Players may use standard 28 point buy or roll 4d6 throwing out the lowest. Players may roll one additional time and throw out the lowest total score. Players may choose from any of the races and classes in player handout 2. Any class or race not mentioned will be discussed with the DM and a compromise will be made. Players will start at 5th level and may have 500gp in starting equipment not including any items given to them by the DM. Since this is a primitive culture no money will be given, however items will be referred to with a monetary value such as the value of gems and tokens of art. Players may reserve the right to purchase equipment until after the DM has handed out magic items but must have their lists completed by game time.
Armor and Weapons:
Hirebrands, the dwarven rock-workers would use adhesive leather called clingor to fashion their armor. They use weapons of chipped stone and even have a form of splint mail where light chipped rock is set in layers over the clingor. By soaking the armor in mud and compressing multiple layers and enchanting them, a breastplate may be crafted. Since they themselves have no lore or need for metal, any ore found would be thrown away. Their own crafted and enchanted armor and weapons would be better wielded by them then any metal.
The race most likely to use metal is the Giants. They have the ability to craft swords, shields, and armor. There is a danger in digging too deep for the minions of the under-earth, the creations of Lord Foul�s creation are still alive and well. The Hirebrands are careful not to dig too deep and for this reason metal is a rare and precious thing. There is no restriction among the giants on armor they can create any armor in the Players Handbook, but with great cost.
The wood elves would wear a form of reinforced armor made from a strong weave of roots and willow switches. They may be reinforced by tiny bits of boning. They will usually use weapons and shields of strong, aged wood. Because of magics and such the armor may be made to be harder and more durable then most wicker armors. They also use an aged imbued wood (petrified), which is light and hard for weapons and a type of scale armor. They also have a way of creating a brestplate, which requires multiple layers of wicker armor and spirits.
The ramen use for weapons a cord, which is wrapped around their waists, and wear light clingor armor. They would have very little use for metal except for studs in their armor and shields.
The bloodguard, or Haruchai fight with neither armor or weapons.
There will be no penalty to the player by being metal poor. Magic and craftsmanship will allow for armor with the same AC as with typical D&D armor. The armor table below only goes to medium armor but with proper imbuing the AC can be the same as heavier armor.
D&D standard rockmagic woodmagic
light
Padded cloth hemp
Leather clingor wicker
Studded leather Stone studded clingor Reinforced wicker
Chain shirt Imbued studded clingor Imbued reinforced wicker
medium
Scale mail Shale mail Wood chip
Chain mail Imbued shale Imbued wood chip
Breastplate earthplate wickerplate
Magic:
To become a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric one must first live as a Stonedowner or Woodhelvennin and then leave to study the Staff at Loresraat at Revelstone after reaching 3rd level. The sorcerer, wizard, and cleric classes will be treated as prestige classes.
All casters whether divine or arcane will cast in the same manner; with the exception of bards. The components will depend upon the race of the caster. Woodhelvennin would cast using bits of wood, leaves, or berries; Rhadhamaerl would use bits of sand, stone and earth. Instead of scribing spells into a book, the knowledge of spells comes from studying the Earth Power in the land. The caster creates an icon from their respective race (either of stone or wood) and this will hold the spell until casting. The icons take no longer to craft then a wizard would take to study the spell. The more the spell is cast, the easier the icon is created. Any icon not used at the end of the day still holds the spell and may be used the next day by simply studying it again. The way in which the spell is discharged from the icon is completely harmless to the caster, but destroys the icon. Any icon not used may be reshaped into another spell but takes a very long time to do. A caster wishing to reshape an icon during game play would roll their knowledge Arcane or Religion rolls or Spellcraft (whichever is higher) vs. a DC 20. With a roll of 20 the caster is able to complete the reshaping in 15 minutes. 15 or better would be 30 minutes, 10 to 15 would be 45 minutes and anything less would be an hour. A player need not roll for multiple spells if they are being reshaped at the same time in gameplay.
Bards:
Bards would cast spells as any other caster except that they do not need icons. They use chants and songs to achieve the desired effects. They are able to cast on the fly and do not need to prepare their songs. The songs they sing are the telling of history for written word is reserved only for the Lords and elders.
Player Handout 2: Races and classes
Race/class limitations are as follows:
Stonedowners are dwarvish people who live in stone villages and practice the stone magic. They all can cast cantrips and magic users may choose to be druids or bards until 3rd level. This to prepare them for the branch of Kevin�s Law known as the Staff. They may choose to study the Sword instead and become Warriors, Rangers, or Paladins without restriction to level. There is no Pantheon. Clerics and Paladins serve the Land as they would the gods. There are no rogues, barbarians, or monks among them.
