Requires the use of the

Dungeons & Dragons® Player's Handbook,

Third Edition, published by Wizards of the Coast®
Portals & Planes

Credits
MANAGING DEVELOPER
Greg Benage

WRITING
Mike Mearls

INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
Steven Bagatzky, Ed Cox, William Eaken, Cos Koniotis, Anneth Lagamo, Brad McDevitt, Hian Rodriguez, Scott
Schomburg, Mattias Snygg

GRAPHIC & COVER DESIGN

Brian Schomburg

EDITING
Greg Benage, Rob Vaughn ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo are Trademarks owned by
Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20
ART DIRECTION System License version 1.0. A copy of this License can be found at
www.wizards.com.
Greg Benage
Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are Registered
LAYOUT Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission.
Greg Benage
Copyright © 2003 Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Legends & Lairs™
PUBLISHER is a trademark of Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
This work, or parts thereof, may not be copied without permission.
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Portals & Planes

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

Planar Adventuring 5

CHAPTER TWO

Gates to Other Worlds 37

CHAPTER THREE

Worlds Beyond 81

CHAPTER FOUR

Threats & Civilizations 136

 Chapter 3 gives the DM everything he needs to
construct alternate worlds and new planes of
Welcome existence. The chapter includes a comprehen-
sive system for identifying and defining envi-
ronmental hazards and planar traits. The chap-
INTRODUCTION

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to present ter concludes with a number of sample worlds,
Portals & Planes, the latest volume in our complete with detailed statistics blocks.
Legends & Lairs line of sourcebooks for the
d20 System. Portals & Planes gives players Chapter 4 presents comprehensive information
and DMs everything they need to create and on designing and running planar threats, crea-
play exciting plane-traveling and world-hop- tures, races, and civilizations. It includes rules
ping adventures and campaigns. on adapting existing creatures to the planes
and on varying their descriptions to
Chapter 1 presents new rules for player charac- present new and exciting encoun-
ters, including new prestige classes, ters to the players. Finally, this
feats, magic items, and chapter presents a host of new
spells uniquely suited creatures and monsters appropri-
to planar environ- ate to a plane-traveling fantasy
ments and distant campaign, from automatons to vortex
worlds. The howlers.
chapter also
provides tactics
and advice for
playing each of The Open
the core classes Game
in planar adven-
tures. License
All game rules and
Chapter 2 describes
statistics derived
the different types
from the d20
of planar portals
System Reference
and how to design
Document are des-
and integrate
ignated as Open
them into your
Game Content. The
campaign. This
introductions to individ-
chapter also allows
ual chapters and sections
you to determine the
detail specifically the
traits of individual por-
Open Game Content found
tals, from basic characteristics
within them. All other text is
like size and operation to special
designated as closed content.
effects like time travel and transfor-
mation.
All illustrations, pictures, and dia-
grams in this book are Product Identity
and the property of Fantasy Flight Publishing,
Inc., © 2003.

The Open Game License is printed in its entire-

ty at the end of this book. For further informa-
tion, please visit the Open Gaming Foundation
website at www.opengamingfoundation.org.

4
 CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring
CHAPTER ONE

Planar
Adventuring
The planes have long held a special place in flavor. Remember that these same tools help
fantasy adventuring. Many experienced gamers your DM build unique villains, so be sure to
have a story about the time their characters pay attention to them.
journeyed to hell and fought a legion of
demons and devils, or of an epic struggle to Above all else, keep your mind open and con-
sneak into a god’s palace and steal a mighty sider all possibilities. The planes are limitless
artifact. vistas of adventure, realms that your DM can
forge into memorable worlds that you’ll be
Adventuring on the planes requires a set of recounting for years to come.
skills distinct from the habits and tactics you
may have developed to handle dungeons,
wilderness, and urban scenarios. Usually, the
environment and the unknown quantities with-
in it are the greatest hurdles you face. A dun-
Character
geon usually has a convenient escape route, a
city offers friendly havens for rest and recov-
ery, and the wilderness includes terrain that you
Classes
may be familiar with. An alien plane could fea- Planar adventures require versatility from
ture none of these. In essence, you have to start adventurers. Given that a plane could pose a
your adventuring career from scratch. The limitless array of hazards, characters that can
monsters are all new, the NPCs may be friends perform well in a variety of circumstances have
or foes, and the world around you is a blank the best chance of success. On the other hand,
map waiting for you to explore it. specialists risk severe setbacks if a plane’s fea-
tures diminish their primary skills. A fire wiz-
This chapter focuses on providing you the ard trapped in a plane of endless ice must rely
advice and tools you need to succeed in travel- on his backup spells to survive. Each of the
ing the planes. It starts with an overview of tac- core classes receives a brief overview of its
tics and ideas that can help you deal with pla- strengths, weaknesses, and priorities for planar
nar adventures. It also includes new races, adventures. Some, but not all, receive com-
prestige classes, feats, and spells you can use to mentary on specific skill, feat, and spell
develop characters with a unique, otherworldly choices. If any of these sections are miss-
5
 ing, assume that a class has no specific feats or
skills that improve its abilities in planar adven- Bard
tures.
While it may seem like an odd statement, the
The names and game rules describing the char- bard shines like no other class during planar
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

acter classes, and all rules-related text derived adventures. Your bardic knowledge ability,
from the d20 SRD, are designated as Open reliance on Charisma for magic, and access to
Game Content. Bluff and Diplomacy as class skills make you
the perfect emissary. When the party meets an
intelligent creature, it is your job to find out its
Barbarian intentions and find a diplomatic solution if one
This class’s access to useful skills such as is possible. At higher levels, bardic knowledge
Survival, Climb, and Jump make it a good can fill in many of the information gaps the
choice for journeying to the planes. While your party may face in strange realms. Make liberal
AC and combat abilities (when you’re not rag- use of that ability to figure out the basic condi-
ing) match up poorly compared to a fighter, tions and arrangement of a world.
your broad skill selection and increased num-
ber of ranks allow you to excel in dangerous Skills
environments. One of the keys to a barbarian’s While Bluff and Diplomacy are easy choices,
success lies in remembering when to rage. The Sense Motive and Gather Information are criti-
bonuses to your Strength and Constitution cal to navigating the planes. When dealing with
scores are equally useful in non-combat situa- intelligent planar creatures, your lack of knowl-
tions. If you need to leap over a wide pit, the +2 edge regarding their plans and intentions can
bonus to your Jump check can make the differ- be a major drawback. Both of these skills
ence between death and an easy landing. counter this limitation by allowing you to see
through deception and track down the informa-
Skills tion you need to make an informed decision.
Make the most of your skill points and go for a There is nothing more embarrassing than arriv-
broad selection of talents. Climb, Jump, and ing on a plane and inadvertently working with
Swim can mean the difference between success a cruel tyrant. In addition, spend some of your
and failure in a planar adventure, especially skill points on a variety of languages, particu-
since you cannot normally predict the sort of larly Draconic and others that might be com-
terrain you must handle. Survival is critical if monly used across the worlds.
no one else in the party has access to it, since
you might face long periods without ready Cleric
stores of food and water. Best of all, you can
use it to ensure that you can find your way back The cleric fills several roles in a planar adven-
to the portal you used to enter an alien world. ture. Obviously, your spells heal the party and
Your illiteracy can be a major hurdle, since it keep it going in the face of powerful monsters.
makes communicating with strange creatures Many of your spells target creatures with spe-
even more difficult than normal. Be sure to cific alignments, such as chaos hammer or pro-
eliminate it as soon as possible. tection from evil. In many cases, planes feature
a preponderance of creatures with similar
Feats alignments, allowing you to make full use of
such spells without fear of wasting them on
Since your primary role is as a combatant, look inappropriate targets. In addition, you may
to feats that allow you to improve your chances have a good Charisma score to help bolster
in a fight. Dodge and the related feats allow your turn attempts. Combined with Diplomacy
you to take advantage of your increased speed as a class skill, you can serve as the party’s
while reducing the AC penalty due to rage. If spokesman when dealing with the intelligent
the party lacks a ranger or druid, you might creatures you meet. However, you may run into
have to take Track and similar feats to help the trouble if your god has a different alignment
party survive alien terrain. While less than an from or is mistrusted by the creatures you meet.
ideal situation, since you really should focus
on combat, it can help cover the party’s
weaknesses in a pinch.
6
 CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring
Skills
Druid
Knowledge (religion) is even more important
than normal on the planes, as you can use it to The concept of a nature priest traveling the
identify sects that you might otherwise know planes may seem odd, but the druid is one of
nothing about. The standard religions on your the more effective characters in planar adven-
character’s world might all be familiar to you, tures. Your ability to identify plants and ani-
but the iconography and practices you mals is an invaluable asset when visiting alien
encounter might be utterly unrecognizable. As worlds, allowing you and your companions to
mentioned above, Diplomacy is a key skill for steer clear of dangerous poisons and potential-
dealing with the strange creatures you meet. ly deadly predators. However, many of your
spells focus on animals and plants, two cate-
Domains gories of creatures that might not be common
foes, as opposed to outsiders. The key to suc-
Travel is, unsurprisingly, the best domain you cess in planar adventures lies in your ability to
can take if you plan to spend a lot of time mov- maximize your spells’ utility and make the
ing from one plane to another. Its granted most of your class skills.
power can help overcome some of the environ-
mental obstacles you meet, while the spells it Skills
offers give you many convenient escape routes
from dangerous worlds. The domains centered Diplomacy and Survival combine to give you
on alignment—good, evil, chaos, and law—all the two most important skills in handling pla-
give you access to spells that can defeat crea- nar adventures. The first allows you to interact
tures of the opposite ethos. If you plan on trav- with the many strange animals and civilizations
eling the planes to track down and defeat the you may encounter, while the second is impor-
enemies of your faith, these domains are all tant to finding food and avoiding nasty
good choices. obstacles while traveling across strange
worlds.
7
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

characters and beat

down the monsters. In some
ways, your abilities are the most robust
between the planes. As long as you have your
weapons and armor, you can make use of your
feats to overcome your foes. However, on some
planes you might find yourself denied these
Spells resources. Heavy armor is impractical in
realms with scorching weather or those flooded
The primary obstacle you face is that your spell
with water. Try to carry a spare suit of armor—
lists are tuned for use in wilderness areas such
perhaps one that is lighter than your normal
as normal forests, deserts, and similar environ-
suit—as a backup plan. Since outsiders are the
ments. The planes promise much more exotic
most common planar enemies, ready yourself
locales, ones that may leave your spells use-
to deal with a variety of damage reduction
less. When engaging in planar adventures,
types. Carry a silvered weapon and other exot-
focus on magic that has the most utility across
ic armaments just in case you meet a creature
a wide range of circumstances. Cure spells and
resistant to your primary weapon.
similar ones such as remove disease sustain the
party and allow you to act as a secondary or
Keep in mind that attacks can come from a
primary healer. Summon nature’s ally is a reli-
variety of directions. Watch above and below
able fallback plan, as it gives you a useful
for attackers, and be ready to step in and han-
friend regardless of the planes you explore.
dle any unexpected surprises. When facing a
Until you have had a chance to scout a plane,
strange creature for the first time, concentrate
try to avoid spells such as transmute rock to
on defense until you know how to handle its
mud that rely on specific environments. Later,
offensive abilities. If you charge into combat,
once you know a plane’s traits, you can go back
you might find yourself facing a monster with
to using them.
deadly melee special attacks such as a paralyt-
ic touch. Fight with caution and strike only
Fighter when you have a good idea of what you are
going up against.
To a fighter, a planar adventure is just like any
other excursion. Whether you are in the midst
of a city, deep within a dungeon, or on a far-
flung world, your job is to protect the other
8
 outsiders, and your excellent saves allow you
Skills
to shrug off many planar threats and magical
You have few skills to choose from, but the attacks. With Diplomacy as a class skill and
ones you have are useful in a wide range of sit- Charisma a key attribute for many of your abil-
uations. Climb, Jump, and Swim help you ities, you are probably the best candidate for

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

avoid environmental obstacles. If you have a speaking with other creatures and diffusing
chance, remove your armor before attempting tense social situations. The one challenge you
any physical stunts. In these cases, a spare suit face is that at times your position could prove
of studded leather can help you navigate a dan- to be a drawback. You might need to bargain
gerous area without crippling your defensive with evil creatures, especially on worlds where
abilities. every creature you meet is neutral at best. Try
not to rely too much on your detect evil ability.
Monk Instead of using it as an excuse to attack a crea-
ture, view it as one piece of information useful
The monk is the ultimate survivalist. Your great in determining a creature’s motives and plans.
saving throws, improved speed, and many
skills and abilities that counter your enemies’ Skills
attacks combine to allow you to handle a wide
Diplomacy is the obvious choice here. If your
variety of threats. While your offensive
Charisma is high enough, consider investing
prowess may pale compared to a barbarian or
cross-class ranks in Bluff and Intimidate for
fighter, defensively you are second to none.
those times when reasonable discourse proves
Best of all, your ability to fight without
fruitless. Sense Motive is another good cross-
weapons and armor means that you need never
class skill, especially if you expect to serve as
worry about losing your equipment. You are
the party’s main contact. Try to master a wide
equally adept at fighting in a blazing desert as
range of languages, as your social skills mean
on an earthen world-island floating through the
little if someone must translate for you.
sky in a massive storm. Your abilities may
require you to take more risks than other char-
acters, but you have the capacity to endure Ranger
them. You should scout out creatures and range
ahead of the party to uncover threats before As a master of the wilderness, the ranger falls
they can overcome more vulnerable members into the same category as the druid. You have
of the party. skills that prove very useful in navigating alien
territory, but your spells might not work as
well. On the other hand, your archery and
Skills
melee combat skills work just as well on an
Focus on skills that emphasize your primary alien world as in the forest’s depths. For these
role in the party. If the group includes a rogue, reasons, you are perhaps the character best suit-
stay away from Hide and Move Silently and ed for leading the party safely through an alien
focus on skills useful in combat, such as environment. Scout ahead to discover dangers
Tumble. On the other hand, if you must serve before they can strike your friends, support the
as a scout, Hide is a perfect skill. Of all the more heavily armored fighters and paladins,
classes aside from wizard, a high Intelligence and use your special abilities as often as possi-
serves you the best. You have a good selection ble.
of useful skills and a decent number of skill
ranks, but the more skills you can pick up the Skills
better. Swim, Balance, Climb, and Escape
Artist help you survive planar environments. As a ranger, you should keep your Survival
Diplomacy allows you to serve as a diplomat, skill at its maximum ranks. That skill is impor-
especially if no one else in the party has a tal- tant enough that, unless there is a druid or bar-
ent for social situations. barian in the party, you should be the best per-
son in the party at it. Hide and Move Silently
allow you to scout the party’s way without
Paladin drawing attention to yourself, while Listen and
Spot are critical to uncovering threats
As a heroic champion of good, the paladin is
before they gain surprise. Those five
every villain’s worst nightmare. Your talents
skills represent your core abilities. If you
and abilities are well suited to taking down evil
9
 must drop one of them, look at losing Hide or is more frustrating than loading up on spells of
Move Silently. a specific type only to find them useless against
a common opponent or unusable in a planar
Rogue environment. Particular when it comes to com-
bat spells, look to keep a wide spread of possi-
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

The rogue’s adaptability and broad selection of bilities available.

skills make him a critical component of any
expedition to the planes. Your first priority is to With your many spell slots, you can afford to
look at your skills and determine which ones sometimes let a spell fizzle due to spell resis-
are important to your character. Sneaking is tance. Since you receive higher-level spells
usually the rogue’s forte, but if you have a later than a wizard, you need to compensate for
ranger in your party you can skimp on those your lower-on-average save DCs. Feats such as
skills in favor of Sense Motive, Bluff, and other Spell Focus are invaluable to you, since about
skills useful in social interactions. With your half the time a wizard of the same level has
unparalleled flexibility, it helps if you look at access to higher-level spells. That one point of
the other characters’ abilities and pick your save DC can make a tremendous difference.
skills with them in mind. If your party is heavy For similar reasons, spells and magic items that
on social operators, go for stealth skills. boost your Charisma make good investments,
However, since you are the only character suit- especially if you use them shortly before an
ed to dealing with traps, you should allocate important encounter.
ranks to Search, Disable Device, and Open
Lock regardless of the other characters’ choic- Invest in wands and scrolls to help cover any
es. When the party finds a trap, it is your job to critical spell areas. You may find it easiest to
handle it whether you are in a dungeon or load up on combat spells and general utility
trapped on a distant plane. spells such as shield and teleport, saving more
obscure spells such as knock for a wand or
Feats other magic item. As a rule of thumb, if you
cannot use a spell more than two or three times
Sneak attack is one of your most important during the course of the average adventure, it is
abilities, but during a planar adventure you probably best set aside for a wand or scroll.
might face long stretches of battles against
creatures immune to it. While feats that
improve your maneuverability, such as Spring Wizard
Attack, are good choices, try to invest two feat The wizard’s strength lies in his selection of
selections in Point Blank Shot and Precise spells, allowing him to prepare the perfect
Shot. If you cannot sneak attack a creature, it is incantation for almost any situation.
usually a bad idea to move into melee combat Unfortunately, you gain this flexibility at a cost
with it. Instead, hang back, let it attack the of raw power. A sorcerer of the same level has
high-AC fighter and cleric, and rain arrows, more spells, though you usually have higher-
sling bullets, or crossbow bolts on it. level spells to compensate. Your ace in the hole
is your spellbook. If you buy or find a good
Sorcerer selection of scrolls, you always have the spell
you need at hand. This situation makes picking
While a sorcerer can bring a tremendous num- the spells to prepare each day an important
ber of spells to the table, her limited range of decision. Usually, you can get around this by
known spells restricts her abilities. When play- using your bonus feats and Scribe Scroll to pro-
ing a sorcerer, you need to balance your spells’ duce magical items you can use. If you have
utility against the few slots you have available. knock in your spellbook, you can produce a
Planar adventures exacerbate this dilemma, as wand with it for a relatively small investment
some of your spells may be rendered useless by of time and money. Best of all, you still have
a plane’s traits or the nature of the monsters the feats you normally gain to invest in other
you face. Starting from an early level, it is a areas.
good idea to take a wide range of combat spells
that deal different types of damage. Lightning Since you have fewer but more powerful spells
bolt, acid arrow, ice storm, and fireball give than a sorcerer, Spell Penetration is perhaps the
you the ability to direct most of the common most worthwhile feat you can take for a planar
energy types against your enemies. Nothing
10
adventure. You do not hit as often as other cast- to tinker with the core races and give them an
ers, but your spells pack a stronger wallop. This interesting new slant.
means that when you do target a creature, you
need to stack the odds in your favor to get Each race has a limited number of trait choices
through its spell resistance. Best of all, Spell it may make to fill out its abilities. The abili-

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Penetration (unlike Spell Focus) works on all ties, listed later in this section, are worth vari-
of your spells. While it may not be the best ous numbers of choices. You cannot spend
choice at 1st level, since you rarely encounter more than your total allocation of choices
spell-resistant creatures early in a campaign, based on your character’s starting race.
around 6th level it becomes an optimal feat
selection. Each of the core races has a few abilities deter-
mined by their biology rather than society.
Scrolls are your best friend, and you should try These abilities cannot be changed. Regardless
to keep one handy for each of the spells in your of their plane of origin, all dwarves are tougher
books. Since you have Scribe Scroll and they to trip and elves have sharp eyes and ears. Each
are relatively cheap to make, they help take core race lists the abilities that you may remove
maximum advantage of your free item creation from them. You gain the points listed after an
feats and the breadth of spells at your disposal. ability if you remove it. You may spend these
Even if you forget to prepare an important points on the new abilities listed below.
spell, it is always as close as your nearest scroll
case. As a rule of thumb, it is best to leave creating
new races to the DM. Only he can ensure that
any new planar races fit into his concept of the
Planar Races campaign world and remain true to the game’s
vision.
The dwarves of Khaerghale live on hunks of The names and game rules describing the char-
rocks that sweep through an eternal vortex. acter races, and all rules-related text derived
They erect gigantic nets to catch iron, dirt, and from the d20 SRD, are designated as Open
rock that floats in the air, using these raw mate- Game Content.
rials to build their small cities. To them, living
underground is an utterly alien concept.
Instead, they are content to tend their fields and Dwarves
watch the skies from the surface of their flying
This stout race is heavily molded by its culture.
islands. Meanwhile, the blue elves of Lettherea
Their hatred towards goblinoids, training in
dwell among the mushroom forests of a land of
fighting giants, and love of mining and
eternal dusk. They dig into the ground, finding
smithing are all driven by tradition. Planar
shelter from the great flocks of wyverns that
dwarves may drop the following abilities in
periodically sweep over the land. These elves
return for the listed number of picks.
find comfort in subterranean environments,
while bright light blinds them.
• Stonecunning (1 point)
• +1 racial attack bonus against orcs and gobli-
As you can see, humanoid races can develop in
noids (1 point)
radically different directions across the planes.
• +4 dodge bonus to AC against giants (1 point)
The standard rules for elf, dwarf, or gnome
• +2 racial bonus to Appraise checks and Craft
characters represent the typical members of
checks (1 point)
those races. However, given the different con-
ditions that exist across the planes, these folk
can develop in an infinite number of ways. Elves
This section presents new rules to produce As a race that leans towards the chaotic align-
player character races. By selecting a suite of ments, elves have little in the way of racial cul-
racial traits, you can modify the existing racial ture. Of all the good races, they are the most
PC options to create new spins on old concepts. likely to remain relatively similar between
From halflings who live in an endless rainfor- worlds.
est to gnomes who travel through space on the
backs of colossal whales, these rules allow you • Proficiency with either longsword or
11
 rapier, proficiency with short and long bows
and composite versions of both (2 points)

Gnomes
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Due to their innate talent for some forms of

magic, gnome culture tends to drift little
between the planes. A gnome kingdom is like-
ly to develop much the same regardless of its
environment. Like elves, they have few racial
traits tied to a specific culture.

• +1 racial bonus to attacks against kobolds and

goblinoids (1 point)
• +4 dodge bonus to AC against giants (1 point)

Half-Elves and Half-Orcs

As the offspring of humans, these folk tend to
find themselves outside of their nominally
home culture. As such, they have no additional
picks to spend on racial traits. However, unlike
the other races they may change their preferred
class due to a planar origin without spending
points on new abilities. Half-elves may forgo
their ability to use any class as a favored one in
return for one pick’s worth of abilities.

Halflings
Like elves, halfings have little in the way of
embedded culture. They tend to adapt to their
surroundings, seeking out whatever talents and
abilities suit them best. As such, most of their
innate abilities are driven by biology rather
than culture.

• +1 racial bonus with thrown weapons (1

point)

Humans
Unlike the other races, humans rarely exhibit
any specific abilities and tendencies based on
cultural factors. Their flexibility is what makes
them capable of thriving in a wide range of
environments. Still, on some worlds humans
develop distinctive cultures that cause them to
develop a similar set of abilities and skills.

• Bonus feat (2 points)

• Bonus skill ranks (3 points)

12
 You may choose one creature type except for
All Races humanoids or monstrous humanoids. For these
groups, you must pick four specific creature
Any race may exchange a +2 bonus to an abil- types. Against your chosen enemies, you gain a
ity score for four points worth of planar racial +4 dodge bonus to AC (1 pick).

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

traits. In some cases, environmental conditions
can cause a race to develop slightly different Divine Blessing: The gods favor your people.
physical traits. An entire pantheon may grant them blessings,
or perhaps a single deity enjoys their worship
After deciding which traits you want to remove and does its best to look out for them. Choose
from a race, count up the total number of points any two 0-level cleric spells. You may cast
you have to spend on planar traits. Select abili- them each once per day as a 1st-level caster. As
ties from the list below until you have expend- divine spells, they do not suffer a chance of
ed all of your points. You cannot exceed your failure due to the armor you wear or the shield
total point budget, but you do not have to spend you carry (2 picks).
them all. Unless otherwise noted, you may only
choose a benefit once. There are limits on your Energy Resistance: Subjected to harsh planar
selections in the standard rules, but if you real- environments, your race has developed the
ly want to give stonecunning to a human race ability to shrug off minor damage caused by
you can use the cost listed above under the various energy sources. You gain resistance 2
dwarf entry. against an energy type of your choice: acid,
cold, electricity, fire, or sonic (1 pick).
Arcane Mastery: Long term exposure to
arcane energy, a rich tradition of magical study, Elemental Affinity: The strength of a specific
or perhaps a fluke of genetics has granted your element on your home plane has changed
race innate magical abilities. You may cast any members of your race. Elemental effects, such
three 0-level sorcerer/wizard spells once per as a brief flare of flame, a sudden gust of wind,
day as a 1st-level caster. You suffer spell failure or a layer of moisture, manifest around you at
for wearing armor or carrying a shield when random intervals. You can control this energy
you use this ability (2 picks). at times, creating different effects depending
on your element.
Attack Bonus: Long years of struggle against
a particular race or creature type has created an Air: You summon the air that swirls about you,
intense martial tradition in this planar race. directing it in a blast towards an opponent.
Pick any four specific creatures, such as Once per encounter, you can use the aid anoth-
mariliths, beholders, or orcs. You gain a +1 er combat action as a ranged attack with a max-
racial bonus to attacks against these creatures imum range of 30 ft. Alternatively, you can
(1 pick). attempt to move an object as if you had a
Strength of 5 up to a range of 30 ft. (2 picks).
Bonus Feat: Your culture places an emphasis
on a specific talent or ability. From a young Earth: You gain a +2 bonus to Strength checks
age, you were instructed in it or expected to so long as a part of your body touches the
develop it. You may select any feat, but it can- ground. For a moment, your body gains a stony
not have any prerequisites, including other appearance as you use this ability (1 pick).
feats (1 pick).
Fire: Flames roll up and down your arms,
Daunting Appearance: While biologically allowing you to deal 1 point of fire damage in
your people are identical to the standard PC addition to any normal damage you deal with a
races, they have developed a fearsome appear- weapon or unarmed attack in melee combat (4
ance. They may commonly use tattoos and picks).
piercings, or they may have developed fiery
eyes, sharp fangs, or some other fearsome Water: Your skin is continually coated with a
traits. You gain a +4 racial bonus to all light dew. You gain a +2 bonus on all saving
Intimidate checks (1 pick). throws against fire attacks and need only
drink a quarter of the normal amount of
Defense Bonus: Your race has long faced water necessary for your race (1 pick).
attacks and raids by a specific type of creature.
13
 Martial Training: Warlike, aggressive, or per-
haps simply intrigued by armed combat, your
culture trains all its members in a few select
weapons. Perhaps your people are continually
under attack, or they could have a racial tradi-
Prestige
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

tion of conquest and warfare. You gain profi-

ciency with any two martial weapons of your
choice or familiarity with one exotic weapon.
Classes
Both of these weapons must have the same A myriad of magical and martial traditions
damage type (slashing, bludgeon, piercing) and develop across the planes. On every world with
both must be ranged or melee arms. You may intelligent life, cultures create new ways of
take this ability more than once (1 pick). approaching old areas of study based on their
unique outlook, environment, and history. The
Preferred Class: Your native culture empha- prestige classes here all deal with the planes in
sizes a different set of skills than others of your some way, making them likely to show up in
race. You may change your preferred class to any world that has mastered the magical talents
one of your choice. This option does not cost a needed to journey through the cosmos. Each
pick, but you must spend at least one pick on class comes with a campaign seed to help
abilities in order to change your preferred class. inspire your imagination and give you ideas on
This selection represents your planar origin and how a class could fit into your game world.
the unique culture you hail from. Half-elves
and half-orcs ignore this restriction. Half-elves The names and game rules describing the pres-
gain one pick of abilities for choosing a pre- tige classes, and all rules-related text derived
ferred class, while half-orcs may change it from the d20 SRD, are designated as Open
without spending picks. Game Content.

Skill Affinity: Almost every member of your Investigator of Hidden

race or culture has at least a passing familiarity
with a specific talent. You are exposed to it Secrets
from a young age, or your people place a
To the average commoner, the planes are a
tremendous value on mastering it. You gain a
place of myths, legends, and tales. While vile
+3 racial bonus to any two Craft skills or a +3
monsters are all too real to them, the idea of
racial bonus to any one other skill (1 point).
infinite worlds that exist outside of time and
space is too much for them to take seriously.
After picking a planar race’s traits, consider
They lump such concepts in with every other
how it differs from its standard kin in terms of
strange, arcane mystery practiced by wizards
appearance, cultural traditions, and attitudes. A
and sorcerers.
race with fire resistance 2 might have dark skin
and black hair. Whenever you shake hands with
The investigator of hidden secrets wants to
a creature from a race with electricity resis-
keep things that way. He works to ensure that
tance 2, you might feel a slight spark of static
demons, devils, and those who would summon
electricity. Creating an exotic appearance is
them into the world are kept in check. A single
part of the fun of sculpting a PC race to your
ambitious apprentice unleashes a terrible beast
taste. Most importantly, these changes should
when he filches his master’s scroll of lesser
not occur without your DM’s supervision. This
planar binding. A band of cultists works in
system is not carte blanche to edit the standard
secret to call forth a horde of demons to ravage
character races. It is a tool that you and your
the land and prepare for their tyrannical rule.
DM can use to create unique characters with a
planar origin.
These threats remain forever on the verge of
erupting across the land. The investigator seeks
You can have a lot of fun by transferring stereo-
to uncover and destroy them before they can
types from one race to another. The elves of a
come to pass. Working with the hierarchy of
subterranean world might be humorless miners
the church, he uses a combination of divine
and craftsmen, while the dwarves frolic among
magic and stealth to slip into society’s shadowy
mushroom forests and while away their days
recesses to track down and defeat those who
with wine and song.
would consort with evil outsiders.
14
 In many ways, the investigator serves as an Sense Motive: 8 ranks.
inquisitor. He captures heretics, questions them Feat: Iron Will.
to learn of the extent of their activities, and Special: The ability to turn undead and cast
turns them over to the religious hierarchy for 2nd-level divine spells.
trial. In some cases, he acts as judge, jury, and

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

executioner, carrying out sentences based on Class Skills
the evidence he has seen firsthand.
Investigators are usually treated with respect The investigator of hidden secret’s class skills
and deference, as at times they have been (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff
known to overstep their power and lead fanati- (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
cal purges of the church hierarchy in pursuit of Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha),
phantom enemies. Such pitfalls commonly Gather Information (Cha),
plague lawful neutral faiths, as they place a Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any)
premium on obedience and rigidity rather than (Int), Listen (Wis), Open Lock
justice. (Dex), Scry (Int), Search (Int),
Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft
Campaign Seed: In a campaign that features (Int), and Spot (Wis).
plenty of travel between the planes, the investi-
gator is likely to become an important fixture in Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int
any large church’s structure. With demons, modifier.
devils, and worse traveling through gates, the
commoners need someone to defend them from Class Features
hidden threats. The Seekers’ Society poses as a All of the following are class fea-
union of sages, researchers, and explor- tures of the investigator of hidden
ers who meet to exchange information secrets prestige class.
on their travels and studies. In truth, the
group is a front for a group of clerics, Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
paladins, and other heroes from a The investigator gains no addition-
broad range of faiths. They work al proficiencies with weapons,
together to coordinate their actions, armor, or shields. Note that
dispatching spies across the armor check penalties for armor
planes to monitor demonic incur- heavier than leather apply to the
sions and keeping informants skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist,
in the world’s major cities Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight
to report any weird of Hand, Swim, and Tumble.
occurrences. A PC
could begin his Spellcasting: At every even
career as an infor- numbered level in this class, the
mant for the group, working investigator gains a level of divine
his way up to this prestige spellcasting ability in any class in
class as he proves himself. Otherwise, which he has levels, such as druid or
if the characters gain a reputation for cleric. He gains access to higher level
opposing evil churches and monstrous spells, can cast more spells per day,
outsiders, the Society might approach them increases his spells known, and
for help. achieves a higher caster level. He
does not gain any of the other
Hit Die: d8. benefits of gaining a level in the
casting class, such as
Requirements improved ability to turn
To become an investigator of hidden undead or additional uses of the
secrets, a character must fulfill all the follow- wild shape ability.
ing criteria.
Sneak Attack: The investigator must some-
Base Attack Bonus: +3. times take down an enemy with a single,
Sneak Attack: +2d6. decisive blow. Demonologists and others
Knowledge (the planes): 4 ranks. who delve into forbidden lore command
15
 The Investigator of Hidden Secrets
Base
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Eye of judgement, sneak attack +1d6
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 +1 level of existing class
3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Sense baneful energy
4th +3 +1 +1 +4 +1 level of existing class
5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Inquisitor, sneak attack +1d6
6th +4 +2 +2 +5 +1 level of existing class
7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Indomitable will
8th +6 +2 +2 +6 +1 level of existing class
9th +6 +3 +3 +6 Exorcism, sneak attack +1d6
10th +7 +3 +3 +7 Divine radiance +1 level of existing class

mighty spells and powerful servants. Usually, no other information about the spell. He does
if the investigator cannot overcome his foe in a not learn who cast it, the distance to the site, the
few moments, he does not survive the specific spell, or its effects. By the time he
encounter. An investigator stacks the bonus arrives at the place of its casting, his target may
damage he gains from this ability with his have long since fled.
existing sneak attack damage.
Inquisitor (Ex): Under the investigator’s fear-
Eye of Judgment (Ex): The investigator some glare, all but the staunchest agents of evil
develops the ability to quickly assess a person’s crumble and beg for mercy. If the investigator
attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts based solely on successfully uses his eye of judgment against a
mannerisms, actions, word choice, and other creature that has no avenue of escape from him,
subtle hints. After spending 10 minutes observ- such as a bound prisoner, he may interrogate
ing a person, the investigator may make a his subject to gain more information. Each time
Sense Motive check opposed by his target’s the investigator asks his target a question, he
Bluff check. If he succeeds, he learns one of the must make an Intimidate check opposed by his
following facts about the target: his alignment, target’s Will save. If he succeeds, his target
where he grew up and trained in his current must answer the question as truthfully as possi-
class, if he is under the effects of a mind-influ- ble. Note that a creature given misinformation
encing effect, or whether he uses a false name offers it as facts. If the investigator fails, the
and background. The investigator may try creature may either say nothing or lie. These
again each hour. This opposed check is made in checks should be made in secret so that the
secret, and on a failure the investigator’s target players do not know if a creature is telling the
may choose the exact nature of the information truth. A Sense Motive check opposed by a
he learns. In essence, the target puts up a false Bluff check can determine the truth of a crea-
front that fools him. In order to use this ability, ture’s statements as normal. Once the investi-
the investigator must remain within 30 ft. of his gator has failed three Intimidate checks during
target and he must be able to see and hear him. an interrogation, he must stop his efforts for
one day before trying again. The creature’s
Sense Baneful Energy (Su): The investiga- resolve has hardened and the investigator can-
tor’s involvement in efforts to uncover and not break it.
destroy evil magicians allows him to develop a
sixth sense for fell energies. Anytime a spell Indomitable Will (Ex): The investigator
with the evil descriptor is used within a mile of develops a dogged sense of determination as he
the investigator’s current position, he may tracks down and uncovers the hidden forces of
make a Wisdom check (DC 20) with a compe- evil. The knowledge that a horrid threat could
tence bonus equal to his level in this prestige lurk under the most normal-seeming facade
class. If he succeeds, he determines the gen- drives him to work without rest or pause. This
eral direction of the spell’s caster relative to dedication allows him to overcome a variety of
his current position. The investigator gains physical and magical obstacles. The investiga-
16
 tor gains a +4 morale bonus on all saving same way that a miser gathers and protects the
throws against mind-influencing effects. When merest copper piece. Those with the willpower,
he is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he may fortitude, and arcane talent needed to call and
continue to take partial actions until he dies at bind such creatures stand to expand their pow-
–10 hit points. He cannot check to stabilize on ers far beyond the abilities of the typical mage.

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

any round he takes an action, and loses two hit
points rather than one for that round. Keepers of forbidden lore typically congregate
in secretive cults that seek to evade the prying
Exorcism (Sp): Three times per day, the inves- eye of inquisitors, particularly the investigators
tigator may call upon his god’s power, channel of forgotten secrets. Those crusaders are the
it with his fanaticism, and use it break the hold keepers’ foremost enemies, as they seek to cur-
an evil creature has over an innocent. This abil- tail all contact between mortals and evil out-
ity takes the form of dispel magic cast as a cler- siders. Good churches, paladins, and even neu-
ic with the investigator’s total character level. tral arcane casters who seek to maintain the
This ability may only be used to dispel an evil balance of the world all oppose the keeper’s
creature’s mind-influencing spells and effects. actions, as he grants demons a handy foothold
in the mortal realm. Sadly, many young, ambi-
Divine Radiance (Su): At 10th level, the tious sorcerers and wizards consider the keep-
investigator’s fanaticism and divine magical er’s drawbacks worth the expanded power that
abilities combine to allow him to drive away an alliance with the lower planes can produce.
the forces of evil by invoking his god’s power.
By spending one of his turn attempts, the inves- Campaign Seed: The keeper is the ideal cultist,
tigator cloaks himself in a searing aura of evil wizard, or power hungry spellcaster. He
divine energy. All evil creatures within a 60-ft. eagerly trades his physical and spiritual health
burst centered on the investigator must make for power. A secretive cult could arise in the
Will saves opposed by his Intimidate check. land, forming cells in towns and cities dedicat-
Creatures that fail are immediately shaken. ed to uncovering rare components needed to
They suffer a –2 penalty on attacks, checks, summon and bind demons. Like any good con-
and saves. Shaken creatures that have fewer Hit spiracy, it is hidden behind multiple layers of
Dice than the investigator become frightened. secrecy. The upper ranks of the organization
In addition to the penalties for being shaken, promise arcane power to ambitious young
they must make every effort to flee and fight spellcasters, seducing them to the cause and
only if cornered. Frightened creatures with less creating secret agents in every magical acade-
than half the investigator’s Hit Dice become my and guild across the land.
panicked. They suffer the penalties for being
shaken, have a 50% chance to drop any items Hit Die: d4.
they hold, and may do nothing but flee the
investigator. If cornered, they cower. Note that Requirements
a creature proceeds from one step to the next.
For example, a 1 HD orc first becomes shaken. To become a keeper of forbidden lore, a char-
If the investigator uses this ability and the orc acter must fulfill all the following criteria.
fails its save, it becomes frightened. If he uses
this ability again, the orc may become pan- Spellcasting: The ability to prepare and cast or
icked. spontaneously cast lesser planar binding.
Characters that prepare spells must have it in
their spellbooks, while those who spontaneous-
Keeper of Forbidden Lore ly cast spells must include it as one of their
known spells.
The keeper of forbidden lore delves into black
Knowledge (arcana): 12 ranks.
magic, trafficking with demons and devils in a
Feat: Acolyte of the Veil.
desperate attempt to push the limits of his
Alignment: Any non-good.
magic beyond mortal bounds. Above all else,
the keeper is ambitious. This path to power
invariably wears away the material and spiritu- Class Skills
al essence of those who follow it, but to the The keeper of forbidden lore’s class skills
keeper this is a small price to pay. Evil out- (and the key ability for each skill) are
siders are known to hoard arcane secrets in the Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft
17
 (any) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), his service. While this process slowly warps
Knowledge (any) (Int), Profession (any) (Wis), him and stains his soul, the arcane power he
Scry (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft gains is unmatched by most mortal wizards.
(Int). Each time the keeper gains this class ability, he
may select a benefit from the abilities listed
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier. below. This ability represents the secrets and
favors that he extracts from the outsiders that
Class Features he binds to his service.
All of the following are class features of the Arcane Secrets: The keeper’s diabolic
keeper of forbidden lore prestige class. and demonic servants instruct him in
new methods of magic, expanding the
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The breadth of his learning. Casters that
keeper of forbidden lore gains no prepare spells may add six new spells
additional proficiency with to their books without paying the cost
weapons, armor, or shields. Note and time normally required for that
that armor check penalties for armor process. Casters that spontaneously
heavier than leather apply to the skills cast spells may add three spells to
Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, their list of known incantations.
Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of These spells may be of any level that
Hand, Swim, and Tumble. the keeper can cast, but no more
than two of them can come from the
Spellcasting: For each level same level. The keeper may take
gained in this prestige class, this ability more than once,
the keeper of forbidden lore gaining additional spells known
gains an additional level of each time.
arcane casting ability. He
gains additional spell slots Arcane Might: The keeper gains
per day, spells known, access to magical power normally
and an increased caster beyond the reach of mortal casters. He
level. If the keeper has gains two additional spell slots that he
levels in more than one may add to any spell level other than
arcane casting class, he the highest spell level that he can
must choose which currently cast. In addition, he cannot
class’s casting ability to improve each allocate both bonus slots to the
time he gains a level in this prestige same level. The keeper may take
class. He gains none of the other bene- this ability more than once,
fits of gaining a level in his other class- gaining bonus slots each time.
es, such as improved familiar abilities
or bonus feats. He only improves his Bond of Service: When the keeper
ability to cast spells. selects this ability, he binds an
outsider into long-term service.
Aura of Command: At 1st Perhaps he learned the crea-
level, the keeper of forbidden ture’s true name and can destroy
lore learns how best to han- it with a word, or he may have
dle outsiders of all types. entered into a pact with a being
Whether he blusters and that commands it. In any case,
threatens his way past a demon the outsider can provide the keep-
or shows an archdevil the appropriate defer- er with a variety of services. The keeper gains
ence, he knows how to deal with planar crea- a +2 competence bonus on all Knowledge
tures in social situations. He gains a +4 compe- (arcana), Knowledge (the planes), and
tence bonus on all Charisma and Charisma- Spellcraft checks as the outsider counsels him.
based skill checks against non-good outsiders. Once per week, the keeper can command his
servant to cast any arcane spell. This spell must
Boon of Service: The keeper of forbidden be two levels lower than the maximum spell
lore extracts powerful magic and lost arcane level the keeper has mastered and is cast at the
lore from the outsiders he calls and binds to
18
The Keeper of Forbidden Lore
Base

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Aura of command, mark of heresy +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Boon of service +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Mark of heresy +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Boon of service +1 level of existing class
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Mark of heresy +1 level of existing class
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Boon of service +1 level of existing class
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Mark of heresy +1 level of existing class
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Boon of service +1 level of existing class
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Mark of heresy +1 level of existing class
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Boon of service +1 level of existing class

keeper’s arcane caster level – 4. For all other points equal to his total character level. These
game mechanic purposes, the keeper casts the hit points increase his maximum total. Each
spell. He must use a standard action to cast a time he acquires a level after selecting this abil-
spell in order to use this ability, and must pay ity, he gains one additional hit point for the
all material components as normal. newly acquired level. The keeper may take this
ability more than once, gaining additional hit
The DM should create a personality and points each time.
appearance for this outsider. It appears as a
fleeting, spectral figure that can speak any lan- Mark of Heresy: The keeper of forbidden lore
guage the keeper can use. Otherwise, it has no delves into areas of knowledge best left alone.
abilities and uses none of its skills on the keep- He traffics with demons, forges pacts with dev-
er’s behalf. Invariably, these servants are angry ils, and even compels service from the lords of
and resent their position. The keeper may take chaos. Such dealings cannot pass without leav-
this ability only once. ing a mark on his physical body and his immor-
tal soul. At every odd-numbered level, the
Diabolic Talent: Under the guidance of his oth- keeper suffers a setback determined on the
erworldly allies, the keeper learns to imbue his mark of heresy table. Demons do not serve
spells with the foul energies of evil planes. All their masters without extracting a price that far
non-evil creatures suffer a –2 circumstance exceeds the demands they make in blood and
penalty to their saving throws to resist his gold. To use the table, roll 1d10 and add the
spells. The keeper may take this ability only keeper’s level in this class. If this yields a
once. duplicate result, skip to the next highest result
on the table until you reach a trait that the keep-
Infernal Craftsman: With the aid of demons er has not yet gained. If you reach the end of
and devils, the keeper uses hellfire and black the table, wrap around to the top and start the
magic to create magic items. Once per month, process over until you find a trait the keeper
he can use an item creation feat with half the does not yet possess.
time and gold ordinarily needed to create the
item. The keeper may take this ability more Unlike other class abilities, the mark of heresy
than once, gaining an additional monthly use of is not lost if the keeper permanently acquires
it each time. Note that the keeper, like any negative levels. However, if he later re-gains a
other spellcaster, can only work on one item at lost level, he does not have to roll again on the
a time. mark of heresy chart.

Supernatural Endurance: While the keeper’s Mark of Heresy

black magic warps and twists his body and d10+ level Result
soul, it can provide him with inhuman tough- 1–3 Unsettling Presence: The
ness fueled by his boundless ambition. When keeper’s mannerisms and
the keeper selects this ability, he gains hit appearance seem odd to
19
 other creatures. He suffers a –4 penalty to his speed and a –2
competence penalty to Bluff, competence penalty to all Climb
Diplomacy, and Intimidate and Jump checks.
checks made against non-out-
siders. 16–18 Noxious Soul: As the aura of
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

corruption ability, except the

4–6 Aura of Corruption: Mundane keeper now draws undead crea-
animals react violently to the tures to him. His dealings with
keeper’s presence, as they sense dark creatures have tainted his
the inner corruption that festers soul and cursed him with a
in his soul. All animals bark and necromantic aura. Undead crea-
yowl at him unless restrained tures naturally gravitate towards
with a Handle Animal check such a source of power.
(DC 10). In combat, animals
attack him in preference to all 19 Physical Infirmity: The keeper
other targets unless the DM develops a nervous tic, spasms,
judges that a more direct threat and other bodily tremors. He
is present. For example, a dire suffers a –2 competence penalty
wolf would charge the keeper to all attacks and Strength and
but it would stop to fight a bar- Dexterity-based skill checks and
barian or fighter that attacked it. ability checks.
As a rule of thumb, an animal
does not endure attacks of 20 Spiritual Infirmity: Due to his
opportunity to move and attack prolonged exposure to fell
the keeper. beings, the keeper’s soul
degrades and wastes away. He
7–9 The Evil Eye: The keeper’s eyes suffers a –2 competence penalty
grow pale and milky, imposing a on all saves against good spells,
–2 competence penalty to his he can no longer prepare or cast
Spot checks. In addition, he and such magic, and he suffers a –2
his associates suffer a –2 penal- competence penalty on all saves
ty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and to resist and remove negative
Intimidate checks against non- levels.
outsiders. Note that if the keep-
er has the unsettling presence
trait, he suffers that penalty and
Master of a Thousand
his allies suffer this one as long Blades
as he is present with them.
Some fighting orders study animals, modeling
10–12 Shadow Sight: The keeper’s their styles after a creature’s signature moves.
continuing exposure to the hor- This practice is particularly popular among
rors of the outer planes causes monks, as a broad range of monastic orders
him to develop an array of practice lion kung fu, tiger claw strikes, and
minor phobias. He sees terrible similar methods and attacks. The master of a
creatures lurking in the shad- thousand blades studies a similar fighting art,
ows, suspects his comrades of but one that follows a different path to mimic a
betrayal, and suffers mental creature. Combining knowledge of magic with
instability. He suffers a –4 skill in forging weapons and armor, the master
penalty to Will saves made of a thousand blades harvests body parts from
against all fear-based effects. his foes and crafts them into strange weapons
and armor. A master could fashion a mace from
13–15 Hunched Back: The keeper’s an orc’s skull and arm bones, or a longsword
black magic causes a dramatic from a giant beetle’s fierce pincers. As he gains
change to his body, warping and talent in creating such weapons and armor, he
twisting his form. He develops a learns to unlock the magical potential in such
hunched back, imposing a –5 ft. weapons. He studies ancient arcane formulas,
applies his talents, and gathers rare, strange
20
components to produce weapons that can rival to tradition, all the participants in the tourna-
the best wood and steel creations. ment must perform one service to the winner.
In essence, the champion gains the services of
The master of a thousand blades has interests an elite fighting force for one battle. The out-
far beyond merely collecting defeated enemies come of many wars has been determined by a

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

and forging them into weapons. He seeks to champion’s decision to weigh in for one side or
understand and use fighting styles employed by the other.
the creatures of the infinite planes. While a
sage might travel to study cultures and a Hit Die: d10.
merchant seeks to open new
trade routes, the master Requirements
searches for unique, strange
creatures that he can fight in To become a master of a thousand
order to learn their combat blades, a character must fulfill all
techniques. Each time the the following criteria.
master fights a new creature,
he incorporates some aspects Base Attack Bonus: +5.
of its style into his own methods Skills: Craft (weaponsmith) 8 ranks,
of fighting. His ultimate goal is Craft (armorsmith) 8 ranks,
not only to forge weapons that Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge
mimic his enemies’ forms, but (arcana) 4 ranks.
to copy their styles in his tac- Feat: Exotic Fighting Style.
tics. The greatest masters have Special: Craft a masterwork
studied and defeated hundreds weapon from the remains
of foes, allowing them to forge of a creature you
wholly new, unique methods of fight- killed in battle and
ing. No two masters are alike, as use it in at least one
their customs, outlook, and pre- fight.
ferred tactics are drawn from the
many creatures they have Class Skills
faced. The master’s class skills (and the
key ability for each skill) are
Campaign Seed: The Lords of Climb (Str), Craft (any) (Int),
Bone and Blade are an order of Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis),
warriors who meet yearly to Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
engage in an elaborate, non- Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
lethal fighting tournament in
honor of their god, Belvrak the Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int
Conqueror. According to leg- modifier.
end, Belvrak defeated a
mighty evil being from Class Features
beyond the cosmos in battle.
The creature tore his arm off, All of the following are class
but Belvrak, unfazed by the features of the master of a thou-
wound, merely picked up sand blades prestige class.
his severed limb and used it
to beat the creature to Weapon and Armor
death. In memory of Proficiency: The
Belvrak’s daring, sta- master gains profi-
mina, and ingenuity, the ciency with all simple
Lords follow this prestige class. and martial weapons. He
Many fighter/clerics and paladins of gains no additional proficien-
Belvrak follow this class, as do fighters who cy with shields and armor. Note that armor
seek to prove themselves in the tournament and check penalties for armor heavier than leather
earn the renown and fame that come from apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape
being named Belvrak’s champion. According Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently,
Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble.
21
 Harvest Weapons: The master of a thousand own use. This armor weighs 10 lbs. A master
blades learns to preserve the body parts of fall- can only combine this natural armor with light
en enemies and use them to produce new or medium armor. Heavy armor is too big and
weapons. He can craft a club from an ogre’s bulky to fit over it.
arm, a longsword from an umber hulk’s pincer,
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

or arrows from a skeleton’s ribs. Natural Minimum

AC Bonus Character Level Cost
To create one of these weapons, the master +1 5 500 gp
must spend the time and money needed to cre- +2 8 2,000 gp
ate a masterwork item, though the weapon’s +3 11 4,500 gp
base cost is 0 gp since he has the raw materials +4 14 8,000 gp
on hand. +5 17 12,500 gp

These weapons deal base damage equal to the Imbue Magical Traits (Su): At 2nd level, the
creature’s natural weapons or based on its size. master’s blend of magical talent and craftsman-
Use whichever value is higher. The master may ship allows him to fashion pieces from his ene-
create light weapons from creatures that are mies into enchanted weapons. He counts as an
smaller than his size, one-handed ones from arcane caster with a level equal to twice his
creatures whose size equals his own, and two- level in this prestige class for the purposes of
handed ones from creatures with a size greater crafting magic weapons. He may use any sor-
than his. In addition, these weapons automati- cerer or wizard spells that a caster of his equiv-
cally defeat the DR type possessed by the crea- alent level could use in order to produce magi-
ture from which they are harvested. For exam- cal weapons. He may grant his weapons
ple, a weapon made from a creature with DR enhancement bonuses, weapon abilities, and all
5/silver would defeat silver DR. other bonuses as normal. He may only use this
ability with weapons fashioned from body
Anyone other than the master who tries to use parts of fallen enemies. Due to his familiarity
one of these weapons suffers the –4 non-profi- with his materials, he the time needed to com-
ciency penalty. Only those schooled in this plete a weapon is halved. Otherwise, he fol-
style of fighting know how to handle the exot- lows the standard rules for creating magical
ic weapons this class produces. A character armaments.
could use the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat
to wield with proficiency any one weapon pro- Master of Forms (Ex): Each time a master of
duced by a master. forms defeats a creature in battle, he must take
note of its race. Once per day, he may cross a
Creature Size Base Damage race off his list and gain a +1 competence
Tiny 1d4 bonus to attacks for one encounter as he mim-
Small 1d6 ics his selected opponent’s fighting style. Once
Medium 1d8 a race has been removed from this list, it can-
Large 1d8 not be added again. As the master progresses
Huge 1d10 through the planes, he seeks to fight as many
Gargantuan 2d6 different enemies as possible. Once he has
Colossal 2d8 mastered a creature’s fighting style, he must
move on to a different type.
Harvest Armor: The master of a thousand
blades can skin a creature and craft its hide into Bearer of Strange Blades (Ex): When fighting
a durable, thin suit of armor. This armor con- with a weapon he produced from a fallen
fers a natural AC bonus based on the master’s enemy’s body, the master of a thousand blades
skill and the amount of gold he spends on craft- gains a +2 bonus to initiative as his enemies are
ing it. He must purchase chemicals and herbs to surprised and startled by his strange looking
preserve the hide and render it thin enough to armaments.
rest beneath a standard suit of armor.
Regardless of the armor’s listed cost, it takes a Supreme Weapon Harvester: At 5th level, the
master one week to create one. These suits master learns to make improvements to his
require tremendous amounts of customiza- weapon designs in order to grant them
tion. A master may forge them only for his increased utility. By paying 300 gp and work-
22
The Master of a Thousand Blades
Base

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Harvest armor, harvest weapons
2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 Imbue magical traits
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Master of forms
4th +4 +4 +1 +1 Bearer of strange blades
5th +5 +4 +1 +1 Supreme weapon harvester
6th +6 +5 +2 +2 Eye of the master
7th +7 +5 +2 +2 Exotic armor familiarity
8th +8 +6 +2 +2 Fearsome aspect
9th +9 +6 +3 +3 Forge of battle
10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Blood of the beast

ing on a weapon that he has already completed prestige class’s abilities, he gains a +2 compe-
or is in the process of creating, he can grant it tence bonus to all Intimidate checks.
one of the following abilities. He can make it a
double weapon, he can grant it 10-ft. reach, it Forge of Battle (Ex): At 9th level, the master
can grant him a +2 circumstance bonus to dis- of a thousand blades learns to channel the mag-
arm checks, he may opt to drop it rather than be ical energy of his fighting style into a sudden,
tripped when making a trip attack, he can set it terrifying burst. In combat, the master can seize
against chargers to deal double damage, he can a limb from any slain opponent and use it as a
increase its threat range by one, he can increase weapon. Claiming the limb is a full-round
its critical multiplier by one. A given weapon action as the master tears it from his fallen
can receive more than one of these traits, but it enemy. The weapon must be of a size that the
cannot receive any trait more than once. master can wield in one or two hands. Upon
completing this action, all of the master’s
Eye of the Master (Ex): Once per day as a remaining enemies must make Will saves (DC
standard action, the master of a thousand equal to the master’s Intimidate check + 5) or
blades watches an opponent and studies his suffer a –1 penalty to attacks and damage for
fighting style. For the rest of the encounter, the rest of the encounter. This is a fear-based
whenever the master attacks that opponent he effect. A limb claimed in this way counts as a
gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls club of the same size as the creature it was
and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against that oppo- taken from.
nent’s attacks. The master must be within 10 ft.
of his enemy to study him in detail, and his foe Blood of the Beast (Su): At 10th level, the
cannot have any concealment against him. master of a thousand blades learns to preserve
the magical abilities and extraordinary capaci-
Exotic Armor Familiarity: The master of a ties of the creatures he harvests his weapons
thousand blades learns to maximize the protec- from. When he creates a weapon, he may opt to
tion afforded by the exotic hides that he cures store one use of an extraordinary or supernatur-
and wears in battle. He may wear it with heavy al ability the creature possessed that it could
armor and its weight no longer counts for deliver through a physical attack. The master
encumbrance. He literally wears this armor as a can use that ability when fighting with his
second skin. weapon once per week. The ability functions
exactly as the monster used it, including save
Fearsome Aspect: While wearing his armor DCs. The master must declare that he is using
and bearing his weapons, the master of a thou- this ability before he attacks.
sand blades takes on a terrifying visage. To a
casual observer, he almost looks like the fear-
some creatures from which he claimed the
materials for his equipment. While wearing
armor and carrying weapons created with this
23
 the invading monsters. The PCs could meet a
Tender of Worlds tender, and a druid in the party might join this
class if the tenders approach them for an
While most druids concern themselves with a alliance. Otherwise, the tenders could have
limited area of wilderness such as a forest or assisted the region in the past. Even after their
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

mountain range, the tender of worlds seeks to victory, they remain in contact with local
cultivate and watch over the very structure of druids and seek out promising candidates for
the cosmos. These planar druids travel from their organization. It may be a great honor to
world to world, ensuring that no one race or join the tenders, as their efforts in the past have
warlord manages to gain undue influence over kept the region free of demonic influence
multiple planes. Before the tenders organized, and saved many innocent lives.
diseases, predators, and even simple plants
could travel through a portal and wreak Hit Die: d8.
havoc with a planet’s ecosystem. To
help ensure that the planes would Requirements
maintain their unique character and
to prevent a single, dominant force To become a tender of
from subjugating the various worlds, a character must
worlds, the tenders of worlds fulfill all the following
gathered to form a powerful criteria.
check on such ambition. Working
alone or in small groups, the ten- Alignment: Any non-evil.
ders manage entire planes much as Skills: Knowledge (nature) 8
a botanist might cultivate a plant. ranks, Knowledge (the planes)
They hold counsel with kings, 4 ranks.
spread lore of invading monsters, Special: The ability to cast 3rd-
and provide magical and materi- level divine spells and use wild
al aid wherever innocents need shape at least once per day.
their assistance. Special: A tender of worlds
must spend at least one month on
The tender of worlds learns to two planes or worlds other than
incorporate the magic of the his home world. He must use ani-
planes into his divine abili- mal friendship to gain the service of
ties. He attunes his spirit to animals from two planes other than
the cosmic patterns around his plane of origin.
him, learning to create and
move through gates, recog- Class Skills
nize the patterns and traits The tender of worlds’ class skills
of portals, and handle (and the key ability for each skill)
encounters with outsiders. His are Concentration (Con), Craft
magic is the magic of the (any) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha),
planes, yet while the scope of Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis),
his responsibilities expands Knowledge (nature) (Int),
beyond a single world, never Knowledge (the planes) (Int),
mind a river or forest, he is Profession (any) (Wis), Scry (Int),
still fundamentally a force Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and
for preservation and pro- Swim (Str).
tection.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4
Campaign Seed: The tenders + Int modifier.
could become involved in an area that
comes under assault by demons, devils, and Class Features
other outsiders. Alarmed by the influx of out-
siders into a previously peaceful realm, the ten- All of the following are class features of the
ders dispatch rangers and druids to the area to tender of worlds prestige class.
help ready its defenses and teach its inhabi-
tants tactics and methods useful in fighting
24
The Tender of Worlds
Base

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Attack Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Planar sense +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Planar magic +1 level of existing class
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Planar jaunt +1 level of existing class
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Step of a thousand leagues +1 level of existing class
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Alter planar currents +1 level of existing class
6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Speaker of a million tongues +1 level of existing class
7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Warden of the planes +1 level of existing class
8th +6 +6 +2 +6 Sense portals +1 level of existing class
9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Cosmic precision +1 level of existing class
10th +7 +7 +3 +7 Walker between worlds +1 level of existing class

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The tender Planar Magic: Due to the tender’s connection
of worlds gains no additional proficiency with to the planes, he can use spells that normally
weapons, armor, or shields. Note that armor affect animals on outsiders. When preparing
check penalties for armor heavier than leather any spell that normally affects only animals, he
apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape may choose to ready a version that affects only
Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of outsiders. Tenders who spontaneously cast
Hand, Swim, and Tumble. spells make this decision when using the spell.
Animal friendship is the one exception to this
Spellcasting: For each level gained in this ability. The tender may gain the services of out-
prestige class, the tender of worlds gains an siders, but their CR can be no more than half
additional level of divine casting ability. He the highest CR of the animals he may gain as
gains additional spell slots per day, spells companions.
known, and an increased caster level. If the
keeper has levels in more than one divine cast- Planar Jaunt (Sp): At 3rd level, the tender of
ing class, he must choose which class’s casting worlds learns to open and follow the pathways
ability to improve each time he gains a level in between worlds, though his knowledge and
this prestige class. He gains none of the other skill are imprecise at best. He may cast plane
benefits of gaining a level in his other classes, shift once per day as a divine spell, using his
such as improved turning or druid class abili- total divine caster level.
ties. He only improves his ability to cast spells.
Step of a Thousand Leagues (Sp): The tender
Planar Sense (Su): The tender of worlds gains of worlds masters not only the passages
an intuitive sense of the planes’ flow of energy, between planes, but also the affinities and gate-
their arrangement, and the pathways between ways that connect one region of a plane to
them. With a successful Survival check (DC another. At 4th level, he may cast teleport once
20), as a standard action he can determine the per day as a divine spell using his divine caster
destination of any gate or portal that he encoun- level.
ters. In addition, when entering a new plane he
may make a Survival check (DC 20) to attune Alter Planar Currents: The tender of worlds
himself to its energies, gaining insight into its can use his knowledge of planar structure and
traits and tendencies. With a successful check, the flow of cosmic energy to create a localized
he learns the general strength and effects of its region in which a plane’s traits fail to function
planar traits. Furthermore, at the DM’s option, at their normal levels. The tender and all his
he learns of its general history and reputation allies within 50 ft. of him gain a +4 competence
among planar travelers. This information could bonus on all checks and saves to resist planar
include creatures commonly encountered, the traits.
beings that control it, the gods worshipped on
the plane, and so forth. Speaker of a Million Tongues (Su): At
6th level, the tender perceives the planar
25
 bindings that form and sustain intelligent life. blade strikes from behind. His arrows slip into
He sees the patterns in speech and customs that portals, teleporting to drive directly down upon
underlie all civilizations, allowing him to feel an opponent. The world walker’s foes must
at home with a wide variety of races, from the continually watch all directions, for they can
humans of the kingdom of Vestrial to the never be sure where his next strike will come
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

undead lords of the Nightrealms. He can com- from next.

municate with any creature that has a language
and gains a +4 competence bonus to all The world walker studies the planar bindings
Diplomacy checks. and patterns that form the world around him.
He learns to perceive folds and irregularities in
Warden of the Planes (Sp): As the self- space. Using his innate ki energy, he manipu-
appointed champion of the planes and the lates these gaps and uses them to improve his
guardian of its overall structure, the tender of fighting abilities. At first, a world walker
worlds must struggle to prevent malicious out- employs his talents to slip around enemies and
siders from spilling over to conquer and subju- sidestep their attacks. As he gains more skill, he
gate other, natural realms. To this end, he gains uses them to create miniature portals large
the ability to impede a creature’s ability to trav- enough for him to attack through. He extends
el between worlds in order to capture or kill it. his weapons or fists through these portals,
At will as a standard action that provokes an spawning their openings behind, above, or
attack of opportunity, the tender may cast below his foes to confuse their guard and attack
dimensional anchor as a spell-like ability. This their weak points. These openings are similar
spell functions at the tender’s divine caster to gates in that they allow matter to pass
level. through, but nothing aside from the world
walker’s attack can move through them. A
Sense Portals (Su): The tender’s preternatural small creature could not piggyback through
ability to chart and watch the flow of planar them to attack.
energies gives him the ability to easily find
gateways to other worlds. He need only con- In many ways, world walkers are born rather
centrate on the direction and speed of the cos- than made. Some people have an innate sense
mic bindings around him to find a door for planar turbulence and irregularities. Most of
between the planes. By concentrating for 10 the time these talents never make any real use
minutes, the tender can discover the destination of their skills. They might have a sixth sense
and general location of all portals within 5 for trouble or an uncanny ability to never
miles of his current location. The tender learns become lost, but until they study under a mas-
where each portal goes and its direction and ter world walker their talents remain hidden.
distance from his spot. Only after traveling the planes and studying the
fighting arts can they reach their true potential.
Cosmic Precision (Su): As a tender of worlds
learns the pathways between the cosmic Monks are the most common world walkers, as
realms, he grows more adept at navigating their intense training in using and manipulating
them with his magical abilities. When using ki makes them natural candidates to develop
plane shift, he may cut the distance from his any innate planar senses they may have.
target destination at which he enters a world by However, fighters, rangers, paladins, and bar-
half. When using teleport, he may roll twice for barians can all draw on their combat experi-
that spell’s result and choose whichever of the ence to develop their inner strength.
two results he wants.
Campaign Seed: The Monastery of the Open
Walker Between Worlds (Sp): At 10th level, Way is said to appear outside of town once
the tender may cast gate as a divine spell using each decade for two months. It then fades into
his divine caster level once per day. the planar mists and reappears on a different
world. Monks and warriors who wish to study
World Walker there must find a planar map that charts the
monastery’s journey across the worlds. A war-
In the blink of an eye, the world walker’s sword rior must arrive at the monastery by simply
slips through time and space to skewer his walking through portals to its location, for a
enemies. He stabs at his foe’s chest, yet his network of gateways connects the areas it
26
 moves through. Those who complete this pil- with no monk levels gains unarmed damage at
grimage receive a warm welcome from the a monk level equal to his level in this prestige
monks and, if they wish, may enter this prestige class. The world walker gains none of the other
class. monk abilities, such as flurry of blows or bonus
feats.

