Folk Horror
Backgrounds
A M N E S I A C
Some portion of your past has been swallowed by
nothingness. The missing time could be a short
interval—mere days or weeks gone from your memory—
or you might have only vague hints at best of who
you are and where you are from. Flashes of déjà vu
are common, taunting you with recollection, but they
almost always slip away, as ungraspable as the mists of
Druskenvald. An injury, some traumatic experience, or
the magical workings of a spell or curse could be the
culprit behind your amnesia.
Feat: Memory Starved (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two (see below)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one (see below)
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) book (personal notes),
ink, ink pen, traveler’s clothes, 11 gp; or (B) 50 gp
SCATTERED MEMORIES
You don’t choose skill proficiencies or a tool proficiency
when you select this background, and you don’t choose
any languages other than Common during character
creation—these are parts of your past that you are
missing. Instead, you can pick one of those proficiencies
or languages during play at any time. The knowledge
might return in a spontaneous flash, even as you make
a roll that relies on the proficiency, or slowly emerge as
you struggle to solve a problem. Once you choose one
of these features, you can’t choose another one until you
gain a level.
The GM might rule that you can choose a new
recalled feature early if something reminds you of your
past, such as finding a piece of evidence from your
missing memories or experiencing an event similar
to one you have forgotten. Of particular value is an
event relating to one of the story threads or trinkets
presented below.
BUILDING AN AMNESIAC
Any character can face misfortune or a choice that steals
their memory. Consider how your character came to
lose their memory. Was it lost through injury or illness,
or did something more sinister steal it with a toxin or
curse? You might decide to leave this choice up to the
GM, letting you as a player discover the cause alongside
your character.
Suggested Story Threads. This background presents
a paradox when considering threads to weave through
a campaign, since the character may not remember
them. Work with the GM to create some leading events
or people that can serve as constants to trace a path
through the void of the character’s past, especially if the
GM can insert existing nonplayer characters into the
thread to strengthen these connections. The Amnesiac
Story Threads table suggests events and people who can
be the start of these threads.
Amnesiac Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You have recurring dreams of someone you might
recognize on your adventures.
2 You absent-mindedly doodle the same design or
symbol over and over.
3 A friend has been traveling the provinces of
Druskenvald with a caravan, searching for any hint
of your past as they do.
4 A rhyme or song you’ve never heard before comes
to mind when your thoughts wander.
5 Rainbow colors, such as those on a soap bubble or
oil slick, fill you with unexplained terror.
6 You have a fragmented recollection of traveling to a
remote place in the mountains.
Amnesiac Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Amnesiac Trinkets table instead
of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Amnesiac Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 Half of a tarnished silver ring with a partial
inscription in a language you don’t understand
2 A music box that plays a sad tune you recognize
but can’t identify
3 A short note addressed to you signed with a name
you don’t recognize
4 A thin silk scarf with a fading scent that stirs
familiarity
5 A toy horse with unfamiliar initials inked on it
6 A locket whose portrait is burnt and unrecognizable
C R I M S O N A S P I R A N T
You have delved into the forces that animate all life—
even those that counterfeit life, such as Constructs
and Undead. Many of these studies concentrate on the
nature of blood and its power to sustain life and transmit
vital essence, binding the soul to the flesh. You might
have apprenticed under a sly-hearted mentor or a secret
cabal focused on understanding or even manipulating
life and death. You may have learned from a detailed
treatise that you’ve put into practice, daring to become
versed in the forbidden arts.
Feat: Crimson Ritualist (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Medicine
Tool Proficiency: Herbalism kit
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Herbalism kit, dagger,
fine clothes, healer’s kit, 3 vials, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A CRIMSON ASPIRANT
Characters who value study and learning, as well as
those with a capacity to heal the injuries and illnesses
of others, readily become crimson aspirants. More
physically inclined characters can be drawn to the
teachings of blood to tap into their increased vital
energies, as can those who are sickly or weak in hopes of
overcoming that adversity.
Suggested Story Threads. The Crimson Aspirant
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Crimson Aspirant Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Sometimes when you bleed, you hear whispers
from your fallen blood that tease with meaning.
2 You were trained by a remote monastery, but your
mentor ushered you out one morning in a panic
and sent you away.
3 A plague carried in the blood defies cures, and you
must find its origin.
4 Your mentor, who inducted you into the secrets
held within life and blood, vanished suddenly.
5 Your studies reveal a spate of anemia cases,
some ending in death, as the predations of
blood-drinking monsters.
6 A loved one, such as a paramour or sibling, has
died, and your studies hint at a way to bring
them back.
Crimson Aspirant Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Crimson Aspirant
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Crimson Aspirant Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A glass pendant with a single drop of blood
suspended within
2 A long scroll with an anatomical study and
description of how life energy flows through
the body
3 A handkerchief with a blood drop pressed into
the center
4 A polished bloodstone for balancing vital energy
5 A vial of blood that never coagulates or dries
6 A small box of ashes said to be from a martyr who
was falsely accused of vampirism and burned at
the stake
C R O S S R O A D S G A M B L E R
You’ve made your bones on games of chance, and one
day your games crossed the line into something far
more serious. You might have played for your soul
against a Fiend, matched wits with ancient forest
Fey in a riddle contest, or rolled dice with the fabled
Mister Crossroads.
Feat: Fate Gambler (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Insight
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of gaming set
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Gaming set (same as
above), caltrops, fine clothes, fine wine (bottle), 23 gp;
or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A CROSSROADS GAMBLER
Characters who live by their wits, such as rogues and
bards, find the call of a crossroads gambler appealing,
though anyone could find themselves in the position of
playing for stakes higher than they could ever imagine...
or pay. A spellcaster who conjured the wrong entity
may find themself a gambler. The desperate who sought
out a mysterious figure to throw dice and match wits
for power or salvation can find their fates bound to
the crossroads.
Suggested Story Threads. The Crossroads Gambler
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Crossroads Gambler Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Someone you thought was a friend tricked you into
making your bargain.
2 You’ve found that if you go too long without
making a wager, your luck starts to turn sour.
3 You only feel alive in the midst of a contest.
4 You lost your bet, and you’re on the run from the
thing surely coming to collect.
5 Someone close to you made a wager and lost. You
made your deal to try and find them.
6 You’ve been gambling for a long time, and you’re
tired. Now all you want is a way out.
Crossroads Gambler Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Crossroads
Gambler Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Crossroads Gambler Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A lucky coin made of a strange material, such as
green steel or bone
2 A battered, blood-stained six of hearts playing card
3 A torn journal page of a long-missing gambler who
was hopeful to win their fortune from a being they
describe but fail to name
4 The preserved foot of a rabbit, owl, or weasel
5 A six-sided die that somehow seems to have too
many 2s when closely examined
6 A silver-plated ivory chess rook
C U L T I S T
You have been inducted into a secret society that
venerates or pursues power from some otherworldly
source. The cultists might serve as minions of an entity
they worship, or they may seek to understand and claim
its might for their own. Depending on the malevolence
of the cult’s patron or the malefic purposes they may
serve, cultists could be a force of wickedness or a group
of closely bonded and dedicated people who pursue a
common, if esoteric, goal.
Feat: Cult Initiate (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, choose one (Cultist
Affinity table skill recommended)
Language: Choose one (Cultist Affinity table language
recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Calligrapher’s supplies,
costume (cult garb), holy symbol (amulet: cult
insignia), traveler’s clothes, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
Cultist Affinities
Cult Patron Skill Language
Aberration Perception Deep Speech
Celestial Religion Celestial
Fiend (Demon) Religion Abyssal
Fiend (Devil) Religion Infernal
Fey Nature Sylvan
CULT VENERATION
Cults propitiate beings of otherworldly power in hopes
of sharing in that potency. Choose what type of cult you
joined, such as the following.
Aberration. Alien creatures with inscrutable
mindsets and motivations. Many originate from outside
the known multiverse.
Celestial. Beings of the Upper Planes, and paragons
of order or benevolence. Many can be overbearing
and uncompromising.
Fiend (Demon). Creatures of utter evil and
destruction that want to see all worlds and planes burn.
Fiend (Devil). Beings of cunning wickedness who
prize structure and obedience. They seek to subjugate
others and condemn souls.
Fey. Capricious beings often associated with nature
and emotional extremes. They can be beautiful, terrible,
intoxicating, and horrific.
BUILDING A CULTIST
Cultists are often lost souls—individuals severed from
the fabric of society whose cult became a manipulative,
surrogate family. Consider if your character agrees with
the aims of the cult, if they fled the group, or if they
remain for infiltration purposes.
Suggested Story Threads. The Cultist Story Threads
table suggests events and people who can be the start
of story threads for your character that weave through
the campaign.
Cultist Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You learned that the cult that took you in
manipulated you throughout your life.
2 A member of your cult betrayed and killed your
leader and mentor.
3 Your cult’s activities aroused the ire and
superstition of locals, deserved or not.
4 You followed a loved one into joining the cult,
trying to find out what happened to them.
5 You met someone who forced you to see the cult
you always venerated in a different light.
6 You joined the cult to save yourself from an
incurable illness or other certain doom.
Cultist Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Cultist Trinkets table instead of
on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Cultist Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A sealed scroll of esoteric knowledge
2 A steel ball bearing etched over its entire surface
with your cult’s sacred text
3 A crystal that feels strange to the touch
4 A ritual knife stained with blood, sap, or oils
5 A set of copper tattoo needles
6 An embroidered cloth half mask
D RUS K E N VA L D DW EL L E R
You hail from one of the thirteen baneful provinces of
Druskenvald. You might be a member of the unique
species known to originate from those diverse biomes,
or you may be of a different heritage altogether. The
skills and culture of your home (summarized below)
shape your knowledge and early experiences.
Feat: Choose one Crooked Moon feat (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Survival, choose one (Province
Affinity table skill recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one (Province Affinity table
tool recommended)
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Artisan’s tools (same
as above), map (Druskenvald’s provinces), traveler’s
clothes, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
Province Affinities
Province Skill Tool
Ardengloom History Herbalism kit
Astramar Arcana Navigator’s tools
Bubonia Medicine Poisoner’s kit
Chernabos Deception Calligrapher’s supplies
Edwardia Investigation Tinker’s tools
Enoch Nature Leatherworker’s tools
Kalero Performance Musical instrument
Olmarsh Arcana Cartographer’s supplies
Nerukhet Persuasion Weaver’s tools
Pholsense Religion Mason’s tools
Picco Performance Woodworker’s tools
Syndramas Athletics Cook’s utensils
Zulrogg Survival Herbalism kit
BUILDING A DRUSKENVALD DWELLER
Any sort of character can be a Druskenvald dweller.
When you make your character, decide if you belong
to the species associated with your home province,
or if you are of another kind who was raised outside
the home of most of your species. This decision itself
may determine truths about your character to be
experienced throughout your journeys in Druskenvald.
Suggested Story Threads. The Druskenvald Dweller
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Druskenvald Dweller Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You were left on a church doorstep as an infant.
The only clue to your origin is the torn cloak used
as a blanket.
2 You fled your home province after being accused of
a crime, whether justly or not.
3 After hearing stories of other provinces, you struck
out to see more of Druskenvald.
4 Members of a trade caravan stole something or
harmed someone dear to you.
5 You made a desperate pact with an ashborn and
now seek to nullify the contract.
6 A vicious bogborn bounty hunter trails you.
Druskenvald Dweller Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Druskenvald
Dweller Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Druskenvald Dweller Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A brass needle with a dangling bit of broken thread
2 A dull, rusty sickle with a bone handle
3 A star chart etched onto a crystal plate
4 A wicker doll with bloodstained bead eyes
5 A length of chain that sometimes rattles when
left unattended
6 A mummified hand preserved in bog peat
E X P E R I ME N T
You are forever altered in some drastic, physical way,
perhaps even made monstrous. A blasphemous fusion
of science, alchemy, and magic changed you, possibly to
mend some unrecoverable malady, or to test the limits
of your biology. The process was a success, at least to a
point, but the change left its mark on you. The indelible
warping of your form can be a source of fear for those
who do not understand what they see.
Feat: Altered (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Medicine
Tool Proficiency: Alchemist’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Alchemist’s supplies,
manacles, perfume (to cover chemical smell), traveler’s
clothes (with hooded cloak), 5 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING AN EXPERIMENT
An experiment can come from any class or walk of life.
Were you kidnapped and altered against your will, or
did you volunteer for a heinous procedure? Was the
experimenting done purely for discovery, to overcome
a worse fate, or for someone to play at being a god?
Whatever the reason, the process is never pleasant, and
it always leaves scars—both those you can see and those
that have marked your very soul.
