creaTED BY

web dm
produced by
2cgaming
written by
Jim DaviS, emma Lambert, Jonathan pruitt
© Web DM Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Weird Wastelands v1.0 printed June, 2023 by 2CGaming, LLC. The Web DM
Entertainment, LLC logos and name and the book name (Worlds of Web DM: Weird Wastelands) are protected by copyright and
trademark. Other logos and names remain property of appropriate parties and are protected by similar protections. Any reproduction
or unauthorized use of material contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Web DM Entertainment, LLC
or its authorized representatives.
 CREATED BY
Web DM

PRODUCED BY

WRITTEN BY
Jim Davis, Emma Lambert, Jonathan Pruitt

Standard Print ISBN: 978-1-946678-43-0

Deluxe Print ISBN: 2370001734272
Alternate Deluxe Print ISBN: 2370001734289
Digital ISBN: 978-1-946678-44-7

©Web DM Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Weird Wastelands v1.0 printed June, 2023 by 2CGaming, LLC.
The Web DM Entertainment, LLC logos and name and the book name (Worlds of Web DM: Weird Wastelands) are
protected by copyright and trademark. Other logos and names remain property of appropriate parties and are protected
by similar protections. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of material contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Web DM Entertainment, LLC or its authorized representatives.

Printed in China.
foreword

Weird is my favorite word. If you hear me call something weird, it’s always a compliment. So it’s
really a fun honor to write the foreword to this book.

Because it’s weird.

Let’s talk about that word, though. It gets used a lot. Maybe overused. I’m not going to give you the
dictionary definition. Instead, I’ll give you my personal one: weird is what keeps things interesting.
It keeps the boredom at bay—the boredom of repetition, of jaded experience, of “nothing new
under the sun.” Weird involves surprises and twists. It goes beyond (or sometimes around)
expectations. The very best weird concepts are the kind that make you pause long enough to allow
your mind to reel with possibilities.

Weird Wastelands embraces the idea of weird through some of my favorite methods: combining
concepts of magic and technology, a setting with deep roots in a mysterious past, a focus on
exploring strange places filled with wonder, and, of course, weird monsters and creatures.

The glory of putting weird into a game is that you almost always raise more questions than answers
when you do. And here’s a secret from me to you: in roleplaying games, questions are always better
than answers. Questions lead to adventures. They lead to stories. Answers put an end to them. It’s
fine to learn where the legendary sword Wyrmwrath lies, defeat the mutant ettin guardians, and
obtain the blade for yourself. These are all answers. But why does the queen of the thools seek to
destroy it? How did it come to house the spirit of a dragon? Does it have a goal beyond bloodlust?
See what I mean? Each one of these can lead to new adventures and stories.

One of my other favorite words is fun. That shouldn’t be all that surprising, considering I’ve been
working professionally on games for 30+ years. The lesson I’ve learned after all that time is that
you can craft all the cool game rules you want, you can write a book filled with wonderful and
weird ideas, but if they don’t actually make the game more fun, you’ve missed the point. Games
are about fun, and they’re called roleplaying games for a reason. There’s nothing more satisfying as
a designer than to walk by a table of gamers having an absolute blast—whether they’re laughing
at some crazy situation, cheering at a great die roll, or swept up in the story being woven by the
group—knowing that you had some small part of that. And to be sure, all designers do is lay out
the tools or give a nudge at the right time. It’s the GM and players that craft the story, make the
fun, and revel in the joy of the game itself.

Considering the hours of great advice and commentary from Web DM, it should come as no
surprise to anyone that this book is filled with options that will make campaigns and characters
more fun. These folks know what makes for a good game session and a grand campaign that will
leave you with stories you’ll be reminiscing about with your friends for years to come. I hope you’ll
dive right in and create a psion character, set an adventure in the Colossus of Rust, or do battle
with a magicore. And I hope you do it in your very next game session. Don’t just let this excellent
book sit on your shelf with all the others. (I know very well what your overcrowded game shelf
looks like, friend—I’ve got one of my own!) The material in this book needs to be used. It needs to
be experienced at the game table.

The wasteland stretches before you, brave adventurers. But be careful…it’s weird out there.

Monte Cook
2022

FOREWORD
weird waStelandS 1
 LEAD WRITING
Jim Davis, Emma Lambert, Jonathan Pruitt

ADDITIONAL WRITING
Celeste Conowitch, Gwendolyn Marshall

EDITING
Misty Bourne

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Misty Bourne, Celeste Conowitch, Jon Kelly, Gwendolyn Marshall

ART DIRECTION
Jason Strutz

COVER ART
Bruce Brenneise (Standard Cover), Wayne Reynolds (Alternate Cover)

INTERIOR ART
Juan Arrabal, Bruce Brenneise, Tina Fulton, Ambrose Hoilman, Matt Morrow,
Jason Strutz, Thomas Tanner

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT

BNE Design

SPECIAL THANKS
This book is dedicated to our viewers, backers, patrons, and fellow tabletop gamers.
You changed our world with your support of Web DM, and in so doing made it possible
for us to create this one.

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”)
by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-
reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

CREDITS
2 weird waStelandS
Foreword............................................................................1 Chapter 3: Exploration
and Wasteland Survival.......................................102
Table of Contents..........................................................3 Variant Survival Rules.....................................................102
Hex-Based Exploration....................................................109
Introduction: Turn-Based Exploration..................................................124
Welcome to the Postapocalypse.........................4
How to Use This Book..........................................................4 Chapter 4: GM Toolkit...........................................140
The Weird Wastelands as a Sandbox................................5 Monster Reskins...............................................................140
Setting Notes.........................................................................6 Wasteland Factions.........................................................140
Postapocalypse as Inspiration............................................6 Arcanotech Cabal..........................................................140
Ecology of the Weird Wastelands......................................8 Blood Harpy Legion.......................................................143
Apocalyptic Cataclysms.......................................................9 Enduring Aristocracy.....................................................146
Choose Your Own Apocalypse........................................ 11 The Fellowship...............................................................148
Infernal Recruiters.........................................................150
Chapter 1: Character Options........................... 18 Wastelanders..................................................................152
New Class: Psion................................................................ 18 Wasteland Encounters....................................................155
New Subclasses in the Wastes........................................ 31
Barbarian........................................................................... 31 Chapter 5: Weird Wasteland Locations.....174
Bard.................................................................................... 33 How to Use the Weird Wastelands Locations............174
Cleric.................................................................................. 35 Tradetown..........................................................................176
Druid................................................................................... 36 Last City of MAN..............................................................190
Fighter................................................................................ 39 Toxic Alchemical Sump...................................................201
Monk.................................................................................. 40 Deep Green.......................................................................212
Paladin............................................................................... 42 Derbytown.........................................................................230
Ranger................................................................................ 44 Rust Wastes.......................................................................245
Rogue................................................................................. 45 Basalt Palace.....................................................................255
Sorcerer............................................................................. 46 Gates of the Afterlife.......................................................276
Warlock.............................................................................. 48
Wizard................................................................................ 51 Chapter 6: Friends and Foes............................289
Backgrounds....................................................................... 53 Wasteland Monster Templates......................................289
Enclave Envoy.................................................................. 53 Arcanavore......................................................................289
Faction Veteran................................................................ 54 Spell-Warped..................................................................292
Mendicant Lawgiver........................................................ 56 Wasteland Bestiary..........................................................295
Naturalist........................................................................... 57 Feast Beast.....................................................................295
Nomad............................................................................... 59 Guardian Gate................................................................296
Raider................................................................................ 61 Magicore..........................................................................299
Remembrancer................................................................. 62 Mechaboleth...................................................................302
Wasteland Trader............................................................. 64 Shadow Chameleon......................................................304
Feats..................................................................................... 66 Squamous Magnedon...................................................308
Spells.................................................................................... 67 Thool................................................................................309
Spell Lists.......................................................................... 67 Tremble............................................................................310
Spell Descriptions............................................................ 67 Swarm of Trembles....................................................311
Alterations to Magic........................................................ 73

Chapter 2: Equipment, Magic Items,

and Settlement Interaction.................................. 74
Settlement Industry and Trade........................................ 74
Wasteland Equipment....................................................... 80
Magic items......................................................................... 94

TABLE OF CONTENTS
weird waStelandS 3
 introduction

Greetings, Weirdos! Please park your war wagon on the left, don’t eat the mushrooms, and ignore
the screaming—it’s just the billions of beetles in that big pit. They become intelligent when the sun
shines on them. They build a civilization and, by nightfall, it all collapses back into the sand. Maybe
they’ll get it right someday! (Probably not.)
What follows is a conceptual introduction to Weird Waste- Throughout the text, we have included our Web DM wis-
lands.1 Here, we tell you about the wastelands’ ecology, dom, where we let you know why we made the choices we
resources, formation, and origin and invite you to create a did and give you advice on running open-world games. We
campaign setting of your own. This is also where we’ll be also include a number of page references to make it easier
talking about apocalypses, looking at the themes inherent to find the information you need when you need it.
in postapocalyptic media, and exploring how all these ele- Chapter 1 contains everything players need to make
ments can be put together to create the kind of unforgiv- characters who come from the Weird Wastelands. There
ing hellscape that’s a perfectly pestilent place to put your you can find our complete psion class as well as new
players in peril. subclasses for each base 5E class. We also have a set of
backgrounds that better support gameplay in a setting

how to use this book without much of the societal framework from which most
other backgrounds arise. This section also contains many
We wrote this book to be used the way we like to use supple- new spells and spell variants that fit in a wasteland envi-
ments, which is to cannibalize them to suit our homebrew ronment, as well as some variant ranger features to bet-
needs just as often as we run our games directly from the ter reward their mastery in adapting to an environment.
book. As such, we’ve kept modularity in mind: this is nei- Some of these classes and backgrounds are designed to
ther a setting book nor an adventure, though it contains work particularly well in conjunction with new mechanics
elements of both. The book is about the environment of a we introduce, such as the Ascetic Domain cleric, Circle of
postapocalyptic fantasy wasteland, how that environment Broken Land druid, and Scavenger ranger, but they fit into
affects the ecosystem and society, then it presents you campaigns in other environments just as well.
with tools to run a game there. Each location, subsystem, Chapter 2 is all about goods and services and how
monster, faction, and character option can fit into most to obtain them. It contains equipment and arcanotech
fantasy campaigns, but they create a world on the edge of wonders and devices—the Weird Wasteland’s version of
the unknown, full of danger, discovery, and opportunities magic items—including vehicles and vessels. The Weird
to change the world in ways that transcend preserving Wastelands operates predominantly on trade, so we dis-
what came before. Setting material is seeded throughout cuss wealth and how to easily reconcile the standard gold
every element of the book, as are quest hooks and places piece system in a place that operates differently. You can
to expand upon and create your own, unique wasteland. also find tables for everything from trade goods, mounts,
hirelings, and food to lists of what standard equipment
1 . This chapter is all about the big picture. If you’re eager to get can be called upon in the wasteland to evoke the posta-
straight to building your world as it exists in the way the players will
experience it, the “Build Your Own Wasteland Terrain Hex Map” pocalyptic aesthetic.
section on p. 111 in chapter 3 is what you’re looking for!

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

4 weird waStelandS
 Chapter 3 is where we revamp exploration-focused ad- discover, and opportunities to change the world on small
venturing. There you will find a plethora of tools and vari- and large scales. Each location takes a postapocalyptic
ant rules designed to make exploration more meaningful concept we love—like ancient battlefields, lost cities, sites
and interesting by offering more activities, outcomes, and of forgotten disasters, fighting cars, or polluted ecosys-
options for a deeply detailed exploration experience. We tems—and turns it up to eleven.
offer ways to make travel an activity that’s worth spend- Chapter 6 is all about monsters and opponents. There
ing more time on—to increase the stakes of finding food, you will find unique and powerful wasteland monsters
water, and a comfortable place to rest—and to give game as well as templates to transform any creature that will
masters tools to make the environment dynamic and note- clearly represent how the Weird Wasteland has changed
worthy. The mission of this chapter is to make victories their nature.
out of discovery, to bring meaning to survival, and to make
comfort worth celebrating, which is what we expect when
immersing our imaginations in the postapocalypse. the weird wastelands
Chapter 4 is the Game Master’s Toolkit. This chapter
will be your bread and butter for creating adventures. It as a sandbox
includes encounter and hazard tables organized by terrain This book, particularly chapter 4, offers tools and guidance
type, disaster events, arcane anomalies, and Wasteland Fac- to run a Weird Wastelands game as a sandbox: a campaign
tions complete with NPCs, notable figures, and rewards presented as a place for the players to explore and decide
for membership. what they want to do, not an adventure to complete. We
Chapter 5 is our collection of notable locations in the present tools such as hex maps, weather grids, faction
Weird Wastelands. Each of these locations is noteworthy activities, and encounter tables to facilitate open-world
and contains enough content for multiple adventuring gaming with a primary focus on exploring a challenging
sessions. Some are larger than others, and not all take the environment. To that end, we’ve created a wilderness ex-
same form. Deep Green is presented as a dungeon, the ploration minigame that gives every character something
Ruins of the Basalt Palace is presented as a depth crawl, to do and offers meaningful incentives for going into the
and the Last City of MAN can be procedurally generated wastes and discovering what’s out there. All these tools
every time you visit. No matter the presentation of the lo- are meant to present a world that is as rewarding as it is
cation, each is full of exciting encounters, weird things to challenging.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 5
This is a discussion We’ve designed the Weird Wastelands to give rarely possible in the 5th edition of the world’s
to have during session your players a playground. They get to choose most popular roleplaying game. One that en-
zero. We highly what they want to do, and you get to decide courages exploration of weird locations, expands
encourage you to try
it out. If your group is
how the world reacts to them. Open-world play the scope of the emergent story of gameplay
on the fence, just try it works particularly well for a postapocalyptic with mechanical support and narrative context,
for a few sessions and campaign because the world is already wrecked. lets the players drive the action of the game,
check in. We know that Common fantasy themes suggest that there and introduces risks that are fun and interesting
suggesting playing is a threat to be stopped, a society to save, or whether you succeed or fail. But if that’s not your
a game in which it’s some “good” thing that must be preserved. In table’s cup of tea, you’ll still be able to get lots of
hard to get by and
characters have to the Weird Wastelands, that window is closed. gameplay and interesting choices out of the ma-
scrounge and think Spectacularly destructive events occurred so far terial in the book.
through their every in the past that no one knows for sure what hap-

postapocalypse
action may be a tough pened or what the society that endured them
sell for people who was like. There is no through line to this history,

as inspiration
want to chill out in only what you want the present to become.
their free time, but the
glory of success more
than makes up for the
trouble. setting notes Until recently, there were many parts of the
world where living among the ruins of more
Weird Wastelands has an implied setting; if you technologically advanced (or at least technologi-
read it cover to cover, everything fits together, cally different) civilizations was somewhat com-
and you’re welcome to use it all (we think it’s monplace. When the Anglo-Saxons began explor-
pretty evocative). However, that is certainly not ing Great Britain, they discovered abandoned
a requirement for using this book. Our hope is ruins of Roman settlements with masonry and
that these pages become a go-to whenever you architecture drastically different than their own
need to run a game in a challenging environ- smaller, wooden structures. Those places were
ment or when you’re looking to infuse your left to stand as a grim omen of societal collapse,
game with something science/fantasy-esque. shrouded in superstition. In Beowulf, Roman ru-
If you’re looking to play in traditional fantasy, ins are referred to as the dwellings of giants who
there’s a way to include most of this content. had long since died in unknowable ways, a dra-
In this section especially, we discuss how to set matic expression of what was nevertheless true:
up your wasteland, your harsh wilderness, and the Romans were capable of enormous feats of
even your apocalypse. In chapter 5, we show you engineering but were incapable of ensuring that
how to put it together into a functional sandbox their society was stable. In what was essentially
primed for adventure. a socioeconomic apocalypse from the perspec-
You can use these locations as they are, and tive of the Anglo-Saxons, the Romans vanished
any will suffice as a one- or two-shot (or more from the region.
if your group digs into every quest hook). You Most tropes in apocalyptic and postapoca-
can link your favorites together to create an arc lyptic media center around one thing: prevent-
that spans as many sessions as you like. We also ability. There is something that could have been
include everything you need to base your cam- done if the powers that were could stop making
paign in the Weird Wastelands and everything mistake after mistake. Hubris was their sin,
you might want to know as a player stepping and if they had turned left instead of right even
foot into this challenging environment. once, perhaps this could have been thwarted.
For adding our content into an existing cam- But they didn’t, and those who are left must bear
paign, your “postapocalypse” can be scaled down the burden. This is particularly true in zombie
to a “disaster zone” that covers a smaller region: apocalypses. Typically, a zombie is slow, lacks
a badland over the mountains, a small desert, the powers of cognition, behaves predictably, is
or even just a single location where some ter- no stronger than its opponents, and has no allies
rible, long-forgotten event occurred. The super- (other than more zombies). Their threat should
natural, techno-magical elements of the Weird be negligible. However, due to a chain of fail-
Wastelands can be toned up or down depending ures—someone trying to gain power by experi-
on the magic level of your campaign (or what you menting with whatever caused the apocalypse
feel like dealing with), as can all survival rules. We in the first place (if the cause is even revealed),
recommend trying our wilderness survival rules, governments failing to contain or even com-
as we think they give way to a kind of gaming municate about the threat, healthcare systems

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

6 weird waStelandS
neglecting to gain more knowledge about infections, local Most postapocalyptic narratives2 fall deeply into the
groups refusing to band together to protect resources, or realm of science fantasy (a setting that contains scientific
individuals being unwilling to fend off any zombies that do elements but also transcends science and often relies on
come their way—society collapses. Everyone’s a zombie. the supernatural) in that, if there is a cause given, the effect
What makes a zompocalypse scary isn’t the zombies— isn’t particularly plausible. Take Waterworld for example.
it’s a society that couldn’t protect itself from them. Yes, Waterworld, the 1995 film set in a postapocalyptic fu-
Much postapocalyptic media follow the same lines ture where the polar ice caps melted due to global warm-
but focus on the dangers of scarcity. Scarcity leads not ing, resulting in the Earth being covered entirely in water.
to righting the wrongs that led to an apocalyptic result, While it was considered one of the biggest flops of its time,
but to mayhem, tyranny, bloodshed, and the occasional it’s a fantastic example of science-fantasy worldbuilding
Thunderdome. The fractures of the previous society are and deserves a watch through that lens alone. If (when)
laid bare in the aftermath, most knowledge is lost forever the polar ice caps melt, we know they will not cover the
except perhaps to the privileged few, and everyone is out entire world except for a single island. And even if we buy
for themselves. Often, the only way to survive is to per-
petuate some of the fatal flaws of the society that preceded 2 . To see a list of all the postapocalyptic media we find inspiring, keep
reading! The list is here in the intro. We didn’t need to tell you though,
disaster—hoarding resources, excluding those in need, because everyone reads the introduction to TTRPG books, right?!
theft, and warfare.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 7
 into that concept, others start to break down. What do the about magical warfare and its impact but assumes there
people eat? How do they get dirt if they imprison the only was no restraint, even when the magical wastelands be-
people who can obtain it on sight? Why doesn’t everyone gan to appear.
know about the giant, person-eating fish? Why doesn’t
anyone need sunscreen? Why are there mutants like Kevin FALLOUT 3
Costner? If paper is so rare and valuable, why does Dennis Nothing typifies the postapocalypse in all its horror and
Hopper’s gang have so many impossibly ancient yet still glory like this game. You choose how you make your way
dry and smokable cigarettes? We will never know. The in the world and live with the consequences.
important part—and this is true of all science fantasy—is
that the more interesting question is not necessarily “why” THE BOOK OF ELI
but “what” happens when all these things are put together. This film is about a paladin on a mission who is tested in
We don’t need all the answers for the world of the film to every way possible. Despite the postapocalypse leaving
be thought-provoking and immersive or to get us thinking him jaded, he finds a way to pass along his wisdom because
about what it would be like to be part of that experience. that is how you survive as a species.
This is the beauty of postapocalyptic science fantasy as a
setting for emergent storytelling. The answers to the ques- STALKER
tion of “what happened to cause these conditions” aren’t on This 1979 Soviet film, written by the authors of and loosely
the surface; the conditions are clues that kick off the mys- based on the novel Roadside Picnic, centers around themes
tery and challenges with which we must contend. These of living in a broken society, the hazards of exploring
conditions are a result of how the environment changed in places where the laws of nature are broken, and the risk
response to the decisions of those who came before. There is of wanting a better life. The movie excels in creating a
no going back. No restoration can come without significant sense of mystical danger in the mundane and creating a
reform (if restoration to what came before is even desirable). visual juxtaposition between nature and wrecked, man-
This gives us as worldbuilders an amazing opportunity to made structures.
decide when we use plausible environmental ramifications
as a jumping off point into the fantastic. WATERWORLD
We won’t tell you this is an amazing feat of storytelling,
inspirational media acting, or filmmaking in general, but it is a top-tier film
for postapocalyptic worldbuilding inspiration. It’s got this
The following media have inspired us about the post- gonzo mishmash of repurposed technology, economics,
apocalypse, psionics, or people living in challenging times. societal structures, ecology, and tie-ins to real-world fears
If you’re looking for media to get in the Weird Wastelands that make just enough sense to leave you wanting to know
mindset, these are the ones to explore. more. Ignore the story (it’s got some problematic moments
that shouldn’t have been in it and would not make it into a
THE MAD MAX FRANCHISE film today) and focus on the...waterworld.
The Mad Max movies defined the look of the arid posta-
pocalypse wasteland and the survivors, scavengers, and
raiders who inhabit it. The video game builds on the set- ecology of the
ting established in the movies with snippets of lore set in
a relatively simple open-world survival game featuring weird wastelands
fast-paced combat with customizable vehicles. Most of the Weird Wastelands consist of deserts and bad-
lands. Deserts are areas of low precipitation. What many
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE think of as deserts are actually badlands as well: areas
The various He-Man and She-Ra cartoons are the gold where sedimentary deposits, often from what used to be
standard for heroic, science-fantasy action. They’ve got all watery regions that have since dried up, have been eroded
things that are good: larger-than-life characters, champions to reveal curious rocky outcroppings. In our world, it takes
empowered by cosmic force, cyborg henchmen, monstrous millions of years for air and water to work away rock. But
creatures, magic swords, blaster pistols, skull-faced sorcer- in the Weird Wastelands, this need not be so, because
ers, world-shaking magic. What’s not to love? magic suffusing the land via warfare, mining, experimen-
tation, and agriculture hastened the geologic timeline.
THE EBERRON CAMPAIGN SETTING Verdant grasslands became battlefields that turned earth
Eberron is a world recovering from a prolonged global to stone. Cities of rock built by earth elementals melted
magical war, one whose ending came only after the ap- into the mountains. Component mines and magical
pearance of the Mournland, a magical wasteland. The dumping grounds became murky bogs that absorbed most
suggested setting of Weird Wastelands takes similar ideas of the water and magical sludge that was left. Waves of

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

8 weird waStelandS
force and walls of wind ate away at the calcified remains them, be it friendly, malevolent, or something in between.
of civilization at a supernatural rate, creating sand that For the most part, this settled life is stable. Villages aren’t
covers everything. As magical wind continues to blow in necessarily trusting of outsiders but are accommodating
the region, weather patterns change. What rain does fall is to those willing to help. The semi-nomadic wastelanders
often suffused with magic, more perilous than lifegiving. tend to be scavengers or herders. They have their own mi-
The Weird Wastelands used to house a highly magical civ- gratory patterns they follow or paths they pursue to stay
ilization. This traditional fantasy society integrated magic one step ahead of the dangers of the wastelands. Though
into every part of life for all people. When the civilization they travel in much smaller groups, the nomadic peoples
fell, all that magic polluted the environment. Alchemical outnumber those in settled villages. A nomadic group out
reagents leaked into the water table, uncontrolled spells of food and water may be forced to turn to banditry or
with unlimited durations continue to wreak havoc, ruined worse, but most are not violent.
constructs oozed powerful warping magic, battlefields All intelligent humanoids are wastelanders. Old divisions
with no one left to clean them have left the remnants of based on ancestry, social class, origin, gender, or alignment
war strewn across the land, and all these things interact are as dead as the civilization that placed importance on
with natural weather patterns to make everything worse. such things. People live together based on the help they can
The creatures living here have adapted to this harsh provide each other, or for the less fortunate, the authoritar-
environment in what may be a relatively short time, geo- ian groups of which their families are a part.
logically speaking. Much like the animals in the Chernobyl Life is harsh, but it goes on. The past is ever present in all
exclusion zone, some descend from pets and familiars of the wastelanders’ lives because the litter of a dead age fills this
civilization’s last residents, some are native to the area, and place. In order to move on and build a better world, they
others came later, finding an opportunity to thrive in this must innovate to get by.
landscape. All must contend with lack of water, herbivores
must be able to go without food for long periods, and, as
all life here takes on magical pollution, all creatures in this apocalyptic cataclysms
place risk changing because of the environment. Carnivores In the following section, we go over a few broad types of
and monsters bear the highest risk, as consuming their prey cataclysms that can lead to something on the scale of an
means consuming concentrated doses of magic. apocalypse and the kinds of things we believe are required
to create a disaster that is truly apocalyptic. This is intend-
making the ecology your own ed as inspiration for your worldbuilding (or “worldbust-
ing”) to help you generate places in which unspeakably
In your game, you may wish to change these ecological terrible things happen. This section also introduces and
elements. You are, of course, welcome and encouraged to! explains the complex Choose Your Own Apocalypse tables
Perhaps the area itself is not infused with magic,3 but the at the end of this chapter.
sun, moon, or stars shine with dangerous energy, making
darkness the only truly safe place. If your game has less the shift from
magic, hazards like magical rainfall, risk of spell inter-
ruption, and more can be adjusted to fit your campaign’s
cataclysm to apocalypse
needs. If you’re interested in adventuring in a fantasy A cataclysm is a single, major disaster event. This could be
postapocalypse but not in a desert-like environment, all it a plague, a massive military action, a monster invasion, an
takes to reskin most of what’s in the book can be achieved ecological or magical catastrophe, an act of the gods, or any-
by changing descriptions. thing similar. The geographic size of your cataclysm will vary
based on how large you want the affected area to be. Izrador
Life in the Wastelands winning the War of Domination in the 3.5E Midnight set-
ting4 was a cataclysm for the entire world. The cataclysm
The people descended from those who left, or those who that created the Mournland in Eberron was regional, not
wandered here after the cataclysm, have had to adapt to worldwide. Chernobyl was a cataclysm for its local area.
a new and unforgiving way of life. There are few social A cataclysm is undeniably terrible, but it does not
bonds remaining from the “before-times.” Broadly speak- necessarily make an apocalyptic event all on its own. An
ing, wastelanders can be categorized into those who are apocalypse is The Big One: the series of events from which
settled and those who are semi-nomadic. The settled there is no recovery, be it socially or ecologically. The only
people live in small village-states, always centered around way forward is to abandon whatever led to this event. The
a resource or creature that can protect and provide for interaction of the following things is what tips a cataclysm

3 . See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 of chapter 3 4. The Midnight setting is arguably darker than Ravenloft and is rife for
for more info on this topic. an update.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 9
 over the edge and transforms it into a full-on crops that had been growing for the first time, burn
apocalypse. to cinder. The druidic compounds are overrun. The
few that survive are defenseless when the Infernal
PREVIOUS SOCIETAL FLAWS Army arrives at the unguarded gates to the hells.
All societies are imperfect, and those that un-
After some
deliberation, we have
dergo apocalypses are no different. They tend
to have themes of ongoing war, corruption, ex-
Types of cataclysms
chosen not to tie any
mechanics to the treme income inequality, pollution, unchecked There are many types of cataclysmic events, and
specific apocalypses, consumption of resources, social stratification, the one you choose for your world will inform
though it may be some religious dogma, and overuse of risky technolo- play in all manner of ways. We’ve arranged ours
GMs’ impulse to do so. gy. These issues either create the cataclysm itself into broad categories we find the most interest-
To us, it adds a level of or prevent the society from properly identifying, ing for this book and setting, though there are
complexity that may or
preventing, or minimizing it. certainly more. For more inspiration, use our
may not be relevant or
intuitively implemented. Example: A highly stratified techno-mageocracy Choose Your Own Apocalypse tables at the end
Sometimes content like living in a nearly planet-wide megacity experiences of this chapter!
this is best integrated a magical disaster that renders transmutation
into worldbuilding magic incapable of providing nourishment. Until INFERNAL INVASION
as flavor rather now, 75 percent of the society’s people ate entirely Devils or demons roll up, wreck shop, and win.
than mechanical
elements that must be
magical food. The celestials choose your world as their final
remembered every time battleground against evil—sorry! What do the
they come up. But it is, BAD RESPONSES TO CATACLYSMS invaders want? Are there elements of your soci-
of course, up to you. Many cataclysmic events could be recovered ety that were complicit or use this upheaval for
from, or at least minimized, if a correct course their own gain? Why was society unable to fight
of action were taken. In an apocalypse scenario, back effectively or to protect itself from collat-
all the wrong decisions are made, which create a eral damage? How does this make life uniquely
domino effect of unfortunate results. more difficult?
Example: The ruling class of technomages fight
among themselves for control over gates to planes UNDEAD PLAGUE
with more food, hurling starving armies at one an- This is your zombie apocalypse, but there are
other. The few druidic agriculturalists in the society plenty of other undead that are arguably more
create fortified bunkers of plenty that are subse- frightening. One of the more interesting ques-
quently besieged. An anti-magic cultural movement tions to answer is, “Why wasn’t this recognized
sweeps the starving armies, becoming a bloody coup. or prevented sooner?” Is your plague a literal
With their backs against the wall, the technomages one—something that infects those who come
reconcile and exit the material plane together. The into contact with it—or is it an undead army
armies begin to besiege the few druidic agricultural engineered by necromancers, the cult of a god of
strongholds in the outer corners of the megacity. undeath, or something else? What is the cultural
significance of death in your world? Does that
SECONDARY DISASTERS inform the nature of this plague?
Once society has taken a major hit, the stage
is set for things to get even worse. Either bad MONSTER INVASION
decisions cause an even worse event or another Maybe it’s dragons, giants, purple worms, or
calamity comes at just the wrong time, and so- cockatrices—almost anything goes. All we know
ciety gets pushed over the edge into complete is there were too many of them, and society wasn’t
breakdown. strong enough to withstand the assault. Why did
Example: With no magic users left to maintain the monsters do it? Was there someone in charge
the many magical systems of the megacity, sewage of them? How did society attempt to fight back?
that is normally sent to the plane of water backs
up and mixes with lingering transmutation fallout, DIVINE WRATH
transmutes into wood, and then leads to pipes filled The gods are pissed. Why? Maybe they’re exact-
to bursting with flammable material. A fire elemen- ing vengeance upon the land. Maybe one day
tal that has been bound to a furnace in a great they were just gone, and no one is quite sure
abandoned hall convinces someone to free it, and it why or where they went. What should the mor-
escapes into the sewers. Without nonmagical water tals have done? How were they relying on divine
systems, 99 percent of the city, along with the rooftop blessings? How do they respond to this crisis?

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

10 weird waStelandS
ANCIENT EVIL RETURNS PLANAR CATASTROPHE
The arch-lich whom legends tell was vanquished 50,000 Perhaps your world was once intricately interconnected
years ago isn’t dead—oops! Something old and terrible has with many planes, until suddenly it wasn’t. Or maybe the
awakened, and society has little knowledge of it and even opposite is true—planar gates were made by powerful elites
less of how to defeat it. What was it doing all this time? or a group of academics figuring out this new form of
What made it awaken or return? How did the rules of the travel (Stargate game, anybody?), and suddenly a gate too
world change when it arrived? large or too unstable leading to the worst possible plane is
opened and can never close. Or perhaps the planes them-
COSMIC REALIGNMENT selves actualize on the material plane, mixing in strange
Something about the fundamental underpinnings of the and terrifying ways (that once-quaint village is now the
laws of the multiverse changed in a big way. Good and plane of shadow slime). Maybe your world is the newest
evil become transposed. Ao, the Hidden One, decided the chunk of material to become the next few million levels
Tablets of Fate are BS and we’re starting over. The outer on the Infinite Staircase. Whatever it is, it ended in doom
planes are getting a renovation, your world was funda- and precarity.
mentally changed, and that’s news to your societies. The
Norse Ragnarök is a good example of this, as is when the TARRASQUE
Greek gods supplanted the titans. There’s a new divine Maybe it’s one, maybe it’s several—any way you cut it, it’s
order. Things are going to get weird. going to be terrible. We’re talking about tarrasques. The
appearance of a tarrasque is always cataclysmic, but what
COSMIC DISASTER if we turn that dial up to eleven? Storm your world with
The sun went out, something stole the moon and replaced thousands of tiny tarrasques, or have a titanic tarrasque big
it with something else, or all the stars exploded and then enough to eat planets.5 There’s a lot of terrible potential here.
chunks crashed into your world. Given the extreme na-
ture of many cosmic-scale cataclysms, collective response NUCLEAR WAR GIVES BIRTH TO MAGIC
and preexisting societal flaws may or may not have much This option is for those of you who want to channel maxi-
bearing. If you want to lean more into the science side of mum Cold War nuclear panic in a sci-fi, pulp, Fallout-style
science fantasy, this may be for you. game. Nuclear Armageddon happened, and it unlocked
something no one expected: magic. The world probably
SUPERNATURAL DISEASE looked a whole lot like Earth before the bombs fell. Now
A sickness ravaged your world with bizarre effects. What it’s something else. What kind of magic is in this world?
are they? What is the result? Where did the sickness start, What do people do with it? How much do they understand
and how did it spread? This group of cataclysms often or trust it? How intertwined with radioactive fallout is it?
takes a long time to become an apocalypse and requires a Are all lobsters now Gargantuan or merely Huge?
lot of bad reactions to get there.

MAGICAL DISASTER choose your

The ubiquity of magic in many fantasy settings can make
you forget it carries danger all the time, not just when own apocalypse
wielded by powerful casters. In many settings, magic is The following tables are presented to help you determine
not fully harnessed or understood, yet it is used with what caused the apocalypse in your campaign. They are
abandon. Things can go very wrong, and they did this intended primarily for inspiration and fun, and you can
time. Perhaps magic stopped working in some way. Or attach your worldbuilding elements to the results as
perhaps it worked too well. Does this magical disaster much or as little as you like. For example, if you find that
cause immense damage and death? Does it cause social the previous society suffered from food shortages caused
upheaval, as the place magic has in society is upended? by hoarded resources, you may wish to include places for
Does it have other lasting effects—contamination or your party to discover where it was stored and forgotten.
a breaking of the laws of magical energies—or is this Or you might decide those tendencies have become ab-
cataclysm merely the first kindling of a massive and mis- horred in the wastelands, everyone shares food with anyone
understood firestorm? In our tables, we include possi- else, and perhaps it’s a little easier to find when exploring.
bilities for every school of magic, but yours may include If the results of your rolls don’t feel suitable, bad enough,
several or all. or weird enough to you, roll again on any table you like
until you get a result that feels fitting.

5. For further inspiration, check out Invasion from the Planet of Tarrasques
by James Introcaso.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 11
 instigating cataclysms
Use this table to determine what type of cataclysm caused the apocalypse in your game. You can use the Cataclysm
Subtype column to roll for further details or create your own.

d12 INSTIGATING
CATACLYSM CATACLYSM SUBTYPE
1. Demons try to save humanity from extinction, and it goes wrong. 2. Devils win evil
Infernal
1 championships and invade. 3. Heaven and hell reconcile. Mortals are doomed. 4. Warlocks
Invasion
destroy the barriers between planes, and the material plane literally becomes hell on earth.

2 Undead Plague 1. Shadows 2. Ghouls 3. Zombies 4. Specters 5. Vampires 6. Dracoliches

1. An evil dragon queen sets up a new lair. 2. A subterranean civilization invades.

Monster
3 3. Gibbering mouthers have come to consume everything. 4. Giants attack. 5. Cockatrices
Invasion
swarm. 6. A billion hungry aberrations decide society is too happy.

1. There is too much evil or goodness in the world. 2. Mortals are caught in the crossfire of
Divine divine war. 3. The people stopped worshipping the gods. 4. The angel of death got impatient.
4
Wrath 5. Rogue celestials try to purge mortals (and their ridiculous excuses) from the land.
6. Complete and utter apathy—the gods got bored and left.

1. The great sleeper awoke. 2. The king in chains returned like he promised he would.
Ancient Evil
5 3. The arch-lich did a bad thing. 4. A time-traveling psychic warlord invades with an army of clone
Returns
soldiers.

1. The wheel of fate turns and demands the world be purged before ushering in a new age.
Cosmic
6 2. Definitions of good and evil become subjective. 3. The metaphysics of the world radically
Realignment
shift and now use the rules of a different game. 4. All creatures switch to opposite alignments.

1. The sun goes out. 2. A huge asteroid strikes. 3. The planet enters the orbit of the corpse
star, Algol. 4. A prophecy of doom is proclaimed when the stars align. 5. The moon becomes
Cosmic
7 psionic, and it’s pissed. 6. A group of evil adventurers blight the skies and make them
Disaster
impenetrable. 7. Something steals the moon and replaces it with something horrific. 8. A small
planet lands gently on the world.

1. A sentient plague strikes the land. 2. The god of pestilence’s secure vault is pillaged.
Supernatural 3. Diseased rat-people unleash a plague on surface civilizations who refuse to acknowledge
8
Disease their existence. 4. A rapidly spreading virus causes afflicted creatures to mutate as recessive
genes become dominant.

1. Abjuration – Metastasizing magical barriers and wards trap the populace in an ever-shifting,
invisible maze. 2. Conjuration – Everything conjured becomes permanent and cannot die.
3. Divination – All symbolic meaning and language are lost. 4. Enchantment – An extinction-level
Magical
9 pandemic of solipsism begins. 5. Evocation – Tempests of radiant fire and frozen lightning, acid
Disaster
tsunamis, and cacophonous meteor showers rage. 6. Illusion – Everything material becomes
illusory. 7. Necromancy – All living things suddenly die, like marionettes whose strings were cut.
8. Transmutation – All manufactured objects revert to their base materials.

1. Planar boundaries collapse. 2. The material plane is scheduled for recycling back to inner
Planar planes. 3. All the planes of existence suddenly collide with one another, existing in the same
10
Catastrophe physical space. 4. The material plane disappears, and all its creatures are simultaneously
banished to other planes of existence.

1. d100 normal tarrasques attack! 2. One planet-sized tarrasque goes on a rampage.

11 Tarrasque 3. A million Medium-sized tarrasques swarm the plane (apocalypse by action economy).
4. An immortal tarrasque awakes from a magic-induced slumber.

Nuclear War 1. Players stat out their real selves as their characters. 2. Creature types other than beasts
12 Gives Birth appear for the first time in recorded history. 3. A large group of people suddenly wake up with
to Magic one level of sorcerer. 4. Random items across the world become magical artifacts.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

12 weird waStelandS
social consequences
Use this table to determine the social consequences of the primary cataclysm and what those consequences eventually
cause.

d12 SOCIAL CONSEQUENCE RESULT

1 Surge in violent crime Authoritarianism
2 Shortages and rationing Riots
3 Powerless institutions People’s revolution/class warfare
4 Widespread paranoia and mistrust Anarchy
5 Epidemic of despair Coup d’état
6 Class warfare/peasant revolt All high-level creatures that are not good aligned abandon the world
7 Theft and banditry Guerilla warfare
8 Religious reformation Ideological break, mass unrest
9 Desperate fanaticism Theocratic despot rises to power
10 Decadent nihilism Breakdown in chains of production
11 Militarization Draft leads to gestapo
12 Political fragmentation and localism Civil war

ecological collapses
Use this table to determine how the environment was affected by the primary cataclysm and the resulting consequences.

d12 ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE CONSEQUENCES

1 Crop blight Unstable food chain
2 Drought Desertification
3 Floods All water is non-potable unless treated
4 Earthquakes Volcanoes
5 Mass extinction of wildlife Stirge plague
Warped wildlife: 1. Everything small becomes big. 2. Common creatures
become venomous. 3. Common creatures gain sentience. 4. Common creatures
6 Polluted ecosystem
without wings grow wings and gain a breath weapon. 5. Common monsters gain
regeneration powers. 6. Common creatures rise as undead.
7 Rapid global temperature change Extreme weather conditions and natural disasters
8 Accelerated evolution/speciation Increased competition for resources leading to daily monster attacks
Changes in weather patterns: 1. Winter lasts 10 years, then 9, then 8, etc.
before returning to normal. 2. Winds are impossible to predict, making
Unstable orbit/unreliable
9 air and sea travel impossible. 3. Lightness and darkness are completely
seasons
unpredictable; all but the hardiest plants do not survive. 4. Extreme tides
cause tidal waves on nights when the moon is too close.
10 Extreme cold Terrain becomes glacial
11 Wildlife population explosion Beast populations increase, outnumbering humanoid populations 100:1
1. Geysers of flame sprout up randomly through the landscape. 2. The city
Civilization unknowingly built begins to sink into massive, flammable tar pits below. 3. Cities begin to fall
12
over dangerous location through planar portals that were previously blocked. 4. Ancient creatures
entombed below ground suddenly begin to wake.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 13
 societal flaws
Use this table to determine how your pre-apocalypse society was poised for collapse instead of recovery. We recommend
rolling or choosing a minimum of two.

d12 SOCIETAL FLAW DETAILS

Moribund 1. Corruption 2. Oligarchy 3. Rotting infrastructure and food systems

1
institutions 4. Inefficient distribution of labor and goods

1. Little to no mobility between classes 2. Social friction between classes

Extreme class 3. Lots of people at the bottom and few at the top 4. A highly expensive
2
stratification procedure that grants eternal life is discovered, allowing the very rich to live
forever and hoard the world’s wealth.

Reliance on 1. Constructs 2. A highly rare and volatile alchemical substance harvested from trolls
3 dangerous called trolleum and its byproducts 3. Abyssal energy 4. Undead labor
technology 5. Extradimensional fusion 6. Planar bindings

Unsustainable
4 resource use resulting 1. Water 2. Food 3. Building materials 4. Resources for temperature regulation
in resource depletion

1. Use of magic food 2. Use of magic irrigation and fertilization 3. Really big bees
5 Disrupted food system
4. Main food source germinated by endangered animal

1. Do we trust magic? 2. Are monsters actually bad? 3. Can sorcerers be trusted?

Ideologically divided
6 4. Do we believe the government? 5. Is it right to use magical healing? 6. Do good and
society
evil exist?

1. Societal restrictions 2. Widespread infertility 3. Procreation is too expensive

7 Low birth rate
4. Aged population

1. Low food supply 2. Resource hoarding 3. Inefficient distribution chains

8 High hunger rate
4. Some groups attempting to control others

1. Not enough doctors 2. Heavy reliance on divine magic 3. Medical care is

Weak medical
9 inaccessibly expensive 4. Society’s knowledge of medicine and divine magic is
system
unusually underdeveloped

1. Buildings lack structural integrity and are highly flammable. 2. Only one major
water source is available, and it’s easily contaminated. 3. Most major systems
Poorly developed
10 require highly skilled maintenance to prevent disaster, and there’s a chronic
infrastructure
labor shortage. 4. Roads, bridges, and transportation systems are on the verge
of collapse.

1. A good ruler dies, and their terrible child replaces them. 2. The ruler is
secretly in league with demons, and their stable reign deteriorates into chaos.
3. A coup replaces a corrupt ruler with a worse one. 4. The ruler is replaced
11 Tyranny
by an evil doppelganger who craves power at all costs. 5. The ruler secretly
dies, and this fact is suppressed by their evil cabal. 6. The ruler is an angel of
temperance who has been away from their divine plane for too long.

1. Decades-long conflict 2. Both sides are almost out of resources 3. Quick and
terrible escalation of deadly technology 4. An unjust war created for political ends
12 Major war
5. High casualty rate; conscription is almost surely a death sentence 6. The mercenary
armies who do most of the fighting turn on the governments who hired them

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

14 weird waStelandS
societal legacies
Use this table to determine what people remember about the fallen society. In the Weird Wastelands, what is the com-
mon recollection of the society that came before?

d10 SOCIETAL LEGACY

1 All the monolithic architecture that litters the wastes looks so pretty. Wonder what it did.

2 They say they liked to eat monsters, and that was the beginning of their undoing.

3 They were greedy. So greedy.

4 They cared so much about freedom that they gave up everything to protect it, even freedom itself.

5 Whatever DVDs were, they must have been really important, because they’re everywhere.

6 There used to be so much water, they’d take baths every day. Imagine that!

7 For fun, they used to play a dice game where they pretended to be unique heroes who saved the world. Fools!

They say there were great beasts in the sea who could talk in your mind and guide your way to the worlds beyond,
8
and they hunted all of them for their fins until there was nothing left but bones.

The seas were fresh water before the end. They say the seas turned salty with their tears, red with their blood, and
9
angry with their vengeance.

There’s a dot on the horizon no matter what direction you go in. Some say it’s where they still live as they once did.
10
Some hear it sing to them in their dreams.

INTRODUCTION • welcome to the postapocalypse

weird waStelandS 15
 chapter one

This chapter adds an array of options to character creation to support adventurers

in the Weird Wastelands, including:
■ The psion class

■ Subclasses for every class in the PHB plus a handful of optional class features

■ Backgrounds for characters who hail from the wastelands

■ Feats for those who use them

■ New spells and suggested weird alterations to magic

new class: psion

I ain’t never seen nothing like it. Now I’m usually an honest shopkeeper, but times are tough in the
wastelands, and one day this minotaur comes looking for a dragon horn. He seemed an easy mark,
so I handed him my finest ‘dragon’ horn, and he looked pleased. Until…until his eyes rolled back and
started glowing. Then the goat horn started glowing. The minotaur’s eyes narrowed at me, and his
deep, gravelly voice rumbled, ‘Pathetic.’ Then he just walked away, and the damned psion took my
lucky horn without paying. I miss that goat.
– Wasteland shopkeeper, on the dangers of dealing with psions

There are those who shake the ground with might

or magic, and then there are those who use pure
disciplined masters
will to redirect the ever-present vibrations of While the talent for psionic power is born rather
reality itself. Psions are those adventurers, indi- than made, mastering such power requires ar-
viduals who have seen beyond the curtain and duous training. Untrained psions are likely to
tap the mysteries therein. destroy themselves and everyone around them
if their power goes unchecked, so many cloister
unlocked by cataclysm themselves in desolate corners of the wastes to
master their minds. Such psions live the lives of
The examples here of a The apocalypse cleared the plane of chattering sages, secluding themselves from the noise of
psion’s origins are just a minds, allowing those with sensitive perceptions the world to focus their will inward. Only rigid
couple ways your psion to hear the beckoning of this new psionic force. meditation and mental control allow a psion to
could come about.
With the gods gone and magic awry, more and safely assess their full potential. Psionic power
What inspires you when
you think about psions? more such individuals are beginning to listen is the pure expression of internal willpower to
Is it Jedi or Jean Grey? to the call. Such a potent new power represents affect the external environment.
Commander Shepard or hope for the communities struggling to survive
Carrie? There are many
paths. Which will you
in a post-apocalyptic landscape, but it also in-
vites the attention of warlords and profiteers
creating a psion
choose?
who wish to exploit it. No matter the motiva- As you make your psion character, first consider
tion, a newly discovered psion is always a hot how you want to affect the wastelands. Does
commodity, and many do well to hide their tal- your rage scorch a path across the land in pur-
ents from strangers. suit of sworn vengeance? Do crystals sing in

CHAPTER ONE • character options

18 weird waStelandS
 LEVEL PROFICIENCY FEATURES DISCIPLINE POWER ZONE OF
BONUS ADVANCEMENT POINTS INFLUENCE

Psionic Power, Psionic Discipline,

1st +2 1 2 30 ft.
Psionic Recovery
2nd +2 Mental Modality 1 4 30 ft.
3rd +2 — 2 8 30 ft.
4th +2 Ability Score Increase 2 12 30 ft.
5th +3 — 3 16 60 ft.
6th +3 Mental Modality (2) 3 16 60 ft.
7th +3 — 4 16 60 ft.
8th +3 Ability Score Increase 4 16 60 ft.
9th +4 — 5 18 90 ft.
10th +4 Improved Psionic Recovery 5 18 90 ft.
11th +4 — 6 20 90 ft.
12th +4 Ability Score Increase 6 20 90 ft.
13th +5 — 7 22 120 ft.
14th +5 Mental Modality (3) 7 22 120 ft.
15th +5 — 8 24 120 ft.
16th +5 Ability Score Increase 8 24 120 ft.
17th +6 — 9 26 150 ft.
18th +6 Mental Modality (4) 9 26 150 ft.
19th +6 Ability Score Increase 10 26 150 ft.
20th +6 Burn Bright 10 30 150 ft.

harmony to you with the consumption of mental ener- Proficiencies

gies? Does your strategic use of power restore life to those Armor: Light armor
fighting for a brighter tomorrow? Weapons: Simple weapons
The wastelands are naturally unforgiving, but you have Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
mastered your mind and can fully control your path. You Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Deception, History,
have extraordinary diversity in what you can do to change Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Persuasion
the world. You are more than able to pull your weight, but
be careful, because you can overexert yourself. That’s a Equipment
feature, not a bug. You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
equipment granted by your background:
QUICK BUILD ■ (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
You can make a psion quickly by following these suggestions. ■ (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
First, make Intelligence your highest ability score, followed ■ Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
by Constitution. Second, choose the Nomad background1.
Third, start with a rank in the Telekinesis discipline. Psionic Power
At 1st level, your innate psionic potential grants you the
CLASS FEATURES ability to manifest psionic effects through the prodigious
As a psion, you gain the following features. power of your mind. Psionic effects are strange, super-
natural manifestations that take various forms, as detailed
Hit Points in the following benefits.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per psion level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Focus
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution Some psionic powers require you to maintain focus in or-
modifier per psion level after 1st der to keep their effects active. If you lose focus, the power
is no longer active.
1. See p. 59 for information on the Nomad background.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 19
 The description of each power denotes whether it must Psionic Discipline
be maintained with focus and how long you can focus on At 1st level, you may select one discipline from the
it. You can end focus at any time (no action required). Here “Psionic Disciplines” section and gain a single advance-
are some ways you can lose focus on a psionic power: ment in that discipline. As you level up as a psion,
you gain the ability to put ranks into new disciplines
■ You can’t focus on two powers at once. You lose
or continue to improve your skills in a discipline you
focus on a power if you activate another power
already know by increasing its rank, as detailed in the
that requires focus. You cannot maintain focus and
Discipline Advancement column of your class progres-
concentration simultaneously.
sion table. Each ability granted by a discipline can be
■ Whenever you take damage while you are focusing enhanced by expending power points. While using one
on a power, you must attempt a Constitution of these abilities, you can never expend more power
saving throw, maintaining focus on a success. points in a single instance than you have ranks in its
The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, associated discipline.
whichever is higher. If you take damage from For example, at 1st level, you may put a single rank
multiple sources, such as an arrow and a dragon’s into the Telekinesis discipline, but when you reach 3rd
breath, you attempt a separate saving throw for level, you may choose to either increase the Telekinesis
each source of damage. discipline’s rank by one or put a rank into a different dis-
cipline. You may focus only on one power at a time (as if
■ You lose focus on a power if you are incapacitated
concentrating on a spell). The specific durations for each
or if you die.
power are detailed in its associated discipline.
The GM might also decide that certain environmental
phenomena, such as a wave crashing over you while you’re Discipline Masteries
on a storm-tossed ship, might require you to attempt a Reaching the maximum rank in a psionic discipline is
DC 10 Constitution saving throw to maintain focus on an an achievement few psions in the wastelands realize,
ongoing power. but those who do truly are masters. The mastery ability
options for each discipline represent the final insights
Power Points a psion can achieve should they strive this far. Upon
The psion table shows how many power points you have reaching five ranks in a discipline, the psion has access
in order to manifest your psionic powers. Your class fea- to the masteries detailed at the end of that discipline’s
tures and disciplines detail the number of power points description.
you must expend to produce certain effects. You regain all
your expended power points when you finish a long rest. Psionic Recovery
At 1st level, you have learned to regain some of your
Zone of Influence psionic energy through meditation. Once per day, when
The farther something is away from you, the more difficult you finish a short rest, you can recover a number of spent
it is to manipulate with your psionic power. Any psionic power points equal to your total number of discipline
effect you produce has a range, called your zone of influ- advancements.
ence, which is determined by your level as detailed in the
Zone of Influence column of your class progression table. Mental Modality
When you manifest a psionic effect, you cannot target or When you reach 2nd level, your powers have solidified
affect anything outside of range. If a target with an ongoing into a particular mental routine known as a modality.
psionic effect leaves this area, the effect immediately ends. Choose one of the following: Structured Mind, Emotional
Conduit, or Strategist, detailed at the end of the class de-
Psionic Ability scription. Your modality grants you features at 2nd level,
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your psionic ef- and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
fects, which represents the mental prowess required to in-
voke psionic energy. You use your Intelligence whenever a Ability Score Improvement
power or feature refers to your psionic ability. Additionally, When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th,
you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your
throw DC for a psionic effect you manifest and when mak- choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your
ing an attack roll with one, as follows: choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability above
Psionic save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your 20 using this feature.
Intelligence modifier Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this
Psionic attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Intelligence modifier

CHAPTER ONE • character options

20 weird waStelandS
Improved Psionic Recovery Burn Bright
At 10th level, your experience with meditation and the Your journey has been leading here all along. When you
use of different disciplines has limbered your mental fac- reach 20th level, you have mastered discipline after dis-
ulties to the point you can recover power points multiple cipline to understand your effect on the world. Now you
times a day. As a bonus action, you can recover power have achieved true balance of mind and body, for they
points equal to your total number of disciplines known. are one and the same, and your power has expanded
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you beyond what you previously knew.
finish a short or long rest.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 21
As a psion, falling You can use your action to enter a conscious Manipulate
damage is your meditative trance that lasts for 1 minute. For the Focus, 1 minute
friend—use it. If you duration, you are a conduit of pure will with the You gain the ability to move or manipulate ob-
hurl a target and it
doesn’t hit anything,
following benefits: jects by exerting your psionic power. As an action,
it still lands prone. you can exert your will on one object you can see
■ If you have at least one rank in a discipline,
But if there’s a wall at within your zone of influence. If the object isn’t
you may spend power points as if you have
the end of its path, it being worn or carried, you automatically move
takes 1d6 bludgeoning reached maximum rank in that discipline.
it up to 30 feet in any direction, but not beyond
damage for every 10 This feature does not give you access to the
your zone of influence. You can exert fine con-
feet it traveled. The mastery feature of that discipline.
same applies if you trol on objects with your telekinetic grip, such
throw the target into ■ You are immune to force and psychic damage. as manipulating a simple tool, opening a door
the air and let it fall or container, stowing or retrieving an item from
■ As a bonus action, you may sacrifice a
back to the ground. an open container, or pouring the contents from
Also, one must consider number of Hit Dice up to your Intelligence
a vial. You may also make attacks with a melee
throwing creatures up modifier. For each Hit Die sacrificed, you
weapon being moved in this way. Determine the
into the ceiling…and recover 1 power point.
the fall back down to attack as if you were in the object’s place wield-
the ground. This gets ■ If you have no Hit Dice to spend, as a last ing the weapon, but use your Intelligence ability
tricky if you throw resort you can take on levels of exhaustion to modifier to determine whether you hit and the
one creature into regain power points. As a bonus action, you amount of damage you deal.
another, but we’d rule can choose to gain one level of exhaustion While you maintain focus on this power, you
that the creature not
and recover 3 power points. can use an action each round to move the object
being hurled would be
allowed a Dexterity up to 30 feet in any direction. If you do not use
Once you use this ability, you may not do so
saving throw to get an action to move the object, it remains where
again until you’ve finished a long rest.
out of the way. If it you last moved it. This power remains active
fails, split the damage for 1 minute, until you lose focus, or until you
evenly between the psionic disciplines2 decide to end its effects. The power also ends if
tossed creature and
another creature takes control of the object. A
the target. Telekinetic Psionic disciplines represent the ways you can
psions should use creature may attempt to take control of the ob-
control psionic power to affect the external
every advantage to ject by using their action to attempt a Strength
environment. Each discipline requires rigor-
stretch the utility of ability check versus your psionic save DC, gain-
their abilities. ous mastery over particular portions of the
ing control of the object on a success.
mind and the development of unique mental
You can move an object that weighs up to 30
processes. Successful advancement in even one
pounds in this manner. As part of the action
discipline represents the reward of countless
used to control the object, you can choose to
laborious hours of study and meditation. When
spend power points to increase the amount of
you choose a discipline, you gain access to all
weight you can manipulate, as shown on the
the standard powers listed under that disci-
Manipulate Weight table.
pline, with the exception of the mastery power,
which is gained only when you have five ranks
in that discipline. MANIPULATE WEIGHT
TELEKINESIS POINTS SPENT MAXIMUM WEIGHT
This discipline allows you to manifest your will 0 30 lbs.
as physical force. You can move creatures and
1 100 lbs.
objects with a strength far beyond the limita-
tions of your physical form. 2 1,000 lbs.
3 2,000 lbs.
2 . We wanted to create a unique feel for the disciplines.
With as many iterations of the psion as there have 4 5,000 lbs.
been, that is tough, but we think we found a nice niche.
One of our goals was to distinguish psionics from 5 10,000 lbs.
spellcasting, so leveled spells and cantrips were the
first thing to go. The discipline advancement system
is scaled so it feels like a more natural progression At Higher Ranks. When you spend at least
of psionic effects. It may seem overpowered, but to 3 power points to use Manipulate in this way,
achieve that power, you must sacrifice a number of
psionic effects to which you have access.
you can attempt to move a Huge or smaller crea-
ture. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a

CHAPTER ONE • character options

22 weird waStelandS
Strength saving throw versus your psionic save DC is unaf- own saving throw against the effect. The total combined
fected. Even while affecting a creature, you are still bound weight of both creatures must not exceed the weight limit
by the weight limits outlined on the Manipulate Weight listed in the Manipulate Weight table.
table
PSYCHOPORTATION
Psychic Crush This discipline allows you to manipulate the spaces be-
As an action, you unleash your psionic power to crush tween dimensions and planes of existence. This knowl-
something with your telekinesis. Make a psionic attack edge opens doorways to movement and control of the
against a creature or object of your choice that you can battlefield that few can rival.
see within your zone of influence. On a successful hit, the
target takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage. When you hit with Dimensional Step
this attack, you can spend power points to increase this As an action you can magically teleport yourself to an un-
damage by 1d10 per point spent. occupied space you can see within 5 feet of you. By spend-
Your base damage for this effect increases by 1d10 at ing power points, you can increase the distance you can
rank three (2d10) and rank five (3d10). travel as specified on the Dimensional Step table.

Telekinetic Hurl
DIMENSIONAL STEP
As an action, you may attempt to hurl a Large or smaller
creature or object of your choice within your zone of POWER POINTS SPENT DISTANCE
influence. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on
0 5 ft.
a Strength saving throw versus your psionic save DC or
be thrown up to 10 feet in a straight line in a direction 1 10 ft.
of your choice and fall prone. When you hurl a target in
this manner, you may increase the distance it is hurled by 2 30 ft.
expending power points. The distance increases by 20 feet 3 60 ft.
per power point spent.
To hurl an object within your sphere of influence at a 4 120 ft.
target, make a ranged attack roll using your psionic attack 5 500 ft.
modifier. On a success, you hurl the object 10 feet in a
straight line in a direction of your choice. When you hurl
an object in this manner, you may increase the distance Transposition
it is hurled by expending power points. The distance in- As an action, you attempt to transpose yourself and an-
creases by 20 feet per power point spent. On a success, the other target within your zone of influence. When you do
target takes 1d6 damage per 10 feet of distance the object so, you and the target switch spaces.
moves. If the target is willing, this effect happens automatically
Your base distance for this effect increases by 10 feet at with no power point cost. By spending 2 power points, you
rank three (20 feet) and rank five (30 feet). can attempt to transpose yourself with an unwilling tar-
get. An unwilling target must succeed on a Strength saving
Telekinesis Mastery throw versus your psionic save DC or be pulled through
The world around you is always at hand, and your con- dimensional space and swapped with you.
tinued growth in this discipline unlocks new ways to ma- When you declare the use of this feature, you may spend
nipulate the world—for better or for worse. additional power points to increase the DC of the save.
Each point spent in this manner increases the DC by
Enhanced Manipulate 1, up to a maximum increase equal to your proficiency
You may now use an action to attempt to affect an object bonus.
being held by another creature with this psionic effect.
The target holding the object must attempt a Strength sav- Baleful Anchor
ing throw, retaining control of the object on a success. On Focus, 1 minute
a failure, you may manipulate the object according to the As an action, you can focus on a creature and attempt to
requirements of the psionic effect. A creature may attempt tether it to a spot within your zone of influence, turning
to take control of the object by using their action, gaining its own momentum against it. The target must succeed
control of the object on a successful Strength ability check on a Strength saving throw versus your psionic save DC
versus your psionic save DC. or have its speed reduced to 0 for the duration. A tar-
In addition, you may affect a second object or creature get tethered in this way takes 1d6 force damage at the
with Manipulate. Each affected creature must make its start of each of its turns. When a target takes damage in

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 23
 this way, you can use your reaction to expend up to five be a statement of the obvious. For each power point you
power points to increase this damage, with each power spend, you can ask an additional question from this list.
point adding an additional d6 of damage. At the end of ■ What threat does it pose?
each of its turns, the target can attempt another Strength ■ What can it do?
saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Your base damage for this effect increases by 1d6 at rank
■ What does it want?
three (2d6) and rank five (3d6). ■ What is it hiding?
■ Where is it from?
Psychoportation Mastery
You now have thousands of teleportations under your belt, Sight beyond Sight
and your calculations are second nature. This allows you As an action, you can use your psionic senses to see in
greater freedom with your abilities and frees your focus normal and magical darkness out to a range of 10 feet for
for movement. 1 hour. When you use your senses in this way, you can
choose to expend power points to increase the range of
Enhanced Dimensional Step your sight, adding 30 feet for each power point spent, up
You may focus on this psionic effect for 1 minute, allowing to a maximum range equal to your zone of influence.
you to use your action to teleport the same distance each Your base distance for this effect increases by 10 feet at
round based on the power points you expended on your rank three (20 feet) and rank five (30 feet).
first use of Dimensional Step. At Higher Ranks. When you spend at least 3 power
points to use your senses in this way, you also gain the abil-
Enhanced Baleful Anchor ity to see invisible creatures and objects. When you spend
You no longer need to focus on this effect for its duration, 4 power points or more, you can perceive the original form
but the effect ends if you use this ability again, are knocked of a shapechanger or a creature that is transformed by
unconscious, or die. magic.

CLAIRSENTIENCE Forecast Conflict

This discipline allows you to read the energies that suffuse You foresee the swell of combat and are more ready for
reality and extrapolate information from them. You are battle. When initiative is rolled, you may add your Intelli-
able to assess situations quickly to discover vital secrets or gence modifier to your initiative (minimum of +1) When
counteract your enemies even as they strike. you use this ability, you can spend power points to affect
allies as well. For each power point spend, you can choose
Assess Aura one ally who also gets to add your Intelligence modifier to
As an action, you may read the aura of an object or crea- their initiative.
ture you can see within your zone of influence. When
you read a creature’s aura, you automatically learn its Clairsentience Mastery
emotional state and whether or not it is hostile toward You have followed this discipline to its masterful conclu-
you. When you read an object, you learn if it was within sion and can now see the whole picture.
5 feet of a creature experiencing strong emotions within
the last 3 days and what those emotions were (if any). Enhanced Assess Aura
For example, a pebble from a battlefield may carry the If you spend 5 power points on this ability, you may scry
psychic stain of violence and fear. In contrast, a golden on any creature, object, or place that you have previously
locket might convey love and remembrance. At your observed with your Assess Aura feature. You view and hear
GM’s discretion, an object present during a truly momen- the creature, object, or place from a point within 30 feet of
tous event might carry an aura signature for much longer the target, and your scrying position is immobile. A crea-
than 3 days. ture being observed can attempt a Wisdom saving throw.
When you read an aura, you can attempt to glean a On a success, a creature can sense it is being watched, the
deeper understanding. If the target is an unwilling crea- scrying ends, and the creature is immune to this effect for
ture, it must attempt a Wisdom saving throw against 24 hours. On a failure, you may observe the target, follow-
your psionic save DC to conceal its nature. On a success, ing it as it moves, so long as you focus on the effect.
the creature knows of your attempt, you cannot learn
more information, and the creature is immune to your Enhanced Sight beyond Sight
Assess Aura feature for the next 24 hours. On a failure, If you spend 5 points when you use Sight beyond Sight,
you can ask one of the following questions about the you have superior vision. To you, solid objects within your
target. The GM offers a truthful reply. The reply might radius appear transparent, and light passes thr-ough
be a short phrase, provide only partial information, or them. Your vision can penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of

CHAPTER ONE • character options

24 weird waStelandS
common metal, or up to 3 feet of wood or dirt. per point plus base damage to the target, and you
Thicker substances block your vision, as does a regain hit points equal to half the damage dealt
thin sheet of lead. that round. You do not need to be in contact with
the target after the initial melee attack, though
PSYCHOMETABOLISM the effect ends if the creature moves out of your
This discipline allows you to meditate on bodily zone of influence or drops to 0 hit points.
forces, altering the state of those around you. Your base damage for this effect increases by
You can lend comfort or leech life itself. 1d4 at rank three (2d4) and rank five (3d4).

Bolster Ally Psychometabolism Master

As an action, you send a psychic rush to an in- Now that you have mastered psychometabolism
jured creature other than yourself within your by experimenting on hundreds of subjects, you
zone of influence, allowing the target to imme- can turn this knowledge inward without worry
diately spend one of their Hit Die and recover a of malpractice. You may now use all the effects
number of hit points equal to the rolled result of this discipline on yourself.
plus the target’s Constitution modifier. When
you use this feature, you can choose to expend Enhanced Siphon Life
power points to increase the number of Hit Dice You now make a melee spell attack or a ranged
your ally can spend, adding one additional Hit spell attack against your target as long as they
Die for each point you spend. are within your sphere of influence.

Ease Malady METACREATIVITY

As a bonus action, you can target an ally affected This discipline allows you to rearrange energy
by an ongoing condition and reduce the DC of to create tangible objects. You can create new
your target’s next saving throw against that con- forms with pure will, whether they be mundane
dition by 1. When you use this ability, you can items, weapons, or walls.
choose to spend power points to reduce the DC
even further according to the Ease Malady table. Construction
As an action, you create a Small or smaller non- There was some
magical object or tool worth 100 gp or less out of debate during writing
EASE MALADY whether this effect
your pure force of will. The object has a number
should be through force
POINTS SPENT DC REDUCTION of hit points based on how many power points of will or by repurposing
you spend when using this feature, based on the matter in the nearby
0 1
Item Durability table. The object is visibly magi- environment. We chose
1 2 cal, radiating dim light in a 5-foot radius. The the former for continuity
object lasts until you dismiss it, until you use of the discipline, but
2 3 if the latter is more
this effect again, or until the object is destroyed.
3 4 enticing, then repurpose
At Higher Ranks. When you spend at least 3 the silt out of that
4 5 power points to create an item, you can choose wasteland!
to create a Medium or smaller object. When you
5 6
spend 5 power points, you can create a Large or
smaller object.
Siphon Life
Focus, 1 minute
ITEM DURABILITY
As an action, you attempt to make a melee spell
attack with your psionic attack modifier against POINTS SPENT HIT POINTS
a creature. On a successful hit, you deal 1d4
0 10
psychic damage and regain hit points equal to
half the damage dealt, minimum of 1. When you 1 20
successfully hit but before you roll damage, you 2 30
can choose to spend up to five power points to in-
crease this damage by 1d4 per point spent. Until 3 40
this effect ends, as an action you may choose to 4 50
spend more power points at the beginning of
5 60
each of your turns to deal 1d4 psychic damage

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 25
 Force Weapon3 Enhanced Barrier
As an action, you can create a melee weapon As a bonus action, you may move your barriers
made of pure force and use it to make an attack. up to 30 feet on your turn. When you move a
This weapon cannot be removed from your grasp barrier through a space containing a creature,
unless you allow it. Attacks made with this weapon you can attempt to push a creature with it. A
use your psionic attack modifier, and a success- creature can attempt to resist this effect by at-
ful hit deals 1d6 force damage. When you hit tempting a Strength saving throw against your
with this attack but before damage is rolled, you psionic save DC, being pushed along with the
can spend up to five power points to increase wall on a failure. On a success, the barrier stops
the total damage by 1d6 per point spent. moving. Large or smaller objects that are not be-
You may have only one of these weapons ac- ing worn or carried are moved with the barrier.
tive at a time, and it lasts until you dismiss it or
manifest this effect again. TELEPATHY
Your base damage for this effect increases by This discipline allows you to push the limitations
1d6 at rank three (2d6) and rank five (3d6). of the mind. The information you gain through
this discipline grants you ultimate control over
Barrier your own mental faculties and the ability to
Focus, 1 minute touch the minds of other creatures.
Couple thoughts As an action, you create a translucent nonmagi-
here. For starters, cal barrier of solid force at a point you choose Mind Link
think of what you can within your zone of influence. The barrier is a As an action, you may telepathically link minds
do with four panels,
10-foot-by-10-foot panel that is 1 inch thick. with a willing creature within your zone of influ-
maybe make a pen
for someone, or with The wall appears in any orientation you choose, ence for 1 hour. When you establish this mind
six panels you could as a horizontal or vertical barrier or at an angle. link, you can choose to spend additional power
make a box. We don’t It can be free floating or resting on a solid sur- points to connect with a number of additional
think the panels have face. When you use this feature, you can spend creatures equal to the number of points spent,
to be flat, and with power points to increase these dimensions. For allowing them all to communicate with each
curved panels you can
make hemispheres
each point you spend, you can either create an- other. The creature does not have to share a
and spheres, given other panel or add 1 inch of thickness to a single language with you but must understand at least
adequate rank and panel. If you create multiple panels, each must one language.
number of panels. be contiguous with at least one other panel. At Higher Ranks. By spending 3 power points,
If you force a Each panel has AC 15 and 20 hit points per inch you may attempt to force a mind link with an
Mind Link, what will of thickness. Reducing a panel to 0 hit points unwilling creature. The target must succeed on
you choose to do? destroys it. an Intelligence saving throw versus your psionic
Sing all night to keep save DC to resist the link.
the target awake and Metacreativity Mastery
give them exhaustion?
Distract a guard in
Masters of metacreativity are artists, and with Psychic Probe
order to get past them? this achievement they can give motion to the As an action, you attempt to probe the mind of
The weird ways to use beauty of their workings. The ability to focus a creature you can see within your zone of influ-
this ability are nearly and move your creations leaves others in awe. ence. The creature must succeed on an Intelli-
limitless. gence saving throw versus your psionic save DC
Enhanced Force Weapon or you immediately learn its surface thoughts.
Your force weapon now has the thrown property On a successful save, the probe ends, and the
with a normal range of 60 feet and a long range creature knows you were attempting to read its
of your zone of influence. Immediately after thoughts. If the creature you choose has an In-
making an attack with your force weapon, it flies telligence of 3 or lower or doesn’t speak any lan-
back to your hand. When you use this weapon guages, the creature is unaffected.
to make an attack, you may make an additional On a failed save, you probe deeper into the
attack as a bonus action. target’s mind by expending power points. The
number of points you spend allows you to affect
3 . What color will your blade be? You are no longer bound the target’s mind differently, as shown on the
by canon.
Psychic Probe table.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

26 weird waStelandS
 Mind Spike
PSYCHIC PROBE As an action, you attempt to psychically attack
POINTS SPENT EFFECT the mind of a creature you can see within your
zone of influence. Make a ranged spell attack
0 Learn with your psionic attack modifier. On a success-
1 Gather ful hit, the creature takes 1d8 psychic damage.
When you hit with this attack but before dam-
2 Extract age is rolled, you can spend up to 5 power points
3 Suppress
to increase the total damage by 1d8 per point
spent.
4 Modify Your base damage for this effect increases by
1d8 at rank three (2d8) and rank five (3d8).
5 Excise
Telepathy Mastery
■ Learn – You learn the creature’s surface The mind is but an open book to a master tele-
thoughts—what is most on its mind at path; the question is whether to read, rewrite, or
that moment. tear out the pages entirely.
■ Gather – You gain insight into the
creature’s reasoning (if any), its emotional Enhanced Mind Link
state, and something that looms large in When you have linked minds with a hostile
its mind (such as something it worries creature, you can use an action to attempt to
over, loves, or hates). paralyze it. The creature must succeed on an
Intelligence saving throw against your psionic
■ Extract – You learn the answer to a save DC or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The crea-
specific question you have (if the creature ture may attempt another saving throw at the
does not know the answer, you learn end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a
that). success. Once the creature succeeds on a saving
■ Suppress – You suppress the creature’s throw against this effect, it is immune to your
memory for 10 minutes. You can choose Mind Link for 24 hours.
whether it forgets the last 10 minutes or
ceases to retain new information for the Enhanced Mind Spike
next 10 minutes. You may affect a second creature with this psion-
ic effect. Roll attacks and damage separately for
■ Modify – You change a detail about each target.
an existing memory the creature has.
To do this, you must know the specific
memory you are trying to affect, and mental modalities Life in the wastelands
is hard, and that
the change you make must make sense Psions come in many shapes and stripes, but can leave some
in the context of the memory. Inserting all wield power of a kind. When it comes time characters and NPCs
the appearance of a particular person, to choose how to fully express that power, with extra flaws.
rewriting a few minutes of a conversation Master telepaths are
the psion must decide. Do you want complete sought out for psychic
that occurred, or inserting a memory mastery of the mind by finding balance without surgery to remove
of an object that wasn’t there are all and within? Or does your tumultuous nature terrible memories
acceptable examples. yearn to break free and spill out over all you see? and personality
Maybe pure logic will move you toward victory. flaws. This can be a
■ Excise – You cause the target to forget a
one-off encounter,
piece of information permanently. If it is How will you reveal yourself to the wastelands?
or you can consider
a specific memory, the memory cannot How will you change both the wastelands and the ramifications, like
be longer than 1 hour. If it is a specific yourself? those shown in Eternal
creature or object, the target forgets all Sunshine of the Spotless
details about the creature or object but STRUCTURED MIND Mind. A character
Those with the Structured Mind modality real- seeking this alternative
not the impression that something was
could start a cascade of
there. In both cases, the creature is aware ize that finding and synchronizing with concor-
events that could give
that it has forgotten something. dant patterns in the multiverse is a path to allow your game a trippy,
perfection of the self, thus harmonizing the surreal vibe, and that’s
external and internal rhythms. These patterns what we’re here for!

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 27
 come in many forms but on the prime material plane they Crystalline Focus
usually manifest as a lattice structure, or some form of At 2nd level, you may use your synced crystal focus to pro-
crystals and gems. Structured minds like to meditate on vide better access to your psionic effects.
these lattice structures to focus while manifesting psionic For each crystal focus to which you are synced, you may
effects, since some crystals and gems have the proper lat- use your bonus action to utilize one of the features from
tice structures to mirror the psion’s mental energies, but your psionic disciplines that would otherwise cost your
also to store and amplify said energies. action. You are still limited to only focusing on one psionic
Structured Minds often fill their days with contempla- effect at a time. Once you use a crystal focus for this ability,
tion and meditation, though they also spend time seeking you cannot use that crystal again until you finish a short
out kindred spirits. They love to tell others about the life- rest.
changing solutions that crystals provide. Some actually
end up listening. Harmonic Discipline
Charlatans deck themselves in cheap crystals to dupe Beginning at 6th level, you can harmonize with another
unwitting masses out of food or water. Those frauds do effect from one of your psionic disciplines. When you
not last long once a true Structured Mind picks up their complete a long rest while meditating with a synced crystal
trail, and then the crystals find a genuine owner. focus, you can choose one such effect that costs 1 action
and prepare it as a reaction that triggers in response to
a specific condition you set, communicated to the GM.
STRUCTURED MIND FEATURES
Examples of triggers might be:
PSION LEVEL FEATURE ■ When I am attacked, then…
2nd Sync Crystal, Crystalline Focus ■ When I am damaged, then…
6th Harmonic Discipline ■ When I manifest a psionic effect, then…

14th Multifaceted ■ When an ally falls to 0 hit points, then…

18th Mind Lattice Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until
you finish a short or long rest.

Your affinity for crystals and gems leads you to seek out or
teach yourself how to prepare and set crystals for use. You
gain proficiency with jeweler’s tools.

Sync Crystal
Starting at 2nd level, you may spend a short rest sync-
ing with a crystal focus.4 Syncing with a crystal focus
functions similarly to attunement, though it does not
use attunement slots. At 6th level, you may sync with
a second crystal focus, and at 18th level, you may sync
with a third.
Choose one of the following benefits for each crystal
focus with which you are synced.
■ You gain +1 to psionic attacks.
■ You gain +1 to your psionic save DC.
■ You gain a number of power points equal to your
proficiency bonus.
When you complete a long rest, you may change the
benefit you receive for each synced crystal.

4 . A psion must find a crystal or gem worth at least 10 gp to transform

into their crystal focus. They must then spend at least 8 consecutive
hours meditating and honing their focus with their jeweler’s tools to
sync with the crystal focus.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

28 weird waStelandS
Multifaceted Fluttering Control
At 14th level, as you continue molding your mind into Starting at 2nd level, your emotions can get the better of
the perfect conductor of mental energy, gaining a greater you. Sometimes rest helps, though sometimes it does not.
understanding of how to interact with the world. Your zone of influence fluctuates in tandem with your
You gain a bonus equal to your total number of synced emotions.
crystal focuses to any ability check you make that doesn’t Roll 1d4 at the end of a long rest and apply the follow-
already include your proficiency bonus. ing adjustment to your zone of influence based on the
result:
Mind Lattice ■ (1) −10 feet
Starting at 18th level, you have crafted the perfect men- ■ (2) No change
tal structure for your power and logic—woe to any who ■ (3) +10 feet
would seek to lay it low! You gain the following abilities: ■ (4) +20 feet
■ Once per turn, you add your Intelligence
These changes are not cumulative and are always based
modifier to one damage roll you make with a
on the default zone of influence for your level.
psionic effect.
At 10th level, you may roll twice and pick either result.
■ If you fail a saving throw, you may sacrifice the
sync with one of your crystal focuses to reroll Well of Emotion
the saving throw. (You may resync with the At 2nd level, your emotions fuel your psionics to greater
crystal focus later.) and more intense outcomes with rage, love, or hate.
When you affect a creature with a psionic effect, you can
EMOTIONAL CONDUIT choose to deal 1d4 psychic damage per power point spent
Psions who realize their mental modality as an Emotional on the triggering effect, up to your Intelligence modifier
Conduit know their manifestation of power is chaotic to the creature, even if the effect does not initially deal
and harmful to the surrounding area, but this is how damage.
they prefer things. They let the hate flow through them
without hesitation and damn anyone who stands in the
way. Anger isn’t the only emotional path, however—it’s
just the easiest.
Emotional Conduits usually have some pain that drives
them to adventure. Whether to avenge or forget, the jour-
ney still must be traveled. Some psions stand up for those
who cannot protect themselves, while others oppress
people with their abilities in a mad scramble for power
and control. The latter cannot remain low key for long and
usually draw the attention of the former.
Emotional Conduits usually have a flair for dress, even
in the wastelands. Subtlety is not a strong suit for these
psions, especially when suits are involved. They are all in
fashion—as much as fashion can be crafted in the waste-
lands, at least.

EMOTIONAL CONDUIT FEATURES

PSION LEVEL FEATURE

2nd Fluttering Control, Well of Emotion

6th Radiate Pain

14th Self-regulation

18th Overwhelm

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 29
 Well of Emotion Optional Rule STRATEGIST
At the GM’s discretion, the type of damage you deal with Psions with the analytical minds of a Strategist see their
your Well of Emotion feature depends on your current zone of influence for the chessboard it is, and no one can
emotional state at the time. You may choose one dam- beat them at their own game. They know all the moves
age type from the following list based on your character’s and have studied the pawns that surround them. They
emotions or, to play up the chaotic nature of your power, usually see victory from the beginning and are waiting
you may roll for your damage type each time you roll for at the end of most struggles for others to catch up. Their
initiative. (This optional rule can apply to your Radiate psionic abilities enhance them, which elevates those
Pain feature as well.) around them.
No matter a Strategist’s attitude, they usually land in the
d6 DAMAGE TYPE ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS role of leader or warlord. While some cannot stand their
subordinates, other psions find a family in their warband
1 Fire Anger, love
or party. Either way, they know that more pieces allow you
2 Cold Cool, callous to play the game longer and better.
Psions of this ilk generally dress in symmetrical styles,
3 Lightning Acrid, ecstatic with an eye toward utility and comfort. Their cadre gen-
erally follows their fashion, thus creating a close-knit
4 Radiant Self-righteous, jubilant
following.
5 Necrotic Miserable, sardonic

6 Force Vivacious, confident STRATEGIST CONDUIT FEATURES

PSION LEVEL FEATURE
Radiate Pain Thought Imparts Action,
2nd
Beginning at 6th level, your swirling emotions pool up Action Grants Movement
and spill out when you are attacked. Whenever you take
6th Movement Provides Defense
damage, you may use your reaction to cause a 10-foot-
radius burst of energy centered on you. Each creature in 14th Defense Affords Organization
the area must attempt a Dexterity saving throw, taking
1d4 psychic damage on a failure, or half as much damage 18th Organization Grants Victory
on a success.
You can spend power points to increase the damage Thought Imparts Action
by 1d4 per power point spent. You may spend a number When you select this modality at 2nd level, you gain
of power points in this manner up to your Intelligence proficiency on initiative rolls and may add either your
modifier. Intelligence modifier or your Dexterity modifier to your
initiative roll.
Self-Regulation
When you reach 14th level, you learn to regulate your Action Grants Movement
emotions to greater effect. At 2nd level, whenever you affect a creature with one of
Your Radiate Pain damage die becomes a d6. Additionally, your psionic effects or attacks, you may use your bonus
when you use Radiate Pain, you may either choose which action to grant an ally some movement. When you do so,
creatures in range suffer the damage or, after the damage choose a friendly creature within your zone of influence;
is dealt, you may use your reaction to move up to 10 feet that creature may immediately use its reaction to move
(this movement does not provoke opportunity attacks). 10 feet. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity
attacks.
Overwhelm
At 18th level, your emotions can seem like too much to Movement Provides Defense
others, but they are under your control. Starting at 6th level, you know a moving target is difficult
If you miss when making a psionic attack against a prey, so you are always on the move. You try to help others
creature or a creature succeeds on a saving throw against see this truth.
one of your psionic effects, you can choose to deal psy- For every 10 feet you move during your turn, you gain a
chic damage to the creature equal to your Intelligence +1 bonus to your AC until the beginning of your next turn.
modifier. This bonus cannot exceed your Intelligence modifier.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

30 weird waStelandS
Defense Affords Organization
When you reach 14th level, you read the ebbs
and flows of battle so well you can keep your al-
lies in order—for their own good.
When you gain a bonus to your AC via your
Movement Provides Defense feature, as a reac-
tion, you may share that benefit with a number
of allies up to your Intelligence modifier within
your zone of influence until the beginning of
your next turn.
barbarian
Living in the wastelands can bring anyone to
Organization Grants Victory anger, but not everyone can turn that anger into
At 18th level, the final stratagem is within your effective rage. Whether it’s in battle or at the
grasp. After many battles and countless war forefront of a storm, barbarians live their lives
councils, you have ultimate understanding of raging against magic most wild and beasts of all
battle tactics. kinds. They are guardians of ancestral legacies
Whenever you enhance your allies with your and commit to their path with zealotry.
Defense Affords Organization feature, you gain
the following additional benefits: new barbarian subclass:
You gain +10 feet to your movement speed.
path of the
monster champion
■

■ You gain +1 to hit with melee, ranged, and

psionic attacks per ally enhanced by your Some barbarians become monstrous in their rage,
Defense Affords Organization feature. but monster champions use their rage against
monsters. The monster champion seeks out ab-
errations, dragons, and similar creatures to slay
and take their power by consuming their hearts.
Monster champions can be heroes, villains, or
both depending on the day and monster—they
may fell a dragon harassing a town or slay a
dragon protecting a village. For most monster
champions, the ends—that is, the monster’s end
—justify the means. Stay hungry, friends.

PATH OF THE MONSTER

CHAMPION FEATURES
BARBARIAN
FEATURES
LEVEL

3rd Monster Heart

6th Power in the Blood It is not a requirement

that a character
10th Legendary Power consume the heart of
a monster to gain this
14th Heart to Heart ability. If the player
wants to re-flavor
(rimshot) these abilities
MONSTER HEART to be a ritual of sacrifice
When you choose this path at 3rd level, you of a monster (like in
recognize the power that exists in all monsters scenes from Avatar
and have learned to harness these abilities or The Last of the
Mohicans where one
through your rage. Partaking of the heart of a
thanks their fallen prey),
fallen monster cedes the power within. Choose that’s okay. It can also
a creature type from the following list. You gain just be symbolic, and
the associated benefit. that works too.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 31
 Aberration Dragon
While raging, you have advantage on saving throws against While raging you gain resistance to one of the follow-
spells and other magical effects. ing draconic damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or
thunder.
Celestial
While raging, you begin to glow with bright light out to Elemental
20 feet and dim light another 20 feet. Any ally within the While raging, you release the elemental energy stored in-
bright light can use their reaction to spend Hit Dice up to side your heart. Your weapon attacks deal extra elemental
or equaling your proficiency bonus with a minimum of 1 damage equal to your Constitution modifier. Choose the
plus their Constitution modifier to heal themselves. damage type from the following list: acid, cold, fire, light-
ning, or thunder. You may choose the type upon reaching
Construct this level and cannot change it unless another feature of
While raging, you are immune to poison damage and the this subclass allows it.
poisoned condition.
Fiend
While raging, your eyes burn with the fires of hell itself,
giving you darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, and you
can see in both nonmagical and magical darkness. If you
already possess darkvision, you instead add 30 feet to your
current range.

Monstrosity
While you are raging, you gain a natural +3 bonus to your
AC. This can be from thick fur, chitinous plates, or bony
protrusions that manifest when you rage.

Ooze
While raging, you gain 5 feet of reach as your limbs be-
come pliable. Also, creatures attempting to grapple you do
so with disadvantage.

POWER IN THE BLOOD

At 6th level, you have consumed the blood of many fallen
foes, and their power courses through your veins, empow-
ering you to unimaginable feats. Choose a second option
from the Monster Heart list.

LEGENDARY POWER
Beginning at 10th level, while raging you can attempt to
lock a monster in place with your overwhelming power.
When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can
use your reaction to force it to attempt a Constitution sav-
ing throw. On a failure, the creature’s movement drops to
0 for as long as you continue to rage. Once you have used
this feature (regardless of whether or not it succeeds), you
must complete a short or long rest before you can do so
again.

HEART TO HEART
At 14th level, you have devoured many monster hearts and
can now benefit from their various powers. Upon finishing
a long rest, you can change the two creature types in your
Monster Heart features. You benefit from the associated
abilities until you change them again at the end of a long
rest.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

32 weird waStelandS
bard
There are no bard colleges in the Weird Waste-
lands, though performers are occasionally found
in larger settlements or attached to a faction
with an infrastructure robust enough to support
such a specialist. Nomadic troupes are the clos-
est things to colleges in the wastes. They may
train an eager bard and travel circuits between
settlements to exchange performance for goods
and services, though they often travel with a
muscled retinue for protection.
The average wastelander can expect to see
someone with bard-like skills perform for en-
tertainment once or twice in their lifetime, if
they’re lucky, and most spend the intervening
decades recounting those experiences on cold,
bleak nights. What the wasteland lacks in ven-
ues and training for a gifted artist, it more than
makes up for in a grateful audience.

new bard subclass:

college of bones
Bards of the College of Bones seek to preserve
tales of the most sacred knowledge in the wastes:
the knowledge of how to survive. They perform
ceremonies and rituals through song, story, or
poetry as they butcher and cook the bodies of This subclass is an
beasts and monstrosities, using whatever bones BUTCHERCRAFT homage to both epic
are left as costume, supplies, or for their own At 3rd level, you can confer with the spirits of storytelling and the
more esoteric magical purposes. the dead you once prepared for nourishment inherent (and oft
Everyone has to cook their own food in the and get the ability to perform small wonders. forgotten) value of
wastes, but it takes a special person to make You know the druidcraft cantrip, which doesn’t those who can butcher.
If you’ve had the
a meal pleasant and safe to eat. Bards of the count against the number of bard cantrips you opportunity to watch
College of Bones can do exactly that. The hearth know. You also know speak with dead and purify a master butcher
is their stage, a knife is their instrument, and food and drink, which don’t count against the practice their craft, you
a carcass is their muse. Bards of the College of number of bard spells you know and each of know that their skill
Bones pass their knowledge between genera- which you can cast once per long rest without is almost magical. It
tions through the ritual feasts they prepare, the expending a spell slot. ensures as much of an
animal can be eaten as
stories they tell as they work, and the inscribed possible and that any
bones they leave in their wake—a bleached bone OSSEOUS FOCUS byproducts with other
wrapped in leather will last far longer in the Starting at 3rd level, a bone of any creature uses are preserved. This
wastes than any scroll. that you have butchered yourself becomes your subclass was born out
spellcasting focus. of us supposing how a
butcher—a person who
Starting at 6th level, when you roll an Intel-
COLLEGE OF BONES FEATURES can turn a corpse into
ligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Animal Handling) food—might exist in our
check and you are holding your osseous focus, postapocalypse and
BARD LEVEL FEATURES
you may add 1d6 to your roll. how they might spread
Butchercraft, Osseous their grim and vital
3rd EPIC OF BONES knowledge. Sometimes,
Focus, Epic of Bones
all that’s left in the
Starting at 3rd level, you can chant a grand
6th Meatgrinder wastes is bones, and this
poem of knowledge you’ve gained from the bard is the one who can
bones of beasts and monstrosities. While you derive use and meaning
14th Skeletal Inhabitant
are holding your osseous focus, you can use an from even them.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 33
 EPIC OF BONES
d8 EPIC OF BONES EFFECT
For 1 minute, you have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom,
1 The Epic of the Skull
and Charisma saving throws.

You may roll double damage dice on one successful spell attack
2 The Epic of the Aitch
of your choice.

For 1 minute, your walking, climbing, and swimming speed are

3 The Epic of the Femur
increased by 20 feet.

4 The Epic of the Rib For 1 minute, you have a magical +1 bonus to your AC.

5 The Epic of the Humerus For 1 minute, your Strength score is increased by 2.

For 1 minute, you have advantage on all Strength, Dexterity,

6 The Epic of the Chine
and Constitution saving throws.

You may roll double damage dice on one successful weapon

7 The Epic of the Blade
attack of your choice.

For 1 minute, you are immune to disease and poison and gain
8 The Epic of the Marrow temporary hit points equal to the result of rolling two Bardic
Inspiration dice.

action to expend one of your Bardic Inspiration This ritual takes 1 hour to perform, and it can
dice to roll on the Epic of Bones table. You re- be performed as part of a long rest. Choose ei-
tain the poem in your mind until you bestow ther (a) up to three corpses of Medium or smaller
the poem’s effect or until you finish a short or beasts or monstrosities with skeletons or (b) the
long rest. corpse of one Large beast or monstrosity with
You can use a bonus action to choose yourself a skeleton within 10 feet of you. If you choose
or one creature you can see within 30 feet of you Medium or smaller corpses, they become ghouls
to be the target of the poem’s effect. under your control. If you choose the Large
What’s better? When you reach 6th level, you may expend corpse, it rises as an ogre zombie. (The GM has
Probably three two of your Bardic Inspiration dice to affect game statistics for these creatures.)
Medium creatures three creatures at once with the same effect. As a bonus action on each of your turns, you
because of that sweet, At 14th level, you may expend three of your can mentally command any one creature you
sweet action economy. Bardic Inspiration dice to affect four creatures animated in this way as long as it is within 120
Alternatively, you
at once. feet of you. You decide what action the creature
could have a skeleton
horse that packs a will take and where it will move during its next
punch, and how cool MEATGRINDER turn, or you can issue a general command, such
would that be? Starting at 6th level, you can use your knowl- as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If
edge of anatomy to help your allies hit in just you issue no commands, the creature defends
the right place. If a creature with your Bardic itself against hostile creatures. Once given an
Inspiration hits a creature with a weapon attack, order, the creature continues to follow it until
that creature may expend the Bardic Inspiration its task is complete.
to turn the hit into a critical hit. Once a creature The creature is under your control for 24
with your Bardic Inspiration uses this ability, hours, after which it stops obeying any com-
it cannot be used by anyone until you finish a mand you have given it. To maintain control
short or long rest. of the creature for another 24 hours, you must
perform this ritual on the creature before the
SKELETAL INHABITANT current 24-hour period ends. This use of the
At 14th level, you learn to beseech a spirit to ability reasserts your control over the creatures
embody the skeleton of a beast or monstrosity you have animated with this feature rather than
and help you in your adventures. animating new ones.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

34 weird waStelandS
cleric new cleric subclass:
Clerics of many domains exist in the Weird Wastelands,
ascetic domain
but the source of their powers is often unclear. With the The Ascetic Domain focuses on independence and suf-
gods absent, those who can access divine abilities may be ficiency of the self. Born in an area that was either aban-
channeling the raw power of the belief held by those who doned or became incompatible with people, organized
still worship the old gods (though who can say how long societies, or even gods, those of the Ascetic Domain find
that magic can sustain their abilities), or they may be draw- connection with the divine—if there is such a thing any-
ing upon divine magic granted from beings who, while not more—in the absence of sustenance, shelter, and comfort.
divine themselves, are powerful enough to grant them. While others may seek to restore the land or build up
Clerics in these lands are more likely to devote them- settlements to someday rival those of the ancient past,
selves to a concept rather than to a deity, and the raw Ascetic clerics do not. If the wastes exist, there is a reason.
magic pulsating through the area is strong enough to Letting the wastelands take what they will and, like the
facilitate their abilities. These clerics are charismatic and sands themselves, existing without unsustainable plenty
dogged in their devotion, and their beacon of hope may lead to the path of true understanding and oneness with
attract adherents to their cause. whatever gods are left.
Some who say they are clerics are, simply put, liars. Their In their search for transcendent wisdom, Ascetic clerics
weak wonders are granted only by those who wish them can go without food, water, and shelter far longer than
to be real. They perform miracles of misdirection, acts of most other heroes, though it is neither easy nor riskless
thinly veiled bravado, and smoke and mirrors that give the for them to do so. But when they do, they are uniquely
hopeful a flimsy reason to ease their worries for yet another suited to discover things no one else can. Many Ascetic
unforgiving day—at the low, low price of a meal, a drink, clerics are on quests for internal and external knowledge:
or a family heirloom. Did worm-tongued charlatans exist to prove their own commitment to their cause; to seek the
before the apocalypse? Were they the cause? Who can say? reasons for the errors committed in the name of greed,
pride, and desire that led to disaster; or to teach others the
way they’re meant to live in this hellscape.

ASCETIC DOMAIN SPELLS

CLERIC SPELLS
LEVEL
1st relief 5, sanctuary

3rd blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement

5th beacon of hope, protection from energy

7th freedom of movement, resilient sphere

9th legend lore, reincarnate

ASCETIC DOMAIN FEATURES

CLERIC FEATURE
LEVEL
1st Internal Oasis (1), Enduring Vigor

2nd Channel Divinity: Transpose Exhaustion

6th Comfort in Discomfort, Internal Oasis (2)

8th Potent Spellcasting

17th Nothingness, Internal Oasis (3)

5 . Info about this new spell can be found in the “Spell Descriptions”
section at the end of this chapter.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 35
 INTERNAL OASIS NOTHINGNESS
Beginning at 1st level, you can use your reaction when At 17th level, you can ignore the material components of
you take damage in combat to expend one Hit Die to heal spells with a value of 1,000 gp or less.
yourself. You regain this ability whenever you complete a
short or long rest. You may use this ability twice before
needing a rest at 6th level, and three times at 17th level.
optional class feature
DIVINE INTERVENTION VARIANT:
ENDURING VIGOR ABSTEMIOUS VISION
Starting at 1st level, you can ignore the effects of a number Starting at 10th level, Ascetic clerics can use their Divine
of levels of exhaustion equal to your proficiency bonus. Intervention ability to experience a vision of past events
Any levels of exhaustion you incur beyond your proficiency that grants a benefit to them. Describe the assistance you
bonus impose normal exhaustion penalties. For example, seek, spend 24 hours in meditation, and roll percentile dice.
if you have a proficiency bonus of +2 and you gain a third If you roll a number equal to or lower than your cleric level,
level of exhaustion, you suffer the penalty normally associ- you gain the knowledge or abilities you seek. For every full
ated with one level of exhaustion. day you go without food, water, and rest before making
your roll, you can subtract 10 from the results of your roll.
CHANNEL DIVINITY: Instead of imploring a deity for aid, the Ascetic cleric gets a
TRANSPOSE EXHAUSTION vision of the past that aids them in gaining the knowledge
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to they seek. How far in the past and what they see is up to the
either relieve your allies of their exhaustion or inflict ex- GM’s discretion; it may be a relatively recent event, or, for
haustion upon your enemies. As an action, you can relieve the most devoted and powerful Ascetics, this is one of the
a number of levels of exhaustion equal to your proficiency few ways to access information about the pre-apocalypse.
bonus from creatures within 30 feet of you, taking them Here are some examples of the benefits an Ascetic cleric
on yourself. The levels of exhaustion that you relieve may might receive from a vision using this feature:
be from one creature or several, but the total you relieve
with this action cannot exceed your proficiency bonus.
■ You learn a spell not on the cleric list, which is
Alternatively, as an action, you can inflict a number of now a cleric spell for you.
levels of your own exhaustion equal to half your profi- ■ You are able to cast any single spell of your
ciency bonus (rounded down) onto one or more creatures choosing with no material components once per
you can see within 30 feet of you, ridding yourself of the day without expending a spell slot.
same number of levels of exhaustion. The levels of exhaus-
tion you lose may be inflicted onto one creature or several, ■ You can ask the GM a number of questions
but the total you inflict with this action cannot exceed half equal to the number of levels of exhaustion you
your proficiency bonus (rounded down). When you do currently have and receive a truthful, though
this, a targeted creature must succeed on a Constitution perhaps cryptic, answer.
saving throw or take on your levels of exhaustion. If the
creature succeeds on the saving throw, you retain the lev-
els of exhaustion you were attempting to inflict on that Druid
creature. Druids adapt to the harsh conditions of the wastes with
ease, making them the ultimate survivalists in a posta-
COMFORT IN DISCOMFORT pocalyptic wasteland. Their magical abilities and spells
Starting at 6th level, you have advantage on saving throws give them an array of options to deal with harsh weather,
made to resist gaining levels of exhaustion imposed by hazardous environments, monstrous inhabitants, and
lack of food, water, or rest. other wastelanders. They thrive due to their connection
If you are using the variant survival rules for the com- with the land and can easily share the benefits of their
fortable condition,6 you no longer require comfort to gain power with others.
the benefits of a long rest. Druids make excellent leaders, especially for those
communities dedicated to restoring the land to its pre-
POTENT SPELLCASTING apocalyptic state. They serve a dual spiritual-political
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the role by coordinating restoration efforts, passing along
damage you deal with any cleric cantrip. knowledge vital for surviving the wastes, and ensuring
their communities are a place of shelter and respite. Some
6 . See the “Variant Survival Rules” section of chapter 3 on p. 102 for of these communities become quasi-religious orders as
information on the comfortable condition and how it affects taking a
long rest in the wastelands.
the populace work toward environmental and communal
harmony necessary to prosper in the wasteland. In other

CHAPTER ONE • character options

36 weird waStelandS
settlements, druids might simply serve as re- Spirits of nature call out to these druids with de- Hi! Jim here. I’ll come out
spected advisors or teachers, letting others take mands for vengeance. As these tortured few listen and say it—I miss playing
the lead in guiding the community. In any case, to the anguished cries of the primordial world, shillelagh-wielding melee
druids. Oh sure, turning
the power of a druid’s primordial magic is an as- they use extreme acts of asceticism and morti-
into some ferocious beast
set for defense and prosperity. fication of the flesh to turn their connection to is great and all, but I look
Still other druids choose a life of solitude in the land into means to channel the fury of the at shillelagh sitting all
the wastes. For some, this isolation is a matter of perishing lands around them. A primordial fury by its lonesome on that
spiritual purification. Self-reliance is paramount overtakes them, and they venture forth into the cantrip list and I long for
to them, and they live simple lives of survival wastes to seek justice for the dying land. a melee druid subclass
that isn’t covered in
and contemplation. Other druids choose the
gross fungus. The Circle
loner’s life to avoid power struggles and warfare. new druid subclass: of the Broken Land has
These hermitic druids are aware of the value of
their primordial magic and do not want to risk
circle of the broken land its thematic foundations
set firmly in my love
harming others by becoming a target for merci- Circle of the Broken Land druids channel the of postapocalyptic
less warlords. primordial fury of the dying earth to act as na- survival stories, but its
mechanical heart comes
Finally, there are those druids who seek a life ture’s avengers against those who would further
from a desire to see more
of solitude because the pain of ruin runs too deep harm the land. They are inured to hardship by badass druid warriors
within them. Their connection to the land is not a life of wasteland survival, using their connec- fighting monsters with
a source of comfort, but an ever-festering wound. tion to nature’s primal power to overcome the magic-infused beat sticks.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 37
 limits of what other mortals can endure. Their At higher levels, you can choose additional
deep connection to the dying earth gives them a benefits when you enter your primordial fury.
wellspring of spiritual pain from which to draw You may choose two benefits at 6th level, choose
power that druids of the Broken Land use to three benefits at 10th level, and gain all four
hone their fighting skills. benefits at 14th level.
Unlike those druids of the wastes who seek to
restore nature’s balance and heal the land, Circle SURVIVALIST’S CUNNING
of the Broken Land druids seek out those who At 2nd level, whenever you make a Wisdom
destroyed it in the first place to punish them for (Survival) check, you can roll a d4 and add the
their careless and destructive acts. When not number rolled to the result. The bonus die in-
waging a war of revenge, they live solitary lives creases to a d6 at 6th level, a d8 at 10th level, and
of ascetic contemplation and communion with a d10 at 14th level.
dying primordial spirits.
ELEMENTAL SCOURING
Starting at 6th level, the rage of the dying world
CIRCLE OF THE BROKEN LAND flows through you to bring its wrath upon your
FEATURES enemies. When you hit a creature with a melee
DRUID weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to
FEATURE deal acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder dam-
LEVEL
age to the target (your choice) in addition to the
2nd Primordial Fury, Survivalist’s Cunning weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a
1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level
Elemental Scouring, Primordial
6th higher than 1st.
Fury (2), Survivalist’s Cunning (2)

Wasteland Survivor, Primordial WASTELAND SURVIVOR

With Wasteland 10th When you reach 10th level, as part of a short or
Fury (3), Survivalist’s Cunning (3)
Survivor, the long rest, you may perform a 1-hour ceremony
mechanical benefits are Wasteland Avenger, Primordial to harmonize yourself with the wasteland’s
powerful but limited— 14th
Fury (4), Survivalist’s Cunning (4) harsh conditions. You can choose a number of
the perfect ability if
you have a stretch creatures equal to your proficiency bonus to join
of nasty, scorching the ceremony to gain the benefits as well.
badlands to cross—and
PRIMORDIAL FURY At the end of the hour, you and any parti-
the narrative elements Starting at 2nd level, you can enter a trance of cipants in the ceremony gain the following
invite questions about primordial fury. As a bonus action, you can ex- benefits for the next 8 hours while not wearing
how the benefits pend one use of Wild Shape to enter this trance.
manifest. What goes
heavy armor:
When you enter your primordial fury, choose
on in the ceremony? one of the following benefits: ■ As an action, you may spend one of
What does it look like your Hit Dice to remove one level of
to become attuned to ■ You gain a bonus to your AC equal to
the wasteland? Is there
exhaustion from yourself.
your proficiency bonus.
something about the ■ You can safely consume sand, gravel, or
ceremony that explains ■ As a bonus action on each of your dirt in place of normal food and water.
the 24-hour limit? What turns, you can make a single attack
do others think of your with a melee weapon you are holding. ■ Nonmagical difficult terrain does not
character eating dirt? slow your travel.
These questions prompt You may cast shillelagh as part of this
the player to consider bonus action. ■ You ignore the effects of extreme heat
the environment and and extreme cold.
■ You gain resistance to bludgeoning,
their character’s place
in it, opening the way piercing, and slashing damage. Once you use this ability, you cannot perform
for more engaging the ritual again for 24 hours.
■ You gain proficiency in Strength and
exploration play.
Constitution ability checks and saving
WASTELAND AVENGER
throws.
Starting at 14th level, whenever you are in your
Your primordial fury lasts for 1 minute, until primordial fury and roll damage against a single
you use your Wild Shape again, or until you are target with an attack or spell, add an additional
incapacitated. You can also end your fury at any 1d8 damage to your roll.
time (no action required).

CHAPTER ONE • character options

38 weird waStelandS
fighter Armies are rare in the wastelands, and groups seldom
train as large units. Those few that do have a fighter lead-
Fighting is something every wastelander must do every day ing the charge. Tactics that favor speed, mobility, and
of their lives, and there is a place for all kinds of fighters in subterfuge are common. Those heroes strong enough to
the wastes. They may do it for sport, honor, or maybe to fight in the open are sentinels for their more vulnerable
perfect their mastery of battle. They must always remem- compatriots, and a battle featuring two skilled fighters
ber why they fight or fall victim to their lack of integrity may well be won or lost by combat between only them.
and fight mindlessly...and then it’s time to multiclass.
Fighters are perhaps the most common class in the new fighter subclass:
wastelands—after all, there’s always someone to fight
here. Organized martial disciplines may be few and far be-
reaver martial archetype7
tween, but every village has their own special style, taught Reavers are not to be trifled with. They can overwhelm
through generations as soon as young ones can walk and you, and when you start running, they will catch you. A
perfected in regular battles for survival. reaver lives a hard life in the wastelands, but they wouldn’t
have it any other way. They use mobility as their strength,
moving fast and striking hard. Few can match their knowl-
edge of war wagons and their capabilities.
A reaver can be a driver of a war wagon that gives chase,
or they can take on more of a support role, leaping onto
vehicles to end the chase. They can fight, repair, or run
better than most in the wastelands. Reavers are the ones
who take what they can to live another day in an environ-
ment that will finish all but the heartiest adventurers.

REAVER MARTIAL ARCHETYPE

FEATURES
FIGHTER FEATURE
LEVEL

Pedal to the Mettle, Hell on Wheels,

3rd
Speed Kills

7th Gone in Six Seconds

10th Going the Distance
15th Witness Me
18th Walk Hard

PEDAL TO THE METTLE

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain pro-
ficiency in either Athletics or Intimidation. Alternatively,
you gain proficiency with the mechanic’s kit8 or vehicles
(land).

7. The reaver is very much based on the Mad Max series, so having a
more expansive battlefield is where this subclass shines. Dealing with
vehicles and larger areas can mean using more theater of the mind,
which means keeping distances easy to deal with, so don’t get too
specific with them. Keep distances in terms of move actions: 30 feet,
60 feet, or 120 feet. This subclass can move a lot, especially if your
player chooses the Skirmisher fighting style and the Mobile feat. Also,
if a caster bestows haste on them…wow. They will be able to keep up
with some vehicles, and that’s okay. This is a fantasy postapocalypse.
Have fun with it.
8. See the “Survival Gear” section of chapter 2 on p. 82 for information
on the mechanic’s kit and how it’s used to repair various machines.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 39
 HELL ON WHEELS WALK HARD
At 3rd level, you have lived your life around Starting at 18th level, you have been everywhere
vehicles and know all the ins and outs of them, and seen it all, and this has given you unmatched
literally. You have advantage on saving throws to endurance. Whenever you use your Second
avoid falling off a vehicle. If you fall off a vehicle Wind ability, you may also remove a level of
and descend no more than 10 feet, you can land exhaustion.
on your feet if you’re not incapacitated.
Additionally, mounting or dismounting a ve-
hicle costs you only 5 feet of movement rather
optional class feature
than half your speed. FIGHTING STYLE OPTION:
SKIRMISHER
SPEED KILLS When you wear light or no armor, you gain +5
This seems like a lot At 3rd level, you know that war wagons don’t feet to your base movement speed and can stand
for a subclass, but it is
comparable with (and
slow down for anyone, so you’ve learned to up from prone by expending only 5 feet of move-
obviously inspired by) attack even when you’re moving fast, and you ment rather than half your movement.
the Cavalier from XGE. know how to use momentum to increase the
There isn’t a limitation
on the total number of
times a reaver can use
impact of your attacks. When you use your ac-
tion to Dash, you may use your bonus action to monk
make one weapon attack. While not all the old ways survived the apoca-
this ability because
movement is the Also, when you successfully hit with a melee lypse that cast its shadow over the wastelands,
limitation. If a player is weapon on your turn, you may add bonus dam- many were still passed down. True masters open
inventive in how they age to the melee weapon attack. This bonus their hearts as well as their hands when new
use their movement, damage is 1 per 10 feet moved toward the target students present themselves, because otherwise
that’s great, but don’t during that turn. You may only use this feature these fighting styles would go the way of the
let them spam this once per turn. long death. Drink deep the wisdom of the mas-
ability. If a player runs
40 feet away from a ters, for they will show you the way.
target only to Dash GONE IN SIX SECONDS Like rangers, fighters, and barbarians, monks
40 feet back toward Starting at 7th level, you know how to navigate are relatively common in the wastelands. Some
the target, that’s only combat better than most, using every trick at are itinerant, traveling the wastes as comets tra-
a +4 to their damage, your disposal to get the job done. You can take verse a galaxy, off on their own path to do what
not +8, because this
the Disengage or Use an Object action as a bo- they will and seek out their own enlightenment.
ability is about using
momentum. nus action on each of your turns. Others act as bodyguards to the powerful or
worthy—a combatant with speed, skill, and the
This subclass is a GOING THE DISTANCE ability to fight without any expensive, special-
potent one, but the
wastelands are a
When you reach 10th level, you are no stranger ized equipment is always in high demand. Some
potent environment. to running through the wastelands. Whether it’s villages may have their own masters and tradi-
If you’re using all the catching up to prey or returning home when a tions, and, as fighters, may train young monks
options from this book, war wagon breaks down, you have the where- in their own styles.
this class will feel withal to see it through.
just right. The monk
has always been my
You gain advantage on Constitution ability new monk subclass:
favorite class because checks and saving throws. Additionally, you gain
+10 feet to your base movement speed.
way of the wanderer
martial arts have been
a big part of my life, A lone wanderer staggers into town, surviving the
from watching samurai WITNESS ME vast wastes when they should be dead. A tower-
and wuxia movies to At 15th level, your exploits bring out the best in ing monk steps in to defend a bullied shop vendor
learning and eventually
your allies, pushing them to greater accomplish- being extorted by a local gang. A former student
teaching Tae Kwon Do.
Be sure to challenge ments than even they knew they were capable stands over the body of their now dead master,
your monk players not of. Whenever you add damage to an attack via angered that their teacher would not share the
just with their martial your Speed Kills feature, any ally who sees the final secrets of their order, and now they must
prowess but with the attack can immediately use their reaction to search the world for these lost techniques.
moral implications move up to their walking speed. This movement The Way of the Wanderer can be a lonely one,
of their actions. Part
doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. but it is always exciting. The wanderer knows
of learning to fight is
learning when not to, so that strength is the key, but how that strength is
make sure to reinforce achieved and used is up to each monk. Will the
that point. wanderer adopt the age-old philosophy of “might

CHAPTER ONE • character options

40 weird waStelandS
makes right,” or will they use their strength to We considered allowing
lift others up? Either way, monks who walk this this subclass to use
path strive to be the strongest in the land. But Strength in place of
Wisdom for calculating
what does that mean in the end? Is it worth it to the monk’s DC, but we
achieve unlimited power? What happens when thought it was too potent
there are no more challenges to best? and too dependent on
a single attribute. If you
feel it’s okay for your
WAY OF THE WANDERER table though, go for it.
FEATURES
MONK LEVEL FEATURE

3rd Scales of Might, Iron Fists

6th Stone Bones

11th True Grit

17th ONE PUNCH!

