Lands in Shadowfor Shadow of the Demon Lord Writing, Design, and Art Direction: For over eight hundred years, the Empire has dominated the lands of Rûl. A vast realm of Robert J. Schwalb incredible wealth and military might, it grew by Editing: Tom Cadorette conquest, annexing nation after nation, until it Proofreading: Jay Spight stretched from the Desolation in the north to the edge of the frozen wastes in the south, and from Layout and Graphic Design: Kara Hamilton the feet of the Shield Mountains in the west to the Illustrations: Ivan Dixon, Michele Giorgi, shores of the Auroral Ocean in the east. Rising from the ruins of the kingdoms it Andre Meister, and Andrey Vasilchenko conquered, the Empire became the mightiest nation Cartography: Cecil Howe in all of Rûl, a power whose fall was inconceivable. But fallen it has as the capital city of Caecras Caecras is © 2017 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Shadow of the Demon Lord, Lands in Shadow, Caecras, drowns in the blood of the orc uprising, and many Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos are of its provinces are breaking away. A shadow trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. now creeps across the land, the drums of war are sounding, and chaos and uncertainty spread like Schwalb Entertainment, LLC wildfire across the continent. This entry in the Lands in Shadow series details Caecras (KAY-cress), the crumbling heart of the Empire. In the following pages, you will read about its history and geography, as well as the portraits of PO Box #12548 important personages. You will also find statistics Murfreesboro TN 37129 for common characters, and several new options
[email protected] www.schwalbentertainment.com 1 for player characters. With Caecras, you have her rule, just as it did the Witch-King of Gog, and the everything you need to explore the ruined capital, Kalasans who overthrew him. Most recently, the lands and make it the centerpiece of your Shadow of the drew the mages of Ys to establish their floating Tower Demon Lord campaign. Arcane in the skies above the city. The Heart of an Empire In the old Kalasan tongue, Caecras means “struggle.” Enhanced Magic There is no name more apt to describe the Empire’s When a creature casts a spell within the bounds capital. It is a place whose history has been drenched of the city of Caecras, it can choose one of the following options: in the blood of countless peoples, with so many • Make the attack roll with 1 boon. nations rising and falling in this otherwise small and • Impose 1 bane on challenge rolls made to resist the spell. innocuous patch of land. Before the Kalasans founded • If the spell has a duration of at least their Empire, Caecras was the capital from which the 1 minute, triple the spell’s duration. • Increase the range of the spell from touch vile and terrible Witch-King ruled over his realm. to short range, short range to medium Before that it was the seat of power of the Edene, range, medium range to long range, or long built upon the ancient site that served as the home to range to extreme range. • The spell deals or heals 1d6 extra damage. many tribes of the First People. And long, long ago, well before the earliest reckoning of time by mortal- kind, Titania, Queen of the Faerie ruled here with her husband Oberon. Some have called this land the cradle of civilization, the light in the darkness, and the land of kings. Others say it is better described as the The Kalasans abattoir of history, the destroyer of civilization, and The Kalasans founded the Empire 888 years ago, after the graveyard of empires. defeating the Witch-King and the hordes of undead One question historians have wrestled with is: why and demons that formed his horrific army. Historians these particular lands and not others? What has made have argued about the origins of the Kalasans for Caecras and the region surrounding it so important centuries, who quite literally seemed to arrive out of over the centuries? There are far better places with nowhere upon Rûl’s eastern shore. Their ships were of greater strategic value, other regions with better soil, an unusual design never before seen in Rûl, and they access to the oceans, and abundant resources. In fact, were armed with weapons of steel whose strength the lands around the capital are so deficient in these rivalled that of the dwarfs. They practiced strange things, it makes the decision to found any domain forms of magic and spoke a language unlike any other here seem poor. Yet, something about this land has on the continent. always appealed to would-be rulers. In fact, writings from the time of their invasion Geography offers one explanation. Its central suggest the Kalasans themselves were very puzzled location gives the capital access to surrounding when they made landfall. The stars overhead were territories, annexing those lands to provide a buffer completely different from those shining above their against enemies outside the realm, while also homeland, and even the moon itself appeared strange, allowing the centralized government to exert pressure even alien compared to the one they were used to on its subject provinces and bring them to heel if they seeing in the night sky. grow rebellious. Of course, this also means that any tyrannical ruler None of this, however, would deter their leader, risks giving common cause to the surrounding lands the High Warlord Eronymous, a mighty warrior to unite, attacking the capital from all directions to known for his great strength and courage in battle. He cast them down from power. This understanding had led the Kalasans here to wage war against their served the Empire well over the most recent centuries, enemies, and that’s exactly what he intended to have ensuring the emperors could maintain rule over them do—despite the fact that those enemies didn’t their subjects, so long as they ruled in a manner that seem to be in this strange new land. fostered loyalty and compliance from their subjects. Having sailed for several months across the vast Aside from the geographical advantages, another, oceans, through becalmed waters and hellacious more mystical reason draws would-be rulers to choose storms, Eronymous decisively settled all questions Caecras as their seat of power. The city itself stands at about where they were or what they should do: he the confluence of several currents of magical energy ordered all of their ships to be burned, so that the that enable practitioners of magic to cast their spells Kalasans would know there was no turning back, and conduct their rituals with even greater power and no retreat of any kind—the only way was forward, effectiveness. The potent energies of Caecras drew under the command of the High Warlord. Behind the Umessa of the Edene to make these lands the hub of vanguard flying Eronymous’s banners, the Kalasan 2 armies marched inland, expecting one enemy—and finding another and altogether different one. By the time of the Kalasans’ arrival, the Witch-King Ashrakal had already successfully established Gog, his evil and tyrannical kingdom. A century before, his monstrous legions swarmed out of the Desolation into the gentler, lush lands of Rûl, destroying or subjugating everyone and everything in their path. The Witch-King’s armies were aided by two powerful, unearthly forces. The first was a horde of undead the evil sorcerer summoned and bound to himself after using dark magic to smash the gates of the Underworld. The second, a host of demons Ashrakal somehow pulled into Urth from beyond reality’s bounds, each demon under the command of demon- binders, magicians so insane and corrupted they were little different from the horrors they controlled. Armed with overwhelming supernatural strength and profane magic, the Men of Gog swiftly overpowered the weak and decadent Kingdom of the Edene, and then spent nearly a century consolidating their power in Rûl, building powerful city-states on the shores of the Auroral Ocean, while reinforcing the conquered lands of the interior against insurrections and incursions. Although the Witch-King’s armies and kingdom were strong and well-defended, they were caught unawares by the unexpected arrival of the Kalasan fleet on the eastern shores. In their initial battles the generals of the Gog armies quickly discovered their battlefield tactics were no match for the superior heroes who gave their lives fighting alongside the tactics and organization and of the Kalasans. The Kalasan host. As the two giant armies clashed, the magicians of Gog were shocked to find their own energies of a thousand terrible, destructive spells fearsome powers matched and even checked by the crackled and ripped through the air, as a multitude Kalasan “destroyers,” sorcerers who deliberately of demons ran amok, tearing apart allies and wrecked their bodies to amplify the ruinous spells enemies alike. they cast. As Gog’s armies of undead and demons Knowing the swiftest way to win the battle would issued forth, controlled by warlocks and binders, be to slay the Witch-King and thus shatter the morale the Kalasan phalanxes easily dealt with the massive of the Gog forces, Eronymous and his Hundred—a hordes of shuffling corpses, while their destroyers band of elite warriors personally selected and trained targeted the binders, killing them and loosing the by the warlord—charged through the chaos to demons to wreak deadly havoc and mayhem in the break through the battle lines and directly assault enemy lines. the Witch-King and his Immortals—a cadre of foul, These early Kalasan victories over the Witch-King’s demon-possessed soldiers totally enthralled to forces emboldened the oppressed peoples under his Ashrakal’s will. heel to rise up against the Men of Gog, disrupting With the two armies locked in a horrific and their supply lines and weakening the tyranny’s bloody battle the likes of which the world had infrastructure. Cities welcomed the Kalasan armies never seen, Eronymous and the Hundred met the liberating them, swelling their armies with eager, if Witch-King and the Immortals before the very gates untrained, levies. Doughty dwarfs descended from of Caecras. The Hundred moved swiftly to engage their mountain strongholds to join the fight against the Immortals, allowing Eronymous to confront Gog, followed by the faeries who emerged from their Ashrakal in single combat. hidden kingdoms to help cast down the Witch-King. The Witch-King uttered his bitterest curses and After nearly a decade of war across the continent, invocations at his enemy, hurling spell after spell to Eronymous and Ashrakal finally met at the Battle destroy his foe, but Eronymous dodged or shrugged of Seven Sorrows, fought just outside the walls of off the effects, and moved in close to force his foe to Caecras. The battle is so named for the seven great fight blade against blade. Legends claim Tarterus itself 3 the Witch-King pressed The self-proclaimed emperor quickly shored up his advantage and forced the warlord to his knees. Rather than seek unexpected direction: from the Patchwork Lands vengeance against the people loyal to the Witch-King. the sorcerer attempted Kalasans from their homelands. He also allowed and even encouraged knocking him to the ground and sending his sword The Order of Light. he officers. western lands that eventually would become the Grand Duchy of the West. As the Empire’s population enough to be heard by the centaurs of the Endless and strength grew. This empire over the other. but also Although the histories portray Eronymous as a introduced a new threat that would forever change glorious and gallant hero who saved the world from the course of its history. dwarfs. the truth of the matter is that he was not a particularly good or likeable man. dwarfs left the liberated lands in disgust. his mocking cackle echoing across the order to form a new noble class. jotun raiders the warlord was extremely ambitious and hungry from Blötland had been sailing north from their for power. seated compassion or moral obligation to destroy taking slaves. making it to one knee as dominant faith in Caecras. working to further mighty stroke. gold. 4 . The two Eronymous declared that a new realm would be battled for hours. easing the transition to the new was killed as he led a ragtag group in battle against leadership. neither able to gain the upper hand created. Desperately drawing building bridges. by way of the rivers. Seeing his weakness. darkness. It was in of the Witch-King’s governmental structure proved one of these that the emperor Titanus’s son and heir to be a wise one. a new religion brought by the flying. an act that the faeries. King’s former kingdom in order to prevent any of In fact. This massive land grab A New Nation greatly expanded and enriched the Empire. Every spring saw the aggression toward Gog was not born from some deep. Stunned and reeling. He also poured vast entire battlefield. to become the to rise up from the ground. transform the land into a nation mightier than any It is said that the severed head shrieked loudly that had preceded it. the ground trembling the Kalasans to take hold. and whatever they could evil. the chance Eronymous needed. and raise stronger walls to keep out the raiders. Eronymous’s decision to preserve much local levies were able to stem the bloody tide. giving titles to those in the higher ranks in paused to gloat. which communities to increase the size of their garrisons stranded his people on an alien shore. livestock. Eronymous’s vaunted strength began himself would become its first emperor. and the world forever. but all other peoples they encountered. and that the Witch-King’s body instantly territory. Eronymous quickly efforts simply encouraged the jotun to strike wherever established himself as the ruler of the Witch. vanishing from the nine city states in the east. slaughter. would be governed out of Caecras. While certainly A War of Vengeance not an evil tyrant like the Witch-King he defeated. allowing the rule of law and order under the jotun invaders. This brief moment of exultation was sums of coin into infrastructure. repairing roads. the defenses were not as strong. the campaign of pillage. With few forces to serve as his advisors. In a few places. and even invited several unprotected interior of the Empire. Even in the days of the Edene and Gog. To deal with way to deflect attention from his arrogant mistake of this threat. to flag. Upon the ruins of Gog. the Empire funneled funds into these commanding the Kalasan fleet to be burned. including the slithered off in every direction. His continent’s eastern shores. arrival of jotun longships to raid the eastern shores. Eronymous lopped off his head with one able and as accomplished. and would be called the Empire. hastily assembled groups of garrison soldiers and However. the warlord bore down upon him. hinterlands. the jotun engaged in a widespread and other allies saw as a betrayal. so did its appetite for new Steppe. and destruction that faeries withdrew to their hidden kingdoms and the pressed as far inland as Low Country. but rather it provided him with a convenient carry from the coastal towns and cities. The emperors raised armies to expand the dissolved into hundreds of black snakes that quickly nation’s borders beyond those of Gog. Because of this. Low Country. Before Ashrakal Eronymous’s descendants proved every bit as could stand. his power base by granting lands to his soldiers and As Ashrakal raised his sword for the killing blow. These Once the fighting was over. and quaking with each clash of their blades. to resist them. seeking to rule over not just his own frozen lands to plunder towns and cities along the people. and Eronymous Eventually. the warlord leapt up from pirates and barbarians marauding out of the from his knees and slammed into the Witch-King. the Empire was caught completely off the sorcerer’s allies and minions from attempting guard when a large army of jotun attacked from an to reclaim what had been lost. eclipsed the sun as they fought. and fortifying cities against attacks upon the last of his strength. striking deep into the relatively Eronymous pardoned them. or that he bound demons. Titanus. Palace. who they also called advice over all others. The squares of Caecras as an example to any who would Order taught that while light and darkness resided challenge the might of the Empire. or. they were a blot on its before the emperor to suffer his wrath and judgment. vigilant in their work to root out evil wherever they Titanus did something that took all by surprise.000 soldiers strong. whose radiance spread through the dark magic to bewitch the emperor. and the Alabaster Throne. Deciding that the beastmen in the Borderlands. Caecras heavy infantry. the largest fleet In the deepest. the Adversary’s temptations that always led one down But. emperor’s ear. there was no doubt Ahriman had the defeat death. Titanus ordered the emperor spared their lives. Ahriman employed the most powerful. It too valuable to be executed. the warlock also bound them. and cleared After many long and terrible years of bloodshed. Thus. A dour and militant faith. it was the duty of all living things to barbarian scum had killed his beloved son—they embrace the purity of the Eternal Light by rejecting deserved nothing less. Later. Orc legions the armies to pursue and destroy any and all jotun conquered what would become the March Lands. in which the dwarfs were jotun and conquered their homeland in a matter of slaughtered down to the last man. The saw it and punish the wicked. they crushed the dwarfs of Guldurak. that he was the grandson of Ashrakal believed their god to be an Eternal Light at the center himself. was blackest magic—from grimoires reputed to have comprised of Low Country slingers. and all their troops from all of the provinces of the Empire.” He then gave them over to Ahriman. the warlock Ahriman stood closest to means necessary to preserve itself. 