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Hit Die: d8.
Sidestep (Su): By concentrating on the flux of
Requirements planar energies in an area, the
world walker can slip
To become a world walker, a character must through a fold in space and
fulfill all the following criteria. travel a very short dis-
tance. Each time the
Base Attack Bonus: +5. world walker uses
Knowledge (arcana): 6 ranks. this ability, he can move
Feat: Dimensional 5 feet in any direction to
Sense. enter an unoccupied
Special: A space. He may use this abili-
world walker ty during his own action or he
must visit at least may use it in reaction to
three planes of existence an opponent’s attack or a
in addition to his home world, spend- spell. If the world walker
ing one week on each. moves in such a manner that
he is beyond an attack or
Class Skills spell’s range, the effect auto-
The world walker’s class skills (and matically misses him. A
the key ability for each skill) are world walker may use
Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Jump this ability once per day
(Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), at 1st level and gains an addi-
Knowledge (the planes) (Int), and tional use of it at each odd-
Tumble (Dex). numbered level in this
class. Using this ability
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int and the movement it allows
modifier. never draws an attack of
opportunity.
Class Features
The world walker may use side-
All of the following are class fea- step as often as he wants during a
tures of the world walker prestige round, though he obviously cannot
class. use it more times than his total
uses per day.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
World walkers gain no additional Planar Charge (Su): When the world walker
proficiencies with weapons, rushes towards an opponent, he build up ki
armor, or shields. Note that energy that he can unleash in a single burst of
armor check penalties for power that throws him towards his target. To
armor heavier than leather apply to the skills observers, the world walker’s motions speed up
Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, into a blur. When using the charge action, the
Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and world walker triples his speed.
Tumble.
Unexpected Strike (Su): The world walker
Martial Artist: As part of the world walker’s learns to combine his fighting abilities with his
training, he learns to channel ki through his innate sense of planar structure. When he
body. This life energy powers many of his abil- attacks, he sends his weapon or first through a
ities, and as a side effect he can channel it into dimensional fold to strike an opponent from
his unarmed strikes. A world walker stacks his an unexpected direction. To observers, the
levels in this class with any monk levels he has world walker’s fist or weapon slips
to determine his unarmed damage. A character
27
 The World Walker
Base
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Martial artist, sidestep (1/day)
2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Planar charge
3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Sidestep (2/day)
4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Unexpected strike
5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Sidestep (3/day)
6th +6 +2 +5 +2 Planar jump
7th +7 +2 +5 +2 Sidestep (4/day)
8th +8 +2 +6 +2 Improved planar charge
9th +9 +3 +6 +3 Distant strike, sidestep (5/day)
10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Strike of 1,000 directions

through a shimmering portal and emerges from attack in that round, he may use a melee attack
a similar gateway above, behind, or below his at a range of up to 30 ft. The world walker
foes. If the world walker uses a move-equiva- strikes through a small gate, assaulting a target
lent action to activate this ability, he gains a +2 at long range. The world walker may us this
bonus on attack rolls against his opponent. In ability with unexpected strike if he can some-
addition, his foe must make a Spot check (DC how activate both abilities and attack in the
10 + the world walker’s level in this class + same round.
half the world walker’s Intelligence modifier)
or lose his Dexterity bonus to AC against the Strike of a Thousand Directions (Su): At 10th
world walker’s attacks until his next action. level, the world walker learns to manipulate
Using this ability does not draw an attack of time, planar energies, and ki with unparalleled
opportunity. skill in a small, localized area. When the world
walker attacks, his weapon or fist disappears
Planar Jump (Sp): The world walker’s into a shimmering portal. Similar gateways
increasing understanding of the planar bindings appear throughout the area, and duplicates of
grants him more options in manipulating them. his fist or weapon spring from each of them to
At 6th level, he learns to slip through more shatter his enemies. Activating this ability is a
complicated, but deeper, folds and tears in free action that does not provoke an attack of
space. He may cast dimension door three times opportunity. When the world walker uses it, his
per day as a sorcerer with a level equal to his next attack splinters into five separate but iden-
total character level. tical strikes. These attacks may target any crea-
ture within 30 ft. of the world walker, and he
Improved Planar Charge (Su): At 8th level, may use up to two attacks against the same
the world walker seethes with planar energies creature. Roll attacks and damage separately
when he rushes towards an opponent. His for each. For example, a world walker could
momentum allows him to slip into planar folds. attack five different creatures, one creature
He gains the benefits of his planar charge abil- twice and three creatures once, or two creatures
ity as normal. In addition, he no longer suffers twice each and a third creature once. All of
an AC penalty when charging and can take as these attacks are resolved as if the world walk-
many turns as he wants while charging. er used his unexpected strike ability, though
this talent does not consume one of that abili-
Distant Strike (Su): At 9th level, the world ty’s daily uses. The world walker may use the
walker learns to open up a small gateway over strike of a thousand directions once per day. If
a much longer than normal distance. Usually, he gains multiple attacks per round, only his
his manipulation of planar structure takes place first attack gains this ability’s benefits.
on a short, limited basis. Using this talent, he
can create portals that span longer distances.
Once per day, he may use a move-equivalent
action to activate this ability. With his next
28
 Combat Sense [Fighter,
Planar Feats General]

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Just as the planes breed a staggering variety of At the slightest hint of trouble, you ready your
cultures, so too do these cultures in turn pro- guard and draw your weapon. Drawing on your
duce their own unique methods of fighting, combat experience, you react without thinking
spellcasting, and other talents. The planar feats to sudden attacks and ambushes.
presented here are designed with a cosmic fla-
vor in mind. Most of them deal with a charac- Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1, Quick
ter’s ability to attune himself to the environ- Draw.
ment, successfully travel through the planes, or
battle the monsters commonly encountered on Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to initiative. If
other worlds. The text of this section is desig- you are attacked in melee during a surprise
nated as Open Game Content. round, you may draw a weapon and do not
count as flat-footed. However, you may still be
Fighters may use their bonus feat choices to flanked as normal. Ranged attacks and spells
take any ability marked with the fighter key- do not trigger this feat.
word.
Dimensional Sense
Acolyte of the Veil [General]
[General] You have a sixth sense for judging the ebb and
You traffic with demons and other evil out- flow of cosmic energy, allowing you to travel
siders, offering them sacrifices of living crea- through the planes with greater ease.
tures and valuable treasure for their services.
As an initiate of this horrid tradition, you can Prerequisite: Wis 13+.
compel longer periods of service from evil
creatures than is normally possible with your Benefit: When a creature attempts to use tele-
spells. port, gate, planeshift, or dimension door to
arrive at a spot within 30 ft. of your current
Prerequisite: Arcane caster level 1+, evil position, you may make a Wisdom check (DC
alignment. 10) to predict its arrival one round before it
appears. In game terms, your DM tells you the
Benefit: When using any summon monster spot where a creature is set to appear, though
spell, you may include 5 gp worth of gems or you learn nothing of the creature itself. In addi-
gold per level of the spell in the spell’s materi- tion, you have an unerring sense of the direc-
al components to increase its duration by one tion and distance to the last gate you traveled
round. You may boost the spell’s length by a through. As long as you remain on the plane the
maximum of 1 round + your Charisma bonus. gate took you to, you can always find it.
This bonus applies only when summoning evil
creatures. Elemental Mastery
Alternatively, you can sacrifice a living, sen- [General]
tient creature to increase the spell’s duration Spellcasters who travel the planes can improve
one round per Hit Die of creatures slain. You their mastery over an energy type by visiting
and your fellows must commit these ghastly worlds where it is much stronger than normal.
murders in the round immediately before and You attune your magic to the planar elemental
during your use of summon monster. There is forces that generate the energy it uses, giving
no limit to how long you can extend the spell’s your spells an added punch.
duration when offering living sacrifices to your
demonic allies. Prerequisite: Arcane caster level 1+; you
must have visited a plane with the arcane
potency or elemental ascendancy trait for
the descriptor you choose for this feat.
29
 Benefit: When you choose this feat, pick one to its native plane. Note that the creature is
of the following spell descriptors: acid, cold, under no compulsion to remain there. It can use
electricity, fire, or sonic. When you cast a spell any spells or abilities to travel the planes on its
that deals damage of the type you selected, next action. Generally speaking, this ability is
your spell deals an additional point of damage best used against weaker outsiders rather than
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

for every two caster levels. For example, if you the most powerful demons and devils.
had Elemental Mastery (fire) at 10th level, your
fire spells would deal an additional 5 points of You may also use this ability against any crea-
damage. Add this bonus damage to the spell’s ture called into your world via a summon mon-
total damage, not each die. ster spell regardless of its type.

Special: You may take this feat more than Normal: Turning affects only undead crea-
once, choosing a different energy type each tures.
time you gain it.
Master Linguist [General]
Exotic Fighting Style You have a talent for language that allows you
[Fighter, General] to puzzle out the meaning of tongues that you
have never before encountered. By analyzing a
Compared to warriors on your home world, creature’s physical mannerisms, its tone of
you utilize a strange method of dueling. Your voice, and the pattern of its speech, you can
unfamiliar strikes, blocks, and ripostes foil attempt to communicate with it.
their efforts and, more importantly, sap their
confidence. Prerequisite: Int 13+, ability to speak at least
three languages other than Common and your
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +3, must have racial tongue.
visited at least two planes for one month each.
Benefit: When you attempt to communicate
Benefit: Once per encounter, you may gain with a creature whose language you do not
either a +1 competence bonus to melee attacks understand, you must make an Intelligence
or a +1 dodge bonus to AC for a number of check to determine how much you can deci-
rounds equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus. pher. The master linguist table gives guidelines
Activating this ability is a free action, and you for the ability check DCs. You may make a
do not have to make use of it over consecutive check once for each particular phrase. If you
rounds. For example, if you could use this abil- fail, you must spend an hour listening to the
ity for three rounds, you could employ it for the creature’s language before you can try again.
first two rounds of a fight, stop using it, and You gain a +2 competence bonus to your check
then use your final round later in the fight. if the creature speaks slowly and clearly and a
+4 circumstance bonus if it uses physical
Expel Outsiders [General] objects and gestures to convey its meaning.
You channel divine energy into an outsider’s After a short period, you can attempt to speak
material form, disrupting it and forcing the to a creature in its native language. After five
creature to flee back to its plane of origin. successful Intelligence checks to use this feat,
you may make an Intelligence check with a DC
Prerequisite: Turn Outsiders, ability to turn of 10 + the total words you attempt to commu-
undead. nicate in a sentence. On a success, the creature
understands you. On a natural roll of 1, regard-
Benefit: You may use one of your daily turning less of modifiers, the attempt fails and you
attempts to expel an outsider to its home plane. accidentally convey the opposite of your
Make a turning check as normal with the fol- intended message.
lowing modifications. You may target only one
creature with this ability, and it must be within
60 ft. of you. Unlike standard turning checks,
you must roll 1d20 and add your level. If this
total is greater than or equal to twice the tar-
get’s Hit Dice, it is immediately forced back
30
Master Linguist Table
Situation DC

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Simple phrases, no more than five words long 10
Normal phrases, typical spoken sentence 20
Complex phrases, touching on esoteric topics 25

Rapid Recovery [General] Watchful Strategist

Your toughness and resilience allow you to [Fighter, General]
shrug off injuries that would leave weaker
adventurers bed-ridden for weeks. A night’s The planes hold many strange creatures.
rest is sometimes enough for you to recover Sometimes, it is best to hold back and assess a
from major injuries. monster’s abilities before rushing into combat
against it. Drawing on your battle experience,
Prerequisite: Toughness. you have a good sense for predicting an oppo-
nent’s abilities by observing his actions.
Benefit: Eight hours of restful sleep counts as
a full day of rest for you, allowing you to heal Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6, Sense
damage equal to your level. If you have suf- Motive 4 ranks.
fered ability score damage, a night of rest
counts as one day for purposes of recovering Benefit: As a standard action that does not pro-
ability points. A day of rest heals double your voke an attack of opportunity, you may observe
level in hit points, while a day of complete bed an opponent and decipher his abilities based on
rest heals triple your level in hit points. Note his actions and bearing. Each time you use this
that you can only gain the equivalent of eight feat, you learn 1d4 of your opponent’s feats or
hours of sleep once per day. You cannot sleep 1d2 of his extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-
24 hours straight in order to gain three days like abilities. Your DM selects the abilities you
worth of ability score recovery. learn at random. You can only use this feat dur-
ing combat, as you observe your foe’s fighting
stance and tactics.
Turn Outsiders [General]
You call upon the power of the gods to terrify Well-Timed Strike [Fighter,
outsiders. Blasted by the power of your god, General]
they quake in fear before your righteous aura.
You watch an opponent’s actions, reading his
Prerequisite: Divine caster level 3+, ability to movements to discern his intent and using that
turn undead. information to plan your counterattack.

Benefit: You may use your ability to turn Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +8, Watchful
undead against outsiders. Resolve the turn Strategist.
attempt as normal. Outsiders are not rebuked,
commanded, turned, or destroyed. Instead, out- Benefit: As a move-equivalent action, you may
siders with an alignment different from yours choose to watch a single opponent and prepare
become shaken. They suffer a –2 morale penal- a response to his action. When that foe takes his
ty to attacks, checks, and saves for a number of turn, the DM must announce his action. You
rounds equal to 1d4 + your Charisma modifier. may then take a standard action as normal.
Outsiders with an alignment identical to yours Your opponent must then take his action as
gain a +2 morale bonus to attacks, checks, and stated by your DM, even if it is now impossible
saves for the same duration. due to your action. In that case, your opponent
wastes his action. You may use this feat once
Normal: Turning affects only undead crea- per encounter.
tures.
31
 Normal: When you delay, you can act only
Dimensional Hop
after seeing what your opponents do or before
they act. When you ready an action, you must Conjuration [Teleportation]
attempt to guess your foe’s action. Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Casting Time: 1 action

Planar Spells Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 minute/level
Many spells tap into the energy of the planes, Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
allowing instantaneous travel between worlds Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
or calling strange creatures to serve a wizard’s
bidding. The new spells outlined here cover You create a planar bubble around a creature,
several different types of planar travel, tap into allowing it to cover the full range of its move-
the energy of the cosmos to create effects, or ment in a single step. The recipient of this spell
serve as useful tools for explorers who venture may take a move-equivalent action to teleport a
across the worlds. The text of this section is distance equal to its current speed, taking into
designated as Open Game Content. account encumbrance and any other modifiers
to speed. The creature must be able to see its
Dimension Portal destination point, but it may otherwise move
Conjuration [Teleportation] up, down, or in any other direction. The crea-
Level: Sor/Wiz 6 ture instantaneously disappears from its start-
Components: V ing point and appears at its destination. Moving
Casting Time: 1 action in this manner does not draw attacks of oppor-
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) tunity.
Effect: A dimensional passage connecting two
points A creature affected by a dimensional anchor
Duration: 1 round/level cannot travel via this spell.
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No Material Component: A piece of parchment
crumpled into a ball that you pull flat as you
As dimension door, save that the passage you cast the spell.
create remains in place after you travel through
it and other creatures may use it until the spell’s Dimensional Slip
duration ends. The portal appears as a gleaming Conjuration [Teleportation]
point of light. It has no effect on attacks, pro- Level: Sor/Wiz 1
vides no cover, and does not block movement. Components: V, S, F
A creature must enter the space you occupied Casting Time: 1 action
when you first cast this spell and spend a stan- Range: Touch
dard action to move through the portal. It Target: Creature touched
counts as having cast dimension door save that Duration: 1 minute/level
it appears at the destination point you original- Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
ly chose. Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Travel is possible in only one direction. You create a slight fold in the planar fabric,
Creatures can enter at the spot at which you allowing a creature to move faster than normal
created the portal and exit it at the same place as it takes steps in sixth- or seventh-dimension-
you traveled to, but they cannot do the oppo- al space. The recipient of this spell gains a +5
site. If a creature would appear in a spot that is ft. bonus to speed for every five caster levels.
too tight to hold its bulk or in an area already Apply this bonus to the creature’s speed before
occupied by a creature, it counts as having used accounting for any armor or heavy loads it car-
dimension door to enter a spot occupied by ries.
solid matter.
A creature affected by a dimensional anchor
A creature affected by a dimensional anchor cannot travel via this spell.
cannot travel via this spell.
32
 Arcane Focus: A slip of paper folded into a Arcane Focus: A small, iron mesh net worth 25
loop. gp.

Dimensional Warp Planar Compass

CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Conjuration [Teleportation] Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Level: Brd 2, Clr 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Range: Personal
Target: You and one willing recipient per cast- Target: You
er level Duration: 1 minute/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None (see below) You tap into the planar system, analyzing the
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) ebb and flow of cosmic energy to determine
your relative position and the unique traits of
You and a number of willing creatures up to the world you are on. For the duration of this
your caster level are teleported to any point up spell, you intuitively know the destination of
to this spell’s maximum range. You may deter- any gate or portal you discover. You learn the
mine the exact placement of your fellow travel- nature and strength of all planar traits that are
ers at your arrival point, but they must all currently in effect. Finally, if you cast plane
appear within 30 ft. of your destination. They shift while under this spell’s effects you may
can be above, below, or beside you, as long as cut the distance you are off target by half. If
they are within this range. Unwilling creatures you cast teleport, you may roll twice to see if
are never affected by this spell. you deviate from your target, taking whichever
result you want of the two.
A creature affected by a dimensional anchor
cannot travel via this spell.

33
 The cabin’s interior remains at room tempera-
Sphere of Safe Passage
ture and it holds a supply of fresh air that lasts
Abjuration 24 hours divided by the number of creatures
Level: Clr 3, Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3 within it. The door can be locked (Open Lock
Components: V, S, F DC 40) while the hull and windows are, for all
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

Casting Time: 1 action intents and purposes, unbreakable and inde-

Range: Personal structible. The ship is under the continual
Area: 30 ft. radius centered on caster effects of feather fall, allowing it to float gen-
Duration: 10 minutes per level tly to safety if it enters a plane above ground
Saving Throw: None level.
Spell Resistance: No
In addition to the navigator, one crew member
You create a sphere of force that extends 30 ft. acts as pilot. The ship can fly with a speed of 60
in all directions around you. Within this bub- ft. at average maneuverability. It has no
ble, the air remains comfortably warm and has weapons, and attacks are impossible through
enough oxygen to sustain you and your com- the windows and the ship’s hull. The hull does
panions for the spell’s duration. You do not suf- not block spells such as dimension door or tele-
fer the effects of planar traits while you remain port.
within the sphere, and you ignore extreme
weather, any heat or cold effects that deal sub- The aethership is a major artifact that you can
dual damage, and strong winds. Spells, abili- use as the basis for an entire planar campaign.
ties, and all other effects function within the PCs who have access to it can wander from
sphere as normal. The sphere moves with you, world to world, exploring countless lands or
but any physical barriers limit its size. It bends completing an epic quest.
and folds to reshape itself as you move through
tight quarters, into open areas, and back into a Caster Level: 20th; Prerequisites: Craft
narrow area. Wondrous Item, wish; Market Price: 2,000,000
gp; Weight: 3,000 lbs.

Planar Magic Dice of Probability Manipulation: This item

is a pair of dice with strange, arcane runes
etched on to their sides. When rolled, the dice
Items alter the ebb and flow of luck in an area. One
die stands for good luck, the other one for ill
chance. To use this item, a character must roll
The following magic items are useful for pla- both dice. Depending on the die rolls, he gains
nar adventurers or feature a cosmic theme. a luck bonus or penalty to all attacks, saves,
Some grant you the ability to move between and checks for one hour. This luck modifier
worlds, while others allow you to manipulate equals the result of the good luck die minus the
planar energy. The text of this section is desig- result of the bad luck die. Note that if the bad
nated as Open Game Content. luck die rolls higher, the character is stuck with
a penalty. These dice may be used once per day.
Aethership: An aethership is a 10-ft.-diameter
bronze sphere set with a metal door and two Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft
thick, glass portals equally spaced on its hull. Wondrous Item, bestow curse, bless; Market
Three legs arranged like a tripod extend from Price: 10,000 gp; Weight: —.
its lower half, allowing it to stand on its own
without tipping. Its interior is a single cabin Forked Tongue Whip: Crafted from the sinu-
with six chairs and a complex set of crystalline ous tongue of a demon, this fearsome weapon
knobs, dials, and levers. This rare artifact can is the bane of evil outsiders. When used to
travel through the planes, allowing explorers to strike them, it inflicts 2d8 points of damage and
rest comfortably within its interior while they counts as a good-aligned weapon. In addition,
visit hostile worlds. One of the six crewmen if the whip is forcibly snapped it emits a pierc-
serves as navigator, selecting the aethership’s ing wail that terrifies all evil outsiders. They
destination plane. This craft may journey must make Will saves (DC 14) or become shak-
between the planes four times per day, each en and suffer a –2 morale penalty to attacks,
time as if under the effects of plane shift.
34
 CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring
checks, and saves for one hour. The whip may Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft
be used in this manner three times per day, and Wondrous Item, true seeing; Market Price:
activating this ability counts as a standard 10,000 gp; Weight: 10 lbs.
action.
Mask of the Emissary: Crafted from wood
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magical and clay, this plain, featureless white mask
Arms and Armor, a tongue taken from any evil molds to fit the face of whoever attempts to
outsider, emotion; Market Price: 18,000 gp; wear it. While wearing the mask, the user’s fea-
Weight: 3 lbs. tures change to take on a pleasing appearance
based on a viewer’s cultural and personal pref-
Helm of Planar Navigation: This globular erences. An orc may see a snarling, fearsome
metal helm has a glass window set in the front, visage, while an elf sees a lovely, delicately
completely enclosing its user’s head while featured one. The wearer’s face retains his
allowing him to see the area in front of him. basic physical characteristics. Only the
The helm is enchanted to protect its wearer specifics of his countenance change. While
from gas attacks, providing him with an unlim- wearing the mask of the emissary, a character
ited store of clean air and rendering him gains a +4 bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and
immune to any attack delivered via fumes or Intimidate checks. In addition, three times per
vapors. In addition, while the helm blocks the day he may cast tongues as a 6th-level sorcer-
user’s ears and most of his field of vision, mag- er.
ical sensors placed within it project a full view
of the area on to the helm’s inner surface. The Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft
wearer gains a +4 competence bonus to all Wondrous Item, charm person, minor image,
Listen and Spot checks. Finally, when the user tongues; Market Price: 12,000 gp.
looks at a portal he can look into the area it
leads to with a successful Spot check (DC 15).
The wearer may make one check per portal.
35
 Rod of Planar Stability: This slender, silver Scroll Door: A scroll door appears just like
item resembles an overly large skeleton key. It any other rolled up piece of parchment, though
is about as wide as a human’s hand and three it feels heavier than normal. When unrolled, the
feet in length. Normally a rod is unadorned, but scroll door reveals one of its faces as a portal to
some of these items are encrusted with gems another world. This portal counts as a gateway
CHAPTER ONE: Planar Adventuring

and jewels. The rod’s true power becomes and can have any traits, abilities, and functions
apparent when it is exposed to a magical gate- as chosen by the DM (see Chapter 2). So long
way, as described in Chapter 2. When touched as the scroll remains unrolled and secured,
to a gateway, the rod’s bearer may make a creatures may travel through it. Closing this
Spellcraft check (DC 20) to temporarily re- portal is as simple as rolling up the scroll. From
attune the portal to allow travel to a plane of his the entry point, the scroll looks like a piece of
choice. The check requires five minutes of parchment from one side, a portal on the other.
uninterrupted work. On a failed check, the It has the same appearance on its destination
rod’s user may try again until he suc- end, though it cannot be rolled up and taken
ceeds. The portal functions as per from that side.
the spell plane shift,
transporting any- Caster Level: 17th;
one who walks Prerequisites: Craft
through it to the Wondrous Item,
selected destina- Scribe Scroll, gate;
tion. Roll once to Market Price:
determine dis- 30,000 gp; Weight: 2
placement, with all lbs.
creatures arriving at
the same place. The Vortex Darts: At first
portal loses all of its glance, these weapons
traits and features appear to be nothing
save for its ability more than barbed, steel
to transport users darts. They function as +3
to the selected darts, and when they suc-
plane. This effect cessfully hit a creature they
functions for 1d4 min- spawn tiny planar
utes, after which the gateways within its
portal returns to body. These gates
normal. The rod channel electricity,
may be used only fire, acid, and cold into
once per day the creature’s body,
per portal. A dealing 3d4 points of
portal changed damage to it one
in this man- round after the suc-
ner does cessful hit. This
not allow two- damage counts as
way travel. Once a all four types of ener-
character moves gy. A creature must have
through it, he must find resistance to all four to gain
another portal to go back home. any resistance to this damage.
The darts are exceptionally
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft durable and may be re-used if they are
Wondrous Item, planar compass, plane shift; recovered after being thrown.
Market Price: 15,000 gp; Weight: 2 lbs.
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic
Arms and Armor, acid arrow, cone of cold,
fireball, lightning bolt; Market Price: 10,000
gp; Weight: 1/2 lb.

36
 CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds
CHAPTER TWO

Gates to
other Worlds
Portals provide easy access to distant realms, Opening a portal activates powerful magic that
alien worlds, and strange planes. By the same spawns a mystic connection between two
token, they give creatures from those places places in time and space. Walking through the
access to your campaign world. This chapter portal allows a creature to move along that con-
addresses the role portals play in a campaign, nection to appear somewhere or somewhen
how you can use them to add variety and new else. Depending on the type of portal, it may
challenges to your game, and the rules that appear as a mundane doorway, a radiant sphere
cover their operation and use. Game rules and of energy, or a stairway heading down into
mechanics derived from the d20 SRD are des- impenetrable darkness. Not all portals function
ignated as Open Game Content. Non-rules alike. Some allow two-way travel. If you walk
related text in this section is designated as through a portal, you can simply turn around
closed content. and head back through to return home. Others
allow one-way trips, stranding travelers in the
weird realms they lead to, while a few trans-
Portals: The form their users to grant them the ability to sur-
vive in alien environments. Only a fool takes a
portal lightly. One step can lead to death,
Basics imprisonment, or worse.

Put simply, a portal is any magical gateway that Portal Types

transports a person to a region that is normally Portals can be broken down into three basic
impossible to reach with the two or three steps types. While these types exhibit tremendous
it takes to walk through it. A shining gate variation in their operations, traits, and func-
carved into a mountain leads to a land of fiery tions, they share enough basic characteristics
lakes and brass castles. A seemingly mundane that all portals fall into one of these categories.
dungeon corridor opens into a cave located at Furthermore, when using the portal creation
the peak of the world’s tallest mountain. A rules provided later in this chapter, the three
secret door in a wizard’s tower grants access to types provide you with a foundation onto
an isolated chamber carved into the earth hun- which you can add special abilities,
dreds of feet below the ground. unique effects, and other details to make
37
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

one portal different from another. Portals are bond between them. Over time, this bond
powerful, rare items. As such, they tend to have grows so strong that a physical passage opens
highly individualized capacities and abilities. between the two points. A traveler could walk
While they fall into a few general categories, into a forest in his world and emerge on the
the special traits and functions they can feature other side in a different world if that forest was
make two portals unlikely to share the same part of a mingling.
exact details.
The various portal types are detailed below.
The three basic portal types are: They are given game rules, examples, and
descriptions of how you can use them in your
Gateway: A typical portal that connects one campaign.
world to another, a gleaming doorway or gate
that when opened leads to somewhere or some-
when else. Most DMs and players picture a
Gateways: Doors to
gateway when they think of a portal to another Anywhen
plane.
Gateways pass for plain, vanilla, dependable
Malignancy: A tear in the planes that allows modes of transportation when compared to
one plane to slowly destroy the other. Creatures other portals. Gateways almost always appear
spontaneously transform into the invading as doorways, such as gates, doors, stairwells,
plane’s counterpart, the terrain and atmosphere and windows. Sometimes, they are designed to
changes and shifts, and so on. A malignancy is appear as mundane items. A gateway could be
more than a portal. It is an attack on the very disguised as a painting of a woodland scene
fabric of a plane’s existence. simply by placing a picture frame around it. A
gateway designed as a secret door can prevent
Mingling: A powerful correspondence most casual snoops from stumbling across it.
between two planar locales that forms a
38
 Activating a gateway is simple and easy. A user that, when entered, leads a character to some
needs only to open the gateway and step time or place other than that which physically
through it. The gateway forms a powerful mag- lies on the other side of it.
ical correspondence between two points, allow-
ing objects to travel between them simply by The one important thing to consider about a

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

moving through the gateway’s magical field. gateway is how it activates. Some gateways
function when a door opens, a gate parts, or a
To any observer, the gateway is simply a door key is turned in a lock. Others operate con-
that has a different world on the other side. stantly, requiring users to simply step through
Many cleverly designed gateways do not even them to travel to the other side. Otherwise, a
appear magical. A simple dungeon door could gateway has no special rules. You can add more
be a gateway that leads to a chamber in a dun- details and abilities to a gateway, such as a
geon halfway across the continent or many lev- locking mechanism or spells that trigger when
els deeper within the complex. This character- the gateway activates, with the rules given later
istic of gateways represents the only real dan- in this section.
ger in using them: A traveler could move
through a portal, travel hundreds of miles, and In Your Game
not even realize it. Unlike other portals, gate-
ways are simple, easy, and safe to use. The As the basic type of portal, gateways can fill a
magic involved in creating them is relatively wide range of roles in your campaign.
simple and limited, but it is also reliable and Civilizations with a high degree of magical
difficult to sever. expertise may use them to transport important
officials and materials. A skilled magician
Gateways are the most likely of the portals to might construct gateways for clients willing to
be built and used by intelligent races. After all, pay his fees, allowing prosperous merchants to
a wizard interested in building a portal wants a construct treasure chambers accessible only
reliable doorway to another realm. A wormhole through a gate and resourceful villains to build
or a vortex might grant him access to more escape tunnels that lead hundreds of miles
places, but they are also as likely to kill or away. Divine spellcasters might erect gateways
strand him as they are to transport him to his to their deities’ realms. The important temples
desired destination. Gateways provide stable, in a city or region could have direct access to a
reliable transportation between two distant god’s court, allowing demons, angels, and
points. Individual spellcasters may build them other outsiders to counsel their followers and
to facilitate travel to planes where they want to provide them with material support. The char-
do research or where they can gather important acters could break into an evil temple only to
materials and components necessary for their find a horde of devils pouring from a gateway
research. Civilizations that cultivate and har- to deal with them. In such a world, religions
ness magical talent may use them to form a might command great respect and authority
limited rapid transit network. A kingdom’s bor- because of their access to outsiders and their
ders are much easier to defend if entire armies willingness to turn to the planes for aid.
can step through a gateway and move from one
city to another. Planar creatures that want to As a rule of thumb, the more gateways present
establish a beachhead on a world for conquest, in your world the more likely that travel is eas-
trade, or diplomacy are likely to employ gate- ier and that outsiders can influence everyday
ways. events. However, keep in mind that construct-
ing a gateway is no easy task. As the rules for
creating portals (presented later in this chapter)
Game Rules
illustrate, only powerful spellcasters have the
Gateways are the simplest portals to use. To talent and resources needed to create them.
activate one, you need only physically move Thus, even if the knowledge necessary to cre-
through it. Of course, gaining access to a gate- ate gateways is relatively common, they are
way is not always as simple as opening a door. likely limited in use. Only the richest, most
Some of them are disguised with secret doors, powerful groups and NPCs in your campaign
concealed to appear as mirrors or dead-end cor- world can afford to build them. Since gate-
ridors, or unable to operate until the correct key ways provide static access between two
is used to activate them. Still, as far as the game points, their inflexibility can limit the
rules are concerned, a gateway is simply a door impact they have on your game world.
39
 For example, a nation ruled by powerful wiz- plain, or massive, persistent storms that prevent
ards may use gateways to explore distant travel and render the land a wind-scoured
planes and strange continents. The characters waste.
could use these gateways to visit many strange
settings, helping to expand the vistas of adven- Other malignancies cause much more radical,
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

ture you can present in your game, but the gate- dangerous conditions. Horrid creatures spawn
ways’ limited size, hidden nature, and relative from the air itself, generated by the malignan-
inaccessibility prevents these gateways from cy’s transforming properties or ripped from one
having a major impact on your world. The wiz- world and cast into another. Cities crumble into
ards restrict access to the explorers they hire, haunted ruins in a matter of moments, while
and the gates themselves may be the size of a terrible storms of magical energy blast and scar
typical doorway, too small to allow large num- the land.
bers of creatures to easily use them. Most
important of all, the wizards could design Each malignancy displays unique physical
emergency measures with which the gates can effects, but they all follow the same general
be easily destroyed. patterns. Pulsating waves of energy surge forth
from a central point, the heart of the malignan-
Malignancies: Cancers of cy. These waves appear as incandescent walls
of energy, and sometimes they cause additional
the Planes effects such as a momentary pause in the flow
of time. As the wave passes, it randomly alters
While a malignancy is rather easy to use to creatures and materials. Generally speaking,
travel from one area to another, it is perhaps the the less intelligent the creature the more likely
most dangerous, threatening kind of portal. A it is to be transformed. Theoreticians have long
malignancy develops when the planar binding debated the nature of this distinction, and most
between two realities deteriorates. If this decay agree that simple creatures are more likely to
causes the two planes to meld into one another lose hold of their identity in the face of a malig-
but stops before it can run out of control, a min- nancy’s alterations.
gling (see below) arises. Otherwise, the inter-
play of energies between the two planes causes Over time, the malignancy’s reach extends to
an imbalance in energy. One plane slowly gath- cover a greater and greater area. Unless some-
ers more power and through natural, arcane one completes the ritual of mending, it can
processes repairs the rift by absorbing the raw grow to cover hundreds of square miles or even
material of the plane it has mingled with. Over engulf an entire planet.
time, one plane is slowly destroyed, its materi-
al absorbed into the other plane. Known as a A malignancy generates many portals between
malignancy, this effect is sometimes used by the planes, mostly between the two worlds that
vile creatures and civilizations to extend their are caught within it, though sometimes the pla-
domain to different worlds. Since a malignancy nar stress generates pathways to distant worlds
alters a plane’s environment to match the and realms. Many of these portals resemble
invading realm’s characteristics, it creates a gateways and minglings, but others are prod-
beachhead suitable for use by invading out- ucts of the malignancy’s transforming powers.
siders and other creatures that may be unable to As the boundaries between planes diminish, a
survive outside of their home plane. traveler can literally walk from one plane to
another. The malignancy replaces one plane’s
A malignancy takes a variety of forms, depend- material with the other’s, permanently binding
ing on its severity. The most minor, and most them together.
common, malignancies alter a local area within
a plane to match the invading realm’s terrain, Sometimes, this replacement allows a creature
creatures, and atmosphere. After converting a to visit a few points within the invading plane.
few square miles, the malignancy dissipates as For example, a malignancy could replace a lake
enough energy and matter has been spent to in a lush, forest world with a rocky crater from
heal the rift between the planes. This phenom- a desert one. A creature from the forest world
enon produces bizarre, seemingly nonsensical would see a crater in the place where the lake
terrain such as patches of boiling water in the once stood. If it walked into the crater, it would
midst of an ocean, stony mountains honey- unwittingly enter the desert plane and would
combed with caves rising from a desert
40
 CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds
have to cope with that realm’s physical charac- For example, a desert world invading a forest
teristics. It could still see its home plane bor- realm would leave the wooded areas as little
dering the crater, but it could interact with any more than withered, dead stands of trees stick-
creatures from the desert world that stood with- ing out of the slowly rising sands. The temper-
in it. To return home, it would simply have to ature would become searing hot, even if the
walk out of the crater. Other times a malignan- forest world is gripped in winter, while sand-
cy allows only a one-way trip. The creature storms would frequently arise to plague travel-
from the forest world would be trapped in the ers. Make a list of the planar traits that you
desert plane as soon as it stepped into the want to use to reflect the invading realm’s char-
crater. The terrain surrounding the crater acteristics.
would, to its eyes, waver and shift, seemingly
transforming into the desert world. Depending on the malignancy’s strength, its
transforming storms could happen as infre-
Game Rules quently as once per week or as often as once
per hour. The stronger the storm, the more
The primary danger a malignancy poses lies in often it manifests. Each time a storm appears,
its ability to alter and change terrain and crea- apply the effects of one of the invading plane’s
tures. The first step you must take in designing traits to the area of the malignancy. As the
these portals is to look at the conditions and ter- wave of energy spreads, it immediately trans-
rain within the dominant plane, the one that is forms the world around it. Usually, the victim
invading and altering the weaker realm. plane’s terrain is completely altered and
Chapter 3 includes extensive rules for design- replaced but in some places vestiges of it may
ing strange worlds and mysterious planar remain. A city may be reduced to ruins, a stand
realms. Use the environmental effects listed of trees turned into charred logs, and so on.
there to construct the regions that have been Creatures of the animal or plant types with-
altered by the malignancy, drawing on the in the storm’s area of effect must make
invading plane’s characteristics to help you Intelligence checks (DC 10 or higher, see
decide on what options to use.
41
 Sample Malignancy Sizes
Type Storm Rate Transformation DC Growth Rate
Minor 1/month 10 +1/2 mile radius/month
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Average 1/week 12 +1 mile radius/week

Major 1/day 15 +1 mile radius/5 days
Apocalyptic 1/hour 20 +1 mile radius/day

the sample malignancy table) or be immediate- the ritual attempt fails and the caster must start
ly transformed into random monsters native to over from the beginning. If the caster com-
the invading plane and with the same or fewer pletes the ritual, the malignancy stabilizes. The
Hit Dice. As with the planar traits, make a list energy storms causing the changes cease and
of creatures and monsters native to the invad- the zone of change stops growing. In 2d4 days,
ing plane and use them to replace animals that all gateways spawned by the malignancy close
fail their checks. permanently, severing the connection between
the two planes and restoring balance to the cos-
Malignancies spread at variable rates depend- mic firmament.
ing on their strength. The stronger the malig-
nancy, the faster it covers the land. A powerful Creating a Malignancy: Some vile, aggres-
malignancy can cover a kingdom in a matter of sive races and deities use malignancies as a
weeks, but most take a few months to extend way to conquer entire worlds, expand their
more than a few miles in any direction. holdings, and smash their enemies. Spawning a
Usually, a malignancy stabilizes after reaching malignancy is no easy task. The spells wish and
this size but in extreme cases, or when an intel- miracle can be used to weaken the planar bind-
ligent creature intentionally creates and culti- ings between worlds, causing the slow leak of
vates a malignancy, it can grow far larger. energy that characterizes a malignancy. A spell-
caster must cast wish or miracle for 10 consec-
Halting a Malignancy: A malignancy can be utive days, each day focusing on the same
stopped but not reversed with the use of the rit- point, the same target plane, and the desired
ual of mending. This powerful magical formu- effect. The actual phrasing of the request is
la draws on ambient energies of the entire vic- contained with the Codex of Infinite Bindings,
tim plane, rather than the local area affected by a long-lost tome supposedly penned by a rogue
the malignancy, to repair the rift. Any spell- godling who stole the secrets of the multi-
caster capable of casting 4th-level or higher verse’s construction. After completing these
spells can learn and use the ritual. It takes 10 spells, the caster creates a minor malignancy
days minus the caster’s Intelligence modifier to between two worlds, the one he currently occu-
learn the ritual’s formula. Once a caster has pies and a target plane of his choice. For every
learned it, he can use it whenever he fulfills its 10 additional, consecutive days he performs
requirements. this ceremony, he increases the malignancy’s
severity by one category as per the sample
Completing the ritual requires that a caster malignancy sizes table.
expend 20 total levels of spells. The caster
must spend one hour meditating on the ritual’s Very few spellcasters have successfully created
mystic formula, at which time he expends the a malignancy in this manner. The gods are
spell slots or prepared spells totaling 20 levels. loath to allow such actions. Only evil deities
Spells expended in this manner have no effect grant such a miracle and lawful evil gods are
and casters who must prepare spells need not 75% likely to deny the spell’s effects.
do so for the day in order to use the ritual. After
completing this preparation, the caster must In Your Game
scribe a complex, geometric pattern using
10,000 gp of diamond, mithral, or gold dust on Malignancies can serve as an excellent source
the ground within the malignancy. This takes of villains, an unexpected incursion of planar
two hours of work, and if the caster is dis- monsters, and an environmental threat that
turbed in any manner he must make a could unravel the very fabric of the world. A
Concentration check (DC 15). If he fails, malignancy that appears in the midst of a city
or similarly populated area can cause tremen-
42
dous damage as strange monsters wander the caught in a flash flood and must leap into near-
streets, the buildings and streets shift and by trees or find high ground before they are
change, and so on. The real key to using this swept away.
portal lies in your ability to weave an interest-
ing, strange environment. A malignancy bends You can use the random terrain manifestation

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

and twists the world, creating a unique back- table to create unexpected environmental
drop for adventures as the characters enter the threats for the characters to face. Generally
malignancy to find its source. The other issues speaking, a sudden transformation should
to look at include the malignancy’s genesis, the require a saving throw (DC 15) or an ability
plane that spawned it, and the long-term impact check (DC 10) to avoid its drawbacks. Since
it may have on your game world. This section ability score bonuses do not rise with level as
addresses each of these topics. fast as saves, the DC for them is lower. The
drawback a characters suffers on a failed check
The malignancy’s source determines the nature or save should be appropriate to a trap with a
of the creatures and environmental changes CR 1 or 2 lower than the party’s level. At this
that it heralds. If a fiery, hell-blasted world level, the sudden changes are dangerous and
intrudes into your campaign setting, it produces sap the party’s strength, but they do not pose
searing heat, windstorms, and other effects. As the prospect of killing characters or over-
mentioned above in the game rules section, whelming the party.
make a list of the traits found in the invading
plane that bleed over into its target. After Malignancy Transformation Table
deciding on these traits, you need to think
about how to present them in your adventures. d% Effect
Does reality shimmer, melt, and transform 1–10 The world melts and shifts, transform-
before the party’s eyes? Is the change more ing into protoplasmic goop that
subtle, with the sun setting on an unaltered arranges itself into the invading plane’s
landscape but rising on one hideously warped terrain.
by the malignancy’s magic? In addition, con- 11–20 Observers experience a brief blackout
sider how creatures spontaneously transform as time stops, the world rearranges
into invading monsters. Clusters of energy may itself, and time flows forward once
appear in thin air, growing into a roiling mass again.
that spawns a creature. In other cases, terrestri- 21–30 Observers are suddenly caught in a
al plants and animals may slowly undergo a black, timeless void. They feel as if
twisting process that transforms them. The they are falling through empty space,
malignancy transformation table summarizes a when suddenly the altered environment
few different options you can use to describe snaps into being around them.
these effects. 31–40 For a brief moment, any observers see
the invading plane’s terrain around
If the characters are caught in an area as it them. These flickers grow longer and
transforms, they are safe from any harm due to more frequent, until they finally end
the process of the changes but they may have to with the new terrain in place.
suddenly deal with a dangerous environment. 41–50 As soon as the characters look away
For example, characters walking down a wood- from a site, it transforms. Even in the
ed path may suddenly find themselves in the briefest moment a location remains out
midst of a lake. Generally speaking, it is poor of sight, it changes.
form to force the characters into any lethal sit- 51–60 The change appears like a stain spread-
uations due to the changes. The players cannot ing across the terrain. The ground
guess what the terrain is going to change into. shifts, plants and animals transform in
Drowning the party’s fighter and cleric in a an instant, and the invading world
lake that suddenly appears beneath them is overwrites its target.
unfair and arbitrary. 61–70 A powerful storm of energy batters the
land. Any terrain struck by its powerful
However, that does not mean that the changes waves slowly changes, with each burst
should pose no threat. Instead, modify the of energy pushing the transformation
threat so that the characters have a chance to closer to completion.
survive. Instead of a deep lake, the PCs are 71–80 The world grows fuzzy and indis-
tinct, as if the characters squint-
43
 ed their eyes. After a few moments, and even strange humanoids and animals from
everything grows clear again but has another world can swamp an unprepared region
been transformed. in a matter of days. If the malignancy erupts in
81–90 A shrill, piercing noise slowly builds in an isolated area, many weeks or even months
volume. Even magical or mundane could pass before anyone notices it. By that
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

means to block it out, such as a silence time, plenty of creatures could have passed
spell, fail to diminish its effects. All through the planar veil, while the malignancy
Listen checks suffer a –1 circumstance may have had enough time to transform a wide
penalty per minute the noise persists. swath of territory. Imagine a malignancy that
After 30 minutes, the noise ends with a erupts in the midst of a lonely forest deep with-
thunderous crack. At that moment, the in an empire. Within a few months, a previous-
world changes around the characters. ly peaceful area of the realm, far from the dan-
As the planes collide and change, the gerous borderlands, could be besieged by
effects of the transformation manifest hordes of planar beasts swarming from the por-
as sonic energy. tals the malignancy created. The characters
91–100 The ground and terrain shudder and may investigate what seems like a simple
move like living organisms. For a brief incursion of undead or outsiders, only to find
moment, they lose all color and shape that the creatures were spawned by something
before snapping into the form of the that could threaten the entire world.
invading plane’s terrain.
The malignancy does not necessarily have to
A malignancy’s source can drive a campaign’s link your campaign world to a place that
plot or dictate the enemies the party must over- spawns terrible, dangerous monsters or that
come in order to stop it from overwhelming seeks conquest and bloodshed. The world on
their world. A villain, especially one with a the other side of this portal could be a peaceful
strong link to an alien world or plane, could place that wants to stop the malignancy from
create one as a convenient beachhead into the spreading. In this case, the characters must
PCs’ homelands. Outsiders from elemental work with the denizens of the other world to
planes, demons, devils, and other strange mon- find the ritual of mending. As mentioned
sters may feel most comfortable in an extreme above, the first barrier the PCs face is learning
environment that can prove deadly to to trust what seems like a dangerous foe. In
humanoids. For example, fire elementals thrive addition, NPCs from the PCs’ homeworld may
in searing hot areas. Human and elf warriors lobby for war or insist that only an invasion
might not even be able to engage the fiery into the interloping world can halt the malig-
invaders if their lands are consumed in flames nancy.
and lava.
For campaigns that center on roleplaying and
If the source of the malignancy is a villain or politics, this can provide a critical issue of con-
spellcaster, the characters may have to defeat tention between the PCs and their rivals.
him in order to prevent its spread. The villain Remember that in this case, the characters’ ene-
may have a copy of the ritual needed to undo mies could be good-aligned or even members
the malignancy. Otherwise, the malignancy of the PCs’ churches and other organizations.
could be a natural effect that runs out of con- Afraid for their land’s survival and worried that
trol. The PCs may mistake the alien monsters a mistake could doom them all, these NPCs
that arrive through it as invaders, when in fact could fight long and hard to block the charac-
those creatures are as afraid of the malignancy ters’ efforts in favor of a shortsighted, fruitless
as the characters. If the PCs can overcome their plan. The NPCs are not necessarily stupid or
mistrust and anger towards the “invaders” they evil. They may simply be frightened or unable
can ally with them to heal the rift. Finding the to see the wisdom of aiding the creatures from
ritual needed to repair the damage may require beyond the malignancy. To them, the portal’s
the characters to depart on an epic quest across effects are a sure sign of the invaders’ evil
the planes to uncover it. plans.

In terms of your campaign world, a malignan- Even after a malignancy has passed, its effects
cy can herald the arrival of a major new threat still remain on the campaign world. A once
to peace and stability. Outsiders, elementals, lush, verdant area could be transformed into a
44
 CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds
rocky, parched ruin. A city is turned into a Most sages write off the fantastic stories as a
weird edifice of odd architecture, strange crude ploy to win fame and attention or the
design, and unfathomable geometry. Monsters fevered dreams of an inexperienced traveler
and animals spawned by the malignancy who ate the wrong type of mushroom.
remain and perhaps successfully breed new However, a few take careful note of the travel-
generations, giving you a ready source of new er’s reports and correlate their tales with
creatures to add to your campaign world. A descriptions of distant planes and worlds.
malignancy is a handy way to permanently These sages know that in some areas, a strange
introduce changes to your campaign world or confluence of geometry, mystical energies, and
add new threats to it. geography can combine to create a persistent, if
unpredictable, portal between worlds. In some
Minglings: Hidden Paths regions, a traveler can enter a forest on one
world and emerge from the other side on a dif-
Between Worlds ferent plane or alien world. Known as min-
glings of the planes or mingling portals, these
In isolated villages at the edge of civilization, geographical features are invariably infested
the peasants whisper of the strange old wood. with a wide manner of strange phenomena and
Despite the heat or cold, the trees are always creatures, making them not only difficult to
shrouded in mist. Sometimes, adventurers wan- employ for planar travel but dangerous to
der into the forest and return with strange tales inhabit.
of impossible vistas such as oceans that appear
just beyond the thickest stands of trees, soaring A mingling arises when two planes share a
mountains that reach to the sky, and even strong bond or correlation centered on a specif-
stranger sights. Others never come back at all. ic location or geographical feature. Often, a
Yet, for every explorer who stumbles into an mingling features multiple pathways to
otherworldly domain, dozens return to town many different realms. A mountain cave
bored, tired, and frustrated. burrows into the earth and has side pas-
45
 Usually, a mingling exhibits a few strange
magical traits. A persistent mist may cling to
the land, regardless of the weather conditions.
The air is always a little hotter than normal,
while spontaneous magical effects may dupli-
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

cate simple arcane and divine spells such as

ghost sound or dancing lights. The confluence
of planar energy that creates a mingling can
spawn a wide variety of ambient magical
effects.

A mingling can be rather easy to destroy if you

understand the conditions that created it. In the
example above, the building’s exact position
and configuration create a strong affinity
between it and the distant locale to which it can
transport travelers. Altering the building, even
doing something as simple as adding a window
or boarding up a door, could sever the connec-
tion. Minglings are almost two-way gates, as
the affinity between the two locations creates
portals on both ends. Walking through a min-
gling gives a traveler no special knowledge of
how to get back, and solving the riddle of the
return trip can prove a daunting task.

Game Rules
sages that branch out to the plane of earth, a Minglings require few special rules for their
demon haunted forest, and the court of a chaos construction, as they follow the same basic
lord. In the middle of a great ocean, a whirlpool rules as gateways. However, learning to use a
sucks ships down to a hole in the ocean floor mingling in the game is a much more daunting
and out to the green waters of a distant world. task than deciphering a gateway’s function.

