Melinoe

Melinoe

With a cloak as black as pitch and her hood drawn, she would be indistinguishable from the night, but for the lantern she bears. As she comes closer light spills into the room and everything illuminated becomes filled with dread, but finally, within the lantern's glow, you can see her face, like a shadow outlined with charcoal and eye sockets like windows to the night sky.

Melinoe make no sound. They glide upon the ground, without any apparent stride, upright like aristocrats, with a cloak hiding any evidence of feet. No one knows what they are and where they come from. Experts in the realms beyond, specifically the Shadow Realm, have throughout history come upon mention of these creatures. The old theory was that melinoe are demons, however, the studies of Bartholomew Gray (once the head curator of the Free City Library) revealed that these creatures are not native to the Shadow Realm. In fact, they appear to be creatures from the Aether. For the whole year of 1530 this theory rocked the wizard community of the Free City but since has held true. Melinoe are the only known creatures of the Aether to come to the Shadow Realm (which was previously thought to be impossible). Now the leading theory is that they come to the Shadow Realm to hunt or harvest lost souls. But still, these are only theories. Not much else is known of melinoe as Bartholomew himself proved that coming within their lantern light is extremely dangerous.  

Aura of Madness (M): When within the light of a melinoe’s torch (50-ft. radius), creatures are immediately driven insane. Creatures must make a resistance check or become confused (DC 15).

Snatch Soul (M): A melinoe’s touch drains the target of 1d8 Power. If it drains the target of all its Power, the target becomes comatose and can only be healed with a spell that repairs the mind.

True Seeing (M): A melinoe is able to see anything within the light of its torch (50-ft. radius) as if affected by the True Seeing spell. 

Chapter 3: Lady of the Stars

This is a continuation of the King Thadar's Catacombs Campaign (Chapter 2: War).

Summary: Our adventurers' travels have taken them from Városa to Kerthaz and then back down that familiar road to the valley of Kékhegi. The party finds its way to the town of Kékhegi, where Lady Ilka is waiting. Ubykh's writ or Berzeg's silver coin will win the Lady's audience. Upon offering the map or information concerning Kerthaz she will be most grateful and offer a room in the castle. The adventurers' arrival, however, will trigger a series of disconcerting events that begins with a dead servant and seven possible suspects. The adventurers must race to discover the culprit or Lady Ilka may die and the region of Vale become entrenched in a prolonged war.

The Setting: Kékhegi is a fully intact dunaelf castle. The castle is built on a high ridge overlooking the town. Its towers reach hundreds of feet into the air. A well-groomed forest girdles the town, which is exceptionally well defended, but small. Trade between coastal towns and Kékhegi is necessary to maintain even a few hundred residents. In the past decade the lady of Kékhegi has built a strong relationship with the coastal villages and the town of Erd in particular. The Countess is named Ilka. She is a Blue noble with strong connection to the Veres family. Her late husband was cousin of Queen Etelka. Ilka relies on a small elite force of hussars and rangers to protect her territory. She has no slave soldiers and  any that come into her domain become free folk by law.

Upon entering the town, two lit torches should catch the adventurers' eyes. Their fires emanate a sapphire blue. If any of the adventurers are hussars or they cast an illusion spell (or an illusion spell is active), the torches suddenly erupt into a violent blaze and do one of two things. If they activate due to an illusion, the illusion is burned away in a blaze of blue embers. If they activate due to a hussar, the fires erupt into a heatless wall of flame. You may cross, but the hussar and his phantom may not. Only when the sergeant of the guard gifts the adventurer a medallion and it is donned, can the hussar pass the fire.

Timeline

Day 1: Servant dies.
Day 2: Ilka falls ill after the first dose of poison.
Day 3: Ilka is dead. The Eloszor army arrives but will not pass into Vale without Ilka.