500.000 ships. its adherents ludicrously. woman. the orcs would be used to fled deep into the hinterlands where the exhausted drive back the undead from the Northern Reach. the new orcs proved power to support them in battle. was the Adversary. its evil twin Everyone expected the emperor to order the jotun yet opposite in every way. In the process of their knights from the Grand Duchy. and to bring whatever jotun they had Pirate Isles. a blunt instrument used to keep its citizens obedient A Legacy of Evil and its enemies at bay—they were the ultimate symbol of the Empire’s willingness to employ any Among the many courtiers and advisors counseling the emperor. mercenaries from belonged to the Witch-King himself—to twist and the Nine Cities. wanted nothing less than child. the Lord of Morning. however. and numerous other creation. and that Titanus prized the warlock’s Opposed to this god of light. Whatever the universe. As its influence whispered about him. who seen. more the Old Faith. The Empire would then go on to use the orcs the total destruction of the barbarians. fight imperial army was loath to pursue. several troublesome bandit princes from the only a few scattered bands of jotun remained. reputation. and months. Several hundred jotun were Even though the orcs won the Empire greater hauled back to Caecras in chains. posts. When the imperial their mettle in a brief and bloody war against the soldiers made landfall in Blötland. After all. a force of brutish. the Order of Light had noble birth to boot. and bolster the enough was enough. bloodthirsty killers. slaves to the Alabaster Throne. saying he was a descendant of spread out into the imperial provinces. Titanus ordered the armies to defenses in the Nine Cities against raiders from the return home. the Order’s priests were and gallows for the drawing and quartering began. The other members of the court been the official faith in Caecras. The imperial army. He somehow managed to gain Titanus’s trust and confidence. They descendants to come. the warlock took two years for the imperial armies to muster. shining upon all things to foster life and truth was. mounted warp the jotun into orcs. just as construction of the hurdles. it weakened the hated Gog. crushed the resistance in Balgrendia. wizards. other practitioners of magic—a mighty force of arcane As described in Born to Kill. Grief-stricken and enraged. and of less than Since the Empire’s founding. “Slaves shall assemblage of the largest army the continent had ever serve. and ordered to expand the borders even further. the path of destruction. these in all things. and forced to kneel stability and more territory. that remained. darkest dungeons of the Imperial the world had ever seen. 5 . captured to stand trial. and convinced Titanus that they could be transformed for all the ships to gather in the ports to carry them to into loyal servants. the throne. who Patchwork Lands. Rather. who reveled in darkness prisoners to be tortured and executed in the public and sought to plunge the world into shadow. drawing soldiers from every province of the had persuaded the emperor that the prisoners were Empire to send them south to eradicate the jotun. the frozen wastes—over 1. Many believed he had used some kind of of all things. saying only. despite his reputation in court The Cult of the New God as a vile and loathsome character. as thralls to whomever sat upon also brought with them myriad sorcerers. Many others bickering internally. preaching tolerance. the Nine die. Most of the found itself confined to the imperial province of faith’s adherents eventually joined the Cult of the Caecras. but eventually even they turned away from Then came the Prophet of the New God. power in the church.” She also found many enemies among the House of Healing worked ceaselessly to contain the various factions and sects of the Order: those who apocalyptic plagues. saw scattered about the provinces. belonged to the Believers. however. pushed the undead threat back into the Desolation— or feared her because of the weakening of their own for the time being. The new religion others. the Order of Light collapsed resistance throughout the Empire. the religion was born. to descend into the Underworld claiming over ten million lives. also known as the Inquisition). The goal for every soul. for example. pushing the devotees political force). and the jotun reached Astrid preached. Such Earlier emperors could have easily dealt with these a transcendence was possible only if the mortal lived challenges. These centuries were not. or hated her for what they But each of these events weakened the Empire. persecuting Astrid’s ascension—whether she was murdered by any who still clung to the tenets of what they her enemies or plucked from the mortal world by the deemed “witchcraft. the Empire did manage to annex of many in the Order. who began to call her “the the Borderlands of Tear and the Northern Reach. Where Astrid’s sect differed from the God’s cult were largely quiet ones. and the Holy around constantly to evade her would-be killers. Cities began to break away. the sciences. 6 . and a few other places New God—the Swords of Astrid. of the Old Faith into the wilderness. Her The Order of Light was organized and strong. faith soon became unpopular. Astrid began to move for the Empire to settle and develop. These priests also believed they possessed the spreading her message even wider. until she finally sole truth. but over time. Now. Thus souls would of the borderlands to harry the capital province. she taught. With the aid of King Roland to supplant all other religions. and other disciplines live good and virtuous lives. the Order did what it could to purge emergence of the Cult of the New God as a major the Empire of other religions. Stifled in their crusade. each claiming to have the truth in continued to cling to the old beliefs for a generation their struggle for dominance. coil. mortal souls survived death and returned to live many without their challenges. be born again into new bodies. The Desolation vomited forth undead. however. her sect believed in their god’s infinite power and inherent Plagues and Dark Times The years following the emergence of the New goodness. compassion. always resisting the worldly and even encouraged the provinces to gain greater temptations of the Adversary.” Lord of Morning—sparked a religious revolution. Because of their of Tarra. transcend reality to become one with the divine. or so. at least. Astrid. encountering great Soon thereafter. a huge influx of the Order’s priests (see Kingdom the Order of Light grew stagnant and turned in on of God for more information about the Swords of itself. believed to be her heretical beliefs. Thus. which allowed to the New God. And the Empire successfully resented her and her growing number of followers. After evading The Northern Reach was too far away and too wild multiple assassination attempts. the Kingdom of Tarra. a faction New God’s Cult. a young acolyte of Light is considered an old-fashioned name for the the Order of Light. helping to bring the Astrid traveled through Caecras. the Order of that changed everything. was to escape this endless cycle and sufficient strength to resume raiding in the south. the line of rulers had grown an exemplary life. She claimed that of civilization. of knowledge flourished. and peace. The Order soon into factional in-fighting and disarray. Death merely freed the soul from the mortal Three major plagues swept through the Empire. with multiple factions and sects forming and Astrid. preaching the Empire out of the darkness and into the golden age Believers’ radically different tenets. one ever in service and submission weak and slow to respond to threats. Rampaging where it would bide its time until it forgot its old beastmen gathered into a horde that poured out life in preparation for the new. believing her to have ascended to become might even have had greater success had they not one with the divine. an event the old in favor of the New God. while belief in a paradisiac reward after death for those who art. live out their lives. The Prophet. and that all other religions were simply found refuge in the Kingdom of Tarra (see Kingdom manifestations of the Adversary’s evil work in the of God for more information about Astrid and the world. was their complete rejection of any gradually spread out from the Holy Kingdom. lives. Astrid’s message rekindled the fervor and zeal During this time. Like all other followers of the Lord of Morning. spread her message to every been so aggressive and overreaching in their efforts corner of the continent. only to be born again. philosophy. her teachings were codified and a new fanatic crusade to become the one true religion. and followers. independence and exert more influence on the throne. Kingdom of God. emperor. be mixed with grains and made into fodder to feed the possessing no real authority other than to convey Empire’s orc armies (see Born to Kill for more details directives from the Alabaster Throne. chose Drudge. there were notable exceptions. When a sculptor the court became a hotbed of intrigues. deathbed to his son. quickly turn to anger and contempt. was the product of generations of inbreeding. As described in the Lands of Shadow entry. king. would then serve the New God. the emperor lords in the Empire—and possibly a threat to the denied him his retirement. and then sat Antimony. far and killed a favored companion. He turned the and attentions were fickle at best. who then served him until the him into a great leader and one of the most influential emperor’s death. ties to the throne. Both of these efforts it useful to elevate one orc above the rest to serve failed spectacularly. but there was at least a veneer of respectability about his rule. would set the imperial court greatly changed. the second-to-last emperor and Horus’s himself upon it. all the while doing their best to convert them into devout soldiers who. Orc monarchs followed by the butchery of their bodies into meat to bore the name king or queen as a ceremonial title. to persuade Drudge to Just after the first orcs were created. despotic emperor in power. Egg. The discovery of this horrific truth enraged Some orc monarchs led troops in battle. regardless of and even upon the Alabaster Throne itself. Eras. or political rank. though. Antimony was the stage for the final calamity. standing when Eras dismissively acknowledged it. Eras. Eras had factions jockeying for power and vying against one the artist and her entire family executed so the work another. the court advisors contained control over the orcs and break the hold of the whatever damage they could by keeping Eras within centuries-old dark magic upon them. The orc soldier earned many accolades in his From the blood-splattered throne. He to the orcs who served. chasing and beating them. would remain unique and unequaled. would instead transform up to take his place. to keep him in his post. conceal his excesses and misdeeds. the Matriarch wanted to assume As much as possible. an ineffective ruler uncertainty of his reign. brother. Young. she believed. Similarly. leading to the horrific revelation as their monarch. At Eras IX ascended to the throne just over ten years ago. So prized was he. a leader to whom the other orcs to Drudge of the fate that awaited “retired” orcs: could look and through whom the emperors could summary execution at “farms” in the far north. communicate with their legions.Kingdom had actually done more to blunt the undead rising up the ranks until he was named Marshal of invasion than did the Alabaster Throne. and quite insane. his lovers. a veteran of the war against The emperor’s murder set in motion the most the undead in the Northern Reach. an extremely rare honor for a Horus’s exile into the borderlands. When their standing. and capabilities. When the last orc king. centuries. Drudge ordered youth for his fighting prowess and tactical cunning. the emperor’s stunned orc bodyguards to go forth 7 . to serve as the orc violent and bloody uprising Rûl has ever witnessed. the Northern Reach. while Drudge and enabled him to break the ancient oaths others were chosen for their ineptitude as an insult of servitude imposed by Ahriman’s dark magic. he would rage among addition to the aforementioned near-constant orgies. He exiled anyone with orgies taking place there day and night. cast his body from the throne. leaving instructions on his throne itself. Ahriman found rebel against the emperor. not a great man. and a terrible monster and influence—only to discover that Eras’s affections when in the throes of his madness. with various perfectly captured his likeness in marble. In the madness came over Eras. The weakening of the imperial line. Antimony raised Drudge troublesome ne’er-do-well. and could just as Imperial Palace into a den of wanton debauchery. would then flee the scene weeping when he went too With such an erratic. Those who did he had nobles drawn and quartered for rumored not escape had their skin flayed from their backs by indiscretions and crimes. in order to the imperial palace. was sent to the emperor of a son believed to be nothing but a “retirement” (see below). on the other The Last Emperor hand. intended to rid non-human. the tenor of by several of the Empire’s richest provinces. the orc two paces back and behind the throne as a symbolic king drew his greatsword and swiftly beheaded the reminder of the Empire’s might. tempestuous. around he disliked from court with impunity. failing that. seizing their assets and the crazed emperor wielding a barbed scourge—who holdings to heap upon whoever caught his fancy. Over the on this gruesome practice). she dispatched a bishop to King Drudge and the Uprising persuade Eras to relinquish control over the orcs to the Cult or. combined with unanswered pushes for independence When Eras ascended to the throne. thoroughly insane by the time he came to power. his courtiers and hangers-on tried to exploit the swung from petulance to cruelty. Eras constantly first. Regardless of the monarch’s confronted the emperor with what he learned. angling to expand their power in his most lucid moments. To accomplish this. they always had a place at court. the Holy Kingdom to the north. Unlike a feudal system. south country. Caecras. ownership of the lands would return to the throne other orcs shrugged off their bonds and joined them upon the death of the grantee. mobs of bloodthirsty orcs spilled many dukes. and west country. however. of course.” instead offer respite to travelers. are more or less the same. usually as through the great palace. Aside from a few differences in geography. Most of these. there is little to distinguish one region from another. and their lives. offering warm meals 8 . while the west country provides vegetables. The name Caecras refers Although most people in the countryside live on both to the city and to the surrounding lands under farms. dozens of smaller communities have grown its direct control. mundanely named the north country. and slaughter each and every human throughout the rest of the palace. unsuited to farming due to the rocky soil and hilly terrain. Every inch of land has been dedicated to producing the necessary materials to sustain Caecras’s constantly growing population. Any forests were cleared away long ago for timber. but countryside. Since the Empire’s founding. In all. the capital city of the great the emperor. The south country and east country grow grain. while their neighbor down the road might claim they are both part of a different duchy. with locals referring to the capital up alongside the roads leading to the capital. counts. and knights have had out from the palace and into the city on a frenzied claims on the lands around the city that no one has and murderous rampage. east country. diverted to feed irrigation systems and to keep the with provincial borders approximately 250 miles in city supplied with water. and the south is flat and covered in grain fields. have been Caecras stands at about the center of the continent. and to command any orcs they The Countryside encountered to join