MN10 - Midnight - Steel and Shadow (Warriors) PDF
MN10 - Midnight - Steel and Shadow (Warriors) PDF
MN10 - Midnight - Steel and Shadow (Warriors) PDF
Credits
WRITING
IAIN J. BROGAN, ERIC OLSON, WIL UPCHURCH
LEAD DEVELOPER
ROBERT VAUGHN
COVER ILLUSTRATION
PATRICK MCEVOY
INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
ILYA ASTRAKHAN, STEVEN BAGATZKY, ZAK HENESSEY, TRAVIS MOORE, JARREAU WIMBERLY
CARTOGRAPHY
ED BOURELLE
GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRIAN SCHOMBURG
ART DIRECTION
DARRELL HARDY, ROBERT VAUGHN
PUBLISHER
CHRISTIAN T. PETERSEN
‘d20 System’ and the d20 System logo are Trademarks owned Designation of Open Game Content: Steel and Shadow is published
by Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission. under the terms of the Open Game License and the d20 System
Trademark License. The OGL allows us to use the d20 System core
Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are rules and to publish game products derived from and compatible with
Registered Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast and are used those rules.
with permission. Not everything in this book is Open Game Content, however.
In general, game rules and mechanics are Open Game Content, but all
‘Midnight’ is © 2003 and ‘Forge of Shadow’ is © 2004, and background, story, and setting information, as well as the names of
both are TM Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. specific characters, are closed content and cannot be republished,
All rights reserved. copied, or distributed without the consent of Fantasy Flight
Publishing, Inc.
The following are designated as Product Identity pursuant to
section 1(e) of the Open Game License, included in full at the end of
this book: the MIDNIGHT name, logo, and trademark, the graphic
design and trade dress of this book and all other products in the
MIDNIGHT line, all graphics, illustrations, maps, and diagrams in this
book, and the following names and terms: Eredane, Izrador, Shadow
FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES in the North, and Night King.
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www.fantasyflightgames.com
Contents
Introduction 3 Warrior Magic 23
The Sword Shatters 3 Totem Heads 23
The Sword Reforged 5 Warrior’s Sacrifice 24
Chapter One: Forged in Pain 7 Covenant Items 25
Cultural Training 7 Chapter Three: Tested in Battle 27
Dwarven Training 7 Prestige Classes 27
Elven Training 8 Banisher 27
Halfling and Elfling Training 9 Cendaran Cultist 29
Human Training 10 Dire Blade 31
Gnome and Dwarrow Training 10 Durgis Battlerager 33
Orc and Dworg Training 10 Insurgent Commander 34
Feats 11 Pirate of Eredane 37
Cultural Fighting Techniques 12 Quickjack 39
Human Techniques 13 Sylvan Slayer 41
Dwarven Techniques 13 Tunnel Wraith 43
Elven Techniques 14 Warrior of Dark Blood 45
Gnome Techniques 15 Chapter Four: Held in Hope 48
Halfling Techniques 16 Variant Terrain Rules 48
Orc Techniques 17 Variant 1: Regional Synergy 48
Chapter Two: Honed in Spirit 18 Variant 2: Regional Familiarity 48
Heroic Paths 18 Variant 3: Regional Superiority 49
Dwarven Champion 18 Regional Superiority Effects by Hazard 49
Elven Champion 19 Terrain Movement, Stealth, Detection 53
Gnome Champion 20 Battlegrounds 54
Halfling Champion 20 The Stromsker 54
Human Champion 21 Uthurstor 58
Orc Champion 22 White Cliff 60
The Sword Fortress Wall. The savage losses of the Second and
beginning of the Third Age ripped the heart out of
Erenland. Generations of soldiers went to their death
is Shattered
along the wall. Demands for fresh troops and the money
to pay them were too much for the kingdom to bear.
Calls for greater contributions from the Erenlander and
Sarcosan lords went unheeded and the High King’s
Before the shattering of the Kingdom of Erenland inability to force his nobles to comply started the king-
and the onset of almost a century of darkness, proud dom’s decline.
human armies defended the Fortress Wall and kept the
Introduction 3
Second Age. The mines and clanhold rang with the clash
of steel and the bestial warcries of the foul spawn of the
pits from beneath the Vale of Tears. For centuries the
northern clans held their fortresses in the Icewall
Mountains, providing a bulwark for the rest of the dwar-
ven race. Heavily armored dwarven warriors stood
shoulder to shoulder, wielding the finest weapons in
Eredane, making the orcs spend lives in the hundreds in
a futile attempt to breach citadels built into the very
bones of the great mountains.
Unlike their human neighbors, however, the
dwarves had no high king to direct the war against the
Shadow. The great dwarven clans trained their own war-
riors in the fighting styles and weapons of their forefa-
thers. The clans fought with those allied with them
through ancient ties of blood. When corruption and
betrayal weakened the Icewall fortresses, there was no
army ready to fill the void and the orcs were free to flow
into the northern Kaladruns. The dwarves were forced to
retreat into their clanholds to fight, and ultimately die,
one clan at a time.
4 Introduction
halflings lived with their protectors, the wogren, and along the Pellurian coastline and slowed the flow of
trained their warriors to ride the great beasts to defend supplies necessary to support the war against the fey.
flocks and homes against predators. Neither race was Safe havens have been established in the Corbron
ready for the onslaught of Izrador’s armies. The gnomes Islands, the ruins of abandoned towns like White Cliff,
surrendered most of their honor to save their people, and hidden villages in the foothills of the Kaladruns, and
the halfling warriors were too few to stand against the even the cellars and sewers beneath the streets of
orc hordes and were quickly ground into the blowing Baden’s Bluff.
dust of the southern plains.
Southern Erenland
The Sword Southern Erenland has fared better than her north-
ern neighbor. Freeriders still control large areas of the
Reforged
plains that the Shadow’s general deems not worth the
cost to take. Isolated villages and smuggler havens still
dot the coastline or shelter in hidden valleys. Weapons
flow from foundries in the southern Kaladruns or cross
A century under the Shadow has decimated the the Kasmal Sea from hidden forges on Asmadar.
human population, and those that still live free are hunt- Constant raids against orc garrisons, mercenary bands,
ed and driven into terrain barely able to sustain life. and collaborators have stained the freeriders’ lances and
Resistance to the Shadow’s armies is scattered, and even sabers red. A lifetime of nomadic existence has honed
the largest armed bands number in the hundreds or low the skills of the riders and forced the young and the old
thousands; to gather in larger numbers risks drawing the to fight or die.
full attention of the Fist of Shadow. The years of fight-
ing and deprivation have winnowed out the weak and
forged a core of hardened and desperate fighters. It is The Kaladruns
these warriors who are the sole hope for the people of
Eredane. In the Kaladruns, oblivion stalks the ancient dwar-
ven race. Isolated by the orcs, the dwarven culture has
all but collapsed. What craft still exists is devoted to
The Northlands strengthening fortifications and building the finest
weapons and
The Dornish north has suffered more than any armor. Clans
other area of the former Kingdom of Erenland. Cities no longer
have been burned, depopulated, or infested by fell or
demons. The clans, once the heart of the Dornish
realms, have either bent their knee to the Shadow or
been decimated. The struggle for survival has forced
the Dorns to follow the old traditions and regain skills
that were of scant use in the clash of armies. In the
frozen wastes and hardscrabble hills, the Dorns move
unseen, rising out of the ground like ghosts to ambush
supply trains and attack the Shadow’s garrisons. The
spirit of the berserker once again runs strong through the
free warriors’ blood as they use captured vardatches or
bare hands to rend their foes.
