Foreword: Jeff Grubb Lead Designer: Scott Gable Designers: Wolfgang Baur, J Gray, Victoria Jaczko, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Sarah Madsen, Andrew Marlowe, Monica Marlowe, Ben McFarland, Kelly Pawlik, Stephen Rowe, David Schwartz, Joshua Stevens, Todd Stewart, James Sutter, Mike Welham Additional Designers: John Bennett, Savannah Broadway, Clay Clouser Developer: Stephen Rowe Additional Developers: Liz Courts, Thilo Graf, Steven Helt Editor: John Rateliff Additional Editors: Tom Benton, Scott Gable, Micheal McArtor Cover Illustrator: Julie Dillon Interior Illustrators: Eric Belisle, Julie Dillon, Carolina Eade, Lizzy John, Domenico Neziti Graphic Designers: Crystal Frasier, Scott Gable Special Thanks to Michael Bauer Tremendous Thanks to the support of our 315 Kickstarter backers for making this all possible. You’re wonderful. Along the Twisting Way and The Faerie Ring are trademarks of Zombie Sky Press. The Faerie Ring: Along the Twisting Way Campaign Guide is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL). Pathfi nder is a registered trademark of Paizo Inc., and the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc., and are used under the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License. See http://paizo.com/pathfi nderRPG/ compatibility for more information on the compatibility license. Compatibility with the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Inc.. See http://paizo.com/pathfi nderRPG for more information on the Pathfi nder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Inc. does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product. Open Content for this product is identified as the new monsters and new magic items, as defi ned in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a. No portion of this work other than material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission. Product Identity for this product is identified as artwork, characters, dialogue, locations, plots, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), storylines, and tradedress. Content on the kitsune from Kobold Quarterly #9 not designated as Open Content is used with the permission of Open Design, LLC. © 2010, 2017 Zombie Sky Press. All rights reserved. www.zombiesky.com ISBN-10: 1-940372-32-1 ISBN-13: 978-1-940372-32-7
table of contents
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FOREWORD VII “A Brief History: The Fey, Faerie, and Fairy Tales” vii PREFACE XI “In Defense of the Fey” xi INTRODUCTION 1 “The Realms of the Fey” 1 FLIBBERTIGIBBET 12 Flibbertigibbet 14 Nibiru 17 Bitterclaws & Others 20 HOB 30 Hob 32 Shambhala 35 Matabiri & Others 38 JASMINE 48 Jasmine 50 Aralu, the Gaol of Always 55 Far Darrig & Others 58 KORAPIRA 68 Korapira 70 The Green Expanse 73 Putti & Others 77 MAB 88 Mab 90 Scáthbaile 94 Goodfellows & Others 97 MANITOU 106 Manitou 108 The Bear Marches 112 Twilight Children & Others 115
MOARO 124 Moaro 126 Zussael 128 Darklings & Others 132 NEMESIS 144 Nemesis 146 Ramnus 149 Norns & Others 152 OLERON 160 Oleron 162 New Pelora 165 Teras & Others 168 RED JACK 176 Red Jack 178 Strangle Grove 181 Kitsune & Others 184 THE WILD HUNT 192 The Wild Hunt 194 Annwn 197 Fir Bolg & Others 200 APPENDIX: BESTIARY 212 Fey Lords 212 NPCs 235 Servitors 265 Artifacts 306 Subtypes 318
reference
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This book refers to several Pathfinder Roleplaying Game products using the following abbreviations. Advanced Class Guide ACG Advanced Player’s Guide APG Advanced Race Guide ARG GameMastery Guide GMG Occult Adventures OA Ultimate Combat UC Ultimate Equipment UE Ultimate Intrigue UI Ultimate Magic UM
(A Brief History) The Fey, Faerie, and Fairy Tales
a foreword
Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame. —William Butler Yeats, “The Land of Heart’s Desire”
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By Jeff Grubb Let’s go back to the earliest years, to before the roll of dice, before the platonic solids, and even before Plato himself. Way back to when the gods were responsible for the lightning and the thunder. The fey were there. They were unseen, spiritual creatures—always present, always lurking at the corners of our vision. They were responsible for effects that did not seem to have causes. They haunted our buildings and dogged our steps. They were always watching . . . and waiting. They went by a plethora of local names and had a bevy of regional habits. Some washed their hats in the blood of their victims. Some knocked the stones deep within the mines. Many would lure the unwary and unwilling to their dooms. Some of them gave their names to other, more tangible, more terrestrial creations—dwarves and elves and kobolds and goblins and gnomes. Ultimately, in those earliest of days, the fey could claim kinship with the Fates themselves, and like the Fates, they could move among mortals, working their deadly and capricious magics. Indeed, Faerie was a place for the fey, much like a nunnery was a place of nuns and a heronry was a place for herons. It was where the fey were when they weren’t here. It was where the fey lived, where they plotted, and where they ruled. And if you happened to find your
way there, well, too bad for you. We called them the Fair Folk and the Little People although their power was not little and their attitudes were often far from fair. They were not worshipped so much as they were propitiated. Bowls of milk and small cakes were left out, not in hopes of reward but as payment, so these spirits would turn their attentions elsewhere and leave those who believed in them in peace. They were little gods, masters of domains that only extended as far as they could reach and for as long as they chose to pay attention. These ancient fey were by turns both noble and mischievous, both superior and stealthy, both wise and capricious. This dualism has remained with them through the ages. Shakespeare presents us both with royal Oberon and Titania and with
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prankish Puck. They had the wisdom of things unseen and the mercurial selfishness to get their way. By the Victorian era, though, the fey diminished, both literarily and physically. This was a time of rings of stones or mushrooms ascribed to the power of these people, and when portrayed (or even photographed), they were small and childish and winged and in no way a threat to the greater world. So they threatened to diminish into nothingness. They became cautionary figures in old folktales and creatures to entertain children. Fairy tales lost their fearsome edge, and the word itself became a hallmark for the childlike and the imaginary. The fey entered the nursery and threatened never to leave. JRR Tolkien sheered the elves clean off from the rest of the fey, hewing more tightly to noble Oberon than to flighty Puck. They were magical and mighty and benign, and their time had come and gone. And they were disappearing themselves. Tolkien, though he hewed the elves from the rest of their fey brethren, also split them into twain as well: there were the wood elves of The Hobbit and the high elves of The Lord of the Rings, which would have repercussions further down the line. Fired by a growing interest in fantasy in the 60s and 70s, Dungeons & Dragons arrived with the central casting of its player character races right out of The Lord of the Rings. Now, elf was different from dwarf, and neither was an ethereal spirit. The dualism between high and low, between the noble elves and the more arboreal versions continued. But the pucks, the fairies, the little people remained diminutive. Griggs, sprigga ns, nixies, pixies, leprechauns, quicklings, dryads, and all manner of other regional folktales
The Faerie Ring were now catalogued and defined—and always in their smallest and most benign forms. They filled slots and environments, but they were always more cute than dangerous, more irritating than perilous. Having already been romanticized, the little people were now in danger of being quantified and demystified entirely. And that changes here. The dark side of the fey—including the sídhe and the courts Seelie and Unseelie—has always remained as a shadow cast by the encouraged brightness of the fey. They have always been wonderful and awful in the traditional meaning of those words—brimming with wonder and power, invoking awe in those who encounter them (and survive). With this volume of fey lords and fey lands, the old straight paths are brought back up to the surface, and the deadly nature of the fairies and their rulers is made clear. But indeed, where do the fey rule? The old Celtic tales tell of sunken kingdoms and realms beneath the barrows, but in the catalogued world of Dungeons & Dragons, where would a truly fairy tale kingdom belong? The organization of the Great Wheel of the Outer Planes had a large number of advantages, but it also had the disadvantage that it would be difficult to add anything to it once it was in place. Yes, there was an outer plane of Arborea, but the elven gods of Arvandor were time-sharing with the Greek gods of Olympus, and besides, its placement made it more Good than Chaotic. It was a place of gods and faithful petitioners, more solemn and less deadly, perhaps, than the roads that the fey walked. So that left the demiplanes—small chunks of unreality, bits of extraplanar real estate where a particular fey lord could manage some small kingdom. A more fitting place for their wild craziness, but again, the fey face the threat of being diminished, confined to a lesser location in the greater scheme of things. Yet in the Faerie Ring, we look at the fey and their worlds in a different fashion. Now, those old demiplanes are knitted together into a new fabric. Here are Hob, Manitou, and Red Jack, and the lands of Purgatory, the Eternal Twilight, and Shambala. Here are empires worthy of the fey lords. More than mortals but not quite gods, unfettered by mortal morals, the fey lords
rule their lands utterly and often cruelly. And it breaks the shackles of European visions of the fey, for these spirits have been world-wide in our mythologies, and they come from all corners of their lands to seek proper respect and propitiation. The kindly ones are back, and they are far from kindly. The wee folk have returned, and they are not as wee as centuries of propaganda would have you believe. They are as dangerous a group of lords and ladies as you would ever care to encounter, and they control their lands. Woe to any mortal who crosses them without their permission. But of course, you have that chance. Go right in. I won’t stop you.
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(In Defense of the Fey)
a preface
[E]very time a child says, “I don’t believe in fairies,” there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead. —JM Barrie, Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up
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By Scott Gable We’ve never really had an overabundance of gaming material for the fey. Of course, there have been a few standout pieces here and there, but they seem so few, especially when compared to the quantities available for the various humanoid races and outsiders. Why should this be the case? At my table, for instance, players and GMs alike would have eaten up more fey. So was planted the seed for the Faerie Ring. But how to start? So many questions arise . . . What are the fey? In flavor and crunch, what are they? How do they fit with everything else? Where do they live? What do they do when they’re not tormenting adventurers? Why do they torment adventurers? What is their story? The fey must have a story just as anyone else does. What is their history? Where have they been, and where are they going? Who are the important personalities of the fey? How do they relate with the rest of the multiverse? Where are the others? Most of our fey are currently built from a very select portion of folklore and mythology—primarily European, largely Celtic and Germanic. This is great material, but what about other sources of inspiration? Well then. Done and done. Easy peasy. Time to see what might be. Dragons are dandy, and fiends are fine; but fey are feisty, ferocious, finicky, flighty, flirtacious,
fractious, frenetic, frightful, furtive, and fussy—all at the same blessed time.
GROWING A FAERIE RING
The plan was clear: somehow, make the fey awesome. How to attempt that? What were the fey to us? Define the Fey: In defining the fey, we actually expand our options. A presumed definition for fey might currently be “those little tricksters from folklore.” Unfortunately, there’s little room to expand beyond that. If given a more precise definition, it should actually be easier to create new paths for the fey—not excluding what came before but building upon it. First and foremost, it’s important to acknowledge that the fey are different. They don’t think the same way as we do. Theirs is not always a morality that we can understand. They are more than the chaotic tricksters of legend. They are complicated. A lawful fey should be just as valid as a chaotic one. There is just as much variety in their personalities from individual to individual as there is in humans—perhaps more. Some are utterly alien to us. Odd as it may sound, the fey share more with the cosmic horror of HP Lovecraft, in some ways, than the majority of evil outsiders. The outsiders of the game are defined by ideals: idealized Good and Evil, Chaos and Law. The fey are not, instead typically being viewed as completely amoral creatures. Lovecraft’s horror was always about our insignificance in the face of uncaring, alien intelligence. That sounds kind of feylike to me. Well, it’s time to unleash that overwhelming, amoral tide of fey! Broaden the Fey: The term fairy may have come from Western Europe, but that doesn’t mean that other cultures don’t have equivalent notions. Call them fairies, spirits, yokai, peri; they’re all over the place. And it only makes sense that all of these fey interact with one another. A given humanoid culture may only know of a handful of fey, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there. Just because a farmer has only seen a leprechaun doesn’t mean a kitsune is any less real. You can see this in such works as Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, in which all myths can be connected (whether fey or not): Bast (let’s say an outsider or god) freely interacted with Titania (a fey sovereign), for
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instance. It wasn’t as if any one culture’s ideas had any more sway over another’s. Give Them a Story: Just making the fey have more monster entries, though, isn’t going to make them more compelling. For that, you need to tell a story. You need to paint a history as if these personalities have always been there. You need to introduce conflict, give them a reason to exist. You need to tie them together, so they have a framework in which to live and breathe. The accounts of Lafcadio Hearn, the folktales about Baba Yaga, the stories of the Brothers Grimm: this is how a mythos is built. It’s time for the fey. This is our “Feynomicon.”
USING THE FAERIE RING
The Faerie Ring is many things, mixing and building a new, detailed world of the fey. We begin the journey here, in the Along the Twisting Way Campaign Guide, building initially around the strongest personalities of the faerie realms, developing a new mythology with new fey options. Campaign Guide: At its core, this is a sourcebook or even a mini-setting. What’s a mini-setting? In this case, that’s a section of a larger setting. An expansive and developing “cog” that you can slide seamlessly into place in your current favorite setting, providing new, rich forays to the lands of the fey. It’s a corner of your greater world devoted to the fey that you can pull from whenever you desire: a growing world that can be tied into your own game, complete with new rules, NPCs, plot seeds, monsters, and more. Player’s and Magic Guides: There are other books as well, such as the Along the Twisting Way Player’s Guide and the Along the Twisting Way Magic Guide, to expand with playable races and other character options—all centered on the fey. Fiction: There is even an anthology, By Faerie Light (published by Broken Eye Books), of short stories inspired by the Faerie Ring. And if you’re feeling like something truly different, as the Faerie Ring expands, you could adventure entirely within its boundaries. Ready for the fey? They’re ready for you.
(The Realms of the Fey)
an introduction
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve: Lovers, to bed; ’tis almost fairy time. —William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (V.i)
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Perhaps, the best place to start would be discussing the basics of this cosmos in which we must all share space. Let me build you a map . . .
COSMOLOGY
The Outer Planes: Looking at the typical model of the multiverse, we see the Outer Planes forming its outermost sphere. These planes are held to be the domain of the gods, of morality, and of final reward and retribution. And they are of so very little use to the fey. If they were smart, humanity would take the same lesson. The Inner Planes: Just inside the Outer Planes are the Inner Planes. These are the very foundations of the Material Plane, the raw material from which everything else is forged. This is matter and energy churning to a cosmic tune in service of all things material—the bones and blood, if you will, of the Material Plane. In this fey’s opinion, these planes are not terribly welcoming . . . or interesting, for that matter. Let us pass on. The Material Plane: Arguably, the heart of the multiverse. The Material Plane is commonly accepted as the center of everything, and it is where you call home. This all seems simple enough, but it gets complicated very quickly when you consider that there is more
to the Material Plane than simply your own world. Countless stars swarm the plane, and about each twirls a multitude of worlds. Beyond that, speculation by many a reliable source says there are alternate versions of your world and all those other worlds, continuously forking their way through time and space. Without the Material Plane, the Inner Planes would have no purpose. Without it, the high-and-mighty Outer Planes would have no future, starving from a lack of belief, a lack of souls to feed them. But above all, the Material Plane is a terrific source of amusement, and I can think of no greater purpose for its existence. I could go on and on, telling you things of this, your own plane of existence, that would shake you to the very core and melt your mind like wax. But such is not our object just now. Later, perhaps. Transitive and the Preternatural Planes: Finally, we come to the point of our little tale. Largely misunderstood and oft ignored, the Transitive and Preternatural Planes are the playground of the fey. In fact, they are often collectively known as the Realms of the Fey. That’s not to say that the Material Plane isn’t important to the fey, but really, you live there already, and you hardly need me to provide a map to your own backyard.
THE TRANSITIVE PLANES
The Transitive Planes are the Astral, Ethereal, and Shadow Planes. A convenient grouping of planes based entirely on the humanoid fascination with the concept of utility,, for these planes are known—and named— for their usefulness in travel, both within the Material Plane and beyond it. Those more interested in essence than utility would label these as part of the Preternatural Planes, viewing the Transitive Planes as simply highly specialized specimens on the spectrum that is the wide variety of Preternatural Planes. After all, many of the Preternatural Planes are just as accessible to travel as the Transitive: Dream itself comes immediately to mind. The more traditionally minded, while perhaps aware of these facts, keep the Transitive Planes separate as their own distinct category, recognizing that
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these three planes have unusual characteristics that set them apart. But really, what plane doesn’t? To be clear, from here on when I refer to Preternatural Planes, that includes the Transitive Planes. Perhaps, it’s the perceived lack of utility in the other Preternatural Planes that have led to their obscurity to mortals. We fey know better.
THE PRETERNATURAL PLANES
Ah, the Preternatural Planes. A vast array of planes— countless in number and constantly changing— sharing a complex relationship with the Material Plane. The Preternatural Planes are inextricably linked to the Material Plane, existing on its very edges and orbiting like moons.
The Faerie Ring
Dea r Titus,
Origin all y, I ha d no int en tion of re spondi ng to you r quer y, let alone honorin g you r re quest. Ther e is ce rta in ly li ttle love be twe en the fe y—my br eth re n—and humanity. And, re all y, what woul d it accomplish? Nee dl ess to say, I’ve ha d a ch ange of he ar t. I ha ve come to appreciate th at sha rin g my knowle dge and in sight with you might go far. Not in the usel ess notion th at you ha rbor of br in gin g our pe oples toge the r, but in in st il li ng the prop er re spe ct—and pe rha ps eve n a li ttle fe ar—for us. Humanity knows so ve ry li ttle, after all. I be li eve the y ne ed a glimpse of wh at is out the re in order to be tter appreciate the ir own in signi fica nce. More sel fishly, I am limited by the scourge of time —th ough pe rha ps not as much as you. The fe y ar e so sca tter ed and di ve rse th at eve n be in g one of the ir own, I coul d not hop e to ca ta logue the m all in one li fe time. Toge the r, pe rha ps we ca n le ar n a bit more about the fe y. So wh er e to be gin? Per ha ps by layin g the founda tions . . .
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—Zhe ddo the Bluetongue, Most Knowle dge able Sage-in-Exil e of the Darkl in g Domin ance
Sheathing the Material Plane, they dance around it in complex patterns, each plane’s cycle as unique as the plane itself. At one extreme is the Astral Plane, stubborn and still, content to fill its given role and never budge its course. Others go so far as to periodically overlap and coexist with the Material Plane. And just as the analogous moons, the planes are constantly waxing and waning in relation to the Material Plane, advancing and receding in their influence. Were the Preternatural Planes around from the beginning, born from the same events that shaped the Material Plane—sibling planes, if you will? Or were the Preternatural Planes created one by one, well after
the Material Plane was spawned and in response to key triggers, spontaneously erupting from the Material Plane itself? As a whole, it’s unclear. However, some number of the Preternatural Planes have arisen in recorded history, seemingly created from nothing. Others have been annihilated, every trace of their existence obliterated. A pity that our information on both processes, and what triggers them, is woefully incomplete. Some of the more daring scholars have even suggested that the Material Plane as we know it is only one Material Plane of many—the current one. According to this line of thought, eventually one of the
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Preternatural Planes will take the Material Plane’s place as the dominant regime while the current Material Plane falls into succession as the newest Preternatural Plane—just as had befallen its predecessor—in an eternal cycle. Perhaps one of the fey’s worlds will one day take over the realms currently dominated by your people. A delightful prospect, is it not? Whatever the case, the Preternatural Planes, with the exception of the Astral Plane, are entangled so closely with the Material Plane that they often behave as a single, highly complex plane. Perhaps the Preternatural Planes are simply layers in a vaster Material Plane within which what we now call the Material Plane is but the dominant layer—for now, anyway. For the most part, the Preternatural Planes (or Preternatural Realms) are reasonably similar to the Material Plane, sharing many qualities but for a significant emphasis on some force or characteristic.
The Shadow Plane, for instance, resembles a Material Plane engulfed and twisted by shadow. Planar traits can vary widely, of course, and some Preternatural Planes are so bizarrely idiosyncratic that they seem baffling and unsettling to those from more “normal” realms. Scholars busily try to make sense of it all, of course, using science and magic to seek patterns to the mysteries, plotting the vastness of unlimited realities on complex maps and in intricate orreries that seek to mirror reality itself. Some secrets, however, may not be coaxed away from the selfish planes so easily, and it can be perilous to pry. A few of the Preternatural Planes follow. Aralu (or Gaol of Always): The endless subterranean labyrinths of Aralu serve as a terrible, secret prison for the fey. No one admits to knowing its origins although, of course, one hears rumors. I’m told the chambered caverns seem to extend to forever, no one knowing just
Design Notes: The Preternatural Planes
Why is there a need for the Preternatural Planes? There’s a twofold answer to this question as to why the Preternatural Planes should be deemed important enough a concept to develop. The first reason is generic in scope. It’s nice to think that there’s a place somewhere in the multiverse that is a suitable fit for any kind of story. That, no matter what kind of tale you want to tell in your games, there’s a place for it within the rules system. For instance, what about an insanely massive jungle with miles-high trees, no sight of land or sky, and cultures that rise and fall without ever leaving its branches? You could try to shoehorn such a realm in somewhere—perhaps a new continent? But then you may be concerned about how that would affect the rest of your world. Perhaps as an outer plane? But suddenly you’re faced with a question of good and evil or order and chaos that you may not have wanted. Perhaps a demiplane somewhere? But that may feel tacked on. The Preternatural Planes were created to provide a place for a type of adventure that may be hard to place otherwise. Likewise, concepts for planes of dreams and mirror worlds and similarly irregular locales never seem to find a solid place to sit in the multiverse. The Preternatural Planes enable you to include these places in a way that feels more natural to your cosmology. The second reason is more about the fey, specifically. They just never seem to have had a place to call their own. Where are the “Otherworlds” and “Underworlds” of fairy tale? The idea of Preternatural Planes provides a place to have adventures that don’t fit comfortably anywhere else, and it provides a home for the fey. This is a purely optional element that is not required to enjoy and utilize the other elements in this book.
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The Faerie Ring how far or the number of prisoners held within. Many of the inhabitants are artifacts of forgotten ages. What secrets they must hold. Dream (or Dreamtime, Dreamlands, Plane of Dreams): A meandering but pervasive realm of dreams and nightmares, this plane connects all those entities with the capacity for dream. A constantly changing realm, whose natives flit along, following the currents of dream. The Eternal Twilight: When many speak of the “Faerie Realms” or some similar appellation, the Eternal Twilight is what they truly mean. Considered by most of my people to be the heart of the fey, its idyllic lands of gorgeous, untouched wilds call fey to its embrace like nothing else. As its name suggests, the plane is eternally sheathed in the spectrum of muted shades that make up dusk and dawn. In one way or another connecting to more Preternatural Planes than any other plane, the Twilight serves as an important crossroads. Because of this, the fey deem it the center of their world. A massive continent at its center known as the Embassy serves as neutral ground where the various courts meet, whether in grievance or revelry, in accord with ancient treaties. Those lands peripheral to the Embassy are claimed by various of the more powerful fey lords and are anything but neutral ground, being typically strongly contested. Forever Sea (or Isles of the Blessed): A sea not of water but of sky. A vast multitude of islands, each teeming with its own rich and seemingly unique ecosystem, f loat in the wind. They cluster into archipelagos and drift in the complex airstreams. Glassway: Made up entirely of seemingly living crystal and glass, this plane is among the strangest of the Preternatural Planes with truly alien vistas. And, perhaps, the most beautiful I’ve ever visited. Here, living glass trees cover crystalline mountain ranges as the refracting light permeates the whole realm in a dazzling cascade of color. An eerie and dangerous intelligence—slow, deep, and deliberate—seems to pervade the land. Green Expanse: The greatest of all forests. Korapira has planted her roots here, utilizing her demesne, the
Heartwood, to broaden this plane’s reach and connect to all forests everywhere. Imperceptible to most, the influence of the Green Expanse is slowly driving all the remaining wild lands throughout the multiverse to reclaim those lands stolen by civilization. Nowhere (or Plane of the Lost): Where do lost things go? Nowhere. All of the things ever lost can be found in Nowhere. And once things find their way to Nowhere, they typically stay. This junkyard realm is not an easy place to leave, for Mahu is the door, and he jealously guards what he considers his—which includes anything and everything within Nowhere. It is not just objects, though; creatures are caught within its borders as well, giving rise to odd ecologies as creatures of random races are forced to make do within the vast fields of junk. Purgatory: A plane of lost souls, and not at all a pleasant place. To many, Purgatory is thought inseparable from Sheol (see below), the latter existing as the Shores of Purgatory. In truth, Purgatory is a kind of soul trap and exists in an almost parasitic relationship with Sheol. Those souls that enter Purgatory (or are consumed by it, as some say) are trapped there, prevented from reaching the Outer Planes to finish out their journey. While there, they continue to behave as if still alive. This has led to the development of a unique culture, a hodgepodge of all the various cultures to which those trapped souls once belonged. The plane’s most noted feature is the enormously vast necropolis of Perdition. Here, the resident lost souls are lorded over by mysterious fey, the so-called angels of death. Are they jailers—or are they prisoners, too? All the plane’s inhabitants cling to mythical claims of a path out of Perdition but continue in their unending unlife as its citizens. Sea of Rahab: As if entrapping the darkest and most terrible depths of the sea, the Sea of Rahab is a watery nightmare created during the fall and rebirth of the Chaosbringer, Rahab. Forever, she occupies her throne within, choreographing the chaos. Of late, her twisted children stir more than usual and are beginning to cast their gaze beyond the borders to which they had grown accustomed. Sheol: The front door of death, a brief rest for the
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recently deceased before they move on. Call it a staging area for the afterlife, if you will. This is death in its purest state, free of punishment or reward. Many souls stay only very briefly, some longer—waiting for another to join them, trying to complete some unfinished business, vainly hoping for resuscitation. It’s unclear what decides one’s readiness to move on; perhaps merely accepting the inevitable. Some never do, instead eking out a monotonous unlife in the shadowed wastes, a pale attempt at recreating a life once lived but now never to return. Such deniers risk being drawn into Purgatory every day they malinger, but without the desire to move on or the ability to reclaim the living world, there is little else. A few manage to claw their way back to the Material Plane to haunt the living. The Wasteland: On the surface, the Wasteland is a blasted land supporting nothing. Constant giant hurricanes ravage back and forth across its cracked, parched earth, pockmarked with craters and scoured by wind. Beneath the surface, though, those who insist on surviving here have secured themselves. And these Hidden People more than survive; they flourish in vast underground cities.
THE FEY Most cultures easily recite stories of the fey. From region to region, the tales vary greatly but always portray these creatures in the most colorful ways. On the surface, the accounts seem little more than entertainment and whimsy with perhaps a moral interjected here and there. Concrete details are scarce and, more often than not, so contradictory or ridiculous as to be easily dismissed. However, those most intent on their study eventually realize that the fey are more diverse and complicated than ever imagined. For every truth you try to pin on the fey, there is an exception—not so unlike you humanoids.
ORIGINS
The fey are tied inextricably to the Material and Preternatural Planes—one presumes, even, they emerged from the same churning vastness, the same sea of primordial chaos and cosmic order, from which
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these very planes arose. Many of the fey’s own myths recount this creation as an intentional act performed by the planes. These tales paint the fey as the eyes, the fingers, and the fists of the planes. It should be noted here that their personification of the planes is typically as an amoral and uncaring juggernaut, not the vague benevolence held by many humanoid cultures. Other myths hold that the fey are merely by-products in the incessant process of change these planes go through. In this view, sloughed-off planar debris from the earliest of times gained sentience as the first fey, who proceeded to carve out a life for themselves as freewilled entities. It had been all too easy to discount these myths as fancy, but our recent understanding of the sovereigns forces us to reconsider every shred of these myths.
PHILOSOPHY
Frequently, the fey are mashed into just a handful of archetypes, ranging from the stalwart defender of nature to the psychotic child-thief. Certainly, these traits exist in the fey, just as they do in the humanoid races, but it’s just not that easy. Nothing related with the fey is ever easy. I will repeat: we fey are much more varied and complex than such simple portraits would suggest. Hells, any given fey has likely acted out both those extreme personas at multiple points in their long life, along with a million other personas. There are only two generalizations I will admit to regarding my people. The first is that we do not think in the same ways you humanoids generally do. By your standards, the fey are completely amoral and alien. We may follow a code of conduct within our own cultures, but any basis we have for right and wrong exists entirely outside of the frame of reference of most humanoids. Typically, we fey view you in the same ways that you view animals. Even those fey that favor humanoids likely view you as little more than favorite pets. Present company excluded, of course. The second generalization is that the fey are very individualistic. That is not to say that we are the completely random and reclusive creatures as so often portrayed. Quite a few of us, in fact, belong to strongly
The Faerie Ring disciplined cultures and rigid social hierarchies. And, very much like your folk, we have beliefs and opinions that are not identical to others of our race. We make choices. We do not necessarily share the same philosophical and moral underpinnings. You never know what you’re going to get with any given fey. That’s what makes my people so very interesting . . . and so very dangerous. The fey are never simple. I can say without pride but as simple fact that we are among the most complex entities in existence.
HABITAT & SOCIETY
The sheer variety of fey makes it impossible to effectively generalize. Fey live in countless habitats and are at home anywhere in the Material and Preternatural Planes. Of course, there are exceptions in that some fey have an incredibly strong tie to a single plane. The mogwoi, for example, share an extremely strong connection with the Material Plane. Attuned to the plane, they—and those others tied to their respective planes—possess a level of kinship with their homeland greater than most fey. Some say they are merely extensions of the plane itself, a guess that may come closer to the truth than generally believed. Social structures of the fey, too, see incredible diversity and cover all of the possible social structures seen in the humanoid cultures. Many fey follow paths wholly different from yours and exhibit behavior that would come across as strange and even shocking in a mere humanoid . . . sorry; I mean, in a humanoid such as yourself.
ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Fey typically exhibit forms and features similar to those of natural creatures, whether humanoid, animal, or plant. Often, these characteristics mix in individuals in what, to you, must seem strange indeed, creating beastly or plantlike mosaics of life. Though tantalizingly similar in ways to what you know, they unsettle your sensibilities all the more for their juxtaposition to your expectations. Physiologically, most fey are very similar to the natural forms you’re used to: they eat, sleep, breathe, breed, and exhibit many other hallmark
features of the natural world. Of course, again, these are merely generalizations; there exist many exceptions. For instance, most fey are what I believe you call “sexually dimorphic” and breed sexually, yet certain fey reproduce asexually. Of course, this is common in some of the simpler creatures of nature, but among humanoids, it’s unheard of—not so for the fey. After the occasional difference in appearance, there also looms the fey’s propensity for astounding supernatural powers as a most notable difference between fey and “natural” creatures. Where do these powers come from? Prevailing theories suggest our very nature simply makes us more capable of tuning into the warp and weft of reality, the planes themselves, in order to perform miraculous feats of magic. We are nothing less than conduits for the power of the planes. Finally, we should not overlook the odd phenomenon of fey adoption. Though normally not capable of such feats, natural creatures occasionally rise to a similar state of being, achieving wondrous ability. And, in so doing, they become fey.
VARIETY
Various subtypes, or families, of fey exist, some of which are explored further within the chapters of this volume. Others will be explored in future volumes. Just a few of those existing are listed below. Changeling: Changelings were once something else, such as humanoid, or came from mixed parents. Twilight children are the best known of changelings. Devata: A devata is a unique fey that has taken on the role of spirit guardian. They are typically individuals from any given race that have been chosen for—or tricked into—this esteemed role; however, some races, such as the lokapala, have given themselves entirely to this devotion. Dream/Nightmare: The dream and nightmare fey are a unique, dichotomous family that calls the Dreamlands home. They flit through the multiverse, traveling the dreams of sentient creatures. Fata: The fata fey each possess an uncanny ability to see through time and space—foretelling possible futures, recounting distant pasts, viewing other worlds. Norns, furies, and twisted Decade number among then.
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Geist: We fey can be a tenacious lot, and even death may not stop us. Rather than dying, some instead transform into another state, called a geist, in which they avoid—or postpone—their natural death. This can be a natural progression for certain fey races, a unique occurrence for a specific individual, or a forced, artificial process (as with Red Jack’s ghost foxes). Geists often form strong ties to certain creatures, objects, locales, or even concepts. (Technically, geists can form from any intelligent creature with a soul, but the fey seem especially attuned to the process.) Gloom: A gloom is a fey that never should have been. These twisted horrors are remnants of tragic accidents and horrible experiments. Gnomekin (Elemental): Elemental fey are a family that has, in addition to their ties to the Material and Preternatural Planes, a link to one or more of the Inner Planes. There are few elemental fey left, for a great war ravaged their kind in which the salamanders violently renounced their ties to the fey realms, destroying the ancient gnomes in the process. The sylphs and undines remain, but only as a pale shadow of their former glories. Despite the tragedy of their past, with the destruction of the ancient gnomes, gnomekin—such as far darrig, black hats, redcaps, and cluracan to name a few—have become quite prolific. Lost: The lost fey are a sad case indeed, one which we don’t like to talk about. These fey technically no longer exist, having been destroyed or in some other way lost and forgotten. But that doesn’t stop them from influencing the multiverse and, on occasion, even appearing briefly as vagrants in time. The ancient gnomes are typically the first of the lost that spring to mind. Mogwoi: The mogwoi are an ancient family, perhaps the oldest among the fey. While many fey have a connection specifically to the Material Plane, the mogwoi’s link is more profound: they actually grow more and more dependent on the plane as they get older. Mogwoi exist on the Material Plane in remote regions, typically, away from prying eyes. The oldest are unable to leave the Material Plane—even for the Preternatural Planes. These effects are less insistent for
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younger mogwoi. Peri: The peri are a family of fey that, in addition to its ties to the Material and Preternatural Planes, has a link to one or more of the Outer Planes. This may be through heritage, such as with the nephilim, or through some other process, such as those “fallen angels” the Grigori and the Hagfish. Sídhe: The sídhe have taken a darker path than most. Their influence, typically unwanted, has reached far. Yokai: The yokai are fey that have an especially strong association with nature—to the plants and animals, to the elements, to their environment, to each other.
HIERARCHY All fey exist within a natural hierarchy of power. Certainly, there is always power to be earned or taken, with kings, dictators, and tribal elders willing to step forward to take it. Some power, however, is not so easily gained. This power comes from the blood, from the land, from the vagaries of fate. And it always chooses its own vessel.
SOVEREIGN
Sovereigns are the natural lords of the fey. These entities possess incredible power that they wield at their whim. They are not promoted from lesser fey but born directly from the very fabric of the Material and Preternatural Planes. Bits of extraneous reality periodically slough off from the planes, and just as in our most ancient fey creation myths, on rare occasions some of these bits take on a sentience of their own, becoming fey sovereigns. This process can be very violent: Korapira’s birth left behind an enormous crater, though this particular sovereign birth is thought to have been exceptionally destructive. Each sovereign is believed to come into being in a different way: whether a devastating explosion, a fire from the sky, a virgin birth, a coalescing of shadows, or any other number of ways. However they come into being, sovereigns are fully grown from birth, or achieve that state with extraordinary rapidity. All of their great innate power is there at their fingertips (for those who have
The Faerie Ring fingertips) right from the beginning although they are not always fully capable of controlling it at first. Sovereign births are quite rare with Korapira’s being the only one recorded with any certainty within the last 1,000 years or so—perhaps within the last 10,000 years. It is also the only one to have been observed at the time (though most of the observers perished) or to have been documented with conclusive, extant validation in non-fey races’ annals, the origins of other sovereigns being largely shrouded in myth. Most sovereigns are extremely old and many, including all the mogwoi lords, predate the advent of the humanoid races on the Material Plane. Luckily, my people have been around quite a bit longer than yours, so we have been able to obtain a good deal of information on our sovereigns that would otherwise be lost. These entities are elusive and dangerous, seemingly inscrutable and very, very powerful. It is always wise to remember that even we do not know everything about them. Some see the sovereigns as embodiments of various principles of nature. This may be true; I really cannot say. Although it seems a bit simplistic, so it must be wrong since we fey are never simple. But even if it’s true, I pity the soul that thinks this knowledge will grant them any power over a sovereign. Demesne: Sovereigns possess a connection with their demesnes from birth. These demiplanes are an extension of themselves: sovereigns are either born in the demesne’s tender grasp or immediately hear its call and seek it out. Their demesne is specifically linked to them. It is theirs. Its traits and landscape are completely controlled and alterable by the sovereign, slowly molding and remolding in tune to each sovereign’s subconsciousness over the course of a lifetime or rapidly shift ing in response to conscious manipulation. Sovereigns can travel back and forth from their demesnes at will and seemingly even draw power from them when needed. Each demesne can exist either as a pocket dimension (a demiplane with attributes according solely to its sovereign’s whim) or superimposed over part of another plane, again at
the sovereign’s whim. For most sovereigns, this latter method is typically only possible with the Material and Preternatural Planes serving as host planes although certain lords have been known to travel the multiverse, latching onto whatever plane is available. When superimposed, the host plane is pushed from the demesne’s insertion point to its periphery, possibly creating an incongruous seam. Kept too long like this, the demesne risks becoming a permanent addition to the host plane: Manitou’s abdicated lands, for instance, have long since “taken root.” Mogwoi sovereigns are alone in possessing no true demesnes. However, they can form permanent links with portions of the Material Plane; such a territory acts as a surrogate demesne and, indeed, is typically called their demesne. These mogwoi territories are typically remote and dangerous. Though not as malleable as the true demesnes of other sovereigns, they still respond and lend
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their power to their mogwoi lords in a limited capacity. Should a sovereign be permanently destroyed, his or her demesne collapses if a demiplane. However, those demesnes that have bonded to another plane—and, of course, mogwoi territories—remain but become twisted and warped. Servitors and emissaries and other favored creatures of a sovereign typically have free passage into and out of that sovereign’s demesne. Others, however, may have more trouble. Servitors: One of a sovereign’s earliest actions is typically to create servitors, something they seem almost compelled to do. Sometimes these creations are individuals, sometimes entire races, but always fey. Each servitor begins life as an autonomous entity although it may choose or be forced into servitude soon after. No matter the circumstances, all share a spiritual link to the sovereign that created them. What
this means for a particular servitor is a personal matter. Sovereigns typically perform this spectacular act of creation only once, for it takes much time and expends much of their initial essence. Servitors tend to take on certain aspects of their sovereign. Raised and bred to serve the sovereign’s needs—whether out of respect, fear, or force—ultimately (barring special circumstances), they are nonetheless free-willed and make their own decisions. Rogue servitors are usually unwelcome—and often enemies—in the lands of their former sovereign and their own kind. Though sovereigns may also command other creatures, they typically do not share the same connection with them as with servitors. Mechanically, being a servitor of a particular sovereign allows a creature access to certain abilities and feats associated with that sovereign. It is similar to the connection that clerics have with their gods.
Dissecting the Fey
The various fey lords are analogous to the various lords of the outer planes. Just as demons and devils and angels have their own lords, those incredibly powerful entities whose reach threatens the gods themselves, so too the fey. The fey lords play the same “ecological” role as any lord of the outer planes. The differences are largely the same as the differences between fey and demon, or fey and angel, or fey and any other outsider. The biggest differences can be summed up by what the base creatures represent: demons represent Evil and Chaos, angels represent Good, fey do not “represent” anything but themselves. The fey are representations of neither Good nor Evil, Chaos nor Law, though any given individual fey may be good or evil, chaotic or lawful. Not to put too fine a point on it, we fey are a great gray morass of morality and ethics. And any given individual fey may espouse different beliefs and motivations at different points in his or her life—or even at different points in the week. The hallmark of the fey, if such a thing exists, is complexity. We are unpredictable. But this is not the same as being chaotic, as is often presumed. Some fey have strict codes of honor or lead regimented or courtly lives that favor a more lawful bent (sometimes known as the “iron silk,” those unwritten laws of courtly custom and etiquette to which all courtiers adhere). But even those lawful fey have a certain unpredictability about them—a certain feyness. Simply, fey sometimes don’t do what others (especially non-fey) expect. It doesn’t change what they are; in truth, this is what they are. Fey do good things for bad reasons and bad things for good reasons. They are complicated and composed of a million, billion contradictions and motivations. In many ways, we fey are very much like the humanoids. Perhaps “more humanoid than the humanoids” would be an apt description.
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The Faerie Ring Many of the playable fey races are servitors to various sovereigns. Emissary: Emissaries are powerful servants of the sovereigns. They can be created, like servitors; transformed from lesser creatures, like the Hagfish of Rahab; or be the sovereign’s own offspring, like Puck. Most emissaries serve their sovereign of their own volition although some may have been pressed into service (details are usually unknown to all but the sovereign and emissary involved). They are a sovereign’s right hand, functioning as inspiring lieutenants, trusted advisors, and wily ambassadors. Mechanically, each emissary is a unique individual capable of channeling a portion of the sovereign’s power for their own use. It is similar to the connection of a servitor to its sovereign but much stronger. It is not unknown for high-level adventurers to be granted emissary status by various sovereigns as a boon for extraordinary services rendered. Quiddity: Sovereigns are born in a seemingly random fashion, apparently directed by the planes themselves. Sometimes, though, through incredible circumstances— powerful and ancient magics, reality-shift ing cataclysms, intense emotion—similar entities known as quiddities arise (sometimes known as artificial sovereigns or accidental sovereigns). Quiddities, unlike true sovereigns, are always created from a previous creature—which is almost always fey. Unlike sovereigns, they do not control demesnes or create servitors of their own, though they may still take lands and command armies as any normal creature. Despite this lack of some defining qualities of sovereigns, quiddities are still always extremely powerful. The birth of a quiddity typically entails either intense and painful emotion or tremendous violence, and
the lives of quiddities usually follow similar patterns. Born of tragedy, they tend to burn ferociously bright, even brighter than sovereigns over short periods, and they heavily impact those along their trajectory. But they often flare out just as fast and bright, as one fey poet put it, “once they’ve said their piece.” It’s thought they’re impossibly focused and driven by something— greed, love, vengeance—and that this is the only thing keeping them going. Once it’s gone, once their love is requited or their vengeance slaked or whatever purpose created them is served, they are fi nally released to oblivion. Or so the story goes. If you remember that there has only been one sovereign born in the last millennium, it might prove enlightening to know that there have been seven known quiddities born in the last century alone. For some reason, this number seems to steadily climb through the centuries.
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(Well, that did not . . . ) . . . go as well as I’d hoped.” “So what now?” “Pfft . . . hells if I know.” The mogwoi trinity clustered around the dim candlelight. He knew this particular dimensional bolt hole well, having discovered it so so so long ago. It was ideal for recovery after a collapsed plan, to flee . . . whoever, or just to be alone in this forgotten place. One of his selves threw his hands up in frustration. “Hah hah!” Second laughed, falling backward and gleefully kicking his legs in the air. Third shook his head solemnly before winking and issuing forth a soft snicker, moments before first rejoined. Minutes, days, maybe even years passed as he bantered, quarreled, and laughed with himself, recollecting recent misadventures and those of eons past. This moment away from it all in his place—their place—was special. “Pfft . . . !” All three stuck their tongues out and blew raspberries before taking turns hurling actual pieces of fruit into each others’ mouths. The game was fun, but all games were fun, and really, that was the point of it all, wasn’t it? “Didn’t we steal these from Mahu?” First asked, holding up one choice berry to the candle’s flickering light. The others shrugged and grinned, exposing teeth stained red with pulp. “Mmmph . . . !” His unwilling guest angrily murmured against the gag in their mouth. Woven of silk and gold thread, gemstones
glittered amidst the embroidery. They’d stolen it from the altar of some grand high muckity-muck deity’s cathedral a century earlier. Or might it have been the tablecloth of that one fat emperor that other time, or the coronation bib of that elf princess? Flibbertigibbet—one of him—stuck out his tongue and gave another raspberry, breaking their collectively scattered train of thought on the matter. Another of him checked the gag and the bindings, adjusted with an oddly, perversely reverent touch. “Now, what was I doing?” “Was I hiding from Mahu?” “Yeah, after I’d broken his favorite scepter.” “No, that was years ago.” “Wasn’t that yesterday?” Another murmur rose from the bound party in their midst. Flibbertigibbet’s second self waved away the complaint. “Focus, Flibb, focus!” “We have to find her. We have to!” Worry and panic welled up in all of his eyes. “Remember, Flibb, remember!” Third held second’s head as if peering into a scrying globe. “Where did I hide her?” The question was there, and then, it was gone, subsumed below the mental waters that swam with all manner of irrational beasts, hungry for candy and clarity and rarely finding the latter.
“Hey, wasn’t it funny years ago when Modo fell off that cliff ?” “When I pushed him? Yeah! That reminds me . . .” “Mmmph . . . !” Their guest gave its loudest yet complaint, kicking out at one of third’s shins. Missing, of course, but making a valiant attempt, nonetheless. “Huh?” All three asked at once, turning to their captive in a singular moment of lucidity. They stared a moment until the candle sizzled and popped, dragging away their concentration like an angry moon upon the evening tide. “Last one to Cockaigne has to juggle beehives!” First shouted with glee as he blinked out of existence with a loud pop. “Material!” Shouted second as he scrambled to his feet. Laughing, he traced the outline of a door in the cavern wall and opened a very real one onto a heretofore tranquil backwater planet, dashing through and slamming it
closed behind him. Watching his selves vanish, third opened his mouth and crammed his hands and feet in and down, noisily contorting and swallowing himself into nothingness with little more than a gurgle. The moment was over and Flibbertigibbet was gone, vanished on another meandering, fruitless pursuit. The candle’s light faded, and the cold returned. Silence descended, except for a soft sigh of proud resignation and the faint trickle of water on stone. Alone in the gloom, once again, the Dark Mother’s eyes glimmered.
(Scattered) And Scatterbrained
Flibbertigibbet
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination. Once begun upon this downward path, you never know where you are to stop. Many a man has dated his ruin from some murder or other that perhaps he thought little of at the time. —Thomas De Quincey, “On Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts” Of flighty mind and ever craving attention and the thrills of new sights and new experiences, Flibbertigibbet wanders the planes, both Preternatural and Material—his mad creations most certainly tagging along, wandering wherever their lord travels. Before he created the gremlins, of course, he wandered alone, so his mogwoi siblings were the primary targets of his devilry. Eventually, though, enraged by his practical jokes and incessant prattling, three of his mogwoi siblings grabbed hold of him and tore him apart. Flibbertigibbet finds it challenging to be alone anymore.
h
This did not improve their fortunes. This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet: he begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and makes the hare-lip; mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor creature of earth. —William Shakespeare, King Lear (III.iv) The gremlins, of which you are doubtlessly already familiar—in all of their various form and function— are a marauding, if not laughing, blight upon the planes wherever they wander, congregate, and simply amuse themselves. Ultimately, for all their potential for mayhem, they remain self-defeating. Time and again, they fall prey to their own short-sightedness, internal division, and wanton self-destructive whimsy. In this, they mirror their lord and progenitor, Flibbertigibbet.
MISPLACING MOTHER
Amongst the many stories that the fey tell, there are scattered hints of a Dark Mother. Considered apocryphal by most, these tales typically evoke her as a progenitor of the fey and, more specifically, as the mother of the mogwoi sovereigns. Strangely, for the small amount of information there is about the Dark Mother, it is all very consistent. She is said to have
The Faerie Ring birthed the Dark Ones, or the Dark Forty-Four— those mogwoi sibling sovereigns, including Hob (the oldest), Obidicut, Mahu, Modo, and Flibbertigibbet (the youngest). The Dark Mother is, however, typically associated most closely with Flibbertigibbet, her youngest son, for it is always with him that her story stalls. As the tales tell us, from birth, Flibbertigibbet harassed his older siblings incessantly. Small and chattering, the mogwoi never ceased his practical joking and ribald play. To him, it was just great fun, a chance to laugh with family. But to the others, it was endless torment. Always, mother would step in and prevent the impending retaliation. For whatever reason, Flibbertigibbet decided one day to play a joke on the others by hiding their mother. When the others discovered this, they were furious. They could find mother nowhere. They pressed Flibbertigibbet for information, but this scatterbrained fey had actually forgotten where he had hidden her. Without mother’s staying hand, the siblings could take no more. Mahu, Modo, and Obidicut each grabbed a portion of Flibbertigibbet and pulled him apart, tearing him into three pieces. Unfortunately, this merely created three roughly identical Flibbertigibbets. The siblings held their hands from further abuse for fear of compounding their problems even further with even more obnoxious Flibbertigibbets running around. Millennia have passed, and the Dark Mother remains hidden. On those rare occasions Flibbertigibbet remembers she’s lost, he goes off looking; he still cannot remember where he put her. As the only mogwoi, along with his servitors, that can easily leave the Material Plane, he spends several decades at a time searching until inevitably forgetting what he’s looking for.
MOGWOI NOT FOR SALE
It was the sundered Flibbertigibbet that visited Hob the day the matabiri were created. Flibbertigibbet had never realized that he could create life, and he left Hob’s demesne with a new goal. He scoured the Material and Preternatural Planes for everything he would need: because of his being sundered and having his consciousness divided among three pieces, Flibbertigibbet, unlike the other mogwoi, can actually
travel to the Preternatural Planes as long as one of his selves stays on the Material Plane. Having scoured the farthest reaches of the planes and having gathered everything in place, Flibbertigibbet proceeded to create. Though lacking the finesse to instill great intelligence in his creations, his skilled hands created the lively and fecund gremlins. These playful creatures rapidly multiplied and proceeded very nearly to bring the multiverse to its knees. The gremlins expanded throughout the Material and Preternatural Planes, devouring all metal in their path. To many, they were a horrible nuisance that threatened to plunge whole societies back into an age of stone. To some, however, the gremlins proved cataclysmic. Among the most greatly affected, the City of Gears—a massive city-plane of living, evolving gearworks and clockwork automata—was almost obliterated once it was discovered by the gremlins as they proceeded to devour the place. With the assistance of the matabiri, the Gear Keepers were able to push the gremlins out and forever seal the plane from gremlins. In the millennia since, the city has been slowly healing the damage, but it is still a shadow of its former glory. Under the pretense of goodwill toward Flibbertigibbet, during the making of the bitterclaw, the matabiri were able to limit the gremlins’ fecundity, greatly curtailing their destructive potential.
BEING FLIBBERTIGIBBET
So many names a fool: Divided Sovereign, Fool King, Scattered Prince, Triune Folly, and several rather obscene ones that shouldn’t be repeated here. Flibbertigibbet cannot help but annoy others and play jokes on them. His incessant chattering alone is usually enough to drive others away. He takes great pleasure in executing his practical jokes and has a talent with complexity (which likely explains his fascination with all things mechanical) that often manifests in overly convoluted jokes, requiring several decades or more to reach their conclusions. Unfortunately, his memory is fleeting, and he often forgets about many of his ongoing jokes. As counterpoint to this love of intricate interactions and logical dependencies, his daily life is a study in buffoonery, and he is just as likely to fling
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feces at anyone near him, as example. Interactions: Driving others to distraction with his antisocial behavior seems to be his sole reason for being. Even his siblings are not above his attention, and they seldom tolerate his antics for long. It should be noted that, of all the siblings, Hob has never been the target of Flibbertigibbet’s jokes and buffoonery. Characteristics: Flibbertigibbet, or rather all three Flibbertigibbets share an identical appearance as well as a unified consciousness, despite the violence of his siblings when they tore him apart. Lean, lanky, and nearly always possessed of a leering, idiot grin, Flibbertigibbet bares minimal resemblance to his
gremlins. As opposed to their squat, fuzzy forms, he is entirely hairless, possessed of exaggeratedly long arms and spindly legs. Only his big ears and razor teeth show the family resemblance. But sure enough, Flibbertigibbet more than makes up for his relatively mundane appearance by way of his reckless behavior and haphazard apparel. Ever in motion, he fidgets, hops about, and rambles on at a frenetic pace, made all the worse when more than one of his bodies is present. They finish one another’s sentences, talk amongst themselves, and repeatedly ramble on over each other, prattling on about three completely different topics. Flibbertigibbet’s apparel is no different from his speech. Dressed in stolen clothing of clashing colors, splatters of paint, or, most frequently, If it had grown up . . . it would have made a dreadfully ugly child; but it absolutely nothing at all, he makes rather a handsome pig, I think. continually defies any sense —Lewis Carroll, of social conventions, rules Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland of color, or sense of decorum even when he attempts A tripartite demesne for a tripartite sovereign, the Divided Kingdom anything otherwise—even on contains three distinct realms, each a miniature kingdom of its own. Each his best behavior. realm is ruled by one of Flibbertigibbet’s bodies, whomever he appoints in Strateg y & Tactics: his absence, or whomever happens to be the unlucky sod on the throne and Fighting Flibbertigibbet is kept there as a royal prisoner by a dozen grinning gremlins. an exercise in frustration. As distinct from each other as Flibbertigibbet’s bodies are identical, He rarely attacks directly, each of the realms are quite literally grown from a “seed” of another land choosing instead to inflict from the Material or Preternatural planes, torn free from its moorings embarrassing transformations and transplanted into place. The resulting kingdom patterns itself after or cause opponents to laugh that originating location, though never quite without awkwardness as the hysterically. When he does haphazard process tends to warp them well before Flibbertigibbet or his close in melee, he often steals gremlins get their claws involved. Sometimes, the seed includes living things from foes, switches things. Other times, it’s something like a bit of castle stolen and carried away, items to odd and irritating anything from a few bricks to a whole tower lifted in the night, or perhaps but mostly harmless effect, eaten brick by brick and later vomited up for reassembly. Understandably, or manipulates opponents’ the resulting harvest rarely gives a wholly faithful representation, but it clothes to blind or entangle amuses Flibbertigibbet and his followers to no end. them. The best strategy when Once they grow bored, however, the other two realms declare war, and combatting Flibbertigibbet is the denizens of the out-of-favor realm revolt and tear their own kingdom to wait for him to forget why to pieces, burn it, eat it, or however else seems appropriate at the time. he’s there in the first place and let him wander off.
The Divided Kingdom
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The Faerie Ring
Nibiru
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May he hold the Beginning and the Future, may they pay homage unto him, Saying, “He who forced his way through the midst of Tiamat without resting, Let his name be Nibiru, “the Seizer of the Midst”! For the stars of heaven he upheld the paths, He shepherded all the gods like sheep! —Enûma Eliš (trans. LW King) Atop a secluded, cloud-cloaked tepui in a forgotten corner of the Material Plane, sandwiched between the prosaic and the obscene, Flibbertigibbet’s demesne of Nibiru is both impossibly far away and just over the next wall or through the nearest hedgerow. Described as the invisible alleyways behind reality, the Fool King’s bastion of power literally frays reality at its edges, bleeding out into an unending warren of tunnels, passageways, and alleys. Each ends in a door, chimney flue, well, sewer grate, arch, or fire escape landing, perched somewhere insubstantial between Material and Preternatural, overlooking a very real place on the Material Plane. It is by way of these invisible connections and invisible wounds in reality through which Flibbertigibbet and his gremlins occasionally appear to come tumbling out of, heralding unintentional doom to wherever they happen to emerge. These invisible pathways are also the same way by which the occasional traveler happens to find themselves lost in Flibbertigibbet’s demesne. By its nature, most often such wayward travelers simply find themselves wandering a maze of oddly familiar but twisting, winding paths before being deposited back whence they came, sometimes a day earlier and sometimes a year later. Not every such traveler ever returns home, however, and the sad, doomed farmer stepping out into his own rows of corn only to vanish into thin air might end up not wandering a maze of unnatural corn but instead find himself in the place
from which they and every other pathway originates. Every go-between, forgotten path, out-of-the-way egress, and secluded place is touched by Nibiru’s paved tendrils, but its heart is where all these paths converge on the only sort of kingdom fit for a divided king.
ABANDONED KINGDOM OF WOODEN CHICKENS
Remaining now as only a frost-shrouded realm of evergreen forest, it seems to have gone awry from the start. Originally intended to model itself on the dark forests of Slavic mythology, something went wrong in the bitterclaws’ understanding of the source culture, their implementation of it all, or something else entirely. Their attempts to create the occasional spooky chickenlegged hut to wander the forests only resulted in a species of gigantic and carnivorous wooden chickens, as well as the occasional animated mortal and pestle flying about to menace the peasantry. Flibbertigibbet blames the bitterclaws both for the realm’s failure from the start and its continued existence.
CONFLUENCE
The meeting point between the three kingdoms at Nibiru’s heart centers upon a confluence of pathways from those nations and, likewise, all outside paths from the outer mazes. Sometimes, the Confluence takes the appearance of a country road merging three main paths and a number of smaller trails; sometimes, a landing of two stairwells, a door, and a few dumbwaiters; other times, a paved courtyard with three archways and a scattering of minor side doors or bolt holes in the walls. The only constant is a trio of statues of Flibbertigibbet himself. Perpetually mirrored by a copy of one of the three in each of the three kingdoms, they stare and leer at visitors, always with a smug, mischievous smile plastered across their faces. The Confluence is the nexus of the three current kingdoms and more. Alpine Wonderland: This domain is dotted with flowering meadows, quaint villages, and dozens of glittering castles pulled from old Germanic myth. The latest craze of the kingdom’s inhabitants is dressing as wolves and preying upon villages populated entirety
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by sheep stolen from whatever kingdom originally seeded the domain. The previous gremlin obsession was crafting human villagers out of cheese or chocolate, though this passion was rapidly eclipsed by drowning one another in beer or ale, before moving on to the latest bizarre trend. Cliffside Castles: This parched and desolate domain is built on the side of a winding cliff overlooking parched grassland and desert. Individual tribes of settled gremlins fight off the depredations of marauding
nomadic gremlin tribes before switching dynamics to a reverse where the cliff tribes conjure spirits to pray upon the horse-riding lowlanders or drag them back for elaborate and bloody rituals. The precise tide of it all is dictated by Flibbertigibbet himself—or his proxy of the moment. Pagoda Kingdom: Rising up from a comically haphazard sprawl of bamboo forests and flooded rice paddies, the third kingdom contains a fantastical city of elaborately colored pagodas decorated with polished brass and surrounding a towering central palace carved entirely from jade. Semi-domesticated foo animals run rampant, and the lacquered wooden buildings face Nibiru has the erratic time, highly morphic, and wild magic planar perpetual catastrophe where the traits (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide for hands of gremlins and bitterclawdetails) in addition to the following: crafted fireworks meet. Still, this Pathways: Nibiru connects to somewhere close to everywhere in the kingdom is Flibbertigibbet’s multiverse, although it is pretty impossible for anyone but Flibbertigibbet current favorite, so it remains the or someone with the (un)Locket of Nibiru to use the random paths with least devastated by his children, any degree of certainty. Entry into Nibiru is completely random and despite their efforts otherwise. might befall any (un)lucky travelers. Exiting Nibiru is a different matter entirely. A creature wishing to leave Nibiru through the pathways must FIREWORKS attempt a DC 20 Charisma check. On a successful check, the traveler FACTORY appears in a random location on a random plane, although the area is This is the third fireworks factory, usually not immediately dangerous. If the creature rolls a natural 20 or built by bitterclaws after the first succeeds on the check by 5 or more, they return to the exact location two were utterly consumed in they entered the pathways from, or anywhere else they wish to go in all flame after the inadvertent setting of existence. On a failed check, they wander for 1 hour but may then off of all the fireworks within the make a new attempt. If they fail the check by 5 or more, they wander for building—both times. Rather 1 day before a new check can be made. Note the pathways are subject than wood, like the previous to the erratic time of Nibiru, and so a day of subjective time might be two buildings, iron was used to 40 years on the Material Plane. frame the new building, and the Seed: A portion of Nibiru can gain additional planar traits when one bitterclaws are certain there is of the three kingdoms becomes destroyed. The new resulting realm is no way a fi reworks mishap can formed by a seed taken from some other plane. The resulting kingdom bring down this newest building, may gain any single planar trait or lose the erratic time, highly morphic, even if all their lovingly crafted or wild magic planar traits. This new planar trait persists until the fireworks are destroyed yet again. kingdom is destroyed and a new seed is planted. The current kingdoms There is no thought to ever have the following additional planar traits: the alpine kingdom has light stop creating fi reworks, which gravity, the cliffside castles are air-dominant, and the pagoda kingdom they use to keep pesky gremlins is minor positive-dominant. at bay and to sell to visitors who
Flibbertigibbet’s Demesne
have never seen them before (at
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The Faerie Ring exorbitant prices, of course). When they have an excess of fireworks thanks to lack of sales and lack of pests, they put on grand displays over the factory. All told, though, a fireworks factory explosion is certainly an event to behold.
GLEAMING SPIRES
The pathways take accidental travelers anywhere, and the bitterclaws are not exempt from this caprice. They do try to make as much of their random trips as possible, though, returning with seeds and knickknacks from other lands. One such journey took them to a wondrous city full of towers reaching to the heavens where all manner of magnificent machinery performed amazing tasks. The bitterclaws marveled at the snakelike beast to which sacrificial victims voluntarily offered themselves as it moved about the city. While they were unable to wrestle this amazing city back to Nibiru, they managed to take part of the metal snake as a seed. The so-called Gleaming Spires is not quite as majestic as the city they witnessed—as it is currently a mere trio of towers and standing only five feet tall. They did manage to get the metal serpent to wind its way around the towers, but it doesn’t devour anyone . . . yet.
GRAND VISTA
The top of Nibiru’s tallest peak, the Grand Vista, is a location that moves from kingdom to kingdom at whim. From this peak, one can reportedly see the whole of reality. It is certainly possible to see the transits of every road and river as they fade into and out of the demesne. Rumor also has it that one can fling oneself off the mountaintop and land in the reality of one’s choosing with absolutely no harm. The body of anyone making the attempt disappears just before it hits the surface, so there may be some truth to this rumor.
THE TAVERN WITH NO NAME
One of the multiverse’s most notorious locations, the Tavern with No Name serves as a hideaway for criminals and others on the run, provided they can find the tavern. Nalv, the bitterclaw proprietor of the bar changes the décor to suit the nearest Material Plane location to the winding passageways passing by
the building. He also updates the drinks and food he offers based on what his bitterclaw staff can procure. Nalv doesn’t allow vagrancy in his tavern and boots out anyone he finds napping at one of his tables. He and his staff overhear quite a bit of juicy information, but he pledges never to divulge what his customers discuss.
TIMELOST ALLEYWAY
One of the oddest passageways in Nibiru is the Timelost Alleyway. When someone stumbles upon it, reaches the alley’s dead end, and turns around, a mirror image of the alley greets them, seemingly leaving no exit. The mirror alley appears either much cleaner or considerably more run-down to the new arrival, and it is possible for the person trapped in the mirrored alley to take the appropriate steps to exit the alley and find themself in the distant past or in the far future. In rare cases, they can time a trip to the alley and meet past selves, allowing them to convey important information about personal futures or remember that forgotten.
THE VEINS
Not all passages leading to Nibiru are roads and alleyways. Rivers serve as the transportation lifeblood for many civilizations, and their wending paths also make stops in the demesne. The Veins are a confluence of different rivers that flow through the demesne in midair. Gremlins make frequent visits to the Veins to capture disoriented fish breaching the bottom of the river and falling to the ground. Boats stay upright when they enter Nibiru, but sailors must keep their wits about them to avoid drifting toward a riverbank and plummeting to the earth. A group of more entrepreneurial bitterclaws have claimed a portion of the Veins as an amusement park. Rather than not letting the public in until everything is finished—and safe—everything in this park is open and forever a work in progress. It’s a grand experiment in fun: come enjoy the rides as they’re built! (Medics get in free.) There is, currently, a distinct focus on water rides, such as slides and jets, water wheels and whirlpools. A popular exhibit features those wandering, new-to-town sailors as unknowing participants.
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Bitterclaws & Others
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Though ravening gremlins delighted Flibbertigibbet for the primal chaos they brought, after a few of his carefully laid schemes were inadvertently foiled by gremlin antics, the mogwoi sovereign relented to matabiri requests to intervene. After all, they did promise to make gremlins more intelligent. And how could that not be a fabulous idea?
BITTERCLAWS Oh, certainly, I’ll inevitably miscalculate the elasticity of the physical world, misjudge the social connectivity of my subjests, or “screw something up,” as you say. And something will explode, someplace will set itself on fire and sink into a swamp, and someone will chase me halfway across the planes—not necessarily in that order. How could I honor my creator by doing any differently? At least, I won’t eat half the things I find. Hey . . . ! Stupid gremlin . . . get my sword out of your mouth! —Sir Remolio Redondo Randostan VI (bitterclaw engineer) After the near destruction of the City of Gears, the matabiri suddenly viewed gremlins as a threat. In line with their own best interests, they convinced Flibbertigibbet to allow them to study the gremlins and “fix” them, making them smarter. (Flibbertigibbet has always been inexplicably trusting of the scheming matabiri, perhaps due to their tie to Hob.) The matabiri were only too eager for the chance to experiment on these amazing creatures. With difficulty, they gathered remarkable information on gremlins’ unique physiology. Without Flibbertigibbet’s knowledge, however, the matabiri went a step further and engineered limits into the gremlin life cycle: their reproductive rate was greatly reduced, enabling existing gremlins to slowly die off until their numbers
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were below a certain threshold. The matabiri pushed the threshold down to 1,000 specimens, so there should never be more than 1,000 gremlins alive at a time. Additionally, the matabiri wanted to disrupt the natural gremlin tendency to congregate and were able to limit the amount of time a gremlin could tolerate the company of another of its kind. The matabiri’s efforts took decades to come into full effect, but gremlins now appear to be much less of a threat to the “civilized lands” of the multiverse. A gremlin’s physiology is unique and rapidly evolving, however. The limits that the matabiri engineered into the creatures were the best they could do against these rapidly evolving creatures. Their very natures are in constant conflict with these limitations (and others from the natural world), and they are evolving to compensate. It is only a matter of time until all gremlins surpass their limits and become the terror they once were—or worse.
A CHANGE SO BITTER
To appease Flibbertigibbet, the matabiri took advantage of the gremlins’ incredible metabolism and created the bitterclaws, an evolved form of gremlin. Though related to gremlins, these larger creatures are quite different. They possess a much greater intelligence than a gremlin and none of the frenetic behavior. As a race, they are calm and thoughtful, but they still display a high degree of antisocial behavior. The decline of the gremlins has not gone unnoticed by Flibbertigibbet, but instead of placing blame with the matabiri where it belongs, he tends to blame the bitterclaws. Environment & Society: Bitterclaws abound within the Divided Kingdom, taking leadership roles and doing their best to organize gremlins and their own kin toward whatever fancy strikes them. Most of them are solitary, however, going about their own schemes in Nibiru or beyond when tasked by Flibbertigibbet himself. More often they adventure on their own, doing what pleases them. Most of their pursuits are self-limiting affairs with little broader consequence, unlike the examples set by Flibbertigibbet and his thousands of trailing gremlins.
The Faerie Ring However, ever resourceful and certainly retaining their creator’s grandiose yet petty ambitions, there are times when a solitary bitterclaw’s schemes come either to fruition or fail in such spectacular fashion as to make the matabiri pause and ponder if they didn’t simply compound their original gremlin problem. Typical Characteristics: Bitterclaws are small, lanky creatures with large mouths and ears, often compared to larger, stretched out gremlins. While gremlins are covered in fur, bitterclaws retain this feature on an irregular basis, varying heavily from individual to individual with many trimming it to suit their own sense of style or removing it entirely to more resemble Flibbertigibbet himself. Primarily bipedal, like gremlins, they occasionally drop down on all fours when particularly irritated or curious. Being the end result of the matabiri’s experimentation, the bitterclaws lack their cousins’ rabid and destructive hunger for metal. The nearly indestructible, shark-like teeth, however, have remained. As a result, the ostensibly more civilized and reserved bitterclaws tend to smile without showing their teeth, reserving that display for actual aggression or moments of extreme happiness. Given the deadly utility of their teeth, those unfamiliar with their emotions find a pleased bitterclaw to be unnerving at the very least. Relationships: Bitterclaws are both Flibbertigibbet’s pride and also the object of his blame for virtually any of his own failures or those of his other creations. The Scattered Prince views the bitterclaws, despite their comparative youth, as collective elder siblings to the gremlins and their other myriad offshoots. Bitterclaws are beloved and favored, allowed use of Nibiru’s paths as they choose, granted authority within the Divided Kingdom, and frequently chosen to perform specific
tasks by the sovereign in his unending schemes. At the same time, they are expected to be eminently competent and responsible, the latter of which at the very least isn’t a trait possessed by their creator himself. Bitterclaws grudgingly accept this dichotomy of favor and burden, doing their best while also exploiting the sovereign’s favor to indulge their own wanderlust and spin their own schemes in devoted mimicry. Strategy & Tactics: Each bitterclaw is unique from its kindred, depending on how they advance in character class. Whatever path they choose, they benefit most from their size and dexterity. Given the opportunity, they try to live up to Flibbertigibbet’s expectations and likewise seek to enact convoluted plans of their own.
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DOLDRUMS Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner When the matabiri created the bitterclaws for Flibbertigibbet, they went through more than one discarded draft and unique specimens before they
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succeeded. An evolved form of gremlin, the doldrums were an attempt to slow down the former’s fecundity by manipulating how they interacted with time itself. The resulting creatures— blessedly few in number—live within a bubble subtly timeshifted from standard reality. Viewed from the outside, doldrums appear sluggish and slowmoving, surrounded by ephemeral, twisting tangles of warped rea lit y. Mov ing inside of their bubble, however— like stepping into a s ove re i g n’s demesne—other creatures stand on doldrum turf and suddenly must play by their rules. Inside the bubble, doldrums move with a frightening a lacrit y while outsiders now sharing their isolated temporal bubble are equally slowed down. Thankfully, what few doldrums exist primarily dwell in isolation, wandering Nibiru’s pathways and only occasionally stepping into the Material Plane. Environment & Society: Doldrums largely exist in isolated solitude, normally lacking the numbers and interaction with their own kind to develop any social structure to speak of. Almost without exception, doldrums dwell within the myriad pathways of Nibiru, where they seem content to wander, surviving as opportunistic predators or scavengers of things stolen during brief forays into the Material Plane. Curiously, they display a fearful animosity toward other gremlins
The Faerie Ring (though not bitterclaws), only further isolating them within their native space. Typical Characteristics: Though often heavily obscured, in part, by the twisting strands of warped reality surrounding them, doldrums resemble gremlins as if some mad anatomist had tried to assemble one from the mismatched pieces of other gremlins. Every doldrum appears to have body parts of wildly different stages of age: an infant’s arm, an adolescent’s gangly legs and feet, and a face gnarled and elderly with thinning, patchy fur, and missing half of its teeth. Each doldrum varies in which portions of their body have aged at different rates (and some even age in bizarre retrograde manner), though this seeming affliction poses them no difficulty whatsoever. Relationships: Doldrums deeply respect their creator, regardless of how far they might have wandered astray, and that respect often turns to outright worship. The Scattered Prince, however, takes little notice of the doldrums except on those rare occasions he stumbles across one and receives a shower of ego-stroking praise. When this occurs, Flibbertigibbet indulges his wayward creation’s desires for a time, usually tasks them with something, and promptly abandons and forgets about them. The doldrum in question, however, remains obsessively devoted to that task until finished, even years or decades later. Strategy & Tactics: Doldrums prefer to avoid combat or any other interaction with others if they can avoid it. When sufficiently motivated by hunger or anger or in self defense, they prefer to immediately engage other creatures within the bubble of altered time that surrounds them for the advantage it provides. Only rarely do doldrums advance by character class, though when they do, they tend to gain cleric levels and operate as reclusive heralds of the Scattered Prince.
GIBBET POPPETS Gibbet poppets are yet another branch off of the gremlin family tree, though none can precisely pin down their origins. Maybe, the tiny menaces were one of the matabiri’s stopgap attempts on their way to creating the bitterclaws. Or possibly, they were the result of errant,
scattered bits of sundered Flibbertigibbet developing free will. Or perhaps, they were one of Flibbertigibbet’s attempts to create another set of servitors less prone to foiling his own plans. Though, even if the latter origin holds true, they most certainly don’t fit their sovereign’s intent. Gibbet poppets are swarms of tiny pseudo-gremlins, vaguely tethered together in the sense that they can never stray more than a few dozen feet apart from the bulk of their collective numbers. Possessed of a shared intelligence, the gibbet poppets lack the gremlins’ appetite for metal but possess their own bizarre and, frankly, more grisly obsession: corpses. It isn’t so much the dead in and of themselves that fascinate gibbet poppets as it is their empty, gruesome shells’ capacity to serve as fleshy vessels within which to play and reanimate like jittery marionettes in their own comical grotesquerie. Environment & Society: Gibbet poppets take their errant creator’s delight in scheming and in convoluted plans, but they run with it in an entirely macabre direction. While relatively small in number, each gibbet poppet swarm obsesses about toying with, taking apart, reassembling, and as is most often the case, inhabiting and possessing a humanoid corpse. Each swarm acts as a single creature, though with often comical ability to maintain their farce, especially once a corpse begins to decay. Gibbet poppet swarms exist scattered about the Preternatural Planes, especially in locations where they gain easy access to their favorite playthings. Of course, the poppets aren’t above grave robbing or simply jumping and killing the first creature they come across should a supply of easy corpses otherwise be found lacking. Typical Characteristics: Individual gibbet poppets resemble tiny gremlins, but when generally encountered, they exist as a swarm, blurred around the edges and often hard to differentiate from any other portion of their collective whole. They retain the terrible teeth of gremlinkind, and what they lack of that terrible hunger for metal, they more than make up for it in their gruesome and often farcical obsession with corpses. It is while inhabiting corpses, fresh or otherwise, that they’re most often encountered, doing their best to act
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the role of their dead vessel but often guessing wildly as to the victim’s behavior and personality in life with ever more bizarre quirks and improvised details and behaviors added over time. Relationships: Gibbet poppets are very much their own creatures, largely ignored by both gremlins and bitterclaws and likewise left to their own morbid devices by Flibbertigibbet himself. For whatever the reason, they exist scattered across the Preternatural Planes rather than in any close association with Nibiru, lending credence to the notion that their existence predates the matabiri tinkering with gremlinkind. Perhaps, they arise spontaneously, an unconscious act on Flibbertigibbet’s part, long after he traverses a spot on those planes
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where the dead are found. Strategy & Tactics: In their native state, gibbet poppets prefer to overwhelm enemies by sheer force of numbers in their capacity as a swarm, especially when given the opportunity to kill and inhabit a fresh body. When in possession of a corpse, however, they avoid combat so as to prolong their charade as long as possible, only breaking character once their true nature is discovered or once decay sets in.
GREMLINS The first—and some would say worst—of Flibbertigibbet’s creations combine both a deceptively adorable appearance with a penchant for wild destructive
The Faerie Ring whimsy. At first blush, these frenetic fey are innocent and fascinating creatures. However, metal is what gremlins truly crave. They have a burning hunger for metal and a mouth fi lled with rows of indestructible, shark-like teeth ready for action: the teeth are laced with adamantine and enable a gremlin to eat their way through the strongest varieties of metals. Rich enough sources of metal can actually trigger the strange transformation of a single gremlin into a frenzied swarm of gnashing teeth intent on devouring all metal in sight. As if that wasn’t enough, gremlins also have a strange effect on both other creatures and machinery. Creatures simply appear clumsier around these fey, and machinery (from the simplest hunter’s bow to the grandest clockwork creation) tends to break or malfunction more readily. Cursed are the city dwellers who try to make pets of the gremlins that they stumble across in their travels. The matabiri-engineered gremlin aversion to remain in close proximity to one another has, over time, had an unfortunate side effect. When content with their own kind, gremlins enjoy exploring Nibiru and trailing in Flibbertigibbet’s wake across the planes. But they have been dispersing more readily since the matabiri intervention to the Material Plane, and that is where they are most quickly evolving beyond the matabiri’s carefully tailored controls. These divergent evolutionary branches have since become their own species with their behavior and appearances often radically different from the original stock. Environment & Society: Limited in number by the matabiri, most gremlins reside within Flibbertigibbet’s demesne, matching their profound fecundity with an equally spectacular rate of attrition, often bloody, pyrotechnic, and typically of their own doing. Within the
Divided Kingdom and throughout the meandering pathways of Nibiru, they endlessly cavort in whatever whimsy strikes them. They don’t have a society so much as a vague, irrational propensity to blindly listen to Flibbertigibbet or, more frequently, bitterclaws acting like elder siblings attempting to place some semblance of (often irrational) social order in place. Left to their own devices, gremlins are most often simply destructive, even as they seek to emulate Flibbertigibbet or his later, more intelligent creations. Typical Characteristics: Gremlins appear simply to be fuzzy, little creatures with curiously large mouths and ears and a perhaps too-developed sense of curiosity. These cat-sized creatures are equally comfortable walking on two legs as on all fours as they gambol about sniffing at the air. When triggered by their own ravenous metal gluttony, they grow significantly more fearsome in both demeanor and size, both as a result of
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their fur standing up and an actual degree of physical enlargement that varies to a wildly cosmetic degree between individuals. Most striking, however, are a gremlin’s teeth. Virtually indestructible, they line a gremlin’s maw in layered rows like those of a shark, and while most adapted at ripping apart metal, they work equally well at doing the same for anything else that gets in their way. Relationships: Gremlins remain near and dear to their father Flibbertigibbet, even in the face of his own subsequent creation of the bitterclaws, and as such, he expects virtually nothing from them nor does he burden them with any responsibility. Intentionally or not, Flibbertigibbet always seems to attract a gaggle of gremlins when he travels beyond the bounds of his demesne. While most of them either perish in some destructive catastrophe (usually at their own hands) during his scheming forays or return to Nibiru at his side, like ravenous puppies, all too often he carelessly leaves one or two behind elsewhere, abandoned to their own devices. Strategy & Tactics: Although greatly limited by the matabiri, gremlins still congregate in small
groups, finding bravery in large numbers or when in the presence of a mother lode of metal. They aren’t physically imposing combatants, but their ability to make even the simplest mechanical items fall apart or to inflict strange mishaps on their opponents evens the playing field.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
THE BODIE POLITIK
Gremlins aren’t the only ones prone to evolve! For a troupe of gibbet poppets, change came in the form of distributed thinking. This seemingly small boost in their mental processes was a enough to drive a desire for more knowledge, for learning, and as a result, they are quite a bit more intelligent than the average swarm of gibbet poppets. And it was the siren’s call of the stage that drew them in. They would sit enthralled watching performance after performance—plays that mixed comic and tragic forms were there favorites—and they collectively chose Th is curious piece of jewelry is little more than a crude to follow the path of those bards they so tangle of silver and copper wire, misshapen in places from admired. They started an acting troupe, the impressions of gremlin teeth. At its core, the (un)Locket The Bodie Politik, and traveled the planes, holds a piece of one of Flibbertigibbet’s claws, broken and playing for all that would watch. fallen to the side from when his siblings tore him apart. Characteristics: The Bodie Politik are The locket was subsequently gifted to one of his now longa gregarious bunch, portraying a wit deceased bitterclaw jesters—a rank of highest distinction— and intelligence beyond all other gibbet but it was lost at that year’s Jester’s Tourney, a big deal in the poppets and even most other mogwoi. Their community. Different planar locales vie for it each year. No increasing pool of friendly connections one made it out alive that year. have made it far easier to access books and The (un)Locket allows its wearer to access the hidden doors instruments appropriately sized for them. and pathways of Nibiru itself, including transit to and from The plays they perform of others are the the Divided Kingdoms at their leisure. The very fact that current favorites with their audiences, but Flibbertigibbet ever created the object, much less gifted it, the troupe’s starting to intersperse original says something about the mogwoi sovereign’s foresight. performances to largely positive reviews. Relationships: For sure, they had a lot
The (un)Locket of Nibiru
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The Faerie Ring of false starts as “spectators” would frequently run screaming from the “hideous zombies” on the stage or try to purge their “wicked blasphemy,” but the poppets kept at it. They practiced and toughed out the hard times, and now, they’ve established a following, small and . . . strange in their own right, the public is starting to recognize the troupe’s enthusiasm, if not yet their blooming talent. For their part, it did a world of good when they stopped attacking people and robbing graves for their “costumes.” They have been quite successful at growing their corpse outreach programs, taking donations from overstretched communities. And a large contingent of patrons have begun to bequeath their bodies to the troupe upon their demise, a chance for celebrity in death. Strategy & Tactics: Practically pacifists, the Bodie Politik have almost zero interest in conflict—unless it’s staged! Of course, they still have to think twice to pass up a free corpse. But they’re working on it.
GRAND BARON FIZZBERT, THE EVER-HUNGRY
The frequent proxy ruler of one of the Divided Kingdoms of Nibiru, Grand Baron Fizzbert the EverHungry is perhaps Flibbertigibbet’s favorite mistake, at least among the ones he’s firmly aware of having consciously made. The bitterclaws were actually the matabiri’s second attempt to cull the gremlins’ fecundity and provide the Scattered Prince with servitors unlikely to ruin the cosmos in their wake. Fizzbert was their first attempt and the result when Flibbertigibbet simply couldn’t resist “helping” the matabiri in their work. It didn’t work out as intended—for the matabiri at least. Flibbertigibbet was enthusiastically happy, even though Fizzbert was a singular creature, rather than a race of them, and devoid of reproductive capacity. The one element of the gremlins that Fizzbert most retained was an insatiable hunger although, unlike their taste for metal, Fizzbert isn’t sure what he hungers for and spends a considerable amount of time trying to discover his craving. He has yet to discover it. Fizzbert rarely leaves the confines of the Divided
Kingdom, where his position as one of Flibbertigibbet’s favored creations affords him a life of power, influence, and luxury. Often appointed as ruler over a portion of Nibiru, he doesn’t precisely rule so much as enjoy the benefits of that nominal rulership. It typically falls to the bitterclaws acting as his advisors to actually go about the real job that their elder brother studiously ignores day in and day out. These same bitterclaws uniformly loathe Fizzbert for what they see as his unearned favor from their mutual creator. Not a day goes by that they don’t scheme to depose him, make his life miserable, or just try to contain the damage he can cause when afforded a level of authority. Luckily for the bitterclaws, Fizzbert has yet to discover that his unending hunger and unsettled craving is for nothing other than themselves. Characteristics: Fizzbert looks like a cross between a particularly large, misshapen bitterclaw with some elements of gremlin to his appearance and a child’s potato doll into which various sets of clay or metal features and appendages are then attached. Relationships: Fizzbert’s overly long and ever grandiose titles change nearly every day, usually into something just as pompous or obnoxious as the previous one. The grand baron revels in his favored status and does his best to keep his portion of Nibiru running just as dysfunctionally as when Flibbertigibbet himself sees fit to take the throne. Flibbertigibbet, of course, is perfectly happy to see Fizzbert rule in his stead as it allows him the freedom to cause trouble elsewhere without having to worry about running his own demesne, not that his rule exactly implies any sort of royal responsibility. Since his creation is gleefully happy and equally irresponsible, when given the chance, Flibbertigibbet is of no mind to disabuse him of the notion that taking the throne is anything other than a joyous reward for being such a wonderful servitor. Strategy & Tactics: Fizzbert is a pompous coward at heart. He makes threats at the drop of a hat, but unless he has gremlins or others at hand willing to actually carry out those threats, he’s not inclined to actually stand up and do anything on his own. Despite this, when sufficiently angered or pushed into defending
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himself, Fizzbert is more than capable. Staying at range if at all possible, he prefers hurling bombs, poisoned darts, or really anything else at hand. If cornered, he reverts to his base nature and quite literally attempts to eat his way out of danger, grabbing and swallowing his enemies whole.
GRETA SWEET TOOTH
Greta always knew she was different, even if her parents never told her that they found her abandoned in their fields on a cold autumn morning. The baby was there, all alone, surrounded by trampled corn stalks, tiny footprints, and bits of metal scraps that had, much to their annoyance, once been their plow head and the fittings of the harness they strung upon their workhorse. Still, they raised the girl as their own, and she grew up much as any normal child would, albeit one with a short attention span and a propensity to wander. What Greta most certainly is aware of is her curious taste for metal. Whatever the substance, be it an iron nail, a silver serving fork, or a gold coin, each tastes oddly sweet to her tongue. Given a few moments in her mouth, any metal at all turns soft and dissolves away like a peppermint candy. Greta isn’t entirely sure what to make of her taste for metal. Even more so, she’s not sure what to make of the gremlins that occasionally show up to follow her, watch her, get her out of most any danger, but sometimes end up causing her more trouble than the tiny creatures might be worth. In her mind, she manages to get into enough mischief of her own, but since they—to some degree at least—do what she tells them to do, they’re useful excuses for her own schemes. At the very least, they do leave her gifts every year on what she assumes is her birthday. Characteristics: Greta is a young human woman just now in the prime of her life with a shock of grey hair, unreasonably yellow eyes, and ears just a touch too large to be normal. Relationships: Greta isn’t precisely Flibbertigibbet’s willing servitor. More properly, she’s a bit of a wayward mistake and an awkward beneficiary of the Scattered Prince’s curious benevolence. To be honest, he isn’t
entirely sure what to do with his daughter or if indeed she is in fact his daughter at all. Unbeknownst to Greta, whenever she finds herself in the company of enough gremlins, she acts as a living surrogate for Flibbertigibbet’s requirement to retain one of his bodies on the Material Plane in order to go gallivanting into the Preternatural. Whenever this occurs, Greta has the uncanny ability to know precisely where her—maybe!—father happens to be. It also stands to reason that if any of the Scattered Prince’s enemies were to discover this fact, killing her while he was on another plane might reasonably allow them to trap him there. Strategy & Tactics: Greta prefers to avoid any conflict whatsoever. On the other hand, the gremlins that accompany her—and the larger numbers that often shadow her out of sight—gleefully assault and mangle anyone or anything that threatens or even causes her the slightest inconvenience. Greta stops them when able, but they have a habit of doing things behind her back and just out of view.
TURTLE
Sometimes, it’s of the utmost importance to watch what you say. It would be nice to say that the Scattered One has learned that lesson, but . . . maybe some day. There is a certain doldrum known only by the moniker Turtle. And this awkward little guy is probably Flibbertigibbet’s greatest crusaders, whether he wants him or not. You see, Turtle acts upon every word of his sovereign. Very long ago, before there was even a Kingdom of Wooden Chickens (actually leading into the latter as you’ll understand momentarily), there was Chicken Wood, a portion of the Confluence where chickens were granted sanctuary. (Why? Well, I wasn’t consulted, so I can’t begin to guess at the rationale.) But the mogwoi prince was crazy about it! That is, until he was mobbed by the feral buggers. Cursing and tending his wounds after fleeing his chicken oppressors, he must have said something to the effect of “Die chickens!’ Well, impressionable ears were about. Next thing you know, Turtle is single-handedly dispatching all the chickens. (This, of course, led to the attempt at wooden
chickens.) He’d probably still be on his chicken rampage across the ’verse had not Flibbertigibbet triggered, yet again, another inadvertent crusade by offhandedly lamenting his lack of toys. Turtle subsequently went scouring far and wide, slowly bringing all the toys he could find, stealing them as needed. Flibbertigibbet immediately moved with his concerns, not even remembering what he had said, but Turtle kept going. Not stopping until the next “royal proclamation.” (To this day, there’s still a mountain of toys at the center of the Confluence, literally—Mount Floppy Bear, named for its preponderance of stuffed animals.) This has gone on and on. Turtle is always on some quest for his lord. Currently, he is very focused, heading across the Material with some specific yet inscrutable destination seemingly in mind. However, Turtle is taking extra time and going out of his way to slaughter any gnomes he comes across along the way. (The gods only know what the mogwoi sovereign might have said in passing this time...!) Characteristics: Turtle is unintelligible. It’s always a challenge to communicate with doldrums, but this
Gremlins of Distinction
There is countless variety of gremlinkind. The gremlins detailed here are those that Flibbertigibbet created. But since then, despite the tinkering of the matabiri, gremlins have been spreading . . . and changing. The mutation rate, the sheer speed at which gremlins evolve, is ridiculous. They are constantly being born slightly different (or very different!) from their parents. Many individuals don’t survive long, but enough keep going. New species of gremlin seem to arise almost every day. No matter what happens to the original line of gremlins—the ur-gremlins—that Flibbertigibbet created, gremlins as a whole will do just fine. Until they destroy the universe, that is.
one’s especially problematic with simply the occasional impassioned burst of nonsense in an otherwise endless stream of incoherent babble. But he’s devoted...! Oh, is he ever devoted. Relationships: Their is only one thing that matters— apparently, that is, since no one can really make sense of Turtle. The doldrum carries out his mogwoi lord’s commands (whether they were intended as such or not), and Flibbertigibbet goes on oblivious to anything amiss and without the awareness to realize what’s evening happening. Strategy & Tactics: Tough to say. It really depends on Turtle’s presumed mandate. His lord’s proclamations are all that’s important (though even Flibbertigibbet couldn’t tell you what those are since they are just his random spoutings that Turtle happens to be around to hear). And how the doldrum interprets those? Well, let’s just say that Turtle will do whatever it takes to honor his lord’s words.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖ All’s been quiet from Flibbertigibbet for decades. Trusted accounts say he’s been uncharacteristically focused and hard at work. He’s been making oddly specific journeys to out-of-the-way Preternatural Planes of late but always alone—even without gremlins—and always in and out, never lingering. What’s he up to? ❖ A group of gremlins “lost” Greta down a Bigmouth hole. It was a gremlin game of . . . it’s complicated. The point is, in desperation, they’re now capturing random people and tossing them down into Nowhere in the hope they’ll rescue her. ❖ What if Flibbertigibbet remembers where the Dark Mother is and releases her? Will she be angry with her son? Proud? What might that mean for the mogwoi—and the rest of reality?
( Legends tell that when. . . ) . . . everything in the Material Plane was still new, before the worlds were populated with humanoids and beasts and before even the fey had a strong presence, the mogwoi were old. And among the mogwoi, Hob was honored as Eldest. In those earliest days, the younger mogwoi would constantly look to Hob for guidance—support, chastisement, anything—but they were constantly disappointed. Hob never spoke a word. Hob would sit motionless for years, seemingly dead to the world. His siblings, the other mogwoi sovereigns, busied themselves with their own great works, leaving Hob to his thoughts. Periodically, some of the siblings returned to share their discoveries and stories, but always, Hob sat silent. Secretly, four of the siblings— Flibbertigibbet, M a h u , Modo, and Obidicut— wagered a boon to the
sibling that could draw the words from Hob. Countless centuries passed without success for the siblings. Eventually, they grew bored of their failed attempts, turned to their own worries and pursuits, and gradually forgot about Hob. The Material Plane was fast becoming rich with life and intelligent non-fey creatures began to arise, distracting the mogwoi from old concerns. Always the most impulsive and unpredictable of the mogwoi, Flibbertigibbet had long ago developed a curious fascination with Hob and could not stay away for long, returning again and again to spill out his tales of the world and the amazing creatures he kept discovering in it. On one such return, however, the elder mogwoi was nowhere to be found. Flibbertigibbet’s curiosity took control of his actions as he determined to discover where Hob had gone and why. After many decades of searching, Flibbertigibbet finally found Hob in a lush, secluded valley surrounded by impossible mountains. He was sitting quietly in the middle of a swamp playing in the mud. Flibbertigibbet approached him and began to rattle off all the tales that he had bottled up, but no words came out. Instead, images appeared in his mind—a whirlwind of
images that bore little meaning for him—and simultaneously he felt thoughts being pulled from his own mind. The normally chittering Flibbertigibbet was struck dumb with confusion. As he resignedly sat within the mucky fen and simply watched, he could now see that Hob was in a frenzy of activity. Glancing around, Flibbertigibbet saw for the first time hundreds of little mud statues and realized that Hob wasn’t playing but creating. Fascinated, Flibbertigibbet watched for days, as Hob shaped the mud without ever, seemingly, acknowledging the intrusion. Flibbertigibbet continued to watch as Hob time and time again performed the ritual to bring each individual sculpture to life as a living fey and realized that he had previously seen these creatures in his mind among the images transmitted by Hob. Was Hob communicating with him? Unfortunately, the images had gone by too fast and were seemingly too random to convey any sense of a narrative. Flibbertigibbet eventually left Hob to his work, secure in the notion that he had won the bet.
hob
(A Life in Silence )
Hob
Both stile and gate, horse-way and foot-path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless thee, good man’s son, from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once—of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididence, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder; Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master! —William Shakespeare, King Lear (IV. i.) The mogwoi are not as other fey. They share similarities, but their thought processes are more alien. They were shaped in a different time. Their points of reference, their basic assumptions, are all a little different. Their interactions with reality are a little different. Their goals and motivations are a little different. And Hob is their king.
h
As it is told, the mogwoi sovereigns were birthed right alongside the Material Plane. They were the mere castings of unused fragments of the very stuff of reality, coalescing and gaining sentience over time. They predate all other life in the Material Plane, leading many to consider them the progenitors of all fey and even natural creatures. But there is no direct evidence for this, and their often alien natures would suggest otherwise. Within the mogwoi, Hob appears to command some measure of status. He is recognized as the eldest of all mogwoi. Given Hob and his progeny’s natures, the available lore is scarce, though stranger, darker, wilder tales about them emerge—primarily from Flibbertigibbet and his progeny, so given the source, who can judge what’s mere farce—than are told of any other mogwoi lord.
OF GREAT WORKS
There is no record of Hob’s activity after his disappearance from the other mogwoi and before his arrival at the secluded valley that he would make his own. Driven by unknown cosmic equations and occult guidance, once there, he proceeded to create three hundred little sculptures from swamp mud and painstakingly brought each one to life as the matabiri. Finished, Hob sat in his swamp, silent, for nearly a
The Faerie Ring century, much to his new servitors’ dismay. Confused and frustrated, the matabiri continuously tried to contact their lord, their master, their god who sat before their very eyes unflinching and unheeding. Gradually, they came together in their efforts to contact Hob and began to develop a rudimentary society. Throughout the valley, they shaped the land and built as they needed—both on land and underwater. Always, though, someone had the role of recording the everpresent images projected by Hob: while in his demesne, all can witness the images. When Hob roused again, suddenly and without warning, he immediately set to work on another great project. Disappearing for weeks at a time, he’d returned from each trip only to, at some particular spot on the periphery of the valley, spend long hours in ritual raising massive, iridescent monoliths from the earth. He performed this act at seven different locations, bounding the perimeter of the valley. Finally, a bizarre crystalline structure was pulled out of the earth itself by unseen hands to rise and hang pendant in the sky a mile over the center of the valley. The surface of this crystal cascades with color, coruscating in the moonlight. As if it were alive, it changes form and dimensions constantly in complex patterns that are more than a little disconcerting in its implications. The crazily angled stone is known simply as the Shining Crystal. Its purpose—and that of the monoliths—is unclear, but they occasionally crackle with bolts of otherworldly energy that sometimes spark from stone to stone. With his alteration of the landscape complete, Hob returned to his torpor.
LOOKING AHEAD
This process continues. Every fifty to three hundred years, Hob rouses for a time to perform some part of his grand design. Despite long stretches of inactivity, over the millennia Hob has reformed his demesne, birthed countless new mogwoi, built incomprehensible arcane devices, and disappeared in travels to the far reaches of the cosmos. And always, goal achieved, he returns to his solitude and silence. Over time, the matabiri have become more accepting of the process. Now, they simply make way and watch,
hoping to gain some spark of understanding into what their creator, the being who was very possibly the first living creature, is doing. Most matabiri presume that every action Hob takes is deliberately calculated and all tied into an elaborate endgame eons in the future.
HOLE IN THE WORLD
Hob’s most recent project has been the construction of a portal. This round, glyph-inscribed stone gateway, fifty feet in diameter, lies flush with the ground. It is continuously open, appearing as a large pool of inky black liquid. Hob has remained active for longer than usual this time and has spent months seemingly just staring into the blackness. Just recently, a massive creature has emerged from the gateway as if in response to a calling. This enormous entity, known as a Hagfish, often lumbers partially from the pool and bellows with an eerie wailing reminiscent of whale song. By all appearances, Hob and the Hagfish are communicating on some level. The matabiri believe that this portal leads to the Plane of Rahab—a Preternatural Plane thought to have originated when a portion of the Elemental Plane of Water breached the Plane of Shadow, creating the dark, cold, dense waters of the Sea of Rahab.
BEING HOB
Hob is inscrutable. He seemingly takes no counsel nor shares his intentions with others. Mute, he has never uttered a word. However, those in his presence often “see” images whirl unbidden through their minds as strange, new thoughts enter. At the same time, memories buried in their own minds are pulled to the surface and sometimes escape from the individual’s memory altogether, presumably taken by Hob. Whether the exchange of telepathic images is a form of communication or simply thoughts bleeding from and absorbed into his mind is unknown, but such exchanges are experienced as a whirlwind of alien images with no narrative structure and only the briefest glimpses of recognizable forms. The greatest irony is that his own creations—the matabiri—do not really understand him either. Relationships: Hob rarely takes physical action against anyone or anything unless it is a part of his
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unfathomable agenda. Those foolish enough to have attacked him directly or blocked his path were met with a response always without emotion and of supreme efficiency: like the swatting of gnats buzzing about his face. Of utmost importance to Hob, always, is the goal at hand, but only he knows what that goal is. Characteristics: Hob consists entirely of a tarry liquid. This shadowy substance literally bubbles from the ground, floating upward to meld into Hob’s form, which continually shifts, shrinking here and elongating there as if there is a tidal pull on his very essence. Should a limb be cut off, a new one simply flows from the stump while the old drains back into the earth. Typically, Hob appears as a long and lean humanoid
with a hunched back and disproportionately long arms ending in long clawlike fingers. The liquid composition of his body makes it smooth and featureless, without even any apparent eyes or mouth. Occasionally, he takes on weird distorted proportions owing to his form’s shifting nature. He is able to increase his mass by drawing more of the tarry fluid from the very earth, at such times giving his body unusual and asymmetric proportions. Similarly, Hob can release material back into the earth and travel vast distances through the very ground. Strategy & Tactics: Unless a group of attackers overcomes Hob’s considerable defenses, he ignores their existence. If his interest is drawn by particularly persi stent , u nu su a l, or challenging foes, he connects to their minds, reading their thoughts and giving them a glimpse into his own. Most foes collapse . . . that never an unhappy fellow in the company showed so much unhappy wit, under the sheer immensity as to offer to take a knife and pare away the devil, lying in the dead of the nail; a nd st ra ngeness of and throw him into the fire, for acting his part so baldly: but I nothing doubt, his mind. Should an but the devil-master priest would have had an eye to this, least he, or some of his opponent actually cause brethren, at the next exorcism holden, should for want of a devil, have spoiled him significant damage, a good play. Hob might actively —Samuel Harsnett, engage in combat, using A Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures his malleable body and innate magic to quickly Amongst the many stories that the fey tell, there are scattered hints of the end the battle. Or he Dark Mother. Considered apocryphal by most, these tales typically evoke her might meld into the earth as a progenitor of the fey and, more specifically, as the mother of the mogwoi and escape. Or he might sovereigns. Strangely, for the small amount of information there is about the summon the whole of Dark Mother, it is all very consistent. She is said to have birthed the forty-four the matabiri race to war siblings, or the Dark Ones—the mogwoi sovereigns. for him while he returns The siblings are all quite different with their own unique goals and agendas. to his grand designs. He Among them, the five eldest seem to hold status, and there is considerably more might even let himself known about them: Hob—the eldest of the eldest—Obidicut, Mahu, Modo, be seemingly destroyed. and Flibbertigibbet. Only Hob knows why Hob While many remain unknown, a few names have surfaced throughout the engages in any action, and years of the remaining Dark Ones, including Delicat, Frateretto, Hiaclito, all, even the actions of his Killico, Lustie Jolly Jenkin, Malkin, Nur, Philpot, Pippen, Portorichio, Puff, enemies, seems to occur Purre, Smolkin, and Tocobatto. in accordance with his arcane plan.
The Dark Ones
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The Faerie Ring
Shambhala
h
Where lovers, rich with hidden wealth untold, Wander each day with nymphs forever young, Enjoy the wonders that the gardens hold, The Shining Gardens, where the praise is sung Of the god of wealth by choirs with love-impassioned tongue. —Kalidasa, Meghaduta [The Cloud Messenger] (II. viii.) Hidden in an impossibly isolated valley, Shambhala is surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in existence. The sheer cliffs, staggeringly high altitudes, and hazardous conditions make gaining the valley a pipe dream for all but the most determined. The pristine valley far below teems with a wide variety of life and, by most observers, would rank among the most incredible sights they ever witnessed. Giant ferns and banyan trees blanket the land, fed by cascading waterfalls and populated by giant insects and other odd creatures unique to the region. The untamed beauty of Shambhala, however, hides a terrible secret—that of the matabiri. Most have heard tales of fabled Shambhala: mythical land of tranquility and happiness, where enlightenment waits for any determined enough to seek it. The reality, unfortunately, is far otherwise, for the matabiri have seeded these very tales, tailored to individual cultures. Those who manage to find Shambhala quickly face the horror of becoming the next slave, the next experiment, or the next meal of the matabiri. A few outsiders who are quite aware of Shambhala’s nature have profited nicely as trusted slave traders for the matabiri, such as Mahu. Many are brought to Shambhala against their will. Some find it accidentally. Few escape alive.
AMPHITHEATER
A giant pit occupies the city center. This bowl-shaped depression bottoms out in a pool that connects to
the maze of underground passageways. The gradual muddy slopes provide space for matabiri to sit and be comfortable and, also, an area that serves as a stage. Galleries line the sloping walls, serving as additional vantage points, and many are happy to soak up the purple sun on one of these ledges, which offer up a fine view of the proceedings. There is nearly always something going on in the amphitheater, including plays, arcane and scientific exhibits, debates, and the occasional blood sport (almost always performed by slaves).