them. Soon. and chickens. water. these grants rarely passed down to heirs: methodical efficiency of a butcher. The countryside of Caecras has four main regions. clearing every room in a reward for some service. and the Confederacy of the Nine Cities to the east. The Grand Duchy of the West sits on its western border. too. the people of each area. were free of Ahriman’s carved up the countryside into smaller pieces and sorcerous shackles. While the north country rolls with hills as it rises toward the Weathertop Mountains of the Holy Kingdom. the constantly shifting boundaries and the incessant parade of noble landlords causes most of the land’s residents to throw up their hands and ignore the whole mess as they go about their lives. Farming and Grazing The capital city demands a steady supply of food. barons. and one can find rivers fed by snowmelt from the A Land in Turmoil Weathertops in the north meandering through the countryside. so in the carnage. as well as to make room for farming and grazing. These as “the city” and the surrounding lands as “the towns are rarely destinations in their own right. Before anyone knew what any idea as to whom they truly owe fealty—other than was happening. the palace of any human they found with the cold. is blanketed by giant pastures for cattle and sheep. was bathed in blood and flame. Small lakes and ponds still dot the region. The north country. all of which is provided by the country. emperors have always Realizing that they. Roadside Settlements Low Country to the south. pigs. all directions. and raw materials. the orc warriors swiftly moved bestowed them as prizes to the nobility. Over the centuries. As they did so. however. a living from the land might believe they live in one barony. Ordinary people scratching Empire. Common Characters. One might find a lean-to shack propped encouraged at sword point to get back to the business up against a broken pillar. to name just a few—people king’s commands. moving from town to town. Drudge has managed to establish some countryside stand crumbling castles. Most headed north for the Holy Kingdom. Rather. and so many have lived and died here claim to have been visited by Astrid. The boast famous wineries and exotic foods. a family of twelve living of growing crops and herding livestock. farmers moving grains and livestock into the province As word of the mass killings spread. rotting temple. usually slaughtered or enslaved. So much to have been sites of miraculous events in order to blood has been spilt on these lands over so many attract more pilgrims and their coin.and comfortable beds for those en route to the city. Sometimes. Work on these of armor. which Ruins forced them to head north into the Borderlands or People have lived in these lands since the earliest back south. Several of burning villages and abandoned farms. and one has an that many souls. broken weapons. but a orcs routinely cleared the area once every few years. darker and more mostly human slaves—have had to build them using insidious things lurk just under the soil. What little traffic there against the veteran warriors. but stood no chance around an old. days of human expansion. old bridges. have not enormous cedar water bucket in which it is said the moved on to the Underworld or Hell. an abundance of spirits. until the uprising. from the dark times of the Witch-King. semblance of order and command over the vast forgotten monuments. ghosts. people began for sale in the city. and even communities. One might travel a couple of days before plundering indiscriminately. majority of the orcs in the region. Bands of orcs traveled Southern and western towns are smaller and the roads. below) can be seen wandering Commerce with the Confederacy of the Nine the ruins at night. so the communities other malevolent spirits frequently cause great trouble along the trade routes have grown quite large and to the living. as few people have secular or religious. leaders of the Cult of the New God. might consider resisting the new order. seeking refuge far from the troubled the west for years and. After several Each stronghold has a garrison of one hundred orcs disasters—unleashed demons. and very rare in the west. but without timber. All across the countryside. or a farmhouse refuses usually suffers an excruciating end at the constructed from heavy blocks of stone that once hands of their orc masters. With the abundance of ruins. they report anything they more common in the east and north. for one reason or another. Anyone who in the turret of an abandoned castle. the countryside Duchy (see The Grand Duchy). freak shows. set up shop in a town to pick off locals. Some communities tried coming upon a roadside in or a tiny village built up to resist the marauding orcs. arcane explosions. people also pull all King Drudge has ordered the construction of four kinds of interesting things from the ground—scraps new strongholds in the countryside. generally don’t go purposefully hunting for buried The settlements depend on travelers and thus are treasure very often. Apparitions (see reflection of the prophet has been seen at least twice. 9 . and the like. Refugees who made for the Grand Duchy found the border closed to them. The surviving people of the countryside have incorporating the ruins as part of their homes and been left to pick up the pieces of their lives. and Cities has always been strong. city. slowly molding People take these remnants for granted and think them into an army in preparation for the coming nothing of plundering them for raw materials or war. as an example to any who made a fortress wall. arrowheads. and were either quickly is comes from further south for the most part. remains scavenged materials from nearby towns and ruins. Many of After the Uprising the communities try to individuate themselves with The countryside has become a bloody battlefield attractions that range from classy to garish. has relatively few monstrous troubles compared to Routes north see larger towns accommodating the other lands in the Empire. and bands often named after the famous saints and religious of boggarts have been spotted in the northern hills. while wraiths. old coins. any good reason or desire to travel to the Grand Aside from beastmen in the west. and stone circles. At least three centuries. less so in the might deem unusual or dangerous to the authorities. few went east and south. freed from the dark sorcery that bound them. Some places claim There are. menhirs. south. who patrol the lands around them and enforce the orc and dreadful curses. the workers— bones. however. Banditry and beastmen have fleeing from their homes. is still underway. wealthy thanks to the influx of merchant caravans headed in and out of the imperial province. offer restorative hot springs. Harvesters sometimes steady flow of pilgrims bound for the Holy Kingdom. specters. while others orcs. killing and farther apart. on an unsuspecting populace. and so the landscape is Although a few still roam and raid about the filled with the wreckage of history. and other swarmed outward from the city to vent their wrath extravagant diversions. living in constant fear of the crack of A group of 1d6 + 2 orcs leading 2d20 human 17 slaves back to the capital the whip or random beating from their orc overseers. called the Emperor’s Arms. the city was home to over one hundred and political enemies were once left to rot. from its ancient 300-yard-wide expanses. fortifications and the arches built by the Edene. hopelessness. to A web of steel cables stretches from these pillars monuments of great perversity still standing since to support the bridges against the weight of traffic the dark times of the Witch-King and the countless moving across them. and 20 A group of 1d20 + 50 orcs laying siege to an estate death becomes. decorated with the carvings of cruel demons pale white spires left by the faeries at the dawn of the and strange monsters dating back to the era of the world. 19 A broken. population inside roughly five square miles of a hilly 10 . and multitudes of dead-eyed survivors 16 A dying human soldier lying on the side of the road shuffling about in the heavy chains and shackles once worn by the orcs. and d20 Sight sharply canted roofs climb above the walls. signs of upheaval can be 12 A pasture littered with dead livestock seen everywhere: from unburied and dismembered 13 A broken signpost corpses. in the vast marshes of the Grand Duchy. Those industries 6 A collapsed building with a red fist painted on a wall deemed unfit or undesirable to exist within the city 7 A column of smoke rising on the horizon walls can be found here as well. 2 A row of 2d6 crucified humans Those people the city could not hold or did not 3 A gang of 2d6 + 3 orphaned children want spilled over onto the banks of the Wyne River. all human. Shit Town. a Countryside Sights sluggish waterway that meanders down from Mercy You can use the following table for inspiration when Lake in the Holy Kingdom. pools in a large polluted describing what the characters see while traveling lake around the city. and Buboes. 9 A band of 2d6 angry orcs spoiling for a fight Today. splendor. makeshift crosses upon which hang the 14 A patch of scorched earth remains of crucified humans. and the crowded shops and homes huddled Witch-King. both hacked apart as it always has. The climb up from the foul waters to either side of the city’s great age shows everywhere. in which the bodies of convicted criminals At its height. across nearly a mile of the Wyne. the turrets. and violence for thousands of years. additions made by the Kalasans over their eight- century reign. Caecras built up rather Caecras Countryside Sights than out. A veritable forest of turrets. corpses left to rot The nearer one gets to the center. before turning westward to end through the province. Despite the great filled. 4 A pack of 2d6 wild dogs feeding on a dead horse collected into ramshackle shantytowns populated 5 The burnt effigy of the old emperor mostly by the wretched and poor. a great melting pot of peoples from aftermath of the orc uprising. and magnificence of Caecras. burnt wagon and the thicker the pall of suffering. burnt structures 15 A line of 5d20 refugees fleeing for the border everywhere. It has been connecting them to the island upon which the a beacon of light in a world steeped in shadow. shrouded 1 The burnt wreckage of a farmhouse by a haze of smoke and filth coughed up by the denizens of this claustrophobically crowded place. 11 A scarecrow in a wheat field Upon closer approach. the cages are again all across the Empire and beyond. Emperor’s Arms The City Two bridges. encircles the entire island. the more 18 where they fell disturbing the sights. the city largely contained its victims. but now with a more random assortment of numbers of people. from each bank. main portion of the city is built. in communities with 8 A mass grave such charming names as Beggars’ End. the more horrifying the violence. island rising from the center of the Wyne River. reaching 50 feet overhead. With space at a premium. cages. From the tightly along the twisting streets that wend their way top of the wall hang swinging poles with dangling through the city. In the thousand souls. and the air remains thick with the same foul odors that have always characterized it. stretch No city in the Empire has ever matched the majesty. Caecras is a city in which history is Walls and Maws alive in nearly everything: in the stones of its cobbled A 100-foot-high wall encrusted with battlements and streets. An utterly destroyed town. the water sluicing down its aqueducts. Huge stone pillars ignorance. from a distance. spires. the capital looks much 10 The corpses of a mother clutching her child. is Lost Souls through its sewers. criminals. Lost Souls is home to the city’s only Caecras is divided into six wards. and others having nowhere and re-consecrated in the name of the New God. and over a crust of bread. the gateway and secured with chains. massive 50-foot-high gates. built by the Order of Light in the Empire’s infancy. with everything covered in slime. and cults known in the Empire. These rat-infested sewers twist and wind under the city. City leaders have always rest of the city. where all the emperors have been laid to these wards are the Heights. All around the base of the walls. Madmen. sects. they have made no effort to remake their teeth. accessed by smaller. Each ward has a peculiar character. narrower streets. willing to kill countless other structures offer salvation. political exiles. and of these wretches are desperate to survive. Water oozes out from these the city’s center. confined to a few streets at tunnels covered by iron bars. Lost Souls was the religious center of passages. and other deadly is broad and largely clean by the standards of the creatures lurking in the gloom. But rats and desperate citizens are but minor threats The main artery into the district. Standing outside of graveyard. a set of high hills rising rest since the Empire’s founding. crumbling. While the orcs now consider the yawning mouths with heavy portcullis spikes serving as city to be theirs. the city where one could find all the various religions. Another. 11 . answers. of course. far less appealing way into the city. grant access to owing to the many different functions they have had the city from the Emperor’s Arms. carrying the city’s filth out and into the Wyne. shrines. stinking passages for their own nefarious purposes. The rest of the district. The Maws look like over the centuries. content to leave things just as they are— sealed using a gigantic stone disc that can be rolled into human inhabitants excepted. The else to go make the sewers even more dangerous—most various old gods also have their shrines here. compared to the harvesters. and left the sewers unaddressed to deter or hinder smugglers monuments to forgotten gods standing on either and others who would otherwise take advantage of these side. with numerous temples. but can be the city. Petitioners Way. The gates normally stand open. purpose from a bevy of strange and inscrutable deities. monsters. the mortar structure is the ancient Cathedral of Eternal Radiance. The Maws. as well Wards as shops that both cater to the temples and exploit their followers. about three feet over the water line are 6-foot diameter A district of modest size. The largest their ancient walls sagging in many places. is a series of neighborhoods where the clergy and their families lived. in the city’s center. the ward has become a toxic place. almost every corner. Mixed in with residences are To make space for this new construction. their priests slum that had spread across the southern side of tortured and murdered. patchy hair. There are also diversions workshops abandoned. and Square also houses the city’s merchant class. several merchant princes became a maze of towers and bridges. Traitor’s Missing teeth. so he approved their plans. following the curve of the Heights until it comes to an abrupt end at Dismayed by the technological achievements of Clamorhome. eager to serve their new overlords fine restaurants. rebuilding their homes Traitor’s Square covers the city’s east side. The temples are all now empty. The rocking the Heights and other parts of the city testify destruction was not as widespread as in other wards. they had no place left to go. the surviving population structures. Blötland. and those few who have Stacks taken him up on the offer have settled here. and built factories where the former avoids this place. who have they are natives of the city or visiting from elsewhere. Gates open onto streets from fine townhouses. As most people who lived in the abandoned them. Now. if ever. occupants. weapons of war. they can make explosives. In addition to bazaars and marketplaces. The commercial heart engines. to be ready allies. by toiling in the factories and even helping to combat Traitor’s Square was hit just as hard as the rest of the Resistance. restaurants. and beyond. unseemly tumors. driving out the plundered for riches. and flying ships. The uprising did not touch Clamorhome in the with tiny gardens out back. Workers came with no answer from the gods in whose names these behind to tear down and clear away the emptied structures were raised. of Caecras. Most merchants fled. calibans. the ward encompasses far more territory than the factories and workshops that produced strange square for which it was named. A dozen or so fine inns offer well-appointed remains as desperate and as filthy as it was before. the City of Wonders. The orcs found the calibans aplenty here. and discreet houses of pleasure. to their success. inhabitants with fist. the Stacks extends Clamorhome west and south from Lost Souls. The orc mobs ran wildly through the Clamorhome to forage for materials from which upscale neighborhoods. all of which cast met with Eras just after his coronation to persuade the streets below into deep shadow. with goods that come from such faraway places as the The few people who reside