Introduction 5
The Eren River Valley
The Hope of Along the great Eren River and its tributaries, the
Steel gnomes fight their own hidden war. They fight not only
against the Shadow but also against those of their peo-
ple who collaborate fully with the enemy. Outnumbered,
Throughout this book are a series of leg- poorly armed, and reliant on trade with riverside vil-
ends that are the fervent dreams of the people of lages for survival, the gnomes must carefully choose
Eredane. These legends are provided as exam- when and where to strike against the Shadow. Slavers,
ples of hope that could still exist in the Last Age small orc garrisons, and traveling legates have all been
and as potential plot hooks, foundations for cam- fed to the river. In the safety of the Ghost Raft, weapons,
paigns, or simply as a means to use some of the poisons, and training are available for those willing to
new prestige classes, feats, and fighting styles risk action against Izrador.
provided in Steel and Shadow.
The legends of salvation vary from race to
race. Regardless of the people, there is always The Central Plains
one legend that rises above all others, one heart’s
desire that, while improbable, may just be true. No race has suffered more than the halflings. Only
They are no secret to the Shadow, whose hounds a small fraction of their people remain free. Most of the
tirelessly track the legends to discover the truth halflings who did not end up in orc cook pots are slaves,
behind potential threats and to crush any hope of tormented and tortured by brutal oruk and human mas-
the oppressed. As the Shadow’s power waxes and ters. Bereft of weapons and the skill to wield them, the
the fey are slowly being driven to extinction, the halflings fight back in the only way they know how: by
search to prove the truth of these legends has becoming the eyes and ears of the resistance. Often
taken on fresh urgency. While the chances that unnoticed by their masters, the diminutive slaves are
any of these legends are true are slight, the poten- able to gather vital information and, when necessary,
tial for salvation is too large to ignore. they fight with the pent-up fury of years of abuse. Those
halflings that still roam free rely on the remaining
wogren for their strength and stealth, and are constantly
on the move and forced to fight with primitive weapons.
fight side by side and the disciplined dwarven warrior of While these warriors are brave and have gained great
old has become as savage as the orc he fights. Young skill fighting both slavers and the beasts of the Eren
fighters are tempered in the fighting pits or in the bloody Plain, their numbers are too small to pose a risk to the
battles in the impenetrable darkness in the heart of the Shadow.
Kaladruns. Only where the mountains strain to reach the
oceans are the dwarves still free from their hated enemy.
As Calador, the greatest of all dwarven cities, lies under Hope Amidst Shadow
siege by a seemingly endless horde of bestial shapes, the A century of life under the Shadow has not broken
southern clans attempt to unite to protect what is left of the resistance. Every race has adapted and found means
their race. to still strike back. Using new tactics, improvised
weapons, and superior knowledge of the terrain, the
Erethor resistance has prevented the Shadow from completely
dominating Erenland. While much of the once vaunted
To the west, Erethor burns and the beleaguered skills and arms of the great armies of the Kingdom of
elven armies hold, at least for now. A century of desper- Erenland have been lost, the martial spirit of the people
ate fighting has stolen the soul of the elven people, and still burns. As long as there is steel to wield, hope is not
the destruction of the great forest and the never-ending lost.
bloodshed either turn a warrior into a killing machine or
drives him to despair . . . sometimes both. Art and arti-
fice have been replaced by brutal efficiency, with most
warriors having long since forgotten the number of orcs
they’ve killed. Those that survive along the front lines in
the Coldest Wood or along the Burning Line are the elite
of the elven army. Even with their skill and the bril-
liance of their generals, they cannot hope to gain a vic-
tory for their people . . . all they can win is time.
6 Introduction
CHAPTER ONE
Forged in Pain
ince the fall of Eredane to the Shadow’s forces, the claustrophobic tunnels and circle around to slaughter
Feats
Halfling Fighting Initiate [General]
You have the necessary prowess or cultural back-
ground to learn ancient halfling combat practices. You
know that the size of your sword arm is unrelated to the
The following new feats are available to charac- strength of your convictions.
ters in the world of MIDNIGHT as granted by the DM. Prerequisite: Halfling, elfling; or base attack
Although many are geared toward warriors of all types, bonus +5.
any character may find it beneficial to learn how to bet- Benefit: You can learn any of the halfling fighting
ter defend himself in the harsh world under the Shadow. techniques found later in this chapter. You must still find
a teacher and spend the necessary time and experience
Drive It Deep [General] to learn each technique.
You learn to put all your power behind your Human Fighting Initiate [General]
attacks, even with small weapons.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1. You have the necessary prowess or cultural back-
Benefit: This feat works just like Power Attack, ground to learn ancient human combat practices. You
except that it allows you to add the number subtracted are the backbone in the fight against the Shadow.
from your melee attack rolls to the damage dealt by light Prerequisite: Dorn, Erenlander, Sarcosan; or base
or one-handed weapons, including both ends of a double attack bonus +5.
weapon. This feat cannot be used to increase the damage Benefit: You can learn any of the human fighting
dealt by two-handed weapons. techniques found later in this chapter. You must still find
This feat cannot be used in combination with a teacher and spend the necessary time and experience
Power Attack, nor does it allow the character to take to learn each technique.
feats that have Power Attack as a prerequisite.
Orc Fighting Initiate [General]
Dwarven Fighting Initiate [General] You have the necessary prowess or cultural back-
You have the necessary prowess or cultural back- ground to learn ancient orc combat practices. The
ground to learn ancient dwarven combat practices. You Shadow created you, and now you will destroy him for it.
are the strength of stone in the fight against the Shadow. Prerequisite: Orc, dworg; or base attack bonus +5.
Prerequisite: Dwarf, dwarrow, dworg; or base Benefit: You can learn any of the orc fighting
attack bonus +5. techniques found later in this chapter. You must still find
Techniques
makeshift or unassuming weapons.
Where to Learn: The pit fighters of Hallisport
have bloodied their knuckles for the crowd’s entertain-
ment for much longer than the occupation, though the
Throughout a century of desperate fighting orcs’ thirst for blood has increased the demand: the
against the Shadow, the cultures of the once free people arena holds live fights 26 hours a day. What the orcs
of Eredane have developed fighting techniques that take don’t know is that the current trainer at the pits, Larrik
advantage of their racial aptitudes as well as give them the Brutal, has manifested the Champion of Men heroic
an edge in the most common situations and environ- path. The canny fighter does nothing to reveal his her-
ments in which they find themselves fighting. itage and powers, not even to the new gladiators and
The fighting initiate feats described above grant slaves whose lives he makes miserable with near-con-
access to each race’s fighting techniques. In addition to stant training, insults, and beatings. He is renowned for
Knowledge of Steel
As masters of craftsmanship, dwarves can instruct
their warriors on the finer points of weapon construction
. . . and destruction.
Benefit: Weapons and shields have half their nor-
mal hardness against your sunder attempts.
Elven Techniques
The elves fight almost exclusively in the woods of
their homeland, partly out of necessity but also because
that is where they are at their strongest. For as long as
living memory can recite the tale, the elves have climbed
and lived among the trees, and their fighting styles have
naturally adapted to their native woodlands. Now, with
the Shadow closing in around them, their champions are
returning to rekindle the ancient traditions and help the
elves fight off the threat from the north.
