Midgard Sagas presents six 5th Edition adventures for characters from levels 3 to 8. All six adventures were originally designed to be playable in a convention time slot of four to six hours, so they’re packed with fast action.

Mystery & Death Stalk Midgard!

MURDER ON THE CROSSROADS (LEVEL 3)
An unnatural blizzard has characters trapped inside a famous general’s mansion, and a murderer is loose among them!

MADMAN AT THE BRIDGE (LEVEL 4)
Saboteurs have attacked the Puffing Bridge, bringing Zobeck to a halt. Characters must fight their way past the clockwork guards and defuse the situation—literally!

THE MHALMET HEIST (LEVEL 5)
Characters are hired to pull off a heist at one of the poshest—and most heavily guarded—nightclubs in Mhalmet. This shadow job will take extensive planning, timing, stealth, and nerves of steel.

RAIDERS OF THE CHAMBER OF TOMORROWS (LEVEL 6)
A time-warping artifact was recovered from the scene of a crime. To find out who wants it and why, characters must locate the ruined elven city of Thorn and brave the dangers of the legendary Chamber of Tomorrows.

TO WAKE WAR (LEVEL 7)
Dust goblin tribes are gearing for war in the Wasted West. It’s up to the characters to infiltrate the dust goblins’ remote territory, discover their secret, and put a halt to their plan before it dooms the entire region.

BLOOD OF A FALLEN STAR (LEVEL 8)
Infection from space is ravaging the Northlands! Dwarven raiders with rotted brains attack their neighbors, their friends, even their own families. Finding the source of the
infection is easy; destroying it won’t be!

Pick up your copy of Midgard Sagas today!

All seek some form of justice when they have been wronged, and many live under the promise of its protection, whether or not the promise is kept, but few take on the holy burden of delivering the justice of the gods. The mercy of the gods, when in evidence at all, is not the mercy of mortals, and meting it out makes for a lonely life. Yet most agree on the urgent need for justice in the world, with all of its dark places and rulers who give it little thought. Someone must make the sacrifice.

[From the Midgard Heroes Handbook…]

JUSTICE DOMAIN SPELLS

BONUS PROFICIENCY

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor and martial weapons.

CHANNEL DIVINITY: NO HIDING PLACE

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to determine the general direction of a creature that is guilty of an injustice or that is wanted for commission of a serious crime. At 7th level, you can determine the distance in miles to the creature as well as the direction.

HAND OF JUSTICE

At 6th level, you become immune to the frightened condition.

DIVINE STRIKE

At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with divine energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

HOLY DENUNCIATION

At 17th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to persuade others that you hold divine authority to mete out justice. You must present your holy symbol and invoke the name of your deity. So long as your deity is one that is worshipped openly in the land where you are asserting this authority, you have advantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks involving justice, judgment, and the law, up to and including execution for crimes.

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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, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

<<PREVIOUSLY

Time for an Actual Play photo set from Robert Ringrose for Halls of the Mountain King! (Potential spoilers ahead.)

“I’m running Hall of the Mountain King,” says Robert. “The group is at the point where they go down into the depths to repair the Shank. You probably remember that at this point, the spirit of the mountain animates a sixty-foot-tall colossus. It took some doing to figure out how to impress the scale upon the PCs. Since we use figures, I made one for the colossus. (The Legos on the ground were some of the leg armor.) Note the monk on the colossus’ back. The dwarf up near the head is actually flying, not balancing on its shoulder.

“You might be amused by the fact that in a previous encounter, with the scrimshaw skeletons, the players got zero facts from the skeletons. That surprised me—these players are usually pretty quick about putting clues like that together. I think they thought the scrimshaw was a spell binding or animating them rather than a story they might want to read. The relevant rolls they made to have that impression corrected were, collectively, very low and they were too panicked about the shadows’ strength drain to rethink. I’ll have to think about how to carefully nudge them to asking the right questions later.”

Thanks, Robert! Looks like a blast!

