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Sample file DESIGNERS: Jeff Crook, Wil Upchurch, Eric L. Boyd ADDITIONAL DESIGN: Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel, Christopher Perkins DEVELOPERS: Richard Baker with Eric L. Boyd and George Krashos EDITOR: John Thompson MANAGING EDITOR: Kim Mohan RPG DESIGN MANAGER: Christopher Perkins SENIOR ART DIRECTOR RPG R&D: Stacy Longstreet DIRECTOR OF RPG R&D: Bill Slavicsek PRODUCTION MANAGERS: Josh Fischer, Randall Crews ART DIRECTOR: Mari Kolkowsky, Robert Raper COVER ARTIST: Lucio Parillo INTERIOR ARTISTS: Thomas M. Baxa, , Jason Engle, , Warren Mahy, , William O’Connor, Lucio Parrillo, Marc Sasso GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Dee Barnett CARTOGRAPHER: Dennis Kauth GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALIST: Angelika Lokotz IMAGE TECHNICIAN: Jason Wiley

Sources include FORGOTTEN REALMS CampaignSample Setting by , file Sean K Reynolds, , and Rob Heinsoo; by Monte Cook; “Tvash-Prull’s Symphony” by James Jacobs (Dragon Magazine #328). Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by and and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 System License, please visit www.wizards.com/d20.

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©2005 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Visit our website at www.wizards.com/forgottenrealms TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 4 Nvestro’s Black Ray ...... 33 Example Shadow Weave Node ...... 98 What You Need to Play ...... 4 Pocket Cave ...... 33 Shrines ...... 98 How to Use This Book in Your Campaign . . 4 Ravage ...... 34 Shrine Appearance ...... 98 Philosophies of Evil ...... 5 Remorseless Charm ...... 34 Detecting a Shrine ...... 98 Tradition/There Is No Evil ...... 5 Scourge of Force ...... 34 Shrine Powers ...... 99 I Am Not Evil ...... 6 Serpent Arrow ...... 34 Example Shrines ...... 99 Evil Curse ...... 6 Shadow Arrow ...... 34 Other evil Sites ...... 104 Seduction ...... 6 Shadow Trap ...... 35 The Caves of Cwuvain ...... 104 Driven to Evil ...... 6 Slime Hurl ...... 35 The Curse of the Just Plain Mean ...... 6 Spellslayer Arrow ...... 35 Demon Claw ...... 106 Natural Born Evil ...... 6 Symphonic Nightmare ...... 35 The Greenstones ...... 107 Mad, I Tell You ...... 7 Tvash-Prull’s Bonefi ddle ...... 36 Hagskull Hill ...... 107 Inherently Evil ...... 7 Undersong ...... 36 The Scarab Chamber ...... 111 Evil Choice ...... 7 Unholy Beast ...... 36 Tomb of Queen No’Ris ...... 111 Better to Rule in Hell Whip of Thorns ...... 36 The Wizard’s Way ...... 112 than Serve in Heaven ...... 7 Woodwisp Arrow ...... 37 The Ends Justify the Means ...... 7 Epic Spells ...... 37 Chapter 6: Aumvor’s Fragmented Phylactery ...... 37 Encounters with Evil ...... 113 Chapter 1: Races ...... 8 Aumvor’s Soulshatter ...... 37 The Tone of Your Game ...... 113 Draegloth ...... 8 Bonfi re of Insanity (Ritual) ...... 38 What the Players Want ...... 113 Extaminaar ...... 11 Cataract of Fire ...... 38 Why Run an Evil Game? ...... 114 Krinth ...... 14 Diluvial Torrent ...... 38 Keeping it Fun for Everyone ...... 114 Horrendous Dessication ...... 39 ...... 115 Chapter 2: Tools of Evil ...... 17 Necromantic Singularity ...... 39 Damian Krale ...... 115 Feats ...... 17 Magic Items ...... 40 Qooql ...... 116 Vile Feats ...... 22 Armor Special Abilities ...... 40 Vargo Kent ...... 117 Initiate Feats ...... 23 Specifi c Armor ...... 41 Chazzar Ne ...... 119 Node Magic Feats ...... 25 Weapon Special Abilities ...... 42 Alon ...... 121 New Spells ...... 26 Specifi c Weapons ...... 42 Daren Timbide ...... 121 Assassin Spells ...... 26 Wondrous Items ...... 42 Dorzad ain Vereet, Krinth ...... 122 Bard Spells ...... 26 Major Artifact ...... 43 Horrsin Zespar, Blackguard Spells ...... 26 Extaminaar ...... 123 Cleric Spells ...... 26 Chapter 3: Prestige Classes ...... 44 Leargath, Draegloth ...... 124 Druid Spells ...... 27 Black Blood Cultist ...... 44 Ranger Spells ...... 27 Justice of Weald and Woe ...... 48 Chapter 7: Champions of Evil ...... 125 Sorcerer/Wizard Spells ...... 27 Night Mask Deathbringer ...... 53 Aumvor the Undying ...... 125 Air Breathing ...... 28 Shade Hunter ...... 58 Living Zombie ...... 128 Anathema ...... 28 Thayan Gladiator ...... 63 Eltab ...... 130 Arrowsplit ...... 28 Vengeance Knight ...... 68 Thrall of Eltab ...... 134 Battle Line ...... 28 Sample file Soneillon, Bedevil ...... 29 Chapter 4: Evil Organizations ...... 72 “Queen of Whispers” ...... 135 Bloodfreeze Arrow ...... 29 Cult of the Dragon ...... 72 Dendar the Night Serpent ...... 140 Bloodspear ...... 29 Cults of the Moon ...... 75 Caverns of the Brilliant Energy Arrow ...... 29 The Eldreth Veluuthra ...... 78 Serpent Mother ...... 143 Control Darkness Monks of the Dark Moon ...... 85 Kezef the Chaos Hound ...... 145 and Shadow ...... 29 Sharran Cells ...... 87 The Death Shallows ...... 147 Darkfl ame Arrow ...... 30 The Unworthy of Ilsensine ...... 90 Ityak-Ortheel, the Eater ...... 149 Doublestrike Arrow ...... 30 Zhentarim ...... 92 Bazim-Gorag, Enrage Animals ...... 31 The Firebringer ...... 152 Locate Node ...... 31 Chapter 5: Evil Places ...... 95 Malkizid, the Branded King ...... 155 Love’s Lament ...... 31 Evil Nodes ...... 95 Mantle of the Slime Lord ...... 31 Detecting an Evil Node ...... 95 Mark of the Unfaithful ...... 31 Evil Node Class and Size ...... 96 Necrotic Skull Bomb ...... 32 Evil Node Powers ...... 96 Node Door ...... 32 Mining and Modifi cations ...... 97 Node Genesis ...... 33 Example Evil Node ...... 97 Node Lock ...... 33 Shadow Weave Nodes ...... 98

