Messages on Wing The Hierarchy used pigeons to carry messages when radio or peat for seeds or small bugs. Long range migratory magical means were too risky in the Century War. And recently, birds use the peat deserts as nesting grounds, a popular radio play has renewed interest in raising the birds by relying on the heat near the peat fires to keep their delighting children with heavily sanitized adventures of Dearest, a eggs or chicks warm while they search for food. pigeon responsible for carrying the message that saved a battalion Nomadic groups in the Wastelands roam with of troops surrounded by the enemy nearly thirty years ago. As their goats or hardy sheep from one grazing land to a result, pigeon racing is popular again and the Riders have t aa

s the next, often migrating from badlands to sandy a k considered using races for cover to send messages long distances. A dunes and back. The livestock are able to thrive on otherwise inedible plants and limited resources. Faster barbarian raiding parties or the Wave move too quickly for traditional herds to keep up, so animals that can be kept in pens or ride with a human are preferred by those groups. The occasional lizard can thick goo from any water or protein source they be found sharing living spaces with herding dogs encounter and store it in fist shaped chambers within or cats perched daintily on a shoulder. A chicken the nest. The 'honey' is bitter and full of nutrients squawking indignant protest from a pen tied to the and enough water to buy a week or two of survival back of a speeder in a Wasteland raiding party is not if a traveler is willing to risk being swarmed. uncommon either. Chickens are popular with all The Tablelands provide defensive positions for communities in the Wastelands as effective egg and wildlife to escape the megafauna of the desert but meat producers that can survive on desert beetles, there are other predators in the badlands in the though roosters less appreciated when trying to hide center of the Tableland mesa. Large cats stalk prey from Vanguard patrols. The desert residents also often purring at exactly the right pitch to echo off use the available insect life as food. Grasshoppers, rock formations and make it difficult for a victim to large fatty worms, and crickets are useful snacks determine where the attack is coming from as they and can also be dried for long term storage. toy with dinner. Lizards of various sizes find refuge in the rough terrain, easily navigating the tight quarters he ierarchy to corner prey before darting back to safety. The T H Conservation of resources is key to understanding badlands are easy to get lost in, the twisting canyons the Hierarchy policy on domestic animals within the are a maze. Experienced travelers will use the circling arcologies. Like the Slot system, every animal must hover of the skullcap vulture as a reference point to fulfill a role in the community. The animal policy navigate during the day. A good solution so long as does not tolerate unproductive wastes of resources. you aren't the soon-to-be-dead critter they're circling. The Marshal of an arcology, or more likely an assigned The Char Fields, a desiccated peat desert north committee of Slotted Professionals, determines a of the Shangaraan near the pole is cold year round list of permitted animals by Slot and tier based on save for small pockets warmed by smoldering water, food, and housing needs. Exceptions to this underground fires. At constant risk of death by chill list can be requested but are often rejected unless or death by fire, the animals that live here tend to the request is made by a high Slot individual. Samplebe quick on their feet with sharp senses to detect file Large grass-eaters such as cattle are uncommon smoke or pockets of dangerous gas. Small birds are even among the wealthiest of private owners and the common and often seen picking through the dry arcologies rely on more efficient goats or sheep for 8 community herds, preferring to use the animals for surface, water conservation is a concern. Where vast milk and textiles. Bees are tolerant of dry conditions underground rivers once ran there are now massive so long as the land isn't entirely barren and are mile-wide caverns below ground, interconnected by willing to fly long distances to gather pollen, making honeycomb complexes of smaller caves. Travel between them a popular choice in the Hierarchy and the cave systems is limited by the small dangerous Wastelands alike. Other insects that produce high passages or the systems don't connect at all. As a result