Pick up Halls of the Mountain King today!

~~~~~

Most branches of the great World Tree are noisy and full of powerful spirits: the battle cries of Valhalla, the shrieking of various hells and planes of torment, the fulsome chorus of celestial planes devoted to the harmonious celebration of the divine.

The Dry Lands: The Plane of Mot, Dark God of the Undead

By comparison, Evermaw, the plane of the dark god Mot (and the equally notorious Vardesain and Anu-Akma, fellow gods of the dead), is notable for its silence—a plane of enormous deserts of bones, dunes of dust, and rivers of blood and tears. These are the Dry Lands, the plane where life extends past its appointed span, where fate itself is thwarted with regularity, and where liches, vampires, and ghouls gather in enormous numbers to praise their patron and the font of vileness, to cheat death, to praise their protection against a certain voyage into the hells and the joy and strength of the god of the undead and his near-infinite legions.

Cheating Death and Praising Unlife

While most gods depend on the prayers and offerings of the living, Mot derives his power from the praise of the undead and the animated—from skeletons and zombies compelled to ape out thousands of near-meaningless (yet still efficacious) masses and sermons and from the much richer work of vampires in Morgau or the god-kings of Nuria-Natal in their deep and hidden crypts where their prayers and invocations echo year upon year through the centuries, offering praise to Mot and staving off true death for but a little longer.

Entering the Dry Lands

The plane of Mot itself is easy to reach for the undead; spells such as skull road open the pathway between any tomb and the Dry Lands. Gnolls and the priests of Anu-Akma are familiar with this path, said to be a ley line that was corrupted millennia ago, perhaps at the founding of Nuria itself, to lead not to other planes or to shadow but directly into the River of Tears and thus to the Eternal Palace.

The dry lands are home to several varieties of extremely strange terrain, rarely found elsewhere other than sometimes in particular hells. These are described below for the possible warning of future travelers.

Bone Deserts: The most common terrain within the Dry Place is bone desert; its sand is powdered bone and pebbles of bone not yet worn quite so small. Dunes, ramparts, and pebbled stretches of bone extend for miles. In some places, the bone itself is transformed by magic or the blood of the living into a cement-like material, suitable for building towers, castles, and walls. As undead require very little in the way of rest or nourishment, most buildings are built for reasons of status, display, or trade.

Caverns of Unmaking: Tunnels and passages within the Dry Lands are often filled with raw necrotic energy that pulses through narrow spaces in waves. These inflict a body-wracking 3d12 hp necrotic damage (DC 16 Constitution for half). Undead find these caverns welcoming and healing; the necrotic damage restores both their energy and their sense of purpose. So many such caverns are inhabited by intelligent undead.

Cliffs of Gathered Memory: Undead who have fallen into a state of minimal energy are often brought to this famous orange stone, carved to resemble a sort of honeycomb, miles wide and over 500 feet tall. Each small, hermetic chamber of the cliffs gathers memories from the undead and preserves their spirit, keeping it from advancing (or more to the point, descending) to other planes of being. The voices of millions can be heard within the cliffs. Distinguishing any particular voice or speaking with a particular undead spirit is impossible without speak with dead, ancient shade, or similar magic.

Living creatures that enter the small chambers suffer a powerful psychic attack that can both paralyze and weaken them. The white and orange walls within are soothing to undead, but living creatures find them stultifying, mind numbing, and oppressive. Unless a living creature makes a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, they become immobile for 1 hour and take 2d12 hp psychic damage, their minds filled with visions of decay and death. Affected creatures must make another saving throw after 1 hour if still in the chamber or suffer the same effects again. Creatures that make a successful saving throw are permanently immune to the psychic attacks of that particular chamber.

Crackling Forests: The forests of the Dry Lands are not green but rather cartilaginous masses of splintered bones and dry, leathery leaves covered with fine black hair. These conglomerate into enormous, fernlike and treelike structures that the undead find impossibly beautiful and stirring and that living creatures find quite revolting or at least disturbing. Entering such a crackling forest requires a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw; those who succeed overcome their revulsion while those who fail must either be blindfolded or must take a long rest and try again—the place is simply hideously repellant.

When cut or broken, the trees themselves bleed a black milk that undead find nourishing and pleasant. Ghouls, vampires, and other corporeal undead delight in cracking open the hairy bark and gorging themselves on this thick syrup. For such creatures, devouring 1 pint of black milk is as restorative as devouring a living creature.

Eyes of Mot: While all gods have servants, those of Mot are especially obvious: flocks of undead vultures circle his realm at all times and are occasionally sent into the mortal world to see the success or failure of some plot or scheme that might further the dark god’s goals. These undead can be treated as hawks, though they rarely enter combat. Their ragged feathers keep them above the fray, and their keen vision allows them to see and report on events anywhere in the realms of Undeath.

Eternal Palace of Mot: The Eternal Palace is a maze within a tomb, boxed into a labyrinth and hidden under miles of bone and dust. The entrance is a rather plain cavern guarded by two enormous, hulking gnolls with skeletal grins and halos of dark green runes (treat as void giants from Creature Codex). The interior is made of various rich materials, all supposedly taken from tombs, including golden couches and rich carpets, ebony tables and a throne of pure silver chased with a smell of dust and decay and embossed with shadows and motes of pure necrotic fire. The rooms are all quite grim under their gilding, reminiscent of tombs and mausoleums. A few bedchambers and kitchens are provided for those guests who require food and sleep, but most of the halls are kept bone-chillingly cold at night, and the air itself is rank; undead do not trouble to heat the palace nor to ventilate it properly.

River of Blood: This peculiar river reeks of iron and decay, like old blood or a butcher’s abattoir. Undead are the only creatures able to enter its waters without risk; all other creatures suffer 2d6 necrotic damage for each round spent touching or immersed in it. The river itself is a muddy red tone, and undead often cluster along its banks. Small sections of congealed, scab-like material line the edges of the river. Undead from the plane of Evermaw call it Mother River or just the River. Its course meanders through hundreds of miles and ends in an enormous cataract said to lead directly to the Hell of Blood.

Some vampires and other blood drinkers find it very difficult to leave the River of Blood. They continue to feed over hours and days, growing to enormous, swollen sizes and attaining a distended appearance similar to an engorged tick. Their limbs and body often take on a bruised hue, and their hands, feet, and belly are often so round as to make mobility difficult. In some cases, these “deep drinkers” float along the river until reaching the planar cataract mentioned previously. Most undead believe that these undead are reborn as devils in the Hell of Blood…

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Read more of this and other great articles in Warlock, only on Patreon!

Five reptilian heads upon long necks rise from the murky surface of the water. Sizzling venom drips from each gaping maw.

The venom maw hydra lurks in sulfurous swamps and near areas of high geothermal activity, poisoning the hot springs and lakes where it dwells.

Voracious Appetite. The venom maw hydra takes advantage of the sanctuary its warm water home promises to nearby fauna, devouring any creature that comes for warmth or a drink and leaving desolation in its wake.

Deadly From Afar. Quick reflexes and the ability to spit vile secretions at range let it strike from the safety of its watery home.

VENOM MAW HYDRA

Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 231 (22d12 + 88)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

Skills Perception +8, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances fire
Damage Immunities acid
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages —
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Amphibious. The venom maw hydra can breathe air and water.

Multiple Heads. The venom maw hydra has five heads. While it has more than one head, the venom maw hydra has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious. Whenever the hydra takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the hydra dies. At the end of its turn, it grows two heads for each of its heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken cold damage since its last turn. The hydra regains 10 hp for each head regrown in this way.

Wakeful. While the hydra sleeps, at least one of its heads is awake.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The venom maw hydra makes as many bite or spit attacks as it has heads.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage and 5 (2d4) acid damage.

Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) acid damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.

Venom Spray (Recharge 5–6). The hydra sprays caustic liquid in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

REACTIONS

Tail Lash. When it is hit by a melee weapon attack within 10 feet of it, the venom maw hydra lashes out with its tail. The attacker must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failure, it takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a success, the target takes half the damage and isn’t knocked prone.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The venom maw hydra can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The hydra regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Bite. The venom maw hydra makes one bite attack.

Spit (Costs 2 Actions). The venom maw hydra makes one spit attack.

Wallowing Rampage (Costs 3 Actions). When the venom maw hydra is in water, it wallows, causing the water to hiss, froth, and splash within 20 feet. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

___

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, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

<<PREVIOUSLY

In societies where magic is commonplace or at least recognized and understood, rulers often seek to leverage eldritch power to supplement the armed forces. A soldier with even a moderate amount of magical training is a living terror to common conscripts on the battlefield, both in terms of raw power and simple intimidation. The Magic Initiate feat presents an interesting means of implementing this modicum of magical power on a broad scale and can easily be applied to NPCs to create new and interesting templates.

Order of the Jinx

The Order of the Jinx is a military platoon made up of warriors trained in the basics of magical ability. An elite unit, membership in the Order of the Jinx is a definite step up from being a common foot soldier, though the Order’s missions are often just as dangerous if not more so. Petitioners to the order undergo an intensive examination to determine their aptitude for magic. Those found to be ideal—with the Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma necessary for rudimentary dweomers but not so potent as full spell-casting classes—go through intensive training, at the conclusion of which they must demonstrate the magic they have learned. Those who fail to master the spells are sent back to the common ranks, but those who succeed are awarded the rank of Jinx Corporal. Higher in rank than other enlisted personnel but without true command authority, Jinx Corporals are used as healers, infiltrators, shock troops, snipers, and other specializations depending on their exact capabilities.

Below is a list of common specialties. Usable on their own, these examples also serve as a guide toward the creation of new combinations.

Jinx Corporal: Healer

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 30 ft.

Skills Perception +4, Medicine +4, Survival +4
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Spellcasting. The healer’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom. It can cast the following cleric spells (spell save DC 12):

• At will: resistance, spare the dying
• 1/day: cure wounds

Actions

Multiattack. The healer makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

These field medics supplement basic first aid and surgical knowledge with magic meant to keep soldiers on their feet.

Jinx Corporal: Infiltrator

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 30 ft.

Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +5, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages any two languages
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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

Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The infiltrator 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 infiltrator that isn’t incapacitated and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Spellcasting. The infiltrator’s spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can cast the following bard spells (spell save DC 13:

• At will: message, minor illusion
• 1/day: charm person

Actions

Multiattack. The infiltrator makes two melee attacks.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Manipulators and spies, these schemers excel at working their way into restricted or secured enemy areas.

Jinx Corporal: Shocker

Medium humanoid (any race), any chaotic alignment
Armor Class 13 (hide armor)
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 30 ft.

Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Reckless. At the start of its turn, the shocker can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.

Spellcasting. The shocker’s spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can cast the following sorcerer spells (spell save DC 11):

• At will: chill touch (ranged spell attack +3), true strike
• 1/day: jump

Actions

Multiattack. The infiltrator makes two melee attacks.

Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.

Heavy infantry with added mobility, these soldiers serve to get into (or out of) an encounter quickly and hit hard.

Jinx Corporal: Sniper

Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful alignment
Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 72 (11d8 + 22)
Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +5
Skills Acrobatics +4, Deception +5
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any two languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Spellcasting. The sniper’s spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can cast the following warlock spells (spell save DC 13):

• At will: eldritch blast (ranged spell attack +5, 3 beams), minor illusion
• 1/day: expeditious retreat

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.

These mystical sharpshooters have the advantages of mundane archers, but need no equipment or ammunition.

<<PREVIOUSLY

It’s December! So here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month we tease the upcoming 12 Peculiar Towers, by artist Miguel Regodón Harkness.

Bring on the magic!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

