humans. They are the dominant race of the Kalayan Sea region as well as the Lands of the Long Shadow. Most Kalays are civilized, but some are barbarians, especially those who live in the shadow of the northern glaciers. They form the majority of the population of cities such as Quodeth, Droum, Ikath, and (thanks to one far- wandering tribe of long ago) Akal-Amo on the island of Hellumar. No Kalay tribes can be truly said to be savages—virtually all Kalay settlements have at least some metalworking and simple writing. Kalays are of short to medium height, and are often lightly built. They have dark hair, dark eyes with a distinct epicanthic fold, and a bronze or golden skin color. Men sometimes grow small beards, but a good number of Kalay men have little facial hair at all. Barbaric Kalays usually dress in furs and leathers, but civilized Kalays favor short, colorful tunics, belted at the waist, with bare arms and legs and a cloak or cape for warmth. As one of the more civilized races, Kalays are greatly concerned with manners and appearances. They are the most religious (or at least the most observant) of Thule’s peoples, and show their reverence for the gods by building grand temples and holding many festivals throughout the year. In conversation they tend to be circuitous and polite, avoiding offensive topics or confrontation. To more plain-spoken peoples such as Dhari or Nimothans, Kalays talk a lot and don’t say much. ### Examples of Kalay Names **Male Names.** Aye, Champo, Dachen, Daivika, Dampa, Denpa, Denpo, Hlaing, Htay , Htet, Htun, Htut, Htway, Indazita, Kan, Khine, Kumbikhanna, Kywe, Lwin, Maung , Myat, Myint, Myo, Naing, Nyan, Nyunt, Ohnmar, Phyu, Shein, Shway, Thagyamin , Thant, Thaung, Thein, Theingi, Thet, Thiha, Thura, Thuta, Thuya, Tun, Win , Wunna, Yarzar, Yaza, Yeshe, Yonten, Zaw, Zenji, Zeya
**Female Names.** Aung, Chesa, Chime, Chit, Chomden, Gawa, Gewa, Haymar, Hla , Htet, Htun, Htut, Inzali, Kyaw, Kyi, Kywe, Lwin, Mima, Myat, Myia, Myitzu , Myo, Nandar, Nilar, Nyein, Nyunt, Opame, Pemala, San, Shein, Shenden, Soe , Than, Thant, Thawda, Thein, Theingi, Thida, Thiri, Thuya, Thuza, Tun, Win , Yadanar, Yuzana, Zarni, Zaw, Zeya, Zeyar The Kalay have no customary patronymic or matronymic system and thus there is no surname at all

Blood & Tears
\page ## LOMARI The most recently arrived of Thule’s human peoples, the Lomari came to the primeval continent only a few short generations ago, migrating from lands over the ocean. They are comparatively few in number and are dominant in only one city, Lomar. There are no savage or barbaric Lomari tribes, but Lomari freeholds and homesteads are scattered throughout the hills south of the Kalayan Sea. Already these outposts are adopting more of the ways of their barbaric neighbors, although it is too soon to say that they have forgotten civilized ways. Lomari are generally tall and long-legged, although not quite so tall or heavily built as Atlanteans or Nimothans. They have dark complexions ranging from a warm brown to a jet black, with African features, dark eyes, and black hair. Men generally dress in cotton kilts, often dyed in bright colors, while women favor long, sleeveless dresses. Both typically add long, loose robes when faring into cooler regions. Most Lomari men consider themselves warriors and wear arms and armor everywhere outside their homes. The Lomari are a martial race; war and conquest are the pillars of their society, and civic life revolves around the honors (and plunder) each warrior wins in the city’s endless campaigns. In personal dealings, the Lomari tend to be courteous, honorable, and generous. They are nearly as pious as the Kalays, and as moderate in behavior as the Dhari. However, Lomari are very proud and can be quick to take offense; a Lomari is likely to respond to an insult by challenging the offender to a deadly duel. ### Examples of Lomari Names **Male Names.** Adelio, Alaric, Alex, Andrea, Bailey, Beno, Bente, Charles , Clove, Conrad, Derek, Dwight, Eike, Faber, Finn, Frederick, Harlan, Haydn , Jarvis, Johannes, Kellen, Kim, Maxi, Milo, Otis, Robin, Rocco, Romy, Ryker , Sascha, Stefan, Voss, Wolf
**Female Names.** Ada, Alex, Alviria, Andrea, Bailey, Bente, Clarissa, Clove , Eda, Eike, Elsa, Evi, Gratia, Gretchen, Heidi, Ingrid, Ivana, Juliane , Karla, Katja, Kim, Lenore, Maude, Maxi, Mika, Millie, Robin, Romy, Sascha , Sofia, Tilly, Toni, Voss, Winola
**Surnames.** Ackles, Aimar, Aldane, Averne, Balfager, Baygents, Benningfield, Bodily, Bryer, Burkhart, Bux, Clebsch, Coish, Corpus, Downing, Earlbaum, Emor Eymor, Fogg, Gast, Gentsch, Haag, Helthon, Hengeston, Henkeston, Hildegard Hingeston, Hinxstone, Holloway, Hyndestan, Hyndeston, Immers, Ivey, Kebel, Legler Lumb, Marschall, Morgade, Pyron, Rockhold, Runds, Scharnke, Sercombe, Speier, Stogner, Vigh, Widukind, Woehrle, Wykes

## NIMOTHAN Fierce warriors of the northern lands, Nimothans are a people without a homeland. The island of Nimoth now lies under the encroaching glaciers, and for decades the old kingdom of the Nimothan people has been abandoned to the ice. Migrating southward, the Nimothan tribes have carved out new lands for themselves along Thule’s northern coasts in places such as Nim, Rime, and the chiefdoms of the Thousand Teeth with bloody axes and burning brands. A southerly branch of the tribe conquered old Atlantean holdings in southern Thule long ago, and now makes up most of the population of the predatory city of Marg. However, even city-dwelling Nimothans are barbarians at heart, scorning civilization and its decadent ways. Nimothans are tall and strongly built; the average man is more than 6 feet in height, and it’s not unusual for Nimothan women to reach 6 feet as well. They are very fair-skinned, although those who travel extensively in southerly lands can eventually acquire a light tan. Their hair is light brown, blond, or red, and their eyes are usually blue or gray. Nimothan men take pride in growing the largest beard or mustache they can, and both men and women usually braid their hair. Bold, boastful, and given to extravagant gestures, Nimothans laugh loudly, fly into sudden rages, fall into crushing melancholy, or hurl themselves into mad ventures at the blink of an eye. Most other people in Thule are convinced that the Nimothan race is touched by madness. Nimothans are quick to settle differences with contests of strength, fisticuffs, or edged weapons, but they rarely hold grudges for long. ### Examples of Nimothan Names **Male Names.** Anders, Andreas, Arne, Bjørn, Christian, Daniel, Einar, Eirik , Erik, Espen, Fredrik, Frode, Geir, Gunnar, Håkon, Hans, Harald, Helge, Jan , John, Jon, Jonas, Kjell, Knut, Kristian, Lars, Leif, Magnus, Marius, Martin , Morten, Nils, Odd, Olav, Ole, Øystein, Øyvind, Per, Rolf, Rune, Steinar , Stian, Svein, Terje, Thomas, Tom, Tor, Tore, Trond
**Female Names.** Anita, Ann, Anna, Anne, Åse, Astrid, Aud, Bente, Berit, Bjørg , Camilla, Elin, Elisabeth, Ellen, Else, Eva, Gerd, Hanne, Hege, Heidi, Hilde , Ida, Inger, Ingrid, Jorunn, Julie, Kari, Karin, Kristin, Kristine, Laila , Linda, Liv, Maria, Marianne, Marie, Marit, Mona, Monica, Nina, Ragnhild , Randi, Reidun, Silje, Solveig, Stine, Tone, Tove, Turid, Wenche

Blood & Tears
\page # Narratives This serves as your character background—it’s your character’s origin story, and describes how other people in the setting see your character. ## Bearer of the Black Book The Black Book holds dark wisdom within its pages, for any who dare open it and read the ever-changing ink scrawl within. The Black Book is an artifact, and it’s your duty—or curse—to carry it with you and add to its eldritch lore.

**Tool Proficiency:** Your choice of a gaming set or a musical instrument
**Equipment:** The Black Book, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp
**Skill Training (1st level):** You are trained in Arcana and History, topics discussed at length within the book.
**Eldritch Power (1st level):** You gain a bonus spell slot of the highest level you can normally cast. If you cannot cast spells as an occultist or magician, you instead learn chill touch and true strike; you can use these spells at will. The Black Book holds many arcane secrets.
**Hidden Insight (6th level):** The Black Book can act as a focus and material component for any divination spell. The book is not consumed when used as a material component in this way.
**Secret Lore (10th level):** Once per day, you can cast legend lore by simply consulting the book. You need not know the spell or otherwise be able to cast it. ## Beastfriend You are a loner, more comfortable in the silent company of a loyal animal friend than among people, who are complicated and unpredictable. You see things in the world around you that most others miss, and possess a seemingly supernatural ability to train animals of all kinds.
**Tool Proficiency:** One type of musical instrument
**Equipment:** A staff, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You gain training in Animal Handling and Survival, and you learn the Urgan language. You possess an unusual empathy for animals, and you understand how and where they live.
**Animal Rapport (1st level):** You can use the Animal Handling skill to influence both domesticated and wild animals. In general, you can only guide wild animals toward behavior they might normally exhibit anyway. For example, a successful check might convince a predator to head off in search of easier prey, convince a territorial beast such as a muskox to ignore an intrusion instead of charging, or drive herd animals away from danger. If the wild animal is undecided, the DC of the check is 10. If the animal is committed to the behavior you are trying to change, the DC is 20. If you are dealing with a number of creatures at once (for example, a herd or pack), the DC increases by 5.
**Deep Rapport (6th level):** When you use the Animal Handling skill, you charm the animal if you succeed. It remains charmed for 24 hours, until you dismiss it or charm a different animal, or until you or one of your companions harms it.
**Animal Companion (10th level):** You gain a loyal servant in the form of a wolf, panther, raptor, or similar animal. This functions like the ranger’s beast companion feature except that you can also choose a Large animal suitable for use as a mount (for example, a riding horse, warhorse, dire wolf, Thulean elk, or giant lizard). Your effective ranger level is equal to your character level –4. ## Dhari Hunter Leading a life close to nature, you are quick, keen- eyed, inured to hardship, and intimately familiar with the plants and animals of your favored hunting grounds. Your spear or bow is your companion; you are fearless in the face of any wilderness hazard or natural danger. Few indeed can match your woodcraft or your endurance.
**Tool Proficiency:** Herbalism kit
**Equipment:** A hunting trap, an herbalism kit, a beast-hide cloak, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Stealth and Survival. To be a successful hunter, one must understand every aspect of game behavior— including what else might be hunting the game you seek—but the first rule of the hunt is to not let yourself be seen, heard, or smelled by the beast you are stalking.
**Hunter’s Strike (1st level):** When you attack a target that is not aware of you or has not acted yet in the encounter, you can choose to perform a hunter’s strike. You gain advantage with the strike, and if you hit, you deal maximum damage with your weapon. You can use Hunter’s Strike once per short or long rest.

Blood & Tears
\page **Hunter’s Instinct (6th level):** You possess an uncanny ability to notice animals and anticipate their behavior. You gain tactical advantage on all skill checks made against animals, including Perception checks to spot hidden animals, Survival checks to follow animal tracks, or Nature checks to identify rare animals and their abilities.
**Dhari Chieftain (10th level):** You become the chief of your tribe or establish a new tribe of your own. You gain sufficient followers to call for raids; your followers are equivalent to tribal warriors. Your tribe numbers a couple of hundred warriors, spouses, and children, and your tribal lands cover about 1,000 square miles. In its own lands, your tribe is almost impossible to locate or attack, and it is quite capable of getting along without you for long periods of time if you continue to adventure.
## Escaped Slave The vile practice of slavery is endemic throughout Thule. Some slaves are resigned to their lot and make the best of things that they can, but that was never your way. You spent years dreaming of freedom, and making plans to escape your bondage. Now that you are your own master, you can go anywhere you want and make anything you want of yourself. You are poor, desperate, and surrounded by enemies—but you are determined to die a free man.
**Tool Proficiency:** Thieves' Tools
**Equipment:** A a set of common clothes, a trinket of special significance, and 1 sp.
**Skill Training (1st level):** Years of oppression have imparted hard lessons in how to endure your labors and deceive your masters. You are trained in your choice of two of the following skills: Athletics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Deception
**Blend with the Crowd (1st level):** You excel at looking like you’re where you’re supposed to be and doing what you’re supposed to be doing—casual observers mistake you for a poor laborer, field slave, or house servant and pay you no mind. You can use an action on your turn to become hidden by blending into any modest crowd of laborers or servants, such as a typical city street, a tavern, a work gang, or the slaves attending to a noble banquet. You can’t use this ability in combat unless you are out of the line of sight of your enemies. You gain advantage on Charisma/Deception checks to pass yourself off as part of the crowd while you’re blending if someone has reason to be suspicious. You can use Blend with the Crowd once, and then you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.
**Brotherhood in Bonds (6th level):** You enjoy only one significant advantage in life: the friendship, admiration, and sympathy of the vast majority of Thule’s slaves. Even those who do not dare to attempt escape are always looking for other ways to strike back at their masters, and are willing to take deadly risks to help you. You have advantage on any ability or skill check made to interact with slaves.
**New Identity (10th level):** Your days as a slave are long behind you; you are no longer at risk of being returned to captivity, and have made a new place for yourself in the world. Choose one of the following narratives: Dhari hunter, free blade, jungle trader, panjandrum, Quodethi thief, or soothsayer. You gain the 6th-level feature of the narrative you choose as your new identity. When you reach 15th level, you gain the 10th-level benefit of the narrative you chose for your new identity. ## Free Blade Whether you’re a professional mercenary with a careful eye for the odds or a bored barbarian looking for adventure, you keep your sword loose in the scabbard and your coinpurse where you can see it. You’re ambitious, resourceful, and pragmatic—all the gold in the world is worthless to a dead man. Above all, you are a great believer in the power of opportunity. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you never stop looking for your next big chance. If it involves making enemies or breaking laws, so be it.
**Tool Proficiency:** One type of gaming set, vehicles (land)
**Equipment:** Traveler’s clothes, a gaming set of your choice, and a pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** Your travels and business associations have provided you with a certain breadth of knowledge. You gain a bonus language selected from the following: High Atlantean, Dhari, Kalayan, Lomari, Nimothan, Urgan. You are also trained in Intimidation.
**Opportunist (1st level):** You gain advantage on all opportunity attacks.
**Sellsword (6th level):** Whenever you are paid gold for your services, you get 50% more gold. In addition, you gain advantage on skill checks made to interact with mercenaries or other soldiers for hire.
**Company of Blades (10th level):** You have worked for, with, and against many other sellswords and earned their respect. You now have a company of elite warriors at your call. The warriors of your company are equivalent to berserkers or legionaries; you can choose which you prefer. When you reach 15th level, they improve to veterans. ## Golden Sea Corsair As a corsair, you live outside the law and are recognized by all civilized lands (and more than a few of the tribal peoples) as an enemy of all mankind, deserving of nothing less than a swift execution should you ever fall into the hands of the authorities or tribal elders. Even if you are not personally a vicious brute, you understand that the day you show weakness is the day you die, whether at the hands of your would-be victims or under the knives of your own comrades. Yet, despite the enmity of all good people and the fellowship of brutes and murderers, you have something beyond price: absolute freedom. You kneel to no one.

Blood & Tears
\page **Tool Proficiency:** Navigator’s tools, vehicles (water)
**Equipment:** A belaying pin (club), 50 feet of silk rope, a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** Thanks to your experience as a pirate on the high seas, you are trained in Acrobatics and Athletics.
**Cutthroat Strike (1st level):** When you attack a creature that is threatened by at least one of your allies (in other words, it’s within your ally’s reach), you can choose to perform a cutthroat strike. You gain advantage on the attack, and if you hit, the target becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You can use Cutthroat Strike once per short or long rest.
**Infamy (6th level):** As word of your exploits gets around, you gain the respect of other pirates, merchants, and outlaws of the coastal regions around the Kalayan Sea and along the Atlantean Ocean. You gain advantage on all skill checks made to interact with people familiar with your reputation.
**Pirate Terror (10th level):** Your former shipmates make you captain of your own ship. You can sail with them whenever you need sea transportation, since your crew keeps your ship in a nearby port or will readily steal one if you need something sooner. Your crew provides you with raiders any time you are aboard your ship, and the spoils your crew obtains provides you with a moderate income (see Followers and Income, under narrative benefits). Your raiders are equivalent to bandits. Once per three years, you can summon an army in the form of a corsair fleet. ## Guardian of the Nine Some of Thule’s faiths call it scripture and to others it’s heresy, but there’s a belief among the Guardians of the Nine that millennia ago, the Great Old Ones rose and walked the earth, and only by combining forces did the gods defeat them. This diminished the gods as well, which is why deities do not (or cannot) manifest in the world anymore either. The Guardians of the Nine will do anything to ensure that the Great Old Ones, individually or collectively, never threaten the world again.
**Tool Proficiency:** none
**Equipment:** Emblem of the Guardians, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Arcana and Investigation. Unraveling the true purpose of a mad cult requires a combination of occult lore and attention to detail.
**Mind Clearing (1st level):** When you fail a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw, you can use a combat reaction to reroll your saving throw. You must abide by the results of the second save. You can use Mind Clearing once, and then you must complete a short rest before you can use it again.
**Banisher of Horrors (6th level):** You gain a +1 bonus to attacks, defenses, and saving throws when you’re battling creatures with the extraterrene trait.
**Elder Scribe (10th level):** You gain the ability to inscribe an elder sign. Creating an elder sign requires an 8-hour ritual that must be performed under the correct astrological alignment, and a suitable piece of a rare type of soapstone. You can assume that the proper conditions occur about once per year, although if an elder sign you create is lost or destroyed, you may be able to replace it sooner (GM’s discretion). ## Ice Reaver As one of these northern raiders, you are at home in the frozen lands. Your world is simple: The strong survive, and the weak perish. You regard the city-folk of the south as soft and decadent, and despise their hedonistic ways even when you choose to sell your axe or spear as a mercenary. The gods gave you the power to strive and to slay when you were born, and you intend to carve your way to greatness with your bloody sword or axe.
**Tool Proficiency:** One type of gaming set, vehicles (water)
**Equipment:** A trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner), a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are proficient in Intimidation, and one other skill appropriate to your tribe: Athletics or Animal Handling. Ice reavers are renowned for their violent ways, and you are familiar with the hard terrain of your home.
**Reaver’s Charge (1st level):** You can perform a Reaver’s Charge before initiative is rolled in an encounter, as long as you are not surprised, or as a bonus attack when you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points (or less) with a melee attack. When you perform a Reaver’s Charge, you move up to your speed and make a melee attack. You can use Reaver’s Charge once, and then you must complete a short rest before you can use it again.
**Renowned Raider (6th level):** Your name is known among the fighting peoples of Thule, and your reputation precedes you. When you make a skill or ability check to interact with barbarians, mercenaries, or outlaws, you gain tactical advantage.
**Reaver Chief (10th level):** You can call for raiders from your homeland to go marauding with you (including a ship if they are a seafaring people). Your raiders are equivalent to tribal warriors. Once per three years, you can raise a horde for a major attack. See Followers, under narrative benefits.

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\page ## Initiate of Mysteries Some devoted worshipers of a god are content to join the rank-and-file priesthood, while others join obscure sects or orders (like the Guardians of the Nine, above). You feel the call of your patron deity deeply, though— so deeply that you want to bask in every glory and revelation your god has to offer. Over time, you’ll learn secrets scarcely imaginable to more ordinary worshipers. You’ll grow ever closer to understanding the very mind of the god you worship. And perhaps most importantly, you’ll ascend through the religious hierarchy to a place where the rank-and-file worshipers may start venerating you.
**Tool Proficiency:** none
**Equipment:** A holy symbol (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Religion, as well as one additional skill related to your god’s portfolio: Athletics (Tarhun), Deception (Ishtar), History (Nergal), Insight (Asura), Intimidation (Tiamat), Medicine (Kishar), Persuasion (Mithra), Stealth (Set), or Survival (Herum).
**Healing Blessing (1st level):** You can use an action to heal yourself or another with a touch. You can heal hit points equal to your character level per day, and need not use all of your blessing at once. (For example, at 5th level, you could heal two times, restoring 2 and 3 hit points). If the recipient is someone other than you, they also gain the benefit of a resistance spell until the end of your next turn.
**Inner Circle (6th level):** You are initiated into the senior priesthood of your temple. All subordinates in your temple hierarchy follow your orders. Priests and adherents from other temples that share your deity regard you as an authority figure or honored guest and do their best to accommodate your requests. If an interaction skill check is necessary to influence your fellow priests or worshipers, you gain advantage on the check.
**Keeper of the Shrine (10th level):** Worshipers of your god raise funds to build a shrine to your deity and to you. They consult with you on its location and construction, though they possess only ordinary building techniques and craftsmanship. The shrine, once completed, can serve as a “home base” for you. While there, you have a reasonable expectation of safety, insofar as anyplace in Thule can be considered “safe.” You gain a company of bodyguards; half are priests, and half are legionaries. At 15th level, your followers improve to knights.

## Jungle Trader Lots of people call themselves “traders” or “merchants” in Thule, but you don’t have much in common with the farmer bringing his vegetables downriver or the wagoneer selling ceramic pots from village to village. You favor high-margin cargoes and dangerous routes. You’re also comfortable with speculation—you’ll observe a shortage and buy (or otherwise “acquire”) the available supply. Everything from spices to silks to alchemical reagents to magic-imbued materials is in your hands just long enough for you to get it to the buyer and collect your profit.
**Tool Proficiency:** Any one musical instrument or gaming set of your choice
**Equipment:** One set of traveler’s clothes, detailed maps from one geographic area of Thule, and a pouch containing 5 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Survival.
**Estimate Value (1st level):** You can use an action to carefully study an item and determine its value. This functions as an identify spell, with no component cost. If the item studied is not magical, you instead determine its value in gold pieces (and where in Thule it will most likely command the highest price). You can use Estimate Value once per day.
**Profit Margin (6th level):** Whenever you sell a gem, art object, or magic item for gold, you obtain 10% more than the standard price.
**Trade Empire (10th level):** Over the course of your career, you have created a network of local trade agents, factotums, and business partners—a continental trade empire with you at its head. The activities of your trade network provide you with a high income. In addition, your personal wealth is accessible in any city of Thule. Local counting-houses and moneychangers are aware of your resources and can serve as a route by which you can draw on your treasure, no matter where it is actually kept.
## Katagian Pit Fighter Some gladiator arenas are thinly disguised execution chambers, with criminals and the poor herded to their death for sport. But the “pits” of the city-state of Katagia are more sporting than most, with well trained combatants that often survive the match even if they lose. You are one of those gladiators, capable of fighting man or beast for the cheering masses and winning or losing in crowd-pleasing fashion.
**Tool Proficiency:** Disguise kit, one type of musical instrument
**Equipment:** An inexpensive but unusual weapon or a musical instrument (one of your choice), the favor of an admirer (love letter, lock of hair, or trinket), a costume, and a pouch containing 15 gp

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\page **Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Intimidation and Performance. You know how to stage a spectacle for the crowd, and how to get inside the heads of your adversaries when it’s not just a show.
**Will to Live (1st level):** As a Reaction, when you receive damage that would have reduce your hit points to 0 and began accumulating critical damage points, you can instead heal hit points equal to your level to bring yourself back to 0 hit points. You can use Will to Live once per short Rest.
**Killer Instinct (6th level):** When an enemy within 5 feet of you falls prone, you can use a combat reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the prone enemy.
**Expert Trainer (10th level):** You’ve started to attract would-be gladiators who want to fight like you do. You gain a company of followers; you can choose berserkers or legionaries. Choose a “home pit” where you can find these thugs whenever you need them. Your trainees handle their own upkeep, and they hang on your every word, doing whatever you say unless it’s obviously suicidal. When you reach 15th level, your followers improve to veterans.
## Myrmidon Atlantis is no more, and the Atlantean holdings on Thule are dwindling, but you are part of one of Atlantis’s great gifts to Thule: the Myrmidons, heavily armored elite troops. Each myrmidon “century” had its own fighting styles and legendary history, and the Atlanteans’ enemies on Thule were so impressed that they started training “myrmidon” units of their own and adopting at least some of the Atlantean trappings. Now the phrase “myrmidon” means “elite trooper” and doesn’t necessarily indicate an Atlantean heritage. You are an elite trooper in one of Thule’s organized militaries (even if you’re on detached duty to enable independent adventuring). Those who see your raised weapon or heavy armor know they’re facing the best of the best.
**Tool Proficiency:** Vehicles (land)
**Equipment:** A dagger that belonged to a fallen comrade, a folded flag emblazoned with the symbol of Atlantis, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Animal Handling and Medicine. You know how to handle mounts in battle, and you’ve learned how to deal with typical battlefield injuries.
**Inspiring Example (1st level):** When you hit with a melee or ranged weapon attack, you can use a bonus action to inspire each ally within 30 feet of you. Until the beginning of your next turn, inspired creatures add 1d4 to attack rolls, dodge and parry rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. You can use Inspiring Example once, and then you must finish a short rest to regain the ability.
**Patrol Leader (6th level):** You gain the ability to summon a raid, which takes the form of soldiers from your century temporarily placed under your command to garrison your home base or patrol in whatever area you are operating in. Your followers are equivalent to guards.
**Centurion (10th level):** You become commander of your myrmidon century. Your gain a company of legionaries. At 15th level, your followers improve to veterans. In addition, once per three years you can call an army to your banner. You are expected to keep your century employed, either as mercenaries or in the service of your home city; they can handle routine duties while you are away. ## Panjandrum Panjandrums are not selfless civil servants, and certainly don’t live under any vow of poverty. Many postings or positions—for example, the collection of taxes, oversight of building or purchasing, or responsibility for customs and duties—offer vast potential for enriching yourself. Many of your fellow panjandrums maneuver constantly for these prized titles, or jockey for positions in which they can sell their influence or access to the highest levels of government. Whether you choose to live like a high prince or crusade against the excesses of your fellows is up to you.
**Tool Proficiency:** none
**Equipment:** A set of fine clothes and a pouch containing 5 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Investigation and Persuasion. Panjandrums are highly educated and are frequently called upon to solve difficult problems, or negotiate with important people from many different stations.
**Panjandrum’s Command (1st level):** On your turn, you can use a bonus action to allow one creature within 30 feet of you to move up to his or her speed as a combat reaction. The creature you command also gains temporary hit points equal to your level, which last for 1 hour. You can use this ability once, and then you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.
**Magistrate (6th level):** You are empowered to arrest, charge, try, and sentence criminals. You can’t use these powers against nobles, priests, or your fellow panjandrums without first obtaining a special writ from the highest authorities. In other cities you can use these powers against criminals from your home city, but you need the approval of the local authorities to do so. This ability allows you to command city guards to take people into custody. You command sufficient followers to summon a raid when needed in your home city. Overzealous use of these powers can lead to a lot of trouble, and more senior panjandrums may release your prisoners or commute your sentences.

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\page **High Minister (10th level):** You are appointed to your home city’s ruling council or top-ranking circle of royal advisors. You are awarded a palace, a staff of loyal servants, and a moderate income in the form of a royal stipend, investments, or duties that you are entitled to collect. You also gain an elite company of legionaries to protect your palace and serve you. At 15th level, your followers improve to veterans. ## Quodethi Thief Many thieves are content to serve as loyal rank-and- file guild soldiers, taking their orders from more senior thieves and rising or falling with the guild’s fortunes. You are more ambitious than that; you’re willing to take orders for now, but some day you intend to be the one giving the orders. If that means climbing the guild ladder with hard work, sharp wits, and a keen eye for opportunity, well and good. If it turns out that your advancement is blocked, then maybe you’ll just have to strike out on your own and establish your own guild somewhere.
**Tool Proficiency:** One type of gaming set, thieves’ tools
**Equipment:** A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You gain training in Acrobatics and Deception. No one can lie like a thief born and raised in the streets, and at an early age you learned the value of sure feet and a good sense of balance.
**Thief’s Feint (1st level):** When you make a melee or ranged attack on your turn, you can perform a thief’s feint. You gain advantage on the current attack roll, and after the attack, you can use a bonus action to disengage. You can use Thief’s Feint once, and then you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.
**Reputation (6th level):** When you make an interaction skill check with criminal elements in your home city (or other areas where you spend a lot of time), you gain tactical advantage—you’ve earned a reputation that other thieves and outlaws respect. Your bonus also applies to checks made to intimidate or bluff common citizens, who are likewise aware of the fact that you mean business. On the down side, the authorities know your name and are generally hostile toward you.
**Guildmaster (10th level):** You become the leader of your thieves’ guild or establish a new guild of your own. You gain a hidden guild stronghold protected by secret entrances, deadly traps, and trained guard- beasts. You gain enough followers to provide you with a company of enforcers who are equivalent to bandit captains, plus a high income from your cut of the guild’s activities. Your thieves are initially very loyal, but if you fail to provide strong leadership, you may face challenges from the lower ranks.

## Sacred Slayer The temples of Thule are not places where faithful priests minister to the poor and needy. Behind the public traditions of religious festivals and public alms, they are secretive cabals that jealously protect their power and privileges. Some of this protection is obvious: Fortress-like temple compounds, influential friends at court, and armies of temple soldiers. But most temples also employ agents who are less obvious, and you are one of these. Dedicated to the service of your god, you are a bodyguard, inquisitor, spy, and— when the situation requires it—assassin who kills the enemies of your temple.
**Tool Proficiency:** Poisoner’s kit
**Equipment:** A poisoner’s kit, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You are trained in Religion and Stealth. The tenets of your faith guide your actions, and you find that staying out of sight makes your work easier.
**Slayer’s Strike (1st level):** When you attack a target you have advantage against, you can choose to perform a slayer’s strike. If you hit, you deal maximum damage with your weapon. In addition, if the target is a special enemy of your god, it must attempt a Constitution save (DC 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your level bonus). On a failed save, you double the damage of your attack against the target. You can use Slayer’s Strike once, and then you must complete a short rest to regain it.
##### Special Enemies of the Deities **Asura:** Cold creatures, fiends, servants of Tiamat
**Herum:** Arcane spellcasters, Atlanteans, servants of Asura
**Ishtar:** Beastmen, lawful celestials and fiends, servants of Nergal
**Kishar:** Beastmen, monstrosities, servants of Tiamat
**Mithra:** Aberrations, undead, servants of Set
**Nergal:** Elves, chaotic celestials and fiends, servants of Ishtar
**Set:** Good creatures, servants of Mithra and Tarhun
**Tarhun:** Giants, reptiles, serpentmen, servants of Set
**Tiamat:** Aberrations, celestials, servants of all other gods
**Planar Ally (10th level):** Once during each character level at 10th level and above, you can conjure a celestial being, elemental, or fiend even if you are not normally able to cast a conjuring spell. This is equivalent to planar ally, but the maximum CR of the creature you conjure is equal to one-half your character level. (The GM may allow higher-level monsters or longer duration if the scenario warrants the special attention of your deity.) In general, your deity only provides allies that are close to his or her alignment.

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\page ## Soothsayer Many people claim to have the gift of foresight, but only a few have any real talent. Soothsayers who truly possess the gift are highly sought-after. Kings, great chieftains, and high nobles keep talented soothsayers as valued advisors, and frequently consult with them on all sorts of decisions. You enjoy the trust and confidence of a high-ranking patron, and need not concern yourself with finding a place to live or selling your talents by reading palms in the bazaar.
**Tool Proficiency:** none
**Equipment:** A bottle of black ink, a quill, a small knife, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** You gain training in Insight and Religion. The best soothsayers understand that many who seek out their services already know the answers to the questions they ask, and need only a little encouragement to see the truth for themselves.
**Foretelling (1st level):** You can perform a foretelling for one ally within 30 feet. This requires one minute, and you cannot foretell for yourself. Roll d20 twice and record the results. You can substitute one of these d20 rolls for a d20 roll made by the target ally or made by an enemy attacking the target ally. The target ally need not be in sight, and you do not need to be able to take an action or even be aware of the ally’s situation—you performed your foretelling earlier, and now it is unfolding. You can create a foretelling once per day, and substitute up to two d20 rolls with each foretelling.
**Hear Sooth (6th level):** Your reputation as a soothsayer leads powerful individuals to seek out your assistance. When you interact with merchants, nobles, and other potential patrons, you gain advantage. In addition, you gain a moderate income from wealthy patrons who request your counsel).
**Prophecy Revealed (10th level):** Once during each character level at 10th level and above, you gain a special insight into an important situation or challenge you face by recognizing the signs of old prophecies coming true or discerning the meaning of a powerful omen. If the GM determines that there is no additional information or special insight available, you do not expend this use of the ability. ## Tribal Outcast As an outcast, you are alone and friendless. Behind you lies some dark tragedy or mortal enemy; ahead, an uncertain future. You have learned that the only person you can rely on is yourself. You may turn your back completely on your people and plunge into experiencing civilization in every way you can, or you might choose to honor your people’s ways even though you are no longer one of them. Either way, you can’t go home again.
**Tool Proficiency:** Any one musical instrument or gaming set of your choice, native to your homeland
**Equipment:** One set of traveler’s clothes, a small trinket or piece of jewelry worth 10 gp in the style of your homeland’s craftsmanship, and a pouch containing 5 gp
**Skill Bonuses (1st level):** Wandering the wilderness has honed your outdoor skills. You are trained in Nature and Survival.
**Lone Wolf’s Strike (1st level):** If no creatures other than you are adjacent to a creature, you can use your action to perform a Lonely Strike. You gain advantage on the attack, and if you hit, the target falls prone if it is Large or smaller. You can use Lone Wolf’s Strike once, and then you must complete a short rest to regain it.
**A New Identity (6th level):** You pick up the practices of a new life, and while you’ll always have your heritage, you have new experiences that mold you. You gain the 1st-level Skill Bonuses from a second narrative.
**Triumphant Return (10th level):** Your former tribe is ready for reconciliation. Whether you accept the offer is up to you, but as a token of sincerity, you have been given a tribal heirloom. Work with your GM to choose an appropriate magic item, which is yours until you return it to your tribe. Tribal heirlooms usually are uncommon or rare magic items.

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\page # Modified Classes ## Allowable Archetypes - **Fighter:** Battle Master, Champion - **Barbarian:** Berserker - **Rogue:** Assassin, Inquisitive, Mastermind, Scout, Swashbukler, Thief ## Barbarian ### Hit Points **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 12 + your Constitution modifier
**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 4 per barbarian level after 1st ### Unarmored Defense While you are not wearing any armor, you add double your Constitution modifier to all your hit locations. ## Fighter ### Hit Points **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier
**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 3 per fighter level after 1st ### Starting Equipment Ringmail replaces chainmail as an option

### Fighting Style: Defense While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your Dodge and Parry reactions. ### Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting You are considered ambidextrous ### Battle Master Maneuvers #### Evasive Footwork. When you move, you can expend one superiority die, rolling the die and adding the number rolled to your Dodge reaction until you stop moving. #### Rally That creature gains temporary hit points equal to the superiority die roll. ## Rogue ### Hit Points **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier
**Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 2 per rogue level after 1st While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your Dodge and Parry reactions.

