The Book of Demons Pre-order Preview 7th Level Flame Spells ...... 35 Contents 9th Level Flame Spells ...... 36 SLAUGHTER PATH ...... 36 CREDITS ...... 5 Slaughter Path Talents...... 37 Designers ...... 5 Slaughter Bonus Spell ...... 40 Additional Design ...... 5 Summoned Claw Demon ...... 40 Developer ...... 5 Summoned Hungry Maw ...... 40 Cover ...... 5 Summoned Frenzy Demon ...... 40 Artwork ...... 5 Summoned Laughing Demon ...... 40 Art Directors...... 5 Summoned Marilith ...... 41 Icons, Monster Tiles, Spot Illos ...... 5 1st Level Slaughter Spells ...... 41 Layout ...... 5 3rd Level Slaughter Spells ...... 42 Publishers ...... 5 5th Level Slaughter Spells ...... 43 Playtest Credits ...... 5 7th Level Slaughter Spells ...... 44 INTRODUCTION ...... 8 9th Level Slaughter Spells ...... 44 In this Book ...... 8 DEMONOLOGIST MULTICLASS44 CHAPTER 1: DEMONOLOGIST ...... 9 CHAPTER 2: GAMEMASTERING DEMONS ... 46 OVERVIEW ...... 9 SALUTING THE WORST ...... 46 Gear ...... 10 Everybody Hates Demons ...... 46 Basic Attacks ...... 10 Three Icons are Demon-Obsessed ...... 46 Demonologist Level Progression ...... 11 Demons Hate You ...... 46 Demonologist Stats ...... 13 Demons Are Convenient ...... 46 Class Features ...... 13 Demons Are Everywhere ...... 47 Summoning Rules ...... 16 MAKING DISTINCTIVE DEMONS 47 Demonologist Talents ...... 17 Chaotic AND Evil ...... 47 PATH OF CORRUPTION ...... 18 Marks of the Demon ...... 48 Corruption Path Talents ...... 18 Demon’s Dice ...... 48 Corruption Bonus Spell ...... 22 Demonic Speech ...... 48 Summoned Demon Toad ...... 22 SYMPATHY FOR THE DIABOLIST; AKA 13 LIES Summoned Hopping Imp ...... 22 MY DEMON TOLD ME ...... 49 Summoned Vulture Demon ...... 22 Archmage ...... 49 Summoned Hezrou ...... 23 Crusader ...... 49 Summoned Boar Demon ...... 23 Diabolist ...... 50 CORRUPTION SPELLS ...... 23 Dwarf King ...... 50 1st Level Corruption Spells ...... 23 Elf Queen ...... 50 3rd Level Corruption Spells ...... 25 Emperor ...... 51 5th Level Corruption Spells ...... 26 Great Gold Wyrm ...... 52 7th Level Corruption Spells ...... 27 High Druid ...... 52 9th Level Corruption Spells ...... 27 Lich King ...... 53 PATH OF FLAME ...... 28 Orc Lord ...... 53 Flame Path Talents ...... 28 Priestess ...... 54 Flame Bonus Spell ...... 31 Prince of Shadows ...... 54 Summoned Burner ...... 31 The Three ...... 55 Summoned Hellhound ...... 31 THE ECOLOGY OF THE HELLHOLE 55 Summoned Big Burner ...... 31 Beginnings ...... 55 Summoned Pincer Demon ...... 32 The First Hours ...... 55 Summoned Lesser Balor ...... 32 Stabilization ...... 56 1st Level Flame Spells ...... 32 Fortification ...... 56 3rd Level Flame Spells ...... 34 Raiding ...... 56 5th Level Flame Spells ...... 35 Contraction ...... 57
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DEMON STATS ...... 57 Six Contradictory Truths of Claw Peak ...... 79 Random Demon Abilities ...... 57 Perils ...... 79 New Demons ...... 58 Locations ...... 80 Burner ...... 58 Denizens ...... 80 Demon Toad ...... 58 Lord Claw ...... 80 Claw Demon ...... 59 Barygos the Worm ...... 81 Hopping Imp ...... 59 Treasures of Claw Peak ...... 82 Hungry Maw ...... 59 FLOATING MARKET ...... 82 Big Burner ...... 59 Unusual Businesses of the Floating Market ...... 83 Giant Demon Toad ...... 60 DISTRICTS ...... 83 Greater Claw Demon ...... 60 Fisher’s Ward ...... 84 Hungrier Maw ...... 60 The Bazaar Infernal ...... 84 CHAPTER 3: SIX HELLHOLES ...... 61 Ward of Thrashing Limbs ...... 85 THE RATWOOD ...... 61 Old Ganet ...... 85 Thousand-Towers Isle ...... 85 DENIZENS...... 62 The Redway ...... 86 Demon Rat ...... 62 Moonpool ...... 86 Ratwood Terror ...... 63 THE FLOATING MARKET & THE ICONS 86 Thorn King ...... 63 DENIZENS ...... 87 HIGH HEATH OF UNENDING WOE ...... 63 Random Floating Market Demon Powers (d4 for PERILS ...... 65 lesser demons, d6 for bigger ones) ...... 87 Old Hill Giant ...... 66 Flesh-Carver ...... 87 ENCOUNTERS ...... 66 Demon of the Dice ...... 88 1–3: Barren Land ...... 66 Dicethrall ...... 89 4: Fellow Travelers ...... 66 RED CRAG CASTLE ...... 89 5: Burning Fog ...... 67 FACTIONS ...... 89 6: Flying Teeth...... 67 BARON STEEL’S BRIGADE ...... 90 Flying Maw ...... 68 Baron Steel’s Brigade Faction Abilities ...... 90 Skinless Demon ...... 68 Skianzou (Knife Demon) ...... 90 7: Haunted Village ...... 68 Lesser Hooked Demon ...... 91 8: Iconic Memories ...... 69 Steel Brigade Chopper ...... 91 9: Bandit Camp ...... 70 Minor Serpent Demon ...... 91 Caer Trenon ...... 71 Baron Steel ...... 92 Bandit Archer ...... 71 THE ROCKGRUBS ...... 92 Lost Bandit...... 71 The Rockgrub Faction Abilities ...... 92 10: Spacewarp ...... 72 Rockgrub Demon ...... 93 11: Haunt Hounds ...... 72 THE CHIDING LADIES ...... 93 Haunt Hound ...... 73 The Chiding Ladies Faction Abilities ...... 93 11 (Part Two): Demonic Hunters ...... 74 Chiding Lady ...... 94 Demonic Hunter ...... 74 THE REVELERS ...... 94 12: Fallen Wardstone ...... 74 The Revelers Faction Abilities ...... 95 13: The Miser’s Cabin ...... 75 Reveler Demon ...... 95 Jermas The Golden Slug ...... 75 THE GOLDEN ORDER ...... 95 14: Firestorm ...... 76 THE VOCNORTS ...... 96 15: Demon Fort ...... 76 LOCATIONS IN THE CASTLE . 96 Have Fun Storming the Castle ...... 77 Location 1: Great Fanged Gate ...... 96 Persuading Azoole ...... 77 Location 2: Outer Courtyard ...... 97 Thousand-Eyed Azoole ...... 77 Location 3: Lesser Keep ...... 97 16: Center of the Hellhole ...... 78 Location 4: Warrens ...... 97 CLAW PEAK ...... 78 Location 5: Chapel of Tumbling Wisdom ...... 98
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Location 6: Inner Courtyard ...... 98 Wailing Yards ...... 117 Location 7: Great Red Keep ...... 99 Truth ...... 117 Location 8: Library Tower...... 99 Harvester Deeps ...... 117 Location 9: Dungeons ...... 100 Neversleep ...... 117 Location 10: Crackways ...... 100 Imperial Compound ...... 118 Location 11: Secret Laboratory ...... 100 The Spikes ...... 118 HELLGOUT ...... 100 Tower ...... 118 Thirteen Rumors of First Triumph ...... 119 PERILS ...... 101 CITADEL OF THE DIABOLIST120 Falling Realms...... 101 Eight Views of an Icon’s Stronghold ...... 120 Burning Cloud Castles ...... 102 Best Guesses ...... 122 Crazed Celestials ...... 102 WHIMS OF THE DIABOLIST .123 Earthquakes...... 102 . . . . and Skyquakes ...... 102 . . . . and Spellquakes ...... 102 AGAINST THE DEMONS ...... 103 The Crusader’s Army ...... 103 The Golden Order ...... 103 The Host of the Overworld ...... 103 The Local Defenders ...... 104 Wait: The Diabolist? ...... 104 THE DEMONIC FACTIONS .. 104 WORLD BREAKERS ...... 105 World Breaker Faction Abilities ...... 105 Azgarrak Breaker of Worlds ...... 105 Angel-Eating Demon ...... 106 THE SMOKE ...... 106 The Smoke Faction Abilities ...... 107 Queen of Smoke ...... 107 Smoke Shade ...... 107 Strangler Demon ...... 108 Queen-touched Smoke Devil ...... 108 GULMAGUL ALL-EAT-ALL . 109 Gulmagul All-Eat-All Faction Abilities ...... 109 GULMAGUL ...... 109 LOCATIONS ...... 110 The Pillar of Fire ...... 110 The Base of the Pillar ...... 110 First Step ...... 111 The Broken Men ...... 111 The Sky Garden ...... 111 Gulmagul All-Eat-All ...... 112 The Edge of the Abyss ...... 112 Wrackspell ...... 112 Fortress of the Balor ...... 112 Star’s End ...... 112 CHAPTER 4: CITADELS OF THE ICONS ...... 113 FIRST TRIUMPH ...... 113 The Outer Barbican ...... 114 Muster ...... 115 Dark Temple...... 116
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Book of Demons Sean Dawson, Thiago Juarez Ribeiro Silva, Tim Baker, Vlad Tin By Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan and Rob Heinsoo 13th Age is a fantasy roleplaying game by Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan Tweet, Lee Moyer, & Aaron McConnell CREDITS ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Designers Published by Pelgrane Press Ltd. under license from Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Rob Heinsoo Fire Opal Media, Inc. Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Additional Design Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, Paul Fanning proper names (characters, icons, place names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations, characters, artwork, comments and banter from Gareth Developer and Rob, and trade dress. (Elements that have Rob Heinsoo previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.)
Cover Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of Melissa Gay this Fire Opal Media, Inc. game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other Artwork than the material designated as Open Game Content Agathe Pitié, Lauren Covarrubias, Rich may be reproduced in any form without written Longmore, Karolina Węgrzyn, Christine permission.
Griffin, Lee Dawn Book of Demons is published by Pelgrane Press Ltd. under the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 13th Age is a trademark Art Directors of Fire Opal Media, Inc. ©2016 Pelgrane Press Ltd. All Cathriona Tobin, Rob Heinsoo rights reserved.
www.pelgranepress.com Icons, Monster Tiles, Spot Illos
Lee Moyer, Aaron McConnell OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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Castles & Crusades, Copyright 2004, Troll Lord The Crown Commands: Battle Scenes for Four Games; Authors: Davis Chenault, Mac Golden. Icons. Copyright 2016, Pelgrane Press Ltd.; Author: Cal 13th Age. Copyright 2013, Fire Opal Media, Inc.; Moore. Authors: Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan Tweet, based on Lions & Tigers & Owlbears: 13th Age Bestiary 2. material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Copyright 2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd., Authors: Rob Williams. Heinsoo, ASH LAW, Liz Argall, Jaym Gates, Lynne 13th Age Bestiary. Copyright 2014, Fire Opal Media, Hardy, Paul Fanning, Cal Moore, Carrie Rasmussen, Inc. and Pelgrane Press Ltd; Authors: Ryven Cedrylle, Wade Rockett, Aaron Roudabush, Gareth Ryder- Rob Heinsoo, Kenneth Hite, Kevin Kulp, ASH LAW, Hanrahan, Michael E. Shea, Ruth Tillman, Jonathan Cal Moore, Steve Townshend, Rob Watkins, Rob Tweet, Steven Warzeha, Emily Westfall Wieland. Fire & Faith: Battle Scenes for Four Icons. 13 True Ways. Copyright 2014, Fire Opal Media, Inc.; Copyright 2017, Pelgrane Press Ltd.; Author: Cal Authors: Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan Tweet, Robin D. Laws, Moore. based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and 13th Age in Glorantha. Copyright 2017, Moon Design Skip Williams. Publications, LLC; Authors: Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan The Book of Loot. Copyright 2014, Pelgrane Press Tweet, Jeff Richard, Greg Stafford, Cal Moore, ASH Ltd.; Author: Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. LAW. Eyes of the Stone Thief. Copyright 2014, Pelgrane Book of Demons. Copyright 2017, Pelgrane Press Press Ltd.; Author: Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. Ltd.; Authors: Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Rob Heinsoo, 13th Age GM Screen & Guide. Copyright 2015, Paul Fanning. Pelgrane Press Ltd.; Authors: Cal Moore, Wade Rockett. High Magic & Low Cunning: Battle Scenes for Five Icons. Copyright 2016, Pelgrane Press Ltd.; Author: Cal Moore.
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how to extract maximum fun-juice from their Introduction infernal schemes. The lies demons’ might tell about the cosmos could be so fascinating you’ll The Empire is demon-haunted. decide they’re not entirely lies . . . . The chapter Demons crawl beneath the skin of the also includes a write-up of the ecology of the world, clawing at it, trying to break out of their hellhole as well as new monster stats for the prison. They want to destroy everything. demons introduced by the demonologist’s They’re everyone’s enemy. summoning spells. The Crusader sees this danger. The Great Chapter 3: Six Hellholes describes one Gold Wyrm died to save us all from premature more than five and one fewer than seven destruction. And the Diabolist dances on the hellholes of varying size and power, from the edge of the Abyss, stealing power from the blighted groves of Ratwood to the world- demons even as she helps them climb out of the shattering fury of the Hellgout. pit. Chapter 4: Citadels of the Icons introduces When demons break through into the the Crusader’s fortress of First Triumph and world, they carve out hellholes, cursed regions provides some impressions of the Diabolist’s where the alien laws of the Abyss hold sway. citadel. Which of the two strongholds holds Each hellhole brings the world one step close to more demons? The answer isn’t clear . . . . apocalypse. Take up your sword or staff, adventurer, and hold back the hosts of Hell!* *Alternatively, see chapter 1 for a new character class who has other ideas about the proper usage of the hosts of Hell.
<
In this Book The first chapter is aimed at players and GMs. Chapters Two through Four are pretty much for the GM. Chapter 1: The Demonologist is a newcomer to the Dragon Empire, a new character class who uses demons and demonic powers but might still be on the side of light. Or at least only plausibly deniably evil! Demonologists devoted to the path of corruption, path of flame, and path of slaughter have different talents, spells, and summoned demons that can make them play as very different characters. Speaking of very different characters, the chapter closes with multiclass options. Chapter 2: Gamemastering Demons has advice and plot seeds connected to demons, and
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You’d think that the Great Gold Wyrm Chapter 1: would be an outright enemy of all demonologists, but he’s been fighting in the Demonologist Abyss a long time. Maybe his paladins are more stuck up about who they’ll consider as allies There’s a new type of magician surfacing in the than the Wyrm is? Maybe demonologists on the Dragon Empire who might do something about the path of flame are helping the Great Gold Wyrm, Empire’s demon problem. somehow, whether they know it or not? It may not be something good. Play style: Your experience as a demonologist depends on which path you’ve OVERVIEW chosen. As a devotee of the path of corruption or Fighters, wizards, clerics, and rogues are part of the path of flame, you’ll function somewhat like the ongoing story of the world. It’s pretty clear other spellcasters, preferring to keep allies, or that heroes with something like the powers your summoned demon, between you and the portrayed in many of our player character enemy. If you’ve focused on the path of classes took part in the major events of many slaughter, you’re more likely to carry a serious past ages. melee weapon and welcome enemies who seek The demonologists we’re presenting in this to engage you as unwilling sacrifices! book are a different story. We’re presenting the Like the druid from 13 True Ways, this class demonologist class as something extremely new can be fun for players who like to figure out in the world, something that hasn’t had time to interesting combos from disparate approaches. become a well-understood part of the Dragon Ability Scores: Most demonologists rely on Empire. You are of course welcome to disagree, Charisma for serious spellcasting, backed up by especially as part of what makes one of your Constitution. Exceptions include tiefling campaigns unique. Perhaps demonologists demonologists (see the That’s Intelligent class existed in long-buried ages and have returned. feature on page XX) and slaughter path A three-part-collision: The simplest devotees, who use Strength for some of their explanation for the sudden emergence of the basic melee attacks when they’re too staggered demonologist in the 13th Age is that the three- to use Charisma. part war fought by the Crusader, Diabolist, and Demonologists gain a +2 class bonus to Great Gold Wyrm is tearing usable holes in the Charisma or Constitution, as long as it isn’t the unwholesome fabric of demonkind. Look closely same ability you increase with your racial at the three paths currently accessible to the bonus. demonologist and you’ll see connections to the Races: Humans are the most common three icons. They’re not necessarily connections demonologists, either for the lure of power, the that indicate approval or respect. . . . thirst for knowledge, or to use the mysteries of The Crusader doesn’t trust anyone but demons against the forces of the Abyss—and himself to ‘handle’ demons, so if you’re any type there’s definitely nothing that can go wrong of demonologist, even a demonologist on the with motivations like that. Other demonologist path of slaughter, and are not in his positive stereotypes include half-elves who feel like graces, he probably wants you dead. outsiders, unbalanced gnomes who think The Diabolist was never a demonologist (we demonic magic is funny, and half-orcs and think!) and she may resent other mortals carving dragonics who embrace the path of slaughter as a slice of her power. Then again, maybe she a way of surprising musclebound rivals. believes that demonologists are by definition Of course we have saved the best for last. corruptible. Perhaps she’s right. Some people call tieflings ‘the demontouched,’
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and there’s no denying that the race has a of demonic carapaces or other shells. Slaughter natural affinity for all three paths. path armor modifiers appear in the Path of Backgrounds: Possible demonologist Slaughter section on page XX. backgrounds are those that explain how you were driven to learn about demons, or those that Demonologist Armor and AC aid and conceal your activities, such as: escaped Type Base AC Attack sacrifice, child of cultists, survivor of a demon None 10 attack, survivor of a Crusader attack, born of a Light 11 hellhole, former clergy for the gods of light, Heavy 12 –5 once-promising student at a Horizon college, Shield +1 –2 decorated soldier, Axis firefighter, respected doctor at an Imperial hospital, resurrected ancient hero, demon-child. Weapons Icons: See the discussion above. Corruption path and flame path demonologists <
Demonologist Melee Weapons One-Handed Two-Handed Small 1d4 dagger 1d6 (–2 atk) club, staff Light or Simple 1d6 mace, axe, wavy dagger 1d8 (–2 atk) spear Heavy or Martial 1d8 (–2 atk) longsword, flail 1d10 (–3 atk) greataxe, greatsword
Demonologist Ranged Weapons Thrown Crossbow Bow Small 1d4 dagger 1d4 (–2 atk) hand crossbow — Light or Simple 1d6 (–2 atk) javelin, axe 1d6 (–2 atk) light crossbow 1d6 (–2 atk) shortbow Heavy or Martial — 1d8 (–3 atk) heavy crossbow 1d8 (–3 atk) longbow
Basic Attacks Melee Attack At-Will
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Target: One enemy Attack: Strength + Level vs. AC Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage Miss: —
Ranged Attack At-Will Target: One enemy Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage Miss: — Demonologist Level Progression Unlike most other classes, demonologist spells and powers depend on which path the chosen talents belong to. Each path has its own level progression chart detailing the number of spells you’ll choose to know each day. Note: Although not listed on the table, this class gets three talents. It does not gain more talents at higher levels.
Level-up Damage Ability Bonus Bonuses From Demonologist Total Hit Ability Level Points* Total Feats Score (Avg. of Not affected ability both modifier Level 1 classes) x As 1st level Multiclass 3 PC (6 + CON ability Level 1 mod) x 3 1 adventurer modifier (6 + CON ability Level 2 mod) x 4 2 adventurer modifier (6 + CON ability Level 3 mod) x 5 3 adventurer modifier (6 + CON 4 adventurer +1 to 3 ability Level 4 mod) x 6 abilities modifier (6 + CON 4 adventurer 2 x ability Level 5 mod) x 8 1 champion modifier Level 6 (6 + CON 4 adventurer 2 x ability mod) x 10 2 champion modifier Level 7 (6 + CON 4 adventurer +1 to 3 2 x ability mod) x 12 3 champion abilities modifier Level 8 (6 + CON 4 adventurer 3 x ability mod) x 16 3 champion modifier
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1 epic Level 9 (6 + CON 4 adventurer 3 x ability mod) x 20 3 champion modifier 2 epic Level 10 (6 + CON 4 adventurer +1 to 3 3 x ability mod) x 24 3 champion abilities modifier 3 epic
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Demonologist Stats Initiative, AC, PD, MD, Hit Points, Recovery Dice, and Feats are level dependent. Ability Bonus +2 Constitution or Charisma (different from racial bonus) Initiative Dex mod + Level Armor Class (light armor) 11 + middle mod of Con/Dex/Wis + Level Physical Defense 11 + middle mod of Str/Con/Dex + Level Mental Defense 11 + middle mod of Int/Wis/Cha + Level Hit Points (6 + Con mod) x Level modifier (see level progression chart) Recoveries (probably) 8 Recovery Dice (1d6 x Level) + Con mod Backgrounds 8 points, max 5 in any one background Icon Relationships 3 (4 at 5th level; 5 at 8th level) Talents 3 Feats 1 per Level
Class Features from a path, you are an initiate of that path. If In addition to the class features all you choose two talents from a path, you are a demonologists have in common, each of the devotee of that path. If you choose all three three devotee paths has its own features for talents from a single path, you’re a fanatic of initiates and devotees. You’ll find the additional that path. corruption path features on page XX, flame path The druid in 13 True Ways has a somewhat features on page XX, and slaughter path features similar class structure. But it’s only similar, not on page XX. the same. If the demonologist worked like the Features in common for all demonologists druid, you would invest one to three talents in a follow. path to unlock the features of that path. Instead, That’s Intelligent you’re choosing specific varied talents that are Tieflings can use their Intelligence ability score each part of an overarching path. in place of all references to Charisma in For example, if you take the Contagion and demonologist class features, powers, feats, Inimical talents from the corruption path and spells, and so on. the Demonic Reinforcements talent from the You might think that truly intelligent slaughter path, you are a devotee of corruption members of other races know better than to be and an initiate of slaughter. If you switched one demonologists, but for tieflings it’s a logical of your corruption path talents out for Flickering development. If they handle it right, they can from the path of flame, you’d be an initiate of all even give the Diabolist a black eye while three paths. If you replaced Demonic messing with powers she’d rather have for Reinforcements with a third corruption path herself. talent, like Misery, you’d be a corruption path Initiate, Devotee, Fanatic fanatic. Like many other classes, you have three talents Initiates: Initiates gain access to a certain to choose as a demonologist. Unlike other number of powers and spells. They gain access classes, your talents are grouped within three to the path’s demon summoning spell as a daily paths: the path of corruption, path of flame, and spell, but demons they summon from the path path of slaughter. If you choose a single talent will have fewer hit points than those summoned
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14 PRODUCT CHAPTER by devotees and fanatics. The lower hit point divine magic. Perhaps that should read unholy numbers for demons summoned by initiates symbols in the demonologists’ case, but you get appear in the summoned monster stats. the point. Other demonologists cast arcane Initiates also tend to gain a small defense spells using the same implements as wizards bonus or a small amount of resistance, elements and sorcerers: wands and staffs. Choose which that improved markedly for devotees and type of magic you’re using when you create fanatics. your demonologist. As a rule, you don’t use Devotees: Devotees gain more access to both, but perhaps your One Unique Thing powers and spells from their path and have the breaks the rule. path’s bonus demon summoning spell as a Curse Spells recharge 16+ spell. As you’ll see, there are also Some of the demonologist’s spells create curses many spells and feats that include devotee that wait to be triggered by an enemy. The bonuses. corruption path is full of such spells, the fire and Fanatics: You can focus all three talents in slaughter paths have a few as well. Unless one path if you like. As a fanatic, you get an otherwise specified curse spells are like most extra spell from your path each day, and your other spells: they require a standard action to demon summoning spell becomes a recharge cast. Others only require a quick action. 11+ spell instead of recharge 16+. That’s Unlike other spells, curse spells don’t have probably not as much spellcasting as you’d gain an immediate impact, their full effect waits to be by being an initiate in a different path, but triggered by something that’s outs of the caster’s synergies, character concept, and a slightly more control, usually a specific enemy natural attack reliable summoning spell may mean it’s a good roll or some other specific d20 roll. choice. Most curses require you to use an interrupt Some powers and spells specify that they action to take effect when triggered. The work even better for fanatics, but in most cases, enemy’s roll triggers the possibility for the curse they merely share the advantages enjoyed by you have already set in motion by casting a spell devotees. We’re choosing not to spell that out on your turn, but the curse doesn’t take effect every time by writing “devotees and fanatics” unless you also use an interrupt action to finish whenever there’s a devotee advantage. Just the job. remember that powers and bonuses that apply Unless otherwise specified, a spell’s curse to devotees of a path also apply to fanatics of effect is expended when used. that path. One curse per roll: The major limitation on <
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If the GM feels permissive and the and your GM want to cut down on die rolls, use demonologist believes they are about to enter the average result . . . but rolling at the end of combat—say, when about to open a door into each of your demons’ turns is more in the spirit the monsters’ guard room—it might be OK to of the class. cast a curse spell first, but a curse waiting to be Effects that end conditions can’t affect triggered eliminates any chance for surprise. degradation. Nor can effects that move Curses are a non-subtle ugly feeling that’s conditions around between creatures— something bad is about to happen. degradation is an ability that can’t be moved off a summoned demon or copied onto another <
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 16 PRODUCT CHAPTER possible to the summoner and their allies. We 13th Age in Glorantha, you’ll only need to take play that the demonologist’s player has to roll special note of the NEW paragraphs below, for their out-of-control demon’s attacks using which mention ways that these summoned their lucky d20, but maybe you’re more demons diverge from standard summoning forgiving than us. rules. The degradation damage the demon has Standard action spells: Casting a been suffering from in the battle continues. summoning spell generally requires a standard When the out of control demon finally drops to action. The creature(s) you summon appears 0 hit points again, it’s eliminated. next to you, though feats or powers might Enemies, allies, and out of control demons: enable you to summon it nearby instead. Out of control demons usually aren’t allies of Four types (CHANGED): There are four the player characters’ other enemies, but an out types of summoned creature, but the demons of control demon isn’t interested in helping its you summon are all superior creatures. Superior summoner by fighting their enemies. Creatures creatures take their turns like any other creature that aren’t smart or evil enough to notice and without needing to be controlled. take advantage of that may still target the out of Duration & death damage (CHANGED, control demon, but the demon will focus on its NEW): A summoned creature fights for you true enemies. until the end of the battle, until it is dismissed, No healing: Unlike other summoned or until it drops to 0 hit points. Other classes creatures, demons summoned by demonologists suffer damage when their summoned creatures can’t heal. drop to 0 hp, but you don’t: we’ve already gone Adventurer Feat: You have a +1 bonus to the into your control problems above! save to avoid losing control of your And yes, your summoned demon still fights summoned demons when they drop to 0 hit for you if you’ve been dropped to 0 hit points points. and are unconscious, but as mentioned above, Champion Feat: Demons you summon can be the save when the demon drops to 0 hit points is placed nearby you instead of next to you. tougher if you are unconscious yourself.) Epic Feat: You gain a +4 attack and defense Action economy: The turn you summon it, bonuses against demons you summoned your demon takes its turn immediately after that are now out of control. (Unless they’re your turn in initiative order. The summoned extremely angry with you, demons creature continues to take its turn immediately understand that you’re a tougher target and after you (even if your initiative order changes) are more likely to attack your allies.) until the end of the battle. <
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Superior creatures’ actions: During its turn, Allies? (CHANGED): Summoned creatures a superior creature can act like any other generally count as your allies, but you can creature, taking a standard, move, and quick choose to treat them as non-allies when that’s action. better for you. For example, when a monster’s Dismissal (NEW): Like most other attack is against one of its random enemies, it’s summoners, you can dismiss your summoned good for you to have your summoned creature creature using a quick action. However, count as an ally of yours and an enemy of the dismissing a demon during combat isn’t that monster. But take the case of the bard’s 3rd level simple: after dismissing the demon, roll a spell, wild heal. Odds are the bard PC in your control save as if the demon had dropped to 0 group doesn’t want to have to include your hit points. If the demon goes out of control, use summoned creature as one of the random allies its current hit points or the amount it would that might get to heal, so they can choose to have if it dropped to 0 and then went out of ignore your summoned creature as an ally. control, whichever is higher. A corollary to this is that if PCs have spells Out of combat you concentrate fully and or effects that count the number of allies, count dismiss your summoned demon without rolling all creatures summoned by a single PC as a a control save. single additional ally. This isn’t a hugely Hit points: Each summoned creature stat important rule, but if it comes up in some weird block indicates its base hit points. Starting hit corner cases, it’s sitting here in case the GM points for summoned creatures are nearly wants to prevent tacky abuses. always lower than hit points for non-summoned No nastier specials: If a creature you’re versions of the same creature. Some class feats summoning sometimes has nastier specials might increase the hit points of summoned when it appears as a monster, that’s not the creatures. version of the creature you’re summoning … Attack bonuses (CHANGED): Summoned unless you create a story with the GM creatures use the default bonuses of their explaining why this one time you have managed summoner’s magic weapon or implement, if to summon the powerful version of the creature any. In other words, if you have an attack and that has the nastier special. damage bonus from a magic weapon or Spell or creature?: When a summoning spell implement, so do any creatures you summon. is cast, it’s definitely a spell. After casting the Defense bonuses (CHANGED): Similarly, spell, a summoned creature is a creature, though summoned creatures use the default bonuses of if the GM is feeling puckish they might allow their summoner’s armor, cloak, and and head effects that generally only interact with spells to items, if any. In other words, default bonuses to interact with a summoned creature. That seems AC, PD, and MD from magic items also apply to dicey, but it’s possible. your summoned creatures. Ritual Magic As with the attack bonuses covered above, You can cast your spells as rituals. this only applies to default bonuses. Bonuses Demonologist rituals tend to horrify other and abilities that come along with an item that magicians. That could be for dramatic effect, or are not default bonuses only apply to it could be an important element of your summoned creatures if they specify that. At seriously twisted magic. present, not many do. Demonologist Talents Escalation die (CHANGED): Summoned Each of your talents belongs to one of three creatures use the escalation die. There are demonic paths: the path of corruption, the path creatures summoned by the druid and of fire, or the path of slaughter. necromancer that don’t, but your demons do.