value products in limited space are also popular, such many of the caverns have unique species or subspecies 1 as silk worms or wist beetles whose shells are used that have evolved in a closed system. Most variations to make a rich green-purple dye in high demand. are cosmetic, as simple as a different set of markings The animal policy also applies to companion or different sensitivity to light. But in some cases animals. Exotic companion animals are a luxury the isolation has accelerated the process of evolution reserved for high Slotted individuals and songbirds leading to unique and truly bizarre adaptations. are popular with the elite or spiritual. All Slots may Most of the caves are pitch black, so animals rely keep cats and working dogs and these animals are on other senses such as echolocation, tremor sense, or expected to serve pest-control purposes by hunting darkvision to navigate. Partial cave dwellers include rodents in living quarters. All Slotted individual bats, snakes, and other small mammals that use caves who can provide suitable housing are also allowed near the surface as sanctuary or hunting grounds, to raise chickens and pigeons for personal use. For spending part of their time at the surface. Exclusively obvious reason, waterfowl are unheard of. Then there cave dwelling species lack pigmentation because they are the pigeons. One of the first domesticated birds, don't need the protection from the sun. Under real they and are easily trained to perform tricks. They light, they are a pale-pink with visible veins beneath are less aggressive than larger birds, content with translucent skin. Some have undeveloped eyes or smaller living spaces, and provide high quality meat. have converted them to alternate sensory organs. Pests in the arcologies are a natural result of close Not all cave systems are dark though, some run living in poor conditions. Bugs may seek moisture in close to lava tubes and the dull glow of magma living quarters endangering the health of those who is as bright as day for dark adapted eyes. Other live there. Scorpions and spiders seeking an escape caverns are lit by bioluminescence where the from the sun may hide in shoes on the floor or tuck flashes of shifting light used for courtship or other themselves into closets or drawers. Residents of lower mating rituals. Travelers should be wary as some tiers are smart to always look before reaching a hand light displays are hunting lures for larger creatures into any nook or cranny. Rodents, mice and rats, waiting for an opportunity for a good meal. sneak their way into undefended food stores. Glowtail Subterranean deposits of raw aetherite, while mice are an exception and are welcomed by residents rare, often lead to the development of local wildlife wanting to use the mouse to detect snakes and spiders. suffering from aetherite radiation poisoning, which That said, it is not considered an approved animal ultimately leads to caverns of aetherwarped animals and will be confiscated by the Vanguard if detected. (Aethera Campaign Setting, 476). Though these hazards remain exclusive to subterranean settlements, The Underworld such as those of and ratfolk, extensive post- Samplewar Hierarchy mining operations infile the Wasteland The extensive caverns of Akasaat provide shelter from threaten to drill into these dangerous places and the sandstorms and winds of the surface. Like the expose the surface to unspeakable danger. 9 Aetherleech This creature is a deep violet-colored slug-like pulse brighter and they attack and defend as invertebrate with luminous blue veins. one. Such swarms are particularly dangerous Engine Leech. Aetherleeches are worm- to phalanx and infused, dropping upon them

t like invertebrates that seek out and feed off of in the dark to drain all the aetherite from their aa s a k aetherite, wherever it may be. Native to Akasaat, bodies, leaving naught but lifeless husks. A they may have once evolved from more aquatic The Protectorate has successfully employed ambush lifeforms. Their slimy black bodies glow with tactics to dispatch aether leech swarms, though any aetherite pulsing through their veins. aether-powered equipment has to be left behind to They prefer arid, dark environments but will settle avoid detection. The only gear deployed are the leech- for anywhere near large quantities of aetherite. They eaters (see page 27), creatures designed specifically can sometimes spotted deep underground in pockets to hunt the leeches down and destroy aetherleeches. of aether mines. More commonly, they can be found An aetherleeches’ corrosive spit glands contain in engines and machinery powered by aether-tech. enough undigested aetherite to render the aetherleech An aetherleech is 1-foot long and weights 2 lbs. vulnerable to electricity. Electricity-based spells Starship Pests. Aetherleeches store corrosive and long-ranged aethertech have proven to be the digestive fluids inside small sacs just behind their most effective weapon when rooting out leech rows of tiny mandibles, mixed with undigested infestations. Though extra care must be taken upon aetherite, creating a toxic slurry. Aetherleeches killing an aetherleech not to come in contact with spew the turquoise substance as a means of self- their blood, which is as toxic as aetherite slurry. defense, or to create entryways small enough to Hive Mind. Some Hierarchy scientists theorize crawl through piping, or stowaway on aetherships. that the aetherleeches are drawn to aetherite due In urban environments an aetherleech’s to a spiritual connection with the substance — presence is typically marked by small, rusted most dismiss this theory. The hive-intelligence the holes on metal walls and surfaces. By the time leeches display when surrounded by mass quantities they’re discovered, they’ve already drained of aetherite has yet to be explained. Attempts mass amounts of aetherite from the vessel. made to study and replicate this phenomenon These troublesome pests are a danger even in have led to orbital science stations drained of small numbers as infestations can quickly deplete power and hundreds of dead scientists. No further a ship’s reserve of aetheric units and expose experiments of the sort have been funded. But the creatures to aetherite poisoning. These infestations similarity between these hive-mind effects and have drained entire ships of power, leaving them those of the azaka on Orbis Aurea or the mindlink adrift in the blackness of space with no means networks of the infused are impossible to ignore. of rescue as their passengers suffocated and Freelancers in Akasaati arcologies are often able to perished, rising later as aetherwarped undead. find work as exterminators of these pests. Though Aetherleeches sometimes gather in mass around aetherleech hunting is a dangerous job that pays Samplelarge sources of aetherite. As mindless creatures, very little, and often by thosefile hoping to keep their they are not prone to herding, though display an leech problem secret in hopes of preserving their unnerving hive-mind intelligence when gathered reputation, the rising number of these creatures around enough aetherite. A swarm of aetherleeches in ground-level arcology settlements has made it 10 F a un a