Clues
 
Clue: A plain nondescript knife is left in the servant's belly and there are bruises on her face where her mouth was held tightly shut. Whoever did it was strong.
Clue: Lady Ilka's wine and food is poisoned by ground sweetwood (three doses within a week's time will cause organ failure in an adult). Sweetwood in small doses will give the appearance of an illness and death by natural causes.
Clue: Lady Ilka has a strong relationship with Queen Etelka Veres. Her brother is Duke Gaspar, lord of Városa. When our adventurers left Városa they may have heard rumors about murders in the city.
Clue: Two tanned men in golden scale armor (Kolos and Vilmos) speak with Lady Ilka in thick strange accents. Apparently, they are also staying at the castle, but they come and go frequently.
Clue: Erik prays each night. While not strange in and of itself, the Veres family is not particularly pious and unlikely to employ or confide in such a person.
Clue: The poison is on Erik's person. He is otherwise very careful. He keeps nothing in writing or objects that would incriminate him. After the unfortunate need to kill the servant girl, Erik will attempt to cast suspicions on other members in the castle. If the fact that Ilka is being poisoned is discovered, he will prepare a much stronger dose of poison. Doing so may be revealing as grinding sweetwood into power requires one be careful not to inhale. It causes sneezing fits and smells like molasses.
Clue: Erik's note to Ilka from the Queen. The first half of the note is in code. It means that the army is marching to Kerthaz. The end is peculiar. The Queen states that Erik has some special talents, including the ability to manipulate shadows. Nothing that you have noticed, however, indicates that he has this power.

The Assassin's Goal: The assassin is tasked with killing Lady Ilka, much the same as he was tasked with killing the Queen's allies in Városa. War has been brewing for some time and Count Filip of Erod is prepared. He has placed assassins in the towns of likely enemies across Vale. His goal is to isolate Városa and prevent it from seizing the entire valley entrance of Vale.

If in 3 consecutive days she dies, the symptoms appear as a disease. If the poison is ever discovered, then the tactic changes, a different poison will kill her with one dose.

Ilka's Goal: The ultimate goal of Ilka and the other Blue nobles is to crush Erod and consolidate power in Városa. There is a sense of urgency for the Blues as the need to counter the rise of Vadas in the north is becoming more apparent. Ilka is very close to the Queen. She is tasked with raising an army in Eloszor and surprising the Green's forces likely to siege Városa, since the bulk of its own forces are camped outside Kerthaz. Caught between hammer and anvil, the city guard in Városa and Ilka's army will crush them and then march north, pinning the Erod forces between two huge armies. Once conquered they will take Kerthaz and turn to Erod where Berzeg is attempting to undermine Lord Filip. If the two places are taken, half of Vale will be Városa's.

If Ilka is killed, the trust built between her and their leaders will be for nothing and Vale will be drawn into a prolonged war.

The front gate and Kékhegi Castle

The town of Kékhegi (with the castle on its north side and the gates on its south side). The town is circled by a dense hedge, a dry moat, and walls.

Characters in the Castle

Lady Ilka: Lady Ilka is a strong middle-aged woman (she is, however, very well kept and fit). She is also secretly a wizard. It is immediately apparent that Ilka is a leader. Widowed only a year into her marriage to Queen Etelka's cousin, Kovacs Kékhegi, Ilka never remarried. The Queen once tried to arrange a strategic marriage between her and her brother, Gaspar but she refused. Despite this, the Queen and Ilka are good friends. Ilka is headstrong and smart. Once she sets her mind to something, nothing can stop her. She is instrumental to the Queen and her brother's plans to unite Vale so to be ready if the Vadas family attempts a power grab, in fact, Ilka planned much of it herself. She has long campaigned against slavery and for that, she has gained a good reputation in the coastal towns of Eloszor, where slavery was once a problem not relegated to just the thrymm and half-blooded. In just a few years she has gained their trust and raised an army unbeknownst to the Green nobles of Vale. If her plan succeeds, eight thousand soldiers will march out of the valley and catch the Greens at complete unawares.

Kirantukh Ilka's faithful thrymm captain: Kirantukh is nearly three times Ilka's age, but answers to her with complete deference. A scar runs from his collar bone to his cheek. He is a huge thrymm, larger even than Berzeg and Ubykh. This is not a person to be crossed. He speaks very little in company, but in private he is much more in open. He fought in the Aelf War and was later taken as a slave soldier. He escaped after decades of service and finally made his way to Kekhegi. He has served as captain of the guard for nearly twenty years and has been Ilka's secret love for most of that time.

