AENOCHIAN UMBRAGE: IN THE TREE'S SHADOW
A HISTORY OF THE BLACKTOOTH RIDGE
The history of the Blacktooth Ridge begins with the Ineng Tree. In the Days before Days this tree wandered the earth; twisted with evil it took the shape of a troll, indeed it was the first of the trolls, and wreaked havoc on the world at large.

In time Ineng grew weary of his struggles and settled upon a small patch of earth, along a ridgeline overlooking a river. The river tumbled in slow gyrations to the east before it turned south. Here Ineng settled into his new home.

The roots of his evil grew deep, spreading through the ridge, cutting tunnels that became caves, breaking rocks and opening fissures deep beneath the ridge. The ground rose until the depth of his evil pushed the ridge up, breaking the earth into many gulches, banks, crags and escarpments.

Ineng did not pass into stone but melded with the earth and the magic of his being fed the whole region, attracting many creatures who knew not its source, not its evil. So the jutting finger of broken hills that men later called the Blacktooth Ridge came to dominate the whole region.

The land changed. The ridge now dominated the area, high and barren, it pushed the river south and flooded the lowlands, making the land fertile and ripe. Many small rivers and creeks crisscrossed the area, as did ponds and lakes.

A forest took root and grew, birch and oak mostly, but a generous amount of sycamore and broad leafed poplar trees. Wild tribes of Aenochians settled in the forest, which they called the Saelic Forest, but most did not stay, for they deemed it an evil land and they moved further south to the fertile coastlines.

But the elves came and made the forests their home. The ridge called to them and they knew it possessed great magic. They named the place the Avishean Ridge, that is in their own tongue, the “Wellspring” and the forest and river they called the Hruesen River Valley, though later the forest took on the more sinister name of the Barren Wood.

They made peace with those wild men who remained and they did not fear the fey that came and settled in this enchanted country. So they lived for many long years.

But the world’s ages turned and so with it the fortunes of those who lived along the Blacktooth Ridge.

Long ago, beyond the memory of most that now live in the Hruesen River Valley the region came under the rule of the Kings of Men, the Lords of Aenoch and they ruled from their city of Al Liosh for many long centuries.

Their power waxed and waned as the tides over time. They grew masterful in the art of sorcery and the Lords spent their days upon the silken pillows, besotted with the corruption of wine, but their nights they spent in exploring the worlds beyond their own.

It was then that one of their own rose to power, a wizard of such dreadful capacity that all feared him. Nulak-KizDin ruled behind the throne and guided the Emperor and the priest and he used them to his own means.

With their powers he navigated the deeps of the Maelstrom and found what he sought, the source of a wondrous power. He summoned it to Aihrde, to the very halls of Al Liosh, where the court of the Emperor watched in amazement.

So the horned god, Unklar came to walk the worlds of men. The Emperor died, as did the priests; Nulak he bound to him as a slave. Unklar destroyed the great city of Al Liosh and it fell beneath his cloven hoof.

He rebuilt it then, fashioned a tower of dreadful horrors that he named Aufstrag, that is the Citadel of Command in the tongues of men. He gathered a great army about him and lay waste to the world at large.

In those days, the Horned One’s shadow hung over all the world and he ruled from his great fortress of Aufstrag, whose long shadow cast a dark pall over the Blacktooth Ridge.

When the Horned One first conquered the lands of the Hruesen, it was restless and troublesome as its inhabitants, the elves, fay of many type and those stalwart men of noble bearing, did not easily bend to his will.

So it was, after many a rebellion and uprising the Horned One turned his armies loose upon the lands of the Hruesen. A great many orc and goblin issued forth from the foul pits of Aufstrag and laid waste to the lands of the Hruesen, driving the inhabitants south into the sea, enslaving them or scattering wide the free peoples that had been living there.

His evil emptied the forest of its inhabitants and razed all the regions’ cities and towns.

For centuries after, the woods and vales of the Hruesen lay abandoned and empty. These were the long years of the Winter Dark.

The ridge now stood forth from the wasteland as a great black scar as the orcs occupied it and made it a fortress of sorts. They tunneled beneath it and built squat towers upon it. They carted folk to the Ridge as slaves and there they became lost to memory.

The ridge was named anew, the Blacktooth Ridge, as it devoured all that entered it and the lands about were renamed the Barren Wood for little remained of the once great Saelic Forest.

The fortunes of those lands changed only with the passing of the horned god and the dissolution of his kingdom. Aufstrag was made a shell of its former self, if not wholly destroyed and the evil hosts of the Horned One scattered to the winds.

Throughout the world war raged, men fought the orcs and ungern, the Horned One and the world groaned from the agony of it all. In the lands south of Aufstrag the men, long suffering the yoke of tyranny, rebelled.

Heimstadt, Vilshofen, Dundador, Ascalon, Aesperdi, Meteria and Kourland all rebelled against the tumbling might of the Empire; these cities lived under the shadow of Aufstrag for a thousand years.

They had grown wealthy through control of the overseas trade routes and they suffered little from the hands of Unklar. In consequence, a powerful, educated merchant class came to rule these cities.

When war came to the horned one’s realm the lords of Aenoch banded together in a loose confederation of and prepared to rebel. Pryzmira, last daughter of the House of the Old Empire of Aenoch , came to them and promised wealth and power if they would support her claim to the ancient lineage.

They agreed to league with her under the stipulation that each of the seven lands together possess the rights to elect the Empress and her heirs to the throne.

In turn, she demanded that their borders remain permanently fixed, that they give her the city of Ascalon to rule from and that they grant her other privileges aside.

The Empress then turned to the western lands, where the yoke of the horned one had already fallen and called for a crusade, promising land and wealth. The summons generated wide enthusiasm in the west and hosts of men came for the glory and renown, but also for the land they could capture and which the Empress promised them.

Many built small realms in the wilds; carving out holdings for themselves and they swore an oath to the Empress and she granted them title. These Crusader States spread in a haphazard, disjointed way and they rose and fell with a rapidity that defied description.

Though the coming years saw many victories, it saw as many defeats. The men carried their banners deep into the country, even as far as the Blighted Screed. They founded small townships on the edge of the wild, Botkinberg and Ludenshiem were two of the most notable. But others flourished here and there.

For many years the country of the Hruesen knew a peace of sorts, though it never flourished again. The evil which had resided there passed into memory or vanished into the deep recesses of the Blacktooth; and the distance from Ascalon and the Empress proved just far enough to make it difficult for those in power to meddle in the affairs of men of the Blacktooth. Thus the world stood for many years.

In time elves, in search of ancient homelands and shrines, and men, in search of fertile and peaceful lands to farm, returned and settled in the Barren Wood.; the fey awoke as if from a long slumber and the forest assumed the shadow of its former self.

The forested valleys, still lakes, meandering streams all came to life again and the free creatures wandered the paths as they had in the long ago of yesterday. But the country of the Hruesen remained a haunted place, for there are as many evil fey as good and these creatures thrived in the ruins of the minions of Aufstrag.

And as in all lands some of the Horned One’s servants survived and hid themselves away in the dark places and they waited for the return of their dark master.

The years spun out and those who remembered the Winter’s Dark were very old and few listened to their tales. They paid no heed to the rumors that a new lord seized power in Aufstrag and that he sought to rebuild the kingdom of his master.

But the rumors bore more than a hint of truth for Coburg the Undying, long a lieutenant of the dark lord’s, ruled the Citadel now. Coburg ruled with a madness unknown in the tower. He spent his days raging against foes both real and imagined and during the night thoughts of Empire stirred his slumbers.

At last he turned his attention to the lands beyond Aufstrag and he schemed how he might conquer them. Of all the Kingdoms, New Aenoch and the Crusader States stood closest and it seemed to him weak and divided.

He called upon the creatures of Aufstrag, promising them power and a return to the glory of the old days. He sent them across the Blighted Screed and into the Blacktooth Ridge to make the land ready for his hosts.

OF THE HORN OF OPENING
In all of towering Aufstrag there is but one physical gate, the Ahargon Den, the Great Maw. Those who entered called it the Art et Unklar, the Mouth of Darkness, for all that entered there were devoured by the malice of Aufstrag.

The dwarves fashioned this gate for Unklar, for in those distant days he bound them to him by chains of servitude that they could not break. And they put all of their skill into the project and made for Aufstrag an unbreakable set of doors.

They cast the doors of bronze, but laced that bronze with iergild, that magical ore from beyond the worlds of men. They scripted runes into the doors, words of making from their forges that the bronze absorbed but that gave the doors a magical property that protected them against sorcery.

They set riddles into the bronze as well. These riddles captured sound and absorbed it into the bronze so that none could speak words of opening to it.

Thus protected they ordered it set into the frame of stone and trolls, huge and monstrous came at the bidding of Unklar and set the doors in place. There it stood, overshadowing the Wasting Way.

To open the door was a herculean task. But many tried. In the early wars it was the men of Al Liosh who found a way. They discovered powerful dwarven runes of opening and with them crafted horn of exquisite beauty.

Shaped from the horns of a dragon, bound with bands of platinum and inlaid with thin strips of gold, the instrument’s final shape resembled a ram’s horn. Upon the mouthpiece they carved runes which opened gates to the Rings of Brass.

Upon the inner coils of the horn were more runes and these they set with a chime of opening and it alone could force the gates wide. Only the very strong or clever were able to master the horn and those who tried and failed activated the runes of the Rings of Brass. Torn from the world they fell into the Rings of Brass and the maelstrom beyond.

The horn they gave to their greatest warlord, the Baron Kul. It was Kul who attempted to destroy Unklar by breeching the gates and sacking the lower halls. He rose up the heights of that dread tower until at last he came to the throne room.

There he faced the horned god and sought to overcome him, but before he could attempt the feat one of his own, a squire in his service, slew him. Stabbing him from behind Coburg lifted the horn from his dead master and gave it to Unklar. Kul cursed Coburg with his dying breath, “May you live forever.”

Unklar feared the horn of opening and he gave it to one of his greatest servants, Vaul the Frost Lord, a Val-Eahrakun of the outer worlds. He bid him unmake the horn so that it could never be.

The Lord Vaul did, but in secret he called his brother to him. Avram he bid to lace the horn with sorcery that could make it whole again. They plotted thus to use it as a weapon against the Horned One if ever they needed it.

But in time the horn of opening was forgotten by the brothers and unbeknownst to them, stolen from the hall. The pieces of it were magical devices in their own right, but few understood the meaning of the pieces made whole.

Few even knew that such a horn existed or that it could be remade and fewer still knew that it alone gave easy entrance to the gates of Aufstrag.

NEW BEGINNINGS
The men of the Hruesen River are like all men, quickly forgetting or choosing to forget, that each new age fosters new challenges and past evils often haunt the hopes of the future.

The Blacktooth Ridge lies in the shadow of Aufstrag and the fell pits of that horrid place are a never-ending source of foul creatures hungry for the easy pickings of the world of man and elf.

Now many creatures long away from this land find its fresh fields and peaceful inhabitants easy filling for their gluttonous desires.