SCALES OF MIGHT
At 3rd level, you have worked to toughen your
skin to rival the strongest armor, natural or
otherwise. You may use your Strength instead
of Dexterity when calculating your Unarmored
Defense. Your AC equals 10 + your Strength
modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

IRON FISTS
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd
level, your strikes rain like a blacksmith’s ham-
mer, molding your target into any shape you de-
sire. Your Martial Arts die is increased to a d6 and
follows the same progression with the increased
die size: d8 at 5th, d10 at 11th, and d12 at 17th.

STONE BONES
At 6th level, you have worked to make your body
unbreakable, allowing you to turn your defense
into offense and deal extra damage to inanimate Attacking someone’s
objects. When you are hit with a melee attack, attack is a great
defense but can lead to
you can use your reaction to reduce the damage weariness. Flood your
dealt by spending 1 ki point to roll two Martial players with attacks if
Arts dice plus your Strength modifier. In addi- TRUE GRIT you want to drain their
tion, you may spend 1 or 2 more ki points and By 11th level, you have the kind of determina- ki, or attack them with a
add one Martial Arts die per ki point spent, mak- tion that makes lesser foes tremble, losing their huge monster just to see
if they can block it. This
ing the maximum you may spend for this reac- nerve and any upper hand they might have had.
should lead to some
tion 3 ki points in total. The amount of damage You gain the following benefits: epic battles. Also, look
you roll is subtracted from the initial damage up the Kung Fu training
■ You gain proficiency in Constitution ability
total, and you take any damage not negated. If this is based on, called
checks and saving throws. Stone Bone or Iron Bone
your roll is higher than the damage dealt to you,
the creature that dealt the damage takes damage ■ Any damage type you deal using monk training. It’s nuts, but
it also gives you and
equal to the difference. weapons or unarmed strikes ignores
your players an idea
Additionally, you deal double damage to unat- damage resistance, and a creature’s of their daily regimen
tended inanimate objects. immunity to this damage is treated as to achieve this level of
resistance instead. bodily perfection.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 41
 ONE PUNCH! Pledging one’s service for life is perhaps the
This seems awfully When you reach 17th level, you have honed your rarest form of altruism in the wasteland because
powerful, but it deals body to be a conduit for the might of your ki, al- so few are able to commit themselves fully to
less damage than lowing you to deliver a single devastating punch. anything other than survival. In so doing, pala-
meteor swarm and only
affects one creature, so
If you hit with an unarmed strike, you may use dins show that they often have privilege of some
let your monk go all out your bonus action to spend ki points to add an sort, or at the very least a great deal of good
with this Serious Punch. equal number of Martial Arts dice to the damage fortune to both be in a position to give them-
(If you haven’t watched roll for the attack. You may only use this feature selves over to an ideal and also find someone or
One Punch Man yet, once per short rest unless you slay your foe. If something that is able to accept them. Many a
though, pause your you defeat your foe with your ONE PUNCH!, it warlock once aspired to be paladin but accepted
game and go do that.)
is immediately available for use. If you spend the a different sort of offer from a different sort of
last of your ki points to defeat an opponent with being instead.
your ONE PUNCH!, you immediately regain 5
ki points. new paladin subclass:
oath of pilgrimage
paladin The Oath of Pilgrimage is a vow to seek out,
Paladins of many oaths may exist in the Weird create, and protect sites of holiness, goodness,
Wastelands, though there are few religious and truth. Where evil seeks to snuff out refuge,
orders to which they can avow themselves. As Oath of Pilgrimage paladins stand to defend
such, oaths are more spiritual than religious in it. When displaced peoples seek a place to call
these lands. They may be taken up by anyone home, these paladins help them find it. When
with fervent conviction to any suitably powerful places of divinity have been lost, these paladins
being, organization, or cause. rediscover them. When travelers on spiritual
journeys require safety, these paladins provide
it. They sacrifice their own safety and a place
to call home so others may have the chance at a
lasting sanctuary.9
Paladins who take the Oath of Pilgrimage
in the Weird Wastelands may have a variety
of missions. Some believe fervently that there
are significant sites that have been lost, the
discovery of which would benefit the people
of the wastes. Others believe no such locations
exist and seek to create new places of mean-
ing or gathering. Some protect paths between
settlements and curiosities and may act as mes-
sengers. Still others travel the wastes in search
of people on important journeys who could use
their aid.

9 . In some ways, the paladin is one of the tougher

subclasses to include in Weird Wastelands, as they’re
generally tied to an organization (something there
isn’t a lot of in this type of place) and spiritual ideals
(something which is at best tricky to stick to and
at worst really messes with the tone of this type of
game). Initially, we were going to go with a more
nefarious and power-hungry oath, but we settled on
this one instead. It’s easy to see the word “pilgrim”
and think of the Mayflower, but this paladin is much
more like a Knight Hospitaler—a helper, an enabler
of journeys, and a protector of destinations. These
sorts of helpers are essential and are more common
than you’d think in the real world. They’re often
overlooked, but they’re most definitely worthy of a
place in any setting or game.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

42 weird waStelandS
TENETS OF PILGRIMAGE space within 30 feet of you, and it can’t take reactions. For
Journey. For you, the journey is more important than the its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape
destination. Honor it, protect the ability of others to do so, from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s no-
and seek journeys out where they are least expected. where to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
Consecrate. The places that the world has forsaken
have goodness in them yet. Seek them out, nurture them, AURA OF SUREFOOTEDNESS
and see them flourish. At 7th level, you emit an aura of stability while you aren’t
Connect. The bonds between people are the bedrock of incapacitated. When this aura is in place, you can ignore
holiness. Forge connections between peoples and honor the effects of difficult terrain and are immune to the prone
the right of all to have a safe or sacred home. condition. You and any creatures you choose within 10
feet of you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
At 18th level, this aura increases to 30 feet, and other
OATH OF PILGRIMAGE FEATURES
creatures you choose in the aura can also ignore the effects
PALADIN LEVEL FEATURE of difficult terrain.

3rd Oath Spells, Channel Divinity HOSPITALITY

7th Aura of Surefootedness
When you reach 15th level, you have everlasting comfort.
You may make the area within 30 feet of the point where
15th Hospitality you finish a short or long rest hallowed ground. Celestials,
elementals, fey, fiends, and undead can’t enter the area,
20th Divine Sojourn
nor can such creatures charm, frighten, or possess crea-
tures within it. Any creature charmed, frightened, or pos-
OATH SPELLS sessed by such a creature is no longer charmed, frightened,
You gain oath spells at the paladin level listed. or possessed upon entering the area. This effect lasts in the
area until you complete a short or long rest somewhere
OATH OF PILGRIMAGE SPELLS else. If you complete seven long rests in the same hallowed
area, this effect lasts until it is dispelled. Additionally, you
PALADIN LEVEL SPELL may remove from yourself up to two levels of exhaustion
per long rest spent in the hallowed area, and you don’t
3rd longstrider, sanctuary
require comfort10 to gain the benefits of a long rest.
5th aid, rope trick
DIVINE SOJOURN
9th beacon of hope, water walk At 20th level, unseen spirits protect you and your allies to
freedom of movement,
ensure you continue your journey. When you use a bonus
13th action to activate this ability, you gain the following ben-
guardian of faith
efits for 1 hour as long as you are not incapacitated.
17th passwall, teleportation circle ■ You and your allies have advantage on Constitution
saving throws.
CHANNEL DIVINITY ■ You and your allies have resistance to one of the
When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the follow- following damage types of your choice: acid, cold,
ing two Channel Divinity options. fire, lightning, or thunder.
Word of Comfort. Immediately after a creature within
30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to ■ You and your allies gain a flying speed of 300 feet per
use your Lay on Hands ability on that creature, even if you round in combat or up to 300 miles if you are in a
are too far away to touch them. wilderness round.11
Turn the Offender. As an action, you can target any at- Once you use this ability, you cannot do so again until
tacker with a non-good alignment within 30 feet of you you complete a long rest.
that has dealt damage with an attack in the last turn and
force it to attempt a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature 10 . See the “Variant Survival Rules” section of chapter 3 on p. 102 for
fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it information on the comfortable condition and how it affects taking a
takes damage. long rest in the wastelands.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move 11. For an explanation of wilderness rounds and how to implement them
in your game, see the “Turn-based Exploration” section in chapter 3
as far away from you as it can, it can’t willingly move to a on p. 124.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 43
 ranger
Many rangers work as guides, hunters (of animals, mon-
sters, and people), or simply survivalists. They band to-
gether into cadres of protectors and guardians keeping the
wilderness where it belongs—in the wild.
Many rangers form hunting lodges to share trade secrets
and trails to help each other thrive. Some rangers prefer
the solitude of the wastelands, knowing their abilities are
all they need to keep themselves alive.

new ranger subclass:

scavenger archetype
Scavengers delve into ruins and wrecks looking for scrap—
salvageable materials, arcanotech fragments, and other
useful objects. They repurpose the castoffs of past ages,
forging their own futures. They understand that scrap
doesn’t exist for lack of purpose but lack of imagination.
Scavengers know how to repair the objects they find and
quickly assemble what they need out of nearby items. They
learn to craft weapons and armor, and some even make
a living selling their cobbled-together wares. Scavengers
can’t help but tinker and build, making them a helpful ad-
dition to any party.

SCAVENGER ARCHETYPE FEATURES

RANGER LEVEL FEATURE ELBOW GREASE
At 3rd level, you know how to quickly craft what you
Scavenger Technomagic, need from scrounged items. As part of a short or long rest,
3rd
Elbow Grease, Bounty of the Wastes you can use an appropriate set of artisan’s tools to gather
7th Armed and Rangerous materials from a Small or larger construct, vehicle, or pile
of scrap materials12 to create one nonmagical item from
11th Smithing Rank 100 the Adventuring Gear table13 worth less than 10 gp. This
15th By My Own Hands requires double the amount of scrap in weight of the item
you are creating.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in tinker’s tools, smith’s
SCAVENGER TECHNOMAGIC tools, and one other type of artisan’s tools of your choice.
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you
reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Scavenger BOUNTY OF THE WASTES
Spells table. The spells count as ranger spells for you, but Starting at 3rd level, when you forage or gather resources,
they don’t count against the number of ranger spells you you gain double the amount of food, water, or scrap
know. materials.
When you reach 11th level in this class, you gain advan-
SCAVENGER SPELLS tage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to find food, water, and
RANGER LEVEL SPELL scrap materials.

3rd floating disk ARMED AND RANGEROUS

5th locate object
At 7th level, you can craft the exact weapon you need for
any occasion. The list of items you can craft with Elbow
9th speak with dead Grease expands to include tools that you are proficient
13th secret chest 12. See “Scrounging for Scrap” in chapter 3 on p. 128 for more info.
17th passwall 13. The Adventuring Gear table can be found in the core rules
(see chapter 5 of the PHB).

CHAPTER ONE • character options

44 weird waStelandS
with as well as simple and martial weapons, and
the value limit increases to 50 gp. When you hit
with a weapon you have crafted, you add your
proficiency bonus to the damage dealt.

SMITHING RANK 100

At 11th level, your crafting reaches new levels
with both weapons and now armor. You treat the
weapons you craft as magical for the purposes
of overcoming resistance. The list of items you
can craft with Elbow Grease expands to include
armor, and the value limit increases to 100 gp.

BY MY OWN HANDS
Starting at 15th level, you gain better func-
tionality with your crafted items. When you
take the Attack action with a weapon you have
crafted, you can immediately use your bonus ac-
tion to make another attack with that weapon.
Alternatively, you may immediately use your
bonus action to take the Use an Object action to
use an item you have crafted.

optional class feature

WASTELAND EXPLORER
1st-level ranger feature, which replaces
the Natural Explorer feature
You are particularly adept at surviving the harsh
environments of the wasteland. Your proficien-
cy bonus is doubled for any Wisdom (Survival)
checks you make related to traveling or surviv-
ing in the wasteland.
Additionally, when you spend one week in a What counts as a
distinct region of the wasteland, you gain the “distinct region” is
following benefits: up to the GM, but a
particular desert, a
■ You double your proficiency bonus canyon complex, or a
stretch of wasteland

rogue
when you attempt an Intelligence or
between settlements
Wisdom ability check related to the
would work. It comes
region. down to terrain, rock
While there are rogues throughout the waste-
lands, not all have the physical skillset to be an formations, and the
■ When you forage for food, you can unmapped borders
gather food for one more person than Enforcer. Either way, being able to scale ruins or
between them.
you otherwise could. read the intentions of others are skills for which
many warlords are willing to pay their weight in
■ When traveling alone, you may travel an water.
extra hex per wilderness round and can Where scarcity lives, thieves thrive, and no
move stealthily at a normal travel pace. place is scarcer than the Weird Wastelands. All
■ You do not need the comfort of a raiders, all delvers, and all bands of miscreants,
campsite to gain the full benefits of rest liars, and bullies benefit from having a skilled
while in the wilderness. rogue in their retinue. Rogues abound, and their
abilities are up for sale to whomever can pay…
■ You have advantage on any ability unless the rogue would rather steal from the
checks made to avoid becoming lost due perspective client, but that’s another adventure
to terrain features and natural hazards. all together.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 45
 new rogue subclass: or an ally within 5 feet of your target to use your
enforcer roguish Sneak Attack or your Sapping Strength, and you
archetype may also attempt to Sneak Attack a creature you
are grappled with.
The Enforcer is whispered about by their prey
and bystanders alike. They combine stealth DOORMAN14
and strength to become a terror of shadows. At 9th level, your work on watch—whether to
The Enforcer is sent to retrieve targets that do protect or to plan a heist—has sharpened your
not want to come willingly but need to be taken senses. While you are conscious and remain in
alive. They have a keen eye for guarding strong- the same space for at least 1 minute, you gain
holds (or bars), and they are merciless if you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
cross them.
Most rogues don’t want to stay in melee for SHADOW STRIDE
long, but Enforcers live in melee. They seek it Starting at 13th level, you have worked so long
out and put it in a chokehold. The Enforcer is in dark places that you expertly combine your
built differently, and most thieves guilds know strength and grace as you move through the
exactly how put that build to good use. Enforcers shadows. While hidden, you can add 10 feet to
are the first, and often the only, defense needed. your movement speed.
Whether you need to attack a rival guild or crack You also count as one size larger when calcu-
some heads, just call on an Enforcer. lating your carrying capacity and the weight you
can push, drag, or lift.
ENFORCER ROGUISH
ARCHETYPE FEATURES LEVERAGED POSITION
When you reach 17th level, you know how best
ROGUE to use your strength and position yourself in
FEATURE
LEVEL combat. A target grappled by you is considered
restrained. Additionally, your attacks against
3rd Sapping Strength, Breaking Bad grappled opponents score a critical hit on a roll
9th Doorman of 19 or 20.

sorcerer
13th Shadow Stride

17th Leveraged Position

Since magic is part of the land in the wastelands,
it’s no surprise that powers would be awakened
Pruitt here. This ability
gives the Enforcer
SAPPING STRENGTH within more people. Sorcerers of all types exist
access to imposing the Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Sneak in the Weird Wastelands and are perhaps even
stunned condition, but it Attack with weapons with the light property more common here than in traditional fantasy
comes at a heavy price: that deal bludgeoning damage (such as a club, settings. But none are considered as tied to this
your Sneak Attack light hammer, or an unarmed attack). place as sorcerers of the Sun-hollowed Soul, and
damage and your Additionally, you may attempt to take an none are given a wider berth. The sun often un-
reaction. Even then,
the target could still opponent down without too much harm. You leashes its power with too much fury, and one
succeed on the saving must have advantage on the attack roll against can never be sure when it will strike. The same
throw, negating all that the creature, and the creature can’t have taken is assumed of a Sun-hollowed sorcerer.
sacrifice. I don’t believe its turn in combat yet. If the attack hits, you Sorcery is typically considered a blessing in the
this is OP. I do believe may forgo your normal Sneak Attack damage Weird Wastelands, even if its origin is nefarious.
one should look at the
to attempt to stun the target. The target must Its unique and wondrous strength reflects the
Tavern Brawler feat,
if those options are succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be nature of magic in the environment. To have a
being utilized, and think stunned until the end of your next turn. The sorcerer in your village is a boon…until it’s not,
of all the enhanced DC for the save is 8 + your proficiency bonus of course. Some sorcerers with powers that are
possibilities, especially + your Strength modifier. difficult to explain in the present state of the
how it would tether
the first two Enforcer
abilities together.
BREAKING BAD 14 . This is a specific use of Wisdom (Perception) checks, so
don’t let your players exploit it by saying after the fact,
*taps temple with When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, “My character is always on watch.” Weird Wastelands is
index finger* Just you learn to twist joints and manipulate oppo- a game of mechanics, and this is a thematic one. All they
think about it. nents in combat. You no longer need advantage need to say in game is, “I’m on watch.” – Pruitt

CHAPTER ONE • character options

46 weird waStelandS
world may have had their powers passed down directly Perhaps you or one of your ancestors found yourself
from pre-apocalyptic sources. Were powers such as theirs caught under the sun’s gaze too long, and it hollowed out
responsible for the downfall of the previous civilization? a place for itself in you or someone in your family. Its scin-
Only the dead know. tillating rays changed you on a base level and allow you to
harness the damaging power of the sun.
new sorcerer subclass:
sun-hollowed soul SUN-HOLLOWED SPELLS
sorcerous origin SORCERER LEVEL SPELLS15
The angry sun has baked its power into you. In so doing,
1st gamma burst*, guiding bolt
what of you was burned away? You possess the ability to
parch your enemies, poison them with cosmic rays, and 3rd heat metal, sun greeting*
shine as brilliantly as that hateful orb itself. Will your radi-
ance help repair the land, or will it be yet another malig- 5th hollowed husk*, hypnotic pattern
nance that scourges it? 7th blight, wall of fire

9th contagion, flame strike

SUN-HOLLOWED SOUL SORCEROUS

ORIGIN FEATURES
SORCERER LEVEL FEATURE
1st The Sun Shines Eternal

6th Sun-Baked, Scorched Resilience

14th Corona

18th Supernova

THE SUN SHINES ETERNAL

At 1st level, you gain the following benefits granted to you
by the power of the dying sun:
■ Any time you cast a spell that deals radiant
damage or produces light, it is considered
sunlight.
■ Whenever you spend 1 or more sorcery points
to create an effect, you can choose to make your
skin glow with a yellow luminosity that creates
bright light in a 30-foot radius around you for
1 minute. This light dispels magical darkness.
■ You can spend 2 sorcery points when you cast a
spell of 1st level or higher that deals acid, cold,
fire, lightning, or necrotic damage to change its
damage type to radiant.

SUN-BAKED
At 6th level, if you’ve spent at least 1 hour in the past 24
hours in direct sunlight, you may spend one of your Hit
Dice to regain sorcery points. Roll one Hit Die with no

15. Spells marked with an asterisk can be found in the

“Spell Descriptions” section at the end of this chapter.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 47
 modifier and add the result to your pool of sorcery points.
You regain this ability when you finish a long rest.

SCORCHED RESILIENCE
At 6th level, you are resistant to radiant damage like the
burning star above. When you cast a spell using radiant
damage, you may spend 1 sorcery point to make yourself
flash with a burst of radiance so bright that one creature
of your choice within 30 feet of you that can see you must
succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until
the end of your next turn. You may use this ability once
per long rest.

CORONA
At 14th level, the power of the sun can surround you. As a
bonus action, you can spend 2 sorcery points to emanate
radiant energy. When a creature moves within 10 feet of
you for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the
creature takes 3d8 radiant damage and must succeed on a
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for as long
as it remains within 10 feet of you. You ignore all negative
effects imposed by heat16 while this ability is active. This
ability lasts for 1 minute or until you choose to end it as a
bonus action.

SUPERNOVA
At 18th level, you can use an action to call upon the sun to
transform you into light itself. While in this form, you gain
the following benefits:
■ As a bonus action, you can teleport up to
120 feet to any unoccupied space you can see.
■ The range of any spell you cast that deals
radiant damage extends to 300 feet as long as
you can see your target. warlock
If you aren’t born with innate magical abilities, there are
■ You are able to pass through solid objects and few ways in the wastes to gain power outside of making
creatures. a pact with a powerful being. There are many entities
■ You have resistance to all damage except force capable of granting magic here, and even more people
and psychic damage. willing to make a deal with such beings to ensure their
survival, even if it means furthering the agenda of a nefari-
This ability lasts for up to 1 minute, and you may ous creature.
dismiss it at any time. When the effect ends, you must Warlocks of the Apocalypse are uncommon, as the forces
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or ex- who caused it do not often openly announce themselves,
plode in a supernova of radiant energy, causing 20d6 fire either because their presence is limited or for fear of being
damage and 20d6 radiant damage in a 60-foot-radius overcome by the many groups who would band together
sphere centered on you. You die instantly and return to to snuff them out at the soonest opportunity.
life the following dawn. You return with all the equip-
ment you were wearing and carrying when you activated new warlock subclass:
the ability, and you return as though you had finished a
long rest. Once you use this action, you can’t use it again apocalypse otherworldly
for 10 days. patron
16. See the “Heat and Wind in the Wastes” section of chapter 3 on p. 118
The forces that caused the apocalypse may be dead, but
for more information on heat levels and their effects on creatures. they are not gone. They seek a connection to the present,
and they have found one in you. Your patron has imbued

CHAPTER ONE • character options

48 weird waStelandS
you with the only kind of power they know: EXPANDED SPELL LIST Even though the intent
that which caused the world to transform into When you first choose this patron, you choose of this book is gaming
what it is now. Perhaps your patron is a power- what type of apocalyptic pact they represent: in the postapocalypse,
there are some people
ful and long dead archwizard who has forged a disaster, pollution, ruin, or despair. Your patron (myself included)
connection with you to divine the result of their allows you to choose from an expanded list of for whom the murky
actions and find the cause of the disaster they spells associated with their apocalyptic pact conditions of the
were helpless to avert. Maybe your patron is a when you learn a warlock spell. The following apocalypse itself is
darker force, a powerful entity with an interest in spells are added to the warlock spell list for you, too tantalizing a secret
completing their unfinished destruction of the depending on which pact you select. to leave alone. This
subclass is for my fellow
world. Or perhaps your patron is the very magic curious gamers. – Emma
that plagues this land, concentrated enough to POWERED BY THE APOCALYPSE
gain sentience and seek out an avatar. Your pa- At 1st level, your patron gives you a memento of
tron could even be a powerful psychic force that the apocalypse that contains a tiny remnant of
feeds off the painful despair caused by the great its destructive power. This memento is a Tiny
upheaval, and they’re getting hungry. object, and you can use it as a spellcasting focus
Whatever your patron is, it has ties to what for your warlock spells. You may roll on the Patron
came before and an interest in what happens Memento table to determine your object or choose
next. To aid you in your adventures, your patron it yourself. If your memento is lost or destroyed,
grants you magic imbued with treacherously you may summon your memento in a ritual that
apocalyptic energy along with powers to protect takes 1 hour during a short or long rest. The previ-
yourself from some of its effects and explore ous version of your memento is destroyed when
and report back on the dark and undisturbed a new one is created. When you touch your me-
corners of the Weird Wastelands. mento, you can use it in the following ways.

Apocalyptic Protection
APOCALYPSE OTHERWORLDLY If you fail a saving throw versus any environmen-
PATRON FEATURES tal effect, you may add an additional 1d4 to your
WARLOCK roll, possibly changing your failure into a success.
FEATURES
LEVEL
Expanded Spell List, Seed of Annihilation
1st Once during each of your turns when you cast
Powered by the Apocalypse
a spell that deals damage, you may deal an ad-
6th Catastrophic Induction
ditional 1d8 necrotic damage to a single target.
10th Resurrected History You may use this ability a number of times equal
to your proficiency bonus. You regain these uses
14th Summon Cataclysm
whenever you finish a short or long rest.

WARLOCK SPELLS BY APOCALYPTIC PACT

SPELL DISASTER PACT POLLUTION PACT RUIN PACT DESPAIR PACT
LEVEL

bane, create or inflict wounds, fog cloud, bane,

1st
destroy water purify food and drink identify heroism

gust of wind, lesser restoration, gentle repose, calm emotions,

2nd
spike growth protection from poison shatter ray of enfeeblement

plant growth, animate dead, beacon of hope,

3rd call lightning
stinking cloud dispel magic fear

control water, confusion, phantasmal killer,

4th blight, death ward
hallucinatory terrain fabricate private sanctum

flame strike, commune with nature, antilife shell, dominate person,

5th
insect plague contagion creation modify memory

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 49
 RESURRECTED HISTORY
PATRON MEMENTO At 10th level, your patron can tell you things about rem-
d8 MEMENTO nants of the previous civilization. You learn the spell leg-
end lore. It counts as a warlock spell for you but doesn’t
1 A melted coin count against the number of spells you know. You can
2 A tarnished locket also cast it once per long rest without a using a spell slot.
Additionally, you make Intelligence (History) checks with
3 A scorched glass doll’s eye
advantage if they pertain to the apocalypse.
4 A broken toy airship
5 A cracked wooden gavel SUMMON CATACLYSM
At 14th level, your patron grants you the ability to open
6 A powder compact with a shattered mirror a portal to moments of cataclysm through the ages. As
7 A preserved insect in a jar an action, you may touch your apocalyptic memento and
summon a Tiny portal up to 40 feet in the air above a
8 A mummified hand
location within 100 feet of you. Cataclysmic energy and
matter fall out, spilling in a 40-foot cone from the portal.
CATASTROPHIC INDUCTION Roll on the Summon Cataclysm table to determine the
At 6th level, you begin to assume some characteristics type of material, damage, and other effects of the cataclys-
of the apocalypse itself. You gain resistance to necrotic mic energy. This portal is open for 1 second and cannot
damage. be entered. All creatures within the cone must succeed on
Additionally, you can cause disaster for others. You can a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and take
use your reaction to force a creature within 60 feet of damage as indicated on the table, or half as much on a suc-
you to roll one attack, ability check, or saving throw with cess and remain standing. This matter exists for 1 minute
disadvantage. You can use this ability a number of times before melting into ectoplasm. Once you use this feature,
equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain the uses of this roll a d6. You can’t use this ability again until you finish a
ability when you finish a long rest. number of long rests equal to the result.

SUMMON CATACLYSM
d6 MATERIAL TYPE DAMAGE

Burning and melting buildings, 8d6 magical bludgeoning damage, 8d6 fire damage, and the area is considered
1
roads, and transports difficult terrain

8d6 lightning damage, 8d6 radiant damage, and prone creatures are swept away
40 ft. of boiling water charged
in the water; at the start of your turn, the water and any Huge or smaller creatures
2 with scintillating electrical
in it move 50 feet away from the center of the cataclysm; the water’s height is
energy
reduced by 10 ft. per turn

10d6 fire damage the first time a creature enters or begins its turn in the affected
3 5,000 gallons of magma17 area, and 4d6 fire damage at the beginning of each of its turns while it remains in
the affected area

A cloud of poisonous 8d6 poison damage and 8d6 necrotic damage, and any creatures who die in the
4
miasma affected area rise as zombies 1d4 rounds after death

1,000 gallons of roiling

5 alchemical reagents and 14d6 damage of any type you choose
byproducts

Nothing visible, although 8d6 radiant damage, and all creatures in the area must succeed on a Constitution
those in the area get saving throw or become incapacitated; at the beginning of each of its turns, an
6
sunburned, blistered, affected creature can attempt another Constitution saving throw, removing the
nauseous, and weak incapacitated condition on a success

17. If you summon this spell at its maximum height, and if one assumes the entire cone is full of apocalyptic material, it could be a really ridiculously
large amount of matter. While we want this power to be memorable and destructive, we didn’t want it to be “10 percent of an actual volcanic
eruption” powerful. Hence these limits. For reference, 5,000 gallons is about half the contents of a small swimming pool.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

50 weird waStelandS
wizard technomancers work hard to keep their knowledge secret,
Traditional wizards are extremely rare in the waste- as they are at least somewhat aware of the role that magic
lands. Most must find a spellbook and learn how to wield played in the demise of the prior civilization.
magic on their own. Precious few wizards take on appren- A technomancer may live in a settlement to maintain
tices, there are no wizard schools left, and most traditional whatever magical devices the community has or to re-
magical knowledge was lost in the cataclysm. ceive things that villagers find to ensure their safety, or
The magic to which wizards have the most access they may traverse the wastes looking for more tech. They
wasn’t available at the fall of the prior civilization; it is often gather in secretive cabals to study what they find.
mostly destructive and not necessarily useful in pres- They may communicate with each other through cyphers
ent conditions18. Further complicating a wizard’s role in and puzzles in an effort to keep knowledge of apocalyptic
the Weird Wastelands is the havoc the use of verbal and magics quiet. Interacting with pre-apocalypse tech is a fine
somatic components can create in areas of wild, rampant tightrope to walk in terms of safety and ethics. Heard ru-
magic. Traditional wizards must always be on their guard mors of a dangerous magic-user in the wasteland? Chances
for such conditions. are it’s a technomancer.

new wizard subclass: TECHNOMANCY ARCANE TRADITION

technomancy arcane tradition FEATURES
When no one is making paper, how do you learn magic
from a book? Chances are, you don’t. Technomancers are WIZARD FEATURE
LEVEL
practical junkyard wizards who studied not in colleges
but in the school of hard knocks. They attempt to use 2nd Arcanotech Panoply, Scrap Book
technology to tame magic that would otherwise run wild
across the wastes or be controlled inside the mind of a 6th Imbue Spell
traditionally educated wizard. As a consequence, they
10th Omni-tool
have special knowledge of constructs and an understand-
ing of how pre-apocalypse arcanotech devices work. Many 14th Imbued Spell Mastery

18 . We’re talking about the damage-focused spell lists in the PHB.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 51
 ARCANOTECH PANOPLY one imbued spell. If the device is destroyed, the
What is an arcanotech At 2nd level, you have finished constructing a imbued spell is lost.
device? A staff, rod, unique set of tools and arcanotech devices you Once you use this feature, you can’t do so
activator, emitter, hoop, use to cast your technomancy spells known as again until you finish a long rest.
orb, gauntlet, headgear,
prosthetic arm, or
a panoply. The components of a panoply are
chunky ring. Your many and come in various shapes and sizes, OMNI-TOOL
panoply is where you but the collection almost always fits inside a At 10th level, you have upgraded and modified
store your arcanotech small sack or storage case. The components of your panoply to create a marvelous arcanotech
devices, in which you a panoply are: omni-tool. At the end of a short rest, you can
can store spells in later reconfigure the omni-tool to serve as any set of
levels. Think of it as ■ A component pouch for storing
your collection of little artisan’s tools, and you are proficient with what-
reagents and ingredients
magical devices. ever tools you are using in this way.
■ An arcane battery that holds a When you’re holding your panoply, you no
maximum number of charges equal longer have to use verbal or somatic compo-
to your proficiency bonus that can nents to cast any spell, regardless of whether the
power magic items and arcanotech spell has material components.
devices
IMBUED SPELL MASTERY
■ Any number of arcanotech
At 14th level, when you imbue a spell into an
devices created or refurbished by
arcanotech device, the spell remains imbued
you that power your other class
indefinitely until discharged or until the device
features
is destroyed.
While you are wearing or holding your pano- Additionally, the number of devices you can
ply, spells you cast have no verbal or somatic have imbued at one time increases to a number
components if they have a material component equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded
listed. Additionally, if you create a construct down).
with a spell, the construct gains additional hit
points equal to twice your wizard level.

SCRAP BOOK
Beginning at 2nd level, you have learned to
use a wider variety of materials to copy new
spells. The gold you must spend to copy any
new spell into your spellbook is halved, but
your spellbook weighs 10 pounds instead of
the standard 3 pounds.

IMBUE SPELL
Why are we being At 6th level, you can cast a spell of 1st level
so specific about or higher with a duration of instantaneous
this? Counterspell can and store that spell in one arcanotech device
only be declared as a
reaction to casting a
from your panoply, discharging it later as an
spell, not discharging action. All variables for the spell are set when
it. So unless your you imbue it into the device, and the spell’s
opponent is there when effect originates from the device when dis-
you imbue the spell into charged. When you cast the initial spell, you
your device, it is not can specify under what conditions the spell
possible to counterspell
an imbued spell cast
will discharge (proximity, after a set timer,
from an arcanotech direct discharge by you (as an action), or some
device in this way. other condition). Only you can discharge a
We think that’s cool. spell you imbue into a device.
An imbued spell remains in its device for 24
hours and disappears when discharged. You
can imbue only one spell in an arcanotech
device at a time, and a device can only hold

CHAPTER ONE • character options

52 weird waStelandS
The backgrounds in this section provide both Throughout the wastelands, enclaves are al- There are many
concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and lan- ways looking for envoys to traverse the expanses pockets of civilization
guages) and roleplaying suggestions to further between pockets of civilization. You may do this in the wastelands.
They can be groups
your characters’ connections to the wastelands. for peace, fame, or fortune, if you can survive of villages, towns, or
long enough to see these rewards realized. factions all separated

enclave envoy Skill Proficiencies: Two skills of your choice

from the following list: Deception, Insight,
by the borders of the
harsh wastelands.
The only way for
You have a way with words, and you use this abil-
Perception, Persuasion these pockets to stay
ity to foster peace…or at least the guise of peace
connected is with
until the blade is poised to fall. As an envoy, you Languages: Any two languages of your choice envoys, so they are
bear the banner of peace and relay messages viewed differently than
Equipment: A fine leather satchel, an enclave
between different enclaves. You are respected by most other travelers in
banner, a set of traveler’s clothes, dispatches/
most, unless you treat people in bad faith—then the wastes.
mail for the nearest enclave, and a pouch
your white flag will be stained red.
containing 5 gp

background feature:
banner of peace
So long as you carry your enclave banner, you The Last of the
are given the chance to speak your piece as long Mohicans film provided
you keep the peace. Certain enclaves may test the inspiration for this
ability when Hawkeye
your resolve with intimidation, but if you pro-
approaches the
ceed peacefully, your path will not be blocked, Huron to bargain for
allowing you to present your case to whomever the release of Cora
is in charge. Other enclaves will not attack you and Alice Munro. The
until you have had your say with their leader. Postman inspired
the Enclave Envoy
suggested background too.

characteristics
Enclave envoys come from all walks of life. There
is no one path that leads to success—whether
you must promise, entice, or cajole, only the
results matter. An envoy must use all the tools
in their kit to achieve their goals.

d6 PERSONALITY TRAIT
My positivity is infectious, so I spread it
1
far and wide.
I always put my travel expense stipend
2
into savings.
3 I like to give grand speeches to sway others.
I work with everyone on both sides of an
4
issue.
5 I’m not above blackmail to get what I want.
I am prone to exaggerate when relaying
6
my exploits.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 53
 d6 IDEAL faction veteran
The wastelands are rife with warlords who carve out ter-
1 Optimism. Peace is always an option. (Good)
ritory for their own whims. These warlords establish
factions to ensure their rule, recruiting all who would
Righteousness. I would give my life to prove
2 carry out their orders. These faction veterans range from
peace is the right path. (Good)
specialists to war wagon drivers. For these veterans, the
Bipartisanship. Common ground isn’t that faction is life.
3 common, but it’s the only ground in which peace As a faction veteran, you have a place to call home. You
can grow. (Good) have people to call brother and sister. You have a warlord
to call savior. You know the rivalries and conflicts that
4 Realism. You can’t make everyone happy. (Neutral) threaten your family, and you know what needs to be done
to eliminate those threats.
Certitude. I will have peace, no matter who must
5 Choose or roll for your faction on the Faction Options
die to achieve it. (Evil)
table.
Might. Never compromise with weak opposition.
6
(Evil)
FACTION OPTIONS
d6 FACTION MISSION
d6 BOND
You have been tasked with
1 My enclave is my life. bringing home the Apocalyptic
Arcanotech
1 Converter, which will bring
An adventurer saved me from certain death in the Cabal
enough power to cleanse the
2 wastelands, but I never got their name. I will find wasteland of impurity.
them and thank them properly one day.
You were sent into the
All the treaties I’ve brokered have held, save one. wastelands to find a trolleum
3
It is my mission to reinstate this peace that was lost. Badland field and bring the location
2
Reavers back to the faction before
My mentor taught me everything I know. They are the war wagons drink their
4
my guiding star. reserves dry.

5 My word is my bond. The head of your cult shrine

statue has been stolen, and
3 Doom Cult
My family has always supported me, and I work tracks lead you east. You
6
daily to repay that support. cannot return until you find it.

News of a massive oasis must

be confirmed before any more
d6 FLAW desperate pilgrims hazard the
4 The Fellowship wastes and disappear. You
I can never remember new people’s names, and
1 have a tattoo that looks like a
it’s led to more than one diplomatic incident.
map of the region. You are the
chosen.
I love the praise I receive when I negotiate a new
2
peace even more so than the peace itself. Quotas must be filled, and your
region has been lacking. You
3 I lie all the time. To everyone. Infernal
5 must find new recruits. After
Recruiters
all, the Blood War cannot fight
A dragon has compromising information on me, itself.
4
so I do its bidding from time to time.
You have been promised
5 I must have the last word during negotiations. conversion for years but are
The Enduring
6 treated like a common servant.
I like to push drinking during every negotiation so
Aristocracy
6 You will prove your worth one
everyone is more malleable. way or another.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

54 weird waStelandS
Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Survival See the “Survival Gear”
d6 IDEAL section of chapter 2 on
Tool Proficiencies: Choose either mechanic’s p. 82 for information on
kit or vehicles (land) Loyalty. The faction and everyone in it are the mechanic’s kit.
1
everything! (Lawful)
Languages: Any one language of your choice Giving a player a
Worship. Veterans come and go, but the functional war wagon
Equipment: The keys to a war wagon 2
warlord is forever! (Neutral) from the beginning of
(broken down, lost, or stolen) or a half-full the game might be too
jug of trolleum, a head covering, and a pouch Egoism. I am part of the faction but only much for some GMs, but
3
containing 10 gp trust myself. (Neutral) a stolen war wagon is a
call to adventure for the
Ambition. I will rule this faction one day! player from the start.
background feature: 4
(Neutral) A broken-down war
ins and outs Fanaticism. No other faction should exist,
wagon is a large gold
sink for the character
5
and I will make that a reality. (Evil) and results in a
You know the movers and shakers in the various
factions and understand their general workings. different—if not slightly
Fatalism. The faction is a means to an end,
more frustrating—call to
You know the conflicts between factions, the 6 and that might mean an end to the faction action.
location of faction borders, and how each oper- or me one day. (Chaotic)
ates in that territory. This vast understanding See chapter 2 for
information about
gives you advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) trolleum, the fuel used
and Charisma (Persuasion) checks when dealing d6 BOND in the wastelands.
with other faction members.
My warlord took me in, and I owe them
1
more than my life.
suggested characteristics
2 My vehicle’s name is Zora.
These veterans come in every shape and size
with personalities traits to match. Some are My driver is the biggest badass who ever
3
boisterous while others find it ideal to be silent drove a vehicle, and I keep that rig running.
as death. They have flaws like anyone else, but
My sibling was taken by a rival faction, and
they accept them and even bond over them 4
I will find them!
more so than people from other backgrounds.
I still donate to the temple that raised
5 me before I joined my faction. The next
d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT generation needs all the help they can get.

I want everyone to bear witness to my I’ve life bonded with the epitome of A life bond can be
1 many things in the
deeds! 6 perfection and would do anything to
protect them. wastelands. Most of
My vehicle is my best friend. There are the time it is a romantic
2 connection, but don’t
many like it, but this one is mine.
limit yourself to that.
3 I always laugh at my own jokes. d6 FLAW This could be a best
friend or someone who
I never take care of my vehicle, and it saved your life. Expand
4 My weapons are as sharp as my tongue. 1
breaks down all the time. your mind to the full
implications of knowing
5 I feel the need…the need for speed! I hoard everything, much to the chagrin of
2 someone for whom
my faction mates. you’d do anything. It
If you hear me, you’re probably already
6 could be an NPC or
dead. I keep myself meticulously clean regardless
3 another character—
of the availability of water. either way, this bond
My faction is my family, and I look out for
7 I’m on my third faction, but a little burn gets will probably be fodder
them. 4 for drama in the game,
rid of those pesky tattoos.
but isn’t that why we
8 I strive to rise to the top of my faction. play?
I’m an adrenaline junkie and look for that
5
rush anytime, anywhere.

I killed a faction mate but hid the body well.

6
At least, I hope so.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 55
GM and player should Although some may not like your rulings, most
work together to make would never dare cross a mendicant lawgiver.
sure this warrant sets
the table for some Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Intimidation
action. Whether it’s
water thieves or Languages: Any two languages of your choice
worm rustlers, there’s
Equipment: A local warrant, a set of manacles,
always someone in the
wastelands that needs a badge of office, a set of traveler’s clothes, a
to be brought to justice. brand for the guilty, and a pouch containing 5 gp
This could feature a
one-off event or the
inciting moment that
background feature:
pulls the party into the wasteland justice
greater narrative.
You have the authority to adjudicate grievances
I highly recommend in the wastelands, hunt down and turn in boun-
watching any bounty ties, and enforce claims by wronged parties that
hunter movie or TV
show prior to picking present sufficient evidence. Most everyone in the
this background. Dredd wastelands that isn’t protected by a faction or
works as inspiration other governing body look to mendicant lawgiv-
too. The main idea ers for justice, and that is what you provide. When
here is to balance the serving a warrant in an area, locals provide you
tension between the
with food and shelter, so long as justice is swift.
need to see justice
done and the need to
eat. You want to work suggested
for the greater good,
but that costs money.
characteristics
Some mendicant Lawgivers ply their trade for many reasons,
lawgivers give
whether out of a sense of duty or a love of coin.
in to temptation
and become Either way, their authority grants power in the
corrupted. wastes. They rely on the coin of those who hire
Who judges them, so each lawgiver’s pursuit of justice must
the judges? satisfy all parties involved.

d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT

mendicant 1 I am the law.

lawgiver 2
I never charge what I should to adjudicate
disputes; people have it hard enough out
Mendicants are those You walk these lands because they are lawless,
in the wastelands.
who rely on others and while you cannot abide that, you need com-
for food and money, pensation for your service to the wastes. You I will listen to all sides and carefully weigh
so make sure you have trained for this and carry the badge of your 3
don’t forget that when the options before rendering judgment.
playing a character
office so that wastelanders know who you are.
with this background. They must pay for adjudication; while you are Crossing me is signing your own death
4
This would be a perfect free to dispense justice as you see fit, justice isn’t warrant.
match for any monk free. Some call you a justice beggar, but they all
or paladin, but any I always catch my prey, because of my
pay one way or another. 5
class would work. The particular set of skills.
Whether you feel called to the service of law
wastelands are hard,
but only by giving does
or simply find it the easiest way to turn a profit, The only option I weigh fairly is the gold
you have a job to do all the same. Most people of 6
everyone survive. in my hand and who put it there.
the wastes welcome lawgivers since blood feuds
are more costly. You settle scores and bring in I strive to bring balance to the
7
bounties when needed. Should warring factions wastelands.
seek your services, you negotiate a fee and hear
8 I cannot resist investigating a crime.
their cases, rendering judgement as you see fit.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

56 weird waStelandS
d6 IDEAL

1 Indifference. No one is above the law. (Lawful)

Fairness. Everyone deserves a fair shake no matter

2
how guilty they seem. (Neutral)

R.A.W. If the letter of the law isn’t broken, there is no

3
reason for my services. (Lawful)

Tough. The wasteland is unforgiving, and so am I.

4
(Neutral)

Pessimism. The world is broken, and I can only do so

5
much to keep the pieces together. (Neutral)

Certitude. What I do matters to the people I help.

6
(Good)

d6 BOND

A former bounty has escaped justice for now, but

1
not for long.

Once I save enough money, I will settle down and

2
open a bar.

My family was taken from me by reavers, and I work

3
to keep other families from sharing my pain.

I made a bad judgment once, and it will never

4
happen again.

My mount has seen me through many travels, and a

5
better companion can’t be found.

My mentor taught me everything they know, and I

6
will always be there for them.

d6 FLAW

1
My rulings are as harsh and unforgiving as the naturalist
wastelands I travel. The natural world fascinates you, and what place is more
fascinating than the wasteland? It’s full of creatures, geo-
2 My bounties usually end up in the bottle. logical formations, flora, weather patterns, magical inter-
ference, and elemental dysphoria that are all new and just
My rulings are vague and unsatisfying to those
3 who task me with justice, but no one has
waiting for someone to come in and study them.
challenged me…yet. Naturalists stand on the edge of the unknown in the
physical world and delight in observing it, categorizing
4 I’m willing to bend the rule of law for the right fee. it, and amassing a collection of samples of every bit of it.
Perhaps you don’t come from this world and treat your
I bring every bounty in dead regardless of the journeys here as an intrepid excursion, or maybe you grew
5
warrant’s stipulation, but I always have an excuse. up here and are nevertheless captivated by all the things
that make up the place you call home. Whether you seek
I use my position of power to cover for my many
6 to transform this land or wish merely to observe, you dedi-
insecurities.
cate yourself to studying in the school of life.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 57
 Naturalists often correspond with one another (as often
d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT
as one can in such a remote place) and sometimes travel
together to cover different regions. The largest settle-
1 I notice the little things that others take for granted.
ments in the wastes may have a naturalist society, which
is often little more than a chamber in the back of a barn
Others might call the sun hateful, but I think it’s just
stacked high with specimen jars.19 2
misunderstood.
Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival
3 I could talk about rocks all day, and I often do.
Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit
Languages: Any two languages of your choice 4 I see order where others see chaos.

Equipment: Three paper journals, pens, ink, a collection I gravitate toward the organization of the natural
5
of beakers and specimen jars, pins and mounting paper, a world more than the organizations of people.
magnifying glass, drawing charcoal, and the last seeds of
an extinct plant I’ll make a deal with a magicore22 if I get to study it
6
while I do.
background feature: The only thing I fear is what I do not understand,
cross reference 7
which isn’t much.
If you find any naturally occurring plant, animal, substance, The only thing that distracts me from looking at
or object, you can consult your journals to find some nug- 8
animals is looking at baby animals.
get of information about it. If you spend 1 minute con-
sulting your journals, you roll Intelligence (Investigation)
checks made to learn more about your discovery with ad-
d6 IDEAL
vantage. If you spend 10 minutes consulting your journals,
you automatically succeed on the check. Protection. I study the living world so I can find a
1 way to heal it and make it better for us and for the
background feature: land. (Good)
meteorologist Taxonomy. There is an order to the connections
You can predict and prepare for the weather. When you 2 between things, and it is my charge to discover it.
(Lawful)
begin a long rest, you can roll a DC 15 Intelligence check.
If your roll is successful, the GM must tell you what to- Innovation. I’ll do anything to discover new ways
morrow’s weather will be.20 3 to harness the power of the natural world to help
people. (Chaotic)
suggested characteristics Exploitation. I study to discover something people
4
Naturalists are devoted to increasing their understanding need so I can control the supply. (Evil)
of the world around them. They tend toward a logical and Preservation. The land has been so harmed by
orderly outlook, and things that don’t comfortably fit into 5 the acts of people, and the best thing we can do is
their concept of the world can inspire fascination, frustra- understand it and let it heal itself. (Good)
tion, or both.21
Explorer. I want to be the first person in the world to
6
19 . This background is inspired by natural scientist explorers in the 19th catalogue new specimens. (Any)
and early 20th centuries. If you’ve ever seen Master and Commander:
The Far Side of the World and ever wanted to play a character like
the ship’s doctor, this one is for you. In an area or world where most 22. You can find the magicore’s stat block in chapter 6 on p. 299.
knowledge has been lost, this becomes a particularly engaging and
useful background to have.
20 . If your group is not using our weather rules in chapter 3, this ability
may not be as useful to you it would be otherwise. In that case, some
suitable replacements for this background feature may be the ability
to have naturalist contacts who can research on your behalf,
resistance to poison, or a small library of physical science you have
access to in the area of your home.
21. Something for your table to think about: Is magic a part of the
natural world? Or is it something else?

CHAPTER ONE • character options

58 weird waStelandS
d6 BOND

I once harmed the natural world in a

1 terrible way, and I seek to repair my
damage.

I lost a fellow naturalist on an excursion,

2
and I have pledged to find them.

I want to collect every possible example

3
of one type of specimen.

I wish to name as many new types of

4
things after myself as I can.

A settlement was built over an important

ecological site, and I must make them
5
understand the significance of their
actions.

I lost my most precious specimen, and I

6
must recover it.

d6 FLAW

I constantly lose track of my live bug

1
collection.

2
When I’m on the trail, I get easily
sidetracked.
nomad
You travel the wastelands not because you have There are already a few
I see patterns in everything, even when nowhere else to go, but because you choose to nature-based back-
3 grounds, but we wanted
they’re not there. wander here. You know the paths to travel and
to have something a bit
during which season to travel them. Whether
different to offer, and I
I am so organized in my thinking that I am you are part of a collective or go at it alone, the
4 believe this is a niche
very disorganized in life. knowledge you possess is valuable to anyone that hasn’t been filled
interested in staying alive. yet. The nomad is a
I am so used to observing that I take what migratory background.
5 As a nomad, you may be a guide or a seller of
everyone says extremely literally. Whether they follow
wares in short stops at communities scattered
prey or stay ahead of
I make extremely healthy—but extremely throughout the wastelands. These communities detrimental weather
6 welcome you because you carry news from afar
unpalatable—food. patterns, GMs should
and skins for clothing or shelter. Other nomads always consider a no-
usually have a place at their fire for you and an mad character’s skill set
extra ration if you’re hungry. when planning adven-
tures. Simply knowing a
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from the fol- region can provide tools
lowing: Athletics, Nature, Perception, Survival for the party to over-
come adversity.
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools
of your choice
Languages: Any one language of your choice
Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools with which
you are proficient, an extra-large water skin, a
set of traveler’s clothes, a well-made trinket or
piece of jewelry with a personalized inscription,
and a pouch containing 5 gp

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 59
 background feature: d6 IDEAL
this is the way
Discovery. I will walk every path there is.
This knowledge can You have a knack for the paths you’ve walked, 1
(Any)
be game trails, local the game trails you pass, and the watering
predators, or just a holes that serve as an oasis in the wastelands. Selfishness. I always eat and drink first
secret watering hole, 2
You never stop traveling, and you enjoy finding because I’m more important. (Evil)
but it should always
support the exploration new lands to add to your collected knowledge
of the wastelands. Whenever you are in familiar Life. All are worthy of helping, even former
pillar of the game. 3
Nomads travel to know enemies. (Good)
territory, you have advantage on Intelligence
things about not only (Nature) and Wisdom (Survival) checks.
the land around them 4 Cycles. All live and all die. (Neutral)
but also themselves.
What do they do with suggested Persistence. I simply put one foot in front
this knowledge? Do
they keep it for their
characteristics 5 of the other. That’s gotten me this far, and
it will carry me onward. (Any)
people or share it with Nomads have always existed in the wastelands
travelers they meet? A Fatalism. No one can change their fate.
and always will because they are made of sterner 6
lot of conflict can arise You must walk your path to its end. (Any)
stuff than most. This can change some people
by simply knowing the
location of the only for the worse, while others realize the value in
oasis in a particularly helping others in trouble. After all, one day you
barren region. Push might be the one in need of help. d6 BOND
your players’ moral
code to the limit, and I found a piece of personalized jewelry,
1
see what fallout occurs. d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT and I will find its owner.

1 I welcome all to my fire. Something created these wastelands,

2
and I will find the cause.
I have so many stories from my travels
2
and tell them until I’m told to be quiet. My tribe has carried me thus far. Now it’s
3
my turn to carry them.
3 I have a suspicious eye for new people.
My pet is loyal to me, and if anything
I work meticulously to use every part of 4
4 happens to it, I will burn the world down.
an animal after a hunt.
I’m always looking for hidden knowledge.
I’ll sometimes go all week without saying 5 You never know who needs it and what
5
a word. they’re willing to pay.
I prefer to walk alone. When I’m with a 6 I will map this world or die trying.
6
group, I keep my distance.

7 Settling in one place means waiting to die.

d6 FLAW
I am the web that ties the wasteland
8
together. I kill more prey than necessary because
1
more skins mean more gold.

2 I don’t trust city dwellers.

No matter the situation, I will take any

3
mind-altering substance I find.

I hoard food, even when others are

4
starving.

I always know the right path, even when

5
it’s the wrong one.

6 I will leave others to die if it keeps me safe.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

60 weird waStelandS
raider background feature: In case we haven’t

Life is hard in the wastelands, and from time to

faction fraternizer been clear, this is an
evil AF background!
Your character doesn’t
time you must take what you need from others Choose one faction with whom you are on have to have an evil
to get by. You’ve spent your life in a warband friendly terms. Perhaps you used to be a mem- alignment or believe
that raids settlements, ambushes travelers, and ber of the group, or perhaps your relationship what they did/are doing
extorts the weak to get what it needs. Why with them is more complex. Members of that is evil, but the actions
break your back gathering resources when you faction reveal themselves to you and are not are evil all the same.
can break a back or two and just take what you hostile toward you unless gameplay changes As such, you should
talk to your gaming
need? those conditions. You can seek shelter when in group and discuss
Perhaps you were born into such a faction, your chosen faction’s territory. Others outside your ideas before you
or maybe you came to it later in life out of ne- the faction may recognize you as a member choose this background.
cessity. Most raiders travel in small bands, but of that faction unless you take measures to It’s possible to go into
larger groups can both strongarm the communi- disguise yourself or otherwise hide your align- creepy places that
ties of a region and become a geopolitical force ment with them. could make most people
uncomfortable, and we
themselves. Raiders are strong of body, weak of strongly recommend
ethics, and more persistent than a hell wind.23 suggested you don’t do that. Do
When they’re between villages to pillage, raid-
ers do what they can to survive in the wastes,
characteristics not take our inclusion
of this background as
as nearly no settlements will welcome them. Raiders see the things they want and take them. our blessing to make
Whether you seek to put these treacherous and They may have reasonable cause to do so, but a character who is a
rapist or serial killer.
disdainful practices behind you or you’re happy their willingness to engage in this kind of ac- There are lots of (way
to take what you want by force, there is no doubt tivity reverberates through their personality, more) interesting,
that you will have to reckon with the conse- relationships, and the reactions of others to fun, and even heroic
quences of your evil deeds sooner or later. them. Their relationship to property is (or has ways to play with this
been in their past) more complex than “this background and your
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation character’s relationship
belongs to them, therefore it does not belong
to their deeds and
Tool Proficiencies: Choose one from to me,” and their relationship with authority former/current faction.
the following: brewer’s supplies, cobbler’s figures who enforce such distinctions is rocky To us, interacting with
tools, cook’s utensils, woodcarver’s tools in contexts where they deem that authority to these complex and
be questionable. potentially sensitive
Languages: Any two languages of concepts is part of the
your choice value of roleplaying
d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT games, but only at
Equipment: Any one musical instrument, tables where we are all
a dice set, a whetstone, an item you took I always ask nicely for what I want first, ready to dive into them
1
from someone that you wish to return but I’ll get it one way or another. with shared enthusiasm
to them, and a piece of jewelry with your and solid boundaries.
faction’s symbol on it 2 I fear no one.

background feature: 3
My blade is sharp, but my tongue is

a glint of silver sharper.

When there’s too much talking, I get the

Due to years of sorting through other people’s 4
itch to break things.
things, you have an uncanny knack for finding
hidden objects of value. Any time you make an To the victor go the spoils, and I’m always
Intelligence (Investigation) check to find trea- 5
the victor.
sure, you do so with advantage.
An ambush always happens when you
6
23 . Hell winds are hot, ferocious winds that you’ll encounter least expect it...so I always expect it.
as you explore the wastelands. For more info about hell
winds, check out chapter 3.
Stuff is just stuff; people get too worked
7
up over it.

I will do anything to ensure the survival of

8
my friends.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 61
 d6 IDEAL d6 FLAW

Grift the Grifters. I only pillage from those who steal 1 I hate losing more than anything.
1
from others. (Good)
When everyone’s tempers are up, I make terrible
The Great Equalizer. I create balance by taking 2
jokes to cut the tension.
2 from those with plenty and give to those with none.
(Good)
I have horrible motion sickness on war wagons and
3
Take the Fifth. I wholly reject notions of personal other vehicles.
3
property. (Chaotic)
My sense of curiosity is often stronger than my
4
Fight Makes Right. If the weak can’t keep it, they sense of reason.
4
don’t deserve it. (Evil)
5 The one thing I always forget to pillage is soap.
Bare Necessities. Life is hard, so I only take what I
5
need and nothing more. (Neutral)
My warband and I used to dare each other to eat
We All Do It. Sometimes, raiding is just what we have 6 roadkill, and that’s how I found out it’s a delicious
6 way to eat.
to do to survive in the wastes. (Any)

d6 BOND

I seek to make amends with those from whom I have

remembrancer
1 The remembrancers are a distinguished and loosely or-
taken too much. ganized order devoted to recording and sharing social
Something precious to me was stolen by a raider I
history. The power—and fallibility—of people’s memories
2 has always been of particular interest to them. While
thought I could trust.
memory is the fundamental element of knowledge, it is
3 One day, I will be a warlord myself. impermanent and subject to distortion, as age and emo-
tion skew perspective. You have committed yourself not
I tried to wrestle an heirloom from a villager, but they just to remembering but to recording everything about
4
took something from me: my heart. peoples past and present and spreading their stories. How
did they survive, who were their ancestors, what was their
5 I would do anything to protect my warband. toil, what did they create, whom did they love, how did
they honor their dead, what stories did they tell, how did
There’s one thing I still need to steal, and I will not
6 they overcome adversity? All these things and more are
rest until I get it.
yours to record and share through inscription and story.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

62 weird waStelandS
 background feature:
my cousin’s cousin
You have an excellent grasp of genealogy and lineages
and can find family anywhere. In any settlement with
more than fifty residents, within 1 hour you are able
to find someone you are related to or a fellow remem-
brancer who can be convinced to offer you and your
party shelter.

background feature:
around the waterhole
If you spend a short or long rest inside any community,
you are able to learn about the social networks of that
community, including:
■ A notable NPC
■ The community’s relationship
with another community
■ Two rumors

suggested characteristics
Remembrancers’ perspective on the present is shaped by
You may have an interest in a particular era, or maybe
their knowledge of the past. Because they are so focused
you let what you discover as you journey through life be
on the past—or on how the present will be remembered
your guide to what is worth remembering. You are gifted
in the future—the transitive nature of time shapes their
at conveying the lessons you’ve learned through story-
relationships to others and the world as a whole.
telling—one of the best ways to transmit knowledge over
time in a time when both literacy and writing materials are
uncommon. d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT
Skill Proficiencies: History, Performance
1 I collect every relic of past cultures I can.
Languages: Pre-Apocalyptic Common
While I pass on stories I learned from others, it
Equipment: A series of half-written chronicles, 2
doesn’t hurt to put myself in all of them, too.
calligrapher’s supplies, a magnifying glass, an ancient
map of an unknown place with marks in a language you I’ve heard it all; nothing fazes me, and I’ve always
don’t understand, and a wastelander’s pack24 3
got a tale to prove it.

4 I could talk to people all day, and I often do.

New Language: Pre-Apocalyptic Common
I record every detail of my day; you never know
Widespread knowledge of pre-apocalyptic 5
when it might be useful.
language has been lost to time. Perhaps an effect
of terrible magical war, current language has little I think about the past so much that it feels more
in common with it. The Weird Wastelands are 6
alive to me than the present.
peppered with remnants of this lost language—
called Pre-Apocalyptic Common by current I am fascinated with learning more about people
denizens of the wastes—and only a precious few, 7
who have been dead for generations.
the remembrancers among them, have learned
enough to be able to decipher it. I love learning anybody’s stories, but the person
8
I’ve got a crush on tells the best ones.

24. See the “Survival Gear” section of chapter 2 on p. 82 for information

on the wastelander’s pack.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 63
 d6 IDEAL d6 FLAW

Education. The innovations of people are what I am an unremorseful gossip. The more powerful
1 must be not only remembered but spread to all 1 the person, the more bombastic the things I say
corners of the world. (Good) about them.

Preservation. Our cultural practices are what 2 I believe what everybody tells me.
2 define us and must be observed and respected.
(Lawful) I’d rather study relics of the past than interact with
3
people in the present.
Innovation. History is for the dead—we must take
3 what’s best about now and do something useful
I know rules and customs for everything, and I will
with it. (Chaotic) 4
always tell others when they’ve broken one.
Control. The knowledge I gain about others
4 positions me to make better decisions for them I know more about others than they know about
5
than they can for themselves. (Evil) themselves.

Knowledge. The people can do whatever they A lifetime of hearing about people’s pain and
6
5 want with knowledge, but only if it’s available to struggle has left me with no sense of humor.
them to access. (Neutral)

6
Connection. Our stories are what connect us and
teach us who we were, who we are, and who we
can be. (Any)
Wasteland Trader
We might be living in hell, but everybody still needs stuff!
You barter and deal in whatever counts for commerce in
the wasteland. Most wasteland traders wander from place
d6 BOND to place, always on the hunt for items people might want
to trade or sell. The most successful traders journey with
I will find the key to solving a great problem for the hired hands for protection, so they can service the less-
1
people of this world or die trying. traveled places and search for special items. Some traders
may specialize in select goods, but few have the luxury of
My rival remembrancer and I are in a race to find a
2 only dealing in one type of item.
lost figment of the past, and I will not let them win.
Perhaps you started small and managed to barter your
It’s easy to record the history of rulers, but mine is the way up to prominence, or this could be your family trade.
3 Maybe you’ve always been attracted to junk or the curi-
people’s history.
osities of the long-dead past that are scattered throughout
My enemies seek to suppress an important secret I the Weird Wastelands, or perhaps you are attracted to
4
discovered, but I must share it with the world. performing a vital service to the communities in the area.
Whatever the case, you are an expert in assessing value,
5 I would die to protect my chronicles. in turning trash into treasure, and in making a deal that’s
good enough to keep you in business another day.25
I fell in love with a hero from the past and will do all I
6 Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion
can to learn more about them.
Tool Proficiencies: Any one tool of your choice
Languages: Any two languages of your choice
Equipment: A cart, a Medium-sized pack animal,
3 days’ worth of feed, two trinkets, 5 pieces of
standard adventuring gear of your choice worth
10 gp total or less as wares, a ledger, pens and ink, a
letter of credit you owe someone that will soon
be due, and a wastelander’s pack26

25. This is a great background if you love shopping, inventory

management, and/or getting those sweet gp more than the rest of
your party. The abilities of this background make your character the
natural treasurer of the group.
26. See the “Survival Gear” section of chapter 2 on p. 82 for information
on the wastelander’s pack.
CHAPTER ONE • character options
64 weird waStelandS
background feature:
let me check in the back d6 IDEAL

Your penchant for gathering useful items can help you Honor System. I will give away needed goods to
1 a customer who is down on their luck, even if it
out of tough spots. Once per game session, you may use
means my purse is smaller. (Good)
your action to search your wares and find one piece of
adventuring gear, simple weapon, common armor, or Service. I always make fair trades because it’s the
2
other item worth 5 gp or less of your choice (as agreed only way we all get by. (Lawful)
to by your GM). You may do this at any time during the
Distribution. I perform a vital service to my
session.
3 community, and nothing will keep me from my
trade. (Chaotic)
background feature:
cargo carrier 4
Profit. In any deal, I always make sure I come out
on top. (Neutral)
You are accustomed to carrying your wares. You count
as one size larger when determining your carrying Swindler. If I convince my customer to make a deal,
5
what does it matter if what I said wasn’t true? (Evil)
capacity.
Fire Sale. Tit-for-tat value doesn’t matter to me;
suggested characteristics 6
how much I want something does. (Chaotic)

Wasteland traders are the retail workers of the posta-

pocalypse. They see a chance to commodify everything, d6 BOND
and they know that a good relationship with others is
required to succeed. Like many retail workers, their My family lost something precious to them, and
wares or their customers may be the object of their an- 1
I’m trying to trade up until I can get it back.
noyance or exhilaration depending on how the day goes.
Those who aren’t fascinated by material possessions are 2 I will have my own permanent store one day.
perplexing, and perhaps not to be trusted. Everyone likes
stuff, right? I am trying to trade enough to finally be free of
3
dealing with customers.

d8 PERSONALITY TRAIT 4 It is my destiny to master the art of the deal.

You might call it junk, but I call it treasure waiting to I will get revenge on the person who stole all my
1 5
be discovered. goods when I was just starting out.

I once traded away my heart to someone and got

I have little patience for window shoppers and rude 6 nothing in return. I hope one day they will trade
2
customers. theirs back.

I like to tell stories about my wares, even if I take a

3
little creative license when I tell them.
d6 FLAW
I have one type of item I cherish and will make a bad 1 When I haggle, I get personal.
4
deal to get as much of it as I can.
I call out other people’s bad dealings when it’s none
2
I like to give small things to children; it makes them of my business.
5
smile and attracts their parents to my cart.
3 I keep very poor track of my inventory.
6 I live to haggle.
I sometimes talk my customers’ ears off, and they
4
never return.
The most precious commodity I deal in is the love of
7
my customers. All my inventory smells musty for no discernable
5
reason.
I love learning anybody’s stories, but the person
8
I’ve got a crush on tells the best ones. 6 I never accept returns.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 65
 Presented here is an additional set of feats tai-
lored to the Weird Wastelands if your table uses
the optional feat rules.
You must meet any prerequisites specified in
a feat to take that feat. If you ever lose a feat’s
prerequisite, you can’t use that feat until you
regain the prerequisite.

We at Web DM do Daredevil Driver

not condone texting
and driving, but this Prerequisite: Proficiency with vehicles (land)
is a fantasy game, so ■ You gain expertise with vehicles (land).
drive with your knee ■ While driving, you have advantage on
and fire a crossbow all
you want. We see you
saving throws related to maneuvering or Seasoned Traveler
and want to provide a operating your vehicle. Your knowledge of what it takes to travel in the
safe space to play out ■ While driving, you can ignore the wilderness grants you the following benefits:
that fantasy. For some disadvantage normally imposed on
real-world drama, you performing actions not related to driving. ■ Increase your Constitution or Wisdom by
could have everyone 1, to a maximum of 20.
on the vehicle attempt You have advantage on ability checks
Expanded Influence (Psionic)
■
a Wisdom saving throw
when a daredevil made to prevent exhaustion when
Prerequisite: The ability to manifest a traveling for longer than 8 hours a day,
driver uses this part
of the feat, and failure psionic effect to find a suitable campsite, and when
causes the frightened ■ Increase your Constitution or Intelligence taking the Make Camp action to set up a
condition. Seriously, by 1, to a maximum of 20. comfortable campsite.27
don’t do anything ■ Through practice and meditation, you have ■ You gain additional slots of carrying
except drive while
driving, and buckle up. learned to expand your zone of influence capacity equal to your half your proficiency
by 30 feet. bonus (rounded down).28

Extracurricular Discipline (Psionic) Survivalist

Prerequisite: The ability to manifest a Your experience surviving the harsh wasteland
psionic effect grants you the following benefits:
You learn a rank of a psionic discipline. ■ You do not need comfort to gain the
You may take this feat multiple times benefits of a long rest when sleeping in
to learn new advancements in your any the wilderness.29
discipline. You do not receive the mastery ■ You have advantage on saving throws
abilities if you max your advancement in a made to avoid exhaustion from lack of
single discipline using this feat. sleep.
■ When traveling, you do not take a penalty
Hidden Reserves (Psionic) to your passive Wisdom (Perception).
Prerequisite: The ability to manifest a 27. See “Make Camp” in the “Wilderness Actions
psionic effect Descriptions” section on p. 130 of chapter 3 for more
information.
■ Increase your Intelligence by 1, to a
28. See the “Slot-based Encumbrance” section of chapter 3
maximum of 20 on p. 107 for information on optional encumbrance
■ Your persistent meditation has unlocked a rules for the wastelands.
hidden pool of bonus power points equal to 29. See the “Variant Survival Rules” section of chapter 3 on
your Intelligence modifier. p. 102 for information on the comfortable condition and
how it affects taking a long rest in the wastelands.
■ You may only take this feat once.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

66 weird waStelandS
This section describes the new spells introduced in Weird
Wastelands. Here you’ll find spell lists by class as well as
the spell descriptions, presented in alphabetical order.
Spell components unique to Weird Wastelands can be
purchased in Tradetown30 or from special vendors with
relevant materials, or they can be fashioned by a creature
with proficiency with a relevant set of tools.

spell lists spell descriptions

BARD SPELLS SORCERER SPELLS arcanotech communion
1st Level 1st Level
Relief Gamma Burst 1st-level divination (ritual)
Repair Object 2nd Level Casting Time: 1 minute
Evaporate Range: Touch
Components: S, M (a magnification monocle worth at
CLERIC SPELLS Searing Saber
least 50 gp)
Cantrips (0 Level) Sun Greeting Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Flagellate 3rd Level You awaken a spirit that dwells inside a construct, me-
1st Level Hollowed Husk chanical item, or arcanotech device and telepathically
Relief commune with it. For the duration, you may ask it three
3rd Level WARLOCK SPELLS questions related to its function which it will answer
truthfully in a simple reply. Appropriate questions in-
Wasting Burden 2nd Level
clude what mechanisms and properties it has, how to
Searing Saber
activate or deactivate functions, who created it, who last
DRUID SPELLS used it and for what purpose, or how many charges it has
1st Level WIZARD SPELLS remaining.
Relief 1st Level
2nd Level Arcanotech Communion assemble scrap golem
Searing Saber Repair Object
3rd-level transmutation
Trench 2nd Level
Casting Time: 1 minute
Quick Fix
Range: 60 feet
PALADIN SPELLS Searing Saber Components: V, S, M (spare parts or raw materials worth
3rd Level Trench at least 150 gp, which the spell consumes)
Temporary Conveyance 3rd Level Duration: Instantaneous
Assemble Scrap Golem You assemble a crude construct out of salvaged scrap and
RANGER SPELLS Temporary Conveyance natural materials at a point you can see within range.
1st Level 4th Level This construct uses the scrap golem stat block and has a
Machine Spirit mostly humanoid shape and appearance. When it drops
Arcanotech Communion
to 0 hit points, the materials used to assemble the scrap
Repair Object Phasic Beam
golem rapidly deteriorate and become unusable.
2nd Level 5th Level The construct shares your initiative in combat and
Quick Fix Refurbish takes its turn immediately after yours. You can command
3rd Level 9th Level it verbally with no action required. It obeys your com-
mands to the best of its ability and takes the Dodge action
Temporary Conveyance Assemble Sky Barge
on its turn if you do not issue it a command.
30. See the “Weird Location: Tradetown” section of chapter 5 on p. 176
or information about Tradetown and how to find spell components there.
CHAPTER ONE • character options
weird waStelandS 67
 The scrap golem remains under your control for 24
hours, after which it becomes an inanimate object. You
may cast the spell again without the need for material scrap golem
components to take control of the inanimate scrap golem. Medium construct, typically unaligned
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
spell slot of 4th level or higher, the scrap golem’s Armor Armor Class 11 + the level of the spell (natural armor)
Class, hit points, and actions are improved (included in Hit Points 30 + 10 for each spell level above 3rd
its statistics). Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
assemble sky barge 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 8 (−1) 10 (+0) 5 (−3)
Damage Resistances fire
9th-level transmutation Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Casting Time: 4 hours Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, fright-
Range: 120 feet ened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Components: V, S, M (a finely detailed platinum Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
model airship worth at least 10,000 gp, which the Languages understands one language the caster
spell consumes) speaks
Duration: Instantaneous Challenge — Proficiency Bonus equal to the
caster’s proficiency bonus
You assemble a majestic sky barge out of salvaged scrap
and natural materials at a point you can see within range. ACTIONS
This construct uses the sky barge stat block and appears as
Multiattack. The scrap golem makes a number of
a luxurious flying ship of a design you choose.
attacks equal to half this spell’s level (rounded down).
You can create any deck plan you like. The barge is
furnished and decorated as you choose, at the GM’s Bolt Launcher. Ranged Weapon Attack: caster’s
discretion. It contains sufficient room to house up to 50 spell attack modifier to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
Medium-sized creatures. Three near-transparent crew Hit: 3 (1d6) + the spell’s level piercing damage.
members pilot and operate the vessel. You decide the Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: caster’s spell attack
visual appearance of these crew members and their at- modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2)
tire. They are completely obedient to your orders. One + the spell’s level bludgeoning damage.
member of this crew pilots the craft from the command

CHAPTER ONE • character options

68 weird waStelandS
deck, one charts navigation, and one maintains the ves-
sel. They can’t attack or take any other actions apart from evaporate
those required to fulfill their duties on board. The crew
2nd-level necromancy
members can go anywhere on the sky barge but can’t
leave it. Casting Time: 1 action
When you create the barge, it is fully fueled and fully Range: 60 feet
operational, but thereafter uses fuel as normal and needs Components: V, S, M (an empty waterskin)
to be refueled and maintained as a normal vehicle.31 Duration: Instantaneous
You target a living creature within range and emit a tether
of desiccating energy that drains the creature of water and
sky barge draws the water into a container you hold in your hand.
Gargantuan vehicle, legendary The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw
or take 3d8 necrotic damage and become dehydrated.33
Armor Class 20 (integrity 40)32 On a success, the target takes half damage and is not
Hit Points 300 dehydrated.
Speed 0 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover), 70 mph If the target fails and the caster is holding a suitable con-
Initiative 1 tainer (such as a waterskin), the water from the target fills
Proficiency Bonus +6
the container (up to 1 gallon).
Creature Capacity 3 crew members, 50 passengers
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
Cargo Capacity 50,000 pounds
slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for
TRAITS each slot level above 2nd.

Module Slots. The sky barge has 10 module slots.

flagellate
ACTIONS Conjuration cantrip
Ramming Speed. If the sky barge moves at least 40 Casting Time: 1 action
feet straight toward a target, it can attempt to collide Range: 15 feet
with it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity Components: S
saving throw or take 45 (6d12 + 6) bludgeoning
Duration: Instantaneous
damage. The sky barge takes the same amount of
damage. You create a barbed whip that strikes out at a creature you
can see within range. Make a melee spell attack against the

31. See the “Vehicles” section of chapter 2 on p. 85 for information on 33. See the “Variant Survival Rules” section of chapter 3 on p. 102 for
refueling and repairing vehicles, vehicle integrity, and module slots. information on new conditions in the wastelands, including the
32. See the “Vehicles” section of chapter 2 on p. 85 for information on dehydrated condition.
vehicle integrity.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 69
 target. On a hit, the creature takes 1d6 magical slashing
damage. You may choose to gain one level of exhaustion34
machine spirit
to deal an additional 1d6 magical slashing damage with 4th-level transmutation
this attack.
Casting Time: 1 action
At Higher Levels. The spell’s damage on a hit and when
Range: Touch
you gain a level of exhaustion in order to increase the
Components: V, S, M (an arcanotech control module
damage of the attack both increase by 1d6 when you reach
and a focusing lens worth at least 500 gp)
5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

gamma burst You take control of a non-sentient construct or vehicle,

commanding it mentally or verbally as long as you are
1st-level evocation both on the same plane of existence. If the target is magi-
cal, you must succeed a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw to
Casting Time: 1 action take control of the object. Additionally, this spell functions
Range: Self (10-foot radius) as up to three crew operators for devices or vehicles that
Components: V are not animated or self-operated.
Duration: Instantaneous The target of the spell does everything in its power to
Scintillating radiance builds within you and bursts out- complete commands given to it, including placing itself in
ward in a bright flash in a 10-foot-radius sphere. Creatures harm’s way, though it will not obey orders to self-destruct.
within range must succeed on a Constitution saving throw In combat, you can give it a new command as a bonus ac-
or take 2d8 radiant damage and become poisoned until the tion, and it takes its turn immediately after yours.
start of your next turn. On a successful save, the creature At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
takes half damage and is not poisoned. slot of 5th level or higher, the duration increases by 1 hour
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell for each slot level above 4th.
slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for
each slot level above 1st. phasic beam
hollowed husk 4th-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
3rd-level transmutation
Range: Self (60-foot line)
Casting Time: 1 action Components: S, M (a harmonic beam resonator worth
Range: Self (10-foot radius) at least 250 gp)
Components: V, S, M (an ampule of toxin, which the Duration: Instantaneous
spell consumes) You project a flickering beam of pale-blue energy in a
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-long line originating from you. Each
You become gaunt and desiccated as you convert all creature in the line must succeed on a Dexterity saving
the water in your body into a thaumaturgic toxin that throw or take 6d8 force damage, or half as much on a suc-
emanates an aura of enervating radiance. You shed bright cess. This beam ignores objects and cover, and constructs
light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional and undead creatures are immune to it.
10 feet. You can end the spell early by using an action to At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
dismiss it. slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for
When a creature enters the area of the light for the each slot level above 4th.
first time or starts it turn there, it must succeed on a
Constitution saving throw or gain two levels of exhaustion
for as long as it remains in the area of light. A creature can
never gain more than four levels of exhaustion from this
spell, and any levels of exhaustion caused by this spell are
removed when the spell ends or when the affected crea-
ture leaves the spell’s area.

34. We had the Ascetic Domain cleric in mind when designing

this cantrip, as Enduring Vigor and Transpose Exhaustion
help them manage the exhaustion level gain.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

70 weird waStelandS
quick fix repair object
2nd-level conjuration 1st-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you Casting Time: 1 action
see a vehicle within 20 feet of you suffer a malfunction Range: 30 feet
or flat tire Components: V, S, M (spare parts or raw materials
Range: 20 feet worth at least 10 gp, which the spell consumes)
Components: S, M (a gold-plated monkey wrench worth Duration: Instantaneous
at least 25 gp) A construct or nonmagical object you touch regains a
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour number of hit points equal to 2d8 + your spellcasting
You summon the exact nonmagical part you need to tem- ability modifier.
porarily repair a vehicle within range. The part is instantly At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
installed, and any penalty incurred by damage or a flat tire spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by
is ignored while the spell is active. When the spell ends, 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
the part disappears, leaving a greasy sheen behind, and the
damage or flat tire returns until repaired. searing saber
refurbish 2nd-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
5th-level conjuration
Range: Self
Casting Time: 1 action Components: V, S
Range: Touch Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Components: S, M (three drops of alchemical lubricant A sword of fire ignites in your free hand. This magic sword
worth at least 50 gp, which the spell consumes) has a size and shape of your choosing (GM’s discretion)
Duration: Instantaneous and counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are
A Huge or smaller construct or arcanotech device that you proficient. For the duration, you can use your spellcast-
touch is repaired to full functionality, charged or fueled to ing ability instead of Strength or Dexterity for the attack
full capacity, cleaned, and polished. and damage rolls using this weapon.
The sword sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and
relief dim light for an additional 10 feet. It deals 3d6 fire dam-
age on a hit.
1st-level evocation If you release the sword, it disappears, but you can
summon the blade again as a bonus action while the spell
Casting Time: 1 action
is active.
Range: Touch
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
Components: V, S
spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by
Duration: Instantaneous
1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.
You expend one of your Hit Dice, and a creature other
than you that you touch regains hit points equal to the
maximum of the Hit Die expended plus your spellcasting
sun greeting
modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. 2nd-level divination (ritual)
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell
slot of 2nd level or higher, you may expend one additional Casting Time: 4 hours
Hit Die per slot level above 1st. Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (10 gallons of water, which the
spell consumes)
Duration: Instantaneous
At sundown, you prepare a ritual fire and boil water over
it as a sacrifice to the dying light. For the duration of the
casting time, you must hold your head over the boiling
water while the steam rises past you as you commune
with yesterday’s sun. At the end of the casting time, you
receive a vision allowing you to view up to 1 hour from

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 71
 the last 24 hours of any given outdoor location open to unoccupied space at a point you can see within range. If
the sky within 24 miles. You can perceive the vision from there aren’t enough manufactured materials within range
anywhere the sunlight would have shone that day, out to to create the vehicle, the spell uses natural materials as
the horizon. You can see any creatures and events that well, smelting ore out of rock and blasting sand into glass.
transpired at the location but cannot hear, smell, taste, or You choose the vehicle’s appearance, but it can seat no
touch anything. more than four Medium creatures, and its dimensions
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell are limited to its size. It has no weapons and provides
slot of 3rd level or higher, the distance viewed is increased only half cover to occupants. Otherwise, it uses the stan-
by 24 miles per slot level above 2nd. dard statistics of the chosen vehicle.
The vehicle forges a mystical, mental connection with
temporary conveyance you that gifts you knowledge of its functionality. While
driving the vehicle, you are considered proficient with
3rd-level transmutation vehicles of its type, and you add double your proficiency
bonus to ability checks related to driving that vehicle.
Casting Time: 1 hour When the spell expires, the vehicle disintegrates into
Range: 120 feet useless gray powder.
Components: V, S, M (4,000 pounds of raw materials or At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a
scrap worth at least 50 gp) spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can create a land ve-
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 day hicle that can seat up to six Medium creatures. When you
You create a fully powered and operational land vehicle cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you
of Huge or smaller size of your choice out of salvaged can create a land vehicle that can seat up to ten Medium
scrap and natural materials. The vehicle appears in an creatures.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

72 weird waStelandS
trench alterations to magic
2nd-level transmutation Web DM holds in the highest esteem rules that make for
interesting choices. When it comes to exploring harsh
Casting Time: 1 action environments, there are some spells that erase that choice
Range: 30 feet when followed “by the book.” Many of the consequences
Components: V, S of exploration-based play fall by the wayside if you can
Duration: Instantaneous always find food, water, or shelter by spending little to
Choose an area within range to excavate a trench that is 5 no resources of your own. The wilderness too easily be-
feet wide, 5 feet deep, and 30 feet long. When you create comes a backdrop instead of a force to be reckoned with.
the trench, you can create a slope or stairs on either end Our goal in the Weird Wastelands is to allow your group
for easy access. Anyone standing on the ground that is be- to become immersed in the world, to think through how
ing excavated must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or to survive and succeed in this challenging place, and to
fall into the trench and land prone. make difficult, compelling choices about how to spend
your resources.
wasting burden To that end, we’re suggesting some adjustments to sev-
eral spells based on the way magic works differently in the
3rd-level evocation Weird Wastelands.

Casting Time: 1 action Create Food and Water

Range: 60 feet This spell requires 1 pound of edible food and 1 gallon
Components: V, S of potable water as a material component, which is then
Duration: Instantaneous turned into 10 pounds of food and 10 gallons of water.
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or
A creature you can see within range must succeed on a higher, you create 10 additional pounds of food and 10
Constitution saving throw or take 2d8 radiant damage and additional gallons of water for each spell slot above 3rd.
gain one level of exhaustion. If you are currently suffering
any levels of exhaustion, the target gains one additional Create or Destroy Water
level of exhaustion. If the target already has three or more This spell creates salt water instead of fresh water unless
levels of exhaustion, this spell has no effect. a pearl worth at least 100 gp is used as a material compo-
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell nent. The pearl is consumed when the spell is cast.
slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for Goodberry
each slot level above 3rd. Casting this spell requires a real, fresh berry as a material
component. The berry is consumed when the spell is cast.
Purify Food and Drink
This spell cannot be cast as a ritual, and it requires 1 pound
of charcoal as a material component. The charcoal is con-
sumed when the spell is cast.
Tiny Hut
This spell cannot be cast as a ritual, and it requires a 10-
pound hearthstone from the caster’s home as a material
component instead of a small crystal bead.

CHAPTER ONE • character options

weird waStelandS 73
 chapter two

This chapter is all about stuff and how to get it in the Weird Wastelands. From ways to make trade
more interesting to rules for food, equipment, mounts, and vehicles, including how we’re approaching
magic items in the wastes, this is where you’ll find anything you can buy, sell, or exchange.

settlement
industry and trade item availability
The following section contains everything you need to in the weird wastelands
know about shopping in the Weird Wastelands. This usu-
ally means bartering as opposed to simply exchanging
In a land of scarcity, not everything is always
coin. We’ve provided guidelines for those times when you
immediately available. Typical means of
want to create a non-standard purchasing experience to
production have largely been supplanted by
enhance player immersion in the wastes. scrounging the remains of a dead civilization,
and there is no standard array of things that can
Wealth be purchased anywhere.
Consider where your characters are and the
Gold and currency are useful game elements, even against resources of the community they’re in. If the
a backdrop that isn’t currency-based, such as this one. You characters seek something specific, crucial to
are free to use gold as a touchstone for ease and speed survival, or rare, whether it is available is up to
of play. In the Weird Wastelands, people trade objects of the GM’s discretion. In a location like Tradetown,
value, but there is no standardized currency.1 So, when it may be easier to find things; in a small
we say you find 20 gp worth of treasure, that is the total settlement with barely enough for themselves,
representative value of the objects found. Oftentimes, much less so.2
we give a general value to a group of objects (like scrap or
harvested components) because defining the value of each
small item found in a pile can get tedious. a pile of junk with a listed value of 20 gp can be used to
For purchases that aren’t integral to the session (or for purchase 20 gp worth of goods.
gaming groups who don’t view shopping as a cherished Potable water is the most prized resource in the wastes
pastime), feel free to treat found resources as if they were and is accepted as currency by everyone. Water has a flat
standard gp. In the fiction of the game, characters are ex- value of 1 gp per gallon, and a full waterskin can always be
changing objects instead of coins, but for simplicity’s sake, exchanged for a safe place to sleep or a meal. If you wish
to use water as your standardized currency, you certainly
1. To be clear, the kinds of objects people use as “currency” in trade are can—we have established its value in such a way to make
small things that have inherent value: buttons, paper, cloth, flint,
screws, sewing notions, durable bones, interesting rocks, food, bits
it easy.3
of arcanotech, and so on. Ancient coins are also a big part of this
“currency.” Why? For one, gold has inherent value for use in many 2. See p. 176 in chapter 5 for information on Tradetown.
spells, and other metals can be repurposed. But beyond that, there is 3. Water is a terrible currency in terms of carrying it, but referring to the
some knowledge that coins were valuable before, ergo they must still be value of things by their value in gallons of water is a fun way to play!
valuable now, even if a full understanding of why has been lost to time.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

74 weird waStelandS
Trader Interactions DESPERATE TRADER REACTIONS
When you want a bartering scene with an NPC 2d6 REACTION
to be something more than a quick exchange,
Hostile. The trader believes they are in
this section is for you. Here, you will find guide- 2
danger and attacks if provoked.
lines for randomizing the initial disposition of
your traders. This serves several purposes. First, Threatening. The trader may accept the
it sets the stage for memorable interactions. trade but believes they can extort or rob
3–5
Second, it takes some pressure off of the GM to the party and may enlist help to do so in
the near future.
come up with a trader’s personality and goals.
We’ve included several trader personalities to Has Concerns. The trader wants additional
6–8
inform potential interactions. These tools are items and information to trade.
meant to aid in roleplaying; you will still have a Helpful. The trader accepts the trade and
conversation with the players as you would with 9–11 offers to act as a guide to a location in the
any other exchange. Whether your players are area in exchange for additional items.
trading in a settlement or encounter a traveling
Relieved. The trader accepts a fair trade
trader in the wild, these tools are here for a little and discloses how much they desperately
extra backup.4 12
needed the item. The trader is now an ally
of the party.
TRADER PERSONALITIES
Bartering in the wastelands is an integral part
of everyday life, but that doesn’t ensure that Dramatic Traders
every barter goes smoothly. Maybe you come Dramatic traders are prone to outbursts of rage
across an ill-tempered trader who was recently or joy in equal measure. They are known far and
swindled, or a shop owner feeling generous after wide by reputation and thrive on the attention.
reaping the benefits a life-changing trade. Either Whether or not a deal with a dramatic trader
way, reactions from traders should be varied to goes through, it should be an experience the
keep players on their toes. characters never forget.
This section provides four trader archetypes
to offer an array of personalities and situations DRAMATIC TRADER REACTIONS
found throughout the wastelands: desperate,
dramatic, jovial, and shrewd. These archetypes 2d6 REACTION
are meant to give you the bit of characterization
you might need to create a memorable bartering Elitist. The trader hurls a stream of
Using these tables
scene on the fly. conspicuously loud insults at the party
2 and archetypes for
When a player proposes a barter with an NPC, for even proposing such an offer, which every single trade could
attracts the attention of nearby creatures. quickly become tedious.
decide which type of trader they encounter, then
roll 2d6 and check the relevant Trader Reactions Pitiable. The trader pretends to be down Gauge how often to use
them by how much your
table to determine the trader’s initial response. 3–5 on their luck and insists the characters take
table enjoys it when you
pity on them by sweetening their offer.
do. If your players are
Desperate Traders Has Concerns. The trader accepts the looking for something
Desperate traders are down on their luck. Perhaps offer, but it takes an extremely long time to uncommon or out of the
they were recently robbed or are otherwise un- 6–8 ordinary, this is a great
complete, as they check every single detail
able to trust. They put no stock in promises and about the goods traded. time to use this table.
If they just want a bite
halt negotiations at the mere whiff of trouble.
Chummy. The trader is eager to trade as to eat or to sharpen a
They don’t just want this trade to go well for weapon, perhaps not.
9–11 long as the party is willing to carouse with
them, they need it to. them first.

4. The point of including this system is to support the genre BFFs. The trader immediately takes to
trope of postapocalyptic trading. Two people, each with the characters and throws in a bonus
their own desires and worries, encounter each other and item on top of the asked-for goods. They
explore whether they have anything of interest to the 12 consider the party their best friends and
other and whether they can connect, for a mere moment,
tell everyone they meet about the party
as people in a fair and mutually beneficial exchange.
Can you trust a stranger to not try to kill you and take for the next week (whether the characters
your stuff in the postapocalypse? Hopefully. want them to or not).

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weird waStelandS 75
 Jovial Traders TRADE GOODS
Jovial traders are always happy to trade, but this Occasionally, characters may encounter a trader
doesn’t mean there won’t be hoops to jump thr- who wants a specific type of good or carries a
ough. Being affable has its perks, but there can limited selection of items. If you need inspira-
be more with these traders than meets the eye. tion for specific goods a trader is looking to buy,
doesn’t want, or is currently carrying, roll on the
JOVIAL TRADER REACTIONS Trade Goods table.

2d6 REACTION TRADE GOODS

Aggravated. The trader is insulted and
stops to count to 10 to diffuse their anger. d20 TYPE OF GOODS
2
They won’t proceed to barter without an Exotic animal parts (hides, bones,
apology. 1
scales, claws, etc.)
Disappointed. The trader accepts the
3–5 2 Scrap metal
offer but is noticeably sad it wasn’t better.

Cheerful Indifference. The trader 3 Clothing

accepts the trade and pays the party a
6–8 genuine compliment. The players of any 4 Stone
characters who give a compliment in
return receive a point of inspiration. 5 Lumber
Amicable. The trader is eager and willing 6 Books and scrolls
9–11 to trade and gives a piece of useful
advice for free. 7 Sacred relics and religious icons
Friendly. The trader just scored the best
deal of their career and is vibrating with 8 Medicine
12
joy. They accept the party’s trade at half
cost. 9 Dried tea leaves or coffee beans

10 Salt or spices
Shrewd Traders
Shrewd traders are people of their word and give 11 Incense or perfume
every deal an astute assessment. They size up
the person offering a trade as much as the trade 12 Gemstones and jewelry
being offered.
13 Precious metals

SHREWD TRADER REACTIONS 14 Intoxicants

2d6 REACTION 15 Tools and equipment

Annoyed. The trader is inconvenienced
16 Trolleum fuel5
and feeling spiteful. They attempt to
2
make the characters accept something
Spell material components or
undesirable as part of the deal. 17
alchemical reagents
Suspicious. The trader suspects the barter
is a pretense for robbery. They accept the 18 Magical metals
3–5
deal but have the party followed when the
transaction is complete. 19 Arms and armor
Opportunistic. The trader wants another Arcanotech6 spare parts and
6–8 item or resource in addition to the original 20
components
Useful advice like offer.
where to find the
closest fresh water Fair. The trader accepts the offer and
9–11 5. See the “Vehicles” section later in this chapter for
source, the location of points out if the party has offered too much. information on trolleum, the fuel of the wastelands.
a safe campsite, or a Friendly. The deal goes through, and the 6 . See the “Magic Items” section later in this chapter for
rumor about one of the 12 information on arcanotech devices and arcanotech
trader offers a useful piece of advice.
locations in chapter 5. wonders.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

76 weird waStelandS
 magical pollutants, restoring their host creatures to near-
healthy levels. The ticks themselves are also edible and
breed prodigiously. They are so important to the process
that livestock farmers in the wastes are generally called
tick herders. In their natal stages, these ticks are edible
grubs served as fairly ubiquitous food in settled areas.
People also breed small animals.8 Rats and lizards great
and small are kept similarly to the way rabbits, guinea
pigs, or pigeons might have been before the cataclysm.
The ticks don’t touch them, so it is unclear whether toxic
magic builds up in them and is harmful over time, but
most don’t live long enough to find out, so consuming
them is a widely accepted practice. There are even a hand-
ful of dinosaur farms that cater only to the richest palates.

FOOD PRICES
The Common Food table gives descriptive information
and prices for individual food items you’re likely to see
from vendors and settlements in the Weird Wastelands.9

services
It’s common to hire others for help in the wastelands—
food and drink survival is harder when you’re going it alone. The Services
table lists common adventuring services that the party can
Food and water are scarce in the wastes, primarily because purchase from NPCs. Keep in mind that people offering
agriculture is so difficult here and water has been magi- services can have a cantrip or two relevant to their occupa-
cally polluted. Not only is water scarce, but the blazing sun tion (for example, most tinkerers will have mending). Use of
chokes out most plant life before it gets a chance to grow. these cantrips is part of their fee. Smaller settlements will have
Horticulture happens only in places with sun protection some, but not all, of these services.
and with organisms that require little water to thrive.
Yeast, molds, and slimes grown in caves or under rocks SERVICES DESCRIPTIONS
are compressed into cakes or dried and used like flour. General Labor. This includes work that needs to be done
Tending most other plant-life is akin to nurturing wild that doesn’t require any particular skill proficiency and can
patches of cacti rather than seed-to-harvest cultivation. be performed by general laborers. The more strenuous or
Grazing beasts can thrive here—mainly “goats” that have risky the labor, the higher the price will be for its perfor-
adapted to this hot and low-moisture environment—and mance. Living general laborers use a commoner stat block.
Undead use the skeleton stat block and are contracted
eat any plant life they can find. There are also “sheep,”
through a necromancy renter.
“camels,” “donkeys,” “oxen,” and “cows.”7
Guides. Guides exist to lead others to resources in the
Food products taken from mammalian livestock are
Weird Wastelands. Dowsers can lead people to water, hunt-
inherently toxic to humanoids due to the concentrated
ers to hunting grounds, and junk pickers to scrap. These
magical pollution in the wasteland plants they consume. specialists also make excellent messengers. Guides that
But wastelanders have discovered several ways to filter
the poison from such beasts, most commonly through 8. We name these animals to make an easy reference, but these are the
the use of giant ticks. These ticks start life the size of a Weird Wastelands! What do your lizards and rats look like? Maybe all
the reptiles look like Godzilla, but tiny. Maybe the rats are dog-sized
fingernail but swell to the size of a plum when engorged
sloth-like creatures with adorable faces. You do you.
with blood. When put on a goat, they filter and excrete
9 . As you can see, we give traditional copper, silver, and gold values here,
even though in the economy here operates on a barter system. We
7. There are quotes around all of these because, oops!, they’re all actually considered offering a conversion mechanic to essentially change the
goats, but different types have adapted in different ways and have economy of the wasteland, but we came to the conclusion that (1)
beneficial mutations here and there that give them different purposes. while delving into tabletop fantasy economics is a worthy pursuit, it’s
The “sheep” are somewhat larger and create fiber, the “camels” create not one that is central enough to the themes of this particular book
tallow, the “donkeys” are sturdy pack animals, the “oxen” are positively to justify it, and (2) given the previous point, the fastest and easiest
gigantic beasts of burden, and the “cows” produce milk. All these conversion we can offer is to give approximate values so you can make
beasts are considered goat meat when the time comes for them to shed comparisons as you see fit.
their mortal goatly coil.

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weird waStelandS 77
 COMMON FOOD
FOOD DESCRIPTION COST
Giant tick Fresh off the goat 1 cp

Lumpy gray paste It’s edible, but is it food? 1 cp

Small nutrient cube No one is sure of their origin 1 cp

Composite yeast, algae,

What chicken tastes like 2 cp
and grub slurry

Large egg (reptilian or avian) You can do a lot of things with an egg! 2 cp

Yeast cake Surprisingly complex bouquet 2 cp

Algae wafer Proof that healthy doesn’t mean tasty 3 cp

Tick broth Hot water with a smack of tick to it 3 cp

Throw it in a pot, add some broth, maybe a preserved fungus,

Tuber 4 cp
and you’ve got a stew

Dried grubs wrapped in yeast cake Less sweet than live grubs, but longer shelf life 6 cp

Roasted chitinous insects in yeast cone Protein! 7 cp

Live grubs in yeast cone Sweet, juicy, and writhing 8 cp

Preserved fungus Makes its own sauce 8 cp

Entire dried lizard Melts in your mouth, not in your hand 1 sp

Cheese round A pleasant, “goaty” funk 2 sp

Albino cave fish fillet Seems fresh, but really, how can you tell? 3 sp

Mystery meat kabob The only thing you’re sure of is that it’s a kabob 3 sp

Mystery sausage link This can’t be goat meat 3 sp

Metallic fruit Sharp on the outside, custardy on the inside 4 sp

Rat burger Surprisingly tender 4 sp

Rat on a stick Save the snout for last! 4 sp

Small cave amphibian Check for freshness by licking it first 4 sp

Hunk of giant slug flesh Don’t salt it 5 sp

Goat stomach surprise The surprise is that there’s nothing inside it 6 sp

Goat stew Excellent served over yeast cake 8 sp

Goat hoof jelly cup Even when it’s sweet, it’s still savory 1gp

Water, 1 gallon Room temperature and perfectly potable 1 gp

Hunk of dino meat The reddest red meat you’ve ever seen 5 gp

When you drink it, for a fleeting moment you feel like you’re
Cup of effervescent nectar 10 gp
in love for the first time

Covered in a curiously flexible glass wrapper, these wondrous

Two golden sponge cream fingers 10 gp
confections are only consumed at the grandest events

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 SERVICES
SERVICE OFFERED BY PRICE

Contracted undead, pack handlers, sweat 1d4 cp per day to 1d4 sp per
General labor
mongers, torchbearers, itinerant unseen servants day

Guides Dowsers, hunters, junk pickers, messengers 1d4 + 2 sp per day

Gladiators, mercenaries, minions, reavers, Minimum 2–6 sp per day

Hired goons
sellswords depending on combat prowess

Magical Cult fanatics, curse eaters, entrail readers, 100 gp per spell level of 1st
services exorcists, palm readers level and above

Mundane Apothecaries, barber-chirurgeons, herbalists,

1d6 × 10 gp per day
healing massage therapists

Astrologers, chroniclers, cleomancers, mystics,

Sages 3d6 gp per day
naturalists, rememberancers

Bootleg alchemists, bounty hunters, informants, 1d6 to 6d6 gp per service

Skilled
matchmakers, mechanics, professional rendered plus the cost of any
specialists
companions, puppeteers, tinkerers, wrestlers materials

1d4 sp per mile for nonmagical

Transportation Caravanners, drivers, mule skinners, porters transportation; 1d6 + 1 gp per
mile for magical transportation
2d6 to 4d6 gp per service
Vehicle repair Mechanics, technomancers rendered plus the cost of any
materials

accompany the party grant advantage on tasks Sages. Sages perform research on behalf of Sages are able
related to their specialty. They use the scout stat others. They can reveal the location of notable to share detailed
block. sites and arcanotech wonders, and the informa- information. They can
reveal locations on
Hired Goons. There are three levels of goons, tion they provide is reliable. They can also re- a map, lore about a
and you may use the corresponding stat blocks veal information about infamous and legendary monster, information
for each: bandit, thug, and gladiator. They are monsters. on how to interact with
loyal as long as they’re paid. More powerful goons Skilled Specialists. These experts are profi- certain creatures, or
are more expensive. For example, a famous gladi- cient in some highly desirable skill. Requisition- even snippets from a
ator may require 100 gp per day. ing a particularly well-known or experienced creature’s stat block.
It is up to the GM to
Magical Services. These magic practitioners specialist requires paying a premium price. determine how long it
charge per spell level cast. It is reasonably easy Transportation. When you purchase trans- takes to research this
to find someone to cast a 1st- or 2nd-level spell, portation, you get a driver, a vehicle, and any information. Instead of
but magic users able to cast spells of 3rd level animals or other equipment required to oper- giving hard and fast
and beyond are rare and typically require more ate it. Drivers use the commoner stat block. rules, consider your
than just material compensation; these accom- The prices outlined in the Services table are for pacing. How soon do
you want the players
plished casters want a service in return. transporting several people and their equip- to have the info? A
Mundane Healing. These are masters of the ment. For larger loads, higher prices are in order. good rule of thumb
healing arts without the benefit of magic. If you Vehicle Repair. Those who can maintain and might be 1 day per gp
are in the care of a mundane healer, you have repair mechanical and arcanotech vehicles are it costs to research, but
advantage on saving throws against poisons, even rarer than the vehicles themselves. They you should adjust this
diseases, and other hazards of the wastes.10 often require specialized tools and a workshop based on the needs of
your game.
This effect does not last beyond the day that is or garage, not to mention they need hard-to-
paid for. These healers use the commoner stat find parts and supplies, which can significantly
block and have expertise in any relevant skills. raise their prices.

10. See chapter 4 for information about hazards in the

Weird Wastelands.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

weird waStelandS 79
 wasteland equipment Of course, this includes all manner of survival gear tai-
lored to this area that helps characters survive the wastes.
While the Weird Wastelands are unforgiving, that doesn’t In this section, we also have unique magic items and ways
mean characters lack equipment. Our intention in this to reskin traditional equipment to better fit the aesthetic
chapter is to give you options that reflect the setting: of your game.
weapons and armor are practically everywhere, but they
are old, in questionable condition, or difficult to repair. reskinning standard armor
When we think of the postapocalypse, we see visions of
fighting with a weapon until it breaks, picking up what-
and weapons
ever new object you can find in a mountain of junk, and Most equipment in the Weird Wastelands doesn’t look like
hoping it’ll last until you find something better. standard fantasy gear. In order to help players and GMs
imagine the equipment of the Weird Wastelands, this sec-
tion provides names for gear you can use to get in the posta-
pocalyptic mindset, information on how weapons and
armor are different here, and ways to further customize
standard gear.

ARMOR
Armor in the Weird Wastelands is made from two main
types of materials: animal parts (bone, hide, fur, and horn)
and scavenged elements (bits of broken pre-apocalyptic
armor and scrap that can be repurposed into equipment).
Scavenged armor is likely to contain bits of magical ar-
mor, as those were most likely to survive until the pres-
ent. Therefore, players can have a lot of latitude in what
their armor looks like; perhaps their “breastplate” is metal
pauldrons over a wrap of ancient, super durable cloth that
grants the AC of a standard breastplate with no other
magical benefits.

spikes
This is a postapocalyptic book, and that
means we have to talk about armor spikes.
We certainly imagine most armor is spiky here.
There are many creatures that want to eat the
characters. It makes sense that wastelanders
would try to make being eaten as difficult as
possible.
If you’d like to attach a mechanical benefit to
armor spikes (as opposed to purely aesthetic
spikes), try these suggestions. Light and
medium armor can have spikes that do 1d4
damage automatically to creatures grappling
or grappled by the wearer. Spiked heavy armor
deals 1d6 damage. Armor either has spikes or
it doesn’t; the number of spikes does not affect
the amount of damage dealt. Spiked armor
costs twice as much to buy as un-spiked armor,
and adding spikes to your armor costs as much
as your armor.

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80 weird waStelandS
 WASTELAND ARMOR NAMES WASTELAND WEAPON NAMES
STANDARD NAME WASTELAND NAME STANDARD NAME WASTELAND NAME
Padded Blanket and cord Battleaxe Big chopper
Leather Scavenger’s harness Blowgun Ghoul’s kiss
Studded leather Dino leather Club Beat stick
Hide Goat suit Crossbow, hand Wristbow
Chain shirt Merchant’s shirt Crossbow, heavy Bigbow
Scale mail Gorgonhide Crossbow, light Crankbow
Breastplate Scrapbelly Dagger Goat sticker
Half plate Reaver’s harness Dart Plumbata
Ring mail Coinmail suit Flail Spiked chain
Chain mail Hotsuit Greataxe Executioner
Splint Oven Greatclub Fight stick
Plate Monster-proof suit 11
Greatsword Bigknife
Halberd Long axe
Handaxe Little chopper
Javelin Poke stick
Lance Fancy poke
Light hammer Tinker’s fist
Longbow Shooter
Longsword Longknife
Mace Basher
Maul Slayer’s fist
Morningstar Spiked basher
Net Tangler
Pike Monster poker
Quarterstaff Stick
Rapier Fastknife
Scimitar Curveknife
Shortbow Plinker
WEAPONS Shortsword Smallknife
Weapons in the Weird Wastelands are similar to armor
in that they tend to be fashioned from a hodgepodge of Sickle Stanker’s nail
found materials and animal parts. These might resemble Sling Bandage gun
durable blades fastened to bone hafts, swords on the ends
Spear Pokey poke
of poles, or a bunch of blades hammered into a stick. The
weapons mentioned here are the most common, but ex- Trident Fish fork
perienced explorers may wield all manner of bizarre and War pick Toothpick
fantastic armaments.
Warhammer Reaver’s fist
11. If you use a monster-proof suit as we have pictured here, it should
Whip Goat tongue
grant the wearer immunity to being swallowed.

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weird waStelandS 81
 SURVIVAL GEAR
This section contains items to help adventurers weather
the harsh elements of the Weird Wastelands. Traders are
likely to have at least one or two of these items on offer.
In Tradetown or other large settlements, most if not all of
these can be easily obtained.

Survival Gear Descriptions

Binoculars. Using binoculars doubles the distance you
can see.

Grapple Gun. This device launches a secure grappling

hook connected to a high-strength, 200-foot-long cable
with a 1,000-pound weight capacity. As long as the grapple
has a solid surface to attach to, it is secure. It takes an ac-
tion to fire the grapple gun.

Bottled Lightning. This unassuming bottle contains

sparks of lightning. As an action, you can open the bottle SURVIVAL GEAR
and aim it at a target within 30 feet of you. Make a ranged ITEM COST WEIGHT
attack against a creature or object, treating the bottled
lightning as an improvised weapon. You have advantage Binoculars 500 gp 1 lb.
on the attack roll if the target is wearing armor made of Bottled lightning 50 gp 1 lb.
metal. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 lightning damage, and Cooling salve (10 uses) 2 gp 1 lb.
if the target is a creature, it can’t take reactions until the
Dowsing rod 5 gp 3 lb.
start of its next turn. The lightning is expended once used.
Cooling Salve. This jar contains enough salve for ten Filter mask 30 gp 2 lb.
applications. As an action, you can apply salve to the skin Grapple gun 50 gp 4 lb.
of a creature within reach, including yourself. If the crea-
Headwrap 1 gp 1/2 lb.
ture is suffering from the sunburned condition,12 it is no
longer sunburned, and it gains advantage on saving throws Lunchbox 50 gp 1 lb.
against extreme heat for the next 8 hours. Mechanic’s kit 10 gp 12 lb.
Dowsing Rod. This two-pronged wooden rod grants
Moisture-recycling bio-suit 1,000 gp 10 lb.
you advantage on ability checks made to find water.
Filter Mask. This garment protects against dust and Parasol 2 gp 2 lb.
wind. While wearing the mask, you automatically succeed Quartz goggles 8 gp 1 lb.
on saving throws against heat and wind damage caused by Scavenger’s kit 5 gp 20 lb.
weather, and you have advantage on saving throws against
the effects of airborne poison. Smoke bombs (10) 10 gp 2 lb.
UV balm (10 uses) 5 gp 1 lb.
12. See the “Variant Survival Rules” section in chapter 3 on p. 102 for
Wastelander’s pack 15 gp 40 lb.
information about the sunburned condition.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

82 weird waStelandS
 Headwrap. This garment protects your head and face Parasol. This small umbrella provides sun protection.
from the wind and sun. While wearing the headwrap, you Creatures shaded by the parasol have advantage on Con-
have advantage on saving throws against heat and wind stitution saving throws made to prevent exhaustion and
damage caused by weather. against other hazards imposed by the sun’s heat.
Lunchbox. This lunchbox keeps your meals warm.
When you eat a meal stored in this lunchbox, you remove
one level of exhaustion currently affecting you (in addition
to the normal benefits of consuming food). You can only
gain this benefit once per day.
The lunchbox can hold 1 day of rations for one creature.
Mechanic’s Kit. This kit contains a wrench, an oilcan,
loose spare parts, grease, a screwdriver, and an assortment
of screws and bolts. Proficiency with this kit allows you
to add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you
make with it to repair mundane or magical machines (like
Quartz Goggles. While wearing these goggles, you auto-
vehicles or constructs).
matically succeed on saving throws against being blinded
by environmental effects.
Scavenger’s Kit. This kit contains a crowbar, a magnet,
a shovel, a sieve, an oilcan, and a set of pliers. If you are
proficient with the scavenger’s kit, you add your proficien-
cy bonus when making ability checks while scavenging.14
Smoke Bomb. As an action, you can hurl a smoke bomb
up to 20 feet. The bomb explodes on impact, creating a
cloud of black smoke that fills a 10-foot-radius sphere. The
area within the cloud is heavily obscured. A strong wind
disperses the cloud, which otherwise remains until the
end of your next turn.

Moisture-recycling Bio-suit. While you wear this bio- UV Balm. This jar contains enough balm for ten appli-
suit, you gain benefits as if you were wearing quartz gog- cations. As an action, you can apply balm to the skin of a
gles, a filter mask, and a headwrap. Additionally, the suit creature within reach, including yourself. If the creature
recycles your wastewater into potable water. While you are is suffering from the sunburned condition, it is no longer
wearing this suit, your standard daily water needs are met sunburned, and it is immune to the sunburned condition
automatically (2 gallons per day), and you have advantage and to fire damage for 1 hour.
on Constitution saving throws made to prevent exhaustion Wastelander’s Pack. This pack contains a headwrap,
imposed by lack of food or water (this includes advantage a dowsing rod, UV balm, a magnet, a shovel, a waterskin,
on saving throws to prevent the dehydrated condition13). a sewing kit, a sack, a set of traveler’s clothes, 2 days of
This suit can be worn underneath light armor. rations, a canteen, and a 10-foot pole.