reliable work. Hiring freelancers to take care of the problem under the table has its risks, but it’s far less expensive than a damaged reputation of publicly acknowledging an aetherleech infestation.

Aetherleech Tiny beast, unaligned Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3) Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft., swim 5 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)

Skills Stealth +6 Actions Damage Vulnerabilities lightning Multiattack. The aetherleech makes two attacks. Condition poisoned Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 target . Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage and if the Languages -- target has the aether tag (or is an aetherite infused or Challenge 1 (200 XP) powered object) it may use its leech trait. Aethersense. An aetherleech can detect refined and Corrosive Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, raw aetherite and creatures with the aether tag out to a reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) acid damage. range of 120 feet as blindsight. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC Leech. If an aetherleech attaches to a living creature with 11 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned the aether tag, it automatically begins replenishing its by aetherite radiation. While poisoned in this way, health, gaining regeneration of 1 hit point per round the target begins to glow a sickly turquoise color, in and dealing. If, instead, the aetherleech uses its attach particular from their eyes, and the target must repeat ability on an object containing aetheric units it drains 1 the saving throw after every 24 hours that elapse. On AU from the object per round and regains 1 hit point. An a successful save, the poison effect ends. On a failed aetherleechSample that attaches to the hull of an aethership save, the target losses 2 (1d4) hit pointsfile which cannot drains AU directly from the ship’s engines without be removed with normal rest while the creature is needing contact. A creature may use an action to poisoned. If the creature is reduced to 0 hit points it detach an aetherleech. dies. 11 Giant, Flux Flux giants are imposing beings with earth- Water links them to their past. They once dwelled tone skin covered in patches of slate scales that within pre-Collapse Akasaat’s oceans, afloat in what run with water their bodies constantly produce. they called the Breath, a metaphysical current they

t Their intimidating presence masks quiet wisdom, plumbed for guidance and truth. Once Akasaat’s aa s a k and an immense affinity and respect for art and seas turned to desert, flux giants could no longer A communication. Flux giants can both perceive and perceive this current. While searching for the transmit farcaster signals, ease divinations, and Breath they experienced a sonorous hum resonating produce booming sonic assaults. A typical flux giant in every stone and rock of the Wasteland, and stands 15 feet tall, weighs approximately 3,000 within it found a resonant harmomy—the Score. pounds, and live to be hundreds of years old. It would be many years before the giants’ ritualized, Harmonic Resonance. Flux giants are caught extrasensory quest perceived the Riders’ farcaster between pre- and post-Collapse natures: rocky skin transmissions, learned of the Hierarchy and their and heavy physique speak to their present, while interpretation of the Score, and unfortunately their bodies’ interior connection to the Plane of attracted the Hierarchy’s attention. Persecuted as apocryphal heretics, angered by the gulf between their remembered Breath’s promise of truth and personal freedom and Scorism’s stifling rigidity, flux giants have banded together with Riders, desert exiles, goblins, and other Wastelanders for protection. Such allies appreciate the giants’ measured attitude, potable water, and communication abilities. Not all are content with desert life, however. Clandestine farcaster transmissions point towards these unlikely coalitions’ possible mobilization against the Hierarchy, and some devices detect the crackling rage of renegade giants. Sample file