Most minglings are difficult to use, as the path- To determine the pathway to follow in order to
ways one must walk to cross the planes within use a mingling, you must make a Knowledge
them are not always obvious. While a cave or (arcana) check (DC 30) and spend at least one
mountain pass offers only one route, a forest or day exploring the mingling’s area. In addition,
the convoluted streets of a city holds many dif- you need to use several spells to find the
ferent pathways a traveler can follow, with only threads of energy that reveal the mingling’s
a few distinct paths opening gateways to other pattern. During the day in which you attempt
worlds and planes. Decoding these trails is an your Knowledge (arcana) check, you must cast
arduous task that requires an extensive knowl- detect magic four times, see invisibility twice,
edge of the planes, magic, and geometry. and true seeing once. This spread of spells
allows you to identify the mingling’s auras,
Minglings are mazes of planar energies that can analyze them, and determine their underlying
lead you almost anywhere. A mingling that per- workings. You do not gain any special knowl-
sists in a city block may require you to walk edge of where the mingling may take you, but
around a building five times clockwise, enter a you do learn how to activate it. Note that you
specific doorway, walk up a set of stairs, then do not necessarily need to prepare or cast the
enter a closet and close the door behind you. spells yourself. You can use magic items, such
When you open the door, you find yourself in a as potions or scrolls, to duplicate their effects.
closet at a castle hundreds of miles away or on However, the same person must make the skill
a different world. Minglings are sometimes check and cast the spells. Make your
notoriously difficult to use, making them easy Knowledge (arcana) check after expending the
to overlook and favored by creatures that spells.
want to secretly move between the planes.
46
Not all minglings have such stringent require- unusually powerful winds. Undead might
ments for their use. From the examples given dwell within a graveyard that has a connection
above, the cave mingling shows that some of to a world dominated by the living dead, and so
these portals are as easy to use as a gateway. A on. Refer to Chapter 3 for information on pla-
traveler needs only walk through a cave or nar traits and their game rules. Using more than

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

enter a forest to use it. These minglings are two or three traits is probably overkill, and
found in equal number as their more complex remember that a mingling is above all else sub-
cousins, but they are typically formed by natur- tle. While a malignancy links two planes with
al terrain. Forests, caves, caverns, mountain thunderous energy and sudden, traumatic
passes, ocean currents, and even patterns of changes, a mingling works by creating an
boulders strewn across a field can create the enduring but simple link between them. The
affinity necessary for a mingling. effects spawned by it may be strange, but they
can usually be explained as natural, though
When designing a mingling, the first step is to rare, occurrences.
determine if you want it to be a complex, diffi-
cult to use portal or one that a traveler can In Your Game
stumble into. As mentioned above, the simpler
a mingling the more likely that it consists of A mingling is the perfect way to lure the char-
natural terrain features. Minglings should also acters into a distant world or alien plane with-
connect two places that have similar features out their knowledge. What starts as a simple
and layouts. For example, a mingling should excursion into a forest takes a decidedly
connect a forest in one world to a stand of trees strange turn when the characters retrace their
in another. That stand could be in the moun- steps and discover that the village they expect-
tains, in a desert oasis, or in a city park, but the ed to find no longer exists. Since minglings are
general terrain should be the same. so subtle, they are easy to overlook. Not only
are the characters likely to miss this portal
The mingling causes a gradual shift between type’s operation, so too are the NPCs and spell-
worlds, causing most travelers to overlook the casters in the campaign world. Consider the
portal’s operation. There is no one specific introduction to this section. The villagers con-
point at which the worlds meet. Rather, there is sider the forest an odd place, and the strange
a zone of shared space that a traveler can walk events there give it a sinister reputation that
through to go from one world or plane to anoth- causes most of them to avoid it. Most sages
er. Designating this shared zone is the second write the place off as nothing more than an
most important part of creating a mingling. overblown legend, with few of them suspecting
Generally speaking, that shared zone should anything involving actual planar travel.
have the same exact layout in the two worlds.
Depending on how the characters leave a With that in mind, a mingling is unlikely to
shared zone, they may end up in a different have an enduring, long-term impact on a cam-
world. You can designate that walking east paign world. Chances are that such a portal has
from it leads to one world, while walking north been overlooked by the powers that be.
leads to another. Otherwise, you could use a Minglings are difficult to locate, as even trav-
random method to determine where the PCs elers who use them might not be able to exact-
show up. ly locate the point at which they moved from
one world to another.
A mingling can also feature multiple portals to
different areas. A forest might feature a multi- Furthermore, a group of travelers could use a
tude of shared zones within its bounds, leading mingling, enter a distant world, and never real-
travelers to may distant worlds. With a few ize it if they lack the maps and navigational
days of walking, a group of adventurers could tools necessary to determine their location. If
unwittingly travel through dozens of planes the mingling is in the middle of a wilderness
and worlds. area, the similarity between the departure and
arrival points may trick explorers into missing
Since a mingling represents a nexus of arcane the portal’s effects. Obviously, encountering
energies, the physical features that comprise it weird monsters or noticing that two or more
should have a few planar traits. A forest might suns are in the sky are dead giveaways that
be unseasonably cold, while a lake features something strange is happening, but a
traveler’s first guess is unlikely to be that
47
 he slipped through a portal and arrived in a dis- designed to allow travel to a specific realm or
tant world. Many travelers may simply add the world usually incorporate spells and abilities
alien plane’s terrain to their maps and assume designed to aid travelers. A portal to a realm
that they have discovered an area infused with inhabited by storm giants may grant its users
weird magic or under the effects of some the ability to understand the giants’ language.
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

ancient spell. Naturally occurring portals sometimes have

odd, random effects on their users. A portal to
A mingling allows you to inject a sense of the the elemental plane of fire may transform
strange, the mysterious, and the unexpected someone who uses it into a salamander for the
into an adventure. The characters could be duration of his visit.
walking through what looks like a mundane
landscape, only to find themselves in the midst This section details the basic characteristics of
of a bizarre world or dealing with a mob of portals that you need to define, along with a
dangerous outsiders. The best worlds to link to variety of abilities and enhancements you can
your campaign setting via a mingling are those give them. Many of these abilities are meant to
with subtle but important changes. When make it easier for the characters to use a portal
designing the destination world, focus on the or journey to the planes. Lower-level parties in
planar traits from Chapter 3 that emphasize particular can run into trouble because they
subtle changes. Change a race’s standard align- lack the magical spells needed to survive a dan-
ment, alter how magic works, sever contact gerous environment, communicate with the
with the gods, or add environmental effects that local creatures, and so on. The portal traits can
are dangerous, drain resources, or alter how the help overcome such obstacles.
characters can use their spells and abilities. By
using the mundane as a foundation, you can
introduce changes that catch the characters by
Basic Traits
surprise and drive the players to distraction try- All portals have several traits that describe how
ing to figure out what has happened to them. they operate.

When presenting a mingling during a game Size

session, decide if you want to even bother
adding any hints as to its presence. With the A portal’s size covers the physical dimensions
physical correspondence present in a mingling, of objects that can fit through it. A portal func-
most of the simple portals function silently and tions for any creature or object with a size less
seamlessly. Obviously, the portals that require than or equal to its listed size. For example, a
elaborate ceremonies and actions are tough to Large portal functions for anything of size
mask. You could present the actions as part of Large, Medium, Small, Tiny, or Fine.
a magical formula that alters reality, catapults
the user forward or backward in time, or allows Operation
him to perceive the spirit world that exists This trait describes how a portal functions.
around the material realm. If the PCs suspect Some portals use magic to form a physical link
that the NPCs they meet on a plane are ghosts between two locations, while others teleport
or figments of their imagination, it can lead to their users. There are three operation types:
some interesting (and possibly comical) role- blink, open, and projection.
playing.
Blink: A blink portal teleports those who walk

Portal through it. A traveler enters the portal and sud-

denly appears at the destination it leads to.
Usually, these portals are designed to link two

Abilities rooms or similar locations, though one-way

blink portals can deposit their users almost
anywhere. Ranged attacks do not function
No two portals are exactly alike. The magical through a blink portal.
skill required to create them and the natural
processes that sometimes spawn them are Open: An open portal works a lot like a physi-
complex enough to allow for a wide range of cal door that connects two rooms. It creates a
gateways, passages, and doors. Gates passageway that allows objects to move
48
 between worlds, planes, or places without any
Traits
restraint. From the user’s point of view, he sim-
ply steps through the portal and emerges some- Portals are designed by a wide range of races
where else. An observer standing on one side of and cultures. Furthermore, they provide access
an open portal can see into its destination area. to realms and worlds beyond count. Thus, they

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Spells, missile weapons, and other ranged offer a tremendous number of options for
attacks can be used through an open portal designing and using them. A portal that leads to
unless it is one way. In that case, such attacks a submerged realm may give its users the abil-
can only be used in the same direction as one- ity to breathe under water, while one that con-
way travel through the portal. nects to a world populated by orcs might trans-
form its users into those humanoids. Few por-
Projection: Some portals work by casting a tals are designed without regard to the realms
user’s soul through the planes while keeping they lead to, leading wizards and artificers to
his body behind. These gateways may create a tailor their creations with special traits and
new body for the traveler to use or they may abilities. Each trait includes a short commen-
grant him a spectral, incorporeal form that pro- tary on how you can use it in your game and the
tects him from harm while allowing him to role it fulfills.
explore and interact with the environment. A
projection portal normally features one or more Disarming: A portal with this trait is usually
of the following traits: limited travel, spirit por- designed to foil attackers or ensure a site’s
tal, or transformation. security. When a creature moves through this
gate, it must make a Will save (DC 25) or all of
Direction its equipment, including weapons and armor, is
transported to a secondary location such as a
Direction determines whether a portal can be holding cell, treasure vault, or similar location.
used for a round-trip journey or if provides The creature arrives in the portal’s destination
travel in only one direction. The two basic area stark naked. On a successful save, the
descriptors for this trait are one-way and two- creature holds on to his equipment, but the por-
way. tal fails to operate for him. Anyone using this
gate may opt to automatically fail this saving
One-Way: The portal allows travel in only one throw in order to travel through it.
direction. A one-way portal that connects point
A to B allows travel only from A to B, not the In Your Campaign: A disarming portal presents
reverse. If a creature steps through the portal, it a daunting challenge to the party. While it
must find a different way to return home. might take them where they want to go, they
Ranged attacks are impossible through these have to risk adventuring in the new realm with-
portals. Blink portals are one-way. out their equipment. Generally speaking, it is a
bad idea to take away the characters’ gear for
Two-Way: These portals function in both too long a time. After all, they have fought hard
directions. A two-way portal that connects to acquire their items and deserve to use them.
points A and B allows travel from A to B and Throw a few encounters at the PCs that they
from B to A. Ranged attacks are possible must overcome without their items, but be sure
through these portals. Open portals are one- to let them reclaim their items soon after using
way. the portal. Make sure that the encounters
include nothing that can permanently harm the
Destination PCs, such as poison, level drain, and similar
Obviously, a portal must lead somewhere. effects that could be prevented or cured with
Some portals connect directly to a second por- their items. Otherwise, you risk frustrating the
tal on their far ends, while others simply drop players with a seemingly capricious encounter
their users in the middle of a world without any designed to “cheat” by taking away their stuff
obvious sign that a portal exit lies near. The then hitting them with a tough monster.
characters could step out of an elaborate, care-
fully constructed portal or materialize in the Limited Access: A trait favored by clerics who
middle of an open field. erect portals to their deity’s realm, a limited
access portal can only be employed by
creatures who meet certain prerequisites,
such as alignment and race. Creatures
49
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

who do not meet these requirements cannot use Device check to emulate or mask his align-
the gate. Usually, they are either prevented ment, race, or other characteristics. Consult
from entering it or it simply fails to activate that skill’s description for the appropriate DCs
when they walk through it. In either case, only and other guidelines. On a failed check, the
creatures who meet this trait’s requirements portal fails to operate as normal.
may travel via the portal.
In Your Campaign: A limited access gate pro-
In some cases, the limited access trait causes a vides a convenient escape route for villains, a
portal to react differently based on who enters ready explanation for why temples could build
it. If a creature fails to meet the activation planar gates without fear of monsters or other
requirements, the portal could send him into a threats seizing them, or a puzzle that forces the
prison, a location far from the portal’s location, characters to find some item to allow them
or some other inconvenient place. A portal to a through a portal. The requirements to use a por-
god’s planar fortress may send non-believers to tal with this trait can extend to the objects a
a prison block where they are questioned and character carries, a password that must be spo-
punished for trespassing. ken, a sequence of hand signs, and other keys
to “unlock” a portal.
The limited access trait can define characteris-
tics a creature must have, or it can list those Limited Charges: Some portals are designed
that a creature cannot have. For example, a gate to allow only a few creatures at a time to use
may be designated to work only for good crea- them. These portals usually connect to danger-
tures or it may work for ones that are not evil. ous or monster-infested regions. By placing a
In the latter case, good and neutral creatures limit on how many creatures can use the portal,
could activate the gate. the designers help ensure that it cannot be used
for a mass incursion or invasion. A portal with
The limited access trait can be overcome by this trait allows a fixed maximum number of
anyone who makes a successful Use Magic creatures to use it over a certain time period.
50
Once this limit is reached, the portal fails to with the characters scrambling to complete a
function until the time limit expires. For exam- goal or defeat a villain before they are forced
ple, a portal could allow six users per day, 12 back to their home plane. Usually, players pre-
per week, one per year, and so on. fer to make slow and steady progress in an
adventure to ensure that they can heal up and

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

A limited charges portal can also be given a prepare spells between encounters. With a time
hard limit on the number of times it can be used limit hanging over their heads, they must take
before its magic expires. These one-shot gates more risks and work to budget their time.
are used to ensure that once a small number of Nothing is quite as tense, fun, and memorable
creatures have made a planar journey, nothing as racing to defeat a dragon, grabbing a lost
can follow their path. artifact, and rushing back to a gate before it
closes. If a gate has already closed, the party
In Your Campaign: This trait is a handy way to might have to fight off waves of attackers to
force the characters to journey to a plane with- buy enough time before it opens again. The
out dragging along dozens of retainers and tension mounts as the PCs suffer more damage,
helpers. If you see a portal to another world as spells run low, and potions dwindle, all while
important only for an adventure or two, you they desperately wait for the portal to open.
can use this trait to explain why the gate ceas-
es to function once your campaign heads in a Limited Travel: Some portals allow only a
different direction. Limited charges also force limited view into their destination worlds.
the PCs to budget their use of a portal rather These portals allow a user to project his senses
than run back home to heal and rest at the to a distant location, scanning an area with his
slightest sign of trouble. In addition, you can vision or listening intently with his hearing.
use this trait as the centerpiece behind an Sages interested in exploring the outer realms
adventure where the characters must return but who do not want to expose themselves to
home after using a gate. The PCs could enter a any dangers frequently use these portals, as
gate they have used many times before only to they allow travel without any danger.
find that it has stopped working when they try
to return home. You can also use it to split up These gates are tied to sight, sound, or both
the party, but be sure that the dangers beyond it senses. When a creature activates this portal, he
are appropriate to the splinter group’s strength physically remains in his current location. By
and that any PCs who did not make the journey concentrating, he can project his senses to the
still have something to do. portal’s destination. There, his senses work as
normal and he gains the benefits of any special
Limited Duration: A common trait used to abilities, spells, or other effects that alter or
control access to a portal, limited duration improve them. The traveler manifests as a
causes a portal to function only during certain Diminutive, ectoplasmic sensor that has AC 14
hours of the day or on precise days of the year. and 1 hit point. This sensor counts as an incor-
For example, a portal that leads to a temple’s poreal creature with a speed of 10 ft. It gains its
sacred burial ground may only open from sun- user’s saving throws and ability scores, but not
down to midnight during the city’s day of the his skill ranks or other abilities. In addition, the
dead to allow only the high priests to gain sensor is utterly incapable of making attacks or
access to the revered dead. Other portals have casting spells. If the sensor is destroyed, its
this trait to confound burglars, keep creatures user suffers 2d4 points of damage and cannot
trapped within certain areas, and so on. A vam- use that specific portal again for 1d6 days. A
pire caught behind a portal that opens when the character using a limited travel portal can sever
sun shines upon it is effectively trapped, bar- the connection to his sensor as a standard
ring supernatural assistance. Limited duration action. He can cast any spell through the sensor
portals may work on regular schedules. A that can normally be used via scrying. Use the
dwarf clan may use a portal to travel to distant rules for spell use under that spell’s description.
mines, but the gateway only opens in the morn-
ing and evening when the dwarves go to and In Your Campaign: This portal is a good tool to
from work, respectively. allow the characters to visit a plane without
exposing them to any real danger. It can
In Your Campaign: This trait is a fun way to serve as a useful plot device to show them
introduce a time pressure into an adventure, a powerful threat they must one day face
51
 or illustrate the hazards of planar travel. In form, leaving his body behind. This form
some cases, these portals make the ultimate grants him several benefits:
espionage device. A king could use a limited • Incorporeal creatures can only be harmed by
travel portal in his castle to allow his secret other incorporeal creatures, by +1 or better
police to observe visitors safely and silently. A
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

weapons, or by spells, spell-like effects, or

villain could use this gate to watch the charac- supernatural effects. They are immune to all
ters fight his underlings, learning of their tac- nonmagical attack forms. They are not burned
tics and abilities firsthand. by normal fires, affected by natural cold, or
harmed by mundane acids.
Spells: To help a traveler survive in the distant,
alien planar realms, some portals bestow bless- • Even when struck by magic or magic
ings, enhancements, and other spells upon their weapons, an incorporeal creature has a 50%
users. When the portal activates and sends a chance to ignore any damage from a corpore-
person to its destination, it can also automati- al source—except for a force effect
cally cast several spells upon him. For exam-
ple, a portal to the elemental plane of water • Incorporeal creatures move in any direction
may cast water breathing on its users. Other (including up or down) at will. They do not
commonly used spells include endure ele- need to walk on the ground.
ments, fly, bull’s strength, and similar magic.
• Incorporeal creatures can pass through solid
A spell is cast by a gate at its creator’s caster objects at will, although they cannot see when
level. You can tailor this level so that the spells their eyes are within solid matter.
last long enough to play a role in an adventure.
For example, if you want the PCs to go to a • Incorporeal creatures are inaudible unless
watery realm where they must act fast before they decide to make noise.
their water breathing spells elapse, you can
give this effect a low caster level. Usually, • The physical attacks of incorporeal creatures
though, these spells are cast as a 15th or higher ignore material armor, even magic armor,
level caster, as creating a portal is a daunting unless it is made of force or has the ghost
task normally undertaken by only the mightiest touch ability.
wizards, clerics, and sorcerers. • Incorporeal creatures pass through and oper-
ate in water as easily as they do in air.
In Your Campaign: This trait is a handy way to
give the party access to dangerous regions at • Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or suffer
low levels. Otherwise, it can help free up spell- falling damage.
casters’ abilities for use in encounters rather
than as maintenance to keep the party alive in a • Corporeal creatures cannot trip or grapple
dangerous area. Sometimes adventures in incorporeal creatures.
aquatic, searing hot, or other dangerous areas
can be overwhelmed by the bookkeeping and • Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do
maintenance of using spells like endure ele- not set off traps that are triggered by weight.
ments to keep the PCs going. This trait allows
the players to concentrate on the adventure and • Incorporeal creatures do not leave footprints,
the environment rather than on their spell lists. have no scent, and make no noise unless they
manifest, and even then they only make noise
Spirit Portal: Sometimes, a portal is built to intentionally.
allow observation and exploration without The traveler’s ghostly form remains linked to
exposing its users to a plane’s dangerous crea- his body. He must either travel back through
tures and noxious environment. Known as spir- the gate or use wish, miracle, or a similarly
it portals, these devices transport a spectral powerful magic to return to his normal state.
image of a traveler while keeping his body safe
on his home plane. When a character enters a Most gates designed for this use are built to
spirit portal, his body crumples to the ground. trigger when a user sits on a couch, chair, or
A Heal check (DC 15) reveals that he has throne with belts to keep his body secure while
dropped into a coma. In fact, the user’s spirit he travels. These gates always offer two-way
arrives at his destination in an incorporeal travel. Moving back through the gate returns an
52
incorporeal traveler to his body. A creature that
does not have a body waiting for it on the other
side cannot use the return gate. Normally, the
passage back through this gate has the limited
access trait (see above) set to forbid travel to

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

any creature that did not use the gate to enter
the plane or location.

Damage against the user’s incorporeal form

and his physical body counts against his total
hit points. His physical body is considered
helpless, leaving it vulnerable to coup de grace
attacks. If either the user’s physical body or his
incorporeal form is slain, he dies instantly.

In Your Campaign: While this trait allows only

a limited form of travel, it can serve an impor-
tant role in the campaign. The PCs may use a
portal with this trait to explore a hostile envi-
ronment, spy on a villain, or slip through a
fortress’s defenses. Usually, it is best to com-
bine this trait with the time limit ability
(described below) to prevent a clever player
from permanently turning his character into an
incorporeal being. A clever villain could use
this gate as part of a hoax, passing himself off
as undead and tricking the locals into thinking
an area is haunted.
dies before the duration elapses, his corpse (or
This portal can also set up some interesting whatever is left of it) is affected by this trait.
roleplaying encounters. The PCs could use this This effect extends to any items that character
portal to visit and negotiate with a powerful carries, including living creatures. See teleport
outsider. While incorporeal, they are immune for full details.
to many attacks. If the NPC they visit is pow-
erful enough that may not be sufficient protec- The time limit portal’s ability can be countered
tion, but it could be enough to force the NPC to with dispel magic or similar effects if such
at least hear them out before attacking. On the spells are used before the time limit expires.
other hand, if an NPC uses this gate, the char- The time limit’s effect counts as a 9th-level
acters face a much stronger than normal foe. A spell cast by a 20th-level wizard. Alternatively,
gang of bandits could use one of these gates to you can rule that the portal’s limits cannot be
rob and pillage the area around its exit point, counted in any manner.
forcing the party to track down the robbers’
point of origin to defeat them. In Your Campaign: The time limit trait is a use-
ful control to add to other powerful gate abili-
Time Limit: A time limit portal offers the ulti- ties, such as time travel, spirit portal, and trans-
mate protection against unwelcome access or formation. It allows you to bestow the charac-
attacks by alien beings. Time limit portals are ters with a potentially game-breaking advan-
designed to force a creature to return back tage without worrying that it could play havoc
through them after a limited time elapses. with your entire campaign. Once the portal’s
Using the portal places a timed teleport effect time limit runs out, the characters return to nor-
on a creature. If a certain time limit passes mal. In addition, it adds an element of the
before the creature passes through the portal on uncertain to a portal if the PCs know that they
a return trip, this effect immediately transports have only a limited about of time to complete a
him back through the portal whether he is will- mission or find an object on a portal’s far
ing or not. This effect functions as teleport cast side. The PCs must rush ahead to achieve
by a 20th-level wizard. If an affected creature their goals before the portal drags them
back across the planes.
53
 Time Travel: Not only does the portal allow Fortitude save (DC 25). Those that fail this
travel to a different location, but it also sends save or willingly accept the change gain the
users to a different time. These portals are benefits and drawbacks of their new form. To
either static or adjustable in operation. Static convert a creature that travels through one of
portals transport their users the same distance these gates, follow a few simple steps.
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

in time whenever they are used.

Adjustable ones can be set to transport The creature loses all benefits, drawbacks, and
users to different time periods each abilities it gains due to its race. This change
time they are used. When designing a may cause modifications to its ability scores,
portal, note the distance in time that special abilities, and so forth.
a static one transmits its users or the
range of times that an adjustable After removing any abilities and modifiers
one can be set to. An adjustable linked to a creature’s race, grant it all the
portal may allow its users to select modifiers, drawbacks, and abilities of its
from several different, specific new form. A creature’s alignment
time periods or it might allow him never changes, nor do any of
to designate the units of time for- the abilities it gains via
ward or backward he wants to go. class levels even if those
You may assign separate activa- levels are tied to a system of
tion checks and costs to a por- rules that allow a creature
tal’s time travel abilities. to gain levels in a mon-
ster type. The creature’s
In Your Campaign: Time equipment, including weapons
travel presents a host of and armor, changes
unique problems and to accommodate its
issues that you must new form. Items grow or
resolve before using it shrink to remain
in your campaign. the same rela-
Complete ideas and tive size as the
options for time travel creature.
are given later in this
chapter on page 60. In Your Campaign: A
portal with the transforma-
Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n : tion trait provides a memo-
Sometimes, a portal rable roleplaying experience as the
leads to a realm that PCs must adapt to their new forms,
presents such a dangerous environ- explore an alien world, and make use of
ment that its users must assume the new abilities that their form grants
wholly new forms in order to them. The characters could slip into
survive. Portals with the an enemy stronghold with their dis-
transformation trait alter guises, forcing them to
their users through a play a dangerous game of
polymorph effect to cat and mouse as they
give them new bodies work to uncover clues
adapted to their destina- while maintaining their cover. Usually,
tion environment. Travelers these portals also include the whispers of
bound for an airy realm may knowledge trait to teach the characters how to
be given forms with wings, while those sent to use their abilities and manage their forms.
a land of endless dark may gain darkvision or a
similar ability. In any case, the portal’s users You can grant the PCs powerful forms, such as
emerge with new bodies. They retain these frost giants or dragons, as long as you scale
forms until they make the return trip back encounters appropriately. Try pushing the lim-
through the gateway. its of the d20 System and make a journey to
another plane a memorable experience. If a
A creature affected by this gateway may portal has a time limit placed on it, you can go
attempt to resist the change by making a wild without fear of permanently altering your
54
campaign. Once the time limit elapses, the while granting knowledge of the giants’ lan-
characters are pulled back through the portal guage to a few of the unaltered PCs. The play-
and return to their normal forms. ers would have to be creative to come up with
a plan that allows their characters to masquer-
Variable: Some portals exhibit different char- ade as giants. Think of similar situations where

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

acteristics and traits each time they are used. a few characters’ gaining the benefits of portal
Some of these portals can be reset to different traits could cause problems for the party and
settings via mechanical levers and buttons or make adventures more interesting.
through arcane manipulation. Other portals
randomly acquire properties each time they are Vortex: A portal with this trait causes a planar
used, usually due to the gradual degradation of imbalance that draws energy and matter into
the magic that binds them and allows them to one end and out the other. To an observer, air
operate. In either case, a portal with the vari- and debris are sucked through the gate, while
able trait does not always act the same way on the other side the gate blasts the area with a
from use to use. gale-force wind that knocks creatures down
and showers them with material dragged
The programmable version of this trait allows a through its maw. A portal with this trait has an
user to add and subtract traits, set a new desti- entrance, where material is sucked into the
nation, and make other changes to a portals’ gate, and an exit, where it is ejected. One-way
operation. For example, a single trait could portals always have their entrance where they
lead to a world dominated by orcs, the plane of open and their exit where they lead to.
fire, and a wizard’s tower on the other side of
the planet. Each destination may have a variety At a vortex portal’s entrance, planar energies
of traits attached to it. When a destination is drag objects toward and into the gate. A 5-ft.-
selected, the portal automatically manifests wide open portal creates an area of suction with
traits useful for that locale. More advanced por- a 50-ft.-radius spread. For every additional 5 ft.
tals allow a user to select a destination and the of width, extend this spread by 20 ft. Creatures
traits he wants to use. within this area must make Strength checks
(DC 10) or be dragged 4d6 feet toward the por-
The erratic version of this trait causes a gate to tal. In addition, failure on this check reduces a
acquire random traits each time it is used. To creature’s speed to 0 ft. for all movement
design a gate with this trait, make a list of traits modes other than burrowing and knocks the
and assign a flat percentage that the trait occurs creature prone. A burrowing creature can
for each use. When a creature moves through escape by digging into the earth. Creatures that
the gate, check to see which traits to apply for make this check may move at half speed but
his trip. You can include one or two-way oper- may not fly.
ation and destinations when randomly deter-
mining a portal’s abilities. For the destination, All inanimate objects are dragged toward the
make a list of the possible areas the portal can portal at a speed based on their weight. All
lead to and randomly pick one each time the objects move a base of 4d6 feet per round
portal activates. toward the portal. Reduce this speed by 1d6 for
every 100 lbs. above 100 that the object
In Your Campaign: This trait can play havoc weighs. For example, a 200-lb. object would
with the players’ plans, as they use a gate once move 3d6 feet toward the portal each round.
and expect it to display the same characteristics
every time they travel through it. Be careful, At the portal’s exit, air and material drawn into
though, to avoid using this gate to arbitrarily the gate pour out of it and knock creatures and
kill the characters. A gate that randomly sends objects backward. A 5-ft.-wide open portal cre-
a character to the middle of a volcano might be ates an area of repulsion with a 50-ft.-radius
funny, but it is likely to annoy the players and spread. For every additional 5 ft. of width,
make them feel that your game is unfair and extend this spread by 20 ft. Creatures within
capricious. Focus on random aspects that could this area must make Strength checks (DC 10)
complicate the characters’ lives without or be forced 4d6 feet away from the portal and
instantly killing them. For example, perhaps a be knocked prone. A character pushed out of
portal to a world inhabited by frost giants trans- the gate’s area of effect completes any
forms some of the characters into that race compulsory movement but is then free of
55
 the gate’s effects. On a failed check, a creature across a doorway, open it, and suddenly find
cannot move toward the gate unless it burrows. themselves sucked into a different world. This
It can move in any other direction as normal. portal also works as a passage that connects to
On a successful check, a creature can move a planar vortex. Try using one of these portals
toward the gate at half its normal speed, though to spice up the scene of an important battle. The
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

it cannot fly in that direction. characters must fight while they (and their ene-
mies) are pushed, pulled, and generally bat-
All inanimate objects are pushed away from tered about by the vortex’s howling winds.
the portal at a speed based on their weight. All
objects move a base of 4d6 feet per round away Whispers of Knowledge: While some portals
from the portal. Reduce this speed by 1d6 for bestow spells and abilities on their users to help
every 100 lbs. above 100 that the object them survive in an alien environment, a portal
weighs. For example, a 200-lb. object would with this ability literally teaches its users how
move 3d6 feet away from the portal each to navigate an alien society or fend for them-
round. Once an object moves out of the gate’s selves in a strange wilderness. Portals with the
area, it is no longer subject to this effect. whispers of knowledge trait grant their users
temporary skill ranks, languages, and feats.
A creature pulled into the gate is ejected from These abilities persist for a number of days
the other end. It must make a Strength check equal to the user’s Intelligence score. Since
(DC 10) or be thrown 4d6 feet out of the gate’s these skills and feats are only temporary abili-
exit. On a successful check, the creature stum- ties, they cannot be used to fulfill the prerequi-
bles from the gate and appears next to it as nor- sites to any ability.
mal. However, it must make Strength checks as
normal to resist the gate’s effects on subsequent Normally, this trait confers ranks in skills such
rounds. as Knowledge, Survival, Swim, and Climb.
These skills can spell the difference between
When the vortex gate blasts a creature away life and death in a planar realm. For example, a
from its exit, you can either pick a likely desti- portal to a world inhabited by outsiders bound
nation for it or you can use the following ran- by an intricate code of honor could give its
dom method. Start the creature’s movement in users the knowledge needed to communicate
a random square adjacent to the gate. Then, with those creatures without insulting their
move it away from the gate by randomly select- honor. Normally, these gates grant up to 8 ranks
ing an adjacent square until the creature in a skill. Treat these ranks as if a character
exhausts its movement. Always move the crea- selected them as normal. They cannot be used
ture away from the gate. This random process to violate the standard cap on skill ranks based
should never allow the creature to move closer on level, and characters that count a skill as
to the gate. If the creature hits a solid object, cross-class gain a half rank per rank spent on it.
the creature and whatever it hits suffer damage For example, a gate to a realm inhabited by a
as if they fell a distance equal to the total dis- race adept with arcane magic grants 8 ranks in
tance the creature moves. The creature’s move- Spellcraft. A fighter, who counts Spellcraft as a
ment then ends. If it hit a living creature, its tar- cross-class skill, would gain a total maximum
get must immediately make a Strength check bonus of +4, while a wizard, who has Spellcraft
(DC 10). If the moving creature is larger than as a class skill, could gain up to a +8 bonus.
the one it hit, its target must make this check
with a –4 circumstance penalty per size catego- While languages are normally purchased using
ry below the creature that struck it. If it is larg- skill ranks, these portals grant full command of
er, it gains a +4 circumstance bonus per size a language regardless of a character’s class and
category above the creature that struck it. Intelligence.

In Your Campaign: A vortex gate provides a In Your Campaign: Like the spells or transfor-
sudden, nasty surprise for characters who per- mation traits, this trait is a convenient ability
haps treat gates as simple doorways to be used that makes it easier for the PCs to cope with
at will. A vortex portal also serves to force the planar travel. Many times, dealing with alien
PCs into a portal that they are perhaps not cultures goes from being an intriguing chal-
ready to handle, especially if it is disguised as lenge to a frustrating obstacle when the PCs
a mundane doorway. The characters come cannot communicate with the creatures they
56
 meet or navigate their culture. Use this trait to the other hand, a portal from a port city to a
give the characters the basic skills and abilities dwarven silver mine is likely to cause a major
they need to interact with the creatures they boom in trade between those two places. The
meet and handle the basic necessities of life on dwarves can save money and labor moving
another plane. their heavy, bulky wares, while the port can

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

profit from the sale of silver goods to the many
The Portal Stat Block merchants who drop anchor at its docks. In this
case, both parties benefit economically from
Like monsters, portals are described using a the link forged between them.
generic stat block that summarizes their specif-
ic abilities and characteristics. This section Other times, a portal can open up an isolated
details the stat block, describing its traits and realm for exploration and settlement. A portal
standard format. All sample portals in this book that leads to a distant forest could give an over-
use this format. crowded kingdom the room it needs to expand.
If the kingdom has no room to grow without
Portal Name (Size, Operation, Direction): invading its neighbors, it can now send settlers
Destination, trait (applicable notes). and explorers through the gate to ease its pop-
Portal Name: The portal’s title or a short ulation pressures and uncover new raw materi-
description of its appearance. als to exploit. Of course, this could lead to a
Size: The largest creature that can move whole new set of problems. The settlers could
through the portal. blunder into an elf kingdom’s sacred groves
Operation: How the portal transports a crea- and unwittingly chop them down. A horde or
ture: blink, open, or projection. orcs and goblins could sweep through the area
Destination: Where the portal leads. and use the portal to attack the kingdom, or
Traits: Each trait the portal possesses, along what the colonists thought was an isolated,
with any special notes or details concerning it unclaimed wilderness could be in the heart of a
listed in parentheses. For example, a limited distant empire. In any case, the unknown
access portal should list the various traits and nature of the destination realm could lead to
abilities that the trait is keyed to operate on. many unforeseen complications.

Politically, a portal can grant tremendous

Portals in the power and influence to whoever discovers it. In
both the scenarios outlined above, whoever
controls the portal stands to profit from the
Campaign increased trade and the flow of people and
materials through it. He could charge a fee or
tax to travel into the gate, or he could gain
One of the consequences of portals in a cam- tremendous influence with the king and other
paign world is that they make travel much eas- nobles.
ier. Easier travel leads to faster communication,
more efficient trade, and greater economic With those thoughts in mind, consider the
power. Thus, it follows that anyone who con- guilds, religions, nations, and other groups in
trols a portal stands to make a tremendous prof- your campaign world that could control a por-
it from it while accumulating political power. tal or might make use of one. Consider how
When considering how to add portals to your common portals are in your campaign. The
world, think of the economic, social, and polit- more common portals are, the more likely that
ical repercussions they may have. Portals are a given group controls one. After all, with door-
not likely to remain isolated in the wilderness ways to other worlds common knowledge and
or locked away in a dungeon if someone in easily constructed, most groups with the
power determines he can profit from it. resources to construct one will do so. On the
other hand, this makes controlling and using a
Of course, a portal must lead somewhere useful portal less likely to give a group any decisive
or interesting for it to hold any potential for advantages over its rivals. If everyone has
profitable use. A portal to the depths of hell is access to portals, the advantages and benefits
little more than a death trap. The authorities, if they can give tend to cancel each other
they are good or neutral-aligned, are likely to out.
destroy or at least contain such a passage. On
57
 If portals are relatively rare, then a portal is
more likely to grant a group a decisive advan- Government
tage. However, chances are that unless an
established group actively seeks a portal or has A government’s use of a portal is probably
the means to construct one, an up-and-coming determined by its alignment. Evil regimes may
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

political or economic power group could gain seek to conquer and exploit the lands on the
control of it. A portal’s advantages are not other side, neutral governments would use a
always obvious. A mercantile guild that relies portal if they could profit from it, and good
on shipping and overland travel to move goods ones would likely err on the side of caution lest
might be suspicious of a portal. Change is a the portal allow a powerful force to invade the
daunting prospect to those in power, especially land. In any case, the portal’s strategic and eco-
if they must risk their resources and power to nomic benefits would be harnessed for the
take advantage of it. Thus, your campaign state’s benefit. Troops and scouts would use it
world could see a new guild, religion, or king- to cut down on travel times if the portal led
dom rise in power as it uses a portal to advance somewhere on the same world, while a planar
its cause. gateway might be secured and guarded by a
powerful fighting force.
While portals offer advantages to different
groups, the exact nature of those benefits dif- Once it is clear that mob of demons or a simi-
fers from one type of organization to the next. larly destructive force does not lurk directly on
A temple may use a portal to contact its divine the other side, the government would move to
leaders, while a merchant house may use it to explore the distant land and investigate its
open up new trade routes. Listed below are var- potential uses. Again, alignment plays a role in
ious groups and factions that may exist in your this reconnaissance. An evil lord would proba-
campaign world along with some ideas on how bly send a heavily armed and armored group to
each could exploit a portal, what changes that capture a few locals and question them, while a
could bring to a campaign world, and how the neutral or good ruler would rely on a diplomat
characters could become involved in them. backed up by enough soldiers to repel any
attacks.
Criminals If a government controls a portal, chances are
A thieves’ guild or criminal cartel would see a that it applies tight restrictions on who is
portal as a convenient way to cover its crimes. allowed to travel through it. A portal is a poten-
It could turn its attention to the world on the tially dangerous tool, especially if the world on
other side of the portal, especially if the portal the other side is rife with monsters and other
is concealed on its destination end. The guild threats. In the interests of maintaining safety
could either steal from residents on the other and security, the government may allow only a
side or find narcotics and rare items to import select few explorers and researchers through
and sell on the black market. A city suddenly the gate. The characters could be part of such a
swamped with strange, noxious chemicals team, tasked with exploring the gate’s far end
from foul realms could have a group of smug- and determining if large-scale operations are
glers traveling to distant planes to find nar- safe to conduct.
cotics and similar goods to sell on the streets.
The thieves could draw the wrath of a powerful Religion
figure on the portal’s far side, leading to an
invasion into the city as soldiers and enforcers Of all the groups listed here, a religious order
seek to track down the criminals. A thieves’ stands to gain the most from a gateway. A tem-
guild could bribe government officials to wage ple could feature several portals to distant
war against the invaders, tricking the authori- realms of the gods or other places from its
ties into fighting their own battle for them. The myths and teachings. Clerics could travel to a
characters may have to step into this conflict to miniature plane where angels, devils, or similar
bring it to a halt and unite both sides in seeking beings instruct them in the art of divine magic
the true villains. and the teachings of the faith. Powerful reli-
gious figures, those who guide the faithful on a
national or continental level, might even go to
the divine planes to have a personal audience
with their gods.
58
 The more active the gods are in your campaign If a society has access to a portal, trade and
worlds events, the more likely they are to con- profit are most likely the two engines that drive
tact and confer with their mortal followers. its use. If money can be made from something,
Angels and other outsiders might be common someone will find a way to exploit it. Trade
sites in a city’s temple district, while an adven- drove many of the European explorers who

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

ture into an evil temple could include a side ventured to the Far East and into the New
trek into hell or a similar infernal realm. If an World. In the same manner, ambitious trade
evil priest kidnapped an important person or magnates and noblemen could task explorers,
seized a magic item, the characters might have such as the PCs, with establishing new trade
to use the dark temple’s gateway routes through a portal and open-
to track him down. Any ing diplomatic relations with
trip into a chapel of evil any civilizations on the other
could promise to send side.
the characters
halfway across
the cosmos.
Widespread Use
Slipping away Depending on the level of
to another plane magic in your campaign
would prove a world, you may decide
useful way to that portals are a common
evade pursuit, method of travel.
and any impor- Civilizations rich in
tant figure in a arcane power and magi-
temple’s hierarchy cal technology could
could find refuge develop a network of por-
in his deity’s tals to link their cities, aid
home. in their defense, and open
up trade routes to other
Trade worlds and planes. There
are a number of repercus-
Merchants and sions this approach can
other business- have on your game
men stand to world.
profit tremen-
dously from por- First, a reduction in travel
tals. Transporting time makes rare and hard
goods is a major to find items much easier to
cost, as not only purchase. Even the smallest town
must a trader pay for can have a well-stocked market so long
guards, wagons, ships, as it has access to a portal. Weapons,
and so forth, but ban- armor, magic items, and other trade goods
dits, monsters, and useful to adventurers would be available in
other threats can destroy any town with a portal. The characters could
a caravan or steal items visit the local blacksmith and place a magi-
in transit. A portal not only makes it easier to cal weapon on order. Even if the craftsman
move goods, but it also makes it much more lacks the skill needed to create such a weapon,
reliable. A portal that leads to an exotic realm he can use the portal system to find someone
can be a particularly rich boon. A merchant can who does. A powerful merchant family or trade
sell his wares as exotic, foreign goods on guild might even construct a series of ware-
another plane, use his profits to buy local trade houses linked by portals that offer almost any
items, then sell them on his home plane at item for sale.
greatly increased prices. In both cases, a mer-
chant can buy items that are command inex- The government can become much more con-
pensive to one group and sell them to another trolling and active in local affairs with the
as rare and valuable artifacts. use of portals. Rather than filter messages
through spells available only to powerful
59
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

spellcasters or via messengers, a portal allows risks for your world’s developments. Any
a direct connection from one point to another. changes the characters cause spin off towards
The king could demand that his dukes and your world’s future, allowing you to conve-
barons attend an audience in his throne room niently duck their ramifications. Since the char-
on a moment’s notice. The noblemen must sim- acters lack knowledge of the world’s future,
ply step through a portal, meet with their lord, they do not have to deal with any changes on a
and then step back through. Normally, such firsthand basis. Travel back in time, on the
communication would be impossible without other hand, poses a host of potential issues.
the use of magic. Portals make it much easier These problems can be overcome, but it pays to
for a central authority to enforce strict control think about them before leaping into time trav-
over its outlying areas. el adventures.

The key problem in time travel is that the char-

The Perils of Time Travel acters can go back in time, do something that
changes history, and then move back forward
You can use portals to allow characters to trav- to their original era. Sometimes, these changes
el through time. While this may seem like a are simple. If the PCs kill the lich king before
simple and fun option, it opens up a lot of he can conquer the world, they return to a land
issues you may want to consider. Since the freed from his tyrannical grasp. Many changes
characters’ actions in history can sweep back to require much more thought than that. A PC
affect the present era of your campaign world, could go back in time and inadvertently kill his
you need to consider how time travel works in ancestors. In that case, does the PC suddenly
your campaign and its ramifications for your cease to exist? If so, how could he go back in
world. time to murder his own family? Are his actions
erased along with his physical form? After all,
Most of this advice applies to travel back- he never existed now that his great-grandpar-
ward in time. Traveling forward poses few ents are dead. You need to resolve how history
60
changes, if at all, and what effect it has on your they move along the divergent timeline they
game world’s current time period. created.

Alternate worlds offer the easiest way to handle If you want to give time-traveling characters
these changes in a clean, simple manner. Under the option of altering history, you need to think

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

this arrangement, each plane or world consists through the ramifications of this choice. As
of an infinite number of realms that exist in pointed out above, the characters run the risk of
parallel along different time streams. Each creating a seemingly endless loop of possibili-
major (or even minor) decision or event ties. If event A spawns event B, which in turn
spawns different versions of the same world, prevents A, how can A ever happen in the first
each of which contains the various outcomes place? One way to avoid this is to treat the
created by an event. future as indeterminate. When the characters
travel back in time, from their perspective the
For example, a horde of orcs invades a human future is no longer set. Their changes alter his-
kingdom. On one world’s timeline, the orcs tory, but their own future selves are now in
win and destroy the land. On another’s, the limbo. There is only one timeline, and each
humans drive the orcs back into the wilderness. time someone travels back along it he undoes
Each world has the same basic characteristics, the history he leaps over. Traveling to the
but their histories diverge wildly. future is either impossible or history proceeds
without the character’s interference until he
This explanation allows you to easily sweep arrives in the future.
away any changes. If the PCs go back in time
and mess around with history, they merely History could be such a powerful force that,
spawn new, parallel worlds. The time period while the PCs can cause minor changes, events
they hail from remains unchanged. A PC might proceed as they did before in terms of general
cease to exist in one variant, but he remains trends and events. If the characters go back in
alive on others. A traveler can jump from world time to defeat a villain who would go on to
to world, wreaking havoc while leaving his conquer the world, one of his lieutenants takes
original timeline intact. his place and completes his plans. The details
may change, but the general progression of
While this solution provides a convenient events remains the same.
explanation for almost anything the PCs do, it
undercuts the dramatic tension in time travel If you want to give the PCs the chance to truly
scenarios. The characters might travel back in alter history, they run the risk of destroying
time, but their actions have no effect on the themselves. In this case, even a minor change
time they hail from. They can cut down the evil could cause a chain of events that prevents a
overlord, but they bring peace to a variant, par- PC from existing. If the characters travel to the
allel world. Their own time remains in his past and lead an army to victory that was sup-
clutches. This option is best used when you posed to lose, a soldier who now survived the
want the characters to visit distant times, but conflict may meet a PC’s ancestor, marry her,
their actions are not driven by a desire to alter and prevent the character’s parents from ever
history. meeting (or existing). In this case, the character
suffers from temporal instability. As he causes
You should also consider if travel between changes to history, there is a variable chance
alternate timelines is possible. If so, the charac- that he is either immediately sent back to the
ters could meet alternate versions of them- future or annihilated. If changing history is
selves. In other timelines, they could be foul impossible, the time stream corrects the anom-
villains or simple peasants. This could lead to aly by returning a PC to his home time and
some fun roleplaying opportunities, and the undoing everything he did to alter history. In
characters could also visit alternate worlds the second case, history changes and destroys
where villains they previously defeated are the character. Only fixing the changes he made
alive and well. If you disallow travel to alter- can bring him back. A character annihilated in
nate timelines, this makes changes to history history cannot be returned to life by any means
more important. Once the PCs change the past, mundane or magical means. Since he no
they can no longer go back to their original longer exists and never did exist, he can-
time period. Instead, when they travel forward not be returned to life.
61
 The historical alterations table lists the various with both of those realms. You can use these
levels of change a character can make and the ideas in addition to or in place of the astral and
associated chance that he ends up tossed back ethereal.
through time or erased from the historical
record. A faint change is anything localized to The River of Worlds: This body of cosmic
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

a very small area, such as a village, and affects water is the firmament in which the planes are
events for no more than a month. A light nestled. A brave traveler with a ship, crew, and
change covers anything that covers a slightly plenty of supplies could theoretically sail from
larger area, such as a small town, and has ram- one end of the cosmos to another. The river
ifications that persist for up to a year. A medi- provides access to most of the planes, but it is
um change encompasses anything that kills a a dangerous place fraught with aquatic and oth-
person who has a minor effect on history or has erworldly horrors.
a widespread, decade-long impact on events. A
heavy change involves killing a person who The Vortex: This phenomenon is a tempest of
plays a major, though supporting, role in his- air and energy that you must fly through in
torical events and includes any change likely to order to navigate. A careless traveler can be
have an impact on the character’s present. An dragged into one and tossed into a random
overwhelming change includes anything that plane. Vortices are notoriously difficult to nav-
radically shifts the nature and condition of the igate, but they offer access to a wide number of
character’s present era. times and places.

Historical Alterations Table The Wormholes: A network of tunnels in the

fabric of reality that characters can travel
Change Type Chance of Correction through to visit other planes. Strange creatures
Faint 1% and even entire cultures thrive in some areas of
Light 10% these tunnels. Like a vortex, a wormhole is a
Medium 25% dangerous but potentially useful portal.
Heavy 50%
Overwhelming 90%
The River of Worlds:
Sailing on the Sea of
Worlds Creation
Between The priests claim that in the beginning, there
was nothing. When the gods first formed the
cosmos, they built it from the vast, empty infin-
In addition to portals, some planes serve as lit- ity of space. Yet, they had to start somewhere.
tle more than passages to the vast expanse of Before the first bricks of creation could be laid,
the cosmos. Most notable among these realms the gods needed a foundation on which all of
are the wormholes, the vortices, the great tree the cosmos could stand. Thus was the river of
of the cosmos, and the river of worlds. These worlds born. Just as water bounds the conti-
realms serve as alternates to the traditional nents and encompasses the world, so too does
astral and ethereal planes. Those two domains it envelop and hold the very planes of exis-
normally serve as the bridge between the char- tence. In some cases, travelers can even sail off
acters’ homeworld and the outer realms. They the edge of a world and into the endless waters
are covered in depth in other supplements and between the planes. However, most worlds
are given only nominal attention here. Instead, float within the river but have no physical con-
this book focuses on alternatives that can serve nection to it. Instead, an explorer must employ
as the glue that binds a cosmology together. a portal or powerful spell to open a passage to
this infinite waterway.
If your players immediately think about the
astral and ethereal when you mention the The easiest way to picture the river of worlds is
planes, the alternatives presented here can give to think of it as an infinite body of water with
them a nice surprise and keep your campaign islands dotted across its surface. These islands
fresh and unique. In addition, these worlds are entire worlds and planes. In some cases,
between were designed to mesh smoothly they resemble normal islands in that they phys-
62
 CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds
ically touch the river’s waters. These islands plane of water, spawn the many creatures and
are smaller planes or realms whose physical outsiders that inhabit the seas, oceans, and
waters are provided by the river of worlds. In rivers of other planes. To these creatures, the
other cases, they are translucent spheres that surface of the river is a strange, alien place.
float in the water. Bound within these spheres They are usually too involved in their own
are stars, planets, even entire galaxies. In either affairs to disturb travelers, but in some areas
case, a brave explorer could pierce his world’s monstrous beasts of the planar river attack trav-
sphere or simply sail to the edge of his plane to elers of all sorts. Sharks, squids, water demons,
enter the river of worlds. From there, he can and worse prowl the currents in search of an
travel to anywhere in the cosmos. easy meal. Some sages theorize that beasts as
large as a plane prowl the deepest areas of the
The river of worlds operates outside of the laws river. These monsters, if they exist, may even
that normally bind the planes. A ship could sail predate the gods. Stories of lost worlds that dis-
between two worlds in a few days, as the appeared form the watery firmament suggest
mighty planar currents carry it through space that these creatures are capable of devouring
and time. From the perspective of the men and entire worlds. Still, no direct evidence of such
women aboard the ship, they spend a few days destruction exists, though some sages claim
sailing at a leisurely speed. In terms of the cos- that when a world dies, all memories of it per-
mos, they travel billions of miles—if the space ish along with its physical form.
between worlds could even be given physical
dimensions. Such is the power of the river that The sky above the river of worlds is dark but
distant realms seem like islands in a small sea. dotted with enough distant stars to provide a
steady, if dim, radiance. High in the air above
The waters of the river are cool to the touch and the river, gateways to the elemental plane of air
infinitely deep. In some areas, entire worlds float along with spheres and world islands
and planes exist deep within it. These aquatic that are dominated by that element. At
worlds, including gateways to the elemental times, swirling clouds of bright ether
63
 drift above the sea, providing short periods of and enters the island’s world. The sky shifts,
bright light. the air changes, and the ship arrives at the outer
edge of the world’s oceans. Sometimes the bor-
Unlike a terrestrial sea, the river of worlds is der between the planes allows a ship to appear
mostly calm and smooth. Few planar winds a few miles from shore, but other times a trav-
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

blow through this area, as they swirl high eler must journey hundreds or thousands of
above in the realm of air. Still, sometimes miles to reach civilization.
storms the size of entire worlds swoop down to
toss the waters and disturb the firmament of the The border between a world island and the
islands. These calamities strike perhaps once river of worlds operates as a portal. It can be
every thousand years, yet the stories of the given a variety of traits that allow voyagers to
destruction and upheavals they cause echo adapt to life on it, though these abilities usual-
through history. Great cataclysms within the ly reflect the world’s characteristics rather than
planes can be attributed to these storms, and some planned set of abilities selected by an
entire races and historical epochs have been intelligent being.
wiped away by them. Earthquakes, tidal waves,
a rain of fire, and worse can all befall a world The world spheres, the planes that float within
when its island or sphere within the river is bubbles upon the sea, are more difficult to enter
rocked by a rampaging planar storm. than the islands. These realms must be entered
through a portal on the outer edge of the
In some areas, the river of worlds steams and sphere’s surface. Not every world sphere fea-
boils from the fiery heat of the plane of fire. tures gates on its surface, requiring a traveler to
Known as the boiling seas, these stretches of use advanced spells and magic items to access
the river bound spheres dominated by the ele- it. Other times, these portals are located above
ment of fire. The islands in these areas are the waterline, leaving them open only to crea-
choked with volcanoes and burning plains, tures with the ability to fly.
while salamanders and fire elementals prowl
their shores. A few planar sages theorize that to A portal located on a sphere’s edge works just
the creatures of the plane of fire, the river of like a gateway as described above. It can fea-
worlds is a hellish place of endless water. Evil ture any traits, though like a world island these
criminals from that plane are banished to the abilities are determined by the plane’s charac-
river, leading the few fire creatures found in the teristics rather than by directed, intelligent
planar river to be overly aggressive, hateful, design. These portals can lead anywhere with-
and murderous. Unfortunately, the glow of the in the plane or world they access, and without
flaming islands serves as a natural beacon for divination magic there is little chance that an
travelers who have lost their way. Many unfor- explorer can determine where a gate will take
tunates have sailed to their dooms when they him.
ventured too close to a burning island.
As with the world islands, a sphere does not
The plane of earth is bound to the river through represent the true size of the world it bounds.
the many islands and world spheres that float To an outside observer, a sphere may be a few
within it. In many ways, this element is in the hundred miles across, or even smaller, yet it
closest harmony with the river. While air soars can contain within it an infinite world, plane, or
above it and fire smolders within it, the island even collection of the two. Researchers theo-
worlds of earth mingle with the river’s waters rize that the world spheres and islands are
and form a balanced equilibrium. The world merely shadows reflected through the planar
islands appear to be nothing more than a bindings upon the river of worlds. Rather than
mariner would sight on a terrestrial ocean. physically encompass a world, they are merely
aspects or avatars of its characteristics and
However, the planar bindings of the river allow place among the planes. This explains why
a gargantuan world to appear as nothing more water is not the most powerful of the four ele-
than an island a few hundred miles across. As a ments, even though some sages argue that it
ship approaches, the island seems to grow dis- should be, given its importance on the river.
proportionately larger as the distance to it
dwindles. Finally, when a ship approaches In addition to the worlds and islands that dot
close enough, it crosses the planar bounds the river, in some isolated spots entire floating
64
 cities built from the flotsam and jetsam of the If you would rather not bother with any details
planar tides ride the currents. These places are of a sea voyage, you can simply assign a trip
inhabited by a variety of creatures, including across the river an arbitrary length in days that
planar travelers stopping to rest and re-supply fits your campaign or the adventure you cur-
and aquatic creatures that dwell within the river rently are running for your group.