DARK PASSAGE
On the opposing sides of the valley are flat black walls shorn into the cliff. The matabiri assume it was made by Hob, but none can recall during what period of wakefulness he built either. The surfaces have a gelatinous consistency to the touch. Creatures can move—or objects can be tossed—through one wall and eventually exit from the opposite surface across the valley. Travelers seem to experience no passage of time or memory of the trip. However, to outside observers the time it takes for emergence seems to vary randomly, going from instantaneous to several days. Matabiri passing through either side often claim to receive clearer dreams, but that could simply be coincidence or wishful thinking.
FORBIDDEN CLEARING
Hob has only once appeared displeased with a creation. Those matabiri old enough to remember say he formed a spinning, whirring box of gems, metal, and solidified shadow within a small clearing. He watched it move for years as if listening to music in its motions. Then, for no seeming reason, he tore down every component piece so no part touched another. It is now always impenetrably dark in the clearing where the broken pieces rest. The matabiri believe the place is cursed and speak of strange shapes moving in the black. They say no one who enters returns, but none can specifically recall anyone trying.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Within Shambhala is a single pure fall of water, burbling
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out the side of the mountain to the valley below. It is unassuming in every way, save for the massive and odd wildlife that congregate at the water’s shore. This is the true fountain of youth. Any creature touching the water does not age and cannot be magically aged for one day. Additionally, any creature drinking of the water has any aging penalties they have accrued removed for one day. The water loses its magic if taken from Shambhala. The matabiri know of this sacred stream and they guard the secret jealously. However, they are fond of spreading tempting stories of immortality to draw slaves into their clutches.
of Kalapa, lies Hob’s Rest. This freshwater mangrove swamp is where Hob spends his torpor—sometimes lounging on a mangrove root, sometimes sitting on the small island in the center of the swamp, sometimes floating in the dark water like a great ink stain, sometimes seemingly frozen in mid-stride. The area exists in dead silence, owing to Hob’s presence, and the lights of the silent ones dance within the swampy waters. The matabiri treat this grove as a holy place and take great care to maintain it. There are always some watching the area in order to track Hob’s movements.
FUTURE RUINS
KALAPA
A century ago, the matabiri discovered ruins of mysterious stone structures appearing within an overgrown section of jungle. No buildings had ever been built even close to the area. Continued observation showed that, instead of crumbling into further decay, the ruins are recovering. Each year, a few more stones appear, and the structures grow incrementally in size. It is as if for the ruins, time moves in reverse, and they watch the affects of untold years being unwoven with each passing second. Stranger still, ancient matabiri bones have begun appearing among the ruins, when previous searches in the same places found nothing.
The matabiri primarily occupy only the southern quarter of the valley, where the land is swampy and waterlogged, in their capital city of Kalapa. At a glance, this would seem to be an abuse of the term city, but most of Kalapa lies underground in flooded tunnels and chambers. Owing to their amphibious natures, the matabiri have wonderfully melded the seemingly disparate aspects of their lives: simplicity above, sinister complexity beneath. On the surface, Kalapa appears little more than a scattering of huts and pools, some simple and others more elaborate. They are largely constructed of mud and various debris—stone and bone and bits of wood— bound together in mosaic-like patterns cemented in place with a curious resin made from matabiri spittle. The huts serve a variety of purposes, including storage and gathering areas, but all have a small tunnel or pool that leads below-ground to a vast network of partially flooded caverns.
GATE TO RAHAB
In the northern part of the valley, in a clearing in the banyan trees, lies the most recent addition to Shambhala—the gate to Rahab. The massive obsidian ring is etched with luminous glyphs and lies flush to the ground. Within are the inky black waters of Rahab.
HAUNTED VALLEY
When not swimming in Hob’s Rest, the silent ones silently float through the valley, favoring the shadowy waters surrounding the twisting trunks of the banyan trees. They are usually harmless, if strange, watery ghosts, but when hunting, they can be formidable indeed.
HOB’S REST
In the southernmost portion of the valley, just south
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LIVING STATUE
Hob once created a statue of green and black volcanic glass in a roughly humanoid shape. Within its depths, he built glass organs and bones, all visible through its glass flesh. The matabiri believed it merely a sculpture, but they honored and observed it, much as any other creation of Hob’s. It took a long time for them to realize that it moves, albeit at a glacial pace. It might take the statue years to shift mere inches and centuries to take a few steps. Over many generations of observation, they
The Faerie Ring think it moves with purpose, though it is so slow that growing trees have time to slide out of its way. They’ve determined it walks toward one of Hob’s monoliths, but none know how many millennia it might require to complete the journey.
an energy source. Each monolith has hardness 20 and 1,260 hit points. If destroyed, the energy is released in an explosion that deals 10d6 bludgeoning and 10d6 fire damage in a 60foot radius (Reflex DC 15 for half).
MONOLITHS
SPAWNING POOLS
Seven massive iridescent monoliths erected by Hob are set at the perimeter of the valley. Each crackles with seemingly limitless energy, though none possess the slightest hint of magic. A major matabiri goal is to someday master the power of these monoliths, which could potentially be harnessed to charge technology or technomagical devices they’ve not yet dreamed of. They have determined that each reaches deep into the earth, seeming to draw upon the power of liquid magma as
The shallow surface pools are connected to the underground network by tunnels. These pools are primarily for spawning and can hold thousands of matabiri eggs. There are always matabiri present to tend the eggs or fry.
STONE STEPS
During one period of activity, Hob began carving a winding stairway into the stone of the mountain, but he seemed to cease his actions halfway to completion. All matabiri investigating the work found their progress stalled at some point along the ascent. However long they climbed, they made no forward progress. Shambhala is a secluded paradise. It has the following traits: Every twist and turn would simply Charming: Creatures can become charmed by Shambhala, seeing it bring them back to some previous is a perfect paradise despite any harsh reality or contrary arguments. point. Some spent years attempting A creature entering or viewing the demesne must succeed on a DC to climb to the top of the stairs. 25 Will save. On a failed save, the creature views any feature within Many have brought back tales of the area in the best possible light. A pool of stinking mud might seem barely glimpsed wonders just ahead perfect for a relaxing soak or a chill rain a welcome break from the or visions when dreaming upon tedium of blue skies. This effect persists even when the creature leaves the stone. All believe that Hob hid Shambhala, leading many travelers to spread rumors of it as a flawless some great gift or revelation at the utopia. If the creature is threatened or attacked while in Shambhala, top, meant only for the eyes of the they gain an additional save with a +5 bonus. This is a mind-affecting truly worthy. effect. Craftsmanship: Shambhala drives and encourages any act of THE TUNNELS AND creation. Creatures slumbering within its boundaries might dream of BEYOND strange architecture or awaken to find they half-built some wondrous Mostly submerged tunnels form a device. Any creature within the bounds of Shambhala with at least 5 vast underground network where ranks in any Craft or Profession skill functions as if they possessed the matabiri live and experiment. the Master Craftsman and Craft Wondrous Item feats. If a creature They also serve as a door to the possesses either feat, any of their craft ing times for the creation of rest of reality, connecting directly either magical or mundane items are halved within the bounds of to the vast underground demesne Shambhala. of Agartha—home to Modo—and from there to everywhere.
Hob’s Demesne
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Matabiri & Others
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How can I ever know what I can’t do until I know what I can do? Why would I ever choose to limit my options? —a matabiri speaking of morality For never uttering a word, Hob has managed to somehow touch the lives of countless fey. But, perhaps, that’s bound to happen with a being that’s been around since, possibly literally, forever.
MATABIRI Born of muck and swamp water, perhaps it is little surprise that matabiri are as severe as they are. The original three hundred came into being with little or no knowledge and guidance, and Hob was little help. Isolated from all other intelligent life, the matabiri struggled to find their way. Quickly learning the benefits of working together, they established a rudimentary society and began to plumb the secrets of their swampy home. A mong t hei r first actions, they established a council of seven matabiri whose sole purpose was to monitor, record, and evaluate any and all images or other sensations transmitted by the silent Hob. While all within the valley are
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witness to these emanations, the council focuses on nothing else. The membership of the council rotates just as do all roles in matabiri society. However, its membership is seven moons long, instead of the typical single moon, and is staggered so that only a single matabiri leaves the council each moon; this preserves consistency of operation. These seven are often referred to as the Dream Council, with Hob deemed the Dreamer and these emanations his dreams. They seek merely to understand their silent lord and make some sense out of these dreams. The evaluations that the Dream Council makes of Hob’s dreams shape all of matabiri development. All their actions can be traced to the interpretations of Hob’s dreams. Despite this, Hob has never
The Faerie Ring acknowledged the matabiri in any way since their creation that would suggest his approval or disapproval of their actions. So the matabiri simply try all the harder to please him, grasping for any sign of meaning and intention in Hob’s dreams. The matabiri advanced rapidly in their isolation from the rest of the world, but it was most eye-opening on that Day of Realization, centuries ago, when they first discovered the existence of other sentient life. Like so much in their lives, it started with only a fleeting image of a humanoid transmitted in one of Hob’s dreams—a moment that would spell disaster for other sentient beings but a new dawn for the matabiri. Their discoveries have increased exponentially since that important one. They have made astounding strides in the realms of science and the mind; they have developed amazing devices; they have discovered many secrets from this world and others. They simply could not have made such progress without humanoids and their ilk, for these creatures became the slave labor, the test subjects, and the sacrifices for so many of the matabiri’s advances. Typical Characteristics: Matabiri share many characteristics in appearance and behavior with amphibians. They have three- to four-foot-tall humanoid forms, and their hairless, metallic blue to slate gray skin is smooth and slimy, like that of a newt. Webbing appears between the digits on their hands and feet and under their arms. Virtually invisible to all but the closest inspection, matabiri possess razor-thin gill slits on each side of their necks. The lidless, black, reflective eyes are typically the first clue to their cold, calculating natures for those unfortunate few who meet them. The handful of stubby teeth that appear to have been filed to points are typically the first clue to their viciousness. There is no outward indication of either a nose or ears; however, the physiology required for both smell and hearing are still present. Development: All matabiri begin their lives in spawning pools where they emerge from jellylike masses that contain thousands of eggs. Since they initially possess only gills, they must remain in the pools for their first year; they are known as fry during
this period. At that point, their lungs are developed sufficiently that they can also live on land, and they emerge into the society. Society: Perhaps surprisingly, when one considers their demeanor and proclivities, the matabiri have an egalitarian social structure. They are fair and patient with one another, and they have developed a system whereby the various duties in their society transition to the next individual every moon. This ensures that each individual has a greater awareness of the group and that the group has a better appreciation of the individual. Strikingly, the matabiri treat all other races with disdain. Other mogwoi are given highest consideration, but even they are considered lesser beings. Humanoids are given the least respect and are considered animals—beasts of burden, test subjects, sacrifices, and sustenance. Relationships: The matabiri are Hob’s children, but Hob is not an attentive father. They continue to revere his typically still form, always believing that there is some greater plan at work. During his wakeful moments, Hob rarely interacts directly with any matabiri, aside from the silent ones. Strategy & Tactics: Matabiri prefer to fight in much the same way they prefer to live life—as a group. They work well together to surround enemies and keep them off balance by attacking from all sides. When possible, Matabiri grab hold of their foes and drag them into the water where they have the advantage.
SILENT ONES It is the greatest of honors to be chosen for elevation into the ranks of the silent ones, at one with the will of Hob. The silent ones act as the hands of Hob. In truth, they are as little understood as the mogwoi lord himself, but they share a connection with Hob like no other. Like their creator, they are mute and exist in complete silence, but they seem to know Hob’s desires and perform his direct will. Origin: As the story goes, while striding past a group of matabiri during one of his active periods,
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Hob stopped and seemed to take note of them for once. After a moment’s pause, he grabbed an ailing matabiri, which froze in ecstatic awe, and lifted it so that its face touched Hob’s featureless visage. The matabiri’s own features started to melt while its frame began to puff out, and all the while, a soft, dull glow emanated from its chest and head. When released, this first silent one floated gently up and disappeared, presumably on a mission for Hob, returning exactly one moon later to Hob’s Rest. Ever si nce, from time to time, Hob would, s e em i ng ly at random, transform a single matabiri into another silent one. To date, he has created several thousand silent ones. This process is known as the Breath of Hob and is viewed as the most holy of experiences, the cherished culmination of a matabiri’s existence. Only Hob knows why a particular matabiri is chosen, but there seem to be a disproportionate number of the sick and infirm among them. When not on missions, they quietly swim the waters of Hob’s Rest. Typical Characteristics: A matabiri undergoing the Breath of Hob is transformed into a silent one. Its body liquefies—skin, bones, organs, and so on are all converted to the sentient liquid of the silent ones. This substance is very similar to that of Hob’s except that, instead of tarry and opaque, it appears watery and
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translucent. The silent ones maintain full control over their new forms. They create pseudopods from their liquid-like flesh at will and typically engulf their prey. In this fashion they feed, but they can also take control of victims for a time. They are capable of flowing along the ground in the form of a puddle, or through porous material, but they can also form a rough approximation of a bloated, featureless matabiri floating gently through the air. They digest most organic material within their bodies while most inorganic material is safe, at least for short periods. They are translucent of flesh with a soft yellow glow originating from two spots within their forms, one larger and one smaller; when appearing like a matabiri, these spots correspond to the chest and head, respectively. Aside from the glow, they are all but invisible in water. Like their master, they exist in total silence. It is believed they can communicate freely with Hob and probably with one another, as well, but they are incapable of communicating with others. However, the glow they always give off does fluctuate, and it is believed this corresponds to their mood. Environment: Silent ones prefer to be submerged in water but can survive indefi nitely outside of it. When not on a mission for Hob, they occasionally float through the valley like strange, watery ghosts but spend most of their time swimming in the waters of Hob’s Rest. Those waters are now always aglow with the dancing binary lights of each of the silent ones, drifting about in complex patterns and fluctuating in complex rhythms.
The Faerie Ring Society: It is unknown if silent ones have any social structure, but the matabiri believe not, except to serve at Hob’s whim. They have no other responsibilities: they don’t reproduce on their own, and they feed primarily by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings. The lush valley and moving waters ensure that they never go hungry, and they hunt when they choose for additional sustenance. Relationships: The silent ones are completely devoted to Hob. None has ever rebelled and it is doubtful that they are capable of such incendiary thoughts. Without hesitation, they perform Hob’s tasks to the letter. These tasks have typically been of discovery, delivery, theft, assassination, and a host of other activities. Sometimes, it is as simple and mysterious as physically being in a location at a given time or moving an object from one location to another. It’s boggling to think what effect these seemingly insignificant actions might have, but the matabiri presume that these many small actions are vital in the furtherance of Hob’s inscrutable agenda. Strategy & Tactics: Silent Ones treat foes not as enemies but as prey. They rely on their natural defenses to avoid or ignore attacks while attempting to grab, engulf, and begin to digest the nearest opponent. If possible, they drag captured prey into the water and try to drown them. They employ their ability to control others seemingly at random, as if according to some strange and unknown plan.
YAKSHA O cloud, the parching spirit stirs thy pity; My bride is far, through royal wrath and might; Bring her my message to the Yaksha city, Rich-gardened Alaka, where radiance bright From Shiva’s crescent bathes the palaces in light. [...] Where lovers, rich with hidden wealth untold, Wander each day with nymphs forever young, Enjoy the wonders that the gardens hold, The Shining Gardens, where the praise is sung Of the god of wealth by choirs with love-impassioned tongue. —Kalidasa, Meghaduta [The Cloud Messenger]
Apparently lost to history, the yaksha were rediscovered by Hob during his travels. He found the first three trapped in stasis, buried deep in the ground within the mountains surrounding Shambhala. Returning these frozen yaksha to Kalapa, he began the complex rituals required to release them. All their memories were lost in the long entombment, except the knowledge that they were yaksha. The newly revived yaksha worked with the matabiri as best they could to restore their minds, but lack of results and the yaksha temperament has caused this line of inquiry to cease. As a result, the relationship between the two races has become terribly strained. The yaksha have since learned to locate and revive other yaksha buried in the earth and scattered far and wide, thus adding a handful to their numbers. With what help the matabiri are still able and willing to offer and with the additional yaksha, a small number of facts have started to come to light. History: The yaksha have also made a deal with Mahu, the Thief of Nowhere, which they will likely come to regret someday, as most do. In return for their “future favors rendered,” he has provided them with an unnamed, one-of-a-kind collection of tales (presumably kept safe all this time in his demesne of lost things), detailing a dark and twisted time that perhaps never was. The very last tale was originally titled “The Road to Alaka,” but the title has been scratched out, and in its place, an unsure hand has scrawled “The Doom that Came to Alaka.” The wondrous city of Alaka is described in all its magnificence. Clinging to the mountaintops and kissing the clouds, its crystal and moonstone towers glistened in the moonlight. Its gardens bloomed full year round, and its Wishing Tree called as a constant beacon to pilgrims. Under good King Kubera, this beautiful city prospered like no other. Something changes in the story, though. The tone darkens, and the words become more frantic and less measured. The content shifts to unusual disasters and weirder happenstance, building to a fever pitch until just after the phrase “coming cataclysm.” Mid-sentence, the text stops. No pages are torn out nor words marred; subsequent pages are simply blank. For sixty-seven
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pages, there is nothing, only blank paper. Until, that is, the very last page where “the end” is repeated three times. Is this but a tale, or does it record (at least in part) a lost history? The yaksha remember nothing. Various markers in the text indicate that Alaka and its people predate all but the mogwoi lords. If those lords know anything about the contents, they have not revealed it. No other record from that distant time has surfaced in any of the great libraries or notable private collections. If these apocryphal tales are true, it would be as if a part of history had been erased. And what then of Alaka and the other fey tribes mentioned in the tales? What then of the “cataclysm”? If these tales aren’t true, then the yaksha are no closer to understanding who or what they are. Typical Characteristics: It is clear from those lost tales (if they are true) that the yaksha are not now what they once were. These passionate spirits of nature were changed by their long imprisonment (and perhaps from this “cataclysm”). The yaksha hallmarks from the tales have been exaggerated and twisted. Once creatures of the earth, they have become one with dirt and stone—the very earth walking. Their passion has ignited their hearts into smoking, seething artifacts of despair. Their demeanors are like night and day: typically gentle and calm, but at the slightest provocation, a terrible rage is released, and theirs is a violence to behold (preferably from a safe
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distance). Environment: These supposedly once gregarious creatures have known solitude for so long, that now they know nothing else. Their long lack of interaction and bouts of rage make them difficult to be around. Yakshas feel most at home in solitude, deep in the earth if possible.
The Faerie Ring Society: Any society of yaksha that may once have existed is gone. There are currently less than a dozen known to exist. They stick close to one another to keep from losing each other again, but they are constantly pulled toward solitude. They are actively seeking out more of their kind buried deep in the earth just as they were. Perhaps, one day, they will locate and revive a buried fellow with memory intact. Such, at any rate, is their hope. Relationships: The yaksha feel obligated to Hob and try to honor him the best they can, but they have no means to communicate with him. They have tried to work with the matabiri, but that usually ends in disaster: the yaksha get frustrated easily and fall to violence in the face of matabiri condescension and incessant questioning and probing. Strategy & Tactics: A yaksha’s strategy depends upon temperament. If cool and calm, a yaksha fights as if stone, defensively, trusting in natural defenses and strength to keep blows at bay and wear an opponent down. If enraged, a yaksha fights as if fire, attacking without mercy until an opponent is nothing but pulp and blood splatter.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
BELOVED OF RAHAB
She had another name, once. A name given to her by the matabiri, by the worshippers of Hob. From her time as a fry, she knew she was intended for something wondrous. When she swam in the waters of Shambhala she heard the whispers. Dark murmurings just beyond her comprehension made promises and demanded tribute and spoke not in her mind but in her heart. At first, she thought these to be the dreams of Hob, but in time, she came to realize the truth. Something other than the great Hob spoke to her. Something beyond—and perhaps even more powerful.
Tales of Shambhala
It is not entirely clear why the matabiri seed so many rumors about the “paradise” that is Shambhala since those few who have managed to find this false paradise on their own throughout the millennia would not be enough to sustain all of the matabiri experiments, or even their hunger. It has been suggested that the dissemination and evolution of these tales, as they blanket all of mortal lands, have a power of their own—a power that the matabiri are able to harness in some weird, arcane way. Or possibly, they are simply awaiting the right individual to heed their call.
Rahab, goddess of water, shadow, and chaos. The Beloved of Rahab hatched from a clutch of eggs just like any other matabiri, nothing unusual marked her destiny or the heresy she would someday commit. She showed intensity from a young age, even by the standards of her people, and threw herself into her devotions as if expecting to be granted special visions by Hob. She volunteered to help with experiments on outsiders, delighting in every convulsion and cry of pain. Yet as she grew older, she also grew disillusioned. Visions from Hob never came and the whimpers and screams of experiment victims sounded distant and empty. When the gate to Rahab was opened in that clearing and humming with power, she at last found her purity of purpose. Gleefully and without thought, she dove through the gate into the Sea of Rahab. There, she breathed in the dark, thick waters and shadows until she lost all sense of self. That matabiri died but from her corpse sprung new life: the Beloved of Rahab, emissary to the Chaosbringer. Characteristics: Beloved of Rahab has the physique of a matabiri, slim and perfectly formed for swimming. Unlike most matabiri, however, her skin has blackened, as if the inky waters suff used her flesh, and her eyes
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sparkle like golden gemstones. Beloved seeks only to serve her goddess, doing her lord’s bidding on the Material Plane. Beneath her devotion, however, lies a disturbing sadism that colors her actions, even while on a mission for Rahab. Relationships: Beloved serves her mistress above all else. She cares little for Hob, whom she considers to be, if not a false god, an inattentive one, and she pities her own people. The matabiri consider her a heretic but grudgingly allow her in their society, aware she has a powerful master. She feels the same contempt toward outsiders as the rest of her people. Strategy & Tactics: As Rahab’s emissary, Beloved can draw on considerable magical power in combat, yet she prefers to use spells and hexes that cause pain and agony rather than quick death. A sadist, Beloved of Rahab draws out suffering whenever possible.
DISALA
The yaksha do not trust Hob and the matabiri. (Actually, they really actively dislike the vile smugness of the matabiri.) But there’s so few yaksha, and Hob seems to actually want to help them. For now at least, they are embracing the mogwoi’s “generosity” on orders from Disala. Disala is a direct descendent of Kubera, the lost yaksha king, and she has taken charge of the yaksha remnants. The matabiri think her dead in a massive tunnel collapse, but that was merely a ruse to cover her escape. She couldn’t trust her thoughts being around Hob and some of the matabiri, and she just couldn’t find her answers while stuck in the valley. The other yaksha have been ordered to abandon all thoughts of escape, embracing the matabiri for now, and shore up their minds—which yaksha are good at—while around Hob. She has found some buried ruins, dwellings of yaksha build, off the road to Agartha and is scouring them for answers. Characteristics: As she spends more and more time away from the valley of Kalapa, she finds her memories returning and her body responding differently, though in ways that ring true to her newly revealed memories. She feels like she is returning to the way she was, the
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way she’s supposed to be. Relationships: She is currently exploring the tunnels beyond the valley on the way to Agartha, hoping to find anything that might point her toward answers, especially if it regards Kubera. Everything and everyone else is secondary. Strategy & Tactics: Disala is doing her best to remain hidden. She cannot be useful, be a leader, to them if she is captured or killed. But she also can’t let any live that learn she’s still alive, and she kills when she has to with the barest of regrets. Bringing back and protecting her people are all that matters.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ One presumes that, for good or for ill, Hob knows the intended outcome of his actions. So what if Hob disappears or is somehow imprisoned and kept from attending to his Great Works, causing everything to begin unraveling? Perhaps, he was somehow preventing the whole of the Material Plane from slipping into oblivion and, without him, all of existence is in terrible danger. ❖❖ Not all of the matabiri place Hob on the highest of pedestals. There are a few in every generation—sometimes more or less, depending on the epoch—that fan the flames of cultural revolution. They might simply up and leave their people, or they might stay and work from within. Today, there is a greater than customary roiling of angst just below the surface of this society, a nervous, uncertain energy ready to pop. But there’s no prevailing mode of thought for them beyond that of tradition. They are on a psychical edge, and any one voice or event could the last bit that steers them down one path or another. ❖❖ What if that one day has come? Have we now reached the culmination of all of Hob’s secret work—or even just a major turning point? Is this finally the day that . . . ?
The Faerie Ring fey and shadow and fueled by elemental waters. Little is known of the Sea of Rahab. A vast sea of inky, pressurized depths, few have ever had reason to go there. However, stories are starting to fi lter out of the secluded demiplane about the Rahab—about the Chaosbringer. Hob has recently erected a portal to the By his power he stilled the sea; plane and is apparently in communication with Rahab by his understanding he shattered Rahab. by way of her servants, the Hagfish. —Job 26:12 Beyond the Obsidian Gate: Like some great lidless eye, the Sea of Rahab stretches: a glittering black A legend is told where an angel of the sea fell to her sapphire and a smothering indigo garrote. The true death in pride and arrogance from the heavens. Where nature of this stillborn miscegenation of water and she fell, however, was on a border of the fey and shadow shadow—its unplumbed, roiling depths ruled by its realms. It so happens that some personalities do not twisted, titular mother Rahab—remains a tantalizing fade gently, and as the two realities fought for her and deadly mystery. leavings, she was born anew, spun from the shadows The Chaosbringer’s realm alternates from the and fairy magic. With the delicate fabric of two extremes of near boiling to numbingly cold and is planes tied intimately into her form, she called upon always possessed of the crushing pressures of the her birthright, her dominion over the sea. From the greatest of terrestrial abyssal trenches. Unlike those elemental bedlam below, she called forth the waters. benthic zones that it reflects through the warped The resulting breach of three planes, guided by her deft looking glass of shadow, Rahab’s demesne is neither will, resulted in the Sea of Rahab, a watery demiplane uniform in its deadly embrace nor, curiously enough, of the shadowy depths nestled between the planes of completely lightless. Although the ink-black waters themselves absorb light, limiting most illumination to a dusky and feeble radius, distinct regions do defy this. Powerful are the tales of angels falling from prestigious and prodigious When Rahab fell from heights. Though not common, these stories have a startling potency. To the Heavens, shedding her imagine that an angel could topple into baseness staggers the mind—as celestial origins, remaking does the flipside, that a devil or other fiend could arise in splendor. But herself, and forming the things don’t always stay so black and white, so easily confined to the outer Sea of Rahab like a great planes. Some fall in-between. penumbral crater, traces of Some fall to the Material and Preternatural Planes. Rahab is the shining her former essence remained, example of one who was forcefully torn from heaven. The Grigori, however, scattered like diamonds on are examples of those who deliberately chose the mortal realms over eternal sackcloth. Immiscible with delight or unending torment. They rejected and sloughed off their former the surrounding waters, great natures as angels, and they became fey. spheres of normal water, air, They made their home, siring the nephilim, but their former lives would and earth form more or less not release them so easily. Brutal war ensued, nearly destroying the Grigori stable habitats isolated within and their offspring. But some survived, driven to hiding in their Unseen the depths, accreted about Cities. After long millennia, they once again stir, braving the outside world. Rahab’s celestial essence like But why? glowing pearls.
The Sea of Rahab
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Fallen Angels
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These tiny, storm-tossed worlds diffusely orbit Rahab herself, like constellations in a hungry singularity’s tidal grip. Distantly, she broods, unseen but omnipresent, the churning waters her kiss and the keening whale song of the Hagfish her voice. Though often inimical to outsiders, the sea is far from lifeless. The shadowstuff lacing the waters spontaneously generates innumerable beings in warped, reflected mimicry of anything they touch, creating entire biomes and even cultures from nothing, soon returning to
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nothing by Rahab’s will. This is perhaps the reason why Rahab now sends her eyes and ears outward. Not in diplomacy but to touch, taste, and regurgitate, feeding her plane’s twisted mirror fecundity.
HAGFISH Even Rahab in all her turpitude Rahab divided herself She stood before Los in her Pride among the Furnaces Dividing & uniting in Delusive feminine pomp questioning him —William Blake, Vala, or The Four Zoas
The Faerie Ring The Hagfish are the emissaries of Rahab. There are only the eight of them, and they serve as Rahab’s eyes and ears and, more recently, her envoys. It is unclear if the Hagfish are former angels that fell with Rahab or creatures spun anew from the very plane. It is believed that Rahab cannot, or chooses not to, leave her resting place. She is either so intricately enmeshed in the fabric of her plane that travel is not an option, or she has simply had no good reason to go elsewhere. Either way, the Hagfish act as her hands and her senses. Characteristics: The Hagfish are so named for their
superficial resemblance to hagfish, primitive lampreylike precursors of true fish. Just like their namesakes, these giant eel-like fey are partially blind (their eyes detect only light and dark), and they exude a thick slime. Unlike their namesakes, however, they do possess jawed mouths that are surrounded by barbels and throats lined with vicious rear-pointing teeth. Also, Hagfish have fanlike dorsal and ventral fins running their length. Though their bodies take on dark, inky tones, the fins, when unfurled, coruscate with light and color. The fins are not at all required for swimming and are typically folded tightly against the body, but when attracting prey or communicating, the fins are let free. Each Hagfish’s set of fins is different in appearance. Perhaps most striking, the Hagfish also communicate with sound, similar to whale song. The low rumble and eerie pitch of their harmonics travels great distances We look down into Ulro we behold the Wonders of the Grave and pervades the Plane of Rahab. It’s when Eastward of Golgonooza stands the Lake of Udan Adan In you can’t hear it that you should be most Entuthon Benithon a Lake not of Waters but of Spaces concerned. Perturbd black & deadly on its Islands & its Margins Environment: These marine fey spend —William Blake, all their time hunting and patrolling the Vala, or The Four Zoas crushing depths of the Plane of Rahab, fulfilling whatever mission Rahab has The Sea of Rehab has the following traits: assigned them. Water-Dominant (See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Relationships: The Hagfish are effectively GameMastery Guide for details.) extensions of Rahab, delivering her word Objective Directional Gravity: The fallen angel Rehab and judgment. acts as the center of the sea, and all currents flow toward her. Recently, Rahab and her Hagfish have Wherever she currently resides within the plane is treated as been in a flurry of activity: both members of “down” from every surrounding direction, and the plane’s the Grigori—specifically Batariel, Chazaqiel, crushing pressures increase the closer anything comes to her. and Kokabiel—and Hob have sought Rahab Should she ever depart the plane, gravity remains consistent out. It is unknown why. from her last location. Rehab can exclude individuals or Strategy & Tactics: Although powerful objects from this effect as a free action. creatures, Hagfish avoid combat unless it Luminescent: The entire Sea of Rehab has a faint glow, suits Rahab’s purpose. They use invisibility acting as dim light. and teleportation to avoid enemies. If forced Impeded Magic: Spells with the light descriptor or that to fight, they impart Rahab’s blessing upon use or generate light or fire are impeded in the Sea of Rehab. their enemy, infusing them with Rahab’s Spells that produce light are less effective in general because influence to transform them into harmless all light sources have their ranges halved on. blobs. Only if this fails do they employ their powerful jaws to end someone’s life.
Rahab’s Demesne
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(I’m pleased that you. . . ) . . . have finally decided to join me,” Jasmine purred teasingly, “as I commanded you to do over eight days ago.” Jasmine bit off the end of her sentence harshly and stared daggers into Ageryan’s pensive face. The first beads of sweat began to drip from the black hat’s brow at the mere hint of Jasmine’s displeasure. “I . . . I was s-searching for the scepter, milady, as you also commanded,” Ageryan stammered. “No. You had the scepter I sent you to retrieve. And then you lost it. And then I commanded you to return. That was eight days ago,” Jasmine corrected pointedly. “I am sorry, my—” Ageryan began, before Jasmine cut him off. “It is of no import. You are here now. Tell me, who took the scepter from you while you slept?” “I was drugged, milady! An elixir of dreaming was slipped into my cup, I . . .” “Who took my scepter?!” Jasmine howled, sending her retainers scurrying from the room. “It was one of Mab’s star sprites, the one they call Coriana! Even now, she speeds o’er the Green toward Scáthbaile!” Ageryan spit out, attempting to use the name of Jasmine’s most hated foe as both a shield and a lure to draw Jasmine’s ire away from him. “It is as I thought. Fortunately, I placed several other starvelings in the wood ahead of you to lay in wait, in case something unforeseen arose. They will overtake this Coriana in the Green and will bring her and the scepter here shortly,” Jasmine said nonchalantly. “Oh, milady, that brings such joy to my heart! Then I have not failed you as I so feared! You will have the scepter! I must admit, I was somewhat fearful of coming here without the scepter in hand, but you have . . .” Ageryan noticed that Jasmine’s
gaze had never shifted from him. She appeared unamused. “Yes, I planned for your ineptitude,” Jasmine said soft ly. Ageryan wilted beneath her insult before offering weakly, “Would you like me to ride out and join the hunt? I would love nothing more than to bring the scepter to you. I know Coriana’s foul face. I would be of great service . . .” “No. You will stay here for dinner as planned.” Jasmine said matter-of-factly. “You are too kind to me, milady! You forgive my transgressions and allow me to dine with you. Truly, you are the fairest, both in . . .” Ageryan was stopped cold by Jasmine‘s slowly forming grin. “Oh my dearest simpleton, Ageryan. I said that you would stay for dinner, not that you would be dining yourself.” Jasmine laughed mockingly. Slowly, the full weight of Jasmine’s dark plans began to fall upon Ageryan, “N-n-n-no, please . . .” “And I am sure you will be delicious, down to the last morsel . . .”
Jasmine,
the Painted Lady
(A Beast ) Cloaked in Petals
Jasmine
Yes, thou shalt know, spite of thy past Distress, And all those ills which thou so long hast mourn’d; Heav’n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn’d, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn’d. —William Congreve, The Mourning Bride (III. ii.) The Painted Lady. The Cannibal Queen. The Endless Hunger. The creature known as Jasmine has earned all of these derisive names and more, though none are brave enough to dare speak them to her face. Amongst the “powers that be” in the realms of the fey, she is one of the most feared. Welcomed in neither the “dark reaches” nor the “pure lands,” she is tolerated from behind pained smiles because they all know they have no other choice. Born a lowly creature of the sylvan wood without a drop of sovereign blood in her veins, she has nevertheless become a powerful force. Spoken of only in whispers, the beast known as Jasmine haunts the shadowed edges of the nightmares of both lowborn and fey lord alike.
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At first glance, to look upon one so seemingly fair is to believe that all that has been spoken of her is naught but lies ladled from an asp’s tongue. Coifed in starlight and bedecked in a gossamer gown of night-blooming flowers, Jasmine possesses regal bearing and displays many of the same affectations as Queen Mab herself, giving rise to rumors of ties between the two. Only those unfortunate souls who have witnessed her wretched transformation know the full truth, however. With good reason, the fey have bound Jasmine to the stony depths of Aralu. From within her lightless prison, Jasmine plots and waits, longing for the day when she might sate herself on Mab’s blood and bathe in the gore of all those beholden to her. The circumstances surrounding Jasmine’s origin are known only to the eldest of the fey. Of those who remember Queen Mab’s act of spite that would birth this monster, their silence has been commandeered through either powerful spell or fear of incurring Mab’s wrath. Mab is ever-careful to keep few reminders of her greatest mistake lying around and does not tolerate even the slightest mention of Jasmine in her presence. Born an insignificant grig who dared to want that which could never be hers, Jasmine became cursed by Mab to starve for all time for reaching beyond her grasp. She was transformed into a bloated, accursed
The Faerie Ring terror that hunted the wooded glens for millennia and gladly devoured any and all. For the first time since the sun caressed the moon and their love bore the velvet twilight, Queen Mab has come to fear the evils she has sewn.
FEAST OF THORNS
And thou, Nymphidia, gentle Fay, Which, meeting me upon the way, These secrets didst to me bewray, Which now I am in telling; My pretty, light, fantastic maid, I here invoke thee to my aid, That I may speak what thou hast said, In numbers smoothly swelling. This palace standeth in the air, By necromancy placed there, That it no tempests needs to fear, Which way soe’er it blow it; And somewhat southward toward the noon, Whence lies a way up to the moon, And thence the Fairy can as soon Pass to the earth below it. The walls of spiders’ legs are made Well mortised and finely laid; He was the master of his trade It curiously that builded . . . —Michael Drayton, “Nymphidia: The Court of Fairy” The creature who would one day become Jasmine was born several millennia ago as a lowly grig named Hezhkarm. Grigs of the realm are treated as nothing more than minor nuisances and insects of little worth, and at most, they can only ever aspire to one day become some lord’s spy or servant. Tiny and inconsequential, grigs are largely ignored by their more beautiful and powerful fey cousins. From afar, Hezhkarm fell under the sway of Queen Mab’s charms. Watching her, studying her, hanging on to her every word as if the very syllables were made of shining gemstones, Hezhkarm slowly became more and more obsessed with Mab. In time, she yearned to grow close to Queen Mab and began modeling herself
after her. In her naiveté, she would often give herself over to dreams that she was in fact Queen Mab, beloved by all. She longed to possess Mab’s flowing silver tresses and haunting eyes, rather than her own ciliated antennae and coal-hued insectoid orbs. In short, Mab was everything that Hezhkarm wanted to be—regal, beautiful, powerful, feared, loved, and, above all else, respected. Alas, from a dream that would not die, the greatest of horrors can spring. Hezhkarm began to emulate Mab even more and went out of her way to gain Mab’s attention and favor. At every turn, Mab failed to take even the slightest notice of her, and Hezhkarm’s plots grew ever more daring and desperate. Eventually, Hezhkarm came to dabble in dark magicks, devouring all the arcane knowledge she could lay her claws on. After years of unintentional neglect from Mab, Hezhkarm’s obsession overtook her, and she dared the most unimaginable thing any fey can recall—she attempted to actually become Mab. She had uncovered forgotten lore that would cause her soul and Mab’s to switch bodies, and she unleashed the spell at the autumnal equinox. As history would come to regret, the weight of Mab’s crown was too great for Hezhkarm’s tiny body to bear. At the mark of the witching hour, when the spell was to take effect, Queen Mab finally did the one thing Hezhkarm had dreamt of for centuries—she took notice of the tiny creature in time to counterspell her magics. Hezhkarm’s spell failed. Mab was angry beyond words at the little bug’s audacity and trapped Hezhkarm in a cage of searing firethorns. Queen Mab spent many months tormenting the grig’s mind and body, drafting thousands upon thousands of punishments to inflict upon Hezhkarm for her heinous assault. None of these elaborately crafted punishments came close to sating Mab’s insulted feelings though, and Mab pondered long and hard on how such a tiny creature could have such a large appetite for things beyond her ken. One night under a lightless moon, Mab was struck by the foulest of thoughts. A wicked sneer crossed her porcelain face. Taking Hezhkarm in her thorny cage to the Edge of Midnight, where the shadow world and fey lands freely intermingle, Mab drew forth a sliver of unending void and instilled it into Hezhkarm’s tiny
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heart. Forevermore, the grig would know an unending hunger and would be cursed to forever attempt to fill that eternal emptiness. Quite pleased with herself, Mab laughingly flung the starving beast into the woods.
CHOKING IT DOWN
O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you . . . Sometime she driveth o’er a soldier’s neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plats the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes: This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage. —William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (I. iv.) Hezhkarm was soon found by her grig clan after they had heard of her release. Broken, bleeding, and starving in the wild, in her madness-induced hunger she devoured them all, crying the entire time. But even the meat of her family did not quiet her hunger pangs. For millennia, Hezhkarm hunted the dells and forests, gorging herself until she became like a gigantic bloated tick, a creature made of slobbering fat, deadly fangs, and bitter contempt. As fate and turnabout would have it, Queen Mab happened to cross through Hezhkarm‘s wood one day, and Hezhkarm caught her scent on the wind. Hezhkarm attacked Mab for what she had done to her, and Mab would have died if not for her wicked wit. Remembering the creature she had cursed a lifetime before, in exchange for her life, Mab offered Hezhkarm the one thing she had always wanted—Mab’s undivided attention. That and a chance to become a lady of court. Painstakingly, Mab taught Hezhkarm how to talk, how to walk, how to dress, and how to act. Much as a spider when exposed to poison will curl into a ball,
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Hezhkarm curled into herself and took on a new, more demure form. Her bloated husk was clothed in a gown sewn from night-blooming jasmine petals, Hezhkarm’s face was dabbed in stars, her cheeks were smeared with rays of silvery moonlight, and her lips were blotted with morning dew. Cloaked in Mab’s faerie glamour, Hezhkarm began to look like Mab herself. Thus the “Painted Lady” was born, and she adopted the softer, more ladylike name of Jasmine, after the ephemeral flowers comprising her gown. Mab’s wickedness did not remain dormant for long, though. Out of a sense of cruel irony, Mab invited Jasmine to make her debut at the coming Celebration of the Autumnal Equinox, the very same feast where centuries before she had taken little Hezhkarm prisoner. Filling Jasmine’s head with dreams of being beloved by all at the feast, Queen Mab paraded Jasmine about for all to see and promised that she would be invited to every formal meeting of the courts in order to feast and frolic with all of the lords, now that she was one of them. But during Mab’s toast to Jasmine, she cast off Jasmine’s glamour and revealed her disgusting form to all present. The lords mocked Jasmine, and she grew enraged, slaughtering many in attendance before turning on Mab. Mab fled in the direction of Aralu, a barren wasteland of caves that Mab had long used as a prison to house various dissidents to her reign. Through Aralu’s dank pits, she was hunted, but as she fled, Mab coated the stone walls in glamour to make them appear as part of a great manse. Jasmine finally cornered her and once more nearly devoured Mab but not before Mab delivered a convincingly apologetic speech, claiming that she would make Jasmine the marchioness of all that was around her, as befit a lady of her stature. Jasmine’s rage was thus stifled, and she assumed her damsel form once more and agreed to become the lady of the manor surrounding her. In this way, Mab bound Jasmine to the cave prison of Aralu, and Jasmine was forever caged by her own desires. When Mab’s glamour faded, Jasmine was distraught and seethed with open hatred at Mab for her betrayal. But Jasmine had learned much of trickery herself during her time as Mab’s student and was quick to note Mab’s promise
The Faerie Ring that she would be invited to all of the fey’s feasts and formal matters of court and would always be treated as a proper lady of her station. Thus, Jasmine managed to finagle periodic reprieves from her imprisonment and, ever since, has been allowed to attend the formal gatherings of the courts from sunrise to sundown before being recommitted to Aralu.
BEING JASMINE
Jasmine’s goals are trifold and build upon each other, ranging from the most immediate to sating her wildest and longest-held desires for power and prestige. Prime among her goals is escape from her prison in Aralu, where Queen Mab tricked her into imprisonment centuries ago. Jasmine, due to the twisted wording of her imprisoning oath, is pardoned from Aralu only for formal events of the courts and for the week long feasts the fey hold to welcome the autumnal and vernal equinoxes. Jasmine loathes that she must return to her imprisonment after these engagements, and accordingly, she spends much of her time plotting ways to trick Mab into breaking the terms of their bargain, which would free Jasmine forever. Should Mab ever treat her as less than a lady of the courts and, thus, below her granted station, Jasmine would be freed to attack Mab with impunity. The icy interactions between Mab and Jasmine at formal events are thus meticulously stilted and always watched with great interest, with Mab ever-wary of adhering to the letter of her bargain with Jasmine, while Jasmine attempts to goad Mab into a fight with thinly veiled insults. Merely devouring Mab, however, would be too simple and would not cause her to suffer enough to satisfy Jasmine for the torment she has endured at Mab’s hands. Beyond just destroying Mab physically, Jasmine longs to crush Mab’s spirit and boundless pride. To that end, Jasmine also plots elaborate means of embarrassing Mab or eroding her power base. Whereas Mab is wily and cunning, some of her retainers are not, and Jasmine enjoys leading these fools into temptation and into her calculating maw. Ultimately, the only real pleasure Jasmine feels comes by way of hastening Mab’s downfall, and she welcomes any visitor into Aralu who brings news of Queen Mab’s continued fall from
grace. Jasmine is no one’s fool though, and she knows her preoccupation with destroying Mab weakens her ambitions of attaining true power. Thus, Jasmine also seeks to cultivate her own retainers and lure various lords of the courts into swearing fealty to her. Truly, as sick as it may be, Jasmine wants nothing less than to become Queen Mab herself. If this cannot be achieved, Jasmine would like nothing more than to publicly march on Scáthbaile and destroy Mab and all those loyal to her and openly declare herself Mab’s successor and appoint her own followers members of her Unified Court. Following this, Jasmine dreams of one day rising to do what Mab herself never could and forever escape Mab’s frigid shadow—to challenge and to destroy Titania and Oberon and thereafter unite the shattered remains of the dark reaches and the pure lands into a single, unified court that bows before her and her alone.
Jasmine’s Starvelings
Those warlocks who have dutifully adhered to Jasmine’s demands and have gone out of their way to curry her favor eventually become hers, body and soul. These individuals become little more than skin stretched tight over skeletal frames, as their gnawing hunger begins to eat away at them. They spend much of their waking hours consuming everything in reach in an attempt to quell the void within. Jasmine’s faithful are known as her starvelings, and she fawns over them as a mother would her infant children, all the while molding them in her image. These starvelings are granted even darker powers in exchange and are charged with Jasmine’s most important tasks, seeing to the fruition of her wildest dreams. Those rare starvelings who come to please her rise quickly to positions of prominence in Jasmine’s selfstyled unified court.
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Never let it be said that Jasmine is without ambition. She has more than enough to upend all of Faerie. Relationships: Interactions with Jasmine vary wildly, depending upon the loyalties of the creature entreating her and in which of her forms she is in when approached. In her damsel guise, Jasmine is charismatic, manipulative, cunning, easily offended, and vainglorious in the extreme. Meetings with Jasmine are considered successful if those beings seeking her succor actually leave her presence alive—no small feat and usually accomplished through fawning endlessly over Jasmine and presenting her with valuable gifts. Jasmine is renowned for her ability to ferret out lies and ruses, and she loves to toy with those who feel they have tricked her, much like a cat plays with a wounded mouse before swallowing it whole. If the creature who seeks her audience honestly wishes to bargain with her or has real information of interest to Jasmine to trade, they find that she is a most welcoming host. Enemies of Mab are always welcomed with open arms as potential allies, and to a lesser extent, enemies of Titania and Oberon are also taken in (if not already tainted, in her eyes, by being aligned with Mab). Fey nobles from either the dark reaches or the pure lands are also embraced, as Jasmine is always desirous of expanding her power base and placing additional spies in the camps of the various sovereigns to report to her the goings on outside of Aralu. All other creatures do well to bother the Painted Lady only with good reason as she can turn at a moment’s notice. Few have witnessed that transformation and lived to tell about it. In her primeval form, Jasmine is a cruel beast given to frenzied rages, devouring her enemies whole, and guttural purring while rolling in the blood of those fool enough to seek her out. In this state, all pretenses of ladylike behavior are utterly cast aside, and gifts, information, and bribes mean little to the Marchioness of Aralu. Even Jasmine’s favored black hats are careful to avoid her in this state, for they are not spared from her slobbering maw when the beast rages—raw, visceral, and deadly. Beings who cause Jasmine to transform into her primeval state or those unfortunate enough to be near when she snaps, see a creature fall into a feral frenzy that defies description. In this form,
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the drive to hunt is all-consuming, and Jasmine is all but impossible to reason with. A visit from a person of status or the promise of information central to her goals might cause her to resume her damsel form and enter negotiations, but most agree that Jasmine is best avoided altogether in this state until she has sated her bloodlust and regained her composure. Characteristics: Jasmine has two forms—one a demure maiden with ebony curls that flow past her shoulders like a midnight waterfall and the other a sightless, gargantuan worm with thousands of jagged teeth housed in a pale, bloated body. In her damsel form, Jasmine wears a gown of unsurpassed finery knitted from the blossoms of nightblooming jasmine. Tiny stars seem to live in her hair and flit over the surface of her skin, trailing her every step. Her voice is melodious to the point of stirring jealousy in angels, and her scent alone is intoxicating enough to break the will of most mortal men. In this form, her skin is unblemished and seems crafted from fresh cream, her eyes are dark and mysterious. Jasmine carries nothing about with her, save for handfuls of her dress when necessary to cross puddles and climb stairs. In this form, many mistake her for a typical fey noble. In her primeval form, Jasmine appears as a white worm of immense proportions. Wheezing, fat, and covered in mucus, her visage brings most creatures to retching. Jasmine’s mouth spirals inward along concentric circles of thousands of jagged fangs into the dark void at the pit of her stomach. Few who have seen her like this are spared to later recount the horror. Strategy & Tactics: In her damsel form, Jasmine does not fight. To do so would be unladylike and unbecoming of a fey of her station. Instead, she seduces and she beguiles. Her voice and her scent inspire such lust and longing in the hearts of those who hear it, she rarely has to lift a finger. Her prey comes to her and dies, shivering, with but a touch of her poisoned lips. All pretense at civility and style fade away when Jasmine assumes her bestial form. She becomes less a being and more a primal force of nature, grasping enemies and shoving them into her enormous maw, relying on her terrifying teeth to rip prey apart before she swallows down the bloodied pieces.
The Faerie Ring
Aralu, the Gaol of Always
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Come, Neti, chief gatekeeper of the nether world, Unto the word which I command thee, give ear. Of the seven gates of the nether world, open their locks, Of the gate Ganzir, the ‘ face’ of the nether world, define its rules . . . —“Inanna’s Descent to the Nether World” (Sumerian mythology) Since time immemorial, the cavern complex known as Aralu has stood in a dark and forgotten corner of the fey realms, rumored to be inhabited by all manner of the strange, the vengeful, and worse. It is widely believed that those who haunt the place are damned to dwell there for all eternity for some forgotten transgressions. Time passes strangely in Aralu, and the foreboding caves are far larger on the inside than they appear to be from without. Rumors abound that Aralu even contains its own pocket dimensions, wholly and eternally infolding unto itself. Aralu’s is an elder magick inherent in its very stones, a dark and misunderstood power that is even older than the fey themselves, but its original purpose has long since passed into the mists of time. What the fey do know about Aralu is that it acts as a prison of sorts to creatures inside of it, and powerful wards hold those unfortunate souls fast within its confines, usually never to be heard from again. Aralu has long since been used by the fey powers to house their enemies and worst criminals, and any number of creatures are rumored to be held captive in various portions of the caves, with each such portion acting as an individual prison cell. As opposed to mere locked gates, there are ancient wards in Aralu. They function so that if one is tricked into accepting imprisonment or is forced into such punishment, the creature is bound to the place by
the terms set at their imprisonment. Jasmine, among all of the prisoners in Aralu, is a special case. Queen Mab coated the walls of Aralu in glamour and coaxed Jasmine’s agreement to remain bound through trickery, but Jasmine accepted only upon condition of becoming lady of the place. Accordingly, Jasmine alone among the prisoners there has free reign to move about all of Aralu without limitation and, thus, is widely regarded as the ruling sovereign there.
DEEPER DARK
While many end up in Aralu for petty reasons, the gaol also contains the worst living criminals among the fey. Those foolish individuals that choose eternal imprisonment over execution are contained within the Deeper Dark. In this pocket of Aralu, no light can exist, and the most powerful magical illumination is immediately snuffed out. Even the once mighty or terrible must grope blindly alone through the black labyrinth. While time passes slowly in Aralu in comparison to the Material Plane, individuals within the Deeper Dark experience time normally (as marked by the Material Plane) within their minds. A prisoner might consciously feel the passage of days while crawling a dozen feet. Thus, communication becomes nearly impossible, with it taking minutes or hours to speak a few words. Often, the entrapped that were not mad to begin with become insane from extreme isolation.
FALSE PALACE
In truth, Jasmine’s palace is a dark cavern of bloodcovered stone carved into shapes approximating furniture and buildings. Layers of glamer and figment cover every surface, transforming the moldy rock into a palatial estate fit for a sovereign. So strong are these illusions that they possess true substance. While magic might manage to pierce it, mere disbelief is no match for Queen Mab’s trickery. Over the long years, Jasmine has added her own glamer to Mab’s foundation, learning much of her nemesis by unweaving and reweaving the trappings with her Shadow Scepter. The illusions themselves have taken on a sort of sentience, continually renewing or
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creatively remaking themselves as conditions change. A mess made or blood spilled might seem to disappear but simply be hidden under a new layer of lies. Foul fungi and rotten carcasses prepared in the kitchens become enjoyable but poisoned delicacies. Though it irks her, Jasmine prefers the palace’s comforting lie
to the horrible underlying truth. Pointing out or even implying her self-deception is a sure way to earn her murderous rage.
ENDLESS PATHWAYS
There are many routes to enter Aralu from those realms with ties to the Material and Shadow Planes, but there are few ways to escape. Twisting caverns form labyrinths that are overcomplicated by the realm’s subjective gravity and erratic time, requiring days—or Aralu has the following traits: years—to navigate and find the exit. Entrapment: Creatures condemned to Aralu become trapped However, these border territories are within indefinitely. The realm’s entrapment effect functions as a not Aralu for the purposes of the geas/quest spell, except the penalties continue accruing with no realm’s entrapping nature. maximum. The effect cannot be removed by any means short of Those attempting escape are likely divine intervention. The creature continues gaining penalties for to tire and weaken and be sucked as long as they are away from Aralu, and penalties are removed 24 back in long before they find freedom. hours after the creature returns. If any of the creature’s ability scores These problems do not seem to affect are reduced to 1, the creature is automatically returned to Aralu creatures wishing to gain access to (as the plane shift spell). This cannot be forestalled or prevented the realm: straight-forward wellby spells or effects that normally prevent plane shift. However, an trodden paths are provided to aid option for temporary or permanent escape can be agreed upon when the foolish and the condemned the creature is bound. If these conditions are met, the creature can ever deeper. These paths always permanently escape from Aralu or temporarily avoid penalties for mysteriously disappear, and any leaving. attempts to mark them for a return Erratic Time: Time passes oddly in Aralu although almost always journey never seem to take. slower than on the Material Plane. Jasmine’s Silver Key counteracts this effect, allowing time to pass normally within the vicinity of FLESH PENS her palace. In the caverns beyond, 1 day passes in Aralu for every In a lonely cavern ringed by sentinel hour in the Material Plane. Beyond that, at the furthest fringes of gaunts, a series of deep pits house all the realm (such as the Deeper Dark), 1 day passes for every round manner of various creatures. Jasmine in the Material Plane. practices good husbandry with her Eternal Darkness: Most of Aralu is lightless, and the realm itself captives and often has her servitors works to extinguish any illumination. Any light within Aralu is obtain prisoners to be brought here. dropped one step (as the darkness spell); any light spell of 2nd-level Jasmine has instituted a complex or lower cast within Aralu is automatically dispelled after 1 round. breeding program, so she always Light within the Deeper Dark of Aralu is reduced by two steps (as has a source of food to tide her over the deeper darkness spell); any light spell is automatically dispelled between seasonal feasts: sprites after 1 round. and elves are considered particular Gravity: Aralu has subjective directional gravity (see Pathfinder delicacies. Beyond mere sustenance, Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide). Jasmine is also a creature of unabated desire, and she selects her short-term
Jasmine’s Demesne
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The Faerie Ring mates from the pens to share her bed for a time until she tires of them.
FORGOTTEN CAVERNS
The caverns of the forgotten are reserved for fey who hold some terrible secret others desire to never be known. It might also become home to prisoners wishing to forever forget some crime they committed. Creatures dwelling in the caverns find their memories slipping away over time. Within days, they might have difficulty recalling specific names, dates, and details. After months or years, they recall little of their lives before entering Aralu, the memories relegated to confusing dreams. These effects persist until they leave the caverns, their memories slowly returning after an equal passage of time. Use of this portion of the gaol halted shortly after Jasmine was bound to the realm to prevent shameful secrets from falling into her hands. She still manages to occasionally find some ancient forgotten prisoner, drawing them away from the caverns to slowly gain information from their recovered memories. More than one fey noble fears the day Jasmine uncovers some fact they hoped forever buried.
RED BATH
Crafted by the black hats with their foul sorcery, Jasmine’s private antechamber is a thing of which nightmares are made. The stony expanse contrasts sharply with the velvet finery that drapes the place, serving as her bedchambers and private areas where she entertains her most important guests. Dominating the very center of the chamber sits a large bath cut from granite on a central rise. This stone tub is ritually filled with the blood of Jasmine’s fairest prisoners, and in this filth, Jasmine bathes her primeval form. Through a mixture of foul necromancy and illusion, Jasmine’s Damsel form is continually renewed through the drained beauty of those slaughtered to bathe her, allowing her to maintain the glamoured facade of a vibrant young noblewoman. If spied upon here, Jasmine can be seen in her true form—that of a bloated, gigantic, slime-covered worm rolling and bathing in the gore. Anyone witnessing such a horrid
sight finds it nigh-impossible thereafter to see Jasmine as a beautiful creature regardless of the glamour she wears. Jasmine immediately devours anyone who thus gives away having spied on her. It is for good reason Jasmine retires to the Red Bath alone.
SHRINE OF THE SOUTH GATE
In the distant mountains to the south of the Valley of the Bloodwind, there is rumored to be an extant shrine to the spirits of the wind—the same spirits responsible for the wind curse. Few know where the shrine is and even whether it truly exists, but many windscorned believe that it alone is the key to curing those afflicted by the curse. However, it is also rumored that the winds demand a high price in servitude for their aid.
SLEEPLESS CELLS
The sleepless cells are reserved for those fey condemned for betrayal. Most trapped within failed in some attempt to take power, broke sacred oaths, or crossed the wrong influential nobles. Aralu itself seems to take pleasure in causing misery to those held here. Prisoners find it impossible to find comfort or rest. Every stone is sharp enough to painfully cut but not truly wound. Food and water are scarce but sufficient to keep everyone alive. The earth occasionally quakes, causing collapses that break bones without crushing skulls. No prisoner is ever killed by the environment. They are instead each kept on a knife’s edge between death and suicidal despair with just enough hope to keep them going. All who spend any time within these caves are eager for respite, and Jasmine has recruited her most trusted servants from the sleepless cells. She likewise uses them to maintain loyalty, reminding her followers that there are worse fates than death.
VALLEY OF THE BLOODWIND
South of the primary entrance to Aralu is a blasted land populated by impossibly tall, knife-edged spires and redstone arches. This high-altitude desert is home to the largest known windscorned nesting ground. Bloodspire is the biggest aerie, and satellite aeries are scattered throughout the valley. Such a dense population brings nearly constant conflict.
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Far Darrig & Others
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The far darrig (fear dearg), which means the ‘red man,’ for he wears a red cap and coat, busies himself with practical joking, especially with gruesome joking. This he does, and nothing else. —William Butler Yeats, Fairy Folk Tales of Ireland
FAR DARRIG With their penchant for illusions and tendency to harass travelers, far darrig are best described as tricksters. And they take their actions very seriously. To fully understand a far darrig, however, one must first understand their world view, for the whole of our reality, to them, is but an illusion—to be molded and shaped, to be tested. Why all that we know should be an illusion and what lies beyond it, if anything, are heatedly debated topics among the far darrig, and there are many opinions, but most far darrig trust in the sanctity of the illusion. They treat their daily interaction with the illusion as a deeply devotional and artistically expressive act. Some believe that with proper training and sufficient understanding of the illusion, they can ultimately disbelieve this existence and escape the cycle of life and death to whatever lies beyond. That the far darrig’s intentions are not—quite—as malicious as they appear and, indeed, merit “deep artistic and devotional consideration” gives little comfort to travelers who have experienced these infuriating creatures first hand. Typical Characteristics: But for the pale-red cast to their skin and the ever-present red, floppy hat on their heads, far darrig appear very much like lean gnomes. Their name actually means “red man,” and this serves as a colloquial name for these fey. Their resemblance to gnomes is believed to be more than merely cosmetic,
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as some scholars believe that present day gnomes are distantly related to the far darrig and similar fey, such as cluracan, leprechauns, and redcaps. Far darrig typically carry little more than a walking stick when they go exploring the world. They enjoy exploring for the sake of exploring and furthering their understanding of the Illusion but take little interest in collecting baubles as those illusions can be recreated anytime by a far darrig with sufficient skill. Far darrig can be extremely affable, but it’s rare to get to know one very well, and even if you can get them to stop harassing you long enough to chat, their view of the world can become quite disconcerting. Environment: They typically make their homes in heavily forested areas. There, they live tribally in small villages. Their thatched-roof huts are completely illusory. In fact, aside from those tools deemed essential, it is rare to find anything of physical substance in a far darrig village. That is not to say that they live dull lives, however, as the illusion of vibrancy and wealth is everpresent. Society: Far darrig have a tribal culture and each tribe consists of several villages. Within each village, there is a hierarchy based on experience, but it is primarily a display of respect, and everyone shares in the necessary duties of the village. The elders from each village form a council that makes the decisions that affect the entire tribe. All in a village are treated as family, and when not exploring, days are typically spent playing illusory games. Few far darrig even try to understand why one would be interested in magic not dealing with illusions. With regard to their reactions to others, it’s difficult to spare much love or hate for illusions—you’re just an illusion they haven’t disbelieved yet. Relationships: The far darrig loathe Jasmine. She is the bump in their nights. She is what they warn their children of, for her words are sweet and her hooks sink deep. And those consumed by her darkness are lost forever. Strategy & Tactics: Though tastes differ, far darrig rarely use lethal force when interacting with the world and other creatures. The intent is to understand the illusion of the world through interaction. However,
The Faerie Ring sometimes understanding only comes with drastic actions. When exploring, far darrig spend much of their time invisible. Th is allows them, like scientists, to better control each encounter—or experiment. Being seen might unduly bias the results.
MAGIC HAT AS ARCANE FETISH
The red hat of the far darrig has become more than simply a tradition—it is the key to their magic. Its symbolism has been ingrained within far darrig culture for so long that they have become dependent on it and cannot perform their illusions without it. In actuality, it holds no special power and merely acts as an arcane fetish, or focus, for their power. The hat is powerless for all others and does not radiate magic. However, if lost or destroyed, the far darrig loses all supernatural and spell-like abilities and cannot cast illusion-based spells even if obtained from class levels. The far darrig must perform a month-long ritual to create a new hat before they regain their abilities and spells. The far darrig only has to possess the hat for it to work. A far darrig without their hat is ignored or
“disbelieved” by his tribe until the new hat is completed. Needless to say, a far darrig goes to great lengths to protect their hat. It should be noted here that despite the red hats, far darrig are very different from their blood-thirsty cousins the redcaps, and unlike the latter, the far darrig do not color their hats using blood. It is rumored that the far darrig can perform rituals to increase the power of their hats. It is also rumored that certain rogue far darrig have been experimenting with necromantic powers—a magic school that is typically especially shunned by the far darrig.
BLACK HATS They fastened (their) eyes upon her, the eyes of death, At their word, the word which tortures the spirit . . . —“Inanna’s Descent to the Nether World” (Sumerian mythology)
The far darrig are peaceful fey who frolic above the mounds that span the fey realms, working their tricks and light-hearted mischief with their innate mastery of illusions. Those cruelest among them, who enjoyed malicious pranks that injure or lead their targets into deadly traps, were cast out long ago. Dying their traditionally red caps with shreds of trapped shadow, those misbegotten creatures came to Jasmine is always on the lookout for promising servants whose lust for be known simply as black hats. power might lead them to pledge their fealty to her. Jasmine freely enters Banished to the dark reaches, into pacts with these individuals, thus creating servants beholden to her. the black hats took their This ritual involves the creature swearing to faithfully serve Jasmine and preoccupations with animating further her goals, including above all attempting to free her from Aralu their illusions to produce and aid in the destruction of Queen Mab. In exchange, Jasmine assumes dangerously real creatures to her primeval form and exposes her breast, whereupon the creature nurses depraved new heights when they from her and is infused with a sliver of the void that inhabits her dark began delving into lore best kept soul. locked away. Intrigued by the Warlocks bound to Jasmine are often strikingly beautiful, albeit in a necromantic arts that allowed rather uncomfortable and off-putting way. Further, Jasmine’s servants them to animate real terrors to are typically painfully thin and their skin is usually pallid and lacking bring down upon their foes, the in color. They are cold and calculating but given to bursts of boiling rage black hats abandoned much of when something (or someone) gets between them and their goals. their harmless illusion magics in favor of the study of raising
Boons of the Painted Lady
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the dead. Over time, their bodies began to mimic their souls, and they grew sickly and malnourished under the wan light of the dark reaches. Having long since been cast out from their kin the far darrig, none other would have them due to their vile bent. Chased from locale to locale, the black hats finally found sanctuary in the pits of Aralu where they were left undisturbed to practice their foul rites. When Jasmine was bound to Aralu, she found herself already the unwitting liege to the black hats who had settled in the cavernous prison before her. In her frequent bouts of bloodlust, Jasmine consumed many victims but also left numerous corpses for the black hats to experiment upon. In return, the black hats swore fealty to Jasmine as first among her loyal servants and were allowed to remain in the caves they had settled before her arriva l. Forming a
codependent relationship, the black hats rely upon Jasmine to protect them and in turn serve as Jasmine’s connection to the world outside Aralu. In this way, each happily uses the other for mutual gain, and the black hats consider it a position of honor to accompany Jasmine to court or drive her iron carriage drawn by their animated skeletal horses. Black hats barely resemble their far darrig cousins anymore, their forms having warped over time to resemble goblins more than anything else. Standing just over two feet tall, black hats are scrawny, emaciated things with sickly yellow eyes and crooked teeth. Their skin is ashen and unhealthy in appearance, and the dark robes they wear perpetually stain their fingers and faces with fi lthy black soot. All black hats carry concealed in their robes ceremonial sickles coated in a dire poison of their own creation, the secret of which they guard jealously. Vicious and cruel, black hats are prone to lying and care only about themselves, even to the point of turning on one another if there is opportunity for gain in doing so. Strategy & Tactics: Black hats are strong but dislike a face to face confrontation. They stick to the shadows, attempting to gain an advantage against an enemy through guile and surprise before sticking a dagger in their back or unleashing their innate necromantic magic. They rarely fight alone, relying on allies to distract a foe while they sneak up from behind.
GAUNTS As with everything involving Jasmine, there is a darker side to the seemingly lovely face she wears. Those starvelings who have displeased her or committed some act of betrayal (either real or imagined) are transformed into hideous creatures known as gaunts. Gaunts are little more than animalistic servants who retain a degree of bestial cunning and exist only to protect Jasmine. Origin: Typically, when Jasmine determines one of her starvelings no longer deserves to bear the gifts she has granted them, she either sends other starvelings out to collect the
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The Faerie Ring
renegade or beckons them to her under false pretenses. Given her black tendencies, even those starvelings most cherished by her find meetings with Jasmine to be nerve-wracking affairs. It is rumored that Jasmine actually devours her starveling child and bears it in her gut for a fortnight before passing it as a gaunt under her command. Whatever dark alchemy occurs within her to make this so, Jasmine refuses to tell. Typical Characteristics: Gaunts appear as smaller, weaker versions of Jasmine herself, in her primeval form. Environment: The gaunts reside in Aralu along with Jasmine, lounging in the dirt of the holes they burrow, awaiting carcasses flung to them from one of Jasmine’s slovenly meals or from their black hat caretakers. Woe be unto any who should enter a chamber in Aralu whose floor is laden with hidden gaunts, the resultant frenzy would give a shark nightmares. Relationships: Used as little more than guard dogs
and fodder, the gaunts are despised by Jasmine for their past transgressions and fearfully coexist with her in Aralu, doing all that they can to remain free from her sight while coming as quickly as possible when beckoned. Strategy & Tactics: Possessed of a cruel cunning but little intelligence, gaunts prefer to hide, burrowed beneath the ground, and wait for an enemy to come near. When they strike, they use their poison to weaken the prey and rely on numbers, swarming upon the poor, near-dead creature in a stomach churning feeding frenzy.
WINDSCORNED It is seldom that a race of fey is as depraved as their reputation, for ignorance and fear typically color opinions far more than fact. On the other hand, there exist those fey whose inherent perversity can never
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truly be conveyed with mere words. Abhorrent in nature, windscorned are one such race of fey. They are born and thrive on the blood of others and understand only hunger. Windscorned are lords of the sky. In them, wind and shadow twist together into flying nightmares that prey on the fear and pain and flesh of others. They are cursed to suffer the pain and madness of eternal hunger, and this drives them to terrible ferocity. This thirst for blood and a supernal command of the winds ensure that few are able to challenge their dark reign over the skies. Origin: Jasmine is solely responsible for the windscorned’s horrid existence. Completely distraught after devouring her clan, she sought out whatever foul pacts and vile magics she might spin to bring them back. It was ancient and forgotten spirits of the wind that finally answered her call, but Mab’s curse
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confounded her once again by corrupting the magic. Spun from her own blood and shadows, her devoured family—the Clan of Yaesu—returned as obscene caricatures of their former selves, cursed with eternal hunger. They became the very first windscorned, creatures that prey on life far and wide, forever failing to sate their hunger. Typical Characteristics: Windscorned appear to be grotesque, dark-skinned humanoids with large leathery wings. However, these creatures are actually vicious predatory fey born through the transformation of unlucky humanoids. Any humanoid can undergo this transformation into a windscorned, and some characteristics of the original race may persist after the transformation. However, the transformation dominates over the subsumed original, and any such
The Faerie Ring outstanding feature, such as tails, will be muted if present at all and will likely provide no significant hindrance or benefit. The transformation into a windscorned is a dreadful one filled with intense pain and hunger. The creature’s skin turns dark gray and leathery, taking on the appearance of dying flesh. Thereafter, their skin continuously sloughs off in large flakes that fall to the ground or blow away on the wind as dark ash. Features, especially those of the face, slowly fade, leaving the victim nearly devoid of details, such as eyes and nose. The mouth, however, remains and widens in a seemingly impossible grin of countless razor-sharp teeth. Both hands and feet develop long grasping claws that are quite strong despite the creature’s overall appearance of frailty. Most striking are the four leathery wings that sprout from the windscorned’s back: two large wings responsible for flight and two smaller wings located just below the others which assist in steering. Life Cycle: Nothing can stave off the hunger of a windscorned. They are eternally destined to feel the pains of emptiness and the needs of flesh. Only the need to perpetuate the species can temporarily replace the need to eat, for windscorneds propagate by forcing the same awful transformation that created them upon other humanoids. Though there are no limiting considerations for the humanoids forced into this transformation, such as race or age, the windscorneds most commonly steal the young of humanoids for this purpose—all others are merely meat, whereas the young pose less of a threat and undergo the transformation more quickly. Windscorned never bother with prisoners if their stomachs are empty—the hunger is simply too great—but if they have recently eaten, their hunger may be sufficiently appeased to allow for the survival of prisoners. Once a living captive is in the windscorned’s aerie, it is forced to undergo the rites of transformation. This begins by the forced ingestion of the flesh of its own race (the prisoner’s own flesh may be substituted if needed). Following this, all those windscorned available bite the prisoner, and their diseased saliva both paralyzes the victim and begins the horrible transformation. Finally,
the victim’s own body begins to secrete fast-hardening mucus that cocoons him or her and safeguards the body during the six-month-long transformation into a windscorned. Environment: Windscorned typically make their homes at precarious heights in mountains and cliffs located in dry, hot climes. Here, they nest in aeries consisting of clustered caves far from prying eyes. Within these caves, the cocoons containing their victims hang from the ceiling. Windscorned are most active in the twilight of dusk and dawn, but they will hunt at any time of day or night as their hunger demands. Forays for food can keep them travelling for days or even weeks in the leanest of times. Individuals usually hunt alone, but particularly rich congregations of food may warrant a larger raiding party. Society: It is difficult to claim any real society for the windscorned, for they function almost entirely as individuals. They tend to cluster in communal aeries of fifteen to twenty individuals but only rarely interact with one another. These groupings tend to increase the likelihood of cocoons surviving and the presence of food for all during times of plenty. However, fighting amongst themselves is common and seems to be triggered by prolonged exposure to other windscorned. When resources are lean, individuals are even more likely to act on their own and spend most of their time away from the aerie looking for food. Motivation: Windscorned are utter slaves to their hunger—and they are always hungry. They can focus on nothing else. Even propagation of the species cannot be a concern if they have empty stomachs. They will attack any living thing if hungry enough and fight to the death. They will even attack foes much more powerful than themselves during lean times. Among their own kind, they are safe from the threat of being eaten as they have an extreme distaste for the flesh of their own race. However, they are very aggressive to one another and often have violent and even deadly quarrels amongst themselves. Relationships: Windscorned have a complex relationship with their source, Jasmine. They would never attack her and in her presence typically prostrate
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themselves, but they generally will not accept her command. They remain terribly unpredictable even for Jasmine. Strategy & Tactics: If their stomachs are empty, windscorned frenzy and stop at nothing to feast upon humanoid flesh. In this state, they close with enemies as soon as possible, and fleeing is not an option. They try to grab small victims and carry them away for safe eating. If their stomachs are full, windscorned are much more deliberate. They often use their power over the winds to divide parties: pushing troublemakers away while isolating the weak. They may try to take prisoners. Though they rarely have the patience or inclination to work together on the hunt, they tolerate each other when the need arises. Windscorned are short tempered and often fight amongst themselves. These fights are fierce and incredibly destructive and devastate their environs.
SKYCURSED Th rough the bite of a windscorned, the wind curse propagates like a disease. This condition is rare since those bitten are usually either eaten or taken captive
Rumors of the Elements
to undergo proper transformation into a windscorned. On rare occasions, however, someone survives an encounter with a windscorned only to discover that he or she has started down the path of the windcursed. The hunger the windcursed suffer initially can be briefly sated by flesh from any humanoid. However, over time, the disturbing nature of this affliction sharpens by forcing those so cursed to hunger specifically for the same race as the windcursed character.
CURING THE SKYCURSED
Delaying the hunger of the windcursed can be achieved by will alone, but once they succumb to cannibalism, its curing is much harder. They then become the skycursed, and only the spirits of the winds themselves are known to be able to cure this affliction. And their acquiescence must be dearly bought indeed.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
The Material abhors a vacuum, and I’ve heard rumors that Cob has recently been reincarnated under the shaping hands of the elusive Paralda and Hicks. The child sovereign reportedly dwells in a great subterranean city with his fledgling servitors, the knockers. More than that, of course, the newfound efts seem to have taken up the elemental flag of fire from their distant kin, the salamanders. Could the Material be reasserting itself? Building anew? Creating new inroads to the elemental planes that had been destroyed in the Cataclysm? Perhaps, the primordial fey still have a future despite their erased past.
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ATTILA, SAVIOUR OF THE BLOOD
There’s a tale of a priest in Rakendle. It seems that he has earned quite the reputation as surgeon and miracle worker, saving those that were surely on death’s door. Rakendle is already renowned as the last solace for the terminally ill, those who can find comfort nowhere else: lepers, the severely crippled and insane, and others that are perpetually turned away by the world. I wouldn’t call Rakendle a haven— it’s little more than squalor with only a handful of monks to offer solace—but it’s a place to call home. But the real story is with Attila in his monastery on the bluff outside of town.
The Faerie Ring He lives in the spacious dwelling alone, allowing no one else entry but for a single patient at a time, once each month. Candidates are those deemed at highest risk yet potentially curable using his secret, inscrutable techniques. Those chosen are led to the front door where they await Attila and his ministrations. After some time, as little as days, patients either leave the monastery cured or they are never seen again. Characteristics: Attila is one of the skycursed. He has long since committed to cannibalism and suffers its constant needs but has staved off further ongoing transformations by way of his devotion and selective feeding. He eats his patients’ disease, scouring them clean of taint while nourishing his own. He has become quite the skilled surgeon over the years, saving many who were otherwise inoperable and would surely have perished: he has removed gangrenous limbs, excised infections and tumors, even performed lobotomies and hemispherectomies. All removed parts go toward the abatement of his own ineffable hunger. Relationships: He hates what he has become but subverts his darkest impulses to the benefit of others. Most patients that see him fall unconscious from shock or pain, due to meager anesthetics available, but a few witness Attila’s hunger. None have yet to speak out against him, however, for he is their saviour. Strategy & Tactics: Attila is a devout man of the cloth and seeks no conflict. That’s a bit trickier when he’s gone without eating for too long, and then, it’s a struggle between him and his inner demons—a constant struggle between wanting to die and wanting to devour.
LADY JAYE
Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their live a mimicry, their passions a quotation. —Oscar Wilde, De Profundis Every moment of the Painted Lady’s existence has been dedicated to one goal: destroying Mab and replacing her. Perhaps, even surpassing her. Little does Jasmine know one of her own underlings
actively plots and schemes to replace her. For the black hat known as Lady Jaye has gained power by drinking from her bath and quietly moves through the realm of Aralu, building an empire to throw against her mistress. As above, so below. Lady Jaye was once a far darrig but willingly descended into the darkest depravities to become one of the black hats. Now, having stolen power, she has transformed into something beautiful but disturbing. Like Jasmine, Lady Jaye’s heart has but one goal, and like Jasmine, her goal is power. In this case, Lady Jaye wishes to destroy and become Jasmine and, from there, conquer the fullness of the courts. Long ago, she was born simply Jaye in an isolated far darrig village, she lived quite the normal life for one of her kind. She aided her fellows, explored the world, and played clever tricks on the clueless. It was during a rather daring trick, to be played upon the attendees of a Seelie ball, that Jaye first saw Jasmine. She was overcome—not with love or even lust but with instant obsession. In Jasmine, she saw everything she wanted to be, even if she had not known it until that exact moment. Jaye spent the next many years studying and planning. When she learned all she could in the lands of the light, she journeyed below to the realm of Aralu and underwent the terrible transformation to become a black hat. Even this wasn’t enough, however. While she could be a part of Jasmine’s plans and even see the great lady occasionally, Jaye knew next to nothing about her. Thus, she stole away into the Painted Lady’s homes, worked her way past traps and guards and gaunts, and entered the Red Bath. What Jaye saw should have driven her mad. Instead, it showed her truth such as she had never known. Jasmine was the ultimate illusion, as the far darrig preached, and if Jasmine could become a fine fey lady so could Jaye. Jaye remained hidden until Jasmine left her bath, and then, she crept forward to drink from the filthy liquid bubbling inside. The potent, disgusting brew transformed her, elongating and reshaping her body until she resembled a beautiful lady of the court. No longer far darrig or even quite black hat, she re-dubbed herself as Lady Jaye and stole away from
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Jasmine’s home. That very evening, she began whispering quiet words of revolution in the ears of Jasmine’s subjects. It may take years or even decades, but Lady Jaye will take her place as rightful ruler of Aralu. Characteristics: While still technically a black hat, Lady Jaye has transformed into a tall and slim maiden with black tresses and stunning beauty. Side by side with Jasmine and Mab, the lords and ladies of court would quake in their loveliness. Relationships: Lady Jaye has a small army of black hats loyal to her, at least when she’s around. Thus far, none have ratted her out to Jasmine. She seeks alliances with the windscorned, but their isolationist nature makes them difficult to deal with. She’ll happily ensnare as many mortals as possible to do her bidding. As for Jasmine, Lady Jaye has no desire to reveal herself to the object of her obsession quite yet. She’s aware of how much power she needs to obtain before Jasmine can be destroyed. Strategy & Tactics: Like Jasmine, Lady Jaye seeks to seduce rather than destroy. After all, why throw away a pawn when you can convert it? If she should be forced to fight, she will throw her minions in waves at the enemy while retreating into the shadows, using her stealth to slip away.
MOONDOG TUMBLEBUSH
Moondog was bored. I mean, he’s not a kid anymore, and there’s so much out there to see! It’s not so much that he ran away from home as it is that he’s running toward everything else. (The sense of adventure really latched onto this one.) He wants to follow in his elders’ footsteps, of course, becoming one with the Grand Illusion: the Kaleidoscopic Veil within and the Technicolor Cavalcade without. But he’s not really into burying his face in books and practicing his harmonic kaleidoscopes day after day. Moondog really learns best when he’s out in it, when he’s really able to get is hands dirty with the illusion, when he’s allowed to fail fantastically. And he’s learning so much! Characteristics: Moondog’s really just like any other far darrig, albeit showing a bit more rashness and gusto.
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Actually, take your average far darrig and dial them up a notch or two, and there’s your Moondog. He has a penchant for talking all the time and asking ridiculous questions. Relationships: Moondog has latched on to a few other individuals periodically along his travels, usually after pestering them incessantly with his illusions. He’s never been asked to stick around, but he’s so charming in his own way that it’s impossible to not be drawn in despite the annoyingly constant stream of consciousness erupting from his mouth. It’s a very conflicting experience. Strategy & Tactics: Moondog plays every moment by ear, never planning ahead. You can’t plan for everything, so it’s better to plan for nothing. He does go out of his way to never do the same thing twice in a row. He is the very epitome of unpredictable. So it’s tough to say how he might react in any given circumstance. I can say that he’ll probably surprise you.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ Of course, Jasmine wants to be free, and surely, she would be even more of a terror if able to roam freely outside of Aralu. Her prison is not so easily thwarted, however. But what if, more simply, she is able to also imprison Mab? Jasmine is very much still capable of accomplishing much the old fashioned way, through manipulation and influence, lies and coercion, deceit and treachery. Do not for one moment dismiss Jasmine’s potential for putting events into motion. ❖❖ Or perhaps, most perverse, what if Titania and Oberon must be put down for good, and only by teaming up, as grotesque and temporary as that must be, can Jasmine and Mab survive to once again return to simply plotting against one another. ❖❖ The far darrig have a plan to cut Jasmine from their lives! It’s complicated, but just maybe . . .
The Faerie Ring
The Elementals
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Occultists, from Paracelsus to Elephas Levi, divide the nature spirits into gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, undines; or earth, air, fire, and water spirits. Their emperors, according to Elephas, are named Cob, Paralda, Djin, Hicks respectively. The gnomes are covetous, and of the melancholic temperament. Their usual height is but two spans, though they can elongate themselves into giants. The sylphs are capricious, and of the bilious temperament. They are in size and strength much greater than men, as becomes the people of the winds. The salamanders are wrathful, and in temperament sanguine. In appearance they are long, lean, and dry. The undines are soft, cold, fickle, and phlegmatic. In appearance they are like man. The salamanders and sylphs have no fixed dwellings. —William Butler Yeats, Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry This will be a bit tangential, but it’s important. What you know to be true isn’t the whole story. The elements once mingled more freely with the Material Plane, and the natural world crackled freely with the power of earth, air, fire, and water spirits. In fact, they were the dominant regime under the auspices of Cob, Paralda, Jin, and Hicks. This is long ago, in the primordial days—and long before the courts of today. But the Cataclysm tore everything apart. Speculation on this tumultuous time is a futile discussion for another day. There is very little known and far more opinion than could ever be useful. And then came the modern era of the courts. But what is often forgotten is the very real fallout from that time, affecting very many fey to this day.
GNOMES The gnomes were the hardest hit. Now, that not a reference to what we all today know as gnomes but to the primordial fey known as gnomes. They don’t
exist anymore. Their sovereign, Cob, was destroyed, and the race was shattered. Truly—and very much literally—shattered. They fell apart, fragmented into what today are all the various gnomekin: cluracan, far darrig (which explains why I’m bringing this up now), leprechaun, redcap, spriggan, and others. The gnomes you know are somewhat of a mystery, being non-fey. Some have suggested that they are the rejuvenation of some of that lost spirit of earth. Are they fledgelings, evolving into their lost power once again? Or are they the new paradigm, set to wrest the natural world from the fey? I doubt it. I think they just fell farther than the other gnomekin. Sad for them, missing out on our ways. But I speak too quickly—perhaps, theirs is the blessing?
SALAMANDERS The salamanders were almost lost, too, but their lord, Jin, supposedly penned an eleventh-hour deal with the efreeti lords of the elemental realms, and they—the entire race of salamanders—severed their Material ties. They became outsiders, saving them from destruction. But like many genie bargains, there were side effects. Their memories as fey were erased. But they seem to be doing just fine on their own.
SYLPHS & UNDINE Now, some of the sylphs and undine slipped along with the salamanders, only to be also torn away and re-stitched into the fabric of the elemental planes. But the rest of them stuck around, for the most part anyway. Their lords, Paralda and Hicks, suspecting some foul agency in the Cataclysm, ordered all to flee, to scatter themselves to the farthest corners— supposing that they’d have a greater chance of survival if they weren’t clustered. The two sovereigns completely disappeared after the Cataclysm. You can still find the occasional fey-born sylph or undine far and wide, but they are not common and never congregate. They are more skittish, now. And I swear, every time, they all seem to be hiding some great secret.
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(Again, you have failed . . . ) . . . me,” Korapira icily accused the pile of fresh corpses, sitting atop them tired and exasperated. Relenting, she released her rage with an exhale. “No, no, no. Even failure, I must keep reminding myself, brings us closer and closer. The children have already proven the principle. But it’s so unpredictable. And tiring. The end seems so far away. But we’re on the verge of another breakthrough, my lovelies. I can feel it. Oh, if only all the little wins weren’t so far apart.” With all tension suddenly evaporating from her body, Korapira sprawled, lounging upon her latest throne, as long, thin tendrils extended from her body to burrow deep within the heaped mound of still-warm flesh. The soft skin of the twenty-odd corpses slowly pulling taunt over bone, the lingering luster and fullness of recent life fading. Even the terror and agony etched into their lifeless faces seemed to lessen, dissolving into a mockery of peaceful contentedness. Writhing sensually as she fed, she reached for every last tasty bit of life to strip away, her face betrayed the ecstasy of the act. Sated , she lay curling and sleepy. The corpses, noticeably less substantial than before, settled to support her comfortably. “I’ll find it,” she whispered, eyes closed. “That spirit, that drive, that ambition—that’s all my babies need.” Stroking one withered face, she murmured, “How wondrous and honored you must feel to be a part of all this. The next generation! To play such a vital role as I usher in
a new age.” She stretched again. “The anticipation is intoxicating. Dominion will be theirs. And mine.” As if in response to a silent summons, two figures shuffled oddly into the chamber like clockwork vegetation. Coming to a stop, their nonsensical chatter ceased, and they no longer looked like anything more than a small thicket growing in the courtyard. Unmoving from her cadaverous resting spot, Korapira spoke soft ly with a sleepy lilt, “Tell the villagers to send me the next of the Chosen.” The figures whirred back into motion with ever shift ing forms and exited the room as Korapira drifted off to sleep.
Korapira
( Green) In Tooth and Claw
Korapira
there is another sky ever serene and fair, and there is another sunshine, tho’ it be darkness there— never mind faded forests, Austin, never mind silent fields— here is a little forest whose leaf is ever green— here is a brighter garden— where not a frost has been, in its unfading flowers I hear the bright bee hum, prithee, my Brother, into my garden come! —Emily Dickinson, “There is another sky” The lord of the jungle, Korapira is mistress of the trees, a terror in the leaves. Few can match her intensity and drive to get what she wants, and most who get in her way become mulch. She has little time nor patience for others. Her plans demand her every attention and involve nothing less than bringing her children—the entire plant kingdom—crashing down on the world.
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O Rose, thou art sick. The invisible worm That flies in the night In the howling storm Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy, And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy.
—William Blake, “The Sick Rose”
Korapira has the distinction of being the youngest known sovereign, and her violent birth, notable in many ways, would set the tone of her existence. Sovereign births are quite rare, with Korapira’s being the only one known to have occurred within the last thousand years or so—likely much longer. Most take place quietly in the fey realms, but not hers. Korapira was actually born on the Material Plane in a massive explosion that devastated the archipelago of Tanarao and its largest island of the same name. The resulting fifty-mile-wide crater, now almost entirely underwater, forever altered the island of Tanarao and spawned its epithet, “the green crescent.” The destruction triggered by her birth was massive, reshaping land and killing thousands, but it would prove a drop in the bucket compared to what was coming.
The Faerie Ring It all began with an explosion—a violent blast that tore apart the trees, reshaped the land, and killed thousands. And, at its center, Korapira was born. She was found by islanders, those who had survived the eruption and subsequent tsunami, unconscious and curled up on the shore. They took her into their homes and cared for her as one of their own, tending her needs and anticipating her will. These were the Tufaga, and they had been waiting for her.
FROM ASHES, GROWS GREEN
Korapira shortly awoke to her new role as god to the Tufaga, whether she wanted it or not. She was illprepared and not caring to deal with such “animals” and abandoned them for the jungle where she sat long with her children—for even then, she thought of the oldest of trees as her children. It is in these moments that she was able to plant and nurture her Heartwood, establishing its link to Tanarao and insinuating it within the weave of reality as a crossroads, connecting forests across the multiverse. She would return to the Tufaga, periodically, only to gorge on their flesh. And the intensely devoted islanders reveled in being devoured, being chosen, by their living god. Intrigued by their behavior, it wasn’t long before she let herself fall into the role of god, and they became favored pets. The Tufaga eagerly offered themselves to her depraved experiments, developing a mystical connection with the plants, truly becoming one with the jungle. They have been given the highest of honors of any animal: they have free reign over her forests throughout the multiverse. They ask for nothing but to serve, and she prospers from it. It is the Tufaga (sometimes known as the Green Ones by those that fear them) who have been paramount in supplying her with victims for her experiments, and they are merciless in fulfilling her demands. Confronted with failure after failure, her needs were great.
DEATH BREEDS ANEW
Korapira has always preferred to keep her distance from other lords, but it was about then that she discovered Red Jack during her explorations of the Green Expanse. The Heartwood had established a partial connection
to his withering demesne—warping and convulsing in its death throes. With their fateful meeting at the shuddering border of their two worlds, Korapira offered to protect his demesne, Strangle Grove. Since it was not his from the start and since he isn’t a true sovereign, his demesne was becoming unstable. He had not yet the skill or knowledge to stave off its complete unraveling for long. But by securing it to the Green Expanse, Korapira tapped into a vast well of power to help stabilize his realm and bring it under the aegis of the Green Expanse. In return, she seeks his knowledge of death. Korapira is fascinated by Jack: despite his shortcomings in life as a mere animal, he has become the very face of death. In fact, it was because of his animal nature that she was inspired to undertake her more chimerical experiments, attempting to find that certain something that she’s been missing. His journey, his willful domination of death, is what she hopes to emulate for her children, so she has sought his counsel. She seeks all his wisdom of death, and in just a short time already, he has advanced her efforts tenfold.
COUNCIL OF THE GREEN Ring-a-ring o’ roses, A pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.
—British nursery rhyme
More recently, Korapira has let herself be pulled into fey politics. Queen Mab has approached Korapira after again losing her throne to Titania and her treacherous pixies. Blind with rage, Mab needs help if her plans of a drawn-out revenge are to succeed, and she has given Korapira free reign to target those pixies who support Titania. Accordingly, Korapira has begun a shadow war against Titania and her pixies. Normally uncaring of the other lords, Korapira has agreed to an alliance largely due to her fear of Manitou. Now, she seeks any chance, no matter how remote, to stave off possible retribution for her ambitions. Targeting pixies (or any fey favored by Mab or Manitou, for that matter) is something Korapira avoided in the
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past so as not to anger Manitou or Mab, “Manitou’s favored,” but now, she can do much with each pixie death. In her more lucid moments, Mab has already begun to regret her alliance with Korapira, whom she despises, but her all-consuming hatred for Titania quickly drowns any misgivings. Korapira understands that, given her endgame, a confrontation with Manitou is unavoidable, but she is not yet strong enough and fears his wrath. She is patient and in no rush, though, and she strives to accumulate the power and resources that will eventually allow her to defeat him.
BEING KORAPIRA
Korapira sees only death. She is obsessed with it. Anyone who survives long enough to gain an audience with Korapira finds her thinking only of the intruder’s death the entire time: wondering (often out loud) how she could best use that death to further her goals, what her victim’s last thoughts would be, how beautiful would be the screams, how savory the taste. It is this obsession with death that drives her every action, and she will bestow its gifts upon her children. All will be laid low before her, and her children shall rise. She seeks nothing less for them than complete dominion. With her care, her attention, her love, they will rise above the decaying wreckage of the world. Flesh and blood must give way to wood and sap. All non-plant creatures are but stepping stones. They can only serve by giving their lives to her experiments, being devoured as food or trampled underfoot to support a new generation. All creatures must serve her—the living, the dead, even other fey. They are all merely so much mulch from which her deep-rooted children shall rise. Relationships: Most creatures don’t stand a chance of communicating with Korapira, for she will have already decided their fate—experiment, food, or fertilizer—before they encounter her. The only possible considerations that might give her pause would be the promise of even greater death or the means to get it. A psychotic megalomaniac with a tendency of talking to herself, she’s difficult to reason with. Korapira is almost always in her palace or gardens.
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She rarely has cause to engage with others in a nonpredatory fashion, and on those rare occasions, she is unskilled and uncaring in hiding her contempt. However, she can dance the dance when she must, for she knows she is still young and must bide her time while her schemes fall into place. She keeps her dealings with other lords to a minimum, thinking thus to shield her darkest ambitions from scrutiny. Still, she understands the necessity of maintaining allies, and accordingly, she has developed loose alliances with Red Jack and Mab. Given her intense fascination with death, she feels real devotion for Red Jack, that harbinger of death, hanging on his every chilling word as if his statements were the secret of existence. His guidance has advanced her research incredibly. With Mab, it is much more an alliance of convenience driven primarily by Korapira’s great fear of Manitou. She hopes to stave off his wrath for as long as possible and believes that getting close to Mab will provide her that leverage. Characteristics: Korapira is a slight, dark-skinned fey. Her skin is like mahogany, both in tone and in grain, and her hair long and green like stringy vines. She has long, thin, pointed ears, and here and there, a stray flower blooms on her body. By most measures, she would be considered “cute.” However, underneath it all, she is among the most vicious and lethal of creatures: a force of nature, protective of her own and hostile to anything not of her making. She cares only for her children and will shred others to pieces without a thought. Strategy & Tactics: Korapira has little interest in fighting. To her, animals are for labor, food, experimenting upon, and just plain slaughter. Those who struggle and fight back find themselves surrounded by vines and weeds, held down and lashed to the ground, and ultimately filled with deadly poison as their life force drains from their body to feed the mistress of plants. Those who catch a flickering moment of Korapira’s interest find themselves lashed to a tree of sheol. She watches with intensity, whispering, sighing, and giggling with delight, as their body and soul and very being are absorbed into the tree to give new life to one of her children.
The Faerie Ring
The Green Expanse
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Not foliage green, but of a dusky colour, Not branches smooth, but gnarled and intertangled, Not apple-trees were there, but thorns with poison. —Dante Alighieri, Inferno It’s hard to put a bound on Korapira’s demesne by its very nature. It’s easy to simply say the ancient tropical forest on the island of Tanarao and be done with it. In truth, however, it’s not even clear that this region is the heart of her world. Her woods appear to bleed together with forested areas all around the multiverse—in the lands of fey and humans as well as the infernal and supernal realms. Most believe this applies only to the deeper and older of forests and not just random copses of trees or more civilized areas while others claim her influence runs everywhere there is plant life. The most superstitious among these sign themselves at the sight of any sinister tree or tangled thicket and warn against turning your back on even the most innocuous of potted plants.
BRAMBLES
All plants have a home in Korapira’s demesne, even twisted and gnarled specimens. The sickly looking plants in the Brambles have just as much life as the more beautiful plants elsewhere, but Korapira keeps them out of sight. The majority of the plants are toxic to mortals: some have rotting, flesh-colored flowers that puff noxious pollen, some have poison-dripping thorns. The Brambles serve to protect the Crèche, at its center.
COUNCIL GROVE
Korapira graciously offers this grove for treants and other intelligent plant creatures as neutral ground where they convene to discuss events. They make alliances, discuss the merits of hostile actions against fleshies, and strategize against common enemies. Her servants eavesdrop and relay information, and she
seeds meetings with “advisors” who subtly advocate violence against the flesh. Putti that are curious about invasive species they have planted elsewhere attend, in the guise of servants, to learn how well their creations are thriving.
THE CRÈCHE
Korapira marries her obsession with death and the greenery permeating her domain in the Crèche. Putti indulge their curiosity about plant life here and engage their twisted imaginations in developing increasingly deadly plant creatures. Strange variants of shambling mounds and assassin vines are favorites, but they also veer off into weirder specimens, such as fleshconsuming algae that thrives in air or strangling kudzu activated by lightning strikes. If anything, the Brambles protecting this terrible nursery serves as a warning of worse things to come for intruders. Putti transport promising plant creatures to a mundane forest and observe how well the plants carry out the task of murder. Truly viable species are seeded to forests throughout the multiverse.
FUNGAL GARDENS
Portions of the forest, small sections scattered here and there, have been devoted to fungal husbandry. Korapira takes advantage of these sites to dump the bodies of her higher profile victims, whom she does not wish others to stumble upon in the Gardens of Sheol. The horrific circumstances of each death leaves a psychic imprint on one of the mushrooms, and she very much enjoys visiting to remind herself of her deeds. Since very few guests desire strolling among the black, pale white, and sickly brown fungi, she has little fear of accidental discovery. Even then, most of the awful plants in this garden can unleash mind-altering spores, which erase recent memories or drive victims insane, rendering them less-than-credible.
GARDENS OF SHEOL
Surrounding the palace are vast gardens, stretching for miles in each direction. The gardens are a stunning display of exquisite flowers and elaborate landscapes. Many of the plants here are considered extinct
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elsewhere, but under Korapira’s guidance, they thrive. This is where Korapira cultivates her whims, creating a living labyrinth of beauty, oddity, and danger. An ever-growing portion of the gardens is devoted to her more perverse experiments, lending the garden its name. This is where Korapira utilizes the lives and deaths—the very souls—of others to further her experiments, wading in and snatching souls from the shores of Sheol. Bodies can be seen here in varying degrees of decay, dismemberment, and depredation. Screams frequently split the stillness—sometimes from those subjects who had not yet entirely died, but often from her more bizarre chimerical experiments of composite beings, or from plants that have no business sounding so human.
GREENWAY
For those who know the way, who know the paths of power, this forest is a doorway to almost anywhere in the multiverse, traveling from one old forest to another. However, most of the paths lead through the Heartwood—the very center of Korapira’s demesne.
GULF OF TATTERED SOULS
The massive blast that accompanied Korapira’s birth reshaped the island of Tanarao. The sea quickly rushed in and filled the newly created crater. From the great numbers who died in the blast, the resultant tsunami, and Korapira’s experiments, these waters quickly filled with undead, becoming known as the Gulf of Tattered Souls. Held deep within its watery embrace is the epicenter of that blast, the birthplace of Korapira, lost to the waves and to the grasping hands of thousands of submerged undead. Was it a shrine? Are there remnants that might explain the sovereign-birthing process? Is there a vast well of untapped power lying in wait? The answers to all these questions are unknown and likely to remain so. Korapira’s obsession with death and her gruesome experiments leave a veritable torrent of dead and undead in their wake. However, she cares no more for undead than she does for the living—it is the act, the transition from life to death, the release of the soul that she cares about. Any undead side-products
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of her experiments are typically left to her ravenous children. The trees and vines and various predatory plant creatures tear the rotting flesh and bone to shreds to be devoured or ground to mulch. Though there are occasional ghosts and other incorporeal undead haunting the forests, even they cannot survive forever against such savagery and violence. However, many undead over the years have made their way out of the forest to accumulate in the few unforested areas on or near the island. In the slightly less hostile mangroves, on the shores, among the rocks, and even under the water congregate those undead that have managed to stave off being devoured yet another day. Bony hands reach from the depths, apparitions dance in the waves, and hungry eyes watch from every cove. Derelict vessels, slowly collapsing into the gulf, are now home to vast numbers of undead, who scrabble about on the sea floor like so many malevolent crabs.
HANGING TREES
This remote grove in the Heartwood rewards lost or overly determined travelers with death by their own hands. A breeze constantly rustles the leaves of the grove’s stately oak trees. At first glance, several accessible gnarled limbs appear as nooses hanging from sturdy branches but another glance gives the impression that this is a trick of the light. Moments afterward, the rustling of the leaves sounds like voices reciting a litany of failures tailored to the visitors. The voices change to those of loved ones who could not be saved, tormenting victims that the only release is death. The wooden nooses reappear at this point, seeming to beckon to the haunted visitors and lowering themselves to convenient heights. Creatures that break the grove’s hold see it as it truly is, complete with dangling corpses in various states of decay.
HEARTWOOD
The Heartwood is the demiplane at the core of Korapira’s demesne. It is the hub, the crossroads, the dark core connecting all the old, dark forests of the multiverse. Its shifting boundaries suffuse with other forests and make possible passage even between planes. Of course, without knowing the paths of power, it’s
The Faerie Ring almost impossible not to get lost, which can prove disastrous.
not to abuse her alliance with Red Jack, for she simply has too much to lose.
OTHER DEMESNES
TANARAO
While the Green Expanse is connected to all old forests, it is blocked from other sovereigns’ demesnes unless they permit it—sovereigns simply exert too much control over their own lands—or unless she uses force or guile. For example, Korapira is unable to link directly with Manitou’s Bear Marches, since she has not been granted permission by Manitou. However, she is not completely blocked from accessing it. Being unprepared to test his certain vengeance by using force to break down the front door, she has opted to adopt more discrete methods, using backways to gain small footholds over time. By contrast, she has full access to Red Jack’s Strangle Grove, yet out of deference does not abuse the privilege.