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\page ### Rogue Archetype: Poisoner Almost every assassin has at least some familiarity with useful poisons, and is happy to incorporate them in the tools of his or her trade. However, some go on to study the dark lore of poisons with the dedication of a true artist. The poisoner specializes in the crafting and application of lethal substances, killing with a pinprick or a single sip instead of hacking his or her quarry to pieces like a crude butcher. To smile in the face of the marked man and slay without having even been noticed—that is the poisoner’s art.
**Alternate Feature (Sneak Attack).** When you choose the poisoner archetype, you lose the rogue’s sneak attack feature, and no longer deal bonus damage if you have advantage on your attack. Instead, you rely on lethal toxins to do your dirty work. You gain the following abilities:
**Poison Use (3rd level).** You are proficient with the poisoner’s kit. You know how to use it to concoct minor poisons, and you can safely handle poisons to envenom your weapons. As you advance in level, you learn recipes for new poisons that you can create with your poisoner’s kit, and your poisons become more potent. The save DC for poisons you create is 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. The damage you deal depends on the poison recipe and your level (see Poison Recipes, below). *Gaining Recipes:* You begin with the recipe for bitterroot oil. You learn the recipe for snakesblood at 7th level, blinding powder at 9th level, and shadowvenom at 13th level. *Crafting Poison:* You create your poisons during downtime and when you take long rests. Your poisons are volatile, and lose potency a week after creation. Some recipes require unique reagents such as mandrake root, blood moss, or other expensive materials, which can be readily purchased from apothecaries or tribal medicine men. For ease of play, you can assume that you have sufficient time during a long rest to brew enough poison to last for a typical adventuring day. Whether you make one, five, or ten poisoned attacks in a day, you had time to make that much poison ahead of time. You only need to track the money you spend on poisons with expensive components.
**Poisoned Blades (3rd level).** You can apply your poison to one piercing or slashing weapon you wield as a bonus action. The next time you hit a creature with the poisoned weapon, you also apply the effects of the poison. A successful hit expends that dose of poison.
**Distilled Toxins (9th level).** Your poisons ignore damage resistance against poison.
**Kiss of Death (13th level).** You can distill a poison so potent that a tiny needle suffices for a lethal dose. To use the needle, you must be within 5 feet of the target, and neither you nor your target can be in combat. If you succeed on a Dexterity/Sleight of Hand check against the target’s Passive Perception, the target does not notice your attack; if the target has reason to be wary of you, you have disadvantage on your skill check. The effect depends on which poison recipe you employ, but is delayed by 1d10 minutes (it takes some time for the smaller dose to make its way into the bloodstream). > ##### Sharing Poison > If a poisoner shares her poisons with allies, poison doses should be tracked more closely. You can assume a poisoner can brew enough poison to create 13 doses each day. Doses she gives to others are obviously not available for her own use. In addition, most other characters find it more difficult to use poison in combat. Characters who aren’t proficient in the use of a poisoner’s kit must use a combat action to apply poison to a weapon, and are at risk of poisoning themselves in combat—any time a nonproficient character rolls a 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned weapon, she is subject to the poison’s effect. #### Poison Descriptions As an expert poisoner, you know how to brew some of the most toxic substances to be found in Thule. *Bitterroot Oil:* The most basic of poisons, bitterroot can be brewed from substances found in your poisoner’s kit. *Snakesblood:* While less overtly lethal than bitterroot oil, a dose of snakesblood can lock up a victim’s muscles, preventing them from easily escaping. Snakesblood requires special ingredients that cost 50 gp per dose. *Blinding Powder:* This powder cannot be applied to a weapon. Instead it is prepared as a small packet to create a cloud of stinging, toxic dust in the air. As a bonus action, you can throw a dose of blinding powder to fill a 10-foot cube next to you. Each living creature with eyes in the area is a target for the attack. Blinding powder requires ingredients that cost 100 gp per dose. *Shadowvenom:* A thick, black paste, this fearsome poison can disable the toughest of foes with crippling pain. A dose of shadowvenom requires special ingredients worth 200 gp.

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\page
##### Poisoner Recipes | Level | Poison Damage | Additional Effect on Target | |:-----:|:--------------|:----------------------------| | **Bitterroot Oil** | | **(no ingredient cost)** | 3rd | 2d6 | — | | 5th | 2d6 | Con save or be poisoned until end of its next turn | | 9th | 3d6 | Con save or be poisoned until end of its next turn, and then take 3d6 poison damage and remain poisoned until end of the turn following. | 13th | 3d8 | Con save or become poisoned. At the end of each of its turns target takes 3d8 poison damage, and can attempt a new save to end the effect. | 17th | 4d8 | As 13th level, but the damage is 4d8. | **Snakesblood** | | **(50 gp per dose)** | 7th | 1d6 | Con save or become restrained until the end of its next turn. | 9th | 2d6 | Con save or become restrained. The target can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns to end the effect. | 13th | 3d6 | As 9th level, and after the effect ends, the creature’s speed is reduced by half for 1 minute. | 17th | 4d6 | As 13th level. | **Blinding Powder** | | **(100 gp per dose)** | 9th | — | Con save or blinded until the end of its next turn. | 13th | — | Con save or blinded and poisoned until the end of its next turn. | 17th | — | Blinded and poisoned for 1 minute. The target may attempt a save at the end of each of its turn to end the effects. | **Shadowvenom** | | **(200 gp per dose)** | 13th | — | Con save or 8d6 poison damage and incapacitated until the end of its next turn. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target is instead stunned until the end of its next turn. | 17th | — | As above, but the poison damage is 10d6, and the target takes half damage on a successful save.

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\page # New Classes ## Conqueror The Conqueror is a mighty warrior, dangerous in hand-to-hand combat, but his true strength lies in his ability to bolster his allies with battle-cries, set up formations for teamwork, and to find and exploit the weaknesses of his enemies. Conquerors are found wherever there is conflict. ### Class Features As a Conqueror, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per Conqueror level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 3 per Conqueror level after 1st #### Proficiencies - **Armor:** All armor, shields - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons - **Tools:** None - **Saving Throws:** Intelligence, Charisma - **Skills:** Choose two from Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Investigation, History, and Persuasion #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a two-handed martial weapon or *(b)* a one-handed martial weapon and a shield - *(a)* five javelins or *(b)* five bags of caltrops - A diplomat’s pack - Chain mail and a banner

##### The Conqueror | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |:---:|:---:|:---| | 1st | +2 | Find Weakness, Renew Vigor | 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Battle Cry | 3rd | +2 | Courage, Archetype, Archetype Feature | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 5th | +3 | Extra Attack | 6th | +3 | Aura of Protection | 7th | +3 | Archetype Feature | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 9th | +4 | Improved Find Weakness, Rallying Cry | 10th | +4 | Aura of Courage | 11th | +4 | Improved Battle Cry | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 13th | +5 | Authority | 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Steel Will | 15th | +5 | Archetype Feature | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 17th | +6 | Breach Defenses | 18th | +6 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 20th | +6 | Archetype Feature

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\page **Find Weakness.** Starting at 1st level, you can study your enemies to find their weaknesses. As an action, you can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check (DC 12) to determine the relative strength of opponents within 60 feet. You do not learn specific Challenge Ratings, but you discover which creature has the highest rating, the second highest rating, and so on.
**Renew Vigor.** From 1st level, your inspiring leadership can restore vigor to those battered and bruised in battle. As an action, you can give a short speech and restore lost hit points to an ally within 5 feet, up to that creature’s maximum hit points. You can restore a total number of hit points equal to five times your conqueror level per long rest. You can distribute the hit points among your allies as you see fit, but you must spend a separate action for each recipient.
**Fighting Style.** At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
*Defense:* While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
*Dueling:* When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
*Great Weapon Fighting:* When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
*Protection:* When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.
**Battle Cry.** Starting at 2nd level, you can take a bonus action to inspire your allies within 30 feet with a mighty battle cry. Until the start of your next turn, the first hit of each ally that hits with a weapon attack automatically scores a critical hit. You can use this ability a number of times per long rest equal to your Charisma bonus.
**Courage.** At 3rd level, you become immune to being frightened.
**Archetype.** When you reach 3rd level, you must select an archetype from among those listed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 15th, and 20th level.
**Ability Score Improvement.** When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
**Extra Attack.** Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
**Aura of Protection.** Starting at 6th level, whenever you or a friendly creature within 10 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
**Improved Find Weakness.** At 9th level, you can choose to focus on one creature within 60 feet as an action. If you make a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check (DC 15), you learn the creature’s list of immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities (choose one of the three categories per attempt).
**Rallying Cry.** At 9th level, once per short rest, you can spend a reaction to give all allies within 60 feet a bonus action on their next turn. The bonus action can only be used to take a Dash or Disengage action.
**Aura of Courage.** Starting at 10th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can't be frightened while you are conscious.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.
**Improved Battle Cry.** By 11th level, your battle cry has a range of 60 feet and applies to all hits by your allies until the start of your next turn, not just each ally’s first hit.
**Authority.** Starting at 13th level, as an action once per short rest, you can issue an order to any creature within 60 feet. The creature must succeed at a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma bonus) or be affected as per a command spell.
**Steel Will.** Beginning at 14th level, you can use your action to end one mind-affecting spell on yourself or on one willing creature that you touch. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.
**Breach Defenses.** At 17th level, as a bonus action once per long rest, you can temporarily remove a creature’s resistance to one damage type. The creature must be within 30 feet when you use this ability, and the effect lasts for 1 minute.

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\page ### Conqueror Archetypes The following conqueror archetypes are available: #### Strategist Your mastery of strategy and tactics allows you to control the battlefield. **Battlefield Awareness.** At 3rd level, you add your Intelligence bonus to your initiative score.
**False Retreat.** At 7th level, you can use a reaction to designate an ally within 60 feet that takes the disengage action. That ally gains a bonus attack against an opponent within reach. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence bonus per long rest.
**Outflank.** At 15th level, once per short rest, you can spend an action to give all allies within 60 feet advantage on attack rolls against opponents if the ally has at least one other ally within 5 feet of the opponent and the other ally is not incapacitated. The effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
**Hold the Line.** At 20th level, once per short rest, you can spend an action to give all enemies within 60 feet disadvantage on attacks against you and your allies until the start of your next turn. #### Tyrant With ruthless determination, you conquer all before you. **To Hear the Lamentations.** Starting at 3rd level, you gain 1d8 temporary hit points whenever you reduce an opponent to 0 hit points. **Reckless Brutality.** At 7th level, when you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. **Bloodbath.** At 15th level, once per long rest, you can confer the following benefit upon all allies within 60 feet: Once on each of the ally’s turns when he makes a weapon attack, he can make another attack with the same weapon against a different creature that is within 5 feet of the original target and within range of his weapon. The benefits last until there are no more enemies left standing within sight. **Rule of Fear.** At 20th level, once per short rest, you emanate an aura of menace in a 30-foot radius for up to 1 minute. The first time any enemy creature enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma bonus) or become frightened of you for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. Attack rolls against frightened creatures have advantage. ## Courtier Courtiers include decadent nobles, shadowy spymasters, sullen temptresses, and scheming eunuchs. Their mix of social skills, powers of suggestion, knowledge of secret lore, and dabbling in sorcery, make them formidable opponents or valuable allies. Courtiers are found in the cities and courts of most nations. ### Class Features As a Courtier, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Courtier level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 2 per Courtier level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, hand crossbows, shortswords, whips - **Tools:** Disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit ___ - **Saving Throws:** Dexterity, Charisma - **Skills:** Choose any three #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a shortsword, *(b)* a whip, or *(c)* any simple weapon - *(a)* a diplomat's pack or *(b)* a scholar's pack - *(a)* a vial of basic poison or *(b)* fine clothes - Leather armor and a dagger
##### The Courtier | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features |:---:|:---:|:---| | 1st | +2 | Cunning Advice, Sneak Attack | 2nd | +2 | Jack of All Trades, Revitalize Companions | 3rd | +2 | Archetype, Archetype Feature, Expertise, | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 5th | +3 | Font of Advice | 6th | +3 | Countercharm | 7th | +3 | ─ | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 9th | +4 | ─ | 10th | +4 | Bearer of the Scorpion Chalice | 11th | +4 | ─ | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 13th | +5 | ─ | 14th | +5 | Peerless Skill | 15th | +5 | ─ | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 17th | +6 | ─ | 18th | +6 | Iron Will | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 20th | +6 | Superior Advice

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\page **Cunning Advice.** You can influence and aid others through soft words or subtle gestures. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear or see you. That creature gains one Cunning Advice die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack, parry or dodge roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Cunning Advice die, but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Cunning Advice die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Cunning Advice die at a time. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest. Your Cunning Advice die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
**Sneak Attack.** Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class. At 7th level the extra damage increases to 2d6, and at 11th level the extra damage increases to 3d6.
**Jack of All Trades.** Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency die to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.

**Revitalize Companions.** Beginning at 2nd level, you can use an inspiring speech or other performance to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to 1d12 at 17th level.
**Archetype.** At 3rd level, you must choose an archetype from among those detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.
**Expertise.** At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency die is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
**Ability Score Improvement.** When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
**Font of Advice.** Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Cunning Advice when you finish a short or long rest.
**Countercharm.** At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your powers of persuasion to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start an oration that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).
**Bearer of the Scorpion Chalice.** By 10th level, longtime exposure to various poisons and other substances have made you immune to poison damage and to the poisoned condition.
**Peerless Skill.** Starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you can expend one use of Cunning Advice. Roll a Cunning Advice die and add the number rolled to your ability check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the GM tells you whether you succeed or fail.
**Iron Will.** When you reach 18th level, you become immune to being frightened or charmed.
**Superior Advice.** At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Cunning Advice left, you regain one use.

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\page ### Courtier Archetypes The following courtier archetypes are available: #### Magician Magicians, astrologers and soothsayers are common in the courts, offering their advice and services to nobles in exchange for funding their arcane study and research.
**Forbidden Lore.** At 3rd level, you gain the Magic Initiate feat as a bonus feat. If you already have the Magic Initiate feat, choose one 2nd-level spell to add to your list of known spells.
**Astrological Omens.** At 6th level, you add bestow curse and divination to your list of known spells. Alternatively, you can learn one 3rd-level spell of your choice.
**Alchemical Secrets.** At 14th level, you add creation and clone to your list of known spells. Alternatively, you can learn one 4th-level spell of your choice. #### Seducer The seducer is a rake or temptress who uses the power of sensuality to attract and control others. The seducer’s charm is used to get men and women to do his or her bidding; such seduction techniques are weapons, as keen and deadly as any blade.
**Distracting Beauty.** At 3rd level, your Armor Class when wearing no armor and not carrying a shield becomes 10 + your Dexterity bonus + your Charisma bonus.
**Seduction.** At 6th level, once per long rest, you may use your attraction to influence a creature, equivalent to casting a suggestion spell. If you have had previous intimate contact with the target creature, it suffers disadvantage on its saving throw.
**Kiss of Domination.** At 14th level, once per short rest, you may attempt to kiss a humanoid within reach by making a melee attack roll. If you hit, and the target fails a Wisdom saving throw, you establish dominance over the target as per a dominate person spell. #### Spymaster Found in cities and courts of every civilized and decadent land, spymasters are masters of diplomacy as well as deceit.
**Cutting Words.** At 3rd level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Cunning Advice, rolling a Cunning Advice die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the GM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can't hear you or if it's immune to being charmed.
**Treacherous Strike.** At 6th level, you deal 1d6 extra points of poison damage whenever you hit with a melee weapon attack.
**Network of Spies.** At 14th level, once per week, you can employ your extensive web of spies and informants to bring you knowledge about a person, place or object, equivalent to casting a legend lore spell, with the material component cost represented by bribes.

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\page ## Nomad Nomads roam freely in areas most city- dwellers would consider inhospitable wastelands. Not bound by the laws of civilized men, they often raid and plunder lone travelers, caravans, and even walled cities. But they have their own codes of honor, and under certain circumstances must offer hospitality to all who ask for it. Nomads are known for the swiftness of their attacks, and they quickly travel vast distances on their mounts. ### Class Features As a Nomad, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Nomad level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 2 per Nomad level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor, shields - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, Martial weapons - **Tools:** Poisoner's Kit, Healing Kit ___ - **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Dexterity - **Skills:** Choose three from Animal Handling, Deception, Hide, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Stealth, Survival #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a light crossbow and case with 20 bolts or *(b)* a Long Bow with a quiver and 20 arrows - *(a)* a dungeoneer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack - *(a)* a scimitar or *(b)* two daggers - Leather armor and a vial of basic poison

##### The Nomad | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Sneak Attack | Fast Movement | Features |:---:|:---:|:---|:---|:---| | 1st | +2 | 1d6 | -- | Life in the Saddle, Sneak Attack, Endurance | 2nd | +2 | 1d6 | +5 | Fast Movement, Fighting Style | 3rd | +2 | 1d6 | +5 | Mounted Skirmisher | 4th | +2 | 1d6 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5th | +3 | 2d6 | +5 | Extra Attack | 6th | +3 | 2d6 | +10 | Uncanny Dodge | 7th | +3 | 2d6 | +10 | Survivalist | 8th | +3 | 2d6 | +10 | Ability Score Improvement | 9th | +4 | 2d6 | +10 | Evasion | 10th | +4 | 3d6 | +10 | Ability Score Improvement | 11th | +4 | 3d6 | +15 | -- | 12th | +4 | 3d6 | +15 | Ability Score Improvement, | 13th | +5 | 3d6 | +15 | Vanish | 14th | +5 | 3d6 | +15 | -- | 15th | +5 | 4d6 | +15 | Ferocious Charger | 16th | +5 | 4d6 | +15 | Ability Score Improvement, Nomad Prince | 17th | +6 | 4d6 | +15 | Hide in Plain Sight | 18th | +6 | 4d6 | +20 | -- | 19th | +6 | 4d6 | +20 | Ability Score Improvement | 20th | +6 | 5d6 | +20 | --

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\page **Life in the Saddle:** Your mastery as a rider becomes apparent. You have advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount. If you fall off your mount and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land on your feet if you’re not incapacitated. Finally, mounting or dismounting a creature costs you only 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.
**Sneak Attack:** You know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.
**Endurance:** A nomad is able to push himself further without suffering the normal affects associated with exposure, starvation and physical endurance. A nomad treats all levels of exhaustion as though they were 1 less than they really are. Exhaustion level 1 is treated as though the nomad is not exhausted.
**Fast Movement:** A nomad’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race. At 2nd level, the nomad adds +5 feet to his speed. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not encumbered. The nomad’s fast movement bonus also applies to any mount the nomad rides. It does, however, stack with the barbarian’s Fast Movement ability (but note that the speed increase gained from the barbarian class does not apply to the mount). The nomad gains additional speed increases at 6th, 11th and 18th level.
**Fighting Style:** You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
*Archery:* You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
*Defense:* While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to your Dodge and Parry reactions.
*Dueling:* When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
*Two-Weapon Fighting:* When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. You are considered ambidextrous
**Mounted Skirmisher:** You are difficult to pin down while mounted. You can move up to half your speed as a reaction while mounted and an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks In addition, when a nomad rides mounts that are not trained for battle (such as heavy horses, light horses, as opposed to warhorses) into combat, they are not frightened. The nomad is not required to make the usual animal handling check to control such untrained mounts in combat.
**Survivalist:** You gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don’t already have it. If you already have proficiency in either one or both of these skills, you may replace this skill(s) with one of your choice. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either Nature or Survival.
**Ability Score Improvement:** When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
**Extra Attack:** You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
**Uncanny Dodge:** When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to take the dodge action. This ability can be used while mounted.
**Evasion (Ex):** At 9th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. This ability can be used while mounted.
**Vanish:** A nomad of 13th level can use the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn. Also, you can’t be tracked by nonmagical means, unless you choose to leave a trail.
**Ferocious Charger:** You can run down your foes while mounted. If you move at least 10 feet in a straight line right before attacking a creature and you hit it with the attack, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 12 + your proficiency die) or be knocked prone. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
**Hide in Plain Sight):** While in any sort of natural terrain, a nomad of 17th level or higher level can use the Hide action even while being observed.

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\page ## Occultist Arcane magic is rare and perilous in Thule. Sorcery, and theurgy are not things that should be studied by humans. They belong to earlier ages, when prehuman races such as serpentmen, rakshasas, genies, and other evil creatures dabbled in arcane power. But these grim and frightening arts pale in comparison to the sort of magic that you dare to study. You have pushed past the earthly black arts in pursuit of alien teachings millions of years older, the dark wisdom of terrible races from beyond the stars. Perhaps you seek the power to protect the world from such unearthly threats—or perhaps you seek to harness their power for your own selfish purposes. ### Class Features As an Occultist, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d6 per Occultist level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 6 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1 per Occultist level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light - **Weapons:** Simple - **Tools:** None ___ - **Saving Throws:** Intelligence, Wisdom - **Skills:** You gain Arcana and Religion as class skills. Choose one more from History, Insight, Investigation, and Medicine - **Languages:** Choose one bonus language from Benthic, Draconic, or Mi-Go. #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a quarterstaff, *(b)* a shortsword or *(c)* a dagger - *(a)* a component pouch or *(b)* an arcane focus - *(a)* a scholar’s pack or *(b)* an explorer’s pack - *(a)* leather armor or *(b)* fine clothes - A spellbook ##### Spellcasting As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. ##### Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Occultist table. ##### Spellbook At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.

##### Preparing and Casting Spells The Occultist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher in addition to a number of spell points equal to the spell slot used. The number of maximum Spell Points a character can have at any time is equal to 2 + their Intelligence modifier + Caster Level. You regain all expended spell slots after you finish a long rest and all spell points up to your current maximum. After a short rest, you will regain Spell Points equal to your proficiency bonus. You prepare the list of spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Occultist level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. ##### Spellcasting Ability Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier ##### Ritual Casting You can cast a spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don’t need to have the spell prepared. ##### Spellcasting Focus You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your spells. ##### Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher Each time you gain an Occultist level, you can add two spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Occultist table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook.
**Potent Lore:** You can spend a bonus action on your turn to increase the level of the next spell you cast this turn by 2. This affects all level-based variables of the spell you are casting, including resisting counterspell attempts. By calling upon the arcane secrets of alien races, Occultists can create unexpectedly powerful magical effects. You can use Potent Lore once, and then you must complete a short rest before you can use it again.

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\page
##### The Occultist | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery, Potent Lore | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 2nd | +2 | Arcane Savant, Focus Powers, Implements (2), Mental Focus | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 3rd | +2 | Implements (3), Magic Item Skill, Object Reading | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Focus Power | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 5th | +3 | Shift Focus | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 6th | +3 | Mystic Signs, Arcane Condensation, Focus Power | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 7th | +3 | Implements (4) | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement, Focus Power | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | | 9th | +4 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | | 10th | +4 | The Stars Are Right, Arcane Recitation, Focus Power | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | | 11th | +4 | Implement (5) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement, Focus Power | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | | 13th | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 14th | +5 | Arcane Concentration, Focus Power | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | | 15th | +5 | Implement (6) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Focus Power | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | | 17th | +6 | ─ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 18th | +6 | Focus Power, Spell Mastery | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 20th | +6 | Implement Mastery, Signature Spells | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
**Arcane Savant:** Beginning at 2nd level, the amount of gold required to copy a spell into your spellbook is halved.
**Focus Powers:** At 2nd level, an occultist learns the base focus power from both of his two chosen implements (see Implements below) and can select one more focus power from the list of those available to him through either implement. Whenever the occultist unlocks the secrets of a new implement, he gains the base power of that implement. In addition, at 4th level and every 2 levels thereafter, he learns a new focus power selected from the options granted by all of the implements he knows. The occultist can use focus powers only by expending spell points (see Mental Focus). Unless otherwise noted, the DC for any saving throw against a focus power equals 10 + 1/2 the occultist’s level + the occultist’s Intelligence modifier. The occultist can’t select a focus power more than once. Some focus powers require him to reach a specific occultist level before he can choose them. **Implements:** At 2nd level, an occultist has unlocked the secrects of two implement. At 3rd level and every 4 occultist levels thereafter, the occultist unlocks one additional implement, to a maximum of seven implements at 19th level. Each implement is represented by a small list of objects. When an implement is unlocked, the specific form of the implement must also be chosen from that list. As implements were once powerful magical artifacts from ages past, their form cannot simply be changed at will. However, if an occultist locates another apparent mundane item that could also be made into an implement of the same kind (as determined by the Object Reading Avility), they can replace their current implement with the new one after a long rest. Each implement also grants a base focus power. This power is added to the list of focus powers possessed by the occultist (see Mental Focus below). In addition, each implement grants access to a number of other focus powers that the occultist can select from using his mental focus class feature. See the list of implements below for a complete list of implements and their focus powers.

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\page **Mental Focus:** An occultist can invest a portion of his mental focus (in the form of spell points) into his chosen implements for the day, allowing him to utilize a variety of abilities depending on the implements and the amount of spell points invested in them. He can divide this mental focus between his implements in any way he desires. If an implement is lost or destroyed, the focus invested in it is lost as well, though the occultist still refreshes those spell points normally. Once mental focus is invested inside an implement, the implement gains its resonant power, and the occultist can expend the mental focus stored in the implement to activate the associated focus powers he knows. If a resonant power grants a bonus that varies based on the amount of mental focus invested in the implement, the bonus is determined when the focus is invested, and is not reduced or altered by expending the mental focus invested in the item. Once all of the mental focus in an implement has been expended, it loses its resonant power until mental focus is once again invested in the implement. The implement grants its resonant power to whoever possesses it; the occultist can lend the implement to an ally to assist that ally, but can’t expend that implement’s focus on focus powers until he retrieves the implement. The occultist refreshes his mental focus once each day after receiving at least 8 hours of sleep. After refreshing his mental focus, the occultist must spend 1 hour preparing his implements and investing them with this power. Any focus power the occultist activates with spell points that were not invested inside the implemenet at the beginning of the day costs twice as much to use (and to maintain, if applicable). The occultist can expend his unfocused spell points through an appropriate implement on any focus power he knows, but an implement he didn’t invest any focus in at the start of the day grants no resonant power.
**Magic Item Skill:** Due to your focus on unlocking the magical secrets and mysteries of the world, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items. ``` ```

**Object Reading:** At 3rd level, an occultist learns how to read information from items he examines. Examining an item in this way requires him to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, the occultist learns its properties and command word (if any) as if he had successfully examined the item using detect magic and succeeded at an Arcana check. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless the occultist’s class level is equal to or greater than the caster level of whomever cursed the item. If the item has any historical significance, the occultist learns one piece of information about its past (as determined by the DM). Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 1 day ago per the occultist’s class level, the occultist learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item. This information might be a glimpse of the creature’s appearance, a brief vision of what it saw while using the item, or perhaps its emotional state when it last used the item. The DM determines what information is gained in this way.
**Shift Focus:** At 5th level, an occultist gains the ability to shift his mental focus (invested spell points) from one implement to another, though some of the focus is lost along the way. Shifting mental focus removes a number of spell points from one implement and adds the same number – 1 to another implement; this takes 1 minute of quiet contemplation while touching both implements. The occultist can shift his mental focus only from one implement to another implement. Unlike expending focus normally, this shift can reduce the effect of a resonant power in the implement from which the mental focus was taken. It will also add to the resonant power of the implement to which the focus is added.
**Mystic Signs:** Through mystic gestures and motions, you can identify yourself as an initiate in unearthly lore to creatures that are otherwise hostile to humans and their ilk. You begin any interaction with intelligent extraterrene or extraplanar creatures with an attitude one step better than would otherwise be the case (Hostile becomes Indifferent, Indifferent becomes Friendly, and so on).
**Arcane Condensation:** You can cast a spell for half the number of spell points (Rounding down). After using this feature, you must complete a short or long rest before using it again.
**The Stars Are Right:** Once during each character level at 10th level and above, you can call upon powerful alien entities to perform services for you. This functions as planar ally, except that you can use the spell even if you are not normally able to cast it, and you call an extraterrene creature instead of a planar creature. You can conjure an extraterrene creature whose CR is no higher than one-half your character level.

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\page **Arcane Recitation:** The time required to cast a spell as a ritual is reduced to 1 minute, unless casting time of the spell is longer than 10 minutes.
**Arcane Concentration:** Your focus is legendary. Whenever you would lose your concentration on a spell, you can instead choose to maintain your focus by expending a spell slot of a level greater level or equal to the spell you are concentrating on.
**Spell Mastery:** You have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level spell and a 2nd-level spell that are in your spellbook. You can cast those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot or using spell points when you have them prepared. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot and spell points as normal. By spending 8 hours in study, you can exchange one or both of the spells you chose for different spells of the same levels
**Implement Mastery:** At 20th level, an occultist learns to master one of his implements. He selects one implement. Whenever he uses a focus power from that implement, the DC to resist any of the effects increases by 4 and he treats his occultist level as 4 higher when determining the effects and duration of that power. In addition, the occultist gains 4 extra points of mental focus, but these points must always be invested in implements mastered. He can’t save these points or expend them for any ability other than the focus powers of those implements.
**Signature Spells:** When you reach 20th level, you gain mastery over two powerful spells and can cast them with little effort. Choose two 3rd-level wizard spells in your spellbook as your signature spells. You always have these spells prepared, they don’t count against the number of spells you have prepared, and you can cast each of them once at 3rd level without expending a spell slot or using any spell points. When you do so, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal. ## Implements ### Talisman *Talisman implements are objects associated with protection and wards.*

**Objects(s):** Amulet, armor, bell, bracers, brooch, cloak, holy symbol, shield.

**Resonant Power(s):** Each time the occultist invests spell points into a Talisman implement, it grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus. *Warding Talisman:* The implement wards against adverse effects. Whoever wears (or holds, for bells) the implement gains a +1 bonus on saving throws for every 2 spell points invested in the implement, to a maximum bonus of 1 + 1 for every 4 occultist levels you possess.
**Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use a Talisman implement gain the following focus power. *Mind Barrier:* As a bonus action, you can expend 1 spell point to create a shield of mental energy around you that protects you from harm. The shield adds 2 temporary hit points per occultist level you possess. It lasts until the start of your next turn or until exhausted, whichever comes first. You can activate this ability as a reaction, but doing so costs 2 spell points instead of 1 For example, if you are 5th level, the mind barrier protects you from 10 points of damage; if you are hit by an attack that would deal 12 points of damage, the mind barrier is exhausted and you take 2 points of damage.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use a Talisman implement can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. #### Aegis As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a suit of armor or a shield to grant it an enhancement bonus to the item's AC. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels you possess (to a maximum bonus of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained via this ability stack with those of the armor or shield, to a maximum total enhancement bonus of +5. You can also imbue the armor or shield with any one armor or shield special ability that has an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus granted by this ability by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from aegis) to gain an armor or shield special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute. Enhancement bonuses applied to shields impart their bonus to any parry or shield bash attack rolls. #### Loci Sentry As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to set a ward about an area. This area has a maximum radius of 10 feet + 5 feet per occultist level you possess. Whenever a creature enters the area, a sentry manifested by your psyche appears and strikes out at the intruder. The affected creature must succeed at a Will save or be incapacitated for 1 round. You are immediately aware of the sentry’s activation. The sentry lasts for up to 1 hour per occultist level you possess, or until triggered. When you set the sentry, you can set any number of specific creatures to be immune to the sentry and thus avoid triggering it.

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\page #### Unraveling As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to unravel a magical effect. This functions as a targeted dispel magic spell, but you must be adjacent to the effect to unravel it. If the effect is created by psychic magic, you receive a +5 bonus on your ability check to unravel it. If the effect targets an object in your possession, you automatically succeed at the check. #### Energy Shield *You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power*

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to surround yourself with a shield that protects you from energy damage. Whenever you take acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, the shield absorbs the damage (as protection from energy). The energy shield can absorb up to 3 points of energy damage per occultist level you possess. This shield lasts for 1 minute or until its power is exhausted. Its effect doesn’t stack with itself or with protection from energy. You can activate the energy shield as a reaction by expending 2 points of mental focus instead of 1. #### Planar Ward *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power*

As an action, you can expend 2 points of mental focus to surround yourself with a planar ward. Creatures not native to the plane that you are currently on take a –4 penalty on attacks against you, and you receive a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spells and spell-like abilities of such creatures. This ward lasts for 1 minute. #### Globe of Negation *You must be at least 11th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 3 points of mental focus to create a stationary globe of negation. This globe is 10 feet in diameter and cancels any spell effect that is cast into or through its area. This functions as a globe of invulnerability, but it affects spells of any level. The globe can negate a total number of spell levels equal to your occultist level, after which the globe collapses. Spells that exceed the number of remaining levels remove all remaining levels, but are weakened; any creatures targeted by such spells receive a +4 bonus on any saving throws against the spells’ effects. The globe lasts for a number of rounds equal to your occultist level. It has no effect on spells originating within the globe—only on those that enter its area as or after they are cast. ### Eldritch Eye *Eldritch Eye implements are objects that grant powers related to foresight and remote viewing.*
**Objects:** Book, crystal ball, goggles, harrow deck, headband, lenses, planchette.
**Resonant Power:** Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a divination implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus.
*Third Eye:* The implement allows its bearer to notice that which can’t easily be seen. The implement grants a +1 bonus on Perception checks per 2 points of mental focus stored in it, to a maximum bonus equal to the occultist’s level. If the occultist is 3rd level or higher and stores at least 3 spell points in it, the implement also grants low-light vision. If the occultist is 5th level or higher and stores at least 6 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants darkvision 60 feet. (If the bearer already has darkvision, the implement increases the range of the darkvision by 30 feet.) If the occultist is 7th level or higher and stores at least 9 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants the effects of see invisibility. If the occultist is 13th level or higher and stores at least 12 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsense 60 feet. If the occultist is 19th level or higher and stores at least 15 points of mental focus in it, the implement also grants blindsight 30 feet.

**Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use an Eldritch Eye gain the following focus power: *Sudden Insight:* As a bonus action, you can expend 1 spell point to gain an insight into your immediate future. You can use this foreknowledge to gain advantage on any ability check, attack roll, or skill check. You can use your foreknowledge only once per turn, and if it’s not used by the end of your turn, the insight fades and you gain no benefit.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use the Eldritch Eye implement can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. ##### Future Gaze As a standard action, you can gain an insight into the future by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as augury, using your occultist level as the caster level. #### Powerful Connection When casting a divination spell (such as scrying) that imposes a penalty on saving throws based on the physical connection you have to the target, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to double the penalty from a possession, garment, or body part. In addition, When casting any other divination spell that allows a saving throw, you can increase the DC of that save by 2 by adding an object, garment, or body part that belonged to the target as a focus component for the spell and expending 1 point of mental focus.