Lázár, Ilka's wizened teacher: Lázár is an old man. He spends most his time puttering around the castle library. He is Ilka's old teacher. He is also a wizard. In his heyday he was a talented magician. His particular expertise is in enchantments. He is also well-read. His interests are in the history of Vale and the old dunaelf kingdoms.
 
Kolos and Vilmos, visitors from Eloszor: These visitors are from Erd, a town on the coastal region of Eloszor. They speak Keleti in thick accents and it's extremely difficult to understand them. Their garb is also strange. They are often clad in golden scale mail. The two come and go from the castle often. In one week's time, the Eloszor army will arrive at Kekhegi's gates. There are dozens of Eloszor people within the town. Both men are capable warriors, but if the adventurers are unable to communicate with them they may appear very suspicious.

Anikó, Ilka's cousin: Ilka's cousin has lived with her for a little over a year. He is much younger and plumper than Ilka and prone to bouts of debauchery. He enjoys spending time with Lázár, but his idle chatter and tendency to expound on philosophy (to an annoying degree) makes him easy to overlook. Occasionally, he displays a sharp wit, sarcasm, and a surprising self-awareness. He's not nearly as big a doofus as he appears. If the adventurers don't find the assassin in a day's time, Anikó will likely become a target as he will be quick to investigate.

Erzsi, Ilka's lady in waiting: Erzsi is a composed, pretty woman. Ilka confides in her and she, in turn, feels free to express her thoughts. Erzsi is also a well-trained warrior. She keeps a long knife strapped horizontally across her back. She is very slow to trust anyone and therefore will confide only in Ilka and Kirantukh. Erzsi will also be quick to investigate and she will keep a careful eye on Ilka.

Erik, the Queen's man: Erik was sent by Etelka with a special note, signed and sealed. Erik has special talents that may be of use to her. But Erik is dead, killed by Zander. Zander has been posing as Erik for nearly two weeks now. He is a magpie. He keeps his weapons and poisons in his hidden pockets. He rarely walks around armed. He is quick, intelligent, and very careful. He tries to not stand out but is careful to add a supporting voice when Ilka wants input from the room. He is a native Keleti but was raised in Crocáno. If any of the party members are from Crocáno they may pick up on this. Zander will keep a close eye on any newcomers. He will do everything in his power to push suspicions on others, but will not hesitate to either dispatch anyone who confronts him.

This ends Chapter 3. See what's next for you in Chapter 4: The Marble Throne.

Werewolves

Werewolf

Standing there with bright yellow eyes and growling, the woman quickly turns towards the two men circling around her. The sight of the yellow-eyed woman is unsettling, her clothes are tattered, her hands and feet end in long claws, and her teeth come to sharp points. 

In many cultures, werewolves are thought to be evil spirits that live within wicked men. But the old tales, seldom told, are still recounted in Gealdor. They say that wolves are the ancestors of man, and werewolves are simply a latent seed of the past, awakened in the presence of other werewolves.

Werewolves change in different ways. They always remain human-like, but their teeth usually become elongated and come to points, and their hands and feet end in sharp claws. They have lupine eyes (no whites to their eyes), and they have excessive amounts of hair. When a person becomes affected by lycanthropy, they slowly lose their mind to the wild thoughts of wolves, increasingly becoming wolf-like not just in body, but mind, until they are truly a wolf in every way, except that their body remains a cross between the two.

It is said that possessing any part of a werewolf’s body, be it tooth, claw, or hand, will cause the bearer to fly into a rage in tense situations (like a combat encounter) and attack at random (the nearest target). While raging the bearer has +2 bonus to attacks and 1 Temporary Life per level, but -2 Armor Class. The rage lasts 1d6 rounds, after which the bearer regains control and loses the benefits and penalties of being in a rage.  

Creating a Werewolf:  

Werewolves are magical beasts that possess the following traits in addition to a chosen character’s normal statistics.  