13 . See the “Variant Survival Rules” section in chapter 3 on p. 102 for 14. See the “Variant Survival Rules” section in chapter 3 on p. 102 for
information about the dehydrated condition. information about scavenging.

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weird waStelandS 83
 WASTELAND MOUNTS
MOUNT COST SPEED CARRYING CAPACITY

Giant spider 150 gp 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 195 lb.

Iron mule 1,500 gp 40 ft. 420 lb.

Necromantic steed, Medium Base mount cost + 350 gp Varies Varies

Necromantic steed, Large Base mount cost + 650 gp Varies Varies

Necromantic steed, Huge Base mount cost + 1,500 gp Varies Varies

Necromantic steed, Gargantuan Base mount cost + 2,500 gp Varies Varies

Pack dinosaur, Large 50 gp 40 ft. 195 lb.

Pack dinosaur, Huge 100 gp 40 ft. 540 lb.

Vatborn beast 400 gp × beast CR (min. 400 gp) Varies Varies

War dinosaur, Large 450 gp 60 ft. 500 lb.

War dinosaur, Huge 800 gp 50 ft. 1,500 lb.

mounts or salvagers intent on delving into dangerous locations.

Mounts are instrumental to the success of trade in the Several spider ranches exist in the wastes, making these
wastelands, but scarcity of resources makes it difficult to mounts readily available for purchase. Giant spider mounts
care for living beasts. It is hard enough to secure enough use the giant spider statistics.
food and water to keep a single person alive let alone Iron Mule. The iron mule is an artificial quadruped
meet the needs of larger pack beasts. These difficult en- fashioned after a mule. It uses the mule statistics, but it is
vironmental circumstances mean it is rare to find typical considered a construct and cannot take the Attack action.
mounts in the wastes, and the ones that do exist are always Necromantic Steed. Whether through ambient magic
expensive. or intentional necromancy, dead flesh has been reani-
Despite the scarcity of living beasts, there are several mated and is used as transport. Such undead mounts vary
groups who have made their fortune creating magical in size depending on the corpse. For example, one nec-
mounts to sell to those wealthy enough to afford them. romantic steed might simply be an undead riding horse,
Necromancers frequently sell their services creating un- but another might be the husk of a Huge insect. For such
dead steeds, and technomancers15 turn a healthy profit creatures, use the ankylosaurus statistics, but the creature
creating constructs to function as beasts of burden. type is undead.
The Wasteland Mounts table shows the base cost, speed, Pack Dinosaur. Dinosaurs in the wastelands can be
and carrying capacity16 of mounts commonly available in trained to haul cargo. Such mounts range in size from
the wastes. Unless specified otherwise, wasteland mounts Large to Gargantuan and include such creatures as the
follow the standard mount rules found in the PHB. hadrosaurus, stegosaurus, and brontosaurus.18
Vatborn Beast. Alchemists and technomancers have
WASTELAND MOUNT DESCRIPTIONS17 developed methods to grow enhanced beasts in great vats,
Giant Spider. Giant insects are common throughout the though such creations are rare indeed. Any beast can be
wastes and are easier to care for than mammalian beasts. rendered as vatborn by giving it the original creature’s
Giant spiders are not the fastest mounts available, but their maximum hit points and a +2 proficiency bonus.
climbing capabilities make them a popular choice for miners War Dinosaur. More predatory dinosaurs can be trained
to fight on command, serving as mounts to ride into battle.
15. See the Technomancy arcane tradition in chapter 1 on p. 51 for Such mounts range in size from Medium to Huge, includ-
information about what a technomancer is and what they can do.
ing the deinonychus,19 allosaurus, and triceratops.
16. If you would like to abstract mount carrying capacity, see the
“Slot Based Encumbrance” section on p. 107 of chapter 3.
18. These three dinosaurs can be found in the official 5E supplement MotM.
17. Unless otherwise noted, these creatures’ stats can be found in the
19. The deinonychus can be found in the official 5E supplement MotM.
official 5E core rules.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

84 weird waStelandS
Vehicles must be physically and mentally capable of performing
their designated tasks. A beast, for example, is unlikely to
The wasteland is a wide-open expanse filled with dangers have the skills necessary to operate complex mechanical
more easily handled with a speedy vehicle. This section in- controls. While there are no specifically designated roles
cludes stat blocks for wasteland vehicles, rules for running for each vehicle, the GM has final say on whether or not a
and repairing them, and a catalog of items to customize them. creature qualifies as a crew member.

VEHICLE FEATURES PROFICIENCY BONUS BY RARITY

This section explores the universal features shared by all
vehicles in the wastelands. Though the parameters vary, VEHICLE RARITY PROFICIENCY BONUS
every vehicle has the following characteristics.20 Common +2
Size Class. Vehicles come in a dizzying array of sizes,
many of which must be tremendously large to fulfill their Uncommon +3
purposes. A vehicle’s size class provides a rough measure- Rare +4
ment of its size relative to the world around it.
Very rare +5
Rarity. Due to their unique nature, vehicles are consid-
ered magic items in addition to their mundane properties. Legendary +6
Each vehicle has one of the following rarity designations:
common, uncommon, rare, very rare, and legendary. Passengers. Some vehicles are large enough to carry
Armor Class and Integrity Score. Each vehicle has an passengers in addition to the required number of crew
Armor Class (AC) that determines how difficult it is to members. While it may be possible for a vehicle to carry
hit. In addition, each vehicle has an integrity score, which creatures beyond this capacity, doing so risks damaging
represents the damage threshold that must be met before the transport and is not sustainable over prolonged periods
the vehicle loses hit points. If the vehicle is hit by a single of time. The information provided in this section assumes
instance of damage that fails to meet its integrity score, it the typical passenger is a Small or Medium creature.
instead takes no damage. Cargo Capacity. The cargo of a vehicle is measured in
Hit Points. A vehicle is destroyed when it drops to 0 hit weight and refers to the carrying capacity of nonessential
points, unless otherwise specified. goods and materials. This capacity is measured in pounds,
Speed. A vehicle’s movement is measured in feet and but a GM may rule the nature of a vehicle may prevent it
miles per hour. The per-foot measurement is for use in from carrying certain kinds of cargo.
combat or other encounters that require initiative, while the Module Slots. Every vehicle has a certain number of
miles-per-hour measurement is used when traveling great module slots, which indicates how many additional compo-
distances. A vehicle with a full crew may move up to its nents can be integrated into its base structures. Modules
speed on its turn. When a vehicle moves in combat, it must provide mundane or magical upgrades designed specifi-
do so in a straight line unless its movement has the (maneu- cally to work with vehicles.
verable) trait, in which case it can move in any direction. Generally speaking, the larger a vehicle is, the more
Initiative. A vehicle has a set count for when it acts in module slots it has. Every vehicle has at least one module
initiative (the vehicle loses ties). slot. Module slots are only compatible with one of three
Proficiency Bonus. Every vehicle has a special profi- module types: logistical, navigational, or tactical. A list of
ciency bonus determined by its rarity. When a vehicle available modules and an explanation of each type is in-
attempts a saving throw, attack, or ability check, it adds cluded later in this section.
its proficiency bonus to the roll. Alternatively, if the ve- Actions. On each of its turns, a crewed vehicle may
hicle requires only one crew member or there is a creature move up to its speed, use any actions available to it, and
clearly designated as the captain, the vehicle can use that use any special effects or actions granted by its modules.
creature’s proficiency bonus instead. Guidelines for deter- Unless otherwise specified, a particular module can be
mining a vehicle’s proficiency bonus are provided in the used only once per round.
Proficiency Bonus by Rarity table.
Crew. A vehicle needs a crew to operate, and it cannot VEHICLE REPAIRS21
move or take actions unless the number of required crew When a vehicle is damaged, a creature can attempt to
members is met. A designated crew member does not make repairs to it. Unless specified otherwise, a creature
roll their own initiative in combat since their actions and cannot conduct repairs on a vehicle while it is moving or
movement are fully dedicated to managing their operating otherwise in use.
responsibilities. To qualify as a crew member, a creature
21. These rules can also be used to calculate the cost of hiring someone
20. These rules are designed to expand and replace the previous to repair a vehicle. For mechanic prices, check out the Services
mechanics found in the 5E core rules. pricing table earlier in the chapter on p. 79.

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weird waStelandS 85
 The creature attempting the repairs must meet the fol-
lowing criteria: VEHICLE BASE COST24
■ The creature must have proficiency with the kind of VEHICLE BASE SPARE PARTS
RARITY COST COST
vehicle they are trying to fix.
Common 100 gp 10 gp
■ The creature must have the appropriate tools to fix
the vehicle, such as smith’s tools, tinker’s tools, or a Uncommon 5,000 gp 500 gp
mechanic’s kit.
Rare 20,000 gp 2,000 gp
A creature who meets the repair criteria can perform Very rare 50,000 gp 5,000 gp
one of the following types of repairs.
Legendary 200,000 gp 20,000 gp

variant rule: fuel22

variant rule:
Since vehicles are magical in nature, they do not
need fuel to function in a standard game. However,
the damaged condition
if you would like to create an additional challenge
to emphasize the scarcity of resources in the When a vehicle suffers damage, it is unlikely
wastes, you can use these optional rules. to retain its full functionality. The consequences
One tank of fuel (also called “trolleum” in the of this damage can be represented by a special
Weird Wastelands), which is typically around 15 condition known as the damaged condition. The
gallons, is enough to fuel 24 hours of driving for loss of critical components, the death of too many
a Large or smaller vehicle. That same amount of crewmembers, or a fire onboard are all examples
trolleum can fuel a Huge vehicle for 12 hours of of effects that can cause the damaged condition.
driving, or a Gargantuan vehicle for 6 hours. When a vehicle is below half its hit point maxi-
Fuel in the wasteland is slightly less expensive mum (rounded down) and takes damage, roll a
than potable water, and one tank typically sells d20. On a 10 or lower, it gains the damaged condi-
for around 12 gp. In remote locations where fuel is tion. When a vehicle gains the damaged condition,
scarce, it might easily cost twice that amount. the GM rolls for or chooses one of the following
effects. A vehicle can gain the damaged condition
multiple times. When it does so, the effects don’t
Patch Job stack; instead, it suffers an alternate effect.
If the vehicle has taken damage but has at least half its total d6 EFFECT
hit points (rounded down), a creature can spend 1 hour 1 Speed is halved
patching the damage. At the end of the hour, the vehicle
2 Deals half damage
regains a number of temporary hit points equal to its in-
3 Disadvantage on attacks
tegrity score (up to the vehicle’s hit point maximum). These
temporary hit points last until depleted. A vehicle can only 4 Passenger capacity halved
gain temporary hit points in this way once per day. 5 Hit point maximum halved
6 Cargo capacity halved
Replace Parts The damaged condition can only be removed
If a vehicle has taken damage and has less than half its by repairing the vehicle, requiring professional
total hit points (rounded down), a creature can spend 1 maintenance and raw materials. A typical
hour or more and the necessary spare parts23 to repair the professional requires 24 hours to remove a single
damage. At the end of each hour, the vehicle regains hit damaged condition, assuming they have the
points equal to its integrity score (up to the vehicle’s hit appropriate tools and materials for the task. The
point maximum). One hour’s worth of repairs requires GM may rule that particularly rare or highly magical
spare parts worth a gp amount equal to 10 percent of the vehicles take double the amount of time to repair
vehicle’s base cost, as shown on the Vehicle Base Cost table. and may require highly skilled wizards or similarly
talented individuals to conduct repairs.
22. If you are using the variant rule for fuel and would like to abstract
fuel amounts, see chapter 3.
23 . See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section in chapter 3 on p. 128 for
24 . This table suggests rough pricing for wasteland vehicles. Use it as a
information on how to abstract the cost of spare parts or use salvaged
guideline for buying and selling vehicles, but the GM has final say on
scrap to repair vehicles.
vehicle availability and market price!

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86 weird waStelandS
VEHICLE COMBAT
Due to their unwieldly nature as objects and their great
size, vehicles can be tricky to use in combat. Because they
big tank
Huge vehicle, uncommon
are composed of many smaller objects, vehicles can be
damaged in a wide variety of ways.
Armor Class 20 Integrity 30
If you wish to dig deeply into vehicular combat, the dam-
Hit Points 250
aged condition is provided as a special ruleset that adds Speed 50 ft., 30 mph
more tactical options and complexity. Otherwise, the GM Initiative 5
arbitrates what special consequences may result from a Proficiency Bonus +5
vehicle taking damage or suffering effects. Creature Capacity 2 crew, 2 passengers
Cargo Capacity 10,000 pounds
VEHICLE TEMPLATES
This section presents base templates of some of the ve- TRAITS
hicles used in the wastes. Modules can be installed to cre-
Module Slots. The big tank has six module slots,
ate new versions of these vehicles, within the limitations
three of which can only hold tactical modules.
of each vehicle template’s Module Slots trait.
ACTIONS
Bandit Buggy - “Sandrail,” “cager,” “sand runner,”
“sand wagon” Ramming Speed. If the big tank moves at least 40
The entry-level wastelands ride, the bandit buggy can get feet straight toward a target, it can attempt to collide
you from A to B. Though the basic chassis rarely has win- with it. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
dows, doors, fenders, or full body panels, the bandit buggy saving throw or take 31 (4d12 + 5) bludgeoning
can be outfitted with some sweet gear. damage. The big tank takes the same amount of
damage.

bandit buggy Golden Sky Barge

Large vehicle, common
Legends tell of technomancers who can summon a shin-
ing, flying ship as big as a city. The golden sky barge is liv-
Armor Class 10 Integrity 20
ing proof that those rumors of outrageous excess are true.
Hit Points 100
Speed 60 ft. (maneuverable), 35 mph
Initiative 10
Proficiency Bonus +2 golden sky barge
Creature Capacity 1 crew, 3 passengers Gargantuan vehicle, legendary
Cargo Capacity 1,000 pounds
Armor Class 20 Integrity 40
TRAITS Hit Points 300
Speed 0 ft., fly 120 ft. (hover), 70 mph
Module Slots. The bandit buggy has three module Initiative 1
slots. Proficiency Bonus +6
Creature Capacity 1 crew, 20 passengers
ACTIONS
Cargo Capacity 50,000 pounds
Ramming Speed. If the bandit buggy moves at least
40 feet straight toward a target, it can attempt to collide TRAITS
with it. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity Module Slots. The golden sky barge has ten module
saving throw or take 18 (3d10 + 2) bludgeoning damage. slots.
The bandit buggy takes the same amount of damage.
ACTIONS
Ramming Speed. If the sky barge moves at least 40
Big Tank - “Death dealer,” “pacifier” feet straight toward a target, it can attempt to collide
This is the real deal, a genuine arcanotech war machine with it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity
built for the wasteland. Whether it is pieced together from saving throw or take 45 (6d12 + 6) bludgeoning
old relics and scraps or built new, a big tank is a solid truck damage. The sky barge takes the same amount of
that can be loaded for bear, making it one of the most fear- damage.
some vehicles in the wasteland.

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weird waStelandS 87
 Rugged Motorcycle - “Chopper,” “rat bike” Transport Automaton - “Dune walker,” “camel truck”
In the wastelands, two wheels are easier to maintain than This large vehicle combines an automated mobile plat-
four. Fast and durable but limited in crew and cargo, the form, either on multiple legs or massive treads, with a
rugged motorcycle can’t carry much more than one Medium makeshift howdah atop it.
creature and some gear.

transport automaton
rugged motorcycle Gargantuan vehicle, very rare
Medium vehicle, common
Armor Class 10 Integrity 30
Armor Class 12 Integrity 10 Hit Points 250 Initiative 5
Hit Points 50 Initiative 15 Speed 30 ft., 15 mph Proficiency Bonus +4
Speed 90 ft. (maneuverable), 50 mph Creature Capacity 1 crew (0 once a destination has
Proficiency Bonus +3 Creature Capacity 1 crew been programmed), 12 passengers
Cargo Capacity 200 pounds Cargo Capacity 20,000 pounds

TRAITS TRAITS
Module Slots. The rugged motorcycle has one Module Slots. The transport automaton has six
tactical module slot. module slots.

ACTIONS ACTIONS
Ramming Speed. If the rugged motorcycle moves at Ramming Speed. If the transport automaton moves
least 40 feet straight toward a target, it can attempt at least 40 feet straight toward a target, it can at-
to collide with it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 tempt to collide with it. The target must succeed on
Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d8 + 3) bludgeon- a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 20 (3d10 + 4)
ing damage. The motorcycle takes the same amount bludgeoning damage. The transport automaton
of damage. takes the same amount of damage.

Technical Truck - “Meat truck,” “band wagon,” VEHICLE MODULES

“hauler” Modules for vehicles are divided into three categories:
This big truck is great for hauling loads of scrap or your logistical, navigational, and tactical. When not integrated
favorite reaver warband. It might not be the fastest, but it’s into a vehicle, a module is merely a collection of parts, ma-
tough and reliable. chinery, and magic that requires a suitable host. Mundane
modules can be fabricated with some basic material and
elbow grease, while modules with magical properties are
technical truck as precious and rare as magical items.
Huge vehicle, rare Some modules have prerequisites that require integra-
tion with specific types of vehicles. These restrictions may
Armor Class 10 Integrity 30 be based on size classification, type, or other factors and
Hit Points 250 Initiative 5 are detailed in the module’s description.
Speed 50 ft., 30 mph Proficiency Bonus +4
Creature Capacity 2 crew, 10 passengers Acquiring Modules
Cargo Capacity 10,000 pounds Vehicle modules can be found in wrecked vehicles through-
TRAITS out the wastes, but such valuable finds are rare. Shops
are more reliable sources for modules, like the one at the
Module Slots. The technical truck has five module slots. Derby.25 The cost of a module is based on its rarity, as re-
flected in the Vehicle Modules by Rarity table.
ACTIONS
Ramming Speed. If the technical truck moves at least Installing Modules
40 feet straight toward a target, it can attempt to collide Installing a module into a vehicle with an eligible module
with it. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity slot requires 24 hours of focused activity by an appropri-
saving throw or take 30 (4d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage. ately skilled expert.
The technical truck takes the same amount of damage.
25 . See p. 230 in chapter 5 for more info on the Derbytown location.

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88 weird waStelandS
 VEHICLE MODULES BY RARITY
NAME TYPE RARITY COST
Bolt Thrower, Light Tactical Common 20 gp

Ram Prow Tactical Common 20 gp

Bolt Thrower, Heavy Tactical Uncommon 500 gp

Compass System Navigational Uncommon 500 gp

Fuel Efficient Navigational Uncommon 500 gp

Grappling Hook Gun Tactical Uncommon 500 gp

Keep the Rubber Side Down Navigational Uncommon 500 gp

Tire Caltrops Tactical Uncommon 500 gp

Buzzsaw Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Flame Thrower Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Harpoon Launcher Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Metal Detector Logistical Rare 2,000 gp

Monster Pheromone Spray Logistical Rare 2,000 gp

Oil Slick Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Sand Sail Navigational Rare 2,000 gp

Smoke Screen Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Spiked Prow Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Wheel Spikes Tactical Rare 2,000 gp

Elemental Engine Navigational Very rare 5,000 gp

Hydraulic Hoppers Navigational Very rare 5,000 gp

Medusa Hitch Logistical Very rare 5,000 gp

Necro-bike Logistical Legendary 10,000 gp

The creature installing the module meet the following quarters, recreational areas, workshops, and specialized
criteria: cargo holds.
■ The creature must have Vehicle Proficiency
Medusa Hitch
in the kind of vehicle they are trying Module, very rare
to fix.
This embalmed, necromantically enchanted head of a me-
■ The creature must have the appropriate tools dusa is affixed to one side of the vehicle, gazing outward hor-
to fix the vehicle like smith’s tools, tinker’s rifically in one direction in a 30-foot cone. When a creature
tools, or a mechanic’s kit. enters the area of the cone for the first time or starts its turn
there, its movement is reduced by 10 feet. Furthermore,
Logistical Modules as an action, the driver can reach down and pull open the
Logistical modules provide a vehicle with upgrades that medusa hitch’s eyes, invoking what remains of the medusa’s
enhance quality of life for passengers and crew members. power. When the driver does so, each creature in the cone
These modules are ideal for optimizing a vehicle for ro- must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
leplaying purposes and cover things like armories, crew paralyzed until the end of the creature’s next turn.

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weird waStelandS 89
 Metal Detector Elemental Engine
Module, rare Module, very rare
This module deploys magnetic resonance detectors that This arcanotech engine uses a trapped elemental to propel
pick up signs of nearby magnetic materials such as metal a vehicle upward into the air, allowing it to hover over the
and scrap. The metal detector pings when it detects metal ground. This module grants its vehicle a flying speed of 60
other than the vehicle and anything it carries within 120 feet (hover), or 35 mph.
of it. Its detection range is impeded by more than 5 feet of
sand and more than 2 feet of solid rock or wood. Fuel Efficient
Module, uncommon
Monster Pheromone Spray This “module” is in fact installed by removing material from
Module, rare a vehicle, lightening its load and rendering it more fuel ef-
This module emits a chemical in an invisible cloud that ficient. When this module is used, its vehicle can travel 25
surrounds the vehicle in a 30-foot radius. All creatures in percent farther on a standard amount of trolleum.
the affected area must attempt a DC 13 Wisdom saving
throw, which they attempt with advantage if you or your Hydraulic Hoppers
companions are fighting them. On a failure, a creature Module, very rare (requires Large or smaller vehicle)
is charmed by you until the end of your next turn, until This module features heavy-duty hydraulics and power-
it moves out of range of the spray, or until you or your ful springs. As an action, you can activate the hopper to
companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed crea- jump your vehicle up to 20 feet up or in the direction it
ture is friendly to you. When the effect ends, the creature is moving. When the vehicle lands, it does not take dam-
knows it was charmed by you. age (nor do any of its crew or passengers). Once deployed,
this system must be manually reset, requiring 1 minute of
Necro-bike uninterrupted labor.
Module, legendary
This skeletal necro-tech motorcycle features flaming wheels Keep the Rubber Side Down
and a balefire headlight. It’s sometimes called a “bone Module, uncommon
rider,” “balefire chopper,” or “revenger.” This gyroscope and gimbal system can be installed in a ve-
Revenant Rider. When the necro-bike’s driver dies while hicle to compensate for momentum changes and prevent
on the necro-bike, its soul lingers. After 24 hours, the body the vehicle from flipping. The driver of a vehicle with this
reforms at the nearest unoccupied space to the spot where module installed has advantage on skill checks to avoid
it died. This feature closes all wounds, neutralizes any flipping or crashing.
poisons, cures all diseases, and lifts any curses affecting
the creature when it died. Any of the driver’s damaged or Sand Sail
missing organs and limbs are restored. If the driver’s body Module, rare (requires Large or smaller vehicle)
was destroyed, a new body is created through the magic of This retractable mast and sail can be deployed to propel a
this feature. While the soul is bodiless, a wish spell can be vehicle across open ground. The system takes 1 minute to
used to force the soul to proceed to the afterlife and not deploy and retract. Once deployed, the vehicle has a top
return through these means. speed of 30 feet, or 15 mph. When powered by the sail, the
vehicle cannot go up steep hills or over rough ground but
Navigational Modules does not require fuel. The module also requires a sustained
Navigational modules provide a vehicle with upgrades wind of at least 10 mph to function, though the module
that enhance its mobility or other basic operating func- corrects automatically for changes in wind direction.
tions. These modules are ideal for optimizing a vehicle for
exploration purposes and cover things like armor plating, Tactical Modules
autopilot controls, fuel reserves, terrain converters, and Tactical modules provide a vehicle with upgrades that en-
turbochargers. hance its destructive capabilities. These modules are ideal
for optimizing a vehicle for combat purposes and cover
Compass System things like conduit crystals, self-destruct protocols, siege
Module, uncommon capabilities, mounted weaponry, and on-board security.
Your vehicle has a simple navigational assistance mecha-
nism that points toward the direction you choose and cal- Bolt Thrower, Heavy
culates rough distance traveled since last reset. You have Module, uncommon (requires Large or larger vehicle)
advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to navigate in the This module integrates an arsenal of heavy projectile bolts
wastelands while using this module. into the construction of a vehicle. When the weapon is
used, the vehicle’s crew makes two Bolt Thrower attacks.

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90 weird waStelandS
 Bolt Thrower, Heavy. Ranged Weapon Attack: + profi- your vehicle, the winch pulls the target 20 feet closer to
ciency bonus to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 22 you. If the target is larger than your vehicle, the winch
(4d10) + proficiency bonus piercing damage. pulls you 20 feet closer to the target. Once the target and
your vehicle are within 5 feet of one another, the chain
Bolt Thrower, Light goes slack and the grappling hook can be unhooked by a
Module, common (requires Medium or larger vehicle) creature using its action to do so.
This module integrates an arsenal of light projectile bolts
into the construction of a vehicle. When the weapon is Harpoon Launcher
used, the vehicle’s crew makes one Bolt Thrower attack. Module, rare (requires Large or larger vehicle)
Bolt Thrower, Light. Ranged Weapon Attack: + proficiency This module projects a metal harpoon with a sharp point
bonus to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d8) + and curved barbs on the end. The harpoon is attached to
proficiency bonus piercing damage. the launcher mounted to the vehicle by a steel cord or
chain. When you successfully hit a target with the har-
Buzzsaw poon, the target is grappled. You can then use the winch to
Module, rare (requires Large or larger vehicle) attempt to pull your vehicle and the target closer together
This module extends a spinning blade on a mechanized arm, by drawing the harpoon back in.
able to cut through flesh and steel alike. When the weapon Harpoon. Ranged Weapon Attack: + proficiency bonus to
is used, the vehicle’s crew makes one Buzzsaw attack. hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d8) piercing damage,
Buzzsaw. Melee Weapon Attack: + proficiency bonus to and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the grapple
hit, range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) slashing damage. ends, the harpoon launcher cannot be used on another
target.
Flame Thrower Winch. When you have a target grappled with your har-
Module, rare (requires Large or larger vehicle) poon launcher, you can take your action to activate the
This module operates with a tank of alchemist’s fire, a pilot winch and attempt to close the gap between your vehicle
flame, and a hand pump. As a bonus action, the creature and a target. If the target is the same size or smaller than
wielding the flame thrower can light or extinguish the your vehicle, the winch pulls the target 20 feet closer to
pilot flame. If the flame thrower or the creature wielding it you. If the target is larger than your vehicle, the winch
takes more than 10 piercing damage while the pilot flame pulls you 20 feet closer to the target. Once the target and
is lit, the tank explodes, dealing 28 (8d6) fire damage to your vehicle are within 5 feet of one another, the chain
every creature within 10 feet of it, or half as much on a goes slack and the harpoon can be removed by a creature
successful DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. using its action to attempt a DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
Flame Thrower. A line of burning liquid 30 feet long and check, removing the harpoon on a success.
5 feet wide shoots from the flame thrower in a direction
you choose. Each creature in the line must succeed on a Oil Slick
DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) fire damage Module, rare
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. An oil slick spreads a viscous, slippery liquid onto the
surface behind your vehicle as it moves, causing pursuing
Grappling Hook Gun vehicles to spin out of control. As an action, you release
Module, uncommon (requires Medium or a vessel of oil, leaving a pool of flammable grease in a
larger vehicle) 10-foot-by-10-foot square behind your vehicle. The area is
This module projects a metal hook on the end of a steel difficult terrain for 1 hour, at which time the grease dries
cord or chain, grappling targets that are not larger than up, leaving behind a dirty residue. When a vehicle enters
your vehicle. If the target is the same size as your vehicle the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its
or smaller, it is dragged with you when you move. Once a turn there, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or
target is grappled, you can use the Winch action to draw spin out of control.
the hook back in, pulling your vehicle and the target closer When a vehicle spins out of control, it uses its remaining
together. movement to travel in a random direction. Roll a d10. On
Grappling Gun. Ranged Weapon Attack: + proficiency bo- a 1–4, the vehicle moves left. On a 5–8, the vehicle moves
nus to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled right. On a 9–10, the vehicle moves forward.
(escape DC 13). Until the grapple ends, the grappling gun Each oil slick module has one vessel of oil, which can
cannot be used on another target. be refilled anywhere trolleum—or fried foods—can be
Winch. When you have a target grappled with your grap- purchased. Because the oil can be virtually any viscous
pling hook gun, you can take your action to activate the substance (including what would otherwise be considered
winch and attempt to close the gap between your vehicle waste), refilling an oil slick module costs no more than
and a target. If the target is the same size or smaller than 1 gp.

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weird waStelandS 91
 Ram Prow the vehicle. As a bonus action, you can use your vehicle to
Module, common bump a vehicle traveling next to you at roughly the same
A ram prow is a metal plate mounted on the front of a speed, driving the barbed spike into it. The driver of the
vehicle designed to deflect damage from frontal collisions. other vehicle must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving
While driving a vehicle with a ram prow and using the throw, or the target vehicle takes 11 (2d10) piercing damage.
Ramming Speed action, your vehicle does not take damage
from the resulting collision. SAMPLE VEHICLES
This section presents two vehicles that may be found in
Smoke Screen the wastes. These vehicles are based on templates and
Module, rare (requires Medium or larger vehicle) modules from the previous sections.
A smoke screen module includes a small cannister of
oil or grease and a tiny furnace, generating thick black Speedy Cruiser - “Burner,” “longrunner”
smoke behind a vehicle as it moves. As an action, you ac- The Speedy Cruiser is an upgraded bandit buggy with a
tivate the smoke screen module, creating a 30-foot cone streamlined chassis, lighter weight, and a smaller foot-
of black smoke directly behind your vehicle. The smoke print. This allows it to go farther and faster on the same
spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. amount of trolleum as other vehicles.
It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of at least 10 miles Spee-D-Livery is an outfit that runs messages and pack-
per hour disperses it. Each smoke screen module has one ages between settlements. Staffed with daredevil drivers,
vessel of oil, which can be refilled anywhere trolleum—or the Spee-D-Livery team prefers to outrun threats rather
fried foods—can be purchased. Because the oil can be vir- than fight them.
tually any combustible substance (including what would
otherwise be considered waste), refilling a smoke screen
module costs no more than 1 sp. speedy cruiser
Large vehicle, rare
Spiked Prow
Module, rare Armor Class 10
A spiked prow is a metal plate with vicious spikes that is Integrity 15
mounted on the front of a vehicle. It is designed to deal ad- Hit Points 75
ditional damage and deflect damage from frontal collisions. Speed 90 ft. (maneuverable), 60 mph
While driving a vehicle with a spiked prow and using the Initiative 10
Ramming Speed action, you can roll the damage dice twice Proficiency Bonus +3
and use the higher result when dealing damage. Additionally, Creature Capacity 1 crew, 1 passenger
your vehicle does not take damage from the resulting collision. Cargo Capacity 500 pounds

Tire Caltrops TRAITS

Module, uncommon Keep the Rubber Side Down. This gyroscope
A tire caltrop module drops sharp scrap onto the sur- and gimbal system can be installed in a vehicle to
face behind a vehicle as it moves, damaging and slowing compensate for momentum changes and prevent
vehicles behind it. As an action, you release a canister of the vehicle from flipping. The driver of the Speedy
tire caltrops, leaving a line of debris 10 feet long and 5 feet Cruiser has advantage on skill checks to avoid
wide behind your as it moves. Any vehicle that enters the flipping or crashing.
area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or Fuel Efficient. This “module” is in fact installed by
damage their tires significantly, taking 14 (4d6) piercing removing material from a vehicle, lightening its load
damage that bypasses armor and a vehicle’s integrity score. and rendering it more fuel efficient. The Speedy
This damage reduces the vehicle’s driving speed by 20 feet Cruiser can travel 25 percent farther on a standard
until the vehicle is repaired. A vehicle moving through the amount of trolleum.
area at half speed is not affected. Each tire caltrop module
has three cannisters of scrap, which can be refilled easily ACTIONS
from scrap found virtually anywhere, though doing so re-
Ramming Speed. If the Speedy Cruiser moves at
quires one action per cannister to refill. least 40 feet straight toward a target, it can attempt
to collide with it. The target must succeed on a DC 14
Wheel Spikes Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d8 + 3) bludgeon-
Module, rare
ing damage. The Speedy Cruiser takes the same
These specialized wheel rims have built-in hub caps with amount of damage.
spear-like spikes that extend 1 foot out from the sides of

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92 weird waStelandS
Gunboat Grrrl - “Dune rat”
The Gunboat Grrrl is built to hit hard and mitigate dam-
age to itself when doing so. It can blast, cut, and ram its
way to victory against many a wasteland vehicle.
The Gunboat Grrrls—also known as the Dune Rats to
some—are a band of femme raiders who excel at attacking
caravans, taking what they want, and scavenging when the
need arises.

gunboat grrrl
Large vehicle, rare

Armor Class 10 the Ramming Speed action, the Gunboat Grrrl can
Integrity 25 roll the damage dice twice and use the higher result
Hit Points 150 when dealing damage. Additionally, the Gunboat Grrrl
Speed 60 ft. (maneuverable), 35 mph does not take damage from the resulting collision.
Initiative 10
Proficiency Bonus +4 ACTIONS
Creature Capacity 1 crew, 4 passengers
Bolt Thrower, Heavy. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to
Cargo Capacity 2,000 pounds
hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d10 + 4)
TRAITS piercing damage.
Buzzsaw. Melee Weapon Attack: + 4 to hit, range
Bolt Thrower, Heavy. This module integrates 5 feet ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) slashing damage.
an arsenal of heavy projectile bolts into the
construction of a vehicle. When the weapon is Harpoon. Ranged Weapon Attack: + 4 to hit, range
used, the Gunboat Grrrl’s crew makes two Bolt 60 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d8) piercing damage,
Thrower attacks. and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the
grapple ends, the harpoon launcher cannot be used
Buzzsaw. This module extends a spinning blade on
on another target.
a mechanized arm, able to cut through flesh and
steel alike. When the weapon is used, the Gunboat Winch. When the Gunboat Grrrl has a target grappled
Grrrl’s crew makes one Buzzsaw attack. by its harpoon launcher, it can take its action to
activate the winch and attempt to close the gap
Flame Thrower. This module operates with a tank
between it and its target. If the target is Large or
of alchemist’s fire, a pilot flame, and a hand pump.
smaller, the winch pulls the target 20 feet closer to
As a bonus action, the creature wielding the flame
the Gunboat Grrrl. If the target is Huge or larger, the
thrower can light or extinguish the pilot flame. If the
winch pulls the Gunboat Grrrl 20 feet closer to the
flame thrower or the creature wielding it takes more
target. Once the target and the Gunboat Grrrl are
than 10 piercing damage while the pilot flame is lit,
within 5 feet of one another, the chain goes slack and
the tank explodes, dealing 28 (8d6) fire damage to
the harpoon can be removed by a creature using its
every creature within 10 feet of it, or half as much on
action to attempt a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check,
a successful DC 13 Dexterity saving throw.
removing the harpoon on a success.
Harpoon Launcher. This module projects a metal
Flame Thrower. A line of burning liquid 30 feet
harpoon with a sharp point and curved barbs on
long and 5 feet wide shoots from the flame
the end. The harpoon is attached to the launcher
thrower in a direction the driver chooses. Each
mounted to the Gunboat Grrrl by a steel cord or
creature in the line must succeed on a Dexterity
chain. When the Gunboat Grrrl successfully hits a
saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) fire damage on
target with the harpoon, the target is grappled. The
a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Gunboat Grrrl can then use the winch to attempt to
successful one.
pull itself and the target closer together by drawing
the harpoon back in. Ramming Speed. If the Gunboat Grrrl moves at
least 40 feet straight toward a target, it can attempt
Spiked Prow. A spiked prow is a metal plate with
to collide with it. The target must succeed on a
vicious spikes that is mounted on the front of a
DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 19 (3d10 + 3)
vehicle. It is designed to deal additional damage and
bludgeoning damage.
deflect damage from frontal collisions. While using

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

weird waStelandS 93
 magic items variant rule:
While the means to create magic items were obliterated
in the apocalypse, magic items from pre-apocalyptic
recharging arcanotech
society are scattered throughout the wasteland. Faction
members, salvagers, and anyone else brave enough to Most arcanotech items have features powered
seek such items can turn a huge profit finding and selling by expendable charges. As an optional rule,
such treasures. spellcasters can expend spell slots to restore
expended device charges during a short rest.
arcanotech devices To do so, a caster must remain in physical
contact with the device for at least 10 minutes
In the wastelands, most magic items are known as “arcano- of the short rest.
tech devices,” mass-produced objects from a pre-apoca- At the end of the short rest, the caster
lyptic magical society that once thrived in what is now expends one spell slot of their choice, and the
the wasteland. Most magic items now circulating in the device regains a number of charges equal to the
Weird Wastelands are arcanotech, but true magic items level of the expended slot (1 charge for a 1st-
do occasionally surface. level spell slot, 2 charges for a 2nd-level spell
By default, wasteland characters are familiar with ar- slot, etc.) up to the maximum number of charges
canotech devices. Wastelander NPCs generally fall into a device can hold.
two camps regarding arcanotech. Either they see such Once a device has been recharged, it
objects as resources necessary for survival, or they believe cannot be recharged in this way again until the
the dangerous nature of such items far outweighs any following dawn.
potential benefits they might provide.

SAMPLE ARCANOTECH DEVICES

This section lists the arcanotech devices unique to the
Weird Wastelands. Arcanotech devices function mechani- reskinning magic items
cally as magic items, and unless specified otherwise, they as arcanotech
follow all the rules of standard magic items presented in
the core 5th Edition rules.
By default, all magic items in this setting
Animated Alchemy Lab are arcanotech devices, but that doesn’t
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) mean magic items from the DMG and other
5E sources can’t be used. A standard magic
This mule-sized mechanism resembles a pill bug with a item can easily be reskinned into a piece of
metallic carapace and a dozen motorized legs peeking out arcanotech without requiring any rule changes.
from beneath its metal curtain of armor. Making something arcanotech is primarily an
When you attune to the lab, you can issue verbal com- aesthetic change in the same way we describe
mands (no action required) to the mechanism to move, the different look and feel of everything in a
stop, or unfold. The device’s size is Medium, it has a walk- fantasy postapocalypse. For example, a wand of
ing speed of 30 feet, and it requires 1 minute to transform magic missiles in a standard campaign setting
into its lab form or roll back up into walking form. may look like a wooden rod topped with a
Magical Lab. When unfolded, the mechanism trans- crystal, but the arcanotech version could look
forms into a metallic workbench stocked with vials, an like a mithral tube set with glass lenses to focus
alembic, a retort, and other alchemical materials that energy.
counts as a set of alchemist’s supplies. While attuned to
the mechanism, you are considered proficient with alche-
mist’s supplies (even if you are not normally proficient), external effects. The attuned user can freely open and close
and tasks you perform using the lab’s tools take half the this container, but to all other creatures, the compartment
time they would normally take. is sealed as if by an arcane lock spell.
Extra Storage. In addition to its alchemical supplies, Weird Concoction. Once per day while the mechanism
the mechanism has an airtight, lead-lined compartment is unfolded in its lab form, you can use an action to com-
that can hold up to 1 cubic foot of additional material— mand the lab to dispense a weird concoction. When you
roughly the size of a backpack. Objects stored inside the do so, roll a d4 and consult the Weird Concoctions table to
compartment have total cover against attacks and other determine what concoction is produced. Once dispensed,

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94 weird waStelandS
a concoction maintains its potency until the next dawn, Phaser (Rare). This beam thrower has a snub barrel and
when it degrades into a nonmagical viscous slime. a boxy stock. While holding it, you can use an action to
expend 1 of its charges to emit a green beam at a target you
can see within 30 feet of you. If the target is a creature, it
WEIRD CONCOCTIONS
must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take
VISUAL 4d8 necrotic damage and become stunned until the end of
d4 CONCOCTION
DESCRIPTION its next turn.
1 Cerulean, wobbling A potion of growth Repulsor Ray (Rare). This beam thrower features a
flared barrel and a burnished copper stock. While holding
2 Ebony, swirling A vial of basic poison it, you can use an action to expend 1 of its charges to emit
One use of oil of a purple beam at a target you can see within 150 feet of
3 Magenta, viscous
slipperiness you. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw or take 4d8 force damage and be pushed up to 10
A potion of greater
4 Puce, sparkling feet away from you in a straight line.
healing
Arc Rifle (Very Rare). This beam thrower resembles
a musket made entirely of chrome. While holding it, you
can use an action to expend 1 of its charges to emit a blue
beam at a target you can see within 300 feet of you. If the
target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw or take 6d8 lightning damage. Regardless of
the result of the saving throw, the target and creatures
within 5 feet of the target take 2d8 lightning damage as
electricity arcs from the original target.
Pulse Rifle (Very Rare). This beam thrower resembles
a musket with tubes and wires running down its stock.
While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 of
its charges to emit a yellow beam at a target you can see
within 300 feet of you. The target must succeed on a
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 6d8 radiant damage.
Alternatively, you can expend 2 charges to release a 30-
foot cone of radiant energy from the weapon. Each crea-
ture in that area must attempt a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw, taking 6d8 radiant damage on a failed save, or half
Beam Thrower as much damage on a successful one.
Wondrous item, varies Disruptor (Legendary). This beam thrower resembles
a wheellock musket with silvery runes etched into the bar-
Beam throwers are arcanotech weapons that emit a ray rel that glow when the weapon is fired. While holding it,
of destructive energy. They come in a variety of types and you can use an action to expend 5 charges to emit a purple
sizes, and each one has 5 charges. beam at a target you can see within 300 feet of you. The
A beam thrower regains 1d4 + 1 expended charges daily target must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or
at dawn. take 10d8 force damage. The target is disintegrated if this
Beam Pistol (Uncommon). This beam thrower resem- damage reduces it to 0 hit points.
bles a flintlock pistol with strange lights running down its
barrel. While holding it, you can use an action to expend Glyph Orb
1 of its charges to emit a red beam at a target you can see
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement
within 90 feet of you. If the target is a creature, it must
by a spellcaster)
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d8 fire
damage. This small, chrome, perfectly reflective sphere hovers an
Beam Rifle (Uncommon). This beam thrower resembles inch above your palm. You can cast glyph of warding onto
a flintlock musket with strange lights running down its the glyph orb, but the glyph orb allows you to move it any
barrel. While holding it, you can use an action to expend distance without breaking the glyph or ending the spell’s
1 of its charges to emit a red beam at a target you can see effect. As an action, you can command the orb to fly to a
within 120 feet of you. If the target is a creature, it must point you can see within 60 feet of you, where the glyph is
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d8 triggered. When the spell or effect inscribed in the glyph
fire damage. occurs, the orb is destroyed.

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weird waStelandS 95
 Hexsteel Plate
Armor (any), legendary (requires attunement by a HEXSTEEL WEAPON RARITY
spellcaster) RARITY BONUS
Hexsteel plate consists of perfectly interlocking glyph Uncommon +1
plates that conform to your body, leaving no part of you
Rare +2
exposed. When worn, prismatic energy dances across the
surface of the armor. Very Rare +3
While wearing this armor, you gain the standard ben-
efits of wearing plate armor plus the following additional
Hovering Shield
benefits:
Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)
■ You have a +2 bonus to AC.
When not in use, the hovering shield resembles a handful
■ Your Strength score is 19 (unless your of small metallic discs. While holding the disks, you can
Strength is already 19 or higher). use a bonus action to speak one of two command words to
produce one of the following effects.
The armor holds 20 charges. It regains 1d6 + 4 charges
daily at dawn. ■ When speaking the first command word, the discs
While wearing the armor, you can use an action to ex- leap into the air and orbit in your space to protect
pend charges to cast one of the following spells from it, you as if you were wielding a shield, leaving your
using your spell save DC and spellcasting ability: antilife hands free. You can benefit from only one shield at
shell (5 charges), darkvision (2 charges), prismatic spray (7 a time.
charges), protection from energy (3 charges), sunbeam (6 ■ When speaking the second command word, the
charges), or water breathing (3 charges).
discs leap into the air and expand in size, becoming
thinner and wider, forming an immobile barrier
behind which you can hide. The hovering barrier
provides three-quarters cover for you and one other
creature of Medium size or smaller within 5 feet.
The hovering shield remains animated for 1 minute,
until you use a bonus action to end this effect, or until
you are incapacitated or die, at which point the discs re-
turn to a small stack at your feet or into your hand if you
have one free.

Leprechaun Juice
Potion, rare
This sparkling green liquid is stored in an odd ceramic
bottle with clovers and rainbows etched into it. When you
drink this substance, you are compelled to perform a comic
dance in place, shuffling, tapping your feet, and capering.
The dance lasts for 1 round, at the end of which you have
an overwhelming urge to defecate. Until you defecate, you
have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and attack
rolls. While you are affected by this effect, other creatures
have advantage on attack rolls against you. When you do
Hexsteel Weapon defecate, you produce a gold nugget worth 500 gp, and the
Weapon (any), varies (requires attunement) effect ends.
This weapon is made of hexsteel. You have a bonus to
Magma Cannon
attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
determined by rarity.
In addition, the weapon can be used as a spellcasting This stout, hand-held mortar cannon of adamantine and
focus. While using this weapon as a spellcasting focus, hexsteel fires slugs of super-heated rock that explode on
you gain a bonus to spell attack rolls determined by the impact and leave behind a temporary area of near-molten
weapon’s rarity. rock.

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96 weird waStelandS
 The cannon has 7 charges. It recovers 1d6 + 1 charges the first target. If a target is a creature, it must attempt a
daily at dawn. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d8 lightning dam-
While wielding this heavy, two-handed device, you can age on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success-
use an action to expend 1 charge to launch a slug at a point ful one.
on solid ground you can see within 150 feet of you. Each
creature within 10 feet of the targeted area must attempt
a Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6 fire damage on a
failed save, or half as much on a success. For 1 minute, the
area is difficult terrain and deals 2d6 fire damage to any
creature that ends its turn there.

Pale Edge
Weapon (dagger), rare
This dagger is fashioned from crude leather straps wound
around a shard of depleted radioactive metal. The blade
glows with a pale-blue light, shedding dim light in a 10-
foot radius. You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage
rolls made with this magic weapon.
Whenever a creature takes damage from the dagger, it
must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be
poisoned until the end of its next turn.

Pulse Staff
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) On each of your subsequent turns for up to 1 minute,
you can use your action to deal an additional 4d8 lightning
This quarterstaff of magical metals has a cluster of crystal damage to the target automatically. If you use your action
lenses at one end. This staff can be wielded as a magic to do anything else or if the target is ever farther than 90
quarterstaff that grants a +1 bonus to attack and damage feet from you or behind total cover, the effect ends.
rolls made with it.
As a bonus action, you can push a button on the shaft, Wyrmwrath
causing blades of force to project out from the lenses. Weapon (longsword), legendary
When you do so, the pulse staff can be wielded as a magic (requires attunement)
halberd that deals force damage and grants an additional
+1 bonus to melee weapon attack and damage rolls made This sentient longsword fashioned from an iridescent
with it. alloy features a shard of dragon bone implanted with cir-
The staff has 10 charges and regains 1d4 +1 charges each cuitry and covered in runes, housing the spirit of a slain
dawn. When you hit with a melee attack using it in either dragon. You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls
form, you can choose to expend up to 3 of its charges. For made with it.
each charge spent, the target takes an additional 1d6 force As a bonus action, you can choose to allow the spirit
damage. Alternatively, you can expend 1 charge and knock within the blade to possess you for a time, granting you
the target prone. unbridled fury in combat. When you do so, you gain the
following benefits:
Voltaic Caster ■ When you make melee attacks with this weapon,
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) your reach is 5 feet greater than normal.
This intricate metallic cube is covered in runic copper cir- ■ You can make a single melee weapon attack as a
cuitry, hand-cranked dynamos, and amber focusing nodes. bonus action on each of your turns.
Requiring two hands to hold and operate, this device can ■ You are resistant to psychic damage and are
be cranked to issue arcing beams of living lightning.
immune to the charmed and frightened conditions.
The caster has 7 charges. It recovers 1d6 + 1 charges daily
If you are charmed or frightened when the spirit
at dawn.
possesses you, these effects are suspended for the
You can use an action to expend 1 charge and activate
duration of the possession.
the caster, aiming it at a target of your choice that you can
see within 90 feet of you. Three bolts then leap from that Entering this state comes with costs, however. While
target to as many as three other targets within 30 feet of possessed in this way, you can only use the Attack action.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

weird waStelandS 97
 If you are not in range to do so, you use your action to move Due to their complex nature, arcanotech wonders are
toward the nearest foe and cannot move away from it. more difficult to identify than standard magic items. The
You can choose to take back control of yourself as a bo- identify spell is not potent enough to reveal anything about
nus action when there are no hostile creatures within 60 a wonder, but casting legend lore on a wonder allows the
feet of you that you can see or hear. To take back control user to learn the wonder’s name, properties, whether it re-
while hostile creatures are still present, you must succeed quires attunement to use, and how many charges it has,
on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the fury if any. A creature proficient in the Arcana skill (or anoth-
is too great, and you continue fighting. er skill the GM deems applicable) can learn the same in-
Sentience. Wyrmwrath is a sentient, chaotic evil weapon formation by studying a wonder over the course of a long
with an Intelligence of 6, a Wisdom of 8, and a Charisma rest.
of 14. It has darkvision and can see and hear out to a range
of 60 feet. It communicates by telepathically transmitting USING ARCANOTECH WONDERS
emotions (usually anger) to its wielder. Arcanotech wonders are complex and prone to malfunc-
Personality. Wyrmwrath no longer recalls its existence tion, so interacting with them should pose meaningful and
before being trapped in the sword, knowing only that it entertaining risks. Identifying a wonder before attempt-
was once a powerful dragon and is now imprisoned in this ing to use it is helpful but does not guarantee success.
sword. It does not despise its wielder, however, because Similarly, a character who has not identified a wonder can
the only pleasure it finds in its existence is battle. As long successfully interact with it, but the chance of incurring a
as the wielder engages in combat at least once per day, the dangerous malfunction is much higher.
sword is sated. If it goes longer without shedding blood, it When a creature attempts to use an arcanotech wonder,
sends angry emotions to its wielder. it must attempt an Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a suc-
cess, the creature activates the device, and it carries out
arcanotech wonders the function detailed in its description. On a failure, the
wonder malfunctions (see the following section for more
In addition to arcanotech devices, humongous arcano- information). The default difficulty of this check is DC 30,
tech machines of extraordinary power also exist in the but a creature can lower the difficulty for itself (and only
wastelands. These magical machines are called arcanotech itself) to a minimum of DC 10 in the following ways:
wonders, and they are incredibly rare. Few wastelanders ■ A creature that successfully identifies a wonder
have ever seen an arcanotech wonder, and little is known
(or listens to a successful identifier explain
about them, but stories of their awesome capabilities con-
their findings) reduces the DC by 10.
tinue to inspire expeditions to unearth them. For reasons
unknown, each arcane wonder has a distinct set of capa- ■ After a creature attempts to use the wonder,
bilities wholly different from any other, so no two wonders the DC is reduced by 2 for that creature
are the same. (regardless of whether it successfully used the
Most arcanotech wonders are enormous, immobile, wonder or incurred a malfunction).
and built on sites of magical power necessary to fuel their ■ After a creature watches another creature it
effects. Since wonders are nearly impossible to transport,
can see within 30 feet of it attempt to use the
creatures must travel to them to use their powers, and
wonder, the DC is reduced by 2 for the watcher
entire communities have developed around the most well-
(regardless of whether the other creature
known wasteland wonders.
successfully used the wonder or incurred a
Though arcanotech wonders can provide life-changing
malfunction).
benefits, using them is not without risk. Each wonder
functions differently, but all are highly complex and prone
ARCANOTECH WONDER MALFUNCTIONS
to malfunction in dangerous ways. Indeed, many of the
When a creature unsuccessfully attempts to use a won-
hazards in the Weird Wastelands result from the ongoing
der, the user does not activate the machine’s benefits.
degradation or misuse of powerful arcanotech wonders.
Instead, the creature causes the wonder to malfunction.
To determine the nature of a malfunction, roll a d20 and a
IDENTIFYING ARCANOTECH WONDERS
d12, add the results, and consult the Arcanotech Wonder
Few creatures have ever mastered the intricacies of using
Malfunctions table. If the same number is rolled on both
an arcanotech wonder, and the ones that have keep their
dice, the wonder malfunctions and immediately shuts
knowledge a well-guarded secret. Unless a location speci-
down, and creatures cannot attempt to use it again until
fies or the GM determines otherwise, arcanotech wonders
the following dawn.
are always considered unidentified when they are first
Unless specified otherwise, malfunctions affect all crea-
encountered.
tures within 10 feet of the device.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

98 weird waStelandS
 ARCANOTECH WONDER MALFUNCTIONS
d20 + d12 MALFUNCTION

Releases four multicolored beams of bright light in cardinal directions. This light is not obstructed by cover
2
or barriers, extends to the horizon, and lasts d6 hours.

Emits a blast of steam in a 20-foot radius that deals 3d6 fire damage (or half with a successful DC 15
3 Dexterity saving throw) and emits a noise that sounds exactly like a child singing “Auld Lang Syne.” This
sound lasts until the song is over, about 1 minute.

Emits a shower of wooden splinters that animates into a swarm of poisonous snakes that attacks and
4
persists until killed.

Sprays out hot-pink ink in a 10-foot-radius sphere. The ink stains everything it touches, including creatures.
5 This color cannot be cleaned, dispelled, or removed in any way for 1 year and 1 day. Creatures in the
affected area can attempt a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being touched by the ink.

Emits a loud warning message for 1d6 minutes that can be heard up to 1 mile away. Roll a random
6
encounter that is attracted to the noise and arrives at the wonder in 2d10 minutes.

Emits a momentary subaudible noise that irritates any creature with the Keen Senses trait within the hex26.
Affected creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. This effect lasts 2d6 hours. While
7
in the affected hex, creatures riding mounts must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check,
otherwise their mounts do not follow their commands.

8 Causes all magic items and arcanotech devices within 30 feet to lose all their charges.

Emits a vibrating harmonic frequency that deals 2d4 psychic damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the
wonder. Additionally, spellcasters in the affected area can choose expended spell slots to recover. The
9
spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half a creature’s spellcasting class level
(rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

10 Repels insects and vermin in the hex for 1d6 days.

Repels undead in a 10-foot-radius sphere for 1d6 days. When this effect starts, undead creatures in the
11
area are immediately pushed outside the area.

12 Renders all potable water within a 10-foot-radius sphere unpotable.

13 Repels environmental heat in a 10-foot-radius sphere, keeping the area comfortable for 1d6 years.

After 1 minute, a swarm of insects is attracted to the wonder. After the first swarm arrives, 3d6 swarms
14
arrive every minute following for the next 24 hours.

Each creature that needs to breathe within 20 feet of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or begin sneezing uncontrollably and become unable to
15 breathe. A creature affected in this way is incapacitated and begins suffocating. As long as it is conscious,
a creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on it on a success.
Casting lesser restoration on an affected creature also ends the effect.

An instantaneous flash of brilliant light is seen within 1 mile of the device. Every creature who can see
16 the device is sunburned and must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of
exhaustion. While the creature has this level of exhaustion, it is also blinded.

Emits a terrible smell. Every creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions
17 must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be cursed with an odious stench that disgusts other
people. This stench lasts for 1d6 weeks.

26 . Hex-based exploration is explained in the section of the same name

on p. 109 in chapter 3.

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weird waStelandS 99
 ARCANOTECH WONDER MALFUNCTIONS CONTINUED
d20 + d12 MALFUNCTION

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
18 DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or gain the ability to taste magic. For 1d4 hours, the creature gains the effects
of detect magic through taste instead of sight.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
19 DC 15 Constitution saving throw or lose its depth perception for 3d10 minutes. For the duration, affected
creatures make Wisdom (Perception) checks with disadvantage.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
20
DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or lose the ability to perceive color for 1d4 hours.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its teeth fall out. Each affected creature must roll 1d6. On a roll of 1–2,
21
their teeth don’t grow back. On a roll of 3–5, the teeth grow back as baby teeth then fall out in 1 day, and
adult teeth come in as normal in 1 week. On a roll of 6, the teeth grow back pointed and razor sharp.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hair falls out. Each affected creature must roll 1d6. On a roll of 1–3,
22
the hair doesn’t grow back. On a roll of 4–5, the hair grows back stark white. On a roll of 6, the hair grows
back and is prehensile; it can hold or use a Tiny object as a bonus action.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
23 DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or it must roll a new ideal from its background and replace its current ideal
with the new one.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a DC 15
24
Wisdom saving throw or it must roll a new flaw from its background and replace its current flaw with the new one.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must attempt a DC 15
25
Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the creature immediately gains the benefit of a long rest.

Each creature within a 10-foot radius of the arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must succeed on a
26 DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become afraid of the arcanotech wonder for 1d4 minutes. The creature
gains the frightened condition for the duration.

The arcanotech wonder causes a jump in time. Within 100 feet of the malfunction, 1 week passes by in an
27
instant. The creatures within the area suffer no ill effects from this time jump.

The arcanotech wonder causes creatures within 10 feet of the malfunction to phase shift for 1d4 hours.
28 Affected creatures are under the effects of the blink spell, except a blink occurs once every 10 minutes
instead of every round.

The arcanotech wonder causes all nonmagical metal within a 20-foot radius of the malfunction to transmute
29
into adamantine.

The arcanotech wonder summons a creature. Roll 1d6. On a 1, an iron golem appears. On a 2, a magicore27
appears. On a 3, 2d6 celestial badgers appear. On a 4, a goat appears. On a 5, 2d4 zombies appear. On
30
a 6, an air elemental appears. The summoned creatures defend the arcanotech wonder and turn to snow
when they die. If a summoned creature is not killed, it lasts for 1d4 hours before turning into snow.

The arcanotech wonder instantaneously teleports all creatures and objects within 20 feet of it to an
31
adjacent hex.

The arcanotech wonder reveals insight that causes personal growth. All creatures within 20 feet of the
32 arcanotech wonder when it malfunctions must attempt a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, gaining a level on a
success.

27. See p. 299 in chapter 6 for the magicore’s stat block.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

100 weird waStelandS
SAMPLE ARCANOTECH WONDERS When the crank is turned counterclockwise, a sphere
The following section lists arcanotech wonders unique to of negative energy ripples out in a 60-foot-radius sphere
the Weird Wastelands. from the device. Each creature in the affected area must
succeed a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 8d6
Arcanotech Reactor necrotic damage on a failure, or half as much damage on
Arcanotech reactors are massive structures the size of a success.
buildings, covered in antennae that arc electricity, tubes
that bubble with strange fluids, and pistons that pump Hunger Bank
hydraulic engines deep within. At the center of these This Huge device consists of a Large crystalline tank sur-
mechanisms is a powerful extraplanar being captured and rounded and covered by hundreds of tightly packed brass
tapped as an energy source. tubes and brackets. At one side of the device is a small
Reactors have a control panel on one side with a Medium- chamber just large enough for a Medium or smaller crea-
sized receptacle. As an action, you can place a piece of ar- ture to stand inside, almost like an upright coffin. There is
canotech into the receptacle and draw 1d4 charges into the a lever in the middle of the chamber that can be pushed up
arcanotech device. Each device can only be charged in this or pulled down.
way once per day. If you push the lever up, any amount of hunger you are
currently suffering is removed as if you had eaten a day’s
BFG worth of food. Any levels of exhaustion you currently
The BFG is a Gargantuan cannon that weighs 200 thou- suffer as a result of starvation are also removed, and the
sand pounds. It currently sits in the wasteland, lying on exhaustion is stored within the vacuum tubes inside the
its side and pointing upward into the sky at a 45-degree device. The bank can store up to ten levels of exhaustion,
angle. It cannot be moved or aimed elsewhere. one for each vacuum tube contained within the crystalline
In order to use the BFG, any number of creatures tank.
touching the BFG must collectively expend spell slots If you pull the lever down, you are immediately starving,
to charge the wonder. You can expend one spell slot and which causes you to suffer one level of exhaustion. You
gain a number of charges equal to the slot’s level. Once suffer an additional level of exhaustion for each subse-
the BFG has received 10 charges, it is ready to fire. Once quent day you go without food. A normal day of eating
active, it remains ready to fire for 1 hour or until it is resets the count of days without food to zero.
fired once, after which its energy dissipates in a 1-minute The crystalline tank can be shattered if it suffers at least
cooldown. The BFG cannot be used during its cooldown 20 points of bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage in a
process. single attack. It is immune to all other forms of damage. If
Once charged, you can use an action to fire the BFG. the crystalline tank is shattered, the vacuum tubes within
A laser erupts from the barrel of the cannon in a 5-foot- are accessible, though the wonder no longer functions. For
wide, 1,000-foot-long line, dealing 40d6 radiant damage each level of exhaustion the tank contains when it is shat-
to everything in its path. Creatures in the line can attempt tered, one charged vacuum tube becomes accessible. Each
a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking half damage on a vacuum tube is cylindrical, 2 feet long, and 6 inches in
success. diameter. A charged tube can be wielded as a simple melee
weapon or thrown as a simple ranged weapon with a range
Circle of Life of 10/30 feet. When you hit a creature with a weapon at-
This arcanotech wonder is a Huge stack of Large glazed tack using the tube, it shatters, and the target gains one
ceramic discs, each with a series of concentric grooves level of exhaustion. Constructs and undead are immune
arranged in harmonious configurations of arcane power. to this effect.
The stack of discs is encased in a copper frame and has a
large crank on its side.
When the crank is turned clockwise, a wave of positive
energy emanates from the device. Each creature within 60
feet of the device regains 4d8 + 15 hit points. Additionally,
for the next hour, each affected creature regains 1 hit point
every 6 seconds (1 hit point per round in combat, a total of
10 hit points each minute). Creatures in the affected area
magically regrow any missing appendages in 2 minutes.
If a creature’s severed body part is in the affected area
when the wave touches the creature, the positive energy
instantaneously causes the limb to instead knit back to the
creature’s body.

CHAPTER TWO • equipment, magic items, & settlement interaction

weird waStelandS 101
 chapter three

The rules in this This chapter introduces rules for making exploration and travel more meaningful
chapter—and the
whole book, for that
and interesting. The purpose of these new rules is to provide GMs with a toolkit to set
matter—function as a players up for robust exploration encounters.
toolkit for GMs to build
the sort of adventures The variant rules in this chapter support open- harsh wasteland environment. These variant
their groups will enjoy. world campaigns where players have the free- rules cover:
It’s okay if you don’t dom to travel the wilderness region as they see
use every rule or if you ■ Food and water consumption
change them to suit
fit, accepting the consequences of their actions ■ Item wear and tear
your table’s playstyle. and trusting the GM has stocked the region with ■ Long rests and comfort
We wrote these rules to rewards that make facing environmental perils ■ Resource dice
give substance to the ultimately worth the effort. Many of the tools
exploration pillar and
■ Scavenging
here adjust or replace 5E’s baseline rules to help
to bring the wasteland ■ Slot-based encumbrance
GMs create exciting survival-based challenges.
environment to life.
In this chapter, you will find mechanical sup-
However, what one
group finds thrilling port for: new conditions
another group thinks is ■ Variant rules for managing characters’ The variant survival rules in this chapter intro-
a slog, especially given
how harsh wilderness encumbrance, resources, and other duce several new conditions, presented here in
survival can be. aspects of wilderness survival. alphabetical order.
Experiment with these ■ A step-by-step guide on how to make
rules, modify them as COMFORTABLE
needed, and assemble and read a terrain hex map, including
Comfortable is a new condition that must be
the right toolkit for the details on wasteland terrain types and
gained before a creature can gain the benefits
games you want to run. features.
of a long rest. To become comfortable, creatures
■ Guidance for using a specialized hex must have some form of shelter or protection
grid to determine challenges brought from the elements in which to safely relax, even
on by daily weather. if it’s just a simple tent or lean-to and a camp-
fire. The shelter must also have some level of
■ A turn-based system for conducting
security, like a designated creature on watch1, a
exploration in the Weird Wastelands.
locked entrance, or mundane or magical alarms
to alert against intruders.
variant ■ A comfortable creature can gain the full

survival rules ■
benefits of a long rest.
This condition ends when a creature
The variant rule options provided here are in- completes a long rest.
tended to make resource tracking easier while
reinforcing the challenges of traveling in the 1. For information about characters taking watch using
our Wilderness Round rules, see the Take Watch action
description on p. 131 later in this chapter.
CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival
102 weird waStelandS
golden rules of
player-driven sandboxes
■ Build trust between you and your players by ■ Infuse your setting with things that interest you
running your game openly and fairly, letting the as the GM as well. Use these elements
dice fall where they may. to create secrets your players can uncover
as the adventure.
■ Pay attention to the choices your players make
during character creation and during ■ Have information on nearby locations, dangers,
a session. and NPCs easily accessible, and
find ways to get it in the players’ hands when
■ Ask your players questions about their they seek it out.
characters’ ties to the setting and their goals and
hopes as players. ■ Listen. Ask questions. Clarify intent. Take notes.
■ Identify bonds, relationships, and potential ■ Learn how to keep a steady pace without
points of connection between characters rushing the players. Introduce fresh conflicts as
and locations. needed and resolve conflicts once they
go stale.
■ Let what you learn about the characters’
backgrounds and players’ interests guide ■ Always have something prepared, but avoid
you when making game elements for play. overprepping.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 103
 DEHYDRATED more, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
The dehydrated condition is caused by exposure to ex- saving throw or become sunburned. The sunburned con-
tremely hot and dry environments. If a creature is in dan- dition lasts until an affected creature receives treatment
ger of suffering exhaustion from a hot environment and with soothing balms, spends less than 1 hour exposed to
that environment is dry, they may become dehydrated. the sun in a 24-hour period, and then finishes a long rest.
The sunburned condition can also be removed by lesser
■ A dehydrated creature has disadvantage
restoration.
on saving throws to resist gaining levels of
exhaustion. ■ A sunburned creature has disadvantage on
■ A creature gains two levels of exhaustion saving throws made to resist the effects of
immediately when it becomes dehydrated. extreme heat.
These two levels of exhaustion are removed ■ A sunburned creature has vulnerability to fire
when the condition ends. and radiant damage caused by weather and
other environmental effects.
ENCUMBERED
A creature becomes encumbered when it carries more ■ A creature gains one level of exhaustion
weight than its carrying capacity allows. immediately when it becomes sunburned.
This level of exhaustion is removed when the
■ An encumbered creature’s speed is reduced by condition ends.
10 feet.
■ An encumbered creature has disadvantage on
saving throws made to resist gaining levels of
food and water consumption
exhaustion. Creatures that don’t eat or drink sufficiently suffer the ef-
fects of exhaustion. Levels of exhaustion caused by lack of
HEAVILY ENCUMBERED food or water can’t be removed until an affected creature
A creature becomes heavily encumbered when it carries eats and drinks the full required amount.
significantly more weight than its carrying capacity allows.
■ A heavily encumbered creature is also FOOD
encumbered. A Medium or smaller creature needs 1 pound of food per
day and can make food last longer by subsisting on half ra-
■ A heavily encumbered creature cannot have tions. Eating half a pound of food in a day counts as half a
advantage on Strength- or Dexterity-based day without food. Creatures of larger sizes must double the
ability checks, attack rolls, or saving throws. amount of food they need for each size larger than Medium
■ At the end of each hour spent traveling, a (a Large creature requires 2 pounds of food per day, a Huge
heavily encumbered creature must succeed creature requires 4 pounds of food per day, etc.).
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or A creature can go without food for a number of days
gain one level of exhaustion. equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). At
the end of each day beyond that limit, a creature automati-
MISERABLE cally suffers one level of exhaustion. A normal day of eat-
Certain exceptionally unpleasant environments, such as a ing reduces the count of days without food by 1.
fetid swamp full of biting flies or a frigid tundra battered
with stinging sleet, may make characters miserable. WATER
Due to the heat of the wastelands, a Medium or smaller
■ A miserable creature has disadvantage on
creature needs 2 gallons of water per day of strenuous
Wisdom and Charisma saving throws and
activity or 1 gallon per day spent in light activity to avoid
saving throws made to resist gaining levels of
exhaustion. A creature that drinks less than 1 gallon a day
exhaustion.
of water must attempt a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
■ A creature gains two levels of exhaustion (DC 20 if the creature has been traveling at a fast pace
immediately when it becomes miserable. These within the past 24 hours) at the end of the day. On a failure,
two levels of exhaustion are removed when the a creature gains one level of exhaustion and becomes dehy-
condition ends. drated. A creature has disadvantage on this saving throw if
it wore medium or heavy armor within the past 24 hours.
SUNBURNED As above, larger creatures need double the amount of water
If a living creature without natural protection from the sun (a large creature needs 4 gallons of water per day, a Huge
or protective clothing is exposed to sunlight for 1 hour or creature needs 8 gallons of water per day, etc.).

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

104 weird waStelandS
 We considered calling
for this roll at the end
of every combat, but it
seemed overly tedious.
It might be fun to make
this check after a
particularly significant
or intense combat,
though. It’s up to you,
GMs.
WTF is an item saving
throw? Items have an
Armor Class and hit
points, so we’re giving
them saving throws too!
This is a single save that
represents an item’s
durability based on the
material it’s made of. If
it’s made of more than
one material, attempt
the save based on the
one that makes the most
sense. For example,
a breastplate that is
made mostly of metal
and has leather straps
should use the DC for
metal items. We didn’t
include any bonuses
to this roll, as we don’t
Item Wear and Tear think it’s necessary at
baseline, but if the GM
It’s the postapocalypse, and no one makes any- thinks a certain item
ITEM BREAKAGE would get such a bonus
thing new anymore. All objects come with dents, or a character would be
dings, notches, nicks, scratches, and cracks, and ITEM MATERIAL BREAKAGE DC better than average at
they’re only going to get more scuffed up as time protecting their items
passes. You can assume that characters maintain Adamantine 0 during battle, go for it.
their gear as part of their daily routine. This sec-
tion provides guidelines for determining when Mithral 1
weapons, armor, vehicles, and other objects are Iron or steel 2
damaged beyond what normal maintenance can
sustain. Scrap or other metal 3
When it comes to weapons and armor, these
Wood 4
rules add more tension and complication spe-
cifically for martial characters in the Weird Leather or hide 6
Wastelands. At the end of a day during which a
creature has been involved in melee combat, it Bone or stone 8
must attempt an item saving throw for every non- Cloth or fabric 10
magical weapon it used within the past 24 hours.
If a creature took damage during this time, it
must also attempt an item saving throw for each ITEM REPAIR
piece of nonmagical armor and shield it was us- Other than vehicles,2 damaged objects require 4
ing when it took damage. A separate saving throw hours of strenuous activity to repair as well as ap-
must be attempted for each item. On a failure, propriate tools and workspace. At the discretion If you are using the
of the GM, repairs may require raw materials or exploration rules found
the item is damaged and cannot be used until it
later in this chapter,
is repaired. The DCs for these saving throws are repairs can be made
based on the material of the nonmagical item 2. See the “Vehicle Repairs” section in chapter 2 for
as part of a wilderness
information on repairing vehicles.
and can be found in the Item Breakage table. round spent in camp.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 105
What about the mending
cantrip? It is worthwhile to FOOD AND WATER USAGE BY CREATURE SIZE
read the wording of the spell
carefully. The spell repairs FOOD WATER
a single, clean break in one Creature Resource Die Minimum Resource Die Minimum
object, as long as the break Size Roll Frequency Resource Die Size Roll Frequency Resource Die Size
is no longer than 1 foot in any
direction. It is up to the GM’s Tiny 1/week d4 1/day, +1 bonus d4
discretion how effective this
Small 1/day, +1 bonus d4 1/day, +1 bonus d4
spell can be to any particular
broken item and how much Medium 1/day d4 1/day d4
you want to emphasize this
aspect of gameplay. Perhaps Large 2/day d8 2/day d6
mending can repair a broken
arrow but not a large break in Huge 3/day d10 3/day d8
chainmail. Perhaps the spell Gargantuan 4/day d12 4/day d8
decreases the amount of time
it takes to repair the item but
does not repair it on its own.
Think (and talk) about how
spare parts equal to 25 percent of the item’s
value before it was damaged.
resource dice
your table wants these rules to
interact with the spell if anyone
When an object is damaged, a creature Resource dice present a method of tracking
is considering taking it. can attempt to repair it if they meet the fol- limited resources to add tension and uncer-
lowing criteria: tainty to wasteland adventuring while re-
Okay, so resource dice can be
ducing the bookkeeping normally required
a weird abstraction, especially ■ The creature must have proficiency
for players used to tracking to do so. Traditionally, resources are depleted
in the kind of object it is trying to
arrows fired. Basically, the at a variable rate, representing hundreds of
repair.
rule interjects variability to tiny ways that the wasteland wears travelers
make tracking consumables ■ The creature must have the down. For example, unlucky rolls might rep-
more fun. It does require appropriate tools to repair the resent that you drank more than you meant
that players stop thinking so
object (such as smith’s tools or to or lost more arrows than you thought in
concretely about the quantity
of consumable resources their leatherworker’s tools). that fight.
characters have. Instead of, When utilizing this rule, consumable
A creature that meets the repair criteria
“I’ve got two gallons of water,” items such as water, ammunition, and scrap
a player should think, “I’ve got can spend 1 hour repairing the damage. At
all have a resource die, which represents a
enough water for a day or so.” the end of the hour, the object is repaired
nonspecific amount of that resource. For
Arrows break, waterskins leak, and is no longer considered damaged.
rations spoil. On the flip side,
example, a typical quiver has a d8 resource
die, representing a bundle of arrows.
sometimes you find more than
you need or use less than you long rests and comfort When a character uses an item with a re-
thought you would. source die, the player rolls the resource die.
The wastes are harsh and unforgiving, rife
Here’s what this looks like On a result of 1–2, the resource die drops
with perils and danger. If you are using this
in play: The wastelander one size (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20). Once the
variant rule, creatures must gain the com-
Vigorous Rex fights off a group resource die drops below a d4, the charac-
of bandits, shooting arrows
fortable condition to gain the full benefits of
ter’s resource is depleted.
from his bow. After the battle, a long rest.
A resource die increases by one size when
Rex’s player rolls a d8, his A creature that takes a long rest and
characters acquire more of that resource,
current ammunition resource isn’t under the effects of the comfortable
die, to see how many arrows such as when gathering during a wilderness
condition does not automatically recover
Rex has left. He rolls a 1, round3 or restocking in a settlement.
hit points or expended Hit Dice, though
dropping Rex’s quiver to a d6
the creature can spend Hit Dice to recover
resource die. These aren’t just TRACKING FOOD AND WATER
arrows that Rex shot from his hit points as it would during a short rest.
When using resource dice to track food and
bow, but also ones that were Additionally, if a creature is not comfortable
water, a single roll represents one day’s worth
dropped, broken, or otherwise when it takes a long rest, it cannot remove
lost in the battle. If he wanted, of food and water consumed. Creatures who
levels of exhaustion as a result of the long
Rex could then spend some consume only half rations of food and water
rest. The creature gains all other benefits of
time collecting broken arrows roll the resource die with a +1 bonus (in ad-
and other materials to make a long rest as normal.
dition to other bonuses, if applicable).
more arrows later, increasing Creatures staying in nonhostile settle-
his ammunition resource die ments or other established communities 3. See p. 124 later in this chapter for information on
back to a d8. have the comfortable condition by default. wilderness rounds.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

106 weird waStelandS
 INVENTORY SLOTS
NUMBER OF INVENTORY SLOTS HEAVILY
ENCUMBERED
(Based on Strength or Constitution Score) ENCUMBERED
3 4–5 6
4 5–6 7–8
5 6–8 9–10
6 7–9 10–12
7 8–11 12–14
8 9–12 13–16
9 10–14 15–18
10 11–15 16–20
11 12–17 18–22
12 13–18 19–24
13 14–20 21–26
14 15–21 22–28
15 16–23 24–30
16 17–24 25–32
17 18–26 27–34
18 19–27 28–36
19 20–29 30–38
20 21–30 31–40

The frequency of rolling resource dice for

consuming food and water is determined by a DEFAULT RESOURCE DICE
creature’s size, as shown in the Food and Water
DEFAULT
Usage by Creature Size table. Additionally, a CONSUMABLE RESOURCE DIE
creature’s size determines the minimum size of
the resource die needed. If the resource die drops Ammunition d8
below the minimum size needed, the resource is Backpack d8
no longer sufficient to sustain the creature.
Barrel d12
DEFAULT RESOURCE DICE SIZES Basket d8
The Default Resource Dice table shows the
Bottle d4
starting resource die size for various resources
found in the adventuring gear list from the core Bucket d8
rules4 that characters in the wastelands may Chest d12
utilize.
Flask/tankard d4
Our slot-based
slot-based encumbrance Jug/pitcher d6 inventory rules assume
Pot, iron d6 that characters utilizing
This system uses slot-based inventory instead of this system are Small
using carrying capacity to calculate how much Pouch d6 or Medium humanoids.
gear a creature can carry. If one of your players’
Rations d8 characters have traits
A creature has inventory slots equal to either
Sack d8 or abilities that increase
its Strength or Constitution score (player’s
their carrying capacity,
choice for characters, GM’s choice for NPCs or Vial d4 we suggest multiplying
their number of slots
Waterskin d6
4. See chapter 5 of the PHB for this list. by 1.5.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 107
 other creatures). If the number of carried items exceeds
the number of inventory slots a creature has, the creature ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS
becomes encumbered. If the number of items is equal to or SIMPLE RANGED WEAPONS
exceeds a number equal to one and a half times the num-
SIMPLE INVENTORY
ber of inventory slots a creature has, the creature becomes RANGED WEAPONS SLOTS
heavily encumbered. Creatures cannot exceed twice their
inventory limit in carried items. If they try to do so, their Sling 0
speed is reduced to 0.
Darts (3) 1
Consult the Inventory Slots table for quickly determin-
ing a creature’s number of inventory slots. Light crossbow, shortbow 2
Use the rules for lifting and carrying outlined in the 5E
sourcebooks to determine push, drag, or lift weight limits.

ITEM SLOT SIZES ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS

MARTIAL MELEE WEAPONS
In general, most items take up one inventory slot, which
represents space in a character’s bags, packs, and pouches. MARTIAL INVENTORY
Bundles of smaller items only take up one slot, and espe- MELEE WEAPON SLOTS
cially large or bulky items take up two or more inventory
slots. Clothes, jewelry, and other non-armor items worn Battleaxe, flail, longsword,
by a character, including their bags and pouches, do not morningstar, rapier, scimitar,
1
shortsword, trident, war pick,
take up inventory slots.
warhammer, whip
Use the Item Slot Requirements tables for guidance on
how many slots an item takes up. Numbers in parentheses Lance (mounted) 2
indicate a bundle of smaller items.
Glaive, greataxe, greatsword,
halberd, lance (dismounted) 3
ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS maul, pike
ARMOR
INVENTORY
ARMOR ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS
SLOTS
MARTIAL RANGED WEAPONS
Light armor 1
MARTIAL INVENTORY
Medium armor 3 RANGED WEAPON SLOTS
Heavy armor 5 Blowgun, hand crossbow, net 1

Shield 2 Heavy crossbow, longbow 3

ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS

SIMPLE MELEE WEAPONS EQUIPMENT PACKS
SIMPLE INVENTORY
INVENTORY SLOTS PACK
MELEE WEAPONS SLOTS

Clubs, daggers, handaxes, Scholar’s pack 3

javelins, light hammers, 1
sickles (3 of any of these) Diplomat’s pack 4

Mace, quarterstaff, spear 1 Entertainer’s pack,

6
priest’s pack
Greatclub 2
Burglar’s pack 8

Dungeoneer’s pack,
9
explorer’s pack

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

108 weird waStelandS
 ITEM SLOT REQUIREMENTS hex-based
ADVENTURING GEAR AND TOOLS
ADVENTURING GEAR INVENTORY
exploration
When running sandbox-style games, it is critical to have
AND TOOLS SLOTS
a tool to track party progress. Creating a hex map is an
Flask, headwrap, ink pen, excellent way to map wilderness environments your party
parchment, quartz crystal is likely to traverse over the course of their adventures.
0
goggles, signal whistle, In the following sections, we cover how to use two kinds
whetstone of hex maps, explain how to create your own hex maps,
and provide you with resources to make hex maps specific
Coins, bag of ball to a Weird Wastelands campaign.5
1
bearings (1,000)

Bag of caltrops, bag of

1
hex-based terrain
sling bullets (20)
Hex maps utilize a single sheet of paper covered in a
Chalk, cooling salve, iron
printed pattern of hexes. Each individual hex on a map
spikes, piton, smoke bombs, 1 represents a large expanse of land. Hex maps can use any
UV balm (10) kind of scale, but for our purposes, each hex represents
5 miles. While there can be all sorts of geographic and
Acid vial, alchemist’s fire environmental details inside a single hex, abstracting an
flask, antitoxin, oil flask, area in this way is helpful for measuring overall travel
1
potion of healing (any distances.
strength), torches (5) In addition to representing a static amount of space,
each hex is also assigned a type, which represents the pre-
Arcane focus, bedroll, dominant type of terrain found in that 5-mile area.
binoculars, blanket, bottled
Six different types of terrain exist in the Weird Wastelands,
lightning, chain, component
pouch, crowbar, dowsing
so there are six different types of hexes that can appear
rod, druidic focus, filter on a wasteland-specific hex map:
mask, gaming set, healer’s Arcane Wastes: blasted landscape scarred
1 ■
kit, hunting trap, lantern,
by magical warfare
lunchbox, moisture-recycling
biosuit, (most) musical ■ Badlands: dry, broken landscape of rock
instruments, parasol, formations and patches of cacti
rope, shovel, spellbook,
thieves’ tools ■ Desert: hot, desolate sand piled high
with dunes
Waterskin (one day’s
1 Hills: semi-arid waves of land featuring
worth of water) ■

scrub brush and stunted trees

Arrows and quiver, case of
2 Mountains: volcanic mountain ranges and
crossbow bolts (20) ■

highland plateaus
Bagpipes, climber’s kit,
disguise kit, drum, forgery
■ Scrublands: rolling hills and meadows of
kit, grapple gun, herbalism thorny bushes and hardy grass
kit, mechanic’s kit, miner’s Each type of terrain has a secondary and tertiary terrain
2
pick, navigator’s tools,
type associated with it, as shown in the Terrain Types
poisoner’s kit, scavenger’s
kit, sledgehammer, table. This information helps give you an idea of what ter-
wastelander’s pack rain types are most likely to be found next to one another,
and it can also be used as a reference when following the
Rations (one week’s steps to build your own wasteland terrain hex map.
2
worth of food)
5. Building your own hex map can take some time and isn’t for
everyone. If you’re looking for a map you can use right away,
Artisan’s tools, ladder, 10-foot
3 check out our sample wasteland hex map. It has everything you
pole, two-person tent need to start playing.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 109
 TERRAIN TYPES
build your own wasteland
terrain hex map PRIMARY SECONDARY TERTIARY

Arcane Wastes Desert Badlands

Follow these steps to randomly generate your Badlands Hills Desert
own wasteland hex map.
Desert Scrublands Arcane Wastes
1. Grab a blank sheet of hex map paper, ideally
a sheet with 5 hexes per inch. Hills Mountains Scrublands
2. Start by placing a desert type hex in the Mountains Hills Scrublands
center of the map and an arcane wastes type
hex near one of the corners (mark hex types Scrublands Desert Badlands
with abbreviations or colors).
3. Starting with the center desert-type hex, HOW TO USE A TERRAIN HEX MAP
number each side of the hex 1–6.
Instead of calculating the exact number of miles the party
4. Starting with the side of the hex you labeled has traveled (which can get tedious quickly), you can use a
1, roll a d6 and consult the Terrain Types table hex map to abstract distance based on whatever scale you
to determine the terrain type of the adjacent decide.8 The following information assumes you are using
hex (the unlabeled one that touches the side a scale where one hex on the map represents an area of
you are working with). roughly 5 miles.
If you rolled 1–3 on the d6, mark the new Whenever your players are ready to begin traveling,
adjacent hex as the same terrain type (its they need to decide which of the three travel paces—slow,
primary type) as the original hex. In this normal, or fast—they are going to assume for the day’s
example, since we started with a desert-type travel.9, 10 Moving at a fast pace makes characters less per-
hex, a roll of 1–3 would mean the new hex will
ceptive but allows them to cover more distance. Moving
also be the desert type.
at a slow pace makes it possible for the party to sneak
If you rolled 4–5 on the d6, mark the new
around and search an area more carefully, but they cover
adjacent hex as the secondary terrain type
less ground.
listed next to the primary terrain type of the
If you’re using the one hex = 5 miles scale, creatures
original hex. Here, since we started with a
walking at a normal pace may move up to four hexes per
desert-type hex, a roll of 4–5 would mean the
day (approximately 20 miles). Creatures walking at a slow
new hex will be the scrublands type.
If you roll a 6 on the d6, mark the new pace may move up to three hexes per day (approximately
adjacent hex as the tertiary terrain type listed 15 miles), and moving at a fast pace allows creatures to
next to the primary terrain type of the original move up to five hexes per day (approximately 25 miles).
hex. Since we started with a desert-type hex,
a roll of 6 would mean the new hex will be the WASTELAND TERRAIN HEX
arcane wastes type. DESCRIPTIONS
The following sections give more information about the
5. Once you have filled in the hexes on all six
six terrain types found in the Weird Wastelands. Included
sides of the first central desert hex, repeat
in each terrain’s description is a terrain DC, which can help
steps 3 and 4 for each new hex until you have
generalize the difficulty of ability checks and saving throws
filled in as much of the map as desired.6
made to deal with the terrain’s exploration challenges.
6. If you would like to add more detail to your map, Each terrain section also includes a Terrain Landmarks
you can add a few landmarks from the Terrain table unique to that terrain type. This table provides sug-
Landmarks table listed in each terrain type de- gestions for interesting features you can add to hexes of
scription, or add any other interesting features the corresponding type on your wasteland hex map.
like oases, watering holes, ruins, or roads.7
8. Using a hex map to explore an open, sandbox-style world is also
frequently referred to as a “hex crawl.”
6 . Don’t feel too constrained by the dice here. Jump around the map, mix 9. The three types of travel paces are more thoroughly described in the
up the terrain types, and shape the terrain until you have a map that PHB and DMG.
feels right. 10. Note that a full day’s travel as defined in the PHB is 8 hours.
7. If you are using any of the weird locations found in chapter 5, you Characters who attempt to travel farther than this in a 24-hour period
can also place those on your map (each location has a recommended are subject to the Forced March rules described in the Travel Pace
terrain type in its description). section of the PHB.

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weird waStelandS 111
 Arcane Wastes arcane hazards, adventures set in the arcane wastes are
The ruined heartlands of the pre-apocalypse civilization geared toward tier-4 adventuring parties.
were once prosperous and populous, boasting many mani- Whenever a character interacts with the environment or
cured estates of the mageocratic gentry, sprawling arcano- an environmental effect in the arcane wastes and an ability
tech workshop complexes, and fertile fields of alchemi- check or saving throw is required, the default terrain DC
cally enriched agriculture. Now, these lands are scarred by is 20.
magical warfare and stalked by monsters spawned from
the resulting arcane pollution. Landmarks
As the party travels through areas of arcane wastes, they
Terrain DC are bound to encounter weird landmarks featuring the
Regions of arcane wastes are extremely dangerous and in- remnants of magical, pre-apocalyptic societies. The Arcane
capable of sustaining humanoid life. Magical pollution has Wastes Landmarks table provides suggestions of unique
infused the terrain, making it impossible to find potable features characters might encounter while traveling through
water or edible food there. Due to an abundance of deadly this type of terrain.

ARCANE WASTES LANDMARKS

d20 LANDMARK
Enormous, floating prisms and pyramids are suspended in air mid-battle, their glittering beam weapons frozen
1
in time.
An old battlefield is a cesspool of arcane corruption, dotted with patches of never-ending flames and
2
surrounded by craters filled with magical pollutants.
A pre-apocalyptic cemetery is littered with the bodies of dead wasteland creatures in various states of decay
3
among the headstones.
4 Amid acres of chalky fields is a bucolic village kept in pristine condition by its mindless skeletal population.
Thirteen engraved glyph-stones mark the boundaries of an ancient battlefield massacre. The glyphs warn
5
readers not to trust their dreams if they sleep here.
6 A field covered in heaping mounds of skulls and bone-filled ditches stretches on for miles.
A viscous, flammable mire bubbles with alchemical fluids and reagent runoff. It is home to an arcanovore
7
willow-treant.11
8 The air shimmers with scintillating radiance above the blast craters left behind by a magical bombardment.
9 The charred and twisted wreck of an arcanotech war machine still burns with pale, eldritch balefire.
A 50-foot-tall, 30-foot-deep stone wall studded with battlements and watchtowers stretches from horizon to
10
horizon.
An enduring triumphal monument of some forgotten imperial victory towers over the landscape, its surface
11
covered in a multitude of civilizational curse scrolls and history-eating graffiti glyph hexes.
12 A freshly dug maze of earthen ramparts and trenches extends for miles in all directions.
13 The arches of a deteriorating viaduct shelter swarms of toothed crows.
14 An abandoned, ruined farmstead is overgrown with enormous, putrid, carnivorous vegetables.
15 A seemingly rocky plain is actually a shattered urban ruinscape completely leveled to its foundations.
16 Shimmering molten mithral streams down the sides of a melting ley line pylon like candle wax.
17 The body of an arcane storm giant titan lays on its side, encased in a colossal block of dense, cloudy amber.
A perfect, 60-foot-tall human skeleton crouches in a huge magic circle, watching the distant horizon. It is
18
chained to the spot by thin silver thread.
19 The scattered, charred remains of a large arcanotech structure lay amid its encircling outbuildings.
The soft, gently undulating ground is some sort of flesh, shot through with seams of sinew, cartilage, and
20
dense muscle fibers. It sweats in the heat.

11. See the “Wasteland Monster Templates” section on p. 289 in chapter 6 for the arcanovore creature template.

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112 weird waStelandS
Badlands Landmarks
Clusters of gnarled brambles and thorny cacti dot these As the party travels through areas of badlands, they are
former scrub-brush hills turned dry, rocky tablelands. Box bound to encounter weird landmarks featuring expansive,
canyons and mesas break up long stretches of craggy es- harsh geographical features particular to such environ-
carpments as far as the eye can see. ments. The Badlands Landmarks table provides sugges-
tions of unique features characters might encounter while
Terrain DC traveling through this type of terrain.
Travel through regions of badlands typifies the hardscrab-
ble existence that most wastelanders strive to avoid. Food Desert
and water are hard to come by, and the arid landscape Hot, desolate, and typically covered in some mix of sand,
spells doom for the ill-prepared traveler. Conditions in the dust, and grit, deserts are rife with deep drifts and shifting
badlands are challenging but not insurmountable, which dunes. Even more common are expansive fields of dusty,
makes them adequate for tier-2 adventuring parties. parched dirt and bare rock outcroppings. Temperatures
Whenever a character interacts with the environment vary wildly at night, from barely cooler than daytime to
or an environmental effect in the badlands and an ability below freezing. Water is scarce, and life scarcer still, but
check or saving throw is required, the default terrain DC the desert isn’t lifeless. You just have to look a bit harder
is 15. to find it.

BADLANDS LANDMARKS
d20 LANDMARK

A field of execution victims are buried to their necks in a field of red dirt. Looks like some of them almost dug
1
themselves free. Almost.

The rusty metal boughs of a forest of scrappy trees arranged in neat rows are festooned with glittering
2
arcanotech detritus.

3 The high, overhanging walls of a narrow slot canyon provide shade, even at midday.
4 An abandoned roc’s nest sits like a tangled crown atop a lone mesa.
5 The sheer-sided cliffs of a grouping of mesas provide roosts for flocks of giant vultures.
6 An expanse of desolate salt flats sits between two craggy escarpments.
7 A rocky plain gives way to bubbling tarpits and lakes of searing, sticky asphalt.
8 A giant owl has burrowed a home for itself in the roots of a cactus patch.
9 Swathes of dusty red earth separate clumps of tall, dry grass.
10 Cyclones of dust swirl above a cracked plain of parched earth.
11 A thicket of towering cacti shelters the nest of some burrowing creature.
12 Dry stream beds lined with hardy plants crisscross the rough ground.
13 A megalith of cold, unearthly stone is covered in patterns of eye-watering whorls and spirals.
A steep-sided box canyon is the site of a large garbage dump where vermin scuttle over the mounds of refuse
14
and junk.
15 Numerous flat stones embedded in the ground form a series of concentric rings 1 mile in diameter.
16 Towering mounds of broken bricks are all that remain of a former town.

A 75-foot square hole in the ground is a seemingly bottomless pit with narrow steps carved into the wall
17
descending into its depths.

18 A craggy rock formation of brightly colored stone strata stands out amidst the dusty earth surrounding it.
19 A cluster of tall mounds, a hive of giant termites, spirals up from the ground.
20 Wind whistles through a rock formation carved into an instrument for air elementals.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 113
 Terrain DC and inhospitable expanses of strange sand. The Desert
Desert regions are marked by sweltering heat and expanses Landmarks table provides suggestions of unique features
completely devoid of shelter. Water is hard to come by save characters might encounter while traveling through this
for occasional oases which are always well-hidden or well- type of terrain.
guarded. The dangerous conditions of desert areas present Some desert landmarks in the table are noted as oases
a solid challenge for tier-2 and tier-3 adventuring parties. and represent the only available sources of water in such
Whenever a character interacts with the environment or areas.
an environmental effect in the desert and an ability check
or saving throw is required, the default terrain DC is 15. Hills
Semi-arid chaparral hills hide steep-sided gullies and snak-
Landmarks ing stream beds. Vegetation is sparse and hardy: mostly
As the party travels through areas of desert, they are bound coarse grasses, scrubby brush, and clumps of stubby trees
to encounter weird landmarks featuring buried ruins crowding the banks of small creeks. Occasionally, a highland

DESERT LANDMARKS
d20 LANDMARK
1 Dunes of swirling, multicolored sand form complex patterns resembling arcane glyphs.
2 Purple worms feed close to the surface here, disturbing the sand dunes.
3 A legion of skeletal soldiers stands partially buried in the sand.
4 The colossal stone head of a pre-apocalyptic tyrant defiantly perches atop a precariously tall sand dune.

An ancient, monumental statue of an agricultural goddess provides a sense of peace and safety. A small patch of
5
vegetation surrounds an altar pool of clear water. (Oasis)

6 Gibbets holding sun-bleached bones sway in the dry wind, and glittering trinkets lie scattered on the dead earth.

Large metal boxes are buried in the hard-packed sand up to their closed, hinged tops. They are filled with
7
gelatinous cubes.

A functional—but deactivated—trolleum pump sprays black puddings (infested with trolleum and alchemical
8
parasites) over a wide area if activated.

A low stone fence marks the boundary between fields of magically enhanced soil long since turned to a fine
9
powder of gray dust.

10 A half-buried forest of brittle, bleach-white tree trunks rises out of the sand.

A bootleg alchemy laboratory and water collection tank are housed inside the roomy shell of a dead giant desert
11
tortoise. (Oasis)

12 Pulverized glass beads, shimmering in the sun, spill across the sand.

An area noted for its frequent lightning storms features branching formations of fragile fulgurite protruding from
13
the sand.

14 A toppled tower of ever-lasting stone forms a sheltered tunnel through the sand dunes.
15 Ruins of a once stately country manor, bleached brittle by the sun, contain a deep well. (Oasis)
16 A gargantuan, gold-plated ziggurat bearing potent geomantic glyphs endures the scouring wind of the desert.
17 Thick pieces of broken shell from a ginormous dragon tortoise egg form a bulwark against lashing sands.

The shadows cast by the crumbling walls of a defiled and burned-out temple cast a deep chill no matter the
18
surrounding temperature.

19 Sharply angled dunes of black-and-white striated sand balance precariously.

The skull, spine, and ribcage of an enormous serpentine creature peek out of the sand and generate sparks of
20
painful static electricity.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

114 weird waStelandS
valley hosts a small lake surrounded by a band of thick veg- and unexpected geological formations. The Hills Landmarks
etation. Many wastelanders make their home in hill country table provides suggestions of unique features characters
as there are numerous places to build defensible settlements might encounter while traveling through this type of terrain.
with access to water.
Mountains
Terrain DC Mountains feature barren plateaus, volcanic massifs, and
Travel through areas of hills is significantly easier than steep basalt ranges. Volcanic eruptions are frequent but
travel through other regions, but ready access to drinkable unpredictable, and seismic activity is common. Gigantic
water and foraging means larger populations of predatory creatures tend to control the few valleys here made fertile
monsters and bandits. Conditions in the hills are easily from volcanic soil.
handled by a moderately experienced tier-1 or tier-2 party.
Whenever a character interacts with the environment or Terrain DC
an environmental effect in the hills and an ability check or Travel through the mountains is dangerous due to seis-
saving throw is required, the default terrain DC is 15. mic activity and the unforgiving altitude. Food and water
can be found but are well hidden or guarded by brutally
Landmarks intelligent monsters. Due to the extreme conditions here,
As the party travels through areas of hills, they are bound to adventures set in the mountains are generally suitable for
encounter weird landmarks featuring water sources, tracks, tier-3 adventuring parties.

HILLS LANDMARKS
d20 LANDMARK
1 A grove of twisted trees shelters the remains of a burned-down cluster of hovels.
A massive, steep-sided granite outcrop has shallow, well-worn grooves on its summit that collect water in the
2
morning.

A carpet of mobile grasses migrates slowly along the border with the surrounding flatlands, drinking up
3
rainwater and occasionally forming temporary grass-mat pools.
4 An ancient shrine nestled into the folds of the earth is still venerated by locals.
5 Steep-sided hills are laced with old goatherd tracks and dug-out shelters.
6 The hills have treacherous pathways that crumble easily.
7 The hills hedge in travelers with hidden box canyons and steep inclines.
8 The hills loom in the distance, blocking the view beyond.
9 The hills rise and fall gently, creating cradled valleys.
10 Hillcrests are topped with the shells of once-opulent manors.
11 A gorge near a deep, dry lakebed is hidden by thickets of thorny brush.
12 Patches of scrubby brush and chapparal wood snake up the hillside stream banks.
13 A vast crater plunges deep into the earth, its slopes riddled with caves, chasms, and smoking sinkholes.
A dam showing remarkably little damage spans a wide valley, and a trickling stream leaks out of its wedged-
14
open floodgate.
15 A building stands abandoned and unfinished with stacks of raw materials strewn about.
16 The trail winds past a fallen rockslide.
A pair of toppled herculean columns block the path ahead, their smashed masonry strewn about the hillside.
17
Two enormous, silver-plated chains snake among the debris.
18 A winding, shallow valley is crusted over with dried, cracked mud.
19 A ruined garrison fortress now serves as a stone quarry for local settlements.
20 A pit is full of the fossilized bones of some massive, ancient predator and its prey.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

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 Whenever a character interacts with the environment or Terrain DC
an environmental effect in the mountains and an ability Mild conditions and ready access to food and water makes
check or saving throw is required, the default terrain DC is 20. exploration encounters in the scrublands suitable for tier-1
adventuring parties.
Landmarks Whenever a character interacts with the environment or
As the party travels through areas of mountains, they are an environmental effect in the scrublands and an ability
bound to encounter weird landmarks featuring treacher- check or saving throw is required, the default terrain DC
ous drops, useful mineral deposits, and deadly creatures. is 10.
The Mountains Landmarks table provides suggestions of
unique features characters might encounter while travel- Landmarks
ing through this type of terrain. As the party travels through areas of scrublands, they are
bound to encounter weird landmarks featuring hardy veg-
Scrublands etation and infested meadows. The Scrublands Landmarks
Gentle hills and valleys give way to flatland carpeted in tall, table provides suggestions of unique features characters
hardy grasses, scrubby brush, and invasive succulents with might encounter while traveling through this type of terrain.
scattered boulders and groves of stunted trees strewn
along the dry banks of wide stream beds.

MOUNTAINS LANDMARKS
d20 LANDMARKS
1 The nearby slope is studded with the burnt remains of a dead forest, the stumps bound with strips of colorful cloth.
A copper-wrapped, crystal prism—the prison of a doomed lich—is now a shrine for locals who are ignorant of
2
what’s inside.
3 Bare desert mountains loom ahead with naked, rocky slopes and craggy peaks.
4 Perilous slopes are formed from massive piles of scree over loose boulders.
5 Boulders covered in arcane glyphs formed from patches of brightly colored lichen rest in a shaded ravine.
6 A massive stairway, ramps, and a trackway provide passage over a mountain range.
7 A dilapidated observatory is now used as a communal shelter for travelers.

Nestled in a ravine is a mountain spring whose waters nourish the alpine bog-meadow home of a thriving
8
commune of homunculi and orphan familiars.

9 Parallel mountain ridges rise high over a steep-sided valley marked by scattered boulders and mounds of gravel.
10 Dry, craggy slopes are capped by bare rock summits.
A scrap totem marks the entrance to a narrow, rocky valley riddled with dozens of crude barrows containing the
11
remains of wasteland warriors.
12 A steaming channel of cooling lava fills a narrow valley.
13 Ancient volcanic rock has created a natural amphitheater.
14 A 15-foot-tall boundary stone squats by the trail, marking the territory of a local fire giant clan.
15 A peak formed from a titanic beryl crystal bathes the nearby valleys in eerie blue-green light.
16 A permanent storm of heat lightning12 surrounds a prominent peak.
17 A glowing firefall of fast-flowing lava spills down a sheer precipice.
18 Gargantuan bones, weathered and broken, thrust their way out of a mountain slope.
19 In a winding valley is a rocky overhang that shelters many cave entrances.
20 A giant, foreboding watchtower stands atop a spire at the edge of a lake of lava.

12. See the “Hex-based Weather” section on p. 118 later in this chapter for information about heat lightning.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

116 weird waStelandS
 SCRUBLANDS LANDMARKS
d20 LANDMARK
A tree of woe is decorated with the banners of the four most powerful warlords in the region. Each banner points
1
the way to its warlord’s stronghold.
2 Crudely made humanoid decoys pose around a brushwood lean-to and firepit.
3 Several partially buried, rusty metal domes form a trail of low mounds through the grassland.
4 Boulders in a gravel and scrub field cast looming shadows no matter the sun’s position
5 Clusters of fleshy, fungal pods dot a barren plain.
Broken ground, once an agricultural heartland, is now a dusty patchwork of dry, hard-packed dirt fields divided by
6
crumbling hedgerows.
7 The overgrown remains of a raised cobblestone roadway cross dun hills of green-gray sage scrub and golden grass.
8 A lone shrine near a well-known crossroads serves as a local message board, its interior walls plastered over with notes.
A broken aqueduct crosses arid grassland carrying water from the highlands. Water trickles down its broken face,
9
creating a small pool at the bottom.
10 Enormous tumbleweeds pick up roots and thorny branches as they cut a pass through the grassland.
A massive tumbleweed lodged in a shallow gully shelters a small muddy pool and the new shoots of a tanglebrack
11
patch.
12 A widening wedge of invasive metallic grass advances into a field of dry scrub.
A fallen trader’s howdah on the back of the desiccated corpse of an ankylosaurus serves as a makeshift shelter for
13
a communal campsite.
14 Partially buried, cyclopean blocks of durable, dark green glass are scattered about a grassy plain.
15 The ruins of a burnt-down coaching inn and imperial waystation smolder nearby.
16 Two ends of a collapsed bridge sit on opposite banks of a canal choked with dry weeds.
17 A lone mesa looms over the surrounding carpet of brush, its flat top ringed with extensive fortifications.
18 A monumental funerary complex gleams white in the distance.
19 In the shelter of a low embankment is a miniature metropolis, the diminutive cityscape abandoned and overgrown.
20 Worn mile markers, crumbling monuments, and looted shrines line the sides of a partially buried gravel road.

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 hex-based weather Seven different types of weather exist in the
Weird Wastelands, so there are seven different
Weather is part of the ever-present backdrop types of hexes that appear on a wasteland-spe-
against which adventures in the wasteland take cific weather hex grid:
place. This section presents a unique way to ■ Cinder Haze ■ Hell Wind
generate weather-based exploration challenges ■ Clear ■ Rain
by using some of the tools for creating a terrain ■ Cursed Storm ■ Sandstorm
hex map in the previous section. ■ Heat Lightning
A weather hex grid utilizes a single sheet of
paper covered with a printed pattern of hexes.
Each individual hex on a weather grid represents HEAT AND WIND IN THE WASTES
a type of weather regularly experienced in the The conditions in the wastes are harsh, requir-
wastelands. A GM can use a weather hex grid to ing endurance and careful water conservation.
determine what type of weather the wasteland Heat and wind are often the most excessive
experiences each day, which in turn creates ad- (and deadly) environmental factors with which
ditional challenges for adventurers exploring adventurers must contend while adventuring in
the wilderness. the wastelands.

how to use
a weather hex grid
Follow these steps to use a Sample Starting Weather Hex Grid
weather hex grid to determine what
the weather conditions are at the
At any time, you can beginning of an adventuring day.
pick a new hex to move
1. Consult your weather hex grid.
into rather than let the
dice decide. A week of (In this example, use the graphic
cinder hazes and hell provided here.)
winds might not be your 2. Select a starting position in a hex
group’s idea of a good with clear weather.
time.
3. When you are ready to
determine the day’s weather, roll
a d6 and consult the “Direction”
hex at the top of the image
showing the numbers associated
with each side of the hex. From
your starting position, cross into Sample Weather Hex Grid after
the neighboring hex determined One Week of Travel
by your roll. The day’s weather
conditions are the type assigned
to the new hex into which you
have moved.
If the number you roll would
move you across the outer
border of the grid, reroll the d6 or
choose a different hex into which
to move.
If the number you roll would
move you to a hex with an X,
the weather stays the same
for that day.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

118 weird waStelandS
 Heat Intensity
standard rules: A domineering sun bakes the wasteland with unrelenting
heat. As a result, a creature’s water needs are greatly im-
extreme heat pacted by the heat on any given day in the wastes.
There are three levels of heat intensity to help you track
the scorching temperatures of the wasteland: normal,
The information in this section reflects the
high, and severe. Some weather types have set heat inten-
standard 5E rules for extreme heat, reprinted
sity levels, while other weather types require you to ran-
here for convenience.
domly determine the day’s heat intensity level by rolling
When the temperature is at or above 100
on the Heat Intensity table.
degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius, a
creature exposed to the heat and without access
to the required amount of drinkable water must HEAT INTENSITY
succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the
end of each hour or gain one level of exhaus- d6 HEAT INTENSITY LEVEL
tion. The DC is 5 for the first hour and increases
by 1 for each additional hour. Creatures wearing 1–3 Normal
medium or heavy armor or who are clad in heavy 4–5 High
clothing have disadvantage on this saving throw.
Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire dam- 6 Severe
age automatically succeed on the saving throw,
as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.
Normal
Daily Water Requirements by Creature Size Temperature Range: 80–99 degrees Fahrenheit (27–37
Tiny – 1/4 gallon Large – 4 gallons degrees Celsius)
Small – 1 gallon Huge – 16 gallons Water Usage: Standard daily requirements are sufficient.
Medium – 1 gallon Gargantuan – 64 gallons
Extreme Heat: Not considered extreme heat.

High
Temperature Range: 100–140 degrees Fahrenheit (38–60
degrees Celsius)
Water Usage: Water needs are doubled for the day.13
Extreme Heat: Standard rules apply.

Severe
Temperature Range: 141+ degrees Fahrenheit (61+ de-
grees Celsius)
Water Usage: Water needs are doubled for the day.
Extreme Heat: Standard rules apply, with the following
modifications:
■ Saving throws made to resist the effects of extreme
heat start at DC 15 (instead of DC 5).
■ Creatures wearing heavy or medium armor or heavy
clothes automatically fail saving throws made to
resist the effects of extreme heat.
■ Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage
and creatures naturally adapted to hot climates
have advantage on their saving throws to resist the
effects of extreme heat (instead of automatically
succeeding).

13. If you are using the variant rules for resource dice presented earlier
in this chapter, you can abstract the water usage requirements for
high and severe heat intensity as a −1 penalty to the creature’s water
resource die roll at the end of the day.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

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 Wind Intensity WASTELAND WEATHER HEX DESCRIPTIONS
With little to no vegetation present to slow it down, the This section gives more information about the seven
wind races across the wasteland, whipping up sand, grit, weather types found in the wasteland, including a descrip-
and scrap. tion as well as additional challenges each weather condi-
There are three levels of wind intensity to help you tion can impose on adventurers exposed to it.
track the scouring winds of the wasteland: calm, light, Also included in each weather type’s description is a
and strong. Some weather types have set wind intensity heat and wind intensity level, which helps give you an idea
levels, while other weather types require you to randomly of how to narratively describe weather conditions. Each
determine the day’s wind intensity level by rolling on the intensity level presents additional survival challenges you
Wind Intensity table. can introduce when traveling in such conditions.

Cinder Haze
WIND INTENSITY
Smoke-like haze fills the air as particles drift downward,
d6 WIND INTENSITY LEVEL coating everything in fine gray dust. Every so often, neon
flashes of too-orange light outline the black clouds far
1–3 Calm
above.
4–5 Light
Weather Penalties
6 Strong
Cinder haze weather imposes the following penalties:
Falling Embers: Flammable objects that aren’t being
Calm worn or carried are ignited after 1 minute of exposure to
Ranged Weapon Attack Penalties: None cinder haze. Creatures with exposed skin take 1d10 fire
Perception Penalties: None damage at the end of each hour they are exposed to cinder
Flight Penalties: None haze.
Dispersal: Does not extinguish open flames and cannot Gray Dust: All areas affected by cinder haze are consid-
disperse gases such as smoke, vapor, or smog. ered lightly obscured, and maximum visibility is reduced
to 30 feet.
Light Pyroclastic Fever: Creatures without a face covering or
Ranged Weapon Attack Penalties: None other apparatus to filter the air they breathe that are ex-
Perception Penalties: Creatures without eye protection posed to cinder haze must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that saving throw at the end of each hour or contract the magi-
rely on sight. cal disease pyroclastic fever. Creatures that do not need air
Flight Penalties: None to survive automatically succeed on this saving throw and
Dispersal: Open flames are immediately extinguished, and are immune to pyroclastic fever.
gases such as smoke, vapor, or smog are dispersed after
1 minute.
New Disease: Pyroclastic Fever
Strong
Ranged Weapon Attack Penalties: Creatures have disad- Symptoms manifest 1 hour after infection and
vantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and automatically include fever and large blisters. An infected crea-
fail all ranged weapon attack rolls made against creatures ture gains one level of exhaustion that cannot
more than 30 feet away. be removed until the disease is cured. Infected
Perception Penalties: Creatures without eye protec- creatures are also vulnerable to fire damage.
tion are blinded and have disadvantage on Wisdom Once per hour, an infected creature takes fire
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing. damage equal to its current level of exhaustion.
Flight Penalties: Large or smaller creatures and vehicles If the creature dies as a result of this damage,
attempting to fly must first succeed on a DC 15 Strength its body is reduced to ash from spontaneous
(Athletics) check. On a success, a creature can fly as normal combustion, and a magmin forms in the ash
but must land at the end of its turn or fall. On a failure, pile in 1d4 hours if the ashes aren’t scattered.
the creature’s flying speed is reduced to 0 until the start The ash pile is hot to the touch for 1 day.
of its next turn. At the end of each long rest, an infected
Dispersal: Open flames are immediately extinguished, creature can attempt a DC 15 Constitution
and gases such as smoke, vapor, or smog are immediately saving throw, recovering from the disease on
a success.
dispersed.