Suggested Story Threads. The Experiment Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Experiment Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A particular song stirs feelings of sadness and
overwhelming anger in you, reminding you of the
process that changed you.
2 A portion of your altered body is very clearly
grafted from a different person, and they might
want it back.
3 Another person was changed alongside you. They
fled before you left, urging you to do the same.
4 You have recurring nightmares of the procedure
you endured, sometimes seeing glimpses of faces
in the dream that you don’t recognize.
5 Your physical difference invites curiosity and
attention, which for some reason is more
disturbing than disdain or fear.
6 A peculiar symbol is branded on or near
your alteration.
Experiment Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Experiment Trinkets
table instead of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Experiment Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A syringe with a faintly glowing purple residue
2 A wrench that is the only one that fits a bit of
simple machinery built into your body
3 A sheaf of chemical-stained parchments covered in
incomprehensible notes and schematics
4 A spool of silver thread that matches stitches in
your altered body part
5 A metal hip flask with strange runes scratched into
one side
6 A smooth stone that comforts and soothes you
when you hold it tightly
G HO S T L I G H T PA S S E N G E R
Once, even before your most recent travel to
Druskenvald, you rode the deathly train known as the
Ghostlight Express. Your memories of that journey might
be hazy and dreamlike, or they could be sharp and
jarring in their clarity. You learned some of the workings
of the ghostly engine and formed a connection with the
conductor and fellow travelers that has stayed with you.
At times, you are even more comfortable with the dead
than the living.
Feat: Ghostlight Medium (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion
Tool Proficiency: Smith’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Smith’s tools, bullseye
lantern, fine clothes, oil (3 flasks), 5 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A GHOSTLIGHT PASSENGER
Every person in Druskenvald travels the Ghostlight
Express at least once, but very few form the deep and
lasting connection that you have. Your first trip on the
train might have been a near death experience from
which you were saved, or perhaps you did die in earnest
but were resurrected later.
Characters attuned to spirits or the lands of the
dead, such as clerics, paladins, or those who had brushes
with death, are the most common to exhibit this
deep connection.
Suggested Story Threads. The Ghostlight Passenger
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Ghostlight Passenger Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Sometimes when you dream, you find yourself
back on the Ghostlight Express in more than just a
dream image.
2 Your first journey to the lands of the dead was
confusing, but you realized you now may be able
to find the departed spirit of a loved one once
thought lost forever.
3 A specific spirit returns to speak to and through
you repeatedly.
4 People sometimes speak to you as if they know you
but later have no recollection of the conversation.
During those moments of recognition, they know
details from your visits on the Ghostlight Express.
5 You sometimes see people in your travels who you
recognize from your time on the Ghostlight Express.
6 Someone greeted you with knowledge of your first
journey on the Ghostlight Express, but you don’t
remember them.
Ghostlight Passenger Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Ghostlight
Passenger Trinkets table instead of on the normal
starting Trinkets table.
Ghostlight Passenger Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A slate board smeared with erased chalk, where
you sometimes find words scratched
2 A lump of coal that never burns away and gives off
wispy smoke
3 A torn ticket stub that is slightly translucent
4 A dented train conductor’s whistle that only the
dead can hearN I G H T S T A L K E R
Once you were prey, stalked by a monster through the
dark of night. Now, you are the hunter, and the things
which you once feared will learn the true meaning of
dread. You have become far deadlier, hungrier, and
crueler than the monster that once hunted you. You are,
yourself, the monster now—a fearsome creature once
thought to slake its hunger on you or those close to you.
You survived, and your would-be killer will have its own
destruction in turn.
Feat: Hunter of Hunters (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, and one other of
your choice from the following list: Arcana, History,
Religion, Nature
Tool Proficiency: Leatherworker’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Leatherworker’s tools,
book (one creature type), hooded lantern, hunting
trap, oil (3 flasks), traveler’s clothes, 8 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A NIGHT STALKER
Consider how you joined the hunt against the creatures
of the night. Did you lose someone close to you or
survive an attack? Perhaps you were raised in a family
line of dedicated hunters. Rangers, rogues, and barbarians
make fearsome night stalkers, as does any character with a
passion to oppose these deadly creatures.
Suggested Story Threads. The Night Stalker Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Night Stalker Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You’re hunting the creature that slew your
loved ones.
2 You started your hunt with zeal but quickly find
that you’re losing your stomach for it.
3 As you learn more about the creatures of the night,
you discover that some of your initial thoughts
about them were wrong.
4 You failed to stand up to a creature and saved
yourself instead of someone else. Now you try to
make up for that shame.
5 The monsters you hunt terrify you to your soul,
and you lash out to deny your fear.
6 Your fervent hunt is a cover for your desire to
become something more than mortal.
Night Stalker Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Night Stalker Trinkets
table instead of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Night Stalker Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A necklace of yellowed fangs
2 A series of letters showing a person’s personality
sharply eroding into incoherence and raving
3 A knife made from a massive creature’s claw
4 A casting of a monstrous footprint
5 A hide or pelt from a vicious beast
6 A glass eye that normal animals shy away from
R E F L E C T E D W A N D E R E R
You were once whole, but part of you has been
separated from your being and now also wanders the
world. This aspect of you took your reflection and
shadow with it, and it travels about as a mirage that
looks identical to you. You know this other self is out
there—you can feel it—but what it wants and why is lost
on you. Sometimes you encounter a stranger that knows
you—for good or ill—though you’ve never met them
before, and you can’t help but wonder if they met the
other you.
Feat: Unreflected (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Investigation
Tool Proficiency: Disguise kit
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Disguise kit, mirror,
traveler’s clothes, 16 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REFLECTED WANDERER
Any character can be a reflected wanderer. How was it
that your being came to be divided? How much do you
understand about your situation? Are you truly who
you think you are, or are you, in reality, the very castoff
reflection of your other self ?
Suggested Story Threads. The Reflected Wanderer
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Reflected Wanderer Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A close, long-term relationship went suddenly sour
as if you wronged the other person.
2 Your other self leaves you messages and signs
as it travels, sometimes seeming fond and other
times resentful.
3 Animals are unsettled by you, becoming skittish
and restless in your presence.
4 You’re wanted for several minor crimes you never
committed, though eyewitnesses named you. Over
time, more crimes of increasing severity occur.
5 Someone you’ve been at odds with begins treating
you with more respect and kindness.
6 Mirrors sometimes crack when you touch them.
Reflected Wanderer Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Reflected Wanderer
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Reflected Wanderer Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A shattered hand mirror
2 An invitation to a powerful person’s home whom
you’ve never met
3 A locket with your silhouette painted in it on both
sides, facing each other
4 A short, derisive letter from yourself that you don’t
remember writing
5 A brooch delivered to you that you didn’t purchase
6 A piece of chalk that writes in a different color than
it appears to be
R E S T W A R D E N
In a place closer to the lands of the dead than the
living, those who tend the eternal rest and disposition
of the deceased are held in a mixture of high esteem
and apprehension. You have plied the trade of the
gravedigger, the mortician, and the embalmer. There are
times when you have been the only one to say a kind
word in honor of those who passed. The depredations of
the Undead are well-known to you, and you don’t suffer
their meddling in the rest of your charges.
Feat: Grave Keeper (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Survival
Tool Proficiency: Mason’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Mason’s tools, hooded
lantern, oil (3 flasks), shovel, soap, traveler’s clothes
(with thick gloves and dark-colored hood), 10 gp; or
(B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REST WARDEN
Rest wardens tend to be either a dour and somber
lot or—in contrast to their trade—are filled with the
vibrance and joy of life. Those who understand the
thin thread between life and death or who possess the
strength to dig graves beneath moonlit skies and tend
the bone orchards where the dead sleep are called to
serve as rest wardens.
Suggested Story Threads. The Rest Warden Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Rest Warden Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A strange figure commissioned you to carve a
headstone for someone who is very much in the
prime of life.
2 In a time of desperation, you once accepted a
sizeable bribe to look the other way when someone
robbed a grave.
3 You spent time learning from Yorgrim, gravedigger
and caretaker of the Maidenmist Cemetery.
4 Someone violated graves under your watch and
stole away with the corpses.
5 You comforted a child at their parent’s funeral and
have taken a protective shine to them.
6 A loved one once rose from the grave as an
Undead creature. You vowed to bring them to their
final rest.
Rest Warden Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Rest Warden
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Rest Warden Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A prayer slip and seal covered in verses to protect
the departed
2 A charcoal rubbing of a gravestone epitaph
3 A coffin nail that always ends up bent, no matter
how many times you straighten it
4 A dried flower cleaned from one of the first graves
you tended
5 A length of rusty iron chain and padlock
6 A sealed bottle containing a final breath
R E V E L E R
For a time, you traveled with the Lord of Fools’ strange
and unsettling revelry. Whether you are still welcome
in that company, or you’ve struck off on your own, your
time with the troupe revealed some of its nature to
you—that the Lord of Fools serves some great entity
who prizes humor and merriment, often at the expense
of the mighty. But he is no mere jester. Beneath the
mask of mockery and merriment is a mad creature who
demands sacrifice.
Feat: Reveling Fool (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Stealth
Language: Choose one (Abyssal recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of musical
instrument
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Musical instrument
(same as above), ball bearings, costume (jovial
character with a laughing mask), hunting trap,
manacles, 3 torches (for juggling), traveler’s clothes, 10
gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REVELER
The simultaneous beauty and uncomfortable truth of
the revelers is that they can be anyone. Hidden by their
masks and costumes, one’s friends, family, servants, or
lords could be capering about the ribbon-twined pole
and leading impressionable folk away when the revel
withdraws. How might a reveler behave differently in
each guise?
Suggested Story Threads. The Reveler Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Reveler Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Posters depicting drawings of your reveler guise
have started showing up in towns after the fool’s
revel leaves.
2 Once you learned the truth of the revels—that
some of the people who vanish ostensibly to join
the revel are sacrificed—you seized the first chance
to slip away.
3 Recently, more people than usual have gone
missing from towns in the revel’s wake.
4 Crows, owls, and other birds seem to cackle and
laugh in your presence.
5 You have grown suspicious that another
reveler has a sinister motive concealed by their
jester’s guise.
6 You left the revel when you caught a glimpse of
the wickedness lurking beneath the Lord of Fool’s
jovial veneer.
Reveler Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Reveler Trinkets table instead
of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Reveler Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A small wind-up bell that you can conceal in the
palm of your hand with a button to activate it
2 A dented metal spray bottle
3 A string of colorful handkerchiefs tied together
4 A tarnished silver bell that sometimes refuses
to jingle
5 A pair of boots or slippers that squeak comically
with each step
6 A short scepter or baton with a horn on the cap
S C HO L A R O F T H E F O R B I D D E N
Delving into the brittle pages of ancient tomes and
weathered tablets carved with blasphemy, you have
unearthed secrets of eldritch beings of unfathomable
might. Most of their meaning slips like whispers out
of your grasp, but you have seized both forbidden
knowledge and cursed power from them. The deeper
you plunge into depravity, the more certainty you feel
that you are not there alone.
Feat: Dread Speech (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Intimidation
Language: Choose one (Deep Speech recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Calligrapher’s supplies,
book (a topic of arcana), ink, ink pen, lamp, oil (3
flasks), paper (10 sheets), 2 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A SCHOLAR OF
THE FORBIDDEN
Wizards and warlocks make the most common scholars
of the forbidden, but any character who stumbles onto
the dread truths waiting beneath the surface of reality
can find themselves walking the path. The secrets you
unveil could threaten to destabilize any number of
powerful beliefs and organizations, which makes you
dangerous to them.
Suggested Story Threads. The Scholar of the
Forbidden Story Threads table suggests events and
people who can be the start of story threads for your
character that weave through the campaign.
Scholar of the Forbidden Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A wealthy patron paid you handsomely to research
what led to your discoveries, and they want what
you found.
2 When you spoke aloud the first secret word you
deciphered, you passed out and woke hours later
to find your lips cracked and blackened.
3 Something has been following you since you
uncovered the illicit secrets. You sense it always
behind you, drawing closer.
4 Your shadow converses with you when you’re
alone, acting as a debate partner and sounding
board in your studies.
5 The reflections of your eyes are black voids, but no
one else seems to notice.
6 An order of inquisitors or witch hunters hound you
wherever you travel, seeking to silence you and
your discoveries forever.
Scholar of the Forbidden Trinkets. When you
make your character, you can roll once on the Scholar of
the Forbidden Trinkets table instead of on the normal
starting Trinkets table.