Woodhelvinnin: are elves who live in or among the trees. They practice wood magic and may also choose to follow either the Staff or Sword. Every Woodhelvinnin can cast cantrips and like the Stonedowners, serve the Land. There are no rogues, monks or barbarians among them.
Bloodguard: these are special defenders of the Lords. They are from an ancient race called the Haruchai. They take special oaths and fight with neither arms nor armor. They are the monks. Use the human template but with a standard wisdom of 19 and minimum age of 300.
Half-giants: Players may choose to be half giants with the template as follows: +1HD type -2Cha +2Str +2Con �2Int 2HP damage reduction, large size, +5 resistance vs. fire, with a will save to attack the next round with a maximum of 1 lost action per occurrence. Half-giants are restricted to warrior, rogue (more like pirates then burglars), bard, and barbarian classes.
Ramen: From the plains of Ra these are the caretakers of the Horses, the Ranyhyn. They are strictly Rangers. Use human template but free martial proficiency with a whip.
If any player has a roleplaying reason why their certain race would be anything other then the class outlined above, they may submit in writing to the GM a brief telling of their story and a compromise will be reached.
Player Handout 3: Some History.
aliantha: These are called treasure berries, they are eaten on long journeys or during times of illness to sustain the body for long periods of time without much food. Once eaten, they provide energy, a sense of well-being and comfort. It is tradition to scatter the seeds as they are eaten to provide treasure berries for coming generations. While traveling player gains back the hit points at the end of each day as if he/she had been resting the whole day. A full day of rest after consuming the berries, the player will regain their hit points twice as fast as usual. A wilderness lore check plus the ranks in heal for clerics can be used to find treasure berries with a DC 20.
amanibhavan: A grass with tiny yellow flowers which is poisonous to men but which heals horses. See above description, but apply to horses.
anundivian yajna also called marrow-meld: A lost Ramen craft of bone sculpting. Besides creating works of great beauty of the bones of dead animals, the artisan after much study and practice may acquire some spells implementing the bones. There are no known bone crafters at this time, but the art is not completely lost. Necromantic spells would be cast utilizing this art.
Bloodguard: the defenders of the lords. These men take upon themselves an oath to the Lords to defend them. They give up everything worldly, including aging. The do not take up weapons and only fight in the defense of their lords. This would be the monk class.
Despite: or the power of evil is the unnatural and unwholesome element in the Land, but not of the Land. It was rumored that the one named Lord foul created the evil and set it upon the Land, that although He has long since been defeated, this power continues on. Evil
Diamondraught: giantish liquor, which is very potent but very sustaining; and even has some healing properties. See text for aliantha.
Earthpower: The source for all power in the land. Rather then studying ancient texts, scrolls, and ancient symbology; the people of the Land study the Land itself. The Earthpower flows through all people and all things born into it. The antithesis of this power would be Despite. This is the representation of not only good, but the �god� element of the Land, as there is no pantheon per se, only legendary defenders of the Land who have risen above the status of mortals but who do not interfere directly with the living.
fire-stones: or graveling the most common element of stone-spells. This is carried in pots and heated for fires. It is made to glow by the stone-lore.
Forestal: a protector of the Forests of the Land. Druids from 3rd level to 10th level who wish to eventually become Unfettered.
Giants: This is a race of beings that left their homes many, many years ago. In their travels they met many people before finally settling in the Land. They are referred to as the Unhomed because although they have been in the Land for many years they always talk, sing, and dream of returning home. They are especially good at sailing, as they arrived in the Land by ship. They are known for their cheerful nature and are given to long speech and song. They show a remarkable resistance to the damaging effects of fire but are very sensitive to heat. Although they take no damage from flames, it takes a strong will to remain in close contact with heat
Gravelingas or rhadhamaerl: a master of the stone lore. Suru-pa-maerl is a stone craft practiced by these people. These are dwarves who use stone and earth to channel the Land�s power. GM will instruct player on what spells are restricted.
High Wood: lomillialor, offspring of the One Tree. A wood of power. This will represent a wood that can store spells in much the same way as a scroll. It can hold multiple charges but once the crafting is complete, it cannot be recharged.
High Lord: Leader of the council of the Lords. This is the governing body in the Land. To become a Lord one must study for many years and give one�s self completely to the Land. The High Lord is elected from the Lords to lead the Council. The Lords both lead and serve the people. A lord would be a 10th level wizard or cleric/fighter combination or higher and the high Lord would be at least 15th level, preferably 20th.