South of the Reaching Mountains and east of cyclopean Jotunheim, a fertile forest teeming with vibrant flora and fauna is sheltered from the worst excesses of cold and wind. Trollheim’s inhabitants are cunning hunters, fearless explorers, and fearsome raiders. Whether human, dwarf, or troll, few embrace the culture of the North as fiercely. They farm, brawl, raid each other, toast the gods, and consider themselves the best of all peoples. Most of Trollheim’s humans live in sheltered fjords, while dwarves claim mountain peaks and trolls, fey, and other races nest in the forest’s depths. Most inhabitants of Trollheim live in independent farmsteads and villages that come together in regional Tings when danger threatens, but otherwise have little patience for talk of kings and kingdoms.

Trollheim

Whether through some inherent fecundity, favorable conditions, or the will of Freyr and Freya, the trollkin—creatures once considered mere freaks of nature— appear to breed true and in unheralded numbers. Indeed, scholars have difficulty framing a cause that doesn’t involve the direct hand of a divine will behind the population explosion. Regardless, as the trollkin expand their reach, they encroach on the territory of the most isolated reaver dwarven clans, steadily pushing them into Trollheim. This development suits the dwarves to some degree; the land is fertile, after all. However, the jarls who claim the land the dwarves now occupy find themselves in a tough spot. The dwarves are a relentless and implacable enemy when crossed, and yet notoriously unreceptive to diplomatic overtures.

Should the trollkin drive refugees from Wolfheim into Trollheim, the delicate balance of power between the various jarls in the region could weaken them all, allowing the dwarves to run them out entirely. Many look to aged Uffi Toothless to take charge or surrender to a younger, stronger jarl. Uffi, finally facing a serious threat to his reign, contemplates a shocking and controversial maneuver—elevating a trollkin jarl. This means granting legitimacy to a clan of trollkin, but it might create a useful and numerous ally against the potential threat of dwarves the trollkin push into the region, whom Uffi fears from long experience. How this might shift of heated debate in the longhouses.

Trade in the region suffers, and even the trolls who hawk their wares throughout Trollheim do so with a growing sense of trepidation. Some human jarls protest, claiming that an obscure poetic work describes the existence of a trollkin jarl as a Ragnarok prophecy. This has led many a human warrior to challenge trollkin they encounter to combat.

Seven years have passed since Jarl Asvaldr of the Havardr clan led a combined fleet of his longships (see Midgard Tales) and those of many other clans south on a great raid only to vanish without a trace somewhere in the Nieder Straits, leaving the human population of western Trollheim almost leaderless. The chaos left behind in the wake of so many vanished jarls and warriors has ended many feuds and created room for more trollkin and even scattered frost goblin (fraugashar) tribes. Advice from wizened greybeards can only do so much for those too young and foolhardy to listen, and the unwritten laws of honor and custom were flouted with enough frequency that generations-old alliances have fallen apart. Powerhungry heirs still seek lands and foes to prove themselves against, and those with slimmer chances of inheritance look to take cultivated lands.

A World Tree called Wotan’s Tree stands in Trollheim near the mouth of the Tearstain River, downriver from the Fallen Kingdoms. The ravenfolk roost there often, on their way to various jarls or to consult with their seers and doomspeakers. It is one of the safest World Trees, since its ravenfolk make sure that only those ready to fly beyond the mortal world enter its weaving branches and dappled light of many planes. Legends claim that Wotan learned the runes here and the ravenfolk maintain a shrine in his honor, though few humans visit this sacred grove.

Noatun

If Trollheim has a capital it is Noatun, a great human city of the North. It was founded by the god Njord when he was a mortal sorcerer of epic power and a sea captain of unmatchable skill. Back then the people revered the wild sea god, Aegir. When Mara bedded him and their lust begat the disastrous flood that created the Swive, the people called on Njord (Seggotan) to save them from the rising waters. Njord’s magic held back the sea for nine times nine days, while dwarves and humans labored together to build the great sea wall that still protects their harbor from wave and storm. For this they earned Aegir’s undying enmity, but the city was saved and prospered under a new patron.

Rare for a human settlement, Noatun is built more of stone than wood thanks to the skill of local dwarf clans. High thick walls guard against landward attack, while her trading docks and famous shipyards are surrounded by the enchanted sea wall, which magically calms both wave and weather. The wall is surmounted by nine towers whose masters are charged with the wall’s upkeep and defense. It’s a prestigious post; the rival Tower Lords are Noatun’s elite and form the core of the king’s court. The current king is Uffi Toothless, a warlord of unseemly age who is physically frail but as cunning as Loki and skilled in keeping one step ahead of power hungry jarls and rival kings. Noatun is rich and cosmopolitan, welcoming traders and visitors from far afield: longships laden with plunder and thirsty raiders, Khazzaki and centaur caravans, Ironcrag airships, and occasional flying islands of cloud giants or magicians of distant Sikkim. Even trolls with gold to spend are welcome (but watched closely).

Amberhall: A large coastal village with a lively trading post, Amberhall thrives under the direction of a capable jarl named Gunhilda the Lefthanded (female human ranger 13), though she swears fealty to Uffi Toothless in Noatun. Her ships and sailors, known for their wily evasiveness when dodging pirates, have sailed as far as Barsella, though lately they focus their efforts on New Wolfheim, a risky but profitable proposition for non-dwarven traders.

Jarrgard: Atop a low hill on the shore of Black Lake, the squat, snow-covered Jarrgard is an isolated dwarven fort protecting a lucrative silver mine. Hentgolf Trollbiter (N male dwarf barbarian 16), formerly of Wolfheim and a dwarf of fearsome reputation as a warrior, leads heavily laden longboats downriver when the ice thaws. The trip is a lively one. Salmon swarm upriver at this time, often chased by mated pairs of mahoru, who use Black Lake as a nursery before leading their young back downriver.

Jarrgard sees to its own needs and refuses trade with those settlements in no uncertain terms. Hengolf sent word to Noatun, informing Uffi Toothless that any approach made to his ships, the top half of the river, or Jarrgard will be considered an attack and dealt with mercilessly. Uffi made light of the message, pointing out the remoteness of Jarrgard and declaring in response that he would respect the dwarf ’s demands as long as Hengolf agreed not to set foot on the moon. Hengolf has not yet replied. Nevertheless, Jarrgard remains a remote and reputedly hostile destination.

Varnerhall: Perched on the steep cliff at the end of a heavily forested fjord, Vernerhall is a remote but prosperous village supporting high mountain farmholds. Clever use of the terrain and shrewd placement of defensive fortifications make Varnerhall surprisingly secure, considering the wild country which surrounds it.

Varnerhall makes a point of maintaining good relations with the nomadic people who pass through the region, trading for the furs, ivory, and reliable cold weather equipment and clothing. Jarl Yngvarr Ironsides (male human fighter 12) has granted the nomads and even a clan of goblins shelter within his fortifications and defended them when they have sought his aid in the past, and in return they provide valuable intelligence about anything from hostile creatures headed toward the hall to inclement weather on its way.

Adventures in Trollheim

Adventures in Trollheim are split between intrigue and magic in Noatun and bloody adventures in the hinterlands.

• The PCs must bring together a delicate alliance of Noatun humans, woodland fey, and mountain dwarves to resist a trollkin horde led by a powerful ice maiden sorceress, which threatens them all with extinction.
• At a feast thrown by King Uffi and attended by the PCs, dwarves, Khazzaki, Sikkimese, and centaurs, a powerful and respected jarl is poisoned. The PCs must find the killer among the many guests and clear their names at the same time.
• The PCs are invited to go on a Great Hunt for bear by a powerful jarl, but it turns out the bear that was killed was a hamingja (sacred animal) for a local tribe of trylleri. Now they must complete a dangerous quest to placate the Vanir spirits or risk a blood feud and a powerful fey curse.
• In western Trollheim, a band of landless young trollkin warriors have flocked to the banner of a charismatic outlaw with plans to challenge Uffi Toothless. Both Uffi and the upstart offer great reward for assistance in defeating their enemies.
• Bears and wolves grow wise enough to avoid traps, sometimes lying in wait for those who set them to return. This newfound caginess indicates the leadership of a greater intelligence at work, but who?

___

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, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

<<PREVIOUSLY

When I was a kid, and 1st Edition wasn’t called 1st Edition because we didn’t know there would ever be another, we played sitting on the rug with a set of very battered core books, dice you had to rub with a crayon to see the numbers, #2 pencils, and paper, some of it graphed. These days, we’re sitting around a dedicated game table, everyone with laptops and iPads plugged into D&D Beyond, and the table is filled with either 3D printed terrain or a big flat-screen television displaying beautiful battle maps in glorious color. It’s a different game. And it’s the same game. Friends and family members making up stories together.

You don’t need all the extras. You just need the friends and the stories. But a lot of the fun for me as a GM is “setting the table,” surprising my players with cool minis or interesting bits of terrain they haven’t seen before. I’m not an expert crafter, but I’m learning a thing or two, and I really like using props.

I’m currently running a campaign centered in Zobeck with forays into the Old Margreve. We started with “Everyone Lies” from Streets of Zobeck, and then we were lucky enough to follow that up with a playtest of “The Honey Queen” from the forthcoming Tales of the Old Margreve. The plan is to hop back and forth between the city and the woods for a bit, before branching out northwards where we’ll dive into “Wrath of the River King” for several levels. We love the mix of gritty streets and fairytale forests. So when “Wrath of the Bramble King” dropped right before our next session, I wasn’t about to skip it, and I rushed to prepare.

In the adventure, the players come upon a village under siege by “giant bramble badgers” and magically grown walls of thorny vines. Seeking out the source of this attack, they encounter the Bramble King, a once-human fey made entirely of, well, brambles, what else? Like “The Honey Queen” before it, the eponymous monarch isn’t bad per se, and the adventure encourages the players to negotiate with the king rather than fight him, though there is plenty of combat opportunities afterwards.

Now, we could do it all theater of the mind. That’s how my son runs his games at school. (Yes, I’m a good dad. I’m raising a GM!) But the more I dove into the adventure, the more I wanted to be able to present it at the same level as our other sessions. Problem: I only had a week to prep. Fortunately, 3dhexes has some wonderful vines in their “Tangled Realm” set, which I got last year when I thought I was going to run Tomb of Annihilation. And you’ve probably heard of Miguel Zavala. Miguel, who goes by mz4250 on social media, is the guy who made 3D printable models of all the monsters in the Monster Manual (and has gone on to create models from several other monster tomes and adventures, including a few from the Tome of Beasts). And he has “Giant Badgers” for free download on Shapeways! And the thorns for the “Tangled Realm” vines are meant to be printed separately and glued on, so I was able to print extra and glue them on the badgers! Instant bramble badgers! Miguel’s “Needle Blight” was a good stand-in for the king himself. And I a giant spider from Fat Dragon Games as well. Then I hastily sprayed all of it a hunter’s green, dry brushing them that same evening in a lighter shade. I added some flocking and voila! It was a quick and dirty job, but I had a wall of vines, a batch of bramble creatures, and the thorny monarch ready to go!

Meanwhile, some weeks ago, one of my players and I built a TV case for a 55” flat screen. Heath Robinson is the co-owner of Infinite Black, whose Lovecraftian Elder Dice are absolutely amazing. He’s also a jack-of-all-trades with the broadest skill set of anybody I’ve ever met. The case we built is utterly gorgeous and absolutely amazing, and I’m only able to gush so immodestly about it because it would have been impossible without Heath. We run Dynamic Dungeons animated maps on it, which are animated maps where the trees and grass move in the wind and birds fly across the screen. Their new editor/manager/player software allows the use of fog of war effects, and you can also import third-party maps into their editor. So I selected a mix of Dynamic Dungeons and Heroic Maps for this adventure—Heroic Maps for the village of Cambervale and the ruined tower from Dyson Logos that is provided for the climax of the story.

Because my party are all 3rd level and the adventure is written for 2nd-level characters, I added an extra bramble badger and planned to beef up the final encounters too. On the way to the village, we used the random encounter tables from the Tales of the Old Margreve, where a fallen log and some laughter from the bushes foreshadowed the children of the briar, and a chernomoi named Pexl took out a player and a newly purchased pig in one shriek. My players bargained with the Bramble King as expected, but when they came to the ruined tower at the end, they somehow cut right to the chase, bypassing a lot of the monsters for the objective straight away. I never got to use my bramble spider! But as it was, I didn’t add monsters to the final fight, and a good thing too, as three children of the briar was nearly a TPK. Or rather, a TPK for all but the wizard who was levitating at the limits of the children’s spitdart tongue’s range. (His mini levitated with flight risers from Axen Shield. Highly recommended!) But they claimed the objective and negotiated a truce between the king and the village.

All in all, it was a fantastic day that’s added to our campaign in very interesting ways, and I’m so glad I didn’t skip it. There’s something about Midgard in general, and the Margreve in particular, that really sets it apart from other campaign settings. Somehow the world feels really real, really credible, despite—or maybe because—it draws upon so much of medieval folktales and legends. The strange characters like the Honey Queen, the Bramble King, the Weft of Shadows, as well as the fey nature of elves, make Midgard feel different from other imagined worlds and more like a mythological version of our own. I can’t wait to head back into the Margreve or maybe into the streets and alleys of Zobeck. And I can’t wait to see what challenges the kobolds throw my way when it comes to setting my table for the next time.

__

Lou Anders is the author of the Thrones & Bones series of middle grade fantasy adventure novels and of the novel Star Wars: Pirate’s Price. You can find him online at www.louanders.com, on Twitter @LouAnders, and on Facebook.