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Choosing a single talent from a path unlocks For corruption path devotees, the power spells and powers that are not available to increases to resist poison 14+. characters who are not initiated onto that path. For corruption path fanatics, the power Demonologists who choose a second talent from increases to resist poison 16+. path are devotees. A third talent from a path makes you a fanatic. Devotees and fanatics gain Ignore poison resistance greater powers and spells than initiates. Corruption path initiates ignore resist poison 14+ We’re presenting the three demonologist or lower. paths as separate micro-classes, similar to our Corruption path devotees ignore resist handling of the druid. The paths are meant to poison 16+ and lower. mix, but the talents and the spells they unlock Corruption path fanatics ignore resist poison are simpler to parse when presented one path at 18+ and lower. a time.
We’ll start with the talents, bonus Bonus summoning spell summoning spell, and full spell list for the path Corruption initiates gain summon corruption of corruption. The path of flame comes next on demon as a daily spell. page XX, followed by the path of slaughter on Corruption path devotees instead have page XX. You’ll probably want to skim through summon corruption demon as a recharge 16+ spell. the talents for each of the paths before designing your first demonologist. Corruption path fanatics instead have summon corruption demon as a recharge 11+ spell.
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Resist poison power 2nd level demonologist 110 hit points or fewer Corruption initiates gain resist poison 12+, taking 3rd level demonologist 150 hit points or fewer half damage from poison attacks unless the 4th level demonologist 188 hit points or fewer attack’s natural attack roll is 12+ 5th level demonologist 230 hit points or fewer 6th level demonologist 300 hit points or fewer
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7th level demonologist 380 hit points or fewer 7+, normal saves require a 12+, and hard saves 8th level demonologist 450 hit points or fewer require a 17+. 9th level demonologist 600 hit points or fewer Adventurer Feat: If you are a corruption path 10th level demonologist 750 hit points or fewer devotee, twice per day as a free action, you Adventurer Feat: Once per battle, if you are can choose a condition created by an ally’s conscious when the escalation die reaches spell to gain the increase in saving throw 5+, gain another use of the Contagion power difficulty you’d get from Inimical. that day. Champion Feat: You’re even more inimical Champion Feat: Saves required against spell than most. Your spells’ easy saves require effects that you have moved using this an 8+, your normal saves require a 13+, and talent no longer decrease; a hard save stays your hard saves still require a 17+ (that’s hard, a normal save stays normal. hard enough). Epic Feat: Moving a condition with the Epic Feat: Once per battle, force an enemy to Contagion power is a free action for you reroll a save that has been affected by this rather than an interrupt action, so you’re not talent. limited to using it once per round. Infernal Familiar <
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regardless of whether or not you’re fighting increases to double your Constitution modifier. those demons. That’s a special effect that At 8th level, triple your Con mod. should supply the GM with story hooks and Adventurer Feat: The enemy that takes the you with occasional bits of unexpected psychic damage can now be far away information. instead of nearby. Misery Champion Feat: Two battles per day, you deal The first time each round that a nearby non- Misery damage to a nearby enemy the first mook enemy fails a save, deal psychic damage time each round that anyone else in the equal to your Constitution modifier to a battle, enemy or ally, fails a save. different nearby enemy. At 5th level, the damage Epic Feat: As the champion feat, but every battle instead of two battles a day.
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Corruption Path Level Progression Demonologist Corruption Corruption Corruption Spell Level Level Initiate Spells Devotee Fanatic Spells Spells Level 1 1 1 2 1st level Multiclass Level 1 1 2 3 1st level Level 2 1 3 4 1st level Level 3 2 3 4 3rd level Level 4 2 4 5 3rd level Level 5 2 5 6 5th level Level 6 3 5 6 5th level Level 7 3 6 7 7th level Level 8 3 6 7 7th level Level 9 3 7 8 9th level Level 10 3 7 8 9th level
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Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the summoned demon toad suffers 1d10 damage. Corruption Bonus Spell Corruption initiates gain summon corruption AC 15 demon as a daily spell (as explained in the class PD 14 HP 36 (Initiate: 30) features above). MD 11 Corruption path devotees instead have summon corruption demon as a recharge 16+ spell. Corruption path fanatics have summon Summoned Hopping Imp corruption demon as a recharge 11+ spell. This bonus spell is not counted against the 3rd level spoiler [DEMON] spells you choose from according to your level Initiative: +7 progression. Festering claws +7 vs. AC—7 damage, and 3 ongoing damage Summon Corruption Demon
Ranged Spell R: Blight jet +7 vs. PD—7 damage, and the Usage depends on talents in path target is dazed (save ends) Effect: You summon a demon to fight for you First natural 16+ each turn: The imp can choose until the end of the battle as a superior (but one: the target is weakened instead of degrading!) summoned creature. The demon dazed; OR the imp can make a blight jet summoned is determined by the level you cast attack against a different target as a free the spell at, as follows: action. 1st level spell summon demon toad
3rd level spell summon hopping imp Curse aura: Whenever a creature attacks the imp 5th level spell summon vulture demon and rolls a natural 1–5, that creature takes 1d8 7th level spell summon hezrou psychic damage. 9th level spell summon boar demon
Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the Summoned Demon Toad summoned hopping imp suffers 2d6 damage.
1st level spoiler [DEMON] AC 19 Initiative: +3 PD 13 HP 40 (Initiate: 33) MD 15 Toothy bite +6 vs. AC—4 damage
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Natural even hit: The vrock can make a demonic Summoned Boar Demon screech attack as a free action. Large 9th level caster [DEMON] [Special trigger] C: Demonic screech +10 vs. MD Initiative: +12 (1d3 nearby enemies), 3 psychic damage, and the target is vulnerable (attacks vs. it have crit Musky claw or slimy hoof +14 vs. AC—34 range expanded by 2) until the end of the battle damage Limited use: 1d3 times per battle, or any Miss: The nalfeshnee gains a +4 attack bonus number of times if the vulture demon is out until it hits. Unlike most effects, let it stack. of the demonologist’s control. R: Accursed burst +14 vs. PD (1d3 nearby Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the enemies)—34 cold/fire/lightning/negative summoned vulture demon suffers 4d6 energy damage (your choice), and the boar damage. demon can make an abyssal curse attack as a free action AC 19 PD 16 HP 82 (Initiate: 68) [Special trigger] Abyssal curse +14 vs. MD (each creature hit by accursed burst)—the target is MD 16 weakened until the end of its next turn Limited use: 1d3 times per battle, or any <
Large 7th level troop [DEMON] Flight: Boar demons are clumsy but powerful Initiative: +10 fliers with strangely small wings.
Meaty, clawed hands +12 vs. AC (2 attacks)—15 Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the damage summoned boar demon suffers 5d12 damage.
Demonic stench: While engaged with this AC 23 creature, non-demon enemies with 84 hp or PD 18 HP 220 (Initiate: fewer are dazed (–4 attack) and do not add the 190) escalation die to their attacks. MD 22
Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the summoned hezrou suffers 4d12 damage. CORRUPTION SPELLS
Now for the rest of the corruption path spells, AC 21 the spells you’ll choose. PD 15 HP 150 (Initiate: st 120) 1 Level Corruption Spells MD 19 Curse of the Odd <
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Special: This spell creates a curse that’s waiting Champion Feat: Can now target a far away to be triggered by any nearby enemy’s natural enemy. odd attack roll. Only the first attack roll of a creature on its turn, or the first attack roll in a Diseased Blood round by a particular mob of mooks can Close-quarters spell trigger the curse. When an enemy triggers the Daily for initiates, or recharge 16+ after the curse (and remember, you can only trigger battle for corruption devotees/fanatics one of your curses per attack roll), make the following attack as an interrupt action. Free action, when a melee attack hits you. Target: Enemy that triggered the curse. Target: The enemy that hit you (unlike a curse, this does not interrupt their attack, you’re Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD attacking after taking the damage). Hit: 20 psychic damage. Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Miss: — Hit: 4d12 + Charisma poison damage.
Miss: Half damage. 3rd level spell 30 damage
5th level spell 50 damage 3rd level spell 6d12 damage. 7th level spell 80 damage 5th level spell 6d20 damage. 9th level spell 120 damage 7th level spell 9d20 damage. Adventurer Feat: If you’re a corruption 9th level spell 4d8 x 10 damage. initiate, curse of the odd is now a recharge 6+ spell. If you’re a corruption devotee, Adventurer Feat: Spell is now recharge 16+ for curse of the odd is now a once per battle initiates, recharge 11+ for devotees and spell. fanatics. Champion Feat: You now deal half damage Champion Feat: You can cast this spell even if with curse of the odd attacks if you miss. you are unconscious. Epic Feat: When you take a critical hit in melee, you can cast this spell even if it was Stab in the Soul already expended. Ranged spell At-Will Minor Curse Target: One nearby enemy Ranged curse spell Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD Recharge 6+ after battle Hit: 2d8 + Charisma negative energy damage. Quick action to cast Miss: You take damage equal to the target’s Special: This spell creates a curse that’s waiting level. to be triggered by a nearby enemy’s natural 1-
5 attack roll. Only the first attack roll of a 3rd level spell 4d8 damage creature with 60 hit points or fewer, on its th 5 level spell 6d8 damage turn, or the first attack roll in a round by a th 7 level spell 9d8 damage particular mob of mooks can trigger this curse. 9th level spell 9d12 damage When an enemy triggers the curse, make the Adventurer Feat: Add this trigger effect to the following attack as an interrupt action. attack: Natural even hit: As above, and Target: Enemy that triggered the curse. negative energy damage equal to your Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD th Constitution modifier (5 level: double your Hit: Target is dazed and vulnerable until the th Constitution mod; 8 level: triple) when end of its next turn. target misses with an attack (save ends).
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Hit by 4+: Target is weakened and vulnerable Daily, or recharge 16+ after the battle for (normal save ends both). corruption devotees/fanatics Miss: — Target: One nearby enemy. Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD 3rd level spell 120 hit points or fewer Hit: 10 poison damage, and target takes 5 5th level spell 200 hit points or fewer ongoing poison damage; when the target 7th level spell 350 hit points or fewer saves against the ongoing damage or drops to 9th level spell 570 hit points or fewer 0 hit points, increase the amount of ongoing Adventurer Feat: Add 30 to the hit point poison damage to 10 and move the effect to a threshold. nearby enemy as a free action. The spell’s Champion Feat: If you are a corruption path effect doesn’t go beyond this second creature. devotee, the spell is now a once per battle Miss: Regain the use of this spell. spell. Epic Feat:. Add another 100 to the hit point 3rd level spell 20 damage from the initial hit threshold. 5th level spell 30 damage from the initial hit, 10 ongoing that increases to 15 ongoing 7th level spell 40 damage from the initial hit, Rabble Babble 20 ongoing that increases to 30 ongoing Close spell 9th level spell 70 damage from the initial hit, Daily, or recharge 16+ after the battle for 30 ongoing that increases to 50 ongoing corruption devotees Adventurer Feat: Add the current escalation Target: 1d3 nearby enemies with 30 or fewer die to the ongoing damage (5th level: double maximum hit points, and/or any number of the escalation die; 8th level: triple the nearby mooks in a mob with printed hit points escalation die). of 30 or less. (In other words, ignore damage, Champion Feat: When the spell spreads to a this only works against targets that start with second enemy, it also spreads to a third. low hit points.)
Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD 3rd Level Corruption Spells Hit: The target is confused (save ends).
Miss: The target is confused until the end of its next turn. Carrion Screech Close-quarters spell 3rd level spell 45 hit point threshold Daily 5th level spell 76 hit point threshold Targets: 1d3 nearby enemies 7th level spell 140 hit point threshold Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD 9th level spell 240 hit point threshold Hit: 6d6 + Charisma psychic damage, and the Adventurer Feat: If a creature confused by this target is vulnerable (save ends) spell drops an enemy to 0 hit points, the Miss: Half damage, and the target is vulnerable confusion effect on it continues an until the start of your next turn. additional turn after it would normally end. Champion Feat: On an even hit, the save to 5th level spell 10d6 damage end the confusion is hard (16+). 7th level spell 9d10 damage Epic Feat: Add 60 to the hit point threshold. 9th level spell 2d8 x 10 damage Adventurer Feat: If you are a corruption initiate, this is now a recharge 18+ spell. If Spreading the Rot Ranged spell
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you are a corruption devotee, this is now a Adventurer Feat: On a miss, you regain the recharge 16+ spell. use of this spell, though you can’t cast it Champion Feat: Spell now targets 1d4 nearby again until a subsequent turn. enemies. Champion Feat: When target misses with a Epic Feat: One battle per day, the ongoing natural odd attack roll, the attack instead poison damage created by the champion targets and hits an ally of theirs engaged feat is accompanied by a hampered effect. with the target, if any, for half damage (no new attack roll, it’s an automatic hit). If an enemy is damaged in this fashion, the target Even Worse Curse gains a +5 bonus (cumulative) to the save Ranged curse spell against this misfortune effect. Recharge 6+ after battle Epic Feat: On a natural 1, or when the target Special: This spell creates a curse that’s waiting misses with an odd attack roll and none of to be triggered by a nearby enemy’s natural the target’s allies are engaged with the even attack roll. Only the first attack roll of a target of their attack, the target of this spell creature on its turn, or the first attack roll in a somehow hits themselves for half damage. round by a particular mob of mooks can They still get the +5 cumulative bonus to trigger the curse. When an enemy triggers the save against this spell. curse (and remember, only one curse can be
triggered per attack roll), make the following th attack, interrupting their attack. 5 Level Corruption Spells Target: Enemy that triggered the curse. Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Killing Doubt Hit: 30 negative energy damage. Ranged spell Miss: 10 damage Daily, or recharge 16+ after the battle for corruption devotees 5th level spell 50 damage, 15 on a miss Interrupt action to cast, when an enemy does 7th level spell 80 damage, 25 on a miss something besides move normally or make a 9th level spell 120 damage, 40 on a miss basic attack. Target: One enemy with 160 hp or less Misfortune Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD Ranged spell Hit: The target loses whatever attack or power Recharge 6+ after battle triggered this spell (hard save ends). Quick action to cast Miss: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. Target: One nearby enemy with 70 or less hit points th Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD 7 level spell 266 HP th Hit: The target suffers a misfortune (hard save 9 level spell 400 HP ends, 16+): When the target hits with an odd Champion Feat: On a miss, the target loses attack roll, it is a miss instead, and the target whatever attack or power triggered this gains a +5 bonus (cumulative) to the save spell until the start of your next turn. against this misfortune effect. Epic Feat: A hit also cancels the use of the attack or power that triggered this spell, unless that makes NO sense! 5th level spell 100 or less hit points
7th level spell 170 or less hit points 9th level spell 280 or less hit points
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Melting Flesh the newly risen hero the most. And last and Ranged Spell most complicated: advantages used with this Daily icon always have complications! Target: A number of nearby enemies with a total Miss: You regain this spell after your next full of 160 hp or less, targeting enemies with the heal-up. fewest hit points first. Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD <
Herald of Apocalypse th 7 Level Corruption Spells Close-quarters spell Daily Abyssal Bargain Effect: Until the end of the battle, you can teleport once per round as a move action, Ranged Spell provided that you teleport into engagement Once per level with a creature you have not already attacked Special: You can only cast this spell once on with the attack associated with this spell. each of your player character allies Special: Once per round until the end of the Target: One ally at 0 hit points, or that has died battle, you can use the following attack as a since your last turn. quick action. All ongoing effects that a specific Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD, or automatic target suffers from the spell are ended by a hit against a willing target hard save (16+). The natural odd and natural Hit: Instead of dying or staying at 0 hit points, even effects of the spell may cause a creature the target heals to their staggered hit points, to make saves while its hit points are still too regains consciousness, and loses an icon high to be fully affected by the spell, but when relationship that’s important to them. its hit points drop below the threshold it will The character then gains an ambiguous suffer the consequences if it hasn’t saved. relationship with an icon of the GM’s choice Close-quarters spell (if they were unwilling), or perhaps a positive Target: One engaged enemy you have not one (if they were willing). This can exceed the already attacked with this spell this battle. normal relationship maximums. This isn’t Attack: Charisma + Level vs. MD necessarily with the Diabolist, but it’s Hit: 5d8 + Charisma negative energy damage probably with the Diabolist, Great Gold and the target takes 15 ongoing negative Wyrm, or Crusader, whatever will disappoint energy damage (hard save ends).
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Natural even hit or miss: Target is stuck if it has Breath of Fire 600 hit points or fewer (hard save ends). You have a breath weapon attack. You can Natural odd hit or miss: Target is hampered if it decide whether it seems demonic, draconic, or has 600 hit points or fewer (hard save ends). like something else entirely. Effect: While making saves from effects created by this spell, an enemy takes a –4 attack Flame Breath penalty against the caster of herald of Close-quarters attack apocalypse, and also deals half damage to the Daily, or Recharge 16+ for a flame path devotee caster. Target: 1d3 nearby enemies in a group; breath PATH OF FLAME weapon Breath Weapon: For the rest of the battle, roll a It’s no surprise that demonologists summon hellfire. d20 at the start of each of your turns; on a 16+, The surprise is that some of the magicians on the path you can use flame breath that turn if you wish. of flame seem to have been called to it by the Great Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Gold Wyrm. Hit: 3d6 + Charisma fire damage.
Miss: Half damage. Resist fire power
Flame path initiates gain resist fire 12+, taking rd half damage from fire attacks unless the attack’s 3 level spell 5d6 damage. th natural attack roll is 12+. 5 level spell 4d10 damage. th For flame path devotees, the power 7 level spell 6d12 damage. increases to resist fire 14+. 9th level spell 10d12 damage. Flame path fanatics have resist fire 16+. Adventurer Feat: If you have a positive or Ignore fire resistance conflicted relationship with the Great Gold Flame path initiates ignore resist fire 14+ or Wyrm, natural even flame breath attack rolls lower. against demons deal maximum damage. Flame path devotees ignore resist fire 16+ Champion Feat: If you have a positive or and lower. conflicted relationship with the Great Gold Wyrm, you gain a +1 bonus to flame breath Flame path fanatics ignore resist fire 18+ re-use rolls during the battle and flame and lower. breath recharge rolls after the battle.
Epic Feat: If you have a positive or conflicted Summon flame demon spell relationship with the Great Gold Wyrm, you Flame initiates gain summon flame demon as a gain flight during any turn you use flame daily spell. (The spell appears on page XX.) breath. The flight lasts until the end of your Flame path devotees instead have summon next turn. flame demon as a recharge 16+ spell.
Flame path fanatics instead have summon flame demon as a recharge 11+ spell. Flickering Twice per day, before rolling initiative, you can decide to use flickering power in an upcoming <
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Each time you are hit by an attack, your As for the corruption path’ Contagion situation flips after the attack: the –1 penalty power, Flare Up can’t move an effect created by becomes a +2 bonus, or the +2 bonus becomes a one of your summoned creatures. –1 penalty. Adventurer Feat: Once per battle, if you are Adventurer Feat: Once per battle you can conscious when the escalation die reaches choose not to flip the bonus/penalty. 5+, gain another use of the Flare Up power Champion Feat: The defense penalty is now – that day. 2. The defense bonus is now +4. Champion Feat: You can now use the power even if the target fails the save. As before, Dance in Flames the effect moves off the target onto a new creature of your choice. Once per battle when an enemy moves to Epic Feat: Saves against spell effects and engage you, you can roll a normal save (11+) as ongoing damage you have moved using this an interrupt action. If the save succeeds, deal 5 talent are 2 points harder. (Easy: 8+, etc.) ongoing fire damage to that enemy (5th level: 10 ongoing fire damage; 8th level: 15 ongoing fire damage). Master of Flames Adventurer Feat: You can use the Dance in You gain the wizard cantrips light and spark (13th Flames save twice per battle. Age core rulebook, page 147), and can cast them Champion Feat: If you are a flame path at-will as a quick action. devotee, you can use the Dance in Flames When you choose spells during a full heal- save at-will, though it still requires an up, you can replace one demonologist flame interrupt action (and is therefore likely to path spell you would choose with another spell apply only once per round). that does fire damage from a different class. You Epic Feat: Once per battle, you can use Dance cast this spell at your demonologist level, in Flames as a free action. replacing the ability score for attack and damage with Charisma, and any other ability score mentioned with Constitution. Flare-Up Adventurer Feat: You gain the adventurer feat, You can use this power a number of times each if any, for the spell you choose from a day equal to your Constitution modifier. different class. As a free action when an enemy saves with a Champion Feat: Ditto for the champion feat. natural odd roll against an effect you caused Epic Feat: And for the epic feat. with a demonologist spell or power, move the spell effect off the creature that just saved to a nearby enemy.
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AC 17 Flame Bonus Spell PD 15 HP 24 (Initiate: 20) Flame initiates gain summon flame demon as a MD 13 daily spell. Flame path devotees have summon flame <
Ranged Spell Savage bite +9 vs. AC—6 damage Usage depends on talents in path Natural even hit or miss: The hellhound can Effect: You summon a demon to fight for you make a fiery breath attack as a free action. until the end of the battle as a superior (but degrading!) summoned creature. The demon [Special trigger] C: Fiery breath +9 vs. PD (1d3 summoned is determined by the level you cast nearby enemies in a group)—8 fire damage the spell at, as follows:
1st level spell summon burner Resist fire 16+: When a fire attack targets this 3rd level spell summon hellhound creature, the attacker must roll a natural 16+ th 5 level spell summon fire-imp on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. th 7 level spell summon glabrezu th 9 level spell summon balor Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the summoned hellhound suffers 3d6 damage. Summoned Burner AC 17 1st level archer [DEMON] PD 15 HP 58 (Initiate: 48) Initiative: +7 MD 11
Flickers of flame +7 vs. AC—3 fire damage Summoned Big Burner R: Flickers of flame +7 vs. AC—5 fire damage Miss: Deal 3 fire damage to a random nearby 5th level archer [DEMON] creature (yes, could be enemy or ally!). Initiative: +11
Quick flicking fire: The summoned burner adds Flickers of flame +11 vs. AC—10 fire damage escalation die to its disengage checks. R: Flickers of flame +11 vs. AC—18 fire damage Flight: Bobs along low to the ground, if it gets Miss: Deal 10 fire damage to a random nearby higher than 6’ it drops, as if tethered to the creature (yes, could be enemy or ally!). earth. Quick flicking fire: Adds the escalation die to its Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the disengage checks. summoned burner suffers 1d6 damage.
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Flight: Bobs along low to the ground, if it gets Natural even hit: The balor deals +1d8 lightning higher than 6’ it drops, as if tethered to the damage to the target and to one other earth. nearby enemy of balor’s choice. Then repeat that damage roll against the targets once for Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the each point on the escalation die (so if it’s 4, summoned big burner suffers 3d6 damage. that’s four more d8 rolls) Natural even miss: 25 damage. AC 21 C: Flaming whip +14 vs. PD (one nearby PD 19 HP 66 (Initiate: 56) enemy)—15 fire damage, and the target is MD 17 pulled to the balor, who engages it. Natural even miss: 7 fire damage. <
battle. Large 9th level wrecker [DEMON] Once per battle, or at-will for flame path Initiative: +13 devotee (but see special!)
Target: Nearby enemy Abyssal blade +14 vs. AC—50 damage Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD
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Hit: 2d6 + Charisma fire damage. Hit: 1d8 + Charisma fire damage, and the target Natural even hit: Subtract 2 from the target’s takes 5 ongoing fire damage and is vulnerable AC until the end of the battle (not (hard save ends both, 16+). cumulative). Miss: Half damage, and the target takes 5 Miss: — ongoing fire damage and is vulnerable (save ends both). 3rd level spell 4d6 damage 5th level spell 6d6 damage 3rd level spell 3d8 damage, 15 ongoing 7th level spell 9d6 damage damage and in addition to being vulnerable, 9th level spell 8d12 damage the target can’t turn invisible or hide from you Adventurer Feat: Burn it off now deals miss or your allies (save ends all). th damage equal to your level. 5 level spell 5d8 damage, 25 ongoing Champion Feat: Spell is now cumulative up to damage and the target also can’t teleport (save –4 AC. ends all). 7th level spell 7d8 damage and 35 ongoing Epic Feat: The penalty now also applies to PD. damage.
9th level spell 10d8 damage and 50 ongoing Feed the Flame Demons damage Ranged spell At-Will Flame Shroud Special: You can’t cast the spell while a creature Close-quarters spell is taking ongoing fire damage from a previous At-Will casting of the spell. Target: 1 enemy you are engaged with Target: One nearby enemy Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Natural even hit: 9 damage, and you can pop Hit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier fire damage, and 5 free of target. ongoing fire damage. Miss: Deal 5 ongoing fire damage to a random Natural odd hit: 7 damage nearby ally. Miss: Damage equal to your level, and you cannot target this enemy with flame shroud again this battle. 3rd level spell 4d8 damage and 10 ongoing
damage 3rd level spell Even 16 damage, odd 11 5th level spell 6d8 damage and 15 ongoing damage damage 5th level spell Even 25 damage, odd 19 7th level spell 8d8 damage and 20 ongoing damage damage 7th level spell Even 36 damage, odd 28 9th level spell 12d8 damage and 30 ongoing damage damage th 9 level spell Even 62 damage, odd 47 damage Everburn
Ranged spell Whipping Tongues of Fire Recharge 16+ after battle Close-quarters curse spell Target: One nearby enemy Recharge 16+ after battle Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Quick action to cast
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Curse Effect: As an interrupt action later in the cast keep burning please prevents the save from battle, or as a free action if you’re already having failed, the precondition for using Flare spent your interrupt action this round on this Up. It still works well to have both options . . . . curse, deal 10 ongoing fire damage to a nearby <
Recharge 6+ after battle 3rd level spell 15 ongoing fire damage Target: One nearby creature taking ongoing fire th 5 level spell 20 ongoing fire damage damage th 7 level spell 35 ongoing fire damage Effect: Teleport next to that creature. You can th 9 level spell 50 ongoing fire damage choose whether to be engaged with that creature (or next to them if they’re an ally) or rd 3 Level Flame Spells extremely close to the creature but not engaged.
