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THE DIAMOND THRONE A Campaign Setting for Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed
By Monte Cook
Uses the Third Edition rules, including material from the v. 3.5 revision. Additional Credits Editing and Production: Sue Weinlein Cook Cover Illustration: Sam Wood Interior Illustrations: Eric Lofgren, Jennifer Meyer, and Kieran Yanner Cartography: Ed Bourelle Proofreading: Mark Ashton Cover and Interior Page Design: Peter Whitley Playtesting: Michele Carter, Bill Collins, Sue Cook, Bruce Cordell, Jesse Decker, Kelly Graham, Tom Lommel,Sample Chris Perkins, Delfile Shand, and Nicolas Shand
For supplemental material, visit Monte Cook’s Website:
Unearthed Arcana™ is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, and Arcana Unearthed is used with permission; all rights are reserved. Malhavoc is a registered trademark and Eldritch Might is a trademark owned by Monte J. Cook. Sword & Sorcery and the Sword & Sorcery logo are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All other content is ©2003 Monte J. Cook. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This edition of The Diamond Throne is produced under version 1.0a and/or draft versions of the Open Game License and the System Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast.
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Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the following portions of The Diamond Throne are designated as Open Game Content: the prestige class advancement tables and Class Features in Chapter Two; the magic items and artifacts in their entirety in Chapter Three; the statistics and Combat text for the monsters in Chapter Four; and anything else contained herein which is already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game Content source.
Some portions of this book which are Open Game Content originate from the System Reference Document and are ©1999–2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remainder of these Open Game Content portions of this book are hereby added to Open Game Content and if so used, should bear the COPYRIGHTNOTICE “The Diamond Throne ©2003 Monte J. Cook.” This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction, retransmission, or unauthorized use of the artwork or non-Open Game Content herein is prohibited without express written permission from Monte Cook, except for purposes of review or use of Open Game Content consistent with the Open Game License. The original purchaser may print or photocopy copies for his or her own personal use only.
This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. 2 The Diamond Throne Table of Contents Introduction: BEYOND THE HORIZON Magic Entombed (Levels 7–9) ...... 44 What’s Inside?...... 3 The Champion of Darkness (Levels 10–12)...... 44 What Other Books Do I Need? ...... 3 The Eclipse (Levels 16–18)...... 44 Themes and Feel ...... 4 The Soul of Night (Levels 19–20) ...... 44 Running Games in the Diamond Throne...... 4 Chapter Two: PRESTIGE CLASSES Beast Reaver ...... 45 Chapter One: PEOPLE AND PLACES The World...... 5 Crystal Warrior ...... 46 Keeping Time ...... 5 Darkbond ...... 48 The People ...... 6 Giant Paragon ...... 51 Ceremonies ...... 6 Mage Priest...... 52 The Races ...... 8 Ollamh Lorekeeper...... 54 Map: The Lands of the Diamond Throne...... 9 Rune Lord...... 56 Regional Differences ...... 10 Somnamancer ...... 58 Pastimes ...... 11 Prestige Classes From Other Sources ...... 61 Colloquialisms ...... 11 The DMG ...... 61 The Gods and Religions ...... 12 The Book of Eldritch Might ...... 61 The Gods of the Denotholan...... 12 The Book of Eldritch Might II ...... 62 Rallonoch the Giving...... 13 Relics and Rituals ...... 62 Cult of the Fleshrunes ...... 13 Relics and Rituals II...... 62 Cult of the Brief Respite...... 13 Other Classes and Sources...... 62 The Dead Gods (The Hanavere Trinity) ...... 13 Xyphon ...... 14 Chapter Three: MAGIC ITEMS The History ...... 14 Magic Items From the DMG ...... 63 Timeline...... 14 DMG Item Prerequisites ...... 63 Prehistory/Ancient History ...... 14 Determining Treasure ...... 63 Map: Terrakal 1700 Years Ago...... 15 Purchasing Magic Items ...... 63 The Rise of Human Kingdoms...... 