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\page #### Danger Sight *You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.*

As a reaction, you can protect yourself from harm by expending 1 point of mental focus. You can use this ability whenever you are the target of an attack or are required to attempt a saving throw against a special ability, spell, or trap. Doing so grants you an insight bonus to your AC or on your saving throw equal to 1/2 your occultist level. This bonus applies only to the next attack against you or saving throw you attempt, and if not applied by the end of the round, the protection fades and you gain no benefit. #### Mind Eye *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a mind eye—a magical sensor through which you can see and hear. The mind eye is invisible and its size is Fine, giving it an AC of 18. Any amount of damage to the eye destroys it, but it can be harmed by only spells or magic weapons. The eye moves with a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and can travel up to 1 mile away from you. You must concentrate as a standard action to direct the eye and receive sensory images through it. The mind eye sees as your eyes see, including any additional senses you possess (such as darkvision or see invisibility). The mind eye lasts for 1 minute per occultist level you possess. #### Object Seer *You must be at least 7th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain insight into an object in your possession. You can ask one question, but that question must be tied in some way to the object, such as the nature of its power, the identity of the creature that last possessed it, or even where the object was when a certain event took place. You always receive an answer from the psychic impressions imprinted upon the item, but they are sometimes cryptic or misleading. ### Deception *Deception implements allow the occultist to befuddle the mind and charm his foes.*

**Objects:** Censer, crown, helm, musical instrument, necklace.

**Resonant Power:** Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a Deception implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus. *Glorious Presence:* The implement invokes the presence of those who have worn it in the past. The implement’s wearer gains a +1 competence bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks and ability checks for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement, to a maximum bonus of 1 + 1 for every 4 occultist levels you possess.

**Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use Deception implements gain the following focus power. *Cloud Mind:* As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to cloud the mind of one foe within 30 feet. That foe is dazed for 1 round if the number of Hit Dice it possesses is less than or equal to or your occultist level. If it has more Hit Dice than your occultist level, it is staggered for 1 round instead. The foe can attempt a Wisdom saving throw to negate the effect. Whether or not it succeeds at the save, the target is then immune to this effect for 1 day. This is a mind-affecting effect.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use enchantment implements can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. #### Inspired Assault As an action, you can inspire a living creature with a touch by expending 1 point of mental focus. The creature receives a morale bonus on attack rolls equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels you possess (to a maximum bonus of +4 at 18th level). This bonus also applies on saving throws against fear effects. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. #### Mental Discord As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to disrupt the mind of one living creature within 30 feet. The creature can attempt a Wisdom Saving Throw to negate the effect. If it fails the save, the creature can’t concentrate on any spell effects and must succeed at a concentration check to cast any spell (DC = 15 + double the spell level). The affected creature takes a –4 penalty on this check if the spell includes a thought component. The creature takes a –2 penalty on all Will saving throws while under this effect. This effect lasts for 1 round per occultist level you possess. #### Obey (Sp) As an action, you can issue a command to one living creature by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as command. The target must be within 30 feet and capable of understanding your order. The target can attempt a Wisdom save to negate this effect. If the creature is the same creature type as you, it takes a –2 penalty on this saving throw.

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\page #### Mind Slumber *You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.*

By expending 1 point of mental focus as an action, you can lull a living creature into a deep mental slumber, forcing it to view the world as a dream. The target must be within 30 feet of you, and it can attempt a Wisdom saving throw to negate the effect. If it fails the save, the creature falls asleep, although it still perceives the world around it as a dream. This doesn’t cause the creature to fall prone, but it does drop whatever it is holding. The creature can’t take any actions while in this state, but it isn’t helpless— it perceives danger as part of its dream. The creature remains asleep for a number of rounds equal to your occultist level or until it takes any amount of damage, which immediately wakes it. At the end of each of its turns, it receives another Wisdom saving throw to end the effect. The creature can be manipulated or examined without waking it, but it can’t be moved from its square without waking it. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Regardless of whether it succeeds at the save, the target is then immune to this effect for 24 hours. #### Forced Alliance *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can alter a living creature’s mind, causing it to see you as a friend and ally. If the creature is the same creature type as you, this power requires you to expend 1 point of mental focus; if it’s not, you must expend 2 points instead. The creature can attempt a Wisdom save to negate this effect. If it fails the saving throw, the creature treats you as an ally and doesn’t attempt to harm you (although your allies are not protected). You can call on the creature to aid you directly, but while doing so the creature can attempt a new Will save at the end of each round to end the effect. This effect otherwise lasts 1 round per occultist level you possess. This is a mind-affecting charm effect. #### Binding Pattern *You must be at least 7th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a binding pattern of psychic energy that causes a living creature to become paralyzed. The target must be within 30 feet of you, and it can attempt a Wisdom saving throw to negate the effect. If it fails the save, it is paralyzed for 1 round for every 2 occultist levels you possess. At the end of each of its turns, it can attempt another Will save to end the paralyzed effect and instead be staggered for the remaining duration. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.

### Dark Ruse *Dark Ruse implements allow the occultist to distort the senses and cloak creatures from sight.*

**Objects:** Crystal, hat, mask, prism, ring.

**Resonant Power:** Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a Dark Ruse implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus. *Distortion:* The implement allows its bearer to distort his form and location, protecting him from harm. As an action, the bearer can cause his body to become blurred, shifting and wavering to all who can see him. Any attacks made against the bearer are made at disadvantage. This effect lasts until the next time the bearer makes an attack.

**Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use Dark Ruse implements gain the following focus power. *Minor Figment:* As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a minor figment. This can function as either a ghost sound or minor illusion. In either case, the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your occultist level. If you are 7th level or higher, the figment lasts for a number of minutes equal to your occultist level, and you can cause the figment to change once during its duration when a specified condition occurs.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use illusion implements can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. #### Cloak Image As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to hide your appearance behind an illusion, as disguise self. The effect lasts for 1 minute per occultist level you possess. At 5th level, you can instead expend 2 points of mental focus to appear as a creature of a different type, but you must remain the same size. At 7th level, you can expend 1 additional point of mental focus to target a willing creature other than yourself with this ability. #### Color Beam As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to unleash a beam of cascading colors at any one target within 30 feet. Doing so requires a ranged touch attack. If the beam hits, the target is blinded for 1 round if it has a number of Hit Dice equal to or lower than your occultist level. A foe with a number of Hit Dice greater than your occultist level is instead stunned for 1 round. The foe can attempt a Wisdom save to negate the effect. Regardless of whether it succeeds at its save, the target is then immune to this effect for 1 day. This is a mind-affecting illusion effect.

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\page #### Mirage *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to cloak an area in illusion, allowing you to change the area’s appearance. You can affect up to one 5-foot cube area for every occultist level you posses, changing the appearance in a way that seems natural to the surroundings, subject to DM discretion. You could, for example, hide a door or passageway, make a table appear to be covered in food, or even create the illusion of a pit. You can’t make creatures or objects invisible with this power, but you can change the appearance of an object or create an illusion for creatures to hide behind. This functions as major image, and creatures that physically interact with the illusion in any way can attempt a Wisdom save to see through the mirage. #### Masquerade *You must be at least 7th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to take on the appearance of another creature that you touch. If the creature is not friendly to you, this requires a melee touch attack, but the target doesn’t receive a saving throw to negate the effect. You gain a bonus on Deception checks equal to your proficiency bonus, but only to look like the creature touched. This bonus doesn’t stack with the bonuses from spells or abilities like disguise self. While using this ability, you can change your disguise as an action by touching a different creature and assuming its appearance. You can end this effect at any time. This effect lasts for 10 minutes per occultist level you possess, but you can renew the duration at any time by expending 1 additional point of mental focus. #### Shadow Beast *You must be at least 9th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can call forth a beast made of shadow by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as Phantasmal Killer, but everyone can see the beast created, not just the target. For every 2 additional levels you possess beyond 9th, this focus power is treated as though the spell slot increased by 1. The creatures remain for 1 round per occultist level you possess. ### Spirit *Spirit implements can control undead and harm the living.*

**Objects:** Bone, coin, doll, drum, robe, skull.

**Resonant Power:** Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a Spirit implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus. *Necromantic Focus:* The implement grants its possessor greater power over the undead. Whoever possesses the implement can control an additional 2 Hit Dice of undead for every point of mental focus invested in the item (to a maximum number of Hit Dice equal to 4 × your occultist level). Any spellcaster who bears the implement can add it as an additional focus component for a necromancy spell he casts to create undead. If he does so, he can create an additional number of HD of undead equal to the additional HD the implement allows him to control. Undead creatures take a –1 penalty on saving throws against spells cast by the bearer of this implement for every 4 points of mental focus invested in this implement.

**Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use necromancy implements gain the following focus power. *Mind Fear:* As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to cause a living creature to succumb to fear. The target must be within 30 feet of you, and it can attempt a Wisdom saving throw to negate the effect. If the target fails the save and has a number of Hit Dice less than or equal to yours, it is frightened for 1d4 rounds. If the target fails the saving throw and has a number of Hit Dice greater than yours, it is instead Stunned for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use Spirit implements can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. #### Necromantic Servant As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to raise a single human skeleton or human zombie from the ground to serve you for 10 minutes per occultist level you possess or until it is destroyed, whichever comes first. This servant has a number of hit points equal to 1/2 your maximum hit point total (not adjusted for temporary hit points or other temporary increases). It also uses your base attack bonus and gains a bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your occultist level. At 5th level, whenever the necromantic servant would be destroyed, if you are within 100 feet + 10 feet per level of the servant, you can expend 1 point of mental focus as a reaction to cause the servant to return to full hit points. At 9th level, when you take a reaction to restore your servant, it splits into two servants. You can have a maximum number of servants in existence equal to 1/2 your occultist level. At 13th level, the servant gains a Buff, Combat or Warding feat for which they meet any prerequisites.

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\page #### Soulbound Puppet As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a soulbound puppet from a bone, doll, or skull. If you use a bone or a skull, your power builds a Tiny or Small flesh puppet around it that vaguely resembles the original creature from which the bones were taken. If the object is a doll, the doll comes to life. Treat this as a homunculus servant, using your occultist level to determine its powers and abilities. You can have no more than one soulbound puppet active at any given time. The soulbound puppet remains animated for 10 minutes per occultist level you possess. #### Flesh Rot *You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can make a melee touch attack and expend 1 point of mental focus to cause the flesh of a living creature to rot and wither. If the attack hits, the target takes 1d6 points of damage + 1 point per occultist level you possess. For every 4 occultist levels you possess beyond 3rd, the target takes an additional 1d8 points of damage (to a maximum of 5d6 at 19th level). If you miss with the melee touch attack, this power is wasted with no effect. #### Spirit Shroud *You must be at least 3rd level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to surround yourself with a shroud of spirit energy. You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your occultist level. This shroud lasts for 1 minute per occultist level or until the temporary hit points are expended, Whichever comes first. These temporary hit points stack with those from other sources, but not with those gained through multiple uses of this ability. At 4th level, as long as the shroud remains, you also gain a resistance bonus on all saving throws against death effects, fear effects, and any spells or effects that deal negative energy damage (if the spells or effects allow a save). This bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 occultist levels you possess beyond 4th.

#### Psychic Curse *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to curse a living creature within 30 feet. You can choose one of the following effects: memory lapse, mental block, or pain confusion. If you choose memory lapse, the target loses its memory of the past 1 hour per occultist level you possess. If you choose mental block, you can proscribe one specific action, such as attacking with a type of weapon, casting a specific spell, or something else suitably specific (subject to the DM’s discretion). The target can’t take that action without first succeeding at a Wisdom save. If it fails, it can take other actions instead. If it attempts the prohibited action again on subsequent rounds, it gains a cumulative +2 bonus on the save until it succeeds. If you select pain confusion, the creature is confused for 1d4 rounds whenever it is damaged by a critical hit. The target can attempt a Wisdom save to negate this effect. This effect lasts for 1 day per occultist level you possess. A creature can’t be under the effects of more than one psychic curse at a time. This is a mind-affecting curse effect. #### Pain Wave *You must be at least 7th level to select this focus power.*

As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to unleash a wave of pain. This wave hits all creatures other than you in a 20-foot-radius burst centered on a point that you designate within 100 feet. All living creatures in this area are wracked with pain, gaining the Stunned condition for 1 round per occultist level you possess. Affected creatures can attempt a Wisdom save to reduce the duration to just 1 round. This is a mind-affecting pain effect. ### Catalyst *Catalyst implements can alter the properties of both objects and creatures.*

**Objects:** Belt, boots, sandals, vest, weapon.

**Resonant Power:** Each time the occultist invests mental focus into a Catalyst implement, the implement grants the following resonant power. The implement’s bearer gains the benefits of this power until the occultist refreshes his focus. *Physical Enhancement:* The implement enhances its bearer’s body. When you invest mental focus in the implement, select a physical ability score. The implement grants a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to that physical ability score for every 3 points of mental focus invested in the implement (to a maximum of +2 at 1st level, plus an additional 2 for every 6 occultist levels you possess).

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\page **Base Focus Power:** All occultists who learn to use a Catalyst implement gain the following focus power. *Legacy Weapon:* As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus. The bonus is equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels you possess (to a maximum of +4 at 18th level). Enhancement bonuses gained by this ability stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5. You can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to your maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 (from the item itself or from legacy weapon) to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.

**Focus Powers:** In addition to gaining the base focus power, occultists who learn to use transmutation implements can select from the following focus powers when choosing the powers gained from their focus powers class feature. #### Philosopher’s Touch As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a weapon, causing it to gain the properties of a special material. You can cause the weapon to be treated as cold iron or silver for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction for 1 minute per occultist level you possess. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, You can touch an additional weapon as part of using this ability to grant that weapon the same benefit (still expending only 1 point of mental focus). At 11th level, you can cause any weapon affected by this ability to act as if it were adamantine instead (but only for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, not for overcoming hardness). #### Burst of Speed As a bonus action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant yourself a burst of speed. This increases your land speed by 20 feet for 1 round. This ability does not stack with itself. #### Quickness *You must be at least 5th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant supernatural quickness and reflexes to yourself or a willing living creature you touch. This functions as haste, but the bonus to dodge and parry increases to +2. This effect lasts for 1 round per one half the occultist level you possess (minimum of 1). #### Telekinetic Mastery *You must be at least 9th level to select this focus power.*

As an action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to grant yourself telekinetic power. This functions as telekinesis, except you don’t need to concentrate on the effect to maintain it, and using any one of its effects is a standard action. This effect lasts for 1 round per occultist level you possess.

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\page # Feats ## Modified Feats ### Defensive Duelist When you are wielding a finesse weapon with which you are proficient and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can double the proficiency die added to your Dodge or Parry reaction for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you. ### Dual Wielder You have mastered fighting with two weapons, gaining the following benefits: - You gain +1 to your Parry reactions. - You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t' light. - You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one. - You are considered ambidextrous ### Great Weapon Master You've learned to put the weight of a weapon to your advantage, letting its momentum empower your strikes and deflect incoming blows. You gain the following benefits: - Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage. Attacks that are made with this bonus are treated as though they were made with a weapon one size larger for the purposes of being parried. - While parrying with a heavy weapon that you are proficient with, you receive a +1 bonus to the parry roll. ### Healer You are an able physician, allowing you to mend wounds quickly and get your allies back in the fight. You gain the following benefits: - When you use a healer's kit to stabilize a dying creature or a creature suffering from Blood Loss, that creature also regains 1 hit point. - As an action, you can spend one use of a healer's kit to tend to a creature and restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to it, plus additional hit points equal to the creature's maximum number of Hit Dice. The creature can't regain hit points from this feat again until it finishes a short or long rest. ``` ```

### Inspiring Leader *Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or higher*
You can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose up to six friendly creatures (which can include yourself) within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to half your level (rounded down, minimum of 1) + your Charisma modifier. A creature can't gain temporary hit points from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest. ### Sharpshooter You have mastered ranged weapons and can make shots that others find impossible. You gain the following benefits: - Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls. - Making a called shot doesn't impose the -5 penalty on your ranged weapon attack rolls. - Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover. - Before you make an attack with a ranged weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage. ### Tough Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 1 hit points.

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\page ## New Feats ### Bloodlust The more blood and gore on the battlefield, the better. Each death makes you stronger, until only you stand amid the corpses strewn in your path. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Strength score by 1 (maximum 20). - When your weapon attack results in an enemy falling unconscious or dying, you gain advantage on your next attack roll in the same combat. If you somehow kill more than one enemy with a single attack, you still get tactical advantage on only one future attack. - If your critical hit results in an enemy falling unconscious or dying, you gain advantage on your next roll, and you heal an amount equal to half the damage you dealt. You can heal this way once per encounter. ### Deadly Reputation *Prerequisite: Charisma 13 or Fame 13*
You have carefully cultivated a reputation as someone who shouldn’t be crossed. A signature move, an intimidating catch-phrase, the public humiliation of those with whom you have a score to settle—these are the ingredients of your story, and it’s a well-known story indeed. Your deadly reputation provides the following benefits: - Increase your Fame score by 2 or your Charisma score by 1 (maximum 20). - You are proficient in skill checks based on Fame. - You can use a combat action to scare your enemies by identifying yourself and making a threatening display. Any enemy within 30 feet that understands your words must make a Charisma save or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. The save DC is equal to 8 + your Fame or Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus (if you are trained in Intimidation). You can use this ability once, and then you must rest before you can use it again. ### Desperate Reserve When the chips are down and the situation looks dire, you rise to the occasion. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Constitution score by 1 (maximum 20). - If you fail a saving throw, you gain advantage on the next saving throw that uses the same ability score during this encounter. - When you have less than one-quarter of your maximum hit points (rounded down), your first weapon attack each round deals an extra 1d8 damage if it hits. ### Devoted Followers *Prerequisite: Followers* You inspire amazing loyalty in your followers, leading by example and fighting by their side. They are your shieldmates and your brothers in battle, ready to give their all for you. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Charisma score by 1 (maximum 20). - Your followers add 1d4 to their attack rolls and saving throws when they are within 10 feet of you. - You can use your combat reaction to add 1d4 to your Armor Class or to a follower’s Armor Class if you are within 10 feet of your follower when you or your follower is attacked. Your followers include any members of an elite company, raid, army, or horde you command. Other player characters in your party are not your followers. However, the GM may decide that some NPC allies or henchmen count as your followers for purposes of this feat, especially if they have some reason to look to you for leadership in battle. ### Fate's Friend Call it fortune, luck, the blessings of the gods, the favor of the Great Old Ones . . . whatever the reason, you can instinctively manipulate the tiniest events in battle to your advantage. You gain the following benefits: - Whenever you roll a natural 20, you can turn it into a 19 and give yourself 1 Fate Point. You also get a Fate Point whenever you roll a natural 1. - Whenever you roll a natural 19, you can spend a Fate Point and turn it into a 20. Whenever you roll a natural 18, you can spend 3 points to turn it into a 20. - You can have a maximum of 5 Fate Points at one time, and you lose a Fate Point after every long rest. ### Highborn *Prerequisite: Power 13*
You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. In civilized lands, your family belongs to the higher ranks of the aristocracy; in barbaric lands, you are instead the son or daughter of a powerful and well-respected chieftain with hundreds of spears at his command. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Fame score by 2 and your Power score by 2 (maximum 20). - If your narrative provides followers, you may use the highest of your Charisma, Fame, or Power scores to determine their number.

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\page ### Master of Poisons *Prerequisite: Proficiency with poisoner’s kit*
You have studied many strange and exotic formulas for brewing poisons, mastering venoms few have ever heard of. Every creature has its own inimical substances, and you know a surprising number of these susceptibilities. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Intelligence score by 1. - You now have resistance to poison damage, thanks to your long-term exposure to many common toxins. - Choose one of the following types: celestial, elemental, fiend, undead. You learn how to incorporate special ingredients into your venoms that are especially inimical to the creature type you select. Poisons you craft ignore the poison immunity or resistance of the chosen creature type. ### Spymaster *Prerequisite: Followers or Power 13*
News, rumors, secrets—these are the coins with which common thieves and mighty princes alike build their empires. You have established a network of reliable informants in key locales throughout your home city (and, potentially, nearby cities as well) who send you reports on people and events of interest to you. When you choose this feat, you gain the following benefits: - Increase your Intelligence score by 1 and your Power score by 2 (maximum 20). - You are proficient in skill checks based on Power. - You can make Power/Insight or Power/Investigation ability checks to gather rumors or compare competing versions of a story and determine their veracity. ### Strong Mind *Prerequisite: Wisdom 13 or Sanity 13*
More than a few bold freeblades or cunning sorcerers have lost their minds (or their lives) when the supernatural horrors lurking in Thule’s shadows overwhelmed their sanity. You are made of sterner stuff, and have the ability to shrug off horrors that would shatter the minds of lesser heroes. You gain the following benefits: - You gain tactical advantage on saves against madness and on saves against becoming frightened. - Increase your Sanity score by 2 (maximum 20). - You are proficient in Sanity saves. - You gain tactical advantage on saves against becoming frightened.

### Tactician You have studied the art of leading warriors in battle. You have a keen eye for defensive terrain, a knack for spotting weaknesses in enemy formations, and the ability to make quick and accurate decisions in the thick of the fray. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Intelligence score by 1 (maximum 20). - You and your allies gain a +2 bonus on initiative rolls. - You gain tactical advantage on battle rolls and morale checks when you command a force ### Tireless *Prerequisite: Constitution 13*
Through sheer grit and years of hardship and survival under the most grueling conditions, you have learned to push on through fatigue that would cripple a lesser hero. You gain the following benefits: - Increase your Constitution score by 1 (maximum 20). - Reduce any exhaustion penalty you suffer by 2 levels (for example, if you have 4 exhaustion levels, you only suffer the penalty of 2 exhaustion levels).

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\page ## Weapon Mastery Feats ### Warhammer Master You master the warhammer. You gain the following benefits: - When you hit a creature with a warhammer, the creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. - You can use your warhammer to knock away a foe’s shield. If you hit a creature that’s using a shield, you can have the attack deal no damage and force the creature to drop its shield. ### Fell Handed You master the handaxe, battleaxe, greataxe, warhammer, and maul. You gain the following benefits when using any of them: - You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with the weapon. - Whenever you have advantage on a melee attack roll you make with the weapon and hit, you can knock the target prone if the lower of the two d20 rolls would also hit the target. - Whenever you have disadvantage on a melee attack roll you make with the weapon, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to your Strength modifier (minimum of 0) if the attack misses but the higher of the two d20 rolls would have hit. - If you use the Help action to aid an ally’s melee attack while you’re wielding the weapon, you knock the target’s shield aside momentarily. In addition to the ally gaining advantage on the attack roll, the ally gains a +2 bonus to the roll if the target is using a shield. ### Blade Mastery You master the shortsword, longsword, scimitar, rapier, and greatsword. You gain the following benefits when using any of them: - You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with the weapon. - You gain a +1 bonus to all parry attempts made with the weapon. - When you make an opportunity attack with the weapon, you have advantage on the attack roll. ``` ```

### Flail Mastery The flail is a tricky weapon to use, but you have spent countless hours mastering it. You gain the following benefits. - You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with a flail. - As a bonus action on your turn, you can prepare yourself to extend your flail to sweep over targets’ shields. Until the end of this turn, your attack rolls with a flail gain a +2 bonus against any target using a shield. - When you hit with an opportunity attack using a flail, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. ### Spear Mastery Though the spear is a simple weapon to learn, it rewards you for the time you have taken to master it. You gain the following benefits. - You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with a spear. - When you use a spear, its damage die changes from a d6 to a d8, and from a d8 to a d10 when wielded with two hands. (This benefit has no effect if another feature has already improved the weapon’s die.) - You can set your spear to receive a charge. As a bonus action, choose a creature you can see that is at least 20 feet away from you. If that creatures moves within your spear’s reach on its next turn, you can make a melee attack against it with your spear as a reaction. If the attack hits, the target takes an extra 1d8 piercing damage, or an extra 1d10 piercing damage if you wield the spear with two hands. You can’t use this ability if the creature used the Disengage action before moving. - As a bonus action on your turn, you can increase your reach with a spear by 5 feet for the rest of your turn.

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\page # Magic Magic in Blood & Tears is both restricted and dangerous. Magic users are limited in the number of spells they may cast per day, thus making the decision to cast a spell more significant. ### Spell Points The number of maximum Spell Points a character can have at any time is equal to 2 + their Intelligence modifier + Caster Level. #### Casting Spells A character can cast any spell they have memorized, provided they also have enough spell points to cast it. A spell costs a number of spell points equal to the level of the spell slot it would have occupied. > ##### For Example > If the occultist Michor still has one 1st level spell slot, one 2nd level spell slot and one 3rd level spell memorized, but only 3 Spell Points remaining, he has a choice. Michor could cast the 1st level spell, leaving two Spell Points remaining, which would also allow him to cast the 2nd level spell on his next turn, leaving him with 0 Spell Points remaining. Michor could also have chosen to cast the 3rd level spell, using all of his 3 Spell Points remaining. #### Regaining Spell Points After a short rest, you will regain Spell Point equal to your proficiency bonus. After a long rest, you will regain all spell up to your current maximum. #### Cantrips You can cast a free number of cantrips per day equal to your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency die. After a long rest, you will get your free castings back. If you don't have any free castings left, every cantrip you cast will cost 1 Spell Point.

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\page
### Dangerous Magic In Blood & Tears, magic is dangerous and forbidden, which is why not many delve into its secrets. Spells fall into one of thee categories: White, Black and Grey. White magic is rare. It is the magic of long forgotten benevolent deities who left this world's sphere of influence when the Great Old Ones returned. Healing spells are the most obvious members of this category. As well as being rare, each time a White magic spell is cast there is a chance that it will attract the attention of an Other, lured by the life giving energies that the spell releases, only to assert itself on the mage in strange and unforeseen ways. Black Magic is what people commonly think of as magic. It is harmful, coercive and ultimately corrupting to those who depends upon its dark power. Grey Magic falls between the two extremes. It’s the power of illusions, spells that have simple utility to enhance other magic or change reality in ways that are not overly malicious or beneficial. It neither corrupts the user nor attracts the attention of evil creatures. When you cast any White or Black magic, you must also roll a d20. If you roll a 1 for Spell slot levels 1-3, a 1 or a 2 for spell slot levels 4-6, or a 1, 2, or 3 for spell slot levels 7-9, you have invoked an additional magical effect and must roll d100 and consult the Dangerous Magic table:

### White Magic ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Light - Dancing Lights - Resistance - Spare the Dying ##### 1st Level - Animal friendship - Bless - Comprehend Languages - Create or Destroy Water - Cure Wounds - Detect Evil and Good - False Life - Heroism - Protection from Evil and Good - Purify Food and Drink - Shield ##### 2nd Level - Continual Flame - Enhance Ability - Find Traps - Lesser Restoration - Plant Growth - Protection from Poison - See Invisibility - Speak with Animals ##### 3rd Level - Counterspell - Create Food and Water - Daylight - Dispel Magic - Glyph of Warding - Magic Circle - Protection from Energy - Remove Curse - Revivify - Speak with Plants - Tongues - Water Breathing ##### 4th Level - Banishment - Defy Death ##### 5th Level - Antilife Shell - Circle of Power - Dispel Evil and Good - Glacial Bulwark - Greater Restoration - Raise Dead ##### 6th Level - Globe of Invulnerability - Heal

### Grey Magic ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Control Flames - Gust - Mage Hand - Mending - Minor Illusion - Prestidigitation ##### 1st Level - Alarm - Color Spray - Comprehend Languages - Entangle - Feather Fall - Fog Cloud - Mage Armor - Mark of Guarding - Shield - Silent Image - Sleep ##### 2nd Level - Arcane Lock - Blur - Darkvision - Detect Thoughts - Heat Metal - Hold Person - Knock - Levitate - Locate Object - Magic Mouth - Mark of Might - Mirror Image - Pass without Trace - Pyrotechnics - See Invisibility - Silence - Viper Form ##### 3rd Level - Clairvoyance - Conjure Animals - Group Telepathy - Haste - Major Image - Slow - Wall of Sand - Wall of Water ##### 4th Level - Baleful Mark - Control Water - Divination - Hallucinatory Terrain - Wall of Fire ##### 5th Level - Hold Monster - Telekinesis - Transmute Rock - Wall of Force - Wall of Stone ##### 6th Level - Control Winds - Find the Path - Legend Lore - Mark of Victory - Move Earth - True Seeing - Wall of Ice

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### Black Magic ##### Cantrips (0 Level) - Chill Touh - Friends ##### 1st Level - Animate Blades - Bane - Calm Emotions - Cause Fear - Charm Person - Hex - Inflict Wounds - Ray of Sickness - Seeking Serpent - Serpent Fingers - Shivering Cold - Unseen Servant ##### 2nd Level - Backbiter Curse - Blindness/Deafness - Darkness - Enthrall - Invisibility - Phantasmal Force - Ray of Enfeeblement - Suggestion - Web ##### 3rd Level - Animate Dead - Bestow Curse - Blink - Cause Disease - Fear - Hypnotic Pattern - Ice Claw - Speak with Dead - Spectral Tentacles ##### 4th Level - Arcane Eye - Bloodlust Cloud - Charm Monster - Compulsion - Confusion - Conjure Minor Elemental - Dimension Door - Draining Mist - Extraterrene Calling, Lesser - Greater Invisibility ##### 5th Level - Arcane Hand - Conjure Elemental - Dominate Person - Far Step - Insect Plague - Passwall - Phantasmal Killer - Snake Swarm - Teleportation Circle ##### 6th Level - Arcane Gate - Blade Barrier - Circle of Death - Contagious Madness - Extraterrene Calling - Geas - Gelid Fog - Harm - Magic Jar - Mental Prison - Flesh to Stone - Soul Cage - Word of Recall

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##### Dangerous Magic Effects | d100 | Effect | |:-----|:-------| | 01-02 | Roll twice on this table (ignoring 01-02 results). | 03-04 | You grow a beard of short rubbery tentacles that you can’t control. They shrivel up and drop off after 24 hours. | 05-06 | You cast Snake Fingers. | 07-08 | Strange potency: Next time you make a spell attack roll (within 24 hours), roll twice and use the higher result. | 09-10 | Lethargy: Next time you make a spell attack roll (within 24 hours), roll twice and use the lower result. | 11-12 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 13-14 | All plant life within 30 feet withers and dies. | 15-16 | You gain a random madness condition. If you are already suffering madness, gain a permanent madness trait instead. | 17-18 | Spirit Rend: Next time you make a spell damage roll (within 24 hours), roll twice and use the higher result. | 19-20 | Dazed: Next time you make a spell damage roll (within 24 hours), roll twice and use the lower result. | 21-22 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 23-24 | Your skin oozes a foul smelling mucus for 24 hours. | 25-26 | You cast a random spell(**2**). There is a 50% chance the spell targets you or is centered on you. If the spell affects you it lasts for 1 minute (ignore concentration). | 27-28 | Time is Mutable: You may cast your next spell (within 24 hours) as a bonus action (or free action, if the spell is normally cast as a bonus action) instead of a normal action. | 29-30 | Time Slip: Your next spell (within 24 hours) takes 2 normal actions to cast, instead of 1. | 31-32 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 33-34 | All liquids within 30 feet turn to salt, ash, dust or slime (GM discretion). A large body of liquid such as a pool or lake is only affected up to a depth of 2 feet. | 35-36 | A random creature within sight or hearing gains a random madness condition. If the target is already suffering madness, gain a permanent madness trait instead. | 37-38 | Inscrutable Boon: You may cast your next spell (within 24 hours) without expending a spell slot or spell point. | 39-40 | Eldritch Interference: Your next spell of 1st level or higher (within 24 hours) uses up a slot 1 level higher (but without gaining the usual bonus for using a higher level slot). | 41-42 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 43-44 | You grow a fishlike eye in one palm, in the center of your forehead or at the end of your tongue (GM discretion). If the eye is uncovered, it grants Truesight up to 60 feet. The eye rots away after 7 days leaving behind a scar. | 45-46 | You cast a random(**2**) spell. There is a 50% chance the spell targets you or is centered on you. If the spell affects you it lasts for 1 minute (ignore concentration). | 47-48 | Forbidden Lore: You regain an expended spell slot and 1 Spell Point. | 49-50 | Drained: You expend a random spell slot and lose 1 Spell Point.

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##### Dangerous Magic Effects Cont. | d100 | Effect | |:-----|:-------| | 51-52 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 53-54 | One of your hands transforms into a chitinous claw. You may use a bonus action to make a proficient grapple attack or cause 1d10+3 piercing damage. The claw flakes away and returns to normal after 2d12 hours. | 55-56 | You gain a random madness condition. If you are already suffering madness, gain a permanent madness trait instead. | 57-58 | Favour of the Ancients: Your spells ignore spell resistance until your next short or long rest. | 59-60 | Cursed: Targets with spell resistance are immune to your magic until your next short or long rest. | 61-62 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 63-64 | You speak only in a disturbing alien chittering. You cannot cast spells with verbal components. You may use an action to cause a target in hearing range to make a DC 12 Charisma save or suffer a random madness condition. Your voice returns to normal after 2d6 hours. | 65-66 | You cast a random(**2**) spell. There is a 50% chance the spell targets you or is centered on you. If the spell affects you it lasts for 1 minute (ignore concentration). | 67-68 | Bend Reality: You may change the damage type of any spell you cast to any other damage type until your next long rest. | 69-70 | A wave of dissonance resonates outwards from you. All creatures in a 20 foot radius (including you) must make a DC 12 Constitution save or be knocked prone. | 71-72 | An enraged random1 Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 73-74 | You sprout large membranous wings from your back, elbows, neck or ears (GM discretion). You gain a flying movement rate of 30 feet. The wings wither and slough off after 2d12 hours. | 75-76 | A random creature within sight or hearing gains a random madness condition. If the target is already suffering madness, gain a permanent madness trait instead. | 77-78 | Harness the Void: Your next damaging spell (within 24 hours) causes 50% extra damage. | 79-80 | Weakened: Your next damaging spell of 1st level or higher (within 24 hours) causes 50% less damage. | 81-82 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 83-84 | You grow to 10 feet tall, your jaws and limbs distending to grotesque proportions. You gain a powerful urge to devour your enemies. If possible you must use your move action to enter melee with an enemy. If in melee you must use a bonus action to make a proficient bite attack causing 2d6+3 piercing damage. On a natural 19-20 attack roll you sever a target’s limb or head (GM discretion). After 1 minute, you return to normal. | 85-86 | You cast a random(**2**) spell. There is a 50% chance the spell targets you or is centered on you. If the spell affects you it lasts for 1 minute (ignore concentration). | 87-88 | Insidious Call: Your next spell with a save (within 24 hours) causes the target to roll twice and use the lower result. | 89-90 | Wyrd Fading: Until you take a short or long rest, targets making saves against your spells roll twice and use the higher result. | 91-92 | An enraged random(**1**) Cthulhu-like monster controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. | 93-94 | You transform into a Gibbering Mouther for 1 minute. Your personality is suppressed and substituted with the sentience of a Gibbering Mouther until the effect ends. | 95-96 | You and all creatures within sight and hearing gain a random madness condition. If a target is already suffering madness, it gains a permanent madness trait instead. | 97-98 | The Stars Align: Your next damaging spell (within 24 hours) causes maximum damage. | 99-00 | An enraged Shoggoth controlled by the GM appears within 1d4x5 feet of you. It vanishes after 1 minute. ###### (**1**) *Roll 1d8; 1 = Creature of Carcosa; 2 = Gnoph-Keh; 3 = Mi-Go; 4 = Moon-Beast; 5 = Nightgaunt; 6 = Gibbering Mouther; 7 = Chull; 8 = Star-Spawn* ###### (**2**) *Roll 1d8; 1 = Bloodmad Mist; 2 = Bestow Curse; 3 = Contact Other Plane; 4 = Confusion; 5 = Blindness; 6 = Hideous Laughter; 7 = Feeblemind; 8 = Visions of Insanity*

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\page ## Modified Spells Many spells have been adjusted for these rules. If the character receives damage from an area spell such as Gelid Fog, you reduce the damage you received by your Constitution modifer in addition to the Armor Point total from all four body hit locations, unless otherwise stated. All aspects of existing spells fucntion as normal except for the revisions indicated below. #### Chill Touch The Chill Touch cantrip ignores armor and deals d6 damage instead of d8. #### Circle of Death The circle of death spell ignores armor and deals 4d6 damage. #### Color Spray Roll 3d10; the total is how many hit points of creature this spell can effect. At Higher Level. Roll an additional 1d10 for each slot level above 1st. #### Enhance Ability ##### Bear's Endurance. It also gains 1d6 temporary hit points. #### False Life You gain 1d4 temporary hit points for the duration. At Higher Levels. You gain 2 additional temporary hit points for each slot level above 1st. #### Geas The geas spell ignores armor. #### Harm The harm spell ignores armor and deals 6d6 damage. #### Heat Metal The heat metal spell ignores armor. #### Haste The target gains a +1 bonus to its reaction to Dodge or Parry and has advantage on Dexterity saving throws. Also, instead of an additional action, the target can make an additional Dodge or Parry reaction. #### Heroism A creature gains temporary hit points equal to half your spellcasting ability modifier (rounded up) at the start of each of its turns. #### Inflict Wounds The Inflict Wounds spell ignores armor and deals 1d8 damage. It increases its damage by 1d8 if higher spell slots are used. #### Mage Armor The target receives a 3 armor point bonus to all its locations. #### Mirror Image The duplicate's AC is your Size AC. #### Phantasmal Killer The phantasmal killer spell ignores armor and deals 2d6 damage on its initial hit. It increases its damage by 1d6 if higher spell slots are used. #### Shield The caster receives a 5 armor point bonus to all its locations. #### Sleep Roll 3d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect. At Higher Levels. Roll an additional 1d8 for each slot above 1st. #### Spare the Dying If the target is dying or suffering from Blood Loss, the creature becomes stable and is no longer affected by Blood Loss. #### Unseen Servant The unseen servant has AC 15. #### Wall of Ice The wall has AC 3, 2 APs, and 14 hit points per 10-foot section, and it is vulnerable to fire damage. #### Wall of Stone Each panel has AC 3, 5 APs, and 14 hit points per inch of thickness.