~~~

Val clumsily brought his eighth glass of whiskey to his lips, wondering if, finally, this would be the shot that would do him in. The shouts of combat and explosions rang in his ears, and through his swimming vision and equally muddled thoughts, the image of Tyrash, his grim smile and the explosive barrel at his feet, came uninvited. “You’ve got the look of someone running,” the tavern owner was a solemn person of middling years. “Take it from someone older, the only thing you’ll find at the bottom of that glass is an even worse headache.”

Welcome to the table! Recently, I’ve started hearing this question with some frequency: how do you incorporate new characters into an established party? During a recent session, I had to bring in a new character after the player’s old one died. Today, let’s talk about adding new characters to your game. One clarifying note before I continue. This article focuses primarily on the introduction of a character, not the introduction of a new player. I’ll write a different article about swapping and adding players.

What happens when new characters appear? What work needs to be done for easy introduction? What are common pitfalls that GMs face? What are some examples of interesting introduction?

Covering his eyes against the midday sun, Val stumbled toward the Hollyleaf Inn, hoping to sleep off what he knew would be a terrible hangover. Narrowly dodging through the traffic of the market streets, Val slowly focused on the entrance to the inn. Just as Val began reveling in his flawless success given his present state, a wave of nausea washed over him, and he turned, unloading the contents of his stomach on an unfortunate woman who had been stepping up to him. The shoppers around them backed away as Val wretched and the woman stood shocked.

During this session, we introduced a new character named Kara. Prior to the session, I asked the player to help create their introduction. We decided that it would be enjoyable to showcase Kara’s hardiness and determined that one reason why Kara would join the party was so that she could watch over the party and demand repayment for Val’s actions. By involving players in creating the introduction, the player becomes more invested in having a reason to join the party and will more fully participate in their introduction, helping showcase the character and maintain the flow of the game.

Introducing a new character slows down the pace of the game. It may not happen immediately, but at some point, the game will need to investigate this new character to discover what makes them unique. In a well-established group, introducing a new character can be a challenge. Most of the players and their characters have spent time with each other. They’ve had a number of games to learn about a character’s mannerisms, how they act, and a chance to discover a little bit about their past. Whether you run a string of one-shots or a long campaign, introducing a new character to the game requires careful consideration as to what aspects of your game are important: narrative, combat, roleplay, equipment and treasure.

Azreal and Strass were just returning to the Hollyleaf Inn when they spotted Val ahead. He was laying on the ground while a woman, outfitted in rugged, homespun cloth robes, with a closely shaved head of brown hair kicked him again in the ribs. Hurrying forward, Azreal and Strass stepping in between their inebriated friend and the woman, their hands raised in a warding gesture. “You here to fight?” The woman said, falling into a defensive stance.

Every new character needs time in the spotlight and to bring something useful to the table. Based upon which aspects of your game are emphasized, the introduction may be in combat, a roleplay opportunity, or in conjunction with a plot point. Introducing new characters requires work from everyone: GMs need to think about how to create space for the new character to shine, the introduced character needs to have clear motivations and must be willing to join the party, and finally, those players who are not changing characters need to think about how they will accept the new character into their group.

One of the most common problems that GMs face when introducing a new character is not working to directly link the character with the current objectives or goals pursued by the rest of the party. I recommend collaborating with the player during character creation, working with them to create clear, interesting reasons for the character to work with the others. With the character Kara, the player and I made Kara a bounty hunter targeting the party’s most recent villain. Doing this both explains why Kara would join the party but also adds a new element for the party to deal with—whether or not to take the villain alive or dead.

Sitting in the Hollyleaf Inn, Strass and Azreal apologized again for Val’s actions, pushing another drink to the woman across the table. The woman, who introduced herself as Kara, smiled, taking the drink and leaning forward. “Forget about it. While I would not have wanted to meet you in that manner, I’d hoped to run into you.” Her face took on a serious expression, “I have business to discuss with you.”

Introducing characters can be a lot of work. Based upon what you focus on for your games, you may need to create a lot of explanation to maintain continuity, or if you’re running a series of one-shots, you may just wave your hand and brush over the matter. No matter the case, this work should not fall solely on the GM’s shoulders. The more you can involve players, the more investment you’ll likely find from them.