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120 weird waStelandS
Heat Intensity Cursed Storm
When the weather is cinder haze, the daily heat intensity Evaporated alchemical fluids fall back on the earth in a
level is severe. torrent of caustic rain.

Wind Intensity Weather Penalties

When the weather is cinder haze, the daily wind intensity Cursed storm weather imposes the following penalties:
level is calm. Caustic Rain: Creatures and objects exposed to cursed
storm caustic rain take 1d10 acid damage and 1d10 poison
Clear damage per minute they are exposed.
Cloudless skies mean the day’s weather is blessedly clear, Foul Provisions: Creatures who drink cursed storm
and there are no default dangerous weather conditions as caustic rain become poisoned until the end of their next
a result. long rest. Unprotected food and water exposed to the rain
rots and becomes putrid. Creatures who consume affected
Weather Penalties food or water become poisoned until the end of their next
Clear weather does not impose any penalties. long rest.
Green Fog: All areas affected by cursed storm weather
Heat Intensity are lightly obscured by patchy green fog, and maximum
When the weather is clear, roll a d6 and consult the Heat visibility is reduced to 60 feet.
Intensity table to determine the day’s heat intensity level. Soaked: Creatures wearing non-waterproof clothes or
armor who are exposed to cursed storm caustic rain for more
Wind Intensity than 1 minute have 1d4 of their encumbrance slots taken
When the weather is clear, roll a d6 and consult the Wind up with water and become miserable until they dry off.14
Intensity table to determine the day’s wind intensity level.
14. Encumbrance slots (p. 107) and the miserable condition (p. 104) are
explained earlier in this chapter.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 121
 It takes 1 wilderness round for clothes to dry, or half that if Wind Intensity
exposed to daylight or open flames. When the weather is heat lightning, the daily wind inten-
Waterlogged: An area under the effects of cursed storm sity level is light.
weather is difficult terrain.
Hell Wind
Heat Intensity The air roars with ferocious gale-force winds of extreme
When the weather is cursed storm, the daily heat intensity heat, scouring grit, and flying debris, all evidence of the
level is normal. ecological damage wrought by arcanized warfare.

Wind Intensity Weather Penalties

When the weather is cursed storm, the daily wind inten- Hell wind weather imposes the following penalties:
sity level is normal. Flying Debris: All areas affected by hell wind are consid-
ered lightly obscured, and maximum visibility is reduced
Heat Lightning to 30 feet.
A thunderstorm of evaporated rain causes cascading heat Swirling Debris: At the end of each wilderness round,
lightning that rips through the charged, dry atmosphere. creatures in areas affected by hell wind must succeed on a
The air feels like it’s buzzing with electricity. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be struck by flying sand
and debris and take 4d10 slashing damage.
Weather Penalties Unbearable Heat: For every minute of strenuous ac-
Heat lightning weather imposes the following penalty: tivity a creature engages in while exposed to areas of hell
Lightning Strike: For each creature out in the open for wind, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
more than 1 minute during a wilderness round, roll a d20. saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures au-
On a 20, the creature is struck by lightning and must at- tomatically fail this saving throw if they lack appropriate
tempt a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 light- protective gear.
ning damage on a failure, or half as much damage on a Windblown Drifts: An area under the effects of hell
success. wind weather is difficult terrain.

Heat Intensity Heat Intensity

When the weather is heat lightning, the daily heat inten- When the weather is hell wind, the daily heat intensity
sity level is high. level is severe.

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122 weird waStelandS
Wind Intensity Heat Intensity
When the weather is hell wind, the daily wind intensity When the weather is rain, the daily heat intensity level is
level is strong. normal.

Rain Wind Intensity

The sky fills with normal clouds—clouds full of refreshing, When the weather is rain, the daily wind intensity level is calm.
life-giving rain—a rare reprieve from the scorching waste-
land heat. Sandstorm
Strong winds fill the air with sand and other detritus pulled
Weather Penalties from across the wastes. Howling wind and whipping sand
Rain weather imposes the following penalties and benefits: veil whatever danger lurks just ahead and make navigation
Fresh Water: Drinkable water is abundant during rain. difficult.
Attempts to gather water automatically succeed and fill
any containers to their maximum resource die. For 1d4 Weather Penalties
days after rain weather, creatures have advantage on abil- Sandstorm weather imposes the following penalties:
ity checks to gather water. Buried Landmarks: Creatures in areas of sandstorm
Rain Showers: All areas affected by rain are lightly ob- have disadvantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to
scured, and maximum visibility is reduced to 1 mile. avoid becoming lost.
Soaked: Creatures wearing non-waterproof clothes or Flying Debris: All areas affected by sandstorm weather
armor who are exposed to rain for more than 1 minute are considered lightly obscured.
have 1d4 of their encumbrance slots taken up with water. Windblown Drifts: Creatures cannot travel at a fast
It takes 2 wilderness rounds for clothes to dry, or half that pace in areas affected by sandstorm weather.
if exposed to daylight or open flames.
Vigorously Alive: Vegetation flourishes briefly follow- Heat Intensity
ing a cleansing rain. For 1d4 days after rain weather, When the weather is sandstorm, the daily heat intensity
creatures have advantage on ability checks to forage for level is normal.
food.
Waterlogged: An area under the effects of rain weather Wind Intensity
is difficult terrain. When the weather is sandstorm, the daily wind intensity
level is strong.

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weird waStelandS 123
 turn-based
We used the guidelines (using the rules as written) should take about 3
in the DMG to hours in real time (about the length of one stan-

exploration
determine the DCs in dard game session).
this chapter. Given the
nature of the game, it’s
possible for a character The rules presented here are an optional rules WILDERNESS ROUNDS
to excel at tasks system to create unique exploration-based game- Each day of exploration is divided into 3 wil-
related to a particular play. GMs can use these rules to run a session of derness rounds, with each round representing
ability score. This is play focused on exploring unknown parts of the approximately 8 hours of a 24-hour day. The
fine. As GM, you can wasteland while traveling between established system assumes that you begin a session of
always adjust DCs and
introduce interesting locations. turn-based exploration in the morning, so it is
complications if you Note that this turn-based system uses many referred to as wilderness round 1.15
find that your players of the variant rules previously discussed in this The three rounds represent:
are hyper-competent chapter, so there are several references here to
survivalists. It’s also
■ Wilderness round 1 – Morning (start of day)
mechanics presented earlier in chapter 3. If an
okay to let the DCs ■ Wilderness round 2 – Midday
element sounds unfamiliar, refer back to previ-
stand and the dice ■ Wilderness round 3 – Night (end of day)
fall where they may. ous sections of this chapter. Specifically, the fol-
It seems sensible for lowing variant rules are heavily used:
SETUP
a player to create a
character who’s good at
■ Hex-Based Terrain (p. 109) Before you begin (ideally before the game ses-
wilderness exploration ■ Hex-Based Weather (p. 118) sion starts), create a wasteland terrain hex map
when joining a ■ Long Rests and Comfort (p. 106) using the process described in the “Hex-Based
postapocalyptic fantasy ■ Resource Dice (p. 106) Terrain” section earlier in this chapter. You will
campaign. Remember, ■ Scavenging (p. 128) also need to use the wasteland weather hex grid
within a party, the in the “Hex-Based Weather” section.16
characters will have
different strengths and object of the turn-based You should also review the encounter infor-
mation in chapter 4 before you begin play, since
weaknesses, so it’s
highly likely at least exploration system elements of this turn-based exploration system
one person is sweating often call for you to roll on the terrain-based
at having to make a The aim of this system is to create an adventure
encounter tables17 detailed there.
DC 10 ability check or out of exploring the wasteland by using the
saving throw. outcomes of player choices and chances for
Setup Part 1: GM Checks the
random events to generate a session’s worth of
Weather and Describes Conditions
game play. Use this system when you want to
When you are ready to begin the session, the GM
make an adventure out of traveling somewhere
checks the weather for the day and describes the
or when you want to highlight the dangers
resulting conditions using the weather hex grid.18
of the wasteland. Think of it like a turn-based
minigame representing one day of travel that
Setup Part 2: Players Review Hex Map
gives structure to how the characters survive in
Before play begins, players should have a chance
a harsh environment.
to review where they currently are on your waste-
You don’t need to use this system every time
land terrain hex map. Based on what they see in
the characters leave a settlement. Sometimes a
the surrounding hexes, they can determine what
quick trip is a quick trip, and for those times,
types of terrain are available for exploration
other tools work better. You should not feel
around them.
limited by the rules described here. Use the
mechanics outlined in this section to inspire 15. While we assume you will start with wilderness round
set-piece wilderness encounters or whip up an 1 in the morning, there is no reason why you can’t
on-the-fly scene when needed. shake up this format! You can begin a day of exploration
at any time that makes sense with the story, or you can

how to use the turn- run just 1 wilderness round as part of a game session
without completing all three. Do whatever works best for
based exploration system your table.
16. The “Hex-based Terrain” and “Hex-based Weather”
Our turn-based exploration system abstracts sections can be found on p. 109 and p. 118 respectively.
the events of one day of wilderness exploration. 17. These tables can be found in chapter 4 the “Terrain-
Based Encounter Tables” section on p. 159.
It divides one day of travel into 3 “wilderness
18. The process for determining the day’s weather is
rounds,” which represent morning, midday, and explained in the “How to Use a Weather Hex Grid”
night. Running one day of turn-based exploration sidebar on p. 118.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

124 weird waStelandS
STEPS their current hex and search the local area These rules don’t cover every
1. Players Choose the for resources, inhabitants, or sites of interest. situation that could come up
Wilderness Round Type while exploring the wasteland,
and they’re not about
Once the weather for the day is declared and Traveling constraining player choices.
all players have reviewed their position on When players choose the traveling wilder- They’re a way to help GMs
the hex map, you are ready to begin play. ness round type, their characters move be- structure and pace wasteland
At this point, the players collectively de- tween hexes using old roads, foot paths, and adventures on a scale larger
cide what type of wilderness round the party landmarks to navigate the wilderness. than hour-by-hour but still
is going to take, from three available op- When players choose this wilderness round small enough to for players to
make meaningful decisions.
tions: camping, exploring, or traveling. Each type, they must also decide: As GM, you’re always free to
wilderness round type allows for a different slow down and focus on what’s
■ Which character is the navigator who
set of wilderness actions characters can take. happening within the 8 hours of
will guide them through the wilderness
a wilderness round. You might
to their intended destination. have multiple sessions that take
Camping
When players choose the camping wilder- ■ Their desired destination hex or place within the span of a single
wilderness round followed by a
ness round type, their characters remain desired direction of travel. session during which the party
in their current hex to rest and recuperate. camps in one spot for a week or
■ Their travel pace (slow, normal, or fast).
In order to gain the benefits of a rest while more exploring the surrounding
traveling, characters must spend 1 wilder- ■ Whether the group is attempting to use region. These rules are here
ness round of a given day camping. Stealth to travel unnoticed. to help make sure the time
your players spend exploring
■ Whether any characters will attempt to is engaging and presents them
Exploring with interesting choices that
scout ahead, stay on watch, or follow
When players choose the exploring wilder- steer the course of the game.
tracks.
ness round type, their characters remain in
These rules are abstract
because we wanted to reduce
the amount of bookkeeping
turned-based exploration steps traditionally associated with
the exploration pillar. To get
the most out of these rules,
Here is a quick reference guide to the steps required to run turn-based embrace the abstraction. For
example, a 5-mile hex is big
exploration sessions using the Weird Wastelands system: enough to contain an entire
1. GM rolls to determine the day’s weather and describes relevant conditions to campaign’s worth of adventure.
the players. Consider also how many
individual actions a character
2. Players collectively choose the type of wilderness round for round 1, could take over 8 hours in
determining whether they want to dedicate the round to traveling, exploring, game. It’s easy to get bogged
or camping. (The wilderness round type determines the wilderness actions down in that level of detail and
available to them for a given wilderness round.) lose momentum. Stick to the
high points and embrace the
3. GM rolls the wilderness event die to determine the round’s event and notes time-skipping, abstract nature
the result. Depending on the result, the GM may tell the players what type of of hexes and wilderness rounds.
event it is (such as characters noticing a change in the weather indicating an Unless there is something at
oncoming sandstorm). stake that demands it, resist the
impulse to zoom in and play
4. Starting with the first player and going clockwise, each player declares what moment by moment or to know
wilderness action their character intends to take for the current wilderness round. the exact distance traveled.
5. In the same order they were declared, each player resolves their character’s The same goes for resource
wilderness action and any misfortunes that occur as a result. dice, wilderness actions, and
inventory slots. The rules might
6. If the GM has not already resolved the result of the wilderness event die roll, seem overly “gamey,” but
they do so now. they’re here so you don’t have
7. Repeat steps 2–6 for rounds 2 and 3. to calculate miles per day,
pounds of gear carried, or days’
8. Resolve any rest benefits or further checks prompted by the day’s events. worth of rations.
If using any or all of the variant rules, roll resource dice for resources consumed
that day; check in with each character for conditions like comfortable,
exhaustion, and dehydration; and address any item wear and tear.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 125
 TRAVEL TIMES
HEXES PASSIVE NAVIGATION EXHAUSTION
PACE TRAVELED STEALTH PERCEPTION DC DC
PER ROUND MODIFIER MODIFIER MODIFIER
Slow 2 Possible +5 −5 –
Possible, but
Normal 4 attempts are made – – –
at disadvantage
Fast 5 Not possible −5 +5 +5

The party’s travel pace affects their ability to droppings, or a scent. Based on the terrain
journey stealthily, navigate accurately, and no- type of the hex the party is currently traveling
tice their surroundings. The Travel Pace table through, roll on the appropriate terrain-based
outlines the mechanical effects the group’s pace table in chapter 4 to determine what sort of crea-
has on them. Adjustments to ability checks and ture left the clues.
saving throws apply for duration of the respec- When the characters discover a clue, they
tive travel pace. can attempt to avoid the creature or track it. If
the party decides to ignore the clues or fails in
2. GM Rolls the Wilderness Event Die their attempt to track it, the GM determines the
Once the players have determined the wilder- consequences.19
ness round type, the GM rolls on the Wilderness Weather Shift: Roll on the weather hex grid
Events table to determine if a special wilder- to represent a sudden shift in the day’s weather
ness event occurs during the wilderness round conditions. Apply any penalties listed in the rolled
(the GM can also choose instead of roll). This weather type as soon as you declare the change.
event could be an encounter with a wasteland Uneventful: Nothing of note happens during
monster, uncovering a useful clue, or a dramatic this wilderness round.
shift in weather. Once the die is rolled, the GM
should share the result but not reveal specifics. 3. Players Declare Wilderness Actions
The GM chooses if the rolled wilderness event The wilderness round type chosen by the play-
resolves during one of the characters’ turns this ers determines the wilderness actions available
We have chosen not to round or at the end of the round after all the to them during this wilderness round. The play-
rely on passive ability characters have taken their turns and resolved ers are encouraged to discuss as a group what
checks to resolve
any misfortunes. You are encouraged to weave actions they are going to take, but the final deci-
wilderness actions, as
we want to preserve the the event into the story based on the successes sion is ultimately up to each player.
uncertainty and tenson and failures of the characters whenever possible. Each player declares one wilderness action
of the die roll. their character takes for the entirety of the wil-
derness round.
WILDERNESS EVENTS
Characters who choose to take the same wil-
d6 RESULT derness action as another character assist one
another when attempting any associated checks.
1–3 Encounter If two characters take the same action, they de-
4 Clue cide which character rolls the check with advan-
tage. If three or more characters take the same
5 Weather Shift action, they can attempt a group check20 to de-
6 Uneventful termine success or failure. If the check fails, all
characters share any misfortunes that occur.
Encounter: Based on the terrain type of the
19. Having the creature show up later for a surprise attack
hex the party is currently traveling through, roll (resulting in the death of a helpful NPC) or having the
on the appropriate terrain-based table in chap- characters walk unprepared into an ambush are great
ter 4 to determine what the characters encoun- potential consequences.
ter this wilderness round. 20. Everyone in the group attempts a group check. If at least
Clue: The characters stumble across some half the group (rounded up) succeeds, the whole group
succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails.
evidence of nearby creatures, such as tracks,

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126 weird waStelandS
 Camping Wilderness Actions To resolve a wilderness action, players attempt the re-
When the players dedicate the wilderness round quired ability check, then successes or failures are resolved
to camping, they must elect at least one charac- (including any misfortunes that occur). In general, there
ter to take the Make Camp action. This player are three outcomes for each type of wilderness action:
is the first person to declare their character’s ■ On a success, the character accomplishes their
wilderness action for the round.
goal without penalty.
The other players can choose to assist another character
taking the Make Camp action, or they can choose the Take ■ Exceeding the DC by 5 or more is a critical
Watch action. success, which comes with additional benefits
outlined in the action.
Exploring Wilderness Actions ■ On a failure, the character must roll on the
When the players dedicate the wilderness round
action’s accompanying misfortune table.
to exploring, they can choose for their charac-
ters to take either the Hunt, Search, or Gather
WILDERNESS ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
action. If a character chooses the Search action,
The wilderness actions are presented here in more detail
that player is the first player to declare their character’s wil-
in alphabetical order. Many of these actions use the ter-
derness action for the round. If multiple characters intend
rain DC of the terrain type characters are in when they
to take the Search action, randomly determine who goes
attempt associated ability checks, so keep that number
first, then go clockwise as normal.
handy.22
Note that the Gather action can be taken only if the
party has previous in-game knowledge of a resource site in
Gather
their current hex or at least one other player has declared
When a character chooses the Gather action, their
their character is taking the Search action.
goal is to mine ore, collect water, or otherwise amass
some sort of resource for themselves or for the party.
Traveling Wilderness Actions
Characters can take this action only if they have prior
When the players dedicate the round to travel-
knowledge of a resource site23 located in their current
ing, they must elect one character to act as the
hex or if a character has already successfully discovered a
group navigator, and that character must take
resource site in their current hex earlier in the wilderness
the Navigate action for the round. This player
round by taking the Search action.
is the first person to declare their character’s wilderness
When a character takes the Gather action, they must at-
action for the round.
tempt a Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Sleight of Hand),
The other players can choose to assist a character taking
or Wisdom (Survival) check (player’s choice) against the
the Navigate action, or they can choose the Track or Scout
relevant terrain DC. Alternatively, the GM can allow a
actions.
character to attempt an ability check with a relevant set of
Several exciting (and sometimes unfortunate) things
tools in which the character is proficient.
can happen to the party while traveling. The Traveling
Misfortunes table can be used any time you need to shake ■ Success: On a success, a character gathers
things up during travel in addition to utilizing it when one resource die provided they have suitable
specific actions call for it. containers to hold the resource.
Several resolutions in the Traveling Misfortunes table ■ Critical Success: On a critical success, a
call for a saving throw or ability check. In these cases, use
character gathers 1d4 + 1 resource dice provided
the relevant terrain DC.21 Additionally, several of these
they have suitable containers to hold the
resolutions cause the party to become lost. In these cases,
resources.
refer to the “Getting Lost” section on p. 131 later in the
chapter for more information on becoming lost. ■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Gathering and
Searching Misfortunes table and follow the steps
4. GM and Players Resolve Wilderness Actions outlined in the resolution. If the resolution
Once all the players have declared what wilderness action calls for a saving throw or ability check, use the
their characters will take during this wilderness round, it relevant terrain DC.24
is time to resolve each character’s turn in the same order
the players declared them. 22. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in
this chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC.
21. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in 23. See “Resource Sites” in the “Scavenging” section on p. 128.
this chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC. 24. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in
this chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 127
 variant gather action: scavenge
GMs can choose to use a single, simple roll to account for Scrap is a highly abstracted resource; it’s both loose bits
resources (as explained earlier in the chapter) and have and bobs and whole spare parts that are ready for use. Scrap
players take the Gather action as described previously, or they can be used in several ways: as construction materials, as
can go use the Scavenge action to make survival a central crafting components, or to repair items, objects, structures,
part of the story. Scavenging can be key to thriving in the constructs, and—because much of it is inherently magical—
Weird Wastelands, which requires simple mechanics to make arcanotech devices.
the process fun and interesting. Use these rules when you
want gathering resources to be the central focus of a session.

RESOURCE SITES
Most sources of water, food, scrap, and fuel in the wastes
are limited in how many times a creature can harvest
resources from them. Each of these resource sites has its own
resource die, which is decreased in size each time a creature
successfully scavenges from it. For example, a d12 water site
can be scavenged five times before it is depleted (from a d12
to a d10, d10 to d8, d8 to d6, d6 to d4, and then depletion). If
a character uses the resource on site without gathering more
for later, such as taking a drink of water instead of refilling
a waterskin, simply roll the site’s resource die to see if the
amount of that resource remaining (and, consequently, the
size of the resource die) decreases.
Especially abundant resource sites could have multiple SOURCES OF SCRAP
d20 resource dice available, and some rare sites have their If the players wish to scavenge for scrap, the GM first decides
resource dice replenished hourly or daily. whether a site has scrap to find at all. Typical sources of scrap
include wrecks, ruins, old battlefields, abandoned depots,
dumps, unoccupied settlements, and arcanotech workshops.
RESOURCE DIE SIZE BY SUPPLY
Some things the GM may consider when making this decision
RESOURCE SITE SUGGESTED and in determining how much scrap can be at a given scrap re-
SUPPLY RESOURCE DIE SIZE source site include the following questions: How old is the site?
What was (or is) its purpose? How recently was it occupied?
Scarce d4 to d8 Has it been picked clean? Unless a site has literally nothing at
Sufficient d10 to d20 all, it’s worth letting the party try to scavenge once. If all else
fails, you can roll 2d4 to determine how many wilderness rounds
Bountiful one or more d20s it would take to gather every last bit of scrap from the area.
While searching for scrap, if a character rolls a critical
success on their gather wilderness action, their scrap
SAMPLE RESOURCE SITES resource die size increases by one, and they roll 1d4 times on
the Random Scrap table for additional effects.
d6 RESOURCE POSSIBLE SITES

1–2 Food, forage

Shrub patch, under a rock, RANDOM SCRAP
supply cache
d6 RANDOM SCRAP
Wrecked vehicle, hidden reservoir,
3 Fuel, trolleum
abandoned pump pylon 1 Scrap resource die size increases by one
Wrecked vehicle, ruined building, Scrap resource die size increases by one, and roll once
4–5 Scrap 2
old campsite on the I Search the Body table25
Small spring, hidden reservoir, 3 Fuel resource die size increases by one
6 Water
supply cache
Scrap resource die size increases by one, and you
4
find 3d6 gp
SCROUNGING FOR SCRAP
Delving into ruins and picking over wrecks is one of the main Scrap resource die size increases by one, fuel resource
5
ways wastelanders acquire what they need to survive. Relics die size increases by one, and you find 3d6 × 10 gp
of the past are available in many forms to enterprising salvag-
Scrap resource die size increases by one, you find 3d6
ers—arcanotech, scrap, and fuel among them. Since scrap is the 6
gp, and you find one random uncommon magic item
detritus of a highly magical society, much of it is inherently magi-
cal and valued by wastelanders for its durability. Nearly every
settlement has some sort of scrap market. 25. See p. 171 for the I Search the Body table.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

128 weird waStelandS
FORAGING FOR FOOD resource die represents success in foraging. Below are some
Travelers in the wastes must manage their food stores food items travelers might find in the Wastelands. Consult the
between rare encounters with resource sites. In the absence Foraged Foods table for ideas on food characters might find
of such oases, they can also forage for food. A good roll on a when foraging.

d20 FORAGED DESCRIPTION d20 FORAGED DESCRIPTION

FOOD FOOD

Plump and juicy, but what can you The desert flowers share their
1 Berry 11 Nectar
do with only one? splendor

Preserve in oil or salt and they’ll last

2 Butternuts Oily and sustaining 12 Olives
for years

3 Cactus fruits Makes a great wine 13 Pine nuts Excellent roasted

Can be grown into sprouts or used These pears get offended when you
4 Chia seeds 14 Prickly pear
to make pudding try to eat them

Get through the leathery shell to get

5 Fig Sweet, juicy, and easily dried 15 Reptile eggs
the good stuff

So fresh that carrion animals haven’t You really can find them anywhere
6 Goat carcass
picked it entirely clean!

7 Gourd Water in an edible, crunchy cup

Small
16 nutrient
8 Grubs Juicy and surprisingly sweet
cubes

A hedgehog with cactus spines,

easy to barbecue

Hedgehog 17 Sweet Potato Like other tubers, but orange!

9
cactus

Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a

18 Tubers
stew.

19 Wild onions Elevates any meal

10 Honey Never goes bad 20 Wild tomato Who doesn’t like tomatoes?!26

26. Jim Davis hates tomatoes, that’s who.

CHAPTER THREE • exploration & wasteland survival

weird waStelandS 129
 Hunt ■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the
Characters who choose this action during character sets up a comfortable camp site
a wilderness round dedicate their time to hunt- necessary to gain the full benefits of a long
ing other creatures for food. rest. Additionally, characters camping at the
When a character takes the Hunt action, they site have advantage on saving throws to resist
must attempt a Wisdom (Survival) check against gaining levels of exhaustion, and this long rest
the relevant terrain DC. removes two levels of exhaustion instead of one.
■ Success: On a success, the character ■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Camping
increases their food resource die by two.27 Misfortunes table and follow the steps
outlined in the resolution. Unless the
■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the
resolution says otherwise, characters still
character increases their food resource die by
set up a comfortable campsite necessary to
three. Creatures who eat the next meal prepared
gain the full benefits of a long rest. If the
with this food recover one Hit Die or remove
resolution calls for a saving throw or ability
one level of exhaustion (creature’s choice).
check, use the relevant terrain DC.31
■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Hunting
Misfortunes table and follow the steps Navigate
outlined in the resolution. If the resolution A character who chooses to navigate spends
calls for a saving throw or ability check, use the wilderness round plotting the group’s course
the relevant terrain DC.28, 29 and leading them as they travel.
When a character takes the Navigate action, they
Make Camp must attempt an Intelligence (Nature) or Wis-
Characters who choose the Make Camp dom (Survival) check (player’s choice) against the
action spend the wilderness round finding and relevant terrain DC.32
setting up a campsite to provide shelter and ■ Success: On a success, the party moves up to
comfort to the group. This action is essential for
the number of hexes allowed by their travel
characters to get the full benefits of a long rest
pace without incident.
A character might while in the wild.30
have this advance When a character takes the Make Camp ac- ■ Critical Success: On a critical success,
warning by smelling tion, they must attempt a Strength (Athletics), characters gain the benefits of a success, and
smoke, hearing a Intelligence (Investigation), Intelligence (Nature), they find essential supplies along the way. One
sudden loud noise, or Wisdom (Survival) check (player’s choice) character may take a free, additional wilder-
finding another against the relevant terrain DC. ness action this round to harvest the resources
creature’s tracks, or
catching a glimpse of While making camp, characters may engage (as per the Gather wilderness action).
movement from afar. light activity over the course of their wilderness ■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Traveling
action without needing to roll or worry about
Misfortunes table33 and follow the steps
consequences for failure. Such activities might
outlined in the resolution. Unless the
include cooking meals, talking, repairing gear
resolution says otherwise, characters
or vehicles, organizing inventory, crafting items,
successfully maintain their travel pace and
tending to wounds, playing an instrument, read-
arrive at their intended destination.
ing, eating and drinking, playing a game, and car-
ing for animals.
Scout
■ Success: On a success, the character sets A character who takes the Scout action
up a comfortable camp site necessary to spends the wilderness round looking out for dan-
gain the full benefits of a long rest. ger and helping the party avoid it as they travel.
When a character takes the Scout action, they
27. See the “Resource Dice” section on p. 106 for the variant must attempt an Intelligence (Investigation) or
resource dice rules.
28. Several resolutions in the Hunting Misfortunes table 31. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111
require a roll on the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters earlier in this chapter for each terrain’s associated
table, which can be found on p. 173 in chapter 4. terrain DC.
29. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 32. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111
earlier in this chapter for each terrain’s associated earlier in this chapter for each terrain’s associated
terrain DC. terrain DC.
30. See p. 102 earlier in the chapter for information on long 33. See the Traveling Misfortunes table on p. 132.
rests and the comfortable condition.

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130 weird waStelandS
 getting lost
When a character is lost, they and every creature traveling with them unknowingly
travel in the wrong direction for the entirety of the wilderness round, at the end
of which they realize they are lost. Roll 1d6 and consult the following chart to
determine what direction the party travels in (and in which hex they end up at the
end of the wilderness round). If the result would allow the party to travel to their
intended hex or off the map you’re using, reroll.

Wisdom (Perception) check (player’s choice) against the Take Watch

relevant terrain DC.34 A character who chooses the Take Watch action spends
the wilderness round on guard at the party’s campsite.
■ Success: On a success, the character is alert and gains
When a character takes the Take Watch action, they must
advance warning of any random encounters rolled for
attempt an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Percep-
the area in that turn. The character has advantage on
tion) check (player’s choice) against the relevant terrain DC.38
any Wisdom (Perception) checks to avoid surprise or
notice hidden creatures until the end of the wilderness ■ Success: On a success, the character has advantage
round. A success does not reveal any creatures, it merely on any Wisdom (Perception) checks to avoid being
alerts a character to their presence in the general area, surprised or to notice hidden creatures until the end
allowing the party to avoid the creature if they choose. of the wilderness round.
■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the character ■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the character
gains the benefit of a success, they discover a set of gains the benefit of a success and has advantage on
tracks belonging to a local creature, and they learn initiative rolls until the end of the wilderness round.
some useful information about that creature.
■ Failure: On a failure, creatures have advantage on
■ Failure: On a failure, hostile creatures have Dexterity (Stealth) checks they make to avoid being
advantage on their initiative rolls the next time the noticed by the party.
party is in combat.
Track
Search While traveling, a character who takes the Track ac-
During an exploring wilderness round, a character tion is on the lookout for vehicle tracks, disturbed ground,
who takes the Search action spends the round looking for or other signs of creatures that have moved through the area.
resource sites from which the party can gather supplies. When a character takes the Track action, they must attempt
When a character takes the Search action, they must at- a Wisdom (Survival) check against the relevant terrain DC.39
tempt an Intelligence (Investigation), Intelligence (Nature),
■ Success: On a success, the character finds a
or Wisdom (Perception) check (player’s choice) against the
discernable trail and can follow it, learning the general
relevant terrain DC.35
size and dimensions of their quarry. If the quarry is in
■ Success: On a success, the character discovers a an adjacent hex, the party catches up with the quarry
resource site with a sufficient supply.36 the next time they spend a wilderness round traveling.
■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the character ■ Critical Success: On a critical success, the character
discovers a resource site with a bountiful supply. gains the benefits of a success and learns the number
of creatures, vehicles, or mounts with their quarry
■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Traveling
along with the quarry’s travel pace.
Misfortunes table37 and follow the steps outlined in
the resolution. ■ Failure: On a failure, roll on the Traveling
Misfortunes table40 and follow the steps outlined in
34. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in this
the resolution.
chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC.
35. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in this 38. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in this
chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC. chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC.
36. See “Resource Sites” in the “Scavenging” section presented earlier in 39. See the “Wasteland Terrain Hex Descriptions” on p. 111 earlier in
this chapter on p. 128. this chapter for each terrain’s associated terrain DC.
37. See the Traveling Misfortunes table on p. 132. 40. See the Traveling Misfortunes table on p. 132.

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There are lots of
ways to randomly TRAVELING MISFORTUNES
determine which party
member is affected 3d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION
by a misfortune. You
can roll a die if the What luck! Misfortune and unexpected company at the same time!
numbers work easily, Encounter and Reroll on this chart and combine the new misfortune result with an encounter
3
you could ask all the misfortune from the appropriate terrain-based encounter table.41 (Reroll this result if you
players to guess the roll it again.)
number you’re thinking
of (the “winner” gets This environment is as harsh on vehicles as it is on living creatures.
the misfortune), or you 4 Breakdown!42 The driver of a random vehicle must attempt a Constitution saving throw.
could decide yourself On a failure, their vehicle becomes damaged.43
based on what might
be the most interesting Vengeful wasteland spirits project illusions to drive you into a trap.
complication. The character and any creatures traveling with them must attempt an
Intelligence saving throw to spot the illusory terrain.
Wasteland On a failure, a creature fails to spot the illusory terrain in time and falls
5
Spirits 1d4 × 10 feet over a precipice or cliff, taking falling damage44 and landing prone.
On a success, a creature spots the danger and doesn’t fall. Then the party’s
navigator must succeed on an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check
or they and any creatures traveling with them become lost.

Your pace slows as weariness takes its toll.

The character must stop traveling and consume a half ration of food while
6 Overexertion taking a short rest. If they choose to continue traveling, the character makes
saving throws against gaining levels of exhaustion with disadvantage until the
end of their next long rest.

You’ve been doubling back and taking detours, wandering in circles for who
knows how long.
The party’s navigator must attempt an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom
These skill checks (Survival) check.
are intentionally Confusing
7 On a failure, the character and any creatures traveling with them become lost.
using different ability Detour
On a success, the party stays on course but must succeed on a Constitution
scores to better reflect (Athletics) or Wisdom (Survival) check to make up for lost time and reach their
the nature of these destination by end of the wilderness round. On a failure, the party travels one
misfortunes. Add fewer hex this wilderness round.
your modifier in the
listed ability and your The trail has taken its toll.
proficiency or expertise The character receives a minor injury that forces them to slow down. The character
or other bonus in that
8 Injury must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be forced to either travel at a
skill to the roll instead
slow pace or travel at a normal pace and take one level of exhaustion. Receiving
of the default ability
magical healing or healing from one use of a healer’s kit mends the injury.
score.
What cruelties will this hateful place inflict next?
Disorienting
9 The party’s navigator must succeed on a Constitution (Survival) or Wisdom
Weather
(Survival) check, or the party becomes lost.45

Despite your best efforts, you haven’t traveled as far as you planned.
The party underestimated their travel time or their maps weren’t entirely
Unavoidable accurate. The party’s navigator and creatures traveling with them must
10
Delay succeed on a Constitution (Athletics) or Wisdom (Survival) check to reach
their destination by end of the wilderness round. On a failure, they travel
one fewer hex this wilderness round.

41. The Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table can be found on p. 173 in chapter 4.
42. If the party has no vehicles, treat a roll of 4 on this table as a 6.
43. See the “Vehicle Repairs” section on p. 85 in chapter 2 for information on repairing vehicles.
44. Standard falling damage is 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet a creature falls (maximum 20d6 damage).
45. Roll 1d6 to determine what kind of weather has disoriented the party: 1–2) mirages; 3–4) sudden squall; 5–6)
wind-blown grit.

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 TRAVELING MISFORTUNES CONTINUED
3d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION

Wake up. Eat. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Stop. Eat. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk.
Stop. Sleep.
11 Boredom The monotony of traversing the wasteland sometimes induces a fugue state in
sentient creatures. The character must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw
or have disadvantage on ability checks until they succeed on an ability check.

A cascade of tiny misfortunes becomes an unshakable sense that this land

hates you.
Pervasive
12 The character must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or become miserable.46
Doom
At the start of each day, the character may attempt the saving throw again,
ending the condition on a success.

A cloudless sky is all that stands between you and the blazing tyrant above.
The character must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become
13 Merciless Sun
sunburned and must immediately drink one additional half-ration of water or
become dehydrated.47

Your resources need managing.

Supply Leaky containers, thieving vermin, parasitic infestation, or something else has
14
Shortage caused the party to lose some of their resources.48
Roll the lost supply’s resource die at −1 to determine how much is lost.49

The wastes have eyes, and they’re watching you.

One or more characters have drawn unwanted attention to themselves. Roll
on the appropriate terrain-based encounter table. This creature is alerted to
Unwanted
15 the party’s presence from some distance away (a mile or more if appropriate).
Attention
Bestial predators hide and look for chances to steal food. Apex monsters
follow and attack. Humanoids report back to their leaders or follow the
characters.50

One of the party’s animals is injured and refuses to continue moving.

The injured animal must travel at a slow pace while its injury is untreated and If the party has no
16 Injured Animal will only do so if a character succeeds on a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check animals, treat a roll of
to convince it to travel. Receiving magical healing or healing from one use of 16 on this table as an 8.
a healer’s kit mends the injury.

A stretch of impassable terrain blocks your path.

Impassable
17 There is no way to cross using mundane means. The party spends the
Terrain
wilderness round doubling back and must travel in a new direction.51

You’ve stumbled into ambush!

Roll on the appropriate terrain-based encounter table (re-roll any humanoid
Ambush results) to determine the hostile creature(s) ambushing the party. Characters
18
Predator may attempt a Wisdom (Perception) check opposed by the predator’s Dexterity
(Stealth) check to avoid being surprised. The predator makes this check with
advantage.

46. See the “New Conditions” section on p. 102 earlier in the chapter for more information on the miserable condition.
47. See the “New Conditions” section on p. 102 earlier in the chapter for more information on the sunburned and dehydrated
conditions.
48. Roll 1d6 to determine what type of supplies are lost: 1–3) food; 4–5) water; 6) fuel.
49. See the “Resource Dice” section on p. 106 for the variant resource dice rules.
50. Roll 1d6 to determine why the characters were spotted: 1) they talked too loudly; 2) they left a trail; 3) they created smoke;
4) they left a strong smell; 5) the sun was glinting off their gear; 6) they sang too loudly.
51. Roll 1d6 to determine the type of impassable terrain: 1) a miles-long chasm; 2) a sheer, towering escarpment; 3) a field
of corrosive, toxic fumes; 4) an expanse of deep, shifting sand; 5) broken ground covered in razor-sharp volcanic glass and
jagged rock; 6) a 200-foot-tall, pre-apocalypse wall of force.

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 GATHERING AND SEARCHING MISFORTUNES
2d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION
You found something you shouldn’t have, and now you are cursed.
The character must attempt a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the character makes ability checks,
2 Cursed
attack rolls, and saving throws at disadvantage until they succeed on three separate rolls of any of
these types.52

This forage looked weird, but you thought it was still okay to use. It’s not.
On a successful Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check, the character can tell the forage,
3 Bad forage
whether it be food, fuel, or something else, is unsafe. Any creature that utilizes the forage must attempt
a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature is poisoned until it finishes a long rest.
Despite your best efforts, you were spotted.
4 Watched This gathering site is under observation by 1d6 scouts. The scouts have noticed the character(s)
gathering resources and report their findings to their leaders on the next wilderness round.53
You encounter a patch of thorny cacti and brambles.
The character must succeed on a Wisdom (Nature) or Wisdom (Perception) check to avoid contact with
5 Tanglebrack patch
this patch of vegetation. On a failure, a character takes 1d6 + 1 piercing damage and loses a small item
from their inventory54 as they untangle themselves from the brambles.

Dust, pollen, and other mysterious powders foul up the air.

The character can’t stop coughing and has trouble breathing. They gain two levels of exhaustion that
6 Bad cough
last until the character finishes a long rest or until the character drinks a ration of water over the course
of a short rest (whichever comes first).

Your resources need managing.

Supply Leaky containers, thieving vermin, parasitic infestation, or something else has caused the party to lose
7
shortage some of their resources.55
Roll the lost supply’s resource die at −1 to determine how much is lost.56

You messed up your gear.

Damaged
8 The character must attempt an item saving throw for a random item in their inventory. On a failure, the item
gear
is damaged and cannot be used until it is repaired.57

Where did that thing go?

Dropped The character drops a small, nonmagical item from one of their packs or misplaces it during a brief stop
9
gear on the trek. The character can recover it if they retrace their steps and spend the next wilderness round
looking for the item.

Something out there thinks you’d make a tasty snack.

10 Unwanted follower The character has caught a monster’s attention, and it is following them, not stealthily, at a distance. Roll on
the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table to determine the encounter.58
Your pursuit has led you into unfamiliar territory.
Unfamiliar
11 The character must succeed on an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check or become lost.59
territory
Whether the check is a success or a failure, the gathering is a success.

A bandit crew found you, and they want all your stuff!
Raider 2d6 bandits led by a thug attempt to sneak up on the character. The character must succeed on a Wisdom
12
ambush (Perception) check with disadvantage versus the raider’s Dexterity (Stealth) check with advantage or be
surprised. The raiders seek to rob the character, not risk life and limb.

52. Roll 1d6 and consult the following list for the curse’s origin: 1) The character sets off a glyph. 2) The character touches a cursed object.
3) The character angers the sun. 4) The character is in the wrong place at the wrong time. 5) The character enters a haunted place.
6) The character has simple bad luck.
53. Roll 1d6 to determine where the scouts are from: 1–2 the strongest faction in the hex; 3–6 the nearest settlement.
54. When determining the items lost in the tanglebrack patch (or the items lost as a result of the “dropped gear” result on the Gathering and Searching
Misfortunes table or the Hunting Misfortunes table), you can let the player give you a list of items their character could potentially lose and roll
randomly from that list. Appropriate items include survival gear used during the current wilderness round, anything removed or used during a
recent stop or short rest, or the oldest, most unused items in their inventory.
55. Roll 1d6 to determine what type of supplies are lost: 1–3) food; 4–5) water; 6) fuel.
56. See the “Resource Dice” section on p. 106 for the variant resource dice rules.
57. See the “Item Wear and Tear” section on p. 105 for an explanation of item saving throws and how to repair damaged gear.
58. See p. 173 in chapter 4 for the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters.
59. See the “Getting Lost” sidebar on p. 131 later in this chapter for more information.

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 HUNTING MISFORTUNES
2d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION
The character successfully kills and butchers their prey, but its meat carries a harmful disease. The
next time the party takes a short or long rest, all characters who require food to survive must succeed
2 Diseased prey on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 24 hours.
A character who checks the meat for disease can do so with a successful Wisdom (Survival) check.
The use of spells like detect poison and disease can also be used to detect the disease.

Carrion eaters and scavengers feast on your target.

Roll 1d4 + 1 encounters on the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table to see what shows up for the feast.
The first encounter arrives 2d6 rounds after the character kills their prey, and each additional encounter
arrives 2d6 rounds apart. These scavenger creatures are attracted to the dead prey and try to take it for
3 Feeding frenzy
themselves. If a character succeeds on a Charisma (Intimidation) check, the scavenger creatures stay 10
feet away from the prey until the end of the character’s next turn. If the scavenger creatures are beasts, the
character can attempt a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check instead. Characters using fire or loud noises to
attempt this ability check do so with advantage.

You’ve pushed yourself too hard in pursuit of your prey.

The character must stop hunting and immediately consume a ration of food while taking a short rest. If
4 Overexertion
they choose to continue hunting, the character attempts any saving throws to prevent exhaustion with
disadvantage until the end of their next long rest.
You saw the beast go down, but now you can’t seem to find it.
Roll an encounter on the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table to see what carried off the carcass. The
5 Missing prey
character can attempt an Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) check to
find the scavengers and their prey.
Your prey lies on the ground before you, seemingly dead.
The prey is prone with 1 hit point remaining. It has taken the Ready action to use its strongest attack against
6 Injured prey
the next creature that gets within its reach. Characters may attempt a Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom
(Survival) check to notice it isn’t dead yet.
Your hunting has drawn the attention of an opportunistic scavenger.
Roll on the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table to determine the type of scavengers vying
7 Competition
for prey. Characters become aware of the creature(s) on a successful Wisdom (Perception)
check opposed by the creature’s Dexterity (Stealth).60
You messed up your gear.
8 Damaged gear The character must attempt an item saving throw for a random item in their inventory. On a failure, the item is
damaged and cannot be used until it is repaired.61
Where did that thing go?
The character drops a small, nonmagical item from one of their packs or misplaces it during a brief stop on
9 Dropped gear
the trek. The character can recover it if they retrace their steps and spend the next wilderness round looking
for the item.
The trail has taken its toll.
The character receives a minor injury that forces them to slow down. The character must succeed on a
10 Injury
Constitution saving throw or be forced to either travel at a slow pace or travel at a normal pace and take one
level of exhaustion. Receiving magical healing or healing from one use of a healer’s kit mends the injury.
Your pursuit has led you into unfamiliar territory.
Unfamiliar
11 The character must succeed on an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check or become lost.62 Whether
territory
the check is a success or a failure, the hunt is a success.

Wasteland Another group of hunters is nearby.

12
hunters A group of 1d6 scouts and 1d6 + 1 tribal warriors observes the hunt from a distance.63

60. Roll 2d6 to determine the scavengers’ behavior: 2) The creatures attack the character. 3–5) The creatures try to steal the prey. 6–8) The creature
stalks the character back to camp. 9–11) The creature watches from hiding. 12) The creature scares away other animals. Within the next 24 hours,
the next time an encounter from the Wasteland Scavenger Encounters table happens, if any Beasts are included in the resulting roll, they do not
appear.
61. See the “Item Wear and Tear” section on p. 105 for an explanation of item saving throws and how to repair damaged gear.
62. See the “Getting Lost” sidebar on p. 131 earlier in this chapter for more information.
63. Roll 2d6 to determine the hunters’ behavior: 2) The hunters try to steal the kill. 3–5) The hunters threaten the characters. 6–8) The hunters follow
and watch the characters for the next hour. 9–11) The hunters offer to exchange information. 12) The hunters offer to assist the character, granting
the party advantage the next time one of them takes the Navigate action.

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 CAMPING MISFORTUNES
3d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION
Your instincts tell you something lurks nearby.
Imminent
3 Based on the terrain type of the hex the party is currently traveling through, roll on the
encounter
appropriate terrain-based table to determine what kind of creature is curiously prowling nearby.

Just your luck—you find the perfect campsite…on a monster’s doorstep.

Based on the terrain type of the hex the party is currently traveling through, roll on the
appropriate terrain-based table to determine what kind of creature is lairing nearby. Any
4 Nearby lair
character can attempt an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check to find tracks
and clues leading to the lair. Unless the party takes action to drive off the monster or find
a new campsite, the creature comes to investigate on the next wilderness round.

Howls pierce the night, and you catch glimpses of hungry beasts just beyond the firelight.
5 Unsafe site Roll the wilderness event die twice for each wilderness round spent at this campsite and
use the lower result.64

There is very little to eat nearby.

6 No food
Ability checks made to forage for food are rolled with disadvantage while camping at this site.

You haven’t been able to find any fuel sources.

7 No fuel
Ability checks made to search for fuel are rolled with disadvantage while camping at this site.

There is not much safe water to drink around here.

8 No water
Ability checks made to search for water are rolled with disadvantage while camping at this site.

Try as you might, you just can’t get comfortable here.

When characters attempt to long rest at this campsite, they must succeed on a DC 10
9 Uncomfortable
Constitution ability check or be unable to sleep more than a couple of hours, only gaining
the benefits of a short rest.65

Noise and smoke from the campsite have drawn the attention of the locals.
Unwanted
10 The campsite is under observation by 1d6 scouts. The scouts have noticed the characters
attention
setting up camp and report their findings to their leaders the next wilderness round.66

It’s been a long day. You’re. Just. So. Tired.

The character must stop what they’re doing and consume a half ration of food while taking a
11 Overexertion short rest. If they choose not to stop and consume a half-ration, the character makes saving
throws against gaining levels of exhaustion with disadvantage until the end of their next
long rest.

The campsite is crawling with bugs.

Irritating insect At the end of a long rest, characters must attempt a Constitution ability check. On a success,
12
infestation characters gain the full benefits of a long rest. On a failure, characters sleep poorly, do not
recover any levels of exhaustion, and do not recover spent Hit Dice.67

Your resources need managing.

Supply Leaky containers, thieving vermin, parasitic infestation, or something else has caused the party
13
shortage to lose some of their supplies.68
Roll the lost supply’s resource die at −1 to determine how much, if any, is lost.69

64. See step 2 in the wilderness rounds “Setup” section on p. 124 for instructions on rolling the wilderness event die.
65. Roll 1d6 to determine why the campsite is uncomfortable: 1) a fire that won’t stay lit; 2) rough ground; 3) a gross smell; 4) stinging nettles;
5) noisy nocturnal animals; 6) an unshakable sensation that the ground will give way to a monster’s maw.
66. Roll 1d6 to determine where the scouts are from: 1–2) the strongest faction in the hex; 3–6) the nearest settlement.
67. Roll 1d6 to determine the type of bugs at the campsite: 1–3) hellfire ants; 4) sand cricket swarms; 5) carpets of lice; 6) so many ticks.
68. Roll 1d6 to determine what type of supply the party loses: 1–3) food; 4–5) water; 6) fuel.
69. See the “Resource Dice” section on p. 106 for the variant resource dice rules.

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 CAMPING MISFORTUNES CONTINUED
3d6 MISFORTUNE RESOLUTION
You thought you secured the animals. Putting mounts, animal
While setting up camp, a random unsecure pack animal or unintelligent companions, pack
mount goes missing. animals, and pets in
Missing A character may attempt a Wisdom (Animal Handling), Wisdom danger is often a line
14 that players don’t want
animal (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC equal to the lost
creature’s Dexterity score to locate the animal. On a failure, they cannot their GM to cross. We
find the animal during this wilderness round. They may try again on think it makes for fun
subsequent rounds.70 games to occasionally
have the party’s animals
You messed up your gear. in need of rescuing, but
The character must attempt an item saving throw for a random item in their you know your group
15 Damaged gear better than we do. If
inventory. On a failure, the item is damaged and cannot be used until it is
repaired.71 your group is game, ask
the players to consider
You didn’t notice at first, but it’s clear the campsite is haunted. how they secure their
All living creatures at the campsite must succeed on a Wisdom saving animals each time they
Haunting make camp. This will
16 throw or become frightened of whatever is haunting the campsite.
spirits help you determine the
Creatures with an Intelligence of 3 or lower automatically fail this saving
nature of the threat and
throw and attempt to flee.72 This effect ends the following dawn. resolve the misfortune.
This environment is as harsh on vehicles as it is on living creatures. If the party has no
17 Breakdown!73 The driver of a random vehicle must attempt a Constitution saving throw. animals, treat a roll of
On a failure, their vehicle becomes damaged.74 14 on this table as a 13.

FIRE!
Your campsite has caught on fire! Characters may use magic or mundane
means (at the GM’s discretion) to put out the fire, including a successful
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom ability check. All characters at
18 Fire!75 the campsite must attempt to put out the fire.
If all characters succeed, the fire is put out before it deals any damage
to their gear. If at least half of the characters succeed, 1d4 camping items
(such as tents, blankets, or unattended packs) are damaged. If more half
fail, 1d6 + 1 camping items are damaged.76, 77

70. Roll 1d6 to determine why the animal disappeared: 1–2) The animal wandered off looking for food. 3–4) The animal
wandered off and injured itself. 5–6) The animal was dragged off by a predator. If you roll a 3–4 here and the animal is
injured, see result 16 on the Traveling Misfortunes table on p. 132 for guidance.
71. See the “Item Wear and Tear” section on p. 105 for an explanation of item saving throws and how to repair damaged gear.
72. Roll 1d6 to determine what haunts the campsite: 1–3) unquiet ghosts; 4–5) an enraged spirit of the land; 6) lingering
living magic.
73. If the party has no vehicles, treat a roll of 17 on this table as a 15.
74. See the “Vehicle Repairs” section on p. 85 in chapter 2 for information on repairing vehicles.
75. If the party hasn’t made a campfire and there are no other sources of open flame, the party suffers no misfortune.
76. See the “Item Wear and Tear” section on p. 105 for an explanation of how to repair damaged gear.
77. Roll 1d6 to determine what caused the fire: 1) hot embers on the wind; 2) mischievous elementals; 3) spontaneous
combustion; 4) an outrageous and utterly coincidental series of accidents; 5) unconscious pyrokinetics; 6) arson.

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weird waStelandS 137
 chapter four

This chapter presents everything you need to run exciting encounters with the denizens of the
wastes. In this chapter, you’ll find:
■ A summary of the changes made to creature stat blocks

■ Details on the organizations and factions found in the wasteland

■ Random encounter tables arranged by terrain type and faction affiliation

■ Supplementary tables to spice up encounters and quickly generate wasteland settlements

monster reskins
To better fit basic fantasy monsters into the implied set- communicate with each other sparingly through proxies. If
ting of the Weird Wastelands, use the Monster Reskins they ever fully unified, they would outnumber every other
table, which presents new names and stat block changes wasteland faction, but the Cabal’s internal divisions pose
to certain creatures. We redefined the traditional “mon- a serious hurdle to unification and their efforts to rebuild.
strous” humanoids found in the core rules by emphasizing
the monster’s role embodied in its stat block, so they can CREED
represent any humanoid wastelander in your campaign. Members of the Cabal devote themselves to uncovering
For example, a hobgoblin’s stat block is useful for any time the arcane mysteries of the pre-apocalypse and using
you need a disciplined and heavily armed soldier, and a those resources to build a new civilization. They are secre-
goblin works great as a generic humanoid skirmisher. tive and guard their knowledge closely, even from other
members. When traveling the wastelands, they pose as

wasteland factions pilgrims or salvagers to avoid unwanted attention.

The Arcanotech Cabal occasionally seeks alliance with
This section highlights factions of the wastelands to aid the Fellowship, especially when their goals are aligned.
GMs in creating dynamic adventures. Each faction is cate- They also work with the Enduring Aristocracy, mainly
gorized by alignment, the way it’s organized, and its motto. because the undead nobles give the Cabal access to ar-
The factions feature a creed, unique resources, member- canotech resources. The Cabal and Blood Harpy Legion
ship information, notable figures, creatures, faction-spe- are enemies because the Legion sees the Cabal’s use of
cific magic, and random encounters to bring each group arcanotech as too dangerous. They are also enemies of
to life in your Weird Wastelands game. the Infernal Recruiters because the Cabal opposes the
Recruiters’ looting of wasteland treasures and enslave-
arcanotech cabal ment of souls.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral RESOURCES

Organization: Decentralized The Arcanotech Cabal can access nearly any non-legend-
mageocracy of semiautonomous ary magic item given enough time and materials. Magic
technomancer collectives items created by the Cabal are arcanotech devices.1
Motto: “Our mastery of arcanotech Additionally, members of the Arcanotech Cabal carry
surpasses the glories of the past.” multiple arcanotech devices. At a minimum, they have brac-
ers of defense and a wand or staff with which to defend
The Arcanotech Cabal is a group of loosely allied techno-
themselves. Some non-spellcasting members of the Cabal
mancers, artifice-wizards, and alchemists dispersed into
wield magic weapons or benefit from various potions pro-
small collectives that prize their autonomy even as they
vided to them by Cabal alchemists.
pursue the shared goal of rebuilding civilization. Distant
memories of the apocalyptic magical wars of the past cause 1. See p. 94 in chapter 2 for information on arcanotech devices.
the Cabal’s members to keep their identities secret and

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 MONSTER RESKINS
ORIGINAL RESKINNED STAT BLOCK STAT BLOCK ADDITIONS
MONSTER MONSTER SUBTRACTIONS AND ALTERATIONS
NAME NAME
Bugbear Marauder — Creature type humanoid (any); Intelligence 10; Athletics +4, Perception +2
Swimming speed,
Dragon Dragon Speed 40 ft., burrowing speed 20 ft., Steam Breath renamed “Scalding
Aquan language,
turtle tortoise Sand Breath”
Amphibious trait
Creature type humanoid (any); Intelligence 10; Perception +2, Stealth +3;
Gnoll Nomad —
Bite attack renamed “Dagger”

Goblin Skulker — Size Small or Medium; humanoid (any); Wisdom 10; Survival +2, Perception +2

Creature type humanoid; AC 14 (natural); new trait Blood Frenzy: The harpy
Harpy zerker has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature below its hit
Harpy Luring Song action
zerker point maximum; new trait Brute: The harpy zerker’s melee attacks deal one
extra damage die on a hit; replace club with sickle

Hobgoblin Reaver — Creature type humanoid (any)

Sunlight Sensitivity Size Small or Medium; humanoid (any); Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10;
Kobold Scrounger
trait Survival +2

Swimming speed,
Dune Amphibious trait,
Kraken Speed 40 ft.; burrowing speed 30 ft.
kraken Ink Cloud
legendary action

Orc Slayer — Creature type humanoid (any); Intelligence 10

Creature type monstrosity; Angelic Weapons renamed “Magic Weapons,” and

extra radiant damage becomes slashing damage; new reaction Parry: Herax
adds 5 to her AC against one melee attack that would hit her. To do so, she
Herax the Radiant damage must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.; Innate Spellcasting
Planetar
Blood Harpy resistance feature grants the following spells:
at will: calm emotions, protection from evil and good (self only)
3/day each: blade barrier, mass cure wounds, raise dead, vampiric touch
1/day each: commune, heroes’ feast, mass heal

Swimming speed,
Burrowing speed 10 ft.; new trait Stone Camouflage: The crag hag has
Sea Hag Crag hag Amphibious trait,
advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in rocky terrain.
Aquan language

Skeleton, AC 14 (scale mail); replace Shortbow with Longbow: Ranged Weapon Attack:
Skeleton —
archer +4 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage
Skeleton,
Skeleton — AC 16 (scale mail and shield)
footsoldier

Stirge Giant tick Flying speed Speed 20 ft., climbing speed 10 ft.
Swimming speed,
Creature type construct; new trait Magic Weapons: The voltaic titan’s
Storm Voltaic Amphibious trait,
weapon attacks are magical.; Rock attack renamed “Bolt” and damage type
giant titan Innate Spellcasting
is piercing
trait

AC 18 (chainmail and shield); Strength 16 (+3); replace Longsword action

Wight with Warhammer: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Wight Longbow action
knight Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage
if used with two hands

Lightning damage
immunity, grappled
Remote
Will-o’-Wisp condition immunity, Creature type construct; increase range of Shock attack to 30 ft.
viewer
Consume Life bonus
action

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weird waStelandS 141
 at the expense of their peers, as they compete with each
other for his attention.

Lagren Tung (CN)

Lagren is an unorthodox technomancer of unknown an-
cestry who leads a retinue of similarly independent-mind-
ed cabalists. They are at the center of a rapidly growing
movement within the Cabal to oppose Gorasto’s secretive
methods and use of bound demons. Lagren claims descent
from the cabal’s legendary founder, Barbarsus, Master of
the Polyptych Schema, and has many agents scouring the
wasteland for their ancestor’s lost spellbook.3

Techanicus Supportus (LG)

Techanicus is a priest and technomancer who leads a
group of devoted followers on a holy mission of peace in
the trenches of the Colossus of Rust.4 He claims to have
received instructions from an ineffable clockwork god to
bring peace to the warring constructs and incorporate the
territory into the Republic of Autons and Man. Techanicus
also claims that this mysterious god gave him the orb of peace,
an arcanotech device capable of influencing constructs.

CREATURES
The Arcanotech Cabal Creatures table presents a few crea-
tures likely to work for or with the faction.

ARCANOTECH CABAL CREATURES5

CR CREATURE
MEMBERSHIP
1/8 Guard
Cabal members tend to be living humanoid spellcast-
ers, but there are some undead members who keep their 1/8 Scrounger
unliving nature hidden. A fair number of members are 1/2 Lookout (scout)
not spellcasters and serve as the main field agents and in-
formants of the Cabal’s spellcasters. The Cabal maintains 1/2 Hired goon (thug)
large numbers of constructs, which they primarily use to 1 Field agent (spy)
guard their hidden fortress-workshops.
1 Scrap golem soldier (animated armor)
NOTABLE FIGURES 2 Geas-sworn bodyguard (veteran)
Among their numbers, the Arcanotech Cabal features the 3 Remote viewer (will-o’-wisp)*
following notable members.
6 Technomancer (mage)
Gorasto (NE) 7 Shield guardian
A cunning half-orc arcanotech magus, Gorasto is the most
12 Arcanotech magus (archmage)
influential leader in the Cabal and made the recovery of
lost arcanotech wonders of the Last City of MAN2 popular 13 Voltaic titan (storm giant)*
among many other members. He maintains a network of 16 Iron golem
loyal spies and informants unaffiliated with the Cabal and
is accompanied by a retinue of demon-bound constructs
3. Read more about the Toxic Alchemical Sump location on p. 201 of
and ambitious apprentices. Gorasto’s influence is the driv- chapter 5.
ing force behind the Cabal’s tendency toward division and 4 . Read more about the Rust Wastes location on p. 245 of chapter 5.
secrecy, and his many former students seek his approval 5.  Creatures marked with an asterisk have had their creature type
changed from the original to construct. See the Monster Reskins table
2. Read more about the Last City of MAN location on p. 190 of chapter 5. earlier in the chapter on p. 140 for more detailed information.

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 ARCANOTECH CABAL ENCOUNTERS
2d6 CREATURES ACTIVITY

2 1 remote viewer, 1 voltaic titan

Attacking a rival cabal
3 2 remote viewers, 2 shield guardians

4 1 remote viewer, 2d6 + 1 scrap golem soldiers

Searching for a resource site
5 1 remote viewer, 1d6 + 2 lookouts

6 1 field agent, 1d6 lookouts

Seeking info on local
7 1 field agent, 2d6 guards
arcanotech
8 1 field agent, 1d6 hired goons

9 1 field agent, 1d6 geas-sworn bodyguards, 2d6 lookouts

Searching for a resource site
10 1 technomancer, 2 geas-sworn bodyguards, 3d6 + 2 scroungers, 1 hired goon

11 1 technomancer, 1 shield guardian, 3d6 scrap golem soldiers

Securing an excavation site
12 1 arcanotech magus, 1 voltaic titan, 1 iron golem

SPELLS Arcanotech Magus Spells

The majority of Arcanotech Cabal spellcasters practice At will – magic missile, mirror image
technomancy, as described in the technomancy arcane 1st – color spray, fog cloud, grease, repair object*, shield
tradition in chapter 1.6 Technomancers are the most com- 2nd – invisibility, quick fix*, scorching ray
mon casters in the Arcanotech Cabal. They use custom- 3rd – assemble scrap golem*, dispel magic, fly
crafted arcanotech devices to cast their spells and are 4th – fabricate, machine spirit*, phasic beam*
almost always encountered alongside small constructs of 5th – animate objects, creation, wall of force
their own creation. 6th – chain lightning
A technomancer who has mastered technomancy is 7th – project image
known as an arcanotech magus, a title for which the true 8th – control weather
meaning has long since been lost but remains an honor. 9th – prismatic wall
Most arcanotech magi are reclusive, but some use their
knowledge and influence to gather a large following of RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
apprentices. Use the Arcanotech Cabal Encounters table to generate
At the GM’s discretion, NPC technomancers and arcano- random encounters with the Arcanotech Cabal. Roll 2d6
tech magi may use the class features of the technomancy and read the entries straight across to generate the crea-
arcane tradition. tures encountered and activity they’re engaged in, or roll
Arcanotech magi and technomancers have their own for each column separately for more variety.
sets of prepared spells that can replace the default arch-
mage and mage spells.7 blood harpy legion
Technomancer Spells Alignment: Lawful Neutral
1st – grease, magic missile, repair object*, shield Organization: Cult of personality
2nd – arcanotech communion*, levitate, shatter with a core of disciplined legionary
3rd – assemble scrap golem*, blink, dispel magic cohorts
4th – phasic beam*, resilient sphere Motto: “There will be blood.”
5th – wall of force
Herax, a brilliant war queen and founder of an esoteric
6. See the arcane tradition Technomancy on p. 51 of chapter 1.
martial cult, saw a vision of herself bringing order to the
7. Spells marked with an asterisk can be found in the Spells section of
wastelands through conquest. When she awoke from her
chapter 1 on p. 67. vision, she found herself transformed from a human into a
towering, red-feathered harpy. Filled with zealous purpose,

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 she gathered about her a retinue of disciplined warriors RESOURCES
and grew her forces into the army she now uses to pacify The Blood Harpy Legion is formed of soldiers who are
the wasteland. utterly loyal, disciplined, and have high morale, a rare re-
The Blood Harpy Legion has no permanent base of op- source among wasteland warbands. The Legion also raise
erations, preferring to stay on the move to keep their foes giant eagles for mounts and allow trusted allies to ride
off balance. The Legion primarily hunts down and elimi- them or give them as rewards for proven loyalty to their
nates raiders and other wasteland scum, aiming to restore cause.
a semblance of order. They accept payment from grateful
settlements but do not demand tribute from those they MEMBERSHIP
protect. This practice has earned many wastelanders’ respect The Legion is small compared to other wasteland factions,
and support, a vital component of Herax’s master plan. but its numbers grow every raiding season, as wastelanders
that the Legion saves routinely seek entry into the ranks.
CREED Humanoids make up the bulk of the Legion’s members,
Having endured the blood trials and esoteric combat with blood hawks used in hunting and giant eagles raised
rituals of the Legion’s initiations, Herax’s followers channel as mounts supplementing their forces. Some members of
their battle lust into the grand vision of a unified waste- the Legion find mercenary work among the other waste-
land. As they progress through the ranks, members learn land factions, where they often find themselves facing
more about Herax’s vision for all and their role in fulfilling each other in battle.
that destiny. The warriors of the Blood Harpy Legion are all inducted
The Blood Harpy Legion often allies itself with the into the martial blood cult led by Herax the Blood Harpy,
Infernal Recruiters, as the Recruiters pay mercenaries well whose raptorial initiation rituals end in a ceremonial meal
for fighting the raider warbands who target the wealthy shared with their war queen that leaves the warriors trans-
devils. The Legion also considers the Fellowship natural formed into avian humanoids.8
allies and values their commitment to healing the waste-
land. The Legion sees the Arcanotech Cabal as its chief NOTABLE FIGURES
enemy due to the cataclysmic consequences of their med- Among their numbers, the Blood Harpy Legion features
dling with magic. The Legion also knows that to establish the following notable members.
a new order in the wasteland, it must eventually defeat the
undead armies of the Enduring Aristocracy. 8. See the Avian Transformations table on p. 145.

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144 weird waStelandS
Herax the Blood Harpy (LG)
Carrying herself like a statuesque, eagle-headed warrior AVIAN TRANSFORMATIONS
goddess, Herax inspires fierce loyalty from members of the d20 TRANSFORMATION BENEFIT
Legion that bears her nickname. Even before her vision
and transformation, she was a skilled commander known Unarmed strike
for her swift maneuvers and rapid assaults. Her reputation 1–2 Beaked face deals piercing
has only grown since the Legion’s founding. In person, damage
Herax is warm and friendly but has a quick temper and
little patience for those who disrespect her power. Feathers instead
3–4 —
of hair
Shagar Skorne (LE)
Shagar is a hobgoblin cult fanatic transformed into a fero- Unarmed strike
cious birdman. Fully devoted to Herax’s teachings, he leads 5–6 Taloned hands deals 1d4 slashing
his bloodthirsty cohort of sworn zealots and recruits on damage
long-ranging raider hunting patrols. Shagar’s audacious
tactics, flamboyant bravado, and many victories make him Unarmed strike
one of the Legion’s most widely known commanders. deals 1d4 slashing
damage; creature
Eagle, hawk,
Sorcelestrix (LN) 7–8 has advantage on all
or vulture head
Wisdom (Perception)
The enigmatic gynosphinx Sorcelestrix was among the checks that rely on
first to join the Legion when Herax raised her banner and sight
is the war queen’s chief advisor. Sorcelestrix is a harsh
disciplinarian and personally oversees the martial training Unarmed strike
of all new recruits. She is also the foremost practitioner of 9–10 Taloned feet deals 1d6 slashing
Herax’s martial blood magic, making her one of the waste- damage
land’s most formidable battle mages.
Creature gains a
CREATURES flying speed equal
The Blood Harpy Legion Creatures table presents a few to their walking
11–16 Arm wings
creatures likely to work for or with the faction. speed when not
holding anything in
its hands
BLOOD HARPY LEGION CREATURES9
Creature gains a
CR CREATURE flying speed equal
17–20 Shoulder wings
to their walking
1/8 Blood hawk speed
1/8 Recruit (cultist)
1/4 Flying sword SPELLS
1/2 Blood-bonded slayer (orc)* The sphinx Sorcelestrix practices the Legion’s martial magic
and has her own set of prepared spells that can replace the
1/2 Scout* default gynosphinx spells:
1 Giant eagle
At will – chill touch, mage hand, shocking grasp
1 Harpy zerker (harpy) 1st – expeditious retreat, fog cloud, shield, thunderwave
2 Cult fanatic* 2nd – gust of wind, mirror image, shatter
3rd – dispel magic, haste, vampiric touch
2 Sworn zealot (berserker)* 4th – blight, greater invisibility
5 Gladiator* 5th – cone of cold
9 Bloodletter (assassin)*
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
11 Gynosphinx Use the Blood Harpy Legion Encounters table to generate
16 Herax the Blood Harpy (planetar) random encounters with the Legion. Roll 2d6 and read
the entries straight across to generate the creatures en-
countered and activity they’re engaged in, or roll for each
9 . Creatures marked with an asterisk all feature some sort of avian
feature. Roll on the Avian Transformations table to determine a column separately for more variety.
creature’s avian feature.

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 BLOOD HARPY LEGION ENCOUNTERS
2d6 CREATURES ACTIVITY

2 1 bloodletter, 2d4 harpy zerkers, 2d4 + 2 blood-bonded slayers

Hunting raiders
3 3d4 blood-bonded slayers, 2d6 harpy zerkers, 1d6 blood hawks

4 2d4 sworn zealots, 3d4 blood-bonded slayers Seeking worthy foes

5 1d4 + 1 scouts on giant eagles

6 1d4 blood-bonded slayers, 2d6 + 2 recruits Seeking info on raider activity

7 1d4 scouts, 2d4 blood-bonded slayers

8 3d4 + 3 blood-bonded slayers

9 1 cult fanatic, 2d6 sworn zealots, 3d6 recruits Hunting raiders

10 1 gladiator, 1d4 sworn zealots, 2d4 harpy zerkers, 1d4 flying swords

11 1 bloodletter, 2d6 scouts on giant eagles Hunting rocs

12 1 gynosphinx, 1 gladiator, 4d4 harpy zerkers Searching for magic weapons

enduring
aristocracy reserve the bulk of their hatred for the life-embracing
Fellowship.
Alignment: Lawful evil
Organization: Feudal monarchy
RESOURCES
of the undead
The Enduring Aristocracy benefit from large armies of skel-
Motto: “We are the rightful masters
etal undead led by wight knights. The Eternal Sovereign—
of this land.”
ruler of the Aristocracy—and his undead courtiers wield
Born from the ashes of the fallen kingdom of Cydonia, many powerful magic items, including some legendary
the Enduring Aristocracy are nobles who survived the magic items forged in the distant past.
apocalypse by seeking mass undeath for themselves, their
vassals, and the serfs. The nobles renounced the civiliza- MEMBERSHIP
tion that destroyed their lands and, inspired by tradition, The Enduring Aristocracy has many members and is the
founded a new warrior aristocracy of undead knights largest unified wasteland faction. The majority are near-
sworn to serve their immortal lich king. mindless skeletons while the higher social ranks, though
smaller in number, have increasingly greater degrees of
CREED sentience and authority. At the top reigns the Eternal
The Aristocracy claim to be the lawful, hereditary rulers Sovereign and his court of nobles and priests, lacquered
of the wasteland and threaten to destroy any who dispute and bejeweled skeletons preserved by funerary alchemy,
this claim. They maintain a hold on their vast familial es- with their rapacious souls bound to their dead bones by
tates and are strongest in the parts of the wasteland most dread necromancy. They dress themselves in mended
hostile to life. From these strongholds they launch large finery and seek to maintain their hold on the lands they
squadrons of undead cavalry who seek out and destroy any claim. Serving the court are the knights and yeomanry of
intelligent life they find. the realm, intelligent and free-willed undead who com-
The Enduring Aristocracy tolerate the Arcanotech Cabal, mand the masses of barely sentient skeletal peasantry in
as they are occasionally useful pawns. The Aristocracy also the name of the Eternal Sovereign.
look favorably upon the Infernal Recruiters because the
devils’ actions undermine efforts to rebuild civilization. NOTABLE FIGURES
The Aristocracy oppose the Blood Harpy Legion, see- Among their numbers, the Enduring Aristocracy features
ing them as upstarts who need to be destroyed, but they the following notable members.

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146 weird waStelandS
 frequently undertakes ostentatious expeditions into the
wasteland to search out lost treasures. He has constructed
an elaborate manor to house his enormous collection of
priceless art from the pre-apocalypse, necromantically
preserved extinct animals, choirs of ghostly bards, and
countless other curios and treasures taken from the wastes.

Sir Axel Morrow (N)

Sir Axel Morrow is a skeletal wight knight who has grown
weary of monotonous unlife and regrets swearing an oath
to the Eternal Sovereign. Sir Morrow spends most of his
time in brooding silence inside his magically preserved
keep, neglecting his feudal duties, and allowing his skel-
eton serfs to go about their business as they please. He
nurses a growing desire to abandon his fief and become a
valiant knight-errant roaming the wasteland.

CREATURES
The Enduring Aristocracy Creatures table presents a few
creatures likely to work for or with the faction.

ENDURING ARISTOCRACY
CREATURES10
CR CREATURE
1/8 Mastiff skeleton (mastiff)

Skeleton archer, skeleton foot soldier

1/4
(skeleton)

1/2 Cockatrice skeleton (cockatrice)

1/2 Warhorse skeleton
1/2 Yeoman hunter (scout)
1 Hippogriff skeleton (hippogriff)
3 Griffon skeleton (griffon)
3 Wight knight (wight)
Eternal Sovereign (LE) 3 Mummified priest (mummy)
Surrounded by a court of scheming mummy lords and sy-
6 Wyvern skeleton (wyvern)
cophantic vampires, the Eternal Sovereign is a full-blown
lich king loaded up with a black robe of the archmagi, a staff 15 Mummified archpriest (mummy lord)
of the magi, and a rod of rulership. The Eternal Sovereign 15 Preserved baron (vampire)
harbors plans to extend the domineering stability of
his rule to the whole of the wasteland, subjugating liv- 21 Eternal sovereign (lich)
ing wastelanders to an existence of never-ending toil.
However, eternal existence has made the undead monarch RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
overcautious and hesitant; for all his talk of conquest, the Use the Enduring Aristocracy Encounters table to gener-
Eternal Sovereign has yet to give his command to expand ate random encounters with the Aristocracy. Roll 2d6 and
his kingdom. read the entries straight across to generate the creatures
encountered and activity they’re engaged in, or roll for
Lord Cloven Vantacruel of Edgemoor (NE) each column separately for more variety.
Gregarious and witty, Lord Vantacruel is undead and
loving it. Lord Vantacruel is a warrior vampire commit- 10. All non-undead creatures listed in the Enduring Aristocracy
ted to squeezing every drop of pleasure out of unlife and Creatures table have their creature type changed to undead.

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 ENDURING ARISTOCRACY RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
2d6 CREATURES ACTIVITY

2 1 mummified archpriest, 2d6 wight knights on warhorse skeletons

On pilgrimage to a sacred site
1 wight knight on a warhorse skeleton, 1 mummified priest on a warhorse
3
skeleton, 3d6 skeleton archers, 3d6 skeleton foot soldiers

4 1 wight knight on a warhorse skeleton, 2 yeoman hunters on warhorse Repairing infrastructure

5 skeletons, 1d6 + 1 skeleton foot soldiers, 4d6 skeletons (unarmed)
Gathering resources
6 1d6 yeoman hunters, 2d6 skeleton archers

7 2d6 + 1 skeleton archers, 1d6 + 1 skeleton foot soldiers

Exterminating living creatures
8 2d6 skeletons (armored) on warhorse skeletons

9 1d6 wight knights on warhorse skeletons, 2d6 + 1 yeoman hunters on

Hunting heraldic monsters as trophies
10 warhorse skeletons

11 1d6 + 1 wight knights on hippogriff skeletons

Attending a tournament
12 1 preserved baron, 1d6 wight knights on griffon skeletons

the fellowship
Despite these reservations, the Fellowship occasionally
Alignment: Neutral Good
allies itself with select members of the Arcanotech Cabal,
Organization: Semi-nomadic
especially those who share the Fellowship’s concerns re-
druidic commune and militant
garding arcanotech weaponry. The Fellowship also aids
order
the Blood Harpy Legion in their campaigns against raid-
Motto: “There is still life in the
ers and has pledged to support the Legion in any conflict
wasteland.”
with the Enduring Aristocracy, to which the Fellowship is
In the immediate aftermath of the apocalypse, a circle of fundamentally opposed.
druids and their allies founded the Fellowship with the
goal of restoring the natural environment and helping RESOURCES
survivors rebuild. Members operate as mendicant healers, The Fellowship has access to fresh food and water along
diplomats, and protectors, helping wastelanders resolve with magic that eases the burdens of wasteland life. They
disputes without violence and sharing what resources they also maintain herds of mounts and pack animals that they
have with the communities they visit. loan or gift to members and close allies.
The Fellowship centers around the Walking Wood, a
mobile grove of living trees kept in giant tortoise shells MEMBERSHIP
filled with rich, loamy soil and tended by the handful of The Fellowship is a moderately sized faction comprised
surviving treants and dryads left in the wasteland. Massive mostly of wasteland humanoids with some elementals and
beasts of burden carry the enormous planters and their awakened beasts. The Fellowship actively recruits bards,
adjustable shades on their backs, slowly migrating be- druids, and rangers into its ranks and accepts any spell-
tween settlements. caster who exercises restraint in their use of destructive or
life-draining magic.
CREED Most members stay close to the Walking Wood, splitting
The Fellowship has a two-fold purpose: to heal the dam- off as needed or fanning out near clusters of wasteland vil-
age done to nature during the apocalypse and to aid waste- lages. A few members wander the wastes alone or in small
landers in need. They view arcane magic with suspicion, groups, spreading the Fellowship’s doctrine while pursu-
especially the destructive might of arcanotech weaponry, ing other goals.
and oppose any who seek to do further harm.

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 Yosper Storm (LN)
Yosper is an old gnome druid who remembers a time
when conditions in the wasteland were truly dire. He is
patient and quiet, and he values no-nonsense pragmatism.
Having survived the bad times, Yosper is now a mentor to
younger druids, instructing them in the ways of preserving
and healing the wasteland and the dangers of destructive
magic.

CREATURES
The Fellowship Creatures table presents a few creatures
likely to work for or with the faction.

FELLOWSHIP CREATURES
CR CREATURE
1/8 Free-spear warrior (tribal warrior)
1/4 Acolyte
1/4 Terror bird (axe beak)
1/2 Green-sworn reaver (hobgoblin)
1/2 Wayfinder (scout)
1 Dryad
2 Awakened tree
2 Lawgiver (priest)
2 Preserver (druid)
2 Saber-toothed tiger
3 Warden (veteran)

NOTABLE FIGURES 5 Elemental, any

Among their numbers, the Fellowship features the follow- 5 Great warden (gladiator)
ing notable members.
5 Triceratops
Orduk Wrex (LG) 9 Clay golem
Orduk is a werebear cleric who leads the Fellowship’s most
9 Treant
successful war party. Before joining the Fellowship, Orduk
was a vicious, shape-shifting marauder. Despite his past, 10 Guardian naga
the Fellowship rescued and nursed him back to health af- 11 Djinni
ter a particularly brutal battle. Orduk repaid the kindness
by joining the faction and developed his own capacity to
wield divine magic, lending his considerable might to the SPELLS
defense of the Fellowship. The Fellowship has many spellcasters in its membership,
the most common being lawgiver priests and preserver
Shade (CG) druids. Lawgivers are those members of the Fellowship
Shade is a human ranger who joined the Fellowship as a who use their divine magic to bring order to the waste-
little girl lost and wandering the wastes. She’s abrasive, land. They lead the Fellowship’s warriors in battle against
belligerent, and highly protective of other members of raiders and help mediate conflicts among wastelander
the Fellowship. Currently, she’s putting together a team to communities. Preservers are druids of the Fellowship who
search for signs of the Feast Beast’s return.11 dedicate their time to restoring the natural world and aid-
ing settlements in times of need.
11 . See p. 295 in chapter 6 for information about the feast beast.

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 FELLOWSHIP ENCOUNTERS
2d6 CREATURES ACTIVITY

1 guardian naga, 2 clay golems, 1d6 + 1 treants, 1 dryad, 1d6 + 2 triceratops,

2 (roll two more times for additional Fellowship members present, ignoring any
result of 2)12
Restoring the wasteland
3 1 guardian naga, 2 preservers, 1d6 + 2 wayfinders

4 1 warden, 1 clay golem, 2d6 acolytes

5 2 preservers, 1 air elemental, 1 water elemental

Soothing wasteland spirits
6 1 preserver, 2d6 acolytes

7 1 preserver, 1 acolyte

8 1 wayfinder, 1 acolyte, 1d6 + 2 free-spear warriors Aiding other wastelanders

9 1 lawgiver, 2d6 free-spear warriors

1 warden on a saber-toothed tiger, 1 earth elemental, 2d6 wayfinders on Searching for harmful
10
terror birds arcanotech to destroy

11 1 djinni, 1d6 wayfinders, 4d6 + 2 free-spear warriors

Seeking info on raiders
1 great warden (werebear) on a rhinoceros, 2d6 + 2 green-sworn reavers on a
12
triceratops equipped with a combat howdah

Lawgivers and preservers have their own sets of prepared infernal

spells that can replace the default priest and druid spells. recruiters
Lawgiver Spells Alignment: Lawful Evil
Cantrip – sacred flame, spare the dying, thaumaturgy Organization: Military command
1st – command, cure wounds, guiding bolt structure
2nd – hold person, zone of truth Motto: “What’s the harm in asking?”
3rd – dispel magic, spirit guardians Recently, an unauthorized expedi-
tionary force of devils took advantage of the cosmological
Preserver Spells chaos of the postapocalypse to establish a fortified base
Cantrip – druidcraft, guidance, produce flame in the wastes near a significant planar nexus with the
1st – create or destroy water, fog cloud, healing word, underworld—the fabled Gates of the Afterlife.13 The ambi-
speak with animals tious and unorthodox pit fiend Prince Feranulon leads the
2nd – lesser restoration, spike growth invasion to mass recruit dead souls into the ranks of the
prince’s personal infernal client base, thereby increasing
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS his standing among other fiends of the pit.
Use the Fellowship Encounters table to generate random Compared to hell, the wasteland is a paradise, and many
encounters with the Fellowship. Roll 2d6 and read the en- members of the expedition, including Feranulon himself,
tries straight across to generate the creatures encountered have begun to treat it more and more like an extended
and activity they’re engaged in, or roll for each column vacation and have converted a part of their base into an
separately for more variety. elaborate spa.

12 . This additional set of creatures are the honor guard that escorts the 13. See the Gates of the Afterlife location in chapter 5 on p. 276.
Walking Wood.

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CREED
The Recruiters exist to expand the influence of Prince
Feranulon by increasing the pool of fiends beholden to him
for advancement through the infernal ranks. Recruiters
promise dead souls a fast track through the lower ranks of
the infernal hierarchy in exchange for their support for the
prince’s ambitions.
The Recruiters maintain tentative diplomatic ties with
the Enduring Aristocracy, who see the devils as a useful
weapon in their war with the living. The Recruiters also
regularly employ mercenary cohorts from the Blood Harpy
Legion to supplement their own forces. The Recruiters see
the Arcanotech Cabal and Fellowship as their main rivals
in the wastes: the Cabal has the magical might to stop the
Recruiters, and the Fellowship opposes their recruitment
of dead souls.

RESOURCES
The Recruiters have access to devil and infernal tiefling
mercenary forces, specialists, experts, and spies. Their
headquarters is in a restored fortress-monastery complex
in the rocky highlands near the Gates of the Afterlife, giv-
ing them prime access to this important landmark.14

MEMBERSHIP
The Infernal Recruiters are small compared to other fac-
tions but are by far the most organized. Devil and lawful
fiends comprise most of the prince’s personal retinue and
entourage. Humanoids, either infernal or native to the
wasteland, make up the bulk of the rank-and-file. Their
task is to secure supplies from the wasteland, and the dev-
ils aren’t picky about how they acquire them.

NOTABLE FIGURES
Among their numbers, the Infernal Recruiters feature the Lady Carnrath uses her position in the prince’s retinue to
following notable members. increase her own influence and indulge her many vices,
treating the fiends under her authority as members of her
Captain Dragoras Fang (LE) own court.
The half-red-dragon tiefling Dragoras Fang is a veteran of
many planar wars in which his exploits won him a place in Stanker (NE)
Prince Feranulon’s retinue. He commands the contingent To everyone else in the wasteland, Stanker is just a down-
of wasteland mercenaries who joined the devils in the on-his-luck goblin salvage crew boss. However, for some
initial stages of the invasion. Captain Fang’s exemplary time now he’s used his connections in Tradetown15 to leak
record and favor of the prince have made him increasingly information to the prince’s growing spy network. Stanker
reckless, and some of the more cunning marauders under is a mean-spirited, petty goblin whose frustrated ambi-
his command have spread rumors that he is unfit to lead tions to become a feared warlord led him into the open
them. arms of the devils, who have hinted at granting him a re-
spectable auxiliary command at some point in the future.
Lady Carnrath (LE) The truth is, Stanker would spy on his neighbors for free.
Lady Carnrath is the erinyes in charge of all soul recruit-
ment for the expedition. She is patient and uncompromis- INFERNAL RECRUITERS CREATURES
ing, and her night hag contacts in the lower planes made The Infernal Recruiters Creatures table presents a few
her the logical choice to lead the mass soul recruitment. creatures likely to work for or with the faction.

14. See the Gates of the Afterlife location in chapter 5 on p. 276. 15. See the Tradetown location in chapter 5 on p. 176.

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 INFERNAL RECRUITERS ENCOUNTERS
2d6 CREATURES ACTIVITY
2 1 chain devil, 1d6 + 2 bearded devils, 1d6 auxilia marauders Harassing locals

3 1 bone devil, 8 imps, 6d6 + 6 lemures Herding lemures

4 1 incubus, 2 imps, 6 hell-born skirmishers on warhorse skeletons

Recruiting dead souls
5 1 incubus, 1 imp, 1 soul broker

6 8 hell-born skirmishers, 1 imp

7 1d6 secret informants, 1 imp Recruiting marauders

8 5 hell-born skirmishers, 3 hell-born soldiers, 1 imp

9 8 hell-born soldiers on warhorse skeletons, 1 imp

10 1 barbed devil, 6 bearded devils, 2 imps

Collecting tribute
1 half-red dragon veteran on a nightmare, 2 hell hounds, 1d6 + 6 auxilia
11
marauders on warhorse skeletons, 1 imp

12 1 erinyes, 2 horned devils, 6 imps Traveling as a diplomatic envoy

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
INFERNAL RECRUITERS CREATURES Use the Infernal Recruiters Encounters table to generate
CR CREATURE random encounters with the Recruiters. Roll 2d6 and read
the entries straight across to generate the creatures en-
0 Lemure countered and activity they’re engaged in, or roll for each
1/2 Hell-born skirmisher (orc) column separately for more variety.

1/2 Hell-born soldier (hobgoblin)

Wastelanders
1/2 Warhorse skeleton
Alignment: Various
1 Auxilia marauder (bugbear) Organization: The general
1 Imp population of the wastelands
just trying to make it in the
1 Secret informant (spy)
postapocalypse
3 Bearded devil Motto: “That’s so weird.”
3 Hell hound Wastelanders are everyone else in the wasteland who don’t
belong to a specific faction. From bloodthirsty marauders,
3 Nightmare
hardy nomads, desperate scavengers, and wily bandits to
4 Succubus/incubus shrewd merchants, daring reavers, and stalwart warriors,
5 Barbed devil these are the humanoids that characters will encounter
regularly while adventuring in the wasteland.
5 Half-red dragon veteran
5 Soul broker (night hag) CREED
The beliefs of wastelanders are as varied as they are. Some
8 Chain devil folks keep their eyes down and spend each day simply trying
9 Bone devil to survive without drawing attention to themselves. Others
rage against the harsh postapocalyptic conditions in which
11 Horned devil
they find themselves, taking whatever they can whenever
12 Erinyes they can from whomever they encounter. Wastelanders
have no unifying creed, but pockets of people do band to-
20 Pit fiend
gether over their fears, hopes, or shared resources.

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RESOURCES all, everyone’s heard those stories of desperate halflings
Even in a postapocalyptic land, there are resources to be turning to cannibalism to survive, and that’s no way for a
found if one knows where to look and is willing to take halfling to live.
some risks. From natural resources like water and food to
humanoid-made resources like trolleum and arcanotech, CREATURES
supplies can be found all across the wasteland. Just make Vast swaths of the wasteland remain unexplored, and the
sure they’ve not already been claimed by one of the various creatures there have yet to be discovered. Even in mapped
wasteland factions. and meekly populated areas, it’s impossible to categorize
the tremendous number of diverse creatures present in the
MEMBERSHIP wastelands. Whatever beings exists out in the wastes, they’re
There are many reasons one might choose the life of an just as weird as the ones who group together in factions.
independent wastelander. Getting involved with a faction The Wastelanders Creatures table presents a few creatures
comes with its own risks, and sometimes they’re just not likely to live and work in the wasteland outside the factions.
worth it. Some folks avoid joining on principle, stubbornly
insisting on eking out an existence on their own. Whatever WASTELANDERS CREATURES
the reason, if you’re not a faction member, you’ve got
something in common with all the other wastelanders out CR CREATURE
there. Just don’t assume that means you’re allies.
1/8 cultist
NOTABLE FIGURES 1/8 guard
Among their numbers, wastelanders feature the following 1/8 scrounger (kobold)
notable members.
1/8 tribal warrior
Axen Groat (LN) 1/4 skulker (goblin)
The optimistic dwarf adventurer Axen Groat claims to
1/2 bodyguard (thug)
have been trapped by a diabolical archmage in a temporal
imprisonment cyst deep beneath the earth for centuries. 1/2 nomad (gnoll)
According to Axen, the archmage sought to bring about 1/2 outrider (scout)
the downfall of civilization itself, and Axen failed in his
quest to stop the dastardly plot. Now, the time-traveling 1/2 reaver (hobgoblin)
dwarf wanders the broken roads of his former home, slay- 1/2 slayer (orc)
ing monsters and searching for his descendants among the
1 marauder (bugbear)
wasteland’s scattered dwarf communities.
1 trader (spy)
Vigorous Rex (N) 2 bandit captain
Rex is an energetic hobgoblin tracker, scavenger, and
2 berserker
bootleg alchemist who roams the hinterland between the
Demolition Derby and Tradetown.16 His keen intellect 2 cult fanatic
and dry sense of humor make Rex popular with the local 3 militia sergeant (veteran)
scrap mongers, and Rex uses his contacts to stay informed
about the activities of local warlords and other threats. 5 militia captain (gladiator)
Few wastelanders know the backcountry trails as well as 6 extravagant trader (mage)
Vigorous Rex does.
8 master hunter (assassin)
Yolla Swaggins (CN)
Yolla is a halfling trader with a wry smile whose unbeliev- WASTELANDERS ENCOUNTERS
able luck is the stuff of legendary debate in the dive bars Use the Wastelanders Encounters and Wastelanders
of Tradetown. Stories of massive profits from outrageous Activities tables to generate random encounters with
deals, death-defying martial exploits, and tenderhearted wastelander humanoids. Roll 3d6 on each table to deter-
romance seem to follow Yolla wherever she goes, which mine what sort of wastelanders the party encounters and
is just how she likes it. Yolla’s secret is her natural gift for what they’re doing. Some entries reference other creatures
“luck” magic, primarily enchantments and divinations, among the wastelanders with an X. For those, roll an ad-
which she uses to fend off threats from the wastes. After ditional encounter to determine the other creatures.17

16 . See the Tradetown location in chapter 5 on p. 176. 17 . See the Monster Reskins table on p. 141 for a full list of changes
made to humanoid stat blocks.

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 WASTELANDERS ACTIVITIES
3d6 ACTIVITY

3 Building something

4 Partying or roughhousing

5 Boasting or showing off

6 Parleying with X

7 Pursuing or pursued by X

8 Fighting X

9 Traveling

10 Foraging or hunting

11 Patrolling territory

12 Raiding

13 Mending or repairing gear

14 Carrying something valuable

15 Making camp

16 Wounded

WASTELANDERS ENCOUNTERS 17 Brawling or arguing

3d6 WASTELANDER 18 Cautiously sleeping

1 extravagant trader, 1d6 militia sergeants on a
3
Huge beast WASTELANDER REACTION TABLES
4 1 master hunter on a Large beast Pick the table in the following section that best fits the
wastelanders encountered and roll 2d6. Each entry provides
5 1d4 militia captains on Large beasts or in vehicles
a suggestion for how the wastelanders react when they
6 1d8 marauders notice the party. When combined with the Wastelanders
Activities table, the prompts from these reaction tables
7 1d6 + 1 outriders on Large beasts
help the GM add variety to the many wastelanders the
8 1 trader, 1d6 bodyguards on Large beasts party encounters.
9 1d6 + 2 nomads on Large beasts or in vehicles
10 2d6 + 1 skulkers BANDITS AND ROBBERS
11 1 militia sergeant, 1d6 + 3 guards 2d6 REACTION
12 1d12 + 1 slayers 2 Attack and rob the party
13 2d8 + 2 scroungers Demand half the party’s supplies or
3–5
14 2d6 marauders valuables

1 bandit captain, 2d6 + 2 reavers on Large beasts 6–8 Demand a moderate toll to pass freely
15
or in vehicles
9–11 Size the party up
16 1 militia captain, 3d8 guards riding Large beasts
12 Offer useful information for a small fee
17 1 cult fanatic, 1d6 berserkers, 2d6 cultists
2d6 + 1 nomads, 3d10 tribal warriors riding in
18
vehicles

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 HERMITS AND SCAVENGERS wasteland
2d6 REACTION encounters
2 Flee As adventurers explore the wasteland, they are
bound to come across all manner of creatures.
Stay at a distance with weapons at
3–5 Encounters with such denizens can be thrilling,
the ready
helpful, or incredibly dangerous.
6–8 Observe quietly before communicating The encounters in this section are specifically
9–11 Relax and chat a bit meant to inform random encounters that occur
Checking for
between locations during wilderness explora- encounters at regular
Offer mutual exchange of information tion. If you are using some of the variant explo-
12 intervals is one way to
or supplies
ration mechanics presented in chapter 3, you highlight the inherent
might be prompted to roll a random encounter danger of adventuring
in this chapter. Otherwise, you decide if and in the wastelands. Any
DRIFTERS AND TRAVELERS time the party makes
when random encounters occur.
a choice about how
2d6 REACTION To create an encounter, roll 1d8 and 1d12 on to explore a site or
the appropriate terrain-based table. Consult the does something that
2 Attack until the party flees results to determine the creatures and difficulty takes more than a few
3–5 Ready weapons in defense of the encounter. minutes of time, check
Encounters can also feature hazards as an ad- for a random encounter.
6–8 Seem willing to talk briefly This is partly what the
ditional challenge. If you roll the same result on
wilderness event die
Trade or offer to share a meal or the d8 and d12 when you roll for an encounter,
9–11 from chapter 3 does, but
campsite a hazard is triggered. Consult the results on the it has results for more
12 Freely share useful information appropriate terrain-based hazard table to find than just encounters. To
out what weird and dangerous environmental check for an encounter,
hazard accompanies the encounter. roll 1d6 every 10–15
minutes of game time,
MARAUDERS AND KILLERS about once per scene,
low intelligence or whenever you
2d6 REACTION
monster activity remember to. On a 1,
there’s an encounter. On
2 Attack to kill
The creatures on the following encounter tables a 2, there’s a clue that
Attack and rob the party, then vary in difficulty and weren’t crafted with bal- an encounter is nearby
3–7 (noises, smells, tracks),
attempt to flee anced encounters as a priority. These are the
something for the party
8–11 Taunt or threaten the party predominant monsters for their terrain type, to investigate to learn
and a reckless party can easily find themselves more about a potential
12 Question the party for information
in over their heads. Therefore, it’s important to danger.

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 remember that not every encounter needs to start with an
initiative roll. One way to ensure that combat isn’t always
encounter hazards
the party’s go-to response is to add context to the random As the party travels through the wastelands, they will
encounter by determining what a creature is doing when encounter environmental hazards as well as dangerous
the party encounters it. creatures. When you roll the same number on both en-
Adding context to a random encounter lets the players counter dice, the encounter features a hazard in addition
approach an encounter from a variety of different angles. to the creatures.
This helps a party escape the notice of a powerful monster, Characters may attempt to identify a hazard or locate
avoid a fight they’re not ready for, or set up for combat on the presence of one with a successful Intelligence (Arcana),
their own terms. Intelligence (Nature), or Wisdom (Survival) check using
To add context to an encounter with a creature whose the relevant terrain DC.
Intelligence score is 6 or lower, roll on the Monster At your discretion, the hazard can affect the party up to
Activities table. 1d4 hours before or after an encounter is triggered, or the
Some entries in the Monster Activities table reference hazard can be a sudden event that dramatically raises the
additional creatures present in the encounter, which are stakes of an ongoing encounter. Incorporate hazards in
marked with an X. For those, roll another encounter to whatever way makes the most sense for your table.
determine the additional creatures. Note that the following hazards reference terrain DC
to determine the difficulty of associated checks. The ter-
rain DC for each terrain type is listed in each terrain type’s
MONSTER ACTIVITIES “Hazards” section.
d20 MONSTER ACTIVITY
BLINDING GLARE
1 Building a nest or den
In clear, dry air with nothing to block it, the sun’s seething
2 Chasing or being chased by X brilliance reflects off the desert sand directly into your eyes.
The ground is suffused with highly reflective particles.
3–4 Eating or being eaten by X
Creatures without protective eyewear are blinded as long
5 Ensnared or trapped as they remain in the area, and creatures with protec-
tive eyewear have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception)
6–7 Fighting X checks that rely on sight.
When a creature attempts to target a creature more than
8 Grazing or hunting 30 feet away from it with an attack, it must first succeed on
9 Grooming
a Constitution saving throw against the relevant terrain
DC or be forced to either choose a new target or lose the
10 Marking territory attack or spell.

11 Resting EARTHQUAKE
12 Tending wounds The ground rumbles ominously with seismic activity!
13 Hiding The earth rocks with seismic activity for 1 minute, shaking
all creatures and structures in contact with the ground.
14 Laying prone The ground in the area becomes difficult terrain.
At the start of each of its turns, a creature in contact
15 Making noise with the ground in the affected area must succeed on a
Dexterity saving throw against the relevant terrain DC or
16 Patrolling
be knocked prone. If a creature fails this saving throw by
17 Pacing 5 or more, it also falls into a fissure that opens beneath its
feet. The fissure is 1d10 × 10 feet deep and is 10 feet wide.
18 Performing a repetitive task Other creatures in the fissure’s area when it first appears
must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against the ter-
19 Standing motionless rain DC or also fall in.
20 Twitching erratically Structures in the area take 10d10 bludgeoning damage
at the start of each round until the earthquake ends.

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FLASH FLOOD GLASS PLAIN
Rain begins to drench the arid highlands, causing torrents of The expanse of sand before you is melted into reflective
water to rush across the land. glass, riddled with razor-edged fractures, and crisscrossed by
A flash flood fills up dry stream beds nearby and continues serrated hedges of jagged shards.
to move until the water reaches level ground. The ground is suffused with highly reflective particles.
Creatures within the area of a flash flood must succeed Creatures without protective eyewear are blinded as long
on a Strength saving throw against the terrain DC or be as they remain in the area, and creatures with protec-
swept away by the rising water. On a success, creatures an- tive eyewear have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception)
chor themselves onto something solid and pull themselves checks that rely on sight.
out of the water. Creatures in contact with the ground who move more
On initiative count 20 and 10, losing any ties, the flash than half their walking speed during a round take 1 slash-
flood and all creatures and floating objects within it move ing damage for each additional foot beyond half their
60 feet in the direction the water is flowing. Creatures in walking speed that they move.
the moving water must succeed on a Strength (Athletics)
check against the terrain DC to keep their heads above wa- GRAY DUST
ter. If a creature succeeds by 5 or more, it is able to reach
the water’s edge. Creatures with a swimming speed have A powder of fine, pale-gray dust suffused with entropic power
advantage on this ability check. If the creature fails the coats the surrounding landscape.
ability check, the creature is submerged in the water and The ground is covered in a fine gray powder that absorbs
must hold its breath or begin suffocating. light, turning bright light (including daylight) into dim

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 light and dim light into darkness. Spells of 4th Creatures that aren’t buried can attempt an
level or higher that produce light or similar Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Percep-
magical effects are unaffected by the gray dust. tion) check against the terrain DC to locate a
During a sandstorm,18 creatures that start buried creature. Once located, it takes 10 min-
their turn in an area of gray dust must attempt utes of digging to free a buried creature.
a Constitution saving throw against the terrain
DC, taking 2d8 necrotic damage on a failure or SAND DUNES
half as much on a success. If this damage reduces
a creature to 0 hit points, it is disintegrated into Deep fields of shifting ash, dust, grit, and loose
fine gray dust, along with any nonmagical items sand form massive dunes prone to collapse.
it is wearing or carrying. An area of sand dunes is difficult terrain, and
creatures cannot take the Dash action while in
POISONOUS FUMES the area. A sand dune occupies a 30-foot square
of ground. When one collapses, it suddenly
Yellowish clouds of gas billow out of fissures in the loses its structure, miring those standing on its
ground, venting their toxic vapors into the air. former surface. Creatures caught in a sand dune
The area of poisonous fumes is lightly obscured, collapse must succeed on a Dexterity saving
and visibility is limited to a maximum of 60 feet. throw against the terrain DC or be buried under
At the start of each of their turns, creatures in a mound of sand. Buried creatures are blinded,
the area who need to breathe air must succeed prone, restrained, and have total cover, and
on a Constitution saving throw against the ter- creatures that need to breathe begin suffocating
rain DC or take 2d8 poison damage and become unless they hold their breath. A buried creature
poisoned for as long as they remain in the area. can try to free itself by spending its action dig-
On a success, creatures take half damage but are ging and attempting a Strength (Athletics) check
not poisoned. against the terrain DC, freeing itself on a suc-
cess. On a failure, the creature makes no prog-
ROCKSLIDE ress and gains one level of exhaustion.
Creatures that aren’t buried can attempt
With a grinding roar, a wall of boulders and gravel an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
cascades down the slope. (Perception) check against the terrain DC to
A rockslide is 100 feet wide, 200 feet long, and locate a buried creature. Once located, it takes 1
20 feet deep. When a rockslide occurs, all crea- minute of digging to free a buried creature.
tures within its path must roll initiative. On
Scintillating radiance initiative counts 20 and 10, losing any ties, the SCINTILLATING RADIANCE
is a convenient way rockslide moves 200 feet until its entire length
to introduce all sorts Leaking arcane reactors inside derelict constructs
of mutated monsters
reaches level ground or otherwise can’t move
farther. and areas scarred by periods of intense spellcasting
to your wasteland
campaign. See the When a rockslide moves into a creature’s saturate regions of the wasteland with the decay-
spell-warped creature space, the creature must succeed on a Strength ing remains of potent magic.
template on p. 292 saving throw against the terrain DC or fall An area of scintillating radiance sheds 120 feet
in chapter 6 for ideas prone and move along with the rockslide. of bright light and 120 feet of dim light beyond
about how to transform
your monsters into Creatures caught in a rockslide take 3d10 blud- that. This light is magical and cancels any magi-
magically mutated geoning damage. cal darkness in its area.
horrors. When the rockslide stops, the rocks bury crea- Creatures that start their turn in the bright
tures in its space. Buried creatures are blinded, light must succeed on a Constitution saving
restrained, and have total cover. A buried crea- throw against the terrain DC or take 1d6 dam-
ture can try to free itself by spending 10 minutes age, or 1d12 damage if the creature consumed
digging and attempting a Strength (Athletics) magical food or liquid (such as a potion or food
check against the terrain DC, freeing itself on created by a spell) within the last 24 hours. If this
a success. On a failure, the creature makes no damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the
progress and gains one level of exhaustion. creature dies. Roll on the Scintillating Radiance
Damage table to determine the damage type.
18 . See the “Sandstorm” section under “Wasteland Weather
Hex Descriptions” on p. 123 in chapter 3 for
information about sandstorm weather.

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 their breath or begin suffocating. A creature that enters an
SCINTILLATING RADIANCE DAMAGE ash cloud for the first time on its turn or end its turn there
must attempt a Constitution saving throw against the ter-
d6 DAMAGE TYPE rain DC, taking 10d8 fire damage on a failure, or half as
1 Acid much on a success.
Superheated boulders land in the area at a rate of rough-
2 Cold ly one per minute, exploding like bombs. The boulders are
3 Fire 5-foot-radius spheres. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius
sphere centered on the point where the lava bomb lands
4 Force
must attempt a Dexterity saving throw against the terrain
5 Lightning DC, taking 4d8 bludgeoning plus 4d8 fire damage on a
failure, or half as much on a success.
6 Radiant
Lava flows spill from the volcano’s peak in 30-foot-wide
streams. Creatures immersed in a stream of lava take 10d10
Except for the heal and wish spells, magical healing cannot fire damage at the start of each of their turns. Creatures
heal this damage. A successful long rest in comfortable con- within the area of a lava flow must succeed on a Strength
ditions19 restores any hit points lost to scintillating radiance. saving throw against the terrain DC or be swept away by
Creatures that lose more than half their hit points to the lava. On a success, creatures anchor themselves onto
damage from scintillating radiance become blinded and something solid and pull themselves out of the lava.
poisoned until the damage dealt by the scintillating radi- On initiative count 20, losing any ties, the lava flow and
ance is healed. all creatures and floating objects within it move 30 feet in
the direction the lava is flowing. Creatures in the moving
TANGLEBRACK lava must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check against
the terrain DC to keep their heads above the lava’s surface.
A massive thicket of overgrown briars, mutated succulents,
If a creature succeeds by 5 or more, it is able to reach the
and thorny creeper vines sustained by runaway magic twist
lava’s edge and pull itself out.
through the area.
An area of tanglebrack is 60 feet wide, 60 feet long, and 10 WILDFIRE
feet tall. The area is difficult terrain, and creatures in the
area have disadvantage on attack rolls made with weapons Roaring sheets of fire consume the dry brush, filling the sky
that do not have the light property. Creatures attempting with thick smoke.
to move through the area must succeed on a Strength or A wildfire is 100 feet wide, 100 feet long, and 30 feet tall,
Dexterity saving throw (player’s choice) against the terrain and smoke from the wildfire spreads around it from the
DC or become grappled by the entangling brambles and center in a 300-foot-radius sphere. The smoky area is heav-
grasping roots until the start of their next turn. ily obscured, and visibility within it is limited to 30 feet.
Creatures that enter an area of wildfire for the first time
VOLCANO on a turn or who end their turn inside it must attempt
a Dexterity saving throw against the terrain DC, taking
Drifting clouds of hot ash, searing streams of lava, and super- 5d8 fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.
heated boulders sailing through the sky mark the presence of Nonmagical objects and structures in the area also take
an active volcano. this damage, and flammable objects not being worn or
The area of an active volcano affects the land around it in carried catch on fire.
a 1-mile radius, where ash clouds, superheated boulders,
and lava raze the surrounding terrain. Ash clouds billow terrain-based
out of several vents on the sides of the volcano, past which
flow rivers of crawling lava. Occasional explosions from
encounter tables
the cone above send superheated boulders crashing down Each terrain type has its own encounter tables for both
the rocky slope. daytime and nighttime encounters. If you are using the
Clouds of hot ash and volcanic gases erupt from four optional hex-based exploration rules in chapter 3,20 the
vents on the sides of the north and western slopes, filling terrain types you use are determined by which kind of hex
the area around them with burning, sulfurous smoke. Ash the party is traveling through. If you are not using the hex
clouds are 60-foot-radius spheres and are heavily obscured. rules, you can choose the type of terrain that best suits
Creatures in an ash cloud that need to breathe must hold your game or your party’s character level.

19. See the “New Conditions” section on p. 102 in chapter 3 for 20. See “Hex-Based Exploration” on p. 109 in chapter 3.
information on the comfortable condition.

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 Some terrain types are home to deadlier denizens than then consult the daytime or nighttime Arcane Wastes
others, so consult the Terrain by Recommended Party Encounters table to determine the details of the encoun-
Level table to inform which terrain encounters to use. ter. The Estimated Difficulty column in each table is based
Several encounter results refer to specific factions and on a party of four adventurers of 16th level.
consequently have variable difficulties. When an encoun-
ter result says, “[Faction Name] (roll on faction sub-table),” DAYTIME ARCANE WASTES
consult the corresponding faction encounter table earlier ENCOUNTERS
in the chapter to determine the types and number of crea-
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
tures that confront the party. 1d12 DIFFICULTY
■ Arcanotech Cabal Encounters table – p. 143 2 1 tarrasque Deadly
■ Blood Harpy Legion Encounters table – p. 146
■ Enduring Aristocracy Encounters table – p. 148 3 1d4 purple worms Deadly
■ The Fellowship Encounters table – p. 150
■ Infernal Recruiters Encounters table – p. 152 4 1d8 + 2 gorgons Hard
■ Wastelanders Encounters table – p. 154 5 1d8 + 2 wyverns Hard

TERRAIN BY RECOMMENDED 6 2d8 air or fire elementals Hard

PARTY LEVEL 2d8 + 10 diseased giant rats
7 Easy
TERRAIN TYPE RECOMMEND PARTY LEVEL or 3d8 cockatrices

Arcane wastes Tier 4 8 1d8 + 2 gibbering mouthers Easy

Badlands Tier 2 9 1d10 chimeras Hard

Desert Tier 2 or 3
2d6 + 2 arcanavore stirges23
10 Easy
Hills Tier 1 or 2 or 3d8 giant wasps

Mountains Tier 3 11 1d12 black puddings Medium

Scrublands Tier 1
1d4 wight knights on warhorse
skeletons, 2d6 + 6 armored
12 Easy
ARCANE WASTES skeletons on warhorse
skeletons
Danger abounds in these lands scarred by magical warfare
and stalked by monsters spawned from the arcane pollu- 13 3d8 + 2 gargoyles Hard
tion that suffuses the area. The descendants of domesti-
cated animals that once lived in these former farmlands Arcanotech Cabal
14 Variable
bear the scars of their ancestors’ monstrous transforma- (roll on faction sub-table)
tions. Magically created monsters and summoned crea-
Enduring Aristocracy
tures left over from a long-forgotten war also roam here. 15 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
Deep within the wastes the Enduring Aristocracy make
their strongholds, where they rule over their masses of 16 1 squamous magnedon24 Medium
skeletal peasants and mercilessly hunt down the living
who cross into their territory. 17 2d12 + 4 minotaurs Deadly
The arcanavore21 and spell-warped22 templates found in 1d6 + 3 spell-warped ettins25
chapter 6 are appropriate for use on any monsters found 18 Hard
or 1d8 + 2 trolls
in the arcane wastes.
19 1d4 stone golems Medium
Random Encounters
Wastelanders
Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or are 20 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and 1d12,

21 . See the arcanavore template on p. 290 in chapter 6 for more 23. See the arcanavore stirge on p. 291 in chapter 6 for more
information. information.
22. See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more 24. See the squamous magnedon on p. 308 in chapter 6 for more
information. information.
25. See the arcanavore ettin on p. 294 in chapter 6 for more information.