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\page ## New Spells ### Serpent Magic #### Seeking Serpent *1st-level Spell - Black Magic
transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** Self - **Target:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (special ammunition) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no Using a specially prepared weapon, the next ranged weapon attack you make during the spell’s duration briefly transforms into a living serpent. You gain advantage on your attack roll. If you hit, the weapon deals damage as normal for its type, and the target must make a Constitution save. On a failure, the target suffers an additional 3d4 poison damage and becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn. Seeking serpent can only be used with a throwing weapon or piece of ammunition that deals piercing damage—for example, a dart, javelin, arrow, or crossbow bolt. The weapon or ammunition must be carved in a snake-like shape, and costs 10 gp. If you miss with your attack, the weapon or ammunition is not expended and instantly reverts to its inert form. Otherwise, the weapon wriggles away from the creature struck and then disappears in a dark puff of smoke. *At Higher Levels.* When you cast seeking serpent as a higher-level spell, increase the poison damage by 2d4 for each spell slot level above 1st level. #### Serpent Fingers *1st-level Spell - Black Magic
transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** - - **Target:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 round - **Saving Throw:** Fortitude negates (see below) - **Spell Resistance:** Yes You transform the fingers of both of your hands into writhing nests of venomous serpents. Each of your digits divides and lengthens into anywhere from one to three snakes, each extending one to two feet from your hand. Your ability to cast spells with somatic components is unimpeded, and you can use your serpent fingers to grasp and wield objects (although fine motor control such as delicate writing or lockpicking is not possible). Your serpent fingers give you two natural bite attacks, one for each hand. Your attack bonus is equal to your caster level plus your key ability modifier, and you deal 1 point of piercing damage when you hit. Any creature you bite must succeed on a Fortitude save or take an additional 1d6 poison damage. (If you hit the same creature twice in the same round, it only becomes poisoned once.) For every two caster levels you have, the poison lasts 1 additional round, dealing its damage again at the end of the target’s turn, to a maximum of 4 additional rounds at 8th level. #### Backbiter Curse *2nd-level Spell - Black Magic
enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** Reaction - **Range:** 5 Feet - **Target:** one creature that just hit you - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous - **Saving Throw:** None - **Spell Resistance:** Yes This spell causes a creature that hit you with a melee attack to repeat the attack against itself. This attack uses the same attack roll bonus, including modifiers, as the attack against you, and deals the amount of damage dealt to you by the triggering attack. #### Viper Form *2nd-level Spell - Grey Magic
transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Target:** one creature that just hit you - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 hour - **Saving Throw:** No - **Spell Resistance:** No You assume the form of a Tiny poisonous snake. The duration depends on how long you maintain concentration, and the only form you can take is that of a poisonous snake—not a good choice for a pitched battle, perhaps, but exceedingly handy for getting into tight spaces, hiding, or spying without being seen. You revert to your normal form when your concentration ends. *At Higher Levels.* When you cast viper form as a 3rd-level spell, you can take the form of a giant poisonous snake.

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\page #### Snake Swarm *5th-level spell - Black Magic
School conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 round - **Range:** close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) - **Target:** one creature that just hit you - **Components:** V, S, M/DF (a severed snake head) - **Duration:** concentration + 2 rounds - **Saving Throw:** see text - **Spell Resistance:** No You summon a mass of vipers or constrictors that attacks all other creatures within its area. (You may summon the swarm so that it shares the area of other creatures.) You can direct the swarm with a minor action to move up to 20 feet. The swarm otherwise remains where you it was summoned. The snakes are either venomous vipers or entangling constrictors (you choice when you cast the spell). Creatures in the swarm are distracted (spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the swarm’s area requires a caster level check, DC = 20 + spell level). On your turn, each creature in the swarm’s space takes 1d6 damage and an additional effect depending on the type of swarm you summoned: *Vipers:* The creature is also poisoned (injury; save Fort DC 15, frequency 1/rd. for 6 rounds, effect 1d2 Con, cure 2 consecutive saves). *Constrictors:* The target is entangled as long as it remains in the swarm. If you have access to Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 3, you can have the swarm function as a venomous snake swarm, substituting the constrictors’ ability for the swarm’s poison. ### Star Theurgy #### Contagious Madness *6th-level Spell - Black Magic
School enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (tiny bag of marbles) - **Duration:** Concentration (up to 1 minute) - **Saving Throw:** none - **Spell Resistance:** No Your magic overwhelms the mind of a foe, sending him or her into a berserk fury—as well as anyone your target attacks in his or her madness. Choose one creature within range. That creature must make a Wisdom save. If the save fails, the creature flies into a berserk rage. It treats all other creatures as enemies, and on its turn it moves to the nearest creature it can see and makes a melee attack. The berserk creature gains advantage on its attack rolls, but any attacks against it also gain advantage. Any creature hit by a melee attack from a creature affected by this spell must make a Wisdom save, or suffer the same effect. At the end of each of its turns, a creature affected by this spell can attempt a new Wisdom save to end the effect. The spell ends when no more creatures are under its effect, or when you cease concentrating. #### Extraterrene Calling *6th-level Spell - Black Magic
School conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 round - **Range:** close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) - **Effect:** one or two called extraterrene creatures, totaling no more than 12 HD, which cannot be more than 30 ft. apart when they appear - **Target:** one creature that just hit you - **Components:** V, S, M (offerings worth 1,250 gp plus payment) - **Duration:** instantaneous - **Saving Throw:** none - **Spell Resistance:** No This spell functions like *lesser extraterrene calling*, except that you may call a single extraterrene creature of 12 HD or less, or two creatures of the same kind whose HD total no more than 12. *Special:* Your patron deity must be a Great Old One.

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\page #### Extraterrene Calling, Lesser *4th-level Spell - Black Magic
School conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 round - **Range:** close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) - **Effect:** one called extraterrene creature of 6 HD or less - **Target:** one creature that just hit you - **Components:** V, S, M (offerings worth 500 gp plus payment) - **Duration:** instantaneous - **Saving Throw:** none - **Spell Resistance:** No By casting this spell, you call out to your patron Great Old One to send you an extraterrene creature. You may ask the creature to perform one task in exchange for a payment from you. Tasks might range from the simple to the complex. You are able to communicate with the creature called for the purposes of establishing this bargain. On behalf of the Great Old One it serves, the creature called requires a payment for its services. The payment depends on the nature of the Great Old One, and may involve valuable gifts, living sacrifice, or some other action or service that you provide that aligns with the entity’s goals and can be completed within an agreed upon timeframe. The bargaining takes at least 1 round, so any actions by the creature begin in the round after it arrives. At the end of its task, or when the duration bargained for expires, the creature returns from whence it came. When you use a calling spell that calls an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type. *Special:* Your patron deity must be a Great Old One. #### Group Telepathy *3rd-level Spell - Grey Magic
School divination* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 standard action - **Range:** close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) - **Effect:** one called extraterrene creature of 6 HD or less - **Target:** you plus one creature per three levels - **Components:** S, M (a small seashell) - **Duration:** 1 round/level - **Saving Throw:** Will negates - **Spell Resistance:** yes Each target gains the ability to communicate telepathically over limited distance for a short time. The target can communicate regardless of language with any creature within 50 feet. Affected creatures also take a –2 penalty to Will saves against charm, compulsion, or mind-affecting effects, and the attacks and abilities of extraterrene creatures.

#### Spectral Tentacles *3rd-level Spell - Black Magic
School abjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Effect:** one called extraterrene creature of 6 HD or less - **Target:** you plus one creature per three levels - **Components:** V, S, M (bit of octopus tentacle) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes - **Saving Throw:** No - **Spell Resistance:** No You conjure writhing, ghostly tentacles that sprout from your shoulders, menacing nearby foes and protecting you from attack. As long as the spell lasts, you can use a combat reaction to shield yourself against weapon attacks; roll 1d4 and add the result to your parry roll. In addition, your tentacles serve as weapons; as an action, you can make two tentacle attacks. The tentacles have a reach of 10 feet and use your magic attack bonus. If you hit, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier, and the target is restrained. You can restrain up to three targets at a time (you grow additional spectral tentacles so that you can hold some targets while continuing to attack others). A creature restrained by your tentacles can spend an action to break free by attempting a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your save DC.

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\page ### Jhi Anool Spirit Magic #### Animate Blades *1st-level Spell - Black Magic
School transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 standard action - **Range:** medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) - **Effect:** one called extraterrene creature of 6 HD or less - **Target:** see text - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** concentration (up to 1 round/level) - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You animate a number of unattended objects, causing them to levitate in the air and strike at targets you designate of their own accord. Each object must weigh 10 pounds or less, and you can animate a number of objects equal to 2 + your Intelligence or Charisma modifier. You can control (and thus attack with) a number of the animated objects equal to half your caster level (round down). Items you animate but do not actively control hover in the air, but do nothing else. On your turn, you can move each controlled object up to 100 feet and make one attack with it. You can concentrate multiple objects on one target or divide the objects among multiple targets. Weapons you control strike with an attack bonus equal to your caster level plus your key ability modifier, and deal normal damage (for example, a dagger strikes for 1d4 damage and threatens a critical hit on a natural 19 or 20). Improvised weapons such as fist-sized stones, heavy branches, or even sturdy bottles deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage if used in this way, and do not suffer the normal improvised weapon attack penalty. If you roll a natural 1 when attacking with a weapon or object in this manner, that object is “dropped” and you can no longer control it with this spell. The most common use of animate blade is to animate the daggers and swords of fallen warriors found on a battlefield or in a crypt; hence the name. However, the magic of the spell does not discriminate between blades, cudgels, rocks, or other potential weapons of the right size. #### Bloodlust Cloud *4th-level Spell - Black Magic
School enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 standard action - **Range:** medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) - **Effect:** A mist rises in a 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high - **Target:** see text - **Components:** V, S, M - **Duration:** concentration (up to 1 round/level) - **Saving Throw:** see text - **Spell Resistance:** yes A cloud of red vapors rises at your command. The cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature in the cloud within 5 feet has concealment. Creatures farther away have total concealment. Any creature below half its maximum hit points that ends its turn in the bloodlust cloud makes a melee attack against a random adjacent creature unless it makes a successful Will save. #### Defy Death *4th-level Spell - White Magic
School necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** Reaction - **Range:** personal - **Effect:** - **Target:** you - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute/level - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You gain the ability to temporarily ignore terrible wounds and sustain your life through necromantic means. While this spell is in effect, critical injuries are received, but you postpone rolling on the Critical Injury table until the duration of the spell ends. You may cast this spell immediately when you are reduced to 0 hit points or less, or fail a massive damage saving throw. #### Draining Mist *4th-level Spell - Black Magic
School necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 standard action - **Range:** close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level) - **Effect:** - **Target:** 1 creature/2 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart. - **Components:** V, S, M (a leech) - **Duration:** instantaneous - **Saving Throw:** Fortitude negates - **Spell Resistance:** yes You surround yourself with a sinister red mist that drains the life from all nearby creatures and feeds it to you. Each target takes 2d6 necrotic damage unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save. You gain temporary hit points equal to 2 times the number of targets that take damage from this spell (maximum 10 temporary hit points). This attack ignored armor.

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\page ## Blade Magic #### Mark of Guarding *1st-level Spell - Grey Magic
School Abjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (a bear claw) - **Duration:** Special - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You place a protective rune on a melee weapon to safeguard its wielder. The mark lasts for 24 hours, but is inactive until the wielder uses a reaction or bonus action as part of a parry to invoke its power. The activated mark provides a +1 bonus to the wielder’s saving throws and the wielder gains a +4 to his parry attempt against the triggering attack. The effect lasts for 1 minute once activated, and then the mark fades away. #### Mark of Might *2nd-level Spell - Grey Magic
School Transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of mammoth fur) - **Duration:** Special - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You place a spell of crushing impact on a weapon that the wielder can call upon in battle. The mark lasts for 24 hours, but is inactive until the wielder uses a bonus action to invoke its power. When the mark is activated, the wielder doubles the weapon’s damage dice (for example, a great- axe with a mark of might deals 2d12 damage). In addition, any target struck must make a Strength save (caster’s DC) or be knocked prone. The effect lasts for 1 minute once activated, and then the mark fades away. #### Baleful Mark *4th-level Spell - Grey Magic
School necromancy* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (a serpent fang) - **Duration:** Special - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You place a specific and deadly curse upon a weapon, making it especially dangerous to a particular type of foe. You must specify the creature type when you cast the spell. You can choose any creature type except humanoid; for humanoids, you must specify the race, such as elf, human, or troglodyte. The mark lasts for 24 hours, but is inactive until the wielder uses a bonus action to invoke its power. Once activated, the wielder may score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20. If a creature of the type susceptible to the mark suffers a critical hit from the active weapon, it must make a Constitution save (caster’s DC) or suffer an additional 5d8 necrotic damage and become stunned until the end of the wielder’s next turn. The effect lasts for 1 minute once activated, and then the mark fades away. #### Mark of Victory *6th-level Spell - Grey Magic
School enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 minute - **Range:** Touch - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (pinch of lion fur) - **Duration:** Special - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You craft a powerful rune for a weapon that serves to protect the wielder and see him or her through to victory. The mark lasts for 24 hours, but is inactive until the wielder uses a bonus action to invoke its power. When the mark is activated, the wielder gains advantage on attack rolls and saving throws, and cannot become frightened. In addition, any creature hit by the active weapon must make a Wisdom save (caster’s DC) or become frightened. A creature frightened by this effect drops whatever it is holding, and must use its combat action to move away from the wielder by the safest route on each of its turns. At the end of each of its turns, the creature may attempt a new Wisdom save to end the effect. The mark’s effect lasts for 1 minute once activated, and then the mark fades away.

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\page ## Ice Magic #### Shivering Cold *1st-level Spell - Black Magic
School transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 round - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You cause the temperature to plummet in a small area, wracking creatures within with uncontrollable shivers. The area of effect is a 20-foot cube. Roll 3d8 to determine the number of hit points affected by this spell. Creatures are affected in order of their current hit points, beginning with the creature with the lowest hit points in the area. Each creature affected by your spell suffers the effects of 3 exhaustion levels. (These exhaustion levels do not stack with any other exhaustion effects the creature may be suffering.) Subtract the creature’s hit points from the total affected by the spell, then move on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. If a creature has more hit points than the spell can affect, it isn’t affected. At the end of each affected creature’s turn, it reduces the exhaustion level caused by shivering cold by 1 (thus creatures will usually be affected for 3 rounds). *Higher Levels:* When you cast this spell with a higher-level spell slot, add 1d6 to the effect for each spell slot. This damage ignores armor #### Ice Claw *3rd-level Spell - Black Magic
School conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no Choose a target space that you can see within range. A gyre of blowing snow and ice forms in the target space and condenses into a Medium-sized clawed hand of ice which rakes at one creature in its space. The target must make a Constitution save. On a failed save, the target takes 1d10 slashing damage and is restrained for the duration of the spell. As an action, you can use the claw to freeze the restrained target, who must make a Constitution save. It takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This damage ignores armor. You can also use an action to release the claw’s current target, move the claw to a different target space within range, and attack a different creature. A restrained target can break out of your ice claw by making a Strength check against your save DC. If the check succeeds, the target escapes and is no longer restrained. #### Glacial Bulwark *5th-level Spell - White Magic
School abjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** 1 minute (see below) - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You encase yourself or a willing ally in a rough-hewn block of ice that protects the creature within—long enough for a brief respite, at any rate. While within the ice, you are restrained, but you can still cast spells, use gear, and do anything else that’s reasonable for someone stuck in a closet-like space. The ice itself provides total cover in both directions, so it’ll be difficult for attacks to reach within the ice, or for attacks to emerge from it. The ice is transparent enough that the target can see what’s going on nearby, and anyone nearby can see who’s within the ice. Enemies can attack the ice directly; it is AC 5 and has 5 hp per caster level; it’s immune to cold damage but vulnerable to fire damage. The creature within the ice can end the spell early by dealing 1 damage to the inside of the ice block, because it has a crystalline structure that makes it brittle and easy to break from the inside. If the ice is destroyed, the spell ends early. #### Gelid Fog *6th-level Spell - Black Magic
School conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Effect:** - **Target:** - **Components:** V, S, M (a dried pea) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes - **Saving Throw:** no - **Spell Resistance:** no You create a billowing cloud of freezing fog in a sphere with a 20-foot radius, centered on a point within range. The fog heavily obscures its area. It can spread around corners or seep down into low-lying areas, and lasts for the duration or until dispersed by a strong wind. The fog quickly coats all surfaces with a rime of slick ice, making the ground inside difficult terrain. When a creature enters the spell’s area or starts its turn inside, it must make a Constitution save and a Dexterity save. It takes 2d6 cold damage on a failed Constitution save, or half as much damage on a success. The creature falls prone if it fails its Dexterity save. *Higher Levels:* When you cast this spell with a higher-level spell slot, add 1d6 to the damage dealt for each spell slot level above 6th level. This spell ignores armor.

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\page # Damage Whenever your hit points are reduced to 0, you no longer fall unconscious and begin dying. Instead, you begin to take critical damage. Each time you suffer critical damage, you suffer one or more critical effects. Critical damage is cumulative and remains with you until you heal naturally over time or receive medical attention or magical healing. There are four critical types of tables: Energy, Impact, Slashing, and Thunder. As there are several types of damage for Energy, the DM may have to adjust the description of the critical damage to better suit the damage to the damage type received. ##### Damage Type Critical Table | Damage Type | Critical Table | |:------------|:---------------| | Acid | Energy | Bludgeoning | Impact | Cold | Energy | Fire | Energy | Force | Energy | Lightning | Energy | Necrotic | Energy | Piercing | Impact | Poison | Energy | Psychic | Energy | Radiant | Energy | Slashing | Slashing | Thunder | Thunder ## Injuries Here are descriptions of injuries you may receive. ### Blood Loss When you suffer blood loss, you must make a death saving throw as described in the Player's Handbook. You do not fall unconscious. ### Broken Ribs This has the same effect as Internal Injury, except that the save DC is 10. ``` ``` > ##### Example > Caspian is hit with an arrow to his right arm. After accounting for his Constitution modifier and armor, Caspian suffers 10 points of piercing damage. Since he only has 8 hit points left, he is now at -2 hit points and suffers 2 points of critical damage to his right arm. The DM consults the critical damage 2 line of Impact Critical Effects - Arm which says that Caspian suffers a deep bruise to his arm. Later in combat, Caspian is hit with a longsword to his left leg. After accounting for his Constitution modifier and armor, he suffers 3 points of slashing damage. Caspian has now suffered 5 total points of critical damage. The DM consults the critical damage 5 line of Slashing Critical Effect - Leg and determines that Caspian's leg is opened up in a spray of blood, exposing bone, sinew and muscle. He takes 1 level of exhaustion, his speed is halved for 1 hour and he suffers a Limp and a Minor Scar. ### Festering Wound Your hit point maximum is reduced by 1 every 24 hours the wound persists. If your hit point maximum drops to 0, you die. The wound heals if you receive magical healing. Alternatively, someone can tend to the wound and make a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check once every 24 hours. After five successes, the wound heals. ### Horrible Scar You are disfigured to the extent that the wound can't be easily concealed. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar. ### Internal Injury Whenever you attempt an action in combat, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you lose your action and can't use reactions until the start of your next turn. The injury heals if you receive magical healing or if you spend ten days doing nothing but resting. ### Limp Your speed on foot is reduced by 5 feet. You must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw after using the Dash action. If you fail the save, you fall prone. Magical healing removes the limp. ### Lose an Arm or a Hand You can no longer hold anything with two hands, and you can hold only a single object at a time. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost appendage.

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\page ### Lose an Ear The missing ear doesn't have any adverse effect. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal or regenerate, repairs the scar. ### Lose an Eye You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight and on ranged attack rolls. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost eye. If you have no eyes left after sustaining this injury, you're blinded. ### Lose a Foot or Leg Your speed on foot is halved, and you must use a cane or crutch to move unless you have a peg leg or other prosthesis. You fall prone after using the Dash action. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks made to balance. Magic such as the regenerate spell can restore the lost appendage. ### Minor Scar The scar doesn't have any adverse effect. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar. ## Healing As you accumulate damage, you progress through three different states: lightly damaged, heavily damaged, and critically damaged. ### Lightly Damaged You are considered lightly damaged if you have taken damage equal to or less than half your hit points (rounded up). When you are lightly damaged, you heal damage normally ### Heavily Damaged You are considered heavily damaged if you have taken damage less than half your hit points but haven't taken critical damage. When you are heavily damaged, you can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of a long rest, up to the maximum number of Hit Dice. You don't regain any hit points after a short rest. Magical healing heals you normally. Once your damage is equal to or less than half your hit points (rounded up), you become lightly damaged. ### Critically Damaged You are critically damaged if you have received damage in excess of your hit points. When you are critically damaged, you heal 1 point after a long rest. When you receive magical healing, you heal 1 point of critical damage for each 5 points of magical healing you receive. Once all critical damage has been healed, you become heavily damaged instead.

### Slow Natural Healing Characters don’t regain hit points at the end of a long rest. Instead, a character can spend Hit Dice to heal at the end of a long rest, just as with a short rest. ### Healer’s Kit Dependency A character can’t spend any Hit Dice after finishing a *short rest* until someone expends one use of a healer’s kit to bandage and treat the character’s wounds. ## Massive Damage When a creature takes damage from a single source equal to or greater than double its hit point maximum, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer a random effect determined by a roll on the System Shock table. For example, a creature that has a hit point maximum of 30 must make that Constitution save if it takes 15 damage or more from a single source. ##### System Shock | d10 | Effect | |:----|:-------| | 1 | The creature drops to 0 hit points and also receives 5 Critical Damage, suffering the injury from the corresponding Critical Damage table. |2–3 | The creature drops to 0 hit points. |4–5 | The creature is stunned until the end of its next turn. |6–7 | The creature can’t take reactions and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn. |8–10 | The creature can’t take reactions until the end of its next turn.

Blood & Tears
\page ## Critical Damage Tables

##### Energy Damage Critical Table - Arm | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A blast to your arm leaves it all numb and tingly. Checks made with the arm are at disadvantage until the end of your next turn. | 2 | The attack smashes your arm, sending currents of energy crackling down to the fingers and up to the shoulder. Your arm us useless for 1 minute. | 3 | The attack burns your arm leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn. Your arm is useless for 1 minute. | 4 | The shock of the attack makes you vomit. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. Your arm is useless for 1 minute. | 5 | Your arm suffers superficial burns inflicting no small amount of pain to you. Your attack rolls are at disadvantage at the end of your next turn and you take 1 level of exhaustion. You have a Minor Scar. | 6 | The attack wreathes your arm in flame, scorching clothing and armor, and temporarily fusing together your fingers. Your attack rolls are at disadvantage for 1 minute, you take 1 level of exhaustion, and you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or Lose the use of the Hand permanently. | 7 | With a terrible snapping sound, the heat of the attack boils the marrow in your arm, causing it to shatter. Your arm is broken and until it is healed you are considered to having Lost the Arm. You are stunned until the end of your next turn and also take 1 level of exhaustion. | 8 | Energy sears through your arm at the shoulder, causing the limb to be severed from the body. You must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of your next turn. In addition, you take 1 level of exhaustion and are suffering from Blood Loss. You now have Lost an Arm. | 9 | Fire consumes your arm, burning the flesh to a crisp right down to the bone. You must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. If you survive, however, you take 1 level of exhaustion and you are stunned until the end of your next turn. You now have Lost an Arm. | 10+ | The attack reduces your arm to a cloud of ash and sends you crumbling to the ground where you immediately die from shock, clutching your smoking stump.

##### Energy Damage Critical Table - Body | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A blow to your body steals a breath from your lungs. You lose your bonus action and reaction until the end of your next turn. | 2 | The blast punches the air from your body. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. | 3 | The attack cooks the flesh on the chest and abdomen leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn. | 4 | The energy ripples all over you, scorching your body and inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. | 5 | The fury of the attack forces you to the ground, helplessly covering your face and keening in agony. You are prone and must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or catch fire. You take 1 level of exhaustion. | 6 | Struck by the full force of the attack, you are sent reeling to the ground, smoke spiraling out of the wound. You are knocked prone, stunned for 1 minute, and take 1 level of exhaustion. In addition, you must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or catch on fire. | 7 | The intense power of the energy attack cooks your organs, burning your lungs and heart with intense heat. You are stunned for 1 minute and your Constitution bonus is halved when you take damage. You have an Internal Injury. | 8 | As the attack washes over you, your skin turns black and peels off while body fat seeps out of your clothing and armor. You are stunned for 1 minute and you have an Internal Injury and Horrible Scar. | 9+ | You are completely encased in fire, melting your skin and popping your eyes like superheated eggs. You fall to the ground a blackened corpse.

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##### Energy Damage Critical Table - Head | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A grazing blow to the head frazzles your senses, imposing disadvantage on ability checks until the end of your next turn. | 2 | The blast of energy dazzles you, leaving you blinded until the end of your next turn. | 3 | The attack cooks off your ear, leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn. You have Lost an Ear. | 4 | The energy attack burns away all of the hairs on your head as well as leaving you reeling from the injury. You are blinded for 1 minute. | 5 | A blast of energy envelopes your head, burning your face and hair, and causing you to scream. In addition to losing your hair, you are blinded for 1 minute and takes 1 level of exhaustion. You have a Minor Scar. | 6 | The attack cooks your face, melting your features and damaging your eyes. You are blinded for the next 1 hour. You have a Horrible Scar. You also take 1 level of exhaustion. | 7 | In a gruesome display, the flesh is burned from the your head, exposing charred bone and muscle underneath. You are blinded permanently and take 1 level of exhaustion. Also, you have a Horrible Scar. | 8 | Your head is destroyed in a convocation of fiery death. You do not survive. | 9 | Superheated by the attack, your brain explodes, tearing apart your skull and sending flaming chunks of meat flying at those nearby. You are no more. | 10+ | As above, except your entire body catches fire and you run off headless 15 feet in a random direction. Anything flammable you pass, including characters, must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or catch fire.

##### Energy Damage Critical Table - Leg | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A blow to the leg leaves you gasping for air. | 2 | A grazing strike against the leg slows you for a bit. Your speed is halved until the end of your next turn. | 3 | The blast breaks your leg leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn and your speed is halved for 1 minute. | 4 | A solid blow to the leg sends electric currents of agony coursing through you. You take 1 level of exhaustion. | 5 | Your leg endures horrific burn damage, fusing clothing and armor with flesh and bone. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. You receive a Limp and a Minor Scar. | 6 | The attack burns your foot, charring the flesh and emitting a foul aroma. You must successfully make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or Lose the Foot. In addition, you take 1 level of exhaustion. | 7 | The energy attack fries the leg, leaving it a mess of blackened flesh. The leg is broken and until healed, you count as having Lost the Leg. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of your next turn. In addition you gain 1 level of exhaustion. You now only have one leg. | 8 | Energy sears through the bone, causing the leg to be severed. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of your next turn. In addition you gain 1 level of exhaustion and are suffering from blood loss. You Lose the Leg. | 9 | The force of the attack reduces the leg to little more than a chunk of sizzling gristle. You must make a make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. The Leg is utterly Lost. | 10+ | In a terrifying display of power, the leg immolates and fire consumes you completely. You die in a matter of agonizing seconds.

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##### Impact Damage Critical Table - Arm | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The attack numbs your limb causing you to drop anything held in that hand. | 2 | The strike leaves a deep bruise. | 3 | The impact inflicts crushing pain and you drop whatever was held in that hand. | 4 | The impact leaves you reeling from pain. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. The limb is useless for 1 minute. | 5 | Muscle and bone take a pounding as the attack rips into the arm. Your attack rolls are at disadvantage for 1 minute. In addition, you must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or drop anything held in that hand. You have a Minor Scar. | 6 | The attack pulverizes your hand, crushing and breaking 1d5 fingers (for the purposes of this critical, a thumb counts a finger). You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or Lose the use of your Hand. | 7 | With a loud snap, the arm bone is shattered and left hanging limply at your side, dribbling blood onto the ground. The arm is broken and you Lose the Arm until healed, and you take 1 level of exhaustion. | 8 | The force of the attack takes the arm off just below the shoulder, showering blood and gore across the ground. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. If you pass the check, you are still stunned for 1 minute, take 1 level of exhaustion and suffer from blood loss. You Lose the Arm. | 9 | In a rain of blood, gore and meat, your arm is removed from your body. Screaming incoherently, you twist about in agony for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground and dying. | 10+ | As above, except as the arm is removed it is smashed apart by the force of the attack, and bone, clothing and armor fragments fly about like shrapnel. Anyone within 5 feet must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw taking (2) 1d4 bludgeoning damage to a random hit location on failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
##### Impact Damage Critical Table - Body | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A blow to your body steals the breath from your lungs. You lose your bonus action and reaction until the end of your next turn. | 2 | The impact punches the air from your body. | 3 | The attack breaks a rib. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. | 4 | The blow batters you, shattering ribs. You take 1 level of exhaustion and are stunned until the end of your next turn. You have Broken Ribs. | 5 | A solid blow to the chest winds you and you momentary doubles over in pain, clutching yourself and crying in agony. You take 1 level of exhaustion and are stunned for 2 rounds. | 6 | The attack knocks you sprawling on the ground, prone. You fly 10 feet away from the attacker and fall prone (if you strike a wall or other solid object, you stop). You take 1 level of exhaustion and are stunned for 2 rounds. | 7 | With an audible crack, your ribs break. You have an Internal Injury. You also take 1 level of exhaustion. | 8 | The force of the attack ruptures several of your organs and knocks you prone, gasping in wretched pain. You suffer Blood Loss, Internal Injury, and Festering Wound. You also take 1 level of exhaustion. | 9 | You jerk back from the force of the attack, throwing back your head and spewing out a jet of blood before crumpling to the ground dead. | 10+ | As above, except you are thrown 10 feet away from the attack. Anyone in the target’s path must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

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##### Impact Damage Critical Table - Head | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 |The impact fills your head with a terrible ringing noise. You must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. | 2 |The attack causes you to see stars. You have disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn. | 3 | Your nose explodes in a torrent of blood, blinding you until the end of your next turn. You have a Minor Scar. | 4 | The concussive strike staggers you, dealing 1 level of exhaustion. | 5 | The force of the blow sends you reeling in pain. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. | 6 | Your head is snapped back by the attack leaving you staggering around trying to control mind-numbing pain. You are stunned for 1 minute. | 7 | The attack slams into your head, fracturing your skull and opening a long tear in your scalp. You are stunned for 1 minute. You have a Minor Scar. | 8 | Blood pours from your nose, mouth, ears and eyes as the attack pulverizes your brain. You do not survive the experience. | 9 | Your head bursts like an overripe fruit and sprays blood, bone and brains in all directions. Anyone within 5 feet of you must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or suffer disadvantage on their Wisdom (Perception) checks at the end of their next turn as gore gets in their eyes or on their visors. | 10+ | As above, except that the attack was so powerful that it passes through you and may hit another target nearby. If the hit was from a melee weapon, the attacker may immediately make another attack (with the same weapon) against any other target they can reach without moving. If the hit was from a ranged weapon they may immediately make another attack (with the same weapon) against any target standing directly behind the original target and still within range of their weapon.

##### Impact Damage Critical Table - Leg | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A light blow to the leg leaves you gasping for air. | 2 | A grazing strike against the leg slows you. Your speed is halved until the end of your next turn. | 3 | The blow breaks your leg leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn and your speed is halved for 1 minute. | 4 | A solid blow to the leg sends lightning agony coursing through you. You take 1 level of exhaustion. Your speed is halved for 1 minute. | 5 | A powerful impact causes micro fractures in your bones, inflicting considerable agony. Your Dexterity checks are at disadvantage for 1 minute and you take 1 level of exhaustion. You have a Limp. | 6 | Several of the tiny bones in your foot snap like twigs with cracking noises. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or permanently Lose the use of your Foot. On a success, your speed is halved until healing is received. | 7 | With a nasty crunch, the leg is broken and you knocked down mewling in pain. You fall prone with a broken leg and you count as having Lost a Leg until healed. You take 1 level of exhaustion. | 8 | The force of the attack rips the lower half of the leg away in a stream of blood. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. On a success, you are stunned for 1 minute, take 1 level of exhaustion and suffer Blood Loss. You have Lost the Leg. | 9 | The hit rips apart the flesh of the leg, causing blood to spray out in all directions. Even as you try futilely to stop the sudden flood of vital fluid, you fall to the ground prone and die in a spreading pool of gore. | 10+ | As above, but such is the agony of your death that your piteous screams drown out all conversation within 15 feet for the rest of the round.