Scholar of the Forbidden Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A broken fragment of a stone table carved with
symbols that seem to slither and writhe
2 A desiccated bit of tentacle
3 A small soapstone idol that always seems to
end up in your pocket, bag, or otherwise on
your person
4 A book bound in Humanoid skin with blank pages
that absorb ink or other pigments
5 An alien eyeball floating in a jar of
preservative fluid
6 An antique amulet with indecipherable symbols,
that whispers at the edge of consciousness
when worn
WI C K E R W E AV E R
You know the ancient rites kept alive by secretive druids
and hedge practitioners in the shadowed groves of the
primordial forests. Remedies and hexes woven into
wicker charms can stave off misfortune and ward away
evil. They could just as likely invite gloom and the ire of
the old spirits.
Feat: Charm Twister (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Nature
Language: Sylvan
Tool Proficiency: Weaver’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Quarterstaff, weaver’s
tools, basket (with dry reeds ready to weave), book
(druidic lore), iron pot, traveler’s clothes, 19 gp; or (B)
50 gp
BUILDING A WICKER WEAVER
Compassionate characters driven by a deep connection
to the land and a passion to protect it become wicker
weavers. Druids of other circles might trade knowledge
with the Circle of Wicker. Healers and guardians alike
may seek out the Old Ways for remedies and protective
charms to ward off evil. Not all who come to the wicker
craft do so with noble intent—some, broken by spite and
twisted by their pain, wield the power of the wicker into
malicious revenge, lashing out with curses bound in twig
and bone and inflicting the wrath of the forest upon
those who wronged them.
Suggested Story Threads. The Wicker Weaver Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Wicker Weaver Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 One of the charms you created ensured a baby was
born healthy, and their family sends you small but
heartfelt gifts.
2 Your mentor who taught you the craft
has become increasingly withdrawn and
uncharacteristically agitated.
3 An order of druids, the Circle of Wicker, taught you
their ways. You aren’t certain why.
4 Someone offered you a shocking sum of coin to
twist a wicker charm for them. You’re tempted but
unsettled by the unwarranted generosity.
5 You traded a wicker charm for a child’s toy that
bound misfortune to its owner. You must keep it
until you can sell it, it’s stolen, or you lose it.
6 You wove a hex into a wicker charm to punish a
criminal, and they nurse that grudge still.
Wicker Weaver Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Wicker Weaver
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Wicker Weaver Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A crescent woven from wicker and laced with
silver wire
2 A glass bauble that was the first payment you
received for your hedge wisdom
3 A Tiny figure made of acorn caps from the oldest
oak in the woods
4 A rough-forged knife with an etched blade
5 A snake skull in a wicker cage
6 A battered stuffed animal missing one eye
5 A pocket watch that runs backwards
6 A battered train conductor’s hat
Cultist
It is common knowledge that the wildlands of Rodozem
are full of all manner of perils. Less well known, however,
are the menaces that dwell under the denizens’ noses.
From sprawling, bustling cities to small villages, every
settlement could bear the seed of corruption beneath even
the most immaculate of veneers. Spread across the wide
lands of Rodozem, secret societies and religious cults follow
their own unique doctrines, worshiping evil entities,
following vile dogma, and practicing forbidden rituals.
For example, many such cults are dedicated to
spreading Chernobog’s corrupting gospel. Their
members irrationally follow the destructive agenda
of the Lord of Darkness, even though eventually it
will spell their own inevitable ruin. People also flock
to charismatic leaders who dare to oppose the gods,
criticizing their vision and principles, revealing them
as immortal beings with cosmic powers ruled by fickle
tempers akin to mortal adolescents. There are also
factions who have forsaken the Starborn in favor of
mysterious ancient vestiges, beings described as primordial
powers that existed long before the gods were born.
Other obscure entities are godly beings whose names lay
almost forsaken under the patina of countless summers,
yet their spirits still haunt the world.
Whatever the type of cult, your character was raised
in a secretive environment where their parents, family,
and peers practiced unconventional, taboo, and, in most
cases, illegal religious activities. Many such groups are
religious in nature and are dedicated worshippers of
evil gods or entities, which is widely forbidden across
Rodozem. They are forced to establish their underground
churches in hidden locations and have secret
meetings while appearing as a regular member of society
to the public eye. Alternatively, the cult could be
a secluded commune isolated from society completely,
or only interacting for essentials to survive.
Importantly, cults don’t always have malevolent agendas.
Your character’s cult could be a more esoteric sect
of a conventional religion that follows unconventional
doctrines or practices obscure and hermetic rituals.
But no matter the cult’s purpose, your character grew
up in a small, secluded community on the fringes of
society or in a secretive league living a double life.
Rank and Role
Your character’s role and place in this secluded community
defines them. They might have been brainwashed by
their family or the cult leader, believing that the rest of
the world is living in a lie and only their tightly knit sect
sees the truth. Alternatively, they may not have fallen
victim to the gaslighting, keeping their more rational
and realistic worldview—such a character might have
Appendix E
Character Backgrounds
Appendix E 139
escaped the clutches of their cult, constantly hunted by
the other members. Your character could be haunted by
the horrors they have seen or done and is now looking
for redemption, absolution, or simply survival. They
could still be an active cult agent with a secret agenda,
as well. If so, work with your GM to weave a backstory
that prevents your character’s possibly evil alignment
from interfering with and sabotaging the gameplay of
the party. A character still active in a cult could be an
important, high-ranking member—or even the leader—
of a small local sect.
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Arcana,
Deception, Insight, Persuasion, or Religion.
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools
Languages: Choose one among Abyssal, Celestial,
Deep Speech, Draconic, Infernal, Primordial, or Sylvan.
Equipment: Three scented ritual candles, a tinderbox,
a symbol representing the entity of your cult, a hooded
lantern, a flask of oil, a set of traveler’s clothes, and
a ritual robe
Feature:
Mark of the Fanatic
As a past or current member of a secret cult, you are
well versed in the covert nature of such organizations.
You can immediately spot the secret messages and signs
hidden in plain sight left by other cultists. You may
not always understand their meaning, but a local cult’s
activity is always apparent to you. In addition, you can
recognize people who belong to a cult that worships the
same entity as yours by a specific and unique trait, mark,
or mannerism. You possess intimate knowledge of the
cult’s practices, rites, and goals.
Suggested
Characteristics
Whether your character is an active member of a secret
society or a runaway from a fanatical cult, they had
a unique upbringing. Their devotion to or defiance
against their secretive community is a driving force
in their life and played an important role in shaping
their personality.
Personality Trait
The friction between my public and private lives
sometimes makes social interactions confusing
for me, so I prefer to avoid them when I can.
I am used to a life of obedience. I don’t look people
in the eyes when I speak to them.
I rarely talk about my past, my family, or my
upbringing.
I am very keen on spreading the teachings
of my sect. I try to always promote it, especially
to people who follow the traditional doctrines
of the same deity.
I’ve lived in relatively simple conditions, so even
the most basic commodities seem luxurious or
unnecessary to me.
I have a relevant tale or parable about almost
any situation...or at least I think I do. I gladly offer
an inspiring and insightful story, even if no one
asked for it.
I always think I’m being followed. I find it hard
to trust people out of fear that they might be
agents or hirlings of the cult I barely escaped from.
I practice little rituals and superstitious rites in
my day-to-day life. I try to perform them in private
to avoid awkward social situations.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Ideal
Conviction. I am the mouth and arms of my
patron entity (or leader) in this world, and I must
continue their work in any way possible. (Lawful)
Defiance. I will not stand by the lies and deceit of
any cult leaders and I’ll do anything to drag people
off that path. (Chaotic)
Determination. My faith in my cult and its
purpose is so strong that I’ll defy any societal laws
that obstruct my actions. (Chaotic or Lawful)
Apocalypse. The patron entity or the leader of our
sect proclaims that the end of the world is nigh.
I wholeheartedly believe them and think that the
world deserves it. I would do anything to witness
and be a part of the end-times. (Evil)
Truth. I have doubts about the beliefs of my
religious community. I am willing to sacrifice
a lot to uncover hidden knowledge about the
mysterious entity that we worship. (Neutral)
Destiny. There is no force powerful enough to
direct me on a different course than the destiny
bestowed to me by the entity we follow or by our
leader. (Any)
Bond
I would go a long way to protect the secret of my
cult’s existence.
I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to receive the
enlightenment that will define my destined path.
I owe my life to one of the members of my former
cult who helped me escape its fanatical clutches.
I admire our cult leader and constantly refer to
their actions as an example. I’ll do anything to
earn their praise.
My meaning in life is to maintain and boost my
cult’s reach.
I perform a common vocation or craft—such as
dancing, painting, or athletics—as part of my
double life. This activity means a lot to me—it is
the only thing that keeps me connected to a more
simple and normal lifestyle.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
There is only one true way, and it is revealed in
the doctrines of my sect. I dismiss other religious
beliefs and philosophies as hoaxes or misguided
at best.
I am obsessed with the main goal of my cult.
All other aspects of my life can be sacrificed to
manifest it.
5
6
Flaw
I am dangerously gullible. It is easy to convince
me to believe almost any story or teaching, even
the most ridiculous ones. Especially the most
ridiculous ones.
I am extremely cautious and suspicious of people
who don’t belong to my sect. I’m quick to assume
the worst of them.
I always hide behind a mask and present myself as
someone that I’m not. I’m afraid to expose my true
identity and self to the world.
Blind believers are beyond redemption. I offer
them nothing but swift justice and no mercy if
they have done gruesome deeds for their leader
or patron entity.
Bogatyr
Apprentice
“Bogatyr” is as much a title as it is a calling. Bogatyrs are
the unsung heroes in the world, guardians devoted to protecting
the natural from the dark and evil supernatural. It
takes years of training, devotion, research, and practice for
one to earn the honor of the title. These guardians don’t
belong to any kingdom or creed, but are an independent
order with their own laws, traditions, and goals. Those
who wish to become a bogatyr must first be accepted by
a distinguished member. The most outstanding of those
hopefuls are assigned a mentor that best suits their skillset.
An apprentice begins their training with hours of dry
reading, combing through heavy tomes on simple and
dangerous monsters alike, as well as ancient techniques and
secrets for fighting the endless forces of evil. Once the apprentice
passes their first test of knowledge, martial combat
training begins, by which time most apprentices break
under the pressure—which is what the training is designed
to do. Those who persevere and complete their preparations
earn themselves the title of Bogatyr Apprentice.
Commonly, the apprentice’s first few missions are
supervised by their mentor. Once the mentor deems the
student ready, the apprentice is sent on a solo mission
where their skills and knowledge are put to the final
test—the real and unforgiving world. To become an apprentice
of such esteemed, renowned masters of monster
slaying, one must see past one’s own self and understand
the bigger picture of how monsters form and survive
within the Great Cycle. Then, and only then—with time,
devotion, and experience—can one even be considered
to become a full-fledged bogatyr.
When choosing this background, speak to your GM
to determine where your base of operations is. Have
you arrived from a small, local faction of bogatyrs, or a
larger settlement with a more concentrated force? Is this
your first solo mission? What missions have you done
with your mentor, if any? What type of creatures (such
as werewolves, fiends, vampires, or other supernatural
creatures) have you encountered before, and which do
you specialize in fighting?
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Acrobatics,
Arcana, Athletics, Perception, or Survival.
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A Bogatyr Apprentice badge, a book of
monster lore (GM determines the contents), a hunting
trap, a set of manacles, a flask of holy water, a set of
common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Feature:
Prepared Hunter
When you need to recall a piece of information about
a specific type of monster (or any other type of
creature, at the GM’s discretion), if you don’t already
know the information, you know where to look for it
or who to speak with to obtain it. Depending on the
type of knowledge and information you seek, the GM
may rule that the piece of knowledge is obscure, hidden,
or even destroyed.
Suggested
Characteristics
Bogatyr Apprentices are defined by their devotion
to eradicating the forces of evil. An apprentice values
the knowledge stored and guarded throughout the ages
about the monsters lurking in the dark corners of the
world, as it is invaluable for any good monster slayer.
Personality Trait
I am ready to face any challenge to become a
bogatyr of legends.
I believe the forces of evil are a broad category, and
people can fall into it as easily as monsters do.
I find interactions with monsters easier to resolve
than social ones.
I have read every book about monsters and the
forces of evil that I can get my hands on, and I
freely offer my knowledge about such matters.
I allow nothing and no one to stand between me
and my target.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
Ideal
Greater Good. No matter the cost, somebody
always needs to fight the forces of evil. (Good)
Hunter. There is no time for emotions in the
monster-slaying business. (Neutral)
Glory. I wish to one day be the greatest bogatyr
that ever lived. (Chaotic)
Knowledge. The way to obtain power and selfdiscipline
is through knowledge. (Neutral)
Aspiration. One day I will be someone’s mentor.