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 NIGHTTIME ARCANE WASTES ARCANE WASTES HAZARDS
ENCOUNTERS
d8 HAZARD
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
1d12 DIFFICULTY 1–3 Scintillating radiance

2 1 tarrasque Deadly 4 Gray dust

3 1d4 + 1 purple worms Deadly 5 Wildfire

4 1d12 + 3 phase spiders Medium 6 Glass plain

5 1d12 otyughs Hard 7 Poisonous fumes

6 1d8 + 3 chimeras Deadly 8 Tanglebrack

7 2d12 black puddings Deadly

8 1d8 + 8 gibbering mouthers Medium

9 3d8 + 8 worgs Easy

2d8 × 10 dretches,
10 Hard
3d8 quasits

11 3d12 specters Medium

1d8 wight knights on

warhorse skeletons, 2d8
12 + 2 armored skeletons on Medium
warhorse skeletons, 3d8 + 6
skeleton archers

13 3d8 + 8 ghasts Deadly

14 1d12 + 1 wraiths Deadly

15 1d12 ghosts Hard

3d8 + 4 dretches,
16 1 nalfeshnee or Deadly
1d4 hezrou

Enduring Aristocracy
17 Variable BADLANDS
(roll on faction sub-table)
Numerous caves and twisting canyons hide the dens of
1d6 + 3 arcanavore ettins26 mage-bred beasts of war or shelter colonies of demons.
18 Hard
or 1d8 + 2 trolls Creatures in the badlands have been scarred by magic,
19 1d4 stone golems Medium most growing grotesque and monstrously enormous.
Badlands are also the hunting ground of feral giants
Arcanotech Cabal twisted by magic who use the terrain to hide in wait of
20 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) their favored prey: wastelanders. At night, the badlands
are home to prowling packs of hungry ghouls and cackling
demons.
Hazards The arcanavore27 and spell-warped28 templates found in
When you roll the same number on both encounter dice, chapter 6 are appropriate for use on any monsters found
consult the Arcane Wastes Hazards table using the num- in the badlands.
ber rolled on the d8 to determine the hazard the party also
encounters. 27. See the arcanavore template on p. 290 in chapter 6 for more
Hazards in the arcane wastes use terrain DC 20. information.
28. See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more
26. See the arcanavore ettin on p. 294 in chapter 6 for more information. information.

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 Random Encounters
Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or
NIGHTTIME BADLANDS ENCOUNTERS
are prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and 1d8 + ESTIMATED
1d12 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY
1d12, then consult the daytime or nighttime Badlands
Encounters table to determine the details of the encoun- 2 1 purple worm Deadly
ter. The Estimated Difficulty column in each table is based
on a party of four adventurers of 7th level. 3 1 dragon tortoise (dragon turtle) Deadly
4 1d4 + 1 owlbears Medium
DAYTIME BADLANDS ENCOUNTERS 5 1d6 + 1 manticores Hard

1d8 + ESTIMATED 6 1d6 giant scorpions Medium

1d12 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY
7 1d6 + 2 saber-toothed tigers Hard
2 1 purple worm Deadly 8 3d6 lions Hard
3 1 roc Deadly 9 2d6 + 6 worgs Medium

4 1d6 manticores Medium 10 1d6 giant hyenas, 2d6 + 2 hyenas Easy

Wastelanders
1 tyrant war beast 11 Variable
5 Deadly (roll on faction sub-table)
(tyrannosaurus rex)
12 1d4 quasits, 2d4 + 4 dretches Easy
6 1 young brass dragon Easy
13 1d4 thools, 2d4 ghouls
31
Hard
1d4 horned war beasts 1 arcanavore ettin32
7 Hard 14 Easy
(triceratops) or 2d6 + 6 skeletons

8 2d6 + 3 giant vultures Medium 15 2d6 + 1 specters Medium

16 1d4 trolls Hard
9 1d6 + 1 cave bears (polar bear) Medium
17 1d4 vrocks Deadly
10 3d6 +1 giant wasps Medium
18 1d4 swarms of trembles 33
Deadly
11 3d6 giant goats Easy
19 1 young blue dragon Hard
12 2d6 + 6 skeletons Easy 20 1 rakshasa Deadly

13 1d4 ettins Medium

Hazards
14 1d6 + 1 gargoyles Medium When you roll the same number on both encounter dice,
consult the Badlands Hazards table using the number rolled
Blood Harpy Legion
15 Variable on the d8 to determine the hazard the party also encounters.
(roll on faction sub-table)
Hazards in the badlands use terrain DC 15.
16 1d4 swarms of trembles29 Deadly

Wastelanders
BADLANDS HAZARDS
17 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) d8 HAZARD
18 1d4 trolls Hard 1–3 Rockslide
4 Earthquake
19 1 squamous magnedon30 Deadly
5 Sand dunes
Arcanotech Cabal
20 Variable 6 Blinding glare (reroll if nighttime)
(roll on faction sub-table)
7 Poisonous fumes
29. See the tremble on p. 310 in chapter 6 for more information. 8 Scintillating radiance
30. See the squamous magnedon on p. 308 in chapter 6 for more
information.
31. See the thool on p. 309 in chapter 6 for more information.
32. See the arcanavore ettin on p. 294 in chapter 6 for more information.
33. See the tremble on p. 310 in chapter 6 for more information.

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DESERT Hazards
By day, few things live atop the sandy surface of the When you roll the same number on both encounter
desert. Large burrowing creatures thrive deep within the dice, consult the Desert Hazards table using the number
loose sands, and flying predators circle the sky hoping rolled on the d8 to determine the hazard the party also
to snatch unwary wastelanders for a snack. The most encounters.
dangerous places by far are oases, which tend to attract Hazards in the desert use terrain DC 15.
monsters and would-be hydro-despots. At night, living
and undead creatures alike emerge from the sand to stalk
DESERT HAZARDS
the few groups of nomadic wastelanders who call the
desert home. d8 HAZARD
The spell-warped34 template found in chapter 6 is ap-
propriate for use on any monsters found in the desert. 1–4 Sand dunes

5 Glass plain
Random Encounters
Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or are 6 Gray dust
prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and 1d12,
7 Scintillating radiance
then consult the daytime or nighttime Desert Encounters
table to determine the details of the encounter. The 8 Blinding glare (reroll if nighttime)
Estimated Difficulty column in each table is based on a
party of four adventurers of 9th level.

34. See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more

information.

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 DAYTIME DESERT ENCOUNTERS NIGHTTIME DESERT ENCOUNTERS
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED 1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
1d12 DIFFICULTY 1d12 DIFFICULTY

2 1 dune kraken (kraken) Deadly 2 1 dune kraken (kraken) Deadly

3 1 roc Hard 3 1d4 invisible stalkers Hard

4 1 purple worm Deadly 4 1 purple worm Deadly

5 1d4 bulettes Medium 5 2d4 giant scorpions Hard

6 1d4 air elementals Medium 6 1d8 phase spiders Medium

7 2d6 + 3 giant vultures Medium 7 2d8 + 2 worgs Easy

8 1d8 ankhegs Easy 8 1d6 + 1 ankhegs Easy

3d6 + 5 purple worm larvae 9 1d8 giant poisonous snakes Easy

9 Easy
(giant centipede)
10 1d6 wights, 2d6 skeletons Medium
10 1d6 wights, 2d6 + 3 skeletons Hard
11 3d6 ghouls Medium
11 1d6 + 1 phase spiders Medium
12 2d8 specters Medium
Wastelanders
12 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) 13 1d6 thools,35 2d6 ghouls Hard
13 3d6 dust mephits Easy 14 1d6 + 3 ghasts Medium
14 1d4 salamanders Medium Wastelanders
15 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
Enduring Aristocracy
15 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) 16 1d6 wraiths Deadly
Wastelanders
16 Variable 17 1d4 oni Hard
(roll on faction sub-table)

Arcanotech Cabal 18 1 young blue dragon Medium

17 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
Enduring Aristocracy
19 Variable
18 1 young brass dragon Easy (roll on faction sub-table)

The Fellowship 20 1 dragon tortoise (dragon turtle) Deadly

19 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
35. See the thool on p. 309 in chapter 6 for more information.
20 1 dragon tortoise (dragon turtle) Deadly

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HILLS Difficulty column in each table is based on a party of four
Danger in the hills comes mainly from flying predators and adventurers of 5th level.
the many humanoids and giants who call this part of the
wasteland home. The hills offer wastelanders defensible Hazards and Rolling Doubles
places with water access in which to settle, and the herd When you roll the same number on both encounter dice,
animals many wastelanders attempt to re-domesticate consult the Hills Hazards table using the number rolled on
attract all manner of aerial threats. Many of the giants the d8 to determine the hazard the party also encounters.
who prowl the hill country are former wastelanders trans- Hazards in the hills use terrain DC 15.
formed into ravenous monsters.
The arcanavore36 and spell-warped37 templates found in
chapter 6 are appropriate for use on any monsters found
HILLS HAZARDS
in the hills. d8 HAZARD

Random Encounters 1–2 Rockslide

Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or are 3–4 Tanglebrack
prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and 1d12,
then consult the daytime or nighttime Hills Encounters table 5 Scintillating radiance
to determine the details of the encounter. The Estimated
6 Sand dunes
36. See the arcanavore template on p. 290 in chapter 6 for more
7 Earthquake
information.
37. See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more 8 Wildfire
information.

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 DAYTIME HILLS ENCOUNTERS NIGHTTIME HILLS ENCOUNTERS
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED 1d8 + ENCOUNTERS ESTIMATED
1d12 DIFFICULTY 1d12 DIFFICULTY

2 1 purple worm Deadly 2 1 purple worm Deadly

3 1 roc Deadly 3 1 behir Deadly

4 1d4 wyverns Deadly 4 1d4 wyverns Deadly

5 1d4 + 1 griffons Medium 5 1d4 + 1 manticores Hard

6 1d6 basilisks Hard 6 1 hydra Hard

7 1d6 + 2 giant vultures Medium 7 3d6 + 2 worgs Medium

8 2d4 bull javelinas (giant boars) Hard 2d4 bull javelinas

8 Hard
(giant boars)
9 1d6 arcanavore stirges38 Medium
9 2d4 giant spiders Medium
10 1d6 + 3 giant goats Easy
10 1 swarm of trembles39 Medium
11 3d6 + 6 wild dogs (jackals) Easy
11 1d8 + 2 specters Medium
Wastelanders
12–14 Variable 12 2d6 ghouls Hard
(roll on faction sub-table)

The Fellowship 1d4 ogres, 1d6 + 1 marauders

15 Variable 13 Hard
(roll on faction sub-table) (bugbears)

1d4 ogres, 1d6 + 1 marauders 14 1d4 + 1 thools40 Hard

16 Hard
(bugbears)
15 1d6 crag hags (sea hags) Medium
17 1d4 hill giants Deadly
16 1 young red dragon Deadly
Blood Harpy Legion (roll on
18 Variable
faction sub-table) 17 1 night hag on a nightmare Hard
19 1 young copper dragon Medium 18 1d6 wraiths Deadly
The Fellowship Infernal Recruiters
20 Variable 19 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) (roll on faction sub-table)

Wastelanders
38. See the arcanavore stirge on p. 291 in chapter 6 for more 20 Variable
information. (roll on faction sub-table)

39. See the swarm of trembles on p. 311 in chapter 6 for more

information.
40. See the thool on p. 309 in chapter 6 for more information.

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MOUNTAINS The spell-warped42 template found in chapter 6 is ap-
The mountains are hot from volcanic activity, and the propriate for use on any monsters found in the mountains.
many hidden portals to the planes of earth and fire through
which elementals freely pass create vast danger across the Random Encounters
rocky slopes. Rocs and other aerial predators hunt across Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or
the mountains and make their nests in tall, craggy spires. are prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and
Fire giants control many of the fertile valleys of volcanic 1d12, then consult the daytime or nighttime Mountains
soil found in the mountains, using mercenary fire elemen- Encounters table to determine the details of the encoun-
tals to defend their domains from the hardy wastelanders ter. The Estimated Difficulty column in each table is based
who live here. on a party of four adventurers of 13th level.

DAYTIME MOUNTAINS ENCOUNTERS NIGHTTIME MOUNTAINS ENCOUNTERS

1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED 1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
1d12 DIFFICULTY 1d12 DIFFICULTY

2 1d4 behirs Deadly 2 1d4 rocs Deadly

3 1d4 rocs Deadly 3 1d6 + 1 wyverns Hard

4 1d8 + 1 xorn Hard 4 1d8 + 1 xorn Hard

5 1d6 + 1 wyverns Hard 5 1d4 behirs Deadly

6 3d6 gargoyles Medium 6 1d4 + 1 chimeras Hard

7 2d6 + 1 griffons Medium 7 1d6 saber-toothed tigers Easy

8 1d4 swarms of trembles41 Hard 8 1d4 swarms of trembles43 Hard

9 1d6 saber-toothed tigers Easy 9 2d4 owlbears Easy

10 3d6 + 3 giant goats Easy 10 3d6 ghasts Medium

11 1d8 basilisks Easy 11 3d6 specters Easy

2d6 magma mephits, 2d6 magma mephits,

12 Easy 12 Easy
3d6 magmin 3d6 magmin

13 1d10 + 1 azers, 2d6 magmin Medium 13 2d4 wraiths Hard

Wastelanders 14 1 night hag with 2d4 trolls Hard

14 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
Wastelanders
Blood Harpy Legion 15 Variable
15 Variable (roll on faction sub-table)
(roll on faction sub-table)
16 1 efreeti with 1d6 salamanders Deadly
16 1 fire giant with 2d4 azers Hard
17 1 fire giant, 2d4 azers Hard
Blood Harpy Legion
17 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) 18 1d4 oni, 1d8 ogre zombies Hard

18 1d4 + 1 fire giants Deadly 19 1d4 + 1 fire giants Deadly

19 1 young silver dragon Easy 20 1 young red dragon Easy

Wastelanders
20 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) 42. See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more
information.
43. See the swarm of trembles on p. 311 in chapter 6 for more
41. See the swarm of trembles on p. 311 in chapter 6 for more information.
information.

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 Hazards SCRUBLANDS
When you roll the same number on both encounter dice, The scrublands are where most wastelanders dwell and
consult the Mountains Hazards table using the number the Fellowship has the most influence. Wasteland raiders
rolled on the d8 to determine the hazard the party also and prairie predators, such as packs of lions, terror birds,
encounters. and hyenas, are the main dangers in the scrublands. By
Hazards in the mountains use terrain DC 20. night, undead emerge from the tanglebrack thickets to
terrorize settlements.
The spell-warped44 template found in chapter 6 is appro-
MOUNTAINS HAZARDS priate for use on any monsters found in the scrublands.
d8 HAZARD
Random Encounters
1–2 Earthquake Whenever you want a random encounter to occur or
are prompted by a mechanic to create one, roll 1d8 and
3–4 Rockslide
1d12, then consult the daytime or nighttime Scrublands
5–6 Volcano Encounters table to determine the details of the encoun-
ter. The Estimated Difficulty column in each table is based
7 Poisonous fumes on a party of four adventurers of 3rd level.
8 Tanglebrack
44 . See the spell-warped template on p. 292 in chapter 6 for more
information.

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Hazards
When you roll the same number on both encounter dice,
consult the Scrublands Hazards table using the number
rolled on the d8 to determine the hazard the party also
encounters.
Hazards in the scrublands use terrain DC 10.

SCRUBLANDS HAZARDS NIGHTTIME SCRUBLANDS

ENCOUNTERS
d8 HAZARD
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
1 Sand dunes 1d12 DIFFICULTY

2 Blinding glare (reroll if nighttime) 2 1 purple worm Deadly

3 Scintillating radiance 3 1 wyvern Deadly

4–5 Wildfire 4 1d4 manticores Deadly

6–8 Tanglebrack
5 2d4 giant poisonous snakes Medium

6 2d4 worgs Hard

DAYTIME SCRUBLANDS
ENCOUNTERS 7 1d6 + 1 lions Hard
1d8 + ENCOUNTER ESTIMATED
1d12 DIFFICULTY 8 2d6 + 2 giant weasels Medium

2 1 purple worm Deadly 9 1d8 giant owls Easy

3 1 roc Deadly 10 1d4 giant hyenas, 1d6 hyenas Medium

4 1d4 griffons Hard 11 1d4 specters Medium
5 1d6 bull javelinas (giant boars) Hard
12 2d6 skeletons or zombies Medium
6 1d4 rhinoceros Hard
13 1d4 + 1 ghouls Hard
7 1d6 lions Hard
14 1 arcanavore ettin45 Deadly
8 1d4 giant vultures Medium
15 1 thool46 Medium
2d6 terror birds
9 Medium
(axe beaks) 1 bramble hag (green hag),
16 1d6 tumbleweirds Hard
10 2d4 giant goats Medium (awakened shrubs)

11 2d6 + 1 giant ticks (stirges) Easy Infernal Recruiters

17 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)
12 1d4 centaurs Hard
Wastelanders
Arcanotech Cabal 18–20 Variable
13 Variable (roll on faction sub-table)
(roll on faction sub-table)

Blood Harpy Legion 45. See the arcanavore ettin on p. 294 in chapter 6 for more information.
14 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table) 46. See the thool on p. 309 in chapter 6 for more information.

The Fellowship
15–16 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)

Wastelanders
17–20 Variable
(roll on faction sub-table)

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weird waStelandS 169
 supplemental tables
The following tables are useful for adding flavorful details
to your encounters in the wastes.

WASTELAND SETTLEMENTS
Use these tables to generate small village-states or nomad-
ic groups the party might find throughout the wasteland.

LEADERSHIP USEFUL RESOURCES

d10 THE LEADERSHIP IS A/AN… d10 THE SETTLEMENT HAS…
1 Coterie of psions in telepathic communion 1 Abundant water
2 Elected boss 2 An arcanotech arsenal
3 Hereditary official 3 Bountiful hunting
4 Holy elder of a remnant religion 4 Hardy mounts
5 Hydro-despot 5 Magical ingredients
6 Miraculous healer 6 Potent spellcasting
7 Oligarchic syndicate 7 A scrap hoard
8 Self-taught wizard 8 Skilled artisans
9 Warlord with an elite retinue 9 Surplus food
10 Well-organized and charismatic local 10 Trustworthy guides

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 I SEARCH THE BODY
INHABITANT QUIRKS Is there a body? Of course there is. Use this table to gener-
d10 THE INHABITANTS… ate interesting loot for the party to find when they inevita-
Believe that throwing feasts is a sign of prestige
bly search it. This table can also be used any time it seems
1 appropriate for your group to find objects of potential
and influence
usefulness or things to delight them.
Require that visitors submit to a psychic
2
examination

3
Insist that outsiders must choose their new I SEARCH THE BODY
leader
Trade honestly and are friendlier than folks in d100 LOOT
4
other places
1 Rod of petrified wood with amber-filled cracks
Hold punishing physical trials to resolve internal
5 2 Monster’s molar the size of a bread loaf
disputes
Shelter local bandits and supply them with Stick of dayglow-yellow chalk that leaves
6 3
resources markings only visible with darkvision
Practice cannibalism and are in league with
7 Tarnished ornamental sword hilt that changes
nearby ghouls 4
Worship a powerful, mindless monster and offer color based on the mood of its wielder
8
it living sacrifices 5 Preserved basilisk-skin bandana
9 Violently oppose unsanctioned spellcasting
A six-sided die of bone featuring a finely carved
Are a source of food and labor for a nearby 6 human face with a different expression on each
10
intelligent monster side
7 A hungry baby lizard
CURRENT PROBLEM
Leather and quartz-crystal sunglasses with
d10 HERE’S THE SITUATION… 8
polarized lenses
One or more inhabitants are suffering from a
1 calamitous curse that turns them into predatory
monsters.
Residents seek the party’s aid in overthrowing
2 A 12-in. tall doll of
their tyrannical leader. 9
paper and straw
A nearby warlord suspects the inhabitants of
3
hiding valuable resources.
The inhabitants are planning a counterattack on
4 raiders who recently attacked the settlement for
hostages and supplies.
10 2d4 self-warming food bowls
Cruel rivals from a nearby settlement hunt the
5 11 Antler dagger
locals for sport.
Dwindling supplies have led to severe rationing 12 Pouch of dried fruit, nuts, and jerky
6
and increased tensions in the community.
13 Waterskin full of turpentine
Inhabitants are holding a local warlord (or other
7 prominent NPC) hostage and expect retaliation 14 Preserved, animated monster claw
soon.
15 Small pouch of ball bearings
A recent monster attack has left the residents
8 overwhelmed by the number of wounded who Enveloping robes with sewn-in wraps for total
16
need medical care. cover from the sun
Local scavengers have returned with a massive Telescoping metal pole with a tiny hand
9 scrap haul, a true mother lode of valuable 17 pointing its index finger on the end (maximum
resources. height 10 ft.)
A recent natural disaster has caused major 18 Gladiator’s lacquered death mask
10 damage to the settlement, forcing the desperate
locals to plan an evacuation. 19 Scrawled recipe for dragon wing soup

CHAPTER FOUR • gm toolkit

weird waStelandS 171
 I SEARCH THE BODY CONTINUED I SEARCH THE BODY CONTINUED
d100 LOOT d100 LOOT
20 Gallon of potable water in a small cask 45 Brooch that freshens the wearer’s breath

2d4 packets of powder that tastes like the Broad-brimmed, battered, and sweat-stained
21 46
taster’s least favorite flavor hat

22 Arcanotech ring that produces pleasant smells 47 Rucksack of dirty coins

23 Set of dominos carved from behir bones 2d6 ancient juice boxes with nothing but fruit-
48
scented sugar crystals inside
24 Exorcist’s bell
25 Character sheet of the character who finds it Purple velvet bag with golden trim and
49
embroidery filled with dice
26 Belt of dwarf beards
50 Pocket hourglass
27 Coil of razor wire
Spoon that makes anything it stirs taste a little
28 Spiked dog collar with a tag and chain leash 51
spicier
Comb that curls any hair it’s used to brush into Tough satchel with 3 forbidden tomes
29 52
tight ringlets that stay until washed wrapped in cloth
Mysterious runestone that sighs with relaxation 53 Small pot of purple salt
30
when touched
Sealed bucket containing a small,
31 1 lb. of color-changing, non-Newtonian fluid 54
self-sustaining colony of bees
6-in. metal cube that floats and plays soft music or Cape that perpetually flutters, even when
32 55
natural sounds there’s no wind
33 Map of 2d4 hexes showing major locations 56 Safety razor that never dulls
34 Bag of incense sticks Handwritten journal in an unknown language
57
35 Bag of personal jewelry, rings, and gold teeth containing notes on local flora and fauna

36 Mahogany snuffbox Leatherbound, illuminated text of forgotten

58
funerary rituals
37 Firestarter prism
59 Arcanotech spare eye
Silica packets with the words “do not eat” printed
38
all over them Enameled red breastplate with gilded
60
ornamentation
39 Tiny windup dragon toy
61 Half-eaten lunch
62 Love letter or letter from mom (GM’s choice)
Preserved head Telepathy-suppression pills (taker cannot contact
imbued with 63 another creature telepathically or be contacted
40 necromantic powers telepathically for 8 hours)
that acts as a magic
lantern 64 Lightly used nose plug
65 Clutch of war darts

Breadbox that magically generates one slice of

41 Necklace of humanoid teeth 66
fresh bread every morning
42 Unsolved puzzle trinket
Cloth bag that has another, slightly smaller cloth
67
Blue steel helmet with gold inlay in the shape of bag inside it whenever it is opened
43
a war goddess’s mask
Corroded but functional, oversized pocket watch
68
44 Sealed tin of survival rations on a chain

CHAPTER FOUR • gm toolkit

172 weird waStelandS
 I SEARCH THE BODY CONTINUED I SEARCH THE BODY CONTINUED
d100 LOOT d100 LOOT

Keys to a construct vehicle 96 Sealed jar of pickles

69
(GM determines location)
97 Ancient golden spectacle rims
70 Pouch of seeds labeled “Dinosaur” 98 Gallon of goat’s blood grog
Copper mesh bag filled with glass and gold-foil 99 Impossibly tight lizard-skin pants
71
arcanotech components
100 Jewel-encrusted halfling skull
72 Spell scroll containing a 1st-level spell (GM’s choice)
73 Cockatrice-feather fan WASTELAND SCAVENGERS
74 Healer’s kit with 1d10 uses This is a table of wasteland creatures likely to try and
steal the party’s food. Roll on this table when prompted
75 Large glass jar of pickled ears, eyes, and tongues
by the results of the Traveling Misfortunes, Gathering and
76 Canteen half full of potable water Searching Misfortunes, and Hunting Misfortunes tables in
chapter 3.47
77 Hand telescope with well-made brass fittings

78
Pair of decorative, wearable wings made of a WASTELAND SCAVENGER
durable, magical cloth ENCOUNTERS
79 Leather-wrapped case of mustaches 1d8 + ENCOUNTER
1d12
80 Tax receipt on a clay tablet
2 1d4 owlbears, 1d6 + 1 cubs (black bears)
Gutted construct head turned into a helmet;
81 the wearer has disadvantage on Wisdom 3 2d6 + 2 dretches
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing
4 1d4 basilisks
82 Inconveniently large drinking horn 5 1d6 + 2 gray oozes
Map to nearest dungeon location and first 6 1d4 giant hyenas, 2d6 + 2 hyenas
83
1d4 + 1 rooms
7 1d4 − 1 giant rats, 1d4 swarms of rats
84 Map to nearest spring or oasis
8 1d6 + 1 giant wolf spiders
Walking stick with two-tailed scorpion in
85 9 1d6 swarms of ravens
amber on the pommel
10 2d6 + 2 jackals
Steel saber that emits a loud flourish
86
sound when unwielded 11 1d4 giant centipedes

Makeshift machete made from a rusty scythe blade 12 1d4 + 2 giant lizards (with Spider Climb variant)
87
with its handle wrapped in golden cord 13 1d4 giant vultures
88 Artisan’s tools in a leather satchel 14 1d6 + 2 lions
89 Silk veil that never tears or degrades 15 3d6 x 10 homunculi (with no flying speed)
90 Pack of ancient cigarettes 16 1d4 worgs, 2d6 wolves
91 Copy of a magicore’s self-published romance novel 17 3d6 swarms of insects
92 Crown of fresh wildflowers that never wilt 18 1d4 ochre jellies
Opera glasses that show an opera when you 19 1 otyugh
93
look through them
20 1 troll
94 Set of ivory teeth

Filigreed smoking pipe that magically blows 47. The Traveling Misfortunes, Gathering and Searching Misfortunes,
95 and Hunting Misfortunes tables can be found on pages 132, 134,
bubbles when used
and 135 respectively.

CHAPTER FOUR • gm toolkit

weird waStelandS 173
 chapter five

This chapter contains eight locations that comprise the major adventuring desti-
nations in the Weird Wastelands. These locations provide ample opportunities for
combat and discovery, with big secrets, high potential for heroic conflict, and ways
the make the wastelands a better place.
Each location contains everything you need to to drop the locations into an existing campaign
run them as part of the Weird Wastelands or any in a different setting, there is often little you’ll
other campaign setting. Each takes multiple ses- need to do to adapt them in play, but you should
sions to explore and presents unique challenges consider how they fit into your worldbuilding.
from tier 1 all the way through tier 4. The scope of apocalyptic destruction may need
to be toned down for games set in a world in less

how to use the dire straits than the Weird Wastelands. If you
have factions in your game, consider how they

weird wastelands may be present in these locations. You may also

want to consider how a party’s actions in a given
locations location might affect the world. For instance,
what would restoring the Ruins of the Basalt
While each location varies in presentation, format, Palace mean for your campaign? What would
and scope, they all have the following elements the consequences of defeating the guardians at
in common to help you seamlessly integrate the Gates of the Afterlife be for the world as a
them into your campaign: whole?
■ A short, evocative description Here is a brief summary of each location, or-
■ Background information ganized by tier, and notes about the metagame
functions each location serves:
■ Terrain specifics
■

■
Special features
Suggested encounters
last city of man (TIER 1)
■ Rewards The Last City of MAN is a classic lost city bur-
ied in the desert, filled with wonders of a fallen
■ Rumors and adventure hooks age. It is a classic dungeon crawl complete with
If you have the
■ Detailed sub-locations for enhancing guidelines to randomly generate what new parts
Weird Wastelands adventures of it have been revealed by the constant shifting
Quest Deck, you can ■ Support for how to connect the location to of the sands that cover it.
use it to supplement
your adventures in
factions or ongoing narratives in your game
these locations by ■ A “Putting It All Together” section outlining toxic alchemical sump (TIER 1)
utilizing the adventure possible implications of potential party actions
hooks, encounters, This bog of magical muck is emblematic of all
and complications These locations are easiest to run if you read the terrible things you might encounter in the
presented in the cards. them before your session begins.1 If you intend Weird Wastelands—alchemical pollution, spell-
warped creatures, new diseases and hazards—
1. Several of the creatures mentioned in this chapter are
detailed in chapter 4. If you see a creature name you don’t and provides several opportunities to learn
recognize, it’s likely explained there. about the environment.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

174 weird waStelandS
tradetown (TIER 1) rust wastes (TIER 2)
This community is the largest city and economic center The Rust Wastes exist at the heart of a postapocalyptic
of the Weird Wastelands. It serves as a perfect starting robotic war where parties can join in the fight if they wish.
location, home base, and socially stable respite from the This area is all about constructs, scrap, and conflict that
danger and chaos of the wastes. has been seething since the apocalypse.

deep green (TIER 2) basalt palace (TIER 3)

Deep Green is the remnant of an ancient sea that was The Basalt Palace is the site of an unspeakably terrible
almost entirely drained as a result of the apocalypse. The accident that has rendered its interior disordered in both
waters that remain are laced with dangerous alchemical space and time. Illusions of the past are combined in near-
reagents, and danger lurks within its viridescent depths. infinite possibilities inside, making it the perfect place
Deep Green is presented as a traditional dungeon and is for a depth crawl. This site poses a potentially powerful
the perfect culmination for a 5E adventure arc for charac- resource and a big problem that, if solved, could change
ters levels 1 to 10. the world for the better.

derbytown (TIER 2) gates of the afterlife (TIER 4)

This second-largest settlement in the Weird Wastelands The Gates of the Afterlife are the final line of defense be-
is for groups with a need for speed. The Demolition Derby tween the Weird Wastelands and the realm of the gods,
is a dark foil to Tradetown where parties can gamble, sealed during the apocalypse as the gods’ final act of depar-
raise mayhem, and put our robust vehicle rules to the ture. The choices the characters make in this location have
test. the potential to change the world in extreme ways.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 175
 tradetown enough that it has never succumbed to a siege.
The unique group that ensures Tradetown’s mu-
nicipal stability and autonomy, the Trade Guild,
Come through the gates, one and all! We’ll has existed since time immemorial. It is said that
take what you have, and you can get what you the people who first settled Tradetown realized
need! A meal, a weapon, a bed, a hat—even a that the best way to ensure its sustained survival
bath! Tradetown is your wonder, your treasure, is not to thwart every bid for power and exhaust
and your oasis. Cool down, load up, and revel themselves but to purposefully sanction them.
in finery. Headwraps 50 percent off, and any The current leader gets political clout, limited au-
reasonable offers on carpets are accepted, this thority, and shared resources in exchange for pro-
week only! tection from other would-be rulers of Tradetown
and myriad other threats, so long as they pledge
background to leave the Trade Guild free to ensure the city
functions as they deem it should.
When we conceived Tradetown is the only major center of commerce A resident of Tradetown can expect to see
of Tradetown, we in the Weird Wastelands. It was built over the ru- leadership change a few times in their lifetime,
imagined it as built ins of a massive structure of the pre-apocalypse. but there have been periods of more rapid shifts.
atop the ruins of an
abandoned shopping
A few of its former features have since been re- Changes come about for many reasons: an at-
mall. This is one of stored to some degree of their former glory. It is tempt to leverage more power than the Trade
those details that a full city dedicated to trade, and the importance Guild is willing to give, a restless military force
may ultimately just of that function affords a unique way of life for falling apart under the uneventful defense of a
be for the GM, but those who inhabit it. city, the death of a leader, a leader’s change of
we hope it helps you By all accounts, Tradetown should be a massive heart, a legitimate challenger who gains the sup-
envision and describe
the space. There are
target for warbands, raiders, and wild creatures. port of the Trade Guild, or a good, old-fashioned
many other modern Some say it should never have survived so long, coup can all bring about a transition in leader-
building analogs that and it wouldn’t have if not for some crucial fea- ship. Sometimes this transition is coordinated
might be just as fun—an tures. Its tall, magically fortified walls and easily peacefully (or even invited) by the Trade Guild,
old office building, a secured entrances keep most monsters out, and its and other times a new leader emerges through
stadium, or a school— guards can dispatch most threats easily enough. victory in combat outside the city. There are a
that could all bring
their own flavor to the Its plentiful water sources and proximity to the few limits to whom the Trade Guild will accept.
settlement. feast beast’s migration circuit2 keep its stores full The Enduring Aristocracy3 are always resisted,

2. See p. 295 in chapter 6 for more information on the feast 3. For more information about the Enduring Aristocracy, see
beast. p. 146 in chapter 4.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

176 weird waStelandS
as are most sentient monsters, though dragons ■ 15-foot-deep defensive trenches have
have ruled Tradetown several times in the past. been dug around the outer walls of
Any would-be leaders who harm residents or visi- Tradetown
tors of Tradetown or disrupt trade in their bid for ■ Beyond the structure’s limits are
power are also seldom accepted.
fungus farms, livestock cultivation
Over decades, these rules of Tradetown lead-
grounds, and a water source
ership have become widely known and respect-
ed. While leadership changes the city, at its heart ■ Terrain around Tradetown is mostly If you are using
it always fulfills its function as a safe place to ex- flat or composed of gently rolling the hex-based
change goods and connect with others. hills exploration rules in
chapter 3, Tradetown
About six hundred people are permanent res-
can be placed in any
idents of Tradetown, and at least four hundred
visitors are in the city at any given time, with
special features hex with the hills
terrain type. See the
visitors swelling to an excess of one thousand The features detailed here distinguish Tradetown “Wasteland Terrain Hex
during festivals, holidays, and feast beast hunts. as a weird location and are available to flesh out Descriptions” section
People of all ancestries live together in Tra- gameplay elements of the area. They are de- on p. 111 in chapter 3 for
more information.
detown, and it is near-universally agreed that signed to complement interactions with other
life is good there. Many residents work in Tra- creatures and create engaging encounters.
detown as cleaners, farmers, maintenance work-
ers, builders, scribes, accountants, security, and LEADERSHIP
shop attendants in exchange for food, housing, Over the years, Tradetown has drawn the at-
medical care, and a scrap stipend. A few resi- tention of various factions4 vying for control
dents are permanent shop owners who earn of the wastelands. While the local Trade Guild
their keep through trade alone. The Trade Guild oversees administration of the city, they must
coordinates the efforts of workers, levies taxes rely on a military leader to defend it from ex-
on owners, and adjudicates general disagree- ternal threats.
ments among both groups. The following are potential leaders who may
Visitors to Tradetown come from all walks of rule Tradetown at any given time, each of which
life and factions (except the Enduring Aristoc- affects certain aspects of the city when they are
racy). Most visitors are there because they have in power. When Tradetown is first introduced,
useful objects to trade or hope to find work, but choose one of the following leaders based on the
others simply come for the thrill of being in a desired tone you of your game:5
place where so much happens and so many ev- ■ The AutoKrator (Wastelanders).
eryday hardships – eating, drinking, and sleep-
If you’re looking to play up the
ing safely – are taken for granted. A trip to Tra-
harsh, unforgiving, postapocalyptic
detown may be a pilgrimage to mark adulthood
nature of the Weird Wastelands, put
for a young wastelander, or a way for a down-
the AutoKrator in charge.
trodden soul to walk away from who they were
and begin something new. Opportunity abounds ■ The Fellowship. If you want to
in every dusty corner of Tradetown. play up the fantasy side of science
fantasy, consider putting the
Terrain Fellowship in charge of Tradetown.
■ Arcanotech Cabal. If you’re
The terrain of Tradetown has the following
looking to highlight how magic
qualities:
works in the Weird Wastelands,
■ Built over the foundation and blasted- make the leaders of Tradetown the
out walls of a large, flat, sprawling Arcanotech Cabal.
superstructure that covers an area roughly
1,700 feet long by 1,050 feet wide 4 . See the “Wasteland Factions” section on p. 140 of
chapter 4.
■ Walls and staircases have been rebuilt 5. This section presents three leader options, but
with mud and stone which can offer you are also free to make your own. If you want
cover; walls are 30 feet high, and to simplify the location, you can also just have the
Trade Guild rule on their own without the help of a
entrance gates are 20 feet high and easily leader.
closed, locked, and barricaded

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 177
 The AutoKrator (Wastelanders)6 making twenty arrows per day, and ten common or un-
common vehicles7 in good working order at any given
Alignment: Neutral Evil time. Under the rule of the AutoKrator, it is these resourc-
Organization: A turbulent band of war riders kept in line es among others that make Tradetown the haven (and tar-
by an enigmatic, insectoid autocrat get) that it is.
Motto: “Pay tribute and live. Defy me, and the last thing you
will see is your blood on my chitin.” Special Rules
This barbarian leads an army of ankheg riders and suc- Tradetown under the AutoKrator is more corrupt than it
cessfully took over Tradetown a few years ago, thus end- is under other rulers. Traders may be convinced to trade
ing their onslaught of the surrounding settlements and under the table, guild officials may be bribed to overlook
allowing all an uneasy peace. The AutoKrator wears a broken rules, and some merchants may inflate the value
bronze mask of an alien, insectoid face with multifaceted, of their goods or coordinate with others to create scarcity
mirrored eyes. No one knows why, and no one has ever and drive prices up arbitrarily.
seen their face. They wear spiked metal armor and fight Additionally, the following rules are enforced by the
with an immense greataxe, which they wield as if it weighs Trade Guild when the AutoKrator is in charge:
nothing. The AutoKrator makes regular appearances in ■ No one speaks to the AutoKrator unless the
the Arena, fighting all those who dare challenge them,
AutoKrator has first allowed it.
and they serve as the judge, jury, and executioner of those
who commit crimes in Tradetown. The AutoKrator gives ■ All insect-based food is forbidden in Tradetown.
speeches at important events and makes announcements ■ The penalty for breaking any Tradetown rule is a
on the city-wide intercom system when they see fit, com-
deathmatch in the Arena.
manding immediate attention with their booming voice
and instilling a thirst for action in all who hear it.
Terrain Changes
The terrain of Tradetown changes in the following ways
Politics
under the rule of the AutoKrator:
The AutoKrator largely lets the Trade Guild do what
it will and is happy to collect their share of tax to keep ■ The walls have been rebuilt with metal. They are
their defending armies in order. The AutoKrator enjoys jagged, angular, dirty, and covered in strangely
the political power among other warlords that leading beautiful graffiti.
Tradetown lends them. They treat their army with a firm ■ Despite the ample space in Tradetown, most public
and even authority, a requirement for their riders who are
areas are somehow always full of people. These
restlessly living a peaceful life only occasionally peppered
heavily populated areas are considered difficult
with foisting would-be challengers and monsters attracted
terrain, and creatures in these heavily populated
to the water, magic, and teeming life of Tradetown. The
areas have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks
AutoKrator is not concerned with the goings-on of low-
made to hide.
level parties, but if a group of tier 3 or tier 4 characters
come to town, they may grant an audience. ■ The tallest structure in Tradetown is a large, heavily
guarded water tower.
Military and Resources
The AutoKrator’s military forces consist of: The Fellowship8
■ 50 bugbear, lizardman, and goblin berserkers on Alignment: Neutral Good
ankheg mounts Organization: A semi-nomadic druidic commune and
■ 20 thugs militant order
■ 4 assassins Motto: “There is still life in the Wasteland.”
■ 2 spies
This group of priests, druids, and rangers came to lead
■ 2 mages
Tradetown after a rare occurrence: the natural death of
This large raiding band answers only to the AutoKrator, the last ruler. They worked out an agreement with the
and they occupy themselves with eating, drinking, games, Trade Guild that they would defend the city in exchange
and fighting any cocky visitors who try to challenge them. for the ability to make Tradetown the center of their ef-
Tradetown benefits from many resources, such as: fort to replenish the land using natural magic.
50,000 gallons of water in a large and heavily guarded wa-
ter tower, five blacksmiths, five fletchers each capable of 7. More info on vehicles can be found in the “Vehicles” section on p. 85
in chapter 2.
6. Find more info on the Wastelanders faction on p. 152 of chapter 4. 8. See p. 148 in chapter 4 for more information about the Fellowship
faction.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

178 weird waStelandS
Politics Terrain Changes
The Fellowship’s main interest is environmental stabiliza- The terrain of Tradetown changes in the following ways
tion. It enjoys a strong partnership with the Trade Guild, under the rule of the Fellowship:
though they occasionally get into disputes over building ■ The streets are made of worked earth, and buildings
methods and materials or how to handle the inconve-
feature thatched rooves, red mud structures, and
niences that druidic restoration can cause visitors, like
curved architectural lines.
hordes of insects, smelly bogs, and unsightly mud. They
use their tax revenue to fund similar revitalization efforts ■ A heavily fortified freshwater lake or spring is in the
across the Weird Wastelands, supporting seed planters, center of Tradetown.
providing tools for ditch diggers, and training more young ■ Grass and plants are abundant and begin to grow
druids and acolytes to purify water. The Fellowship are
over any items left unmoved for more than 1 day.
fundamentally uninterested in commerce but see leading
Tradetown as an opportunity to expand their influence
Arcanotech Cabal9
and mission in the Weird Wastelands.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Military and Resources Organization: Decentralized mageocracy of semi-
The Fellowship’s military forces consist of: autonomous technomancer collectives
■ 30 scouts Motto: “Our mastery of arcanotech will surpass the glories
■ 12 druids of the past.”
■ 2 earth elementals This group of technomancers and wizards took over
■ 2 fire elementals Tradetown several decades ago and have made it into the
■ 6 giant hyenas main center of magical research and resource collection in
■ 6 awakened ankylosauruses the Weird Wastelands. This has nearly as many drawbacks
■ 6 giant scorpion mounts as it does benefits.
While all versions of Tradetown utilize magic, the Arcan-
They utilize representative egalitarianism—every mem-
otech Cabal’s Tradetown is brimming with it. The culture
ber of the Fellowship gets a vote on all issues, and there is no
of Tradetown under the Arcanotech Cabal is unapologeti-
single member who decides anything for the rest. The dru-
cally pro-arcanotech, despite the risks of concentrating so
ids spend most of their time on the outskirts of Tradetown
much magic in one area. Visitors can barter using mag-
revitalizing the land, with scouts sometimes assisting.
ical credit instead of tangible goods if they so choose. A
Under the Fellowship, the basic resources in Tradetown
pin of swirling magic inside a pressed glass bead can be
are more abundant than under other leaders. A day’s basic
scanned by any merchant’s arcanotech device, and all ac-
food and 3 gallons of water are free to all who request it
counts are updated. Characters can convert their credit in-
each day, and the price of all plant-based food in the city is
to water, scrap, or objects of their choosing upon leaving
halved.
Tradetown. The devices are activated by the Arcanotech
Cabal with a drop of the user’s blood, so each device is in-
Special Rules
extricably linked to one person. What the Cabal do with
When the Fellowship lead Tradetown, traders follow the
that drop of blood after activation is shrouded in mystery.
rules and work hard to stay in the city’s good graces. Life is
The five members of the Arcanotech Cabal that oversee
good here. Anyone who wishes can assist the Fellowship in
Tradetown rarely make physical appearances, though their
exchange for food, water, shelter, and 1 gp of scrap or seeds
simulacra may be seen throughout the city running er-
per day. Work as field laborers, trench diggers, water carri-
rands, conducting research, sifting through arcanotech
ers, and stone breakers is abundant, and any of these jobs
scrap, and even filling in for workers during labor short-
can be accessed as quests or adventure hooks. Characters
ages. These simulacra are focused on their tasks but can
who choose these tasks work alongside minor elementals
give directions, divulge what they’re doing, and accept
and druids capable of casting spells up to 2nd level.
help when offered. They do not possess the knowledge
Additionally, the following rules are enforced by the
of their originals. Their existence ends at sunset or when
Trade Guild when the Fellowship is in charge:
they take more than 50 hit points of damage, upon which
■ Those found guilty of crimes are invited to live and they instantly melt into a gallon of cold water. Unseen
work on farms or on revitalization efforts, where they servants are also frequently at work for the Arcanotech
are treated as equals. Otherwise, they are asked to Cabal and are mainly used as pack animals. For logistic
permanently leave Tradetown. purposes, many are shrouded in cloth so they are visible,
■ Causing harm to the land in or around Tradetown or 9. See p. 140 in chapter 4 for more information about the Arcanotech
impeding revitalization efforts are considered crimes Cabal faction.
in the city.
CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations
weird waStelandS 179
 but those on particularly sensitive missions may ■ The cost to live or visit within the city walls
be completely covert. is 1 gp per day.
■ Merchants pay 10 percent more for
Politics
arcanotech devices and rare spell
The Arcanotech Cabal respects the autonomy
components in Tradetown.
of the Trade Guild, but the two sides frequently
clash in matters of taxation and commerce. They ■ The cost of healing in the city is halved.
have worked out an agreement that difficult- ■ Arena battles are between summoned
to-obtain spell components—large diamonds,
creatures only.
jewel-encrusted mirrors, golden bowls, celestial
ephemera, monster parts, and so on—go straight ■ The body of anyone who dies inside the
to the Cabal. The Arcanotech Cabal tries to get city walls of Tradetown is property of the
the Trade Guild to pay a premium for such items Arcanotech Cabal.
to attract sellers, and many a squabble about this
can be overheard during public meetings. Terrain Changes
The terrain of Tradetown changes in the follow-
Military and Resources ing ways under the rule of the Arcanotech Cabal:
The city is defended by arcane glyphs and sigils ■ Earth, metal, and stone have been
that are clearly carved into the walls and ground
magically worked to form structures.
of the city. They protect against physical and
Architecture looks more like modern
magical damage, and when destroyed they
sculpture than buildings, except for the
activate an army of fifty scrap golems (use the
Cabal’s college, which looks like a massive,
animated armor stat block) constructed from
traditional wizard’s tower.
the remains of the walls. The destroyed glyphs
also summon an army of earth, air, and fire ■ Magical lights perpetually illuminate
elementals. It is rumored that a nearly infinite the streets from many angles. Creatures
number of celestial badgers are also summoned, outdoors in Tradetown have disadvantage
although no one knows for sure as the walls on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.
have not been destroyed in many years. ■ Arcane glyphs and sigils cover the outer
Under the Arcanotech Cabal, healing ser-
walls and can also be seen on city streets
vices are abundant, but arcanotech devices and
and intermittently on buildings.
high-cost spell components are hard to come
by, as the Cabal typically hoard them for them- ■ Water is contained in a heavily guarded
selves. Because of the Cabal’s ability to move aquifer with a small portal to the plane of
Tradetown, the availability of natural resources water.
fluctuates with the terrain.
A random movement ■ The Arcanotech Cabal can move the walls
may happen because of the city and everything within them
of intense use of magic Special Rules
through the Weird Wastelands, and they
by the party or NPCs, Tradetown under the Arcanotech Cabal is more
or it can be a random
do so about once per month. Most of these
comfortable than it is under other leaders. It is
occurrence. We suggest movements are announced, but some are
also capable of changing geographic location
rolling a d10 at the not—one result of the concentration of
(see the “Terrain Changes” section for more info),
end of each day and magical energies in the Arcanotech Cabal’s
moving Tradetown to a so staying in the city walls is more expensive
Tradetown is that this sometimes happens
new location on a 10. when the Cabal are in charge. Tradetown is also
on its own. This movement happens
teeming with suspicion during their rulership.
instantaneously at midnight. Tradetown
The Arcanotech Cabal is up to something, but
moves to a new hex10 anywhere within
most inhabitants don’t know what. While there
the Weird Wastelands, typically adjacent
is general mistrust of the Cabal, they protect the
to settlements or areas of interest to the
city better than any who have come before, and
Arcanotech Cabal, although the town’s
life here is good. Most residents assume they’re
involuntary movements are random. When
being monitored by the Cabal most of the time,
Tradetown moves, the area the city vacated
but the safety is worth it.
leaves no trace of its presence, though areas
Additionally, the following rules are enforced
on its normal circuit have signs posted.
by the Trade Guild when the Arcanotech Cabal
is in charge: 10 . See “Hex-Based Exploration” on p. 109 of chapter 3.

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SHOPPING Stock. The labyrinthine aisles of the C.R.A.P. are lined
The stores of Tradetown resemble a flea market. The sim- with shelves and bins three high, full to the brim of lazily
plest have colorful cloths laid on the ground upon which categorized bits of functional arcane scrap: gears, filaments,
their wares are arrayed. The more elaborate and perma- crystals, bobbins, circuits, keys, wires, fasteners, solder,
nent purveyors have shelves and tables to give their booths grease, and solvent. Additionally, if Brindle can be coerced
more visual interest. The walls lay bare, with tattered to help, the Technomancer can assist in the construction,
cloths and skins put up to shade vendors from the sun. repair, and charging arcanotech devices to house level 3
Any goods from this book and items from any other spells and lower. Additionally, spell scrolls of level 3 and
sourcebook or supplement you deem appropriate can be lower can be purchased here, as can any supplies needed to
found in Tradetown. The price of goods here is increased craft magic items and most spell components that are not
by 10 percent for taxes, unless a leader’s rules alter prices derived from creatures.
further.
Here are the vendors that can be found in Tradetown on The House of Good Deals
any given day and some examples of what they sell. If you The name of the House of Good Deals belies its appear-
wish to develop the vendors further, you’ll find tools to do ance and its stock—it’s more like a haphazard yard sale
so in the “Putting It All Together” section at the end of the where everything is overpriced, and you have to dig for
Tradetown description. the good stuff. Goods are laid out on sheets or in bowls
and buckets, and Zulgi, the proprietor, stalks customers as
Leomoond’s Magnificent Mechanics they shop, making suggestions with an air of thinly veiled
Leomoond’s site in Tradetown is larger than most, and is suspicion.
divided into three sections: service, parts, and sales. The Staff. The House of Good Deals is run by a red tiefling
sales area is in the front of the shop with the parts section named Zulgi, who has a very obvious customer service
nestled between sales and the large service area in the back voice. She follows shoppers around the place as they pe-
where folks can bring their vehicles for repair. The entire ruse, talking up her goods and openly monitoring folks for
place stinks of trolleum, and there’s nowhere to sit while dubious activity.
you wait. Stock. Somebody in the party wants something? Roll
Staff. Leomoond, the owner of the repair station, is an any die. On an even result, it’s in stock. On an odd result,
old, weathered elf with tattoos of skiffs racing down his it’s not there. Everything is a bad deal—items at the House
arms. He rides his team of young mechanics as hard as his of Good Deals cost 50 percent more than they might
customers ride their vehicles. He is a no-nonsense sort elsewhere.
who is too busy to swindle his customers. If your vehicle is
poorly maintained, he will judge you loudly. Serafin’s Survival Supplies
Stock. The vehicle repair station sells all vehicle parts and Serafin’s Survival Supplies is a modest booth full of neatly
one or two simple vehicles at any given time. Additionally, labeled wares organized on rows of metal tables and free-
Leomoond has a tow truck capable of towing any broken standing shelves that serve as the “walls” of the area.
vehicle within one hex of Tradetown. Staff. Serafin is an aasimar with two young children
who are usually with her, playing hide-and-seek among
Colossal Repository the wares in her stall. She may apologize to customers for
of Arcanotech Paraphernalia the inconvenience, but she does so with a smile every time.
The C.R.A.P. is the largest store in Tradetown and one of Stock. Serafin’s specializes in survival gear and general
the only in a fully enclosed building. It is dark and messy. adventuring gear.11 The more dangerous wares are kept
Glowing light shimmers haphazardly through rows and at the back of the stall on high shelves out of reach, and
rows of arcanotech scrap, a glimmering reflection of the the rest of the goods are laid out on the lower shelves and
immense magical power that dwells within these thou- metal tables.
sands of pieces, longing to be connected again. Hand-
written catalogs are attached to the end of each aisle in The House of Garbs
which customers can look up what they want and find an This small booth is filled top-to-bottom with bolts of fab-
aisle and bin number. ric, rolls of ribbon, and baskets of buttons. Even the “walls”
Staff. A young goblin named Geebs rings up orders and of the space are made from multicolor fabrics draped over
directs customers through the maze of aisles. Geebs has crude metal frames.
no knowledge of arcanotech devices, but his boss, Brindle Staff. This tailor shop is run by Humbert the gnome
Bigtin, does. Brindle mostly sits in the back and tries not and Rhix the lizardperson, and they are very much in love.
to come out. He is a gifted halfling technomancer who acts They proudly show customers the wedding clothes they
like he’s in need of a vacation—until the party can prove
that they know what they’re doing. 11. See the “Survival Gear” section on p. 82 in chapter 2.

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 made for each other, excitedly sharing the details of every order. All trades and purchases in town are required to use
pleat and button with anyone who will listen. Tradetown currency, and all items are priced to include a
Stock. Humbert and Rhix can fashion any type of non- 10 percent tax on all nonmagical goods that aren’t food
magical clothing or cloth armor in 1d4 days. and water.12

Jaysea Pennyloafer’s Rules

Jaysea Pennyloafer’s is an open-air stall to allow proper The Trade Guild has several rules, and leaders may enforce
ventilation of the forge within. Armor is propped up along others as they wish (see each leader’s description earlier in
the back edge of the stall. There’s no need for walls or the chapter for their specific rules). These rules are always
tables to delineate Jaysea’s space—the heat works just fine. enforced, no matter the current leadership:
Staff. Jaysea is the owner and operator of this stall. He is ■ All trades must be made with official Tradetown
a hobgoblin who wears black leather and works the forge
currency
with impressive focus. At first glance, he appears to be ■ No traders may conspire with any others to fix prices
wearing a monocle, but it is in fact a mechanical eye. ■ No killing outside the arena
Stock. Jaysea sells all types of nonmagical weapons and ■ No stealing
armor. He can also craft custom armor or attach spikes to
existing armor.
Militia
The Trade Guild has a militia that protects Tradetown in
TRADE GUILD
the event of regime changes or conflicts with leadership.
Workers in Tradetown are protected by the Trade Guild,
The Trade Guild militia consists of:
which also functions as a legislative body under the cur-
rent leader of Tradetown. ■ 30 guards
■ 5 scouts
Benefits ■ 6 knights
Everyone who works for the Trade Guild receives food, ■ 4 priests
water, housing, and a weekly stipend. Most Trade Guild ■ 2 druids
workers live where they work, or close by. The most suc- ■ 2 mages
cessful may have residences in an inn, an apartment, or a ■ 3 veterans
small house outside the city walls. Universal basic income, ■ 6 gladiators
benefits, and relative safety mean that being a worker in
The militia members who don’t practice magic serve
Tradetown is a coveted position, and openings are fairly
as day-to-day security in Tradetown. The magical ex-
rare and require steep qualifications.
perts have other occupations, either as vendors or in the
Corporeal Rejuvenation and Resuscitation Center, and
Outsiders
are called to duty when needed. This militia force is ul-
Traveling traders may also come to Tradetown to sell their
timately loyal to the Trade Guild but does fight alongside
goods. Time and booth space must be reserved and is care-
the leader’s defense force against external threats.
fully planned by the Trade Guild. Traders who wish to gain
a permanent storefront are in for an even longer wait: it
THE REMEMBRANCERS’ LODGE
can take decades for a new shop to open up, and one must
The Remembrancers’ Lodge is a repository of living cultur-
make a considerable payment to Tradetown to get it.
al knowledge in Tradetown. It is a place where characters
can get information on local groups, notable figures, cul-
Administration
tural customs, settlements, and stories. The remembranc-
The administrator of the Trade Guild is an extremely
ers don’t have a large historical back catalog, but they are
charismatic elf named Arbellon Genro. He is devoted to
the people to go to for current information. News doesn’t
his vision of Tradetown and the service it offers the Weird
travel fast across the wasteland, so the farther away the
Wastelands, and he views the Trade Guild’s role as a model
subject the characters are asking about, the more generic
for a functional society. He is eager to solve problems,
the information the remembrancers are likely to have.
pays fairly for good work, and does not hesitate to call out
injustice. 12. When trading in Tradetown, increase the value of all goods except
nonmagical food and water by at least 10 percent. Many vendors
Taxation may pad their prices a bit more to make a tidier profit. Characters
may still negotiate on the price of goods, but vendors will have a firm
Tradetown is the only place in the Weird Wastelands
bottom limit, as they have to pay the tax regardless of the deal they
where taxes are collected. The tax is used by the Trade make. Why would the characters want to go someplace with such a
Guild to support the workers of Tradetown and ensure markup? First, it’s a fun place to be. Second, it’s the only place where
that all the structures in it are always in good working they can be reasonably certain to find exactly what they want for sale,
especially in lower tiers.

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 The cost to enter the lodge is one story—a story about Trade Guild Offices
one’s life, news from nearby settlements, or a tale passed The offices are the center of municipal activity for the
down in one’s family. There can be several remembrancers Trade Guild, who oversee the everyday workings of the
in the lodge at any given time. They know rumors about city. It’s part Parks and Rec department and part union.
all factions and locations in the Weird Wastelands, but not Most of the offices are taken up with supplies for various
whether the information is credible.13 repair activities. A gnome named Mathilde (level 4 tech-
In addition to information, the remembrancers also nowizard) oversees repair for the entire city. At any given
offer mail service. Messages can take anywhere from a time, she has three maintenance workers who help her.
few days to a few weeks to reach their intended recipient Non-workers can freely visit the Trade Guild offices to
depending on distance. The cost of this service is 1 gp per discuss matters of civic importance or ask questions.
hex traveled—enough to cover the cost of drinking water.
Intercom System
MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS Technowizards have managed to repair the intercom sys-
Keeping Tradetown working is no small task. The Trade tem of the superstructure that once existed here. It can
Guild operates several sites to maintain the life of its work- be used to make announcements but is also utilized for
ers and the organization of this vibrant settlement. musical accompaniment in trade areas.

Residential Distribution Center RESPLENDENT COURT

Trade Guild workers collect food, water, and pay at the OF GUSTATORY WONDERS14
Trade Guild Residential Distribution Center, which con- The Resplendent Court of Gustatory Wonders occupies
tains the Trade Guild offices, food services with several a large area at the east end of Tradetown. The walls are
cooks, a medical expert, a schoolteacher, a child minder, highly decorated with sculpted copper and gold and are
bathing facilities, a cooling station, and a large lounge. The painted with frescos of people recumbent, eating and
distro center is far from opulent, but it is home to one of drinking, playing music, and watching gladiator battles.
the most wholesome senses of community in the Weird The intercom system plays music more loudly here.
Wastelands. Children play and workers relax in safety and Buskers, sword swallowers, shadow dancers, and mu-
plenty, it’s cool and shaded, and it smells like good food. sicians practice their trade in the hope of getting a few
Art made by young and old line the walls, and everything coins. Children eagerly ask to clear the characters’ tables
is always clean. in hopes of getting tasty leftovers.

13. For more information about remembrancers, see the Remembrancer 14. Ever been to a food court? This is a food court.
background on p. 62 in chapter 1.

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weird waStelandS 183
 Restaurants
Around the edges of the Resplendent Court are six to COURT DISPUTES17
eight stalls with open fires and counter space for cooking, d8 DISPUTE
where an ever-changing array of cooks move their carts
into the spaces each day. Everything in the Foraged Foods Someone is stealing fungus from the fungus
1
table15 in chapter 3 is available for purchase here. Small farmer.
nutrient cubes are available for free, though they are given
2 Tradetown is too noisy. We need a curfew.
begrudgingly.
The following Restaurant Name Generator can be used 3 We found this raider trying to poison the water.
to generate names for restaurant stalls here or in any other
settlement (or any other game for that matter). Simply roll Three textile traders have confessed to a price-
a d8 for each column and put the words together for a 4 fixing scheme, and a punishment must be
restaurant name fit for the wastes. determined.

The leader of a new religious cult requests to use

RESTAURANT NAME GENERATOR the Resplendent Court of Gustatory Wonders as
5
the site of a wedding between a raider and an ex-
d8 d8 d8 member of the Arcanotech Cabal.
These Sizzling Buns
Two visitors to Tradetown tried to duel each other
Your Juicy Dumplings 6 in the streets of Tradetown and must battle in the
arena.
Two Cheesy Rats
Our Hand-crafted Noodles A repair person said they repaired my sword, but
7 they didn’t. They should either refund me or finish
Over Crunchy Pies
the job.
Beneath Spicy Grubs
A customer’s tattoo is horrible, and they demand
Between Tender Meats 8 restitution. The tattoo artist says they gave them
On Pickled Cubes exactly what they asked for.

Court THE ARENA

In the center of this area, there are tables and benches set The Tradetown Arena is where performances, fights,
up where people can eat. In the middle is a large, raised dais and capital punishments (if applicable) take place. It re-
with a small fountain (disappointing by modern standards sembles an amphitheater cut into the side of a hill or a
and a true wonder in the wasteland), a podium, and a large bowl-shaped space dug down into the dirt, with a stage
throne (depending on who the leaders of Tradetown are, at the bottom and stepped seats all around the sides. It
its appearance varies). From this dais, a short path leads has a domed cage that can be erected around the stage
slightly farther out of the city to the Arena. for fights, over which spectators can climb. The acoustics
This dais is where the leader of Tradetown holds court. of the Arena make it easy to hear what happens no mat-
Perhaps it’s open every day for anyone to come up, air ter how far from the stage you are. Showtime happens
grievances, and ask for guidance. Perhaps it happens every once a week, but if there are duels or punishments for
week and it’s more of a judicial process, or maybe court is serious crimes under certain leaders, they can take place
held only when there is a major event. The vibe of your on short notice, and hundreds of people swarm to the
wasteland game and the culture dictated by the current Arena to watch. Food vendors at the Resplendent Court
leader of Tradetown can help you determine the param- of Gustatory Wonders move their operations to carts, as
eters of the court. To randomly determine the nature of do all vendors of goods with easily transportable wares,
a court dispute currently in progress, roll on the Court to create a bustling carnival atmosphere around the spec-
Disputes table. 16 tacle. To randomly determine a show or event happening
in the Arena, roll on the Arena Events table.
15. The Foraged Foods table can be found on p. 129 in chapter 3.
16 . These can also be used as adventure hooks to involve the players! 17. You can also use the NPC Generator at the end of this chapter to
Consider how you might involve the players prior to court or to set determine the people involved in ongoing disputes!
them up. Perhaps some of these disputes can occur to a character
instead of an NPC, or perhaps the party could be called upon for
questioning, to give their positions, or to render judgment.

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 FEAST BEAST18
ARENA EVENTS
Tradetown’s continued prosperity is aided by a curious
d8 EVENT magical phenomenon: the annual appearance of a legend-
ary creature known as the feast beast.
1 Magnanimous Myrae’s Walking, Talking Goat Revue
NPC GENERATOR
The Apocalypse, a detailed historical reenactment
Tradetown has many NPCs. Rather than create dozens of
2 by Pillni, featuring death and destruction using
every school of magic
unique NPCs for Tradetown, we opted to provide the NPC
Generator table to randomly generate the key information
Gildon Goblin and the Speakers of All Truth, a a GM needs to roleplay an NPC effectively and create in-
3
Musical Enlightenment teresting complications and needs for each one. This tool
can help you use any NPC as an introduction to a plot
Western Raiders versus the Fellowship, a Gladiator hook should you choose to. The reason for this is three-
4
League final fight
fold: First, this table is easier for you to use in any game
Divination Damian’s Divine Debate, a game show than having to pick out information linked to an area.
5 Second, this table can be used to generate far more NPCs
featuring conjured minor spirits
than there are areas in Tradetown that require NPCs. And
The Remembrancers’ Annual Storytime Social finally, random tables have a knack for producing results
6 featuring free soup and cultural activities from that are often more surprising and inspiring than anything
across the Weird Wastelands set in stone.
Roll a d20 for each column on the table you wish to use.
The Hatching of the Feast Beast, an expression
7 Not all NPCs have a secret or a need, for example. Use the
in dance
table in whatever way best serves the needs of your game.
8 Alchemical Larry’s Incredible Transforming Ticks
18. The feast beast’s stat block can be found on p. 295 in chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 185
 NPC GENERATOR
d20 DEMEANOR APPEARANCE SECRET OCCUPATION NEED
Stole something from the Carpet
1 Aggressive Sweaty An NPC to be kidnapped19
leader of Tradetown salesman
To find someone to replace
2 Distracted Desperate Used to be a raider Pickpocket
them at their job
Exchange To get the Trade Guild to
3 Assertive Scruffy Made a deal with a magicore20
banker start a strike
Is a warlock with an Food service
4 Fastidious Worried To do a heist at the mint
apocalyptic patron worker
A meal from their favorite
Owes the Trade Guild
5 Passionate Clean Scrap guard restaurant, which has
10,000 gallons of water
banned them
Is in love with the
To steal a vehicle from the
6 Boisterous Muscular administrator of the Potter
repair shop
Trade Guild
Buried their treasure in the Fungus To be taken to Deep Green so
7 Serious Tattooed
Last City of MAN farmer they can visit their cousin21
To convince their parent to retire
8 Tired Sunburned Is deathly afraid of goats Janitor
from travelling mercantilism
Wants to ask a party member
9 Drunk Ghostly Importer 10 fresh berries
out on a date
Once did business with Help recovering their lost scrap
10 Dry Dry Remembrancer
the Enduring Aristocracy in the Last City of MAN
Once died and woke up
11 Mumbling Twitchy Naturalist A metallic fruit
in their own grave
A message to be sent to their
Was once a member of the
12 Desperate Exhausted Raider secret lover, a racer at the
Arcanotech Cabal
Demolition Derby
Pierced nose Their dry cleaning to be
13 Nervous Wants to be an adventurer HR Manager
and tongue picked up
Hat made of Once saw a feast beast Water debt
14 Awkward A snack
human skin being born collector
Their brother to be found, a
15 Avuncular Wrinkled Is friends with a lich Mechanic
Tidal Idle at Deep Green
Has an arcanotech device
A feather from a member of
16 Rude Disheveled that shows a glimpse of Healer
the Blood Harpy Legion
their future once a day
Was a wizard’s apprentice
in the pre-apocalypse, was A vial of ash from the Ruins of
17 Fidgety Hairy Alchemist
shunted through time, and the Basalt Palace
is now stuck here
Keeps a spell-warped To talk to someone about their
18 Feeble Grubby Arcanotechnician
gecko22 as a pet breakup
Speaks to the sun, and the Help finding their pet
19 Confident Slimy Musician
sun answers back hedgehog cactus
Is working to join the Someone to review their script
20 Gregarious Smooth Gladiator
Blood Harpy Legion for a one-person opera

19. Roll on the NPC Generator table again to determine the characteristics of the new NPC.
20. The magicore stat block can be found on p. 299 in chapter 6.
21. It’s not their cousin.
22. More about spell-warped creatures can be found on p. 292 in chapter 6.

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186 weird waStelandS
 profile: feast beast
Personality: Magnanimous, gentle, and serene year, a feast beast arrives outside the walls of Tra-
Ideal: Restoration. The feast beast knows its purpose detown, where it roams for several days as visitors
is to spread rejuvenation and abundance across the and residents take what they need. Special songs are
broken land. sung to it, people climb its great haunches to braid
its barley hair, and ritual theater depicting its past ar-
Bond: The feast beast has a primal need to feed the
rivals all accompany this greatest and most important
peoples of the wasteland.
time of the year. Once the town’s stores are full,
Flaw: The feast beast is trusting of those who cause it continues its inscrutable migration.
it harm, even to the brink of death. The feast beast’s eerily humanoid face and its
Legend: The feast beast has roamed the wastelands impossible, perfect usefulness have led scholars to
as long as anyone can remember, and all are thank- suspect it was created by a powerful wizard who
ful for it. Every part of it is edible—from muscle, to sought to ease hard times, though most wasteland-
bone, to ligament, even to waste—and not just edible, ers regard it as a living god. And perhaps it is. Tales of
but delicious. As its flesh falls into the baskets of the its provision are too numerous to count: tales of lost
hungry, the ground vibrates with an appreciative grunt and dying wanderers waking up to an immense hoof
as though the great beast has become unburdened laden with meats, fruits, and grains; tales of dehydrat-
of a load too heavy to carry. Mere moments later, its ed settlers whose water resources have run dry and
abundance is restored as it continues its never-ending whose crops are dead looking into the distance to see
circuit across the wasteland, grasses and flowers the bready horns of the feast beast on the horizon.
springing up in its footprints. So important to life is the feast beast that even the
Merchants have tried to map its course, but its life-hating Enduring Aristocracy will not engage it, not
everchanging path has thus far rendered that impos- because it is a powerful foe, but rather because if one
sible. Only one feast beast is ever seen at a time, was felled, the people of the wasteland would band
though sightings across the wastes mean there must together and end them immediately.
be more than one in existence. It only nears one All hail the feast beast, one of the true wonders of
settlement with any regularity: Tradetown. Once a the Weird Wastelands.

suggested encounters MOTHER LODE

There are various citywide events that might happen in This is it, friends, it’s the big one! Everyone’s eating hot food
Tradetown any time the party visits that affect the con- tonight! Extra drinks, on me!
ditions of trade and activity in the city and serve as en- A catperson scout named Justopher Bones has just un-
counters for the location. Roll randomly or choose from loaded an economy-destabilizing amount of metallic fruit.
the Tradetown Encounters table to determine an ongoing Food is 50 percent off for 1d4 hours, volatile crowds have
event in the city. formed around food vendors, and Justopher is standing on
the roof, drunk, cackling with glee, and throwing scrap
TRADETOWN ENCOUNTERS and slices of fruit into the crowd. If the party befriends
Justopher, the catperson reveals that they found their for-
d8 ENCOUNTER tune in the Last City of MAN.23
1 Mother Lode
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
2 Midnight Madness
3 Naming Day
Is it just me, or can you perceive the vast entirety of the
multiverse?
4 Tax Free Weekend
Tradetown’s fungus stores have been tainted with a psycho-
5 New Management genic disease that cannot be cured with magical healing.
6 Feast Beast Migration At the stroke of midnight, everyone who has eaten food
in Tradetown during the previous 12 hours experiences
7 Goat Strike
23. More information about the Last City of MAN can be found on
8 Tossbottle Family Reunion
p. 190 later in this chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 187
 a mass hallucination that lasts until sunrise. Roll on the NEW MANAGEMENT
Midnight Madness Hallucinations table to determine the
nature of the hallucination. It’s time for a change! Who run Tradetown? Leadership is
changing tomorrow!
The GM selects a new leader for Tradetown. They have
MIDNIGHT MADNESS HALLUCINATIONS declared that all food and water is free to all visitors for
d4 RESULT 2 weeks to celebrate this grand occasion, and a naming
celebration will be held in the Arena.
Everyone experiences true oneness with each
other. They realize they are all one consciousness FEAST BEAST MIGRATION
experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such
thing as death, and life is only a dream. Merchants There’s been a sweet scent on the wind for days, and finally,
1
give their items away freely to all who want them, as the sun rises, the buttery, flaky horns of the feast beast rise
as do some residents and visitors. In the morning, over the horizon. Grab your baskets and buckets and get ready
Trade Guild administration needs help tracking for the best meal of your life.
down key items.
The feast beast has appeared just beyond the city walls!
Everyone realizes that they are in a roleplaying There is a flurry of activity as every person in Tradetown
game. The characters know their stats and are tries to board a mount or vehicle with baskets, bags, and
aware of their players. NPCs know the party are the weapons and avail themselves of the oncoming bounty.
main characters in a larger story and that they exist See the Feast Beast section earlier in chapter 5 for more
2
for the party to interact with. Most are content with details about this magnificent mobile bounty.
their role, but a mob of twenty commoners rejects
the relative meaninglessness of their lives and GOAT STRIKE
attacks the party.
I don’t know but I’ve been told, the goats are gettin’ mighty
Everyone can see into the ethereal and astral bold.
planes but are unable to interact with or travel
to them. Additionally, they can see all the spirits The goats of Tradetown have gained hyperintelligence
3 wandering in the wastelands, making their way to and wish to be represented in the Trade Guild. No food
the Gates of the Afterlife. A visitor, convinced this is or goods derived from goats are available for sale, and
the end times, panics and starts a fire which quickly approximately one hundred giant goats have taken over
threatens to engulf the town. the Resplendent Court of Gustatory Wonders. The Trade
Guild administrator is attempting to negotiate with the
Everyone affected indulges in their greatest vice, goats and enlists the party’s aid to figure out why the goats
4 surrenders to their flaws, reveals all their secrets, gained such intelligence and, if necessary, end it.
and acts with hedonistic abandon.
An arcanotech device that generates a 100-foot-radius
field of awakening has recently been partially uncovered
NAMING DAY in the grazing lands that the goats frequent. Any beast
with an Intelligence of 3 or lower that spends at least 8
All hail the leader of Tradetown! Name your price on hours in the field becomes affected by the awaken spell. A
Naming Day! detect magic spell reveals the magical field generated by the
Naming day marks the anniversary of the day the leader device. If the device is destroyed or deactivated, the effects
of Tradetown was named leader. Visitors may name their subside within 1d4 hours.
price on any goods, and any reasonable offer (within 20
percent) must be accepted.24
TOSSBOTTLE FAMILY REUNION
The Tossbottles are getting together for a hootenanny not
TAX-FREE WEEKEND seen since, well, last year. Secure your alcohol and heirlooms
Weekends may not exist in the Weird Wastelands, and get ready for a bumpy ride.
but tax-free shopping sure does! An immense family of halflings, the Tossbottles, is holding
If you’ve been waiting to make a big purchase, now is the their annual family reunion in Tradetown.
time! The Trade Guild has announced that all trade for the The cost of food and water during the week leading up
next two days will be free of the usual 10 percent tax. to the event is tripled. There is no room at any traditional
lodging, and one hundred halflings are fighting, playing
24 . More info on pricing in the wastelands can be found throughout pranks, stealing things, and making mischief everywhere
chapter 2. in Tradetown.

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188 weird waStelandS
 Some problems the Tossbottles might cause for your party
include: TRADETOWN ADVENTURE HOOKS
■ The Tossbottles have stolen the Trade d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
Guild’s main ledger, and the guild needs help The feast beast should have arrived sometime in
recovering it. the last two weeks, but it hasn’t. Help is needed
1
to find it and get it to Tradetown before the city’s
■ A young Tossbottle25 with moxie challenges the
food stores dwindle to nothing.
strongest party member to unarmed combat. If
the Tossbottle wins, the entire family welcomes A visiting band of catperson raiders ate the
them to adulthood and offers the loser a vial of city’s store of rats down to critical levels. A
“blueberry juice” (which turns out to be a potion bounty has been placed by the leader of
2
of healing). If the Tossbottle loses, they cry Tradetown to bring them whatever rats can be
bitterly, are no longer considered a Tossbottle, found—2 gp per freshly killed rat and 5 gp for
and pledge allegiance to the party. After 1d4 live ones.
days, they vanish mysteriously.
Someone has tapped into Tradetown’s
■ A profoundly drunk elder Tossbottle offers intercom system and has been using it to cast
lessons in barfighting in exchange for six geas on seemingly random visitors once a day,
servings of alcohol. Those who indulge him gain 3 making them do anything from sing the entire
time they’re awake, to leaving the city, to
proficiency in improvised weapons.
pretending they’re a goat. Someone must stop
■ A particularly impudent Tossbottle asks the this menace!
party to back them in challenging the current
The star of tonight’s Arena entertainment is
leader of Tradetown. Can one hundred
4 missing! Keen investigators are needed to find the
inebriated Tossbottles trigger a regime change? absent star before showtime.

putting it all together RUMORS

Tradetown is intended to be a place to shop, build con- Presented here are six rumors about each of the potential
nections, and have interesting things happen, and is less a leaders of Tradetown. These rumors can be used to draw
place to have combat encounters or spend a whole lot of your table to the location or to create additional drama
time. The rewards for being in Tradetown are the ability while the characters are visiting. It’s up to the GM whether
to exchange what you’ve found on the road for things you the rumors are true.
need, respite from the wilderness, and some unexpected
and good-natured social encounters. TRADETOWN RUMORS: AUTOKRATOR
This is the place for your party to return to multiple
times as they level, where they can feel like lauded heroes d6 RUMOR
every time they come back from a dangerous adventure.
The AutoKrator has been seen less than normal
Consider their relationships with the faction in charge, the 1 at the Resplendent Court of Gustatory Wonders.
Trade Guild, and the vendors they like and how those folks Could the AutoKrator be ill?
may have changed since the party’s last visit. Most factions
have a presence here; any quest for factions you’d like to 2 The AutoKrator’s army is planning a mutiny.
give out can be offered in Tradetown. Further, the remem-
brancers’ mail service makes Tradetown a great place to let The AutoKrator is from an alternate reality and is
3
the party know about a hook you have in another location. trying to get back.
Sometimes, a trip to Tradetown will be for shopping The AutoKrator is becoming weak and
and not much else. When you want to make a resupply 4 complacent; another warlord will soon overthrow
trip into something more special, roll on the Tradetown them.
Events table or take any one of the hooks from the other
tables and run with it. The AutoKrator has a magical bomb implanted
5 inside them that will destroy the entire city if it
ADVENTURE HOOKS goes off.
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
The AutoKrator’s helmet is the only real thing
introduce your table to Tradetown. 6 about them; it’s the humanoid body that’s the
costume.
25. Use the bandit stat block for the young Tossbottle.

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weird waStelandS 189
 TRADETOWN RUMORS:
FELLOWSHIP
last city of man
d6 RUMOR Immense piles of wind-whipped sand cluster around the base
of a squat tower of gleaming white stone, the broken remnants
The Fellowship is building something big under the of its domed crown scattered about the nearby dunes. Rubble
1 Resplendent Court of Gustatory Wonders. What fields, sand dunes, and the tops of partially buried structures
could it be? surround the tower and stretch toward the horizon.
The Fellowship is actually ruled by someone—or
2
something—coordinating its effort. background
The Fellowship consorts with demons—there’s
3 Ancient, pre-apocalyptic wizards first built a city here as
no other way they could do what they do.
an enclave for themselves to harness the site’s numerous
A rift between the rangers and the druids is magic energy currents that form a powerful ley line nexus.
4 growing over the next steps to revitalize the Slowly, the city’s influence and prosperity grew until it
land. was the glittering capital of a continent-spanning mage-
ocracy, the Mage’s Alliance Network. The MAN arranged
The Fellowship seeks to snuff out all magic in the the physical layout and dimensions of the city in harmony
5
Weird Wastelands but their own.
with the ley lines and used their harnessed power to usher
The last leader of Tradetown was killed by an in a golden age of magic. The wealth of the empire pro-
6 pelled the arts of spellcasting and artifice to tremendous
assassin secretly hired by the Fellowship.
heights, and the MAN was instrumental in the develop-
ment of arcanotech.
TRADETOWN RUMORS: This golden age could not last forever. As prosperity gave
ARCANOTECH CABAL way to decadence, the MAN grew belligerent and became
a key player in the magical wars that hastened the apoca-
d6 RUMOR
lypse and brought about the MAN’s doom. The fortified
The Arcanotech Cabal existed before the city fell when its leaders summoned a rain of pale fire to
1
apocalypse. Was the cataclysm their doing? devastate an attacking army just as their own defenses col-
lapsed. Both sides perished in the eldritch conflagration
2 The Arcanotech Cabal clones Tradetown visitors. that followed, leaving the wonders of their civilization
entombed in rubble and scorched earth.
The Arcanotech Cabal is capable of solving many of Over long ages the desert swallowed up the city, and its
3
the wasteland’s problems, but they choose not to.
original name was lost to time. Yet wastelanders haven’t
forgotten that this final city of the Mage’s Alliance Network
The Arcanotech Cabal may not even exist anymore,
4 but their magical machinations continue in produced the array of deadly arcanotech war machines
perpetuity, so who can say? that now litter the wasteland. The ruins shelter monstrous
desert predators as well as the ghoulish descendants of
The Arcanotech Cabal can hear everything said in the city’s inhabitants who capture travelers for food and
5
Tradetown. psionic experimentation. Their predations lead many
wastelanders to fear the blinding gleam of the city’s domed
6 The Arcanotech Cabal lives in a city above the sky.
buildings peeking through the sand. However, the arcane
power contained within the ley line nexus is a tempting
prize, and many of the city’s vaults remain sealed, filled
with arcanotech treasures for the taking.

Terrain
The terrain of the Last City of MAN has the following
qualities:
■ The ground here is a mix of sand dunes piled
high against the sides of massive stone buildings,
crumbling rooftops barely covered in sand, and low-
lying areas of exposed rubble and debris.

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 Ever-shifting sand
dunes provide a chance
for characters to visit
the Last City of MAN
repeatedly and find
something new with
each visit.
If you are using the
hex-based exploration
rules in chapter 3,
the Last City of MAN
can be placed in any
hex with the desert
terrain type. See the
“Wasteland Terrain Hex
Descriptions” section
on p. 111 in chapter 3 for
■ Ruined cyclopean architecture, towering GENERATING THE RUINS more information.
dunes, and sheltered pockets of sand-free There is no fixed map of the ruins, as the shifting
You can use as many
ground provide variations in elevation sand dunes that blanket the Last City of MAN d6s as you want for
for line of sight. make using standard location maps impossible. this. Rolling fewer
Visible landmarks and accessible entrances to dice will produce a
■ The desert sands that blanket the city are map that feels sparse
the buried city change day to day. You can por-
difficult terrain, and creatures cannot use but might be just what
tray this ever-changing ruinscape by randomly
the Dash action while moving across the you need for a single
generating a new map each time the players visit session that zooms in
sand. Creatures must succeed on a
the location, or you can the same map, adding on a small portion of
DC 10 Strength ability check to climb a
layers with each visit. the ruins. Conversely,
sand dune.
Dice-drop maps are quick to make and easily rolling many dice will
■ Exposed areas of crumbled masonry scalable, making them perfect for mapping the produce a map that
provide up to total cover and are difficult Last City of MAN. These maps are created by feels crowded but is
good for generating
terrain. dropping a handful of dice onto a blank piece large sections of the
of paper and noting their locations and results ruin that you can then
■ The sand dunes constantly shift,
in order to produce a rough map to which you detail as needed. We
burying exposed buildings and revealing
can add detail according to your preference recommend six to eight
new ones. A sudden sandstorm can dice for a satisfying
and your group’s playstyle. For GMs who like
dramatically change the ruined density of points of
detailed maps, this procedure is a prep tool to
landscape.26 interest to explore that
help you create an adventure location. For GMs isn’t too overwhelming
■ The terrain around the Last City of MAN who prefer to improvise locations, this quickly to prepare.
is sandy desert. gives you an idea of the location’s layout while
Destroy with extreme
also providing sparks of inspiration.
belligerence any dice
26 . See the “Wasteland Weather Hex Descriptions” on Use the following steps and accompanying
p. 120 in chapter 3 for guidelines on running that roll off the page;
sandstorms, including when to check for their
tables to create a dice-drop map of the Last City the others will never
occurrence. of MAN for your players to explore. respect you if you don’t.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 191
 1. Grab a blank sheet of paper and
a handful of d6s. The default scale is
special features
roughly 100 feet per inch of paper. The features detailed here distinguish the Last
City of MAN as a weird location and are available
2. Drop, roll, or otherwise cast the dice
to flesh out gameplay elements of the area. They
onto the paper.
are designed to complement interactions with
3. Consult the Dice-Drop Special other creatures and create engaging encounters.
Features table for each die rolled. On
the sheet of paper, mark where each die CAMPSITES
landed along with the special feature Scavengers and fortune seekers frequently set
determined by the result. Then remove up camp in the shelter of the ruins of the Last
the dice from the paper. City of MAN. There is a 25 percent chance a
camp is abandoned; otherwise, it is occupied by
4. Pick one or two areas on the map near
either 2d4 bandits and one thug or 2d6 tribal
clusters of buildings and draw in some
warriors and one scout. Roughly half of the
rubble fields covering at least 100 feet of
creatures occupying a campsite are out scroung-
ground.
ing through the nearby ruins within earshot of
5. The rest of the map is sand dunes. the camp. At least one creature occupying the
camp is on watch, during which it has advantage
DICE DROP on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
SPECIAL FEATURES27 Occupants frequently fortify their campsites
to provide cover for defenders, barricades to hin-
Here are some places d6 NOTABLE FEATURE der attackers, and tripwire alarms to warn them
to look for appropriate
things to find in Last 1 Campsite
of intruders. Creatures can detect a tripwire
City of MAN campsites: with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
Trade Goods table 2 Excavation Site check and can disable the alarm with a success-
(chapter 2, p. 76), ful DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
3 Monster Lair
Survival Gear table Failure on either check triggers the alarm and
(chapter 2, p. 82), 4–6 Ruined Building alerts the campsite occupants.
Common Food table
(chapter 2, p. 78), I Many campsites have hidden stashes of sup-
Search the Body table 27. See the descriptions of these notable features in the plies, valuable salvage, or survival gear placed
(chapter 4, p. 171). “Special Features” section that follows. there by current or former occupants.

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192 weird waStelandS
EXCAVATION SITES
There are several large dig sites around the city’s
EXCAVATION SITE BURIED
TREASURE
ruins where wastelanders seek to recover buried
arcanotech or vehicles of the lost age. There is d100 BURIED TREASURE
a 25 percent chance an excavation site is aban-
01–08 Beam pistol
doned with the dig only partially complete;
otherwise, a salvage crew occupies the dig site. It 09–16 Beam rifle
takes considerable organization and resources to 17–24 Glyph orb
undertake an excavation in the sand-choked ru-
ins, and these fortified sites have guards posted 25–32 Hexsteel weapon, +1
to keep the diggers safe. Roll on the Excavation 33–37 Big Tank (vehicle)
Site Salvage Crew table to determine the who’s
doing the digging.28 38–42 Animated alchemy lab
43–46 Hexsteel weapon, +2
EXCAVATION SITE 47–50 Phaser
SALVAGE CREW
51–54 Pulse staff
d10 AFFILIATION CREATURES
55–58 Repulsor ray
1d6 + 1 guards, 59–62 Technical Truck (vehicle)
Arcanotech
1–5 2d4 scroungers
Cabal
1 field agent 63–66 Voltaic caster
67–69 Arc rifle
3d4 + 2 scroungers,
6–8 Wastelanders
1 hired goon 70–72 Hexsteel weapon, +3
73–75 Hovering shield
Blood Harpy 1d4 harpy zerkers,
9
Legion 2d4 recruits 76–78 Magma cannon
79–81 Pulse rifle
1d6 free-spear
The warriors, 82–84 Transport Automaton (vehicle)
10
Fellowship 1 preserver,
85–86 Disruptor
1 warden
87–88 Hexsteel plate
89–93 Arcanotech reactor (arcanotech wonder)
The Excavation Site Buried Treasure table is a list
of potential arcanotech and vehicles in need of 94–95 BFG (arcanotech wonder)
excavation.29 Single arcanotech items are usually
96–97 Circle of life (arcanotech wonder)
hidden inside secret compartments in the re-
mains of buried buildings or underneath rubble 98–99 Hunger bank (arcanotech wonder)
heaps and are typically locked away in durable 100 Golden Sky Barge (vehicle)
storage containers. Vehicles and arcanotech
wonders are most often buried in sand and rub-
ble, requiring 4d12 hours of strenuous digging MONSTER LAIRS How many diggers
per size category to fully excavate. Fortunately, Some predatory monsters seek shelter from can dig? As many as
the ancients built these objects to last, and most the sandy wastes in the ruins of the Last City of you think is reasonable
for your game. About
arcanotech is useable once recovered. MAN. Roll on the Monster Lair Creatures table
two Medium humanoids
to determine the number and type of creature(s) per size category
28. More info about the four factions in the Affiliation lurking in the lair. Additionally, you can use the sounds about right to
column can be found in the “Wasteland Factions” table to stock any location with monsters the- us. Of course, savvy
section on p. 140 of chapter 4.
matic to the Last City of MAN, populate desert wastelanders would
29. See chapter 2 for details on vehicles and arcanotech shorten this time by
magic items, including the items in the Excavation Site hexes, or spice up one of the suggested encoun-
using summoned
Buried Treasure table. ters detailed later in the location description.30 creatures, mindless
undead, simple
30 . See the “Desert” subsection in the “Terrain-Based constructs, and earth-
Encounter Tables” section on p. 163 of chapter 4 for
moving magic.
more desert encounters.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 193
 MONSTER LAIR CREATURES RUINED BUILDINGS
d20 MONSTER d100 BUILDING
1 2d6 + 2 jackals or hyenas 01–03 City fortification, gatehouse with adjoining walls
2 1d4 + 3 giant weasels 04–10 City fortification, arcane artillery embankment
3 1d6 giant lizards 11–15 City fortification, guard barracks
4 1d6 + 1 giant wolf spiders 16–20 Nexus architecture, channeling glyphs
5 1 giant hyena 21–23 Aqueduct or viaduct, destroyed or fortified
6 1d4 + 3 grimlocks 24–25 Signal tower, charred or still operational
7 1 specter 26–30 Tenement housing
8 1d4 giant vultures 31–35 Modest townhouse
9 1d3 ghouls 36–40 Opulent manor, preserved or vandalized
10 1d6 + 1 worgs 41–43 Archmage’s manse
11 1 saber-toothed tiger 44–45 Public official’s palace
12 1 ghoul, 1d4 grimlocks 46–48 Small temple or shrine
13 1d4 gargoyles 49–50 Multistory enclosed market
14 1d4 ochre jellies 51–53 Academy or school
15 1 grick 54–55 Multitiered plaza or park
16 1 phase spider 56–57 Walled and terraced garden
17 1 mummy, 1d4 + 1 skeletons 58–59 Artisan workshop
18 1 black pudding 60–61 Warehouse, fully stocked or looted
19 1 blue dragon wyrmling 62–63 Cavernous guildhall
20 1 thool,31 1d6 grimlocks 64–65 Entrance tower to subterranean prison complex
66–67 Large temple
RUINED BUILDINGS 68–69 Amphitheater or opera hall
Many ruined structures of the buried city emerge from 70–71 Mausoleum, desecrated
the nearby sand, with rooftops and upper stories peek-
72–73 Ossuary, overfull
ing through the dunes. In some places, clusters of these
buildings form shelters, some of which feature unburied 74–75 Bath house, operational
entrances waiting to be opened. To generate one of these 76–77 Arena, stadium, or racetrack
buildings, first roll on the Ruined Buildings table to deter-
78–79 Observatory, celestial or planar
mine the building’s former purpose, then roll on the State
of Ruin table to determine its current condition. Buildings 80–81 Library or hall of civic records
near each other are often connected through a shared 82–83 Soaring ceremonial bell tower
cellar or short tunnels dug through the sand by the ruin’s Enormous, animated stone head,
monstrous inhabitants. 84–85
prophetic or spiteful
If you rolled a 6 on the Dice Drop Special Features table
86–87 Feet and plinth of a massive statue
or if you want to give a ruined building a little more
story, use the Notable Ruins table to add detail to its 88–89 Plaza of triumphant monuments
description. 90–91 Magic accumulator

31. The thool stat block can be found on p. 309 in chapter 6.

92–93 Ley line–focusing obelisk
94–95 Arcane manufactory
96–97 Automaton arsenal
98–99 Notable ruin (roll on the Notable Ruins table)
Reroll twice on the Ruined Buildings table and
100
combine the two buildings by a shared wall

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

194 weird waStelandS
 STATE OF RUIN32
EXCAVATION COLLAPSE
d100 STATE DC DAMAGE
Demolished. A huge, ruined pile of debris and sand. Subterranean rooms are
01–10 15 3d10
crumbling and filled with sand.
Crumbling. A few free-standing walls or support structures remain but are
11–25 unstable. Any remaining rooms are filled with sand. Basements and cellars 13 2d10
might be sand-free.
Partial Ruin. No roof. Rooms in the upper floor are crumbling and filled with
26–75 sand. Lower floors are relatively clear and possibly connected to nearby 11 1d10
buildings. Likely inhabited or has been recently.
Cosmetic Damage. Structure is mostly intact and structurally sound. Interior is
76–90 — —
probably clear and likely inhabited.
Pristine. Untouched by the ravages of time and sand due to a sheath of force,
91–100 an enduring spell, or blessed construction. The nature of the preservation might — —
mean it requires magical means to enter.

NOTABLE RUINS
d8 RUIN DESCRIPTION
An enchanted arboretum greenhouse untouched by the calamity, still a riot of verdant life tended by diminutive
1 ceramic automatons. The air here is warm and humid, perfect for the variety of lush fruit trees, flowers, vines, and
insects that flourish in this micro-jungle.
A small, domed gladiatorial arena. Hidden beneath the arena floor is a cramped maze of steel cages, holding
2
cells, and pits. The corpses of hundreds of mangled humanoids have been packed tightly into the locked cages.
An arcane automaton foundry, a cathedral of magical artifice, sits virtually unmarred by time. A warren of
3 laboratories, workshops, dormitories, reagent reservoirs, and enchanted forges surrounds its cavernous assembly
bay. It is now the lair of psionic thool and their grimlock-ghoul thralls.33
A monumental mausoleum containing countless mummified animals, a breathtaking variety of preserved
pets, livestock, wild animals, and exotic monstrosities of all kinds. Deep within the mausoleum is an enormous
4
sepulchral chamber with dozens of skeletal whales and other aquatic life suspended from the ceiling. Haunting
whale songs echo through the halls.
A magically cooled chamber for the near-dead, their pale-blue skin covered in a delicate lattice of frost crystals.
5 They rest on dark-blue stone slabs covered in the same rime. Languid glyphs create a pervasive sense of lethargy
and stillness that wears away at the vitality of living creatures.
A labyrinthine network of vaulted cisterns that magically refreshes itself with hundreds of thousands of gallons of
fresh water every day at dawn. Access appears limited to hatches in the ceiling, the ladders leading down long
6
since removed. Large, predatory shapes swim through the dark waters, and the deepest reservoirs are home to a
small community of eyeless merfolk.

The sealed tomb-prison of the depraved Last Emperor, whose name was stricken from all monuments and
chronicles as punishment for his crimes. Beyond the sealed door is a series of auspiciously aligned rooms whose
7
every surface bear the engraved curses and binding spells that prevent the dread sovereign from breaking free.
Stone golems, bound elementals, and guardian undead sworn to eternal vigilance defend the tomb.

The domed manse of a star-gazing archmage. The ceiling of the central chamber shows a familiar night sky,
enchanted to depict the movement of constellations both past, present, and future. Shelves along the wall hold
8
a multitude of star catalogues, constellation maps, and scholarly texts. A single red star, the demon star Algol,
shines the brightest, its intensity increasing slowly until the room is bathed in red light.

32. See the “Excavating a Ruined Building” section on p. 196 for information on utilizing the excavation DC and collapse damage mechanics.
33. The thool stat block can be found on p. 309 of chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 195
 Excavating a Ruined Building move through the space, or anything that creates strong
The interiors of many ruined buildings are filled with vibrations in the area trigger a collapse.
compacted sand, fallen masonry, smashed furnishings, Creatures caught in a collapse must attempt a Dexterity
and other debris. A building’s condition (as determined by saving throw versus the excavation DC. On a failure, a crea-
rolling on the State of Ruin table) provides suggestions for ture is buried in stone and sand and takes bludgeoning dam-
how much of the interior is filled as well as the excavation age according to the Collapse Damage column of the State
DC to clear away the debris. Characters have disadvantage of Ruin table. On a success, a creature is not buried and takes
on checks made to tunnel through or excavate the interior half damage. Buried creatures are blinded and restrained,
of these buildings due to their instability. have total cover, and must hold their breath or begin to
With shovels, picks, crowbars, and something to haul suffocate. A creature can attempt to unbury itself or unbury
away sand, it takes 1d4 × 10 minutes to clear enough space another creature by using 1 minute to dig and succeeding on
for a Medium creature to move or rest comfortably (rough- a Strength ability check versus the excavation DC.
ly 10 feet by 10 feet). This is enough space to pass through
most chambers inside a building. Without the right tools, LEY LINE NEXUS
it takes 2d4 × 10 minutes to clear the same space. At the A confluence of magical energies permeates the region,
GM’s discretion, multiple creatures may work together to forming a vast reservoir of power for spellcasters who dare
excavate faster. tap into it. The architectural geomancy built to tame the
For every 10 minutes spent digging, roll 1d6. On a ley lines remains largely intact, a testament to the potency
1, a random encounter occurs. Use the Monster Lairs of the fallen civilization. However, the magical scars left
Creatures table earlier in this section to determine the by the city’s fall react strangely with the nexus, frequently
specifics of the encounter. manifesting as arcane anomalies.
Once they’re done excavating, one of the participating
creatures must attempt an Intelligence or Wisdom ability Arcane Anomalies
check versus the ruined building’s excavation DC. On a At least one building from the Notable Ruins table should
failure, the excavation is unstable and may collapse when have an arcane anomaly; this anomaly can change or end
moved through. The GM determines who is caught in a any time at the GM’s discretion. Anomalies affect at least
collapsing tunnel, by random roll or through conversation some part of the space of the ruin, such as a series of rooms
with the players. Spells that deal thunder or force dam- within a building. The specific areas of effect are deter-
age, any Large or larger creatures or objects attempting to mined by the GM. Creatures are subject to an anomaly’s

ARCANE ANOMALIES
d6 ANOMALY
Antimagic field. Within the area, spells can’t be cast, summoned creatures disappear, and magic items become
mundane. Spells and other magical effects, except those created by an artifact or arcanotech wonder, are
1
suppressed in the area and can’t enter it. Spellcasters may negate the field and cast a spell while in the area by
rolling on their group’s preferred “wild magic” table. The wild magic effect takes place after the spell’s effect.
Spatial expansion. Distance expands in this area. Distances between all objects and creatures are always twice as
2 far as they appear to be. While in the area, it is impossible for creatures to touch other creatures or objects. Attack
rolls automatically fail, and creatures have advantage on saving throws to resist spells with an area of effect.
Temporal echoes. Faint whispers and ghostly, fleeting images reveal past events that took place within the area.
3 Depending on the area, these echoes of the past might impart otherwise unattainable information or reveal valuable
secrets such as hidden doors, concealed routes through the rubble, magical passwords, or the location of treasure.
Mental static. Spellcasters in the area hear an incessant droning in their minds. While concentrating on a spell
4 within the area, spellcasters must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of their turns to
maintain concentration.
Spatial contraction. Distance contracts in this area. All creatures and objects in the area are within reach of
5 each other, and creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to resist spells with an area of effect. Spaces are
considered one size smaller for the purposes of movement and creature size.
Entropic aura. Decaying magic eats away at creatures and objects. Once per minute, all creatures in the area must
attempt a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 2d8 necrotic damage on a failure or half as much on a success. If
6
this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it dies immediately and begins to decay. Unattended objects take full
damage and crumble to dust when destroyed.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

196 weird waStelandS
effect when they first enter its area and continue to be af- they can apply that Metamagic to a spell without needing
fected by the anomaly until they leave the area. to spend sorcery points.

Ley Line Attunement DEN OF THOOLS

Spellcasters may attune to the network of ley lines as part The interconnected cellars and buried vaults of the ruined
of a short rest taken while they are in the Last City of Last City of MAN are inhabited by grimlocks, ghouls, and
MAN. The attunement ends if the spellcaster spends more the pale, statuesque undead known as thools who rule over
than 1 hour outside the city. Ley line attunement takes up the other survivors. Thools claim they are the descendants
an attunement slot as if it were a magic item. of the city’s survivors and take their name from their long-
While attuned, non-sorcerer spellcasters gain sorcery forgotten founder who shepherded them through the hard-
points as if they were sorcerers equal to their current level. ships of the city’s downfall. Despite this claim, thools nei-
With these sorcery points, they can convert sorcery points ther cast spells nor attune themselves to the ley lines that
into spell slots as per the sorcerer’s Font of Magic feature run throughout the ruins, and they do not seek to restore
and have access to the Empowered Spell, Extended Spell, the city to its former glory. Instead, they practice a form of
and Heightened Spell Metamagic options. Completing a life-consuming psychometabolism to grant themselves un-
long rest within the Last City of MAN restores any spent naturally long lives and use their mastery of fleshcrafting to
sorcery points gained from this attunement. fashion weapons, armor, and tools from the bodies of once-
Sorcerers double the maximum number of sorcery living creatures. Both thools and their underlings subsist
points they can have for their level when attuned to the primarily on the flesh and vital life force of the living. They
ley line nexus. When they first attune, they immediately predate on each other if needed but prefer to subsist on
regain sorcery points up to their enhanced maximum. wastelanders who come to the city to loot its buried riches.
Additionally, they can use the Empowered Spell, Extended Thools make their lairs in the deepest subterranean parts
Spell, and Heightened Spell Metamagic options. If the of the ruins where it is darkest and quietest. Down in the
sorcerer already knows one of those Metamagic options, dark, they practice their sinister psionic experiments, cre-
ating horrifying abominations and spending long periods
of time in deep meditation.
profile: thool
suggested encounters
Personality: Calculating and arrogant. A thool has The Last City of MAN Encounters table lists both the crea-
committed many atrocities to survive and will do
tures that lair in or near the Last City of MAN and crea-
so again and again.
tures who have some reason to visit. Each entry contains
Ideal: Cruelty. Pain and fear are the weapons I use a brief description of the creatures and a prompt for an
to demonstrate my power over weaker creatures. encounter scenario. The encounter descriptions detail any
Bond: I am protective of other thools and my modifications to the base creature stat block and special
favored servants. considerations for running the encounter. The GM may
Flaw: I have an overwhelming fixation on inflicting use their preferred method for determining who or what
pain on living creatures. the party encounters at the location. Estimated difficulty
Legend: While the ruins of the Last City of MAN is based on a party of four adventurers of 2nd level.
hide many threats, few are more dangerous
than the bands of thools that stalk its sunken
LAST CITY OF MAN ENCOUNTERS
chambers. They venture forth into the ruins
or surrounding desert, alone or at the head of D8 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY
packs of ghouls, on the hunt to capture healthy
humanoids for experimentation and food. 1 Automaton defender Easy
The learned remembrancers of Tradetown 2 Wasteland scavengers Easy
speculate that thools lost their connection to
magic when the city fell and thus had to develop 3 Ghoulish grimlocks Medium
psionic talents to survive. Some even whisper that 4 Burrowing vermin Medium
the prevalence of psychic abilities among waste-
5 Predatory warbeast Hard
landers is a consequence of thool experimenta-
tion. Regardless, few wastelanders escape their 6 Blood Legion patrol Hard
clutches, and no wastelander has ever found one 7 Cabal treasure hunters Deadly
of their hidden dens and lived to tell about it.
8 Thool hunter Deadly

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 197
 AUTOMATON DEFENDER GHOULISH GRIMLOCKS
Rhythmic, rusty creaks accompany a sand-scoured and From a partially buried building, you catch a brief glimpse
heavily armed humanoid automaton as it patrols along a of a pale humanoid with cloudy eyes before it fades into the
length of crumbling wall. dark recesses of the ruin. The faint smell of dried blood and
The automaton is 60 feet from the party and walking away barely audible chatter emanate from the ruin’s interior.
from them when first encountered. It continues walking There are five cunning cannibals hiding in the shadows of
away for another 2d6 × 10 feet before turning around and a nearby ruin. The group taunts any humanoids who come
walking back. It immediately attacks any creatures it sees. within earshot from the safety of their dark rooms, hop-
Treat the automaton defender as an animated armor ing to ambush and devour the foolhardy who come inside.
with the following changes to its stat block: They do not venture into direct sunlight if they can help it.
If the party ignores their taunts, the cannibals wait until
■ Dexterity 14 (+2)
nightfall, follow them to their camp, and launch a surprise
■ Wisdom 11 (+0) attack while the party sleeps.
The cannibals are grimlocks with the following changes
■ Proficiency in Perception
to their stat blocks:
■ Passive Perception 12 ■ Undead creature type
■ Additional attack option (can be used as part of ■ Immunity to poison damage
its Multiattack): Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4
to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) ■ Immunity to the charmed, exhaustion,
piercing damage. and poisoned conditions
Speak and understand Common
WASTELAND SCAVENGERS
■

■ Benefits of Stone Camouflage apply to ruined

A faint whiff of smoke gives away the presence of a terrain, including the debris-filled building
nearby camp. interiors of the Last City of MAN
Three wastelanders and their leader, a small scrounging
party for an up-and-coming war boss, seek respite in the BURROWING VERMIN
ruins. They’re on edge but avoid fighting unless the odds
are strongly in their favor. The leader, a well-armed reaver, The sand shifts suddenly underneath your feet, growing
half-heartedly attempts to recruit any martial characters increasingly unstable as patches of sand begin to drain into
into joining their growing war band. a sinkhole beneath you. Chitinous mandibles glistening
Treat the three wastelanders as bandits. Treat the reaver with caustic ichor emerge from the expanding sinkhole.
as a hobgoblin with the following changes to its stat block: An ankheg has laid a circular sinkhole trap 10 feet deep
and 10 feet in diameter. Creatures caught in the area can
■ Hit point maximum 18
attempt a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw to avoid slipping

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198 weird waStelandS
down the slope into the reach of the ankheg at the bottom Six members of the Arcanotech Cabal have just uncovered
of the sinkhole. The ankheg has readied an action to at- a promising treasure and are distracted (−5 to their passive
tack the first creature that comes within reach. Perception). Roll on the Excavation Site Buried Treasure35
The area of the sinkhole is difficult terrain, and creatures table to determine what they have found.
without a burrowing speed caught within the area have The technomage, Rave Vexacion, and her entourage are
disadvantage on attack rolls while in the area. A creature wary of strangers but confident in their ability to defend
can use its action to attempt a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) their prize. She parleys with characters who behave civilly
check to climb out of the sinkhole. and speak candidly.
The technomage is a mage,36 and the rest of her entou-
PREDATORY WARBEAST rage are one spy and four guards.

In the distance, glints of blinding sunlight flash off the THOOL HUNTER
reflective carapace of a magically altered arachnid as it
emerges from its lair beneath a large rubble pile. A gray, gaunt figure flits between pools of deep shadow,
This solitary spell-warped giant scorpion stalks the ru-
34 stalking its prey.
ined city during the day, devouring anything it can grab A single thool37 hunts the moonlit ruins and darkened
with its claws. It attacks any living creatures it sees. chambers of the buried city. It prefers stealth and ambush
The spell-warped warbeast is a giant scorpion with the to direct attack and seeks to capture a healthy-looking
following changes to its stat block: humanoid to bring back to its subterranean lair for
experimentation.
■ Resistance to fire and radiant damage
■ Additional trait: Blinding Carapace. While
the giant scorpion is in bright light, a creature
rewards
that starts its turn within 30 feet of the giant Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to
scorpion and can see it must succeed on a DC 12 be found within the area.
Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the
start of the creature’s next turn. EXPERIENCE
In addition to standard experience awarded during com-
BLOOD LEGION PATROL bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned
while exploring the Last City of MAN:
A pair of winged humanoid shadows glide across the sandy
ruins, circling in a slow loop. ■ Tunneling through a buried building’s
interior – 200 XP for the first room, 50 XP for
Two harpy zerkers of the Blood Legion are eager to test
each additional room
their mettle in battle and will launch themselves into
battle with gleeful, shrieking abandon. ■ Removing all the sand and debris from a large
The patrol are harpies with the following changes to building – 5,000 XP
their stat block: ■ Excavating a buried arcanotech wonder – 1,000 XP
■ Additional trait: Blood Frenzy. The harpy has ■ Gaining Rave Vexacion’s trust – 350 XP
advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature
that doesn’t have all its hit points ■ Rescuing a wastelander from a thool den – 1,500 XP
■ Additional trait: Brute. A melee weapon deals one
extra die of its damage when the harpy hits with it. ARCANOTECH TREASURES
The ruined buildings of the Last City of MAN are a major
■ Replace clubs with sickles
source of magical materials, spell components, and ar-
■ No Luring Song action canotech devices. If you are using the scrap resource from
chapter 4, the Last City of MAN is an abundant source of
CABAL TREASURE HUNTERS arcanotech scrap and vehicle spare parts.38

A canvas tarp snaps in the swift breeze, sheltering a recent 35. The Excavation Site Buried Treasure table is on p. 193.
excavation. The sound of metal scraping on stone and 36. See p. 140 in chapter 4 for more information about the Arcanotech
murmurs of excitement emanate from beneath the covering. Cabal faction.
37. The thool stat block can be found on p. 309 of chapter 6.
34. The spell-warped creature template can be found on p. 292 of 38. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of chapter 3.
chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 199
 putting it all together that the creatures, tables, and even the excavation rules
presented here can be adapted to any desert environment.
Whether you use the dice-drop map generation rules pre-
sented here or come up with the entire map of the city and ADVENTURE HOOKS
its surroundings on your own, the purposes of the Last Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
City of MAN remain the same: to enrich the wastes with introduce your table to the Last City of MAN.
the remnants of a civilization long gone and to provide
players with a location to explore the history, riches, and RUMORS
dangers such a place presents. If there are multiple casters Presented here are ten rumors about the Last City of MAN.
in your party or if you have a table who likes to delve into These rumors can be used to draw your table to the loca-
the lore and history of the world you’re creating together, tion or to create additional drama while the characters are
the Last City of MAN is prime territory. Keep in mind visiting. It’s up to the GM whether the rumors are true.

LAST CITY OF MAN ADVENTURE HOOKS

d4 ADVENTURE HOOK

The Last Emperor (see entry 7 on the Notable Ruins table) calls out to one or more characters in visions and
dreams. Shrouded in shadows, he calls upon them to discover his name and speak it aloud at the threshold of his
1
sealed tomb. Doing so opens the tomb and breaks the engraved curses contained within but also activates the
tomb’s construct, elemental, and undead defenders.

A group of nomads have set up a fortified camp in a ruined building near the edge of the city. Thools kidnapped
2 several members of their group recently, and none of the rescuers sent after them have returned. The nomad
leaders ask the party to help rescue their comrades, freely sharing what aid and information they have.
A vital arcanotech wonder used by the party’s home settlement will run out of power soon. Locals know that a
working arcanotech reactor within the Last City of MAN can recharge the spell batteries used by their wonder,
3 but it has been too long since the last recharge and no one knows exactly where the reactor is or how to use it.
The settlement’s leaders can keep the wonder working on emergency reserves for now, but they need the party
to find a way to recharge the cumbersome batteries and bring them back home.

For weeks now local soothsayers and fortune tellers have reported dire omens regarding a demonic red star
appearing in the night sky. A wizened diviner recalls that the astromancers who dwelled in the Last City of MAN
4
kept extensive star catalogues and maps of the heavens (see entry 8 in the Notable Ruins table). The diviner
wants to hire the party to enter the ruins and find out more about this malevolent star before it is too late.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

200 weird waStelandS
 LAST CITY OF MAN RUMORS toxic alchemical sump
d10 RUMOR Nestled amid craggy rocks and rusting scrap are pools of
magical sludge that give off sharp, acrid fumes. Brightly
Remembrancers say that the buried city was the
colored moss and lichen blanket the rocks, and seemingly me-
last bastion of civilization before the end times
1 tallic grasses cluster around the edges of the pools. There is an
came and that it was filled with all the wonders
of that lost age. incessant, barely audible droning coming from somewhere.