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##### Slashing Damage Critical Table - Arm | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The slashing attack tears anything free that was held in this arm. | 2 | Deep cuts cause you to drop whatever was held. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 3 | The shredding attack sends you screaming in pain. You drop whatever was held in that hand. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 4 | The attack flays the skin from the limb, filling the air with blood and the sounds of your screaming. You fall prone from the agony. The limb is useless for 1 minute. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 5 | A bloody and very painful looking furrow is opened up in your arm. You take 1 level of exhaustion and vomit all over the place in agony. You drop whatever was held and Lose the Arm until healing is received. You also suffer Blood Loss and suffer a Minor Scar. | 6 | The blow mangles flesh and muscle as it hacks into your hand, liberating 1d5 fingers in the process (a roll of a 5 means that the thumb has been sheared off). You take 1 level of exhaustion and must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or Lose the use of your Hand. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 7 | The attack rips apart skin, muscle, bone and sinew with ease, turning your arm into a dangling ruin and inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. The arm is broken and, until healed, you count as having Lost the Arm. In addition, numerous veins have been severed and you are now suffering from Blood Loss. | 8 | With an assortment of unnatural, wet ripping sounds, the arm flies free of the body trailing blood behind it in a crimson arc. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. If you pass the save, you are stunned for 1 minute and suffer blood loss. You also take 1 level of exhaustion and now have Lost the Arm. | 9+ | The attack slices clean through the arm and into the torso, drenching the ground in blood and gore and killing you instantly.

##### Slashing Damage Critical Table - Body | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | If you are not wearing armor on this location, you take a painful laceration and suffer a Minor Scar. If you are wearing armor, there is no effect. Phew! | 2 | The attack damages your armor, reducing its armor points by 1. If not armored, you are also stunned until the end of your next turn and you suffer a Minor Scar. | 3 | The attack rips a large patch of skin from your torso, leaving you gasping in pain. You are stunned until the end of your next turn and suffer a Minor Scar. | 4 | A torrent of blood spills from the deep cuts, making the ground slick with gore. All characters attempting to move through this pool of blood must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. You take 1 level of exhaustion. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 5 | The blow opens up a long wound in your torso, causing you to double over in terrible pain. You take 1 level of exhaustion and suffer a Minor Scar. | 6 | The mighty attack takes a sizeable chunk out of you and knocks you to the ground as you clutch the oozing wound, shrieking in pain. You are prone and take 1 level of exhaustion. You also suffer a Minor Scar. | 7 | The attack cuts open your abdomen. You receive an Internal Injury and a Festering Wound. You also take 1 level of exhaustion and are now suffering Blood Loss. | 8 | With a vile tearing noise, the skin on your chest comes away revealing a red ruin of muscle. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die. If you pass, you take 1 level of exhaustion, and now suffer Blood Loss, Internal Injury, Festering Wound, and Horrible Scar. | 9 | The powerful blow cleaves you from gullet to groin, revealing your internal organs and spilling them on to the ground before you. You are now quite dead. | 10+ | As above, except that the area and you are awash with gore. For the rest of the fight, anyone moving within 5 feet of your corpse must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.

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##### Slashing Damage Critical Table - Head | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The attack tears skin from your face. You suffer a Minor Scar. If you are wearing a helmet, there is no effect. | 2 | The attack slices open your scalp which immediately begins to bleed profusely. Due to blood pouring into your eyes, you have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks for 1 minute. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 3 | The attack tears your helmet from your head. If wearing no helmet, you Lose an Ear instead. | 4 | The attack scoops out one of your eyes, inflicting 1 level of exhaustion and leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 5 | The attack opens up your face, leaving you stunned for 1 minute and inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. You suffer a Minor Scar. If you are wearing a helmet, the helmet comes off. | 6 | As the blow rips violently across your face—it takes with it an important feature. Roll 1d10 to see what you have lost. 1–3: Lose an Eye, 4–7: Nose, Horrible Scar, 8–10: Lose an Ear. In addition, you are now suffering Blood Loss and take 1 level of exhaustion. | 7 | In a splatter of skin and teeth, the attack removes most of your face. You are permanently blinded and suffer a Horrible Scar. You also now have trouble speaking without slurring your words. In addition, you are suffering from Blood Loss and take 1 level of exhaustion. | 8 | The blow slices into the side of your head causing your eyes to pop out and your brain to ooze down your cheek like spilled jelly. You're dead before you hit the ground. | 9 | With a sound not unlike a wet sponge being torn in half, your head flies free of your body and sails through the air, landing harmlessly 15 feet away with a soggy thud. You are instantly slain. | 10+ | As above, except your neck spews blood in a torrent, drenching all those nearby and forcing them to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Anyone who fails the save, has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks at the end of their next turn as gore fills their eyes or fouls their visor.

##### Slashing Damage Critical Table - Leg | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The attack knocks the limb backwards, painfully jerking it away from the body. | 2 | Your kneecap splits open. You must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 3 | The attack rips a length of flesh from the leg, causing blood to gush from the wound. You suffer Blood Loss and Minor Scar. | 4 | The attack rips the kneecap free from your leg, causing it to collapse out from under you. Your speed is halved until you receive healing. You suffer a Limp and a Minor Scar. | 5 | In a spray of blood, your leg is opened up, exposing bone, sinew and muscle. You take 1 level of exhaustion and your speed is halved for 1 hour. You receive a Limp and a Minor Scar. | 6 | The blow slices an inch off the end of your foot. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or permanently Lose the use of your Foot. On a success, your speed is halved until you are healed. In either case, you take 1 level of exhaustion. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 7 | The force of the blow cuts deep into the leg, grinding against bone and tearing ligaments apart. The leg is broken and, until healed, you count as having Lost a Leg. In addition, the level of maiming is such that you are now suffering from Blood Loss. You also take 1 level of exhaustion. You suffer a Minor Scar if it ever heals. | 8 | In a single bloody hack the leg is lopped off you, spurting its vital fluids across the ground. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. On a success, you are stunned for 1 minute, take 1 level of exhaustion and suffer blood loss. You now have Lost the Leg. | 9 | With a meaty chop, the leg comes away at the hip. You pitch to the ground howling in agony, before dying moments later. | 10+ | As above, except that the tide of blood is so intense that, for the remainder of the battle, anyone moving within 10 feet of the target this round must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.

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##### Thunder Damage Critical Table - Arm | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The attack throws the limb backwards, painfully jerking it away from the body. | 2 | The attack sends a fracture through the limb. You drop anything held in the hand. | 3 | The explosion takes 1d5 fingers from your hand. Anything carried in the hand is destroyed. You suffer a Minor Scar. | 4 | The blast causes you to howl in agony. You take 1 level of exhaustion, are stunned until the end of your next turn, and the limb is useless, effectively Lost an Arm until healed. | 5 | Fragments from the explosion tear into your hand, ripping away flesh and muscle alike. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or Lose the Hand. Even on a success, the hand is useless until healed. You take 1 level of exhaustion. | 6 | The explosive attack shatters the bone and mangles the flesh turning your arm into a red ruin, inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. Your arm is broken and, until healed, it counts as having Lost an Arm. In addition, the horrendous nature of the wound means that you now suffer from Blood Loss. | 7 | In a violent hail of flesh, the arm is blown apart. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. On a success, you are stunned for 1 minute, take 1 level of exhaustion, and suffer Blood Loss. You now have Lost an Arm. | 8 | The arm disintegrates under the force of the explosion taking a good portion of the shoulder and chest with it. You are sent screaming to the ground, where you die in a pool of your own blood and organs. | 9+ | With a mighty bang the arm is blasted from your body, killing you instantly in a rain of blood droplets.

##### Thunder Damage Critical Table - Body | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | You are blown backwards 5 feet. You are prone when you land. | 2 | You are blown backwards 10 feet. You are prone when you land. | 3 | The explosion destroys whatever armor protected the body. If you wore none, you are blown backwards 15 feet. You are prone when you land. | 4 | The explosion sends you sprawling to the ground. You take 1 level of exhaustion, are stunned until the end of your next turn, and are prone. | 5 | Concussion from the explosion knocks you to the ground and tenderizes your innards. You fall down stunned until the end of your next turn and take 1 level of exhaustion. | 6 | Chunks of your flesh are ripped free by the force of the attack leaving large, weeping wounds. You are stunned until the end of your next turn, take 1 level of exhaustion and are now suffering Blood Loss. You suffer an Internal Injury. | 7 | The explosive force of the attack ruptures your flesh and scrambles your nervous system, knocking you to the ground. You fall down, are stunned for 1 minute and take 1 level of exhaustion. In addition, you now suffer Blood Loss and suffer an Internal Injury and a Festering Wound. | 8 | Your chest explodes outward, disgorging a river of partially cooked organs onto the ground, killing you instantly. | 9 | Pieces of your body fly in all directions as you are torn into bloody gobbets by the attack. | 10+ | As above, except anyone within 10 feet of the target is drenched in gore and must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or have Wisdom (Perception) checks made at disadvantage until the end of their round as blood fouls their sight.

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##### Thunder Damage Critical Table - Head | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | The explosion leaves you confused. You lose your bonus action and reaction until the end of your next turn. | 2 | The flash and noise leaves you blind and deafened until the end of your next turn. | 3 | The detonation leaves your face a bloody ruin from scores of small cuts. You are stunned until the end of your next turn. | 4 | The force of the burst knocks you to the ground prone and you are stunned until the end of your next turn. | 5 | The explosion flays the flesh from your face and bursts your eardrums with its force. You are stunned for 1 minute and are permanently deafened. You take 1 level of exhaustion and lose your bonus action and reaction for 1 hour. Finally, you suffer a Horrible Scar. | 6 | Your head explodes under the force of the attack, leaving your headless corpse to spurt blood from the neck for the next few minutes. Needless to say this is instantly fatal. | 7 | Both head and body are blown into a mangled mess, instantly killing you. | 8 | In a series of unpleasant explosions your head and torso peel apart, leaving a gory mess on the ground. For the rest of the fight, anyone moving over this spot must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. | 9 | You cease to exist in any tangible way, entirely turning into a kind of crimson mist. You don’t get much deader than this, except.... | 10+ | As above, except such is the unspeakably appalling manner in which you were killed, that any of your allies who are within 5 feet of where you stood, must make a successful DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the end of their next turn.

##### Thunder Damage Critical Table - Leg | HP Damage | Injury | |:----------|:-------| | 1 | A glancing blast sends you backwards 5 feet. | 2 | The force of the explosion takes your feet out from under you. You land prone. | 3 | The concussion cracks your leg, leaving you stunned until the end of your next turn and your speed is halved for 1 minute. | 4 | The explosion sends you spinning through the air. You travel 5 feet away from the explosion. You are prone and your speed is halved for 1 minute. | 5 | Explosive force removes part of your foot and scatters it over a wide area. You must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or permanently Lose the use of your Foot, inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. On a success, you take 1 level of exhaustion and you suffer a Limp. | 6 | The concussive force of the blast shatters your leg bones and splits apart your flesh, inflicting 1 level of exhaustion. The leg is broken and, until healed, you count as having Lost a Leg. In addition, the horrendous nature of the wound means that you now suffer from Blood Loss. | 7 | The explosion reduces your leg into a hunk of smoking meat. You must immediately make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die from shock. On a successful save, you are still stunned for 1 minute, take 1 level of exhaustion and suffer Blood Loss. You now have Lost a Leg. | 8 | The blast tears the leg from the body in a geyser of gore, sending you crashing to the ground, blood pumping from the ragged stump: instantly fatal. | 9+ | The leg explodes in an eruption of blood, killing you immediately and sending tiny fragments of bone, clothing, and armor hurtling off in all directions. Anyone within 5 feet of you must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage to a random hit location on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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## Fumble Whenever a player or an NPC rolls a natural 1 on an attack, they fumble. Roll 1d100 on the Fumble Table. Regardless of how many fumbles a player or an NPC make, they can only roll on the table once per turn. ##### Fumble Table | d100 | Fumble | |:-----|:-------| | 1-9 | **Dropped Weapon (Melee/Ranged)** You drop your weapon where you stand.
**Bad Hit (Unarmed)** You hit your opponent’s armor, a wall, or an object and take 1d3 damage | 10-18 | **Slip:** You lose your footing and fall *prone* | 19-25 | **Overreach (Melee/Unarmed)** You overreach and an opponent gets an attack of opportunity (if possible)
**Drop Ammunition (Ranged)** You drop your piece of ammunition where you stand | 26-35 | **Off Balance:** You stagger back 5 feet and provoke attacks of opportunity (if possible) | 33-39 | **Twisted Ankle:** You twist your ankle. Speed is reduced by 10 for 1d3 hours | 44-44 | **Blinded:** You somehow manage to get dirt in your eye or hurt it. *Blinded* for 1 round | 45-49 | **Pulled Muscle:** You pull a muscle and have disadvantage on all attacks for 1d3 rounds (and attacks on you have advantage) | 50-54 | **Lost Grip (Melee):** Your weapon flies 3d10 feet from you in a random direction (GM's choice)
**Fumble with Ammunition (Ranged):** You drop all of your ammunition. It takes one action/bonus action to pick it up.
**Stumble (Unarmed):** You stagger back 5 feet and fall prone. You provoke opportunity attacks (if possible) | 55-59 | **Tangled Up:** You tangle yourself up in your clothes or your gear. You are restrained until you take a bonus action and succeed on a Dexterity saving throw DC 13 to et free | 60-64 | **Weapon Stuck (Melee):** Your weapon is stuck on your opponent, in the floor, on the wall, or in a nearby object. You have to take a bonus action and succeed on a Strength saving throw DC 13 to get free.
**Fumble with Reload(Ranged):** You can't attack with your ranged weapon next round.
**Unsteady(Unarmed):** The next opponent that attacks you has advantage.
Unsteady (Unarmed): The next opponent who attacks you has advantage | 65-69 | **Hit on Self:** You damage yourself. Damage halved. | 70-73 | **Weapon Damaged (Melee/Ranged):** Your weapon deals -1 damage until repaired
**Really Bad Hit (Unarmed):** You hit your opponent's armor, the wall, or an object, and take 1d6 damage | 74-77 | **Twisted Knee:** You twist your knee. Speed is halved for 1d6 hours | 78-81 | **Hit Companion (Melee):** Your weapon flies from your hand and hits your closest companion. Damage halved.
**Hit Companion (Ranged):** Your attack hits your closest companion.
**Hit Companion (Unarmed):** Your attack hits your closest companion. If that is not possible, you stumble 5 feet toward your companion, provoking opportunity attacks (if possible) | 82-85 | **Sever Hit on Self:** You hit yourself. Full damage. | 86-88 | **Weapon Heavily Damage (Melee/Ranged):** Your weapon deals -2 damage until repaired.
**Extremely Bad Hit (Unarmed):** You hit your opponent's armor, a wall, or an object, and take 2d6 damage. | 89-91 | **Stomach Hit:** You hit yourself in the stomach and knock the wind out of yourself. *Stunned* for 1 round. | 92-94 | **Head Hit:** You hit yourself in the head. Dazed. *Stunned* for 1d3 rounds. | 95-97 | **Weapon Breaks (Melee/Ranged):** Your weapon is destroyed. If it's a magical weapon, roll 1d10 on the 10, the weapon is destroyed.
**Critically Bad Hit (Unarmed):** You hit your opponent's armor, the wall, or an object, taking 3d6 damage. | 98-00 | **Critical Hit on Self:** You hit yourself badly. Roll on the Critical Hit tables.

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\page # Monsters Monster have been altered. A table shows new armor class, armor points, and hit points for each monster. Monsters that had their abilities changed are also detailed. Monster hit points are calculated by using the table below. First hit die always includes Constitution modifier. ##### Monster Hit Points | Monster Hit Points | Hit Points per Hit Die | |:-------------------|:-----------------------| | Tiny | 1 | Small | 1 1⁄2 | Medium | 2 | Large | 3 | Huge | 4 | Gargantuan | 5 ### Monster Hit Locations Several monsters have different kinds of hit locations due to their form. In the monster table, the locations are given for a humanoid form but you can look at the body type of the monster and give it a hit location accordingly. #### Abominations This hit location is for creatures with no definable form. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-4 | Appendage | 5-12 | Main Body (torso) | 13-16 | Mouth | 17-20 | Sensory Organ #### Beasts, Eight-legged This hit location table consists eight appendages, a body (or thorax), a head, and tail (or abdoment). ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-5 | Tail (or Abdomen) | 6-11 | Body (or Thorax) | 12 | Head | 13 | Appendage (A) | 14 | Appendage (B) | 15 | Appendage (C) | 16 | Appendage (D) | 17 | Appendage (E) | 18 | Appendage (F) | 19 | Appendage (G) | 20 | Appendage (H) #### Beasts, Four-legged This hit location table consists of a head, torso, four legs (or appendages), and a tail. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-2 | Head | 3-7 | Tail | 8-12 | Torso | 13-15 | Leg (A) | 15-16 | Leg (B) | 17-18 | Leg (C) | 19-20 | Leg (D) #### Beasts, Six-legged This hit location table consists of a head, torso (or thorax), six appendages, and a tail (or abdomen). ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-3 | Tail (or Abdomen) | 4-6 | Body (or Thorax) | 7-8 | Head | 9-10 | Appendage (A) | 11-12 | Appendage (B) | 13-14 | Appendage (C) | 15-16 | Appendage (D) | 17-18 | Appendage (E) | 19-20 | Appendage (F) #### Bipedal This body profile consists of a head, torso, two appendages (usually legs), and a tail. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-2 | Head | 3-6 | Tail | 7-14 | Torso | 15-18 | Appendage (Left) | 17-20 | Appendage (Right #### Dibrachium This body profile consists of a head, main body (or torso), two appendages (pectoral fins or arms), and a tail. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-2 | Head | 3-6 | Tail | 7-12 | Torso | 13-16 | Appendage (Left) | 17-20 | Appendage (Right

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\page #### Draconic This body profile consists of a head, torso, two legs, two arms, two wings, and a tail. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-2 | Head | 3-4 | Arm (Left) | 5-6 | Arm (Right) | 7-8 | Wing (Left) | 9-10 | Wing (Right) | 11-12 | Tail | 13-16 | Torso | 17-18 | Leg (Left) | 19-20 | Leg (Right) #### Humanoid with an Additional Body Part This body profile consists of two arms, two legs, a head, a torso, and an additional body part (such as a tail, extra head, or appendage, a tentacle, etc.) ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-2 | Head | 3-5 | Additional body part | 6-12 | Torso | 13-14 | Arm (Left) | 15-16 | Arm (Right) | 17-18 | Leg (Left) | 19-20 | Leg (Right) #### Serpentine This body profile consists of a head, torso, and a tail. ##### | d20 | Location | |:----|:---------| | 1-4 | Head | 5-11 | Tail | 12-20 | Torso ### Monster Descriptions #### Damage Resistance If the monster has damage resistance, the damage is reduced if there is damage left after AP and Constitution modifier. For example, a deva takes 19 points of radiant damage. Its AP 3 and +4 Constitution modifier reduces this damage to 12 (19 - 7). The deva takes 6 points of radiant damage. #### Damage Vulnerability If the monster is vulnerable to a certain type of damage, the damage is doubled after AP and Constitution modifier. For example, a skeleton takes 10 points of bludgeoning damage. Its AP 1 and +2 Constitution modifier reduces this damage to 7. The skeleton takes 14 points of bludgeoning damage.

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\page ## Downtime Activities

### Carousing Sword & sorcery characters seldom start any adventure laden with great wealth, and they frequently squander their hard-won money and treasure on temporary pleasures. When a player character finishes an adventure and returns to whatever passes for civilization to rest and recuperate, follow this procedure to determine the results of their carousing:
**1.** Roll a d6 to determine how much of their acquired wealth they spent: (d6, 1–4) They spent 1d6 × 10% of the wealth and treasure they acquired from the adventure; (d6, 5–6) They spent (1d6 × 10%) + 40% of their gains instead.
**2.** Roll on the following percentile table to see what happened. Some results are beneficial, many can serve as springboards for further adventures, and others are simply fun. In any regard, the referee determines the specifics of any items and circumstances. In some cases, the referee may apply the same result to all characters in the group in order to better facilitate further adventures.

##### Carousing Table | d20 | Result | |:----|:---------| | 01–02 | **Behold My Grace!** You boasted of your adroitness! *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = Balancing on a Ledge/Beam/Rope; 3 = Bull-Leaping; 4 = Dancing; 5 = Five-Finger Fillet; 6 = Juggling Random Items. Next, make a test of dexterity to see if you showed true prowess or bungled it!* | 03–04 | **Behold My Might!** You boasted of your strength! R*oll 1d6: 1–2 = Arm Wrestling; 3–4= Wrestling Match; 5 = Keg Tossing; 6 = Lifting Heavy Objects. Next, make a test of strength to see if you actually managed something impressive!* | 05–06 | **Behold My Stamina!** You boasted of your constitution! *Roll 1d6: 1–3 = Drinking Contest; 4–5 = Eating Contest; 6 = Long Distance Running / Swimming Challenge. Next, make a test of constitution to see if you showed great endurance!* | 07–08 | **Big Business!** You invested another 1d4 × 10% of your money in a merchant’s caravan / ship venture! *GM secretly rolls 1d6: 1–2 = It’s a con; 3–4 = It’s legitimate, and in 2d6 months you’ll have doubled your investment (if you’re still alive and around!); 5–6 = It’s legitimate, but the caravan / ship didn’t survive. * | 09 | **Brotherly Love!** You woke up next to one of the other players’ characters (GM determines randomly)! | 10–11 | **Brrr . . . Chilly!** Someone stole your coat / clothes while you were intoxicated! | 12–14 | **Dangerous Liaison!** You bedded the son / daughter / husband / wife / temple virgin of someone who can make your life in this area very difficult! *Roll 1d6: 1 = Local Crime Lord; 2 = Local Militia Commander; 3 = Local Sorcerer; 4 = Local Temple Leader; 5–6 = Important Local Leader / Noble.* | 15–22 | **Drunken Brawl!** You started a drunken brawl! *You must spend an additional 1d20 × 10 gold pieces on damages and fines to avoid incarceration, or flee and be declared outlaw. If you don’t have enough wealth to pay the fine and do not flee, you will be incarcerated and your belongings will be confiscated and sold.* | 23 | **Fire!** You accidentally started a fire in the inn / den of ill repute you were carousing in! Y*ou must spend an additional 1d20 × 10 gold pieces on damages and fines to avoid incarceration, or flee and be declared outlaw! If you don’t have enough wealth to pay the fine and do not flee, you will be incarcerated and your belongings will be confiscated and sold.* | 24–31 | **Gambling!** You gambled away your money on a game! *Roll 1d6: 1 = Dice Game; 2 = Card Game; 3 = Cock Fight; 4 = Dog Fight; 5 = Arm / Wrestling Match; 6 = Pit Fight.* | 32–34 | **Go Directly to Jail!** You woke up in jail charged with a crime! *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = Drunken Disorderly; 3 = Lewd Conduct; 4 = Vandalism; 5 = Theft; 6 = Murder. You decide if your character did it or not. An escape may be necessary . . .* | 35–37 | **Have at You!** You incurred someone’s anger (or were angered yourself) and have agreed to a duel, physical or sorcerous! *GM secretly rolls 1d6: 1–2 = They’re lower level; 3–4 = They’re the same level; 5–6 = They’re higher level. Next, the GM secretly rolls 1d4 to determine level difference.* | 38–40 | **How’d I Get Here?** You woke up in a strange place with no idea how you’d got there! *Roll 1d6: 1 = Aboard a ship (maybe heading out to sea!); 2 = In a tree or on a roof; 3 = In the back of a wagon (maybe travelling somewhere!); 4 = In the nearest stable / animal pen; 5 = In the nearest temple; 6 = In the sewer / gutter.* | 41–48 | **How Embarrassing!** You made a complete idiot of yourself in public! Locals snigger behind your back and consider you a complete imbecile. Roll 1d6: 1 = You emptied your bladder . . . unexpectedly; 2 = You exposed yourself; 3 = You fell flat on your face unconscious while attempting to seem intimidating / skillful / powerful; 4–5 = You performed the worst drunken song and dance . . . ever; 6 = You soiled yourself.* | 49–51 | **I Here Swear!** You made a foolish pledge, loudly and in public to do something hazardous. *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = Clear Nearest Monster Den / Ruin; 3–4 = Bring Down Local Bandits / Thieves / Thugs; 5–6 = Steal Valuable From Important Local (roll as in Dangerous Liaison! to determine who).*

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\page
##### Carousing Table Cont. | d20 | Result | |:----|:---------| | 52 | **Just Married!** You woke up to find someone claiming to be your new wife / husband! *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = Attractive; 3–4 = Average; 5 = Ugly; 6 = Pass the bucket! GM also secretly rolls 1d6: 1–3 = It’s a con attempt; 4–6 = It’s true.* | 53 | **Love Never Dies!** You woke up next to a corpse! *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = They died of natural causes; 3–4 = They died of drug / alcohol overdose; 5 = You think you accidentally killed them; 6 = You think you murdered them. GM also secretly rolls 1d6: 1–3 = It’s a setup; 4–6 = It’s true.* | 54 | **Mooooo!** You woke up next to an animal! *Roll 1d6: 1 = Chicken; 2 = Cow; 3 = Goat; 4 = Horse / Camel; 5 = Pig; 6 = Sheep.* | 55–62 | **My Friends!** You spent your money on drink, companionship, and trinkets for your new “friends”! | 63 | **My Land!** You gambled / spent your money and acquired the deed to something! *Roll 1d6: 1-2 = Disreputable Inn; 3 = Nearest Ruin; 4 = Plot of Wildland; 5–6 = Run-Down Farm. GM secretly rolls 1d6: 1–3 = It’s a fake; 4–6 = It’s legitimate.* | 64–66 | **My Precious!** When you were passed out or otherwise engaged, someone stole your single most valuable-looking item, as determined by the GM! Track ‘em down and make ‘em pay! | 67–69 | **Ooh, Shiny!** You spent your money on a truly gaudy but otherwise unremarkable item. *Roll 1d6: 1 = Armour; 2 = Garment; 3–4 = Jewelry Piece; 5 = Shield; 6 = Weapon. Actual item should be determined by GM based on amount spent, item cost, and the character’s preferences.* | 70–77 | **Robbed!** You didn’t spend your money / treasure! Someone stole it! | 78–80 | **Tattoo You!** You spent your money on a fantastic tattoo! *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = It actually is awesome; 3–4 = It’s fairly good; 5 = It has an obvious flaw; 6 = It has an embarrassing flaw.* | 81 | **Treasure Map!** You spent / gambled your money and obtained a dubious map to some undefined ruin / treasure! *GM secretly rolls 1d6: 1–3 = It’s a con; 4–6 = It’s accurate.* | 82–89 | **Unexpected Companion!** You woke up next to a member of your preferred gender. *Determine attractiveness as Just Married! result (#52).* | 90 | **Where’d This Come From?** You awoke with an object in your possession, and you have no idea how you obtained it! *Roll 1d6: 1 = Dagger; 2 = Document; 3 = Gemstone; 4 = Map; 5 = Necklace; 6 = Ring. GM secretly rolls 1d6: 1–2 = You purchased it; 3 = It was gifted to you; 4–5 = You stole it; 6 = It was planted on you!* | 91–93 | **Yer Mother!** You seriously insulted someone who can make your life in this area very difficult. *Roll to determine who as in Dangerous Liaison! result (12-14).* | 94–95 | **You’re so Generous!** You donated your money to a worthy institution. *Roll 1d6: 1–2 = Local Poor; 3–4 = Local Temple; 5–6 = Orphanage / Urchins.* | 96–00 | **Madman!** Roll twice and apply both results!

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\page ## A History of the World
##### Timeline | Year | Event | |:-----|:------| | -100,000 BA | **The Primordial Age Begins.** No human civilizations anywhere in the world. | –35,000 BA | Serpentman empire of Nessk conquers eastern Thule. | –30,000 BA | **Age of Dawn.** The first humans appear and begin to migrate outward. | –8800 BA | Primitive humans arrive on Thule’s shores. | –4200 BA | First Dhari tribes begin settling southern Thule. They eventually move westward into Dhar Mesh and Nar. | –2955 BA | **Age of Myth.** Elves arrive in Thule through world gates. | –2700 BA | War breaks out between the elven realms of Imystrahl and Sersidyen and the serpentman empire of Nessk. Intermittent wars continue for centuries. | -1950 BA | Rakshasas of Jhi Anool summon a demon horde to destroy the elven realm of Mesildyar in northern Thule. | –1420 BA | Elven legions, reinforced by the warriors of their subject human tribes, drive the rakshasas from Thule. The rakshasas retreat to Hellumar. | -1124 BA | Imystrahl’s legions besiege and raze the Nesskian fortress of Bhnaal Pruth at the mouth of the River Quosa. | –655 BA | A foul orange rain falls over the Inner Sea; the alien being known as Dhuoth takes root in a remote valley and begins to grow. | –500 BA | The Kalay tribes begin their settling of Thule. | –240 BA | The barbarian chief Jal Dror founds the city of Quodeth. | 0 AA | **Age of Atlantis.** The warlord Evenor unites Atlantis and establishes his capital, creating the Empire of Atlantis. | 16 AR | Quodeth’s armies defeat the elven kingdom of Sersidyen. | 99 AR | The cities of Quodeth and Hurhun combine forces to destroy the troglodyte kingdom of Vhaug. | 429 AR | Dwarves arrive in Thule, migrating from the eastern continent. | 495 AR | Atlanteans found the colony of Katagia. | 566 AR | First Nimothan explorers begin settling northeast Thule and the island of Nimoth. | 616 AR | The Atlantean colony of Orech is established on Thule’s northern shores. | 833 AR | Dwarven city of Kal-Zinan is founded in the Zinandar Mountains. | 1114 AR | Vanadar, the Crimson Prince, fails to seize the Atlantean Throne. He is exiled to Thule and founds the city of Marg. | 1178 AR | Vanadar, King of Marg, sacks the elven city of Imystrahl. | 1215 AR | The sorcerer Ghedrar rises to power in Ikath and builds an army of mummy warriors, seizing much of central Thule for his kingdom. | 1451 AR | Atlantean legions conquer Quodeth, adding the city to their empire. | 1511 AR | Dwarven schism leads to civil war and the ruin of Kal-Zinan. The victorious clans vow to rebuild, and the losing clans are exiled. | 1673 AR | Atlantean general Nemruth leads a fleet across the Inner Sea to attack Ikath. He defeats the undead armies of the sorcerer Ghedrar and withdraws after installing a puppet king. Ghedrar’s body is never found. | 1744 AR | The Yellow Priests assume power in Orech after a plague of madness ravages the city. | 1817 AR | War breaks out between Atlantis and Lemuria. | 1906 AR | Atlantis is destroyed and sinks beneath the waves. | 1980 AR | Invaders from across the sea, a lost tribe of Lemuria, found the city of Lomar. | 2000 AR | Glaciation renders much of the Kingdom of Nimoth uninhabitable. Beginning of the Nimothan migrations.