(Any)
Determination. Sometimes, to hunt better, you
become what you hunt. (Evil)
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bond
I owe my life to my mentor, who taught me how to
fend for myself.
Ever since I was ordained as a bogatyr apprentice,
I find it is my duty to fight the forces of evil.
I respect and trust my mentor. Their teachings show
me how to survive and protect others from evil.
I have spent my entire life searching for the answer
to an important question: what makes something
evil?
A friend was murdered in front of me, so I’ve
dedicated my life to punishing those who prey on
the weak.
I’m fully committed to my role as a bogatyr
apprentice. Anything that goes against the order
must be eradicated.
Flaw
Obtaining hidden or secret knowledge is worth
the trouble I might get into.
Most run away in the face of evil. I run toward it.
I speak without thinking about how my words will
affect others.
I have dark and bloodthirsty thoughts that I bottle
deep inside.
I always assume the worst of people.
I trust in my cause more than I trust people.
Hajduk
Hajduk kinships are tight, family-like independent
groups who live off the wild and protect those who can’t
defend themselves. Instead of living under a particular
banner or faction, they have found ways to live in harmony
with the denizens of the forests and understand
the unspoken rules of the wild. While anyone can become
a hajduk, they survive as one large, insular family
(called a kinship), so it’s difficult to earn their trust,
let alone become one of their number.
The hajduk cause is usually a noble one, but at times
it requires sacrifice and bloodshed when fighting against
oppression and tyranny. They take from those who
greedily acquire too much and give to those who’ve
been unjustly left too little. The hajduk kinships live in
harmony with nature and respect its cycle, preferring
to escape the artificial chains that are the laws of urban
society. They leave their verdant camps to fight for justice
in civilized places where corruption and oppression
grip the hearts of mortals, striving to bring the ancient
natural balance back to places where civility has festered
into tyranny. Most folk see them as heroes willing to
fight establishments for the people—not for themselves,
but for the good of all.
Hajduks usually operate in small guerrilla groups,
ambushing supply convoys, freeing wrongfully imprisoned
captives, and even planning and executing major
coups against tyrannical leaders. What makes them
so dangerous is their ability to infiltrate political and
social organizations with cunning and ease. They don’t
wage wars or go into military battles, instead relying on
stealth, careful planning, and strategic positioning.
Specialty
As a hajduk, you spent your time learning how to
survive in the wild. In addition, you’ve been taught how
to operate stealthily, employing strategy and tactics in
a fight rather than brute strength. Instead of charging
in, you bide your time, waiting for the perfect moment
to strike, then disappear without a trace. You know how
to infiltrate organizations, act as an informant for your
kinship, and relay important details to the leader of your
guerrilla group.
As someone who has made the wild your home, you’re
familiar with magical creatures and beasts. Your experience
in the wilds lets you act as something more than a
freedom fighter—you are the bridge between cities and
the magical wilderness, and you can enlighten others
about the unspoken guidelines of the forest and the
creatures that abide by them.
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Animal
Handling, Deception, Nature, Perception, Stealth,
or Survival.
Tool Proficiencies: Choose one from cartographer’s
tools, disguise kit, forgery kit, or woodcarver’s tools.
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A grappling hook, chain (10 feet), hempen
rope (50 feet), a signal whistle, a two-person tent, a sling,
a net, a set of travelers clothes, and a pouch containing
5 gp
Feature:
Call of the Hajduk
As a hajduk, you know a special verbal signal that
you’ve learned to use in times of need. Creatures friendly
toward you or your cause recognize the sound and can
heed the call. To use the signal, you must spend 1 hour
traversing the wilderness while making the sign—which
can be a word, an imitation of an animal, or another
sound that best suits your hajduk style. A friendly
creature that recognizes the sound and chooses to help
does so to the best of its abilities by guiding you,
providing useful information, or sheltering you from
danger. The GM determines whether a creature answers
your call, if it’s willing to help you, or if it can help in
the capacity you require. Examples of creatures that
could answer the signal include wood elves, awakened
beasts or plants, another hajduk, or a fey creature.
Suggested
Characteristics
Hajduks are led by their devotion to fight injustice.
They respect the natural cycle and denizens of the wild,
utilizing their knowledge of nature to continue their
secret fight against usurpers and tyrants.
Personality Trait
I protect those who can’t do so themselves as
if they’re my own siblings, and I don’t expect
anything in return.
I believe nature is the wisest teacher if you listen
and observe its teachings.
I always like to have a trick up my sleeve.
I live by my deeds, and I use my actions to inspire
those around me.
Fighting for what is right sometimes comes at a
great cost—a cost I’m prepared to pay.
I’ve lost too many friends in the fight against
corruption, so I cherish and keep the few I have
close to me.
When an opportunity presents itself, I don’t
pounce on it. I wait for the most advantageous
moment for maximum effect.
I trust no authority except that of the forest and
that of my kinship.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Bond
I will always remember the faces of the people
I first helped as a hajduk. Everything I steal goes
toward something bigger than myself.
What I am today I owe to my kinship.
I was taken away from my family when I was
young, so I became a hajduk to give those like
myself the opportunity to have a family.
I will do anything to protect the hajduk kinship
and my friends.
I fell in love with a member of an organization that
my hajduk kinship is trying to sabotage.
My hajduk kinship was brutally murdered and
I was left to watch them die. Vengeance will be
mine.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Flaw
I am slow to trust and quick to assume everyone
is out to con me.
There is no such thing as a fair fight. I either kill
or get killed.
I can’t help but take things I like, even if they don’t
belong to me.
Sometimes I let my friendship sabotage my work.
I allow emotions to cloud my judgment.
I am jealous of those who surpass me in my work.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Ideal
Mercy. Everybody has redeemable qualities.
Even the tyrants I stand against deserve a second
chance. (Good)
Anarchy. Order is an illusion created by those with
power to control those without. (Chaotic)
Altruism. The happiness on the face of the people
I help is the greatest payment I can ever receive.
(Good)
Devotion. Lives given for a greater cause are not
lost, but required. (Lawful)
Freedom. I will not allow tyrants to subdue the
people. (Chaotic)
6 Balance. I take it upon myself to relieve people
of their spare change—only when they have too
much—and spread it amongst the poor. (Any)
BANDIT DEFECTOR
You were once a member of the Bandit Coalition,
moving from place to place, ambushing and robbing passing
merchants. Something made you decide that path was no
longer worth pursuing, and you left that life behind. But quitting
the Bandit Coalition isn’t so easy.
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit, one type of Gaming Set
or Musical Instrument
Equipment: a knife, a cooking pot, a winter blanket, an
object you received as your cut from a successful robbery, a set
of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Bandit Specialty
The Bandit Coalition is a rather loose organization of
rogues and brigands, but there is still a degree of specialization
within the ranks. This ensures that everyone knows what their
job is and lessens confusion in the heat of a robbery. You can
select your bandit specialty from the Bandit Specialty table, or
roll randomly.
d6 Bandit Specialty
1 Lookout
2 Lifter
3 Thug
4 Runner
5 Hustler
6 Captain
Lookouts typically watch the roads for any signs of Perch
Guard patrols, signalling the team to bail if a heist looks too
risky. They also keep an eye out for potential marks.
Lifters are the specialist thieves of an operation. They are
usually as adept at pick-pocketing as they are at sneaking up
behind a cart to liberate its valuables.
Thugs are the muscle of a bandit group, and use their
size and strength to intimidate merchants into giving up
without a fight. They also keep other bandits in line, at the
captain’s discretion.
Runners are the messengers and scouts of the Coalition,
serving to smuggle pilfered goods to fences. Additionally, they
pass information throughout the different camps of the organization.
Their job often finds them working alone which makes
them particularly vulnerable.
Hustlers are inveterate con-artists. Through careful
planning and execution, their diversions can keep cart drivers
occupied just long enough for the lifters to do their work, or
create a seamless opening for an ambush.
Captains are the glue that holds each bandit team together,
providing leadership, and stamping out dissention where
necessary, often with force. They are figures that inspire with
their skill and bravado.
Feature: Bandit Routes
As someone who once assisted in countless highway
robberies, you are familiar with the roads of the Wood and
escape paths used by bandits. When you are not in combat,
you (and companions you lead) can travel between locations
that cut through forested areas twice as fast as your speed
would normally allow.
Suggested Characteristics
Those who have chosen to leave the Coalition behind have
not made the choice lightly. Some wrestle with their doubts,
still caring deeply about the friends they left behind, while
others have forsaken their former lives entirely.
d8 Personality Trait
1 I am plucky and confident in my abilities,
at least, that’s what I want others to think.
2 I often crack jokes to lighten the mood.
3 I like to keep my secrets, and those who try to
pry into my life irritate me.
4 I have trouble sleeping unless I’m on the ground
(or floor) in my bedroll.
5 I picked up many stories during my time on the
road, and I have one for every occasion.
6 You mess with my friends, you mess with me.
7 I never really had a plan in life, I tend to just go
with the flow.
8 I’m as cautious as they come.
Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood 43
d6 Ideal
1 Repentance. I’ve done terrible things in the past,
and I want to try and make up for them. (Good)
2
Nature. I’ve seen what’s happening to the forest,
and it’s bigger than all of us. We’re all doomed
unless we do something about it. (Neutral)
3
Friendship. My friends are like family to me,
and I’ll keep trying to do right by them until the
end. (Good)
4
Self-Preservation. Any good rat knows when it’s
time to flee a sinking ship. I want to be clear of the
Bandit Coalition when it goes down. (Evil)
5
Compassion. The struggle between humblefolk
and birdfolk will only lead to more bloodshed. It
needs to stop somewhere. (Good)
6 Freedom. I just want to be free to live my own life,
and make my own way in the world. (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1
I did some hard time in Alderheart’s prison,
and the perch guard who arrested me still has it
out for me.
2 I stole something valuable from the Captain of my
unit. I’m in big trouble if they ever find me.
3 I harbor a terrible secret that might change how
people think of me if it got out.
4 I still sympathize with the Coalition’s aims, I just
believe there’s a better way.
5 My friends in the Coalition didn’t understand why
I had to leave. They’ve branded me a traitor.
6
I had people in the Coalition who looked up to me
as a leader. They might still follow me, if I could
only reach them.
d6 Flaw
1 I’m always ready to bail when something
goes wrong.
2 Whenever I see something valuable, I can’t help
but think of a way to steal it.
3 It’s hard for me to trust people. I’ve been
burned before.
4 I have a problem with authority. Nobody tells
me what to do.
5 There’s a warrant out for my arrest.
6 I have a bad habit that I picked up on the road.
GROUNDED
Despite the inherent vertical aspects of birdfolk culture,
you have always felt safer and more at peace with your feet
firmly planted on the soil. You are practical and level-headed,
but due to your different perspective on the world, other birdfolk
see you as quirky or unsettling. Your unique insight allows
you to connect with the humblefolk who live under the forest
canopy in ways perch-dwelling birdfolk cannot.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Insight
Tool Proficiencies: one type of Artisan’s Tools
Languages: one of your choice
Equipment: a set of Artisan’s Tools (one of your choice), a
walking stick, a trinket from another culture, traveling clothes,
and a belt pouch with 5 gp
An Odd Bird
Among birdfolk you are somewhere between an oddity and
an outcast. Some consider your aversion to heights a rejection
of birdfolk culture, leading many to find you off-putting.
Choose how your community regards you or roll on the table
below to determine how you fit in.
d6 Community Place
1 I am considered weak or unskilled and many
treat me like a fledgling.
2 I am looked upon as a traitor to my people.
3 My family wants me to return to the perch, but I
just can’t.
4 I am not welcome back in my home perch.
5 I am viewed as an oddity, someone for others to
laugh at and tease.
6 I have found a new community on the forest floor.
Feature: Find Another Path
Since you have lived your life close to the ground, you are
familiar with the undergrowth in the same way other birdfolk
are familiar with the canopy. You can always recall the general
layout of the terrain around you while traveling along the
forest floor. If your path is ever blocked by an obstacle that
requires you to climb or otherwise gain height to circumvent
it, you can always find a way around, so long as such a path
exists. Additionally, you are adept at finding shelter in the
Wood while traveling, and can usually locate a suitable safe
shelter (a cave, a tree hollow, or bramble thicket) somewhere
on the forest floor for you and up to five other creatures.