3 (Mag), Monster Manual II (MM2), : Monsters of Faerûn (Mon), Player’s Guide to Faerûn (PG), Races of Faerûn (Rac), (SK), Unapproachable East (Una), and (Und).

he confl ict between good and evil has occurred How to Use This Book Tthroughout Toril’s history and continues to permeate the day-to-day lives of its people—but in Your Campaign neither good nor evil ever manages to get the upper hand Champions of Ruin provides players and Dungeon Masters for long. ideas, options, and tools for incorporating evil into a campaign. These archetypes tantalize and terrorize: reavers, criminals, It provides new evil races, feats, and magic items. Initiate feats miscreants, antiheroes, pirates, murderers, cultists, seducers, lend fl avor to evil divine spellcasters. Supremely evil, powerful servants of dark gods, villains, and archvillains. Evil compels. villains give the DM a gallery of new foes, patrons, or friends Whether it’s attractive and seductive or depraved and disgusting, Samplefor thefile player characters. The book as a whole offers a wealth of evil stimulates our imaginations and evokes strong responses. material for expanding the role of evil in a FORGOTTEN REALMS What are heroes without great threats—and what if you are campaign. Alternatively, much of the book can be used with one of these threats? What grand schemes can you prepare and minor adjustments in any setting. evil designs can you execute if you’re not hampered by good ideals? Introduction: Why are some people or creatures evil? Here Champions of Ruin offers many opportunities for both players are a number of different philosophies. and Dungeon Masters interested in exploring the darker side of Chapter 1, Races: Three new races are custom-designed for Faerûn. Champions of Ruin. Meet the extaminaar and the krinth, two vicious new races, and, at long last, a player can play a draegloth, What You Need to Play using the monster class information provided here. Chapter 2, The Tools of Evil: More than a dozen new feats, To use this sourcebook, you need the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® more than forty new spells, and a selection of newly unearthed Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster magic items let characters explore their umbral urges. Manual, plus the FORGOTTEN REALMS® . Chapter 3, Prestige Classes: Six new prestige classes are Finally, several books are referenced herein. In many cases, detailed here, along with tips on how to place them into your this reference is in the form of a superscript abbreviation of campaign. the book’s title, which is tacked onto the end of the name of a Chapter 4, Evil Organizations: To join or oppose? The player spell, monster, or some other game element. The books (includ- characters have many opportunities with these organizations. ing some of those mentioned above) and their abbreviations, Each entry includes information on joining the groups as well when applicable, are as follows: Book of Vile Darkness (BV), as the costs and benefi ts of membership. (CW), (Dra), Epic Level Chapter 5, Evil Places: Evil nodes, shadow nodes, shrines, and Handbook (EL), , FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign places of evil power await the brave, desperate, or devious. Setting (FRCS), (LD), Magic of Faerûn

