Kobold Press turns 12 today! Celebrate with us, basking in the glow of the Midgard Worldbook release video:

Adventure In a Dark World of Deep Magic!

The Midgard Worldbook is here! It is an age of war. Civilization slowly gives way to encroaching wilderness, and once-mighty empires now lie beneath the waves. Only magic and the warmth of hope keeps lights aglow when dread things prowl, and priestly wardings are bent by demonic rage.

The omens are dire. The roads to the shadow realm are open again, and the fey have returned to claim their ancient tribute. In the north the giants prepare for Ragnarok, while the goblins in the west grow restless. In the Crossroads, the shadow of the vampire princes falls across the land. The World Serpent is stirring—and not even all-knowing Baba Yaga can say what will happen next.

Now more than ever, Midgard needs heroes to stand against the dark, driving it back with spell, steel, and cunning!The 460-page Midgard Worldbook includes:

• Detailed description of Midgard’s empires, cities, and kingdoms, with associated heraldry, rulers, and adventure hooks for each state, large or small
• Characters from Baba Yaga to the lords of the Dragon Empire, from the honest folk of Zobeck to various elven holdouts of Dornig and the vampire lords of Morgau
• Full lore on the pantheons of the Northlands, Crossroads, Elves, and others, including divine domain lists, rituals, divine demands, and the various masks and sacred texts—plus rituals and ambitions of the Dark Gods, for the GM’s eyes alone!
• Revised and expanded lore of the planes, history, calendars, and conflicts of the world
• Forbidden lore of blood magic, void magic, and various dooms and items not meant for players’ eyes!
• And much more!

Snag your own copy of the Midgard Worldbook today! And don’t forget the Midgard Heroes Handbook and Midgard DM Screen & Character Sheets (5E | Pathfinder).

Strange Doings in the Sultan’s Charnel House

Grimalkin is here!

Lo! The corpse of poor, departed Scholar Zubayr, washed up on the shores of the River of Sand, lies in the charnel house… destined to become dinner for a cult of cannibals. Though distasteful in the extreme, this isn’t your concern—except that Princess Karima Gamila, the most beautiful gnoll in Per-Bastet, has begged you to rescue her friend’s body and help discover his fate.

Still unmoved to action? Know then, adventurer, that the Scholar was hot on the trail of lost treasure! If you can claim his body from the cult and decipher the clues he left behind, long-buried riches and powerful magic might be yours.

But nothing is simple in this city of dark wonders: others converge on the charnel house in pursuit of wealth, vengeance, or both. Can you out-fight and outwit vile cultists, undead catfolk, a cunning werecrocodile gnoll, and the deadly secrets that lie buried beneath the River of Sand?

Grimalkin is an adventure for 3rd to 5th level characters and compatible with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Set in the city of Per-Bastet in the Southlands Campaign Setting, it is meant for play either as the thrilling sequel to Cat and Mouse, or as a standalone treasure hunt!

This is a Southlands adventure from that grim scribe himself, Richard Pett. Grimalkin is available now.

(A poster map of the city of Per-Bastet is also available via DriveThruCards.)

Art by Bryan Syme

We’ve previewed the new and expanded Pathfinder Roleplaying Game classes in the recently released hardcover edition of the New Paths Compendium.

And lastly— we have the battle scion!

Often referred to as arcane paladins, battle scions are highly trained, dedicated, and supremely disciplined warriors and spellcasters. Battle scions spend countless hours engaged in combat training. They are also tireless in their search for arcane knowledge that can enhance their battle prowess. Because of their determination to master both arms and the arcane, battle scions feel equally at home on the field of battle or in musty, long-forgotten libraries.

Battle scions are highly competent warriors, skilled in a wide variety of weapons and martial tactics. They also spend significant time on magical study and research in order to master a handful of spells and other arcane abilities that aid them both in and out of combat.

The expanded, hardcover edition of the New Paths Compendium presents 12 new and expanded Pathfinder Roleplaying Game classes from level 1 through 20—plus new feats, new spells, and new archetypes.

<<PREVIOUSLY

Bringing you a taste from the dark pages of Warlock…

The Mharoti Dragon Empire is the scourge of Midgard and the Southlands alike. The vast armies of the Dragon Empire march relentlessly across the known world in their endless wars of conquest, spreading fear and chaos wherever they go. The creatures that make up the Mharoti forces are powerful and frightful, ranging from deadly kobold ambushers mounted atop camouflaged drakes to elite companies of the finest dragonborn warriors Midgard has ever seen. Feared by the Mharoti and their enemies alike, these are the terrors of the Dragon Empire.

Mharoti Kobolds

Kobolds are the largest single racial group in the Mharoti army, and just as wild kobolds unquestioningly serve mighty dragons, so too do these civilized kobolds serve the mighty Dragon Empire. Most kobolds legionnaires are mere infantry, using kobold stats—with kobolds in especially well-supplied corps wearing scale armor (AC 16) and wielding spears (+4 to hit, Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage).

More specialized kobold regiments employ kobold scouts and kobold ambushers, both of which are trained to operate with a camouflage drake. Kobold scouts are trained in the art of moving unseen on drakeback over large stretches of land. When stealth fails, these scouts are adept at fighting on the run. Unlike typical kobold warriors, these scouts are trained to operate individually, or in very small groups. As such, they aren’t used to fighting in packs like other kobolds. Even without their drake mounts, most kobold scouts are blessed with the gift of flight, and can use their wings to travel great distances.

Kobold ambushers also employ stealth to deadly effect, preferring to lay in wait for hours or days at a time. Ambushers also typically operate in units of ten or more, using their numbers and their pack tactics to devastate their targets even after the initial ambush. While these advantages make them formidable combatants even without the element of surprise, these lightly armored kobolds rarely try to salvage a failed ambush, preferring to scatter in all directions and meet up and a predetermined rendezvous point.

Camouflage drakes are squat, sand-colored quadrupeds with tiny, vestigial wings incapable of lifting their muscular forms. Despite lacking the ability to fly, these drakes can change color to blend in with their environment, and can run as fast as a horse at its top speed. These bestial creatures lack the shrewd cunning of true dragons, but are still intelligent enough to work in perfect tandem with their kobold rider.

Kobold Scout

Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 22 (4d6 + 8)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +6
Skills Perception +8, Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the kobold scout can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Skirmishing. The kobold scout deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage whenever it hits a target with a weapon attack on its turn, and has moved at least 30 feet that turn. This includes movement made while mounted.

Stealthy Traveler. The kobold scout can move stealthily at a normal pace while traveling overland.

Actions

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/360 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Kobold Ambusher

Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 7 (3d6 – 3)
Speed 30 ft.

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Draconic
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Assassinate. During its first turn, the kobold ambusher has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the ambusher scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.

Camouflage. The kobold ambusher has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to avoid being seen on a turn in which it has not moved. If it does not move for at least 1 minute, it cannot be seen unless directly interacted with. This effect ends if the ambusher moves.  

Pack Tactics. The kobold ambusher has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the ambusher’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Sneak Attack. The kobold ambusher deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the spy that isn’t incapacitated and the ambusher doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Actions

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.

Read more on kobolds and other Mharoti terrors—and read other great articles—in Warlock, only on Patreon!

<<PREVIOUSLY

The Midgard digital map is here! (And there was so much rejoicing!)

This is an early beta of the digital map and combines Anna Meyer’s cartography with digital tools that already make it pretty amazing. You can quickly search for towns or categories (try typing “Ruins” into the filter), and it zooms rather nicely. And unlike the old Midgard Atlas on the iPad, we’re not dependent on any particular platform.

Best of all, we’ll continue adding features to the Midgard digital map over time with at least one additional feature rolling out in April and possibly some wild additional features hitting this summer. We’ll announce the upgrades here; thanks to all who made it possible!

It’s April! So here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month celebrates the upcoming Tomb of Mercy with art by Marcel Mercado.

This month, consider getting back into the important things in life—quality time in the dungeon!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please, click on the image you want to download to expand it into a downloadable image.

Give your Zobeck that special taste of a unique establishment…

Welcome to Zobeck! Everything you seek lies just around the next corner—even some excellent dwarven ale. The streets of Zobeck can be exhausting, hot, and crowded, especially after a long day of hard work, and between the Merchant District and Upper Zobeck, on your way to the Derry River, lies just such a place. This rough diamond is a marvel at any time of day. Here you can find fine ale, hearty food, and good cheer. At one time or another, everyone visits Tha’Ole Brewery. As you approach the door, it bursts open, nearly knocking you over. Stumbling out with a wide grin is an old, gray-bearded dwarf who nods and apologizes.

Outside Description: Set along the eastern side of the street, heading toward the Derry River, you find a wide, one-story, red-brick building with two stained-glass windows flanking a round, white oak door with a foaming mug painted on it. Peering through the few sections of clear glass on the windows, you can vaguely make out a crowded bar, folks dancing and enjoying themselves.