Suggested Characteristics
Birdfolk who are grounded often find ways to cope with
their aversion to canopy life. Some have completely forsaken
their old lives in favor of new ones in undergrowth communities,
while others keep ties with family and friends in the
perches where they were born.
44 Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood
d8 Personality Trait
1 I always second guess my choices.
2 I have learned to not let the comments of
others affect me.
3 I’m eager to show the benefits of my
unique perspective.
4 I’m slow to trust someone new, but open up
over shared hardships.
5 I manufacture difficult situations to prove
my abilities.
6 I get embarrassed easily, even when someone
tries to compliment me.
7 I will deny my fears to everyone.
8 I want to see how others handle situations
I’m afraid of.
d6 Ideal
1
Adversity. Others think of me as weak, but I
will prove my worth with hard work and
determination. (Lawful)
2 Encouragement. I try to seek out and support
others like me who are seen as outcasts. (Good)
3 Exploration. I yearn to experience unique cultures
and discover new places. (Chaotic)
4 Safety. In this dangerous world, it’s best to keep
your head down and stay cautious. (Neutral)
5
Rebellion. Who cares what others think of me,
so long as my actions reflect how I feel in my
heart? (Chaotic)
6
Compromise. The best way to respect each other’s
differences is to find a solution that
doesn’t exclude anyone. (Good)
d6 Bond
1 My family has been the subject of ridicule ever
since I left my home perch.
2 A bully from my childhood now holds a position
of power in my home perch.
3 I follow the teachings of a wise outcast I met in
my travels.
4 I feel kinship to a culture outside my own.
5 I won’t tolerate anyone who insults me or
my friends.
6 I have found a new family on the forest floor,
and they mean more to me than anything.
d6 Flaw
1 I am incapable of action when I’m at great heights.
2 I lash out at the slightest insult.
3 I keep a distance from others so they won’t learn
of my fears.
4 I project my insecurities onto others.
5 I am uncouth and mannerless.
6 I find hard to trust other birdfolk.
WIND-TOUCHED
There are legends within the Wood, of birdfolk blessed
by the wind who are destined to soar over any and all obstacles.
When a chick is born with special markings or unique
feather patterns, or when they survive a dramatic childhood
event, some folks brand them “Wind-Touched”. Though a
few dismiss the notion of the Wind-Touched as superstition,
others heap reverence upon those believed chosen. According
to legend, one who is touched by the wind will never feel at
ease anywhere but high in the forest canopy, with the wind in
their feathers.
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiencies: one type of wind Musical Instrument
Languages: you can speak as well as understand Auran
Equipment: a wind Musical Instrument (one of your
choice), an ornate cloak, a symbol of the wind, common
clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Title and Blessing
For some birdfolk, the moniker of Wind-Touched
is merely a title, a symbol of their devotion to the wind
and the natural world. Others have been told since birth that
they were blessed by the wind, much in the way the Amaranthine
Reya was in the old tales. Decide what your character
believes, or roll on the table below to understand how
they feel.
d6 Acceptance
1 I am truly blessed and have power over the
wind itself.
2 I am devoted to the wind spirits, in action
and title.
3 I believe in nature and goodness.
4 I will work tirelessly to earn the respect of
those who give me this title.
5 I accept this honor but have my doubts.
6 I feel nothing for this title, and carry it
against my will.
Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood 45
Feature: Supernatural Presence
Whether or not you are truly Wind-Touched, there are
folk all across Everden that believe that you have been divinely
blessed. If you make a show of power or skill that can be
attributed to the wind or air, such as feats of acrobatics or
commanding unseen forces, those believers will be bolstered
by your supernatural presence. They will support you and,
depending on how well you have convinced them of your
powers, treat you with reverence and possibly even worship.
Suggested Characteristics
The wind-touched are revered by believers and scrutinized
by skeptics. For better or worse, they find themselves in a
world of expectations they struggle to live up to.
d8 Personality Trait
1 I never back down from a challenge.
2 I always end up being the center of attention.
3 I am gifted by the wind and destined
for greatness.
4 I have no time for those who doubt me.
5 I seek out challenges to test myself.
6 I am better than everyone else.
7 I avoid showing my power at all costs.
8 I remain humble despite my blessing.
d6 Ideal
1 Responsibility. The powers I have been gifted with
are meant to serve the common good. (Good)
2 Heroism. The wind chose me to be a brave warrior
and leader, so shall it be. (Lawful)
3 Egotism. My powers situate me above others. The
masses should know their place. (Evil)
4 Mysticism. Connected to nature, I speak for the
wind and divine its will for others. (Neutral)
5
Cynicism. What matters isn’t whether or not my
powers are genuine, but what advantages I can reap
because of that belief. (Evil)
6 Naturalism. The wind speaks to my soul, and I am
bound to go wherever it directs me. (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1 I am guided by a wise elder who prepares me for
my destiny.
2 I am estranged from my parents who don’t
believe in my blessing.
3 I seek to discredit the person who burdened me
with this moniker.
4 I live in the shadow of my mentor, seeking
their approval.
5 I have a sibling who is not blessed, which
causes tension
6 I am one with the wind. Personal relationships
are fleeting.
d6 Flaw
1 I can’t accept another’s suggestion once I’ve
set my path.
2 I expect nothing less than reverence from
common people.
3 I blindly trust in the power of my blessing.
4 I am overly concerned about how others see me.
5 I will prove my worth, even if it means putting
myself and my friends in danger.
6 I am burdened with responsibility, and find it hard
to make even the simplest decisions.
Coupled with Power
While this background primarily focuses on the beliefs
and perceptions of yourself and your community, pairing
this background with a character who actually can manipulate
the wind through magic could potentially set them
up to become a holy figure, a prophet, or a fabled hero.
Feats
First Responder
You have been specially trained in magical triage and are
able to identify the signs of shock and fatigue in those suffering
from injuries. You are always ready to provide aid to those
in need. You gain the following benefits:
l You can tell by looking at a creature if it is missing any of
its hit points and whether or not it has more than half of
its hit points. You also instantly determine if the creature
is cursed, diseased, possessed, or afflicted by any of
the following conditions: blinded, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
or stunned.
l You learn the spare the dying cantrip and can cast it as a
bonus action.
l You gain the ability to cast the spell cure wounds without
using a spell slot, up to a number of times equal to half
your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when
you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability
for this spell.
Flamewoken
Living in the Scorched Grove or other areas touched
by elemental fire can sometimes cause strange abilities to
manifest among their inhabitants. Known as “flamewoken”
by the Tenders, these gifted few have an ability to communicate
with fire-aspected creatures and have power over flames.
Tenders teach flamewoken among their order to hone
their talents in service of nature. However, those outside
of the order usually choose to keep their abilities hidden,
as such powers are often seen as a curse. You gain the
following benefits:
l You can speak, read, and write Ignan.
l You learn the produce flame cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting
ability for this spell.
l As a bonus action, you can strengthen the power of your
flames. The next time you deal fire damage to one or
more creatures before the end of your next turn, you
can deal an additional 2d10 fire damage to one of those
creatures. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again
until you complete a short or long rest.
l You can whisper magical words in Ignan toward any
nonmagical flames you can see within 30 feet of you that
could fit within a 5-foot cube. As a bonus action, you
can cause these flames to either grow by 5 feet in a single
direction, provided there is fuel of some sort present in
the new location, or you can extinguish the flames present
in this space.
Forest Sage
Prerequisite: Druid or wizard
The Tenders value diversity among ideas, and although
they began as a purely druidic order, they have since learned
to accept many different ways of thinking about the natural
world, especially regarding the application of magic. You are
either a wizard who has learned to temper your arcane research
with an eye to maintaining the delicate balance of natural
forces, or you are a druid who has learned a new understanding
of natural magic through study and experimentation.
You gain the following benefits:
l Increase your Intelligence or Wisdom score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
l You can use your choice of Intelligence or Wisdom to make
Animal Handling, Arcana, Nature, or Survival checks.
l You can choose to learn two spells from either the druid or
wizard spell list. Spells you choose must be of a level you
can cast. The chosen spells count as spells of your class and
are added to your spellbook if you are a wizard. The chosen
spells use your spellcasting ability.
Plantmender
Prerequisite: Wisdom score of 13 or higher
One of the basic forms of Tender magic, plantmending
is often taught to acolytes of the order. Plantmending can
be used either to help the forest recover from disasters or
to defend against hazards that might be encountered while
traveling. You gain the following benefits:
l You can touch a plant or tree as an action to determine
what has occurred to it and the area within its immediate
vicinity within the last 24 hours. These events are revealed
to you in visions which appear as though you were present
as they occurred. After using this ability on a plant, you
instantly become aware of its status and health, including
any blights or conditions currently affecting it.
l You learn the mend plants and shillelagh cantrips.
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
l You can cast either the barkskin or spike growth spell once,
and you must complete a long rest before you can cast
either spell again. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability
for these spells.
AERIAL EXPERT
Prerequisite: Glide trait
Years of practice or an innate talent have made you adept at
gliding. You gain the following benefits:
ll You no longer need to move at least 10 feet to perform
long and high jumps. You may choose whether the jump
uses your Strength or Dexterity score for determining
height or distance, and you double the distance you would
normally leap in either case.
ll You may take the Dash action while gliding to fly an additional
distance up to your movement speed.
ll You may change direction freely while gliding, and may
gain up to 10 feet of altitude once before you finish
your descent.
BANDIT CUNNING
Your time as a bandit has granted you a sense for danger, and
made you skilled at sizing up opponents. You gain the following
benefits:
ll When you are asked to make a saving throw, you may
spend your reaction to add your Intelligence modifier as an
additional bonus to the saving throw. You cannot use this
ability again until you have completed a long rest.
ll During combat, you can use your action to make an Intelligence
(Investigation) check against any creature you have
seen fight. As long as you succeed against a DC of 10 +
their challenge rating, you can learn one useful fact of your
choice about the target’s combat abilities. Choose from:
• one damage resistance or immunity
• one condition immunity
• one special ability possessed by the creature that
either does damage, or prevents damage
• one option under their attack, legendary, or
reaction actions
• one special sense they possess
HEAVY GLIDER
Prerequisite: Glide trait
You were either born with great strength, or trained hard to
allow yourself to glide under circumstances most would find
impossible. You gain the following benefits:
ll You may glide while holding a heavy weapon and wearing
heavy armor as long as you aren’t encumbered.
ll You may choose to land your glide in a space occupied by
a hostile creature that is Large or smaller. If you do so, you
may roll an opposed Strength check against the creature.
On a success, you push them 10 feet away and knock them
prone with the force of your impact. On a failure you land
in the nearest un-occupied space.
OPPORTUNISTIC THIEF
You have learned the tricks of the trade of thievery, allowing
you to exploit opportunities for pick-pocketing both in and
out of combat. You gain the following benefits:
ll Increase your Dexterity score by 1.
ll When a creature fails a melee attack roll against you in
combat, you can make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
against a DC equal to 10 + the target’s Dexterity modifier.
On a success, you may steal any one item that is not being
held or worn by the target.
ll Whenever you successfully use your Sleight of Hand skill
outside of combat to steal an object, you may immediately
conceal it flawlessly on your person, or put another object
you possess in its place.
PERFECT LANDING
Years of living at great heights have taught you how to fall
more gracefully. You gain the following benefits:
ll Increase your Dexterity score by 1
ll Reduce the damage die for fall damage from a d6 to a d4.
ll You do not fall prone after taking falling damage.
ll You do not take damage for the first 30 feet of your fall.
SPEECH OF THE ANCIENT BEASTS
You have a special connection with the natural world. Great
beasts regard you as their kin, and you possess the ability to
speak the languages of the most powerful and mystic of their
kind. You gain the following benefits:
ll Increase your Charisma score by 1.
ll Beasts of Large size or larger have a friendly disposition
toward you unless you have attacked them.
ll You have advantage on Charisma checks made against
beasts that are of Large size or larger.
ll You can speak and understand Giant Eagle, Giant Elk,
and Giant Owl. You can otherwise be understood by any
beast of Large size or larger, whether or not they speak a
language. Beasts with Intelligence scores of 4 or lower may
only be able to understand simple concepts.
WOODWISE
You have lived your entire life in the gnarled, wooded areas of
the world. You are adept at finding your way through even the
most treacherous terrain. You gain the following benefits:
ll You gain proficiency in either the Survival or Nature skill.
ll You ignore difficult terrain.
ll You cannot become lost in natural surroundings except by
magical means.
ALTERED
You have been changed through
magic, science, or a volatile blend of
the two. You have a blatant physical
augmentation of your choice from the
options below. The augmentation is
obvious—such as with stitches, grafts
of other creature’s body parts, or
implants—unless disguised.