4 INTRODUCTION

Chapter 6, Encounters with Evil: This chapter offers practical If you wish to play an evil character, you might act exactly advice on incorporating evil player characters into a campaign. as you would play a good character, except in reverse. Instead of Chapter 7, Champions of Evil: Learn more about the elder going out to slay the red dragon that has been terrorizing the elf evil of Faerûn. Aumvor the Undying, Dendar the Night Serpent, village, you go out to slay the gold dragon that has been terror- Soneillon the Queen of Whispers, Eltab, and others are detailed izing the village. However, if you are going to interact and in all their gore, glory, and greatness. perhaps adventure with a party of good and neutral characters, you might need to explore your character’s evil nature a little more deeply and try to fi nd out what it is that defi nes the evil Philosophies of Evil alignment you have chosen for him. Evil characters offer a rich diversity of opportunities for roleplay- Various philosophies of evil are briefl y discussed below. Each ing. They can be complex people tormented by failure to live up section provides tips for what sorts of religion each philosophy to good ideals, although some evil characters never bother to follows; examples of organizations, deities, character types, or analyze whether their actions are good or evil. Others believe creatures that embody a particular philosophy; and the align- that the end justifi es the means, and that good can ultimately ment or alignments commonly held by those who practice the come of evil acts; some are opportunists who serve no higher philosophy. purpose than personal advancement. When playing an evil character, some people have a tendency to view evil in black-and-white terms and to assume that the evil Tradition/There Is No Evil character in the party is looking for any opportunity to betray, One potential cause for evil is simply following the norms and rob or murder his companions. This is an extreme viewpoint. standards of your ancestors and society. Evil is defi ned by society, Evil can manifest itself in many ways, not all of them so not by the inherent laws of gods or nature. What might be overt as stabbing the party’s paladin in the back or tossing considered the darkest taboo in one place might be a perfectly victims into the fi ery belly of a brazen idol. While assault and acceptable practice somewhere else. For example, slavery is illegal murder are obvious manifestations of an evil character’s behav- in many parts of Faerûn but is fairly common in Thay, where ior, ruthless selfi shness can often be a more potent expression even a good person might keep a slave or two simply because of evil than the psychotic thief who murders his companions it is a societal norm. In some regions, the use of narcotics and in their sleep. hallucinogenic drugs is strongly discouraged, while in others it is A character can be evil and yet not seem to be evil; he can an integral part of the daily spiritual lives of the people. be evil yet consider himself the epitome of goodness; or his evil Other situations are not so obvious. Sorcery, for example, is might only show itself under certain conditions. A character who forbidden in some regions for no other reason than that the people has contracted lycanthropy, for example, might donate treasure distrust it. Anyone practicing sorcery in such a place might well to widows and orphans, build temples, slay dragons, and help old be called evil by the region’s judges and sheriffs, while just across ladies across the street—but on the night of the full Samplemoon, he the border,file sorcery is an honored profession. In civilized lands, hunts down and slaughters those widows and orphans and feeds violent retribution or revenge is the exclusive domain of the civil the same old ladies to the dragon. Most of the time he is good, or religious authorities. The rule of law is meant to protect the but his curse wipes out all the good that he does. innocent from hasty judgment by a grieving father or angry mob. A naturally good or neutral character might be driven to evil If you are harmed and you lash out in retaliation, your actions through the need to seek revenge, fi nding evil acts an easy way might be seen to be as evil as the crime you are avenging. But to accomplish her goals. Another might stray from righteousness in border regions and lawless areas where a person has to rely on and goodness by using evil means to justify good ends. his own devices, personal acts of revenge are the norm and are Of course, evil can be self-evident. No one is going to ques- considered no more evil than an act of self-defense. Evil can often tion whether the priest of Cyric is really a good guy at heart; be defi ned not by an individual’s acts or personal philosophy, but he isn’t—if he were, Cyric wouldn’t grant him any spells. But by the culture in which he is acting at the time. just because he is evil doesn’t mean he is going to slaughter his Characters might use this philosophy to justify their actions, companions and steal their treasure at the fi rst opportunity. If and they could very well be correct, depending on their individual evil were really that self-destructive, good wouldn’t have nearly circumstances. A half-orc from the Spine of the World or a as hard a time combating it. character from the Underdark might have a much more liberal At the same time, it can be hard to understand what would interpretation of what constitutes evil compared to someone from motivate a person to become evil. It is the rare individual who Silverymoon or Cormyr. admits—much less embraces—being evil, and most people con- In any case, either the player or the DM must assign an sider themselves, if not wholly good, certainly not irredeemably alignment to the character, if for no other reason than the evil. Yet Faerûn is fi lled with irredeemably evil antiheroes, gods fact that alignment plays a in how certain magic and monsters. works—forbiddance spells, or damage reduction that is overcome So what is evil? by a certain kind of aligned weapon, for example. Morally am-