12 Flux Giant Actions Large giant, neutral Multiattack. The flux giant makes two fist attacks. Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48) target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Speed 40 ft. Signal Boost. Multiple flux giants can work together to STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA facilitate radio and mystical transmissions. As an action, F

23 (+6) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) a a flux giant can target another flux giant within 120 feet un a Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +4 that they can see or hear. For every three flux giants Skills Perception +4, Performance +9 using signal boost on the same target, that target’s Damage Resistances thunder natural transmitter ability is treated as one farcaster Senses passive Perception 14 type better. This effect lasts until the beginning of the Languages Aquan, Giant, Hymnas, Terran flux giant’s next turn. Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Thunderous Shout (Recharge 5-6). A flux giant can Immunity to Silence. The flux giant can always speak or magically generate a 60-foot cone of discordant sound. sing within the area of a silence spell, though they may Creatures in the cone must make a DC 14 Constitution not otherwise make noise (such as percussion or the save. On a failure, the target takes 21 (6d6) thunder sound of combat). damage, or half as much damage on a successful Innate Spellcasting. The flux giant’s innate spellcasting one. A target that takes thunder damage and fails their ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The flux giant saving throw by 5 or more is incapacitated until the end can innately cast the following spells, requiring no of the flux giant’s next turn.

components: Reactions At will: water blast (as gust of wind, but taking the form Wave Shield (1/Day). When the flux giant would take fire, of a blast of water) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, the flux 1/day each: control water (flood only), stone shape, giant has resistance to the damage. thunderwave (as a 6th-level spell) Natural Transmitter. Flux giants can hear farcasterACS transmissions within a radius of 100 miles. As an action, a flux giant can send farcaster transmissions, as a Mk II farcaster. Resonant Voice. Flux giants possess hauntingly beautiful singing voices that echo as though called up from a great, cavernous depth. As a bonus action, the flux giant grants advantage on the first Wisdom or Charisma saving throw against being charmed or frightened that an ally who can hear the flux giant makes while within 30 feet of the flux giant. This lasts until the beginning of the flux giant’s next turn. Subdermal Aquifer. Flux giants do not need to drink, and freshSample water seeps from their shoulders at a rate of 1 file gallon per hour.

13 Glowtail Mouse A glowtail mouse is a tiny nocturnal rodent that is Luminous Infestation. Glowtail mice are highly adapted to life on Akasaat. They are found omnivores that typically subsist on insects in the across most surface regions of Akasaat, feeding on wild, supplemented by food scraps and refuse in

t a wide variety of scrub vegetation and poisonous urban areas. Due to their fecundity, glowtail mice aa s a k insects (especially scorpions) that thrive across the infestations are common in overcrowded and poor A planet’s surface. Glowtail mice typically have sandy settlements. Due to their abundant numbers, glowtail brown coat of fur, which blends well with their desert mice are a food staple for less fortunate communities, environment, but some have been known to have grey especially in the Wasteland. Breeders can make a or black patterns too. They have long claws that make tidy sum of money on them if they are properly them skilled burrowers and sharp incisors in their domesticated. They are also popular for mouth that constantly grow throughout their lives, spellcasters native to Akasaat. Nesting glowtail mice which require near constant gnawing on objects to will gnaw on fibrous objects to create bedding for keep them from growing to an uncomfortable length. their progeny and electrical conduits, wires, and The average glowtail mouse is typically between 10 power cords are often prime targets for their chewing and 12 inches long (without measuring their long in urban environments. Infestations of glowtail mice tail) and weighs between 2 and 5 pounds. They can cause power outages if they are allowed to run typically live about five to seven years, although they rampant. A glowtail mouse can chew through just have been known to live to ten when domesticated. about anything given enough time and it is common Pets and Pests. Glowtail mice have even found for them to even nibble on clay, salt, and small stones a home within the arcology-cities and smaller to aid in their digestion and to absorb any toxins from settlements as both a pest feeding on garbage the food they eat in the wild. Many a clay foundation and whatever they can scavenge and as pets in has collapsed under the damage they wreak on the homes of those who cherish their unique buildings and bridges. Due to the damage they can abilities and intelligence. They make good pets deal to aetherships, many worlds have imposed strict for miners and those seeking aetherite deposits. travel restrictions on glowtail mice and merchants They have even found a place in politics of all caught transporting them without a license to another places, being employed as poison detectors by the world can face stiff fines or even incarceration. members of government who fear assassination. Glowtail. Unique to their species and their namesake, the glowtail mouse has a long thin tail that is a prehensile bioluminescent organ. Glowtail mice can discard their tail as a defensive mechanism, causing it to brightly flash in distress to lure predators away from themselves. These mice are prolific breeders, producing a litter Sampleof 10 to 20 babies, with a single female can file having up to as many as ten litters per year.