Keep Burning Please 5th level spell Flaming teleport now only Close-quarters spell requires a quick action to cast. Recharge 11+ after battle 7th level spell target can now be far away Interrupt action 9th level spell Flaming teleport can now also be Target: A nearby enemy that just saved against used to teleport away from engagement with ongoing fire damage an enemy that is taking ongoing fire damage. Attack: Charisma + Level vs PD. Hit: The target fails the saving throw instead, Adventurer Feat: If you are a flame path and increase the ongoing fire damage by 2d6. devotee, deal the ongoing fire damage the Miss: Regain the use of this spell. target is taking to the target if you teleport into engagement with it. 5th level spell Damage increases by 4d6 Champion Feat: Spell is now once per battle 7th level spell Damage increases by 3d12 instead of recharge 6+. 9th level spell Damage increases by 5d12 Epic Feat: If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by ongoing fire damage, you can Adventurer Feat: Spell is now recharge 6+. flaming teleport to teleport to their former Champion Feat: If you keep the enemy location on your next turn, even if the spell burning, the save against the ongoing has been expended. (Yes, this would also let damage is now a hard save (16+), if it wasn’t you teleport next to an ally dropped by already. ongoing fire damage!) Epic Feat: When you keep the enemy burning, it takes the new amount of ongoing fire Swarming Flame Demons damage immediately. Close-quarters spell Recharge 11+ after battle <
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Effect: Regardless of your attack rolls, the next a quick action 1d3 times each battle you cast time an enemy rolls a natural 1-5 with an the spell. 1/round only! attack this battle, deal 3d6 fire damage to that Epic Feat: If you are a flame path devotee, creature and each enemy nearby them as the golden claw is now a recharge 16+ spell. flame demons swarm (only deal this damage once to each mob of mooks). Kindling
Ranged Spell 5th level spell 30 fire damage on a hit, 5d6 Recharge 16+ effect damage Special: If the target is engaged with one of your 7th level spell 50 fire damage on a hit, 8d6 summoned demons double the ongoing effect damage damage if you hit. 9th level spell 80 fire damage on a hit, 8d10 Target: One nearby enemy effect damage Attack: Charisma + Level vs PD
Hit: 6d10 + Charisma fire damage, and 15 th 5 Level Flame Spells ongoing fire damage; while the target is taking Golden Claw this ongoing fire damage, your allies and Close-quarters spell summoned creatures have a +2 attack bonus Daily against the target. Effect: You conjure a great flaming claw that Miss: Half damage. you can ride around the battle. You gain flight, but cannot fly above head height. You 7th level spell 9d10 damage, and 20 ongoing also gain a +2 bonus to all defenses. When you fire damage would be hit by a melee attack, you can 9th level spell 3d10 x 10 damage, and 40 choose to respond with the claw’s attack as an ongoing fire damage interrupt action, possibly canceling the attack Champion Feat: Can now be used against a a if you eliminate the attacker (and/or losing the far away target, and add 10 to ongoing claw, as you’ll see below!). The claw lasts until damage. the end of the battle, or until you’ve lost it. Epic Feat: Attack bonus for allies and The Golden Claw’s Attack summoned creatures increases to +4. Target: Enemy that hit you with an attack Attack: Charisma + Level vs. AC 7th Level Flame Spells Hit: 6d10 damage
Natural 19-20: 15 ongoing fire damage to the target OR a different nearby enemy, and the Pyres golden claw spell ends, taking you to the Ranged spell ground before disappearing. Daily Miss: 5 damage. Target: 1d3 + 1 nearby enemies Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD 7th level spell 10d10 claw damage, 7 miss Hit: 8d10 + Charisma modifier fire damage, and damage 25 ongoing fire damage. Increase this ongoing 9th level spell 3d14 x 10 claw damage, 9 miss damage by 1d10 each time a non-mook enemy damage or the last mook in a mob drops to 0 hit Champion Feat: If you have at least one points! relationship point with the Great Gold Miss: 25 ongoing fire damage. Wyrm, you can use the golden claw’s attack as
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9th level spell 2d8 x 10 fire damage, 40 If you are a slaughter path devotee, you lose ongoing fire damage, and increase by 2d10 the attack penalty for wearing heavy armor and each time an enemy drops to 0 hit points using shields. Champion Feat: Increase the number of targets to 1d4 + 2. Demonic Warrior Epic Feat: On any turn a target does not move, This feature only applies to slaughter path the save against ongoing damage becomes a devotees. Initiates get nothing out of this. hard save. You lose the attack penalty for using heavy or martial melee weapons: you’re happy 9th Level Flame Spells swinging warhammers, flails, swords, and other nasty and spiky serious weapons.
In addition, your basic melee attacks deal Gorogan’s Breath damage equal to your level on a miss. Close-quarters spell In addition, and perhaps most significantly, Daily your basic melee attacks use your Charisma as Special: This spell cannot be used in the their attack and damage ability score while you overworld. Also see the spell effect for its are not staggered. repeated impact on the battle. When you are staggered, your basic melee Target: 1d8 nearby non-flying enemies. Each attacks revert to using your Strength, as normal. enemy can only be targeted once. (See the Ravager talent below for another Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD melee ability connected to not being staggered.) Hit: 10d6 + Charisma fire damage. Adventurer Feat: One turn per battle when Miss: Half damage. Allies (including you) you are staggered, use your Charisma as engaged with the target you missed take one- your attack and damage ability score with quarter damage. basic melee attacks instead of your Strength. Effect: You can repeat the attack 1/round as a Champion Feat: Once per day, as a free action, quick action on your next turn, and on each of you do not count as staggered until the end your subsequent turns this battle, until you of the battle, unless you are at 0 hit points. fail to use the attack on your turn. Each use of the spell after the first deals damage to you Resist melee damage equal to 1d12 for each time you have used this Slaughter path initiates gain resist melee damage spell after the first. 10+, taking half damage from melee attacks Epic Feat: Increase the damage to 10d10 + unless the attack’s natural attack roll is 10+. Charisma fire damage. For slaughter path devotees, the power increases to resist melee damage 12+. For slaughter path fanatics, the power SLAUGHTER PATH increases to resist melee damage 14+. Slaughter path devotees are committed to the idea Adventurer Feat: Your recovery dice are d8s that if you’re going to summon demons, it helps to be instead of d6s. wearing heavy armor and swinging a big sword. Champion Feat: If you are a slaughter path devotee, your base hit points increase from 6 Armored Destroyer to 7. As a slaughter path initiate or devotee, your AC Epic Feat: Your recovery dice are d10s instead in light armor is 13. of d8s. As a slaughter path initiate, your AC in heavy armor is 14, with a –2 attack penalty. Summon slaughter demon spell
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Slaughter initiates gain summon slaughter demon When you move to engage an enemy you as a daily spell. (The spell appears on page XX.) were not engaged with at the start of your turn, Slaughter path devotees instead have summon deal 1d6 damage to that enemy as you engage slaughter demon as a recharge 16+ spell. them. Slaughter path fanatics have summon slaughter This power improves as you gain levels. demon as a recharge 11+ spell. 2nd level demonologist 2d4 damage <
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©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 38 PRODUCT CHAPTER were confused (in other words, using its at-will Sacrificial Blade attacks). Unlike the demons you summon that Once per battle when your attack drops a non- take degradation damage, this creature merely mook* to 0 hit points, or you eliminate the last dies when it again reaches 0 hit points, you mook in a mob, roll a normal save (11+). If the don’t have to save to see if it goes out of control, save succeeds, you can take a free standard it was your enemy once already. action this turn. (*The exception is that slaying Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the your summoned creature, or any creature Demonic Reinforcements creature suffers 3 x summoned by an ally, does not trigger sacrificial its level damage (large or double-strength: 6 x blade.) level, huge or triple-strength: 9 x level). Adventurer Feat: The save is now an easy save Adventurer Feat: Once per day, when your (6+) instead of a normal save. Demonic Reinforcements save fails, you do Champion Feat: You can use the ability twice not expend the ability. each battle instead of once, though only Champion Feat: You can now target a huge or once per turn. triple-strength creature with Demonic Epic Feat: You can also attempt to use Reinforcements, but the save is a hard save Sacrificial Blade if one of your summoned (16+). demons strikes the killing blow. Epic Feat: You gain a +2 bonus to saves made to use this talent.
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Ravager While you are not staggered, you deal half damage with your basic melee attacks that miss. Adventurer Feat: If you are a slaughter path devotee, two battles per day you can use the Ravager power to deal half damage with basic melee attacks that miss even when you are staggered. Champion Feat: If you are a slaughter path devotee, you can reroll a basic melee attack that misses a number of times each day equal to your Charisma modifier. Epic Feat: Once per battle you can reroll the damage of one of your melee attacks.
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Slaughter Bonus Spell Slaughter initiates gain summon slaughter demon Big chomp +9 vs. AC—12 damage as a bonus daily spell. Natural even hit: Target and hungry maw are Slaughter path devotees instead have both stuck until the end of the hungry summon slaughter demon as a bonus recharge 16+ maw’s next turn, or until they are not spell. engaged with each other. Slaughter path fanatics instead have summon slaughter demon as a recharge 11+ spell. Chomp and chew: If the hungry maw starts its turns stuck and engaged with a stuck enemy, it loses its standard action this turn but Summon Slaughter Demon automatically deals 8 damage and 4 ongoing Ranged Spell damage to that enemy. Usage varies based on slaughter path talents Effect: You summon a demon to fight for you Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the until the end of the battle as a superior (but summoned hungry maw suffers 2d6 damage. degrading!) summoned creature. The demon
summoned is determined by the level you cast the spell at, as follows: AC 16 1st level spell summon claw demon PD 16 HP 48 (Initiate: 40) 3rd level spell summon hungry maw MD 12 5th level spell summon frenzy demon th 7 level spell summon laughing demon Summoned Frenzy Demon 9th level spell summon marilith
5th level wrecker [DEMON] <
Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the summoned claw demon suffers 1d6 damage. summoned frenzy demon suffers 4d6 damage.
AC 17 AC 20 PD 14 HP 24 (Initiate: 20) PD 16 HP 70 (Initiate: 56) MD 11 MD 16
Summoned Hungry Maw Summoned Laughing Demon
th 3rd level blocker [DEMON] 7 level troop [DEMON] Initiative: +6 Initiative: +11
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Tooth & claw and stomp +12 vs. AC—22 damage AC 24 Miss: 11 damage PD 17 HP 200 (Initiate:
165) Won’t … stop… laughing: While one or more summoned laughing demons are in a battle MD 21 deal 8 psychic damage to each enemy who fails a save. st 1 Level Slaughter Spells Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the summoned laughing demon suffers 6d6 Blade Polished In Blood damage. Close-quarters spell Once per battle AC 22 Quick action to cast PD 17 HP 124 (Initiate: Special: You must have reduced a non-mook 100) creature (or the last mook of a mob) to zero hit points with a basic or at-will melee attack this MD 19 turn.
Effect: You can spend a recovery. <
R: Beguiling gaze +14 vs. MD (one nearby or Hate far away unengaged enemy)—As a free Close-quarters spell action, the target immediately moves toward Once per battle the marilith, attempting to engage it or get as Quick action to cast close as possible to it Target: Yourself. Limited use: 1/round, as a quick action. Effect: The first time you hit with a weapon attack this turn, add 5 to the damage. Terrible swift swords: When the escalation die is even, the summoned marilith’s crit range with 3rd level spell 8. melee attacks expands by a number equal to 5th level spell 13. the escalation die. If the summoned marilith is 7th level spell 20. out of control, its crit range expands by a th number equal to the escalation die whether 9 level spell 33. the die is even or odd. Adventurer Feat: You can now cast hate twice per battle. Degradation: At the end of each of its turns, the Champion Feat: The bonus damage now also summoned marilith suffers 10d6 damage. applies if your first attack misses this turn.
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Epic Feat: Once per day, hate applies to every Champion Feat: Once per day, when the attack you make this turn, not just the first. escalation die is 2+, the rending can target two enemies instead of one. (Obviously if it Reckless Slaughter misses twice, you or allies are taking a good deal of damage.) Close spell Recharge 11+ after battle rd Quick action to cast 3 Level Slaughter Spells Effect: Make a basic melee attack using the ability score of your choice as the attack and Death Mark damage stat and using d12’s for the damage Close-quarters spell die. On a miss, you inflict no damage on the target and instead hit an ally engaged with the Daily, OR Recharge 16+ after battle, for a target for one-quarter damage. If no allies are slaughter path devotee engaged, hit an ally next to you and if no allies Quick action to cast are next to you, hit yourself instead. Effect: Your summoned creatures gain a +3 attack bonus until the end of the battle against 3rd level spell Add 7 to the damage if the any creature you hit with an attack this battle. attack hits. (This applies even if you summon the creature after the attack.) 5th level spell Add 13 to the damage if the attack hits. Adventurer Feat: In addition, add your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt by 7th level spell Add 20 to the damage if the hits from your summoned creatures’ attacks attack hits. against enemies you hit yourself (5th level: 9th level spell Add 25 to the damage if the double your Charisma modifier; 8th level: attack hits. triple your Charisma modifier). Adventurer Feat: If you are a slaughter path Champion Feat: In addition, any creature you devotee, reckless slaughter is now a recharge hit with an attack this battle is vulnerable to 6+ spell. the attacks of your summoned creatures.
The Rending Deceptive Wound Close-quarters spell Close-quarters spell Recharge 16+ after battle Recharge 11+ after battle Target: 1 nearby or far away enemy Quick action to cast Attack: Charisma + Level vs. PD Target: Creature you hit with a melee attack Hit: 3d12 + Charisma damage earlier this turn. Miss: Half damage, and you OR an ally engaged Effect: Deal 10 ongoing damage to the target, with the target also take half that damage. easy save (6+) ends. The first time the target
fails the save, the save becomes a normal save rd 3 level spell 5d12 damage (11+). If the target fails that save also, the save th 5 level spell 8d12 damage becomes a hard save (16+). 7th level spell 2d8 x 10 damage th 9 level spell 4d6 x 10 damage 5th level spell 15 ongoing damage. Adventurer Feat: If you miss all targets (see 7th level spell 25 ongoing damage. champion feat!) with the rending, it’s a 9th level spell 40 ongoing damage. recharge 6+ spell after the battle.
Follow the Blood
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Close-quarters spell Altar Reversal Cast as an interrupt action Close-quarters spell Recharge 11+ after battle, or once per battle for Recharge 16+ after battle, or recharge 11+ for a slaughter devotee slaughter path devotee Target: One nearby enemy that becomes Quick action to cast staggered, but still has hit points greater than Effect: Until the end of the turn, you gain a +4 0. attack bonus against demons, and demons are Effect: Teleport into engagement with the target. vulnerable to your attacks. If you use this 5th level spell Spell can now also target an opportunity to attack a 5th or lower level enemy that has been reduced to 0 hit points slaughter demon you summoned that is still OR an ally that has been staggered or reduced under your control, and drop the demon’s hit to 0 hit points. points to 0 with the attack, you automatically 7th level spell If the spell targets a staggered succeed with the save that determines enemy, that enemy is vulnerable to your whether you lose control of the demon. attacks until the end of the battle (your Instead you roll a normal save (11+) to see if slaughter path talents might also deal damage you regain the use of your summoning spell! to it automatically) (GM: This is the right time to enforce the rule 9th level spell Now a recharge 6+ spell. that a summoned demon takes its turn after its Epic Feat: You can use this spell when you summoner’s turn. The demonologist should become staggered to teleport next to a be attempting to cut its demon down before nearby staggered creature. the demon can attack that round.)
7th level spell Now affects any of your 7th level Implacable Destruction summoned demons Close-quarters spell 9th level spell Now affects your 9th level Recharge 16+ after battle, or Recharge 11+ for a summoned demons, and your critical hits slaughter path devotee against demons deal triple damage until the Special: So long as you are conscious, this spell end of the battle. ignores any effect you are under that would Champion Feat: Instead of you, one nearby prevent or hinder you from casting the spell ally gains the attack bonus and vulnerability and making its associated attack (being effect against demons. confused or stunned, attack penalties from Epic Feat: Both you and one nearby ally gain being dazed or weakened, etc.). the attack bonus and vulnerability effect. Effect: Make a basic or at-will attack with a +2 bonus. Adventurer Feat: Recharge becomes 11+, or 6+ Mass Slaughter for a devotee. Close-quarters spell Champion Feat: On a hit, one effect that was Daily suspended by the spell ends, provided the Effect: Make a separate basic melee attack GM can see how that makes any sense. against each of 1d3+1 enemies engaged with Epic Feat: You do not expend this spell if the you. For each hit, also deal half the damage to attack misses. a different nearby random creature you are not engaged with. Each creature can only be
damaged once with the attacks/spell. th 5 Level Slaughter Spells
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7th level spell You can exclude one nearby ally DEMONOLOGIST from being a possible random target of the secondary damage. MULTICLASS 9th level spell You can now exclude two If you’re interested in multiclassing rules, you nearby allies from being a possible random either already own 13 True Ways or you’re about target of the secondary damage. to go pick up a copy! Use the multiclassing rules Champion Feat: If you miss all targets with that start on page 103 of 13TW in conjunction this spell, regain it after a quick rest. with the new key modifier table and demonologist multiclassing notes below. Epic Feat: Your attacks with this spell deal half damage on a miss. Design note: We haven’t played any multiclass demonologists. Many demonologists
mix paths, and that may already feel a bit like th 7 Level Slaughter Spells playing a multiclass character. That could discourage players from needing to multiclass or Death is Everywhere it may encourage further experimentation, we can see it working both ways. Close Spell Since all three talents are required to be a Recharge 16+ fanatic of one the demonologist paths, there are Effect: Teleport someplace nearby and make a no fanatic multiclass demonologists. Fanatics basic or at-will attack against a single target. If don’t yield a talent to be given to another class. that attack hits, repeat the effect against an Level progression: You lag one level behind enemy you have not already attacked with in the powers and spells known columns of the death is everywhere this turn. So long as you three path-specific demonologist level keep hitting, you can continue teleporting and progression tables. The tables contain a attacking until you have made a number of multiclass entry that shows what you’ll get as 1st attacks with the spell equal to your level multiclass demonologist on each of the Constitution modifier. paths. Champion Feat: If your first attack misses, Control issues: As a multiclass regain this spell after a quick rest. demonologist, it’s a tiny bit harder to stay in Epic Feat: If you roll an even miss with an control of your summoned demons when they attack made from this spell, repeat the drop to 0 hit points. For most demonologists, the effect. control save is an easy save, 6+. For you it’s a 7+
save. It’s really not that big a deal, more a token 9th Level Slaughter Spells of your distraction. Forking paths: Multiclassing highlights the Blood for Blood! two distinct styles of demonologists, the spellcasters who prefer to stay back (corruption, Close-quarters spell flame) and the armored warriors who are Daily comfortable near the front line (slaughter). As Effect: Deal 1d20 damage to yourself. Then you’ll see in the key modifier table, we’ve attack and automatically critically hit one separated the two styles, they have different enemy with a basic melee weapon attack as if ability score conditions. you had rolled a natural 20. Skillful warriors: In fact, slaughter path Epic Feat: Your critical hit deals triple devotees count as skillful warriors who do not damage. suffer the weapon damage penalty from multiclassing so long as their multiclass combo includes another skillful warrior. The full list:
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 45 PRODUCT CHAPTER barbarian, bard, commander, slaughter path demonologist devotee, fighter, paladin, ranger, rogue. See page 105 of 13TW for the standard rule. In addition, if it fits the story for the multiclass demonologist in your campaign, feel free to let them choose the Armored Warfare feats listed for the fighter multiclass on page 109 of 13TW.
Demonologist Multiclass Key Modifier Table Corruption Slaughter and Flame Path Path Initiates Devotees or Devotees Barbarian Str/Cha Str/Cha Bard Str OR Str/Cha Dex/Cha Chaos mage Int/Cha Str/Cha Cleric Wis/Cha Wis/Cha Commander Str/Cha Str/Cha Druid Wis/Cha Str/Cha Fighter Str/Cha Str/Cha Monk Dex/Cha Dex/Cha Necromancer Int/Cha Int/Cha Occultist Int/Cha Int/Cha Paladin Str/Cha Str/Cha Ranger Str OR Str/Cha Dex/Cha Rogue Dex/Cha Dex/Cha Sorcerer Con/Cha Con/Cha Wizard Int/Cha Int/Cha
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Three Icons are Demon-Obsessed Chapter 2: If you imagine a Venn diagram of spheres of interest and influence among the icons, then Gamemastering demons figure prominently on it, up there with magic and the fate of the Empire as primary Demons concerns. Demons threaten everyone, but three Icons—the Crusader, the Diabolist, and the Demons! Demons! Demons! Great Hold Wyrm—are especially concerned They’re the worst of creatures and the best with demons. As you’ll have read above, we of villains. This chapter is a bit of a grab bag for think of the new demonologist class as a the folks behind the GM screen. Sections product of this three-way demonic include: entanglement.
A look at some of the reasons demons Demons Hate You make such great villains. Demons are naturally malicious and cruel. They Ideas for making demons more are inherently evil, existing purely to sow chaos, distinctive in your campaign. suffering and ultimately destruction. They’re the Demonic arguments to appeal to natural enemy of good-aligned adventurers. followers of all 13 icons, especially those Better yet, they can come back in a new form who should know better! after being killed. The demon baron the The ecology of the hellhole. adventurers kill at level 3 can come back to fight Monster stats for the new demons them again at level 6 in a new incarnation, or at introduced in the demonologist, and level 10 in its campaign-ending final form. new random demon abilities. Demons make great ongoing villains. SALUTING THE WORST Demons Are Convenient Before we talk about how to get the most out of If the adventurers go to where the monsters are, demons in your game, let’s salute the virtues of then convenience isn’t a problem. A dungeon these most unvirtuous foes. can be filled with demons just as easily as with orcs, or gelatinous polyhedrons, or murderous Everybody Hates Demons gnomish bandits, or zombie griffons. There are Demons want to destroy the world. That puts monsters out in the wide world. Everyone them at odds with everyone who lives in the knows this. world—which is everyone. Every other major It’s when you want the monsters to come to monster type has an arguable degree of the adventurers that things get tricky. Some ambiguity. Undead have angst, and the Lich monsters need a considerable amount of King has come to the defense of the Empire in narrative infrastructure to justify their presence, the past. The Orc Lord, if not all orcs, has some especially in an urban environment. For potential justification for his thirst for vengeance example, say you want to run an adventure set and conquest. in the great city of Axis, where a jealous cousin But everyone, even the Diabolist, beats up of the Emperor tries to conquer the Imperial demons with a clear conscience. If you need a Palace with an army of assassins, only to be monster type that every icon relationship, thwarted by a plucky band of mismatched character class, background or character concept adventurers. Your options for that army of is always willing to kill, go for demons. Even assassins are limited. It’s unlikely to be an army demons are happy to kill demons—there’s no of orcs—how would orcs get into the city? An loyalty in hell. army of undead means a lot of scenes of digging around in graveyards or raiding tombs. An
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 47 PRODUCT CHAPTER army of, say, lizard assassins could be fun, but zombies that try to drown their victims, fog you still need to work out how to get the lizard elementals, mushrooms and other icky things. men into the city. Half your adventure Ice giants or armored dwarves just wouldn’t fit. preparation becomes setting up the logistics of In general, players are quick to pick up on the coup. incongruities. If you add, say, a random gnoll However, if it’s an army of demons, then all archer to a bunch of human bandits, the players the would-be usurper needs is a demonologist will start speculating about the bandits allying or two and a summoning circle in some with the gnolls, or assume that gnolls are going basement. You can introduce an army of to be a big part of the adventure. demons much more easily than an army of orcs But demons fit everywhere. They’re like or other monsters. You still need to foreshadow tofu, absorbing flavor from the ingredients the plot—maybe the PCs have to investigate around them. If you have a demonologist in a ritual murders, the theft of arcane relics, or a swamp, then she’s going to call up mosquito mysterious book stolen from the library at demons and mud demons along with classics Horizon—but demons bypass lots of pesky like vrocks. You can add a demon to a bunch of questions like “where were all these monsters bandits just by making one of the bandits a hiding in the city?” or “why are we the only ritual caster. ones in position to stop this threat?” If you can’t All that flexibility comes at a cost—it’s easy figure out how the bad guys can plausibly for demons to lose their own schtick and become accomplish an evil scheme, fill in the gaps with grab bags of evil powers. Here are some ways to demons. make sure that demons feel like demons, no Demons are the temp agency of evil— matter what form they take or where they’re whenever you need to add muscle or magic to a encountered. sinister plot, call up a demon. Chaotic AND Evil Demons Are Everywhere Demons are inherently destructive. They can’t Similarly, a Gamemaster can drop in some help it—they’re nothing but entropy and malice demons to fight anywhere, in any environment. and hate. Even when it’s not in their ultimate In the Dragon Empire, you’re unlikely to run interest to destroy something, they can’t resist into an army of orcs when you’re down in the the urge to smash things and inflict pain. Wild Wood, and you probably aren’t fighting Demons always turn on their summoners; they vampires in the middle of the Kneedeeps. always turn on each other when there’s no-one Demons aren’t tied to any one region—a else to fight, and they always bring ruin to their hellhole can open anywhere. surroundings. Demons are also wonderfully stretchy in When describing any area inhabited by terms of power. Most monster concepts have a demons, emphasize how it’s been wrecked and sweet spot where they ‘feel’ like the right level. irredeemably tainted. Demons salt the earth by Epic goblins or low-level liches are jarring, but their presence alone. They corrode reality like the Abyss spits up level 0 mook demons as well strong acid. as triple-strength level 15 demon lords. When describing demonic behavior, <
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Marks of the Demon Order of words the demon scrambles, Demons come in a dizzying array of forms, inherent chaos reflecting in speech depending on their standing in their native hell- distorted. Eyes from your skull remove worlds and the substance of their physical shell I; burning of village that is yours then. in the material world. Vulture demons, boar In some tales it’s said that demons speak demons, smoke demons, slime demons, fire in rhyme, but it hurts my head to do it demons—anything goes. Give these protean all the time. Still, a few choice couplets horrors some consistency by always having a can, experience has shown, distinguish few demonic ‘tells’ in your descriptions. For monster from man and set the infernal example: tone. All demons have glowing red eyes Demons have to blaspheme against the Demons stink of sulfur and ash gods. A demon simply cannot say more Demons cause holy symbols to heat up than a few words without insulting when nearby some belief or faith. Cunning demons Fires burn more fiercely and with a can try to hide this obligation by picking weird greenish light in the presence of really obscure religions (Wisdom check demons to spot that the disguised demon just Summoned demons always crawl out of made a hand gesture that’s forbidden by tears in reality, and those tears never the minor halfling deity Amar the heal properly. Watcher). Stupid demons, on the other When slain, a demon crumples up and tentacle, are overjoyed by the rise of the collapses in on itself, like a hollow shell Priestess, as now they can insult whole getting crushed by external pressure pantheons at once. Demons always make reference to their Demon’s Dice demonic masters in the hells. The All demons (well, other than mooks, and who infernal hierarchy is in constant flux as cares about them) have a chance of having a one demon lord overthrows another random demonic ability. You could herald the only to be usurped in her turn, but that presence of demons by making a big show of turbulence makes it even more rolling for demonic powers. Don’t tell the important for a demon to precisely players what you’re rolling—let them work out know its current place in the pack. A that “GM cackling and rolling a bunch of d8s in demon might introduce itself as secret behind a screen” equals “we’re about to “Zurghal the Despoiler, thirty-fourth demon fight a bunch of demons”. You could even put of the twenty-ninth legion of The Maiden of aside a few distinctive dice and keep them for Scars, who is herself vassal to the Masher of demons. Skulls, second only to Yammoth the If these ideas appeal to you, you’re going to Weeping King,” and be incensed if want to see the new list of random demon anyone fails to use its full title. abilities that appears on page XX. Every demon is appointed to destroy a Demonic Speech specific place, person or concept. Low- ranking demons might be the bane of a Demons may vary wildly in their powers and particular apple tree or something physical appearance, but you could give them a extremely obscure (“I am the cosmic distinctive mode of speech that’s consistent antithesis of the Glitterhaegen Sewer across all their many forms. Depending on your Cleaning Committee”); more powerful tolerance for bad accents and verbal dexterity… demons have wider portfolios (“I am the All demons speak in A HORRIFIC bane of the Elf Queen. I am her destruction, DEEP GUTTERAL GROWLING VOICE utter and inevitable.”). Demons can
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destroy other things, but are obsessed locked up and divided. Clerics and paladins—prison with their particular charge. snitches for our jailors. <
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One of the Crusader’s lieutenants comes to the Archmage—or the Crusader? Can up with a daring plan. Resurrect a they stop the hellhole from opening? previous Diabolist, causing a civil war And perhaps most importantly, did the in Hell Marsh. An ancient priestess of Diabolist mean for them to intercept the the Dark Gods has the strength to cast a message? single resurrection spell—all the player <