The island of Tanarao is the largest island in the Tanarao Archipelago. Nicknamed the Green Crescent, the island appears as a crescent moon set in the sea ever since Korapira’s birth destroyed a large chunk of it, creating the Gulf of Tattered Souls. Its smaller sister islands lead and trail like a field of stars. The island is completely overgrown with tropical jungle in a vibrant display of plant life, many being varieties found nowhere else. Dense underbrush, twisting boles, interlocking branches, massive leaves, iridescent flowers, curious vines, and a constant sense of movement characterize this green and growing tangle of ever-striving life. The gulfward side is lined with massive mangrove swamps while the seaward side finds jagged, steep cliff faces. Anyone attempting to map Tanarao would sooner or later be forced to accept that the space within the forest is much greater than the space that should be afforded by the island. The woods go on and on, seemingly without end. Moreover, these woods are constantly shifting, as if the trees—the very land and sky—were merely playing with travelers. The distance between any two points is never the same twice, and the vistas are always changing. A traveler here must be wary when spotting a path, for these are the untamed wilds, and any path is the sole creation of the forest. It means the intruder has been noticed; there is no quicker route to doom than following one of these innocent-seeming trails. At first blush, there appears to be a great abundance of animal life in the forest, an impression caused by the ever present sense of motion—strange, incessant noises from different positions and glimpses of movement only in the periphery. As an outsider’s visit lengthens, though, and he or she gets deeper into the forest, comes the realization that there’s actually not a lot of animal life. Sure, there’s a large population of insects and spiders—in fact, enormous specimens that should not be able to grow to such sizes—and an occasional bird or other small creature. But in a forest this size, there should be more. And what’s making all those noises, then?
PALACE OF LEAVES
Nestled near the center of the Heartwood, the breathtaking Palace of Leaves is composed entirely from the surrounding forest—a living, growing place. Boles of massive trees twist into needed shapes, forming framework for the construction. Branches, vines, and leaves weave together intricately, giving substance to this wonder while immense flowers bloom along the walls. Open to the air and sun, it is the utmost in beauty and utility. The palace is very much a living thing, and every aspect reshapes itself to Korapira’s whim.
STRANGLE GROVE
With Red Jack’s permission, Korapira has anchored his demesne Strangle Grove to the Green Expanse. This has had the effect of stabilizing its wild fluctuations and preventing its complete unraveling. Now, Strangle Grove and the Green Expanse are open to one another. Red Jack, of course, has honored his promise and meets with Korapira regularly on the boundary of his demesne to talk about death. Korapira sits there, uncharacteristically attendant to his every word, as if they were uttered by Death itself. She has become strangely devoted to Red Jack, similar to the way the Tufaga are devoted to her. Korapira is taking great care
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Korapira’s Demesne
The Green Expanse has the following traits: Impeded Magic: It is difficult to magically navigate or travel within the Green Expanse without using the realm’s paths. Any spell with the teleportation descriptor or any divination spell (such as find the path) used to navigate is impeded (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide). Creatures attempting to cast spells or use spell-like abilities of this type within the Green Expanse must make a concentration check (DC 20 + the level of the spell). If the check fails, the spell does not function but is still lost. Paths: Creatures within the Green Expanse can use the right paths to reach any familiar forest within the multiverse. Th is requires a single successful DC 25 Knowledge (nature) check for a group of creatures and functions as the teleport spell, except interplanar travel is possible, creatures can travel any distance, and travel always requires one hour of walking (regardless of movement speed). A failure on the skill check by 5 or more causes the creature to become lost and causes skill checks to navigate the paths to be at a cumulative +5 DC until the creature makes a successful check to navigate the paths. An attempt to travel to a false destination or a mishap instead causes the creature to travel to the Heartwood. The Heartwood can otherwise be reached with no need for familiarity. This effect cannot be used to travel to the demesnes of other sovereigns unless they permit it. The paths can additionally be used to navigate the Green Expanse itself. The familiarity of any desired location is always a minimum of viewed once. Shifting: The Green Expanse is difficult to navigate without using the paths, and the forest actively works to cause creatures within to become lost. Anyone traveling overland through the demesne must make DC 20 Survival checks each hour to see if they become lost (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook). Navigational tools (maps, sextants) cannot be used. Any additional Survival check made by creatures to either recognize they are lost or set a new course take a −5 penalty.
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It’s usually about that time that travelers start to really take note of the staggering diversity of plant life present and realize the immediacy of the situation. Most of the sounds and movement come from the plants themselves. Vines visibly snake along the ground; branches and leaves shift and vie for sunlight; green jaws clamp shut on errant insects. The apex predators of these forests are the plants themselves: (mostly) stationary flytraps that could entomb a man in a single bite, hidden pitcher plants awaiting the unwary footfall, grasping vines that extend from hidden aggressors, seeming normal animals and humanoids that are actually plants using mimicry, and other even stranger forms.
TUFAGA
The Tufaga are what remain of the natives of Tanarao. Korapira’s presence was actually prophesied by the Tufaga, who see her birth as a cleansing and scouring that ushers in a new age; they worship her as a god. These devout and ruthless people do everything in Korapira’s name. They know every square inch of the forests and travel them unmolested. They utilize the vast alchemical cornucopia of the forest for medicines, poisons, and psychedelics. They guard the borders and tend to the gardens. They navigate the Green Expanse throughout the multiverse, returning with slaves for Korapira’s experiments. They even regularly offer up themselves to her experiments, with the result that many now possess plantlike traits and abilities. Korapira’s first dealing with the Tufaga left her more than a little confused. She had never expected animals (as she refers to all non-plant creatures), those she has effectively declared war on, to treat her as a god. Her initial hesitation in slaughtering these worshippers has proven extremely beneficial to her. They have become favored pets, and ultimately, she hopes they will be the mechanism by which she turns all animal life into plants.
The Faerie Ring
Putti & Others
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There has never been a dearth of intelligence and power in the plant world—its potential vastness is staggering. But it is too subdued and slow to action, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. It lacks ambition. It lacks imagination. It misses the damned point! Will it just sit around, waiting for the world to consume itself? Well, sometimes a body gets tired of waiting. —Korapira (ranting to no one in particular) All of Korapira’s energies are always, somehow, directed toward her children. Nothing is more important to her,
and while she considers all plants to be her children, it is clearly the putti who currently occupy the majority of her time. They are her world and her future. Filled with great ambition for the plant world, Korapira has long sought to create its champions. Scions that will inspire, command, and conquer, reclaiming everything lost to the plague of animal life. Always, though, there is complacency, an inertia, acting against her. The kingdom of plants is simply illequipped to be conquerors. So she went to the world of the animals, of hot blood and wild dreams, to assist in their own destruction.
PUTTI The blood of hundreds of thousands of animals and humanoids and even other fey have been poured into her chimerical research. If only she could extract the drive, the ambition, the imagination from them, she could incorporate it into her children. She was beset by failure after failure in her attempts, resulting in twisted and gruesome nightmare creat u res. Event u a l ly, with Red Jack’s help, she found success. With his knowledge of the afterworld, of the souls of the living and the process of death itself, she could harness the full potential of those raw components—screaming and writhing in their last moments—and unfold a new dawn. She created the putti. To be clear, the putti are not the champions that Korapira envisioned and seem unlikely to be conquering worlds anytime soon. However, theirs is a
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willful intelligence and active imagination. They are a whirlwind of activity and incessantly curious, always hungry for more. Korapira has never been happier. She recognizes the amazing abilities and potential of the putti, and she is convinced that they are but the first stage in an evolution to something greater. She continues her work to perfect the process of their creation and attempt to coax the putti to their fullest potential. Typical Characteristics: Korapira created the putti using her twisted experiments: infusing plant material with the soul fragments of living creatures. The result is entirely fey, appearing as bloated, asexual, oversized humanoid babies. They are still plantlike in some ways—for instance, their purple skin grants them photosynthesis, allowing them to convert sunlight to food. Each is asexual and androgynous, though some choose to identify with a particular gender as they mature. Their strange, unsettling appearance belies their wondrous abilities. They look weak and undeveloped, but their fibrous musculature provides them sufficient strength for their size. And whatever they lack physically is more than made up for mentally. Putti are incredibly intelligent and can augment themselves psychically. Most strikingly, a combination of their
Putti Evolution
Korapira is convinced that the putti are only in the first stage of their evolution. She is attempting to understand them better in order to coax the process along but so far to no avail. Is she right? What would their evolution be like? No one knows, least of all the putti themselves, but certainly, not all putti are born the same. Some, like Cakurra the Thorn, have borne their differences from birth while others, like Eolelo Ai, have proven that their form need not be static.
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light frames and psychic manipulation allows them to float on the breeze. Development: A putti’s seeming innocence belies the pain and terror of its creation, for its life begins only with another’s agonizing death. The tree of sheol is directly responsible for producing a putti. Developed and cultivated by Korapira with Red Jack’s assistance, this odd plant looks like a stumpy tree with disturbingly soft wood. It seems barren, exhibiting no foliage of any kind. Unlike most plants, a tree of sheol needs nothing from the sun but instead feeds fungus-like from the decay of its surroundings. Some suggest it extends roots to Sheol itself, empowering itself by the endless feast. Nondescript in appearance and always seemingly near-death, the plant nonetheless grows slowly to reach roughly the height of a man. It’s at this stage that it can fulfill its intended purpose. A live, sentient being held against the soft, gnarled trunk finds tendrils of wood come alive to lash it in place. The trunk then grows slowly around the victim, encasing him or her completely in its soft wood within the span of twentyfour hours. Often, the bole takes on the partial form of the encased victim frozen in grasping, screaming terror. Instead of letting the creature suffocate, however, the plant keeps it just barely alive for one month. In that time, the plant cannibalizes the creature’s flesh, mind, and soul to produce fruit, carefully using the creature in such a way that, though it would quickly perish if removed from the plant’s support systems, it continues to think, feel pain, and dream. Slowly, a bud forms, the plant’s first sign of color and vibrancy. Bulging to life, the giant bloom eventually erupts, disgorging its fruit—a fully formed putti. Lingering for a time, anywhere from several hours to a few days, the putti ultimately drifts off on the breeze. Though the tree may produce multiple flowers, only one typically bears fruit. Once the putti drifts away, all blooms wilt and drop off the plant within a day, and the tree undergoes one final transformation into a creature known as a flower of sheol (see below). There was some concern expressed from Red Jack that problems could arise from the bleed-through of personality from the victims, that certain mannerisms
The Faerie Ring
Sheol
In those days Sheol shall open its jaws, And they shall be swallowed up therein —The Book of Enoch (LVI. viii.) Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold of Sheol —Proverbs (V. v.) Sheol is the land of the dead, and all who die must visit its shores. In Sheol, there is no distinction between good and evil, between rich and poor, between believer and nonbeliever. There is simply the nothingness of death. Many souls eventually find their way beyond this afterworld to a final rest, but some simply linger in this crossroads—unable, unknowing, or unwilling to move on. This is the canvas upon which Korapira creates.
and memories of the victims might linger in this kind of forced transmigration. This phenomenon doesn’t seem to have occurred in any obvious or significant way, but though it remains unproven it could explain some of the putti’s more rebellious behaviors. Environment: The putti currently originate solely in the Heartwood of Korapira. Many stay forever within those jungles, but a growing number are letting themselves be pulled away to the farthest reaches of the multiverse, following their insatiable curiosity. Most shy away from the lands of humanoids, for far too often, this leads only to fear and violence—although some have treated them with respect and awe, incorporating the putti into their religious beliefs. Society: Putti are often believed to be little more than underdeveloped curiosities, and these claims are not without merit. Typically, they appear as if constantly daydreaming—unfocused, distracted, reacting to things unseen, obsessing on certain details—as they bob along on the breeze. They appear to possess limited
capacity for social interaction and often exhibit abnormal behavior. By external standards, they would indeed be considered developmentally impaired. However, this view does not see the whole picture. Putti emerge from their flower-wombs fully formed. From the moment they float away, they are able to communicate with each other through telepathy and fragrance. They only occasionally acknowledge non-putti, speaking with their soft, lilting voices or by telepathy. The putti appear to have created a complex shared mindscape in which they interact with one another, often ignoring more physical concerns. Their time is spent exploring and discovering, contributing back to the communal mindscape of the putti. Sometimes, they interact with other sentient creatures—when, of course, they realize that another creature is sentient—but their thinking is wholly different. As plants, they have entirely different concerns from those of animal-based life, and most never understand the needs and desires of other creatures. They are largely indifferent to nonputti except as curiosities, things to be catalogued for future reference. They have done good by others and they have done bad, but in either case, it’s usually accidental: a mere byproduct of activities performed for their own interests and without consideration that it might affect others. It is these actions that lead many cultures to view them as either sacred or profane, depending on the circumstances. Most have developed no empathy for other creatures (and it certainly hasn’t been fostered by Korapira). They consider humanoids no more than the average person might consider the dandelion. In regard to their own creation—and the necessary destruction of another to bring that about—most think nothing of it. Life feeds on life, and that’s all there is to it. However, a few among them, especially those explorers and poets who seek knowledge beyond Korapira’s embrace, are starting to consider this point and their overall place in everything. Though they were created from the plant world,
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putti have wills both strong and free and an undying curiosity to match. Though this is exactly what Korapira was supposedly after, she may have gotten more than she counted on. Relationships: In general, the putti consider Korapira as their benefactor—a friendly presence shadowing their lives. However, they do not feel strong familial bonds toward her. Their notions of kinship extend only to other putti. A few of the more inquisitive and self-aware putti have started to question Korapira’s motives and their own place in life. There is a small but growing schism among the putti. Rather than push the already tenuous dialogue to a bloody confrontation, many of those who question the consensus have decided to travel, the better to test their theories. To Korapira, the putti are all blessed children for whom she would crush the world. Strategy & Tactics: Putti approach combat much as they approach life, with curiosity. Causing harm and ending life is easy and, hence, something most Putti have no interest in. However, understanding why the struggle has to occur, the immense variety of motivations, and the seemingly endless ways animals have invented to battle one another are worthy of study and they will often draw out a fight just to learn one more fact before ending it, either through flight or an opponent’s death.
CHITTERING CREEPERS The putti were certainly not Korapira’s first attempt at realizing her dream. For some time before meeting Red Jack, she ran her experiments, hoping for results. She sacrificed more and more animals and fey to the cause, ever reaching for her seemingly unattainable goal. Eventually, she found a modicum of success and ushered in a new breed of fey, called sentinels. Her very first such small success was what would later be called a chittering creeper. These semi-intelligent sentinels have proven themselves extremely useful to Korapira for their subservience and their capacity for great violence. Emergent tales of the “babble bush” circulate among
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those various circles that might be interested in cryptobotanical discoveries, and these likely originate from diluted survivors’ tales of the chittering creeper. The stories, unfortunately, have emphasized the oddity and wonder of the babbling chatter while downplaying the violence that likely preceded and followed its discovery—all to an explorer’s detriment. Typical Characteristics: This odd creature appears no more than a scattered assortment of vines and leaves when at rest, often indistinguishable from its surroundings. Its wonder truly begins when it moves. The creature comes to life in a whir of motion and appears very much like a construct with parts made entirely of plants. Vines act as muscle and tendon, snaking and flexing over branch-bones with thorns for nails and teeth and flowers and leaves for skin— all controlled by the sap flowing just beneath the surface. None are quite identical; each shows distinct variations. Perhaps even stranger is their incessant chatter. When still, they are completely silent (like most plants). But when set into motion, they begin to speak. This chittering, though, is impossible to understand since it is composed of thousands of languages. Even someone who understood all those languages could still make no sense of this chattering, as the words are completely random. Most disconcerting, though, is that the creatures speak as if with meaning. It’s as if they are merely going through the motions of another creature’s life, mimicking—or at least trying to mimic—its language and mannerisms. Environment: Setting aside the creature’s chatter for a moment, the chittering creeper spends most of its time completely motionless and silent, appearing like nothing more than its plant surroundings. In this regard, they are amazing mimics, rarely ever noticed until they move. This is where their capacity for violence shows itself. These creatures are ambush predators and quickly spring into action when prey has entered their reach. Not unlike the trapdoor spider or an octopus hidden in the rocks, a chittering creeper waits until the last moment, when it comes chittering to life only to immobilize its prey within its vines just before
The Faerie Ring eviscerating them with its razor-sharp thorns. All of this, of course, in tune to its ever-present chatter. Then it can gently relax back to a still silence to slowly absorb its warm meal. Society: There really is no society of chittering creepers; they tend to be loners so as not to compete for prey. Any thoughts that their incessant chatter suggests a gregarious nature is countered by the belief, shared by all who have closely studied these odd creatures, that this is simply part of their ingrained attempt to mimic others. Chittering creepers don’t actually communicate with their own kind by way of the chatter. Their own communication consists of alchemical cues, coloration, and even low-level telepathy. Nonet heless, t he illusion of verbal communication i s s t ron g . They often have what appear to be
conversations with one another—babbling back and forth with their chatter, varying inflection and emphasis, and even pausing to let others speak. Relationships: The chittering creepers are obedient and attentive to Korapira and perform as she commands. She uses them extensively as guards and servants. Strategy & Tactics: As an ambush predator, a chittering creeper does not seek out prey. Instead, it places itself in the perfect position and waits for a meal to come to it. Chittering creepers are patient things and can wait days or
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even months for an animal to come close enough. Once a potential meal is within reach, it pounces, grappling an enemy to draw in and devour.
FLOWERS OF SHEOL Once a tree of sheol has produced its fruit—a putti—it enters the last stage of its life, becoming a flower of sheol, or sheol blossom. This rampaging byproduct is a collection of confused fragments of thought consumed by fear and hatred. It is believed that the victims of the tree of sheol
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are reduced to base components in body, mind, and soul, then reshaped to produce the putti. However, the process is incomplete and some of those memories linger in the tree—fragments of personality, echoes of terror—turning the creature into a frenzy of confusion and violence. Typical Characteristics: The day after the putti floats away and the blooms shrivel and fall, the flower of sheol begins to thrash its limbs and wrench its roots. It pulls free of the soil and wanders aimlessly, attacking anything that crosses its path, seeking a release from its torment. A typical flower of sheol has three stumpy feet comprised of its knotted roots, and it uses its limbs for arms. Even more disturbing, the form of the victim consu med to form the putti is typically visible in relief on the creature’s bole— the body outlines here , a ha nd jutting out there, and the face, frozen in a scream of terror, presenting a false visage for the creature. Development: The tree of sheol’s sole function is to produce a putti, but the process has the unintended side effect of producing a second creature— the flower of sheol. The tree of sheol is very good at breaking down the life—body, mind, and soul—of sentient creatures and using those components to build a new life, that of the fey putti. Th is is what it was designed to do by
The Faerie Ring times, a tree of sheol simply withers and dies once the putti leaves and doesn’t become a tormented flower of sheol. The implication, of course, is that the transfer was complete—that no essence, no matter how fragmentary, remained within the tree. It is not clear what (if any) implication this has for the putti in question. However, it does seem that those individuals have been the more sociable putti and those more likely to wander the multiverse. Environment: Flowers of sheol originate in Korapira’s gardens in the Heartwood—the only place the putti are created—and they wander around aimlessly from their point of creation. They can be found scattered about the Heartwood and Tanarao and, unfortunately for everyone else, they wander anywhere the Heartwood connects. Quite a few have ‘Take my lifetime, and give me the half of the Ephemera’s life! Free me from my found a home within imprisonment, give me human life, human joy for a short space, only this single Strangle Grove. Red night, if it must be so, and punish me thus for my presumptuous spirit, my longing Jack has encouraged for life! Annihilate me; let the fresh, young tree that encloses me then wither and this, fi nding them an fall, become ashes, and be scattered to the winds.’ intriguing reminder of —Hans Christian Andersen, death. “The Dryad,” Society: Flowers of Fairy Tales and Other Stories sheol have no society (trans. Craigie) and are little more than mindless forces Sentinels are pieces of the natural world that harbor a fey spirit deep inside. of nature, operating on They can comprise entire patches of land, like liminal outlands, or merely some random fury. What little aggregated debris. Largely due to Korapira’s obsessive research, most sentinels personality they have are plant-based, composed of living specimens, litterfall, drift wood, deadfalls, manifests pendulumflowers, moss, and a wide variety of similar materials. However, sentinels can like: one moment, also be made from mineral and even animal parts. tireless whirlwinds of Sentinels are not entirely dissimilar to golems and other constructs. The primary violence, and the next, difference is the fey spirit within, the spark of erratic emotion and creativity placid and detached. necessary for sentience. Whether spontaneously or artificially, a new and unique Oddly, they seem spirit forms within a sentinel, giving each a personality, an intelligence, a life all to cluster, almost as if its own. Sentinels display a huge range of behavior and demeanor: some have little preferring the proximity more intelligence and ability than common pets while others are stupendously of other f lowers of brilliant and powerful. It is speculated that this process is similar to that which sheol during the quiet creates a quiddity. moments. They are thought not to be able
Korapira and Red Jack. But the process appears to be less than perfectly efficient, and the excess essence of the victim, shattered and fragmented as it is, converts the already odd tree into a fey sentinel, awakening it to a world of madness. In a sudden fury of activity, the creature—now a flower of sheol—rips its roots from the ground and ambles about. Possessing only fragments of thought and emotion, it fumbles forever in a state of confusion and lashes out at all life with appendage-like branches, seeking a solace that only death can bring. On occasion, though, perhaps once in a hundred
Sentinels
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to communicate. Relationships: The flowers of sheol fear Korapira and avoid her presence. To Korapira, the flowers of sheol are sad but necessary children. She, herself, or other sentinels usher the flowers of sheol away from her gardens so as not to cause needless destruction or bring harm to the putti. Strategy & Tactics: Flowers of sheol are madness and rage personified. They employ no tactics or strategy, not even the instinctive cunning common to animals. Instead, a flower of sheol attacks and attacks and attacks, pounding away at an enemy until it is a bloody pulp in which other plants can take root or until it is defeated and bursts into a cloud of exploding violence.
LIMINAL OUTLANDS As it turns out, Korapira wasn’t the fi rst to create sentinels. In the form of liminal outlands, nature created its own sentinels aeons ago. Liminal outlands form spontaneously when a patch of land gains sentience. This extremely rare process can happen anywhere. Known occurrences have seen entire groves of trees, seafaring islands, small towns, and even a dilapidated “haunted” mansion or two. Occasionally, there is a triggering phenomenon, such as an earthquake, but often, it simply happens on its own. Typical Characteristics: There really is very little in the way of “typical,” for each liminal outland is a unique entity. However, there are a few commonalities. The land or structure in question is usually very old, and this is especially true of man-made structures. Each outland has a boundary, sometimes very large, and within this boundary is its “body.” The outland often exists in multiple planes at once, acting as a doorway or crossroads. Many can travel on their own in some way, such as teleportation, sliding through the earth, floating on the sea, or something similar. Environment: There is no limit to the type of environment a liminal outland could potentially arise in: on or in the sea, underground, on other planes. However, a given individual outland may not be suited to all environs. For example, a liminal outland arising
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under the sea would likely not be suited for travel on land. Society: Liminal outlands don’t typically interact much with one another. Many just want to be left alone to sleep or ponder the cosmos. Others range as far and wide as they can, sometimes taking companions with them. A few thrive on their frequent interaction with others (whether those others realize it or not is another question). Relationships: Each liminal outland is a unique being, usually incredibly intelligent and powerful, able to come to its own judgments. Korapira typically has no special power of them. Some are with her; some are against her. Some are waiting to decide; some have no idea who she is. Strategy & Tactics: Most liminal outlands bring the variety and force of their terrain to bear on an enemy. Doors and windows swing and slam, vines grip and tangle, the ground shakes, and hazards seem to fall from the sky. A liminal outland can take on a more humanoid form and battle directly but this is a rarity. Most fi nd that fighting liminal outlands is like trying to fight nature: overwhelming, impossible, and, ultimately, a losing proposition.
PAILOON, THE FLOWERED FACE
A sentient patch of jungle, Pailoon was coaxed by Korapira to leave its previous unmapped and unnamed jungle home with promises of more than enough slaughter to meet its ravenous appetite. This arrogant, bloodthirsty outland spends much of its days idling in the canopies of the Heartwood and Tanarao, basking in the sun and preening itself. By nights, it becomes a scourge of the jungle, hunting as much for pleasure as for sustenance. It is said that Pailoon is linked to an area by a specific tree, giant and gnarled, and that Korapira transplanted Pailoon here as a sapling. Supposedly, to change locations, Pailoon must place its own consciousness within a seed, which will then travel on the winds and waters to new lands on which to take root. Even if this is true, Pailoon currently enjoys a massive territory and has proven capable of terrorizing other locales by way
The Faerie Ring of the Green Expanse. It is unclear how far away from its host tree Pailoon can get or what happens when it gets there. Pailoon considers itself an honored guest of Korapira and is happy to stay since the Green Expanse allows it an unrivaled hunting range. Any notion that it is but a servant of Korapira infuriates Pailoon. Strategy & Tactics: Pailoon’s strategies change depending on the time of day. While the sun shines, it has little interest in combat, rousing to fight only if it finds itself under attack. Animals may pass unharmed so long as they do not disturb the resting living jungle.
At night, it batters, bleeds, and devours any animal that dares enter its domain, breaking bones and twisting bodies into mulch using vines, winds, lightning, and the earth itself as a weapon.
OTHER LIMINAL OUTLANDS
Liminal outlands are as unique and varied as other creatures. No two are alike, either in construction or in temperament. FIDDLER’S GREEN This sentient wooded glade loves to travel and meet new people. As it shifts through the folds of reality to interpose itself in a new location, it greets those who wander by with a lone, quaint pub nestled among the trees. Those who brave the strange pub are confronted by an interior larger than the exterior should allow,
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bustling with customers of all shapes and varieties. Fiddler’s Green manifests itself as the friendly, portly bartender. The cost of a pint? A secret. Something from the top shelf? A good story. Fiddler’s Green thrives on the tales of others. Everyone of peaceful intent is welcome. Guests come and go as they please and are encouraged to stay onboard when Fiddler’s Green decides to travel, which is often. Fiddler’s Green is peaceful and enjoys the company of others. It is very much opposed to Korapira and wants nothing to do with her. ZERZURA Hidden by the sands from all but the most clever and most lost, this oasis stands as a verdant refuge, oddly distant from the common trade routes. Its rock substrate reaches deep beneath the desert, like a tendril, bringing precious water to the surface. With a crashing waterfall, clear pools, and the lushest vegetation for hundreds of miles, it is truly a wonder to behold and supports a rich diversity of wandering dessert denizens. Unfortunately, Zerzura demands a steep price for the luxury and vitality it provides. Not everything that stays the night will see morning. This outland erects a one-way barrier from sundown to sunup at its periphery. Though creatures can enter, none can leave, and nighttime is when most wandering creatures come to the oasis. The nightly bloodshed supplies it with rich nourishment. Zerzura randomly shifts its way through the desert, content with the life it has made for itself and merely watching Korapira’s machinations from the sidelines.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
CAKURRA, THE THORN
Some putti are very much just like their mother.
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Where other putti might be called curious, Cakurra is intense; where others flighty, he driven; where others gentle, he bloodthirsty. Really, Cakurra is so much of what Korapira wanted. He is her most trusted. He is her spear. There’s typically a period of disorientation and adjustment when putti are born as their senses are kicking in and they begin processing the world. Cakurra’s first moments were in slaughtering his harvestmates. (Harvestmate is the term putti use for their brothers and sisters born to the same sheol orchard and in the same season. So yes, Cakurra began his life with the blood of fratricide on his hands.) Cakurra is Korapira’s trusted general and is in charge of fulfilling her constant need for slaves, test subjects, and food. Characteristics: Cakurra is more alike with Korapira than with other putti. He is emotionless and craves only blood. He rarely speaks, and when he does, it’s sparse. He is a bit different physically from other putti, as well. He is taller than other putti by a foot or so and does not float, but he is able to create thorny vines from his hands that he uses as garrotes and snares and whips. (Perhaps, this lends some credence to Korapira’s claims of the putti evolving?) Relationships: Cakurra disdains all but Korapira, though he is not her lapdog. He is fully obedient to her, but he acts by his own desire. They share a goal. Strategy & Tactics: Though he relishes bathing in other’s blood, Cakurra isn’t one to wade into direct confrontation. He uses his cunning and patience and waits for the proper moment. He typically strikes from hiding and often sets snares and other ambush traps.
EOLELO AI
Eolelo Ai was not the first of the putti to be created, but she is, perhaps, the first to achieve true awareness and empathy for others. Years ago, she isolated herself from all other life by taking residence in a cavern high in the hills of a land foreign to her. She settled there and contemplated the universe and the role of her people in it. In time, humans discovered Eolelo Ai and reported her presence to the king of the land. Curious about such a strange being, the king traveled to Eolelo Ai’s
The Faerie Ring cavern and spoke to her at length. From this beginning grew a relationship, with the putti serving as the royal oracle for several generations. Like all putti, Eolelo Ai was created by Korapira from the pain and suffering of an unknown number of dying animals and humanoids. But long ago, she realized the putti have the potential to be more than a mere link in Korapira’s chain of experimentation. The putti were unique in all of creation and needed to find their purpose and place, free of Korapira’s control and in command of their own destiny. After years of meditation, Eolelo Ai has come to realize her people need their own homeland, and she has been subtly manipulating the nearby human kingdom using her prophecies to achieve this end. History: Eolelo Ai was screaming when she awoke from her tree of sheol. It took days for her to struggle through her disorientation and achieve consciousness. When she finally reached out to her fellow putti, linking their awareness to her own, she was overwhelmed. A world horrific and beautiful, dangerous and kind, sprawled before her with possibility. She served Korapira for many years, being a faithful child and handmaiden to her strange but affectionate mother. In that time, Eolelo Ai learned that, while the world had infinite possibility and many facets, Korapira had but one. The fey lady’s obsessions and disdain for the animal world would forever limit her, and Eolelo Ai came to realize that, as long as the putti served such a limited creature, they too would be limited. Eolelo Ai drifted away from her mistress and traveled the world, eventually choosing a cavern in a distant human kingdom in which to meditate upon the potential of her people. She was discovered by the nearby humans and welcomed personally by the king, who learned to trust her words and council. As the generations passed, Eolelo Ai’s legend grew, and she blossomed from trusted advisor to awe-inspiring oracle. Under her tutelage and advice, the human kingdom has prospered and grown. Characteristics: Like all putti, Eolelo Ai resembles nothing so much as a bloated, human infant. Years of living in her cavern, however, have made her unique, even among her own kind. Eolelo Ai has both rooted
and sprouted. Her feet have grown into roots, digging into the cavern walls and reaching deep inside the earth. Her purple body has become overgrown with glowing moss which shines bright and red. Leaves grow from her hair in lengths down her back, each pleat a different color and from a different species of tree. Her metamorphosis has also transformed her into a hermaphrodite, though she has yet to bear fruit. Will she be able to birth putti, further distancing them from Korapira? Relationships: Eolelo Ai maintains telepathic contact with her people, and all putti consider her an elder of their kind, even if some do not understand her purpose or plan. The humans who live near her cavern regard her with supernatural awe. To them, she is not quite a god but something more than another living being, capable of raising fortunes or destroying them with a few simple words. Korapira regards her wayward child with interest, wondering if perhaps Eolelo Ai represents the next stage in vegetative evolution she seeks but disliking how close the putti has grown to the nearby meat creatures. Strategy & Tactics: Eolelo Ai no longer leaves her cavern as she has taken root there. Should enemies attack, she sends a telepathic signal to the humans who rely on her guidance, knowing they will send aid. Until her allies arrive, Eolelo Ai uses her formidable mental powers to keep any attackers at bay but tries to avoid harming them. She prefers to let meat justice deal with meat criminals.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ The putti are coming into their own, and Korapira is convinced of their coming evolution. What if their evolution begins, but it puts Korapira at odds with her own children? ❖❖ Korapira and Red Jack are siphoning a lot of souls away from the Outer Planes. Powers are starting to notice . . . and they are not pleased.
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(There once was a . . . ) . . . young sprite who took it in her head to question Queen Mab about Manitou’s Gift, which the queen shunned at certain seasons fitting no pattern the sprite could see. She chose a day when little else occupied the court in the Shell Palace, and all the fireflies buzzed contentedly. The courtiers’ heads all turned at the sound of a young voice saying, “But your Majesty, surely, your court could go a-hunting?” Silence fell, and the queen turned her head. The black swan she had been stroking hissed at the young sprite, and the air of the Great Hall of Scáthbaile turned chill. “We do not hunt in Manitou’s Gift today, nor tomorrow, nor again until I say otherwise,” said the queen. “You would do better to go pick berries in the meadows.” “But all the fey go hunting! It is a courtly pursuit! The quicklings go, the fauns hunt each week, and even the pixies . . . !” The courtiers nearest the throne gasped. “Silence!” said the queen. “We do not hunt in Manitou’s Gift today. And you, little courtier, had best go to your chambers and to your bed and hope to dream one last gentle dream before I destroy your dreaming forever.” The queen’s son, Puck, turned his head at the last word. “Forever, your Majestic Motherliness? That is such a long time. I despise forever in all its forms. Perhaps, we could settle on a year and a day?” The Queen Mab looked at Puck sternly. She did not smile or nod, but she hesitated while the court held its collective breath. “Is this little chit one of your conquests, Puck? Has she nodded and winked and made her slatternly way to
your bed with her charms, like that Titania!” Puck frowned. This was dangerous ground, and the little courtier, while diverting enough in a sunny glade with a bottle of wine, was surely not worth enraging the queen. Another course was called for. “Mother, you wound a son who is merely thinking of your own prospects and mine with them. The word forever is one that Our Enemy has used too often and too loosely. Titania believes she rules forever, but it is not so.” “Indeed, it is not,” said Queen Mab. The courtiers and chamberlain and servants all nodded vigorously. “Indeed, Mother. So let us set the word forever aside, and let this foolish young fey go forth with at least the hope of an end to her dark dreams.” Mab waited again before answering, looking up at the chandeliers where a pixie was bound and gagged, slowly dripping blood into her goblet. “She might be a spy, O Puck. But in Our Mercy we shall grant her hope and the date of an end to her suffering. A distant hope. And a distant end to suffering, to be sure.” “To be sure, Mother Mab,” said Puck. “Now,” said Mab. “Does anyone else wish to hunt in Manitou’s Gift this season?” The hall rang with silence as deep as the woods and as final as death. The bound pixie in the chandelier stopped struggling and breathed its last.
Mab
(She Speaks of Death )
Mab
Sometime she driveth o’er a soldier’s neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is that very Mab That plaits the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes. —William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (I. iv.) The great powers of the fey kingdoms sometimes take the form of shining courtiers and glorious lords, resplendent in cloaks of leaves and shining armor, their white bows as deadly as any lance or spear. Others, no less powerful, never show themselves in a procession or revelry in the deep woods, though everyone knows their names. Likely, these darker fey owe their fealty to Queen Mab.
h
I saw Mab’s Book of Judgment— Its clasps were iron and stone, Its leaves were mammoth ivory, Its boards were mammoth bone,— Hid in her seaside mountains, Forgotten or unkept, Beneath its mighty covers Her wrath against me slept. —Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, “Queen Mab in the Village” Mab’s name is an ancient one, and her voice is well known at the fey courts. She speaks always of death, gloom, and the slow passing away of the fey worlds. Since parting from Manitou (famed for his many halffey prodigy), she has inveighed against the dangers of breeding half-witted half-breeds. Her lost throne gnaws at her spirit, and she alternately rages and broods over what she has lost. Unlike most fey, Mab is consumed by regret and burdened by time, which makes her unwelcome company at the courts of the bright and shining fey lords. Nonetheless, she is one of the great among the fey, and few dare tell her nay. Queen Mab has existed so long as the night sky has frightened the creatures of the daytime, and hers was honored as the foremost of the fey courts for long
The Faerie Ring centuries, convening each twilight and dispersing at dawn. Her birth is a matter of much speculation since no fey remembers the occasion. She is said to have been born at midnight to a goddess of the night who took some fey lord to bed, though some believe her to be the unfathered child of primordial Darkness. It’s said by some that Queen Mab spent long years following the darkness of the spinning earth, always running, always staying away from sunlight. She settled down only when charmed by the pixies’ grace, and even that settling to earth was temporary. Now, she is again restless as the wind, leaving her demesne often to dabble in mortal affairs or to plot against other fey.
LEARNING TO HATE
For long aeons, Mab was the Queen of the Pixies and sat atop the Silver Thrones in the Pure Lands beneath the hill, the mother of starshine and the dispenser of wonders. She was kind, flirtatious, perhaps a bit flighty, but a queen who led her people well—a fey queen of silver laughter and many lovers, from sun-kissed Oberon to leafy Manitou, from wondrous satyrs to merfolk. Her land was fertile, her life was glittering and good, and the pixies loved her. This all ended when Titania stole Oberon away. Mab learned to scheme, to plot, and, most of all, she learned to hate. No matter when went wrong or when, Titania was to blame. In time, her rage grew till she could not abide to hear Titania’s name on another’s lips. In time, this wild rage and her hunter’s instincts brought her to the attention of one of the oldest and darkest of the fey sovereigns, wild Manitou. Or perhaps, as some say, the wildness and danger of Manitou compelled Mab to seek him out. It is unclear who began the tryst. Regardless, the two sovereigns were lovers, though their love was strange and violent, bound up with the hunt and a lust for slaughter. They seemed wellmatched in their madness and cruelty, and if anything, it was Manitou who tamed Mab’s madness, not the reverse. His deep wells of forest wisdom, his patience in the hunt, and his calm bearing between wild bouts of frenzied activity all brought a certain stillness to
Mab’s character again. She learned to love, a little, and to see the good in the forests and the night skies. And both sovereigns doted on their daughter, Pellowea. Her people grew hopeful that the great crusade of vengeance might be abandoned. That all fell apart when Pellowea was lost and Manitou left her. He deeded his demesne to her and left her his lieutenant, Jack-in-Irons. Perhaps, he hoped to blunt the blow. Perhaps, he felt that Mab could make better use of them. Perhaps, he had outgrown them. No one really understands Manitou, after all. It broke Mab utterly. When Manitou left her, Mab truly despaired. Her rages left her, and she turned her mind entirely to Titania’s destruction. Indeed, to the destruction of Oberon and all pixies and sprites who followed them. She summoned up dark powers for revenge, and she regained her throne over the pixies. But her rule did not last. Though she sat on the throne and Titania and Oberon were banished for long centuries, Mab’s madness and despair could not help her win over the hearts of her former subjects. Most of the pixies could not abide Mab’s taint. A few wanderers and rebels took her side against the schemer Titania, but in the end, the throne fell to another, and Mab’s silver wings fell to earth. She was not unseated so much as abandoned. Most pixies returned to follow Titania and Oberon in their wanderings about the earth. She’s never quite forgiven the pixies and hunts them to this day. Her small coterie of followers seems to share her lust for pixie blood, and Mab’s name alone is enough to frighten pixie children.
BEING MAB
Queen Mab seeks power over all the fey, especially the sprites and pixies, and hopes to bind the best and the brightest to her service. Her ambition has long made her dangerous, yet she can seem quite reasonable as long as she gets her way. She wants obeisance from fey and nocturnal creatures. Those who do not recognize her power (or, worse, profess ignorance of her very name) are her enemies to the last. Just as certainly, she seeks to eradicate half-fey creatures of all kinds, considering them abominations against the fey order of things. She
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is quick to murder and quicker still to slip poison into the ears of the half-willing. Opposing her and drawing her ire is Titania: the war between them is long, grinding, and apparently without end. Titania and Oberon are sitting on their silver thrones in the depths of the Pure Lands right
now—thrones Mab considers rightfully hers. And she wants them back. Of her two foes, Titania holds the power. Queen Mab considers Oberon a mere fop. While this holds a kernel of truth, Mab’s blindness to Oberon’s own power means that she always misses at least a portion of the threat from Titania’s court. Relationships: When not plotting her expansion of power, Mab masters a variety of arcana, questioning spirits of the dead and spirits of the land, summoning fey to audiences that are little more than thinly disguised Scáthbaile has the following traits: interrogations, and haunting the Changelings: Mortals spending too long in Scáthbaile transform dreams of mortals who might prove into fey. This functions in a similar manner as the reincarnate useful in her service. She’s singlespell, except the subject need not be willing, must be alive, and minded in acquiring and mastering does not gain any negative levels or Constitution drain. Every power. This is both her great strength consecutive week that a creature with the humanoid type spends and her blind spot. She seems unable within Scáthbaile, they must attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save. A to understand creatures (like Manitou humanoid that fails this save permanently gains the changeling or even her son Puck) who do not subtype. A humanoid that succeeds on the first save but fails the seek dominion over others. She second (after two consecutive weeks) has their race permanently considers them lazy, foolish, or simply changed to a fey player race (see The Faerie Ring: Player’s Guide). A unmotivated—though in the case of humanoid that succeeds on at least two consecutive saves but fails family and lovers, she makes some the third is permanently transformed into a fey of similar CR, allowances. such as a faun or nymph (losing any class levels they may possess). While she has a few mortal targets, A humanoid that succeeds on at least three consecutive saves but the numbers are truly quite small. For fails any thereafter is transformed into a Child of Mab. the most part, Queen Mab is content A Child of Mab becomes Mab’s emissary, gaining the emissary to save her tricks for other fey and to subtype, whether they are willing or not. The humanoid’s type leave mortals alone. The exceptions is permanently changed to fey (do not recalculate Hit Dice, base are important, though. All those who attack bonus, saves, or skills), they retain all class levels, and gain speak, barter, or deal with the pixies, the shifting darkness ability (see star sprites). Humanoids with and those few mortal children whom the elf, gnome, or half-elf subtypes are immune to this effect. she finds worthy of her attention, Enhanced Magic: Scáthbaile acts as an amplifier for Mab’s become frequent targets of spying by magic. Any spell or spell-like ability appearing on the witch spell her star sprites. For those who deal list cast within Scáthbaile functions as if its caster level was 2 with pixies, she harasses with dreams higher than normal. This does not affect patron spells unless those and elfshot, with tricks and bindings spells also appear on the witch spell list. and haunting. Those whom she Impeded Magic: Spells with the light descriptor or that use or considers worthy of bringing into her generate light are impeded within Scáthbaile. Spells that produce circle are given an invitation. If they light are less effective in general, with the range and area of effect accept, well and good, they are brought halved. to her demesne with a hero’s welcome and allowed to swear fealty and serve
Mab’s Demesne
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The Faerie Ring her. Those who resist are brought by force. Worst of all, she sends her star spites to steal away from the sunkissed lands those infants and children who draw her eye, to be raised in the black light of Scáthbaile. Characteristics: Queen Mab has three forms: one a black and shadowy elfin lady with shining white hair; the other a black, bare-breasted swan-maiden; and the last an ancient crone with a stooped back and watery eyes, who still somehow always sees the truth under any illusion and hears the lie in any promise. In her elfin form, she glows with subdued moonlight, often wearing translucent bluish-white armor and a black cloak in which she can hide her light at will. In this form, she carries a rapier and a wand, and she seems able to whip her followers into a frenzy. Some have mistaken her for a drow in this form, but her manner is more genteel than cruel. When assuming a more regal poise, her cloak is often held up much like a bridal train, carried by a dozen star sprites. In her bare-breasted swan maiden form, she echoes the blackness of a night sky. Her feathers are entirely black, and she always wears a set of mithral bracers and crown of mithral with a single enormous black pearl set in it. This form seems the most sedate. Her followers claim this is the shape she uses most when weaving dream magic. Some say, she flies within the dreams of others as a black swan or on swan-back. This confusion may result from the fact that Queen Mab uses an enormous black swan as her mount. This creature, Cornotto by name, fl ies with the speed of the sun. This speed suits Mab perfectly, so she need never waste time in sleep or dreams but instead spends her nights in hurry and toil, the better to secure her dominion over all fey. The last form, of a crone with milky eyes and hunched back, is believed to reflect her age and ceaseless inner sorrow. The other two may be merely glamours. In this form, she always leans on a crutch or cane shod with brass and usually wears a heavily embroidered shawl over wispy, thinning white hair. All who see her know the terror of their own mortality and hear the bleeding whispers of the deepest hours of the night. She often takes this form when spiriting away children to become changelings, and it is always the form she wears when
Mab’s Tokens
While non-fey may not understand it entirely, the fey claim that Queen Mab uses certain implements in her magic. The problem is that no one is entirely sure what those implements are. They may be her rapier and wand in elfin form, her crown and bracers in swan maiden form, and her crutch and shawl in her crone form. But others claim these are far too obvious, and that her true tokens are carved green beads of malachite or shoes made of basilisk leather or a half-cape of black feathers, or an invisible circling ioun stone or star-bright speck of light. All anyone agrees on is that if her implement were taken away from her, she would be gravely weakened. Which may be exactly why she’s so careful that no one be quite sure what it is.
sentencing one of Titania’s pixies to death. Strategy & Tactics: To battle Mab is to battle the dark side of magic itself. She is beauty and terror personified, and her cruelty has been informed by an eternity of punishing retainers and enemies alike. Mab rarely needs to engage in actual combat. Her majesty overwhelms all but the bravest or most foolish of souls, immobilizing them for not just moments but for hours, during which she devises horrible and often ironic punishments born from their worst fears and darkest nightmares. Of course, that assumes she can be bothered to punish an enemy personally. More often than not, she simply orders a swarm of star sprites to rip the offenders to pieces or feeds them directly to Jack-in-Irons. Against enemies who aren’t cowed by her aura of power, Mab waits for her minions to engage and distract while she targets individuals with her magic to charm, transform, strangle, and murder as suits her whims.
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Scáthbaile
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I am the Fairy Mab: to me ’tis given The wonders of the human world to keep; The secrets of the immeasurable past, In the unfailing consciences of men, Those stern, unflattering chroniclers, I find; The future, from the causes which arise In each event, I gather; not the sting Which retributive memory implants In the hard bosom of the selfish man, Nor that ecstatic and exulting throb Which virtue’s votary feels when he sums up The thoughts and actions of a well-spent day, Are unforeseen, unregistered by me; And it is yet permitted me to rend The veil of mortal frailty, that the spirit, Clothed in its changeless purity, may know How soonest to accomplish the great end For which it hath its being, and may taste That peace which in the end all life will share. —Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Queen Mab” Queen Mab’s demesne of Scáthbaile is a land of dreams and darkness, though this perhaps makes it sound stranger than it is. It is perhaps the very epitome of the dark, spooky forest, complete with gnarled, ancient trees basking in the moonlight, branches creaking and leaves rustling in the breeze and competing with the crickets and owls for audience, and the rich, sweet aroma of decay and growth. Yet the shadows seem somehow more furtive, the moon more full, the trees more looming, and the snapped twigs one too damned many. It’s enough to make even the surest traveller question their choices. Within its bounds, the trees tower hundreds of feet high. The moon glides above the forest, fully thrice the size it appears in the familiar skies of mortal lands. Within the pale white halls of the Queen’s Shell Palace flit hundreds of star sprites, who provide most of the
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illumination. Indeed, those sprites who have displeased her are often chained into Queen Mab’s chandelier for days or even weeks. While the queen has many enemies, the entrances to her relatively small demesne are well guarded by dream magic and by misdirection rituals Puck weaves around the borders. Foes generally find themselves unable to come to grips with Mab’s troops except on her terms. Scáthbaile’s small size and cold, dark environment mean that few fey lords are interested in conquering the mad queen’s realm.
ENCAMPMENT OF HIDDEN LIGHT
Mab employs servants and keeps slaves whom she prefers remain hidden from visiting dignitaries. She created this encampment, which serves as home and hideaway for creatures she regards as undesirable. The camp serves other purposes, though, too, such as hiding away the also undesirable light. Mab hides the sun here. Well, all beyond what is needed for dawn and dusk. All that extra light is damned, so to speak, within this encampment, so it cannot touch any of the remainder of her demesne. The encampment is protected from those who might stumble upon it or purposely seek to free her slaves. Without a charm created by Mab herself, one cannot enter this area. Those who make the mistake of giving the charm away face dire punishment, preceded by the knowledge that the act of giving removes its magic.
LAKE DIAMOND
This crystal-clear lake stands in a wide clearing and always reflects moonlight as if from a full moon, even when the moon is in another phase. The reflected light bathes the clearing, creating a ghostly landscape where the grass, seemingly crafted from multihued minerals, catches the light and splits it into muted rainbows. The mineral grass slashes at the feet of creatures passing through it. Fey who have no use for the lake avoid the pain of traversing the grass just by flying over it. However, a blood sacrifice made by a complete crossing from the clearing’s edge to the lake unlocks the lake’s true purpose. After making the sacrifice, one can
The Faerie Ring view a loved one’s dreams and manifest an aspect of their dreams for them, if only for a short time. As an unfortunate side effect, the dreamer can no longer dream of the object made real. A dreamwright, or Mab herself, acquires the obviously desirable object and forever renders it unavailable.
Mab sometimes executes her enemies as entertainment or serves pixie flesh disguised with cardamom, cloves, and other spices. Unwary guests realize what they’ve been served only at the dessert course when the servants bring out pixie wings fried in pork fat and dusted with sugar.
MANITOU’S GIFT
SHIRES AND MEADOWS
Much of the wild land beyond the palace and Silverbrook belongs to what was once the demesne of Manitou, which he bequeathed to his lover Mab long ages ago. The land still reflects its former sovereign. The Greenwood, the Silent Forest, and the Turnbull Hills are entirely fey, wild, and unsettled. The land is impossible to plow or build on: any stone piled on stone soon falls to earth and any plowed field is overgrown in a matter of days. Queen Mab keeps this legacy as a private hunting ground, where her followers may take wood, acorns, nuts, fruits, or small birds, but no large game. When Mab herself rides to the hunt here, some believe she seeks to track and slay an avatar of her lover, a great black elk with horns four paces wide and eyes as bright as lantern light. Others simply say that Mab knows the land cannot be tamed or turned to fey meadows, so she hunts merely for the joy of it. Whenever she does visit the Greenwood of Manitou’s Gift, enormous flocks of ravens follow her like a procession by day, and owls watch her camp by night.
Even the lands themselves are chill, always winter and never spring. Snows come and go, making some form of seasonal change, and temperatures rise enough to allow plants to flower under moonlight, but all the crops, fruits, and nuts are oddly dark, stunted, and flavorless. Some believe this is why Queen Mab’s followers are so small in size: her domain is simply too chill to allow for the appetites of giants, ogres, and trolls. Beyond its dark and forbidding aspect, Queen Mab’s demesne is a place of as much joy as elsewhere in fey lands, especially for nocturnal creatures such as owls, bats, kobolds, and goblins, all of which live there in large numbers, sometimes in entire villages and cities toiling to serve their queen.
The palace itself resembles a series of shells grown upon one another. The walls within are nacreous, making some suspect that the Queen’s Palace was shaped by some form of aquatic life. The rooms themselves grow ever smaller from the entrance hall to the tiniest audience chambers, far from the palace gates. Through some fey magic, though, all its rooms seem to connect to all other rooms. During the normal course of fey intrigue, wooing, trickery, and scheming, the palace is well stocked and joyous. But it contains seeds of darkness, and guests see this during the feasts held there. It is rumored that the star sprite feasts can be quite dreadful as Queen
SILVERBROOK
SHELL PALACE
SILVER VAULT
Mab secures favorite dreams and nightmares in this cylindrical building, hidden in plain sight as the trunk of a silver tree. The vault has no obvious entrance, but one can place an ear against the surface and hear those stored within. Mortals who do this risk insanity from the mélange of euphoria and terror flooding them at once.
The greatest of Scáthbaile’s cities is Silverbrook, a metropolis of miners, smiths, dreamwrights, jewelers, and bandits. They have long since grown wealthy under Mab’s protection, but their wealth comes from plundering dreamlands and divining the location of hidden treasures through magic. They steal many things considered lost and offer them as sacrifices and offerings to the queen.
SWAN HILL
The fairest maidens and many of the changelings of
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Scáthbaile live in the small town of Swan Hill, near the queen’s summer hunting lodge. This village is built on a hill with a fine view of the demesne, near the forest’s edge where Mab’s meadows turn into Manitou’s Gift. Wild creatures of the wood, white stags, giants, ogres, and hags are all visitors here. Some say that the swanmays and rangers among her followers hold their gatherings here as well, at a site within a day’s walk of Swan Hill. Certainly, visitors to the village seem to believe that it is the last civilized outpost of her realm before the wild lands and hunting grounds.
Rituals of Dreaming
Her strong enchantments failing, Her towers of fear in wreck, Her limbecks dried of poisons And the knife at her neck, The Queen of air and darkness Begins to shrill and cry, ‘O young man, O my slayer, To-morrow you shall die.’ O Queen of air and darkness, I think ’tis truth you say, And I shall die to-morrow; But you will die to-day.
TURNBULL HILLS AND HUNTER’S TOWER —AE Housman, Last Poems
While Mab is a formidable foe, her greatest powers are not those of combat at all (though I don’t recommend unnecessarily provoking her) but her wide range of ritual magic. She shares these secrets with no one, save her son Puck—though I expect even he doesn’t know all of her tricks—but their effects are well known and widely feared. (Though, as I think of it, I suppose those “well known and widely feared” are those she wants others to know about. So perhaps, be extra wary of whatever it is you are not expecting. Or maybe just don’t go bothering the Queen of Air and Darkness, you daft fool!) The charge falls to Puck to deploy and recharge the demesne’s ritual protections (though there are sure to be a few, especially those person protections, that Mab takes responsibility for). Effects typically err on the forgiving side at first—surely, that’s due to Puck’s involvement—to give those innocently lost a fighting chance, such as paths shift ing to skirt the realm or simply disappearing altogether. But they escalate quickly as one breaches more deeply. A cold, dark favorite places individuals into waking dreams where they believe they’ve achieved their goals, even that of besting the queen. If only it were ever that easy.
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With heavy forest, sharp and frequent ravines, and an altitude of up to four thousand feet above sea level, the Turnbull Hills are really small mountains and truly wild. Deer, boar, and bears are common throughout this rugged terrain, and an enormous tarn of emerald-green water stands at the center of the hills. Unicorns sometimes graze by its shore. The white tower at the center of the tarn is said to be all that remains of Manitou’s palace, once a place of floating gardens, soft lanterns, and lovers withdrawing into a thousand shady bowers and rose-scented mazes. All that remain at the tower now are ghosts and banshees, haunts of a better time.
RUMORS AND RECENT EVENTS
With her wealth of followers, Mab is always preparing for war against Titania and Oberon. She has pacts with the larger fey and the giantish and goblinoid races, and at a word, she can summon entire armies. To date, these armies have been repeatedly turned back by Oberon’s troops and Titania’s magic, but that has not stopped Queen Mab from setting up her standard and recruiting more help. Shadowy, grey, and black-hearted fey know her thirst for revenge, and many foul deeds of kidnapping, of bloody raids and reprisals, can be laid at her door.
The Faerie Ring
Goodfellows & Others
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Goodfellows—those tiny, merry pranksters most fond of giving complex, even conflicting, answers to simple questions. They follow in the footsteps of Robin Goodfellow. And it’s from that famous fairy they take their name. (Or did he take his name from them?)
GOODFELLOWS Some say the goodfellows sprung from the lighthearted Puck’s desire for more playful fey in Queen Mab’s court. Others believe the queen created them to please her son. There are some who suggest the calculating monarch knew such creatures would keep her intervening offspring occupied and entertained, so she created them to distract Puck from interfering in her dealings. Or perhaps she simply uses them to keep an eye on not only on the mortal world but also her son and his concerns. Regardless of exactly how these mischievous but playful fairies came into being, they are now an integral part of Queen Mab’s court. As an aside, did you know there are mutterings of strange ground-bound goodfellows who, unlike their kin, prefer to burrow underground? These unusual faeries form their own communities, separate from the more typical members of their race, causing many to believe such creatures are not true goodfellows at all but twisted versions who angered Mab and lost their flight as a result. More likely, these robust faeries found a way to adapt to harsher environments, granting their queen more eyes and ears in both the fey and mortal realms. Now, it’s true that small groups of goodfellows often go out in parties to explore and interact with the world, creating a little chaos in the process. Mostly, however, goodfellows live in peace amongst themselves, playing the occasional good natured prank on friend and neighbor. Goodfellows do enjoy playing tricks on passers by.
They see their own stunts as harmless, but as their minds do not work like those of mere mortals, their games occasionally have unforeseen consequences for the lesser races. Much like Robin Goodfellow, their deeds are often seen more as an annoyance than a threat or danger, and as such, wise mortals often leave offerings of milk, bread, and berries outside their homes in the hopes of appeasing these faeries. Even wiser mortals plant clusters of fruit bearing plants or other greenery to provide a shelter for the small creatures in the hope they will bring good fortune to the family and drive off less desirable creatures. Of course, many a lost, exhausted traveller has stumbled upon a goodfellow and asked for directions. While not opposed to helping, these merry little creatures prefer to give conflicting advice, which often leaves the individual wearier than before asking. Some say the creatures are aware their advice leaves mortals muddled and do so on purpose while others believe the small faeries are unable to grasp the way mortal minds work. In any case, goodfellows are generally good natured in their interactions with other races unless those creatures have been—either actively or inadvertently—wreaking havoc on the natural world. Those who take their pranks in the good natured way they are intended may find the words passed by the lips of these small creatures slightly less confounding.
FINDING YOUR WREATH
Goodfellows are a varied bunch with substantial differences noted between the various wreaths. Those who show an aptitude for a particular wreath are gifted with an emblem once their magical abilities develop. This is akin to a coming-of-age ceremony, and in the weeks that follow, each new cohort of goodfellows set out to introduce the world they inhabit to their whims and playful nature. Often, the group, or most of it, returns to the community, but there are some who venture off, eager to continue their exploration or make a home elsewhere. Whenever these young goodfellows return home, be it weeks or years later, their stories are well received. All goodfellows delight in sharing the tales of their playful deeds and the reactions of their targets.
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There are several typical goodfellow wreaths, and members of most wreaths get along quite well, though goodfellows in the Belladona wreath are more likely to develop malicious tendencies disliked by their kin. The Pumpkin wreath also causes some apprehension, though their ability to change in size has proven quite beneficial for many a community of goodfellows and provided quite entertaining stories. While parents are always delighted when their offspring develop abilities of a familial wreath, most are tolerant of other inclinations. Despite the factions that can result of the various wreaths, goodfellows are generally accepting of their fellows, provided they show some magical aptitude. Those who don’t develop magically often become outcasts of the society, shunned to more menial tasks or forced to make their way outside of the otherwise tight knit community.
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Typical Characteristics: Goodfellows are humanoid in shape, resembling tiny elves. Most stand between one-and-a-half and two feet in height. Goodfellows have vespine wings with a span that matches their height. They have thin but sturdy frames. Though strong for their size, goodfellows are still weak compared to larger races. Despite their name, both male and female goodfellows exist, though the differences between the two are slight, and they have an androgynous appearance. The term fellow is nongendered in goodfellow culture. Society: Though most often associated with forests and fields, goodfellows can exist wherever flowers grow with sightings in city parks and even amid desert cactuses. Goodfellows like to play pranks on other creatures who share their home. Though they may tease those who pick flowers and harvest plants, the goodfellows reserve their ire and cruel mischief for those who despoil natural beauty. Like Robin himself, these fey can be placated with gift s, and may even provide mundane or magical aid to the generous, acts often attributed to Robin Goodfellow rather than his smaller brethren. Both the goodfellows and Puck use the confusion to their advantage to appear more powerful than they are. Most goodfellows develop innate magical abilities, though what kind of abilities varies, and these abilities take after a f lower with medicinal effects or mythological associations. Goodfellows group themselves by their magical abilities into “wreaths.” While a goodfellow is likely to take after a parent, this is not always the case, and the cause of a goodfellow’s magical talents are unclear. Goodfellows lacking in such skills end up as second-class citizens or as servants for more powerful fey, but a few escape into the mundane world.
The Faerie Ring Relationships: Most mortals think goodfellows nothing more than whimsical f lower fairies, a perception that goodfellows encourage because, in truth, they are the eyes and ears of Queen Mab in the mortal world. Living just on the edges of humanoid perception gives the goodfellows ample opportunities to observe the mortal races. Some scholars have even suggested that their pranks are actually part of an experiment to test the reactions of mortals to various stimuli, though others decry this theory as paranoia. As they observe the Material Plane, some goodfellows find themselves attracted by mortal society (or sometimes one mortal in particular). A rare few abandon their loyalty to Mab in order to live permanently among humanoids. Even with magic to disguise their true forms, goodfellows find themselves distrusted by common folk. Consigned to the edges of society, some might turn to adventuring. While Mab does not actively hunt these goodfellow “defectors,” she considers them personae non grata within her court. Strategy & Tactics: A goodfellow’s tactics vary depending on their wreath. As their first line of defense, goodfellows use stealth to avoid confrontation. If that fails, they rely on magic: whether by trickery to facilitate an escape or by beneficial spells to gain favor with potential foes. Most goodfelllows avoid melee where their small stature is a disadvantage. They prefer to fight from range using tiny bows and magic if they are capable.
JACK-IN-IRONS Long years ago, Jack-in-Irons rattled his chains as the mightiest servant of Manitou, the fey lord of the deep wild and master of the hunt. In those times, his towering height allowed him to see prey far off, and Jack’s enormous stride carried him in quickly for the kill. His master called him Seac Iarann, but all the other fey called him Jack-in-Irons, for the great hulking brute was the only one of the fey who seemed to crave the touch of cold iron. Indeed, it made him almost unstoppable as his chains frightened most of the other fey knights and warriors, and even the wizards found it difficult to pierce his defenses.
Stories say that when iron was first brought into the wildlands of the fey and the axes bit deep and hard into the titans of the forest, all fey bled and wept—all but one. Manitou did not weep and had no time for grief or despair. He grew angry at the bite of iron, strode out to fight the invaders, and was (for possibly the only time in an age) soundly defeated. Iron was a problem. Manitou thought on it for a year and then took a hundred young spriggans, a hundred red caps, and a hundred korrigans and buried them in a vault with iron chains, shovels, and manacles. Jackin-Irons is the one who dug his way up to the surface, and he has used iron as his defense against other fey ever since. The tale may be entirely a fabrication (and in some versions, it is gnomes, elves, and dwarves who are buried in a vault full of iron, or even giants, trolls, and ogres). But it seems certain that Jack-in-Irons is some creation of Manitou’s magic and the deep green power of the druids and the treants. He’s not an abomination, exactly, but certainly a fey set apart, like his maker. Female giants report that Jack-in-Irons is unwilling or incapable of fathering offspring. Which is perhaps for the best, as far as other races are concerned. History: Jack-in-Irons is largely silent and keeps his own counsel. Even among giants, he is unusually solitary, having few lovers and no close friends. As a result, his history is a matter of speculation. He was frequently seen by Manitou’s side for many centuries. He has fought in all the major wars of the darker fey, frequently siding against human interests and even against the elves, whom he holds in special contempt. Some believe the colossus once loved an elf princess, who led him on cruelly and broke the giant’s heart. Others believe that the touch of iron has made him impotent as the price of its power. Really, few of the fey know anything about him for sure. Other giants find Jack-in-Irons a difficult one to follow in battle; his fearlessness and his ability to counter the strikes of his foes combine to make him feared throughout the fey kingdoms. Some say the spiked boots of the red caps were inspired by Jack-inIrons, but he shows them no special favor. What is known is that with the absence of Manitou
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from the wilder portions of Scáthbaile, Jack-in-Irons has become the lieutenant who serves Queen Mab there among the wildest and darkest and most ancient fey. While many feel that Jack could easily crush Mab
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and assume the throne of the demesne, he seems to have no ambition. Perhaps he feels more comfortable following someone else’s orders (however loosely) rather than straining his brain to forge a path of his own. Most of the star sprites know that Jackin-Irons is an omen of war, raiding, death, and extortion, and they avoid him completely. His closest friend is (ironically enough) young Lord Puck, who finds Jack amusing and often sends him on fool’s errands. The colossal giant seems not to mind and seems grateful that Puck treats him well, brags of the brute’s strength, and tells him all the stories of the sparkling sprites at court—a sight of fey enchantment that Jack-in-Irons is simply far too enormous and fearsome to ever see with his own eyes.
The Faerie Ring Characteristics: While few have recorded Jackin-Iron’s list of valor, his skin and face show the signs of great battles fought and won and of long years spent in martial training. Jack-inIrons is twenty-five feet tall with a powerful torso and legs thick as tree trunks. He wears a thick brass and iron collar from which hang hundreds of iron chains. He also wears a breastplate and backplate made of boiled, cured hides dyed bright red. His thick leather boots are shod with hobnails and studded with wicked spikes, the better to stomp sprites or other annoyances. Jack-in-Iron’s teeth are half-rotted, and his lanky hair is woven with chain links in a crude form of armor. His neck and arms seems to whiten and even bleed from the chains he wears, but the giant never complains. With every step, his rattling chains strike fear into smaller fey, and Jack seems to enjoy inspiring that terror very much. Relationships: Jack-in-Irons obeys Mab as he obeyed Manitou before her. But if the rumors of Manitou’s return, or at least his interest in reclaiming some part of his Gift are true, the giant’s loyalties will surely be tested. On the one hand, Manitou abandoned him as if he were not a loyal retainer but simply a pawn to be given away. On the other, Queen Mab has not treated Jack much better: she orders him around as a sort of living weapon to smash any large gathering of Titania and Oberon’s that would overpower her sprites. As it stands, Jack is ordered to remain within the borders of Manitou’s Gift when he is in Mab’s territory at all. There, he watches over her interests faithfully. Strategy & Tactics: Jack-in-Irons is a living machine of war, a walking siege engine who does not so much kill enemies as crush them much in the same way a boulder launched from a catapult crushes the hapless soldier it lands upon. There is no subtly in Jack-inIron’s battle style. He simply applies maximum force wherever his liege demands.
PUCK . . . that shrewd and knavish sprite Call’d Robin Goodfellow: are not you he That frights the maidens of the villagery; Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern And bootless make the breathless housewife churn; And sometime make the drink to bear no barm; Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? —William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (II. i.) The vain, preening, and power-mad queen has a friendlier side, and his name is Puck. The stories of
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Puck’s trickery are many, and he is much loved among the fey courts. He is especially loved in the court of Queen Mab, and respected for his ability to divert the queen’s harsher impulses into more whimsical courses. Although the son of not one but two rather forbidding sovereigns, Mab and Manitou, he is friendlier by far than either of his parents. Characteristics: Puck goes by the name Robin Goodfellow as often as Puck, for too many know his reputation as a trickster and layabout. Going as Robin seems to assuage those fears and concerns among many humans and even some dwarves and elves who should really know better. Relationships: Puck’s love of trysting is hardly a secret. Indeed, the lovable, light-hearted fey has taken up with more than his fair share of the seelie court, much to his mother’s chagrin. Less commonly known is the pleasure he derives from his affairs with mortals. Much like the relationships with his own kind, these are never serious, ending after a short time. Most mortals are unaware they are engaged in such actions with the mischievous son of Mab and Manitou, and the two individuals part ways, often never even sharing names. On occasion, Puck has ongoing relations with particularly entertaining or amusing mortals. If children have been born from any of these affairs, Puck, or perhaps his mother, has done a flawless job hiding any evidence. As he prefers to spend his time relaxing or entertaining himself, Puck has a reputation of being indolent. Far from offended, the resourceful fey uses his charm to win over both friend and foe—and then have them complete tasks for him—leaving him free to his own whims and ambitions. Perhaps even more ingenious is Puck’s ability to have his new friends complete tasks for others. Churned butter, mended socks, and other minor household chores are completed overnight in the name of this canny fey but are undone if one falls out of his favor. Goodfellows are commonly responsible for such acts, but Puck has enlisted the aid of countless beings. Exactly what Puck hopes to achieve is unknown as he does an impeccable job of hiding any aspirations behind his lazy, carefree demeanor, but it is hard to
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believe the son of the ever-plotting Mab does not have goals of his own. Puck truly enjoys any time spent in the company of a being as fun loving and mischievous as himself. As these are hard to find, even among his kin, he amuses himself by playing pranks on mortals and fey alike. Time in the company of goodfellows is always pleasurable, and Puck has been known to join them in a prank or two. On occasion, he goes so far as to play tricks on them, a game they highly enjoy. Strategy & Tactics: Robin Goodfellow has little use for fighting. It is a dull affair with no entertainment value, and everyone walks away angry or sad or depressed or dead. In a fight, Robin dances around those who seek to harm him, using his magic to yank away their belts so their pants fall down or turn their weapons into flowers before fleeing, laughing merrily all the way.
PUCK’S TRICKS AND RITUALS
Puck’s favorite ritual is one called Lose the Path, a bewildering hex that he casts from the shadows to draw nighttime travelers from their way. Those affected by the power become lost in the forests and hills or even in otherwise familiar fields. The effect is not immediately dangerous; the target creature becomes lost and wanders in the wrong direction until dawn. Puck particularly enjoys playing small tricks. Spoiling milk, tangling skeins of wool (or spinning it into thread if he’s in a helpful mood), blowing out candles, and letting the sheep out of the pasture: these amuse Puck, hugely, though they are not exactly dangerous to life and limb. Because he can be such an annoyance, peasants and shepherds often refer to him only by his Robin Goodfellow name. Some even leave offerings of milk and bread to make him pass over their fields and barns for someone else’s.
STAR SPRITES The star sprites of Queen Mab’s retinue are as numerous, tiny, and chill as the very stars above. They travel in nocturnal processions, like a river of stars, often accompanied by bats or owls to carry the youngest,
The Faerie Ring elderly, and frail among them. Though they settle wherever their queen abides, they prefer forests to any other environment. Star sprites are creatures of spite and malice, often dismembering sheep or goats stolen from sleeping shepherds. Working in groups, they can bring down prey as large as a human. And they are vengeful: if one of their number is ever slain and any member of her family escapes to tell the tale, that blood debt is remembered. Sometimes this means asking Puck or Queen Mab to come and take vengeance through rituals, curses, or a reciprocal death (especially when a noble star sprite has been slain). Sometimes, it means gathering a raiding party and slaying all of the murderer’s kin but leaving the killer themself untouched (the better to spread the tale of the sprites’ vengeance). Stories claim that star sprite wizards know some of the dream magic of their queen, though evidence of this is thin. It is clear that some of the darkest and most embittered star sprites truly enjoy the work their queen commands of them: the slaughter of the pixies, the harassment of the light fey, and the undermining of Queen Titania’s rule t hroug h a ny mea ns possible. Typical Characteristics: Star sprites resemble pixies (though they would hate the comparison), except they are creatures of the night and profoundly malicious compared to their daylight cousins. A typical star sprite stands about two feet high with enormous moth-like wings and moth-like antennae (often sticking out of holes in their hats or helmets). Star sprites are always suff used with
a glowing light: bluish-white, pale yellow, or even a greenish illumination surrounds them. From a distance, this makes them look like stars in the night sky, though closer up they resemble unflickering lanterns. Star sprites carry few possessions beyond their daggers, clothes, and hats. They do sometimes carry nets for hunting game, black banners for processions with the queen, or musical instruments, which they play tunefully, though with an eerie chiming echo. Environment: Star sprites prefer forests and hills, where they can build small homes high in the trees, atop large boulders, or in small grottos. They are exclusively nocturnal fey, never to be seen in the daylight. Society: The star sprites are always led by a king, who defers in all things to Queen Mab. The current king is Evandro, the first of that name, and he seems content
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to follow Puck and Mab into many misadventures. Fortunately, perhaps, his lineage is assured, as he is rumored to have already sired thirty or forty heirs, each by a different mistress. He remains unwed, a source of much gossip and consternation among his courtiers and family. The wider society of star sprites peregrinates from locale to locale with the seasons, seeking warm summer nights or wild arctic winds, as their nobles lead them. They have a city somewhere called Heartsease or Brackenvale or Goldenhall; perhaps, these are all separate pavilions. The cities open their gates by night, and star sprites by the hundreds or even thousands rocket into the heavens from these hidden bastions. The halls are said to be magically created within ancient oaks, in caverns, under glaciers, and even among cloudstuff in permanent storms. Star sprites are on good terms with darker fey and other creatures, such as goblins, ettercaps, trolls, and ogres. They are also friendly with djinni and cloud giants.
Child of Mab
The ones stolen away by the star sprites lead lives increasingly strange but with their own rewards. For a time, human children (and most are human, when they arrive) are raised as somewhat bumbling children among the fey. Over time, the food, the drink, and the magic in the air itself transform them. The stolen children develop into one of many forms. Some become effectively changelings, even if born to two human parents. Others become nymphs or satyrs or gnomes. And a very few grow into the dreamkissed Children of Mab. Invariably pale-skinned and dark-haired, and often weirdly beautiful as well, these are able to weave shadows as warlocks or hide among them as rogues.
Relationships: The star sprites are sworn to obey Queen Mab’s every command, and they serve her well. They gather information from just beyond the campfires of adventurers and peasants alike and spy on the revels of Queen Titania and her King Oberon. They swarm in packs against creatures their mistress hates—especially pixies and other small butterfly-winged creatures of daylight. Toward the goodfellows, they are a bit chilly: both are sworn to the same liege, after all, so the star sprites would never do anything drastic, but it’s easy to see that star sprites bear goodfellows’ typical flippancy only grudgingly, as if they were an embarrassing and uncouth younger sibling. Their loyalty is quite remarkable, and they are unshakable in their devotion to the queen they believe has been wronged. At all times, an honor guard and procession of at least twenty (and often forty or fift y) star sprites accompany Queen Mab. Some rush ahead to light the way, some trail behind like a string of comets, and all are eager to spot any threat and (if necessary) sacrifice themselves to save their queen. Strategy & Tactics: Those poor souls who fi nd themselves on the receiving end of Mab’s displeasure might find themselves surrounded by dozens of star sprites who buzz around, confusing the senses as they play their favorite game, each star sprite delivering a single shallow cut to their prey. The one who slices last before the flailing victim collapses wins.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
WINTERGREEN
Of all those who claim the name goodfellow, none is closer to or more loyal to Puck than Wintergreen. Indeed, Wintergreen serves as Puck’s loyal agent, forever doing any odd little task assigned to him in order to advance some unknown and seemingly random agenda. Wintergreen completes each
assignment with style, though not always in a timely manner for, all too often, the gregarious goodfellow finds himself distracted by a cellar full of wine or a pub full of ale. It is said Wintergreen was Robin Goodfellow’s companion in the cradle, and the two have been the best of friends ever since. They say Puck’s fancy fleets from lover to lover, but his love for Wintergreen forever remains true. Only two things motivate Wintergreen. The first is the love he bears for his best of friends, Puck. Wintergreen trusts Robin Goodfellow implicitly and follows his instructions without question, no matter how odd or seemingly trivial the task he is set. Wintergreen’s second motivation is drink. He will travel miles out of his way to taste a new ale or drink a fine winery dry. From their first moments, Wintergreen and Robin Goodfellow were bosom chums. Together, the two conquered the worlds with their tomfoolery. No target, from the simplest of mortals to the grandest of fey were spared their pranks. Only Puck’s parents, Mab and Manitou, were exempted from the duo’s practical jokes. As time passed and Mab’s moods grew darker, Puck began sending Wintergreen out into both mortal and fey realms to perform tasks. These strange jobs ranged from something as trivial as stealing a dozen eggs from a particular hen to covertly delivering evidence of a spouse’s infidelity. Wintergreen has no idea as to the why or wherefore of Robin Goodfellow’s requests and never asks. After all, the tasks are often fun pranks, and they usually bring him close to an excellent source of alcohol to savor and swallow. Characteristics: Beautiful, like all his kind, Wintergreen has green skin and long, red hair. Each sun sees Wintergreen’s hair somehow braided, even though the more he drinks the messier it becomes until the braids are completely undone and his mane resembles nothing so much as a bird’s nest. Relationships: Wintergreen has had any number of lovers, both fey and mortal, over the years, but his loyalty is always, first and foremost, to Puck. Because of his friendship to her son, Mab regards Wintergreen with a certain exasperated fondness, and the goodfellow is canny enough to spend as much time away from her
court as possible, lest he wear on her nerves. Strategy & Tactics: Wintergreen believes himself to be quite the swordsman, but in truth, he has neither the discipline nor practice to be terrifically effective. In a fight, he will participate in a few exchanges before he either grows bored or realizes he is beyond his depth. When that occurs, he blusters and makes excuses before fleeing, relying on his magic to protect him.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ Rumors are swirling of late that Manitou has been spotted more and more frequently roaming the lands of his former demesne. What has drawn the fey lord back to woods he abandoned long ago? Has he made peace with Mab or is his presence a secret from her? Will he retake both his lands and the loyalty of his old followers? Or has he discovered some clue at long last as to the whereabouts of the lost Pellowea? ❖❖ Recently, Puck and Mab have sent an emissary to the court of Titania and are offering a fortune in true gold and elfin silver for anyone who brings them a certain pixie. They claim she was a spy in the palace in Scáthbaile and has stolen one of Mab’s rituals. If true, it would be a remarkable victory for Titania—but what would she do with Mab’s black magic? Worse, might it infect her pixies, turning them into star sprites, corrupting her court? ❖❖ The court of the star sprites is atwitter over a young elf princess named Peaseblossom who claims to be the lover who spurned Jack-inIrons. If true, the giant colossus will surely rend heaven and earth to impress her—but it seems more likely the girl is a fool or a spy or has some other motive. And yet, she has asked the court wizard Rendell about rituals that might make her a giantess or that might shrink a giant to a more reasonable size.
(The forest cries gradually . . . )
. . . grew still as night fell. Fireflies gathered, and from his mossy bed rose Manitou, the eldest and most feared of the Wandering Lords. Shaking his horns and gathering his retinue of fireflies around him, he set off into the gathering gloom. Manitou climbed out of the forest with long strides, up into the foothills to the snow line. There, he plucked a handful of gentian blossoms, purple flowers that would fade before the dawn. And yet they were her favorites, and Manitou never came to his mistresses—oh, so many of them—empty handed. To each he gave her favorite blossoms, her most beloved songbird, her favored silks and satins. Lord of no Land, Manitou nevertheless could rule many regal hearts among the fey queens. Or at least, he ruled all but one: the one he had once spurned, the one he sought to win once more. Queen Mab, his lover of a millennium and more, never gave in to Manitou’s importuning, his sweetest
poetry, his rarest gifts of arcane power and fey trickery. Manitou was never sure when it would come, but at some time after their greeting kiss and yet before he wished it, she would smile and show him the door. Which was no better than he deserved. Long and long had Manitou and Mab been King and Queen, with a court and a retinue of star sprites, fauns, pookas, and cluracan, a place of laughter and joy and many, many spring-born flower sprites. Those days were past, his demesne abandoned, his veneer of culture thrown away like spoilt milk. The greatest lord among the elder fey turned from Mab’s door once more, as he had every year for the past century, without the reconciliation he sought. Their court could not be reborn. The past was a place forbidden, a place lost forever but in memory. So the Queen told him. Manitou returned to the wild, his heart filled with rage and sorrow. Woe to those who crossed his path and spoke of love.
Manitou
( Eternal Wandering )
Manitou
There is an old tale goes that Herne the hunter, Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest, Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight, Walk round about an oak, with great ragg’d horns; And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle, And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain In a most hideous and dreadful manner: You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know The superstitious idle-headed eld Received, and did deliver to our age, This tale of Herne the hunter for a truth. —William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor (IV. iv.) The trickster lord. The horned god of the deep wood. Manitou has been so many things to so many peoples. Always, though, he moves on. Never capable of remaining in a single role for long. Always looking to the horizon, wondering what’s on the other side. Despite an age of intrigues and treacheries, Manitou remains his own greatest foe.
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As the firstborn among the fey, or at least the oldest survivor of the dawn age of the world, Manitou is certainly the eldest of the fey lords, save for the mogwoi lords. As is often the case, experience brings power and knowledge, if not wisdom. Manitou is widely considered the most powerful sovereign among the fey. Yet he shows very little of this power. Which makes the other fey lords very, very nervous.
WILL TO POWER
Manitou’s early years are typical of the fey lords and ladies. Courtly intrigue was the pursuit of war, and war was the pursuit of land, ley lines, powerful wellsprings of magic, and the mastery of arcane and primal sources of magic. He was known for his fey cruelty, but no more or less so than other lords of his stature. He is remembered in song for the slaughter of an entire forest of birds when the Bird Queen Avriel bested him in a duel of magic, and he is also known for turning the entire Blackfoot tribe of goblins into squirrels, which he then hunted and skinned to make his first cloak of power. Some say this period is when he bottled the blood of his enemies to create a source of power for his conquests; others say these are false rumors spread by his enemies and those he conquered. In time, though, Manitou was successful, and he took the land that was his birthright, his demesne the Bear
The Faerie Ring Marches, from a squatter druid-king whose name is lost to memory. Once the Bear Marches were secured, Manitou’s history seemed to become less interesting, and fewer songs were sung of him. This is the time of Manitou and his many lovers. He is said to have wooed and won a thousand hearts, from Avriel the Bird Queen to Queen Titania (before she married Oberon), to the matriarch of the wood nymphs and even the hand of Queen Yngbesta, the crone who rules as the undying fey queen of the treants.
MY LOVE IS LEGION
He was fascinated at this time by human women, as they seemed to worship him and delight in him as fey women (steeped in intrigue) did not. Though his human lovers are rarely counted, much less named, it is believed that entire races of “half-elves” were founded in this time—some of them fair and gentle, some foul and wilding. All are believed to have been taken to the Bear Marches, where they populated the land, built the enormous Castle Corvid, and generally provided an infusion of non-fey vigor and passion to Manitou’s demesne. The series of queens and courtesans who warmed Manitou’s bed came to an end when he met Queen Mab. The two immediately forswore all other loves and renounced all courtesans, harems, mistresses, courtiers, and dalliances in favor of one another. They maneuvered their kingdoms to share ley lines, and they conceived a child, the Moon Princess Pellowea—a maiden as fair and pale as her parents were dark and wild, a daughter said to take bat form and sing nocturnes and melodies to break any fey heart. Manitou and Mab were delighted, renouncing war and devoting themselves to raising this jewel of a daughter. Their courtly intrigues continued, of course, as did their attempts to outwit rivals in magic, in trade, and in alliances with others, but all things now revolved for them around the young princess. As she grew into womanhood and her fey blood drew her to magic and the exploration of the natural world, Lord Manitou and Queen Mab gave her every gift. Princess Pellowea, though, was certain that the love and gifts of her parents were not nearly enough. Storytellers
grow silent when asked, but Queen Mab’s partisans blame Manitou for the young fey’s descent into strange pursuits—chaos and diabolism, alchemy and debauchery. Lord Manitou’s fauns and his few other supporters say nothing of the matter. They refuse to impugn Queen Mab’s actions in any way.
DISTRESS IN THE FALL
In any case, Pellowea’s conjurations exceeded her grasp. The details vary by the teller. Some claim devils from the pit of hell laid claim to her. Others say that her life was forfeit to some fey pact her mother or father had sworn long before. A few believe that she left of her own will, to get out from under her parents’ shadow and make her own way under a new name. What is certain is that Mab and Manitou’s daughter was removed bodily from the Palace at Ygre. The chaos in the realm was immediate and total. Manitou and Mab first tried to track her and win her back, but the trail was well hidden, even beyond the ability of any fey to follow. Manitou slew legions of devils; Mab interrogated entire courts of fey ladies. Mab’s divinations and scrying wracked a demon lord’s sleep and once pinpointed her daughter’s heartbeat but not fast enough to recover her. Manitou’s servants searched and came home empty-handed. Two years, three years, the search brought them no rest and no answers. In time, lord and lady each blamed the other. Not long after, their realms parted. Manitou left without knowing that Mab was with child. He left without knowing Puck. He has since heard the rumors and has no doubt of their truth, but since Mab has seen fit to keep this from him, he maintains the charade. He has spoken with Puck on a few occasions in disguise but has never approached him as a father. Manitou’s time in the fey courts, his time as a landholder, his time of noble prestige and matrimonial bondage was done. He ruled his demesne for a while yet, as a matter of duty to his followers, but he never really felt a part of it after his daughter’s disappearance. He hated the politics but went through the motions until, one day, he just no longer cared. He grew impatient and walked out of his palace to give the demesne to Mab. He asked for her forgiveness and (not receiving it)
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walked off into the deep wilderness of the fey lands. There, he sought balm in the trees and the silence of the forest’s heart. He tinkered with deep magic; he made and unmade ley lines as an old grandmother makes and unmakes her knitting. He thought of old friends, sang old songs, and forgot the Bear Marches and everyone in it. He tried to make new things: Manitou’s greatest achievement in recent millennia may be the creation of the fauns. Stories on how this came about vary considerably. The fauns claim that they were once his most loyal followers, whom Manitou rewarded by transforming them into humanoid form, able to walk upright, work complex magic, and so forth. Their enemies, such as the sprites and even some of the haughtier wood nymphs, dispute this, sniffing that they are little more than goats who have gotten above themselves. Manitou is unusual in that he gave up the one thing most fey lords cling to most tightly: his demesne. In Manitou’s case, he released it to Mab, though she does little with it. Today, Manitou’s Gift remains a heavily forested region of wilderness with abundant boars, great herds of deer and elk, and a seemingly endless supply of wolves, bear, and mountain cats.
BEING MANITOU
Manitou was once a warrior but has largely given up bloodshed in favor of trickery, lust, and the pursuit of the pure wild. With his shapeshifting, he steals the maidenhead of his foe’s daughters, drinks the magic away from their wells of power, and confounds them with disguise, disinformation, and scurrilous rumor. He is not afraid to take out his blade and put entire villages to the sword; it’s just that he’d much rather embarrass the elf queen and her daughter and their captain of the guard if he can. He’s generous with his friends and persistent in his goals, always seeking after joy but rarely finding it for long. Why is Manitou such a complicated, even conflicted, individual? Because he’s been given so much power and used it badly, repeatedly. Now, he seeks other goals than land or power. He seeks forgiveness and a fresh start. He seeks the heart of the fey world, the source that makes them who they are.
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Manitou was once the lord of the Greenwood, but ever since he gave Manitou’s Gift away, he has been an unremitting wanderer. He visits the fey lands, the Arboreal Heavens, the vast woodlands of Ygremorr, and the deepest forests of the most remote of the Preternatural Planes. In each of them, he has a different name, from Manitou to Mardos, from the Green Man to the Horned God to Cernunnos, Coyote, Gwyn ap Nudd, and Herne. In some places among the goblins and kobolds, he has no name but is simply the Thousand Eyes or the Hunter in the Dark. While he is many things to many people—worshipped, loved, and hated—he never stays long. Most other fey lords and ladies are most interested in the fey they call kith and kin and, beyond that, all other fey in general: nymphs, fauns, sprites, and so on. Unlike those fey lords, Manitou seeks to make himself part of the non-fey world, imposing his trickery and demanding various forms of tribute to leave various mortal lands alone. In many respects, he seems to find fey customs tiresome. Or, at least, he finds goblins and giants just as interesting as the fey, and he is purely fascinated by humanity: the wonders, the atrocities, and the pettiness. Humans are brash where the fey are refined, and the sheer stupidity and greed of some humans often moves him to laughter or rage. As a wanderer and a creature ruled by curiosity, Manitou is guided solely by his whims. He seems to feel little or no responsibility to the fey and his peers among the sovereigns and even seems indifferent to the fauns as a group, though he always seems pleased to meet individual fauns in his wanderings. In his capriciousness, Manitou may one moment be helpful and the next mocking. The fey find this unremarkable, but humans and others are less forgiving of his shifts in mood. In demeanor, no matter his behavior, Manitou is always calm, composed, distant, and haughty. He’s aloof, even when playing tricks. He’s fascinated by mortals. He doesn’t understand them, but he enjoys poking them to make them say foolish things and watching them sputter and fume. Their suffering amuses him, and their delight makes him smile. They seem to live as mayflies do, with so few
The Faerie Ring cares and so little time for old scores. They live in the present, and Manitou wants, above all, to emulate that passion for the moment and the future. So the eldest of fey lords primarily travels mortal lands, seeking the secret of their youthful vigor, their heedlessness, and their wild abandon, and planting his seed with many a young maid. Stories of the forest lord’s children are common enough that humans seem to think they know him well. This is foolishness, but Manitou takes his pleasures where he may. In time, he hopes, he may find a new passion of his own that lasts longer than the dawn. What he might do then alarms the other fey lords but intrigues the younger fey, who consider Manitou both ancient and extremely daring in his open courtship of human ways and flouting of fey custom. Relationships: Manitou can crush most fey (and indeed, most lesser godlings) the way that a child crushes a roach, yet he rarely kills except to eat or in self-defense. He’d much rather shame, dishonor, and humiliate his foes than kill them. After all, if they die, they stop suffering. Manitou’s typical visit to a place begins with a reconnaissance in the shape of a harmless creature: a mouse, squirrel, or woodpecker. Few pay any attention to such innocuous forms, enabling him to soon find the prettiest maid in a village and learn who is the strongest warrior, the most puissant mage, and the reigning lord or lady. Once he has completed this visit in disguise, he appears in his true form and installs himself as an honored guest—or as ruler, if he is opposed. He spends some days, weeks, or months there, just long enough to stir up trouble but not long enough to put down roots and establish himself permanently. When Manitou has done all the trickery or wooing he cares to do (or learned all he can from the ley lines and old ways of a place), he disappears one night between dusk and dawn. In some cases, he leaves behind a faun to rule in his place. This makes some fey think that he is gathering together lands and titles for his secret or hidden demesne. Others believe he is merely giving fiefdoms as gifts to fauns who have served him in some other way. Manitou seek out the strongest of his fauns and pookas each winter and spends the winter months with
an especially favored house. At the first sign of spring, he follows the woodland paths out of town. Characteristics: Physically, Manitou is difficult to pin down. A shapeshifter who can change form at will, he typically appears as a tall, dark human male with antlers or as a big black elk. He prefers dark colors, night and day—except for those times when he doesn’t, wearing a white cloak to confound his enemies. When taking animal form, the elk is his favorite, but he has been seen playing tricks, scouting, wooing, and even engaging in the act of love in others: notably in the form of a bear, a crow, a wolf, a fox, a vulture, and a boar. He prefers large animal forms—except when he chooses a small animal form to confound expectations, as in the famous story when he took the form of a mouse to enter Queen Titania’s bedchamber and bring her an acorn-thimble of water from the Well of Life. “As changeless as Manitou” is a common expression among the fey, meaning one who changes his or her form or seeming as frequently as others change their clothes or hat. As a result of his notoriety as a shapeshifter, Manitou’s enemies see him everywhere. And perhaps that is just what he wishes. No matter his form, a cloud of fireflies trails his every move and his lambent eyes are always yellow. A mournful sense of loss seems to pursue him, and his laughter is bright but rare. Strategy & Tactics: Manitou’s desire for dark amusement is more likely to be raised than his ire. Against most opponents, he adopts whatever strategy brings him the most pleasure at any given moment. He might transform an enemy into a stag and chase them through the wood or vanish without a trace, only to strike with hit and run tactics intended more to frighten than harm. If an adversary is particularly comely, he might attempt to seduce instead of fight, adopting whatever form he believes will allow him to attract the individual in question. Despite his intentions as a lothario and a trickster, opponents who push Manitou hard enough find his temper to be a fierce thing. Eventually, he tires of tricks and love and, instead, brings his intense power to bear with the intent to utterly destroy his opponent in as cruel and twisted a way as possible.
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Manitou’s Gift (or the Bear Marches) is no longer his to hold, of course. It belongs to Queen Mab. But the land still retains his imprint, and the reaches of it are shaped by his power. It can be divided into three main parts: the Greenwood, the Silent Forest, and Ain Annwn the peacefulness, the Turnbull Hills. All remain sparsely settled. Mab’s in Annwn the wrath, authority holds there, but she does not push her rule in Annwn below the earth . . . very far. And indeed, the land itself is not very good —Taliesin, for settlement or even the passing construction of “Angar Kyfyndawt,” shrines or small holdings. The woods are very deep, The Book of Taliesin and its magic keeps it safe from any axe (trees regrow overnight). So far, none of Mab’s followers have learned how to build there (wooden, wattle-and-daub, and even stone houses fall apart within days). Which is not to say that the demesne is uninhabited, for that is certainly To the king of Spirits, and to his queen: not the case. Fauns, pookas, twilight Gwyn ap Nudd, children, werewolves, worgs—even you who are yonder in the forest, some gnomes—and others all live there for love of your mate, as nomadic tribes of various sizes and permit us to enter your dwelling. compositions, following the herds of deer —“The Invocation of Gwyn ap Nudd” or fishing in the salmon-bearing rivers of the Greenwood. The creatures of the The Bear Marches has the following traits: Bear Marches are as wild as their former Divinely Morphic: See the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: sovereign but nowhere near as sorrowful GameMastery Guide for details. The sovereign of the Bear or as full of tricks and contradictions. Marches (currently Queen Mab) can alter the landscape at will. Indeed, they seem largely content with Erosion: Any permanent structure erected within the Bear the rule of Queen Mab, though no Marches takes 20 points of damage per day. This is sufficient to one would call them deeply loyal. The collapse any typical wooden or masonry building within a week. creatures of the marches give her every Stone or reinforced masonry structures may last longer at GM ounce of fealty they own—and not one discretion. This effect does not affect temporary structures, such scruple more. as tents, or incomplete structures still in construction. This effect can be suppressed for a structure by the Bear Marches’ sovereign BIGMOUTH FIELD through the divinely morphic trait. Piles of cold iron, looking like they Life: The Bear Marches are flush with an overabundance of life come from collapsed fences, surround in all its forms, counting as a minor positive-dominant plane. rolling land filled with stunted grass and Everything within the demesne seems vibrant, loud, and colorful. devastated trees. Just outside the fence, All living individuals within the realm gain fast healing 2 as the plant life looks much healthier. Large an extraordinary ability. All plant creatures gain regeneration mounds with holes drilled into the earth 2 (fire) as an extraordinary ability. Any plantlife that is cut or add to the apocalyptic scene. The pookas destroyed regrows within 24 hours. living near this field know to avoid the area bounded by the cold iron, but they
The Bear Marches
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Manitou’s Demesne
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The Faerie Ring often forget to tell visitors to stay away. At the first sign of movement within the field, several bigmouths sluggishly emerge from their holes and hasten to attack when they see something they can eat.
COURT OF THE ANIMAL NOBLES
Manitou’s departure left untapped ley lines in the Greenwood, and the beasts in the woods incidentally drew might from the ley lines, gaining human-like intelligence. The bears and wolves became the most powerful and took followers among the rest. Since Manitou’s departure, the animals have been drawing themselves into factions. Thus far, the factions have settled into a détente with the occasional skirmish, but it is only a matter of time before any number of parties start a terrible, bloody war.
ENDLESS FOREST
A prison created by Manitou, this portion of the Greenwood has a collection of oak and fir trees, all the same height, growing at regular intervals—a clear path cut through this forest. When travelers follow the path to the forest’s edge, they teleport to the other edge, giving the impression the forest extends forever. Going off the path gives a brief glimmer of hope, but eventually, the forest twists in space around its captives to lead them back to the path again. All of the Greenwood’s animals can travel the path without suffering this effect, so captives have tried to shadow or even ride animals as a means of escape to no avail. Only by understanding a deeply hidden truth about itself can a creature escape this forest. Some denizens purposely sequester themselves here as a way to confront their innermost desires or fears.
GREENWOOD
The most vital and largest portion of Manitou’s Gift— hundreds of miles of forests around the enormous Salmigar River and its tributaries—this is a place of forest meadows, marshy riverlands, and the colossal trunks of primeval trees, where once Manitou’s servitors lived among the treetops. Gnome caretakers linger here still, taking care to keep out of sight when
intruders pass through, but the tree havens are all abandoned and considered haunted by banshees and ghosts. The Greenwood is also famous for its hunting: deer, boar, fox, owlbear, and other wild game are there in plenty, and Queen Mab and her star sprites often visit for a day. The daytime hunts must be balanced against nighttime dangers, for the Greenwood is not entirely safe even by day and is altogether perilous at night. Most hunting parties stay only a single night before returning to more civilized territory, and a number of stories tell of hunters becoming prey after taking down a white elk or gigantic, ancient boar.
ROOKERY
Rumored among Manitou’s followers, a raven born from a silver egg will wend its way to Pellowea, allowing the bold to follow it and return the Moon Princess to Manitou’s demesne and, thus, herald Manitou’s return. Several gnomes tend to the birds, and they clip the wings of the most majestic specimens to keep them from flying away and potentially laying the prophesied egg out of their sight.
SANGUINOUS RIVER
One of Salmigar River’s tributaries cuts through a dead section of the Greenwood and skirts past the Silent Forest. The river had become the grave site of many wounded prey animals fleeing from a particularly large hunt. The forest accepted the terrified animals and allowed them a final moment of respite before they succumbed to their wounds and fell into the river. As negative energy built up around the animals’ death, the river turned blood red. During the day, the area surrounding the river only has an eerie stillness to mark the place as haunted. No animals come near the river and no birds fly above it. During the full moon, the moon turns crimson and undead animals drag themselves out of the river to wreak vengeance.
SHADOW CORVID
Two miles northeast of the Turnbull Hills, a shadowy echo of Castle Corvid stands on a lone hill. During the day, sunlight striking the hill creates a shadow of the
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castle, minus the tower standing in the Turnbull Hills. Standing in the shadow brings chills even during the hottest of days. On rare occasions, flocks of shadowy ravens and crows abruptly take flight out of the shadow castle’s windows and towers and disintegrate in the sun. At night, a ghostly image of the castle, sans tower, stands atop the hill when moonlight bathes the hill. No one can enter the castle during those times, but rumor tells of a ten-second window during twilight when the castle becomes tangible, and anyone can enter it. However, people rumored to have entered the castle have never returned.
SILENT FOREST
Filled with hundreds of barrows and menhirs, the Silent Forest is as much a cemetery as a hunting ground. Great fey nobles and faun knights from the ancient days were buried here, and druids still visit the great circle at Marsbury. The menhirs are filled with ancient power: spells and rituals cast in the Silent Forest are almost universally felt to be easier to produce than elsewhere, particularly those of summoning and evocation. In some cases, the standing stones thrum with power, but they are hostile to any non-fey casters. The stones are widely believed to connect directly to wild fey lands: ancient realms from whence few return, places that might be properly called the heart and source of green magic. Some believe that one of these portals leads directly to Manitou’s new palace, Annwn—a place where he retreats from the world between his wanderings, and the kernel of a new demesne. Manitou merely smiles and shakes his head at the idea.
SQUABBLING WOOD
Within a deeply wooded section of the Greenwood, the trees grow dense and crowd each other. The packed trees allow very little room to move, and the canopy allows no light. When Manitou oversaw the Greenwood, he ensured the woods held clearings where the animals could roam freely. Without Manitou’s intervention and with Queen Mab’s inattention, the trees in this area claimed the empty spaces, forcing the animals out, and
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compete to gain more space. Creatures entering this area must squeeze through the trees. Some visitors have claimed to hear the crashing of branches as well as rustling leaves sounding like whispered entreaties from the trees asking for the visitors to cut down their neighbors.
THE THATCH HUT
The only structure standing in Manitou’s demesne, this thatch hut holds four rooms—three set up with beds, and one with a fire pit where inhabitants cook and eat. The hut’s builder, a gnome woman, refuses to speak her name to anyone. She fears revealing her name will draw the attention of the forces of entropy scouring the land to destroy manufactured structures. She stays up late each and every night firing clay bricks, pressing nails out of copper, working gold into straw, collecting raw materials, and such. She uses them to maintain the hut—though the hut already seems to withstand the demesne’s assault much better than it should be able to—and to slowly expand. If you catch her in a good mood, assuming she’s caught up with her day’s work, she’ll chat for a bit. She might even tell of her dream to build an inn.
TURNBULL HILLS
High and uncrossed by any bridges or trails, the Turnbull Hills are still home to the Lonely Castle, the former seat of Manitou’s rule. When inhabited, it was called the Rookery (for its countless ravens, crows, magpies, and other corvids) or, more formally, the Castle Corvid. Little is left of it but a circle of menhirs and a single tower of white stone, which seems untouched by time. The tower is trapped in a magical stasis field of such power that insects and small animals touching it cannot escape. A thick crust of such creatures makes clear where the wardings begin. Wild stories among the elf druids tell that Manitou buried his heart under the tower. Others claim that he created the fauns here and that the secrets of their making (and, perhaps, unmaking) are kept within the lore books of the white tower. No one really knows but Manitou, who simply ignores all questions.
The Faerie Ring
Twilight Children & Others
h
Where dips the rocky highland Of Sleuth Wood in the lake, There lies a leafy island Where flapping herons wake The drowsy water-rats; There we’ve hid our faery vats, Full of berries And of reddest stolen cherries. Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand. —William Butler Yeats, “The Stolen Child”
conflict—and avoid attracting their attention. Typical Characteristics: It’s difficult to say what will become of those that wander too young into fey lands. For the ones who survive, though, it’s nigh-impossible to remain with the fey for long, living in their world, without changing. Typically, the children grow into a kind of halfway state, representing both their birth world and the fey world—they get “stuck” between the two worlds. This is a passive process: no specific action need be taken other than living in fey lands. Moreover, its effects are irreversible. In rare cases of incredible stubbornness, the child remains unchanged, growing as one of his or her race normally does. In equally rare cases, the
Maybe the fey stole your baby. Ever since humanoids began to dot the landscape, many fey have taken a keen interest in them—from luring older children away from parents’ “tyranny” with promises of new happiness to tempting toddlers with candy and play to outright stealing babies from the crib. Whether to build a workforce, save for supper, play in the fields, or whatever the reason, there has never been a shortage of these changelings.