Aquatic Adaptation. You have
gills or mucus membranes that allow
you to breathe water, and you have webbed extremities
that grant you a swimming speed equal to your
walking speed.
Natural Armor. You have scales, plates, or thick
hide that grants you an AC of 13 + your Dexterity or
Constitution modifier (choose the ability when you
select this feat).
Natural Weapons. You have claws, fangs, horns,
or some other natural weapon that you can use to
make unarmed strikes that deal 1d8 damage on a hit.
The damage is bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing as
appropriate to the form.
Night Vision. You have darkvision with a range of 60
feet. If you already have darkvision, its range increases by
30 feet.
CHARM TWISTER
You know hedge remedies and
hexes passed down through Old
Ways teachings, and you can
impart them into small wicker
charms you weave. You gain the
following benefits.
Old Blessing. You can cast the Bless spell once using
this benefit, targeting only creatures carrying a wicker
charm you’ve woven, and you can’t do so again until
you finish a long rest. You can also cast the spell using
any spell slots you have. Your spellcasting ability for
casting the spell in this way is Intelligence, Wisdom, or
Charisma (choose the ability when you select this feat).
Twisted Hex. As an action, you can weave spite into
a wicker charm you touch. Choose an ability. When
another creature is carrying the charm, or while this
charm is within an area that the creature considers
home, it has disadvantage on ability checks and attack
rolls using the chosen ability. When the creature fails
one of these rolls, it can make a Charisma saving throw,
destroying the charm on a success (DC = 8 plus your
proficiency bonus and the ability modifier you chose
for Old Blessing). You can only have one Twisted Hex
charm at a time. If you make a new one, the previous
one loses its magic.
CRIMSON RITUALIST
Your study of blood magic
and life force has borne
fruit, granting you the
following benefits.
Blood Lash. You learn
the Blood Bolt* cantrip.
Your spellcasting ability
for it is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose the
ability when you select this feat).
Bottled Life. When you finish a long rest, you can
perform a 1-minute ritual to transfer some of your life
essence into a vessel for later use. Expend a number
of Hit Dice up to your proficiency bonus, and bleed
into a vial of water or other liquid. As a bonus action,
a creature can drink the vial to roll the Hit Dice you
expended. The creature regains a number of hit points
equal to the total rolled plus its Constitution modifier.
The vial remains potent until you finish a long rest.
CULT INITIATE
Your cult instructs you in eldritch rites,
granting you the following benefits.
Two Cantrips. You learn two
cantrips of your choice from the
warlock spell list. Intelligence,
Wisdom, or Charisma is your
spellcasting ability for this feat’s spells
(choose the ability when you select
this feat).
Level 1 Spell. Choose a 1st-level
spell from the warlock spell list. You
always have that spell prepared. You
can cast it once without a spell slot,
and you regain the ability to cast it in
that way when you finish a short or
long rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots
you have.
Spell Change. Whenever you gain a new level, you
can replace one of the spells you chose for this feat
with a different spell of the same level from the warlock
spell list.
DEATH DEFIER
Prerequisite: 4th Level or higher
When the hand of death reaches
for your soul, you have found a
way to reject its call. You gain the
following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase
your Constitution score by 1, to a
maximum of 20.
Cling to Life. You add your
Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) to death
saving throws.
Enduring Vitality. If an effect would kill you outright
without death saving throws or would reduce you directly
to 0 hit points without dealing damage, you are instead
reduced to a number of hit points equal to your level. You
can’t use this benefit again until you finish a long rest.
DREAD SPEECH
You have articulated a few words
of forbidden truth that resonate
with—and fray—the fabric of
creation, granting you the
following benefits.
Eldritch Word. As a bonus
action, you can speak a magical
word aloud to force a creature
within 60 feet of yourself to make
a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8
plus your proficiency bonus and
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
modifier; choose the ability when
you select this feat). On a failed
save, the target is frightened of you
until the start of your next turn.
You can use this benefit safely once,
and you regain the ability to do
so when you finish a short or long
rest. You can use it again before
resting, but you take 1d6 necrotic
damage, which can’t be reduced or prevented in any way.
Shred Fate. Your dread secrets can unravel the
destiny of your foes. You can cast the Bane spell using
this benefit without requiring a material component,
and your spellcasting ability for it is the ability you
chose for Eldritch Word. Once you cast the spell using
this benefit, you can’t cast it that way again until you
finish a long rest. You can also cast the spell using any
spell slots you have.
FATE GAMBLER
Coming out ahead,
whether in games of
chance or in life-or-death
contention, fills you with
resolve and vigor. You gain
the following benefits.
Bet Big. If you don’t
already have it, you gain
inspiration whenever
you succeed on an ability
check made against
another creature, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit
points, or when a creature fails a saving throw you
forced it to make. If, in any of these cases, the creature
has a CR of 0 or lacks a CR (such as another player
character), you don’t gain inspiration.
Win Big. As a bonus action, you can expend your
inspiration to gain a number of temporary hit points
equal to your level.
GHOSTLIGHT MEDIUM
You formed a mystical
connection to the
Ghostlight Express that
affords you insight
into the nature of
spirits, granting the
following benefits.
Ghostly Touch. When you damage a creature with
the Incorporeal Movement trait, you can ignore the
creature’s damage resistances, if any.
Spirit Sense. As a bonus action, you can sense any
Undead within 60 feet of you, or any creatures in the
Ethereal Plane that overlaps that area. You learn the
distance and direction to any creatures you detect (or an
Ethereal creature’s equivalent position on your plane).
Once you detect a creature with this benefit, you can’t
use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
GRAVE KEEPER
Studying funeral rites and tending the dead’s rest has
made you a conduit between the worlds of the living and
the dead. You gain the following benefits.
Divine Channel. You gain one use
of the Channel Divinity feature from
the cleric class, and you can create
the Turn Undead effect with it. If you
already have Channel Divinity, you
add this use to the feature from one
class of your choice. Your save DC for
this benefit is 8 plus your Wisdom
modifier and proficiency bonus.
Last Rites. You can enact a 10-minute ritual to prepare
the corpse of a Medium or smaller creature, expending at
least 10 gp worth of incense, oils, linen wraps, or similar
trappings. The prepared corpse can’t become Undead.
HUNTER OF HUNTERS
You are adept at hunting
monstrous prey, granting you the
following benefits.
Dead Aim. As a bonus action,
you can scrutinize a creature to
spot its vulnerable points. The
next time you deal damage to the
creature before the start of your
next turn, you ignore the creature’s
damage resistances, if any.
Studied Quarry. You have
advantage on ability checks made to
recall information about a creature.
MEMORY STARVED
Your mind ravenously gathers details
and desperately clings to its memories
and faculties, granting you the
following benefits.
Desperate Detail. You have advantage
on Intelligence (Investigation) checks.
Iron Mind. You have advantage on
saving throws made to avoid or end the
charmed condition, and to avoid having
your memories read or altered.
REVELING FOOL
You joined a troupe of madcap
revelers and learned to take on
the guise of a fool, channeling
otherworldly laughter and joviality.
You gain the following benefits.
Fool’s Mask. By donning a
jovial mask and a fool’s, jester’s, or
clown’s costume, you take on a new identity that hides
your own. In the guise of the fool, you can get away
with minor transgressions against people in positions of
authority or station.
Jester’s Repartee. You can cast the Hideous Laughter
spell using this benefit without requiring material
components, and your spellcasting ability for it is
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose the ability
when you select this feat). Once you cast the spell using
this benefit, you can’t do so again until you finish a long
rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots
you have.
UNREFLECTED
Your image is separated from you, making you unable to
cast a reflection or a shadow, but you’re able to easily slip
notice. You gain the following benefits.
Inscrutable. Creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom
(Insight) checks made against you.
Unremarkable. The loss of some part of yourself
leaves you able to fade into the background. While
you are within a group of at least two other creatures
of your type and that there are no more than one size
larger or smaller than you, you can take the Hide action
from creatures outside that group by making a Charisma
(Deception) check instead of Dexterity (Stealth), with
no need for being behind cover or heavily obscured. If
you are ever more than 5 feet from at least two other
such creatures while hiding this way, you are revealed.
SWIFT WITCHCRAFT
Prerequisite: 4th Level or higher, Spellcasting or Pact
Magic Feature
You have honed your skills in the rituals
of witchcraft and can quickly weave
your magic in times of need. You gain
the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase
your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Swift Invocation. You can use an
action to cast a spell that has a casting
time of 1 minute. Once you use this
benefit, you can’t do so again until you
finish a long rest.
Classes
Classes
Volkhv
Volkhvs are a connection between the
common folk of Nejavina and the mysterious
world of spirits.
The role of most Volkhvs is acting as the
master of ceremony during local festivities,
and adding an extra layer of entertainment
to the mundane feasts. Most notably, Dedy,
the family celebration of the dead, which
takes place on the first full moon after the
autumn equinox. Dedy is the celebration
when Volkhvs shine brightest and their powers
manifest the strongest. With the right
preparations, they can even get a glimpse
into the future by reaching Nejavina’s
guiders of destiny.
It is said that Volkhvs most favored by the
spirits can make them speak, by using a skull-
-shaped wooden mask, called kraboška, to allow
the dead to communicate with the living.
BONUS CANTRIP
When you choose this circle at 2nd level,
you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't
already know it. This cantrip doesn't count
against the number of druid cantrips you know.
COMMAND OF SHADOWS
Starting at 2nd level, you can take control
over a creature using its shadow. You make
it move like a puppet master, as long as the
shadow is visible. As an action you choose
one creature that is up to Medium in size and
within 30 ft. of you. The target must make a
Wisdom saving throw against your druid spell
save DC. If it fails, it is controlled by its shadow.
On subsequent turns you use your bonus
action to command the shadow to use a Dash
or Help action. A target can use their action
to make a Strength (Athletics) check against
your druid spell save DC. On a success it
VOLKHV
24 CHAPTER TITLE
breaks free. The size of the creature that can
be affected that way changes to Large when
you reach 6th level, Huge when you reach
10th level and Gargantuan when you reach
14th level.
You can use this ability as many times as
your Wisdom modifier and regain all uses
when you finish the long rest.
GREET THE DEAD
At 6th level, your connection to the spirits
of the dead grows closer. When at the grave or
body of a dead person, you can cast speak with
the dead spell as a ritual that lasts for 1 hour.
The material component of the spell changes
to an offering of food or drink and you need
to put the kraboška mask on the grave or body
to channel the speech of the deceased. When
you do so, you ignore the requirement for a
body to have a mouth.
GLIMPSE OF FATE
When you reach 10th level the entities that
guard fate take notice of you. You can use a
reflective object to read strings of fate. When
you do so, in the reflection behind you 3 figures
appear. You can ask one question to each
of the figures. Each question must be about
a person, and that person may be you. After
each answer you must succeed a DC 15
Intelligence saving throw or you become
blinded until you finish a long rest.
Furthermore you learn a contact other plane
spell. You always have it prepared, and it
doesn't count against the number of spells
you can prepare each day.
FOREFATHERS' REVENGE
By 14th level restless spirits recognize you
as their last hope to lay at rest and will come
to your aid when you need it. When you are
reduced to 0 hit points, you can choose which
type of undead comes to your help. You can
choose between: 10 shadows, 4 specters, 3
will-o’-wisps or 2 ghosts. The creatures appear
within 20 feet of you. If they receive no
commands from you, they protect you from
harm and attack your foes. The creatures stay
for 1 hour or until you dismiss them (no action
required).
Once you use this feature, you can't use it
again until you finish a long rest.
Warlock, The Murrain Maiden
LEGEND HAS IT THAT
the visage of the goddess
Kogha often appears to
Zamanori when they are
about to perish from a
degenerative illness, or the fumes of a
poisonous mushroom. In their time of need,
she offers them a choice: perish, or become
her advocate. Those who submit receive
her pestilent grace, along with the ability
to infect and envenom living beings. These
plague-bearers often form covenants outside
of civilized lands, preferring the embrace of
swamps where their patron’s creations thrive.
Kogha’s creed is not one of wanton
destruction. Her devout believe that
disease is but a trial; one that determines
which souls are bound for the domain
of Belegorn, her father, and which still
belong to the world of the living. They see
this as a necessary process of selection,
like separating the wheat from the chaff,
allowing the strong to survive and the weak
to pass on.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Murrain Maiden feature
At 1st level, the Murrain Maiden lets you choose
from an expanded list of spells when you learn a
warlock spell. The following spells are added to
the warlock spell list for you.