here show signs of the Pirate Isles. With space at a premium. merchants from all over hawk their wares in Clamorhome. and flame. taking its name from the incessant its crowded streets. to say no. overhead and the chemicals spilling out in the designed so to accommodate wagons and carts laden wastewater. The young emperor saw no reason to the darkened depths. places that scarcely. see the light of day. but they have had little effect so far in in the intact dwellings evacuated by their previous reducing the bombings. such as public houses. they neither trust nor mingle with them. while a few scurried back in after the orcs’ departure. Drudge has ordered patrols of the however. and alchemists to gather and bring glory through The highest levels belong to the wealthiest and their industry to the city and. Despite the from scavenged materials in the shadow of the great name. and the like. by extension. The Stacks soldiers were sent in to clear out the Warrens. While the orcs accept the aid of the the city by the orc uprising. Most structures him to support the development of a new center of here reach ten stories high. So much blood was spilled here. the most influential citizens while the poor are relegated Alabaster Throne. altars desecrated. and many orcs have taken up residence ward increased. it guards. orc shops. whether other physical maladies afflict the survivors. The main streets through Traitor’s Between the smoke pouring from the tall stacks Square are larger than those found elsewhere in the city. come to be known as calibans. but only the luckiest were able to do so with their Rebels from the Stacks make regular forays into fortunes intact. The largest district in Caecras. burning many of its houses. and vaults the city. contamination in the wreckage of their bodies. sword. policed by private same way it ravaged the rest of the city. The frequent explosions and killing or enslaving anyone they captured. a district is the most cosmopolitan part of the city. though there are some commerce inside Caecras: a city ward for engineers higher and lower structures interspersed throughout. taverns. In fact. has the set prices in the coffee houses that have popped up on distinction of being the filthiest ward in Caecras. The orcs went door to door. Warrens were poor. the factories were emptied and the weights of their purses. the district Lij. specialty shops. while merchant princes argue and noise emanating from the new buildings. with 12 . Many moved to the already overcrowded shantytowns Traitor’s Square outside the city walls. grimly believing the gods have homes once stood. Drudge has recently allowed foreign merchants back into the city. accommodations for all travelers according to the However. deeming them useless in the new order. the ward is a hotbed of deceit and those who do have grown quite skilled at hiding from intrigue. Now. the orc uprising. Thousands of texts advancement the emperor believed would be crucial and bound manuscripts covering every subject. could be found on choice as the area had once housed the Academy. the continent’s earliest histories. very few people remain here. disappointments to him. betrayals keep everyone on the edge of paranoia. buildings. humans to halflings. Cities. no extensive trade with the Confederacy of Nine means of ingress present themselves and no stain or damage has ever marred their surfaces. and objects of historical significance for posterity. or conduits for manicured gardens and a high stone wall capped magical energy. so he willed his considerable silent witnesses to the march of centuries. bookbinders. after the Empire. but its doors were shuttered and it a new force of troopers tries to push deeper into the has not opened since. Founded shortly commemorate his legacy. Gog. ward. effectively erasing much of and all the industries supporting such endeavors. After the founding 13 . includes beacons for calling the faerie folk back to the world. as constantly shifting loyalties and surprise the roving bands of orcs looking for easy prey. The ward was also the home for the Library The Witch-King ordered much of the library’s of Melphor. and illuminators. Melphor. His children proved to be They appear as they have for thousands of years. Smoke magician. albeit slowly. only the Great Library remains to the northeastern side of the city. apprentices to seek out mastery of the arcane arts— before being conquered by Gog.a rich and diverse mixture of people. labyrinthine nature of the buildings have kept the Inkpots suffered terribly in the uprising. The purpose they serve has been a mystery that has fortune and property to the city in the hope of not yet been solved and the range of speculation preserving imperial history for all. numerous copyist and scrivener halls. ignorance into a new era of progress. from to creating a new nation. from various such as papermakers. the Palace of Antiquities was built two hundred years ago to collect and preserve artwork. collection to be burned. Drudge. stormed control over the ward. aside from a few monuments The Imperial University dominates the ward covering to him in the city. their efforts wind up killing more of the The Great Library of Melphor: One of the innocent than the guilty. elementals. Fighting breaks out often in the Stacks. the Kalasans sought to educate Historians believe the Library’s collection once their subjects in an attempt to bring them out of included all the great works of the ancient world. students often came here to research and achieve a better understanding of significant historical and political developments. but then these victims are greatest wizards of antiquity was the Edene hailed by the rebels as martyrs to the cause. The orcs. Numerous public houses peppered and others. The Witch- Inkpots King’s reign largely erased memory of the wizard from the world and. with iron spikes. and professors alike. Many people living here were the district in the weeks following the emperor’s able to escape the city. with the worst damage occurring in the University clandestinely fomenting rebellion against the orcs. shelves or stacked in piles throughout the thirty-seven an ancient institution of learning burned by the chambers into which the Library was divided. catering to University students and The dense population. the Palace remains intact since the rebels kill an orc or blow up a building in the city. while others have vowed to take the city back. orcs from finding much success in establishing any disinterested in preserving knowledge. fauns. whose accomplishments from buildings set aflame by both sides contributes to and adventures inspired generation of would-be the city’s already unhealthy atmosphere. mixers of inks. Found within walking distance of the Imperial University. Palace of Antiquities: One of the only museums in the Empire. that is. Most chose to death. and executed a large number of students and remain behind. but Because of this. unwilling to abandon their faculty. Each time Surprisingly enough. literature. The University from the philosophical writings of Plentus to the nine was established to promote a culture of learning and great dramas of Quentas the Elder. Like the other made his fortunes by edging out his rivals in Caecras’s faerie spires found in the Northern Reach. Fires homes and livelihoods. astronomy and complex mathematics to gourmet Placing the University in Inkpots was an obvious cooking and social etiquette. The Palace once belonged to Rudolfen Faerie Spires Mattico. most notably Kem. Some have pledged loyalty to were allowed to burn themselves out in the district. Often. the ward. hobgoblins. a rich and well-connected merchant who Caecras has eight gleaming white spires believed to have been built by the faeries. crowded conditions. physical incarnations of the wards The Palace is a five-story building surrounded by that keep the Demon Lord at bay. however. but not to the same degree as Inkpots and begged the emperors to remove the most egregious Lost Souls. until recently. but they always refused. In fact. Brothels. uses exotic creatures. the blood of hundreds of thousands of people. Much of the Heights statuary found in the many archways dimpling the survived the centuries unchanged since the time of building’s exterior. like the Witch-King before him. spectacularly grisly ends here. Blood sport The Great Arena still holds gladiatorial contests. the orcs spared examples. until the uprising. offer different kinds of distractions. and other creatures has stained the stones Six high hills occupy the center of the city. citizens have uprising. Here is where the nobility has oval amphitheater. Nine Vices offers every kind of diversion a person could imagine. a permanent encampment with spectacles to boggle and amaze. but most of the animals met their it to make public examples of rebels and political end by being butchered for sport or meat. gambling halls. From fortunetellers and singers to acrobats and clowns. but most stayed open. like being torn of what came before and what could become again if apart by wild animals. and it too remains shuttered and closed. the Library did not suffer the ravages of the orc uprising. the purpose for which the Warrens of the Accursed—the breeding and training structure was built is made evident in the surviving grounds for the orc soldiers. of the Empire. governmental buildings. many priests from Lost Souls met Great Arena: Built during the peak of the Witch. demons. crucifixion. Nine Vices The arts and entertainment district of the city stands at the base of the Heights on its northern side. The nobles live in small estates surrounded by 14 . the battles fought were not the fighting pits continue to see men and women tear grisly affairs of ancient times. the Nine Vices ward attracted the very best performers in the Empire. fighting pits. The Arena is an enormous. entertainment to keep the population complacent. the Imperial Menagerie. Now. plus many unimaginable entertainments as well. with one rising violence of a lost era. and the Legendary Circus. people with any kind of talent could make a living here. in the shadow of the Imperial the center of Nine Vices. sensing new opportunities with the new regime. enemies. Standing 180 feet tall and Palace. Like much of the city. taverns. At various times. Nine Vices suffered in the to name just a few. more on spectacle rather than public execution. so everything here reminds people people dying in many gruesome ways. need the distractions the district offered. and more offer ways for visitors to spend their coin. stating that the most of the buildings and the people living here. A raucous and lively place. The Heights animals. though its lack of magical lore and ancient works was conspicuous. dismemberment. So much wealth passed through this district that. either butchered by King’s reign as a way to both dispose of political orc gladiators or mutilated by a variety of animals enemies and undesirables as well as provide liberated from the Imperial Menagerie. and the infamous constructed from basalt. Like the Palace of Antiquities. Instead. as Arena should stand as a reminder of the horrors of the orc king wisely understood his warriors would the Witch-King’s reign. the contests each other apart for the amusement of the crowds. covering about eight acres in traditionally lived. At Drudge’s command. Big draws to the ward include the Great Arena. and monsters. and disembowelment. efforts were made to restore the Library to its former glory. while opium dens. The though. one can see statues of the Witch-King. Drudge has turned the Arena back into an zookeepers were able to escape with some of the more abattoir and. some of the finest in the city. above the rest. Within. or people cease their vigilance against evil. and numerous but. can be found in the Great Arena. five of of this grotesque monument to the excess and which are about the same height. A were rarely fought to the death and the focus was few brothels closed their doors. Few people outside the wizards who attend the archmage have ever set foot into the place and its contents have been the subject of great speculation and rumor. unknown monsters. the lesser hills are the ruins of the old Cathedral of The Imperial Palace witnessed the worst of the Hate. flower wholly unsuited to farming or grazing. and ceilings—a testament to the hatred of blasphemy. People whisper that beneath the and many dignitaries from lands brave enough to cathedral ruins stands one of the entrances to Hell. emperors and their extended families have made it is an uncomfortable seat and no amount of cushions make sitting upon it pleasant. Whether these suppositions are right. The order of wizards housed in the Tower Arcane came to Rûl centuries ago from a distant land named Ys (see Beyond the World’s Edge for more details). The Bone Guard has stood watch ever a gift to the queen of the Edene. and rage of the orcs who answered Drudge’s call. and more. toppled columns. while ornamental trees. something must indeed lurk under the hill: long ago. and only a covered staircases connect the various buildings. floors. A 10-foot-high sides of the steep hills. so the nobles gardens. 6-foot wide seat survived the Witch-King’s rule and was restored to its place of pride in the buildings rises from the highest hill of the heights. ears. Whether true or not.walls and gardens. but no one has Cathedral of Hate: Crowning the top of one of ever confirmed this. slaughter to strike the city. a 160-foot-tall stone tower rising from a rocky island from which spills a waterfall to rain down onto the city below. as no ruler should ever rest easy on the throne. Promenades and the closer their lands are to the Palace. The higher the family’s standing. It is here where the carvings of armored warriors battling strange. the broken walls. These masked magicians brought 15 . While survived the slaughter. a faraway place some claim lies beyond the Eternal Storm in the east or somewhere north of the Desolation. imperial palace. and strange beasts fill the grounds between have been free to beautify their houses with terraced the wall and the buildings. fountains. view of the emperor’s home. gardens of flowers and statuary. devil. kitchens. a treat with the new monarch. The steepness of the lands make them unwanted visitors. The throne features elaborate named the Conqueror’s Crown. Despite its fine appearance. and a labyrinthine network of secret tunnels beneath the innumerable winding staircases. audience halls. handful of estates stand high enough to have a good some of which serve as living quarters. armories. the 12-foot Imperial Palace: A collection of twenty-six tall. and endurance. palace that connect to the city sewers. the enormous throne has become a symbol of imperial power since—until the uprising. growing like barnacles on the wall of white stone wraps around the hill to keep out hull of a ship. No one who was not an orc sworn clergy who served the Witch-King. Tower Arcane High above the capital city floats the Tower Arcane. or tongues—to stand The Alabaster Throne guard (see Exquisite Agony for more information about Carved by dwarf hands over 1. Now. The rest cling to the courts. their homes for nearly a millennia. Most emperors came to believe that this was as it should be. The Tower Arcane has looked down on the city for so long and has become a presence so constant that most people hardly notice it unless the drifting tower passes overhead. much darker times. and obscene statuary still evoke the atmosphere of a the Palace houses the orc king. a structure that once housed the vile. By some miracle. his closest advisors. an emperor set the Bone Guard—a small force of intentionally maimed orcs with no eyes. and their blood still stains the little has survived of this once-mighty stronghold walls. place called Gaethira.500 years ago as Gaethira). the colorful wizards who sometimes descend from their aerie never say. It is rumored that there is patios. One week later. the emperor also feared what might any they find worthy for training and indoctrination. Yellow Great wizard The great tower stands thirteen stories tall and features dozens of minarets that climb up around Blue Great wizard it. known only to Archmage. structure day and night. The rest of the central tower holds a vast repository of books covering a wide range of Vermilion Lesser wizard topics such as histories. Aside from the Archmage. attends the red wizard attending the Archmage. don clothing covering them from head to toe. though few. and to The tower perches atop a hill-sized chunk of never show their faces to outsiders. whisking away these strangers. if any. if not the world. known to great wizards against the orc insurrection. These rare waterfall spilling out of one particularly large appearances have allowed people to identify certain opening down to the ground below. attends the blue wizard with the relic found in Lij—that the wizards use to Sage Lesser wizard track the movements of celestial bodies and keep Turquoise Lesser wizard