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

itself. Furthermore, the powerful energy that
sweeps across the river causes various magical In addition to the obvious hazards of sailing,
phenomena to be much more common on the such as drowning, aquatic monsters, and bad
river of worlds than on mundane waterways. weather, the river of worlds displays a wide
Ghost ships, sea-going fey, regions of magical range of traits and characteristics. In some
flux, and other manifestations are relatively areas, magic ceases to function, while in others
common, presenting additional hazards to a thick fog reduces visibility to nothing. Use
mariners who brave its waters. the planar traits listed in Chapter 3 to add
unique features and abilities to stretches of the
Physically, the river of worlds resembles a river. To voyage from one world to the next, the
placid lake. A steady current pulls ships and characters may have to sail through an area of
other debris steadily in one direction, though it searing heat, a region fraught with icebergs,
rarely reaches speeds above a brisk walk. Since and a stretch of water where all magic refuses
compasses do not function on the river, travel- to function. The river of worlds is as varied as
ers refer to this direction as “the flow.” the many planes and realms that float upon it.
Directions are usually given with respect to the
current. For example, a traveler may be told to To determine the wind’s direction on the river,
sail four days with the flow to his right and two roll a d4. Treat a result of 1 as with the flow, 2
more against it to reach a specific world island. as moving with the flow to its right, 3 as
Luckily, the spheres and islands are large against the flow, and 4 as moving with the flow
enough that even imprecise directions can lead to its left. You can check for the wind’s direc-
a mariner to them. tion every 2d4 hours. Do not bother checking
for the wind unless the characters’ ship relies
A strong breeze, enough to propel a sailing ves- on it for propulsion. Otherwise, you can wait
sel, usually blows across the river’s waters. until the wind’s heading is important enough to
Unlike the flow, the wind is difficult to predict. mention before determining it.
It changes directions every five or six hours,
and seems to shift from one direction to the One of the greatest threats facing a traveler on
next with neither rhyme nor reason. the river of worlds is the array of monstrous
Theologians believe that the wind and the river beasts that lurk deep within its waters. A trav-
current represent a careful, harmonious balance eler might encounter a band of marauding
between the forces of law and chaos. While law sahuagin or a group of merfolk looking to buy
rules the river’s waters, the forces of chaos or sell trade goods. Sometimes, though, the
command the wind that swirls above it. truly horrific beasts of the deep emerge from
the river to smash a ship to pieces and devour
The river’s waters are generally free of obstruc- the hapless sailors.
tion, but in some places mariners face a variety
of hazards. The area around a plane or island A variety of strange creatures lurk within the
tends to reflect a realm’s characteristics. The waters. Each hour, there is a 5% chance that the
waters around a fiery plane boil and bubble, characters encounter a creature on the river.
while those near a frigid realm are choked with Roll on the threat table to determine the nature
icebergs and other threats. In the space of a few of the encounter, then on the appropriate sub-
days, a ship could encounter a wide variety of table to determine the exact threat. Normally, it
climates. is best to keep encounters appropriate to the
party’s level. If a random encounter indicates a
Game Rules powerful creature that could easily overwhelm
the PCs, allow them to escape or describe the
You can handle travel on the river of worlds creature as lurking in the distance for some
using the standard rules for sea voyages, such time before it swims away. Such encounters
as those presented in the Seafarer’s Handbook. remind the players that the river of worlds
Presenting complete rules for waterborne is a dangerous place without forcing
adventures is beyond the scope of this section.
65
 them to fight a battle they have no hope of win- a specific gate and may ask the char-
ning. acters to aid them. If they have the
information he needs, he may reward
The encounter tables list a creature’s CR. Tailor them with information of his own or a
the number of monsters so that the EL makes minor magic item. If they cannot help
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

them an appropriate challenge for the party’s them, he may attack or use a spell to
level. harass them depending on his align-
ment.
Threat Table
41–60 A swarm of outsiders rushes through
d% Result the air. A few of them (numbers and
1–50 Roll on the aquatic monsters table strength appropriate to the party’s
51–75 Roll on the intelligent aquatic crea- level) decides to have some fun with
tures table the characters while the rest travel on.
76–98 Roll on the travelers from another The characters could face demons,
world table devils, or even a group of malicious
99–100 Roll on the beast from the depths table elementals.
Aquatic Monsters Table 61–80 A dragon flies overhead. If the crea-
d% Creature CR ture is evil, it may swoop down to
1–6 Aboleth 7 plunder the PCs’ ship or devour them.
7–15 Chuul 7 A good dragon may ignore them or
16–24 Dinosaur, elasmosaurus 5 stop to question them out of curiosity.
25–32 Dire shark 9
33–35 Dragon turtle 9 81–100 A mighty storm giant keeps his castle
36–45 Water elemental, Small 1 beneath the waves near the PCs’ cur-
46–55 Water elemental, Medium 3 rent location. The giant arises from the
56–60 Water elemental, Large 5 river to demand tribute for invading
61–65 Gibbering mouther 5 his territory. If the PCs are friendly and
66–70 Kraken 12 treat him with respect, he asks only for
71–79 Sea lion 4 a few coppers. If they are arrogant,
80–89 Tojanida, juvenile 3 demanding, or obviously evil, he
90–95 Tojanida, adult 5 forces them to pay hundreds of gold
96–100 Tojanida, elder 9 pieces or smashes their ship to splin-
ters.
Intelligent Aquatic Creatures Table
Beast from the Depths Table
d% Result
1–20 Elf, aquatic 1/2 d% Result
21–40 Locathah 1/2 1–10 Elasmosaurus
41–50 Water mephit 3 11–20 Dire shark
51–70 Merfolk 1/2 21–30 Dragon turtle
71–90 Sahuagin 2 31–50 Large water elemental
91–100 Triton 4 51–60 Huge water elemental
61–65 Greater water elemental
Travelers from Another World Table 66–70 Elder water elemental
71–80 Sea hag
d% Result 81–85 Kraken
1–20 Another ship laden with trade goods 86–95 Adult tojanida
sails into view. The captain and his 96–100 Elder tojanida
crew are traders from an alien world
who could share news with the charac- In Your Game
ters, offer them items for sale, or
attempt to swindle them. The river of worlds can serve as a complete
maritime setting for your campaign, with the
21–40 A lone wizard using a magical characters voyaging between the worlds on
device to fly soars overhead. He seeks ships, via aerial creatures, or with magical
66
spells or items. The characters could be traders You could use this connecting realm in addition
or explorers who go from world to world in to the astral and ethereal planes, with both of
search of artifacts, to complete quests, or sim- those realms maintaining their position in the
ply to visit strange lands. In essence, you can cosmology of your campaign world. The river
treat the river of worlds like a huge ocean with of worlds might only allow access to various

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

many bizarre lands scattered across it. The PCs realms populated by mortal creatures. The ele-
could sail to the plane of fire for a series of mental planes, the gods’ realms, and other dis-
adventures, travel to a world covered in steamy tant areas might exist outside of it. The river
jungles, then visit a realm where steam-driven could even be a plane of its own, a monstrous
engines exist side by side with arcane and realm with many smaller sub-worlds scattered
divine magic. The characters could even be throughout its waters.
messengers or traders who work among the
gods, moving from one deity’s realm to the The settlements on the river are usually float-
next on economic or political missions. ing islands constructed from timbers and other
debris scavenged from the water. In some
The islands and sites on the river can include cases, smaller islands a few miles wide and
many odd or mystifying sites. Many of the long stand in the water. These small stretches
creatures encountered on the waters are out- of dry land host trading posts, shipyards, and
siders and other mighty beings who not only other depots useful to the explorers and mer-
wield magical and martial power but are intel- chants who wander this realm. For ideas and
ligent, cunning creatures. A demon would not guidelines on how these settlements could
simply soar over the water in search of victims. evolve, refer to the trade town description
Rather, it could recruit pirate ships and crew given under the wormhole entry below.
them with minor demonic creatures and other
monsters. The PCs could fight a corsair cap-
tained by a vrock and manned by ghouls, half-
The Vortex: The Winds
fiends, and dretches. Consider the typical nau- Between Worlds
tical NPCs that a party could encounter and
replace them with outsiders, elementals, and Sages, wizards, and other spellcasters have
other creatures that travel the planes. long debated the nature of the materials that
separate the planes. Many believe that the
The worlds that exist within the river could astral and ethereal are the raw stuff of reality,
have little contact or extensive contact with its buffer zones that serve to segregate the planes
waters. Even the inhabitants of an island world and instill some semblance of order into the
may be unaware of their position in the cosmos great structure of reality. Others disagree. They
if the passages to the river are located far out to see the astral and ethereal as “super planes,”
sea. Developing the technology to open-ocean realms that dwarf other domains and, due to
sailing is no easy task, while the areas where their immense size, provide ready access to a
the river overlaps with terrestrial bodies of wide number of worlds. The material between
water could be difficult to find or located in the worlds is instead an alien, hostile environ-
remote areas. ment that is difficult to travel yet potentially a
pathway to worlds beyond count. They point to
In either case, unless a world’s inhabitants have vortices, whirling tornadoes of raw celestial
reason to seek out the river they may never energy that are dotted with vast numbers of
realize it exists. Other worlds may conduct portals.
extensive trade on the river, especially if they
have access to powerful magic or are accom- A vortex resembles the inside of a whirlpool or
plished mariners. In that case, these worlds a great funnel of energy. Its walls consist of
could acquire a cosmopolitan, universal flair. churning, shimmering, gray energy that has
Outsiders mingle with humans and elves at proven impervious to all known spells, attacks,
dockside markets, while a port city’s foreign and effects. In some areas, the walls are hun-
quarter plays host to a far wider range of races dreds of miles apart, while in others barely a
and cultures than the barbarians from beyond mile separates them. The energy flows like a
the empire’s borders. In this sort of world, trav- whirlpool, creating tremendous force that
el between the planes is seen as a dangerous but pulls objects forever downward.
commonly undertaken task.
67
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Along the vortex’s sides appear gateways to

other worlds. These passages are as varied as Within the vortex, debris from hundreds of
the destinations they lead to. Some are door- worlds swirls through the air. The interior is
ways to other worlds that a traveler must sim- bathed in pale gray light the intensity of sun-
ply walk through, while others transform their light on a dreary, overcast day. At random inter-
users into forms suitable to survive in their des- vals, the gates that surround the vortex’s
tination realm. periphery belch forth dirt, wreckage, debris,
and even living creatures.
Gaining access to these portals is typically far
more difficult than actually using them. The Entering a vortex is a tricky task. When a por-
powerful vortex winds grab and pull at anyone tal opens into one, the rush of wind and energy
fool enough to journey by this pathway. often sweeps everything in the area into it. A
Furthermore, a traveler is liable to be confront- vortex can catch adventurers by surprise and
ed by dozens, if not hundreds, of portals. They drag them to their deaths or at best strand them
normally appear as gleaming beacons of light in an alien world. Most explorers use spells
in the vortex’s materials, stable points of ener- such as fly to navigate a vortex, while others tie
gy that beckon to those trapped within the themselves together or anchor themselves in
storm. Most daunting of all, these portals are their homeworld with a chain or similar item.
almost invariably one-way passages. A traveler Luckily for experienced casters, spells that
moving through one must find some other way allow travel through the planes work as normal
home. Finally, the nature of the vortex makes it in a vortex. Most experienced casters can enter
almost impossible to map out the various door- one, explore it, and escape via teleport or a
ways within it. Even the most skilled mage can similar spell.
only explore a small fraction of a vortex’s
length before his spells fail and force him to Several theories attempt to explain the vor-
escape to his home world or plummet down tices’ place in the planar cosmology, but none
into the vortex. have gained popular acceptance with theoreti-
68
cians and researchers. Some hold that a vortex The planar winds sweep travelers and objects
is the remnant of a collapsed world or plane. forever downward, making it difficult to
Whether through natural processes, such as a remain in once place for long. Spells such as fly
malignancy, or powerful magic, a plane can and levitate do little to prevent this movement
collapse into its component parts. The raw unless their users consciously fight to resist the

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

energy forms a vortex. The portals that stud the wind. Debris from countless worlds, ranging
vortex’s sides are the remaining points of entry from stones and dirt to clusters of trees and
and exit into the original plane. While it may occasional hapless creatures, whirl through the
have collapsed into utter chaos, the bindings air.
that connect it to different points in the cosmos
remain in place. The only exceptions to the wind’s ceaseless
assault are isolated pockets of stable islands
Scholars liken these portals to pathways lead- and platforms. At some point in the past, trav-
ing from one house to the next. One or both of elers or even a race native to the vortex lashed
the structures could collapse, but the path together islands of debris that provide a stable
between them remains. This theory also holds point. These islands are under the influence of
that a vortex forms a loop with a size deter- powerful abjuration and transmutation magics,
mined by the breadth of the original plane. allowing them to float through the vortex at a
Given the incomprehensible size of most relatively slow rate. Bubbles of energy around
planes, a vortex should be so long that most them deflect the winds, providing the surface
creatures would grow old and die before they of these islands with a calm environment.
could cross its entire length. These researchers
posit the existence of micro-vortices, ones cre- Game Rules
ated by the collapse of tiny planes. If they
could discover one of these theoretical con- The howling winds within the vortex cause
structs, they could study it and confirm much problems not only for those brave enough to
of the guesswork involving vortices. enter one, but also for adventurers who open
portals into it. Any open portal (one that creates
Other sages disagree with this theory. They a physical link between worlds) allows the vor-
believe that there is only one vortex, and it tex’s powerful winds to sweep through it and
winds its way between all the planes. They see draw objects through into the void.
the vortex as the raw vacuum between the
planes. The flow of energy and air through it The winds within a vortex have a severe force
reflects the permutations and fluxes in the pla- rating. They range from 30 to 50 miles per hour
nar cosmology. In regions where many planes and impose a –4 circumstance penalty on all
exist in close proximity, the vortex features ranged attacks. Each round, a creature automat-
howling, powerful winds and a legion of por- ically moves 30 ft. down a vortex. While the
tals. In other, less crowded regions, the vortex winds have a generally downward motion, they
is calmer and easier to navigate, though it fea- swirl and buffet in such a manner that a crea-
tures few doorways to other worlds. ture moves rather slowly. If a creature hits a
solid object while moving downward, it suffers
To these academics, the vortex is literally a damage as if it fell 30 ft. Moving through a vor-
howling sea of air and energy upon which all of tex is somewhat like swimming. A creature can
the planes, including the astral and ethereal, move at half its speed in a vertical direction
rest. They believe that the vortex is the key to with a successful Swim check (DC 20). On a
understanding the planes and that it can serve failed check, it remains in place.
as a backdoor to gain access to any point in the
multiverse. All one must do is study the vortex, A creature capable of flight must expend 30 ft.
map its locations, and understand the pattern of its movement to avoid being dragged down-
behind it, and one could learn how to journey ward. It can otherwise move as normal. If the
through the planes with the same ease as a creature does not attempt to resist the vortex’s
common peasant walks from his home to the downward pull, allow it to make a move as nor-
fields each morning. mal. When it ends its move, apply the 30 ft. the
creature moved downward during its move.
Regardless of the theories used to explain it, all Alternatively, if you prefer more detail and
agree that a vortex is a dangerous environment. realism in your movement you can apply
this downward movement as the creature
69
 uses its action. For example, a creature with a per hour the characters spend in a vortex.
speed of 30 ft. or less moves down 5 ft. for Alternatively, you can use this table to inspire
every 5 ft. of its movement it uses. For a crea- ideas and encounters for adventures that take
ture with a speed of 60 ft. or more, it moves place in the vortex.
down 5 ft. for every 10 ft. of movement it uses.
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

In essence, apply the vortex’s effects in propor- When the characters first enter a vortex, you
tion to the creature’s movement for the round. can pick its width or randomly determine it by
At the end of the creature’s movement, apply rolling d% and treating the result as a percent-
any remaining obligatory downward move- age of one mile. For example, if you roll an 86
ment that has not yet been spent. the vortex is 86% of a mile long.

An open portal into a vortex allows the planar Random Vortex Contents Table
winds to sweep through and suck creatures,
debris, and other materials into it. Scholars the- d% Result
orize that the imbalance in planar energies 1–5 Creature: A monster or NPC with a CR
between the vortex and a plane it opens onto equal to the party’s level – 2 drifts into
causes the rush of air and material into it. view.
6–10 Creature: A monster or NPC with a CR
A 5-ft.-wide open portal creates an area of suc- equal to the party’s level – 1 floats past.
tion with a 50-ft.-radius spread. For every addi- 11–15 Creature: A monster or NPC with a CR
tional 5 ft. of width, extend this spread by 20 ft. equal to the party’s level hurtles by.
Creatures within this area must make Strength 16–20 Creature: A monster or NPC with a CR
checks (DC 10) or be dragged 4d6 feet toward equal to the party’s level + 1 soars into
the portal. In addition, failure on this check view.
reduces a creature’s speed to 0 ft. for all move- 21–25 Creature: A monster or NPC with a CR
ment modes other than burrowing. A burrowing equal to the party’s level + 2 approach-
creature can escape by digging into the earth. es the characters.
Creatures that make this check may move at 26–30 Creature: A powerful wizard who seeks
half speed but may not fly. to study the vortex inspects a portal
near the characters’ location.
All inanimate objects are dragged towards the 31–35 Creature: A flock of demons, devils, or
portal based on their weight. All objects move some other flying outsider on a mission
a base of 4d6 feet per round toward the portal. to find a specific portal soars by. The
Reduce this speed by 1d6 for every 100 lbs. creatures may attack the PCs if they
above 100 that the object weighs. For example, sight them. These creatures should
a 200-pound object would move 3d6 feet have an EL equal to the party’s level +
towards the portal per round. 1d3–1.
36–40 Creature: A creature shoots through a
A creature pulled into a portal is thrown 1d100 nearby portal and lands amidst the
feet into the vortex and begins falling on its characters. It has a CR or level equal to
next round, as described above. Creatures that the party’s level. The creature could be
are bound together remain linked, while those on the run from its enemies, or it might
able to fly or under the effects of spells such as even have knowledge of the vortex.
levitate may immediately begin to use them. A 41–45 Hulk: A battered ship, an entire build-
creature that moves through a portal under its ing, or a similar edifice floats near the
own power (as opposed to those dragged into characters. Creatures may dwell within
one) are not thrown into the vortex. They start it, or it could hold supplies the PCs
their movement adjacent to the portal they need, a map of the portals in this area
used. of the vortex, or a powerful, long-lost
relic.
While floating through a vortex, a traveler can 46–50 Corpse: The dead body of a giant, drag-
come into contact with a wide range of objects, on, titan, or similar monstrous creature
items, or other creatures. You can use the ran- floats into view. Smaller creatures may
dom vortex contents table to spawn debris that use the body as a home, dwelling with-
floats near the characters as they travel in its pockets or even pitching tents in
through a vortex. Roll 1d6 times on the table its flesh. A tribe of primitive
humanoids could worship the corpse as
70
 a god, as they tear flesh from it to eat In addition to the random events that can befall
and even tend mold and giant maggots a party within a vortex, the nature of this portal
on its decaying surface. and its relationship with the planes causes dra-
51–55 Bend: The vortex bends sharply in a matic changes in its environment. A vortex can
random direction, giving the characters exhibit a wide variety of traits and features, as

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

the chance to swoop close to its side the planes that are located near it alter its envi-
and escape through a portal. ronment. Each day the characters travel
56–60 Settlement: Using sovereign glue or through a vortex, select 1d3 planar traits to use
similar magical items and spells, a in the section they are exploring.
group of creatures has established a
settlement anchored to a chain running The portals that stud the vortex’s walls tend to
through a portal. This place could be a connect to the same plane or world within a
prison, a research station, or a forgotten given area. For example, a cluster of a dozen
refuge. portals may all lead to a plane of burning seas
61–65 Gone Fishing: A group of clever and endless desert sands dominated by fire ele-
humanoids uses a portal from their mentals. The 12 portals could all lead to differ-
world to the vortex to fish for food, ent, widely separate points in that world. A
captives, and treasure. They use a huge nearby cluster could lead to a different world,
net to reach into the vortex and snatch and so forth. For this reason, gaining control of
objects as they fall, relying on leather a section within a vortex can give a kingdom or
harnesses and straps to hold themselves a powerful figure the ability to quickly travel
in place. The creatures could be canni- across a world.
balistic savages, curious wizards, or
opportunistic thieves. The portals found within a vortex’s walls are all
66–70 Debris Field: The characters enter an gateways. They can feature the following traits:
area of many large boulders, dust, limited charges, spells, time travel, transforma-
trees, or similar debris that was sucked tion, variable, and vortex.
into the vortex at the same time, keep-
ing the materials together. Flying In Your Game
predators could lurk amongst the
debris, or it could serve as a refuge for The vortex is a useful tool if you want to make
the PCs. planar travel more dangerous, strange, and
71–75 Energy Storm: A sudden flux of planar chancy. Sometimes, the planes can lose some
energy causes bolts of lightning to arc of their mystery for veteran players who have
from one side of the vortex to another. ventured into the astral and ethereal planes
Each PC must make a Reflex save (DC many times before. Other times, those planes
15) or suffer 2d6 points of electricity can be a bit too alien for your players to get a
damage. good grip on what the environment is like and
76–80 Planar Bridge: An ambitious culture or how it operates from day to day. The vortex
individual has managed to construct presents a radically different environment for
(though not necessarily complete) a the characters to explore, and its arrangement
bridge between two portals. The bridge makes it easy for you to slip in portals to a wide
might stretch across the vortex, or it array of planes and worlds that you want the
could consist of a flight of stairs and a characters to explore. Since the vortex can be
platform perched at the vortex’s edge. infinite, eternally changing, and impossible to
81–85 Widened Area: The vortex widens by map, you can use it again and again, each time
2d20%. presenting the characters with a variety of new
86–90 Narrow Area: The vortex narrows by conditions, traits, and landmarks.
2d20%.
91–100 Floating Island: A collection of earth The creatures that dwell within the vortex
and debris has accreted here and deserve some consideration. In its natural state,
spawned a gleaming force bubble that the vortex is devoid of all life. It has sufficient
keeps everything within safe from the air because the many open portals along its
planar winds. An entire village could sides allow oxygen to leak into it. Compared
thrive on the larger islands. to the infinite worlds it connects to, the
vortex is so small as to be irrelevant. You
can also choose to make portions of it a
71
 vacuum, poisonous, and so on using the planar and adventures within a vortex. The characters
traits. could even colonize one and anchor it to a por-
tal in order to use it as a forward base or isolat-
The creatures that dwell within the vortex ed fortress.
come from a wide number of worlds. Wizards
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

can travel through the vortex to explore the For lower-level adventurers, the vortex pre-
planes, create isolated sanctuaries where they sents a dangerous environment not because of
can study and work in peace, and escape from the monsters or hazards it presents but because
powerful enemies who may seek to hunt them it can strand them far from home. One wrong
down. The creatures dwelling in a vortex could step can send a character hurtling into the void.
be explorers sent from distant worlds to plumb Luckily, the base rate of speed for the vortex is
the vortex’s depths. An accident could send low enough that a quick-thinking party can
them spiraling down the passageway, leaving save a falling comrade. As DM, you can always
them forever isolated from home. A magically choose to alter this speed in order to increase
advanced civilization could construct a plat- the danger inherent in traveling the vortex.
form and a series of staircases to access nearby Bump the speed from 30 to 60, 90, or even 120
portals. By anchoring their constructs in an to emphasize the deadly environment.
open portal, the structure could be stable However, at these speeds a single fall can kill
enough to survive. or strand a character. These limits make the
vortex much deadlier for parties below 7th
Other cultures could see the vortex as an level, as they have limited access to abilities
inescapable realm. They could throw criminals, that can save them from falling or that can
dissidents, and other undesirables into it. Over overcome the vortex’s environment. The 30 ft.
time, these outcasts could form a simple soci- speed is a danger, but not one that is impossible
ety that survives on the castoffs the portals to overcome.
sometimes belch forth. Depending on how
active the portals are, this tiny society could To really bring the vortex to life, you should
prosper or forever remain on the edge of col- emphasize the howling wind, the strange flow
lapse. If the portals provide plentiful food and of energy, and the alien environment. Any
water, small communities within the vortex items the characters find in the vortex, from a
could persist for many years. Some of the por- simple castoff sword to an entire stone temple
tals may be located below water, causing floating in the winds, should feature some ele-
steady streams of fresh water to cascade into ment that is strange and alien. Refer to ency-
the vortex at different points. A community clopedias, Web sites, and magazines for pic-
near such a stream could gather fish and other tures of odd sites and items to use during the
foodstuff from the water, allowing it to survive game. Ancient Aztec, Roman, Greek, Chinese,
indefinitely. On the other hand, if little food and Japanese cultures had art styles sufficient-
and water is available in the vortex, the micro- ly different from the medieval European stan-
societies that emerge could be dangerous to dard in fantasy campaigns to set them apart.
travelers. They could devolve into cannibalism,
leading them to greet visitors warmly to gain Dip into your collection of monster books to
their trust before killing and devouring them. find the weirdest creatures to throw at the party.
The vortex is literally an otherworldly realm.
The strange, floating islands found within the The less familiar you can make it, the better it
vortex can vary in size depending on the needs will work in your game. If the players see crea-
of your campaign. Larger ones can house tures they recognize and fight the same old
fortresses, research stations, and small villages. foes, they may view the vortex as nothing more
Strange, planar flora and fauna could live on than a handy mass transit system to the planes.
them, giving settlers a steady source of food.
These islands could be the shattered remains of When the characters enter the vortex, try to
entire demiplanes that were sucked into the design at least one challenging encounter for
vortex, wreckage from magical structures built each trip they take. Use the random vortex con-
within the vortex, or a naturally occurring phe- tents table to throw some odd sites and encoun-
nomenon spawned by the intense energies that ters at them to remind them that the vortex
flow through it. The islands are a convenient should never be taken lightly. A journey into it
location for dungeons, strange locations, should always be a dangerous proposition.
72
 CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds
It may be useful to give the characters a few days along its length in search of their quarry.
magic items that they can use in the vortex to A magic item such as a planar compass could
make travel easier. Ideally, the environment point the characters in the right direction or
should remain a concern for the characters, but lead them to portals they must take to find their
unless they can travel through the vortex, it goal in the trackless, infinite pathway of the
poses little utility to them. Some of the items vortex.
from Chapter 1, such as the aethership or the
rod of planar stability, are particularly useful in
the vortex. Wormholes: Passage to
The characters could enter a vortex for a vari- Infinity
ety of reasons. A villain could flee into a vor-
tex, forcing the PCs to give chase if they are to Planar scholars of a philosophical bent often
finally defeat him. Similarly, a powerful arti- ponder the history and origin of the cosmos. If
fact could be thrown into a vortex or a quest the gods made men, goblins, elves, and
could lead the characters to enter one in order dwarves, who made the gods? And what
to find a specific planar portal. You can create spawned that process that led to the gods’ gen-
planes or worlds accessible only through a vor- esis? While most folk are content to accept the
tex. Spells or magic items that allow planar creation stories offered by various cults, sects,
travel only point out the location of a portal in and religions, many philosophers are too curi-
a vortex that leads the characters to where they ous and inquisitive to accept stories and myths
want to go. that rely on faith, rather than facts, to answer
their questions. For these seekers of knowl-
Other adventures could revolve around the vor- edge, wormholes offer the most tantalizing, and
tex itself. The characters may have to travel to at the same time the most frustrating,
a temple or wizard’s tower long ago cast into glimpse into what may have come before,
the vortex, forcing them to voyage for many and what might come after, this cosmic
reality.
73
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

If a vortex represents the empty void between Not all researchers agree that this analogy is an
the planes, wormholes honeycomb the raw pla- accurate representation of the cosmos. Instead,
nar material that serves as a buffer between the they see wormholes as cousins to vortices.
planes and some other reality. Or at least, that While a vortex is a chaotic construct infused
is what most sages believe. Wormholes exhibit with energy, a wormhole is much more orderly,
a number of traits that suggest they originated easier to navigate, and composed of solid,
beyond the cosmos and could connect it to physical matter. They consider vortices to be
entire universes beyond even divine reckoning. the byproduct of the energy flow that exists
between the planes. Wormholes are mere pas-
Planar researchers believe that the entire cos- sages through the planar material that bounds
mos, including the astral and ethereal planes, the vortices and separates the planes. Some
rests within a greater cosmic firmament, and researchers take this a step further, theorizing
within this layer sits other collections of planes that a vortex actually burrows through the pla-
and worlds. If the planes are islands, then the nar material and leaves wormholes in its wake.
astral and ethereal planes, and the vortices that
run between them, are like the ocean in which Regardless of the theories and models used to
they sit. To extend the analogy further, this understand them, wormholes serve as tunnels
strange material is much like the sky that between the planes. Much like vortices, they
bounds them from above. Travelers could voy- allow travelers to physically walk between
age across the waters, find new islands, and planes with a few days of traveling. While a
move from one end of the ocean to the other vortex is chaotic and difficult to navigate, a
without ever achieving the means to soar into wormhole is more stable and static. At first
the sky above. To extend the analogy, a flier glance, it appears to be nothing more than a
could reach high enough to find entirely new huge subterranean passage.
oceans or, as is the case with wormholes, new
pathways and patterns in the islands below Wormholes are named for their shape. They are
him. round, rough tunnels of a damp, clay-like sub-
74
stance that is usually cool to the touch. They found in great numbers. Other times, truly
resemble channels dug by titanic worms, hence alien, bizarre creatures can be found shambling
their name. Dim, gray light radiates from the through the tunnels. These strange creatures,
walls, providing conditions similar to very known as true outsiders, are said to originate
early morning or late dusk. In most areas of a from a realm beyond the cosmos. Sages who

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

wormhole network, thick, gray mist prevents believe that wormholes connect to utterly for-
travelers from seeing beyond a short distance. eign realms maintain that these creatures are
The air is typically damp, and in many areas evidence of their theory, but other scholars
small puddles of water dot the wormhole’s posit that such monsters are merely residents of
floor. undiscovered planes and worlds.

Rumors abound of entire lakes or even oceans While demons and devils are a daunting threat,
that fill the lower reaches of the wormholes, they are nothing compared to rumors of the
but thus far explorers have yet to confirm such colossal monstrosities known as planar worms.
tales. Many sages point to the wormholes’ According to rumor and legend, these creatures
shape and size as evidence of their link to vor- are responsible for the formation of the worm-
tices, and their seemingly random turns and holes. As no direct evidence of their existence
twists, including frequent sharp turns up and has been uncovered, most reputable sages dis-
down, lend support to this belief. In some miss such claims as wild fantasies. Still, about
areas, explorers are forced to employ climbing once every decade an exploration party finds a
gear or spells such as fly to proceed along a new wormhole tunnel, or a section of tunnel
wormhole, as it bends and turns up or down at caked with the crushed remnants of creatures,
a sharp angle. structures, and objects that once stood within it.
The sages claim that these are merely fluctua-
Like vortices, wormholes are studded with tions in the planar bindings, natural events akin
many portals along their sides. These portals to the variations in a vortex’s winds and width.
are usually connected to the wormhole via
small side passages that branch off from its A small cult of doomsday prophets known as
sides, ceiling, and floor. Most of them are gate- the Heralds of the Worm maintains that the
ways, though some minglings that function via wormholes are infested with enormous, planar
corridors and tunnels lead into wormholes. carrion worms that threaten to someday burst
Like a vortex, a wormhole’s gates usually clus- through the cosmos’s binding and bring ruin to
ter together based on the plane or world they all the worlds and planes. Some of the heralds
lead to. In any given section of these tunnels, seek to prevent access to the tunnels. They
the portals all lead to the same or closely linked believe that activity within them angers the
worlds. Often, adventurers who stumble across worms and increases the likelihood of apoca-
a dungeon or underground portal to a worm- lypse. Other members of this loose sect end-
hole mistakenly believe they have entered lessly patrol the tunnels, desperately hoping to
some strange portion of the underworld. meet a worm, offer it worship, and gain access
to unimaginable power.
Wormholes support a surprisingly large num-
ber of living creatures. The ambient moisture The Trade Towns
and stable environment are conducive to life,
and the relative ease with which a creature can The settlements within wormholes are usually
move from a portal into a wormhole allows located in a section that offers easy access to
migrations and other large-scale intrusions to multiple planes via portals. Entire trading
take place with relative ease. Unlike a vortex, towns have arisen in this where merchants
which can drag a traveler to his doom, there is from a variety of worlds can meet to do busi-
little about the wormhole’s environment that ness. Rare spices, gems, jewels, weapons, and
can prove deadly aside from other residents armor from a multitude of realms trade hands
and intruders. in these towns. An eclectic mix of creatures,
from elves and dwarves to civilized half-fiends
However, in some areas wormholes are infest- more interested in business and profit than the
ed with strange, dangerous creatures. In areas pursuit of evil, rub shoulders.
with many portals that link to demonic or dia-
bolic realms, those planes’ evil residents can be These towns usually depend on outside
shipments for food and water, though in
75
 Wormhole Mist Table
Concealment Range (miss percentage)
Mist Level 1/4 (10%) 1/2 (20%) 3/4 (40%) 9/10 (50%) Total
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Faint 101+ ft. — — — —

Light 61–100 ft. 101+ ft. — — —
Medium 21–40 ft. 41–80 ft. 81–150 ft. 150+ ft. —
Heavy 0–20 ft. 21–40 ft. 41–80 ft. 81–150 ft. 150+ ft.
Thick 0–4 ft. 5–20 ft. 21–40 ft. 41–60 ft. 60+ ft.

some cases the tepid water of the wormhole is the temperature can correspondingly rise or
enough to sustain them. The typical trade town plummet. The wormholes’ distinctive trait is
features a tall, imposing wall to keep out ram- the sometimes thick, dense mist that persists
paging monsters, while platforms for archers within them. This mist can range from a slight
and spellcasters serve to repel aerial attackers. haze to a dense cloud that obscures all vision.
These settlements are usually managed, rather The wormhole mist table describes several dif-
than ruled, by an alliance of merchants who ferent levels of concealment this mist can pro-
want to promote and sustain trade between var- vide.
ious worlds and realms. Typically, business is
too profitable for anyone to consider attacking Aside from the mist, a wormhole can feature
the settlement in open warfare. After all, war is several planar traits as described earlier in this
bad for business. It drives away customers, chapter. You can select traits that fit with the
causes losses of men and material, and exposes worlds the wormhole’s portals connect to, or
merchants to unwanted risks. Rather than allow you can simply pick ones that fit the mood or
a war to drain resources, the competing fac- encounters you want to present.
tions within a trade town rely on subterfuge,
trickery, and deceit to win their way. Wormholes can be mapped just like any other
wilderness area. In addition to an overhead
The merchants or overlords who control a trade view of the terrain, you might want to add a
town typically demand taxes on goods sold or cross section view to remind yourself of any
brought into their markets. After skimming a elevation changes, features of the tunnel’s roof
profit off this revenue, they hire mercenaries to or floor, and other odd locations. Remember
man the walls, build inns, taverns, and market- that a wormhole is not necessarily bound by the
places for visitors, and provide a review board same restrictions as a mountain range, forest,
of disinterested judges to resolve any disputes. or other outdoor environment you may map. A
Owing to this settlement’s planar origins, the spellcaster or flying creature could erect a lair
review board is usually manned by lawful neu- at the top of a tunnel, while important, heavily
tral creatures, such as ordinators (see Chapter used portals in a region could open high on the
4), who can guarantee a fair and impartial judg- wormhole’s sides. Stairs carved into the walls,
ment. The town guard frequently numbers crude elevators crafted from rope, stones, and
golems, constructs, and mercenaries recruited timbers, or other conveyances may be neces-
from across the cosmos. These mindless or sary to allow access to the wormhole’s floor.
alien guards help ensure that they enforce the
law without any preference to one group or fac- The portals that lead to a wormhole can take on
tion. Still, bribery and other favors can help almost any form except a malignancy.
sway the guards to one faction or the other. Gateways can connect to them, and in some
cases an ambitious wizard or trader could con-
Game Rules struct a passage to a wormhole in order to gain
access to the large number of portals that stud
Wormholes require few custom rules. As the wormhole’s sides. Such a gateway could
described above, they are fairly static, also allow easy access to a trade town. A vortex
unchanging environments when compared to can offer many points of entry to a wormhole,
other types of portals. The air temperature usu- reinforcing the theory that the two portals are
ally remains within the acceptable bounds for somehow connected. As mentioned above, in
living creatures, though in regions of many some cases a mingling can create a powerful
portals that connect to hot or cold worlds, correspondence between a wormhole and a
76
 world. Invariably, the passageway between
them leads through a cave or hallway that slow-
ly transforms into a tunnel leading into the
wormhole’s main passage.

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Navigation can be tricky in a wormhole,
depending on how thick the mists are
in an area. A team of explorers could
lose the path back to their portal
home, stranding them between the
planes with little hope of returning
short of spells such as teleport. As an
optional rule, you can require the
characters to make Survival checks to
keep their bearings as they wander
through a wormhole. The mist’s
thickness determines the DC of this
check.

Wormhole Navigation Table

Survival
Mist Conditions Check DC
Light 5
Medium 10
Heavy 15
Thick 20

One character in the party must make

this check every six hours spent trav-
eling through a wormhole. Make this
check in secret, as the players should
not have an idea that their characters
are lost based on the check result.
Other party members may attempt to
aid the character making the check, as
per the standard rules for assisting a skill
check. Again, make any checks to assist in course to account for the errors
secret. On a successful check, the party main- they made in their directions. Find the direction
tains its bearings and may continue to travel as they think they are moving on the random
normal. On a failed check, the group becomes direction table and count up or down to the
lost. As the characters travel, roll 1d8 to deter- direction they want to go. Then, find the direc-
mine the actual direction they wish to move as tion they are actually going and count the same
soon as they cannot see any recognizable land- number of steps from there to determine their
marks. actual heading. If a result forces you off the
bottom or top of the table, wrap around to the
For example, the party declares that they want top or bottom respectively.
to head east from an outcropping on a worm-
hole’s floor. You make their Survival check in For example, the characters want to head south
secret and note that they failed it. After two but become lost and walk west. Later, they
hours of walking, they turn north. At that point, decide to turn east. Looking at the random
you roll 1d8 to determine their actual direction direction table, you see that east is two slots
of travel. Use the random direction table to above south on the table. Starting at west and
determine their true heading. Until the party moving two slots above it, you determine
notices they are heading in the wrong direction, that they are now actually moving south-
they continue along their incorrect path. Each east.
time the characters make a turn, alter their
77
 Keep track of the characters’ progress on your you want to set the characters on planar adven-
map as normal. For every hour they are lost, tures early in a campaign, a wormhole and the
allow them to make a Survival check (in secret, trade towns within it provide a relatively safe,
as described above) to determine if they notice controlled environment for such adventures.
that they are lost. Obviously, the players can The characters could find a portal to a worm-
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

also determine this for themselves if their char- hole (or they could be tasked with exploring
acters come across a terrain feature that they one) and the trade town beyond. From there,
know should not be along their planned route. they can access many different planes and
worlds, allowing you to run a planar campaign
These rules add an element of uncertainty and without having to explain how relatively weak
danger to a trip through a wormhole. On the characters can survive in a distant, dangerous
other hand, they can make for a boring game if realm.
the characters become lost and spend an entire
game session wandering around your map. Many fantasy campaigns feature a town and
These rules are best used for areas with plenty dungeon combination, giving the characters a
of encounters and sites that the characters can convenient place to battle monsters, find trea-
stumble into. Otherwise, speed up the game by sure, and then return home to rest up, sell any
telling the characters their current direction and treasure they found, and meet up with friendly
letting them travel ahead a few hours. Do not NPCs who can provide advice, quests, and
narrate the entire trip, as that could become other aid.
very boring very quickly.
In a similar manner, you can use a trade town
Finally, while this section uses compass direc- as the base for a plane-hopping campaign. The
tions, in a wormhole there is no such thing as characters could use a trade town as their base,
north. Instead, use north and other directions meeting up with friendly NPCs who ask them
on your maps to keep things clear and help you to undertake missions on their behalf and
keep track of the players’ location. As long as encountering a broad range of intelligent crea-
you can determine the party’s direction of trav- tures to give them a sense of a planar
el, the players do not have to use north, south, campaign’s scope. When it
and other directions to describe their actions. comes time
For example, on your map you may have a to adven-
trade town “north” of a portal the characters ture,
use. If the characters want to walk from the
portal to the town, you can use that direction
in your own notes along with this system. If
the characters turn right while traveling north,
they are now going east, and so forth.

In Your Game
Wormholes offer a much safer, less vari-
able method of planar travel than vor-
tices. For low-level characters, a
wormhole provides a convenient access
point to a variety of worlds. If

78
 planes. In contrast, a wormhole (or vortex) fea-
Random Direction Table tures dozens of portals to a wide number of
worlds. If you want the planes to play a small
d8 Direction or limited role in the campaign, a trade town
1 North and a wormhole might be overdoing it. If you

CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

2 Northeast think of trips to the planes as diversions from
3 East the normal campaign, then stick to the first
4 Southeast three portal types discussed in this section. If
5 South you see them as a fundamental mainstay of
6 Southwest your campaign, then a vortex or wormhole may
7 West perfectly fit your needs.
8 Northwest
If you do opt to use wormholes as a major thor-
the characters can travel to a nearby portal for oughfare between the planes, a trade town can
a journey to a strange world. The actual content become an important center of political and
of the adventures can cover a wide range of economic power in your campaign world. Even
possibilities limited only by your preferences if it is a relatively small settlement, in terms of
and imagination. the wormhole and the surrounding portals it is
a critical link in trade routes, communications
The entire array of planes presented in Chapter lines, and travel. The more time you anticipate
3 is available to you, as a portal from a worm- the characters’ spending there, the more impor-
hole can lead almost anywhere. If your players tant it is to include some detail on its inhabi-
prefer combat and similar challenges, they can tants, layout, and government. While guide-
face off against monsters that infest worlds, lines for creating a city are a bit beyond the
raid caravans to the trade town, and lurk with- scope of this book (see Fantasy Flight’s
in the wormhole’s infinite pathways. For more Cityworks for more information on building
roleplaying- or political-oriented games, the and designing cities) there are a few basic
PCs can engage in all sorts of skullduggery in guidelines and concepts you should keep in
the trade town and the nearby realms. A mind when putting a trade town together.
thieves’ guild could arise in town, requiring
skilled undercover work to defeat it. Rival First and foremost, consider who built the set-
trade consortiums and merchant princes fight a tlement and why they did so. Settlements of
shadowy war to win control of trade routes or any kind are a product of intelligent planning
the town itself, with the PCs serving as spies, and creation. They do not spontaneously arise
foot soldiers, and ambassadors. from thin air. There are a variety of different
reasons why a trade town can arise. A merchant
A trade town gives you all the flexibility and or a wizard could build one to help facilitate
the bizarre settings of a planar campaign with- trade, with the settlement arising out of eco-
out the need for high-level play or a reliance on nomic need. These towns could follow the pat-
powerful magic spells and enchanted items to tern described above, with the government act-
make the campaign feasible. Since the worm- ing more like a corporation interested in profit-
hole provides a physical pathway from the ing off of the services it provides (a secure mar-
PCs’ homeworld to the outer realms, they can ket, safety from marauding creatures) than a
reach it from 1st level onward. Otherwise, the benevolent, regulating body. On the positive
characters must gain enough levels to use side, this sort of government is much less like-
spells necessary for planar travel or survive a ly to become entangled in visitors’ personal
trip through a vortex. lives. To help facilitate trade and attract as
many visitors as possible, it tends to keep a
One drawback to using a wormhole is that it hands-off attitude towards its citizens. As long
can make planar travel too easy. Unless you as an individual’s actions do not interfere with
want the planes to play a major role in your the flow of business they are unlikely to draw
campaign, gateways, malignancies, and min- any official attention. This status is good for
glings are better methods for moving the char- PCs who want to maintain a low profile, but it
acters from one plane to another. In all three can cause them problems when their archen-
cases, the PCs can engage in limited planar emy shows up in town. No matter how
travel. Most of those portals connect only two evil a creature or NPC may be, as long as
79
 he does not cause trouble in town the govern- stranded within a wormhole. The mists make
ment leaves him alone. The PCs could find navigation difficult, causing some explorers to
themselves on the wrong end of the law if they lose track of their path and either enter the
are trigger happy or overly aggressive. wrong portal or forget which portal they must
take to return home. Trapped in the wormhole
CHAPTER TWO: Gates to other Worlds

Here are a few other ideas that explain why a and facing the daunting task of trying portals at
trade town may develop and what its origin random, these explorers could found a small
means for its growth and appearance. settlement that, over time, grows into a town.
These settlements are especially common in
Defense: If planar monsters and incursions areas where the planar mists are thick, as trav-
from other planes are a problem in an area, a elers run a much greater risk of becoming lost
trade town might be founded to defend a portal in such regions.
or serve as a bulwark against invaders. In this
case, the trade town is more of a castle than a A settlement’s government is determined large-
market place. Trade and commerce could still ly by the character and moral leanings of who-
take place in the town, but the ruling govern- ever founded it. These trade towns can range
ment is most likely composed of military fig- from safe refuges that offer food, water, and
ures assigned to manage the castle. Justice is healing to slave camps where weak, vulnerable
swift and extreme, as the commanders are alert wanderers are forced to serve the bandits who
to any attempts to infiltrate and subvert the maintain it. The founder’s alignment should
fortress. Rather than an open, walled town, this play a major role in determining how the set-
place is most likely a grim fortress with thick tlement functions and how it reacts to out-
walls, fortified towers, and plenty of barracks siders.
for troops. Chances are that such a structure
was built and is currently maintained by a gov- Once you have determined the basic purpose
ernment from a world accessible by a nearby and function of a trade town, the rest is all
gate. That government may still control the details. Draw a map of the place, being sure to
fortress. In any case, a trade town built for include any shops, inns, temples, and other
defense is probably built so that the portal it is important places the characters may want to
supposed to protect is kept within a fortified visit. When creating the place’s inhabitants, try
tower or keep. to come up with a two- or three-sentence
description of the important NPCs in town.
Ghost Town: Not all trade towns grow and Unless they are going to fight the PCs, these
prosper. Some die off as trade routes dry up, characters do not need complete stat blocks. If
while others may be overrun and destroyed by you want to run adventures set in a trade town
rampaging demons, devils, and other threats. or if it should serve as a place where the char-
Ghost towns within a wormhole can serve as acters can find missions and quests, create
dungeons rife with creatures and treasure, NPCs who have conflicts and problems that
potential headquarters for the PCs’ incursions need resolution. A trader may need someone to
into the planes, or lairs for monsters and vil- find a lost caravan, while a temple to a good
lains. When building a ghost town, think about deity may face harassment or clandestine
how and why the place was built just as you attacks from an evil cult in town.
would with any other town. With its history in
mind, you can design the layout and determine
what sorts of monsters (if any) live there. A
ghost town destroyed in an attack may still be
infested by the creatures that destroyed it,
while one that has remained unused for quite
some time could host a wide range of scav-
engers and creatures looking for a convenient
lair. The dead buried within the stronghold
might animate as skeletons, zombies, or even
more powerful undead.

Settlement: A trade town could arise as a

refuge for travelers, castaways, and others
80
 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
CHAPTER THREE

Worlds
Beyond
One of the hallmarks of fantasy gaming is the game or look to for inspiration and guidance in
sense of wonder it breeds, the feeling that any- building your own.
thing could be behind a dungeon door, over the
hills, or in the forest’s black depths. RPGs are Game rules and statistics derived from the d20
so much fun in part because of their freedom, SRD are designated as Open Game Content.
spontaneity, and open-ended nature. With a Non-rules text is designated as closed content.
special-effects budget limited only by your
imagination, you can literally build whatever
you can dream of when designing worlds for
the characters to visit. This chapter serves as a
guide to your world-building efforts. It covers
Building
the basics of designing a plane, such as creating
new cultures, monsters, and threats and fea-
tures details rules, planar traits, and other mate-
Worlds
rial you can use to make your job easier. While building a plane may seem like a daunt-
ing task, in reality it is only as complicated and
The first section of this chapter covers the involved as you want it to be. Many times, a
basics of world design. It describes how you plane makes only a short appearance in a cam-
can make your planes alien (or familiar) to the paign or serves as the setting for an adventure
players and includes a series of traits you can or two. In those cases, you only need to create
apply to the planes you design to give them a enough detail and information on the plane to
unique feel backed up by game rules. The next cover you for those game sessions in which it
two sections cover creatures and cultures. The appears.
material on creatures gives you rules and
advice on how to take standard fantasy mon- For example, in your campaign the characters
sters and make them strange, unknowable crea- have to chase a villain to a castle he built on a
tures. The section on cultures details the traits fiery world infested with efreet, red dragons,
and aspects of a culture that you can tinker with and similar creatures. In this case, the only
to present the characters with a truly alien, for- details you need are the villain’s castle, the
eign civilization. Finally, this chapter ends with area immediately around it, NPCs and
several sample planes that you can use in your other creatures the PCs may encounter,
81
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

and notes on the plane’s environment and how

1. What’ s Different?
it affects the party. As you can see, aside from
considering the planar environment’s effects This is probably the most important point you
there is little more work than you would nor- need to consider. How is this plane different
mally have to do to create the typical adven- from the party’s home world? The more radi-
ture. In this case, you do not need to think cally different it is, the more work you need to
about the plane’s economy, its civilizations, do to bring it to life. At this point, consider how
and its geography beyond what you need to run you can reflect the differences via rules. For
your adventure. Keep that in mind when example, the characters cannot cast spells in a
designing planes and try to avoid doing more world where magic is nonexistent. On a desert
work than is necessary to prepare an adventure. world, the party needs to keep track of water
Creating new planes for the characters to visit and take precautions to avoid heat stroke. The
may seem like a lot of work, but when you cut sample worlds given later in this chapter
out all the details except what you need to should prove valuable in answering this ques-
know during a game session, it becomes much tion and building the rules behind an alien
easier. world’s unique traits.

Plane Creation Checklist The easiest way to answer this question is to

envision the world and how you want the char-
When undertaking any work for your cam- acters to react to it. If the environment is freez-
paign, it helps to keep a checklist handy to keep ing cold and icy, consider how you can intro-
your design efforts focused and to help make duce rules to reflect those conditions. The
sure you cover all the material you need for freezing cold weather has a much bigger
your next session. The list given below covers impact on the players’ thinking and their plans
the basic questions you need to answer when if their characters suffer penalties for exposure
designing a plane. and lose hit points until they find shelter.
Without a rules effect to back up the world’s
82
 unique traits, they remain little more than win- NPCs can wield, they must approach adventur-
dow dressing that the players may overlook or ing much differently and rely on their innate
ignore. Use the traits as they are presented or as abilities rather than their items.
guides to designing your own rules.
Environment: Most fantasy worlds use a spe-

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

At this stage, try to think of three different cific climate for their settings, from an Arabian
aspects of the world that make it different from desert to temperate lands of trees and rolling
the campaign setting where most of your hills. By simply presenting a new environment,
adventures take place and the other planes you even one that seems familiar, you can force the
have designed so far. players to make a lot of changes to how they
approach an adventure. Finding clean water,
2. What’ s the Same? food, and shelter can become much more
important than tracking a villain if the PCs
This may seem like a simple question, but in enter a hostile area, such as tundra or searing
truth it can play an important role in making desert. The best part about tinkering with the
your planes vivid and easy to understand. environment is that it is very easy to use real-
Sometimes, DMs rush to make things too dif- world terrain and features that the players are
ferent when building new planes and worlds. already familiar with. This sort of change pre-
You can overwhelm the players with too much sents new challenges to the players without
detail, too many changes, or too many effects adding any additional layers of novelty to the
and modifiers that play a role in their charac- game. The players recognize the terrain, under-
ters’ actions. Think of it this way: If everything stand the conditions it presents to them, and
the characters see or meet is different, the can react to it without forcing you to spend
entire world becomes too overwhelming to much time explaining it to them. This process
handle. The few key, important differences that allows you to spend more time drawing out
make a world different from your campaign other, more important or interesting aspects of
setting are much harder to draw out if they have the plane.
to compete with a lot of other, less important
changes. Creatures: You can get a lot of mileage by
picking a strange, overlooked, or uncommon
As a rule of thumb, a plane should present three monster and making it a world’s dominant
key changes that make it different from the species. A plane infested with dinosaurs and
characters’ home world. Any more differences lizardfolk is more interesting than one that fea-
than that are likely to make a world too alien tures the same array of orcs, goblins, and giants
unless you want the characters to spend a sig- as your normal campaign world. You can have
nificant portion of a campaign there. While a lot of fun considering how a strange race
three changes may not seem like much, in prac- might evolve a culture. For example, a race of
tice they usually cover enough that you can cre- lizardfolk may build entire villages on the
ate a world different enough to capture the backs of huge dinosaurs. These mobile,
players’ attention but not so different that it is nomadic cities present a unique setting for the
unfocused or difficult to understand. The key is adventures and play right into the monsters you
to find three traits that play a role in creating selected for the plane. Push aside the monster
the foundation for the entire world. For exam- books that you normally use in your campaign
ple, here are some common characteristics of and start fresh with a new array of creatures.
most fantasy worlds that, if altered, can create Even something as simple as removing orcs
a unique setting. More details, rules, and ideas and replacing them with araneas as the primary
for altering these traits are given below under evil race can do a lot to make a world unique.
trait categories.
3. What’ s Important?
Magic: Most fantasy games are defined by
magic. Some of them are a lot like historical This question is probably the hardest to answer
Earth, save for the introduction of spells and of the three, but it also does the most to cut
monsters. Others build entire civilizations with down on trivial details and allow you to focus
the assumption that magic is a readily avail- on the major themes and features of a world or
able, easily controlled resource. If the PCs’ plane. In a nutshell, try to describe the
spells and magic items stop functioning, have plane you want to create in one sentence.
different effects, or are dwarfed by the power This exercise serves two purposes. It
83
 forces you to look at the key traits that make for big, obvious changes that capture the char-
your world unique and it makes you condense acters’ attention and have a direct impact on
them down to their key components. As dis- play.
cussed above, the only thing worse than mak-
ing an alien world that is too much like your On the other hand, if you plan on making a
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

standard game setting is creating one that is too plane an important part of your campaign you
different. Thinking about the important traits can go for subtler, less obvious differences. In
and aspects of a world helps you focus your addition, detail and background information on
efforts and put the detail into areas that need it it becomes much more useful. The longer you
the most. expect the party to spend on a plane, the more
opportunities you have to show them your
Your summary sentence can take a lot of dif- world and bring out its details and important
ferent forms. Here are some examples to help aspects that might not be immediately appar-
you get a handle on the process: ent. In many ways, you can treat a world like a
kingdom, city, or other area in your campaign
“The Great Machine is a mechanical world world that would play host to a series of adven-
where constructs and golems fill the roles of tures. Flesh out NPCs, create plots and adven-
plants and animals.” ture seeds, and so on. The more you can tie
such development into the world’s unique char-
“The Nightlands is a world of eternal night acteristics, the better. For example, in a plane
where vampire lords keep herds of human cat- dominated by dinosaurs and lizardfolk the
tle.” adventures you design should involve tyran-
nosaurs as opponents, lizardfolk cultists or
As you can see, a one-sentence description of a shamans as villains, and so on. The more inter-
world covers its basic appearance, important action the characters have with the characteris-
inhabitants, and general tone. Without too tics that make your world unique, the more
much detail, you already have a basic overview likely they are to stand out as important parts of
of the challenges the characters are likely to the setting.
face in these areas and the type of development
work you need to do to bring the world to life.
For example, the Nightlands are controlled by The Top Ten Easily Overlooked
undead creatures. Perhaps divine magic is Changes
weaker there and undead gain several benefits Food: The animals and plants on a world may
on that world. be indigestible by the characters. They had bet-
ter hope they brought enough rations.
Use a one-sentence summary of a plane or
world as a guide to what you want to empha- Disease: As the exploration of the New World
size to the players and the details that should demonstrated, diseases migrate along with
come out during play. explorers. A disease could strike the PCs, or
they could expose the natives to one.
4. How Does it Fit In?
The final issue to consider in putting together a Light: We take the sun for granted, but there is
plane is its place in your campaign. If you want no guarantee that the PCs can find suitable light
a plane to serve as a setting for an adventure or on a plane.
two, you should design it with a few memo-
rable traits that are obvious and play an impor- Gravity: This may seem like a science fiction
tant role in how the game works. In this case, concept, but a plane could have higher or lower
the plane’s physical environment and monsters gravity compared to the PCs’ home.
are probably the two most important aspects as
far as the characters are concerned. The less Shape: Who says every world is a sphere?
time the characters spend in a world, the fewer Rings, doughnuts, squares, and triangles are all
opportunities you have to show them the possible forms a plane can take. Look to your
details and structure of the plane. Furthermore, dice for examples.
it does not pay to spend a lot of time explain-
ing and discussing a world that will drop Sound: Imagine an utterly silent world, where
from the campaign after a few sessions. Go sonic energy simply does not exist. Most spells
84
 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
no longer function, and the characters must use players have to absorb. In the second one, the
gestures to communicate. PCs suffer consequences because of the condi-
tions, bringing the world’s details to the fore-
Time: The characters could travel to an era in front of any situation and giving the players a
the campaign world’s past or future. reminder that they are dealing with a different
environment.
Up Is Down: Gravity does not always have to
pull objects in one direction. Perhaps multiple This section introduces rules and advice for
directions or surfaces on the world count as making your own game effects based on your
“down.” planes’ characteristics and traits. It introduces a
series of planar traits, rules modules you can
Weather: Hot and cold are obvious choices, but use to model various effects and characteristics
consider a world eternally gripped by a thun- of a world. By combining a few traits you can
derstorm, hurricane, or similar fierce weather. model almost any world you can imagine. In
addition, this section includes guidelines and
Planar Nuts and Bolts examples for creating your own traits and
worlds.
Once you have the basic idea of a plane’s
themes and important traits, you can then get to Hazards
work drawing them out and putting them into
practice. One of the key maxims in writing is To help organize the environmental effects of
“show, don’t tell.” A similar principle applies to the different traits, they are all presented as
designing things for your campaign. Rather hazards. First presented in Dungeoncraft, haz-
than tell the players that a world has freezing ards are a shorthand method for presenting
weather, impose penalties on them for the dangers other than traps and monsters.
weather. In the first case, your world’s charac- Hazards include freezing weather, a rag-
teristics are just another bit of information the ing fire, and similar threats. All hazards
85
 can be broken down and described with the fol- 10 minutes later he must save again at –2. After
lowing attributes. another 10 minutes, he saves again at –4. After
still another 10 minutes, he must save again at
Name: A generic description of the hazard, –6. Each time Boris fails his saving throw, he
such as the searing heat of a lava pit, a devas- suffers the ill effects of the hazard.
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

tating blizzard, or a cloud of necromantic ener-

gy that drains life from those who wander Interval penalties always count as circumstance
through it. modifiers.

Initial Save: The saving throw type and DC Damage: This entry describes the effects
necessary to resist the hazard’s effects. This inflicted on those who fail their saves against
may change over time, as per the save interval the hazard. These can include temporary or
and interval penalty. A character must make permanent ability damage, hit point damage, a
this saving throw immediately after he is magical spell or effect such as slow, disease,
exposed to a hazard. If a character begins his poison, or whatever else you can create.
turn exposed to a hazard, he makes his save
before taking any actions. In some cases, a hazard inflicts damage even if
a character makes his saving throw. In that
Saving Throw Interval: Some environmental case, the damage on a failed saving throw is
hazards become progressively more difficult to listed first, with the effects on a successful sav-
cope with over time. For example, a character ing throw listed second. Some hazards, such as
marching through the desert in full plate may a river of flowing lava, are so incredibly dan-
be able to stave off exhaustion for a short time, gerous that no character could ever hope to
but eventually the strain and dehydration come into contact with them and escape
become too much for him to handle. The inter- unscathed.
val describes how often a character must make
a saving throw as long as he is exposed to the Other times, a hazard inflicts more damage as a
hazard. Even if a character fails a saving throw, character is exposed to it over time. For exam-
he must still make a new one and could take ple, a character suffering from starvation may
more damage from a hazard over time. not show many outward signs of its effects at
first, but over time he rapidly loses strength. In
An interval can also be expressed as a distance most cases, it is enough to simply apply the
or some other condition a character’s actions same effects with each failed save. However,
can fulfill. For example, a character may have some effects inflict a rapid spiral that causes
to make a Balance check for every 20 feet he progressively more damage over time. These
walks across a 60-foot-long high wire. If he effects and rules for applying them are noted in
stands in place he can maintain his balance, but the hazard’s damage description.
as he moves he risks losing his balance and
falling. Special Effects: This header covers any notes
relating to the hazard that make it unique and
Not all hazards have an interval. Once the char- provides rules to cover any special cases or
acters overcome them they no longer pose a exceptions it may entail. For example, a char-
threat. Of course, if the characters expose acter wearing a thick fur coat may gain a sav-
themselves to the hazard again, they must make ing throw bonus to resist a freezing snowstorm,
any appropriate saves or checks to resist it. while one wearing full plate in broiling heat
may suffer a penalty to his saves. Since these
Interval Penalty: Some hazards are more dif- rules cover a wide range of effects with a sin-
ficult to resist over time. A character marching gle set of standardized rules, most hazards have
across the desert loses fluids and becomes a few special effects and unique traits that are
more susceptible to heat exhaustion. Each time explained here.
the saving throw interval passes, the penalty
increases by its base amount. For example, Skills, Abilities, and Hazards: In some cases,
Boris the Bold is dealing with an environmen- rather than make a saving throw to resist a haz-
tal hazard that has a saving throw interval of 10 ard a character may instead make a skill or abil-
minutes and an interval penalty of –2. He ity check. For example, while traveling through
makes his first save without a penalty, but a thorny, briar-choked forest the characters
86
 may have to make Survival checks to carve a example, the heat trait can be scaled from a
usable path and avoid taking damage. In this steamy rainforest to a fiery, hellish landscape
case, the skill check takes the place of a saving of flaming lakes and rivers of molten rock.
throw but the hazard otherwise works as nor-
mal. To resist the hazard, a character must The planar traits are broken down into several

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

make a skill check against the hazard’s DC. If categories for ease of use. In some cases it
the hazard has an interval, the character must makes sense to include only one trait from a
make another skill or ability check later on, category, while in others you can pick out mul-
possibly at a penalty if the hazard has an inter- tiple traits from a single header. The terrain cat-
val penalty listed. egory is a special case. It usually affects the
other traits you might choose, making it a good
The Hazard Stat Block first choice when creating a plane. Remember
that you can use one, a few, or all of the traits
To make hazards easier to use, the following in a category to build a plane. While the traits
generic stat block is used to describe them. Not may share themes, they are not automatically
every hazard features all of the attributes listed linked. When you use more than one trait from
above. In that case, simply remove the appro- a given category, you can give them different
priate header from the stat block. strength ratings. For example, if you decide to
use two evil traits you can give one a moderate
Name: Initial Save; saving throw interval; rating and the other an overwhelming one. The
interval penalty; damage; special effects. strength levels do not have to match.
Here are two examples to illustrate the specific Modifying Traits: Many of the traits listed in
format. Many of the threats presented in the this section offer different strength levels. The
various planar traits use this hazard stat block. stronger the trait, the greater its effects. Many
traits list multiple bonuses or modifiers. For
Starvation: Constitution check DC 10; 1 day example, the empower evil trait gives evil crea-
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 subdual dam- tures bonuses to their attacks and spell save
age; Special: Characters can go three days DCs. You can add more detail to a trait by vary-
without food before they suffer the effects of ing the strength of the specific abilities it gov-
this hazard. A character who takes damage erns. Usually, you select one strength level for
from this hazard is automatically considered empower evil and apply all the modifiers listed
fatigued. Damage inflicted by starvation cannot for it. You can instead select different strength
be healed until a character receives adequate levels for each modifier and effect it has,
amounts of food. allowing you to exercise more precise control
over its effects. Usually, it is easier and simpler
Thirst: Constitution check DC 10; 1 hour to use one strength level, but there is no reason
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 subdual dam- why you cannot vary levels within a trait just
age; Special: Characters can go one day plus a like you can assign different levels to different
number of hours equal to their Constitution traits.
without water before they suffer the effects of
this hazard. A character who takes damage Trait Collisions: Sometimes, a creature may
from this hazard is automatically considered be subject to more than one trait. Apply the
fatigued. Damage inflicted by thirst cannot be usual rules for stacking bonuses and modifiers.
healed until a character receives adequate If two traits ever have mutually exclusive
amounts of drink. effects, apply them in whatever order makes
the most sense for your campaign. Otherwise,

Planar Traits you can opt to ignore a trait in favor of another

one in a specific situation.