16 Magic Armor...... 64 Invasion of the Dramojh...... 17 Armor Qualities...... 64 The Coming of the Giants...... 17 Specific Armors...... 64 Recent History...... 18 Magic Weapons...... 64 Verrik History...... 20 Weapon Qualities...... 65 The Geography ...... 20 Specific Weapons ...... 66 Topographical Features ...... 21 Single-Use Items...... 66 Other Features...... 22 Detonations ...... 66 Where People Live...... 24 Oils...... 67 Magical Effects of the Land ...... 24Sample file Potions...... 67 Dor-Erthenos ...... 25 Map: Tokens...... 68 The Kingdoms ...... 27 Charged Items...... 68 The Diamond Throne ...... 27 Constant Items ...... 68 Map: Central De-Shamod...... 28 Populating a City...... 34 Spell-Completion Items ...... 71 Beyond the Diamond Throne ...... 35 Artifacts...... 71 The Organizations ...... 38 The Council of Magisters ...... 38 Chapter Four: CREATURES The Jaren...... 38 Alabast ...... 74 The Nightwalkers ...... 38 Chorrim ...... 75 The Order of the Axe...... 38 Cyclops...... 77 The Runepriests...... 39 Dark Warden ...... 78 The Cosmology...... 39 Dream Hunter ...... 80 Heavens and Hells...... 39 Harrid...... 81 Planar Movements and Conjunctions ...... 39 Inshon...... 82 Outsiders on Serran ...... 39 Radont...... 85 The Threats...... 40 Rhodin ...... 86 The Legacy of the Dramojh...... 40 Havinar Balacos...... 40 Shadow Troll...... 88 Kallethan/The Kallethan...... 41 Slassan...... 89 Virdella Tesham ...... 42 Xaaer (Death Ooze) ...... 90 The Chorrim...... 42 Creatures From Other Sources...... 92 The Mysteries...... 42 Core Rules ...... 92 The Crystal Weavers...... 42 Creature Collection ...... 94 The Dark Depths ...... 43 Creature Collection II...... 94 The Unknown West ...... 43 Tome of Horrors...... 94 Adventure Ideas ...... 43 Other Monsters...... 94 Into the Ruins (Levels 1–3)...... 43 Love’s Light Lost (Levels 4–6)...... 43 LEGAL APPENDIX The Lost Duke (Levels 7–9)...... 44 Open Game License ...... 94 Introduction 3
Beyond the Horizon
A flock of gulls settles down on the rocks as the waves crash in around an ancient idol,the only remaining relic from a temple now forgotten by the descendants of those who built it.Down the coast lies a bustling city,heedless of the complex past,each individual living life as easily and as peacefully as possible.Giant ship captains,standing 12 feet high,issue commands to the black-furred,bestial sibeccai sailors aboard fantastic craft like those that once,hundreds of years ago,crossed the Great Eastern Sea.Cautious,brown-maned litorian warriors watch those around them closely,while diminutive faen and even tiny sprytes dart about,on their way to some great adventure.Stoic, vinaceous-skinned verrik and almost draconic mojh stand among the human dockworkers,conscious of their differences—but silent.
arther inland, impossibly tall mountains hide mystical vales 4. Creatures: This chapter details a dozen new monsters and filled with secrets of earlier days that were both better and suggests monsters from the MM and other books that you might F worse than the present. Mages study among crumbling, lore- want to use in a Diamond Throne campaign. choked libraries and cast spells atop glistening towers of crystal and gold. Creatures stir, the legacies of the hated dramojh— Bonus source material and ideas to augment the information in themselves the scions of the dragons that once ruled the land this book appear on Monte Cook’s website. Find the links to these as kings. These new threats bide their time, waiting for their free web enhancements at the book’s product page online at the fol- chance to avenge the past and destroy the future. lowing address:
People and Places
Although the nature of Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed is such that DMs can use the races,classes,and other features in the book to create their own campaign world,the Diamond Throne is a ready-made setting designed specifically around all the concepts from that book. Here you will find not only the giants,litorians,akashics,unfettered,and others that you are already familiar with,but a full description of the history of the dramojh,the coming of the giants,and the backgrounds that suggest why the races interact the way they do.