Hirebrand: Master of wood lore known as lillianrill the wood-lore. See Gravelingas.
Hurtloam: a healing mud. This is a glittery dark mud rich in Earthpower that when applied to a wound acts as a salve. Gravelingas with a gift are able to find the mud. When large amounts of the mud are applied after a great wound, it will cause a deep and restful sleep and wake up refreshed and healthy. During travel player with clerical ability or feat Find Hurtloam may roll 1d20 as many times per day as they have points in their heal skill with a DC of 20 to find the mud
The Land: This is all that is known to the people. This is the known world and everything in it. The people of the Land know there are other people and lands beyond their knowledge due to the stories of the Giants and their travels. These other lands might exist with their own powers, laws, and races; but the people do not dwell on these things. They are more concerned with their own families, the Land itself, and the power therein.
Lord: A master of the Sword and Staff parts of Kevin�s lore.
Oath of Peace: Oath by the people of the Land against needless violence. This is the oath all good people of the land live by. It is part of Kevin�s lore. This means that the people of the Land fight only in self-defense and against evil things of the land. They take an oath to never desecrate the land and never fight brother-to brother.
orcrest: stone of power. See text for high wood but apply to rockmagic.
Ramen: The people who serve the Ranyhyn, the great free horses of the Plains of Ra. These people serve, protect, and care for the Horses, but do not ride them. This would be the Ranger class.
rillinlure: healing wood dust. See hurtloam but apply to hirebrands.
spingwine: a mild refreshing liquor generally found in the waymeets in the woods but can also be found among the villiages. See aliantha.
Stonedown: a stone village led by a circle of elders. The inhabitants are referred to as stonedowners. These are that race of people who study the rhadhamaerl. Dwarves.
Unfetterd: Lore students freed from conventional responsibilities. When a student has reached an interest in the Land so obscure that he or she wished to give themselves completely to the study of it, they become unfettered. They become solitary, so consumed with their research they forget to eat, sleep and even age. They have great wisdom and knowledge but seldom have the patience to deal with the common people except in times of great need or when their own research has become jeopardized. These would be the druids 10th level and above from either the Stonedowners or Woodhelven who choose not to take up the Staff.
Woodhelven: wood village lead by a heer; often a large tree or within the trees, wherein reside Woodhelvennin. This race possesses the wood magic or lillianrill. Elves.
Warlore: Sword knowledge of Kevin�s Lore Warriors.
Player Handout 4: Feats.
Find Hurtloam: Any non-magic user may have been born with the innate ability to find hurtloam. With this feat the player gains the ability to find and administer hurtlaom.
Find rillinlure: Any non-magic user may have been born with the innate ability to find rillinlure With this feat the player gains the ability to find and administer rillinlure
Use Marrowmeld: player has learned the �lost� art of bone sculpting and may cast necromantic spells. This is not necessarily evil, but it is a lost art form and difficult to learn.
DM�s Notes: The Land, and it�s History:
**read up on this
Banas Nimoram: the celebration of Spring. During this time the Wraiths of Andelain (creatures of living light) perform the Dance at the Celebration of spring. This is a rare sight to behold. Usually only those given themselves completely to the study of the land refferd to as the unfetterd ones are fortunate enough to behold these glorious creatures. This happens on the dark of the moon in the middle of the night of spring.
**Bhrathair: A people met by the wondering giants.
caamora: ancient giantish ordeal of grief by fire. This is also how the giants heal themselves since they are immune to the destruction of fire but very sensitive to the heat. Once the giants purge themselves of grief by intense heat they are able to revert to their jovial selves.
Cavewights: evil creatures existing under mount thunder.
Circle of elders: stonedown elders
Clingor: Adhesive leather used for making saddles and light armor and boots.
The Close: The council chamber of lord�s keep
**Colossus: the ancient stone figure guarding the upper Land. It is rumored that one possessing the right magic can control the colossus against evil during great need.
Cord: The second rank of Ramen.
Cording: the ceremony of becoming a cord.
Corruption: Bloodguard name for �Lord foul� or evil.
Creator: the legendary Timelord and Landsire, enemy of Lord foul.
Demondim: spawners of ur-viles and Waynhim.
Desolation: the era of ruin in the Land, after the Ritual of Desecration which was preformed by Kevin landwaster, a high lord who chose to ruin the land to save it.