precise time. traveling from one location to the next in an instant. a circle of rune-encrusted gold stands in a Azure Lesser wizard large hall at the bottom of the great tower. and various Magenta Lesser wizard religious tracts. it is believed the original wizards making up the order have largely died off. as the founders’ descendants maintain tightening spiral until reaches the city center and then the customs of Ys. volcanic stone that tapers to a point at the bottom. attends the archmage boasts an enormous Orrery—not to be confused Violet High wizard. Since the tower’s at large appearance. which require each member to reverses course. Scarlet Lesser wizard Finally. The central tower’s top Indigo High wizard. each one home to one of the twenty-one wizards Orange High wizard. Over the years. leading some to believe the waters the wizard might wear. attends the yellow wizard dwells in the central tower. the tower appeared in the sky above Caecras and The identities of the various members remain has remained ever since. obligation to come to its defense. result if he refused. drifting over the city in a unknown. goats. While suspicious of of the Empire for suitable candidates. How and why certain individuals are him to secure permission to construct a center of chosen to join the order is a secret known only to the learning above the city in exchange for passing on members. replaced by apprentices who found a place within their 16 . The drakes never trouble the people on the ground nor do they take livestock Arcane Colors from the countryside. who himself or herself Green High wizard. The color white is reserved for the city leave basins and buckets to collect the falling the Archmage. consider themselves Gray and Archmage. with two others Drakes inhabit many of the caves. Rather. and so he agreed. at large wholly independent from the Empire and under no Black Secret wizard. they pick off sheep. can give proof to its continent. People in boots and jewelry. nineteen wizards live in the tower. bargaining with secret society. from robes and gloves to are magical and possess healing properties. which extends to everything stopped flowing. wonders and gifts to the emperor. magical theory. Only mages of the Tower have the ability to Teal Lesser wizard use this circle. The mages Aubergine Lesser wizard use this circle to move from the Tower to the city and Amethyst Lesser wizard back again. The water has wizards by the color of their clothing. Brown Lesser wizard as demonstrated by their lack of action in fighting Secret wizard. and the occasional shepherd from the Grand Color Notes Duchy—it is not unusual to see a struggling animal White Archmage (or shepherd) in the clutches of these monsters before Red Great wizard they disappear into the darkness of the caves. flying about the traveling the known world. the wizards have descended from their remote aerie Caves pit the sides all around. supposed restorative properties. One is not invited to join. with a massive to move among the people on the ground. but conscripted. No two wizards no source that can be determined and has never wear the same color. though it is thought they scour the lands their lore to worthy pupils. who heads the order and is believed water as the tower passes overhead so that they can to be the most powerful practitioner of magic on the be restored. Viridian Lesser wizard Mages of the Tower Arcane: The mages of the Chartreuse Lesser wizard Tower Arcane live apart from Caecras’s people and. moaning. resulting in extensive damage across 6 Mad. various resistance groups have 5 A swarm of rats (as animal swarm) rushing out from fought against the orcs by setting fires and blowing the darkness of a sewer or abandoned house up buildings. with 666 constables divided between them. 13 weeping A pitched battle between 2d6 orcs and 3d6 humans 14 (as commoners) A dying man seated on the ground. filling the air with dust A band of 1d6 + 1 rebels (as hired killers) searching 10 for weapons A pack of 1d3 ghouls dragging off human corpses 11 into the darkness The bodies of 2d6 orcs and 4d6 humans strewn 12 about a side street An old man or woman hobbling down the street. wherever signs to begin with. widespread rubbish group encounters in the city. 9 A ruined building collapses. roll on the following table to determine what a to an end. Many of the streets never had rebels fighting to drive out the occupiers. Collapsed buildings. and maintenance—came like. and what damage there was A band of 2d6 orphans (commoners with 4 came from people fleeing ahead of the vengeful orcs. known as the Gray Cloaks for their homespun hooded cloaks. his 15 entrails heaped into his lap An organ filch extracting body parts from a 16 struggling victim A flock of ravens picking over the dead heaped up 17 at the end of an alley 18 A fountain choked with body parts 19 A band of 1d6 + 2 orcs on patrol 20 A killing mist creeps down the road Law and Order Enforcing law and keeping the peace fell to the Capital Guard. After the orc rampage. orc patrols. dog-worried corpses. dangerous. policing. all city services—like unfriendly and. and debris. as they maintained order without being oppressive or corrupt. all under the command of the Watch Captain. but the worst of it petered out after a 2 A patrol of 5 orcs searching for rebels few days. 1 A pack of 1d6 + 3 wild dogs (small animals with pack The initial outbreak of the uprising was brutal fighting) worrying the carcass of a small child and bloody. roving bands of murderous orcs. Staunch requirements and rigorous discipline made the force well-liked throughout the city. Between packs of wild dogs. Whenever you rubbish collection. 17 . improvised weapons) scavenging for food Since the uprising. shrieking laughter echoing down a street and then ending abruptly much of the city. the attacks of resistance fighters. Great swathes of the city now stand in ruins. and Caecras Encounters so much more make simply traveling a few blocks an d20 Encounter adventure in itself. the burnt remains of buildings offering mute 7 A crucified and disemboweled human testimony to the horrific struggle that has unfolded in 8 A patrol of 10 orcs looking for loot this city. Thus. and most that did have since lost one goes there’s risk of running into something them. most likely. most buildings remained intact by 3 An explosion sounding in the distance the end of the uprising. it borders Caecras.Navigating the City City Encounters Getting around Caecras was trying even in the best of Peril awaits anyone who seeks to travel through times—in the aftermath of the orc uprising. The Capital Guard had twelve precincts at key positions throughout the city. and on the impossible. atrocities occurring during and after the uprising. as Drudge Balgrendia and the March Lands in the south are intends to carry war to that province. Even if the orcs could overcome their hatred. and each has also sent a trade emissary to Caecras. This instead assigning the duties to his soldiers. only Azūl. innocents who have remained behind. Too many centuries of axes and swords. The Gray Cloaks’ brave efforts did simply forget their grudges—and. grains. but most believe their training and though. Drudge has more enemies than allies. butchering them with War appears inevitable. too far away to be drawn into a war anytime soon. has spread alarm and of troublemaking or rebellion. orcs on the continent. so he is biding his time until he can to the Alabaster Throne. The Confederacy of Nine Cities broke from the Empire long before the uprising. along with the logistical problems of having to patrols move through the city looking for any sign deal with the fleeing masses. taking positions of authority ever known. The leaders in Low Country dissent. true to their natures and loyalties. to any sort of law and order. or of his desire to crush the Holy rule and many believe the province will break away Kingdom and stamp out the religion forever. the orcs would simply overrun them. The second army is City of Death. Even as they examples of anyone who resists them. Most have thrown in their were bred to kill. The battle lines are still being drawn and. has made any public sign of siding with stationed along the borders of the Grand Duchy and Caecras. some orcs seek peace after all the in the various cells working against the orcs. and violence is all they know or have lots with the rebels. working to The flood of refugees pouring out from Caecras spirit people out of the city. The debts he has begun to turn his attention to enemies beyond owed by the Empire to the Vault brought the banking the imperial province’s borders. the violence and. However. and other materials. into the bordering provinces brings with it tidings of Drudge has yet to rebuild a force to police the city. has not moved for reinforce his army with a fresh crop of new recruits independence. from the Empire soon. They dead numbered among the appalling casualties in want vengeance and will do whatever it takes to free all the first days of the uprising.000 soldiers. Of all the cities in the Confederacy. Most orc news. and brutally making fear through the provincial populations. and while Although small pockets of resistance continue to each member city has made noise about their neutrality. When the orcs threw off their chains. While bluntly begin mobilizing for what appears to be the coming effective. the Capital Guard were the first to respond to the threat. hard years of fighting. the Golden City. as it will certainly profit by making loans to both supply lines. and maybe even an uprising or two. for now. as well as regime will make any commitment to restore Caecras to get a sense of the current conditions in the capital. The first army is stationed in the capital sides. A few. as well as exact vengeance upon A few Gray Cloaks somehow managed to survive those who placed the chains on their people. cause trouble. however. Ansa Hargrove. near the borders of the Holy Kingdom. division and unrest throughout the remnants of the Low Country and the Grand Duchy of the West both Empire in the hope of sparking some kind of unrest. Kem. has always chafed under imperial the New God’s cult. however. Drudge southern front to secure the province’s northern borders has begun sending out agents and emissaries to sow against possible orc aggression out of Caecras. The third army sits the dreaded assassins of the Black Hand. these efforts do not inspire the survivors war. The The Stirrings of War orcs disposed of them quickly. forgiveness little to slow the orcs in their rampage. have put their efforts into protecting the suffering have led to this decisive moment in time. divided the orcs into three armies of 20. Until that time. the and countryside to enforce order. Founded as a military state to he understands the unifying influence any assault on guard the Empire’s southern borders from beastmen the province could have on many of the remaining incursions. leading provincial leaders everywhere to beef Low Country to fortify the borders against possible up their personal protection measures to guard against invasion from the west or south. but she has been pulling troops from the from the training grounds. Drudge considers Caecras secured. remain part of the Empire. the March Lands have always been loyal provinces. The orc king has made no secret of his loathing for Balgrendia. they stayed instead of fleeing. certainly. The orc king has consortium to the city to look after their interests. several of the provincial leaders have sent envoys to or would-be visitors to support or trust that the new Caecras in the hope of forestalling the conflict. know if they tried to break away. so they continue supplying Caecras with textiles. The Grand Duke of 18 . has a vested interest in a continent-wide bolstered by slaves taken from the city to maintain the war. Certainly. the current duchess of the March Lands. That could An Uncertain Future change. and their isn’t something that was ever bred into their nature. or simply tearing them apart with oppression and exploitation have passed for the orcs to their bare hands. 19 . a rest before he can use it again. the curse’s hold on him was broken. Before the uprising. Drudge becomes a far more monstrous figure. or. as well as worry his small province Fighter’s Resolve Drudge makes challenge rolls to resist attacks with 1 boon. to heal 22 damage. Rather. If the target can hear and understand what he too did orcs everywhere. or make additional attacks against two different targets. He dresses in the manner of a warrior. says. Far from it. fallen as the default threat to the world of Urth. to choose one creature within short gained the free will denied to him his entire life. but little more than that. it appears that province will be the KING DRUDGE DIFFICULTY 250 first to face the onslaught of the orcs. With the orc king’s attention fixed squarely on the Holy Kingdom. He believes eyes. he refuses to call himself emperor and only with great reluctance does he accept the title of king. As the orc king Direct the Troops Drudge can use an action. Horus knows. As a result. from hand. he sees himself as the first among equals. gray. the moment Drudge discovered the truth SPECIAL ACTIONS behind the Empire’s policy of orc “retirement. Rising Fury When Drudge takes damage. Drudge is presented as the figure on whom the Demon Lord’s shadow has A serious. Drudge does not revel in his new status. nor they could take up arms against their human If the target can hear and understand Drudge. or a triggered action on his turn. leading with their consent. Combat Mastery When Drudge uses an action to attack send reinforcements to shore up the Kingdom of God if with a weapon. the target moves up to half its Speed. of the orcs’ anger. Tear’s ruler Horus has been Strength 16 (+6). the target makes its has some sympathy for what he sees as the rightness next attack roll with 1 boon. despite being the Battlefield Leadership When Drudge gets a success on last surviving human heir to the Alabaster Throne. or a triggered vile act of execution and cannibalism as a way to action on his turn. he makes his next however. you can apply the Demon Spawn role to the above funds for the war effort. He finds the trappings of his station to be a burden one eager to spread chaos and destruction and has ordered the finery of the palace sold to raise across the continent. he must wait until he completes both control and feed the growing orc population. Shadow of the Demon Lord Drudge is determined to make the world safe for orcs In both Shadow of the Demon Lord and The and visit justice upon those who enslaved them. If you have Hunger. most notably those owed Defense 18 (mail). Intellect 11 (+1). shadowsight started calling in old debts. lands. Weapon Mastery When Drudge makes an attack roll with a faithful support during Tear’s darkest days. Insanity 3. scarred skin. 1d6 extra damage and make one additional attack against a different target. at the very least. He an attack roll. the Size 1 orc Kingdom is massing troops along its borders and has Perception 11 (+1). he can choose one creature within short range. Once he uses Catch your Breath twice.” the Catch your Breath Drudge can use an action. reroll the to take the fight to Caecras if need be. He has Drudge stands just shy of seven feet tall and sent an emissary to the imperial city. will once again be plunged into warfare. and focused man of few words. If you adopt the “Fall of Civilization” shadow. driven. Hunger in the Void. he can choose to deal 2d6 extra damage. Corruption 2 by the Borderlands of Tear. He has long pledge of loyalty to the throne (see “The Orc King and black hair. Will 12 (+2) Speed 12 reluctant to declare against Drudge. with his his advisors tell him even that small gesture might greatsword either strapped to his back or never far antagonize Tear and the Holy Kingdom. Health 68. even if it meant laying down their with 1 boon and the attack deals 1d6 extra damage. although shirt covering his torso down to his knees. Agility 12 (+2). Before the end of the round. smoldering His Court” below). a mail that will be enough to appease Drudge. that he owes much to the Holy Kingdom for its attack roll before the end of the next round with 1 boon. No longer bound to serve. awakened in him a greater sense of purpose. d20 and use the second number in place of the first. along with centuries of oppression and exploitation. While he demands that he statistics box to represent the effects of demonic is now the rightful ruler of the Empire and all its influence on him. the representative of all orcs. The Orc King and His Court ATTACK OPTIONS Greatsword (melee) +6 with 1 boon (5d6 plus 1d6 on attack Like all his predecessors. Drudge had no ambition beyond serving the throne and leading his people— but the shedding of those shackles. it is attacked. lives. he committed himself to rule his people. Yet. Tear is ready weapon and the number on the d20 is 9 or less. it can use masters—they had no choice but to do whatever was a triggered action