Let’s Sum Up

• Creating space for new characters to shine helps integrate that character smoothly into your game.
• Adding new characters is a team effort. GMs don’t need to do all of the work. Instead, involve the player and the whole party in the process.
• There is no one correct way to introduce new characters. Over the years, I’ve experimented with a number of introductions. Here are a few that I’ve used:
  • The character is in a prison where they are serving time for a crime that they did or did not do.
  • The character is brought to the party by their mentor who tells them to “behave” before leaving.*
  • *This form of introduction is particularly effective. How the NPC and PC know one another can be very open, and if the party knows the NPC, it can help bridge some of the gaps that emerge during the introduction.
  • The character is about to be eaten by a terrible foe, and only intervention by the party helps turn the tide of battle.
  • The character comes to arrest the party for previous crimes, only faltering in their task for any number of reasons.
  • The character appears with a letter for another player, telling them that their long-standing debts are due before offering to accompany the party to ensure inevitable payment or to find a way to get out of the collection.

Let me know in the comments some of your favorite ways of introducing new characters.

See you at the table!

<<PREVIOUSLY

Of the smaller races, the kobolds have adapted best to the changing world. Enslaved long ago by reaver dwarves, kobolds quickly carved a niche for themselves as miners, scouts, and tinkerers: small enough to be useful, and also small enough to be dismissed as a threat. At first they were tolerated, then largely ignored. As a result, the shadows of dwarven society are rife with kobold rogues and entrepreneurs (many of them secret worshippers of Loki), seemingly subservient but busily trading dwarven goods for resources extracted from the dwarves’ own mines and storehouses, right under the noses of their “masters.”

Free kobolds defend their mines viciously but otherwise maintain the ruse of a harmless and subservient little folk—at least until the opportunity to sheathe a knife in someone’s kidneys presents itself.

Many other small races have adopted the kobold’s strategy, including the worship of Loki, embracing his cunning ways and the advantages of guile and cunning over brawn and bravado.

SUBTERRANEAN SURVIVORS

More than anything, kobolds are survivors. Their scaly skin and keen night vision as well as their dextrous claws and sensitive snouts make them quick to sense danger, and their clawed feet move them out of danger with cowardly speed. They are small but fierce when fighting on their own terms, and their weight of numbers helps them survive in places where larger but less numerous races can’t sustain a settlement. They are great miners, good gearsmiths, and modest alchemists, and they have a curiosity about the world that frequently gets them into trouble. They are merchants to both the surface world and the world beneath it, with their greatest cities hidden deep below the earth. Their enemies are the diabolical gnomes, the dwarves, and any other mining races that seek dominance of dark, rich territories.

The kobold King of Kings rules from Harkesh, the capital of the Dragon Empire, where kobolds form a large middle class known as the kobaldi. Some even own human and dwarven slaves. Here, kobolds carry themselves upright, see themselves as naturally superior to the hairy races, and swagger about their business. Mharoti kobolds loudly demand the respect of others and greatly disconcert those accustomed to the paranoid and sniveling kobolds found in the rest of Midgard. That same sniveling still goes on, but the kobaldi reserve it for their dragon masters.

FINDING ONE’S PLACE

Kobold society is gregarious and built around the clan, matriarchal lines of descent, male kings, and the crucial importance of clutch-mates (those who hatched about the same time, the closest things kobolds have to brothers and sisters). Few kobolds become adventurers, and most of those who do have either offended a kobold king (and been exiled from the mines as punishment) or have lost many or all of their clutch-mates (so they leave home to grieve and to find new friends). In many cases, a kobold “adopts” an adventuring party as new clutch-mates.

Kobolds are deeply enamored of their tools. Some kobolds spend a great deal of effort improving them. Mining picks, a mason’s hammer, jeweler’s loupe, and even simple items like a kobold’s spear or dagger are all named and cherished. At the same time, kobolds tend to gnaw on tool handles, forget to oil blades, or even pry out inlays or decorative gems (to polish or reshape them) without first considering how they’ll repair the damage. As a result, most kobold items are distinctive and unlikely to be mistaken for anyone else’s items. Some believe this decorative urge is an instinctual defense against theft.

One category of tool deserves special note: traps. Kobolds create simple, deadly traps and wildly impractical ones as a hobby. Few kobolds leave home without string, springs, simple latches, and other bits and pieces that can be quickly fashioned into triggers for traps. Kobolds are the only race that recognizes “trapsmith” as a profession.

Kobolds are closely allied with and related to dragonkin, drakes, and dragons. The kobold kings (and there are ohso- many kobold kings, since no kobold ruler is satisfied with being merely a chieftain) admire dragons as the greatest sources of wisdom, power, and proper behavior.

KOBOLD NAMES

Among themselves, kobold names tend to be a combination of yips, howls, snarls, coughing sounds, and sounds made by clacking their teeth. These words are difficult, if not impossible, for other races to duplicate, so kobolds who go out into the world usually adopt another, simpler name. These can be anything the kobold likes the sound of, and often come from another culture; some kobolds are partial to dwarven names, for example, mainly for ironic reasons. Alternatively, they can take descriptive labels, usually with an incongruous gravitas or a ridiculous implication of power, such as Worldshaker, Thor Giantslayer, or Spinecrusher. There’s no real consistency or pattern to the names they use among outsiders.

KOBOLD TRAITS

Your kobold character has certain characteristics in common with all other kobolds.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Age. Kobolds reach maturity at age 10, and can live to nearly 80.

Alignment. Kobolds are organized and tend toward law, particularly those who practice a trade. Whether they lean toward good or evil depends on their draconic lineage.

Size. Kobolds stand between 3 and 4 feet tall, and weigh around 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Blindsider. You have advantage on your attack roll against an enemy within 5 feet of you if you have an ally that’s not incapacitated also within 5 feet of the target. You can apply this bonus to one attack per round. Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in bright sunlight.

Tinkerer. You have proficiency with artisan’s tools of your choice: alchemist’s supplies, mason’s tools, smith’s tools, or tinker’s tools.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Draconic and Common.

<<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 COURTIER

Royal courtiers among the fair folk constitute the bulk of any ruler’s court or entourage. And the most powerful and otherworldly of any royal court to which a fey might aspire is that eternally exquisite gathering of beauty, power, and vanity—the Seelie Court.

Seelie courtiers attend at all hours and at every possible occasion, hoping to gain notice and to serve and advise their lord or lady or any other influential dignitaries or personalities present. Frequently, courtiers are royally invited (compelled) to attend, acting as personal or assigned advisors, companions, and servants to the ruler’s family, guests, and household. Often, they are young or ambitious sidhe, friends-of-friends, politicos, lesser nobles, and second-born sycophants. But also ambassadors and officials, royal audience seekers and petitioners, all mingling with the oldest and utmost of the high-born fey.

Seelie courtiers ultimately serve as a filter to and from the highest levels of the upper tier of sidhe society.

Sir Calaedwyn Hallowmorn

His Grace, the Baron(et) of the Grymwyld, guardian of the Laughing Hills and commander of the Windvale garrisons, is a minor noble of unremarkable lands and lineage who nonetheless moves with ease through the highest of political, social, and arrogantly aristocratic circles of the sidhe.

Rarely absent from court and seemingly well liked, despite his dubious nobility, Calaedwyn is educated, charming, and intelligent and has proven (outwardly) to be unambitious and discreet. All important traits in his line of “work.”

The Baron(et) Hallowmorn is a master and student of courtly intrigue. He styles himself an information and acquisition consultant, an unveiler of truths and arranger of liaisons. He is considered an amusing, if dangerous, addition to the court, a beloved and necessary evil—yet another double-edged dagger in the twisted political intrigues and immortal social maneuverings of the sidhe.

Calaedwyn hails from a family whose manorhouse cellars hide generations worth of “little black(mail) books” and other delicate information concerning delicate individuals.

His current conspiratorial quandary is how to proceed. Thanks to spies placed under the very nose of Scutarius Thornwalker, Calaedwyn knows that agents of the Snow Queen have been courting Dame Snowthorn of Briarstone and that she is, in fact, an illegitimate but surviving heir to house Glimmerwind.