The planar traits are a bit like creature tem- Using the Traits
plates in that you can apply them to the typical While at first glance the traits may seem
plane to easily change it to a different setting. restricted to specific types of planes and
The traits are presented first. Each one gives a sharply divided between categories, they
small section of rules or an adjustable scale you present a set of tools useful in a wide
can set to achieve the effect you want. For array of circumstances.
87
 mind, you can use them in a wide range of cir-
cumstances to present and model weird envi-
ronments, bizarre magical effects, and unique
locations.
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Planar Trait Categories

Terrain: The plane’s physical geography, from
realms of rock shards floating in a void to
worlds like Earth with many climates and ter-
rain.

Chaos: Realms of elemental chaos, dominated

by chance and shifting terrain. All is malleable
within a chaotic realm.

Cold: Frigid worlds encased in ice, from

snowy, arctic lands to planes forever locked in
an endless, deep freeze.

Elemental: Areas where a single element

reigns above all others or is otherwise altered in
its form and purpose.

Evil: Lands of raw malevolence, where the

power of rampant evil can overwhelm the
heroes who venture into them.

Good: Planes where heroes congregate, the

gods of justice hold court, and the choruses of
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that angels sing.
the trait categories are artificial groupings cre-
ated to make organizing the traits easier. An Heat: Desert worlds, fiery realms, and other
evil world does not feature all of the traits list- planes where the air temperature is high
ed under the evil category. It may use one or enough to make life difficult for travelers.
two of them, but it can use the elemental,
necropotence, and law categories to fill out its Law: Strictly controlled, regulated, and coordi-
important characteristics. An icy cold region of nated, the planes of law are domains where
hell may use cold, elemental, and evil traits to nothing is ever left to chance.
describe it. Look at the traits as a whole rather
than fixating on their categories. Life: Some planes are dead and empty worlds,
while others are infested with a staggering
While the traits are presented as tools for use in range of aggressive creatures.
creating worlds and planes, you can also use
them to modify regions in dungeons, wilder- Light: From realms of utter darkness to deserts
ness areas, and specific regions or layers of a scorched by two or more suns, every world is
plane. The inner sanctum in a temple may have different.
traits that echo a god’s alignment and portfolio.
For example, the cathedral of the god of fire Magic: In some worlds, mages can level cities.
may feature chaos and heat traits owing to its In others, they can barely muster the power to
close association to a divine figure. A grave- heat a bowl of soup.
yard known for its sinister reputation might
have a necropotent trait, while the site of a Necropotence: Worlds dominated by the
major arcane experiment could display several undead, where the power of death drowns out
magic traits as the fundamental structure of life itself.
magical energy bends and warps. While
these traits were designed with the planes in Technology: Not every world cleaves to the
88
 standard level of technology found in most fan- The core rules include all the game mechanics
tasy settings. for flying characters and creatures you need to
run adventures on these planes. Consider using
Waterways: From lakes of magma and boiling a portal with the transformation trait to grant
seas to oceans of dust and lakes of water, the PCs wings or give them access to flying

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

planes exhibit a wide range of features that fill magical items. Otherwise, this environment
the role of waterways. could prove too hazardous for the party to han-
dle.
Weather: Planes and lands scoured by endless,
howling storms or where the air is in a perpet- Desert: Hot, sandy, and devoid of plant life,
ual calm. deserts force the characters to hoard their food
and water to survive. The heat trait is key to
Terrain these worlds. On the other hand, you can throw
the players an unexpected twist by using the
A plane’s terrain defines many of its other cold trait to reflect the freezing desert nights. A
traits, such as its weather, temperature, and planar desert could be as hot as a terrestrial
inhabitants. Usually, it helps to start by looking one, or it could rival the depths of hell.
at this trait first then moving on to other details. Creatures with the fire subtype and those
adapted to dry conditions are common on these
Planes might feature a single terrain type, such planes. Lizards, red dragons, scorpions, and
as a world of endless mountains, or they can salamanders all make good monsters for these
have deserts, oceans, forests, and plains spread worlds.
across them. Most of the time only part of a
world’s terrain matters. If the characters ven- Use the rules given for the heat and cold cate-
ture into a plane’s deserts, you do not need to gories to simulate the extreme temperatures the
worry about detailing its mountains and characters face on these worlds. The weather
oceans. can play an important role, as strong winds can
cause dust storms. Use the light trait to present
Unlike the other traits, terrain does not neces- frigid deserts, as the dry conditions prevent
sarily present any new mechanics. Instead, it snow and ice from forming over the land even
builds a foundation on which you can stack if the sun fades from the sky.
other effects. Some of these traits work well
together, while others are obviously incompat- Flooded: A flooded world may have once been
ible. You can select a variety to cover an entire a prosperous realm, but now the rising waters
world, combine a few to create a unique area, have swept away much of its past glory.
or steal bits from several of them to make a Alternatively, the entire plane could have
unique landscape. The list given below covers always been sunk beneath a few feet of water.
some common terrain types. Use it as a model In any case, the flooded trait indicates any
for creating your own or employ them as they plane that would seem like any other terrain
are presented. trait save for the floodwaters that have
swamped the area. Cities and towns rise
Air: These worlds are vast, open areas. Picture halfway from the murk, while any surviving
an object falling through the sky, except there creatures must rely on fishing to survive. In a
is no ground for it to ever crash into, and you few areas, islands of dry land could persist. If
have a good idea of what these realms are like. the plane was the victim of a watery cataclysm,
Planes of air are similar to world-size bubbles the survivors may fiercely battle to control
of gas. The weather trait is critical to these such havens.
planes. The creatures within them most likely
hail from the plane of air or can at least fly. The fun thing about a flooded world is that you
Islands of dirt and rock may float through these can throw almost any creature into it and deter-
realms, providing the characters with conve- mine how it would survive a great deluge. The
nient locations for their adventures. Otherwise, waters could fill caves and dungeons, forcing
they must keep to the air. Luckily, if there is no drow and other underworld creatures to seek
ground the PCs never need worry about falling refuge on the surface. Elves might survive
to their deaths. Of course, finding a way home by moving their homes high into the
could be another matter. tallest trees, while the dwarves could be
89
 Alternate Forests
Alternate Forests Description
Chaos A forest of ever-moving trees, forcing the PCs to dodge them as they travel.
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Cold Trees encased in ice so thick that it forms a solid canopy of snow.
Evil A forest of trees formed from damned souls. They screech and moan pitiably.
Good A gleaming, emerald forest inhabited by elves, angels, and peaceful fey.
Heat A stand of ever-burning trees that choke the air with their smoke and ash.
Law Row after row of perfectly arranged, exactly identical trees.
Life A “forest” that is actually a patch of hair on some mammoth, dormant crea-
ture.
Necropotence A forest infested with undead trees. Use the treant’s stats, but the trees cannot
move.
Technology A maze of antennas, solar collectors, and other devices used by an under-
ground city.
Weather A stand of trees with holes worn into them by the wind. When the winds blow
strong enough, the trees whistle.

secure in their mountain peak fortresses. High gravity slows them down and reduces
Aquatic creatures present an obvious source of their fighting ability.
enemies, or they could colonize sunken cities.
The Strength modifier applies directly to the
The waterways category goes a long way to characters when they visit a place with lighter
defining a flooded world’s nature. Imagine a or heavier gravity. Compared to the world’s
land engulfed in lava, green slime, or another inhabitants, they are stronger or weaker respec-
exotic material. The chaos trait is also a good tively. A character whose speed is reduce to 0
fit. The waters could constantly shift and or less due to gravity can still move at a speed
change the terrain features that poke up of 5 ft. unless his speed was reduced due to
through them. encumbrance. If his speed was reduced due to
wearing heavy or medium armor (as opposed
Forest/Jungle: A forest or jungle can range to carrying equipment or a heavy load) he can
from a welcoming, bright realm populated by still move with a 5-ft. speed. Finally, all ranged
friendly sprites to a dark, foreboding place weapons have their range reduced in high grav-
where goblins, spiders, and worse lurk behind ity and increased in low gravity.
every tree. In a planar realm, you can vary this
terrain type’s feel by tinkering with how the In addition to its relative strength or weakness,
trees developed. One forest might have oaks gravity can feature multiple directions on a
that rise hundreds of feet into the sky, while given plane. You can nominate a single direc-
another may actually be a forest of towering tion as down and have everything on a plane
stone monoliths. Try to think of what trees arranged with that in mind. Alternatively, mul-
would be like on this world. Consider its most tiple directions could count as “down” depend-
important traits, the ones you want to bring to ing on one’s position on a world. In any room,
the forefront of the campaign, and use those to area, or plane, you can create multiple gravita-
drive your description. The alternate forest tional attractions. Select several directions for
table lists a sample forest type for several trait gravity’s pull. An object moves towards the
categories. strongest pull, tumbling in its direction as per
the standard rules for falling. For simplicity’s
Gravity: The force that keeps creatures from sake, assume that if more than one gravitation-
flying off into space could be stronger or weak- al force pulls a creature, the strongest one wins.
er on a given plane. Even if the action takes If two gravities oppose each other, the stronger
place on a flat plane, the characters might still one wins but the modifiers it grants are reduced
enter an environment where they weigh less or by the losing force’s total modifier values. If
more than what they are used to. Low gravity the weaker force’s modifiers are negative,
makes things easier on the party, as the PCs ignore them and simply use the stronger one’s
can leap over obstacles and move faster. as listed.
90
Gravit y
Gravity Strength
Level Speed Modifier Range Increment

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Faint +20 ft. +4 x2
Light +10 ft. +2 x1.5
Medium +0 ft. +0 x1
Heavy –10 ft. –2 x1/2
Overwhelming –15 ft. –4 x1/4

In areas without gravity, characters must move Golems, animated objects, and other constructs
by swimming through the air. Objects float in most likely dominate these worlds. In some
space unless they somehow acquire velocity. cases an intelligent, living race could build and
Characters use the Swim skill, but reduce all maintain this realm, perhaps on behalf of some
speeds by half. Characters who can push them- powerful being. The magic and technology cat-
selves off an object must make a Strength egories provide many useful traits for this ter-
check (DC 10) to move at their normal walking rain, as undoubtedly either or both play a role
speed for a number of rounds equal to their in maintaining the environment.
Strength bonus +1, with a minimum of 1.
Objects in motion tend to stay in motion until Mountains: Soaring into the sky, mountains
they hit an object. Once a character achieves a present a daunting challenge for even the expe-
level of speed, he does not need to spend any rienced ranger or outdoorsman. They are typi-
actions to move. He continues to move in his cally cold, have few easily followed trails, and
starting direction and with his starting speed their cliffs can send an adventurer falling to his
until he hits an object. Collisions deal damage doom. Planar mountains may stretch hundreds
as if a character fell half the distance equal to of miles into the air, leading to areas of airless
his speed. An object or character that hits an vacuum. Volcanic cones may dot a mountain
object must make a Reflex save (DC 10) or range, spewing smoke, ash, and lava into the
bounce off and move in a random direction at air and down the mountain slopes. Caves in the
one-quarter of its pre-collision speed. A charac- mountains’ rocky sides could lead deep into
ter may spend a standard action to grab hold of forgotten caverns and ancient dungeons.
an object and automatically succeed at his
Reflex save. The weather category, specifically the vacuum
or thin air traits, is a natural fit for a mountain-
Zero gravity makes it easier to use ranged ous plane. Areas rife with active volcanoes can
weapons at extreme distances, since they can use the heat category, while most other moun-
soar through the air without gravity’s interfer- tains can use the traits from the cold list. Flying
ence. Multiply range increments by 4. and cold monsters fit into the mountains, while
fiery ones work in volcanic areas. Giants,
Mechanical: These worlds consist of iron dwarves, goblins, and orcs are all commonly
cogs, metal plates, and other pieces of machin- depicted as mountain dwellers.
ery. In place of rivers and valleys, there are
streams of oil and grooves worn into the rusted, Organic: This alien environment is a mon-
metal plates that form the ground. Mechanical strous living being the size of an entire world.
worlds are artificial replicas of the natural envi- The hills are lumps of flesh, the rivers its blood
ronment. The stars in the sky, the mountains and bile. Creatures that dwell within this world
that tower above the horizon, the trees in a for- could be organisms that have adapted to life on
est, all of these features are reproduced with or in the planar creature or they could be its
metal and glass. In place of rivers and oceans immune system sent to defeat intruders. The
are canals and pools. Perhaps a highly ground glistens with slime and mucous, while
advanced race slowly destroyed its world and in some areas mold and even trees could take
tried to rebuild it, or the entire plane is a grand root and thrive in rivers of spittle and plains of
experiment cast aside by a neglectful god or flesh. At random intervals, the ground shud-
still under its watchful gaze. In any case, con- ders as organs beneath it rumble into
structs replace everything that lives. motion or discharge bodily fluids.
91
 Alternate Plains
Sample Plains Notes
Glass The characters stand on a massive sheet of clear glass, allowing them to see what
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

lies below, such as tunnels or even underground cities.

Invisible The ground is invisible, forcing the characters to use guesswork to plot their
path. They see only empty space.
Mobile The ground is always moving to some undetermined destination, much like a
gigantic conveyor belt.
Tilted The entire plane is tilted at a 45-degree angle. Watch out for avalanches.

In this bizarre landscape, almost any trait specific axes, with wind and storms forced to
works fine. In areas within the creature, the follow specific paths by the world’s strange
heat category provides tools to simulate the sti- shape, a sure sign of a plane dominated by law.
fling environment. Law, chaos, good, or evil
traits can reflect the creature’s alignment. If the Splintered: Shattered into dozens or even hun-
creature is dead, it could spawn undead horrors dreds of pieces, a splintered world consists of
that benefit from the necropotence category. chunks of solid ground that float in some medi-
um. Think of the asteroid belt, but instead of
Plains: Flat, expansive, and generally feature- drifting through space the rocks float in water,
less, plains may seem like a dull choice for ter- air, vacuum, or some other material.
rain. A journey to another world is not about to Civilizations thrive on a few individual pieces,
stand out in the players’ memories if they jour- particularly those that retained their atmos-
ney to a grassy field. On the other hand, there pheres. Others could be dead worlds, littered
are situations in which plains are a good option. with ruins and overrun by zombies, ghouls, and
If you do not want the terrain to overshadow skeletons. A splintered world may have been
other features of the world, plains are a good blasted by a great cataclysm, or it could have
choice. In addition, you can vary the material been created in its current form. Only creatures
of the plains. A featureless grassy prairie is that can survive the separating medium can
mundane. An endless glass floor floating in visit other realms, possibly allowing wildly
space is exotic. Like forests, plains can be as divergent cultures to develop. A splintered
memorable and unique as you make them. The plane could consist of radically different
sample plains table lists some ideas. worlds, each with its own set of planar traits.

Shaped: Not every world is a neatly formed The chaos traits are ideal for this terrain, since
sphere or a flat plane. A plane’s surface can the concept of a floating, randomly distributed
form a ring, cube, or some other exotic shape. world is innately chaotic. Magic and technolo-
Imagine a world built on the interior of a gy traits may play a major role in sustaining
sphere. The sun hangs in the middle, providing civilized areas against the hostile environment.
an endless day, while a careful observer could The weather takes on an important new mean-
see what lies far ahead if the world is small ing, as a fierce storm in the plane’s medium
enough. A plain shaped like a bucket could could send two chunks hurtling away from or
have a sun that dips down from the sky, reach- crashing into each other. Alliances crumble and
es its lowest point, then floats back up to the civilizations fall based on the ever-changing
heavens. You can have a lot of fun by picking geography of the plane’s habitable chunks.
up random household objects and using them
as the basis for a planet or plane’s surface. Subterranean: Imagine a world where the
Consider how gravity works, how a sun or subterranean tunnels never lead to the world
moon orbits it, and so on. above. Regardless of how far you journey up or
down, all you find are more caverns and pas-
Shaped worlds are natural candidates for the sages. Subterranean worlds are like infinite
magic and technology traits. Perhaps powerful blocks of stone and dirt honeycombed with
magic or an enormous machine formed the cracks. The endless stone stretches from one
realm, or its shape alters magic in odd ways. end of the plane to the other. Spiders, cen-
The weather systems may be directed along tipedes, and rats infest the land, while creatures
92
 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
such as drow and troglodytes thrive and erect and fish swim through the waters, and the air is
sprawling civilizations. thick with flies. The creatures may not be hos-
pitable to humanoid travelers, but a swamp is
The endless darkness of a subterranean world by no means lifeless.
may make it seem like a good candidate for the
evil traits, but remember that not everything Depending on the temperature, the swamp
that dwells in the earth is evil. The dwarf or could be a steamy realm of lizards and
gnome version of paradise could be a subter- dinosaurs or a frigid, desolate quagmire. The
ranean plane. While the weather may seem evil and necropotence trait categories are ideal
irrelevant in an underground realm, magma choices for this type of terrain. Zombies and
flows can provide heat, polar areas could con- skeletons could lurk within the muck, ready to
sist of ice caves, and a planar vortex could sup- spring upon unsuspecting travelers. The grim,
ply fresh air and howling winds. Creatures dark environment could reflect the baneful
adapted to total darkness are ideal for this envi- influence of demons, devils, or other evil crea-
ronment, though in some areas strange varieties tures. Add a tinge of the supernatural to the
of stone or fungi could provide light. swamp’s description, such as ghostly appari-
tions that swirl through the waters or wailing
Swamp: The entire plane is trapped in a mire souls of the damned trapped in the mud.
of thick, gooey mud. Buildings and trees may
poke through the goop, while in some places Tundra: Swept by frigid winds, locked in the
patches of firm ground provide a solace from cold’s endless grasp, tundra worlds are lands of
the endless mire. In this environment, bugs, ice and snow. The sun may shine for only a few
rats, and other vermin thrive. Pools of stagnant brief hours a day, if at all, and the few civilized
water dot the landscape, along with forests of realms always teeter on the edge of starvation
sickly, teetering trees. Though the terrain is dif- and collapse. Ice covers the oceans, rivers,
ficult to travel through, life does thrive here. and lakes, while the weather frequently
Small animals burrow nests in the trees, snakes drives living things to seek shelter. Men,
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CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

beasts, and other creatures fight for caves and rents and shifting bodies of warm and cold
thermal springs. In such a world, the characters water dictate the weather.
face as much peril from a snowstorm as from a
frost giant or a wandering band of raiding bar- For an interesting twist on this concept, use the
barians. waterways traits to transform these worlds into
realms of endless magma, slime, and other
Obviously, the cold traits are ideally suited to materials. While difficult to survive, they can
this environment. Light is another important provide the characters with a memorable
trait, as it may be dark most of the time. You adventure. Obviously, aquatic creatures should
can tie the world’s descent into an ice age with dominate in this environment. Consider the
the decline of magic, or perhaps a rise in arcane light traits and think about how a sun would
energy tied to ice and cold helped form this operate in this environment. Perhaps it moves
world. Frost giants, ice mephits, and other crea- through the water, leaving deadly, boiling
tures adapted to the cold thrive in these realms. zones in its wake.

Water: A water world consists of an endless

ocean. Perhaps an island or a small continent
Chaos
pokes above the waves, but in general the These traits are used to cover planes that are
waves cover all. Most of the civilized races influenced by the power of pure chaos. In these
dwell beneath the ocean, though the plane does realms, nothing remains static for long. The ter-
not necessarily have an ocean floor where they rain shifts and changes, history rewrites itself,
could erect cities. Rather, they might dwell in and little remains the same from day to day.
bubble-shaped towns that float through the Even the inhabitants of these places shift and
water. By the same token, the water’s reach change, acquiring new forms, abilities, and per-
could rise infinitely upward. No matter how far sonalities. Usually, visitors to these places can
a traveler swam, he would never break the avoid the change that inflicts everything native
water’s surface. In these worlds, water cur- to these realms, but sometimes the power of
94
 chaos is so great that all but the strongest get. Spells with a target listed as “you” affect
adventurers suffer some sort of mutation. the caster.

Worlds under the influence of chaos are usual- Chaos Ascendant

ly dominated by madness. The eternal change

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

makes it almost impossible for a true society to The planar fiber pulses with chaotic energy,
ever arise. A creature may be a brilliant vision- bleeding into the creatures that dwell here.
ary one week and a gibbering, childlike sim- Those with an affinity for chaos thrive, their
pleton the next. Still, these worlds are far from bodies’ attunement allowing them to draw
desolate wastelands. During their inhabitants’ strength from the environment.
short periods of lucidity, they are frenetic in
their efforts to build and establish homes. The chaos ascendant trait lends strength and
Many of them consider themselves to be per- vitality to creatures with a chaos subtype or
sonal servants of chaos, driven to alter their alignment. Their muscles bulge, blood rushes
surroundings as much as possible. through their veins, and their hair and skin shift
colors as raw chaos permeates their forms.
Note that while the various traits in this section Depending on the level you select for this trait,
can be scaled depending on the level of chaos, they gain a variety of benefits.
you do not need to apply the same level to
every trait. For example, you could select a Chaos Str Con Fast
heavy level of chaos for chaos ascendant and a Level Bonus Bonus Healing
low level for chaos lands. Furthermore, not Faint +0 +2 0
every chaotic plane has all of these traits. Light +2 +4 0
Medium +4 +6 1
Heavy +6 +8 2
Arcane Instability
Overwhelming +8 +10 3
Magic requires a spellcaster to reproduce an
exact set of words and gestures to create a pre- Chaos Lands
dictable effect. Given the fundamental nature
of chaos, such standardized results are some- The ground shimmers as raw magic runs
times impossible to generate on worlds impreg- through it, turning lakes and forests into empty
nated with it. The arcane instability trait makes deserts. Rivers run red with blood. A moment
spellcasting a hazardous course of action. Each later, the desert gives way to an endless ocean.
time a caster uses a spell, there is a percentage These are the chaos lands, realms where the
chance that his magic takes on a radically dif- land itself constantly changes shape.
ferent form.
A chaos land is so thoroughly impregnated
Magical with the stuff of raw chaos that it constantly
Level of Chaos Error Chance changes shape. Even the duration of these
Faint 5% changes shifts over time, with some areas
Light 10% remaining stable for weeks or even months.
Medium 15% You can modify this trait in a number of ways.
Heavy 20% The basic system given below allows you to
Overwhelming 25% randomly generate new terrain around the char-
acters. You can also modify how often the ter-
Each time a caster tries to use a spell, roll d% rain changes.
and check the magical error chance. If the
result of the roll is less than or equal to the list- Chaos Time Between
ed percentage, the caster’s spell mutates and Level Changes
changes. Randomly select a spell of the same Faint 1d6 days
level from the caster’s spell lists. The easiest Light 1d3 days
way to randomly pick a spell is to roll 1d20 and Medium 2d12 hours
count down from the first spell. Use a smaller Heavy 1d12 hours
die for short spell lists. Resolve the spell Overwhelming 1d4 hours
against the original target. If the spell has an
area of effect, center it on the target. Cones and The random terrain table can generate
similar effects extend from the caster to his tar- changes for you, or you can use it as a
95
 Blizzard Conditions
Concealment Range (miss percentage)
Level 1/4 (10%) 1/2 (20%) 3/4 (40%) 9/10 (50%) Total
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Faint 101+ ft. — — — —

Light 61–100 ft. 101+ ft. — — —
Medium 21–40 ft. 41–80 ft. 81–150 ft. 150+ ft. —
Heavy 0–20 ft. 21–40 ft. 41–80 ft. 81–150 ft. 150+ ft.
Overwhelming 0–4 ft. 5–20 ft. 21–40 ft. 41–60 ft. 60+ ft.

model for a custom-designed list of traits. You Chaos Str Action

can give chaos lands a set of consistent traits, Level Penalty Penalty
such as cold weather, or you can allow almost Faint –0 1d2
anything to change over time. Shifting the Light –2 1d4
probabilities for certain results also allows you Medium –4 1d6
to customize this trait. For example, you could Heavy –6 1d8
create a table that yields a forest-themed Overwhelming –8 1d12
change on results of 1 to 80 and a few radical-
ly different results for rolls of 81 or higher. In
this case the terrain displays seemingly static
Cold
conditions, but once in a while they undergo a A planar wind cleaves through the thickest furs,
dramatic change. freezing flesh and forming tiny icicles on a
warrior’s plate armor. Snow pours from the
Random Terrain Table sky, hindering travel and providing a hiding
place for a lurking monster. A realm that uses
d% Result
the cold traits presents a dangerous environ-
1–10 Desert
ment for even a well-prepared expedition. The
11–20 Mountains
cold can kill just as easily as a broadsword or a
21–30 Forest/Jungle
dragon’s breath.
31–40 Mechanical
41–50 Organic
This trait can apply to anything from a temper-
51–60 Plains
ate world’s polar region, to a realm where con-
61–70 Subterranean
demned souls are encased in ice, to a planet
71–80 Swamp
orbiting a slowly dying star. In any case, the
81–90 Tundra
cold traits allow you to tailor the danger the
91–100 Water
characters face from the environment. You can
make the outdoors more difficult to handle by
Law’ s Bane including snowdrifts and icy patches, or use a
Lawful creatures despise this area. The matter steady, freezing temperature to slowly sap the
that forms it is composed of chaotic energy that party’s strength.
works to subvert their efforts. Bad luck flows
to them in a river, while in extreme cases they Blizzard Conditions
literally shrivel up and die.
Driven by a howling wind, snow can whip into
the air and obscure vision. A powerful storm
This trait weakens creatures with a lawful sub-
can temporarily, or perhaps permanently, sub-
type or alignment. They suffer a penalty to their
ject an area to blizzard conditions. Depending
Strength scores and to all actions they attempt.
on the wind’s strength, visibility can drop to a
The action penalty lists a die type. Each time a
short distance or nothing at all. Pick a bliz-
lawful creature attempts to defeat a DC or AC,
zard’s strength (faint, light, medium, heavy,
roll the appropriate die type and add the result
overwhelming) and cross-reference the range
to that DC. Lawful creatures suffer bad luck in
listed for that strength with the concealment
chaos planes. They slip while performing a del-
level on the blizzard conditions table.
icate task, or a target moves mere inches away
from a sword blow. The plane conspires
against their efforts to impose order upon it.
96
 In addition to the obscuring effects of swirling
snow, a blizzard’s powerful winds can knock a
character prone. The wind trait, listed under the
weather category, can simulate this obstacle.
Select the wind strength that corresponds to the

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

blizzard condition’s strength.

Freezing Conditions
This cold trait presents a variety of different
levels you can use. Like a dial, you can set it
from a mild chill to a deadly freeze. A different
hazard represents each level of cold. You can
vary the hazard’s level within a plane, or you
can use a single setting for the entire realm.

Subdual damage inflicted by these hazards can-

not be healed until the character warms up.
Characters who take any subdual or normal
damage from the cold are considered fatigued
due to frostbite and hypothermia. This condi-
tion disappears if the character heals this dam-
age. Characters who are fatigued cannot run or
charge and suffer an effective penalty of –2 to
Strength and Dexterity. Not that any effects that
protect a character from cold damage also pre-
vent damage from these hazards.

If a character falls to 0 hit points due to any of

these hazards, they inflict normal damage even
if they normally inflict subdual.

Warm clothes help protect characters against

the effects of these hazards. Thick furs and sim-
ilar garments grant a +2 circumstance bonus to
resist the cold. A character wearing only light
or no clothes suffers a –2 circumstance penalty
to resist the cold.

Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 2 hours interval;

–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage.

Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 1 hour interval;

–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage.

Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute

interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual dam-
age.

Heavy: Fortitude save DC 15; 10 minute inter- Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 15; 5
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage; minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subd-
Special: There is a 10% chance each hour that ual damage; Special: There is a 10% chance
any water and potions a character carries freeze each hour that any water and potions a charac-
solid. It takes 20 minutes for a liquid to melt. ter carries freeze solid. It takes 20 minutes for
Exposing the frozen liquid to an open flame a vial to melt. Exposing the frozen liquid to
reduces this time to 5 minutes. an open flame reduces this time to 5 min-
utes.
97
 The elemental traits draw on a few traits from
Snow
the magic category. Those abilities can dampen
On a world locked in a cold environment, snow spells and effects based on their descriptors,
storms can leave drifts that reach over a including elemental ones such as fire and sonic.
human’s head. Snow inhibits movement, pro- In addition to the effects listed here, use those
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

vides cover, and can obscure line of sight. The traits to modify how spells function in planes
level of snow determines the penalties charac- with altered elements.
ters face when moving and fighting in it.
Choose a creature size from Tiny to Colossal. The traits given here list specific changes for
This size reflects the snow’s depth. Medium- many of the elements and energy types. In
size snow is knee-deep to a creature of that addition, the elemental ascendancy and enerva-
same size and so on. The penalties and benefits tion traits allow you to build environments
a creature gains depend on its size relative to where elemental creatures gain or lose potency.
the snow.
Elemental Ascendancy
Concealment: Deep snow can engulf a crea-
ture, granting it concealment against its ene- Many creatures draw on the fundamental, cos-
mies. For every size category beneath the mic energy of their respective elemental
snow’s size, a creature gains a 10% miss patrons. Efreet sustain their forms and strength
chance against all attacks directed against it. with raw fire, while water elementals depend
This miss chance cannot rise above 50%. on a plane’s connection to their home realms.
In some cases, planes feature enhanced con-
Speed: Wet, thick, and heavy, snow proves a nections and alignments with energy types. In a
difficult obstacle for smaller creatures. While realm rocked by a continual lightning storm,
tall monsters can step over or through it, punier creatures of air and electricity absorb the ambi-
ones need to burrow through or climb over it. ent energy and bathe in its comforting glow.
For every size category beneath the snow’s
level, a creature suffers a –10-ft. penalty to its The elemental ascendancy trait reflects the
speed and cannot run. This penalty applies only strength and power creatures can draw from a
to walking speed. Flying, burrowing, and other plane. Each time you select this trait, pick any
movement modes suffer no penalties in snow. creature descriptor or subtype. Creatures with
the chosen subtype gain Strength and
Snowshoes and Skis: These handy tools make it Constitution enhancement bonuses. They also
much easier to move through snow. A creature receive a damage bonus on all attacks and
equipped with either of these items suffers no effects they use that have the same descriptor
penalties to his speed and can run through snow or subtype. In addition, spells and attacks used
as normal. These items allow a character to by any creature that shares this trait’s descrip-
remain atop the snow, denying him any con- tor gain the listed bonus damage. For example,
cealment due to its depth. A pair of snowshoes an azer has the fire subtype. Any fire attacks,
or skis costs 5 gp. spells, and abilities it uses, such as its heat
extraordinary ability, deal additional damage.
Even non-fire creatures that use fire attacks
Elemental would gain bonus damage. Do not multiply this
bonus damage on a critical hit. Note that you
The same planar forces that infuse a world with
can use this trait in place of or in addition to
evil, lock into the rigid course of law, or send it
some of the category-specific booster traits,
spinning into primal chaos can also alter how
such as chaos ascendant.
the basic elements function. The elemental
traits allow you to pick one or more traits and
change how they function. Fire may glow with Elemental Ascendancy
a dull flame that barely singes skin. Electrical Str Con Elemental
spells fail to function, while a dead silence sets Level Bonus Bonus Damage
in on a world without sound. The elemental Faint +0 +0 +1d3
traits allow you to make some fundamental Light +0 +2 +1d6
changes to how the world works, introducing a Medium +2 +4 +1d8
variety of complications that can make an Heavy +4 +6 +1d10
adventurer’s life more interesting. Overwhelming +6 +8 +1d12
98
 For a given type of elemental vacuum, spells
Elemental Enervation
that feature a type’s descriptor suffer the arcane
An elemental creature caught in a plane that weakness trait with a strength equal to the vac-
lacks its fundamental energy is like a fish with- uum’s power. See page 113 for details on
out water. Divorced from the source of its arcane weakness. In addition to that trait’s

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

physical and magical strength, it slowly loses effects, spells and other effects that utilize an
strength and fades away. Water elementals can element suffer from the specific features listed
make only the briefest trips into a plane of ele- below.
mental fire, and vice versa. When exposed to
such harsh, alien environments, elemental crea- Acid
tures must struggle to maintain health. If they
linger too long, they eventually fade into obliv- As acid loses its potency, it deals less damage
ion. and retains its caustic properties for a shorter
period of time. At extreme vacuum levels, it
The elemental enervation trait reflects the hos- becomes no more deadly than water.
tile conditions that can destroy some creatures.
A being of pure evil cannot survive long on a Faint: Acid suffers a penalty of 2 point of dam-
plane of good, just as a sonic creature fades and age per die rolled.
withers in an utterly soundless land. The ele-
mental enervation trait presents a series of haz- Light: Acid suffers a penalty of 4 points of
ards that drain a creature’s Strength and hit damage per die rolled.
points over time. Each time you select this trait,
pick a descriptor or subtype. Creatures with the Medium: As the light strength rating, and acid
chosen subtype suffer this trait’s effects. You deals no damage after the first round of effect.
can use this trait in place of or in addition to
type specific such as empower evil. Heavy: As the medium rating, plus acid suffers
a penalty of 6 points of damage per die rolled.
Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 2 hours interval;
–1 penalty/interval; 2 points of damage, 1 point Overwhelming: All acid is rendered inert,
of temporary Strength damage. becoming the equivalent of water.

Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 1 hour interval; Cold

–1 penalty/interval; 2 points of damage, 1 point When the power of cold dwindles, spells lose
of temporary Strength damage. their potency.
Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute Faint: Cold effects suffer a penalty of 2 point
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 4 points of dam- of damage per die rolled.
age, 1 point of temporary Strength damage.
Light: Cold effects suffer a penalty of 3 points
Heavy: Fortitude save DC 15; 10 minute inter- of damage per die rolled.
val; –1 penalty/interval; 4 points of damage, 1
point of temporary Strength damage. Medium: Cold effects suffer a penalty of 4
points of damage per die rolled.
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 15; 5
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 4 points of Heavy: Cold effects suffer a penalty of 6 points
damage, 1 point of temporary Strength damage. of damage per die rolled.

Elemental Vacuum Overwhelming: Cold effects suffer a penalty

The fundamental forces of the planes can wane of 8 points of damage per die rolled.
and fade. In some cases they dwindle down to
nothing, leaving a plane bereft of an energy Darkness
type’s merest influence. This effect is known as As the power of darkness fades, light fills a
an elemental vacuum. The exact effects of this plane to replace it. Hiding becomes much
vacuum depend on the energy type affected by more difficult, as convenient shadows
it and its level of strength. dwindle out of existence.

99
 Faint: –1 circumstance penalty to Hide.

Light: –2 circumstance penalty to Hide.

Medium: –3 circumstance penalty to Hide.

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Objects no longer cast shadows.

Heavy: –6 circumstance penalty to Hide. The

darkest areas of the world are lit as if by
starlight.

Overwhelming: –10 circumstance penalty to

Hide. The darkest areas of the world are lit as if
by sunlight.

Fire
Without elemental energy to ignite them, fires
become impossible to ignite.

Faint: Fire effects suffer a penalty of 2 point of

damage per die rolled. Items and creatures gain
a +5 bonus to saves to avoid catching fire.

Light: Fire effects suffer a penalty of 3 points

of damage per die rolled. Items and creatures
gain a +10 bonus to saves to avoid catching
fire.

Medium: Fire effects suffer a penalty of 4

points of damage per die rolled. Normal fires
no longer burn.

Heavy: Fire effects suffer a penalty of 6 points

of damage per die rolled.

Overwhelming: Fire effects suffer a penalty of

8 points of damage per die rolled.

Sonic
Worlds devoid of sonic energy are utterly
silent.

Faint: Sonic effects suffer a penalty of 2 point

of damage per die rolled. All creatures suffer a
–5 circumstance penalty to Listen checks.

Light: Sonic effects suffer a penalty of 3 points

of damage per die rolled. All creatures suffer a
–10 circumstance penalty to Listen checks.

Medium: Sonic effects suffer a penalty of 4

points of damage per die rolled. Sound no
longer exists. Casters use spells as if they were
deaf. They have a 20% chance to lose any spell
with a verbal component.
100
 Heavy: Sonic effects suffer a penalty of 6 evil creatures, as they need no supernatural
points of damage per die rolled. Spells with a encouragement to commit foul deeds.
verbal components have a 50% chance of fail-
ure. A cloud of baneful influence can have from one
to all of the traits listed below. The cloud’s

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Overwhelming: Sonic effects suffer a penalty strength determines the Will save DC needed to
of 8 points of damage per die rolled. Only resist its effects. If a cloud has more than one
silent or spells without verbal components trait, characters must save separately for each
function. one. The cloud’s abilities count as a mind-
influencing effect.
Evil Level Will Save DC
Evil planes are realms of pure malignant ener- Faint 10
gy. The ground itself snaps at travelers and Light 15
attempts to devour them, while the tremendous Medium 20
focus of vile power can subvert even the Heavy 25
staunchest champion of good. Fear, hatred, and Overwhelming 30
greed reign supreme in these lands.
Cowardice: Mundane objects gain a sinister
Planes with evil traits usually serve as home to cast, shadows seem to leap and jump, and the
demons, devils, and other villainous outsiders. prospect of battle terrifies characters under the
The gods of darkness create these realms as effect of this trait. Driven nearly mad by terror,
their homes, surrounding themselves with the they flee combat in a blind panic.
souls of their followers and the many ambi-
tious, greedy beings that serve them. On an evil Before taking his action each round in combat,
plane, everything has a sinister shade. The trees a character must make a Will save or immedi-
seem to lean forward to grasp travelers, eternal ately become shaken. Shaken characters suffer
darkness cloaks the sky, and the undead out- a –2 morale penalty on all attacks, checks, and
number the living. These places commonly fea- saves. This counts as a fear-based effect, as do
ture traits from the necropotence category, the other stages of the cowardice trait.
while others draw on the light and cold traits to
reflect their fell natures. An evil plane can A shaken character must continue to make Will
range from a fiery hell populated by devils to a saves before his actions, and if he fails he
seemingly mundane world where evil lords and immediately becomes frightened. A frightened
diabolic priests rule. character flees as well as he can. If unable to
flee, he may fight. He suffers a –2 morale
Baneful Influence penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saving
throws. A frightened character can use special
An evil plane offers a threat much more insidi- abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, he
ous than a rampaging monster or a dangerous must use such means if they are the only way to
villain. The very fabric of these worlds can escape.
conspire to corrupt those who are pure of heart,
compelling them to commit vile deeds that run If a frightened character is forced into combat,
counter to all they hold dear. A cloud of bane- he must continue to make Will saves before his
ful influence covers an evil plane and forces actions. On another failed save, he becomes
creatures to give into their basest natures. panicked. A panicked character suffers a –2
Paladins run from battle, heroic rangers steal morale penalty on saving throws and must flee.
from their allies, and stalwart knights chop He has a 50% chance to drop what he’s hold-
down both friends and foes in combat. A cloud ing, chooses his path randomly (as long as he is
rarely has a physical presence. Instead, it oper- getting away from immediate danger), and
ates as an invisible field that alters those who flees any other dangers that confront him. A
enter it. Sometimes, though, it manifests as a creature may use a special ability or spell to
rolling cloud of fog, a pool of inky blackness, escape. If cornered, a panicked character cow-
or a similar form. ers. The character is frozen in fear, loses his
Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), drops
Clouds of baneful influence affect neutral and everything held, and can take no actions.
good-aligned creatures. They have no effect on
101
 Empower Evil

Level Attacks Checks Saves Spell DCs

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Faint +1 +0 +1 +0
Light +2 +1 +2 +0
Medium +3 +2 +3 +1
Heavy +4 +3 +4 +2
Overwhelming +5 +4 +5 +3

Foes gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls against emotionally trying situation, such as combat,
cowering characters. an argument, or a similar clash, he must make
a Will save each round before his action. On a
Greed: A traveler’s mind wanders to his com- failed save, he lashes out in a murderous rage.
panion’s goods, noting their fine make and If engaged in combat, he makes a ranged or
obvious value. In time, he grows to covet them. missile attack against a randomly selected tar-
The evil realm’s malignant influence plays on get. If engaged in a conversation or argument,
his growing attraction, eventually compelling he attacks whomever he speaks with. In other
him to steal against his will. stressful situations, he attacks a randomly
selected target. The evil plane warps and twists
For each hour a character spends in this area, perceptions, driving even the most mild-man-
he must make a Will save. On a failed check, he nered explorer to kill over trivial incidents. The
attempts to steal an item carried by the nearest victim of this effect must make another save
friend or ally. He may make a Sleight of Hand 1d6 rounds later or he continues to suffer this
check to pick a pocket, discreetly place an effect.
unattended item into his backpack, or other-
wise attempt to take something. As DM, you Empower Evil
decide the exact actions the character takes.
The PC loses control to the evil realm, forcing In the dark lands dominated by the fell powers,
him to take actions he might not otherwise the thick aura of evil lends strength and aid to
attempt. Until the character leaves the cloud of its adherents. Black-hearted creatures channel
baneful influence, he makes no attempt to mightier spells, swing their blades with
return the item. If confronted, he may opt to renewed strength, and shrug off spells with the
return it and has no recollection of how the merest effort. In their home territory, these foul
item came into his possession. When running villains find vitality in the very land itself. For
this effect, note each character’s Sleight of this reason, invading an evil land is a daunting
Hand, Hide, and Move Silently bonuses and prospect. The weakest kobold or demonling
secretly use them to resolve theft attempts. fights like a hardened warrior in a realm with
Unless a character notices the robbery, he this trait, forcing invaders to pay for every inch
remains unaware of his loss until he attempts to of conquered territory. From the dark lords’
use a lost item or goes through his possessions. point of view, this trait emboldens their follow-
For particularly dangerous results, mix greed ers and pushes them to compete among them-
with the hatred trait. The arguments this trait selves. In this manner, the strong rise to the top
breeds can swiftly turn deadly. and the weak fall in battle. Best of all, the con-
fidence this trait lends to their minions makes
Hatred: Simple arguments spill over into them eager to invade other lands.
deadly battles in this environment. Requests
become orders. Observations turn into Like many other traits, empower evil features
unspeakable insults. Perhaps the plane alters five different strength levels. It grants an evil
the speaker’s words, or it beguiles listeners into creature divine bonuses to attacks, skill checks,
finding veiled insults and threats where none saving throws, and spell save DCs. Apply the
exist. In any case, dear friends turn against each spell DC modifier to spells cast by evil crea-
other with deadly results. tures. All creatures with evil alignments or the
evil subtype qualify for these bonuses.
Whenever a character is subjected to an
102
 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
or equal to the listed percentage, the party
Hatred of the Land
comes under attack.
Enraged by the presence of good creatures, the
very fabric of an evil plane lashes out at them. Level Attack Frequency
Trees rake them with their branches, the ground Faint 20%/24 hours
shifts to knock them prone, and bolts of light- Light 20%/12 hours
ning descend from the sky. A few evil planes Medium 20%/6 hours
are so thoroughly malevolent that they attack Heavy 30%/3 hours
invading good creatures. These realms are per- Overwhelming 40%/1 hour
haps the darkest places in all the planes. This
trait appears in worlds ruled by dark gods or The attackers should consist of animated
formed by the efforts of demons and devils. It objects with a total EL equal to the party’s level
is also common on organic worlds formed by – 1d3. This method presents them with an
the body of an evil being. encounter that can prove troublesome but has
little chance of defeating them. The creatures
This trait’s strength rating determines the spawned by this trait usually attack with sur-
strength of the attacking features of the world. prise, as they spring upon the party from
In addition, the stronger this trait the more behind or beneath them. They gain a +4 cir-
often it spawns an attacker. Set up the struggle cumstance bonus to all Hide and Move Silently
with this trait just like you would any other checks to surprise the PCs. Typical animated
encounter, save that the attack comes from the objects include trees, rocks, mounds of dirt,
party’s midst. For example, a tree or rock in the and other natural features.
middle of the party’s camp could animate to
fight them. If you want to increase this trait’s deadliness,
set the EL equal to the party’s level or their
The attack frequency shows how often this trait level +1d4–1. In this case, the animated ter-
comes into play. Roll d% once after the listed rain presents a clear threat that slowly
time period passes. If the total result is less than wears away their resources and can put
103
 their lives in jeopardy. You can also tie the their toughest challenge in these realms, as
creatures’ strength to this trait’s rating. their shreds of self-doubt grow gargantuan
However, it is usually a good idea to rate the under the relentless, crushing influence of an
two separately. If you throw too many tough evil realm. The baneful nature of this trait liter-
encounters at the party, they have little chance ally saps the energy from good creatures,
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

to survive. reducing weak ones to dead husks and turning

even the stoutest soldier into a weakling.
Level Attackers’ EL
Faint Party’s level – 2 Scorn the righteous has five different levels of
Light Party’s level – 1 strength. Good-aligned creatures and those
Medium Party’s level with the good subtype automatically suffer its
Heavy Party’s level + 1 effects. They gain a circumstance penalty to
Overwhelming Party’s level + 2 their Constitution scores, all Will saves, and
attacks as the realm’s foul influence saps their
Insidious Weakness strength and works to subvert their efforts.
Note that the Constitution penalty disappears
The lands of evil cast a dark, foul gloom upon as soon as an affected creature leaves the plane.
those who enter them. Even the most trivial
task requires a Herculean effort as the power of Will
evil seeks to smother the spark of life in all who Level Attacks Con Saves
stand against it. Evil worlds sometimes cause Faint –1 –0 –1
despondency, hopelessness, and depression in Light –2 –2 –2
those who venture into them. This effect takes Medium –3 –4 –3
the form of a hazard that characters must resist. Heavy –4 –6 –4
All non-evil creatures who visit the plane suf- Overwhelming –5 –8 –5
fer this effect. The insidious weakness trait
causes a slowly escalating morale penalty to all
attacks, checks, and saves. A night’s rest clears Good
a character’s mind and frees him from all
From the heroic realms of good march forth the
penalties, but after waking he once again must
angels, paladins, and other heroic defenders of
resist this trait’s effects.
the weak. The sun shines with a golden radi-
ance, bathing the wooded glades, rolling green
Faint: Will save DC 10; 4 hour interval; –1
fields, and calm azure seas with its invigorating
penalty/interval; –1 morale penalty to attacks,
light. The air always feels fresh, and even a
checks, and saves.
rainstorm is a cheerful, refreshing boon. The
realms of good resemble lands carved from sto-
Light: Will save DC 15; 2 hour interval; –1
rybook fantasies. Even the dourest traveler can-
penalty/interval; –1 morale penalty to attacks,
not help but smile and laugh in these conse-
checks, and saves.
crated lands. All that is horrid, unjust, greedy,
and destructive in the universe is answered
Medium: Will save DC 20; 1 hour interval; –1
fivefold by this realm’s warmth, peace, and
penalty/interval; –1 morale penalty to attacks,
calm. To look upon a realm of good is to look
checks, and saves.
upon paradise itself.
Heavy: Will save DC 20; 30 minute interval;
The lands of good offer a welcome respite to a
–1 penalty/interval; –1 morale penalty to
planar traveler. Those who bring no malice to
attacks, checks, and saves.
these lands receive a warm welcome, for the
lands of good are renowned for their hospitali-
Overwhelming: Will save DC 20; 15 minute
ty. A simple village turns out a feast to wel-
interval; –1 penalty/interval; –1 morale penalty
come guests, and many adventurers have cho-
to attacks, checks, and saves.
sen to retire in peace rather than leave these
places. Even the most violent demons must
Scorn the Righteous struggle to raise their weapons in anger while
The black lands dominated by evil wear away on a plane of good.
at the very body and soul of a good creature.
Angels, paladins, and crusading clerics face
104
 good deed. Only good or neutral characters
Glade of Benevolent Charity
who hesitate must make saving throws. The
In some areas of a good plane, the majesty and save DC is low because this effect relies on the
beauty of the land is enough to move even the persuasive power of the example set by the
most hardened adventurer. In many ways, these glade rather than a brute force attempt to sub-

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

lands are the perfect representation of all that vert a character’s will.
humans, elves, dwarves, and other good-
aligned races strive to build. In the presence of Faint: Will save DC 10; must be
such wondrous sites, mortals made whenever an opportu-
find themselves com- nity to do a good deed aris-
mitting acts of selfless es; –1 penalty/interval; +1
bravery, heroism, and morale bonus to attacks,
charity. The plane by no means checks, and saves for one
forces such actions. Instead, it hour.
nurtures and guides them.
Good, after all, is a choice. A Light: Will save DC 10; must
hero’s actions mean little if an be made whenever an
outside agent forces him to make opportunity to do a good
them. deed arises; –2
penalty/interval; +1 morale
The glades of benevolent charity bonus to attacks, checks,
are such wondrous places that and saves for two hours.
good and evil creatures are
swayed by them. Creatures who Medium: Will save DC 10;
embrace the path of good are must be made whenever an
rewarded, while those who opportunity to do a good deed
spurn it lose all hope as the beau- arises; –3 penalty/interval; +1
ty seems to turn its back on them. morale bonus to attacks,
checks, and saves for three
Within a glade, a creature must act to hours.
help others, defend the weak, and
offer charity to the needy. The Heavy: Will save DC 10; must
glade’s beauty is so overwhelm- be made whenever an opportunity
ing that this effect takes the form to do a good deed arises; –4 penal-
of a hazard, though remember ty/interval; +1 morale bonus to
that this effect is not a force attacks, checks, and saves for four
that subverts or bends a charac- hours.
ter’s will. Instead, the plane of
good’s example inspires heroic Overwhelming: Will save DC 10; must
actions. In return, if the character suc- be made whenever an opportunity to do a
ceeds at his task he acts with renewed good deed arises; –5 penalty/interval;
hope and vigor. +1 morale bonus to attacks, checks,
and saves for five hours.
Unlike most hazards, a glade presents a char-
acter with a bonus if he gives in and Strength of the Righteous
attempts a good deed. Obviously,
the definition of a good deed is While traveling on a plane of good,
open to some interpretation. heroic adventurers and noble crea-
Examples include saving a per- tures feel energized, confident, and
son in danger, donating hundreds ready for anything. The bright sun
of gold pieces to a wandering mendi- emboldens them and the crisp pleasant air
cant, or battling an evil creature. As a rule of lends energy to their limbs. The strength of the
thumb, an appropriate challenge should have righteous trait reflects this enhanced mental
an EL equal to the party’s level. Note that the and physical condition. When confronted with
interval applies to opportunities to do good an obstacle, a hero in the land of good
during any single day. A PC can always opt to fights with the strength of a dozen men.
willingly fail his save by diving in to commit a
105
 The effects of this trait apply to all good-
aligned creatures and those with the good sub- Heat
type. They gain morale bonuses to saves and
checks, an enhancement bonus to Strength, and An endless desert stretches forth like an anvil
fast healing from the soothing, life-giving ener- for the sun’s relentless hammer. Magma jets
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

gy of the plane. into the air across a rocky plan spider-webbed

by veins of molten rock. Fire elementals gather
Fast in a city forged of iron, their lords venturing
Level Saves Checks Str Healing into an ocean of burning oil on the backs of red
Faint +1 +1 +0 0 dragons. The heat traits encompass a wide
Light +2 +2 +2 0 range of worlds, from simple deserts to exotic
Medium +3 +3 +4 0 lands of lava and deadly heat. Some evil
Heavy +4 +4 +6 1 realms, such as the depths of hell, prominently
Overwhelming +5 +5 +8 2 feature this trait. From apocalyptic landscapes
to elementals worlds, heat presents a tremen-
Weakness of the Vile dous challenge to adventurers who journey to
the planes.
While the bright sun and golden aura of these
planes lift the spirits of good creatures, they fill The heat traits cover much more than worlds
evil beings with fear and uncertainty. They dominated by fire. A jungle world may be
cower in awe before the might of good, while exceptionally hot, while the forge world where
the peaceful, healing energy of the land flows a smith god toils may feature endless warrens
through them and dispels their normally blood- of fiery workshops and forges. Try not to fall
thirsty thoughts. The weakness of the vile trait into the trap of thinking that heat must form the
can turn even the most fearsome demon into a dominant trait on a plane. It can just as easily
defenseless pacifist wholly unable to raise his play a supporting role as any other ability.
sword in anger.
Ambient Fire
Weakness of the vile affects all evil-aligned
creatures and those with the evil subtype. They This trait represents the eternal flames that may
move slowly and cautiously, as the searing burn across an entire plane. A forest on the ele-
light of good saps their strength. Even in the mental plane of fire may forever remain in
midst of battle, they must struggle to throw off flames, while in a titan’s workshop great waves
this trait’s influence in order to attack. Evil of heat may erupt from machines. The flames
creatures suffer an enhancement penalty to hazard represents the danger of catching fire
Dexterity and have a flat chance each round from an open flame or other heat source. Use it
that they are unable to commit violent acts. to spice up an encounter area or fill a fiery
Roll d% each round. If the die roll is less than landscape.
or equal to the listed pacifism percentage, the
creature may take no action that would harm Flames: Reflex save DC 15; 1 round interval;
another living being for that round. This effect 1d6 damage; Special: On a successful save, the
extends to physical attacks, spells, and special flames are extinguished. A character gains a +4
abilities. Note that some offensive spells, such bonus on this save if he rolls on the ground or
as charm monster, are not subject to this effect, if the flames are smothered with a cloak or sim-
though a demon could not then order a charmed ilar item.
creature to attack unless it was not under the
pacifism effect. Ash Storms
The high temperatures usually found in these
Level Dexterity Pacifism % environments spawn hazards in addition to heat
Faint –0 10% exhaustion. Ash storms form from the soot and
Light –2 20% smoke given off by a fiery plane’s eternal fires.
Medium –4 30% They are thick clouds of smog, cinders, and
Heavy –6 40% smoke belched forth by great fires. They can
Overwhelming –8 50% confuse explorers, choke them with their
embers, and force them to slog through deep
layers of debris.
106
 Characters who fashion masks or use rags to character is reduced to 0 hit points by heat, he
cover their mouths gain a +4 circumstance begins taking normal damage from this hazard.
bonus on all saves to resist an ash storm’s A character cannot heal subdual damage dealt
effects. The covering prevents cinders and ash by heat until he cools off.
from entering a victim’s lungs and choking

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

him—the source of damage from this hazard. Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 2 hours interval;
In addition to the hazards listed below, an ash –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage.
storm hinders sight as per the blizzard condi-
tions trait given under the cold category above. Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 1 hour interval;
The ash storm’s strength rating has the same –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage.
effect on visibility as a blizzard of the same
strength. Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual dam-
All ash storm hazards share the following spe- age.
cial ability. On each failed save to resist the
storm’s effects, a character suffers a cumulative Heavy: Fortitude save DC 15; 10 minute inter-
–1 circumstance penalty to Spot checks as soot val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage.
and ash get into his eyes. Creatures wearing
goggles are immune to this effect. Spending 5 Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 15; 5
minutes rinsing a character’s eyes with clean minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subd-
water removes this penalty. ual damage; Special: In addition to the effects
of this hazard, this intense heat automatically
Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 1 hour interval; deals 1d6 points of damage per minute as char-
–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage; Special: A acters sustain burns to their skin and lungs from
faint ash storm usually lasts for 1d4 hours. the intensely hot air. Characters wearing metal
armor are affected as if targeted by a heat metal
Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute inter- spell. A character cannot heal subdual damage
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage; Special: dealt by heat until he cools off.
A light ash storm usually lasts for 1d4 hours.

Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 15 minute

Law
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage; Rigid, unbending, and above all else pre-
Special: A medium ash storm usually lasts for dictable, the planes of law move to a single,
1d2 hours. steady beat. Order stands above all else, sap-
ping creatures of their free will and casting a
Heavy: Fortitude save DC 20; 10 minute inter- static monotony over all the land. Yet, some
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage; Special: creatures find a heavenly beauty in such order.
A heavy ash storm usually lasts for 1 hour. The lords of law see the cosmos as a great
machine, one that could some day wind down
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 25; 5 to oblivion. Driven to maintain this great mech-
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 dam- anism against the endless tide of chaotic
age; Special: An overwhelming ash storm usu- destruction, they cultivate the planes of law and
ally lasts for 30 minutes. help bring forth the ironbound, unyielding pat-
terns that lie within them.
Extreme Heat
At first glance, a plane of law may seem like
The fires that cloak a realm in eternal heat can
any other world. Trees cluster together in
weary, incapacitate, or even kill visitors who
forests, rolling hills give way to the horizon,
have no protection from the temperature. The
and grass sways in the breeze. Closer inspec-
following hazards represent different levels of
tion reveals disturbing details. The trees are all
heat present in planes, from a faint to an over-
spaced exactly the same distance apart in neat,
whelming rating.
orderly rows. The grass is all the same height.
The hills, when viewed from above, form a pat-
All of the hazards have the following special
tern of concentric circles that radiate out-
rule. While exposed to heat, a character wear-
ward from the highest elevation among
ing thick, heavy clothes or armor of any type
them. Other realms of law bear little
suffers a –4 penalty to his saving throw. If a
107
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

resemblance to terrestrial worlds. Some feature action breaks down into the possible and the
the ultimate expression of regularity and order: impossible; all variations in between, particu-
an endless, featureless, perfectly flat plane. larly degrees of difficulty, fade into oblivion.

The worlds of law are noteworthy to travelers This trait replaces all d20 die rolls with either a
for their static environments and the strong pull static number or a skewed range of results. The
they exert to fit outsiders into their sacred pat- die or result a creature uses depends on its
terns. A man walking across these realms finds alignment. Replace all d20 rolls with the die
himself stepping into a fixed, repeated pattern. ranges or results listed below. As you can see,
In other cases, planar traits take the form of this trait is a very powerful ally for the crea-
actual laws handed down by the scions of tures of law. While it enforces the orderly, pre-
order. Magic might fail to work on a plane dictable feel of these planes, be sure to use its
because its rulers decreed it. highest ratings in moderation.