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\page
##### Timeline Cont. | Year | Event | |:-----|:------| | 2011 AR | Kal Keor the Terrible becomes chief of the Jandar tribes, and crushes Thran. | 2016 AR | The Jandar horde defeats Droum. Kal Keor names himself King of Droum. | 2022 AR | The Jandar hordes attack Quodeth and are repelled. | 2035 AR | Kal Keor is assassinated by sorcery; the Jandar hordes disperse, and Kal Keor’s empire crumbles. | 2040 AR | The sorcerer Bayod Naz reveals the existence of the Black Circle and seizes power in Thran. | 2087 AR | Lomar defeats the city of Hurhun in a sudden war. Hurhun is sacked, its people scattered. | 2096 AR | The glacier Kang overruns the small realm of Lendosk in a single winter. | 2104 AR | Beothoe, capital city of Nimoth, is engulfed by glaciers. | 2112 AR | Wandering tribes driven from Nimoth found the city of Nim on Thule’s northern coast. | 2155 AR | Legions of Lomar defeat Droum’s army. Droum sues for peace and is forced to pay a ruinous tribute. | 2168 AR | Princess Jara Boh is exiled from Lomar. She founds the city of Rime in an abandoned stronghold of Lendosk. | 2176 AR | The Black Milk is introduced in Imystrahl. | 2183 AR | Cult of Great Cthulhu spreads widely and grows dangerously influencial | 2209 AR | Deyane Hazeda becomes Quodeth's queen at age 15 | 2213 AR | **Age of Ice/Age of Man.** Current Year
## Languages
##### Common Languages |Language | Continent | Spoken by | Script | |:--------|:----------|:----------|:-------| | Atlantean, Low | Thule | Most humans, elves, and dwarves | Atlantean | Atlantean, High | Thule| Atlanteans, scholars | Atlantean | Dhari | Thule| Humans (Dhari) | Draconic | Dwarven | Thule | Dwarves | Dwarven | Elven | Thule| Elves, wizards | Elven | Kalayan | Thule | Humans (Kalayan) | Elven | Khazistanean | Xoh | Humans (Khazistani) | Khazistani | Lomari | Thule | Humans (Lomari) | Atlantean | Nabastissean | Xoth | Humans (Nabastissean) | Nabastissean | Nimothan | Thule | Humans (Nimothans) | Dwarven | Susrahnian | Xoth | Humans (Susrahnite), Humans (Khoran)| Susrahnite | Urgan | Thule, Xoth | Beastmen, gnolls, winged apes | — | Yar-Ammonite | Xoth | Human (Yar-Ammonite) | Yar-Ammonite