TWILIGHT CHILDREN In fey lands, these changelings are typically known as twilight children, no matter their lineage. Occasionally, they’ll form their own tribes and take on other names, but “twilight children” they remain to the surrounding fey. To the mortal worlds, these misplaced souls are typically referred to only by euphemisms, such as tylwyth teg (or “the fair folk”), in an attempt to sidestep
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children may become one with a tribe of fey, fully transforming into a faun or whatever fey plays the largest role in the child’s life. This latter effect usually requires more deliberate action by the fey involved, such as feeding the child certain foods or performing specific rituals over him or her. It’s impossible, really, to say what typical characteristics for twilight children might be since they’re all a bit different. Living under the auspices of a specific sovereign and within his or her demesne, a twilight child will likely take on particular aspects of that demesne. For instance, twilight children of Manitou typically grow small horns and those of Mab may develop moth-like wings. Offspring of a mixed parentage involving fey also often grow into twilight children. Environment & Society: The life of a twilight child is rarely an easy one. They are almost always shunned by those of their original race. They may grow close to those fey they’ve grown up with, assuming it wasn’t a hostile environment (such as slavery), but even then, twilight children often feel too out-of-place, owing to their non-fey origins, believing an adopted fey family would never really understand them. Typically, only other twilight children can really understand what it’s like to be of two worlds. Because of this, twilight children are frequently loners, occasionally aggregating with similar individuals into small packs. They become scavengers on the edges of the two societies that spawned them, eking an existence in remote borderlands. The rare twilight child tribes have arisen in this way, obstinately forging their own lives and not relying on outsiders. Relationships: Each twilight child must take control of his or her own life, and each sovereign must deal with the consequences of his or her own actions. Some twilight children lead happy lives, reveling in duel heritage; others are blinded by their rage and seek only retribution for sins real or imagined. Some sovereigns and their peoples have treated their twilight children kindly. Others have not. Manitou is sometimes referred to as the “Father of the Twilight.” This seemingly innocuous appellation has shifted in meaning: once a proud title, it is now
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more of a subversive epithet used by those seeking to chide and embarrass Manitou. With a youthful vigor and a burning curiosity (or obsession) for mortals, he personally sired a staggering number of twilight children, and the first such established populations arose in his demesne. Though the blending of the worlds was likely inevitable, his name is now forever attached to the twilight children. Strategy & Tactics: In battle, the strategies of the twilight children vary as widely as the children themselves do. The intense differences between each twilight child makes battling them and unpredictable nightmare. Some embrace their heritage and employ their fey gifts to befuddle, harm, and destroy their enemies. Some reject their fey side and fight as any mortal might, with sword, axe, and bow.
FAUNS Through the narrow gorges where the flying-foxes muster, Hanging from the kurrajongs like monstrous magic grapes, Something spreads a sudden fear that breaks each heavy cluster— See the furry prick-eared faun that chuckles and escapes! —Dorothea Mackellar, “Settlers” Most people think of the fey as thin, wispy, laughing creatures. Those who know a little better fear them as skilled, cruel, and often capricious. Those who know them truly know that the eldest and strongest among them are powers unto themselves. This includes the fauns who call themselves the Children of the Deepest Forest. Taller than a man, with shaggy fur and horns, their strength lies hidden until the moment it is needed. Few mistake them for pushovers twice. The fauns are Manitou’s primary servitors, but they are rather more than that. They are truly a part of him. When Manitou conjured them from goats, from forest mice and squirrels and small red deer, he gave them sharp memories and fragments of his power from
The Faerie Ring before the break with Queen Mab. He gave them the lighter side of himself, so the fauns are joyous and mirthful. They are optimists: overconfident and glib, creatures of lust and simple hungers. Fauns see the world as a place of dangers but always of dangers that can be overcome. They cannot comprehend despair, which they call idleness or sickness. Honest and lacking the gift of trickery, fauns can still deceive through omission. Some fey lords believe that Manitou gave aspects of himself to the fauns so that he would no longer feel too much joy in the world, and this is why fauns are always seeing the bright side of things. Typical Characteristics: Fauns resemble satyrs, but with goat heads and tails. They stand about six feet tall (not counting horns) and weigh roughly two hundred pounds; males are slightly larger and heavier than females. Both sexes wear belts, loincloths, and purses but little else, except in extreme wintry conditions. They use litters to carry goods when on the march, don woven leaf cloaks in the rain, and seek shelter each night in lean-tos (often made from those same litters) or caves. They do not build permanent shelters. Fauns craft flutes, pan pipes, whistles, and various forms of drums and bells for their dances and feasts. They wear feathers for ornament only on special occasions, such as a festival marking a birth, marriage, funeral, or the seasonal migration. Environment: Fauns prefer forests, hills, and sometimes mountains, where they can graze and gather berries. They are largely vegetarians with a fondness for milk and honey and a delight in apples and ale. They eat fish and bird eggs with relish but hunt no game. Fauns are nomadic, following the range of pasturage from the plains and forests in winter to the hills and meadows of wildflowers in high
summer. They enjoy sharp gorges, narrow trails, and other difficult terrain; playful fauns can spend all day frolicking on boulders in a dry streambed, or chasing each other up and down a towering cliff. Society: Fauns are led by chieftains and a group of elders although, in practice, most fauns are loyal first to family, then to clan. Their society is tribal and fluid: marriage often leads a faun to
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abandon one clan for another, and young males often leave their clan entirely during the summer months to go on extended hunting trips or to raid one another in (relatively) friendly contests of stealth and speed. Fauns have been known to settle for months near a particular food source: salmon-bearing rivers, apple orchards, and stands of cultivated grain are particular favorites. The fauns are cheerful as a race, but they are not necessarily friendly to strangers. Indeed, they always view non-fey with considerable suspicion. Relationships: The fauns have no formal allegiance to Manitou. They have sworn no oaths and made no promises. Yet on the rare occasions that they meet, fauns are invariably deferential and willing to lay down their lives for the sad lord of their lost demesne. They fete him
well with long-spun tales of trickery, of wrongs righted, of his enemies brought low. Indeed, their work to keep Manitou from despair seems to have righted his mood or averted the destruction of an entire demesne and the slaughter of all those in it more than once. Strategy & Tactics: The supreme confidence of the faun shows in their fighting style. They take their time, drawing out a fight so they can show off their skills and invite their opponent to do the same. Should they be harmed enough for the battle to turn serious, fauns fall back onto animal instincts and charge with deadly speed and force, using their horns to harm their enemy.
POOKAS Well and good, after they were all gone and the kitchen fire raked up, he was woke with the noise of the kitchen door opening, and the trampling of an ass on the kitchen floor. He peeped out, and what should he see but a big ass, sure enough, sitting on his curabingo and yawning before the fire. After a little he looked about him, and began scratching his ears as if he was quite tired, and says he, “I may as well begin first as last.” The poor boy’s teeth began to chatter in his head, for says he, “Now he’s goin’ to ate me;” but the fellow with the long ears and tail on him had something else to do. He stirred the fire, and then he brought in a pail of water from the pump, and filled a big pot that he put on the fire before he went out. He then put in his hand hand—foot, I mean—into the hot hearth, and pulled out the little boy. He let a roar out of him with the fright, but the pooka only looked at him, and thrust out his lower lip to show how little he valued him, and then he pitched him into his pew again.
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The Faerie Ring —Patrick Kennedy, “The Kildare Pooka,” Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (ed. William Butler Yeats)
possible consideration for a pooka. Every day is a like a completely new experience, and they seek only to play and enjoy each moment. Life is a big game, but unfortunately, they assume everyone else is in on it, too. It would be difficult to draw many conclusions about They play games with one another, usually made up Manitou from his servitors since they seem so different on the spot since they never remember the rules to from him: from the confident and simple lives of the past games. They play games with whomever they can faun to the mischievous chicanery of the pooka. His find, sometimes even telling them what the rules are. servitors excel at finding joy in life while Manitou reaps Usually, for others, this leads to no end of confusion. only conflict and regret. Of course, he’s always had his They never intend to harm anyone, but lacking any bouts of melancholy, shifting like the seasons, and his concept for consequences, things don’t always go well. years with Mab culminated in an exceptional torrent of And that’s unfortunate, but what can you do? Time to conflict following the tragic disappearance of Pellowea. play! But more than a few have wondered at the nature of Typical Characteristics: As consummate his servitors. Was their creation an attempt to bring shapechangers, it’s hard to describe pookas as having to his world what he could not find for himself? Or any typical physical characteristics. If they had a natural did he sequester pieces of himself, unburdening him form when Manitou created them, they’ve long since of their influence, so he can steel himself to do what forgotten what it was. But they’ve since determined on must be done? a consensus form. They felt that it was unseemly not Whatever the truth, it is lost on the pooka. These to have a “natural” form and that its lack was putting carefree, almost childlike creatures live entirely people off, so they convened all pookas, at least those for the moment. They have no memory for the past, who remembered to show up, and voted on a natural letting detail slide from them like water, and they have form. (In actuality, they’ve done this countless times, no concept of or use for the future. Now is the only but since they keep forgetting, it’s always a fresh idea to them.) How is it that one decides one’s natural form? It turns out that a pooka’s natural form is whatever it believes its natural form to be. Most pookas currently believe that their natural form Though Manitou prefers trickery and wiles, he is entirely is that of an overgrown, bipedal rabbit with capable of defending his honor and his person. The surest floppy ears, so that is what it is. With another way to enrage him is to enquire about Queen Mab or their consensus vote or for any individual that forgets, daughter Pellowea. On other occasions, a stray comment there will be some other natural form. In any about magic has enraged him. In these cases, he generally case, they are incredible shapechangers, capable kills the speaker in single combat. In cases where the of changing their forms into nearly anything speaker’s friends become involved, he may slaughter every with but a thought. While other creatures find living thing in a house, a palace, or a village. Running is it impossible to identify a pooka by sight when fruitless: Manitou summons his cenorran hounds to track in another form, pookas always know another down those who flee and is ruthless in his pursuit. pooka. In most cases, these slaughters are covered up. Manitou Environment: Pookas are most common in knows well that his reputation suffers from such butchery, heavily wooded areas where they have ample yet on such occasions, he cannot help himself. room to romp and play their games. However, they are rarely far from civilized lands because
Manitou’s Rages
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they love playing with other creatures. They do tend to wander, whether because they forget their way home or simply because they’ve inherited the wanderlust from their sovereign Manitou. So it’s possible to find pookas almost anywhere. But wherever you find them, they’ll always be ready to play. Society: The concept of society is such an ephemeral thing to pookas. They often stay close together for a time—it makes playing easier—but they tend to drift off before long, finding other pookas or other creatures to adopt as their current family before moving on yet again. When a pooka needs to be found, they are found rather quickly. All things considered, word spreads amazingly throughout pooka-kind. They seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to one another. They instinctively know where other pookas are, or at least how to find one another—as if they have a homing ability for every other pooka. (It’s no wonder that hide-and-seek never catches on with pookas.) Perhaps, the most amazing—and
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disastrous—quality a pooka possesses is not seeing the evil, the bad, the wrong in others. They’ll play with anyone: the big giant on the hill swinging the club, the drippy swamp monster trundling from the bog, or the giant dragon lunging from the sky. They are fearless . . . or clueless. Perhaps both. Relationships: Pookas don’t remember who Manitou is. On the rare occasion that one meets up with the sovereign, it is more than happy to play. Manitou, for reasons unknown, doesn’t interact with pookas. Strategy & Tactics: For a pooka, battle doesn’t exist. They will play the game of fighting for as long as it amuses them, using their superior speed and agility to hop close to a playmate and then dance away again, laughing in delight. Even hurting a pooka doesn’t turn play into combat. Instead, it turns the game from something fun to something boring, and injured pooka run away to find something more interesting to do.
The Faerie Ring
THE HUNGERING The tragedy of the pookas is slowly ripping their world apart (and indirectly affecting many others). Called the hungering by pookas, this disease—or curse—causes those affl icted to develop an insatiable appetite and slowly go a little mad. First, all their games come to be centered around food and eating. Over time, they lose their playful behavior and see everything as food, turning these once playful creatures into vicious killers, seeking only flesh and blood to sate their consuming hunger. No creature is safe from a hungering pooka’s needy stomach.
BIGMOUTHS
Horrifically, a hungering pooka transforms further, losing control of its shapechanging and becoming a massive engine of destruction—such transformed pooka are known as “bigmouths.” Typical Characteristics: A hungering pooka is akin to a rabid animal, losing all reasoning and attacking others on sight—even other pookas. They are driven by an ever-increasing hunger that clouds all decisions. Feeding doesn’t allay the hunger for long. While under the influence of the hungering, Pookas eyes glow red, and their coloration (skin, fur, feathers, scales, or whatever) grows dull and dark. They continue to shapechange at will, but their forms tend to take on
The Land of Nowhere
Because hungering pookas and bigmouths often swallow their meals whole, a significant proportion of creatures survive the trauma; other materials are often left relatively intact as well. Owing to this, Nowhere has become a hodge-podge of a landscape and populace. Peoples and creatures from all over the multiverse are now trying to make-do in their strange new home, eking out what existence they can in this junkyard realm.
more vicious and more massive creatures, those most capable of capturing and devouring prey. Toward the end of this phase, hungering pookas lose shapechanging control and change randomly—sometimes becoming temporarily stuck in transition between forms, taking on aspects from different creatures at the same time. Growing larger and more unstable all the time, a hungering pooka ultimately loses all control of its shapechanging ability and transforms into an immense eating machine, indiscriminately devouring everything in sight—other creatures, trees, buildings, a mountain, the ground, even parts of itself. Pathology: In actuality, hungering pookas’ stomachs have become extradimensional conduits, linked to the dimensional dead end of Nowhere. Everything a hungering pooka or bigmouth swallows is transported to this realm of the lost—Mahu’s demesne—from which there is little chance of escape. It’s generally assumed that Mahu engineered this affliction, finding the perfect vehicle for his wants in the pookas and turning them into massive collecting machines to feed his need to take and own whatever he can get his hands on. Others suggest Nowhere itself is reaching out, infused with those same desires, on its own. There is no known cure, save death. Luckily, it appears that only a handful of connections can be made at a time to Nowhere, limiting the number of hungering pookas and bigmouths that can exist at any given time. Slowly losing their rationality, hungering pookas follow only their stomachs, wherever that may lead, and care not for companionship. Bigmouths have lost all reason and simply exist to eat, unable to distinguish between rocks, trees, and other creatures. Relationships: Manitou’s feelings on the hungering and Mahu’s likely involvement are unknown. He has neither retaliated against the mogwoi sovereign nor taken effort to remedy the situation in any apparent way. All assume he is either awaiting the proper moment or simply has more important matters to attend to for now. Given his past dispositions, however, Manitou will likely not suffer this affront for long if it is within his power to stop it.
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Strategy & Tactics: Despite its grotesque nature, bigmouth remain pookas and view everything as a game, except there is only one game and it involves eating everything. All combat revolves around this concept.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a
Cloak of Seven Shapes
The item most associated with Manitou’s power is the Cloak of Seven Shapes, a dark brown or black fur cloak said to contain more shapeshifting power than any hundred fey. The item itself is heavy, large enough to cover a small tent, and infused with the musky smells of fur, trail dust, and cured leather. The story tells that the cloak is a living thing, and each morning, Manitou chooses seven shapes to wear that day. In various legends, these are always related in some way and usually form a sequence by size. For instance, the shapes might be a mouse, rat, hedgehog, otter, boar, deer, and elk. Or they might be a ferret, weasel, fox, badger, wolf, bear, and polar bear. Or a series of goblins and ogres and giants or even of small drakes and elder dragons. While Manitou has worn it, the cloak has never taken on elemental, undead, or outsider forms. There seems to be no practical limit to the forms he can assume, though, for the most part, they have been natural animals and fey creatures. According to some, the neat little categories of the storytellers are not required. Some claim Manitou can take on any seven shapes each day, as long as he never repeats a shape within a month. Others believe the cloak is not magical at all but a diversion. A few fey lovers of Manitou claim to have lain in the cloak and felt some measure of its power, but none has found a key to unlock its magic.
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knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
BARAEHL STILLHORN
Manitou was never fit to lead. He’s drifted away from everything he’s ever touched, all expectations of him tarnished and distorted in his wake. He’s not capable of picking up the pieces, of dealing with consequences— he can only move on, willfully devoid of any remorse. And so that role of maintaining any continuity, of keeping a people on any sort of path, has always fell on stronger shoulders. Baraehl Stillhorn is the one who claims responsibility after his lord Manitou has acted, the one who tends to daily ministrations and decisions—the one who ensures the proper functioning of a people. And the one who performs whatever damage control is required. Baraehl does this as eldest of the faun and Manitou’s chief advisor. As eldest, Baraehl sits at the head of the council of elders. In this role, he largely keeps the council apprised of all things related to Manitou and the world beyond what the faun’s survey and ensures the council maintains the best interests of fauns everywhere in their loose governance of their people, providing a tie-breaking vote when needed. As Manitou’s advisor and emissary, he directly attends to all matters dealing with other sovereigns and delegates matters of less importance to his trusted cadre of servants, not all of whom are faun. Otherwise, Baraehl cleans up after Manitou. Perhaps, it speaks to Manitou’s canniness that he recognized Baraehl’s skill and temperament; perhaps, it just speaks to his luck. Always out of earshot of either Manitou or Baraehl, the latter is often referred to as the King’s Grace and is respected on a level that Manitou couldn’t achieve on his own. Characteristics: Baraehl is a respected diplomat, master strategist, seasoned spear
The Faerie Ring fighter, and accomplished poet. He never seeks the spotlight, despite his many important roles, and he holds himself softly: speaking when he has something to say, fighting when he has something to defend. A veteran of many wars, Baraehl’s appearance tends to unnerve many at first meeting, having had one horn and ear torn off and a deep, ragged scar circumscribing his neck. But he is ever affable, even kind. Those perceptive and wise tend to note the deep well of sadness behind his eyes that he can’t quite hide, but he never talks about the darkness of his past, the brutality he’s seen. He’s chosen the future he wants to engender, and he struggles to maintain its course for his people. He goes forward with a smile. Relationships: He doesn’t always like Manitou, but he has come to accept his lord, to respect that Manitou has his own path to travel, and Baraehl is always open with Manitou about his intentions and acts in his lord’s interests. Baraehl accepted the role of emissary only because Manitou accepts the faun’s unvarnished truth, actually listens to his words even when disagreeing. Of course, Manitou’s final decisions are all his own. Strategy & Tactics: Baraehl is a master strategist. He never fights a war that isn’t an absolute necessity, but when he does, he’s fully prepared and moves to end conflict as quickly as possible and with a devastating show of force while minimizing casualty.
UNAWD
Manitou loves as he hunts: chase, devour, move on. Countless have fallen to his passions, and the twilight child Unawd came from such a union, a brief dalliance between the Horned God and an elf maiden. The little prince grew into a reflection of the father he never knew. Motivation: Unawd is a master hunter and enjoys the sport of the hunt. Deep down, however, it’s all rage directed at a father whom he never knew, a fey god who abandoned his mother. History: Unawd grew up an elf prince, despite his unusual origin, and wanted for nothing—other than a father. Hungry for the one thing missing, the boy sought out everything he could of Manitou. In time,
he began to emulate the Horned God. And as he grew and surrendered to the beloved hunt, he realized his path. Only once he had hunted and ended his father, could he be perfect. It was his place to replace Manitou. Characteristics: Unawd appears as an ordinary, beautiful elf. During the hunt, though, he changes. At first, it’s imperceptible. But as the hunt unfolds, the changes are more pronounced as he takes on the features of his prey until striking the killing blow. Relationships: Unawd has no relationships, except that with his beloved hunting hound, Ffyddlon. He has long since renounced his crown and abandoned his mother for the love of the hunt. Lesser fey whisper his name in fear as rumors of the great son of Manitou grow and spread. Manitou himself is barely aware of Unawd’s existence, though Mab watches him with curious eyes from afar and plots to bring him into her service as a pawn. Strategy & Tactics: As a hunter, Unawd takes advantage of every strength, every trick, every weakness. He prefers hit-and-run tactics to wear prey down. If he has already killed a member of an enemy’s species he won’t seek a death blow but will instead leave them unconscious as their demise is useless to him.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ There are rumors Manitou has tapped into a new well of power. Is it just his quiet respite to avoid the responsibility of reality, or is he amassing power anew for some purpose? ❖❖ Or perhaps, in a fit of rage, Manitou lets himself be swallowed by a bigmouth and confronts Mahu in own demesne for his transgressions. ❖❖ With Puck’s help, Baraehl has been stringing together clues into Pellowea’s disappearance. But the further he digs, the weirder and more dangerous it gets for any around him. ❖❖ Pellowea has surfaced . . . !
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(The scuff of their . . . ) . . . hooves on the scraggly grass echoed across the Plains of Desolation. Linna wasn’t even sure what the sound was bouncing off of. The peaks of the Shards rose in the distance, but miles of flat grasslands stretched between them and the mountain range. The noise was strange, though. Not quite right. She hoped her brother hadn’t noticed. He was on edge already. “Are you sure we won’t run into any grue?” His voice was a hushed whisper, though there was no one around to hear them. “I’ve heard stories. Just one can take down an entire squadron if it catches them unawares.” “Lisandre, I told you, it’s a full moon. The grue are all hiding like gibberlings in their caves. Afraid of their own shadows, them. Control your fear, just the way you’ve been taught.” “We should have gone to the Silver Path,” he said, and not for the first time. “The Blades would have found us out, for sure. I’ve said it already. Now, hush and keep walking. We’ll make it to the Glass Sea in no time, you watch.” The full moon lit their path ahead, nothing more than a faint, winding trail through scrub. They walked in silence, but before long, another sound wound its way around the beat of their hooves. Lisandre lifted his head. “Is that . . . water?” “Can’t be. We’re nowhere near—” They stepped through a patch of tall grass and onto the bank of a wide, dark river. “Now what?” “Now . . . now, we . . .” She hadn’t planned for a river to be in the way. Maybe, they should have gone to the
Silver Path. They knew the ways across the plains, but it was too late for that, though. They couldn’t go back . . . even if they managed to sneak back into Zussael, Lisandre was already showing signs of the curse. The Hidden Blades would come for him soon. She wouldn’t let that happen. Her mother had been taken last year, leaving her in charge of the family, and it was her responsibility to keep her brother safe. She’d get him to the Glass Sea, and they’d find the others. They had to be out there somewhere. “Linna?” The moonlight reflected off Lisandre’s horns as he tilted his head at her. She opened her mouth to speak when a form rose up from the shadows at the edge of the bank where it had been drinking. Her heart leapt—perhaps, they’d found the Silver Path after all! But the form kept rising and rising until it towered above them. A hulking, twisted mass of shadow, it huffed once, then turned its head toward the two darklings cowering in the grass. “Moaro,” Lisandre hissed. Moaro fi xed her glowing red eyes on Lisandre. He screamed and fell to the ground, writhing in the mud. Linna stared in shock as his body warped and stretched under the throes of the Darkling Curse. He rose, a beast no longer her brother. “Lisandre.” Her voice caught in her throat, choked off by the sudden, crippling pain of loss. She gasped at the unfamiliar sensation. Then Moaro turned her many eyes on Linna, and she screamed.
Moaro
( Lifetimes of Regrets )
Moaro Ye who read are still among the living; but I who write shall have long since gone my way into the region of shadows. For indeed strange things shall happen, and secret things be known, and many centuries shall pass away, ere these memorials be seen of men. And, when seen, there will be some to disbelieve, and some to doubt, and yet a few who will find much to ponder upon in the characters here graven with a stylus of iron . . . —Edgar Allan Poe, “Shadow” Long ago, there came a darkness to the realms of shadow. A vast and powerful living darkness—known only as the Adversary—threatened to swallow all shadow and consume all life. It came to reclaim the lives of the darklings, and it brought memories.
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As far as the darklings were concerned, their history was as mundane a passage through time as any race could ask for. Unfortunately, the return of the Adversary to their world brought with it the hinted memories of a dark and twisted past life and the realization that the darklings’ current existence was actually a blot on reality—a failure of some entity’s attempt to erase them from all of existence. But while those fragments of history falling back into place brought with them unforeseen perils, they also brought salvation. As their last stand, the darklings reached back into their newfound memories and embraced their heritage of spirit magic in order to defeat the Adversary. All of those capable banded together in a massive ritual, promising to push back their opposition. However, unbeknownst to all involved, the magics required a vessel, and the ancient spirits were only too eager to find their own in the grand matriarch’s only daughter. Before the horrified eyes of all present, she transformed into a shadowy abomination that struggled fiercely with the Adversary. Ultimately, this “spirit vessel” was able to use her new power to repel the Adversary and block its reentry into their world, but she was forever changed. The girl remained a horrific and literal shadow of her former self, despite the attempts of the darklings’ most powerful sages. Unfortunately, the transformation
The Faerie Ring also twisted her mind and perceptions, making her delusional and unpredictable—the young woman who was to one day become grand matriarch was now a threat to her own people. She retreated from the city to the vast plains of shadow beyond its walls and has wandered them since in a constant internal struggle with her Shadow self. Though she appears to be unable to physically leave the Shadow Plane, she is able to project herself onto the Material Plane. This appears as her original form from before the transformation. She spends much time as the Projection, to preserve a bit of herself as if nothing happened, but this denial is also further fragmenting her mind. Spending so much time as her Projection is making her Shadow—her form on the Shadow Plane— all the more violent and unpredictable. Despite this, she appears to retain certain ties to Zussael, the great darkling city-state where she was born, and though she always maintains her distance, she never strays too far from it. She became known only as Moaro: literally translated as “the gate.” It’s a term in darkling culture signifying the path the deceased travel to find their afterlife. Her true name has been willfully stricken from history books, and it is a crime to speak it. But the rebellion maintains their own history books, and they remember Moaro as Fen.
BEING MOARO
Darklings see Moaro with pity, shame, and anger over everything she represents. With the creation of Moaro, the darklings have once again opened themselves to the whims of those ancient forces that were responsible for their first near-extinction: they have traded instantaneous annihilation at the hands of the Adversary for slow predation by ancient spirits. Moaro’s motivations are as conflicted as her soul. What remains of the former darkling’s original personality struggles to protect her people from the curse—and from herself. In an effort to hold on to some piece of herself and not be consumed completely by her Shadow, she projects her old self to the Material Plane and spends much of her time there. However, while a large portion of her consciousness
wanders the Material Plane in darkling form, the Shadow remains on the Shadow Plane with little to restrain it. It appears to wander aimlessly through the plains surrounding Zussael, its moods tied to the phases of the moon. During a new moon, the beast is calm and passive and only attacks if provoked. The closer to the full moon, though, the more violent and unpredictable it becomes. When the full moon hangs in the sky, even the grue are reluctant to stray too far from the safety of their enclaves. Relationships: Moaro has no ties to other creatures of shadow the way a true sovereign would to their servitors, so her relationship to the other inhabitants of the Shadow Plane is more of coexistence. The darklings are the exception to this rule. She is not their creator, nor they her progeny, yet to deny a connection between them would be disingenuous at best. Any creature who encounters Moaro draws her attention. During a new moon, that attention may simply be curiosity. During the full moon, however, it is wrath. In that instance, one’s only hope of escaping the confrontation is Moaro herself—if she is fully present, rather than projecting her consciousness on the Material Plane, it may be possible to reason with her. However, due to her fractured psyche, she may be disoriented and likely to lash out purely in confusion. No matter the phase of the moon, any darklings in the party are Moaro’s primary interest, either for investigation or destruction. Characteristics: Before the ritual transformed her, Moaro looked much like any other darkling. Now, however, she appears as a being wrought entirely of shadow made flesh. Large and hulking, she wanders the plains as a monstrous shade, the landscape around her lit only by the glow of her many crimson eyes. Strategy & Tactics: Moaro changes her approach to combat based on the lunar phase. She seeks only to distance herself from persistent opponents during the darker phases of the moon and resorts to defensive abilities to aid her escape. As the lunar phase grows toward a full moon, she wreaks death and destruction. She uses her most powerful damaging or harmful spelllike abilities before wading into melee and rending foes to shreds or subjecting them to her dark embrace.
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Zussael
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I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see. He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed. —Robert Louis Stevenson, “My Shadow”
Moaro, being a quiddity rather than a true sovereign, has no real demesne. However, the city of Zussael (and the Plains of Desolation that surround it), once her home, retains some obvious significance to the fallen daughter of the grand matriarch. Strangely, it seems almost as if Moaro responds to Zussael’s presence: in her wanderings, Moaro never travels far from the shadowy city-state and, indeed, seems to become more lucid the closer she is to her former home. Almost as if in response, the city becomes more twisted and complex as Moaro wanders closer, the structures themselves changing in response to her presence. Perhaps, it recognizes its lost daughter, or perhaps,
Moaro’s Demesne
Zussael has the planar traits of the Shadow Plane (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide for details) in addition to the following: Hidden Corners: Some portions of Zussael can only be reached when the full moon shines brightest. Locating these mysterious sections of the city requires a DC 25 Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (geography) check. Once a location is discovered, the creature can find it in the future with no check required. A DC 25 Survival check allows the creature to pinpoint the minutes during the full moon when the area can be reached. Creatures within the area can freely leave at any time although may not be able to return until the next full moon. Should Moaro ever enter Zussael, these locations can all be entered normally. Twisted: Zussael grows harder to navigate when the moon is dark or Moaro is away. During a full moon or when Moaro is near the city’s boundary, it can be relatively easily navigated as any normal metropolis. During a waxing or waning moon, creatures attempting to navigate Zussael must succeed on a DC 15 Survival check to not become lost within the city’s moving streets and changing structures. Use the rules for getting lost in the wilderness (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook for details) except navigation tools do not provide a bonus. During a new moon, the Survival check increases to DC 25 and the DC of all related checks (recognizing you’re lost, setting a new course, and so on) increase by +10. Darklings gain a +4 modifier to these Survival checks. The effect of Moaro’s presence supersedes the moon and decreases the difficulty in navigation. Stability: The physical nature of objects grows weaker within Zussael with the phases of the moon. During the full moon, all objects and structures have normal hardness and hit points. During the waxing, waning, or new moon, all objects and structures have half their normal hit points. During the new moon, objects and structures have half their usual hardness and any creature can move through any solid object as if they were incorporeal as a free action. The creature can still manipulate other objects or treat them as completely solid if they wish. Objects enchanted with the ghost touch property cannot be passed through or entered and do not have their hardness or hit points reduced. This has no effect on constructs or animated objects.
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The Faerie Ring darker magics are at work. The city itself is a sight to behold—twisted spires of shadow rise far into the sky, reaching incredible heights, bending at strange angles that would be structurally impossible on the Material Plane. The city changes subtly with the phases of the moon, becoming more solid and defined as the moon becomes brighter, peaking with the full moon. This may seem counterintuitive, but after all, the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. In fact, there are some areas of Zussael that are only accessible during the full moon, and several only appear for those scant few minutes when the moon is at its zenith.
THE FLICKERS
As the Plains of Desolation give way to the Shards, a multitude of intermittent glows, as if from hundreds of fireflies, appears along the northwestern approach to the mountain range—an area known as the Flickers. The warm glow seems friendly, and the light initially leads travelers to safety in the plains. The creatures creating the glow (related to but not nearly as powerful as will-o’-wisps) are capricious and often become bored with their “guests.” In these cases, they lead victims to precipices, moving just far enough to hide the chasms from view. They also enjoy bringing visitors to caves inhabited by grue. Oddly, though, if grue or other danger threaten the glowing creatures’ guests before the creatures have grown bored, they reliably lead them to safety. Travelers aware of this quirky behavior manufacture danger to assure a safe journey.
GLASS SEA
Named for its smooth surface, side effects of a lack of current and wind, the Glass Sea is the largest body of water on the Shadow Plane. The sea supposedly mirrors a placid underground sea in the Material Plane, but no one has found a crossover point between the two planes to verify this. Jagged rocks surround the sea and form caves within which one finds safety and occasional portals to the Material Plane. The portals lead to a variety of different locales, further confusing the sea’s corresponding location on the Material Plane. Most inhabitants of the caves surrounding the Glass
Sea are those who have successfully fled from Zussael and now eke out an existence, either by fishing and snaring other creatures beneath the sea’s surface or by making forays into safer portals to obtain goods. Unfortunately, crueler and more powerful denizens claim the better locations, leaving the destitute to starve or face a return to the city and the Hidden Blades’ mercy. Rumors speak of a caravel belonging to the Silver Path, who ply the sea and collect survivors braving the water. Due to the lack of wind and current, sailing the Glass Sea requires incredible manual labor or powerful magic. Dangerous predators fill the waters and content themselves with smaller prey beneath the surface or occasional shoreline raids. Oars breaking the water’s surface is a sure way to attract these creatures, which destroy the hopes of those crossing the sea to find the rumored caravel.
GRAND MATRIARCH’S LIBRARY
There are whisperings among some of the eldest darklings, those that remember and speak only behind closed doors, that the grand matriarch has a secret library within the bowels of her estate. The library, it is said, holds not only the forbidden history of the darklings and rituals to contact the ancient spirits, but any artifacts relating to the darklings unknown past that have fallen into the grand matriarch’s hands. Its existence remains but a rumor, however, and none dare question the grand matriarch for fear of being permanently silenced.
GRIEVING FIELDS
A seemingly welcome expanse of prairie breaks up the Plains of Desolation to the west of Zussael. In the moonlight, tall flowers, much like sunflowers with white petals surrounding a tenebrous seed head, sway in a breeze. However, this prairie is anything but welcome to visitors. The Shadow Plane touches on the Material Plane in many places and soaks up negative emotions, mostly related to anguish and loss. These emotions are deposited in disparate locations across the plane, and the Grieving Fields are one such location. Nourished by the abundance of sorrow, the
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flowers open up to the moonlight, much like their Material Plane counterparts do with the sun. When someone enters the fields, the flowers let out wails of grief and turn toward the visitor. For the unprepared, the overwhelming sensation of heartache proves too much, and they join in the outbreak of despondency, never to emerge from the fields again. Even the grue avoid the Grieving Fields, despite the easy pickings of miserable victims who cannot defend themselves.
LOST AND FOUND
The Silver Path operate an odd recovery operation on the Plains of Desolation after they smuggle a group of darklings out of Zussael. They discover people wandering through the plains who have miraculously survived the journey but have no recollection of who they are. The Silver Path also walk along the Shoals to find people and objects washed up from deep shadow. They bring their discoveries to a safe house near one of the Black Market operations where they feed and care for the people they have rescued and appraise the items they have collected. The items usually end up in the Black Market and fund the Silver Path’s activities. Silver Path operatives keep an ear out for visitors to Zussael and any mentions of missing or lost companions fitting the description of their not-quite-captives. When there is a match, a representative of the Silver Path makes an introduction and discusses the price for rescue. Refusal to pay is met with blithe comments about the lack of care in the rest of Zussael.
LUNA FORTRESS
The misleadingly named headquarters of the Hidden Blades sits at the center of a labyrinth that meanders through and below Zussael. Properly navigating the maze would take someone hours. Members know shortcuts to reach the center in minutes, however, and these hidden passageways are closely guarded secrets. Here, the Hidden Blades eliminate darklings showing sign of the curse and process (and eliminate, as necessary) the city’s subversives and troublemaking visitors. The darklings rarely find they have any reason to actually take prisoners, for they typically eradicate them or return them to Zussael—blindfolded, of course.
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So those rumored dungeons are actually no more than a pair of decently appointed cells.
MOON LILY GARDEN
Eons ago, when the Plains of Desolation were a vibrant ecosystem, flowers known as moon lilies grew in abundance. As the area grew more inhospitable, darklings rescued the plants, transplanting them to a garden in Zussael. The only known varieties of moon lily grow in Zussael are tended by descendants of those darklings. Moon lilies sprout during the first quarter moon, blossom and pollinate during the full moon, and die as the moon becomes new again, giving the plants a preciously short lifespan. The gardeners are highly protective of it and pursue anyone taking a moon lily.
RAINBOW PARLOR
Displaying or wearing colors other than black, white, or shades of gray is not strictly prohibited, but many of Zussael’s inhabitants find such shows scandalous, if not subversive. With color, comes emotion; with emotion, comes the curse. Hushed rumors speak of the Hidden Blades “disappearing” or “reeducating” those who stand out. People making flamboyant displays are seldom seen again while those few who return to Zussael wear more appropriate colors—along with curiously vacant expressions. Other than strangers to the city, very few people show anything other than drab colors, and strangers quickly receive warnings about their choices. But, like many explicitly or implicitly forbidden things in Zussael, color exhibitions have simply moved underground. The Rainbow Parlor now caters to visitors wishing to experience vibrant colors. The parlor’s drab exterior hides an intricate alarm system: pattern magic disables unwanted guests, who find themselves in random parts of the city after the parlor’s protective measures have knocked them unconscious. The parlor moves to a new location after each attempted break-in to avoid concentrated attacks. Learning about the parlor is difficult, but the use of nonstandard colors in conversation usually gets a member’s attention. Once vetted, potential visitors receive a multihued ribbon which bypasses the alarms
The Faerie Ring and protective magics. Inside, the club is a riot of color, where clubgoers often use magic and drugs to enhance their sensations of color. Many enjoy the aftereffect of their visits as various colors temporarily overlay their vision, making for vivid Zussael streets.
SHADOW VINEYARDS
Another time-lost treasure, due to the advent of the Plains of Desolation, the deep blue grapes grown in numerous vineyards once produced many varietals of umbral wine. The wine seems like liquid when in a container, but imbibing it only produces the taste, not the sensation of drinking a liquid. Only two varietals remain, and the vineyards cover land bordering the Plains of Desolation, outside of the direct protection provided by Zussael. The darklings who tend the grapes and produce the wine are suspicious of everyone, especially competitors. They assume visitors to their vineyards are saboteurs working for the opposing vineyards, even though neither side actually wishes to harm their competition.
THE SHOALS
The Shadow Plane contains pockets of deep shadow. Non-natives entering these pockets might as well be dead as far as their friends and family are concerned, but those lost might argue their fate worse than death. To the east of Zussael, an expanse of deeper shadow known as the Shoals touches on the plane’s normal shadow. The deeps retreat and roll in almost as if the moon controls hidden tides within. Reaching high tide, it silently crashes onto the “shore.” Foolish creatures caught in these breaks disappear—usually forever—into the unforgiving dark. On rare occasions, the darkness gives up one of its victims, and someone thought lost for years washes up.
WELL OF GOOD AND ILL INTENTIONS
This marble well sits in a seldom-visited plaza in Zussael and only appears when the moon is at its fullest, when the water is dark and reflects the moonlight, or at its newest, when the water glows with its own luminescence. The marble shifts imperceptibly from
bright white to lightless black as one looks across the well. During the full moon, a visitor can toss a small item of value into the well and wish good fortune, either material or intangible, for another person. One must never do this for oneself, however, or the wish twists, bringing sorrow. During the new moon, a visitor can toss in an item belonging to the person they wish to have foul fortune befall. The same fate happens threefold to someone dear to the visitor, however.
WENDING WOOD
There is a grove in Zussael, a space for nature to take root within the walls of the city, of trees that stretch black-leafed limbs toward a vacant sun. In the spring, white fruits hang heavy from their branches, and the grove offers a place of reflection and respite. At first glance, the copse appears to take up very little space, but like much of Faerie, it is not entirely what it seems. Some have entered the wood and claim to have crossed it in a matter of minutes. Others have been lost amidst the trees for days, though they never wavered from their course, yet the forest always seems to provide sustenance and shelter. Venturing into the Wending Wood is to venture into the unknown, yet everyone who enters it returns at peace—if they return at all.
WHITE AND BLACK MARKETS
Despite the ever-present threat of the curse, day to day life continues within Zussael. Commerce and trade are ongoing within the city, though under careful scrutiny by the grand matriarch’s many overseers. The White Market is the center of (legal) trade, and many wonders can be found beneath the fluttering alabaster banners. Since travel in and out of the city is so tightly restricted, so too are the goods that are available in the White Market. However, no city is complete without a thriving smuggling ring, and there are several within Zussael, known collectively as the Black Market. The goods found in the Black Market change from day to day, even hour to hour. If one is skilled enough to avoid the Hidden Blades, who go to great lengths to eliminate the Black Market, the rare and valuable can be found in its caches. The cost is always high, however, and coin is not always the price.
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Darklings & Others
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To flee from memory Had we the Wings Many would fly Inured to slower things Birds with surprise Would scan the cowering Van Of men escaping From the mind of man —Emily Dickinson, “To flee from memory” As a people, the darklings are now confronted by a terrible and mysterious legacy. As individuals, every darkling must manage from day to day with their fear and uncertainty: always wondering if today is the day that the curse takes them. No darkling is immune to the curse, and handfuls are lost every year.
DARKLINGS The times directly following the defeat of the Adversary—as the full impact of the Darkling Curse was becoming apparent—took its toll on darkling society. Terror and anarchy were rampant and only fueled the curse, unleashing more and more of the horrible darkling beasts. Pulling herself out of the deep depression triggered by the loss of her daughter, the grand matriarch had difficult decisions to make if her people were ever to overcome this horror. To save her people, this once warm and compassionate darkling hardened herself for war and placed the city-state of Zussael under martial law. In order to eradicate the curse, Zussael locked its gates tight and entered a period of isolation that is still in effect. No longer can anyone—darkling or outsider—come and go as they wish without special dispensation from the grand matriarch. The Hidden
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Blades ruthlessly slay or banish any darkling showing the slightest sign of the Darkling Curse. Treaties were made with the grue elders—longtime enemies of the darklings—that provided the grue free reign outside the gates of Zussael, for packs of grue are better equipped to handle a rampaging darkling beast. The newly named Plains of Desolation that surround Zussael have become death for all who wander them. However, these measures only addressed the symptoms. More drastic measures were required to affect the cause, and it was the grand matriarch’s plan to sever all ties to the spirits. Communion with these ancient spirits is one of the clearest paths to succumbing to the curse and the Hidden Blades relentlessly hunt down any darkling attempting the rituals; offenders are immediately slain or imprisoned. Additionally, strong emotion is capable of opening a channel to the spirits and triggering the fated transformation. To combat this, the grand matriarch has taken pains to quell such emotion. From birth, darklings learn to be careful and calculating and to avoid strong emotions, such as love and hate. This philosophy has been successfully institutionalized, and the darkling society of today bears little resemblance to that of old. Much, perhaps, might be forgiven under the circumstances. The grand matriarch did what she felt necessary to save her people. It should not be ignored that there even is a darkling society remaining. However, a final measure was taken to ensure that the secrets of the past stay locked in the past. Darklings are forbidden from speaking of their true history. The children learn a sterile and fabricated lie that hides all that the darklings are. The grand matriarch’s only daughter has been stricken from all records even while Moaro stills roams the shadows. However, either by forced or self-inflicted banishment, there are quite a few darklings that secretly fight against these outrages. They feel that solutions are not to be found in ignoring what has happened and denying emotion but in embracing both their past and their emotional identities. They actively communicate with the forbidden spirits—with the shadows. This has taken its toll on them, but they feel that this is the only way to truly free themselves from the curse.
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SECOND CHANCES My heart belongs to Zussael, to a people that do not know they’re dead. I mourn them, though they still walk lock-step through the streets, bereft of true freedom. Perhaps, one day, we can guide them back. —Zheddo the Bluetongue The darklings began as small, nomadic tribes of fey wandering the Shadow Plane. Eventually, the tribes banded together under one matriarchal banner, and with the protection that allowed, they achieved a higher quality of life, working together within the walls of the massive city-state of Zussael. They developed a rich society quickly and even became renowned for their accomplishments in the arcane realm. However, some truths have a way of changing one’s perspective. It is only relatively recently that the darklings have learned that their history is not as straightforward as it had once seemed. This knowledge came during their struggle against the Adversary and at great cost. In truth, they gained only fragments of a history that promises to be both rich and horrible: from all accounts, the darklings should not currently exist. From what has been pieced together so far, the darklings were once a thriving race that spanned several planes with great, thriving cities. They had amassed knowledge and skill far surpassing their current abilities. However, their tenacious curiosity and lust for knowledge brought them into contact with powerful, ancient spirits that would ring the downfall of the Darkling Empire. The details are still unknown and may remain that way forever, but the former darkling era was not simply razed to the ground. It was erased: every individual, every structure and tool, every text by or about them, every memory of them was removed from the “cosmic record.” Only a handful of texts and items have been found from that era that somehow,
miraculously, were shielded by whatever entity or effect could have erased an entire race of fey from existence. Somehow, a few individuals must have also escaped the fate of their fellows, which, without the knowledge of what occurred, enabled darklings to live on. The current era of darkling culture is known as the Second Chance. Somehow, the confrontation with the Adversary brought back memories of this previous life; whatever the Adversary is, it appears to be somehow linked to the darklings’ past. Unfortunately, that knowledge also re-established contact with the ancient spirits of shadow that appear responsible for the darklings’ near extinction. Moaro was the first victim, a n d
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many others have since felt the curse of having a direct connection to these spirits. Though no darkling has been corrupted on the same level as Moaro, all darklings are susceptible to the Darkling Curse. This curse is much like lycanthropy and, similarly, is exacerbated by the moon. The curse currently lies dormant in most darklings but can become active without warning, turning those affected into darkling beasts. Developments: Most recently, some of the darklings that have taken up the dangerous work of exploring the nature of the bond between the darklings and these ancient spirits have suggested that the spirits are powerful darkling ancestors from yet an earlier era of darklings that sloughed off the limits of the flesh but retain a tie to their descendants. If true, would this set
Memento Mori
Moaro’s memento mori is a small, delicately curved dagger. The hilt is encrusted with obsidian, the crest of the grand matriarch inlaid on the pommel. Typically worn on the hip of the heir to the grand matriarch, the dagger symbolizes everything Moaro lost in her transformation and reminds her of whom she once protected. Moaro’s personality is already fractured and unpredictable. The loss of the dagger would break her mind completely: her old self would be lost to her Shadow’s purpose. In that inevitability, she would turn her attention to Zussael. She would call her darkling beasts to make a pilgrimage back to Zussael to bring all darklings into her shadow. If the dagger is returned to her, she will regain her senses and forget her shadow urge to claim Zussael, though she will certainly become enraged and lash out at those around her before calming and returning to her isolation.
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the current darklings in their “Third Chance”? Environment: The Shadow Plane is a stark and twisted landscape. The darkling city-state of Zussael sits isolated in the midst of the Plains of Desolation, and few ever venture outside the walls. The city itself holds untold secrets and hidden threats, buried beneath the veneer of safety and security offered by the grand matriarch. The Plains of Desolation are dangerous for any darkling who attempts to cross them—darkling beasts, grue, and Moaro herself are but a few of the risks one could encounter. To the north of the plains lies an expansive mountain range known as the Shards. Riddled with caves, it is home to many other creatures as well as exiled darklings. To the south, the Glass Sea spans the horizon, its jagged, rocky shores offering haven to would-be smugglers. Society: The city-state of Zussael has been under martial law for the past few centuries, ever since Moaro’s transformation. Every darkling has twenty years of compulsory service in the military, though many opt to serve longer, and the grand matriarch plucks the most promising and loyal darklings to fill the ranks of her Hidden Blades. Arranged marriages are now the norm in Zussael, part of the grand matriarch’s plan for tempering emotion. Children are conceived on a strict schedule, and only two children per family are allowed. Those that show signs of the Darkling Curse are taken by the Hidden Blades, never to be seen again. Naturally, there are those who rebel against this confining way of life. Squashing emotion is not so easily done, after all. Such dissenters do not vocalize their opinion unless in the most trusted of company—and maybe not even then—for fear of being turned over to the Hidden Blades. The grand matriarch emphasizes loyalty above all else, and it is not unusual for a mother or brother to report a family member if they hint at subversion or show even the slightest sign of the Darkling Curse. In order to not leave a family without its primary provider, the Hidden Blades leave behind a token when a darkling is taken into custody. This token, a silver coin the size of a darkling palm, bears the face of the grand matriarch and can be brandished for food and other necessary items.
The Faerie Ring Typical Characteristics: Darklings resemble satyrs in stature—bipedal humanoids, walking on goat-like hind legs complete with cloven hooves. Their skin ranges in tone from a dusky blue to a deep grey; their hair purple, blue, black, grey, or white. They possess long tails, typically used for balance, tipped in red, and long, curving horns. Due to the martial nature of their society, all darklings are trained in combat from a young age so are typically lean and muscular. Relationships: Moaro is scorned within darkling society, blamed for the Darkling Curse and despised as a walking reminder of their failures. She is a taboo topic in polite company, and mothers often change the subject if other family members bring her up in conversation. Strategy & Tactics: Calm and collected combatants, darklings do not wish to succumb to the Darkling Curse. They refuse to react to intimidation or taunts from their foes, and they try not to allow personal stakes to intrude into their thoughts. This detachment applies to their allies, and they often react matter-offactly to fallen comrades. Darklings don’t have a death wish, but some prefer dying noble deaths and sacrifice themselves rather than surviving and risk succumbing to the curse and losing their minds.
THE GRAND MATRIARCH’S REIGN
Those who remember Grand Matriarch Tagann-Ayane from before the darklings’ battle with the Adversary speak of a woman who laughed freely and was the guiding light of her people. She was once kind-hearted, quick to smile and even quicker to right any wrongs within her realm. Beautiful and fierce, she protected the darklings no matter the cost—even that of her own daughter. Moaro’s transformation cut the grand matriarch twice. Not only was her only daughter snatched from her grasp, but she had to watch her people suffer at the hands of the very thing that saved them. With Moaro wandering just outside the walls of Zussael and more and more darklings succumbing to the curse, the grand matriarch did the only thing she could think of to preserve what was left of her city-state and its
inhabitants, regardless of the costs. She set aside her emotions, suppressed her guilt, and set to remaking darkling society into what it is today. History: Before the trials of the Adversary, the grand matriarch was one of the most active patrons of the arts and sciences within Zussael, as well as an active participant. Though the darklings have always placed value in a strong military, they also reveled in the finer aspects of life: balls were a common occurrence, research into the sciences as well as the mystical and the philosophical were ongoing, and one could often make a name for themselves in the realms of literature, art, and performance. The grand matriarch keeps close counsel and is reticent with her approval. A simple, pleased nod from the grand matriarch can leave a darkling the talk of the court for months. Somewhat recently, she has established an alliance with the matriarch of the shimmer dogs. Motivation: Everything the grand matriarch has done, she has done for the good of the darklings— though what she thinks is good for the darklings and what others think, that may differ. Some claim she took drastic measures out of desperation rather than rational thinking and that her cold, calculating exterior is simply a ruse that masks an angry, guilty, fragile woman. Relationships: The grand matriarch has not seen her daughter since the transformation and has indeed cut all ties and erased all records of the darkling prior to her change. Whatever Moaro is, she claims, it is no longer her daughter. To speak of Moaro in the grand matriarch’s presence is to risk her displeasure; to allude to the relation, well . . . One can be cold, calculating, and lethal.
THE SILVER PATH
Darklings that disagree with life in Zussael have few options: suffer in silence, await arrest, or walk the Silver Path. The Silver Path is not an actual road but an underground organization that smuggles darklings out of Zussael, away from the prying eyes of the Blades and the matriarch’s oppressive society. Occasionally, darklings that see signs of the curse in their family
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members will approach the Silver Path instead of the Blades, risking themselves in order to save their loved ones.
DARKLING BEASTS What gulf-ascended hand is this, that grips My spirit as with chains, and from the sound And light of dreamland, draws me to the bound Where darkness waits with wide, expectant lips ? Albeit thereat my footing holds, nor slips, The night-born menace and the fear confound All days and hours of gladness, girt around With sense of near, unswervable eclipse. —Clark Ashton Smith, “Shadow of Nightmare” The darkling beasts are a new development on the Shadow Plane, triggered by Moaro’s transformation and the affliction of the Darkling Curse. The curse itself is akin to lycanthropy—the affected darkling is twisted into a monstrous version of itself and thrown into a violent frenzy. The curse can trigger suddenly and with no warning; other times, it sets in slowly, taking weeks or months to fully transform a darkling. Darklings undergoing this type of transformation may show signs as they progress, typically heightened emotions. Instead of careful detachment, an afflicted darkling may lose their temper or find themself in a deep melancholy more and more often as the curse subsumes their consciousness. There seems to be no specific trigger that sets off the physical transformation in these cases, though it often occurs during a particularly strong outpouring of emotion. It is not uncommon for a cursed darkling to fly into a rage that ends with the curse fully taking hold. However, the Hidden Blades are ever vigilant, and often, a darkling showing such signs simply disappears before the transformation can occur. Environment & Society: The darkling beasts seem to have no society, though they form packs as they encounter each other on the Plains of Desolation, where they wander after escaping from Zussael. Motivation: Destruction seems to be the primary
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motivation of the darkling beasts. Once fully transformed, a darkling beast will cut a swath of carnage as they flee Zussael. While no darkling has free passage from the city, the darkling beasts are allowed to leave if they reach the gates before the Hidden Blades take them down, for a beast on the plains will do much less damage than a beast inside the walls. Once outside the city, the darkling beast wanders the Plains of Desolation in search of Moaro, forming a pack with other darkling beasts it finds. Pack numbers rarely rise above four or five, however, as their population is constantly culled by the bloodthirsty grue. Typical Characteristics: Darkling beasts resemble their former selves in the same way a gorilla resembles a human. They retain some defining features, such as horns and a tail, but are otherwise an entirely different creature. Easily twice the mass of a typical darkling, a darkling beast is a hulking monstrosity with an elongated muzzle, wide sloping shoulders, a thick tail, and muscles bulging under gray skin. Relationships: The darkling beasts seem to have a sixth sense in relation to Moaro, heading in her direction as soon as they are free of Zussael. They never seem to confront Moaro directly yet orbit her the way she orbits Zussael—patient, waiting. Strategy & Tactics: Opposite from their calmer antecedents, darkling beasts revel in giving into their violent urges and enjoy the feel of their opponents’ gushing blood and splintering bones. Their tactics simply involve them entering a rage and using whatever weapons they have at hand or resorting to tooth and claw if nothing is available. Non-darkling beast allies end up as collateral damage when they get between darkling beasts and their prey.
ANCESTRAL SPIRITS
The arrival of the Adversary brought memories of the darklings’ former life, one of magic and a deep connection with what are now referred to as the Ancestral Spirits. The darklings used these fleeting, fragmented memories to perform the ritual that inadvertently transformed Moaro; many darklings attempting to commune with the spirits since then have succumbed to the curse. Despite the grand matriarch’s ban, however,
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there are those that believe the spirits hold the answers to the darklings’ past—and their current curse.
BUGABOOS The bugaboo is a small creature, but that belies its capacity for mayhem. A shapeshifter and mischievous shadow fey, the bugaboo is also very social and can be found either alone or in small groups, typically with the sole goal of causing chaos. They find all manner of mischief and misfortune hilarious. A bugaboo is unpredictable: its manner of pranks ranging from the
simple physica l, such as tripping a person into a pond, to the long and elaborate ruses intended to turn party members against one another. They are called vermin by most of the Shadow Plane and are blamed for even the smallest misfortunes. Origins: The bugaboos have lived on the Shadow Plane as long as any of the other races have—except, perhaps, for the grue. They are fey, but whether they settled on this plane because of an affinity for shadow or they adapted to fit their new surroundings, no one is sure. Either way, they’ve been irritating the plane’s various inhabitants for as long as any can remember. Typical Characteristics: As shapeshift ing shadow
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fey, observing a bugaboo in its true form is a tricky proposition. Some few have been successful, however, and they report the creatures to be roughly the size and shape of a rat, though more humanoid than animal. They are bipedal and have long nails on their hands and feet for climbing. Occasionally, they are seen wearing scraps of rough-sewn clothing, but as it tends to interfere with their shape-shift ing, many of them shun all but the most formless of frocks. Environment & Society: Bugaboos nest together in family groups wherever they can find a warm, dry place that remains undisturbed. There’s no emphasis on family or tribe, as with the grue, however—the bugaboos stay together out of convenience rather than loyalty. A parent fiercely protects their nest and young, but once the
offspring are self-sufficient enough to be out on their own, the younger bugaboos generally leave the nest in search of their own mate. If resources are plentiful, it’s not unusual for several families to nest together, but as soon as food becomes scarce, the other bugaboos leave in search of greener pastures—or oust their own family and claim the nest for themselves. Motivation: A bugaboo’s primary motivation is survival. Past that, they will do whatever they fi nd entertaining. This may mean harming other creatures or damaging property simply to get a rise out of the owner. It may also take the form of a long-term “haunting,” where the bugaboo nests in an individual’s home and steals or moves things when the owner isn’t looking. If someone crosses into a bugaboo’s territory, the bugaboo finds it incredibly difficult to pass up the opportunity to torment the unwary traveler. Relationships: Bugaboos aren’t aware of Moaro the way many of the other denizens of the Shadow Plane are. They don’t care for much outside of their nests and their entertainment, and they have, perhaps, a disturbing lack of self-preservation—a bugaboo given the opportunity to torment Moaro will take it, often to its own detriment (and, quite possibly, death). Strategy & Tactics: Bugaboos revel in chaos and rely on their innocence ability to avoid backlash caused by their hijinks. They use suggestion to foment arguments among allied groups and ventriloquism to imitate someone’s voice to sow confusion on the battlefield. When confronted by opponents, they use color spray to disable them before flying out of reach and attempting to pick off foes with arrows, at least until they get bored.
GRUE So she shook awhile with laughter; and then the mirth abated but not the shaking; and a grue took hold upon her flesh, and the cold of the grave upon her belly, and the terror of death upon her soul. —Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Waif Woman” These ancient beasts are among the oldest denizens of
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the Shadow Plane. Cunning and vicious predators, they’ve hunted on the Plains of Desolation for thousands of years, thriving in the darkness and shunning the light. No creature is safe from their voracious hunger, and indeed, until recently, the darklings have hunted the grue in return, much the way humans hunt wolves. The grue are far from wild, however, though the darklings certainly refer to them as animals or, when feeling particularly magnanimous, savages. The grue have never developed a form of writing, instead passing on their history via storytelling, though truth and myth have become muddled along the way. Perhaps, the key to the darkling’s past lies somewhere within the grue’s elaborate mythology. Origins: The grue elders tell tales of their creation. It
is said t he fi rst grue walked the Shadow Plane before all else, with only the moon and the darkness to keep their company. The grue did not mind, for they knew nothing else, and the moon was shining and beautiful in the sky. Soon, however, they began to hunger and found nothing would sate them. They beseeched the moon for sustenance, but she ignored their pleas, turning her face from them. They watched her slowly fade until, one night, she was gone completely. In this new, encompassing blackness, they felt loss for the first time and keened at the sensation. The darkness heard them, her heart breaking at the sound. To ease the grue’s hunger, she plucked a bit of shadow, molded and breathed life into it, and placed it at the feet of the
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grue. As one, they descended on the shadow and fed. The moon continued in this fashion until the Plains of Desolation were teeming with life, the grue happily hunting and eating. Only when their stomachs were full did they see clearly: it was the darkness who had loved and cared for them while the fickle moon turned her shining face from their cries. Environment & Society: Given their aversion to light of any sort, the grue live in subterranean dwellings. Vast networks of tunnels and caverns crisscross below the Plains of Desolation, though none come too close to Zussael. They collect in tribes of convenience, approximate family clusters that are simple in their structure, and they value the hunt over all else. Each tribe has a chieftain, the eldest grue with the most kills to his or her name, and the chieftains occasionally come together to make decisions for the whole of the grue. One such decision includes a shaky alliance with the darklings. As the Darkling Curse appears to be escalating, the grue have agreed to hunt down and devour any rogue darkling beasts. In exchange, the darklings have stopped hunting the grue. Motivation: Hunt. Eat. Protect the tribe. Everything else is secondary. Typical Characteristics: It is hard to say what is “typical” when it comes to the physical appearance of the grue. They are so rarely seen, preferring to live and hunt in complete darkness—and, in fact, avoid any light at all costs. It seems, however, that the one characteristic that is common across the race is a gaping maw and an overabundance of large, razor-sharp teeth. Aside from that, they tend to be bipedal, though may drop to all fours when running down prey. They also have a distinct, musky odor, though few who get close enough to smell them live to tell the tale. Relationships: Though the grue hunt any and all darkling beasts that manage to escape Zussael beyond the reach of the Hidden Blades, no grue dares confront Moaro. Strategy & Tactics: Grue are efficient killers and use terrain and light to their advantage. Grue rarely hunt alone, and one must be wary of fighting a lone grue since at least one more grue is sizing up the
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competition. When grue face tough combatants, they work together to take down the most physically powerful foes before turning to softer targets. Against overmatched opponents, grue often take unnecessary risks to claim kills from fellow grue.
SHIMMER DOGS Owing to their humanoid heritage, twilight children (see Manitou chapter) are susceptible to lycanthropy. They automatically take on the traits of a natural lycanthrope but without the ability to affl ict others with the curse: they become a perfect union of the fey and animal worlds. A shimmer dog is such a mixing of a twilight child and a werewolf. They are similar but distinct from either forbearer and are a unique and self-perpetuating race. No one is quite certain where the first shimmer dog originated—or if, indeed, there was only one. The twilight children themselves are such a diverse and unpredictable race, it is unsurprising that little is known about the origins of their lycanthropic kin. Shimmer dogs moved, in force, to the Shadow Plane after Moaro’s transformation, taking up residence inside Zussael with the rare blessing of the grand matriarch. Shimmer dogs primarily communicate with one another through an empathic connection, a connection they can also form with darklings. Instead of escalating the curse, as might be presumed, such links seem to prove helpful to darklings, regulating their emotions. Environment & Society: Zussael is home to more than just the darklings. When the first pack of shimmer dogs appeared on the Shadow Plane, they beseeched the grand matriarch for entrance into the city-state. To the darklings’ shock, the grand matriarch acquiesced, allowing them to not only enter but to settle in Zussael. While the shimmer dogs may reside in packs on their own, they’ve formed a connection with the darklings within the city. Some shimmer dogs and darklings have established a coexistence and frequently share the same living space—the shimmer dog deferring to their “master” in matters of the household. The shimmer dogs’
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pack mother has taken up residence at the grand matriarch’s estate, and the two leaders are often seen together. Motivation: Similar to wolves, some shimmer dogs are more submissive than others. These tend to be the bulk of those that share living spaces with the darklings. The more dominant shimmer dogs prefer to range beyond the city walls on their own. Signs are showing of two distinct shimmer dog populations emerging: those staying wild and those preferring the domestic life within Zussael. When they first arrived on the Shadow Plane, survival was the shimmer dogs’ ultimate goal. However, for those that have integrated into darkling society, protection of their adopted family seems to be their primary motivation. Shimmer dogs have even been known to protect their adopted families even after the Darkling Curse has taken them. Occasionally, one will be seen wandering the Plains of Desolation alongside transformed family members, fending off potential threats. Typical Characteristics: Shimmer dogs are canine in
appearance, t hough t heir fey heritage has obviously affected their features. They are sleek and lithe, built for speed rather than muscle, though few would challenge a shimmer dog to a physical confrontation. Their muzzles are narrow, their ears constantly alert, and their eyes hold a startling intelligence. Relationships: Shimmer dogs refuse to speak of Moaro. If they are somehow convinced to discuss her, they simply relate a paradoxical impression of excruciating pain and the absence of all feeling. Those that wander the Plains of Desolation avoid her, even leaving their companions’ side to keep their distance. Strategy & Tactics: Despite their often bestial appearance, shimmer dogs are deliberate and practiced battlers. They incapacitate and hinder opponents rather than kill them and use their war shadow to frighten foes away to avoid bloodshed. Shimmer dogs work well together, allowing for strong pack tactics. They do not invest in combats to the point of recklessness and refuse to fight a losing battle, using their superior speed to safely withdraw.
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. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
ENNISE, THE WOLFMOTHER
Fen’s childhood friend and spirit-sister, Ennise was there when Moaro rose, sharing an empathic link with Fen during that fateful ritual. While mystically unscathed, Ennise still bears the terrible emotional scars from experiencing what Fen went through, her pain and terror; she still feels the guilt of surviving without her friend. Before that day, the plane’s shimmer dogs were scattered, independent packs roaming the eternal night, scampering through its inordinate number of portals to the visit the rest of the multiverse. It was a crossroads for them, but they rarely lingered. It’s said they have a knack for remembering and tracking the vast web of planar linkages.) They were carefree and friendly with the darklings, but they had not yet tied their destinies together. But after, Ennise found her courage, even through her great fear and trepidation, and splintered off her own tribe of shimmer dogs to lead, bringing them to Zussael as tribute to Fen memory—maintaining vigil over Fen’s dreams—to protect the city and to monitor Grand Matriarch Tagann-Ayane. As pack mother, Ennise has accomplished much, bringing other tribes together in a loose alliance: her own tribe stays in Zussael while the others continue to use it as a staging ground for their exploits across the planes, acting as the collective eyes and ears of all shimmer dog tribes, pooling their gathered knowledge with Ennise. Relationships: Ennise deplores the grand matriarch’s actions ever since the ritual but remains in her good graces to continue being the secret eyes and ears for the rebels and to attempt to de-escalate any aggression from the state. She clandestinely searches the grand matriarch’s secret library for anything she can find that
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might help Fen. Ennise tries to bury her recently acquired hatred and fear, that dark shadow etched upon her soul, but it tinges her actions and pervades her thoughts, triggering excess aggression and leading others to chastise her with the name Wolfmother, a reference to shimmer dogs’ more aggressive cousins. She accepts the name as badge and penance for her perceived crimes. Characteristics: In her twilight child form, Ennise is human in appearance. She is a child of nature, preferring to be naked and in the wild as much as possible. Her inner darkness is beginning to overwhelm her, however, and she is becoming reckless both out of desperation to help Fen and out of depression to numb her pain. Ennise is a strong and empathic leader, but she is crumbling. Strategy & Tactics: Ennise uses similar tactics to other shimmer dogs when she must but prefers to direct any combat from a distance using her empathy. She is fiercely protective of other shimmer dogs and will never flee if any of her tribe is threatened. Her presence on the battlefield lifts the spirits of those around her.
ZHEDDO THE BLUETONGUE
Once the grand matriarch’s favored courtier, the exiled wordsmith and politician Zheddo the Bluetongue has spent his time away from Zussael gathering knowledge, not just of the darklings and the spirits but of all the fey, convinced the answer to his race’s salvation lies hidden somewhere among it all. He has been exiled from Zussael, though the details as to why are pure speculation. Whatever the story, he would surely be put to death if he attempted to return to the city with anything less that the cure to the Darkling Curse itself. Secretly, it is rumored he has been raising the resistance to the grand matriarch’s Darkling Dominance—a label the rebels have adopted and are using to brand the grand matriarch’s regime for the aggressive and reactionary isolationists they are— including financing the Silver Path. Relationships: Ennise has taken Zheddo as one of her lovers, which would be a big problem for Ennise if anyone found out. Their shared passion for the free and
The Faerie Ring cosmopolitan society of the darklings’ forgotten past brought them together; their respect and admiration for one another bond them tight. The pair are responsible for the rise and continued organization of the rebellion. Zheddo is currently in secret talks with Baraehl Stillhorn, Manitou’s seneschal, and others of like mind to begin an academy to engender the resistance. Not merely the resistance against the darkling grand matriarch but the resistance against all like her, against the perverse grotesquerie that has come of the fey courts, against its corruption and self-depredation, against its incessant need to stifle the free exchange of knowledge, of remembrance and art, and against its constantly promulgating the fear and hatred of the Other. An academy that celebrates all fey and trains them as independent thinkers and freedom fighters in service to the looming pan-cultural revolution. Characteristics: Zheddo is among the most dashing of darklings. And his treatises have gained great acclaim from the farthest reaches of the multiverse. His intelligence and wit are held to be without match in the modern era. And he is just too damned clever for his own good . . . It is here, gentle reader, that you might realize, assuming you hadn’t already and assuming that you are not a rock, that it is I, Zheddo, that relates this whole affair of bogeys and boggarts, all to you, for my own tale is far from complete, and this is but its beginning. I am the one to whom you should sling both your accolades and your curses. I will be your bogeyman, your scapegoat, your savior, as is required. For the truths herein must be known, must be widespread, and must survive the scouring light of day. And I swear that it is all true. Even the lies. Especially the lies. Strategy & Tactics: Zheddo eschews resorting to violence to solve his problems. If possible, he uses his words to end conflict peacefully or, perhaps, his abilities to calm aggressors’ savage souls. But he will deign knock them out if necessary, leaving them to their fates, of course, if they remain belligerent. The darkling is not a coward and fights as necessary, but he understands the value of a strategic retreat and greatly
prefers the pen and the stage for making a difference, for moving others to take up arms rather than raise his own.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ What if the link between Moaro and Zussael is greater than any suspect? Perhaps, Moaro is a direct manifestation of Zussael’s own wishes and serves as its guardian against the ever crushing darkness? ❖❖ Could the grand matriarch have more to hide that most suspect? Perhaps, her daughter’s role in the ritual was less of a surprise than previously indicated? And what if the Adversary itself was merely a pawn in some greater game of cosmic importance? ❖❖ Zheddo wants to utilize Moaro herself against the grand matriarch and her regime, directing the quiddity like a weapon. Ennise is furious at the idea of putting her once friend in such terrible peril, and the disagreement is creating friction in their relationship. If they can’t come to an agreement, can the resistance survive? ❖❖ The resistance has its own agreement with one of the grue tribes: that they will capture darkling beasts alive. In this way, Zheddo and the other sages within the resistance have afflicted darkling specimens available to study, to potentially find a cure for. But this depletes the prey pool of the grue, so the resistance must supplement each capture with three times the weight of each darkling beast in compensation to the grue. Shimmer dog packs are designated to bring back game from their planar forays, but how long can they keep that up? And what if the other grue find out? ❖❖ What if Zheddo, with his ridiculous levels of charm, alarming sagacity, and stunning good looks, never stops talking?
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(Sunlight shone through the . . . )
. . . leaves of the forest when Nemesis heard the voice calling her name in anguish. She found a wounded youth, Ameinias, dying of a broken heart, a sword piercing his side. “Ameinias, who has stabbed you?” Nemesis exclaimed in alarm. “Nemesis, you have arrived! It is Narcissus, his beauty is beyond compare, but his heart is as dark as a starless night. He refuses all who would love him, loving only himself. He has given me this sword as a sign of his rejection. A curse upon him.” Ameinias gasped with his dying breath. “So it shall be, my friend,” whispered Nemesis. Nemesis walked through the forest, fi nding the most beautiful young man sitting in a clearing near a spring. She approached, full in breast and hip, beautiful in her own right. “Narcissus, I have heard of your beauty but never believed it possible that one man could be so lovely to
look upon. Come and lie with me,” the dryad offered, testing the veracity of Ameinias’s accusations. Narcissus looked briefly upon the fey woman and resisted her exceptional charms saying, “None are worthy of me. Be gone from my sight, beldame.” Nemesis knew Ameinias’s words to be true, for no mortal could turn her away when in her full. Nemesis drew near to Narcissus and bade him to look into the pool of the spring. “Please, at least accept my gift to you, Narcissus. Look upon the most lovely of men and know that he is your one true love.” Narcissus looked into the water and fell madly in love with the man who peered back at him. “Hag, tell me this wondrous creature’s name, for I must know it! Introduce us. I must have him.” The youth begged. “In due time, my boy, in due time. Wait here, and I shall introduce you with all haste.” Nemesis whispered into the arrogant lad’s ear. Narcissus was transfi xed upon his own reflection with such admiration that he did not notice Nemesis rise from his side and walk away, deeper into the forest.
Nemesis
(Vengeance, Swift Arrow)
Nemesis
And you should fear the vengeance of the gods . . . the wrath, the unforgetting wrath of Nemesis. —Ovid, Metamorphoses (trans. AD Melville) After the loss of his daughter, Manitou walked away, drifting and lost among the trees to untangle his mess of thoughts and emotions, leaving behind Mab and his home with only what he carried. For days and nights, he wandered, lost in thought, heart heavy with anger and loss. One such night, hands shoved deep in his pockets against the chill of rain, he discovered a single acorn from the oak tree in the Bear Marches where he spent many hours reminiscing on his conquests and delighting in his own cleverness. Manitou whispered his sadness to the little acorn. He told the acorn of how he would seek his vengeance, how he would love and protect his lost daughter should he ever get her back, how he would rise above this atrocity and reclaim what was his. For decades, that acorn was Manitou’s only companion, quietly listening to his secrets and his songs.
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My vengeance needs blood.
—Marquis de Sade
Manitou reached the heart of a new forest and decided it was time to move forward, to create anew. His first act of creation was to plant his traveling companion near the center of the forest, to provide him a place of comfort. The little acorn grew into a tree at an exceptional rate, reaching Manitou’s waist the first evening and spreading its limbs to cover his head in less than a week. Manitou woke one morning to a beautiful voice. Perched upon a branch of his companion oak tree was a dryad, singing the songs of his past. She introduced herself as Adrestia and offered her aid to Manitou in his quest for new things. Manitou taught Adrestia the ways of war and guile. She learned with enthusiasm, but as a dryad of the first oak of the glen, she had to remain close to her tree, unable to venture far from her home. Manitou saw the regret in Adrestia’s eyes as she listened to his stories of the lands beyond the grove. Their relationship grew with the passing of the seasons, and as Adrestia’s oak turned from green to scarlet, Manitou plucked its first acorn to craft a gift for Adrestia. He inscribed on the smooth nut a secret and wrapped it in the first fallen leaves from the tree. Manitou gave
The Faerie Ring reality—at least consciously. Her body, her reflexes and instincts, are relishing her blood-soaked second nativity. Her newfound calculating intensity is fueled by her need for retribution, and she is serving that need well on those injustices deserving of her attention. And Mahu is looming large in her subconscious.
the tiny bundle to Adrestia, and it released her from the limitations of her tree: as long as she kept the acorn safe, she could explore beyond the canopy of the trees. Adrestia spent many years with Manitou, wandering endless worlds, sharing his joy as he created the pooka. She loved each of his creations and rejoiced in his renewed energy. Her love for him grew, and the two became lovers.
BEING NEMESIS
Eventually, the pooka began to fall to the hungering. Fearing for the dear creatures—long treating them as her own—Adrestia poured all of her attention into caring for those afflicted. One morning, distraction got the best of her, and she was devoured whole by a bigmouth in her care, disappearing down into the unknown blackness. Days later, she managed the impossible, crawling back out of the seeming oblivion of the bigmouth’s maw. The ordeal killed the bigmouth outright; Adrestia’s wounds promised to take her shortly after. Manitou attended to her with all he could muster, but the worst of her wounds were not from the bigmouth and were unresponsive to his magics. He held her as she faded. But death could not contain her will to live. From her near-dead body, she sprung anew, shedding her old form like a husk. It was the acorn that Manitou had gifted her to which her soul anchored once again— upon the acorn that Manitou had inadvertently etched his bitterness and regret, his rage now writ upon her soul. In the place of the dryad Adrestia arose the quiddity Nemesis, a vessel of retribution. Embracing that portion of Manitou’s darkness gave her the lifeline to escape Nowhere and Mahu’s clutches. But the pain and anger it brought with it, the tears of Manitou’s stories, flooded her with memories of vengeance, of rage. These fresh wounds of emotion overwhelmed her, and she ran away, unable to properly process everything she was feeling. Blaming himself for darkening her soul, Manitou fell into despondency and did not follow, instead burying himself deeper in his self-loathing, seeking only isolation. Nemesis is not yet able to fully process her new
Nemesis was born of sadness and anger, of the desires for vengeance. Nemesis does not attend to the niceties of the fey world. She knows that the fey have a deep tradition of betrayal and that they are their own worst enemies. She does keep close tabs on the lords and ladies, though, to manipulate the smaller players in every situation to bring about embarrassment or worse to those who succumb to their own arrogance and hubris. While Nemesis finds great satisfaction helping fey lords make fools of themselves, her nature gives her ample time to move among the mortals, who are more apt to need to be shown the error of their ways. Nemesis sees much of the world as extremes and seeks to bring all things and creatures to a middle ground. Not only does Nemesis lay low those who think highly of themselves, her purpose is to give what is due, which may mean joy to the downtrodden. Her methods may at times be direct and sure, but she possesses the subtlety and sophistication of Manitou’s talents for revenge and should never be underestimated bringing justice to a situation. Relationships: Nemesis rarely has reason to seek out other fey, unless they require her assistance. She prefers the solitude of the forest and planning retribution upon those who have wronged her or those she protects. She is intrigued by the activities of the fey court, of Mab, Titania and Oberon, the others. Their eternal tit for tat provides Nemesis endless opportunities to push in the right place and provide all parties with their comeuppance while being able to watch them blame one another for the slights and inconveniences. While Nemesis and Mab have both been lover to Manitou, the two have never met. Some believe Mab is jealous of “her replacement” and harbors ill will. Others believe it is Nemesis who avoids the night queen and possible
NONE CAN ESCAPE
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entanglements because of what private information Nemesis was privy to being with Manitou. Regardless, neither seems slighted at the lack of the other’s companionship. Nemesis hates Mahu for his ongoing massacre of the pooka, and she is setting her pieces in place for retaliation. Characteristics: Born of the stories and desires of Manitou and grown from an acorn, Nemesis has some shapeshift ing abilities, but she began life as a dryad and that is how she most frequently chooses to appear:
a young woman with oaken skin and hair the color of fallen leaves. (She may also appear to be an elderly woman to avoid observation.) Nemesis knows no shame nor does she seek to cover herself when not needed. She does not typically carry weapons, rather she crafts herself to suit her needs and draws from her surroundings to turn the environment against her target. As a quiddity, Nemesis is bound by her memento mori, her acorn heart crafted by Manitou. She wears several acorns on her person, sometimes embedded into her flesh or hanging as ornaments from her ears or around her neck. Only she knows the first seed’s true location. Strategy & Tactics: Nemesis fears little and acts accordingly. Against most opponents, she strikes quickly As a quiddity, Nemesis has no true demesne, but she has taken and with precision, using the weapons control over the demiplane of Ramnus. Ramnus has the mildly goodshe grows from her own body to cut aligned and impeded magic (spells with the compulsion descriptor) them down. She will flee if attacked planar traits (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide by the wood from a dead dryad’s tree, for details) in addition to the following: one of her few weaknesses, but never Justice: In Ramnus, the virtuous may prosper whereas evil is justly for long. Her mastery of the terrain punished. However, the nature of the plane is unforgiving of goodallows her to stalk those who would intent when committing evil actions. Whenever a creature within threaten her until she can deal a final Ramnus performs an evil action (subject to GM discretion), they are blow and ensure they never harm her targeted by a bestow curse spell (CL 20th, DC 20 Will save negates). or another dryad ever again. When However, the duration of the bestow curse effect is not necessarily hunting those who have committed permanent. The effect’s duration is dependent on the severity of the crimes, in her eyes, Nemesis grows evil action (minimum 1 day). A curse gained from a minor action patient. She stalks her prey, learning (such as a hurtful insult or cheating in a game) might last only 1 day. what drives them: what they love and A curse resulting from a moderately evil action (such as stealing what they hate. Only then, when she from the community or executing a criminal) could last for a week knows the criminal, does she craft an or more. Severely evil actions (such as killing an innocent or slavery) appropriate punishment. Some, such could result in a permanent curse. as the youth Narcissus, are fortunate The curse gained tends to reflect the evil action committed. For and only suffer an ironic fate. Others, example, a liar might take a penalty to Charisma and a murderer Nemesis takes her time with. She might become paralyzed by existential fear of death (50% chance destroys their life, piece by piece, to act normally). The curse can be removed if the creature who ensuring all joys transform into committed the evil act atones for their actions, usually requiring sorrows, friend to enemies, lovers the minimum of a confession and reparations to victims. The curse to bitter foes, accomplishments to persists beyond Ramnus’s boundaries. A creature can gain any dismal failures, and only then does number of curses from this effect, and the effects are cumulative. she put her victims out of their misery.
Nemesis’s Demesne
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The Faerie Ring
Ramnus
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But pernicious and ruined, spattered with mud he went to the crows, the ill-omened and so to speak unmentionable man having received in succession the wages of his abomination; he who gives strange judgments condemned many, not fearing vengeance, not heeding Adrasteia, nor caring for Nemesis. But these things are clear evidence of his Tartarus-like and Tantalian punishment; [he] who did many evil deeds, who will pay many evil penalties. —Suda (trans. Green) Though Nemesis has no true demesne, she was able to exert some control over the settlement and environs of Ramnus by anchoring it to her oak with the help of the furies, effectively creating a demiplane. Unfortunately, this has the side effect of tying Ramnus to her memento mori, intimately linking her to this parcel of land. She uses Ramnus as a sanctuary for those seeking protection from unjust oppression. Unlike most fey controlled areas, Ramnus is accessible to fey and mortals alike, one simply needs to be in desperate need to escape unjust persecution and fleeing their oppressors. Ramnus initially appears as any forested area near the escapee’s location, but it transitions to an old deciduous forest of primarily oaks. A clear and safe path presents itself to those who enter the forest in their time of need and leads them to the village, located roughly in the center of the demesne. The Village of Ramnus: The mortals who reside in Ramnus reside in the village (also known as Ramnus), the only settlement within the strange forest. Residents are provided with comfort and protection and expected to help provide for the community as a whole. Ramnus appears to a viewer as any other village they are familiar with, for comfort. As the residents acclimate to the village, the permanent structures appear of worked stone and provide homes to residents. Other buildings are cobbled together from reclaimed wood from the forest and are used for livestock. Residents report
subtle shifting and the appearances of new buildings prior to new arrivals. A handful of individuals choose not to live within the village proper but, instead, a short distance off on small farms or crofts, which are protected by glaistigs. The Wilderness: The wilderness is the area surrounding the village of Ramnus and touching the mortal world. As fairy tales often tell, the lost must first wander the wilderness before finding salvation and retribution. Those who seek solace within the wilderness are welcomed with what is due. For those who are persecuted, succor is their due. Should victims enter the forest while being pursued, the forest twists in on itself, covering the path of the victim, and redirects the pursuers back out of the forest. Once an individual has been accepted by the wilderness, they may leave and return at will as long as they do so without malice in their heart. The wilderness in its base form is an old deciduous forest, spotted with small clearings edged with berry bushes that provide fresh fruit for residents, whether fey, human, or animal. The wilderness is home to the grove where Nemesis’s oak grows.
THE GIBBETS
One of the more prominent locations in the village, the Gibbets stand atop a rise in the center of the village. Standing as a prominent reminder of the penalty for harming other residents or refusing to aid the community to the extent of one’s abilities. The bodies hang here for seven days before being cut down and disposed of. Various magical means keep the smell of rot from permeating the village and drive off vermin and carrion birds attracted to the bodies. For especially egregious and persistent crimes, the grass-covered hill below the Gibbets takes on a festival atmosphere as residents celebrate the end of the vile activities.
HALL OF REFLECTION
Adjacent to a mirror maker’s shop, this warehouse holds several mirrors, containing memories of varied creatures from throughout the multiverse. After paying a steep price, usually the removal of powerful memories,
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visitors to the hall can examine a specific individual’s memories. Those who break into the hall to illicitly access memories are instead met by nightmarish images from horrific remembrances. At least once a week, a dead body is found in the hall, its eyes still showing the terror experienced by the victim.
HEARTWOOD EMPORIUM
A shop catering almost exclusively to dryads, the Heartwood Emporium specializes in acorns attuned to their buyers. Dryads who lose their oak trees travel to Ramnus and immediately seek out the emporium for a replacement. Fortunately, the unique nature of the demiplane allows the dryads to survive separation from their trees until they find a suitable substitute. No one is certain what the dryads pay for the acorns, which will grow into their new bonded trees, but villagers speculate the dryads return with the first yield of acorns from their trees. While it would seem no one else would be interested in the wares sold here, several non-dryad buyers with their own agendas, sinister or benign, make acorn purchases. Dark rumors suggest many of the buyers wish to grow oak trees to entice and trap dryads.
HUNTING GROUNDS
This bounded area of trees and rolling hills holds plentiful game along with a smattering of predators. Like many locations in Ramnus’s surrounds, the Hunting Grounds are aware of visiting hunters’ needs. Hunters are directed away from prey when they have met their quota, while those whom the grounds recognize as hunting for sport find themselves sealed into the area where they become prey for roaming predators. Sincerely contrite hunters are released from deadly jaws and, ultimately, the Hunting Grounds, but unrepentant killers meet their end. Their bones are left as warnings about transgressing against the natural law set by the area.
LIBRARY OF LOST AND FORGOTTEN TOMES
A sign outside this vast manor proclaims it simply “Library.” The building is open at all hours, and opening
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the door at the main entrance causes an avalanche of books to crash upon the door’s opener. Inside is a maze of bookcases and stacks of books, catalogued in an unrecognizable fashion. The only hope of finding a book here is to call upon a stout, gnomish fey who refers to herself only as the Librarian. She is happy to point visitors in the direction of the books they seek but is prone to rambling discussions only tangentially related to the sought-after tomes. While the library seems to have no protection other than the doddering librarian, all books removed from the library instantly vanish from the hands or packs of their thieves. The offenders are marked with a rune declaring them as thieves and negatively impacting their dealings with Ramnus’s residents until the rune is removed, a task requiring moderately powerful magic.
LONELY TOWER
Standing a mile to the northwest of the village, this unadorned stone tower reaches a height of two hundred feet. Every so often, cries of a person held prisoner in the tower resonate throughout the land and sometimes reach the village on clear, windless days. The village’s inhabitants ignore such pleas for release since they are usually a trap for “heroic” adventurers, and there are plenty of such people at any given time in the village. Sometimes, the prisoner is an actual prisoner who gifts his or her rescuer with wealth, land, or magic, but the most prevalent scenario involves a fey creature who needs heedless victims to fill its stew pot.
LOST ALLEY
As a practical joke played on clueless visitors and to earn some coin or a future favor, the fey in the village direct travellers through this section of town, which continually shifts out of existence. Once trapped, victims can expect to wait for up to a week to escape the alley as it finally rejoins Ramnus, unless they possess magical means of travel. A fey creature, seemingly unaffiliated with the resident who provided the bad directions, usually introduces themself to the marks an hour after they arrive and have at least partially exhausted attempts to escape. For a small price, most often material, but sometimes in the form of an esoteric
The Faerie Ring request or the promise to fulfill a bargain in the future, the fey will guide their victims out through previously unseen—but now patently obvious—methods.
MARKETPLACE ESOTERICA
Visitors to Ramnus likely have the Marketplace Esoterica as their destination. Here, they can find items virtually unheard of in the multiverse. Most buyers are savvy enough to avoid cursed items offloaded at prices too good to be true. Still, many cursed items leave the marketplace and wind up wreaking havoc like an invasive species to their new worlds. Items and creatures sold here possess oddly specific yet seemingly straightforward rules governing their safe use. Oftentimes, either through accident or ignorance, new owners violate the rules and unleash horrors upon their homes. The Marketplace Esoterica serves as a destination for unwanted cursed items their owners cannot destroy. A few fey who set up stalls in the marketplace will purchase or trade for an intriguing cursed item.
MEANDERING PATH
The woods surrounding the village provide a way to travel directly to the village. However, for those with a (perhaps unknown to them) question in their hearts, the woods grant an alternative path. This wandering way seems to go in a spiral or double back on itself as it provides cryptic clues to answers for matters weighing on travelers’ minds. Once travelers understand the answers, or accept they cannot uncover solutions and give up on the problems, the Meandering Path rejoins the main path to the village.
MELANCHOLY BLUFF
When the village and surrounding land was torn out to create Nemesis’s demiplane, the tear created an overlook positioned atop a precipitous drop. At first, the impossibly high cliff saw several suicides, but the buildup of negative emotions destabilized the land: the cliff began to crumble and tremors shook the area, threatening disaster for the demiplane. Now, the trails lead the truly suicidal away from the cliff while urging those with redeemable sadness in their hearts
to continue onward. At the cliff side, these miserable souls find loved ones or items they thought lost, possibly returning meaning to their lives. Winds still blow mournfully along the cliff, but it has become a place of joy in contradiction to the name given by the inhabitants; one they refuse to change.
A NEW YOU
Ostensibly a spa visited solely by visitors to the village, this location brings in its largest revenue by changing the identities of its clientele. The mostly law-abiding citizens have no need for such drastic changes in appearance—the land seems to suss out their identities anyway—and travelers on the wrong side of Ramnus’s law are turned away. But for those on the run from extradimensional beings, this shop provides convincing disguises. Clients have the choice of either a temporary or a permanent change, and the price is usually just the retaining clients’ old appearances. Since the fey that staff A New You don’t pay attention to multiversal concerns, however, they sometimes inadvertently change the appearance of new clients to those of targets still actively under pursuit and release the unsuspecting people to face consequences just as bad as, if not worse than, the problems they have fled.
WISHING WELL
This simple stone well stands due east five hundred feet from the outskirts of the village. The well is in pristine condition—swept of debris and its gray stone spotless—and features a winch and bucket with which to draw fresh water from the well. For those who know the well’s true purpose, they can throw in a coin of any denomination and make a wish. Throwing in the coin only awakens the well’s magical process, however, which now provides the wisher instructions for obtaining their desires. Supposedly, the well has never failed to deliver on a wish, provided the wisher follows its instructions perfectly. However, the quests become increasingly difficult, meaning only the most stalwart receive their wishes. Residents of Ramnus speak of tasks set by the well as steps to complete one of Nemesis’s hidden agendas.
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Norns & Others
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The weird sisters, hand in hand, Posters of the sea and land, Thus do go about, about: Thrice to thine and thrice to mine And thrice again, to make up nine. Peace! The charm’s wound up. —William Shakespeare, Macbeth (I. iii.) Whether the norns are cursed or blessed by prophecy is up to the interpreter; their origins are equally mysterious. No fey lord claims to have created them, nor do the lords particularly welcome norns into their courts. Their ability to see to the truth of matters makes dealings among the within the court difficult.
NORNS Of many births the Norns must be, Nor one in race they were; Some to gods, others to elves are kin, And Dvalin’s daughters some. —“Fáfnismál,” Codex Regius (trans. Bellows) Talk about mysterious! The norns (or nornir, if you prefer) are the masterwork of all mystery. They bear witness to the future—before it happens! Or so the story goes. A norn appears when a path diverges and important decisions must be made. Rarely the decision makers, instead, they provide cryptic guidance and advice to those in need. They seem unable to provide direct answers to direct questions. And they speak through innuendo and metaphor, requiring the recipient of the message to parse out any true meaning, of which there could
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be many. Norns travel wherever they feel needed and are not tied to any one location, although some live in the place of their birth for many generations, others living transiently, only retiring to private hermitage in inhospitable locations during times of trouble to avoid danger, which tends to follow them after their counsel is misinterpreted or poorly received. Some believe that norns see the future. Others suspect that they are merely astute observers of their surroundings and the behavior of others and that they are able to accurately predict outcomes with startlingly high success. Whatever the case, they are curious creatures and delight in watching the passing of mortal life just beyond their doorstep. A solitary norn may dwell near mortal settlements, taking on the role of “wise woman” or “mad hermit” that brave or foolish locals engage in trade with and occasionally turn to in times of trouble for advice, healing, and other more nefarious reasons. Norns are crafty in their treatment of petitioners, carefully couching their responses in order to avoid indebting themselves to the mortal population, but keeping the lines of communication open. They are aware of the comings and goings of those who would do harm to their community and try to protect those near to them and, by extension, themselves. While they are careful never to fully lie, they are well known for being enigmatic and hiding the meaning of their words within riddles. Norns deal honestly, never taking advantage of those with honest intent, but they have little tolerance for foolishness and take deep offense of those who attempt to take advantage of them or those they consider to be under their protection. Environment & Society: Norns are especially interesting—(aren’t we all!)—in that they can spring from any stock. They are born among fey and even mortals from any lineage, though they themselves are always fey, and are identified by their blindness and unusual shape-shifting traits. Norns commonly arise from other fey lines when those fey are overcome by strong predictive abilities, regardless of heritage. And norns do breed true all on their own. Of course, norns born of mortals are most typical with those mortals that live in close proximity to
The Faerie Ring faerie-favored areas, that have found favor among the fey themselves, or that may have distant fey lineage. As such, norns appear immortal, living life spans far surpassing that of their human neighbors. It is rumored that they choose the time and the place of their passing. Despite being most commonly associated with those of the frigid north, norns can appear in any society and from any lineage, and they may go by other local names. Typical Characteristics: Most norns are nearly blind and lack acute vision, which decreases the distractions of the physical world and expands their abilities to perceive beyond their immediate surroundings. It is these “visions” for which norns are most renowned. Such visions often plague one or more of a norn’s parents prior to the norn’s birth. This is true for parents of either fey or mortal decent. Norns vary widely in their appearance, both as a group and individually. All norns have two forms, a female form and a male form, which they may change at will. Many norns exist primarily in one form or the other, but some change their identities frequently, even multiple times in the course of a single conversation. Their appearances in their alternate forms are similar and described as familial by observers. Norns may procreate in either form. When a female norn becomes pregnant, she is unable to shift to her male genitalia until the birth of her child, but she can change her appearance if she chooses. Relationships: Norns lack a greater society, preferring to practice their arts in solitude, in pairs, or as covens of three. In groups
they are known as “brotherhoods,” “sisterhoods,” or simply “covens,” depending on the composition of the group at the time. They do not collect in large numbers for any length of time (though they will seek out other fey and mortals as companions). There is a curious exception to these “rules” (as you like to call them), however. Norns have started to flock toward Nemesis. They take up a large proportion of Ramnus’s population. Now, many don’t stay long, and in fact, there seems to be a steady turnover of its norn inhabitants, but it continues to sustain a very large and steadily growing norn population.
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Why would this be the case? It’s not clear. Some onlookers claim it a safe haven to those driven away from other populations. Some presume it more of a “holy” pilgrimage to attend their chosen liege, Nemesis. Most curiously, some suppose the norns, having shared some great vision of the future, congregate to bear witness and offer Nemesis what support they can. Whatever the truth, norns are silent about it. But, as a whole, they do very much enjoy watching individuals receive their rewards, whether overcoming great odds or falling to hubris. Strategy & Tactics: The norns do not engage in combat. They have no need. They know when and where a blow against them will land and are never there to be cut down. If need be, they use their magic to vanish and change shape to avoid an enemy. It is said, if one of the norns is struck down it is only because they saw the need and accepted their ultimate fate.
FURIES
It’s true, the courts celebrate almost constantly, but this was more than the girls could take. The three had retained much stubbornness from their human heritage while gaining much audacity from their fey benefactors, and they were having none of this. The thought of being split apart was simply too much to bear, so they fled. They struck out on their own. They ran and hid, living off the land on the margins, constantly moving in fear that someone would try to tear them apart again. They hid, disguised, among outcast communities on occasion, but one too many near misses with supposed “friends” turning them over to the courts made them very distrustful of others. So they stuck to there own company and forged their own way. If there was any doubt before, there could be none now: they had become full-fledged fey by now and were already growing into their potency.
OH, SWEET REVENGE
Ay, drunk with human blood, And by the draught made bold, within these halls Abides a rout, not easy to eject, Of sister Furies; lodged within these walls They chant in chorus the primeval curse. —Aeschylus, Agamemnon (trans. Swanwick)
Next of the Furies other dread assaults He pictured, springing from my father’s blood. For the dark shafts of those beneath the earth, (The slain who cry for vengeance to their kin,) With frenzy wild, and groundless fear at night, Disturb and harass his distracted soul . . . —Aeschylus, Choephori (trans. Swanwick)
So it began with Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. Unique among the fey, they were the first changelings. Way back—way, way back—when humanity was still new, three sisters were lost, or abandoned as some stories have suggested. Not so dissimilar to twilight children, the sisters were collected by the fey and raised as their own. The curiosity of their identical appearance brought much favor within the court. Though, despite the attention they received, the sisters found everything they needed in one another. Their shared countenance was deemed a sign, and it was decreed that they would be separated as fosterlings, rotating through the various fey houses as a symbol of prestige to those currently in favor, only to be brought together during courtly celebration.
As young ladies, the three had managed for years to evade capture, living off their adopted world and slowly embracing their burgeoning fey claim. They changed by dint of will, surviving and even embracing the faerie realms. They became the Furies, doling out righteous retribution to mortal and fey alike. And they did it together. To the hells with anyone that would change that. Typical Characteristics: As adults, the sisters remain identical in appearance, but they have a diverse set of skills and interests. Having grown up within the faerie realms, they have taken on otherworldly aspects in combination to their natural beauty as human-borne children. Their olive complexions and dark hair hint at their mortal origins.
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The Faerie Ring All are trained in combat and deadly with their weapons of choice. Alecto, known as the Unceasing Anger, favors the bow and finds most displeasure with those who lack a good moral compass. Megaera is a master of daggers, and as the jealous one, she makes her revenge personal for those who are unfaithful to their spouses or others with whom they have allegiances. Tisiphone takes great exception to those who murder and avenges victims with her great sword. Development: The sisters grew lonely at some point; revenge brings few friends. So they made their daughters. They created a “coven” of three girls, possessing different appearances from the originals but all alike themselves. These girls grew into a coven of furies all their own with all the similarities and uniquenesses of their mothers. Each such coven of furies can create such covens of their own upon maturity, all known as furies. The furies currently number in the several hundred, but they tend to strike out on their own, as covens, at maturity, mothers and daughters reuniting only on occasion. Relationships: The trauma of their frequent separations did not sit well with the original sisters. The anger festered and bloomed— was it a lust for retribution or a physical necessity; did they carve out their own niche or was it maybe an imperative from some higher order? They became the Furies, the Erinyes, the Kindly
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Ones; they’ve had so many names. But their intensity hasn’t won them many friends. So they are curious about Nemesis and find themselves drawn to her. Nemesis might prove an ally—even friend—but they are cautious, and they won’t hesitate to take their due from even one such as Nemesis should
she prove unworthy of their respect. Strategy & Tactics: Unlike Nemesis, the furies are neither subtle nor ironic in their punishments. They attack directly and swift ly, using their chosen weapons to rain down suffering and death on those they marked as deserving of their vengeance. A fury often hunts alone, but if threatened, they will summon aid in the form of her sisters. The three work in perfect harmony as a team: to use the originals as example, Alecto peppers opponents from afar with arrows while Megaera and Tisiphone work in harmony to flank and cut them down in melee combat.