Could it be that Lord Chellessfield (having taken possession of all Glimmerwind lands, rights, and holdings decades ago) has known and withheld this knowledge all these years? And how is it that the esquire of Rivenwood has this knowledge? Why have they not spoken out? There seems much yet to uncover…

Calaedwyn Hallowmorn

Medium fey (sidhe), neutral
Armor Class 19 (20 if dual-wielding)
Hit Points 126 (28d8)
Speed 40 feet

Saving Throws Dex +13, Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +10
Skills Deception +10, History +9, Insight +8, Intimidation +10, Investigation +9, Perception +8, Performance +10, Persuasion +10, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 90ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Benison of the Blessed Court. Calaedwyn has advantage against spells and magical effects and may cast the following spells 1/day each, requiring no components:  counterspell, dispel magic, magic circle, true seeing.

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

Spirit of the Summer Lands. His Grace is immune to charm, paralysis, and magical sleep and has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from weapons that aren’t magical, silver, or made of (cold-forged) iron.

Spellcasting. Calaedwyn is a 9th-level spellcaster who uses Intelligence (DC 17, + 9 to hit with spell attacks) and knows the following wizard spells:

• Cantrips: blade ward, friends, mage hand, true strike
• 1st level (4 slots): charm person, color spray, comprehend languages, sleep
• 2nd level (3 slots): alter self, invisibility, see invisibility
• 3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, haste, nondetection
• 4th level (3 slots): arcane eye, conjure minor elemental, polymorph,
• 5th level (1 slot): scrying

ACTIONS

Disarming Duelist. While wielding a melee finesse weapon, Calaedwyn may use his Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls. Additionally, any time a melee attack fails to hit Calaedwyn, he may use his reaction to force a DC 16 Dexterity save. On a failed save, the target drops one handheld item chosen by Calaedwyn.

Defensive Dualist. The Baron(et) knows the Defensive Duelist and Dual Wielder feats.

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 × 10-foot leaps or 1 × 30-foot leap per day). Using this ability with a faerie mount brings the mount along as part of the movement.

Parry (1/round). Whenever Calaedwyn takes melee damage from a target he can see and while wielding a melee, finesse weapon, he rolls 2d4 adding his Dexterity modifier and reduces the damage by that amount.

Punctilious Poniard of Piercing (+1). Being of a lesser noble house, Calaedwyn’s family is not yet permitted to forge scian-sithe, so they have improvised. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d4 +7) piercing. One time between rests, Calaedwyn may command this main-gauche to behave as a dancing sword, except as noted above.

Rapacious Rapier. This ancient heirloom is crafted from wytchwood which greedily absorbs the blood required to empower it. This rapier, after causing 25 hit points of piercing damage, receives a +1 enchantment for 2 minutes. Thereafter, the killing of any sentient being of at least 40 hit points instantly adds 2 minutes and +1 (+3 max.) to the current enchantment level. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 +6) piercing, before bonuses.

<<PREVIOUSLY

“I think he may have gone, Master. Thank goodness. What was that revolting shambling thing outside?”

Crooked Characters are detailed NPCs to slip into your adventures however you wish. Free from class and statistics, they can be used in any fantasy gaming system. Each comes with a detailed description and character motivation for you to use in your campaign, perhaps as a mere passer-by, a rumor, a confidante, or maybe as the motivation behind a whole adventure.

Shambles, Shambles, tongue of brambles
Eater of spines, feaster of babies
Swishes his scythe as the streets he rambles
Smiles his smile as he devours your ladies

The Shambles offers a useful scapegoat, horror object, and backstory to your adventure, but he could be much more than that; he could be at its heart, bringing a memorably and horribly wronged NPC from the dark depths of your backstory into the unkind and truthful light.

Jebediah—the man—is still kindly. He prays to his god and if given the chance would still happily help strangers. Yet from afar, he appears a one-dimensional being, a killer whose relentless murdering must be stopped. That those in power hold all the cards, bar one, makes his villainy, at least on the surface, blatant. That Jebediah the man is extremely resourceful and tough, as well as driven by a hunger to avenge, makes him a formidable opponent even as a simple foe, but add a few hard-to-find clues and suddenly this man is more than he seems. The odd act of strange kindness, the death of someone not quite as snowy white as they seem, makes him potentially intriguing. Add the fact that he trusts no one and is hardly likely to unmask himself to strangers asking questions makes him a potentially very difficult encounter.

Using Jebediah in Your Adventures

The trick of the obvious being not quite so obvious as it seems gives you the chance to use the Shambles in your adventures. What might start out as a simple hunt soon develops dark twists; the people who offer handsome rewards for his death do not perform such handsome deeds after all. The Shambles’s killing is not quite so indiscriminate, and perhaps there are those who operate in the belly of your campaign—rogues, rebels, and thinkers—who see more to the Shambles than just a killer. They know those he kills by reputation and deed all too well…

Two Adventure Seeds

Lord Haverstock Gripe, owner of the Outer Seas Colonial Company, has let it be known amongst certain low types in the city that he is offering an extremely generous reward for the death of the menace stalking our decent streets and slaying our neighbors—the villainous and murderous Shambles. Bounty hunters, killers, and mercenaries stalk the streets but have so far met with no success; indeed their investigations have been brutal with several murders in the low-city attributed to these law-bringers. The priestess Essentia Frey, a sister of the nunnery of the Blessed Lady who feed the poor in the low-city, has heard stories that this reviled creature is in truth a lot less worse than those who chase him and those who sponsor them. She seeks people of good character to get to the bottom of the story and confirm a terrible tale whispered to her in confession about a toxin that unmakes bodies. Something she fears may be used again on the poor of the low-city.

The Cabal of Enlightened Venoms have employed a group of assassins to do away with the Shambles once and for all; these silent killers stalk the streets and rooftops looking for their prey. The local thieves’ guild, however, has heard a different story. Their leader—the tough, frightening, but fairly fair Hermastus Crow—has heard the Shambles knows something about the cabal, a group he has begun to wisely fear. They are expanding their operations and seeking to put the guild out of existence. He wants to talk to the man and knows just the people to ask to find him—the PCs…

<<PREVIOUSLY

Seasons greeting from all of the Kobolds! We wish you a fabulous, extraordinary, tentacular holiday season.

Illustration by Michele Giorgi (www.michelegiorgiillustrator.com).

Life leaves echoes in its wake, whether crumbled remnants of a bygone civilization, tales of heroes and gods that spawn new beliefs, or even the echo of an individual soul left behind to haunt the living world. The world of Midgard is no stranger to ghosts and specters that linger beyond death, but sometimes a person’s passion, purpose, and will to live are so strong, their tie to the living world so unbreakable, that their memories create a vessel for their soul after their body dies. These people are called shades. Shades can arise from any living race.

Shade: Voices Beyond Death

There are rumors of darakhul or other undead leaving shades behind after destruction, but there are no reliable accounts of such a creature. It is more likely that an undead creature with strong enough will to become a shade becomes a shade of the race they were in true life.

Spirit and Flesh

A shade possesses a physical body that looks, acts, and feels similar to a living member of their original race, at least superficially. Shades must breathe, consume food and drink, and require shelter from adverse weather. Despite the functional similarities to a living body, a shade isn’t composed of flesh and blood. Their bodies are a memory of who they once were, inhabited and quickened by the presence of their soul. Exhaustion, deprivation, and injury take their toll on a shade’s body, disrupting their body’s ability to maintain the connection to their soul. Food, drink, and air aren’t necessary to nourish their bodies but merely to help them maintain the sense of being a living, breathing creature. Similarly, shades appear to sleep, but they do not require it.

The more injured or exhausted a shade, the less corporeal they appear. The colors of their body wash out to pale, desaturated tones, and light begins to pass through them. Blood from their wounds starts out as red and vibrant as any humanoid’s, but closer to death, their wounds cease to bleed and seem to evaporate at the edges.

Living Memory

The strength of a shade’s memory of themselves and their place in life is the core of their being. Newer shades are almost impossible to distinguish from their prior, fully-living selves. Like anything exposed to the gnawing ravages of time, however, memory fades. The older a shade gets, the memories that keep them tethered to the living world begin to fray. They might grow forgetful, occasionally losing track of where they are or what year it is. Their memories might drift together, causing them see people around them as figures from their past.

Many shades keep detailed memoires, tending to them with the same devotion that any living creature shows seeking out food and water. Shades can theoretically live forever, but in practice, the memories that tether them to life can’t hold out indefinitely. Journals and other personal mementos help shades keep hold of themselves and allow them to last longer, sometimes for centuries.