Murrain Maiden Expanded Spells
Spell Level Spells
1st bane, detect poison and disease
2nd blindness/deafness, hold person
3rd gaseous form, protection from energy
4th blight, freedom of movement
5th cloudkill, insect plague
Bonus Cantrip
1st-level Murrain Maiden feature
At 1st level, you learn the poison spray cantrip.
It counts as a warlock cantrip for you, but it
doesn’t count against your number of cantrips
known.
Intoxication
1st-level Murrain Maiden feature
Also at 1st level, you relish in the blight wrought
by your patron. Whenever you deal poison
damage to a creature within 10 feet of you, or
whenever you start your turn within 5 feet of
a creature that is poisoned, you can use your
reaction to become toxified for the next minute.
While you are toxified, you gain the following
benefits:
• You gain 1d8 temporary hit points at the
start of your turn.
• You are immune to the charmed and
frightened conditions.
You can use this feature a number of times equal
to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all
expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Noxious Flower
6th-level Murrain Maiden feature
Starting at 6th level, you can spring a venomous
rose in the palm of your hand, which emanates a fog of nauseating fumes that devastates your
enemies. As an action, you create a 10-foot
radius sphere of toxic vapors centered on a point
within 30 feet of you. The sphere also spreads
around corners. When a creature enters the
effect’s area for the first time on a turn or starts
its turn there, it must make a Constitution
saving throw. On a failure, the creature is
poisoned and remains so until it ends its turn
outside the affected area. During each of your
turns, you can use your bonus action to move
the cloud up to 15 feet. The cloud persists for 1
minute or until a wind of moderate or greater
speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.
You can use this feature a number of times equal
to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all
expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Mudwalk
10th-level Murrain Maiden feature
Starting at 10th level, you can evoke your
patron’s putrid form with each step that you
tread. At the end of each of your turns and
while you are standing on soft ground, you
may choose to turn the area within a 5-foot
radius around you into a swamp for the next
minute. The area becomes difficult terrain for
all creatures other than you. As a bonus action
while standing over a swamp area created by
you, you can teleport to any swamp square
created by you.
You can teleport in this way for a number of
times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you
regain all expended uses of it when you finish a
long rest.
Blightbringer
14th-level Murrain Maiden feature
Beginning at 14th level, you can bring forth
pestilence and disease. As an action, you may
force all creatures of your choice within the area
of your Toxic Miasma to make a Constitution
saving throw. On a failure, they are affected by a
random disease as per the contagion spell.
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again
until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a
spell slot of 5th-level or higher to use it again.
Bard Guslar
WRITTEN RECORDS ARE
SCARCE in Zamanora, most
information traveling by word of
mouth. Alas, in the fleeting nature
of words and memories, many
things are changed, twisted, or forgotten. Guslari
bards take it upon themselves to preserve those
tales worth telling, the stories of stalwart heroes,
kind pilgrims, terrible beasts and cunning spirits.
These intrepid souls travel the land, collecting
yarns by sight or hearing, and recounting what
they have heard before. Most Guslari choose to
formulate these narrations into poems, the verse
and rhyme making it easier for folk to remember
and repeat, ensuring that the story lives on for
another generation.
EpiC Repertoire
3rd-level Guslar feature
At 3rd level, heroic deeds inspire you to compose
epic poems that impart magical benefits to those
who listen to them. As part of a long rest after
a day during which you were witness to such a
deed, you can compose a poem according to the
deed’s theme. At the end of each
of your long rests, you can
choose a number of
Bard
Guslar
composed poems up to your proficiency bonus
and prepare them for the day.
As an action, you may expend a Bardic
Inspiration to begin reciting a prepared poem
and inspire your allies. Depending on the
heroic deed recounted in the poem, you and a
number of allies up to your Charisma modifier
(minimum of 1) within 30 feet of you that can
hear you gain the poem’s corresponding benefits.
The benefits last for 10 minutes, as long as you
concentrate on the recital as if concentrating
on a spell. Consult the Epic Repertoire table to
determine the
benefits yielded
by each poem’s
theme.
Epic Repertoire
Poem Theme Benefit
A vicious monster falls
before a brave warrior.
When you make an attack roll with advantage, you add your proficiency bonus to
your damage rolls.
A noble sacrifice to save
one’s companions.
When you start your turn within 5 feet of an ally, you gain a bonus to your AC
equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).
A hero, arisen from the brink
of death.
When you succeed on a Death saving throw, you regain 1 Hit Point.
A friend or lover avenged On each of your turns, the first attack you make against a creature that has dealt
damage to one of your allies is made with advantage
A leader’s inspiring speech,
during times of great peril.
When you succeed on an ability check, you gain Inspiration.
A valiant stand against
overwhelming odds.
At the end of your turn while in a combat encounter of hard or deadly difficulty,
you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your character level.
teller of tales
3rd-level Guslar feature
Also, at 3rd level, you have learned to entertain the
masses with a captivating performance. You gain
proficiency in the Performance skill and the gusle
musical instrument.
Additionally, you may take an hour to perform
for a willing audience that can hear you, reciting
poems accompanied by the melody of your gusle.
Roll a Charisma (Performance) check against a
DC set by the DM, adding a roll of your Bardic
Inspiration die to the total (this does not expend
the die). On a success, your Bardic Inspiration die
therefore counts as 1 category higher (for example,
a d6 becomes a d8, a d8 becomes a d10, etc.) until
you finish a long rest. You may use this feature
once before finishing a long rest.
Ancestral Heritage
6th-level Guslar feature
At 6th level, as you regale heroic deeds of yore,
friends and foes alike recognize you for the trove
of folkloric knowledge that you are. Every time
you expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to
start recounting one of your poems, creatures that
canhear and understand you treat you as if you
were under the effects of sanctuary for the next
minute or until you lose concentration on your
Epic Repertoire feature’s effects. Creatures immune
to the charmed condition ignore this feature’s
effects.
Maker of Legends
14th-level Guslar feature
Upon reaching 14th level, when you expend
a Bardic Inspiration die while maintaining
concentration on your Epic Repertoire feature’s
effects, you weave the target ally’s current actions
into your ongoing tale through improvised lyrics
and inspire them to strive for heroism. Instead of
gaining a Bardic Inspiration die as they normally
would, the ally gains the following benefits until
the end of their next turn:
• Immunity to the frightened and charmed
condition.
• An amount of temporary hit points equal to a
roll of your Bardic Inspiration.
• Each time your ally rolls a 10 or lower on the
d20, they add a roll of your Bardic Inspiration
die to the result.
• Each time your ally deals damage, they deal
bonus damage equal to a roll of your Bardic
Inspiration.
Fighter Bogatyr
WHEN ORDINARY
men and women rise
above their station to
take matters into their
own hands, the greatest
of poems are composed. The Bogatyri
are mighty and dauntless warriors who
emerge from the ranks of the common
folk in times of great need, to shield their
societies from otherworldly menaces
and disperse the encroaching darkness
that threatens to engulf them. A true
folk hero, the Bogatyr courageously pits
their wit and brawn against the most
formidable of foes, not for the promise of
wealth or glory, but merely to answer the
call of necessity.
Protector of the People
3rd-level Bogatyr feature
When you choose this archetype at 3rd
level, you become fearless in the face of peril
and inspire others to follow your example.
Whenever you use your Second Wind feature,
you and a number of allies (according to the
spell’s level) within 30 feet of you also gain the
effects of heroism for the next minute. You use
your Strength modifier as the spellcasting ability
modifier for this spell, and its spell level is
always equal to your proficiency bonus.
At 18th level, the effects of this feature provide
twice the amount of hit points to each creature
they affect.
Working Class Hero
3rd-level Bogatyr feature
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with one type
of artisan’s tools of your choice. If you choose
a type of artisan’s tools with which you already
have proficiency, you gain expertise with those
tools, which means your proficiency bonus is
doubled for any ability check you make with
them.
Slayer of Horrors
7th-level Bogatyr feature
Starting at 7th level, you grow adept in
vanquishing the enemies of mortalkind. The
first successful attack you make through the
additional action granted by your Action Surge
feature against a creature that is not humanoid
or beast, is automatically treated as a critical hit.
Veteran’s Wit
10th-level Bogatyr feature
At 10th level, your experience in lethal combat
allows you to assess every situation with
wisdom. While you have disadvantage on
attack rolls against every creature within your
reach, you can take the Dodge action as a bonus
action. In addition, when an enemy within your
reach misses you with an attack while you are
under the effects of the Dodge action, you can
use your reaction to make an opportunity attack
against them.
Unwavering Stand
15th-level Bogatyr feature
Starting at 15th level, you have become a
true testament to mortal resilience, as you
stubbornly refuse to fall to the ground in spite
of the wounds sustained. When you are reduced
to 0 hit points due to taking damage but not
killed outright, you can spend one or more of
your available Hit Dice and roll them without
spending an action. You may choose to spend
additional Hit Dice after the roll, adding their
results to the total. If the total is equal to or
higher than the amount of damage you took in
this single instance, you remain on 1 hit point
instead.
Cleric Hearth dOMAIN
FOSTERED AROUND THE
warmth of the hearth, community is
the heart of a thriving society. It is a
place where virtues like compassion,
cooperation, and resilience are
seeded and cultivated. The gods of this domain
inspire the nurturing of communal bonds and
protection of the vulnerable, often likening the
capacity for growth they offer to the hearth’s
firelight.
Clerics of the Hearth bless new homes,
mediate conflicts, and reinforce mutual
support, acting as stewards of unity.
They see every act of kindness
and shared meal as strengthening
the community as a whole.
Their magic heals and
protects, embodying
the enduring power
of unity.
Domain Spells
1st-level Hearth feature
You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed
in the Hearth Domain Spells table. See the
Divine Domain class feature for how domain
spells work.
Hearth Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st alarm, sanctuary
3rd aid, calm emotions
5th beacon of hope, tiny hut
7th guardian of faith, private sanctum
9th hallow, telepathic bond
PBonus Proficiencies
1st-level Hearth feature
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you
gain proficiency with cook’s utensils. You also
gain proficiency in the Insight or Persuasion
skill (your choice).
Embrace and Exile
1st-level Hearth feature
Also at 1st level, your magic embodies the
warmth of your community or the coldness
towards those who reject or harm it. When you
cast a spell using a spell slot that targets a willing
creature, that creature also regains 1d6 hit
points. If you cast a similar spell that targets an
unwilling or hostile creature, and they are hit by
the spell or fail their saving throw, you may deal
1d6 psychic damage to them.
This die increases to a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at
10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
Channel Divinity: Hearth’s Spark
2nd-level Hearth feature
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel
Divinity to bolster the resolve and spirit of your
community.
As an action, you present your holy symbol
and choose a number of creatures within 30
feet of you, up to a maximum of your Wisdom
modifier (minimum of one). Each creature gains
temporary hit points equal to 2d6 + your Cleric
level. While these temporary hit points last, a
creature can take the Help action as a bonus
action.
United we Stand
6th-level Hearth feature
At 6th level, you inspire unity among your allies
even in dire circumstances. As a reaction, when
you and one or more allies within 30 feet are
required to make a saving throw, you can allow
your allies to use your saving throw result in
place of their own against the effect.
You can use this feature a number of times equal
to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once),
and you regain all expended uses of it when you
finish a long rest.
Potent Spellcasting
8th-level Hearth feature
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom
modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric
cantrip.
Kidred’s Hearth
17th-level Hearth feature
Starting at 17th level, you can infuse an area
with the radiant energy of unity and warmth
shared around the hearth, creating a sanctum
of protection. As an action, you can create a
stationary sphere with a 30-foot radius centered
on you that lasts for 1 hour. Whenever an ally
starts their turn in the aura, they gain temporary
hit points equal to 1d6 + your Wisdom modifier.
In addition, they gain a bonus to all attack rolls
and saving throws equal to the roll on the d6,
until the start of their next turn. You can use
this feature once before you finish a long rest.