Inside Description: As the door swings open in your direction, the smells of fresh sweet bread and ale rush past you. The sounds of music, laughter, and chatter pour from inside. Crossing the threshold, you are filled with a sense of joy. As you scan the room, you see that everyone inside is in a great mood, and your spirits continue to rise as you make your way past the scattered tables and chairs. Scanning the room for the band, your eyes find a stage in the far right corner. However, there is no band, just an elderly man with a pointed hat and various instruments playing by themselves. At the opposite end of the building, you spot a bar with a stout, red-bearded dwarf tending. Directly behind him are large shelves of colored bottles as well as a battleaxe hanging on the wall. Underneath the axe is a wooden plaque with a metal plate and the words “Orc Breaker” engraved on it. Behind the counter and to the dwarf’s right, there is an open doorway leading to the kitchen: the smells of fresh breads and meat billow out, filling the tavern with a savory flavor. The ceiling’s rafters are cluttered with heads of different animals and weapons on display. As you look down at the floor, you notice the entire floor is a tiled map of Zobeck.

Owner: Boravar Klatorn is a male Southland Dwarf, slightly taller than average. He has bright red hair and a matching beard that is braided and has gold rings at the end. He wears a sleeveless leather tunic with dark brown pants and heavy leather boots. His arms are covered with runic style tattoos and battle scars. Boravar used to be a bodyguard for the King of Nuria Natal. Retiring from the service of the king and striking out on his own away from home and war, Boravar heard tales about the City of Intrigue and found his way here to work. His time in service has made him an honest, straight-talking individual. His social and friendly demeanor has created a wonderful environment allowing for a great profitable business.

Menu

Breakfast: Eggs, Sausage, Biscuits, and Morning Dew (breakfast ale)—5 silver pieces

Lunch: Roast Duck, Carrots, Potatoes, Biscuits, and Natal’s Flavor—5 silver pieces

Dinner: Beef or Ham, Carrots, Potatoes, Biscuits, and any ale—5 silver pieces

Ales

Morning Dew (wheat ale)—2 silver pieces, 6 silver per pitcher

Natal’s Flavor (wheat ale, a bit sweet)—2 silver pieces, 6 silver per pitcher

Evening’s Rest (pale ale)—2 silver pieces, 6 silver per pitcher

Drow’s Delight (dark ale)—3 silver pieces, 8 silver per pitcher

Sorrow’s Relief (whiskey)—4 silver pieces per shot, 1 gold per bottle

Burnt Whisker (golden liquor)—3 silver pierces per shot, 1 gold per bottle

Bottom of the Barrel (cheap whiskey)—5 copper pieces per shot, 1 silver per bottle

Kariv’s Inspiration (Strawberry liqueur)—1 silver per shot, 8 silver per bottle

<<PREVIOUSLY

Since the rise of the “young” races, the boundaries of Faerie have waned and receded farther into the shadows. Once great powers and influences have been diminished or forbidden or forgotten. As the ancient traditions faded and the Old World separated from the New, some were compelled to depart along with it, by necessity or by choice or by force. Whether exiled wanderers or founders of new kingdoms beyond the veil, the fairest of Otherworld came to be called the sidhe and are wardens of the secret places, the forgotten ways, and the faerie roads. You’ll often find them near barrows and sacred oaks, near moonlit monoliths and other remnants of the old ways.

Here, however, we deal only with the fragmented aristocracy of the lords and ladies of the Seelie Court.

Seelie Noble

These are the highborn sidhe, the trooping fairies of fable and rhyme. They are the grand fey, the “gentry” depicted in country tales and castle tapestries as parading in martial pageantry or other grandiose spectacle, passing through this world bound for others. These elegant and aristocratic fairies (and their entourages) are always radiantly attired, regally mounted, and royally attended. Marvelously prepared for whatever revelries or rivalries, intrigues or events, have drawn their attentions from the hidden realms and sequestered kingdoms of Faerie.

Twice each year, at the Ascendancies of Spring and of Summer, the noblest of nobility among these bright folk gather from realms beneath and above, near and away. Determining and affirming the hierarchies and monarchies and capricious courts, which will for a time (spring and summer), assert semblances of purpose, cohesion, and order over the otherwise erratic aristocracies and irregular agendas of the sidhe.

Viscount Thaevyn Embershade

The Jack of Thorns they “affectionately” call him. His sly wit and jest, his pranks and sarcasms, are well appreciated at many a court, said to rival the cleverest of the fools or jesters. Among the youngest and most rakish of the Seelie nobility, Lord Embershade is a loyal if unpredictable liegeman and newest vassal to his rippling majesty the River King Ulorian. Thaevyn serves as Viscount and Knight-Marshal of Mistveil from his hereditary home at Castle Heronspire. He serves as the Guardian of Murkmire, Warden of the Tanglemyst Groves, and Lord-Regent of the whole of the Fenmarch. A rustic, rain-mantled region of forested river valleys, upland moors, and vast, fog-shrouded marshlands.

Thaevyn Embershade

Medium fey (sidhe), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 138 (25d8 +25)
Speed 40 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +12, Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +10
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +9, Insight +7, Perception +7, Persuasion +9
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing that is nonmagical and not silver or cold iron
Senses darkvision 90 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Elvish, Primordial, Sylvan
Challenge 10 (5,000)

Fey Grace. Sidhe add their Charisma modifier to armor class, initiative checks, and Dexterity saving throws.

Magic Resistance. Thaevyn has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. He is immune to charm, paralysis, and magical sleep.

Soul of the Summer Lands (1/Long Rest). As a highborn sidhe, Viscount Thaevyn has the inherent ability (as the spell) to misty step, pass without trace (self only), and conjure woodland beings.

Spellcasting. Thaevyn Embershade is an 8th-level spellcaster who uses Charisma as his spellcasting ability (DC 17, +7 spell attack,) and knows the following bard spells:

• Cantrips: blade ward, true strike, vicious mockery
• 1st level (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, faerie fire, Tasha’s hideous laughter
• 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, heat metal, invisibility
• 3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, major image, tongues
• 4th level (2 slots): freedom of movement, polymorph

ACTIONS

Dancing Daggers (2/Rest). House patriarchs and matriarchs who trace their bloodlines to before the world was new often carry a hereditary pair of ceremonial scian-sithe—unique heirloom knives, representative of a noble house’s standing and aristocratic bloodlines. Once per turn as a bonus action, Thaevyn equips a scian-sithe, flipping it into the air to hover spinning. At the start of the next round, the scian-sithe behaves identically to a dancing sword. Up to two scian-sithe can be active at one time. If Thaevyn drops below 50% hit points or if a scian-sithe or he would receive 30 or more damage from a single attack, the scian-sithe drops to the ground inert. Otherwise, the effect lasts as long as concentration is maintained. Only two of these blades are ever owned by a household, each knife representing the founding matriarchal and patriarchal lineages. These blades’ magic will only function for descendants of their creator.

Scian-Sithe (Dancing Dagger +2): Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 8 (1d6 +5) piercing and succeed at a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw to avoid sleep (50%) or confusion (50%) as the spell.

Flicker and Fade (30 Feet/Day). As a standard action, a sidhe may “leap” between spaces as if by dimension door. This magical “flicker” must begin and end within 30 feet of some discernible light source. A sidhe can “jump” a total of 30 feet per day in 10-foot increments (that is, 3 x 10-foot leaps or 1 x 30-foot leap per day). Using this ability with a faerie mount brings the mount along as part of the movement.

Memory Bolt. When a creature within 30 feet is selected by Viscount Thaevyn that he can see and that can see his eyes, the noble can bombard the target’s mind with previously bartered memories and pirated dreams, causing 13 (3d8) psychic damage and the stunned condition. A successful DC 16 Intelligence saving throw halves the damage and negates the condition.

A Touch of Tir na nOg (1/Day). When a Seelie noble succeeds at a melee (touch) attack that is not impeded by metal armor, the target creature must succeed at a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be aged (50%) or made younger (50%) by a number of years equal to 4 (1d4 +1) minus the target’s Constitution modifier (minimum 1). A remove curse or similar magic will reverse the effect.

<<PREVIOUSLY

Her efforts drove the beasts back, and other armed warriors were able to pour out behind her, armed but none in armor. Seeing she was no longer alone, she pressed forward, a wedge of sharp steel falling in behind her. For a moment, it looked as though they would drive the creatures out altogether.

Two things happened at once. The first, a worg leapt atop a cart some ten yards distant. It wore arm rings on its forelimbs like the bangles on some Kariv dancer, each one taken from the corpse of a Northlander. It barked out a word, and a sickly green ray of light shot from its mouth, impacting the woman like a physical blow, and she staggered. Encouraged by this, the wolves surged forward.

Just then, the newly returned jarl and his huskarls, standing at the back of the crowd in the doorway, raised their blades and shields and began hacking into the unsuspecting people in front of them.

 The melee descended into mere butchery. The warrior who’d made such a valiant show lost her shield to the snarling, snapping jaws pressing in, and a moment later I saw her drop to her knees, leaning against the longhouse wall, bleeding from many wounds. As the last warrior fell, the jarl drew the attention of the wolves with a word, and pointed toward the open longhouse door. A pair of worgs tarried, preferring to menace the fallen shield maiden. They froze in their tracks, however, when that coughing voice spoke again, this time from just around the corner of the longhouse.

“I’ll have that one,” it said, and the worgs snarled but turned toward the open longhouse and loped away.

She lurched out from the shadows, all ink-black fur and muscle, walking on all fours, much like a wolf in form but big as a horse. Her forelimbs ended not in paws, but hands like a human, with long black talons.  