14 Glowtail Mouse Glowtail. A glowtail mouse can produce a dim sapphire Tiny beast, unaligned glow from within its long tail, creating dim light within a Armor Class 10 10-foot cone. This light causes any poisonous creature Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1) (or substance) to shed light like a candle when within F a

Speed 20 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft. the area of the glowtail light. This ability even outlines un a STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA invisible poisonous creatures and objects as faerie 2 (-4) 11 (+0) 9 (-1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3) fire so long as they remain within the area of effect. Damage Resistances poison Containers holding poison do not glow, but the poison Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10 within will. Poison contained within opaque containers Languages -- are immune to the effects of glowtail. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Escape. A glowtail mouse has the ability to separate from New Magic Item their glowtail as part of a Disengage action. The tail

begins flashing quickly to act as a lure to draw attention Glowtail Charm away from them as they escape. This allows a glowtail Wondrous Item, common mouse to withdraw as part of its move action and still This leathery talisman is fashioned from the tails of three move up to double its speed. If a glowtail mouse does glowtail mice. When the wearer fails a saving throw this, it loses its Glowtail and Escape abilities until its tail against a spell or effect that causes him to become regrows, which takes one week. poisoned, they immediately receive a second saving . The glowtail mouse maybe chosen as a familiar throw with advantage . If they succeed at the second and the master of a glowtail mouse familiar gains saving throw, one of the three tails glows brightly and then advantage on Constitution saving throws vs. poison. crumbles to dust. A glowtail charm may be used three Keen Smell. The glowtail mouse has advantage on times before it ceases to function. Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Poison Resilience. In addition to being resistant to poison, once per day, a glowtail mouse may choose to reroll a failed Constitution saving throw against poison.

Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage. Sample file

15 Goblins of Aethera Goblins are a subtle yet pervasive presence in the preferring underground or sheltered communities. Aethera system. Reclusive and isolationist, goblins While they are capable of living in other areas, hide from the eyes of others but inhabit nearly every open sky and wide spaces provoke stress in most