Where to Learn: Long before the human king-
doms of Eredane mobilized to resist the Shadow in the
Third Age, the Witch Queen was preparing. One of her
far-seeing plans was to establish a martial training facil-
Immovable ity in the lost city of Harancara. This city had been aban-
You can root yourself to the ground, becoming as doned early in the Second Age due to a long-forgotten
stable and immovable as a pillar of stone. plague or curse, and had simply lain empty so long that
Benefit: If an opponent successfully bull rushes no elf had ever recolonized it. When the orcs began to
you, he must choose to move along with you or the stir in the North, the Witch Queen planned her defense
attempt automatically fails. Furthermore, when an oppo- of Erethor before considering sending aid to the east.
nent uses the improved grab ability to grapple you, he She saw the lightly defended river route to the south of
must make a second successful grapple check to pull Caradul and knew that she would have to cover it.
you into his square. If he fails, he must move into your Repopulating Harancara was part of that plan.
square in order to maintain the grapple. The snow elves on the frontier of the elven forest
cannot spare many warriors to train in Harancara, but
Reckless Hurler they have champions of their own to inspire and train
Dwarven warriors are often stacked several layers them. One of them is a surprising immigrant from the
deep while defending the choked corridors of their hot jungles to the south, an aged elfling warrior who
homes. Rather than holding back, they are trained to let appeared one day with greetings from the Druid’s
fly with whatever ranged weapons they have, even if Swamp. Although old, Leequ brought many of the jun-
their allies are in the way. Luckily, dwarven armor is gle’s secrets to the frigid northern forest, and even man-
sturdier than that of their foes, so such attacks often aged to surprise a few of the Erunsil warriors with his
bounce off allies’ armor without harm, finding purchase crafty sepi fighting.
instead in softer orc flesh.
Invisible Threat
Benefit: You only suffer a –2 penalty for throwing
ranged weapons into melee combat, rather than the nor- Even as elven warriors learn to negate the effects
mal –4 penalty. However, you have a 1-in-6 chance of of an opponent’s cover, they learn to conceal themselves
targeting the wrong combatant, chosen randomly from better within their natural environment.
among all creatures adjacent to your intended target. Benefit: You gain twice the normal benefit from
This benefit does not apply to non-thrown ranged concealment (40% miss chance and a +10 bonus on
attacks, such as those made with a bow or crossbow. Hide checks) from forest foliage and undergrowth.
Elfling Retreat
Elfling spies often pose as halfling slaves and
undertake missions deep into the heart of enemy territo-
ry. One wrong move can easily find the spy surrounded
by a gang of angry uruks. As a result, most elflings are
taught to get out of these sticky situations.
Benefit: A character who knows this technique
can ignore a number of attacks of opportunity equal to
his Dexterity modifier when taking the withdraw action.
Halfling Roll
Maneuverability is important to smaller fighters,
who must often gang up on larger opponents in order to
take them down.
Honed in Spirit
While training and weaponry may be valuable ferent forms for each path. These abilities are described
tools against the Shadow, neither is useful without the below, and annotated after each race if additional expla-
will to use them. The spiritual traditions of the people of nation is necessary.
Eredane are as strong as their warrior traditions, and Fighting Technique: At each of his first four lev-
some say it is that connection to Aryth herself that pro- els, the champion gains a cultural fighting technique
vide the following boons. from his culture without the expenditure of time or XP.
The names and mechanics of the heroic paths, He may choose any fighting technique that he meets the
warrior magic, and covenant items in this chapter are prerequisites for, and is assumed to be practicing it
designated as Open Game Content. The background throughout his travels; the technique costs him neither
descriptions are closed content. time nor experience to learn.
Knowledge Bearer: The champion is responsible
Heroic Paths
for teaching the fighting techniques that he knows to his
entire race so that they can better fight the Shadow. The
spirits of his ancestors guide him and his pupils, making
the techniques easier to learn. Anyone learning the tech-
The following heroic paths represent the warrior- nique from a champion of at least 6th level gets the list-
champions of the six pure races of Eredane. A character ed discount on the amount of XP needed to learn the
must have some of the blood of the racial champion technique.
heroic path he chooses in order to select itdwarves Essential Skill: Many of the fighting techniques
cannot choose the elven champion heroic path, but a used by the champions are made more effective through
dworg or dwarrow could choose the dwarven champion skill use, and the martial traditions of the various races
heroic path. each emphasize their own unique talents and proficien-
Likewise, characters with these heroic paths do cies. As a result, champions gain access to certain skills
not need to choose the appropriate fighting initiate feat as class skills regardless of their actual classes. If the
to learn the fighting techniques at each of the first four character already has these skills available as class skills
levelsthey represent the legacy of their race’s greatest (whether via class levels or through the use of the racial
heroic warriors. Many of the fighting techniques class modifications in Chapter 1), then he gains a +2
described in the previous chapter had been lost for gen- bonus on the skill instead.
erations until the emergence of the racial champions in
recent years. Characters who bring the lost arts of their
culture back to the fold are looked upon as treasured Dwarven Champion
gifts, but such fame is a double-edged sword, as expec-
tations on the character become extraordinary. Dinegard Korat was the first of the dwarven
champions to emerge from the Last War. It was during
the early years of the orc assault on the Kaladrun
Champion Ability Descriptions Mountains that Dinegard led a small force of axemen to
reclaim a cavern that had been lost several weeks
The racial champion heroic paths have several before. The dwarves were overwhelmed, however, and
abilities in common, even though they take slightly dif- in their retreat were swept down several new tunnels
Warrior Magic the gods, belief still holds power that can be tapped and
shaped by rituals and symbols. Runes hold potent magic
in their twisting forms, and the ritual scarring of a war-
In a MIDNIGHT campaign, magic items might be rior can turn a blade as effectively as any shirt of steel
simple, common things such as a lock of a lover’s hair, rings. There are also objects that have been touched by
the buckle of a long-dead knight’s belt, or the scabbard death and forever changed. The Veil prevents the souls
that once housed his sword. These objects are imbued of the dead from leaving Aryth, so the vital energy of the
with power by their association with greatness or spirit is forced to either linger or find an alternative des-
tragedy. Other items are legendary artifacts forged in tination. Death holds its own magic and, in dying, the
past ages or newly crafted vessels of power, created in living give up great power that can be harnessed by
hidden places where arcane energies pool and flow in those who slew them.
Totem Heads
Creating Totem Heads Removing the head of a
corpse prevents it from rising
Totem heads are always true charms (DC 30 to create) and have the as one of the Fell and repre-
same prerequisites for creation. Anyone can create the totem head charm, but sents the power of life over
only the individual who defeated the opponent to whom the head originally death. It is regarded by several
belonged can benefit from its powers. of Eredane’s cultures, most
notably those of the Dorns and
Totem Head Spell Energy, Powers, and Effects the dwarves, as the ultimate
HD of Spell Totem True Charm victory over an enemy, sym-
Creature Energy Powers Effect bolising the capture of their
1–4 1 1 None power. Some Dorns of the First
5–8 2 2 +4 luck bonus to Intimidate checks Age were known for the prac-
9–12 4 3 +4 luck bonus to Will saves versus fear tice of decapitation for the pur-
13–16 8 3 +4 luck bonus to AC against all AoOs pose of making totem heads.