Size and Type: Werewolves become larger, but not enough to increase a size category. The werewolf’s type changes from human to magical creature, but her Acumen bonus, resistance checks, and level remains the same. The werewolf ‘s Intellect score gradually decreases to 3, but her Intuition and Strength scores increase by 3. She also gains low-light vision and scent.

Speed: The werewolf’s movement speed doubles.

Armor Class: The creature gains a natural armor bonus equal to her level.

Attack: The werewolf gains claw attacks equal to 1d3+Strength. Her natural weapons count as magical for purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Special Attacks: Werewolves gain the following supernatural attacks:

Lycanthropy (M): When humans come into contact with a werewolf they are subject to the effect, lycanthropy. Some call it a disease, but in fact, the mere presence of a werewolf can awaken something dormant inside people. When a werewolf comes within 50 ft. of any human creature, roll a percentage die. There is a 1 in 100 chance that a human creature becomes affected by lycanthropy. An affected creature slowly becomes wolf-like over the course of 2d20 days. While the transformation is still in effect, the character may seek out methods of preventing her loss of sanity. It is at least possible to halt lycanthropy but one must seek out help. At the end of the duration, the affected creature becomes a werewolf. Once the transformation is complete, the affected target cannot return to her original form or state of mind.

Summon Wolves (M): The werewolf gains a mental connection with wolves near her. If there are any wolves within 10 miles of the werewolf, she can summon them. If any wolves are present, they immediately come to the werewolf’s aid.

Special Qualities: A werewolf gains the following qualities:

—Low-light vision

—Scent

—Damage reduction 5/magic: The werewolf gains damage reduction 5/magic.

—Fast healing: The werewolf heals 1 point of damage each round so long as she is not dead.

  

Rhen in Pencil

October of 2015 I sat with the Simpsons Halloween House of Horror episodes on loop and started in on a huge 2 ft. by 4 ft. piece of butcher paper with pencils and smudgers. I got maybe 5 whole loops on the House of Horror episodes before drawing all those goddamn little trees started to drive me mad (shoot me if I ever try that again). I was complaining to a friend during one of our playtests and he said why don't you just make a stamp in photoshop and stamp a bunch of trees. Well, after a few hours of fiddling with Photoshop I realized I should probably have had at least some idea of how to use it before I gave up and shelled out for scanning it in a special scanner, but as it turns out I didn't have the faintest clue and after a few more frustrating hours I found someone to help me. The trade off was they basically painted over it. It looked good so I carried on with my life. In the past year, however, I learned how to use Photoshop. I'm still not very good at it, but hell if I don't know how to stamp trees now. So here it is, my wonderfully smudged map of Rhen in pencil.

And for the bonus round. At some point, I'll gain a cursory knowledge of Illustrator and I'll make an editable version, but in the meantime, I made a character sheet with Photoshop.

Wilders

Wilder

Wilders have an instinctive relationship with magic. They are fundamentally connected to it. Magic is as much a part of a wilder as emotions. However, without any formal training or apprenticeship, they must create spells by trial and error requiring incredible perseverance and keen intuition. As a result, wilders can be a danger to themselves and others. There is a strong stigma against wilders and many are forced to hide their talents, while others are driven from their respective communities. Many do not survive to adulthood, but those who do, learn to control their powers and are stronger for it.

Intuitive: A wilder’s Intuition score changes to 4d6.

Spells: A wilder casts spells from any of the four magic types, Demon Magic, Primeval, Sorcery, and Theurgy. Choose only one (it cannot be changed later).

At level 1, a wilder begins knowing 4 + Intellect modifier spells and learns Intellect modifier spells each level thereafter.  She knows only level 1 spells at level one, but then gains access to level 2 spells at level three, and level 3 spells at level six, and last, level 4 spells at level ten. 

Wild Magic (M): Wilders do not use magic the same way as other spellcasters. To cast a spell spend Power equal to the spell’s level and then choose how many Spell Dice to roll regardless of how much Power was spent. In exchange, she activates an identical dice effect based on how many Spell Dice were rolled. If she rolled 1 Spell Dice, no identical dice effect is triggered. If she rolled 2 Spell Dice, trigger one of six identical dice effects for pairs. If she rolled 3 Spell Dice, she triggers one of six effects for triples, and on 4 Spell Dice, trigger one of six effects for quadruples. Roll a single d6 to determine which effect is triggered. Conversely, spells that become cantrips are treated as if she had rolled one less Spell Die (therefore she may roll up to 2 Spell Dice and not trigger an identical dice effect). 