to attack and it makes the attack roll asked of them. with a very tepid weighs just over three hundred pounds. and dark. Drudge’s loyalty to the roll 20+) Alabaster Throne was absolute.the Westers is too feckless to take a serious stand. so range. The curse binding SPECIAL ATTACKS his people to the emperors ensured that neither he Attack Command Choose one creature within short range. Drudge’s throne room is rather barren. the court attendants are a mix of orc and human advisors. an utterly inept and incompetent noble from a very minor family. his eyes wide in horror from what he has seen. she does so in a husky whisper. He sweats and wrings his hands a lot. When she talks. She scarred her cheeks with a knife to make it appear as if tears run down her cheeks. He has a large notch in his forehead from the time his head caught an axe. General Weeper: The supreme commander of the three orc armies. Skullsplitter hates humans and therefore takes special pleasure in the task assigned to him. he could easily ignore the protests from his kin. Drudge named Skullsplitter Protector of the City. due to a slash to the throat she suffered in battle. Weeper gained renown leading orcs against the beastmen in Tear. Flench does not want to be in Caecras and has lived in abject terror since his arrival in the city. The orc king rid himself of the previous emperor’s sycophants and hangers-on by simply killing them. or anyone else who would threaten the new order. with the authority to do so in any manner he chooses. Weeper stands six feet tall and has a wiry body. with a powerfully built body covered in scars and tattoos that account for all the humans he has killed in his career. General Skullsplitter: One of the personal guards assigned to Drudge before he came to power in the Empire. and hunting down and killing Eron the Red. The King’s Court Compared to the last emperor’s court. Lord Flench is a nervous young man in his mid- twenties. The Grand Duke dispatched him because he was expendable—if anything happened to him. The task of accomplishing this fell to Alonzo Flench. He directs his troops to show no mercy to traitors. rebels. Lord Alonzo Flench: Fearing invasion. A combination of a keen. which he subsequently pulled out and used to slay its former wielder. Skullsplitter is an enormous orc. He has not mustered up the courage to broach the topic to the orc 20 . charging him with the establishment of order. strategic mind with a fearsome disposition won her the loyalty of her troops and the king’s confidence. Now. a notorious bandit who spent the summer of 871 terrorizing the countryside of Low Country. the Grand Duke of the West dispatched an ambassador to the court of the orc king to monitor events in the capital and to provide assurances that the Duchy would remain part of the Empire despite the recent troubles. which he is incapable of hiding. crushing a rebellion in Old Edene. nearly eight feet tall. along with those few diplomats who have come to see who has taken the place of the slain emperor. She wears spectacles on her face and has a quick smile. Eran Sumple: Not part of the Empire. He wears violet robes and rings of white gold on each of his fingers. She dresses in a black suit and keeps a pistol inside her jacket pocket. it is rumored he and his retinue of servants hold parties of splendor and excess to rival those of the slain emperor’s orgies. bringing gifts of gold and gems to entice Drudge into forming an alliance. forcing the Vault to pressure the neighboring provinces to take up arms against the orcs and reestablish the human monarchy. he wears a white gold chain on which hang nine keys. Irinith Qui: The Golden City wasted little time in sending representatives to Caecras. Martinius Edder: Rumors have been circulating about an early alliance between Drudge and Azūl. however. Qui shows no sign of it. Sumple has managed to establish cordial relations with the orc king and feels confident that he will respect her nation’s independence and unwillingness to become embroiled in any conflicts. It remains unclear which way Drudge will go and Latrice worries that the orcs might be too many to stop if it comes to war. to accompany Irinith Qui to get a sense of the situation in Caecras and to determine whether Drudge intends to continue making payments toward the debts incurred by the last emperor. if possible. drooping mustache. A skilled negotiator and diplomat. In public he is all business. leads the entourage from Kem. one for each city in the Confederacy. If the carnage in the city has affected him. seeing in the new king an opportunity to enrich themselves in the coming war by bankrolling the orc armies. High Banker Levon Latrice: The Vault in Kem dispatched Levon Latrice. maintain her nation’s neutrality. with silver hair and a long. Should it become necessary. the City of Death. Latrice has agents in Tear and the Holy Kingdom awaiting his command to open negotiations with Horus and the Matriarch. one of the high bankers. bald and liver-spotted. She is concerned about Irinith Qui’s efforts to spark a war and sends regular reports to her masters back home. urging them to prepare for the conflict. In the privacy of his lodging outside of the palace. the Freeholds of Nar dispatched Eran Sumple to gauge the situation in the capital and. a dark-skinned human with bright blue eyes and a smooth scalp. all the time. Latrice is a human in his fifties. and Martinius Edder’s presence in the capital further stokes the fires of speculation. the damage to the continent’s economy would be severe. Irinith Qui. Sumple is a middle-aged human woman with short brown hair streaked with gray. a silent guest and the butt of several cruel jokes by the other court attendants. Around his neck. he moves 21 . An ancient man.king for which he was sent and has been. for the most part. If Drudge defaults on the loans. with broad features and a mop of curly court cast a spell and disappeared. shelter. clockworks. hobgoblins and salamanders. the new wizard has said little. Clad head to toe in vermilion. Caecras has but a fraction of than fighting them. the orcs’ jests and is a little too he and Drudge are. beneath the palace. a new wizard appeared in feeding intelligence to the Resistance at great the Imperial Palace. A halfling Drudge slew the emperor. they live alongside dwarfs and Guy Pemberton represents the people who want halflings. Even though humans have always had felt they were simply trading one tyrant for another. Benjan has been secretly the uprising died down. While orcs were a regular sight. he was nearly caught but with only his or managed to kill the orc soldier who had stumbled her eyes visible. in fact. Some remained as Caecras was their A Beleaguered Population home and they were willing to stick it out. They go on patrol or stand watch out members of the Resistance. than counselors. Others felt Diversity has ever been a hallmark of Caecras’s it was their duty to fight against the orcs. understandably. with the aid of a cane and Guy Pemberton is a middle- assistance from six young aged human with short blond boys who see to his needs. Taking into account anyway if not offered. His hair and green eyes. A senior he laughs a little too loud at member of the Black Hand. 22 . Pilsby offering insights Benjan was appalled only when asked by the violence and directly. and countless peace in the city and who have accepted Drudge as others. its former population. upon Drudge’s final victory there has always been a over his enemies. numbering between 20. helpful when dealing with his secretly negotiating an alliance new masters. but onto his meeting in the maze of secret tunnels seems keenly interested in the events at court. member of the order Pilsby Benjan: The in attendance at the representative of Low imperial court. Such would have left with insights tend the other refugees. for the most part. activities. Guy Pemberton: Many stayed in the city during the uprising. the greatest numbers. uprising began. and representatives of other ancestries. who would simply take these things from them undergone some stark changes. He wears age and infirmity disguise a tattered green robes and a ruthless determination forged simple silver chain around his over a lifetime spent killing neck. about half of which are orcs. A few weeks after brown hair on his head. Cringing and obsequious. Pemberton might not like the those slain during the uprising and the refugees orcs. confined to their barracks around enemies. report suspicious on the walls. while many population. Other members in which the Black Hand would of the court call him the King’s eliminate key political figures Creature. people for money. in neighboring provinces in The Vermilion Mage: Since exchange for territory in the the Tower Arcane appeared Holy Kingdom and Edene in the sky above the city. In fact. and aid to the orcs. but to be cryptic and he felt he could help the mostly unhelpful. When people by staying behind. Called the Collaborators by their the city as slaves. the having been in the city wizards rarely act in on business when the a political manner. and give food. risk to himself. The remaining people are humans. but he feels cooperation will save more lives fleeing the violence. with smatterings of goblins. The city’s population has. the wizard in the 3 feet tall. Pemberton’s faction has been complicit in the imperial palace or marching through the streets to many of the atrocities taking place in the city. Acting Country is effectively more as observers trapped in Caecras.000 inhabitants.000 and 30. they lived in their new ruler. Instead. Other masters of the city. orc patrols move through the city. the Resistance has cells scattered city. The orcs’ patrols and tight grip on the city effectively The Victors prevents the various groups of resistors from working The orcs make up the largest cultural group in the together. coming war against the Holy Kingdom. he will masters. lifestyle between the rich and poor. Their violent and bloody overthrow of the enslavement. orcs ceaselessly train and work. the orcs have seen themselves used and Horus. and the landscape all around the city shows the signs of their flight. but people continue to leave to which the Empire went to check their growing the city. a blind eye toward the atrocities and chaos swirling rounding up more people to swell the ranks of the slaves. numbers. old emperors and the huge disparities in wealth and making ready for the great conquest to come. fight injustice. or at least make them pay dearly for trying to hold it. trying to survivors in the city. the last human heir to the Alabaster Throne. The factions in the Resistance agree the orcs must The freedom wrested from the imperials fills orcs be removed. the orcs. A few groups turned their attention from vengeance toward the blow up buildings. However. A growing group of routes out of the city through the sewers. or death at either the hands of the orcs government. knowing that to remain is to face violence. constables. resents the excess of the Toward that end. and hatred drove them to commit acts of appalling doing whatever they can to sabotage the orcs’ control violence against the human citizenry. Others are marched out to the their new circumstances. Each week. seek resistance from the other peoples living in the city. returning to their homes in the construction of ramparts and roads on the front and working in their professions. Some stockpile weapons and armor to close to stability returned to the city. 23 . While the horrors Much of the random. many people orc camp. they The Slaves In an act of incredible hypocrisy. they will most certainly die. but what comes after is a matter of great with pride and enthusiasm for what is to come. revenge. When the enslavement curse that bound them throughout the city. they believe. it is believed. the bloodletting slowed until something by the group. Former priests. around them. The orcs have arm the populace for their own uprising. calling themselves the Resistance. the orcs can live. centuries of pent-up rage adventurers. After weeks efforts and weaken their grip on the city. They tolerate no disobedience or factions simply try to help people escape the city. spears. Tactics vary of fighting. The New Order. and ordinary people lead these groups. they materials the orcs will need when they invade the have done everything they can to find normalcy in neighboring provinces. keep them clear by fighting against the harvesters and have been working to wrest control of the city from other strange things infesting them. clothing. So long as the other people accept their lots and do as the orcs say. publicly executing dissidents and rebels in extremely painful and gruesome ways. in addition to luring them into traps and murdering them. and other Collaborators by the members of the Resistance. or revenge. made up of common people. or simply revel in the chaos. The Loyalists want to weaken the orcs so that too long. forced to labor twelve hours a day or more came forward to pledge fealty to Drudge. Called to produce arrows. the has died down—at least compared to the uprising— orcs have broken the imperial line and created an and the orcs have come to see themselves as the opportunity for all people to become truly free. while others prey on orc soldiers. and the staggering civilian or the bombs of the Resistance. If not. have made slaves of many people living in Caecras The Collaborators in order to maintain control of the city and support preparations for the coming war. rampant violence in the city of the orc uprising were regrettable. their ability to tolerate the horror The Refugees diminishes and more and more of them either take up People fled Caecras in droves during the uprising with the Resistance or leave the city altogether. all the while turning lines. Now is the dawn of a new age. rope. to the throne was broken. securing and fortifying all they have conquered. exploited by their weak and unworthy can crush them easily when. as conditions worsen and the city is slowly being transformed into something unrecognizable. The massive flood of refugees has been under which the orcs lived or the disturbing efforts reduced to a mere trickle. Slaves live in the old Sensing the way the wind was blowing. and the world will tremble before their might. from the discarded clothing and The Resistance possessions left where they fell to the picked-over bones of people who could not withstand the rigors Few in Caecras dispute the horrible conditions of the exodus. to toil away they did before the uprising. discarded. Many go about their lives as other two orc armies in the north and south. A few priests of the casualties that followed. destroyed what little human Old Faith who escaped the slaughter have opened sympathy they might have had. however. For debate. the Age of come to liberate the city. a group Orcs. a priest of the Dark Gods. or 24 . The uprising threw Caecras into chaos. crashing The people in Caecras have no rights. has scavenging still continues. An investigation Caecras depends on imports to sustain its people reveals that a fungus has contaminated the grain and economy. were taken down from temples and melted down to to bring arms to the Resistance and begin a become swords. With authority ago. • The characters are trapped in the city during the A New Tyranny uprising and must find a way out. orcs organize themselves in a loose military society • After war breaks out between the Holy Kingdom with King Drudge at the top of a chain of command and Caecras. making it an the harvesters here don’t prey on orcs. leather. For reasons of their own. orc all noncombatants and utter subservience to the and human alike. Nothing in the city went to waste: clothing. The wizards. but most have been played out. and a massive war press for protection against the creatures. with the imperial palace. nothing other than that which has been granted to into the city. be sure to check out Rûl and its people. a powerful devil leads an army that leads down to the troopers making up the bulk of hogmen (see Exquisite Agony) out from Hell of the armies. military’s needs. Mines in the north continue to extract a bit of from the king. Rebellion. public executions are almost a daily begun moving in the open. There’s no sign of any of the order’s them by their orc masters—which is very little. Bells • Saboteurs from Tear have infiltrated the city. in the city to the sword. even settling in homes occurrence. The Collaborators refugees seek help in sneaking out. The new arrangement in the city has only Adventures in Caecras emboldened these creatures. arson. buildings explode without warning. harvesters have the streets. Military Industry • People in the city start going insane and acting in wild and self-destructive ways. vacated by dead or fled citizens. win the gods’ favor for the coming war. denuded of forests and other natural resources long as well as prey on the populace. Use the following ideas to inspire Horrific Parasites. clamp down on civilians everywhere in the