17–20 12 4 Grants character immunity to fear This tradition preceded the rise
21+ 24 4 Damage reduction 2/slashing of the Fell; the knowledge that
beheading prevents a soul from
Power Spell Energy Cost lingering in its body was likely
+1 insight bonus to AC 1 a happy accident gained from
+1 insight bonus to attack 1 the actions of these early war-
riors. Taking the head of an
+1 insight bonus to damage 1 enemy became unpopular
+1 insight bonus to a saving throw 1 among men, however, after the
+4 insight bonus to initiative 2 merging of the Sarcosan and
Cast any divination spell up to 6th level 2 times the spell’s level Dornish people to form the
Use a fighter bonus feat untrained 4 if character has all prereq- Kingdom of Erenland. It was
thereafter seen as an unpleas-
uisites for the feat, 8 if the
ant reminder of a barbaric past.
character has only some or As the Dorns gave up their
none of the prerequisites practices of head-taking, how-
Cast bear’s endurance 4 ever, the dwarves in the
Cast bull’s strength 4 Icewall Mountains were begin-
Cast cat’s grace 4 ning to create their own tradi-
tions that favored the taking of
Cast eagle’s splendor 4 an enemy orc’s or oruk’s head
Cast fox’s cunning 4 to use as a trophy. By the end
Cast owl’s wisdom 4 of the first century of the Last
Cast cause fear 4 Age, the old ways are being
Re-roll any one die roll 8 remembered by both peoples,
and the power contained in an
opponent’s severed head is
being rediscovered.
Tested in Battle
he goals and tactics of warriors in the Age of What had started as fun and games now became a
They are often driven by vengeance and obsession as Spellcasting: At 3nd and 8th levels, the banisher
much as for concern over others. In their eyes, any out- gains a Spellcasting feat of his choice.
sider is an intruder, whether it be lawful or chaotic, good Strike at the Demon’s Heart (Ex): Starting at
or evil. 3rd level, any weapon the banisher wields, including the
Hit Die: d10. ammunition of missile weapons, ignores 5 points of
damage reduction of any outsider it strikes. Every three
Requirements levels thereafter, this number increases by 5.
To qualify to become a banisher, a character must Resist Demonic Magic (Ex): Starting at 5th level,
fulfill all the following criteria. the banisher gains a bonus equal to half his class level
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks, Knowledge on saving throws against the spells and spell-like abili-
(nature) 5 ranks, Survival 8 ranks. ties of outsiders.
Feats: Magecraft, Track.
Special: The character must have fought and Banishers as Characters
killed an outsider.
It is said that banishers are made, not born.
Class Skills Perhaps a demon terrorized a character’s home as he
was growing up, or maybe he just felt an intense hatred
The banisher’s class skills (and the key ability for
upon first encountering one of the abyssal horrors.
each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide
Sometimes the goal of defeating a demon, or even sev-
(Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int),
eral, appeals to a warrior who needs an achievable goal
Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently
to drive him in the fight against the Shadow. Deep in the
(Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis),
Aruun, the banishers’ first priority is simply protecting
Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
their homes. The war against Izrador often seems a far-
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
off threat to those who haven’t been touched by it direct-
ly. While there, they may hire their services out to
Class Features groups unfamiliar with the dangers of the jungle, or sim-
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Banishers gain ply follow behind, hoping to use the newcomers as bait
no additional proficiencies with either weapons or to draw out a demonic foe.
armor. Banishers sometimes travel to other lands to find
Hunter of the Damned (Ex): The banisher gains prey or to share their knowledge with others who might
a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and benefit from it. While traveling through Eredane, they
Survival checks when using them against outsiders. are likely to “liberate” communities of any outsiders they
Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls find, be they good or evil. From their point of view, they
against such creatures. These bonuses increase by +2 at are simply cleansing Eredane of an infestation.
4th, 7th, and 10th levels.
Detect Demon (Sp): At 2nd level, a banisher can
use the detect demon spell-like ability at will. This abil-
ity works like the detect evil spell, except that it only
reveals the presence of outsiders.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Cendaran cultist, a charac-
ter must fulfill all the following criteria.
Race: Dorn.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks, Knowledge
(history) 4 ranks, Knowledge (local: Northlands) 4 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Martial Weapon
Proficiency (bastard sword), Weapon Focus (bastard
sword).
Special: The character must be true to the old
Dornish ways, and have a token of his ancestors’ house
with him at all times (this might be an ancestral blade, a
kilt with the house’s pattern, etc.). He must not shave his
head in shame. A Dorn who shows this commitment to
his race might be noticed by the cult of Cendara and
approached with an offer to join her loyal followers. He
must have no spell energy from any source (such as
channeler levels or the dragonblooded heroic path)
before taking this class. Likewise, he may never learn
spells from another source other than these class abili-
ties. If he ever gains spell energy from another source or
learns spells in another way, he loses all supernatural
abilities of this class.
Class Skills
The Cendaran cultist’s class skills (and the key
ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle
Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge
(Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and
Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Dire Blade
“Dire blades Loriin and Thrindl reporting,” said
the lithe elf whose snowy hair carried a blood-red streak
down one side. “We saw smoke to the southwest . . .
orcs?”
The elven commander’s eyes flashed in anger at
the ignorant question. “No, decoy fires we set earlier
today. I hope your blades are sharper than your track-
ing skills, dire blade Loriin.”
None but a commander shattered by the loss of his
troops would speak to a dire blade in such a fashion.
Loriin understood the elf’s pain, and made a mental
note to take out the sting of the commander’s words on
the hides of the orcs he would hunt that night.
“You must steer them to the west,” the command-
er continued, “while we circle around to the domain of
the bears, where we shall take them by surprise. Do not
let them find our tracks. After you have driven them
away, make haste to Autilar. We will see you there in one
week’s time, or we will not see you at all.”
Requirements
To qualify to become a dire blade, a character
must fulfill all the following criteria.
Race: Erunsil.
Base Attack Bonus: +7.
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Resigned to Death,
Toughness, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus
(Erunsil fighting knives).
a rage, the battlerager’s Strength and Constitution each Indomitable Rage (Ex): While in a ferocious
increase by an additional +2 and he is considered to be rage, a Durgis battlerager of 6th level or higher becomes
under the effects of a haste spell for the duration of the immune to any effect that would cause him to drop out
rage. of rage, whether it be magical (like waves of exhaustion)
However, the battlerager’s ferocity comes with a or mundane (like a poison that causes fatigue).
price. Any time a battlerager is raging, he must continue Spirit of the Clan (Ex): When the Durgis battler-
to fight until no more foes are available or until his rage ager reaches 8th level, he can maintain a ferocious rage
ends. If any foes are visible, the battlerager must attempt for as long as he continues to fight enemies. If his rage
to close with them as expeditiously as possible. If no would normally end and the battlerager is still fighting,
foes are visible but the battlerager has reason to believe he instead suffers a cumulative –2 to Strength and
nearby foes exist (such as those that fled, or if rein- Constitution for each minute beyond the first that he
forcements are approaching), he must attempt to close continues to rage.
with them as expeditiously as possible. Mindless Rage (Ex): When the Durgis battler-
The battlerager will not do anything obviously ager reaches 9th level, he becomes a mindless fighting
suicidal to reach his foes (such as attempting to leap a machine. While in a ferocious rage, a Durgis battlerager
chasm that he cannot possibly cross), but will do any- is immune to all mind-affecting effects.
thing else he possibly can to close with enemies, includ-
ing suffering attacks of opportunity or crossing through
damaging magical effects.