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 51 PRODUCT CHAPTER thousand sunrises, and know that dusk will come The thing is—and forgive me for pointing this out— again. You've seen winter yield to spring and back your “law” and “justice” stem from the sword, don’t again as the years wheel by. You know there will be they? The sword and the dragon’s breath? The ages after ages, history repeating itself in new forms. Emperor is the emperor because one of his ancestors The three shards of elf-kind—dark, wood and cast down the Wizard King. The whole Imperial high—unite in the Elf Queen. So too, then, there are dynasty’s founded on might making right. Nothing three shards of being. There are creatures of the wrong with that at all—I’m a demon, I’m all about underworld, which you call demons. Creatures of the equating power with truth and rightness. I just object middle world, such as yourselves. And creatures of to cloaking the self-evident truth that the Emperor’s the overworld, all united in a divinity you cannot rule is founded on the power to do brutal slaughter in perceive because you are part of it. You are like the words like “justice” and “law”. wood elves, flighty and merry. We demons are like Not that there’s much justice in the Empire, the dark elves—we do things that seem unwholesome these days. You know that the Emperor’s weak, don’t and terrible, but they are necessary, and we are you? His advisers and viziers are running the show commanded to do them by the All-Queen. for their own ends. The Archmage is running wild We are your cousins. Together, we both serve the down in Horizon, doing all sorts of terrible true Queen. experiments against the natural order, while over in The dark elves have their own schools the Wild Wood they’re oppressing the peaceful of demonology. They cultivate trees of followers of the High Druid. Not much justice there? woe, which draw up demonic spirits And honor? Haven’t you noticed there’s a BLUE through their roots. These demons DRAGON of all things running one of the seven manifest as faces on the tree-trunks, and cities? How much of a bribe do you think she paid? slowly, slowly they grow bodies of Now, you seem like a good adventurer. You must thorn and insects and leaf-mold for be—you’re off risking your life to fight demons. But, themselves. These demons may take friend, the truth is that you’re defending a rotten many years to grow, but they are more dynasty. The Emperor’s as bad as the Wizard King loyal and easier to control. What ever was, he’s just better at hiding it. What we need happens when the High Druid learns of is another hero to step up and fight for truth and this magical perversion of her trees? justice and freedom. A real hero, a legendary The Diabolist and the Elf Queen have champion who’ll cast down the false Emperor and much in common. Both are aloof and drive out corruption and evil. Someone with the mysterious, both virtually immortal. courage and conviction to break the world and Both wield arcane power that rivals that remake it again. Make it better this time. of the Archmage. Both have a dark side What’s that you say? You’re a heroic they must control—the Queen has her adventurer? Well, you’ll need an army—and I drow, the Diabolist her demons. Could happen to have a lot of friends with very, very big the Diabolist emulate the Queen by teeth. summoning creatures of the overworld, The Crusader is—in theory—a sworn becoming the Thaumaturgist and servant of the Emperor, and the balancing light and darkness? Crusader knows secret ways to control <
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a volcanic eruption—although the just echoes. Whispers from a guilty ghost who Oracle of that Age suggested it was a wanted to stop struggling, but didn't want to be held divine punishment for demon-worship. responsible for his side's ultimate defeat. In past Ages, demons were everywhere He's gone, but you're still here. Still fighting the in the Empire, summoned by ambitious good fight. Still tilting at those windmills. As I said, wizards and used for all manner of everyone Down Below admires you. We wouldn't sinister purposes. have the courage to do what you do. Now, archaeologists and treasure Of course, we don't need to. We're the easy side. hunters have begun to excavate the And we only need to win once to break free. ruins of that demonic city. What will A demon approaches a player character they find in the grave of Emperors? of the Golden Order, and claims that the <
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 53 PRODUCT CHAPTER creation in wild new forms, not the prison routine of problem is all the living people, right? Demons and the “natural” cycles. undead, we can both take the long view, and from Who said autumn has to follow summer? Why that perspective, you can see the truth—mortals are can’t it be spring a hundred times in a row until you horrible. They’re self-deluding, violent, nasty little finally find the right one? things without any real sense of higher purpose. It’d The cycle’s a lie. The High Druid’s a liar. Break be much better for the Empire if everyone in it was it. Break her. undead and ruled by the Lich King. In past Ages, before the rise of the Us demons, we’re on-board with that plan. Kill Crusader, it was the High Druid who ‘em all and let the Lich King sort it out. Once the vied with the Diabolist. Nature is an Lich King’s back in his rightful place in charge of the expression of the physical world, the Empire, you can rebuild those wards and lock us world that the demons seek to destroy. demons out again, so it’s win/win for the dead. We There are trees growing in the deep just want to have some fun slaughtering people for a wood that are living wards, their root good cause, just like adventurers. systems intertwining across hundreds of So let us in. Let the armies of Hell march under miles to bind reality together. The the banner of the true Emperor for once. Wizard King’s wards were made in Those previous Diabolists in their tombs arcane imitation of these living wards. If in the Cairnwood? Ever hear of better the current High Druid were able to candidates for retroactive lichdom? recreate these trees and sow them across <
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The Orc Lord and the Diabolist must Demons see the world as an ever- come to an arrangement, or come to changing, infinitely complex and blows. His armies march relentlessly incredibly resilient prison, a giant shell south, and Hellmarsh is on his left flank of imperishable crystal, a lock without a as he advances. The Diabolist, as key. Does that sound like the Cathedral always, plays both sides, inviting both to anyone else? Is the Priestess building the Empire and the Orcs to send a demon trap? Or is she trying to diplomats to her court. Who offers her contain the power of all the Light? more? <
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treasure could you obtain if you bound There are cosmic fissures, elemental junctures, Bloodflood and forced him to reveal soft places, magical borderlands. Other places where he’s buried all his loot? are inflicted like wounds. A magical <
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 56 PRODUCT CHAPTER through a hellhole is a once-in-eternity triumph, hellhole collapses. If you’re an evil as they can establish themselves on the far side demonologist (perhaps the same one who of the gate before the bigger, nastier demons opened the hellhole), then you can tap that come through. unprotected gate and turn it into a wellspring of Demons don’t have a fixed shape. A magical power. nalfeshnee doesn’t ‘really’ look like a hairy Fortification winged boar; a vrock isn’t actually a vulture- Demons don’t agree on much. They argue about monster. Those are shapes imposed on them by the optimal number of limbs, they disagree on the spells used to summon them, or by the rules how to cook halflings, they dicker on the value of reality. Hellholes obey different rules, so of souls, and they murder each other over the demons may have other forms there. A dretch most inane or trifling insults. They do, however, looks like a cringing blob of slime when agree that hellholes should be defended. As summoned into existence in the outside world, soon as they can, they build defenses and traps but when it comes through a newly opened to protect their new outpost in the mortal world. hellhole, it can take on a new and more Sometimes, the biggest demon becomes king of powerful shape borrowed from its the hellhole and builds surroundings. Open a hellhole in a forest, and (carves/conjures/secretes/grows/turns into) a you’ll get demons stealing the shapes of trees fortress on top of the gate to protect it. More and nettles and wolves and bunnies. Open one frequently, the demons form gangs or factions in a court, and you’ll get demon lawyers and war over control of the gate. wearing wigs and masked demon executioners with head-chopping axes. Demons treat the Raiding world like a two-year old treats a dress-up box Now that the demons have a secure foothold in full of explosives. the mortal world, their instinctive, Anyone in the hellhole in this initial phase is unquenchable hatred of existence drives them to in trouble. When demons come through the hurt everything around them. Hosts of demons gate, they gain physical form, including physical swarm out of the hole to lay waste to the lands stomachs and the hunger to fill them. If you’re around; vile pestilences and chaotic storms of not eaten, it’s probably because you were magic boil out of the hole to bring ruin and standing in the wrong place and got fused with suffering. Fortunately for the rest of existence, a demon as it clawed its way into the material demons cannot survive for long outside the realm. hellhole’s magical zone of chaos. If they go too Stabilization far, the pressure of stable reality crushes them into non-existence or forces them to retreat. After that initial mad rush, the hellhole and its Demons make terrible and noisy neighbours, denizens come to some sort of equilibrium. The but it’s possible to live close to a hellhole in gate stops growing once it reaches its fullest relative safety (until a breed of tougher or faster sustainable size. The demons fight amongst demon shows up, a type that can make it from themselves until the strongest one comes out on the hellhole’s edge to your front door before it top, becoming the ruler of the hellhole. The laws has to retreat). of physics and magic in this pocket dimension It’s much easier to cede the few miles of settle down, becoming at least vaguely territory around a hellhole to the demons and let predictable. it go to waste rather than mount a siege of a This is the time when the hellhole is most fortified hellhole. The various long-lasting vulnerable. If you’re a heroic adventurer, now’s hellholes scattered around the eastern and the time to plunge into the pit and fight your southern regions of the Dragon Empire are all way to the exposed and unprotected gate at the far enough away from anywhere important that heart of the hellhole. Close that gate, and the
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 57 PRODUCT CHAPTER the official Imperial policy is to leave them DEMON STATS alone, to cordon them off and contain them This section opens with a second look at random instead of attacking them (a policy the Crusader, demon abilities and ends with monster stats for obviously, ignores). the demons introduced by the demonologist’s Contraction summoning spells. The Archmage protects the Empire with a Random Demon Abilities network of magical protective wards, and one of RH speaking . . . . As the designer of the original the chief purposes of these wards is to stop Random Demon Abilities table, I’m fond of the hellholes expanding. These wards reinforce the idea but not the execution. The problem with the natural pressure of reality, keeping the demons earlier table (as found on page 209 of the 13th Age penned up inside their self-made prisons. Over core rulebook) is that several of the abilities it centuries, if the wards are maintained and kept generates are either not relevant to most fights fully charged, they can even squeeze the or not particularly fun. Use that previous list hellhole gates shut, destroying the hellholes whenever you feel like it, or try this new version completely. Without these wards, the Archmage if you’re comfortable with demon abilities that claims that the hellholes would continue to may have more of an impact. widen and widen, until all the world falls into Random determination: If you want to keep hell. things random, roll a d10 for each non-mook While the Archmage’s wards are an normal-sized demon. If you roll less than or astounding boon for the Empire, they are equal to its level, the demon has a random immensely costly and increasingly hard to ability, roll a d6 or d8 on the table below. Large defend. Some even suspect that the Archmage is or huge (or double-strength and triple-strength) wrong—there are places outside the Empire that demons automatically have one random ability. are not under the aegis of his wards, and those No overload: Alternatively, if a battle is full lands have not (as far as anyone knows) fallen of demons, choose one or two demons you care under the control of demons. This suggests that about most to get a random (or not) special the wounds in reality heal naturally, and that a ability. You know how involved you want hellhole will close of its own accord after a few battles to be, so choose the number of extra centuries instead of growing until it consumes abilities you’ll deal with instead of letting the the world. dice decide. A few heretical theorists from Horizon even argue that the wards are ultimately making New Random Demon Abilities (d6 or matters worse; they argue that all the ‘closed’ d8) hellholes will pop open in unison if those wards 1: Deathwish—The demon takes a –2 penalty to ever fail, and that the Empire would be better all defenses and gains a +3 attack bonus. served tolerating a few more hellholes instead of 2: Entropic warp—When an enemy deals miss building up a lake of woe behind a magical damage to the demon, that enemy also takes dam. half that amount of damage. It should be noted that the Hell Marsh of the 3: Bad ending—While staggered, the demon Diabolist is outside the currently active wards. gains a +2 bonus with its attacks. The Hell Marsh region is technically part of the 4: Big hate: Each battle, the demon gains a +4 Empire, but has been left to fall into anarchy and attack bonus until the end of the battle against ruin for a good long while, perhaps even Ages. the first enemy that hits it with an attack. The hellholes there grow unchecked—so time 5: Loophole—When the demon starts its turn with may tell which theory is correct. 10 hit points or fewer, it can teleport out of the battle as a move action. If it does it will return to face the PCs soon. Add the full-strength
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demon to an upcoming battle as a nasty Burner complication to an upcoming battle, having it A demonically animate fireball. Remind it that it’s teleport in during the first or second round of awful weak for a fireball. combat. (Champion tier: 25 hp or fewer; epic tier: 50 hp or fewer). 1st level archer [DEMON] 6: Teleport 1d3 times each battle—As a move Initiative: +7 action, the demon can teleport anywhere it can see nearby. Flickers of flame +7 vs. AC—3 fire damage 7: Demonic speed—The demon can take an extra
action each turn while the escalation die is 4+. R: Flickers of flame +7 vs. AC—5 fire damage 8: Theft of fate—At the start of each round, the Miss: Deal 3 fire damage to a random nearby demon rolls a hard save. If the save succeeds, creature (yes, could be enemy or ally!). it steals the escalation die that round, adding
the escalation die to its own attacks but preventing the PCs from adding the die to Quick flicking fire: Adds the escalation die to its their attacks. disengage checks.
<
Glorantha contains a d100 list of minor Chaotic features and a d8 list of major Chaotic features. AC 18 Most of these features would work as surprising PD 16 HP 24 abilities for Dragon Empire demons. MD 14 <
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AC 16 Curse aura: Whenever a creature attacks the imp PD 15 HP 45 and rolls a natural 1–5, that creature takes 1d12 psychic damage. MD 12 AC 21 Claw Demon PD 15 HP 50 Technically it’s a claw-claw-claw-claw demon, but MD 17 you don’t get time to say that.
<
PD 17 HP 40 Chomp and chew: If the hungry maw starts its MD 14 turns stuck and engaged with a stuck enemy, it loses its standard action this turn but Hopping Imp automatically deals 10 damage and 5 ongoing damage to that enemy. When an imp is too fat to fly, it gets tougher or dies.
(Well, it probably dies anyway, but noisily.) AC 18 4th level spoiler [DEMON] PD 18 HP 52 Initiative: +8 MD 14
Festering claws +8 vs. AC—10 damage, and 5 ongoing damage Big Burner A serious demonically animate fireball. R: Blight jet +8 vs. PD—10 damage, and the target is dazed (save ends) 5th level archer [DEMON] First natural 16+ each turn: The imp can choose Initiative: +11 one: the target is weakened instead of dazed; OR the imp can make a blight jet Flickers of flame +11 vs. AC—10 fire damage attack against a different target as a free action. R: Flickers of flame +11 vs. AC—18 fire damage
Miss: Deal 10 fire damage to a random nearby creature (yes, could be enemy or ally!).
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Quick flicking fire: Adds the escalation die to its disengage checks. Hooking claws +11 vs. AC (1d4 attacks)—10 damage Flight: Bobs along low to the ground, if it gets higher than 6’ it drops, as if tethered to the Nastier Specials earth. Finding the range: Third and fourth hooking claws attacks each turn, if any, also deal 5 AC 22 ongoing damage. PD 20 HP 66 MD 18 AC 23 PD 20 HP 80
MD 17 Giant Demon Toad Hungrier Maw You can see the eyes of the last person it ate in its bubules. And if you’re asking what bubules are, A recruitment system for a gullet. seriously, you want to see this? 7th level blocker [DEMON] 5th level spoiler [DEMON] Initiative: +10 Initiative: +7 Big chomp +13 vs. AC—34 damage Pathetic bite +10 vs. AC—9 damage Natural even hit: Target and hungry maw are both stuck until the end of the hungry C: Foul belch +10 vs. PD (1d3 nearby maw’s next turn, or until they are not enemies)—8 poison damage, and target is engaged with each other. dazed until the end of its next turn. Natural 1-5: Reroll the attack against a nearby Chomp and chew: If the hungry maw starts its ally of the giant demon toad. turns stuck and engaged with a stuck enemy, Limited use: 1d3 times per battle. it loses its standard action this turn but automatically deals 20 damage and 10 ongoing damage to that enemy. Dissssgusting: Attackers that roll a natural odd melee attack roll against the demon toad take 2d8 poison damage. AC 21 PD 21 HP 104 AC 19 MD 117 PD 18 HP 84 MD 15
Greater Claw Demon Worse of the same.
6th level troop [DEMON] Initiative: +11
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aren’t likely to cooperate effectively, so the PCs Chapter 3: Six may be able to face-down overwhelming odds, or at least accomplish a mission or two and get Hellholes out alive. Page XX: Hellgout (levels 8-10): Epic tier! This chapter provides playable or inspiring The Abyss erupts into the overworld. The center details details on specific hellholes that don’t cannot hold. always match the approach taken by our notes on generic hellholes. Here’s what hellholes are: The Ratwood chaotic. Here’s what they’re not: predictable. We’ll talk about each hellhole’s denizens, its Location: Anywhere in the Empire weird environmental conditions, its dangers, its Level Range: 1-2 (Adventurer-tier) opportunities and give some reasons beyond Old men in the village tell stories passed down suicidal madness for a band of adventurers to from their grandmothers about how the enter such a place. What we won’t talk about is a Ratwood was once the Wood of Hungry Thorns, hellhole’s exact location or complete history (or a terrible hellhole ruled by a demon king. Long if we do, nothing we say should be taken as long ago (in the days of the Wizard King, they immutable). Mix and match these hellholes as say, but every story of long ago starts that way, thoroughly as you wish. Be both chaotic and and it’s likely this tale dates to the 12th Age and unpredictable to your players—keep them not the 1st), heroes came up from Axis and guessing. braved the perils of the Hungry Thorns, and The six hellholes detailed below show the slew the demon king, and drove the demons full range of demonic threats, from woodland back to hell. And yea, then they went to the nuisance to cosmic threat. village tavern, and spent hard-won demons’ Page XX: Ratwood (levels 1-2). A small but gold on a round of beers for the whole village growing leftover of a hellhole that was believed and there was much rejoicing—so ever since, it’s to have been destroyed . . . tradition that wandering adventurers who visit Page XX: High Heath of Unending Woe the village buy a round of drinks for the old (levels 2-3). A nasty place to get stuck. Getting men who tell this story. Mine’s a dwarven ale, out will take time and many encounters, most of thanks very much. which are written up as playable scenes and What the story doesn’t mention and the battles. villagers don’t know is that the job was left half- Page XX: Claw Peak (levels 3-4). A strange done. The hellhole was imperfectly sealed, hellhole with somewhat divided denizens and leaving a small crack no bigger than a an uneasy leader. Battles are discussed rather hairsbreadth. than statted-out, there’s room for several But even the width of a single hair is enough different approaches to this problem area. for some demons. Hell is seeping back into the Page XX: Floating Market (Any levels): This world. Only the weakest demons can fit through isn’t a hellhole you’re meant to enter and fight. the crack, so they’ve made bodies for themselves Yes, there is a hellhole here, but it’s hidden well, from the vermin of the woods, from rats and and the town built around the hellhole is a place beetles and crows, from leaf mould and nettles where humans and demons mingle in ways that and thorn bushes. would be unthinkable anywhere else. So far, the demons haven’t accomplished Page XX: Red Crag Castle (levels 5-6): much. They can ruin harvests, spread disease, Sometimes demons are their own worst terrify the occasional passer-by, and lure a lost enemies. The demon factions struggling for child or two into the woods. What they need is a control of a castle they’ve turned into a hellhole spellcaster—a sorcerer or a wizard or a
©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 62 PRODUCT CHAPTER demonologist who can widen the crack and can be anywhere in the section, but I’d rather reopen the hellhole . . . . not have it in the middle of the monsters>> Hooks DENIZENS The demons of the Ratwood send a crow messenger to the fortress of the Demon rats are everywhere in the Ratwood— Diabolist, offering to serve her for a underfoot in the underbrush, dropping from hundred years if she sends them a branches overhead to gnaw on an unguarded sorcerer to open the hellhole. The eyeball, creeping into your bedroll at night to Crusader’s spies discover this plot, and slit your throat. Ratwood terrors are rarer, found send the adventurers to intercept the only in the deepest and darkest dells of the Diabolist’s agent on the road. forest. And there’s only one Thorn King, a Some other business brings the demon that’s possessed a great hawthorn tree adventurers to the village. Seeing an that’s grown over the mostly-sealed central gate. opportunity, the demons kidnap a child Random Ratwood Demon Abilities (d4) from the village and send the As usual, mooks generally don’t have a random adventurers a message—open the demon ability, though you could make an dormant hellhole or the child dies. exception. If you want the dice to decide, normal The unquiet ghost of one of the previous sized demons have a random demon ability if adventurers appears to a player you roll equal or less than their level on a d10. character in a dream, and confesses that Large demons like the Thorn King most always they left the job half-done. Guilt gnawed have a random demon ability. at her soul all her life, and followed her 1. Camouflage—the demon starts the into death. She cannot rest until the encounter invisible hellhole is fully sealed. 2. Barkskin—the demon gains Resist Perils Damage 16+ Wicked Thorns: Cruel thorns that cut 3. Terrain Stunt—the demon can perform a and stab when you try to pass through. terrain stunt once per battle, as per the +10 vs AC; take 2d10 damage, or take ranger talent (13th Age, p. 120) 2d4 and get so stuck that the rest of the 4. Turn to Rats—when first staggered, the party has to spend up to an hour cutting demon falls apart into a swarm of 1d4+1 you free. demon rats. When all the rats are slain, Fouled Supplies: Malicious demon rats it reappears immediately. sneak into your backpack to eat, defile Demon Rat and leave insulting critiques of your Take a rat. Pull it inside out. Give it strange paws rations. Make a Constitution skill check like furry human hands, and a face full of demon (DC20) to avoid the pangs of hunger malice. Repeat five hundred times and swarm. costing you a recovery.
Marsh Gas: Wisps, then clouds of 0th level mook [DEMON] glowing gas seep up from the ground, Initiative: +4 making the whole forest seem dreamlike and eerie (and foul-smelling). Make a Wisdom check (DC20) to avoid getting Gnaw +5 vs. AC—3 damage lost and separated from the rest of the party. R: Tiny shortbow +4 vs. AC—3 damage
< ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 63 PRODUCT CHAPTER Scuttle and hide: Attacks against demon rats PD 13 HP 38 suffer a –2 attack penalty if the attacker is not MD 16 engaged with the rat mob. Thorn King AC 16 Half-demon, half-tree, all nasty. PD 14 HP 5 (mook) Large 3rd level wrecker [DEMON] MD 10 Initiative: +6 Mook: Kill one demon rat mook for every 5 damage you deal to the mob. Swiping branches +8 vs. AC (2 attacks)—9 Ratwood Terror damage There’s nothing there, just a darkness under the ivy- Natural 16+: The target is afflicted by crown of laden trees. Just a miasma in the air. Just an thorns (normal save ends, 11+) overwhelming sense of terror. This place is not for you. R: Hail of thorns +8 vs PD (1d4+1 nearby or far away enemies)—4d6 damage 3rd level spoiler [DEMON] Initiative: +6 Crown of thorns: A character afflicted by a crown of thorns takes damage whenever he or she Claws +8 vs. AC—10 damage attacks the thorn king. The damage starts at 10 Special: This attack can only target a foe taking and increases by 5 for every subsequent attack ongoing psychic damage from terror of the (15 for the second attack, 20 for the third and grove. so forth). C: Terror of the grove +8 vs MD (all nearby Immobile: The Thorn King cannot move. enemies)—5 psychic damage, plus 5 ongoing psychic damage (save ends) Nastier Specials Special: This attack cannot target foes already Burning tree: When the Thorn King becomes taking psychic damage. staggered for the first time, it catches fire. Add +1d6 fire damage to his swiping branches, and Shade of the grove: The Ratwood terror is ghostly the king may now make a number of swiping (resist damage 16+) and invisible (50% miss branches attacks equal to the escalation die chance) to all foes except those who took (minimum 2 attacks). He also takes 2d6 fire psychic damage from it since their last turn. damage each round until destroyed. (In other words, foes who have been hit by terror of the grove since their last turn can see AC 20 and attack the terror normally, but others PD 16 HP 100 cannot!) MD 15 Nastier Specials Fear: Enemies that have 15 hp or fewer engaged High Heath of with the Ratwood terror suffer from fear (–4 attack penalty and lose the escalation die). Unending Woe Location: Anywhere in the Empire AC 17 Level Range: 2-3 ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 64 PRODUCT CHAPTER The high heath is a region of moorland that The Empire, of course, is aware of the extends from wherever you to put in your danger posed by Unending Woe. There have campaign all the way to another location in your been numerous attempts to mark the boundaries campaign. The heath makes for poor farmland, of the hellhole, but those boundaries flow like despite the efforts of previous Archmages invisible poison. One day, that hill is safe; next (titanic fallen stones, the remnants of ancient day, if you set foot on that hill, you might as elemental workings, dot the barren landscape). well be on the moon. A platoon of Imperial A road crosses the moor between those two Legion engineers sent to place marker stones previously-mentioned locations, wending past lost half its number by mischance when the the low hills and rocky outcrops that rise from boundary advanced suddenly. The doomed the heather. Other than a few sheep and goats, soldiers were still visible to their comrades, there are few signs of life on the high heath, standing only a few feet away, but a virtually although there are stories of bandits and worse infinite gulf separated them. Those on the inside things—giants, wyverns and manticores are could have marched for years and come no most commonly mentioned in tales by the fire. closer to escaping; those on the outside could These tales say talk of how brave heros slew the have taken a few steps forward to reach their monsters, or canny travelers escaped them, or friends, but then they would have been caught fools fell prey to them. too. The stories also warn of the hellhole called The Archmage has promised to develop a Unending Woe, but on this topic the stories are reliable divination spell that can precise mark vague. There is a place on the high heath that the boundaries of Unending Woe, but his to-do looks like all the rest, another landscape of low list is long. brown bushes and stony hills, but if you set foot Hooks there, you shall never return. The Archmage believes he’s developed The high heath hellhole is an insult to a magical gemstone that, when looked cartographers. All hellholes play games with through, reveals the boundaries of distance, but Unending Woe does so to an Unending Woe. He sent the gemstone absurd degree. Once a traveler passes the with a courier to the Imperial Legion invisible edge of the hellhole, the lands stretch fort closest to the hole. Unfortunately, around them almost infinity, and they are the courier was ambushed by bandits, doomed to wander for days, weeks, or even and they’ve fled up onto the heath. Find longer. If they try to retrace their steps, they find them before they accidentally cross into themselves walking endlessly without any the hellhole. forward progress. Trying to leave the hellhole A shepherd returns to the nearest town by walking out is like Zeno’s Paradox—a with an astounding tale. While hunting traveler can go infinitely close to the edge for a lost lamb, she found a narrow without ever reaching it. defile that runs deep into the hellhole, The only way out is through the middle. but isn’t affected by the hellhole’s Those trapped in the hellhole eventually turn warping of distance. Better yet, she’s inwards, marching towards the center. By the sure that she saw a wyvern’s cave at the time they reach the inner region of the hellhole, end of the defile. Maybe it’s stuffed with where the barren heath gives way to more treasure. She’ll show the adventurers traditional lakes-of-sulfur and forbidding-spiky- where it is in exchange for a share of the fortresses, most trapped victims give themselves booty. willingly to the demons, having been driven In accordance with her oath to the mad by their endless wanderings. Emperor, the Blue sent a detachment of monstrous troops from Drakkenhall to ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 65 PRODUCT CHAPTER fight on the frontier against the orcs. Sinkholes However, her troops vanished on the These open unexpectedly beneath adventurers. road while crossing the high heath. Did Single target, +15 vs. PD, 3d6 damage if you fall they blunder into the hellhole? Were in. they ambushed by enemies of the Three Lightning Storms who want to stop the Blue from gaining These crash unexpectedly on top of adventurers. more influence in the Empire? Is this Multiple targets, +15 vs. PD, 1d12 damage if part of some stratagem to smuggle you’re sent flying by winds, deafened by monsters into the Empire along the thunder, or menaced by lightning. Emperor’s own roads? It’s up to the adventurers to find out what became of Random Demon Abilities of Unending the Blue Legion. Woe (d4) Feel free to use either the original random PERILS demon ability table or the new table on page XX, Unending Woe is one big peril. Once you cross or use this table for a touch of the Heath’s woe. the hellhole’s boundary, you can’t walk back out 1. Cold Wind—The demon starts the as the distance stretches like rubber. Teleporting combat insubstantial, as a shadow on might work, or it might smear you across the the wind. In this form, it moves at landscape. It’s almost impossible to tell where double speed and has Resist weapons the edge of the hellhole starts; careful 18+. The demon materializes for the rest examination of the movements of birds and of the battle when it attacks or when the insects or exceptionally keen magical escalation die reaches 2. divinations might give it away (DC30 either 2. Malice—If the demon crits, it also way). reduces the target’s number of The only reliable way to escape the hellhole remaining recoveries by 1. is to go to the center and find a way out through 3. Aura of Despair—Characters with a there. number of remaining recoveries equal to or less than the demon’s level feel Hunger & Thirst despair when engaged with the demon. 