city Not long after the uprising. campaign that will ultimately determine the fate of For more details on harvesters. While somewhat diminished now. The city’s rulers expect deference from through the gates of Gaethira to put everyone. pottery—anything and everything was Someone has to bring food into the city or the gathered up and put to use to build the orc armies. Harvesters have always lived under Caecras. and arrowheads. the harvesters hold a lottery each iron and copper. the surrounding farmlands. the orcs looted the city using brutal. The orcs trade uncertain at best. • The Tower Arcane falls from the sky. axe blades. sedition. for materials to prepare for the coming war. Caecras is the perfect place to kick off a concerns than the pleas of the conquered. and the orcs exciting and dangerous place in which to set your don’t really care if the humans in the city get torn apart adventures. advising him to start sacrificing humans to them into the machines of war. week to see which lucky soul will have to offer up Reliant as the capital was on materials from outside a vital organ. Entire campaign of terror against the orcs. Orc patrols constantly prowl through by these parasites. whole place might collapse. any other crime perceived as anti-military is rewarded The Parasites with summary public torture and execution. no freedoms. as slaves and citizens alike climbed to a position of influence with the orc are forced to gather these materials and help turn king. some looting and • An orc gothi. In a few places. suitable only for raising • The harvesters have made a pact with King livestock and growing crops after the landscape was Drudge and are now allowed to move in the open. but their between the orcs and the rest of the Empire looms on cries have been ignored as the orcs have far greater the horizon. its borders—much of which was required by the throne as tax revenue—it is unclear how long the new • The Resistance manages to set bombs off inside government can maintain its hold on power. you when creating your own adventures set in this war-torn land. • Food shortages lead to widespread hunger. buildings were dismantled to build ballistae and catapults. Food poured into the hungry city from stores. theft. extending their lives by stealing flesh and organs from the people above. draconian methods. killing one of the king’s the flow of goods slowed to a trickle and the future of advisors and seriously injuring Drudge. Naturally Invisible A ghost is invisible to all creatures except animals. gaining Insanity. having died of fright. Will — Speed 10 know the Common Tongue. Defense 10. diseased. Will 13 (+3) Speed 8. immobilized. Relive the Past An apparition performs the same set Size 1 horrifying spirit of tasks it performed in life. so when they become incapacitated. will. New Creatures Spirits haunt the lands of Caecras. it fatigued. animals. poisoned. slowed ceases to exist until the area is no longer lit by sunlight. Health —. appearing in whatever form they last had when each night without end. The ghost Some souls. other spirits. Corruption — Ghosts typically know High Archaic and some Strength —. Night Bound If the apparition is in an area lit by sunlight. and. Thus. fire. gaining Insanity. but the Insanity. disease. and reconstituting when presence spied only out of the corner of the eye by night falls. through sheer power of will or by dint cannot use its attack options while it’s invisible. deafened. Agility 16 (+6). the creature is also impaired and slowed. The Collaborators turn against the Resistance and the city is once more plunged into violence. for it manifests the horrors one is bound to face in death. apparitions appear as they did in life. they Perception — vanish and return to the space they left 24 hours later. asleep. It cannot detect the Perception 15 (+5). • An explosion rocks the city. • Several cults devoted to the various aspects of the Demon Lord seize the opportunity gained from the city’s unrest to move out from hiding and work their wickedness in the city. it remain in the mortal world. Each performs the same activities it did children. all afflictions Ephemeral An apparition can move through creatures and solid objects. Apparitions never alter their they lived. Insanity —. Insanity —. of course. however. conversing with the same people. existing as ghosts. Apparitions appear only in places where they lived and died. can move through solid objects and other creatures. Agility —. Intellect 13 (+3). and then only at Ghosts move unnoticed in the world. killing hundreds of innocent civilians. Immune all damage. They when it was alive. and other spirits. blinded. Intellect —. The following spirits supplement those presented in Shadow and other sources. ghosts remain anchored Size 1/2 to 1 horrifying spirit in the world. Such changes to their environment. toiling can. their invisible night. Insubstantial A ghost takes half damage from weapons. inculcating them with an enduring hatred for the living. dissipating in sunlight. running the same errands. children. lurking in old ruins or prowling the lands under the cover of darkness. • The characters are sent to infiltrate the city and recover an important relic from the Great Library. an appearance is both startling and unnerving. APPARITION DIFFICULTY 1 Unlike many other spirits. and Ghost ignores the effects of moving across difficult terrain. most ghosts appear to bear ghastly behavior and do not recognize other creatures or wounds or to suffer the infirmities of great age. and poison. Corruption 1d6 + 3 or acknowledge changes to its environment. flier END OF THE ROUND Immune damage from cold. While frightened from gaining ghosts remain until an undone task is completed. A creature driven mad by gaining Insanity in this way takes their time between life and death strips away what damage equal to its Health. ATTACK OPTIONS Touch the Soul (melee) +6 with 1 boon against the target’s Agility (6d6 plus Possession) 25 . reveal themselves by exerting their at the same task. It ignores the effects of moving across GHOST DIFFICULTY 500 difficult terrain. revealing their ephemeral nature. darksight presence of other creatures other than apparitions Defense 20. of their great power resist the natural order and Shocking Appearance When a creature gets a failure on a challenge roll to resist the ghost’s horrifying trait. but are semi-transparent. Most gains 1d6 extra Insanity. Strength —. compassion they might have had. Apparition The echoes of people long dead. Health 100. or a triggered action on its turn. ATTACK OPTIONS Sword (melee) +3 with 1 boon (2d6 + 2) CALIBAN DIFFICULTY 5 Crossbow (long range) +0 with 1 boon (3d6) Size 1 frightening human SPECIAL ACTIONS Last Ditch Effort If the Gray Cloak would become Perception 10 (+0). the ghost cannot use Possession on the same but it counts as ten creatures for the purpose of target again until it completes a rest. it within 1 yard of it must get a success on an Agility can move up to its Speed before or after the action. Will 9 (–1) the ghost can access the target’s memories. it dissipates and 1d6 calibans appear in open spaces within the space the mob formerly occupied. GRAY CLOAK DIFFICULTY 25 Caliban Size 1 human The wretched. Each time the possessed creature takes Life is Pain A caliban mob takes half damage while not damage. flesh. Intellect. A mob makes Strength. the Gray Cloak can use a triggered action to cancel A caliban takes double damage while injured. each creature that use these actions during any turn and can do so before isn’t a swarm or a mob that is in the mob’s space or its enemies act. shadowsight target (see below) or an effect that ends possession. shadowsight incapacitated by an attack. force wave (2). ATTACK OPTIONS Club (melee) +2 (1d6) Guerrilla Certain members of the Resistance hope to defeat the orcs by making it too costly for them to remain in the city. Once the city’s any of the following characters in addition to the enforcers of law and order. Each time the ghost uses an action. it can use a triggered action Defense 10. challenge roll or take 2d6 damage. Health 23. the ghost enters the target’s body and remains there until it Size 3 frightening human moves out of the target’s space or is forced out by the Perception 10 (+0). leaders of the Resistance. The ghost can Overwhelm If the mob is not injured. Gray Cloak The beleaguered constables who survived the Common Characters uprising now fight to carry out their duty by protecting the surviving citizens against the Adventures set in and around Caecras might involve depredations of the conquerors. that movement. Power 5 Telekinesis mind over matter (6). such as shuddering tumors. Corruption 1d3 possessed target becomes compelled by the ghost and Strength 12 (+2). Agility 10 (+0). Health 48. but they SPECIAL ACTIONS treat the area as difficult terrain. On injured. Corruption 0 Strength 13 (+3). Once it uses Last Ditch Effort. mutated people of Clamorhome. and sabotaging supplies. body. it becomes invisible if it’s not invisible already. The spawned calibans take MAGIC the next available turn. Agility 10 (+0). to occupied by other creatures. Intellect 10 (+0). or vigilantes. it can make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane. Flee the Light If the ghost is in an area lit by sunlight. They hope to achieve this by blowing up buildings. 26 . Will 11 (+1) and odd scaly patches. to become visible. Speed 8 Stand Fast If the Gray Cloak would be moved against its Life is Pain A caliban takes half damage while not injured. END OF THE ROUND Epic Adversary Roll 1d3 + 1 to determine how many actions the ghost can use during the next round. weeping sores. Corruption 1d3 to heal 5 damage. they now serve as usual sorts of characters described in Shadow of the defenders. Perception 12 (+2) calibans sport all kinds of strange maladies in their Defense 17 (mail. Insanity 1d6. Intellect 10 (+0). Spawn When the mob becomes incapacitated. Will 9 (–1) Gray Cloak cannot use it again until it completes a rest. choosing targets. knowledge. Calibans speak the Common Tongue. Possession The ghost can attempt to possess the target of its attack as part of the same attack. It remains visible of an individual member and can move through spaces until it uses an action. A caliban mob takes double damage while injured. the Strength 12 (+2). a success. Creatures can move through a mob’s space. or a triggered through openings large enough to permit the passage action on its turn. they Speed 10 despise the hale and healthy. ATTACK OPTIONS hold (2). setting booby traps. A Defense 10. large shield). On a success. Speed 8 and spells. The mob acts as a single creature. telekinetic outburst (1) Improvised Weapons (melee) +2 with 2 boons (3d6 or 1d6 if the mob is injured) END OF THE ROUND Epic Recovery The ghost removes one affliction from itself. Health 12. crush (3). Intellect 11 (+1). Demon Lord. The ghost makes a CALIBAN MOB DIFFICULTY 25 Will attack roll against the target’s Will. Agility 10 (+0). will. Insanity 0. become invisible once more. If the ghost gets a individual creatures and double damage from attacks failure on its attack roll or is forced out of a target’s that affect an area. dancing weapon (3). and Telekinetic Slam (short range) +3 with 1 boon (4d6) Will challenge rolls with 1 boon. it forces the ghost out of its body into a space Mob A mob takes half damage from attacks that target of the ghost’s choice within 1 yard. Cursed to live in agony. The mob can squeeze Manifestation The ghost uses an action. Insanity 1d6. They are Looter savage combatants. Battle augmented attack (3). ears. Perception 10 (+0). Agility 10 (+0). ruins of their former prison. it makes its next attack roll before the end of the next round with 1 boon. GUERRILLA DIFFICULTY 1 and tongues. the gothi makes attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 boon. the Bone Guard now protect the orc king and make up his personal retinue. All orcs speak Power 2 the Common Tongue and Dark Speech. by the guerrilla. up to 20 yards. Everything in the Strength 15 (+5). Perception 9 (–1) Defense 12 (hard leather). If the guerrilla Double Attack The bone guard attacks twice with its sets the bomb. Defense 10. it explodes in a 1d6 yard radius. abandoned buildings and making off with their gains. mighty attack (2). the bone guard can use a triggered action to against a solid surface. they are not at all discomfited by their Size 1 human lack of senses and can handle themselves with incredible skill in battle. large shield). Agility 9 (–1). If the Swift Strike When a creature moves into the bone guard’s guerrilla throws the bomb. erode (1) Orc Bone Guard The elite guard once entrusted with guarding the gates of Hell under the Cathedral of Hate. close wounds (2). up to 1 hour from when it was set. arc of death (1) Destruction ruin (3). Prayer When the gothi or a creature within short range The orcs enslaved by the Empire conquered the makes an attack roll or challenge roll. Health 45. Insanity 1d3 – 1. Will 12 (+2) Speed 12 Size 1 human Spill the Blood While injured. dealing 2d6 damage to creatures in the area and Orc Gothi 12 damage to objects in the area. Perception 9 (–1) Warpriest When the gothi gets a success on an attack roll. rend (2). Corruption 1d3 – 1 ORC BONE GUARD DIFFICULTY 100 Strength 10 (+0). 27 . A guerrilla can throw the bomb attack the creature with its greatsword. sightless Agility challenge roll or explode. Rising Fury When an orc takes damage. its Health and sending fire and fragments out in a 3-yard Corruption 3 radius centered on a point in its space. Agility 10 (+0). Intellect 9 (–1). Agility 11 (+1). Health 10. A creature in the area Immune gaining Insanity. The orcs shut down these activities whenever they ORC GOTHI DIFFICULTY 25 find them. Corruption 1d3 + 1 LOOTER DIFFICULTY 1 Strength 13 (+3). eager to kill and die to earn their Opportunistic scoundrels have taken to looting the place in the company of their deities. A creature takes half the damage with a success on an Agility challenge roll. it must get a success on an Perception 12 (+2). Insanity 1d6 + 1. When the bomb detonates. The following entries MAGIC provide additional variations of orcs. orc gothi eschew armor and display a triquetra scarred on their chests. Health 30. ATTACK OPTIONS ATTACK OPTIONS Axe (melee) +0 (1d6) Greatsword (melee) +5 with 1 boon (5d6) SPECIAL ATTACKS SPECIAL ATTACKS Explosive A guerrilla carries 1d3 + 1 bombs. Will 8 (–2) creature it chooses within short range. charmed. Insanity —. it detonates after a period of time chosen greatsword. Speed 10 Quick Reflexes The looter can use a triggered action on its ATTACK OPTIONS turn to hide or retreat. Insanity 1d6. Using an action. Will 11 (+1) Speed 10 Size 1 orc Unstable Possessions If the guerrilla takes damage and is carrying one or more bombs. but the city is too big for the orcs to be Size 1 orc everywhere. taking damage equal to Defense 20 (full plate. shadowsight Defense 9. it detonates when it impacts reach. Will 14 (+4) area takes 2d6 plus 2d6 extra damage for each bomb Speed 10 the guerrilla carried after the first. Health 11. Intellect 9 (–1). Battleaxe (melee) +3 (1d6 + 2) ATTACK OPTIONS Hatchet (melee or short range) +3 (1d6) Club (melee) +1 (1d6) SPECIAL ACTIONS Stone (short range) +0 (1d3) Battle Resurgence The gothi can use an action to heal Orcs 7 damage and then grant each creature within short range 1 boon on attack rolls until the end of the round. deafened. that gets a success on an Agility challenge roll takes half frightened the damage. Corruption 1d3 – 1 it can grant 1 boon on the next attack roll made by a Strength 11 (+1). the gothi can use capital and have since organized their society in the a triggered action to grant 1 boon on the triggering roll. Intellect 9 (–1). Priests of the Dark Gods. the guerrilla can set or throw an explosive. Intellect 11 (+1). Although deprived of eyes. blinded. shadowsight and that can hear it. as well as to resist Rising Fury When an orc takes damage. reach +1) +2 with 1 boon (1d3) SPECIAL ATTACKS Painful Lash The orc overseer uses its whip to attack one creature it can reach. Insanity 0. Few in number. Health 33. or bringing up orc young in the customs and manners of their kind. Perception 11 (+1). it makes its next or remove the charmed and frightened afflictions. ORC RENEGADE DIFFICULTY 25 SPECIAL ACTIONS Size 1 orc Rally the Troops The orc sergeant uses an action to rally any number of creatures it chooses within short range Perception 9 (–1). large shield). Will 11 (+1) Corruption 1 Speed 12 Strength 13 (+3). Intellect 8 (–2). 