his chapter, however, is only the broadest, simplest is known to exist, to the far east, from which the giants and view of the setting. Obviously, there is much for DMs sibeccai originally hail. Infrequent tales speak of a mysteri- T to flesh out and make their own. The gazetteer that fol- ous continent to the south and west, where creatures lows is a framework for you to fill in with your own details. unknown to those in the realm live. Some speculate that the mysterious and The World wicked avian Serran vs. Earth Every culture has its own name for the world, but in the humanoids known as Serran is ever so slightly smaller than the Earth on which we live. The main portion of the common tongue of humans it is known as Serran. Deep in harrids originally region shown on the map on page 9—the all racial consciousness, known also as the akashic memory, come from this place realm—is about the same area as the United lies the truth of the creation of the world, although the exact (see Chapter Four: States, albeit configured very differently. date of that event is contested. Creatures). This helps explain why most people living in Dor-Erthenos know little to nothing about the A single moon hangs high in the Serran sky. On clear Free Cities of the South, and vice versa. Given nights, most people perceive it as having a light blue hue. In travel times and the hardships involved Keeping (without magic), few travelers make it such a the middle of summer, however, it is clearly bright white. The distance, and to do so can take months. moon shares the night sky with five planets. During the day, Time the sun is a warm yellow. The Serran day is 24 The Lands of the Diamond Throne are but a (large) part hours long, although of a single continent on Serran. The western and northern no one has names for reaches of the continent are generally unknown. The the actual hours. explored portions are frequently called “the realm” in addi- People refer to noon tion to the “Lands of the Diamond Throne.” Historically, the and midnight, as well as dawn and dusk, and then measure area was called Terrakal, and before that, the entire continent time from there. “Two hours after noon,” they say, or “an was simply “the Land of the Dragons.” The giants of today hour before dusk.” call it Dor-Erthenos. Sample fileThe year lasts 364 days. There are 13 months of 28 days The southernmost edge of the continent lies about 700 each. Most often, the months are simply called miles above the world’s equator. At least one other continent “Firstmonth,” “Secondmonth,” and so on, all the way to
MONTHS OF THE YEAR Common Giant Faen Litorian* Firstmonth Iu-Tarthes Sunshadow Snow Secondmonth Ae-Noman Frostglint Mist Thirdmonth Ai-Gebbon Windlion Birth Fourthmonth Ko-Fenas Fathereye Rain Fifthmonth Ji-Naras Bloomkiss Sun Sixthmonth Rin-Taras Neverstar Leaves Seventhmonth Pal-Henach Brightsong Sky Eighthmonth Yun-Feerna Skyhome Reeds Ninthmonth Te-Carob Mothereye Gift Tenthmonth Na-Vesto Flameleaf Twilight Eleventhmonth Al-Gerran Kinspeak Stars Twelfthmonth On-Heccan Chillmoon Sleep Lastmonth In-Dearam Wolfhowl Moon
*The litorian calendar considers Birth the first month of the year. 6 The Diamond Throne
“Lastmonth.” The giants have their own names for the • Bladesong: On this day, also known as Warrior’s Day, months, however, as do the faen and the litorians. The giant the populace celebrates and honors those who excel with month names are “official,” and many people adopt the skill at arms. Usually this day, the 10th of Tenthmonth, evocative, flavorful names the faen use. features combative competitions and tournaments. All The days of the week also have a variety of names, but the characters proficient in martial weapons gain a +1 common names are used so widely, they are the only ones morale bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, and checks. worth noting. There are seven days in each week, each with • Landsmilk: This harvest festival is celebrated in most a shortened or slang form often used as well: lands, although it has a few different names, like Karatul • Dawnday/Dawday and Bountyfest. It occurs on the 14th of Eleventhmonth • Waterday/Waday • Vaddinalakin: The last day of