Edict of Law Level Lawful Neutral Chaotic

Faint d20+1 d20 d20–1
The planes of law abhor chance. If a burly war- Light d20+5 d20–1 d20–5
rior tries to smash down a door, luck must have Medium d12+8 d20–5 d12
no control over the result. Only the dictates of Heavy d10+10 d12 d10
law, with its inflexible judgment of what must Overwhelming 20 10 0
be, can play a role in the outcome. The edict of
law trait represents this tendency by replacing
Strength of Pattern
all moments of chance in the game with static
results. A warrior’s attempt to hit a monster On some worlds dominated by law, the very
with his sword no longer becomes a matter of fiber of the plane forces creatures to fall into
skill and luck. Instead, the pattern of law predictable patterns of behavior. Law extends
weighs each combatant’s talent and dictates its grip beyond inanimate objects to include
the outcome. In extreme cases, this every everything that enters its domain. Living crea-
108
 tures can just as easily be herded into orderly the other traits. It presents a few traits that you
behavior as trees and grass. Strength of pattern can use in your planes, but it also outlines some
is a hazard that represents the brute force a advice on choosing and presenting creatures
plane can exert to force visitors into predictable for your worlds. Building a theme with the
actions. Areas touched by it are among the monsters and creatures that inhabit a land can

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

most sacred and well ordered of these planes. help give it flavor, bring out its distinctive
character, and form a memorable setting for the
This hazard forces characters to enter repetitive characters’ adventures. The creatures and
patterns of their most recent actions. On a NPCs are the stars of your show, the main
failed save, a character must continue to repeat encounters that characters interact with. The
the last few motions he made. Each round, he better suited they are to your planes, the
must save again or repeat this action. Once he smoother your adventures.
saves, he is free from the hazard until its next
interval passes. In combat, a character must Creature Theme
take the same action on his next turn. If this
action is impossible, such as a wizard casting A creature theme works differently than the
his last spell, he instead takes the listed damage traits presented elsewhere in this section.
as the plane’s mystic feedback seeks to correct Rather than feature a strength rating, it is more
the error. There is no save to resist this damage. of a tool you can use to add an additional uni-
Once a character has taken damage, he is free fying trait to your planes. A creature theme is a
from the hazard’s effect. Creatures of the law unifying set of characteristics you use to select
subtype are immune to this effect; whether con- the monsters and humanoids found on a plane.
sciously or not, their actions automatically fit Depending on the worlds you build, you prob-
into the plane’s overall patterns. ably need to design your own themes. The
ideas given here are useful in some situations,
Faint: Will save DC 10; 1 hour interval; –1 but the stranger the planes you build the more
penalty/interval; repeat last action or 1d8 dam- unique the creature theme you need to use.
age.
Creature themes are a good way to cultivate a
Light: Will save DC 15; 30 minute interval; –1 unified look and feel for a plane. By tying the
penalty/interval; repeat last action or 1d8 dam- life forms present in a world to its environment
age. and traits, you can present a believable, logical
setting.
Medium: Will save DC 15; 15 minute interval;
–1 penalty/interval; repeat last action or 1d10 The creature types present the easiest way to
damage. form a theme. A world populated exclusively
by aberrations has a much different feel than
Heavy: Will save DC 20; 10 minute interval; one inhabited by dragons. Consider which
–1 penalty/interval; repeat last action or 1d10 creatures of a given type are likely to form civ-
damage. ilizations, the ones that function as beasts of
burden, predators, herd animals, and so on. For
Overwhelming: Will save DC 25; 5 minute an additional level of precision, look at the
interval; –1 penalty/interval; repeat last action creature subtypes. Most outsiders are catego-
or 1d12 damage. rized by alignment, while other monsters are
marked as fire and cold creatures. These group-
ings are a natural fit for planes dominated by an
Life alignment or those under the grip of extreme
heat or cold.
On a plane of ice and snow, frost giants and
other creatures of the cold reign supreme.
Consider how the standard fantasy races and
Other worlds are literally infested with life.
monsters operate in your world, and look at
Trees and plants cover every available surface,
scrambling their roles. Orcs can take the role of
while hordes of vermin race through the under-
lawful good defenders of the land, while
growth. In contrast, other planes are dead
humans and elves roam the edges of civiliza-
worlds. Ash, wreckage, and ruins dominate the
tion in violent, barbaric tribes. Perhaps the
landscape, while not a single sound pierces the
war between good and evil has taken a
quiet. The life category is a bit different from
different turn, with conquering goblins
109
 serving dragon kings that rule the land. Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; Special: Disease
Especially in realms dominated by evil, such with 1 day interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1 point
changes give the players an easy way to under- of temporary Con damage.
stand your world and present them with a
daunting challenge. Light: Fortitude save DC 15; Special: Disease
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

with 1 day interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1 point

Undead and constructs may inhabit a world of temporary Con damage.
that has long ago been stripped of life. A magi-
cal conflict on par with a nuclear war could Medium: Fortitude save DC 20; Special:
have destroyed ever last living thing, perhaps Disease with 1 day interval; –1 penalty/inter-
even leaving behind the continuing, deadly val; 2 points of temporary Con damage.
effects of arcane fallout. Ghouls lurk within
smashed cities, forming abhorrent mockeries of Heavy: Fortitude save DC 25; Special: Disease
civilization. Zombies and skeletons, the ani- with 1 day interval; –1 penalty/interval; 2
mated remains of the cataclysm’s innocent vic- points of temporary Con damage.
tims, continue to go through their daily rou-
tines. On other worlds, golems and other con- Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 30;
structs may represent the last creatures. Special: Disease with 1 day interval; –1 penal-
Ecological disasters, wars, and other catastro- ty/interval; 2 points of temporary Con damage.
phes could slowly kill off everything else. Even
the undead wither away and disappear for lack Savage World
of victims.
The forest crackles with an overwhelming ten-
sion. All is silent for a few lingering moments,
Plague World
until all the world seems to explode in a storm
In some planes, the native diseases are so viru- of violence. Rats, wolverines, hawks, and other
lent that they strike down visitors in the space animals descend upon the invaders, consumed
of a few hours. These plague worlds present a with the desire to kill or be killed. Even the
terrible challenge, as many who visit them plants and trees join in the melee, rending and
know nothing of the danger until it is too late. tearing with their long branches. Some planes
You can use diseases from other d20 books or react violently to any incursion into their terri-
invent your own to fit the world. The hazards tories. From the simplest creature to the grass
presented below are a baseline you can use to and trees, all life turns against the intruders.
judge a plague world’s deadliness. Known as savage worlds, these places are
shunned for their deadly natures but hold a
Plague worlds can take on many forms. In strong appeal to explorers. Untouched by civi-
some cases, a rampant disease could kill every- lized hands, these planes are a burgeoning
thing in a region, turning it into a charnel source of gold, rare furs, and other valuables.
house. Other times, the local creatures adapt to Many expeditions seek to tame these lands, but
the disease. They all carry it but have devel- few return.
oped sufficient immunities to avoid its deadly
effects. The savage world trait allows you to set the
overall hostility of simple plants and animals
A character must save against a disease once. If against all visitors to a realm. Naturally occur-
he succeeds, he does not check again until he is ring creatures, primarily beasts, magical beasts,
exposed to it again. If his save fails, he suffers and plants, act according to this trait’s setting,
the disease’s effects and must save again as per though you can include other creature types if
the standard rules for intervals. Once he makes you so choose. Savage worlds only feature
a saving throw, he resists the disease and no intelligent species at their lowest rankings, as
longer takes damage from it. He heals any under the more extreme conditions any effort to
damage taken from it as normal. At that time, erect a stable society would be difficult.
he gains immunity to that disease. Once a char-
acter has a disease, he cannot catch it again and Faint: There is a 10% chance per hour that a
take additional damage from it. A remove dis- group of beasts, plants, or other creatures with
ease spell immediately heals all damage dealt an EL equal to the party’s level – 2 attacks.
by disease and cures it but does not grant a
victim immunity as if he healed naturally. Light: There is a 15% chance per hour that a
110
 group of beasts, plants, or other creatures with
an EL equal to the party’s level – 1 attacks.

Medium: There is a 20% chance per hour that

a group of beasts, plants, or other creatures

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

with an EL equal to the party’s level attacks.

Heavy: There is a 20% chance per hour that a

group of beasts, plants, or other creatures with
an EL equal to the party’s level attacks. These
creatures gain the barbarian’s rage ability.

Overwhelming: There is a 25% chance per

hour that a group of beasts, plants, or other
creatures with an EL equal to the party’s level
+ 1 attacks. These creatures gain the barbar-
ian’s rage ability.

Light
The sun shines upon the world, bringing end-
less, gentle light to the lands beneath it. Or per-
haps the sky remains eternally dark. Perhaps a
few stars cast a feeble glow, but otherwise the
land is encased in blackness. On a different
plane, three suns pound the land with a merci-
less radiance, turning the entire world into an
endless desert.

The light category may seem superfluous, but

the amount of sunlight a world receives goes a
long way to determining how it develops.
Lands that receive just enough sunlight can
grow lush with life. A little too much turns a
world into a barren wasteland, and too little
causes life to stultify.

The light keywords present two different

effects you can add to a plane. One presents a
tool you can use to help give your worlds a
realistic, logical appearance. The other one
makes light into an environmental hazard that
can burn or blind characters caught within it.

Glare
On some planes, natural light takes on a strange
characteristic that can prove bothersome and
even deadly to visiting creatures. Their skin
burns, their eyes suffer glare, and without find-
ing cover they can sustain serious injury.
Perhaps the world’s light is somehow different,
casting a glare that injures visitors, or a magi-
cal effect punishes all creatures that enter the
land. In any case, the glare trait allows you to
turn a world’s light into a dangerous effect that
can prove troublesome for the party. Forced to
111
 travel by night, they may face the dangerous ter may have destroyed the sun, leaving the
challenge of trying to explore a world where world in ruins, or perhaps its strange ecosystem
the sun can kill them. has adapted to darkness.

Damage inflicted by this hazard counts as a fire Light: The world receives the equivalent of
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

effect. Heat or fire resistance protects against it. bright starlight. Creatures with low-light vision
However, those abilities do not protect against can see as normal, but others must struggle in
the glare effects. Creatures native to the plane the gloom. Fungi and nocturnal creatures
are likely immune to these effects. Otherwise, thrive.
they are forced to work and travel by night.
Medium: The world is analogous to Earth. It
Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 1 hour interval; receives the light of a sun and can feature the
–1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage; Special: All same general climates and conditions as the
creatures that rely on sight suffer a –1 penalty real world.
to attacks and checks that require sight due to
the glare. Heavy: Two or more suns glare down upon the
world, or perhaps the sun never sets. In either
Light: Fortitude save DC 10; 30 minute inter- case, the world has warm, wet weather. Jungles
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage; Special: and thick forests cover many parts of the land,
All creatures that rely on sight suffer a –1 but in warmer climes the heat has produced
penalty to attacks and checks that require sight deserts.
due to the glare.
Overwhelming: Multiple suns hang in the sky,
Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 15 minute never dipping below the horizon long enough
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage; for the world to cool. A few isolated regions of
Special: All creatures that rely on sight suffer a thick forest and jungle arise where water is still
–2 penalty to attacks and checks that require available, but for the most part the world is a
sight due to the glare. rocky wasteland.

Heavy: Fortitude save DC 15; 10 minute inter-

val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage; Special:
Magic
All creatures that rely on sight suffer a –2 Perhaps the most powerful force in all the cos-
penalty to attacks and checks that require sight mos, magic forms the basis for entire societies,
due to the glare. is the key component of the abilities of gods
and archmages, and can reshape the course of
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 20; 5 history. Its key attribute is its predictability. A
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 dam- wizard knows that if he performs certain
age; Special: All creatures that rely on sight motions while reciting a set of mystic words,
suffer a –3 penalty to attacks and checks that he can reliably produce an effect. However, on
require sight due to the glare. some planes magic is much harder to control. It
takes on random characteristics, runs beyond
Sunlight its user’s control, or proves difficult to coax
into being.
The level of light a plane receives helps deter-
mine the level of life it can logically support.
Magic permeates the very essence of the
Keep in mind that as settings for a fantasy
planes, making it a part of almost any world the
game, your planes do not need to slavishly fol-
characters visit. But like any other aspect of a
low the guidelines given here. If you want to
world, it can take on a variety of forms. The
create a world that thrives under the glow of a
various magic traits give you tools to configure
moon, go ahead. The strength ratings and
arcane and divine power on your planes. When
descriptions given below are merely tools, not
using a magic trait, you can opt to have it apply
canonical examples of how you must design
to arcane spells, divine magic, or even super-
your campaign.
natural abilities. As a default, all traits apply to
all types of magic equally. Spell-like abilities
Faint: The world is cloaked in darkness.
count as the spells they duplicate and the class
Either the sun burned out long ago or the
ability they mimic. For example, a creature that
entire place is devoid of light. A great disas-
112
 uses teleport as a sorcerer counts as an arcane types of spells. On a world of magma and
caster for that ability. Varying the effects of the scorched, rocky plains, the ambient heat energy
traits is a good way to differentiate between the makes spells dealing with fire more powerful
caster types. Wizards, sorcerers, and other than normal. In some cases, specific types of
mages would dominate a world that suffocates spells gain potency based on the environment

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

divine magic and strengthens arcane spells. In surrounding their users.
a world where the reverse is true, clerics and
other followers of the gods may hold power. The arcane potency trait enhances a specific
You can also tailor traits to affect casters of cer- selection of spells. When you select this trait,
tain alignments or races, specific schools and choose a school of magic or one of the spell
spell descriptors, and so on. descriptors such as good, fire, chaos, and so
forth. This trait enhances such spells based on
Note that magic items are considered immune its strength. You can select this trait more than
to most of these traits unless specifically noted once, picking a different school or descriptor
otherwise. Items are imbued with self-sustain- each time and a different strength setting for it,
ing magic and do not normally need to draw on if applicable. Spells affected by this trait gain
an outside power source. You can change this an increased save DC and caster level.
for your campaign if you like, but it makes
applying many of the traits difficult. For exam- Caster
ple, arcane instability could make a magic Level Save DC Level
sword stronger, but there are few guidelines for Faint +0 +1
how a cloak of the bat would improve or Light +1 +1
degrade in its function. The dying magic trait is Medium +1 +2
your best choice for altering how magic items Heavy +2 +2
work. Overwhelming +2 +3

Arcane Instability Arcane Weakness

This trait is described under the chaos category On some planes, the magical energy needed to
on page 95. It works equally well on a world power certain types of spells stands opposed by
where magic is unreliable or difficult to con- the world’s ambient energy. On the hallowed
trol. Perhaps some process prevents arcane or planes of good, necromantic spells prove diffi-
divine energy from flowing properly, or the cult to cast properly. The interplay between the
plane’s physical characteristics prevent it from plane’s structure and the mystic flow of energy
functioning normally. As an optional rule, you leaves some spells malformed and weak.
can link the spell’s likelihood of success to the
caster’s ability to craft magic. Use the follow- The arcane weakness trait causes spells from
ing Spellcraft DCs to determine if a spell func- certain schools or with specific descriptors to
tions properly rather than the flat percentage operate at reduced capacity. On a plane with
chances given under that ability. Otherwise, this trait, an imbalance between magical forces
use the arcane instability trait as given under reduces some spell types to shadows of their
the chaos category. former selves. Each time you select this trait,
pick a school of magic or a spell descriptor.
Level Spellcraft DC Spells from that school or with that trait suffer
Faint 5 a reduced caster level and save DC as they
Light 10 function weaker than normal. You can select
Medium 15 this trait more than once, choosing a different
Heavy 20 school or descriptor and strength level, if
Overwhelming 25 applicable, each time. Spells reduced to caster
level 0 or less fizzle out with no effect.
Arcane Potency
The weave of magic consists of myriad specif-
ic energies. Evocation spells rely on raw, brute
force, while necromancy calls on the fell spirits
of the dead. Some planes feature a mystic con-
figuration that proves amenable to specific
113
 Caster first make a Spellcraft check to determine if he
Level Save DC Level can summon and gather sufficient energy to
Faint –1 –1 power the spell. On a roll of 1 on 1d20, this
Light –2 –3 check automatically fails.
Medium –3 –5
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Heavy –4 –7 Worlds with this trait tend to have a lower

Overwhelming –5 –9 dependence on magic than other worlds. The
difficulty in shaping spells makes it an unreli-
Dead Magic able resource for all but the most powerful
mages. In some cases, the difficulty in casting
On some worlds, magic is a thing of the past or spells may lead to magic’s eventual disappear-
an artifact of myth and legend. On these planes, ance. As apprentices grow unable to cast spells,
magic items are erratic at best and sometimes the transferal of magical knowledge from one
fail to function. Supernatural abilities also fal- generation to the next slowly grinds to a halt.
ter, leaving even the mightiest creature The PCs could enter a world where no one
defenseless. knows of magic, but their spells still function.
The dead magic trait has no rating. It cancels Level Spellcraft DC
out all magical abilities, items, and spells. A Faint 5
plane with this trait simply has no access to the Light 10
source of magical energy. In these areas, magi- Medium 15
cal items fail to function, all spells fizzle, and Heavy 20
all supernatural and spell-like abilities cease to Overwhelming 25
operate. Items brought into this realm return to
normal once they leave it, as do all creatures
with magical abilities and other effects.

Magical Drought
The power of magic can wax and wane on
worlds, making it sometimes easy to command
a powerful spell and at others impossible to
command the simplest incantation. The magi-
cal drought trait allows you to add a layer of
difficulty in casting spells. Before a caster can
employ a spell, he must

114
 Level Caster Level DC
Magical Flux
Faint 5
The flow of magic can run like a stream or flow Light 10
like a river. In the first case, spells trickle out Medium 15
with greatly reduced effects. In the second, Heavy 20

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

they roar forth with tremendous power and Overwhelming 35
fury. The magical flux trait reflects this insta-
bility. On some planes, all but the mightiest
spells are muffled out of existence, while the
Necropotence
simplest incantation can shake the world. Realms with this trait are the domains of the
Magical flux indicates that the level of magic in dead, sprawling, dark lands where the undead
an area rises and falls. In one moment, it flows are the norm and the living are condemned to
strong but in the next it grinds to a halt. This short, miserable existences. In many ways,
trait is a useful tool for worlds where magic is these realms are the diametric opposite of most
unreliable and difficult to control. habitable lands. Forests of dead and slowly
dying trees, months of endless darkness, and
When a caster uses a spell, he must make a entire kingdoms of the walking dead dominate
Spellcraft check to properly form it. If he suc- the world. Vampires and lich-kings rule over
ceeds, the spell functions as normal. If he fails, realms populated by skeletons, zombies, and
the magical flux of an area overwhelms his ghouls. The few living creatures that survive
spell and causes it to run out of control or dwin- are forced into servitude, ruthlessly cultivated
dle into nothing. A caster may always opt to fail for food, or driven into hiding from the undy-
this check and leave his spell’s effectiveness to ing overlords who rule this land.
chance.
The necropotence traits grant the undead
On a failed check, there is a 50% chance that enhanced abilities. A plane with this trait is
the spell gains in power. Otherwise, it fades and infused with necromantic energy, creating an
weakens. Roll 1d6 and add the result to the environment that is tailored to the health and
spell’s level and the caster’s level if the spell survival of all undead creatures. Depending on
gains power. Otherwise, subtract 1d6 from both the strength level you select for this trait, the
the spell and caster level. If either the caster or undead could gain a variety of benefits, from
spell level is reduced to 0 or less, the spell fails. turn resistance to fast healing and additional
It counts as expended but has no effect. supernatural powers.

Level Spellcraft DC In a world with this trait, the undead take on

Faint 10 many of the positions and stations assumed by
Light 15 living creatures. A vampire king may rule over
Medium 20 a court of ghosts and specters. Armies of ghasts
Heavy 25 struggle against legions of skeletons and zom-
Overwhelming 30 bies. Animals, plants, and other creatures are
replaced with undead versions. In some ways,
Magical Veil these worlds are stuck in a perpetual stasis.
In an area under the effects of a magical veil,
only skilled casters can pierce the aether to Bane of the Living
draw forth energy for their spells. Some sort of Dead worlds sap the life from all foolhardy
barrier prevents magic from flowing into the enough to enter them, rendering them lifeless
plane, such as a divine edict against certain husks should they linger. Perhaps the most dan-
types of casting or a physical barrier that inter- gerous realms in all the planes, the worlds of
rupts the flow of magic. Whenever a caster the undead are themselves anathema, monu-
uses a spell, he must make a caster level check ments to the endless hunger and boundless evil
with a DC determined by this trait’s strength. If of the living dead. Living beings foolish
he succeeds, the spell functions as normal. If he enough to visit them slowly lose their life
fails, the incantation sputters out of existence. force, rising to join the ranks of the living
The spell counts as used but has no effect. dead upon their deaths.

115
 The bane of the living trait presents a series of turn resistance bonus does not apply to undead
hazards that reflect the continual, life-leeching clerics, who draw upon the realm’s might in
capabilities of many necropotent worlds. equal measure to fuel their efforts.
Creatures exposed to these worlds slowly lose
their life energy, gaining negative levels with Level Turn Resistance
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

each progressive hour that passes. The Faint +1

Fortitude save DC to remove a negative level Light +2
equals the hazard’s base DC without interval Medium +3
penalties. If an affected character remains in an Heavy +4
area with this trait when he attempts to remove Overwhelming +5
a negative level, he suffers his current interval
penalty to his Fortitude save. A creature slain March of the Dead
by this hazard rises as a wight 24 hours after its
death. In some worlds infested with necromantic
energy, the dead can never rest easy. The
Undead creatures are immune to this trait, as plane’s malevolent aura drives them onward,
are constructs. All other creatures suffer its regardless of the injuries and punishment they
effects as normal. Spells and abilities that pro- sustain. When a living creature falls, its body
tect against level drain and negative levels offer almost immediately rises again as a zombie
solace against this hazard. Treat each exposure intent on destroying its one-time comrades.
to it as a separate energy drain attack.
The march of the dead trait allows you to grant
Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 24 hour interval; fast healing to undead creatures. It also causes
–1 penalty/interval; 1 negative level. any living creature to return as an undead zom-
bie soon after death. The rate of fast healing
Light: Fortitude save DC 10; 12 hour interval; increases with this trait’s strength, while the
–1 penalty/interval; 1 negative level. time period between a creature’s death and its
return as an undead creature decreases. Any
Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 6 hour inter- living thing animated by this ability returns as
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1 negative level. a zombie. Creatures slain in such a way that
they return as undead creatures other than zom-
Heavy: Fortitude save DC 15; 3 hour interval; bies are not affected by this trait. For example,
–1 penalty/interval; 1 negative level. a creature slain by a wraith becomes one of
those creatures. The fell magic behind that
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 15; 1 hour process overrides this trait. Undead creatures,
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1 negative level. elementals, and constructs are not affected by
this trait’s animation ability.
Kingdom of the Dead
Fast Zombie
The lands of the dead are wholly their Level Healing Animation
provinces. The power of the gods, be it the Faint 0 1 hour
destructive fury of deities of good or the con- Light 1 30 minutes
trolling influence of the dark ones, dissipates Medium 1 10 minutes
and fades in the face of a necropotent realm’s Heavy 2 1 minute
seething energies. Worlds with this trait host Overwhelming 3 1 round
mighty undead lords who refuse to bend to the
gods’ will. Even evil clerics, who normally Strength of Undeath
work with the undead, find their attempts to
rebuke and command the dead fruitless. The bleak energy of a realm of the dead
empowers and emboldens the creatures that
The kingdom of the dead trait grants undead dwell there. Skeletons and zombies stalk their
creatures improved turn resistance. Creatures prey with renewed vigor, while intelligent
without turn resistance gain that ability with a undead creatures exult in their newfound
rating equal to this trait’s bonus. Drawing on power. The primal energy of these worlds fos-
the fell power of their native lands, the dead ters the undead and allows them to prosper.
throw off attempts to blast them out of exis- Visitors to these worlds face not only a hostile
tence or bend them to a mortal’s will. This environment, but enemies who shrug off mor-
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 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
tal wounds and fight with deadly speed and
power. The shroud of death trait makes it more diffi-
cult for creatures to heal, causes wounds to
The strength of undeath trait enhances undead linger, and kills creatures before their hit point
creatures, granting them a bonus to Strength total falls to –10. The insidious effects of this
and Dexterity. They also gain bonus hit points trait’s necromantic energy wear away at a liv-
based on their total Hit Dice. All of these ing thing’s basic ability to survive. The cure
effects count as enhancement bonuses. penalty reduces the amount of damage restored
by any cure spell. The healing multiplier
Level Str Dex Hit Points increases the time period necessary to natural-
Faint +0 +2 +1/HD ly heal hit points and recover ability score dam-
Light +0 +4 +2/HD age. Multiply the standard time period by this
Medium +2 +6 +3/HD multiplier to determine the rate of natural heal-
Heavy +4 +8 +4/HD ing. The death threshold lists the hit point level
Overwhelming +6 +10 +5/HD at which a creature dies.

Shroud of Death Cure Healing Death

Level Penalty Multiplier Threshold
In the land of the dead, life’s grip on a creature Faint –1 x1 –10
is ever so slightly weakened. Injuries heal Light –2 x2 –8
slowly, minor wounds become major problems, Medium –3 x3 –6
and creatures on the brink of death slip over it Heavy –4 x4 –4
far sooner than normal. Such is the power of Overwhelming –5 x5 –2
the necromantic realms that living organisms
feel an inexorable pressure to surrender to their
final fate. Even the bravest warrior feels the
clutch of death upon him, reminding him that
the end is always near in these dark worlds.
117
 A complete listing of technological items is
Technology beyond the scope of this book. The
DRAGONSTAR Starfarer’s Handbook and
On some worlds, the magical discipline known Imperial Supply supplement offers listings for
as science has advanced far ahead of its rival many science fiction weapons, while the core
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

schools of study. Guns, cars, airplanes, and d20 rules include basic stats for firearms.
even more advanced equipment take the place
of cure spells, enchanted weapons, and other Advanced Tech
tools commonly seen in fantasy worlds.
Medusas, giants, and dragons are little more In some worlds, the strange magic of technolo-
than stories told to frighten children and enter- gy has displaced, replaced, or perhaps even
tain adults. In such realms, the characters could exists alongside arcane and divine magic. The
wield absolute power with their spells. advanced tech trait is useful shorthand for
Other times, their enchantments are lit- keeping track of the standard level of technolo-
tle use against laser rifles, mecha- gy in a world. It can range from clubs and rocks
nized robots, and battle tanks. to advanced robots and energy weapons. As
mentioned above, you can consult the core
The technology trait category rules for basic information on advanced
allows you to introduce radi- weapons or use other d20 resources to fill out
cally new settings to your these details.
planar cosmology.
Pitting paladins Arcane Masquerade
and wizards When magic enters a world ruled by technolo-
against machine gy, the guiding laws of that realm mold and
gun–toting gang- change magic to blend it into
sters, alien cyborgs, the environment. A wizard
and other menaces wandering through a
can provide a refresh- world analogous to
ing change of pace, 21st century Europe
but it presents some hidden may find that his
pitfalls that can derail a spells manifest as
campaign. Once the coincidences, explainable
adventure is over, you effects, and other appear-
may face the prospect ances that the plane’s
of characters looting pis- natives can explain using
tols, rocket launchers, science. The victim of a
and similar equipment flesh to stone spell grows
from their foes. The utterly rigid, his muscles
traits presented locked in place, rather than
here are turning into a rocky statue. A
designed to fireball causes a nearby gas
alert you to these prob- line to detonate, while magic
lems and give you tools to handle the missile takes the form of a small
integration of technology into a fantasy cam- pistol that appears in its caster’s
paign with as little (or as much!) complication hand, fires, and then disappears. The gods of a
as you want. technologically advanced world may work to
keep magic’s existence a secret. The strange
In addition to high-tech items, this category interplay between advanced science and pow-
also covers worlds dominated by technological erful spells may produce secondary visual
creations, such as golems, clockwork creatures, effects. In any event, a caster’s spells appear as
and other constructs. On some planes, such explainable phenomena.
artificial life has long since conquered organic
beings for complete dominance. In other cases, The arcane masquerade trait features an
mechanical beings evolved and prospered via Intelligence check DC that an observer may
strange, unknown processes. This trait cate- attempt to determine that a spellcaster, magical
gory allows you to develop worlds where creature, or other manifestation of magic is
living creatures give way to constructs.
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 Advanced Tech
Level Technology
Faint None: Civilization has yet to rise.

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Light Primitive: Clubs, slings, cloth armor.
Medium Standard: Metal armor, swords, catapults.
Heavy Modern: Firearms, cars, planes, computers.
Overwhelming Science Fiction: Cyborgs, lasers, spaceships.

indeed a supernatural entity or effect. An These constructs show the full range of person-
observer is never forced to make this check. alities and alignments, with good and evil king-
Instead, he makes it only if he seeks an arcane doms rising to battle for supremacy.
explanation. Note that events captured on video Mechanical sages and wizards probe into the
allow an observer to make a check to note any mysteries of organic life, fascinated that intelli-
odd events, but once a check fails it cannot be gence can seem to spring naturally from the
attempted again. environment. Others view living things as
anathema, working to stamp them out to pre-
This trait provides you with a convenient tool vent them from overwhelming the realm.
to allow characters the full use of their abilities
without drawing inordinate amounts of atten- Planes with this trait can present a mix of
tion. You can combine it with portal traits such organic and artificial life, or they can feature
as transformation to give the characters equip- constructs exclusively. In the former case, the
ment and clothing appropriate to a modern or intelligent golems may use beasts of burden
futuristic plane. In some cases, you may want and live alongside humans and other civilized
to focus on scenarios more subtle than a fight- races. Sometimes, the divide between them
er jousting with a car and the wizard defeating proves too great and leads to war, but more
the city’s entire police force. This trait makes it often the two sides segregate themselves
much easier for the PCs to blend in without according to alignment rather than origin.
robbing them of their resources. Dwarves and their lawful good stone golem
allies battle orcs and endless waves of chaotic
Note that this trait leaves equipment, weapons, evil flesh golem raiders, while in other areas
armor, and other items unchanged. Unless you oppressive constructs force humans into slav-
use portal traits to alter the PCs’ appearance ery. Constructs, as intelligent, free-willed crea-
and items, they might still stick out due to their tures, have the same capacity for benevolence
gear. A man with a sword does not need to dish and malice as any other race. You can pick a
out any magical effects to attract attention. general alignment for them in keeping with
your ideas for a plane.
Level Intelligence DC
Faint 10 On some planes, organic life has either died off
Light 15 or never evolved in the first place. These
Medium 20 realms feature artificial life and nothing else,
Heavy 25 leading to forests of trees carved from jade,
Overwhelming 30 fields of thin, flexible metal grass, and other
sights. You can build an utterly alien landscape
Mechanical Supremacy or create artificial analogs to natural features.
Artificial life reigns supreme on some planes. The mechanical supremacy trait grants all con-
The magic behind golems, shield guardians, structs bonuses to their Intelligence, Wisdom,
and similar creatures runs rampant on them, and Charisma scores. These awakened
imbuing these normally mindless creatures machines also gain 2 + Int modifier skill points
with independent intellects. Constructs can per Hit Die with quadruple skill points for the
grow, learn, and master skills just like living first Hit Die. They gain one feat plus an addi-
things on these planes. Freed from the typical tional feat for every three Hit Dice they
restraints they must shoulder, they produce civ- have. As a default, these constructs keep
ilizations that rival anything erected by men, these abilities when they travel else-
elves, dwarves, and other humanoid races.
119
 where while any brought into this plane remain world. A pistol, on the other hand, is a bit more
mindless. You can modify this ruling if you mysterious. The explosive force that propels a
want to restrict constructs to certain planes or bullet could be explained as magic, as could a
think it would be fun to have the party wizard’s car’s engine. Remember, though, that you can
golem suddenly gain a personality. define almost anything as “technology.”
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Scrolls, magic swords, and similar magical

Level Int Wis Cha items could qualify for this trait when they
Faint 6 8 6 travel from the PCs’ home world to a plane
Light 8 10 8 where magic is unknown. In any case, this trait
Medium 10 12 10 allows you to play with technology in your
Heavy 12 14 12 campaign without worrying about long-term
Overwhelming 14 16 14 consequences. If the characters loot weapons
and items from their enemies, this trait ensures
Technological Aura that their new toys become useless soon after
they leave a high-tech world.
Guns, laser rifles, and starships have long made
appearances in fantasy gaming. From the earli- The time period listed for this trait’s five
est days of RPGs, designers have mixed the strengths represent how long an item can
two to present a unique clash of cultures. With remain functional once it leaves its plane of ori-
robots and lasers on one side and knights and gin. After the time period passes, the item ceas-
wizards on the other, you can present the play- es to function. It cannot be repaired, though it
ers with a memorable adventure. Problems returns to normal if brought back to its plane of
arise in the aftermath of such scenarios. Once origin. Multiple planes with this trait can share
the characters have finished their high-tech technology if you so choose, allowing a PC to
enemies, their foes’ weapons, armor, and other carry a pistol or robot from one science fiction
equipment may remain. Unless you are ready world to another.
to handle fighters armed with blasters, wizards
commanding tanks, and rogues scattering land Level Time Period
mines, you need to create a logical, cohesive Faint 1 month
reason why such items cannot fall into the PCs’ Light 1 week
hands. Medium 1 day
Heavy 12 hours
The technological aura trait posits that science Overwhelming 0
is nothing more than a different type of magic.
A machine gun operates according to known
Technological Virus
physical properties and laws, just like magic
missile predictably creates an effect based on On some planes, life has long since given way
the gestures, components, and phrases used to to the inexorable rise of the machines. The very
produce it. Just as magic loses its power when nature of the plane is hostile to organic crea-
brought to certain planes, so too does technol- tures. Living things that enter such places are
ogy fail to function on many worlds. For exam- subject to horrific effects that wear away their
ple, a windmill or a grindstone is too simple to bodies and slowly turn them into mechanical
qualify as a technological item. Both of these beings. Tiny machines, so small that they are
inventions can function anywhere. On the other invisible to the naked eye, infiltrate their vic-
hand, a pistol or a robot might sputter on a fan- tims’ bodies and alter them from the inside out.
tasy world, just as an enchanted blade loses its These microscopic killers slowly drain their
magic in a science fiction setting. victims of life, eventually killing them and ani-
mating them as ghastly mixtures of organic and
This trait’s strength determines how long tech- artificial beings. On other planes, the ambient
nological items created on this plane can func- energy present in the world morphs and twists
tion on others. You can categorize anything as living things, forcing them to adopt bodies
technological, from a catapult to a starship the compatible with the plane’s structure and
size of a planet. As a rule of thumb, items sub- killing them in the process.
ject to this trait should have some aspect of
their operation that does not rely on easily The technological virus trait reflects this dan-
observable workings. For example, a club is gerous condition. It presents a series of hazards
too simple to stop functioning on a different ranked by strength that can kill organic crea-
120
 tures. A creature killed by these hazards rises in
Air Currents
2d6 hours as a mechanical construct. These
creatures count as animated objects. If these Planes highly attuned to the element of air
objects somehow gain intelligence, such as might feature few landmasses. Instead, the
from the mechanical supremacy trait, they have characters must navigate the open air between

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

wholly new personalities. floating islands, clouds, and other points. Air
currents take the place of rivers, as they can
These hazards affect only living creatures. pull ships and flying creatures along and force
Elementals, constructs, and undead creatures them in specific directions. The currents could
are immune to them. be regular, or they may change unpredictably.

Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 1 hour interval; Weak Air Currents: Strength DC 10; 1 round
–1 penalty/interval; 1d6 damage. interval; Moved 2d6 feet in the current’s direc-
tion; Special: A character or vessel moving
Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute inter- with a current gains an additional 2d6 ft. of
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 damage. movement per round. For travel over long peri-
ods, increase the group’s speed by 5 feet.
Medium: Fortitude save DC 20; 15 minute
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 damage. Moderate Air Currents: Strength DC 15; 1
round interval; Moved 5d6 feet in the current’s
Heavy: Fortitude save DC 20; 10 minute inter- direction; Special: A character or vessel mov-
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 damage. ing with a current gains an additional 5d6 ft. of
movement per round. For travel over long peri-
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 25; 5 ods, increase the group’s speed by 20 feet.
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 dam-
age. Strong Air Currents: Strength DC 20; 1 round
interval; Moved 10d6 feet in the current’s
Waterways direction; Special: A character or vessel mov-
ing with a current gains an additional 10d6 ft.
The rivers, oceans, and lakes of a plane go a of movement per round. For travel over long
long way to defining its character. Remember periods, increase the group’s speed by 40 feet.
that while water covers over half of the Earth’s
surface, few people think of it as an aquatic Boiling Water
world. This trait category allows you to spice
The ideal waterway for planes of fire, boiling
up your planes by introducing a variety of dif-
water burns creatures foolish enough to enter it
ferent substances that can fill the role normally
and forms a difficult obstacle to any character
filled by water. From seas of flaming oil to
who lacks an item or spell that protects him
streams of sludge and slime, these unique ter-
from heat damage.
rain features add a new dimension of the alien
to the outer planes.
Boiling Water: No save; 1 round interval; 1d6
damage; Special: A character fully submerged
The waterways traits differ from the other cat-
in boiling water takes 10d6 damage per round.
egories in that they present terrain features
rather than global rules you can use to make a
world different. When creating a plane, pick Dust
one of these traits to fill in the world’s oceans A tremendous cataclysm can disintegrate huge
and use it to build a strange environment for the swathes of the landscape, turning it into a thick
PCs to explore. layer of dust. A rampant magical effect causes
a desert to shift and move like a liquid body,
Not every plane needs to have strange water- allowing skiffs to move across the sands.
ways. You can use these features to populate a Creatures swim through the dirt, and deep
dungeon, add a strange location to a wilderness within it lie the forgotten ruins of an ancient
adventure, or present the characters with a civilization. Dust waterways are useful in
daunting obstacle. planes with a close connection to the earth
element.

121
 Treat dust exactly like water. Spells and effects endless wastelands ravaged by a great cata-
that alter how a character interacts with water, clysm. Some of these worlds feature weather
such as water breathing, work exactly the same much like the typical inhabited world, while
when dealing with liquid dust. Characters who others have an array of strange effects. The
fall into it must swim or they risk drowning. weather traits allow you to tinker with storms,
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

rain, and other natural effects. You can produce

Drowning/Suffocation: Constitution check a rain of fire that pummels the ground with
DC 10; 1 round interval; –1 penalty/interval; burning embers, storms of howling ghosts that
Special: A character can hold his breath for a drive living creatures mad, and heat waves so
number of rounds equal to twice his intense they cause fires to spontaneously erupt.
Constitution score. After that interval, apply
the effects given for this hazard. On a failed Unlike other traits, the various weather effects
check, a character immediately drops to 0 hit tend to have a strong link to specific categories
points. On the next round, he drops to –1 hit and types of worlds. Each has a short descrip-
points and is dying. On the third round, he dies. tion of planes that normally feature it, though
you are under no obligation to follow those
Magma suggestions.
From active volcanoes to a fire giant’s castle in You can modify the weather traits to cover dif-
the midst of a burning plain, magma is the ulti- ferent conditions by changing the damage they
mate waterway for an inferno. deal and altering their descriptions. A ferocious
hailstorm that pounds the characters with giant
Magma: No save; 1 round interval; 10d6 dam- chunks of ice might use the rain of fire threat
age; Special: A character fully submerged in altered to deal cold damage.
magma takes 100d6 damage per round.
Acid Rain
Slime
In worlds hostile to life, acid rain serves to
A thick, viscous mixture of organic material, sweep the land clean of anything unable to find
water, and unidentifiable goop, slime is a catch sufficient cover. The plants that survive must
all term for anything that appears disgusting adapt to this searing downpour, while most
and flows in great quantities across a plane. creatures dwell within caves and take care to
This sludge can have a variety of effects. It may never venture far from them. And acid rain
burn like acid, prove poisonous to organic crea- storm can last as long as you need it to for pur-
tures, or serve just as well as water. poses of an adventure or campaign, or 2d100
minutes if you want to determine the duration
Acidic Slime: No save; 1 round interval; 1d10 randomly.
damage; Special: Acidic slime ignores an
object’s hardness. Acid rain strips life from the terrain. Over time,
even rocks show signs of melting and wear.
Adhesive Slime: Reflex DC 15; 1 round inter- The plants and animals adapted to the acid
val; Special: A creature that fails its save thrive, easily overrunning all other species.
against this slime is caught in place and may be Intelligent creatures may fashion shelters from
dragged along by its current. A Strength check stone and acid-proof materials, such as the
(DC 15) is necessary to break free. A creature thick leaves and bark of plants adapted to this
stuck beneath this goop drowns as if it fell in environment.
water.
Mechanical worlds, places devoid of life, and
Fiery Slime: No save; 1 round interval; 1d6 evil realms are the places most likely to have
damage; Special: This slime deals fire damage. this feature. Acid rain punishes living things,
Creatures and items exposed to it must check to making it difficult for most of them to survive
see if they catch fire. for long.

Weather Acid damages any large items a character car-

ries, such as armor, shields, backpacks, and so
The planes hold a wide range of worlds, from forth. Such objects must save as per the stan-
flame-blasted realms of elemental fire to dard rules for objects.
122
 Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 10 minute inter- Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 4 round interval;
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1 damage. –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage, –10 speed.

Light: Fortitude save DC 15; 5 minute inter- Medium: Fortitude save DC 15; 3 round inter-
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d2 damage. val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 damage, –10

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

speed.
Medium: Fortitude save DC 20; 2 minute
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage. Heavy: Fortitude save DC 20; 2 round interval;
–1 penalty/interval; 1d8 damage, –10 speed.
Heavy: Fortitude save DC 20; 1 minute inter-
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage. Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 20; 1
round interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d10 dam-
Overwhelming: Fortitude save DC 20; 5 age, –10 speed.
round interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d6 dam-
age. Ghost Wind
The wind bears many things, such as dust, rain,
Flash Freeze
or a deep chill. On some planes, the power of
A wave of intense cold sweeps over the land, death is so great that the weather carries the
coating everything in a fine layer of ice. It spirits of the fallen, casting them across the
freezes creatures in place, trapping them in ice land in a shrieking torrent of souls. A ghost
and slowly draining their strength. A flash wind can drive a creature insane with its unholy
freeze is as deadly as it is fast. In one moment, influence, as its tormented souls spread fear
it can transform a temperate woodland scene and madness before them. A ghost wind initial-
into a wintry vista. Only creatures that notice ly appears just like a mundane breeze. As it
its progress toward them stand a chance of sur- gains strength, spectral faces appear within it,
vival unless they are tough or resistant to stretched taut by the wind’s force. As the faces
extreme cold. lengthen, they begin to moan and howl. This
unholy din wears away a listener’s sanity.
Planes locked in endless cold, chaos worlds,
and lands wracked with unstable magic are the Evil and necropotent realms are prime candi-
most likely to feature this trait. Planes with this dates for this weather effect, as are lands infest-
trait tend to have lower populations, as the ed with chaos. A ghost wind could even origi-
flash freeze kills off many creatures in an area. nate in a mundane campaign world, spawned
A flash freeze lingers in an area according to by a powerful necromantic ritual or belched
the needs of your adventure or, if you prefer a forth by a gate to the realm of the dead.
random method, 3d6 rounds.
Several hazards, organized by strength, repre-
Flash freeze is described with a series of haz- sent the ghost wind. A ghost wind causes tem-
ards that represent various strengths for this porary Wisdom damage and forces its victims
trait. The freeze inflicts cold damage, while the to behave as if under the effects of confusion
penalty to speed it causes represents the forma- cast by a 15th-level sorcerer with a 16
tion of ice on a creature’s limbs. On a success- Charisma. A ghost wind can last as long as nec-
ful save, a creature still sustains half the listed essary for an adventure’s purposes or 1d4 min-
speed penalty. A creature with a speed reduced utes.
to 0 or less is rendered helpless and immobile
by the flash freeze. Even creatures that are Faint: Will save DC 10; 10 round/1 minute
immune to cold damage still suffer penalties to interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1 point of tempo-
their speed. A successful Strength check (DC rary Wisdom damage, affected by confusion for
10) as a standard action allows a creature to 1d4 rounds.
remove any speed penalties it suffers. A
trapped creature must make a Strength check Light: Will save DC 15; 8 round interval; –1
(DC 15) as a full-round action to escape. penalty/interval; 1 point of temporary Wisdom
damage, affected by confusion for 1d6 rounds.
Faint: Fortitude save DC 10; 5 round interval;
–1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage, –10 speed. Medium: Will save DC 15; 6 round inter-
val; –1 penalty/interval; 1d2 points of
123
 temporary Wisdom damage, affected by confu-
sion for 1d8 rounds. Creating Hazards and
Heavy: Will save DC 20; 4 round interval; –1 Traits
penalty/interval; 1d2 points of temporary
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

With over 50 traits to choose from, this chapter

Wisdom damage, affected by confusion for gives you the tools to cover most situations.
1d10 rounds. Still, sometimes you need a specific tool or
effect that this book does not cover. In such sit-
uations, use the following guidelines to build
Overwhelming: Will save DC 20; 2 round your own traits and hazards.
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 points of tem-
porary Wisdom damage, affected by confusion The first and most important factor in creating
for 1d12 rounds. a trait is determining its basic game mechanics.
Does it deal damage? Who or what does it
Rain of Fire affect? What conditions does it reflect? Try to
Inky black clouds hang overhead, while a picture the trait in your mind and imagine how
breeze carries a faint smell of brimstone. The the characters interact with it. If it physically
air grows hot but intensely dry, in the space of injures the characters, impedes their progress,
moments drying out puddles and wilting plants. or drains their life, then you have an idea of the
With a thunderous crack, the storm begins. mechanics it needs.
Burning embers streak from the sky, igniting
the land below in a searing holocaust. In a few Ability score damage works best with traits
moments, flames engulf the area. that weaken or enhance creatures without
affecting their physical health. A plane could
Rain of fire is common in realms dominated by reduce an evil creature to a weakling, but such
flame, such as fire elemental planes, evil an effect is not likely to kill it. Ability score
realms, and desert worlds. This weather trait damage strips away the characters’ abilities,
invariably reduces the landscape to an ashen making them more vulnerable to attacks, but on
wasteland, as it spawns raging fires that sweep its own it only rarely threatens their lives.
across the land.
Strength damage makes warrior types less
Faint: Reflex save DC 10; 2 minute interval; effective in combat. They hit less often and
–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 fire damage. deal less damage, making fights last longer on
average. It also renders all characters unable to
Light: Reflex save DC 15; 10 round/1 minute carry heavy loads. In some cases, the party may
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 fire damage. have to abandon heavy items to continue mov-
ing. In extreme cases, this damage can deny a
Medium: Reflex save DC 20; 5 round interval; fighter the use of Cleave, Power Attack, and
–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 fire damage. other feats that rely on Strength.

Heavy: Reflex save DC 20; 2 round interval; Dexterity damage makes all characters vulner-
–1 penalty/interval; 1d4 fire damage, exposed able to physical attacks and effects that require
to flames hazard listed below. Reflex saves. Fast, mobile characters lose
access to feats such as Spring Attack and
Overwhelming: Reflex save DC 25; 1 round Dodge, crippling their main combat abilities.
interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 fire damage, Rogues, bards, and monks have a difficult time
exposed to flames hazard listed below. using skills such as Hide and Move Silently.

Flames: Reflex save DC 15; 1 round interval; Constitution damage is perhaps the most dan-
1d6 damage; Special: On a successful save, the gerous effect, as it saps a character’s maximum
flames are extinguished. A character gains a +4 hit points and can kill him should his score
bonus on this save if he rolls on the ground or drop to zero. Fortitude saves resist many
if the flames are smothered with a cloak or sim- effects that require a saving throw to avoid
ilar item. instant death.

Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage

124
cripples a party’s ability to use magic.
Remember that a caster needs a minimum abil-
ity score to use spells of a certain level.
Reducing these scores strips away the party’s
most powerful abilities and can leave them far

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

more vulnerable.

Hit point damage obviously weakens the party,

making them less able to handle combat
encounters and more likely to deplete their
potions, healing spells, and other resources.
Encounters are more likely to kill or incapaci-
tate characters.

You can include other effects in hazards

beyond ability score and hit point damage.
Some hazards reduce a character’s speed, grant
him saving throw penalties, reduce his AC, and
duplicate spell effects. If you have a hazard you
cannot simulate using damage or modifiers,
look to the spell lists for effects that mimic its
function. Level drain, petrification, and other
effects all fall neatly into areas already charted
out by spells. For inspiration, page through lists
of spells and find effects that appeal to you or
fit the mood of your game.

After deciding how your hazard attacks the

characters, you need to determine its saving
throw DC, interval, and interval penalty. These
three factors tie into how much damage the
hazard deals. Ones that inflict a lot of damage
should have long intervals or low save DCs
unless you want them to quickly overwhelm
the characters. For example, a mechanical
world features sword blades falling from the
sky in place of rain. If you want the characters
to immediately sprint for cover when this rain
hits, set the damage and save DC high, and the
check interval short. If the characters take a lot
of damage in a short period of time, they obvi-
ously cannot withstand a hazard for long.

One of the key pitfalls in hazards lies in their

saving throws. If a hazard’s effects reduce a
character’s save bonus, either directly or indi-
rectly through ability damage, be sure to keep
the initial save DC low. Otherwise, the charac-
ters can hit a death spiral where a single,
missed save can doom them to successive fail-
ures that kill them. In general, lower save DCs
work best for hazards. Only the most danger-
ous obstacles should have DCs as high as 20 or
25, with 10 and 15 the most common ones.
Since a hazard can affect every character in the
party, a lower DC allows PCs with good saves
125
 to gain the benefit of their abilities while those remind them that they are on an alien world.
with poor ones suffer setbacks. Use the random appearance generator from
Chapter 4 to add new visual traits to an existing
The hazard’s interval should be tied to the creature. Best of all, you do not need to alter
threat it poses. Hazards that present a continual any rules or create a new creature to use this
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

danger need short intervals, while those with method.

longer intervals represent gradual effects that
slowly increase in intensity. Be careful about In the end, your skill as DM determines
setting a hazard’s interval too short and save whether your planes come across as vivid and
DC too high. Such a combination can quickly interesting. The rules here are a starting point.
overwhelm the characters, as the hazard wears Use them as the basis for the descriptions and
them down before they can escape it or figure strange worlds that you weave.
out a method to counteract its effects.

An interval penalty of –1 or –2 is enough to

Random Planar Traits
make a major difference as checks accumulate. Sometimes the characters take a strange turn
Penalties higher than that can make a hazard and hurtle into a region you have not yet
impossible to resist in a short period of time. If mapped out or designed. A rash jump into a
a hazard has a very long interval, such as an portal, an emergency use of plane shift, or a
hour or more, a severe penalty can work to sur- similar event can put you in the position of
prise the party and remind them of the lurking needing to quickly create a plane. The follow-
danger they face. In that case, the characters ing tables allow you to quickly generate an
probably need to make few enough saves that array of traits along with their strength ratings,
the penalty does not grow too large. if necessary. You can also use random planar
generation to spark your imagination. The
Details beyond Traits effort of finding a logical framework for a ran-
dom set of traits can inspire you to come up
While the traits give you the rules material you with a unique, memorable background.
need to bring a world to life, there are other
details beyond game mechanics that you need To randomly generate a plane, roll on the ran-
to take into account. The descriptions and envi- dom terrain chart to determine the general lay-
ronments you use to depict a plane bring it to out of the plane or the area the characters enter.
life in your players’ minds. All the rules in the Then roll on the trait generation table. Refer to
world mean little if you apply them in a dull, the appropriate trait listing earlier in this chap-
mechanical fashion. ter for more information. Use the trait strength
table for those features that have multiple
Focus on the important environmental details strength ratings. The elemental and magic
and bring them out repeatedly during an adven- tables provide details for those two trait cate-
ture. If the weather is exceptionally hot, men- gories. For traits and details not covered by
tion the thick sweat that drips down the charac- these charts, pick one at random from the list
ters’ skin, soaking their clothes and making presented in the individual trait’s description.
their armor uncomfortable. Think about a hot
or cold day (as appropriate) that you experi- It is possible that a random combination may
enced and use that to drive your description. prove impossible to reconcile. For example,
Often, the smaller details have the biggest you may roll the extreme heat and freezing
impact in this regard. During a rain storm, talk conditions traits. In this case, you can either
about how the driving downpour soaks into the assign them to different areas in the world or
characters’ clothes, turning their socks into replace one of the incompatible traits with a
soggy rags around their feet. An acid rain caus- new one. Furthermore, sometimes you may
es thin trails of smoke to rise from everything find that a few traits make logical fits for a
it burns. world. Go ahead and add those, perhaps gener-
ating one or two traits randomly then filling in
When dealing with creatures, alter a monster’s this rest based on your first few results.
appearance to keep the characters guessing. Its
stats remain the same, but the new descrip-
tion you use can confuse the players and
126
 54–55 Magic–Arcane Potency
Random Terrain Chart
56 Magic–Arcane Weakness
1–7 Air 57–58 Magic–Dead Magic
8–14 Desert 59 Magic–Magical Drought
15–21 Flooded 60 Magic–Magical Flux

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

22–28 Forest 61–62 Magic–Magical Veil
29–35 Jungle 63–64 Necropotence–Bane of the Living
36–42 Mechanical 65–66 Necropotence–Kingdom of the Dead
43–49 Mountains 67–68 Necropotence–March of the Dead
50–56 Organic 69–70 Necropotence–Strength of Undeath
57–65 Plains 71–72 Necropotence–Shroud of Death
66–72 Splintered 73–74 Technology–Advanced Tech
73–79 Subterranean 75–76 Technology–Arcane Masquerade
80–86 Swamp 77–78 Technology–Mechanical Supremacy
87–93 Tundra 79–80 Technology–Technological Aura
94–100 Water 81–82 Technology–Technological Virus
83–84 Waterways–Air Currents
Total Traits to Generate 85–86 Waterways–Boiling Water
87–88 Waterways–Dust
1–20 1 89–90 Waterways–Magma
21–40 2 91–92 Waterways–Slime
41–60 3 93–94 Weather–Acid Rain
61–80 4 95–96 Weather–Flash Freeze
81–90 5 97–98 Weather–Ghost Wind
91–100 6 99–100 Weather–Rain of Fire
Random Planar Traits Random Trait Strength
1–2 Terrain–Gravity 1–20 Faint
3–4 Chaos–Arcane Instability 21–40 Light
5–6 Chaos–Chaos Ascendant 41–80 Medium
7–8 Chaos–Chaos Lands 81–95 Heavy
9 Chaos–Law’s Bane 96–100 Overwhelming
10–11 Cold–Blizzard Conditions
12–13 Cold–Freezing Conditions
14–15 Cold–Snow
Random Element Trait
16–17 Elemental–Elemental Ascendancy 1 Acid
18–19 Elemental–Elemental Enervation 2 Chaotic
20–21 Elemental–Elemental Vacuum 3 Cold
22–23 Evil–Clouds of Baneful Influence 4 Darkness
24–25 Evil–Empower Evil 5 Earth
26–27 Evil–Hatred of the Land 6 Electricity
28–29 Evil–Insidious Weakness 7 Fire
30–31 Evil–Scorn the Righteous 8 Sonic
32 Good–Glade of Benevolent Charity 9 Water
33–34 Good–Strength of the Righteous 10 Roll twice more
35–36 Good–Weakness of the Vile
37–38 Heat–Ambient Fire Random Magic School/Descriptor
39–40 Heat–Ash Storms
41–42 Heat–Extreme Heat 1–4 Abjuration
43–44 Law–Edict of Law 5–8 Conjuration
45 Law–Strength of Pattern 9–12 Divination
46 Life–Plague World 13–16 Enchantment
47–48 Life–War World 17–20 Evocation
49–50 Light–Glare 21–24 Illusion
51–52 Light–Sunlight 25–28 Necromancy
53 Magic–Arcane Instability 29–32 Transmutation
33–36 Acid
127
 37–40 Chaotic
41–44 Cold Chaos Mountain
45–48 Darkness
49–52 Death Summary: A planar mountain infused with
53–56 Electricity chaos, this world offers gateways to paradise
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

57–60 Evil for those who can brave its treacherous envi-
61–64 Fear ronment.
65–68 Fire
69–72 Force The chaos mountain is a testament to the fury
73–76 Good and energy of the endless legions of chaos.
77–80 Lawful Many eons ago, an ambitious lord of chaos
81–84 Light known as Nimbrel schemed to pierce the
85–88 Mind-affecting planes and unleash a massive legion of gibber-
89–92 Sonic ing chaos beasts. By creating a multitude of
93–96 Teleportation portals to a variety of planes, he hoped to
97–100 Roll twice more weaken the planar bonds and plunge the entire
cosmos into entropy. In the end, Nimbrel was
too ambitious. His plan required focus and
Sample coordination beyond the capacity of chaos
legions. Yet, he did not completely fail. The
chaos mountain still stands, a monument to his

Worlds ambition and the potential for destruction

inherent in all chaos creatures.

The following planes serve as examples of The chaos mountain is a massive peak that cuts
what you can do with the various traits present- through a variety of planes. Many portals are
ed earlier in this chapter. Use them as settings set along its slopes, with each of these gate-
for adventures, examples for your own design ways connecting to a different world. At the
work, and components in your campaign’s sys- mountain’s highest points, it breaks into planes
tem of worlds and planes. that are otherwise inaccessible to travelers.
Some claim that Nimbrel’s legion of workers
Each of the sample worlds includes a one sen- and mighty spells fell apart when they came
tence summary that describes its basic traits, into contact with these planes. Whether these
background, a description of its appearance, realms terrified the chaos lord into stopping his
notes on its inhabitants, and a list of traits that work or lured him into a life of peace and tran-
apply to it. Traits are listed by name, with their quility, none can say.
strength (if applicable) followed by category
listed in parentheses. For traits that have easily The mountain forms its own plane. The land at
summarized effects, their specific details are its base extends a few miles in every direction,
listed in the trait summary. a bare, rocky plane devoid of life. The moun-
tain is 200 miles wide at its base and extends
Many of the sample planes are built on classic 100 miles into the sky. At its uppermost point,
archetypes of fantasy literature and gaming. it is barely a few hundred feet across. Caves,
These examples are by no means canonical paths, and caverns dot its sides. In many places,
guides to these places. Instead, think of them as the pathway is no more than three feet across.
templates or starting points for your own planar Chaos beasts are common here, as are preda-
campaigns. tors from the many worlds to which the moun-
tain connects.
The sample worlds use the traits as a basis for
entire settings that you can quickly put togeth- The weather around the mountain is continual-
er. They combine several traits together to form ly stormy. At times, howling winds composed
a model you can use for your own planes. With of the souls of chaos creatures who died in the
a few tweaks, you can design dozens of planes mountain’s construction descend upon travel-
with a few adjustments to the basic examples. ers, tearing away their sanity with long, mourn-
ful shrieks and cries. Even in the absence of
this supernatural gale, the wind drives snow
and freezing gusts against the mountain. Many
128
 icy creatures lurk upon the mountain, and rocs
swoop down to pluck travelers from the path-
ways.

Traits

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

Blizzard Conditions: Range of sight is restrict-
ed by swirling gusts of snow (Overwhelming,
Cold); Chaos Ascendant: Chaos creatures gain
+4 Strength, +6 Constitution, fast healing 1;
Freezing Conditions: Fortitude save DC 15; 30
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subd-
ual damage (Medium, Cold); Ghost Wind: Will
save DC 15; 6 round interval; –1 penalty/inter-
val; 1d2 points of temporary Wisdom damage,
affected by confusion for 1d8 rounds, lasts 1d4
minutes, 5% chance per hour (Medium,
Weather).

The Fens
Summary: The home plane of hags and other
twisted creatures, the fens are a mammoth, pla-
nar swamp infested with evil.

A visitor to the fens would likely describe this

place in one word: claustrophobic. Between the
stifling heat, the tightly packed, sickly trees,
and the overwhelming sense of evil, the land
feels as if it seeks to crush the life out of every
living thing that dares venture into its bounds.
The sky is forever overcast, supplying at best a
dim light.