13th Age doesn’t normally bother with tracking Despairing characters suffer a –4 rations, waterskins, shelter and other supplies. penalty to attacks against the demon It’s assumed that the player characters are and don’t get to use the escalation die. hardened travelers who know how to take care 4. Teleport 1d3 times per battle of themselves in the wild. The high heath, though, is notoriously barren and exposed, and the adventurers may be trapped here for a long Old Hill Giants time. If the adventurers wander for a long They’ve been expecting the adventurers. period, have the character with the best The heath is a sacred ground for the hill giants— wilderness-survival type background make a old hill giants, too old to defend their caves, get skill check (initially DC15, rising by +5 for each driven into this empty land to die. There are check.) two or three times during their long mounds everywhere where giants of old wanderings. If that adventurer fails the check, sank into the soil. The Old Hill Giants are frail everyone loses a recovery. Those without a and half-blind, but the hellhole lends them a recovery to spend pay the usual consequences little demonic strength so that it can claim their (13th Age core rulebook, page 169). souls when they perish. As 4th level monsters go they’re weak. That’s appropriate for a minor combat the PCs may not ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 66 PRODUCT CHAPTER even get full credit for and as a sign of how bad 5: Burning Fog things can get here in the heath. 6: Flying Teeth 7: Haunted Village Old Hill Giant 8: Iconic Memories The giant’s so old, he’s only got one fight left in him. 9: Bandit Camp And if he has his way, so do you. 10: Spacewarp 11: Haunt Hounds (& Demonic Hunters) Large 4nd level troop [GIANT] 12: Fallen Wardstone Initiative: +6 13: The Miser’s Cabin 14: Firestorm Really Gnarly Club +9 vs. AC—30 damage 15: Demon Fort Miss that’s a natural 6: Half damage 16+: Center of the Hellhole (sometimes a miss is close enough) 1–3: Barren Land The foreboding landscape seems to swallow R: Inaccurate Boulder Throw +8 vs PD—20 hope within its dark emptiness. Choose the damage adventurer with the lowest MD, deciding Inaccurate: After rolling the attack, pick two randomly in the case of ties. That adventurer enemies and decide randomly which one is picks up a dark passenger, a demonic spirit that the actual target masquerades as the adventurer’s own shadow. At times, especially at night, it whispers in the Not the Giant He Used To Be: At the start of each adventurer’s ear, pretending to be the voice of of the giant’s turns, pick a random player the character’s own doubts and fears, and tells character. Through senility, blindness or some its host that all is lost and they will all perish in other complaint, the giant forgets that enemy this hellhole. At other times, it detaches from the exists. The giant will not attack that foe, and adventurer’s shadow and commits petty acts of counts as being unaware of that foe for the sabotage (cutting ropes, spoiling food, writing purposes of sneak attacks. rude words in spellbooks, shaving beards) to sap the morale of the company. AC 19 Once discovered, the shadow flees. As it retreats, the adventurers make out its true PD 18 HP 110 shape—it’s the shadow of a demon, sent to spy MD 15 on the latest intruders. At some later point, pick a demon the player characters encounter and mention that they recognize the shape of its ENCOUNTERS shadow. As the adventurers wander through the 4: Fellow Travelers hellhole, roll 1d12 for their next encounter. Add The adventurers encounter a pair of travelling +1 to the roll for each previous encounter, and if traders, a dwarven potsmith named Abkhaz you reroll the same encounter twice, move onto and a Halfling cobbler named Shana Lys. The the next highest new encounter on the table (so, two accidentally wandered into the hellhole and if you roll a 9 and you’ve already played are now lost and confused. Abkhaz has his through encounters 9 and 10, skip onto hammer, but claims he hasn’t used it in anger in encounter 11). years, and Shana has only a dagger. She does, Roll 1d12 Encounter however, have a set of dice with her; she’s a 1–3: Barren Land gambler, and will challenge any willing player 4: Fellow Travelers characters to a game of chance. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 67 PRODUCT CHAPTER If questioned about why they were out on their movements than birds. As they draw the moors, they are oddly defensive and closer, the nature of the things becomes clear. evasive—“We got lost! We were on the road and got They’re teeth. Dozens of disembodied sets of lost!). In fact, they were out on the moors sharp teeth, like giant-vampire fangs, chattering burying a body. On the road, they met another through the air. They circle above the traveler, a local farmer named Hethwin. Shana adventurers, then dive down to attack. Roll for cheated in their dice game, he attacked her, and initiative. Abkhaz struck Hethwin with the hammer, The teeth fly in to attack in three waves, one killing him. Shana and Abkhaz blame each other wave per round. Roll initiative separately for for the crime. each round, and if a wave has ten or more flying To add to their misfortune, they buried maws in it, break it up into at least two separate Hethwin within the boundaries of the hellhole, mobs, or three mobs if the wave has twenty or and a freshly-murdered corpse is catnip to more mooks. The fact that the mooks are split demons. He’s been resurrected as a demonic up like this will probably be a factor, because wendigo spirit (13th Age Bestiary, p. 212) and is targeting a maw that is the last of its mob won’t now spiraling through the hellhole, looking for be as effective as targeting newcomers . . . . his murderers. Skinless demon transformation: The table 5: Burning Fog below lists the maximum number of skinless demons that should be added to the battle, one- By night, a horrible green fog rises from the at-a-time when a flying maw hits with its ground. The fog smells like an accident in an transforming bite attack. The fight is weighted to alchemist’s laboratory, and is caustic to the eyes be a bit harder for large groups, who always and throat. It clings in an unwholesome way, seem to find a way to thwart diabolic plans. collecting like greenish foam on the surface of objects that move through it. If the adventurers You can go over the skinless demon limit if hurry through the fog, they end up caked in the the PCs haven’t suffered enough, but exceeding gunk. It’s unpleasant, but not dangerous. the limit by more than one risks a TPK. Until dawn, that is. Direct exposure to If the maws roll badly, the fight may be sunlight causes the fog to explode into violent easy. If the maws roll well and you hit the green flames that burn hot enough to melt maximum number of skinless demons, the fight metal. The fog clinging to the tops of the tors will feel more like a double-strength battle. and hills ignites first, giving the player You’ll know how much credit to give the PCs! characters a few minutes’ warning before the #/Level Flying Flying Flying Max lowlands become a sea of fire and any fog- of PCs Maw Maw Maw Skinless encrusted adventurers get incinerated. To Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave Demons survive, the adventurers need to either find a 3 way to shield themselves from the sun, or else 3 x 2nd 2 2 2 3 find shelter and wash off the fog before the level sunlight reaches them. If the PCs ignore the 4 x 2nd 2 2 2 3 threat, kill at least one of them. level < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 68 PRODUCT CHAPTER level Jump in fangs first +7 vs. AC—10 damage 5 x 3rd 3 3 3 5 Special: Usable only when the skinless demon level starts its turn unengaged 6 x 3rd 3 3* 3 6 level AC 18 < the misfortune to get caught in the hellhole. For 2nd level mook [DEMON] weeks, the survivors debated what to do. Initiative: +5 Fleeing to the nearest town was impossible— what was supposed to be a journey of a few Transforming bite +6 vs. AC—4 damage hours was now an infinite distance. Their only Natural even hit: The flying maw becomes a choices were to try to escape through the center skinless demon. The skinless demon acts on of the hellhole, literally walking into the jaws of the same initiative as the flying maw it used Hell, or else hunkering down and trying to to be. defend their little hamlet against the demons Transformations exceeded: If the fight has that now walked the moors. already reached its quota of skinless They decided to stay. They fortified their demons, deal +2 damage instead. town, beat their ploughshares into swords, made the little chapel to the Gods of Light into a Flying: You know how disembodied flying stronghold, and swore to fight side by side until monster teeth fly, right? Like angry bricks. the Empire came to save them. The Empire never came. The demons could AC 17 have overrun the villagers easily, but it was more fun to watch them tear themselves apart. PD 16 HP 8 (mook) As the months went by with no sign of rescue, MD 12 and as their supplies ran out, the villagers Mook: Kill one flying maw mook for every 8 turned on each other, destroying themselves damage you deal to the mob. more thoroughly than any demon could manage. Some fled to join the bandits serving Skinless Demon Caer Trenon (Encounter 9); others set off for the hellhole’s heart. Those who remained killed one The thing that grows vein by vein out from the biting another or went mad. teeth that are still chewing on your shoulder looks Searching the village reveals there’s one like a skinned baboon with glowing green eyes and a survivor, a young girl named Alyn. Her family spiky skull. were among those who stayed, and they were attacked by neighbors who suspected they had 2nd level troop [DEMON] food hidden in their hut. Afraid to travel deeper Initiative: +5 into the hellhole, Alyn now hides in the ruins of the village, scavenging for what little food Bite +7 vs. AC—7 damage remains. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 69 PRODUCT CHAPTER The complication: A wandering vrock (13th and a lingering smell afterwards, the scent of Age core book, p. 211), drawn by the delightful roses and musk mixed with sulfur. A single, aura of misery and murder in Lorgan’s Croft, delicate footprint is found in the mud nearby, has also taken up residence in the village. and next to it is something the adventurers need Rescuing Alyn requires slaying the 6th level desperately—supplies, a map, a magical item, demon. If saved, Alyn can relate the sad tale of the smoking skull of a demon that’s been the village and hint that there is an exit through hunting them… the center of the hellhole. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 70 PRODUCT CHAPTER the tors. If the demons find his bones, they’ll be abandoned her mission and fled to this hellhole. able to use them as magical weapons against Kill her and you shall be rewarded. nature—your mission is to find these bones and < < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 71 PRODUCT CHAPTER 3 x 2nd 1 0 3 near Caer Trenon, but not engaged with her, level and takes 1d12 negative energy damage. 4 x 2nd 1 1 3 level Reach tricks: Caer’s weirdly extendable demon 5 x 2nd 1 1 6 arms, her size, and the length of her polearm level give her considerable reach in battle. 6 x 2nd 1 2 6 level Nastier Specials 3 x 3rd 1 1 4 Mother of misfortune: If a creature attacking Caer level Trenon with a melee attack rolls a natural 1-5, Caer Trenon may make a horned headbutt 4 x 3rd 1 2 6 attack against that creature as a free action. level 5 x 3rd 1 4 5 level AC 19 6 x 3rd 1 6 8 PD 17 HP 99 level MD 15 Caer Trenon Bandit Archer Soon, she’s going to stop thinking of the bandits as The best of a sorry lot. Well, the most durable, at her followers and start categorizing them as her least. cattle. Red and gory are the appetites of demons, even half-demons. 2nd level archer [HUMAN] Initiative: +6 Double-strength 3rd level wrecker [DEMON] Initiative: +6 Shortsword +7 vs AC—7 damage Wicked polearm +8 vs. AC (1 engaged or R: Bow +8 vs. AC—8 damage nearby enemy)—15 damage Natural 16+: 5 ongoing damage (save ends) Scamper: +4 bonus on disengage checks Horned headbutt +8 vs PD—5 damage AC 18 Natural 16+: The target is dazed (save ends) and pops free of Caer Trenon PD 15 HP 34 Limited use: Only usable when engaged by MD 13 two or more enemies. Special: Horned headbutt is a quick action. Lost Bandit The connection between murder, mayhem, robbery R: Longbow +8 vs AC (two attacks)—10 and greed and going to Hell isn’t normally quite so damage clear-cut. Antipathy field: While this creature is not 3rd level mook [HUMAN] engaged, each enemy attempting to move into Initiative: +5 engagement with her must succeed with a hard save (16+), using their level as a bonus to the roll. An enemy that fails stops their move ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 72 PRODUCT CHAPTER Sword, mace, spear or scavenged demon-bone speaks backwards, favors their other club +8 vs AC—7 damage hand and so on. Until the next full heal- up, the adventurer cannot easily R: Bow +7 vs. AC—6 damage understand the speech or writing of unflipped individuals. Desperate soul: Deals a critical hit with a natural 5. Ethically Inverted: Until the next full attack roll of 19 or 20, but is eliminated from heal-up, the adventurer is replaced by the battle if its attack roll is a natural 1 or 2. their ethical inverse. Their attachments and friendships stay the same, but to anyone outside the player character AC 18 group, they flip on the good/evil axis. A PD 17 HP 12 (mook) good character is evil, but still has the MD 11 same friends and attachments, just Mook: Kill one lost bandit mook for every 12 complicated by being . . . nasty and damage you deal to the mob. unpleasant and shifty. A basically evil character is now basically good. Given that the PC are stuck in a nasty hellhole, 10: Spacewarp this is meant as more of a roleplaying The hellhole convulses, sending a ripple of opportunity than a serious campaign space-warping weirdness through the heath. It problem! looks like an expanding ring of distorted air as it 6. Distant Glimpse: The weird distortions rushes towards the adventurers. Assuming they of space and time in the hellhole gives don’t have any clever defenses (like a ritual to the adventurer a glimpse of a possible shield them from the warp, or teleporting to the future. Roll 2d6 to see which encounter far side of the ring), roll 1d6 for each adventurer they glimpse. to see what happens to them. 1. Twisted and Mangled: Constitution 11: Haunt Hounds check, DC25; fail and suffer 2d8 damage. The strange baying of demonic hounds echoes 2. Smashed: As twisted and mangled, but off the tors and cliffs! It sounds like dozens of the adventurer is also hurled into the air demon dogs are in the area, but it’s possible that and comes down heavily, smashing one the PCs might be able to evade a fight. item of equipment. What’s broken? For dramatic purposes, you might want to 3. Entombed: As twisted and mangled, but tell the PCs that not much can be gained in this when normality reasserts itself, the battle, it’s a fight they may want to avoid. If adventurer is partially entombed in the they’d rather meet the problem head-on, or try ground as space isn’t put back together and fail to avoid the battle, go to the Fight the quite right, and one of the adventurer’s Hounds section below. limbs ends up overlapping with stone or If the PCs do manage to avoid fighting the earth. The adventurer takes 2d8 hounds this time, this Haunt Hounds encounter automatically and is stuck. Digging the is not removed from the encounter list like all trapped victim out safely takes several the other encounters. Play out the encounter hours work; pulling the victim free by again the next time it is rolled. brute force inflicts another 2d8 damage. Avoiding the hounds: A single PC of the 4. Dimensionally Flipped: The adventurer players’ choice makes a DC20 stealth or doesn’t come back quite right. In fact, he wilderness survival check. Increase the DC by 5 or she comes back left—the adventurer for each time the PCs have avoided the haunt has been flipped around, and now hounds previously. An extremely cunning plan ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 73 PRODUCT CHAPTER is worth a +2 bonus. Using an icon relationship 4 x 2nd 2* advantage is worth a +5 bonus. Yes, the PC level could burn an icon relationship advantage and 5 x 2nd 3 still fail. Success with the roll means that the PCs level evade the hounds, which bay off into the 6 x 2nd 4 distance. As mentioned above, since the PCs level avoided the haunt hounds, this encounter can 3 x 3rd 3 happen again. The hounds have the PCs’ scent level and may be back. 4 x 3rd 4 Fight the hounds: In fact there aren’t dozens level of hounds on the PC’s trail. Each demonic rd hound is possessed by as many as a dozen 5 x 3 5 ghosts and bays like a chorus. If they catch up to level the PCs, the haunt hounds attack until slain with 6 x 3rd 6 no concern for their survival. They’re tools of level the demonic hunters who now step onto the trail *Increase the hounds’ defenses and attack of Encounter #11. bonuses by 1. The haunt hounds’ attacks may do some Haunt Hound damage, but it’s not a fight that’s meant to Their howling is literally the tormented crying of lost threaten the PCs much. Not directly, in any case. souls. Slit a haunt hound’s belly open, and you’ll find It doesn’t even count as a battle for purposes of a dozen half-digested ghosts coiling amidst determining when the PCs get a full rest. ectoplasmic intestines. Instead, the ghost within the haunt hounds may possess people they bite. These hauntings 2nd level spoiler [DEMON] are set-up for when the demonic hunters catch up with their prey. Initiative: +10 If you want to make the fight a bit more interesting, consider rolling initiative separately Bite +8 vs. AC—6 damage for each haunt hound in the fight. Natural even hit: Make a demonic haunting After the battle, start mentioning that the attack against the target or another nearby PCs hear strange hunting horns out in the enemy as a free action distance. If any of the heroes have been haunted C: Demonic haunting +6 vs. MD—Target is by ghosts of the Heath, the ghosts cry out loud haunted by 1d3 ghosts of the Heath. whenever they hear the horns, calling that the ones the hunters seek are “Here! They’re here! Ghosts of the Heath: The spirits of the slain work We found them! Come this way!” The ghosts’ for the demons now. Each ghost a PC is cries have no appreciable effect, but it’s going to haunted by reduces the effect of any be irritating at best and worrisome in truth. recoveries they use by hit points. At the end of Encounter #11 now shifts from the Haunt each encounter, including this one, each Hounds portion of the entertainment to the haunted PC can attempt a separate hard save Demonic Hunters! against each of the ghosts haunting them. If a save succeeds, that ghost fades away. If a save #/Level Haunt fails, the ghost stays with them. That’s not of PCs Hounds good, and it could get very bad for any PC that is still haunted when the demonic hunters 3 x 2nd 2 show up. level ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 74 PRODUCT CHAPTER AC 17 hunters’ attacks as both an attack bonus and a PD 12 HP 34 damage bonus. MD 16 Sound the horn: As a quick action, one demonic huntsman can sound its horn each round. A < A giant crystal pillar, fallen and cracked into Slashing sword +9 vs. AC—13 damage three huge pieces. The Archmage attempted to Natural 16+: The demon may pop free of the seal the hellhole by dropping this pillar from a target and continue moving, if it wishes. skyship. Plainly, it didn’t work quite as planned. However, expending a suitable icon benefit roll R: Hunting bow +8 vs. AC (1 nearby or far (Archmage, Priestess, Diabolist, Crusader, Great away enemy)—12 damage Gold Wyrm are the obvious ones here) or doing a ritual could temporarily reactivate the Haunt slayer: Add the number of ghosts of the wardstone, giving the adventurers a safe place heath haunting a target of the demonic to rest for the night. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 75 PRODUCT CHAPTER Jermas believes that the weird confluence of < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 76 PRODUCT CHAPTER Natural 14+: +1d6 damage, and the target is Iconic assistance! If anyone’s got an showered with 1d6x10 gold pieces. outstanding 6 on a relationship roll, now’s the time for some iconic C: Miser’s curse +7 vs MD (1d3 nearby intervention. Maybe a sudden wind enemies)—10 psychic damage, and the target blows up from the south, driving away is confused (save ends). Confused foes only the storm and carrying with it the scent attack those showered with gold pieces by a of loam and pine (High Druid). Maybe slimy attack. the adventurer knows how to create a Limited Use: Usable 2/battle warding spell against such hazards (Archmage, Diabolist) or the best way to Nastier Specials shelter from them (Crusader, Orc Lord). Ritual Magic! A suitable ritual could Slime trail: Any creature engaged with Jermas at create a shielded area against the the start of its turn takes 3 acid damage. oncoming blast. Characters caught in the open by the Purchasing power: Jermas may reduce his hit firestorm take 8d6 fire damage. Characters with points by 10 to add 2d6 damage to any slimy at least some preparation take 4d6; those who’ve attack. The targets of such an attack are also doubled up (for example, they’ve taken shelter showered with 2d6x10 gold pieces. in the bandit cave and cast a warding spell to protect themselves) take 2d6 fire damage. AC 18 15: Demon Fort PD 17 HP 110 There is an end to Unending Woe. If you suffer MD 17 long enough in the twisted land of the hellhole, 14: Firestorm you will inevitably arrive at this fortress, situated in a wide plain of scorched gravel and The hellish portal at the heart of Unending Woe dust. It is a spiraling tower made of tens of vomits forth a storm of burning sulfur, thousands of petrified humanoids, as though the poisonous death clouds, tortured lightning, demons’ only building materials were the atomic radiation, agonized souls, evil sorcery remains of those preserved in a bog. Petrified and less pleasant things. The adventurers see corpses make for poor building blocks—the this cloud on the horizon long before it hits fort’s walls are as full of gaps as a lace curtain, them. It’s impossible to miss impending doom and through those gaps, visitors can see the fiery as it creeps across the sky. shapes of the demons who dwell within. Think The adventurers need to find shelter of it as an open-plan demon fortress! Hundreds immediately. Possible options: (or perhaps even thousands) of flying teeth Keep moving! Roll on the encounter (page XX) flap around the tower like pearly bats. table again and hope they get The dungeons of the fort are on the lowest somewhere safe to hide while the storm level. There, the hands of the petrified corpses passes over them. reach out to grab and restrain prisoners. Look for shelter! There aren’t many Above the dungeon is the garrison, where places to hide on this barren heath. the demons of Unending Woe dwell. They are Finding suitable shelter is a DC20 skill lazy, fat demons for the most part—what need check. Alternatively, if the characters have they to hunt, when there is only one recently found somewhere safe, they direction in Unending Woe and it leads straight could fall back there (“Quick! To the to them! They’re cut from different organs than miser’s cottage!”) the demonic hunters of Encounter 11. The only things that rouse these demons are the prospect ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 77 PRODUCT CHAPTER of a prisoner of the hellhole escaping, a threat to Persuading Azoole the infernal portal, or the prospect of an Azoole’s melancholy moods make him entertaining fight. vulnerable to music. A sorrowful dirge can send The third level of the fortress is the lair of him into a fit of despair, or a merry tune could the demon captain, the current ruler of the make him forget his woes and make him hellhole. Unending woe is a mature hellhole— temporarily disposed to diplomacy (or mercy). the demons have fought their wars, and killed He’s still a demon—if the players play on his many, many would-be leaders. Now, as they’re heart-strings too much, he might cut his heart all lazy, they are more willing to tolerate one of out and use it as a bludgeon, or be overthrown their number having delusions of grandeur and by a less emotionally labile monster. ordering them around. Being in charge is too Thousand-Eyed Azoole much work, anyway: you’ve got to keep watch Double-strength 6th level leader [DEMON] for intruders and guard the prisoners and— yawn—all sorts of other things. The current Initiative: +12 demon captain rejoices in the name of Thousand-Eyed Azoole; he is a melancholy Cruel Claw +12 vs. AC (two attacks)—16 poet-king, easily moved to weeping. (His tears damage are acidic, by the by; if Thousand-Eyed Azoole cries for you, you’ll be sorry). R: Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Yard Stare (one The topmost level of the fortress is an nearby or far away enemy)—20 fire damage observatory, where demonic sentries mostly fail Natural even miss: Thousand-Eyed Azoole to keep a lookout. may make another thousand-eyed thousand- yard stare at a different target Have Fun Storming the Castle Lachrymose: Thousand-Eyed Azoole starts with a No. Really. Don’t. Lachrymose score of 0. Increase his The demon fort should be presented as a Lachrymose score by +1 whenever any of the threat that’s clearly beyond the capabilities of a following occur: second- or third-level party to defeat in a Thousand-Eyed Azoole scores a crit straight-up fight. Pragmatic adventurers can just Thousand-Eyed Azoole is staggered head for the portals orbiting the center of the A player hurts Thousand-Eyed Azoole’s hellhole and escape (see Encounter 16, which is feeling with harsh words or insults no longer necessary to roll for from here in At the start of his turn, if his lachrymose score Encounter 15; you can run there from here!). exceeds the escalation die, Thousand-Eyed Sneaky adventurers might try turning the Azoole bursts into tears and makes a rain of demons against one another with trickery, or tears attack as a quick action. If his lachrymose sabotaging the infernal gate and collapsing the score reaches 6, he enters a despairing frenzy entire hellhole. Honorable characters may prefer instead. engaging the demons in diplomacy, or calling out the current demon captain in single combat. If the players do poke the hornet’s nest, [special trigger] C: Rain of Tears +10 vs. PD (all remind them they can flee through the portals, nearby enemies)—15 acid damage, and 5 but they’ll end up in a random location and may ongoing acid damage. Thousand-Eyed Azoole be pursued by demons. is weakened until the start of his next turn. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 78 PRODUCT CHAPTER attacks, and gains a third cruel claw attack. He make it a full-strength battle including a becomes vulnerable to all attacks. demonic hunter; all three failures, and the adventurers have to fight Azoole and whoever AC 23 he feels like bringing along. Leaving Through The Portals: Roll a d6 to PD 20 HP 200 determine the destination of a given portal. Each MD 15 portal goes to a different destination, so reroll matches. Demons can pursue through these 16: Center of the Hellhole portals, but only briefly—they can only exist outside the hellhole for a short time. The space-warping of Unending Woe creates a 1. The edge of the hellhole. Probably out of strange effect close to the center. reach of being drawn back in. Probably. At the precise center of the hellhole is the 2. The heart of one of the nearby gate to the Abyss. It manifests as a fiery crack in settlements. the ground, spewing forth hot gases and the 3. Somewhere in the Wild Wood. occasional gout of flames. Every few minutes, 4. That looks like the Red Wastes. there’s a flash of light and a weird scream as one 5. Hell Marsh. of the many spirits and lesser elementals that 6. Maybe another hellhole? Or… some move invisibly through the mortal world other plane of existence? accidentally falls into the hellhole and is incinerated. Occasionally, a demon crawls out of the hellhole, or a flock of flying teeth spontaneously form there as demonic spirits Claw Peak break out of the Abyss and go looking for Location: Anywhere in the Empire physical form. All of that is normal, as hellholes Level Range: 3-4 (Adventurer-tier) go. Calling a hellhole “typical” is absurd—“Hey, The strangeness are the six other portals that this pit of chaotic evil monsters who consider orbit around the infernal one. They’re clearly the laws of reality a personal affront is, y’know, connected—they have the same shape and they just like the rest”—but for what it’s worth, Claw all wax and wane at the same time—but instead Peak is as close to typical as hellholes get. of going to the Abyss, they go to other locations It’s a barren mountain, covered in jagged in the Dragon Empire. A disciple of the loose scree. Landslides run uphill and sideways Archmage or Elf Queen might guess that these here as well as down, so the surface of the portals are the result of Unending Woe—all that mountain is in constant bloody flux. Demon- squeezed space has to go somewhere, after all. tainted eagles, given the power of invisibility by Getting to the Portals: There’s a large stony the chaotic magic, soar unseen overhead looking plan surrounding both hellhole and demon fort. for prey with actual meat. When it rains on The adventurers can get to the nearest portal Claw Peak, the raindrops become as sharp and safely by running like crazy. However, if they forceful as spears, reducing anyone caught out want to get to the central (infernal) portal, or if in a storm to a hole-riddled mess. they want to pick their exit, then they must The demon ruler of Claw Peak calls himself either sneak or sprint to their chosen destination Lord Claw. Back in the hells below, he was to avoid attack from the fortress. Call for three secretly the lowliest of dretches, but gained DC25 skill checks, one each from three stature when he crawled into the mortal world randomly chosen player characters. If one check and took on his new form. However, the fails, then the adventurers have to contend with hellhole here is slowly closing, and Lord Claw a half-strength battle with flying teeth and stands to lose everything he’s gained when he random demons of your choice; two failures, returns to the fires. As the hellhole shrank, ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 79 PRODUCT CHAPTER Claw’s rivals retreated back to hell, leaving him rush once the hellhole finally closes— in control of the mountain. Desperate and but if the dwarves start fighting stranded, he’s taken to bullying the few amongst themselves, that bloodshed remaining demons to force them to stay in his might reopen the hellhole right on top ragged, withering kingdom. of them. 3. Those weird landslides and invisible < 6. Lord Claw’s wasn’t a dretch—he was a Six Contradictory Truths of Claw Peak baron of Hell, who got caught up in Normally, we’d say that only one of these can be some infernal intrigue and fled to the true in any different campaign, but, well, mortal world. If he goes back, he’ll be demons. assassinated by cambions before he can 1. Claw Peak gets its name because it’s even smell the sulfur. Perhaps he has actually a giant mountain-sized claw. In unexpected resources or allies that will Ages past, there was a predator that complicate the tale. Alternatively, a GM preyed on Koru Behemoths. Some hero who wants to use a diabolus ex machina or apocalypse (if you want to make a could have enemies of Lord Claw arrive distinction at that level of firepower) in time to destroy the demon when the slew the super-gargantuan monster. All PCs have been defeated but not quite that remains above ground level is this destroyed. Favors owed to demon one lonely claw. lords? A good thing for a campaign. 2. There’s an old dwarven mine deep Perils beneath Claw Peak that was sealed Upslides: Landslides are dangerous enough, but when the hellhole opened. The family upslides have another downside—on a 16+, the who owned the mine are long since victim is flung high into the air. With luck, that’s gone, so the first dwarf to claim the only another 2d6 damage. Otherwise, you land mine in the name of the Dwarf King gets somewhere more unpleasant like an invisible the prize. There’s going to be a land ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 80 PRODUCT CHAPTER eagle nest or a demon midden, or get hurled off The definite traitor: One imp, named the mountain entirely. Barygos, may attempt to take advantage of such Belligerent Words: Terribly angry, distractions to propose an alliance aimed at belligerent or rude phrases stomp through the taking out the chief. See Barygos’ stats below. mental landscape of the mountain, looking for The strongpoint: Claw’s own lair is the mouths to give voice to them. A character hit by deepest part of the cave. Here, on the edge of the this “peril” has an outburst once per encounter gate, he tries increasingly desperate and messy where they are unable to contain their rituals to hold the gate open and preserve his frustration with some aspect of their situation. domain, hoping to dominate reality the same In a combat, you can usually get away with way he dominates his other demons. complaining about one of your enemies. In a Denizens non-combat encounter, though, it’s more likely The demons encountered as Lord Claw’s to be the habits or behaviours of your fellow followers are mostly low level demons. The new adventurers that get your goat. Occasionally, demon types appearing on pages XX-XX work you’ll shout in the forgotten tongue once spoken perfectly if you’d like to add something the PCs in Bar-en-Huil. After such an outburst, make a may have not fought before. We’re not going to save (11+, or 16+ if the GM is having fun duplicate those stats here, in Claw’s Peak you tormenting you) to escape the curse. can build your own battles. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 81 PRODUCT CHAPTER Large 4th level leader [DEMON] Initiative: +9 Nastier Specials Not Going Back: Lord Claw continue to fight Giant Claw +9 vs. AC—25 damage when reduced to 0 or fewer hit points. He Natural even hit: Lord Claw can grab the target must make a save at the start of every turn to as long as he isn’t already grabbing a keep fighting. If he fails, he dies. If he creature. The grabbed foe cannot move succeeds, he may act normally, and may add except to teleport, pop free, or attempt to the value of the escalation die to his attacks. disengage, and disengage attempts take a –5 penalty unless the creature hit Lord Claw AC 20 with an attack this turn. PD 18 HP 108 Natural odd hit: Lord Claw flings the target away, popping the target free and dealing MD 14 another 2d6 damage. < Shout at Underlings: At the start of each of Lord Barygos the Worm Claw’s turns, roll a d6 and consult the table “Hi, I’m Barygos. I’m a nimp. Sorry, AN imp. below. Anyway, want to team up, overthrow Claw and rule 1. Incoherent rage-filled ramblings: No this hellhole as dashing adventurer and freakish effect scalded-baby-with-wings-and-fangs sidekick?” 2. Stop dying, idiot!: One nearby demon ally may immediately save against 4th level spoiler [DEMON] an ongoing effect Initiative: +9 3. Get them! One nearby demon ally may immediately take a free move Festering Claws +9 vs. AC—8 damage, and 5 action. ongoing damage 4. Hit them! One nearby demon ally may immediately make a free basic R: Blight Jet +8 vs. PD—10 damage and the attack. target is dazed (save ends) 5. Reinforcements: Add 1d4 dretch mooks (13th Age, p. 210) to the battle. Natural 16+: If the target is nearby, Barygos They have the same initiative score takes cover behind the target; attacks on as Lord Claw, acting immediately Barygos by the target’s allies suffer a –4 after him. attack penalty as long as the target remains 6. Listen, all of you! Roll again on the dazed. table using a d4, but the effect extends to all nearby demons. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 82 PRODUCT CHAPTER Curse Aura: Whenever a creature attacks Barygos Although it’s a hellhole—there’s a gate to and rolls a natural 1-5, that creature takes 1d10 hell somewhere in the town’s marshy psychic damage. underbelly—most of the population are humanoids. The Floating Market is a trade Curse Mastery: As a quick action, Barygos can town, like Nomad (13th Age, p. 274). The redirect any nearby curse to any nearby target. Diabolist keeps the peace here by means of a This includes psychic damage from his curse system of special favors. When you enter the aura, free-floating curses like the belligerent Floating Market, you get to draw a knucklebone words (p. XX), the effects of a tiefling’s curse of token from a basket. Most of the knucklebones chaos, a hag’s death curse, a demonologist’s are bone-white, but a small number are painted curse spells, and anything else that the GM black. If you’ve got a black token, then if thinks sounds like a curse. Adventurer-tier someone cheat or threatens you, you can bring a only, or maybe a champion-tier effect if case before the Diabolist and her magistrates. Barygos tries really hard and succeeds with a Guilt is certain; punishments are harsh and hard save. imaginative. As no-one knows who’s currently got a Clumsy Flight: One of Barygos’ wings was cut off black token and who doesn’t, committing any by Lord Claw. He can still fly, but only for crime in the town is risky. There’s a fierce trade short distances and it’s very tiring. He’ll in tokens—a demon might take the law into its whine about this at length if you let him. own claws and intercede in a street mugging in the hopes that the victim of the mugging is carrying a token, and could be induced to trade AC 21 that token in exchange for the demon’s rough PD 14 HP 55 justice. Over time, unused black tokens find MD 19 their way to the demon lords, merchant princes and demonologists who rule the Floating Market; eventually, one of them will cash in a Treasures of Claw Peak mountain of black tokens to bring down some Death-Staff of Bar-en-Huil: Once per day, when rival. casting a ritual, gain a +5 bonus to your skill As the geography of the market keeps check. Your description of the ritual must changing, the locals have adopted the directions explain how calling on the ghosts of the ‘uphell’ and ‘downhell’, meaning away from or former inhabitants of Bar-en-Huil helps you towards the town’s hellhole. As only demons accomplish the task. Unless you’re someone and long-term residents can instinctively sense very unique, the ghosts are never happy to the proximity of the portal, the main use of this serve you. Quirk: Find it hard to breathe when convention is to bewilder and test visitors to the scared or stressed. Market. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 83 PRODUCT CHAPTER monsters). Use it if you want to keep the just like guarding a caravan, if the Diabolist’s Citadel (p. XX) in reserve for later caravan was full of screaming souls and tiers. unwholesome things. In a campaign where demons aren’t the 9. Dragonpie Shop. Does not contain focus, or where hellhole encounters are all about actual dragon—it’s mostly eel. Mostly. demon-slaying, you may not need the Floating Each dragonpie is baked with a small Market. If so, feel free to sink it and send its effigy of the Great Gold Wyrm hidden denizens into the territories you are concerned somewhere inside it. It’s considered with. unlucky to be served the slice < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 84 PRODUCT CHAPTER jars. These jars are symbols of authority in the canopic jar open and adds a few scraps of vrock Floating Market—if you’ve got one, it’s a sign liver to the fish stew, giving those who eat at her that the Diabolist (and therefore, everyone else) table the power to fly for a few hours. considers you the boss of that particular ward. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 85 PRODUCT CHAPTER Ward of Thrashing Limbs only stand in this ward—if the building were Only demons and the deaf live in this ward. anywhere else in town, it would sink instantly. Here, uncounted thousands of limbs sprout From his perch, Lord Bonecracker commands from the muddy ground of the floating island. the town’s defenses; he’s a vrock demon, The limbs are of all shapes and sizes, from all possibly a reincarnation of the former demon sorts of donors. Human arms, demon claws, queen. Old Ganet also contains the Diabolist’s dragon’s tails, giant- and dwarf-sized legs, court, where she or her emissaries pass sentence salvage from golems and tentacles from weird on those brought before her by means of the monsters, all flailing wildly. The ones on the black tokens. underside of the raft move in unison enough to Boats full of would-be apprentices and swim, pushing the raft—and hence, all of the cultists depart from Old Ganet once a month, Floating Market—through the swamp. heading deeper into the swamp. Allegedly, In the middle of the island is the Drummer’s these boats are bound for the Diabolist’s secret Tower, where bands of drummers beat on citadel. drums of human skin to keep the limbs moving Thousand-Towers Isle in time. The town’s master of drums is an orc The thousand towers are tottering and fragile, called Magger. He fled the Orc Lord’s armies, and sway alarmingly when the wind blows and bears the brand of a coward upon his back. through the swamps. Of course there aren’t Few people dwell in this part of the town, really a thousand towers, but it’s hard to get an but overcrowding has forced some to try living accurate count as new towers spring up to here. The usual solution is either to hack away replace those that fall over. The towers are limbs to clear space (they regrow like weeds, so inhabited by spellcasters—demonologists, you need to keep chopping or you’ll have hands infernal sorcerers, renegade clerics, heretic coming up through your floorboards) or just tie wizards, burning necromancers, even hellish a platform between four tall limbs and get used druids—who are drawn to the Floating Market to your house waving this way and that. Parts of in search of secrets and arcane power. Familiars the ward are used for storage and warehousing. and imps flit around the tower-tops. The lower In fact, an enterprising sorceress called Fireeyes parts of the ward are a cesspool of alchemical has established herself as the ruler of the town run-off and botched summoning attempts. docks—through strategic shocking grasps, she can Every so often, flocks of vrocks descend and cause some of the larger topside limbs to bend at carry off great wedges lopped out of the upper her whim, allowing her to use them as cranes for towers; no-one’s sure if the inhabitants of those unloading cargo. towers are being taken to the Diabolist for further education, or if they’ve transgressed Old Ganet some secret law and so doomed themselves. Back before there was a hellhole here, this was a The master of this ward is determined by an marsh village. Now, it’s the oldest district in the annual arcane contest! Last year’s winner turned impossible town that’s grown up around it. up dead in an alleyway, stabbed by an anti- Ganet’s inhabited by demons and tieflings; the magic dagger, so her place was taken by the district’s on the cusp of slipping into hell, and runner-up, the tiefling demonologist Nine reality is noticeably mushy in this part of town. Moons Falling. She’s convinced that someone’s If you can cope with screaming faces after the vrock brain-in-a-jar she holds, and is materializing on the walls, or gravity being looking for some patsy to take the relic and the optional, or sudden bursts of colorless fire like ward off her hands so she can get back to her rainstorms, then you can try living in Old Ganet. studies in ending the world. The skyline of the district is dominated by the Keep of Chains, a fortress of black stone. It could ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 86 PRODUCT CHAPTER The Redway THE FLOATING MARKET & The Redway is the demon district. No rustic THE ICONS marsh architecture of mud-and-reed houses here—Redway’s style can be summarized as We’re leaving a couple of the icons out of this ‘butchery and blood’, with buildings carved out list. The Lich King and the High Druid don’t of demon flesh or just straight-up piles of skulls. seem to have strong interests near the Floating Visitors aren’t welcome—if you want to deal Market. Your PCs might change that. But many with demons, go to the bazaar and don’t trouble of the other icons already care, or could be made them at home. Violence in the Redway rarely to care. spills out into the rest of town, but all the black < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 87 PRODUCT CHAPTER < < The Floating Market is a stable and safe hellhole. [special trigger] Unnecessary surgery +10 vs. Yes, there are sacred crocodiles blessed by dead PD—6 damage gods cruising through the marsh, there’s the occasional belch of sulfurous gas, and there’s ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 88 PRODUCT CHAPTER Natural even hit: Roll on the hideous grafts table, PD 15 HP 80 and the demon may immediately make a MD 19 free unnecessary sutures attack. Natural odd hit: 5 ongoing damage (save ends) < Demons’ Allies [special trigger] Unnecessary sutures +10 vs. Flesh-carver demons hang around with a variety MD—6 damage of low-lives, including great claw demons (page Natural even hit: The target is vulnerable until XX), despoiler mages who help trick creatures the end of its next turn. into signing consent forms, and undead like Natural odd hit: 5 ongoing damage (save ends) zombies that didn’t quite survive the surgical process. Hideous grafts: The demon’s impromptu surgery Demon of the dice could hang out with most has an odd effect… any demons, but our best money is on cambion 1. The patient may immediately heal using assassins (13th Age Bestiary, page 30). That could a free recovery, but demonic flesh grows be the PCs’ second or third sign that someone to cover any healed wounds. wants them dead, and is setting odds. 2. The patient’s evil hand makes an < 3. The patient suffers terrible stomach cramps, and is weakened until the end Demon of the Dice of its next turn. Care to try your luck? These demonic gamblers lurk 4. The flesh-eating worm eggs hatch in the casinos and backstreets of the Floating Market. prematurely. 5 ongoing damage (save Invariably, they’re followed by a swarm of dicethralls, ends). desperate shades hoping for one last chance to win 5. The patient takes another 2d6 damage. back their stake. If still alive, roll on the Random Demon Abilities table of the GM’s choice. 6th level caster [DEMON] 6. The patient takes another 3d6 damage. Initiative: +12 If still alive, permanently gain a magic item in the form of a demonic claw, eye Green claw +11 vs. AC—20 damage or other body part surgically Natural miss: Double or nothing? The demon’s transplanted to the victim. target may choose to let the demon make an immediate free green claw attack. If the target R: Evaluate the patient +10 vs MD (one nearby agrees, and the demon misses again, the or far away enemy)—10 damage, and for the demon may not attack that target again for rest of the encounter, the demon may choose the rest of the battle unless all targets have to subtract one from its natural attack rolls won the double or nothing bet with the when attacking the target. demon, in which case the wager resets and everyone is a legal target until they once Nastier Specials again win the bet. C: Hurl noxious flasks +9 vs PD (1d4 nearby enemies in a group)—14 acid damage, and 5 [special trigger] Painbolt +11 vs MD—15 psychic ongoing acid damage damage Limited use: 1/battle Miss: 5 ongoing psychic damage. AC 22 ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 89 PRODUCT CHAPTER Wager: At the start of a combat, the demon of the Level Range: Champion tier (5-6) dice may wager on any one enemy. When that You can see Red Crag Castle for miles around. enemy scores a crit or reduces a foe to 0 hit The crag rises like a scar from the flat lands points, the demon of the dice may around, commanding a view over all the immediately make a free painbolt attack on any approaches. The castle itself is a greyish growth target other than the subject of the wager. running the length of the crag’s spine. From a distance, it appears to have been built without Nastier Specials any coherent plan, an unlikely mess of walls, Unlucky number: At the start of each round, the towers, keeps and buttresses. Gamemaster rolls a d20 and notes the result. The castle had an evil reputation even Whenever a creature (ally or enemy) rolls that before it became a hellhole. The Vocnort family number, the demon of the dice must make a ruled here, and they were possessed of unusual free painbolt attack on that target. tastes and questionable loyalties. They were allies, the stories say, of the Diabolist, suggesting AC 22 that this hellhole is the result of some arcane accident or divine justice. However it happened, PD 16 HP 100 the castle was overrun with demons when the MD 20 hellhole opened, and virtually all the Vocnorts were slain. Red Crag Castle is now a nightmarish Dicethrall dungeon infested with hundreds of demons. It’s hard to tell if these grey shades are ghosts, or The corridors are killing grounds now; the demons, or living wretches. Maybe all three are towers are both tombs and slaughterhouses. present, their distinctions lost in the common Four powerful demons war for control of the madness of their addiction. The dice don’t play Crag, and it appears to be a stalemate between favorites. their forces. The surviving Vocnorts may be the deciding factor in the demons’ war, as only 6th level mook [DEMON] members of that accursed family know all the Initiative: +10 secrets and blood-magic wards of the castle . . . . Desperate slap +11 vs. AC—12 damage FACTIONS Luckthieves: If an enemy that the dicethrall is The heart of this hellhole is a split into four: four engaged with rolls a natural 20, that creature factions of demons vie for control and two becomes vulnerable to the dicethralls for the groups of mostly-humans seek vengeance or rest of the combat. compensation. For the demons of Red Crag, use the AC 21 following random demon powers. The two results that refer to faction powers are explained PD 21 HP 23 in each of the faction write-ups below. If you’ve MD 16 introduced a demon that has no faction, use the Mook: Kill one dicethrall mook for every 23 table on page XX instead. damage you deal to the mob. Red Crag Castle Location: Anywhere in or near the Empire ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 90 PRODUCT CHAPTER Random Red Crag Demon Abilities (d4 is tilting in his favor and assumes newly for lesser demons, d6 for greater summoned demons might slant things the demons) wrong way. Ironically, given that Steel is 1: Deathwish—The demon takes a –2 penalty to potentially a balor, he’d be more likely to accept all defenses and gains a +3 attack bonus. a slaughter path devotee as an ally, since they 2: Entropic warp—When an enemy deals miss seem likely to share the same aesthetic. damage to the demon, that enemy also takes Most likely to melee: If you’re invading Red half that amount of damage. Crag Castle and you don’t end up fighting Baron 3: Faction ability 1—Determined by the demon’s Steel’s Brigade, you’re either very lucky, very faction in Red Crag Castle. stealthy, or a good friend of militant demons. To 4: Big hate: Each battle, the demon gains a +4 that end, we’re providing more monster stats for attack bonus until the end of the battle against members of the Brigade than the other factions the first enemy that hits it with an attack. in the hellhole, including a couple lower level versions of higher-powered demons. To 5: Faction ability 2—Determined by the demon’s supplement the members of the Brigade statted faction in Red Crag Castle. up below, consider using cambion katars (13th 6: Demonic speed—The demon can take an extra Age Bestiary, page 31). action each turn while the escalation die is 4+. Baron Steel’s Brigade Faction Abilities < The Brigade has an uneasy alliance with the 6nd level troop [DEMON] Chiding Ladies, predicated on safe passage to Initiative: +11 the Library Tower. Steel hates the Rockgrubs and has embarked on a long campaign to wipe them out. If he could, he would ally with or Sword +13 vs. AC—14 damage wipe out the Revelers, too, but they are a less Natural even hit: The skianzou may pressing threat than the Grubs and frustratingly immediately make a body of knives attack as a chaotic to deal with. free action. Demonologists beware: Of all the factions, Natural odd hit: The target is vulnerable to the Baron Steel’s Brigade will be the worst disposed attacks of demons until the end of its next towards a player character who turns out to be a turn. demonologist, or for that matter, any demon summoner. Steel feels that the balance of power [[special trigger only]] Body of knives +13 vs. AC—10 ongoing damage. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 91 PRODUCT CHAPTER 7th level mook [DEMON] R: Hurled blade +13 vs. AC—25 damage Initiative: +11 Natural odd: The skianzou takes 5 damage. Big chopper +13 vs. AC—13 damage Nastier Specials Natural even hit: 5 ongoing fire damage. Swordcatcher: If an attacker using a melee Natural odd hit or miss: A nearby non-mook weapon rolls a natural 1-5 when attacking a Steel Brigade demon heals 5 hit points. skianzou, the skianzou may choose to allow that attack to count as a hit instead. The AC 23 skianzou takes half damage from this attack, PD 20 HP 24 (mook) and absorbs the attacker’s weapon into its body. The weapon can only be retrieved when MD 18 the skianzou is destroyed. Mook: Kill one Steel Brigade chopper for every 24 damage you deal to the mob. AC 22 PD 20 HP 90 Minor Serpent Demon MD 16 Progressing sword by sword and death by death towards a full marilith. Lesser Hooked Demon 7th level troop [DEMON] Alive and screaming is the Steel Brigade’s regiment Initiative: +13 of life and death. Four whirling swords +12 vs. AC (4 attacks)—7 6th level mook [DEMON] damage Initiative: +9 Miss: 2 damage Hooks and barbs +11 vs. AC—14 damage C: Beguiling gaze +12 vs. MD (one nearby or Natural 16+: The lesser hooked demon can far away unengaged enemy)—As a free make another hooks and barbs attack as a action, the target immediately moves toward free action (and yes, this can keep going up the minor serpent demon, attempting to to a maximum number of attacks equal to engage it or get as close as possible to it the escalation die +1). Limited use: 1/round, as a quick action. AC 20 Terrible swords: When the escalation die is even, PD 18 HP 22 (mook) the minor serpent demon’s crit range with melee attacks expands by a number equal to MD 24 the escalation die. Mook: Kill one lesser hooked demon for every 22 damage you deal to the mob. AC 23 PD 16 HP 98 Steel Brigade Chopper MD 20 Fires burn bright in confined spaces: this demon still thinks it’s going to command its own demonic brigade some day and carve out new hellholes. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 92 PRODUCT CHAPTER Baron Steel Roar of triumph: Whenever Baron Steel scores a It is prophesied that one day Baron Steel will fall to critical hit, he gains another use of his Roar the Crusader, and be enslaved by him. In chains of attack. steel, he will become the Crusader’s greatest captain, until he betrays his master in the final battle of the Crack’d armor: When Baron Steel first becomes Age—but who listens to prophecy? staggered, reduce his AC by 2 and give him the fiery aura ability. Large 8th level leader [DEMON] Initiative: +16 Fiery aura: Any foes engaged with Baron Steel take 15 fire damage at the start of his turn. Massive two-handed sword +13 vs. AC (two attacks)—30 damage AC 25 Twist the Blade: If both attacks target the same PD 23 HP 280 enemy, and both attacks hit, the second hit MD 16 is automatically a crit. C: Roar +12 vs. MD (1d4+1 enemies)—50 THE ROCKGRUBS psychic damage. Natural 14+: Baron Steel gains a fear aura The Rockgrub Clan dwell under the castle, in against that target (hard save ends, 16+). Foes the tunnel-riddled crag itself. They are all born with 48 or fewer hit points who fear Baron from the stone, carved into existence by a Steel become dazed (–4 attack) and do not hideous demon they call Grandmother. The benefit from the escalation die when engaged Rockgrubs loathe all the other demons equally, with the Baron. although they’ve supplied both the Chiding Ladies and the Revelers with treasures salvaged Limited Use: Once per battle from the lower parts of the castle in exchange for temporary alliances against Steel’s Brigade. R: Fiery whip +13 vs. PD (one nearby enemy, or Grandmother’s long-term plan is to gnaw away one far away enemy at –2 atk)—50 fire at the castle’s foundations one Rockgrub at a damage, and the target is dragged over to time until the whole place collapses, leaving her become engaged with Baron Steel. queen of the rubble. Currently, the Rockgrubs control the Dungeons and the Crackways. (Group ability) For every two demons in the Strength in numbers: Most of the Rockgrubs battle allied with Baron Steel (round up, you’ll fight are mooks. If you’d like to introduce ignore mooks), one of them can use infernal some more dangerous demons from the faction, discipline as a free action once during the try a frenzy demon that burrows (13th Age core battle. rulebook, page 211), or take the xorn that appear on page 290 of 13th Age Bestiary 2 and reskin Infernal discipline (group): Choose a foe engaged them as demons. with the demon. That foe may immediately The Rockgrub Faction Abilities make a free basic attack on the demon. If the demon is still alive, it blocks the escalation die Use these when the Red Crag Castle Random from increasing this round. Demon Abilities table yields a faction ability. Faction Ability 1—Underminer: When this Nastier Specials demon is first staggered, part of the floor collapses beneath it. Any creatures engaged with the demon become stuck (save ends. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 93 PRODUCT CHAPTER Faction Ability 2—Escalating rage: When infernal school. (Depending on your take on the staggered, this demon adds the escalation die Diabolist, these pupils might be: to its attacks. Spellcasters who willingly apprenticed Rockgrub Demon themselves to the Diabolist, sent to study grammar, infernal theology, the Born of slime and sandstone, most Rockgrubs are heraldry and genealogy of the demon blind and must hunt by smell and fumbling touch. lords and other worth subjects under the harsh tutelage of the Chiding Ladies th 6 level mook [DEMON] Children—kidnapped or offered as Initiative: +8 tribute—being raised as despoilers Changeling demon shapeshifters, here Blind fumble +11 vs. PD—5 damage, and the to learn how to disguise themselves as target is Found. The target remains found as humans. In time, these cuckoos will long as it remains engaged with any Rockgrub replace the sons and daughters of demons. various Imperial noble families, taking over the Empire from within Bash and smash +12 vs. AC (found enemies Prisoners like captured adventurers, only)—20 damage sent to be brainwashed and converted into the service of the Diabolist Burrow: Rockgrubs can tunnel quickly through With the Diabolist’s effective backing, none the ground. of the other factions dare to attack the Chiding Ladies directly, but any attempts the Ladies Nastier Specials make to move outside their stronghold are Marco Polo: Rockgrubs get a +4 attack bonus to swiftly thwarted by impromptu alliances. blind fumble attacks against any characters Other Chiders: If you’d like a few other versions whose players spoke out loud in this round. of the Chiding Ladies to keep yourself entertained, options include a despoiler mage (13th Age core rulebook, page 213) and the AC 23 acolyte of Thanatar from the Chaos enemies PD 16 HP 23 section of 13th Age in Glorantha. MD 20 The Chiding Ladies Faction Abilities Mook: Kill one Rockgrub demon mook for every Use these when the Red Crag Castle Random 23 damage you deal to the mob. Demon Abilities table yields a faction ability. Faction ability 1—Consider Yourself Chided: < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 94 PRODUCT CHAPTER Chiding Lady R: Web of nightmares +12 vs MD (one nearby Not all torture involves whips or blades. The Chiding or far away target)—15 psychic damage, and Ladies know why you doubt yourself. Know why you 10 ongoing psychic damage (hard save ends) are unworthy, or sinful, or weak. They will take your Webbing: If a creature already suffering self-hate and make of it a weapon. ongoing psychic damage from web of nightmares is hit by a second web of 7nd level spoiler [DEMON] nightmares, do not increase the ongoing Initiative: +13 damage. Instead, that creature becomes stuck (same save ends both). Wicked claw +12 vs. AC—25 damage Thick webbing: If a creature already stuck in a web of nightmares is hit by a third web of nightmares, that creature becomes stunned as C: Sense weakness +12 vs. MD (1d3 nearby well as stuck (same save ends all three targets)—16 psychic damage, and the target conditions). must confess one secret doubt or fear that plagues them. That creature is then a valid target for nightmarish whispers. AC 22 PD 17 HP 99 C: Nightmarish whispers +12 vs. MD (one MD 22 nearby target)—35 damage, and the target is weakened (–4 to attacks and defenses), hard THE REVELERS save 16+ ends. The most chaotic of the four factions are the Limited Use: Only usable on targets Revelers, a band of demons who control the previously hit by sense weakness. If a creature feast-hall of the Lesser Keep. They materialized saves against nightmarish whispers, that in the middle of a Vocnort celebration, decided creature can no longer be targeted by it was rude to interrupt, and so are determined nightmarish whispers again until it is stuck by to keep the revels going despite everything. The another sense weakness attack. fact that a dozen years have passed since the hellhole opened is of no concern. Dance, Encouraging words: As a quick action, an ally of a mortals! Dance until your feet are worn away. creature weakened by nightmarish whispers Dance even if your heart stops—death is no may attempt to rally that creature with a DC30 reason to take a break! Fun will continue until Charisma check. If successful, the creature the bitter end. The Revelers act without automatically and immediately saves against planning or direction, but are still extremely nightmarish whispers. If not successful, no dangerous, as they often capture demons from further encouraging words will help that PC. other factions and compel them to join the celebrations. Nastier Specials The leader of the Revels is a flute-playing Your failures reflect your soul: If an attacker rolls a demon called the Merrymangler. He’s not much natural 1-5 when attacking a Chiding Lady, tougher than the other Revelers, but he always the Chiding Lady may immediately make a resurrects quickly and in control of his faculties, nightmarish whispers attack on that target, even so his endurance has put him on top. if the target has not already been the target of The Revelers control the Lesser Keep near a sense weakness attack. the entrance to the castle. Join the party: To supplement the generic Reveler that appears below, start with these ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 95 PRODUCT CHAPTER potentially revel-friendly creatures from other while the Reveler demon is already staggered, sources: halve the damage inflicted by the attack. Demon of the dice (page XX) Jest bones (Bestiary, page 109) AC 22 Lunar assassin (13th Age in Glorantha, PD 21 HP 100 Moon enemies section) MD 17 The Revelers Faction Abilities Use these when the Red Crag Castle Random Demon Powers table yields a faction ability. THE GOLDEN ORDER Faction ability 1—Liquid strength: The demon Paladins of the Golden Order, sworn to the carries a goblet of infernal wine. Once per battle as a move action, it can quaff it and gain service of the Great Gold Wyrm, laid siege to 2d20 temporary hit points. Red Crag Castle five years ago. At first, the attack went as planned, and they forced their Faction ability 2—Tricksy: Teleport 1d3 times way through the main gate and nearly reached each battle. the Great Keep. They were repulsed by a surprise counter-attack by the Chiding Ladies Reveler Demon and Revelers, and the paladins now suspect that Eat drink and be merry, for today, like yesterday and the Diabolist herself was present behind the the day before, you will die! scenes. Driven back, the paladins retreated and the siege was lifted. 7nd level wrecker [DEMON] Now, the commander of that ill-fated siege, Initiative: +14 Sir Andoni, has returned to Red Crag Castle. He has learned that forces of the Crusader are on the march, and that they intend to storm the Drunken claw +10 vs. AC—4d12 damage hellhole and add it to the Crusader’s list of conquests. Andoni mistrusts the Crusader’s (once per battle) Demon’s dance +12 vs. PD—10 intentions, and fears that if the Crusader damage, and the drinking demon drags its succeeds where the Golden Order failed, the victim on a madcap dance around the paladins will lose more prestige and influence to battlefield. Both drinking demon and its target the followers of the Dark Gods. The Light pop free from any engagements other than demands that Red Crag Castle fall before the each other. 1d3 other Reveler demons get to Crusader’s armies arrive. make a free drunken claw opportunity attack This time, Andoni has an advantage—he on the target of the demon’s dance. Afterwards, has recruited one of the surviving Vocnorts as a the demon leaves its target anywhere on the squire. All he needs now are a few brave battlefield and pops free. adventurers to assist him in breaking the hellhole before it’s too late. R: Vomit wine +12 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies The Golden Order encampment is in the in a group, or one far-away enemy)—21 ruins of the old town that once existed around damage the base of the Crag. The townsfolk fled when Natural 18+: Target is hampered (easy save the hellhole opened, although most of the town ends). is now outside the boundaries of the hellhole and therefore relatively safe. Drunken stagger: Once per battle, when an attack hits the Reveler with a natural odd attack roll ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 96 PRODUCT CHAPTER THE VOCNORTS LOCATIONS IN THE CASTLE Three of the Vocnort family escaped the This wonderful illustration of Red Crag Castle invasion of the castle, and now fate has drawn represents the Golden Order’s fondest dream, in all three back to Red Crag at the same time as which powers of the overworld join the Golden the adventurers. Order in an all-out assault on the hellhole! Vilya Vocnort is the eldest of the three. Her Perhaps the art prophesies the next step if the eyes were gouged out by Baron Steel, and the PCs help the Host of the Overworld overthrow torture drove her mad. She wandered as a wild the Hellgout (see page XX)! woman for years, until she was healed by In most campaigns, however, the demons followers of the High Druid. She is still blind, so who control Red Crag Castle will only be under she travels with an enchanted talking dog as her such duress if the PCs can put them there!’ companion. She now lives as a hermit in a cave Inside the walls: Dimensions are variable near Red Crag, plotting her revenge. She knows within the castle. Sometimes, a corridor might the castle better than either of the other be a narrow passageway only a few feet wide. survivors. Next day, it looks just the same, but somehow it Igun Vocnort is Vilya’s younger brother. He takes an hour’s hard marching to cross it. The was away from the castle when it was battlefields of the Courtyards are equally conquered, and so was able to claim the title of variable, sometimes swelling up to stretch for Lord Vocnort when it was assumed that miles across the crag. everyone with a better claim had perished. The various locations within the castle have Although the Vocnort estates are in the hands of a few features in common: demons, Igun was able to make a new fortune Grisly decorations made from the for himself by leveraging the future profits from remains (not necessarily dead remains) the once-fertile fields; he is now a rich man, but of those caught in the castle when the owes a staggering fortune to merchants and hellhole opened. guilds from Glitterhaegen, and those debts are Tapestries of flayed skin, lamps made of now due. In desperation, Igun has turned to the hollowed-out heads, merry bunting of study of demon-summoning, and secretly hopes greater intestines, and imaginative use to make a deal with the Diabolist, trading the of dismembered limbs. security of the hellhole for the money he needs Scabby stalactites hang from the to escape his merciless creditors. ceilings, hinting at slaughter on the The youngest surviving Vocnort is the niece levels above. of the other two. Servants carried young Silana Demonic magic so thick it hang in the Vocnort out of the wreck of the castle. air as clouds of glowing red and green Orphaned, she was given into the care of the clouds of toxic smoke without a Golden Order, and now aspires to be a paladin. discernable source, and as occult runes Her recollections of the castle are hazy, but she and glyphs floating through the air, remembers being shown secret passages that branding themselves onto whatever wend up through the Crag to the dungeons of surface (or flesh) they touch. the keep. Sir Andoni intends to use these Other features of the areas appear in the passages in his second assault on the demons’ write-ups below. Many areas have tables of lair. Her father was August Vocnort, the former random situations, roll as the PCs enter the area. head of the family and Lord of Red Crag. Location 1: Great Fanged Gate The obvious way into the castle is to climb the < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 97 PRODUCT CHAPTER Gate. Before the hellhole struck, it was just the 12: Chiding Ladies glide over the empty Great Gate—the fangs, and the whole battlefield, gathering dismembered body parts carnivorous aspect, are a new addition. The for their experiments. Great Fanged Gate can be placated with a big Location 3: Lesser Keep enough meal, but driving a herd of goats up the The feast is always in full swing in the Lesser slope rather gives away any chance of a surprise Keep. Adventurers may move freely through attack. this part of the hellhole as long as they have a Trying to sneak or dodge past the Great cup of wine in hand and make sure to sample Fanged Gate risks attack (DC30 to sneak past; the hors-d'oeuvres (it’s been a dozen years since Gate attack +20 vs. AC, 3d20 damage if you fail Red Crag got any deliveries—don’t ask any to sneak past; GM’s option whether one questions about what you’re eating)! Beware, for character taking the hit can let the rest slip the wine of demons is intoxicating. Adventurers through!) who partake must make a Constitution check Location 2: Outer Courtyard (DC25); those who fail should roll relationship Horns and flapping banners herald another dice for a clue about what unfortunate battle on the red-sodden field of the Outer performance they undertake while drunk Courtyard. Here, minions from Baron Steel’s (reveal plans/blaspheme against an icon/swear Brigade fight against the Rockgrubs that crawl an ill-considered oath against an enemy icon). out of the cracks in the ground. The Steel More ambitious adventurers can join the Brigade have discipline and better weapons; the dancing demons, who offer favors to Rockgrubs have tenacity and the weight of particularly enthusiastic and resilient dancing numbers. Always, the result is inconclusive, as partners. Dancing with the demons successfully the battles are fought for the cruel amusement of requires a Dexterity check at DC35. Pass, and their respective masters and haven’t actually you may ask one favor from the Revelers. Fail changed the balance of power in the castle for with a result of 25-34, and you merely lose 1d3 quite some time. Weather and wine permitting, recoveries. Fail with a total of less than 24, and the Revelers sometimes issue forth from the you’re stuck dancing. You still lose 1d3 Lesser Keep to cheer or even join in the fray. Recoveries, but must make another check again In the Outer Courtyard . . . (roll 2d6) next round. 2–4: The aftermath of another inconclusive Location 4: Warrens skirmish. Hacked-up demon bits litter the The demons refer to the maze of outbuildings ground. There’s an eerie silence over the and smaller structures around the courtyard as battlefield, broken only by faint discordant the warrens. It’s neutral territory, which means singing from the Lesser Keep. that any intruders here are fair game for any 5–7: The courtyard is empty at first, but as the demon faction who happens upon them. The player characters cross it, the ground breaks warrens are also home to a few independent open and a swarm of Rockgrubs boil out of demons who do not belong to any faction, the earth to attack. When the escalation die including the crazed and dangerous reaches 3, Baron Steel’s troops counterattack. Splattersprite (something like a teleporting 8–9: Battle is in full swing when the player hezrou, 13th Age core rulebook page 212) and the characters arrive. duplicitous despoiler Harigin the Rhymer. 10–11: The Revelers have decided to attend this Room Contents (roll 1d8 as you enter each particular battle; after taking strong drink, room) they join the fray, resulting in a three-way 1: Broken furniture in great profusion. It appears battle (or four-way, if the player characters get that some junior demons were practicing their involved). torture techniques on the wood, judging from ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 98 PRODUCT CHAPTER all the broken table legs, chairs with their arms pupil who has failed to correctly copy down the tied behind their backs, and books with incomprehensible diagrams on the chalkboard. broken spines. If you listen very carefully, you The education offered by the Chiding Ladies can hear the wood screaming. is subliminal and esoteric. The mind is a frail, 2: Shelf upon shelf of glass jars filled with a clear easily changeable thing, so their methods focus goop. Some of the jars contain heads, organs, on engraving knowledge into the very soul. and other biological samples; others contain Tumbling Wisdom refers to the moment of tiny humanoids floating in the liquid. These revelation when a pupil attains a new level of homunculi are unconscious, and bear a understanding. Suddenly, those alien diagrams striking resemblance to members of the and scrawled notes make impossible sense, and Vocnort family. wisdom strikes like a thunderbolt. Until that 3: A junkroom, mostly empty. A large crack in moment of understanding, though, the Ladies the floor leads down to the Crackways (p. XX). must chide and discipline their charges. Only 4: Formerly a stables. The horses were eaten by once you have suffered, only once your very the demons long ago. Instead, there are a few sense of self has been eroded and broken, can dretches (13th Age p. 210) stabled here, wearing you open your soul to their teachings. ill-fitting saddles and bridles. Dretches make The Diabolist’s Chambers: When the extremely poor mounts, but there’s nowhere Diabolist visits Red Crag, she brings her to ride to in this hellhole anyway, so they’re apartments with her. There’s a door in the kept here purely for the amusement of their Chapel that usually leads out to the courtyard, betters. (Be sure to include a demon riding a but sometimes opens onto a room in the Citadel dretch later in the adventure.) of the Diabolist (p. XX). Maybe this is how she is 5: An old forge. The demons of Rock Crag Castle able to travel from hellhole to hellhole, or import their weapons from the Abyss, so the perhaps it’s a quirk unique to Red Crag. The forge is no longer in use, apart from its door is unlocked, unguarded, and un-covered- furnace—it’s enchanted to burst into full heat in-sigils-of-warding-that-would-turn-your- on command. Demons who can resist fire enjoy bones-to-molten-lead-and-set-your-soul-on-fire. bathing in the flames and molten metal. The Diabolist’s bodyguards are more subtle than 6: Another storeroom, containing barrels of that. salted . . . pork. Yeah, pork. Because pigs wear Location 6: Inner Courtyard wedding rings. The inner courtyard is claimed by Baron Steel. 7: A weaver’s workshop. All empty and silent. A To mark his territory, he’s impaled a number of close examination of the loom notes that the demonic intruders on iron stakes. Most of the demons have added hundreds of fishhooks to intruders are Rockgrubs, with a few hungover the shuttle—it’s a loom for weaving skin . . . and cranky Revelers in the mix. There’s also a 8: Apparently empty, but when the adventurers line of ostentatiously empty spikes along the cross the floor, it collapses, dumping them path leading from the Chapel of Tumbling into the Crackways (DC 25 to spot the trap; Wisdom to the Library Tower, just to remind the DC 30 to escape it if already falling). Ladies of the terms of their alliance with Steel. Location 5: Chapel of Tumbling Iron stakes aren’t enough to kill a demon. All Wisdom the miserable prisoners here are still alive, The screech of chalk on slate, the shuffling of although some are more loudly vocal about the papers and the occasional stifled cough are the situation than others. Every one of them begs to only sounds permitted here. The Chiding Ladies be rescued if the opportunity arises, and every never speak as they glide from pupil to pupil, one promises more extravagant rewards in and never speak as they viciously correct any exchange for freedom. Pulling a demon off a spike doesn’t require a check, but takes 1d4 ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 99 PRODUCT CHAPTER minutes (the spikes are barbed) and there’s a Location 8: Library Tower one-in-three chance every minute that a patrol The library tower was built by a long-dead happens by. scholar of the Vocnort family, who nearly Location 7: Great Red Keep bankrupted the estate in gathering one of the finest libraries outside of Horizon. There are Baron Steel wants to runs his fortress with three entrances to the tower: one on ground military discipline. Demons are capable of level, one via a bridge from the Red Keep, and a working together when there’s the prospect of secret access tunnel leading to the dungeons. carnage and destruction, but stalemates and The ground-level entrance has been claimed by garrison duty don’t sit well with them. Steel’s a wild demon, an insane thing called Eater of attempts to enforce order on creatures of chaos Eyes, so everyone avoids that route (the through increasingly baroque punishments have Diabolist, for her own inscrutable reasons, met with little success. What he needs, he’s blessed the Eater of Eyes and gave it a rune of decided, is a few mortal slaves as guards and protection, making it an even tougher foe). sentries. Mortals are not innately things of When the Chiding Ladies visit the library, they chaos. Mortals can feel true pain, true fear; they go through the Red Keep. can shaped and taught to serve. He’s captured a few slaves—ex-adventurers, unlucky treasure The tower covers one subject on each of its seekers, really unlucky shepherds, Golden seven levels, from natural history and practical Order scouts—and intends to torture them until crafts on the ground floor to theology and they break, or else fuse them with demons in philosophy at the top; the reader thus retraces the path from basic mundane existence and order to make the disciplined fighting force he necessities to the liberation of the soul as he or needs. Once his fortress is secure, Steel can turn his full attention to destroying the Rockgrubs she climbs through the endless spiral of books who gnaw at it from beneath and keep breaking and scrolls. in through his cellars. Magic is on the sixth level. The Chiding Ladies bring their pupils from the Chapel here All that is testament to Steel’s paranoia and for instruction in the art of demon-summoning. delusions of tactical genius. The Red Keep reflects the madness of its master—it’s full of The Ladies have another reason for visiting traps and puzzles, of spiked pits and mirrored the library. They are rewriting the books, one at rooms. He believes that everyone is plotting a time. Sometimes, they rewrite the text so it against him, and it’s only through cunning reflects the truth of Hell. A book on gardening, stratagems and by thinking ten moves ahead for example, once said “these trees grow best in that he can survive. His mistrust extends to his damp soil”, but now reads “the trees of woe own demons—their indolence and chaotic grow best in the corpses of your foes”. In other whims might mask a more sinister purpose! The books, they only change a few key words, or only way to be sure is to suspect everyone, all leave the whole book unchanged but somehow the time, and bombard them with ever more pervert the meaning of the text. A biography of intricate double-bluffs and loyalty tests. the previous Archmage, for instance, has not Steel’s own chambers—his real chambers, had a single word changed, but those reading it not the four decoys he’s built on various levels come away thinking she was an arrogant fool, of the keep—contain the stolen treasure of the where previously most readers saw her as Vocnort family. The gold has soaked in the farsighted and courageous. The Ladies have malice of the hellhole, and is now cursed. completely rewritten the lowest four levels, and are now working on books from the fifth and Anything purchased with it will come to ruin or sixth. Who knows what will come to pass when bring disaster in some form. Closing the hellhole might cleanse the gold, or it might require the they rewrite the topmost section of the tower? intercession of the Priestess. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 100 PRODUCT CHAPTER Location 9: Dungeons down to Grandmother’s larder so she can snack The dungeon beneath Red Crag offers some on them later. refreshingly demon-free ways for adventurers to The Pit Prepared: The Rockgrubs have perish. Of the demon factions, only the gnawed away almost all the foundations of one Rockgrubs know about the small dungeon that of the surface locations, and are nearly ready to extends beneath the Library Tower, and then collapse it from below. An unexpected force salvo only because their gnawed tunnels intersect or other act of player character may collapse it with it in places. There are a few independent prematurely. Roll a d8 to see which of the demons lurking down here, but there are also surface structures is doomed. the various monsters collected by eccentric Location 11: Secret Laboratory Vocnorts before the hellhole erupted. (There’s This chamber, hidden deep within the earth, is also been some fraternization between the where August Vocnort accidentally opened the denizens, leading to half-demon owlbears and hellhole that consumed Red Crag. He’s still flaming gelatinous cubes). caught in the mouth of the portal. Just as the Ostensibly, the Vocnorts stocked their Great Gold Wyrm blocks the Abyss, so does dungeon to protect the old family tomb, since August hold the gate open with his own flesh. many generations of Vocnorts are entombed Killing him might seal the hellhole, and rescuing within the Crag. As is traditional in this part of him might tear it open much, much wider. the world, they were buried with level- The sight of an eternally screaming wizard appropriate treasure piles and easily lootable transfixed in the air hovering over a glowing magic items. (Vengeful ghosts, roused by the portal straight into hell may draw the initial thought of their ancestral halls being taken over attention of visitors to this concealed room, but by demons? Sinister specters, awoken by the it’s not the only feature of interest. This is an Lich King? Shades of the damned who crawled excellent magical laboratory, with any number out of Hell to reclaim their dusty bones? Try of useful items or treasures, but the real prize is opening a coffin and find out!) Vocnort’s diary. He was on the verge of The dungeons also connect to a secret discovering how the Crusader is able to conquer passage that exits at the base of the Crag, and hellholes, and his diary contains clues on how to the even more secret Secret Laboratory. accomplish such a feat (as well as how to undo Location 10: Crackways it). The Crusader would kill to secure that The Crackways are the network of narrow, diary—but what would the Diabolist pay for it? lightless borings that riddle the upper Crag. The Is a sense that the diary exists why she visits Rockgrub demons gnaw these paths through the Red Crag Castle so often? If so, why has she stone, undermining the buildings above. Most of dilly-dallied while the laboratory has remained the Crackways are exceedingly narrow (Small a secret? Is the diary actually a fake, one of her adventurers may fight normally, but larger folk tricks, destined to lead to fates like Vocnort’s? must make a normal save at the start of each turn or be hampered by the cramped conditions), Hellgout except where they open up into larger caverns— Location: Anywhere in the Empire and when they open up into larger caverns, Level Range: 8-10 that’s because there’s a much much larger The Hellgout is more of an ongoing disaster Rockgrub lurking there. than a place. It began as an exceptionally large The Rockgrubs eat rock. Their and violent hellhole. The ground quaked and Grandmother, though, has a taste for fresh liver. split, the fires of the Abyss exploded onto the Their standing tactic, therefore, is to grab surface, and demons walked the land, torturing intruders, pulverize them a bit, then drag them and killing everyone they found. Then, in a ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 101 PRODUCT CHAPTER second cataclysmic blast, the hellhole erupted makes them catch fire, crash and explode. Or again, vomiting a pillar of hellfire into the explode, crash, and catch fire. Or explode, fly, overworld. This spear of flame became and then catch fire. Or catch fire, explode, and entangled in the overworld, creating a link then fly. Or shoot off like a rocket across the sky, between above and below. Celestial magic and then explode and crash. You never know! mingled with the worst devilries of the Abyss. In game terms, getting close to the hellgout Chunks of the mortal world, suddenly ruled by means dodging a lot of flying rocks while the natural laws of three very different realms praying that the ground you’re standing on instead of one, ripped themselves from the doesn’t spontaneously take flight, or explode. ground and flew into the air, catching hellfire as The flying stones seem to have murderous they flew. Burning spirits and angels rain down intent behind them—they’re not entirely like blazing comets. random projectiles. (See also Skyquakes, p. XX.) The Hellgout is getting worse. The Roll a d6 when the adventurers get near the overworld and the Abyss are tied together here, Hellgout. Roll again when you feel like it. and those two realms are the antithesis of one 1. Incoming! Pick a random adventurer to another. They’re pulling at each other, and make a DC30 Dexterity check to dodge ripping up more and more of the Dragon or take 2d20 regular damage and 1d20 Empire in the process. fire damage. Seen from a distance—a very long distance, 2. Rain of Fire! +20 vs. PD targeting all to be safe—the Hellgout looks like a pillar of fire player characters; 4d10 fire damage on a rising from a huge crater in the round, hit stretching all the way into the overworld. Nine 3. Meteor Swarm! 1d4 incoming meteors, huge floating islands orbit around the pillar; the each one targeting a different player sixth island is half-engulfed in the pillar of character. +20 vs. PD; on a hit, 1d20 flame. At the top of the pillar is a ring of smaller regular damage and 1d20 fire damage burning rocks that flare with bursts of pure 4. I Can Fly! The rock beneath one of the light, crackling lightning, and blasts of hellfire as PCs wrenches free and rockets into the the forces of the overworld and Underworld sky. Jump off before it launches with a clash at the gates of the heavens. DC25 Dexterity check, or stay on it and The Crusader suspects the gate to the Abyss surf through the sky (counts as flying), that fuels the hellhole is actually on that sixth but make a DC20 Dexterity check every island. round to avoid falling. Fail, and you fall < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 102 PRODUCT CHAPTER 5. We All Can Fly! As above, but it’s earth in horribly burnt or truncated forms. This 1d4+1 members of the party who end up mass slaughter of spirits causes all sorts of on the same flying chunk of rock. It’s a weirdness in the lands around the Hellgout bigger, more stable surface, so the DC to (alien dreams, spontaneous magical outbursts, stay on is a trivial DC15 (unless you’re possession by vengeful spirits, icon dice getting doing extravagant flying maneuvers, in swapped around, certain types of magic not which case, see above re: cruelty). The working, and so on). downside is when this island goes Earthquakes. . . . boom, it’s a bigger (6d10) boom. The ground around the Hellgout’s tormented 6. (In Some Other Universe) This is How and broken. Massive earth tremors, castle- The Dinosaurs Got TPKed: A gigantic swallowing cracks, landslides, quakes… all sorts chunk of burning rock falls out of the of fun, but they’re the least of the dangers here. heavens, aimed straight towards the player characters. Rocks fall, everybody . . . . and Skyquakes dies unless they come up with a semi- Skyquakes are titanic semi-magical rips in the plausible way of escaping the impact fabric of the air. On a mundane level, they zone in the next 1d4+1 rounds. (Teleport, manifest as bursts of force in the sky that deal flying steeds, swashbuckling, really 4d20 damage to any flying creatures or objects. great skill checks). On a magical level, they also disrupt any fly spells or effects. When a skyquake hits, nothing Burning Cloud Castles stays flying. Skyquakes are most common around the The Hellgout acts like a vortex of fire, drawing edges of the hellhole, preventing anyone from in the lighter elements of the overworld and just flying into the middle of the hellhole. The dragging them down to earth while lighting only way to reach the heart of the hellhole is to them on fire. The most common (visible) approach from below (walk across the casualties of this cataclysm are the cloud castles tormented ground, and then start climbing) or of the giants. While these castles can tack with above (enter via the overworld). the wind like immense sailing ships, the drag from the hellgout is too strong for many of them . . . . and Spellquakes to resist. Worse, when the cloud castle leaves the Wizard magic in the hellhole is extremely overworld and enters the mortal realm, it loses unstable. The good news is that the whole its magical solidity and becomes an ordinary Hellgout region counts as the overworld for the cloud (so add “falling, burning, angry giants” to purposes of abilities like the wizard’s overworld the list of hazards)—well, ordinary except for Advantage class feature. The downside is that if the bit where it burns like aerial pitch. Burning you roll a 1 when trying to recharge a daily cloud castles are sticky and incredibly hot, and spell, that spell… breaks. If you’re lucky, that’s coat huge areas when they splatter on impact. just an explosion of magical energy (3d10 force (+20 vs. PD, 3d10 fire damage plus 15 ongoing damage to everyone nearby). If you’re unlucky, fire damage). then the spell might stop working for everyone in Crazed Celestials the Empire, at least as long as the Hellgout exists, or the spell might get burnt onto your The cloud castles are the most visible casualties consciousness so you can’t get rid of it even if from the overworld, but they’re not the only you want to prepare something else, or the things caught and burnt up in the Hellgout. exploding spell breaks off a piece of your soul, Spirits, couatls, living spells and other weird and you’ve now got a doppelganger running denizens of the overworld also suffer when the around imbued with a super-charged version of Hellgout catches them, and get thrown down to the errant spell. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 103 PRODUCT CHAPTER AGAINST THE DEMONS demons and other monsters besieging the Hellgout. The Great Gold Wyrm’s forces here As a known epic-tier threat , the Hellgout has are more modest. Three of his servants watch attracted attention from many of the icons and over this hellhole. Chief of them is Emeste the from other power groups who oppose demons, Scholar, an archaeologist and historian. She was or at least oppose demons destroying their blinded by agents of the Three, so now she’s section of the world. Use the following groups guided and aided by two halflings, Merk and as potential allies and story-drivers as the PCs Mirk (multi-classed monk/paladin and mount their own operations against the hellhole. monk/demonologist respectively). The Crusader’s Army Emeste’s area of expertise is the Abyss and The Hellgout is larger and more dangerous than the history of the Great Gold Wyrm. The any of the other hellholes yet conquered by the Hellgout terrifies her beyond all else, because of Crusader’s forces—but the Crusader has never the alarming resemblance it bears to certain lacked in ambition or audacity. A garrison of the fragmentary descriptions of the events that led Crusader’s troops watches over the edges of the to the opening of the great rift of the Abyss, the hellhole, under the command of Cremain Moor, demonic invasion of the surface world, and the a veteran of the war against the demons. ensuing sacrifice of the Wyrm. Few records of Cremain’s served the Crusader for many years; that time survive—the Red Dragon’s he’s old and so very tired, but the infernal incineration of the demon army in what later hordes won’t relent and so he cannot yet rest. became the Red Wastes ensured that. Emeste Secretly, he still worships the gods of light as isn’t certain that the Hellgout is a precursor to a well as dark, but if his old friend and master much, much, much bigger hellhole or world- knows of Cremain’s secret faith, the Crusader ending cataclysm, but she worries that the has yet to act on this knowledge. Cremain’s Crusader’s plans to crash a flying realm into the main army maintains a siege on the hellhole; a hellhole will make things much worse. smaller force has captured a ruined town referred to as ‘First Step’ (see page XX) within < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 104 PRODUCT CHAPTER thrive there. (Heaven’s just a Hell that’s not on Angels & Demons: Your campaign may or may fire yet.) To prevent a full-scale invasion of the not populate the overworld with angels. overworld, a loose alliance of powerful celestial Gareth’s campaign clearly does, and we’ve left entities has been gathered by General the references to a war between angels and Hatshephut, a sphinx. demons intact. If you are more in tune with the Hatshephut is a compromise candidate—the Host of the Overworld, reinterpret some of what storm giants are the most militant of the local follows as a war of storm giants & sphinxes & forces in the overworld, but everyone else couatl & overworld wizards vs. demons. considers the giants to be brash and dangerous < < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 105 PRODUCT CHAPTER 6. Teleport 1d3 times per battle < 8. Faction ability 3 Azgarrak Breaker of Worlds WORLD BREAKERS This is how the world ends—the overworld, first, and then the lands below, when Azgarrak crashes the sky Azgarrak is the biggest and nastiest demon in down upon the earth. the hellhole. He’s a balor of prodigious size and strength, made even more powerful by a sword Large 14th level wrecker [DEMON] he forged from a star (not a fallen star, mind Initiative: +21 you—he tore that one out of the sky as a prize when the Hellgout first broke through into the overworld). His old title was Azgarrak, Starry blade +19 vs. AC—180 damage Despoiler of Cities, and his new sobriquet Natural even hit: Azgarrak deals +1d20 reflects how ambitious he’s become. His forces lightning damage to the target and to one are mostly concentrated on the upper levels of other nearby enemy of the balor’s choice. the hellhole. For every point on the escalation die, Azgarrak’s sword lets him shape destiny Azgarrak may then either strike another when he strikes, making him an impossibly nearby enemy with 1d20 lightning damage, successful general. Victory is inevitably yours if or else send a creature struck by lightning you’ve literally cut defeat as an option. flying. Creatures sent flying pop free and Death incarnate: Can your PCs stand up to are knocked back. Azgarrak? Maybe the campaign is all about Miss: 90 damage stacking up blessings and advantages that allow a fight with Azgarrak to be something other C: Destiny-cutting whirlwind +19 vs. PD (up to than a TPK. three nearby enemies)—160 damage, and the The angel-eating demons in Azgarrak’s target may no longer add the escalation die to employ are nasty 10th level creatures. Other their attacks. Victims of this attack may regain servants include mariliths, balors, and most any the use of the escalation die by doing epic tier demon that knows well enough to work something suitably heroic and dramatic, or by for the toughest leader. spending a standard action to recombobulate themselves. World Breaker Faction Abilities These abilities are mainly for Azgarrak’s R: Starry spear +19 vs. AC (one nearby or far followers. But Azgarrak? He probably has one away enemy)—150 damage, and the target is or two of them. stuck (hard save ends). The target may take Faction ability 1—Resist Force 14+ another 75 damage to end the stuck effect. Faction ability 2—Gate in 1d3 allied demons, 1 or Miss: 100 damage 2 levels lower. Faction ability 3—Call in a firestrike: The demon Fear aura: Foes with 192 hit points or fewer lose may spend a standard action praying for the access to the escalation die and are dazed (–4 gunners at the Fortress of the Balor to retarget to attacks) when engaged with Azgarrak. their massive gun. Roll a 20; on an 11+, the request is granted. 1d3 rounds later, anyone Glorious escalator: If more than half the player near the demon is hit for 300 fire damage. This characters lose the use of the escalation die power cannot be used in the Fortress of the (because of fear or destiny-cutting whirlwind), Balor. then Azgarrak adds the escalation die to his attack rolls. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 106 PRODUCT CHAPTER R: Spit hellfire +15 vs MD (one nearby or far Fiery aura: At the start of Azgarrak’s turn, each away enemy)—60 fire damage, and 15 enemy engaged with it takes 4d12 fire ongoing fire damage damage; any die result of 10+ is kept and the Limited Use: 1/battle die rerolled. Frenzy: If an angel-eating demon’s natural attack Flight: Azgarrak can fly. roll is equal to or less than the escalation, the demon enters a frenzy. When frenzied, the Shadow, flame, and destiny: Azgarrak gains a +5 demon gains an extra standard action each bonus to all defenses against attacks by far round, but all its defenses drop by 2. away enemies. He also gains a +5 bonus to saves. Soul eater: Whenever the demon dazes a foe, it gains another use of spit hellfire. Nastier Specials Destiny-breaking blade: If Azgarrak scores a crit AC 26 with his starry blade or destiny-cutting PD 24 HP 216 whirlwind, then the target takes triple damage. The target may drop this down to regular MD 20 double damage if the target gives up the uniqueness of their One Unique Thing. THE SMOKE AC 30 Azgarrak’s great rival—and great ally—is the PD 28 HP 1160 Queen of Smoke. She might be a marilith, or an exceptionally talented despoiler, or even the MD 26 Diabolist herself. She wears masks and magical disguises, and is everywhere and nowhere on the lower levels. Her current objective is to drive Angel-Eating Demon the Crusader’s forces out of First Step. After Azgarrak’s followers are fanatical, crazed by the taste that, well, the Crusader’s spies have spotted of angel meat and furiously eager to bring ruin to the smoke-shrouded demons performing arcane overworld. rituals around the base of the pillar of fire. It’s clear that the Queen has some longer-term plan, 10th level troop [DEMON] one that likely involves betraying Azgarrak once Initiative: +16 he has broken open the overworld. Strange allies: Given the Queen’s Flesh-shredding claws +15 vs. AC (two attacks) mysterious nature, why not recruit devils as —25 damage well as demons? See page 172 of 13 True Ways Special: If both flesh-shredding claws hit the for the original write-up of the smoke devil, same target, the demon may also make a soul- especially for its free-form cover ability—Insinuate. devouring bite attack on that target as a free We’ve provided an upgraded version of the action. smoke devil below that has either been suborned into or volunteered for the Queen’s Soul-devouring bite +15 vs. MD —30 psychic retinue. Note: No random demon abilities for damage these devils unless you’re truly enamored of the Natural 18+: The target is dazed (save ends). Queen. ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 107 PRODUCT CHAPTER The Smoke Faction Abilities Natural 16+: The save to end the hampered These abilities are mainly for the demons who effect becomes hard (16+). follow the Queen of Smoke. Special: The Queen of Smoke may use this But free to give the Queen of Smoke any or attack as a quick action all of these abilities, as nasty specials, just because. Hard to hit: Any attack that hits the Queen of Faction ability 1—Pain in flame: Any creature Smoke has a 50% chance of striking a nearby engaged with this demon at the start of its smoke shade instead. turn takes 2d10 fire damage. Retain and reroll 10s. Lost in the smoke: As a move action, the Queen of Faction ability 2—Refuge in fire: Resist fire 18+, Smoke may teleport to swap places with any and the first time the demon resists damage of her smoke shades. from a fire attack, it gains a +1 bonus to all its defenses until the end of the battle. Flight: The Queen of Smoke flies with terrible Faction ability 3—Strength in smoke: Once per speed and perfect agility. battle as a standard action, gate in 1d3 strangler demons. Resist damage 16+: She has resist damage 16+ to all Queen of Smoke attacks except force damage. There’s no smoke without ire. Nastier Specials Double-strength 12th level spoiler [DEMON] Smoke in your face: If the Queen of Smoke moves Initiative: +20 or teleports into engagement with a foe, she may make a free choke attack on that enemy. Vulnerability: force Smoke claws +17 vs. PD (2 attacks)—75 damage AC 28 Natural 18+: The target begins to melt into PD 22 HP 500 smoke. Start making last gasp saves. If the MD 26 target dies, it becomes a smoke shade (see below). Miss: 30 damage Smoke Shade Are they her spies, or her eyes? Her guards, or her C: Smoke bolts +17 vs. PD (1d4+1 nearby or far fists? away creatures)—50 fire damage Hit or miss: Summon/create a smoke shade 10th level troop [DEMON] engaged with the target. It takes its turn Initiative: +20 immediately after the Queen. Natural 16+: Summon/create another smoke Smoky claws +15 vs. AC—50 damage shade engaged with the target. Limited use: Usable only when the escalation Sneaky: If a melee attack on a smoke shade die is 0 or even. misses, the shade may pop free. C: Choke +17 vs. PD (1 nearby creature)—20 Resist damage 16+: Smoke shades have resist damage, and the target becomes hampered damage 16+ to all attacks except force damage. (save ends) ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 108 PRODUCT CHAPTER Summoned: Smoke shades have no independent The demon becomes staggered or dies existence—they are created by the Queen of The demon voluntarily releases its Smoke. If she is defeated, all smoke shades victim disperse. (As more-or-less summoned The victim uses a standard action and creatures, they might be vulnerable to succeeds at a DC30 check to escape banishing rituals, counter-magic and similar (Strength to punch through the walls of weirdness, but good luck making time for a reality; Intelligence to improvise a ritual.) magical ritual; Wisdom to trick the demon; Charisma to escape through sheer force of will). AC 25 Neither demon or victim can be targeted by PD 20 HP 54 outsiders while in the pocket dimension. MD 20 Sword of sorrow +16 vs. MD—60 psychic Strangler Demon damage, and the victim sees visions of friends and allies in the real world dying (either In bright light, you can see that they look like wispy through the attacks of demons, or through clouds of smoke with very solid, very strong hands. sheer old age). In twilight, all you see is darkness as those hands Natural attack roll exceeds target’s Wisdom: The close around your neck. target is also Dazed (save ends) 11th level blocker [DEMON] C: Time mastery +16 vs. PD—80 damage, and Initiative: +20 the target ages by 1d10 years. Short-lived creatures (humans, half-orcs, tieflings) lose 3 Grab +16 vs. PD—50 damage, and the demon recoveries; long-lived races (dwarves, gnomes, grabs onto its target. The grabbed foe cannot halflings, half-elves) lose 2 recoveries; immortal move except to teleport, pop free, or attempt or thereabouts (elves, forgeborn) lose 1 recovery. to disengage, and disengage attempts take a – On the bright side, the victim may roll to 5 penalty unless the creature hit the demon recharge magic items and spells. with an attack this turn. Resist damage 16+: when not abducting a victim, AC 27 strangler demons have resist damage 16+ to all PD 25 HP 250 attacks except force damage. MD 21 Abduction: If a demon has a grabbed target at the start of its turn, both target and demon vanish < sorrow and time mastery attacks. Victim and th demon are both ejected from the pocket 11 level troop [DEVIL] dimension when: Initiative: +14 The victim dies ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 109 PRODUCT CHAPTER Dire embrace +16 vs. PD—60 poison damage GULMAGUL ALL-EAT-ALL Full embrace: If the target is the only creature The third ‘faction’ is led by the corpulent and engaged with the smoke devil, the attack floaty Gulmagul All-Eat-All, who grows deals 120 poison damage instead. whenever he eats. He’s usually found orbiting Miss: 25 poison damage. the pillar of fire as one of the flying rock islands, but he sometimes descends to pick up Ember of hate: Each time the smoke devil hits an reinforcements from the Abyss and then carries enemy, the embers floating in the center of its them up to Azgarrak’s fortress in the sky. When body glow more brightly. Once per battle as a the hellhole’s under attack, he lumbers over to free action during its turn, the devil can make drop off more demons there too, although so far an ember burst attack. It also makes this attack First Step’s catapults and demon-bane ballista as an interrupt action when it drops to 0 hp. bolts have kept him away from there. Ember burst +16 vs. PD (each enemy engaged Gulmagul’s ultimate desire is to eat a Koru with the devil)—The target takes 20 fire behemoth and become the largest predator in damage for each creature hit by the smoke existence. He will break the world by eating it. devil earlier in the battle (max 60 damage; I’m with the big guy: Gulmagul cares a lot remember to track this). less about having followers than the other two Hellgout commanders, but he still has plenty of Devil’s due (Formless): When you choose to add them, all of whom applaud his all-consuming the escalation die to an attack against a smoke ways and hope to learn the trick themselves. devil, it gains resist damage 16+ against the Any nasty demon will do. Non-demons don’t attack. last long around him. (Burp.) Some of Gulmagul’s followers kick around Flight: Smoke devils drift and eddy as if blown on the various flying islands of Hellgout. More by an evil wind. are found on his back! Gulmagul All-Eat-All Faction Abilities Resist fire 13+: When a fire attack targets this These abilities are not for Gulmagul itself! creature, the attacker must roll a natural 13+ Faction ability 1—Bloopblip: When the demon is on the attack roll or it only deals half damage. first staggered, it splits in two. These new demons each have ¼ the starting hit points of Nastier Specials the original demon. Smokey retreat: A smoke devil can “take 12” on Faction ability 2—Gimme!: Staggered foes are disengage checks, taking a natural result of 12 vulnerable to the demon. instead of rolling (which normally would Faction ability 3—Feeding time: Once per battle allow it to disengage automatically from up to when the escalation die is 2+, the demon may two enemies). teleport itself and any engaged creatures to the back of Gulmagul. AC 25 PD 25 HP 360 GULMAGUL MD 25 ALL-EAT-ALL! ALL-EAT-ALL! ALL-EAT-ALL! < Massive jaws +17 vs. AC—300 damage ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 110 PRODUCT CHAPTER Miss: 100 damage AC 28 PD 26 HP 1111 C: Gulmagul’s roar +16 vs. MD (all nearby MD 22 enemies)—75 damage Natural 14+: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn LOCATIONS R: Eyebeams +16 vs. PD (one or two nearby or Getting from one flying island to the next is far away enemies)—200 fire damage, and 20 tricky. If you can fly, you can try dodging ongoing fire damage (save ends) skyquakes (p. XX) and flying demons. Otherwise, the thing to do is wait until the next Insanely big: Gulmagul is up there with the island’s orbit brings it close to your current tarrasque in terms of sheer size. Characters perch, and jump. Ride the thermals from hell, can hop onto his back and move across him— and hope that they give you enough lift to reach he’s a landmass as well as a monster. across the gap. Gulmagul is immune to opportunity attacks. < thick and acrid that it’s impossible to see more Teeth beneath: If a single attack inflicts 100 or than a few feet. The smoke is opportunistic—if a more damage on Gulmagul, he permanently traveler takes a wrong turn, the smoke thickens gains an extra mouth, increasing his number and twists to compound the error and lure the of secondary mouth attacks by 1. unlucky soul into a crevasse or fiery pit. If an adventurer takes a breath at the wrong time, the Nastier Specials smoke invades the lungs and congeals there as I’m not sure those are mouths: When Gulmagul is black tar. (Mechanically, any rolls of a 1-3 here first staggered, summon 2d6 hooked demon get exploited by the smoke in some way. A mooks, +1 per secondary mouth. botched attack might be redirected against an ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 111 PRODUCT CHAPTER ally; a dismally failed save might leave the PC dazed by a coughing fit). < trees and little lakes, girdled in starlight. The < 4. Divine secrets. Gain one daily or recharge < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 112 PRODUCT CHAPTER Gulmagul All-Eat-All Demons rarely get to study the overworld This isn’t a flying realm—it’s a gigantic demon up close. Think of the Wrackspell as a despoiler the size of a flying realm. Gulmagul All-Eat- mage research laboratory dedicated to All’s hide swarms with lesser demons, and he is answering the question “what happens if instead usually content to let his parasites deal with commanding or coaxing magical forces, you torture intruders. He only wakes up and fights them until they do what you say? Can barbed wire be whenever a particular dangerous, or particularly as effective as wand or staff?” So far, signs point to tasty foe shows up. He keeps careful watch on yes. The despoiler mages of Wrackspell work the Edge of the Abyss. feverishly to take advantage of their unique Gulmagul had a write-up as a monster, as opportunity, and any captured wizards or opposed to geography, a few pages above. scholars are put to work here. There are demonic slave-drivers who are attuned to the < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 113 PRODUCT CHAPTER might conquer Axis and Horizon, Santa Cora Chapter 4: and even the Necropolis, but not First Triumph. This fortress will outlast the rest of the Empire. Citadels of the Lawful, and evil: Life within First Triumph is strictly regimented. The whole city is under martial law, enforced by the Crusader’s Icons warriors. They are empowered to deliver Two icons make their homes in hellholes. A summary judgment on the spot to lawbreakers third, the Great Gold Wyrm, probably doesn’t and troublemakers. Criminals are customarily count because you wouldn’t refer to his hellish handed over to the temples of the Dark Gods as battlefield as a home. slaves or sacrifices. If you behave in perfect The Diabolist has resided in the fetid, accordance with the Crusader’s will, then First treacherous swamps of Hellmarsh since before Triumph is the safest and most equitable city in the beginning of the current Age, although in all all the world. Only deviates have anything to that time only a few brave souls have returned fear from the inquisitors. from visiting her eerie citadel. The Crusader Enslaved demons: Demons are everywhere came to prominence only a few years ago when in First Triumph. The Iron Spike (page XX) his forces conquered First Triumph, but his keeps them bound to the Crusader, reducing terrifying fortress has drawn thousands of them from vicious warriors of chaos to wretched mercenaries and warriors to his banner. slaves of law. The divine energies of the As First Triumph is much, much more Crusader and the corrosive power of the spike accessible than the Diabolist’s Citadel, let’s start means that the demons only last a few years there. before they waste away to nothingness, so the Crusader gets as much work out of them as he FIRST TRIUMPH can before they perish. Demons don’t need to First Triumph is both fortress and city. To call it eat or sleep to survive, so food and rest is denied a ‘castle’ or ‘citadel’ is to ignore the thousands of them. Every unpleasant or rote job in the city is merchants and craftsmen who live within it. done by demon slaves; the massive gates are There are markets and crafthalls, temples and pushed closed by demons, and the forges and libraries, even mines and farms within the walls fires kept burning by demons. Monsters that of First Triumph. At the same time, calling it a once struck terror into the souls of anyone who walled city is a misnomer—every building is encountered them are here made into beasts of built to be as strong as the strongest keep, and burden. whole districts of the city are indoors. Space is at As so much of the drudge work is done by an incredible premium here; everything is demons, it frees the mortal population of the cramped, or built on top or or under something city to attend to other matters, and that usually else. Not an inch of the castle is wasted space. It means training. Officially, there are no civilians is possible to spend years in First Triumph and in First Triumph, and everyone is expected to never see the pallid sun outside. The city is as master some useful combat style or talent to self-sufficient as the Crusader could make it. contribute to the war effort. (Like any city, of Magical gardens and vats grow food in the course, First Triumph has its share of thieves, dungeons below, and deep shafts reach down wastrels, criminals and traitors, but they have to into the freshwater seas of the Underworld. be circumspect in their activities to avoid being The inevitable conclusion is that First arrested and punished). Military drills and Triumph was designed to endure a siege of discipline are a constant in First Triumph. demons. If the Great Gold Wyrm fails and the The other hellholes under the Crusader’s hordes come rushing out of the Abyss, they control are not as populous or as fortified as ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 114 PRODUCT CHAPTER First Triumph, but if you listen to the Crusader’s interrogations, customs inspections, magical propaganda, it is only a matter of time before examination, even torture and bloodletting to they too are converted into similar sanctuaries, ensure that a prospective visitor is not a demon bastions for some future apocalyptic war. in disguise. Spellcasters and other powerful Depending on your campaign, it might be more individuals may be assigned a ‘guide’ while in interesting to play that First Triumph is First Triumph, often a bound demon. This somehow unique and the other conquered guide’s only purpose is to ensure that the visitor hellholes are struggling to duplicate its success. does not interfere with the war effort, and is of < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 115 PRODUCT CHAPTER now want to fight back. Then, there are those troops. Invisible things lope along in the train of saved by dark magic. Wounded warriors given the army, materializing in the mortal world new limbs harvested from demons, broken when enough blood is shed. people armed with twisted implements of And this army of horrors is perhaps five magic, the sick and the dying given a new, days’ march from Axis. If the Crusader were not abhorrent form of life. Experiments in magical sworn to destroy all demons, he could be a augmentation and cross-breeding that would greater threat to the Empire’s capital than the not be countenanced in Horizon or Santa Cora Orc Lord. are common-place among the Crusader’s troops. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 116 PRODUCT CHAPTER freedom and debauchery before with demons’ blood and adorned with the submitting to martial discipline. The inn broken symbols of the gods of light, a sacrificial has arrangements with certain temples altar reaching to the heavens where a thousand in the Dark Temple, so guests can offerings are made daily to the dreadful and participate in rites of unknown sullen dark powers, glorious and terrible pleasures, or in sacraments involving beyond measure and ...... ). strange fumes and drugs. Of late, most Sorry. Outbursts of religious mania often of the inn’s clientele are debased happen in this district, even in parentheses. It’s wealthy pleasure-seekers from not uncommon to hear some worshipper Glitterhaegen who’ve grown jaded by chanting uncontrollably in a forgotten and the entertainments offered even in blasphemous tongue. The children of the district Shadowport. gather to laugh at those caught up in the rapture The Pot and Kettle is a more subdued of the darkness, for there are many children establishment, catering for merchants here. Orphans, mostly, taken in by the dark and diplomats from Axis, Glitterhaegen priests to be trained as clerics, or by the monks or Forge. No demons are allowed on the to be trained as assassins. Others were born premises, and the doors are guarded by here, conceived in the orgiastic rites of certain trustworthy dwarves. It’s a little island temples. Not all the gods here are doleful and of sanity in the middle of the Muster. hateful—there are pleasures here forbidden by There’s even a secret temple to the gods the gods of light, and blessings that cannot be of light in the attic. obtained by Santa Cora. The Dark Temple is also The Inn of the Insult, also known as the the pleasure-quarter of the fortress—gambling, Inn-Sult, is hard to pin down. It moves drinking, dancing and other diversions are around the Muster, materializing in one forbidden in First Triumph except when doorway or another. Unless, of course, operated by a dark temple. it’s in Horizon today. It gets homesick, Other parts of the district are less you see. It all began when the Archmage welcoming. paid an unexpected visit to First Do not stray there. Triumph. The Crusader offered the Know them by their silence. Archmage the same sort of meager Personalities: The two most important bedding that any other beggar gets clerics are the urbane dark elf Lady Sjanthis and when they show up at the Muster. Boark Godheaded. Lady Sjanthis is also called Irritated, the Archmage snapped his the Soulless for she has deliberately severed her fingers and summoned a luxurious inn connection with the Elf Queen. She claims that from Horizon and spent the night there. her soul is now the Crusader, and she will live The Crusader hates this intrusion into or die with him. his fortress, but has yet to find a way to Boark’s devotion to the dark powers is even get rid of the Inn. The only way to find more dramatic. He removed his own head as the Inn-sult is to have the aid or favor of part of a cult ceremony, and now carries it the Archmage’s servants. around under his arm. He’s not undead—he Dark Temple claims to be sustained by constant healing spells The Dark Temple isn’t a single building (yet— from the gods. Sometimes, the face of one dark there are ever-more bridges, walkways and god or another manifests above his bloody neck- shrines being built as the army grows, so stump. perhaps one day a Dark Priestess will emerge, a < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 117 PRODUCT CHAPTER Wailing Yards got space here to house thousands of followers. Demons are kept in the Wailing Yards. Part He’s got armories full enough of weapons and slave pen, part occult laboratory, part stockyard, armor to outfit a dozen armies. He’s got and all nightmare. The worst are the stockpiles of supplies to endure a siege for containment structures where ruined demons centuries. He’s only got a handful of followers are stored, demons who have lost all physical here, skulking amid the empty halls, but he’s form and all psychic integrity, reduced to clearly planning for the long term. nothing more than bodiless screaming malice. The Silent Fortress: The fortress is only for Due to the population pressure in First the Crusader’s forces. There are no markets Triumph, new barracks and tenements have here, no thronged districts full of non- been built in close proximity to the containment combatants. This fortress is more like a buildings. Who’d notice a few more madmen in monastery, inhabited only by disciplined this hellish place? warriors, quiet assassins, and whispering dark spellcasters. Visitors aren’t welcome. Truth The Forbidden Fortress: As above, but the Truth is a horribly overcrowded district of fortress is surrounded by a shanty town of barracks, rookeries, tenements and towers. Most refugees, beggars and traders. Sometimes, the of the city’s population live here. Crusaders’ forces open the gates and let a few In the middle of Truth is a large open square supplicants in, but otherwise they ignore the sea called the Mercy Pits. These pits contain all of humanity that crowds against their walls, manner of prisoners. Some are demons; some seeking shelter from the terrors of the hellhole. are justly incarcerated prisoners. Others inmates < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 118 PRODUCT CHAPTER As the name suggests, the forges are never The other spikes are made of wood and silent; when one smith is exhausted, another stone, not metal—they’re towers that rise takes her place, and the demon servants never alongside the Iron Spike, where the Crusader’s tire. Illumination is provided in both the sorcerers and wizards study the arcane arts. Harvester Deeps and Neversleep by harsh < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 119 PRODUCT CHAPTER Crusader can see anywhere in the Dragon worshipped in Ages. Who built them, and why Empire, and can direct his armies from afar. does the Crusader want them in his fortress? I’ll Thirteen Rumors of First Triumph tell you—the demons destroyed those gods and dragged ‘em off to hell. One of these days, 1. The road between Axis and Forge is now so though, the Crusader’s expeditions into the beset by demons, bandits and orcs that the Abyss is going to find one of those dead gods. Emperor must take action soon. Everyone They’ll drag its holy carcass back to First knows that the Crusader is the only force strong Triumph, and bring it back to life with all those enough to protect the Empire’s western flank. stored demon essences! Can you imagine what Soon, the road will be under our control. the Crusader will do with a god that owes him a 2. The Crusader isn’t the fist of the dark life debt? gods—they’re his weapon. When the demons 8. First Triumph and the other hellholes held are destroyed, he’ll turn on the dark gods and by the Crusader are on the western side of the destroy them too. Step by step, campaign by Empire, west of Axis. Everyone thinks that the campaign, he’ll purge evil from the world and Crusader’s going to march north to Hellmarsh usher in the Age of Mortals. Every god, light next, but he’s really looking to the east. Once he and dark, will perish. has a seaport and a navy, he’ll be able to battle 3. The Crusader is the true heir to the demons anywhere in the Empire. He’s looking Empire—blessed by the Lich King, not the to Glitterhaegen… and if there’s no hellhole Emperor! The Lich King was the Wizard King of there to give him an excuse to conquer the city old, and one of his accomplishments was and its port, why, he can make one! driving back the demons and building the first 9. Don’t listen to her! The Crusader wants to wards. Where did you think the Crusader’s build a navy so he can sail east, out through the secret magic came from? No, one day the Koru Straits and into the Iron Sea. Those Crusader will be Prince of the Living, second behemoths that keep crawling out of the ocean only to the King of the Dead. Just ask the ghouls and attacking the Empire—they’re demons. down in the Harvester Deeps, and they’ll tell There’s a hellhole out there that makes the you the truth. Abyss look like a kobold’s nostril. Conquer that, 4. Burnt-out demon spirits get rehoused in and the Diabolist will be quaking in her evil the shells of war-golems. That’s why they’re so slippers. good at fighting—they don’t know it, but 10. The other cities—Axis, Horizon, they’re really demons on the inside. If you talk Glitterhaegen, New Port, even Concord— to them for long enough, they’ve been quietly getting rid of all their 5. The Crusader’s teachings burn mercy beggars, lunatics, criminals and other from our hearts. The Crusader’s collecting the undesirables by shipping them off to First ashes of our pity, and from them he’ll forge a Triumph. Ever wonder why the new recruits new god, neither dark nor light, but divinely start off crazy, instead of going mad while human. Only someone stole half the ashes. No they’re here like we all did? doubt it was one of the Priestess’ self-righteous 11. There isn’t any Crusader. It’s just a suit holy thieves. of armor, an idea. It’s really the Archmage and 6. The Prince of Shadows has his spies and the Emperor running the show. They know how agents down in the Muster and Truth, fencing bad things are going to get, but don’t want to loot and stolen goods from lands conquered by panic people. So, they’ve conjured up this the Crusader. If you want a good price for stolen puppet, this caricature of the bad knight, to do goods, go down to the fourth sublevel and look all the dirty things that need to be done. for the room with a green door. 12. So, the Great Gold Wyrm, the great 7. There are temples down in the Dark enemy of the demons, falls into the Abyss—and Temple to dead gods, ones that haven’t been ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 120 PRODUCT CHAPTER suddenly, out of nowhere, there arises this reclaim her memories of her past lives and her invincible demon-hating warrior with incredible mantle of power. Anyone, he whispers, could be charisma and awesome magical powers? Do I the Diabolist in waiting. According to these have to draw you a diagram? tales, one of the main functions of the Diabolist’s 13. The end is coming! The end is coming! cult is to find and protect her when she is a The end is coming! young and vulnerable child. < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 121 PRODUCT CHAPTER blindly around in the mud. They were mad, all and fall asleep, and she has her demons hang of them. I saw them shoveling mud and worms ‘em from the trees, and the wasps build nests into their mouths and calling it a feast, around ‘em. Don’t know if they’s sleeping or drinking stagnant green water and thinking it dead, or something else. wine, or shoving their faces into a patch of There are live folk there too. Elves, nettles and shouting that they’d learned occult mostly, or what look like elves. She takes a secrets beyond imagining. Obviously, we few of our children as servants every year. ignored them and marched into the tower. It Some of them even come back.” was full of traps and monsters, but our hearts —Gorm Bluetooth, swampfolk hunter were pure and our swords bright. We fought our way into the Diabolist’s throne-room and “My scrying spells have confirmed that the killed her. She’s dead. I killed her! Why are Diabolist has no citadel or home fortress, at you looking at me like that? Why don’t you least not in this incarnation. Instead, she has believe me?” a roaming court or caravan of acolytes and —nameless human beggar, arrested in New Port demons that travel from hellhole to hellhole. for vagrancy In each hellhole, she maintains a tower or other small fortress, or demands shelter from “Her citadel is a rose bush rooted in Hell, so a local demon lord. She never stays in one large that its topmost blossoms are lost in the place for more than a few days. clouds. Through her magic, she has made Records from the end of the Twelfth Age delicate palaces of rosewater and crystal amid are scarce—the Diabolist’s plague threw the the thorns, and filled them with every whole Empire into chaos. Stories of a ‘tumult imaginable delight. There are demons there, of the earth’ and the ‘breaking of the icons’, but you wouldn’t know it—because they’re not coupled with the recent discovery of the twisted and warped by having to compromise dungeon nicknamed the ‘Devil’s Grave’ beyond with base matter, they appear as they really Cairnwood, suggest to me that the previous are. They’re beautiful, shining creatures, and Diabolist was slain by another icon, perhaps so very kind. They taught me so much.” the vanished Swordmaiden, and her old —Tengrian the Despoiler, awaiting execution by fortress was overthrown in the process. When the Crusader’s forces for murder and demon- a new Diabolist arose, she chose not to repeat worship the same mistakes as her predecessor and so keeps moving to stay ahead of her enemies— such as the Crusader. “Aye, I know the Old Woman’s house. I won’t In summation, more scrying and research take you there, not for any price. It ain’t that is required to develop a reliable method of it’s too dangerous—I know how to get around tracking and observing the Diabolist. Please the snakes and the beasties—but she doesn’t find bound to this parchment a miser-sprite want you there, and I won’t anger her. I’ve educated in all the costs and expenses of such seen her castle. It’s half-sunk into the research program…” swamp—what did she expect, building a big stone pile like that in this muck? Every year, —from a grant proposal to the School of it sinks down more. I heard tell that in my Divination in Horizon grandfather’s day, she summoned up some really big demons and had them pull it out of “The boat took us from the Floating Market to the mire, but now it’s sinking back down a clearing deep in the swamp. There was a again. The place looks half-rotten, but there spiral staircase there, made of some reddish are lights in the upper towers, and great big stone, warm to the touch, and it went down demons like toads and bats hopping around and down under the water. There was a outside. And there are all the folk hanging labyrinth down there, with thousands of cells. from the trees? Demons roamed the halls, and we were What, you didn’t know about those? I don’t warned not to step outside our rooms. I didn’t know who they are—strangers from out the understand at first, but they brought me to swamp, most of ‘em. They come to the castle, one such cell. It was smaller than this one, ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 122 PRODUCT CHAPTER with nothing there but a bed and a table and a gemstones, and screaming skulls that is some chair, like a monk’s room. There was a candle sort of monitoring device. Does it tell the on the table. Diabolist when the infernal pressures are Every morning, there’d be a knock on the growing too great, and warn her to open a new door, and outside I’d find a tray with the day’s hellhole as a sort of occult vent, relieving the food on it, and a fresh candle. Every day, I’d light that candle and stare into the flame, and threat to reality? Or does it tell her where the I’d dream… or imagine… that she was talking wall between the worlds grows thin, so she can to me, whispering secrets into my mind. punch through and spill more of Hell into the Nine years. Nine years I studied that candle. mortal world? Nine years of secrets. That is why this cell < with living pieces, but half the tyrants and mad Best Guesses wizards in the world have one of those. What Consistency, it is said, is the hobgoblin of little distinguishes the Diabolist’s game is that she minds. Still, it’s better to stuff your skull with as cheats with merry abandon, changing the rules many hobgoblins as you can fit rather than try at her whim and turning pawns into knights and to make sense of the Diabolist’s fortress. Can it demons. be assumed that there are a few elements that < ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd. 123 PRODUCT CHAPTER rules or wards that protect visitors from the backwards, 2-3 too slow, 4-5 too fast 6 demons—if you’re here, then either the Diabolist not at all). wants you here, or you’re lunch. 7. Forbidden Fruit. Players may freely exchange up to one relationship die WHIMS OF THE DIABOLIST each for a positive relationship with the If you don’t already have a scheme or three Diabolist. rolling yourself by the time the PCs reach the 8. Merry-Go-Around. The Citadel moves Diabolist’s home turf, roll a d12 to see she has from one hellhole to another while the decreed in her citadel today. If the players player characters are inside. deserve it, roll a 13. 9. Feast of Children. There are far more 1. Revelry of Masks. Everyone must wear children running around the Diabolist’s masks. Each mask is unique, and reveals halls than one might expect. Has she something of the wearer’s true stolen them? Adopted them? Are they personality and intent. The masks also half-demons or changelings? Or are they place illusions around the wearers, some sort of tithe, offered by the fearful dulling and hiding other physical villages on the edge of the Hellmarsh to attributes. It’s not so much that you ward off the Diabolist’s cruelty? don’t see that the woman in the mirror- 10. Hearing of Petitions. The Diabolist is mask is nine feet tall and bat-winged, willing to hear petitions this day. Her it’s just that didn’t seem so important at audience hall is crowded with the time. diplomats, messengers and supplicants 2. War Eternal! Everyone in the citadel of all kinds, from the Empire and the must kill someone else. You’re safe once mortal world. All requests will be given you’ve got blood on your hands. a hearing, at the very least; dull ones get 3. She Walks Among You. The Diabolist fed to the giant vipers. has disguised herself as someone 11. Whispering Secrets. Everyone in the unremarkable—a serving girl, a cultist, a Citadel hears whispering voices. Some prisoner in the dungeons. If you find plead for release or oblivion, others offer her and treat her kindly, she might be weird occult secrets and forbidden lore. well disposed to you. If you scorn her, At least one player character learns a she will not be amused. secret he or she would prefer not to 4. A Demon’s Gift. Each demon is obliged know. to offer one gift or promise of service to 12. Mourning Day. The Diabolist decrees a mortal in exchange for a token price. that everyone in the Citadel must dress The mortal may suggest the price; the in mourning attire and accompany her demon may refuse if it thinks the pay is on a pilgrimage to the tomb of one of too low, but the price may not exceed 10 the previous Diabolists, most of which gold pieces. are hidden in the choking depths of the 5. Only Worship Will Do. Everyone Cairnwood. within the citadel knows that the 13. Tithed To Hell. Even the Diabolist has Diabolist desires to be adored and debts to pay—and souls are the coin she worshipped, and fall over one another must acquire. Every mortal in the to be the most obsequious and servile. Citadel is about to get hurled into the Those who show too much pride risk Abyss . . . . offending the icon. 6. Time Shift. Time in the Citadel flows very differently today. (Roll a d6—1: ©2017 Pelgrane Press Ltd.