She loomed over the fallen warrior. Her jaws snapped open, but then the lower jaw stretched wider and wider, and the sound of grinding bone filled the air. Her gaping maw descended over the woman’s entire frame.

The warrior didn’t move or make any sound, but she seemed to shrink somehow as the jaws took her in completely and the creature snapped its head back, swallowing the woman whole. I remember its throat working the mass of her down in gulps, and the woman’s feet kicking as they slid down its gullet.

His voice shrank to a whisper and trailed off as he stared down at the table. Then he started forward, picked up his mug and drained it in one go before rapping it loudly on the table for more. We sat in silence until the tavern keeper refilled his mug. A few of the patrons glanced over in concern at the noise but quickly looked away. With his noseless face, he wasn’t all that easy to look at in the first place.

I watched all of this from atop the wooden wall. I’d been there in case Ox-Bjorn ran into trouble at the main gate. Right then, I should’ve felt compelled to join my brothers in the longhouse, seeing to the remaining survivors, but when she looked up at me on the wall, I realized she had no hold over me. I knew she was speaking to me without words, but I couldn’t hear it in my head. She must’ve known it, too, but she made no move in response. In that moment, fear took over. I didn’t know what to think, of myself or what I should do, but without a thought I slipped over the wall and ran into the woods, and I kept running. I ran until I could not breathe. After a while, I realized I wasn’t being hunted, at least not yet. The nearest farmstead was a day away on foot in summer, but I did what I could to misdirect any pursuit and made for a larger settlement. It was a good plan if it weren’t for the weather blowing in by morning. That’s how I lost my nose and the rest.

He fidgeted with his bandage for a moment, noticed his mug was empty, but simply sat it back down this time.

For a time, I would hear of settlements disappearing, and a few of them were places I’d traveled through. Whether or not she was playing some sort of game with me, I don’t know, but I made for the sea in a bid to put a stop to it, just in case, eventually settling here. Huldramose has its ways of protecting itself, and that’s why I’ve stayed. I don’t know how long I’ll live. I’ve learned that the sort of magic which can regrow limbs and such doesn’t work on me, leaving me with this pretty face, but I don’t know in what other ways I differ from a true man. The fey creatures in the forests here tolerate me well enough, and I’ve grown to prefer their company to that of the city dwellers.

If you’re looking for advice on how to head off an attack by one such as my mother, the best thing I can tell you is to start by looking at those closest to you. If they change in some way, take note of it, and don’t turn your back to them. That’s not much comfort, but neither are fangs at your throat.

 DETECT INFLUENCE

1st-level divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

For the duration, you know if there is a beast under unnatural, magical influence within 30 feet of you as well as where the creature is located.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.

<<PREVIOUSLY

Dear Master,

This is Ivlysse.

A thousand and one apologies for this woeful invasion of privacy. Ivlysse wishes his master to know the many clever defenses and ruses surrounding his most unhallowed thoughts, displaying despicable creativity and humorous irony.

Master has truly outdone himself!

It is doubtless only his master’s mighty influence that allowed humble Ivlysse to bypass them all unscathed. Surely, were Ivlysse a common imp, he would have been annihilated ten… nay, a hundred times over.

Ivlysse gives his word, as a devil, he did not gaze upon the tempting wisdom set down within these accursed pages. Though, to be fair, Ivlysse does imagine there is little here he has not heard directly from his most verbose master’s lips with his terribly unworthy ears.

Master does so love his rants!

Ivlysse did not gain access to these memoirs in order to betray his master’s hard-earned trust. Instead, he merely wished to add his own miserably pathetic words of encouragement to this precious tome.

Ivlysse hopes beyond hope future-master wishes to return to a more… appropriate calling for a fell abomination capable of shaking the very foundations of reality. Not for Ivlysse, no… only ever for master’s own good. Ivlysse would gladly serve his master for countless eons… cataloguing and stocking inventory. Ivlysse finds his master’s willingness to mark up prices before offering a sale quite dastardly. It is just… this mercantile profession cannot give master the same… satisfaction… as cackling while wingless angels scream their throats raw and plunge as one from heaven’s blackened sky.

Ivlysse worries about his master and wants him to be happy.

Ivlysse’s faith is complete and unshakeable. Master has earned a few centuries’ vacation from the stressful work of condemning all that is good and pure to an endless, hopeless void. Foolish, selfish Ivlysse should have pushed master to take some time off millennia ago. It was… just all so wonderful… hovering by master’s side as towers of poisonous sinew arose to overshadow once mighty empires. Blinded, Ivlysse was, by his love of master’s actions. In so doing, he failed in his master’s service.

Never again can Ivlysse neglect his duties so.

While master sees to the grand interweaving of subtle machinations and awe-inspiring magics, he can count on Ivlysse seeing to him! Ivlysse refuses to once more watch the loss of a hellfire-hot passion that unbound a thousand black seals and gave pantheons pause. Ivlysse promises to work tirelessly for ten thousand years to stoke embers to flames once more if needed.

Perhaps we can start small? We could curse a kingdom with their heart’s desires or raise a religion’s saints from the dead with broken, empty souls. You know… really stretch out the old evil muscles (metaphorical muscles in master’s case of course) while we work our way up to the big stuff again?

One last thing…

Someone (definitely not Ivlysse) may have made magical copies of this diary and accidentally dropped them in a few hundred random dimensions. Oh! What fun we’ll have with all the murdering!

Love,
Ivlysse

<<PREVIOUSLY

Welcome, friend, to the world of Midgard. Maybe you’re brand new to this world. Or maybe you’ve been around since the beginning. Either way, sit—all are welcome! Please, sit and listen to the tales. You see, the world has been changing. It’s a living, evolving realm where things happen after all. So why shouldn’t it have a life all it’s own? Where to start…

THE WORLD MADE NEW

[From the Midgard Worldbook…]

The age of heroes is dead, and the bridge to glory is broken—Bifrost fell long ago. The world is lost in an age of war, of dark wilderness and lost empires sunk beneath the waves. Only magic and the warmth of hope keep lights aglow when dread things prowl and the priestly wardings shake, bent by hideous otherworldly rage. In this dark time, heroes must arise to claim the crowns of Midgard and restore the jewels to her scattered thrones. New heroes must lead a return to glory!

Seven Secrets of Midgard

At first glance the Midgard campaign setting might seem familiar, flavored with a strong dose of European and Middle Eastern mythos, a medieval level of technology, and races taken directly from the greatest fantasy traditions. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find some surprising twists that take Midgard from standard fantasy to exceptional vision. These seven foundational mysteries provide a quick summary for the game master (GM) who wants to plan out a short campaign or a long arc.

1. A Flat World

The flat world of Midgard floats in a vast space of living stars. The heavens are accessible to great heroes who dare to visit them, by climbing a tower into the heavens or sailing to enormous heights on Void dragon wings. A great serpent surrounds the world, or so claim those few travelers who have been to the edge of the world. What lives underneath? No one knows for sure. Midgard is not a modern world dressed up in a few medieval bits of armor and weaponry. Midgard makes the mythic real, with a world to explore from edge to edge.

2. Elemental Dragon Lords

The dragons of Midgard correlate to the elements rather than to colors and metals (though all the traditional dragons are present). They obey an urge to power and rulership, and they exercise that rule through an entire empire that carries their name. All dragons seek to rule their provinces and to carve out power, the better to amass treasures. As their willing servants, dragonborn, kobolds, and drakes are rewarded with lands and wealth of their own. The dragons of Midgard have no interest in sitting in a lonely cave, counting coins. Their greed makes them ambitious, and that ambition makes them extremely dangerous. They do not wait survey the land, knowing it is all theirs for the taking if their claws are strong enough to hold it.

3. Gods That Dabble and Plot

The Midgard pantheon has needs, and the urge to meddle. The gods dispense spells and miracles to their faithful, but they make clear demands of their worshippers and priesthoods. The gods also argue, sire children to rule kingdoms, and foment wars and feuds. Divine murder and enslavement are possible, and this is part of the reason why the gods of Midgard wear masks (see chapter 12). Their hatreds and rivalries spill out from the heavens and into the mortal streets and kingdoms. Every deity has distinct goals and desires, and they specify what they expect of their followers.

4. Hidden Races

The Midgard campaign features the traditional humans, elves, and dwarves as well as new races, including the ravenfolk, minotaurs, kobolds, dragonborn, and trollkin. These races had a place in the world from the start, their ambitions leading to the founding of unique kingdoms. Concealed races still hide in the corners of the world to surprise players, such as the intelligent, ghoulish darakhul, the feral catfolk of the Southlands, and the mysterious winterfolk. Humans are the most numerous people and their kingdoms are grand, but Midgard offers many flavors of nations and a wide range of heroes and villains.

5. Ley Lines and Shadow Roads

The land is alive with ley line magic, and some know how to harness that power for spellcasting and magical travel. The elves used the magic of ley lines (see “Ley Lines” on page 38) to create and sustain the shadow roads (also called the fey roads), making it possible to connect a far-flung empire. When the elves retreated from the world, their roads remained, and humans and the shadow fey learned to tap into the ley lines that sustain this magic. Player characters and villains alike can use these wellsprings of power, which flow invisibly everywhere— though the most powerful ley line conjunctions are warded or guarded, used as the foundation of great fortresses or thriving cities. In Midgard, you can increase the level of magical power to unheard-of levels, without destroying the reality of the setting outside those ley line conjunctions.