Spells
BARD SPELLS
Cantrips (o Level)
Gust Barrier
4th Level
Shape Plants
CLERIC SPELLS
1st Level
Elevated Sight
3rd Level
Invoke the Amaranthine
4th Level
Shape Plants
Stellar Bodies
DRUID SPELLS
Cantrips (o Level)
Mend plants
Gust Barrier
1st Level
Elevated Sight
Spiny Shield
Veil of Dusk
3rd Level
Feathered Reach
Globe of Twilight
4th Level
Shape Plants
Stellar Bodies
PALADIN SPELLS
3rd Level
Invoke the Amaranthine
RANGER SPELLS
1st Level
Elevated Sight
Spiny Shield
2nd Level
Ambush Prey
3rd Level
Feathered Reach
Globe of Twilight
SORCERER SPELLS
Cantrips (o Level)
Mend Plants
Gust Barrier
1st Level
Spiny Shield
4th Level
Stellar Bodies
WARLOCK SPELLS
1st Level
Elevated Sight
Veil of Dusk
3rd Level
Globe of Twilight
WIZARD SPELLS
Cantrips (o Level)
Mend Plants
Gust Barrier
1st Level
Elevated Sight
Spiny Shield
4th Level
Stellar Bodies
AMBUSH PREY
2nd-level illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S, M (a broken twig)
Duration: 1 hour
You channel primal predatory energies to perfectly conceal
your presence in order to surprise your target. You become
invisible for the spell’s duration, granting advantage on all
Dexterity (Stealth) checks to remain hidden. The invisibility
will last for the duration of the spell, however, moving 5 feet
or more from your position when you cast the spell will end
the effect.
As long as you remain invisible, the first attack you make
against any target who is unaware of your presence deals an
additional 1d6 points of damage. This attack ends the spell.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot above 2nd level, the damage of your first attack increases
by 1d6 for every slot level above 2nd.
ELEVATED SIGHT
1st-level divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You cast your eyes skyward, granting you sight from a
higher vantage point. You project your vision to see through an
invisible sensor which appears in a spot up to 120 feet above
you. You can see through the sensor as if you were flying,
granting a full 360 degree view from its location.
The sensor moves with you, retaining its height in relation
to you. You can use a bonus action to adjust the sensor’s
height, but only to a maximum of 120 feet above you.
While looking through this sensor you are blind, though
you can switch between seeing through the sensor or through
your own eyes at any time during your turn.
FEATHERED REACH
3rd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S, M (a small feather)
Duration: 1 minute
You transform your arms into powerful wings, and your
fingers into long, graceful feathers. The effects of this spell
last 1 minute, at which point the feathers gradually fall out,
causing you to float gently to the ground as your arms return
to their original form. This spell confers a number of benefits
upon the caster:
ll As a bonus action, you can fly up to double your movement
speed. You must land once you finish your movement,
although you do not take fall damage while this
spell is active, as your feathered arms bear you gently to
the ground.
ll You can use your powerful feathered arms to propel yourself
upward a distance equal to half your movement speed.
You can do this once during your turn and may use it in
conjunction with a regular jump.
ll When falling, you can use your reaction to stiffen your
arms, and glide on the wind. You may fly up to your movement
speed, in any direction, choosing where you land.
ll You gain advantage on all athletics checks used to make a
long or high jump. You do not need to move 10 feet before
you jump to gain distance, and you triple the distance you
would jump normally.
In order to benefit from this spell your hands must
be free of shields and heavy weapons, and you cannot
be encumbered.
GLOBE OF TWILIGHT
3rd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (15-foot radius, 15 feet high)
Components: V, S, M (a dab of pitch and a bag of
glittering sand)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You shroud the area surrounding you in a sphere
of night sky, dotted with miniature stars. The twilight
conceals your allies, but clearly illuminates your enemies.
The area affected by this spell is lightly obscured by
magical shadow, within which small constellations softly
twinkle. Aside from these stars, only light produced by
a spell of 3rd level or higher can properly illuminate any
area inside the sphere. Nonmagical light does not function
inside the sphere, and all other forms of magical
radiance can only produce dim light in a 5-foot space.
When you cast this spell you may designate any number
of creatures you can see to be concealed by the supernatural
shadows while in the sphere. A concealed creature has advantage
on Dexterity (Stealth) checks when inside the sphere and
may attempt to hide at any time. Because the area of the spell
is lightly obscured, creatures within the spell’s area have disadvantage
on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to see those
outside of it.
All other creatures in the area are dazzled by the light of
the miniature stars, causing them to have disadvantage on all
perception checks inside the sphere. When such a creature
enters the spell’s area for the first time, or starts its turn there,
it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the
end of its turn.
GUST BARRIER
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: 1 round
You spread your arms wide, allowing yourself to become
enveloped by the air around you. Until the end of your next
turn, any ranged attack against you is made with disadvantage.
Melee attackers who successfully hit you must make a
Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a
failure, the attacker is flung away from you up to 10 feet and is
knocked prone.
INVOKE THE AMARANTHINE
3rd-level divination
Casting Time: 10 minutes; Special, see text
Range: Self; Special, see text
Components: V, S, M (a holy symbol of the Amaranthine);
Special, see text
Duration: 24 hours
You call upon the power of an Amaranthine to grant
yourself insight into the Great Rhythm that moves all
things. When you cast this spell, roll two d20s, and record
what you rolled. For each die, choose either attack roll,
skill check, or saving throw. You can choose each option
multiple times. For the next 24 hours, you may substitute
any roll of an ally or enemy you can see within 60 feet
with one of the recorded numbers that matches the type of
roll you wish to replace (attack roll, skill check, or saving
throw). The target still adds any relevant modifiers to this
number, but otherwise treat the substituted number as the
number they rolled.
To do this, you must spend a reaction to present your
holy symbol and invoke the name of the Amaranthine
whose energies you called upon. You can do this anytime
after the skill check, saving throw or attack has been rolled,
but before the outcome of the event has been determined.
The spell ends after 24 hours have passed, or when both
dice have been expended.
MEND PLANTS
Transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small twig and a loop of twine)
Duration: Instantaneous
Drawing on primordial magic, you can instill
vitality in nearby plants to create one of the following
effects within range:
l You instantly repair a single break or tear in a living plant
you touch, such as torn foliage, a scorched branch, a scar
cut into bark, or two pieces of a plant that have been
broken apart. As long as the damage is no larger than 1
foot in any dimension, you mend it, leaving no trace of the
former destruction.
l You instantly cause a defoliated plant to grow foliage, cause
a planted seed to sprout, or restore the ability to sprout to
a dead seed pod.
l You can cause a 5-foot cube of living plants to flourish
with foliage such as leaves and grass. This area can become
thick enough to conceal a Medium or smaller creature,
or become overgrown enough to become difficult terrain
(your choice when you cast the spell).
l You can touch a living plant with 10 or fewer hit points
remaining to stimulate regenerative growth.The plant
regains 1 hit point at the start of each of its turns for the
next minute.
SHAPE PLANTS
4th-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous; Special, see text
You call upon gentle natural magics to alter the growth
of plants. Any plant life you can see within range that fits
within a 5-foot cube can take on whatever shape you desire.
Additionally, if the plant is a bramble or capable of growing
thorns, you may turn the affected area into difficult terrain,
causing 2d4 points of piercing damage for every 5 feet moved
through the area you shaped. You may also increase or decrease
the number of flowers, vines, leaves, thorns, branches, or fruits
produced by any plant you shape.
After one hour, the magic of your spell fades, and the plant
resumes its normal shape. If you can use speak with plants
(or a similar ability) to communicate with the plant, you may
persuade it to retain its new form. Different plants have different
feelings and attitudes, and if the form is too different from
its natural shape it is likely to decline. If the plant accepts, at
the GM’s discretion, it will retain the
form you have sculpted it into, in which case the effect
becomes permanent.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot above 4th level, the size of the cube of plant life you can
affect with the spell increases by an additional 5 feet for every
slot level above 4th.
SPINY SHIELD
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a small quill)
Duration: 1 round
An ethereal barrier of spikes, made of magical force,
interposes itself between you and an attacker. Until your next
turn, when you are hit by a melee attack, the barrier reduces
the damage your are dealt by 2d4, and deals the same amount
of piercing damage to the attacker. The shield is ineffective
against ranged attackers, but still provides a +2 bonus to AC
(treat as half cover) against them for the duration.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot above 1st level, increase the spell’s effect by an additional
1d4 for every slot level above 1st.
STELLAR BODIES
4th-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Special, see text
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
You create two small stars that orbit you. They twinkle
pleasantly, shedding dim light in a 10-foot radius centered
on you. The stars protect you. If a creature within 5 feet of
you hits you with a melee attack they must make a Wisdom
saving throw or take 1d8 points of radiant damage for each star
orbiting you.
Once per round, on your turn, you may use your action
to cause a star to streak towards an enemy, expending it as it
explodes in a blinding flash. Make a ranged spell attack against
an enemy within 120 feet, dealing 4d8 points of radiant
damage on a hit. The target must then make a Constitution
saving throw or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
The spell ends when either its duration expires, you fall
unconscious, or you have expended all of your stars.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot above 4th level, you may create one additional star for
every two slot levels above 4th. For each additional star
orbiting you, the radius of dim light centered on you increases
by 5 feet.
VEIL OF DUSK
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of soot)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You incant towards a creature, cloaking them in a shadowy
veil of darkness and silence. The target gains a +1 bonus to
their armor class and makes Stealth checks with advantage for
the duration of the spell.
Ancestral Guidance
2nd-level divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S (a piece of sandalwood)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Wizard
When you cast this spell, you open your mind to
the vast experiences of your ancestors and call
upon their wisdom to aid you in your current
endeavors. Choose a character background.
For the duration, you gain advantage on ability
checks made in relevance to skills, tools, gaming
sets or musical instruments that an ancestor
of yours was proficient at, as dictated by your
background of choice. In addition, you can
understand and speak the languages they knew
in life.
At the DM’s discretion, the ancestral being that
guides you may also be capable of providing you
with specific information it is privy to, based
on what it has learned about the world during
its life. For example, by choosing the Acolyte
background, the ancestor who aids you in your
Wisdom (Insight) and Intelligence (Religion)
checks might have been an adventuring
dungeon dweller who also knows that a skeleton
is vulnerable to bludgeoning damage.
Bestow Grace
3rd-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Wizard
You touch a willing creature and imbue it with
grace for the duration of the spell. When you
cast this spell, choose the nature of the grace
from the following options.
• Choose one ability score. While graced, the
target has advantage on ability checks and
saving throws made with that ability score.
• While graced, the target has advantage on
the first attack it makes during each of its
turns.
• While graced, the target makes a Wisdom
check at the start of each of its turns. The
DC for this check equals its Wisdom score.
If it succeeds, it gains an additional action
for that turn. This action can be used only
to take the Attack (one weapon attack only),
Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object
action.
• While graced, the target deals an extra 1d8
radiant damage with its attacks and spells.
A dispel magic spell can end this effect. At the
DM’s discretion, you may choose an alternative
grace effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. The DM has final
say on such a grace’s effect.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 4th level or higher, the duration
is concentration, up to 10 minutes. If you use
a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration
is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or
higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9th
level spell slot, the spell lasts until it is dispelled.
Using a spell slot of 5th level or higher grants a
duration that doesn’t require concentration.
Roaring Embers
1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft
Components: V, S, M (at least one open source
of flame)
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
Choose a number of open sources of flame up
to your spellcasting modifier that you can see
within the spell’s range and hurl them towards
the target. Make a ranged spell attack for each
flame hurled in this way that has a direct line of
sight to the target, originating from its source.
On a hit, a flame hurled in this way deals fire
damage according to the size of the source, and
the source is then extinguished.
Source Size Fire Damage Dealt
Tiny 1d8
Small 1d10
Medium 1d12
Open flames such as a Tiny candle, a Small
torch or a Medium campfire count for a single
source. For the purposes of this spell, flames
that cover larger areas such as a Huge bonfire
or the effects created by wall of fire provide a
potential source of size Medium for each 5-foot
square they occupy.
sPIRIT sENSE
4th-level divination
Casting Time: 1 action (ritual)
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Cleric, Druid, Ranger
Upon casting this spell, you grow magically
aware of the presence and alignment of each
creature that has the spirit subtype within 1,000
feet of you, as well as the direction and general
distance to their locations.
Warding Cornerstone
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action (ritual)
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a wooden holy talisman)
Duration: 24 hours
Classes: Cleric, Paladin
You touch a building and bless it with abjurant
magics that ward it from trespassers. The
building must not be larger than a 60-foot cube.
When casting this spell, you also designate a
creature that you can see or are familiar with as
the building’s householder. For the duration, the
spell affects creatures in the following ways:
• A creature that tries to enter the building
must first succeed on a Charisma saving
throw, unless the householder grants
it permission to enter. Creatures of the
elemental, fey, fiend or undead type also take
1d8 psychic damage on a failed save.
• Creatures inside the building cannot be
charmed, frightened or possessed by
creatures outside the building.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the size of the
building it can affect increases by 20 feet for
each slot level above 1st.