t corner of the planet. They flourish in forgotten corners goblins, leading to numerous goblins experiencing aa s a k that go largely unseen despite being right under agoraphobia. Those who venture beyond Akasaat A the noses of other societies. To most, goblins seem into the Gulf do so with great trepidation and sparse and spread out, begging for scraps in a world must possess a galvanized trust in their aetherships not their own. These casual observers fail to realize to protect them from the “great emptiness.” that where one is seen, there are hundreds Aside from their ability to see in the dark, goblins more unnoticed that carry on unseen agendas. possess an innate ability to sense the presence of Commonly encountered goblins frequently fall magic. This adaptation has greatly influenced goblin into a few categories. Many are exiles and outcasts, society and outlook on the arcane arts: to them, outsiders who never felt at home in goblin society magic is not a special study or archaic skill, but a and prefer to scrape out an existence on the border constant part of life that is as basic as color or light. between their homeland and other civilizations. This It is an overlay, one more lens through which they misfit group has done little for the reputation of understand the world. Sorcery and wizardry are goblins and in part is why the Hierarchy views them rooted in the basic nature of goblins, and even goblins as pests and menaces. Goblins are also known for raised outside their society have strong ties to magic. their mercantile expertise as tradesmen and appraisers, Magic sight and subterranean tendencies are the as well as their uncanny expertise with aethertech. only major commonalities among goblins. Beyond Beyond the outcasts are the goblins who see these traits, goblins are incredibly diverse, displaying that times are changing, goblins who suspect that a staggering array of shapes and qualities. A common their way of life is unsustainable. Civilizations theory is that goblins are the descendants of a several are growing, societies expanding and making humanoid species that shared preferences in territory alliances. With the advances of technology and and allied for survival, eventually blending together government the world is shrinking by the day, into a single varied group. The distinct names while the forces in it loom larger than ever. These that refer to certain goblin varieties are evidence goblins are adventurers and diplomats, statesman of such a history, but the truth is unknown. and visionaries, a wave of goblin culture surging Adaptive Alliances. Goblins are a highly adaptive out into the world to make their mark on it. For species, capable of rapidly changing their biology to if goblins are to thrive in the coming age, they fit the needs of their current environment within a cannot afford to be silent and hidden much longer single generation. This has allowed goblins to spread and must reveal the hidden truth of their people. across the Aethera System in within one century and Subterranean Society. In the lost history prior develop ecological adaptations that would normally to the Collapse, goblins were primarily lived have taken millennia. As migrants across the Gulf, Sampleunderground. Their eyes are adapted to subterranean most goblins traveled duringfile the years prior to the darkness and they’re small in order to fit through Century War aboard the first Hierarchy aetherships the frequently tight and cramped spaces of natural to leave Akasaat. Goblins living in mining colonies caverns. To this day goblins shun the outdoors, in the Amrita Asteroid Belt, particularly flourishing 16 in the fringe, came along with first wave prospectors Each goblin community is different, but most and have rapidly spread in the shadows of Belt society. are strongly isolationist, preferring to focus on their Those who dwell on Orbis Aurea came with the first own affairs and trust in the strength of cavern walls,

human ships as stowaways or contracted mechanics. shielding mountain ranges, and stretches of barren F a un