Dwarf Cleric worships Steel the Dwarven God of War
Cleric Class Prime Attribute is Wisdom
Strength = 16
Dexterity = 14 (15 – 1)
Constitution = 18 (17 + 1)
Intelligence = 18 [Prime]
Wisdom = 19 [Prime]
Charisma = 14
Cleric Spells 0 Create Water is Creates 2 gallons/level of pure water.
0 Endure Elements are Protection from natural elements and weather.
0 First Aid is Bandages bleeding wound.
0 Purify Food and Water is Purifies 1 cu. ft. /level of food and water.
0 Dwarven Cleric Spell Gold Reveal is The spell causes all the gold in the given area to burst into faerie fire flames revealing any and all hiding places where gold can be found.
1 Dwarven Cleric Spell Minor Blast is At a touch, the caster loses two hit points and does 2d6 in concussive damage. Door locks, chests, and other things can burst open at this blast.
1 Cure Light Wounds are Cures 1d8 damage.
1 Detect Undead is Reveals undead within 60 ft.
+1 Sound Burst is A pulse of sound that causes 1d8 damage.

Steel the Dwarven God of War GOD SYMBOLS: War Hammer, War Helm
DEITY PROVIDENCE: Battle, War, Combat
CEREMONY: Worshippers can’t advance a level until they have killed an orc, goblin, or giant.
TABOO: No Worshipper of Steel’s can let a foe live once battle has begun.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Worshippers have a +1 to strike anything and this magical bonus works when creatures can only be hit by magical weapons.

Steel is the most aggressive of all the dwarven deities. He demands his worshippers take part in the act of war as often as possible. If they are not defending their lands, they are to hire themselves out as mercenaries to the highest bidder.

His worshippers use axes and hammers in battle. They favor oversized weapons that do extra damage when they strike. He and his worshippers favor unusually large fortifications and unusually large siege engines. Why toss a one-ton boulder when you can toss a two-ton boulder? Why just toss a stone when you can toss a molten stone that does impact and fire damage at the same time? His worshippers plan for battle, flawlessly executing the plan, and then they look for more foes right after the successful battle.

ARTIFACT: STEEL’S AXE Steel’s personal axe is a little taller and wider than most dwarves. It takes a Strength of 19 just to lift it. He often places it on the altars in the largest of his temples and anyone who can pick it up can use it for a year. The weapon does 3d10 points in damage and automatically kills giants with one successful strike.

ARTIFACT: STEEL’S THUNDER SPEAR The spear can be thrown as far as the wielder can see and it comes back in the same round. The weapon is adamantine and does 2d12 +4 points of damage at a successful strike. It gifts the wielder with a +1 in all their attributes.

Steel often loans the spear for one year to a worthy worshiper who has shown skill in killing foes, like giants or dragons.

STEEL'S AVATAR His avatar appears when there are huge battles to be fought against impossible enemies. He has died many times in ages of battles, but always at the cost of the most powerful of enemies facing the dwarves. High Dwarven Clerics can pray for his avatar and if the request is worthy, Steel appears and is ready for battle.

STEEL'S AVATAR (Lawful Good), 20th level Barbarian, HP 170, AC 20, MV 80 ft. Primary Attributes: Strength 25, Dexterity 25, Constitution 25. He has all the normal abilities of a Dwarf; he wears no armor and uses his two artifact weapons when he goes into combat. When he leaves or dies, his equipment stays behind to help his people. There are many sets of this equipment spread around the world and used by the dwarven heroes of every land.

He has all the powers of a 20th level Barbarian: combat sense, deerstalker, intimidate, primeval instincts, whirlwind attack, primeval will, ancestral calling. He never leads in a battle, but liks to take a front position on the combat line against the toughest of opponents.

Half-Orc Barbarian of Human lineage worships Hino (Iroquois) Thunder God
Barbarian Class Ptime Attribute is Constitution
Strength = 18 (17 + 1 [Prime]
Dexterity = 19
Constitution = 19 (18 +1) [Prime]
Intelligence = 14
Wisdom = 16
Charisma = 13 (15 – 2)

Hino (Iroquois)
GOD SYMBOLS: Storm Clouds and Lightning
Followers of Hino, when fighting in a storm gain a +1 on their attacks and never slip in the muck and mire caused by the storm.
DEITY PROVINCE: Weather
Clerics, Shaman, and Druids of Hino gain the Control Weather spell at second level.
CEREMONY: The rain dance rarely fails to bring Hino’s attention to that area.
TABOO: Followers of Hino cannot make magical attacks against people.
GRANTED ABILITIES: In the harshest storm, Clerics, Shaman, and Druids never suffer penalties while doing their magic or entering in battle.

Hino is a thunder god who uses violent thunder to punish or reward his people for good and bad acts. If rainbows appear in the sky after storms, the people know Hino is pleased with them and their worship of him. Some legends speak of Hino walking the land in the disguise of an old man with a lovely maiden as his companion.

Hino appreciates a good battle and often when storm clouds gather over a battlefield the god is sure to help one side or the other in the combat. Lightning strikes on the ground are signs from Hino that areas are good for growing crops or hunting certain animals.

Worshippers of Hino can often see him in the stormy sky hurling lightning bolts out into the horizon. They say he is practicing to fight evil monsters that are coming to the land.

ARTIFACT: HINO’S LIGHTNING SPEAR In the middle of a raging storm, if an inexperienced Indian dances a war dance proclaiming his desire to kill the enemies of Hino, a lightning strike will come down to reveal a crystal spear. The weapon is unbreakable and its crystal spearhead is razor sharp (1d12 +4) and the weapon does double damage against all large monsters. The weapon vanishes when rainwater hits it a third time.

HINO’S FIRE ARROWS In a special red leather quiver come 5 red fire arrows with sharpened rubies for arrowheads. The weapons burst into flames when shot and deliver 1d10 +5 in damage and flames. All of these arrows striking and killing an enemy or creature vanish in smoke. Hino often gives these arrows to worthy warriors as the arrows appear in fives in the quivers of the fighters before they go into battle.

HINO’S AVATAR The Hino avatar most often appears before a battle with some large monster like a dragon or a kraken. Always, rain and thunder fill the skies as long as the avatar walks the land.

HINO AVATAR (chaotic good), 15 th level Fighter,: HP 120, AC 25. Primary Attributes: Strength 25, Dexterity 20, Intelligence 18. When in melee he attacks four times a round with his spear (3d8 +. With his special bow, he fires five flame arrows a round (2d10 +5 + 2d6 of flame damage).

Elf Ranger of Human lineage worships Betula the Elven Divine Master of All Combat
Ranger Class Prime Attribute is Strength
Strength = 19 [Prime]
Dexterity = 18 (17 + 1)
Constitution = 13 (14 – 1)
Intelligence = 16
Wisdom = 18 [Prime]
Charisma = 15

Elven Weapon Training = Longsword (+1 bonus to hit)

RANGER MODIFIER is +2 move silent, +2 to find traps.

Betula the Elven Divine Master of All Combat
GOD SYMBOLS: Long Sword, Elf Helm, Lightning Bolt, Green Tourmaline
DEITY PROVINCE: Storms, War, Luck, and Combat
CEREMONY: First level worshippers of all types give all of their income to the deity until they reach second level.
TABOO: All worshippers must fight for their lives at least once a year.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Fear and paralysis magics have no effect on Betula worshippers.

Betula demands his worshippers practice their weapons skills. He also encourages weapon specialization in the sword. Temples to the deity are more like weapons halls where the sound of fencing with sword, hammer, and axe goes on day and night. Such temples are always at the edge of the forest along roads so that strangers can come in for aid and teach any weapon skills they might have to the students and Clerics in the temple. Even orcs, goblins, and the like have been allowed in and given a meal to instruct the faithful in the ways of their fighting styles.

First level Clerics of the deity are skilled with shield and sword before they take up their duties for Betula. Worshippers cannot rise above fifth level until they have joined an army group and fought the enemies of the elves. This often sends elves out of the forests to look for armies to temporarily join. Tenth level worshippers can’t advance until they have fought orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins.

ARTIFACT: BETULA’S SINGING AND DANCING SWORD Betula makes it known that he is watching and blessing his people when he sends his sword to be given to a young warrior to use in an upcoming battle. Often the giving of the sword begins a great quest for that warrior and others.

The weapon has a will of 20, it speaks warnings to its wielder, it’s a chaotic good aligned artifact. Its powers include faerie fire 3/day, deflect missiles at will, darkness 3/day, and mass heal 1/day. The sword grows brightly within one hundred yards of goblins, orcs, and hobgoblins. It begins singing when its wielder is outnumbered and the singing acts as a bless spell for all allies within fifty feet of the sword user. The weapon does 3d8 +3 in damage and double that versus green dragons.

ARTIFACT: BETULA’S DANCING LONG SPEAR The spear is only given to an altar of a temple that is about to be attacked by a great mass of goblins or orcs and this happens quite often. It’s a dancing weapon doing 3d10 +5 in damage.

BETULA’S AVATAR His avatar rarely comes down to fight in battles unless there are enemy avatars fighting his worshippers and then Betula comes and fights.

BETULA’S AVATAR (lawful good), 20 th level Paladin, HP 140, AC 29, MV 40 ft. Primary Attributes: Intelligence 25, Wisdom 25, Dexterity 20. Betula wears +3 plate mail, and fights with his sword and spear. When both his weapons are dancing, he casts 10d10 lightning bolts from his hands.

When Betula passes on, his avatar armor stays on the material plane. There are several sets of this god armor being used by Clerics and Paladins of his order.

Betula has all the typical Paladin powers at the 20 th level: cure disease, detect evil, divine aura, divine health, lay on hands, turn undead, divine mount,aura of courage, smite evil and divine healing.

Betula’s divine mounts is a double sized unicorn stallion that comes to him whenever he appears on the material plane. If killed, the creature burns and 24-hours later, out of the ashes, a new unicorn rises to serve Betula.

Half-Elf Bard of Human lineage worships Bridget (Celtic) Goddess of Poetry and Martial Arts
Bard Class Prime Attribute is Charisma
Strength = 16
Dexterity = 16 (15 + 1)
Constitution = 13 (14 – 1)
Intelligence = 18 [Prime]
Wisdom = 17 [Secondary Choice for +2 to all attribute checks)
Charisma = 19 [Prime]
Celtic warriors are guerilla fighters who are able to take the concept of hit-and-run to the farthest degree in their battles against relentless foes.

Celtic worshippers all wears some type of neck torc. They invest as much of their gold and treasure in their torcs as they can. The most powerful Celtic characters will have spent time and gold investing magical abilities in their torc including anything from protection and defensive magics to attack spells. The most common torcs are large twists of metal that form a horseshoe shape around the neck. The best of them are studded with many jewels at their ends and are made of the rarest of metals.


TATHLUM It’s an interesting device of war. You chop off the head of your enemy and you take six days to coat it in several layers of lime. Sometimes, if the head has long hair, you leave the hair out so that it can be used to better hurl the sphere. When the Tathlum is dried to rock hardness, you use it as a missile weapon, but only toward the cousins and other relatives of the head. In this way, you are taunting the dead persons relatives and doing damage all at the same time. In game terms, the weapon does 1d4 against non-relatives, 1d8 to cousins, and 2d10 to sons and brothers of the Tathlum.

Brigit (Celtic) Goddess of Poetry and Martial Arts
GOD SYMBOLS: Spear, Quill Feather Pen, Amulet with Head of Brigit on It
DEITY PROVINCE: Poetry, Weapon Skill
CEREMONY: Weapon practice must start and end with a prayer to her.
TABOO: The use of poisoned weapons.
GRANTED ABILITIES: All worshippers of Brigit gain a +1 in the use of missile weapons of all types.