5 INTRODUCTION biguous characters can be assigned the same alignment as their of an evil god. Seduction differs from an evil curse in that the patron deity, if no other solution presents itself. character is not opposed to what is happening to him. He might Religion: Characters holding this philosophy are attracted to not at fi rst even be aware that he is acting in an evil manner, but small regional or cultural religions and cults. when he does realize it, he doesn’t seek to change his ways. Example: Cult of the Dragon. Religions: The character is usually active within an evil Common Alignments: Neutral evil, chaotic evil. religion, since it is most often the religion, or his association with it, that has seduced him. Example: Shar. I Am Not Evil Common Alignments: All. Some people recognize that evil exists in the world, but they do not in any way think of themselves as evil, no matter how depraved their actions might be. The Eldreth Veluuthra (discussed Driven to Evil on page 78 and further detailed in Lords of Darkness) is a perfect A character could be driven to evil in several ways. His life or example of an evil organization that thinks its every action is circumstances might have been so harsh that he had to commit in the service of good. evil acts just to survive. He might be seeking retribution for some A character with this philosophy must still be assigned his unimaginable wrong done to him or those he loved. He might correct alignment, no matter what he thinks of himself, for the be fi ghting fi re with fi re, so to speak, driven to evil just to keep same reasons as characters who believe in the Tradition/There Is a worse evil at bay. No Evil philosophy. Either the player or the DM should assign Unlike the character who doesn’t accept that he is evil, this alignment according to the preponderance of the character’s ac- type of character often doesn’t see himself as truly evil—but he tions. If he occasionally does good things but most often resorts doesn’t deny that what he has done in the past could be taken to evil ends to justify his evil means, he should be given an evil that way. Often, he has some grandiose intention to make up for alignment, no matter what his objections. what he has done; of course, by that time it might be too late Religions: Characters with this philosophy often worship gods for him to change his ways. of good. Religions: Any. This sort of evil is not associated with a Example: Eldreth Veluuthra. particular religion. Common Alignment: Lawful evil. Examples: Many a thieves’ guild is fi lled with these types of characters. Evil Curse Common Alignment: Neutral evil. The character has become evil through some magical agent—a curse from a god, a disease such as lycanthropy, through contact Just Plain Mean with an artifact, or another form of powerful magic.Sample In some The file character is incapable of controlling his violent or anti-social cases, his outlook with respect to law and chaos does not change. impulses. He might be kind, intelligent, and perfectly capable The curse is usually resisted at fi rst, but the longer it is in effect, of completing a task, holding a conversation, and working suc- the more likely it is that the character will give in to the curse’s cessfully at a craft. But when something sets him off, there is evil characteristics. no telling what he’ll do. There is no way of knowing from one Religions: The character might attempt to retain his former day to the next what will ignite his fury; he usually blames his religion, but will gradually gravitate toward a religion that most outbursts on others and doesn’t accept that he has done anything closely matches his alignment or that welcomes him for what wrong, nor does he feel regret or remorse. he is now. Religions: Any. This sort of evil is not associated with a Example: Malar. particular religion. Special: Good paladins and clerics under an evil curse usually Examples: Fighters, thieves, and barbarians. lose their divine abilities. Common Alignment: Chaotic evil. Common Alignments: All. Natural Born Evil Seduction The character has been brought up in a society in which evil is The character has been lured with promises of power, glory, the rule of thumb, and he knows no other way of life. He was wealth, or pleasure into performing evil acts. He is not proud of born on a battlefi eld or in an orc den, learned to deceive almost his actions, but his desire for these rewards outweighs his dislike before he learned to talk, and probably committed his fi rst truly of what he has become. He might even come to accept his evil vile act before he was ten years old. nature and relish it. A character can be magically seduced through powerful enchantment spells or by being awed in the presence

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