GLAISTIGS She gave him the curse of the people And the curse of the proud; And if we believe what we hear, She got her desire: “Grow like the rushes, Wither like the fern, Grey in your childhood, Fading in the flower of your strength; But I pray not that you may have no son in your place. I am a sprite of sorrow, That dwelt in the meadow-land; I raised a big house on the Foich, And it has made a pain in my body. I will pour out my heart’s blood On Sgurr Finisgeig up there, On three rushy hillocks, And they will be red till the day of doom.” And she leapt in a green flame Over the shoulder of the crag. —Donald MacMhuirich, “Glaistig Lianachain” (trans. Craigie) Glaistigs are tutelary fey, prone to be protective when they are respected. But turn a blind eye—or worse—and they will show that they are not to be trifled with. When propitiated, they protect livestock
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The Faerie Ring and children. Similar to brownies, they might help with the upkeep of the home. A glaistig primarily focuses on livestock, and should a family leave their farm, the glaistig would only follow if the livestock is also moved. Maintaining good relations with these feyfolk ensures cows continue to give ample milk and chickens lay eggs in excess. Wise farmers pay tribute to the glaistig who has taken their farm under her careful watch. The household that offends the glaistig may find their cows no longer able to give milk and eventually see their farms fail beyond recovery. Or much worse. In addition to promoting prosperity on the farm, a glaistig protects the farm itself, playing tricks on would-be vandals or thieves, leading them astray. Many a highwayman has become lost in the moors of the highlands, most never to be seen again. A glaistig might also befriend small children of the households she aligns with, playing games and mostly harmless pranks with the children, keeping them from straying while older family members work the fields and tend the herds. Playing tricks on the glaistig is intolerable. Folklore tells of a young mischievous shepherd who poured boiling milk on the stone where the village paid their tribute. The local glaistig burned her tongue on the scalding hot milk and revoked her protection on the village. The village’s crops and livestock failed for several years until the villagers cast out the lad and regained the trust of the Green Lady. Typical Characteristics: Glaistigs are solitary, regional feyfolk who reside almost exclusively in rural greenbelts, especially near waterways, lochs, and rivers. They appear as women with long yellow hair, wearing flowing green gowns, covering their legs, which are the hindquarters of goats. Due to their gowns, glaistigs are sometimes known as Green Ladies. A glaistig may take all three forms of woman, goat, or hybrid. They can be attracted to any home that leaves them the first milk of their livestock. Relationships: As tutelary fey, glaistigs have much in common with dryads and other nymphs, often sharing concerns and suffering the same kinds of aggressions. So there is a natural respect between these
fey, especially of boundaries. And glaistig and nymphs and all other similar fey have been attracted to Nemesis. Many find her style of retribution compelling and see her as a kindred spirit. Strategy & Tactics: As fey of the farms, glaistig has no interest in direct combat. Instead, they use their invisibility and multiple forms to confound and confuse an enemy into causing harm to themselves. If someone has truly incurred a glaistig’s wrath, they are content to bestow their curses upon the poor soul and watch as their lives are unraveled not by steel but by fate.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
PORTIA
The judgement of the furies has never really been brought into question. Until now, anyway. To be clear, of course, not everyone has recognized their decrees or agreed with the finality of their punishments, but it was always clear, always understood: if you behave in a particular way, then you risk their wrath. And anyway, the furies’ enforcement typically dovetails with those of major governments while rarely crossing into their borders—since the furies primarily stay within their own personally defined borders, or “hunting grounds,” if you will, except when especially egregious offenders take the chase beyond that—so governments are more than happy to leave well enough alone lest they risk that wrath themselves. What happens to the occasional vagabond on the road to nowhere is no oafish official’s concern. But Portia . . . ! Let’s back up. There was a time many years past, that a certain king’s retainers—a king young and ambitious and far too ready to make “examples” out of anyone— were chasing a certain wanted individual of fey blood through the deep wood. The trail brought them to
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Cloud Bottom, the collective famous for its neutrality in relations between humanoid and fey, and sanctuary was invoked. The king, without hesitation, descended upon the settlement with his troops. The rest is for the history books. But while many have heard of the massacre at Cloud Bottom, very few know of its subsequent connection to Portia. (You’re welcome.) You see, among all the victims at Cloud Bottom were a coven of orphaned furies, still too young to fend for themselves, even for furies. But one fury survived, and her rage would prove unquenchable. Portia pulled herself from those fallen and fueled herself with their memory. She became a destroying angel, cleansing the multiverse with her rage. The difference—and the real problem with those in
Orphic Hymn
Thee, Nemesis I call, almighty queen, By whom the deeds of mortal life are seen: Eternal, much rever’d, of boundless sight, Alone rejoicing in the just and right: Changing the counsels of the human breast For ever various, rolling without rest. To every mortal is thy influence known, And men beneath thy righteous bondage groan; For ev’ry thought within the mind conceal’d Is to thy fight perspicuously reveal’d. The soul unwilling reason to obey By lawless passion rul’d, thy eyes survey. All to see, hear, and rule, O pow’r divine Whose nature Equity contains, is thine. Come, blessed, holy Goddess, hear my pray’r, And make thy mystic’s life, thy constant care: Give aid benignant in the needful hour, And strength abundant to the reas’ning pow’r; And far avert the dire, unfriendly race Of counsels impious, arrogant, and base. —“To Nemesis” (trans. Taylor)
charge—was twofold. Portia was no longer content to settle within her range. She takes death freely on the road and ignores borders. Also, her judgements have become more arbitrary—at least to outside viewers. Rather than stalking those that have committed certain crimes, she lashes out against all forms of authority. She has launched a one fury assault on nothing less than all authority everywhere. Relationships: Portia has gone rogue from the norms of the furies. She has ignored all of their entreaties, though she raises no hand against her sistren. This has never happened before, and being highly dualistic in nature—individualist in the extreme yet possessing intense familial ties to their covens—the other furies are unsure of how to proceed. The idea of censuring their own kind is anathema to their core, but his apparent deviance from their nature brings into question their entire sense of justice. Characteristics: Portia is without coven, without family. She is clinging to her hate. But she is also alone, though perhaps not admitting her needs fully to herself. She longs for the connection of her sisters once again, but those ties are changed, tainted, and she always seems to come back to the blood. She is a deadly vigilante, following her instincts and the bloody promise she made herself. The survivors of Cloud Bottom have recently started rebuilding, gathering more likeminded souls to their renewed cause. They have reached out to Portia, and they alone have the best chance of breaching her emotional armor. Strategy & Tactics: Scythe in hand, Portia stalks her chosen victims—criminals, really, according to her sense of justice—waiting until they are alone to strike, for she wants to have the time to confront them with their sins. She needs for them to face their own despicable deeds before she frees the world of their tyranny.
WHISPER
The woman never spoke of the lover she met in the woods, but the midwife knew the signs. For when the babe was born, it had the sightless eyes of the norn and it did not cry but, as the old woman bent her head close,
and set her on a course of destruction, revealing a mortal or fey whose crimes are so heinous they must Embedded within a quiet mountain wood, there bubbles to the surface be avenged. Nemesis has so many hot springs. As they feed into the snowmelt, rolling through the learned not to question landscape as the perpetually steamy river and waterfalls it feeds, veiling all the these prophecies but to valley of the aptly named Misty Mountain. Atop one of those falls sits the Gray simply act upon them with Lodge, the center of all of Cloud Bottom and the freedom it represents. all speed. Whisper is never The land here is a natural border between the Material and the Preternatural, wrong. so there was a time when it was the staging ground for great conflict. But the Characteristics: As a locals—those of both sides—decided they’d had enough. They broke from norn, Whisper can take on their lords, from their old ways, and together, they forged anew. many forms, but she seems They turned the region into communal lands to the benefit of all, into to prefer that of a young sanctuary for those in need, into a different path for those seeking change. All girl, dressed in rags with of that, though, was brought to a crashing halt by the old regimes. But Cloud bare feet and a blindfold Bottom is rebuilding and working toward better defending those ideals. covering her eyes. Strategy & Tactics: Whisper has no strategy, no tactics. If attacked, she whispered terrible truths into her ear. simply removes herself from the That might have been the end of the child right there battlefield. She never retaliates; she never attacks. It is and then, but the mother had made her moonlight lover unknown if she is even capable of it. a promise: she would raise her daughter and release her into the world when she came of age. From there, the child would wander for eternity, truths and prophecies dripping from her lips in quiet, terrifying whispers. Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would Whisper never talks of herself but appears at likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds moments of great importance, forks in the road of and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in history itself. Since her birth, centuries ago, she has your game: appeared at key moments among both mortals and fey. ❖ Those at court are none too keen on garnering Always, she approaches someone, sometimes a peasant Nemesis’s attention. While individuals have been and other times a queen, and whispers prophecy. No toying with wards specifically against Nemesis, one has ever revealed Whisper’s messages, but based to varying degrees of success, it is said that some upon them, battle plans have changed, heirs have died, have pooled their resources to create a colossus, and kingdoms have been conquered. It is unknown specifically to defeat Nemesis. if Whisper has some grand scheme or if she is simply ❖ Norns are going insane. Many have seen visions a servant of fate, wandering the tides of time as an that have reduced them to fits of tears and immortal oracle. Does she seek to shape destiny? Or is screams. They have provided few clues to the she simply shaped by it? Perhaps, even Whisper herself cause—other than the occasional, “It’s coming!” does not know. The affected are growing in number, and those Relationships: Nemesis has crossed paths with that haven’t yet seen the visions are terrified. Whisper more than any other among the fey. More ❖ Nemesis just launched her campaign against than once, Whisper has appeared to the dark avenger Mahu . . .
Cloud Bottom
ADDING COMPLICATION
(Imagine that you wake . . . ) . . . in darkness. Floating. Warm. Safe. All around you, you can see tiny objects, like schools of fish, yet they are not fish, nor do you have any concept of fish, anyway. Little blobs, all different colors, swarming and swimming through the midnight sea. You watch as one of them surrounds and consumes another, growing larger. And so you try it yourself, stretching out a nameless part of you to gather in one of the blobs. You take it into yourself, make it part of you. It’s good. So you continue, gathering these entities to you and devouring them with a hunger that does not yet have a name. And as you grow vast, you start to see that these things were but tiny parts of larger structures, and these you can take into yourself as well. But these are more interesting. You begin to learn how they work, and to shape similar structures out of pieces of your being. Each time you grow, there’s another layer of complexity. You learn to twist them to new ends, to mimic them, to experiment. Soon, you can see that this entire universe you exist in, this vast ecosystem, is a single organism. And you have fashioned yourself in its image. You rejoice. You sing. You weep. And then it wakes and casts you out. Can you imagine the pain? Blood-wet from birth, lying beneath a burning orb as before you the universe that was your home rages and tries to destroy you? Your first and only introduction to the world: the murderous loathing of your parent. But you’ve learned. You’ve studied your creator’s design
Oleron
and made improvements. You defend yourself, lashing out with unnamed appendages, moving swift ly through this new plane of existence. Reaching out and turning it to your purposes. This was my beginning, my children, and so is it yours. Born of others, we are loathed, yes, but only with the mind. With their bodies, their cells and alleles, they love us, for they understand that we represent the potential within them. A chance to break from the mundanity of their forms and find a new way. We are change. It is natural for the old to hate the new, just as it’s natural for the new to consume the old. All parents fear their children, for their children will usher in a world they are not prepared for, could never hope to understand. Yet they love and admire them for the same reason. Life is motion. Stillness is death. Go forth, my children. Surprise me.
( Growth Without End)
Oleron the Cancer
There is one point connected with individual differences, which seems to me extremely perplexing: I refer to those genera which have sometimes been called “protean” or “polymorphic,” in which the species present an inordinate amount of variation; and hardly two naturalists can agree which forms to rank as species and which as varieties.
—Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species
Life requires growth, and growth requires change. From the maturation of a child into adulthood to the adaptation of a species through evolution, biological systems are always in flux, rebuilding and reimagining themselves. This flexibility is key to an organism’s ability to survive and thrive. Yet, sometimes, this adaptability goes too far. Cells multiply in harmful ways, perverting their systems, creating a cascade of unbounded growth. The creature that was formerly the cells’ home becomes merely a host, a vessel for something new and selfish. Cancer. Such is Oleron’s domain. Where other fey lords concern themselves with the beauty of nature or even its ferocity, he is the embodiment of runaway growth, of mutation, and of all those things that reject the functions for which they were built.
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Oleron is an ancient and mysterious sovereign, his history known almost exclusively from the stories he tells, which change and evolve frequently as befits his nature. Yet those who pay careful attention to his wandering reminiscences find a few consistent threads.
TO CHANGE, TO BECOME
The creature calling itself Oleron first rose to prominence on a plane so far distant as to be unknown to most residents of the Preternatural Planes, a world said to have been the rough draft for the Material Plane. Like all true sovereigns, he was formed from the stuff of the plane itself yet in a way stranger than most. For rather than being born directly from the plane, Oleron instead began as a single pinprick of consciousness inside the body of another sovereign. Barely aware of his own existence at first, Oleron grew inside his unknowing parent’s skin, silently incorporating more and more of that legendary fairy king’s essence into his own. By the time the host sovereign understood that something was wrong and tried to destroy his uninvited brother-child, Oleron was already fully aware and firmly entrenched. The two battled for control, a war that burned through the sovereign’s body, armies marching through his veins and organs. At last, at great cost, the original sovereign
The Faerie Ring was able to cut Oleron out, splitting his substance nearly in two, and the newborn sovereign ran free. Reveling in his hard-won agency, Oleron quickly became a lord of change, a randomizing agent that pushed all he touched in strange new directions. Fey adored him for his constant surprises, even as they feared his transmogrifying touch and his legion of tumorous servitors. He founded a demesne he called Pelora—a psychedelic place in which evolution ran at a breakneck pace, residents’ bodies twisting to follow new paths over the course of hours rather than generations. Soon, however, things began to get out of hand. As was his nature, Oleron and his demesne grew, refusing to be contained by borders. War bloomed as his magic spread its tendrils throughout the plane and began to challenge that of other sovereigns. This period would come to be known as the Great Consumption, and while Oleron was never defeated outright, he at last came to understand the threat his own essence posed to the world. Rather than let reality completely unravel, he gathered his children and began a journey far off into the wilds of the planes, vowing to never stay long enough in one spot for existence to weaken. While he has never returned to his original home, he left behind a single enchanted totem-shrine by which residents might experience his vision and journey to join him on his long walkabout.
BEING OLERON
Ever-changing Oleron is often inscrutable even to other sovereigns, forsaking fey politics in favor of conducting seemingly endless unguided experiments in the wandering nightmare realm of New Pelora. Yet over the ages, a smattering of hard-won information about the self-styled Seed of Change has remained consistent enough to be written down and regarded as fact. Oleron exists in a constant state of war with himself. On the one hand, he feels a tremendous desire to share the gift of change with other entities, breaking them free of the static forms and mindsets that imprison them. (The fact that these randomly assigned new forms are often grotesque or outright fatal to their recipients means little to the faerie lord—after all,
death is inevitable, and it’s better to roll the dice and lose than to never play at all.) On the other hand, he also understands that, left unchecked, his powers would continue to accelerate the rates of change and evolution until the entire multiverse was a single churning, roiling cauldron with forms appearing and disappearing in an eyeblink. While this admittedly holds some appeal for Oleron himself, it would likely mean the end of every other conscious being, leaving no one to appreciate his work. Thus does he restrain himself from his full flowering, keeping his demesne moving and injecting only a smattering of productive chaos into other worlds, letting his runaway growth be the jewel set in the base metal of mundane reality. Or at least, that’s how Oleron describes it. In truth, the fact that nearly every other sovereign would immediately attempt to destroy him if he didn’t rein in his powers may also factor somewhat into his decisionmaking. Relationships: While Oleron has a justifiably terrifying reputation among most fey and mortals, he’s not truly evil. Rather, he’s simply a force of change, and the mutations and unbounded growth he inspires can bring robust new crops to a blighted land or grant desperately needed immunities to a plague-ravaged people as easily as they can destroy nations. Those who dare seek him out for help find him surprisingly approachable for a sovereign, even if the results of such meetings are unpredictable. Oleron most values those mortals seeking to foster dramatic change and growth in themselves or their worlds, especially if their goals or methods are novel. In addition to growing powerful weapons, talismans, or manuscripts of hidden knowledge from his own body, he’s also a healer of incredible power, replacing fatal illnesses with comparatively benign but more visible afflictions. This tendency to outwardly mark those who petition him extends to most supplicants, and even those who seek only answers to questions are likely to find themselves with random and permanent physical changes, from functional wings or gills to rune-shaped tumors or tiny conjoined twins. Sometimes, these marks are themselves the answers petitioners seek as the rune-shaped tumors may shift to spell out divine
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revelations or the conjoined twin may whisper advice at key moments. Over the ages, Oleron’s unpredictability and compulsive need to warp stable systems has made
Oleron’s Demesne
Pelora has the divinely morphic, minor positive-dominant, strongly chaos-aligned planar traits, and subjective direction gravity planar traits (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide for details) in addition to the following: Enhanced Magic: Whenever a creature is the target of a transmutation spell that does not normally allow or require a save, the creature must succeed on a Fortitude save, or the duration is increased to permanent and the spell is not dismissible. Evolution: Within and around the demesne of New Pelora, evolution is no slow process of gradual change from one generation to the next. When a creature defeats and devours a creature with a CR greater than its own, it gains a template. The maximum CR increase of the template gained is equal to the difference in CR between the devouring and devoured creature. The most common templates gained are the advanced or giant creature simple templates (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary) or the mutant template (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 5), but other templates might be appropriate at GM discretion. Wandering: Once every 1d20 days, the entire demesne of New Pelora changes location, as the plane shift spell with the demesne appearing in a random location on a random plane. The planar traits for 5–500 miles (5d%) around the demesne are altered to the demesne’s planar traits (except for the wandering planar trait).
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him many enemies among other sovereigns; hence, his constant traveling. Currently, only Manitou can actually be said to like him, with the trickster god appreciating the chaos he sows. While Korapira enjoys his wild, undirected growth in as much as it can further her goals, she disdains that he plays both sides of the plant and animal divide. Characteristics: Oleron’s physical form often resembles that of a handsome, dark-skinned human man with spiral antelope horns curving up from his brow. The elegant geometric patterns of white dots that decorate his face at first look like piercings or inset gems yet, upon closer inspection, prove to be human teeth growing out of his flesh while much larger animal fangs emerge in bladelike rows along his forearms. He wears elegant clothes of forest green beneath which unknown organs and bones move and shift disturbingly. When Oleron is angry, his form becomes more monstrous with fanged mouths appearing in his cheeks, a blood-red third eye opening above his regular ones, or webbed wings sprouting from his back. When creating small objects from nothing, such as a magical weapon for a mortal who successfully seeks his aid, the items often begin as tumorous bulges on his body, massive buboes that explode open to reveal the formed item. Strategy & Tactics: The Lord of Unending Growth has little interest in direct combat and, when offended or attacked, generally prefers to twist his offenders into interesting new shapes, unleashing the chaotic potential within them. Such mutations are generally much less pleasant than his ordinary “gift s,” and attackers might suddenly find cancers covering their bodies, their sensory organs relocated, or the bacteria and other natural flora within their guts evolving to massive size and burrowing their way out. Similarly, Oleron himself may sometimes shift into more combatappropriate shapes with his skin hardening into chitinous plate mail as grotesque tubes extend from his mouth to spray acid. Oleron has no particular sense of honor and sees no point in fighting fair or standing his ground if he’s somehow losing. He also rarely holds grudges, and even those who’ve sought his death or slain his minions in the past may be welcome in his court as long as they don’t reoffend.
The Faerie Ring
New Pelora
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Cancer. When a schirrous tumor regains its sensibility by nature, or by any accidental hurt, new vessels shoot amongst the yet insensible parts of it, and a new secretion takes place of a very injurious material. This cancerous matter is absorbed, and induces swelling of the neighbouring lymphatic glands; which also become schirrous, and afterwards cancerous. —Erasmus Darwin, Zoonomia, or, the Laws of Organic Life When he was driven out of the realm of his birth following the Great Consumption, Oleron was forced to leave his original demesne behind, its greatness reduced to little more than a scar on the land. Wrapping his children up in a vast extension of himself, he abandoned the places he knew and traveled outward, beyond the reach of his former siblings and lovers. Over time, this vessel—a vast, bubo-like sphere of skin that spread out from Oleron’s very body to encompass them all—began to change. The skin ceased to be merely skin, instead expanding and shifting until it resembled the familiar planar fabric they’d left behind. Structures and ecosystems sprouted and changed. At last, the skin-ship detached itself from Oleron completely, becoming a true demesne, one that floats and wanders between the other preternatural planes, never staying in one place for long. Oleron named this place New Pelora, that his people might never forget the legend of where they came from—nor forgive their ancient persecutors. Rather than overlaying itself onto other planes, New Pelora tends to stay separate, perceived from the outside as a planet-sized balloon of roiling skin. Even so, its proximity can still wreak havoc on the ecosystems and natural laws of planes it passes near. Inside, its horizon flattens out, yet the landscape still often gives the impression of being alive with the stones themselves taking on aspects of flesh, shifting and changing regularly.
Many are the notable landmarks in New Pelora. But be warned: they tend to change with high frequency.
AMPHITHEATER OF FLESH
Bones support hardened skin and flesh to form an open-air amphitheater where residents go to listen to strange melodies produced by flute-like protrusions from the ground and hollowed out bones. Wind flowing through the amphitheater can be manipulated to blow through the odd instruments to create harmonious or discordant sounds as appropriate. Creatures with “natural” means to produce sounds, either from holes in their bodies that whistle and shriek as they dance or from tough skin producing loud drumming sounds when struck, perform in the amphitheater. From here, they hope to obtain patrons who will provide for them or further augment them to improve their music.
CLEFTS
Here, the skin of the plane scabs and cracks, creating vast fissures that spread out in lightning-bolt zigzags. Within these clefts live those of Oleron’s creatures who shun the plane’s sun, boring into the cliff walls and riddling the plane’s flesh with their tunnel-towns. Mining is a major industry here as, in addition to strange metals and gems formed in the plane’s fabric, the cracks frequently reveal the bones of forgotten magical creatures capable of acting as powerful material components for spellcasting, and the ichor streams that run across the chasm’s deadly bottoms have ever-shifting magical powers of their own. Of course, as with everything in New Pelora, change is the only constant, and miners must always be prepared to have their lucky strike turn into a deadly liability, or to scramble and tunnel for safety as clefts spontaneously close and heal, sealing their residents inside.
FOREST OF THE TWISTED
Not all of Oleron’s experiments are successful. He decided to not destroy those unfortunates, so he could eventually study them and learn from the mistakes. He relocated them to a forest of trees made of spinal columns and rib cages and allowed them to roam free. Survivors prey upon each other, establishing a
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hierarchy where the physically strongest specimens dominate the weak. Despite many of the wretched beasts missing mouths and developed vocal cords, they have learned to communicate with each other and lure outsiders to the forest with piteous cries, surrounding and devouring curious or concerned visitors.
INCOMPLETE
All residents of this town share a common trait: they are halves or parts of formerly conjoined twins. While most of the creatures possess a head and organs, the gruesomely life-sustaining magic in this location allows collections of limbs to survive without the necessary organic infrastructure. Body shops line the streets, allowing those with unwanted or burdensome attachments an option for removal. These shops also deal with whole creatures who wish to have additional appendages or heads, allowing an “incomplete” to experience a composite life again. Incomplete creatures are strangely unable to join with other such creatures and can only leave town attached to a whole creature, leading desperate residents to persuade visitors with unattainable promises. Creatures often go insane from prolonged stays, and those that escape often attempt to murder their hosts, allowing them full control.
THE INVITING GROVE
The trees at the border of this large grove have vibrant green leaves and bear large specimens of fresh fruit. The contrast between the grove and the blasted wasteland filled with diseased and tumorous flesh makes the location even more enticing to wanderers on New Pelora. Birds and small mammals roam the grove and seem at ease with visitors. Once a creature enters the grove and partakes of the bounty, untouched by disease or poison, the wind whispers with suggestions to remain safe in the grove and to become one with the trees. Those who stand in place for too long feel roots bursting through the soil and entwining around their legs as the trees farther within the grove sound soothing chimes. Creatures who press toward the center of the grove find humanoids in various states of transformation into trees. Very few of them could withstand a reversal of their transformations. The
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Caretaker, a treant covered in patches of flesh and chitin, presents an overt threat to visitors as it roams the grove and incapacitates them to allow the grove to thrive and expand against the denuded land surrounding it.
LAKE LIQUEFACTION
Measuring roughly two miles in diameter and varying from ten to five hundred feet deep, the lake is filled with potent digestive acid. Bits of indissoluble material bob just below an oily film on the surface. Oleron uses the lake to dispose of enemies as well as followers who have displeased him. He employs creatures engineered to be acid resistant to remove foreign material the lake cannot break down and to collect organic slurry produced as a byproduct of the liquidation of flesh. Oleron uses this material in his experiments.
MOYARI
Maintained by an order of mouthless monks, the Silent Shrine is Oleron’s memorial to all that was lost in the Great Consumption. Inside its walls, speaking is forbidden, upon the threat of utter obliteration. Instead, the story of the Great Consumption and lost Pelora are told through a series of enchanted paintings hanging on the packed-earth walls, their scenes moving to better display the battles and tragedies. Strangely, while many sections of New Pelora feel decidedly biological, Moyari’s great dome-mound appears to be made of simple, hard-packed dirt, the tunnels weaving through it utterly mundane. Combined with the fact that the shrine never changes with any damage immediately repaired by the monks, this leads many to believe that the dirt may itself be a relic—a portion of Oleron’s home plane drawn with him as a memento.
REZGANA
Oleron’s seat of power—when he chooses to stay in one place—is the deceptively named Palace of Change. More of a walled fortress-city than a conventional palace, Rezgana rises out of a rubbery desert of flesh and stunted cactus-trees, the tallest thing for miles around. Inside, a series of living walls and shuddering terraces divide the palace into roughly square rings, each smaller ring dozens of feet higher than the next
The Faerie Ring larger one, creating a sort of ziggurat. In the spaces between these ring walls bustle residents of all sorts— merchants in the Hagglecrack, soldiers in the Proving Grounds, or monks suspended in Solace Cages high over the streets and alleys, dedicated to understanding the mysteries of Oleron’s ways. From the center ring of the city rises a cluster of undeniably phallic towers, packed so tightly together that in places their walls merge for portions of their height, breaking apart again at seemingly random intervals. More disconcerting still is the fact that this terrace, more than any of the others, slowly rises and falls as if resting atop some enormous lungs or beating heart, the city effectively thrusting its loins at an uncaring sky. This is the Swollen Keep, Oleron’s inner sanctum. Within the towers, staircases and hallways twist like veins, and great halls and auditoriums give guests the impression of standing within hollow organs of unknown design, walls pulsing and twitching. Oleron himself most often holds court either atop the tallest of the spires, his courtiers carefully gripping spikes like piercings in the sloping, slick-fleshed roofs, or else down in the throne room proper. This latter is something of a misnomer as Oleron’s preferred throne is not a chair but, rather, a floating, concave oval of soft pink flesh, shaped as if someone had bisected a pomegranate. Within the polyp-like petals of this womb-chair, he lounges and listens to petitioners foolhardy or desperate enough to seek his aid directly.
THE OBSERVATORIES
Situated at each of New Pelora’s “poles,” a lone mound of flesh features a snaky protrusion extending several dozen feet from the mound and ending in an eye. Entering an observatory requires pushing through the dense tissue. The only features inside an observatory are two chairs made of bone sitting just below the grouping of nerve fibers comprising the ground-facing end of the telescope. By attaching the fibers to a viewer’s forehead, rendering the viewer blind, the viewer can command the eye to swivel around and view locations within a thousand miles of New Pelora. Since the eye transmits its information like a normal eye, it does not need to point straight ahead. For non-native creatures, using
a telescope is dangerous, as detaching the nerve fibers is excruciating and a viewer can be left permanently blind. Oleron sometimes uses the observatories to find new stock for his experiments.
PROVING GROUNDS
Formed from the rib cage of a massive creature, this arena serves to weed out aggressive evolutions, selecting the most highly adapted creature from them. It also provides entertainment for the intelligent inhabitants of New Pelora who bet on their favorite monstrosities. The arena also serves as a trial by combat for visitors and inhabitants who transgress against Oleron. The grounds are in an area of atmospheric instability, so capricious weather increases the chaos. One moment the area could experience blistering heat, and in the next moment a blinding blizzard could strike up.
SKIN SPIRES
These narrow mountain peaks are strangely hollow, their surfaces only inches thick in places as patchwork skin stretches over arching, riblike bones. The teras who live upon their treacherous slopes know how to traverse them safely, and they harvest the skin and bone for everything from food and clothing to the glider kites that carry them from one peak to the next. Outsiders, however, must be careful to keep from plunging through weak spots in the skin and must beware the beguiling songs that rise up out of the darkness whenever a crevasse opens.
STABILIZATION ZONE
This unremarkable ground measures roughly a quarter of a square mile: ordinary herd animals graze on normal green grass. This strange behavior, at least against the backdrop of the remainder of New Pelora, is due to a stabilizing quality inherent to the plot. Oleron makes use of it to neutralize out-of-control mutations or lock in beneficial or interesting mutations. Creatures suffering from harmful transmutations or curses, such as lycanthropy, use this area to reverse such effects and return to their true forms. While visiting this zone restores form, it does not protect against future transformations when one leaves the area.
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Teras & Others
h
Wilder as it grows, They, tortured by the agonizing pleasure, Convulsed & on the rapid whirlwinds spun Of that fierce spirit, whose unholy leisure Was soothed by mischief since the world begun, Throw back their heads & loose their streaming hair, And in their dance round her who dims the Sun Maidens & youths fling their wild arms in air As their feet twinkle; they recede, and now Bending within each other’s atmosphere Kindle invisibly; and as they glow Like moths by light attracted & repelled, Oft to new bright destruction come & go. —Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Triumph of Life Oleron looks fondly on mutants, creatures that metamorphosize during their lives, and organisms that cause rapid and uncontrolled change in others, yet his true servitors are the eerie teras.
TERAS There is no exception to the rule that every organic being naturally increases at so high a rate, that if not destroyed, the earth would soon be covered by the progeny of a single pair. Even slow-breeding man has doubled in twenty-five years, and at this rate, in a few thousand years, there would literally not be standing room for his progeny. —Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species Just as Oleron was born from the flesh of another sovereign, so too are his monstrous children. Each teras begins life as a tiny flying spore emitted by a mature teras, flying through the air by thrashing its sperm-like tail. When it finds an appropriate host—sometimes another adult teras but more often
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a creature of an entirely different species—it burrows into the creature and begins to convert that creature’s cells for its own use. Over the course of days, it grows rapidly, distending the host creature’s body in horrific ways before finally bursting forth as a twisted, tumorous double of the original creature. Surprisingly, the teras’ inherent magic keeps this separation from being fatal for the host, and most such “parents” make full recoveries, keeping only a series of unique scars. This scar tissue remains magically linked to the teras that caused it, and a former host on the same plane as its “child” can always feel a faint, aching tug in the direction of the teras it housed. Characteristics: As most teras result from the blending of genetic material between a teras parent and a host creature, their physical forms vary wildly. Most take after their non-teras parent, resembling normal members of that species, but with bodies mutated to reflect Oleron’s need for constant growth and change. For some, this results in bulging tumors and misplaced limbs, skinless abominations, or floating, psychic fetuses. Yet for others, these changes are subtle or internal, resulting in individuals with uncommonly beautiful exteriors even as their insides take on strange, never-before-seen forms. While it would be easy to dismiss the teras— especially the more grotesque-looking individuals—as mere mutants and deformed hybrids, doing so would be a grave oversight. As Oleron’s chosen people, the teras are not harmed by their deformities but rather aided, their bizarre appearances hiding ultimately beneficial traits. The tumors growing across one’s eyes might allow it to see seconds into the future, dodging attackers’ blows with ease. The handsome satyr-shaped teras might shrug off sneak attacks and mortal blows by virtue of having distributed biological processes rather than individual organs. The hardened hematoma of one teras might provide armor as hard as steel while the many mouths of another speak any language, and bone frills of a third crackle with electricity. Teras born of other races are more or less recognizable, depending on their particular biological augmentations, yet those born from a teras host tend toward a hairless humanoid form and solid black eyes. Rather than being
The Faerie Ring covered with lumpy tumors, their growth tends to come in symmetrical bulges and bony protrusions, fanning out to create complex fractal patterns either on their skin or in bone-reinforced frills and collars like elaborate outfits or armor. These individuals often possess an alien beauty capable of captivating other creatures, not unlike a nymph’s magic, and mortals who interact with them often speak worshipfully of their otherworldly grace, sometimes mistaking them for strange angels. Society: On other planes, the People of the Change—as the teras often call themselves—sometimes seek to blend into the societies of their host parents or else form small, secret enclaves near such populations. In New Pelora, however, teras are the dominant culture with a society as robust and byzantine as any empire. Pureblood teras—meaning those born from only other teras—tend to hold positions of political power yet actively encourage the lower classes to breed with other races in order to create more extreme and useful new mutations. Marriage-like partnerships are common in both pairs and small groups yet are totally divorced from the act of reproduction. Those teras who have appropriate organs due to their lineages may engage in sexual acts, but the purest of purebloods are completely androgynous—for them, sex is replaced by other sensual acts, involving touch, taste, texture, and so on. As might be expected from a people who worship innovation, social mores and political establishments are constantly shifting and changing, and any law enforced by death one day might be forgotten the next. No matter their origin, most teras are driven by two desires: to experience the new and to create change. The heart of their being pulsates with chaos, so
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experiences grow duller each time they are experienced, forcing teras to constantly seek out the new. It isn’t uncommon to find a teras feeding the poor one week and feeding on them the next, just to compare the two experiences. Relationships: How teras view Oleron depends entirely on their circumstances. For those teras trapped on other planes or far from New Pelora’s pulsating borders, he may be seen as a monster, cursing them with
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abhorrent forms that terrify the cultures around them. Within New Pelora, however, he is most often seen as a caring but aloof parent, one who rules from a distance and asks little from his subjects. Many of those who worship him as a god do so in the hopes that he will elevate them into political offices, potentially even as one of the Seven Siblings, legendary teras who serve as his chief counselors and courtesans, endlessly reshaped by his will for whatever purposes he requires.
The Faerie Ring Strategy & Tactics: Because teras’ abilities can vary wildly depending on lineage, it can be difficult to predict the best ways to combat them. There are, however, a few racial weaknesses that can be exploited. Due to the unstable nature of their genetics (and their sovereign), teras are extremely susceptible to spells that modify their bodies, their cells overcompensating or changing rapidly in an effort to respond to the stimulus. Thus, many transmutation spells either have greatly exaggerated effects or deal damage to a teras in addition to their normal effects. More than once, a caster has sought to cast a relatively harmless spell on a teras, only to be shocked as the teras literally explodes into bloody gobbets, each twitching for long minutes before finally expiring. Similarly, spells that modify time for a particular teras can trigger a similar reaction as the cells forget the rate at which they normally divide or expire. For those infected with teras young against their will, the best bet is to get underground or otherwise out of the sunlight as quickly as possible as the power inherent in solar radiation is a key component in the young’s gestation. By avoiding all light brighter than a torch, a host can keep the fetal teras senescent indefinitely, though this does not harm the child and only pauses its growth.
MEMBRAS So the young man went on, and by-and-by he saw a multitude of very dreadfu’ beasts, ilk ane o’ them wi’ twa heads, and on every head four horns. And he was sore frightened, and ran away from them as fast as he could; and glad was he when he came to a castle that stood on a hillock, wi’ the door standing wide to the wa’. —Hans Christian Andersen, “The Red Etin,” Fairy Tales and Other Stories (trans. Craigie) Even in reproduction, a teras shows great variability. Rather than producing a teras, their spore could create a membras. A membras spore is smaller and hardier,
housed inside a strange exoskeleton that makes it look more akin to a plant seed than that of a sentient being. And a membras spore is specifically drawn to its parent as it seeks out those whose physical energy calls to them. Creatures with great physical strength or grace as well as creatures deeply attuned to their bodies’ abilities and needs often find themselves face to face with a membras seed. Those who have overcome a great physical challenge, such as a near-drowning or a bout of starvation, seem to somehow call to membras seeds. When they have identified potential parents, membras seeds gently approach those creatures and land on their shoulders or in their outstretched hands. A seed then sends a harmless but undeniably alien pulse through the creature’s body with its intentions. If the parent is amenable, the seed cracks its shell and burrows harmlessly into the parent’s skin, creating a small gestation sac along its spine. Fully formed membras spring from their parents about twelve weeks after this initial contact. Typical Characteristics: Although their gestation process is similar to that of terani, membras have little else in common with their clairvoyant cousins. A membras is much larger, though its body is elongated, and along its abdomen are dozens of underdeveloped, centipede-like limbs. Likely due to the physicality that called them to their parents, membras are remarkably hardy creatures, with armor-like and contracting plates over their skin, no need to breathe air, and an extremely slow metabolism. Ranging in color from mauve to emerald green to bright purple, membras are usually four feet long and weigh about one hundred pounds. Their minds, though not brilliant, are similarly inured to mental and psychic attack, though their thoughts are slow and their speech slower. Nonetheless, membras are decidedly loyal to their parents and those they call friends, and they are formidable in battle, with razor-sharp claws and trap-like jaws fi lled with teeth like knives. Once born, membras prefer living independent lives from their parents, but when their paths cross and the parent needs help, a membras almost never turns down such a request. (At the GM’s
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discretion, sometimes membras even adventure with their parents, though their long-term behavior is often erratic, and their motivations tend to be entirely mundane.) Relationships: Much as a membras prefers an independent life away from its parent, it also prefers an independent life away from Oleron. T h e y
recognize the fey lord as their ultimate progenitor and, if required, will demonstrate fierce loyalty and come to Oleron’s aid, but in general, each membras is an island unto itself and would prefer to experience life alone without the interference of anyone, even Oleron. Strategy & Tactics: Naturally well-armored and well armed, membras are daunting opponents. They rarely rush into battle but, instead, allow enemies to waste attacks on its thick shell. Only when the membras has the measure of a foe does it attack, employing claws and teeth to slice an enemy to ribbons.
TERANI It is, however, far more necessary to bear in mind that there are many unknown laws of correlation of growth, which, when one part of the organisation is modified through variation, and the modifications are accumulated by natural selection for the good of the being, will cause other modifications, often of the most unexpected nature. —Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species Teras reproduction doesn’t always result in a new member of the strangely mutable race. Occasionally, the creatures’ spores burrow directly and painlessly into a parent’s brains and evolve into new individuals based on the churning emotions and consciousness within. When this happens, the result is a child apart from the teras race, known as a terani. Though they are quite rare and almost never become adventurers thanks to the unique challenges of their physical forms, terani are cerebral, otherworldly creatures with a natural clairvoyance that lends them wisdom unseen in most fey. Terani are different from their teras cousins even before they gestate. Although the latter are born of spores that haphazardly seek out any suitable parent, terani spring from smaller, hardier seeds that float languidly through space—and sometimes even time— in search of just the right progenitor. To terani seeds, the most powerful waves of potential parents’ emotions and psyches are a siren call; they are particularly drawn
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The Faerie Ring to parents who feel love, anger, hope, and longing more profoundly than others. Often, a triggering event calls a terani seed to a parent. More than a few creatures have discovered that a terani child has resulted from the great love they felt after giving birth to more natural offspring or the longing they experienced after being forced to separate from a friend they cared about deeply. Instead of arising from their parents’ random bodily mutations, terani are typically born much more gently. Once they’ve found a parent, terani tend to gestate in a small sac at the base of the parent’s neck. Early on, parents often mentally “hear” the burgeoning consciousness of terani, who provide cryptic explanations of the physiological process happening. Parents are free to reject gestating terani should they not wish to be involved with the creatures; terani seem to realize when they are unwelcome, and in this case, gestation simply stops, and the terani’s seed leaves the parent to find a new one. Parents intrigued by and welcoming to the process, however, typically see their terani emerge from their sacs within about twelve weeks. Typical Characteristics: Terani emerge from their parents with fully formed minds and bodies. Physically, they are strange creatures, with small and spindly bodies paired with round, oversized heads. Their facial features are typically round and childlike, and their natural facial expressions reflect the primary emotion that drew them to their parents. Terani exhibit little sexual dimorphism; males and females are both typically hairless, though the former’s jaws and chin sometimes sprout light, wispy whiskers and the latter tend to have wider eyes. Though they don’t have wings, terani still possess the gift of flight, adding to their otherworldly mystique. A terani typically stands two-and-a-half feet tall and weighs about thirty pounds. Mentally, terani are formidable with deceptively powerful abilities that reflect their emotional origins. And though emotions bring them into being, they are remarkably rational creatures; some fey view them as cold, but terani prefer to see themselves as logical. Terani also have a knack for peering into the future,
and for this reason as well as their logic, creatures of all backgrounds often seek them out for their expertise, wisdom, and guidance. Relationships: Wiser than most fey, terani see in Oleron both a cosmic necessity and the ultimate disaster waiting to happen. Without change, after all, reality will stagnate and die. However, too much change will turn reality into a churning and gibbering morass. When dealing with Oleron, his plans, or his requests, a terani attempts to see all options and usually tries to pick the middle path between stagnation and pure chaos. Strategy & Tactics: Terani prefer to battle intelligently and at a distance, aware of the disadvantages of their frail bodies in close quarters. They take advantage of their flight to stay well out of reach of enemies and employ their strange mental abilities to calm, confuse, and, if left no other option, destroy an opponent.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
HELIOCILIUS, THE MAGPIE
There’s a viewpoint that terani are emotionally distant, even robotic. That is very much true for many, many terani. But some break that mold spectacularly. A certain specimen by the name of Heliocilius was born with a more sophisticated and all-consuming sense of curiosity than—I’d wager—any that anyone has ever seen. More specifically, it all seems to be directed at humanity. They are fascinated by humans, of all things. They—now, they is the term for which this terani refers to itself, for according to them, there is no less than twelve separate and distinct personalities, including both male and female, that share quarters within the tiny form. Why should this be so? I cannot say. Perhaps, they’ll indulge your questions if you see them, but I’m happy to take their word for it.
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They just can’t seem to get enough of the human race. They, or Little Helios, as some call them—or even the “Magpie”—flit from plane to plane, community to community, learning all they can. They soak up the names, occupations, hopes and dreams, fears, childhood memories, everything about the people they come across. No bit of information is considered insignificant: You had toast for breakfast everyday for the past year, your favorite color is honeysuckle, you’re jealous of your neighbor’s singing voice, and you really want to travel someday but can’t find anyone to watch over your goats? That’s amazing! They are like a tiny, flying sponge for knowledge with no apparent limit to the amount of information they can absorb. And apparently they don’t sleep. (Seemingly, the various personalities within take turns at the helm.) Along with all those presumably useless bits of trivia, though, there comes the extremely useful, such as how to pull a bad tooth, the optimal blood pressure for a man fifty-seven years of age, how to build a birdhouse, all the possible complications of child birth, how to determine the mass of a free-floating body in a vacuum, where the City of the Albatross disappeared to, and how to give you the most amazing massage you ever had. As long as you ply the Magpie with constant information, they will answer what questions and perform what actions as they are able. And they appear very capable, even eager, to perform as many tasks at once as possible. However, asking something of them for which they have insufficient knowledge seems to immediately drive them toward rectifying that, so best not to ask them something they don’t know until after they’ve worked through that tough knot in your back. Though it’s unlikely they’ll lack the same knowledge two meetings in a row. Characteristics: Now, I’m certain that Heliocilius did not have as many as twelve personalities when I met them, but that is the current recorded number. So my theory is that the personalities grow in response to
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the amount of knowledge they consume. After a given amount of new knowledge, a new personality develops. I have no idea when or if that ever stops. Relationships: The Magpie is a precious and voraciously curious creature. (Or is that creatures?) They are quick to assist all humans they encounter with whatever aid they can provide and ask only for knowledge in return. The more novelty you can provide, the longer they will stick around. At some point, if the informational signal to noise is too low or if you ask something they do not know, they will flit away. They might return—whether tomorrow or next year—or they might not. Strategy & Tactics: Heliocilius doesn’t really get into conflicts. Unless you count the people who get sick of their questions. But the terani just flits away when the boredom reaches a certain level. If a conflict is unavoidable and they can’t escape, they do their best to stay out of reach and offer what services they can, trying to de-escalate the situation, but always with more questions.
UNO
In one city, he was known as the Back Alley Slasher. In another, the Doctor of Decapitation, and in still another, the Merchant of Blood. Each new city, Uno meticulously plans, scopes his targets. He chooses the type of victim, the style of execution, the interval between kills, and how many murders there will be before he moves on. Then, the serial killer known as Uno goes to work. But like everything, there’s a beginning to all this. It’s true that most hosts recover, physically at least, from the experience of birthing a teras. Uno’s host, however, died painfully as Uno was born, bursting forth from the body of an elf woman he knew only as Mother. This formative moment, unfortunately, imprinted on Uno a need to bring about change through death. He became a serial killer. Like all serial killers, Uno’s need to kill is almost instinctual, born from a need buried at the core of his being. He sees it as an inevitability, and anything that doesn’t help him in his pursuit is both boring and unneeded.
The Faerie Ring His first murders, clumsy butcherings at best, led what should have been a life sentence in prison. But it only took months for the clever teras to learn the system and escape. The lessons he learned, both from being captured and from his fellow inmates stayed with him. From that point on, Uno was careful to plan each murder, indulging in a spree but moving on before authorities could close in on him. Very much an artist working in—quite literally—the most visceral of media, each murder is unique, each murder says something different, each murder is a separate truth. Within a given city, a string of his “works” will often share a theme or tell a singular narrative. To Uno’s mind, he is connecting directly with all who bear witness to his murders, blood calling to blood, and exhorting some grand social transformation, some terrible moral shift. (Let us all pray to whatever gods care to listen that his goals are not actually possible!) Uno doesn’t like to retread “old ground,” so he actively cultivates the evolution of his technique and goes out of his way to develop new styles and incorporate new tools, frequently reinventing himself through his art, always building to some inscrutable endgame. He offers his work freely to the world as an invocation to the blood, as poetry in violence. The path is clear to him, and though others might not always understand, this is his truth, and he will continue to sing his spirit through blood. Characteristics: Overly tall and thin, Uno resembles an elf who has been stretched out like taffy and whose bones have been elongated until they pierce his flesh at the finger and toe tips, elbows and knees. When traveling in a city, he crouches down, wearing bulky clothing to hide his deformities. Uno is a quiet, pensive sort who does best on his own. He appreciates those of like minds but doesn’t enjoy the competition, so he typically avoids insinuating himself into the active “territories” of others. Equally, his ego will not permit others to set up shop in his territory of the moment, and he often incorporates offenders into his more expressive works. Relationships: Uno, for his part, is only vaguely aware of his status as fey or as the progeny of the
bringer of chaos, as fitting as that may be. He has spent more time among mortals, killing, than among his own kind. Strategy & Tactics: In combat, Uno is a coward. Fighting head on isn’t his style, and he will seek to remove himself from combat as quickly as possible. Unless an opponent fits his current victim profile, he’ll seek to avoid anyone actively hunting him. He’s a killer, not a fighter.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ The sovereign that birthed Oleron pulled away from scrutiny after the off-putting birth, shuttering his demesne and isolating himself in shame and fear. Forgotten for so many centuries, he has returned with a terrible grudge and is capturing and experimenting on teras and their kin, attempting to reverse the rampant evolutionary process and with some unknown level of success. He is calling Oleron out to “return to the fold”—whatever exactly that means. He wears half a suit of mail to hide the terrible amputation and currently goes only as the Nameless. ❖❖ Abnormally large teras spore blooms are wreaking havoc in some humanoid populations. Normally, teras implantations affect only a tiny, tiny fraction of a given people’s population, but in certain “hot spots” across the ’verse, huge numbers of individuals are becoming impregnated. It is not yet known what is triggering these bursts in reproductive rates, whether it’s environmental or artificial, unique or cyclical, or something far more sinister. ❖❖ Inspired by the growing teras communities in some of the ’verse’s larger cities, body markets are starting to pop up. Most are not legal. ❖❖ Like a second moon, New Pelora rises before you on the horizon . . .
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( Once upon a time . . . ) . . . there was a young fox of exceptional wit and astounding grace—of course, this is the case with all foxes. One day while playing near the human village, as was typical, he spied a young lady working in the field. Goaded by curiosity, the fox, unseen, watched her for the rest of the day as she quietly fi nished her chores. With no real understanding of why, the fox returned to his watchful post every day for the next year, never once showing himself. He simply couldn’t get the girl out of his mind. Th is simple, daily ritual gave the fox so much joy that, in order to repay the girl for her unintended kindness, he left for her a small doll that he had found near a neighboring village. He watched, waiting, until she came across the doll. The beautiful smile that lit up the girl’s face after finding the doll made the fox’s heart leap, and he nearly gave himself away with excited yipping. Thereafter, the fox
brought the girl small presents daily, and her smiles brought him the greatest joy. Wanting nothing more than to spend every day with her, he studied with great zealousness to perfect his natural vulpine aptitude for shapeshift ing. Once he was confident in his abilities, he worked up the courage to approach the young woman. With great awkwardness, in the shape of a young man, he introduced himself. Though frightened away that first day by his unexpected visit, she found her bravery on subsequent days. They so quickly grew infatuated with one another that, within the month, they were wed. The fox never wavered in maintaining his appearance as a man, and the two lived happily. That first year marked the arrival of a child, a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately, in the excitement of his baby’s birth, the fox’s resolve slipped, and his fox tail became apparent to his wife. Terrified, she screamed and railed at this monster who had seduced her into thinking he was a fellow human. Her cries brought the wrath of the village down upon this fox. With fear in their hearts over this creature’s invasion of their lives and
violation of one of their daughters, the village was roused. The fox, forced back into his natural form, was judged by the mob to be guilty of crimes against humanity and burned on a pyre of rural justice. His wife never lifted a finger in his defense. His last vision as the flames licked at his fur and his throat tore raw from screaming was that of his daughter being laid into the flames by the villagers. His mind broke just before he escaped into death. Fortunately, whether for motherly instinct or for some lingering shred of guilt over the demise of the creature that was her husband, this woman—the baby’s mother and fox’s wife—grabbed the baby from the flames and ran off into the forest where the villagers would not pursue. If only such a tale could end there. However, the fox’s spirit could not rest, and it roiled in rage and madness in the hereafter. And so, after four years, the fox’s spirit was reborn—as a terrible engine of vengeance.
d e R Jack
(Death ) By Any Other Name
Red Jack No sign in the cicada’s song that it will soon be gone —Basho The foxes knew him as Redtail, but non-fey have built their own legends around his brutality. They refer to him as Red Jack to avoid calling his attention by speaking—or even thinking—his real name. And they spit after, so even that name cannot fester and gain power. A monster that couldn’t be kept even by death, he single-handedly destroyed hundreds. Or so they say.
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Those in certain rural areas still tell the story of the village that was lost, and many are the fears of being the “next to go” simply for knowing someone who knew someone who knew someone who may have lived in that village. And so Red Jack has become a nightmare tale, and his name keeps children scared and safe in their homes at night. Red Jack is known as the Right Hand of the Grave, the paramour of Death. Through him, she will gain the world.
LET’S TRY THIS AGAIN
Trapped between life and death, Red Jack repeatedly refused the next world, fighting tooth and nail with everything he had. Apparently, it was enough to ultimately regain the living world. (But did he really do it on his own? Or was he chosen to return? Did he make a deal with the darkness for his freedom?) This struggle didn’t happen overnight. Or even in the four years of his absence. For him, in the mutable realms of death, four hundred years had passed, and this long and difficult struggle changed him to the very core. He was slowly transformed by his rage and by the mysteries from beyond the veil into a ghostly vision of his former self before slowly clawing his way back to the Material Plane. With a shudder, the afterworld reluctantly released
The Faerie Ring the insistent Red Jack back to reality, disgorging him unceremoniously at the site of his death. He was reformed in body and mind. He had power now. He had purpose. Blinded with all-consuming rage, he immediately set upon the village responsible for his murder, slaughtering every living creature therein. But more than anything else, he wanted to kill his once-beloved wife. He tried to throttle what little information he could about her from the villagers before they died, but it wasn’t enough to locate her. Afterward, he sought out his old tribe of kitsune. Most who knew him in life despaired at what he had become, despite any lingering sympathies for his circumstances. Even in his rage, Red Jack knew the kitsune weren’t his enemy; he would forever love his brethren and wanted never to battle them. He honored their requests to leave. His words, however, would take on a life of their own, spreading far and wide to foxes everywhere, and hang sweet in the memories of many. Before long, a scattered handful of foxes sought him out, choosing his path. With the help of his newfound followers, Red Jack began his campaign to track down and slay those few remaining former villagers responsible for his death— and their relatives—as his terrible rage required. And with each, he came closer to his wife.
A FINAL REVENGE
Red Jack’s young wife had run away from the terror of her past. Needing to forget her tragedies, she left her baby anonymously at a monastery, wishing the child happiness while she lost herself in a new land, a new identity, a new life. It was only a matter of time until Red Jack found her, though. Finding her was the culmination of his revenge, of his incessant hate, and he vowed to draw out her punishment. She must suffer all the indignities that he suffered. Through his capable magics and various influences, he made sure she was noticed, making her appear smarter and more beautiful than those around her. So much so that the king took notice. But that’s where any happiness would end for her as Red Jack’s complex web snapped shut. He planted clues—subtle,
at first, then overt—that she was a deceitful fox sent to replace the king. He even made her appear to be a fox as the mobs were chasing her, calling for her blood. She was stoned for her supposed treachery, dying in agony. And upon her death, Red Jack’s twisted magics triggered a sinister miracle: she transformed into the Murder Stone, binding her in death with vicious spite and vengeance. Red Jack was finally free and unburdened of his hate. The deafening madness within his head subsided. So what was that faint, familiar voice lying just behind his consciousness? Calling to him. Demanding his attention. Red Jack’s rage had been screaming in his ears, leaving him unable to attend to or focus on anything but revenge: without that, he wouldn’t have been able to return to the world of the living. But now, there was something else. Something that had been drowned out until now by his madness. Something that he could now confront. Something dark and familiar that he could approach with his full, undulled rationality. A new love to embrace. But Red Jack needed time to reach out to and understand his new mistress: sweet, sweet Death.
FATED MEETINGS
It was during one of these many days spent meditating on—courting—his new mistress that the forest began to twist and shift. Trees melted, and water surged out of the ground in torrents only to drift off into the sky. Vinelike tendrils appeared from nowhere only to snatch at insects and disappear. The land itself convulsed and buckled as if breathing. A serene walk had become a crazed, surreal nightmare. Alien thoughts assaulted Red Jack’s mind. The land itself (the former demesne of the Wild Hunt) was vying for purchase within Red Jack’s psyche and trying to consume his power. Despite the initial crushing assault, Red Jack was quickly able to tame the jumbled, clumsy “mind” of the demesne, which was merely trying to survive. Without a strong mind to anchor it to reality, it would quickly fade away. Red Jack was not unsympathetic and saw great compatibility and potential in the demesne, and he took it on as his newest servant. So was born
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Strangle Grove. Now with a demesne of his own, Red Jack could return to discovering his new mistress without distraction. That is, until recently. Shortly after retrieving the Murder Stone, its whisperings told Red Jack his daughter lived on. He is very excited to meet her and is having trouble thinking of anything else.
BEING RED JACK
Red Jack’s return was marked by vicious, maddening rage against those who had wronged him, and all their kin. He wanted nothing less than absolute revenge on his murderers. But with the deaths of those responsible, his mind has quieted. Now, he has found a new focus. He considers himself the avatar of death. Currently, he wants nothing more than to please Death, to become one with her. He spends most days meditating, wandering in reflection, or in some way communing with Death. It is only with a calm body, mind, and soul, that he can serve her. Even though it has its beauty, rage is of limited use, so he is learning to bury his passions, to let them go. He seeks peace to better serve Death. To be sure, very little warmth remains in his heart. He is still the fallen, cold soul that returned to this world—perhaps colder. His only concern now is Death. Others are more than capable of carrying out the day-to-day work of translating the living into the dead—Strangle Grove, and even Korapira in her own way, feed Death on a daily basis. No, his is a longer, more important voyage. His goals are nothing short of cataclysmic. And with calm and patience, he will achieve them, realizing his dream. Whether Death truly exists as an intelligence to be communed with or whether it’s all a grand hallucination of Red Jack’s madness, he believes he is the avatar of death. What that means, however, is so far unclear. Relationships: Despite what most would think of his new path, Red Jack is not without his charms. Honor is deeply important to him, though he abides by his own code of ethics. If you can earn his promise, it will be honored. His friends are treated handsomely. For example, all foxes everywhere are forever and always
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considered most-honored guests and are welcome in Strangle Grove. No harm will come to them. Individuals of other races should not expect the same treatment, though. It is said, if you want to unleash that hidden, chained-up rage within, betray his trust. There is nothing Red Jack won’t do, no lengths he won’t take, to avenge a betrayal. Even other foxes must beware. Red Jack is passionate and charismatic in his pursuits. His words are his most powerful tools and weapons. Quite a few foxes have flocked to his honeyed words, especially those who are already outcasts. These are his Ghosts, his eyes and ears in a world that he too rarely has the chance to visit himself anymore. Currently, Red Jack is most excited to hear that his daughter may still live and is anxious to be reunited after so very long. His Ghosts are searching far and wide for any sign of her. Characteristics: Red Jack typically appears as a man-sized, ghostly fox. He still has the red coat of his previous life, though it appears dulled due to his ghostly nature. It is assumed that his greater size—and really all these details—is simply a personal preference. While murdered so young, he has only a single tail. He is capable of taking other ghostly forms but prefers his characteristic one. His abilities at possessing others provide him access to any form he might need. Strategy & Tactics: Red Jack actually prefers not to fight. His words are his most potent weapons. If in a good mood, he will simply try to convince welcome guests of the inevitability, the power, the love of death. (He would refrain from signifying her, Death, as his lover, but would refer to death in the feminine.) If he was in a bad mood, he would take delight in tormenting his unwelcome guests. This would entail separating parties in order to crush their minds and spirits one on one by playing on their fears. He would also possess certain members to better torment and even attack their friends. It is when he loses his memento mori or when something happens to his daughter Ren that Red Jack goes feral. Then, though weaker, he becomes far more physically aggressive and bloodthirsty. There is no reasoning with him at this point, and he wades into combat without hesitation.
The Faerie Ring
Strangle Grove
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Creeping with silent feet over the shifting sands, drawing imperceptibly nearer by soft, unhurried movements, the willows had come closer during the night. But had the wind moved them, or had they moved of themselves? I recalled the sound of infinite small patterings and the pressure upon the tent and upon my own heart that caused me to wake in terror. [. . .] There was a suggestion here of personal agency, of deliberate intention, of aggressive hostility, and it terrified me into a sort of rigidity. —Algernon Blackwood, “The Willows”
needs. Perhaps it simply had no other choice. Whatever the case, the two seem to work well together. With its budding sentience, Strangle Grove has much more control over itself than other demesnes do. It is capable of morphing its features at an alarming rate and has developed quite the imagination over the years in shaping itself. With these abilities, however, comes the need to feed. Strangle Grove is a predator and devours those hapless souls that find themselves within its borders. Furthermore, it appears to gain more than just sustenance from its kills—it seems to enjoy the killing. Whether it developed its bloody predilections
Red Jack’s Demesne
Visitors to Strangle Grove, especially those who come uninvited, fi nd an unwelcoming environment. Strangle Grove has the following traits: Sentient: Strangle Grove can morph its features at will and obeys all of Red Jack’s commands. Plant creatures abound within Strangle Grove, and the demesne can direct existing plant creatures or create new ones whose total combined CR is 10 or lower once per 10 minutes, or whose total combined CR is 20 or lower once per day. Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor or that use or create fire (including spells of the Fire domain, spell-like abilities of the elemental [fire] bloodline, and spells that summon fire elementals or outsiders with the fire subtype) are impeded. This arises from Red Jack’s subconscious fear of fire, which has shaped Strangle Grove without him even realizing it over the years of telepathic contact they’ve shared. When overlaid on another plane, Strangle Grove’s other traits are identical to that of the Material Plane.
Red Jack shouldn’t even have a demesne since he’s not a sovereign. The fact, then, that he does presents quite a few questions. The demesne Strangle Grove is actually the tattered remnants of that previously possessed by the Wild Hunt (a history guessed at by relatively few); after the latter’s destruction, Red Jack somehow gained control of it. Red Jack had no hand in the Wild Hunt’s destruction and no designs on the demesne. Rather, in sudden isolation and drift ing without purpose, the demesne attached itself to a convenient well of strength. Was it random chance that led it to Red Jack? Or was this a deliberate choice? Either way, it couldn’t have survived much longer without a potent energy source to tap into. Strangle Grove, as the demesne has come to be known in relation to Red Jack, has always been a strange place, even by the rather loose standards of the fey. While a part of the Wild Hunt, it was never cultivated, and it lay for aeons in isolation, trapped in an in-between state of potentials, slowly developing dreams of its own. Now, Strangle Grove appears to have developed a spark of sentience, suggesting it may have chosen Red Jack. Perhaps, it recognized in Red Jack similar circumstances of abandonment and loneliness. Perhaps it saw in Red Jack someone who could help feed its
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on its own or this is just an effect from being connected to the mind of Red Jack is unclear. In any case, it is allowed to pretty much do as it pleases as long as its actions support Red Jack’s goals. It prefers meals of sentient creatures but, in a pinch, animals suffice. Strangle Grove travels—as some other demesnes and liminal outlands do by insinuating itself within the folds of space, superimposing itself on the pre-existing reality. Its appearance in a location can be so subtle as to easily go unnoticed. In Strangle Grove’s case, it initially appears identical to the existing land. Sooner or later, though, according to its needs, Strangle Grove begins its nightmare assault on the locale. This can take the form of upheaving land, reforming features, and unleashing grasping appendages, gaping maws, and whatever hellscape of earth and plant life it fancies. All creatures travel the grove at their peril with one exception. Red Jack has willed that all kitsune may travel his demesne without fear. They alone are truly welcome here—no matter their allegiance to Red Jack.
CRYING ORCHARD
The orchard is the only portion of the demesne with any appearance of organized growth. Whenever Strangle Grove devours a soul, a tree is born within the orchard. The trees do not grow in straight and orderly rows, however, instead appearing in strange overlapping forms and patterns. Each tree has faces grown within the bark of its trunk, and the limbs feature a more than passing resemblance to arms. When cut or trimmed, the trees all bleed, and the wind through the branches sounds eerily like howls of pain and misery. With each new tree, Strangle Grove’s mind incrementally grows in power.
so he could hardly refuse. And he gladly honors his part of the deal, as is his wont. This attachment to the Green Expanse is metaphysical in nature. It was needed to help stabilize Strangle Grove’s deterioration. It in no way hinders Strangle Grove’s ability to function and travel, but it does open it permanently to the Green Expanse.
HANGING GARDENS
Prime evidence that Strangle Grove gains a perverse delight in its killing can be found in these gruesome gardens. This rather large section of the demesne exists as a showcase for its kills. All the remains here are of sentient creatures. As its name would suggest, there are a plethora of hanging corpses, dangling from vines as a sort of nature’s gallows displayed in a wide range of decay. Strangle Grove treats this as an evolving work of art and constantly creates new displays for its treasures: corpses rotting in thorny gibbets, splaying across tree trunks, serving as flower beds and playgrounds for gibbet poppets (see Flibbertigibbet chapter for details on these fey), posing for perverse dioramas, or any number of grotesque arrangements and corpse-art.
MURDER STONE
GREEN EXPANSE
In the wild fields Burning passionately—fox fires Burning with memories, Longing for the past— Tamamo-no-mae, Heedless of the dew In the bush clover, Her back to the moon, Laments bitterly. —Kengyo, Nasuno
Though Red Jack served as the focal point for Strangle Grove that it needed to survive, Red Jack hadn’t the skill or power to stave off the demesne’s rapid unraveling for long. Ultimately, Korapira offered to help stabilize the demesne by anchoring it to the Green Expanse in exchange for knowledge (see Korapira chapter for more on the Green Expanse). Korapira’s goals overlap generously with his own—and those of his mistress—
When Lady Tamamo—as Red Jack’s wife had come to be known—fled from pursuers who wrongly thought her a fox because of Red Jack’s magics, she was struck down. As she lay dying, she transformed into a horrid stone. Any creature who touched this stone fell dead. Simply being within its vicinity is dangerous for the living, and even the nearby plant life begins to
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The Faerie Ring wither. Those close to the stone sometimes hear faint, discomforting whispers, unintelligible echoes of the past. Soon, the lonely site was completely shunned. It became known as the Murder Stone, or Sessho-seki. With her death, Red Jack had succeeded in his revenge, giving her a taste of his own torment. Strangle Grove, at Red Jack’s behest, has since taken the Murder Stone into itself, and it now stands permanently affixed on an island at the center of Willow Lake, a deadly memorial to a satisfied vengeance. The stone’s whispering is normally very faint and seemingly random, but after so many years, it has become more insistent, voicing Tamamo’s thoughts from beyond death, whispering that Red Jack’s daughter may still live.
POOL OF LOSS
Within the demesne is a still pool of dark water. The pond never ripples or moves, even when an object or creature splashes within, and no light penetrates the surface. The pool of loss seems to have some relation to the River Styx, and those who drink from the waters lose their memories. Red Jack has demonstrated some power over the pond. With it, he can cause creatures to forget specific events from their past. This has been a tempting offer to many, who would prefer to not remember some terrible trauma. Red Jack has also used it for manipulation, allowing him to erase a creature’s former loyalties. The water loses its power outside of Strangle Grove.
PUTRID PIT
While the demesne takes pleasure in killing living creatures, it does not leave the bodies simply to rot where they die. Instead, for those not destined for the Hanging Gardens or required elsewhere, the demesne collects the corpses within an ever-growing pit where the processes of natural decay are cultivated in a slower, more directed manner. Thus, the vital essence of all those dead is stored safely, and from here, the life-giving liquor can be siphoned of and channeled as needed. Of course, Red Jack suspects there is more to the pit: that it is maintained as an eternal morbid memento of each death. Perhaps, some
of Red Jack’s deeper feelings toward Death have rubbed of on his demesne. He never comes here out of respect for Strangle Grove—everyone deserves a sanctuary of their own choosing. The stench from the hole is overwhelming. Great and terrible vermin crawl through the depthless layers of bone and decay. However, the pit holds treasures trapped for ages, buried with the bodies. And deep within are caverns of fossilized bone, containing passages leading to more than one lower plane.
SHIFTING WILD
A great swathe of the Strangle Grove holds no permanent shape or form. The trees, plants, and animals within continually shift appearance, either at the whims of Red Jack, of the demesne itself, or for no particular reason. Even the climate changes rapidly. Whatever state the wild takes on, it is untamed and dangerous. The shifting makes navigation by landmarks in this area impossible. Strangle Grove takes pleasure in toying with victims, leading them in circles or preventing escape.
SILENT SHRINE
This quiet little shrine tucked away in a secluded part of the grove is where Red Jack spends much of his days, communing with his mistress. Slowly, he is discovering Death’s secrets—her desires. He is most anxious to lavish her with gifts, but he knows he must wait.
WILLOW LAKE
Willow Lake houses the Murder Stone at its core, but around that sinister eidolon are beautiful, meandering landscapes: well-kept hedgerows, babbling brooks, small ponds filled with koi and water lilies, rock gardens, cobbled mosaics, and (of course) frequent stands of willow trees. Strangle Grove meticulously keeps these grounds for Red Jack’s pleasure, changing the landscape on a daily basis. Red Jack walks these paths as meditation—a different experience each day. Though largely devoid of animal life, due to its own hungers, the demesne takes pains to populate this area with a modicum of creatures, especially the cicadas and crickets that Red Jack so enjoys.
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Kitsune & Others
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When a [fox spirit] comes to your house at night and knocks, there is a peculiar muffled sound about the knocking by which you can tell that the visitor is a fox—if you have experienced ears. For a fox knocks at doors with its tail. If you open, then you will see a man, or perhaps a beautiful girl, who will talk to you only in fragments of words, but nevertheless in such a way that you can perfectly well understand . . . Then, if you are a friend of foxes, the visitor will present you with a little gift of some sort, and at once vanish away into the darkness. Whatever the gift may be, it will seem much larger that night than in the morning. Only a part of a fox-gift is real. —Lafcadio Hearn, Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan Red Jack began life as a kitsune, so he shares a particular bond with fey that fall into that family. He has no particular control over them, except that which his words give him.
KITSUNE (GLOOM FOXES) A fox is a fox is a fox, right? Well, you might be surprised to learn that foxes are as varied and complex as any humanoid race. Foxes begin their long lives as the animals with which you are no doubt already familiar—intelligent, resourceful, charming. These qualities only increase as the fox matures. And by the time a fox reaches its 100th year, it’s at least as intelligent as a typical humanoid. The surprises don’t end there, though, for right around a fox’s 100th year, it undergoes a transformation. This transformation is typically subtle but of tremendous importance. The fox enters a new phase in its life where its connection to the Material Plane reaches a new level. In short, it becomes a fey and begins to develop strange abilities. From the fox’s point of view, it is still a fox and has
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simply entered a new stage in its life. Others typically distinguish this new form with a different name, the most common being kitsune or, colloquially, gloom fox. The latter is thought to be a corruption of an earlier name, gloam fox, and illustrates the somewhat negative attitude directed toward these creatures so often viewed only as tricksters, thieves, and ill omens. Typical Characteristics: The physical appearance of kitsune is subject to a lot of variation, but an average specimen is three feet long (nose to tail) and ten to fifteen pounds. Coloration is highly variable, including white, silver, red, brown, and gray. An individual’s size and weight remain the same upon transforming into kitsune, but coloration often changes slightly, becoming more intense. Some have drastically altered coloration, such as to magenta or dark blue or black. All agree on the unfailing hallmark of kitsune: their multiple tails. They start with the single tail they already had. Then, as they grow older in this phase of their life, they grow additional tails. The oldest of kitsune may have up to nine tails, and this is thought to be a maximum. Contrary to popular belief, the tails are not the source of or containment vessels for the fox’s magic; they are merely features of age. However, it is rumored that some foxes have learned to better utilize their tails, granting them new abilities and strengthening their spellcasting. All foxes can use their tails in place of hands for the purpose of somatic components for spells. Society: Like any fox, kitsune are relatively solitary creatures, living as hunter-gatherers. Achieving their 100th year, however, instills in them a sense of community, and previously solitary foxes start to gather together into small groups for friendship and protection. A tribe of kitsune is a simple affair, really just a bunch of localized dens with no central leadership. Though they won’t always actively seek a mate, when they find one, kitsune do mate for life and prefer to raise families within the protective environment of the tribe. In general, kitsune don’t need much, and while within the tribe, they share necessities. However, each kitsune has a weakness for baubles—shiny stones, colorful balls, exotic sachets—and tend to obsess over a given
The Faerie Ring item. Though they do not horde many items, they are extremely protective of the one or two that they have identified as theirs (even if others would have reason to argue ownership). Strangely, after obsessing over an item for years, kitsune may shift their obsession over to a new item, losing interest in the old. Kitsune often live in close proximity to other cultures. Whether those cultures know it or not, their members might be interacting with any number of these shapeshifting fey on a daily basis. And sometimes, inevitably, these kitsune and members of other cultures fall in love and raise families, all the while keeping their identity as kitsune secret. Children coming of these unions always appear as the non-kitsune parent when small. However, as the child grows, the fey heritage blossoms and grants a special affinity for fox magic. Relationships: As Red Jack is not a sovereign, kitsune hold no special allegiance to him. However, with his impassioned words and his shared heritage, Red Jack swayed many kitsune to his cause. All kitsune are ultimately free to make their own judgments regarding Red Jack. Some follow him loyally (or as loyally as a kitsune can ally itself with anybody). Many find Red Jack to be repulsive and want no part of his vileness. The majority has little opinion one way or the other, being wrapped up in their own concerns. Strategy & Tactics: Each kitsune can be quite different depending on what classes they advance in. However, they always take full advantage of their size and dexterity. They, also, generally take great pride in their heritage and wield an array of fox magic.
THE INEVITABILITY OF TROUBLE Kitsune essentially do as they please. Usually, the knowledge that their actions will reflect on the whole tribe is enough to keep a kitsune’s actions in line with the collective voice of the tribe. Self-imposed exile, however, is quite a common occurrence for when, not if, a kitsune incurs the wrath of other races. Most races have a low tolerance for the escapades of kitsune, whether one has been caught stealing or discovered married to a youngest daughter. Really, it’s in their blood. Kitsune just can’t suppress their mischievous ways for long. Stealing, playing tricks, and generally confounding other creatures seems to
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be the “reason for being” for most, if not all, kitsune. It never starts with malicious intent—it’s all fun and games; can’t they see that? Unfortunately, “they” rarely “see that,” and confrontations inevitably ensue. While unwarranted attacks on kitsune by other creatures find swift retaliation from an entire tribe, individual kitsune are expected to take responsibility for any ill will they themselves bring about. The strongest kitsune own up to their actions when those actions begin to affect the tribe and may exile themselves to spare loved ones excess trouble. Others, a not insignificant minority, become bitter and vengeful and seek to punish those who have taken offense. These destructive kitsune are often pushed from the tribe into forced exile and resume an existence as loners. Recent rumor would have it that small tribes of these embittered exiles are now springing up: an ill omen indeed.
FOLLOWING YOUR TAIL Gradually, all kitsune leave the tribe. Those who haven’t already left prematurely in exile will eventually leave anyway, usually about the time they gain their fifth tail (there are an exceedingly small number of five-tail kitsune in a given tribe and almost never any older than that). This stage in their lives demands travel, reflection, and solitude. Although mated couples frequently begin this journey together, the final stage must always be taken alone. The end of the journey—or the Longest Step—is the transition into the nine tail (or kyubi). Though promising great power and wisdom, this is a dangerous stage and not all kitsune undertake it, some preferring to remain with their mate and others holding back from fear. Not all who attempt the transition make it through unscathed. Those who succeed become transcendent beings: a nine tail. Although wise and powerful, it is unwise to think of these creatures as “good”; the successful transformation simply reflects the kitsune’s heart. A failed transformation turns the kitsune not into a nine tail but into a violent, raging beast whose sole purpose seems to be to consume and destroy. This nine-tailed horror is known simply as the demon fox.
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DELVING INTO THE MYSTERIES The world of foxes is filled with mysteries undreamed by non-foxes. Beyond even the winding life path of the typical kitsune, culminating in the Longest Step, there lie deeper mysteries still—some mere myths even to kitsune. A couple of the more common among these are the ghost fox and the pipe fox.
GHOST FOXES Picture to yourself a sleeping man who is being murdered, who wakes up with a knife in his chest, a gurgling in his throat, is covered with blood, can no longer breathe, is going to die and does not understand anything at all about it—there you have it. —Guy de Maupassant, “The Horla” If nothing else, Red Jack’s travails have certainly given him a unique perspective and control of death, and he has learned to bestow a bit of that power onto other foxes. Like fragments of himself, ghost foxes live in a constant in-between state: still part of the living world but infused with necromantic energies and strangely in tune with the realms of the dead. Typical Characteristics: Ghost foxes appear largely as they did before their transformation. Now, however, their bodies are insubstantial and their previous coloring somewhat dulled. Environment & Society: Ghost foxes don’t occur naturally, only with Red Jack’s intervention, so most reside in Strangle Grove, enjoying much the same activities and customs they always had. Squads of ghost foxes alternate in taking missions beyond the demesne, but since they are no longer accepted by normal kitsune, they are usually eager to return to Strangle Grove. While many of those foxes in Red Jack’s service aspire to become ghost foxes, it always remains their choice. Red Jack would never force a fox to undergo the irreversible transformation. Most treat it with great respect, as something to earn. Those who undergo the ritual are showed great respect. Relationships: Red Jack holds the ghost foxes in high regard, perhaps because they are now in the best
The Faerie Ring position to truly begin to understand him. But he treats all those foxes that follow him as loyal students. Strategy & Tactics: Like other kitsune, ghost foxes can be very different from one another. However, much more than other kitsune, they are far more likely damaged psychologically due to the ritual that transformed them. Psychological disorders are far more common for them. They also tend to have a darker outlook on life, having gazed upon death: they frequently utilize terror as a weapon and have lost the playfulness that commonly marks kitsune.
THE GHOSTS
The Ghosts is the name given to those foxes that follow Red Jack, and even Red Jack has taken to using the term. Despite the name, the Ghosts are not composed solely of ghost foxes but of all the foxes in Red Jack’s service: predominantly kitsune and ghost foxes. Kitsune remain important to Red Jack as his eyes and ears in the world of foxes where ghost foxes would be unwelcome.
PIPE FOXES Pipe foxes crave knowledge and trade in secrets. They are information mercenaries for any who meet their fees. To gain a secret, you must pay a secret, and the worth of your secret decides the worth of the secret they’ll retrieve for you. They are fearless when it comes to finding information, and if your payment is worthy of the effort, there is no discovery too great, assuming an answer exists to be known. Typical Characteristics: Pipe foxes are small yet long foxes. They rather look a bit like stretched-out kitsune and are even more diverse in fur color and patterning. They are capable of flight and ritual magics, including
possession. All pipe foxes are extremely knowledgeable, owing to their obsessive seeking after secrets. Though they loathe fighting as low and unrefi ned, they are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Environment & Society: Pipe foxes live primarily in bamboo forests, nesting within the hollows. They are masters of their bamboo realms, chasing one another at blinding speeds through the cramped spaces, curling around each stalk with unnatural deftness. Their numbers are especially high in the mountainous bamboo forests of Sojobo, the tengu lord of the mountain, with whom they are widely known to be allied. They are thought to have a special link to the spiritworld, possibly even be capable of navigating it freely—a rumor they neither confirm nor deny. Little is known about pipe fox society but that it is built on secrets. An individual’s accumulation of
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secrets is an indicator of status within their ranks. It is widely held that if you want information fast and can afford the added cost, buy the services of two or three—or more—pipe foxes to find the same i n for mat ion . For while a single pipe fox does what it can to meet your needs, the job will be on its schedule, not you r s . But w it h compet it ion f rom ot her pipe foxes , nothing else can be more important than being the first to find the secrets. Ever y t h i ng re a l ly appears to be little more than a terribly complex game to them, which they play brilliantly and obsessively. Relationships: Red Jack has no special influence over pipe foxes but makes use of their services when others fall short or when timing is critical. Strategy & Tactics: Pipe foxes really aren’t interested in fighting. They will try to evade and escape from any aggression. The exception to this is when knowledge is at stake. They become decidedly more daring and confrontational in situations that block them from what they want. They rarely ever get overly reckless, however. They still play to their strengths in any encounter and if an opportunity arises to get what they want and avoid further confrontation, they take it.
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The Faerie Ring
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE
The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
THE GRAY TWINS
There was an terrible accident. A forest fire had taken the lives of many foxes. As Red Jack passed through, it was too late. Too late, but for the two kits that had only recently perished. They were close enough to life that Red Jack could pull them back as ghost foxes. It was an emotional pique, grief over the needless tragedy. He might not have done it under other circumstances, for to meddle with the souls of those so young, well . . . there are many kinds of tragedies. But what’s done is done. The young foxes are twins: fraternal, a girl and a boy. They are about what you’d expect for kits so young. They play all day, scampering and hiding, chasing dust mice and rolling in the muck. They are largely left to their own devices, though Red Jack has ordered there always be some ward assigned to them when they’re away from Strangle Grove. (Within the demesne, Strangle Grove happily plays with them all day.) They really are your typical kits. Except for the ghostly abilities. And the playfulness turns ever slightly darker each passing day. Every month or so, they anoint one another with a new name: the boy is currently Bloodyguts and the girl Ripfarter. They are increasingly dissatisfied with their old games and constantly seeking novelty. Their latest favorite involves catching unwitting participants in fiendish “practical jokes,” including pit traps, falling things, and lots of bugs. The injuries are mounting and no one dares bring it up with Red Jack. Their wards are developing strategies of their own to avoid being the fi rst twin-related fatality, giving the twins more and more leeway to range farther when away from Strangle Grove. This, of course, has its own potential hazards for the wards, but the most immediate of threats—and right now, that’s the twins—
needs special consideration. Some wards try to cozy up to them, trying to be their friends, and some try to remain “invisible” and out of the way. It’s not clear how well these strategies will work, but those that take a more authoritarian stance have never fared well. Characteristics: Becoming a ghost fox is always an ordeal, but those that typically go through it have a lifetime’s worth of coping mechanisms. The twins do not, being so young. They had only their innocence. And that could be a boon in the end, but right now, they seem to be developing into maladjusted terrors. Of course, is that so surprising given they have no positive role models in their lives? Relationships: The twins have no one to give them guidance. Red Jack is an aloof father figure, and really, that may be for the best. (How much worse might they turn out if he took a more active role?) And they are canny kits: they know those wards that show them genuine affection and those that are simply scared of Red Jack. They are curious of Ren. They’ve heard the stories of Red Jack’s daughter, and they wonder about her. They’ve actually met her once, posing as normal fox kits. They never told Red Jack (and know full well he’d be furious about that). They find her intriguing and would very much like to play with her. Strategy & Tactics: The twins are rarely in any real danger. If anyone were to threaten them, all those under Red Jack would descend upon them in a second. First, because despite being terrors, the twins are also incredibly adorable and quite charming. And second, because Red Jack would have the heads of any that allowed harm to befall the twins. And the kits’ own retaliation afterward, unexpected and from out of nowhere, would likely be terrifying and alone enough to dissuade any who know of them.
“REN” (MOKUREN KAMURA)
They are fox-women . . . and their supernatural character is suggested by a peculiar expression of the eyes and a certain impossible elfish grace. —Lafcadio Hearn, Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan
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Left on their doorstep, the young child was taken in by the monks, who gave her a name, Mokuren Kamura, and all the love and care they could, raising her as one of their own. Over the years, as young Ren developed (for she insisted on being called by her nickname), her fiery spirit and precocious nature shone through more and more. She was certainly not one for the ascetic life of the monastery. Like a whirlwind, she tested their patience every day. But it was always received with love—exhausted love. And though she loved her adopted family in return, she knew she didn’t belong there. As soon as she knew she was old enough to leave without the monks trying to bring her back, she left. From there she wandered, trying to discover who she was. She needed to quench this anxious desire burning in her belly. She has traveled all the lands she could, met countless people, and been banned from more places than she cares to remember. She never truly feels at home in any one place, only on the road. Of course, it should be mentioned that Ren is Red Jack’s daughter, so she is fox-blooded. She has just recently learned this fact. (Fox-blooded creatures have fox tails and can access fox magic.) And living up to all that fox blood, Ren’s life has been a whirlwind of adventure. She’s been in more brawls, thrown out of more taverns, talked her way out of more trouble, and been run out of more towns than most would even think possible. She’s just got a knack for causing trouble—saying the wrong thing, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, not knowing when to quit. But she also has the same knack for getting out of trouble. She chose her education to be that of the streets once she decided the monastery wasn’t for her. She enjoys living with only what’s on her back and fending for herself, even when the times are hard. She’s learned to do what she has to do and supports her lifestyle primarily as a burglar and grifter. Only the most daring and exciting jobs interest her and only from those that can afford to lose it. In her view, if she’s able to take it, then its previous owner must not have wanted to keep it badly enough. She works alone when she can because others just get too serious about it and spoil her fun.
She never stays anywhere for long: partly because of her wanderlust and partly because the locals rarely let her: she wears out her welcome quickly. But most importantly, because she just never seems to fit in. So she reinvents herself as often as she needs to, enjoying a new city until it no longer welcomes her. Having just passed her 17th year and acquired a tail, she has recently started to take more interest in what sort of being she might be and has befriended a kitsune couple to help her figure out her life. With their help, she has been able to determine what she is and, with the rumors circulating of Red Jack looking for his daughter, who she might be as well. But she is not ready to face her parentage just yet, for she has much still to learn about herself. She has just met another fox-blooded, Genkuro (“Ro”). He has been looking for others of his kind and, with Ren’s help, hopes to find more. Characteristics: Ren is kind and affable, laughing easily. She makes friends quickly but not deeply, for she may have to up and leave any minute. She’s really just looking for the next big thrill. Ren always felt a bit different, but doesn’t everyone? For her, though, strange things would regularly happen: floating balls of light, strange visions, the ability to manipulate others; things like that. Though she could never control these things, they always seem to appear when she needed them to get her out of trouble (though they usually got her into even more trouble). Having just recently celebrated her 17th birthday, things have changed. Most notably, she has grown a tail—a big red, bushy tail to match her hair. She just woke up one morning, and there it was. This and suddenly gaining some measure of control over the strange powers she has manifested sporadically throughout her life have finally intrigued her enough to seek guidance. She is able to suppress her tail and pass for normal just as before, but stress can make the tail appear whether she wants it to or not. Relationships: Ren has just learned that she is Red Jack’s daughter. She was taken from him while still a newborn and hasn’t seen him since. She has mixed feelings about this new knowledge and has decided that
she’s not ready to confront it, yet. Until she is ready, she will try to stay hidden from those who seek her, including her father. Red Jack very much craves a reunion with his longlost daughter, and his agents are scouring far and wide for information about her. Strategy & Tactics: Ren has spent most of her life in the more illegal of pursuits, lying and stealing at the forefront. As such, she has no interest in lingering where she’s unwanted—or where danger in imminent! But she’s also always been fascinated by the ephemeral, and combining her monastic teachings with her newfound, fox abilities, she has adeptly blazed a path as an exorcist, while still clinging to her roots.
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ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ Is Death real? Is Red Jack communing with a true entity? Perhaps, instead, it is that a powerful daemon toys with the quiddity. Or the lingering traces of his dead wife whispering through the Murder Stone. It might even be that a god of death grooms Red Jack as her avatar or Manitou plays some great prank. Of course, Red Jack could simply be insane. ❖❖ Red Jack is already a massively powerful supernatural force, but he actively seeks ascension. He might reach this goal through any number of potential paths. Death might assign him some great task to complete, such as the permanent destruction of a sovereign or the conversion of all kitsune to ghost foxes. ❖❖ What if Red Jack truly becomes the avatar of Death or even just thinks he has? Quiddities are creatures driven by obsession, so what would his passion become? He could be compelled to act as Death’s missionary on a grand scale, fanatically opposing any religion or kingdom unwilling to accept his mistress. Perhaps, he seeks to open the gates of heaven and hell, flooding the world
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with confused souls while robbing the Outer Planes of their power. Quiddities are often temporary things, and Red Jack might be no exception. However, death is for others, and he fought hard to return to life. The death he loves might begin to draw at him, a piece at a time, pulling him inexorably toward oblivion. After working for centuries to crawl his way free, he is unlikely to give in easily and could go to truly monstrous lengths to maintain his existence. What if not all of Red Jack’s murderers or their descendants are dead? Should he discover survivors, the old consuming rage might resurface—or worse be replaced with the cold passionless desire of an assassin. This might even be a manipulation, used by a sovereign for entertainment or foolish mortal thinking to turn Red Jack’s power to her purpose. Red Jack would never harm Ren, but what if she grows to despise him? How would Ren react to Red Jack should she learn what he is and what he’s done? Perhaps, the two unite, but she eventually betrays his trust. His internal conflict might tear him apart, which could spell disaster for anyone around him. What happens if Ren dies? Worse, what happens if she cannot be easily resurrected, or her soul becomes claimed by another. Red Jack might move heaven and earth to conquer death yet again. In single-minded pursuit of his goal, he could release untold horrors or even disrupt the very nature of death itself. Creatures might cease dying when they should, die in massive numbers, or find their souls unable to move on. If Death is some true force he has pledged fealty to, he might be forced to choose between the two. If the death of his wife were his true obsession, would not Red Jack, as a quiddity, have been released from this life to whatever must come next for such a creature? Perhaps, he is not quite finished. Or perhaps, he has evolved past such restrictions. Or perhaps, our “rules” governing quiddities need work.
(Violence is a part . . . ) . . . of nature—integral. The surge of adrenaline, the drawing of blood, the tearing of flesh, and the failure of the last breath are all natural to the cycle of life and death. Death sustains life. Removed from the s en sibi l it ie s
of civilization, this process is neither good nor evil: it simply is. For some creatures, this violence is defi ning. The Wild Hunt is one such entity. Its world is one of rage. Though sentient, the Wild Hunt is incredibly singleminded in its fury and appears more an aspect of nature, of violence itself, than a free-thinking entity. It would be easy to say that the Wild Hunt takes pleasure from violence, but this would be untrue, for its violence is instinctual, the nature of the Wild Hunt itself. It is said that only fools attempt to change the course of the sea, to berate the wind, or to bring down the sky. Yet history tells the tales of those many who tried. There was one, a powerful priestess of the mountain, who tried to tame the Wild Hunt. Her name was Mahri. She stood in opposition to what she saw as the pointless, mindless violence and destruction caused by the Wild Hunt. She sought to bring balance to the natural world where she saw only chaos. She wanted to tame the Wild Hunt. Mahri became obsessed with the Wild Hunt. She attempted to communicate with it, but she quickly found that it could not be reasoned with. She called upon potent magics in the hopes of finding something to end its terror, but she repeatedly found that it was not easily contained or diverted from its violence. For a time, all Mahri could do was minimize the Wild Hunt’s impact. She expanded the role of her father’s tengu warrior-priests and deployed them far and wide as watchers and guardians in order to respond more quickly to the Wild Hunt’s appearances and try to limit its destructive rampages. However, the tengu simply weren’t strong enough to deal with the Wild Hunt and suffered great losses. In her mania, Mahri could tolerate the Wild Hunt no longer. She sought out the monster to personally put an end to its insane rampage. She found the Wild Hunt near the shores of Colptha Bay, and there, these two forces of nature clashed for three days and three
nights, laying waste to the local environs. Some of the local inhabitants managed to flee, but many were not so lucky, perishing in the wake of this incredible struggle. The fight was long and brutal. Eventually, though, Mahri was able to permanently sever the Wild Hunt’s connection to its source—a wound felt to this day. But in its death throes, the Wild Hunt tore Mahri in two. This was a terrible blow to each side. While the being known as Mahri ceased to be that day, from the blood and ruined halves of the fallen emissary and under the light of the full moon, life rose anew: Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes. Forming around the remnants of Mahri’s life force, these two mirror opposites espouse the extremes that found balance within Mahri. Where Bright Eyes seeks the refi nement of nature, Dark Eyes looks only for her advantage. However, the obsession with the Wild Hunt has not lessened for either of them: the former seeks nothing less than its destruction and the latter seeks its control.
the wild hunt
(A Head for War)
The Wild Hunt Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the dogs of war . . . —William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar (III. i.) The spirit of nature knows nothing of moderation. It cares nothing for mercy. It feels nothing for civilization. Its goal is survival: the hunger, the fear, the lust. There’s no rationalizing with it or meeting it halfway; all who stand in its way must either fall or step aside. Before the violence of nature, a mere mortal is nothing.
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The leopard frets not over the deer, for else, the leopard would surely die. It is the leopard’s nature to kill the deer. —fir bolg proverb The Wild Hunt’s precise origins are unknown, but nearly all tales that predate its encounter with the fir bolg prominently feature the primal struggle between civilization and the force of wilderness. In truth, the spread of civilization seemed to be an attractor to the violence. Some speculate that the Wild Hunt, linked to the fury of nature, arose in response to the encroachment of those civilized lands and their imposition on the wild. According to this theory, the Wild Hunt blindly lashes out at what it views as an attack on itself. Since its association with the fir bolg, its story is theirs.
RISE OF THE FIR BOLG
For the people known as the fir bolg, this was a calling. Where others saw ugliness, they saw beauty. Brutal and hungry themselves, living like a roving pack of dogs, they felt a kinship with the Wild Hunt and sought its recognition. They sought to test themselves—their fury and their blood—against that of the Wild Hunt. The greatest champions of the fir bolg stood against
The Faerie Ring the Wild Hunt in combat. One by one, they fell until, eventually, only one fir bolg remained standing, battered and bloody—their greatest champion, Arawn. Then a curious thing happened. The Wild Hunt ceased its fury. It turned and, with bulging arms, pulled open massive castle doors, nonexistent just seconds before and seemingly from thin air. It strode inside the cavernous throne room and faded away. Arawn, with single-minded fervor, followed without hesitation. The Wild Hunt was nowhere to be seen within the oddly vacant throne room, but Arawn pushed forward through the haze of his wounds to the darkly beautiful throne, cut from a single piece of agate and intricately detailed with glyph and filigree. What appeared as a desiccated body sat on the throne. Just as Arawn thought he saw a curl of recognition on the lips of the figure, it imploded into dust. Driven by strange urgency, Arawn sat upon the throne, right atop the thin layer that had been its previous tenant. That day, a mantle was passed. The stewardship of the Wild Hunt, and lordship of Annwn, now belonged to Arawn. When he rose from the Agate Throne, he returned to his people as their king and as the embodiment of Wild Hunt. Thenceforth, he would lead his brothers and sisters in the hunt and in greatness. In due time, the mantle would be passed on to his successors—those who were strongest in their day, each taking the name and title of Arawn. Each incarnation of the Wild Hunt drew its power from Annwn, channeled through its champion Arawn, and that power seemed to increase with each succession. But the power burned out its champions in time and colored their perceptions and judgment. The Wild Hunt grew increasing powerful and unpredictable with a growing swath of destruction behind it. It was only a matter of time until someone pushed back against it.
BREAKING POINT
Whatever one’s feelings may be over the intricacies of the Wild Hunt’s nature and origin and the growing instability in the fir bolg, the fact remains that this creature was a tremendous source of destruction. Throughout the Material and Preternatural Planes, this engine of aggression had caused mass migrations
and even near extinctions, destroyed both ancient and budding civilizations, and erased from the ages an unknowable accumulation of knowledge, art, and invention. To the extent that the tales of this destruction can be organized into chronological order, circumstantial evidence clearly shows the Wild Hunt steadily growing in power. Perhaps the most notable of the Wild Hunt’s rampages was the destruction of the ancient and magnificent crystalline Library of Han Dabo. Nestled on the Plane of Eternal Twilight near one of the greatest of cosmic crossroads, this great library was built as a monument to the hard-won peace and union of several powerful tribes of fey. A repository of ancient and irreplaceable knowledge, it had stood for millennia. The Wild Hunt destroyed it in less than a day, reducing this crystalline masterpiece to mere shards and scraps. All agree that the destruction of the library was what finally pushed Mahri, already the Hunt’s greatest foe, over the edge, angry enough for a direct confrontation. Though the sacrifice was great, Mahri severed Arawn from Annwn that fateful day, breaking the fir bolg succession and effectively banishing the Wild Hunt. With Arawn’s death, cut off from the power of the Hunt, the fir bolg crumbled as a people. The power of Annwn, from which they could all draw, had bound them together. Now, they were left empty and bereft. With Arawn’s death and the loss of its champion, Annwn drew in upon itself, unable to make another connection. Eventually, the isolation pushed it to madness: the Spirit of Annwn moved on, only the Bones of Annwn remain.
SECOND AGE OF THE HUNT
The fir bolg would come together again as a people centuries later only to be cut down by their own blood, torn apart by the dark sovereign known as the Morrigan. But this second age of trials for the fir bolg would prove the breeding ground for the eventual return of the Wild Hunt. Fallen at the great battle of Mag Tuired (detailed below) but denied the grave, Sláine the Gray King struggled for a thousand years, caught in a state between life and death. During this time, he somehow
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reached out to his people’s former power and rekindled a connection to the Wild Hunt. But it’s different this time. Gone is the direct connection to the land of Annwn. Gone is the escalation of power and mindtwisting rage. Now, the power seems to come from the fir bolg themselves, as a people. Have the fir bolg in their tragedy tapped into the Bones of Annwn? Is the absence of the Spirit of Annwn altering things? Sláine is still coming to terms with the power, and he is not yet able to fully utilize it. He believes this is a birthright of all fir bolg and that others of his people can tap into this power, but thus far, he has been the only one to accomplish it. Sláine is a wise king and, for now, very cautious and secretive with this new knowledge and power, ordering that none are to speak of it with outsiders. He understands the effects that this power could have on himself and on others and is in no rush to lose control or to bring worlds crashing down in retaliation on the heads of the already struggling fir bolg. He is biding his time and slowly gathering his forces as he plumbs the depths of this new legacy. Never think that battle plans are not being laid out. Sláine has a clear course: the destruction of the Morrigan. But that is a long way off. For now, the fir bolg struggle to hold themselves together as a people. There is no chance they could manage a large conflict in their current state.
BEING THE WILD HUNT
When Annwn was still whole, the Wild Hunt acted as a mindless force of nature, destroying whatever came into its path. No creature or thing was safe. Since Annwn’s estrangement, the Hunt appears to consume less of its wielder’s mind. The fir bolg appear to be taming it to a degree. If they can eventually gain control of the Hunt, woe to those who oppose them. History: Accounts of the Wild Hunt’s exploits begin shortly after intelligent creatures started banding together in large permanent settlements. Civilization arose, among other reasons, to protect the weak individual from the consuming wilderness that threatened it. Together with other like-minded souls, the weak could tame the wilds and push back and even
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exploit its resources. Is it any wonder that the wilds would respond and attempt to vanquish the tumor of society? This is the way that many view the Wild Hunt—a “natural disaster” akin to a tornado or an earthquake. It remains an unprovable and controversial position, though, since it grants nature an agency and willfulness that many are unwilling to even consider.
SLAINE, THE GRAY KING
Sláine has finally emerged from his slumber, fully recovered. He is reestablishing his station as the secretive Gray King for a people shattered and wandering, no lands to call their own—a people on the edge of extinction. Since his return, he has been on a quest to reestablish the Wild Hunt. Despite no longer being connected to Annwn, he believes that he and all fir bolg can learn to tap into their own deep wells of power and manifest the Wild Hunt. He alone is currently capable of bringing out an aspect of the Wild Hunt but requires at least four other fir bolg to join him as the sovereign creature. He believes this will change as he slowly and secretly spreads the word among his people. But he has not yet been able to claim the Agate Throne Until he can better control the Wild Hunt and his people can find a way to break the Morrigan’s curse, they bide their time. But they have tasted the blood of those once-kin, the sídhe, and a reckoning is coming. Characteristics: Though fairly typical in appearance for a fir bolg, Sláine is exceedingly scarred, including on his face where steel claimed the eye and half an ear. The Wild Hunt of old simply appeared as a massive, more monstrous version of its host. Now, since it comprises other fir bolg than just Sláine, it is a massive, shifting monstrosity. Still roughly fir bolg in appearance, its features shift, and it wields several, usually six, arms. Strategy & Tactics: Sláine is a brutal fighter and rarely allows foes the opportunity to rally, either dispatching or crippling fallen enemies. Against superior numbers, he darts in and withdraws to wear down his opponents in the hope the tide of battle will turn in his favor. When he can, he uses his considerable magical might to bolster himself or hamper his opponents.
The Faerie Ring
Annwn
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pronounced (AN-un)
Monks pack together like young wolves from an encounter with lords who know. They do not know when midnight and dawn divide. Nor wind, what its course, what its onrush, what place it ravages, what region it strikes. The grave of the saint is hidden, both grave and ground. —“Preiddeu Annwn” (trans. Higley) Annwn was the demesne of the fir bolg, the repository of the Wild Hunt, their constant source of vitality and inspiration. With the death of Arawn, Annwn was severed from the fir bolg. What was once an ever present part of each of their lives was suddenly taken away, leaving an empty void within their souls and a treacherous miasma clouding their minds. No longer could they draw upon its boundless energy. The ruins at the heart of Annwn, or the Bones of Annwn, are broken and abandoned, completely inaccessible, though its surrounding environs live still. By rights, the demesne should have ceased to exist once its spirit fled. Yet it lingers on, surviving in a reality all its own, in-between everything and apart from time. Bones of Annwn: When the spirit of Annwn fled, the physical Annwn fell to ruin. It has become a strangely dead place of weeping stone and twisted glade, radiating from its center. Seemingly devoid of life, somehow, the realm lingers on as if in mockery to the rules of reality—as a place that should no longer be. At its heart sits the Siege, an ancient and immense
castle. Apparitions dance the grounds, echoes of a former life, and ghosts wail from stony ramparts. Spent bone and flesh walk the halls: the dead have claimed what life has abandoned. Within its vast halls sits the Agate Throne. There are rumors that Manitou has breached Annwn. Why would he do this? Could he bestow new life into the dead realm? Could he reconnect the fir bolg with their legacy? Is there a greater secret buried, lingering within the ruins? Or is he simply escaping his problems—hiding among the bones of history and waiting for time to pass him by? There are legends that the full fury of the Wild Hunt will rise again, reuniting the scattered fir bolg and that Manitou will lead it. Most fir bolg have too little hope left to believe such legends, but some still keep the tales alive. Recently, rumors have begun to circulate that Sláine lives and has regained the power. Could Manitou have had a hand in this?
BAYING LANDS
Some fir bolg cursed to become hounds have chosen to stay with their people and live in constant torment as a vivid reminder of the differences between themselves and non-afflicted fir bolg. Those unable to stand the torment choose to roam elsewhere, but they still congregate among themselves. Their favorite location is a set of rolling hills dotted with trees and filled with game where they can live a semblance of their former lives. The Baying Lands (or Cadair Idris) are generally quiet during the day as game animals hide away and cŵn annwn rest. Only the occasional mournful howl breaks the silence. Between dusk and dawn, though, canine barks and howls sound throughout the hills and the hunt begins, sometimes for two-legged quarry.
BRIGHTHAVEN
Other than Sanctuary Valley, Brighthaven is the most peaceful location in Annwn. Bright Eyes tamed the forest and surrounding fields, and nature is in balance within Brighthaven’s confines. This is also the only location in the demesne where Dark Eyes’s scouts cannot gain information. Even intelligent creatures she employs to infiltrate Brighthaven forget everything they
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experience when they leave its confines. Technically Bright Eyes’s home, she rarely returns here as she carries out her crusade to restore natural balance everywhere in the multiverse. However, the land takes care of itself and requires no meddling on her part. The flora replenishes itself at a steady rate while foragers keep the more destructive plants in check. Predators, in turn, keep the prey populations in check. As long as newcomers do not disrupt Brighthaven’s carefully crafted balance, they are welcome. If they disturb anything, though, they find out the seemingly idyllic location is quite deadly when all plants and animals rise in its defense.
FIELD OF BLOOD
A field of blood-red poppies continues to bloom ever since the death of Arawn. The flowers spray a fine, red mist when creatures enters the field, inducing a state of all-consuming rage. The resulting bloodshed seems to nourish the flowers. When crushed into a powder and mixed with alcohol, seeds taken from the poppies incite the same level of violence.
GRAVEYARD OF CIVILIZATIONS
When the Wild Hunt destroys important structures in civilized lands, it leaves an imprint in this demesne. Phantom versions of the buildings appear on this blasted heath as if to remind the Wild Hunt of the devastation it has caused. It is unknown whether this is meant to shame the Wild Hunt or serve as a macabre trophy for its actions. Visitors to the graveyard can enter lost libraries and temples to forgotten deities and become just as insubstantial as the buildings they inhabit. This allows them to explore ancient ruins and interact with items long since destroyed. Researchers find repositories of books lost to time and can access otherwise unavailable knowledge. There is a danger in staying too long, however, as the graveyard claims the souls of its visitors.
MAG TUIRED
Vast numbers of fir bolg fell to the Túatha Dé Danann at Mag Tuired. The scorched and diseased earth supports no plant life and animals refuse to tread the
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battleground, dotted with graves from early battles but mostly containing the rotted remains of dead fir bolg. The fir bolg avoid Mag Tuired, partially out of the memory of the near-genocide but mostly out of superstition. Those who dare to pass through the battleground threaten to wake the dead, who resume their battle, choosing the living as their enemies. Magical weapons and armor reward those who can survive the visit.
SANCTUARY VALLEY
When the Wild Hunt ran, it was possible to escape the seemingly inevitable fate awaiting those in its path. The fog-enshrouded Sanctuary Valley sits in the center of impossibly tall peaks. By an ancient treaty, the location is protected from the Wild Hunt’s depredations. Sanctuary Valley has echoes across the multiverse, but it does not always present itself as a valley outside this demesne: it can be a lonely mountain peak, a grove ringed by ancient oaks, or even a simple church. Finding Sanctuary Valley, or its equivalent, is nearly impossible, and it moves after each running of the Hunt. However, stories tell of the pure of heart having the innate ability to find the sanctuary.