Listening to poetry was as large a form of entertainment as watching the TV in the modern generation. Those who could create poems were honored just like the most powerful of heroes in those days. Brigit was said to touch poets, and her gift would heighten their skills. When she went into battle, she and her worshippers would recite war poems and fight to those rhythms.

She also presents the most skilled aspects of war. It is her idea to practice weapons skills and make them as perfect as possible. She also wants her worshippers to be skilled in many styles of weapons.

ARTIFACT: BRIGIT’S SPEAR The spear’s purpose is to destroy evil. It glows brightly when evil characters come within 50 yards of the spear. It does 2d10 +5 points of damage and never misses at striking at animals or magical beasts. The spear is gifted to warriors able to craft poems and recite them during battle.

ARTIFACT: BRIGIT’S RAVEN ICON The bird icon is fist-sized, and on a command, it turns into a real raven. This bird is intelligent and can talk. It obeys the scouting commands of the icon owner. On a second command, it can grow to triple the size, and be used in battle; but if it dies, the stone icon turns to dust. The icon is freely given to poet warriors who please Brigit with poems to her skill at war and her beauty.

GIANT RAVEN (neutral), HD 6d8, HP 64, AC 16, MV 50 ft. (fly). Primary Attribute: Physical. The bird makes three attacks in a round, beak (1d8 +4), two claws (1d5 +4/1d6 +4). It has the power of speech and is a sarcastic creature always making comments about its orders.

BRIGIT’S AVATAR The goddess is a sucker for original poems and will often appear at the side of a warrior spouting good poetry during a battle.

BRIGIT’S AVATAR (chaotic good), 20 th level Monk, HP 230, AC 28, MV 90 ft, Primary Attributes: Constitution 25, Dexterity 25, Wisdom 25. Normally she fights bare-handed, but for difficult opponents and against other avatars she uses her spear. She sings war sagas during battle that act as a double-strength bless spell for all of her allies in the combat. She has all the skills of a 20 th level Monk: mind over body, stunning attack, unarmed attack, unarmored defense, deflect missiles, fast movement, ki strike, slow fall, purity of body, still body, fast healing, still mind, and quivering palm.

Human Shaman/Druid [Male Healer] worships Atira (Pawnee) Mother Goddess
Druid Class Prime Attribute is Wisdom
Strength = 14
Dexterity = 16
Constitution = 17 [Prime]
Intelligence = 18 [Prime]
Wisdom = 19 [Prime]
Charisma = 15

Druid Spells Can cast Plant Growth* once per day is a 3rd level Druid Spell is Grows vegetation, improves crops.
0 Endure Elements is Protection from natural elements and weather.
0 First Aid is Bandages bleeding wound.
0 Know Direction is The caster discerns north.
0 Purify Food and Drink is Purifies 1 cu. ft. /level of food or water.
0 American Indian Druid Spell Spirit /Gust of Air is A wind rises up in the spell area and puts out all flames or banishes all fogs or gases in the area.
1 American Indian Druid Spell Weapon Plus is The spell puts a +1 on a weapon or shield for every attribute point the caster wants to place on the object. When the caster wants their attribute points back, the spell expires and the object loses its magical pluses. Only one caster can place a plus on an item.
1 Entangle is Plants entangle everyone in 50 ft. circle.
1 Pass Without Trace is Subject leaves no tracks or scent.
+1 Goodberry is 2d4 berries each cure 1 hit point (max 8 hp/day)

Atira (Pawnee) Mother Goddess
GOD SYMBOLS: The face of a lovely female etched in a tree or rock, or a bow with the heart of a gemstone are the common symbols of the goddess.
DEITY PROVINCE: Healing of the land and its people. This also allows an extra five hit points for every healing spell a Shaman, Cleric, or Druid of Atira casts.
CEREMONY: Rain dancing heals totally all those who take part in the dance.
TABOO: Burning a section of the land for any reason cannot be done. Fire cannot be used for any reason in battle and enemies that use fire must be attacked first by the worshipers of Atira.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Special Shaman and worshipers who have done great service for Atira are never surprised from their 5 th level on.

Atira appears as part of the land turned into a human form. She can display a female form made out of a tree, tat can move, and be as supple as any youthful human. She can be a lovely Indian maiden dressed in white leathers. She can appear as a face in a giant oak tree and talk to her people’s wise men. She can also be a female-shaped wall of water rising out of a river or lake.

She represents a caring, nurturing spirit attempting to heal the land or individuals in need of aid. A simple call of her name draws her to a spot on the material plane. Offerings to do aid for others or to nurture a spot of land can cause her blessing to come down for the asker.

Shaman, Clerics, and Druids that swear their lives to her growth and power are able to influence the weather (an Intelligence check to make slight changes in a ten-mile radius). Such holy characters are leaders in war, can grow plants better than others (cast plant growth once a day), and can sense when violent changes are coming to the land (Wisdom check once a day).

Atira embraces her people and their lands and helps keep them well. Her artifacts appear often among the people and are always given to help her worshipers.

ARTIFACT: BOW OF ATIRA The long bow has a bright blue, heart-shaped piece of turquoise at the center of the bow. A warrior finds it when the people are starving and need food. In the hands of any warrior, the bow aids in finding large animals to take for food. The bow is +3 to strike and do damage on anything not humanoid. It cannot be broken and water does not weaken the string.

When Atira’s avatar appears, the bow is found in her hands if there is a combat need to save her people.

ARTIFACT: QUARTERSTAFF OF ATIRA The quarterstaff is covered in the runes of Atira. The artifact often appears in the treasures of an evil creature. It is given as a gift to a Shaman who made an extra effort to fight evil. When that character dies, the staff vanishes to be available somewhere else where there is a great need to protect the innocent. The weapon has adamantine caps on both ends. The owner of the staff has the ability to work with the land and double the yield of plants within a ten-mile radius of the staff bearer.

The weapon does an extra 10 points per strike on the undead. It prevents undead magical attacks from influencing the wielder. The adamantine gives the weapon a +4 on all attacks and on damage (2d10 +4).

ATIRA AVATAR Atira’s avatar appears when all else has failed and fate is about to destroy her worshipers. Large attacks from far more powerful Indian tribes, attacks from hordes of monsters, and the effects of drought or cold bring about the appearance of Atira.

ATIRA AVATAR (neutral good), 20th level Cleric: HP 110, AC 20, MV 50. Primary Attributes: Wisdom 20, Intelligence 20, Charisma 20. She uses a magical +4 longbow and a +4 obsidian quarterstaff (2d8 +. She uses the following number of Cleric spells: 0 = 8, 1 = 7, 2 = 7, 3 = 7, 4 = 6, 5 = 6, 6 = 5, 7 = 5, 8 = 4, 9 = 4.

Halfling Fighter worships Preston Tallfellow the Halfling Deity of the Sword
Fighter Class Prime Attribute is Strength
Strength = 18 (19 – 1) [Prime]
Dexterity = 18 [Prime]
Constitution = 18 (17 +1) [Halfling +1 bonus to all Constitution saving throws]
Intelligence = 16
Wisdom = 15
Charisma = 14

FIGHTER WEAPON SPECIALIZATION is the Shortsword +1 bonus to hit and a +1 bonus to damage.
Worshippers of Preston Tallfellow are +2 in sword use.

Preston Tallfellow the Halfling Deity of the Sword
GOD SYMBOLS: Sword, Peridot
DEITY PROVINCE: War, Sword Use
CEREMONY: When a worshipper comes of age, they must quest for the perfect sword.
TABOO: Worshippers can never sell swords they acquire.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Worshippers are +2 in sword use.

This deity has the fewest of worshippers and they are generally males. His temples are all fencing studios dedicated to the use of the sword and no other weapons. Using a blade is worship to Preston and all of his people are skilled at using the sword. There are some humans who worship as well, because they want to learn all there is about the sword.

The sect is unusually well organized and all of their weapons are expertly made and come to them at normal sword prices. Weapon smiths from surrounding countries are paid well to provide swords for new worshipers.

ARTIFACT: SINGING SWORD OF PRESTON TALLFELLOW This mithril, +5 sword has a will of 23 and a lawful good alignment. It uses speech and telepathy for its wielder. Its lesser powers are: faerie fire 3/day, detect magic at will, deflect missiles 3/day and locate object 3/day. Its greater powers are: lesser globe of invulnerability 1/day, quench fires 3/day, teleport 2/day and locate creature 3/day. The sword begins singing in combat and all allies hearing the music are blessed and gain a +2 to strike. The weapon does 2d10 + 5 and + 10 more when striking orcs as its purpose is to slay orcs and orc avatars. The weapon often appears in the hand of one of Preston's followers when they are facing great odds in a battle with orcs or goblins.

ARTIFACT: DRAGON SWORD OF PRESTON TALLFELLOW The scimitar is a lawful good aligned weapon with a will of 20. Its purpose is to slay dragons. Its speech is halfling and it warns its wielder so that he is never surprised. The weapon does 2d10 + 5 and doubles that when damaging dragons of all types. Its lesser powers are: locate object 3/day, suggestion 3/day and detect magic at will. Its single greater power is light as bright as daylight 3/day. The weapon is gifted to whoever is fighting alongside Preston when his avatar dies. All of the other equipment of the avatar vanishes when the avatar turns to dust.

AVATAR OF PRESTON TALLFELLOW Preston's avatar only appears in battles against other avatars or dragons.

AVATAR OF PRESTON TALLFELLOW (lawful good), 20 th level Knight, HP 140, AC 20, MV 90 ft. Primary Attributes: Charisma 26, Strength 25, Dexterity 22. He has all the abilities of a 20 th level Knight. He fights with two swords and can strike twice a turn with both of them with no penalties. He always rides a double-sized mountain lion into battle. If he dies in the fight, the lion vanishes from the battlefield.

Human Rogue [Female] worships Coyote (Southwestern Indian) Deity of Pranks and Thievery
Rogue Class Prime Attribute is Dexterity
Strength = 15
Dexterity = 19 (18 + 1 for following the ways of Coyote) [Prime]
Constitution = 16
Intelligence = 19 [Prime]
Wisdom = 17 [Prime]
Charisma = 14

Coyote (Southwestern Indians) Diety of Pranks and Thievery
GOD SYMBOLS: The outline of a coyote head. Clerics, Shaman, and Druids all use the image of a coyote on a holy stone to aid them in their spells.
DEITY PROVINCE: Pranks, Thievery
CEREMONY: Coyote is rarely evoked with a ceremony. Dancing to attract the attention of the Coyote spirit is a last resort when all else fails. Single dancers will sometimes dance for inspiration on important matters like winning a battle or thinking up an appropriate tribute for something wanted from another person.
TABOO: Pranks are not supposed to cause physical harm.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Those who follow the ways of the Coyote are granted an extra point of Dexterity, but must trick others at least once between every full moon.

Coyote is a teacher of men, but at mankind’s expense. The god searches for the greedy and those filled with too much pride. Those types of Indians are picked for pranks not only from Coyote, but also from Coyote’s followers. Something is always learned on a Coyote prank.

Clerics, Shaman, and Druids taking Coyoge as their deity can talk to coyotes, making them friends and can summon a coyote as a familiar as the spell at the 5 th level (gaining +1 in Intelligence and Dexterity).