Colossal sand dunes cover much of the city,

hiding landmarks and filling up the interiors of background
2 the ruined buildings. However, some buildings
remain intact, their interiors clear of sand and Long before the present day, in the decadent twilight era of
their vaults still full. the Mage’s Alliance Network,39 an elemental-powered rac-
ing airship crashed in a verdant valley bordered by rolling,
The existence of the city and the wondrous woodland hills. The catastrophic landing gouged a deep
treasures said to remain there are well known. furrow in the earth before the mangled ship came to a stop
3
Unfortunately, few know how to find the city near the base of a gentle hill. The shattered reservoirs of
amid the desert sand.
its arcanotech engines leaked potent alchemical fluids into
Scroungers say that desert predators and the ground, killing vegetation for miles around. In time,
4 abominations spawned by the decaying magic of the airship was buried by the desert it created.
the ley line nexus stalk the ruins of the city. In the years following the collapse of civilization, a band
of techno-arcanist survivors partially excavated the crash
Successful salvage expeditions to the buried
site in search of ancient lore. They regarded the site as sa-
city frequently return with massive hauls of
5 cred and took measures to calm the spirits still trapped
arcanotech scrap, spare construct parts, spell
components, and alchemical reagents. in the arcanotech reactor they found inside. The band
stayed at the crash site for a time, greatly increasing their
Nomads tell tales of a network of cisterns filled knowledge of technomancy and taking care to hide their
with eternally renewing water that lie beneath presence against rapacious marauders. The wisest of the
6 the city ruins and of magically preserved technomancers, Barbarsus, Master of the Polyptych Sche-
gardens enclosed in glass that still have fruit-
ma, was interred within the ship-turned-enclave upon his
bearing plants.
death. The remaining technomancers dispersed across
Legends claim that a powerful ley line nexus lies the wasteland and likely died long ago, but rumors of the
at the heart of a city that spellcasters can use to tomb of the arcanotech magus persist, particularly among
7
enhance their magic. But the nexus is also the eager apprentices of the Arcanotech Cabal.40
source of the ruin’s arcane anomalies. Nowadays, locals mostly avoid the pools, regarding
A group of statuesque undead humanoids, them as haunted. Scavengers and alchemists occasionally
the descendants of the city’s citizens, inhabits visit the crash site to harvest scrap or magical reagents,
8 the deepest parts of the ruins. They abduct although most salvage is deteriorated beyond use.
wastelanders for their cruel fleshcrafting
experiments. terrain
The Arcanotech Cabal has an open bounty on
information regarding the location of arcanotech The terrain of the Toxic Alchemical Sump has the follow-
9 wonders within the city and often sends ing qualities:
expeditions to uncover a newly discovered ■ Rocky outcroppings count as difficult terrain.
wonder.
■ Boulders in the area grant half or total cover.
Harpy scouts of the Blood Legion scour the ruins
10 looking for weapons to bring back to their war ■ Ability checks made to find footprints or tracks in
queen. the sludge-soaked sand are made with advantage.
■ Fumes from the sludge pools create a haze in the
sump. The entire area is lightly obscured.

39. See the Last City of MAN on p. 190 for more info.
40 . See p. 140 in chapter 4 for more information about the Arcanotech
Cabal faction.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 201
special features of undisturbed work, at the end of which the
harvester must attempt a DC 15 Intelligence
The Toxic Alchemical
Sump’s special fea-
The features detailed here distinguish the Toxic (Alchemist’s Supplies) check, gathering 100 gp tures reward players for
Alchemical Sump as a weird location and are worth of universal reagent on a success.42 If the thinking cleverly about
the dangerous environ-
available to flesh out gameplay elements of the harvester fails the check by 5 or more, it does ment their characters
area. They are designed to complement interac- not recover usable material and must roll to see are in. A group can
tions with other creatures and create engaging if it is affected by the toxic waste, as detailed in harvest sludge, dredge
encounters. the following section. the pools, negotiate
with bound elementals,
ALCHEMICAL POOLS Toxic Waste and discover the hidden
tomb all without need-
Collections of caustic sludge and putrid magical Any living creature that touches the sludge from ing to incorporate the
liquids bubble up from a buried airship’s reser- the pools must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution suggested encounters.
voirs, giving off a haze of toxic fumes. saving throw or contract a magical disease from However, the features
the Alchemical Contagions table. A creature that influence the encounters
Falling In ingests liquid from the pools automatically fails you include and are a
Movement in the pools is limited to 5 feet per powerful tool in shaping
this saving throw. A creature must repeat this your group’s experi-
turn due to the thick, sticky sludge. Creatures saving throw each round it remains in contact ence. When prepping to
that enter a pool are considered grappled and im- with the liquid. run the sump or select-
mediately sink 1 foot into the sludge. At the start ing which parts to use,
of each of the creature’s turns, it sinks another consider how the special
foot. If the creature is not completely submerged, ALCHEMICAL CONTAGIONS features and encoun-
it can use an action to attempt a DC 10 Strength d6 CONTAGION ters interact with each
other. If a fight breaks
(Athletics) check, escaping on a success. On a
1 Arcane paroxysm out, will the monsters
failure, the creature becomes restrained and con- use the sludge pools?
tinues sinking. Creatures that sink completely 2 Crystalline aches How might the bound el-
begin to suffocate. Another creature within 5 ementals react to events
3 Explosive elemental imbalance that unfold? Will they as-
feet of the sinking target can also attempt this
check, freeing the sinking creature on a success. 4 Extrasensory stupor sist or hinder the party in
combat or attempt to in-
5 Homunculus rash fluence them in a parley
Fumes with NPCs? There’s lots
Living creatures that spend more than 1 hour in 6 Necromorphic fever of gameplay potential
the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution in this location based on
saving throw or become poisoned until they which elements you use
complete a long rest in an area without fumes. Arcane Paroxysm when you run it.
A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is You break out in a cold sweat, becoming jittery The contagions are not
immune to the effects of the fumes for 24 hours. linked to any sludge
and jumpy as your mind races with incoherent pool on purpose. It is up
Sludge Dredging fragments of spell incantations. to you, the GM, to de-
The target replaces a random known or prepared termine a sludge pool’s
Strange shapes beneath the pools’ viscous sur-
alchemical contagion.
faces hint at many treasures underneath. To spell with arcane paroxysm, a parasitic spell. If
You could use a random
dredge an object off the bottom of a sludge pool, the target knows its spells, this replacement is roll each time a creature
a creature needs a grappling hook and rope or temporary, and its chosen spells return when the comes into contact with
a similar item. At the end of each hour spent contagion ends. Creatures that lack the ability to the same pool, high-
dredging the sludge, a creature must attempt cast spells are unaffected by this contagion. lighting the volatile and
Whenever the target attempts to cast a spell us- unstable nature of the
a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, recovering sludge, or you could roll
an object from the Dredge Treasures table41 on ing a spell slot, it must attempt a Charisma saving on the table once for
a success. If a creature fails the check by 5 or throw versus its own spell save DC. On a success, each pool. Alternatively,
more, it falls into the sludge. it casts the spell as normal, and arcane paroxysm you could assign the
replaces an additional known or prepared spell. various contagions to in-
Sludge Harvesting On a failure, arcane paroxysm casts itself using the dividual pools ahead of
time. For simplicity, you
The sludge in the Toxic Alchemical Sump is a caster’s highest-level available spell slot.
can choose one conta-
valuable spell component and alchemical ingre- The contagion ends when the caster does not gion for all the pools.
dient. Harvesting usable sludge requires 1 hour expend a spell slot for 24 consecutive hours. This flexibility lets you
adjust the difficulty of
41. The Dredge Treasures table can be found on p. 210 in 42. See the “Rewards” section on p. 209 for more the location to meet the
the Toxic Alchemical Sump “Rewards” section. information on universal reagent. needs of your group.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 203
 Extrasensory Stupor
New Spell: Arcane Paroxysm
Your vision goes blank, and you lose control of your motor
1st-level abjuration
functions as a continual stream of visions parades through
your mind.
Casting Time: Special (see arcane paroxysm
contagion description) The target is blinded, incapacitated, and unable to speak.
Range: Self (30-foot-radius sphere) While affected by this contagion, a target can attempt
to glean some cosmic insight from its visions at the end
Components: V, S
of each hour. To do so, the target must attempt a DC 15
Duration: Instantaneous Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, the target may ask
All spellcasters within 30 feet of you must the GM one question regarding the campaign which the
succeed on a Constitution saving throw or GM must answer truthfully in a short phrase. On a failure,
contract arcane paroxysm. the target does not learn anything, and it takes psychic
When you cast this spell using a 2nd-level spell damage equal to its Wisdom ability score.
slot or higher, the radius increases by 10 feet per The contagion ends when the target finishes a long rest.
spell level above 1st.
Homunculus Rash

Crystalline Aches You double over in pain as your skin begins to fester and
boil, forming cysts that burst open to reveal tiny versions of
Your joints stiffen, and even the slightest movement causes yourself.
increasing levels of pain as grinding pressure builds within The target is poisoned. While poisoned, the target can
your bones. see a swarm of tiny, hostile homunculi form from cysts all
The target moves with great difficulty, and its speed is over its body as each one bursts free. The swarm cannot
halved. Additionally, for every 5 feet the target moves us- be touched or harmed, seeming to dart out of reach or
ing its own speed, the target takes piercing damage equal scramble for cover if attacked, and it cannot be targeted
to its Dexterity modifier as blood-red crystal growths or affected by spells. While the swarm appears real to the
break through its skin. If this damage reduces the target target, creatures other than the target cannot perceive
to 0 hit points, it fully crystalizes and becomes petrified. the swarm unless they are also affected by homunculus
The contagion ends when the target finishes a long rest. rash.
The swarm harasses, mocks, and hinders the target,
Explosive Elemental Imbalance preventing it from gaining the benefits of a rest. When
the target attempts to move, it must succeed on a DC 10
Your skin glows with scintillating light that pulses Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. On a success, the
erratically. A surging charge of elemental power builds target does not fall prone, and the homunculi swarm dis-
within you toward an explosive crescendo with each flash appears for 1 hour before returning to harass the target
of light. again.
The target sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and gains The contagion ends when the target succeeds on three
a pool of 30d6 damage dice that represent the elemental of these saving throws.
energy within. At the end of 1 hour, the target combusts
in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on it. Each creature in Necromorphic Fever
the affected area must attempt a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw, taking 10d6 fire, 10d6 lightning, and 10d6 radiant You take on a sickly pallor and become lethargic, emitting a
damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. The af- faint greenish-white glow when in darkness.
fected target automatically fails this saving throw. The target projects an enervating aura out to 30 feet
At any point before the end of the hour, the target may wherever it goes. All living creatures within the aura
choose to use a bonus action to trigger an explosion. cannot regain hit points, gain no benefit from rests, and
When a creature does so, it chooses any number of dice have disadvantage on saving throws made to prevent
in its current damage pool, and the explosion deals fire, exhaustion.
lightning, or radiant damage equal to the amount rolled If the target is reduced to 0 hit points while affected by
by the chosen dice. Reduce the total pool of damage dice necromorphic fever, it dies, reanimating as a ghoul the fol-
by the number of dice rolled in the explosion. The con- lowing midnight.
tagion ends when there are no more damage dice in the The contagion ends if the target spends an entire long
pool. rest on hallowed ground or submerges its entire body in
holy water for 1 minute.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 205
 Haunted Winds Concealed Passage
Invisible, disembodied air elementals inhabit the air around The early technomancers who studied the wreck hid the
the pools and “haunt” this location. They are bound to the entrance to the airship interior from casual observation.
elemental core of the arcanotech airship entombed under Creatures searching the area can attempt a DC 15 Intel-
the sands and cannot leave. The elementals control the ligence (Investigation) check to find the narrow entryway
wind in the area and can choose to use their abilities to that leads to the converted tomb of the long-forgotten
clear fumes from the region, mimic speech, create gusts of arcanotech magus Barbarsus. The narrow tunnel twists
wind, or produce similar effects. around portions of the hull as it winds down under the
rocky outcroppings. The cramped route is 15 feet long and
Communicating with the Elementals choked with tumbleweeds and debris.
The elementals can communicate in Draconic or Primor-
dial (using the wind as their voice) if the party attempts Airship Interior
to speak to them. Once contact is made, the elementals The passageway leads to a single, small cavity in the wreck-
demand interesting stories, thunderous noises, exotic age where corroded, twisted arcane machinery has been
smells, and ritual burning of a spell book or scroll. If the rearranged into a funerary shrine adorned with votive
characters acquiesce to their demands, the elementals are offerings. A relatively undamaged door near the shrine
impressed and willing to answer questions about the area bears extravagant glyphs and arcane wards. Shafts of sun-
and local inhabitants. light beam down from tiny cracks in the debris above the
wreckage.
Harassing Visitors The airship interior has the following features:
The elementals are frustrated and bored because they are ■ The area is difficult terrain for Medium or larger
anchored here, so they like to harass visitors through their
creatures.
control of the wind. They start by making haunting noises
or using a light breeze to blow away small items, and they ■ There is dim light throughout the interior.
escalate by causing strong gusts of wind to blow sand in ■ Creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with
the visitors’ faces or try to knock them off balance into a
melee weapons without the finesse or light properties.
sludge pool. Visitors can hear the faint snickering of the
elementals with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) ■ Valuable scrap remains hidden amid the debris.
check.
Funerary Shrine
Releasing the Elementals The airship’s elemental core, a hollow mithral cylinder
The elementals do not know where the elemental core of the size of a small barrel, serves as a makeshift shrine for
the ship is other than that it is nearby, and they assume Barbarsus, the arcanotech magus entombed beneath. The
it must be buried. The elemental core—and the binding cylinder casing contains the intact arcanite crystal and
runes on it that keep the elementals trapped—is part runic bindings that once powered the airship and keep the
of the funerary shrine found in the buried airship. The elementals bound here.
elementals refuse to go underground, but if they see the It takes at least 10 minutes to dismantle the shrine
core, they immediately recognize it and insist on its de- and exhume Barbarsus’s body and grave goods. See the
struction. Destroying the elemental core or casting dispel “Rewards” section for details on the elemental core and
magic on it (treat the core’s enchantment as an 8th-level the loot entombed with the mage.
spell) releases the elementals.
Once released, the elementals manifest an air elemental Mysterious Door
and an invisible stalker. This door is here for the enterprising GM to take advantage
of to expand this location should their group seem keen to
BURIED AIRSHIP continue exploring. It could lead to further recesses of the
An elemental airship crashed here long ago, its broken hull wreck, connect to a cave network, or be clogged with rock
buried by the desert. Sun-bleached and rusted wreckage and debris, leading nowhere.
litters the surrounding area, and the twisted remains of
the vessel peek out from the rocky outcroppings encircling Forgotten Guardian
the sludge pools. The southernmost part of the wreck Characters with a passive Perception of 12 or higher im-
conceals a narrow passage leading to what remains of the mediately spot the slumped form of a construct partially
airship’s interior. covered in sand and loose gravel. The malfunctioning
golem is animated by the spirit of Barbarsus and awakens
if the shrine is disturbed. See the “Suggested Encounters”
section for details on how the golem reacts to threats.

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206 weird waStelandS
MAGICORE43
A magic-eating manticore makes its lair under a rock shelf profile: magicore
in a large outcropping along the northeast edge of the
pools in the Toxic Alchemical Sump, sunning itself during
the day and patrolling its wide territory at night. Regular Personality: Vain and boastful. The magicore
consumption of the alchemical sludge from the pools has never passes up an opportunity to declare its
linked its magical essence with that of the elementals obvious superiority.
bound to the buried airship, and the magicore exerts some Ideal: Domination. The magicore believes that the
minor influence over the winds in this area. weak must submit to its superior strength or be
The magicore occasionally leads a pack of wingless man- destroyed.
ticores called mantygers that roam the wastes surrounding Bond: The magicore cares only for itself and its
the toxic sump. Use the mantyger to increase the difficulty needs.
of an encounter with the magicore. Flaw: The magicore is astonishingly lazy,
preferring to expend as little effort as possible to
get what it wants.
Mantyger
Legend: The magicore is an unusually large and
cunning manticore who finds sustenance in the
A mantyger uses the lion stat block with the
raw essence of magic instead of the flesh of ordi-
following alterations:
nary creatures. So great is its capacity for devour-
■ Monstrosity creature type ■ Darkvision 60 feet
ing magic that it can consume spells to replenish
■ Intelligence 7 ■ Speaks Common
its fighting vigor and fuel its spellcasting. The
magicore stalks a stretch of windy badlands using
highly attuned senses to detect the presence of
Lair Actions magic. Once it has caught the scent, it seeks to
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the magicore ambush unwary spellcasters and rob alchemists
takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. The of their stores of potions and magical reagents in
magicore can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: exchange for their lives. While any form of magic
■ Noxious fumes billow out from the pools. Any nourishes it, the magicore considers the brains of
creature within 10 feet of a sludge pool must succeed arcane casters and the blood of habitual potion
imbibers to be genuine delicacies.
43. The magicore stat block can be found on p. 299 in chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 207
 on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw DUST MEPHITS
or be incapacitated with retching coughs
until the end of its next turn. Creatures Hooting laughter and jeering taunts accompany
that don’t need to breathe or are immune a tiny cyclone of gritty sand. Two dusty, impish
to poison automatically succeed on this creatures fly closer and insist that you join them in
saving throw. mocking the bound elemental spirits.
The party is attacked by two dust mephits, a pair
■ Strong winds swirl around the magicore in
of minor air elementals who have come to the
a 15-foot radius and move with it until the
pools to taunt and tease their loser “cousins”
end of its next turn. The area is considered
trapped within the wreck and want the party
difficult terrain for creatures other than
to join in their mockery. Any amount of teasing
the magicore, and any creature that starts
satisfies the mephits who soon leave, but only
its turn in the area or moves into it must
after earning the party the everlasting ire of the
succeed on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics)
bound elementals. Refusing to join in the taunts
check or fall prone.
annoys the mephits, who then half-heartedly
■ The magicore’s claws and tail spikes attack for a couple rounds of combat before at-
crackle with electricity. Until the end tempting to flee. Driving off the mephits earns
of its next turn, the magicore adds 3 the party respect from the bound elementals.
(1d6) lightning damage to its claws and
tail spikes, and any creature hit by them GRAY OOZE
cannot take reactions until the start of the
target’s next turn. Sludge bubbles break the surface of a nearby pool
We have provided a as iridescent globs of animated, menacing oozes
table for GMs who wish glide out of the muck.
to determine an
encounter randomly, suggested encounters The three gray oozes are ambush predators,
but we encourage GMs waiting until a creature is next to a pool before
to use their preferred The Toxic Alchemical Sump Encounters table attempting to grapple and pull them into the
method for determining lists both the creatures that lair in or near the toxic sludge. Each time an ooze makes a suc-
encounters. The sump and creatures who have some reason to cessful melee attack, the target must succeed on
encounters listed visit. Each entry contains a brief description of
here are more set a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or contract
the creatures and a prompt for an encounter a random magical disease from the Alchemical
piece encounters than
scenario. The encounter descriptions detail any Contagions table.44
wandering monsters.
The first four entries modifications to the base creature stat block and
represent creatures special considerations for running the encoun- STALKING GIGGLER
that make their home ter. The GM may use their preferred method for
at or near the sump determining who or what the party encounters A murmuring chorus of whimpers, whoops, grunts,
and lean more toward at the location. Estimated difficulty is based on a growls, and hysteric giggles rises to a cacophonous
combat encounters.
party of four adventurers of 3rd level. crescendo as a shifting mass of malformed limbs
The last four entries are
visitors and encourage and hungry, gnashing jaws lumbers over the rocks.
negotiation and TOXIC ALCHEMICAL SUMP This pitiful abomination is nocturnal and ap-
NPC interaction over ENCOUNTERS pears as a giant, malformed hyena covered in
combat. It probably
goes without saying, d8 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY tumors bearing the faces and mouths of various
but these are only wild beasts and wastelanders. They howl and
suggestions, and you 1 Dust mephits Easy whine, pleading for mercy and forgiveness even
are free to pick the 2 Gray ooze Medium as the giggler lurches toward combat.
encounter you like and Treat the stalking giggler as a gibbering mouth-
run it however you wish 3 Stalking giggler Medium er with the following changes to its stat block:
or use these entries as
inspiration to create 4 Wasteland hunters Medium ■ Large size
your own. We hope ■ 99 hit points
5 Magicore Hard
that our prompts are ■ AC 12
evocative enough, but 6 Wastelander cannibals Hard
nothing here is pre-
■ Dexterity 12
scripted or expected to Technomancer and ■ Proficiency in Stealth; +3 Stealth bonus
7 Deadly
have a set outcome. Let retinue ■ Bite deals 22 (5d8) piercing damage
your imagination run
8 Tomb golem Deadly
wild. 44. The Alchemical Contagions table is on p. 203.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

208 weird waStelandS
WASTELAND HUNTERS The technomancer is Lagren Tung (see the Arcanotech
Cabal in chapter 4 for details46), and his retinue consists
Atop a large outcropping, a group of wastelanders, fresh-faced of an armored scrap golem (use the animated armor
and cheerful, gather around a small fire. Two of them stand stat block) and three loyal guards. They are looking for
and wave the party over to enjoy their modest hospitality. Barbarsus’s tomb and offer to pay the party for any assis-
The group of inexperienced wastelanders consists of eight tance in finding it. They are trustworthy but not stupid or
tribal warriors, one scout, and an acolyte looking to test careless and constantly keep an eye out for any dangers or
their bravery at the “haunted rocks” and learn the secrets treachery. If the party carries any magical devices, Lagren
of harvesting the sludge. Their offer of hospitality is sin- expresses interest in them and asks how the party acquired
cere, and they share their camp with the party provided the items. See the “Rewards” section for details on Lagren’s
the party is willing to share food, drink, and information payment for the party.
with them. The scout is well-traveled and can answer most
questions regarding the surrounding terrain, nearby sites, TOMB GOLEM
and dangerous creatures.
With a puff of dust and a metallic groan, a pile of debris
MAGICORE 45 shifts, and a humanoid of bleached bone and dull silver metal
sits up with a shudder, the flickering blue-white light in its
A brutish feline predator rises from its sunning spot atop eyes flashing off nearby wreckage.
the rock and turns toward the nuisance that disturbed it. The tomb golem remains dormant unless the shrine or
A humanoid face slowly splits in two as its mouth opens Barbarsus’s body is disturbed, then it attacks until all in-
from ear to ear, revealing multiple rows of serrated teeth. truders are dead or flee the shrine.
The magicore is amused to find that prey has come to it Treat the tomb golem as an iron golem with the follow-
and attempts to converse with the party before attacking. ing changes to its stat block:
The magicore relies on brute strength, mobility, and ■ AC 17
magical defenses in combat, fighting with bravado and ■ Immunity to necrotic damage
taunting its opponents. It uses hit-and-run tactics and ■ Poison Breath becomes Soulfire Breath and damage
focuses its attacks on the most threatening melee combat-
type is necrotic
ants or powerful ranged opponents. It is not stupid—if its
opponents include multiple heavily armored warriors, it The tomb golem is malfunctioning and slow to respond
keeps its distance, using ranged attacks to soften up en- in combat. It is always last in initiative order, and it cannot
emies. Either way, the magicore saves arcane casters for take reactions. Additionally, its Soulfire Breath is expended
last so it can devour them at its leisure. at the beginning of combat. If it rolls a 1 on its recharge
roll, the tomb golem is incapacitated until the start of its
WASTELANDER CANNIBALS next turn.

Three haggard wastelanders, their faces wrapped against

the biting winds, creep across the rocks, hoping to catch rewards
an isolated traveler by surprise. Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to
Three depraved wastelander cannibals (use the ghoul stat be found within the area.
block) lurk nearby, eagerly awaiting their next meal. If
encountered at night, they try to paralyze an isolated party EXPERIENCE
member, hide nearby, and eat them. If encountered during In addition to standard experience awarded during com-
the day, they try to trick the party into thinking they are bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned
harmless and wait for nightfall to strike. They are cowards while exploring the Toxic Alchemical Sump:
and not above begging for their “lives,” but their hunger ■ Successfully dredging an object from the pools – 250 XP
always leads to betrayal and violence. ■ Finding the airship interior – 125 XP
■ Surviving an entire night in the area – 125 XP
TECHNOMANCER AND RETINUE ■ Befriending the bound elementals – 250 XP
A trio of alert and well-armed wasteland warriors stands at a ■ Freeing the bound elementals – 250 XP
short distance from the party, weapons close at hand. Behind ■ Delivering the intact elemental core to
them, a gleaming scrap golem holds aloft a parasol for a Lagren Tung – 250 XP
hooded technomancer festooned with arcane instruments.
46. See p. 140 in chapter 4 for more information about the Arcanotech
One of the warriors calls for a parley. Cabal faction.

45. The magicore stat block can be found on p. 299 in chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 209
 SLUDGE POOLS SALVAGING
A collection of treasures and other useful items can be re- This location is rife with salvageable scrap material. When
trieved by harvesting or dredging material from the sludge someone successfully scrounges for scrap in the area, roll
pools. If you’re using the scrounging rules from chapter 3, on the Sump Salvage Table to determine what they find. If
the sludge pools are an abundant resource site.47 you’re using the scrounging rules from chapter 3, the toxic
sump is an abundant resource site.48
Harvesting
Successful harvesting of the sludge yields two magical SUMP SALVAGE TABLE
materials:
Universal Reagent. This highly potent magical sub- d20 SALVAGE
stance comes in a bewildering array of fluids, powders,
1 Twisted knot of rusted scrap metal
oils, and nuggets depending on the material from which
it is harvested. A portion of universal reagent has a gp value 2 Club-sized piece of weightless wood
representing the value of material spell components or 3 Jagged, shortsword-sized piece of scrap metal
alchemical ingredients it can replace. For example, 100 gp
of universal reagent can be used in place of the 100-gp pearl Dozens of empty glass flasks of various colors,
4
some broken
needed to cast identify. A universal reagent is always con-
sumed by the spell when used in place of material com- Foul-smelling nest of moldy canvas and dense fur
5
ponents. A single vial of universal reagent is worth 100 gp. clumps
Antidote Salt. With 4 hours of strenuous activity and a 6 Oops! A swarm of insects defending its nest
successful DC 20 Intelligence (Alchemist’s Supplies) check,
Worn backpack containing a crowbar, a hammer,
antidote salt can be refind into an antidote that can cure
7 eight pitons, five candles, a dagger, a cloak, a small
any alchemical contagion. hand mirror, and a bar of soap

Dredging 8 Small verdigris-caked copper rune plate

Creatures that successfully dredge the pools can roll on 9 Set of thieves’ tools, some pieces missing or broken
the Dredge Treasures table to determine what they find.
10 Large brass bullseye lantern
11 Hand saw, hammer, and a small bag of rusty nails
DREDGE TREASURES
Box of undamaged, unidentified arcanotech
d10 TREASURE 12
components
1–5 Roll 1d4 + 1 times on the Sump Salvage Table 13 Shovel with a broken haft
A mummified allosaurus suitable for use as a mount; 14 Skeleton of a scavenger with no apparent injuries
it reawakens within 1 hour of leaving the pool and
6 waits calmly for a rider; it is undead, does not need 15 Undamaged weapons locker containing six spears
to eat or drink, and can travel continuously without Junior officer’s duty log, irreparably damaged, full
needing to rest 16
of petty observations
A lore repository cube covered in glyphs; anyone with Cracked and dusty wooden box containing a
proficiency in Arcana may spend three long rests ex- 17
sextant, a compass, a set of calipers, and a ruler
amining the cube to activate it; once activated, it shows
7 the location of a wondrous treasure, imparts ancient 18 Brass signal whistle
wisdom in the form of a desirable bonus feat, reveals 19 Pair of good boots; they fit!
shocking and campaign-altering secrets, or provides
access to the knowledge spirit within (GM’s choice) Oiled tarp wrapped around an ancient military
20
uniform adorned with a half-dozen tarnished medals
8 A dormant clay golem awaiting activation
Winner’s trophy from the last race the airship was LOOT
9 in; the plaque reads, Razorback Banshee, 1st Place,
Detailed here is a collection of tangible loot that can be
Green Bell Hills Championship Race
earned or discovered in this location.
A perfectly preserved clone of the first party
10
member affected by an alchemical contagion; if kept Elemental Core
preserved, it remains inert and ready to receive the The elemental core of the buried airship is a Small object
party member’s soul should that creature die
with AC 21 and 30 hit points. It is immune to lightning,

47 . See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of chapter 3. 48. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of chapter 3.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

210 weird waStelandS
poison, psychic, and slashing damage and has a damage ■ eversmoking bottle
threshold of 15. ■ gem of brightness
The core’s mithral casing is worth 10,000 gp, enough for ■ rope of climbing
a suit of armor that doubles the duration of any spell cast
on the wearer.
The runic bindings and arcanite crystal of the core act
putting it all together
as a censer of controlling air elementals that summons an The Toxic Alchemical Sump has a lot going on by design.
invisible stalker instead of an air elemental. This feature is If you’re interested in utilizing some (but not all) facets
unavailable if the elementals are freed. of this location, there are plenty of ways to enrich your
campaign by choosing certain aspects of the sump. By fo-
Arcanotech Magus Grave Goods cusing solely on the sludge pools, you can run the location
Among Barbarsus’s grave goods is a +1 wand of the war as a short diversion set in a longer overland journey. You’ll
mage that’s a short, thin, silvery metal rod with adjustable only need to familiarize yourself with the terrain details
dials and focusing crystals. The grave goods also include and Alchemical Pools special feature to use the location
the Polyptych Schema, a magical spellbook that contains in this way. The alchemical contagions present your party
all the wizard spells found in chapter 1. It is an intricate with a variety of environmental hazards that highlight the
puzzle book of endlessly interlocked and unfolding ada- weirdness of the wasteland. For simplicity, pick the one
mantine plates. Success on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) you think they will enjoy interacting with the most and
or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check opens it. ignore the others. Don’t worry about the Haunted Winds
or Buried Airship, and ignore the Suggested Encounters.
Magicore For more involved scenes or even a whole adventure,
The magicore’s hide can be used to make a spell-turning make use of the other special features and suggested en-
spellguard shield. Its tail can be fashioned into a magic weap- counters. Consider how your NPCs and creatures react to
on, a magicore’s tail flail, capable of making both melee the features of the location.
and ranged attacks.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
Magicore’s Tail Flail
introduce your table to the Toxic Alchemical Sump.
Weapon (flail), rare (requires attunement)

You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made TOXIC ALCHEMICAL SUMP
with this magic weapon. On a hit with this weapon, ADVENTURE HOOKS
the target takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage. d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
Volley. While holding the tail, you can use an A bootlegger alchemist has set up shop in the
action to launch a volley of spikes from the wastelands. They busy themselves harvesting the
weapon, making a ranged attack against a target 1 goop—“don’t want nobody pokin’ their nose around
within 60 feet of you. On a successful hit, the my claim!” The stingy, cantankerous prospector
target takes 1d6 piercing damage plus 1d6 lighting needs help dealing with wasteland threats.
damage. Once you use this property, the spikes are
A gang of hapless scrap jockeys found the tomb
expended and you cannot use this property again
of Barbarsus and accidentally activated its golem
until you are the target of a spell that affects only guardian. Several of their group are dead and
you (not an area-of-effect spell), which causes the more are injured, and they don’t want to leave
spikes to regrow. 2
anyone or anything behind in the tomb, especially
the elemental core. They need help but refuse to
reveal too much to the party because they want
Air Elementals the elemental core for themselves.
The air elementals can offer a wind-related boon to a party
A grizzled monster hunter stalks the infamous
that befriends them. A creature granted this boon can cast 3 magicore near its favorite “watering” hole. “This
gust of wind up to three times. one is personal.”

Lagren Tung An alleged descendant of the entombed

arcanotech magus searches for the burial site of
Lagren is willing to trade up to three of these items for their ancestor, seeking his long-lost spellbook.
assistance in finding Barbarsus’s tomb: 4
They offer the party a variety of valuable items
■ restorative ointment, five doses in exchange for their assistance in locating and
exploring the tomb.
■ spell scroll, one spell of 1st through 3rd level

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 211
 RUMORS
Presented here are ten rumors about the Toxic Alchemical deep green
Sump. These rumors can be used to draw your table to the
location or to create additional drama while the characters Does life seem too...dry? Is every day trudging the wastes
are visiting. It’s up to the GM whether the rumors are true. a little too monotonous? Are you ready to escape the
unrelenting power of an ever-desiccating sun? Beat the
heat at Deep Green! Frolic with fantastic creatures,
TOXIC ALCHEMICAL SUMP recover ancient scrap, and sleep by the surf with your
RUMORS best friends by your side. Only the techno-otters could
d10 RUMOR find a way to turn this godforsaken, contaminated
sinkhole into a fun and definitely 100 percent safe place
The winds around the alchemical sump carry to live, laugh, and surf. Reserve a cabana and get a free
1 strange and menacing voices. Folks say the place
cuttlebone scrimshaw portrait of yourself and up to five
is haunted.
friends now!
Legends say that the revered arcanotech magus
2 Barbarsus led his cabal into the desert and never
returned. His tomb must be out there somewhere. background
Sludge harvesters keep hearing whooping laughter Deep Green is an aquatic sinkhole just off the shore of the
3 that seems to follow them whenever they’re near Curdled Bay filled with a mixture of alchemical sludge and
the sump close to nightfall. seawater. This great hole in the earth is thought to have
formed in the apocalypse, where almost every drop of an
Be careful if you head out to the sludge pools. A
entire ancient ocean drained, though whether it was cre-
4 manticore with a taste for wizards’ brains has a den
near there. ated intentionally none can say. What is left of the ocean is
now called the Curdled Bay, so named for the ocean water
A bunch of scavengers swear they saw a large mixed with alchemical reagents. To reach Curdled Bay,
warbeast just below the surface of the sludge. travelers must first pass through a network of dry coral
5
What else could be sitting on the bottom of those beds then wade through a sentient mangrove forest guard-
pools? ing the entrance. It is said that the mangrove trees living
The amateur alchemists of Tradetown pay here were swept out to sea during the cataclysm, and the
6 handsomely for reagents harvested from the briny alchemical agents churned up their consciousnesses
sludge. and set them in place.
Merfolk once lived in a village in the shallows beside
Folks find pieces of weightless, sun-bleached Deep Green. They left suddenly about 5 years ago and are
7 wood all over the outcroppings. Must be from
thought by most to have moved to the open waters beyond
some flying vessel or something.
the arch. The techno-otters, large, hyperintelligent sea ot-
A ghoul’s teeth are black and rotten, so always ters with a penchant for arcanotech, have lived in Curdled
8 make sure to see a stranger’s smile before you Bay for generations. (Whether they, like the mangroves,
invite them into your camp. were awakened during the apocalypse even the techno-
No matter how thirsty you are, do not drink the
otters cannot say.) There are about fifty techno-otters
9 water from the sludge pools out in the rocky who call Curdled Bay home, but at least a dozen are away
badlands. gathering food, searching for arcanotech, or exploring at
any given time.
If you wander the rocky desert with too many In recent years, the Tidal Idles, a social group of odd-
potions or other magic, you might draw the balls and outcasts from across the Weird Wastelands, have
10
attention of the magic-eating manticore who lives made residence here as well. There are about twenty of
out there.
them left; their numbers have been recently dwindling.
Their chief pastime is competitive diving. They go as deep
as they can into Deep Green without any magical protec-
tions, which has caused at least half of them to vanish into
the deep, assumed to be drowned. Those that remain give
each other ever more hyperbolic nicknames when they
reach a new personal best.
For the last several months, a path of ever-larger cara-
pace pieces of an immense crustacean has led out from
Deep Green to the interior of the Weird Wastelands. A new

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

212 weird waStelandS
section of carapace appears once a week another yellow to pink. The sinkhole of Deep Green
mile inland, leading toward Tradetown.49 is shaped like a perfect circle filled with water
The carapace pieces are in fact the product of which is, of course, a deep-green color. The
an aboleth named Crumtul, the Dead-Eyed Eel, water in both areas is salty and poisonous;
who has been trapped at the bottom of Deep creatures that drink it must succeed on
Green since it was pulled in by the great drain- a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
ing of the seas. Crumtul managed to survive by become poisoned for 1d4 hours. Due to the
plugging sections of the drain with mucus and alchemical nature of the water, it is immune
debris, then claimed the bottom of Deep Green to the effects of spells like purify food and
as its lair. Since then, its cavern has become a drink that would make it safe to consume.
laboratory where the aboleth is building a biome-
chanical war engine to achieve its terrible goals. special features
terrain The features detailed here distinguish Deep
Green as a weird location and are available to
The terrain of Deep Green has the following flesh out gameplay elements of the area. They
qualities: are designed to complement interactions with
other creatures and create engaging encounters.
■ About 100 feet from the water’s edge, the
bay at Deep Green is encircled with an
FLOODING
ancient, bleached coral reef 50 feet wide.
The shores of Deep Green sometimes flood with
The crenelations of this coral cast shadows
alchemical fluids either burping up from the sink-
of tormented faces at sunrise and sunset.
hole or streaming in from elsewhere in the Weird
The coral is difficult terrain.
Wastelands. Every 24 hours, roll on the Floor
■ The first 50 feet off the shore of Deep Green Complications table to determine whether Deep
is swampland dotted with mangrove treants. Green is flooded, and, if so, what the effect is:
The mangrove treants are sentient and
capable of communication but choose to
spend most of their time humming tunes
FLOOD COMPLICATIONS
that harmonize with the wind and each d8 EFFECT
other. They use the treant stat block, but
their speed is 0. They are deliriously happy Fully Flooded. Creatures cannot take
1
unless some grave threat appears that they long rests on the shores for 1d4 days.
believe could cause them mortal danger or Mostly Flooded. Water flows in from the
destabilize the plug of Deep Green. They wastes like rivers. Leaving Deep Green
2
can sense an evil lurking deep below the by nonmagical means is impossible for
techno-otters’ clam farms, but they don’t feel 1d4 days.
threatened by it. If any creatures do manage Partially Flooded. Floods from Deep
to speak to them, they are much more Green have rendered all potable water
interested in sunshine and some arcane and 3
sources in the area non-potable for
unknowable secret they call “good vibes.” 1d4 days. Deep Green itself is a
The shallows near the shores of Deep Green sinkhole in the middle
■
Lightly Flooded. Alchemical agents
of what we imagine to
are less than 20 feet deep. At the center of Deep bubbling up from Deep Green have be a small lake (2–3
Green, the water is as deep as the GM decides. caused a feeding frenzy on the shore; miles in circumference)
There is a drain at the sinkhole’s center that 4 roll on the Deep Green Encounters: which is colloquially
extends from the base of the sinkhole down Surface and Shallows50 table to termed the Curdled Sea,
1,000 feet where the drain is plugged with determine the creatures populating due to the hazardous
the shore. alchemy mixed with
debris. The length of the drain beyond the
the seawater. But if you
plug is unknown, but it may extend for miles. 5–8 Not Flooded. No effect. wish to place it at the
■ The waters of the Curdled Bay are suffused edge of a proper ocean,
make it much smaller, or
with alchemical reagents, causing them to When it floods, the techno-otters batten down
do something else with
gently shift in color from purple to blue to the hatches of their buildings and give shelter to it, there is nothing in this
location that will get in
49. Wanna see one? The big things in the illustration on the 50. This table can be found later in this section on p. 228. your way.
standard edition cover of our book are the carapaces.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 213
all who request it. All their buildings are covered in techno- creature’s body is not in contact with water, the creature
tarps that grant those inside all the benefits of the tiny hut immediately reverts to its original form. A few seconds af-
spell (the size and creature capacity of the buildings are ter a creature climbs into a cradle, doors open underneath
not affected by the tarps). The techno-otters are peaceful, revealing a thick green sludge into which the cradle de-
nonviolent creatures. They have basic rations and enough scends. After 1 round of being submerged, the transforma-
potable water for everyone they’re sheltering for 4 days. The tion is complete, and transformed creatures can swim out
Tidal Idles usually stay outdoors and revel in the waters, of the cradle down through an opening in the building’s
but when the floods bring dangerous creatures to the sur- floor and into the depths of Deep Green.
face, they seek shelter with the techno-otters, who give it Creatures in a submerged cradle can attempt a DC 10
grudgingly. Constitution saving throw to prevent the transformation
if they choose to resist it. Otherwise, a creature is changed
TECHNO-OTTERS in the following ways:
Despite their fascination with and mastery of machines ■ The creature’s hands and feet elongate and widen
and arcanotech, the techno-otters still feel drawn to liv-
and its legs fuse together. The creature has a
ing near the kelp forest that thrives in Deep Green. They
swimming speed of 30 feet and is unable to walk
operate Deep Breath, the arcanotech wonder that allows
upright.
all who trade tech to explore Deep Green, as they have
for untold decades. They cater to the tourists who visit as ■ Furry gills sprout on the creature’s neck. The
well as the Tidal Idles at Kraken Shoal, their proprietary creature is able to breathe underwater as if under
cafe. the effects of the water breathing spell and is
The techno-otters are giant, hyperintelligent otters. immune to the poisonous waters of Deep Green.
They speak a unique otter language, which they do not ■ The creature’s eyes grow 40 percent larger and
teach to outsiders. They have an extraordinary, easily spot-
their pupils expand. The creature has darkvision
ted facility filled with arcanotech made of sleek metal and
up to 30 feet and is able to see normally
visible arcane technology. They all wear suits of arcano-
underwater.
tech armor and breathing apparatuses to aid their swim-
ming speed and extend the amount of time they can hold ■ The creature’s ears adapt for underwater hearing,
their breath. Their arcanotech allows them to understand and its voice changes to emit high-frequency
and communicate in any language a humanoid native to noises similar to dolphin squeaks. The creature
the Weird Wastelands can speak. They are rarely spellcast- can speak and hear normally underwater.
ers but are all proficient in the Arcana skill and make use
of arcanotech devices daily. They do not share their tech
often, which is part of what makes Deep Green so unique.
The techno-otters are, in their hearts, otters. They would
much prefer to play in the sea or lie on the their backs and
eat clams than get entangled in the existential concerns
of flat-footed landspeople, and they do their best to mind
their own business. However, they can be persuaded to
trade, as the only thing that excites them more than a
perfect oyster-cracking rock is a bit of arcanotech they’ve
never seen before.

Deep Breath
The techno-otters operate an arcanotech wonder they
call Deep Breath on the edge of the Deep Green sinkhole.
It is a small, floating building made of perfectly smooth,
cool, green metal the same color as the central waters of
Deep Green. Deep Breath houses six cradles made of light
suspended from the ceiling. These cradles can support
the weight of a Large or smaller creature, and creatures
inside feel warm and comfortable. At Deep Breath, anyone
who pays for the treatment there—in arcanotech, whether
broken or functioning—is transformed so that they can
explore Deep Green safely. The effects of the transfor-
mation can be dispelled any time, and when an affected

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 215
 Kraken Shoal Picklepaws also operates a small arcanotech and gift
The techno-otters operate a snack bar, the Kraken Shoal, shop in the foyer of Deep Breath.
which serves fresh seafood and potable water taken from
the area beyond the Arch inside Deep Green. It is a large,
thatched hut and is the only fully enclosed structure here
PICKLEPAWS’S WARES
besides Deep Breath. ITEM PRICE
Kraken Shoal also offers a variety of other foods for sale,
including cave fish, amphibian delicacies, and plant-based A shiny rock, good for clam-crushing 1 cp
options from the Foraged Foods table in chapter 3.51 There A cloth shirt with the phrase “I dove Deep Green
is a techno-otter named Ottermus Prime overseeing the 1 sp
and all I got was this shirt” on it
Kraken Shoal’s automated arcanotech kitchen and is
mostly interested in talking about cooking and complain- A cuttlebone surfboard with the words “Get
5 gp
ing about the Tidal Idles, who all-too-often disappear deep at Deep Green” inscribed on it
before paying their tab. An air shark tooth 10 gp

Lodging A spherical crystalline helmet that allows the

There is a campground in the area around the Kraken user to breathe water for 3d6 hours before its
power is depleted; can be used at depths up to 50 gp
Shoal featuring ten basic structures suitable for a six
100 ft.; can be recharged in exchange for 25 gp
Medium creatures each. The techno-otters rent the sites worth of arcanotech scrap
out for 2 gp per day or 10 gp per week. At any given time,
half of the sites are occupied by Tidal Idles, who are rowdy
long into the night. Creatures can arrange to rent the sites Additionally, Picklepaws also has a smattering of un-
from a techno-otter named Picklepaws. common or rare arcanotech devices for sale at the GM’s
discretion. Some appropriate choices include a pearl of
Picklepaws power, a stone of good luck (made of clamshell wrapped in
The most public-facing of the techno-otters is called Pickle- brass and glass tubes), and a trident of fish command.
paws. She is most often overseeing Deep Breath and is hap-
py to give whatever information she has to the characters. TIDAL IDLES
She is willing to share the following information with There is a community of beach-loving people of all ages
any friendly creature: and creeds from across the wastes who live on the shore.
Their main pastime is diving into Deep Green as far as they
■ The merfolk left a few years ago, but she thinks it’s
can go without the use of Deep Breath. They are a relaxed,
because of their mercurial nature.
easygoing, and peaceful community who share food and
■ She mistrusts the Tidal Idles because they dive stories about their exploration of Deep Green freely.
without protection and go too deep. The most venerated explorer of Deep Green is a surfer-
dude of an elf named Jonnyu Tah.52 Jonnyu can give the
■ She strongly recommends exploring the upper
party some basic information about the depths of Deep
reaches of the central chasm only.
Green and can be persuaded to guide them. He wants
■ The Arch is farther down than it looks, contains food, shelter, and for the party to advocate on his be-
many dangers, and the techno-otters seldom go any half with the techno-otters, who have refused to serve
deeper than the Arch. him at the Kraken Shoal or let him stay in any lodging
because he’s been caught skulking around Deep Breath
■ Someone has been committing petty crimes and
at night, which he insists was a “total bummer” of a
annoyances around the Deep Breath, Kraken Shoal,
misunderstanding. Characters who make a successful
and campsites.
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check while interacting with
If she is pressed or persuaded, she will also admit that Jonnyu notice something unusual about his tongue. A
she knows Deep Green extends below the kelp forest and successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that
a powerful being resides there who wishes to be left alone. his tongue is bluish gray and has a little face on the tip
The techno-otters have agreed among themselves to live of it which appears to speak at the same time he does.
and let live. They do not know what the creature is, but 53
If asked about it, he admits that it is a benign parasite
they think it is not dangerous if left alone as it has been
there as long as they have. She has seen it, believes it has 52. If you get this reference, see how many quotes from the movie you
can work in before anyone at the table notices, and then email us at
psychic abilities, and wishes to never see it again. hello@webdm.studio and let us know. Vaya con Dios.
53 . See the “New Disease: Glossal Macrophage” sidebar on p. 221 for
51. The Foraged Foods table is on p. 129.
more info about this parasite.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

216 weird waStelandS
contracted when exploring the farther flung areas of animals who once lived here in pre-apocalyptic times: sea
Deep Green and claims it is nothing more, but he refuses horses resemble centaurs, sunfish have humanoid faces,
to give further information. If forced, he calls for help or eels are snakelike, and rays have fins that look more like a
tries to get away. bird’s wings.
The unique formation and structure of Deep Green
MERFOLK VILLAGE lends it the following features:
Slightly offshore and adjacent to the Deep Grean sinkhole ■ The igneous rock that makes up the walls of the
is the abandoned merfolk village. Most think that the
caverns has been tinted the same emerald green
merfolk left for the open waters beyond the Arch, hav-
color as the water. Digging more than 10 feet into
ing grown dissatisfied with the encroachment of dryland
the side of one of these caverns reveals the rock is
tourists on shore.
actually a sandy, white limestone.
The village is intentionally partially submerged, with 3
feet of water enclosed inside shell-lined streets. Transmuted ■ Light shines into Deep Green from above. From
white coral and sand have been used to create brilliant or- the water’s surface to 100 feet down is considered
ganic structures replete with domes, arches, and conch-like bright light. There is dim light from 100 to 200
spirals. The ground here is thick with algae and gray-green feet down, and darkness from then on until 20
slime. A creature with proficiency in Arcana can deduce feet from the bottom of the kelp forest, where the
the slime’s connection to aboleths with a successful parts of The Dry that poke out create islands of
DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. pinkish dim light within 20 feet.
A creature exploring the village can find a variety of ■ All caverns are 15 feet in diameter unless
interesting objects and structures based on the result of
otherwise specified.
its Intelligence (Investigation) check made to search the
area.54 In addition to its unique characteristics, Deep Green
also features several specific locations for creatures to ex-
■ DC 10 – The creature discovers a house with a
plore. The following places are keyed to the map of Deep
hidden altar inside venerating what looks like a
Green.
cyclops with squid tentacles coming out of its
mouth.
1. The Surface
■ DC 15 – The creature finds an ornate house with
starfish décor featuring a large tunnel inside that A massive circular cavern ringed by stone walls is visible
leads to 5. Merfolk Village Tunnels in one of its just below the water’s surface. All manner of creatures move
back rooms. through the thick leaves of an immense kelp forest rising up
from below and filling the area.
■ DC 20 – The creature finds two of the following
The area at the top of the sinkhole is perfectly circular,
(GM’s choice) while searching the various
500 feet in diameter, and 500 feet deep. From the water’s
structures of the village: 1d20 pieces of broken
surface to 100 feet down is considered bright light. There
arcanotech, a silver triton, a 10-foot-diameter
is dim light from 100 to 200 feet down, and darkness from
silk fish net, a random item from the I Search the
then on until 20 feet from the bottom of the kelp forest,
Body table in chapter 4.55
where there is dim light.
DEEP GREEN
Creatures
Deep Green is a massive sinkhole in the center of Curdled
The sea life here takes on unusual forms: crabs with one
Bay. Its circumference is perfectly round, and its edges
claw and one webbed hand, quadrupedal seahorses, rays
are easily delineated due to the deep emerald green of its
with eight lashed, humanoid eyes. The creatures also lack
waters versus the teal color in the rest of the bay. It is 500
symmetry and uniformity—a school of fish may be a rain-
feet wide in diameter, and its edges are made of smooth
bow of ever-changing colors and vary in size many times
igneous rock.
over, or sardines may be the size of a brine shrimp or a
Deep Green is home to myriad creatures, all adapted to
tuna. Most of the creatures here do not attack unbidden,
live in alchemical waters. Most fish and other aquatic life
but getting too close to their prey or their young may pro-
here are spell-warped56 and carry features of the terrestrial
voke an attack. If the characters stir up trouble, roll on the
54. We recommend allowing the party to make multiple checks in an
Deep Green Encounters: Surface and Shallows table in the
effort to discover all of these cool features. Suggested Encounters section.57
55. The “I Search the Body” table can be found on p. 171 of chapter 4.
56. The spell-warped monster template can be found on p. 292 in 57. This table can be found on p. 228 later in the chapter.
chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 217
 What Lies Below Pink light filters in through small cracks along the floor of
The kelp provides an easy handhold for swimming deeper, the kelp forest, affording dim light within 20 feet of the floor.
and the shining sun provides bright light until 100 feet
below the surface and dim light for another 100 feet below Following the kelp down leads to the floor of the forest and
that. A light source from one side of the cavern wall below the tubular entrance to 6. Lower Merfolk Tunnel in the cavern
illuminates what appears to be a large undersea arch. On wall, which a creature can discover with a successful DC 15
the opposite side of the cavern, there are two tunnels, one Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check.
near the surface of the water in plain view and another at The ground is covered in 2 feet of metallic silt in which the
the kelp forest floor that is obscured by the swaying kelp kelp is rooted and features several cracks emitting a pink
and dimly illuminated only by the cracks in the forest floor. light from The Dry below, creating an area of dim light for
20 feet up from the forest floor. Urchins and clams line the
2. Kelp Forest Floor floor of the kelp forest. Disturbing the silt causes everything
within 30 feet of the disturbance to be heavily obscured for
As you make your way down the leafy vines of kelp, you start 1 minute until the silt settles back to the ground.
to see bundles of clams, beards attached to bronze springs
studded with glowing crystals and whirring crankshafts. Alchemical Urchins
The kelp’s fibrous holdfasts reach down into the silty This area is infested with mutated urchins that explode
emerald-green substrate, attaching it to the bottom. when disturbed. When a creature disturbs the silt on the

the mechanics of underwater adventuring

Underwater adventuring is great fun, as it offers all sorts of interesting opportunities for movement in all
directions and for dusting off rarely used aquatic monsters. But underwater encounters also raise questions
about how much realism to utilize at your table and how to do so. Here are some questions that may come
up when approaching this underwater dungeon and our thoughts on each one.
1. How does magic work underwater? Fire magic handwaved in 5th Edition, and you certainly
and fire are different things in 5th Edition, and can disregard it. We probably would, as there’s
our ruling would be that magical fire works enough to worry about already. If you need an
underwater as it would otherwise. Let’s not in-game reason to avoid dealing with pressure
forget though that Deep Green is not made changes related to underwater travel, perhaps
of just water—it is full of alchemical reagents, Deep Breath’s transformation also includes
which can react as unpredictably as you’d adding a layer of high-density fat or air bladders
like. Perhaps damage types are random to an affected creature that compensate for
here—there are ten types of magical damage, pressure, granting it immunity to bludgeoning
which makes for an easy d10 table—or maybe damage from such pressure changes.58 If you
magical damage is more potent. There’s a case want to introduce a crunchier mechanic, we
to be made for lightning, cold, and force magic recommend you tie it to movement speed. For
packing a stronger punch or having increased example, perhaps creatures without resistance
range underwater or for fire and thunder magic to bludgeoning damage can ascend or descend
to have smaller areas of effect. In any case, up to 30 feet per minute without incurring any
damage, and if they try to travel faster than that,
there is wisdom in saying that magic works
they have to attempt a Constitution saving throw
similarly underwater as it does elsewhere and
to avoid taking damage. You could set the DC at
that certain spell types (mostly area-of-effect
10 for any depth below 100 feet and increase it
spells) that may become conceptually murky
by 1 every additional 100 feet creatures descend.
underwater are cast as “aquatic” versions due
On a failure, creatures take 1d6 bludgeoning
to the nature of Deep Green’s magical waters
damage for every 50 feet they ascend or
(fog cloud becomes an ink cloud, for example). descend. This system allows for uninterrupted
2. How do pressure changes work in gameplay, but it makes swift movement and
underwater adventuring? Pressure is one combat positioning something your table will
element of physics that is largely have to think through carefully.

58 . If you can think of a more realistic workaround, go for it! None of us at Web DM are physicists or biologists.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

218 weird waStelandS
cavern floor, there is a 50 percent chance that a buried to and from the Arch, illuminating the myriad sea crea-
urchin explodes. When an urchin explodes, all creatures tures frolicking and playing nearby. A large purple kraken
within 10 feet of it take 2d6 fire damage, and the nearest floats serenely near the Arch.
kelp stalk is uprooted and floats to the surface. If more Creatures traveling toward the Arch seem to make no
than four kelp stalks are uprooted within 1 hour, the headway. After traveling toward it for 300 feet, it looks no
water above becomes obscured and a feeding frenzy oc- closer than it did before, but creatures encounter a steel
curs on the shores of Curdled Bay (roll on the Deep Green buoy here with a flashing light and a smiling depiction
Encounters: Surface and Shallows table to determine the of an otter. A floating sign tethered to the buoy reads,
type of creatures drawn to the shore by the rising kelp).59 “Warning: the Arch is farther away than it looks. You may
travel farther or faster than you intend beyond this point.”
Clam Bundles After 4 more hours of travel, the surface of Deep Green
The clams on the forest floor are an arcanotech filtration looks distant, and the Arch looks no closer, but its details
system. The techno-otters designed and installed the sys- are clearer. The Arch is made of technicolor coral, and
tem to ensure exploring Deep Green isn’t immediately fa- there are multitudes of sea life swimming around it—giant
tal, and they gather and use the clams in their other arcan- seahorses, glinting schools of rays, large shrimp, clownfish,
otech creations. The clams are a cacophony of size, shape, and lionfish all appear more conventional and uniform
color, and transparency. Characters investigating the clams than the life closer to the center of Deep Green.
can attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, deter- After 1 more hour of travel, the Arch is close enough to
mining their purpose on a success. touch, and the waters here are blue-green. The Arch is far
There is a 50 percent chance that a clam contains loot. smaller than it appeared at distance, barely 20 feet wide.
Either roll on the I Search the Body table to determine The coral ring is brilliant, and its center is filled with pul-
what’s inside or treat the clams as a scrap source.60 Each sating blue anemones, scintillating in rhythm. The water
clam has one alchemical urchin attached to it that is feed- inside the Arch is a pure, brilliant blue. Fish swim in and
ing on it. A creature that succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom out of the Arch, effortlessly pushing aside the anemones,
(Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check indicating that there is space beyond them.61
can safely remove the urchin from a clam in order to When the adventurers arrive at the Arch, the kraken
search it. On a failure, the urchin explodes (see the section swims slowly up to them, making no obviously threaten-
“Alchemical Urchins” section above for details). ing moves. It attempts to wrap its tentacles around the
most sympathetic-looking party member. It reaches out
The Barrier with its mind, asking the character if the party plans to
If an urchin explodes on the forest floor, the upended silt return to Deep Green. If the character indicates they do,
causes heavy obscurement for 60 feet and reveals the trans- the kraken asks telepathically if they would be willing to
lucent magenta bubble barrier of The Dry below, causing free its spawn from a dry area on the bay where they have
bright light within 100 feet of the uncovered barrier, which become beached. The kraken can’t reach them, and they
jiggles with movement but remains steadfast. While the need to get out into the open sea before they perish. The
barrier is uncovered, nearby weak spots in the barrier are kraken plegdes to lend its aid to the party if they help get
revealed through which creatures can enter The Dry. After the baby krakens into Deep Green.
1 minute, the silt resettles and recovers the barrier. One hundred feet below the Arch is a rough-edged cave
entrance lined with color-changing algae that leads to
3. The Arch 4. The Caves.
On the cavern wall 200 feet below the surface of Deep Green, 4. Caves
you see a colorful ring with a bright blue light at its center
amid a swirl of active marine life. It looks fairly close and The inky black opening under the Arch pulses gently
easy to get to, aside from the purple kraken drifting in the with rotating colors. Its surface is lined with color-
water between you and the Arch. changing algae glowing dimly in the dark. Though the
The Arch looks like a multicolored ring of indistinct mate- edges of the sinkhole at the surface are smooth and
rial on the cavern wall with blue at its center. The jour- perfectly round, this cave entrance is uneven as though it
ney to the Arch from the surface of Deep Green looks as were chewed out of the rock face.
though it should be short, no more than 200 feet away. A
61. What lies beyond the Arch is your choice! We intentionally created
glimmering current of brighter, bluish-green water flows this tempting portal without describing its destination as an
opportunity for your creativity to shine. It could be a doorway to the
59. Roll on the Deep Green Encounters: Surface and Shallows table plane of water or another watery realm outside the wastes. It could
(p. 228) to determine the feeding creatures populating the shore. lead to an underwater fey realm, the lair of a trapped dragon turtle, or
60. The “I Search the Body” table is on p. 171 in chapter 4, and the a desert so dry it would put even the most barren patch of the wastes
“Scrounging for Scrap” section is on p. 128 in chapter 3. to shame. Whatever you choose, good luck, and have fun!

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 219
 New Disease: Glossal Macrophage

This parasite incubates for 3 days before being ■ If the creature is a spellcaster, it can only cast
noticed as a small pustule on the tongue. After one spell per spell level per day.
another 2 days, the pustule resembles a small face Once the disease reaches this stage, the glossal
that appears to speak when the infected creature macrophage can only be removed with greater
speaks. restoration or remove curse cast with a silver vial
Once per day from initial contact with the filled with aboleth slime as a material component.
disease, a creature can attempt a DC 17 Cutting out the macrophage results in 4d10
Constitution saving throw, becoming cured on a slashing damage to the infected creature and
success. Lesser restoration or similar magic cure does not reverse the above effects. The glossal
the disease at this stage. macrophage fully grows back after 2d4 hours,
After 7 days, the parasite takes over the entire during which the creature is incapable of verbal
tongue of the infected creature. The creature’s communication (including casting spells with a
tongue becomes grayish blue and suffers the verbal component).
following effects: Beyond 7 days, the infected creature must
■ The creature has an incomprehensible desire succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be
to dive as deeply as possible into Deep Green. compelled to go as far down into Deep Green
■ The creature’s Wisdom score is reduced as quickly as they can, ignoring all threats,
by 1 every day (a creature’s Wisdom score danger, or attempts at persuasion, intimidation,
cannot be reduced below 4 as a result of the or physical resistance to dissuade the creature.
infection). When the creature reaches 7. The Dry, Crumtul
personally guides the creature into 11. Parasite
■ The creature cannot gain the benefits of a Incubation Chamber, where the creature’s body
short or long rest unless it is in the waters of is used as a womb for the macrophage for 7
Deep Green. more days before it emerges from the creature’s
■ The creature has an unbreakable telepathic torso as a juvenile mechaboleth, killing the
bond with its parasite and any aboleths creature instantly.
within 5 miles. The parasite has an At this stage of the infection, only killing Crumtul
Intelligence of 12 and urges the creature to and casting wish or other such epic intervention can
go into the depths beyond the kelp forest cure a person of the parasite.
floor with promises of ecstasy, purpose, and
oneness with all.

A snaking tunnel has been bored (or eaten) into the side of 5. Merfolk Village Tunnels
Deep Green. It is filled with color-changing algae that cre-
ates dim light in the entirety of the caves. Inside the tun- Near the surface of Deep Green on the opposite side of the
nels are numerous small fish and inlets safe for rest. The cavern is a tunnel leading down at an extremely steep angle.
lowest point in the tunnels leads to a translucent magenta The tunnel’s ribbed surface is ominously reminiscent of a
barrier serving as an entrance to 7. The Dry. gullet.
The underwater tunnels under the merfolk village are 15
Dead Bodies feet in diameter and are covered in a thick layer of algae.
In the top-most cave in this area float the bodies of The walls are too smooth to have been made by any beast,
three dead Tidal Idles, each with parasites in place of and it can be inferred that they were purposefully crafted
tongues. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check by intelligent beings. One tunnel leads up into an aban-
reveals that they’ve been dead for several days. If a crea- doned building in the merfolk village on the surface of
ture attempts to search the bodies, it must succeed on Curdled Bay, while the rest of the tunnels are all empty,
a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or contract glossal and most of them are dead ends.
macrophage. Among the three bodies are six potions of A creature that succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence
common rarity, a harpoon, and two random items from (Investigation) check to search the tunnels discovers the
the I Search the Body table.62 word “help” scratched into the side of the tunnel wall, pre-
sumably written with the blunted, cracked seashell on the
62. The “I Search the Body” table can be found on p. 171 in chapter 4. floor of the tunnel under the message. In the dead end of

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 221
 one tunnel, nubbly remains of blue-tinted bones liquids in containers that aren’t securely sealed—
and tatters of fish-scale clothing can be found. instantly float away and onto the walls and ceil-
The lowest tunnel leads into 6. Lower Merfolk ing of the area, which is 20 feet high and 60 feet
Tunnel. wide. Creatures who were transformed in Deep
Giant crabs, giant octopuses, or giant sharks Breath return to normal immediadetly upon en-
can be encountered here at the GM’s discretion. tering The Dry. The walls and ceiling are made
of magenta bubbles; outside of weak points and
6. Lower Merfolk Tunnel intentional entrances, they are as impenetrable
as stone. Thinner bubbles undulate throughout
The tunnel from above narrows as you descend, the area, limiting standard visibility to 30 feet.
and the walls grow thick with algae that brushes Creatures that explore The Dry may encoun-
against you. It leaves an oozey fuzz on everything ter the Jale Princling, a rakshasa who has chosen
it touches. the place as his home for its solitude and its
The tunnels in this area are 5 feet in diameter. plentiful supply of kraken eggs.
The algae is so thick here that standard visibility An encounter can occur in The Dry at the GM’s
is reduced to 10 feet. The algae hides a consider- discretion. Here are some suggestions:
able amount of scrap, if the party wishes to take ■ 1 gelatinous cube, 1 ochre jelly
time to scrounge for it.63 These tunnels are in ■ 2–4 air sharks (giant sharks able to breathe
total darkness.
air that have a 30-foot flying speed)
In the lowermost cavern float 2d4 undead ■ 1 air elemental
merfolk (they use the zombie stat block and ■ 2–4 chuuls
have a 60-foot swimming speed) who attack if
threatened. There is a magenta barrier on the The Jale Princeling
wall of the cavern leading to area 7. The Dry, the In the center of The Dry lives a rakshasa named
light from which creates dim light in this cavern the Jale Princeling.64 (The Jale Princeling uses the
as it filters through the thick algae. rakshasa stat block and can cast any wizard ritual
spell. He can also cast alter self, gaseous form,
7. The Dry and protection from poison at will.) He has made
Water whips off of everything and everyone inside a comfortable home here, with ornate chairs,
The Dry as if being pulled away by a magnet. The couches, food, fresh water, and a fireplace. In
walls undulate slightly as droplets of water slip one corner of his lair sits an enormous pile of
between the bubbles that form the barrier between 2-inch-diameter purple orbs inside which move-
The Dry and the water above it. The soft sound of ment can be detected: roughly 10,000 kraken
sloshing water suffuses the entire place. eggs. The Jale Princeling (TJP) makes his home
in The Dry because it is a private sanctum away
Entrances to The Dry look like 15-foot-tall trans- from the hustle and bustle of other planes. He
lucent, magenta bubbles that are lit from an un- is annoyed that the techno-otters have made it
This area was inspired seen source on the other side. Getting past the more lively, and he offers favors in exchange for
by looking at salad membrane and into The Dry, whether through the party sabotaging the techno-otters’ plans to
dressing and seeing one of its entrances or a weak spot, requires a make Deep Green a touristy haven. TJP suggests:
the layer of bubbles successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check
that sometimes forms to push through, though the DC can be low-
■ Blowing up at least eight kelp plants
between oil and ■ Poisoning the water at the snack bar
vinegar. In this place of
ered through clever problem-solving. Unsuc-
cessful attempts cause a creature to bounce off
■ Stealing arcanotech from the techo-otters
alchemical stuff, The
the membrane. The membrane can be pierced
■ Inciting the Tidal Idles against the
Dry is simply the layer
into which air settles. by weapon attacks (AC 10), but the membrane techno-otters
It also creates an wiggles like jelly and reforms almost instantly.
■ Destroying Deep Breath
interesting complication The Dry is exactly what it sounds like—dry. On the western side of The Dry, there is a
for parties to get back
through Deep Green Creatures who make it through the membrane weak point in the membrane smeared with a
without the aid of Deep see all the water they brought with them—in- considerable amount of gray goo next to a sign
Breath. cluding the water they were swimming through that reads: “Hey, way to go, Tidal! You made it
on the other side still on their person and any this far! It gets tough to breathe and stay warm
If your party is higher
level and is going to
fight TJP, give him some 63. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of 64. Jale is an imaginary color. The Jale Princeling is
chapter 3. annoyed when people don’t know what it is.
air shark minions.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

222 weird waStelandS
below here, but this algae salve helps!” The message is miss the dark, warm seas from before. They share visions
signed “Zoltan the Magician.” TJP insists he has no idea of warm vents of gushing water, burning purple smoke on
who Zoltan is or how long the salve has been here. a mountain, and their slow churn down the great drain.
A creature that ingests the goo gains the following ben- If the party takes at least one worm with them, they have
efits for 8 hours: advantage against Crumtul’s psychic connection as long
as the worm is with them. Burying the worm somewhere
■ The effects of the water breathing spell
extremely warm—like the vents at of the mountain at the
■ Immunity from the poisoned waters of Deep Green
Gates of the Afterlife65—or letting it into the open waters
■ 40-foot swimming speed
beyond the Arch grants all the characters the ability to
A creature that ingests the goo is also telepathically con- telepathically speak with all worms at will.
nected to Crumtul while within 1 mile of it.
There are two tunnels leading down from The Dry: one 10. Merfolk Storage Chamber
whose opening is covered in a wall of snails and leads to
8. Snail Tunnel, and one whose walls are covered in tiny, Rows of bodies float and bob expressionless in this cold,
brittle tubes that leads to 9. Worm Tunnel. If Crumtul is dark room. Any movement in the water near them creates
alive, is in Deep Green, and is telepathically connected cascades of motion.
with anyone in the party, it can send up to 2d6 undead This 10x10 foot room contains 2d20 dead merfolk under
merfolk to ambush the party in either of these tunnels. the effects of gentle repose, 1d20 undead merfolk, and two
hibernating chuuls. The undead merfolk, lacking orders,
8. Snail Tunnel float aimlessly unless harmed. The chuuls are unaware of
anything unless physically shaken out of sleep or if they
The entrance to this tunnel is covered in gray-shelled receive orders from Crumtul.
snails of all shapes and sizes creating a wall that undulates A thorough investigation of the room and a successful
hypnotically. The water near the wall of snails is hazy with DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals 5d100
slime. gp, two harpoons, a large sack of arcanotech scrap,
This circular passage is 10 feet in diameter, but the entrance three pearls, and eight conch shells. A successful DC 20
is swarming with snails. The snails are attracted to arcano- Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a letter written
tech and magic items. If a creature moves through the wall in octopus ink on seaweed paper on one of the dead mer-
of snails or otherwise touches them, the snails cling to the folk’s bodies:
creature. If a snail touches a magic item and remains in
I woke up as this horrible thing was dragging me
contact with it for more than 1 round, the items’ magic is
through a slimy tunnel. My head was bleeding. I
affected by the snails. Creatures attuned to magic items af-
pretended to be unconscious until I could get away for
fected by the snails become unattuned to them, and items
a moment and hide. Now I know what has happened to
that have charges lose one charge per round.
my beautiful Aenon and the others.
A creature searching the room can discover a wand
with 0 charges with a successful DC 15 Intelligence I can hear something calling to me now. It promises
(Investigation) check. If the wand is discovered, roll a d20. Aenon is alive and it will reunite me. Perhaps...perhaps.
On a 20, the wand is a wand of wonder. On all other results, Crumtul, if these are lies, it shall be the end of you!
it is a wand of magic missiles.
A tunnel leads through the floor of this room into the
area below, 11. Parasite Incubation Chamber.
9. Worm Tunnel
Brittle tubes spring out of the walls of this warm tunnel 11. Parasite Incubation Chamber
like hair. Bright violet worms peek out of the ends of them,
Chambers filled with inky gray liquid line the walls of this
arching their toothless maws at what has disturbed their
carved-out room. Crystal tubes containing a thick pink and
waters.
red substance squelch with the beat of a horrible pulse.
This 15-foot-wide tunnel is covered in deep-sea worms,
This 30-foot diameter circular room contains a half dozen
each in their own brittle, calcified tube. They sense light
8-foot tall chambers of gray liquid. The chambers are made
and movement and reach out telepathically to any creature
of metal and arcanotech tubing, crystal, and biological
that comes near. (The worms use the sea horse stat block
goo. A wall of gauges and buttons with markings written
but have a speed of 0, an Intelligence of 10, and telepathy
in Deep Speech fully line half the circular walls floor to
up to 30 feet.) When the worms connect with a creature
ceiling, 15 feet high.
telepathically, they beg to be taken somewhere warm,
where they can grow and thrive. They complain that the 65. See the “Gates of the Afterlife” section on p. 276 near the end of this
waters here have become too cold and too bright, that they chapter for more info.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 223
If the Tidal Idle Incubation Chambers finds three spell scrolls containing spells of lev-
can speak, they are A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) el 5 or higher (GM’s choice), a diamond worth
delusional, imagining check reveals that the chambers can be opened 500 gp, a teddy bear that speaks omens of the fu-
they are on an idyllic
beach that does not
and emptied of liquid. When a character opens ture, and a collection of pre-apocalyptic silver-
exist in the Weird a chamber, roll a d6. On a 1, this attracts the ware worth 100 gp.
Wastelands. Describe attention of Crumtul if it is not already in the There is a passage leading down through the
a modern, real-world room. The draining liquid reveals a Tidal Idle floor of the inner sanctum into the chamber
beach experience, that has been half-transformed into a mechabo- beyond, 13. Mechaboleth Laboratory.
or the plot of the leth and is connected at every joint with tubes of
beach movie with this
poor wretch as the gray and black slime. 13. Mechaboleth Laboratory
protagonist. Three of the chambers are occupied by Tidal
Idles (use the commoner stat block). Harming A whirr of machinery and a clattering of chitin
them or disconnecting them from their cham- can be heard from beyond the entrance to this
bers causes an alarm to sound in the chamber. room. The doorway reveals the segmented,
Two chuuls and 1d6 undead merfolk investigate ironclad tail of an enormous crustacean.
and attack on sight, and the alarm may alert Workstations and scaffolding surround it, as
Crumtul. Roll a d6. On a 1–4, Crumtul is alerted. chuuls and open-mouthed undead merfolk work
Destroying all the chambers prevents Crumtul on its many eyes and limbs.
from creating any further mechaboleths (beyond The mechaboleth laboratory, a 100-foot-by-
the one in 13. Mecaboleth Laboratory). Killing or 100-foot cavern, is full of scaffolding surround-
freeing the current chambers’ occupants but ing one unmissable feature: the mechaboleth
leaving the chambers intact slows Crumtul’s itself. It is a massive creation resembling an
plans but does not prevent them. isopod mixed with an ironclad ship. Its many
red eyes twinkle soullessly, and its sharp legs
Hidden Doors wiggle and twitch without purpose. Its head
There is a hidden entrance to Crumtul’s inner and arms have round windows, and its chest
sanctum behind a locked door in this area upon cavity has a small hatch. If the mechaboleth has
which Crumtul has cast glyph of warding. Crum- not been activated when the party arrives, the
tul also casts alarm twice a day on the door. (To hatch is open.
determine if an alarm is active, roll a d6. On a The entire space is dimly lit by phosphorescent
5–6, it is inactive.) The door is hidden behind algae, illuminating 1d10 undead merfolk and
thick gray slime and algae. A creature that suc- 1d6 chuuls working on the mechaboleth, inject-
ceeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or ing slime, adjusting the hatch, jolting the legs
Wisdom (Perception) check notices the outline with electricity, and reinforcing the carapace.
of the door. Because of the noise, creatures attempting to
move stealthily through the room have advan-
12. Crumtul’s Inner Sanctum tage on ability checks made to avoid detection.
If a chuul (or Crumtul, if it is here) notices in-
This room is suffused with an empty loneliness. truders, it engages immediately and orders the
A thick layer of gray slime and algae on the floor undead merfolk in Deep Speech to do the same.
is marked with long, winding indentations. A Once Crumtul is inside the mechaboleth, it
numbingly moldy smell permeates the chamber. takes 3 rounds to fully activate it. If the mech-
The surfaces of the sanctum are covered in aboleth is activated, Crumtul attempts to bur-
inches of thick gray slime. There are several half- row up through Deep Green while launching
inch-diameter holes in the 10-foot-high ceiling. projectile attacks at the party.
A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check If the party clears out all the hostile mobs in
reveals faint noises coming from the holes. If a the mechaboleth lab and spends 1 hour search-
creature investigates the holes further, it hears ing the area, they find enough arcanotech scrap
distinct sounds in each hole specific to various to buy, create, or commission five legendary
locations around the Weird Wastelands. The items.66
holes are actually miles long and are lined with
runes that amplify sound—this is where Crumtul 66. What if your party dispatches Crumtul and its
minions but preserves the mechaboleth? If they spend
observes the goings-on across the wastes. considerable time and energy (months and thousands of
A creature that succeeds on a DC 15 Intelli- gp), it could be remodeled into a sweet vehicle or even a
gence (Investigation) check to search the room mobile stronghold.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

224 weird waStelandS
 profile: mechaboleth
Personality: Hateful, obedient, resolute Over months, it grows a hollow, slimy, lob-
Ideal: Invade. The mechaboleth’s one direc- ster-like carapace of living flesh and chitin.
tive is to take Crumtul anywhere it asks and Crumtul tasks thralls with bolting plates of
to spread their power throughout the wastes. armor and other mechanical devices to the
chitinous exoskeleton of the empty, yet still
Bond: The mechaboleth is unflinchingly
living, shell. Once it has reached its full size
obedient to Crumtul and any other
and has been outfitted properly, Crumtul
aboleths it encounters.
enters it, merging its flesh and mind with
Flaw: The mechaboleth has little sense of the biomechanical carapace, much like
fear or self-preservation. a knight donning a set of plate armor—if
Legend: The mechaboleth is a biomechani- the armor were made of gristle, chitin, and
cal shell that is grown as a parasite in other cold steel. If the mechaboleth is destroyed,
living tissue and is piloted by Crumtul, the the aboleth within teleports back to its lair,
Dead-Eyed Eel. Crumtul implants a parasitic injured and exhausted. Without an aboleth
egg in an unfortunate victim, whereafter to commune with it, however, the mech-
the parasite takes over its host and forces aboleth is inert, yet still magically, and
it down into the depths of Deep Green. unsettlingly, alive.

Lair Actions ■ As an action, the mechaboleth can cast the

When fighting inside its lair, a mechaboleth can arcane eye spell, deploying it to observe and
take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing monitor its domain.
initiative ties), the mechaboleth takes a lair ac-
If the mechaboleth dies, these effects fade
tion to cause one of the following effects:
over the course of 2d10 days.
■ The mechaboleth collapses the ceiling
in a 10-foot square within 90 feet of it. 14. The Plug
All creatures in the area must attempt a
DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 A snarl of slime and wreckage plugs the gap What the hell happens
(3d10) bludgeoning damage on a failure, between the walls of Deep Green. Bits of buildings, if the drain opens?
or half as much on a success. ships, and monuments built of lumber and stone This is one of those
so wide and smooth it could never have come points where if you’d
■ Each creature in a 30-foot cone from the wasteland peek out from the grey mucus. like to make world-
originating from the mechaboleth must changing decisions,
Spurts of tiny bubbles trickle out from the sides of it’s a great place to do
succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving this immense blockage. so. If Crumtul has been
throw or drop whatever it is holding and dispatched, the aboleth
Below the mechaboleth laboratory is the plug
become frightened until the end of its slime here will slowly
in the great drain of Deep Green. It is clogged
next turn. vanish, presenting
with ancient buildings, arcanotech wonders, a complication of
■ A 20-foot cube of water within 90 feet of and other debris and is cemented together with engineering to keep it
the mechaboleth becomes murky. The dirt, silt, and aboleth slime. It contains incred- shut. Perhaps something
affected area is heavily obscured. ible treasures, but disturbing it carries with it fantastic lies beyond;
the risk of unclogging the drain through which maybe the entire world
should have gone
Regional Effects it is said the world fell though in the apocalypse.
down the drain, and
The region containing the mechaboleth’s lair is the tragedy is that it
distorted by its presence, creating one or more CRUMTUL didn’t. Perhaps it is
of the following effects: The entire area below 7. The Dry is the lair of shut tight, and the
Crumtul, the Dead-Eyed Eel. Crumtul is a modi- techno-otters (and the
■ Every water source within 1 mile of the party) can excavate
fied aboleth (see Crumtul’s profile sidebar for
mechaboleth’s lair is viscous and nauseating. it for some powerful
more information) whose end goal is to destroy
rewards: a vehicle,
■ Underground terrain within 1 mile of Tradetown67 with the help of a nightmare of an powerful magical items,
the mechaboleth’s lair is slick and slimy, or endless scrap to be
making it difficult terrain. 67. See p. 176 for more information about Tradetown. sold.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 225
 profile: crumtul, the dead-eyed eel
Personality: Hateful, selfish, scheming In recent decades, Crumtul has decided to
Ideal: To silence the joys which have disturbed it leave Deep Green and head toward Tradetown,
from its neverending quiet in the deeps whose psychic positivity shines a light too bright
for its comfort, even this far down the drain. It has
Bond: To squash all brightness and joy from the
converted its lair into a workshop, captured the
surface
merfolk from the village above, stole their minds and
Flaw: Its eons of solitude have made it lose any bodies, and forced them to work to create a mobile
efficiency it may have had; its plans and schemes biomechanical weapon to both convey Crumtul and
are long, complex, and flawed. help it destroy Tradetown.
Legend: Crumtul, the Dead-Eyed Eel is an extremely This weapon, the mechaboleth, has had many
old aboleth with bright-green, half-putrefied failed versions in the last several months, but
skin whose eyes have turned cloudy white with Crumtul works tirelessly to improve its design
age. Over the centuries, the extreme pressures, and see its plans to destroy Tradetown through
alchemical reagents, and flow of liquid through to completion. The mechaboleths incubate inside
Deep Green have rendered it impossibly thin in careless Tidal Idles, where they begin as parasites
order to navigate the abandoned worm tubes and in their mouths that eventually grow to replace their
fissures in Deep Green. Its lair is the entirety of tongues, brains, and respiratory systems, eventually
the caves beneath The Dry where it schemes and being drawn down into the deep to the lab to
maintains its incredible laboratory. become their final form.

arcanotech creation, the mechaboleth. When the party a more urgent threat exists elsewhere. If it succeeds in
first enters Deep Green, consult the Crumtul’s Location this deception, it accelerates its timeline for readying the
table to determine where the aboleth is. Crumtul can mechaboleth for its attack on Tradetown.68
change location once per hour (or however often you’d like
it to). If the characters have not encountered the aboleth CRUMTUL’S LOCATION
by the time they reach area 13. Mechaboleth Laboratory,
they encounter it there. d6 CRUMTUL’S LOCATION
If encountered and not attacked on sight, Crumtul at-
1 8. Snail Tunnel or 9. Worm Tunnel (GM’s choice)
tempts to convince the party to leave, swearing it wishes
only to be left alone and promising their greatest desires 2 10. Merfolk Storage Chamber
if they leave it be. If the party ignores Crumtul’s request
3 11. Parasite Incubation Chamber
or attacks it, it uses Enslave on whichever target it per-
ceives to be the greatest threat with the lowest Wisdom, 4 12. Inner Sanctum
summons two chuuls and 2d6 undead merfolk (who all ar-
5–6 13. Mechaboleth Laboratory
rive in 3 rounds), and flees to 13. Mechaboleth Laboratory,
where it bars the entrance and attempts to activate the
mechaboleth. Combat Tactics
Crumtul possesses sufficient power to be a warlock Crumtul attempts deception and persuasion to avoid a
patron and may attempt to persuade the party to leave it fight if feasible, preferring instead to conserve its energy
alone by offering this as a reward. for its schemes to create a successful mechaboleth and de-
stroy Tradetown. If the party attacks the aboleth or reacts
Encounter with Crumtul to its attempts to prevent hostilities aggressively, it fights
If the players encounter Crumtul and do not immediately back.
begin fighting it, it attempts to persuade them to leave Crumtul prioritizes grappling spellcasters in a fight, sum-
it alone or work for it. It attempts to prey on sympathy, moning chuul and undead merfolk minions from adjacent
claiming it is a victim of the apocalypse who’s been stuck rooms, and then fleeing to its laboratory with its grappled
for untold ages and just wishes to be left alone. If the prey as quickly as possible. If it makes it to the lab, it gets
party has interacted with aboleth slime (including the goo
found in 7. The Dry), Crumtul has some idea of what the 68. See the “Putting It All Together” section on p. 229 for more
information on the timeline.
characters care about and lies to make it seem as though

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

226 weird waStelandS
inside the mechaboleth and begins to activate it. Once in Consequences
the mechaboleth, it either attempts to defend itself in the This section details the events that follow a final con-
laboratory or attempts to go straight to the surface and frontation with Crumtul. Regardless of whether Crumtul
beyond to Tradetown, leaving a trail of destruction in its is defeated or escapes, if the mechaboleth laboratory is
wake. If Crumtul or the mechaboleth are reduced to 25 destroyed via some major destruction, roll a d20. On a
percent of their hit point maximums, Crumtul attempts 5 or lower, the clog in the drain at Deep Green becomes
to flee. partially loosened.

crumtul, the dead-eyed eel

Gargantuan aberration, lawful evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14

Hit Points 135 (18d10 + 36) Constitution saving throw or become diseased. The
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 60 ft. disease has no effect for 1 minute and can be removed
by any magic that cures disease. After 1 minute, the dis-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
eased creature’s skin becomes translucent and slimy, the
21 (+5) 9 (−1) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) creature can’t regain hit points unless it is underwater,
Saving Throws Con +6, Int +8, Wis +6 and the disease can be removed only by heal or another
Skills History +12, Perception +10 disease-curing spell of 6th level or higher. When the
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20 creature is outside a body of water, it takes 6 (1d12) acid
Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft. damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is applied to
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) its skin before 10 minutes have passed.
On a hit, the target is grappled (save DC 10). Crumtul
TRAITS has advantage on its Strength (Athletics) checks made
Alchemical Metamorphosis. The slime coating Crumtul’s to grapple. Until this grapple ends, Crumtul can’t use its
body gives him immunity to the poisoned waters of Deep tentacles on another target.
Green. Additionally, Crumtul can move through a space Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
as narrow as 1/2 an inch wide without squeezing. one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Amphibious. Crumtul can breathe air and water. Enslave (3/Day). Crumtul targets one creature it can
Innate Spellcasting. Crumtul’s innate spellcasting see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed
cast the following spells, requiring no components: by Crumtul until Crumtul dies or until it is on a different
plane of existence from the target. The charmed target
At will (ritual only): alarm, comprehend languages,
is under Crumtul’s control and can’t take reactions, and
contact other plane, detect magic, feign death,
Crumtul and the target can communicate telepathically
floating disk, gentle repose, identify, instant
with each other over any distance.
summons, magic mouth, telepathic bond, tiny hut,
Whenever the charmed target takes damage, the
unseen servant, water breathing
target can repeat the saving throw. On a success, the
6/day: animate dead effect ends. No more than once every 24 hours, the
1/day: glyph of warding target can also repeat the saving throw when it is at
Mucous Cloud. While underwater, Crumtul is surround- least 1 mile away from Crumtul.
ed by transformative mucus. A creature that touches LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Crumtul or that hits it with a melee attack while within 5
feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving Crumtul can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
throw or become diseased for 1d4 hours. The diseased the options below. Only one legendary action option
creature can breathe only underwater. can be used at a time and only at the end of another
Probing Telepathy. If a creature communicates tele- creature’s turn. Crumtul regains spent legendary actions
pathically with Crumtul, Crumtul learns the creature’s at the start of its turn.
greatest desires if Crumtul can see the creature. Detect. Crumtul attempts a Wisdom (Perception) check.
ACTIONS Tail Swipe. Crumtul makes one Tail attack.
Psychic Drain (Costs 2 Actions). One creature charmed
Multiattack. Crumtul makes three Tentacle attacks. by Crumtul takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage, and Crumtul
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., regains hit points equal to the damage the creature
one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and takes.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 227
 If Crumtul is defeated, the areas below The If the party has allies in this epic battle and
Dry are free of its putrid regional influence in you want to up the ante, Crumtul can also bring
3d10 days. Additionally during this time, any some minions to the fight. Consider the follow-
remaining chuul minions flee, and remaining ing as possible allies who fight on Crumtul’s side:
undead merfolk fall idle. The snails and algae in ■ 40 undead merfolk
Crumtul’s area slowly begin to regain color, and ■ 10 chuuls
any creatures infected with glossal macrophage ■ 1d6 gelatinous cubes
recover.
What was once Crumtul’s lair can now be If Crumtul escapes inside the mechaboleth, its
fully surveilled by the techno-otters. While the ultimate goal is to get to Tradetown and destroy
waters of Deep Green are still poisonous, they it. If it survives that, it proceeds to the Gates
are much safer to explore. Tidal Idles who were of the Afterlife to try and force its way past the
once infected with glossal macrophage find a gates and into whatever oblivion it may offer.
safer hobby: flood-surfing. With their minds
restored, the Tidal Idles’ relations with the tech-
no-otters improve markedly, and the Tidal Idles
suggested encounters
spend their spare time leading aquatic activities The Deep Green Encounters tables list both the
and tours for visitors. creatures that lair in or near Deep Green and
The increase in activity below The Dry means creatures who have some reason to visit. Each
more conflict between the Jale Princeling and entry contains a brief description of the crea-
the techno-otters. The Princeling, if unable to tures and a prompt for an encounter scenario.
stir action in the party to help him make life The encounter descriptions detail any modifica-
harder for the techno-otters, likely plane shifts tions to the base creature stat block and special
away or takes up residence somewhere even considerations for running the encounter. The
more private, such as the Ruins of the Basalt GM may use their preferred method for deter-
Palace or the Last City of MAN. mining who or what the party encounters at the
Crumtul’s defeat can cause one major compli- location. Estimated difficulty is based on a party
cation. The bottom of Deep Green is clogged by of four adventurers of 7th level.
pre-apocalyptic remains and aboleth slime. The
slime’s recession may shift that blockage and
cause world-altering effects.
DEEP GREEN ENCOUNTERS:
SURFACE AND SHALLOWS
What happens when If Crumtul escapes, there is an opportunity
Deep Green becomes to make a pretty badass setpiece battle on the d6 ENCOUNTER
unblocked? This is shores and surface of Deep Green. The surface
another decision
point for you to build has a number of defenders who come to the aid 2d4 giant seagulls (giant eagle), 1d6
upon. In our minds, of the party: 1 giant seahorses (swimming speed
this could range from 80 ft.), 2 giant sharks
a potentially world-
■ 20 techno-otters (use the giant weasel
ending issue that stat block, but give each +1 greataxes or 2d6 + 5 stirges, 1d4 sea iguanas
2
requires help from +1 light crossbows, and two potions of (giant toads)
multiple factions to healing)
stop. This is a drain 3 1 roc
down which oceans ■ 1d6 mangrove treants (use the treant
2 shambling mounds fighting
and cities may have stat block, but each one can cast shape 4
1 mangrove treant (treant, 0 speed)
disappeared. Perhaps water three times per day)
it leads somewhere
3 beached whale spirits (banshee,
entirely new. ■ The kraken swimming outside the Arch 5
size Huge)
Perhaps something (if the party helped save the kraken’s
unexpectedly good spawn) 2 black puddings, 2 gray oozes,
happens. If cleared, 6
1 ochre jelly
what if it takes the ■ A purple worm (if the party rehomed at
alchemical reagents least one of the worms in Crumtul’s lair)
with it, leaving an
everlasting font of ■ The Jale Princling (if the party has
fresh water in its stead, helped him sabotage the touristy efforts
which could change the the techno-otters)
world? The possibilities
are yours to imagine.

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228 weird waStelandS
 unexpected consequence could result in Crumtul offering
DEEP GREEN ENCOUNTERS: the party arcanotech, magic, or information in exchange,
UNDERWATER if they ally with Crumtul.
d6 ENCOUNTER
EARNING CRUMTUL’S FAVOR AS A
1 2 swarms of poisonous snakes WARLOCK PATRON
2d6 spell-warped sunfish (gibbering mouthers Crumtul is willing to be a warlock patron in exchange
2 for the involved parties to spread its influence across the
with the spell-warped template applied)69
Weird Wastelands and aid it in its efforts. The warlock-pa-
1 psychic remora (remorhaz, swimming tron relationship between a character and Crumtul would
3
speed 40 ft.) be considered a pact with an Apocalypse Otherworldly
1 angler fish (cloaker, swimming speed 40 ft., Patron.70 Though Crumtul’s ultimate goal is difficult for
4 anyone to comprehend, the progress wastelanders have
no flying speed)
made in making a more stable and prosperous life offend
3 phase spider crabs (phase spider, it, and it wishes to see the apocalypse finished. Seeding the
5 swimming speed 30 ft.), 1 crab drider (drider, Weird Wastelands with aboleth slime, undermining the
swimming speed 40 ft.) Fellowship and Tradetown, and destroying the feast beast
6 1 adult green dragon are all goals Crumtul may seek aid in furthering, though it
may not directly inform its protégé of this intent.

rewards putting it all together

Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to We decided to present Deep Green as a dungeon for
be found within the area. several reasons, one of which is that its geography lends
itself particularly well to it. There’s only one obvious way
EXPERIENCE in and out (along with the secret entrance, of course), and
In addition to standard experience awarded during com- there’s most definitely an end to it that you can only get
bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned to by going through the rest. And who doesn’t love a good
while exploring Deep Green: dungeon crawl?
■ Helping the Jale Princeling – 1,000 XP It will likely take your table several sessions to fully ex-
■ Harvesting goo – 250 XP plore Deep Green, and we’ve left some loose ends here and
■ Earning Crumtul’s favor as a warlock patron – 2,000 XP there to make it easy to expand or add your own content to
the location. Deep Green offers an easy out to other planes
HELPING THE JALE PRINCELING through the Arch or the Jale Princeling, if your campaign
If the party decides to help the Jale Princeling sabotage the goes beyond the Weird Wastelands.
techno-otters, he offers rewards based on the intensity of
the chaos they incite. He can offer to cast spells to help
MECHABOLETH TIMELINE
the party return to the surface or delve deeper into Deep You may want to put the activation of the mechaboleth on
Green, provide information about Crumtul and the realm a world- or location-based timer. If Crumtul is left to its
below The Dry, or offer to release the kraken eggs back own devices, it may activate on its own and begin its march
into the wild (they are his favorite food). He may even be to Tradetown after a certain number of in-campaign days.
willing to plane shift the party, if the price is right. If you want to do this, we recommend 5 to 7 days from
the first time the party visits Deep Green. Here are some
HARVESTING GOO omens you can use to telegraph this imminent event:
The party may view the gray goo in The Dry as a com- ■ An earthquake rocks Deep Green and Curdled Bay.
modity. If so, anyone with alchemist’s supplies could
make potions out of it, which confer all the same benefits ■ All the kelp in the water withers and dies.
as consuming the unrefined goo. Such potions would ■ The shores of Deep Green are suddenly thick with
be quite valuable to those conversant in magic, particu- gray mucus.
larly members of the Fellowship or the Arcanotech Cabal.
Dispersement of such potions would spread Crumtul’s ■ A dead chuul or expired undead merfolk bubbles up
sphere of power far beyond Deep Green. This potentially from the depths, impaled on a massive black isopod leg.

69. The spell-warped creature template can be found on p. 292 70. See the “Warlock” section on p. 48 of chatper 1 for more
of chapter 6. information about this warlock subclass.

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weird waStelandS 229
 ADVENTURE HOOKS
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to Derbytown
introduce your table to Deep Green.
“Life in Derbytown goes in cycles, round and round, just
like a race. We aim for the finish line, but sometimes we get
DEEP GREEN ADVENTURE HOOKS blown all to hell. Then, we salvage what we can and get back
in the driver’s seat.”
d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
– Thundrous, Derbytown Chief
The techno-otters need immediate help
1
containing an urchin infestation in Deep Green.
background
A merfolk named Aenon is hanging around Deep
2 Green and is seeking information about the lover Once in the distant past, the area now known as Derbytown
they ghosted a few years back. was an energy farm where sorcerer-lords in their hubris
bred trolls in massive numbers, culling them frequently
The character with the lowest Wisdom score has for a volatile alchemical substance distilled from their re-
3 dreams of something they desire far down in
generative blood. This substance, known as trolleum, pro-
Deep Green.
vided a seemingly endless, renewable resource, fueling the
One of the most beloved Tidal Idles, Zoltan the decadence and technology of the lost civilization. When
4 Magnificent (a very chill guy despite the name), the ancient lords and their society fell, the trolls here con-
never emerged from a recent dive. sumed each other for centuries, leaving the ground soaked
with their blood. Eventually, some massive beast71 chose
to lair here, devouring the remaining trolls and growing to
RUMORS an impossible size. Eventually, it died here, leaving behind
Presented here are ten rumors about Deep Green. These
a skeleton as large as a small town, with a rich deposit of
rumors can be used to draw your table to the location or to
trolleum beneath it.
create additional drama while the characters are visiting.
Since then, gangs of raiders, trolleum-punks, and bolt-
It’s up to the GM whether the rumors are true.
heads have gathered here, transforming the great beast’s
remains into a gigantic arena, the Demolition Derby,
DEEP GREEN RUMORS where daring pilots steer trolleum-powered arcanotech
machines in races and combat—often to the death. A
d10 RUMOR small community has sprung up around the arena and
is now known as Derbytown. The residents’ entire focus
The techno-otters have started entertaining
1 people at Deep Green because they need more is on the vehicular competitions, which promise great
arcanotech. risk and the opportunity for great reward. The gang
members that control the arena now pride themselves
2 There is a kraken living in Deep Green. on their racing prowess and delight when challengers
3 There is great treasure at the bottom of Deep Green. roll into town.

4
Deep Green is a drain through which the world
will one day tumble. Terrain
5 The waters of Deep Green are poisonous. The terrain of Derbytown has the following qualities:

The Tidal Idles who hang out at Deep Green in ■ The structures and walls of the Demolition Derby are
6 made of thick iron plates bolted onto the massive,
recent years are actually a cult.
super-dense fossilized bone of the great dead beast.
Deep Green is one of the best places to find pre- The fossilized bone is immune to all damage.
7
apocalyptic paper.
■ Unless specified otherwise, rooms and hallways
Something that molts immense shells is coming in the entirety of Derbytown are built to allow up
8 from Deep Green and heading into the inner
to Huge or smaller vehicles to pass through them.
wasteland, but no one has ever seen it.

It’s the best place in the Weird Wastelands to eat 71. No one knows the nature or identity of the great beast whose
9 remains make up the main feature of Derbytown. It must have been a
fresh seafood.
gargantuan titan of epic proportions. Remembrancers believe that its
limbs are buried deep beneath the wastes, and only the top half of its
Merfolk once lived here and left behind a
10 ribcage and pelvis protrude above the surface. The whereabouts of its
dazzling village. skull are unknown.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

230 weird waStelandS
 Structures feature ample exhaust holes and vents, of the massive ring of bones, as well as around what re-
which are large enough for Medium or smaller mains of the pelvis at one end of the ribcage. Within the
creatures to crawl through. walls in the pelvis are several buildings of fossilized bone
and bolted iron, including a garage, a barracks, and a
■ The region in and around Derbytown is blanketed
marketplace.
with a smoky haze from the constant trolleum
burn. The haze limits standard visibility to 120 DERBYTOWN LEADERSHIP
feet throughout the location. A creature exposed The current leader of Derbytown is a red half-dragon
to the haze must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution named Thundrous. (She uses the half–red dragon veteran
saving throw at the end of each long rest or be stat block but has an Intelligence score of 14, a Charisma
poisoned for 24 hours. Creatures that don’t need score of 18, an Intimidation bonus of +7, and she is lawful
to breathe or have resistance against becoming neutral). Thundrous has three lieutenants who contribute
poisioned, creatures wearing filter masks (which significantly to her leadership.
most residents of Derbytown have), and creatures The first is Valin, a lawful evil doppelganger who pres-
naturally adapted to polluted environments ents in public as a male human. Valin works as Thundrous’s
automatically succeed on this saving throw. spymaster and secret police, using his shapeshifting ability
to pass among the populace undetected. Valin is loyal and
special features clever but vain.
Thundrous’s second lieutenant is Tusk, a neutral evil
The features detailed here distinguish Derbytown as a wereboar who serves as her muscle. Tusk also commands
weird location and are available to flesh out gameplay ele- the dozen senior gang members (veteran stat block) who
ments of the area. They are designed to complement interac- serve as security for Derbytown. Beneath each senior
tions with other creatures and create engaging encounters. member are a half-dozen or more newer recruits (these
rank-and-file gang members use the bandit stat block).
THE BONES Tusk is also loyal but is prone to rage and impetuousness.
Derbytown’s most prominent feature is a gigantic beast’s Finally, there is Vectro-3000, a neutral sentient vehicle
ribcage that houses the Demolition Derby arena. Thick that Thundrous befriended while wandering the wastes
walls of bolted iron run between the ribs around the outside and who now serves as her vehicle in battle as well as her

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 231
 arcane expert. When the first technomancers came to this vehicles get claimed by gang members, but others are put
place, they learned to channel some of the residual power up for sale to visitors and competitors in the arena.
lingering in the great beast’s bones into their arcanotech.
Thus Vectro-3000 was created, and now it works for THE RIB
Thundrous. In combat, Vectro-3000 counts as a Large, The bookies’ hall, known in Derbytown as the Rib, is housed
legendary vehicle. inside a hollowed-out rib of the ancient beast whose bones
make up much of the structure of the Demolition Der-
by arena itself. The ground floor features bookies milling
derbytown npcs around waiting to take bets and a large slate board with
the names and odds of the competitors for the upcoming
match or race.
Here is a quick reference list of the named NPCs
In the back is a thick iron wall with a few windows
that lay down the law in Derbytown.
protected with heavy bars, where winning bets are paid
Competitors: The Bone Priest, Eightball, Killjoy, out. To each side are spiral stairs ascending into the Rib,
Mindbreaker, Reaver Rex, Torque the Scav, leading to multiple observation platforms carved out of
Verminface
the fossilized bone, which allow bettors to watch the races.
Pitbosses: Zigg the Eye (half-orc), Margalie This upper level also features a small office for the pit boss.
(human), Aralie (elf) The ground of the entire place is littered with discarded
Boss: Thundrous (half-red-dragon veteran) tickets from lost bets.
Boss’s Lieutenants: Valin (doppelganger), Tusk
(wereboar), Vectro-3000 (sentient vehicle) Placing Bets
Visitors who wish to bet on a competition may do so with
one of the derby bookies, choosing one of the competi-
CHOP SHOP72 tors listed on the big board. Bettors put up an amount of
The Chop Shop is a vast metallic hangar which gleams in money upfront and, if their choice wins, they get a payout
the angry sun. It is run by Pyre, an industrious half-orc that depends on the given odds. If they lose, the bookie
with no time for pleasantries. The Chop Shop is one of the keeps the money (giving a healthy cut to management, of
only places in the Weird Wastelands for drivers to main- course).
tain their vehicles, and its proximity to the Demolition At the Rib, visitors can bet on two event types at the De-
Derby makes it the best. Naturally, the wasteland is hard molition Derby—a “clean race,” where weapons, traps, and
on vehicles. The Meatgrinder and Thunderdome—the other nefarious tricks are not permitted, and a Thunder
scrappiest, most dangerous features of the Demolition -dome battle, during which drivers fight each other un-
Derby—are even harder. If a vehicle is damaged, whether til all but one of their vehicles is destroyed or until all
in the derby or out and about in the wastes, the mechanics but one of the drivers are dead. The Clean Race Betting
at the Chop Shop can fix it right up. Board and Thunderdome Betting Board tables show a list
Most travelers who stop by Derbytown do so to fill up of competitors and their odds for winning a given race. In
their trolleum tanks at the Chop Shop and buy an extra each table, each potential competitor has odds associat-
cannister or two for the road. The shop’s atmosphere is ed with them. To calculate who wins a race, roll a d20 and
noisy and gritty, as it’s constantly bustling with massive, consult the respective table. To determine how much a
filthy, intimidating vehicles from the derby, most of which winning bet pays out, take the amount wagered and mul-
are half crushed or missing parts from their dangerous tiply it by the fraction in the Odds column.73, 74
exploits.
73. Here’s an example of calculating a payout. Let’s say a character bets
In addition to repairing and refueling, the Chop Shop 100 gp on the Anomaly in a clean race, and the Anomaly wins. The
can customize vehicles, tricking them out with the dead- payout is 900 gp (100 × 9/1). This payout doesn’t include the original
liest bells and whistles a driver could imagine. When the bet, which the winner also gets back. Thus the total payout of a
winning 900 gp bet on the Anomaly would be 1,000 gp (the original
mechanics at the shop aren’t busy selling and installing bet of 100 gp plus the 900 gp winnings).
vehicle modules, they work on creating vehicles of their     Also, here are some fun competitor names: Bedlam, Bloodcrust,
own to sell to daredevil customers looking for a ride. Booger, Clever Cleaver, Doomgrinder, Gentle Gramps, The Kid, King
Occasionally, a crash (or some other nefarious activity) Vile, Lady Louse, Maggot Molly, Mouthless, The Octane Ox, Ratnose,
Scraphound, Shale, Silt Baby, Smokey the Orc, The Stain, Trollbreath,
kills or disables a pilot but leaves a salvageable vehicle Wasteraider, The Weeping Orifice.
behind, which the Chop Shop repairs or scraps for parts 74. Payout amount listed in these betting tables doesn’t include the
to make new vehicles of their own design. Some of these original stake, or bet, which the bettor also gets back. So a 100 gp
bet at 9:1 odds pays out 900 gp, which means the bettor pays 100
72 . The “Vehicles” section on p. 85 in chapter 2 can provide you with all gp and gets back 1,000 gp (the original bet of 100 gp plus the 900 gp
the info you need to run the Chop Shop. winnings).