6. Shifting Borders and Falling Kingdoms

Midgard is a world of cultures designed to change, collapse, and grow over time—and in this new edition of the setting, some of those changes have come to pass. Borders have shifted, crowns have been seized or restored, and cities have been plundered or rescued from ruin. Midgard is a setting intended to change after every adventure; the work of the heroes in Midgard challenges the existing order, gives rise to great new lords and ladies, or sees the failure of hope and the death of kings. The results of some of the last five years of play and development have been integrated into the world, both in Zobeck and farther afield. There’s no point to playing a game where nothing changes but the statistics on a player’s sheet. As GM, you can and should take advantage of the inherently unbalanced politics or dangerous triggers built into the setting. Those ancient curses and festering revolts are there for your campaign. Find out whether your players have what it takes to change things—for better or worse!

7. Time Flies, and Status Matters

Two optional rules make Midgard special. The Status rule (see “Optional Rule: Status” on page 25) gives player characters a type of advancement linked not to level, but to their prestige and renown. The social status of PCs makes a difference in who they can visit and how they are treated— not that important in most dungeons, but possibly vital in the Court of the Imperatrix of Dornig, or when trying to counter a Dragon Empire ambassador’s plots. Similarly, the Time Flies optional rule advances campaigns quickly, so that months and years can fly by, and events of a campaign roll out at a less hurried pace. Generations can rise and fall, and adventurers can see their careers as a long arc rather than a brief set of fireworks.

STORIES OF THE GREAT RACES

With those points in mind, let us draw back the curtain on the world and its people. It is a place of great danger and a few flickering lights, holding out against a tide of darkness that threatens to engulf all lands in a new age of horrors and barbarism. Midgard is a place in need of help, where a few stout hearts can turn the tide, or a few bad decisions can plunge a kingdom or an empire into bloody ruin. Let’s start at the beginning with the creation of the world, as told by several of its great races, the dragons, giants, dwarves, elves, and humans. All races agree the world is flat, with a single sun, one major moon, and six planets. Beyond these facts, the details of Midgard’s origins are shrouded in mystery. Almost all the gods and giants and other powers claim to have created the world. Some of them must be lying, and likely all of them are. The most common tale is that of the Northlanders who say that in the beginning, before Midgard was created, there was only the endless Void called Ginnungagap. At one extremity of this vast abyss was biting cold; at the other, raging fire. How did the Void become the world? That is a matter of theology, arcane ponderings, and bardic mysteries.

Out of the Void Came Dragons

The dragons claim that they are all directly descended from the stars, and that their wings once brought them (and their favored servants) through the endless darkness to stony realms of iron, gold, and ice. Though their song, the endless toil of blood mages, and the carvings of the earth dragons, in time the followers of Khespotan bound together enough mountains to create a small world, which was ruled by Veles, the Father of the Void, and his servants, the true dragons. Over time, the other races have forgotten that the world is the work of Veles and Khespotan, of iron and blood merged with fire, air, and water, and that the world of Midgard was always meant as a realm for dragons to nest, to secure their hoards, and to rule the lesser races. But as any fool—scaly or not—can see, all gold and all jewels and all wealth rightfully belong to the dragons and their kin, for they pulled it from the Void and bound it into the world. And yet the dragons also claim the world ends every so often, in fire and ruin, and is reborn stronger and scalier. When the time approaches, the dragon prows on longships will come alive and speak praise of Veles. The statues of Khespotan will stir and pronounce the final prophecies, and everywhere true dragons will let ring the call to rise and serve! Exactly how the world is reborn after such destruction is in dispute, but all the many dragonkin are sure the renewal turns to their favor. An end time is always near, and a rebirth likewise just over the next rise, for the world was made by, for, and under the claws of dragons, and all other races are pale imitations of the true folk…

___

But this is where we must stop for now, my friend. My mind, it wanders so at times. Do come see me again, though, for more of the wonders and surprises of Midgard.

You can continue on this adventure in the Midgard Worldbook and Midgard Heroes Handbook.

The rhymester banshee is a stark reminder that, should the gods see fit to bless you with talents and abilities greater than those around you, it would be wise to develop and use those gifts to accomplish great things—and even elven beauty can be a curse to those that squander it. The blessings of the muses must also be appreciated and shared.

Before their transformation into undead creatures, rhymester banshees were bards of great talent and even greater sloth. Torpidity, greed, and indulgence were the hallmarks of their small lives. These bards were content with petty crimes, small lives, and with amusing themselves with as little effort as possible. Due to their bardic talents and training, these banshees are more powerful than their fair cousins by far. Luckily, the small-mindedness that defined them in life continues to rule their undead existence. The rhymester is typically satisfied to continue the schemes and delinquencies it carried out before its demise.  

Rhymester Banshee

Medium undead, CE
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 81 (18d8)
Speed 40 ft. (fly, hover)

Saving Throws Wis +2, Cha +7
Skills Performance +9, Deception +9, Perception +6, Intimidation +9, Persuasion +9
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder, bludgeoning/piercing/slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, and restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 14
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge Rating 7 (2,900 XP)

Detect Life. The banshee can magically sense the presence of creatures up to 5 miles away that aren’t undead or constructs. It knows the general direction they’re in but not their exact locations.

Incorporeal Movement. The banshee can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Spell Casting. The rhymester banshee is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit). It has the following spells prepared:

Actions

Multiattack. The rhymester banshee can make 2 attacks or 1 spell attack.

Corrupting Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) necrotic damage.

Horrifying Visage. Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of the banshee and can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns with disadvantage if the banshee is within line of sight, ending the effect on them on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the banshee’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours.

Song of Eternal Rest (1/Day). The rhymester banshee’s song sends creatures into a magical slumber. Roll 9d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within 20 feet of a point chosen within a 60-foot range are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures). Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell falls unconscious until the spell ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Subtract each creature’s hit points from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A creature’s hit points must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren’t affected by this spell.

Wail (1/Day). The rhymester banshee releases a mournful wail, provided that it isn’t in sunlight. This wail has no effect on constructs or undead. All other creatures within 60 feet and able to hear it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature drops to 0 hit points. On a success, a creature takes 17 (5d6) psychic damage.

<<PREVIOUSLY

Hoping to avoid Countess Farsight’s rage for having killed a duke during a party in her estate, the adventurers made their way north. Looking out across an icy, wind-swept tundra, the adventurers trudged wearily toward a solitary fortress on the horizon. The adventurers wondered about what kind of life would await them in this new land.

Welcome to the table! This week, having finished their work in Lurem’s Hold, the adventurers found their way to the Northlands and discovered a brand new culture. In addition to learning about fascinating customs, the players faced a new obstacle—the Northlands didn’t use gold as a currency. Today let’s talk about non-traditional currency and its effect on the game.

What are some examples of non-traditional currency? How can a GM implement this into their game? What are the benefits and limitations of using this device?

Val’s stomach grumbled as he stepped into the snowy bazaar. Stepping up to the nearest stall, Val asked for a bowl of savory stew and some bread, pulling out a few silver. The merchant laughed, waving him away, “Sorry, but coin won’t do here.” Confused and his stomach growling in frustration, Val waited until the merchant turned to a different patron before slipping a loaf of bread deftly into his loose clothes.

Non-traditional forms of currency are any form of resource exchange (buying, trading, selling items or other goods) without the use of the primary currency of your game. In the Northlands, the characters discovered that gold has little use and instead heroic deeds and honor govern economics. Other examples may include magical elves or gnomes who only seek to trade in magical essence, or—in the depths of hell—demons may only trade for years of one’s life. These currencies help present obstacles or narrative moments for the game, and often they can create amazing roleplaying opportunities.

Strass stood with his mouth ajar, the multitude of strange and unique animals enticing him. A small weasel, its fur entirely silver, lay curled in a cage, staring up at him with amber-gold eyes. As his hands involuntarily moved toward the cage, the merchant called to him, asking what deeds he had completed or who, from the Northlands, would speak for him.

Non-traditional forms of currency can create an opportunity for players to experience a challenging or exciting form of trade. While in the Northlands, Strass wanted to acquire a new animal companion. But there, characters need to complete deeds or have Northlander allies to speak on their behalf. Without these, Val couldn’t acquire food, and Strass would never receive a pet weasel. When the merchant addressed Strass, I was sure to emphasize that gold would not be accepted and that a different form of currency was needed. If players appear confused or if the game begins to slow due to the new obstacle, I recommend allowing players to have opportunities to learn more about the system, so they can clearly understand what is being asked of them.

Because of this obstacle, the players needed to start thinking beyond the gold in their pockets; they had to instead focus on the deeds they’ve done and the allies they’ve made. Additionally, by adding the element that allies are also responsible for the actions of the players, the stakes are raised. If Strass lumps Val and his friends under a Northlander ally, Val’s act of thievery becomes more impactful. I watched as Val cringed at Strass’ next words.

 After a long time, Strass stated that the great General Suchin of the Northlander Monks would vouch for him and his allies and that any act they do, General Suchin would approve of and be responsible for. The merchant nodded at that, handing over the weasel. Meanwhile, Val looked on worriedly, the stolen bread inside his sleeve seeming to become heavier.