ARTIFACT: COYOTE DUST POUCH The secret to making the dust comes to a 3 rd level Cleric of Coyote’s. The dust forces an enemy to sneeze and lose two combat rounds. It also turns their faces bright blue for ten days. There is no check to resist this effect, but the dust can be ignored in strong breezes. The ingredients always require a great deal of travel as the materials are never all close to each other and include a blue stone dust from the high hills and a swamp herb.

ARTIFACT: COYOTE ARMBAND The god appreciates Intelligence and Wisdom. When an Indian is taking up a great quest that could easily end up in his death, he will sometimes find a turquoise armband with the head of a coyote in the shaped blue stone. The device prevents missile weapons from striking the wearer. At the death of the armband wielder, the device vanishes. If the wielder is successful in his quest, he ends up accidently falling in the water or from a cliff causing a loss of the armband but no harm to him.

Of all the deities of the American Indians, Coyote loves to appear among the people the most. He likes to prank his people and the more people he can get in his pranks the better he likes it. He likes to help in thefts of horses and other valuables from any tribe.

COYOTE AVATAR (neutral), 20 th level Rogue: HP 140, AC 20, MV 60. Primary Attributes: Dexterity 20, Intelligence 18, Charisma 19. Backstabbing is at +8 for Coyote and does triple damage. The avatar uses two matched war clubs (2d8 +4/2d8 +4). This avatar knows all languages and cants. Coyote can climb even the sheerest walls 100% of the time. He can read anything and knows when he is dealing with cursed items. He can hide 100% of the time even if a character is looking directly at him; in hiding however, he doesn’t use any of his other abilities. This avatar can listen with a 100% success rate. Moving silently, opening locks, picking pockets, detecting traps, and making sneak attacks are automatic for this avatar. Coyote can turn into a giant coyote in an instant and heal all the damage he has taken in the transformation.

Human Monk [Female] worships Ocasta (Cherokee) Deity of Magic of All Types
Monk Class Prime Attribute is Constitution
Strength = 16
Dexterity = 17 [Prime]
Constitution = 19 [Prime]
Intelligence = 18 [Prime] also the Prime Attribute for Illusionist
Wisdom = 15
Charisma = 14

Illusionist Spells 0 Dancing Lights are Figment torches or other lights.
0 Ghost Sound is Figment sounds.
0 Influence is Temporary charm.
0 Message is Short, whispered communication at a distance.
0 Mending is Makes minor repairs on an object.
1 Change Self is Changes the caster’s appearance.
1 Color Spray is Knocks unconscious, blinds, or stuns 1d4+1 level worth of creatures.
1 Darkness* (Daylight) is 20 ft. radius of supernatural darkness (light).
1 Dragon Image is 1d6 damage.
+1 Minor Dark Chaos is Whiplike tendrils cause 3hp damage, last 2 rds.
2 Alter Self is As change self, plus more drastic changes.
2 Dark Chaos is Whiplike tendrils cause 6hp damage, last 2 rds.
+2 Dragon Bite is Bite like dragon, 2d6 damage.
3 Illusionary Wolves are Two wolves distract and attack.
+2 Invisibility Sphere is Makes everyone within 10 ft. invisible.

Ocasta (Cherokee) Diety of Magic of All Types
GOD SYMBOL: Flint Spear Head, Medicine Pouch
DEITY PROVINCE: Magic of all types
CEREMONY: Magic Strengthening Dance
TABOO: Using magic to curse a foe is not allowed. Sending out a curse instantly makes a character chaotic evil in alignment.
GRANTED ABILITIES: Clerics, Shaman and Druids start out at 2 nd level if they pledge their lives to Ocasta. The god also grants Wizard and Illusionist powers to females who feel the need to revenge their families for some wrong done to them and their relatives.

Ocasta is famed as the ultimate medicine man and spreads holy magic and wizard spells throughout the land of his worshippers. Ocasta also has a chaotic side and gives wizard power to witches and wizards to test his people for courage. His followers are supposed to cause unrest and never be satisfied to sit and enjoy the bounty of the land. He comes in spirit form and in the dreams of men and women and gives them magical power allowing them to become wizards or illusionists.

ARTIFACT: MEDICINE BUNDLE Medicine bundles can be made by anyone with the permission of Ocasta. The maker fasts for several days and works with a medicine man to identify what ten (10) items should be in their individual bundle. These ideas are always hard to get and involve a great quest to acquire them. One the ten items are acquired, the bundle gives the maker great power Each completed bundle gives +1 to the maker’s primary attribute. The bundle gives them +1 to either attack or do damage to foes at the choice of the bundle maker. Finally, when the bundle is held near the face, it allows the maker to see through all magical illusions at +3.

Stripping a medicine bundle from a character forces them to be cursed (-2 to all of their rolls) until they make a new bundle.

ARTIFACT: SPEAR HEAD Ocasta favors those who work in flint using a process called napping. The flint worker can pray to Ocasta and once a year produce a weapon head (usually a spearhead) that is a +4 weapon due to the strength and sharpness of the flint. That weapon never breaks and never becomes dull. Those warriors wanting one of these special flint weapon heads must perform some extraordinary act for the flint maker like killing a bear or mountain lion and delivering the skin.

OCASTA AVATAR The avatar appears only when magic will solve the problems of his worshippers. The avatar comes to fight a great magical evil like a dragon or a vampire. There are several times when hordes of stone giants or giant snakes come to plague his people and the avatar comes to lead the fight.

OCASTA AVATAR (lawful good), 15th level wizard, HP45, AC 23. Primary Attribute: Intelligence 25, Dexterity 20, Wisdom 18. He uses a +3 vest of protection made out of flint shards, a +5 ruby ring of protection, a staff with flint caps on the top and bottom +3 (1d6 +3), and a dagger +3 (1d4 +3). He uses the following levels of wizard spells: 0 = 8, 1 = 8, 2 = 7, 3 = 7, 4 = 6, 5 = 6, 6 = 5, 7 = 5, 8 = 4).

The character classes each represent a broad archetype. Although each character of a particular class is bound by certain similarities, players should utilize the archetype template to build a unique character and create a unique persona.

The class describes a character’s capabilities in the game, and reflects only their chosen profession, training and way of life, not who they are as an entire person. Each player chooses a class that best applies to the hero he or she wishes to create and play in the game. From this, the player creates the personality and traits that define the rest of the character.

There are many types of character classes:

Fighters are brave warriors who take up arms to meet their foes in the crucible of battle. Fearless, they don themselves in the accouterments of battle, relying upon their superior martial skills to overcome obstacles.

Rangers are a lonely breed, expert at surviving in the untrammeled places of the world and devoting themselves to protecting civilization from the depredations and incursions of creatures of evil intent.

Rogues, rapscallions and the like make their living through nefarious and occasionally dastardly deeds. Living on the ethical edge and spending much of their lives avoiding harsh justice, these fearless villains are found in all walks of life.

Assassins are stealthy and cunning, expert killers who rarely have any motives beyond the collection of payment for a job well rendered. Although not always evil, they are typically utterly indifferent to any suffering and pain they may cause.

Barbarians live outside the civilized world. Neither ignorant nor savage, they are, rather, a people who relish freedom, actively despising the urbane for allowing the beliefs of society to codify their behavior.

Monks are warriors who primarily rely upon the strength of their bodies and will power for survival. They are deadly combatants, having honed their bodies into lethal weapons.

Wizards delve into the mysterious worlds of the arcane and wield magic like a weapon of war. They are often possessed of an overwhelming thirst for knowledge and, as often as not, power.

Illusionists study the arcane and the nature of man and beast, using powers of oration and sorcery to twist the minds of those around them. They conjure manifestations and dreams, making the unreal real to all but the canniest of observers.

Clerics are spiritually bound to a deity. They are usually members of religious orders, though some choose to live as wandering hermits. They wield the magic of the divine and, fortified with the armaments of war, become powerful emissaries for their causes.

Druids are called to a primeval spirituality. They turn to the world shaped by nature, and not men, for their guidance and wisdom. Often unconcerned with the needs of man, they simply follow the principles of the natural order.

Knights are members of warrior-castes. As born leaders, they use their social standing, charisma, gallant actions and honorable codes to set the tone of behavior for those around them. Through their actions, they often inspire people to great deeds.

Paladins are the holiest of warriors, living lives of purity and good while serving the religious precepts of their deity. They are dreaded by their foes for they serve as the martial arm of religious justice.

Bards are found in all cultures and societies. Through song, oration and action they inspire men, pass on knowledge of history and tradition and influence the beliefs and behaviors of others.

The class descriptions define the parameters and abilities of each class. It may be beneficial for a player to consult other chapters for details about saving throws, combat or spell use before selecting a class.

Each class description includes many features: the prime attribute, hit dice, alignment, weapons allowed and other aspects of the class. Most of the information needed by players is in this section. Familiarization with the class and its features is essential to playing the class well.

CLASSES AND THE CASTLE KEEPER Before choosing a class, consult with the Castle Keeper. The type of adventure or the environment in which it occurs may help with this decision. For instance, if the Castle Keeper plans a game set in a dungeon environment, it would be disadvantageous to play a steppe barbarian. The Castle Keeper should consider creating an adventure according to the classes chosen by the players. For example, if a player decides to play a rogue who is the scion of a wealthy family and decides that this rogue enjoys pilfering the treasuries of family acquaintances, then planning an adventure in a dungeon atop a remote mountain wouldn’t work out too well.

Maintaining a constant dialogue between the Castle Keeper and the players is important to an enjoyable game of Castles & Crusades. The Castle Keeper bears an awesome responsibility in the role of entertainer. To manage this, the players and the Castle Keeper should come to an understanding prior to play to ensure that everyone’s needs are met to the greatest degree possible.

The Castle Keeper is also responsible for ensuring that the players are playing their classes properly, and for helping players choose a class that best fits the type of adventurer they envision.

CLASS DESCRIPTION TERMINOLOGY
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: There is one prime attribute designated for each class. If the character is human, the player is allowed to choose two more prime attributes for that character for a total of three. All other races allow the player to choose only one more prime attribute for a total of two.

HIT DICE (HD): This is the die type rolled, at each level, for the character’s hit points. The constitution bonus is added to the result whenever hit points are rolled. The results are cumulative, so a 5th level barbarian has 5d12 hit points.

ALIGNMENT: The suggested alignment for the class.

WEAPONS: All members of the class are proficient in the use of every weapon on this list. If a character uses a weapon that does not appear on this list, the character suffers a –4 penalty on all the “to hit” rolls with that weapon.

ARMOR: All members of the class are proficient in the use of every armor type on this list. A character may also wear any armor, but if the armor type does not appear in the list, the character cannot use any of their class abilities while the armor is worn unless the description of the ability states otherwise.

Several of the classes have restrictions on the type of armor they can wear. These are listed in each class description. However, Class Reference Table 1 is supplied as a quick reference for all the classes.

The armor use restrictions reflect that class’s training and experience and the limitations of it. Classes with no familiarity with certain types of armor cannot be expected to wear them and act without their abilities being hampered.

For example, the rogue Felthing has grown up on the streets of Margleburg and has never before worn any armor other than leather and padded. When Felthing puts on his first set of full plate mail, it is likely that a certain amount of discomfort and restriction would hamper Felthing’s ability to pick a pocket. This being the case, armor is restricted to reflect that class archetype’s background.