Small communities of goblins even dwell on the wastes to shield them from outside problems. This a island landmasses of Seraos or in colonies on its rings. strategy has served them for thousands of years, Some even reside within the forests of Kir-Sharaat but it is increasingly untenable in modern times. as technology advisors to the erahthi and come to Goblins on Akasaat have been pushed into alliances serve as spies against the Hierarchy. Akasaat will with giants and wastelanders as the Hierarchy has always remain the goblin homeworld; it is here that increased pressure on them in an attempt to acquire they are spread wide below the wastes, clustering precious resources such as aquifers, mineral deposits, around aquifers and underground rivers. They have and aetherite. The nascent goblin communities of settlements hidden in the underside of major cities Orbis Aurea have come into sharp conflict with the and webs of tunnels that spread further into the azaka as they vie for the same subterranean domains. underworld than any human has ever explored. As such they frequently ally, trade, and mingle with Disconnected. There is no unified goblin society. troglodytes and the okanta settlements around them, The cave systems that goblins favor are often sometimes even integrating into them completely. disconnected, or only linked by twisted tunnels Students of Magic. Magic is the unifying thread in that are difficult to navigate. Even the largest cave goblin society. Their natural magical sense predisposes systems cannot support an entire nation. Instead, them to supernatural skillsets, and most goblins have goblin civilization is defined by generous scatterings an ample understanding of magic founded in their of city-states with a complex network of alliances and personal experience. Many scholars and education trade agreements. This lack of an overarching system systems in goblin society have their roots in arcane hindered goblins as the politics of Akasaat developed, studies, starting out as methods to pass along the tools leading to the formation of humanity’s Hierarchy. The of wizardry before expanding out to other fields of human-centric nature of the Hierarchy made it nearly study. For goblins scholarship and wizardry go hand impossible for goblins to have their voice and presence in hand, and it is a poor education that does not cover felt, despite their numbers. Some future-minded the basics of the magical arts. Goblin wizards are goblins have tried to unite the disparate city states respected even outside of goblin society, and many of the underworld together into a cohesive nation, who wish to learn magic do so at the feet of goblin but they struggle to establish strong connections teachers. Sorcery is also well known among goblins, between settlements with a history of independence especially sorcery born of bloodlines. or convince the leaders of these small groups to work However, goblins rarely discuss their society’s strong together rather than remain free to follow their own proliferation of magical studies with outsiders. This goals. This combination of a weak presence and is especially true with the Hierarchy’s formation of internalSample disagreements have led to poor relations the Vanguard, a military arm of thefile Protectorate with the Hierarchy and other governments, who that hunts down and imprisons unsanctioned use tend to view goblins as squabbling and backwards. of and education in magic. Many goblins fear that 17 widespread knowledge of their magical aptitude would lead to a Vanguard pogrom of their people. Aetheran Goblins as PCs Druidic practice is the main manifestation of All Aetheran goblins have the following racial traits. goblin spirituality and religious mysticism. Where • Ability Score Increase. +2 Dex, +2 to one other goblin wizardry examines magic and studies it as ability score. Aetheran goblins are almost all agile a science, their form of druidic art interacts with and quick but show a great variety of other talents. t aa Alignment s it on a more personal and intuitive level. Goblin • . Most goblins are chaotic in nature. a k A druids commune with the world through their • Size. Goblins average about 3 feet tall and natural understanding of magic, explaining it as weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. a force that pervades all things. They hold that • Speed. Goblins are fast for their size. You goblins are the children of magic, and that they will have a base walking speed is 30 feet. return to its endless currents when they die. In the • Darkvision. Accustomed to life in darkness, meantime they serve the community as mediators you have superior vision in dim confines. and agriculturalists, finding water and establishing You can see in dim light within 60 feet of farms in the stony caverns and desolate wastes. you as if it were bright light, and in darkness Lastly, most goblin societies are highly focused on as if it were dim light. You can’t discern achievement and productivity. A goblin takes pride in color in darkness, only shades of gray. their work and still more pride in display their skill to • Slight Build. Even the largest of goblins are others. Wizards cover themselves in enchanted items more often lithe and lean than imposing. or collect massive libraries, druids seek out rare and Their physical stature lets them function in exceptional companions, and merchants buy expensive many ways as if they were one size category items from the most distant and foreign locations to smaller. Whenever a goblin is subject to a for parade their wealth. Hobbies often focus on producing any reason, the goblin is treated as one size tangible goods so that goblins can show the work of smaller if doing so is advantageous to them. their hands. This constant demand and toil can prove • See Magic. Goblins possess an intuitive stressful though, and it is easy for a goblin to feel they understanding of, and ability to perceive, magic. can’t put in enough effort, or that they are inferior to They can see the presence or absence of magical their peers. Sometimes, these goblins leave their homes auras within 30 feet. By focusing as a bonus to adventure or find a place in the outside world. action, you can learn the strength and location of each aura you see and may make Intelligence (Arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each; otherwise this is treated as detect magic. If the aura emanates from a magic item, you can attempt to identify its properties with a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check; if successful, you learn all the magic Sampleitems traits as if you hadfile cast identify