SOLITUDE
The vast majority of fir bolg who survived the battles at Mag Tuired continued their warlike ways. A handful, however, took a different approach and settled in a patch of land, measuring roughly one square mile, that proved amenable to cultivation. The fir bolg called this land Solitude, and here, they forget about their bloodlust. They instead spend the entirety of their days working the land. In the decade since Solitude’s founding, the fir bolg have cultivated crops that not only sustain Solitude’s inhabitants, but allow them a modest income. They use their money to buy equipment and materials to improve their crops and build houses. The new lifestyle does not alleviate the Morrigan’s curse, but mothers transformed to cŵn annwn find the transition to cŵn wybyr much easier. Very few fir bolg see a benefit in peace, and most expect the experiment of Solitude to fail bloodily, but the peaceful outlook of Solitude has brought others within its confines.
The Faerie Ring
STRANGLE GROVE The spirit of Annwn, cut off from the fir bolg, could not long survive. Centuries of isolation drove it mad and, ultimately, it fled. To save itself and what remained of its mind, it abandoned the site of Annwn. Twisted and changed, this rogue demesne became a predator and fed on any fleeting scrap of sentience it could find. Eventually, it would find Red Jack and came to be called Strangle Grove.
TENGUHOME
Not far from Annwn, those daitengu who avoid allegiance to either Bright or Dark Eyes—those holding true to the ideals of balance that saved them once—
have claimed territory, an extension of their ancestral lands, under Sojobo’s auspice. Tenguhome covers miles of rugged, mountainous land. It exists as an outpost to track the Sisters, as a sanctuary for all tengu and fir bolg hoping for any outcome not requiring full-scale war, and as a staging ground should confl ict prove inevitable. Crows and other corvids wheel through the sky above Tenguhome, making it an easy place to fi nd. However, actually accessing the mountains controlled by the tengu is considerably more difficult. Non-tengu who seek to travel along the Tengu Road and learn the secrets of the yamabushi must prove their worthiness to tengu who know how to access what they call the Trying Way.
The Wild Hunt’s Demesne
The current spiritless heart of the demesne of Annwn has the following traits: Dead Magic: Annwn functions in all respects like an antimagic field spell (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide). Minor Negative-Dominant: The Bones of Annwn (at the demesne’s center) is dead and spiritless. No life survives long within its haunted expanse. Living creatures within the Bones of Annwn take 1d6 points of damage per minute. At 0 hit points or lower, they perish and arise as undead (see below). This is a negative energy effect. Restless Dead: Living creatures dying within the Bones of Annwn arise as free-willed undead. If the creature has 4 Hit Dice or less, it becomes a skeleton or zombie (as the animate dead spell). Creature with 5–10 Hit Dice become ghouls, ghasts, mummies, or mohrgs (as the create undead spell). Creatures with 11+ Hit Dice become shadows, wraiths, spectres, or devourers (as the create greater undead spell). At GM discretion, some individuals may become more unique undead or gain undead templates (such as ghost or vampire). Undead created in this manner are trapped within the demesne and incapable of leaving by any means short of divine intervention. Redemption: The Bones of Annwn can potentially be claimed and redeemed by one worthy of the Agate Throne. Should the demesne’s spirit be restored, the new ruler can choose to remove the dead magic, minor negative-dominant, and restless dead planar traits. However, if the Agate Throne is destroyed, the demesne quickly decays away to nothing.
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THE WEB
A portion of the forest stands claustrophobically close. The canopy here allows very little light, giving it a perpetually twilit appearance. Webs drape over the branches, shrouding the center of the forest and funneling any and all passage through these trees, much like that of a trap door spider. Dark Eyes spends much more time in her home than her “sister” does and receives information from her spies here. These woods also serve as a trap for the unwary who stumble into it. The cost of freedom is useful information, vetted by Dark Eyes herself or one of her lieutenants, of course. Failure to provide valuable information invariably results in death by the large, deadly spiders that congregate here.
Fir Bolg
& Others
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They departed with no treacherous covenant upon the wrathful very black sea, out of the captivity of hard fosterage with ships and with bags. —Lebor Gabála Érenn: Book of the Taking of Ireland (trans. Macalister) Few tales are as fueled by tragedy as those of the fir bolg. The slaying of their king Arawn and their severing from Annwn was a cataclysm that rippled throughout their tribes and sundered the proud fir bolg, changing them forever. The tribes fell to disorder and conflict. Finally, rather than destroy each other in desperation, each of the tribes chose a direction and split from the rest, to wander their own path. But, it is also said, few tales are as fueled by strength and resolve.
FIR BOLG Five chiefs at the head of the host Divide into five Banbha the ancient; Geanann, Rughraidhe—a brilliant roll— Gann, Seangann, and Sláinghe. —Geoffrey Keating, The History of Ireland For ages, the fir bolg measured their own existence by their service to the Wild Hunt and the line of kings that channeled it—proud warriors defined by confidence and conflict. They existed to fight. What happens, though, when all that crumbles to dust? Who are you as a people when all of your touchstones have shattered? Once, these warlike fey held nothing higher than family and honor. They gained strength from a deep connection with their brothers and sisters. Now, they
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are forced to turn away from others as their people stand broken. And, turning inward, they must face the personal demons within long buried by community. The fir bolg have become more like the hounds they breed—roving as packs and adapting to their new existence. Now, these dog soldiers struggle with their identity and simply try to survive.
A GATHERING OF BLOOD
For they are all called Fir Bolg . . . —Lebor Gabála Érenn: Book of the Taking of Ireland Centuries passed after the severing of Annwn, bringing with them many trials and much hardship. The fir bolg had long since broken apart into smaller tribes. Some of these tribes survived on their skill and luck while others faltered and died. There came a time, however, that all surviving fir bolg felt the silent pull of kinship—a burning fire in the blood and a call to reclaim lost greatness, to reunite lost brothers and sisters. Five tribes converged upon their ancient homeland, and five kings came to accord. Upon that site, the fir bolg put aside difference and doubt, and they reminded each other what it was to be fir bolg. Under the five kings—Sláine, Gann, Genann, Rudraige, and Sengann—all was well, and a new day was dawning for the fir bolg.
THE HAND OF THE MORRIGAN
The Túatha Dé Danann were in the northern islands of the world, studying occult lore and sorcery, druidic arts and witchcraft and magical skill, until they surpassed the sages of the pagan arts. —Cath Maige Tuired: The Second Battle of Mag Tuired (trans. Gray) The sixth tribe, however, had taken a path unlike the others. These fir bolg, the Túatha Dé Danann, had begun a descent into darkness and strange magics. Their call was to the Morrigan, and they did not fail her. Only through conquest of their blood—and bitter defeat of their brothers and sisters—could the Morrigan
The Faerie Ring fully embrace them and draw them to her breast. At Mag Tuired, the Túatha Dé Danann met the rest of the fi r bolg in ferocious battle. At Mag Tuired, the Túatha Dé Danann invoked the Morrigan: sword strokes their words, blood and sweat their sacrament, and the fir bolg their sacrifice. The battle was long and bloody, lasting for days. Both sides took heavy losses. But though the fi r bolg fought valiantly, they could not withstand t he mag ic-en ha nced onslaught. One by one, their kings fell, until ultimately the Túatha Dé Danann proved victorious. They vanquished their kin and successfully invoked the Morrigan, who embraced her bloodyhanded children without hesitation. With one last insult, the Morrigan laid a curse upon the scattering fir bolg survivors to plunge them further into despair and prevent a fir bolg resurgence: from this point forward, expecting fi r bolg mothers would become like their hounds.
TATTERED AND BROKEN
I am Fathach, the poet; strongly has sorrow vanquished me, and now, that the fir bolg are gone, I shall surrender to the swift advance of disaster. —The First Battle of Moytura (trans. Fraser)
Once again, the few surviving fir bolg were scattered to the winds—this time with no pretense that the fir bolg were anything but finished as a people. They became like their hounds, roving the land in packs with no goal other than to survive and try to force back the encroaching despair. Held in strictest secret was perhaps the last hope of the fir bolg: that one of their kings, Sláine, had survived
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the battle. Though first to fall at Mag Tuired, he was secreted away among those who could bring about his recovery. For a millennium, he lay frozen in magical stasis, slowly recovering from the harrowing wounds and insidious magics of the sídhe. Kept hidden from even his fellow fir bolg, Sláine’s body was ferried around, constantly moved to keep him from enemy detection. He became the Gray King, caught between life and death; those who watched over him are honored as “the gray ones.” Typical Characteristics: Fir bolg have been likened, in appearance at least, to extremely muscular elves. They have long, pointed ears, and their hair (for both male and female) is either kept shaved or tied back in long braids. Their skin is gray of varying shades; their bodies are often a showcase of scars owing to their hard life. As a culture constantly on the move, they tend to wear little, including armor. Society: Fir bolg are predominantly a nomadic people. They are primarily egalitarian, though the strongest among them stands as the leader. A fir bolg king or queen usually acts as little more than a tiebreaker in times of peace and a battle-leader or champion in times of strife. Their culture is one of war. They believe that they exist to struggle and fight and that they do well to honor that. All are powerful and tenacious combatants. Few can match them one on one. Having now to contend with the curse of Morrigan, the women typically wait until late in life to have children. Sex is no longer a thing to cast about with little consideration. Beaten down by their grim history, they are fundamentally a somber race: a “cheerful fir bolg” could be a byword for that which does not exist. Relationships: In the past, the fir bolg were like servants to the Wild Hunt, its loyal subjects. Now, the fir bolg appear to be becoming the Wild Hunt, as if it were a birthright that they are only now coming into. Strategy & Tactics: Fir bolg rarely back down from fights, especially when other fir bolg are around. It’s not so much a matter of honor as it is a matter of utility. No fir bolg wants to go to war with known cowards.
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Individual strategies differ among fir bolg, but they always ensure they focus their energies on the weapons or abilities they feel most comfortable with in a combat setting. A fir bolg with a two-handed sword is one of the best wielders of a two-handed sword while a fir bolg with a net knows many confounding ways to gain advantage with a net.
CWN ANNWN (HOUNDS OF ANNWN)
pronounced (koon AN-un)
Though the fir bolg were beaten and nearly destroyed at Mag Tuired, the cruelest of fates was reserved for fir bolg mothers. The Morrigan’s final curse condemned all fir bolg women who choose to bear children to become hounds. They were forced to do battle with their own natures and, ultimately, walk away from their families one way or another. Whatever the Morrigan was striving for, she has ensured a bitter and never-ending conflict within what remains of the fir bolg. But then again, maybe, that’s just what she wanted.
HOUNDS OF ANNWN
As fir bolg women become pregnant, they start to take on the characteristics of hounds until, right before giving birth, the mother has been transformed into a hound. A strange sight, to be sure, made stranger by the baby born to the hound emerging as a normal fir bolg. Having once given birth, the mother remains a hound forevermore. She is now a cŵn annwn, a hound of Annwn. She can never have babies again, save for pups, and she must fight to retain her mind. Those who fail are overcome by the shadowy magics of the sídhe and become cù sìth, or a hound of the sídhe. The curse has thus far proven unbreakable. The Morrigan’s Gift, as the fir bolg darkly call it, has taken a terrible toll. Childbirth has taken on an entirely new and terrifying aspect: the only way that the fir bolg might continue as a people now comes with a cost too much to bear. As was no doubt the Morrigan’s intent,
The Faerie Ring the fir bolg seemed doomed to extinction since each mother is capable of only a single birth (twins are considered a sign of great import). And the risk of the mother’s identity slipping away as a cù sìth and endangering the young is too great for her to remain with the tribe afterward. All fir bolg women, therefore, must make a terrible choice at some point in their lives. Do they continue fighting alongside the men and help the tribe survive another day in a hostile world, or do they sacrifice themselves for a child? Typical Characteristics: There is much variation in the cŵn annwn since each is a unique individual. Their one shared characteristic is that all cŵn annwn appear as hounds, ranging in size from as small as a wolf to as large as a horse. They may be of any color, though a completely black coat seems to be most common. They always retain their fierceness, and it shows in their eyes. Cŵn annwn retain their intelligence and
Three-Faced Morrigan
A dark and mysterious sovereign, the Morrigan relishes conflict. Her dark designs are a mystery, but be assured that she has them. She has accounted for the beginning of times and the end, and all in between. Her eyes are everywhere and nothing occurs without her knowledge—some would say, not without her approval. Some say she was once a god, and some say she will be again. Few realize how deeply the Morrigan was involved in the death of Arawn and the decimation of the Wild Hunt. It was she who fostered Mahri’s obsessions and Arawn’s instability. She put all the pawns in the right places. She led the Túatha Dé Danann to the north and nurtured them with dark secrets. She gladly accepted their sacrifice and embraced them as the sídhe, severed from the fir bolg forever. Why, however, remains a mystery: her story, and that of the sídhe, has yet to be fully told.
personality—at least for a time. Their minds are in constant turmoil as the desires of the original fir bolg struggle with the instincts of her hound form and the darkness of the curse. They can fight both, maintaining their identity, or they can submit to one or the other. Fighting means constant mental turmoil and, in many cases, ultimately ends in madness. Those that give in to despair become cù sìth and are lost forever to the shadows, becoming a pawn of the Morrigan. Those that give in to the primal nature of the hound can forge a new life as cŵn wybyr, or hound of the sky. Any pups a cŵn annwn births are normal feyhounds. Environment & Society: For fear of endangering loved ones, all cŵn annwn leave their tribe, but most don’t go far. They want stay close, to watch their children grow and to fight side-by-side with their former companions in glorious battle. This is the way of things for a while, but being so near what they can no longer have is the quick road to despair—and nothing hastens the inner curse more than despair. Those cŵn annwn who shun the constant torment of being close to their former tribe and seek to begin anew are usually the ones that escape the descent into the cù sìth. Those who stay near their tribes try to stay far enough away as to not needlessly endanger those they love but close enough that they can be useful in times of need. They make dens where they can generally be undisturbed: abandoned dens of other creatures, abandoned homesteads, unused sections of old castles, whatever they can find. They have a restless nature, however, and wander much of the time, though typically within a certain range. They are largely loners since their restless spirits and fracturing minds tend to lead to unpredictable behavior. However, they watch out for one another and live in a kind of extended pack, spending much of their time alone but always aware of where those others make their dens. Always, no matter what else they may agree or disagree on, each promises to destroy any of their number who
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falls into the madness of the cù sìth. Those that walk away from their former life completely are often the safest. They typically submit to the more canine aspects of their beings, burying the triggers that might bring out the cù sìth. They find a pack to run with and live on with a new family. Relationships: Though the cŵn annwn distance themselves from the fir bolg, they often accompany Sláine when he invokes the Wild Hunt, and the Dog Mother leads them. Strategy & Tactics: Aware of the Morrigan’s curse gnawing at their minds, cŵn annwn are hesitant combatants and only enter a fray when something threatens them or someone they love. They attempt to avoid taking damage, knowing they cannot hold off on the madness that consumes them when they are harmed. Once cŵn annwn give in to the madness, they attack to kill and only lose their bloodlust when all their foes are dead or out of sight.
MALLT-Y-NOS, THE DOG MOTHER
pronounced (mahlt uh nawse)
Mallt-y-Nos, also known as Matilda of the Night, is the Dog Mother. She was the first fir bolg woman to give birth after Mag Tuired and did so defiantly cursing the Morrigan. As the eldest cŵn annwn, she stands as their matriarch. More than that, however, she has uniquely been able to tame the curse by sheer force of will. No longer a slave to the curse, she is capable of utilizing all the aspects of her nature with which all other cŵn annwn endlessly struggle: her fir bolg heritage, her hound ferocity, and her shadowy dark side. She is no longer limited to the form of a hound but can revert to her fir bolg state at will. Thus uniquely suited to act as liaison between the fir bolg and the cŵn annwn, she is a trusted advisor to Sláine and the revered Dog Mother to the fir bolg and her fellow cŵn annwn. Her many hard years have certainly taken a toll. She appears as an old crone when a fir bolg and prefers spending her time as the ancient graying hound, the form in which she’s spent most of her life. Headstrong
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and known for speaking her mind, she defends her own without hesitation, frequently accompanying Sláine when he invokes the Wild Hunt. Strategy & Tactics: Mallt-y-Nos and her animal companion, Hod, cooperate during combat and focus on individual combatants until they flee or are dispatched. The pair keep their distance and harry foes by leaping in and out of reach. She relies on her spell-augmented speed to get out of trouble, and Hod naturally moves quickly, so that is not a concern for her.
OTHER CWN ANNWN
Cŵn annwn are unique and varied. No two are alike, either in abilities or in temperament. BLACK SHUCK (OR THE DOOM DOG) Younger than most when she turned, the overly proud warrior Black Shuck was grievously distraught at having to give up her child and had to be forcefully removed from the tribe. Her despair grew so great that she leapt from a cliff to take her own life. She survived but not without taking severe damage to body and mind. Though she has recuperated physically except for being blinded in one eye, her mind will never be the same. This is, one could say, a blessing in disguise—since she no longer despairs over what she has forgotten she’s lost, she is no longer in imminent danger of becoming a cù sìth. Since the fall, she has visions—premonitions, she says—and she reacts to them unpredictably. GYTRASH (OR SHAGFOAL) Unable to stop herself, Gytrash has been terrorizing the countryside. Her memory of these occasions is spotty, but she has amassed a lot of blood on her claws. These are the first signs of the encroaching cù sìth. MODDEY DHOO Embittered by the events of her life, Moddey Dhoo has secluded herself from everything. She just wants to be left alone and isn’t afraid to kill for that privilege. She currently dens in the unused catacombs beneath a nearby castle.
The Faerie Ring
CU SITH (HOUNDS OF THE SIDHE) pronounced (koo shee)
All cŵn annwn must struggle with the cù sìth. The cù sìth lies deep within each cŵn annwn’s soul: a dark and domineering shadow that desires only to consume. The final torment of the Morrigan’s curse on the women of the fir bolg, those cŵn annwn who succumb are forever lost. They become cù sìth, a
hound of the sídhe, a will-less slave of the Morrigan. Typical Characteristics: Cù sìth look much like the cŵn annwn from which they spring except for having more massive proportions. Growing to the size of a cow, they develop a green cast to their coat as the fur becomes oddly braided with an ever-present moss. Typically, the transformation to a cù sìth is precipitated by prolonged violent emotion. However, the process can occasionally be unpredictable and affect a cŵn annwn with little warning. Those in the final
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struggle with the curse appear insane and lash out at everything, often rampaging through the countryside. Once the curse wins, the physical transformation into a cù sìth occurs and the cŵn annwn is now forever lost as a thrall to the Morrigan. It is said that the Morrigan uses the cù sìth as conduits and is able to direct her attention and power through them. Certainly, she controls each cù sìth completely, and all their actions are very deliberate. Environment & Society: The cù sìth have no social structure. They exist as vessels for the Morrigan’s will. This may be to join with the sídhe or to remain near the fir bolg and constantly harass their flanks until the cù sìth is slain. Whatever the Morrigan wills. All trace of former identity appears to be wiped away completely. If any does remain, suppressed deep down inside, there is no indication. The cù sìth give no quarter. Relationships: The cù sìth relate to the Wild Hunt
the same way the Morrigan relates to the Wild Hunt— as enemies locked in eternal conflict. Cŵn annwn destroy all cù sìth on sight and without hesitation. It is a final gift and show of devotion to their fallen sisters, a promise fulfilled. Strategy & Tactics: Cù sìth have given into the madness invoked by the Morrigan and thrill in the hunt and the kill. They enjoy the effect their aura has on other creatures, gleefully attacking those who give in to the “fight” response and chasing down fleeing prey afterward. When at least two cù sìth participate in combat, they work together and employ pack tactics, taking the opportunity to rip at foes tripped by other cù sìth. The creatures have no choice but to be fearless and attack relentlessly, fighting to the last cù sìth.
CWN WYBYR (HOUNDS OF THE SKY) pronounced (koon WEEB-eer)
A Tale of Crow and Hound
They seem so different, the tengu and the fir bolg. Yet some suspect there is more to the story between these two peoples. The fir bolg’s violent relationship with the Morrigan is well known. There also seems little reason to doubt that the Morrigan pulled the strings of Mahri and Arawn’s final confrontation, which ended disastrously for both. Some assume the connection naturally goes deeper: that the Morrigan has had her talons in both these cultures for some time. Both fey races have a history with some form of physical degeneration. Both cultures are colored by intense conflict. And the tengu’s connection to crows—the Morrigan’s emblem—is almost too obvious. It’s said that nothing happens without the Morrigan’s knowing. Tales whisper that she is the engineer of what the tengu and fir bolg have become. That she wracked them with torment and conflict. That every event was carefully orchestrated to trigger other events in a chain to some end and purpose. Could that be true? Could her power really be so great? If so, what else has she influenced? Or, perhaps, what hasn’t she influenced? Only the Morrigan knows.
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Though perhaps the most dramatic, the cù sìth is not the only aspect of the Morrigan’s curse the cŵn annwn must struggle with. Though they were once fi r bolg, they are now hounds, and there is a constant urge to submit to primal nature, to give up their intelligence and personality and just be hounds. Typical Characteristics: There is usually little change of appearance when a cŵn annwn transforms into a cŵn wybyr, though their coats tend to lighten. Otherwise their coloration remains, white with red accents is very common in later generations. Most of a cŵn annwn’s personality is lost in the transformation, or at least suppressed beneath layers of instinct, but they remain smarter and stronger than average hounds. Most importantly, they are now free from the curse of the Morrigan. They
The Faerie Ring can never be fir bolg again, but they need never fear becoming the cù sìth any longer. Cŵn wybyr breed true. Environment & Society: Despite the freedom from the curse, relatively few cŵn annwn actively choose to become the cŵn wybyr. It means letting go of their personality and memories and ties to the past, and that’s too much of a sacrifice for most, at least at first. Typically, it’s the older cŵn annwn, those that have at length found a peace, that decide they’re ready. Cŵn wybyr live much like normal hounds. Ironically, they can become closer to the fir bolg as cŵn wybyr than when they still retained their own minds and memories as cŵn annwn. The fir bolg always welcome cŵn wybyr into the tribes as incredibly loyal and skilled companions. Those cŵn wybyr that forge off on their own typically form small packs or find a place for themselves in other fey or humanoid cultures. Relationships: Those cŵn wybyr that remain with the fir bolg are treated with care and respect. Sláine is often accompanied by cŵn wybyr. Strategy & Tactics: Cŵn wybyr always initiate combat with a howl to demoralize opponents. While they retain little of the intellect they possessed as fir bolg and lose much of the ruthlessness of cŵn annwn, they still retain a dim recollection of tactics and apply those in battle. Their most prevalent ploy is drawing opponents into less advantageous terrain where they can keep their own mobility. Cŵn wybyr work together and with fir bolg companions to concentrate on a single foe.
FEYHOUNDS The fir bolg have long bred hounds for use in the hunt and in battle. The cŵn wybyr stand as exemplars of that stock, and often take pack leader roles for other feyhounds.
CENNORAN HOUNDS
In recent years, feyhounds that survive particular calamity or live exceedingly long lives sometimes grow into cennoran hounds, standing as large as a bull. It’s
not clear why, but it’s intriguing to speculate that the feyhounds might be tapping into the Bones of Annwn, just as their fir bolg masters. Manitou has been seen summoning cennoran hounds in his travels. So just what has he been doing in the Bones of Annwn, anyway? Could he be taking a stand in the war between the fir bolg and the sídhe, perhaps looking to finally stem the Morrigan’s manipulating influence? Or is he just benefiting himself? Strategy & Tactics: Feyhounds are more clever than the dogs and wolves they resemble. They begin combat with their howls to panic well-equipped opponents (preferring not to frighten prey they could easily stalk). They choose a target and work together to bring it down, using tactics that favor teamwork.
TENGU At the first approach of winter, it will in one night become all blanched from foot to crest, and then its snowy pyramid so much resembles that Sacred Mountain, often compared by poets to a white inverted fan, half opened, hanging in the sky . . . It is the one sublime spectacle of this charming land, but it is visible only when the air is very pure. Many are the marvelous legends related concerning it, and somewhere upon its mysterious summit the tengu are believed to dwell. —Lafcadio Hearn, Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan The tengu of today are not the tengu of days past. Only through great effort were they able to overcome their natures and avoid self-destruction. Finding a balance brought them a future, but how long can it last? There was a time when the tengu were little more than crazed, wild mountain fey, doing anything and everything they wanted. They terrorized travellers, raided nearby peoples, and brutalized their own kind. They had no cultural identity save that they were born into conflict and destined to antagonize others.
FADING TIES
Over time, as their lives continued in unabated reckless abandon, individual tengu began to lose their ties to
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the world. One by one, they fell irrevocably away from their fey natures, becoming more and more like the humanoids they loved to terrorize. They panicked with no known cause nor cure, and they hid, holing away and hoping for it to pass. They pushed out—even killed—those who “fell” in attempts to stop further disaster. The fallen were forced to abandon everything they knew, leaving their tengu communities behind. Ever resourceful, these tengu managed to adjust and even to thrive in their new world. They became the kotengu. Their fall divorced them from their wildest tendencies, and they now exist as the quizzical yet secretive crow people who seem to thrive in the navigating of other cultures.
THE TENGU ROAD
Those tengu that had not yet fallen struggled for years to end the nightmare. Most tengu chose to do nothing for fear of unknowingly doing something that would bring this fate down upon them, a fall that most considered worse than death. Even Sojobo, sovereign of the tengu, was not immune to this fear. However, Sojobo’s daughter, Mahri, would have none of it. In open defiance of fear, she sought a different path, spending much time in quiet contemplation and in physical training. She made it her struggle to understand herself and her connection to nature, to the fey realms. Slowly, after many years, she achieved the balance that she sought and could begin to quiet the storm within. Once she had shown the way, and just as slowly, others joined her. Thus was born the Trying Way—what would come to be known by others as the Tengu Road. The Trying Way is an ascetic life of trial and understanding, of self-control and power. It is a way of life, and it became their salvation. It enabled the tengu to find themselves. With it, they no longer need fear falling. They are the daitengu, the mysterious mountain fey.
MAINTAINING BALANCE
The tengu have become mountain mystics and warriorpriests, masters of the arts of transmutation; they were
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the first yamabushi. They pushed themselves physically and mentally, and they reclaimed their natures, tempering their natural abilities with discipline. Don’t misunderstand: theirs has not become a path of peace. They weren’t seeking morality, only evenmindedness and control. Their new path was a mandate of balance, not of abstinence and denial. In their wholly fey asceticism, they push their bodies to the breaking point and plumb the mysteries of the spirit, but they also indulge in everything that nature has to offer. In fact, that indulgence could be considered a part of their training. In the name of balance, pushing in one direction requires pushing just as far in the opposite direction. Clearly, Mahri had a defining influence on the tengu— even more so than her seemingly aloof and lazy father. To the surprise of many, her bloody demise has not caused the tengu to revert to their wild, self-destructive ways. They maintain their personal doctrines of balance, but politically, things are changing. Sojobo, silent and sleepy on his mountain throne, holds to the established path. The shards of Mahri, however, each have their own agendas. Typical Characteristics: The tengu are a race split into the kotengu and the daitengu; both simply call themselves tengu. For whatever reason, the tengu apparently retain only the most tenuous of ties to their fey nature. While it’s not completely understood how the tie is ultimately severed, it is believed that when they give in to their reckless, unbridled natures, they weaken the link. When that tie is severed, they become kotengu—corvid humanoids with only a memory of their fey lineage. Those tengu who have learned to control their natures have become the daitengu. These fey are shapechangers, naturally able to alter their forms from that of crows to humanoids. They are not, it must be said, terribly effective at it, though. They have trouble perfecting either form, perhaps from not caring terribly about the results. Thus, tengu typically appear with a mixing of traits, such as bird claws for hands and feet, long noses, and large crow wings. Luckily, with training, they can become more accomplished with their shapechanging.
The Faerie Ring Society: Though Sojobo counts the tengu amongst his subjects, he is largely a figurehead. Tengu society (that is, daitengu society) is currently based on intense physical and spiritual discovery. They effectively live completely egalitarian lives: one does not make great progress in personal discovery by relying on others. They can best be described as focused and intense individuals, whether in their near-constant training, in their celebrations, in their dealings with others, or even in their relaxation. Daitengu days are largely spent in martial training, honing their bodies and burning off sharp emotions. Their nights are often spent in celebration, in massive gatherings typified by blazing bonfires, primal chanting, wild dancing, booming drums, and intoxicating mushrooms. Their rest is quiet meditation. They seek little beyond their mountain refuges, but they cede nothing. While they suffer none with ill intent to enter their lands, they welcome others. And though they no longer steal mortal children, they still suffer the blame for old habits, for many young runaways and lost souls find their way to the lands of the tengu. However, they view this as an opportunity to teach the ways of the yamabushi—of nature and of the sword. The tengu think nothing of allowing a child to stay for as long as it wants. It can leave whenever it chooses: why, they say, should mortals blame them this? It is as a gift from the tengu. Whatever else an individual might be, tengu are a prideful people. They still take an inordinate amount of pleasure in distressing and antagonizing others, playing on fears and insecurities. They are startlingly good at it. This does not often make them friends, but it is not a trait they could ever be rid of, try to temper it as they may. Relationships: The tengu’s history with the Wild Hunt would seem to have begun when Mahri struck out against the Hunt, drawing the tengu into inadvertent and initially indirect conflict with the fir bolg. However, Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes seem destined, each in her own way, to escalate the current tensions and trigger a full-scale war. Strategy & Tactics: Daitengu make an art out of
combat, and they are generally graceful opponents. They flow across battlefields and make elegant cuts with their sharp swords or precision movements with their clawed hands. The practiced elegance of their preferred combat styles contrasts starkly with their brutal strikes.
. . . AND THOSE NOTABLE The fey are everywhere and each has a story all their own. While some might lend a hand, some others might lend a knife . . . blade first and between your ribs. And many might offer both. It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also dangerous not to.
DAUGHTERS OF MAHRI
In life, as the daughter and emissary of Sojobo, Mahri saved the tengu from self-destruction. She brought them purpose and self control. And yet her decision to confront the Wild Hunt set in motion the events that may once again speed the tengu toward their own destruction. Typically thought of as Mahri’s daughters, Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes each possess some of the best and worst qualities of their progenitor. The sisters are like twisted mirror images of one another, and each would prefer to be an only child. Each has gathered close those faithful to her alone. As fate would have it, though Sláine has tried to keep the revival of the Wild Hunt a secret, it’s hard to keep rumors down for long. Whispers have reached the tengu, promising trouble as both Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes have inherited Mahri’s obsession with the Wild Hunt. Characteristics: Both Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes are very much like Mahri in appearance with only minor differences, such as preferences for light and dark tones, respectively, in hair, skin, and clothing. As both are highly accomplished yamabushi, they are practiced shapechangers and able to look fully humanoid, which they seem to prefer. Neither is hesitant to use her shapechanging abilities if needed, typically to manifest large black wings or take on full crow form.
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BRIGHT EYES Drawing guidance from the will of the land, calling upon nature itself, Bright Eyes leads a crusade against the unnatural. She is a self-appointed sentry of the natural world. She wanders in an eternal pilgrimage with her templars, and her blade is law. You have exactly until you bleed out to argue otherwise. Just as did her mother, Bright Eyes views the Wild Hunt as unnatural, as a terrible tumor ravaging the world. Having heard the rumors of its return, she is fi lled with righteous rage. She is already seeking the monster out, to destroy it for once and for all. Strategy & Tactics: Br ig ht
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Eyes assesses targets as threats to natural balance, to her preservation efforts. She targets those who can do the most widespread damage (typically arcane casters). She actively destroys known allies of her sister. Otherwise, she seeks to end a fight as quickly as possible, not overly caring about the lethality of her efforts. DARK EYES Trusting only in herself, Dark Eyes craves advantage. She relishes information, and she has slowly built a network of spies and other seedy sorts in order to funnel the world’s secrets back to her. It’s said that no secret is for long beyond her reach.
The Faerie Ring The Wild Hunt tempts her as much as it enrages her sister. Dark Eyes is eager to use the Wild Hunt, but the perfect opportunity has yet to present itself. She knows exactly where Sláine’s constantly moving pack is at any given time, thanks to her spies, but waits to do anything further. For now, her time is better spent in planting disinformation to mislead her sister. Strategy & Tactics: Always on the lookout for powerful allies to help in her crusades, Dark Eyes incapacitates strong foes and bargains with them to join her when they recover. She even offers her sister’s allies the opportunity; after all, she reasons, everyone has a price. She joyfully destroys those of no use to her.
STILLNESS AMONG THE LEAVES
For some, there can be no greater joy than listening to the breeze shake the branches and rustling the leaves. Stillness Among the Leaves could have asked for no greater role in life. He serves another purpose, of course, to stand as overwatch at Brighthaven. But his primary reason for being, in his own words, is to “Listen to the leaves.” He watches over the whole of Brighthaven, walking the perimeter of the settlement or sitting watch atop the trees, gathering up every last shred of solitude he can while his rotating cast of underlings ranges out on patrol and deals with all the day-to-day administrative tasks he has no interest in. He stands with the trees to enable those who relish more social diversions to run the settlement. Everybody wins. Under his aegis, all will be as needed, though it appears untended. He is the quiet gardener, tending from a distance, answering only to his own requirements. Characteristics: Some would call Stillness lazy, but for him, it is simply calm certainty. He understands himself and his role in the cosmos, and he seeks only to enjoy his place in the tangle of nature. He wants nothing more than to be left alone at the only altar he’s ever known, the only sacrament left to him. For him, being alone in nature is everything. He appears as a bedraggled daitengu—twigs in his feathers, burs in the simple robe he wears. He simply cares little for appearances or the trappings of civility.
He says little and tends toward brusk when he does. Relationships: Stillness actually feels more kinship with the fir bolg than with most of his own people. However, it is the trees to which he owes his deepest allegiance, and it’s only Bright Eyes’s protection of the deep woods and the solitude his position affords him that he remains as warden of Brighthaven. It is his greatest hope that the fir bolg are able to fully harness the Wild Hunt and temper its mindless destruction. To be clear, he cares nothing for the destruction of the monuments to civilization, to that bastion of artificiality and abomination of nature. But he would prefer to continue enjoying the leaves rustling their perpetual dance rather than have them torn asunder in a careless sovereign’s wake. So no, he doesn’t like you or even his own people or really anyone overly much. He simply requires the earth beneath his claws, the wind through his feathers, the rain on his beak, and the sun on his back. Strategy & Tactics: Sure and steady, Stillness uses no wasted motion. When he takes action, it is always with maximum efficiency and to devastating effect. His path is calm clarity: there is no place for uncertainty, no quarter for wasted breath. No tears will be shed.
ADDING COMPLICATION Complication is the hallmark of the fey. They would likely shrivel and die without it. The following odds and ends can be used to inspire plotlines for use in your game: ❖❖ Have the fir bolg tapped into the Bones of Annwn? Can Sláine help his people harness the Wild Hunt? ❖❖ Rumors say that Manitou has breached Annwn. Why? Could he rekindle the dead realm? And how might this help or hinder the fir bolg? Are there deeper secrets in the ruins? ❖❖ Both Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes are gathering supporters, promising a political powderkeg. Can the tengu maintain what cultural balance they’ve achieved, or are they on the verge of another spiral into self destruction? ❖❖ What’s the Morrigan up to now?
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Appendix ( Bestiary)
Fey Lords
Save us all from Fairy thrall! Ellen sees her face the rim Twice and thrice, and that is all— Fount and hill and maiden swim All together melting dim! “Una! Una!” thou may’st call, Sister sad! but lith or limb (Save us all from Fairy thrall! ) Never again of Una bawn, Where now she walks in dreamy hall, Shall eye of mortal look upon! Oh! can it be the guard was gone, The better guard than shield or wall? Who knows on earth save Jurlagh Daune? (Save us all from Fairy thrall! ) Behold the banks are green and bare, No pit is here wherein to fall: Aye—at the fount you well may stare, But nought save pebbles smooth is there, And small straws twirling one and all. Hie thee home, and be thy pray’r, Save us all from Fairy thrall. —Samuel Ferguson, “The Fairy Well of Lagnanay”
h
There is so much more variety in the worlds of fey than would be believed—an immensity of power in the Material and Preternatural Planes to rival all the heavens and all the hells. This is the dominion of the fey, and their powers are many and various. You can rest assured, they have noticed you, and they are very amused.
FLIBBERTIGIBBET With a leering grin putting his toothy maw on display, this hairless, gray-skinned figure has lanky limbs, huge ears, and a confident lack of regard for being stark naked. FLIBBERTIGIBBET
CR 22
XP 615,000 CN Medium fey (mogwoi, sovereign) Init +16; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +42 DEFENSE AC 39, touch 23, flat-footed 26 (+12 Dex, +1 dodge, +16 natural) hp 440 (40d6+320); fast healing 25 Fort +21, Ref +36, Will +20 Defensive Abilities bolt hole, presence,
The Faerie Ring rejuvenation; DR 20/cold iron and magic; Immune ability drain, cold, death effects, energy drain, mind-affecting, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, fire 10; SR 38 Weakness anchored, scatterbrained OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mother’s needle +37/+32/+27/+22 (1d6+11) and bite +27 (1d6+3 plus grab) or bite +32 (1d6+9 plus grab) Ranged +5 darts +37/+32/+27/+22 (1d4+11) Special Attacks pull apart (DC 38) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +34) Constant—freedom of movement, tongues At will—baleful polymorph (DC 27), greater teleport, hideous laughter (DC 24), phase door, shatter (DC 24), summon (level 9, 2d8 gremlins [any one type] 100%), touch of idiocy (DC 24) 3/day—confusion (DC 26), irresistible dance (DC 30), plane shift (self only) 1/day—geas (DC 28), weird (DC 31) TACTICS Before Combat If given time to prepare, Flibbertigibbet summons gremlins and has them lay traps or tricks for opponents. During Combat If only one Flibbertigibbet is present, he casts weird then irresistible dance on the most dangerous seeming survivor. He then attacks with mother’s needle or darts at range. If at least two Flibbertigibbets are present, they both cast weird in unison before one fights in melee combat while the other uses spells or ranged attacks. If all three are present, they all cast weird, then work together to grapple and pull apart any survivors. Morale Flibbertigibbet always uses teleport or plane shift to flee if he fails a save in combat for his scatterbrained weakness. Otherwise, he fights to the death, confident that he’ll survive due to his rejuvenation and bolt hole abilities. STATISTICS Str 22, Dex 35, Con 26, Int 34, Wis 7, Cha 35 Base Atk +20; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 49 Feats Catch Off-Guard, Combat Expertise, Combat
Reflexes, Deceptive ExchangeUC, Dodge, Greater Dirty TrickAPG, Greater StealAPG, Improved Dirty TrickAPG, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved StealAPG, Mobility, OutflankAPG, Paired OpportunistsAPG, Quick Dirty TrickUC, Spring Attack, Stealth SynergyUC, Swap PlacesAPG, Throw Anything, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +55, Bluff +55, Climb +49, Craft (mechanical) +55, Craft (traps) +55, Disable Device +55, Escape Artist +55, Intimidate +52, Knowledge (arcana) +52, Knowledge (engineering) +52, Knowledge (planes) +52, Perception +42, Sense Motive +42, Sleight of Hand +55, Stealth +55, Survival +38, Swim +49, Use Magic Device +55 Languages Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Ignan, Sylvan, Terran SQ demesne (Nibiru), divided sovereign, emissary, hibernation, mechanical knack, planebound, portal (Nibiru), scatterbrained ECOLOGY Environment any (Nibiru) Organization solitary, duo, or trio (unique) Treasure triple (+5 darts [20 darts], mother’s needle [+5 anarchic dancing shortsword], other treasure) SPECIAL ABILITIES Bolt Hole (Su) Once per day, if Flibbertigibbet falls unconscious, he immediately vanishes and reappears in the center of his demesne of Nibiru. This is a teleportation effect and is blocked by any effect preventing teleportation. Divided Sovereign (Su) Flibbertigibbet is one consciousness scattered across three bodies that each act independently but share the same mind. Each Flibbertigibbet body is aware of the location and health of the other two (as the status spell). All of his selves act on the same initiative. They can communicate telepathically across any distance (as the telepathic bond spell). If one Flibbertigibbet is slain, the other two must also be slain before he rejuvenates in order to permanently kill him. Mechanical Knack (Ex) By touching a machine of any complexity, Flibbertigibbet intuitively
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understands its function, components, and how to destroy it. Flibbertigibbet receives a +20 competence bonus on any Craft, Disable Device, or Knowledge (engineering) skill check dealing with mechanical devices and machines. Planebound (Ex) While Flibbertigibbet possesses the anchored weakness of the Mogwoi, he is not required to succeed on a Will save to perform extradimensional travel (including the bolt hole ability) and does not take negative levels from traveling away from the Material Plane as long as at least one Flibbertgibbet is on the Material Plane. Pull Apart (Ex) If all three Flibbertigibbets successfully grapple the same target, they can attempt to pull it apart with as a full-round action. The target must succeed a DC 38 Fortitude save or take 40d6 points and be stunned for 1d4 rounds. A successful save halves the damage and negates the stunning. The save DC is Constitution-based. Scatterbrained (Ex) Flibbertigibbet can seldom remember what he is doing from moment to moment and is quickly distracted. Every minute Flibbertigibbet is actively engaged in a specific task or conversation with a creature who is not himself, he must succeed on a DC 30 Will save or forget what he is doing and move on to something else. This DC increases by +5 for each Flibbertgibbet beyond the first in sight (to a maximum of DC 40). If he is in combat, he will disengage and abandon the battle, even if he is winning.
HOB Black, tarry liquid bubbles from the ground, building a dark and oddly undulating, shifting figure. It strides toward you with purpose. HOB
CR 30
XP 9,830,400 CN Medium fey (aquatic, mogwoi, sovereign) Init +14; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.,
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low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft., true seeing; Perception +55 Aura anchored aura (20 ft.), aphasia (120 ft., DC 45) DEFENSE AC 49, touch 49, flat-footed 38 (+15 deflection, +10 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 monk, +8 Wis) hp 740 (40d6+600); regeneration 30 (lawful) Fort +28, Ref +32, Will +30 Defensive Abilities amorphous, insane insight, presence, rejuvenation; DR 15/epic and slashing; Immune acid, death effects, disease, mindaffecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, stunning; Resist cold 10, fire 10; SR 46 Weakness anchored OFFENSE Speed 90 ft., burrow 40 ft., swim 40 ft.; earth glide Melee unarmed strike +35/+30/+25/+20 (2d10+14) or unarmed strike +33/+33/+28/+28/+23/+23/+18 (2d10 +14) Special Attacks stunning fist (10/day, DC 38) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +35) Constant—comprehend languages, detect magic, detect thoughts (DC 27), freedom of movement At will—black tentacles, control water, grease, modify memory (DC 29), seek thoughts (DC 28) 3/day—feeblemind (DC 30), insanity (DC 32), mass suggestion (DC 31), quickened black tentacles 1/day—weird (DC 34) TACTICS During Combat Hob casts quickened black tentacles centered on himself and weird. He attempts to cast feeblemind or insanity on individuals remaining at range, or he uses stunning fist against melee combatants. If surrounded, he moves away and recasts a quickened black tentacles. Morale If Hob is reduced to 1/2 hit points or less, he uses earth glide to escape and regenerate. He returns when healed unless there are weapons or creatures being used against him that could potentially bypass his rejuvenation. STATISTICS Str 38, Dex 31, Con 40, Int 35, Wis 27, Cha 40 Base Atk +20; CMB +34; CMD 75
The Faerie Ring Feats Acrobatic Steps, Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Craft Wondrous Item, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Greater Two-Weapon FightingB, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon FightingB, Improved Unarmed Strike, Master Craftsman, Mobility, Nimble Moves, Punishing Kick, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (black tentacles), Snatch Arrows, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Two-Weapon FightingB, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Whirlwind Attack Skills Acrobatics +53, Bluff +58, Craft (sculpture) +55, Disable Device +50, Intimidate +55, Knowledge (arcana) +52, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +52, Knowledge (geography) +55, Knowledge (history) +52, Knowledge (nature) +55, Knowledge (planes) +52, Linguistics +52, Perception +53, Sense Motive +53, Spellcraft +52, Stealth +53, Survival +48, Swim +22, Use Magic Device +58 Languages all (cannot speak) SQ amphibious, arteries of the earth, compression, demesne (Shambhala), emissary, hibernation, monk abilities, portal (Shambhala) ECOLOGY Environment Shambhala Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Anchored Aura (Su) Hob constantly projects a dimensional lock effect. He cannot voluntarily drop this aura, and no effect can remove him from the Material Plane. This does not affect Hob’s abilities. Aphasia (Su) Hob projects an aura that prevents intelligible speech and verbal communication. Language-dependent spells or abilities automatically fail unless the creature succeeds in a DC 45 Will save. Magic items requiring a command word automatically cannot be activated within the area of effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Arteries of the Earth (Ex) While using earth glide, Hob can travel up to 400 ft. as a full-round action.
Insane Insight (Su) Creatures targeting Hob with spells and effects that rely upon contact with a mind (such as the detect thoughts spell) gain the benefits of the vision spell regarding a question of their choice. However, the creature becomes fatigued and must succeed on a DC 45 Will save or additionally take 2d6 points of Wisdom drain. This save DC is Charisma-based. Monk Abilities (Ex) Hob has the AC bonus, stunning fist ability, and unarmed damage of a 20th-level monk. He gains Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting as bonus feats and can make any combination of unarmed strikes and weapon attacks with these attacks. Resonance (Su) If a subject fails a saving throw against Hob’s detect thoughts or seek thoughts spell-like abilities, as a free action, Hob can share his alien thoughts with the subject’s mind. This functions as the insane insight ability, except Hob selects the question answered by the vision spell. Rejuvenation (Su) Hob can only be permanently killed by one of his creations, whether it is a creature he personally breathed life into (such as one of the original three hundred matabiri) or a weapon forged by his hand.
JASMINE
THE LADY
Draped in a gown of white petals seemingly sewn together with starlight, this elfin woman moves with an unearthly grace. Her skin is the color of porcelain with a beauty both haunting and ethereal. JASMINE
CR 21
XP 409,600 NE Medium fey (quiddity) Init +15; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +45 Aura night flower 20 ft. (20 ft., DC 33) DEFENSE AC 37, touch 27, flat-footed 25 (+11 Dex, +10 natural,
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+5 deflection, +1 dodge) hp 388 (37d6+259) Fort +19, Ref +31, Will +23 DR 15/cold iron; Defensive Abilities ire, rejuvenation; Immune death effects, disease, poison, transmutation effects; Resist cold 20; SR 36 Weakness gullibility, memento mori OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee 2 claws +31 (8d6+5/19–20) and hemlock kiss +24 touch (poison) Special Attacks night flower, nightingale’s song Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +25) Constant—true seeing At will—dimension door, disguise self, entangle (DC 16), invisibility (self only), pyrotechnics (DC 17) 3/day—quickened dimension door TACTICS Before Combat Jasmine attempts to fascinate individuals with her nightingale’s song prior to combat if possible. If stealth is called for, she casts invisibility. If she can make a suggestion, it is usually to disarm her enemies of their weapons or otherwise give them a tactical disadvantage. During Combat Jasmine disdains true physical fighting, preferring to bend opponents to her will. If forced into combat, Jasmine teleports among foes with dimension door, exposing groups or individuals to her night flower ability and individuals to her hemlock’s kiss. Morale Jasmine attempts to flee with dimension door before being reduced to 1/2 her hit points and transforming into her beast form. STATISTICS Str 20, Dex 33, Con 24, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 21 Base Atk +18; CMB +29; CMD 50 Feats Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Dimensional AgilityUC, Dodge, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (dimension door), ProdigyUM, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Vital Strike, Voice of the
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SibylUM, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw) Skills Acrobatics +55, Bluff +51, Diplomacy +45, Escape Artist +51, Fly +58, Knowledge (arcana) +48, Knowledge (nature) +45, Perception +43, Perform (dance) +45, Perform (sing) +45, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +42 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Sylvan, Treant SQ scorned ECOLOGY Environment Aralu Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Gullibility (Ex) Jasmine is cursed with a naivety toward manipulation. Creatures attempting to lie to her with the Bluff skill do not take a penalty to their skill check based on the circumstances of the lie. Hemlock Kiss (Ex) Kiss—contact; save Fort DC 35; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Dex damage and stunned for 1 round; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitutionbased. Ire (Su) Jasmine’s ambition defends her like a shield of indignation. She adds her Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to AC. Memento Mori (Su) Jasmine wears the Silver Key of Aralu on a chain around her neck, but her memento mori is the chain’s clasp (made from the last scrap of her carapace from when she was still a grig). If this clasp is destroyed, Jasmine instantly and permanently changes to her beast form. This transformation can only be reversed if the chain is magically repaired. She can be permanently killed when trapped in her beast form after the clasp is destroyed. Night Flower (Ex) An intoxicating scent surrounds Jasmine in a 20-ft. radius. Any humanoid or fey entering this area must make a DC 33 Will save or regard Jasmine as a trusted friend and ally (as the charm monster spell) for 1 hour. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. A creature that has seen Jasmine’s beast form is immune to this ability. This is a mind-
The Faerie Ring affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charismabased. Nightingale’s Song (Ex) As a standard action, Jasmine can sing in a hypnotic manner, implanting ideas into creatures around her. Any humanoid or fey within 60 ft. that can hear and understand her must succeed on a DC 33 Will save or be fascinated for 1 minute. If a fascinated humanoid or fey fails a second save against Jasmine’s nightingale song, she may target them with the equivalent of a suggestion spell, except the duration is permanent until completed and the target does not remember that she made the suggestion. A creature that has seen Jasmine’s beast form is immune to this ability. This is a language-based mind-affecting effect. This save DC is Charisma-based. Scorned (Su) If Jasmine is reduced to half her hit points, she immediately transforms into her beast form. Any damage she has sustained carries over into her beast form. She may otherwise transform into her beast form or back as a standard action unless her memento mori is destroyed.
THE BEAST
The bulbous white worm arches and whips its corpulent body. Its jaws open impossibly wide, and the reek of death blasts forth from its groaning mouth. JASMINE (BEAST FORM)
CR 26
XP 2,457,600 NE Gargantuan fey (quiddity) Init +8; Senses blindsight 90 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 90 ft., true seeing; Perception +45 DEFENSE AC 44, touch 10, flat-footed 40 (+4 Dex, −4 size, +34 natural) hp 610 (37d6+481); regeneration 30 (acid or fire) Fort +25, Ref +24, Will +23 Defensive Abilities rejuvenation; DR 15/cold iron and epic; Immune death effects, disease, gaze attacks, illusions, poison, transmutation effects;
Resist cold 30; SR 41 Weakness gullibility, memento mori OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. Melee bite +34 (8d6+24/19–20 plus 8d6 negative energy and grab) Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks primal scream, swallow whole (8d6 bludgeoning and 8d6 negative energy, AC 26, 52 hp), void Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +25) Constant—true seeing At will—dimension door, disguise self, entangle (DC 16), invisibility (self only), pyrotechnics (DC 17) 3/day—quickened dimension door TACTICS During Combat If Jasmine is forced into her beast form, she focuses on physical attacks seeking to bite and swallow whole any primary threat. If attacked by more than two individuals, she uses her primal scream. Morale In her beast form, Jasmine fights to the death. STATISTICS Str 42, Dex 19, Con 36, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 21 Base Atk +21; CMB +41 (+45 grapple); CMD 55 (can’t be tripped) Feats Acrobatic, Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Dimensional AgilityUC, Dodge, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (dimension door), ProdigyUM, Skill Focus (Bluff), Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Vital Strike, Voice of the SibylUM, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Acrobatics +48, Bluff +51, Diplomacy +45, Escape Artist +44, Fly +41, Knowledge (arcana) +48, Knowledge (nature) +45, Perception +43, Perform (dance) +45, Perform (sing) +45, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +42 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Sylvan, Treant SQ earthrend ECOLOGY Environment Aralu
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Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Earthrend (Ex) Any area occupied by Jasmine’s beast form permanently becomes difficult terrain (provided she could burrow through the material). Jasmine may suppress or resume this ability as a free action. Primal Scream (Su) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, Jasmine can release a mindpiercing scream of rage. Creatures within 60 ft. must succeed on a DC 36 Fortitude save or take 12d6 sonic damage and be stunned for 1 round. A successful save halves the damage and negates stunned condition. This save DC is Charisma-based. Void Claimed (Su) Creatures that take negative energy damage from Jasmine’s bite attack or swallow whole must succeed on a DC 36 Will save or become permanently touched by the eternal darkness of Aralu. The creature always treats any illumination as two steps lower (bright as dim; normal as darkness). Creatures that successfully save are immune to this ability for 24 hours. This is a curse effect. This save DC is Charisma-based.
KORAPIRA The slight woman’s skin has the color and texture of mahogany, and her hair is formed from green growing vines. She has long, thin, pointed ears, and here and there, a stray flower blooms on her body. KORAPIRA
CR 21
XP 409,600 CE Medium fey (sovereign) Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +41 Aura deteriorating aura (60 ft.) DEFENSE AC 37, touch 27, flat-footed 29 (+7 Dex, +19 natural, +1 dodge) hp 400 (32d6+288) Fort +19, Ref +25, Will +24 Defensive Abilities presence, rejuvenation; DR 15/cold iron and magic; Immune cold, death effects, disease, mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning; Resist acid 10, electricity 10; SR 37 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. Melee +5 quarterstaff +31/+26/+21/+16 (1d6+18) and 2 vines +21 (1d6+4) or +5 quarterstaff +29/+29/+24/+24/+19/+19/+14 (1d6+8) and 2 vines +19 (1d6+4) Special Attacks verdant weapons For each quiddity, there is a unique memento mori. These are Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; links to each quiddity’s prior self, and with them, quiddities concentration +29) wield greater power—or at least, greater control. These are Constant—deathwatch, freedom of what make a quiddity stable, able to better withstand the movement, speak with plants vast forces they channel. And when removed from these At will—animate dead, command plants remembrances of the past, a quiddity typically rages and (DC 22), death knell (DC 20), diminish destroys with no hope and little control. plants, nature’s exileAPG (DC 22), plant That is, assuming they’ve even found them. Some quiddities growth, poison (DC 22), slay living (DC 24), never do and burn out all the quicker. speak with dead (DC 22), thorn bodyAPG, Jasmine’s memento mori is a bit of her carapace, from back vampiric touch, warp wood (DC 21), wood when she was a but a wee grig. She is so very protective of it shape (DC 21) and keeps it around her neck at all times. 3/day—animate plants, baleful polymorph (DC 22), commune with nature, control
Jasmine’s Memento Mori
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The Faerie Ring plants (DC 27), create undead, empowered slay living (DC 23), empowered vampiric touch, finger of death (DC 26), quickened thorn body, transport via plants TACTICS Before Combat Korapira prefers to fight in an environment she has claimed and prepared with undead and animated plant servitors. If given sufficient time, she also prefers to alter the environment to be more hazardous to her enemies. During Combat Korapira casts quickened thorn body, ordering her servants to concentrate on any visible spellcasters. She attempts to sunder enemy weapons, aided by her deteriorating aura. This is especially true if she is being attacked by a weapon that could potentially bypass her rejuvenation. She seeks to take foes alive for experimentation unless she is threatened or injured, which prompts her to repeatedly cast empowered slay living. Whenever she slays a living creature in combat she uses her life from death ability to awaken an adjacent plant to sentience if possible. Morale Korapira fights to the death unless she is being attacked by a weapon that could potentially bypass her rejuvenation and she is unable to destroy it. She then flees when reduced to less than 1/2 her hit points using transport via plants. STATISTICS Str 29, Dex 25, Con 28, Int 23, Wis 23, Cha 28 Base Atk +16; CMB +25; CMD 42 Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Double Slice, Empower SpellLike Ability (slay living), Empower Spell-Like Ability (vampiric touch), Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater SunderB, Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (thorn body), Run, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff) Skills Acrobatics +42, Climb +44, Craft (sculpture) +41, Intimidate +41, Knowledge (geography) +41, Knowledge (nature) +41, Knowledge (religion)
+38, Perception +41, Stealth +42, Survival +38, Swim +44, Use Magic Device +44 Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan; speak with plants SQ change shape (plant shape III or tree shape), demesne (Green Expanse), emissary, life from death, portal (Green Expanse), trackless step, woodland stride ECOLOGY Environment any forest (Green Expanse) Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Animated Plants (Sp) Any undead Korapira creates with her animate dead or create undead spell-like abilities are animated by the plants growing in the center of their bodies and not negative energy. The undead are treated as plants, not undead, for the purposes of magical effects and attacks. Channel energy cannot harm undead created in this manner nor can negative energy heal the creatures. Deteriorating Aura (Su) Nonmagical manufactured objects (including weapons, armor, worked stone, and so on) function as if they had only half their normal hardness and hit points and gain the broken condition while within 60 ft. of Korapira. When removed from the aura, the object’s hit points revert to normal, and it loses the broken condition, but objects destroyed while in the aura remain destroyed when removed from the area of effect. Life from Death (Sp) When Korapira is adjacent to a non-plant creature that dies, she can use the creature’s departing life force to awaken an adjacent plant to human-like sentience as an immediate action. This functions as the awaken spell, except Korapira does not need to make a Will save, can awaken any plant (not only trees), cannot awaken animals, and the HD of the awakened plant is equal to the HD of the dead non-plant creature. The creature that dies is treated as having died from a death effect. Rejuvenation (Su) Korapira can only be permanently killed by an entirely wooden weapon
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grown from one of the trees at the center of the Heartwood. The weapon cannot be carved or reformed, so it must likely take the form of a club or quarterstaff. The wooden weapon automatically bypasses her damage reduction. Verdant Weapons (Su) Any wooden weapon Korapira wields remains sturdy and alive. Wooden weapons in her possession gain a +5 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls and immunity to fire. Korapira does not reduce the damage for off-hand attacks made with wooden weapons.
MAB Draped in a cloak of black swan feathers, the elfin woman’s hair is black, her skin is pale as snow, and her eyes flash like comets. MAB
CR 25
XP 1,640,000 CE Medium fey (sovereign) Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see in darkness; Perception +43 Aura majesty (60 ft.) DEFENSE AC 43, touch 29, flat-footed 35 (+4 armor, +4 shield, +8 Dex, +6 natural, +11 deflection) hp 620 (40d6+480) Fort +25, Ref +30, Will +28 Defensive Abilities presence, rejuvenation; DR 20/ cold iron and magic; Immune cold, mind-affecting effects, transmutation; Resist acid 10, fire 10; SR 41 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect) Melee +5 dancing mithral spiked chain +34/+29/+24/+19 (2d4+17/19–20) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +31) Constant—detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, mage armor, shield At will—dancing lights, detect thoughts (DC 23), dispel magic, entangle (DC 22), hallucinatory terrain (DC 25), lesser confusion (DC 24),
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permanent image (DC 27), wish (DC 30) 1/day—displacement, summon (level 9, Jack-in-Irons, 100%) Witch Spells Prepared (CL 20th; concentration +31): 9th—dominate monster (DC 32), mass hold monster (DC 32), mass suffocation (DC 31), polar midnightUM (DC 31), storm of vengeance (DC 30) 8th—antipathy (DC 31), demand (DC 31), greater prying eyes, mass charm monster (DC 31), mind blank 7th—control weather, greater arcane sight, greater scrying (DC 28), greater teleport, mass inflict moderate wounds (DC 29), waves of exhaustion 6th—cone of cold (2, DC 28), geas/quest, greater dispel magic, mass suggestion (DC 29), vengeful outrageUM (DC 29) 5th—baleful polymorph (DC 26), break enchantment, cloudkill (DC 26), cure critical wounds, major creation, suffocationAPG (DC 27) 4th—crushing despair (DC 27), dimension door, enervation (2), fear (DC 26), ice storm 3rd—bestow curse (DC 25), nature’s exileAPG (DC 24), sands of timeUM, screechAPG (DC 24), sleet storm, strangling hairUM, vampiric touch 2nd—blindness/deafness (DC 24), death knell (DC 24), disfiguring touchUM (DC 23), feast of ashesAPG (DC 23), haunting mistsUM (DC 23), see invisibility, unshakable chillUM (DC 24) 1st—beguiling giftAPG (DC 24), chill touch (DC 23), command (2, DC 24), icicle daggerUM, ill omenAPG, unseen servant 0 (at will)—bleed (DC 22), detect poison, read magic, stabilize TACTICS Before Combat Every day, Mab casts mind blank. She prefers to prepare a battlefield with disruptive and confusing illusions, using permanent image and hallucinatory terrain. If possible before combat, she summons Jack-inIrons and casts see invisibility and displacement. During Combat If Mab has not done so already, she summons Jack-in-Irons. She allows Jack to go on the offensive while relying on her majesty aura to prevent direct attacks against her. She then casts
The Faerie Ring dominate monster against individual opponents or mass suffocation, mass hold monster, mass charm monster, or other powerful spells against groups while attempting to hover out of reach. Morale If Mab or Jack-in-Irons are reduced to 1/4 hit points or less, Mab attempts to flee with a greater teleport. She only uses her wish spell-like ability in the most dire or pressing of circumstances. STATISTICS Str 26, Dex 27, Con 34, Int 33, Wis 23, Cha 32 Base Atk +20; CMB +28; CMD 57 Feats BetrayerUC, Blind-fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Elemental FocusAPG (cold), Eschew Materials, Greater Disarm, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Greater Trip, Improved Critical (spiked chain), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Persuasive, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Spell Focus (enchantment), Spell Focus (necromancy), Weapon Focus (spiked chain) Skills Acrobatics +51, Appraise +51, Bluff +56, Diplomacy +58, Disguise +54, Escape Artist +51, Fly +16, Handle Animal +51, Intimidate +53, Knowledge (arcana) +51, Knowledge (history) +51, Knowledge (nature) +54, Knowledge (planes) +51, Perception +49, Sense Motive +49, Spellcraft +51, Stealth +51, Survival +46 Languages Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Protean, Sylvan, Treant, Undercommon, Vegepygmy SQ demesne (Scáthbaile), emissary, portal (Scáthbaile) ECOLOGY Environment any (Scáthbaile) Organization solitary Treasure triple (+5 dancing mithral spiked chain, Dream Mirror, other gear) SPECIAL ABILITIES Majesty (Su) Mab projects an aura of royalty recognized by even her most hated foes. Any creature that enters or begins its turn within 60 ft. of Mab must succeed on a DC 39 Will save or they can make no attacks (including aggressive actions such as casting a spell or making an Intimidate
check) against Mab for 1 hour. This includes direct attacks on her but not area effects that include her space. Creatures that cannot see or hear Mab are immune to this effect. On a successful save, the creature is immune to Mab’s majesty for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Spells Queen Mab casts spells as a 20th-level witch and knows every spell on the witch spell list. Unlike traditional witches, Mab draws her power not from a familiar but from certain implements (see artifact Mab’s Tokens). Rejuvenation (Su) Mab can only be permanently destroyed by a creature she has purposefully targeted with her wish spell-like ability and only while the creature is affected by the beneficial or harmful effects of the wish. If the wish caused instantaneous effects, the creature can permanently destroy Mab for 24 hours after being targeted. Wish (Sp) Mab can only use her wish spell-like ability to create effects against a single creature. If she duplicates an effect that would normally affect an area or multiple targets, it instead affects only a single target creature. If Mab targets a creature with a beneficial effect, they are immediately also targeted with a harmful or damaging effect of the same spell level or potency. If Mab targets a creature with a harmful or damaging effect, an ally of Mab’s within 30 ft. is also targeted by a harmful or damaging effect of the same spell level or potency. If Mab does not possess any allies within 30 ft., she instead is the target of the secondary harmful or damaging wish effect but can otherwise not target herself with the wish. Mab has no control over (or even direct awareness of) the secondary effects of her wish spell-like ability.
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MANITOU The tall dark man with black elk-like antlers reclines with casual ease. He is naked except for a sprawling black cloak laying on the ground about him. MANITOU
CR 30
XP 9,830,400 CN Medium fey (sovereign) Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +54 Aura fireflies 60 ft. DEFENSE AC 48, touch 37, flat-footed 38 (+6 armor, +10 Dex, +5 natural, +17 deflection) hp 758 (41d6+615) Fort +28, Ref +32, Will +32 Defensive Abilities presence, rejuvenation; DR 15/epic and lawful; Immune acid, charm effects, death effects, disease, poison, polymorph; Resist cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20; SR 46 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +5 greatclub +40/+35/+30/+25 (2d6+27) and gore +30 (1d8+22) or gore +35 (1d8+22) Ranged +5 composite longbow +36/+31/+26/+21 (1d8+20/19–20/×3) Special Attacks change size 7/day (DC 23), strike the heart, wild hunter 7/day Spell-Like Abilities (CL 41st; concentration +58) Constant—detect chaos, detect law, detect magic, freedom of movement, nondetection, speak with animals, speak with plants At will—animal messenger, commune with nature, shillelagh (DC 28), stone tell 3/day—baleful polymorph (DC 32), bestow curse (DC 31), break enchantment, confusion (DC 31), empowered call lightning storm (DC 32), mass charm monster (DC 35), minor creation, transport via plants 1/day—control weather, liveoak, summon (level 9, 1d3 cennoran feyhounds) TACTICS
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Before Combat Prior to combat, Manitou attempts to create a storm with control weather. He then summons allies with liveoak and the summoning of cennoran hounds. He enlarges himself with the change size ability and casts an empowered call lightning storm and shillelagh. If possible, he designates an opponent with the wild hunter ability. During Combat Manitou designates a foe with his wild hunter ability if he has not done so already, and urges any servants forward to engage foes, so he can maintain range. He then uses call lightning storm or strike the heart to pick off the most powerful enemies first (preferably spellcasters). If attacked in melee combat by one or two creatures, he attacks with his club, retreating to range with transport via plants if grossly outnumbered or threatened. Morale Manitou fights to the death, even if opposed by foes capable of bypassing his rejuvenation. STATISTICS Str 40, Dex 31, Con 40, Int 35, Wis 30, Cha 45 Base Atk +20; CMB +35; CMD 72 Feats Alertness, Blind-fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim, Empower Spell-Like Ability (call lightning storm), Far Shot, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (longbow), Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Pinpoint Targeting, Point-blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Snap ShotUC, Stand Still, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (longbow) Skills Acrobatics +54, Bluff +61, Climb +59, Craft (bows) +56, Diplomacy +61, Disguise +61, Handle Animal +58, Intimidate +58, Knowledge (geography) +56, Knowledge (local) +56, Knowledge (nature) +56, Perception +58, Sense Motive +58, Spellcraft +53, Stealth +58, Survival +51, Swim +59, Use Magic Device +61 Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Protean, Sasquatch, Sylvan, Thriae, Treant, Vegepygmy; speak with animals, speak with plants SQ demesne, emissary, hide in plain sight, hunter’s
The Faerie Ring grace, portal, trackless step, woodland stride ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary Treasure standard (Cloak of Seven Shapes, +5 greatclub, +5 composite longbow) SPECIAL ABILITIES Change Size (Sp) As a standard action, Manitou can alter a creature’s size as the enlarge person or reduce person spells, except this ability can affect a creature of any type, including Manitou himself. A DC 47 Fortitude save negates the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Fireflies (Ex) A multitude of fireflies dance in Manitou’s presence. All creatures in a 60-ft. radius are illuminated (as the faerie fire spell) with no save. Manitou can cease or resume this ability on all creatures or individual creatures as a free action. Hunter’s Grace (Su) Manitou adds his Charisma modifier as a deflection bonus to his AC. Strike the Heart (Su) Manitou can enchant an arrow he fires as a swift action, transforming it into a greater slaying arrow of his choice . He cannot designate the construct, plant, or undead types. Rejuvenation (Su) Manitou can only be permanently killed by one of his trueborn children. However, they do not need to be alive or even willing participants in his death. For example, Manitou might be slain by a blade of bone taken from Pellowea. Wild Hunter (Ex) Once per hour as a standard action, Manitou can choose a creature type (and subtype if he chooses humanoid or outsider), gaining a +10 bonus against them on weapon attack and damage rolls and a +10 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of that type for 1 hour. As a move action, Manitou can grant allies within 30 ft. half his favored enemy bonus for 1 minute.
MOARO
THE SHADOW The mound of darkness forms dozens of ruby-red eyes, staring out from a massive, vaguely humanoid form. Shadows move and writhe across the creature’s flesh, and long, dark claws trail the ground. MOARO (SHADOW)
CR 20
XP 307,200 NE Huge fey (darkling, quiddity, shadow) Init +9; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, true seeing; Perception +46 Aura animate shadows (15 ft., DC 32) DEFENSE AC 36, touch 13, flat-footed 29 (+5 Dex, +21 natural, −2 size) hp 388 (37d6+409); fast healing 25 (in darkness) Fort +21, Ref +25, Will +24 Defensive Abilities rejuvenation; Immune death effects, disease, illusions, mind-affecting effects, poison, shadow Weakness light blindness, memento mori, vulnerability to light OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Melee 6 claws +28 (1d8+12/19–20 plus grab plus rend) Special Attacks cursed gaze, dark embrace, rend (3 claws, 1d8+18 plus 1d6 plus 1d6 bleed) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 37th; concentration +41) Constant—true seeing At will—darkness, shadow stepUM 3/day—black tentacles, deeper darkness, power word blind (DC 21), shadow anchorARG (DC 16), twilight hazeACG TACTICS Before Combat Moaro attempts to fill any battlefield prior to combat with deeper darkness, darkness, and twilight haze spell effects to reduce visibility. Depending on the environment, she might also cast the black tentacles spell in order to
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reduce her enemy’s mobility. During Combat Moaro moves through darkness with shadow step to brutally target the weakest opponents first. She switches to more powerful foes only if they prove threatening to her, drawing them into her dark embrace long enough to return to kill weaker allies. The strongest are saved for last or transformed into darkling beasts (if darklings). Morale Moaro attempts to flee with shadow step if reduced to 1/4 her hit points or less (or only 1/2 her hit points if her memento mori has been stolen). STATISTICS Str 35, Dex 20, Con 24, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 19 Base Atk +18; CMB +32; CMD 47 Feats Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Greater Rending FuryUC, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (claws), Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative,
Moaro’s Memento Mori
Moaro’s memento mori is a small, delicately curved dagger. The hilt is encrusted with obsidian, the crest of the grand matriarch inlaid on the pommel. Typically worn on the hip of the heir to the grand matriarch, the dagger symbolizes everything Moaro lost in her transformation and reminds her of whom she once protected. Moaro’s personality is already fractured and unpredictable. The loss of the dagger would break her mind completely: her old self would be lost to her Shadow’s purpose. In that inevitability, she would turn her attention to Zussael. She would call her darkling beasts to make a pilgrimage back to Zussael to bring all darklings into her shadow. If the dagger is returned to her, she will regain her senses and forget her shadow urge to claim Zussael, though she will certainly become enraged and lash out at those around her before calming and returning to her isolation.
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Improved Overrun, Improved Rending FuryUC, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Power Attack, Rending FuryUC, Snatch, Stealthy, Stunning AssaultAPG Skills Bluff +44, Climb +52, Diplomacy +44, Knowledge (arcana) +41, Knowledge (history) +41, Perception +46, Sense Motive +46, Spellcraft +41, Stealth +37, Use Magic Device +44 Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Infernal, Sylvan SQ shadow projection ECOLOGY Environment Shadow Plane (Plains of Desolation) Organization solitary Treasure double SPECIAL ABILITIES Animate Shadows (Su) Creatures within Moaro’s reach (15 ft.) must succeed on a DC 32 Reflex save or be harried by shadows. On a failed save, the creature cannot move more than 5 ft. in a round for as long as they remain within Moaro’s reach. The creature may attempt a new Reflex save as a standard action. On a successful Reflex save, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Cursed Gaze (Su) Darklings are affected by a rage spell effect (CL 20th) for 1 hour. After a second failed save, darklings transform into a darkling beast and become charmed (as the charm monster spell) for 1 hour. Range 30 ft., Will DC 32 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. Dark Embrace (Su) If Moaro starts her turn with a creature grappled, she may absorb the creature as a full-round action. A creature in Moaro’s dark embrace may attempt a DC 20 Intelligence or Wisdom ability check as a full-round action to discern a way out of the mass of cloying, maddening shadows. After 1 minute, a creature is automatically ejected but must then attempt a DC 32 Will save or become insane (as the insanity spell). Creatures who find their way out on their own are not at risk of insanity. Creatures leaving the dark embrace reappear in the nearest unoccupied square adjacent to Moaro. The save DC is Charisma-based.
The Faerie Ring Memento Mori (Ex) Moaro’s dagger is usually carried within her body’s shadowy form and can only be retrieved by creatures within her dark embrace who succeed on the ability check to escape by 5 or more. If the dagger is stolen or destroyed, Moaro loses the shadow projection ability and can be permanently destroyed. Shadow Projection (Su) Moaro can project her consciousness away from the Shadow Plane as a full-round action. Her physical body becomes animalistic and loses access to all Intelligencebases skills. Its behavior becomes influenced by the moon’s phase. It prefers sleeping unless roused during the new moon, hunting during the half moon, defending or claiming territory during the gibbous moon, and aggressively killing beyond its territory during the full moon. She immediately returns to her body if it is reduced to 50 hp or less.
THE PROJECTION
This regal darkling woman has a faraway look in her amethyst eyes and a hand poised protectively over the ornamental dagger at her hip. A pair of horns spiral high out of her rich black hair and a powerful, crimsontipped tail sways behind her. MOARO (PROJECTION)
CR 15
XP 51,200 Female darkling sorcerer 16 CN Medium fey (darkling, extraplanar, incorporeal, quiddity, shadow) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness, true seeing; Perception +20 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +4 deflection) hp 56 (16d6) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +14; +4 vs. mind-affecting effects Defensive Abilities fated +4, incorporeal, project consciousness, rejuvenation, shadow born; Immune death effects, disease, illusions, mind-
affecting effects, poison, shadow effects Weakness light blindness, memento mori, vulnerability to light OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect) Melee +5 dagger +15/+10 (1d4+6 plus ear-piercing scream) Special Attacks martial magic disc (melee touch, 1d3) Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +20) 6/day—touch of destiny +8 1/day—it was meant to be, within reach Spells Known (CL 16th; concentration +20) Constant—nondetection (DC 17), true seeing 8th (3/day)—greater shadow evocation (DC 24) 7th (5/day)—greater shadow conjuration (DC 23), lunar veilUM (DC 20), spell turning 6th (6/day)—disintegrate (DC 20), greater dispel magic, mislead (DC 23), shadow walk 5th (6/day)—break enchantment, dominate person (DC19), shadow evocation (DC 21), suffocation (DC 19), telekinesis (DC 19) 4th (6/day)—black tentacles (DC 18), freedom of movement, greater invisibility, mirror transportACG, shadow stepUM 3rd (7/day)—gloomblind boltsARG (DC 17), howling agonyUM (DC 17), protection from energy, seek thoughtsAPG (DC 17), silver dartsACG (DC 17), 2nd (7/day)—blur, darkness, haunting mistsUM (DC 16), knock, mirror image, twilight hazeACG 1st (7/day)—alarm, ear-piercing screamUM (DC 15), magic missile, mindlinkOA, obscuring mist, shield 0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, flare (DC 14), ghost sound (DC 16), haunted fey aspectUC, presdigitation, ray of frost, read magic, touch of fatigue (DC 14) Bloodline destined TACTICS Before Combat Moaro casts shield, greater invisibility, and telekinesis before combat. If facing a spellcaster, she casts spell turning. During Combat Moaro attempts to remain stealthy and subtle by casting greater shadow evocation
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and greater shadow conjuration, wearing down foes with shadow-based illusory creatures or attacks while hidden. She then hampers foes fighting her illusions with telekinesis or black tentacles. She targets enemies that can see or target her with disintegrate. Morale Moaro attempts to flee with shadow step if reduced to 1/4 her hit points or less. STATISTICS Str —, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 19 Base Atk +8/+3; CMB +9; CMD 23 Feats Arcane Strike, Eschew MaterialsB, Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Heighten Spell, Improved InitiativeB, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Spell Focus (illusion), Spell Penetration, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (dagger) Skills Bluff +23, Fly +9, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (history) +23, Perception +20, Sense Motive +2 (+4 vs. feints and emotional Bluff checks), Spellcraft +23; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive vs. feints and emotional Bluff checks Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Infernal, Sylvan SQ bloodline arcana, quasi-real body, unerring focus ECOLOGY Environment any (Material Plane) Organization solitary Gear +5 dagger, headband of mental superiority +2, amulet of proof against detection and location SPECIAL ABILITIES Projection (Ex) Moaro’s projection is an extremely potent shadow illusion of her body. She is considered an extraplanar, incorporeal creature with incorporeal copies of her equipment. She appears to be the sorcerer she was prior to her transformation and responds to all stimuli as though she had a corporeal body. Creatures interacting with her can attempt a DC 22 Will save. On a successful save, Moaro functions as incorporeal for the saving creature. However, creatures unaware of her incorporeal state take full damage from her attacks and spells instead of 50%. The save DC is Charisma-based.
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NEMESIS The statuesque woman appears carved or grown from living wood and vines that move with the ease of flesh, bone, and hair. Her arms twist and reshape into sharp blades or long bow-lengths seemingly according to her whims. NEMESIS
CR 23
XP 820,000 CG Medium fey (quiddity, shapechanger) Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +37 DEFENSE AC 40, touch 23, flat-footed 27 (+12 Dex, +1 dodge, +17 natural) hp 462 (37d6+333); regeneration 20 (acid or fire) Fort +21, Ref +32, Will +25 Defensive Abilities rejuvenation; DR 20/cold iron and magic; Immune death effects, disease, fatigue, fear, mind-affecting, poison; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 34 Weakness heartwood, memento mori OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +5 wounding scimitar +31/+26/+21/+16 (1d6+17/18–20/×2) or +5 wounding kukri +29/+24/+19/+14 (1d4+13/18–20/×2) and +5 wounding kukri +29/+24/+19 (1d4+13/18–20/×2) Ranged +5 seeking speed mighty composite longbow (+8) +35/+35/+30/+25/+20 (1d8+13/×3) or +5 seeking speed mighty composite longbow (+8) +33/+33/+33/+28/+23/+18 (1d8+13/×3) Special Attacks oakheart weapons Spell-Like Abilities (CL 37th, concentration +47) Constant—speak with animals, speak with plants, true seeing At will—command plants (DC 24), goodberry, shillelagh, tree stride 3/day—dominate animal (DC 23), mass cure light wounds 1/day—call lightning storm (DC 25), firestorm (DC 27), wall of thorns
The Faerie Ring TACTICS +48, Use Magic Device +50 Before Combat Nemesis draws allied plants and Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan, Terran; speak animals to her or dominates them to fight on her with animals, speak with plants behalf. She closes off the potential for escape SQ change shape (any humanoid; alter self), with a wall of thorns. dominion, woodland stride During Combat If fighting alongside allies, Nemesis ECOLOGY prefers to remain at range, attacking with her Environment any (Ramnus) composite longbow or using call lightning storm. Organization solitary She supports her allies with mass cure light Treasure triple wounds while maintaining range with tree stride. SPECIAL ABILITIES If her allies take heavy losses or she is lacking in Dominion (Su) While within the wilderness of support, she prefers to engage in melee, cutting Ramnus, Nemesis instinctually controls the terrain. down one enemy at a time with a flurry of deadly Any evil creature or creature with ill intent within attacks. the wilderness treats the entire area as difficult Morale Nemesis fights to the death while within terrain and take a −10 penalty to any Survival her dominion. She flees with tree stride if reduced skill checks. Any good creature or creature with to 1/2 her hit points or less when outside of Ramnus. STATISTICS Str 27, Dex 34, Con 29, Int 16, Wis 21, Cha 30 Adrestia—now known as Nemesis—began her existence as a dryad who Base Atk +18; CMB +26; sprung from the great oak planted by Manitou. Her memento mori is the CMD 49 very first acorn dropped by her tree. Manitou took that first seed, inscribing Feats Combat Expertise, a terrible secret upon it, and wrapped it in fallen autumn leaves to grant her Critical Focus, Dodge, a measure of freedom. It was not his intent, but it so happened that her soul Double Slice, Far Shot, grasped onto it in death, transforming her into a quiddity. Greater Two-Weapon Nemesis adorns herself in all manner of acorns as jewelry, accents on Fighting, Improved clothing (when she deigns to cover herself), woven into her hair, or even Precise Shot, Improved embedded in her flesh. But she keeps her memento mori well hidden within Two-Weapon Fighting, her chest: her first seed, feigning the beating of a heart. Manyshot, Mobility, The acorn holds the focused energy of all her anger and regret, and it Pinpoint Targeting, Pointdrives Nemesis to champion those who can’t stand against the wrongs of Blank Shot, Precise Shot, the world. Ordinarily, she would be unable to stray far from the tree that Rapid Shot, Shot on the birthed her, but the memento mori frees her from that shackle. As long as Run, Spring Attack, Twoshe possesses it, she can wander as far as she wishes, even to other planes Weapon Fighting, Twoof existence. The only way to destroy her memento mori is to first kill her Weapon Rend, Whirlwind tree, now reduced to the Shard of the First Oak, an artifact that she always Attack carries with her or embeds deep within an ancient foster oak of iron-hard Skills Acrobatics +52, Bluff bark and nearly unburnable wood that she planted where her first tree stood +50, Craft (woodworking) and which now anchors Ramnus. Should her memento mori be destroyed, +43, Diplomacy +50, Nemesis loses her mind forever, becoming a feral thing consumed by hate Disguise +50, Knowledge and vengeance against every creature she encounters. (nature) +43, Perception
Nemesis’s Memento Mori
+45, Stealth +52, Swim
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benevolent intent gains the nature’s stride ability while within the wilderness (see below) and gains a +10 bonus to any Survival skill checks. Nemesis can declare any creature to be aided or hindered by this effect as a free action, regardless of alignment or intent. Heartwood (Su) Attacks against Nemesis using wood taken from a dead dryad’s tree automatically bypass her damage reduction. If she is damaged, her regeneration ceases functioning for the round following the attack. The weapon must be completely wooden (such as a club or quarterstaff). Memento Mori (Su) Nemesis’s memento mori is the first acorn her great oak tree produced. If she ever loses her memento mori, she can’t venture beyond the forest in the wilderness of Ramnus until she retrieves it. If she does leave, she sickens and dies in the manner of a dryad separated from her tree (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary for details). If it is destroyed (see sidebar), she descends into permanent madness. Her Wisdom and Intelligence scores permanently reduce by 10, and she becomes hostile to all creatures. Nature’s Stride (Ex) Nemesis leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired. Nemesis may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect her. Oakheart Weapons (Su) Nemesis can grow any melee weapon or a bow from the living wood of her body as a standard action. She may grow arrows as a free action. Any melee weapon she creates acts as a +5 wounding weapon. Any bow she creates acts as a +5 seeking speed composite longbow or shortbow matching her Strength modifier. These weapons turn to ordinary wood and vines when held by any other creature. Nemesis’s attacks with oakheart
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weapons are treated as chaotic, good, magical, and adamantine weapons for the purposes of overcoming hardness and damage reduction. Nemesis is proficient in any weapon she creates in this manner. Rejuvenation (Su) Nemesis can only be permanently killed if both her tree and memento mori are destroyed.
OLERON The handsome man with elegant, antelope-like horns has pearly enameled growths and teeth dotting his body in geometric patterns. OLERON
CR 23
XP 819,200 CN Medium fey (sovereign) Init +13; Senses all-around vision, darkvision 120 ft., detect magic, low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft., true seeing; Perception +49 Aura metastasizing aura (60 ft., DC 43) DEFENSE AC 40, touch 19, flat-footed 31 (+9 Dex, +21 natural) hp 475 (38d6+342); regeneration 30 (acid) Fort +23, Ref +32, Will +31 Defensive Abilities amorphous, rejuvenation, presence; DR 15/epic and piercing; Immune death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, sonic 10; SR 39 OFFENSE Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect) Melee 4 bites +32 (2d6+13/19–20), 2 claws +32 (1d4+13/19–20) Ranged 6 teeth +28 (1d10+13/19–20) Special Attacks teeth, rend (2 claws, 2d6+19) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +34) Constant—detect magic, freedom of movement, tongues At will—invisibility, shapechange 3/day—insanity (DC 31), mass suggestion (DC 30), regenerate, sculpt simulacrumUM
The Faerie Ring 1/day—simulacrum TACTICS Before Combat Oleron creates a simulacrum of himself and uses shapechange to masquerade as a creature subservient to the Oleron simulacrum or conceal himself with invisibility. He prefers the latter, hoping to unknowingly expose creatures for as long as possible to his metastasizing aura. During Combat If in an alternate shape with a simulacrum fighting, Oleron uses craft contagion to inflict diseases and poisons designed to undermine his target’s strengths. He returns to his normal shape if the simulacrum perishes. The simulacrum or Oleron in his true form attacks in melee or range with varying poisons and diseases. If he can still cast simulacrum and is opposed by a powerful or impressive foe, he might use the spell-like ability to create a duplicate of his opponent. Morale Oleron fights to the death unless his rejuvenation might not function. If his rejuvenation is not functioning, he surrenders after being reduced to 1/2 hit points or less, potentially using a mass suggestion to encourage foes to accept his surrender. STATISTICS Str 36, Dex 29, Con 28, Int 39, Wis 27, Cha 38 Base Atk +19; CMB +32 (+34 bull rush); CMD 51 (53 vs. bull rush) Feats Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claws), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Manyshot, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Step Up, Wingover, Furious FocusAPG Skills Acrobatics +50, Appraise +52, Bluff +55, Diplomacy +55, Disguise +55, Escape Artist +50, Fly +17, Intimidate +52, Knowledge (arcana) +52, Knowledge (history) +52, Knowledge (local) +55, Knowledge (nature) +55, Knowledge (nobility) +52, Knowledge (planes) +52, Perception +49, Sense Motive +49, Sleight of Hand +50, Spellcraft +52, Stealth +50, Use Magic Device +55
Languages Common, Sylvan; tongues SQ craft infection, demesne (Pelora), portal (Pelora) ECOLOGY Environment any (Pelora) Organization solitary Treasure triple SPECIAL ABILITIES Craft Contagion (Su) Oleron can create any nonmagical poison or disease as a swift action. This disease or poison may then be applied to a touched object, creature, or delivered as a natural attack (using a bite, claw, or teeth). Oleron can even create new or unique diseases and poisons at GM discretion. A poison created by Oleron in this manner functions as a disease for the purposes of spells and abilities. Metastasizing Aura (Su) In the presence of Oleron, creatures’ forms mutate wildly. Creatures within 60 ft. of Oleron must succeed on a DC 38 Fortitude saving throw or become sickened for as long as they remain within 60 ft. of Oleron. Any creature sickened by Oleron’s metastasizing aura continuously for 1 minute or more must succeed on an additional DC 38 Fortitude save or become affected by a polymorph any object spell with the variables selected by Oleron: the spell effect must have a duration of permanent and the creature must be within the same kingdom and class. A creature that succeeds on either saving throw is immune to Oleron’s metastasizing aura for 24 hours. Oleron can cease or resume this ability as a free action. The save DC is Constitution-based. Rejuvenation (Su) Oleron can only be permanently killed if he is within an area where he is prevented from using his shapechange spell-like ability (such as an antimagic field or a plane with the dead magic planar trait) for 1 hour or more. Teeth (Ex) Oleron can loose a volley of six teethlike growths from his body as a standard action. All targets must be within 30 ft. of either Oleron or each other. The teeth have a range increment of 60 ft.
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RED JACK
cold, electricity, undead immunities; Resist acid 30; SR 38 A man-sized, ghostly fox floats and glides through the Weakness memento mori, vulnerability to fire air with an amused expression. OFFENSE Speed 60 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect) Melee corrupting touch +35 (27d6, Fort DC 46 half) RED JACK CR 27 or bite +40 (3d6+28/19–20/×3 plus 1d6 electricity plus draining touch), 2 claws +40 (2d6+20/19–20 XP 3,276,800 plus 1d6 electricity plus draining touch) LN Medium fey (geist, incorporeal, kitsune, Special Attacks corrupting gaze (DC 46), draining quiddity, shapechanger) touch, frightful moan (DC 46), ghostly visage, Init +18; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 60 ft., malevolence (DC 46), materialization, possession low-light vision, scent, true seeing; Perception (DC 46), telekinesis (DC 46) +58 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +35) DEFENSE Constant—detect thoughts (DC 27), eyebite, speak AC 40, touch 40, flat-footed 25 (+15 deflection, +14 with animals, true seeing Dex, +1 dodge) At will—alter self, animate dead, antilife shell, circle hp 651 (42d6+504) of death (DC 31), command undead (DC 27), finger Fort +26, Ref +37, Will +36 of death (DC 32), greater dispel magic, greater Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, teleport (within Strangle Grove only), speak with incorporeal, living death, negative energy affinity, dead (DC 28) rejuvenation; DR 20/cold iron and magic; Immune 3/day—control undead (DC 32), create undead, quickened greater dispel magic 1/day—create greater undead, symbol of death (DC 33), time stop TACTICS To Red Jack, his daughter, Ren, is everything. As long as he knows Before Combat Red Jack creates she’s alive and well, his power surges, calming his inner turmoil and undead allies to support him, bringing him closer to Mistress Death. Though he is still tracking preferring a spectre or devourer Ren down, he knows she is well because of the rosette he keeps of made with create greater undead her hair—the physical manifestation of his memento mori. Should and mohrgs made with create it crumble and fade, then tragedy has befallen her. undead. If possible, he hides a Should that eventuality come to pass or should the rosette be lost, symbol of death somewhere on Red Jack’s mind would be overcome with grief and rage. He would the battlefield to reveal at some become savage and lash out. Gone would be all the brilliance of his point during the combat. wit and charm, twisted as they may be, and in their place, bloodDuring Combat Red Jack targets red vengeance. All the progress he made at Death’s alter would be one foe a round as a swift action gone, and the crazed maniac he was just after returning to this world with eyebite and prefers to remain would return. If the intact rosette is found once more, his center incorporeal to teleport and attack would miraculously return. But should Ren’s death be the culprit, with corrupting touch or finger then no rest would come until those responsible died at his hands of death while he has undead to 1,000 times and Ren was brought back to the living. fight for him. If his minions are overwhelmed or losing, he casts
Red Jack’s Memento Mori
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The Faerie Ring time stop, materializes, reveals a hidden symbol of death (if any), and positions himself to attack the most pressing threat. He waits until the time stop ends to target his prey with a quickened dispel magic before attacking in melee. Morale If reduced to 1/2 hit points or less, Red Jack turns incorporeal and casts an antilife shell, resorting to ranged attacks with telekinesis or finger of death. He otherwise fights to the death. STATISTICS Str —, Dex 39, Con 25, Int 32, Wis 36, Cha 41 Base Atk +21; CMB +35; CMD 61 Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Fang of the Fox, Flyby Attack, Greater Feint, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Steal, Improved Vital Strike, Lightning Stance, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (greater dispel magic), Spring Attack, Stand Still, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse, Wind Stance Skills Acrobatics +59, Bluff +62, Diplomacy +60, Disguise +60, Escape Artist +59, Fly +67, Knowledge (arcana) +53, Knowledge (geography) +56, Knowledge (local) +56, Knowledge (nature) +56, Knowledge (planes) +53, Knowledge (religion) +53, Perception +58, Sense Motive +58, Sleight of Hand +59, Stealth +59, Use Magic Device +60; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Fox, Gnome, Goblin, Sylvan, Undercommon; speak with animals SQ change shape (Small or Medium fox), fox magic, teleportation ECOLOGY Environment any (Strangle Grove) Organization solitary Treasure standard (Death Bloom, other treasure) SPECIAL ABILITIES Deadly (Ex) Red Jack doubles the critical range (as the Improved Critical feat) for any natural or weapon attack he takes. Eyebite (Sp) Red Jack can force a creature to see visions of their loved ones dying. This functions as a constant eyebite spell-like ability, except he may target a creature as a swift action and it is a mind-
affecting effect. Living Death (Ex) Red Jack possesses all undead immunities but still functions as a living creature for spells and effects. He still possesses a Constitution score and is subject to effects that require a Fortitude save. He must still breathe, eat, and sleep. Materialization (Su) As a move action, Red Jack can become corporeal or incorporeal. While corporeal, Red Jack has a Strength score equal to his Charisma score. (This is already calculated into Red Jack’s bite and claw attacks.) While incorporeal, Red Jack gains the corrupting gaze, draining touch, frightful moan, ghostly visage, malevolence, and telekinesis special attacks (per the ghost template). His possession ability is per the geist subtype. Memento Mori (Su) Red Jack’s memento mori is his daughter Ren, and he permanently dies if she is killed and not somehow brought back to life within 1 month. During that month, Red Jack loses his mind, going into a constant killing frenzy. Scent (Su) Red Jack can sense incorporeal or ethereal creatures with the scent ability. Teleportation (Su) While incorporeal, Red Jack can teleport 60 ft. as a move action.
WILD HUNT TROUPE
Several powerful elfin figures move with deliberate and synchronous movement. THE WILD HUNT (TROUPE)
CR 20
XP 307,200 N Gargantuan fey (fir bolg, fomorian, sovereign) Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, mark prey, true seeing; Perception +41 DEFENSE AC 36, touch 20, flat-footed 29 (+6 deflection, +6 Dex, +1 dodge, +17 natural, −4 size) hp 351 (37d6+222); fast healing 10 Fort +20, Ref +29, Will +27
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Defensive Abilities all-around vision, amorphous, presence; Immune charm, compulsion, death effects, diseases, electricity, poison, single-target spells, staggered condition; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 36 Weakness savage (DC 47), vulnerability to area effects OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee swarm (10d6) Ranged 6 mwk mighty composite longbows (+5) +21/+16 (1d8+5/×3) Space 20 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks distraction (DC 34), volley Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +26) At Will—know direction 3/day—summon nature’s ally VIII TACTICS Before Combat The Wild Hunt summons situationally appropriate creatures to fight with it using summon nature’s ally VIII. This is usually an
elder elemental or 1d4+1 dire bears. During Combat The Wild Hunt remains constantly on the move around or through enemies. It overwhelms small groups, attacking at range with volley before closing the distance to swarm over and focus attacks on. It may additionally simply harm foes it is engaged with while using volley to harm other creatures at range or alternatively summon additional allies. Morale The Wild Hunt fights to the death. STATISTICS Str 31, Dex 23, Con 23, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 22 Base Atk +18; CMB +32; CMD 55 (cannot be bull rushed or tripped) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Dodge, Far Shot, Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Lightning Reflexes, Improved Precise Shot, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Nimble Moves, Pinpoint Targeting, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Run, Shot on the Run, Step Up Skills Acrobatics +26, Climb +30, Handle Animal +23, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (geography) +20, Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (nature) +20, Perception +24, Sense Motive +24, Stealth +26, It is entirely possible to be swept away into the smoldering embrace Survival +27, Swim +30 of revelry, of anticipation, of fear, of rage—to, yourself, get caught Languages Common, Sylvan up in the Wild Hunt. SQ compression, demesne Many are those who have been swept up in the Wild Hunt’s wake (Annwn), emissary, nature stride, to join in the wanton destruction. Many are those who have called portal (Annwn), swarm traits on the Wild Hunt in times of distress. Many are those that wished ECOLOGY death crashed down on their enemies in moments of pain. Few are Environment any (Annwn) those that walk away unscathed from such an experience. Organization solitary For those caught up in the moment or those with nothing to lose, Treasure standard the Wild Hunt responds to your blood call. (See the Wild Hunt’s SPECIAL ABILITIES imbue troupe ability.) You might ride high at the thrill of the hunt, Focused Attack (Ex) As a fullat the primacy of the moment, blood raging in your ears and your round action, the Wild Hunt’s heart singing in ecstasy at the truth of the moment. Your great troupe can deal double damage hunger has ended, and your vengeance is slaked. But you might with its swarm attack (20d6) until also swing low in the moments after as empathy and remorse fall the beginning of its next turn. back into place. Nature Stride (Ex) The Wild Hunt’s troupe may move through any
Joining the Wild Hunt
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The Faerie Ring sort of natural terrain at its normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Natural terrain that magically manipulated to impede motion still affects it. Swarm Traits (Ex) The Wild Hunt’s troupe functions as a swarm for the purposes of attack and damage. It doesn’t make attacks, and instead deals automatic damage to any creature occupying its space at the end of the army’s move with no attack roll needed (not subject to a miss chance or cover). Spellcasting within the creature’s area requires a caster level check (DC 20 + spell level) and using skills involving patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Will save. Volley (Ex) As a standard action, the Wild Hunt’s troupe can unleash a mass of arrows that deals 12d8 points of piercing damage to everything within a 20-ft. spread. A DC 34 Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is Dexterity-based.
SINGULARITY
A massive, twisted fir bolg rages and smashes its six fists against the ground. Its features and flesh seem to shift due to some inner violence. THE WILD HUNT
CR 30
XP 9,830,400 CN Medium fey (fir bolg, fomorian, sovereign) Init +13; Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, mark prey, scent, true seeing; Perception +58 DEFENSE AC 47, touch 27, flat-footed 38 (+8 deflection, +9 Dex, +20 natural) hp 759 (49d6+588); fast healing 20 Fort +30, Ref +35, Will +30 Defensive Abilities presence, rejuvenation; DR 20/cold iron and epic; Immune electricity, enchantment, necromancy; Resist acid 30, cold 30, fire 30; SR 46 Weakness dependent, savage (DC 59) OFFENSE Speed 50 ft.
Melee +5 huntsman invigorating keen vicious adamantine greatsword +40/+35/+30/+25 (2d6+21/17–20) Ranged +5 seeking stalking composite longbow [+11] +38/+32/+28/+23 (1d8+16/×3) Special Attacks imbue troupe, weaponry Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +28) At Will—know direction TACTICS During Combat The Wild Hunt does not employ complicated tactics. Instead, it selects the strongest-seeming opponent and fights them in melee combat if possible or at range if they cannot be more directly attacked. Once this foe is killed, the Wild Hunt moves on to the next strongest-opponent, becoming distracted from a target only if a more powerful one presents itself. Morale The Wild Hunt fights to the death. STATISTICS Str 33, Dex 29, Con 35, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 26 Base Atk +24; CMB +35 (+37 bull rush and sunder); CMD 62 (64 vs. bull rush and sunder) Feats Awesome Blow, Bull Rush StrikeAPG, Catch Off-Guard, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Deadly FinishUC, Diehard, Endurance, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Greater Vital Strike, Heroic DefianceAPG, Heroic RecoveryAPG, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (longbow), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Step Up, Stunning AssaultAPG, Stunning Critical, Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +43, Climb +45, Knowledge (geography) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17, Intimidate +42, Perception +41, Sense Motive +38, Stealth +43, Survival +41, Swim +42 SQ demesne (Annwn), emissary, nature stride, portal (Annwn) ECOLOGY Environment any (Annwn) Organization solitary Treasure standard (+5 seeking stalking composite longbow [+11 Str], arrows [20], other gear) SPECIAL ABILITIES Dependent (Su) The Wild Hunt is more a primordial
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force than an individual creature and must have a host to manifest. This requires a creature to sit upon the Agate Throne and be deemed worthy by the Wild Hunt. The host can then allow themselves to be possessed by the Wild Hunt at any time as an immediate action. The Wild Hunt’s statistics replace any statistics and abilities the creature might have. The host has no control over the Wild Hunt when possessed, and the possession continues for as long as the Wild Hunt desires. The Wild Hunt can end the possession at any time as a free action. Imbue Troupe (Su) The Wild Hunt can masspossess a troupe of individuals in a heightened emotional state as a full-round action. The unit must possess at least 25 allies with at least 10 of the allies having 10 or more Hit Dice; at least one of these latter must be a fir bolg. The unit must be willing and call upon the Wild Hunt (as a chant or prayer). The unit gains the statistics of the Wild Hunt (Troupe) for as long as the Wild Hunt continues concentrating. The individuals have no control over their actions while the Wild Hunt possesses them. Note the Wild Hunt (Troupe) does not gain the rejuvenation ability of the sovereign subtype. The Wild Hunt automatically senses any applicable group of allies requesting possession, and this ability can operate over any distance and planar boundary. Rejuvenation (Su) The Wild Hunt is automatically permanently slain if there are no longer any living fir bolg. Fir bolg that have been transformed into other creatures (such as the cŵn annwn) no longer count as fir bolg for this purpose. Relentless Hunter (Ex) The Wild Hunt can unerringly seek out any creature it has encountered. This functions as the locate creature spell, except this effect is not blocked by running water or fooled by any spell or effect. Weaponry (Su) The Wild Hunt is proficient in all weapons. Any melee weapon it wields functions as a +5 huntsmanUE invigoratingUE keen vicious adamantine weapon. Any ranged weapon it wields functions as a +5 distance seeking stalkingUE
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weapon, and the Wild Hunt always adds its full Strength modifier to the ranged weapon’s damage.
NPCs
h
All fey and those touched by them are stuffed to bursting with personality: so much rage, so much delight. You’re bound to cross their paths eventually.