This does not mean that the rogue would be unable to wear plate mail. Any class can wear any armor. If they do, their abilities may be affected. For example, if a wizard wears any armor they can not cast spells. Similar restrictions apply to many of the classes and in several cases only restrict the use of certain class abilities. The rogue and assassin have variable effects as described in their class descriptions.

CLASS ARMOR SHIELDS HELMS
Fighter Any Any Any

Ranger Breastplates, chainmail hauberk & shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, leather, chain coif, leather coat, padded, ring mail, scale mail, studded leather
Small, medium, pavis
Benin, casquetel, chainmail and leather coif, norman and pot helm, war hat

Rogue Leather, leather coat, padded (and see class)
Small, medium, pavis
Leather coif, war hat

Assassin Leather, leather coat, padded (and see class)
Small, pavis
Leather coif

Barbarian Chain shirt, cuir bouille, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
Any
leather coif, norman and pot helm, war hat

Monk None None None

Wizard None None None

Illusionist None None None

Cleric Any Any Any

Druid Cuir bouille, laminar leather, padded, leather, leather coat, hide
Any wooden Leather coif

Knight Any Any Any

Paladin Any Any Any

Bard Breastplates, chain shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
Small, medium
Basinet, casquetel, chainmail and leather coif, normal helm, pot helm, war hat

ABILITIES: This is a list of abilities possessed by the class. Explanations are contained in the text for each class. An attribute in parentheses indicates that using the ability requires an attribute check.

LEVEL: Characters advance in levels as they gain experience. Their abilities, and their capacity to perform them, increase as well.

BONUS TO HIT (BtH): This is the modifier that is added to a ‘hit roll’ when making a melee or missile attack.

EXPERIENCE POINT PROGRESSION (EPP): This is a table that lists the amount of experience points needed to gain each level. For example, a 4th level fighter needs 17001 experience points to reach 5th level.

Upon the fields of battle, where good and evil struggle, there stride holy warriors dedicated to the service of a deity, their martial ability enhanced by divine dispensation. They obey the will of the gods, and
influence others through faith in their deity’s tenets, action on the field of battle, and by bringing justice or retribution to their foes.

Clerics are warrior-priests. They are religious by nature and can be found in service to a pantheon of deities or eternally bound to serve only one.

From their deity or deities, the cleric receives divine powers and act as conduits of the power of their deity upon the planes of men. Yet these powers come at a high cost in service, devotion and loyalty.

A cleric’s divine connection to a deity is of supreme importance. This spiritual connection allows them to better understand the motives and will of their deity and to more capably and earnestly enact the deity’s desire.

Deities can be of any ethos or morality: from good to evil, and from lawful to chaotic. All of the deities have priests and devotees who serve and worship them but the cleric is always of like mind and nature as the deity
they worship.

They never falter in carrying out their duties lest they face the most horrible of retribution and suffer the interminable revenge of an angered and betrayed power.

Typically, a cleric wields the same weapon or type of weapon favored by the character’s deity or pantheon. They do this to better follow the precepts of and emulate their deity. Beyond these, clerics prefer to use
those weapons that allow them a better chance to subdue and convert enemies instead of killing them outright. Through this they gain converts and servants to serve them and thence their deity.

On the field of battle, where clerics spend much of their lives, they wear any armor necessary to see them through the day and on to victory.

Clerics who generally act in ways opposed to their deity’s alignment and purposes, and who grossly violate the code of conduct expected by their deity, lose the use of all divine abilities and capacities for advancement, wandering alone and cursed until they atone for their wrongs.

ABILITIES
SPELLS: A cleric casts divine spells. The spells available are listed on the cleric spell list. A cleric is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. The Cleric and Druid Spells Per Day Table (pg 25) shows the number of spells per day a character of the class may cast.

Clerics prepare spells each day through prayer to their deity or deities, followed by contemplation and study.

BONUS SPELLS: High wisdom indicates a greater divine connection. Clerics with a high wisdom gain bonus spells. If they have a wisdom of 13-15, they receive an extra 1st level spell. If the wisdom score is 16 or 17,
they receive an extra 2nd level spell and if 18 or 19, an extra 3rd level spell.

Bonus spells can only be acquired if the cleric is at a high enough level to cast them. Bonus spells are cumulative.

For example, a 4th level cleric with an 18 wisdom receives four 0 level spells, four 1st level spells and three 2nd level spells. No bonus 3rd level spell is acquired until the cleric reaches 5th level.

TURN UNDEAD (Wisdom): A cleric has the ability to turn, or even destroy, undead monsters. To turn undead, a cleric must declare the attempt as an attack and then make a successful wisdom attribute check. The character must display a holy symbol toward the undead and utter
a prayer, chant or other invocation of the character’s deity.

Turn undead is considered a special attack and takes one round. Turn undead has a maximum range of 60 feet.
Turning undead consists of channelling divine power. The ability to channel divine power is measured by the cleric’s own willpower.

Accordingly, charisma, not wisdom, affects the number of undead creatures that are turned with a successful turn undead check. In most cases, the number of undead turned will be 1d12 plus the cleric’s charisma modifier. When a cleric is five or more levels higher than the undead being turned, the undead are instead destroyed.

Evil clerics may, instead of turning undead, control them. An evil cleric must be at least five levels higher than the hit dice of the undead sought to be controlled. Evil clerics can also turn paladins. Turn undead is covered in greater detail in Turning Undead, page 135.

WEAPON SELECTION: The cleric is only allowed to use certain weapons. They can, if they choose, pick a weapon off the list that is identical to the major weapon in use by the deity which they worship. If no single deity is worshipped and a pantheon is instead worshipped, weapon selection is limited to the pantheon’s major deities or the deity most closely associated with the activities the cleric intends to undertake.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Wisdom
HIT DICE: d8
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Special, club, crowbill hammer, dagger, light or heavy flail, light hammer, light or heavy mace, morningstar, quarterstaff, war hammer
ARMOR: Any
ABILITIES: Spells, turn undead

Level /HD /BtH /EPP
1 /d8 /+0 /0
2 /d8 /+1 /2,251
3 /d8 /+1 /5,001
4 /d8 /+2 /9,001
5 /d8 /+2 /18,001
6 /d8 /+3 /35,001
7 /d8 /+3 /70,001
8 /d8 +4 140,001
9 /d8 /+4 /300,001
10 /d8 /+5 /425,001
11 /+3 HP /+5 /650,001
12 /+3 HP /+6 /900,001
13 + /250,000 per level

CLERIC AND DRUID SPELLS PER DAY
Level /0 /1st /2nd /3rd /4th /5th /6th /7th /8th /9th
1 /3 /1
2 /4 /2
3 /4 /2 /1
4 /4 /3 /2
5 /4 /3 /2 /1
6 /5 /3 /3 /2
7 /5 /4 /3 /2 /1
8 /5 /4 /3 /3 /2
9 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
10 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
11 /6 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
12 /6 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
13 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
14 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
15 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
16 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
17 /7 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
18 /7 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
19 /7 /6 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2
20 /7 /6 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3

Beyond the walls of cities and towns, and well beyond the bounds of civilization, dwell the barbarians. From windy steppes to mountain tops, from deep jungles to arid plains, barbarians live in freedom, a part of the
world around them rather than a slave to it.

Banded together in family clans or tribal nations, barbarians are a free people ruled by strength and
custom alone, subject to no state or empire. They judge others by their actions and deeds, holding the individual the group, where deeds of valor are held in the greatest acclaim.

To a barbarian, “civilization” defines weakness.

Barbarian characters are fearsome warriors, closer to the primordial life than are most others. They are fearlessly reactive, trusting that only through bold and decisive actions are the fates confounded. Barbarians rely upon their individual skills and instincts to carry them through
difficult tasks or demanding ventures, drawing upon their primeval instincts and powers to overcome foes. They are fearless in their own belief that their strengths are unconquerable.

The supernatural dominates their culture and they see magic in many things. They are able to tap into the supernatural world and often do so in the guise of charms, totems and the like. Conversely they do not rely
upon it. Ever. Magic is a luxury even as are the soft cushions and colored wines that besot the men of cities and towns. It is a sign of weakness.

At his core the barbarian is a primordial creature who believes that only his natural powers, abilities, and instincts stand between him and a miserable fate or cowardly death.

Barbarians are born and raised in the wilder lands, outside the influences of civilization. They are found in every climate and every terrain, and have an acute knowledge of the environment in which they are raised,
possessing a general knowledge of its weather patterns, the resources that are available, whether plant or animal, the seasonal challenges and the various dangers posed.

This knowledge is a second nature to them and allows them to survive the rigors of life in the wilderness. Living in the wilds and at the whims of uncaring nature takes great
fortitude, inuring barbarians to the physical demands of this life, so that they suffer its inflictions and its pains with steely determination.

Possessed of a staggering constitution, they are capable of absorbing damage that would kill their more civilized cousins. Neither ignorant nor savage, barbarians are masters of their destiny. A barbarian’s self-reliance and solitary nature does not, however, lead them to abhor the company of others. They may be insular and suspicious
of outsiders, but when a barbarian comes to trust others and call them friend, no stronger ally can be found in all the world.

Barbarian adventurers are generally free of the bonds and fetters that tie down most peoples, even the brethren in their own tribal nations. Above all else, barbarians value their independence and often maintain their own codes or beliefs. Many have died from voicing opposition to tribal
leaders, but are respected all the more, for they spoke or acted upon their beliefs. This cultural background fosters a willful nature and temperament that many view as chaotic and ill disciplined.

Barbarians value the wind in their hair and victory in battle over their enemies. Utilitarian by nature, most barbarians rarely carry more than necessary and accumulate little in the way of treasures and properties – preferring
instead cold steel blades, light armor, and items of little bulk.

ABILITIES
COMBAT SENSE: A barbarian has an uncanny sense for the presence of foes in the immediate vicinity, reducing the effectiveness of surprise, flank and rear attacks against them. Barbarians gain a +2 bonus when rolling a surprise check when a foe is attempting to surprise them. Also,
attackers do not get any bonus when attacking a barbarian from the flank.

Similarly, back and rear attacks against a barbarian are halved, including special attack such as the rogue’s back attack. Thus, for example, a rogue using the back attack ability against a barbarian gains only a +2 bonus to hit instead of +4.

DEERSTALKER: This ability comes naturally to all barbarians and covers a wide range of survival skills. In short it is their natural ability to endure environments that lesser men would find harsh, to forage off the land,
find water, and move through their natural terrain with ease.

The Deerstalker is also able to forage off the land, finding shelter, food, and water for themselves, start a fire, and determine direction. As long as adequate food, water, and shelter sources are present in the environment,
a barbarian can find these resources without the need for an attribute check. This requires 1d6+2 hours of hunting, foraging, building, and gathering. He can do this only for himself.

A barbarian can start a fire in 1d10 turns by natural means, as long as the needed materials are available. A barbarian also can determine true north in relation to the
character, as long as he is in a wilderness environment.

With the deerstalker ability the barbarian can also scale climbable cliffs, and ford and swim rivers. Barbarians are capable of climbing typical natural slopes and inclines, such as a steep, rocky hillside cliff, without the need to make an attribute check. Barbarians can ford and swim typical rivers and bodies of fresh water. When climbing or
swimming, the barbarian moves at one-half normal movement.