**Diamondraught: giantish liquor, which is very potent but very sustaining; and even has some healing properties.
Elohim: people met by the wandering giants.
Eoman: twenty warriors plus a warhaft.
Eoward: Twenty Eoman plus a Haft.
fael Befylam: serpant form of the jheherrin, the living by products of Foul�s misshaping.
aussat Befylam: child form of the jheherrin, the living by products of Foul�s misshaping
Fire-Lions: fire flow of mount thunder.
First-Haft: third in command of the War ward
First mark: the bloodguard commander
**First Ward of Kevin�s Lore: primary knowledge left by Lord Kevin.
Forbidding: a repelling force, a wall of power, created by the Lord�s staves.
Foul�s Creche: the Despiser�s home
**Furl Falls: waterfall at Revelstone.
**Furl�s fire: Warning fires at Revelstone.
Gallow�s Howe: a place of execution in Garroting deep.
Giantclave: Giantish conference.
Gilden: A maple like tree with Golden Leaves. Rods of power called Gildenlode are crafted from the wood of these trees. Also called lor-liarill. Rods and wands.
.Glimmermere: a lake on the upland above Revelstone.
**Grieve: Coerci Giant city.
griffon: a lion-like beast with wings. Evil.
Haft: commander of the Eoward.
Hauruchai: the original race of the Bloodguard.
Healer: physician.
Hearthrall of Lord�s Keep: a steward responsible for light, warmth and hospitality.
Heart of Thunder: Cave of power in mount thunder.
heartwood chamber: Woodhelven Meeting place.
Heer: Leader of a Woodhelven.
High Lord�s Furl: Banner of the High Lord.
Hiltmark: second in command of the Warward.
Hoerkin: a Warhaft.
Home: original homeland of the giants.
Hurtloam: a healing mud. This is a glittery dark mud rich in Earthpower that when applied to a wound acts as a salve. Gravelingas with a gift are able to find the mud. When large amounts of the mud are applied after a great wound, it will cause a deep and restful sleep and wake up refreshed and healthy. During travel player with clerical ability or feat Find Hurtloam may roll 1d20 as many times per day as they have points in their heal skill with a DC of 20 to find the mud Once found DM will roll 1d4 to ascertain the strength. The result of the roll is how many d8 the mud will heal upon application. If a player has lost 95% of their hit points and regains at least 90% of the LOST hit points, they must make a will save DC 15 or lose their next action, too consumed with exhaustion with a maximum of one lost action per occurrence. The mud only lasts for a short time when removed from the earth. DM will roll percentile dice to determine how long the mud will last.
Illearth stone: found under Mount Thunder, a source of evil power.
jheherrin: soft ones, looking like cavewights but flesh like mud, living by-products of Foul�s Misshaping. They cannot reproduce like their kin.
Kelenbhrabanal: Father of Horses in Ramen legends.
Kevin Landwaster: Son of Loric Vilesilencer, last High Lord of the old Lords.
Kevin�s Lore: knowledge of power left by Kevin in the seven Wards
Kiril Threndor: chamber of power deep under Mount Thunder, Heart of thunder.
kresh: savage, giant yellow wolves. Dire wolverines.
krill: the enchanted sword of Loric, a mystery to the New Lords, wakened to power by Thomas Covenant.
Kurash Plenethor: a region once called Stricken Stone and later Trothgard.
Kurash Qwellinir: the shattered hills
The Law of Death: the separation of the living and the dead.
Lifeswallower: the great swamp.
Lord Fatherer: Berek Halfhand
Lord Foul: Enemy of the Land.
�Lord Mhoram�s Victory�: painting by Ahanna, daughter of Hannah.
Lord�s Fire: staff fire used by the Lords.
Lord�s keep: Rvelstone, build by giants for their rockbrothers, the Lords.
Loresraat: trothgard school at Revelwood where Kevin�s lore is studied.
Lorewarden: teacher at the Loresraat
loreworks: Demondim power laboratory.
Lower Land: the Land east of Landsdrop.
Maneing: ceremony of becoming a Manethrall.
Manethrall: highest rank of Ramen.
Manhome: main dwelling place of Ramen.
Melenkurion abatha: phrase or invocation of power.
Old Lords: Lords prior to the ritual of Desecration.
**The One Forest: the ancient forest which once covered most of the Land.
**The One Tree: the mystic tree from which the staff of Law was made.
Peak of the Fire-Lions: Mount Thunder.
Power of Command: seventh Ward of Kevin�s Lore.