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\page ##### Uncommon Languages |Language | Spoken by | Script | |:--------|:----------|:-------| | Benthic | Aboleths, deep ones, cultists | Pnakos | Draconic | Dragons, Serpentmen, troglodytes, kobolds, sorcerers | Draconic | Giant | Cyclopes, giants, minotaurs | Dwarven | Rakshasan | Rakshasas | Infernal ##### Rare Languages |Language | Spoken by | Script | |:--------|:----------|:-------| | Abyssal | Demons, ghouls | Abyssal | Celestial | Angels, gods, priests | Celestial | Infernal | Devils | Infernal | Mi-Go | Moonbeasts, mi-go, star things | Pnakos
Most people in the known world are bilingual to a greater or lesser extent. They know the language of their home city or tribe and converse fluently in that tongue. They also know some amount of “Common” or “Low” Atlantean, a simple version of the High Atlantean language. Speakers of Common Atlantean get by with a couple of thousand words and some standard phrases, but can converse well enough for all but the most complicated or nuanced concepts. The more isolated barbarians have little use for a common language, and it’s not unusual to find that particularly reclusive or hostile tribes don’t understand any Atlantean at all.
**Abyssal and Infernal:** Not native to the Earth, and known only because demons, devils, and other creatures from other dimensions sometimes find their way into the world.
**Benthic:** A prehuman language spoken by the ancient civilizations of the seas. The written form is a fantastically ancient glyph system referred to as Pnakos, known principally for its appearance in the Pnakotic Manuscripts.
**Celestial:** The language of the gods and their servants. The holiest tomes and scrolls in existence contain passages written in Celestial.
**Dhari:** The language of human tribes and cities of Dhari ethnicity. The written form is based on the language of the serpent-people.
**Draconic:** The language of the serpentmen. Debased forms of this tongue are spoken by troglodytes and kobolds.
**Dwarven:** The language of the dwarf race. Its runes are used (rarely) as the basis for writing in Nimothan and Giant.
**Elven:** The language of the elven people. It is important in arcane studies.
**Giant:** An old and almost forgotten language, rarely encountered in the current day.
``` ``` **High Atlantean:** When Atlantis reigned as the supreme power in the lands of the Atlantean Sea, its language was known by all but the most isolated and backwards savages. The waning influence of Atlantis in the current day means that Atlantean is slowly falling out of use throughout Thule. It is still a language of scholarship, science, and many occult studies.
**Kalayan:** The language of humans of Kalayan ancestry, most notable the city of Quodeh. Kalayan was strongly influenced by Elven and still uses the Elven alphabet.
**Khazistanean:** The language of humans of the Khazistani ancestry.
**Lomari:** Humans of Lomar speak this tongue. It is unrelated to any other languages in Thule.
**Low Atlantean:** The “common tongue” of Thule and nearby lands.
**Mi-Go:** Known to only a handful of scholars and cultists, most of whom are not entirely sane. The strange and sinister mi-go are among the most widely traveled of the extraterrene races that visit the Earth, and their language—generally unpronounceable by humans— serves as a common tongue among the alien races that occasionally visit Thule. **Nabastissean:** The language of humans of the Nabastissean ancestry.
**Nimothan:** Human tribes and cities of Nimothan descent speak this language. The written form is based on dwarven runes.
**Rakshasan:** The proud and cruel race of rakshasas do not teach their language to people of lesser races, but a few libraries in Thule hold examples of their writings.
**Susrahnian:** The language of humans of the Susrahnite ancestry. The Sea Reavers around Xoth speak a dialect of Susrahnian.
**Urgan:** The primitive language of the beastmen, gnolls, and the more intelligent beasts and apes. There is no written form.
**Yar-Ammonite:** The language of humans of the Yar-Ammonite ancestry

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\page # Cities of the Known World

## The Cities & Locales of Thule The island-continent of Thule is mostly wilderness, and cities are few and far between. While there are a great number of small settlements, barbarian villages, and trading posts scattered throughout the land, true cities—or anything that can even claim to be a city—are not common at all. ### Claws of Imystrahl Civilization flourishes in the Claws of Imystrahl more than any other part of Thule. Elves scheme from their alabaster towers, mercantile humans ply their trade through an elaborate network of fjords and rivers, and the surviving Atlanteans fight to preserve a reasonable facsimile of now-sunken Atlantis. Despite that, the Claws of Imystrahl are by no means urban—the region is home to untamed jungles and forbidding mountains equal to any in the continent. There are plenty of bloody- handed reavers, savage beastmen, and sinister cults to go around. The region has more than its share of ancient ruins, dark dungeons, and other prime adventure sites. The Claws of Imystrahl have the continent’s mildest climate, and coastal routes tend to have winds and weather kind to sailors. But “the continent’s mildest climate” is relative; it just means that the humidity in the jungles is slightly less oppressive, and climbers on the high glaciers can survive for ten minutes in the elements, not just five. The Claws are Thule’s breadbasket, exporting grains over the Starcrown Mountains and to the Golden Sea, where it reaches the rest of Thule snf beyond even to the shores of Xule. The city-states of the Claws also export finished goods, and like everywhere in Thule, the coastal regions export fish to inland communities.

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\page #### Imystrahl, City of the Black Lotus Imystrahl, the city-state that gives the region its name, is Thule’s oldest realm, and by far its most decadent (and on this continent, that’s saying something). The elves of Imystrahl are cruel, capricious, and dissolute, looking inward in search of rarefied pleasures and interacting with the outside world as little as possible. The noble elves in Imystrahl’s highest castes don’t just spurn the world outside the city’s walls—they spend as little time as possible in the conscious world, preferring their own drug-addled dreams as they consume the narcotic known as the Black Milk. Ordinarily, elves don’t sleep or dream in the traditional sense, but Imystrahl’s decadence has turned this on its head. The noble families of Imystrahl sleep upward of 18 hours a day, dreaming vividly all the while. Agents of the sinister being known as Nyarlathotep introduced the Black Milk to Imystrahl, and it quickly overtook the city’s other luxuries and diversions. Nyarlathotep’s greater purpose for taking control of a city of dreaming, sorcerous elves can only be guessed at. For now, new temples (the only new buildings within Imystrahl in almost 2,000 years) devoted to Nyarlathotep have sprung up across the city, and strange, winged creatures fly from marble tower to alabaster spire. Not every resident of the city is addicted to the Black Milk. A caste of half-elves, prized because they have elven blood yet do not succumb to the Black Milk, keeps much of the city running. Though technically slaves, they wield significant influence on their drowsy, decadent masters. Humans and people of other races are generally slaves or “untouchables,” when they can even gain access to the city in the first place. The red-plumed guards of Imystrahl’s famed Bonedust Gate — half-elven warriors of great repute — demand a truly compelling reason or a truly significant bribe to allow travelers beyond Imystrahl’s gates. Imystrahl is a city-state in steep decline, but that makes it all the more interesting for adventurers. If one needs a sage with obscure knowledge about Thule’s distant past, a rare reagent for a forbidden ritual, or a long-forgotten portal to a far-off corner of the map, Imystrahl is the place to go . . . but beware entanglement in Nyarlathotep’s schemes, and know that a cruel elven sorcerer is doubly dangerous when roused from dreamy sleep to black anger. #### Windlash Reach Imystrahl’s influence to the east extends only as far as the town of Twinharbor, a human town living in perpetual fear that the elves will use “dark magic” on them. The rest of the coast consists of deep harbors that are difficult to reach by land, with thick jungle extending almost to the water’s edge. **Ethebrae:** This seaside town controls nearby Fort Jalri and towns along the road as far as Kiridia to the northeast and Shenemi to the west. Sahuagin raids along the coast are a perpetual problem, and Ethebrae’s city fathers have heard rumors of an underwater “city of sharks” in the deep waters to the south. **Doomspire:** The creation of Daor Mu, a sorcerer from Ren Shaar, the Doomspire is a spiked tower of black basalt rising out of the green jungle. Daor Mu provides hospitality and advice for anyone who can brave the dangerous climb to her fortress. Visitors may also meet Daor Mu’s son, a being of fiendish heritage and barely controlled magical power. **Heartfugue Labyrinth:** Nestled in the Windlash Mountain foothills, this underground labyrinth was a creation of the rakhsasas. In the intervening centuries since the tiger-men left Thule, Heartfugue has been home to vampire clans, mad sorcerers, and most recently a cult of the Great Old One, Yga-Ygo. No matter where you are within the labyrinth, you can hear your own heart beating. #### Nith Nith and the surrounding communities (from Seyrik in the west to Putrann in the east) are a nascent city-state of Atlanteans trying to rebuild their home continent’s culture, creating a new Atlantis on Thule. Ruled by Vethni Ural, an Atlantean noble who can trace her lineage to Atlantis’s monarchs, Nith sees itself as the shining reflection of Atlantis, even as the rest of the region regards that as delusions of grandeur. Vethni is a competent “queen of Atlantis,” earning the grudging respect of rivals across the Claws of Imystrahl. New ships of Atlantean design are flying Nith’s seahorse-emblazoned flag as they ply the waters of Devilsun Bay, and Nith’s small but well equipped army is keeping the roads and rivers safer than usual. Beyond the Claws of Imystrahl, Nith is best known for its shipwrights. The port of Wenkrail to the southeast is largely a glorified naval yard. The squat, sturdy war galleys that form the remnant of the Atlantean navies sail from here, though many are showing their age and aren’t seaworthy enough to leave Wenkrail’s docks. Thule’s finest naval architects work here, learning all they can from the battered hulks of Atlantis’s finest ships. **Devilsun Bay:** This is Thule’s largest network of fjords, easily navigable and more protected from bad weather than the rest of the continent’s coastal waters. The bay’s navigable waters are under Nithian control, but they can’t be everywhere at once, and opportunistic pirates sail from dozens of hidden harbors along the coast. **Ruby Orchid Isle:** The largest island within Devilsun Bay, Ruby Orchid Isle is home to the Grand Banyan of Ukru-Prah, an ancient treant revered by some for its oracular wisdom. To the southeast is the Temple of Shahl, recently excavated and expanded by cultists of Tsathoggua.

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\page #### Ruritain and the Asptooths The coastal city of Ruritain, one of the first settlements built by the Atlanteans, is under perpetual siege from the surrounding wilderness. The jungles west of the Asptooth mountains seem to breed large beasts faster than Ruritain’s forces can cut them down, and everything north of the Fortress of Jutana and south of Tervidium is lost to civilization. The Asptooths (locals know that only outsiders use the term “Aspteeth”) aren’t particularly tall mountains, but they’re among the continent’s steepest; the mountain range is an impenetrable wall to east-west land travel. **Ruritain:** This small city-state exerts control along the peninsula’s eastern coast, but the other towns are besieged by beasts coming from the mountains and dissatisfied with Ruritain’s promises of protection. Almost everyone who comes to Ruritain does so by sea. Ruritain’s troops try to clear-cut the jungles by day and wearily guard the walls of their city by night. **Tervidium:** This town cooperates with Ruritain on matters of trade, though Tervidium is increasingly worried about the dangerous jungle to the south and wonders whether a closer alliance with Katagia might bring more protection. **Ruins of Nahyra-Tor:** Until last year, this was a thriving town, and it still appears as a useful harbor on most maps. But the jungle has swallowed it whole, and it looks like civilization left there decades ago. #### Pearl and Drake Channels The Pearl Channel (to the west) and Drake Channel (to the east) allow maritime access deep into Thule’s interior—almost to the base of the Starcrown Mountains. **Ren Shaar:** Originally of Atlantean construction, Ren Shaar has changed hands dozens of times in its history, and today its human-majority populace claims independence while worrying about Katagia to the west, Lomar to the north, and Marg to the east. Ren Shaar’s economic importance is easy to see; it connects the southern coast to Thule’s interior through Torchbane Tunnel beneath the Starcrown Mountains. Its position on low river plains makes it difficult to defend, however. **Marikan:** This town is blessed with some of the best agricultural land for leagues around: the Sendriak Plains. Marikan is also the only place in the region that breeds horses on a large scale. The town controls Yauren Tower to the west and until recently controlled the Iron Spire as well. A rag-tag pirate fleet, the Chicane Corsairs, recently seized the Iron Fortress and the adjacent harbor from Marikan’s town guard. **Temple of the Eight Eyes:** Ragesea Island is famous for perpetually birthing rain squalls, so sailors give the island a wide berth. Giant spiders hunt throughout the misty jungle, and a barbaric cult worships them as gods. **New Trius:** New Trius, built on the ruins on an Atlantean settlement that burned to the ground in the chaos when Atlantis sank beneath the waves, is a human town that aspires to become a city-state. A brother-sis- ter duo, Krihen and Sesteria Canatris, rule the town. **Reefhook Island:** This hook-shaped island is famous in regional folklore for Zoltarak’s Shrine, sacred to Ishtar’s followers. A sprawling, white-walled manor on a tropical beach, the shrine promises a thousand pleasures to the faithful who risk the long sea-voyage. #### Bren A waypoint on the sea routes between the Claws of Imystrahl and the city-state of Marg to the east, Bren is constantly under siege by beastmen and other monsters coming out of the wilderness. Adventurers going east by land from Katagia and Ren Shaar get the definite sense that civilization is slipping away; the roads worsen, friendly travelers are rare, and settlements are fewer and further in between. The town of Bren relies on its island location to keep the hostile denizens of the wilderness at bay, with guard towers on the shore every quarter mile. The ferry crossings to the mainland are particularly well-guarded, but the Wilds of Dotra beyond are infested with large beasts. **Khoori Vaults:** This immense cave network is large enough to have its own subterranean ecology, and no one has claimed to have fully explored it. **Bonemarsh Peninsula:** An Atlantean sorcerer, Gurian Creed, attempted a coup in the towns across the peninsula as soon as news reached Thule of Atlantis’s sinking. The coup was unsuccessful—though it added to the chaos across the region—and Creed lost control of his undead minions. The ruined cities across the peninsula are still infested with undead. #### Marg the Crimson, City of Slavers A city built on the slave trade, Marg is one of Thule’s richest city-states—and one of its most wicked. Here the coin of the realm is human misery, with slaves suffering under the lash until they’re shipped out across the rest of Thule. Many “enlightened nobles” in other city-states openly detest Marg’s slaves, even as they discreetly choose not to inquire where their house-slaves have come from. Marg is the city no one likes, but it’s also the city everyone secretly trades with. Many slaves spend only a few months in Marg, but for them each day is a lifetime of anguish and pain. Marg’s slavers scour Thule for barbarians, unwary travelers, and other victims to imprison. The newly enslaved come to Marg, where they’re trained (often cruelly) in a useful skill, bought and sold (often several times), then shipped off to their new masters (often far from the slaves’ original homes). The life of a slave in Marg is nasty and brutish, but rarely short. The slavers care enough about profits to keep their slaves alive and suffering as long as possible

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### Dhar Mesh The deepest, darkest jungles in Thule lie in the land of Dhar Mesh. An unbroken canopy of leaves stretches from the Starcrown mountains in the south to the northern coastline and the Sea of Mists. That canopy of leaves covers everything from ancient ruins to bloodthirsty headhunters to homicidal treants to glittering jewels strewn across a riverbank. Civilized outposts are few and far between in Dhar Mesh, and even those bastions of civilization have an element of urban jungle to them. Ikath is a city of serpents where the unwary are separated from their coins and their lives, a place of both pleasure and peril. Thran is a city of fear, living under the watchful eye of the powerful wizards of the Black Circle. Between those cities is a tenuous network of villages and trade outposts, all living under the threat of barbarian raids, beastman attack, or even more frightening monsters from the jungle. Yet for all its dangers, Dhar Mesh is a region of opportunity for the adventurer. In the Claws of Imystrahl or along the Kalayan Sea, an ancient fortress would invariably have been reinhabited and rebuilt a dozen times over the centuries, often with little remaining from the original builders. But the jungles and swamps of Dhar Mesh hold ruins untouched from the days of the Atlantean pioneers, Ghedrar the Necromancer, the elven empires, or even the ancient rakshasa and serpent-men kingdoms. Who knows what those ruins may hold? #### Swamps of Phoor Thule’s largest contiguous swamp, Phoor is a nearly trackless wilderness. Most settlements lie on the swamp’s periphery, and the interior is left to streange creatures, beastmen, and vicious headhunters (including the notorious Kyr tribe). Phoor wasn’t always a swamp; as recently as 500 years ago it was a hospitable lowland river valley. Much of Phoor belonged to Ghedrar the Necromancer, a tyrant who ruled central Thule for more than 400 years. Shortly after the Atlantean general Nemruth overthrew Ghedrar in 1673, Phoor started to sink; no one realized that Ghedrar’s magic was literally supporting the region. The swamp grew with unnatural speed, replacing the jungles, lakes, and plantations in a matter of a few decades. Between the chaotic collapse of Ghedrar’s kingdom and the appearance of the swamp, many of Phoor’s denizens fled, and now the swamps of Phoor have claimed many ruined cities and fortresses.

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\page Many who travel the Swamps of Phoor do so on the Trail of the Left Hand, an X-shaped trail that winds its way through much of the swamp, though parts of the trail are periodically flooded or overgrown. Stone cairns mark the trail every quarter mile or so, and the beastmen leave dismembered left hands of their victims as grisly trail markers, many of which remain after being reduced to bones. The only other path through part of the swamps is Kal Keor’s Folly—and it doesn’t go far. Kal Keor the Terrible tried to construct a road through Phoor in 2013 AA to improve his supply lines as he marched eastward. The road sank into the swamp despite the fortune in road materials and captive slaves he sacrificed to make it happen. The Jandar horde ultimately detoured north and south around the swamp. At the center of the swamps is the Skull Mound—as close to a “home” as the headhunters of the Kyr tribe have. The Kyr tribe is always on the move, but they rarely stray more than a few weeks’ travel from this 50-foot high pile of skulls, the results of generations of headhunting. Camp followers and hangers-on are often in residence in huts nearby, making this a useful waypoint for travelers—but only if they don’t have reason to fear the Kyr tribe. **Rivek:** A ruined fortress named after the Atlantean family who built it during an early wave of Atlantis’s expansion, this castle was razed by Nemruth’s army because the Riveks had fallen out of favor with the Atlantean court. Its catacombs are flooded but contain vaults of treasure brought here from Atlantis itself. **Vault of Khoredir:** One of Ghedrar’s trusted lieutenants, the vampire Khoredir retreated here after Ghedrar disappeared. This black castle has sunk thirty feet into the swamp. **Chalangh:** This stilt-supported village is made up of exiles from Ikath who do their best to live in harmony with the swamp and avoid antagonizing the headhunters or beastmen. **Gyrenalem:** This abandoned fortress of the Sersidyen elves lies mostly intact within the swamps of Phoor, protected by illusion magic and a small army of magical constructs and undead elves. Even the swamp itself hasn’t intruded into Gyrenalem, with only a few underground chambers flooded. **Borenik:** This stilt-village within the swamps is utterly deserted. #### Ikath, City of Serpents Ikath is the pinnacle of Thulean civilization at its most seductive, its most vibrant, and its most corrupt. A cosmopolitan city on the shores of the Golden Sea, Ikath welcomes nearly everyone—though few leave the City of Serpents with as many coins as they arrived with. Almost anything can be had for a price in Ikath, including authorities willing to look the other way. Thieves, sorcerers, cultists, and schemers call the City of Serpents home. Serpentmen openly walk (and slither) through the streets of their own district and sometimes beyond, and the undead lurk in the city’s shadows at night. Ikath is a cheerfully amoral place concerned only with its own welfare and continued enrichment.

#### Lake Haal The second-largest body of water within Thule (the Golden Sea is first), Lake Haal is unlike its larger sibling. There’s little maritime traffic on Lake Haal because krakens and sea serpents infest the lake, dragging traditional galleys to a watery doom. Flat-bottomed sailboats don’t seem to attract the ire of the sea monsters, so travel across the lake is possible. Many in the coastal communities would rather take the risk of hunting in the surrounding jungle than fishing in Lake Haal. **Yathmokinoop:** This underwater city is home to skum, fishlike monstrous humanoids that rise from the lake to raid coastal communities and carry off the unwary. Those victims are taken to be sacrificed at an altar to Great Cthulhu in the center of Yathmokinoop. **Tendroan:** For travelers who want to avoid “Black Circle entanglements,” Tendroan is a key waypoint connecting Lake Haal to the River Dynanni and the Highlands of Nar. The town is as much an armed camp as it is a settlement. Its people simultaneously worry about assaults from Yathmokinoop and incursions from Thran. **Marraki:** Nestled on the eastern shore of the lake, the town of Marraki uses slash and burn agricultural to grow khava beans that can be brewed into a stimulating drink popular in Ikath, Lomar, Droum, and Nim. **Vohdani Towers:** These spires a few miles from Lake Haal are 30,000 years old, built with serpentman magic just as the first humans were reaching Thule’s shores. They’ve been occupied and reoccupied countless times since. **Madraal Nessk:** For a time this ruined city on the Othnan Peninsula was the ancient capital of the serpentman empire, but that was centuries ago. Now it is home to a savage tribe of troglodytes. #### Thran, City of the Black Circle It’s impossible to talk about the city-state of Thran without talking about the Black Circle, the secretive council of powerful sorcerers who have ruled the city for almost 200 years. The Black Circle has reshaped the city to suit their esoteric needs. The Thran of today is more orderly than any in Thule, but its people live in fear that they’ll be obliterated by the Black Circle for a minor transgression, or no discernable misbehavior at all. The other power brokers across Thule are likewise fearful of, or at least troubled by, Thran. No one knows what the ultimate aim of the Black Circle is—whether they seek temporal power, or whether they want Thran only as a base for their dark magic. (Everyone assumes they seek to dominate Thule, but the form of that domination is in dispute.) Thran hasn’t menaced its neighbors . . . yet. It doesn’t project its power across Dhar Mesh . . . yet. But many in western Thule wonder when the second arcane slipper will drop and Thran will become something even more terrifying than it already is.

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\page #### Khava Coast Named for the khava bean grown in plantations there, the northwestern coast of the Golden Sea is a line of green jungle that stretches from the Lands of the Long Shadow to the walls of Ikath. **Renekrit:** This town, currently the central source of the khava trade, is rapidly expanding as the jungle is cleared for plantations and more residences. Residents hope that in time their town will grow to become a city- state to rival Ikath, Nim, and Droum—all of which have agents in the city plotting its downfall or subversion. **Sere Monga:** The citadel of the arch-sorceress Monga, this fortress is guarded by ghosts and other incorporeal undead who ignore the elaborate bram- ble-mazes that surround the central tower. **The Stained Shrine:** This ancient statue to Herum is revered by beastmen tribes, who often leave carcasses piled at the ape-god’s feet when they’re passing by, leaving the stains that give the shrine its name. The animals for miles around seem more feral and apt to attack, and even domesticated animals revert to a wild state if exposed to the Stained Shrine for long. Ritu- als involving animal transformation or control have unrivaled potency if performed under the auspices of Herum at the Stained Shrine. #### Northern Moors The Northern Moors are as swampy as Phoor to the south, but they aren’t covered by a dense tree canopy. Most of the northern moors are low marshland, with only the occasional hill or copse of trees to block the view. Almost everyone gives the moors a wide berth, more because they’re useless for agriculture or industry than because they’re dangerous. The moors aren’t without perils of their own, especially at night, and the region has an abundance of ancient ruins left behind by the rakshasa empires of millennia ago. **Path of the Dark Teeth:** This well-worn path leads south from Zirinashur across the moors, and is marked by black obelisks about 10 feet tall every quarter mile. It takes 24 hours of walking to traverse the path by foot, and local folklore contends that doing so will grant great wisdom to the traveler at the end of the journey. **Oruchalee:** This town built on stilts on the tidal flats where the Lower Dwarkangra River meets the Sea of Mists floods twice daily. The buildings are all elevated or float, so the locals barely notice. At low tide many of the town’s bravest venture out into the muddy flats to shuck oysters in search of pearls, but doing so is risky. The shape of the Oruchalee bay forms a tidal funnel, and when the tide rises, it hits the outer mudflats as a wall of onrushing water. **The White Columns:** These ruins are all that remains of a rakshasa fortress from centuries ago.

#### Forests of Gronak Nestled in a rain shadow north of the Starcrown Mountains, the Forests of Gronak are one of southern Thule’s few coniferous forests. The immense trees that grow here are greatly prized for both buildings and ships, but getting them out of Dhar Mesh is a problem. Five centuries ago it was possible to float timber down the River Phoor, but now there’s an impassible swamp in the way. The logs must be taken overland—either a short but punishing route south over the Starcrowns or the longer overland route west through southern Nar to Katagia. The black lotus is another reason to go to the forest, for the flowers grow in abundance there and can be transported over the Starcrown Mountains to Imystrahl, where they’re highly prized. In the town of Andra, the leaders have started clearing jungle around the town to make a plantation where the lotus can be cultivated. The jungle’s monstrous denizens don’t appreciate the clear-cutting, however. **Ruins of Stelen:** An Atlantean outpost abandoned when Atlantis sank, these ruins are now home to beastmen who found a trove of Atlantean army uniforms. Now they wear them in unintentional mockery of the long-departed army of Atlantis. **Nahanohd:** This town, long a center for logging, has drawn the attention of hostile treants that want to smash it to splinters. The town leaders have staved off a treant attack for more than two decades by constructing ever more elaborate gardens around the town to appease the treants. Younger residents of the town wonder whether the all-consuming gardening effort is worth it—and indeed whether the treants are still out there. **Jeroo:** The residents of this town have recently started a mystery cult devoted to worship of a disembodied iron golem head, which they keep on a pedestal in the center of town. The city fathers know—but won’t willingly admit—that the strange noises heard in the surrounding forest is the still-animate body of the iron golem, mindlessly searching for its head. **Tower of Glass:** A symbol of a time when the elves ruled much more of Thule, the lower reaches of this tower are made of smoky glass as strong as steel, while the upper floors have walls of stained glass the equal of any cathedral. The entire tower floats 50 feet above the jungle canopy. **First Temple of Set:** Reputed to be the place where serpentmen first encountered humans and enslaved them, this primitive stone refuge is infested with serpentmen and various snakelike monsters.

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### HELLUMAR AND NIMOTH The northern islands of Hellumar and Nimoth are two of the three lands that have most influenced present-day Thule. (The third is Atlantis, which sank beneath the waves about 200 years ago.) Hellumar is now the home of exiles, most notably the rakshasas who once had an empire that dominated Thule. Nimoth, on the other hand, is where exiles came from, in particular the Nimothan humans who settled northern Thule when growing glaciers left the island a frozen wasteland. Though the two islands are very different, they share one aspect in common: a fundamental hostility to life, human and otherwise. Thule may be a dangerous place, but the continent teems with life. Not so Hellumar and Nimoth. Whether scorched by apocalyptic magic or locked in a lifeless polar embrace, these two islands expunge life. Only the brave and well-prepared should venture beyond these islands’ shores. #### Akal-Amo, City of Temples The primary outpost of Thulean civilization beyond the continent itself, Akal-Amo is an ancient city that claims the gods themselves once trod its copper-cobbled streets. Each of the nine primary deities has a major temple in this city, with worship and ritual the primary activities. But nine competing faiths means everyone has eight reasons to quarrel, and the city often teeters on the edge of a religious clash. Every faith’s tradition tells the story somewhat differently, but they agree that millennia ago, Akal- Amo was the literal home of the gods, with each of the Nine dwelling within the buildings that now serve as their temples. They argued, they schemed against each other, but they were able to live in proximity to each other as a fractious, dysfunctional family of sorts. Then something happened . . . some say a schism within the Nine, while others (including the Guardians of the Nine) tell of a titanic struggle against the Great Old Ones. Whatever happened, the Nine do not openly manifest within their temples anymore. Today, each faith maintains a grand temple and hundreds of priests in Akal-Amo. Back on Thule, the faithful are encouraged to take the long sea-voyage to the City of Temples, either as a pilgrimage or for priestly training. For those who worship Kishar, Herum, and Tiamat, the city is of particular importance, simply because dedicated temples to their gods are more rare on the continent.

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\page #### Fires of Hellumar The twin mountain ranges on Hellumar’s southwest peninsulas are steep and actively volcanic. Their glow at night is sufficient for sailors in the western Sea of Mists to navigate by. By day the smoke, ash, and fire makes the land arid and the air almost poisonous. Hardy indeed is the life that clings to the shores of the fires of Hellumar. The biggest town in the region is Drang, situated between the volcanoes to the west and the glaciers to the east, which means it’s too hot half the time and too cold the other. The Drangir tribe calls this harbor home, and their battered longships sail from here every spring on missions of battle and plunder. **Old Thag:** Explorers who reach this ruined town find a mystery: every building reduced to rubble, and the shards of giant eggs gathered in the town square. Few remain long enough to discover whether whatever hatched is still around.. **Seirena:** This town has a deep, well protected harbor and a clan of halflings who dwell in an elaborate set of cliff dwellings above the port. **Jubilia:** This shoreline village is a bucolic, peaceful place—except that all the residents are obviously devils. #### The Brackish Mire This swamp in Hellumar’s interior is a mystery. The water seems to seep upward from underground—and it’s salt water. Even though it’s more than 50 miles from the coast, the reeds and grasses resemble what you’d find on the shore. But traveling across the Brackish Mire is no day at the beach; quicksand is common, as are glowing clouds of poisonous swamp gas. The local predators are as fierce as any you’ll find in Hellumar. At the center of the Brackish Mire is the ancient battlefield of Mereriedel, where ancient elves of Sersidyen, on a vengeful crusade against the rakshasas, were overwhelmed by rakshasas and their demon servitors. The bones of the elves glow white in the moonlight, and many haunt the mire as incorporeal undead. **Bok Tooma:** For centuries, the barbarians of this village solemnly cared for and venerated a Guardian Menhir constructed by druids millennia ago. But last year they disappeared, and the village lies empty and forlorn. **Ughrana:** The barbarians of this tribe are adept at taming dinosaurs to perform all sorts of tasks—every- thing from steeds to dray animals to childrens’ pets. **Mefanoo:** The westernmost outpost of the rakshasas, this palatial tower leans to one side—the consequence of unstable ground. #### Jhi Anool, The Striped Empire Almost 4,000 years ago, the elven legions drove the rakshasas out of Thule and into Hellumar—and the rakshasas are still seething about it. The remnants of the rakshasa empire of Jhi Anool live in scattered settlements and citadels in the glacial valley east of the Brackish Mire. Their “Striped” (pronounced as two syllables by the rakshasa) Empire dreams of reclaiming Thule and crushing dissent under their backward-facing claws. The rakshasas have a long way to go, however. Though individually powerful and possessed of ancient magic, they don’t have the numbers to claim Thule directly. So they scheme from within their elegant towers, using subterfuge and cat’s-paws to keep the continent divided against itself. The rakshasas’ plans are sometimes at odds with each other, so the Striped Empire cannot claim progress toward their goal yet. But the tiger-men are patient, and they look forward to someday ruling Thule again—if only by proxy. The capital of the Striped Empire is Maj Keili, which claims to be welcoming to visitors, and indeed the few who travel here are extended every courtesy. The Striped Empire is not without its dissidents among the rakshasa, The warlord Cluvatham, for example, believes that the rakshasas cannot reclaim Thule on their own, but they can do so if they ally themselves with demon hordes as they did 4,000 years ago. From his lair at Moor-Lahn he plots ever-grander pacts with demons from beyond this world. Another set of dissidents can be found at the monastery of Po Hokuur, where the rakshasa believe that ambitions of empire are folly, and that the rakshasas cannot return to prominence (in Hellumar, Thule, or anywhere) until their souls are purified. Needless to say, this doesn’t endear them to the rest of the Striped Empire. The monks of Po Hokuur take the hostility as a test of their patience as they continue to meditate and train within their ivory walls. **Juramatang:** This castle is the lair of a rakshasa necromancer, Juram, who believes that the rakshasas’ numbers are too few to allow any to travel to the afterlife—not when Juram can add them to his legion of undead rakshasas. If a rakshasa dies anywhere within the Striped Empire—or sometimes beyond—Juram will be there to collect the body and begin his dark rituals. **The Crater of Raal:** Until one night ten years ago, this was a palatial citadel of the rakshasa astronomer Koor Biri. Then a falling star obliterated the citadel and everything else for miles around, leaving a crater a half-mile across and strange, glowing shards scattered across the valley. #### The Cursed Gray North of the Brackish Mire lies a vast plain of rolling hills and gray tundra stretching as far as the eye can see. This region is cursed, and it’s been cursed for so long that sages cannot agree on the source of the curse or its nature. In the middle of the Cursed Gray is the Lost City of Tentakron, but the almost featureless plain contains other strangeness as well. The only settlement within the Cursed Gray that can remotely be considered ordinary is the village of Quen Quiir, home to the Quen tribe of barbarians. Born blind, they hunt and gather as best they can, sharpening other senses to compensate for their blindness. They have no idea that their skins are covered with elaborate, tattooed glyphs that change and grow over time. **The Grasping Earth:** Some long-ago army was caught in the field when this land was accursed, and they never escaped. Under this gray plain they lie, except for their rotting arms, which grasp at the sky and cling to anything solid they touch. Not truly alive or even undead, the arms can burst from the earth without warning.

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\page **The Perpetual Cyclone:** A powerful tornado follows a circuitous but repeated path across this part of the Cursed Gray. The Quen Quiir believe that anyone who can stand upright as the cyclone passes by will gain control of the cyclone and can set it on a new path. **Pavilion of Kahroo:** This stone platform atop a low hill is the home a powerful efreet named Kahroo. The efreet stands atop the pavilion impassively until a group of at least five stand before him, at which point he kills four of them and grants a wish to the fifth. The pavilion is well known in folklore, and pilgrims occasionally try to cross the Cursed Gray and take their chances with the efreet. #### Nimoth The island of Nimoth is almost entirely covered with glaciers, with just a small band of tundra and a habitable coastline remaining. The glaciers descended from the north about 200 years ago, engulfing the Nimothan civilization and forcing it to migrate to northern Thule. The glacier movement across Nimoth was unnaturally rapid, but magical investigations haven’t uncovered a malign intellect like that of Kang the Pale to the south. Whether the Nimothan glacier isn’t sentient, isn’t sentient yet, or is able to hide its true nature so far is unknown. Beneath the glacier lies the former kingdom of Nimoth, ground to dust by the glacier’s weight. But some flout the conventional wisdom about Nimoth’s demise and believe that parts of Nimoth’s capital, Beothoe, remain intact under the ice. A crew of Nimothan refugees and hired dwarves, the Beothoe Project, believes that magic preserved at least part of the city, and they’re trying to bore through the ice with a massive drill to reach Beothoe. The effort to cut through the ice progresses in fits and starts because the crew has to contend with the ice refreezing, monster attacks from Nimoth’s interior, and barbarian raids from the sea. **The Sonorous Caves:** This elaborate network of ice caves has powerfully resonant acoustics. **Dragons’ Graveyard:** Traditional chromatic dragons are exceedingly rare in Thule, but they were once more common. This stretch of tundra is littered with the intact skeletons of scores of dragons. Sages argue about what drew them here to die. **Neratat:** This coastal village is inhabited by faeries who are hospitable to travelers and sailors seeking refuge from Boreal Sea storms. They have one quirk, however—they use teeth as currency. A tooth is more valuable when extracted from a living humanoid, and almost priceless when extracted from a humanoid who gives it up willingly. **Skuth Andar, City of Clocks:** This town used to be much more populous, when it was regarded as one of the wonders of Nimothan culture. An elaborate system of water-wheels drew energy from the Kamber River to power Skuth Andar’s workshops and noble manors. Visitors would delight at the complex clocks and moving statues in the city square. When the glaciers advanced southward, the river’s flow slowed—then stopped when it froze solid. The remaining residents have tried all sorts of mechanical and magical schemes to get the river flowing again, but to no avail so far. **The Frozen Fall:** This hundred-foot-tall frozen waterfall is notable for its transcendant beauty in the sunlight—and for the three storm giants obviously trapped within it. Nimothan folklore contends that the trio of giants will emerge from the waterfall only to pledge fealty to an authentic Nimothan monarch. **Iribesk:** This coastal community was famously home of the Nimothan skald known as Gorrek the Throat. Gorrek predicted the coming of the glaciers for years and was ignored by his people, but then they turned on him, blaming Gorrek for the glaciation. IT is said that his spirit still haunts this quiet village, though the residents speak of him only reluctantly.

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### Highlands of Nar More than any other part of Thule, the Highlands of Nar represent a break with the dominance of jungles and glaciers. While the region has forests (the Gloamwood) and mountains (the Shields of Sunset), most of Nar is broad, rolling plains—the continent’s only wide-open land. The region is known as a birthplace of conquerors, most notably Kal Keor the Terrible, who united the clans of Nar into the Jandar Horde, then marched west, sacking multiple city-states and founding a short-lived empire before being assassinated by sorcery in 2035 AA. Many of the clans of Nar claim Kal Keor as an ancestor, most notably the Kal Keori. Along the northern and southern coasts of Nar are two unusual city-states: Katagia, Last Bastion of Atlantis, and Orech, City of Mazes. Each city has a particular obsession. Katagia will stop at nothing to return to the glory days when Atlantis was a center of learning and culture. Orech, fallen deeply under control of Hastur, is a city that literally drives its denizens mad in service to the King in Yellow. At the center of the Highlands of Nar are the Jandar plains, named for the broad, glittering River Jandar that flows from the foothills of the western mountains along the length of Nar, emptying into Lake Haal near the city-state of Thran. For most of its journey, the Jandar acts as both the metaphoric spine and circulatory system for the region. Every tribesman hunting game knows in which direction the river lies almost instinctively, and vast herds of mammoths and bison spend their entire lives within a day or two of the Jandar. The river’s flow varies greatly by season, rising when spring snowmelt makes the river flood, then tapering off throughout the summer and slowing to a trickle by winter. The variable flow makes the river less useful for both travel and irrigation. Kal Keor himself hired sages to study how waterworks could tame the Jandar River, but he died and his empire fell apart before those plans could come to fruition. At any one given time, dozens of wandering barbarian tribes follow the great herds, making war against each other and sometimes roaming as far as Dhar Mesh or the Claws of Imystrahl. The two most powerful are the Narthans and the Kal Keori, though a third tribe, the Mudrak, has emerged from the Gloamwood and ravaged the northeastern reaches of the Jandar Plains.

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\page **Narhame:** The home settlement of the Narthan tribe, Narhame swells to the size of a large town when the mammoth migrations are nearby, but it’s only a village once the mammoths move on. The Narthan are hunter-gatherers at heart, but they use metal tools and weapons, and it’s impractical to bring a blacksmith’s forge from camp to camp. The tribe’s artisans and crafters remain in Narhame when most of the tribe moves on. **Cairn of Kal Keor:** After Kal Keor the Terrible’s death in 2035 AA, his courtiers brought him back here so he could “rest in Nar for eternity,” as he requested. For the last 200 years, the Kal Keori tribe has set an honor guard around this massive pile of stones; it seems every two-copper necromancer in Thule has designs on Kal Keor’s bones. **The Bonfires of Reth:** Magical creations of the now-extinct Reth tribe, these bonfires serve as navigation aids so the clans of Nar can travel by night. They also serve as impromptu meeting places and good encampments for nomadic tribes. By custom, the bonfires are a place of peace to the tribes of Nar—but some clans will break that custom given a good reason to do so. **Melenos’s Plateau:** Atop this broad plateau once stood Castle Melenos, the creation of an Atlantean noble who tried to settle there. Beset by monster attacks and barbarian raids, Melenos returned to Atlantis in shame, and his castle fell into ruin. Among many of Nar’s tribes, it is a rite of passage to send youths up the plateau to survive a night in the ruins, bringing back a gray granite stone as proof they did so. **Shrine of the Widest Sky:** This small temple to Mithra is a pilgrimage destination. Warriors dedicated to Mithra often pray at the shrine before heading out into the surrounding grassland, where herds of wild horses roam. From time to time, horses of exceptional quality seem to seek out pious and true champions of Mithra, and serve them loyally thereafter. #### Shields of Sunset So named because much of Thule sees the sun set behind these jagged peaks, the Shields of Sunset keep the weather somewhat pleasant across the Highlands of Nar. The mountains collect much of the snow and rain that then feeds into the Jandar River, reducing precipitation for a hundred leagues to the east. Early Atlantean settlers tried in vain to find a pass through the Shields of Sunset that was gentle enough to accommodate a wagon train; eventually they gave up and sailed farther down the coast to Katagia and later Orech. Even today the mountains serve as an effective barrier for all but the most adept climbers. It’s possible to live a lifetime on the west side of the Shields and never see the east, or vice versa; most born in the town of Ragadusa never see the ocean that’s only 30 miles away. Settlements are rare in the region; bad weather on the shore and heavy precipitation in the mountains keeps all but the hardiest folk away. But underground it’s a different story; the Shields of Sunset are riddled with natural caverns and carefully constructed dungeons. No one cares about the storms when they’re protected by hundreds of feet of stone. **Catacombs of Anir’etak:** Once a temple complex with a golden pyramid stood here, but now only rubble (and lingering divine magic) remains. Constructed by Atlanteans who had fallen under the thrall of the Great Old One Nyarlathotep, the catacombs are still intact and contain the final resting place of hundreds of Atlanteans, including wealthy scions of the empire buried with their wealth. Cultists of the Crawling Chaos have been moving the rubble, and they’ve almost broken through to the catacombs themselves. **Urashima:** This city of the sea-elves exists entirely underwater and ignores the affairs of Thule as much as possible. It does have a functioning World Gate, however, so Thuleans could find themselves in Urashima by passing through the gate underneath Imystrahl or using one of the other World Gates found in elven ruins across Thule. **Source of the Wind:** This shrine to the Great Old One known as Ithaqua the Wind-Walker sits atop the Shields’ highest peak. Every thirty days, a robed figure with white fur appears at the shrine and begins walking eastward, eventually disappearing into the mountains’ eastern foothills. Sometimes the robed figure speaks a cryptic prophecy to any thralls of Ithaqua assembled at the shrine, but once the figure starts downhill, it ignores anything that doesn’t block its path. #### Hruniak Coast The southern coast of Thule, extending as far as the Claws of Imystrahl, was the first landing point for Atlantean colonists. Earlier explorers landed in the westward stretch of the coast, while later explorers headed east to find better harbors. The Hruniak Coast has few deep-water harbors before Katagia or the Windlash Reach beyond Imystrahl. But in good weather, or for a desperate captain, many of the small bays here will do in a pinch. **Palla Jark:** This ruined fortress, built by the Atlanteans, was destroyed by beastmen more than a thousand years ago—shortly after the Atlanteans sacked the elven city of Imystrahl. **Larran’s Cove:** This well-hidden sea-cave is big enough to hold several galleys, yet almost invisible from offshore. The smuggler Larran uses it as a refuge from Katagia’s navy as he evades their tax collectors and cargo inspectors. Larren also does a brisk side businesses helping fugitives travel along Thule’s southern coast—no questions asked. #### Katagia, Last Bastion of Atlantis It’s been three centuries since Atlantis sunk beneath the waves, and Katagia is still coming to terms with that disaster and what it means to Atlanteans when Atlantis is no more. Once the capital of Atlantis’s colonies in Thule, Katagia is determined to reclaim the glories of the Shining Empire. The difficulty is that few Katagians can agree on how to accomplish that. Some Katagians are determined—some say too determined—to live life as if Atlantis still ruled. Others lash out at anything non-Atlantean, blaming the rest of the world for the loss of their home. And some are trying to take the best of Thule under the Katagian banner, combining the strengths of their new continent with the traditions and learning of the old.

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\page #### Doldoric Coast The northwestern coast of Thule is difficult to navigate—the winds tend to be light and capricious, deserting the sails without warning. Many trade routes tack deeper into the Sea of Mists, where the weather might be worse, but at least it’s more consistent. The strip of coastal jungle is among Thule’s least-traveled places. Infested with beastmen, debased serpentmen, and other dangers, the Doldric Coast is land that neither city-states nor ancient empires seemed to want. The Doldric Coast’s biggest landmark—other than the city-state of Orech is the Gloamwood, the largest woodland west of Dhar Mesh. This deciduous forest is teeming with beastmen and other monsters, and even the highland tribes avoid it if possible. An unnatural pall covers the forest by day, making it difficult for humans to see without torches or other illumination. But by night, fireflies the size of songbirds emerge, and it’s lighter among the boughs of the Gloamwood than it would be during the day. At the center of the Gloamwood is the Valley of Jaws, named for the stone outcroppings on the surrounding ridges. This valley is the ancestral home to the Mudrak tribe, although the tribe is out raiding and absent half the time. **Meredi Tower:** This humble keep has stood amid the trees of the Gloamwood for 400 years, built by the Caritains, a family of noble Atlanteans. The tower lies so deep within the forest—and the beastmen attacks are so frequent—that the family has had almost no contact with the outside world. **Lyrisaan:** This treehouse village of the wood elves is home to the only force capable of standing up to the Mudrak tribesmen—and even the Lyrisaan elves engage in hit-and-run tactics, not straightforward battle. Accomplished climbers, the Lyrisaan can travel for miles through the Gloamwood without touching the ground, leaping and clambering from tree to tree. **Nathor:** This fishing village is deserted. **Maunucha:** Once a castle on the coastline, now only rubble remains. If seen from the air or the top of the rising foothills to the southeast, it’s apparent that a giant foot—some hundred feet across—stepped on the castle. Looking to the south reveals a second footprint in the jungle almost a quarter-mile away. **Birieyka:** This primary authority in this town is Gurisel, a priest of Ishtar who is trying to “civilize” the beastmen in the jungle south of town. She’s convinced some to wear fancy human clothes, pray at the shrine, and otherwise behave “properly,” but the beastmen are getting restive. The other townspeople are increasingly nervous despite Gurisel’s promises that they’re completely safe. **Alhaingalar:** This ruin has sorcerous flowers flourishing on vines that cover every edifice in the city, plus monsters from the surrounding jungle that devour any who try to plunder the city’s ancient secrets.

#### Orech, City of Mazes Orech is at once the safest city in Thule—street crime is relatively rare—and its most dangerous. Anyone who remains within the city walls for more than a few weeks puts sanity at risk. The residents of Orech are all insane in one way or another, every last one of them. For some, the insanity manifests as harmless eccentricities or minor compulsions; for example, many Orechians are obsessed with geometric patterns, and lose themselves for hours in contemplating meaningless designs without even realizing it. Other citizens have only a casual relationship with reality; the homicidal, the schizophrenic, and the maniacal walk the streets of Orech on a daily basis. Only the Yellow Priests seem immune to the city’s unusual curse, and they exert a strangely calming influence on their fellow citizens. In their presence, no one seems to care about bizarre behaviors. Perhaps the strangest element of Orech’s curse is that those who have succumbed to the city’s insanity are incapable of noticing the oddities that are obvious to the visitor. City guards might dress as clowns or elderly people may hurl themselves from high windows, but the Orechians react as if such occurrences are ordinary. Then again, in Orech they are.

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### Kaylayan the Golden The heart of Thule is Kalayan the Golden, an inland sea that fills the central basin of the continent. The Kalayan Sea and the lands surrounding it are home to great cities, deep jungles, steaming volcanoes, windswept tundra, and fierce barbarian tribes. In this great crossroads many of the cultures of Thule meet— sometimes in peaceful trade, and sometimes in bloody warfare. Over the centuries, each of the races of Thule has settled the shores of the Kalayan Sea or voyaged over its wide expanse. Scores of villages, outposts, towns, strongholds, and cities have taken root and flourished for a time in these warm and fertile lands. Many of these settlements are forgotten ruins now, but others still thrive. There is a good deal of debate among sages about which of Thule’s realms and cities are Inner Sea lands, and which belong to the neighboring regions of the continent. The best definition includes the southern coast of the Kalayan Sea from Ikath eastward to the lands claimed by the Riders of Hurgan. Everything between the Starcrown Mountains and the Kalayan Sea is included in this broad expanse, along with the Quosa Vale and the southern slopes of the Zinandar Mountains. These are the richest and most populous lands of Thule, although vast reaches still consist of unexplored mountains and jungles. #### AMMURATH The homeland of the Ammur barbarians, Ammurath lies in the eastern foothills of the Starcrown Mountains. The Ammurans are a proud, warlike Dhari tribe who live in well-fortified hill-villages, using simple but effective fieldstone walls to guard their holds and high pastures. They are a relatively advanced people with metalworking, agriculture, counting and figures, and a strong oral tradition of tribal law; the chief differences between the Ammurans and their more civilized neighbors are the Ammurans’ lack of a written language and their veneration of nature spirits rather than the gods of civilization. Located more or less between Lomar, Quodeth, and Marg, the Ammurans are frequently wooed by one city-state or another to take sides in their wars. The barbarians have little reason to like any of them: Lomar has tried to conquer Ammurath on two occasions, Quodeth’s naked mercantilism strikes Ammurans as dishonest, and Marg’s slave trading outrages them. Despite this distrust for the ways of civilized lands, hundreds of Ammuran warriors take service as mercenaries in the various armies of the nearby cities, and pride themselves on giving good service for their coin.

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\page #### Corsairs of the Golden Sea A terrible scourge threatens the Kalayan Sea and all the lands adjacent to it: piracy, bold and bloody-handed. Dozens of corsair galleys prowl the waters of the inland sea, hunting down careless merchant ships and launching one violent raid after another against any poorly defended village or town within an easy march of the seashore. Worse yet, these vile sea-reavers are largely united in a great league known as the Golden Brotherhood or the Corsairs of the Golden Sea. Instead of single ships hunting down prey they can take on alone, the Golden Sea corsairs operate in flotillas, with several ships sailing together and cooperating to capture even well-protected merchant galleys or landing hundreds of corsairs at once to attack targets on shore. While the corsairs generally prey on anything they can catch, they sometimes hire themselves out to warring cities as seagoing mercenaries. More than once they have joined with Lomar or Ikath to threaten Quodeth’s naval superiority in the Kalayan Sea, only to prove fickle and unreliable when battle loomed close. Many turn smuggler and seek to slip valuable cargo into dangerous places if worthwhile targets for piracy are hard to find. Life in a corsair crew is dangerous, but frequently rewarded with shares of rich prizes. The Golden Brotherhood is surprisingly democratic, and captains who abuse their crews or make stupid blunders rarely hold their positions for long—corsair crewmen vote with their feet, and go join the crews of more successful captains. The corsairs have several anchorages and secret harbors scattered around the Kalayan Sea, but their major base for now is the outlaw city of Rime, on the shore of the Lands of the Long Shadow. Some of the more notable corsairs include: **Jade Viper:** A powerful trireme based in Ikath, the Jade Viper is commanded by an intimidating sorcerer-captain called Hyardeth the Viper. He is a ruthless mercenary who often sails as a “privateer” under a royal commission from Ikath. Hyardeth is not affiliated with the Golden Brotherhood and preys on his fellow pirates as well as any non-Ikathan merchant ship that crosses his path. **Nightdrake:** Distinguished by its black sails and black-painted hull, the Nightdrake is a swift xebec under the command of the charismatic captain known as Lady Midnight. Most ships do not sail at night, but Lady Midnight carefully trains her crew to sail and fight in conditions when no other captain would dare raise anchor. **The Slayer Fleet:** A flotilla of four pirate galleys that operate together, the Slayer Fleet is under the command of the brutal warlord Dreth the Slayer. No other corsair captain in the Kalayan Sea commands such a powerful force, but with four ships to divide the loot, no individual sailor ever sees anything more than a token share of the fleet’s plunder. As a result, Dreth resorts to brutal discipline to keep his crews in line. Only the most desperate men willingly sail with the Slayer.