When climbing or swimming a barbarian cannot wear armor weighing more than 25 lbs., and must set aside any accoutrements that weigh over 25 lbs or are unusually encumbering.

INTIMIDATE: Barbarians offer an imposing display of ferocious raw power. They instinctively realize that victory lies in the wine-besotted, soft demeanors of their foe and that brute force works best when combined with overwhelming terror.

Barbarians are able to project themselves as this brutal, terrifying force. Whether through sheer force of will, or savage decorum, a barbarian is able to strike fear into
and intimidate his opponents.

Any creature of equal or lesser hit dice of the barbarian whom fails a charisma check suffers -2 to all rolls, including but not limited to initiative, attack, damage and attribute checks. This ability takes effect as soon as the barbarian uses the ability, and it has 15 foot radius area of effect.

At 1st level, a barbarian can intimidate one creature. The
number of creatures increases with level as follows: up to 2 creatures at 3rd level, up to 4 creatures at 6th level, up to 8 creatures at 10th level, and up to 16 creatures at 15th level.

PRIMEVAL INSTINCTS: Barbarians are able to tap into
a strength that goes beyond the physical and gives them a fearless edge. This strength is primeval in its nature, driven by instincts that are closer to those of animals than men. Under difficult circumstances they tap into this primeval instinct in attempting Herculean tasks.

This ability is only accessible if the barbarian throws himself at the challenge, whether in the beginning of the round or as a last ditch effort. Any move on the character’s part to flee, hesitate, or to debate the action, immediately negates the primeval instincts and the
barbarian cannot act upon them or use them to overcome the action.

When using this ability, if the physical action is of such difficulty that the Castle Keeper requires a physical attribute check (strength, dexterity, or constitution), the barbarian gains a +4 to the check. The barbarian
cannot use this ability if they are wearing armor weighing 25 lbs. or more, or has fled from the challenge. It is important to note that even if the situation is a last ditch effort, if the barbarian has fled previously, he
cannot use primeval instinct.

This ability also allows the barbarian to hold his breath for a period of time, run long distances, and survive longer in extreme temperatures and weather conditions. None of these abilities require an attribute check.

Instead, they are limited in duration. Barbarians can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to their constitution score. Barbarians can survive in extreme environments, temperature, and weather conditions
for one day more than a normal person could do so.

And, barbarian’s great fortitude allows them to run long distances without tiring easily. When calling upon this inner fortitude, the distance a barbaraian can travel in a day is doubled.

WHIRLWIND ATTACK: At 4th level, a barbarian’s combat sense and athleticism merge in a fearsome and deadly ability. With this ability, the barbarian can combat multiple enemies surrounding him. The barbarian
must announce use of the ability before attacking and he cannot retreat before using it.

The whirlwind attack is usable only once per combat
encounter and replaces their normal combat action. When used, the barbarian gains an attack roll against two opponents as long as those enemies are within 5 feet or less of the barbarian and possess no more than one-half of the barbarian’s hit dice.

For example, two second level fighters attempt to jump a barbarian in an alley; the barbarian may make a whirlwind attack, gaining one attack against each of the fighters. The number of foes subject to the whirlwind attack increases as the barbarian rises in levels. At 6th level the barbarian can attack up to 3 opponents, and at 10th level a barbarian can attack 4 opponents. The ability does not progress beyond 10th level.

PRIMEVAL WILL: At 6th level, a barbarian’s stoic nature increases his longevity on the battlefield. When fighting a hard pressed combat with mounting wounds the barbarian can call upon this ability.

To use the ability, the barbarian’s hit points must be reduced to a specific number, as follows: 12 hit points or less at levels 6-9; 18 hit points or less at levels 10-14; and 24 hit points or less at levels 15 and up.

When battle or circumstances reduce a barbarian’s hit points to the specified number of hit points or less, the character can use this ability to immediately gain an additional 12 hit points. Damage inflicted after the barbarian activates the ability is first absorbed by the 12 hit points granted by primeval will.

The additional hit points last only for the duration of
the combat. When the affects of the ability wear off, the
barbarian must remove any hit points remaining from the
12. The ability can be used only once per day.

Primeval will grants an additional, unique ability as well. It can save the barbarian from an attack that would normally strike the character dead or unconscious. If a barbarian suffers damage such that reduces the character to zero or negative hit points before the barbarian can use this ability, it automatically activates and imparts an
additional 12 hit points.

If the additional hit points raise the barbarian character’s total hit points to 1 or more, the barbarian may keep fighting. Note that if a blow strikes the barbarian and reduces their hit point to -10 hit points or
beyond, the primeval will ability cannot save the character. Also, removal of these hit points cannot reduce the barbarian beneath 1 hit point.

ANCESTRAL CALLING: At 10th level a barbarian’s reputation and prestige allows them to call upon others to fight alongside the barbarian with heightened ability. The affected creature gains hit points equal to the
maximum of one extra hit die for the creature.

For example, an affected fighter would gain an additional 10 hit points. The ability affects a number of creatures equal to twice the barbarian’s level. The ability only affects creatures of equal or lesser hit dice. The effect lasts for no more than one day, or until completion of a specific task, or as long as the Castle Keeper allows.

The barbarian can only use this ability once per week and
it cannot be used in conjunction with other barbarian’s use of the same ability. It is important to note that this ability does not affect morale nor is it based upon a barbarian’s charisma. Instead, it is the barbarian’s force
of will and reputation that causes those around him to heed his call and rise to the task set before them.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Constitution
HIT DIE: d12
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Any
ARMOR: Any
ABILITIES: Combat sense, deerstalker, intimidate, primeval instincts, whirlwind attack, primeval will, ancestral calling

Level /HD /BtH /EPP
1 /d12 /+0 /0
2 /d12 /+1 /2,101
3 /d12 /+2 /4,701
4 /d12 /+3 /9,401
5 /d12 /+4 /20,001
6 /d12 /+5 /40,001
7 /d12 /+6 /80,001
8 /d12 /+7 /170,001
9 /d12 /+8 /340,001
10 /d12 /+9 /600,001
11 /+5 HP /+10 /800,001
12 /+5 HP /+11 /1,000,001
13+ 200,000 per level

Every king, prince, general or mercenary captain needs
specialized warriors whose skills go beyond sword and shield.

It is knowledge of a foe, including their strengths weaknesses, movements, encampments and intentions, that is often vital to defeating an enemy. A ranger specializes in gathering this information and often fulfills this need for prince and king.

Rangers are also inspired by causes or creeds, whether noble or ignoble, to battle enemies along the frontiers
of their civilization, keeping in abeyance the vile depredations of evil marauders or mean beasts.

They spend their lives in the trackless wastes and wilderness of the world traveling barren escarpments and dense forests in search of their foe, while studying, tracking and gaining an intimate knowledge of their manners and ways.

The ranger occasionally finds employment with a lord,
baron, or other leader, and is usually commissioned to
guard large tracts of land against interlopers or to serve
as a scout for large armies. As often, rangers have committed themselves to a forsaken, bloody, yet noble cause – defending civilization, at all costs, against those creatures that would overrun them.

The willingness of most rangers to take extreme measures in this defense ostracizes them from their more urbane brethren. Often waylaying and combating these enemies alone or in small groups, with or without the knowledge or permission of their liege lords, the ranger can be driven by a cause greater than that of feudal loyalty.

Thesebrave and stalwart souls often live lonely and brutal lives far from the places they deem worthy of their protection. This isolation occasions skepticism and distrust from those who benefit from their vigilance.

The ranger is a warrior skilled at combating particular creatures which pose the greatest threats to the lands they protect. They have honed their skills at combating these foes through years of constant surveillance and combat – their knowledge extending well beyond fighting their enemies.

Rangers can track their enemies, speak their tongues when possible, and learn their ways. The ranger’s distance from cities and towns requires them to be dependent upon the land for sustenance and excellent outdoorsmen and are capable of living off land others may find barren or empty.

Rangers are found in the service of many disparate types of people and causes, whether good or evil, lawful or chaotic. Knowledge of subterfuge and combat prowess are not restricted to those who are of a noble nature, and some are desperate outlaws confounding local authorities and merchants alike.

The ranger’s ability in combat is renowned. They take up armor and shield to stride stone battlements and fight alongside the best of warriors. However, a ranger’s true expertise lies elsewhere and requires skills of a nature wholly unknown to others; hunting, interdiction, escape and evasion are often the ranger’s most powerful weapons.

Compound this with a ranger’s focus on their foe’s weaknesses, and it makes them a truly fearsome enemy.
Rangers must be able to move quickly through a variety of terrains. Heavy or bulky armor can seriously impair mobility, and so some restrictions apply to
the armor types available for use by rangers.

A ranger may utilize any medium shield or helmet. However, the use of any shield larger than a medium shield, or the wearing of a helmet larger than a normal helm, may limit mobility and restrict the use of abilities as the Castle Keeper deems fit.

ABILITIES
COMBAT MARAUDER: Rangers possess an extraordinary ability to combat their most common foes, humanoids and giants, due to intense training and study of their enemy’s fighting techniques. When fighting humanoids (bugbears, gnolls, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, orcs and the like) or giants (giants, ogres and the like), a ranger inflicts
extra damage.

This damage bonus is +1 at 1st level, with an additional +1 gained at every level beyond first.

For example, a 5th level ranger would inflict an additional 5 hp of damage for each successful hit against a
humanoid or giant. The use of this ability is dependent
upon the armor worn. Wearing armors other than those allowed reduces the ranger’s mobility and swiftness of arm such that he cannot effectively use this ability.

CONCEAL (Dexterity): Rangers can conceal themselves extremely well in wilderness areas. With a successful dexterity check, rangers can camouflage themselves so well as to be unnoticeable by most passers-by. Rangers cannot conceal themselves and move silently at the same time until they reach 5th level. At this level and beyond, a ranger can attempt both but must make a successful conceal
and move silent check at -5. In this case, movement is reduced to one quarter the normal movement rate.

Rangers cannot conceal themselves if being observed, even casually, before the conceal check is attempted. If the observer is momentarily distracted, the ranger can attempt to use this ability. While the observer averts its attention, the character can attempt to get to a hiding place of some kind. The attribute check, however, is at a -10 penalty because the character has to move quickly to the hiding place. This ability cannot be used if armors other than those allowed are worn.

DELAY/ NEUTRALIZE POISON (Wisdom): A knowledge of flora and fauna enables a ranger to identify dangerous toxins and their symptoms, and rangers can apply remedies to slow or even nullify their effects. This ability can only be used with natural poisons (animals, plants, fungus,
etc.) familiar to the ranger – usually those found in the region where the ranger spends most of their time, be it forest, desert or mountain.

The only manufactured poisons with which a ranger is familiar are those produced by their favored enemy (see below). To succeed at this task, the ranger must have access to herbs and antidotes. The Castle Keeper must
decide if the herbs are available or antidotes can be produced.

On a successful delay poison roll, the ranger can temporarily delay the effect of poisons. The onset or continuation of the effects of the poison are delayed for one hour per level of the ranger. This does not cure any damage the poison may have already caused. It takes one round to perform this action and the ranger may make only one attempt at this task.