Durgis battleragers as
Improved Grapple: At 2nd level, the Durgis bat- Characters
tlerager gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat, even if
he does not meet the prerequisites. Durgis battleragers are determined to die, but they
Additional Rage (Ex): At 3rd, 7th, and 10th want to take as many of the Shadow’s forces as they can
level, the Durgis battlerager may enter a rage one addi- with them. They have never bought into the lie that
tional time per day. Izrador’s orcs are drawn from a bottomless pit of evil,
Whirlwind Charge: At 4th level, the Durgis bat- but should it be true, that just means an infinite supply
tlerager gains Whirlwind Charge (see page 12) as a of orcish blood to drown their enemies in. Their lust for
bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. battle is not inspired by insanity, however. Rather than
Throat Crusher (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, the seeking out suicide missions, they simply are willing to
Durgis battlerager can start and maintain a grapple with accept them. The orcs and traitors of the Shadow’s army
only one hand, provided he has a hand free and his tar- are quickly learning that traversing the mountain passes
get is the same size or smaller. He suffers a –5 to the on the surface is just as dangerous as cleaving their way
grapple, but he retains his Dexterity bonus to AC, threat- through the dwarf-choked caverns below, and the sight
ens other squares normally, and may attack other oppo- of a squad of Durgis battleragers at the crest of a path
nents while maintaining the grapple. The battlerager can cause an entire regiment to pause and reconsider
may use one-handed melee weapons in addition to light their options.
weapons to attack the foe he is grappling with, and may
do so with no penalty to the attack roll.
insurgent commander gains the superior orders ability, group is already gathered near him (such as during a fes-
meaning that he can give an order as a free action. tival, public execution, or other event), in which case the
Burst Bonds: An ally who hears you give this militia immediately comes to his aid. If the character is
order gains a +4 bonus on any Escape Artist, grapple, or in a rural or otherwise sparsely populated area it can
Strength checks made to disengage from a grapple or take up to a day to recruit the militia, at the DM’s dis-
break out of bonds. cretion.
Close with the Enemy: When the commander A raised militia will follow the character loyally
gives this order, the affected character gains a bonus to within the bounds of their normal domain, doing as he
AC against attacks of opportunity caused by any move- asks even if they question the efficacy (or sanity!) of
ment he takes on his next turn. The bonus gained is doing so. They might overcome a patrol of orcs or even
equal to the insurgent commander’s class level. attack a legate if commanded by the character. The mili-
Coordinate Attacks: An ally who gets this order is tia can also be made to do passive duties such as hide
considered flanking an opponent that both he and anoth- large quantities of contraband or tell a collective lie
er ally are adjacent to, even if they are not on opposite about the character and his comrades. The militia per-
sides of the enemy. forms the action commanded and any ancillary duties
Power Charge: An ally aided by this ability gains for as long as the commander is there to direct them, and
a bonus on attack and damage rolls during any charge he for up to one additional day per point of Charisma mod-
performs within one round of the commander’s influ- ifier if the activity does not interfere too much with their
ence. The bonus gained is equal to half the insurgent daily lives. So, the insurgent commander could con-
commander’s class level, rounded down. vince a village to hide contraband for his stay plus a few
Word of Warning: An ally who hears this com- days, but they would not follow him on an orc-slaying
mand cannot be flanked for one full round, and his ene- mission, since that would take them from their homes
mies gain no benefit from the aid another special attack and disrupt their lives.
action during that time. If the character causes the militia to be unduly
Leadership: At 2nd level, the insurgent com- endangered, or fails to at least attempt to cover up their
mander gains the Leadership feat. If he already has this deeds, he loses the ability to raise a militia until he gains
feat, he instead gains a +2 bonus on his Leadership another level in this class. If the character is already
score. Insurgent commanders generally do not keep fol- 10th level in this class, then he suffers a permanent –2
lowers around as they travel; rather they set up trusted to his Leadership score for purposes of raising militias
agents in areas they travel to often. each time he endangers one or lets the majority of its
Raise Militia (Ex): By 6th level, the insurgent members be killed because of an order he gave.
commander’s reputation allows him to call on aid from Raise Army (Ex): By 10th level, the insurgent
locals who trust his leadership in the fight against the commander is an inspirational figure to the common
shadow. If he is in a well-populated area such as a town folk of Eredane. Everywhere he goes he is greeted
or city, he can raise a loyal militia comprised of men and secretly by those who admire him for the terror he has
women equal in strength to the number of followers wrought on the occupying forces as well as the good he
indicated by his Leadership score. This takes approxi- has coordinated for his beleaguered people. Because of
mately one minute per militia member, unless a suitable his reputation and his facility with the common folk, the
insurgent commander is able to raise an army of loyal of time determined by the DM, but no less than one year.
followers who will do his bidding, no matter the cost. This ability is powerful, but should be used sparingly by
He can recruit up to twice the number of followers as any character who cares about his reputation and his
indicated by his Leadership score, and they will follow connection with the common folk of Eredane.
any command to the best of their ability.
The insurgent commander can only raise one
army per area at any given time, and unless the majori- Insurgent Commanders as
ty of an army’s members return after following him, it Characters
will be one year before an army can be raised in that
area again. An area could be defined as a region, a town, Insurgent commanders are brave men and women
a village, or any other reasonable geographic location who put themselves on the line every day in the fight
that the DM deems fit. Even if the army returns rela- against the Shadow. They may not always appear on the
tively intact and does not suffer for their deeds at the field of battle or confront the terrible monsters
hands of occupying forces, the character must wait one unleashed by the dark god’s malevolence, but they risk
month before raising an army in that area again. their lives making simple contacts among the local pop-
Insurgent commanders that cause the loss of an army or ulations and by uniting those with rebellious hearts
bring down the wrath of the Shadow on an area lose all under a common cause. They are strong believers in
of their class abilities related to that area for an amount their personal codes, which tend toward the practical
rather than the ideological (unlike those of many other Isles. In the west, the Miransil elves have been largely
defenders). They understand well the need to couch untouched by the fall of the mainland, but they have not
one’s faith in small daily successes rather than idealistic been idle. They work constantly building ships that can
goals that are so rarely achieved under the Shadow’s sail the coasts and aid their besieged cousins wherever
reign. Without a human connection, the small sparks of they can. Even the Sarcosans battle the Shadow from the
rebellion found across Eredane might be stamped out water, performing short raids before fleeing back out to
forever. the Kasmael Sea.
While none of these raiders inflict much damage,
they consider their missions to be accomplished regard-
Pirate of Eredane less of the number of enemy killed. Their true goal is to
distract the legates and their minions from the real work
“Let the lakes and rivers of Eredane run hot with of the resistance: the smugglers bringing in weapons
the blood of our enemy!” and taking out escaped prisoners. In battle, as in person-
—Dalia Burk, Pirate of the Pellurian Sea ality, the pirates’ main pursuit is that of style and show-
manship. While the enemies’ eyes are on their bold
The pirates of Eredane have been a plague on maneuvers and their foolhardy escapades, they do not
every empire since the Dorns first landed, and they have notice the swords being slipped in their guts.
not given up their habits simply because the Shadow has Hit Die: d8.
taken hold. Pirates of the Sea of Pelluria often boast that
if the armies of the Shadow were to try coming back
north across their territory, they’d be sent to the bottom
Requirements
like scurrilous dogs. Luckily for the pirates, the orcs and To qualify to become a pirate of Eredane, a char-
goblinoids of Izrador are loathe to set foot on boats and acter must fulfill all the following criteria.
rarely travel the waterways that are so important to their Base Attack Bonus: +4.
own war effort. Meanwhile, Izrador has yet to turn his Skills: Knowledge (local) 2 ranks, Perform 4
gaze to the open oceans. So, the smugglers and ranks, Profession (sailor) 8 ranks, Swim 8 ranks.
scoundrels of both the inner sea and the outer oceans Feats: Persuasive.
continue to roam.