Gifted (M): At level 3, a wilder can spend an immediate action to reroll the identical dice effect from the Wild Magic attribute. 

Perilous (M): At level 6, a wilder can spend Power to change Spell Dice to d8s. Each Power spent changes one Spell Dice from a d6 to a d8. She may spend up to 4 Power in addition to Power spent casting the spell. If a spellcaster attempts to counter a perilous spell, the counterspeller becomes fatigued. 

Strange (M): At level 9, when a wilder casts spells she causes the world around her to change. Depending on her chosen magic type, her spells produce an environmental effect. The environmental effects produced have the following associations: demon magic and shadow, primeval and fae, theurgy and chaos, and last sorcery, a combination of shadow and fae (see Chapter 5: Magic under Magic and the Environment for descriptions). The potency of the spell determines the strength of the environmental effects. The change in the environment lingers for as many hours afterward as spell dice spent casting it. (archetype table)

Leanna the Wilder

Leanna pinched the ring between her thumb and index finger. Rubbing away the dust and grime revealed a plain band, unremarkable except for the fact that it was gold. There was something else, however, not about the ring necessarily, but about how it made her feel. Leanna was keenly aware of it. She’d been living in the woods all her life; you learn to trust your instincts when you have no one else to rely on.

Leanna squatted back down, dipping the ring into the stream to remove the rest of the grime. Once cleaned, she examined it again– even bit it to check the softness of the gold. No teeth marks. Unremarkable indeed. But, gold is gold. It’ll be worth something to the traders on the King’s Road.

Before slipping it into her pocket, Leanna decided to try one more thing. This time she’d use her ‘talent’ to examine it. She placed the ring on a nearby stump and concentrated. Reaching out with her mind, Leanna tapped into her secret power. Suddenly she felt the world around her like never before. She wasn’t just reaching out and touching the ring, she was reaching out and touching everything– the dead leaves, the caterpillars in the trees, the unhatched eggs in the branches above her. Normally when she used her ‘talent’ it felt like standing waste deep in water, she could feel the force of it, but she could keep her feet. This felt like a flood, a torrent of water sweeping her away to wherever it was going.

Only with great effort did she let go. The sudden onset of it was surprisingly taxing. Her hands were on her knees and she was bent over and breathing hard. After a few moments, she regained her breath, but then noticed something strange– the cold metal on her finger. She looked down at her left hand and there was the ring. How...

Leanna’s lived in the woods all her life. Her mother raised her in the small cottage until Leanna was ten when she came down with a fever and died. Ever since Leanna has cared for herself. She doesn’t know if her mother had the ‘talent,’ but her mother knew she did and never feared it.

Leanna found the old ring while wandering the woods gathering firewood. She doesn’t often visit the town nearby, but the experience with the ring and her ‘talent’ scared her. Unsure of what to do, she realized how long it’d been since she thought about her mother. Hours went by sitting in her little cottage, the wood still piled in the fireplace unlit. Staring at the ring on her finger, Leanna had one question running through her mind over and over again, “Get rid of the ring or try again?”

 

__________________________

Updates
 
After some feedback I've added a little bit more differentiation between the three archetypes. The change is in regards to Power. It's subtle, but it could also amount to a lot. Basically, every character used to begin with 5 + Will modifier Power. Now the default is WIll modifier Power, then based on your archetype choice, you may gain a bonus at level 1. The breakdown is as follows:

-Specialists do not gain a bonus 
-Mixed Bag characters gain +1d6 Power at level 1
-Magic Users gain +2d6.

Chapter 2: War

This is a continuation of the King Thadar's Catacombs Campaign (Chapter 1: King Thadar's Catacombs).

Possible Paths: You've survived the perils of the catacomb. Depending on what you've found you're faced with some difficult decisions. 10 percent of the wealth in the catacomb is yours, but then again, you've also discovered a second exit. There's more than you can carry but you could certainly gather the most valuable items and hide them outside the tombs...