#### Ghan Peninsula This wide, jungle-covered peninsula forms a large portion of the southern shore of the Kalayan Sea. It is home to some of the densest and most dangerous jungle east of the great expanse of Dhar Mesh. The great city of Lomar lies at the western end of the Ghan, while at the eastern end the small trading town of Ghanport sits at the mouth of the Ghan River. Between these two outposts of civilization lie a hundred miles of virtually impassable wilderness roamed by hungry beasts and savage tribes. Bold jungle traders maintain tenuous lines of communication with some of the friendlier tribes, but there are many places in the Ghan where no civilized men go—or, if they do, never return. The Ghan Peninsula is home to many mysterious ruins, as well as hidden caverns of enormous extent. A long time ago, this area was home to a kingdom known as Kal-Ne-Moz ruled by janni—a race of humanlike genies. The janni governed many subject tribes in this area, and their strongholds and temples dot the coastal hills of the Ghan. Their realm fell almost three thousand years ago, but some of their ruins still conceal dangerous secrets. #### Hurhun Formerly a large and prosperous city at the eastern end of the Kalayan Sea, Hurhun became embroiled in a series of bitter wars with the city of Lomar that culminated in the defeat of Hurhun in 2087 AA, about 120 years ago. The Lomari sacked Hurhun, carried its people off in chains, and put the defeated city to the torch; Hurhun is now a sprawling ruin where few people go. Only a handful of scavengers and outlaws lurk in the city’s deserted streets. These ragged survivors avoid the city’s lower districts, since man-eating monsters such as manticores and chimeras are known to lair in the heart of the old city. #### The Kalayan Sea A vast freshwater lake, the Kalayan Sea (sometimes known as the Inner Sea, the Golden Sea, or Kalayan the Golden) is the dominant feature of central Thule. Dozens of major rivers flow down into the Kalayan from the high mountains ringing the inland sea. Two major outlets—the Quosa River, which flows southeast to Quodeth and the Atlantean Ocean, and the River Iyul, which flows northeast under the glacier Kang to the Boreal Sea—drain the giant lake, preventing it from becoming salty. The waters are warmed considerably by submerged volcanoes, especially in its eastern portions. While the Kalayan Sea offers easy access to much of interior Thule, it is not a particularly safe voyage. Corsairs plague its waters, as noted above. In addition, its waters teem with many dangerous aquatic predators, including beasts that should have perished millions of years ago such as giant freshwater crocodiles, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs.

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\page **Anibhuraal:** A sunken city fifty miles north of the Ghan Peninsula, Anibhuraal lies in water so shallow that its star-shaped ziggurats and mushroom-shaped towers break the surface, creating a weird stone forest in the middle of the sea. Some of the towers and ziggurats offer access to vast, half-flooded vaults beneath the seabed. The architecture and proportions of the city are distinctly inhuman, and some believe that Anibhuraal was a city of an alien race such as elder things or mi-go that was destroyed in a war against a rival race of beings. Whether any of the city’s builders (or its foes) survive in the lower vaults none can say, but mariners report that terrible piping sounds can be heard from the stone ruins at certain times of year. **Isle of Woe:** The slaver city of Marg faces the Atlantean Ocean, but Margish slavers are active throughout Kalayan the Golden. The black, jungle-covered isle known only as the Isle of Woe serves as their main base in the Kalayan Sea. Here Margish galleys bring their captives from the shores of the Inner Sea, holding hundreds of captives in a strong stone fortress overlooking the island’s natural harbor. To bring their captives to market in Marg, the slavers must either pass through Quodeth and pay a hefty toll, or land their captives in the Ghan and march overland through Ammurath or the Nissurian Hills. Either route takes time to arrange, so many captives are held for weeks or months here before they are sent onward to Marg. **Sunrise Bay:** This large gulf in the southeastern part of the sea serves as the source for the Quosa River. The great river is only about one hundred miles long, but it is deep and wide, and navigable for its whole length. By this passage ships from the Inner Sea can reach the Atlantean Ocean, and vice versa. **Yezeghar, the Fuming Island:** This large, round volcanic island is ringed by sea-cliffs several hundred feet high, and crowned by a jungle-covered volcanic cone that frequently emits plumes of steam and ash. It has a palpable aura of menace, and most sailors avoid lingering nearby. Landings on Yezeghar are difficult due to the high cliffs, but on the eastern side of the island there is an old stone quay and weathered steps climbing up to the top of the cliff. The island is sacred to cultists worshiping the monstrous god Lorthnu’un, and some say that Lorthnu’un itself lies dormant in a deep fissure beneath Yezeghar’s steaming volcano. #### Lomar Home to a proud and warlike people, the city-state of Lomar dominates the southern coast of the Kalayan Sea. Lomar’s warriors guard rich fields and rice paddies stretching for more than fifty miles across the western end of the Ghan peninsula, and its sleek dromonds patrol the waters for three days’ sail in all directions. Within the city walls, noble commanders practice their martial skills constantly, reigning over an elite class of free warriors who in turn control a large but docile population of slaves and servants. Monuments tower over each of the public squares in the city, commemorating more than two hundred years of military supremacy. While the celebration of military triumph and the martial virtues lies at the center of Lomar’s public life, the city is more than a simple armed camp. Lomar is an important center of commerce, a gateway through which the tribes and settlers of the southern Kalayan highlands are linked to the great trade routes of the Inner Sea. Lomari merchants compete with traders from Quodeth, Ikath, and Droum for control of the valuable gold and ivory trades in the central Kalayan, and the city’s artisans produce exceptional woodwork and metalwork. Perhaps most importantly, Lomar is a city of laws. Most other cities in Thule are hopelessly corrupt and inefficient, but Lomari pride themselves on their honorable dealings and upright ways. #### Nessk Thousands of years ago, eastern Thule was the cradle of a great prehuman civilization—Nessk, the empire of the serpentmen. A dozen great serpentman cities slumbered in the steaming jungles of Dhar Mesh, the Yissurian Hills, the Quosa Vale, and the isles of the Kalayan Sea, along with scores of outposts, shrines, and other such communities. In the early days of their race, serpentmen were coldly rational creatures that devoted themselves to mastering the world and its natural forces. They saw no purpose in malice for its own sake. But over the long millennia of their dominion, the race slipped into decline, becoming cruel and decadent. They took their superiority over less advanced peoples as nothing less than their racial birthright, and deemed humans to be fit only as slaves or fodder for their own unhealthy appetites. Even though Nessk easily crushed or enslaved the first human tribes to wander into its territory, as the centuries passed, the serpentman realm continued to decline, and the human tribes grew more numerous, more advanced, and more aggressive. The final blow for Nessk was the arrival of the elven hosts in Thule. These civilized warriors from another world commanded magic equal to the serpentmen’s own powers, and together with the barbaric human tribes, they brought about the final fall of the serpentman empire. Most of Nessk’s cities were sacked, their scaly masters put to the sword or scattered. By the time Atlantis was founded, the serpentman realm was already in ruins. While Nessk is no more, the serpentmen still linger in Thule. They dwell in the ruins of their once-great cities or lurk in remote vaults and caverns hidden from their human foes. Serpentman priests and sorcerers still worship at the broken altars of Set’s temples, plotting the destruction of the human world. Nesskian ruins are often guarded by primordial monsters of bygone ages or even servitor races of the Great Old Ones— in the empire’s dying days, serpentman spellcasters reached across the ages to conjure saurian beasts and made alliances with alien powers, hoping to find the strength to preserve their empire.

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\page Most of Nessk’s cities and shrines are long forgotten by humankind, but a few sites are relatively well known. The city of Quodeth was built almost on top of Bhnaal Pruth, a Nesskian fortress at the mouth of the Quosa. Likewise, the city of Ikath lies over the great serpentman city of Kayaask. The ancient capital city of Madraal Nessk—a fearsome and haunted place where terrible monsters lurk—lies in the jungles of the Othnan Peninsula, while the strange ruin known as the Tower of Golden Scales once belonged to a mighty Nesskian sorcerer. No doubt various savage humans in Phoor and Dhar Mesh know of other sites unrecorded by the sages and scribes of the Thule’s cities. #### Quodeth The largest city and busiest port in Thule, Quodeth does not actually lie on the Kalayan Sea. Instead, it’s located at the mouth of the Quosa, a good hundred miles downriver from the Kalayan. However, the Quosa is wide and deep, easily navigable from the source (Sunrise Bay in the southeast Kalayan Sea) to its mouth on Sarvin Bay. This makes Quodeth a major Inner Sea port as well as an Atlantean Ocean port, and master of a crucial trade route. #### Ry Mar A large island in the central Kalayan ringed by sandy beaches, Ry Mar is known for its mysterious ruins. A walled town known as Caetirym once stood on the southern shore, home to Atlantean merchants and scholars who intended to civilize central Thule. Many carvings and reliefs throughout the ruins of Caetirym depict Atlantean people engaged in footraces and other athletic competitions. They were also skillful mages, and powerful spells still linger over the ruins. Some terrible curse fell over the town long ago, driving its people out into the surrounding jungle. While most seafarers give the accursed island a wide berth, mariners from Ikath or Quodeth sometimes land on the island to harvest the extensive pitch seeps found in the swamps of its western end. These wide tar pits produce high-quality bitumen useful for a variety of purposes, although the job is hot, messy, and dangerous—if the hungry dead lurking in the jungles are disturbed, the creatures are capable of overwhelming even large and well-armed parties. #### Tiyerna A small town on the eastern coast of the Daray Peninsula, Tiyerna grew up at the feet of the great Three Pillars Monastery, a fortified abbey located amid the striking karst hills of the area. The monastery is dedicated to the faith of Mithra and is said to commemorate the place where Mithra defeated Set in a long-ago battle; it was established several centuries ago by a Droumish high priest, and is now an important pilgrimage destination and holy site to Mithrans throughout Thule. The town itself has long catered to Mithran pilgrims, although its people also grow rice in the surrounding valley and fish the waters of the Kalayan. Sixty years ago, Tiyerna was sacked by a great raid of beastmen from Ur-Ghom, although the beastmen were unable to fight their way up the miles of stairs and winding paths leading to the Three Pillars Monastery itself. In the aftermath of the raid, Tiyerna looked to Lomar to protection, and a powerful Lomari garrison is now stationed here. It is said that the monks of the Three Pillars guard an unholy relic of some kind, keeping it locked away in a vault protected by powerful forbiddances and magical wards. #### Ur-Ghom Beastmen rarely gather in tribes more than a couple of hundred strong, but in one place in Thule these vicious brutes have built a city of sorts: Ur-Ghom, the City of the Beastmen. Here thousands of beastmen warriors, their mates, their young, and their hapless human captives live in a permanent encampment carved from the walls of a winding jungle canyon. Ur-Ghom might lack buildings, laws, or marketplaces, but the sheer number of beastmen gathered here and the absolute power of the khur-za-khur (or great chieftain) Ghom means that outsiders willing to deal with the beastmen can come and trade here . . . at their own risk. Ur-Ghom lies in the heart of the Yissurian Hills, the rugged jungle-covered foothills of the Starcrown Mountains. Endless knife-edged ridges covered in impenetrable jungle and sheer green gorges carved by racing white rivers plunging down from the mountains make the Yissurian Hills one the most rugged and inaccessible regions in the continent. No roads lead to Ur-Ghom, only tortuous and winding jungle trails that thread their way up and down ridge after ridge. Numerous tribes of beastmen have hunted these hills since time immemorial, and no humans have ever tried to settle in the area, although some nomadic Dhari or Kalay tribes sometimes pass through the area. They give Ur-Ghom a wide berth. #### Valley of Dhuoth Near the headwaters of the Yissu River lies an accursed valley where a monstrous being from the stars lurks: Dhuoth, the Giver of Eyes. This terrible creature has inhabited this remote valley for thousands of years, slowly poisoning and altering the landscape, changing the healthy jungle into a foul morass of alien orange vegetation and wriggling fungal beasts that have no place on Earth. Worse yet, a luckless tribe of human nomads ventured into the valley a few years ago while fleeing from a fierce battle against beastmen. The nomads fell under Dhuoth’s malignant control, and emerged from the creature’s demesne with horrible alterations in body and mind. These so-called “plague nomads” have been slowly spreading Dhuoth’s corruption across the Kalayan region ever since.

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\page #### Vhaug In the southern slopes of the Zinandar Mountains lie the ruins of a long-vanished prehuman kingdom, the troglodyte realm of Vhaug. Unlike the advanced civilizations of the serpentmen or the rakshasas, the denizens of Vhaug were simple brutes whose technological achievements consisted of little more than fire, stone tools and weapons, and the ability to pile up great walls of loose rock to make crude fortifications. The primitive kingdom of Vhaug was destroyed in long years of warfare against the powerful human cities of Quodeth and Hurhun many hundreds of years ago, but a number of troglodytes still skulk in the ruined stone strongholds of Vhaug, waylaying travelers and occasionally raiding outlying settlements. In addition to the troglodytes of Vhaug, there are several other prehuman ruins scattered throughout this region, including the brooding fortresses of cyclopes, gnolls, and minotaurs. Most of these savage creatures are gone now, and those that do survive seek to avoid humans—or to make sure that humans who do stumble across their lairs never escape to spread the tale. #### Voor Darayn Many strange and forgotten things lie lost amid the jungle-covered karsts of the Daray Peninsula, but none are as mysterious as the ruins of Voor Darayn—the “Jewel of the Daray” in the language of the serpentmen. An alabaster palace perched atop a great stone outcropping, Voor Darayn is surrounded by crumbling walls, artificial lakes, and stone plazas overgrown by dense jungle. The white palace atop its hill is only one small part of a whole hidden city now swallowed by the forest. The overgrown temples and plazas ringing the hill were once a sacred city of the serpentmen who ruled over Thule before humans ever set foot on the primeval continent. They are covered in weathered glyphs and disturbing carvings that depict the rites and gods of the serpentmen. The hilltop palace and its surrounding buildings are of more recent origin: They were con structed about four hundred years ago by the legendary sorcerer Tur Nyaan, a prince of Katagia who dabbled in black magic. No sorcerer in centuries has equaled Tur Nyaan in the dark arts, and during his lifetime all of Katagia lived in dread of his powers. A devoted worshiper of the foul god Tsathoggua, Tur Nyaan eventually tired of the suspicions (and clumsy assassination attempts) that troubled him in Katagia. He left the city with his slaves and servants, and chose the isolated Daray Peninsula for his hidden retreat. Legends say that the alabaster palace of Voor Darayn was built in a single night by enslaved elementals or genies. Tur Nyaan laid heavy demands for tribute on all nearby cities, and used terrible summonings and curses to punish those who did not pay. Katagia, Imystrahl, Ikath, and other cities all were forced to accede to his demands. For two centuries or more, Voor Darayn was known as a place of dark sorcery and mocking evil. More than a few heroes came here to slay Tur Nyaan (or to pillage his fantastic riches) and died, slain by his demonic servants or trapped in webs of enchantment and illusion that surrounded the palace and its gardens. Then, in the year 2052 AA, the tribute caravan from Katagia arrived and discovered no living person at Voor Darayn waiting for their treasure. The sorcerer’s summoned minions were gone, and his human servants—most of them torn to pieces—were lying dead in the lower city. Of Tur Nyaan there was no sign. In terror, the tribute-bearers dumped their treasure at the palace gate and fled.

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### Lands of the Long Shadow The seers and sages say that doom, icy and terrible, is coming to Thule. In the centuries to come this entire continent is fated to fall beneath a blanket of endless winter, or so it is whispered in the wine sinks and marketplaces of a dozen cities. So far, there is little sign of this grim fate in the long summer twilight of Nar or Kalayan the Golden, but in northern Thule the ice is coming. The great glaciers already cover the lost kingdom of Nimoth and the eastern shores of the Inner Sea. Across a vast march of land winding for hundreds of miles from the Thousand Teeth to the Zinandar Mountains the forests have died, leaving windswept tundra where the deadly white icy ramparts glitter on the northern horizon. These are the Lands of the Long Shadow, and here the doom of Thule is at hand. The Lands of the Long Shadow form a belt about one hundred to two hundred miles wide, which runs from northwest to southeast along the northern shores of the Inner Sea. Here the warm climate of the Kalayan gives way to cool summers and bitterly cold winters. The relentless glaciers creeping down from the pole loom ominously over the northern edge of this belt, a grim shadow of what is to come— hence the name of this wide and wild region. Most of the cities and towns that once stood here have been abandoned. Civilization recedes as the ice advances year by year, leaving desolate wilderness behind where few people travel. The cold plains and windswept hills of the region now belong only to tribes of nomads and vast herds of great beasts that can endure the cold. Beyond this borderland lies the great polar desert of ice, a deadly and terrible realm where few people willingly go. Magnificent palaces and the treasuries of abandoned kingdoms lie buried in the snows and ice, but these belong to the glaciers now.

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\page #### Agda Jand On a high headland overlooking the northern shores of the Kalayan Sea stands the ruined temple-city of Agda Jand. Long ago this was the capital of a powerful rakshasa kingdom that ruled over much of northern Thule, a rival to the serpentman empire of Nessk and the early elven realms of Mesildye and Sersidyen. The rakshasas and their beastman armies were finally defeated by the combined strength of the elven cities and the human barbarians who took service in their armies, and Agda Jand was burned. Agda Jand is widely considered to be haunted and possesses an evil reputation among the nomads and seafarers who occasionally pass nearby. There are also stories of vast treasure and powerful magic buried for a dozen or more centuries still waiting to be found in the ruins. But these tales may soon be impossible to test, for the glaciers have now advanced to within a few miles of the old rakshasa city. It seems likely that Agda Jand will be swallowed within the ice within a few more years. **The Red Tavern:** Along the old road that leads to Droum stands an isolated inn and waystop that caters to the few ivory caravans that still pass by this way. The proprietor is a man called Red Rhys, and according to tales whispered in nearby Droum, he acquired the place by organizing a band of freebooters to come and kill the outlaws who had been hiding out here. #### Droum, City of Tusks Once rich and powerful, Droum is a city slowly falling into ruin. The changing climate has turned its great grainfields and pastures to tundra, and with each generation more and more people abandon Droum. Worse yet, some dire curse lies over the silent streets of Droum. Here the dead do not rest as they should, and packs of fearsome ghouls roam the desolate quarters of the dying city. While life in Droum is becoming impossible, a few thousand stubborn souls still inhabit the city. The plains beyond the city walls may no longer be suitable for growing grain, but the Droumish now keep great herds of aurochs, elk, sheep, and mammoths in their pastures. These provide a rich trade in ivory, horn, leather, and hide that sustains the city. The Kalayan Sea is home to thriving fisheries, yielding smoked fish and roe for sustenance and trade. Finally, some of the friendlier barbarians in the area come to Droum to barter valuable furs for the city’s metalwork and finished goods. People with a stake in these trades are willing to fight for them. The worst parts of the abandoned city are walled off or barricaded, and the priests of Tarhun and Mithra are fighting to unearth and consecrate the tombs from which the hungry dead emerge. #### Kal-Zinan, City of the Iron Gate In the heart of the Zinandar Mountains lies the fortress-city of Kal-Zinan, the largest dwarven stronghold to be found in Thule. Here the secretive ironmasters of the dwarves forge arms and armor unmatched anywhere in the world, using the molten rock of the Zinandar volcanoes to smelt their ores and fire their furnaces. Contrary to legend, dwarves cannot eat rocks or drink molten iron, so many levels of Kal-Zinan are devoted to other trades. Vast subterranean granaries and storehouses ring the city’s central forges, protected within Kal-Zinan’s mighty ramparts. The mountainsides and vales surrounding the city are home to high pastureland, hayfields, and terraced gardens, where dwarven herdsmen and field workers provide Kal-Zinan with a basic level of subsistence in times when it proves impossible to import grain and vegetables from the human realms of Thule. #### Kang, The Pale Death The greatest glacier in Thule is known as Kang, the Pale Death. Covering the northern half of the Zinandar Mountains and slowly marching west and south around the northernmost shore of the Kalayan Sea, Kang already covers almost a tenth of the continent, and every year its advance continues. The ice is dangerous to traverse: Deep crevasses lie hidden beneath thin crusts of snow, arctic mirages can play tricks on the eye, and bitterly cold winds can spring up out of nowhere and instantly raise an impenetrable blanket of blowing snow and ice crystals to blind and scour unprepared travelers. While Kang’s physical dangers would be enough reason to avoid the great glacier, there is something even worse at work here, a malign spirit or evil sentience that hates all other things. The glacier wants to kill those who venture within its grasp, and bends all of its terrible malevolence to preventing the escape of those who attract its attention. A few of the bolder guides and hunters of the nearby lands are willing to cross a small expanse of the Pale Death to reach a goal or skirt its edges if necessary, but none willingly venture into the heart of the glacier, for Kang is cruel and deceitful. **Frost Palace:** An eerily beautiful formation of delicate frost and needles of ice, the Frost Palace stands in the middle of a wide and featureless plain of snow in eastern Kang. A mysterious sorcerer is said to reside there, but how he (or she) survives without provoking the wrath of the glacier is not clear. **Gyar Gun Vodd:** This primitive and terrible ruin lies amid the rugged hills and broken ice fields of western Kang. Once it was a city of giants, with twenty-foot doorways and steps three feet high, but it was abandoned long ago, perhaps even before the coming of the ice. Whether the builders were frost giants, cyclopes, gugs, or some other gigantic race is not clear, since the ruins are so badly weathered that no distinguishing markings other than their phenomenal size remain. **Mount Niith:** The highest peak within Kang’s expanse, Mount Niith stands near the center of the glacier. It is a black, fortress-like maze of rock and ice that rises several thousand feet above the surrounding ice field. The mountain is crowned by eerie, blue-green auroras in the winter months, and the few travelers who have ever ventured there have reported that sprawling ruins and ramparts made from gigantic stone blocks can be found high on the mountain’s slopes. Strange and terrible beings lurk amid these cyclopean walls— elder things, mi-go, stranglers from Nheb, or something even worse.

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\page #### Lendosk The Nimothan people first came to Thule in the sixth century after the founding of Atlantis, establishing small villages and realms in Nimoth (the island from which they would later take their name) and northeast Thule. One of these small realms was Lendosk, founded in the vales of the River Iyul. In its early days, Lendosk was blessed with a warm climate, and the river vales were home to grainfields and orchards. The barbaric Nimothans settled down and became more civilized over the centuries, as wooden halls gave way to stone towns and roving sea-traders became prosperous merchants. At its height, Lendosk was a league of half a dozen towns that together were almost as rich as Hurhun or Quodeth. But four or five hundred years ago, the climate began to change. Winter snows lingered later and later into the spring; the orchards produced smaller, bitterer fruit as the growing season shortened. The snows mantling the high hills and peaks surrounding the realm never melted at all. Then, in the winter of 2096 AA, the glacier Kang surged forward twenty miles or more in a single season, engulfing almost all of Lendosk. Hundreds of people fleeing the valley were killed by some dire emanation from the approaching ice, literally flash-frozen in mid-stride and left standing as dead-white corpses. From this terrible onslaught the glacier Kang gained its nickname: “The Pale Death.” The glacier has not crushed Lendosk out of existence, but instead seems to have surrounded it. Lendosk’s towns and towers lie buried under deep drifts of snow or encased in clear, gelid ice, only a few feet below the surface of the glacier. #### Rime, City of Ice Hidden behind icy ramparts, the secret port of Rime lies on the northeast shore of the Kalayan Sea. The city is surrounded by towering glaciers, but the rugged hills of the coast serve as a shield of sorts, channeling the glaciers away from the town’s docks and smelters. Some shelters or workshops are even built right onto the ice or carved from the glacier walls, although few of these last more than a year or two before the moving ice forces the owners to relocate away from the edge again. Nothing but inhospitable wasteland and endless ice fields surround Rime, cutting it off from most overland travel—only a handful of foolhardy prospectors and barbaric hunters venture far from the city on foot. Located in a freezing wasteland, Rime would seem to have little reason to exist; nothing grows here, and its fishers and hunters can’t come close to supporting its population. There are three reasons Rime is here: First, the surrounding hills are rich in gold and gemstones; second, the city is a good jumping-off point for adventurers hoping to salvage something from the snowy ruins of the kingdom of Lendosk, which once stood here; third, and most importantly, Rime is a notorious pirate haven, and the chief base of the Golden Sea corsairs. The city is virtually overrun with violent reavers and hard-hearted mercenaries; few honest people willingly come to Rime.

#### Sersidyen Once the center of a powerful elven empire, the city of Sersidyen now lies in ruins. A few hundred Sersid elves remain, hunters and foragers living among the wreckage of their past glory. While they live much like the unsophisticated savage tribes of Thule’s tundra, the elves of Sersidyen are hardly barbarians; they retain the lore of their ancient race and keep a vigilant watch over the ruins of their once-great city. Even so, they must soon abandon their watch, since the snows grow heavier in the mountain passes each winter and melt later each summer—the time of unending winter is not far off, and it seems that the ice will be Sersidyen’s tomb. #### Strait of Nimora The northeast coast of Thule is separated from the large island of Nimoth by the perilous Strait of Nimora. Only twenty miles wide at its narrowest point, the strait links the Sea of Mists to the Boreal Sea. Both shores of the strait are heavily glaciated along most of their length, and in the winter months the strait can freeze over for weeks at a time. Even if the Strait of Nimora is not frozen solid, the waters may still be impassable—small icebergs known as “growlers” are frequently calved from the neighboring glaciers, and pose a serious danger at all times of the year. Since Nimoth became an icebound wasteland a century or two ago, merchant traffic in the strait has fallen to virtually nil, and no trade routes make use of this waterway. However, hardy tribes of seal-hunters and fishermen still linger in the area. #### Ullath A hardscrabble strip of barely habitable land between the flanks of the glacier Kang and the Boreal Sea, Ullath is home to a dozen or so tiny fishing and sealing villages along the icy shores. These people are Nimothans who were forced to abandon their homeland within the last few generations, and they maintain many memories and tales of Nimoth’s now- lost cities and landmarks. The Ullathi survive on the sea’s bounty, and are the most daring and skillful mariners of Thule. They are also bold and fierce raiders who wait eagerly for the ice to recede in late spring or early summer in order to launch their dragon-headed longships against the rich coastlands of southern Thule. #### Zinandar Mountains The mountains of eastern Thule are not so lofty as the great Starcrowns that form the southern spine of the continent, but they are still rugged and daunting obstacles to travel. The Zinandars form a natural rampart against the advancing ice, in part because several active volcanoes dot this range. Lush forest mantles the mountain slopes, nourished by the geothermal properties and the rich volcanic soil of the area. However, as one follows the range northwest, the volcanoes fall dormant, and then extinct, and the ice reigns unchallenged.

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### The Thousand Teeth It can be difficult to tell the difference between a reaver and a pirate—and the Thousand Teeth region has an abundance of both. Pirates chase seagoing prey and reavers raid shoreline communities, but in Thule the line is blurry and many bands do both. Named for the countless coastal islets and jagged rocks along much of the shore, the Thousand Teeth are home to reavers, monsters, dark witch doctors, and even the occasional dragonslayer. The offshore islands are as dangerous—and as valuable—as the mainland, and it takes an expert sea-captain to know the currents, reefs, and . . . more tentacled dangers of the Sea of Mists and the northern passages around the continent of Thule. The land buzzes with activity as well, from raiders battling their way inland, to communities trying to eke out an existence in the shadow of the malign glacier, Kang the Pale. Though the glacier creeps forward from the southeast, the Thousand Teeth aren’t particularly snowy, and it’s possible that the active volcanoes Aratax and Bilfummun will keep the ice at bay. The Atlanteans never reached the Thousand Teeth in force, so their culture and learning never extended into the cities and towns of the northern coast. Among the Thousand Teeth, men sail, war, build, and burn. They’ve done so for five thousand years, and unless the Great Old Ones consume all of Thule, they’ll do so for five thousand more. #### Aratax and the Western Coast Outflow from the active volcano, Aratax, is responsible for the clawlike spar of land that protects the harbor in the city-state of Nim, and its heat keeps the glacier away—for now. The glacier is never far-off, however; sometimes the ice reaches to less than a mile from the shore, though a distance of ten miles is more typical. Aratax is often described as “the grumpy uncle” of the Thousand Teeth; minor earthquakes are a weekly occurrence, with many felt up to 100 miles away. Aratax doesn’t belch heavy clouds of smoke often, but brave climbers report the air near the volcano’s rim is poisonous to breathe as well as being scorchingly hot. The villages along the coast subsist on plentiful fishing; they need never worry about depleting the fish stocks, but attacks from krakens and other sea monsters are a significant occupational hazard. Most take their surplus catch to Nim. Further inland, logging, hunting, and mining employ most people.

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\page **Volkulak Peninsula:** This wooded land has some of the largest, straightest coniferous trees in Thule, so there are often large-scale logging operations to fell trees for masts and building timbers. **Dranfir:** This large town is known (and feared) among slaves throughout Thule, because being sold to work in Dranfir’s silver mines is a death sentence. It’s merely a question of whether overwork, cruel masters, poisonous ore, or deadly fumes will kill the slave first. **Ruthvak:** This small inland town seems ordinary enough—other than the four black glass towers at the corners of the town. **Bretu Kathir:** This village is the home of the Bretu sea-reavers, known across the region because they’re all immensely fat. Their girth makes them no less capable in a fight, and nearby towns whisper darkly that the Bretu are fat because they aren’t picky about what they eat, consuming the flesh of their victims. #### Nim, City of Reavers Nim is less a city-state and more of a collection of armed camps. It is exactly what you would expect if you invited several dozen bands of reavers to build a city together: a ramshackle collection of creaking wharves, taverns, and gambling houses, where violence is common and visitors aren’t likely to cross the street without getting splashed with ale, blood, or both. To call Nim “lawless” is something of an understatement. Many of the reavers who spend shore leave in Nim are openly contemptuous of the law. Some have to be reminded repeatedly that they’re staying in the city, not pillaging it. Nim is a vice-ridden city, but its vices aren’t the subtle corruptions of Ikath or the soporific narcotics of Imystrahl. Nim is a place for straightforward, brutal pleasures: desperate prostitutes, bloody gladiatorial spectacles, and potent, fiery ales. It is a city full of drunken, well-armed warriors who are eager to prove that they’re tougher than you—more than a few of whom plan to pluck that coin-purse from your belt when they’re done with you. Mercenaries from across Thule know that Nim is the place to be seen; envoys from the city states, local tyrants, and sometimes the more sinister powers of Thule come to Nim when they need muscle. Nim is also the gateway to the northern islands of Hellumar and Nimoth; anyone seeking to travel there will likely find passage on a ship departing Nim. #### The Loose Teeth The islands off the coast of the Thousand Teeth are innumerable, both because there are quite a lot of them, and because undersea volcanoes seem to create a few new islands every year. The islands aren’t particularly large—and definitely too small to support agriculture in this part of the world—but a few communities have found ways to persist and even thrive while surrounded by the wild seas. **Verdivohr:** The people of this coastal village subsist on shellfish gathered from the beach at low tide, but the shellfish contain a toxin that induces amnesia. Visiting Verdivohr can be a surreal experience, as no one remembers visitors from the day before. **Darkwind Citadel:** Former home of a necromancer named Khalav the Black, this citadel was destroyed last year by an expanding wave of necrotic energy—energy that animated every victim in the massive fortress and every corpse within 50 miles as undead. The citadel is gone, but the island is still crawling with undead. Some of Khalav’s rivals and other dark forces across Thule would love to get their hands on any of Khalav’s notebooks, if they survive. **Murunav:** This town is entirely inhabited by children—immensely powerful, sorcerous children who use magic to create their own food, summon their own supplies, and otherwise keep their town intact. **Tor Ghraunk:** The primitive people of this island— practically barbarians, with only a rudimentary understanding of agriculture—are building a 40-foot- tall statue of Great Cthulhu at the behest of the cabal of shamans who’ve fallen under Cthulhu’s sway. #### Dugulas Islands This chain of islands, part of the Loose Teeth, is difficult to reach by ship because their shores have few beaches for landing, just high cliffs. #### Wauklu'naua This underwater city was once a floating palace of the rakshasas, but the elves sabotaged and destroyed it as the rakshasas were piloting it toward Hellumar during their retreat from Thule. It lay empty on the seabed for centuries, but about two decades ago a tribe of loathsome fishmen, the skum, found the submerged palace and dubbed it Wauklu’naua. #### Bilfummun and the Eastern Coast Unlike the volcano Aratax to the west, the volcano Bilfummun belches thick black smoke into the sky that can be seen for hundreds of miles; many sailors on the Sea of Mists use the plume to navigate by. Bilfummun’s lava is always cascading into the sea, and the coast nearby grows by several hundred feet each year. To the east of Bilfummun is another thin strip of habitable, wooded land between the shore and the great glacier, Kang the Pale. More than half of the Thousand Teeth’s human population lives here, but many are at least semi-nomadic. The eastern coast has more than its share of reavers who’ve put down roots, establishing coastal villages of whalers and anglers who follow migrating schools of fish and pods of whales, or the occasional mining or logging community further inland. Most are human, but dwarves from the southeast have been making expeditions to remote parts of the eastern coast, prospecting for ore and starting small, exploratory mines. The only thing approaching a city-state along the eastern coast is Jomur, which swells to a population of more than 20,000 at the spring equinox, but then tapers off to less than 5,000 by midsummer and less than a thousand who live there year-round. The tribes that gather at Jomur in the spring disperse across the eastern coast, with some going beyond the Thousand Teeth into Dhar Mesh or the Lands of the Long Shadow. Whatever communities you meet as you travel the eastern coast, it’s a sure bet that more than half of them won’t be there the following year.

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\page **Slopes of Bilfummun:** Few in the Thousand Teeth know their prehistory this well, but sages know that more than 4,000 years ago, before the rakshasas retreated to Hellumar, they were engaged in a bitter struggle against three elven kingdoms: Sersidyen, Mesildyar, and Imystrahl. One of the rakshasa rajahs, trapped on the shore of the Thousand Teeth, retreated to the heights of Bilfummun, then summoned a demon horde to destroy the elven host pursuing the rakshasas. The gate succeeded all too well, with countless demons pouring through it to obliterate the elven army and the entire elven realm of Mesildyar. **Delecammeroch:** The marble spires of this elven fortress were among the first to be cast down by the demonic horde summoned by the rakshasas. Unlike most elven ruins, the rubble here retained some of its protective, gravity-defying magic; most of it floats in midair. Buttresses, arches, and columns hang fifty to a hundred feet off the ground, supporting nothing and supported by nothing. Some of the fortress’s under- ground vaults are untouched. The locals have always feared visiting Delecammeroch up close because the floating rubble sways in the wind, and those underneath it swear it’s about to come crashing to earth. **Protigath:** This village has the misfortune of being nearby a stand of unusual forest mushrooms that emit a spore that transforms those who breathe it into zombies in a matter of days. Usually the prevailing winds keep the spores blowing safely out to sea. **Stone Skull Spiral:** The Stone Skull tribe moves around, but their home village is nestled among a spiral ring of menhirs, each carved to look like a skull, midway between the seashore and the glacier’s edge. #### Jomur, Place of Chiefs Jomur is where many of the barbarian chiefs of Thule come to parley, settle scores, and party every spring equinox. For a few months each spring, Jomur is a vital, thriving city-state, the equal of any in Thule. But then the barbarian tribes get restless, dismantle their encampments and head back to their home territory— or onward to raid civilization elsewhere. Most of the barbarians of Jomur come from the Thousand Teeth, but tribes from Hellumar (such as the Drangir), Dhar Mesh (the Bolotangas), and even the Highlands of Nar (the Kal Keori) send delegations to the Place of Chiefs. Even Kal Keor the Terrible famously came to Jomur several times as a young chieftain, and the barbarians of the Thousand Teeth claim that Jomur is where he learned to be a real conqueror. During spring, the tribes all camp around a central rock, the Stony Fist, which rises over the flat plain of Jomur. By custom, no one camps—or indeed walks without a good reason—within 100 feet of the central stone. One by one, each chieftain comes down to stand atop the rock and deliver a speech. Some use the opportunity to challenge another tribe over territory or some other wrong, and then the two tribes battle right there before the stone. Other chieftains use the opportunity to beseech other chiefs to unite against a common foe, or even to pass the leadership of their tribe into younger hands. In a typical day, three or four chieftains will speak. The rest of the day and all of the night is given over to partying—along with periodic scuffles inevitable when thousands of heavily armed barbarians gather in one place. Some semblance of order is kept by priests of Tarhun, who spend their spring healing the wounded, discouraging misbehavior beyond the norm for barbarians, and blessing each tribe’s conquests to come in the year ahead.

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\page ### Other Lands While there are corners of Thule yet unexplored, at least the outlines of that continent are certain. So too are much of Hellumar and Nimoth well understood—in their southern reaches, anyway. There are lands beyond Thule, of course, even if no Thulean has ever seen them and they are squarely in the realm of folklore. **Atlantis:** The homeland of Thule’s Atlantean people, Atlantis sank beneath the waves centuries ago. A fertile continent larger than Thule, it existed about a month to the southwest by sea-galley. Its ruins lie on the sea floor, though some of its wonders undoubtedly survived the cataclysm that destroyed Atlantis and are there for the taking—for explorers who can manage the hazards of underwater adventure. **Lemuria:** Atlantis’s archrival, this island far to the south is supposedly inhabited by white-robed humans of great strength but limited intellect, industrious excavators who choose to live underground and consort with beasts and monsters of all types. Some of the folklore is undoubtedly influenced by Atlantean prejudice and propaganda, so the truth of Lemuria is unknown. Atlantis and Lemuria were at war when Atlantis sank; no one on Thule knows whether the Lemurians shared the Atlanteans’ fate. **Hyperborea:** From time to time Thule is visited by extremely tall, pale humans (or at least they appear human) of prodigious magical power who claim to come from the utter north—beyond the Cursed Gray of Hellumar. These Hyperboreans rarely tarry in Thule long and are always circumspect about the nature of their errands. Clearly cultured and possessed of their own language, they must have a civilization of wonders somewhere far to the north, even if no Thulean has ever seen it. **Ierne:** Two weeks’ sail south of Thule lie the uncharted lands of Ierne. Mist-shrouded islands and coasts covered in pristine forests extend for many days’ sail in all directions. This is the home of the Bytha peoples, some of whom are seafarers themselves, occa- sionally visiting Thule. **Isle of Bones:** This large, mountainous island is not covered in bones, as wild tales in the ports of Thule sometimes claim. It is in some ways a smaller version of Thule: A handful of small towns huddle around harbors at the west end of the island, nomadic herdsmen live in the interior, and the high vales of the eastern mountains are a forbidding and uninhabited wilderness. Here lies the place from which the island takes its name, a great valley where thousands upon thousands of beasts—some recognizable as animals common in the northern world, but many not— have left their bones. Smaller deposits can be found scattered throughout the remote eastern vales. Few humans venture to this desolate wilderness, and even the boldest collectors of fossil ivory do not linger long. **Umn Tsav:** West of Hellumar lies a land covered in mighty forests where the primitive Umni tribes roam. Most of the Umni are shy and reclusive hunters, with no tools or technology other than bone, stone, wood, and fire. However, some of the coastal tribes know how to build surprisingly sturdy hide boats, and occasionally raid the western parts of Thule. No cities or ancient ruins are known to exist in Umn Tsav; civi- lization has never touched this land, and few explorers or traders have ventured deep into its wilderness. Those who have report that Umn Tsav is in truth a continent of its own, perhaps even larger than Thule itself.

Blood & Tears
\page ## The Cities & Locales of Xoth ### Lamu, the Mountain Fastness #### The City of Lamra In the city of Lamra, in the land of Lamu, the dreaded priests of Yot-Kamoth have built a temple to house their terrible god, which is a colossal eightlegged spider-idol, carved from the black stone of a fallen star. Great is the power of the spider-priests of Lamu, for they outnumber even the austere priestesses of Nhakhramat and the muffled priests of Yadar, and they ride as kings through the shadowed streets of Lamra. But though the iron-fisted rule of the priests is largely uncontested, such ruthless men and women as worship Yot-Kamoth are often at war with each other, driven by ambition and power-thirst. The cunning rule of wily old Hamadara, High Priest of Yot- Kamoth, is uncontested, but his priestly cohorts are in a constant struggle for predominance. Utilizing a extensive network of spies and informers, Hamadara keeps well abreast of temple intrigue and fuels priestly rivalries; as long as his minions are busy infighting, his position is unassailable. ### Susrah, Land of Warring City-States #### The City of Yaatana There are many depraved cities in the land of Susrah, such as red-walled Zhaol where children are burned as sacrifice to Maggash the fire-god, and the cesspool of vice that is the harbour city of Ghazor. But Yaatana, at the headwaters of the Ophrat River, is said to be the most wicked city of them all, and so all manner of debased folk flock to it, like insects attracted to a greasy torch. This wealthy trading post along the route from the city- states of Susrah to Khazistan and Jairan in the west is noted for its sinful back alleys and nefarious inhabitants. It is a city of furtive sorcerers, strange and depraved cults, and a place where the most perverted desires can be fulfilled by the arrangements of fat merchants eager to sell anything. The city is old and surrounded by ancient clay walls faced with colourful glazed tiles. Tarnished golden domes and marble minarets are visible beyond the walls as one approaches the city. The massive main gate is over 600 years old and receives a constant stream of visitors entering and leaving. With somewhat over 14,000 inhabitants, Yaatana has over hundred temples (and probably double that number of hidden or secret underground shrines), a dozen public bath- houses, and almost 6,000 houses, most of which are several stories high, topped with flat roofs, and decorated with elaborate friezes and intricately carved windows. Yaatana is ruled by an elected governor, but the real power is said to be in a council of seven men drawn from the ranks of wealthy merchants, sorcerers, and high priests. The armed forces of the city are mostly comprised of mercenaries; law is enforced haphazardly and most laws are ignored as long as money from trade keeps flowing into the city. The local magistrates are notoriously corrupt and rule in favour of the biggest bribe. In the central souk (market), a variety of goods, including meat, spices, cotton, silverware, copper, and pottery can be bargained for. There are a number of smaller, more specialized souks dealing with slaves, weapons and drugs scattered throughout the city. #### The City of Ghazor The harbour city of Ghazor is located strategically at the mouth of the Ophrat River. It has a large navy of galleys, which is used to protect the sea lanes from the raids of the sea reavers of Khora, as well as in occasional clashes with the Nabastissean fleet. As one of the Susrahnite city-states, Ghazor is ruled independently by the petty king Rahim-Dul, but is allied with the other cities of Susrah through treaties and intermarriage. The city has around 22,000 inhabitants. Much trade flows through Ghazor, arriving by boats from the south, and carried inland by river barges or donkey caravans. The trade goods include Susrahnite wine, spices from Laksha and Azjan, dried fruit, slaves, and pearls harvested off the coast of Zadj. The main ziggurat of the city is dedicated to Baal-Khardah, but the sea-god Yammosh is more popular among the many sailors and merchant-captains. Offerings of gold and animals are often made to the temple of Yammosh before any sea- voyage. The southern quarters of the city, home to sailors, slavers, mercenaries and other foreigners, is well-known outside Ghazor for its many depraved vices and lawless atmosphere. The king and his nobles, busy with their own schemes and pleasures behind massive palace walls to the north, largely ignore the unruly docks. Thus the southern seafront is rarely patrolled by the city guard, but the naval docks to the northeast are well-guarded. #### The City of Belthaar This city, located west of the Ophrat river, is one of the smallest city-states of Susrah, with a population of only 12,000 people, yet its foundations are ancient and rest on a maze of catacombs, and its gloomy, serpentine streets wind their way between mighty monuments and hoary towers. There are temples and ziggurats dedicated to Belet-Lil, Baal-Khardah, Yadar, and a multitude of others. Belthaar is currently ruled by the petty king Simashattar III, whose army of pikemen and charioteers are involved in a three-way war with its bigger neighbours, Zhaol and Ghezath. Despite his small army, Simashattar has avoided defeat by capturing a princeling of Ghezath and holding him hostage.

Blood & Tears
\page ### The Zorab Mountains The foothills of the mighty Zorab Mountains separate the plains of Susrah from the steppes and deserts of Khazistan. The feuding clans of the Zorabi inhabit impregnable stone towers carved into the mountain-sides. From here, they sally forth to raid each other and the neighboring people of Lamu and Susrah, and also their nominal sovereign Khazistan. These mountain-men wear cloaks of wolf fur, white turbans, and all warriors have full beards bristling with curly black hair. #### Kharjah Pass, Gateway to Empire The Kharjah Pass is the only crossing traversable other than on foot (although several secret passes, known only to the Zorabi mountain peoples, are rumoured to exist), and is guarded by mountain tribes loyal – at least in name — to the Padishah of Khazistan. The tribesmen collect taxes from caravans passing through the pass. They claim one-tenth of the value of trade goods carried (the majority of this tax is in turn supposed to be brought as tribute to Khazabad), as well as a fixed amount for each man, horse or camel making the passage. However, the tribesmen are not above demanding much more if they think they can get away with it. ### The Al-Khazi Desert, the Howling Waste The wastelands of the al-Khazi Desert are harsh and inhospitable to city-dwellers, ignorant of the secrets of the nomads. The al-Khazi is very hot (the average daytime temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius), and the majority of this desert is covered with vast sand dunes, broken up here and there by areas of stony desert with hills, jagged rocks and wind-worn cliffs. #### The Khazraj, Wolves of the Desert At the fringes of the Khazistani Empire, the wild Khazraj nomads (themselves descended from the same racial stock as the Khazistani peoples) are a constant menace to caravans and travellers; sometimes even outlying villages and towns of Khazistan, Yar-Ammon and Jairan are subject to raids from these free-willed nomad clans. These Khazraj raiders are lean, wolfish men dressed in gleaming white khalats and green turbans. Their skin is a wrinkled bronze. The nomads sit easily atop their camels, striking down foes with curved swords, but prefer to attack from a distance, using their bows from atop their war camels. ### Khazistan, the Golden Empire The Padishah of Khazistan is currently the most powerful monarch of the western continent of Xoth. Showing little signs of complacency, the power of Khazistan seems to be still growing, and its shadow looms large over Jairan and Yar- Ammon and is felt also in Susrah. Khazabad, city of glittering domes, is the residence of the Padishah, and with easily more than 150,000 inhabitants, the largest city of western Xoth.
#### The City of Zul-Bazzir Zul-Bazzir is the western metropolis of Khazistan and the largest city of the desert, located amidst lush palm trees in the sprawling oasis of Zul. It was founded five centuries ago by Yar-Ammonite traders from the south and grew quickly into a major center of trade, a stopover for all major caravan routes through the al-Khazi desert. In the last century, Zul-Bazzir was conquered by the Khazistani horsemen coming out of the western steppes. Sizeable populations of Yar-Ammonites remain, along with people from Susrah, Jairan and elsewhere, and the city remains a thriving place of commerce, housing a population of maybe as much as 33,000 people. Located on the westernmost edge of Khazistani influence, the city is often threatened by foreign invasion and raids. Despite this, Zul-Bazzir is unwalled, although the bey’s sprawling palace-citadel is protected by a tall inner city wall. Khadim Bey, the governor of the city, depends heavily on mercenaries to defend against occasional Yar-Ammonite intrigues, Jairanian ambitions, and the raids of wild Khazraj nomads. He maintains an army of about 5,000 men, two thirds of which are foreign mercenaries, mostly from Yemar in Jairan. Typical houses are two-story buildings with flat roofs. Nobles and wealthy merchants live in walled mansions with lush gardens and artificial pools. Between the outer districts where foreigners and slaves throng, and the golden minarets and spires of the inner citadel, are bustling markets, souks and bazaars. Lesser streets wind their way through the maze- like districts of the city, where beggars and thieves skulk and revelers feast at night. ### The Jungle Kingdoms of the South #### Katanga Katanga is the only town of any importance in the kingdom of Shoma; the lesser "towns" are merely crude villages scattered across the grassy plains. South and east of Katanga are the Shining Hills, jungle-covered highlands that abound with gold. Approaching the town, great herds of cattle can be seen; these belong to the king himself and many of the animals wear ornaments of beaten gold. The cattle in each herd number in the hundreds, but are guarded closely by scores of spearmen. Katanga itself is surrounded by a wooden palisade, inside which over 8,000 people huddle together in wretched huts. The average citizens of Katanga are poor, but free, for the rulers of the Shoma do not keep slaves. However, people don’t live to be old, so almost two thirds of the population are children and young adults. Most live in buildings of sun-dried mud with roofs of straw along with their animals, mostly goats and fowl.

Blood & Tears
\page The spacious inner city, forbidden to commoners, is ringed by a great mud-brick wall. Its gates are adorned with massive ivory tusks taken from the greatest specimens of elephants. A guard of spearmen at each gate makes sure that only nobles, royal guards, priests, merchants and foreign dignitaries are allowed entry to the inner city, which houses the royal palace and cattle pens, the temple of Nataka, and the workshops of the goldsmiths. The current king is Mashota, a middle-aged man with many wives and several young heirs, all fighting for the king’s attention and favours. #### Azimba and the City of Zimballah The terrain of northern Azimba is dominated by savannah, while the southern regions are covered by jungle. Throughout the land are hundreds of stone statues in the likeness of Jul- Juggah, a great lizard-bird carved with monstrous features and outstretched, leathery wings. The statues range from three to ten meters in height. They are sacred and offerings, sometimes including blood sacrifice, are regularly placed in front of the statues by the priests of Jul-Juggah. To touch the statues or steal the offerings is an offense punishable by death. The main city, Zimballah, is situated to the west, in the foothills of the Shining Hills. Although there are dozens of lesser stone-walled settlements within Azimba’s borders, concentrated mostly in the northern savannah lands, whoever holds Zimballah dominates the region and can claim to be king of Azimba. However, the king must be on good terms with the influential cult of Jul-Juggah, whose high priest formally appoints new kings and provides advice and auguries to the royal house. Zimballah is sometimes simply called "the City of Stone" by virtue of its size and importance. Surrounded by hills, the city has massive walls, towers, and multiple interior gates. No one knows who reared Zimballah’s massive, concentric walls and circular towers. The outer walls are ten meters tall and four meters thick, and are fitted seamlessly together without the use of mortar. Close to 18,000 inhabitants throng Zimballah’s inner districts, with several hundred merchants, animal-herders, peasants, mercenaries and beggars living in semi-permanent caravan camps outside the city walls. Foreigners are free to roam the market and residential districts, although all must return to the foreign district at night, when the gates are closed. At the top of the hillside in which Zimballah nestles is the noble district, which houses the royal palace, the houses of the nobles, the barracks of the king’s guard and the city’s granaries, and finally the temple of Jul-Juggah. It is a testament to the cult’s influence in Zimballah that the shrine of Jul-Juggah is more grand and imposing than the palace’s throne room. The city is an important trading center in the jungle kingdoms region. Cattle and ornaments of beaten gold from Shoma, steel swords and cut gems from Zadj, jungle herbs and animal-skins from Mazania, carpets and peacock feathers from Jairan, and even silks and ceramics from far-off Taikang finds its way here. In a desolate valley north of the city walls are the "Caverns of Bone", ancient burial-places for the Azimban dead. The high priest of Jul-Juggah has placed a taboo on the valley, preventing people from worshipping their ancestors, claiming the caverns are haunted by the restless and malign ghosts of the dead. ### Yar-Ammon, the Kingdom of Tombs The mysterious land of Yar-Ammon continues many ancient traditions harkening back to Elder Kuth and other, even more obscure prehuman roots. For its people, the afterlife seems to be more real than their mortal existence. High and low alike are buried as they can afford, making the country rightfully known as the "Kingdom of Tombs". The grandest of these are the pyramids, immemorially ancient man-made mountains of stone erected along the marshy banks of the Purple River. #### Amenti, City of the Star-Temples Yar-Ammon’s capital and only seaport is Amenti, located slightly inland in the northern part of the Purple River’s delta. It is an old and alien city, as majestic as it is forbidding, dominated by the High King’s palace, broad ceremonial avenues, and – most of all – the pylon-flanked, black temples dedicated to Yar- Ammon’s mysterious Star-Gods, whose chief priest is the High King himself. #### Pi-Fakhuum, City in the Swamp In the marshy delta where the twin rivers run down from the Tomb Hills, sits the city of Pi-Fakhuum with its great temple of Yibboth, the golden toad-thing, and the lesser shrines dedicated to all the aquatic creatures that slither and croak in the night. Besides being an important cult-center, the city also controls the supply of stone from quarries upriver, as well as the production of papyrus from the marsh reeds. #### KHADIS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE RED SPHINX: Another important population centre is the oasis city of Khadis to the far north. With some 8,000 permanent inhabitants, Khadis is one of Yar-Ammon’s smaller cities, but important as the gateway to Khazistan, who grows ever more covetous of it as Khadis’ king, old Akhtesh, shows signs of slipping into dementia. As with all towns of Yar-Ammon, Khadis has one god who is its patron and revered above all others. In Khadis, this is the hyena-god. Its idol, a colossal faceless sphinx, towers above the streets of Khadis. It is said to be older than humanity, and to guard soul-blasting secrets. Some also whisper about half-men slinking in from the desert during moonless nights and howling in worship of the Red Sphinx.

Blood & Tears
\page ### The Eastern Sea #### Khora and the Isles of the Sea Reavers Hopefully you will have entered of your own free will and not as a slave, either to a person or to a vice. Regardless, few will have little or no idea the scale of debauchery and villainy that waits in these infamous dens of iniquity. The folk of the isles as a whole are seducers and harlots, torturers and slavers, assassins and kidnappers, zealots and thieves. The denizens of Khora, however, are even worse... Khora is the largest city of the isles, said to have over 5,000 residents; and is also the most lawless. Its strategic location has made it an excellent hideout for its conglomeration of merchants, thieves, bandits, soldiers, renegades, assassins, mercenaries, outlaws, cut-throats and ne’er-do-wells. Bar fights, riots, protests and general chaos are normal and common. Because of this, Khora has earned the nickname "the City of Blood". From Khora, the various brotherhoods of the Reavers sail forth and raid those wealthy merchant vessels traversing the sea between the isles and the coast and even as far as Northern Thule. When they flee back to their sanctuary, no warship dares enter Khora in pursuit, for it is zealously guarded by four forts of immense size, giving this den of murderers one of the best defended ports in the world, and the most feared. Men of all races and cultures came to this port to trade their treasures and booty, most looted on the high seas from ships flying the flags of Nabastis, Susrah, and Zadj. #### The Cannibal Coast The coastal Ikuna tribes are known to their neighbors as "man-eaters". Those forms of cannibalism include both resorting to human flesh during times of need, and ritual cannibalism, the latter usually consisting of eating a portion of an enemy warrior. When warriors from one tribe slew 1,000 enemies they remained on the battlefield «eating the vanquished until they were driven off by the smell of decaying bodies». It is said that when a believed sorcerer dies all members of the community will eat a portion of the eldritch one’s heart. Considered a great triumph, the Ikuna greatly enjoy eating their captives. They treat such captives with great cruelty and often break their legs to prevent them from attempting to escape before being eaten, while still keeping them alive so that they may brood over their impending fate. Female captives are always in great demand.

#### Silver Lotus Isles These isles are the haunt of the pygmy Djaka, who dwell within the deep jungle caves that dot the islands. There the Djaka cultivate delicate Silver Lotus for their hidden rituals. The islands are a warren of swamps, marshes, quicksand, and predatory wildlife, chief of which are the many enormous man-eating slugs long used to ritually feed on those who would trespass against the Djaka. The swamps themselves are a perilous place for the inexperienced or unwary. The few dry paths through these marshes are all kept privy by the Djaka. Dense clouds of swamp gas, marsh fog, and an endless tangle of drooping moss tends to make everything look the same. Many become hopelessly lost, go crazy, or circle for days before the end comes... usually a grisly one.

Blood & Tears
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# Special Thanks #### The Homebrewery #### Art by www.joelchaimoltzman.com

## Change log ## Pending Revisions - Add equipment to narratives

Blood & Tears