Some seafaring heroes do more than talk, howev- Class Skills
er. Along the Eren River and on the Ardune, there are The pirate of Eredane’s class skills (and the key
gnomes and Erenlanders who are bold enough to run ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha),
interference on the Shadow’s few ships, raiding up and Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Forgery (Int), Gather
down the river. On the Sea of Pelluria, meanwhile, bold Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
Dornish raiders keep the forces of the Shadow guessing, Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis),
even daring raids against Highwall, plundering and Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim
killing in the shadow of Theros Obsidia. The legates (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).
send terrible storms and winged creatures after such Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
ships, but the rogues often lose their pursuers in the
treacherous and cavern-riddled rocks of the Corbron
Device (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), per DC of the disease above 10, the sylvan slayer can
Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently find enough diseased matter to coat a single wild trap
(Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), element or weapon. For every 5 points of the check
Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex). above the disease’s DC, the sylvan slayer finds enough
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier. diseased material to coat another element of a trap or
another weapon. The sylvan slayer can search for such
Class Features material while he is on the move (thus saving search
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sylvan slayers time), but this adds 10 to the Survival DC to find it.
are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, and in Trap elements or weapons coated with diseased
light armor. material remain contagious for a number of days equal
Wild Trapping: The sylvan slayer learns to build to one-half the sylvan slayer’s class level (round down).
deadly traps out of the natural tools available to him in The sylvan slayer is not at risk of catching the disease
the mountains and woodlands of his home. He can build that he is handling.
any trap that could be made with the equipment he car- Woodland Stride (Ex): This ability works exact-
ries plus things to be found in nature. The maximum CR ly like the druid ability of the same name.
of any trap he builds can be found on the class advance- Death Attack (Ex): If a sylvan slayer studies his
ment table. victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with
Building a trap costs the character no money, but a melee or ranged weapon that successfully deals dam-
takes 20 minutes per CR of the trap. He can reduce the age, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possi-
time necessary with a DC 15 Craft (trapmaking) check; bly either paralyzing or killing the target (sylvan slay-
for every 5 points by which the character exceeds the DC, er’s choice). While studying the victim, the sylvan slay-
reduce the time needed by 10 minutes, with a minimum er can undertake other actions so long as his attention
of 10 minutes necessary to build a trap. (Pit traps are an stays focused on the target and the target does not detect
exception to this rule. The DM may rule that the charac- the sylvan slayer or recognize the sylvan slayer as an
ter can find a natural deadfall or pit and cover it, in which enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude
case the normal rules apply. If not, and if the terrain is save (DC 10 + the sylvan slayer’s class level + the syl-
suitable for digging, then it requires 4 man-hours of work van slayer’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, he dies.
to dig a 10 ft. x 10 ft. pit to a depth of 10 feet.) If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the
See Chapter 3 of the DMG for sample traps. Any victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6
poison or disease listed for each trap must be found sep- rounds plus 1 round per class level of the sylvan slayer.
arately (see below). If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a
Sneak Attack (Ex): This ability functions like, normal sneak attack. Once the sylvan slayer has com-
and stacks with, the rogue ability of the same name. The pleted the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death
extra damage dealt increases by 1d6 points at 2nd level attack within the next 3 rounds.
and by another 1d6 at every other level thereafter. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim
Disease Use (Ex): The sylvan slayer learns to makes his save) or if the sylvan slayer does not launch
gather and use virulent or diseased plant and animal mat- the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3
ter in his traps. With a successful Survival check (DC new rounds of study are required before he can attempt
equal to 5 + disease’s save DC) and 1 hour of searching another death attack.
AC and does not lose his Dexterity bonus while in such 2 days plus a number of hours equal to twice his
situations; additionally, a 7th-level tunnel wraith can Constitution score before having to make a Constitution
move at half speed while prone without provoking check. Likewise, a tunnel wraith in a sealed 10-ft.-by-
attacks of opportunity. 10-ft. chamber can breathe easily for 12 hours rather
Finally, at 10th level, the tunnel wraith can stand than just six.
up from prone as a free action that does not provoke
attacks of opportunity.
Tunnel Rat (Ex): Tunnel wraiths spend a lot of Tunnel Wraiths as Characters
time in the tunnels, even when they aren’t fighting. They Tunnel wraiths know that their sword arms will
become accustomed to the sounds and feel of the under- never rival those of their Dornish allies in the north, but
ground. As a result, tunnel wraiths gain a bonus on they have equally valuable weapons to use against the
Listen and Escape Artist skill checks equal to half their Shadow. They can use their diminutive stature to help
class level (rounded up) whenever they are in a natural deliver messages, smuggle goods, and trap their foes in
underground environment. deadly mazes beneath the earth. In fact, they have spent
They gain the same bonus as a dodge bonus to AC so much time underground that they feel naked and vul-
whenever they are fighting adjacent to a tunnel or cav- nerable when out under the open sky. They feel much
ern wall. They learn to use the wall as a “second floor,” better with a roof over their heads, whether it be the
performing maneuvers and feints that help block an comforting earth of a tunnel, the wooden roof of an inn,
opponent’s weapon. This bonus also applies above- or even the jungle canopy of the elven forest.
ground if the character is adjacent to any wall or verti- Tunnel wraiths generally act alone when stalking
cal surface that is at least 5 feet wide (a wall, a thick familiar tunnels. They want to ensure that every move-
tree, a large boulder, etc.). ment that is not their own belongs to an enemy worthy
Drive It Deep: At 2nd level, the tunnel wraith of nothing but death. When they do act in concert, they
gains the Drive It Deep feat (see pg. 11) as a bonus feat. swarm the tunnels, often taking pleasure in the fearful
Tremorsense (Ex): At 3rd level, the tunnel wraith whispers of the prey they herd into dangerous traps.
gains a superhuman ability to determine his enemies’ Tunnel wraiths often act as contacts for adventurers and
positions through a combination of sound, temperature, rebels on the run. They can help them by hiding them,
vibrations, and changing air pressure. He gains tremors- stashing contraband in tunnels where no orc will tread,
ense to a range of 10 feet. Every three levels thereafter, or by giving them quick access to escape routes from
the range of his tremorsense increases by 10 ft. cities. Although most tunnel wraiths would like nothing
Blind-Fight: Sometimes the tunnel wraith needs more than to reclaim their ancestral homes from the
to fire a missile weapon into the darkness and know that Shadow, they know deep down that even should that day
his aim will strike true. He gains the Blind-Fight feat at come, the scars they bear from their fight may keep
5th level. them underground until the day they are buried there.
Patient Predator (Ex): Tunnel wraiths often need
to wait for hours, or even days, before striking at their
unsuspecting foes. At 8th level, the tunnel wraith can go
for twice as long as normal without food, water, or air.