Then there's Berzeg. If you've met him and haven't managed to kill each other, you may recognize the tall thrymm warrior. He's wanted for the murder of at least one lord and a number of other people. You may, however, be sympathetic to his cause. His raison d'être is the liberation of the thrymm. If he trusts you he may also present you with a path...

Last, there's always the option of returning the same way you came in. You can recollect your items of special value and find Dominik to claim your prize. There's a problem, though. The town is full of busy soldiers. There are water pails, full and scattered around town. Workers are reinforcing the gates. Making your way to city walls, you realize what all the hubbub is about. Down the hill, only a quarter mile away is a field of blue banners and an army ten thousand strong camped out across the valley. You notice the unmistakeable banners of a Városa, a walled city with three stars...

The Path Outside: Just beyond the Hall of Heroes, past the faux wall is a path to the catacombs. Despite the long corridor's eerie look, you smell the unmistakable scent of fresh air. If you follow the corridor for a quarter mile it comes to an intersection. The breeze is stronger from the left hall and sure enough, a stairwell to the surface appears after a few hundred feet. The stair exits out into ruins. You may recognize this as the old ruined castle grounds outside of Kerthaz. From this area you can see the army camped outside of Kerthaz much closer now. You can sneak away at nightfall or approach the army at your peril.

The right hall leads down into a confounding labyrinth haunted by a wight. If the adventurers wish to explore this area it will require some extra work on the GM's part as this leads to the crypts.

For a map of the crypts, Dyson's Spiral Crypt is an excellent map: https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2016/10/21/the-spiral-crypt/

Berzerg's Offer: Berzeg wants to undermine the Greens and break them from the inside out. He and his Second have been discussing their new course of action, but if you will aid them, they can split forces. Berzeg and his companions will go to Erod, Városa's biggest rival, and send you to Kekhegi to Baroness Ilka. He offers you a token and a map. He assures you that Ilka, a Blue, will match Lord Gabriel's offer and pay handsomely up front for the map of Thadar's Catacombs (that you have drawn) including the secret entrance from the old ruined castle to Kerthaz. The token is a silver coin with the impression of a mountain with three stars on it. He says, "Show this token in Kekhegi and you will gain an audience with the baroness."

The Valley: The army in the valley is busy with preparations for the siege of Kerthaz and there are more soldiers coming from far afield, including another army. This new force bears green banners. It is the army of Erod. Numbering only some two thousand it sets up camp across the river, unwilling to engage the much larger Blue army. The presence of both the Erod and the Városa army will make it difficult for you to sneak away. The north side of the ruins is completely blocked, but you may be able to slip away south if you pass through the forest. Still, you must avoid press gang patrols and bandits. There is a strong chance that you will be caught on your way south. If you are caught by the Blues the silver coin that Berzeg gave you can help. The insignia on the coin is the signet of Baroness Ilka. Any knight will recognize it and know you and your companions are no common soldiers. Berzeg's half brother, Ubykh is captain of a few hundred warriors in the Városa army and a vassal of Baroness Ilka. If you gain an audience with Ubykh he will interrogate you, but eventually send you on your way with a writ, protecting you from press gangs (at least from the Blues).

Special: If you wish to include the spirited Rahél, she is a towering officer in the army. She will teach you a thing or two about soldiery before the day is over or until you're finally able to get someone to recognize the coin.

Note: If you offer the map to Ubykh he will offer 50 gold for it.

Once away from the army you must avoid marauders. Vale has been thrown into chaos. There is a chance that you will be noticed by bandits. There is also a chance that a village on your way will become the target of bandits (you may or may not choose to intervene). It takes three days to get to Kekhegi and when you get there, a dozen or so warriors are sieging a small outpost at the entrance of a narrow canyon. You must pass them to get to Kekhegi. There are only four soldiers in the outpost and they'll eventually be overwhelmed. If you aid them, one will accompany you to Kekhegi and straight to Ilka, otherwise, if you sneak past them, Kekhegi is only half a day's walk more, leading to Chapter 3: Lady of the Stars.