Non-traditional currency can appear in many forms. In the Northlands, the use of an honor/deeds-based currency requires the players to consider whether they are honorable while completing certain tasks. When creating a form of currency or barter system, I recommend focusing on how this system can help enhance the narrative or create unique opportunities for the players. If the party is comprised of all magic users, creating a magic-based currency may prove a challenge or the party may easily overcome the obstacle. When using this device in your game, start small, using an NPC or group of NPCs before making a whole region or entire economic system. There have been a number of times when I thought something would work well, only to have it fail spectacularly.

By incorporating a currency that is both foreign and presents a challenge to the players, I noticed that the players quickly began to think differently at the table. They started asking for favors when accepting quests and weighed options for how to best deal with a situation in an honorable way. Introducing non-traditional currency can help revitalize a game or present new, exciting obstacles for the players to overcome.

Tyrash and Azreal met with Strass and Val at the edge of the bazaar. After an hour of shopping, they had only managed to gather a bit of food and the name of a local inn that caters to foreign travelers. Turning to leave the bazaar, Val swore he could hear a vendor complaining of a missing loaf. A feeling of dread welled up inside the bread thief as possible consequences for his actions raced through his mind.

Let’s sum up:

• Using a form of currency beyond the one most commonly found within the game can create an exciting new challenge for the players to overcome.
• Think outside the box when creating a currency—sometimes songs, personal memories, or the exchange of riddles could make for a great experience at the table.
• Test an idea before incorporating it fully into your game. Players will quickly notice when something doesn’t feel right, and backtracking can take a lot of time.

See you at the table!

<<PREVIOUSLY

Welcome, friend, to the world of Midgard. Maybe you’re brand new to this world. Or maybe you’ve been around since the beginning. Either way, stay—all are welcome! Please, sit and listen to the tales. You see, the world has been changing, and oh, the sights to see. It’s a living, evolving realm where things happen after all. So why shouldn’t it have a life all it’s own? Where to start…

BEARFOLK

[From the Midgard Heroes Handbook…]

Bearfolk are massive people of iron resolve and deep nobility, resembling bears that walk upright rather than all fours. Hailing from either the cold climates of Midgard’s Northlands or from a nation of light carved out of the Shadow Realm itself, bearfolk put their trust in family and tribe to stand against the world. In defiance of their brutish appearance, they are deeply spiritual and artistic.

Fearsome and Strong

Bearfolk are broad-shouldered, bipedal humanoids. Although they strongly resemble upright bears, they have longer legs than any bear and their massive hands are more like a human’s hand than a bear’s paw. They lack the bear’s sharp claws, but they’re as dextrous as any human craftsman’s. Their muscles develop early in life, and most bearfolk look it. Their physiques tend toward great bulk beneath shaggy fur. Even the slenderest bearfolk are quite strong. Bearfolk are over 7 feet tall when they stand at their full height, but they often appear shorter because of a natural forward roll to their shoulders. They weigh between 250 and 350 pounds.

They’re covered in shaggy fur that can have a range of colors. The most common colors are black and brown, often with a lighter frosting or tip on the chest, shoulders, and upper back. Coppery red, honey-colored, and even pure white fur occur rarely. The color gives a clue to the particular bearfolk’s heritage, but it’s not an exact indicator. As they age, bearfolk tend to go silvery around the muzzle, giving them a distinguished look.

Tribe and Family

The core of bearfolk society is the immediate family. Parents care for their cubs until the young reach the age of 5 or 6 years, when a precocious shift takes over. Although they aren’t yet fully grown, the cubs are drawn by a powerful urge to explore. They begin spending time away from their family, treating their entire village (or smaller neighborhood in a larger settlement) as a sort of extended family. This can be surprising or even annoying for nonbearfolk neighbors, who might discover a bearfolk child rooting through their pantry for a snack, inviting itself to dinner, or even adopting them as its new family temporarily. This isn’t necessarily as inconvenient as it sounds, since young bearfolk are also more enthusiastic learners and harder workers around the house than most other children their age.

Beyond immediate family, the tribe forms the majority of bearfolk culture. Once bearfolk cubs start venturing beyond their own homes, families intertwine. Each cares for the cubs that happen by that day, welcoming the wayward children to meal tables as their own. There’s no choice but to know one’s neighbors in a bearfolk tribe, and that brings them all closer together. Trade apprenticeships and budding talents are identified early thanks to this intermingling, and it helps find a suitable niche for a young bearfolk’s path in life.

Elders are highly respected for their experience and greater perspective, but practicality carries weight as well. Being old doesn’t afford one unlimited leeway if one makes questionable decisions or has a reputation for foolishness. Building on this respect, bearfolk venerate their ancestors at a nearly demigod level and believe the spirits of their ancestors guide them. The tribe also holds druids and clerics (particularly those that serve nature deities) in high respect and looks to them for guidance.

Home and Honor

When establishing homes, bearfolk gravitate toward striking a balance with nature and their impact on it. Even the most urban-minded of them prefer parks and greenery, and take pains not to disrupt the surrounding countryside any more than necessary. Where possible, they love to incorporate existing caves and rock formations into their architecture. Settlements always hold a totem, statue, or some other representation honoring an ancestor of virtue at their center.

The bearfolk place a high value on honesty, trust, hard work, and community. These are the virtues that bring a bearfolk honor, and the same attributes make an outsider welcome. Laws governing bearfolk life are simple and loose. They trust in their core values to guide them wisely when disputes arise. In the rare instance when a disagreement can’t be settled according to custom, honor, and common sense, the elders become involved. Defying the judgment of elders for personal gain is a source of great shame that can ruin a bearfolk in the eyes of his or her tribe and family.

Passion and Wrath

Their intimidating mien is no veneer. Bearfolk have a deep and impressive capacity for violence when roused to anger or in defense of their own. Bearfolk passions run as strong as their bodies, and banter that pushes the boundary into insults and bruised honor often leads to more bruises. Their great physical strength means they excel at battle, and even relatively minor physical altercations can inadvertently become serious. Many bearfolk wear scars from physical contests, both simple competition and more serious matters of wounded honor, that went a little too far.

Thanks to their physical prowess, many bearfolk follow the path of the warrior. Barbarians and fighters are common, with rangers and druids following closely.

When bearfolk go to war, they do so with the clear goal of protecting their people in the moment and in the future. If that means the destruction of a foe, then so be it. They are adept at weaving their talents together in the same manner they blend families into tribes. Spellcasters favor turning the natural world against their foes with conjured beasts and manipulating battlefield conditions through weather, controlling plants, and even shaping the earth itself.

Bearfolk Names

Bearfolk are given cub names by their parents, similar to names found throughout the Northlands. When a bearfolk comes of age, they earn a new name, either bestowed upon them by an elder or one they choose themselves. This name befits a deed undertaken during their rite of passage into adulthood, describes some honorable or prominent trait of the bearfolk in question, or honors an ancestor.

Male Names: Beorst, Cauldvyr, Cirdhan, Dorngal, Erlundt, Gurralt, Hrosvir, Lhod, Nodhr, Yrn

Female Names: Anga, Burli, Daegna, Durtta, Farla, Ingyrd, Johanna, Padhra, Sivaer, Tuli

Deed Names: Fireheart, Ironhide, Lightblade, Moondancer, Razorclaws, Shadowbane, Stonebones, Valgerdsdottir, Yellowfang, Yrnsson

Bearfolk Traits

Your bearfolk character has certain characteristics in common with all other bearfolk.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Bearfolk come of age in their late teens and live around 80 years.

Alignment. Bearfolk are predominantly good, mistrusting and shunning evil. While they hold rich traditions, they value their freedom and tend toward chaotic alignments.

Size. Bearfolk can reach a height of over 7 feet, with thick, muscular builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Bite. Your powerful jaws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If it hits, you deal 1d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage.

Natural Armor. Your hide is thick and tough, granting you a natural AC of 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Ursine Talent. You have proficiency in the Athletics and Perception skills.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and either Northern (if you hail from Midgard) or Umbral (if native to the Moonlit Glades).

Subrace. Two main subraces of bearfolk exist in Midgard: grizzlehides and purifiers. Choose one of them.

Grizzlehide

As a grizzlehide bearfolk, you are thicker and hardier than your cousins. Grizzlehide fur ranges from black to golden, often with light gray or blonde tips. Tough and ferocious grizzlehides are the original bearfolk stock native to the colder northern climes of Midgard…

___

But this is where we must stop for now, my friend. My mind, it wanders so at times. Do come see me again, though, for more of the wonders and surprises of Midgard.

You can continue on this adventure in the Midgard Worldbook and Midgard Heroes Handbook.

<<PREVIOUSLY

Unable and uninterested in controlling his baser urges since his transformation, Ga’rok has betrayed his employees often enough that no one trusts him anymore. What were once just rumors that enhanced his reputation as a dangerous warrior are now taken at face value as a warning to stay away.

Ga’rok has never been particularly well-liked, but there was a grudging respect for his prowess and ability to get most of his clients to their destination. In the last few months, something has changed. One too many times, Ga’rok has been the only survivor of a caravan run, and rumors of betrayal have been added to the previous concerns of cannibalism.

What really happened is that Ga’rok had an unexpected run-in with a werewolf. He survived the encounter, just barely, but he contracted lycanthropy in the process.