ATTILA, SAVIOR OF THE BLOOD The pale-skinned, red-haired priest wears dark brown robes, which don’t completely conceal the many bloodstains. ATTILA
CR 6
XP 2,400 Skycursed cleric (cloistered clericUM) 6 NG Medium fey (gloom) Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dexterity) hp 42 (6d8+12) Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +8 Weakness hunger OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d6 plus windcursed)
Special Attacks channel energy (4/day, 3d6 positive energy, DC 14), consume, windcursed (DC 12) Domain Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9) 6/day—rebuke death (1d4+3) Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 6th; concentration +9) 3rd—cure serious woundsD, remove curse, remove disease 2nd—aid, cure moderate woundsD, delay poison, lesser restoration 1st—bless water, cure light woundsD, protection from evil, remove fear 0 (at will)—create water, purify food and drink, stabilize, virtue Domain healing TACTICS Before Combat Attila attempts to abstain from violence due to his curse, but if preparing for unavoidable combat, he casts protection from evil and aid on himself. If he has succumbed to his curse, he is incapable of making such preparations. During Combat If he is in control, Attila seeks to take a support role in combat by helping to heal and remove negative conditions on allies. If his hunger overwhelms him, he fights without tactics, seeking to consume any nearby human. Morale If he is in control, Attila retreats if he is reduced to 1/2 his hit points or if there are a number of enemy corpses present for fear of surrendering to his curse. If he has surrendered to his hunger, he fights to the death or until he has killed a suitable meal. STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12 Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 15 Feats Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Heal) Skills Disguise +10, Heal +15, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nature) +12 Languages Common SQ blood scent, breadth of knowledge (+3), healer’s blessing, verbal instruction, well-read Combat Gear antitoxin (2), potion of cure
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moderate wounds, potion of cure light wounds (2), restorative ointment; Other Gear healer’s kit, silver holy symbol SPECIAL ABILITIES Blood Scent (Ex) Attila can notice bleeding or injured creatures by scent in a 180-ft. radius. He can automatically tell an injured or bleeding creature’s type and any subtypes using scent. Hunger (Ex) Attila is able to manage the hunger weakness of the skycursed template through a strict meditation regimen and routinely consuming the leftover bits and pieces of his patients. He must consume the flesh of a human at least once per month and meditate for at least one hour per day. As long as he fulfills these requirements, he does not need to succeed on Will saves against the hunger curse and this does not further his skycursed evolution. However, if he goes at least a month without consuming human flesh, he automatically fails the save against the hunger weakness when confronted with the next opportunity to consume the corpse of a human.
BARAEHL STILLHORN The armored half-human and half-goat man is missing one horn and an ear, a deep ragged scar runs across his neck. BARAEHL STILLHORN
CR 17
XP 102,400 Faun elder fighter (tacticianUC) 8 LG Medium fey (emissary [Manitou], faun) Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +18 DEFENSE AC 28, touch 18, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural) hp 215 (15d6+8d10+115) Fort +18, Ref +18, Will +13 DR 10/cold iron; Resist acid 10; SR 28 Weakness bond of fealty (Manitou) OFFENSE
The Faerie Ring Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 axiomatic fey-bane longspear +25/+20/+15 (1d8+12/19–20/×3) and gore +17 (1d4+3) or gore +22 (1d4+7) and 2 slams +22 (1d6+7) Ranged +1 mighty composite longbow (+5) +15/+10 (1d8+6/×3) Special Attacks eldritch panpipes, powerful charge (gore, 2d4+8), tactician (1/day) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +20) At will—aspect of the falconAPG, beguiling giftAPG (DC 15), calm emotions (DC 18), dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 14), lullaby (DC 14), summon instrument 3/day—enthrall (DC 16), hideous laughter (DC 16), sleep (DC 15) 1/day—charm monster (DC 18), nixie’s lureARG (DC 18), reckless infatuationUM (DC 17) TACTICS Before Combat Baraehl avoids any conflict if he is not prepared, fleeing if necessary in order to take later action. He prefers to ambush foes using Stealth to conceal his presence and casting aspect of the falcon prior to attack. During Combat Baraehl’s ideal battle is one where he finds his enemies in a state of rest or leisure and uses his spell-like abilities and combat prowess to knock them all unconscious before they know what is happening. If forced to fight more openly, Baraehl attacks his enemies first at extreme range, moving each round to maintain as much distance as possible. As opponents approach within range of his spell-like abilities, he switches to hampering with enchantments (charm monster, hideous laughter, and sleep). He then attacks any persistent enemies with devastating melee attacks before fleeing to another hidden ambush point. Morale Baraehl flees any fight in which he does not have the upper hand. He likewise flees the instant he loses his tactical advantage. STATISTICS Str 24, Dex 25, Con 21, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 18 Base Atk +15; CMB +22; CMD 39 Feats Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Dodge, Escape Route, Greater Weapon Focus (longspear),
Improved Critical (longspear), Improved Vital Strike, Lunge, Mobility, Outflank, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (longspear), Weapon Specialization (longspear), Whirlwind Attack Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +17, Disguise +22, Diplomacy +29, Escape Artist +14, Knowledge (geography) +25, Knowledge (local) +25, Knowledge (nature) +25, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Perception +27, Perform (wind instruments) +22, Sense Motive +25, Stealth +27, Survival +14, Use Magic Device +17; Racial Modifiers +4 Diplomacy, +4 Perform, +4 Sense Motive Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan SQ armor training 2, imbue, just the thing, nap sack, tactical awareness Combat Gear wand of cure moderate wounds (50 charges), wand of minor image (50 charges), wand of snare (50 charges); Other Gear +1 axiomatic fey bane longspear, +1 composite longbow (20 arrows), mithral breastplate, masterwork panpipes, 3,994 gp SPECIAL QUALITIES Eldritch Panpipes (Su) As a swift action at will, Baraehl can use his masterwork panpipes to augment his spell-like abilities. Doing so increases the DC of the next spell-like ability he uses on his turn by +2. Just the Thing (Su) Baraehl can draw any normal weapon, armor, or other mundane item (including foodstuffs) whose value does not exceed 2,000 gp from his nap sack as a standard action. He may not draw out two identical items from the nap sack in a given day. Any item withdrawn is a general example of its type and not a specific or unique item in any way. Nap Sack (Su) Baraehl’s leather satchel functions as a bag of holding type IV. For any other creature, it functions only as an empty and mundane sack. If the nap sack is lost or destroyed, Baraehl can replace it after 1 week. Any items within the previous satchel when it was lost or destroyed are transferred to the new nap sack.
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BELOVED OF RAHAB A strange matabiri with eyes the color of gold and skin as dark as coal. BELOVED OF RAHAB
CR 12
XP 19,200 Female matabiri witch 12 CN Small fey (aquatic, emissary [Rahab], matabiri, mogwoi) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2 DEFENSE AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +3 deflection, +3 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size) hp 67 (12d6+23) Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +12 Resist cold 10; Immune mind-affecting effects, polymorph; Resist cold 10; SR 23 Weakness anchored (DC 22), bond of fealty (Rahab) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee +2 morningstar +7/+2 (1d6+1) or dagger +5/+0 (1d3−1/19–20) Ranged dart +9 (1d4) Special Attacks hexes (DC 21—agony [12 rounds], disguise [12 hours], evil eye [−4, 8 rounds], flight, misfortune [2 rounds], nails, retribution [5 rounds], slumber [12 rounds]) Witch Spells Prepared (CL 12th; concentration +17) 6th—control water (DC 21), eyebite (DC 21) 5th—baleful polymorph (DC 20), cloudkill (DC 21), dominate person (DC 20), summon monster V 4th—black tentacles, crushing despair (DC 19), inflict serious wounds (DC 19), moonstruck (DC 19) 3rd—bestow curse (2) (DC 18), dispel magic, owl’s wisdom, share senses 2nd—blindness/deafness (2), false life, inflict moderate wounds (DC 17), summon monster II 1st—beguiling gift (DC 16), cause fear (DC 16), darkness, identify, inflict light wounds (DC 16), ray of enfeeblement (DC 16)
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0 (at will)—daze (DC 15), detect magic, read magic, stabilize Patron moon TACTICS Before Combat Beloved of Rehab casts false life each day and often summons situationally appropriate servants with summon monster V before combat. During Combat The matabiri prefers to remain apart from direct combat, instead causing foes to feel pain or weakness to make them easier prey for her minions. Depending on the situation, she may use cloudkill, control water, black tentacles, or more summoned creatures to hamper foes in order to keep them distant enough to use the agony and evil eye hexes. More threatening or arrogant foes are laid low with more permanent and crippling weaknesses, like baleful polymorph, dominate person, or bestow curse. Morale Beloved of Rehab attempts to flee if reduced to 1/2 her hit points or less. She then heals herself with her wand of cure light wounds and plots a sadistic revenge against her enemies. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 14 Base Atk +6; CMB +4; CMD 20 Feats Extra Hex (flight), Improved Initiative, Improved Familiar, Lucid Dreamer, Magical Aptitude, Spell Focus (conjuration) Skills Intimidate +14, Fly +19, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (nature) +20, Spellcraft +20, Swim +17, Use Magic Device+12 Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Giant, Sylvan, Undercommon SQ amphibious, bond of fealty (Rahab), hibernation, imbue (Rahab), witch’s familiar (Small water elemental named Glug [stores all prepared spells and patron spells, plus 1st—obscuring mist, mage armor; 4th—dimension door; 5th—aspect of the wolf, rune of ruin, symbol of pain; 6th—raise dead; and all 0-level spells]) Combat Gear pearl of power (1st), scroll of cure light wounds, scroll of enlarge person, scroll of summon monster III, scroll of pain strike, scroll
The Faerie Ring of cure serious wounds, scroll of charm monster, scroll of arcane sight, tanglefoot bag; Other Gear +2 morningstar, dagger, darts (6), amulet of natural armor +2, backpack, cloak of resistance +4, corset of dire witchcraft, fetishes, flint and steel, fortune teller’s deck, iron pot, rations (6), ring of protection +3, spell component pouch, sunrods (2), wand of cure light wounds (50 charges), 325 gp
THE BODIE POLITIK A group of rotting corpses wielding instruments strikes up a jaunty tune, though many lose bits and pieces with the passionate performance. BODIE POLITIK
CR 6 (EACH)
XP 2,400 each Unique gibbet poppet CN Diminutive fey (mogwoi, swarm) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12 DEFENSE AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 14 (+5 Dex, +4 size) hp 75 each (10d6+40) Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +6 Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune mindaffecting, polymorph, weapon damage Weakness anchored (DC 20) OFFENSE Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee swarm (1d6 plus poison and distraction) Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks bardic performance (14 rounds/ day), distraction (DC 19), inhabit TACTICS During Combat The Bodie Politik has no interest in combat unless pressed or cornered and no real talent for violence when it occurs. They’ll typically try to distract and fascinate enemies with bardic performance to buy them time to slip away or abandon a corpse to swarm a foe until there is any opportunity to scatter.
Morale The Bodie Politik is always looking for an opportunity to flee combat and only remains fighting until an escape route presents itself. STATISTICS Str 1, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 19 Base Atk +5; CMB −6; CMD 11 Feats Improved Initiative, EnsembleUM, Extra Performance, Lingering PerformanceAPG, Mocking DanceUC Skills Acrobatics +18, Bluff +17, Disguise +17, Fly +28, Perception +12, Perform (any one) +17, Stealth +30 Languages Sylvan SQ hibernation, troupe Combat Gear elixir of hiding, salve of slipperiness; Other Gear handy haversack, masterwork musical instrument, 100 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Bardic Performance (Ex) The Bodie Politik has the bardic performance ability of a 1st-level bard, granting it access to that ability’s countersong, fascinate, and inspire courage aspects. Any save DCs for bardic performance abilities use the Bodie Politik’s Hit Dice as its bard level. Inhabit (Ex) The Bodie Politik can chew their way into the body of a Small-, Medium-, or Large-sized dead creature over 1 minute. They can abandon the body at any time as a full-round action. Any attack against the host deals half damage to the Bodie Politik (subject to swarm immunities). When Bodie Politik inhabit a dead body, it functions as a zombie of the appropriate size under the swarm’s control. The Bodie Politik can attempt a Disguise check to make the host seem like a normal corpse or zombie. A gentle repose spell cast on an inhabited corpse forces the Bodie Politik to abandon the host. Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 19; frequency 1 round; effect paralysis for 1 round; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based. Troupe (Su) The musical powers of the Bodie Politik increases with proximity to other performers. For each additional gibbet poppet within 60 ft., the Bodie Politik adds +1 to its effective bard level for the purposes of what
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bardic performance abilities it can access. This does not increase the Bodie Politik’s effective bard level for the purposes of number of rounds of bardic performance per day. If at least six additional gibbet poppets are within 60 ft., the Bodie Politik can start a bardic performance as a move action. If at least twelve are within 60 ft. of each other, they can start a bardic performance as a swift action.
CAKURRA, THE THORN The child-shaped plant creature forms a pair of thorny vines from his hands that whip and twist like hungry predators. CAKURRA
CR 15
XP 51,200 Variant putti slayer 15 CE Small fey (emissary [Korapira], mandragora, putti) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +17 DEFENSE AC 30, touch 15, flat-footed 25 (+4 Dexterity, +15 natural, +1 size) hp 117 (15d10+30) Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +4; +4 vs. paralysis, stunning; +2 vs. polymorph, sleep Immune mind-affecting, poison; Resist cold 10; SR 26 Weakness bond of fealty (Korapira), light dependent OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 thorned vines +20 (1d4−1/19–20 plus grapple and deathblade poison) Special Attacks constrict (1d4−1), quarry, sneak attack +5d6, strangle, studied target (+4, move or swift action) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +14) At will—speak with plants TACTICS Before Combat Cakurra prefers preparing a
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location with crude traps for an ambush or finding an enemy when they are in a state of rest. He coats his vines in deathblade poison, studies his target, and attempts to leap from his hiding place to assassinate them. If faced with multiple foes, he attempts to assassinate the biggest threat likely to die quickly. This is typically an arcane spellcaster or lightly armored combatant. During Combat If Cakurra has the element of surprise against an individual, he’ll work to grapple and strangle his target until dead. If outnumbered, he might take a round of attacks against the target but then flee to establish a new ambush point. He continually varies the target of his surprise attacks so no single individual can be the focus of defense. He may track and harry groups for days or weeks, waiting until they rest to sneak into a camp and coup de grace sleeping foes. Morale Cakurra seeks to strategically retreat whenever he is outnumbered and lacks the element of surprise. He only remains in a combat past an initial ambush if he is confident he can murder his target. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 8 Base Atk +15; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 27 Feats Agile Maneuvers, Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Greater Plant Traits, Lunge, Improved Critical (vines), Improved Plant Traits, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +22, Climb +17, Disguise +17, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (geography) +21, Perception +17, Stealth +26, Survival +17, Swim +17 Languages Common, Sylvan; speak with plants, limited telepathy 30 ft. SQ imbue, slayer’s advance (1/day), slayer talents (assassinate [DC 20], bleeding attack, hunter’s surprise, poison use, slowing strike, surprise attack, woodland stride), swift tracker, track (+7) Combat Gear none; Other Gear amulet of proof against detection and location
The Faerie Ring
DAUGHTERS OF MAHRI A translucent woman floats just above the ground, her long hair black and her features ashen and muted. A gently curved blade hangs at her side. BRIGHT EYES/DARK EYES
CR 16
XP 76,800 Female fey sorcerer 15 NG or NE Medium fey (tengu) Init +8; Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +17 DEFENSE AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 22 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +8 natural, +1 dodge) hp 89 (16d6+31) Fort +8, Ref +17, Will +14 Defensive Abilities incorporeal, rejuvenation; Immune critical hits, precision damage; Resist electricity 20 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +2 keen katana +14/+9 (1d8+2/15–20) and symbiotic touch +12 (Mahri’s Fury) Special Attacks fracturing gaze, unwilling vessel Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +23) At Will—telekinesis (DC 23) 9/day—elemental ray (1d6+7 electricity) 1/day—elemental blast (15d6 electricity, DC 25) Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 15th; concentration +23) 7th (4/day)—caustic eruptionUM (DC 27), elemental body IV, project image (DC 25) 6th (7/day)—elemental body III, geas/quest, legend lore, true seeing 5th (7/day)—cone of cold (DC 23), elemental body II, overland flight, teleport, wall of force 4th (8/day)—charm monster (DC 22), dimension door, elemental body I, remove curse, stoneskin 3rd (8/day)—dispel magic, fly, haste, lightning bolt (DC 20), protection from energy 2nd (8/day)—detect thoughts (DC 20), glitterdust (DC 22), invisibility, scorching ray (electricity), touch of idiocy, web (DC 22)
1st (8/day)—burning hands (electricity) (DC 19), grease, mage armor, magic missile, obscuring mist, shield 0 (at will)—acid splash, bleed (DC 18), detect magic, flare (DC 18), light, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation, read magic Bloodline elemental (air) TACTICS Before Combat The daughters of mahri cast mage armor at the start of every day. If they are preparing for combat, the daughters of mahri cast protection from energy (acid), protection from energy (cold), overland flight, stoneskin, and invisibility. During Combat Dark Eyes prefers to subtly infect foes with mahri’s fury before retreating while Bright Eyes prefers to repeatedly attack with overwhelming force. They both utilize caustic eruption and cone of cold against groups of enemies before fleeing with dimension door or flight. They repeat this strategy, wearing down or decimating the foe, before moving in for the kill with their katana or charming and infecting useful weakened foes. Morale The daughters of mahri flee with teleportation magic or flight if reduced to 1/2 hit points or less. STATISTICS Str 19, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 26 Base Atk +8; CMB +12; CMD 27 Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Empower SpellB, Eschew MaterialsB, Extend Spell, Greater Spell Focus (conjuration), Greater Spell Penetration, Improved InitiativeB, Spell Focus (conjuration), Spell Penetration, Toughness Skills Bluff +19, Craft (calligraphy) +8, Fly +19, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (planes) +6, Linguistics +9, Perception +17, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +16, Use Magic Device +15; Racial Modifiers +4 Linguistics, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Aquan, Auran, Common, Elven, Sylvan, Tengu, Terran SQ change shape (crow; alter self, beast shape II), bloodline arcana, devotion, elemental movement,
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gifted linguist, swordtrained Combat Gear +2 keen katana; Other Gear cloak of resistance +3, headband of alluring charisma +4 SPECIAL ABILITIES Fracture (Su) Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes were birthed by the sundering of Mahri through terrible violence, and they can do the same to fey or humanoids. This functions as the coup de grace action, except if the creature fails the Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt), they do not take any damage but are split into two separate beings. Each possesses the same statistics, current hit points, and conditions as the original, except for alignment. One creature’s alignment becomes good while the other becomes evil. Each creature retains any lawful or chaotic aspect of their alignment. A true neutral creature is split into a neutral good and a neutral evil creature. The creatures are almost always bitterly antagonistic to one another. This effect can be ended if both creatures are the target of a single atonement spell (as reversing a magical alignment change). Possession (Su) Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes can attempt to control the actions and share the senses of humanoids or fey with 8 Wisdom damage from the Mahri’s Fury disease. This otherwise functions as the dominate monster spell. The creature can resist the effect with a DC 26 Will save. With a successful save, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Symbiotic Touch (Su) With a melee touch attack, Bright Eyes or Dark Eyes can infuse a target with a portion of their being, inflicting a magical disease known as Mahri’s fury (see sidebar). Mahri’s Fury (Su) Magical disease—touch; Save Fortitude DC 23; Onset 1 minute; Frequency 1/day; Effect 1 Wisdom damage plus special; Cure — Creatures infected with Mahri’s fury grow to resemble Bright Eyes or Dark Eyes, eventually becoming telepathically connected and open to possession by either of the fey. Mahri’s fury can only be magically cured.
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MAHRI’S FURY PROGRESSION Wisdom Effect Damage Hair grows long, skin tone turns dark (Dark Eyes) or pale (Bright Eyes); gain +1 2 natural armor. Eyes turn solid black (Dark Eyes) or glowing white (Bright Eyes); gain 4 darkvision 30 ft. or add +30 ft. to any existing darkvision. Skin tone turns pure black (Dark Eyes) or white (Bright Eyes); gain beast shape II 6 (diminutive crow only) 1/day as a spell-like ability (CL equal to Hit Dice). The creature ceases making Fortitude saves or taking Wisdom damage from Mahri’s Fury, but cannot regain any lost Wisdom until the disease is magically removed. The creature becomes one of the children of the eyes. They become 8 susceptible to either Bright Eyes’ or Dark Eyes’ possession ability, and can communicate telepathically with any creature within 50 miles infected with Mahri’s Fury. They cannot be surprised or flanked by a creature infected with Mahri’s Fury. Tribemind (Su) Bright Eyes and Dark Eyes can communicate telepathically with a range of 50 miles with any creature infected with Mahri’s fury. Bright Eyes or Dark Eyes cannot be surprised or flanked by an infected creature.
The Faerie Ring
DISALA The creature appears formed from dark soils and polished stones. The earth at its joints is strengthened by roots and a number of small green gems connected by vines create agile hands. DISALA
CR 16
XP 76,800 Yaksha oracle 6 NG Large fey (earth, yaksha) Init+7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +21 DEFENSE AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 22 (+3 Dex, −1 size, +13 natural) hp 236 (14d6+6d8+160); regeneration 5 DR 10/cold iron; Immune acid; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +18 Weakness oracle’s curse (haunted) OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., earth glide Melee 2 slams +20 (1d8+10 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +19) 3/day—fabricate, hydraulic torrentAPG (pebbles and stones instead of water), meld into stone, passwall, quickened create pitAPG (DC 15), stone shape Oracle Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +10) 3rd (4/day)—cure serious wounds, dispel magic, sands of time 2nd (6/day)—cure moderate wounds, gentle repose, make whole, silence 1st (8/day)—bless, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, deathwatch, endure elements, memory lapse 0 (at will)—detect magic, guidance, light, mending, read magic, resistance, stabilize Mystery time TACTICS During Combat Disala avoids combat if possible, using passwall, earth glide, and meld into stone
to avoid direct conflict while observing foes. If pressed, she attempts to separate her enemies with quickened create pit and trap them one by one using the bury ability (without suffocating them). Morale Disala does everything she can to avoid risks and flees or hides if injured. STATISTICS Str 31, Dex 17, Con 26, Int 14+2, Wis 18, Cha 21 Base Atk +11; CMB +22 (+26 grapple); CMD 35 Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Lunge, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken SpellLike Ability (create pit), Stand Still Skills Bluff +22, Craft (any one) +19, Diplomacy +22, Knowledge (any) +19, Perception +21, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +20 (+24 in mountains or underground), Spellcraft +16, Use Magic Device +22; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in mountains or underground Languages Aklo, Common, Giant, Sylvan, Terran SQ lost memories, revelations (knowledge of the ages [5/day], rewind time) Combat Gear elemental gem (Earth), wand of cure light wounds (50 charges); Other Gear crystal ball SPECIAL ABILITIES Bury (Su) A yaksha can trap a grappled creature within dirt or rock. The yaksha must succeed on a Combat Maneuver Check to move the creature. If the creature succeeds on a DC 20 Fortitude save, its movement ceases before it enters the dirt or stone, and the grapple ends. On a failed save, the creature is trapped within the dirt and stone but otherwise unharmed. The creature is treated as pinned without the yaksha needing to maintain the pin or grapple, and the yaksha can continue its movement. The yaksha can choose to cause the creature to be at risk of suffocation. The creature can free itself by succeeding on a combat maneuver or Escape Artist check with a DC equal to the yaksha’s Combat Maneuver Defense. The save DC is Charisma-based. Lost Memories (Ex) While each yaksha cannot recall specific events from their past or civilization, each possesses knowledge of events in the past,
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present, and future. They can make all Knowledge skill checks untrained and gain a bonus on Knowledge skill checks equal to their Hit Dice.
ENNISE, THE WOLFMOTHER The sparkling white coat of this large shimmer dog radiates a soft glow, sending shadows scattering and warping at her feet. ENNISE
CR 8
XP 4,800 Female advanced shimmer dog matriarch ranger 3 NG Medium fey (shapechanger) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +18 DEFENSE AC 23, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural armor) hp 91 (6d6+3d10+54) Fort +9, Ref +14, Will +10 DR 5/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 60 ft. Melee bite +13 (1d8+7 plus trip) Special Attacks favored enemy (fey +2), war shadow Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +14) At will—blur 1/day—calm emotions (DC 17) TACTICS Before Combat If Ennise is in humanoid form, she changes to her hybrid or canine form. Ennise casts blur and activates her war shadow. During Combat Ennise remains apart from combat if possible, allowing the shimmer dogs she leads to do the majority of the fighting under her leadership. She intercedes if they sustain losses, working to demoralize threats with her war shadow and then attack. Morale If alone, Ennise fights until reduced to 1/2 her hit points or less. If other shimmer dogs fight
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beside her, she instead battles to the death. STATISTICS Str 20, Dex 24, Con 22, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 21 Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 29 (33 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, EnduranceB, Improved Natural WeaponB, Nimble Moves, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +19, Bluff +24, Diplomacy +17, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (nature) +23, Knowledge (planes) +13, Perception +18, Sense Motive +22, Stealth +19, Survival +12, Swim +12; Racial Modifiers +4 Sense Motive Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ change shape, empathy, favored terrain (Shadow Plane +2), luminescence, track +1, wild empathy +9 Combat Gear none; Other Gear clear spindle ioun stone SPECIAL ABILITIES Change Shape (Su) All shimmer dogs have three forms: a humanoid form, a canine form, and a hybrid form. Its statistics are the same in all forms, except it loses the bite attack in humanoid form. Equipment does not meld with the new form between humanoid and hybrid form but does between those forms and its canine form. A shimmer dog can shift to any of its three alternate forms as a move-equivalent action. A slain shimmer dog reverts to its canine form. Empathy (Ex) Shimmer dogs can communicate and empathize with other shimmer dogs, darklings, twilight children, werewolves, and wolves. They can use Diplomacy to alter attitudes of these creatures with a +4 racial bonus to the check. Luminescence (Su) A shimmer dog matriarch sheds light from its body in a strong glow, increasing the light level in a 20-ft.-radius by one step. It may repress or resume use of this ability at will as a free action. War Shadow (Su) As a standard action, a shimmer dog may gather shadows around it and shape it into the form of a looming, werewolf-like beast for 1 minute. While the war shadow is active, the shimmer dog can attempt to demoralize opponents (per the Intimidate skill) as a
The Faerie Ring swift action. When a shimmer dog matriarch successfully demoralizes a creature with her war shadow active, the creature remains shaken until the war shadow ends. Multiple successful attempts to demoralize by the matriarch with a war shadow active cause the creature to gain stronger fear conditions (frightened and then panicked).
EOLELO AI This plant-like bloated infant appears to have thick roots sprouting out from its body, anchoring it into the ground. Its purple body is overgrown with glowing moss with shining bright red, and multi-colored leaves grow down its back like hair. EOLELO AI
CR 9
XP 6,400 Variant putti oracle 10 NG Large fey (mandragora, putti) Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +1 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+10 natural, −1 size) hp 58 (10d8+10) Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +8; +2 vs. mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning Immune fatigue Weakness light dependent, oracle’s curse (lame) OFFENSE Speed o ft. Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8) At will—telekinesis (DC 18) Oracle Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +13) 5th (3/day)—awaken, mass cure light wounds, scrying (DC 18), summon nature’s ally V 4th (5/day)—cure critical wounds, divination, grove of respite, restoration, summon nature’s ally IV 3rd (7/day)—cure serious wounds, daylight, helping hand, searing light, speak with plants, summon nature’s ally III 2nd (7/day)—aid, augury, barkskin, consecrate, cure
moderate wounds, status, summon nature’s ally II 1st (7/day)—bless, charm animal (DC 14), cure light wounds, obscuring mist, protection from evil, remove fear, sanctuary (DC 14), summon nature’s ally I 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, guidance, light, mending, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance, stabilize TACTICS Before Combat Eolelo Ai casts barkskin, aid, and sanctuary if a threat is imminent. She contacts nearby human allies with summoned creatures, telepathy, or helping hand to come to her aid. During Combat Eolelo Ai tries taking no deadly action against living opponents, instead preferring to support summoned creatures or use telekinesis to grapple. Morale Eolelo Ai is incapable of fleeing but might resort to more desperate and harmful attacks (with telekinesis or searing light) if reduced to 1/2 her hit points or less. STATISTICS Str 6, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 16 Base Atk +7; CMB +6; CMD 16 Feats Divine Mien, Improved Divine Mien, Improved Telekinetic, Mind Reader, Telekinetic Skills Diplomacy +16, Heal +14, Knowledge (nature) +16, Knowledge (religion) +16, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +16, Survival +14 Languages Celestial, Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan; telepathy 60 ft. SQ revelations (friend to the animals, natural divination, transcendental bond) Combat Gear wand of summon nature’s ally II (32 charges); Other Gear incense of meditation
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GRAND BARON FIZZBERT, THE EVER-HUNGRY A corpulent, abnormally tall bitterclaw wears a set of purple robes covered in unknown stains. A rolling growl comes from his bloated stomach and he smacks his lips, his face subtly shifting his features in the soft rolls of flesh. GRAND BARON FIZZBERT
CR 11
XP 12,800 Male bitterclaw alchemistAPG 12 CN Medium fey (bitterclaw, mogwoi) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15 (+17 if hearing-based) DEFENSE AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +1 natural) hp 95 (12d8+38), fast healing 3 (after eating) Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +6 Immune aging, mind-affecting effects, poison, polymorph Weakness anchored (DC 22) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +2 mace +13/+8 (1d8+4) and bite +7 (1d6+1), or bite +11/+6 (1d6+3) Ranged dart +10/+5 (1d4+2 plus poison) Special Attacks bomb 17/day (6d6+3 fire, DC 19), fast swallow, mutable form (DC 16), swallow whole (2d6+2 acid damage, AC 11, 7 hp) Spell-like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +13) 1/day—break (DC 11) Alchemist Extracts Prepared (CL 4th) 4th—detonateAPG (DC 17), greater false lifeUM, stoneskin 3rd—arcane sight, burst of speedUC, eruptive pustulesUM (DC 16), resinous skinUM (DC 16) 2nd—adhesive bloodACG (DC 15), cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts (DC 15), touch injectionUC 1st—adhesive spittleACG (DC 14), bomber’s eyeAPG, cure light wounds, endure elements, long armACG TACTICS
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Before Combat Baron Fizzbert consumes an extract of greater false life every day. Prior to combat, he consumes extracts of stoneskin, resinous skin, eruptive pustules, and bomber’s eye. During Combat The baron prefers to have range between himself and his enemies, using bombs or poisoned darts while his minions bear the brunt of the danger. If enemies draw too close, he attempts to grapple and swallow them whole. Morale Baron Fizzbert is a coward and flees or surrenders if outnumbered or reduced to 1/2 his hit points or less. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +9; CMB +11; CMD 22 Feats Brew PotionB, Extra BombsAPG, Extra DiscoveryAPG, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Throw AnythingB, Toughness Skills Craft (alchemy) +18, Craft (cook) +18, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Perception +15 (+17 if hearing-based), Sense Motive +12; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception on hearing-based Languages Aklo, Common, Halfling, Sylvan SQ alchemy, discoveries (breath weapon bombUC [15-ft. cone, 6d6+3 fire damage, Reflex DC 19 for half], concentrate poison, dispelling bomb, fast bombs, lingering spiritUM, smoke bomb, sticky bomb), endless hunger, hibernation, mutagen [+4/−2, +2 natural, 120 minutes], poison use, swift alchemy, swift poisoning Combat Gear blue whinnis poison [4 doses], elixir of fire breath, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of fly; Other Gear +2 chain shirt, +2 mace, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +2, alchemist’s kit, cauldron, formula book (contains all prepared extracts), royal outfit, amethyst brooch worth 100 gp, onyx ring worth 250 gp, 10 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Endless Hunger (Ex) Fizzbert can consume and digest nearly any material he comes across—even living creatures swallowed whole. He gains a +4 racial bonus on saves versus any effect causing
The Faerie Ring the nauseated and sickened conditions and gains fast healing 3 for 1 hour after eating at least 1 lb. of material. If Fizzbert does not eat at least 1 lb. each hour, he loses fast healing and takes 1 point of Constitution damage. He takes an additional 1 point of Constitution damage each hour thereafter. This damage cannot reduce his Constitution below 1. He regains Constitution lost due to endless hunger after eating at least 1 lb. of material. Mutable Form (Ex) Fizzbert is an unfinished product made before the bitterclaws were finalized. His racial features differ from bitterclaws in that he is a Medium-sized creature instead of Small, he is immune to aging, and lacks their volatile temperament and bitter blood. Additionally, his form isn’t quite set, and he can alter it to a limited fashion with concentration. As a standard action, Fizzbert may distort and warp his flesh to gain one of the following abilities for 1 round: all-around vision, compression, or double his normal fast healing. He cannot double his fast healing unless he has eaten 1 lb. of material within the last hour. This process is disturbing to watch, and any creatures within 60 ft. who observe his change must succeed a DC 16 Will saving throw or gain the nauseated condition for 1 round. On a successful save, the creature is immune to being nauseated by this ability for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charismabased.
GRAY TWINS The pair of small ghostly foxes fly and sway in perfect unison. GRAY TWINS
CR 4 (EACH)
XP 1,200 each Ghost fox kitsune mesmerist 3 NE Small fey (geist, incorporeal, kitsune, shapechanger) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., life sight 10 ft., low-
light vision, scent; Perception +14 DEFENSE AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 16 (+5 deflection, +2 Dexterity, +1 size) hp 20 each (3d8+3) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +8 Defensive Abilities incorporeal, towering ego OFFENSE Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect) Melee corrupting touch +5 (4d6, Fort DC 16 half) or bite +8 (1d4+5) Special Attacks bold stare (susceptibility), corrupting touch, ghostly visage, hypnotic stare, malevolence, materialization, painful stare, possession (DC 16) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd) Constant—speak with animals Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 3rd; concentration +8) 1st (5/day)—charm person (DC 16), innocence, paranoia (DC 16) 0 (at will)—bleed, dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 15), haunted fey aspect, mage hand TACTICS Before Combat The twins cast innocence and become incorporeal. During Combat The twins prefer to charm and manipulate foes with lies, enchantments, or stares and almost never take part in direct conflict. If threatened, they switch to intimidation using fearsome guise and paranoia to sow confusion. Morale The twins rarely remain in any conflict for long and retreat to send Red Jack after any individual who dares to harm them. STATISTICS Str —, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 21 Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip) Feats Improved Feint Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +13, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +14, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +20; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Disguise, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Common, Fox; speak with animals
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SQ change shape, consummate liar, fox magic, fox tail, mesmerist tricks (fearsome guise, meek facade), sudden teleportation, touch treatment (8/day, shaken) Combat Gear dust of illusion, wand of silent image (50 charges); Other Gear none
GRETA SWEET TOOTH A plain blonde braid falls over one of this young woman’s broad shoulders. Her eyes have a yellowish tint and there is a slight point to her ears. GRETA SWEET TOOTH
CR 4
XP 1,200 Female human expert 5 CG Medium humanoid (human, mogwoi) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8 DEFENSE AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +2 shield) hp 36 (5d8+10) Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +4; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Defensive Abilities gremlin watch Weakness anchored (DC 15) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk club +5 (1d6+1) Ranged mwk light crossbow +4 (1d8/19–20) Special Attacks dissolve metal (+3 ranged touch) TACTICS During Combat Greta flees combat if at all possible. When it is unavoidable, she allows her accompanying gremlins to fight on her behalf. At most, she’ll defend herself or spit acid on an enemy’s metallic weapons. Morale Greta attempts to flee if in real danger or injured. STATISTICS Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 9 Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 14 Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Medium Armor Proficiency, Toughness
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Skills Craft (blacksmithing) +9, Disable Device +8, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +8, Profession (farmer) +6, Sense Motive +8, Survival +6 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ gremlin blood, hibernation, sovereign surrogate Combat Gear arrow magnetUE, potion of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear masterwork chainmail, masterwork heavy wooden shield, masterwork club, masterwork light crossbow [10 bolts], artisan’s outfit, hammer, masterwork artisan’s tools, 51 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Dissolve Metal (Ex) Greta’s saliva melts metal like candy. Metal objects or part of a metal object placed in her mouth sustains 1d4 points of damage every round that bypasses hardness. The object gains the broken condition after losing at least half its hit points and is destroyed at 0 hp. As a standard action, Greta may spit on a metal object or construct within 5 ft. of her as a ranged touch attack. If she hits, her saliva deals 1d2 points of damage to the target each round, ignoring hardness, until it dries (after 1d4 rounds). Greta may use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. Gremlin Blood (Ex) Greta counts as both humanoid (human) and fey (mogwoi) for any abilities or effects related to creature type or subtype. Gremlin Watch (Su) Whenever Greta is alone, there is a 75% chance she is accompanied by 1d4 gremlins attempting to remain hidden with the Stealth skill within 60 ft. of her. The gremlins do not reveal themselves unnecessarily but don’t hesitate to rush to her defense if she is in trouble. If Greta is attacked, there is a 50% chance at the start of each of her turns that another 1d4 gremlins will appear within 60 ft. of her, popping out from windows, under bushes, out of barrels or any other portal-like object nearby. Greta’s gremlins protect her to the best of their ability and attempt to follow any direct order she gives them. Surrogate Sovereign (Su) Greta shares lineage with the mogwoi sovereign, Flibbertigibbet. When she
The Faerie Ring is in the company of at least 12 gremlins at once, she becomes a surrogate for Flibbertigibbet’s mogwoi requirement to keep one of his selves on the Material Plane at all times. When acting as his surrogate, Greta senses where her possible father’s three selves are, though she is unaware of how or why she has this knowledge. When Greta is acting as surrogate, double the number of gremlins appear to help her from her gremlin watch ability, and the chances of their appearance increase to 100%. If Greta is slain or goes to a different plane while acting as Flibbertigibbet’s surrogate, this ability ends and traps the mogwoi sovereign if none of his selves remain on the Material Plane.
HELIOCILIUS, THE MAGPIE This spindly little blue-gray creature flits about chattering incessantly. HELIOCILIUS
CR 6
XP 2,400 CG Tiny fey (morph) Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +16 DEFENSE AC 19, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 size) hp 65 (10d6+30) Fort +6, Ref +13, Will +9 DR 5/cold iron; Immune sleep OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +10 (1d3−1), 2 claws +10 (1d2−1) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8) At will—dancing lights, daze (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), message 3/day—augury, calm emotions (DC 16) TACTICS During Combat Heliocilius doesn’t fight, even when threatened. They are more likely to hover just
out of reach of foes while calling on a diplomatic personality to try de-escalating the situation with well-chosen questions, offers, and the calm emotions spell. Morale If an enemy refuses to see reason or Heliocilius is injured, he attempts to fly away. STATISTICS Str 9, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 14 Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +19, Diplomacy +16, Escape Artist +19, Fly +27, Perception +15, Spellcraft +14, Use Magic Device +16 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ relation, spore Combat Gear none; Other Gear lens of detection SPECIAL ABILITIES Augury (Sp) Whenever Heliocilius uses their augury spell-like ability and receives a result of weal and woe or nothing, they also receive one additional piece of information relevant to the action about which Heliocilius is inquiring. This piece of information is always brief but illuminates more details about why the augury returned its result. Heliocilius always knows if an augury attempt fails. Eidetic Memory (Ex) Heliocilius can remember with perfect clarity any event they have ever experienced. However, these memories are spread amongst the dozen or so personalities, so it takes some time for them to search for a specific memory. This otherwise functions as the modify memory spell to recall with perfect clarity, except it requires 1 minute of concentration. Multiple Personalities (Ex) Once per minute, Heliocilius can select any single skill as a free action. They can make skill checks as if they possessed 10 ranks and the Skill Focus feat in the selected skill. These benefits persist until a new skill is selected. Once a skill has been selected, Heliocilius cannot select the same skill again for 24 hours.
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JACK-IN-IRONS The gigantic man has a thick black beard, a collar dangling hundreds of chains, and a thick shirt of oxen hide. His powerful hands seem strong enough to break tree trunks, and his heavy boots leave holes where he walks. JACK-IN-IRONS
CR 15
XP 51,200 CE Huge fey (emissary [Mab], gnomekin) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +27 DEFENSE AC 30, touch 13, flat-footed 25 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge +17 natural, −2 size) hp 212 (25d6+125) Fort +13, Ref +18, Will +18; +2 vs. illusion spells and effects Defensive Abilities jangling chains, retributive chains; DR 5/—; Immune energy drain, figment subschool; Resist cold 15; SR 26 Weakness bond of fealty [Mab], covetous (DC 28) OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +2 cold iron spiked chain +21/+16/+11 (3d6+15) Ranged +2 cold iron net +14 (entangled) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks trample (1d8+13, DC 31) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +26) Constant—freedom of movement TACTICS During Combat Jack prefers to fight defensively against an individual, depending on his superior ability to disarm, entangle, and counter-attack. When faced with multiple opponents, he adopts a more aggressive and mobile strategy, trampling over or entangling weaker foes before leaping out of harms way. Morale Jack fights to the death when defending Mab but otherwise flees if reduced to 1/4 his hit points or less. STATISTICS Str 28, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 23
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Base Atk +12; CMB +23; CMD 39 Feats Awesome Blow, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net, spiked chain), Greater Disarm, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Wind Stance Skills Acrobatics +32, Bluff +34, Climb +37, Craft (weapons) +32, Escape Artist +32, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (arcana) +29, Knowledge (nature) +29, Perception +32, Sense Motive +32 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Giant, Sylvan SQ growth, imbue Combat Gear boots of speed, glove of storing, potion of cure serious wounds (2); Other Gear +2 cold iron spiked chain, 975 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Growth (Su) Jack-in-Irons remains permanently Huge in size due to Mab’s influence (per the gnomekin subtype) but cannot decrease his size or grow larger. Jangling Chains (Su) If an opponent misses Jack-inIrons with a melee attack using a manufactured weapon, Jack-in-Irons can make a disarm attempt as an immediate action. Net of Chains (Ex) Jack-in-Irons can use his chains as a net against a single creature, except he can entangle creatures of Small to Gargantuan in size and it has a maximum range (and trailing length) of 30 ft. Jack-in-Irons can attempt to control the trailing chain with a Strength check as a free action. He does not take a penalty to attack rolls for the net not being properly folded. The net has 25 hp, hardness 14, and can be burst with a DC 26 Strength check. If his net of chains is broken or burst, Jack-in-Irons cannot use this ability for 24 hours. Retributive Chains (Su) If a creature within reach targets Jack-in-Irons with a spell or spelllike ability and fails their caster level check to overcome his spell resistance, he can make an attack with his spiked chain against the creature as an immediate action.
The Faerie Ring
LADY JAYE A diminutive, regal woman with dark hair and piercing eyes sizes you up. LADY JAYE
CR 7
XP 3,200 Female black hat rogue 7 NE Medium fey (black hat, gnomekin) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +12 DEFENSE AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge) hp 35 (7d8) Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +5; +2 vs. illusion spells and effects Defensive Abilities evasion, special invulnerability, trap sense +2, uncanny dodge Weakness covetous (DC 17) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 keen rapier +10 (1d6/15–20) Ranged dart +9 (1d4−1) Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +9) 1/day—bleed (DC 12), chill touch, detect poison, repair undeadACG, touch of fatigue (DC 12) TACTICS During Combat Lady Jaye prefers social games to conflict, making every effort to seduce her foes into allies rather than destroy them. If pressed, she then prefers to use minions to do the dirty work while she stealthily retreats. Only when cornered does she defend herself. Morale In any physical conflict, Lady Jaye is constantly looking for any possible escape route. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 18 Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 20 Feats Dodge, Extra Rogue Talent, Leadership, Skill Focus (Stealth), Spell Focus (necromancy)B, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +12, Bluff +14, Climb +10,
Diplomacy +14, Disable Device +14, Knowledge (local) +11, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +17, Use Magic Device +11 Languages Common, Sylvan, Undercommon SQ black hat, growth, rogue talents (coax information, convincing lie, eerie disappearance, honeyed words), tip of the hat (7/day) Combat Gear potion of cure serious wounds, potion of invisibility, scroll of charm monster, tanglefoot bag; Other Gear +2 studded leather, +1 keen rapier, darts (6), belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, ring of protection +1, masterwork thieves’ tools, oil (6), spidersilk rope (50 ft.), 100 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Special Invulnerability (Su) Because she drank from the liquid of Jasmine’s bath, Lady Jaye is immune to several of the Painted Lady’s powers. Jasmine’s hemlock kiss, nightingale’s song, starlight motes, and true visage have no effect on Lady Jaye nor will she take negative energy damage from the attacks of Jasmine’s beast form.
MALLT-Y-NOS This aged wolf the size of a pony shows gray in otherwise dark patches of fur. Her eyes display a depth of intelligence and insight unmatched even among feyhounds. MALLT-Y-NOS
CR 15
XP 51,200 Cŵn annwn druid (feyhound) 16 CN Huge fey (fir bolg, fomorian, shapechanger) Init +3; Senses low-light vision, mark prey, scent; Perception +8 Aura fear aura (90 ft., DC 24) DEFENSE AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 insight, +7 natural, −2 size) hp 120 (16d6+64) Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +16; +4 vs. curses and spells or spell-like abilities of fey
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Defensive Abilities evasion; SR 27 Weakness despair* (DC 17), savage (DC 26) OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee +4 bite +19 (2d6+11 plus trip) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks cursed rage* (DC 17), hex (evil eye, fortune, tongues), savage trip*, wild shape (16 hours; evasion, fear aura, large, huge, improved spell resistance, spell resistance) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th; concentration +16) At will—know direction Druid Spells Prepared (CL 17th; concentration +22) 8th—discern location, finger of death (DC 24) 7th—chain lightning (DC 23), true seeing, vision 6th—find the path, greater dispel magic, legend lore, symbol of fear (DC 22) 5th—baleful polymorph (DC 21), break enchantment, call lightning storm (DC 21), death ward, teleport 4th—cure serious wounds, dispel magic, divination, freedom of movement, locate creature 3rd—call lightning (DC 19), greater magic fang (2), remove curse, sleet storm 2nd—barkskin, death knell, fog cloud, resist energy, see invisibility, spider climb 1st—charm person (DC 17), entangle, longstrider (2), mage armor (2) 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, light, read magic, TACTICS Before Combat Mallt-y-Nos casts mage armor, greater magic fang, and longstrider at the beginning of each day after preparing spells (on both herself and her animal companion). If combat is imminent, she casts the following spells in order: barkskin and freedom of movement. During Combat If Mallt-y-Nos is in fir bolg form, she immediately transforms into her feyhound shape at the start of any combat. She prefers to keep distance between herself and enemies, slowing them down with entangle while using hexes or spells at range to wear down foes. Against a single opponent or weakened enemies, she works in tandem with her animal companion to Spring
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Attack to bite at reach before moving to safety. Base Statistics While in her fir bolg form without greater magic fang and mage armor, Mallt-y-Nos’s statistics are AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 12; Ref +9; Speed 40 ft.; Melee bite +14 (1d6+2); Str 14, Dex 18; CMB +14; CMD 28; Skills Climb +9, Stealth +6, Swim +9. STATISTICS Str 20, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 9 Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD 32 (36 vs. trip) Feats Beastform, Dodge, Greater Beastform, Hunter’s Bite, Improved Beastform, Mobility, Natural Spell, Spring Attack, Wilderness Caster Skills Climb +12, Handle Animal +6, Heal +13, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (nature) +21, Perception +8, Spellcraft +21, Survival +27, Swim +12; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, Stealth, Survival, and Knowledge (nature) Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan SQ hunter’s cache (16), Morrigan’s gift, nature bond (Hod), nature sense, spells*, survivalist, trackless step, wild empathy, woodland stride Other Gear ioun stone (dusty rose), ioun stone (orange), ioun stone (pearly white) *Cŵn annwn template abilities HOD Dog animal companion N Medium animal Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +15 DEFENSE AC 29, touch 13, flat-footed 26 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural) hp 110 (13d8+52) Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +5 Defensive Abilities improved evasion OFFENSE Speed 55 ft. Melee +4 bite +19 (1d6+13) Special Attacks multiattack STATISTICS Str 23, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
The Faerie Ring Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Dodge, Fleet, Lunge, Nimble Moves, Mobility, Spring Attack Skills Perception +15, Stealth +9, Survival +5 (+9 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent SQ devotion, link, share spells, tricks (attack, defend, down, guard, heel, stay)
MOONDOG TUMBLEBUSH This little red-skinned fey whips his floppy crimson hat off and around with a flourish. MOONDOG
CR 8
XP 4,800 Far darrig bard (street performerAPG) 9 CN Small fey (far darrig, gnomekin) Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception −1 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +3 Dexterity, +2 shield, +1 size) hp 62 (9d8+18) Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +5; +4 vs. illusion spells and effects, bardic performance, sonic, and languagedependent Weakness covetous (DC 19) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee mwk shillelagh +6/+1 (1d4−1) Special Attacks bardic performance (24 rounds/ day, dirge of doom, disappearing act, distraction, fascinate, harmless performer, madcap prank, suggestion), funny hat (3/day) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +13) 1/day—disguise self, silent image (DC 14), summon nature’s ally I, ventriloquism (DC 14) Bard Spells Known (CL 9th; concentration +13) 3rd (4/day)—glibness, major image (DC 19), sculpt sound (DC 17), see invisibility 2nd (5/day)—detect thoughts (DC 16), invisibility, minor image (DC 18), mirror image
1st (6/day)—charm person (DC 15), grease (DC 15), magic aura, obscure object, unseen servant 0 (at will)—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 16), mage hand, message, prestidigitation, summon instrument TACTICS Before Combat Moondog casts glibness and see invisibility before combat. He also usually casts at least one other spell, depending on his mood, like major image or sculpt sound to create some distraction, unseen servant to ready some surprising trap, or invisibility to conceal his presence. During Combat Moondog’s tactics vary from combat to combat, and he disdains doing the same thing twice. He is as likely to surrender in order to manipulate from a position of weakness as he is to follow foes home to set up a bunch of dangerous surprises. Morale Moondog hasn’t yet fought to the death, but it is at least a possibility. Sometimes, he stays in conflicts longer than others but rarely keeps fighting once at 1/2 his normal hit points or less (or clearly bested). STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 19 Base Atk +6; CMB +4; CMD 17 Feats Eschew Materials, Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Persuasive Illusion, Silent Spell, Spell Focus (illusion) Skills Disguise +20, Knowledge (local) +17, Perform (comedy) +16, Perform (oratory) +16, Sleight of Hand +19, Stealth +24, Spellcraft +13 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ gladhanding, growth, illusory instinct, magic hat, quick change, streetwise, versatile performance (act, comedy) Combat Gear none; Other Gear +1 glamered shadow chain shirt, +1 buckler
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PORTIA The dark-cowled maiden holds aloft a gigantic scythe, and her gaze blazes with an almost physical intensity. PORTIA
CR 18
XP 153,600 Fury vigilante 5 N Medium fey (fata) Init +11; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +31 DEFENSE AC 29, touch 17, flat-footed 22 (+7 Dex, +12 natural) hp 180 (22d6+5d8+91) Fort +11, Ref +26, Will +23 Defensive Abilities immortal, unshakable; DR 10/ cold iron and magic; Immune fatigue, fear; SR 29 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee +1 vicious wounding scythe +21/+16/+11 (2d4+14/19–20/×4) Special Attacks hidden strike +3d8, startling appearance Spell-Like Abilities (CL 22nd, concentration +27) At will—locate creature 3/day—flame strike (DC 19) 1/day—lesser geas, see invisibility TACTICS Before Combat If Portia has time to prepare for a fight against a specific target, she creates and drinks potions that might specifically aid her with the foe. Prior to battle, Portia casts see invisibility and summons her vengeful weapon. During Combat If Portia is attacking a single creature, she attempts to ambush her opponent, using a disguise to get close enough for a sudden strike. She allows the foe to harm her once, activating her mark of vengeance, but flees to plan additional ambushes within 24 hours if harmed twice. If facing multiple opponents, Portia uses flame strike from stealth or employs relentless hit and run tactics with a variety of disguises to sow paranoia in her enemies.
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Morale Portia flees if reduced to 1/2 her normal hit points or less. She typically attempts to blend into a crowd or flee to some prepared location to recover with healing potions. STATISTICS Str 29, Dex 28, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 23, Cha 20 Base Atk +14; CMB +23; CMD 42 Feats Back to BackUC, Brew PotionB, Cleave, Duck and CoverAPG, Great Cleave, Improved Back to BackUC, Improved Initiative, OutflankAPG, Pack AttackUC, Power Attack, Swap PlacesAPG (plus see below) Skills Acrobatics +34, Bluff +18, Climb +34, Craft (alchemy) +27, Disguise +18, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (local) +27, Perception +31, Perform (oratory) +30, Sense Motive +19, Stealth +34, Use Magic Device +30 Languages Common, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft. SQ dual identity, seamless guise, social talent (feign innocence, many guises, renown), vigilante specialization (stalker), vigilante talent (expose weakness, silent dispatch) Combat Gear boots of teleportation, potion of cure serious wounds (2); Other Gear minor cloak of displacement, 500 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Brew Potion (Ex) A fury uses her Hit Dice as her caster level for the purposes of the Brew Potion feat. She may use her Craft (alchemy) skill check in place of the Spellcraft skill check when creating potions. The DC to create the potion still increases for any necessary spell requirements. When the furies work together to create a single potion, they divide the time required by the number of furies cooperatively crafting. Mark of Vengeance (Su) Once per day, a fury can mark a creature that has damaged her as the target of vengeance. As a swift action, the fury selects one creature she can see that has caused her damage with any spell or attack within 1 round. The fury adds her Charisma bonus to her attack and damage rolls against that creature and bypasses any damage reduction the creature might possess. Additionally, she gains a deflection
The Faerie Ring bonus equal to her Charisma modifier to her AC against attacks made by the target marked for vengeance. This effect persists until the target is dead or ends after 24 hours. Vengeful Weapons (Su) Portia can summon or dismiss her scythe as a swift action. Any weapon she creates additionally acts as a bane weapon against a single creature type. The creature type is selected when the weapon is summoned. These weapons disappear if dropped and cannot be used by any other creature. They likewise disappear if Portia dies. Portia is proficient in scythes.
PUCK A handsome satyr with unkempt red hair and goatee prances with delight. His laugh is impish and his blue eyes are playful. PUCK
CR 10
XP 9,600 CN Medium fey (emissary [Mab], faun) Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Perception +27 DEFENSE AC 24, touch 22, flat-footed 12 (+8 Dex, +4 dodge, +2 natural) hp 127 (15d6+75) Fort +10, Ref +16, Will +13 DR 5/cold iron; Immune energy drain; Resist cold 10; SR 21 Weakness bond of fealty [Mab] OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 mithral dagger +16/+11 (1d4+3/19–20) or +1 mithral daggers +14/+14/+9 (1d4+3/19–20) Ranged +1 mithral daggers +16/+11 (1d4+3/19–20) Special Attacks bardic performance (distraction, inspiring competence, inspire courage, suggestion), sneak attack +4d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +22) At will—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 17), prestidigitation, speak with animals
3/day—entangle (DC 18), polymorph (self only), quickened jester’s jauntAPG (self only) 1/day—dispel magic, displacement TACTICS Before Combat Puck casts displacement on himself and entangle on the area (if applicable). During Combat If possible, Puck prefers to surprise enemies by luring a foe into a false sense of security with social games or bardic performance before attacking with the Betrayer feat. Puck then attempts to strip away magical defenses with dispel magic. He then uses quickened jester’s jaunt to spring out from cover to sneak attack his foes. Morale Puck attempts to polymorph into a flying, swimming, or burrowing creature and flee if reduced to 1/2 his hit points or less. STATISTICS Str 15, Dex 26, Con 20, Int 23, Wis 18, Cha 25 Base Atk +7; CMB +15; CMD 31 Feats Agile Maneuvers, BetrayerUC, Double Slice, Persuasive, Quick Draw, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (jester’s jaunt), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +26, Bluff +22, Diplomacy +29, Disguise +22, Escape Artist +23, Knowledge (nature) +21, Knowledge (nobility) +21, Intimidate +33, Perception +23, Perform (comedy) +22, Sense Motive +23, Sleight of Hand +23, Stealth +23, Use Magic Device +22 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan, Treant, Vegepygmy SQ courtier, imbue, likable, nimble Combat Gear dust of disappearance, potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear +1 mithral daggers (2), potion of glibness, masterwork pan pipes, 48 gp SPECIAL ABILITIES Bardic Performance (Ex) Puck uses bardic performance as a 7th level bard. He replaces the suggestion bardic performance with slumber song. Courtier (Ex) Puck has a vast network of connections spanning the planes. He can
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substitute the results of a Diplomacy skill check for any Knowledge skill check. This otherwise functions as using the Diplomacy skill to gather information. Likeable (Su) Any creature meeting Puck for the first time must succeed on a DC 24 Will save or have their starting attitude (per the Diplomacy skill) increased by two steps (to a maximum of helpful). This functions as succeeding on a Diplomacy check to alter a creature’s attitude for the purposes of the Betrayer feat. Puck may attempt Diplomacy skill checks to improve a creature’s attitude as a full-round action. The save DC is Charisma-based. Nimble (Ex) Puck gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor. He loses this bonus if flat-footed. Slumber Song (Sp) Puck can use this bardic performance to cause a fascinated creature to fall asleep (as deep slumber, but with no HD limit). Otherwise, this ability functions like the suggestion bardic performance ability.
REN (MOKUREN KAMURA) The young, ginger woman has a bushy red tail. REN
CR 12
XP 19,200 Female kitsune mediumOA 13 CG Small fey (kitsune, shapechanger, yokai) Init +7; Senses low-light vision, scent (incorporeal); Perception +22 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 101 (13d8+39) Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +11; −2 vs. compulsion, +2 vs. charm Weakness jade sensitivity OFFENSE Speed 40 ft.
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Melee +1 ghost touch rapier +13/+8 (1d6/18–20) or bite +8 (1d4−1) Special Attacks haunt channeler (6d6), spirit surge +1d8, surprise strike +4d6, transfer magic Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +18) Constant—speak with animals Medium Spells Known (CL 13th; concentration +18) 4th (2/day)—break enchantment, fear (DC 20) 3rd (2/day)—greater invisibility, lesser entice feyUI, possessionOA (DC 19), vampiric touch 2nd (3/day)—bestow curse (DC 18), cast outOA, inflict painOA (DC 17), speak with dead (DC 18), spiritual weapon 1st (5/day)—borrow skillAPG (DC 16), cause fear (DC 17), detect undead, expeditious retreat, remove fear, unseen servant 0 (at will)—bleed (DC 16), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), mage hand, read magic, siftAPG Spirit trickster TACTICS Before Combat Ren channels the trickster spirit and casts greater invisibility and expeditious retreat. During Combat Ren is unlikely to take part in combat, preferring to flee when faced with danger. If cornered or pressed, she separates and wears down foes with fear, inflict pain, and bestow curse. She then attacks the largest threats with surprise strike. Morale Ren flees any combat if possible. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 21 Base Atk +9; CMB +8; CMD 22 (26 vs. trip) Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Spell Focus (necromancy) Skills Acrobatics +23, Bluff +18, Diplomacy +16, Disable Device +23, Disguise +16, Heal +12, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Linguistics +9, Perception +22, Sense Motive +16, Sleight of Hand +19, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +20, Use Magic Device +22 Languages Common, Fox, Goblin, Sylvan; speak with animals
The Faerie Ring SQ ask the spirits, change shape, fox magic, fox tail, location channel, mimic, propitiation, seance boon (Sleight of Hand), shared seance, spirit bonus +4, taboo, trickster’s edge (Acrobatics, Disable Device) Combat Gear wand of inflict moderate wounds (20 charges), wand of ray of enfeeblement (18 charges); Other Gear +2 studded leather armor, +1 ghost touch rapier, belt of physical might +2 (Dex, Con), cloak of resistance +2, headband of alluring charisma +2
SLAINE, THE GRAY KING This powerful elfin man is missing half his right ear. A long scar on the right side of his face travels from just above his milky-white eye down to the corner of his mouth. SLAINE
CR 18
XP 153,600 Fir bolg bloodragerACG 19 N Medium fey (fir bolg, fomorian) Init +2; Senses low light vision, mark prey; Perception +27 DEFENSE AC 26, touch 15, flat-footed 20 (+4 armor, +5 deflection, +2 Dex, +3 natural armor, −2 rage, +4 shield) hp 261 (19d10+152) Fort +19, Ref +9, Will +12; +2 vs. allied spells; +4 vs. enchantment while bloodraging Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, indomitable will, quickling bloodrager; DR 5/— Weakness savage (DC 29) OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +26 (1d6+7), 2 claws +26 (1d4+7/19– 20/×2) Special Attacks confusing critical (DC 24), greater bloodrage (62 rounds/day) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th, concentration +23)
At will—know direction Bloodrager Spells Known (CL 19th; concentration +23) 4th (3/day)—beast shape II, bestow curse (DC 18), confusion (DC 18), monstrous physique II, shout (DC 18), stoneskin 3rd (4/day)—fly, haste, heroism, locate weakness, protection from energy, rage 2nd (5/day)—bear’s endurance, delay pain, gust of wind (DC 16), hideous laughter (DC 16), hold person (DC 16), protection from arrows, see invisibility, shatter 1st (5/day)—cause fear (DC 15), endure elements, entangle (DC 15), feather fall, jump, mage armor, shield Bloodline fey TACTICS Before Combat Slaine casts delay pain, endure elements, and mage armor on himself every day. Prior to combat, he casts stoneskin, heroism, protection from energy, see invisibility, protection from arrows, bear’s endurance, and shield on himself. During Combat At the start of combat, Slaine casts monstrous physique II or beast shape II before closing the distance to engage his enemy in melee. He activates greater bloodrage, cutting off escape with entangle or pursuing foes with fly. If joined by allies, he improves their fighting ability with haste and rage. Morale Slaine fights to the death. STATISTICS Str 24, Dex 16, Con 26, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 18 Base Atk +19; CMB +26; CMD 43 Feats Combat Reflexes, Cornered Vitality, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Eschew Materials, Hunter’s Bite, Hunter’s Claws, Hunter’s Edge, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Hunter’s Edge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack, Step Up, Swift Kill, Wilderness Caster Skills Acrobatics +24, Handle Animal +26, Intimidate +26, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Perception +27, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +4, Survival +27; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, Stealth, and
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Survival Languages Common, Orc, Sylvan SQ blood casting, fast movement, hunter’s cache, leaping charger, one with nature, tireless bloodrage Combat Gear potions of cure moderate wounds (2); Other Gear amulet of natural armor +3, belt of physical perfection +2, figurine of wondrous power (obsidian steed), Hunter’s Horn, ring of animal friendship, ring of protection +5
STILLNESS AMONG THE LEAVES The bedraggled raven-headed figure wears a robe covered in dirt and twigs. STILLNESS
CR 12
XP 19,200 Daitengu ninja 6 N Medium fey (shapechanger, tengu) Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE AC 22, touch 21, flat-footed 14 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +3 Wis) hp 165 (10d6+6d8+80) Fort +8, Ref +19, Will +12 Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge; Immune confusion, fear OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (average) Melee bite +16 (1d6+2) and 2 talons +16 (1d4+2) or sword of subtlety +15/+10 (1d6+3/18–20) and bite +11 (1d6+1) Ranged mwk longbow +17 (1d8/×3) Special Attacks sneak attack +4d6 TACTICS Before Combat Stillness selects a situationally useful ninja trick with forgotten trick. He prefers to ambush opponents to quickly fell the strongest perceived threat. During Combat Stillness enters the Crane Style
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stance. If fighting multiple opponents in closequarters, he uses the total defense action, and otherwise simply fights defensively. He may switch to using Spring Attack if injured, attempting to stun dangerous foes or creatures attacking at range. Morale If reduced to 1/2 his hit points or less, Stillness uses the vanishing trick to fly away invisibly in order to plan his next avenue of attack, and calmly revise his tactics to suit a specific foe. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 25, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 11 Base Atk +9; CMB +11; CMD 31 Feats Crane RiposteUC, Crane StyleUC, Crane WingUC, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +20, Appraise +9, Craft (calligraphy) +13, Diplomacy +13, Disable Device +16, Disguise +9, Fly +20, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Linguistics +14, Perception +12, Sleight of Hand +16, Stealth +20, Use Magic Device +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Linguistics Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon SQ change shape (crow or raven; beast shape II), ki pool (3), light steps, ninja tricks (forgotten trick, pressure points, vanishing trick), no trace +2, poison use Combat Gear dragon bile poison; Other Gear sword of subtlety, masterwork longbow (20 arrows) SPECIAL ABILITIES Coax Stone (Su) Stillness Among the Leaves can convert gems, metal, stone, or minerals into any shape or product at will. The daitengu requires 1 minute of concentration per cubic foot of material to be affected. Creatures or magic items cannot be affected. The quality of the items created is commensurate with the quality of the material used as the basis for the new fabrication. He must make an appropriate Craft check to form products requiring a high degree of craftsmanship. Six or more daitengu concentrating together can alter 10 cubic feet of
The Faerie Ring material per round. Shard (Su) Stillness Among the Leaves wielding a manufactured weapon crafted from crystal, stone, or metal can cause a piece of it to break off within a damaged foe as an immediate action. This deals 1 point of bleed damage to the creature, and multiple hits with this ability increase the bleed damage. Bleeding creatures take the bleed damage at the start of their turns. Bleeding can be stopped by a DC 20 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage. The weapon used gains the broken condition. Using this ability on a weapon with the broken condition destroys it. Stunning Strike (Ex) A flat-footed creature Stillness Among the Leaves harms with a melee attack must succeed on a DC 21 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned. The save DC is Wisdom-based. Trying Way (Ex) A daitengu adds his Wisdom bonus to AC and CMD. This bonus applies against touch attacks and when the daitengu is flat-footed, but is lost when it is immobilized, helpless, wearing any armor, carrying a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load.
TURTLE This fuzzy white creature with large ears and a grim, focused expression is the size of a large dog, but has a lean, lithe form. TURTLE
CR 17
XP 102,400 Doldrum inquisitor 4 CN Small fey (mogwoi) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +29 Aura slowed aura (30 ft., DC 23) DEFENSE AC 30, touch 18, flat-footed 23 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge,
+12 natural, +1 size) hp 236 (23d6+4d8+138) Fort +17, Ref +20, Will +20 Defensive Abilities timeslipped; DR 10/cold iron; Immune mind-affecting effects, polymorph; SR 28 Weakness anchored (DC 37) OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +23 (1d4+7) and 2 claws +23 (1d3+7) Special Attacks judgment (2/day), stasis Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +7) 6/day—touch of chaos Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +20) Constant—haste At will—detect law Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +7) 2nd (2/day)—align weapon (chaos), invisibility, knock 1st (4/day)—divine favor, expeditious retreat, protection from law, remove fear, tireless pursuit 0 (at will)—brand, daze, detect magic, guidance, read magic, virtue Domain chaos TACTICS Before Combat Turtle casts align weapon, expeditious retreat, protection from law, and divine favor. During Combat Turtle fights in melee with a fanatic’s single-minded fury if he perceives opponents as acting against his lord’s will. If the situation calls for less rage, he might act with greater tactical thought, using Spring Attack and the stasis ability to freeze opponents in time, so he can dispatch each at his leisure. Morale Turtle fights to the death. STATISTICS Str 24, Dex 23, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 17, Cha 10 Base Atk +14; CMB +15; CMD 33 Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Following Step, Go UnnoticedAPG, Greater Dirty TrickAPG, Improved Dirty TrickAPG, Mobility, Multiattack, Nimble Moves, OutflankAPG, Sidestep, Spring Attack, Stand Still, Step Up, Whirlwind
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Attack Skills Acrobatics +32, Bluff +7, Climb +28, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +7, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +29, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +10, Swim +28, Survival +26 Languages Sylvan SQ cunning initiative, hibernation, solo tactics, track Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, strand of prayer beads; Other Gear candle of invocation (chaos), chime of opening, phylactery of faithfulness SPECIAL ABILITIES Slowed Aura (Su) Creature within 30 ft. of a doldrum must succeed on a DC 22 Will save each round or be slowed (as the slow spell) for 1 round or as long as they remain within the doldrum’s slowed aura. A creature affected by the haste spell is immune to this ability but has the haste spell effects suppressed for as long as they remain within the doldrum’s aura. The save DC is Charisma-based. Stasis (Su) A slowed (per the slow spell) creature that the doldrum damages with a natural attack must succeed on a DC 22 Fortitude save or be frozen in time. This functions as the temporal stasis spell, except it is also removed with the doldrum’s death. The doldrum may dismiss this effect as a free action. The save DC is Charismabased. Timeslipped (Su) A doldrum exists in a subtly shifted time field that moves with it, altering perception and trajectories. Ranged attacks or spells targeting the doldrum from further away than 30 ft. have a 20% miss chance.
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UNAWD The dirty elf and his large hound move in unison, with a matching predatory look on both their faces. UNAWD
CR 7
XP 3,200 Twilight child hunter 8 N Medium fey (changeling, twilight child) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +15 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 elven chain) hp 39 (8d8) Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +4; +2 vs. fey or elven spells and abilities OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 rapier +11/+6 (1d8+3/19–20) Ranged +1 composite longbow (+2) +11/+6 (1d8+3/×3) Hunter Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +10) 3rd (2/day)—darkvision, greater magic fang, snare, summon nature’s ally III 2nd (5/day)—bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, delay poison, protection from energy, summon nature’s ally II 1st (5/day)—alarm, endure elements, hide from animals, longstrider, jump, summon nature’s ally I 0 (at will)—create water, detect poison, know direction, light, mending, stabilize TACTICS Before Combat Unawd casts greater magic fang on Ffyddlon and longstrider on himself every day. He casts bear’s endurance, cat’s grace, and protection from energy on himself and selects an appropriate animal focus. He may set a snare. During Combat Unawd always acts as the hunter, not the prey. He and his animal companion fight in tandem, working to trip and savage prone foes. If outnumbered, he employs hit and run tactics, attacking from a safe range while sending in summoned creatures to slow down reprisal. He
The Faerie Ring does not intentionally kill his prey unless he has never killed a similar creature before. Morale Unawd strategically retreats if reduced to 1/2 his hit points or less but fights to the death if escape seems unlikely. STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8 Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 22 Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, OutlfankB, Pack AttackB, Step Up, Tandem TripB, Weapon Finesse Skills Climb +13, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (nature) +12, Perception +13, Stealth +15 (+17 in dim light or darkness), Survival +13, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +2 Stealth in dim light or darkness Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan SQ animal companion, animal focus (8 minutes/ day), bonus trick, hunter tactics, improved empathic link, nature training, precise companion, second animal focus, shadow’s caress, shadow caster, swift tracker, track, wild empathy +7, woodland stride Combat Gear none; Other Gear +1 longsword, +1 seeking mighty composite longbow (+2) (20 arrows), elven chain FFYDDLON Dog animal companion Ffyddlon (Dog Animal Companion) N Medium animal Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural) hp 45 (7d8+21) Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3 Defensive Abilities evasion OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +9 (1d6+6) Special Attacks multiattack STATISTICS Str 19, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +5; CMB +15; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Mobility, OutlfankB, Pack AttackB, Spring Attack, Step Up, Tandem TripB Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4, Survival +3 (+7 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent SQ devotion, link, share spells, tricks (attack, defend, guard, heel)
UNO The tall thin figure crouches within bulky stained robes that conceal his features. UNO
CR 6
XP 2,400 Teras slayer (cleaner) 7 N Medium fey (morph, teras) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10 DEFENSE AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +4 Dex) hp 50 (7d10+7) Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +2 Weakness transmutable OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 keen dagger +12/+7 (1d4+2/17–20) Ranged +1 keen dagger +12/+7 (1d4+2/17–20) Special Attacks entrancing form (DC 13), sneak attack +2d6, studied target (+2, two targets) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +7) At will—misdirection (self only) TACTICS During Combat Uno is a cowardly killer and has no interest in fair fights. If he is not able to murder a creature swiftly, he flees. Morale Uno flees any fight where he is outnumbered or his opponent puts up any significant resistance. STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 22 Feats Blood of OleronB, DeceitfulB, Dodge, Mobility,
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Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +12, Disguise +12, Intimidate +10 (+12 to influence attitudes), Perception +10, Sense Motive +10 (+12 for hunches), Sleight of Hand +14, Stealth +25; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive for hunches, +2 Intimidate to influence attitude Languages Common, Sylvan SQ relation, slayer talents (fast stealth, surprise attack, terrain mastery [urban]), spore, without a trace Combat Gear none; Other Gear +1 keen dagger, +1 chain shirt of shadow
WHISPER The young, barefoot girl is dressed in dirty rags, with a cloth tied tightly over her eyes. WHISPER
CR 14
XP 38,400 Norn oracle (truthspeaker) 15 LN Medium fey (fata, norn) Init +1; Senses blindsight 15 ft., blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +23 DEFENSE AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex) hp 86 (15d8+15) Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +9 Defensive Abilities immortal; Immune gaze attacks, magical aging, truthspeaker’s curse immunities Weakness blind, truthspeaker’s curse (DC 22) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +20) 1/day—see invisibility Oracle Spells Known (CL 15th; concentration +20) 7th (4/day)—greater scrying (DC 22), mass inflict serious wounds (DC 22), repulsion (DC 22), vision 6th (6/day)—find the path, geas/quest, legend lore, mass inflict moderate wounds (DC 21), word of recall 5th (7/day)—break enchantment, commune, mark of justice, mass inflict light wounds (DC 20), plane
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shift, true seeing 4th (7/day)—discern lies (DC 19), divination, freedom of movement, inflict critical wounds (DC 19), restoration, sending 3rd (7/day)—bestow curse (DC 18), deeper darkness, inflict serious wounds (DC 18), locate object, speak with dead (DC 18), tongues 2nd (7/day)—augury, calm emotions (DC 17), darkness, find traps, inflict moderate wounds (DC 17), owl’s wisdom, silence 1st (8/day)—bane (DC 16), comprehend languages, entropic shield, inflict light wounds (DC 16), obscuring mist, sanctuary (DC 16), shield of faith 0 (at will)—bleed (DC 15), create water, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, read magic, resistance, stabilize, virtue Mystery time TACTICS During Combat Whisper never fights or defends herself. Morale If attacked, Whisper immediately departs using plane shift or word of recall. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 20, Cha 13 Base Atk +11; CMB +10; CMD 21 Feats Clairvoyant, Expand Sense, Inner Eye, Prophetic Dream, Prophetic Tongue, Sense Lies, Sixth Sense, Twist of Fate Skills Knowledge (history) +19, Knowledge (religion) +19, Perception +23 (+25 for non-sight), Sense Motive +25, Use Magic Device +19; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive, +2 Perception not based on sight Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan SQ fate magic, revelation (cutting words, knowledge of the ages, self-fulfilling prophecy, time sight, truth’s compact), shift shape Combat Gear wand of cure serious wounds (31 charges); Other Gear pearly white ioun stone
The Faerie Ring
WINTERGREEN The tiny spritely creature has green skin, long red hair tied back in an intricate braid. WINTERGREEN
CR 10
XP 9,600 Goodfellow bard (court bardAPG) 11 CN Tiny fey (goodfellow, sprite) Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +13 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +2 size) hp 64 (11d8+11) Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +7; +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-based Weakness glow OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (average) Melee luck blade +15 (1d6+1/19–20) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks bardic performance (28 rounds/ day, countersong, distraction, fascinate, glorious epic, mockery [−4], satire [−3], suggestion), wide audience Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +15) 1/day—charm person (DC 14), entangle (DC 14), unwitting ally (DC 14) Bard Spells Known (CL 11th; concentration +15) 4th (3/day)—break enchantment, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, modify memory (DC 18) 3rd (5/day)—charm monster (DC 17), glibness, good hope, scrying (DC 17) 2nd (5/day)—alter self, detect thoughts (DC 16), locate object, silence (DC 16), whispering wind 1st (6/day)—comprehend languages, erase, hideous laughter (DC 15), lesser confusion (DC 15), magic mouth, unseen servant 0 (at will)—dancing lights, light, lullaby (DC 14), mending, open/close, prestidigitation TACTICS Before Combat Wintergreen casts freedom of
movement, good hope, and glibness. During Combat While Wintergreen relishes any opportunity to engage in melee combat, he is not capable of gravely injuring most opponents. Instead, he concentrates on disarming with either his blade, wit, or both . . . potentially charming a new potential ally. Morale If Wintergreen is clearly outclassed or reduced to 1/2 his hit points or less, he blusters out some excuse before casting greater invisibility and fleeing. STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18 Base Atk +8; CMB +5; CMD 18 Feats Combat Expertise, Flyby Attack, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Escape Artist +22, Fly +7, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +25 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ heraldic expertise, luminescence, versatile performance Combat Gear none; Other Gear luck blade (0 wishes), +1 slick chain shirt
ZHEDDO, THE BLUETONGUE A pair of short, stubby black horns protrude from this darkling’s neatly cropped deep purple mane. A pair of spectacles perch on his nose and cloven feet are just visible at the bottom of his well-made scholar’s robes. ZHEDDO
CR 10
XP 9,600 Male darkling bard (archivistAPG) 11 NG Medium fey (darkling, shadow) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see in darkness; Perception +15 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 dodge)
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hp 53 (11d8) Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +8; +4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, and sonic; +4 vs. mindaffecting Defensive Abilities shadow born, well-versed Weakness light blindness OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk alchemical silver sword caneUE +9/+4 (1d6) or shadow disk melee touch +8/+3 (1d3) Ranged shadow disk +9/+4 ranged touch (1d3) Special Attacks bardic performance 27 rounds/ day (countersong, dirge of doom, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +4, inspire greatness, lamentable belabormentAPG, naturalistAPG+3), shadow disk Spells (CL 11th; concentration +14) 4th (2/day)—dimension door, greater invisibility, shadow conjuration (DC 17) 3rd (4/day)—deep slumber (DC 16), haunting choirUC (DC 16), major image, scrying 2nd (5/day)—calm emotions (DC 15), darkness, detect thoughts, qualmUC (DC 15), tongues 1st (6/day)—comprehend languages, disguise self, fumbletongueUM (DC 14), silent image, sleep (DC 14), ventriloquism 0 (at will)—detect magic, haunted fey aspectUC (DC 13), mage hand, message, read magic, unwitting allyAPG (DC 13) TACTICS Before Combat Zheddo casts tongues if he perceives a potential conflict in the hopes it can be resolved with clear communication. During Combat Zheddo works to avoid violence or harming opponents. He acts to keep distance to aggressors in order to fascinate with bardic performance or cast calm emotions. Even if pressed, he uses deep slumber or attempts to cover an escape with illusions. Morale Zheddo flees any conflict when it becomes apparent he won’t be able to end the fighting through peaceful means. STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 17
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Base Atk +8; CMB +8; CMD 20 Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Ranged Shadow Disk, Rapid Shot, Reaching Shadow Disk Skills Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17, Knowledge (planes) +17, Linguistics +17, Perception +15, Perform (oratory) +17, Sense Motive +15 (+17 vs. feints and emotional Bluffs), Spellcraft +17; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive (vs. feints and emotional Bluffs) Languages Aklo, Common, Halfling, Sylvan SQ bardic knowledge +5, jack of all trades (use any skill), lore master 2/day, probable pathAPG 1/day, unerring focus Combat Gear none; Other Gear darkleaf studded leather armorUE, masterwork alchemical silver sword caneUE, headband of alluring charisma +2, scholar’s robes, 500 gp of art objects, coins, and jewelry
Servitors
h
Thriving—even surviving—in Faerie means to serve those more powerful. For now, anyway. So in serving others, one serves themselves.
BIGMOUTH
The mountain of flesh moves inexorably forward, taking bites out of the landscape and devouring everything in sight. BIGMOUTH
CR 12
XP 19,200 N Large fey (pooka) Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +21 DEFENSE AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 21 (+6 Dex, −1 size, +12 natural) hp 161 (19d6+95) Fort +13, Ref +17, Will +11; −2 vs. enchantments Defensive Abilities hex shift; DR 10/cold iron; Immune fear Weakness flighty OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +15 (2d6+7 plus grab) and 2 claws +16
(1d8+7) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks grab, rend (1 claw, 1d8+10), swallow whole (5d6 nonlethal bludgeoning damage, AC 22, 32 hp) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th; concentration +19) 3/day—hideous laughter (DC 19), minor image (DC 18), quickened beast shape III, suggestion (DC 20) STATISTICS Str 24, Dex 22, Con 21, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 24 Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 33 (37 vs. trip) Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken SpellLike Ability (beast shape III), Rending ClawsAPG, Rending FuryUC, Run, Weapon Focus (claw) Skills Acrobatics +23, Bluff +18, Climb +20, Disguise +20, Escape Artist +19, Fly +19, Knowledge (nature) +11, Perception +21, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +23, Swim +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Protean, Sylvan ECOLOGY Environment Bear Marches Organization single, pair, or buffet (3–9) Treasure half standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Flighty (Ex) Bigmouths are easily distracted. When an opponent attempts a feint against it in combat, the check is always DC 19 and not based on the bigmouth’s ranks in Sense Motive. Hex Shift (Ex) While under the affect of an enchantment spell or effect, a bigmouth can attempt a new saving throw every round at the start of its turn. On a successful save, the bigmouth transfers the effect to the next creature it hits with a melee attack. The creature must make a saving throw against the enchantment effect as if it were cast on them by the original caster with any remaining duration. The bigmouth may only transfer one enchantment spell per round in this manner. Mahu’s Maw (Su) Bigmouths can elongate their
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jaws and consign meals to the Nowhere demesne. A bigmouth can swallow whole any creature its size or smaller. If a swallowed creature loses consciousness while within the bigmouth’s stomach, it leaves the bigmouth’s body and is transported to Nowhere.
BITTERCLAW The armed-and-armored figure stands about four feet tall. He has a hairless scalp, wide, bat-like ears, and spindly, long claws that trail the ground. BITTERCLAW
CR 1/2
XP 200 Male bitterclaw slayerACG 1 CE Small fey (bitterclaw, mogwoi) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4 DEFENSE AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 shield, +1 size) hp 11 (1d10+1) Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Defensive Abilities bitter blood (Will DC 11) Weakness anchored (DC 11) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee longsword +3 (1d6+2/19–20) and bite −2 (1d4+1), or bite +3 (1d4+3) Ranged dart +4 (1d3) Special Attacks studied target +1 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st, concentration +0) 1/day—break (DC 10) STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13,Wis 10, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 15 Feats Dodge Skills Acrobatics +7, Bluff +3, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (geography) +4, Perception +4 (+6 if hearing-based), Stealth +8, Survival +4 (+5 to track); Racial Modifiers +2
The Faerie Ring Perception on hearing-based Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ hibernation, volatile nature ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or cluster (3–8) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Bitter Blood (Su) A creature that deals lethal damage to a bitterclaw with an unarmed strike or natural weapon exposes itself to the bitterclaw’s twisted blood. Bitter Blood (Su) Blood—contact; save Will DC 10; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1 Strength damage; cure 1 save.
BUGABOO This tiny, black-skinned fairy has a shock of pale white hair and a mischievous grin. It suddenly blurs into motion, rapidly changing shape, until a small, blackfurred puppy with huge brown eyes and a stripe of white fur. BUGABOO
CR 3
XP 800 CN Tiny fey (shadow, shapechanger) Init +2; Senses darkvison 60 ft., low-light vision, see in darkness; Perception +7 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size) hp 27 (5d6+10) Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +3 Defensive Abilities innocence; DR 5/cold iron Weakness light blindness OFFENSE Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. Melee rapier +4 (1d3−2) Ranged short bow +4 (1d3) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks hijinks Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th, concentration +9)
At will—silent image (DC 16), ventriloquism (DC 16) 3/day—color spray (DC 15), detect thoughts, minor image (DC 17) 1/day—major image (DC 18), suggestion (DC 17) STATISTICS Str 6, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 9, Cha 19 Base Atk +2; CMB −2; CMD 10 Feats Deceitful, Spell Focus (illusion), Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +14, Fly +6, Knowledge (local) +9, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +18 Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (cat, child, dog, or rabbit; beast shape I or alter self) ECOLOGY Environment any urban (Zussael) Organization solitary, pair, or knot (3–5) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Hijinks (Su) A bugaboo specializes in subtle trickery. As a swift action, a bugaboo may target a living creature within 15 ft., and the creature must attempt a DC 16 Will save. On a failed save, the creature becomes harried by an invisible force perpetrating mischief for 1 hour. This functions as the unseen servant spell with a range of 30 ft. from the target, except it possesses the bugaboo’s mental statistics and skills. The bugaboo may only have a single active hijinks at a time, and if it targets a different creature with hijinks, any current hijinks effects are ended. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to the bugaboo’s hijinks for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Innocence (Su) When the bugaboo is shapechanged into a seemingly harmless creature (such as a child), any creature with a non-evil alignment must succeed on a DC 16 Will save to attack the bugaboo. On a failed save, the opponent can’t follow through with the attack, that part of its action is lost, and it can’t directly attack the bugaboo until it alters its shape. On a successful save, the creature is immune to the
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bugaboo’s innocence (regardless of form) for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
BLACK HAT The small, yellow-eyed creature is dressed in garb that seems to bleed shadows like wet ink. Overlong ears extend from a bald head and fold over at the ends, protruding from beneath its low-slung black cap. BLACK HAT
ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or grimace (3–10) Treasure standard
CHITTERING CREEPER A mass of vines and thorns winds together to stand upright. Its branches form a vague face and its arms trail off into long barbed whips.
CR 1/2
XP 400 Female black hat magus (dark reaver) 1 CN Small fey (black hat, gnomekin) Init+2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +1 DEFENSE AC 14 touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size, +1 dodge) hp 8 (1d8) Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +3; +4 vs. illusion spells and effects Weakness covetous (DC 9) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee battle aspergillum +4 (1d4+3/×3) Ranged dart +3 (1d3+3) Special Attacks reaver strike, spell combat (−2 attack), tip of the hat Magus Spells Prepared (CL 1st, concentration +3) 1st—true strike 0 (at will)—dancing lights, mage hand, touch of fatigue (DC 12) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1/day—bleed, chill touch, detect poison, touch of fatigue (DC 12) STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 15 Feats Dodge, Nimble Moves Skills Climb +7, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +11, Swim +7 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ arcane pool (3 points, +1), black hat (1/day), growth
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CHITTERING CREEPER
CR 2
XP 600 N Small fey (sentinel) Init +2; Senses blindsight 30 ft.; Perception +9 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 size, +1 natural) hp 22 (4d6+8); fast healing 1 Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6 Defensive Abilities plant traits, rejuvenation Weakness vulnerability to fire OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee 2 slams +4 (1d6+1 plus grab) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. slam) Special Attacks constrict (slam, 1d6+1) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +4) At will—ventriloquism (DC 13) STATISTICS Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 14 Base Atk +2; CMB +2 (+6 grapple); CMD 14 (can’t be tripped) Feats Go UnnoticedAPG, Great Fortitude Skills Climb +16, Disguise +9, Perception +9, Stealth +13 (+17 in forests); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in forests Languages none SQ freeze ECOLOGY Environment any forest Organization solitary, pair, or plot (3–5) Treasure standard
The Faerie Ring SPECIAL ABILITIES Plant Traits (Ex) The chittering creeper’s physical form is a plant-like manifestation of its fey spirit. While it is a fey creature, it possesses all plant creature type immunities (mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, and so on). Rip Whip (Ex) The chittering creeper’s natural attacks deal bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. When the creeper deals constrict damage to a creature, the thorny vine ensnaring it breaks off and is immediately regrown. The creature is no longer grappled but becomes entangled and takes 1d6+1 damage each round the creature moves more than 5 ft. until they are no longer entangled. The creature can escape by succeeding on a DC 14 Strength check as a standard action or by dealing 5 points of damage to the vine with a slashing weapon. Rejuvenation (Su) A chittering creeper’s body eventually regrows after 1d10 days unless it is completely burnt to ash with fire. Whispering Leaves (Ex) A chittering creeper may move its full speed while using Stealth without penalty.
CÙ SÌTH The hulking gigantic hound has a green cast to its fur from interwoven living moss. CÙ SÌTH
CR 3
XP 800 CE Large fey (sídhe) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +2 Aura predator’s aura (30 ft., DC 13) DEFENSE AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, −1 size) hp 27 (5d6+10) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2 Defensive Abilities ferocity, immortal; Immune mind-affecting
Weakness hound of the sídhe, light aversion OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +5 (1d8+4 plus trip) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks blood rage, savage trip STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 7, Cha 12 Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip) Feats Endurance, Pack AttackUC, Paired OpportunistsAPG Skills Acrobatics +11, Perception +6, Stealth +15, Survival +6 (+16 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth, +10 Survival when tracking by scent Languages Sylvan (cannot speak) SQ unburdened ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Hound of the Sídhe (Su) All cù sìth are slaves to the Morrigan, and the sovereign can sense through any of her hounds. This functions as a constant dominate monster effect (CL 20), except the cù sìth must obey any order from the Morrigan and can never resist this control. This effect cannot be dispelled or removed, but any attempt that would result in a successful removal of the effect causes the cù sìth to become confused (as the confusion spell) for 1d4 rounds. If the domination is suppressed by any means, the cù sìth becomes confused until the domination is no longer suppressed. This is a mind-affecting effect but bypasses the cù sìth’s normal immunity to mindaffecting effects. Predator’s Aura (Su) The cù sìth inspires a maddening fight or flight response in everything around her. Creatures within 30 ft. of the cù sìth must succeed on a DC 13 Will save. On a failed save, the creature must choose to either gain the frightened condition for 1d4 rounds or desperately attack the cù sìth as long as they remain within the aura. While subject to either
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effect, the creature cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. On a successful save, a creature is immune to any cù sìth’s predator’s aura for 24 hours. This is a mindaffecting fear effect. The save DC is Charismabased. Savage Trip (Ex) Whenever the cù sìth successfully trips an opponent, that opponent provokes attacks of opportunity.
ADVANCED CÙ SÌTH
Cŵn annwn with greater power that fall to the Morrigan’s Gift create mightier servants for the sovereign. A cŵn annwn with 4–6 HD that becomes a cù sìth gains the advanced creature simple template. A cŵn annwn with 7–9 HD that becomes a cù sìth gains both the advanced creature and giant creature simple templates. A cŵn annwn with 10 or more HD that becomes a cù sìth gains both the advanced creature and giant creature simple templates and the following spell-like abilities usable 1/day: blight, crushing despair, fear, fog cloud, and locate creature. The cù sìth’s caster level for these spell-like abilities is equal to the cŵn annwn’s Hit Dice prior to becoming a cù sìth. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
CWN ANNWN The pacing hound’s soulful eyes hint at an uncanny intelligence. She regards you your every twitch. CŴN ANNWN
CR 1
XP 400 Cŵn annwn ranger (guerrilla) 1 CN Medium fey (fir bolg, fomorian, shapechanger) Init +4; Senses low-light vision, mark prey, scent; Perception +8 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 natural) hp 13 (1d10+3) Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
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Immune sleep Weakness cursed rage (DC 9), despair, savage (DC 11) OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d6+4 plus trip) Special Attacks favored enemy (fey +2), savage trip, terrain tactics (forest, ambush) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st, concentration +3) At will—know direction STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip) Feats Hunter’s EyeB, Swift Kill Skills Bluff +3, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (nature) +4, Perception +8, Stealth +10, Survival +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, +2 Stealth, +2 Survival Languages Common, Sylvan SQ hunter’s cache (1), survivalist, track +1, wild empathy +0 ECOLOGY Environment temperate forests Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8) Treasure incidental
CREATING A CWN ANNWN
“Cŵn annwn” is an acquired template that can be applied to any fir bolg woman who gives birth. When a female fir bolg gives birth, the Morrigan’s Gift transforms the mother into a hound. This is only the beginning of the curse, as the cŵn annwn must constantly war with violent instinct and despair or be consumed by corruption. CR: Same as the base fir bolg +1. Size and Type: The base creature gains the shapechanger subtype. Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +1. Defenses/Qualities: The base creature becomes a quadruped (+4 CMD vs. trip) Speed: The base creature’s land speed increases by 10 ft. Melee: The base creature gains a bite attack with damage dependent on size (usually 1d6 for a Medium-sized creature). If the base creature already
The Faerie Ring possesses a bite attack, she counts as a creature of one size category larger for the purposes of her bite attack damage. Senses: The base creature gains scent. Special Abilities: The base creature retains all fir bolg racial features and gains the following special abilities. Cursed Rage (Su) Each cŵn annwn feels the Morrigan’s influence on her mind, seeking to mold her into a slavish predator. Whenever the cŵn annwn takes damage in combat, she must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the cŵn annwn’s Hit Dice + the cŵn annwn’s Charisma modifier) or fly into a berserker rage as a free action. This grants the cŵn annwn +2 Constitution and +2 Strength, but she takes a −2 penalty to her AC. Each round while raging, the cŵn annwn must either attack a living creature or move to attack a living creature she can sense. A creature within 60 ft. can try to quiet the rage as a standard action by calmly acting in a non-threatening manner. This requires a successful Handle Animal skill check or Charisma ability check (DC 15 + the cŵn annwn’s Hit Dice). Otherwise, the cursed rage lasts until the cŵn annwn has not attacked a living creature for 1 minute. While in a cursed rage, the cŵn annwn cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligencebased skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, and Intimidate) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. Despair (Ex) The curse gnaws at the cŵn annwn relentlessly with depression causing some to grow more erratic and eventually transforming many into a cù sìth. Whenever the cŵn annwn interacts in a non-violent manner with any fir bolg for at least 1 minute or causes the death of a fir bolg while in a cursed rage, she must attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the cŵn annwn’s Hit Dice + the cŵn annwn’s Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the cŵn annwn takes 1d4 points of Wisdom drain. Whether or not the save is successful, the cŵn annwn cannot take any further Wisdom drain from despair for 24 hours. If the cŵn annwn’s Wisdom drain ever equals or exceeds her Wisdom ability score, she loses the cŵn annwn template and permanently becomes a cù sìth.
Savage Trip (Ex) The cŵn annwn gains the trip universal monster ability. Whenever the cŵn annwn successful trips an opponent, that opponent provokes attacks of opportunity. Spells: While a cŵn annwn loses the ability to speak, she can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells by substituting various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components. She can cast any spell with a material component costing 1 gp or less without needing that component (as the Eschew Materials feat). Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2.
CWN WYBYR A pack of savage hounds approaches, padding confidently across thin air as they circle with feral intelligence. CŴN WYBYR
CR 5
XP 1,600 N Medium fey (fomorian) Init +7; Senses low-light vision, mark prey, scent; Perception +11 DEFENSE AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +5 natural) hp 52 (8d6+24) Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +6 DR 5/cold iron Weakness savage (DC 18) OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +10 (1d6+7 plus trip) Special Attacks alpha howl, savage trip Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +9) At will—know direction 1/day—wind walk (self only) STATISTICS Str 21, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 12 Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 22 (26 vs. trip) Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Perception +11, Stealth +14, Survival +8 ECOLOGY
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Environment temperate forests (Annwn) Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–9) Treasure incidental SPECIAL ABILITIES Alpha Howl (Ex) As a standard action, a cŵn wybyr can howl in a commanding voice, quieting dissension and cowing rivals. This functions as a calm emotions spell for any creature within 30 ft. under the effect of an emotion spell or effect that provides a morale bonus. Creatures not under the effect of any emotion effect or morale bonus are instead shaken. These effects last for 1 minute. A DC 15 Will save negates the effect. Whether or not the save is successful, creatures who hear a given cŵn wybyr’s howl are immune to that hound’s howl for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
CREATING A CWN WYBYR
“Cŵn Wybyr” is an acquired template that can be applied to any cŵn annwn. When a female fir bolg surrenders to the Morrigan’s Gift without giving into despair and rage, they let go of their past. The cŵn wybyr breed true with hounds with future generations becoming alphas of respective packs. CR: Same as the base creature +0. Size and Type: The base creature loses the fir bolg and shapechanger subtypes. Speed: The base creature’s land speed increases by 10 ft. Special Abilities: The base creature retains all racial features and the savage trip special ability. The base creature loses the cursed rage and despair abilities, loses any spellcasting ability, and loses any class features that require patience or concentration. This includes (but is not limited to): bardic performance, flurry of blows, trapfinding, and wild shape. The base creature gains the following abilities. Alpha Howl (Ex) As a standard action, a cŵn wybyr can howl in a commanding voice, quieting dissension and cowing rivals. This functions as a calm emotions spell for any creature within 30 ft. under the effect of an emotion spell or effect that provides a morale
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bonus. Creatures not under the effect of any emotion effect or morale bonus are instead shaken. These effects last for 1 minute. A Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the cŵn wybyr’s HD + cŵn wybyr’s Charisma modifier) negates the effect. Whether or not the save is successful, creatures who hear a given cŵn wybyr’s howl are immune to that hound’s howl for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. Damage Reduction (Ex) The cŵn wybyr gains DR 5/cold iron. Spell-Like Abilities: A cŵn wybyr with a Wis or Cha score of 8 or higher gains the wind walk spell as a 1/ day self only spell-like ability. Caster level equals the base creature’s HD. Feats: The creature loses any feats they no longer meet the prerequisites for or cannot use but may select new feats to replace those lost. Abilities: Str +2, Cha +2; Int −6.
DAITENGU Black feathers cover this graceful raven-headed figure that grasps sharp blades in powerful talons. DAITENGU
CR 6
XP 2,400 N Medium fey (shapechanger, tengu) Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +2 DEFENSE AC 19, touch 18, flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +2 Wis) hp 65 (10d6+30) Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +9 Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune confusion, fear OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (average) Melee bite +10 (1d6+1) and 2 talons +10 (1d4+1) or mwk scimitar +9 (1d6+1/18–20), mwk kukri +9 (1d4/18–20), and bite +5 (1d6+1) Ranged mwk longbow +10 (1d8/×3) Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6 STATISTICS
The Faerie Ring Str 12, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 13 a high degree of craftsmanship. Six or more Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 24 daitengu concentrating together can alter 10 Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Two-Weapon cubic feet of material per round. Fighting, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +18, Craft (any one) +13, Diplomacy +14, Fly +18, Linguistics +14, Stealth +18; Racial Modifiers +4 Linguistics Although afraid, they decided to fulfill their mission and ascended with the Languages Common, utmost trouble and danger the steep mountain peak. At last, two yamabushi Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, dispatched by the tengu, came from the top to meet them and conducted Giant, Gnome, Halfling, them along a coralline bridge and up stairs of jasper to the palace of their Orc, Sylvan, Terran, master, a brilliant building constructed of gold, silver, and precious stones. Undercommon There they saw the Great Tengu, whose eyes were sparkling with a golden SQ change shape (crow or glare and whose nose was enormous. raven; beast shape II) —MW de Visser, “The Tengu” ECOLOGY Environment mountains The Mountain King, Sojobo, sits on the tengu throne, lord of the forested Organization solitary, pair, mountaintops. August luminary and inspirational figurehead, he exercises or conspiracy (3–12) very little control over his subjects, preferring them to find their own Treasure standard way. (masterwork kukri, To outsiders, Sojobo is the fat, lazy king of the tengu—aloof, uncaring, masterwork scimitar, and likely senile. While these claims are not completely off base, they masterwork longbow and dreadfully underestimate Sojobo’s abilities—as he prefers. Closer to fact 20 arrows, other treasure) is his view of himself as a passive shepherd to his people: he’s there when SPECIAL ABILITIES he’s needed, but his tengu are strong and need to be able to grow on their Coax Stone (Su) A daitengu own. Sojobo is actually one of the finest swordsmen and accomplished can convert gems, metal, yamabushi of any race, as many an arrogant buffoon has come to realize stone, or minerals into any too late. shape or product at will. Sojobo trusts to the tengu’s spirit of survival, but there is great tension The daitengu requires 1 and worry at his daughter’s—or, perhaps, that should be granddaughters’?— minute of concentration recent exploits, and he cannot support what they have become. The tengu per cubic foot of material are becoming divided. Whatever comes, Sojobo will weather the conflict to be affected. Creatures and stand as a rock to the tengu, holding to the ideals his daughter or magic items cannot established long ago. be affected. The quality Physical Characteristics: Sojobo appears as a man of great girth with of the items created is long white hair and an exceedingly long nose, characteristic of most tengu commensurate with the in humanoid form. As a master yamabushi, he is perfectly capable of quality of the material altering his appearance but apparently prefers this one. He typically sits in used as the basis for the the throne room, appearing to be dozing, or walks the mountaintop palace new fabrication. The grounds in contemplation. When roused to action, Sojobo is incredibly daitengu must make an light on his feet, especially for one of his bulk, and blazingly fast with the appropriate Craft check to blade. form products requiring
SOJOBO, THE MOUNTAIN KING
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Shard (Su) A daitengu wielding a manufactured weapon crafted from crystal, stone, or metal can cause a piece of it to break off within a damaged foe as an immediate action. This deals 1 point of bleed damage to the creature, and multiple hits with this ability increase the bleed damage. Bleeding creatures take the bleed damage at the start of their turns. Bleeding can be stopped by a DC 20 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage. The weapon used gains the broken condition. Using this ability on a weapon with the broken condition destroys it. Stunning Strike (Ex) A flat-footed creature the daitengu harms with a melee attack must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned. The save DC is Wisdom-based. Trying Way (Ex) A daitengu adds his Wisdom bonus to AC and CMD. This bonus applies against touch attacks and when the daitengu is flat-footed, but is lost when it is immobilized, helpless, wearing any armor, carrying a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load.