Eleventhmonth is the day • Earthday/Erday most sacred to witches. On this day, all witches cast • Halfweekday/Hawday spells and use their witchery powers as if they were one • Skyday/Skiday level higher than normal. • Firesday/Firday • Restingday/Resterday The People The lives of the people in these lands—whether they be Important Days human, faen, giant, verrik, or any of the other races—are Although there are many festivals, sacred days, and days of grounded in concepts like duty, personal integrity, and the ceremonial importance to the people of the realm, these are importance of one’s word or oath. Obviously that doesn’t the most important ones: mean that everyone has a great deal of integrity or a strong • Runecurse: On this, the supposed anniversary of the sense of duty. It simply means that, when judging one’s char- death (or disappearance) of the Rune Messiah, all living acter, these are the criteria used. Although people use words creatures suffer a –1 luck penalty to attack rolls, saving like “good” and “evil,” they’re just as likely to use “honor- throws, and checks. Curse spells gain a +1 bonus to their able” or “untrustworthy.” saving throw DCs. This observance occurs on the 10th Generally speaking, then, people in the Lands of the of Firstmonth. Diamond Throne value their own personal honor and the • Remembrance: The 17th of Secondmonth is the opinions others have about them based on their actions. anniversary of the last day of the Battle of the Serpent’s Giving one’s word means something to these folks, as do Heart, when the giants defeated the dramojh. This day bonds of trust and duty. They are an emotional people who people remember the heroes of that struggle and those do not often give in to frivolity or laziness. slain or tortured by the evil dramojh. This is typically a These traits, of course, vary from individual to individual, day of solemn celebration. Sampleand can showfile marked differences among the various races. •Landwarding: On the 3rd of Thirdmonth folks observe For example, faen normally are more emotional and quicker the importance of the land. People work to plant on this to be a bit frivolous than others, while sibeccai are less giantish holiday, nurturing life in the soil. They also take emotional and even less frivolous. special care of animals. • Moon’s Eve: On the 12th day of Fourthmonth, witches Ceremonies (and others) celebrate the magical significance of the Again generally speaking, the people of the Lands of the moon. At night, from dusk until midnight, all simple Diamond Throne value ritual and ceremony. They take pride spells are one slot lower than normal to cast (0-level in following tradition and respecting careful, deliberate, and spells remain unaffected). meaningful rites and formal customs. • Narasanight: The 15th of Fifthmonth is a giant festival day—although the festivities really happen at night. On Ceremonies of Importance this evening, giants gather to sing and tell stories. Many The ceremonies held to be important in these lands say a lot important ceremonies take place then as well. about the nature of the people that value them. Although • Solstices: The summer solstice occurs on the first day some ceremonies carry game benefits—ceremonial feats, for of Seventhmonth, and the winter solstice on the last example—the following list discusses only ceremonies of cul- day of Lastmonth. Each of these days is considered tural significance (with the exception of the naming ceremony). sacred, and most people treat them with solemn rever- Naming Ceremony: Most important of all ceremonies, ence. The only ceremonies on these days are those the naming ceremony occurs for almost every individual at a devoted to giving thanks to the land. Greenbonds in time of maturity. For humans, verrik, and litorians, this is particular hold solstice days as special; those able to do around age 14. For giants and faen, around 20. For sibeccai, so often spend them in the company of the spirits of it can be as early as age 9 or 10. (Mojh normally do not go nature, who are said to celebrate in fantastic and through a naming ceremony as mojh, but as humans, for unimaginable ways. most mojh do not become mojh until they are adult