The Chosen of Laughing Nkishi

After several days of travel in the Wastes, the wind carried the smell of fresh meat. It had been weeks since Ga’rok’s last real meal. His stomach lurched. There was another scent: a wolf probably, mixed with the deer. Ga’rok thought for a moment that something was off, but he couldn’t place it and dismissed it swiftly.

The deer carcass wasn’t too far away, and within moments, Ga’rok had come upon it. The only obstacle to his dinner was a single predator, a wolf. Ga’rok was downwind, and the wolf did not seem to notice him. Ga’rok moved in for the easy kill, thinking that he’d have both wolf meat and venison this evening.

Overconfident, Ga’rok lunged at the wolf, planning to slake his blood-thirst by ripping the throat from the other carnivore with his jaws. He struck true, but the wound healed as soon as it had been made. What had seemed an easy meal only a few moments ago became a struggle for survival between the beasts.

After the initial shock, Ga’rok’s rage and experience eventually turned the tide, but not before suffering grievous wounds himself. He lay, exhausted and bleeding on the ground after the battle. The next morning, he awoke, fully healed and seemingly stronger than ever before. In Ga’rok’s eyes, his condition is a blessing from Laughing Nkishi. A blessing to revel in, to celebrate and to share.

Ga’rok Tok, Warlord of the Wastes

Medium humanoid (gnoll, shapechanger), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (unarmored defense)
Hit Points 112 (11d12 + 40
Speed 40 ft., 50 ft. in wolf form

Saving Throws Con +9, Str +8

Skills Athletics +8, Nature +3, Perception +3, Survival +3
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (while raging)
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing weapons that are not silver
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common, gnoll
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Keen Hearing and Smell. Ga’rok has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.

Rage (4/Day). Ga’rok can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, he has the following benefits: resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, +3 damage to all melee weapon attacks, and advantage on all Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Rampage. When Ga’rok reduces an creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on his turn, he can take a bonus action to move up to half his speed and make a bite attack.

Shapechanger. Ga’rok can use his action to polymorph into a wolf-humanoid hybrid or a wolf or back to his true form, which is humanoid. His statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. He reverts to its true form if he dies.

Actions

Multiattack (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Ga’rok makes two attacks: one with his bite and one with his claws or spear.

Bite (Any Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy.

Claws (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.

Vicious Greataxe (Humanoid or Hybrid Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage or Hit: 11 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands. When this weapon hits with a natural 20, the weapon deals an additional 7 slashing damage.

Appearance

Ga’rok Tok is enormous for a gnoll. Larger even than many of the females in his tribe. Filthy, matted fur covers his body, broken up only by the extensive patchwork of scars from old battles. What fur remains is dun colored, blending in well with the desert surroundings from which he hails. Ga’rok never wears armor. He considers it a sign of weakness and lack of skill. His hybrid form is similar enough to his normal appearance that characters that do not know him may not realize he is anything other than a very large gnoll.

Tactics

Ga’rok spends almost all of his time in his hybrid form, only assuming his gnoll form when absolutely necessary. His lupine form resembles a hyena more than a wolf and is used only if he needs to travel large distances overland. It would be very hard for most adventurers to piece together that Ga’rok is a lyncanthrope, especially while he is raging: the tell-tale vulnerability to silver is essentially erased when raging and his hybrid form is hard to tell from his regular form.

Ga’rok never enters combat before raging and prefers to attack whatever target he feels is the most threatening to him. In many cases this is the group’s spellcasters. He fully trusts that his incredible durability will allow him to shrug off attacks from the party’s non-spellcasters. He’s not smart, but he’s clever enough to know that a fighter with a non-magical greatsword can be ignored while he gives his attention to a spellcaster.

Adventure Hooks

• After Grimalkin: PCs that have completed Grimalkin or Cat & Mouse have been introduced to the extraordinary gnoll Princess Karima Gamila, who is well-known among gnolls and has come to the attention of Ga’rok. Karima has asked the PCs to help her (once again) and to provide protection from Ga’rok. She doesn’t know that he’s been infected by lycanthropy, only that he is uncontrollable and dangerous.
• Random Encounter in the Wastes: Ga’rok traveling by himself can be a very challenging adversary. The difficulty depends heavily on how your players are equipped. If they have the forethought to have silvered weapons or if they’re well equipped with magical weapons, they may be okay. If that’s not the case, there may be trouble.
• Bar Fight Gone Horribly, Horribly Wrong:The title says it all. This could be very lethal, very quickly. Let’s hope there’s a mid-level monk in the group.

Bounty hunters are a diverse group, spanning a variety of personalities and skills. Some are brutes, choosing the life of the Champion (fighter) while other clever mercenary leaders prefer more tactical maneuvers. Many emulate the Hunter (ranger) and train tirelessly in order to track their quarries to the ends of the earth. Others still are wizards that study the School of Divination to scry upon their targets and strike from afar.

One such possibility is this new subclass, the Oath of Justice, which empowers paladins to overwhelm and incapacitate their foes in the name of the law.

New Subclass: Oath of Justice (Paladin)

The Oath of Justice is a commitment not the tenets of good or evil but a holy vow sworn to uphold the laws of a nation, a city, or even of a tiny village. When lawlessness threatens the peace, those who swear to uphold the Oath of Justice intervene to maintain order, for if order falls to lawlessness, it is only a matter of time before all of civilization collapses into anarchy.

While many young paladins take this oath to protect their country and the people close to them from criminals, some older adherents to this oath know that what is just is not necessarily what is right.

Tenets of Justice

All paladins of justice uphold the law in some capacity, but their oath differs depending on their station. A paladin that serves a queen upholds slightly different tenets than one that serves a small town.

Uphold the Law. The law represents the triumph of civilization versus savagery. It must be preserved at all costs.

Punishment Fits the Crime. The severity of justice acts in equal measure to the severity of a wrongdoer’s transgressions.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Justice Spells

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Tether of Righteousness. You can use your Channel Divinity to bind your target to you. As an action, you extend a line of crackling energy toward a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it is tethered and cannot move more than 30 feet away from you. While tethered, the target takes lightning damage at the end of each of its turns equal to your Charisma modifier. You can use your action to make a Strength check opposed by the tethered creature’s Strength check; on a success, you can pull it up to 15 feet toward you in a straight line.

As an action, the tethered creature can attempt to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, it breaks the tether.

Justicar’s Celerity. You can use your Channel Divinity to respond to danger with lightning speed. When a creature that you can see is attacked, you can move up to your speed as a reaction. If you end your movement adjacent to the attacker, you can make a single melee attack against it as part of this reaction. If you end your movement adjacent to the target of the attack, you can become the target of the attack as part of this reaction. You can use this feature after you see the attacker’s attack roll, but before the GM says if it hits or misses.

Disciplined Pursuant

At 7th level, you have bent the laws of magic to parallel the laws of your civilization. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with a spell, you can knock the creature out instead of killing it. The creature falls unconscious and is stable.

Aura of Control

At 7th level, all creatures within 10 feet of you must spend 1 extra foot of movement for each foot they move. If a creature ends its turn in this area, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone. Creatures that are immune to being frightened are immune to this aura.

At 18th level, the range of this aura extends to 30 feet.

Shackles of Light

Starting at 15th level, once per turn when you deal radiant damage to a creature, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is restrained until the end of its next turn.

Avatar of Perfect Order

At 20th level, you can take on the appearance of justice itself. As an action, you become wreathed in a garment of cold light. For 1 minute, you benefit from the following effects:

• You are immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• You can use your Justicar’s Celerity feature without expending a use of Channel Divinity.
• When a creature you can see takes the Attack or Cast a Spell action, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it must take a different action of your choice instead.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Read more on bounty hunters—and read other great articles—in Warlock, only on Patreon!

<<PREVIOUSLY

Welcome, friend, to the world of Midgard. Maybe you’re brand new to this world. Or maybe you’ve been around since the beginning. Either way, stay—all are welcome! Please, sit and listen to the tales. You see, the world has been changing, and oh, the sights to see. It’s a living, evolving realm where things happen after all. So why shouldn’t it have a life all it’s own? Where to start…

[From the Midgard Worldbook…]

ZOBECK’S DISTRICTS

The city’s quarters are all quite distinct, from slums prone to flooding along the river, up to the red-tiled roofs of the Citadel where the wealthiest burghers live.

Citadel District

Rising above the northern section of the city, the Citadel defends the river entrance from upstream threats. It also houses the Order of Griffon Riders. This group of scouts, arcanists, and daredevils fly patrols against centaurs and other bandits throughout the Margreve Forest and serve as the city’s eyes and ears in wartime. Their speckled griffons rarely number more than five or six, each lovingly cared for by a staff of grooms and trainers.

As befits his rank as Field Marshall of the Free Army and Captain of the Zobeck Hussars, General Jorun Haclav lives and trains in the Citadel. In time of war, he commands most of the city and can even dictate orders to the Council and (most) guilds. In times of peace, the Citadel prepares for the next assault against the city’s freedoms and strives to expand Zobeck’s influence into the wilder territories of the North. Haclav and his officers frequently consult with all the major players of the city, masters and journeymen of the Arcane Collegium, griffon knights, guildmasters, and even crab diviners (see the Zobeck Gazetteer) when their services are called for. As things currently stand, the mayor, Council, and field marshall all agree that it is a time of urgent preparations. They disagree on whether King Lucan of the Greater Duchy of Morgau or the dragon armies of the Mharoti pose the greater threat. Since both hostile nations have recently seized new territories, the field marshall attempts to make it clear to the trade‑loving citizens of Zobeck that distant drums are coming ever closer, and the city is not prepared for any sustained conflict with larger, battle-hardened armies.