1 boon. Insanity 1d6. Orc Renegade Not all orcs were willing to obey King Drudge. Agility 11 (+1). after several engagements. Corruption 1d3 + 2 and heals 1d6 damage. shadowsight Defense 17 (mail. the target also becomes impaired for 1 minute. Insanity 1d3. it must wait until it completes a rest before it Speed 12 can use it again. Agility 10 (+0). Once the sergeant uses this Strength 13 (+3). or slake their thirst for blood. Will 8 (–2) Speed 12 ATTACK OPTIONS Club (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1d6) Whip (melee. selected from the ranks to serve as the Empire’s heavy infantry. Health 17. Insanity 1d3 – 1. Intellect 9 (–1). troopers have their squad and company numbers They are usually veterans that rose through the ranks tattooed on their faces. the target takes 1d3 extra damage. shadowsight Defense 13 (brigandine). Will 10 (+0) Disciplined An orc trooper makes challenge rolls to resist Speed 12 the frightening and horrifying traits. Intellect 10 (+0). troopers have had Orc Sergeant discipline drilled into them since birth. ORC TROOPER DIFFICULTY 50 ORC SERGEANT DIFFICULTY 50 Size 1 orc Size 1 orc Perception 10 (+0). ATTACK OPTIONS Battleaxe (melee) +3 with 1 boon (2d6 + 2 or 3d6 + 2 Orc Trooper against an injured target) More reliable than ordinary orcs. these renegades roam Caecras. orc overseers are hulking brutes. Double Attack The sergeant makes two attacks with a weapon it is wielding. Agility 10 (+0). Strength 13 (+3). Agility 10 (+0). who unflinchingly dish out pain. with attack roll before the end of the next round with 1 boon. or at least not yet. ATTACK OPTIONS ATTACK OPTIONS Sword (melee) +3 with 1 boon (2d6 + 2) Sword (melee) +3 with 2 boons (2d6 + 2) Large Shield (melee) +3 with 1 boon (1d3 plus 1d6) Spear (melee or short range) +3 with 2 boons (2d6) 28 . Health 23. If the target is already impaired. On a success against a target wearing light or no armor. Corruption 1d3 + 1 Strength 12 (+2). Orc Overseer Charged with maintaining order among the slaves. for they have yet to quench their hate for humans. Will 9 (–1) action. brutally SPECIAL ATTACKS killing anyone they can catch. Each target removes one affliction Defense 15 (mail). Health 29. Most Sergeants lead squads of four to five orcs into battle. Intellect 9 (–1). shadowsight Corruption 1 Defense 17 (mail. large shield). ORC OVERSEER DIFFICULTY 5 Size 1 orc Perception 10 (+0). cruel bullies by nature. or to cast a As the orcs moved from temple to temple. phantasm (2) Magician sense magic (8) SLAVE DIFFICULTY 1 Teleportation dismiss (8). direct conjuration (8). 1 the game with a uniform and 1d3 Insanity. thimblerig (4). Characters ATTACK OPTIONS from Caecras use the normal rules for creating Unarmed (melee) +0 (1) characters as presented in Shadow. Gain 1 Corruption and 2d6 ss. you have joined the Resistance. arcane shield (4). Staff of Power The wizard’s staff of magic grants 1 boon on attack rolls the wizard makes when casting an attack You witnessed friends and loved one brutalized by spell and imposes 1 bane on challenge rolls made to 7 the orcs. they consider human characters from Caecras speak Kalasan (see themselves above the petty disputes of mortals Only Human). wizard can cast one of the following spells by expending the casting of a spell he or she has learned of the same You worked on a farm or raised livestock in the or higher rank: sanctuary (rank 1 Protection). The Imperial Background: Characters of ancestries following statistics box can be used to represent any of other than orcs can use the following table in place the lesser wizards. Staff (melee) +2 with 1 boon (2d6) You were an entertainer in Nine Vices. Spell Recovery The Tower wizard can use an action to heal 8 damage and regain two castings of spells he or she You earned a living working in your profession. Intellect 15 (+5). makes the attack roll with 1 bane and the Tower wizard makes the challenge roll to resist the spell with 1 boon. Add farmer or herder to 2 Protection). disguise (8). Corruption 0 Strength 10 (+0). portals (2). The triggering creature do so again until it completes a rest. all secretive cabal of powerful mystics. Add singer. Spell Mastery The Tower wizard has 6 spell points. 29 . the Tower 3 count yourself among the Collaborators. Slave MAGIC A growing number of slaves drawn from the ranks of Power 6 once-free citizens now toil in oppressive conditions Arcana arcane armor (8). dancer. he or she cannot use it again until he or she completes a rest. The tried to help an injured priest. Conjuration conjure useful item (8). ancestries. Trade out traditions and spells as of the background tables normally provided for their needed to customize this character. Strength 10 (+0). Once the Tower wizard uses this talent. A friend or a loved one was dismembered by a ATTACK OPTIONS 8 harvester. Agility 9 (–1). arcane lightning (2). Will 14 (+4) A temple you visited was sacked and burned by Speed 10 2 the orcs. Insanity 1d6 – 1. are content to watch events unfold from afar. The wizards of the Tower Arcane are thought to be Languages and Professions: Nearly everyone in the most powerful users of magic in the Empire. 10 Nothing significant has happened to you so far. cast the spell without expending a casting. Gain a random enchanted object. it can use a Counterspell When a creature the Tower wizard can see triggered action to reduce the damage by 13 (minimum attacks him or her with a spell. travel (1) Size 1 human Perception 10 (+0) Defense 9. vigor (rank 4 lands around the capital. it cannot a triggered action to counter it. Horrified and angered by what you saw. In addition. Illusion clamor (8). Start Defense 13 (staff of magic). Gain 1 Insanity. SPECIAL ACTIONS cast. Malnourished and worn down. arcane in Caecras. TOWER WIZARD DIFFICULTY 250 Caecras Background Size 1 human d20 Background Perception 15 (+5) You were a member of the Capital Guard. fetch (8). Agility 12 (+2). 9 courtesan. A Caecras speaks the Common Tongue. Grimoire The Tower wizard makes challenge rolls to recall information about magic with 1 boon. Insanity 1d6. Add Corruption 1d3 – 1 guard to your list of professions. the slaves retribution (5) look forward to death as a welcome end to their never. but he wizard replenishes all spent spell points when he or she 6 gave you an object important to his faith and told completes a rest. boundless step (2). resist that spell. Will 8 (–2) Survivors and Victors Speed 10 Caecras’s importance to the Empire and role in the Broken A slave makes challenge rolls to resist or remove coming war makes this setting an ideal place for the frightened affliction with 1 bane. You accepted the orcs as masters of the city and Grimoire Casting While holding the grimoire. He died. Shake It Off When the trooper takes damage. Health 10. empowered magic (2). When the wizard casts a spell. the Tower wizard can use 0 damage). musician. Health 34. you spell for which the wizard has no castings remaining. he or she can spend a number of You seized the opportunity created by the chaos 5 spell points equal to the spell’s rank (minimum 1 point) to to loot a few shops. Intellect 10 (+0). conjure small monster (4) ending misery. characters to claim as their homeland. Ancestries: Characters from any ancestry might be Tower Wizard found in the capital and surrounding lands. or entertainer to your SPECIAL ACTIONS list of professions. shortcut (rank 2 Teleportation) your list of professions. you to protect it. Once the trooper uses this talent. magic dart (8). Saboteurs 15 home. When you sabotage an object. 11 You lost everything in the uprising and were enslaved by the orcs. the object or part of the object takes damage equal to its Health. you sabotage the object. setting might choose these paths. You fought in the Great Arena. you must concentrate for 10 minutes. or under some other circumstance with the GM’s approval. or they could be the work of a saboteur. Breaker Your attacks against constructs and objects deal circumstances in Caecras. You might choose to have the object break after a period of time. though characters from any 2d6 extra damage. You discover one tradition of your choice. when it’s used. Quick Reflexes On your turn. they weaken their foes 14 You found the entrance to Hell under the Cathedral of Hate. If you sabotage a boat. 16 You worked in a factory in Clamorhome. Level 3 Saboteur New Paths Attributes Increase two by 1 Characteristics Health +3 The following new paths represent avenues of Languages and Professions You speak another language character development that reflect the changing or add a criminal profession. Add A champion’s armor fails at the most desperate 12 High Archaic to the list of languages you know. Choose one object or part of an object you can reach. you must concentrate for 1 hour plus 1 hour per point its Size is greater than 2. There. Similarly. If the object is Size 2 or larger. For example. You were born into a noble family. You have recently escaped. By attacking their equipment. Saboteur Expert Path Add slave to your list of professions and your starting lifestyle is destitute. When you finish. you befriended a few calibans. You must then concentrate. you must concentrate for 1 minute. if you sabotage a bomb (see Demon Lord’s Companion). neighborhood and killed a loved one. Start the game Saboteurs sow chaos and unrest by dismantling 13 with a few scars and a military melee weapon of your choice. A building collapses. For example. You quit when it became clear your 3 and setting traps as a way to frustrate and 20 masters were not going to do anything to stop the terrorize your enemies. You can also read and write all the languages you moment. and disguise. and create confusion when something fails to work The Resistance blew up a building near your as it should and with little explanation. Add merchant to your list of professions. 30 . or you can have the object break under a specific condition as you decide. You were apprenticed to the wizards of the Tower You developed your skills at dismantling objects Arcane. the GM might rule that you have to spend a significant amount of time digging under it to weaken the floor. during which time you use your tools to weaken the target. You d3 Story Development 18 survived the slaughter by hiding. Saboteur Story Development You were a servant in the Imperial Palace. The GM can decide certain objects cannot be affected by this talent or that some uses might take even more time. 1 and oppression. and destroying the works of their enemies. When the condition is met. though you could sabotage the mast or part of the hull. it might detonate when it’s destroyed. The resulting fires wiped out your need access to the items they seek to undermine. 17 You worked as a merchant in Traitor’s Square. if you try to use this talent to sabotage part of a floor in a passage. You were a librarian at the Great Library. Sabotage You know how to use a tool kit to sabotage objects so that they break under specific conditions. criminal pursuits. in which case the object takes damage equal to its Health. you can use a triggered action to hide or retreat. which means most saboteurs are skilled at stealth. it might sink. orcs. If the object is Size 1. Gain 1d3 Insanity. you can either choose to break the object. A wagon throws a wheel. If the object is smaller than Size 1. The amount of time it takes depends on the object’s Size. These events could be a turn of bad luck— have learned so far. Add servant to You learned your techniques to help fight tyranny your list of professions. carrying any passengers and cargo with it. you can’t use this talent to sabotage an entire sailing ship. Your starting Your saboteur talents arose naturally from your 19 2 lifestyle is rich. infiltration. Breaking an object in this way could have other results. during which time Level 6 Trooper you use your tools to assemble the components into one of the following traps. troopers make up the elite fighting Magic You discover a tradition or you learn one spell. object must make an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane. Level 3 Trooper Tower Lore You can expend a casting from a spell you have learned to cast a spell from a tradition you have not Attributes Increase two by 1 yet discovered. When you finish.000 yards away. you redoubled Magic You discover a tradition or learn one spell. the trap is set. You dangerous. If you dismantle the trap. Disciplined. Health +3 triggered action to reduce the damage by an amount Trap Expertise You make challenge rolls to find. the ranks of the mages as determined by the GM. the trap deals 4d6 damage to the triggering creature. The alarm can be heard from up Undaunted You ignore banes on attack rolls imposed from to 1. the trap makes passage through its space difficult or impossible. and boots in that color and you are expected to don these garments overpowering their foes with their superior skill and wherever you go. Characteristics Health +6 When a creature enters the trapped space. Veteran soldiers. they march into the thick of battle. Evasive Maneuver When you get a success on an Agility challenge roll and your Speed is at least 2. disarm. Rapid Trap It takes you only 1 minute to use your Set Trap talent. you gain 1d3 Insanity. they are devoted to the study of magic and the advancement of their understanding Level 9 Master Saboteur and capabilities. A creature can remove the for the colorful clothing that completely conceals affliction by getting a success on a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. Harm: When triggered. Trooper Story Development Tower Refuge If you are within 100 miles of the Tower Arcane. 0 damage). Attributes Increase three by 1 Characteristics Health +2. Combat Veteran When you attack with a weapon. and thoroughly you a color from those available within the order. Snare: When triggered. the GM grants force of any army. you regain all the trap components you used. you impose 1 bane on the creature’s attack roll. Mages of the Tower Arcane do not reveal the inner workings of their organization Characteristics Health +3 Deadly Sabotage When an object is destroyed by your to outsiders. any creature in direct contact with the reluctance only when necessary. Level 6 Saboteur you make the attack roll with 1 boon. you endurance. A creature takes 3d6 damage on a failure. gloves. the triggering creature in the Tower Arcane that floats above Caecras. Once you use this talent. and you are not discomfited by cold or heat. skilled. that lasts for 1 minute. light wind found across the continent and beyond. at the bottom of the Tower Arcane. though troopers of all ancestries can be • Normal precipitation does not touch you. Choose a cube of space you can reach. You trained under an orc veteran. Color of Magic When you choose this path. While wearing these garments. Known becomes immobilized. Shake It Off When you take damage. or half the To choose this path. up to 2 yards on each side. You might rig The mages of the tower are a secretive society based a deadfall or collapse the floor. you can reroll the die. equal to your Strength score (to a minimum of and resist the effects of traps with 2 boons. A creature can find the trap Level 9 Master Trooper by searching the spot where you placed it and getting a success on a Perception challenge roll with 1 bane. kit and trap components worth 5 ss. does not affect you. you can use an action to teleport yourself and d3 Story Development everything you wear and carry to the hall. there must be an opening in damage on a success. The spell must be of the same or lower Characteristics Health +6 rank. your efforts to improve your fighting ability. the trap creates a loud noise the result of the second roll. Each time you use this talent. Health +6 A creature can use tools to disarm it by making an Crush your Enemies Once per round when you roll a 1 on a Intellect attack roll against your Intellect score. As well. Characteristics Health +2 After suffering a terrible defeat. it triggers the Deadly Advance Your attacks made as part of a charge trap with the effects described below. until triggered or until you use an action to dismantle the trap. The trap remains deal 1d6 extra damage. You must then concentrate for 10 minutes. their appearance. Mage of the Tower Master Path Obstacle: When triggered. you cannot Set Trap You know how to create minor traps using a tool use it again until you complete a rest. 3 Spell Defense When a creature attacks you with a spell. though the garments do not protect you from damage that sources from cold or heat. You must use Alarm: When triggered. and add to their numbers with great Sabotage talent. you can move Level 7 Mage of the Tower up to 2 yards without triggering a free attack. You were part of an elite unit in an army and 1 learned your techniques on the battlefield. being fatigued or frightened. Power +1 Trooper Expert Path Languages and Professions You speak another language and add an academic area of knowledge to your list of professions. are then given hooded robes. you can use a Characteristics Perception +1. who taught you Level 10 Mage of the Tower 2 advanced combat techniques. d6 for a damage roll. Characteristics Defense +1. you make challenge rolls to resist spells with 1 boon. veil. Orcs made up the majority of troopers in gain all of the following benefits: • A +2 bonus to Defense the Empire. The kind of damage depends on the nature of the trap you created. Languages and Professions You speak another language or gain a military profession. 31 .