Shades in Midgard

The largest known concentration of shades has arisen relatively recently in the conquered kingdom of Krakovar. The death that swept from the vampires to the south and their ghoulish allies that boiled up from the earth’s crevices created the perfect conditions for shades to arise. Despite their greater frequency, even in the new annex of the greater Blood Kingdom, shades remain scattered except for one place. A tiny village in the Ostre Hills, Werghart, hosts a community of shades. It’s remote and completely beneath the notice of the vampire ruling nobility because a scouting force destroyed it during the conquest. The shades found it not long after and set about to building themselves a new life. The Werghart shades are cut off, but they are determined and could make powerful allies in striking at the Blood Kingdom from within.

In the Southlands, shades are more common in Nuria Natal and in Siwal the City of Gardens. Siwali shades are great assets to the gravebinders who oversee the Necropolis, often becoming gravebinders themselves.

Social/Adventure

Because they can arise from any people, shades come from all corners of Midgard and from all walks of life. Station and wealth are no guarantee to help one linger on after the body’s death either. It’s not unheard of for a person to die only to rise as a shade with little understanding that anything changed. Some even hide or dispose of their original remains, sometimes suppressing or deeply denying the act at all, and resume their life with no disruption. Anyone could secretly, sometimes even to themselves, be a shade.

Some traveling shades leave their old lives behind, particularly those who were alone in life with no one to mourn them or fuel their memory. Such shades make up the majority of adventures. Other more established shades might set out on adventure to quest for the means to restore their true life or to protect loved ones from a threat. Krakovan shades engage in endless sabotage, harassment, and even outright warfare against the occupying forces of the Blood Kingdom.

Shade Traits

Your shade character has a collection of traits that arise from being a shade as well as a few drawn from life.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1, one other ability score of your choice increases by 1. Choose one ability score that is increased by your Living Origin (see below) or by one of its subraces. That ability score increases by 1.

Age. Shades appear as the age they were when they died. They potentially have no limit to their lifespan, but practically, ancient shades grow weary and lose their hold on their memories, fading away near 750 years old.

Alignment. Shades come from all walks of life but show a tendency toward neutrality. Shades that lack contact with other people grow more selfish over time and slip toward evil.

Size. Your size is determined by your Living Origin (see below).

Speed. Your speed is determined by your Living Origin (see below).

Darkvision. Your existence beyond death makes you at home in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Ghostly Flesh. Starting at 3rd level, you can use your action to dissolve your physical body into the ephemeral stuff of spirits. You become translucent and devoid of color, and the air around you grows cold.

Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. During it, you have a flying speed of 30 feet (hover) and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren’t made with silver weapons. You can also move through creatures and solid objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside an object, you take 1d10 force damage.

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

Life Drain. When you damage a creature with an attack or a spell, you can choose to deal extra necrotic damage to the target equal to your level. If the creature’s race matches your Living Origin, you gain temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.

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

Spectral Resilience. You have resistance to necrotic and poison damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease.

Undead Nature. You have two creature types: humanoid and undead. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.

Game effects that raise a creature from the dead work on you as normal, but they return you to life as a shade. A true resurrection or wish spell can restore you to life as a fully living member of your original race.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language spoken by your Living Origin (see below).

Living Origin. As living echoes of who they once were, shades maintain some of the traits they bore in life. Choose another race as your living origin. This is the race you were in life. Your size and speed are those of your living origin…

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Read more of this and other great articles in Warlock, only on Patreon!

These small, winter faeries are vicious and deadly. With their pale skin and translucent wings, they blend perfectly into their snowy environment; only their beady black eyes stand out against the snow and ice.

These malevolent ice-sprites are a plague upon the people of snowy climates, ambushing unwary prey with icy arrows and freezing spell-like powers.

Servants of the North Wind. Known as “patzinaki” in some dialects of Dwarvish, the beli are the servants of winter gods and venerate the north wind as Boreas and other gods of darker aspects. They are frequent allies with the fraughashar.

Feast Crashers. Beli especially delight in disrupting feasts and making off with the holiday cakes—the least deadly of their malicious pranks.

Fear of Druids. They have an irrational fear of northern druids and their snow bear companions.

BELI

Small fey, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (10d6 + 10)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities cold
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Dwarvish, Giant
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Arctic Hunter. Beli have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and Wisdom (Perception) checks made in icy, natural surroundings.

Cold Regeneration. As long as the temperature is below freezing, the beli regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn. If the beli takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the beli’s next turn. The beli dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and it doesn’t regenerate.

Flyby. The beli doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Innate Spellcasting. The beli’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: invisibility
• 3/day: chill touch

ACTIONS

Ice Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage.

Icy Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage, and the target must make a successful DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain 2 levels of exhaustion from the arrow’s icy chill. If the save succeeds, the target also becomes immune to further exhaustion from beli arrows for 24 hours (but any levels of exhaustion already gained remain in effect). A character who gains a sixth level of exhaustion doesn’t die automatically but drops to 0 hit points and must make death saving throws as normal. The exhaustion lasts until the target recovers fully from the cold damage.

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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.

This creature comes from the Tome of Beasts. You can continue on this adventure in the Midgard Worldbook, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

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Magic is the lifeblood of fantasy. Arguably the dividing line between fantasy and other types of fiction, magic can be strange, mysterious, frightening, comical, or anything in between. And if you’re looking to explore the applications of magic in a fantasy roleplaying campaign, you want to visit the Sorcery Stop! 

HEDGE WIZARD

You have a way with plants and animals and a fascination with anatomy. You spend most of your time at the edge of a settlement and are considered eccentric at best by its residents. Working with the physiology of living creatures comes naturally to you, though your knowledge is not always understood or welcomed by others; you have learned to either flaunt and overstate your skills or hide them, depending on your audience.

How did you come by your knowledge? Are you truly a natural, self-taught, or did you have a mentor? You are not necessarily a spellcaster, though it is likely you have picked up a few minor magic tricks over the years. The source of your proficiency likely also informs your reasons for remaining isolated; were you taught by a fey creature in the wild? Did you learn at the feet of a village healer or midwife? Did you study with a druid, only to find you lacked the rigor necessary to follow in their footsteps? Perhaps you were the assistant to a necromancer, required to learn the ins and outs of anatomy, or perhaps you were needed as a field medic in a military operation.

Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Medicine.

Tool proficiencies: Herbalism kit, one other tool kit of your choice.

Equipment: An Herbalism Kit, a vial of antitoxin, 5 candles, a set of common clothes, an iron pot, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.

FEATURE: MINOR CELEBRITY

As an herbalist, healer, and sometime instructor, you cannot help but be well-known to your neighboring settlement – possibly even to several nearby settlements. While you may not be fully trusted, you are definitely respected, and even those who devote their lives to greater magicks than you possess will often seek you out for advice on esoteric topics they lack the time or inclination to study. You get along as well with animals as people – possibly better – and generally have little to fear from even the wildest of creatures.

As long as you are conscious, a beast, fey, monstrosity, or plant that can see you will never behave in a hostile manner toward you unless you or one of your companions attack it.

SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS

Hedge wizards are shaped by their experiences both in rustic and wild areas as well as in dealing with the people who live there. Their mannerisms and ideals are developed around basic knowledge of physiology and medicinal treatments, as well as other applied sciences.  Their flaws might be antisocial or even misanthropic ideologies, or possibly even empathetic causes such as healing, healthiness, or the protection of weaker creatures, taken to extremes.

Hedge wizards have a lot in common with acolytes and hermits, and players who select this background may wish to choose from among the traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws provided for those options. Given a hedge wizard’s role as a community resource, aspects of the Folk Hero or even Entertainer background might apply as well. In addition to those options, Hedge Wizards can choose from the list below

<<PREVIOUSLY

It’s January! So here’s a set of wallpapers for your computer, your smartphone, or whatever electronic device you’ve got. This month we tease the upcoming Tales of the Old Margreve, by artist Miguel Regodón Harkness.

Bring on the hunt!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

To the west of the black wood where the shadow fey dwell lies a great pit in the Shadow Realm’s landscape. A series of deep depressions gouge the dark earth, diving deep into thick shadows and darkened tunnels. To a shrewd scholar of Midgard geography this mighty crevasse takes on a sinister meaning, for it exists in the corresponding location of the dwarf heartland, the Ironcrag Cantons. In these Black Iron Depths thrives an exiled arm of the Ghoul Imperium known as the Twilight Empire. These darknesstouched ghouls thrive in the shadow of the Ironcrags, searching for a way to breach the barrier between darkness and light. Their undead bodies absorb the essence of Shadow through the flesh of their meals (shadow fey and other living creatures of the realm), and every ghoul of the Twilight Empire bears the mark of that shadow—their teeth appear pitch black.