So for instance, a tunnel wraith can go without water for
bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures. with weapons or unarmed, are considered to have the
These bonuses increase by +2 at every other level, ghost touch special ability.
to a maximum of +8 at 10th level. Locate Dark Servent (Su): Starting at 8th level,
Detect Astirax (Su): At will, a warrior of dark the warrior of dark blood can detect dark servant at
blood of 2nd level or higher can use detect astirax (see will. This ability functions just like the locate creature
AtS, p. 77 and M2E) as the spell. This spell functions spell, except that it only reveals the presence of axti-
just like the detect evil spell, except that it only senses raxes and legates. The ability allows the warrior of
the presence of astiraxes. dark blood to know which creatures it is detecting are
Detect Dark Magic (Su): At will, a warrior of astiraxes and which are legates, but he cannot locate
dark blood of 2nd level or higher can detect dark magic. specific individuals.
This ability functions just like the detect magic spell, Cleave Spells (Su): Starting at 9th level, whenev-
except that it only reveals the presence of the divine er a warrior of dark blood makes a successful melee
magic of Izrador. In other words, the ability will detect attack against a creature under the effects of a legate’s
the magic aura of a spell cast by a legate, but not one spell (whether negative or beneficial), he may make a
cast by an orc channeler. dispel check (1d20 + your class level) against the high-
Resist Izrador’s Will (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, est level spell to end the effect. Each melee attack may
the warrior of dark blood gains spell resistance equal to only dispel a single spell effect, and no spell effect
10 + his class level against the divine magic of Izrador’s may be dispelled if a higher-level legate spell effect is
legates. still in place.
Faithless Stare (Su): Once per day starting at 5th
level, a warrior of dark blood can stare down a legate
and make him question his faith. The legate must suc- Warriors of Dark Blood as
ceed on a Will save (DC 10 + warrior of dark blood’s Characters
class level + Wisdom modifier) or lose a number of pre-
pared spells equal to the warrior of dark blood’s Those who devote themselves to hunting the
Wisdom modifier, starting with the highest-level spells. Shadow’s lieutenants know they are dooming them-
The warrior of dark blood may use this ability an selves to death, but the thought hardly causes them to
additional time at 10th level. break stride. They become relentless hunters, often not
This ability angers and confuses Izrador, and he is stopping to eat or sleep for days on end as they track a
on the verge of ordering a pogrom against the dworgs in hated legate. The warriors of dark blood consider the
order to root out and destroy the warriors of dark blood. destruction of an astirax to be a worthy goal as well,
Spirit Hunter (Su): Beginning at 6th level, the because the way these insidious parasites possess ani-
warrior of dark blood gains the ability to see the shad- mals is a hated symbol of Izrador’s infestation of the
owy form of an astirax no matter what its current form entire continent and his leaching off of its people.
is. If the astirax is possessing an animal, the character A warrior of dark blood leaves all ties behind him
can see a faint outline around the animal, and if the asti- when he embarks on his journey. He might still travel
rax is in its natural form, the character can see it despite with others, and even consider them worthy allies and
its natural invisibility. Additionally, all melee attacks the good people, but nothing may come before hunting
warrior of dark blood makes against an astirax, whether legates and their pets.
Held in Hope
Eredane is a wild and rugged land, with all types Each of the presented options uses the Knowledge
of terrain found between the ice-locked wastes of the (local) skill as the core rule mechanic. The Knowledge
north to the sub-tropical jungles and arid plains of the (local) skill is used as a catch-all to describe familiarity
south. Each terrain offers challenges and dangers but with terrain in the named region and to simplify the
also, for those familiar with its ways, opportunities to amount of dice rolling involved in adjudicating the
turn a deadly hazard into an advantage in the fight interaction of characters and terrain; the fact that all
against a foe. In the Coldest Wood, snow elves move characters in MIDNIGHT gain Knowledge (local) as a
like ghosts through the winter landscape, cold killers class skill as one of their racial traits gives all characters
bringing death beneath the cover of windblown snow; in at least equal access to the skill. A DM may feel that an
the Caraheen, their wood elf kin move unseen in the for- even greater level of stratification is required and rule
est canopy to rain deadly arrows down upon orc patrols that characters must learn individual Knowledge (terrain
stumbling through the undergrowth below. On the bat- type) skills to manipulate a given terrain feature or envi-
tle-scarred moorland of Eris Aman, Dornish resistance ronment. This mechanic is not covered in the rules vari-
fighters lure goblin-led orc patrols into the mazes ants presented here, but its implementation to variant
formed by old trenches and mounding berms to spring three, regional superiority, would be relatively easy. The
devastating ambushes against their hated oppressors. Knowledge (local) skills granted as class skills to each
Kurgun dwarves, despite their stocky frames and small race are listed in the table on pg. 48.
stature, move with the surety of goats through the rock- Three rules options are presented below, provid-
strewn landscapes of the Kaladrun Mountains, using the ing increasingly detailed mechanics for character inter-
rubble, chasms and cliffs to evade and surprise the action with terrain effects and environmental hazards.
forces of the Shadow moving through their land. These rules options are intended to be exclusive of one
The variant terrain rules and terrain hazards in this another and a DM should agree with players which sys-
chapter are designated as Open Game Content. The tem they are going to use in their game.
location descriptions are closed content.
Variant 1: Regional Synergy
Variant Terrain Rules If a character has at least 5 ranks in Knowledge
In history and fiction, outnumbered natives and (local) he gains a +2 bonus on any skill checks made in
overwhelmed underdogs rely on terrain to overcome response to terrain effects or environmental hazards
their enemies. Yet the rules for terrain in the d20 system while in that region.
are often complex enough that, rather than being an
interesting part of combat, they simply bog down fights Variant 2: Regional Familiarity
and are likely to be ignored. Additionally, the penalties
inflicted by terrain modifiers are often as detrimental to A character with ranks in the appropriate
the defenders of a land as they are to the invaders who Knowledge (local) skill may make a Knowledge (local)
wish to conquer it. The following rules variants provide check at the beginning of any encounter in which there
DMs with tools to use terrain and environmental haz- are terrain effects or environmental hazards in play,
ards more effectively and interactively in their games. adding +1 to the roll for every Hit Die of the character.
Battlegrounds
inland water. The latter are manned by collaborators and
slaves and, less frequently, by the hulking but fearful
forms of orcish warriors making the crossing to the
southern battlefronts. The Stromsker is still a menace,
Just as the power of Aryth is thought to express and both resistance fighters and the Shadow’s minions
itself in the form of power nexuses, charms, and heroic avoid its reaches as they can. However, as the Order of
paths, so can the power of the land be taken advantage Shadow increases its efforts to apprehend the Pirate
of in other ways. The following battlegrounds provide Princes, hounding them with ships captained by magic-
examples for DMs who wish to incorporate the variant wielding legates, manned by slaves and carrying merce-
terrain rules in their games, as well as for players look- naries armed with black steel forged in Cruach Emyn, the
ing for ideas on how to use their surroundings to their Norfall captains have been driven to desperate measures.
advantage. Relying on fast ships, the Pirate Princes lead their pur-
suers into the Stromsker, trusting their superior seaman-
ship will see them safe through the accursed waters they
The Stromsker hope will claim the legates and their traitorous troops.
Region: Northlands, Sea of Pelluria.