The fens are an endless swamp, thick with

dying trees, mushrooms, and murky water.
Alligators, lizards, and other creatures adapted
to the hot weather thrive here. Clouds of insects
swarm through the humid air, crawling
between gaps in armor to bite and sting travel-
ers. Only the hags enjoy life here. The power-
ful, ambient evil force that infests this plane
lends them strength, while the heat, insects, and
dim radiance suit their natures. The fens are
apparently endless, though no one has gone to
the trouble to extensively map them. Even the
hags have trouble navigating the swamp’s
physical obstacles. The air a hundred feet
above the trees moves at a supernaturally fast
pace, and the hags use crude umbrellas and
tarps to catch these winds and travel great dis-
tances. The hags love to drop from the air and
attack those who wander the swamps.

The fens are a popular destination for evil

spellcasters and researchers. The hags brew
potions and wander the planes to steal magic
129
 items, selling them for gold, slaves, and other to the next. In the opposite direction, the plane
useful trinkets. Some of these wretched crea- disappears into darkness. The great machine is,
tures grow ambitious. They seek to extend their as its name indicates, a vast planar mechanism.
power beyond their home plane, recruiting Its many cogs, gears, and chains shudder and
creatures from other worlds as spies, servants, jerk to some unknown beat, grinding away to a
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

and scouts. Other hags work as guardians and purpose none can guess. A dim, continual radi-
watchers for other evil beings. A villain might ance cloaks this plane in a continual, evening
entrust a hag with hostages, stolen items, and glow.
other things he may want to keep hidden away.
Sometimes, the greedy, mercenary hags deal Golems and other constructs, granted intelli-
with heroes, selling them information or gence by this plane’s strange magic, inhabit the
prophecies at a steep price. While these predic- machine. They construct small shelters of
tions are not always trustworthy, for enough metal scavenged from the machine’s inner
gold a hag gladly betrays its allies and cus- workings, resting within them between their
tomers. long bouts of working to ensure that the
machine continues its function. The golems
The swamp itself holds little of value. The hags and their mechanical allies must be vigilant, for
long ago dredged it for anything of value. chaos creatures of all types (see Chapter 4)
Aside from alligators, the odd dinosaur, and a wage a continual war against them. In some
vast array of vermin, it holds nothing of note. areas of the machine, the elemental force of
chance has overwhelmed the machine’s struc-
tured order. Gears spasm and shudder in erratic
Traits patterns, and the very structure of this planar
mechanism melts and fades. Sages theorize that
Elemental Ascendancy (Acid): Creatures with the machine is an important component of the
the acid sub-type gain +6 Strength, +8 endless war between law and chaos. Its struc-
Constitution, all acid attacks deal +1d12 dam- tured regularity is anathema to the chaos lords,
age (Overwhelming, Elemental); Empower and as such they commit waves of their follow-
Evil: Evil creatures gain +5 to attacks, +4 to all ers to its destruction.
skill checks, +5 to saves, and a +3 bonus to
their spells’ save DCs (Overwhelming, Evil); In many areas the great machine is a blasted
Extreme Heat: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 battlefield, with golems and the occasional
minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subd- paragon of law standing against massive
ual damage (Medium, Extreme Heat); hordes of minor chaos creatures. Thus far, the
Sunlight: This world receives the equivalent of machines have held their ground. The great
bright starlight. Creatures with low-light vision machine continues to tick down to its unknow-
can see as normal, but others must struggle in able destiny, but the forces of chaos press for-
the gloom. Fungi and nocturnal creatures thrive ever onward. Whatever the machine’s purpose
(Light, Light); Air Currents: Strength DC 15; 1 may be, it might never reach it without the aid
round interval; Moved 5d6 feet in the current’s of heroes.
direction; Special: A character or vessel mov-
ing with a current gains an additional 5d6
Traits
movement per round. For travel over long peri-
ods, increase the group’s speed by 20 feet Arcane Instability: 10% chance spells turn into
(Moderate, Waterways). different spells (Light, Chaos); Strength of
Pattern: Will save DC 15; 15 minute interval;
The Great Machine –1 penalty/interval; repeat last action or 1d10
damage (Medium, Law); War World: There is a
Summary: In the world of the great machine, 20% chance per hour that a group of animated
constructs work tirelessly to overcome chaos’s objects with an EL equal to the party’s level
relentless advance. attacks. This trait applies only if a member of
the party is chaotic (Medium, Life);
Visitors to the great machine find themselves Mechanical Supremacy: Constructs gain +14
standing on a great plane of bronze. Rivers of Int, +16 Wis, +14 Cha (Overwhelming,
oil flow through channels carved into the Technological).
ground, while in the distance mammoth
gears slowly tick from one monstrous tooth
130
 CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond
The dukes of hell divide this plane into separate
Hell realms, each with a distinct character based on
its ruler’s nature. The traits listed below cover
Summary: A fiery inferno inhabited by devils the general conditions within this dreaded
that torment the souls of the wicked. place. You can add additional traits to cover
specific regions.
The classic realm of evil, hell is a fiery plane
where devils endlessly torment the souls of the Traits
damned. The dukes of hell reign over this place
with iron fists, demanding absolute loyalty Extreme Heat: Fortitude save DC 15; 10
from their followers. Meanwhile, they all end- minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 subd-
lessly plot to subvert and cheat hell’s diabolic ual damage (Heavy, Heat); Empower Evil: +3
order. Ambition rules over all in this terrible attacks, +2 checks, +3 saves, +1 spell DCs
place, as the devils seek solely to advance and (Medium, Evil); Arcane Potency: Fire spells
grow their personal power. gain +1 save DC, +2 caster level (Medium,
Magic); Magical Veil: Divine magic used by
Hell is a twisted mockery of all that is good and good casters, DC 15 caster level to us spell
wholesome in the cosmos. The forests are (Medium, Magic).
twisted, charred stands of withered trees. Its
few seas boil from the heat and churn in the The Nightlands
wake of massive, ravenous beasts. All evil and
lawful outsiders are perfectly at home here. Summary: The Nightlands is a world of eter-
The souls trapped in hell take the form of nal night where vampire lords keep herds of
ghosts, zombies, or lemures. The devils pass human cattle.
their time tormenting these poor creatures,
who, regardless of their wounds, arise again to Gripped in eternal twilight, the Nightlands
face another day of unending pain. are a haven for powerful undead crea-
tures. Centuries ago, this plane was much
131
 like any other land. Human, dwarf, and elf The savage forest appears at first glance to be
kingdoms controlled much of the world, while nothing more than a thickly wooded land. The
orcs, goblins, and other barbarians nipped at trees grow close together, and ferns and other
their borders. undergrowth choke the few patches of clear
ground. Disarmed by the plane’s tranquil
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

This carefully maintained balance was facade, heedless travelers stretch out, relax, and
destroyed when the world’s sun sputtered out prepare for a pleasant stay. Such rash actions
and died. While the living fought and bickered invariably lead to the death of those foolish
over their trivial concerns, an unholy alliance enough to enter this dreaded plane.
of vampires and liches gathered to seize the
world. They wrought a mighty ritual that extin- The savage forest acts much like a gigantic
guished the sun. In a single night, the undead organism that sees all non-native life as a dan-
legions boiled from burial grounds, tombs, and gerous, foreign virus that must be eliminated.
underworld caverns to conquer the living. The trees grasp at visitors with their branches,
Divided by centuries of warfare, the men, orcs, seeking to rend and tear them with supernatur-
and elves proved no match for the endless al strength. Wolves, birds, and other mundane
legions of skeletons and zombies. Their con- animals gather in packs to hunt down and kill
quest complete, the undead lords enslaved the all who enter this land. Even the air is an
surviving humanoid populations and, in many enemy, as it holds many diseases that can over-
cases, used them as food stock to satisfy the whelm and kill a traveler.
undead legions’ thirst for the living.
Despite these dangers, the savage forest draws
Currently, the vampire lords and lich-kings more than its share of explorers. Supposedly,
have completed a ritual that channeled heat the forest and the animals within it were
energy from the plane of fire to the Nightlands, charged to guard some great treasure by a pow-
staving off an ice age. Though these dread lords erful druid. This nature priest’s magic was so
worked together to conquer their world, rival- powerful that he was able to bend the ecosys-
ries, hatreds, and jealousies divide them. Their tem of an entire world to his will. While the
undead legions regularly march to war, while druid’s name, intentions, and the details of the
living creatures kept for food have become a treasure he hid are lost to the mists of time, his
valuable commodity. Their ghoul keepers legacy lives on.
brand them at an early age and herd them in
large, walled farms. In a few places, resistance The presence of plant-choked ruins within the
against the undead continues. Groups of orcs, savage forest is a testament that something or
elves, and humans, all of whom have long since someone once dwelled here. Whether they
cast aside their differences, fight a guerilla war were destroyed as part of the druid’s ancient
to free their kin and smash the undead. They pact, none can say. Sometimes, fugitives and
infiltrate the cities of ghouls and ghosts, seek- powerful spellcasters flee here to escape their
ing artifacts and weapons they can use to strike enemies and establish a secure base. By using
down the undead overlords. In some cases, powerful spells to protect their domains, they
they flee to other worlds in search of aid. gain the services of a legion of unwitting
guardians.
Traits
Traits
Sunlight: no sun (Faint, Sun); Arcane Potency:
Necromancy+2 save DC and caster level Plague World: Fortitude save DC 20; Special:
(Heavy, Magic); Kingdom of the Dead: +5 turn Disease with 1 day interval; –1 penalty/inter-
resistance (Overwhelming, Necropotence); val; 2 points of temporary Con damage
March of the Dead: creatures animate as skele- (Medium, Life); War World: There is a 20%
tons or zombies one hour after death (Faint, chance per hour that a group of beasts, plants,
Necropotence). or other creatures with an EL equal to the
party’s level attacks. These creatures gain the
The Savage Forest barbarian’s rage ability (Heavy, Life); Hatred
of the Land: 40%/1 hour plants animate and
Summary: The land itself seeks to extermi- attack (Overwhelming, Evil).
nate all who invade the savage forest.

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 Traits
The Shattered Sphere
Terrain (Splintered); Sunlight: Equivalent of
Summary: Dozens of rock chunks float within starlight (Light, Sun); Waterways: Air currents
space, forming the world known as the shat- blow between the asteroids, allowing grand fly-

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

tered sphere. ing ships to sail them between colonies and
mining outposts.
The stars shine down upon the shattered
sphere, a realm consisting of a dozen large
chunks of rock floating in space. Each of these
The Underkingdom of
asteroids is no more than 200 miles wide at its Nepentra
longest measure. Many are much smaller. The
light from a distant sun casts its glow on these Summary: The people of Nepentra saved their
aerial islands, allowing small forests and sickly world, but at the price of their freedom.
crops to survive, providing a subsistence-level
existence for the men and gnomes that dwell In ages past, Nepentra was a vibrant world that
upon this plane. Hundreds, if not thousands, of bustled with commerce, magical research, and
smaller rock islands swarm between and exploration. Planar travelers who ventured into
around the 12 major islands. These tiny satel- this land found a warm reception, as traders
lites are no larger than a mile across, but they and sages lined up to do business with them.
hold a treasure trove of gold, silver, iron, and The Overking ruled with a wise, just hand. As
mithral. From a great distance, the shattered the most powerful sorcerer in all the land, he
sphere appears as a small asteroid belt that and his family wielded magic with unrivaled
orbits an otherwise empty solar system. skill. Nepentra’s people lived in peace and tran-
quility, until a great host of chaos marauders
The small, scattered human and gnome settle- darkened the sky. Driven by madness and an
ments dispatch flying ships to the orbiting unstoppable drive to destroy, the invaders
rocks to establish mining camps, extracting the poured through great rifts in the planar firma-
shattered worlds’ mineral wealth. They return ment and sought to make Nepentra their own.
the ore to the subterranean halls carved from
the major rocks’ interiors, where it is processed The Overking and his soldiers fought valiantly.
and traded with other worlds via a wormhole For many months, they held off the invaders.
that connects to this world. Several wide, pitch Finally, the tide began to turn. The hordes of
black cave mouths lead to portals that connect chaos saw defeat in their future, and they swore
to the wormhole, making the shattered sphere to leave as much devastation in their wake as
an economically prosperous world, though it is possible. A council of chaos lords wrought a
far from a cheery or fertile one. powerful curse that drove the Overking insane
while granting him virtual immortality.
The scattered, lawless nature of the smaller Wracked with madness, he unleashed powerful
asteroids makes them the ideal hiding spot for spells that destroyed the last of the invaders
criminals, evil wizards, and other villains. while also turning his lands into lifeless waste-
Many fugitives seek out this world, as the lands. Forced by necessity to retreat under-
gnome and human settlements care little for a ground, the few surviving people of Nepentra
person’s morals or background so long as he founded a new kingdom in the world’s deep
can heft a pick and work the mines. Life in the caverns. The Overking continued to rule, his
sphere consists of days of backbreaking labor madness evolving into a quiet, subtle megalo-
punctuated by brief furloughs in its dingy, mania. His people had no idea that it was his
cramped settlements. After a short period of decision to unleash the firestorms that ravaged
sleep, heavy drinking, and carousing, the min- the land, and none could guess that his growing
ers again return to the belt. Many fugitives madness would make him a tyrant.
masquerade as workers or toil long enough to
buy a small air ship and establish an isolated Today, the kingdom of Nepentra survives in a
hideaway deep within the belt. series of gigantic caverns dotted with small
towns and castles. The Overking’s powerful
magic spawned a magical sun that floats
through the caverns, providing a natural
cycle of day and night while allowing
133
 crops and forests to grow. Yet, his other edicts of animals poke through the top soil and the
have proven less benevolent. The Overking few ferns that can survive in these conditions.
acts as a powerful magical sink, preventing all
but the most skilled casters from working The races of Vestrial fight against the environ-
magic. ment, but theirs is a losing struggle. The acidic
CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

plants take root in their stone cities, crumbling

The temples have been cast down, instead walls and buildings with their caustic secre-
replaced with a state religion that venerates the tions. The largest, most vicious insects descend
Overking. His name lost to the ages, he goes by upon settlements with murderous intent, hunt-
his title and demands absolute obedience. So ing down other living creatures for food. In
strong is his rule that the power of law flows many areas, the rivers and lakes have turned
through the land, weakening chaos creatures acidic, injuring anyone who swims in them,
while granting the Overking and his direct ser- destroying ships, and killing off all aquatic life.
vants increased power. Magical abilities are In a few areas, settlements cluster around
strictly regulated in this world, and anyone cabals of powerful wizards and clerics who use
caught casting a spell, aside from the their spells to ward off the jungle. Each day,
Overking’s templars, is hunted down as a fugi- volleys of fire, lightning, and cold energy arc
tive. A small band of freedom fighters seeks to from these settlements to incinerate the trees
overthrow the tyrant, but as the people believe and destroy insects that wander too close. Few
he saved them from destruction even his most of these cities remain, but those that survive are
egregious abuses of power are forgiven. typically too strong and well defended to fall
easily.
Traits
A growing network of barbaric wanderers sup-
Edict of Law: In place of a d20, lawful crea- ports the jungle’s growth. These scrawny, des-
tures roll 1d12+8, neutral ones 1d20–5, and perate savages gather in cults around a single,
chaotic ones 1d12. For purposes of this plane, powerful druid. This divine spellcaster uses his
anyone who opposes the Overking counts as magic and talent with nature to keep his
chaotic, while his followers are lawful charges safe. In return they support the jungle’s
(Medium, Law); Magical Drought: endless march and fight alongside giant insects,
Spellcasters must make a Spellcraft check (DC vermin, and other creatures that have adapted
20) to successfully cast a spell; (Heavy, to the acidic jungle. Most of them show horrif-
Magic). ic signs of scarring, as the druids splash acid on
potential cultists to test their resolve and
Vestrial, The Dying World strength. All of them have partially melted
faces, scars, and extensive tattoos. Whether the
Summary: The jungle devours all in Vestrial, druids brought this ecological apocalypse upon
destroying its remaining civilization and Vestrial or they are merely opportunists who
sweeping away all life. seek to take advantage of the situation, none
can say.
An observer would mistake Vestrial for a lush,
verdant jungle teeming with life. At first Traits
glance, the many trees, rushing rivers, and scat-
tered chittering of insects indicate that this is a Acid Rain: Fortitude save DC 20; 2 minute
place of life and prosperity. Yet, nothing could interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3 damage;
be further from the truth. The jungles of Special: There is a 10% chance per day that an
Vestrial are poisoned, warped and twisted by acid rain storm lasting 1d4 hours strikes an area
rampant insect life that seeds the soil with (Medium, Weather). In addition to this trait, the
acidic secretions. The many trees that flourish natural food in Vestrial’s jungles is completely
here have adapted to the soil’s high acid con- inedible and its water fouled. Only food and
tent, driving out all other plant life and domi- drink found in the few civilized areas is fit for
nating the entire world. Sadly, these plants have consumption.
highly acidic leaves and wood, making them
inedible to all but the insect creatures that infest
this area. Anyone attempting to eat the local
plants suffers 1 point of acid damage. Here
and there, the bleached bones of great herds
134
 and destroy all intruders who enter their lands.
The Wastelands In other areas, the few survivors suffered horri-
ble mutations. Transformed into hateful, mur-
Summary: Blasted by a magical holocaust, the derous creatures, they stalk, kill, and devour
wastelands are studded with the fallen ruins of any living things they encounter. Use aberra-

CHAPTER THREE: Worlds Beyond

an ancient civilization. tions and strange humanoids, such as grim-
locks, for these twisted beings.
The sand stretches endlessly, vanishing only in
the distance where the horizon meets the The surviving ruins feature extensive tunnels,
ground. Here and there, the jagged stone and passages, and chambers. The Ancients, as the
metal wreckage of an ancient civilization pokes shattered civilization is known, used these as
though the dunes. Here and there, tracks lead subterranean hideaways and shelters from the
off through the desert, the few remaining signs fighting and storage areas for their food, water,
of life. and important magical resources. Even after
dodging the constructs and twisted beasts of
The wastelands were not always an empty, sun- the desert, explorers must cope with the
blasted realm. In ages gone, a great, advanced wretched undead that starved to death within
civilization stretched from one end of the plane these halls and the many traps left behind to
to the other. Towers of steel and glass stretched foil intruders. Still, a successful expedition can
hundreds of feet into the air, while mighty wiz- unearth valuable spell books, magic items, and
ards forged magic powerful enough to spawn great troves of gold and gems.
whole new worlds. This arcane and divine
might powered a golden age of learning and Traits
prosperity. Yet, the same magical forces that
propelled the golden age doomed it to extinc- Ash Storms: Fortitude save DC 15; 30 minute
tion. Jealousy and hatred still festered between interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d4 damage;
the nations of the world, and in time they Special: A light ash storm usually lasts for 1d4
fought a great war to determine who would hours (Light, Heat); Extreme Heat: Fortitude
claim absolute rule. Comets plunged from the save DC 15; 30 minute interval; –1
sky, the earth cracked and groaned under the penalty/interval; 1d4 subdual damage
strain of a million marching boots, and the (Medium, Heat); Glare: Fortitude save DC 10;
searing light of arcane fire swept the land. In 30 minute interval; –1 penalty/interval; 1d3
the end, the victors choked on the ashes of their damage; Special: All creatures that rely on
victory. Almost all life had been eradicated in sight suffer a –1 penalty to attacks and checks
the struggle, leaving only empty husks in place that require sight due to the glare (Light, Sun).
of cities, endless dunes in place of oceans,
forests, and fields.

Now, the wastelands beckon to adventurers.

Great troves of enchanted items and magical
knowledge lie buried within its sands, the last
remaining testament to the great civilization
that once stood there. In many cases, the magi-
cal devastation invoked during the war eradi-
cated entire cities and castles, but many small
towns and fortresses protected by mighty
charms survived. These ruins hold the legacy
of some of the most powerful spell casters in all
the cosmos. Many expeditions have sought to
dig up these lost treasures, toiling beneath the
relentless desert sun and burrowing through the
deadly, shifting sands for priceless treasures.

These efforts are far from safe. The warring

armies employed thousands of golems and con-
structs, many of which still walk the land.
Programmed to fight to the end, they seek out
135
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

CHAPTER FOUR

Threats &
Civilizations
The planes host a vast array of creatures and say, the planes can spawn a staggering variety
civilizations. From the strange creatures that of civilizations and social groups. The text of
lurk between the cosmic fabric to the eternal this section is designated as closed content.
war between the forces of pure law and ele-
mental chaos, the planes are filled with mon-
sters and creatures that you can throw at the
Creating Civilizations
characters in your campaign. This chapter pro- Depicting a planar civilization as a truly unique
vides advice for depicting strange civilizations and different culture is no easy task. On the one
and tailoring creatures for use in a planar cam- hand, it is important to keep the groups the PCs
paign, and presents a variety of new monsters encounter at least somewhat recognizable. If
to surprise your players. If Chapter 2 gave you the characters have no means by which they
the tools to send the characters to the planes can communicate with a group, never mind
and Chapter 3 presented a menu of options for navigate its conventions and traditions, their
building them, this chapter outlines the ene- encounter with it can be frustrating rather than
mies, monsters, and allies the characters can challenging.
meet there.
The best way to start designing a planar civi-
lization is to follow much of the same advice
Planar given for creating new worlds. Start with one
or two unique traits that set a civilization apart
from other groups the PCs have encountered.
Civilizations Think about how those traits would make a
society different and how you can use them to
illustrate the group’s unique traits to the players
One of the challenges that the characters can and their characters. Telling the PCs that a
face in planar adventures is meeting and deal- group of planar barbarians regard pain as a
ing with exotic cultures. Consider the various near-sacred sensation is nowhere near as effec-
historical empires and cultures in the real world tive as describing how the barbarians brand
and how their societies, architecture, and social themselves with hot iron, insert metal pins into
structures developed. Now, imagine if they their skin, and ritually scar themselves. If the
originated on different planes. Needless to barbarians expect the PCs to engage in similar
136
 practices to show their good faith as ambas-
Details and Unique Traits
sadors, then that unique cultural trait becomes
an important part of the game as the players After you have thought about the civilization’s
grapple with exposing their characters to such basic traits, you should consider any strange
dangers. The best unique cultural traits have a traits or characteristics that set it apart from

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

direct bearing on one or more decisions the PCs other realms. There is no magic formula for
must make during the course of a campaign. creating cool details for a race. Usually, it is
easiest to pick a single trait and exaggerate it or
Cultural Basics diminish it to an extreme degree. For example,
a planar society may have no concept of per-
There are a few key questions you need to con- sonal property. Everything, from the simplest
sider when designing a culture. Depending on tool to the most powerful magic item, is owned
the exact nature of how a society works, some equally by all members of the society. In anoth-
of these questions might be more important er realm, the gods may rule over an oppressive
than others. theocracy that tries to control every aspect of
its citizens’ lives.
What race or races comprise the society? A
culture can include one or many races, and the History books, references, and the Internet are
traditional depictions of different monster races all good sources of information on historical
need not apply. A group of neutral and good cultures. You can steal a few details from dif-
orcs might rule a plane, while evil dwarves ferent civilizations, combine them together in a
seek to overthrow their just rule. unique mix, and use that as the foundation for
the realms the characters explore in their planar
Who is in charge? Chances are, if the PCs adventures. Print out or photocopy pictures of
approach a civilization as envoys or ambas- artifacts or depictions of ancient scenes to help
sadors they need to interact with its rulers at bring a strange setting to life. Try to use details
some point. Think about who is in charge and from lesser-known cultures, such as India, the
how they hold on to power. South Pacific, Africa, and South America.
While most gamers can recognize details taken
What are the group’s goals? Think about the from Greek or Roman civilization, the same
civilization’s plans and its overarching needs. cannot be said for Incan or Indian history.
A society of wizards may be content to study
magic and keep to itself, while a militaristic Listed below are a few examples to inspire
one might always seek new enemies to con- your imagination. You can also use these
quer. details for wholly new cultures you develop.
What are the group’s conflicts? Consider the Animals: We take dogs, cats, and horses for
competing power groups that have evolved in granted as domesticated animals, but imagine a
the civilization. How would they react to visi- society that used trained dinosaurs, purple
tors? Is there any open conflict in the society, worms, or similar creatures.
or are politics and social maneuvering the pri-
mary weapons? Economics: The society might have a few rich
families served by thousands of destitute citi-
How does the group view visitors? Some soci- zens, or perhaps everyone shares the profits
eties are fiercely xenophobic. They treat all and products of commerce.
strangers as enemies. Others are more open to
newcomers and welcome them with open arms. Magic: Arcane or divine spells could be strict-
ly illegal, especially if one group of casters
How does the group view the planes? If the controls the government.
society has not yet developed the magical
resources needed for planar travel, it may see Plants: Replace all plant-related goods, from
the characters as strange, otherworldly beings wood to grain, with fungi. Perhaps a specific
or even gods. The more the group knows about plant is so important to the society that it is
the planes, the less likely that the characters worth more than its weight in gold.
can use their origin to awe the natives or
impress them. Social Class: Some races or social class-
es might be consigned to specific areas
137
 of cities, denied basic rights and privileges, and book, randomly select a picture from it. Use
otherwise restricted to certain activities. that as the basis for your creature’s description,
Meanwhile, other groups are given special modifying it with results from the appearance
rights and benefits. In a society ruled by sor- tables.
cerers, perhaps only spellcasters can become
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

full citizens. When using the tables, remember that at times

you may generate a silly or nonsensical result.
Adapting Creatures to the Planes Unless you want to create a comical creature,
be sure to edit the results to suit your needs.
In most fantasy campaigns, the planes are a
strange, frightening place where some of the d% Basic Body Type
most fearsome monsters imaginable lurk. 1–10 Bipedal, basic human form
Sometimes, though, you may want to use an 11–20 Bipedal, walks on knuckles
existing monster or an old standby with a few 21–30 Four-legged, horse-like body
new tricks and tweaks. This section presents 31–40 Four-legged, legs equally posi-
some simple tools and advice you can use to tioned around central body
make any encounter, even one with familiar 41–50 Four-legged, squat like a crocodile
monsters, mysterious and challenging. 51–60 Four-legged, long limbed like a
Experienced players sometimes lose their sense giraffe
of wonder when they fight a monster they have 61–70 Eight-legged, similar to a spider
already faced a dozen times before. For planar 71–80 Four-legged humanoid, similar to
adventures, the more you can do to inject centaur
strange monsters and uncertainty into an 81–90 Many legged, similar to a centipede
encounter, the better. 91–100 Spherical body, moves by rolling
The quickest and easiest way to give an exist- d% Covering or Hide
ing monster a fresh twist is to alter how you 1–10 Bare skin, scattered patches of hair
present it to the characters. The PCs might face 11–20 Thick, shaggy fur
a dire lion, but if you describe it as a serpentine 21–30 Short, dense fur
monster with rainbow scales and bright red 31–40 Serpentine scales
frill, they are unlikely to recognize it. The game 41–50 Feathered
stats you use come straight from the lion’s 51–60 Thick, dense plates
description, but the players fixate on the weird 61–70 Bony shell, like a turtle
description and assume they face a new crea- 71–80 Insect carapace
ture. 81–90 Transparent flesh
91–100 Metallic outer shell
The random appearance table allows you to
spawn a new description for an existing crea- d% Bite Attack Appearance
ture with a minimum of effort. This convenient 1–10 Long, jagged fangs
shortcut lets you cut down on the design work 11–20 Needle-like teeth
needed to generate a new monster. You can 21–30 Hundreds of teeth, arrayed in row
pick out a creature that offers the closest fit to after row
what you need, and then tweak its description 31–40 Two massive tusks
using the table below. Keep in mind that the 41–50 Pincers that extend from the side of
creature’s appearance should match its attack its mouth
methods. The tables are designed to allow you 51–60 Sharp, bony ridges in place of teeth
to start with the creature’s basic effects and 61–70 Long, sharp proboscis
body form and work from there. In addition, 71–80 Sharp beak
you can use these tables to create a random 81–90 Rings of muscle and teeth like a
monster and then work up game stats for it. lamprey
91–100 Barbed tongue
As an additional method to confuse your play-
ers and generate unique looks for your crea- d% Claw Attack Appearance
tures, use a random method to pick out pages 1–10 Curved, bladed claw
from your favorite monster sourcebook. You 11–20 Humanoid hand with long, sharp
could roll 2d100 or flip to a random page. nails
Once you have picked a page from the
138
21–30 Hands with small mouths in their

31–40
palms
Clawed paws
The Automatons
41–50 Hook tentacles In the depths of history, a race of known as the
51–60 Spiked protrusions Anarrians developed the art and science of pro-

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

61–70 Thick bony shell ducing golems, shield guardians, and other
71–80 Barbed tail constructs to an unparalleled level. Using a
81–90 Sharpened, piercing fingers combination of arcane talent, mechanical
91–100 Retractable claws genius, and magical theory, the Anarrians pro-
duced a vast array of mechanical creatures
d% Random Color Generation powered by magic to do their bidding. Some of
1–10 Red these servants worked to build houses, castles,
11–20 Orange and other structures. Others were butlers,
21–30 Yellow cooks, and messengers. Most of them, though,
31–40 Green served in the Anarrians armies of conquest. By
41–50 Blue seizing several key points in the vast network
51–60 Purple of planar wormholes, the Anarrians were able
61–70 Black to establish reliable passages to several worlds
71–80 White rich in minerals, water, and other natural
81–90 Brown resources. Despite their skill in forging arcane
91–100 Flesh colored machines, or perhaps because of it, the
Anarrians had reduced their world to a barren
d% Exotic Features wasteland. Murky, oily clouds blotted the sky,
1–5 Eye stalks the once-green fields were scorched brown by
6–10 Long, frog-like tongue massive workshops that worked to produce
11–15 Slimy film magical goods, and the iron, silver, and gold
16–20 Horrid stench held within the mountains had long since been
21–25 Milky eyes stripped out and forged into tools and
26–30 Long, ropy tail machines.
31–35 Lion’s mane
36–40 Long, pointed ears Desperate to replenish their dwindling sup-
41–45 Horn plies, the Anarrians cast their gaze across the
46–50 One–eyed planes. They started by founding colonies on
51–55 Overly long limbs worlds with few intelligent creatures or low
56–60 Spined levels of magical development. In time,
61–65 Forked tongue though, such arrangements proved untenable.
66–70 Human face The Anarrians were forced to import much of
71–75 Long, pointed nose their labor and materials to begin harvesting
76–80 Vertically placed mouth resources, an effort that required tremendous
81–85 2d6 eyes amounts of badly needed food, water, and met-
86–90 Fish eyes als to start. In time, the Anarrians’ greatest
91–95 Antenna rulers devised a brutal but effective plan to
96–100 Spined frill expand their holdings. By invading heavily
populated worlds, they could easily turn their
conquered enemies into slaves who would

Planar work their freshly taken fields, mines, and

workshops. This infusion of self-sufficient
labor would allow the Anarrians to expand

Creatures without putting stress on their already fragile

base of resources.

The new monsters given in this chapter repre- The Anarrians conquered portions of several
sent several planar groups or unique creatures worlds, but in due time their appetite for con-
that wander the cosmos. The text of this section quest outweighed their ability to fight. They
is designated as Open Game Content. underestimated their enemies’ will to fight,
and several protracted campaigns put
unendurable strains on their supply lines.
139
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Their fighting machines sputtered and col- ancient wars of conquest still wander the
lapsed on the battlefield, while the civilians wormholes and gateways of creation, destroy-
who remained behind grappled with starvation ing all living things they encounter. Rumors
and thirst. With each passing day, the swirl of massive armies of automatons that
Anarrians’ supplies dwindled while they stood move like clouds of locusts across the land,
no closer to victory. Soon, a great revolt shat- destroying everything in their path as they con-
tered the power of the leaders who had ordered tinue to obey commands given to them thou-
the invasions. Caught without supplies, their sands of years ago.
conquering hosts were scattered to the winds in
a stunning series of defeats. Dreadnought
In short order the Anarrians devolved into sav- Huge Construct
agery, forced to fight over the scraps of their Hit Dice: 20d10 (110 hp)
dead civilization. A few of their great wizards Initiative: –2
escaped to the planes with the secret of their Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
magic, but in a short period of time knowledge AC: 21 (–2 size, –2 Dex, +15 natural), touch 6,
of the constructs and the gates to other worlds flat-footed 21
was lost. Anarria passed from the annals of the Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+29
planes, a mere footnote listed among other Attack: Bladed leg +19 melee (2d6+6)
ambitious realms with a taste for expansion. Full Attack: Bladed leg +19/+14/+9 (2d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
While Anarria has passed into history, the tools Special Attacks: Fire blast, holocaust engine,
of its military power remain active. Their impaling spikes
automatons have spread across the planes. In Special Qualities: DR 15/magic, spell immu-
some cases, ambitious mages use ancient plans nity, spell-like abilities
to rebuild them as servants. Other times, Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6
some of the machines that remain from the Abilities: Str 22, Dex 7, Con —, Int —, Wis
140
 11, Cha 10 struct suffer 16d6 points of fire damage. A DC
Environment: Any 24 Reflex save halves this damage. The dread-
Organization: Solitary, squad (2–5), swarm nought can activate this ability once per day,
(4–16) and it loses the use of its fire blast for 1d4 hours
Challenge Rating: 12 after employing it. The save DC is Charisma-

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Treasure: Standard based and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 21–30 HD (Huge) Impaling Spikes (Ex): The dreadnought uses
Level Adjustment: — its long mechanical legs and retractable blades
to impale its enemies. On a successful critical
A mechanical, four-legged spider-like creature hit with its bladed leg, it skewers its victim.
picks through the terrain ahead of you with Each round, the victim automatically suffers
careful precision. Suddenly, the metallic tubes damage from the bladed leg and he must make
on its legs blast the area around it with a fiery a Strength check (DC 18) to pull himself free.
storm, leaving the area around it a scorched, The dreadnought can attack as normal with its
charred wasteland. leg while it has a victim impaled upon it.

The dreadnought once served as the primary Spell Immunity (Ex): The powerful magic
siege engine and terror weapon in the that spawns a dreadnought renders it immune
Anarrians’ conquering armies. Equipped to to a wide range of spells. Only a few spells
spread as much devastation as possible, the have any effect on it. Rusting grasp deals nor-
dreadnought’s piercing legs and fiery cannon mal damage to it. Heat metal and chill metal
have leveled many settlements over the cen- deal damage to it as per the spell descriptions.
turies. Small swarms of these machines still Repel metal or stone affects it as normal.
scour the planes, sweeping away everything in Shatter deals it damage as if it were a crys-
their path in a bid to win a war that ended cen- talline creature. Disintegrate affects it as nor-
turies ago. mal. Other spells simply fail to have any effect
on the dreadnought. In addition, the dread-
Combat nought is immune to supernatural abilities and
spell-like effects, save for those that duplicate
In battle, the dreadnought uses simple tactics to the spells listed above.
overcome its enemies. It tries to use its fire
blast attack to soften an opponent before wad- Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 1/day—gate, tele-
ing in with its bladed legs. If multiple dread- port. Caster level 20th.
noughts can gang up on a single target or group
of enemies, they coordinate their fire blasts to Construct: Immune to mind-influencing
engulf them in a hellish inferno. Dreadnoughts effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not
rarely use their holocaust engine attack unless subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
they are on the verge of defeat. At that point, damage, energy drain, or death from massive
they unleash their fiery innards to either damage.
destroy their enemies and survive or to inflict
one last parting shot on the enemy.
Spiked Demolisher
Fire Blast (Su): As a standard action, the
Large Construct
dreadnought can unleash a cone of fire 60 ft.
Hit Dice: 8d10 (44 hp)
long from the tubes set on its legs. Any creature
Initiative: +0
caught in this blast suffers 14d6 points of fire
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
damage. A DC 20 Reflex save halves this dam-
AC: 19 (–1 size, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-
age. The dreadnought can use this ability once
footed 19
every four rounds. The save DC is Charisma-
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+14
based.
Attack: Spiked hammer +9 melee (2d8+6)
Full Attack: Spiked hammer +9/+4 melee
Holocaust Engine (Su): By triggering all four
(2d8+6)
of its fire blasters at once and consuming all of
Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.
its onboard fuel, the dreadnought can spread a
Special Attacks: Spike shower, stagger-
wide swathe of destruction in the area around
ing blow
it. All creatures within a 60-ft. burst of the con-
141
 Special Qualities: DR 5/magic Staggering Blow (Ex): The demolisher’s brute
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +1 strength allows it to land a crushing blow
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis against its foes, staggering them and leaving
7, Cha 8 them knocked senseless. Once per round, the
Environment: Any demolisher can use a full attack action to make
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Organization: Solitary, squad (2–12) a single attack. If it hits, its target must make a
Challenge Rating: 4 DC 18 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d3
Treasure: Standard rounds. The save DC is Strength-based.
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large); 17–28 HD Construct: Immune to mind-influencing
(Huge) effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not
Level Adjustment: — subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
damage, energy drain, or death from massive
This towering, metallic humanoid looks like a damage.
suit of armor spawned from some infernal
workshop. Its face is crafted to resemble a
snarling human, while long, sweeping steel
Venomhatcher
horns are set on its helmet. Short, sharp spikes Large Construct
cover its chest, arms, and shin guards. It hefts Hit Dice: 10d10 (55 hp)
a spiked, steel hammer the size of man with Initiative: +0
casual ease. Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 20 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11,
Spiked demolishers formed the vast bulk of the flat-footed 18
automaton armies. Serving as foot soldiers in Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+14
the metallic legions, they marched into battle to Attack: Leg stab +9 melee (1d8+3)
conquer their masters’ enemies. Demolishers Full Attack: Leg stab +9/+4 melee (1d8+3)
frequently travel with dreadnoughts and ven- Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.
omhatchers, helping them complete missions Special Attacks: Acid stream, venom cloud
programmed into them in ages past. In some Special Qualities: Acid resistance 30, blind-
cases, these machines still guard ancient out- sight 60 ft., DR 10/magic, spell immunities,
posts, dungeons, and other areas that hold trea- spell-like abilities
sures once hoarded by the Anarrian nobility. Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4
More than one small town or village has been Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis
leveled after curious adventurers unwittingly 13, Cha 11
opened a cache containing these guardians, set- Environment: Any
ting them loose to exterminate all creatures that Organization: Solitary, team (2–6), horde
could pose a threat to the riches they guard. (4–20)
Challenge Rating: 8
Combat Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Demolishers fight with a grim, relentless
Advancement: 11–20 (Large); 21–30 (Huge)
strength. They ignore the injuries they sustain
Level Adjustment: —
in favor of focusing their attacks on their ene-
mies. This tactic can prove their undoing, as
Before you stands a strangely organic, four-
clever adventurers place as much open ground
legged mechanical creature with a long, sinu-
between themselves and these constructs as
ous head that extends to jet black, inky fluid. In
possible to rain missile fire and spells upon
a matter of moments, every living thing touched
them.
by that foul material turns brown and dies.
Spike Shower (Ex): Once per hour, the spiked
Venomhatchers were designed to clear an area
demolisher can fire a volley of razor sharp
of native life, wiping away forests, towns, and
spikes from its hull in a cone 30 ft. in length.
even large groups of enemies to clear the way
Creatures in this area must make DC 13 Reflex
for the Anarrian invasion force. These organic
saves or suffer 2d4 points of damage. The save
machines were rarely deployed in close ranks
DC is Charisma-based.
with other troops, as their attacks tend to cover
a wide area that wrought devastation on both
142
sides of a fight. Venomhatchers were sent on toxic smoke from its body that extends in a 30-
long, circuitous routes through the planes with ft. area around it and 20 ft. in the air above it.
orders to destroy any living thing they encoun- The smoke is stationary once created. It
tered. Experienced adventurers have learned to obscures all sight, including darkvision,
tread carefully in sections of wormholes that beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has one-

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

show signs of widespread destruction, as half concealment (attacks have a 20% miss
groups of these biomechanical chance). Creatures farther away have total con-
constructs are still cealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker
active in some cannot use sight to locate the target). A moder-
areas. ate wind (11+ mph) disperses the smoke in 4
rounds. A strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the
smoke in 1 round. In addition to blocking sight,
the smoke is a caustic poison. Each round a liv-
ing creature spends within it, it must make a
DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer 1d2 points of
Combat temporary Strength dam-
age. A character must
As befits a mindless save against this
construct, ven- effect each round he
omhatchers fight with simple, remains in the
direct tactics. They attempt to bull cloud, regard-
their way into the midst of an less of the
enemy group to make the results of his
most of their poison cloud. previous saves.
After spreading their nox- The save DC is
ious smoke, they stream Charisma-based.
acid over an area.
Anything that survives this Spell Immunity
assault faces the hatcher’s sharp- (Ex): The powerful
ened legs, which it uses to stab at its magic that spawns a
enemies until it recharges its stores of venomhatcher ren-
acid and poison. Since the creature ders it immune to a
has blindsight, it can fight in its own wide range of spells.
cloud without penalty. Only a few spells have any
effect on it. Rusting grasp deals normal dam-
Acid Stream (Ex): The venomhatcher can age to it. Heat metal and chill metal deal dam-
eject a stream of thick, sticky, black goo that age to it as per the spell descriptions. Repel
burns and melts everything it touches. As a metal or stone affects it as normal. Shatter
standard action, it can create a 30-ft. cone of deals it damage as if it were a crystalline crea-
this material. Every creature in this area suffers ture. Disintegrate affects it as normal. Other
8d6 points of acid damage. A DC 15 Fortitude spells simply fail to have any effect on the ven-
save halves this damage. In addition, the slime omhatcher. In addition, the venomhatcher is
sticks to creatures and continues to harm them. immune to supernatural abilities and spell-like
For three rounds after suffering the initial dam- effects, save for those that duplicate the spells
age, victims take 2d6 points of acid damage listed above.
with a DC 15 Fortitude save cutting this dam-
age in half. The acid remains in the area it Spell–Like Abilities (Sp): 1—day: gate, tele-
struck for three rounds. Any creature that walks port. Caster level 20th.
into it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or
suffer 1d6 points of acid damage. The acid Construct: Immune to mind-influencing
evaporates into a sickly gray mist after its effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not
effects end. A venomhatcher can use its acid subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability
stream once every four rounds. The save DC is damage, energy drain, or death from massive
Charisma-based. damage.

Venom Cloud (Ex): Three times per day, the

venomhatcher can unleash a thick cloud of
143
 desires. The raw material of the planes spawns
The Avatars of Thought them newborn into the world. At their creation,
they in some ways represent the raw planar
and Action stuff given intelligence. They remember the
In the first moments of the universe’s exis- events that spawned them, the circumstances
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

tence, some of the most fundamental building that led to their creation, and the general
blocks of the cosmos came into being. Before arrangement and function of the planar system.
the gods, before the first intelligent humanoids, Some avatars try to influence their home plane,
before the first sparks of magic lit the endless driving it closer to the ideals and thoughts that
dark, beings of pure thought and action formed spawned them. Others pay no heed to their
from the primordial mists. Some sages believe birthplace, instead striking out on their own to
that these creatures were the first steps in the advance their nature however they see fit.
creation of the cosmic order. They embody the
qualities, beliefs, and actions that form the All avatars share a few common abilities listed
foundation of all intelligent life: death, hope, below.
knowledge, and other traits. What became of
these beings is a mystery. Some researchers Cosmic Link: An avatar of a given type auto-
posit that these beings of raw emotion, thought, matically senses the presence of other avatars
and potential splintered into the gods. Others that share its nature within 100 miles of its cur-
see them as cosmic shepherds who venture rent position. While within this range, the
beyond the fabric of reality, seeding worlds avatars can communicate via telepathy. No bar-
from raw nothingness and maintaining the per- rier, regardless of its thickness or composition,
fect universal balance between chaos and can prevent this communication.
order, good and evil, life and death.
Eternal Form: When an avatar is reduced to
The avatars of thought and action are the sole zero or fewer hit points, it immediately disap-
remnants of these entities’ influence on reality. pears along with any of the items and equip-
These beings are the purest, most absolute rep- ment that formed with it. For example, an
resentation of the traits they embody. Some of avatar of death disappears along with its scythe
them remain isolated from reality, content to when it perishes, but any other equipment it
turn their interests and studies outward. Others may have carried remains behind.
are driven to spread the power of their trait
across the planes, actively seeking out enemies
to defeat and avatars of qualities that oppose
Avatar of Death
their own. Many great, heroic quests have Medium Outsider (Evil)
involved the avatars. An avatar of knowledge Hit Dice: 12d8+24 (78 hp)
may be the only being that knows the answer to Initiative: +6
a sphinx’s riddle, while an avatar of rage might Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
be the force behind a sudden barbarian inva- AC: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 12, flat-
sion. footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+15
In any event, a nearly countless number of Attack: Scythe +19 melee (2d4+7/19–20/x4)
avatars exist for each quality, though a particu- Full Attack: Scythe +19/+14/+9 melee
lar plane or world may have none, a few, or (2d4+7/19–20/x4)
many. The avatars exert a planar distortion Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
wherever they travel, helping to shape a Special Attacks: Death’s cold grip, death’s
world’s development towards the traits and scythe, eye of doom
qualities they embody. For example, a world Special Qualities: DR 10/good, spell resis-
torn apart by war may host several dozen tance 21, spell-like abilities
avatars of rage, while one known for its Saves: Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +12
advanced learning and mastery of arcane stud- Abilities: Str 17, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 15, Wis
ies could be home to a small conclave of 19, Cha 16
avatars of knowledge. Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +12, Heal
+14, Hide +12, Intimidate +13, Knowledge
Avatars arise when a plane takes a sudden, (the planes) +12, Listen +14, Move Silently
drastic turn to reflect one of these creature’s +12, Sense Motive +14, Spot +14
144
 Feats: Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power
Attack, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Weapon
Focus (scythe)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Before you stands the classic representation of

death, wearing his black robes and carrying a
scythe. He extends a skeletal hand towards you,
beckoning you to draw closer.

An avatar of death embodies the fundamental

force of decay, the finitude of all life, and the
ultimate fate that awaits every living thing. As
death is so widespread, these avatars can be
found in almost every plane. These avatars
oppose any efforts to prevent death on even the
smallest scale. They are known to hunt down
those who acquire a reputation for saving inno-
cent lives, and sometimes ally with foul villains
to spread diseases, touch off wars, and other-
wise encourage destruction. An avatar may slip
into a peaceful kingdom to murder the royal
family, igniting a civil war as the various
claimants fight to seize the throne. Even those Death’s Scythe: An avatar of death carries a
who ally with death must beware, for in the end +3 keen scythe. As with all items spawned
the reaper claims all souls. along with an avatar, this item disappears when
its owner is destroyed.
Combat
An avatar of death fights with a cold, calculat- Eye of Doom (Su): It has been said that once
ing attitude. It carefully weighs the odds in a an avatar of death has looked upon a person
conflict and sees no dishonor in turning tail and with its inner eye, that unfortunate victim is
running from a superior foe. The avatar cares doomed to a horrible fate. Once per day, an
only for killing mortals, not whether its victims avatar of death may use its eye of doom ability
are mighty warriors or simple peasants. When to place a curse upon a creature. The avatar’s
an avatar does strike, it prefers to use its skills hollow eyes glow a fiery red as it glares at its
to move close enough for a kill before striking. foe. Treat this effect as a gaze attack. If a target
Ideally, it slips into a camp or otherwise strikes is exposed to this effect, it must make a DC 19
when its enemies are least prepared. Will save or suffer a –4 circumstance penalty to
all saving throws. In addition, each time the
Death’s Cold Grip (Su): The air around an victim suffers hit point damage, increase the
avatar of death feels cold, foul, and somehow total he suffers by 2. These effects last for 24
wrong. Flies, ants, and other small creatures die hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
when they draw too close to this fearsome crea-
ture, while injuries stubbornly resist magical Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—death’s
efforts to mend them. Any creature within 60 ft. knell; 3/day—animate dead, enervation (DC
of an avatar of death dies as soon as its hit 18), fear (DC 18), and finger of death (DC 21).
points fall below zero. Spells and effects that Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-
cure hit points of damage restore only half their based.
normal amounts.

145
 Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral good
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A beautiful elf female clad in robes and bear-

ing a staff tipped with a gleaming gem stands
before you. A soft radiance surrounds her. Its
warm glow lifts your heart and banishes any
weariness or doubts that plagued your heart.

An avatar of hope is the physical representa-

tion of the fundamental force that drives so
many heroic efforts. Hope is a fragile thing,
but where it wanders the hearts of good men
strengthen with a steely resolve. While this
avatar offers little in the way of martial or mag-
ical talent, her strength lies in her ability to sus-
tain her allies in the face of the most over-
whelming odds. Demons and devils hate this
being with good reason, for many of their
efforts have been foiled by ragged legions sus-
tained by this being’s power. Still, hope is a
fragile thing in both figurative and literal terms.
Without heroes to defend her, she is defense-
less in the face of evil’s howling legions.

Combat
In battle, an avatar of hope stands near the front
lines but avoids direct confrontation. Her role
is to inspire and lead, though not necessarily by
example.
Avatar of Hope Fury of the Righteous (Su): Once per hour,
Medium Outsider (Good) the avatar of hope can strike terror into the
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp) hearts of evil creatures. Exposed to the power
Initiative: +7 of righteous hope, foul-hearted creatures see
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 100 ft. good (20 that they can never truly conquer the forces of
squares) good. All evil creatures within a 60-ft. burst of
AC: 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 10 the avatar must make DC 18 Will saves or suf-
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3 fer a –2 morale penalty to attacks, checks, and
Attack: Quarterstaff +3 melee (1d6) saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Full Attack: Quarterstaff +3 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Song of Bravery (Su): As long as the avatar of
Special Attacks: Fury of the righteous hope continues to sing, she may use her
Special Qualities: DR 10/evil, song of brav- Perform check in place of any Will save
ery, spell immunity, SR 25, vessel of hope attempts that good creatures within 60 ft. of her
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +8 make. The avatar must spend a standard action
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 18, Wis to begin singing, but afterward she only needs
16, Cha 24 to use a free action to sustain her performance.
Skills: Diplomacy +15, Heal +12, Perform Effects such as silence cancel this ability. Each
+15, Spot +12 time a good creature within this ability’s range
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will makes a Will save, the avatar makes a Perform
146
 check. The creature making the saving throw Before you stands a platemail-clad warrior.
uses the higher of the two results. The avatar The armored figure bears a greatsword and
gains the benefits of this ability. wears a belt with severed heads lashed to it.
The names of various crimes—rape, murder,
Spell Immunity (Su): The avatar can never be torture— are written on the heads with dried

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

unwillingly affected by a spell, supernatural blood.
ability, or spell-like ability used by an evil crea-
ture. Wherever the forces of chaos threaten to over-
whelm civilization and breed wanton murder,
Vessel of Hope (Su): The avatar of hope brims rape, robbery, and other crimes, an avatar of
with energy that inspires good creatures and justice appears to punish the guilty. This grim,
rallies them against the forces of evil. All good- silent figure speaks only when it must question
aligned creatures within 100 ft. of the avatar a criminal before executing him. The
gain immunity to fear-based effects, a +4 avatar is as rigid and unyielding as the
morale bonus to attacks, and a +2 morale steel armor it wears.
bonus to skill checks. Once it passes judg-
ment, execution is the
Avatar of Justice only sentence it carries
out and it pursues its
Medium Outsider quarry with a tireless
Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (75 hp) resolve. As a lawful
Initiative: +0 neutral being, the
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) avatar cares nothing
AC: 23 (+4 natural, +9 for extenuating cir-
armor), touch 10, flat-footed cumstances. At
23 times, these
Base Attack/Grapple: beings have pur-
+10/+14 sued otherwise
Attack: Greatsword +18 heroic figures who
melee (2d6+9/19–20/x2) at times dance along
Full Attack: Greatsword the line between law
+18/+13 melee and chaos.
(2d6+9/19–20/x2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Combat
Special Attacks:
The avatar relies on
Executioner’s blade,
simple, direct tactics
eye of justice
to defeat its enemies.
Special Qualities:
It uses its eye of jus-
DR 10/chaotic, fast
tice ability to render a
healing 3, relentless
target helpless before
pursuit, SR 24
closing in to finish its
Saves: Fort +10,
sentence with its blade. If
Ref +7, Will +9
possible, the avatar tries to approach its target
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 10, Wis
when he is alone, but it has no qualms about
15, Cha 12
hacking through bodyguards and other defend-
Skills: Search +10, Sense Motive +42, Spot
ers to reach the guilty.
+17, Survival +17
Feats: Cleave, Power Attack, Track, Weapon
Executioner’s Blade: The avatar of justice
Focus (greatsword)
wields a +3 keen greatsword. As with all
Environment: Any
equipment wielded by an avatar, this weapon
Organization: Solitary, gathering (2–30)
disappears when the avatar dies.
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Eye of Justice (Su): By focusing its righteous
Alignment: Always lawful neutral
glare upon a single foe, the avatar of justice
Advancement: —
can compel a guilty man to remain rooted
Level Adjustment: —
in place to receive his just punishment.
147
 Every 10 rounds as a standard action, the avatar over a desk. Neatly arranged in his mountain
focuses his gaze against a single target who cave are row after row of bookcases, each
must make a DC 20 Will save or be affected as stuffed with ancient tomes of undeterminable
if by a hold monster spell. Caster level 15th. origin.
The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

+4 racial bonus. The avatar of knowledge is a historian of sorts,

the living embodiment of the collected events,
Relentless Pursuit (Su): When an avatar of discoveries, and philosophies of an entire
justice selects a person whose crimes it must plane. He typically secrets himself in a distant,
punish, it gains an unerring ability to locate and inaccessible location such as a mountain cave.
pursue that target. Regardless of where the There, he can contemplate the world’s develop-
avatar’s victim flees, it always has an exact ment and read the infinite books of his library.
knowledge of his distance and relative direc-
tion. If the avatar’s quarry flees to another Many heroes must trek to the avatar’s lair in
plane, it gains knowledge of the closest portal order to find an important piece of information
that leads to that realm. regarding a quest. As a force for neutrality the
avatar shares information with anyone who
Avatar of asks, though he typically requires a task or
service before he shares his
Knowledge knowledge. Otherwise,
learning would lose its
Medium Outsider value. Usually, these quests
Hit Dice: 6d8 (27 hp) involve finding a creature,
Initiative: +0 magic item, or other rare
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) object and returning it to
AC: 10, touch 10, flat-foot- the avatar so he may
ed 10 study it. Sometimes, he
Base Attack/Grapple: tasks several groups or
+6/+4 individuals that seek the
Attack: Quarterstaff same information with an
+4 melee (1d6–2) identical task. Only the
Full Attack: group or person who
Quarterstaff +4 completes it first receives
melee (1d6–2) his wisdom.
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5
ft. Combat
Special Attacks: Eye
of knowledge An avatar of knowledge
Special Qualities: avoids combat whenever
All–knowing, SR 20, possible. When forced to
wisdom of the ages fight, he wields his staff with unsteady
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +12 hands and attempts to flee. The avatar can
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 28, Wis never be coerced into surrendering knowledge,
20, Cha 20 and he would rather die than allow his learning
Skills: Decipher Script +29, Knowledge (all) to be forced from him.
+31, Listen +27, Sense Motive +25, Spot +27
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Iron Will Eye of Knowledge (Su): By peering into a
Environment: Any creature’s past, the avatar of knowledge learns
Organization: Solitary of its weaknesses and fears. If the avatar of
Challenge Rating: 3 knowledge spends a full-round action doing
Treasure: None nothing but watching a creature, he may use a
Alignment: Always neutral free action to provide advice that gives his
Advancement: — allies a +4 competence bonus on attack rolls
Level Adjustment: — against that target for the rest of the encounter.

An old man clad in white robes and bearing All-Knowing: The avatar of knowledge has
a thick book and an hourglass sits hunched access to all fields of study, no matter how
148
 strange or obscure. His Knowledge skill bonus
applies to all possible specialties and sub- A human female clad in blood soaked bandages
groups of that skill. For example, he uses his and bearing a scourge stands before you.
listed Knowledge (all) skill for checks con- Blood flows down her body, dripping into a
cerning arcana, the planes, religion, nature, and pool that slowly grows at her feet. A mere

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

any other topics. However, he must consult his glance from her causes a minor headache to
library to use this ability. Each skill check takes well up from the base of your skull, and you are
4d6 hours. No one save the avatar can read the forced to avert your eyes from her.
writing in his volumes, and they disappear
along with his body should he die. The avatar of pain is the embodiment of cruel
sadism, the byproduct of every greedy, vile
Wisdom of the Ages (Su): By peering into the tyrant who takes joy in crippling and harming
sands of his hourglass, the avatar of knowledge others. She takes it upon herself to spread mis-
can view any event in any time period for the ery far and wide, using her magical abilities to
world he currently resides on. Treat this cloak her identity. She may take the form of a
as the spell scry except that the target nobleman’s lover to insult him and
gains no saving throw. break his heart in front of his court,
forever destroying the love
Avatar of Pain between him and his wife. Other
times, she uses a pleasing front
Medium Outsider to lure a trusting soul to an iso-
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp) lated spot where she can tor-
Initiative: +5 ture and kill him at her
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) leisure. To the avatar, emo-
AC: 22 (+5 Dex, +7 natural), tional pain is every bit as
touch 15, flat-footed 17 appealing as physical
Base Attack/Grapple: agony.
+8/+11
Attack: Scourge +14 Combat
melee (1d6+7 and pain) or
The avatar of pain is a
claws +11 melee
hellion in combat. She
(1d6+3 and pain)
focuses on the weakest,
Full Attack: Scourge
least heavily armed tar-
+14/+9 melee (1d6+7
gets. Her only goal is to
and pain) or claws
cause as many injuries as
+11/+6 melee (1d6+3
possible. She cares little for
and pain)
dueling or fighting fair. If
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
possible, she uses coup de grace
Special Attacks: Scourge of agony,
actions to kill her enemies’
torturous touch, wave of pain
friends. The anguish and grief
Special Qualities: DR 5/good,
such actions cause please her
pleasant seeming, SR 17
as much as rending a victim’s
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
flesh.
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 10, Wis
13, Cha 13
Scourge of Agony: The avatar of pain fights
Skills: Bluff +11, Climb +13, Heal +12, Rope
with a long, braided stretch of leather studded
Use +16, Spot +12, Tumble +15
with hooks, barbs, and blades. This weapon
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus
counts as a +2 scourge that deals 1d6 points of
(scourge), Weapon Specialization (scourge)
damage and has a reach of 15 ft. It may be used
Environment: Any
against adjacent opponents. The avatar may
Organization: Solitary
make disarm attacks without the risk of losing
Challenge Rating: 7
her own weapon, and when making trip attacks
Treasure: Standard
she may choose to drop her weapon rather
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
than allow her target to trip her.
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
Torturous Touch (Su): Whenever the
149
 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 18 (–1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-foot-
ed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+28
Attack: Huge greatclub +18 melee (2d6+13)
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Full Attack: Huge greatclub +18/+13/+8

melee (2d6+13)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Club of destruction, fist of
destruction, furious rage, roar of anger
Special Qualities: DR 10/lawful, mon-
strous growth, SR 22
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +7
Abilities: Str 28, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 6, Wis
7, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +24, Intimidate +15, Jump
+24, Listen +13, Survival +13, Swim +24
Feats: Improved Bull Rush, Improved
Overrun, Improved Sunder, Power Attack,
Weapon Focus (greatclub)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, mob (2–12)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A monstrous humanoid stands before you. It

carries a gnarled, twisted club in one hand
avatar of pain strikes a foe with a melee attack, while it glares at you with reddened, blood-shot
regardless of the weapon she wields, her foe eyes. It wears nothing but a loincloth, and the
must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer a air around it seems to seethe and crackle with
–2 circumstance penalty to attacks, checks, and tension, as if this creature barely holds back a
saves due to intense pain. As a circumstance monstrous, destructive impulse.
penalty, this ability’s effects stack each time a
creature fails its save. This penalty lasts for The avatar of rage embodies the raw, chaotic
1d10 minutes. The save DC is Charisma-based. force of destruction. It channels a world’s anger
into its actions, smashing anything that comes
Wave of Pain (Su): Once per hour, the avatar before it. The avatar leaves a long swathe of
of pain can summon the raw force of agony and devastation in its wake, as it gleefully slays
project it towards her foes. This attack extends creatures regardless of their intent or alignment
as a 60-ft. cone. All creatures within it must and plows through buildings and walls. Some
make a DC 15 Fortitude save or be stunned cunning warlords have channeled an avatar
with pain for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is along a specific path, turning it into an unwit-
Charisma-based. ting weapon against their enemies.