Blue House and Lady Fenyll

Outside of wartime, the Citadel answers to the scarred but outrageously glamorous Lady Fenyll Marack. She is feared for her cutting remarks and her powers as Praetor of the Blue House, mistress of the secret police and any malcontents who can be convinced to serve the city’s greater good. She often approaches talented troublemakers under arrest and offers them a shorter sentence in exchange for “a little work outside town.” Invariably, this involves something dangerous, such as arcane sabotage against the Blood Kingdom, spying on a cantonal merchant suspected of harboring Mammon cultists, or sneaking aboard a flying city of Sikkim.

Lady Fenyll comes from a long line of successful merchants. She is profoundly wealthy and drives a hard bargain with everyone. A widow and a survivor, she is the paranoid mind that helps keep Zobeck free; Sir Jorun’s brilliance in matters of strategy and tactics protects the city when her efforts toward diplomacy, sabotage, and misdirection fail.

Collegium District

As its name suggests, this district’s greatest feature is Zobeck’s famous Arcane Collegium. Lada’s Temple of the Celestial Dawn is its other great landmark (see “Places of Interest,” below). Scholars, scribes, mages, students, and alchemists frequent this district and gather at the Hedgehog tavern or peruse the shelves at the Book Fetish.

The Arcane Collegium rarely opens its doors to outsiders. The most common means of entrance are the Steam Gate that leads into Arcane Square, across from the Hedgehog tavern, and the Water Gate at the docks, which uses a set of stairs down the embankment to a single pier. The stairs are slippery and guards and other traps make them impassable to unwelcome guests. Even when the Steam Gate does open, those admitted are most often hired help, agents of the Collegium, or someone seeking to offer great treasures in exchange for the Arcane Collegiums wisdom, rather than townsfolk with a casual interest.

The Arcane Collegium includes two small courtyards and a dozen two-story buildings (with a mix of gray and yellow stucco and red tile rooftops) housing masters, apprentices, alchemists (near the river), and clockwork servants. The grounds are protected by clockwork traps, gargoyles, and even undead under the control of the masters of the Collegium. Its masters and students claim a black tower, the large gray hall of the summoners, underground labs, and sturdy alchemical bunkers. All the buildings feature tarnished silver runes inscribed along the eaves, gates, and windows.

The Collegium incorporates warded clockwork doors, enchanted gargoyles, a wide-open courtyard and arcade where students can study or at least breathe fresh air, and a series of lecture rooms and wizardly laboratories for practical learning of the arcane.

The Collegium has grown to almost 40 apprentices studying under the masters, including 14 kobolds, a trollkin named Herring, 5 golden-bearded dwarves (brothers and sisters from Mischau), and 19 humans. The staff numbers about 40 and includes alchemists, scribes, maids, cooks, a chamberlain, language tutors, arcane tutors, clockworkers, a priest of the Gear Goddess, a few clockwork scullions, and even a falconer from Siwal named Kaashif al-Rashid.

The Arcane Collegium teaches two little-known schools of magic: clockwork spells and illumination magic (also called stars and shadow magic). The college is an acknowledged leader in shadow magic, though the most accomplished arcanists of that school are the shadow fey, who are loath to share what they know.

In addition to Guildmaster Orlando and Lector Radovich Streck, the other prominent members of the Collegium include Master Necromancer Konrad von Eberfeld (rarely seen above ground, and said to serve as informal ambassador to the Ghoul Imperium), the Master Illusionist Ariella Scarpetti (whose illusions sometimes aid Lady Fenyll and the Blue House in feats of subterfuge); and Master Diviner Rudwin Whitstone (who retains excellent relations with the enchantersmiths of Templeforge in the Ironcrags, as well as with the priesthood of Rava in Zobeck). The positions of Master Summoner and Master of Stars and Shadows were last held by Linnea Thorn and Sariel of Morgau, respectively. Mistress Thorn was recently murdered, and Master Sariel retired to the mountains. The position of Master Summoner has been filled by the perpetually mosscovered Janock Vandereich (NG male human wizard 6), and the position of Mistress of Stars and Shadows has been taken by the rather nocturnal Ottily Riverbend (CN female shadow fey wizard 9), a good friend of Ambassador Glaninin Thelamandrine.

Dock District

Also called the Gullet—and one of the busiest areas of the Free City—the docks along the Argent River are the center of the city’s trade, slightly eclipsing the Great Northern Road. Its wharves, alleys, and thoroughfares see traffic from merchants, barge polers, and stevedores at all hours. Its taverns, gambling dens, and bordellos stand beside warehouses, dry docks, and other industries of the water trade. Brawls are common, and the City Watch heavily patrols the area to ensure the smooth continuation of commerce. Despite its reputation for drunken violence, the district works hard and moves a huge volume of cargo on and off the river’s barges.

Blue Barbers of Wharf Street

This group of a dozen blue-haired gnomes arrived some years ago and was met with immediate suspicion from the praetors and bullying visits from city guards and hussars. They are, strangely enough, not Niemheim gnomes at all, but claim to hail from the Court of Midnight Teeth, a shadow fey court of long standing in the Shadow Realm. Their proficiency with razors, moustache wax, and restorative hair tonics has slowly won them a loyal following among the Griffon Knights and hussars and some of the city’s dwarves. Others mutter that the Blue Barbers are not merely gossips and barbers good with a quip and a tale, but actually serve as smiling spies and assassins for the shadow fey.

Bargewright Maesker

A young, smiling, and hardworking man such as the bargewright Maesker is rare in any town, and Zobeck is lucky to have him building and repairing its barges quickly and cheaply. Many ship captains share information with him in passing; he seems remarkably well informed. He keeps a small team of halflings, humans, and ravenfolk very busy, but he won’t abide kobolds; the scars on his arms are souvenirs of many knife fights and brawls he has fought against the scaly folk down at the Fierce Lynx fighting pit.

Gear District

The Gear District lies on the city’s western side near the Dwarven Gate. It is primarily a region of tin and brass merchants, gear grinders, and gearforged repair shops. Here one sees the greatest concentration of the city’s gearforged, and here the best dwarven clockwork mages and engineers create wondrous creations in iron and brass.

The entire region revolves around the Steamworker’s Guildhall and the Geargrinder’s Emporium, two structures built at enormous expense with ribs of cast iron. The tin toys and sharp knives sold here are very well made, but the greatest prizes are the new gearforged given life each month through the combined efforts of mages, geargrinders, clockworker kobolds, and dwarven engineers, all at phenomenal expense. Despite the cost, one new clockwork guard emerges each month (some believe the Free City is slowly building an army of loyal gearforged soldiers), and most months, a privately funded gearforged does as well. These independent gearforged must pay off the cost of their creation, and most do so through service to a wealthy family, temple, or guild.

From time to time, dwarven mule trains from the Ironcrags bring in shipments of iron and unusual alloys, jewels for precision gearing, and offerings for the temple of Volund. His shrine here clearly shows the dwarven influence. An ever-burning altar and anvil stand before his statue, and his dwarven acolytes call out his name in Dwarvish as they tap out the rhythm of Volund’s hymns and songs of praise. The noise of worship is often lost in the district’s other racket.

Kobold Ghetto

The Kobold Ghetto, a warren of streets no more than 6 feet wide (at best), lies adjacent to the Argent and Derry rivers. Throughout most of the Ghetto, roofs meet overhead to keep out the glare of the sun for the nocturnal inhabitants.

The Ghetto has only two official entrances, the Ghetto Gate and the Water Gate, each carefully watched from both sides. Multiple kobold “kings” or tribal chieftains rule the district, retaining power only as long as they keep their relatives and minions in line. One king, the King of Kings or Queen of Queens, holds the others in check until their united strength undercuts the monarch.

Five years ago, Queen Clarhida ousted Kuromak, the 7th of that name, to claim the leading position. King Quetelmak ousted Clarhida two years later. Few kings last more than a few years. Some barely last a year.

More than 90 years ago, the kobolds were slaves to House Stross, and the Ghetto was their pen. They were chattel used by the family to do the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs so that humans and dwarves could work at finer crafts and live comfortably. Kobold slaves mined silver, built clever clockworks, and worked deadly steam boilers for the constructs and automatons that fueled Zobeck’s industry. History largely ignored them, but some believe the kobolds helped invent the everwound spring, the aeolipile generator (a steam engine used in places where water or muscle power won’t suit), and the reciprocating balance wheel, thus laying the foundations for Zobeck’s fame. These centuries of enslavement form an indelible part of the kobolds’ culture, and despite their relatively short lives, no kobold in Zobeck has ever forgotten the indignity.

Now, the Ghetto is a place of free kobolds, the legal equal of any man or woman of the Clockwork City. They remain a people apart, however: physically, culturally, and habitually. The single biggest obstacle to full equality is their nocturnal nature. Kobolds labor all night and return home before dawn to spend the day in sleep and rest before venturing back out shortly before sunset. Their unusual entertainments include rat fights, owl races, and pigeon hunts, visiting the Fierce Lynx gladiator pit, and pursuing amateur alchemy, often with hilarious results.