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232 weird waStelandS
 CLEAN RACE BETTING BOARD
d20 COMPETITORS ODDS CHANCE TO WIN PAYOUT ON 100 GP BET
1–2 The Anomaly 9:1 10% 900 gp
3–6 Apocalex 4:1 20% 400 gp
7 Dogbite 19:1 5% 1,900 gp
8–12 Humanity’s Demise 3:1 25% 300 gp
13–20 Queen Bee 1.5:1 40% 150 gp

THUNDERDOME BETTING BOARD

d20 COMPETITORS ODDS CHANCE TO WIN PAYOUT ON 100 GP BET
1–2 The Bone Priest 9:1 10% 900 gp
3 Eightball 19:1 5% 1,900 gp
4–7 Killjoy 4:1 20% 400 gp
8–9 Mindbreaker 9:1 10% 900 gp
10–14 Reaver Rex 3:1 25% 300 gp
15–16 Torque the Scav 9:1 10% 900 gp
17–20 Verminface 4:1 20% 400 gp

Large Payouts Overseeing security in the vault is the mage Galea (cha-
Bookies handle any bets of 1,000 gp or less, and the ca- otic neutral gnome). Galea uses the mage stat block, except
shiers working behind the counter handle payouts up to that she has the following spells prepared:
500 gp. The bookies and cashiers must check with the pit
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, message, minor illusion
boss for any higher amounts.
1st level (4 slots): alarm, detect magic, mage armor, shield
The Staff 2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, detect thoughts, knock,
A pit boss oversees the betting at all times, working both see invisibility
as security and management of the bookies and cashiers. 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, glyph of warding,
There are three put bosses on rotation, all former Thun- lightning bolt, sending
derdome deathmatch winners (they all use the gladiator 4th level (3 slots): private sanctum
stat block). The pit bosses are loyal to the current leader- 5th level (1 slot): wall of force
ship, who allowed them to stop fighting to the death and
“retire” into betting management. They are Zigg the Eye GRANDSTAND
(neutral good half-orc), Margalie (lawful evil human), and The great beast’s ribcage circles and towers over the arena.
Aralie (neutral elf). Most business and activity occur around the base of the
The bookies (bandit stat block) and cashiers (guard stat ribs, but there are iron platforms and wooden structures
block) work on the first floor of the Rib, taking bets and built high above, connecting several of the ribs to create
announcing and paying out winnings. They rarely venture a large area overlooking the arena. Accessible by a single
up the stairs, unless they need to consult with the pit boss. lift, the structure serves as a grandstand where the wealthy
and powerful can view the races and matches below.
The Vault Each rib stands several hundred feet apart from its
Behind the cashiers’ iron bars and wall is a vault, a room neighbors, so these platforms have a series of braces be-
carved into the fossilized bone accessible through a single, neath them adding support to the structures above. The
windowless bolted iron door. Two veterans always stand front of the platforms are lined with a series of open-air,
guard here, and each possesses a loud bell to alert others shaded luxury boxes, all of which grant an excellent view
in the area. of the arena below.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 233
 Behind the luxury boxes is a promenade lined on the THE STACKS
opposite side with food and drink vendors, private rooms, Surrounding the outside of the great rib cage is an outer
and servants’ staging areas. The promenade is covered, ring of rusting chassis, mangled arcanotech, and makeshift
though observation platforms dot the walls above the shanties known as the Stacks. Vehicles wrecked beyond
promenade every hundred feet or so, each with a veteran repair wind up here after they are picked over by the Chop
guard overseeing the area. Each platform is about 20 feet Shop. This gigantic ring around Derbytown proper serves
up and is accessible by a ladder. The promenade has at as the residence of the less fortunate of the community
least ten such guards on the platforms and on patrol at any and as a lazy defensive line. Together, this ring is known
given time. The whole grandstand structure, including the as the Stacks.
promenade, is roughly 100 feet up.
The festivities and provisions are overseen by a major- Stack Dwellers
domo named Serendipitous (lawful neutral tiefling), (spy The poor of Derbytown reside in the Stacks. The areas clos-
stat block). In the absence of leadership on the platform, est to the main thoroughfare are relatively pleasant, with
they serve as commander, and they alone decide who may stable buildings, a small clinic, and a makeshift market-
come and go. place. Traveling farther from the main town and into the
Stacks, however, the buildings become ramshackle lean-
The Lift tos, tents, and holes in the sides of scrap piles. A few brave
In the center of the promenade is a small arcanotech souls make their homes atop stacks of scrap and wreckage,
engine consisting of a motor, winch, stout arm, and steel claiming the altitude provides some shelter from thieves
cable. The cable runs downward to an iron basket sus- and a hint of cleaner air. Unfortunately, those towers are
pended at the end. The basket is kept up on the platform also prone to collapse. More than once have lives been lost
except when it is in use. in such an event.
Two veteran guards stand at the top of the lift as well as
one operator (commoner stat block). Like everything at the Rust and Slag
derby, the lift runs on trolleum and has an ample tank kept The entire ring of the Stacks is littered with jagged, rusty
at least half full at all times. Up to eight Medium creatures scrap piled sometimes 50 feet high, interspersed with pools
can fit in the basket, which lowers through a hole in the of slag containing runoff from iron smelting and trolleum
floor surrounded by an iron railing and gate. The weight byproducts. The whole area is difficult terrain. A creature
limit for the lift is 3,000 pounds. It takes 5 rounds for the that falls or is knocked prone in the area must succeed on
lift to move between the grandstand and the ground. a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or land on a serrated piece
The lift is the only sanctioned method of reaching the of rusty metal, taking 2d4 slashing damage. The creature
grandstand. Only Thundrous and her lieutenants can must then attempt a DC 11 Constitution saving throw,
grant people use of the lift, though Thundrous has a stand- contracting sewer plague76 on a failure.
ing offer inviting anyone who wins a race or a big gambling
jackpot to join her above. Searching for Salvage
The Chop Shop strips most wrecks and salvage to the bone,
Rarified Air but occasionally something slips by them or gets deposited
The wealthy and powerful breathe different air than the here directly. Some of the wreckage deeper in the Stacks
common rabble here at the derby. Due to its height, the predates today’s Derbytown gangs and stretches back to
grandstand is above the trolleum smog. Creatures do not the original technomancers, so an enterprising salvager
have to wear protective masks or other gear to filter the air can still find materials and items of value here.
when they are up on the grandstand. To search for valuable salvage, characters must first
decide how deeply they are willing to dig, knowing that
The Finer Things75 disturbing the towering piles of junk could cause a col-
The promenade features every luxury the wastes can lapse. Sometimes, digging deeply in the wreckage can also
provide—for a price. Fine food, drink, drugs and alcohol, awaken creatures slumbering in the rust warrens below.
clothing and jewelry, services, and more can all be found When a creature decides to search the Stacks for salvage,
here, though prices are about 50 percent higher. There are the GM rolls 3d6 + 6 in secret. The result represents how
even medics who can provide basic medical treatment, many hours must be spent digging in an area before some-
though most of the time they are removing poison from thing of value is discovered. Next, the creature salvaging the
wealthy patrons who have overindulged. area rolls a 2d10. The result determines how many hours
they can salvage before an incident occurs. For each crea-
75. See the “Settlement Industry and Trade” section on p. 74 of ture engaging in a single salvage operation, add +1 to the
chapter 2.
76. See the DMG for this disease.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

234 weird waStelandS
creature’s roll.77 GMs may decide that using a guide, dowser,
or a tip from a local might give creatures a better chance as STACKS SALVAGE TREASURES
well, allowing for further modifiers. d6 TREASURE
If the GM’s number is higher than the creature’s number,
the creature searches for a number of hours equal to the Spare parts worth 50 gp per creature engaged in
1
GM’s roll, then the pile collapses, and the creature finds salvaging
nothing of value. The GM then rolls on the Stacks Salvage
2 A moisture-recycling bio-suit79
Incidents table to determine what happens as a result of
the collapse. 3 A +1 hexsteel weapon80 (GM’s choice)
If the creature searching the Stacks rolls a result higher 4 A beam thrower (rifle)81
than the GM’s, the creature spends a number of hours
equal to its roll searching before they uncover something 5 A drum containing 20 gallons of trolleum82
of value. The GM then rolls on the Stacks Salvage Treasures 6 One rare arcanotech device83
table to see what the creature finds.
If the numbers are the same, a collapse occurs and the
creature’s attempts to salvage are successful. SQUAMOUS MAGNEDON
At the far end of the great beast’s ribcage where its skull
once was is the Pit. There, 20-foot-tall curved piece of
STACKS SALVAGE INCIDENTS bone that was once part of the great beast’s mandible cre-
d6 INCIDENT ates three walls around a large opening. The Pit’s fourth
wall is a 6-foot-thick, 20-foot-tall wall of rusted scrap. The
The toxic dust from the wreckage wears on you. enclosure serves as a pen for a squamous magnedon, an
1 All creatures engaged in salvaging suffer one electromagnetic, flightless dragon that consumes scrap.
level of exhaustion. The Derbytown leadership and Chop Shop employees feed
it wreckage from time to time, both to dispose of of the
A huge pile of rusty scrap collapses on you. All
debris and to keep the creature happy. A kobold scavenger
creatures engaged in salvaging must attempt
2 a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 ranger named Scrappy serves as the dragon’s caretaker,
bludgeoning plus 2d6 slashing damage on a though it is unclear whether or not the dragon listens to or
failure, or half as much on a success. cares about Scrappy at all, despite the kobold’s insistence
to others that it does.
You rupture a tank, releasing a cloud of toxic The wall surrounding the Pit is exceptionally difficult
fumes in the area. All creatures engaged to climb, as it continuously shifts. A creature must suc-
3 in salvaging must succeed on a DC 15 ceed on two successive DC 15 Strength (Athletics) checks.
Constitution saving throw or take 4d6 poison These two checks take 2 rounds to complete; during the
damage. time between them, the climbing creature is exposed on
the wall and is visible to the squamous magnedon. The
You accidentally breach a den of monsters. All
4 creatures engaged in salvaging are attacked by bone walls can be successfully climbed with one successful
2d4 rust monsters. DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

You unearth and activate a scrap golem with your Lair Actions
5 rummaging. All creatures engaged in salvaging Squamous magnedons seek out locations rich with the
are attacked by a scrap golem.78 rusting hulks of metallic structures and vehicles, using
the metal as both food source and lair. When construct-
You are so busy searching for loot, you don’t
ing its lair, it pushes metal objects into a large ring that
notice the monster creeping up behind you. All
6 serves as a makeshift wall. At the ring’s center, it piles its
creatures engaged in salvaging are attacked by
a black pudding.
79. More information about the moisture-recycling bio-suit can be found
on p. 83 in chapter 2.
77. Characters who choose the ranger Scavenger archetype from chapter 80. More information about hexsteel weapons can be found on p. 96 in
1 can add their proficiency bonus to their 2d10 roll. chapter 2.
78. This scrap golem is equivalent to one conjured by a 5th level spell, 81. More information about beam throwers can be found on p. 95 in
giving it an AC of 16, 50 hit points, two attacks, an attack bonus of chapter 2.
+6, and a damage bonus of +5 to each attack. This scrap golem has a 82. See the “Variant Rule: Fuel” sidebar on p. 86 in chapter 2 for more
Challenge Rating of 2. info.
83. More information about rare arcanotech devices can be found on
p. 94 in chapter 2.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 235
A vehicle’s proficiency
bonus is determined
by its rarity as detailed profile: squamous magnadon
in chapter 2. If you
aren’t using the vehicle
rules in chapter 2, Personality: The squamous magnedon is Legend: The squamous magnedon is a
assume Large or brutal and violent, reveling in destruction malevolent and aggressive creature that
smaller vehicles have and direct confrontation. lairs in and consumes rusting metals.
a proficiency bonus Ideal: Power. The squamous magnedon Thundrous, Derbytown’s current chief,
of +2, and Huge or sees itself as master of its domain and coaxed it into the Pit long ago and has
larger vehicles have a kept it relatively pacified with a steady diet
asserts dominance over all who enter.
proficiency bonus of +3. of wrecks from the derby. Some folks say
(See the “Proficiency Bond: The squamous magnedon cares
Bonus by Rarity” table only for its scrap hoard. that’s the reason the derby exists in the first
on p. 85 of chapter 2 place—to produce enough wrecks to keep
Flaw: The squamous magnedon is Thundrous’s monstrous pet well-fed and
for specific info.)
unintelligent and does not truly understand pacified.
the function or value of items in its
possession.

favorite metallic objects into a hoard on which it wall around the inside and outside of the track.
sleeps. The squamous magnedon leaves a dozen There are several bolted iron doors in the walls
or more Medium or Large metal objects scat- to allow vehicles and clean-up crews access to
tered around the open area within the ring to the track. Along the top of both barriers runs a
use as projectiles should anyone invade its lair. 5-foot-wide walkway with railings where people
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the crowd in to watch the races. Bridges cross over
squamous magnedon takes a lair action to cause the racetrack every few hundred feet, connect-
one of the following effects. The squamous ing the inner area with the ribs outside the track.
magnedon can’t use the same effect two rounds Near the entrance to Derbytown and what
in a row: remains of the great beast’s pelvic bone, a small
grandstand overlooks the start and finish line.
■ The squamous magnedon ionizes the air The race office can be found underneath the
around it. Until the squamous magnedon grandstand. Here, people can register for the daily
chooses a different lair action, arrows, bolts, races and view upcoming race schedules. When
and other ordinary projectiles launched someone wishes to register for a race, they have
at the squamous magnedon are deflected three choices. They can compete in what is called
upward and automatically miss. (Boulders a clean race, which is a race for time with vehicles
hurled by giants or siege engines and built for speed. This is the least destructive com-
similarly large projectiles are unaffected.) petition at the Demolition Derby. Alternatively,
■ The squamous magnedon magnetizes one they can choose to participate in the Meatgrinder,
Medium or Large metallic object within 60 a race in which the track is littered with obstacles
feet of it, flinging it across the battlefield. and traps, and cars can be outfitted with weapons
Each creature in a 20-foot square centered and armor. The final option is a competition in
on impact within 120 feet of the squamous the Thunderdome, a massive cage in the center of
magnedon must succeed on a DC 18 the racetrack where two or more vehicles battle it
Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) out until there is only one victor.
bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Clean Races
■ The squamous magnedon consumes When someone wishes to participate in a clean
one Medium metallic object it can race, they must enter with a vehicle of Large
reach, healing it 21 (6d6) hit points. size or smaller. The base speed of each vehicle is
equal to its proficiency bonus, which can range
DEMOLITION DERBY ARENA from 2 for a common vehicle up to 6 for a leg-
Just inside the perimeter of the great beast’s endary one. That number serves as a vehicle’s
ribcage runs a ribbon of hard packed dirt and base speed for the race, but smart or lucky driv-
stone 30 feet wide. The track is about a mile ing can put a vehicle with lower speed ahead of
long, with a 10-foot-tall, 2-foot thick, solid iron its competitors.

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236 weird waStelandS
 Races are commonly one lap, divided into four For simplicity, we
quarters, with two competitors. At the Demoli-
tion Derby, each quarter spans one-fourth of the
example race scenario recommend a one-
lap race with two
competitors. However,
mile-long track. For each quarter in any race, all if this becomes a major
drivers must choose their strategy secretly from Dogbite and the Anomaly enter a race. plot point in your foray
the following list (GMs choose for the NPC rac- Dogbite is driving a common vehicle to the Derby, the rules
ers). Once everyone has chosen, they all reveal (base speed 2), but the Anomaly has can scale in both race
their choices simultaneously. Once the choices an uncommon vehicle (base speed 3). length and number of
are revealed, they cannot be changed. When they begin, the Anomaly has the competitors. A 4-lap,
advantage. 6-vehicle race can
1. Draft. You choose to hug a competitor’s In the first quarter, Dogbite chooses take some time to get
back bumper, letting them cut through through, but bring quite
the draft strategy, whereas the Anomaly
the excitement!
the wind for you. At the last minute, you chooses speed. Since draft beats
accelerate and dart past them. speed, Dogbite leads at the end of this
quarter, earning them 1 point toward
2. Speed. You put the pedal to the metal and
their score. At the beginning of the
drive full speed ahead.
second quarter, the two racers are tied
3. Swerve. You swerve to the side, losing a bit at 3 overall points.
of speed but making yourself less predictable. Seeing that Dogbite is drafting, the
Anomaly chooses to swerve in the sec-
When vehicles are racing, the outcome of ond quarter. Dogbite is clever, though,
each quarter is determined according to the fol- suspecting that the Anomaly might do
lowing rules. At the end of a quarter, the driver so. Thus Dogbite decides to speed,
who chooses the winning strategy is in the lead. again winning the quarter (speed beats
1. Draft beats Speed. By drafting behind swerve) and pulling into the lead with an
overall score of 4 to the Anomaly’s 3!
someone going full speed, you reserve a bit
of acceleration you can use to leapfrog past
them.
everyone’s choices. If all three strategies are in-
2. Speed beats Swerve. You burn rubber cluded in the choices revealed, or if only one strat-
past an opponent who tries to swerve in egy is chosen, then everyone chooses again. Keep
front of you. having drivers choose and reveal strategies until
there are only two strategies among the revealed
3. Swerve beats Draft. By swerving, you prevent
choices. Then all drivers who chose the winning
someone from trying to draft behind you.
strategy get a +1 to their overall score. Continue
To determine the winner of the race, add +1 for this way until the race is complete and tally the re-
every quarter a driver was in the lead to their base sults (base speed + 1 point for every quarter won).
speed. The driver with the highest result wins.
For example, if two common vehicles (base speed Meatgrinder
2) race and each vehicle was in the lead at the end The Meatgrinder is the nickname for a race in
of two quarters, they tie the race. If one of them which the racetrack has been trapped. The traps
wins three quarters, that driver wins the race. can be minor, like obstacles, ramps, and rough
If a common vehicle races an uncommon one, ground, or major, like spikes, pits, and fire.
the uncommon vehicle begins with an advantage, A Meatgrinder race follows the same rules as
because it has a base speed of 3 compared to the those in a clean race with an additional element
common vehicle’s 2. Still, if the common vehicle of challenge. Now, for each quarter, each driver
wins 3 of the 4 quarters, its final score will be 5 (2 must also make an check to navigate the danger
for its base speed and 3 for its three quarter wins), each stretch of the track presents.
whereas the uncommon vehicle’s final score will GMs choose one or roll one danger for each
only be 4 (3 for its base speed and 1 for its single quarter from the Meatgrinder Minor Dangers
quarter win). A common vehicle can even tie a or Meatgrinder Major Dangers table, decid-
legendary one if its driver wins all four strategy ing just how deadly this run will be. All racers
choices, bringing both vehicles’ scores to 6! encounter the same danger and choose their
When more than two vehicles wish to race at strategy before the danger is revealed. Once all
once, the same rules apply, with one addition. racers reveal their strategy, the GM describes
When drivers reveal their strategy, compare the danger, and each driver attempts an ability

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 237
 check to determine success or failure. Each driver’s points
are calculated based on the Outcome column of in the MEATGRINDER DANGER DC BY AVL
respective Dangers table, and the winner of each quarter AVERAGE VEHICLE LEVEL DANGER DC
gets a point toward their total score as normal.
The DC for each challenge scales based on the cumula- 2 10
tive level of the participating vehicles. To determine the 3 12
group’s average vehicle level (AVL), add up the total base
speed of all the vehicles participating in the race and di- 4 14
vide the result by the number of vehicles, rounding down. 5 16
Consult the Meatgrinder Danger DC by AVL table to de-
6 18
termine the DC for the quarterly dangers.

MEATGRINDER MINOR DANGERS84

d6 DANGER ABILITY CHECK OUTCOME
REQUIREMENT
Solid Dexterity (Land Vehicles) On a failure, you hit a barricade and suffer −2 to your race score.
1
Barricade to avoid Your vehicle suffers damage equal to 1/5th its hit point maximum.
Narrow Dexterity (Land Vehicles)
2 On a success, you make up ground and gain +1 to your race score.
Ramp to navigate
Rough Strength (Athletics) On a failure, you are forced to slow down and suffer −1 to your
3
Road to navigate race score.
Wisdom (Perception) On a failure, you bump into a wall and suffer −1 to your race score.
4 Smokescreen
to navigate Your vehicle suffers damage equal to 1/10th its hit point maximum.
Wisdom (Perception) to
5 Oil Slick avoid or Dexterity (Land On a failure, you spin out and suffer −2 to your race score.
Vehicles) to navigate*
On a success you brave the loop and are launched forward, and you gain +2
Charisma saving throw to to your race score. On a failure, you lose your nerve and swerve to avoid the
6 Loop†
brave the loop loop, and you suffer −2 to your race score. If you choose to avoid the loop,
your race score is unaffected.

MEATGRINDER MAJOR DANGERS85

d6 DANGER ABILITY CHECK OUTCOME
REQUIREMENT
Wisdom (Perception)
1 Mud Pits On a failure, you suffer −3 to your race score.
to avoid
Swinging Wisdom (Survival) On a failure, you suffer −1 to your race score. Your vehicle suffers 6d12
2
Boulders to navigate bludgeoning damage.
Dexterity (Land Vehicles) On a failure, your race score is unaffected, but your vehicle suffers 10d8
3 Fire Geysers
to navigate fire damage.
Wisdom (Perception) to
On a failure, you suffer −2 to your race score. Your vehicle suffers 5d12
4 Spike Traps avoid or Dexterity (Land
piercing damage.
Vehicles) to navigate*
On a success, you are propelled forward and gain +2 to your race score. On a
Acceleration Strength (Athletics)
5 failure, you spin out and suffer −2 to your race score. If you choose to avoid the
Pads† to use
acceleration pads, your race score is unaffected.
Triggered Intelligence On a failure, you suffer −3 to your race score. Your vehicle suffers 10d12
6
Pistons (Investigation) to avoid bludgeoning damage.

84. Entries marked with an asterisk (*) indicate driver’s choice. Entries marked with an obelisk (†) are optional; drivers perceive these dangers without
having to make a check and can choose to attempt to utilize the dangers to their advantage or avoid them.
85. Entries marked with an asterisk (*) indicate driver’s choice. Entries marked with an obelisk (†) are optional; drivers perceive these dangers without
having to make a check and can choose to attempt to utilize the dangers to their advantage or avoid them.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

238 weird waStelandS
Thunderdome
In the center of the great beast’s skeleton on the inside vehicle, and they must compete against one of the best
of the racetrack lies the Thunderdome, a huge arena en- drivers in Derbytown (in a very rare or legendary vehicle).
closed like a cage and built specifically for vehicular death If both vehicles are destroyed, the fight continues between
matches. The Thunderdome is a circular space 500 feet in the two drivers with whatever weapons or means they
diameter, with a 30-foot-tall iron cage running around its have until one of them is dead.
exterior. The roof is open to the air, allowing those above Oftentimes, competitors lose their nerve, abandon their
the Rib or in the grandstand to view the arena without vehicles, and attempt to climb out of the Thunderdome.
obstruction. The Thunderdome can accommodate up to Creatures can climb the side of the dome, but doing so
eight Huge or smaller vehicles. requires a series of successful Strength (Athletics) checks,
and the DC for each check increases as the creature climbs
Destruction Match (DC 10 for the first 10 feet, DC 13 for the next 10 feet,
In classic Thunderdome destruction matches, two vehicles and DC 17 for the final 10 feet). Climbing out is seen as a
enter, one vehicle leaves. Often, however, up to eight ve- failure by the audience, and results in a punishment you
hicles participate at once in a destruction match. Combat may deem appropriate for your table. Sometimes, audi-
is conducted between vehicles according to the normal ence members throw weapons and other debris into the
vehicle combat rules.86 Vehicles that participate in these Thunderdome for drivers to use in the battle.
matches usually have weapons and armor. The driver of
the vehicle that survives the longest (the only vehicle still
functioning when all competitor vehicles are reduced to 0
suggested encounters
hit points) is the winner. The Derbytown Encounters table lists both the creatures
that lair in or near Derbytown and creatures who have
Death Match some reason to visit. Each entry contains a brief descrip-
While destruction matches end when all but one vehicle tion of the creatures and a prompt for an encounter
is destroyed, death matches continue there’s one driver scenario. The encounter descriptions detail any modifica-
left standing. Thunderdome death matches only occur tions to the base creature stat block and special consider-
when a dispute cannot be settled otherwise or to execute ations for running the encounter. The GM may use their
criminals and prisoners. The prisoner is given a common preferred method for determining who or what the party
encounters at the location. Estimated difficulty is based on
86. See the “Vehicle Combat” section in chapter 2 for more info. a party of four adventurers of 8th level.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 239
 further destruction if it isn’t stopped. The vehicle is on
DERBYTOWN ENCOUNTERS fire and the driver is unconscious, although in the intense
d8 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY moments leading up to an encounter, characters may not
be able to perceive the driver. The vehicle has already sus-
1 Junk Town Blues Easy tained damage and only has 20 hit points. As a Medium
vehicle, it also has a damage integrity score of 15. If the
2 Vehicle on the Fritz Easy
vehicle drops to 0 hit points, it stops.
3 Bookie Bullies Medium The characters have 1 round to react before the car ei-
4 Bragging Rights Medium
ther barrels into them (or whatever is behind them if they
jump out of the way).87 Dodging out of the way requires a
5 Paranoid Android Hard successful DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. If the car strikes
6 Shady Salvage Hard
a creature, the creature suffers 6d6 bludgeoning damage,
but the vehicle comes to a stop and the driver (who has
7 Missing Driver Deadly fainted from the heat) survives. If the vehicle crashes, it is
8 The Heist Deadly destroyed, and the driver dies.

BOOKIE BULLIES
JUNK TOWN BLUES
A group of unofficial bookies is looking to bully bettors.
A shabbily dressed dwarf approaches you, the smell of The leader, a one-eyed gnome, chuckles and says, “So,
sweat wafting with her. She tugs her beard earnestly and looking to make a profit, are ya? Well, why don’t you bet
says, “Hey! Wanna win yer next race? I can soup up yer ride with us? We’ll give you better odds than them slugs in the
something fierce, make it fly like the wind! I just need some Rib. Trust me,” he says with more than a hint of menace,
coin for my efforts, yeah?” “you don’t wanna pass up this deal.”
The vagrant’s name is Brigid (chaotic good dwarf), and she Reginald the gnome and his posse of violent bookies are
is in fact a mechanic who can augment a vehicle for 25 gp. looking for any excuse to start a fight. If you refuse to bet
Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) with them on the next race, or if you win and request your
check to determine her intent discover that she speaks winnings, Reginald whistles, and he and his fellow book-
truthfully and is firm on her price, though she may consid- ies attack!
er scrap or other barter in place of gold. If the characters There are an equal number of bookies as there are char-
rebuff her, she curses them and wanders off. acters. If the characters are 5th–7th level, the bookies use
If they accept her offer, she asks to be brought straight to the bandit captain stat block. If the characters are 8th level
their vehicle to get to work. Brigid tends to get caught up or higher, they use the veteran stat block.
in her work and can be unreliable. She shoos the characters Reginald and his crew flee when either Reginald himself
away, telling them that she can’t work with them standing or two other bookies fall in combat. Because these book-
around because it makes her nervous. She is telling the ies are operating independently of Derbytown leadership,
truth, but it is better to stay and observe her; otherwise, characters who fight or kill them face no repercussions.
she gets carried away and dismantles the vehicle’s engine
entirely, rendering it inoperable for 24 hours, the time it BRAGGING RIGHTS
takes her to reassemble it. A character who succeeds on a
DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check when Brigid begins her work A greasy elf approaches you and snickers. He says, “Well, look
discerns that she needs careful management to keep her on at you lot. Think you belong here in Derbytown? I doubt it.
task. If she is watched while she works, or if she is allowed Why don’t you prove it? I’ll bet you that me and my boys can
to completely dismantle and reassemble the vehicle, the crush you in a race. Come on, let’s see what you got.”
vehicle’s rarity improves by one level (common becomes A pompous Arcanotech Cabal88 faction agent named
uncommon, uncommon becomes rare, etc.) for one race, Brenerath challenges the party to a high-stakes vehicle
after which it returns to its original rarity. Otherwise, it is challenge. If the characters ignore Brenerath or reject his
left disassembled, and someone else must reassemble it.
87. Amp up the danger in this encounter by putting a residential building
VEHICLE ON THE FRITZ right in the line of fire behind the party. This will (hopefully) entice
them to do more than just dodge out of the way to save themselves and
can create opportunities for more fun or mayhem. If the party stops
Suddenly, a runaway vehicle hurtles by, its engine on fire. It’s the vehicle and rescues the driver, the driver may show up to help them
headed right for you! later. If the party lets the vehicle crash into the building, residents of
Derbytown may regard them with ire as their quest continues.
A common-quality, Medium-sized, flaming vehicle is
88. See p. 140 in chapter 4 for more information about the Arcanotech
careening toward the party and will undoubtedly cause Cabal faction.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

240 weird waStelandS
challenge, he begins to mock them loudly, calling them rumbling, tinny voice echoes out from beneath the hood.
cowards and tourists. He begins wandering through the It’s Vectro-3000, the awakened arcanotech car!
public areas of Derbytown, informing everyone of their Vectro-3000, or V3 as its friends call it, is worried that
weakness. If challenged, he insists, “It’s called Derbytown the boss, Thundrous, is planning to replace it as her ride.
for a reason, fools. Race, or get out.” Due to Brenerath’s in-
The voice states, “Thundrous has been keeping secrets from
fluence, all the characters have disadvantage on Charisma
me lately, and we used to be so close! I think she’s considering an
ability checks they make in Derbytown for the next 24
upgrade. I gotta find out! She…she means everything to me.”
hours.
If the characters continue to refuse, Brenerath eventu- Vectro is in love with its boss, Thundrous, though the
ally relents. If they accept his challenge, however, the feeling is not reciprocated. To Thundrous, Vectro is more
characters must acquire a vehicle, choose a driver, and like a loyal friend or trusty steed, not a love interest. Even
participate in the race. Brenerath drives a Large uncom- so, V3 insists that it must know if the boss plans to replace
mon vehicle. He uses the bandit captain stat block, and he it with a newly built hot rod.
has proficiency with land vehicles (+2 proficiency bonus).
The awakened car continues, saying, “I have learned that
Brenerath lets the party choose between a clean race or a
Thundrous is keeping some blueprints in her luxury box in the
Meatgrinder race against him, though he does mock them
grandstand above Derbytown. If you could sneak in, swipe
if they choose the former.
them, and bring them to me, I’ll make it worth your while!”
PARANOID ANDROID The car offers to pay 100 gp per character if they bring it
the blueprints and offers the following information before
A messenger, a halfling child from the Stacks named Pillbug, they set out:
delivers a request from a powerful person in Derbytown who
needs some discreet help. The author of the message promises ■ The location of a beam rifle and a glyph orb89 hidden
to share the history of Derbytown, as well as a few of its in the Stacks
secrets, if you meet and hear them out. They ask to meet after ■ The complete history of Derbytown90
dark in a quiet area of the outer ring, between two of the
great beast’s ribs. ■ Details about any NPC the player characters are
interested in
The messenger does not know the sender but believes
the message to be authentic, because they have delivered 89. The beam rifle and glyph orb can be found on pp. 95 in the
messages for this anonymous person before. If the party “Sample Arcanotech Devices” section of chapter 2.
agrees, they find nothing but a parked car in the spot de- 90. You can read Derbytown’s “Background” section from p. 230 to the
scribed. If they approach, the car’s lights come on, and a players as V3’s summary of the history of the town.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 241
 vectro-3000
Large construct, neutral

Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Immutable Form. Vectro-3000 is immune to any spell
Hit Points 82 (11d10 + 22) or effect that would alter its form.
Speed 40 ft. Ramming Charge. If Vectro-3000 moves at least 20
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a
22 (+6) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) Collide attack on the same turn, the target takes an
extra 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +5 creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Nature +6
throw or be knocked prone.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with Siege Monster. Vectro-3000 deals double damage to
adamantine weapons objects and structures.
Damage Immunities poison Spellcasting. Vectro-3000 is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6
petrified, poisoned to hit with spell attacks). Vectro-3000 has the following
Senses passive Perception 11 wizard spells prepared:
Languages Common
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, mending
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, detect
TRAITS magic, jump, shield
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, enlarge/reduce
Constructed Nature. Vectro-3000 doesn’t require air,
3rd level (3 slots): fireball, fly, haste
food, drink, or sleep.
4th level (1 slot): greater invisibility, wall of fire
Damage Integrity. Vectro-3000 has a damage
threshold of 25. If Vectro is hit by a single instance of ACTIONS
damage that fails to meet its integrity score, it instead
takes no damage. If the damage it takes equals or Collide. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
exceeds 25, it suffers the damage as normal. one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

In order to get the gp reward, the characters must in- map with a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma
filtrate or get an invitation to the grandstand, slip into (Persuasion) check, but he won’t part with it for less than
Thundrous’s luxury box, and steal the blueprints. She 30 gp. The tiefling is telling the truth as far as he knows,
keeps them on a side table in plain view. though he has not personally ventured to the part of the
The blueprints reveal that Thundrous does not in fact Stacks mentioned on the map.
plan to replace Vectro! The blueprints are for a new ga- The map depicts an area of the Stacks just outside the
rage for the awakened car, a significant upgrade from the Pit, the squamous magnedon’s pen. On the map at the
vehicle’s current digs. If Thundrous ends up discovering supposed location of this valuable salvage is a tiny etch-
Vectro’s plot, she chides the car, saying that she thought a ing of a door with an arrow pointing at it. Allegedly, the
new garage would compensate her friend for her inability salvage lies behind the door.
to go riding in the wastelands like they used to do together. If the characters travel to the location, they do indeed
If the characters are caught trying to steal the blueprints, find the door, though they must move some heavy scrap to
they may be banished from Derbytown. get to it. The door itself is in the side of a veritable moun-
tain of scrap that serves as a part of one of the Pit’s walls.
SHADY SALVAGE When they open the door, an avalanche of scrap slides
down the pile, blocking the path behind them and opening
A merchant approaches and offers to sell you a map to some up the area before them, leaving them trapped in the Pit!
valuable salvage in the Stacks, but only on the promise that When the scrap settles, a voltaic caster lands at their
you pay up front. “I’m telling you,” the charming tiefling feet.91 The squamous magnedon92 is alerted by the noise
says, “this could be the find of a lifetime!” and comes to investigate, intending to eat whoever it finds.
The tiefling, Continence, wants 50 gp for a small piece of
scrap metal with a map etched into it. A characters can 91. More info about the voltaic caster can be found on p. 97 in chapter 2.
attempt to convince Continence to lower the price of the 92. The squamous magnedon stat block can be found on p. 308 of
chapter 6.

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242 weird waStelandS
 The party can opt to fight the squamous magnedon or about an hour, until Galea and Aralie return to guard the
attempt to climb out of the Pit. A creature must succeed vault themselves.
on two successive DC 15 Strength (Athletics) checks in a According to Vermillia, the group must be positioned
row (over the course of 2 rounds) to climb out. near the Rib shortly before close. Vermillia enters at the
last minute, insisting she be allowed to wait for Galea.
MISSING DRIVER The other employees still think she and Galea are lovers,
as Galea has kept her new workplace romance a secret for
A greasy halfling in filthy overalls runs up to you, panting. fear of angering her bosses. Once only she and the two
“You there! You all look minimally competent! Can any of guards remain, she opens the door, allowing the party
you drive? We have a match in the Thunderdome in five inside. They must subdue (but not kill!) the guards while
minutes and our driver has disappeared! We got a huge Vermillia disables the arcane lock and successfully picks
chunk of gold riding on this and we can’t back out. Can the lock on the vault door.
you help? If one of you can drive, we’ll split the winnings The space within the vault is a 10-foot cube. It is pro-
with you!” tected by a permanent private sanctum effect. Its door
A pit crew is trying to find someone to replace their driver has a heavy conventional lock as well as the arcane lock
who has gone MIA, and their race starts in 5 mintues. spell cast upon it. Picking the lock requires a successful
The halfling, Socketwrench, offers to split the winnings DC 25 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Forcing the door
between his crew and the party if one of the characters is open is virtually impossible, requiring a successful DC 30
brave enough to take the driver’s place. Unless asked di- Strength (Athletics) check. Suppressing the arcane lock
rectly, Socketwrench doesn’t specify that they are actually spell with a password lowers both DCs by 10. In addition,
entering a death match in the Thunderdome. the door has a glyph of warding on it, set to detonate an
Once the vehicle is situated in the Thunderdome, the explosive rune unless its password is spoken, which only
announcer declares that the death match has begun! The Galea knows. Finally, the door also has Galea’s alarm spell
other characters can help by throwing items into the arena. on it.
They are also permitted to cast supportive or healing spells Within the vault are the gambling house’s winnings and
on their fellow party member, although casting spells that the money that Thundrous uses to pay her staff and sol-
affect other drivers or their vehicles is not allowed. diers, totaling at least 5,000 gp at any given time. Rumor
also has it that Thundrous stores several valuable arcan-
THE HEIST otech items in the vault, including an arc rifle, a hover-
ing shield, a single dose of leprechaun juice, and a medusa
An angelic-looking human woman with flowing hitch.93
black hair approaches with an offer, saying, “I’ve been Vermillia calls the party over once the guards are dis-
watching you since you arrived, and I think you’re safe to patched. When the door is opened, the glyph of warding is
approach with a business deal. But let’s keep it between activated unless one of the characters notices and dispels
us, shall we?” it beforehand. Vermillia does not know about its existence
The woman is Vermillia of the Wastes (chaotic neutral and doesn’t bother looking, confident that her plan is fool-
human, spy stat block), a Derbytown native with a reputa- proof. She knows that Galea has an alarm spell set, but she
tion for acquiring great wealth and spending it almost as also knows Galea is too far away to arrive in time if it’s
quickly. She offers to buy the characters drinks and spends triggered.
her time with them asking about their time in Derbytown, Assuming the glyph of warding is not activated or the
their thoughts about the town, and their goals there. If she characters survive the explosion, they find approximately
feels safe disclosing her criminal plan, she divulges that 1,000 gp, 2,000 sp, and 5,000 cp inside the vault. The gold
she wants to pull off a heist. weighs 20 pounds, the silver 40 pounds, and the copper
She has determined that there will be an opportunity 100 pounds, so carrying the money out may be problem-
tomorrow night to rob the vault inside the gambling den atic. There are no containers here, so characters must
known as the Rib. Vermillia has learned the password to get creative when to comes to escaping with the money.
suppress the arcane lock protecting the vault cast by Galea, Loading the coins into pockets, backpacks, or other con-
the wizard in charge of security. Vermillia and Galea were tainers takes 1 minute for every 1,000 coins taken.
lovers until recently, when Galea broke it off (an event If the characters spend more than 2 minutes in the Rib
about which Vermillia holds a grudge). Vermillia also after opening the vault, they exit to find Galea, Aralie, and
knows that Galea will be with her new lover Aralie, one of three more veteran guards outside to stop them! If the
the Rib’s pit bosses, tomorrow evening at her place across characters kill rather than subdue any of the guards, they
town. Finally, she knows that bets are no longer taken af- will be banished from Derbytown.
ter a certain time at night and the bookies and the public
clear out, leaving only two veterans guarding the vault for 93. These items can be found on pp. 95, 96, 96, and 89, respectively.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 243
 rewards The seeds are present to make Derbytown an even larger
part of your story as well. The stout walls and rich fuel de-
Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to posits make Derbytown a sweet target for larger bands of
be found within the area. raiders and bandits from elsewhere in the wastes. Perhaps
a massive gang of raiders decides to launch an attack while
EXPERIENCE the party is visiting. Perhaps the leadership of Derbytown
In addition to standard experience awarded during com- enlists the party to help repel the invaders, with the
bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned promise of some sweet rides as a reward. Or maybe the
while exploring Derbytown: characters want to do the invading themselves, leading a
band of their own to assault the town. More socially savvy
■ Winning a bet in the Rib – 500 XP
characters might also consider conducting a coup from
■ Discovering some salvage of value – 1000 XP within Derbytown, seizing control of its leadership for
themselves.
■ Winning a race – 2000 XP
■ Winning a demolition derby – 3000 XP ADVENTURE HOOKS
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
■ Successfully completing an easy difficulty suggested
introduce your table to Derbytown.
encounter – 2200 XP
■ Successfully completing a medium difficulty
suggested encounter – 4400 XP
DERBYTOWN ADVENTURE HOOKS
■ Successfully completing a hard difficulty suggested d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
encounter – 6400 XP
The party encounters Thundrous’s old gang, the
■ Successfully completing a deadly difficulty suggested Ragin’ Riders, out in the wastes. They propose
encounter – 9600 XP the party enter Derbytown as saboteurs, allow the
1 Riders access to the interior of the complex, and
V3 AND ME help them seize control of Derbytown. The party
can choose to help them with the attack or inform
If the party calms Vectro-3000’s anxiety by stealing and Thundrous of the threat.
presenting Thundrous’s blueprints, Vectro thanks them
profusely and puts in a good word for them with the staff The party finds a barely functional vehicle with
at the Chop Shop in addition to paying out their gp re- just enough trolleum to reach Derbytown. A map
ward. Repairs and purchases are now 50 percent off for the 2 painted onto the ceiling of the vehicle indicates a
characters! reward for anyone who returns the vehicle to its
owner there.
SALVAGING IN THE STACKS
A collection of treasures and other useful items can be A strange globe of haze hangs on the horizon,
retrieved by searching for salvage in the stacks. If you’re and the wind carries the occasional scent of
3 burning trolleum. Perhaps some trolleum can
using the scrounging rules from chapter 3,94 the stacks are
be saved from whatever is burning? (In fact, it’s
an abundant resource site. Derbytown!)

putting it all together An elderly remembrancer asks the party to travel

to Derbytown to discover its true history, which no
Derbytown can serve as an oasis in the wastelands. It is one one seems to know. He offers the party a beam
of the only places where you can acquire a vehicle and have 4 rifle (or some other suitable gift) to return and tell
one refueled and repaired. The derby events also present him the tale. Vectro-3000 knows the whole story,
exciting mechanical and storytelling opportunities, either but the party will have to win the vehicle’s favor
by participating or betting on the outcomes. Beyond event before it will divulge.
winnings, the derby is an ample source of salvage and even
offers players an opportunity to capitalize on a heist. Each
of the features and suggested encounters in Derbytown
can serve as an interesting diversion when the party visits
to refuel or can play a central role in a more derby-focused
story.

94. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of chapter 3.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

244 weird waStelandS
RUMORS
Presented here are ten rumors about Derbytown. rust wastes
These rumors can be used to draw your table to
the location or to create additional drama while The battle here has raged since before living
the characters are visiting. It’s up to the GM memory and has certainly outlived any
whether the rumors are true. humanoids that were party to its beginning.
Those forged to carry out this war are still
following orders, still fighting the good
DERBYTOWN DERBY RUMORS fight. The blasted wastelands are piled with
the remains of titans and battlewagons
d10 RUMOR
aplenty, with parts recycled and rebuilt into
Folks say there is a motherlode of the automated soldiers of the day because
1 arcanotech in the ground beneath the the battle is not yet over. The day is not
magnedon’s lair. yet won.

Tusk, the beefy lieutenant in Derbytown,

2
is itching to have his own pack. He background
might be the weak link in Thundrous’s
chain. Whether the war in the Rust Wastes was terri-
torial or simply grew from an argument over re-
A bounty hunter said that there’s a rich sources is unknown. Time has taken those an-
bounty out on the head of a woman swers, but the questions remain. When did these
3
last seen in Derbytown by the name of two forces, the AutoForged and the MimiCons,
Vermillia. begin this fight? Why are they fighting? What
Skilled Derbytown drivers have been are their objectives? Can they be forced to stop?
going missing, and word around the These are all pertinent but not necessarily solv-
4 able. The Rust Wastes is the name given to a bat-
Chop Shop says there might be a team
of raiders out there abducting them. tlefield that has been active for centuries, long
before most wastelanders can remember. The
People out in the wastes have been battle lines shift a bit year in and year out, but
eyeing Derbytown for a long time,
the resources of both sides ultimately result in
grumbling about how they spend their
5 an eternal stalemate.
days wasting precious trolleum for their
damned sport. That ain’t gonna be Centuries ago, the battle was fought by armies A war titan is an
tolerated much longer. of humanoids piloting immense war titans. But immense structure with
as resources dwindled and the great machines a massive amount of
There’s a bookie named Luckless Lars resources available to
were damaged beyond repair, the humanoids
who has an inside line on info from the anyone able to occupy
built smaller constructs from their shattered and excavate it.
6 mechanics. For a price, he can give you
the scoop to make sure your bets are
remains. New battles were fought to claim the
winners. salvage of these iron-sided corpses. As each titan
was stripped or buried under the tides of war,
The Derbytown driver named Dogbite the humanoids retreated, leaving their creations
7 is dirty; they’ll throw a race if the price to continue the fight they started. Thus, the
is right. AutoForged and the MimiCons were born and,
following the commands of their creators, they
The rich folk up in the grandstand are continue waging war against one another to this
8 vampires, feasting on the blood of the
day.
poor down below.
Now there is still battle, although no human-
Kids have been disappearing oids can be found among the robotic ranks. The
9 whenever they go to one especially remains of the last war titan, the Rust Colossus,
derelict area of the Stacks. are rumored to be buried somewhere in the
Rust Wastes. No living creatures remain to give
Everyone in Derbytown leadership orders, but the two sides follow their original
either is or was in a romantic programming, endlessly fighting as they wait for
10
entanglement with everyone else new commands that will never come.
running things.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 245
Terrain interactions with other creatures and create engaging
encounters.
The terrain of the Rust Wastes has the following qualities: The Rust Wastes is an ancient and well-regulated battle-
field with a few locations to explore and many dangers
■ The Rust Wastes feature a base camp for each army,
to avoid. The battlefield is bookended by the two forces’
providing a safe place to rest for anyone who has not
camps and separated by the trenches and a no-man’s-land
made an enemy of the robotic army in question. Each
at the center. Somewhere in no-man’s-land lie the partially
camp is approximately 5,000 square feet and has up
buried remains of a war titan, an enormous mechanical
to thirty structures.
construct once piloted by the living soldiers who waged
■ Crisscrossing trenches throughout the area can war here. Both the AutoForged and the MimiCons seek
provide quarter, half, or total cover. to reclaim the wreckage in hopes that it will give them an
edge in their eternal conflict.
■ Piles of destroyed AutoForged and MimiCons litter
the battlefield and can be scavenged for scrap.95
AUTOFORGED CAMP
■ There is a no-man’s-land between the armies’ This run-down military camp looks like a standard operat-
territories that is under constant fire from both sides ing base on the surface, but a deeper look reveals many
with ranged attacks and heavy artillery. This area is mysteries and a few clues to greater adventure. The camp
approximately 1,000 feet long and 2 miles wide. has a standard layout with a command tent and a large,
soot-belching factory for the forging and repair of the
■ Pools of trolleum and other mechanical fluids that can
AutoForged troops at the center surrounded by smaller
be siphoned have formed across the barren landscape.
living quarters. There are many AutoForged troops coming
■ A fog of war hovers over the no-man’s-land and the in and out of the factory, some carrying repair parts and
trenches from constant barrages, creating light and some coming and going for repair themselves. AutoForged
heavy obscurement throughout the area. At the start troops guard the empty tents that once bustled with living
of each day, roll 1d6 to determine obscurement in the beings, lending an eeriness to the camp. Anyone who en-
area (a roll of 1–3 results in light obscurement, a roll ters camp is brought to the command tent for the general
of 4–5 results in heavy obscurement, and a roll of 6 to assess hostility and decide their fate. If the party garners
results in no obscurement). the favor of the AutoForged, this can become a safe base of
operations for them.
special features The AutoForged are bipedal automatons with varying
degrees of armor, depending on their degree of repairs.
The features detailed here distinguish the Rust Wastes as They have riveted steel bodies and carry dragon flame ri-
a weird location and are available to flesh out gameplay fles to fight the good fight against their sworn enemies, the
elements of the area. They are designed to complement MimiCons. AutoForged soldiers follow the orders of their
general without hesitation.
95. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of chapter 3.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 247
 Command Tent scrap has been repurposed into the MimiCons
The AutoForged commander, General Mo-Torrs, themselves. The MimiCons are everywhere, lying
is a pristine model with no repairs visible and a in wait. They don’t speak and are hostile to living
chest full of military commendations, although creatures that hold technology in servitude. For ex-
the medals have no meaning. A creature can ample, if the party is carrying arcanotech devices in
This is intended to be garner favor with the general by succeeding the open, the MimiCons are hostile toward them.
a Predator situation. on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) or Charisma
Much like the Predator (Persuasion) check while interacting with the
ignores anyone who’s
unarmed, the MimiCons
general. If successful, the general asks for help
repairing the forge factory.
mimicon template
don’t see anyone not
wielding technology as
a threat. Feel free to MimiCons are constructs created ages
ago to fight the AutoForged. Although
play this side however
you see fit. Could autoforged template the humanoid troops who created
the MimiCons have a them are long gone, they still wage war
deeper agenda and relentlessly. They use the mimic stat
AutoForged are armored constructs
greater intelligence? block with the following changes:
forged to fight the MimiCons in an
ancient war that still rages today. They Type. Construct
use the animated armor stat block with Armor Class. The MimiCon has an AC
the following changes: of 16 (natural armor).
Senses. The AutoForged passive Speed. The MimiCon has a base speed
Perception is 12. of 30 feet.
Challenge Rating. The AutoForged Traits. The MimiCon does not have the
challenge rating increases by 1. Shapechanger trait. It has a modified
Traits. The AutoForged does not have False Appearance trait and a new trait,
the Antimagic Susceptibility and False Technovirus.
Appearance traits. False Appearance. While the
Actions. The AutoForged has the MimiCon remains motionless, it is
Dragon Flame Rifle action. indistinguishable from a pile of scrap.
Technovirus. When a MimiCon takes
Dragon Flame Rifle. Ranged Weapon
damage, it leaks a dangerous ichor.
Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/300 ft., one
Any creature that touches or makes a
target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) fire damage. This
melee attack against the MimiCon when
weapon scores a critical hit on a 19 or
it is leaking must succeed on a DC 10
20. On an attack roll of 1, roll a d20. On
Constitution saving throw or contract
another 1, the weapon is permanently
technovirus.96
drained of power.
Actions. The MimiCon has the Drone
Attack action.
Drone Attack (Recharge 5–6). The
Forge Factory
MimiCon emits a small drone. The small
The factory at the AutoForged camp has been drone uses the flying sword stat block
functioning for centuries on many short-term without the Antimagic Susceptibility
repairs, but it is now nearing shutdown. A crea- and False Appearance traits. The
ture that has proficiency with a mechanic’s kit small drone is under the control of the
can attempt a DC 15 Dexterity (Mechanic’s Kit) MimiCon and takes its turn immediately
check to stabilize the factory reanimator repair after the MimiCon’s turn. The MimiCon
arms or the station’s finicky power grid. On a can operate up to two small drones at
success, the creature earns the Cog of Freedom, a time. If the MimiCon emits another
allowing them and their allies free access to drone when there are already two
AutoForged-controlled territory and assistance drones active, the oldest drone falls
from any AutoForged present. inert and is no longer operational.

MIMICON HQ
The skeletons of buildings and random debris are 96. See the “New Disease: Technovirus” sidebar on
all that remain of the MimiCon HQ, as all useful p. 249 for more information.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

248 weird waStelandS
 MimiCons are hunched bundles of wires and cables a 1-mile radius, causing sections of the debris to shift and
with armored plates that can move on two or four limbs, fall. Creatures in the affected area must succeed on a DC 15
depending on the situation. They stand about 5 feet tall Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. Quakes last
and 4 feet wide when in their humanoid form. MimiCons for 1d6 minutes. Roll a d20 during every tremblequake.
are sometimes referred to as the Mimic Horde by those On an 18-20, a rich source of scrap has been revealed.97
involved in the automated struggle between them and
the AutoForged. Certain models of MimiCons can launch
smaller drones to attack at range. New Disease: Technovirus

TRENCHES MimiCons have a unique ability to infect

A myriad network of trenches weaves around large piles humanoids and beasts with a disease called
of refuse and robot parts spanning the battlefield between technovirus. While infected, victims are slowly
the two camps. Navigating these trenches is dangerous, transformed into mindless automatons with
but the riches buried in the refuse piles and muck may be no purpose other than the destruction of the
worth the risk. AutoForged forces. The infection begins at the
The trenches differ depending on where they are locat- point of contact with the infected ichor. Symptoms
ed. The trenches on the AutoForged side are strictly regi- begin to appear 2d4 hours after initial contact and
mented, cleaned, and controlled by the AutoForged. On include a tingling sensation in the affected area.
the MimiCons’ side, the trenches are in constant flux, with Once symptoms begin, the virus rebuilds
the infected area on a molecular level, slowly
piles of refuse constantly falling from minor earthquakes.
converting it from biological matter to mechanical
It is impossible to map this side of the trenches.
parts. The area functions identically to its organic
original, though it is now visibly mechanical.
Artillery Barrage
Every 1d4 days following the initial contact, the
Anyone moving through the trenches on either side must
infection spreads to another random portion of the
maintain a low profile or be the target of an artillery bar-
body. Each morning while infected, the creature
rage (unless they are allied with the side in question). When must succeed on a DC 10 Charisma saving throw
moving through a trench, creatures must succeed on a or make one melee attack against the nearest
DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check to remain hidden from ar- living creature.
tillery spotters. On a failure, a barrage of artillery fire falls When more than half of the infected creature’s
in a 50-foot radius centered on the creature that failed its body has been converted, the infection advances
saving throw and lasts for 1 minute. At the beginning of to its final stage: total rebuild. The infection
each round during the barrage, creatures in the affected develops exponentially, transforming the whole
area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or creature into a machine over the next 24 hours.
take 3d10 piercing damage. At the end of this period, the creature becomes
a MimiCon and joins their fight to destroy the
Ambush AutoForged and then rebuild all life.
When moving through the MimiCons’ trenches, a crea- Spells like lesser restoration or the paladin’s Lay
ture must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) on Hands feature stop the disease from spreading
or Wisdom (Perception) check to distinguish hiding and advancing. Spells like greater restoration
MimiCons from random piles of scrap in the area. If there or higher cure the disease completely, returning
is a hostile MimiCon in the area and it is not detected, it any mechanical portions of the creature’s body to
attacks from hiding. normal. There is no known cure once a total rebuild
has completed, though many still search for one.
Trenchfoot
As creatures move through the trenches on either side, they
must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or NO MAN’S LAND
Wisdom (Perception) check to discover severed MimiCon Nestled between the two sides of trenches is an area of
parts among the piles of scrap that are still active and great peril, a no-man’s-land of barren expanses dotted
grasping for a victim. These appendages can deal damage with barriers and fencing to protect against mass assault
and possibly infect targets with technovirus. from either side. The barriers may provide quarter-cover
or half-cover at the GM’s discretion. A fog hangs over this
Tremblequakes place, and it is easy to get lost or fall into a crater, so watch
Due to the nature of the war between the AutoForged and out!
the MimiCons, massive piles of robotic parts overwhelm
the trenches. Once per hour, quakes shake the ground in 97. See chapter 3 p. 128 for more about searching for scrap.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 249
 Fog of War Trolleum Pool
The dense fog makes the entirety of the area in no-man’s- A creature that falls into this crater becomes covered in
land heavily obscured. One round after entering the area, trolleum. Until the creature cleans off the trolleum, it is
creatures must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) vulnerable to fire damage. Because trolleum is a fuel source
check or become lost. The DC goes up by 2 on every sub- for war wagons, many looters risk traveling through no-
sequent failure as the fog becomes denser and harder to man’s-land in order to fuel up. Roll a d6. On a 5 or 6, roll
escape. The longer a creature is lost, the more artillery on the encounter table to see who else is there.
barrages and craters they have to deal with.
Undetonated Spell Bomb
Artillery Barrage Unexploded ordinance is a common problem on battle-
Creatures moving through the fog of no-man’s-land may fields, and the arcane bombs used in the war between
be targeted by a random artillery barrage. Once per round, the AutoForged and the MimiCons are valuable to either
the GM rolls a d6. On a 6, an artillery barrage is triggered. side of the conflict as well as to looters and scrappers.
The barrage of artillery fire falls in a 50-foot radius cen- The undetonated spell bomb in this crater is a 1-foot
tered on a random creature traveling through the fog and sphere made of nondescript black metal. Any direct at-
lasts for 1 minute. At the beginning of each round during tack on the bomb causes it to explode. When it does so,
the barrage, creatures in the affected area must succeed all creatures within a 10-foot radius of it must attempt a
on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d10 piercing DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage on
damage. a failure, or half as much on a success. A creature profi-
cient with a mechanic’s kit or tinker’s tools can attempt a
Craters DC 16 Dexterity check with the associated tools to disarm
The constant artillery bombardment in no-man’s-land the bomb.
means craters, introducing new trials and potential re-
wards to creatures traveling through the area. Craters MimiCon Ambush
are 20 to 50 feet wide and can be 5 to 20 feet deep. The A group of 2d4 MimiCons lie in wait at the bottom of this
degree of the slope of the crater’s sides may require a crater, waiting on enemies to ambush.
Strength (Athletics) check to safely enter or exit the crater.
Creatures must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) Undead Soldiers
check while traveling through the fog in no-man’s-land or Long ago, the humanoids who employed the use of autom-
fall into a crater, landing prone at the bottom of the crater. atons in the battles at the Rust Wastes fought alongside
Roll on the Rust Wastes Craters table to determine what the constructs. Any remnants of those ancient humanoids
is in a given crater. have been reduced to dust, except for the occasional un-
dead that haunt no-man’s-land. This crater is populated
with 2d10 skeletons, 2d6 ghouls, or 2d4 specters (GM’s
RUST WASTES CRATERS choice) seeking to slake their undead rage.
d6 CRATER CONTENTS
Rust Elemental
1 Rusted Debris The arcane nature of this ancient conflict has wrought
2 Trolleum Pool many bizarre magical creations, including the rare and
dangerous rust elemental. One or two rust elementals
3 Undetonated Spell Bomb
(GM’s choice) occupy this crater and lash out at any crea-
4 MimiCon Ambush ture in range. Rust elementals use the air elemental stat
block with the following changes: remove flying speed,
5 Undead Soldiers
and replace the Whirlwind action with the Steel Wind
6 Rust Elemental action:
Steel Wind (Recharge 5–6). As an action, the rust el-
emental can charge in a 90-foot line, slashing out with
Rusted Debris countless scraps of metal as it moves. Each creature in the
A creature that falls into this crater takes 1d10 piercing line must attempt a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking
damage when it lands, and the creature must succeed on a 11 (2d8 + 2) slashing damage on a failure, or half as much
DC 14 Constitution saving throw or contract the disease on a success. If a creature fails the saving throw by 5 or
lock jaw.98 more, the creature is infected with lock jaw.
98. More info can be found in the “New Disease: Lock Jaw” sidebar
on p. 251.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

250 weird waStelandS
 do not resemble the local area in the slightest. Around
New Disease: Lock Jaw the edges of the upper level, call horns connect to pipes
leading down through the floor. Each horn is labeled with
Contact with metal as ancient as the scrap strewn the name of another area of the war titan and is used to
across the Rust Wastes can cause a disease communicate with its associated room.
called lock jaw. When a creature takes damage Control Room. The lower section of the colossus’ head
from such metal, it must succeed on a DC 14 has multiple control panels whose many switches and but-
Constitution saving throw or contract lock jaw. tons are dusty and dormant. A couple panels closest to the
The symptoms begin immediately as muscle titan’s face feature darkened screens adorning the wall.
spasms prevent the creature from opening its Elevator. An elevator door at the back of the control
mouth to eat, drink, or talk (including casting room is ajar, revealing the open shaft of the access corridor
spells requiring verbal components). After 1 hour, that runs at a sharp angle down the spine of the titan. The
an infected creature can attempt another DC 14 elevator itself is 50 feet down the shaft and blocks the view
Constitution saving throw, ending the infection of the access corridor beyond.
on a success. The disease can also be removed
with the lesser restoration spell or similar magic. Neck (Elevator Access Corridor)
Otherwise, the disease lasts 1d4 days. This circular shaft is 20 feet in diameter and extends
downward at a 60-degree angle 50 feet into the darkness
from the elevator access in the colossus head. There are
RUST COLOSSUS rails on either side of the corridor that hold an elevator in
The remains of the only war titan from the earliest days place. On the “roof” of the corridor there is a maintenance
of the war not reduced to dust still reside somewhere in ladder that connects the head to the chest. The walls are
no-man’s-land. Both sides in this never-ending battle seek smooth steel covered in a layer of dust.
to occupy and either revive it or harvest its material re- A creature that attempts to walk down the corridor
sources. Its head protrudes far above from the debris of a must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a
thousand individual battles, its cavernous eyes protruding failure, the creature slides down the passage and lands on
like the top of a lighthouse, but neither side has been able the roof of the elevator, taking 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
to occupy it long enough to uncover and claim it. If the creature uses the rails to aid their descent, they have
advantage on this saving throw. If the creature attempts
Colossus Head (Control Room) to use the ladder to descend, they must first succeed on a
The cylindrical room inside the head of the colossus is 50 DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to hang onto the ladder.
feet in diameter and 40 feet tall. Atop this room is a lat- If a creature fails this check, it falls off the ladder and must
ticed crystal dome that serves as the top of the colossus’s attempt the Dexterity saving throw to avoid losing their
head. There is a sealed port hatch on the side of the head footing and sliding down the passage.
that serves as the main entry point into the war titan. The At the bottom of the corridor is a broken and rusted el-
room houses the controls for the colossus, an observation evator with an access hatch on its roof that can be opened
deck for its pilots, and an elevator leading down to other with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Inside
areas of the colossus. the elevator are two rust elementals99 that attack any
Port Hatch. The port hatch on the side of the head is creature that enters. If a creature used a call horn on the
sealed. A creature that has proficiency with thieves’ tools observation deck, the rust elementals are ready to ambush
can open the hatch with a successful DC 15 Dexterity creatures as soon as they open the access hatch.
(Thieves’ Tools) check. The elevator door is jammed open and leads to a hallway
Lattice Dome. The latticed dome atop the colossus’ that runs left and right, with a maintenance ladder on the
head features many crystalline observation ports that can wall directly across from the elevator door. This area is the
be shattered with a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) upper chest of the titan. The maintenance ladder heads
check. Alternatively, a creature proficient with tinker’s lower into the central chest of the colossus.
tools or jeweler’s tools can attempt a DC 16 Intelligence
ability check with the associated tools, removing a section Upper Chest, Left (Engineering Workshop)
of the crystal on a success, granting entry. Heading left from the elevator door is an 80-foot-long, pipe-
The cylindrical room itself is split into two levels by laden corridor that leads to a closed door at its end. There
metal grating, with two staircases connecting the two lev- is a sign on the wall with an arrow pointing toward the door
els, and has an elevator at the back of the room. that reads Engineering Workshop. A few random tools can be
Observation Deck. The upper level of this room serves found in the hall, but there is nothing else of interest here.
as an observation and command deck. A few bolted-down
tables strewn with aged maps adorn this level. The maps 99.   See the “Rust Elemental” section on p. 250 for more info.

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 The door is reinforced metal adorned with an etched the surrounding ground in which the colossus is buried,
icon of a hammer and cog. It is not locked but is stuck blocking access into the legs of the colossus. The dirt, rock,
from disuse. A creature can force the door open by suc- and scrap make the ground here difficult terrain. A swarm
ceeding on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. The door of trembles100 lurks here amid the rubble and scrap, dor-
leads to the engineering workshop featuring tables strewn mant unless disturbed.
with tools, cables, and safety equipment. Everything in
this room is pitted with rust. suggested encounters
Upper Chest, Right (Engineering Fuel Supply) The Rust Wastes Encounters table lists creatures that lair
Heading right from the elevator door is a 20-foot-long in the Rust Wastes or creatures who have reason to visit.
hallway that ends abruptly in a floor-to-ceiling pile of Each entry contains a brief description of the creatures
twisted metal, suggesting that the right shoulder has been and a prompt for an encounter scenario. The encounter
destroyed. A sign in the corridor reads Engineering Fuel descriptions detail any modifications to the base creature
Supply and features an arrow pointing in the direction of stat block and special considerations for running the
the destruction. encounter. The GM may use their preferred method for
determining who or what the party encounters at the
Central Chest (Engine Room) location. Estimated difficulty is based on a party of four
The maintenance ladder across from the elevator leads adventurers of 6th level.
down 30 feet to an octahedral engine room with drive-
shafts, hoses, and wiring along the walls connected to the
engine and running out of the room through numerous
RUST WASTES ENCOUNTERS
ports. The engine itself is a massive mechanism that fills d4 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY
the center of the room, lying dormant and pitted with
rust. A scrap golem (using the animated armor stat block) 1 Its HAL Is over 9,000! Very easy
lurks on the far side of the engine room. It is hostile but #6 Rockem Socket
smart enough to wait to try to surprise anyone who en- 2 Easy
Robot Wrench
ters the area.
3 Butler Ian Medium
The maintenance ladder leads farther down into darkness.
When Wall E Comes
4 Medium
Midsection (Armory) Tumbling Down
The maintenance ladder continues 30 feet from the en-
gine room to a large warehouse-like space in the abdo- 100 . The swarm of trembles stat block can be found on p. 311 in
men. Much of this spacious room is filled with earth from chapter 6.

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BUTLER IAN WHEN WALL E COMES TUMBLING DOWN…
A smaller version of the AutoForged than previously An AutoForged sergeant is yelling for his squad to hurry
encountered approaches the party while nervously cleaning and finish loading a shipment of steel girders. The squad is
a monocle. He introduces himself, “I am the general’s butler, failing at this as their malfunctioning feet slip in the mud.
Ian, and I have a matter most important for the war effort, if Sergeant Clank yells to the passing party, “Ho there, can ye
I could only have a minute of your time.” help out a mission that needs completion? Our brothers are
Ian tells the party his request to help the general. The out there holding WALL E but won’t for long if we don’t
general is quite old and requires a special oil to maintain get there soon!”
his fighting form and win the war! This oil is a hyper- WALL E is a sentient trench wall on the northeastern end
concentrated pool of trolleum only found in one place: a of the AutoForged side of the battlefield. It has been call-
flooded bunker in the northwest section of the trenches, ing for reinforcement for weeks now, as the troops there
near the border of the no-man’s-land. A raucous battle has are being assailed by undead (the animated remains of
been waging over that sector since the oil’s discovery. Ian the AutoForged’s former comrades). Sergeant Clank asks
urges the party to be careful, as the trenches are thick with the party to escort this shipment of steel girders to rein-
MimiCons, and artillery barrages rain down no matter the force WALL E against the undead onslaught. In exchange,
season. He recommends staying low and moving quickly. he promises to let them take any salvage they may find
At the bunker, there are 2d6 MimiCons engaged with and will grant them access to their collection of magic
1d4 AutoForged when the party arrives. The MimiCons items, spells, and other relics that were used by long-dead
have deployed one drone each. After 5 rounds, reinforce- organics.
ments arrive: another 1d4 MimiCons and 1d6 AutoForged. The AutoForged squad consists of Sergeant Clank and
Artillery barrages happen every 1d4 rounds in this area. ten AutoForged cogs moving twenty steel girders on a
If the party successfully retrieves at least 5 gallons of the flatbed sled that floats along at a maximum speed of 30
concentrated trolleum and returns it to Ian, he rewards feet per round.
the party with a rich source of scrap, repairs their vehicle, When the party arrives, WALL E is being defended by
or rewards them with one uncommon magic item each. 3d8 AutoForged and is being assailed by waves of skeletons
The party may also harvest some of the trolleum for their and zombies. Several sections of the wall are broken, and
own use. This special trolleum lasts four times longer than the entire thing is at risk of collapse. Upon their arrival,
regular trolleum when used in arcanotech devices, burns the reinforcement squads realizes they are almost too late
eight times longer when used as a light source, and deals and must attempt repairs immediately. The party has 1
double fire damage when used as a weapon. minute to succeed on five repair checks. A creature with
proficiency with a mechanic’s kit can attempt to repair the
#6 ROCKEM SOCKET ROBOT WRENCH wall with a successful DC 14 Strength (Mechanic’s Kit) or
Dexterity (Mechanic’s Kit) check (player’s choice). Each
A grease-smeared AutoForged is cussing in binary and kicking failure increases the DC by 1. Once per round as the party
an inert mechanism at its feet. Upon noticing the party, the attempts repairs, one wave of undead enemies assaults
robot puts away a wrench and says with a wave, “I don’t suppose and attempts to breach the wall.
you fleshies have a #6 Rockem Socket Robot Wrench, do ya?”
■ Waves 1–3: 1d10 skeletons, 1d6 zombies
An AutoForged programmed to work at the forge fac- ■ Waves 4–6: 2d4 ogre zombies
tory is struggling with a repair job and asks the party if ■ Waves 7–9: 1d4 ghosts
they’re heading into the trenches. If they are, he asks if ■ Wave 10: 1 vampire spawn
they can keep an eye out for his one-of-a-kind wrench,
one of the original master wrenches from Rockem Socket If the party successfully repairs the wall and repels the
Robot Wrench Corp. It’s number 6 of a series of 12, and undead within 1 minute, WALL E is reinforced, and the
it’s important for adjusting factory settings for the quality undead are repelled, and the party is free to collect their
of repair on the brave AutoForged who come through the reward. If the party is unsuccessful, WALL E is overrun,
factory day after day. It would be a great help for the war and waves of undead will continue to attack the party un-
effort and would buy a bond of friendship between the til they fall or flee.
party and the AutoForged.
The wrench can be found anywhere in the war-torn
area, whether in a random trench or in the inventory of a
traveling arcanotech priest. If the party finds the wrench
and returns it to the AutoForged mechanic, they gain trust
with the AutoForged, and the mechanic will repair any
gear or vehicles the party requests.

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 rewards Dragon Flame Rifle
A dragon flame rifle is a ranged arcanotech martial weapon
Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to with a range of 100/300 feet. On a hit, it deals fire damage
be found within the area. equal to 1d10 + the wielder’s Dexterity modifier. On a 1
on the attack roll, roll a d20. On another 1, the weapon is
EXPERIENCE permanently drained of power.
In addition to standard experience awarded during com-
bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned Tremble101
while exploring the Rust Wastes: A single tremble can be very useful in sharpening and im-
proving certain weapons. In numbers, however, they can
■ Crossing no-man’s-land – 250 XP
be incredibly dangerous and destructive.
■ Assisting the AutoForged – 125 XP
Receiving the Cog of Freedom – 1,000 XP
putting it all together
■

■ Entering the remains of the Rust Colossus – 500 XP

The Rust Wastes area is an endless battlefield with two
LOOT
factions, though only the AutoForged can be reasoned
Detailed here is a collection of tangible loot that can be
with. You can draw the characters to the area with a re-
earned or discovered in this location.
lated plot hook or entice them with the plentiful trolleum
and supplies available throughout the battlefield. The
Cog of Freedom
trenches alone can provide an exciting encounter or travel
A Cog of Freedom is a medal awarded to those who assist
experience, and the many colorful robotic characters are
the AutoForged in some significant way. This gear pen-
worth visiting as well.
dant grants free passage across all AutoForged territory,
and any AutoForged soldier gives assistance when asked by
ADVENTURE HOOKS
a wearer of the pendant. These pendants are arcanotech
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
devices. Creatures wearing a Cog of Freedom have advan-
introduce your table to the Rust Wastes.
tage on any Charisma check made while interacting with
an AutoForged. 101. The tremble stat block can be found on p. 310 of chapter 6.

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 RUST WASTES ADVENTURE HOOKS basalt palace
d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
“I heard it was supposed to be a funhouse of some kind, long
There’s tale of a whetstone in an ancient robot ago. I would not—could not—call it fun, no. That is not the
battlefield that can sharpen any blade to spec- word I’d use. What word then? Loaded. Completely stacked.
1
tacular sharpness. These little stones rumble all by And heartbreaking. I went once, I got my ’canotech, now
themselves. Just don’t use them after midnight. I’m rich, and I ain’t never going back. I stay outside now.
The Arcanotech Cabal wants to broker peace No doors, y’see? I woke up the other night, and I thought
between these two robot foes. It hires the party to I was still there. Maybe I am. Am I? Can you tell me?
2
recon the battlefield and determine the validity of Can somebody please tell me?”
the Cabal’s endeavor.
– Durbust Sandheaver, retired adventurer
An old looter tells of a broken giant forged from
iron amid a terrible battle of bots somewhere on
3 the battlefield. The titan is beyond repair, but the
engine in its heart is still functional and worth Content Warning
more than anything else in the wastelands.
This location was in part inspired by fantasy
A weapons dealer wants a sample of robot
depictions of nuclear disasters. It includes implied
4 rifles. He’s willing to pay for any viable weapons
mass death. While these elements are a common
returned to him.
trope of postapocalyptic media, we want to make
sure you and your entire table know that this area
RUMORS could, depending on how you run it, get heavy.
Presented here are ten rumors about the Rust Wastes.
These rumors can be used to draw your table to the loca-
tion or to create additional drama while the characters are
visiting. It’s up to the GM whether the rumors are true.
background
The Basalt Palace was once a wonderland for the pre-
RUST WASTES RUMORS apocalyptic elite, an illusory playground in which those
with the means to afford it could experience any fantasy
d10 RUMOR they wished. The palace itself was perhaps the most com-
There’s an arcanotech priest wandering the plex arcanotech wonder to be created by mortals. At the
1 heart of it is a spell reactor, which generated near-limitless
battlefield who has a device that can control robots.
radiant magic keeping the palace operational.
The robots on the battlefield have tools that can At some point, there was a fantastic catastrophe that
2 improve the works of even the greatest inventors
partially destroyed the palace, broke the rules of time and
and tinkers.
space in the immediate area, and spread uncontained scin-
Treasure hunters have heard the wailing of the Rust tillating radiance into the world. The reactor continues to
3
Colossus from deep in no-man’s-land. It lives! leak today.
There used to be living soldiers in the Rust Wastes, In the times that came after, many made forays into the
4
but now all that walks there is metal. Basalt Palace to assess its condition or repair the damage.
Undead roam everywhere, still in uniform, still All failed, except for one. The Seven-Fold Matron, a pow-
5 erful archmage from the Last City of MAN102 (long before
fighting.
it was known by that name), was able to navigate to the
There is a general somewhere on the battlefield still
6 leading his robot troops. He may listen to reason, if
epicenter of the explosion and slow the flood of leaking
you make a good argument. scintillating radiance down to a trickle, but neither she
nor her familiar were ever seen again.
An engine of inconceivable power resides at the In time, knowledge of what the palace used to be, what
7
heart the robot battlefield.
happened to it, or the potential for calamity it poses were
The robots fighting in the wastes are not sentient. forgotten. Now, all know it is dangerous, that time and
8
They’re just doing what they’re programed to do. space work differently inside it, that it is full to the gills
There’s more trolleum in the rusted wastes than with arcanotech, and that most who venture inside never
9
most places in the Weird Wastelands. return.
There are members of the robotic army that are
10 102 . See the “Lost City of MAN” section earlier on p. 190 in the chapter
more than meets the eye. Be wary.
for more info.

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 At night, the light of the ruins of the Basalt Palace are known to contain unseen hazards that can be difficult to
clearly visible up to 5 miles away. A plume of eerie blue navigate, even though the path appears clear and unim-
light projects straight up from the epicenter of the de- peded. Those brave enough to venture near report seeing
stroyed side of the structure. blue phantasms of people dressed in finery, animals they
The ruins are a rich source of arcanotech devices,103 have never seen before, sounds of a language they cannot
which brings the brave and the foolhardy to its steps from understand, and feelings of joy, satisfaction, and wonder
time to time. The path to the ruins of the Basalt Palace is they have never experienced anywhere else. Those who
long to experience these feelings often make pilgrimages
103. See the “Arcanotech Devices” section on p. 94 in chapter 2 for more to the Basalt Palace, but most never return.
info.

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Terrain special features
The ruins of the Basalt Palace have existed as they are for as The features detailed here distinguish the Ruins of the
long as anyone can remember. Half the palace is shattered, Basalt Palace as a weird location and are available to flesh
as an ancient explosion threw chunks of jet-black rock a out gameplay elements of the area. They are designed to
half-mile in all directions; the once-cultivated, stepped complement interactions with other creatures and create
foothills are peppered with chunks of preternaturally dark engaging encounters.
basalt embedded in them. These chunks do not erode as
the rest of the rock does here—white sandy dunes give way THE BIG BLUE
to white rock studded with black, like bits of chocolate in There is a wide dirt path leading from the area around the
an unbaked cookie. ruins to the entrance itself, and the flat ground outside has
The terrain around the ruins of the Basalt Palace has the ample room to set up camp. At night, illusory phantasms
following qualities: in the same shade of blue as the light emanating from the
ruins wink in and out of existence within 300 feet of the
■ Any spells or abilities that aid a creature in
ruins. They are harmless, can only be visually perceived, and
finding its way, such as find the path, do not
cannot be interacted with, but they react to what the party
work in the area.
does and exist 10 minutes before fading into nothingness.
■ Due to the blue glow coming from the ruins, there Whenever one of these phantasms appears, roll on the Blue
is bright light within 50 feet of the ruins and dim Phantasms Manifestation table to see what form they take.
light within 300 feet of them.
RUIN FEATURES
■ The exterior of the ruins and the area within 1 mile The Basalt Palace is a place where the relationship between
of the ruin entrance are constantly under the effects light, time, space, and experience have been broken apart
of the scintillating radiance hazard.104 by uncontained magical energy. No two journeys through

BLUE PHANTASMS MANIFESTATION

d10 PHANTASM
1 Hundreds of rabbits hopping serenely across a nonexistent meadow
2 A dozen celestial badgers dancing in perfect unison, twirling and curtseying at party members
3 Fifty gladiators locked in a frantic death match attacking each other and anyone within 5 feet of them
The vague forms of adults and children in fitted suits and dresses shuffling through an exhibit of caged dragons,
4
owlbears, and tarrasques; a child who is clearly scared of the party crying to their mother
A lizardfolk king and queen on a palanquin borne by gnomes and goblins waving at onlookers who aren’t there;
5
the Palace exploding in a shower of illusory destruction
A half-dozen gnomes dressed in tattered finery scurrying around, picking up unseen objects, attempting to grab
6 magic items from the party (their hands passing through them), then eventually lying on the ground and ceasing
to move
A pegasus ensconced in barding bearing the crest of a forgotten dynasty flying around the ruins, in and out of the
7
blue light, becoming blurrier with each pass until it disappears
8 An orc in remembrancer robes running out of the entrance to the palace, sitting on the ground, and crying
A circle of wizards and clerics chanting and swaying in unison, casting a ritual spell while facing the tower of blue
9
light, then melting away as a brilliantly bright light shines on their faces105
A human woman in a stiff cloth suit walking around the grounds, inspecting the ruined walls of the palace and
10 writing notes in a journal, with a large chameleon following her every step; the human woman hugging the
chameleon close and walking into the palace, disappearing from view

104. See “Scintillating Radiance” in the “Encounter Hazards” section on p. 158 of chapter 4 for more information about scintillating radiance.
105 . Characters who observe this manifestation of the blue phantasms can attempt a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot a perfect circle of
shadows permanently etched onto the ground where the phantasms appeared.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

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it are the same, though the areas creatures can ■ Rooms do not exist in any set order or with Welcome to a depth
venture through here are all based on what the any set detail or encounter until the party crawl! This table format
place once was and the calamity that happened elects to enter them. There is no need to allows you to randomly
generate a dungeon
here. When a party journeys into the ruins, they roll ahead of time to determine the layout crawl with lots of
create a stable instance that lasts until they leave. of the ruins of the Basalt Palace, as they are interesting possibilities
Much of what is seen and encountered inside meant to be procedurally created. while still leading
the ruins of the Basalt Palace is extremely high- forward toward an end
■ Players can move back and forth point. It also cuts way
level illusion magic in an area with uncontained
through rooms they have already been down on prep, though
and volatile arcane energies. Unless otherwise
in through the doors they entered. it helps to read over
noted, creatures with truesight can see through the options (especially
When they go through a new door,
the illusions; however, all other elements of the the encounters) before
a new room is rolled.
illusion remain, so even a creature that is aware you begin. Some
of the illusion’s presence can still physically in- ■ When the party exits the ruins, the current combinations are really
teract with it. Illusions can still damage creatures delve ends. If they reenter, the entire nasty; we like it that
who know they are illusory, but the damage type process starts over. way, Fortunately, the
characters can flee
changes to psychic damage in these cases. from most threats fairly
■ Any creature who backtracks from a room
Sound does not carry between rooms, and easily, as most of them
while under the effects of the frightened
all interior areas are filled with magical darke- cannot exist outside
condition will immediately enter the the room they occur in.
ness unless specified otherwise. Additionally, if
Grand Foyer. Furthermore, there is no
a creature with the frightened condition leaves
dishonor in fudging on
a room, the door they exit from leads into the ■ Exiting through the entrance of the
this table. It is perfectly
Grand Foyer, and the creature moves towards Grand Foyer always leads to the outside acceptable to decide a
the entrance to the Basalt Palace and exits. and ends a delve. room has no encounter
or complicating detail if
DELVING INTO THE RUINS Ruins Rooms your group needs space
Due to its magical nature, there is no fixed The following section provides the Ruins Rooms to catch their breath,
or to reroll if a given
layout in the Basalt Palace. Each expedition’s table as well as base descriptions for each room.
combination isn’t what
delve through the ruins proceeds in a different you’d like to deal with at
sequence, with different encounters and details 1. Grand Foyer the moment.
in different rooms. You can change the
Each room has three unique elements. When Half of the ceiling of this massive hall is caved in. speed of the party’s
the party enters a new room, the GM rolls on the Enormous chunks of basalt masonry are scattered progress through
throughout the area, and great chunks of statues the Basalt Palace by
following tables to determine the room, the de- changing the die you
tail, and the encounter. Creatures can backtrack of heroic figures, their faces 10 feet tall, are
use to roll on the tables.
to previous rooms, but moving into a new room embedded in the crimson-carpeted floor. Toppled If you want the Basalt
always triggers a new set of rolls on the Ruins chairs and tables line the sides of the huge hall, Palace to move much
Rooms, Ruins Room Details, and Ruins Room and shattered urns painted with dazzling flowers more quickly, use a d20.
Encounters tables. dot the path through the space. You hear an If you want to move
unseen symphony playing a grandiose tune that more slowly, use a d6,
When a delve begins, the first room is always but always keep adding
1. Grand Foyer and has no details or encounters. crackles and fades. The place smells like old blood
to your rolls to ensure
Whenever a creature attempts to proceed be- and metal. that the party keeps
yond the foyer (or into any new room), follow This cavernous space was once an awe-inspiring moving forward.
these steps to determine the particulars of the feat of magical architecture. Immense columns As the party
next room: 100 feet tall and a dizzying array of arches, some progresses, we
of them broken or cracked, support a roof made recommend keeping
■ Roll 1d10 on the Ruins Rooms, Ruins a list of the rolls you
of starlight. There are piles of ash throughout the
Room Details, and Ruins Room Encounters made, in case they wish
foyer, and a hundred trails of ashy footsteps snake
tables. Each time the party delves into a to move backwards in
across the uncarpeted portions of the floor. The
new room, repeat the process, adding 1 to the palace.
sounds of a symphony playing an epic song fade
your roll for each room they have already
in and out, but the sounds are sourceless.
visited during this delve. For example, if the
Illusions. All the furnishings and carpet in this
party exits 1. Grand Foyer and enters a new
room are illusory, but the walls, statues, doors,
room, roll 1d10 + 1 on each table. When
and ground are real.
they enter the next room, roll 1d10 + 2 on
Exits. An unlocked pair of gilded stone double
each table, and so on.
doors stand closed at the other end of the room.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

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 and reaches for the handles, and plush, black towels ap-
RUINS ROOMS pear any time a creature reaches for a towel rack.
RESULT ROOM The back half of the room is full of rusted, broken, and
jagged pipes, a puddle of sulfurous alchemical reagents
1 Grand Foyer that has dried and crystalized, and rubble, making the area
2 Lavatory difficult terrain.
Within the rubble is a perfectly preserved, non-illusory
3 Promenade
rubber duckie that quacks just like a live duck.106
4 ??? Illusions. The bathroom stalls, sinks, tiled walls, and all
5 Lounge accessories are illusory.
Exits. There is a door off the back of this room, partially
6 Changing Room
covered in rubble.
7 Glamour Room 1
8 Glamour Room 2 3. Promenade

9 Automaton Repair You hear the gentle sound of running water, feel a cool
10 Hallway
breeze, and smell the pleasant scent of a clean river as you
enter this once-grand promenade. Curiously, there is no
11 Glamour Room 3 water to be seen, despite the many pools dotting the area
12 Observation between the paths. The pools and their interiors are lined in a
black substance.
13 Elevator
This open-air space, 50 feet by 300 feet, features walking
14 Glamour Room 4
paths that weave around 9 large, rectangular holes in the
15 Glamour Room 5 ground that look to have once brimmed with water. The
16 Hall of Public Illusion holes are 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 10 feet deep, all
empty and lined in a shiny, jet-black, jelly-like material. A
17 Library successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that
18 Glamour Room 6 this black material is magical in nature, generating strong
illusion magic. The walls along the outside of the prom-
19 Glamour Room 7
enade are made of shattered crystal, the breaks revealing
20 Reagent Storage more of this black substance. One 10-foot stretch of wall
21 Glamour Room 8 is still intact, showing a perfect sunset above a blue river-
bank lined with verdant green plant life. The sounds and
22 Glamour Room 9
smells of a peaceful riverbank emanate from the image. It
23 Shadow Chameleon Nest looks real, but reaching into it blurs the illusion, and the
24 Adamant Vault smooth crystal can be felt beneath it.
Illusions. The sounds, smells, and sight of the riverbank
25 Reactor Control are illusory.
Exits. A simple door beside the illusion is marked with a
2. Lavatory placard containing writing in a pre-apocalyptic language.
(Creatures able to read Pre-Apocalyptic Common can dis-
The front half of this room was once the washroom of the cern that it says Maintenance.107)
gods, a feat of lavatorial opulence no wastelander could
ever dream of. Sinks, mirrors, towels, soaps, and lotions line 4. ???
the jet-black countertops. Most of the bathroom stalls are
demolished, but one remains intact. It is larger than most This door opens to a scene of total destruction. Whatever
homes in the wasteland. this room once was has been obliterated by an ancient
A communal bath in the center of the room is bisected by explosion. An inch of black covers chunks of basalt scattered
the destruction. The functioning half seems to be a perfect (if everywhere. Partially intact walls of the Basalt Palace
ashy) bath to all senses, but the water simply stops where the surround the area. The ceiling is open to the sky.
dirt, ash, and ruination begin, as if it were clear jelly with a
horrible bite taken out of it. 106. There are no ducks in the Weird Wastelands.
107. Throughout the ruins of the Basalt Palace, characters may
The walls, floors, ceilings, and hardware in the front half encounter writing in Pre-Apocalyptic Common or creatures that
of this room are all jet black. The door to the one intact speak it. See the “New Language: Pre-Apocalyptic Common” sidebar
stall opens and closes any time a creature approaches it on p. 63 in chapter 1 for a bit more information on this language.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

260 weird waStelandS
There is no way to discern what this area used to be nor 7. Glamour Room 1
the nature of the catastrophe that destroyed it. Due to the
debris, the entire area (20 feet by 20 feet) is difficult terrain. You step into a cube-shaped room of pure white. Ashy
Illusions. There is nothing illusory in this room (though shadows are imprinted on the wall as clearly as if they were
illusory details and encounters can occur here). standing with a spotlight right in front of them. Two of the
Exits. A 5-foot-wide section of intact wall features a shadows resemble elven children dancing arm in arm. The
plain door (the door through which creatures enter 4. ???). third is an adult, arms outstretched in a clap.
Opposite the plain door stands an intact basalt door in its This area is 30 feet wide, 30 feet tall, and 30 feet long. One
frame, detached from the crumbled walls and riddled with minute after the party enters, a clap, peals of laughter, and
fine fractures, leading further into the ruins. a flourish of raucous music can be heard for 3 seconds,
as the shadows dance and cajole about once more, after
5. Lounge which they all freeze again until 1 hour has passed.
Illusions. The shadows, sounds, and color of the walls
The sky peeks down through a cavernous dome made are illusory.
of lacy metal filigree, and light twinkles on the pebbles Exits. The door the players entered through is a smooth
of colored glass that once filled the domed ceiling now white doorway. There is a locked trap door in the middle
strewn across the floor. Under the glass and over the of the floor. The door can be unlocked with a successful
scorched and pitted walls is a thick cake of gray and DC 10 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check.108
white ash. The ash covers everything except a large,
brilliant bar made of some exotic striped wood and 8. Glamour Room 2
stocked with a thousand perfect bottles and glasses and
a delectable array of snacks. Relaxed music plays from You enter this room through a simple black door in a wall
some unseen source behind it. covered by pure jet black nothingness. You feel the crunch of
The bar in this 5-by-10-foot lounge exists for only 4 sec- sand beneath your feet as ocean spray tickles your face.
onds out of every 5, flashing in and out of existence. It is Half of this 20-by-20-foot room is destroyed. The other
an illusion, though it appears real in every sense. The food half is a perfectly white sandy beach against a cerulean
and drink can be consumed. They are delicious but do blue ocean. Palm trees with coconuts sway gently in the
not count toward daily meal or water intake and have no breeze. The ocean laps gently at the shore. An island
intoxicating effects. breaks the water in the horizon. The beachy part of this
Illusions. The bar and all its trappings, the food and drink, room appears to go on forever to all senses. Lounge chairs
the music, the furniture, and the carpet are all illusory. are set up on the beach, one for each creature that enters,
Exits. The door through which the party enters is made of a and their favorite drinks await them on the side tables.
rich dark wood. The exit is a metal filigree door with shat- Illusions. Everything in this room except the walls,
tered glass framed in black wood on the opposite end of floors, and doors is illusory. The drinks can be consumed,
the room. but they have no effect.
Exits. The door the players enter through is a singed
6. Changing Room 5-foot hole in the wall. The exit is an unlocked trap door
in this room partially buried in the sand.
This small room smells of death and leaves a bitter
taste in your mouth. A broken chair and table are piled 9. Automaton Repair
in one corner next to some hooks on the wall. One
wall is made of mirrored rollaway doors, all but one of The door through which you enter is flimsy and does not shut
which is shattered. all the way. It is completely dark here except for a few twinkling,
It is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. Opening the mirrored colored lights. It smells like an electric fire and burning steel wool.
rolling door reveals a closet, which has 1d6 sets of pristine This room is hall full of automata in various states of dis-
noble’s clothes still hanging in it. These clothes are worth repair, along with tools and chassis with which to repair
300 gp per set. them. The space measures 10 feet wide by 50 feet long
Illusions. There is nothing illusory in this room (though with 10-foot ceilings. A boulder rests among the wreckage
illusory details and encounters can occur here). as though it crashed in through the wall of this room some
Exits. There is a door directly opposite the door through time ago, crushing many automatons with it.
which the party entered featuring a placard in dramatic
script. (Creatures able to read Pre-Apocalyptic Common 108. If the players are moving out of this room into one where they
would normally walk through a door, think through how you’d like
can discern that it says Glamour Room 1.) them to experience that. Do they feel their sense of proprioception
shift to a new “up” and “down”? Do they simply find themselves
standing inside the room?

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 The room is cluttered and covered in debris, making it (except for any encounters or details the GM rolls in this
difficult terrain. The area serves as a plentiful source of room), then the bar blinks back into existence, and the
scrap and arcanotech salvage. cycle begins again.
Illusions. There is nothing illusory in this room (though Illusions. Everything in this room is illusory at all times,
illusory details and encounters can occur here). including the explosions, the white walls, and the ash.
Exits. The entrance to this room is a wooden door Exits. There is no visible door to exit through while the
painted grey. There is a door on the opposite end of the room appears as the white cube. When the tavern is visible,
room, blocked by the boulder. Climbing the boulder re- there is a swinging door that appears to lead to a kitchen.
quires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. When a creature passes through that door, it enters the
next ruins room.
10. Hallway
12. Observation
A long hallway with a door dotting each side every 15 feet
stretches ahead. The black carpet feels spongy and soft. Each The door through which you walk is made of gray-blue
door is numbered and locked. metal. As soon as you pass through the threshold, it closes
This hallway is 120 feet long and features sixteen doors (in and locks with an audible click. The room before you
addition to the door through which a creature enters). The contains a large dashboard and bank of arcanotech buttons
lock on any door can be picked with a successful DC 10 flanked by a series of ten stacked monitors. The ceiling of this
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Every door leads to the room is partially wrecked, and a giant pipe has crashed into
same place—whichever ruins room manifests next. and destroyed seven of the monitors.
Illusions. The color of the walls and ceiling and the car- This observation room is 15 feet long by 30 feet wide. A
pet are all illusory. The doors and floor are real. chair, empty save for a small pile of ash, is positioned in
Exits. Going through any door (except the door through front of the dashboard, facing the monitors. A charred
which a creature first entered) leads to the next room. pastry sits on the desk in front of the chair, along with the
remnants of a crystal glass.
11. Glamour Room 3 On the three functioning monitors are somewhat blurry
visions from a bird’s eye view of each room in the Basalt
You enter a raucous, crowded tavern. Through the Palace (which show the rooms themselves and some of
windows lining the walls you see a sprawling fantasy city their possible encounters and details). Every 10 minutes,
in winter, snow and ice between the grooves of cobblestone one monitor shifts its view to another room. Each room
streets, chimneys with sweet-smelling smoke, and the except 25. Reactor Control can appear on the monitor.
hustle and bustle of well-fed, healthy, and happy people in The dashboard has labels written in Pre-Apocalyptic
commoner’s outfits. No one is wearing weapons or carrying Common. A successful DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation)
food. check reveals the ability to zoom in on the images shown
Inside the bar, a bugbear in a velvet waistcoat plays a on the monitors. The DC for this check is reduced to
jaunty tune on a piano as everyone in the place joins in 20 if the check is made by a creature who can read Pre-
song. Everyone has a drink in hand, arms thrown around Apocalyptic Common.
their friends, cheeks rosy with cold and alcohol. There’s a A successful DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) check
dice table in the back, and a plump human man is slinging allows a creature to choose from the images it has seen on
drinks across the bar. the monitors and queue it as the next room they’ll enter
No one in the bar responds verbally to the party. They when they go through the new door leading out of the
give gregarious looks but continue to laugh and sing. They observation room. This door is on the far end of the wall
are not creatures; they are illusions with a limited pro- with the dashboard and is locked (DC 15 to unlock).
grammed response. An unsuccessful ability check made to operate the dash-
This vision lasts for 3 rounds, after which there is a blind- board in any way triggers the monitors to shut down, an
ing and instantaneous flash of blue light, and the patrons alert buzzer to sound, and the ground to rumble. All the
all exclaim wildly. All creatures in the room that rely on rooms in the Basalt Palace reset; any creatures that at-
standard visibility must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution tempt to retrace their steps backward through the ruins
saving throw or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. instead enter a new room, and rooms that have been previ-
The next round, the windows break, and the bar, pa- ously explored can be found again.
trons, and everything except creatures that entered the Illusions. Nothing in this room is illusory, and the dash-
room and everything and everyone with whom they en- board and monitors are all highly magical.
tered are vaporized into ash. Exits. In addition to the gray-blue door through which
For the next minute, the room appears as a 30-foot-by- creatures enter the observation room, there is another
30-foot white cube with swirling ash and complete silence door on the opposite wall adjacent to the dashboard.

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13. Elevator Illusions. Everything in this room except the walls,
doors, platinum handcuffs, and suit of adamantine armor
This small square stall is lined with jet-black wooden are illusory.
wainscoting and ornate gold molding. Plush black carpet Exits. There are two doors in this room: the door through
covers the floor, and the hum of something mechanical which creatures enter, and the door on the far wall, which
permeates the space. There are two sets of metal sliding leads to the next room.
doors on opposite sides of the elevator. There is a bank of one
hundred buttons on the wall, with markings next to them in 15. Glamour Room 5
an unfamiliar alphabet.
The elevator is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall. The markings The brisk, fresh wind of a boreal forest meets you as the door
next to the buttons are numbers written in Pre-Apocalyptic vanishes behind you. Massive evergreen trees stretch across a
Common. hilly landscape as far as the eye can see, and you hear a song
If a creature presses the 1 button, all creatures inside feel in a strange language being sung nearby. In the distance, you
a gentle lurch as the elevator begins to move, and the el- can see a lazy pillar of smoke rising from a clearing between
evator opens onto 1. Grand Foyer. If a creature presses any the trees. The ample wildlife—birds, squirrels, porcupines,
other button, the elevator opens onto the next ruins room badgers, insects—are all unfamiliar to you, and, somehow,
determined by the GM’s random roll. The door opposite they are all smiling.
the one through which creatures entered is the one that The trees surrounding the party are 100 feet tall. As the
opens when a button is pressed. party makes their way through the forest, they hear happy
If a creature attempts to force open the elevator doors, singing. If any party members can understand Pre-Apoca-
inky blackness spills into the elevator and fills it in 1 round. lyptic Common, they realize the lyrics are about how won-
All creatures in the elevator are then teleported to the next derful it is to learn and grow in the forest.
ruins room determined by the GM’s random roll. The smoke is coming from a small house made of candy
Illusions. The color of the walls, the molding, the car- 250 feet from where the party enters the area. The front
peting, the sound of mechanical whirring, and the sense door of the house is closed and locked. Knocking on the
of movement is all illusory. The buttons and doors are real. door will cause it to open, or it can be unlocked with a
Exits. Creatures in the elevator cannot go back the way successful DC 10 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check.
they came. The opposite door opens to reveal the next Illusions. Everything in this space except for the two
room (see the main room description for specifics). doors is illusory.
Exits. Passing through the door in the candy house leads
14. Glamour Room 4 to the next room.

The door behind you closes as you enter. This room is thick 16. Hall of Public Illusion
with sweet incense and humid air. Burning wall torches emit
dim light while soft, soothing horn music accompanies the This grand hall is so poised to dazzle the senses that its
crackle in the fireplace. This opulent bedroom has a mirrored emptiness seems criminal. Enough seats for everyone alive in
ceiling, a large round bed, a table with enough seats for your the Weird Wastelands line the several-storied amphitheater
group, a wardrobe, and a partially open door on the far wall. around a vast floor covered in a layer of black sand,
Everyone in this 20-foot-by-20-foot bedroom room ap- footprints, and piles of ash. Music with a throbbing baseline
pears as the most beautiful version of themselves, what- along with the sounds of a thousand ecstatic cheers vibrate
ever that means to them. through the area, and the place smells of roasting meats,
The door shuts itself when the last creature enters. The beer, and hot oil, though there is none to be found.
black velvet blankets on the bed turn themselves down. A The entire hall is an illusion. Creatures entering this room
pitcher fills a basin of water, which then floats over to the can attempt a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. If they fail or
dirtiest creature along with a jet-black cloth and begins to choose not to attempt the saving throw, creatures see an ad-
wash them. One chair for each creature in the room moves ditional illusory display complete with signs in their preferred
away from the table and waits by each creature’s side. If a language, bathrooms, concessions, and even the groups that
creature sits down, the chair moves them over to the table, were battling in the last fateful match held here: the Honey-
where their favorite meal appears. Consuming the meal is frost Hemorrhages versus the Bloodlust of Angelfall.
enjoyable but provides no benefits. Creatures who are not under the additional illusory ef-
A creature that succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence fect can attempt a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to
(Investigation) check to search the room finds a pair of identify the footsteps of at least 100 people, many of which
platinum handcuffs and a suit of adamantine armor in the lead to a small pile of ash and a pile of simple weapons and
wardrobe. metal armor. The same type of equipment can be found in
several of the amphitheater seats.

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 There are a few luxury boxes on the ground floor under 18. Glamour Room 6
the seating area, bound by chest-high filigreed gates. The
boxes contain a scroll of raise dead, a ring of the ram, a bag of You find yourselves walking on a vast cloud suspended in a
beans, and 1d6 × 1,000 gp. bright blue empyrean sky. Two harps float in midair before
Illusions. Everything in this space is illusory except the you, emanating a tune of ethereal music a half-second out
contents of the luxury boxes and the piles of ash. of sync with the vibration of the harp strings. Gardens and
Exits. Going through any of the many doors around this lakes spread out before you, and crystal tables surrounded
hall leads to the next room. by golden chairs are bedecked with empty golden dishes,
although you swear you can smell the tantalizing scent of
17. Library gourmet food. In the distance, an enormous temple gleams in
the sunlight.
This room contains a perfectly preserved black velvet couch, a The cloud is soft, steady, and can easily support the weight
lamp, and a side table surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelves of the party. Creatures are able to walk on the cloud as if it
full of books with covers in every color of the rainbow. were solid ground.
One round after a creature that breathes air enters the This expansive area is dotted with perfectly manicured
room, all the books disintegrate into swirls of dust and ash. parks and crystalline lakes as far as the eye can see. The
A single page out of thousands of volumes remains in- cloud “floor” angles upward toward a massive, columned,
tact. It has a few words of Pre-Apocalyptic Common writ- golden temple, the benevolent sun’s rays arcing out gently
ten on it. It reads, “The optimist thinks this is the best of behind it.
all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true.” There is a closed door in the center of the temple. When
A creature can locate the door to the next room, which is a creature gets within 10 feet of the door, it opens halfway.
actually behind one of the shelves, with a successful DC 15 Any creature within 10 feet of the door when it opens
Intelligence (Investigation) check. The shelf can be moved hears the voice of a deceased loved one say in their pre-
away from the others to reveal the wall. ferred language from behind the door, “You’ve come for a
Illusions. The furnishings are all illusory. The books visit! We have so much to catch up on.”
were real, as is the remaining page. Illusions. Every aspect of this room is illusory.
Exits. The door behind the moveable shelf leads to the Exits. Going through the temple door leads to the next
next room. room.

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19. Glamour Room 7 A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)
or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that one
This room is utterly dark and empty, with walls, of the shelves is on a hinge and can be swung
ceiling, and floor covered in bouncy black goo. back to reveal a door.
Before your eyes, it begins to change. Illusions. Everything in this room is real,
When a creature enters the area, the room is though the black oozy material in the broken
20 feet wide, 20 feet long, and has 20-foot ceil- arcanotech wonder contains powerful illusory
ings. It changes over the course of 3 rounds magic.
beginning when any creature enters the room. Exits. The hidden door behind the shelves
Creatures that enter the room must attempt a leads to the next room.
Charisma ability check immediately upon en-
tering to determine the shape the room takes. 21. Glamour Room 8
If any creature rolls a 1, the room morphs into a
place that reflects the lowest point in the life of Footsteps echo on the stony floor of this cavern.
the creature that rolled the 1. If no one rolls a 1, Piles of gold, jewels, statues, and other objects lie
the room changes into a place that reflects the heaped in disorganized piles. Atop the highest pile
favorite place of the creature with the highest of treasure is a stark indentation from something
result (roll off for ties). When the room changes, large and heavy, though there appears to be
it reflects a place, complete with sensory effects, nothing there. The place smells strongly of metal
but does not create creatures. A door themati- and is silent, save for the jingle of the occasional
cally appropriate to the illusion is also created displaced riches.
and can only be opened by the creature whose The treasure piles in this 30-foot-wide, 30-foot-
roll resulted in the room’s transformation. long, 200-foot-tall cavern are difficult terrain.
Anything created as a result of the Charisma Moving within 10 feet of the largest treasure
check can be taken from the room and used as pile without attempting to conceal sound or
normal. When objects from this room are taken movement triggers the intense sounds of an
out of the Basalt Palace, they vanish instantly. ancient black dragon roaring and flapping its
Any food and drink created in this room offer wings along with movement of the indentation
no benefit. on the treasure pile as though great feet are
Illusions. The walls, floor, ceiling are real. The walking down the mountain of riches. Everyone
bouncy black goo is also real but radiates strong within 10 feet of the treasure pile must succeed
illusory magic. Everything else in the room is on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become
illusory. frightened for 1d4 rounds. Atop the highest pile,
Exits. The door created as a result of the there is a small pile of ash, a chainmail loincloth
Charisma check leads to the next room. for a Medium-sized humanoid, and a sunblade.
A creature can find the hidden door to the
20. Reagent Storage next room on the floor under one of the trea-
sure piles by succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence
This small room reeks of caustic chemicals and is (Investigation) check.
extremely cold. The walls are lined with shelves, Illusions. Everything in this room is illusory ex-
and every shelf is packed full of jars. There is a cept the ash pile, the loincloth, and the sunblade.
great heap of metal, wire, crystals, and black goo Exits. The hidden door under the treasure
in the center of the room. pile leads to the next room.
The reagent storage room is a 15-foot square
room lined with shelves brimming with jars of 22. Glamour Room 9
various sizes. A creature proficient in the Arcana
This small room is utterly dark and empty, its What can it do?
skill instantly knows that all the jars contain That’s up to you. But
alchemical reagents and spell components. walls, ceiling, and floor covered in black goo.
something to do with
A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check The opposite side of the room is full to the illusion or conjuration
reveals that the heap of metal, crystals, and goo ceiling of basalt chunks and twisted metal. would make sense.
is a broken arcanotech wonder. The entire room A gap in the rubble leads into a tunnel that Perhaps it creates 2d6
disappears into darkness. meals per day that
is a rich source of arcanotech salvage.109
convey the effects of
This room is a 30-foot cube. Half of it is com- heroes’ feast to anyone
109. See the “Scrounging for Scrap” section on p. 128 of pletely empty, making it a suitable resting place. who consumes them, or
chapter 3.
There is a 5-foot-by-5-foot tunnel beside the something like that!

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 rubble that leads into darkness and then into the next 24. Adamant Vault
room.
Illusions. There is nothing illusory in this room (though The walls of this narrow corridor are dark metal, and the
illusory details and encounters can occur here). area is lit by an unseen source. On either end are two large
Exits. The tunnel in the rubble leads to the next room. metal doors with large combination wheels. The air is stale.
The corridor is 5 feet wide, 15 feet long, and 10 feet tall.
23. Shadow Chameleon Nest At each end of the corridor stands a locked door made of
adamantine, with heavy wheels and locking mechanisms.
You find yourselves traveling through a cramped tunnel Both doors are locked. The walls of the corridor are made
among twisted rubble. It smells acrid and organic. At the end of iron-encased lead, and both the doors and the walls are
of the tunnel you emerge into a cleared burrow, with a round 5 feet thick.
pile of pristine clothes, shoes, and personal effects mixed with In order to open the doors, both of them must be ac-
wet black sand at its center. tivated at the same time with simultaneous successful
The 5-foot-by-5-foot tunnel emerges into a 30-foot- DC 25 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks.
by-30-foot room, where a shadow chameleon has made If one ability check is a success and the other is a failure,
its nest of clothing, shoes, and other accessories. If the one door successfully opens and leads to the next ruins room,
party enters this room via a roll on the Ruins Rooms table but the shadow chameleon appears and attacks (if it’s alive).
(result 23), the room is empty. If they enter via a roll on If both ability checks are successes, both doors open, and
the Ruins Room Encounters table (result 24), its eggs are both lead to the Adamant Vault. Inside the vault are an ar-
present.110 canotech wonder of the GM’s choice, three objects of very
Hidden within the nest are 4d8 Tiny eggs which re- rare or greater rarity, 10d6 × 1,000 gp, a Pre-Apocalyptic
quire a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) Common dictionary, a collection of love letters written by
check to find. If a creature fails this ability check, 1d8 James Joyce to his wife, an animated painting of a noble
eggs are destroyed, and the shadow chameleon may be bugbear with a cheeky smile, and a token of non-fungability,
alerted. Roll a d6. On a 1–3, if the shadow chameleon which grants immunity from attacks from fungal creatures
is alive, it senses its eggs breaking and returns in 1d6 and permanently grants the effects of gentle repose on the
rounds. Anyone with proficiency in Animal Handling, creature carrying it any time that creature dies.
Nature, or another relevant skill of the GM’s choice can Illusions. The light in this room is illusory.
easily recognize the eggs as reptile eggs. A successful Exits. If only one check to open the doors succeeds, that
DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Intelligence (Nature) door opens and leads to the next room. If both checks suc-
check reveals that the eggs are fertilized, healthy, and not ceed and the vault is revealed, there is an unlocked door
long from hatching. to a closet in the back of the vault through which the next
If the party takes a rest in this room, roll a d6. On a 1–3, room is entered.
if it is alive, the shadow chameleon returns during their
rest and attacks. 25. Reactor Control
If the party takes any eggs from the room and the
shadow chameleon is alive, it appears in the next room This room literally hums with power. Hair stands on end,
and attacks. colors seem brighter, and every sensation feels stronger as the
There is an obvious exit from this room on the oppo- remains of the massive reactor that once controlled the entire
site wall from which the party enters, a 5-foot-by-5-foot palace now wreak magical havoc on its every room. The low
tunnel sealed with a vent cover. The cover can be pulled ceiling gives way on the opposite end of the room over the
off the wall with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) ruined reactor to a blurry, blinding pillar of blue light that
check. extends and disappears into the sky above. Among the massive
Other ruins room encounters besides 24. Shadow tangle of metal and crystal, several crystalline rods the size of
Chameleon in Its Nest cannot occur in this room. pikes reach up menacingly into the intense blue light. A female
Illusions. There is nothing illusory in this rooms (though humanoid is impaled, unmoving, on one of the rods.
illusory details can occur here). Reactor Control has none of the style and glamour that its
Exits. When a creature passes through the opening into power generates for the rest of the Basalt Palace. The room
the tunnel behind the vent cover, it immediately appears was once spartan, save for the reactor itself, which still glit-
in the next room. ters with blinking lights and glyphs. The dizzying array of
knobs, gauges, and buttons on the adamantine panels that
110. For more information about the shadow chameleon eggs, see “Loot” still stand are labeled in Pre-Apocalyptic Common. The
in the “Rewards” section of the Basalt Palace on p. 274.
half of the room where the party enters is intact, featuring
a 10-foot-tall ceiling and three intact adamantine panels
of the reactor, which beep and hum softly. The opposite

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half of the room is a scene of utter destruction. The ceiling The reactor is failing. Three failed ability checks to ma-
appears to have exploded outward and is impassable due nipulate the reactor control panels speeds the meltdown.
to the twisted mess of metal, coils, crystal, and a dozen Creatures can significantly delay the meltdown with a suc-
control rods rising into the sky above. The blue light for cessful DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Sleight of
which the Basalt Palace is infamous radiates up from the Hand) check to manipulate the control panel, stabilizing
destruction. the reactor for 2d4 months. To buy time, creatures can
Separating the two sides of the room is an invisible, alternately delay the meltdown by casting spells that deal
5-foot-thick wall of force (cast at 6th level). This obstacle cold or necrotic damage on the reactor. The reactor has
can be overcome through typical magical workarounds, 1,000 hit points and an AC of 12. Each point of damage
but there is also a button on one of the intact panels that dealt in this way delays the meltdown by 1d4 minutes.111
raises and lowers the wall. A creature can locate the but- If the reactor reaches 0 hit points, the entire palace ex-
ton by succeeding on a DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) plodes, dealing 1,000 points of radiant damage to all crea-
check. Creatures that can read Pre-Apocalyptic Common tures and objects within a half mile of it. The entire Weird
have advantage on this check. Wastelands are contaminated with scintillating radiance
The side of the room with the wreckage is filled with for the next 1,000 years.
scintillating radiance. If the wall is lowered or otherwise If the Seven-Fold Matron is healed, she regains con-
removed, the scintillating radiance fills the entire room sciousness. She has no memory of anything between when
(rather than just the side with the wreckage). If the wall is the reactor exploded and when she regains consciousness.
raised or reinstated, the scintillating radiance on the intact Upon regaining consciousness, she is able to use the con-
side of the room fades in 1 minute. trol panel to stabilize the reactor, at least temporarily. (See
There is an unconscious woman in a light-colored the “Putting It All Together” section for more information
jumpsuit impaled on one of the control rods, which vary on when the meltdown is set to occur and what the party
in length from 10 to 20 feet long. The woman is the Seven- might do to stop it permanently.)
Fold Matron (archmage stat block), who was said to have If the shadow chameleon is alive, it appears in the area 5
entered the Basalt Palace ages ago when the Last City of rounds after the party enters the room. If the Seven-Fold
MAN was a bright and vibrant city. She went to the palace Matron is still unconscious when the shadow chameleon
to attempt to stabilize the reactor, to quell the illusory appears, it attacks the party. It can be calmed by casting
disorder of the palace and avert what many feared was an calm emotions on it or with a successful DC 25 Wisdom
inevitable eventual meltdown. (Animal Handling) check. The DC of this check is reduced
There are a number of ways to free the Seven-Fold to 20 if the party has healed the shadow chameleon any
Matron. Physically lifting her body off the control rod or time during their adventure in the Basalt Palace.
pulling the rod out requires a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) If the Seven-Fold Matron is conscious when the shadow
check. Alternatively, a creature can attempt to free the chameleon appears, she calms the chameleon and ex-
Seven-Fold Matron by using the reactor control panels. A plains that it is her dear familiar, Shadow. The Seven-Fold
creature that succeeds on a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) Matron explains that the chameleon must have been af-
or Intelligence (Investigation) check deciphers the mecha- fected by the palace’s disordered magic over the years she’s
nisms of the reactor and learns the following dangerous been trapped in Reactor Control.
process required to free the Matron from the rods. If the shadow chameleon was slain before the party healed
The control rods, each resembling a crystalline wand her, she resummons it, and it reappears in its solid state.
wrapped in metallic coils, can be lowered via the control The Seven-Fold Matron thanks the party and pledges to
panel into the area concealing the wreckage of most of the help them. If there are any casters in the party with abilities
reactor to reduce the energy being generated from it. If that deal cold or necrotic damage, she enlists their aid im-
inspected, the rods are found to generate extremely strong mediately to temporarily stabilize the reactor (and stabilize
necromantic and evocation magic. The rods are extremely the order of the rooms within the Basalt Palace, thus allow-
cold and deal 2d6 cold damage plus 2d6 necrotic damage ing for delves in the order in which the group traversed it).112
to any creature that touches them. A successful DC 25 Ruins room encounters and ruins room details cannot
Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check occur in this room.
to manipulate the control panel results in the rods low- Illusions. Nothing in this room is illusory.
ering, freeing the Seven-Fold Matron. GMs may grant Exits. The only exit to this room is the way the creatures
advantage on this check to creatures who have experience entered.
with arcanotech creation and identification. If a creature
fails the ability check, radiant energy bursts through the 111. See the “Putting it All Together” section for more information on
room. Every creature in the room must attempt a DC 17 when the meltdown is set to occur.

Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d8 radiant damage on a 112. See the “Putting It All Together” section for more information on
how the Seven-Fold Matron can become a recurring NPC in your
failure, or half as much on a success. campaign.

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weird waStelandS 267
 Ruins Room Details wastelander has one additional item on them: roll once on
The following table and list contain details that can be the I Search the Body table to determine what it is.113
found inside any room in the Basalt Palace (except 25.
Reactor Control). Some are hazards, some are boons, and 3. Too Bright
most are a result of the chaotic magic running rampant Harsh light is generated from some unknown source in this
through the palace. room. Creatures with sunlight sensitivity are blinded while
in this room, and all others have disadvantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on sight while in this room.
RUINS ROOM DETAILS
RESULT DETAIL 4. Physical Relativity
Space is bent in this room. Every creature is always within
1 Nothing melee range of every other creature in the room.
2 Dead wastelander
3 Too bright 5. Nothing
There are no additional details in this room.
4 Physical relativity
5 Nothing 6. Dead Silence
6 Dead silence This room is ensconced in a silence spell that cannot be
dispelled.
7 Olfactory overdrive
8 Scary aura 7. Olfactory Overdrive
9 Nothing The scents in this room are overwhelming. Every creature
in the room smells their favorite smell and must succeed
10 Full up on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw upon entering the room
11 Vestibular overstimulation or be stunned for 1d4 rounds, dazzled by the incredible scent.
12 Oops, everything’s real
8. Scary Aura
13 Nothing There’s something terrifying about this room. Creatures
14 Remember the dead that can see must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving
15 Dangerous plaything throw or be frightened of the room for 1d6 rounds.
16 Red light 9. Nothing
17 Light trap There are no additional details in this room.
18 Nothing
10. Full Up
19 Mirror This room is filled with stone rubble. The entire room is
20 Are we still alive? considered difficult terrain.
21 Yellow light
11. Vestibular Overstimulation
22 Perfect respite This room instills illusory vertigo. Any time a creature that
23 Exit is not immune to the prone condition moves in this room,
24 Nothing it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be
knocked prone.
25 White light
12. Oops, Everything’s Real
1. Nothing Everything in this room that is normally illusory is real114
There are no additional details in this room. and can be taken out of the room.

2. Dead Wastelander 13. Nothing

The body of a recently deceased wastelander lies eviscer- There are no additional details in this room.
ated in this room. They are equipped with an explorer’s
pack, one melee weapon, a set of medium armor, enough 113 . The I Search the Body table can be found near the end of chapter 4
on p. 171.
food and water for two days, a bag of holding, and a journal
114. If this detail appears in conjunction with room 21. Glamour Room 8,
that reveals treacherous plans to screw M, T, and P out of the sounds and other stimuli seem to emanate from an adult black
their shares of scrap when they get out of the palace. The dragon under the effect of greater invisibility cast at 4th level.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

268 weird waStelandS
14. Remember the Dead attempt a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the
The party finds the picked-over and decaying corpse of creature is restrained. It must then attempt a Constitution
an orc remembrancer. They carry standard adventuring saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If it succeeds
gear, a silver dagger, a wand of fear, and a scroll of greater three times, the spell ends. If it fails three times, it perma-
restoration. The remembrancer has two additional items nently turns to stone and becomes petrified. The successes
on them: roll twice on the I Search the Body table to deter- and failures don’t need to be consecutive. While the lamp
mine what they are.115 is intact, spells cannot be cast and nothing can be targeted
within its light. The lamp is destroyed when it takes 30
15. Dangerous Plaything points of damage or if it is targeted with a dispel magic of
In the corner of this room is a stuffed toy tarrasque with 6th level or greater or a similar spell of equal or higher
glowing red eyes. The eyes have been enchanted with a level that can end spells and magical effects.
permanent antipathy spell effect, targeting any creature
that makes eye contact with the doll. The effect persists 18. Nothing
until the spell is dispelled or the doll’s eyes are destroyed. There are no additional details in this room.