DARKLING An orb of black shadow surrounds this violet-skinned woman’s hand. She draws her blade and moves her cloven feet into combat-ready posture, her eyes glowing a radiant sapphire beneath curling horns. DARKLING
CR 1/2
XP 200 Female darkling magusUM 1 LN Medium fey (darkling, shadow) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see in darkness; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +2 Dex) hp 10 (1d8+2)
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Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1; +4 vs. mind-affecting Defensive Abilities shadow born Weakness light blindness OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee longsword −2 (1d8), shadow disk −2 (1d3) or shadow disk +0 (1d3) Ranged light crossbow +2 (1d8) Special Attacks martial magic disc (melee touch, 1d3), spell combat (−2 attack, +2 concentration) Magus Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1st—frostbiteUM (DC 13), silent image (DC 13) 0 (at will)—daze (DC 12), detect magic, ray of frost STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 8, Cha 10 Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats Two-Weapon Fighting Skills Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Perception +0, Sense Motive +0 (+2 vs. feints and emotional Bluff checks), Spellcraft +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive against feints and emotional Bluff checks Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ arcane pool (2 points, +1), unerring focus ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or flicker (3–8) Treasure standard
DARKLING BEAST Twisted black horns spiral back from the brow of this hulking creature. Spittle drips from the rows of sharp fangs in her long muzzle, and she stamps one massive, goat-like leg. DARKLING BEAST FIGHTER
CR 2
XP 600 Female darkling beast fighter 1 NE Large fey (darkling, shadow) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, see in darkness, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE
The Faerie Ring AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +4 natural armor, −1 size) hp 14 (1d10+4) Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +2; +5 vs. mind-affecting Defensive Abilities shadow born; DR 5/silver Weakness light blindness OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee greataxe +4 (1d12+6), bite −1 (1d8+2), tail slap −1 (1d8+2) or bite +4 (1d8+4), tail slap −1 (1d8+2) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks moonrage (7 rounds) STATISTICS Str 19, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 6 Base Atk +1; CMB +6; CMD 19 Feats Cleave, Power Attack Skills Perception +3, Sense Motive +2 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ sense Moaro, unerring focus ECOLOGY Environment Plane of Shadow Organization solitary, pair, or curse (3–20) Treasure standard
CREATING A DARKLING BEAST
“Darkling beast” is an acquired template that can be added to any darkling (hereafter referred to as the “base creature”). Darkling beasts are victims of a curse brought to Zussael during its conflict against the Adversary and the appearance of the ancient spirits. The curse works gradually in some darklings and rapidly in others. If left unchecked, it always ends with the darkling transforming into a lethal, savage beast consumed by darkness. Moaro can afflict the darkling curse with a glance, but otherwise, it’s unknown precisely what triggers it, though links have been found to consorting with the ancient spirits and with displays of emotion or personal connection. CR: +2. Size and Type: Darkling beasts retain their base creature type and subtypes. Their size increases by one category, making most darkling beasts Large-
sized creatures. Alignment: Neutral evil. AC: Natural armor improves by +4. Defensive Abilities: Gains DR 5/silver. If the darkling beast has 10 or more HD, this increases to DR 10/silver. Speed: Darkling beasts add +10 ft. to their base movement rate. Melee: A darkling beast gains a bite primary natural attack and either a gore or tail slap secondary natural attack. Damage depends on its size. Special Attacks: A darkling beast retains all the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature with the exception of those requiring concentration and fine manipulation (such as alchemy and spellcasting) or any type of Charismaor Intelligence-based ability (except Intimidation). A darkling beast also gains darkvision 60 ft., scent, and the following. Moonrage (Su) During the full moon, a darkling beast may enter a frenzied rage even more terrifying than their normal form. This functions as the barbarian’s rage class feature, except a darkling beast is not fatigued at the end of a moonrage. A darkling beast can maintain a moonrage for a number of consecutive rounds equal to 3 + 1/2 its Hit Dice + the darkling beast’s Constitution modifier. The darkling beast cannot voluntarily end moonrage. Sense Moaro (Su) A darkling beast can intuitively sense the presence of Moaro or her shadow projection. This functions as the locate creature spell, except running water does not block the effect. Ability Scores: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, −4 Int, −4 Cha.
DOLDRUM This fuzzy white creature with large ears and a chilling grin is the size of a large dog but has a lean, lithe form. DOLDRUM XP 38,400 CN Small fey (mogwoi)
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CR 14
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +27 Aura slowed aura (30 ft., DC 22) DEFENSE AC 29, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, +1 size) hp 195 (23d6+115) Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +14 Defensive Abilities timeslipped; DR 10/cold iron; Immune mind-affecting effects, polymorph; SR 25 Weakness anchored (DC 33) OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +18 (1d4+5) and 2 claws +18 (1d3+5) Special Attacks stasis Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +21) Constant—haste STATISTICS Str 20, Dex 21, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 12 Base Atk +11; CMB +10; CMD 27 Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Following Step, Mobility, Multiattack, Nimble Moves, Sidestep, Spring Attack, Stand Still, Step Up, Whirlwind Attack Skills Acrobatics +31, Climb +26, Perception +27, Stealth +9, Swim +26, Survival +24 Languages Sylvan SQ hibernation ECOLOGY Environment any temperate (Nibiru) Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Slowed Aura (Su) Creature within 30 ft. of a doldrum must succeed on a DC 22 Will save each round or be slowed (as the slow spell) for 1 round or as long as they remain within the doldrum’s slowed aura. A creature affected by the haste spell is immune to this ability but has the haste spell effects suppressed for as long as they remain within the doldrum’s aura. The save DC is Charisma-based. Stasis (Su) A slowed (per the slow spell) creature that the doldrum damages with a natural attack
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must succeed on a DC 22 Fortitude save or be frozen in time. This functions as the temporal stasis spell, except it is also removed with the doldrum’s death. The doldrum may dismiss this effect as a free action. The save DC is Charismabased. Timeslipped (Su) A doldrum exists in a subtly shifted time field that moves with it, altering perception and trajectories. Ranged attacks or spells targeting the doldrum from further away than 30 ft. have a 20% miss chance.
FAR DARRIG This short, red-skinned fey is quick to smile, and wears a tall but floppy crimson-colored hat. FAR DARRIG
CR 1/2
XP 200 Male far darrig rogue (rowdy) 1 CN Small fey (far darrig, gnomekin) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4 DEFENSE AC 16 touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+1 armor, +4 Dex, +1 size ) hp 10 (1d8+2) Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +0; +4 vs. illusion spells and effects Weakness covetous (DC 11) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee far darrig shillelagh +1 (1d4) Ranged dart +5 (1d3) Special Attacks dirty fighter, funny hat (1/day), sneak attack +1d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +4) 1/day—disguise self, silent image, summon nature’s ally I, ventriloquism STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16 Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 14 Feats Skill Focus (Stealth) Skills Acrobatics +8, Bluff +6, Disable Device +8,
The Faerie Ring Disguise +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +4, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +15 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ growth, illusory instinct, magic hat ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or figment (3–10) Treasure standard (leather armor, other treasure)
FAUN ELDER This creature appears to be half human and half goat, with a wooden pan flute and a leather satchel worn around the neck. FAUN ELDER
CR 9
XP 6,400 CG Medium fey (faun) Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +18 DEFENSE AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+2 armor, +7 Dex, +4 natural) hp 112 (15d6+60) Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +10 DR 10/cold iron; SR 20 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee gore +12 (1d8+5) and 2 slams +12 (1d6+5) Ranged +1 mighty composite longbow (+5) +15/+10 (1d8+6/×3) Special Attacks eldritch panpipes, powerful charge (gore, 2d8+8) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +20) At will—aspect of the falconAPG, beguiling giftAPG (DC 16), calm emotions (DC 19), dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 15), lullaby (DC 15), summon instrument 3/day—enthrall (DC 17), hideous laughter (DC 17), sleep (DC 16) 1/day—charm monster (DC 19), nixie’s lureARG (DC 19), reckless infatuationUM (DC 18) STATISTICS Str 20, Dex 25, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 20 Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 37
Feats Deadly Aim, Defensive Combat Training, Great Fortitude, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +18, Diplomacy +22, Escape Artist +14, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge (nature) +15, Perception +18, Perform (wind instruments) +22, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +19, Survival +13, Use Magic Device +18; Racial Modifiers +4 Diplomacy, +4 Perform, +4 Sense Motive Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan SQ just the thing, nap sack ECOLOGY Environment any forest Organization solitary, pair, band (3–8), troupe (2 plus 1d6 fauns) Treasure double (+1 composite longbow [20 arrows], masterwork leather armor, masterwork panpipes, other treasure) SPECIAL ABILITIES Eldritch Panpipes (Su) As a swift action at will, the faun elder can use its masterwork panpipes to augment its spell-like abilities. Doing so increases the DC of the next spell-like ability it uses on its turn by +2. Just the Thing (Su) The faun elder can draw any normal weapon, armor, or other mundane item (including foodstuffs) whose value does not exceed 2,000 gp from its nap sack as a standard action. It may not draw out two identical items from the nap sack in a given day. Any item withdrawn is a general example of its type and not a specific or unique item in any way. Nap Sack (Su) The faun elder’s leather satchel functions as a bag of holding type IV. For any other creature, it functions only as an empty and mundane sack. If the nap sack is lost or destroyed, the faun elder can replace it after 1 week. Any items within the previous satchel when it was lost or destroyed are transferred to the new nap sack.
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FEYHOUND
CENNORAN FEYHOUND This wolf-like creature is just larger than a warhorse. Its graying fur displays light blue markings resembling druidic runes. CENNORAN FEYHOUND
CR 14
XP 38,400 N Large fey Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +30 DEFENSE AC 29, touch 16, flat-footed 22 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +13 natural, −1 size) hp 209 (22d6+132) Fort +13, Ref +19, Will +17 DR 10/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +22 (2d8+16 plus trip) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks fast bite, greater hunter’s howl (DC 22) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 22nd; concentration +25) At Will—tree stride 3/day—strong jawAPG STATISTICS Str 33, Dex 23, Con 22, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 12 Base Atk +11; CMB +23; CMD 39 (45 vs. trip) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Dodge, Endurance, Lunge, Mobility, Nimble Moves, Persuasive, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Acrobatics +31, Handle Animal +23, Intimidate +23, Knowledge (nature) +27, Perception +29, Sense Motive +29, Stealth +27, Survival +26 (+30 Survival when tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent SQ woodland stride ECOLOGY Environment temperate forests (Annwn) Organization solitary, pair, or pack (2 cennoran hounds with 2–4 dire wolves and 3–7 feyhounds)
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Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Fast Bite (Ex) Whenever a cennoran hound confirms a critical hit with a bite attack or successfully trips an opponent, that opponent provokes an attack of opportunity. Greater Hunter’s Howl (Su) A cennoran feyhound may howl as a standard action. When a feyhound howls, those within a 30-ft. radius must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or become panicked. On a successful save, a creature is immune to the hunter’s howl ability of any cennoran feyhound or feyhound for 24 hours. This save DC is Charismabased.
FEYHOUND
A wolf-sized hunting dog pads through the forest before lifting its head in a terrifying howl. FEYHOUND
CR 2
XP 600 N Medium fey Init +7; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 natural) hp 22 (4d6+8) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5 DR 5/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d8+3 plus trip) Special Attacks hunter’s howl (DC 13) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5) 3/day—faerie fire STATISTICS Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 12 Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip) Feats Endurance, Improved Initiative Skills Perception +8, Stealth +10, Survival +1 (+5 Survival when tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent SQ woodland stride ECOLOGY
The Faerie Ring Environment temperate forests (Annwn) Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–7) Treasure incidental SPECIAL ABILITIES Hunter’s Howl (Su) A feyhound may howl as a standard action. When a feyhound howls, those within a 30-ft. radius must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or become shaken. Fear conditions caused by multiple feyhounds using the hunter’s howl ability are cumulative. On a successful save, a creature is immune to the hunter’s howl ability of any feyhound for 24 hours. This save DC is Charisma-based.
FIR BOLG You’d almost think the warrior is an elf, but the ashen skin, taught muscles, and dour grimace make it seem unlikely. FIR BOLG
CR 1/2
XP 200 Fir bolg ranger 1 N Medium fey (fir bolg, fomorian) Init +2; Senses low-light vision, mark prey; Perception +9 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 leather) hp 12 (1d10+2) Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3 Weakness savage (DC 11) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee dagger +2 (1d4+1/19–20) Ranged mwk longbow +4 (1d8/×3) Special Attacks favored enemy (fey +2) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +0) At will—know direction STATISTICS Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 14 Feats Nimble Moves, Swift KillB Skills Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (nature) +3,
Perception +9, Stealth +8, Survival +9; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, Stealth, Survival Languages Common, Sylvan SQ hunter’s cache, survivalist, track, wild empathy ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8) Treasure standard (dagger, leather armor, masterwork longbow, other treasure)
FLOWER OF SHEOL A stunted tree lurches forward, using knotted roots for legs and waving its limbs about erratically. A tortured face seems to press out from within smooth bark. FLOWER OF SHEOL
CR 5
XP 1,600 N Large fey (mandragora) Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +13 Aura infectious emotion (20 ft., DC 16) DEFENSE AC 18, touch 9, flat-footed 18 (−1 size, +9 natural) hp 59 (8d6+32) Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +8 DR 5/slashing; Immune plant immunities Weakness light dependant, vulnerability to fire OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee 2 slams +8 (1d8+4) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks violent urge STATISTICS Str 19, Dex 10, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 14 Base Atk +4; CMB +9; CMD 23 Feats Defensive Combat Training, Great Fortitude, Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam) Skills Disguise +13, Perception +13, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +7 (+15 in forests); Racial Modifiers +8 to Stealth in forests ECOLOGY Environment any forest Organization solitary, orchard (2–6)
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Treasure incidental SPECIAL ABILITIES Infectious Emotion (Ex) Creatures within 20-ft. of a flower of sheol must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or succumb to fear or hatred. On a failed save, the creature must choose to either gain the shaken condition or be affected by a rage spell effect, except the creature does not gain any morale bonuses. The duration of either effect is 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature is immune to any flower of sheol’s infectious emotion ability for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. Violent Urge (Ex) When reduced to 0 hp, a flower of sheol explodes in a burst of putrescence and splinters. This explosion deals 1d6+6 points of bludgeoning and piercing damage to every creature in a 10-ft. radius. A DC 16 Reflex save halves the damage. Any creature that takes damage from this effect becomes enraged by flashes of memories and dark impulses. Damaged creatures must succeed on a DC 16 Will save or be affected as if by murderous commandUM effect for 1 round. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
FURY The maiden holds aloft a gigantic sword, and her gaze blazes with an almost physical intensity. FURY
CR 13
XP 25,600 each N Medium fey (changeling, fata) Init +11; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +30 DEFENSE AC 29, touch 17, flat-footed 22 (+7 Dex, +12 natural) hp 165 each (22d6+88) Fort +11, Ref +20, Will +18 Defensive Abilities immortal; DR 10/cold iron and magic; Immune fatigue, fear; SR 24 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee (Megaera) +1 returning dagger +19/+14
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(1d4+8/19–20) or +1 returning dagger +17/+12 (1d4+8/19–20) and +1 returning dagger +17/+12 (1d4+8/19–20) Melee (Tisiphone) +1 vicious wounding greatsword +19/+14 (2d6+11/19–20) Ranged (Alecto) +2 distance seeking mighty composite longbow (+7) +20/+15 (1d8+9/×3) Ranged (Megaera) +1 returning dagger +19/+14 (1d4+8/19–20) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 22nd, concentration +26) At will—locate creature 3/day—flame strike (DC 18) 1/day—lesser geas, see invisibility STATISTICS Str 25, Dex 24, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 21, Cha 18 Base Atk +11; CMB +18; CMD 35 Feats Back to BackUC, Brew PotionB, Duck and CoverAPG, Improved Back to BackUC, Improved Initiative, OutflankAPG, Pack AttackUC, Swap PlacesAPG (plus see below) Skills Acrobatics +32, Climb +32, Craft (alchemy) +27, Knowledge (local) +27, Perception +30, Perform (oratory) +29, Stealth +32, Use Magic Device +29 Languages Common, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft. SQ coven ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or coven (3 furies or hags) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Brew Potion (Ex) A fury uses her Hit Dice as her caster level for the purposes of the Brew Potion feat. She may use her Craft (alchemy) skill check in place of the Spellcraft skill check when creating potions. The DC to create the potion still increases for any necessary spell requirements. When the furies work together to create a single potion, they divide the time required by the number of furies cooperatively crafting. Coven (Su) A fury counts as a hag for the purposes of joining a hag coven and using the cooperative magic of hag covens. Three furies may create a
The Faerie Ring coven without requiring a hag. Mark of Vengeance (Su) Once per day, a fury can mark a creature that has damaged her as the target of vengeance. As a swift action, the fury selects one creature she can see that has caused her damage with any spell or attack within 1 round. The fury adds her Charisma bonus to her attack and damage rolls against that creature and bypasses any damage reduction the creature might possess. Additionally, she gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier to her AC against attacks made by the target marked for vengeance. This effect persists until the target is dead or ends after 24 hours. Unique (Ex) The furies are all unique. The original three furies are combined for convenience within the above statistics with differing weapons and attack values listed, and they should each be treated as individuals. Each has three feats listed below unique to them that should be added to their full set of feats. Any other fury, beyond the original three, should have their own weapon of choice and corresponding attack values and set of feats so that each coven of furies feels completely different from other covens. (New furies also do not possess the changeling subtype.) The three listed furies have the following additional feats: Alecto: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run Megaera: Double Slice, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting Tisiphone: Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack Vengeful Weapons (Su) The fury can summon or dismiss one of her chosen types of weapons as a swift action. Any weapon a fury creates additionally acts as a bane weapon against a single creature type. The creature type is selected when the weapon is summoned. These weapons disappear if dropped and cannot be used by any other creature. They likewise disappear if the fury dies. The fury is proficient in the weapons she creates.
FURY COVEN A coven of furies acts as a hag coven except they lose access to the control weather and mind blank spelllike abilities. Instead, the coven gains access to maze and vengeful outrage (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Magic).
GAUNT The foul white worm swims through the earth as if it were water. Slithering like a serpentine fish above the ground, it coils to strike with fangs bared. GAUNT
CR 4
XP 1,200 N Medium fey (earth, gloom) Init +7; Senses blindsense 30 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +12 Aura stench (30 ft., DC 16) DEFENSE AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural) hp 39 (6d6+18) Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +6 Defensive Abilities ferocious Weakness hunger, vulnerability to fire OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., earth glide Melee bite +8 (1d8+7 plus grab and poison) Special Attacks constrict (1d8+7), swarming STATISTICS Str 21, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 12 Base Atk +3; CMB +8 (+12 grapple); CMD 21 (can’t be tripped) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Improved Initiative, Nimble Moves Skills Acrobatics +12, Escape Artist +12, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +12 SQ create spawn, lesser earthrend ECOLOGY Environment Aralu Organization solitary, pair, or brood (3–12) Treasure incidental SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Create Spawn (Su) When a humanoid or fey creature is consumed by a gaunt, the uneaten remains slowly congeal into a new gaunt with the young creature simple template (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary for details) after 1d4 days. The gaunt has all of the memories of the killed creature, and the creature cannot be resurrected while the gaunt survives. The gaunt loses the young creature simple template once it kills and consumes a humanoid or fey creature. Lesser Earthrend (Ex) As a standard action, a gaunt can transform a 10-ft.-square area into difficult terrain, provided the gaunt could burrow through the material. Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based. Swarming (Ex) Up to two gaunts can share the same square at the same time. If two gaunts in the same square attack the same foe, they are considered to be flanking that foe as if they were in two opposite squares. Up to two gaunts can grapple (and constrict) a single creature of Small or Medium size. When grappling creatures larger than Medium-sized, up to two gaunts can simultaneously grapple per 5-ft. space of the creature. A single successful combat maneuver check against the gaunt’s CMD frees the creature from all grapples, but the gaunt’s CMD increases by +2 for each gaunt engaged in the grapple beyond the first.
GHOST FOX A ghostly fox appears out of nowhere, drifting through solid surfaces. GHOST FOX
CR 9
low-light vision, scent; Perception +18 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 20, flat-footed 16 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 56 (8d8+22) Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +1 Defensive Abilities evasion, improved uncanny dodge, incorporeal, trap sense +2 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect) Melee corrupting touch +11 (9d6, Fort DC 19 half) or bite +11 (1d4+6) or dagger +11/+6 (1d4+5/19–20) Special Attacks corrupting touch, ghostly visage, malevolence, materialization, possession (DC 19), sneak attack +4d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th) Constant—speak with animals STATISTICS Str —, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 20 Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 25 (29 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Fang of the FoxB, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +15, Appraise +11, Bluff +18, Climb +3, Disguise +18, Fly +14, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +18, Stealth +27; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Disguise, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Common, Fox SQ change shape, fox magic, fox tail, rogue talents (bleeding attack +4, fast stealth, resiliency, surprise attack), sudden teleportation, trapfinding +4 ECOLOGY Environment temperate forest Organization solitary, pair, or skulk (3–6) Treasure NPC gear (dagger [human], leather armor [human], other treasure)
CREATING A GHOST FOX
“Ghost fox” is an acquired template that can be added to any living kitsune (including pipe foxes) that has a Charisma score of at least 12. A ghost fox retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
XP 6,400 Kitsune rogue 8 NE Small fey (geist, incorporeal, kitsune, shapechanger) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., life sight 10 ft.,
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The Faerie Ring A ghost fox is a unique type of kitsune. They are created in a dreadful ritual that presumably only Red Jack knows. Each kitsune that undergoes the ritual submits willingly to a symbolic death. While their bodies generally remain whole and intact (some, in fact, do not survive), their minds suffer as though by true death. The process uses their all-too-real anguish to transform them into ghost foxes. Though they gain significant power, their minds are scarred by the brush with death and can never be quite whole again. A ghost fox is nearly identical to a ghost with a few exceptions: most notably, a ghost fox still lives. It is fey instead of undead and does not acquire the rejuvenation ghost ability. Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2. Type: The kitsune’s type remains unchanged. It gains the geist and incorporeal subtypes and loses the yokai subtype. Armor Class: A ghost fox gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier. It loses the base creature’s natural armor bonus as well as all armor and shield bonuses not from force effects or ghost touch items. The ghost fox loses its deflection bonus to AC when corporeal. Hit Dice: The kitsune’s Hit Dice remain unchanged. Defensive Abilities: A ghost fox retains all of the defensive abilities of the base creature. Ghost foxes also gain darkvision 60 ft. and the incorporeal ability. Speed: Ghost foxes gain a fly speed of 30 ft. (perfect), unless the base creature has a higher fly speed, in which case the base creature’s maneuverability is improved by one step. Melee and Ranged Attacks: A ghost fox retains all of the base creature’s natural attacks, but it can only use them when corporeal (see materialization ghost special ability). It can also wield ghost touch weapons while incorporeal when in its humanoid form even if it no longer has the required limbs. Special Attacks: A ghost fox retains all the special attacks of the base creature. The ghost fox does not gain the possession ability of the
geist subtype. In addition, a ghost fox gains one ghost special attack from the list below for every 3 points of CR (minimum 1): the first ability chosen must always be corrupting touch and ghost foxes receive materialization as a bonus ability. The save DC against a ghost fox’s special attack is equal to 10 + 1/2 ghost fox’s HD + ghost fox’s Charisma modifier, unless otherwise noted. A ghost fox’s possible ghost abilities include all those designed for typical ghosts, including corrupting gaze, corrupting touch, draining touch, frightful moan, malevolence, and telekinesis (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary). Some additional ghost abilities beyond these are listed below, and others can be designed at the GM’s discretion. Ghostly Visage (Su) While incorporeal, the ghost fox can change its appearance at will as disguise self. It can modify either its fox or humanoid form. Life Sight (Su) The ghost fox gains blindsight to a range of 10 ft. per 5 Hit Dice. This ability only allows it to detect living creatures and undead creatures and whether a creature is living or undead. Constructs and other creatures that are neither living nor undead cannot be seen with this ability. Materialization (Su) As a move action, the ghost fox can become corporeal. It requires another move action to become incorporeal again. While corporeal, a ghost fox has a Strength equal to its Charisma. Sudden Teleportation (Su) While incorporeal, a ghost fox can teleport twice his fly speed (60 ft.) as a move action. Abilities: Cha +4. As an incorporeal creature, a ghost fox has no Strength. Since they are still living, a ghost fox retains their Constitution. Skills: Ghost foxes have a +8 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth skill checks. A ghost fox always treats Climb, Disguise, Fly, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Stealth as class skills. Otherwise, skills are the same as the base creature. Special Abilities: A ghost fox retains all the special abilities of the base creature, such as change shape and fox magic. However, any abilities relying on
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interaction with corporeal targets require the ghost fox to be corporeal (see materialization ghost special ability).
GIBBET POPPETS A shambling, rotting corpse lurches forward with awkward steps, its skin covered in ragged holes. The flesh over its throat bursts open, and a diminutive, leering creature pokes out. GIBBET POPPETS
CR 4
XP 1,200 CN Diminutive fey (mogwoi, swarm) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7 DEFENSE AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size) hp 39 (6d6+18) Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune weapon damage Weakness anchored (DC 16) OFFENSE Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee swarm (1d6 plus poison and distraction) Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks distraction (DC 15), inhabit STATISTICS Str 1, Dex 16, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 15 Base Atk +3; CMB −6; CMD 10 Feats Hover, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Disguise) Skills Disguise +14, Fly +18, Perception +7, Stealth +24 Languages Sylvan SQ hibernation ECOLOGY Environment any temperate Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Inhabit (Ex) Gibbet poppets can chew their way into the body of a Small-, Medium-, or Large-sized dead creature over 1 minute. Gibbet poppets can abandon the body at any time as a full-round action. Any attack against the host deals half damage to the gibbet poppets (subject to swarm immunities). When gibbet poppets inhabit a dead body, it functions as a zombie of the appropriate size under the swarm’s control. The gibbet poppets can attempt a Disguise check to make the host seem like a normal corpse or zombie. Gibbet poppets generally do not abandon a host until it is destroyed or a better one presents itself. A gentle repose spell cast on an inhabited corpse forces the gibbet poppets to abandon the host. Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 18; frequency 1 round; initial effect paralysis for 1 round; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitutionbased.
GLAISTIG The woman’s long blond hair flows around her as if caught in some gentle undersea current. Her legs seem oddly shaped but are concealed beneath a green gown. GLAISTIG
CR 3
XP 800 NG Medium fey (faun, shapechanger) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural) hp 27 (5d6+10) Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6 DR 5/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee (humanoid or hybrid form only) mwk scimitar +6 (1d6+3/18–20/×2) and slam +0 (1d4+3) Melee (goat or hybrid form only) slam +5 (1d4+3) and gore +5 (1d6+3) Ranged (humanoid or hybrid form only) mwk
The Faerie Ring mighty composite shortbow (+3) +5 (1d6+3/×3) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th, concentration +6) At will—invisibility (self only) 3/day—lesser restoration 1/day—bestow curse (DC 14)
STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12 Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip) Feats Acrobatic Steps, Lunge, Nimble Moves Skills Acrobatics +10, Disguise +9, Handle Animal +6, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +10, Stealth +10 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (goat, humanoid, or hybrid; By birth, Nemesis was a dryad, and those—ahem—roots, as it were, continue polymorph) to run deep. Dryads and other nymphs (the category in which dryads and ECOLOGY many other fey are grouped) have been gathering under Nemesis’s banner— Environment any along with other tutelary fey, such as glaistig—taking up her call, inciting Organization solitary, pair, retaliation in her name for so many injustices too long ignored and against or trip (3–8) forces they could not hope to effect in isolation. They are organizing, setting Treasure standard their sights on those fey houses and mortal kingdoms that need to be made (masterwork scimitar, to answer for something; they are doing it together and under Nemesis’s masterwork mighty presumed patronage. While Nemesis has never pursued this outcome, her composite shortbow [+3]) very being is engendering it, and she has neither tried to push it away. SPECIAL ABILITIES A list of many types of nymphs (and their domains), though certainly not Change Shape (Su) A exhaustive, is included here for your convenience. glaistig can shapechange between humanoid, goat, NYMPHS and hybrid forms as a move Sky Nymphs: Aura (breezes), Asteria (stars), Heliad (sun), Hesperid action. Its statistics are the (twilight), Hyad (rain), Nephele (clouds), Pleiad (constellations) same in each form. Any Land Nymphs: Alseid (groves), Anthousa (flowers), Auloniad (glens), equipment it is wearing or Daphne (laurel tree), Dryad (oak tree), Hamadryad (forests), Hyleoros carrying transforms with it, (watchers of woods), Kissia (ivy), Leimakid (meadows), Maliad (apple tree), melds into its new form, or Melia (ash tree), Melissa (honey bees), Napaea (dells), Oread (mountains, drops to the ground as the grottoes) glaistig wishes. It reverts to Water Nymphs: Crinaea (fountains), Eleionoma (wetlands), Halia its humanoid form if it dies. (shores), Limnad (lakes), Naiad (fresh water), Nereid (seas), Oceanid Farmer’s Fortune (Su) (marine depths), Pegaea (springs), Potameid (rivers) A glaistig can cause the Ephemeral Nymphs: Cocytia (lamentation), Hecaterid (revelry), Kabeirid crops and animals within (inspiration), Lampad (death), Maenad (ecstasy), Themeid (secrecy), Thria 1 mile to either produce (prophecy) in abundance or falter. This raises or lowers the OTHER TUTELARY FEY potential productivity Any fey can enter into a tutelary pact, but there are many that tend to focus of either by 50%. The on nothing else, such as the brownie, domovoi, gasin, glaistig, haltija, and glaistig can alter this nisse. between blessing or curse as a full-round action.
A Gathering of Nymphs
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This is sufficient to grant (or revoke) either the prosperous quality or the impoverished disadvantage to any nearby settlement with a size of small town or smaller after 1 month.
GOODFELLOW You have trouble tracking the tiny humanoids as they flit about, propelled by those incessant gossamer wings. GOODFELLOW
CR 1/2
XP 200 Goodfellow bard 1 N Tiny fey (goodfellow, sprite) Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size) hp 8 (1d8) Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +0 Weakness glow OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (average) Melee mwk dagger +6 (1d2−1) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks bardic performance (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 14], inspire courage +1) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +4) 1/day—charm person (DC 14), entangle (DC 14), unwitting ally (DC 14) STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 17 Base Atk +0; CMB –3; CMD 10 Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Escape Artist +7, Fly +7, Perception +3, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +15 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ bardic knowledge, luminescence ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or wreath (3–8) Treasure standard (masterwork dagger, other treasure)
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GRUE Most of this pale, milky-eyed creature’s head is a wideopen maw with rows of teeth. GRUE
CR 7
XP 3,200 NE Medium fey (shadow) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent, see in darkness; Perception +10 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +8 natural) hp 92 (12d6+48); fast healing 4 Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +9 Weakness light blindness OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. Melee bite +10 (2d6+8/19–20 plus bleed), 2 claws +5 (1d6+2) Special Attacks bleed (2d4), pounce, powerful bite, shadow carry STATISTICS Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 15 Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 22 Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack Skills Acrobatics +11, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (planes) +6, Perception +10, Stealth +14, Survival +7 Languages Common ECOLOGY Environment temperate plains (Plains of Desolation) Organization solitary, pair, pack (3–12 grue plus 1 grue chieftain [advanced grue]), or tribe (3–6 grue packs) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Fast Healing (Ex) A grue’s fast healing only functions in areas of dim light or darkness. Powerful Bite (Ex) A grue’s bite attack always applies twice its Strength modifier on damage rolls and threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19–20.
The Faerie Ring When a grue bites an object, its bite treats the object as having a hardness of 5 less than the object’s actual hardness rating. Shadow Carry (Su) A grue can briefly carry darkness with it. When a grue starts its turn in natural darkness, it causes the illumination level in a 10-ft. radius around it to be lowered by two steps (as the deeper darkness spell) for 1 round. This effect can be suppressed by any light spell of 3rd-level or lower.
HAGFISH An immense lamprey-like fish floats in the water without moving its fins. It seems aware of its surroundings, despite dead white eyes. HAGFISH
CR 16
XP 76,800 NE Huge fey (aquatic, emissary [Rahab], evil, peri) Init +9; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +32 Aura song of the deep (30 ft.) DEFENSE AC 31, touch 14, flat-footed 25 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +17 natural, −2 size) hp 247 (26d6+156) Fort +14, Ref +20, Will +20 Defensive Abilities lady’s emissary, masquerade; DR 10/lawful; Immune acid, death effects, disease, light effects, poison, sonic; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 27 Weakness blind, bond of fealty [Rahab], vulnerability to fire OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., swim 50 ft. Melee bite +26 (2d8+15/19–20 plus grab) and 2 slams +26 (2d6+15 plus touch of Rehab) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks capsize, powerful charge (bite, 4d8+30) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +26) 3/day—greater teleport, quickened invisibility,
scintillating pattern 1/day—insanity (DC 23) STATISTICS Str 40, Dex 21, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 21, Cha 23 Base Atk +13; CMB +30 (+34 grapple); CMD 58 (can’t be tripped) Feats Bleeding Critical, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (invisibility), Snatch Skills Acrobatics +28, Bluff +29, Diplomacy +24, Escape Artist +18, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (nature) +16, Knowledge (planes) +13, Perception +28, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +23, Stealth +24, Survival +15, Swim +46, Use Magic Device +29 Languages Aquan, Common, Elven, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft. SQ amphibious, compression, imbue, masquerade (outsider [daemon]) ECOLOGY Environment Plane of Rahab Organization solitary or council (5) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Lady’s Emissary (Su) Rahab safeguards the location and state of each of her hagfish, granting the equivalent effect of a nondetection spell (CL 20). Any attempt to learn more about a hagfish via divination spells provides only ambiguous or vague information when a save is not permitted. Song of the Deep (Su) A hagfish radiates the subtle chords of Rahab’s melody in audible and inaudible tones, creating a zone of planar stability (as the dimensional lock spell) in a 30-ft. radius. This aura does not prevent a hagfish from attempting extradimensional travel. A hagfish can cause any one of the following planar traits within 30 ft. to function as if the area was the Material Plane: gravity, time, elemental or energy, alignment, or magic. Touch of Rahab (Su) A creature hit by a hagfish’s slam attacks must succeed on a DC 27 Fortitude
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save or his skin and flesh immediately transform into a clear, slimy membrane. The creature gains the amorphous and compression abilities, reduces its Dexterity score by 4, and is unable to hold or use any items that must be wielded. Worn items can be used as normal. If the creature’s flesh isn’t kept moist, it dries quickly and the victim takes 1d12 points of damage every 10 minutes. Remove disease and similar effects can restore an afflicted creature to normal, but immunity to disease offers no protection from this attack. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Stealth +11; Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Disguise Languages Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (fox and human; polymorph), fox magic, fox tails, mimic, quadruped, trapfinding ECOLOGY Environment temperate forest Organization solitary, pair, or troop (3–12) Treasure NPC gear (dagger [human], leather armor [human], other treasure)
KITSUNE
The ground shifts as a swath of forest moves seemingly on its own. Within its confines, animals, trees and other features all move as if the ground were stable.
That’s just a fox—that just stole your purse. Did it just say “thanks” as it ran away? KITSUNE
CR 1/2
XP 200 Kitsune rogue 1 CN Small fey (kitsune, shapechanger, yokai) Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3 DEFENSE AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 size +2 armor) hp 10 (1d8+2) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will −1; −2 vs. compulsion, +2 vs. charm Immune magical aging Weakness jade sensitivity OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d4−1) or dagger +4 (1d3−1/19–20) Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1/day—speak with animals STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15 Base Atk +0; CMB −2; CMD 11 (15 vs. trip) Feats Fang of the FoxB, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +4, Bluff +8, Climb +3, Disguise +8, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +3,
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LIMINAL OUTLAND
LIMINAL OUTLAND
CR 14
XP 38,400 LN Colossal fey (sentinel) Init +2; Senses blindsense 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +26 DEFENSE AC 29, touch 1, flat-footed 29 (−2 Dex, −8 size, +29 natural) hp 207 (23d6+115); fast healing 5 Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +17 Defensive Abilities rejuvenation; DR 5/adamantine; Immune petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25 OFFENSE Speed 10 ft. Melee 2 swarms (5d8) Space 100 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 23rd; concentration +28) Constant—speak with animals, speak with plants At will—call lightning (DC 18), entangle (DC 16) 3/day—control winds (DC 20), quickened obscuring mist, quickened summon nature’s ally V 1/day—earthquake (within its space only) STATISTICS Str 21, Dex 7, Con 20, Int 21, Wis 18, Cha 20 Base Atk +11; CMB +24; CMD 32 (can’t be tripped) Feats Blind-Fight, Craft Wondrous Items, Craft
The Faerie Ring Magic Arms and Armor, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (swarm), Master Craftsman, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (obscuring mist), Quicken Spell-Like Ability (summon nature’s ally V) Skills Bluff +26, Craft (any one) +26, Diplomacy +26, Disguise +26 (+36 when mimicking natural terrain), Knowledge (geography) +26, Knowledge (local) +26, Knowledge (nature) +26, Perception +26, Sense Motive +26, Stealth +10 (+20 in similar terrain), Use Magic Device +26; Racial Modifiers +10 Disguise (when appearing as natural terrain), +10 Stealth (when hiding in similar terrain) Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon; speak with animals, speak with plants ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary or calamity (2–4) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Rejuvenation (Su) A liminal outland can only be permanently killed by an encompassing spell or effect that is antithetical to its current or last terrain type. A liminal outland defeated when it was a forest could be killed with a forest fire, or one appearing as a desert could be killed with a flood. Swarm (Ex) A liminal outland attacks by animating and directing all of the plants and animals within its space. This functions as a swarm, except any attack against the swarm is treated as an attack against the liminal outland. The liminal outland cannot attack the same creature with both swarm attacks. Terrain Form (Ex) A liminal outland can alter its terrain type, climate, and wildlife at will over 1 hour. It can even create structures of varying complexity. This functions as the mirage arcana spell, except the alterations are physical and not illusions. Enemies within the liminal outland’s space always treat it as difficult terrain.
CREATING ELDER OUTLANDS
A liminal outland is a section of natural terrain brought to life by an animating spirit. The land itself gains awareness, moving and acting as a living thing. They can appear anywhere flora and fauna can thrive—undersea coral reefs, fungus-filled grottoes beneath the earth, or even alien planes. They take on the physical appearance of natural terrain and assault trespassers or prey with the animals, vegetables, and minerals in its space. A liminal outland prefers to stay within familiar regions, likely never meeting with others of its kind. These unusual creatures serve as a demiplane or natural demesne, acting as guardians or personifications of the larger realm. A rare few enjoy interacting with sentient creatures, sometimes manifesting themselves as inns or rural market squares. Challenge Rating: +2. Special Abilities: Many elder outlands gain a name, distinct personality, and individual powers. The following are a number of examples of different unique abilities that elder liminal outlands could develop. Usually, an elder liminal outland only possesses two or three unique abilities. For example, Pailoon possesses the rejuvenation and spreading abilities, Fiddler’s Green has the creative, gate, and manifestation abilities, and Zerzura has the barrier and planar traits (minor positive-dominant) abilities. Animation (Su) The elder outland can animate its terrain with finer control, allowing it to create protectors. This functions as either the animate plants or animate objects spells (CL 23rd), usable once per day as a standard action. The animated creatures cannot leave the outland’s space. Barrier (Su) The elder outland can trap any creature that enters its space with a combination of hallucinations and direct mental suggestion. It can end or resume this effect as a free action. Any creature may enter the outland’s space but must succeed on a DC 26 Will save or be unable to leave for 24 hours or until the outland is destroyed. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to this effect for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting compulsion and
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glamer effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Creative (Su) The elder outland can create or alter objects within its space. This functions as either the major creation or fabricate spells, usable at will. Gate (Su) The elder outland possesses a gateway between two planes or locations. This functions as the planar travel version of the gate spell, except the portal is permanent and can be opened to another point on the same plane. Travelers must move within the outland’s space in order to use the gate, and it cannot be used unless the outland is willing. Either side of the gate must have a similar terrain and climate. The elder outland can force an unwilling creature within its space through the gate with a successful combat maneuver check. The outland may alter the location of the gate once per year. Manifestation (Su) The elder outland can create a humanoid puppet as a standard action for easier interaction. The puppet has the physical statistics of a Medium-sized animated object but in all ways appears to be a living creature. The puppet uses the elder outland’s mental abilities, feats, and skills. The puppet can speak any language known by the liminal outland and cannot leave the outland’s space. If the puppet is destroyed, the liminal outland can manifest it again as a standard action. Planar Traits (Su) The elder outland has somewhat different planar traits within its space than the realm it resides in (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide). This can include any one of the following: air-dominant, earth dominant, enhanced magic, fire-dominant, light gravity, limited magic, heavy gravity, minor positive-dominant, or waterdominant. Rejuvenation (Su) It is nearly impossible to permanently kill the elder outland. If the outland is destroyed, it can reform itself from any single seed or animal. This process requires the seed or animal to remain unmoving for 1d10 days. At the end of this duration, the liminal outland reforms completely healed in the new location. If the seed or animal is moved or killed during this time, the process begins again, or the liminal outland can begin rejuvenating from any other animal or seed. The outland can only
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be permanently killed if all of its component parts are destroyed. Spreading (Ex) Once per year, the elder outland can increase its space by spreading outward from a stationary location. In order to use this ability, the liminal outland cannot have moved from the location within the last year. The liminal outland’s space then doubles. This ability can be used multiple times, and the effects are cumulative. If the outland ever moves from the location, it loses any additional space gained in this manner.
MATABIRI The hairless, slate gray skin of this small creature shines with slime. It has thick webbing between its fingers and toes and under its arms, and lidless eyes staring with curious but cold abandon. MATABIRI
CR 1/2
XP 200 Matabiri ranger 1 N Small fey (aquatic, matabiri, mogwoi) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6 DEFENSE AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +4 Dex, +1 size) hp 11 (1d10+1) Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Weakness anchored (DC 11) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee sling staff +3 (1d6+1) Ranged sling staff +6 (1d6+1) Special Attacks favored enemy (fey +2) STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 17 Feats AlertnessB, Point Blank Shot Skills Climb +5, Handle Animal +5, Heal +5, Intimidate +4, Stealth +12, Survival +5, Swim +13
The Faerie Ring Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ amphibious, dream reading, track, hibernation, wild empathy ECOLOGY Environment Shambhala Organization solitary, pair, or slither (3–7) Treasure NPC gear (leather, sling staff, other treasure)
MEMBRAS This spiny, chitinous beast’s beady eyes shine as dozens of appendages wriggle under a thick exoskeleton. MEMBRAS
CR 7
XP 3,200 CN Medium fey (morph) Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +8 natural) hp 90 (12d6+48) Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +9 Defensive Abilities adaptive armor; DR 10/cold iron; Immune mind-affecting; SR 18 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee bite +10 (1d6+6 plus grab), 2 claws +10 (1d4+6 plus grab) Special Attacks barrel roll, constrict (1d6+6) STATISTICS Str 22, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 8, Cha 11 Base Atk +6; CMB +12 (+16 grapple); CMD 24 (can’t be tripped) Feats Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power Attack, Step Up Skills Acrobatics +14, Perception +11, Stealth +14, Swim +18 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ compression, no breath, relation, spore ECOLOGY Environment any (New Pelora) Organization solitary Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES Adaptive Armor (Su) The armored carapace of a membras adjusts subtly when exposed to trauma, temporarily fortifying it against further damage. Whenever a creature deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage to a membras, it gains a cumulative +1 bonus to its natural armor for 1 minute against attacks that deal that type of damage. If the membras is damaged by an attack that deals more than one type of damage (such as a bite or claw attack) then the membras selects only one of the damage types. Barrel Roll (Ex) The armor-like plates that cover a membras’s body fit seamlessly over its flexible skin, allowing it to curl up and roll over creatures. As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a membras can roll into a ball and move up to its base speed in a straight line. Creatures in its path must succeed on a DC 22 Reflex save or take 4d6+9 points of bludgeoning damage. While performing a barrel roll, the membras gains a +5 bonus to its natural armor. The save DC is Strength-based.
NORN This person’s face appears disfigured, lacking eyes or even eye-sockets, with only featureless flesh where they should be. NORN
CR 1/2
XP 200 Norn oracle (truthspeaker) 1 N Medium fey (fata, norn) Init +2; Senses darkvision 30 ft.; Perception +10 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 leather) hp 11 (1d8+3) Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4 Defensive Abilities immortal; Immune gaze attacks, magical aging Weakness blind, fate sense, truthspeaker’s curse OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft. Melee quarterstaff +2 (1d6+1) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1/day—see invisibility Oracle Spells (CL 1st, concentration +3) 1st (4/day)—deathwatch, cure light wounds, entropic shield 0 (at will)—detect magic, detect poison, mending, resistance Mystery time STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 14 Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 13 Feats Blind-Fight Skills Bluff, Intimidate, Perform (oratory); Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive, +2 Perception not based on sight Languages Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (disguise self), fate magic, revelations (momentary glimpse [1/day]) ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or omen (3–8) Treasure standard (quarterstaff, leather armor)
PIPE FOX PIPE FOX
In a blur, the fox flies through the trees at break neck speed, ducking and dodging without care. PIPE FOX
CR 2
XP 600 CN Tiny fey (kitsune, yokai) Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +7 DEFENSE AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size) hp 18 (4d6+4) Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4; −2 vs. compulsion, +2 vs. charm Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune paralysis, petrification, sleep, slow; SR 13 Weakness jade sensitivity
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OFFENSE Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect) Melee bite +6 (1d3−2) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5) 1/day—speak with animals STATISTICS Str 6, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 13 Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats Fang of the FoxB, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +13, Fly +18, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (nobility) +8, Knowledge (planes) +8, Knowledge (religion) +8, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Escape Artist Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Fox, Sylvan, Undercommon; telepathy (60 ft.) SQ fox knowledge, fox magic, spell turning ECOLOGY Environment temperate or mountain forest Organization solitary, pair, or lead (3–9) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Fox Knowledge (Ex) All Knowledge skills are class skills to a pipe fox. In addition, a pipe fox adds half its HD (minimum +1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained. Fox Magic (Su) While pipe foxes can access fox magic, they never grow more than one tail. Spell Turning (Su) If a caster level check made to bypass the pipe fox’s SR fails by 5 or more, the spell is affected as if by spell turning. PIPE FOX FAMILIARS A 7th-level chaotic neutral spellcaster can gain a pipe fox as a familiar if they have the Improved Familiar feat.
The Faerie Ring
PIPE FOX ELDER The fox floats before you—a grizzled muzzle and slight mane, swaying to some nonexistent breeze—considering you and seemingly awaiting something. PIPE FOX ELDER
CR 13
XP 25,600 CN Small fey (kitsune, yokai) Init +13; Senses low-light vision, scent (incorporeal); Perception +23 DEFENSE AC 28, touch 28, flat-footed 18 (+7 deflection, +9 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 187 (22d6+110); fast healing 5 Fort +12, Ref +22, Will +20; −2 vs. compulsion Defensive Abilities improved evasion, improved uncanny dodge; DR 10/cold iron and magic; Immune charm, paralysis, petrification, sleep, slow; SR 24 Weakness jade sensitivity OFFENSE Speed fly 90 ft. (perfect) Melee bite +21 (1d4+5 plus 1d6 cold) Special Attacks hypnotic dance, sneak attack +8d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +27) Constant—detect thoughts (DC 19), speak with animals, tongues, true seeing (DC 23) At will—freedom of movement, greater teleport (self only), message, plane shift (self only) 3/day—confusion (DC 21), locate creature, locate object, mind fog (DC 22), scrying (DC 21) 1/day—greater scrying (DC 24), insanity (DC 24) STATISTICS Str 18, Dex 28, Con 20, Int 25, Wis 20, Cha 24 Base Atk +11; CMB +19; CMD 41 Feats Agile Maneuvers, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Fang of the FoxB, Lightning Stance, Lunge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse, Wind Stance Skills Acrobatics +27, Bluff +25, Diplomacy +25, Fly +37, Knowledge (arcana) +36, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +36, Knowledge (engineering) +36, Knowledge (geography) +36, Knowledge
(history) +36, Knowledge (local) +36, Knowledge (nature) +36, Knowledge (nobility) +36, Knowledge (planes) +36, Knowledge (religion) +36, Perception +23, Perform (dance) +34, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +31, Use Magic Device +25; Racial Modifiers +4 Escape Artist Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Fox, Gnome, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Sylvan, Terran, Undercommon; telepathy (120 ft.) SQ fox knowledge, fox magic secret, spell turning, tenacious mind ECOLOGY Environment temperate or mountain forest Organization solitary, pair, assemblage (3–12), or council (13) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Fox Knowledge (Ex) All Knowledge skills are class skills to a pipe fox. In addition, a pipe fox adds half its Hit Dice (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained. Fox Magic Secret (Su) Elder pipe foxes can access fox magic without the need for additional tails. They replace number of Hit Dice for number of tails when qualifying for fox magic feats. Hypnotic Dance (Su) As a full-round action, the elder pipe fox can move in a hypnotic manner. This functions as a gaze attack with observers within 30 ft. being fascinated (as the hypnotic pattern spell). A DC 28 Will save negates this effect. This is a mind-affecting pattern effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Spell Turning (Su) If a caster level check made to bypass the pipe fox’s SR fails, the spell is affected as if by spell turning. Tenacious Mind (Ex) An elder pipe fox can make one new Will save per round against any ongoing effects that allow for Will saves to negate.
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POOKA The giant rabbit bounces around but suddenly starts growing and convulsing until its transformed into a dragon. POOKA
CR 7
XP 3,200 N Medium fey (pooka) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., kin-folk, low-light vision; Perception +17 DEFENSE AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+6 Dex, +4 natural) hp 84 (13d6+39) Fort +7, Ref +14, Will +9 Defensive Abilities mutable mind; DR 5/cold iron Weakness flighty OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee 2 claws +13 (1d6+3) Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d6+3) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +14) 3/day—quickened hideous laughter (DC 16), suggestion (DC 15) STATISTICS Str 16, Dex 23, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15 Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 25 (29 vs. trip) Feats Ability Focus (hideous laughter), Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (hideous laughter), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw) Skills Acrobatics +26, Bluff +18, Disguise +18, Escape Artist +22, Perception +17, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +26, Use Magic Device +18; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Stealth Languages Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (Small, Medium, and Large size only; greater polymorph) ECOLOGY Environment any forests and rural areas Organization single, pair, or shenanigan (3–12) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Change Shape (Su) A pooka can change shape as a move action to varied Small, Medium, or Large creatures (as the greater polymorph spell). The pooka does not gain bonuses to natural armor from any alternate form. Flighty (Ex) Pooka are easily fooled and distracted. Attempts to lie to a pooka with the Bluff skill do not take a penalty based on the believability of the lie. Additionally, the pooka does not count as being trained in the Sense Motive skill for the purposes of opponents feinting against it in combat or attempting to create a diversion to hide with the Stealth skill. Kinfolk (Su) Pooka can always recognize other pooka, regardless of alternate forms or illusions employed. Mutable Mind (Ex) While easily influenced, pooka frequently distract themselves from their own thoughts, recasting their attitudes and beliefs with little constancy. Whenever a pooka fails a saving throw against a mind-affecting spell or effect, it can make a new saving throw 1 round later at the same DC to end the effect. The pooka gets only this one extra chance to succeed on the saving throw.
PUTTI There’s a purple baby floating before you. It’s smiling and pointing your way. PUTTI
CR 1/2
XP 200 Putti druid (ascetic gardener) 1 N Small fey (mandragora, putti) Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +2 DEFENSE AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size) hp 13 (1d8+5) Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; +2 vs. mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning Weakness light dependent OFFENSE
The Faerie Ring Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk quarterstaff +1 (1d4–1) Special Attack wooden fist (1/day, 1 round) Druid Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1st (4/day)—entangle (DC 13), pass without trace, shillelagh, summon nature’s ally I 0 (at will)—create water, flare (DC 12), light, purify food and drink Domain plant Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st) Constant—speak with plants STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 6, Cha 15 Base Atk +0; CMB −2; CMD 10 Feats Toughness Skills Craft (carpentry) +5, Heal +2, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +2, Survival +2 Languages Common, Sylvan; speak with plants, limited telepathy 30 ft. SQ float ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or grove (3–8) Treasure standard (masterwork quarterstaff, other treasure)
SHIMMER DOG SHIMMER DOG
A soft glow emanates from the shimmering white coat of this lean hound. Its long ears end it small tufts and elfin eyes glitter with intelligence. SHIMMER DOG
CR 1
XP 400 N Small fey (shapechanger) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9 DEFENSE AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size) hp 13 (3d6+3) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4 DR 5/cold iron or silver
OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d4−1 plus trip) Special Attacks war shadow Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5) 1/day—calm emotions (DC 13) STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 15 Base Atk +1; CMB −1; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip) Feats Nimble Moves, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +8, Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (planes) +6, Perception +7, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +12, Survival +4, Swim +2; Racial Modifiers +4 Sense Motive Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (shimmer dog, humanoid, or hybrid; polymorph), empathy, luminescence ECOLOGY Environment any (Zussael) Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–18 shimmer dogs and shimmer dog matriarch) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Change Shape (Su) All shimmer dogs have three forms: a humanoid form, a canine form, and a hybrid form. Its statistics are the same in all forms, except it loses the bite attack in humanoid form. Equipment does not meld with the new form between humanoid and hybrid form but does between those forms and its canine form. A shimmer dog can shift to any of its three alternate forms as a move-equivalent action. A slain shimmer dog reverts to its canine form. Empathy (Ex) Shimmer dogs can communicate and empathize with other shimmer dogs, darklings, twilight children, werewolves, and wolves. They can use Diplomacy to alter attitudes of these creatures with a +4 racial bonus to the check. Luminescence (Su) A shimmer dog sheds light from its body in a soft glow, increasing the light level in a 5-ft. radius by one step. It may repress or resume use of this ability at will as a free action. War Shadow (Su) As a standard action, a shimmer dog may gather shadows around it and shape it
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into the form of a looming, werewolf-like beast above it for 1 minute. While the war shadow is active, the shimmer dog can attempt to demoralize opponents (per the Intimidate skill) as a swift action.
SHIMMER DOG MATRIARCH
A strong glow emanates from the shimmering white coat of this powerful-looking hound. Its long ears end it small tufts and elfin eyes glitter with intelligence. SHIMMER DOG MATRIARCH
CR 4
XP 1,200 N Medium fey (shapechanger) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12 DEFENSE AC 17, touch 14, flat footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural) hp 39 (6d6+18) Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +6 DR 5/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 60 ft. Melee bite +6 (1d6+1 plus trip) Special Attacks war shadow Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10) At will—blur 1/day—calm emotions (DC 17) STATISTICS Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 19 Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Nimble Moves, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +12, Diplomacy +12, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (planes) +8, Perception +12, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +12, Survival +7, Swim +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Sense Motive Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan SQ change shape (shimmer dog, humanoid, or hybrid; polymorph), empathy, luminescence ECOLOGY Environment any (Zussael) Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3d6 shimmer
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dogs and shimmer dog matriarch) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Luminescence (Su) A shimmer dog matriarch sheds light from its body in a strong glow, increasing the light level in a 20-ft. radius by one step. It may repress or resume use of this ability at will as a free action. War Shadow (Su) When a shimmer dog matriarch successfully demoralizes a creature with her war shadow active, the creature remains shaken until the war shadow ends. Multiple successful attempts to demoralize by the matriarch with a war shadow active cause the creature to gain stronger fear conditions (frightened and then panicked).
SILENT ONE The creature’s mouth opens too wide and its neck bulges. Lashing, glowing tentacles emerge as some internal creature begins pulling itself free. SILENT ONE
CR 6
XP 2,400 N Medium fey (aquatic, mogwoi) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16 DEFENSE AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural) hp 67 (9d6+36) Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +8; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 5/slashing; Immune ooze traits Weakness anchored (DC 19) OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (average), swim 40 ft. Melee 2 pseudopods +10 (1d6+6 plus grab) Special Attacks engulf (DC 20), fill the vessel STATISTICS Str 23, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 11
The Faerie Ring Base Atk +4; CMB +10 (+14 grapple); CMD 23 Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Stand Still Skills Acrobatics +15, Bluff +12, Escape Artist +15, Fly +15, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +15 (+19 in water), Swim +26; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in water Languages Common, Sylvan (cannot speak) SQ amphibious, compression, hibernation, luminescence ECOLOGY Environment Shambhala Organization solitary, pair, or slither (3–7) Treasure none SPECIAL ABILITIES Fill the Vessel (Su) A silent one may attempt to crawl into the mouth and control a helpless or grappled living creature as part of the standard action to maintain a grapple. If successful, the creature must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save, or the silent one can control their actions. This functions as the dominate monster spell, except that the silent one can only control the creature while it is within it, it is not a mind-affecting effect, the creature must attempt Fortitude saving throws to resist control, and protection from evil or similar spells cannot prevent it from exercising control. The creature is permitted a new save each day to resist control. On a successful save, the silent one is no longer within the creature, and the creature and silent one are considered grappling. The silent one can then attempt to crawl back into the creature’s mouth and control it again. While within a creature, the silent one cannot be targeted by attacks, spells, or effects. While within a creature, the silent one can use its natural attacks in place of the creature’s attacks. The save DC is Constitution-based. Luminescence (Ex) A silent one sheds light from its body in a strong glow, increasing the light level in a 10-ft. radius by one step. It may repress or resume use of this ability at will as a free action. This light is treated as moonlight for all intents and purposes.
STAR SPRITE
The small flying fey shines like fireflies on a warm summer night. Its chanting seems soothing at first, but begins growing sinister. STAR SPRITE
CR 4
XP 1,600 NE Tiny fey (sprite) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10 DEFENSE AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 size) hp 39 (6d6+18) Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7 DR 5/cold iron; Resist cold 10; SR 15 Weakness glow OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) Melee starknife +9 (1d2/×3 plus energy drain) Ranged starknife +9 (1d2/×3) Special Attacks energy drain (1 level, DC 17), sneak attack +3d6 Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10) Constant—detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law At will—acid arrow (cold damage), dancing lights 1/day—detect thoughts (DC 16), dispel magic, displacement (self only), lesser confusion (DC 15), major image (DC 17) STATISTICS Str 10, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 19 Base Atk +3; CMB +1; CMD 16 Feats Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +12, Bluff +12, Escape Artist +12, Fly +18, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +18 Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan SQ luminescence, shifting darkness ECOLOGY Environment temperate forests and hills Organization solitary, cluster (2–4), constellation (6–11), or tribe (20–80)
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Treasure standard (starknife; other gear) SPECIAL ABILITIES Luminescence (Su) A star sprite sheds light from its body in a strong glow, increasing the light level in a 10-ft. radius by one step. It is able to control the color of the light as a free action. It may suppress or resume use of this ability at will as a free action. This light is treated as moonlight for all intents and purposes. Shifting Darkness (Su) As a standard action, the star sprite can create an area of darkness anywhere within 100 ft. This functions as the darkness spell, except the sprite can dismiss or move the affected area to anywhere within its range as a move action. A star sprite may only have one area of shifting darkness active at any one time. If the sprite moves further than 100 ft. away from an active shifting darkness effect, it is dismissed. If multiple areas of shifting darkness from different sources overlap, it instead functions as a deeper darkness spell in the overlapping areas. Shifting darkness is suppressed within the area of any light spell of 2nd level or higher.
TERANI This spindly little blue-gray creature has a head far too large for its body, and wide unblinking eyes. TERANI
CR 3
XP 800 NG Tiny fey (morph) Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size) hp 27 (5d6+10) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +6 DR 5/cold iron OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +3 (1d3−1), 2 claws +3 (1d2−1) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8) At will—daze (DC 13), dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 13), message 3/day—augury, calm emotions (DC 16) STATISTICS Str 9, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 13 Feats Combat Casting, Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +7, Diplomacy +12, Escape Artist +13, Fly +21, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Perception +11, Spellcraft +7, Use Magic Device +12 Languages Common, Sylvan SQ relation, spore ECOLOGY Environment any (New Pelora) Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Augury (Sp) Whenever a terani uses its augury spell-like ability and receives a result of weal and woe or nothing, it also receives one additional piece of information relevant to the action about which the terani is inquiring. This piece of information is always brief but illuminates more details about why the augury returned its result. The terani always knows if an augury attempt fails. TERANI FAMILIARS A 9th-level neutral good spellcaster can gain a terani as a familiar if they have the Improved Familiar feat.
TERAS The nude alien creature has strangely symmetrical protrusions, but seems strangely beautiful despite its oddity. TERAS
CR 1/2
XP 200 Teras sorcerer 1 CN Medium fey (morph, teras) Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0
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The Faerie Ring DEFENSE AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) hp 7 (1d6+1) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2 Weakness transmutable OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee dagger −1 (1d4−1/19–20) Special Attacks entrancing form (7/day, 1 round) Bloodline Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5) 7/day—bewildering touch (touch attack; fascinated 1 round) Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5) 1st (4/day)—burning hands (DC 15), enlarge person 0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, ray of frost Bloodline mutation STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 18 Base Atk +0; CMB −1; CMD 11 Feats Blood of OleronB, Combat Casting, Eschew MaterialsB Skills Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +8 (+10 to influence an opponent’s attitude), Sense Motive +1 (+3 on hunches); Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate to influence an opponent’s attitude, +2 Sense Motive on hunches Languages Common, Sylvan SQ bloodline arcana, relation, spore, transmutable ECOLOGY Environment any (New Pelora) Organization solitary, pair, or cancer (3–12) Treasure standard
CREATING A TERATOMA
“Teratoma” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature. A teratoma retains the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. The offspring of teras, especially those whose appearances and abilities strongly favor their nonteras parents, are sometimes genetically more related to a progenitor race other than that of the
children of Oleron. Nonetheless, these creatures are still touched by the wildly mutable blood of the fey sovereign, though this influence manifests in subtler ways than their fully teras cousins. CR: Same as base creature. Type: The creature’s type remains the same, but it gains the teras subtype. Senses: A teratoma gains low-light vision. Weakness: A teratoma gains the following weakness. Transmutable (Ex) A teratoma’s body is particularly susceptible to magic that can unnaturally alter its composition. A teratoma takes a −2 penalty to saving throw DCs against spells from the transmutation school. Additionally, such hostile spells affect a teratoma as if they were cast at 1 caster level higher (this only applies to spells by which a teratoma is unwillingly affected). Special Ability: A teratoma gains the following special ability. Entrancing Form (Su) A teratoma’s physical presence can be hauntingly gripping. Three times per day, as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a teratoma can speak beguiling words and use undulating gestures to fascinate a target creature within 30 ft. for 1 round. A successful Will saving throw (DC = 10 + your Charisma modifier + 1/2 the teras creature’s HD) negates this effect. This is a mind-affecting effect. A creature that makes a successful saving throw against a teratoma’s entrancing form is immune to it for 24 hours. A teratoma is immune to the entrancing form of other teras and teratomas and vice versa. Abilities: A teratoma gains a +2 bonus to Charisma and receives a −2 penalty to Constitution. Skills: A teratoma gains Sense Motive and Intimidate as class skills if it doesn’t have those class skills already.
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TWILIGHT CHILD
UR-GREMLIN
It’s hard to make out the details of the elfin form before you. It keeps largely to shadow, but you note tiny horns and curious eyes as it seems to assess you in turn.
The dog-sized creature perks up large, bat-like ears and crouches on all fours with a white, fur-covered tail twitching.
TWILIGHT CHILD
CR 1/2
XP 200 Twilight child arcanistACG 1 N Medium fey (changeling, twilight child) Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0 DEFENSE AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) hp 7 (1d6+1) Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2; +2 vs. human or fey spell and effects OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee mwk dagger +0 (1d4−1) Arcanist Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4) 1st (3/day)—disguise self, silent image (DC 15) 0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), mage hand, message STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 16 Base Atk +0; CMB −1; CMD 11 Feats Spell Focus (illusion) Skills Knowledge (planes) +6, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +6 (+8 in dim light or darkness), Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Stealth in dim light or darkness Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan SQ arcane reservoir (4), arcanist exploit (dimensional slide), consume spells, parent race (human), shadow’s caress, shadow caster ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or gathering (3–8) Treasure standard (masterwork dagger, other treasure)
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UR-GREMLIN
CR 3
XP 800 CN Small fey (gremlin, mogwoi) Init+4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent metals 90 ft.; Perception +6 DEFENSE AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size) hp 30 (5d6+10) Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +2; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and polymorph Weakness anchored (DC 15) OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. Melee bite +6 (1d4−1 plus grab), 2 claws +1 (1d2−1) Special Attacks gnaw, swarm STATISTICS Str 8, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 6, Cha 15 Base Atk +2; CMB +4 (+8 grapple); CMD 16 Feats Agile Maneuvers, Defensive Combat Training, Weapon Finesse Skills Disable Device +18, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +19; Racial Modifiers +10 to Disable Device Languages Sylvan SQ hibernation ECOLOGY Environment any (Nibiru) Organization solitary, pair, mob (3–12), or infestation (13–20) Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Gnaw (Ex) As part of the standard action to maintain a grapple, the ur-gremlin can attempt to sunder one of the grappled creature’s held or worn metal items. If it is successful, the urgremlin can choose to deal bite damage as normal
The Faerie Ring or cause the item to automatically lose half of its maximum hit points. It may consume any unattended metallic object of Tiny size or smaller as a full-round action. Each size category larger than Tiny adds 1 minute to the time required to consume the item (2 minutes for Small, 3 minutes for Medium, and so on). Multiple ur-gremlins can work together to consume an unattended metallic object with each ur-gremlin beyond the first reducing the time required by 1 minute (to a minimum of 1 round). Metalvore (Ex) An ur-gremlin’s bite attack functions as an adamantine weapon for the purposes of penetrating the hardness of metal objects (but not damage reduction). The urgremlin can attempt sunder combat maneuvers against metallic held or worn items without provoking an attack of opportunity. Scent Metals (Ex) This ability functions much the same as the scent ability, except that the range is 90 ft. and the ur-gremlin can only use it to sense metal objects (including creatures wearing or carrying metal objects). Swarm Form (Ex) An ur-gremlin can burst apart into a swarm of micro-gremlin creatures as a standard action. It gains the swarm subtype (Diminutive swarm, 2d6 swarm damage), the distraction ability (DC 14), and is immune to weapon damage. Any metallic items within the swarm’s space automatically take swarm damage each round (bypassing any hardness). The urgremlin can reform itself as a standard action. However, the ur-gremlin must remain in swarm form for at least 1d4 rounds.
WINDSCORNED
This dark-skinned humanoid has leathery wings and dozens of pocks where its flesh is missing. Its face bears a disturbingly wide, toothy grin. WINDSCORNED
CR 20
XP 307,200 CE Medium fey (gloom) Init +14; Senses blindsense 200 ft., low-light vision, windless; Perception +34 DEFENSE AC 36, touch 20, flat-footed 26 (+10 Dex, +16 natural) hp 367 (35d6+245); fast healing 10 Fort +18, Ref +29, Will +23 Defensive Abilities ferocious; DR 15/cold iron and magic; Immune air or wind spells and effects, paralysis Weakness hunger OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., fly 200 ft. (good) Melee bite +27 (2d6+6/19–20 plus windcursed) and 2 claws +27 (1d8+6) Ranged 4 wind blades +27 (2d6+12/19–20) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +24) Constant—control winds (DC 19) At will—gust of wind (DC 25) 3/day—quickened wind wall STATISTICS Str 23, Dex 30, Con 24, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 19 Base Atk +17; CMB +27; CMD 61 Feats Ability Focus (gust of wind), Agile Maneuvers, Bloody AssaultAPG, Combat Expertise, Death From AboveUC, Defensive Combat Training, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Lightning Stance, Mobility, Opening VolleyUC, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (wind wall), Weapon Finesse, Wind Stance, Wingover Skills Acrobatics +40, Escape Artist +40, Fly +46, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (nature) +31, Perception +34, Sense Motive +34, Stealth +40,
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Survival +31 Languages Auran, Common, Sylvan ECOLOGY Environment warm mountains Organization solitary Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Gust of Wind (Sp) On a failed saving throw, creatures take 3d8 bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage and function as one size category smaller for the purposes of the spell’s effects. Whenever a windscorned takes the full attack action with wind blades, it can cast its gust of wind spell-like ability as a swift action. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell. Wind Blades (Su) Windscorned can throw blades of concentrated air at opponents as a ranged attack with a maximum range of 60 ft. The windscorned adds twice its Strength modifier to wind blade damage. Windless (Su) Windscorned can sense the direction and distance to other windscorned, creatures with the windcursed curse, or creatures with the skycursed template within 10 miles. Windcursed (Su) A creature damaged by the windscorned’s bite attack must succeed on a DC 31 Will save or become windcursed (see below). Windcursed creatures succumbing to cannibalism gain the skycursed template. This is a curse effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
WINDCURSED
Those that fall to the windscorned, if not devoured, are sometimes taken, cocooned, and tended by the windscorned to become one of them—a windscorned. A creature that contracts the curse but survives or escapes may instead gain the skycursed template if they succumb to cannibalism. In the early stages of the curse, the afflicted merely notices their senses altering to make the idea appealing. As the condition progresses, the concept becomes so tempting even the strong-willed eventually succumb. Each time the afflicted is confronted with an opportunity
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to commit cannibalism, it must succeed on a Will save (DC 5 + 1 per previous save). For this purpose, cannibalism is defined as the consumption of any creature with all of the afflicted creature’s types and subtypes (if any). Once a creature commits cannibalism, they become skycursed, gaining the skycursed template. A remove disease or heal spell with a caster level of 10th or higher cures the affliction, provided the afflicted has not yet succumbed to cannibalism. A creature with the skycursed template can only be cured with a miracle or wish spell.
SKYCURSED
In some traditions, corpses are left out on mountain peaks for scavengers to consume. These sky burials are based on the belief that the body is an empty vessel once the soul departs and should be disposed of in a practical and generous manner. The skycursed are so-named for their perversion of this practice. While cannibalism itself is not necessarily evil, the skycursed go beyond mere meat to dine upon their victim’s soul and fuel dark transformations. Their bodies become more warped and disturbing, while their minds surrender to base instincts.
CREATING A SKYCURSED
“Skycursed” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or fey. Challenge Rating: Varies (see below). Type: Creature type changes to fey (gloom). Do not recalculate HD, BAB, or saves. Weakness: A skycursed gains the following weakness. Hunger (Ex) A skycursed is plagued by an unending cannibalistic hunger for flesh and souls of its type. Whenever it is confronted with an opportunity to consume the corpse of a creature sharing its creature type and any subtypes, it must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the skycursed creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier) or seek to consume the creature. On a failed save, the skycursed creature begins immediately consuming the creature (per the consume ability). If the skycursed creature is in a
The Faerie Ring threatening situation, it gains a +5 bonus to its save. If the skycursed creature is harmed while consuming a creature, it can attempt a new save with the +5 bonus. Melee Attack: A skycursed gains a bite attack as a creature of its size category. Special Attack: A skycursed retains all of the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature. A skycursed gains darkvision 60 ft., lowlight vision, scent, and the following. Consume (Su) A skycursed creature grows more feral and monstrous as it consumes creatures of its type (and all subtypes, if any). A skycursed can devour a corpse of a creature over 1 minute. The creature must have died within the last hour to use this ability, and the consumed creature is treated as having died from a death effect for the purposes of resurrection magic. If the consumed creature has Hit Dice equal to or greater than the skycursed and shares all of the skycursed creature’s types and subtypes, the skycursed gains an evolution point. Windcursed (Su) A skycursed’s bite attack can infect a humanoid or fey target with the windcursed curse on a failed Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 skycursed creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier). If the victim’s size is not within one size category of the skycursed, this ability has no effect. This is a curse effect. Evolution: As the skycursed creature gains evolution points, it undergoes a gradual personal metamorphosis into a monstrous form. SKYCURSED EVOLUTION Evolution Points 0 5 10 20
CR
Appearance
Abilities
+1 +2 +3 +4
Base Disturbing Inhuman Monstrous
1 2 4 6
Base (+1 CR) At the earliest stages of the curse, the physical and mental alterations are relatively minimal and easily concealed. The specific physical changes a skycursed undergoes vary and may be dependent on the base creature or the victims consumed. The
creature can still easily pass as a normal creature of its type. The creature gains a +2 bonus to all physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution) and one skycursed ability but takes a −2 penalty to all mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma). No ability score can be reduced to less than 1 by this template. Disturbing (+2 CR) As the skycursed’s transformation progresses, the creature grows in physical power at the expense of its mind. The skycursed creature must make Disguise skill checks to conceal these changes. The creature gains a +4 bonus to all physical ability scores and two skycursed abilities but takes a −4 penalty to all mental ability scores. Inhuman (+3 CR) The skycursed’s metamorphosis now includes more gross alterations of the creature’s physiology. While it is still possible for the creature to conceal these changes, any Disguise check to do so is made at a −10 penalty. The creature gains a +6 bonus to all physical ability scores and four skycursed abilities but takes a −6 penalty to all mental ability scores. Monstrous (+4 CR) The skycursed’s transformation is complete, turning the creature into a hideous monstrosity. At this point, the skycursed’s mutations have changed it so much it becomes difficult to recognize the base creature. This adds +5 to the DC of any Knowledge skill checks to identify the skycursed, and Disguise checks to conceal the changes are impossible. The creature gains a +8 bonus to all physical ability scores and six skycursed abilities but takes a −8 penalty to all mental ability scores. Special Abilities: A skycursed can choose from the following abilities as it evolves, representing its personal transformation into a unique ravenous monster. Unless otherwise noted, each skycursed ability may only be taken once. Armored (Ex) The skycursed’s skin becomes scaled, fur-covered, or tough, granting a +2 bonus to the creature’s natural armor. Blood Scent (Ex) The skycursed can notice bleeding or injured creatures by scent in a 180-ft. radius. The skycursed can automatically tell an injured or
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bleeding creature’s type and any subtypes using scent. Fast Swallow (Ex) The skycursed gains the fast swallow universal monster ability. The skycursed must have the swallow whole ability to select this ability. Grab (Ex) The skycursed gains the grab universal monster ability with its bite attack. Improved Bite (Ex) The skycursed’s bite attack deals damage as a creature one size category larger. This ability may be taken multiple times and the effects stack. Improved Consume (Ex) The skycursed can consume a creature’s corpse (for the purposes of the consume ability) as a full-round action. The skycursed must have the swallow whole ability to select this ability. Movement (Ex) The skycursed gains the ability to burrow, climb, or fly (average maneuverability) with a speed equal to its land speed. This ability may be taken multiple times, each time granting a new movement type. Resistance (Ex) The skycursed gains resistance 10 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. This ability may be taken multiple times, each time increasing the skycursed’s resistance by 10. Resistance increased to higher than 30 instead becomes immunity. Snake Gullet (Ex) The skycursed can swallow whole creatures up to its size but can only crawl until the swallowed creature has been swallowed and dead for 1 hour. The skycursed may act normally if the swallowed creature is one size category smaller or less. The skycursed’s stomach has twice the normal hit points and an AC equal to 10 + the skycursed’s natural armor bonus. The skycursed must have the swallow whole ability to select this ability. Swallow Whole (Ex) The skycursed gains the swallow whole universal monster ability with its bite attack. A creature that dies while it is swallowed whole counts as being consumed (as the consume ability). The skycursed’s stomach deals damage each round equal to its bite attack. The skycursed must have the grab ability to select this ability.
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Terror (Ex) Whenever the skycursed consumes a creature, swallows a creature whole, or critically hits with its bite attack, it may make a demoralize attempt with the Intimidate skill on all creatures within 30 ft. as a free action.
YAKSHA This creature appears formed from dirt and stones. The earth at its joints is strengthened by roots and a number of smaller rocks connected by vines create agile hands. YAKSHA
CR 11
XP 12,800 NG Large fey (earth, yaksha) Init+7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +19 DEFENSE AC 25, touch 12, flat-footed 22 (+3 Dex, −1 size, +13 natural) hp 147 (14d6+98); regeneration 5 DR 10/cold iron; Immune acid; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +11 OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft., earth glide Melee 2 slams +17 (1d8+11 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +17) 3/day—fabricate, hydraulic torrentAPG (pebbles and stones instead of water), meld into stone, passwall, quickened create pitAPG (DC 15), stone shape STATISTICS Str 33, Dex 17, Con 24, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17 Base Atk +7; CMB +19 (+23 grapple); CMD 32 Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lunge, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (create pit), Stand Still Skills Bluff +20, Craft (any one) +19, Diplomacy +20, Knowledge (any) +19, Perception +19, Sense Motive +19, Stealth +20 (+24 in mountains or underground), Spellcraft +16, Use Magic Device +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in mountains or
The Faerie Ring underground Languages Aklo, Common, Giant, Sylvan, Terran SQ lost memories ECOLOGY Environment any mountain or underground Organization solitary or pair Treasure standard SPECIAL ABILITIES Bury (Su) A yaksha can trap a grappled creature within dirt or rock. The yaksha must succeed on a Combat Maneuver Check to move the creature. If the creature succeeds on a DC 20 Fortitude save, its movement ceases before it enters the dirt or stone, and the grapple ends. On a failed save, the creature is trapped within the dirt and stone, but otherwise unharmed. The creature is treated as pinned without the yaksha needing to maintain the pin or grapple, and the yaksha can continue its movement. The yaksha can choose to cause the creature to be at risk of suffocation. The creature can free itself by succeeding on a combat maneuver or Escape Artist check with a DC equal to the yaksha’s Combat Maneuver Defense. The save DC is Charisma-based. Lost Memories (Ex) While each yaksha cannot recall specific events from their past or civilization, each possesses knowledge of events in the past, present, and future. They can make all Knowledge skill checks untrained and gain a bonus on Knowledge skill checks equal to their Hit Dice.
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Artifacts
h
The many worlds are scattered with the repositories and remnants of great fey power. It is highly recommended to avoid them if possible.
AGATE THRONE
The throne is a grand and beautiful seat, cut from a single piece of agate and intricately carved with glyphs fitting no known language. The markings seem to move and breed like living things with a few hunting and consuming the rest. AGATE THRONE (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong conjuration; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 2,000 lb. DESCRIPTION Only an individual deemed worthy by the Wild Hunt may safely sit upon the Agate Throne. This may require the defeat of the Wild Hunt’s previous incarnation, being chosen as the next in a line of succession, or the completion of some great test. If an unworthy individual sits upon the throne or if an individual sits upon it when it is claimed by another, the creature is affected by an empowered maximized disintegrate effect (Fortitude DC 19) each round they remain seated.
The Faerie Ring A worthy individual who claims the Agate Throne becomes ruler of Annwn and the host of the Wild Hunt. They may safely use the throne to alter Annwn, and call upon the realm’s power. The throne may only ever have one ruler. While seated, the ruler may alter Annwn’s planar traits at will as the create greater demiplane spell (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Magic for details), except these alterations are always permanent until changed and require no material component. Each alteration requires 6 hours of concentration. While away from Annwn and the Agate Throne, the ruler can call upon the demesne’s power as a full-round action. The planar traits within 1,000 ft. of the ruler become equal to the current planar traits of Annwn. This effect persists until the ruler dismisses it as a free action, moves to a different plane, or is killed. This effect does not function within a demesne claimed by a fey sovereign or within a plane with the divinely morphic trait (unless the realm’s controlling entity allows it). DESTRUCTION The Agate Throne is destroyed if the Wild Hunt is permanently slain or if a worthy seated ruler wishes it ruined as a full-round action.
ATHAME OF CHANGE This small, ceremonial darkwood blade has a dull edge and appears useless for inflicting harm. ATHAME OF CHANGE (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 1 lb. DESCRIPTION The Athame of Change was grown by Korapira to aid her in her foul experiments. The wielder of the Athame of Change can shape the flesh of helpless or willing living creatures. Using the athame requires 1 hour and deals 1d4 Constitution damage to the target creature. The target creature can be altered in any manner allowable by the polymorph any object
spell, except they must remain a living creature and the duration must be permanent. The athame adds +2 to the duration factor of this polymorph any object spell effect. Any attempt to transform the target into a non-living creature or have a duration less than permanent automatically fails. On a successful DC 22 Fortitude save, the creature resists the effect, halves the Constitution damage, and cannot be affected by the athame for 24 hours. The wielder of the athame cannot affect themselves in this manner. DESTRUCTION The Athame of Change is destroyed if Korapira is permanently slain. The artifact’s power can also be permanently removed if a polymorph any object spell is cast upon it that transforms the athame into a living creature. This polymorph any object effect is automatically permanent, regardless of the normal duration factor.
CLOAK OF SEVEN SHAPES This large patchwork black and brown fur cloak smells of long roads and leather. CLOAK OF SEVEN SHAPES (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot shoulders; Weight 20 lb. DESCRIPTION The Cloak of Seven Shapes must be worn for at least 24 hours before the wearer can draw upon its shapechanging abilities. Each day at dawn, the wearer can choose one of the following spells: alter self, beast shape IV, form of the dragon III, giant form II, monstrous physique IV, plant shape III, or vermin shape II. The wearer can then transform into any shape allowable by the spell as a swift action at will. The form chosen must be of a creature with which the wearer is familiar. The wearer does not lose the ability to speak while in any altered form and may complete the verbal and somatic components of any spells they can cast. The wearer may remain in any altered form
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indefinitely rather than the spell’s normal duration but returns to their true form each day at dawn. DESTRUCTION The Cloak of Seven Shapes is destroyed if any wearer shapechanges into more than seven forms in a single day. The cloak continues to function normally until the next dawn at which point the magic fades and it falls apart.
DARK WELL In a hidden corner of Zussael rests a well. It seems a nondescript circular stone depression for drawing water with a lip raised a few feet above the ground. Within its depths is absolute blackness that completely and totally erases anything touching it from both reality and memory.
of memories altered, range, or number of targets. The creature can only alter memories of events they personally possess. Any memory of the object or creature not intentionally altered is erased. On a failed save, all memory of the object or creature is erased as normal. DESTRUCTION The Dark Well can only be destroyed if Moaro willingly sacrifices herself and her memento mori to it. If the Dark Well is destroyed, all memories it has erased or altered immediately return.
DEATH BLOOM The ball of onyx floats above the ground, seemingly with a mind its own, and crackles with electricity. DEATH BLOOM (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
DARK WELL (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight — DESCRIPTION The Dark Well acts as a stationary and unmovable sphere of annihilation, except anything destroyed is instantly forgotten by everything in the multiverse. However, the context surrounding the object or creature remains as well as any physical evidence of their existence. Memories are likely to fill in blanks with whatever seems most reasonable. For example, a creature dropping a stone into the Dark Well would not recall the specific stone ever existing but would recall going through the motions of dropping in a stone. If a lost object or creature had a particularly strong impact on a creature’s life, they may make a DC 20 Will save to immediately note the dissonance. A creature can attempt to willingly sacrifice an object or themselves to the Dark Well to purposefully alter memories. This requires a successful DC 20 Will save by the sacrificing creature. On a successful save, the creature may alter all memory of the object or themselves as the modify memory spell, except there is no save, no limit on the duration
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Aura strong necromancy; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 1/2 lb. DESCRIPTION Red Jack wields Death Bloom, a unique star ball. The polished banded onyx of the artifact was cherished and carried by Red Jack before he became a quiddity, and the same process that transformed Red Jack gave Death Bloom its power. Its surface crackles constantly with electricity. Death Bloom’s wielder can use vampiric touch as a ranged touch attack (1/minute, 30 ft.), quickened lightning bolt (3/day), and shocking grasp (at will). The bearer can penetrate damage reduction with any natural attacks as an epic weapon. In addition, Death Bloom can fly (as the spell) when released and commanded by its wielder. The creature speaking the command word can control its motions telepathically as a free action, and see or hear through it (as the clairaudience/clairvoyance spell) by concentrating. As a swift action, the wielder can teleport Death Bloom back on command. These effects function over any distance but not across planar boundaries. DESTRUCTION Death Bloom is destroyed if Red Jack is permanently slain.
The Faerie Ring
FORGOTTEN IDOL
GOLDEN GAG
The idol is unmoving and seemingly composed of solidified darkness. It seems familiar.
This silk and gold cloth has garishly colorful gemstones woven within the fabric.
FORGOTTEN IDOL (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
GOLDEN GAG (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
Aura strong divination; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 500 lb. DESCRIPTION The Forgotten Idol is a statue that currently resides within the Grand Matriarch of Zussael’s secret library. While the figure seems to absorb all light around it, observers see it as having the faint outline of the being they revere most (usually a god or goddess). The idol can grant the spoken desires of any creature touching it (as the wish spell). The statue functions for an individual creature once per day, but multiple creatures can use the artifact in a single day. The effect called upon is always followed by an equally unpleasant balancing effect within the bounds of the wish spell. This always personally affects the individual making the wish in some fashion, but the effect is not intentionally cruel and does not lessen the wish made in any way. The removal of injuries or reviving the dead might cause a loved one to suffer or bring a hated enemy back to life. Gaining an inherent bonus to an ability score might cause another ability score to drop by an equal amount. Travelers might magically reach a desired destination but then each be flung to the far corners of the planes after their purpose for travel concludes. The Forgotten Idol can even produce greater effects than those specifically defined by the wish spell without perverting intent or resulting in a partial fulfillment. However, the unpleasant balancing wish is even worse than normal, resulting in negative effects akin to divine intervention. DESTRUCTION The Forgotten Idol can be destroyed by simply using its ability to wish for its destruction. This additionally causes the destruction of the wishing creature’s most prized or cherished possession.
Aura strong abjuration; CL 20th Slot head; Weight — DESCRIPTION When tied snuggly around a creatures head, bands of light weave out to securely restrict the creature’s every motion. A creature can be bound with the Golden Gag when helpless or as part of a successful standard action spent to maintain a grapple. The target is tied up and the bindings strengthen according to the power of the entrapped creature, effectively having a DC to escape equal to 20 + the pinned creature’s CMB (making them impossible to escape from, even with a natural 20 on the check). While bound, the creature cannot speak, cast spells with verbal or material components, or use any spell-like abilities. The gag can only be used on a creature of Small-, Medium-, or Large-size. A creature bound by the Golden Gag can be easily and immediately freed by anyone else taking a standard action to untie the gag. A creature bound by the gag does not require food or drink and does not age. DESTRUCTION The Golden Gag can be destroyed by any creature that has been bound by it for at least a year and a day.
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HEARTREE
HOB’S GATE
The towering living artifact resembles a redwood in proportion, except it unnaturally sways and dances in unseen winds.
A giant obsidian ring lies embedded in the dirt. Moving toward its center, the surface shifts to and inky pool of liquid.
HEARTREE (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
HOB’S GATE (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
Aura strong divination; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 50,000 lb. DESCRIPTION The Heartree lies at the center of the Heartwood, connecting it to all of the Green Expanse. A creature touching the Heartree gains a sort of brief omniscience, experiencing a direct connection to every living plant and plant creature within the multiverse. However, this effect can be taxing on mortal minds. Using the Heartree is a standard action, and it functions as either a discern location or vision spell. When using the vision spell, the creature uses their Hit Dice as their caster level. Any time these abilities are used, the creature must succeed on a Will save (DC 20 + 5 per use beyond the first within 24 hours). On a failure, the creature takes 1d4 Wisdom and Charisma drain. Creatures with the fey or plant type gain a +5 bonus to their save. Alternatively, a creature capable of communicating with plants (such as through the speak with plants spell) can ask the Heartree for assistance and guidance. This functions as the divination spell with the Heartree offering the answer to one question per creature each day. At GM discretion, the Heartree may offer additional guidance or refrain from answering the questions of creatures in extraordinary circumstances. DESTRUCTION The Heartree is destroyed if Korapira is permanently slain or if the tree itself is killed. The tree can only be cut by weapons capable of piercing epic damage reduction (hardness 5 and 3,240 hp). It might also be potentially starved to death if kept apart from air, soil, water, or sunlight for a long enough duration.
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Aura strong conjuration; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 1,000 lb. DESCRIPTION This massive obsidian ring is etched with luminous glyphs and lies flush to the ground. The entire artifact acts as a massive puzzle box with mobile and movable interlocking pieces allowing the alteration of the glyph order. Understanding the symbols and moving them into the desired configuration requires successful DC 25 Linguistics, Knowledge (planes), and Disable Device skill checks. Succeeding on all three checks allows the creature to open a permanent gate (as the spell) to any desired location. Succeeding on all three checks by 5 or more additionally allows for the calling of a single creature or several creatures from the plane with a total of 40 Hit Dice or less (as the gate spell). Succeeding on all three checks by 10 or more grants control over the summoned creature or creatures. Failing any check causes the artifact to cease functioning, closing any active gate. Failing any check by 5 or more opens the gate to a random unintended plane. Failing any check by 10 or more additionally calls a hostile extraplanar creature or creatures from the random plane with a total of 40 Hit Dice or less. It is currently linked to the Sea of Rahab. DESTRUCTION Hob’s Gate is destroyed if Hob is permanently slain. It can also be destroyed if a creature purposefully succeeds on DC 40 Linguistics, Knowledge (planes), and Disable Device skill checks. This briefly opens the gate to a realm of perfect, annihilating void. Any creature within 30 ft. of the gate must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be sucked into the void and utterly destroyed. Only the direct intervention
The Faerie Ring of a deity can restore an annihilated character. After 1 round, the gate itself is sucked into the void and irrevocably destroyed.
HUNTER’S HORN This horn is carved from the hollow emerald spine of a green dragon capped with black iron. On its surface are crude moving pictographs of hunters eternally chasing great prey with massive dogs. HUNTER’S HORN (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong conjuration; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 15 lb. DESCRIPTION The Hunter’s Horn can be sounded to summon great magical hounds that attack the wielder’s enemies or obey their commands (as the summon nature’s ally I spell). Blowing upon the horn is a full-round action that requires a DC 20 Strength check. The horn may be sounded more than once in consecutive rounds to increase the number and power of the summoned hounds. Any summoned creatures arrive 1 round after the final successful Strength check is made. Creatures summoned by the Hunter’s Horn remain for 1 hour. The horn may not be used more than once per day, even by multiple creatures. A creature that fails any Strength check attempting to use the horn may never again use the artifact. Creatures summoned by the Hunter’s Horn always appear to be magical hounds of incredible size. However, use the following statistics for the creatures. With a single successful check, the wielder summons 2d4 dire wolves. With two successful consecutive checks, the wielder summons 2d6 dire wolves with the advanced creature and giant creature simple templates (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary for details). With three successful consecutive checks, the wielder summons 2d8 dire bears. With four successful consecutive checks, the wielder summons 2d10 dire bears with the advanced creature and giant creature simple templates. DESTRUCTION
The Hunter’s Horn is destroyed if the Wild Hunt is permanently slain or Annwn fades away.
MAB’S TOKENS A chain of malachite beads lay delicately on a stump, seemingly unattended. MAB’S TOKENS (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot varies (see below); Weight varies (see below) DESCRIPTION Mab is known for possessing diverse items, from carved green beads of malachite to canes shod with brass. In truth, these are all a single artifact whose shape alters to suit the power it commands. Mab’s Tokens can function as any witch’s familiar for the purposes of communing to prepare spells. A witch bearing the tokens while communing for the purpose of preparing spells can prepare any spell on the witch spell list, and a witch preparing spells with Mab’s Tokens does not require her familiar. Once per day when preparing spells, a witch bearing the artifact can choose for it to embody any hex (including any major or grand hex). The form of Mab’s Tokens alters to one fitting the hex selected and may even appear to be multiple objects, such as both a wand and blade. The artifact always takes consistent forms for the same hex. For example, it always becomes a crown of mithral with a single enormous black pearl if the nightmares hex is chosen. The bearer can then use the selected hex as a 20th-level witch for 24 hours or until the next time the tokens are used to prepare spells (whichever occurs first). The tokens maintain a consistent form until a new hex is selected in this manner. DESTRUCTION Mab’s Tokens are destroyed if Mab is permanently slain. The artifact can also be destroyed if a witch and her familiar willingly sacrifice the familiar’s life specifically for the purpose of ruining the artifact. The familiar cannot be resurrected by any means short of divine intervention.
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MURDER STONE
PELLOWEA’S GRIMOIRE
Once cherished by Red Jack, Tamamo now knows only torment.
The thin tome is bound with faded and cracked red leather. It is warm to the touch and carries the faint odor of brimstone.
MURDER STONE (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong necromancy; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 5,000 lb. DESCRIPTION The Murder Stone is what became of Red Jack’s wife—who he so loved and so hated. It brings death to all around it, but if a creature can survive it long enough, it might bring knowledge first. Roughly a cube of 3 ft. per side, this chunk of black rock vaguely resembles a cowering humanoid. The stone exudes a deathly miasma (as the solid fog spell). Any living creatures within the fog suffer from energy drain (3 levels, DC 25). The fog surrounds the stone to a radius of 120 ft. Even if the fog is dispersed, it continues to flow from the stone at a rate of 5 ft./ round to a radius of 120 ft. Anyone who touches the stone is immediately targeted by a finger of death spell effect (Fortitude DC 25 partial). On a successful save, the creature can ask the stone a question while still touching it, requiring a Will save (DC 30 + 1 for each such attempt made previously). Those who fail cannot attempt to ask the stone a question for one week. Those who succeed are guaranteed a true answer to whatever is asked, provided the answer is known by the dead. Once a creature gains an answer to an asked question, they may never again gain any knowledge from the stone. However, the miasma and finger of death still affect the creature normally. One asked question may be attempted per week. DESTRUCTION The Murder Stone is destroyed if Red Jack is permanently slain. The artifact can also be destroyed if Red Jack desires his wife to have her peace (as a free action).
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PELLOWEA’S GRIMOIRE (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 1 lb. DESCRIPTION Mab possesses her lost daughter’s spellbook. Her careful scrutiny of the near-infinite black pages penned in white ink reveal Pellowea’s descent into diabolism. Mab suspects the book holds some hidden secret but at least knows her daughter survives while the Grimoire remains. Pellowea’s Grimoire contains every spell on the sorcerer/wizard spell list, though it seems to only be a 1-inch thick, red leatherbound book. Anyone with the spellbook class feature can use the grimoire as a borrowed spellbook to prepare spells. The spellcaster does not need to know or decipher the spell and does not need to succeed on a Spellcraft check to prepare a spell from the grimoire. However, spells cannot be copied from the grimoire into another spellbook. At GM discretion, some new, rare, or novel spells may not be contained within the grimoire, but the spell can be added to it as a normal spellbook. Additionally, Pellowea’s Grimoire contains a library’s worth of secret material on the hells and devils. This includes dark rituals, true names, contracts, and blackmail-worthy secrets. A creature may use the grimoire to make an untrained Knowledge (planes) check dealing with the hell or devils as if they had access to an appropriate library. The grimoire adds a +5 bonus to any Knowledge (planes) skill check or a +10 bonus to Knowledge (planes) checks dealing specifically with the hells or devils. DESTRUCTION Pellowea’s Grimoire is destroyed if Pellowea is permanently slain. The artifact can also be destroyed
The Faerie Ring if a pit fiend holding the book uses its wish spelllike ability to wish for its destruction. A devil more powerful than a pit fiend (such as an infernal duke or archduke) can simply choose to destroy the grimoire with a touch.
SHARD OF THE FIRST OAK
The old gnarled branch seems to rot at the edges under a layer of amber. At its tip, there is a hint of new growth.
SHADOW SCEPTER
SHARD OF THE FIRST OAK (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
The beautiful bejeweled goblet looks like it might be worth the ransom of a thousand empires. SHADOW SCEPTER (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong illusion; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 5 lb. DESCRIPTION The Shadow Scepter appears to always be an object of inestimable value to viewers, though this specific appearance changes from person to person. However, to a wielder, it always seems like a plain rusty iron rod. The scepter was a punishing gift given to Jasmine by Queen Mab, laying bare to her the breadth of her deceptions. Jasmine hates the Shadow Scepter but cannot afford to relinquish it. Instead, she swallows it whenever she has no immediate need for its powers. The wielder of the Shadow Scepter can create glamers and figments of such convincing quality that they might as well be real. This functions as the mirage arcana or veil spells, except the duration is permanent and there is no saving throw allowed to disbelieve the effects. The illusions can still be pierced by magic or dispelled. If the effect is dispelled, it returns 1 round later as long as the Shadow Scepter remains within the 1 mile of the effect. The wielder of the Shadow Scepter can dismiss any illusion it has created as a free action. The wielder of the Shadow Scepter is immune to any spell or effect with the figment or glamer descriptor. DESTRUCTION The Shadow Scepter is destroyed if Queen Mab is permanently slain or if Jasmine manages to permanently free herself from Aralu.
Aura strong transmutation; CL 20th Slot —; Weight 1 lb. DESCRIPTION The tree bound to the dryad Adrestia carried deep primordial magic, but it was not immortal. It eventually died, and most of it rotted away to nothing. Nemesis took the last green branch after it fell, sealing it in sap that hardened to amber. Any living creature that carries the Shard of the First Oak for 24 hours gains a dryad’s racial spell-like and supernatural abilities (tree meld, tree dependent, and wild empathy) as long as they carry the artifact (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary). The shard is treated as the creature’s bonded tree for the purposes of the tree dependent weakness. Any number of creatures can be bound to the shard, but only one creature can gain its abilities at any one time. The creature’s dependence on the shard can be ended with a miracle or wish spell. If a dryad carries the Shard of the First Oak for 24 hours, it replaces her bonded tree for the purposes of the tree dependent weakness. While carrying the shard, the dryad’s natural abilities become far more potent. She can use all of her racial spell-like abilities at will. When using the tree stride spell-like ability, the dryad can travel any distance. When using the tree meld ability, the dryad can transform a tree she melds with into a treant (without the animate trees ability). The dryad does not take damage until the treant is destroyed, but any damage in excess of the treant’s hit points is dealt to the dryad. Once a dryad becomes bound to the Shard of the First Oak, she can no longer forge new bonds with trees. DESTRUCTION The Shard of the First Oak is destroyed if Nemesis’s memento mori is destroyed.
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SHINING CRYSTAL
SILVER KEY
The crystalline star cascades with color, breaking apart the moonlight in dancing patterns. It seems almost alive. Staring overlong at its alien geometries pulls at the edges of the mind, threatening it with insane insights.
There is a small, simple key on a long steel chain necklace. It shimmers oddly, as if the metal were constantly in motion. SILVER KEY (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
SHINING CRYSTAL (MAJOR ARTIFACT) Aura strong evocation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 5,000 lb. DESCRIPTION The Shining Crystal appears as a maddeningly complex crystalline structure that coruscates with lights and constantly shifts in seemingly physicsdefying dimensions. It hovers 1 mile above the valley of Shambhala. The artifact can be used as a terrifying weapon by any spellcaster with the understanding and will to command it. A spellcaster may stare at the Shining Crystal and attempt to control its magic by succeeding on a DC 30 concentration check as a full-round action. On a failure, the spellcaster is stricken permanently insane (as the insanity spell) with no save. On a successful check, the caster calls a blinding flash of lightning down upon any location within sight of the spellcaster and artifact (the bolt strikes the designated area on initiative 0). This deals 20d6 electricity damage and blinds creatures within a 30-ft. radius. A successful DC 25 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the blindness. If more than one spellcaster attempts to control the artifact in the same round, the caster with the highest concentration check result succeeds, and all others become permanently insane. The Shining Crystal is unmovable. Any creature within 30 ft. of it takes 5d6 electricity damage per round, any creature within 10 ft. takes 10d6 electricity damage per round, and any creature touching it takes 20d6 electricity damage per round. DESTRUCTION The Shining Crystal is destroyed if Hob is permanently slain or if each of the seven iridescent monoliths are destroyed.
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Aura strong conjuration; CL 20th Slot none; Weight — DESCRIPTION The Silver Key changes its shape from moment to moment, reforming itself to fit any lock. Jasmine found the Silver Key shortly after discovering Mab’s trickery bound her to Aralu. Careful scrutiny, research, and exploration leads her to believe the artifact was fashioned by the prison’s forgotten creator and set to fall into the hands of whomever holds the position of warden over the realm. The Silver Key can open or seal any touched door (within Aralu or otherwise) as either the arcane lock or knock spell. The bearer of the Silver Key is immune to the erratic time effects of Aralu, can see through any darkness in the realm as if it was normal illumination, and can escape as easily as anyone else enters. However, if the bearer is bound to the realm, they still suffer cumulative penalties as normal. Additionally, the bearer can grant any of these benefits to any visible creature for any set length of time or remove the benefits of this ability as a free action while the individual remains within Aralu. The Silver Key cannot be stolen or claimed, and Aralu itself seems to choose who best deserves the artifact. If lost, the Silver Key immediately returns to the creature chosen. DESTRUCTION The Silver Key is destroyed only if Aralu itself is destroyed, which occurs only when the realm contains no prisoners for 1 year.
The Faerie Ring
SOVEREIGN RINGS These matching rings shift from moment to moment in tandem, going from golden bands with ornate etchings to flawless gems in the blink of an eye. SOVEREIGN RINGS (MAJOR ARTIFACT)
Aura strong abjuration; CL 20th Slot ring; Weight — DESCRIPTION When Manitou and Queen Mab renounced all other lovers, Manitou created the Sovereign Rings as a show of his commitment. When the relationship faltered, Queen Mab gave back her symbolic band. Manitou has carried both with him ever since, hoping one day his lost love might wish her ring returned. Each wearer of one of a pair of Sovereign Rings can scry upon the other (as the greater scrying spell) as a standard action at will. Neither wearer is permitted a Will save to negate this effect. The wearers of each ring are always aware of the other’s general emotions and can concentrate to communicate telepathically over any distance or across planar boundaries. Wearers are always aware of the direction and distance to each other and any condit