On storm-rent nights, before the Kingdom of
Erenland fell to shadow, talk in port taverns along the
Pellurian shore would often turn to the legend of the Teeth of the
Stromsker. In those days, Storm
every sailor upon the
inland sea knew of the The troubled
terrible storms that swept waters of the Stromsker
out of clear skies and cover a broadly triangu-
claimed many a good lar region, 80 miles to a
vessel between Highwall side, that lies some 150
and Baden’s Bluff. The miles southwest of
legend of the Stromsker Highwall and 200 miles
was begun by one southeast of the nearest of the
ship—the Onirin Corbron Isles. The first signs
Trade—that narrowly of the feared storms are gath-
survived one such raven- ering black clouds that race
ing storm. She across the horizon, piling
limped back into upon one another and form-
port, her masts shat- ing, with the dark and fearfully
tered, her sails torn. heaving waters, a vast curtain
The crew, wild-eyed of darkness in which it is
with fear, claimed the impossible to tell where the sea
storm was filled with a ends and the sky begins. The
monstrous rage and had storms spring up quickly and
hunted them like a living are difficult for even the most
thing. The Onirin’s cap- experienced crew to mark, par-
tain, renowned for his ticularly in the Last Age when
sense and steady head, the skies over the Pellurian
was broken by the expe- seem perpetually dark and
rience and never sailed overcast. The waves rear up
again; he spent the rest of unusually high before the
his days in his cups, mut- demon-driven storm and the
tering of sea devils and howling winds blow tongues of
wild storms that hun- spindrift from their peaks. The
gered for blood and roiling sky spits lightning from
As the orc hordes easily shattered the crum- Word of the king’s line and a hidden heir has
bling remnants of the Fortress Wall, the High King wound its way like a slow but inexorable river
Hedrig prepared for his final battle. Hedrig had no through the towns of Southern Erenland. Some say
illusions of his chances, as his forces were far too that he hides with a gang of bandits in the Forest of
weak to do more than slow the Shadow’s advance for the Sahi; others that he was raised on the open
a few days. His life was clearly forfeit and running plains with the nomadic riders. Some believe he
would only endanger all those around him. Better to has traveled to the Island of Asmadar, there to com-
fight and die to allow others to escape his fate. When mune with the spirits of the Terrace of the Elders so
he rode forth with his army from Alvedara, a smaller he might harness the magic there in his cause.
armed party slipped out of the city, heading southeast Others shake their heads knowingly, thinking that
at a pace that threatened to kill their mounts. he must have sailed to the continent of Pelluria, and
According to legend, that smaller party protected the is even now mustering an army of his ancestors to
young king’s pregnant wife and his most trusted come to Eredane’s aid.
retainers. Where they were headed is not known, and
there is no record of the capture or death of the
Queen.
its black heart and in the witch-light afterglow the froth- upon the heaving seas. The deck quickly becomes slick
ing crests of the waves appear like monstrous teeth in an with water and the wind and violent motion of the ves-
abyssal maw. sel causes anything not lashed down to be flung about
While in the grip of the Stromsker, a ship is lashed with deadly, seemingly directed, force. Crew on deck or
by raging winds and driving rain, tossed like flotsam in the rigging are in danger of being hurled overboard by
Slivers of Steel
Personalities Personalities
The leader of the River Ghosts and one of the last Only one other person knows of Fenris’s camp,
surviving former slaves from the 95 LA revolt is Treshen Hegon the Moonstruck (Warrior 3). Hegon was delivered
of the Swift Knife (Male halfling thief 2/fighter 3/quick- to the dark temple as a child, where he suffered cruel tor-
jack 4). Treshen teaches those slaves with the will and ments at the hands of the legates and their guards. The
courage how to fight, using their balance and speed to beatings strengthened his body but seriously damaged his
counter the orcs’ advantages of size and strength. He now mind. On the day the Dorns raided the temple, he became
leads a well-trained band of over 100 scouts and warriors, afraid and fled from the fighting. When the mirror was
and is one of the most feared resistance leaders along the destroyed, he was safely beyond the blast; having no
river. other home, however, he chose to stay there amidst the
rubble. Fenris found Hegon almost three years ago and,
in his own way, watches over the Dorn. Hegon fetches
food and water for Fenris, tends Fenris’s crude camp on
the plain, and will give his life for the only person who
has ever cared for him: Fenris the North Wolf (Male dorg
barbarian 5/wildlander 2/warrior of dark blood 6).
The Elemic Knot trap, littered with spiked and poisoned pits, razor-sharp
springblades, and cleverly disguised deadfalls. From the
Burned Wood, the Elemic Knot sends its assassins across
Lord Eoatin, commander of the elven forces in the the ash-covered plains and as far east as the Ardune Sea.
Green March, fights a much more fluid battle with the
orcs than his brethren along the Burning Line. With far Personalities
fewer soldiers, he has to prevent the orc armies from
punching through the Green March and bypassing the Two of the Elemic Knot’s most effective assassins
elven defense positions to the south. His is a war fought are Erenlander twins, Rial (Erenlander male rogue 5/wild-
by small bands that raid deep into territory deemed safe lander 2/sylvan slayer 4) and Lihn (Erenlander female
by the Shadow. These teams of assassins target key orc wildlander 5/rogue 3/sylvan slayer 3). Rial is tall and dark
and mercenary leaders, legates, and even the beasts from while his sister is so fair that she is often mistaken for an
the Shadow’s breeding pits. The elite of these assassins Erunsil. Together, they are making a name for themselves
are the Elemic Knot, warriors skilled in using terrain, vir- along the edges of the Green March and in the plains
ulent poison, deadly traps, and even disease-riddled north of Fachtendom, harassing the Shadow’s forces as
corpses as weapons. Close combat is a last resort for they move from the great fortress toward the Green
them; if an orc ever sees an Elemic Knot assassin, it’s March and the Burning Line. Last year they killed a
likely because he has already stumbled into his trap and favored aide of the Greater Legate Mazish Mezim. He has
will most likely soon be dead. vowed to see the twins burn and has placed bounties on
their heads that has attracted traitorous scum from across
Lair the southlands. Legates seeking to curry favor with
Mazish Mezim have also joined the hunt. The additional
To the northwest of Fachtendom is the Burned hunters have only sweetened the game for the twins, who
Wood, a small grove that has thus far survived, though have littered the northern plains and the eaves of the
barely, the ravages of axe and fire. Most of the trees are March with the bodies of those who sought to catch them.
hideously scarred or charred relics of a bygone age.
Scattered throughout are younger trees struggling to sur-
vive in a land leached of life. Hidden in the heart of the
Burned Wood is the Elemic Knot’s lair, a dead holmwood
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game 13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if
Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach
Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses
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No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as
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3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content
You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Steel and Shadow Copyright 2003, Fantasy Flight
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to Publishing, Inc.
use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the
royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this Coast, Inc.
License to Use, the Open Game Content. System Reference Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of
the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip
5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are con- Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave
tributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent Arneson.
that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have Midnight Copyright 2003, Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.
sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. Against the Shadow Copyright 2003, Fantasy Flight
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying,
STEEL
AND SHADOW
The dark lord Izrador has conquered
Eredane, and ensures his iron rule over
its subjugated people by banning the possession of weapons.
Lacking swords and shields, the men, dwarves, and elves of Eredane are
thought to be defeated.
In place of steel, the forces of good have developed stolid wills and savvy tactics.
Against their larger opponents, the smaller races have developed unique fight-
ing styles to take advantage of their quickness and mobility. And each of the
once free races claims a terrain as their own, using its natural hazards to even
the odds against their enemies.
FANTASY
ISBN 1-58994-217-5
FLIGHT
#"'# GAMES
www.fantasyflightgames.com