If the delay poison roll exceeds the total score needed for success by 6 or more, the ranger has successfully neutralized the poison in the victim. The afflicted creature suffers no additional damage or effect from the poison, and any temporary effects are ended, but the neutralization of the poison does not reverse any damage or effects that have already occurred.

MOVE SILENTLY (Dexterity): The ranger is able to move silently in wilderness areas with a successful dexterity check. The ranger can move up to one-half the character’s normal speed at no penalty. At more than onehalf and up to the character’s full speed, the character suffers a -5 penalty.

It’s practically impossible (-20 penalty) to move silently while running or charging. Rangers cannot perform this ability indoors. See conceal above for information on moving silently while attempting to conceal oneself. This ability cannot be used if armors other than those allowed are worn.

SCALE (Dexterity): With this ability, rangers can climb and scale typical natural slopes and inclines, such as steep but rocky hillsides. No attribute check is needed to scale such surfaces. Additionally, this extraordinary ability allows a ranger to climb up, down, or across a dangerous natural slope or inverted incline that others would find impossible to climb. When doing so, the ranger moves at one-half the character’s normal speed. A failed scale check means that the character makes no progress. A check that fails by 5 or more means that the character
falls from the currently attained height and must suffer falling damage.

In both situations above, nothing can be carried in the ranger’s hands while climbing. Also, the ability cannot be used if armors other than those allowed are worn.

TRAPS (Wisdom): A ranger is able to detect and build simple traps in a wilderness environment. When passing within 25 feet of a wilderness trap, a ranger is entitled to an attribute check to spot it. When actively searching for traps, the ranger receives a +2 bonus to the check. It takes one round to locate a trap in a 5 x 5 foot area, or one turn spent searching to locate a trap
in a 25 x 25 foot area.

A ranger cannot find magical traps with this ability. A ranger can set simple traps in a wilderness environment. These include snares, pit traps and similar devices. Rangers cannot set complicated mechanical traps such as those found on treasure chests or on doorways.

On a successful traps check, the ranger successfully builds and conceals a snare or pit trap. Snares can capture and hold creatures of up to medium
height, and pit traps can be dug to deliver 1d4 points of damage (halved if the creature falling in it makes a successful dexterity saving throw).

Rangers can also disable simple wilderness traps (of any type they can build) with little or no effort. No traps check need be made to do this.

SURVIVAL (Wisdom): In wilderness environments, the character can find shelter, food and water for themselves, start a fire, and determine direction. As long as adequate food, water, and shelter sources are present in the environment, the ranger can find food, water and shelter without the need for an attribute check. Also, a ranger can start a fire in 1d10 turns by natural means, as long as the needed materials are available.

A ranger also can determine true north in relation to the character, as long as he is in a wilderness environment.
A ranger can also provide decent food and water for several people without the need for an attribute check unless it is a large number of people.

The ranger must spend 8 hours hunting and gathering to produce enough food and water to feed 2-8 people for a day. If the ranger wishes to feed or shelter a larger group of people than the die indicate, a successful wisdom check is necessary. If successful, the ranger must spend an additional 8 hours gathering food to feed and water an additional 2-8 people. This additional effort allows the ranger to gather food and water for up to 4-16 creatures.

The ranger can only hunt and forage for food twice per day.
For example, a ranger is attempting to feed 12 people. For 8 hours of effort, the ranger feeds 2-8 people automatically. The result is a 6, so the ranger has to feed 6 more people. On a successful wisdom check, the
ranger can forage for another 8 eight hours and feed 2-8 more people.

TRACK (Wisdom): The ranger can successfully track any creature in a wilderness setting that leaves a discernable trace. They can also determine characteristics about the creature being tracked. With a successful wisdom
check, a ranger can find and follow a creature’s tracks or trail for 5 hours.

The ranger can also hide tracks at the same level of ability. When tracking or hiding tracks from humanoids or giants, a ranger receives a +2 bonus to the attribute check.

The Castle Keeper may apply bonuses or penalties for varying conditions, such as the length of time elapsed since the tracks were made, weather conditions, the number of creatures tracked and whether the tracked creature moved through water or a secret door.

A successful track check may also impart information about the creature(s) being tracked. Once a trail is found, a track check can determine the general number and type of creatures being tracked.

The number of creatures tracked should be disclosed to the player by using
one of the following categories: individuals (1-6), band (6-30), troop (20-100), or army (100+), and also one from the following categories: beast, fey, giant, humanoid, plant, vermin, or other (aberration, construct, dragon, elemental, magical beast, ooze, outsider, shapechanger, or
undead).

For many creatures, the ranger can not identify its exact type; only that it is a creature of such nature until some experience has been gained tracking it. A ranger can identify specific animal tracks with no effort. After having tracked a particular type of creature several times,
the ranger can later identify its tracks.

At 5th level, a ranger can identify the specific type of creature(s) being tracked if belonging to one of the
following categories and with which the ranger has had some interaction: beast, fey, giant, humanoid, plant or vermin.

At 3rd level, a ranger can ascertain distinguishing characteristics about the creatures tracked, such as whether they are wounded, exhausted, carrying
heavy objects or wearing certain armor. The ranger might even be able to determine if a spellcaster is in the group being tracked. The marks or characteristics determined are limited only by the Castle Keeper’s imagination and desire to provide or enhance story elements during game play.

FAVORED ENEMY: At 6th level, a ranger chooses one specific type of creature as a favored enemy. For example, a ranger might choose goblin, or gnoll or hill giant. The Castle Keeper should require the player to choose an enemy that is consistent with the past history and storylines
involving the character; ideally, a type of creature that the character has encountered and fought on several occasions in past adventures.

Knowledge of the favored enemy confers numerous bonuses to the ranger’s ability checks. When combating a favored enemy, the ranger gains additional combat bonuses due to an advanced fighting style developed through the experience of repeatedly fighting that type of creature.

The ranger gains a +2 bonus to hit against a favored enemy. The ranger also receives a +2 bonus to armor class when fighting a favored enemy. Further, when tracking the favored enemy, the ranger receives a +2 bonus to the tracking check. The ranger is also able to neutralize
poisons of the favored enemy, whether manufactured or natural.

The combat bonus of this ability cannot be used if armors other than those allowed are worn.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Strength
HIT DICE: d10
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Any
ARMOR: Breastplates, chainmail hauberk & shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, leather, chain coif, leather coat, padded, ring mail, scale mail, studded leather
ABILITIES: Combat marauder, conceal, delay/ neutralize poison, favored enemy, move silently, scale, traps, survival, track

Level /HD /BtH /EPP
1 /d10 /0 /0
2 /d10 /+1 /2,251
3 /d10 /+2 /4,501
4 /d10 /+3 /9,001
5 /d10 /+4 /18,001
6 /d10 /+5 /40,001
7 /d10 /+6 /75,001
8 /d10 /+7 /150,001
9 /d10 /+8 /250,001
10 /d10 /+9 /500,001
11 /+4 HP /+10 /725,001
12 /+4 HP /+11 /950,001
13+ /225,000 EP per level

Every age and people has a voice. That voice finds its measure in story, expressed in legend, tale, song, poem, battle cry or speech.

From wild barren steppes to the frozen lands at the tips of the world, from taverns to town squares, and from city streets to imperial residences, there are those blessed with the ability to artfully weave story and legend, moving the heart to great feats.

In recounting epic deeds of ages past, bards inspire listeners to greater deeds as if by magical incantation. They captivate hearts, cause tears to flow, and invigorate individuals and crowds.

These storytellers are historians and lore masters with oratorical skills guided by the muses. Some are powers behind thrones, weaving future events through tales of the past.

Others are the backbone for troops of soldiers, inspiring courage in times of distress. But the most renowned are the warrior-poets, whose adventures and escapades are legendary. These ply their skills across the wide world, and are known as bards.

Bards can lead by example or deed, but they primarily influence others with story, art or argument. Their skill of recitation borders on the magical, so much so that they are often able to charm listeners with their tales.

Many also possess training in feats of arms, whether intentionally acquired for a greater poetic understanding of valor and mortal combat or learned accidentally when they have found themselves in dire straights and amongst dangerous foes.

Bards possess artistic skills that are needed to convince an audience that what they see is more than what is shown. They gain access to the various strata of society, both low and high, walking among them to acquire knowledge and power.

The bard pays heed to the moods and tales of all, whether noble or villain, realizing the importance of even the meanest of peoples. They are skalds, minstrels, troubadours, lore masters, poets, chroniclers, schemers, sages, musicians and orators, blending fact and fiction to great effect.

Whether weaving tales or delivering odes, bards can effect changes in individuals and small groups, inspiring them to great deeds in combat or to humble behavior. They give voice to history, and weave tales establishing ethics and morals, reinforcing the frameworks of societies.

They possess a tremendous knowledge of events great and small, of legends and the nature of magics. Most bards teach much of what they know, but all bards keep some knowledge to themselves, considering it a source of power and prestige only to be dispensed with in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

The bard’s role as historian and storyteller requires a bending and twisting of fact and a weaving of fiction to tell their tales well. They must be free of mind and spirit, with agile and active imaginations.

Bards are not bound by the often moribund and strict interpretations of academics and others who depend on the separation of fact and fiction.

Though bards are known to inspire others to greater deeds, their lifestyle often leads them into conflict and combat, where they often perform deeds of valor.

In life they prefer not to be encumbered by worldly goods. They rarely take up permanent residence and are always ready to move on.

Usually, their most prized possessions are the instruments they carry, scrolls with great tales writ upon them, or items to which they have attached great value and though which they recall tales and tales of tales.

ABILITIES
DECIPHER SCRIPT (Intelligence): Bards often need to decipher and interpret legends and secret writings to acquire more knowledge.

This ability allows the bard to decipher writing in an unfamiliar language, a message written in an incomplete or archaic form or a message written in code. If the check succeeds, the character understands the general content of a piece of writing.

It takes ten turns to decipher each page of a script. A decipher script check may be made only once per writing. A bard may use this ability to decipher and then use an arcane scroll, as a wizard or illusionist would, if a successful check is made at a penalty of -10. This ability may not be used to decipher divine scrolls.

EXALT (Charisma): This is the bard’s ability to inspire companions and listeners, allowing them to surpass their normal level of performance. Some bards invoke this ability through song and music, while others do so through oration, battle cries or sheer acting and demeanor.

With a successful attribute check, a bard can help allies succeed at a task. The ally gets a +2 bonus on any action requiring an attribute check, including class ability checks, saving throws and standard attribute checks. This ability does not affect attack rolls. The allies must be able to see and hear the bard, and must be within 60 feet.

The Castle Keeper may rule that certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The bard can use this ability once per day per level, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to the bard’s level.

As the bard rises in levels, the bonus imparted increases as well. It rises to +3 at 6th level, +4 at 12th level and +5 at 18th level.

LEGEND LORE (Charisma): Bards are lore masters of myth and archaic knowledge. With a successful attribute check, a bard gains or remembers some relevant information about local notables, a legendary item, a noteworthy place or any other relevant bit of information.

Gaining the information may entail speaking to local inhabitants and/ or doing research. The information might prove useful in diplomacy, entertaining, or otherwise influencing others.

The ability also might impart a full or partial understanding of local or secret languages, including rogue’s cant, the secret druidic language or ranger signs.
The check will not reveal the powers of a magic item, but may give a hint to its history, general function or activation.