18 • Quick Reflexes. Goblins are quick Trickster. Goblins have a reputation for trickery to react to danger and you gain a and magical affinity, and the two often go hand in +2 bonus on Initiative checks. hand. Goblins with this trait gain prestidigitation • Languages. Goblins begin play speaking as an at will innate spell using Intelligence as their Hymnas and Goblin. Other languages casting ability. This racial trait replaces quick reflexes. common among goblins are Aquan, Aklo, F a Giant, Ignan, Okantan, and Terran. Feats un a The following feats are designed to help improve New Rules or expand on a goblin’s inherent abilities. The below rules represent unique talents and Effortless Sight traits of goblins native to the Aethera System. Prerequisites: Aetheran goblin. Through training or constant use, you have Alternate Racial Traits improved your natural ability to see magical The following racial traits can be selected auras. You gain the following benefits: instead of existing goblin racial traits. • Your see magic racial trait improves, becoming Bluecap. Some goblins have adapted differently natural and effortless. You know the strength to their dark environments, creating flickering and location of every aura within your range lights to guide them. Goblins with this trait without needing to expend an action. gain. This racial trait replaces darkvision. • The range of your see magic ability Cold Adaptation. Orbis Aurea is home to its increases from 30 feet to 60 feet. own variety of goblins, distinguished by insulating Self-taught Arcana characteristics such as thicker, rubbery skin and Prerequisites: Aetheran goblin profuse hair. Goblins with this trait can move Between your experience and natural understanding across icy or snowy surfaces without penalty. of magic, you can easily piece together the nature of In addition, they are resistant to cold damage. magical effects. You gain the following benefits: This racial trait replaces quick reflexes . • You may increase your Intelligence or . Some goblins are significantly larger Wisdom by 1 to a maximum of 20. than their fellows and are colloquially known • You gain proficiency in Intelligence (Arcana). If as hobs or . Goblins with this trait you already have proficiency, your bonus doubles. are Medium creatures instead of Small.. Seer. Some goblins are blessed with the ability to perceive magic more fully than their fellows, gaining unique insight from it. In addition, they may use the guidance cantrip as an innate spell, using Intelligence as their casting ability. They may use this a number of times equal to their Wisdom bonus (minimum 1) before requiring a long rest to do so again..Sample This racial trait replaces quick reflexes. file

19 obscure spells or magical items, and characters Taanzanite, Goblin Arcanist interested in her cause of representing and unifying Taanzanite is an icon of goblin society, a prominent goblins will find her an ardent and outspoken voice practitioner and scholar of the arcane arts. She in their favor. Even if Taanzanite doesn’t have the learned her craft at the feet of the wizened archmage resources or knowledge to do something herself, she Moxylon and then made a circuit of countless undoubtedly has someone in her pocket who does. t aa

s goblin settlements, amassing a library of lore People who represent the hierarchy may make an a k A and craft secrets before returning to her home in enemy of Taanzanite though, and while she won’t be a the wastes of Akasaat to teach new apprentices direct foe, she can be a devastating political opponent. what she had learned. The fruits of her studies Anyone who threatens her agendas may find magical were obvious, and soon hopeful apprentices and and scholarly resources shunning them as she turns curious scholars from nearby communities flocked her networks against them, and if they prove truly to her in the hopes of learning her secrets. adversarial, she may even employ her magic against Lately, Taanzanite has begun to tire of her them, tracking down their secrets by reading minds status as a teacher and has begun to wield her and suborning their allies with her enchantments. influence towards the betterment of goblins as a Taanzanite whole. She sees the threat of the Hierarchy on the Small humanoid (goblin), lawful neutral horizon and the strength her people could have Armor Class 15 (leather coat) if they stood together, and now picks apprentices Hit Points 31 (9d6) strategically, training them before sending them Speed 30 ft. home with magical lore and revolutionary ideas. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Taanzanite has begun to travel again, sometimes 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) to talk to other goblin communities, and sometimes Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 to venture into human camps and cities, listening Skills Arcana +6, History +6 to their views and discussing economics and Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 politics. She leverages her expertise and scholarship Languages Aklo, Aquan, Giant, Goblin, Hymnas, Terran to obtain invitations to mage guilds and respected Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) schools, giving lectures on magic and sorcery and Quick Reflexes. Taanzanite has a +2 bonus on Initiative making connections that she bends towards her checks. other purposes. Slowly she is amassing a network See Magic. Taanzanite can see the presence or absence of well-placed magicians and philosophers among of magical auras within 30 feet of it. By focusing as a goblins and humans alike and is proving that she bonus action, she can learn the strength and location is as adept at social maneuvering as magic. of each aura she can see and may make Intelligence Campaign Role (Arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each; otherwise this is treated as detect As a scholar, politician, and major goblin figure, magic. Taanzanite makes a better ally than an enemy. If the aura emanates from a magic item, she She can be a resource for characters interested in can attempt to identify its properties with a DC 15 Samplemagical phenomena or training and a connection file Intelligence (Arcana) check, if successful, she learns all to a wider goblin society. Curious and professional, the magic items traits as if she had cast identify she will gladly offer aid in research projects on 20