Driven out of the Ghoul Empire after a failed coup, renegade ghouls fled deep into the tunnels of Midgard’s underworld. Starving and broken in the depths, they chanced upon a shadow road in a lightless cavern filled with twisted abominations. The ensuing battle shed sufficient blood to briefly activate the road, and the commander of the traitor legion led his troops into Shadow.

The road led the ragged ghouls into the shadows cast by the Ironcrag Mountains. They collapsed the tunnel behind them, sealing the shadow road and blocking any pursuers’ path. Safe from further reprisals for their treason, they set about building a new empire.

Emperor in Exile

Vilmos Marquering, called the Black Fang, once commanded the Iron Legion in the White City. His coup was well planned and brilliantly executed. He turned key conspirators to his cause, several close to the true emperor, and those he couldn’t turn he killed and replaced with loyal cat’s-paws. When he struck, Vilmos learned just how deep the emperor’s secrets ran and how woefully inadequate all those careful preparations truly were. He barely escaped, and the most powerful warriors of his legion were reduced to dust by the emperor’s magic. With what must have been Vardesain’s intervention, Vilmos and his surviving allies fled to the Shadow Realm.

The Twilight Emperor now rules from his Black Iron Throne in the heart of the Black Iron Depths. Vilmos reforged the battered remnants of his coup into a fighting force worthy of serving him. To ensure control over his budding empire, the Black Fang anointed his five most trusted lieutenants as his dukes. Each duke assumed command of a city within the Depths and took one of the Twilight legions to defend that stronghold in the Twilight Emperor’s name. The Black Fang is wary of even these trusted advisers, for he remembers that betrayal arises from those closest to power. Unknown to any but the Twilight Emperor, the commander of each legion is fanatically loyal to him. Their devotion is enforced through magic, by a black mithral bracer recovered from a strange ruin near the Depths. Should any or all of his dukes turn on him, they’ll swiftly find themselves at the points of their own legions’ weapons.

Dealings with Darkness

In the years since the ghouls’ exile, the Twilight Empire has grown swiftly. They make regular raids on living communities of fey, the Moonlit Glades, and any other breathing creatures they can find. The Twilight ghouls are extremely careful to manage their food sources efficiently, and they rarely suffer a ravenous beggar ghoul to exist among them.

Living in the Shadow Realm means greater difficulty in finding sources of living flesh, so the Twilight ghouls forged peaceful contact with the shadow fey courts. Since the shadow fey control the vast majority of shadow roads, they can arrange passage for ghoul raiding parties to Midgard and ensure their safe return with their precious cargo of “food.” In return, the Twilight Emperor assigns legionnaires to assist in the maintenance of shadow roads that pass through particularly dangerous sections of the realm, as well as those known to draw unwanted trespassers from Midgard. The Queen of Night and Magic found the sudden appearance of a ghoul empire intriguing, and amuses herself by keeping tabs on their doings. Lately, she has grown concerned at the increasing ghoul activity in and around the City Fallen into Shadow. Their activities somehow elude her most powerful magic and her canniest spies. She contents herself with the strange magical relics the ghouls unearth through trade and favor for the time being, but that situation won’t last long. Her Majesty isn’t known for patience once her curiosity is aroused.

Ever since the chance discovery of the Twilight Emperor’s magical bracer within a splinter of the City Fallen into Shadow, the Black Fang’s ambitions have kindled anew. He hasn’t forgotten his humiliating defeat and still dreams of one day striking the White City to claim the throne. The umbral vampires and their city suggest a means that he might use to level the playing field against Emperor Nicoforus. The Black Fang charged his necrophages to learn everything they could about the umbral vampires. The cost has been steep, for gleaning secrets from the vampires has cost ghoul wizards their sanity, but it has been worthwhile. The Twilight Emperor now knows of an artifact orrery hidden deep within the City Fallen into Shadow that can give its wielder mastery over time and space. He currently lacks the forces to strike into the city, so he sends scouting parties to search for signs of the so-called eye of Veles.

Zhurakh, City of Bone and Iron

The deepest city of the Black Iron Depths, Zhurakh serves as the seat of the Twilight Emperor and the unbeating heart of the empire. The Twilight Emperor learned from his failed coup, and his secret police saturate every level of the city, ever watchful for signs of dissent. For this reason, would-be conspirators avoid the City of Bone and Iron completely.

Nearby, the Endless Falls drain a tributary of the River Styx in a seemingly endless plunge into the black depths of the Shadow Realm. This is the Twilight Emperor’s favorite place to deal with traitors and criminals, personally casting them into the depths. The most elite Twilight soldiers, the Blackmaw Legion, stands ready to enforce the emperor’s will.

Blackstone

Home to the Twilight Empire’s shock troops, the Ravenous Legion, Blackstone broods over one of the few roads into the Black Iron Depths, guarded by the gate fortress Gloomhold. The Warden of Blackstone, Duke Wierdunn Bonehand, scours the populace for ghouls of sufficient strength and viciousness to join the Ravenous Legion. Bonehand and his lieutenants mercilessly hone the legionnaires into fanatic brutes, willing to dive headlong into the jaws of Veles and take a pound of flesh with them as they’re devoured.

Chaingard

The largest settlement on the surface, just on the edge of the Black Iron Depths, Chaingard stands as the foreboding main gateway into the Twilight Empire. This city serves as the receiving point for all slave traffic into the Twilight Empire. Duchess Angvyr Ssetha, the Lady of Chains, oversees the slave supply with meticulous efficiency. She enjoys greeting high-ranking emissaries to the empire, manner. The Shackled Legion guards the walls and gates, directing the flow of slaves with brutal efficiency.

Evernight

Hewn from the black stone and iron ore of the depths, Evernight sits on the edge of a dark lake. Ruled by Duke Eloghar Vorghesht, high priest of Vardesain, Evernight is the center of faith for the empire. A grand cathedral to the ghoul god dominates the city’s center, its black altar stained darker with the blood and flesh of countless sacrifices. The Midnight Legion defends the city, boasting warrior clerics and dark reflections of paladins among its ranks.

Gallwheor

Whereas Blackstone produces terrifying shock troops, Gallwheor provides the finest tactical minds in the Twilight Empire. Duke Borag the Executioner, Warlord of Gallwheor, never lost a battle during his time in the Ghoul Imperium or since their exile into Shadow. The Headsman Legion, known for its deadly efficient strikes to the heart of any opposing force, topples resistance from on high, displaying the heads of enemy commanders to break the ranks of its terrified foes.

Ossean

The first stop after the steep and perilous Clanking Descent from Chaingard down the sheer cliffs of the Black Iron Depths, Ossean receives first pick of any new shipment of slaves. Amid the bone-clad buildings, the Twilight Empire’s necrophages labor and study under the direction of Duchess Mikalea Soulreaper, Lorekeeper of Ossean. Her apprentices and loyal necrophages hone their practice and ply the secrets from the flesh and souls of captives, guarded by the Bone Legion’s arcane and martial might. Its ranks swell with legionnaires who blend dark arcane magic with the strength of steel…

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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, Midgard Heroes Handbook, Creature Codex, and Creature Codex Pawns!

<<PREVIOUSLY

“A five-star adventure that everyone should play at some point in their gaming career.” (Reviewer at DriveThruRPG)

We first released Courts of the Shadow Fey in 2013 for the 4th Edition of the world’s first roleplaying game, and for Pathfinder 1st Edition. Now, years later, we’re bringing this enduring classic to 5th Edition in a revised, full-color hardcover edition!

The Free City of Zobeck has thrived since overthrowing the tyrannical Stross family. But an ancient bargain gives the Queen of Night and Magic a claim to the city—and now the shadow fey have seized Zobeck as their own. The city’s only hope lies with a band of heroes who can outfight and outwit the shadow fey in the heart of their own realm: the maze of treachery and deceit that is the Courts of the Shadow Fey.

You can pre-order this adventure now on the Kobold Press Store! The regular edition is a gorgeous tome complete with a fold-out map. But if you’re a collector, you won’t want to miss out on the opulent special edition, which has a unique cover, endpapers, bookmarks… the works! We’re only printing 100 of them, so don’t miss out on this chance.