16. Red Light 19. Mirror

A 5 foot wide beam of crimson light arcs across this room. A Large, twelve-sided crystal mirror hangs on the wall.
If a creature attempts to pass through the light, it must It is real, and its back is made of pure silver. It weighs 40
attempt a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6 fire pounds.
damage on a failure, or half as much damage on a success.
Nonmagical ranged attacks cannot pass through the light. 20. Are We Still Alive?
The light can be destroyed by dealing at least 25 cold dam- The party encounters their own real, ancient, mummified
age to it. A mirror can be used to reflect this light. corpses with full gear, minus magic items or arcanotech
devices.116

21. Yellow Light

A 10 foot by 10 foot wide beam of warm yellow light per-
meates the room. Each creature that enters the light must
attempt a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failure,
the creature takes 6d8 radiant damage and is blinded until
its next turn. On a success, the creature finds a mote of
pure sunlight in their hand and can cast sunbeam at will
for 1 minute. A mirror can be used to reflect this light.

22. Perfect Respite

Each creature that enters this room finds a bed perfectly
sized and decorated for it, with a tray of its favorite meal
atop it. The beds appear real to every sense, but if detect
magic or a similar spell is cast on them, a creature can
detect that they are illusory. If any part of the beds or the
meals cross the threshold of the room, they vanish. If a
creature consumes its favorite meal, it regains 2d10 hit
points.

23. Exit
This room has a small, unlocked trap door in the floor. It
leads to the space outside the ruins. A creature can look
17. Light Trap through the trap door and clearly see that it leads out of
In the center of the room is a lamp atop a 10-foot-high, the ruins before choosing to go through it.
5-foot-wide stone column. A dark-blue light shines down
from the lamp in a 10-foot radius. A stone mouse is sit- 24. Nothing
ting within the light. Anyone who enters the light must There are no additional details in this room.

115. The I Search the Body table can be found near the end of chapter 4 116. Ask each player to describe how their characters died. This makes
on p. 171. for a compelling narrative moment!

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 269
 25. White Light follow their adventures. The bard is not limited to the in-
This room is filled with pure white light. Each creature struments it can physically play at any one time.
that enters the room must attempt a DC 30 Wisdom sav-
ing throw. On a failure, the creature has a vision of the 5. Draco-Glitch (Illusory)
thing it wants most in the world and experiences the feel- An illusory ancient black dragon is in this room. It attacks
ings of receiving that thing. Though the vision may last for two rounds, then fades into a puddle of electric-blue
hours, it only takes a fraction of a second to experience. light. It is unable to take lair actions.
The creature is fully healed and gains the benefit of a long
rest. On a success, nothing happens. Once this detail has 6. Nothing
appeared in the ruins, it cannot appear again in the same There is no encounter in this room
delve. A mirror can be used to reflect this light.
7. Glimpse of the Shadow Chameleon
Ruins Room Encounters A puddle of twinkling prismatic light pools on the floor
Each entry contains a brief description of the creatures of this room. When a creature gets within 5 feet of the
and a prompt for an encounter scenario. The encounter light, it transforms into its solid form: the shadow chame-
descriptions detail any modifications to the base creature leon. The shadow chameleon walks through the room and
stat block and special considerations for running the en- seamlessly passes through a wall. Its eyes follow the party
counter. Unless otherwise noted, no encounters can leave as it leaves. In its wake are 1d100 iron caltrops.
the room they are encountered in, and illusory creatures
are noted in the titles. Estimated difficulty is based on a RUINS ROOM ENCOUNTERS
party of four adventurers of 13th level.
RESULT ENCOUNTER
1. Nothing 1 Nothing
There is no encounter in this room
2 Ropers

2. Ropers (Illusory) 3 Queen Bez

Five objects in this room are ropers that attack any crea- 4 The Artist
ture that gets within 5 feet of them. 5 Draco-Glitch

3. Queen Bez (Illusory) 6 Nothing

A lizardwoman (use the commoner stat block) dressed 7 Glimpse of the Shadow Chameleon
in pristine, regal robes and a small crown of palm leaves 8 Weapons and Armor
made of gold cowers in a corner. When she sees the party,
9 Spudnik
she cries out in Common. She begs them to take her out of
this place and explains that the palace exploded, she can- 10 Light and Shadow
not find her retinue, and there are horrible things lurking 11 Anti-Elementals
everywhere. Her name is Queen Bez of the Drulitarean
12 Nothing
Morass (no one in the Weird Wastelands knows the name
or location), and she was here to watch a gladiator match 13 Fission Shadows
and experience the glamour rooms. If the party agrees to 14 King Grushk
help her, she follows them. If they do not, she attempts
15 Muddle, Tuttle, and Prut
to leave through the entrance the group came in from. As
her body passes any threshold out of the room, her body 16 Nothing
winks out of existence. She is an illusion. If a creature in 17 Castor
this room succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
18 Bleeding Shadow Chameleon
check to search the room, the creature discovers a small
pile of ash in the corner with a crown of golden palm 19 Oobod the Tremendous
leaves worth d6 × 1000 gp atop it. 20 Wandering Monster
21 Nothing
4. The Artist (Illusory)
A highly intelligent and adaptively programmed illusory 22 Rival Adventuring Party
bard is in this room. They cannot speak, but they can sing 23 Xorn
(at the GM’s discretion) and follow the party until they 24 Shadow Chameleon in Its Nest
next leave the ruins. The bard generates music, poetry, or
25 Iwyn
song lyrics describing what the party encounters as they

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8. Weapons and Armor (Illusory) 13. Fission Shadows
One hundred pristine longswords and one hundred suits There are 2d6 fission shadows in this room. (The fission
of plate armor are stacked in piles along one wall. Within shadows use the shadow stat block, but they are im-
these piles are five flying swords and five suits of animated mune to radiant damage, deal radiant damage instead
armor, all of which attack any creature within 5 feet of them. of necrotic damage, deal 3d8 + 2 damage, and damage
Constitution instead of Strength. Fission shadows ap-
9. Spudnik pear on walls as though they were shadows of people
In this room is Spudnik, a tiny, oblong robot. When any etched for eternity as they were at the moment of some
humanoid creature enters the room, it recognizes it as a great detonation. They appear as charred shadows with
visitor it must serve. It welcomes the creature to the Basalt holes through their heads where their eyes once were.
Palace, asks if it can serve anyone food or drink, in which Fission shadows are real (not illusory) and leave a char-
case it produces out of a door in its belly a bottle of sealed, coal smudge on everything they touch. There is also loot
fresh water and putrid, shriveled fruit that instantly turns in this room in piles of ash. Roll on the “I Search the
to dust when touched. Spudnik is real and follows the Body” table117 once for every two fission shadows in the
party. It reveals the intended function of any room and room to determine the loot in the ash piles. Additionally,
knows the basic attributes of the shadow chameleon and one uncommon or rare magic item for every four fission
three other potential enemy creatures in the palace (GM’s shadows can be found in the piles.
choice). Spudnik attempts to clean when not otherwise
occupied. Spudnik functions as a homunculus servant and 14. King Grushk
is Medium. It considers the first humanoid it sees as its A lizardperson in grand white robes and a crown on his
master, unless ordered otherwise. If killed, Spudnik has head along with four gnomes are sitting on the floor idly
jeweled clockwork mechanisms inside it worth 10d100 gp waiting. When a humanoid enters the room, the lizardper-
and alchemical reagents and solvents worth 300 gp. son speaks in Pre-Apocalyptic Common in a berating tone
to the humanoid. (The lizardperson uses the mummy lord
10. Light and Shadow stat block, and the gnomes use the mummy stat block.) A
The shadow chameleon is in this room in its immaterial successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows
form. It stays in this form until it is attacked, attacks if it a character to understand what the lizardperson is saying.
takes damage, and seamlessly floats through a wall and The lizardperson inquires about the explosion (insisting
exits the room if it takes 70 or more damage. it just happened a few minutes ago), asks where his wife
is, and wonders why it took the service staff (the party) so
11. Anti-Elementals long to help them. He is indolent and outraged, and he
Four tiny earth elementals are in the corner of this room. believes it is still preapocalyptic time. He insists upon be-
(They use the earth elemental stat block but they are Tiny, ing led to the hotelier at once. The lizardperson identifies
have a Strength score of 10, have an Intelligence score of himself as King Grushk of the Drulitarean Morass (an un-
18, deal 1d6 damage, and have a 20-foot flying speed.) They known place to all in the Weird Wastelands). The gnomes
explain in simple Common that they wish to be taken out look on silently.
of the palace. If anyone can communicate with them in Once per minute, a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Per-
Terran or psychically, the elementals can convey that they ception) check reveals that one of the gnomes or the liz-
used to be dirt but came to consciousness during a large ardperson’s appearance shifts for a moment into a charred,
explosion, and they have been lost ever since. There are desiccated corpse, although their behavior and demean-
other earth elementals here, but the four of them became or remains the same. If a creature that succeeds on the
philosophically estranged from the rest of the elementals check succeeds on a subsequent DC 25 Wisdom (Percep-
after resolving to reject the weighty oppression of grav- tion) check, it realizes Grushk and the gnomes are undead.
ity and self-actualize as beings that transcend elemental Grushk is an unfriendly NPC. He is hard-pressed to
forces. If the party brings the anti-elementals outside the believe that the Basalt Palace is in ruins, that much time
palace, they float away, their soil drifting away in the wind has passed, that there is anything wrong with him, or that
to reveal a single mote of crimson energy that zips off into his wife is surely dead. He is willing to follow the party
space with a spiraling flourish. out of the palace. If he and his cohorts exit the palace,
During their next short rest, all creatures who helped their illusory forms fall, and they realize they are undead.
the anti-elementals are visited by them in a vision. The Grushk and the gnomes bewail their fate and the fate of
anti-elementals thank them for their help, restore all their their beloved Morass and walk out into their new reality
hit points, and remove all their levels of exhaustion. as undead walkers of the wastes.

12. Nothing 117. The I Search the Body table can be found near the end of chapter 4
on p. 171.
There is no encounter in this room.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

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 15. Muddle, Tuttle, and Prut Castor is able to accompany the party and may act as
A dwarf, a halfling, and an orc are huddled together in the a translator when needed (he also speaks Pre-Apocalyptic
corner of this room, brandishing weapons amidst a pile of Common), but he will not fight on the party’s behalf and
bags and sacks full of something heavy. They are dressed in has a detached attitude about them. He believes the party
tattered wastelander clothing and have a wild look in their will likely die, as many have before, and that there is no
eyes. They call out a half-hearted warning in Common not way to fix this place.
to come any closer, or they will attack.
These are the lost adventurers Muddle, Tuttle, and 18. Bleeding Shadow Chameleon
Prut (they use the scout, spy, and veteran stat blocks re- The shadow chameleon is in this room in its solid form.
spectively). Another member of their party, Percy, became It stays in this form and attacks if dealt damage. It has a
frightened and exited the palace, and they have been wait- wound on one of its toes that is bleeding out iron caltrops.
ing on them since. They have more salvage than they can If a party member attempts to tend to its wounds, they
carry, and they do not wish to leave any. must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
If the party has proof of their lost party member’s de- check or the shadow chameleon attacks. On a success,
mise and treachery, they accept the party’s help in leav- the shadow chameleon nuzzles the person who helped it.
ing the palace and give them Percy’s share of their loot: The nuzzled creature must succeed on a DC 25 Charisma
arcanotech scrap worth 1d6 × 10,000 gp. saving throw or be overcome with feelings of grief and
convinced for 1 minute that they are unable to help the
16. Nothing person they love most. The shadow chameleon then re-
There is no encounter in this room verts into light form and passes through the wall and out
of the room.
17. Castor (Illusory)
A red-haired human gladiator donning brilliant, spiked 19. Oobod the Tremendous (Illusory)
plate armor, a sword, and a shield is sitting cross-legged An illusory djinni named Oobod the Tremendous is in
in the middle of the room with a peaceful look on his this room. He has purple skin and purple hair, and his
face. He greets the party in Common, winks out of ex- booming, friendly voice fills the room. Oobod is a relic of
istence for a moment, reappears in melee range of the the arcane programming of the Basalt Palace whose job it
closest humanoid, makes one attack, and immediately was to guide new visitors through the glamour rooms and
reappears on the floor and apologizes. (He uses the gladi- make changes to better suit their whims. Every time he
ator stat block, and he is wielding the equipment found encounters the party, he is able to alter the next room they
in the palace “Rewards” section.) This gladiator is named encounter in one way: he can ensure the room is empty
Castor, and he knows he is an illusion. He remembers his of other creatures, he can remove a hazardous detail, or
death by explosion, and over the decades he has realized he can move the party to any room they specify except
he can communicate with everyone who comes through 25. Reactor Control. He can only do one of these things on
the palace, even though in life his language was rare in any given encounter with him. When he does, he vanishes
these parts. Any time he tries to leave, he ends up back in a puff of purple smoke. Once Oobod the Tremendous
in one of the rooms of the Basalt Palace. If asked about has been encountered three times, he never returns. When
the wonders of the prior age, he has little to say but that he disappears, reroll another encounter for this room.
the splendors of it were reserved for the kinds of people
who watched him fight, and that from what he can gather, 20. Wandering Monster
life isn’t so different now. He knows quite a bit about the A monster from this region has managed to wander into
shadow chameleon’s combat attributes and other charac- the Basalt Palace. Roll on the terrain encounter table for
ters inside the palace. the terrain in which you have set the Basalt Palace and add
Every few minutes, his illusory program reinitializes, the spell-warped template to it.118
and he attacks a random humanoid at melee range before
reverting back to where he was. He has partial control of 21. Nothing
his actions, though he cannot leave the palace. He wishes There is no encounter in this room
to be released from this eternal burden. Killing him does
not work, but an arcane solution may be able to break the 22. Rival Adventuring Party
magic holding him in place. There is a rival adventuring party in this room: a human
If the party is able to release Castor from existence, named Fabian (gladiator), a dwarf named Brondel (gladia-
he offers to give them his weapon (vorpal sword), shield tor), a lizardperson named Jot (assassin), a halfling named
(animated shield), and armor (armor of invulnerability). The
objects cease to exist when taken out of the palace but 118. The terrain encounter tables can be found in the “Terrain-Based
Encounter Tables” section on p. 159 in chapter 4. The spell-warped
function as intended when inside. creature template can be found on p. 292 in chapter 6.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

272 weird waStelandS
 profile: Shadow Chameleon
Personality: Protective, reactive, lonely Basalt Palace has stretched its body to
Ideal: Protection. To save its master the point of breaking into two forms:
from the scintillating radiance that one of near-impenetrable metal, and
bleeds from the Basalt Palace. one of pure energy, absorbing the
ambient scintillating radiance, which has
Bond: The shadow chameleon is a loyal
sustained it across centuries.
familiar who will never abandon its master.
At some point, the shadow chameleon
Flaw: The shadow chameleon laid eggs in the Basalt Palace, though
attempts to thwart would-be helpers the breaking of reality here makes it
from venturing too far into the ruins impossible to know when. Now, the
in a misguided attempt to protect its shadow chameleon spends its countless
master and eggs. days roaming the palace as both loyal
Legend: The shadow chameleon is the familiar and protective parent, often
mutated and massive familiar of the silently watching as an endless string of
Seven-Fold Matron, a wizard who hailed poor souls venture inside only to quickly
from the Last City of MAN and was lost meet their doom. It seems to have
within the ruins of the Basalt Palace. It was forgotten that other beings could help,
once small enough to fit on a shoulder; a as most regard it as an immediate threat,
chameleon was once a popular choice for an experience that bewilders it. If anyone
wizards who wanted a familiar capable could gain its trust, there are none who
of exploration and subterfuge, though all know how to navigate the Basalt Palace
since died out long ago. The chameleon’s better. Who can see past its monstrous
inherently magical nature combined with and mutated defenses and recognize the
centuries residing in the ruins of the loyal being within?

Elry (assassin), and a gnome named Delilah (mage). fight if they outnumber the party, or flee if they
Their goal is whatever the party’s goal is, and they do not.
do not want the other group to achieve their goal
first. Notable gear they carry includes a mace of 24. Shadow Chameleon in its Nest
terror, a wand of magic detection, a +2 boomerang, If you roll this encounter, disregard your room Treat this group
a vicious longsword, and a +2 shield. result and use room 23. Shadow Chameleon Nest as a murderhobo
for this encounter. adventuring party. GMs
who miss playing, now
23. Xorn The shadow chameleon defends its nest to the is your chance to jump
There are 1d6 xorn furiously digging into the death unless successfully calmed with a success- in and play for keeps.
ground in this room. They speak Terran and ful DC 30 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check (or
Common. They sniff at any party members with DC 25 if the party has healed the shadow cha-
rare metals or gems and beg for them to be meleon during this delve) or with calm emo-
shared. The Basalt Palace is delicious, but they tions or similar magic. If the shadow chame-
long for a little variety. They offer to dig a tun- leon is successfully calmed, it leads the party to
nel to the room beyond the next one (add an 25. Reactor Control.
additional +1 to the roll) in exchange for metal Lair Actions. The shadow chameleon chooses
or gems. The xorn know the anti-elementals119 to lair in labyrinthine locations and takes the
and were once of the same species, but they whole location as its lair. It is never lost while
have doubled down on their love of the earth within its lair. It has chosen a location within
over the centuries. If any of the characters have the lair as its nest, but it roams the whole area
a particularly enticing item that they refuse to looking for food. On initiative count 20 (losing
give up, the xorn try to take it from them and initiative ties), the shadow chameleon takes a
lair action to cause one of the following effects
119. See 11. Anti-Elementals in the “Ruins Room (the shadow chameleon can’t use the same effect
Encounters” section on p. 271 for more information
about the anti-elementals.
two rounds in a row):

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 273
 ■ The shadow chameleon projects a field Chameleon Eggs
of shadow. Any rooms of the shadow If the party successfully recovers the eggs of the shadow
chameleon’s choice are filled with magical chameleon, the eggs hatch in 1d4 weeks with proper tem-
darkness, as if it had cast the darkness spell. perature control and care. These chameleons are the first
The shadow chameleon can see through this to have walked in the Weird Wastelands since the age of
darkness. the Last City of MAN. They are extremely resilient, able to
resist the hot sun by adopting their shadow form, and they
■ The shadow chameleon emits a subsonic
eat pests that attack what few crops wastelanders are able
ping. It becomes aware of the location of all
to cultivate. They also make excellent familiars.
creatures in its lair that it could detect with its
blindsight if it were in range.
Rescuing Iwyn
While in shadow form, the shadow chameleon elimi- If the party rescues Iwyn and returns him to the Fellowship
nates waste in the form of a lump of jagged metallic shards. with the arcanotech wonder that he found, it dramati-
A 10-foot cube of its choice within 150 feet of it is filled cally improves the party’s standing with the faction. In 1d4
with metallic shards that function like caltrops. weeks, the arcanotech can be used to quadruple food and
water production in the largest Fellowship settlement in
25. Iwyn the Weird Wastelands.
Inside this room is a creature that looks like a cross be-
tween a human and a fox, with desperate and intelligent Pre-Apocalyptic Common Dictionary
eyes. He is haggard and emaciated. The creature is actually If the party gives the Pre-Apocalyptic Common diction-
an elf of the Fellowship named Iwyn (he uses the werebear ary to the remembrancers, they regard it as the most
stat block). When the party encounter him in his fox form, significant historical find of the era. Remembrancers
he is indifferent, but he can be coaxed back into humanoid sing the praises of the party to all in the wasteland, and
form. He believes he is an illusion and that he has been the party’s standing improves with all factions except the
inside the Basalt Palace for a thousand years. He came here Undying Aristocracy. If the party gives the dictionary to
many years ago seeking arcanotech that the Fellowship the Undying Aristocracy, their standing improves with
could use to increase food production, discovered what he that faction and lowers with the others.
was looking for, and became lost. He is not an illusion. If
the party lead him out of the palace and reunite him with
the Fellowship, it improves their standing with the faction
putting it all together
greatly. If the Seven-Fold Matron is freed, the reactor remains
stable but leaks more scintillating radiance and will melt
rewards down in 2d6 months. The Seven-Fold Matron implores
the party to help her stabilize it.
Presented here is a collection of treasures and rewards to The Seven-Fold Matron knows, and reluctantly admits,
be found within the area. that the reactor is actually a supremely powerful being that
exists in multiple planes throughout all times and is bound
EXPERIENCE to the site. It is known as Uven, the Blue Star. She believes
In addition to standard experience awarded during com- it consents to the binding, as its energy is being used, but
bat, here are other experience awards that can be earned she does not have any way to confirm that. She believes
while exploring the ruins of the Basalt Palace: the energy generated could help the Weird Wastelands so
immensely that unbinding Uven the Blue Star would be a
■ Acquiring one or more shadow chameleon
great loss for the world.
eggs – 1,000 XP
Permanently stabilizing the reactor requires the fol-
■ Escaping the Basalt Palace after delving – 500 XP lowing to be combined to create a reinforcement at the
arcanotech forge in the Last City of MAN:
■ Freeing the Seven-Fold Matron – 2,000 XP
■ 100 gallons of pure water from beyond the
■ Reuniting Iwyn with the Fellowship – 500 XP
Arch of Deep Green
■ Acquiring the Pre-Apocalyptic Common ■ A soul gem from the guardian from the
dictionary – 500 XP
Gates of the Afterlife
LOOT ■ A fragment of the skull of a feast beast
Detailed here is a collection of tangible loot that can be ■ A component from Vectro-3000
earned or discovered in this location.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

274 weird waStelandS
 If these elements are successfully combined, the reactor RUMORS
is stabilized permanently, all illusory encounters disap- Presented here are ten rumors about the Basalt Palace.
pear, scintillating radiance ceases to bleed from Reactor These rumors can be used to draw your table to the loca-
Control (though levels that were already in the area take tion or to create additional drama while the characters are
centuries to dissipate), and the site becomes a much safer visiting. It’s up to the GM whether the rumors are true.
place to plunder or control. If the party opts to do nothing,
the reactor may eventually melt down and create a gate
for a god-level being to manifest in the material plane, it
BASALT PALACE RUMORS
may be partially functional, or perhaps Uven the Blue Star d10 RUMOR
breaks free, leaving the Weird Wastelands without the po-
tential for boundless power (taking scintillating radiance Visions of the forgotten past surround the ruins of
1
with it). the Basalt Palace at night.
Regardless of what the party chooses to do, over the Few who enter the Basalt Palace return to tell
next year, the Arcanotech Cabal attempts to secure the 2 the tale, but those who do return with wonders
site for their faction to use the arcanotech there for their beyond anything else ever found in the wastes.
own purposes. The Fellowship opposes them, wishing to
clean up lingering pollution and repurpose the arcanotech The ruins of the Basalt Palace is the site of
3 a magical disaster unmatched in the Weird
there to create more clean food and water. The Undying
Wastelands.
Aristocracy also lays claim to the site, surmising that it
comes from their time and they have a right to restore the Perceptions of time and space are not to be
4
palace to its former glory and use it as they will. trusted inside the Basalt Palace.

If you enter the Basalt Palace, you can meet your

ADVENTURE HOOKS 5
wildest dreams and worst nightmares.
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to
introduce your table to the Basalt Palace. Inside the Basalt Palace, every doorway leads to a
6
new world.
BASALT PALACE ADVENTURE HOOKS There are tales of a people who entered the Basalt
7 Palace and reemerged decades later, without
d4 ADVENTURE HOOK aging a day.

A friendly naturalist or member of the Arcanotech A great reptile lurks inside the ruins of the Basalt
8
Cabal has detected a change in arcane energies Palace whose skin is made of light and shadow.
emanating from the ruins of the Basalt Palace.
1 They have employed the party to take readings Thousands have met their doom inside the Basalt
9
using an arcanotech device from as close to the Palace. Some don’t know they are dead.
blue light as they can get or, better yet, identify
and fix the problem. The Basalt Palace is full of creatures seen
10
nowhere else in the Weird Wastelands.
A remembrancer seeks knowledge of the pre-
apocalypse and is willing to pay a high price
2 for any samples of pre-apocalyptic language.
A member of the Undying Aristocracy is also
interested in such finds.

A friendly contact with the Fellowship seeks

aid in recovering the body of a member of their
group named Iwyn. He is a druid whose favored
3
form is a desert fox, and he has not returned
from the Basalt Palace since venturing inside two
months ago.

The techno-otters need more powerful magical

tech to boost their clam farming operations.
Picklepaws says the best place to get it is the
4
ruins of the Basalt Palace, but going there gives
the techno-otters the willies. She promises to
share some techno-otter gear in exchange.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 275
 gates of ■ A thick haze hangs in the air and limits
standard visibility to 500 feet.
the afterlife ■ Living creatures have disadvantage on
Constitution ability checks and saving throws
In a rocky highland marked by hot spots of while in areas obscured by geothermal gases.
geothermal activity is a smoke-shrouded holy ■ Geothermal gases dispersed by magic effects
mountain that soars into the sky, rising like a
return in 1d4 rounds.
roughhewn column. Hordes of restless souls crowd
the base of the Holy Mountain, intermingling with ■ The region is replete with hot springs,
the geothermal vapors to form towering, spectral geysers, and mud pots. The water is boiling
thunderclouds that cast looming shadows across and tastes foul but is otherwise safe to drink.
the craggy landscape.
The influence of the neighboring planes of the
underworld and astral sea affect magic here as well.
background ■ Spells that allow travel to the astral plane
The Holy Mountain is ringed by hot springs or the plane of shadow may be cast with
and boiling mud pools and sits at the center of 3rd level or higher spell slots and do not
an enormous planar nexus that exerts its influ- require material spell components.
ence over the region. The astral sea and the ■ Spells that bring the dead back to life do
underworld, also called the shadow plane, press not require material components.
against the thin cosmic barriers separating those
planes from the material world. The environ-
■ Speak with dead may be cast as a ritual with
ment is suffused with these planar energies. a casting time of 1d6 × 10 minutes. This
A set of narrow stairs winds its way up the ritual version of the spell does not require
slope, guarded at its base by a rampart. At the the body of the dead soul to function.120
The wasteland is thick
with ghosts of all top of the mountainous spire sits a pair of mas-
kinds, their presence sive doors set into the summit and guarded by a special features
intruding on the mortal temple-fortress built by the gods in the first days
world as an unnatural of the world. This is the entrance to the under- The features detailed here distinguish the Gates of
stirring of the wind world, the Gates of the Afterlife, where the souls the Afterlife as a weird location and are available
or barely audible to flesh out gameplay elements of the area. They
of the dead once passed through on their way to
whispers. The wayward are designed to complement interactions with
souls of all the people the afterlife and the gods’ divine realms.
With the gods gone, an unwavering remnant other creatures and create engaging encounters.
who perished in the
apocalypse and its of their most zealous servants carry out their
aftermath wander the last divine order: to defend the Gates of the last PLANAR INFLUENCE
wastes with nowhere remaining portal to the afterlife and prevent Due to the region’s metaphysical proximity to
to go. Cut off from the underworld and the soul-nursery nebulas
anyone, living or dead, from passing through.
the cosmic soul of the astral sea, the geothermal activity here
cycle, these ghosts Housed in hidden monastery-barracks, these
servants guard the stairs and defend the ram- is suffused with extraplanar soul-stuff. Pockets
are easy pickings
for unscrupulous parts that protect it along the way. of geothermal activity influenced by the nearby
necromancers. In their Hordes of restless souls crowd the base of the planes appear around the region and are densest
anguish, some dead Holy Mountain, trapped in the material world at the base of the Holy Mountain.
souls manifest as
by the decree of gods who vanished during the
murderous wraiths or
apocalypse. So long as the Gates of the Afterlife Soulfur Smog
possess living beings.
stand, they cannot pass from the material world. Great cracks in the ground dot the landscape
Most souls eventually
follow a pull that leads and belch out the noxious soul waste of the
them to the base of the
Holy Mountain and the Terrain underworld, filling the air with thick soulfur
smog in columns that are 60 feet high and 5 feet
Gates of the Afterlife. wide. Creatures who need to breathe air who
The terrain of the Gates of the Afterlife has the
The souls of mortal following qualities: move within 5 feet of a soulfur smog vent must
creatures are born in attempt a DC 20 Constitution saving throw,
a special region of our ■ All outdoor areas are lightly obscured dropping to 0 hit points on a failure, or taking
version of the astral by gases that pour from numerous
plane, the soul-nursery geothermal vents. 120. See the “Soul Throng” special feature for more
nebula. information.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

276 weird waStelandS
35 (10d6) psychic damage on a success. A creature that soul-stuff. Gazing into the mirrored surface of a pool al-
succeeds on this saving throw is immune to the effects of lows a creature with an Intelligence of 5 or greater to see a
the fumes for 24 hours. Creatures attempting death saving reflection of their own soul.121
throws within 5 feet of a vent do so with disadvantage.
Soul Throng
Liquid Protosouls The souls of the dead mill about the base of the mountain,
Dense, opalescent liquid seeps up out of the ground, wandering in from the wasteland or coalescing out of
forming large accretion mounds marred by deep channels the soulfurous gases venting out of the ground. Without
of slow-flowing protosoul that coalesce into shimmer-
ing pools of mirror-like stillness. This is un-incarnated 121. See the “Rewards” section on p. 287 later in the chapter for more
details on liquid protosoul.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 277
 ghost storm
A riotous cyclone of angry shades fills the sky in a Possessing Spirits. At the start of every round, the
500 foot by 500 foot area, buffeting the living with corpses of dead humanoids in the area become
gales of soul-rending pain. A ghost storm imposes possessed by the vengeful shades. Possessed
the following penalties: corpses rise as wights.
Cacophonous Howl. Living creatures in the area Psychic Anguish. At the start of every round,
become deafened. living creatures in the area take 28 (8d6) psychic
Call of the Grave. Living creatures who enter or damage. A creature dies if it drops to 0 hit points
start their turn in the area must succeed on a DC 17 from this damage.
Charisma saving throw or be cursed. Creatures so Undead Nature. Any spell or magical effect
cursed must roll a 15 or higher to succeed on death that protects creatures from undead, such as
saving throws. This curse lasts until the creature protection from evil and good or magic circle,
finishes a long rest or has it removed by remove provides protection from the effects of a ghost
curse or similar magic. storm.

access to the underworld, the great masses of the dead

have nowhere to go, no means of continuing their cosmic
journey. They are an ever-growing horde of restless souls,
occasionally manifesting as barely perceptible shades to
plead with the living for release from their torment.
A shade uses the specter stat block with the following
changes:
■ It has 5 hit points.
■ Its Life Drain action deals 3 (1d6) necrotic
damage and does not reduce the target’s
maximum hit points.

Communing with the Dead

Using the ritual version of speak with dead makes it pos-
sible to seek out specific souls and talk to them without
needing a corpse. The spell summons the shade of the
dead soul.
The shade has a vague idea of events that transpire in
the mortal world but can only express their understand-
ing in terms of emotional impressions. Most dead souls
want either a body to inhabit or annihilation in exchange
for information. They tend to be obsessive, irrational, and
prone to extreme responses unless placated with offerings
and gentle words.

Eternal Return
When an incorporeal undead creature reaches 0 hit
points, it vanishes and returns on the next sunset with its
hit points restored and abilities refreshed. area.122 Every hour, roll 1d10, adding 1 to the result for
every hour the party spends in this location. On a result of
Ghost Storm 10 or more, a ghost storm develops and lasts for 1 minute.
When a group of shades becomes frustrated in their at- Once a ghost storm occurs, the counter resets.
tempts to seek aid from the living or fall under fiendish
influence, their collective psychic anguish builds into a 122. See the “Hex-Based Weather” section on p. 118 of chapter 3 for how
fierce storm of howling ghosts in a 500 foot by 500 foot to run weather hazards.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

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 DEMON BATTLEFIELD
It was here that the Holy Mountain’s celestial defenders
defeated a horde of invading demons and their mortal fol-
lowers, as was predicted by prophecy. The celestials bound
the horde’s commander, the balor Gargarauros to guard
the Gates it sought to tear down. Now the haunted battle-
field is infested with looters and vengeful spirits.

Battlefield Hazards
The following hazards are found on the demonic battlefield.
Demon Ichor. Bubbling puddles of quivering, oily, caus-
tic liquid fills blast craters and trenches. A creature that
touches the ichor suffers 14 (4d6) acid damage when it
touches the liquid and at the top of each subsequent round
while in contact with the liquid.
Looters. Wastelanders infest the battlefield looking
for useful items. At any given time, 1d4 + 1 gladiators,
2d6 veterans, and 1d20 + 10 bandits are looting the area.
In addition to their regular equipment, all are equipped
with filter face masks.123 Looters are not hostile, but they
watch the party’s movements and defend themselves if
attacked.124
Vengeful Spirits. The spirits of dead wastelanders that
have wandered into the battlefield have become torment-
ed and hostile to life. One minute after a living creature
has been present on the battlefield, 2d6 specters and 2d6 interacting with the
wraiths appear.
Ghost Storm. A buildup of psychic torment in the area demonic artillery
triggers a ghost storm.125
These sentient artillery cannons were created
Demonic Artillery with the sole purpose of destroying the Gates
Three immobile (but still functional), sentient, demon- of the Afterlife. Their goal is in sight, yet they
bound arcanotech bombards on the battlefield thirst for have remained unfulfilled for an eternity. They
vengeance, calling out in hollow voices to creatures within are unable to reason beyond their primal desire
30 feet of them. They desire to destroy the Gates of the for destruction, and their arguments attempt
Afterlife, a task they are capable of when armed, and refuse to arouse the same lust for carnage in those to
to operate for any other purpose. whom they attempt to appeal. Once the Gates of
The demonic bombards are 10 feet apart and are already the Afterlife are destroyed, if an attuned character
aimed at the Gates of the Afterlife. They are clustered of similar personality to the bombards (with a
with a clear line of fire on the mountain, but from a dis- chaotic penchant for causing damage) is willing
tance that makes them difficult to see from the mountain to regularly use the demonic artillery and can find
itself. The bombards require ammunition, gatecrasher a way of transporting it, a demonic artillery allows
warheads, and an operator to function. Operating the de- the attunement to continue. Otherwise, they end
monic artillery requires attunement. There are three gate- attunement once the Gates are destroyed.
crasher warheads buried in the battlefield more than 1,000
feet away from the artillery. A successful DC 25 Wisdom
(Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals the loca- The demonic artillery are sentient, chaotic evil weapons
tion of the gatecrasher warheads. It takes 1d4 hours to with an Intelligence score of 11, a Wisdom score of 7, and
locate the ammunition. a Charisma score of 16. They can see and hear out to 30
feet and have darkvision. They can communicate tele-
123. See p. 82 in the “Survival Gear” section of chapter 2 for information pathically with any creature within 30 feet of them that
about the filter mask.
speaks a language.
124. For more interactive information, see the “Doom Cult Revelry”
encounter on p. 286 in the “Suggested Encounters” section.
Each demonic artillery cannon has an AC of 19, has
50 hit points, and is immune to fire, poison, and psychic
125. See the “Ghost Storm” special feature on p. 279 for more
information. damage. Each has a damage threshold of 25. When used to

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280 weird waStelandS
fire a gatecrasher warhead, the demonic artillery Spa
deals 1,000 damage to constructs and structures This area is a lot like hell. The devils are immune
within the 50-foot-sphere blast radius. Other to the harmful effects of the geothermal ter-
creatures within the blast radius must attempt rain here, including limitations on their vision.
a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 20d6 fire Invigorated by the soulfur smog in the area, they
damage plus 20d6 force damage on a failure, or have created a relaxing retreat for themselves
half as much damage on a success. within their fortress, where throngs of devils
enjoy scale buffing, fumerole saunas, and, most
INFERNAL FORTRESS importantly on the material plane, goodness-
The Infernal Recruiters have taken over, de- removal treatments. Most patrons of the spa
filed, and heavily fortified an abandoned for- have forgotten whatever it was they were sent to
tress-monastery on the edge of the geothermal the material plane to do in the first place.
region. The faction has turned it into a base of
operations for the mass enlisting of dead souls, Portal
their real reason for being here. The devils also The devils have a portal to hell within their for-
find the local geothermal environment invigo- tress which they use to transport newly minted
rating and have taken to using the fortress as a lemures to Prince Feranulon’s realm there. This area can be a
makeshift spa. jumping-off point for
Orders some tier 4 extraplanar
Chain of Command Devils who are not involved in Lady Carnath’s adventuring, as with
other portals in other
The Infernal Fortress is ruled by Prince Feran- recruitment effort are bureaucrats. Most of locations.
ulon, the pit fiend commander of the Infernal these bureaucrats are imps who scurry the floors
Recruiters. The prince keeps a kennel of hell by the dozens running errands and filing paper-
hounds and is accompanied by an honor guard work.127 Their pace is unmotivated but func-
of barbed devils.126 Prince Feranulon is a charis- tional, as they’re stuck doing filing when living
matic, gregarious leader who enjoys personally in paradise is hardly what most of them wish
greeting any living creatures who venture deep to be doing. A company of bearded devils pro-
enough into this area to encounter the Recruit- vide security for the fortress entrances, led by a
ers. He inquires about the characters’ reasons horned devil. Tiefling mercenaries who aren’t
for being here and attempts to recruit them in guarding the walls scour the wasteland collect-
an effort to ensure the Gates of the Afterlife re- ing tribute and periodically returning to the for-
main closed. He can offer all magic items the In- tress with loot.
fernal Recruiters possess as payment to ensure
the Gates’ permanent closure. HOLY MOUNTAIN
In the pre-apocalypse, servants of the gods
Recruitment Drive retrieved souls and brought them to the Holy The recruitment teams
Recruitment teams persuade the souls of dead Mountain to continue their cosmic journey. Its are orderly, polite, and
wastelanders to agree to be reincarnated as slopes are dotted with ancient tombs, carefully always want to talk.
The souls have to be
lemures with a guaranteed promotion track to maintained shrines, and the imposing monas- convinced and not
increase Prince Feranulon’s standing in hell. tery-barracks of the Holy Mountain’s defenders. tricked into joining. The
This project is led by succubus Lady Carnrath, All outdoor areas of the mountain are shrouded recruiters are obsessed
her eight incubus recruitment agents, and her by a thick, billowing haze of geothermal vapor with efficiency and
nine bone devil guards. Their efforts have been which obscures the view of the entire mountain. proper management,
a resounding success. Incubi are often sur- have an affable veneer
of rationality, and
rounded by thousands of souls thronging to sign Soulfurous Belchers always honor their
up, be anointed or baptized in liquid protosouls, A large concentration of vent chasms and smok- contracts.
and be escorted to hell as lemures. Several night ing belchers ring the base of the Holy Mountain,
hag soulbrokers work to reel in high-value souls: spewing their acrid soul-smog in rising columns
those of ancient monarchs, forgotten heroes, of vapor that blanket the mountain. It screams
and particularly wicked (or good) people. For out of the earth in cascades, faces of the an-
the most part, the soulbrokers are uninterested guished souls of the damned almost visible as
in living mortals, as their souls require separate the last motes of their existence pour out of the
contracts and, thus, additional paperwork. mountain.

126. See p. 150 in chapter 4 for more information about the 127 . See p. 150 in chapter 4 for more information about the
Infernal Recruiters faction. Infernal Recruiters faction.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

weird waStelandS 281
 On the exterior of the mountain, the area is heavily ob-
scured from the ground to 40 feet up. The gases here are
soulfur smog. 128 kudram the
eternal champion
Protosoul Pool
A pool of liquid protosoul the size of a small pond sits at
Kudram the Eternal Champion is the leader of
the center of a circle of towering mineral columns on the
the Defenders of the Holy Mountain. He wants
southwestern slopes of the Holy Mountain.129 A pair of
someone to drive out the Infernal Recruiters. As
amiable guardian nagas, Gentle Indulgence and the Life
a paladin, the Recruiters’ interaction with souls
Warden, dwell nearby and see themselves as the caretakers
is an offense to him, though he doesn’t know
of the pool. Gentle Indulgence and the Life Warden know
specifically what they’re doing or that they are in
all about liquid protosoul and how to use it. They regard
agreement with him that the gates must remain
the pool as a precious resource that they actively defend
closed. He’s personally pained by the presence of
against those who would use its power for their own ne- the hordes of restless shades. As someone who
farious goals. If the party is unable to cast spells that they has lived in undeath for eons, he has compassion
wish to use with the protosoul pool, the nagas may be per- for the dead souls who can find no rest because
suaded to cast them on the party’s behalf if they are suit- of the closure of the gates, an order he is bound
ably convinced that the party respects life and goodness. to uphold. He is predisposed to like devout
characters.
Ascending the Holy Mountain Treat Kudram the Eternal Champion as a stone
This section is about the various means to reach the golem with the following changes to its stat block:
summit, the stairway, shrines, and defenses of the Holy
Mountain. ■ Neutral good alignment
Rampart and Barbican. This semicircular, 50-foot-tall, ■ Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 16 (+3),
20-foot-thick, white stone wall protects the bottom of Charisma 20 (+5)
the stairway. The rampart’s garrison stand watch along
the wall, commanded by the indominable Kudram the ■ Insight (+7)
Eternal Champion, a paladin from antiquity entombed ■ Kudram has the following trait:
within a stone. The garrison are the Defenders of the Holy
Holy Aura. Kudram and creatures of his
Mountain, a battalion of deathless warriors who swore an
choosing within 30 feet of him gain a +5
oath and upon death were raised by celestials to defend
bonus to saving throws and have resistance to
the Gates of the Afterlife. Their battlements bristle with
damage from spells and magical effects.
ballista, catapults, and war machines. These machines
are ancient and rarely used but are pristinely maintained. ■ Add 14 (4d6) radiant damage to Kudram’s
Their barracks form the barbican, the great portcullis of Slam attack
which blocks access to the stairway. The walls are always
manned, and any who approach are warned away under
threat of death. following changes to their stat blocks: their creature type
Kudram spends his time either leading patrols around is celestial, they are immune to the charmed and fright-
the base of the mountain, at his command post in the ened conditions, and their weapon attacks are magical.
gatehouse, or in prayer at the Pinnacle Temple. The garri- Stairway. A narrow, steep stairway winds up the moun-
son does not let anyone through without Kudram present. tain slope to the summit. The stairs are well-worn, but
Gaining Access. Kudram alone decides who gets access maintained. Smaller footpaths branch off and lead to
to the stairway. He allows those he trusts to pass. If given tombs and shrines hidden among crags or perched atop
intelligence on the Infernal Recruiters or Segastreon,130 he massive accretion columns. Living creatures who are per-
grants access. mitted access by Kudron are protected from the harmful
Holy Mountain’s Defenders. This battalion of celes- effects of the soulfurous vapors and treat the area as on-
tials, holy undead, and living creatures defend the moun- ly lightly obscured. Characters may encounter pilgrims on
tain. Treat the defenders as knights and priests with the their way up or down the mountain or monks of the Holy
Mountain, silently sweeping or repairing the stairs as they
128. See the “Soulfur Smog” special feature on p. 276 for more journey. It takes 3 days to climb to the summit.
information.
Tombs and Catacombs. Countless dead rest peacefully
129. See the “Liquid Protosoul” special feature on p. 277 for more
information.
in these burial halls and sepulchral galleries that form spi-
raling mazes through the mountain. Every possible space
130. See the “Renegade Celestials” encounter on p. 286 for more
information about Segastreon. inside the catacombs is filled with shelves of those laid to

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

282 weird waStelandS
rest; the dead at the entrance are so old, they are The structure guards the stairway leading
scarcely more than dust. Venturing deeper into to Pinnacle Temple. If Kudron has granted the
the miles of intricate tombs is akin to moving party access, they may freely go beyond this
through history, as the bodies grow younger, point. If not, the slumbering defenders awaken
their grave goods changing with the times, ever and fight.
more ornate and intricate, until, suddenly, bod-
ies are buried with almost nothing at all. Those Pinnacle Temple
that know this place and can survive the journey This section is about the divinely created tem-
still bury their loved ones here. At the time of ple-fortress that guards the Gates of the After-
the apocalypse, the vanished gods took the souls life. It includes the celestial guardians who de-
laid within with them, but treasures stretching fend the Gates: a solar, the bound balor, and the
back to the dawn of civilization lay untouched guardian gate itself.
within. The monks of the Holy Mountain main- The Pinnacle Temple is an immense, vaulted We are leaving this
tain the tombs. shrine built around the Gates of the Afterlife. vague because we
Monument. A wartime monument fashioned The Temple is made of the whitewashed rock of don’t expect high-
level characters to be
out of a pile of exorcized demonic war machines the mountain, with a gold-plated, domed roof. interested in looting
commemorates the Holy Mountain’s defenders’ The stairway ends in a set of simple golden doors graves, and the real
victory over the invading demons, as was fore- with no locks. Inside the temple is a 100-foot- conflict is at the top of
told by prophecy. Sheets of adamantine encircle square vaulted room with pillars holding up the the mountain anyway.
the war machines, depicting through picture golden dome. Intricately appointed alcoves and It’s a great place for a
and story (written in Celestial) how the haphaz- shrines to gods who have long since abandoned metal AF megadungeon
though.
ard and ill-disciplined retinues of hundreds of the world dot the sides of the main chamber. On
demon lords were crushed by the outnumbered the far end opposite the doors, set into the peak
but stalwart defenders of the Holy Mountain. of the mountain, are the Gates of the Afterlife.
The Monastery of the Holy Mountain. Here Immediately inside the temple is the solar
resides the original monastic order that served Caphriel, who spends most of their time in con-
the faithful as they made pilgrimage to the Holy templation. Caphriel has remained at the gates
Mountain. Now, these monks tend the stairway since the gods left, is the commander of the de-
and catacombs and assist those few devout who fenders of the Holy Mountain, and is dedicated
remain in the world. They silently and benevo- to their task—ensuring the Gates of the Afterlife
lently offer shelter and food to all who need it, stay closed—to the exclusion of anything else.
though they are rarely seen eating, sleeping, or Caphriel is unable to go against their orders,
drinking themselves. They only speak to spirits even as the effects of the Gates’ closure causes
that are unbound from physical form. harm that goes against their very being. To this If a cleric chooses
Mausoleum Barracks. Carved into the side of end, Caphriel has initiated contact with Prince the Ascetic divine
the mountain, this collection of stacked, vaulted Feranulon unbeknownst to any of the other domain (chapter 1,
p. 35), spending time
halls houses the dormant legions of deathless131 defenders and has confirmed that the Infernal with the monks of the
led by mummified paladin-saints.132 They lie Recruiters have no interest in opening the Holy Mountain could
in wait as a second line of defense should the Gates. Caphriel is not used to dealing with mor- be a way to travel that
rampart fall and defend the mountain against tals, as it is exceedingly rare that they venture path.
flying threats. In addition to the thousands of this far up the mountain, and is cold, distant,
entombed deathless knights, Zuluth the Radiant and impatient. Caphriel will not open the gates
Fire, an ancient gold dragon who took the celes- for any reason, and they can explain that even if
tial vows to fight beyond death, slumbers here, they agreed to do so, they would be unable to.
awakening only to dispatch flying threats who
would seek to open the Gates of the Afterlife. A GUARDIAN GATE
gate and drawbridge allow defenders to access to A pair of gem-studded basalt doors are hewn
the stairway, but no one except defenders of the into the peak of the mountain to block the route
Holy Mountain are allowed inside the barracks. that souls once took from the material world to
the afterlife and divine realms of the gods. It was
131. See the “Holy Mountain’s Defenders” subsection in the closed forever during the apocalypse. So long as
“Ascending the Holy Mountain” section on p. 282 for
information on the stats of these deathless warriors.
they are shut, dead souls have no way to leave
132. Treat these paladin-saints as mummy lords, but change
the mortal world.
their creature type to celestial and their alignment to
lawful good.

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Why did the gods
leave? The question
may not be relevant profile: guardian gate
to your game, but if
it is, you may have
reasons that fit your Personality: Ponderous, implacable, closed, as the gods commanded it before
campaign better than uncompromising they left forever.
any we can provide. Ideal: Duty. It exists to serve its creators At the dawn of creation, the gods
When creating this created this gate to guard the heavenly
setting, we imagined and the purpose for which it was
crafted. realms where they lived and where
that there are no gods
on the other side of the the souls of their followers would pass
Bond: The guardian gate is solely
gate. Sometime around through when they died. While the gods
focused on upholding the oath it swore
the great upending of were here, they used the gates to keep
to its divine creators.
their followers’ world, a soul out of the heavens from time to
they up and left and Flaw: The guardian gate is unable to time, but they were never permanently
locked the door behind conceive of doing anything other than shut. But for times unknown, they have
them like a person what it does. been locked behind lines of defense so
would lock their front
door when they went Legend: All know that the dead can thick that mortals rarely glimpse them,
to work. They didn’t roam the Weird Wastelands at night. and rarer still do they realize the grave
want their home getting Anyone with an inkling of holiness significance of their closure.
messed up by the has noticed that the spirits of those What lies beyond the gates is unknown.
apocalypse, and the they have lost don’t leave. Precious Perhaps the gods are there, still reacting
reasons are no deeper few know why. For as littered as the to whatever the people did that prompted
than apathy for what sands are with the objects of a lost their abandonment. Generations have
it would mean for the
souls on this side of the civilization, the greatest pollution of the passed since anyone on this side of the
gate. apocalypse is souls. Spirits of the dead gates had any inkling why. The guardian
are unable to leave the material plane gate cares not for reasons, but, surely, it
because the Gates of the Afterlife are must know.

Garganturos Regional Effects

The balor Gargarauros is bound to the gates, The region within 10 miles of the guardian gate’s
kept in a demiplane prison contained within a lair hums with radiant power, which creates one
diamond set into the lintel worth 10,000 gp. or more of the following effects. Creatures that
the guardian gate controls via its diamonds of
Lair Actions subjugation are immune to these effects.
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the ■ The mountain is under the protection
guardian gate takes a lair action to cause one of of the forbiddance spell, harming
the following effects. undead and fiends and blocking all
■ The gate returns one of the bodies extradimensional travel.
it controls with its diamonds of ■ The mountain is under the protection of
subjugation to life with half its hit the hallow spell, blocking all celestials, fey,
points, as long as its body is intact and fiends, and undead who are not sworn to
within 60 feet of the gate. defend the Holy Mountain from entering.
■ The guardian gate casts heal on itself Furthermore, bodies interred in the
or one of the bodies it controls with its mountain cannot become undead.
diamonds of subjugation. ■ The gates are the target of the
■ The guardian gate casts the divine word antipathy spell.
spell. ■ Undead have their creature type
If the gates are destroyed, these lair actions changed to celestial if they swear an
cannot be used. oath to defend the Holy Mountain and
the Gates of the Afterlife.
If the gates are destroyed, these effects end
immediately.

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284 weird waStelandS
suggested encounters Praemortis is facing increasing pressure from his follow-
ers to bring them news of the gods. He has come to under-
The Gates of the Afterlife Encounters table lists both the stand that they are inaccessible but fears the fallout of tell-
creatures that lair in or near Holy Mountain and crea- ing his followers the gods are gone after having followed
tures who have some reason to visit. Each entry contains him so long on an empty promise. He may seek advice
a brief description of the creatures and a prompt for an from those who have gained his trust. His polymorphed
encounter scenario. The encounter descriptions detail any form of choice is that of a defender of the Holy Gates.
modifications to the base creature stat block and special
considerations for running the encounter. The GM may Warlord Reborn
use their preferred method for determining who or what
the party encounters at the location. Estimated difficulty A tattered warband of old, grim-faced reavers carries the
is based on a party of four adventurers of 18th level. mummified bodies of an orc and a horse on a sled they drag
behind them while singing an old war song.
The warband consists of two wereboar lieutenants, two
GATES OF THE AFTERLIFE
trolls, and ten orcs. The mummified corpses are this
ENCOUNTERS
warband’s leader, Krix, and his horse. The warband has
d8 ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY traveled far and for many years to get here in hopes of
returning Krix to life. If they are successful, Krix intends
1 A Medium Encounter Easy to bathe the wastelands in the blood of conquest and build
2 Warlord Reborn Medium a new civilization.
The warband’s priest went missing, and they seek some-
3 Specters of the Past Hard one to carry out their resurrection rituals when they
reach the protosoul pool. Anyone who offers to do this
4 Doom Cult Revelry Deadly
for the warband must give only a promise in return that
5 Infernal Recruitment Team Deadly the names of the warband’s members and story will be re-
membered in their new civilization. If the party agrees to
6 On That Grindset Deadly perform the ritual, the ghosts of Krix’s enemies try to stop
7 Renegade Celestials Deadly
the procession.133

8 Three Liches Deadly Specters of the Past

A swirl of spirits reveals familiar faces. You are accosted
by the agitated shades of a group of humanoids that
A Medium Encounter
blame you and your adventures together for their deaths.
Through the swirling mists, you can see a winged The mob of shades demands that the party bring them
humanoid figure hunched over a crack in the earth, back from the dead and do not accept no for an answer,
huffing in the soulfur smog with a mighty wheeze. You regardless of whether the party was actually responsible
hear the rattle of a tambourine, a squeaky flute, and few for their deaths or not. With sufficient time and the right
ecstatic cries of, “Praemortis! He breathes! Tell us what spells, this can be accomplished using the pools of liquid
you see!” protosoul.134 The shades do not know about the pools.
Praemortis is a chaotic neutral deva, a deranged psycho- They insist their deaths were unjustified—they were
pomp lost without the gods. He has become an oracle of defending their homes, were unwitting pawns or useful
sorts, breathing in the soulfur smog to receive visions of idiots to some mastermind, or were simply misguided or
the realms beyond and commune with the dead, ever seek- misunderstood.
ing the absent gods. A trio of cult fanatics serve Praemortis If the characters attack or categorically and fully re-
along with a throng of mediums, seers, and miserable pil- fuse to help resurrect them, the shades manifest as eight
grims (5d4 cultists in the immediate vicinity). They claim wraiths and attack. There is a 25 percent chance per round
to speak for the dead and insist that others join in their that this triggers a ghost storm.135
abject mourning rituals. The cult wants suitable hosts for
133. See the “Ghost Storm” special feature on p. 279 for more
ghosts of former cultists to possess. Praemortis is willing
information.
to commune in exchange for allowing a ghost to take over
134. See the Gates of the Afterlife “Rewards” section on p. 287 for more
a character’s body for a short time. A crafter of suitable skill information.
may be able to create weapons or armor that can house the 135. See the “Ghost Storm” special feature on p. 279 for more
ghost of a former cultist. information.

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weird waStelandS 285
 Doom Cult Revelry nine imps, to whom he and the barbed devils are barking
orders. As soon as one imp flies off to fulfill its duty, an-
A froglike creature sits atop a pile of bones as it throws a other joins the swirl around him.
half-chewed goat corpse into a throng of bandits, who are He briefly greets the party but otherwise continues his
fighting over a small pile of scrap. jog, offering to receive the party at the Infernal Fortress.
NOMOMUMOG, xenobatrachian136 mercenary and chaos One of the barbed devils offers up a crisp recruitment bro-
warrior (nalfeshnee) leads a band of hedonists and mur- chure outlining the benefits of joining the faction.137
derhobos (one oni, eight veterans, and twenty bandits).
NOMOMUMOG is here to feast, fight, and free the balor Renegade Celestials
bound to the Gates of the Afterlife. Its followers love noth-
ing more than getting their doomsday party on and start- A crowd of people is smashing, burning, and trampling
ing up a round of ritual combat. upon ancient relics as a blue, winged figure encourages them
They scour the demon battlefield, scavenging, eating to “abandon the gods that abandoned you! Tear down their
carrion, and fighting anyone they can find. They absolutely idols! Protect the souls here, they need our help!”
try to use the demonic artillery battery if they find it. They Segastreon the Demon Hunter is a chaotic good planetar.
attack the party if they cross paths, seeking glory and gear. She is a renegade who teaches that the old gods aban-
doned the world, so there is no longer a reason to obey
Infernal Recruiters them.
Segastreon leads a growing retinue of fanatics (four glad-
After following a long line of souls, you come upon an iators and twelve berserkers) who wear war masks made of
incubus reading a lengthy list of contractual provisions colorful demon hides. They engage in ecstatic rituals led
to the spirit of a goblin. The goblin spirit is jumping and by the celestial that culminate in furious displays of icon-
trembling with anticipation as it enthusiastically affirms oclasm as the devotees display their passionate conviction
each item. and strength by smashing relics of the old gods.
A team of Infernal Recruiters (two incubi, four imps, one Segastreon does not conceal her convictions. She wants
bone devil, and two bearded devils) are here signing on the defenders of the Holy Mountain to open the gates. She
souls of dead wastelanders. A second team (one bone devil believes it is patently obvious that the gates being closed is
and eight bearded devils) corrals the growing horde of a horrible mistake made by forgotten gods who do not care
5d10 × 10 newborn lemures. There’s a 50 percent chance about the world. She also thinks the Infernal Recruiters
Lady Carnath (erinyes with two horned devil guards) are a menace and wants them driven out. She seeks the
comes around for an inspection. party’s help in achieving either goal and offers to help
The highest-ranking Infernal Recruiter present (Lady them if their goals align. Segastreon knows where the de-
Carnath or an incubus) is gracious, charming, and slick. monic artillery is, but not where the gatecrasher warheads
A consummate dealmaker, they attempt to convince the are located.138
party to join their faction and explain their function: to
recruit souls to join the ranks of Prince Feranulon. They Three Liches
explain that the prince likes to greet powerful mortals per-
sonally, and they direct the party to the Infernal Fortress. Three liches, each in their own speedy cruiser, are thrumming
They do not attack the party unless attacked first. through the battlefield. Each vehicle hosts a small retinue
During this conversation, the newborn lemures attempt of mummies and ogre zombies hanging off the sides, clearly
to attack the party as their first act of devilhood. The other searching for something.
recruiters attempt to corral those that remain should This group of three lich frenemies—Steviex, Binzey, and
the party retaliate, treating them like an unruly flock of Preen—have come here to feast on liquid protosoul. Ste-
chickens. viex is extremely personable, friendly, and kind. Binzey is
prone to grand proclamation and arrogance (even by lich
On That Grindset standards). Preen is simultaneously long-winded and im-
patient toward others taking too long to speak. The liches
One of your party is nearly knocked prone by a joyfully are all riding their own speedy cruisers,139 and each one
panting hell hound. A pit fiend runs along with the hound has a hidden agenda: Steviex has come to seek atonement
and calls out, “Angerfangs, remember your manners!”
Prince Feranulon is running his two hell hounds through 137. See p. 150 in chapter 4 for more information about the Infernal
Recruiters faction.
the fortifying vapors, with an honor guard of six barbed
138. See the “Demonic Artillery” special feature on p. 280 for more
devils accompanying him. Around his head fly a flock of information.
139 . The speedy cruiser vehicle can be found on p. 92 in chapter 2 in the
136. “Xenobatrachian” means “alien frog.”
“Sample Vehicles” section.

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286 weird waStelandS
by finding her original soul. Binzey seeks to fun-
nel dead souls into the sun to achieve necrot-
putting it all together
ic critical mass and become a dark star in a rit- As this is a tier 4 location, there are big risks and
ual to call the Corpse-Star Algol. Preen is here big rewards at the Gates of the Afterlife. By the
to gorge on hyperdense soul-stuff and transcend time the party arrives here, your campaign is
lichdom. in full swing, and your party arrives here with This encounter
They each seek to involve outsiders in their specific goals and motives more than they would is wide open on
schemes or to secretly thwart the other two. In to a location keyed to lower levels. Therefore, purpose. Have fun
with it, tier 4 GMs!
payment, Steviex offers to guide the party in a the conditions at the Gates of the Afterlife are
ritual to help them connect with their actualized fairly stable, but, should powerful heroes choose
selves (see “Liquid Protosoul” in the “Rewards” to act, the Weird Wastelands can change im-
section). Binzey has a giant (Medium-sized) egg mensely based on the characters’ actions at this
that can turn into a tarrasque for 1 minute once location.
per year. Preen offers what little remains of his Should the party open the Gates of the Af-
wizard’s tower in the Last City of MAN.140 terlife, the ability of souls to move on from the
world make the Weird Wastelands a safer place,
rewards and one in which comfort and rest are possible
in death. Roving bands of undead cease to prey
Presented here is a collection of treasures and upon travelers and settlements, and travel be-
rewards to be found within the area. comes much safer. With safer travel comes more
opportunities for migration and trade. The area
Experience around the Gates of the Afterlife are once again
In addition to standard experience awarded dur- a safe place to visit, and the Holy Mountain be-
ing combat, here are other experience awards comes a place of pilgrimage for any who wish to
that can be earned while exploring the Gates of bury a loved one or remember one whose soul
the Afterlife: passed through the gates to rest.
Opening the Gates of the Afterlife can also
■ Scaling the Holy Mountain – 4,000 XP
have more immediate implications for the fac-
■ Destroying the demonic artillery or tions at work in this area. The environment be-
using them to fire on the Gates of the comes far more inhospitable to the devils in the
Afterlife – 5,000 XP Infernal Fortress. Infernal Recruiters have far
fewer souls to recruit and a far less compelling
■ Opening the Gates of the Afterlife –
argument for signing up. The defenders of the
6,000 XP
Holy Mountain, sworn to protect the Gates of
■ Using liquid protosoul – 3,000 XP the Afterlife, find themselves in the uneasy ter-
ritory of being bound to orders they cannot ful-
Liquid Protosoul fill. Perhaps the deathless, their oath now bro-
Liquid protosoul can be used in a number of ken, finally die in their tomb barracks. Maybe
ways to benefit the party beyond the use of res- they persist and venture out into the wasteland,
urrection magic: some becoming a new and inexhaustible source
of protection for vulnerable communities or
■ It can be used to awaken any creature.
joining factions for which they see unity (the
■ Characters who spend a long rest in a Fellowship would be a natural choice). Or some
pool of liquid protosoul and succeed on may stay and fashion a barricade into the after-
a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or have life, though their ability to enforce it is greatly
Steviex’s guidance can choose different diminished. The Infernal Recruiters likely join
feats and/or ability score improvements, them in their effort. Once news of the breaking
subclasses, and spells. of the gates reaches them, the Fellowship, En- Hey there tier 4 GM.
during Aristocracy, and the Arcanotech Cabal You’ve made it this far;
140. See p. 190 earlier in this chapter for more information doubtlessly have a major interest in the area. you can decide how
about the Last City of MAN. many of these elements
If the party manages to open the gates, they you’d like to allow your
are known to all in the Weird Wastelands, have players to rework!
access to followers and strongholds, and con-
tinue to shape this world as they see fit.

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 ADVENTURE HOOKS RUMORS
Presented here are four adventure hooks you can utilize to Presented here are ten rumors about the Gates of the
introduce your table to the Gates of the Afterlife. Afterlife. These rumors can be used to draw your table to
the location or to create additional drama while the char-
acters are visiting. It’s up to the GM whether the rumors
GATES OF THE AFTERLIFE
are true.
ADVENTURE HOOKS
d4 ADVENTURE HOOK
GATES OF THE AFTERLIFE RUMORS
An archdruid of the Fellowship has recovered a d10 RUMOR
single grain of kaleidoscopic arcadian emmer,
an abundant pre-apocalyptic wheat. It was the The Gates of the Afterlife are the entrance to the
main objective of a covert mission into Enduring 1
heavens.
1 Aristocracy territory. They have tried to sow it,
but it is too ancient. However, they believe there The veil between worlds is thin in the areas
2
may be a way to revive it in the Gates of the around the Gates of the Afterlife.
Afterlife, and they pledge any requested rewards
for doing so. Hideous vapors billow out of cracks in the ground
3
to kill anyone who isn’t careful.
Baudry Sandyman, a halfling remembrancer,
You can usually feel the spirits around you, but
beseeches the party to locate the soul of the
4 you can see them when you get close to the Gates
earliest remembrancer on record, Caxor Crane,
2 of the Afterlife.
and ask her about the founding of their order, if
she knows it. He believes Crane’s soul lingers If you follow an Infernal Recruiter, they’ll go to the
near the base of the Holy Mountain. 5
Gates of the Afterlife eventually.

The Enduring Aristocracy has somehow managed A great war between demons and celestials was
to airdrop thousands of wanted posters for three 6 fought below the Holy Mountain that houses the
liches—Steviex, Binzey, and Preen—who have Gates of the Afterlife.
abandoned its ranks and stolen three flagship
vehicles. The posters state that the liches are The Gates of the Afterlife was once a peaceful
7
headed to the Gates of the Afterlife, where they temple to the dead.
3
intend to feast on souls until their power will be
It’s almost too easy to resurrect or talk to the dead
unmatched, and the whole of the wasteland will 8
at the Gates of the Afterlife.
be threatened. There is a reward posted for the
recovery of the vehicles and the liches (notably, The Gates of the Afterlife were created by the
the reward for the vehicles is far larger than the 9
gods before the dawn of time.
one for the liches).
The armies that once protected the Gates of the
Galaxaura the Examiner, a powerful traveling 10
Afterlife from demons protect it still.
oracle and bard, is dying. She wishes to hire the
party to safely guide her soul through the Gates
4 of the Afterlife with a payment of all her worldly
possessions. She believes the necromancer
Umbra Ghool will try to steal her soul after her
death; there are many uses for a prophetic soul.

CHAPTER FIVE • weird wasteland locations

288 weird waStelandS
chapter six

This chapter provides templates and stat blocks for many of the creatures that can play a role in a
Weird Wastelands campaign.

wasteland The arcanavore and spell-warped templates show the me-

monster templates chanical changes that occur when a creature is mutated by

the poisonous magic of the wasteland.
The cataclysm that caused the apocalypse suffused the
land with magical pollution that radically upset ecosys-
tems across the world. Creatures not outright killed by the
arcanavore
initial sweep of destruction later died by the thousands In the wastelands, food and other resources may be scarce,
as they were poisoned by irradiated food and water. The but some areas are replete with ambient magic. A few
only wild creatures left standing were those who were creatures mutate to survive on magical energies, consum-
so mutated by the magical cataclysm that they are now ing it when they encounter it. Creatures mutated in this
able to survive and thrive in this newly devasted land. way are known as arcanavores.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

weird waStelandS 289
 arcanavore template
You can create an arcanavore by making the following adjustments to the statistics of any creature.

Hit Dice. The creature gains two additional Hit Dice Magical Sight. The arcanavore can sense the
and recalculates its hit point maximum using these presence of magical effects within 120 feet of it as a
Hit Dice. faint aura around any visible creature or object that
is magical or is currently under a magical effect.
Ability Scores. The creature’s Charisma score
increases by 4. An ability score cannot be increased Sustained by Magic. Whenever the arcanavore
above 30 using this feature. consumes a spell, it regains hit points equal to the
spell’s level + its proficiency bonus.
Challenge Rating. The creature’s challenge rating
Proficiencies. The creature’s proficiency bonus
increases by 2.
increases to match its adjusted challenge rating.
Traits. The creature gains the following traits.
Actions. The creature gains the following action.
Devouring Attack. When the arcanavore hits
Devour Spell. The arcanavore chooses one spell
another creature with a melee weapon attack, it
affecting itself and attempts to consume it. If the
chooses one spell of 3rd level or lower currently
spell is 3rd level or lower, the arcanavore consumes
affecting the target and consumes it, ending the
it, and the spell ends. If the spell is 4th level or
spell. If the chosen spell currently affecting the
higher, the arcanavore must attempt a Charisma
target is 4th level or higher, the arcanavore must
ability check (DC equals 10 + the spell’s level). On a
attempt a Charisma ability check (DC equals 10 +
success, the arcanavore consumes it, and the spell
the spell’s level). On a success, the spell ends as the
ends.
arcanavore consumes it.
Reactions. The creature gains the following reaction.
Latent Spellcasting. The arcanavore’s latent
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 8 Consume Spell. As a reaction when the arcanavore
+ its Charisma modifier + its proficiency bonus). If is the target of a spell and can see its source, the
the arcanavore has consumed a spell in the last 24 arcanavore attempts to consume the spell. If the
hours, it can innately cast the following spells at their spell is 3rd level or lower, the arcanavore consumes
lowest level, requiring no material components: it, and the spell fails. If the spell is 4th level or
higher, the arcanavore must attempt a Charisma
1/day each: blur, expeditious retreat, false life,
ability check (DC equals 8 + the spell’s level). On a
jump, see invisibility, shield
success, the arcanavore consumes it, and the spell
Magic Resistance. The arcanavore has advantage fails.
on saving throws against spells and other magical
effects.

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ARCANAVORE EXAMPLE STAT BLOCK
The following is an example of the arcanavore template
applied to a stirge.

arcanavore stirge
Tiny beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (19 with shield) Sustained by Magic. Whenever the arcanavore stirge
Hit Points 7 (3d4) consumes a spell, it regains hit points equal to the
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. spell’s level + 2.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
ACTIONS
4 (–3) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 2 (–4) 9 (–1) 10 (+0)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach
Languages — 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage,
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 and the arcanavore stirge attaches to the target. While
attached, the arcanavore stirge doesn’t attack. Instead,
TRAITS at the start of each of the arcanavore stirge’s turns, the
target loses 5 (1d4 + 3) hit points due to blood loss. The
Devouring Attack. When the arcanavore stirge hits arcanavore stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet
another creature with a melee weapon attack, it of its movement. It does so after it drains 10 hit points
chooses one spell of 3rd level or lower currently of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature,
affecting the target and consumes it, ending the spell. including the target, can use its action to detach the
If the chosen spell currently affecting the target is 4th arcanavore stirge.
level or higher, the arcanavore stirge must attempt
Devour Spell. The arcanavore stirge chooses one spell
a Charisma ability check (DC equals 10 + the spell’s
affecting itself and attempts to consume it. If the spell
level). On a success, the spell ends as the arcanavore
is 3rd level or lower, the arcanavore stirge consumes
stirge consumes it.
it, and the spell ends. If the spell is 4th level or higher,
Latent Spellcasting. The arcanavore stirge’s latent the arcanavore stirge must attempt a Charisma ability
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 10). If check (DC equals 10 + the spell’s level). On a success,
the arcanavore stirge has consumed a spell in the last the arcanavore stirge consumes it, and the spell ends.
24 hours, it can innately cast the following spells at
their lowest level, requiring no material components: REACTIONS
1/day each: blur, expeditious retreat, false life, jump,
Consume Spell. As a reaction when the arcanavore
see invisibility, shield
stirge is the target of a spell and can see its source,
Magic Resistance. The arcanavore stirge has the arcanavore stirge attempts to consume the spell.
advantage on saving throws against spells and other If the spell is 3rd level or lower, the arcanavore stirge
magical effects. consumes it, and the spell fails. If the spell is 4th
Magical Sight. The arcanavore stirge can sense the level or higher, the arcanavore stirge must attempt a
presence of magical effects within 120 feet of it as a Charisma ability check (DC equals 8 + the spell’s level).
faint aura around any visible creature or object that is On a success, the arcanavore stirge consumes it, and
magical or is currently under a magical effect. the spell fails.

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 spell-warped these energies warp and scar a creature, leaving behind
Residual magical energies ripple and eddy across the waste- strange mutations and other latent magical effects. Such
land, sometimes tearing the fabric of reality. Occasionally, creatures are called spell-warped.

spell-warped template
You can create a spell-warped version of a creature by making the following adjustments to the statistics of
any creature.

Hit Dice. The creature gains two Traits. The creature gains the following traits.
additional Hit Dice and recalculates its Damage Resistances. The spell-warped gains resistance to
hit point maximum using these Hit Dice bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical
and its new Constitution score. attacks.
Ability Scores. The creature gains a +2 Magic Resistance. The spell-warped has advantage on saving
bonus to its Constitution score. An ability throws against spells and other magical effects.
score cannot be increased above 30 Strange Mutation. The spell-warped has one trait from the
using this feature. Strange Mutations table (GM’s choice).
Challenge Rating. The creature Advanced Mutation. The spell-warped has one trait from the
increases its Challenge Rating by 1. Advanced Mutations table (GM’s choice).

STRANGE MUTATIONS
d12 MUTATION
Additional Eyes. The spell-warped has multiple eyes due to its exposure to magic. It has advantage on Wisdom
1
(Perception) checks.
2 Bioluminescent. The spell-warped is bioluminescent due to its exposure to magic. It sheds dim light in a 20-ft. radius.
Cartilaginous. The spell-warped has flexible bones due to its exposure to magic. It can move through and occupy a
3
space as narrow as 4 inches wide without squeezing.
Cockroach Legs. The spell-warped has several insectile legs sprouting in odd places due to its exposure to magic. It
4 has a climbing speed equal to its walking speed and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings,
without needing to make an ability check.
Deformed Wings. The spell-warped has twisted, quasi-insectile wings due to its exposure to magic. It has a flying
5
speed equal to its walking speed.
6 Face Gills. The spell-warped has gills due to its exposure to magic. It can breathe both air and water.
Festering Orifices. The spell-warped has multiple diseased wounds due to its exposure to magic. When the spell-
warped hits a creature with a melee attack, the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become
7
infected with a disease.1 Roll a 1d4. On a 1-2, the target is infected with Sewer Plague. On a 3, it is with Cackle Fever.
On a 4, it is Sight Rot.
Fleshy Antennae. The spell-warped has multiple antennae due to its exposure to magic. It has blindsight out to a
8
range of 30 ft.
Moist. The spell-warped is always wet due to its exposure to magic. It has advantage on checks made to resist or
9
escape being grappled.
Sticky Skin. The spell-warped is sticky all over due to its exposure to magic. It has advantage on Strength (Athletics)
10
ability checks made to grapple.
Toxic Spittle. The spell-warped drools and drips a toxic slime due to its exposure to magic. As a bonus action, it can
11 spit at one creature within 30 ft. of it that it can see. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be
blinded until the end of its next turn.
Two-Headed. The spell-warped has an additional head due to its exposure to magic. It has advantage on Wisdom
12 (Perception) ability checks as well as on saving throws against the blinded, deafened, stunned, and unconscious
conditions.

1. Information about these diseases can be found in the DMG.

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spell-warped template CONTINUED
ADVANCED MUTATIONS
d6 ADVANCED MUTATION
Bulbous Pustules. The spell-warped has acid-filled pustules all over its body due to its exposure to magic. Creatures
1
that hit the spell-warped with a melee attack suffer acid damage equal to the number of spell-warped’s Hit Dice.
Cancerous Regeneration. The spell-warped has regenerating tumors due to its exposure to magic. It regains 10
2 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the spell-warped takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at
the start of its next turn.
Engorged Muscles. The spell-warped has grotesquely enlarged muscles due to its exposure to magic. When it
3
hits a creature with a melee attack and rolls damage, it deals an additional damage die.
Irradiated. The spell-warped glows with radiant energy due to its exposure to magic. Each creature that is not a
4 construct or undead that ends its turn within 10 ft. of the spell-warped creature takes radiant damage equal to the
number of spell-warped’s Hit Dice.
Putrescent Effluvia. The spell-warped’s body is perpetually rotting due to its exposure to magic. Any creature
5
within 15 ft. of it has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws.
Scales and Scars. The spell-warped has scales and scarred flesh all over its body due to its exposure to magic. It
6
has +3 to its AC and resistance to acid and poison damage.

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 SPELL-WARPED EXAMPLE STAT BLOCK
The following is an example of the spell-warped template
applied to an ettin.

spell-warped ettin
Large giant, typically chaotic evil

Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48) Toxic Spittle. The spell-warped ettin drools and drips
Speed 40 ft. a toxic slime due to its exposure to magic. As a bonus
action, it can spit at one creature within 30 feet of it
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
that it can see. The target must succeed on a DC 12
21 (+5) 8 (–1) 19 (+4) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of its
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, next turn.
and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Two Heads. The spell-warped ettin has advantage on
Skills Perception +4
Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
Languages Giant, Orc
stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Wakeful. When one of the spell-warped ettin’s heads is
TRAITS asleep, its other head is awake.

Bulbous Pustules. The spell-warped ettin has acid- ACTIONS

filled pustules all over its body due to its exposure to
magic. Creatures that hit the spell-warped ettin with a Multiattack. The spell-warped ettin makes two attacks:
melee attack suffer 12 acid damage. one with its battleaxe and one with its morningstar.
Magic Resistance. The spell-warped ettin has Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
advantage on saving throws against spells and other one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
magical effects. Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.

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wasteland bestiary
The following pages include descriptions and stat blocks
for various inhabitants of the Weird Wastelands. They are
presented in alphabetical order.

feast beast 2
Shaped like a gigantic ox composed of vegetables, meats, Ambling Buffet. The gargantuan feast beast never stops
and grains with a strangely human face, the feast beast ex- moving, plodding across the wastelands in lumbering
ists to feed others. The lumbering giant doesn’t bat an eye strides. Merchants have tried to map its course, but its ev-
when people cut, shoot, or otherwise carve off hunks of er-changing path has thus far rendered that impossible. A
its body. In fact, the feast beast welcomes people doing so, slow moving, mobile caravan follows the beast, carving off
as it feels like scratching an itch in a hard-to-reach place. chunks of flesh and arranging them for sale. The feast beast
Because the feast grows the lost flesh back at an astonish- spends most of its time far away from any settlements, wan-
ing pace, there is always more to spare. dering the trackless wastes.
Cornucopia. The feast beast’s body is an amalgamation
of gourds, vegetables, fruits, meats, and grains, each with
their own distinctive flavors, and all equally nutritious.
Internal reservoirs of pure water are freely shared via a
row of udder-like appendages along its underside. Indeed,
its very step nourishes animals, for where it walks, grasses
grow. Most of its bulk is protein-rich flesh, but its vital
organs can also be removed and consumed for additional
benefits.
Harvesting Food. To take food from the feast beast, a
creature must deal at least 10 points of damage to it, caus-
ing it to drop 1 pound of food to the ground. If the feast
beast suffers more than 50 points of damage in a single
round, it becomes restless and begins to stomp around.
Harvesting Vital Organs. To harvest the brain or heart,
a creature must deal at least 10 points of necrotic dam-
age to the feast beast, opening a wound that does not
heal, where creatures can tunnel into the beast. After
the necrotic damage is dealt, creatures must enter the
wound and continue dealing at least 10 points of ne-
crotic damage from within the beast for 5 consecutive
rounds. If a creature does not deal at least 10 points of
necrotic damage on a round during this time, the tun-
nel heals closed, leaving any creatures inside blinded
and restrained, unable to breathe, and with total cover
against attacks and other effects outside the feast beast.
A creature can attempt to cut its way out by dealing 10
points of necrotic damage for each round it had tunneled
into the beast, falling to the ground outside the wound
and landing prone. If a creature deals at least 10 points of
necrotic damage for 5 consecutive rounds, the creature
reaches the feast beast’s brain or heart (creature’s choice)
and can harvest it by making a successful attack on it,
killing the creature instantly. If the feast beast dies, its
flesh and water reservoirs remain viable until they spoil
naturally, but any unharvested organs lose their potency
within 10 minutes of the creature’s death.
2. More information about the feast beast can be found in the Tradetown The heart and brain of a feast beast can provide powerful
location on p. 176 of chapter 5. magical benefits. Consuming at least 1 pound of the feast

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 beast’s 20-pound heart grants the effects of the regen-
eration spell. Consuming at least 1 pound of the beast’s
guardian gate3
5-pound brain grants the effects of the holy aura spell. The guardian gate is a set of massive basalt doors covered
Gentle Giant. Despite its benevolent nature, the feast in gems and celestial runes. The doors are closed, barring
beast can be extremely dangerous. Though it does not access to a planar portal beyond.
respond with violence when people take sustenance from Divine Gatekeeper. The guardian gate is immensely
its body, it does fight to defend itself if its heart or brain powerful, capable of preventing even the most formi-
are damaged. The beast’s sheer size makes it dangerous as dable mortal creatures from passing through the portal it
well. More than once innocent wastelanders and menac- guards. The power contained therein is such that only the
ing raiders alike have been smashed underfoot. gods themselves could craft such a thing, though why they
might and what portal they might choose to seal with a
guardian gate depends upon their inscrutable divine wills.
feast beast Portal Sentinel. The guardian gate’s sole purpose is to
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral good prevent anyone but its creators and those they designate
from passing through portals to other planes. Other crea-
Armor Class 12 tures who wish to leave this plane of existence must con-
Hit Points 148 (11d20 + 33) tend with the guardian gate first. The gate knows who its
Speed 40 ft. creators are and who its creators have designated as al-
lowed to pass through their threshold. Any others it acts
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA to prevent, even to its own destruction.
22 (+6) 3 (−4) 17 (+3) 3 (−4) 10 (+0) 5 (−3) Possession Gems. The guardian gate can possess crea-
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +5 tures by capturing their souls in embedded gems and tak-
Senses passive Perception 10 ing over their bodies. The gate has two diamonds, each of
Languages — which can store the soul of any creature that drops to 0 hit
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 points within 60 feet of it.

TRAITS
Regeneration. The feast beast regains 50 hit points
at the start of its turn as long as its brain and heart
are both intact. If the feast beast takes necrotic
damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of
the feast beast’s next turn. The feast beast dies
only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t
regenerate.
Vibrant Step. Where the feast beast steps, greenery
springs up in the footprints it leaves behind. The
vegetation can feed horses and livestock but is
not suitable for humanoids. The vegetation withers
within 1 hour.

ACTIONS
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach
15 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning
damage.
Foodalanche (Recharge 5–6). The feast beast
charges forward in a 20-foot straight line, forcing
each creature in the line to attempt a DC 14 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning
damage and being knocked prone on a failure. On a
success, a creature takes half damage and is pushed
into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the space
it occupied. Moving in this way does not provoke
opportunity attacks from the feast beast. 3. More information about the guardian gate can be found in the Gates
of the Afterlife location on p. 276 of chapter 5.

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guardian gate
Huge construct, unaligned

Armor Class 22 (natural armor) Emerald: Healing energies flow from the gem, washing
Hit Points 348 (24d12 + 192) across a target. The target regains 70 hit points and is
Speed 0 ft. cured of any blindness, deafness, and diseases affecting
it. This gem has no effect on constructs or undead.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
26 (+8) 6 (−2) 26 (+8) 23 (+6) 25 (+7) 29 (+9) Garnet: Brilliant sunlight flashes in a 20-foot radius
centered on a point within range. Any magical darkness
Saving Throws Int +13, Wis +14, Cha +16 in the area is immediately dispelled, and each creature
Skills Intimidation +16, Perception +14 in the area must attempt a Constitution saving throw,
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, psychic, taking 55 (10d10) radiant damage and becoming
radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from blinded for 1 minute on a failure, or taking half as
nonmagical attacks much damage and avoiding the blinded condition on
Damage Immunities poison a success. Undead and oozes have disadvantage on
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, this saving throw. A creature blinded by this gem can
frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, attempt a Constitution saving throw at the end of each
poisoned, stunned, unconscious of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 24
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. Onyx: A sickly beam of black energy streams from the
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7 gem. The target must attempt a Constitution saving
throw, taking 75 (10d6 + 40) necrotic damage on a
TRAITS failure, or half as much damage on a success. This
damage can’t reduce a target’s hit points below 1. If the
Gems of Power. In addition to its two massive target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is
diamonds that capture souls, the gate also has eight reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it
other precious gems, each with its own effect. Each took for 1 hour or until the effect is cured by any effect
gem has an AC of 18 and 50 hit points and is immune that removes a disease.
to poison and psychic damage, and all conditions.
Opal: A word of power issues from the gem, overwhelm-
Destroying a gem prevents the gate from using it.
ing the mind of one creature within range, leaving it
Immutable Form. The guardian gate is immune to dumbfounded. If the target has 150 hit points or fewer, it is
any spell or effect that would alter its form. stunned. Otherwise, the word has no effect. The stunned
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the guardian target can attempt a Constitution saving throw at the end
gate fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
instead. Pearl: A frigid globe of cold energy streaks from the
Magic Resistance. The guardian gate has advantage gem to a point within range, where it explodes in a
on saving throws against spells and other magical 20-foot-radius sphere. Each creature within the area
effects must attempt a Constitution saving throw, taking
55 (10d10) cold damage on a failure, or half as much
ACTIONS damage on a success.
Ruby: A streak of flame issues from the gem to a point
Multiattack. The guardian gate can use its Activate
within range, where it blossoms with a low roar into
Gem action (if it has any intact gems) and its Shake
a fiery explosion. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius
the Firmament action.
sphere centered on that point must attempt a Dexterity
Activate Gem. The guardian gate activates one gem saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) fire damage on a failure,
of its choice (save DC 24) targeting a creature or or half as much damage on a success.
location of its choice within 150 feet of it. Once it has
Sapphire: A bolt of lightning arcs toward a target
activated a gem, it cannot use that gem again until
within range. Three bolts then leap from that target
the beginning of its next turn.
to as many as three other targets, each of which must
Amethyst: A wave of force emanates from the gem. be within 30 feet of the first target. A target can be a
The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving creature or an object and can be targeted by only one
throw or take 75 (10d6 + 40) force damage. If this of the bolts. Targets must attempt a Dexterity saving
damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, its body throw, taking 55 (10d10) lightning damage on a failure,
becomes a pile of fine ash. or half as much damage on a success.

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 guardian gate CONTINUED
Huge construct, unaligned

Shake the Firmament. A violent peal of thunder The gate retains this control as long as the body
rolls out of the gate. Each creature within 10 feet of and the gate are on the same plane of existence and
the gate must attempt a Constitution saving throw, the diamond remains intact. The gate can choose to
taking 28 (8d6) thunder damage and being pushed replace the soul of a creature it controls with another
30 feet away from the gate on a failure, or taking soul, or it can choose to release the soul. When a
half as much damage and resist being pushed on a soul is released from a gem in any way, it returns to
success. its body as long as the body is within 60 feet of the
gates. If the body is not in range, the soul is released
REACTIONS to its afterlife, as if it had died.
Diamonds of Subjugation. The gate targets one LEGENDARY ACTIONS
creature within 60 feet of it that has 0 hit points
and has not been dead for more than 1 minute. The guardian gate can take 3 legendary actions,
The target must attempt a DC 24 Charisma saving choosing from the options below. Only one legendary
throw. On a failure, the target’s soul becomes action option can be used at a time and only at the
trapped in one of the gate’s embedded diamonds. end of another creature’s turn. The guardian gate
On a success, the target resists the gate’s efforts regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
to capture its soul, and the gate can’t attempt to turn.
capture that creature’s soul again for 24 hours. Activate Additional Gem (Costs 2 Actions). The
While the soul of a creature is captured within one guardian gate activates one of its gems it has not yet
of the two diamonds, the creature can perceive from activated this round.
the diamond using its own senses, but it can’t move
or take actions. Once the gate has taken control Terrifying Voice. The guardian gate utters a fiendish
of a creature’s soul, the gate can possess its body word. Any creature that can hear its voice that is hostile
and control it. At the beginning of the possessed to the gate must attempt a DC 24 Wisdom saving
creature’s next turn after being possessed, it regains throw, becoming frightened of the gate until the start
half its hit points, and the gate now determines what of its next turn. If a creature succeeds on this saving
it does on its turns for as long as it controls the body. throw, the creature is immune to the gate’s Terrifying
When controlling a body in this way, the gate senses Voice for the next 24 hours.
everything the body senses and controls it on the Tremble Before the Gates. The guardian gate uses its
possessed creature’s turn. Shake the Firmament action.

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magicore4
Magicores are magically mutated or alchemically altered Magically Morphed. Magicores are not born but made.
manticores. They might emerge from the alchemical cauldron of a cor-
Manticore Made. Like its forebear, a magicore is a bulky, rupted wizard or they might be found amid toxic waste
monstrous feline with a humanoid face that grins with a and magical fallout in a postapocalyptic landscape. Either
tooth-filled maw stretching ear-to-ear. Patches of spots on way, they are unpleasant and ill-tempered creatures, much
its fur form vaguely arcane glyphs, and its sleek-scaled tail like their predecessors.
ends in a fanned cluster of barbed spines.

magicore
Large monstrosity, typically neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Constitution ability check (DC equals 10 + the spell’s level).
Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40) On a success, the spell or magical effect ends as the magi-
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. core consumes it.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +3, Stealth +5 Tail Spike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Suppressing Roar (Recharge 5–6). The magicore lets out
Languages Common a deafening roar in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 affected area must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving
throw or have one of its magic items (chosen randomly)
TRAITS lose all magical properties until the start of the magicore’s
next turn. This effect does not target single-use items such
Latent Spellcasting. The magicore’s latent spellcasting
as potions and scrolls. If the object is a charged item, it
ability is Constitution (spell save DC 14). If the magicore
also loses 1d4 charges.
has consumed a spell in the last 24 hours, it can innately
cast the following spells, requiring no material components: REACTIONS
1/day each: blur, detect thoughts, expeditious retreat
Reactive Consumption. As a reaction when the magicore
Magical Senses. The magicore can sense the presence
is the target of a spell and can see the caster, the magicore
of magical effects and spellcasting creatures within 120
consumes the spell if it is 3rd level or lower, causing it to
feet of it. One foot of stone, 1 inch of metal, a thin sheet
fail. If the spell is 4th level or higher, the magicore must
of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt block any detection.
attempt a Constitution ability check (DC equals 8 + the
Sustained by Magic. Whenever the magicore consumes a spell’s level). On a success, the spell fails as the magicore
spell, it regains hit points equal to the spell’s level + 8. consumes it.
Tail Spike Regrowth. The magicore has twenty-four tail
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
spikes. Used spikes regrow when the magicore finishes
a long rest. The magicore can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from
the options below. Only one legendary action option can
ACTIONS be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s
Multiattack. The magicore makes three attacks: one turn. The magicore regains spent legendary actions at the
with its Bite and two with its Claw, or three with its Tail start of its turn.
Spike. The magicore can replace its Bite attack with Bounding Leap. The magicore moves up to half its speed.
Suppressing Roar, if available. Dispelling Lick. The magicore chooses one spell affecting
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar- it and consumes it if the spell is 3rd level or lower, ending
get. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage, and if the target is the spell. If the spell is 4th level or higher, the magicore
being affected by an ongoing spell or magical effect of must attempt a Constitution ability check (DC equals 10 +
3rd level or lower, the magicore consumes it, ending the the spell’s level). On a success, the spell ends as the magi-
effect. If it is 4th level or higher, the magicore attempts a core consumes it.

4. More information about the magicore can be found in the Toxic Alchemical Sump location on p. 201 in chapter 5.

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 mechaboleth5 gargantuan animated construct. This allows a mechabo-
Fearsome and bizarre, mechaboleths are biomechanical leth to move about dry land more easily, as well as provid-
isopods made from the unholy fusion of an aboleth and ing substantial protection against its threats. A mechabo-
a massive, animated construct. Resembling a gigantic lob- leth’s ultimate goals are mysterious, though undoubtedly
sterbot of slimy flesh and enchanted iron, a mechaboleth it shares the ambitions of its kind: to learn all it can so that
bides its time, sending out scouts and thralls to gather it can one day overthrow the gods themselves.
information. A mechaboleth takes its time with its plans Malfunctioning Hardware. The magical fusion that
of conquest; after all, it has an eternity to conquer. creates a mechaboleth is certainly powerful, but the exper-
Wandering Explorer. A mechaboleth came into be- imental technique is not without its flaws. For one thing,
ing when an aboleth magically merged its flesh with a mechaboleths are prone to mechanical malfunction, a
problem a typical aboleth need not worry about.
5. More information about the mechaboleth can be found in the Deep
Green location on p. 212 of chapter 5.

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mechaboleth
Gargantuan aberration, typically lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 10 minutes unless moisture is applied to its skin before
Hit Points 216 (16d20 + 48) 10 minutes have passed.
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 40 ft. Enslave (2/Day). The mechaboleth targets one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target
23 (+6) 8 (−1) 17 (+3) 21 (+5) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or
be magically charmed by the mechaboleth until the
Saving Throws Con +7, Int +9, Wis +6
mechaboleth dies or until it is on a different plane of
Skills History +14, Perception +10
existence from the target. The charmed target is under
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and
the mechaboleth’s control and can’t take reactions,
slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with
and the mechaboleth and the target can communicate
adamantine weapons
telepathically with each other over any distance.
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Whenever the charmed target takes damage, the
Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft.
target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
on a success. Once every 24 hours, the target can also
TRAITS repeat the saving throw when it is at least 1 mile away
from the mechaboleth.
Amphibious. The mechaboleth can breathe air and
Shell Defense (Recharge 4–6). The mechaboleth rolls
water.
up into its shell, falls prone, and gains a +5 bonus to
Probing Telepathy. If a creature communicates AC. While the mechaboleth is in its shell, its speed is 0.
telepathically with the mechaboleth and the The mechaboleth can emerge from its shell as a bonus
mechaboleth can see the creature, the mechaboleth action, whereupon it is no longer prone.
learns the creature’s greatest desires.
BONUS ACTIONS
Teleporting Escape. If the mechaboleth drops to 0 hit
points but is not destroyed outright, the aboleth host Pincer Pull. The mechaboleth deals 19 (3d8 + 6)
within it teleports out of the device a distance of up to bludgeoning damage to a creature it has grappled with
10 miles toward its lair, where it appears with half its its Grappling Pincer and pulls the creature up to 20 feet
hit points and one level of exhaustion. straight toward it.
ACTIONS REACTIONS
Multiattack. The mechaboleth makes two Grappling Vent Mucous. When a creature hits the mechaboleth
Pincer attacks and two Tentacle attacks. with a melee attack, the mechaboleth uses its reaction
Grappling Pincer. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to vent mucous onto the attacker. The target must
to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) attempt a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, becoming
bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a Large or poisoned and diseased for 1d4 hours on a failure. The
smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until diseased creature can breathe only underwater.
the grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the
mechaboleth cannot use its Grappling Pincer on
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
another target. The mechaboleth can take 3 legendary actions,
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach choosing from the options below. Only one legendary
10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) bludgeoning action option can be used at a time and only at the end
damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed of another creature’s turn. The mechaboleth regains
on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or become spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
diseased. The disease has no effect for 1 minute and Detect. The mechaboleth attempts a Wisdom
can be removed by any magic that cures disease. (Perception) ability check.
After 1 minute, the diseased creature’s skin becomes
Tentacle. The mechaboleth makes one Tentacle attack.
translucent and slimy, the creature can’t regain hit
points unless it is underwater, and the disease can be Psychic Drain (Costs 2 Actions). One creature charmed
removed only by heal or another disease-curing spell by the mechaboleth takes 18 (4d8) psychic damage, and
of 6th level or higher. When the creature is outside the mechaboleth regains hit points equal to the damage
a body of water, it takes 6 (1d12) acid damage every the creature takes.

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 shadow chameleon6
The shadow chameleon is a magical shapeshifter that re- transforming the creature into a haze of radiant energy
sembles a black metallic lizard in its natural form. Its mu- that pulses and glows with searing light.
tated, shapechanger nature allows it to transform into Radiant Escape. When injured or afraid, a shadow cha-
pure radiant energy. meleon can transform into its radiant form, though it may
Two Forms. Shadow chameleons alternate between two also choose to take this form in other circumstances as it
very different forms. One gives it its namesake, with the prefers. When in this form, the shadow chameleon can
appearance of a large chameleon covered in ebon, me- move through objects and creatures, searing them with ra-
tallic scales. Its other form, however, differs radically, diant energy as it goes.

shadow chameleon
Large monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned

Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Incorporeal Movement. The shadow chameleon

Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85) can move through other creatures and objects
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 20 ft. (radiant form only) as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10)
force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
23 (+6) 17 (+3) 21 (+5) 7 (−2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) Limited Magic Immunity. The shadow chameleon
can’t be affected or detected by spells of 6th level
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +10, Wis +7
or lower unless it wishes to be.
Skills Perception +7
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, Radiant Absorption. Whenever the shadow
and slashing from nonmagical attacks chameleon is subjected to radiant damage, it
Damage Immunities lightning, necrotic, radiant instead takes no damage and regains a number
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., of hit points equal to the radiant damage dealt.
passive Perception 17 Shadow Form. While in its shadow form, the shadow
Languages understands Common and Draconic chameleon has the following features:
but can’t speak
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Lightning Reflection. The shadow chameleon
reflects lightning. If it would take lightning
TRAITS damage, it is unaffected, and the effect is
reflected back at the caster as though it
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the shadow originated from the shadow chameleon, turning
chameleon fails a saving throw, it can choose to the caster into the target.
succeed instead.
Metallic Blood. A creature that hits the shadow
Radiant Form. While in its radiant form, the shadow chameleon with a melee attack while within 5
chameleon has the following features: feet of it takes 7 (2d6) magical piercing damage,
Incorporeal Form. The shadow chameleon is as black metallic shards explode from the wound,
weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, and can piercing the attacker and becoming embedded in
hover. Whenever the shadow chameleon enters the ground in a 5-foot cube in the same space as
a creature’s space, the creature must attempt a the attacking creature. The area is difficult terrain.
DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a success, the The shards erode into dust after 1 minute.
creature can choose to move 5 feet back from Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the
the shadow chameleon. A creature that chooses shadow chameleon can take the Hide action as a
not to move suffers the consequences of a failed bonus action.
saving throw. On a failure, the shadow chameleon
enters the creature’s space, and the creature takes Shapechanger. The shadow chameleon can use its
21 (6d6) radiant damage. While the target remains action to polymorph into a Large cloud of radiant
in the same space as the chameleon, the target is energy or back into its shadow form, a pitch-black
blinded and takes 21 (6d6) radiant damage at the metallic shadow chameleon. The shadow chameleon
start of each of the shadow chameleon’s turns. reverts to its true, shadow form when it dies.

6. More information about the shadow chameleon can be found in the Basalt Palace location on p. 255 of chapter 5.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

304 weird waStelandS
shadow chameleon CONTINUED
Large monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned

ACTIONS Blinding Flash (Radiant Form Only) (Recharge 5–6).

The shadow chameleon emits a powerful blast of
Multiattack. The shadow chameleon makes any radiant light in an area around it. Each creature within
three Bite, Claw, or Radiant Beam attacks when in 60 feet of the shadow chameleon must attempt a
the corresponding form. It can replace one of these DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 72 (16d8)
attacks with a Tongue attack. radiant damage on a failure, or half as much damage
Bite (Shadow Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: on a success. Creatures with darkvision attempt this
+10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) saving throw with disadvantage.
piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
The shadow chameleon makes this attack with
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
advantage if it is grappling the target. The shadow chameleon can take 3 legendary actions,
Claw (Shadow Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: choosing from the options below. Only one legendary
+12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (4d6 + 6) action option can be used at a time and only at
slashing damage. the end of another creature’s turn. The shadow
chameleon regains spent legendary actions at the
Radiant Beam (Radiant Form Only). Ranged start of its turn.
Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 120 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) radiant damage. Beam or Bite. The shadow chameleon makes a
Beam or Bite attack, depending on its current form.
Tongue (Shadow Form Only). Melee Weapon
Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 9 Transform. The shadow chameleon polymorphs
(1d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and if the target from its radiant to its shadow form, or vice versa.
is a Large or smaller creature, it is pulled to within Light Shift (Costs 2 Actions). The shadow
5 feet of the shadow chameleon and grappled chameleon teleports up to 40 feet to an unoccupied
(escape DC 18). Creatures grappled by the shadow space it can see without provoking opportunity
chameleon’s tongue have disadvantage when attacks.
attempting ability checks to escape this grapple.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

weird waStelandS 305
 squamous magnedon7
The squamous magnedon is a wingless dragon with metal- repelling, and tossing metal objects from handheld weap-
lic spines that run along its back and crackle with electric- ons up to large metal objects and vehicles.
ity. Unlike other dragons, the squamous magnedon both Brutal and Covetous. Squamous magnedons are less in-
collects and eats metal, saving its favorite pieces in a mas- telligent than their draconic kin, but they make up for that
sive hoard on which it sleeps. The squamous magnedon in sheer brutality and focus. Unlike most other dragons, who
is foul-tempered and aggressive, but it tolerates others if hoard valuables and treasures, squamous magnedons singu-
well-fed. larly covet metallic objects, regardless of their monetary or
Electromagnetic. The squamous magnedon has a me- magical value. To a squamous magnedon, a rusted vehicle
tallic sheen to its scales and discharges electrical energy chassis is more valuable than a sack full of diamonds. Their
when struck with metal weapons. It can focus this electro- greed for metal things is virtually limitless, and the foul
magnetic energy on nearby creatures and objects, pulling, creatures do not stop when they sense metal nearby.

squamous magnedon
Huge dragon, typically chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Hit Points 225 (18d12 + 108) one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) slashing damage.
Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
25 (+7) 10 (+0) 23 (+6) 6 (−2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) Electromagnetic Discharge (Recharge 5–6). The squa-
mous magnedon’s metallic spines explode with a cloud
Saving Throws Str +12, Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +7, Cha +6
of electricity in the area around it. Each creature within
Skills Perception +12
60 feet of the squamous magnedon must attempt a DC 18
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing,
Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) lightning dam-
and slashing from nonmagical attacks
age on a failure, or half as much damage on a success.
Damage Immunities lightning
Creatures wearing metal armor attempt this saving throw
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft.,
with disadvantage.
passive Perception 22
Languages understands Common and Draconic Magnetic Presence. The squamous magnedon charges
but can’t speak the atmosphere around it, causing electricity to arc
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 between nearby metallic objects. Each creature wearing
metal armor or wielding a metal weapon within 30 feet of
TRAITS the magnedon must attempt a DC 18 Constitution saving
throw, taking 21 (6d6) lightning damage on a failure, or half
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the squamous as much on a success.
magnedon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed
instead. LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Metal Sense. The squamous magnedon can
The squamous magnedon can take 3 legendary actions,
pinpoint, by scent, the location of metal, including metal
choosing from the options below. Only one legendary
armor or weapons, within 60 feet of it.
action option can be used at a time and only at the end of
Static Charge. A creature that touches the squamous another creature’s turn. The squamous magnedon regains
magnedon or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
feet of it takes 10 (3d6) lightning damage. Detect. The squamous magnedon attempts a Wisdom
(Perception) ability check.
ACTIONS
Tail Attack. The squamous magnedon makes a Tail attack.
Multiattack. The squamous magnedon can use its
Magnetize Armor (Costs 2 Actions). The squamous magne-
Magnetic Presence. It then makes three attacks: one
don magnetizes the metal armor of a creature it can see with-
with its Bite and two with its Claws.
in 90 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one saving throw or be moved up to 30 feet in a direction of
target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) the squamous magnedon’s choice, either being pulled
lightning damage. toward the squamous magnedon or pushed away from it.

7. More information about the squamous magnedon can be found in the Derbytown location on p. 230 of chapter 5.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

308 weird waStelandS
Thool8
Thools are tall, statuesque, and eerily beautiful, their faces Wicked Weapons. Thools fashion weapons from the
pale and serene as if carved from blue-veined, pale-gray sinew and bone of their fallen foes. Some prefer a lash,
granite. Masters of psychometabolism and fleshcrafting, wielding a sinewy scourge of tendons and sharpened teeth.
they use their psychic powers and mastery of vivisection Others prefer to fashion a kind of bow from the spine,
to create grotesque weapons, armor, and tools from the cartilage, and guts of their prey, while shooting arrows of
bodies of living creatures. crafted bone.
Fleshcraft. Thools use psychic surgery to fashion and
wield weapons from the living flesh of their victims. These
grotesque items squirm and pulse with life, quivering thool
as they are wielded. Thools do not say whether anything Medium undead, typically neutral evil
of the consciousness of the victim remains in these items;
instead, when asked such a question, they only smile Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
wickedly. Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +5, Perception +4
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not
made with silvered weapons
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

TRAITS
Psionics. The thool’s psionic ability is Intelligence
(spell save DC 13). It can use the Ease Malady and
Siphon Life powers from the Psychometabolism
psionic discipline at will.⁹

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The thool makes two attacks.
Sinewy Pain Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing
damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.
Spine-Bow Barb. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.
Vermin (Recharge 5–6). A wave of rats and roaches
issues from the thool’s body in a 15-foot cone. Each
creature in the area must attempt a DC 13 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage on a
failure, or half as much damage on a success.

8. More information about thools can be found in the Last City of MAN
location on p. 190 of chapter 5.
9. Ease Malady and Siphon Life are two psionic powers in the
Psychometabolism psionic discipline and can be found on p. 25.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

weird waStelandS 309
 Tremble10
A tremble is a palm-sized shard of animated metal that
vibrates with a faint buzz. When stroked, trembles emit an tremble
audible buzz that sounds almost like a cat’s purr. Trembles Tiny elemental, unaligned
can be useful as tools, able to sharpen blades to a fine
edge with their intense vibrations. One feeds a tremble by Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
rubbing it with a blade or other piece of metal. By them- Hit Points 13 (3d4 + 6)
selves, trembles are friendly and can even be cute pets. Speed 5 ft., burrow 10 ft.
In groups, however, they can become terribly destruc- STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
tive. Overfeeding a tremble causes it to reproduce. As one
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 3 (−4) 8 (−1) 6 (−2)
famous arcanist put it, trembles are born pregnant, and
excess metal brings them to term. Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing,
slashing, thunder
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Tremble-Sharpened Weapons Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
Weapon (any weapon made of metal that frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
deals slashing or piercing damage and has Senses tremorsense 20 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages —
been sharpened by a tremble), uncommon Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

When you roll a 20 on your attack roll with a TRAITS

tremble-sharpened weapon, you deal an extra 7
damage of the weapon’s type. While sharpened, Corrode Metal. When left in contact with a metal
object for 24 hours, the tremble corrodes it. If the
the weapon does not count as magical. It reverts
object is a nonmagical weapon, it takes a permanent
to its previous stats after 1d10 days. You can safely
and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its
use a tremble to gain this benefit once every 30
penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. If the
days. Using a tremble to sharpen a weapon before
object is nonmagical ammunition, it is destroyed.
then still produces a tremble-sharpened weapon
If the object is armor, it takes a permanent and
but also results in the tremble multiplying.
cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is
destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.
10. More information about trembles can be found in the Rust Wastes Multiplying. If a tremble is used as a whetstone more
location on p. 245 of chapter 5. than once every 30 days, or if it is left in contact with
metal for 24 hours, it splits into four trembles after
1d4 hours. When at least two trembles get within
5 feet of one another, including immediately after
a tremble splits, they all become more aggressive,
seeking out more metal to consume and attacking
anyone who tries to stop them. If a tremble is sepa-
rated from all other trembles by more than 5 feet for
1 minute, it reverts to its passive state.

ACTIONS
Vibrating Edges. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage
plus 2 (1d4) thunder damage.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

310 weird waStelandS
 Aggressive in Groups. By itself, a tremble is friendly SWARM OF TREMBLES
and passive, allowing itself to be handled, used as a whet- One tremble is cute, several are a nuisance, and a swarm of
stone, and stroked, all of which cause it to purr. Bringing them is something else entirely. If a pair of trembles is set
two or more trembles into proximity with one another loose in an armory, for example, they could quickly fill it
causes them to become more aggressive, however, seeking after less than 24 hours, devouring all the metal and boring
out more metal to consume and attacking anyone who tries through the walls, floors, and ceilings to get at more. Once
to stop them. enough trembles come together to form a Large swarm,
Living Whetstone. Trembles eat the fine metal dust they become magnetically attracted to one another and
they remove from blades when they are used to sharpen act as a single, swarming organism.
them. When a creature uses a tremble as a whetstone Destructive Vibrations. Once enough trembles come
for 1 minute to sharpen a nonmagical weapon made of together to form a swarm, their vibrations harmonize and
metal that deals slashing or piercing damage, the weapon amplify significantly, allowing them to burrow through vir-
becomes extremely sharp, dealing additional damage for tually anything. Indeed, the rumble of their approach can be
several days. heard from a good distance, noticeable mostly by the trem-
ors they cause in the ground around them. These vibrations
can be enough to trigger landslides in precarious areas.

swarm of trembles
Large swarm of Tiny elementals, unaligned

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) ACTIONS

Hit Points 126 (12d10 + 60)
Speed 20 ft., burrow 40 ft. Multiattack. The swarm of trembles makes two attacks.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Spit Tremble. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
30 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) slashing damage plus
19 (+4) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 3 (−4) 8 (−1) 6 (−2)
7 (2d6) thunder damage.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing,
thunder Engulf. The swarm of trembles moves up to its speed.
Damage Immunities poison, psychic While doing so, it can enter Large or smaller creatures’
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, spaces. Whenever the swarm enters a creature’s space,
exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, the creature must attempt a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw.
poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned On a success, the creature can choose to be pushed
Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 9 5 feet back or to the side of the swarm. A creature that
Languages — chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 failed saving throw.
On a failure, the swarm enters the creature’s space, and
TRAITS the creature takes 17 (5d6) slashing damage and is en-
gulfed. The engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained,
Swarm. The swarm of trembles can occupy another and takes 21 (6d6) slashing damage at the start of each of
creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can the swarm’s turns. When the swarm moves, the engulfed
move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature moves with it.
tremble. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain If the target is wearing nonmagical metal armor and ends
temporary hit points. its turn while engulfed, its armor is partly corroded and takes
Consume Metal. Any nonmagical weapon made of a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers.
metal that hits the swarm of trembles corrodes. After The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.
dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an ac-
cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty tion to attempt a DC 12 Strength check. On a success, the
drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5
ammunition made of metal that hits the swarm is feet of the swarm.
destroyed after dealing damage. The swarm can eat Quake (Recharge 5–6). The swarm of trembles emits a
through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical metal in 1 round. If thunderous wave of vibration in a 30-foot radius around it.
the swarm starts its turn in the same space as a metal Each creature in that area must attempt a DC 16 Constitution
object that is Medium or smaller and is not being worn saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) thunder damage and being
or carried, it is destroyed. knocked prone on a failure, or taking half as much damage
and avoiding being knocked prone on a success.

CHAPTER SIX • friends & foes

weird waStelandS 311
When I was young, I heard the story of one who peered
too long in some old shrine and saw beings who spoke
of our world but were not part of it. I dismissed it; who
hasn’t had a vision of a strange and forgotten thing
when digging too deep in the sand? But now, my mind
blossoms and perceives every point of connection in
this land, and now:
I see you.
I see your friends.
I see you pretend to be great, to think of our most
dangerous places as opportunities for adventure.
I see how surviving in a land scarred with magic
thrills you.
I know you’re not gods, but, please, consider my
request.
If you can’t take me with you, learn about this broken
world, and help us make it better while you’re here.
– Thuja Vaden, Psion

Worlds of Web DM: Weird Wastelands is a

sourcebook for roleplaying and exploring in the
fantasy post-apocalypse, featuring:
• 8 action-packed, weird locations full of dynamic
challenges and exciting discoveries
• New options for creating post-apocalyptic
characters, including new subclasses,
backgrounds, spells, feats, and our complete
psion class
• GM resources for worldbuilding, including
factions, maps, and randomized tables
• New mechanics to support exploration, travel,
and resource management
• All the guidance (and puns) you expect from
Web DM to help you run the best games of
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ISBN 978-1-946678-44-7

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