The Quest: The infamous search to rescue the Staff of Law.
Ravers: Lord Foul�s three ancient servants
Revelstone: Lord�s Keep, mountain city of the Lords.
Revelwood: seat of the Loresraat.
Ridjeck Thome: Foul�s Creche
Rites of Unfettering: the ceremony of becoming unfetterd.
roge Befylam: Cavewight-form of jheherrin.
sacred enclosure: Vespers hall at Revelstone.
Sandgorgons: monsters described by the giants.
Seven Wards: collection of knowledge left by lord Kevin.
Seven Words: power-words.
sringwine: a mild refreshing liquor.
Staff: a branch of Kevin�s lore studied at the Loresraat.
Staff of Law: formed by Berek from the One Tree.
Stricken Stone: region of Trothgard before renovation.
Sword: A branch of Kevin�s Law studied at the Loresraat.
Sword-elder: chief Lorewarden of the Sword at the Loresraat.
test of truth: test of veracity by lomillialor or orcrest.
Upland: Land above Revelstone.
Upper Land: Land West of Landsdrop.
Ur-viles: Demondim spawn, evil creatures of power.
Valley of Two Rivers: Site of Revelwood.
Vaincome: meeting place at Revelwood.
Viles: sires of the Demondim.
Vow: Bloodguard oath of service to the Lords.
Warhaft: commander of an Eoman
Warmark: Commander of the Warward.
Warrenbridge: entrance to catacombs under Mount Thunder.
Warward: an army of Lord�s Keep.
Waynhim: tenders of the Waymeets, Demondim-spawn but opponents of the ur-viles.
Wightwarren: home of the Cavewights under Mount Thunder
Winhome: Lowest Ramen Rank.
Word of Warning: a powerful, destructive forbidding.
DM�s Notes: Session 1.
Locally:
You have been a member of your chose class for some time now and have proven yourself to be a worthy and trusted individual. The land has shown a need and the Lords have been forced to call upon the people to act in defense of the Land. Your leader approaches you and tells you that you have been summoned to travel to Revelstone where you will meet in special council with the High Lord himself! There you will be informed of your task. The village will of course do all that they can to prepare you and will present you with items fitting your class.
Cave weights have been raiding and attacking the Waymeets in the forests. A guide will be provided if there are no woodsmen but will be 2nd level and under the protection of the party. Although the Waynhim have been safe through all this, the Waymeets themselves have constantly ravaged so that there is never any safety and rest for the travelers they are meant for. Since the waymeets are usually in places of great earthmagic, this is quite perplexing. The Lords cannot imagine what the Cavewights would be after and they would like your group to go and try to stop them. They would also appreciate any clues that you can provide as the WHY they are attacking the waymeets.
Attacks by kresh on the way.
On the Cavewights you will find small chunks of a strange ore unidentifiable by any Stonedowner. It makes the Stonedowners feel ill at ease. A dwarf with a roll of a DC 20 or better will identify it as a metal ore of great magic but nothing more. Also the cavewights have been uprooting the Aliantha trees and carrying them wrapped in skins with dirt as if they wish to transplant it. They are stealing the springwine from the waymeets and have made a foul paste of the treasure berries that smells like death and dung and wear it in circles around their eyes. This must be the way they are finding the Waymeets, by desecrating the earth power for their own devices.
The aliantha is mixed with the ore and desecrated to make a paste, which allows the cavewights to see through the earthmagic in to the waymeets. The ailantha is also needed for the ore to hold magical properties that will eventually power the golem. The springwine is being taken for testing to replicate and to nourish the aliantha trees on the way since the lands are desecrated father north. The cavewights are being directed by the ur-viles to systematicly plunder the waymeets and hopefully to take a waynhim alive for questioning. As the adventurers move progressively north they will find more and more cavewights and eventually an encampment where they will find a kidnapped waynhim that they can rescue and receive quite a reward. Also any metal that is recovered from the ur-viles and cave wights can be cleansed and used for good, but must be returned to the Lords to do this. The cleansed metal may be made into an item of power for each adventurer.
Regionally:
One of the unfettered has gone missing, last seen ranting about a great tree that told her something about the return of Fangthane and nights of Fire and skies of Doom.
Ur-viles are massing around mount thunder with great machines digging into the earth for a strange and powerful ore deep within the earth.
Globally:
Caamora and Giants battle. The giants are looking for their brothers who left long ago.
Lord Foul works to create a Great Golem and return to the Land to reign forever and eventually bring destruction upon the Land for his own devices.