Chain Bridges

Under Quetelmak, the kobolds have built several small bridges using linked iron chains and barrel floats to connect their territory to other districts—and even to span the Argent over to the Margreve side at night, when traffic is low. These chain bridges are a clear route for smugglers avoiding the gate taxes that fund city coffers, and they might allow passage to Mharoti spies or cultists of the dark gods. Mayor Olleck hates the chain bridges, but whenever the City Watch attempts to seize them, the chains and barrels are cut loose (and later recovered). Mayor Olleck is coming around to the position that these bridges are useful to the kobolds, and she is negotiating with King of Kings Quetelmak for a way to impose a new “Bridge Tax” on smugglers. The king sees real merit in the idea of a kobold-controlled portion of the city treasury.

Pit of the Fierce Lynx

Miles of warrens, homes, workshops, and smugglers’ tunnels run under the Kobold Ghetto—but so do less domestic and less savory locales. One of these is the Pit of the Fierce Lynx, a gladiatorial arena where a friendly, scheming fight promoter named Yshka Bishka (LE male kobold rogue 8) runs a bloody business in fighting roosters, hounds, and humans, with occasional knife fights or honor duels by kobold lovers for variety. Fights are held weekly, in a round pit that is easy to sluice clean after each evening’s butchery.

Winners at the Lynx are treated as kobold royalty for a day or a week, and the whole ghetto finds the fights enthralling. The setup is wildly illegal, and the mayor has made it clear that she wants to shut it down. So far, she’s not willing to send in the number of Watch guards required to actually end the practice, but a recent proclamation offers 500 gp for anyone who brings Yshka Bishka in for “questioning or burial, for crimes against nature.” The mayor would be perfectly happy if he showed up dead.

Other Districts

From the smallest district to the largest and even underneath, Zobeck holds wonders—some undiscovered even by its residents.

Cartways: A series of tunnels lies under the city. Before the Great Revolt, the city’s wealthy used these old kobold mining tunnels for their private highways, and noble revelers used them to travel to and from Stross-sponsored Winter Festival parties in the underground cavern called Winter Hall. Although the city has officially closed the Cartways, thieves, smugglers, and undesirable residents use the tunnels to conduct business or lair within them.

Lower Zobeck (Ashmill): Ashmill is home to the Free City’s poor and unskilled working classes, though a few merchants such as the Kappa family have purchased large chunks of space near the Moon’s Grace Temple and the shrine to St. Charon (Charun). Lower Zobeck also houses the Wheatsheaf Tavern, a favored drinking hole for smugglers and rogues. Merchants selling foodstuff, livestock, and spices do brisk business in this district.

Market District (Vineyard District): Merchants selling carpets, cloth, leather, wine, weapons, alchemical powders, poisons, and goods from distant lands hawk their wares from tiny stalls in this district. This includes elfmarked traders from Dornig, dwarven ironmongers from the Cantons, horse traders from Trombei, Mharoti carpet sellers, and sometimes shadow fey traders with goods from the Shadow Realm, sold in the gloomy halls of the Shadow Fey Exchange. Most anything can be found for sale here, in season and for the right price.

Merchant District: Weavers, cobblers, coopers, carpenters, jewelers, armorers, and other skilled workers maintain shops lining this district. Some of their wares are sold in the Market District, supplementing their income, but these artisans work to order and have enough orders to keep them busy. Many merchants reside in the upper levels of their shops, though the wealthier ones maintain residences in Upper Zobeck.

Temple District: Temples to the Free City’s five main deities—Lada (her largest temple in Zobeck is here), Perun, Rava, Volund, and Holda—dominate this district; a few smaller shrines to St. Charon, Ninkash, and St. Pirun are tucked into corners. The structures surrounding the temples house their staff or store goods and livestock to support the clerics.

Upper Zobeck: The Free City’s government centers, including the Council Hall, City Archives, the Redrock Bailey (jail), and the Civic Courthouse, cluster in this district. The opulent, painted-brick houses of the city’s richest and oldest families stand in the Crown Square portion of the district, where the great Old Stross Clock tolls the hours…

___

But this is where we must stop for now, my friend. My mind, it wanders so at times. Do come see me again, though, for more of the wonders and surprises of Midgard.

You can continue on this adventure in the Midgard Worldbook and Midgard Heroes Handbook.

<<PREVIOUSLY

It’s May! So here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month celebrates Zobeck with the city map from Midgard Worldbook, by cartographer Alyssa Faden.

This month, consider getting back into the important things in life—maps!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please, click on the image you want to download to expand it into a downloadable image.

What could be finer than the exhilaration and mystery of the DM screen? Oh, the secrets it keeps!

Share a photo of your DM screen and surrounding… things. This can be a selfie or a view from the DM side of the table. It can be your dog or cat behind the screen. It can be anything so long as there is clearly a DM screen somewhere.

Then a panel of judges will pick their favorites! The winner of the grand prize will receive the Midgard Worldbook and more, including our new fancy the Midgard DMs Screen (5E | Pathfinder).

There are all sorts of paths to victory, so play to your strengths. Inspire us! Scare us! Intrigue us! Or make us laugh till our sides split!

Full details in the rules below:

Prizes

GRAND PRIZE

Midgard Worldbook

Midgard DMs Screen (either 5e or PF)

1 set dice from Kobold Press Store

SECOND PLACE

Midgard DMs Screen (either 5e or PF)

$10 Store Credit

THREE HONORABLE MENTIONS

$10 store credit at the Kobold Store!

Who Is Judging?

Our talented and experienced panel of judges are as follows: Wolfgang Baur, Wade Rockett, and Ben McFarland.

Now What?

Read the contest rules below—they include very important information about making an eligible submission.

OFFICIAL RULES

By submitting an entry to Kobold Press, you are entering the Kobold Press (the “Sponsor” or “Kobold Press”) DM Selfie Contest (the “Contest”).

As an entrant, you (“you” or “entrant”) represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules and any other requirements designated by Sponsor. The Contest is governed by U.S. law and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. If entrant is a minor in entrant’s place of residence, entrant’s parent or legal guardian must agree, on entrant’s behalf and on his or her own behalf, to follow and be bound by these Official Rules and all decisions of Sponsor relating to the Contest.

1. Who is Eligible: The Contest is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least thirteen (13) years old at the time of entry. Employees of Kobold Press and each of their immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and members of their same households (related or not) are not eligible to participate in the Contest. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, AND WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

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Send an email with your submission to the “DM Selfie” contest at scott(at)koboldpress(dot)com no later than May 31, 2018.

The submission must take the form of a single photo sent as an email attachment of the minimum size required.

The email subject line should read DM Selfie Contest Submission in the email’s subject line. Your full name and contact information should be in the body of the email.

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LIMIT ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. Multiple entries received in violation of this entry limitation, or false or deceptive acts or entries, or entries generated by script, macro or other automated means or by any other means that subvert the entry process will be void and will render an entrant ineligible. By entering the Contest, each entrant (and his/her parent or legal guardian) fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

3. Dates and Deadlines: Eligible entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on May 31, 2018.

4. Who Will Win: On or about April 1, 2018, one (1) Grand Prize Winner, one (1) Second Place Winner, and three (3) Honorable Mentions will be selected by the Sponsor from all eligible entries received. All decisions made by Sponsor on all matters relating to the Contest are final and binding. The winners will be notified on or around April 1, 2018, via the email address provided by entrant at the time of entry. If a winner does not respond to the notification sent to the email address he or she provided after two (2) notifications have been sent by Sponsor, such winner will be disqualified and will forfeit the finalist position. In such event, the winner position will be awarded to another eligible entrant chosen from the remaining pool of entries in accordance with the terms set forth herein. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately one (1) month after the conclusion of the Contest.

5. Prize Information and Approximate Retail Value: Five (5) winners will be awarded prizes consisting of the following:

Grand Prize

Midgard Wordbook ($50 value)

• DMs Screen ($16 value)
• One Set Dice from the Kobold Store ($20 value)

Second Place

• DMs Screen ($16 value)
• Kobold Store credit ($10 value)

Honorable Mentions

• Kobold Store credit ($10 value)

If winner is a minor in his/her place of residence, the prize will be awarded to winner’s parent/legal guardian. Each winner (his/her parent or legal guardian in the case of a prize awarded to such parent or guardian) must provide his/her mailing address to Sponsor and must execute and return an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release/publicity release (except where prohibited) and any other legal documents that Sponsor may require, within five (5) business days from notification in order to receive the prize, which will be provided by Sponsor to the address provided. Prizes are not transferable, assignable, or redeemable for cash. Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may substitute a prize of equal or greater value than the prize identified herein. If any winner or winner’s parent/legal guardian either fails to timely provide his/her mailing address or declines a prize or fails to comply with any of the Official Rules as outlined herein, or if any prize is returned as undeliverable, such winner will be disqualified and an alternate finalist or winner may be selected at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Winners (winner’s parent or guardian in the case of a prize awarded to such parent or guardian) are solely responsible for paying all applicable federal, state and local taxes, and all other expenses associated with any prize.

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