Pleasant Seeming (Su): At will as a free Combat

action, the avatar of pain can use the spell The avatar is utterly unimaginative in combat.
change self. Caster level 10th. It charges the nearest foe and seeks to smash
him flat. The avatar’s simple tactics make it
Avatar of Rage easy to trick, as it blunders into ambushes,
traps, illusions, and other deceptions.
Large Outsider
Hit Dice: 15d8+60 (127 hp) Club of Destruction: The avatar of rage’s
Initiative: +0 massive, twisted club counts as a +3 huge
150
greatclub. As with other equipment carried by The powers of chaos loathe all non-chaotic
avatars, this item disappears when the avatar of creatures. They fight good and evil beings with
rage dies. equal fervor, but they save their hatred for the
scions of law. Many sages find both sides of
Fist of Destruction (Ex): The avatar ignores this titanic struggle distasteful, and most would

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

hardness when attacking items. The elemental prefer to see both pure law and chaos grind
forces of rage and destruction it embodies each other into dust in their endless conflict.
allow it to smash through the stoutest inani- The struggle between pure law and absolute
mate object. chaos is said to have been waged since before
the dawn of the cosmos, and some doomsday
Furious Rage (Ex): At will as a free action, the prophets believe that it will lead to the eventu-
avatar of rage can enter a boiling, vicious rage. al destruction of all of creation.
It gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution
and may take an additional standard attack There are many known lords of chaos, though
action each round. This fury ends when the most scholars believe that these beings are infi-
avatar spends five consecutive rounds without nite in number. Worshipped as gods by desper-
a living target within 30 ft. of its position. ate mortals, they gather and encourage sects on
Otherwise, it attacks the nearest living thing, almost every known world. Sages have been
whether friend or foe. repeatedly frustrated in their efforts to catalog
and study these beings. Their worshippers use
Roar of Anger (Su): Once per hour, the avatar different names for the same deity, even mem-
of rage can unleash a primal scream that bers of the same cult. Each cultist creates per-
knocks creatures flat and buffets them with raw sonal iconography to depict his god.
energy. This attack takes the form of a 60-ft.-
long cone. All creatures caught within it must Clerics of the chaos lords may choose chaos
make DC 17 Fortitude saves or suffer 3d6 and any one other domain. Those that select
points of damage and be knocked prone. The War may choose any weapon. In place of the
save DC is Charisma-based. standard chaos domain granted power, a chaos
cleric may choose to gain the ability to use
Monstrous Growth (Su): For every 10 con- chaotic sunder once per day. The cleric uses a
secutive rounds the avatar engages in combat, touch attack to deal 1d4 points of damage per
it grows one size category larger. Each time it cleric level. The victim may make a Fortitude
becomes larger, it gains a +4 bonus to Strength save (DC 10 + the cleric’s Charisma modifier)
and Constitution, though it sustains the AC and for half damage. Creatures killed in this man-
attack penalty due to size. For every 10 rounds ner arise as chaos spawn (see below) unless
it spends outside of combat, its size reduces by they are treated with remove curse.
one category back down to Large.

Chaos Lords Chaos Cults

The lords of chaos are perhaps one of the most Chaos cultists usually congregate in areas
insidious threats to all the planes found across wracked by civil unrest or in wild, barbaric
the cosmos. Dedicated to tearing the planes’ lands where shamans and ambitious chieftains
fabric asunder and transforming all of creation are willing to forge pacts with dark creatures.
into a writhing sea of chaos, these dark gods The cults work to undermine civilization, seek-
bid their subjects to go forth and spread death ing to touch off riots, revolts, and other large-
and destruction on a cosmic scale. The lords scale disturbances to wreck the social order.
themselves are shadowy, unknowable figures. The cultists operate in secret, usually recruiting
Some sages believe that they existed before the members through bribery, promises of power,
coming of the gods and once ruled the sea of and other temptations. Soon after induction
raw chaos from which all of creation emerged. into the cult, the new members participate in a
Others argue that they are invaders from an grand celebration that culminates in the mani-
entirely separate cosmic realm. Greedy, ambi- festation of a chaos god. All those present in
tious wizards, sorcerers, and even warriors the festivities are forever warped and changed.
seek out chaos’s servants and pledge their souls They gain the chaos spawn template
in return for dark powers. (described below) and become fanatical
adherents to the cult of raw chaos.
151
 Chaos Traits Chaos Minion
The beasts of chaos share a variety of traits. Medium Outsider (Chaos Legionnaire,
Rather than repeat them throughout their Chaos, Extraplanar)
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

entries, they are summarized here. Not every Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
chaos lord has all of these abilities. Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Chaos Legionnaire (Ex): Creatures in the ser- AC: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-
vice of chaos gain several abilities. They are footed 14
immune to all mind-influencing effects, dis- Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+6
ease, and sleep effects. They have resistance 20 Attack: +6 quarterstaff melee (1d6)
to a randomly determined energy type. Roll Full Attack: +6/+1 quarterstaff melee (1d6)
once on the table below. Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Call of chaos, spell-like abil-
d% Energy Type ities
1–20 Acid Special Qualities: Child of chaos, DR 10/law-
21–40 Cold ful, liquid body, SR 20
41–60 Electricity Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +6
61–80 Fire Abilities: Str 11, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 13, Wis
81–100 Sonic 12, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +10, Concentration +9, Hide +9,
Child of Chaos (Ex): Chance and random luck Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (the
swirl about the lords of chaos like a storm. Any planes) +8, Listen +7, Sense Motive +8,
creature that tries to fight them must struggle Spellcraft +7
with this effect. Bad luck plagues chaos’s ene- Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Spell Focus
mies. Whenever the enemy of a child of chaos (Transmutation)
must roll dice while fighting it, he must roll Environment: Any
two separate sets and take the lower result. For Organization: Solitary, coven (2–5), cult
example, a fighter attempts to strike a madness (3–18)
giant with his greatsword. He must roll 2d20 to Challenge Rating: 7
attack, taking the lower die result. If he hits, he Treasure: Standard
rolls two sets of 2d6 for damage, again taking Alignment: Chaotic neutral
the lower result. This effect applies to attack Advancement: By character class
rolls against a child of chaos, saving throws to Level Adjustment: +9
resist its abilities and effects, and damage
inflicted against it. This strange, twisted humanoid appears as an
obese man dressed in billowy robes that threat-
Liquid Body (Ex): The servants of chaos en to tear from its bulk. Tentacles, hoofs, and
rarely have stable, static forms. Their organs malformed limbs sprout from its body. The
shift and move within their bodies, while their creature’s robes normally conceal these
skin hardens and softens in the space of min- growths, but sometimes they tear free.
utes. Each creature with the liquid body takes
half damage from a specific attack type. Roll Chaos minions are the foot soldiers in the end-
once on the table below to determine the attack less war against order and law. Many of them
type against which a specific creature gains this are wizards and sorcerers who delved too
protection. deeply into the secrets of chaos, while others
are chaotic worshippers who died and earned
d% Attack Type the honor of a minion’s form. These creatures
1–33 Bludgeoning usually lead mobs of chaos mutates, cultists,
34–66 Slashing and others who offer allegiance to the chaos
67–100 Piercing lords.

Combat
A chaos minion prefers to fight with plenty of
allies alongside it, allowing it to make the most
152
of spells such as haste to defeat its enemies.
Usually, it summons the chaos mutates pledged Chaos Mutate
to it before fighting begins. If it has time, it
strengthens them with haste, bull’s strength, Medium Outsider (Chaos Legionnaire,
and similar magic, while it saves defensive Chaotic, Extraplanar)

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

spells such as blink for itself. Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +4
While minions are fanatic in their devotion to Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
chaos, they are no fools and flee from any situ- AC: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
ation in which they face a powerful oppo- Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
nent. They usually strike from ambush, Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+3)
using their mutates and followers to dis- Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+3)
tract an opponent long enough to Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
destroy him with a spell Special Attacks: Chaotic surge
such as flesh Special Qualities: Child of chaos,
to stone. DR 5/lawful, form of chaos, liq-
uid body, SR 12
Call of Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will
Chaos (Su): +3
The chaos Abilities: Str 16, Dex 11, Con
minion can call 13, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 10
upon the ele- Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9
mental forces of Feats: Improved Initiative
mutation and Environment: Any
change to spawn fol- Organization: Solitary, pack
lowers to defend him. (2–12), mob (10–100)
Once per day, he may Challenge Rating: 3
summon 2d4 chaos Treasure: Standard
mutates to aid him in Alignment: Chaotic neutral
his struggle. These Advancement: 3–8 HD
creatures appear the (Medium-size); 9–16 HD (Large)
round after the minion Level Adjustment: —
uses this ability and they
obey him to the best of A puddle of slime that generates
their ability. They wings, arms, tentacles, and other
remain in the minion’s random body parts
service for 1d4 from its goo,
hours or until this creature is
slain. the horrible spawn of
raw chaos.

Chaos mutates
Spell-Like Abilities are sentient
(Sp): As a creature of arcane energy, the chaos chunks of raw
minion commands a variety of spells. He may chaos. While individually weak, they common-
cast any spell from the Transmutation school a ly appear in numbers great enough to form a
number of times per day based on its level. At threat to even the stoutest kingdom. Their true
will—any 0-level spells; 3/day—1st- and 2nd- threat lies in their unpredictable nature, as they
level spells; 2/day—3rd-level spells; 1/day 4th- rapidly shift from one form to the next during
level spells, flesh to stone, and telekinesis. combat.
Caster level 11th. The save DCs (14+spell
level) are Charisma-based. Combat
Chaos mutates typically serve other, more
powerful chaos lords. As beings of pure
entropy, they tend to make little distinc-
tion between inanimate objects and liv-
153
 ing creatures. To these simple monsters, any d% Chaos Mutate Trait
object that bears the ordered taint of law must 1–10 Fly with good maneuverability at its
be destroyed. Thus, they fight with simplistic, current speed
direct tactics. 11–20 Tentacles give +5 ft. reach
21–30 Sharp fangs or claws give +2 bonus
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Chaotic Surge (Su): Once per encounter, the to damage

chaos mutate surges with chaotic energy and 31–40 +4 bonus on all saves
attacks with maniacal vigor. Typically these 41–50 Fire resistance 10
creatures use this ability when they near death, 51–60 –2 penalty to Strength and
for the effort required to sustain it drains and Constitution
kills them. The mutate gains a +6 bonus to 61–70 Speed reduced by half
Strength and Dexterity, giving it a total +3 71–80 Affected by confusion
bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, 81–90 –2 penalty on all saves
and AC. When the chaos mutate uses this abil- 91–100 Roll twice on this table
ity, it cannot be killed unless it is reduced to
–20 hit points. While below 0 hit points, it may
continue to fight as normal, though it does not
Chaos Spawn
check to stabilize. Each round, the mutate suf- This monster type includes any creature
fers 5 hit points of damage. This ability lasts warped by the power of raw change into a new,
1d4 rounds. twisted form. Driven mad by the experience,
these poor beasts are either rendered perma-
Form of Chaos (Su): Once per round, the nently insane or they become fanatical servants
chaos mutate may manifest a random trait as a of the lords of chaos. Chaos spawn make up the
move-equivalent action that does not provoke vast bulk of the armies of change, and they
an attack of opportunity. Roll on the mutate operate on almost every known plane of exis-
trait table to determine what it gains. The tence.
mutate’s ability lasts 2d4 rounds. It cannot
change abilities or gain a new one until its cur- Creating a Chaos Spawn
rent one expires.
“Chaos spawn” is a template that can be added
to any creature. A chaos spawn uses its base
creature’s abilities and game statistics except as
noted below.

Creature Type: The chaos spawn counts as an

outsider.

Hit Dice: +2d8; the bonuses for gaining two

Hit Dice as an outsider are
included in the stats below.

154
Speed: There is a 50% chance the creature
gains the ability to fly at its normal speed with
poor maneuverability. Creatures that cannot fly
have a 50% chance of being able to swim at
their normal speed. Creatures that neither fly

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

nor swim have a 50% chance to burrow at half
their normal speed.

AC: +2 natural bonus to AC

Base Attack: +2 bonus to all attacks

Attacks: The chaos spawn gains tentacles,

claws, pincers, or a similar physical attack that
deals damage based on its size. It may use this
attack once per round in addition to its normal
attacks at a –5 penalty, or a –2 penalty if it has
the Multiattack feat. It only uses this extra
attack if it uses the full attack action. If the
chaos spawn has no weapons or any other
attacks, it can use this strike with its full base
attack bonus.

Chaos Spawn Size Attack Damage

Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantuan 2d8
Colossal 3d6

Special Attacks: The chaos spawn retains its

special attacks and gains the ability to sunder
its enemies with the power of raw chaos.

Chaotic Sunder (Su): Three times per day, a

chaos spawn can pour raw chaotic energy into
a target. Non-chaotic creatures suffer 1d4
points of damage per the spawn’s HD. For
example, a 12 HD spawn would inflict 12d4
points of damage with this attack. The victim
may make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the
spawn’s Charisma modifier) for half damage.
Creatures killed in this manner arise as chaos
spawn unless they are treated with remove
curse. Apply this template to the victim.

Special Qualities: In addition to the base crea-

ture’s qualities, the chaos spawn gains the
chaos legionnaire, child of chaos, and liquid
body abilities as described above.

Saves: The spawn gains a +3 bonus to all its

saving throws.

155
 Abilities: The spawn’s mind decays, though its
physical body gains strength. It gains +2 Str, +2 Madness Giant
Con, –2 Int, –2 Wis, +2 Cha.
Huge Outsider (Chaos Legionnaire,
Challenge Rating: As base creature +2. Chaotic, Extraplanar)
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Hit Dice: 20d8+140 (230 hp)

Alignment: All chaos spawn become chaotic Initiative: –2
neutral. Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
AC: 21 (–2 size, –2 Dex, +15 natural), touch 6,
Sample Chaos Spawn flat-footed 21
This sample chaos spawn is a 1st-level human Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+39
barbarian who dabbled too deeply in the chaos Attack: Slam +30 melee (3d8+11)
cult that operates in the wilderness near his Full Attack: Slam +30/+25/+20/+15 melee
tribe’s lands. (3d8+11)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Chaos Spawn Human Barbarian (1st level) Special Attacks: Babble of insanity, roar of
planar instability
Medium Outsider (Chaos Legionnaire, Special Qualities: Child of chaos, DR 10/law-
Chaotic) ful, liquid body, SR 25
Hit Dice: 1d12+2d8+6 (27 hp) Saves: Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +14
Initiative: +1 Abilities: Str 32, Dex 6, Con 24, Int 7, Wis 11,
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 40 ft. (poor) Cha 15
AC: 16 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +3 studded leather Skills: Climb +26, Intimidate +22, Jump +31,
armor), touch 11, flat-footed 15 Listen +15, Search +13, Spot +15, Swim +31
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull
Attack: Greatclub +6 melee (1d10+3) Rush, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power
Full Attack: Greatclub +6 melee (1d10+3), Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)
tentacles +1 melee (1d6+2) Environment: Any
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Organization: Solitary, swarm (2–12)
Special Attacks: Barbarian rage, chaotic sun- Challenge Rating: 15
der (3d4 damage, Fort DC 10) Treasure: Standard
Special Qualities: Child of chaos, fast move- Alignment: Chaotic neutral
ment, liquid body Advancement: 21–30 (Huge); 31–45
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +3 (Gargantuan)
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 8, Wis Level Adjustment: —
11, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +6, Jump +6, Survival +4, Swim A large, crawling humanoid with a multitude of
+6 faces howling in its flesh, a madness giant
Feats: Weapon Focus (greatclub) looks like a monstrous hill giant warped and
Environment: Northland wastes changed by the power of raw chaos. It crawls
Organization: Solitary along the ground, standing only when con-
Challenge Rating: 3 fronted by enemies or if it must topple a partic-
Treasure: Standard ularly large structure or obstacle.
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Advancement: By character class The madness giant is perhaps one of the most
feared minions of the chaos lords. These brutes
Wandering far from his tribe in hopes of find- revel in spreading insanity and destruction,
ing and slaying a beast noteworthy enough to leaving in their wake shattered settlements and
increase his prestige, this miserable wretch mobs of innocents rendered into babbling
came across a small coven of chaos minions fools. Frequently, the victims of this brute’s
and spawn. They offered him great power, and madness trail behind it in a grim parody of a
he foolishly accepted. He now appears as a parade, worshipping the giant as a god in their
twisted humanoid with runny, seemingly melt- insanity. These hordes take part in the giant’s
ed flesh. A pair of great bat wings sprout from destructive binges, fanning out to start fires,
his back, tearing through his armor as they hunt down fleeing innocents, and drag food and
grow out of his body. other treasures to their lord.

156
 remove curse. Treat this effect as a spell cast by
Combat
a 15th-level sorcerer.
In battle, the madness giant relies on its babble
of insanity ability to render enemies helpless. Roar of Planar Instability (Su): Once per
Opponents who are too strong to fall to that hour, the madness giant can unleash a horrify-

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

attack face the giant’s massive fists and its ing roar that tears apart the bindings of reality.
array of spell-like abilities. Most giants lack the All its mouths sound a jagged, high-pitched
intelligence and foresight to employ tactics any shriek that causes its surroundings to blur and
more complicated than bashing the nearest tar- change. Roll d% to determine the effects of this
get. Sometimes, a giant may be distracted by a ability. All of the spells listed are cast as a 15th-
tempting object to crush, pausing in the midst level sorcerer.
of battle to hammer a tower to the ground or
smash a hut to pieces. d% Result
1–10 Earthquake
Babble of Insanity (Su): The many mouths on 11–20 Maze
the giant’s body spew a continual stream of 21–30 Mass charm
maddening babble, slowly wearing away the 31–40 Sunburst
sanity of creatures that draw within listening 41–50 Storm of vengeance
range. If a creature can hear the giant’s babble 51–60 Implosion
it must make a DC 21 Will save. On a success- 61–70 Time stop
ful save, the creature resists the madness effect 71–80 Reverse gravity
for 10 rounds, after which it must make anoth- 81–90 Delayed blast fireball
er save. On a failed save, the creature is over- 91–100 Creeping doom
come by a strange, chaotic insanity. There is a
50% chance each round that it capers and gib-
bers randomly, following the giant wherever it
goes. Otherwise, the creature acts as if under
the effects of charm monster. It does whatever
it can to help the madness giant, including
attacking its enemies or pinning
victims down to forcibly expose
them to the madness effect.
This insanity lasts for one
week and can be bro-
ken with dispel magic
(and similar effects)
o r

157
 demons, though their prodigious combat abili-
Demon, Clawed ties make taking one prisoner a daunting
prospect. In their natural habitat, clawed
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar) demons wander the planes in search of fresh
Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (75 hp) meat and easy victims. Cruel and savage in the
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Initiative: +2 extreme, they take great pleasure in capturing

Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) intelligent creatures and slowly torturing them
AC: 19 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +8 to death.
natural), touch 11, flat-footed
17 Once, these creatures served as the elite lieu-
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+15 tenants and commanders of a powerful demon
Attack: Claw +12 melee lord. When their leader fell in battle to his
(2d6+4) enemies, these demons were bound, their
Full Attack: 2 claws +12 eyes torn from their sockets, and their
melee (2d6+4), bite +9 melee once impressive intellects destroyed.
(1d8+2 and poison) Sages speculate that they recall some-
Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft. thing of their fate, as they fight with a
Special Attacks: Master at arms, savage fury exceptional even for
poison, rend demonkind.
Special Qualities: Blindsight 60
ft., DR 10/good, prodigious Combat
leap, SR 16
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will In battle, clawed demons fight with the
+9 echoes of their ancient skill and cun-
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, ning. They lurk in ambush, springing
Con 17, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 8 from shadows to drag down their prey
Skills: Climb +14, Jump and rend it to pieces. In large battles, they
+14, Listen +12, Spot +12, leap over their enemies to attack from
Swim +14, Survival +12 behind, using their speed and maneuver-
Feats: Cleave, Multiattack, ability to its utmost.
Power Attack, Weapon
Focus (claw) Master at Arms (Ex): The clawed
Environment: Any demon is surprisingly skilled in wield-
Organization: Solitary, ing its claws as weapons. Drawing on
mob (2–12) dim memories of its once-great prowess,
Challenge Rating: 8 it gains the benefits of Expertise,
Treasure: Standard Improved Trip, and Improved Disarm
Alignment: Always chaot- when fighting with them. It cannot use
ic evil these feats if it does not attack with its
Advancement: 11–20 claws.
(Large); 21–28 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: — Poison (Ex): Thick, yellowish venom
drips from the clawed demon’s fangs.
A towering, humanoid crea- The demon delivers this poison with
ture, this beast has overly its bite attack. Fortitude save DC 18,
long arms that it keeps initial damage 1d4 Strength, sec-
raised before it. Its slender, lithe fin- ondary damage 1d4 Strength.
gers end in obsidian claws that stretch forth
over a foot in length. The beast’s hairless body Rend (Ex): If a clawed demon hits with both
is covered with the scars of many ancient strug- claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s
gles. Though its eyes are stitched shut, it turns body and tears the flesh. This attack automati-
its head towards you as if it can see. cally deals an additional 2d6+6 points of dam-
age.
Clawed demons are common shock troops and
slaves among the legions of the damned. Prodigious Leap (Ex): A clawed demon’s
These simple brutes are easily captured and Jump checks have no maximum distance based
beaten into submission by more powerful on its speed.
158
Devil, Putrid (Malphagor)
Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar,
Lawful)

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Hit Dice: 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 18 (+8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+10
Attack: +11 claws (1d8 + disease)
Full Attack: +11 claws (1d8+2 and disease),
+8 bite (1d4+2 and disease), +8 entrails (1d6+2
and constrict)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+2, improved
grab, plague carrier, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fast heal-
ing 3, immunity to disease and poison, mantle
of terror, spell resistance 19, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 13, Wis
10, Cha 17
Skills: Concentration +15, Hide +11,
Intimidate +13, Knowledge (the planes) +11,
Listen +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +11
Feats: Improved Initiative, Multiattack,
Weapon Focus (claws)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or coven (2–8)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

A putrid devil appears as a cloaked, diseased

figure. Flesh dangles from its rotting face and
limbs, while its clothing conceals its bloated
gut. Its entrails hang from its belly like tenta-
cles, reaching forth to grasp its foes.

Putrid devils are pariahs among their own kind,

harbingers of death and disease who strike
down humans, orcs, giants, and even other dev-
ils with equal ease. They exist only to spread
their diseases, as they can harvest the souls of
evil folk who die from them and compel them
into service on their rotting plane.

Combat
Putrid devils loathe all life that has not
embraced the comforting grip of disease. They
prefer to use hit-and-run tactics, relying on
their spell-like abilities and mantle of terror to
incapacitate their foes. Once they have dealt
159
 with any enemies who remain active, they
infect the rest with their diseases. Their mission Dimensional Predator
completed, they leave to allow their sickness to
run its course. Sometimes, these fiends take Large Magical Beast
active steps to destroy temples, hospitals, and Hit Dice: 8d10+24 (68 hp)
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

other areas that offer comfort to their victims. Initiative: +4

Other times, they target doctors, clerics, and Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 50 ft. good (10
others who tend to the sick and weak to create squares)
a convenient vector for their contagions. AC: 21 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +8 natural), touch 13,
flat-footed 17
Improved Grab (Ex): The putrid devil may Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+12
use this ability only with its entrails attack. It Attack: Bite +8 melee (2d6+1)
gains a +4 competence bonus to grapple checks Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (2d6+1), wing +6
made with its entrails and may use its constrict melee (1d6+1), wing +6 melee (1d6+1), tail +6
special attack against creatures caught in them. melee (1d4+1 and sting)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Plague Carrier (Ex): Supernatural disease Special Attacks: Tail sting
(claw and bite, Fortitude save (DC 20), incuba- Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., planar
tion period 1 day; damage 1d6 temporary lurker, scent, SR 15
Constitution). Unlike normal diseases, the Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +3
putrid devil’s contagion continues until the vic- Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 4, Wis
tim reaches Constitution 0 (and dies) or 13, Cha 10
receives a remove disease spell or similar Skills: Spot +12, Survival +4
magic. Each creature that spends more than a Feats: Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Snatch
total of 10 minutes per day within close prox- Environment: Planar vortex
imity (30 ft.) of the infected victim must save Organization: Solitary or flock (2–12)
to avoid catching the disease. An afflicted crea- Challenge Rating: 5
ture that dies turns into a bubbling pool of ooze Treasure: Standard
and festering, putrid flesh. Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9–12 (Large); 13–22 (Huge)
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—eyebite (DC Level Adjustment: —
19), hold person (DC 16), insect plague, ray of
enfeeblement (DC 14), stinking cloud (DC 16). A sharklike creature soars through the air, div-
Caster level 11th. The save DCs are Charisma- ing down towards its prey. It looks like a ham-
based. merhead with long wings instead of fins and a
tail that tapers down to a whiplike point.
Mantle of Terror (Su): The putrid devil’s hor-
rifying appearance and its otherworldly nature The dimensional predator is a common menace
combine to drive lesser creatures mad. Any to planar travelers. Like the mundane sharks it
creature that sees the putrid devil must make a resembles, it swims through the cosmos in
DC 17 Will save or be affected as though by the search of its next meal. These beasts flash into
spell confusion for 1d4 rounds. Caster level existence, swoop down on their targets, and
11th. The save DC is Charisma-based. Gripped then slip back into the ethereal in a matter of
by panic and horror, the victims of this ability moments. Sometimes, a party of explorers
panic and act at random. Once a creature saves loses a member to these creatures without real-
against this ability, whether it fails or succeeds, izing his fate.
it does not have to check again for the rest of
the encounter even if it sees other putrid devils. Combat
Dimensional predators prefer to attack weak,
injured parties rather than fresh, well-rested
ones. Like sharks, once they catch scent of
fresh blood they are relentless hunters. They
prefer to use their plane lurker ability in com-
bination with Flyby Attack, materializing,
swooping in to attack, and then slipping back
into the ether to prepare for another strike.
160
 Tail Sting (Ex): The dimen-
sional predator’s tail is
cloaked in a faint nimbus
of elemental energy. It
makes touch attacks

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

when fighting with
its tail, and in addi-
tion to the physi-
cal damage vic-
tims must make a
Fortitude save (DC
15) or be stunned for
1d3 rounds.

Planar Lurker
(Su): The predator
can slip between the
fabric of the planes,
allowing it to fade
out of existence
while casting its
senses into its
immediate area.
Treat this as the spell ethereal jaunt as cast by
a 12th-level sorcerer. The predator can move Organization: Solitary
into and out of the ethereal as a move-equiva- Challenge Rating: 18
lent action. Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 36–45 HD (Colossal)
Glass Spider Level Adjustment: —
Colossal Outsider (Extraplanar)
A crystalline spider creature weaves a web that
Hit Dice: 35d8+420 (577 hp)
covers the terrain around it. Its body is almost
Initiative: +2
completely transparent, though monstrous
Speed: 100 ft. (20 squares)
organs pulse and throb within its body. It is
AC: 25 (–8 size, –2 Dex, +25 natural), touch 0,
about the size of a house, and the air and
flat-footed 25
ground around it seem to bend and morph as if
Base Attack/Grapple: +35/+66
seen through a jar of water.
Attack: Bite +42 melee (2d8+15)
Full Attack: Bite +42 melee (2d8+15), leg
Glass spiders are the remnants of an earlier
crush +37/+37/+37/+37 melee (2d6+7)
epoch, the period of timeless eternity before the
Space/Reach: 40 ft./25 ft.
gods formed the cosmos into its current state.
Special Attacks: Cosmic disturbance, overrun,
Some sages believe that the spiders are fore-
planar engulf, spin web
runners of all intelligent creatures, the proto-
Special Qualities: DR 25/magic, mystic prism,
typical form of life that first walked the uni-
SR 30
verse’s endless planes. Others claim that the
Saves: Fort +33, Ref +19, Will +24
spiders constructed the wormholes, and that
Abilities: Str 40, Dex 6, Con 34, Int 4, Wis 16,
these creatures are merely the servants of vast-
Cha 20
ly powerful beings who overshadow even the
Skills: Climb +40, Craft (web) +22, Listen
mightiest gods and demons. A small splinter
+28, Move Silently +23, Spot +28, Survival
sect of fanatics maintains that the spiders are
+28, Swim +40
the heralds of the end of the world. The cosmos
Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Endurance, Great
is winding down, these zealots proclaim, and
Cleave, Diehard, Great Fortitude, Improved
the spiders are spawned by reality to help tear
Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will,
apart the multiverse and set the stage for
Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Track
reality’s next iteration. Whatever the
Environment: Any
truth, glass spiders are monstrous planar
161
 marauders who can single handedly destroy Cosmic Disturbance (Su): The spider’s pres-
entire cities. Their massive size, magical abili- ence in most planes is anathema, a reminder
ties, and capability to travel the planes make that there exist things older than the cosmos
them among the most dangerous creatures itself. All living creatures within 100 ft. of the
known to the civilized races. spider suffer 5 points of damage per round as
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

the world shifts and twists around them. All

Sages theorize that the spiders play an impor- ranged attacks have a 20% chance of missing in
tant role in the planes’ development. Many addition to any concealment. Targets shift and
times, they enter a plane to hunt a specific, move, or perhaps missiles and rays curve and
large creature, but their planar engulf ability bend on their journey to their targets. All spell-
inadvertently spreads smaller species, includ- casters must make caster level checks (DC 15)
ing humanoids, across a number of worlds. A before using any spell. This check is made in
glass spider might attack a purple worm, slay it, addition to any SR a creature may have. If the
and then carry a small tribe of goblins to a dif- check fails, the spell is lost.
ferent plane when it moves to find a new hunt-
ing ground. Unless the spider is ravenously Planar Engulf (Su): Three times per day, the
hungry, it is unlikely to notice the goblins as spider can shift itself and the area around it to
they scurry away to explore their new home. In a different plane of existence. Usually, spiders
this manner, a variety of species have spread use this tactic to drag prey to their planar lairs
across the multiverse. where they can feast in peace. The spider can
transport itself and the area in a 100-ft. radius
Combat around it in all directions to a plane of its
choice. The spider always arrives at the exact
Glass spiders rely on their vast bulk and near point it wants, along with the dirt and rock
invulnerability to destroy their enemies. They beneath it and any creatures unlucky enough to
generally hunt larger creatures such as travel with it. Creatures in this ability’s area do
dinosaurs, dragons, and titans, though a hungry not receive a saving throw to resist it. They are
spider may simply arrive in a plane and attack automatically transported along with the spider.
an entire city.

162
Spin Web (Ex): As a full-round action, the spi- order demand that the universe lock into their
der can fill a 60-ft. radius area with a thick, dictates and follow them without question.
sticky web three times per day. The spider can While the lords of chaos spread rampant death
cast this web at a range of up to 100 ft. It makes and destruction, the scions of law by no means
a ranged touch attack to place the web where it offer salvation from them. They would remake

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

wishes, and if it misses use the standard rules the entire planar system in their vision of per-
for grenade-like weapons to determine where it fection, transforming living creatures and inan-
ends up. The spider does not suffer any penal- imate objects into a unified, obedient system.
ties due to range for this attack, but it cannot To the scions, freewill and choice are the fun-
use it beyond its maximum range. Treat this damental enemies of stability.
effect as a web spell, save that creatures cannot
burn their way free; the Strength DC to break The scions pose the greatest threat in areas
free is 25 and the Escape Artist DC is 30. where chaos runs rampant. With a terrible
Creatures that occupy the web’s space must enemy bearing down upon them, many civi-
make Reflex saves (DC 26) to avoid being lizations have made the mistake of equating the
caught in place. Otherwise, they must navigate cold, uncaring lords of law with saviors. The
through the web as per the spell’s description. scions never have their allies’ best interests in
mind. Rather, they seek to exterminate chaos
Trample (Ex): A glass spider can trample before forcibly converting the survivors to the
Gargantuan or smaller creatures for automatic path of law. Many vibrant, wondrous civiliza-
damage. Opponents who do not make attacks tions have been transformed into dull, monoto-
of opportunity against the spider can attempt a nous, orderly realms of law.
Reflex save (DC 20) to halve the damage. This
attack deals 3d8+20 points of damage. Law commands fewer cultists and mortal fol-
lowers than chaos, primarily because those
Mystic Prism (Su): The glass spider’s reflec- creatures who reach out to the scions in wor-
tive body is formed along several dimensions ship are promptly transformed into adherents
other than those visible to the naked eye. When of law (see below). While the scions’ extensive
spells targeted against the spider approach it, rules of engagement allow them to ally with
the magical energy within them is shunted into and use living creatures, in the end there can be
these weird curves in space, altered, and only absolute obedience or death.
returned to the material world. Whenever the
glass spider is targeted with a spell effect, there Worlds dominated by these conquerors slowly
is a 50% chance that it instinctually molds the turn into lands rendered in perfectly formed
raw energy into a new effect and directs it back crystal. One by one, each object is changed to
at the caster. This effect takes the form of any exactly copy the scions’ idea of the fundamen-
spell of the spider’s choice that has the same or tal aspect of every thought, object, and creature
lower level as the spell used against it. The spi- in the cosmos. For example, all forests, jungles,
der may always choose to allow the spell to and groves on the world change so that the
affect it. The spell is used at the original cast- trees within them are all the same exact crys-
er’s class and level, and its saving throw DC is talline structure. When the time comes for the
the same as if it had been cast by the original leaves to fall, every tree sheds the same exact
caster. Apply this ability’s effects only after crystalline leaf at the same time. All creatures
checking to see if a spell overcomes the spi- change into the same perfect representation of
der’s SR. their race, with herbivores dutifully allowing
predators to catch and kill them in the same
The Scions of Law sequence of events across the cosmos. Any
object or creature that fails to fit into one of the
The universe moves in a somewhat orderly
scions’ templates is wiped from existence, its
progression. Night follows day, most portals
body or physical form used to form other, more
function in a consistent manner, spells work as
proper objects. Living creatures act without
their casters expect, and so forth. To the scions
free will, instead fulfilling the same scripted
of law, this predictability is not enough. They
actions again and again.
see any deviance from patterns as the first steps
In your campaign, the scions of law could
to anarchy, chaos, and the ultimate unraveling
serve as temporary allies, but in the end
of the entire cosmic structure. Stern and
they can accept only a world’s defeat or
unbending, these overlords of absolute, utter
163
 assimilation into their order. Worst of all, they immunities. They are immune to poison, sleep-
truly believe in the fundamental benevolence effects, and mind-influencing effects.
of their actions. They perceive any opposition
to it as the desperate objections of those who One Mind: Those who follow the scions of
simply refuse to see the truth. To the scions, law share in part a single mind, allowing them
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

anyone who opposes their plans by definition to exchange information and thoughts over the
supports the destruction of the universe. vast expanse of the planes. Nothing can block
this communication, though it functions on a
Cults of Law primal, instinctual level rather than as direct
conversation. For example, if the characters
Few beings outside of the scions’ followers encounter a single champion of law, all of the
offer prayers to elemental law, but in some scions’ followers have memories of the battle
cases madmen, those who seek succor from the and know of the PCs. The forces of law do not
ravages of chaos, and those foolish enough to actively talk to each other, debate, or discuss
believe they can bend law to their own uses tactics. Instead, they merely contribute to and
take up its worship. Law cults meet in secret, draw from a massive, ephemeral store of racial
though in some cases they operate openly to memories. This trait alone makes them deadly
rally commoners and nobles alike against the foes, as a creature that fights against the forces
depredations of raw chaos. In time, though, of law finds its secrets and abilities quickly
members of these cults are forcibly converted propagated across all of the scions’ followers.
into adherents of law. The scions trust no one
except those creatures compelled to obey their Perfection of Law: The absolute order and
dictates. perfect form of lawful creatures manifests as a
hard, crystalline structure. All creatures of law
A cleric who worships the scions of law prays have DR 5/– in addition to any other DR they
to them as a group. Though these beings are have. Account for this DR before applying the
individually powerful, nothing is known of effects of any other DR types they may have.
their individual traits or characteristics. Some
sages believe that they are pure order given Source of Order: Creatures of pure law never
purpose, and as such any detail that would sep- roll dice. Chance and luck may direct their ene-
arate them from the concept of law would mies’ efforts, but their own actions function
change their appearance in mortals’ minds and according to the dictates of law. Whenever a
thus promote chaos. Law cultists use a plain creature with this ability must roll dice, treat
circle forged from silver as their symbol. Their the result as half the maximum possible result
rites consist of bringing order to chaos, such as of the die. For example, when rolling 1d20 to
carefully arranging a pile of stones and medi- attack, a creature of law always counts its result
tating on the eternal truths of law. as 10. This has many implications for creatures
of law. They can never stabilize when they fall
Clerics of this cult gain access to the Law and below 0 hit points, as a d% roll for them always
War domains. The scions’ favored weapon is has a result of 50, and in most cases they either
the heavy mace. In place of the Law domain’s always hit a character or always miss. They
granted ability, clerics of law gain the ability to never score critical hits, as such results rely on
use the adherent of law’s force of law special luck and chance. In battle, the creatures of law
attack once per day. See that template below compensate for this ability by using grapple
for details. The cleric counts his levels in that attacks, flanking, and taking other actions to
class as his Hit Dice when using the ability. gain bonuses to their attacks.

Traits of Law Creatures with this ability have all their ran-
dom values given in absolute terms to account
All followers of law have the following traits for this ability. These values are listed in paren-
and abilities. They are summarized here to save theses after the standard attribute or stat pre-
space, rather than list them with each creature’s sentation.
description.

Legionnaire of Order: All followers of the

scions of law gain several benefits and
164
Adherent of Law
An adherent of law may have once been any
creature, but it has since been warped and

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

changed into a crystalline follower of absolute
law. These creatures all share the same appear-
ance based on their race, but their capabilities
and talents are determined by their previous
forms and experiences. Adherents of law look
like statues carved from massive chunks of
crystalline rock. None of their distinctive traits
remain, though they still carry and use the gear
they carried in their previous incarnations.

Creating an Adherent of Law

“Adherent of law” is a template that can be
added to any creature. An adherent of law uses
its base creature’s abilities and game statistics
except as noted below.

Creature Type: An adherent of law counts as

an outsider with the following subtypes: law-
ful, legionnaire of order.

Hit Dice: The adherent gains two Hit Dice as

an outsider. It gains 2d8 hit points plus twice its
Constitution modifier. The other benefits of
these extra Hit Dice are summarized below.

Speed: The adherent retains its original move-

ment types and speed.

AC: The adherent’s dense, rocky form gives it

a +4 natural AC bonus. This bonus does not
stack with or replace any existing natural bonus
the base creature possesses. Use the higher of
the two bonuses.

Base Attack: An adherent gains a +2 base

attack bonus.

Special Attacks: An adherent of law gains the

ability to force the pattern of law on to its ene-
mies, turning them into adherents against their
will.

Force of Law (Su): Three times per day, an

adherent of law can force the scions’ view of
ordered reality on a target. With a successful
touch attack, the adherent partially (or perhaps
completely) transforms a target into a fellow
adherent of law. The target suffers 1d4 points
of damage per the adherent’s HD. For example,
a 6 HD adherent would inflict 6d4 points of
damage with this attack. The victim may make
165
 a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the adherent’s Weapon Focus (longsword)
Charisma modifier) for half damage. Creatures Environment: Any
killed in this manner arise as adherents of law Organization: Solitary or squad (12)
unless they are treated with remove curse. Challenge Rating: 2
Apply this template to the victim. Any equip- Treasure: Standard
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

ment it carries remains unchanged. Alignment: Lawful neutral

Special Qualities: An adherent of law gains As is customary for the forces of law, after con-
the legionnaire of order and one mind special quering a new world they set about forcibly
qualities as described above. recruiting every living creature they can track
down into their ranks. This warrior perhaps
Saves: The adherent gains a +3 bonus on all served as a nobleman’s elite guard. He still
saving throws. wears the fine armor and well-crafted sword he
received as part of his posting, though now he
Abilities: Adherents are physically tougher fights for law with unquestioning obedience.
than normal and have stronger, more robust He appears as a human warrior arrayed in
personalities. They gain the following ability armor, save that his body is made of blue, crys-
modifiers: +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Cha. talline rock and any unique physical features he
once sported have now been replaced with the
Challenge Rating: As base creature +1. scions’ view of the orderly human archetype.

Alignment: Always lawful neutral. Champion of Law

Advancement: Once a creature becomes an Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Lawful,
adherent of law, it remains locked into its cur- Legionnaire of Order)
rent incarnation. It can never gain class levels Hit Dice: 16d8+48 (120 hp)
or additional HD. Initiative: +2 (12)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. perfect (10
Sample Adherent of Law squares)
This unfortunate was a human warrior who AC: 24 (+2 Dex, +12 natural), touch 12, flat-
aided in the unsuccessful attempt to defend his footed 22
home world from an incursion of law. Now, he Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+21 (31)
is one of countless warriors who march to war Attack: Longspear +21 (31) melee (1d8+7/11
at the scions’ command. or 1d6+7/10)
Full Attack: Longspear +21 (31)/+16 (26)/+11
Human 1st-level Fighter Adherent of Law (21) melee (1d8+7/11 or 1d6+7/10)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Medium Outsider (Lawful, Legionnaire of Special Attacks: Searing radiance of order,
Law) word of law
Hit Dice: 1d10+2d8+9 (28 hp) Special Qualities: DR 10/chaos, longspear
Initiative: +4 agility, one mind, perfection of law, source of
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), base 30 ft. (6 order, spell resistance 20
squares) Saves: Fort +13 (23), Ref +12 (22), Will +11
AC: 20 (+4 natural, +4 scalemail, +2 large (21)
wooden shield), touch 10, flat-footed 20 Abilities: Str 20, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 14, Wis
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7 13, Cha 13
Attack: Longsword +6 melee (1d8+2) Skills: Climb +25 (35), Diplomacy +21 (31),
Full Attack: Longsword +6 melee (1d8+2) Intimidate +21 (31), Jump +25 (35), Listen +21
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (31), Search +22 (32), Sense Motive +21 (31),
Special Attacks: Force of law (3d4, Fort DC Spot +21 (31)
11) Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack,
Special Qualities: One mind Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (longs-
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +3 pear)
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 10, Wis Environment: Any
10, Cha 12 Organization: Solitary, delegation (3), war
Skills: Climb +6, Ride +4, Swim +6 party (10)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness,
166
 Challenge Rating: 10 mand for one round. Creatures never heed
Treasure: Standard obviously suicidal commands. The champion
Alignment: Always lawful neutral speaks in the primal tongue of creation, allow-
Advancement: — ing it to use this ability against any creature
Level Adjustment: — with an Intelligence of 3 or higher. This is a

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

mind-influencing effect. Caster level 16th. The
A gleaming, crystalline humanoid carrying a save DC is Charisma-based.
longspear and wearing a cloak and loincloth
stands before you. Light reflects from its skin, Longspear Agility (Ex): The champion of law
dazzling your eyes. It regards you with a cold, is an expert in wielding the longspear. When an
rocky stare. opponent moves within its weapon’s reach, it
simply shifts its grip and wields its spear like a
Champions of law are the commanders and quarterstaff. The champion can gain
leaders of law’s minions, primarily enforcers of the benefits of the longspear’s
law and weaker adherents of law. They are 10-ft. reach and inflict
judges, ambassadors, and governors who take 1d8+7 points of damage
orders directly from the scions of law. As such, with it, or attack adja-
they are commonly trusted with the most cent creatures and
important missions in the name of law. Usually deal 1d6+7
they act alone, but in the face of powerful ene- points of dam-
mies and dire threats they can gather together age. The
in groups numbering more than a hundred. champion can
Since law never tolerates variations in the abil- change its
ities and capabilities of its minions, they must grip as a free
use the raw force of numbers to defeat their action once
most powerful enemies. per round,
though it
Combat must decide
how it wants
Champions of law fight without regard for their to wield it
own safety. As a byproduct of their absolute before mak-
obedience, they gladly throw themselves into ing any
deadly situations, untenable positions, and attacks.
other precarious spots. To a champion of law,
death is not a threat. When one is destroyed, the
scions soon reform it and bid it to continue its
service. Thus, champions fight solely to slay
the enemy. Their lives never enter into consid-
eration when devising tactics and goals.

Searing Radiance of Order (Su): As a stan-

dard action, the champion of law can cause a
blinding flash of light to gleam from its crys-
talline body. All chaotic creatures within a 60-
ft. burst around the champion must make DC
19 Fortitude saves or be blinded for 2d4 rounds
and suffer 6d6 points of damage. Creatures that
succeed at this save take half damage and are
not blinded. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Word of Law (Su): The champion of law

exerts a regular, predictable pattern not only on
events and actions around it but upon free-
willed creatures. Once per round as a free
action the champion can issue a three-word
command to a single creature. The creature
must make a DC 19 Will save or obey the com-
167
 who attempt to convince local rulers and
Enforcer of Law nobles to ally with the forces of law. Though
their emotionless, monotone voices sometimes
Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Lawful, make their potential allies nervous, they tend to
Legionnaire of Order) win debates with inescapable logic and seem-
CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Hit Dice: 9d8+21 (61 hp) ingly flawless conclusions.

Initiative: +1 (11)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), base 40 ft. (8 Combat
squares)
AC: 23 (+1 Dex, +5 chainmail, +2 large In battle, enforcers seek to maximize terrain to
steel shield, +5 natural), touch 11, flat- gain an advantage over their enemies. They
footed 22 gladly sacrifice their lives for the betterment
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+12 (22) of the group, stepping into dangerous
Attack: +13 (23) longsword melee spots to create a flanking opportuni-
(1d8+3/7) ty or running into a wizard’s line of
Full Attack: +13/+8 (23/18) sight to draw him into wasting his
longsword melee (1d8+3/7) spells. The enforcers place little
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. value on their own lives, as they can
Special Attacks: Chance slayer, perish confident that the scions of
order’s decree law will give them a new form in
Special Qualities: DR 5/chaos, due time. Thus they fight without
one mind, perfection of law, concern for their own safety, seek-
source of order, spell resistance ing only to defeat their foes.
16
Saves: Fort +8 (18), Ref +7 (17), Chance Slayer (Su): Once per
Will +8 (18) round, an attack directed against the
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 12, Con enforcer is treated as if the attacker
14, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 17 rolled a 10 on his attack roll. The
Skills: Craft (crystal) +12 (22), enforcer does not consciously use
Diplomacy +17 (27), Listen +18 this ability. Instead, his mere pres-
(28), Sense Motive +16 (26), Spot ence alters the scheme of probabili-
+18 (28), Survival +16 (26) ty and causes events to proceed in a
Feats: Alertness, Toughness, Track, predictable, orderly fashion. This
Weapon Focus (longsword) ability activates after the DM sees
Environment: Any the die roll’s result and can only be
Organization: Solitary, squad (5), or used on a roll of 15 or higher.
war band (20)
Challenge Rating: 6 Order’s Decree (Su): The
Treasure: Standard enforcer’s fundamental nature with-
Alignment: Always lawful neutral ers and kills creatures of chaos that
Advancement: — cross his path. When fighting ene-
Level Adjustment: — mies with chaotic alignments, the
enforcer gains a +4 competence
Before you stands a crystalline bonus to his attacks and a +2
humanoid wearing a breastplate, enhancement bonus to damage.
chain skirt and helm, carrying a These bonuses apply only to attacks
sword and shield. It turns a dull made directly against chaotic crea-
face, devoid of emotion, towards tures. Attacks against lawful or neu-
you as it moves to attack. tral ones do not gain this benefit.

The enforcers of law are the lowest-ranking

troops that serve the scions of law. They are
responsible for hunting down and destroying
the weakest creatures of chaos, and when the
scions invade a world these creatures form the
bulk of their legions. When encountered
alone, they commonly serve as emissaries
168
 Usually, it uses its breath weapon only after the
Vortex Howler first pass reveals its prey to be more formidable
than normal. Otherwise, it is content to grab a
Gargantuan Magical Beast succulent morsel and then fly off to a quiet, pri-
Hit Dice: 24d10+192 (324 hp) vate place where it can devour its meal in

CHAPTER FOUR: Threats & Civilizations

Initiative: +4 peace.
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), fly 80 ft. good (16
squares) Breath Weapon (Su): Once per hour, the vor-
AC: 20 (–4 size, +14 natural), touch 6, flat- tex howler can unleash a line of electricity 20
footed 20 ft. wide and 120 ft. in length. Any creature
Base Attack/Grapple: +32/+56 caught in this attack must make a DC 26 Reflex
Attack: Bite +32 melee (3d8+12) save or suffer 8d6 points of electricity damage.
Full Attack: Bite +32 melee (3d8+12), claw Those who successfully save take half damage.
+30 melee (1d8+6), claw +30 melee (1d8+6) The save DC is Constitution-based.
Space/Reach: 20 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, improved Improved Grab (Ex): The howler may use
grab, swallow whole this ability with its bite or claw attacks. If it
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., electrici- grapples with its bite, it attempts to swallow its
ty immunity, fire and cold resistance 15 prey. If it grabs hold with a claw, it attempts to
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +14, Will +10 drag its prey away and devour it.
Abilities: Str 34, Dex 10, Con 26, Int 4, Wis
15, Cha 11 Swallow Whole (Ex): The vortex howler can
Skills: Listen +10, Spot +10 swallow creatures of Huge or smaller size by
Feats: Cleave, Alertness, Flyby Attack, Hover, making a successful grapple check against tar-
Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power gets it grapples with its bite attack. Once inside,
Attack, Snatch, Wingover the opponent takes 2d8+12 points of crushing
Environment: Planar vortex damage plus 12 points of acid damage per
Organization: Solitary round from the howler’s gizzard. A swallowed
Challenge Rating: 14 creature can cut its way out by using a light
Treasure: Standard slashing or piercing weapon to deal 30 points
Alignment: Neutral of damage to the gizzard (AC 21). Once the
Advancement: 25–32 HD (Gargantuan); creature exits, muscular action closes the hole;
33–45 HD (Colossal) another swallowed opponent must cut its own
Level Adjustment: — way out.
A flying, serpentlike creature with a long beak The howler’s interior can hold one Huge, four
and powerful arms soars through the planar Large, 16 Medium, or 64 Small or smaller
vortex toward you. As it approaches, electricity opponents.
sparks from its mouth as it gazes at you with
hunger in its eyes.

The vortex howler is one of the most feared

predators native to the wind-swept passages
that stretch between the planes. Some sages
believe that the howlers somehow developed
within the planar vortex, while others believe
they are creatures native to the elemental plane
of air. In either case, their long, keening shriek
is both the source of their name and a harbinger
of danger to all who journey between the
planes.

Combat
A vortex howler prefers to make swooping
passes at its targets, seeking to grab them in its
arms or swallow them in its mammoth beak.
169
INDEX

Index

Acolyte of the Veil 29 Dimensional Sense 29

adherent of law 165-166 dimensional slip 32-33
aethership 34 dimensional warp 33
automatons 139-143 dreadnought 140-141
avatar of death 144-145 druid 7-8
avatar of hope 146-147 dwarves 11
avatar of justice 147-148 Elemental Mastery 29-30
avatar of knowledge 148-149 elves 11-12
avatar of pain 149-150 enforcer of law 168
avatar of rage 150-151 Exotic Fighting Style 30
avatars 144-151 Expel Outsiders 30
barbarian 6 feats 29-32
bard 6 Fens 129-130
champion of law 166-167 fighter 8-9
chaos cults 151 forked tongue whip 34-35
chaos lords 151-157 gateways 38-40
chaos minion 152-153 glass spider 161-163
Chaos Mountain 128-129 gnomes 12
chaos mutate 153-154 Great Machine 130
chaos spawn 154-156 half-elves 12
chaos traits 152 halflings 12
classes, core 5-11 half-orcs 12
cleric 6-7 Hell 131
Combat Sense 29 helm of planar navigation 35
creatures, variant 138-139 humans 12
demon, clawed 158 investigator of hidden secrets 14-17
devil, putrid 159-160 keeper of forbidden lore 17-20
dice of prob. manipulation 34 law cults 164
dimension portal 32 law traits 164
dimensional hop 32 madness giant 156-157
dimensional predator 160-161 magic items 34-36
170
malignancies 40-45 portals, religion 58-59
mask of emissary 35 portals, stat blocks 57
Master Linguist 30 portals, trade 59
master of a thousand blades 20-23 portals, traits 49-57
minglings 45-48 portals, types 37-48

INDEX
monk 9 prestige Classes 14-28
monsters 139-169 races 11-14
Nepentra 133-134 races, variations 13-14
Nightlands 131-132 ranger 9-10
paladin 9 Rapid Recovery 31
planar compass 33 river of worlds 62-67
planes, building 81-128 rod of planar stability 36
planes, chaos 94-96 rogue 10
planes, checklist 82-84 Savage Forest 132
planes, civilizations 136-139 scions of law 163-168
planes, cold 96-98 scroll door 36
planes, creatures 139-169 Shattered Sphere 133
planes, elemental 98-101 sorcerer 10
planes, evil 101-104 spells 32-34
planes, good 104-106 sphere of safe passage 34
planes, hazards 85-87, 124-128 spiked demolisher 141-142
planes, heat 106-107 tender of worlds 24-26
planes, law 107-109 time travel 60-62
planes, life 109-111 Turn Outsiders 31
planes, light 111-112 venomhatcher 142-143
planes, magic 112-115 Vestrial 134
planes, necropotence 115-117 vortex 67-73
planes, sample 128-135 vortex darts 36
planes, technology 118-121 vortext howler 169
planes, terrain 89-94 Wastelands 135
planes, traits 87-128 Watchful Strategist 31
planes, water 121-122 Well-timed Strike 31-32
planes, weather 122-124 wizard 10-11
portals, abilities 48-57 worldwalker 28
portals, campaigns 57-62 wormholes 73-80
portals, criminals 58
portals, government 58

171
 71–72 Necropotence–Shroud of Death
Random Terrain Chart 73–74 Technology–Advanced Tech
1–7 Air 75–76 Technology–Arcane Masquerade
8–14 Desert 77–78 Technology–Mechanical Supremacy
15–21 Flooded 79–80 Technology–Technological Aura
81–82 Technology–Technological Virus
Tables

22–28 Forest
29–35 Jungle 83–84 Waterways–Air Currents
36–42 Mechanical 85–86 Waterways–Boiling Water
43–49 Mountains 87–88 Waterways–Dust
50–56 Organic 89–90 Waterways–Magma
57–65 Plains 91–92 Waterways–Slime
66–72 Splintered 93–94 Weather–Acid Rain
73–79 Subterranean 95–96 Weather–Flash Freeze
80–86 Swamp 97–98 Weather–Ghost Wind
87–93 Tundra 99–100 Weather–Rain of Fire
94–100 Water
Random Trait Strength
Total Traits to Generate 1–20 Faint
1–20 1 21–40 Light
21–40 2 41–80 Medium
41–60 3 81–95 Heavy
61–80 4 96–100 Overwhelming
81–90 5
91–100 6 Random Element Trait
1 Acid
Random Planar Traits 2 Chaotic
1–2 Terrain–Gravity 3 Cold
3–4 Chaos–Arcane Instability 4 Darkness
5–6 Chaos–Chaos Ascendant 5 Earth
7–8 Chaos–Chaos Lands 6 Electricity
9 Chaos–Law’s Bane 7 Fire
10–11 Cold–Blizzard Conditions 8 Sonic
12–13 Cold–Freezing Conditions 9 Water
14–15 Cold–Snow 10 Roll twice more
16–17 Elemental–Elemental Ascendancy
18–19 Elemental–Elemental Enervation Random Magic School/Descriptor
20–21 Elemental–Elemental Vacuum
22–23 Evil–Clouds of Baneful Influence 1–4 Abjuration
24–25 Evil–Empower Evil 5–8 Conjuration
26–27 Evil–Hatred of the Land 9–12 Divination
28–29 Evil–Insidious Weakness 13–16 Enchantment
30–31 Evil–Scorn the Righteous 17–20 Evocation
32 Good–Glade of Benevolent Charity 21–24 Illusion
33–34 Good–Strength of the Righteous 25–28 Necromancy
35–36 Good–Weakness of the Vile 29–32 Transmutation
37–38 Heat–Ambient Fire 33–36 Acid
39–40 Heat–Ash Storms 37–40 Chaotic
41–42 Heat–Extreme Heat 41–44 Cold
43–44 Law–Edict of Law 45–48 Darkness
45 Law–Strength of Pattern 49–52 Death
46 Life–Plague World 53–56 Electricity
47–48 Life–War World 57–60 Evil
49–50 Light–Glare 61–64 Fear
51–52 Light–Sunlight 65–68 Fire
53 Magic–Arcane Instability 69–72 Force
54–55 Magic–Arcane Potency 73–76 Good
56 Magic–Arcane Weakness 77–80 Lawful
57–58 Magic–Dead Magic 81–84 Light
59 Magic–Magical Drought 85–88 Mind-affecting
60 Magic–Magical Flux 89–92 Sonic
61–62 Magic–Magical Veil 93–96 Teleportation
63–64 Necropotence–Bane of the Living 97–100 Roll twice more
65–66 Necropotence–Kingdom of the Dead
67–68 Necropotence–March of the Dead
69–70 Necropotence–Strength of Undeath
172
 Traps & Treachery Spells & Spellcraft Draconic Lore (DD33
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 By Mike Mearls
The definitive d20 System
resource for plane travel.
This invaluable sourcebook provides DMs
and players everything they need to create
and run planar adventures and campaigns.

• Complete rules and guidelines for creat-

ing characters suitable at plane travel and
world-hopping, as well as new prestige
classes, feats, spells, and magic items.

• Comprehensive descriptions of several

different portal types, including their traits,
characteristics, and game statistics.

• Rules and guidelines for designing an

endless variety of new worlds and planes.

• Guidelines for altering existing creatures to

create planar variants, and complete descriptions
of many new extraplanar monsters and allies.

ISBN 1-58994-104-7
# "'# FANTASY
FLIGHT
GAMES
' %&#&' '""#
www.fantasyflightgames.com
DD44 $24.95