The Castle Keeper gauges the challenge level of the check based on whether the knowledge is:

1. Common known by at least a substantial minority of the local population;
2. Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area;
3. Obscure, known by few, and hard to come by;
4. Extremely Obscure, known by very few scholars and sages, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, or possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.

FASCINATE: At 4th level, a bard gains the ability to place a single creature into a trance. The creature to be fascinated must be able to see and hear the bard, and the bard must also see the creature.

The creature must be able to pay attention to the bard. The distraction of a nearby combat or other danger will prevent the ability from working.

The bard can use song or poetics to produce the intended effect on the creature, through music, poetry, chanting, speech, whistling, playing an instrument or any combination of the above, as long as some verbal performance is included.

Bards can use this ability three times per day, and can maintain the effect for a number of rounds equal to their level.

When a bard uses this ability, the target makes a charisma saving throw to resist the bard’s spellsong. If the saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the bard for up to the full duration of the effect.

While using this ability, a bard must concentrate, as if casting or maintaining a spell. While fascinated, the target is treated as if prone and also suffers a -4 penalty to all saving throws and a -5 to armor class. If the creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours.

Any threat that is obvious to the fascinated creature, such as the casting of a spell, drawing of a sword or aiming of a weapon automatically breaks the effect.

As the bard rises in levels, the power of the fascination increases as well, allowing the bard to further influence the listener through suggestion. These specialized uses of the fascinate ability can only be performed on creatures who are under the influence of the bard’s fascinate ability.

At 5th level, a bard may attempt a charm person on a fascinated creature. At 8th level, a bard may attempt to implant a suggestion into a fascinated creature. At 12th level, a bard may attempt antipathy/ sympathy on a fascinated creature. At 18th level, a bard may attempt a mass suggestion on fascinated creatures. In each case, the creature receives a saving throw to attempt to resist the spellsong.

As the bard gains experience, the number of creatures that can be affected by the fascination, or one of its specialized uses, increases. The number of creatures is equal to two fewer than the level of the bard. For example, a 4th level bard can fascinate 2 creatures, a 6th level bard can fascinate 4 creatures, and a 12th level bard can fascinate 10 creatures.

EXHORT GREATNESS: At 9th level, a bard can inspire greatness in one other creature. For every two levels the bard attains beyond 9th, the bard can inspire greatness in an additional creature.

To inspire greatness, the bard must use song, poetry or some sort of oration. The creature to be inspired must be able to hear the bard, and must be within 30 feet for the effect to take place.

A creature inspired with greatness gains temporary hit points and attack bonuses for as long as the bard is within its hearing and the bard continues to sing or orate.

This effect lasts for one turn, or six rounds, at 9th level, and the duration increases by one additional round for every level beyond 9th. The creature can move out of the 30 foot radius once the exhortation has begun, but it must still be able to hear the bard at all times.

The target creature gains a +2 bonus on all ‘to hit’ rolls, and gains temporary hit points as if two hit dice (or levels) higher. Apply the creature’s constitution modifier, if any, to each bonus hit point roll. See the combat section for a detailed explanation of temporary hit points.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Charisma
HIT DICE: d10
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS : Broadsword, bows, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, hammers, javelin, longsword, rapier, scimitar, short sword, sling, spear, staff
ARMOR: Breastplates, chain shirt, cuir bouille, greek ensemble, hide, laminar leather, leather, leather coat, padded, ring mail, studded leather
ABILITIES: Decipher script, exalt, legend lore, fascinate, exhort greatness

Level /HD /BtH /EPP
1 /d10 /+0 /0
2 /d10 /+1 /1,501
3 /d10 /+2 /3,251
4 /d10 /+3 /7,501
5 /d10 /+4 /15,001
6 /d10 /+5 /30,001
7 /d10 /+6 /60,001
8 /d10 /+7 /120,001
9 /d10 /+8 /240,001
10 /d10 /+9 /450,001
11 /+4 HP /+10 /625,001
12 /+4 HP /+11 /800,001
13+ /175,000 per level

Beyond the confines of walls and city battlements, within the vast expanse of the wilderness areas of the world are many folk who live with contentment outside of civilization. Those who push aside material culture to live in harmony with nature often draw upon its forces for
spiritual guidance and commune with its spirits.

These are the druids, and they offer guidance and wisdom about the order of life and the world, the cycle of life and death, and acceptance thereof. Druids are feared by
many, for they call upon powerful elemental and nature spirits, and they can gather great hosts of nature to fight for their causes.

Druids seek to protect the wilderness and its beasts from the encroachments of civilization, lest the order of the natural world be upset. They find the myriad artificial creations of civilized peoples abhorrent, for they believe that reliance upon the unnatural creates people who are weak and dependent upon a material culture.

They are fiercely individualistic, and are often found among the barbarian peoples of the world. Druids live in harmony with nature, revering its power and beauty. Although they are sometimes termed priests of nature, the druid is much more. They allow nature to determine the fate of its creatures, for good or ill.

Some druids revere nature and its elements alone, some promote the beliefs of one or more nature deities, and some bind their animistic faith to a strict code of personal conduct. All are devoted to their life’s
calling and possess specialized wilderness lore, including knowledge of the animal and plant kingdoms.

Their divine dispensations are gifts from the spirits of the wood, rock, water and wind. Storms rage across the plains, seas thunder against coasts, and the grasses
of the wild steppe wave ceaselessly: none knows a motive.

Druids must be able to relate to this balance and neutrality in nature. From this closeness to their surroundings, druids possess specialized knowledge of wilderness environments, particularly those in which the druid lives or was trained.

A druid may use weapons crafted from nature’s raw materials, such as wood, leather, stone and cold-forged metal. Traditionally forged weapons are antithetical to druidism. Some druids prefer to use a weapon identical
to that wielded by the deity whom they worship.

In war and combat, druids often wield cold-forged pure metal weapons fashioned of beaten iron or copper, but not of beaten steel or bronze. Likewise, a druid prefers armor crafted from items found in nature, such as leather and wood. They view armors forged by advanced metalsmithing
techniques as tainted and impure. These impure items make one dependent upon them and, in consequence, weak.

Should a druid cease to revere nature, or ignores their code, the wrath and fury of the spirits of the wild descend upon the errant druid in vengeance.

ABILITIES
BONUS LANGUAGES: Druids have a secret language used for communicating with one another. They are forbidden from teaching this language to any but their brethren.

Additionally, if a druid has a high enough intelligence to learn an additional language, the following languages are available to them: aquan, auran, elf, fey, giant, gnome, sylvan and terran. The druid must have lived in or near a
community of those whose language they seek to learn.

NATURE LORE (Wisdom): Druids are connected to the forces of nature. They mystically coexist with their environment, gradually becoming a larger part of it. This relationship imparts to them a specialized knowledge of the wilds. A druid can identify plants and animals with
perfect accuracy in the type of environment where the druid was trained or currently lives.

In unfamiliar environments, the druid must succeed at
a wisdom check to successfully use this ability. This identification ability allows the druid to determine the species of a plant or animal and the special qualities or abilities of the species. The druid can also determine whether water is safe or dangerous to drink.

Additionally, druids can find shelter and forage for food. A druid always succeeds in finding basic shelter and
enough food for individual daily sustenance. If the druid wishes to support additional people, They must spend 6 hours hunting and gathering to produce enough food and water to feed 2-8 people for a day.

If the druid wishes to feed or shelter a larger group of people than the die indicate, a successful wisdom check is necessary. If
successful, the druid must spend an additional 6 hours gathering food to feed and water an additional 2-8 people.

A third attempt to gather food can be made. A wisdom check at -4 is made but if successful, another 6 hours of searching can feed an additional 1-4 people. This additional effort allows the druid to gather food and
water for up to 5-20 creatures total. The druid can only hunt and forage for food three times per day.

SPELLS: A druid casts divine spells. The spells available are listed on the druid spell list. Each druid can cast a limited number of spells from each
spell level per day. The Cleric and Druid Spells Per Day Table (pg 25) shows the number of spells per day a druid may cast for each spell level. Druids prepare and cast spells by praying for them. This process is covered in greater detail in the Magic section.

BONUS SPELLS: High wisdom indicates a greater divine or spiritual connection to their deities, so druids with high wisdom gain bonus spells. If the character has a wisdom between 13-15, they receive an extra 1st level spell. If the wisdom score is 16 or 17, they receive an extra 2nd level spell and if 18 or 19, they receive an extra 3rd level spell. Bonus spells can only be acquired if the druid is at a high enough level to cast them.

Bonus spells are cumulative. For example, a 4th level druid with an 18 wisdom receives four 0 level spells, four 1st level spells and three 2nd level spells. No bonus 3rd level spell is acquired until the druid reaches 5th level.

RESIST ELEMENTS: At 2nd level, druids gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against fire, water, earth, air, cold and lightning attacks.

WOODLAND STRIDE: At 3rd level, druids gain the ability to move through natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas and similar terrain at normal speed and without suffering damage or other impairment. When doing
so, druids leave no trail in the natural surroundings and cannot be tracked.

However, thorns, briars and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion still affect druids.

TOTEM SHAPE: At 6th level, druids gain the spell-like ability to change into a small or medium-size animal and back again once per day. This ability operates like the spell polymorph self. Upon attaining this ability, a druid must choose a totem shape. The selection is
permanent, and cannot be changed. Each time a druid uses this ability, the character regains 1d4 hit points.

At 7th and 8th levels, the druid gains a new totem shape. Each shape can be assumed once per day. At 12th level, the druid gains the ability to take the shape of a large version of one of the previously chosen totem forms. This large form can be assumed once per day, and the
druid can decide between the three forms each time this ability is used.

When assuming the large version of a totem form, the druid heals 5d8 hit points. At 15th level, the druid can take a totem shape twice per day and at 18th level, three times per day.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Wisdom
HIT DICE: d8
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (any)
WEAPONS: Bows, club, dagger, dart, hand axe, hammers, scimitar, scythe, sling, sickle, spears, sword, staff
ARMOR: Cuir bouille, laminar leather, padded, leather, leather coat, hide
SPECIAL: Bonus languages, nature lore, resist elements, woodland stride, totem shape, spells

Level /HD /BtH /EPP
1 /d8 /+0 /0
2 /d8 /+1 /2,001
3 /d8 /+1 /4,251
4 /d8 /+2 /8,501
5 /d8 /+2 /17,001
6 /d8 /+3 /35,001
7 /d8 /+3 /70,001
8 /d8 /+4 /180,001
9 /d8 /+4 /275,001
10 /d8 /+5 /400,001
11 /+3 HP /+5 /525,001
12 /+3 HP /+6 /650,001
13 + /175,000 per level

CLERIC AND DRUID SPELLS PER DAY
Level /0 /1st /2nd /3rd /4th /5th /6th /7th /8th /9th
1 /3 /1
2 /4 /2
3 /4 /2 /1
4 /4 /3 /2
5 /4 /3 /2 /1
6 /5 /3 /3 /2
7 /5 /4 /3 /2 /1
8 /5 /4 /3 /3 /2
9 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
10 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
11 /6 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
12 /6 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
13 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
14 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
15 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
16 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
17 /7 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2 /1
18 /7 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3 /2
19 /7 /6 /6 /5 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /2
20 /7 /6 /6 /6 /5 /5 /4 /4 /3 /3